The 1947 All-America college football team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose All-America college football teams in 1947. The eight selectors recognized by the NCAA as "official" for the 1947 season are (1), the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), (2) the Associated Press (AP), (3) Collier's Weekly, as selected by Grantland Rice, (4) the Football Writers Association of America (FW), (5) the International News Service (INS), (6) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), (7) the Sporting News (SN), and (8) the United Press (UP). Other selectors include the Central Press Association (CP) and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC).
Notre Dame quarterback Johnny Lujack and Michigan halfback Bob Chappuis were the only two players unanimously named by all eight official selectors as first-team All-Americans. Lujack and Chappuis also finished first and second in the 1947 Heisman Trophy voting.
Consensus All-Americans For the year 1947, the NCAA recognizes eight published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received. The chart also reflects the published point total from the UP poll (2,211 points possible).
Name Position School UP votes Number Official OtherJohnny LujackQuarterbackNotre Dame2,0868/8AFCA, AP, CO, FW, INS, NEA, SN, UPCP, WCBob ChappuisHalfbackMichigan 1,8388/8AFCA, AP, CO, FW, INS, NEA, SN, UPCP, WCJoe SteffyGuardArmy1,4657/8AFCA, CO, FW, INS, NEA, SN, UPCP, WCBob DavisTackleGa.Tech.7397/8AFCA, AP, CO, FW, INS, NEA, SNCPDoak WalkerHalfbackSMU1,3676/8AFCA, AP, INS, NEA, SN, UPCP, WCBill SwiackiEndColumbia1,0416/8AFCA, AP, CO, INS, NEA, UPWCPaul ClearyEndUSC 8996/8AP, CO, FW, INS, NEA, SNCPBill FischerGuardNotre Dame9095/8AP, FW, NEA, SN, UPCPChuck BednarikCenterPenn8994/8AFCA, AP, INS, UPWCGeorge ConnorTackleNotre Dame1,8314/8AFCA, CO, SN, UPWCBobby LayneQuarterbackTexas1,2003/8FW, SN, UPCP
All-American selections for 1947 Ends Paul Cleary, USC (College Football Hall of Fame) Bill Swiacki, Columbia Barney Poole, Mississippi (College Football Hall of Fame) Leon Hart, Notre Dame (College Football Hall of Fame) Bob Mann, Michigan Ike Owens, Illinois Len Ford, Michigan (Pro Football Hall of Fame) Tom Fears, UCLA (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) Barney Hafen, Utah Max Bumgardner, Texas
Tackles Bob Davis, Georgia Tech George Connor, Notre Dame (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) John Ferraro, USC (College Football Hall of Fame) Dick Harris, Texas Zygmont Czarobski, Notre Dame (College Football Hall of Fame) Malachi Mills, VMI George Savitsky, Penn Bruce Hilkene, Michigan Goble Bryant, Army Phil O'Reilly, Purdue
Guards William Fischer, Notre Dame (College Football Hall of Fame) Joe Steffy, Army (College Football Hall of Fame) Steve Suhey, Penn State (College Football Hall of Fame) Leo Nomellini, Minnesota (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) Rod Franz, California (College Football Hall of Fame) Knox Ramsey, William & Mary Mike Dimitro, UCLA John Magee, Rice Jon Baker, California Howie Brown, Indiana Dominic Tomasi, Michigan Herb Siegert, Illinois Bill Healy, Georgia Tech
Centers Chuck Bednarik, Pennsylvania (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) Dick Scott, Navy Jay Rhodemyre, Kentucky George Strohmeyer, Notre Dame John Rapacz, Oklahoma J. T. White, Michigan
Quarterbacks Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame (College Football Hall of Fame) Bobby Layne, Texas (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) Charlie Conerly, Mississippi (College Football Hall of Fame)
Backs Bob Chappuis, Michigan (College Football Hall of Fame) Doak Walker, SMU (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) Ray Evans, Kansas (College Football Hall of Fame) Bump Elliott, Michigan (College Football Hall of Fame) Skip Minisi, Penn (College Football Hall of Fame) Harry Gilmer, Alabama (College Football Hall of Fame) Charlie Justice, North Carolina (College Football Hall of Fame) Clyde Scott, Arkansas (College Football Hall of Fame) Jack Cloud, William & Mary (College Football Hall of Fame) George Taliaferro, Indiana (College Football Hall of Fame) Don Doll, USC Elwyn Rowan, Army Jake Leicht, Oregon Terry Brennan, Notre Dame Harry Szulborski, Purdue
Key Bold – Consensus All-American -1 – First-team selection -2 – Second-team selection -3 – Third-team selection
Official selections AFCA = American Football Coaches Association, published in the Saturday Evening Post AP = Associated Press CO = Collier's Weekly, selected by Grantland Rice FWAA = Football Writers Association of America INS = International News Service (Hearst newspaper syndicate) NEA = Newspaper Enterprise Association, based on a consensus of coaches, scouts, officials, opposing players, and "others qualified to judge players and accurately weigh their value." SN = Sporting News UP = United Press
Other selectors CP = Central Press Association, selected with the assistance of the nation's football captains. WC = Walter Camp Football Foundation
See also 1947 All-Big Six Conference football team 1947 All-Big Ten Conference football team 1947 All-Pacific Coast Conference football team 1947 All-SEC football team 1947 All-Southwest Conference football team
References