Iowa Football: Two Hawkeyes Named FWAA All-Americans, Duncan Earns Consensus Status

For the final time in 2019, a major organization handed out its All-America honors today. Last week, the Walter Camp Football Foundation made their announcements. That has been followed this week by the Associated Press, the Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association handing out their honors.

As a recap, three Hawkeyes have been involved in the All-America honors to-date. Keith Duncan has made all the announced teams, including 1st team All-America by the AP and Sporting News. Tristan Wirfs was left off entirely by Sporting News, despite being named a Walter Camp 1st team All-American. A.J. Epenesa was also snubbed by the Sporting News, but has been a 2nd team All-American by all other organizations contributing to consensus status.

Today, the Football Writers Association of America released their 1st and 2nd team All-Americans. Among the honorees were two Hawkeyes. AJ Epenesa was inexplicably left off the list.

However, both Tristan Wirfs and Keith Duncan were named to the 1st team by the FWAA. For Wirfs, that leaves him just one group shy of making consensus All-American status. For Duncan, it puts him over the edge.

Duncan becomes the first consensus All-American for the Hawkeyes since Josey Jewell and Joshua Jackson in 2017. He’s the 26th consensus All-American in program history and the 11th under head coach Kirk Ferentz. He also accomplishes something Iowa great Nate Kaeding did not: he’s a consensus pick with remaining eligibility.

For Kaeding, he was named an All-American in 2002, but didn’t earn consensus status until 2003. Duncan now has the opportunity to return for his senior year and become the first Hawkeye to earn consensus All-America status in back-to-back season since Larry Station in 1984-1985.

Not only is that a tremendous honor, it’s one path to having Duncan’s name forever memorialized on the Brechler Press Box. Per the University of Iowa:

To be considered for inclusion on the Kinnick Stadium Wall of Honor, former UI football players must be a member of the UI Varsity Club Hall of Fame, and meet one of the following three criteria: 1. Member of both the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame and the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame* 2. Member of one of the two above mentioned nationally recognized Halls of Fame, and a consensus All-American 3. Two-time Consensus All-American

*The Helms Athletic Foundation is no longer active, rendering it invalid for future consideration.

If Duncan has a year next season like he did this one, he will be well on his way to the Wall of Honor.

As for the FWAA All-America teams, here’s the full listing of honorees.

2019 FWAA ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB Joe Burrow, LSU
RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State
RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
OL Penei Sewell, Oregon
OL John Simpson, Clemson
OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia
OL Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

DEFENSE

DL Bradlee Anae, Utah
DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
DL James Lynch, Baylor
DL Chase Young, Ohio State
LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin
LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
LB Evan Weaver, California
DB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia
DB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
DB Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota

SPECIALISTS

K Keith Duncan, Iowa
P Max Duffy, Kentucky
KR Joe Reed, Virginia
PR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
AP J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State

2019 FWAA ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM

Offense: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State; RB Travis Etienne, Clemson; RB Zack Moss, Utah; WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC; WR James Proche, SMU; TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State; OL Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU; OL Wyatt Davis, Ohio State; OL Logan Stenberg, Kentucky; OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon; C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma.

Defense: DL Leki Fotu, Utah; DL Greg Rousseau, Miami; DL Jaylen Twyman, Pitt; DL Curtis Weaver, Boise State; LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech; LB Micah Parsons, Penn State; LB Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State; DB Luq Barcoo, San Diego State; DB Jeff Gladney, TCU; DB C.J. Henderson, Florida; DB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU.

Specialists: K Nick Sciba, Wake Forest; P Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse; KR Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State; PR Jalen Reagor TCU; AP Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State.

Congratulations to Tristan Wirfs and Keith Duncan!