The 1984 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 1984. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1984 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA); (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Other selectors included Football News (FN), Gannett News Service (GNS), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and The Sporting News (TSN).
Consensus All-Americans The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1984 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Offense 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 OtherKeith ByarsRunning backOhio State5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNDoug FlutieQuarterbackBoston College5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNBill FralicOffensive tacklePittsburgh5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNKenneth DavisRunning backTCU5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNDavid WilliamsWide receiverIllinois5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNMark TraynowiczCenterNebraska5/3/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEALomas BrownOffensive tackleFlorida4/2/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, WCNEA, TSNDel WilkesOffensive guardSouth Carolina3/0/3AFCA, AP, WC-Bill MayoOffensive guardTennessee2/1/3UPI, WCFNEddie BrownWide receiverMiami (Fla.)2/1/3AFCA, APNEAJay NovacekTight endWyoming2/1/3AFCA, UPINEAJim LacheyOffensive guardOhio State2/1/3FWAA, UPIGNSRueben MayesRunning backWashington State2/0/2FWAA, UPI-Dan LynchOffensive guardWashington State2/3/5AP, FWAAFN, GNS, NEA
Defense Name Position School Number Official OtherJerry GrayDefensive backTexas5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, GNS, NEA, TSNJack Del RioLinebackerUSC4/2/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, WCFN, NEABruce SmithDefensive endVirginia Tech4/2/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, WCGNS, NEARon HolmesDefensive endWashington4/2/6AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, NEAGregg CarrLinebackerAuburn4/1/5AFCA, AP, UPI, WCFNTony DegrateDefensive tackleTexas4/1/5AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WCFNTony ThurmanDefensive backBoston College4/1/5AFCA, AP, UPI, WCGNSLarry StationLinebackerIowa4/0/4AFCA, AP, UPI, WC-Tony CasillasDefensive tackleOklahoma3/3/6AFCA, AP, FWAAGNS, NEA, TSNJeff SanchezDefensive backGeorgia3/0/3AFCA, UPI, WC-David FulcherDefensive backArizona State2/4/6AP, FWAAFN, GNS, NEA, TSNRod BrownDefensive backOklahoma State2/0/2AFCA, WC-
Special teams Name Position School Number Official OtherRicky AndersonPunterVanderbilt5/2/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, NEAKevin ButlerKickerGeorgia4/2/6AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WCFN, NEA
Offense
Receivers
David Williams, Illinois (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Eddie Brown, Miami (Fla.) (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, NEA-1) Jerry Rice, Miss. Valley State (CFHOF) (FWAA, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Tracy Henderson, Iowa State (AP-2, FN-1, NEA-2) Gerard Phelan, Boston College (AP-2) Reggie Bynum, Oregon State (NEA-2) James Maness, TCU (AP-3) Larry Ray Willis, Fresno State (AP-3)
Tight ends
Jay Novacek, Wyoming (CFHOF) (AFCA, UPI-1, NEA) Rob Bennett, West Virginia (WC) Mark Bavaro, Notre Dame (AP-1) Carl Hilton, Houston (TSN) Jon Hayes, Iowa (GNS) Willie Smith, Miami (AP-2) Keli McGregor, Colorado State (UPI-2, NEA-2) Alan Andrews, Rutgers (AP-3)
Tackles
Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Lomas Brown, Florida (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, WC, NEA-1, TSN) Ken Ruettgers, USC (GNS) Brian Jozwiak, West Virginia (AP-2) Jim Juriga, Illinois (UPI-2) Daren Gilbert, Cal State Fullerton (NEA-2) John Clay, Missouri (AP-3) Jeff Dellenbach, Wisconsin (AP-3)
Guards
Dan Lynch, Washington State (AP-1, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1) Jim Lachey, Ohio State (FWAA, UPI-1, GNS, NEA-2) Del Wilkes, South Carolina (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, WC) Bill Mayo, Tennessee (AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN-1) Lance Smith, LSU (AFCA, AP-2 [OT], UPI-1 [OT], FN-1 [OT], NEA-2 [OT]) Carlton Walker, Utah (AP-2, FWAA, NEA-1) Andrew Campbell, SMU (NEA-2, TSN) Harry Grimminger, Nebraska (AP-2, TSN) Larry Williams, Notre Dame (AP-3, UPI-2)
Centers
Mark Traynowicz, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1) Kevin Glover, Maryland (GNS, TSN) Trevor Matich, BYU (AP-3, GNS)In selecting its All-America team, Gannett News Service insisted that five players were equally deserving of being picked as the first-team center and therefore picked all five as co-honorees. Brent Martin, Stanford (GNS) Mike Kelley, Notre Dame (GNS) Phil Bromley, Florida (AP-2) Kirk Lowdermilk, Ohio State (UPI-2) Gene Chilton, Texas (NEA-2)
