University of Delaware Quartet of Devlin, Pierce, Bratton, Walters Honored on College Sporting News All-American Football Team
January 20, 2011
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Pictured from top: QB Pat Devlin (#17), Andrew Pierce (30), Anthony Bratton (4), and Anthony Walters (9) (Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell)
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The University of Delaware quartet of senior quarterback Pat Devlin, freshman running back Andrew Pierce, senior cornerback Anthony Walters, and senior safety Anthony Bratton was honored once again on Thursday as the three were among 63 players selected to the College Sporting News Sweet 63 Football Championship Subdivision All-America team.
Devlin was one of five quarterback honored, Pierce was among the top five running backs recognized and was also selected as the Co-Freshman of the Year, Walters was one of four cornerbacks honored, and Bratton was among five safeties named to the All-American team.
Villanova offensive tackle Ben Ijalana was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year, Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt was named the Defensive Player of the Year, Pierce and Montana State quarterback Denarius McGhee shared the Freshman of the Year honor, Eastern Washington’s Beau Baldwin was named the Coach of the Year, Eastern Kentucky’s Jeremy Caldwell was selected as Special Teams Player of the Year, and Eastern Washington wide receiver Brandon Kaufman was named NCAA playoff Most Valuable Player.
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The selections were made by a committee of writers for the College Sporting News, one of the nation’s most popular websites for NCAA FCS news. This is the first year that the CSN All-America squad has featured 63 players, a number that signifies the amount of scholarships available to teams at the FCS level.
Delaware, which posted a 12-3 record for head coach K.C. Keeler, shared the Colonial Athletic Association title, and advanced all the way to the FCS national championship game before falling to Eastern Washington 20-19, placed four players on the team. Only Eastern Washington and Appalachian State, with five selections, had more players recognized than the Blue Hens. The CAA topped all leagues by placing 13 players on the team. All 14 FCS conferences and 37 different teams were represented.
Devlin (Downingtown East HS/Downingtown, Pa.), one of the nation’s highest-rated quarterbacks and a highly-touted National Football League prospect, was outstanding as a senior in 2010 as he completed 261 of 384 passes for 3,032 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He led the nation in pass completion percentage with a mark of .680 and ranked No. 5 in passing rating with a total of 151.64. He threw for over 200 yards nine times and threw four touchdowns passes in a game twice. In just two seasons at Delaware after transferring from Penn State, he threw for 5,696 yards and 38 touchdowns and won 18 games.
He was a first team Phil Steele College Football All-American, earned third team Associated Press All-American honors, was the CAA Offensive Player of the Year, was named the ECAC Eastern Player of the Year, and earned a spot on the CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic team as a graduate student in finance. He will also play in the East-West Shrine All-Star Game this Saturday, Jan. 22, in Orlando, Fla.
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Pierce (Cumberland Regional HS/Bridgeton, N.J.) was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and Phil Steele National Freshman of the Year and was honored as a third team All-American by both Phil Steele and by The Sports Network. He was one of just two freshmen in the nation to earn TSN All-American laurels. Earlier this month he was named the ECAC Eastern Player of the Year.
A walk-on who earned the starting job in pre-season drills, Pierce enjoyed the finest season ever for a UD runner as he rushed 329 times for 1,655 yards and 14 touchdowns while also catching 32 passes for 199 yards and three scores. He set UD freshman records for carries in a season, yards rushing in a game (200 vs. Duquesne) and a season, rushing touchdowns in a season, and total touchdowns (16) in a season. He surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark seven times and averaged 126.5 yards per game in four NCAA playoff appearances. His 1,655 yards rushing was the second highest single season mark in UD history.
Bratton (Osbourn Park HS/Manassas, Va.) was part of the most dominating defense in the country. Playing at the strong safety spot, Bratton spearheaded a unit that led the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 12.1 points per game, ranked fifth in total defense with a 280.7 total yards per game mark, and was ninth in passing efficiency defense (148.49). Delaware also ranked third in the nation with 21 interceptions.
A first team All-CAA selection as well as a third team All-American by the Associated Press, The Sports Network, and Phil Steele College Football, Bratton ranked second on the team with 99 tackles (58 solo). He had three tackles for loss, intercepted two passes, forced two fumbles, and led the squad with 12 pass breakups. He recorded 10 or more tackles four times.
