Official list of the best college football players of 1986
The 1986 College Football All-America 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 1986. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1986 season.[1] They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA);[2] (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers;[3] (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA);[4] (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers;[5] and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC).[6] Other notable selectors included Football News (FN),[7] Gannett News Service (GNS),[8] the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA),[9] Scripps Howard (SH),[10] and The Sporting News (TSN).[11]
Consensus All-Americans
The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1986 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Full selections - offense
Quarterbacks
- Vinny Testaverde, Miami (FL) (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Jim Harbaugh, Michigan (AP-2, UPI-2, FN-1, NEA-2)
- Kevin Murray, Texas A&M (AP-3, FN-2)
- Kevin Sweeney, Fresno State (GNS-2, NEA-2)
- Jamelle Holieway, Oklahoma (FN-3)
- Chris Miller, Oregon (GNS-3)
Running backs
- Brent Fullwood, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Paul Palmer, Temple (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Terrence Flagler, Clemson (AP-3, FWAA, FN-3, GNS-2)
- Brad Muster, Stanford (AFCA, UPI-2, FN-2)
- D. J. Dozier, Penn State (UPI-2, WC, FN-2, GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Steve Bartalo, Colorado St. (AP-2, NEA-2)
- Bobby Humphrey, Alabama (AP-2, FN-2)
- Reggie Taylor, Cincinnati (GNS-2)
- Gaston Green, UCLA (AP-3, FN-3)
- Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (FN-3)
- Troy Stradford, Boston College (GNS-3)
Wide receivers
- Cris Carter, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH)
- Tim Brown, Notre Dame (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-1, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-2, SH, TSN)
- Wendell Davis, LSU (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, FN-2, GNS-3, NEA-2, TSN)
- Michael Irvin, Miami (FL) (AP-2, UPI-2, GNS-3, NEA-1)
- Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina (CFHOF) (AP-3, FN-2)
- Ron Morris, SMU (GNS-2)
- Haywood Jeffires, North Carolina State (GNS-2)
- Marc Zeno, Tulane (AP-3)
- J. R. Ambrose, Ole Miss (FN-3)
- Naz Worthen, North Carolina State (FN-3)
Tight ends
- Keith Jackson, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS-2, NEA-2, SH, TSN)
- Rod Bernstine, Texas A&M (AP-2, UPI-2, GNS-1, NEA-1)
- Rob Awalt, San Diego St. (AP-3)
- Jim Riggs, Clemson (GNS-3)
Centers
- Ben Tamburello, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-2, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Gregg Rakoczy, Miami (FL) (AP-2, GNS-1, NEA-2)
- John Davis, Georgia Tech (UPI-2, SH)
- Joe Tofflemire, Arizona (FN-2)
- Eric Coyle, Colorado (AP-3, GNS-3)
- Bob Maggs, Ohio State (FN-3)
Offensive guards
- Jeff Bregel, USC (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Jeff Zimmerman, Florida (WC, FN-2 [OT], SH)
- Paul Kiser, Wake Forest (FWAA, GNS-2, NEA-2, TSN)
- Chris Conlin, Penn State (AP-2 [OT], FWAA)
- Mark Hutson, Oklahoma (AP-1, UPI-2)
- Randall McDaniel, Arizona State (CFHOF) (AFCA)
- John Phillips, Clemson (UPI-1, FN-2)
- Steve Trapilo, Boston College (AP-2, UPI-2, GNS-1, NEA-1)
- Anthony Phillips, Oklahoma (FN-1, GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Fred Childress, Arkansas (AP-2)
- Harry Galbreath, Tennessee (FN-2)
- Bruce Blackmar, Texas (GNS-2)
- Doug Aronson, San Diego St. (AP-3)
- Todd Peat, Northern Illinois (AP-3)
- Eric Andolsek, LSU (FN-3)
- Mark Stepnoski, Pittsburgh (FN-3)
Offensive tackles
- John Clay, Missouri (AP-2, UPI-1, WC, FN-2, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH)
- Randy Dixon, Pittsburgh (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-2, NEA-2, TSN)
- Danny Villa, Arizona State (AP-1, FWAA, GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Harris Barton, North Carolina (CFHOF) (AP-1, FN-3, GNS-1, NEA-1)
- Jumbo Elliot, Michigan (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-2)
- Dave Croston, Iowa (FWAA, UPI-2, GNS-2, TSN)
- Wilbur Strozier, Georgia (FN-1, GNS-3)
- Tom Welter, Nebraska (FN-3)
- Bruce Wilkerson, Tennessee (GNS-3)
Full selections - defense
Defensive ends
- Jason Buck, BYU (AFCA, FWAA, UPI-2, FN-2, GNS-1 [DT], NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Reggie Rogers, Washington (AP-2, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-2, NEA-1, SH)
- Tony Woods, Pittsburgh (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN-2, GNS-2, NEA-2, TSN)
- Danny Stubbs, Miami (FL) (AP-2, UPI-2, GNS-2)
- Scott Stephen, Arizona State (FN-2, GNS-2 [LB])
- Darrell Reed, Oklahoma (AP-3)
Defensive tackles
- Jerome Brown, Miami (FL) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-3, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Danny Noonan, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1 [NT], NEA-1, SH)