Quarterbacks
Doug Flutie, Boston College (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Bernie Kosar, Miami (AP-2, NEA-2) Robbie Bosco, BYU (AP-3, UPI-2)
Running backs
Keith Byars, Ohio State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Kenneth Davis, TCU (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Rueben Mayes, Washington State (CFHOF) (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1) Greg Allen, Florida State (AP-3, UPI-2, WC, FN-1, NEA-2) Johnnie Jones, Tennessee (AP-2) Curtis Adams, Central Michigan (UPI-2) Ethan Horton, North Carolina (AP-3, UPI-2) Dalton Hilliard, LSU (NEA-2)
Defense
Defensive ends
Ron Holmes, Washington (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1 [DT], WC, FN-1, NEA-1) Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2 [DT], WC, GNS, NEA-1) Tim Green, Syracuse (CFHOF) (AP-3 [DT], GNS, TSN) Leslie O'Neal, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-2 [DT], GNS, NEA-2 [DT], TSN) Freddie Joe Nunn, Mississippi (Ole Miss) (UPI-1, FN-1) Mike Gann, Notre Dame (UPI-2) Garin Veris, Stanford (UPI-2)
Defensive tackles
Tony Casillas, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1 [MG], FWAA, UPI-2 [MG], GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Tony Degrate, Texas (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-2) Ray Childress, Texas A&M (CFHOF) (AP-3, UPI-1 [DE], TSN)
Middle guards
William Perry, Clemson (AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-2) Tim Newton, Florida (AP-2)
Linebackers
Jack Del Rio, USC (AFCA [DL], AP-1, FWAA, WC, FN-1, NEA-1) Larry Station, Iowa (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, NEA-2) Gregg Carr, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-2) Duane Bickett, USC (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-1, TSN) James Seawright, South Carolina (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-1) Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (CFHOF) (FN-1, GNS, TSN) Alonzo Johnson, Florida (AP-3, UPI-2, TSN) Marc Munford, Nebraska (GNS) Eric Wilson, Maryland (AP-2, FN-1, NEA-1) Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AP-2) Knox Culpepper, Georgia (AP-2) Willie Pless, Kansas (AP-2) Tim Meamber, Washington (AP-3, UPI-2, NEA-2) Fred Smalls, West Virginia (NEA-2) John Offerdahl, Western Michigan (AP-3)
Defensive backs
Jerry Gray, Texas (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Tony Thurman, Boston College (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, GNS) David Fulcher, Arizona State (CFHOF) (AP-1, FWAA, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Jeff Sanchez, Georgia (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-1, WC) Rod Brown, Oklahoma State (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2, WC) Richard Johnson, Wisconsin (FWAA, NEA-1, TSN) Bret Clark, Nebraska (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, FN-1, NEA-2, TSN) Kyle Morrell, BYU (AP-1, NEA-2) Lester Lyles, Virginia (AP-3, GNS) Issiac Holt, Alcorn State (NEA-1) Anthony Young, Temple (AP-2) Sean Thomas, TCU (UPI-2) Don Anderson, Purdue (NEA-2) John Hendy, Long Beach State (NEA-2) Jim Bowman, Central Michigan (AP-3) Paul Calhoun, Kentucky (AP-3) Nate Harris, Tulsa (AP-3)
Special teams
Kickers
Kevin Butler, Georgia (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-1) John Lee, UCLA (AP-1, UPI-2, GNS, NEA-2, TSN) Donald Igwebuike, Clemson (AP-3)
Punters
Ricky Anderson, Vanderbilt (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-1) Randall Cunningham, UNLV (CFHOF) (AP-2, UPI-2, TSN) Dale Hatcher, Clemson (GNS) Tom Tupa, Ohio State (AP-3, NEA-2)
Returners
Willie Drewrey, West Virginia (TSN)
Key
Bold – Consensus All-American -1 – First-team selection -2 – Second-team selection -3 – Third-team selection CFHOF = College Football Hall of Fame inductee
Official selectors
AFCA – American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), selected by the members of the AFCA for the Kodak All-America team AP – Associated Press FWAA – Football Writers Association of America UPI – United Press International WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation
Other selectors
FN – Football News GNS – Gannett News Service NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association TSN – The Sporting News
See also 1984 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team 1984 All-Big Eight Conference football team 1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team 1984 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team 1984 All-SEC football team
References