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Walters (Cardinal O’Hara/Philadelphia, Pa.) enjoyed an outstanding senior season as he earned fourth team Phil Steele College Football All-American honors and was second team All-CAA. Despite missing two games with injuries, he led the team and ranked among the national leaders with seven interceptions for 138 yards. He picked off two passes each vs. West Chester and in the playoffs against Lehigh. He also ranked seventh on the squad with 75 tackles (team-high 60 solo) while registering three tackles for loss, eighth pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
AGATE:
2010 College Sporting News Sweet 63 All-America Team
Offensive Player Of The Year: Ben Ijalana, Villanova, Senior, Tackle
Defensive Player Of The Year: J.C. Sherritt, Eastern Washington, Senior, Linebacker
Lineman Of The Year: Ben Ijalana, Villanova, Senior, Tackle
Coach Of The Year: Beau Baldwin, Eastern Washington
Playoff Most Valuable Player: Brandon Kaufman, Sophomore, Eastern Washington
Special Teams Player Of The Year: Jeremy Caldwell, Junior, Eastern Kentucky
Freshmen Of The Year: Denarius McGhee, Montana State; Andrew Pierce, Delaware
Wide Receiver: Brandon Kaufman, Sophomore, Eastern Washington; Tysson Poots, Senior, Southern Utah; Brian Quick, Junior, Appalachian State; Lito Senatus, Senior, Western Illinois; Chris Summers, Junior, Liberty; Raymond Webber, Senior, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Tight End: Andrew Kennedy, Senior, Columbia; Shadrae King, Junior, Robert Morris
Offensive Tackles: David Arkin, Senior, Missouri State; Ben Ijalana, Senior, Villanova; Daniel Kilgore, Senior, Appalachian State; Mike Person, Senior, Montana State; Will Rackley, Senior, Lehigh
Offensive Guard: Brent Clouser, Senior, Villanova; Pat Illig, Senior, Wofford; J.C. Oram, Junior, Weber State
Center: Sean Middleton, Senior, Southeast Missouri State; Ryan McKnight, Senior, South Dakota State
Quarterback: Pat Devlin, Senior, Delaware; Matthew Johnson, Senior, Bethune-Cookman; Denarius McGhee, Freshman, Montana State; Jeremy Moses, Senior, Stephen F. Austin; DeAndre Presley, Junior, Appalachian State
Running Back: Nate Eachus, Junior, Colgate; Henry Harris, Senior, Southeast Missouri State; Taiwan Jones, Junior, Eastern Washington; Andrew Pierce, Freshman, Delaware; Frank Warren, Senior, Grambling
Fullback: Eric Breitenstein, Sophomore, Wofford
All-Purpose: Mike Brown, Junior, Liberty; Terrence Holt, Senior, Austin Peay; Matt Szczur, Senior, Villanova
Defensive End: Kenneth Charles, Senior, Stephen F. Austin; Mario Kurn, Junior, San Diego; Brian McNally, Junior, New Hampshire; Ameet Pall, Junior, Wofford
Defensive Tackle: Kenrick Ellis, Senior, Hampton; Martin Parker, Senior, Richmond; Brent Russell, Sophomore, Georgia Southern; Renard Williams, Junior, Eastern Washington
Linebacker: David Erby, Senior, South Carolina State; Matt Evans, Sophomore, New Hampshire; DeJuan Fulgham, Senior, Texas Southern; Kyle Glazier, Senior, Western Illinois; Tyler Holmes, Junior, Massachusetts; Marquis Kirkland, Senior, Villanova; Eric McBride, Senior, Richmond; J.C. Sherritt, Eastern Washington; D.J. Smith, Senior, Appalachian State
Cornerback: Moses Ellis, Senior, Prairie View; Trumaine Johnson, Junior, Montana; Korey Lindsey, Senior, Southern Illinois; Anthony Walters, Senior, Delaware
Safety: Anthony Bratton, Senior, Delaware; Eugene Clifford, Senior, Tennessee State; Matt Johnson, Junior, Eastern Washington; Mark LeGree, Senior, Appalachian State
Defensive Back/Returnman: Jeremy Caldwell, Junior, Eastern Kentucky
Place Kicker: Matt Bevins, Junior, Liberty
Punter: Charlie Edwards, Junior, Georgia Southern
Long Snapper: Daniel Bonifas, Senior, Coastal Carolina
Kickoff Returner: Gralyn Crawford, Sophomore, Stephen F. Austin
Punt Returner: Dontrel Johnson, Junior, Murray State
