The 1971 All-America college football team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1971. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1971 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), (2) the Associated Press (AP), (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), (4) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and (5) the United Press International (UPI).
Nine players are recognized by the NCAA as unanimous All-America selections: quarterback and 1971 Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan of Auburn; running backs Ed Marinaro of Cornell and Greg Pruitt of Oklahoma; receiver Terry Beasley of Auburn; tackle Jerry Sisemore of Texas; guard Royce Smith of Georgia; defensive end Walt Patulski of Notre Dame; linebacker Mike Taylor of Michigan; and defensive back Bobby Majors of Tennessee.
Consensus All-Americans The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1971 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Name Position School NumberThis column lists the number of selectors choosing the player as a first-team All-American as follows: official selectors/other selectors/total selectors. Official OtherTerry BeasleyReceiverAuburn5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCBobby MajorsDefensive backTennessee5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCWalt PatulskiDefensive endNotre Dame5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCRoyce SmithOffensive guardGeorgia5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCMike TaylorLinebackerMichigan5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCEd MarinaroRunning backCornell5/3/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSNPat SullivanQuarterbackAuburn5/3/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, TSN, WCClarence EllisDefensive backNotre Dame4/4/8AFCA, AP, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCReggie McKenzieOffensive guardMichigan4/4/8AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, Time, TSN, WCGreg PruittRunning backOklahoma5/2/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, WCJerry SisemoreOffensive tackleTexas5/2/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, WCSherman WhiteDefensive tackleCalifornia3/4/7AFCA, FWAA, NEAFN, Time, TSN, WCJohnny RodgersReceiverNebraska4/2/6AFCA, FWAA, NEA, UPIFN, WCJeff SiemonLinebackerStanford4/2/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, TimeLarry JacobsonDefensive tackleNebraska4/1/5AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPITimeTom BrahaneyCenterOklahoma3/2/5AFCA, AP, FWAAFN, WCDave JoynerOffensive tacklePenn State3/2/5AFCA, FWAA, UPIFN, WCJohnny MussoRunning backAlabama3/2/5AFCA, FWAA, UPIFN, WCTommy CasanovaDefensive backLSU2/3/5FWAA, UPIFN, Time, WCMel LongDefensive tackleToledo4/0/4AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI--Willie HarperDefensive endNebraska2/2/4NEA, UPIFN, WCErnie JacksonDefensive backDuke2/0/2AFCA, FWAA--
Offense
Receivers
Terry Beasley, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WC) Mike Siani, Villanova (NEA-2, UPI-2, TSN) Tom Gatewood, Notre Dame (UPI-2, Time) Cliff Branch, Colorado (FN) Rhett Dawson, Florida State (AP-3)
Tight ends
Riley Odoms, Houston (AP-3, NEA-2 [receiver], Time, TSN) Doug Kingsriter, Minnesota (AP-1) Charle Young, USC (AP-2)
Tackles
Jerry Sisemore, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WC) Dave Joyner, Penn State (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, WC) John Vella, USC (AP-1, NEA-1, UPI-2, FN, TSN) John Hannah, Alabama (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2) Tom Drougas, Oregon (TSN) Lionel Antoine, Southern Illinois (Time) Tom Luken, Purdue (AP-2, NEA-2 [OG]) Carl Johnson, Nebraska (AP-3) Mike Stark, Memphis State (AP-3)
Guards
Reggie McKenzie, Michigan (AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Royce Smith, Georgia (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Gordon Gravelle, BYU (AP-2, NEA-2) Dick Rupert, Nebraska (AP-3, UPI-2) B. C. Williams, West Virginia (AP-3) Ken Jones, Oklahoma (UPI-2)
Centers
Tom Brahaney, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN, WC) Tom DeLeone, Ohio State (AP-2, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN) Dave Dalby, UCLA (AP-3, NEA-2, TSN)
