The Football Writers Association of America announced its 75th Anniversary All-America Team on Thursday and the Pitt Panthers were very well represented as five former Pitt legends made one of the three teams.
The five Panthers selected were tight end Mike Ditka, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, running back Tony Dorsett, offensive lineman Bill Fralic and defensive end Hugh Green.
Fitzgerald was a first-team selection while the other four were named to the second team.
The five Pitt selections were second to only Nebraska, who led the way with six. Ohio State also finished second with Pitt with five selections.
“This was one of the most fun, yet most difficult exercises I’ve had in life – next to parallel parking, that is,” said FWAA 75th All-America Committee chairman Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman. “Truly, it was an exciting – if not impossible – task to find the best 75 college football players ever. Please save your hate mail, but feel free to weigh in and tell us how we messed up. And I’m sure we did, but no one should argue that it wasn’t a great idea to honor the best who have ever played the game. Let the debating begin.”
Fitzgerald, despite only playing two seasons (2002-03) at Pitt, was named the 2003 Walter Camp Player of the Year, becoming the first sophomore to earn the honor, and also won the Biletnikoff Award as the country’s top receiver. In just 26 games as a Panther, Fitzgerald had 161 catches for 2,677 yards (16.6 avg.) and a school-record 34 touchdowns.
Ditka led the Panthers in receiving three consecutive years (1958-60) and was a unanimous All-American as a senior. He was enshrined in both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While at Pitt (1973-76) Dorsett set or tied 18 collegiate rushing records which is more than any other player in the history of college football. He set the NCAA’s all-time career rushing record with 6,082 yards, which stood for 22 years. As a senior in 1976, he won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award as the Panthers went 12-0 and captured the national championship.
Green (1977-80) still remains the Panthers all-time sack leader with 49. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Green was a three-time first team All-American and won the 1980 Lombardi Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award. He finished second in the 1980 Heisman Trophy balloting.
Fralic was a dominating offensive lineman from 1981-84. He was a three-time first team All-American and became the first offensive lineman to twice finish in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy balloting. He is also a College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
The entire 75th Anniversary All-America Team is as follows.
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75th ANNIVERSARY FWAA ALL-AMERICA TEAM |
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OFFENSE |
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| POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
| QB | Roger Staubach, Navy | Tim Tebow, Florida | Tommie Frazier, Nebraska |
| RB | Archie Griffin, Ohio State | Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh | Bo Jackson, Auburn |
| RB | Herschel Walker, Georgia | Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State | Doak Walker, SMU |
| WR | Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh | Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State | Anthony Carter, Michigan |
| WR | Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State | Randy Moss, Marshall | Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech |
| TE | Keith Jackson, Oklahoma | Mike Ditka, Pittsburgh | Gordon Hudson, BYU |
| OL | John Hannah, Alabama | Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh | Barrett Jones, Alabama |
| OL | Orlando Pace, Ohio State | John Hicks, Ohio State | Willie Roaf, Louisiana Tech |
| OL | Will Shields, Nebraska | Calvin Jones, Iowa | Jerry Sisemore, Texas |
| OL | Ron Yary, USC | Jonathan Ogden, UCLA | Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska |
| C | Dave Rimington, Nebraska | Chuck Bednarik, Penn | Jim Ritcher, N.C. State |
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DEFENSE |
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| POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
| DT | Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma | Merlin Olsen, Utah State | Steve Emtman, Washington |
| DT | Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska | Randy White, Maryland | Reggie White, Tennessee |
| DE | Leon Hart, Notre Dame | Hugh Green, Pittsburgh | Bubba Smith, Michigan State |
| DE | Ted Hendricks, Miami (Fla.) | Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech | Jack Youngblood, Florida |
| LB | Tommy Nobis, Texas | Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma | Jack Ham, Penn State |
| LB | Mike Singletary, Baylor | Dick Butkus, Illinois | Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama |
| LB | Derrick Thomas, Alabama | Luke Kuechly, Boston College | Chris Spielman, Ohio State |
| DB | Ronnie Lott, USC | Champ Bailey, Georgia | Dré Bly, North Carolina |
| DB | Deion Sanders, Florida State | Kenny Easley, UCLA | Dave Brown, Michigan |
| DB | Jack Tatum, Ohio State | Jerry Gray, Texas | Troy Polamalu, USC |
| DB | Charles Woodson, Michigan | Ed Reed, Miami (Fla.) | Roy Williams, Oklahoma |
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SPECIALISTS |
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| POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
| P | Ray Guy, Southern Miss | Russell Erxleben, Texas | Rohn Stark, Florida State |
| K | Kevin Butler, Georgia | Mason Crosby, Colorado | Tony Franklin, Texas A&M |
| RS | johnny Rodgers, Nebraska | Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame | Derek Abney, Kentucky |
Photo Credit: CBS Sports