- Tim Johnson, Penn State (AP-2, WC)
- Al Noga, Hawaii (AP-1)
- Jerry Ball, SMU (UPI-2, FN-2, GNS-1, NEA-2)
- Shawn Knight, BYU (AP-3, GNS-1)
- Tony Cherico, Arkansas (AP-2 [NG], FN-3)
- Wally Kleine, Notre Dame (FN-2)
- Curt Jarvis, Alabama (GNS-2)
- John Bosa, Boston College (AP-3, UPI-2)
- Henry Thomas, LSU (AP-3 [NG], FN-3, NEA-2)
- Mark Messner, Michigan (CFHOF) (FN-3)
- Dick Chapura, Missouri (GNS-3)
- Tracy Rocker, Auburn (CFHOF) (GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Gerald Nichols, Florida State (GNS-3)
Linebackers
- Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Shane Conlan, Penn State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH)
- Chris Spielman, Ohio State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Terry Maki, Air Force (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-2, FN-2, NEA-2)
- Dave Wyman, Stanford (GNS-2, NEA-2, TSN)
- Johnny Holland, Texas A&M (AP-3, UPI-2, FN-1, GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Marcus Cotton, USC (AP-2, FN-3, GNS-2)
- Byron Evans, Arizona (AP-2, FN-2)
- Mike Junkin, Duke (AP-2, GNS-2, NEA-2)
- Ken Norton Jr., UCLA (FN-2)
- Van Waiters, Indiana (AP-3)
- Cedric Figaro, Notre Dame (FN-3)
- Shane Bullough, Michigan State (FN-3)
- Brad Hastings, Texas Tech (FN-3)
- Tyronne Stowe, Rutgers (FN-3)
- Bill Romanowski, Boston College (GNS-3)
- David Brandon, Memphis State (GNS-3)
- Paul McGowan, Florida State (GNS-3)
Defensive backs
- Thomas Everett, Baylor (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Tim McDonald, USC (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, SH)
- Rod Woodson, Purdue (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-1, FN-2, GNS-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN [RS])
- Bennie Blades, Miami (FL) (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-1, GNS-2, SH, TSN)
- Garland Rivers, Michigan (AFCA, WC, FN-3, NEA-1)
- Gordon Lockbaum, Holy Cross (FWAA)
- John Little, Georgia (AP-2, WC, FN-1, NEA-2)
- Mark Moore, Oklahoma State (AP-1, UPI-2, FN-2, NEA-2)
- Deion Sanders, Florida State (CFHOF) (AP-3, GNS-2, NEA-1, TSN)
- Tim Peoples, Washington (TSN)
- Jarvis Williams, Florida (GNS-1)
- Ray Isom, Penn State (AP-2)
- David Vickers, Oklahoma (AP-2)
- Tom Rotello, Air Force (AP-3, UPI-2, FN-2)
- Ron Francis, Baylor (AP-3, UPI-2)
- Adrian White, Florida (UPI-2)
- Roland Mitchell, Texas Tech (GNS-2)
- Lou Brock Jr., USC (GNS-3, NEA-2)
- Toi Cook, Stanford (NEA-2)
- Harold McGuire, Toledo (AP-3)
- Freddie Robinson, Alabama (FN-3)
- Chuck Cecil, Arizona (CFHOF) (FN-3)
- Sonny Gordon, Ohio State (GNS-3)
- Stephen Braggs, Texas (GNS-3)
Full selections - special teams
Kickers
- Jeff Jaeger, Washington (AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS-2, NEA-2)
- Jeff Ward, Texas (AFCA, NEA-1)
- Marty Zendejas, Nevada-Reno (FWAA)
- Van Tiffin, Alabama (GNS-3, SH)
- Chris Kinzer, Virginia Tech (AP-2, UPI-2, FN-2, TSN)
- John Diettrich, Ball State (AP-3, FN-3, GNS-1)
Punters
- Barry Helton, Colorado (AP-1, UPI-1, FN-3, GNS-1, TSN)
- Greg Montgomery, Michigan State (FWAA, FN-2, SH)
- Bill Smith, Mississippi (AP-2, WC)
- Greg Horne, Arkansas (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-2, FN-1, GNS-3)
- Mark Simon, Air Force (GNS-2)
Returners
Key
- Bold – Consensus All-American[1]
- -1 – First-team selection
- -2 – Second-team selection
- -3 – Third-team selection
- CFHOF = College Football Hall of Fame inductee
Official selectors
Other selectors
See also
References
- ^ a b "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. pp. 3, 13. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
- ^ a b "Testaverde leads Kodak star squad". The Palm Beach Post. November 23, 1986. p. 4C.
- ^ a b "AP All-America Football Team". Florida Today. December 5, 1986. p. 5C.
- ^ a b Ted Gangi (ed.). "FWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ a b "UPI All-American Team". The Indianapolis Star. December 9, 1986. p. 14.
- ^ a b "Walter Camp All-America Team". The Arizona Republic. November 30, 1986. p. D3.
- ^ a b "All-America News: Football News". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 23, 1986. p. 14D.
- ^ a b "Gannette (sic) News Service All-Americans". Iowa City Press-Citizen. December 2, 1986. p. 2b – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Murray Olderman (December 2, 1986). "Miami Trio Leads '86 All-Americans". The Daily Review (Morgan City, LA). p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Scripps Howard All-America Team". The Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN). November 21, 1986 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "TSN All-America". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 10, 1986. p. 20.
- ^ a b c This column lists the number of selectors choosing the player as a first-team All-American as follows: official selectors/other selectors/total selectors.