Quarterbacks
Pat Sullivan, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, TSN, WC) Chuck Ealey, Toledo, (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-2, FN) Jerry Tagge, Nebraska (AP-2, FN) Jack Mildren, Oklahoma (NEA-2, FN) John Reaves, Florida (Time)
Running backs
Ed Marinaro, Cornell (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN) Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WC) Johnny Musso, Alabama (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, WC) Ahmad Rashad (born Bobby Moore), Oregon (AP-3, NEA-1, UPI-2, FN, Time, TSN) Lydell Mitchell, Penn State (AP-1, NEA-2, UPI-2, FN) Eric Allen, Michigan State (AFCA, AP-2, NEA-2) Billy Taylor, Michigan (AP-3, UPI-2, FN) Robert Newhouse, Houston (AP-2) Jeff Kinney, Nebraska (AP-3)
Defense
Defensive ends
Walt Patulski, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Willie Harper, Nebraska (AP-2, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WC) Smylie Gebhart, Georgia Tech (AP-1) Robin Parkhouse, Alabama (AP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2) Junior Ah You, Arizona State (UPI-2) Mike Keller, Michigan (AP-3) Gene Ogilvie, Air Force (AP-3)
Defensive tackles
Larry Jacobson, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-2 [OT], UPI-1, Time) Mel Long, Toledo (AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1) Sherman White, California (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Herb Orvis, Colorado (AFCA, AP-3, NEA-2 [DE], UPI-2, TSN [DE], WC) Mike Kadish, Notre Dame (Time, TSN) Ron Estay, LSU (AFCA [guard], AP-2, NEA-2 [MG], UPI-2) Pete Lazetich, Stanford (NEA-2, FN)
Middle guards
Rich Glover, Nebraska (AP-1, NEA-1, WC) Ron Curl, Michigan State (AFCA, AP-3, NEA-2) Doug Krause, Miami (OH) (AP-2) Bud Magrum, Colorado (AP-3)
Linebackers
Mike Taylor, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Jeff Siemon, Stanford (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, Time) Jackie Walker, Tennessee (FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, WC) Dave Chaney, San Jose State (AP-1, NEA-1, UPI-2) Willie Hall, Southern California (AP-2, UPI-2, Time, TSN, FN) Chuck Zapiec, Penn State (AP-3, NEA-1) Mark Arneson, Arizona (TSN) Rodrigo Barnes, Rice (UPI-2) Ralph Cindrich, Pittsburgh (AP-2, NEA-2) Joe Federspiel, Kentucky (AP-2) Steve Aycock, Oklahoma (UPI-2) Bill Light, Minnesota (AP-3) Harold Sears, Miami (FL) (AP-3)
Defensive backs
Bobby Majors, Tennessee (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Clarence Ellis, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Tommy Casanova, LSU (FWAA, UPI-1, FN, Time, WC) Ernie Jackson, Duke (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA) Brad Van Pelt, Michigan State (AP-3, UPI-1, FN) Willie Buchanon, San Diego State (NEA-2, Time, TSN) Thom Darden, Michigan (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2, TSN) Eric Hutchinson, Northwestern (FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-2) Dickie Harris, South Carolina (UPI-2, WC) Craig Clemons, Iowa (NEA-1, TSN) Windlan Hall, Arizona State (AP-3, NEA-2 [LB], UPI-2, FN) Tom Myers, Syracuse (AP-1) Robert Popelka, SMU (AP-2) Ralph McGill, Tulsa (AP-3, NEA-2)
Special teams
Kickers
Bill McClard, Arkansas (FWAA TSN) Chester Marcol, Hillsdale College (Time)
Punters
Marv Bateman, Utah (TSN, Time)
Key
Bold – Consensus All-American -1 – First-team selection -2 – Second-team selection -3 – Third-team selection
Official selectors AFCA – American Football Coaches Association for Kodak AP – Associated Press FWAA – Football Writers Association of America NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association UPI – United Press International
Other selectors FN – Football News Time – Time magazine TSN – The Sporting News PFW – Pro Football Weekly WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation
See also 1971 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team 1971 All-Big Eight Conference football team 1971 All-Big Ten Conference football team 1971 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team 1971 All-SEC football team 1971 All-Southwest Conference football team
References