Iowa Football: Three Hawkeyes Named Walter Camp All-Americans

While the Iowa hoops team was busy dominating the Iowa State Cyclones on Thursday night, the college football world was focused on a number of national awards being handed out. The 29th annual Home Depot College Football Awards took place in Atlanta, Georgia and the majority of the major awards we’ve come to know in college football were awarded.

Among the announcements last night was the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s top kicker. While Iowa’s Keith Duncan was largely considered the favorite, the final voting appeared to be nearly as rigged as the fan voting a week ago. Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship ultimately took home the award, despite kicking fewer field goals, making fewer field goals, making a lower percentage of his field goals and Duncan lighting the world on fire with game-winners, more 40+ yard field goals than we’ve seen in four seasons of college football and setting school and Big Ten records for field goals made.

The Groza wasn’t the only place where Duncan was wronged on Tuesday night. When the Walter Camp Football Foundation released their 130th All-America teams, Duncan again found himself behind the Bulldog.

However, Duncan was one of three Iowa Hawkeyes to earn All-American honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was joined, of course, by defensive end A.J. Epenesa and offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.

Wirfs was the lone Hawkeye to earn first team honors. Epenesa and Duncan were named to the second team, which feels wrong on both counts.

Some notes on the teams from the Foundation:

In all, 32 different schools from eight conferences were represented on the All-America First and Second Teams (a total of 51 players selected).

Overall, the Big Ten Conference had the most honorees (15), followed by the Southeastern Conference (13) and Pac-12 (7).

LSU (13-0) has three First Team honorees, and one on the Second Team. Second-ranked Ohio State has five All-Americans (2 First Team, 3 Second Team), while three Clemson players were named (2 First Team, 1 Second Team). Fourth-ranked Oklahoma had two honorees.

It’s worth noting that Iowa’s three selections tie them for second in the nation, ahead of #4 Oklahoma. This is the sixth straight year Iowa has had a Walter Camp All-American. Tight end T.J. Hockenson was a second teamer in 2018 (LOL). In 2017, defensive back Josh Jackson and linebacker Josey Jewell each earned first team honors. Defensive back Desmond King was second team in 2016 and first team in 2015. Offensive lineman Brandon Scherff earned first team honors in 2014.

Here’s a look at the full first and second teams.

2019 Walter Camp All-America Teams

First Team Offense

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt Class Hometown

WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU 6-1 200 Soph. Harvey, LA

WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma 6-2 191 Jr. Richmond, TX

TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic 6-5 240 Sr. Gray, GA

OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia @ 6-5 320 Jr. Lithonia, GA

OL Penei Sewell, Oregon 6-6 325 Soph. Malaeimi, American Samoa

OL John Simpson, Clemson 6-4 330 Sr. North Charleston, SC

OL Tristan Wirfs, Iowa 6-5 322 Jr. Mount Vernon, IA

C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin 6-3 321 Jr. Amherst, WI

QB Joe Burrow, LSU 6-4 216 Sr. Athens, OH

RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin % 5-11 221 Jr. Salem, NJ

RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State 6-1 207 Soph. Sherwood Park, CA

PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia 6-1 191 Sr. Marietta, GA

First Team Defense

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt Class Hometown

DL Chase Young, Ohio State 6-5 265 Jr. Cheltenham, MD

DL Derrick Brown, Auburn 6-5 318 Sr. Sugar Hill, GA

DL Bradlee Anae, Utah 6-3 265 Sr. Laie, HI

DL James Lynch, Baylor 6-4 295 Jr. Round Rock, TX

DL Curtis Weaver, Boise State 6-3 265 Jr. Long Beach, CA

LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson 6-4 230 Jr. Olathe, KS

LB Evan Weaver, California 6-3 235 Sr. Spokane, WA

LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin 6-3 235 Sr. Brown Deer, WI

DB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State 6-1 200 Jr. Grand Prairie, TX

DB Grant Delpit, LSU # 6-3 203 Jr. Houston, TX

DB J.R. Reed, Georgia 6-1 194 Sr. Frisco, TX

DB Antoine Winfield, Jr., Minnesota 5-10 205 R-Soph. The Woodlands, TX

P Max Duffy, Kentucky 6-1 186 Jr. Perth, Australia

KR Joe Reed, Virginia 6-1 215 Sr. Charlotte Court House, VA

Second Team Offense

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt Class Hometown

WR Michael Pittman, USC 6-4 22 Sr. Woodland Hills, CA

WR Omar Bayless, Arkansas State 6-3 207 R-Sr. Laurel, MS

TE Noah Gray, Duke 6-4 240 Jr. Leominster, MA

OL Wyatt Davis, Ohio State 6-4 313 Soph. Bellflower, CA

OL Jedrick Wills, Alabama 6-5 320 Jr. Lexington, KY

OL Colton McKivitz, West Virginia 6-7 312 R-Sr. Jacobsburg, OH

OL Ben Bredeson. Michigan 6-5 325 Sr. Hartland, WI

C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma 6-3 315 Soph. Shawnee, OK

QB Justin Fields, Ohio State 6-3 225 Soph. Kennesaw, GA

RB J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State 5-10 216 Jr. La Grange, TX

RB Travis Etienne, Clemson @ 5-10 200 Jr. Jennings, LA

PK Keith Duncan, Iowa 5-10 180 Jr. Weddington, NC

Second Team Defense

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt Class Hometown

DL AJ Epenesa, Iowa 6-6 280 Jr. Glen Carbon, IL

DL Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh 6-2 290 R-Soph. Washington, DC

DL Leki Fotu, Utah 6-5 335 Sr. West Valley City, UT

DL Kenny Willekes, Michigan State @ 6-4 260 Jr. Rockfield, MI

LB Micah Parsons, Penn State 6-3 245 Soph. Harrisburg, PA

LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech 6-1 245 Sr. Houston, TX

LB Hamilcar Rashad, Oregon State 6-4 236 R-Jr. Phoenix, AZ

DB Xavier McKinney, Alabama 6-1 200 Jr. Roswell, GA

DB Derek Stingley, LSU 6-1 190 Fr. Baton Rouge, LA

DB Luq Barcoo, San Diego State 6-1 175 Sr. San Diego, CA

DB Jaylon Johnson, Utah 6-0 190 Jr. Fresno, CA

P Braden Mann, Texas A&M # 5-11 190 Sr. Houston, TX

KR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama 5-10 182 Soph. Houston, TX

# – 2018 Walter Camp First Team All-American

@ – 2018 Walter Camp Second Team All-American

% – 2017 Walter Camp Second Team and 2018 First Team All-American