Alabama Football Lands Five Players On All-American Teams
By David Wasson
Alabama football players Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Cam Robinson, O.J. Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick were honored by The Sporting News and Pro Football Focus.
The Alabama football team placed five players on two All-American teams on Wednesday.
Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster made both The Sporting News All-America Team and the Pro Football Focus All-America Team. Offensive lineman Cam Robinson was a Sporting News All-American, while tight end O.J. Howard and defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick made the Pro Football Focus All-America Team.
Allen, the 2016 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Nagurski Trophy and Ted Hendricks Award winner, has been a disruptive force in the middle of the vaunted Alabama defensive front that leads the country in rush defense (63.4 ypg). He has a career-high 56 tackles this season, including 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. In addition, Allen has 15 quarterback hurries, a blocked field goal attempt and two fumble recoveries, both of which were returned for touchdowns.
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Foster, the Butkus Award winner, has captained an Alabama defense that is widely regarded as the best in the country. The unit ranks first nationally in both total defense (247.8 ypg) and rush defense (63.4 ypg), as well as scoring defense (11.8 ppg). Foster leads the Crimson Tide in tackles with 94, including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also has recorded eight quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Robinson, the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner and Outland Trophy finalist, leads an Alabama offensive line that has provided protection for a balanced attack that leads the SEC in scoring at 40.5 points per game and is second in total offense (471.3 yards per game), rushing offense (245.0 yards per game) and yards per rushing attempt (5.7). He earned First Team All-SEC honors Monday and is the second Alabama player to win the Jacobs in as many years. Center Ryan Kelly won the award in 2015.
Fitzpatrick is currently enjoying his best season with Alabama football, recording a career-high 56 tackles, including five tackles for loss and one sack. The sophomore leads the SEC with five interceptions and 158 return yards, including two pick-sixes. The two returns for a score give Fitzpatrick four in his career, the most in Alabama history. FItzpatrick was also a second-team Sporting News selection.
Howard was named to an All-American team for the first time in his career. On the season, the Mackey Award finalist has hauled in 37 passes for 445 yards and two touchdowns. He has also made a huge impact as a blocker, helping open running lanes for a Crimson Tide rushing attack that ranks in the top-15 nationally with an average of 245 yards per game.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs, and will face the No. 4 Washington Huskies in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Dec. 31.
The Crimson Tide and Huskies have met four times previously, with the most recent contest coming in the 1986 Sun Bowl when the Crimson Tide defeated the Huskies, 28-6, to cap off a 9-3 season.
The winner of the matchup between the Crimson Tide and the Huskies will meet the winner of the game matching the No. 2 Clemson Tigers and the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, who will play in the other CFP Semifinal Game at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. The 2017 CFP National Championship Game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
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Alabama, making its 65th appearance in a postseason game, has played in more bowl games and earned more postseason victories than any school in college football history. Alabama is making a postseason appearance for the 10th consecutive season under head coach Nick Saban and the 13th straight season overall for the school.