USC quarterback Sam Darnold and Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver were the stars of the FWAA’s Freshman All-America Team for the 2016 season, and Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente and USC head coach Clay Helton shared the award for First Year Coach of the Year.
The FWAA’s Freshman All-America Team, announced today, includes 20 true freshmen including Oliver, Ohio State running back Mike Weber, Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill and Florida State defensive lineman Brian Burns.
Fuente is coming off his first season as the head coach at Virginia Tech after a successful stint as head coach at Memphis, with an ACC Coastal Division championship and appearance in the ACC Championship Game. Helton overcame a rough start to coach USC into a top 10 finish and a Rose Bowl victory over Big Ten champion Penn State. Both have been head coaches before, of course, but the FWAA First Year Coach of the Year is open to any coach in his first full season as a head coach at his current school.
OFFENSE
- QB Sam Darnold, USC
- RB Mike Weber, Ohio State
- RB Benny Snell, Kentucky
- RB Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
- WR Ammon Richards, Miami
- WR Demetris Robinson, California
- WR Ty Lee, Middle Tennessee
- TE Isaac Nautta, Georgia
- OL Michael Jordan, Ohio State
- OL Jawaan Taylor, Florida
- OL Ryan Bates, Penn State
- OL Thomas Shoaf, BYU
- OL Ben Bredeson, Michigan
- AP Donnie Corley, Michigan State
DEFENSE
- DL Ed Oliver, Houston
- DL Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
- DL Brian Burns, Florida State
- DL Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
- DL Reggie Walker, Kansas State
- LB Logan Wilson, Wyoming
- LB Troy Dye, Oregon
- LB Leo Lewis, Mississippi State
- LB Josiah Tauaefa, UTSA
- LB David Reese, Florida
- DB Xavier Crawford, Oregon State
- DB Javon Hagan, Ohio
- DB Taylor Rapp, Washington
- DB Jessie Bates, Wake Forest
- DB Clifton Duck, Appalachian State
SPECIAL TEAMS
- K Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
- P Tom Sheldon, North Carolina
- KR Tony Pollard, Memphis
- PR Malik McGue, Army
