The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Nelson Named First-Team All-American By Walter Camp Foundation
12/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Already named a first-team All-American by a trio of national media outlets, UAB senior J.J. Nelson has claimed a spot on arguably the most prestigious of all the All-America teams.
Nelson has earned 2014 Walter Camp Foundation First-Team All-America honors. The nation's oldest All-America team -- now in its 125th year -- is being announced Thursday evening as part of The Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show.
Nelson and other members of the 2014 All-America team, along with The 2014 Walter Camp Player of the Year, will be honored at the organization's national awards banquet, presented by First Niagara Bank, on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven, Conn.
In addition, the Foundation will recognize three individuals - broadcasting legend Verne Lundquist (Distinguished American), former Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steeler standout running back Jerome Bettis (Man of the Year) and former Air Force All-American and Dallas Cowboy Chad Hennings (Alumnus of the Year) - with major awards.
Nelson, the first Blazer ever selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team, has shown time and time again this season his skills that made him the nation's No. 1 kick returner in 2014.
Nelson concluded the campaign ranked No. 1 in the country in kickoff return average at 38.3 yards per return, which is the fifth-highest season mark in NCAA history. Nelson returned four kickoffs for touchdowns (vs. WKU, Arkansas, Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss) this season to tie the Conference USA single-season record. Four kickoff returns for touchdowns by Nelson in a season are one shy of the NCAA record.
Nelson's five career touchdowns on kickoff returns is No. 3 all-time in the conference record book.
Nelson finished his UAB career with 76 kickoff returns for 1,932 yards (25.4 average). His career average is a Blazer school record. Nelson's selection to the Walter Camp All-America Team represents the fourth All-America Team (all first team) in the past two days that the Midfield, Ala. native has been named (also CBSSports.com, USA Today, SB Nation).
2014 Walter Camp All-America Team
First Team Offense
WR - Amari Cooper, Alabama
WR - Rashard Higgins, Colorado State
TE - Nick O'Leary, Florida State
OL - Brandon Scherff, Iowa
OL - Tre' Jackson, Florida State
OL - Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
OL - Laken Tomlinson, Duke
C - Reese Dismukes, Auburn
QB - Marcus Mariota, Oregon
RB - Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
RB - Tevin Coleman, Indiana
PK - Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
First Team Defense
DL - Nate Orchard, Utah
DL - Shane Ray, Missouri
DL - Vic Beasley, Clemson
DL - Joey Bosa, Ohio State
LB - Scooby Wright III, Arizona
LB - Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington
LB - Paul Dawson, TCU
DB - Gerod Holliman, Louisville
DB - Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
DB - Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
DB - Landon Collins, Alabama
P - Tom Hackett, Utah
KR - Jamarcus Nelson, UAB
