The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

Spencer Brown Named to FWAA Freshman All-America Team
1/8/2018 8:56:00 AM | Football
ATLANTA - UAB record setting running back Spencer Brown has been named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) 2017 Freshman All-America Team, the national organization announced Monday.
Brown, the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, becomes UAB's first player to be named an FWAA Freshman All-America performer in school history.
The Birmingham native ran for 1,329 yards and 10 touchdowns as he erupted onto the scene in 2017. He was a mid-year addition to the Doak Walker Award Watch List and finished as the nation's third leading rusher among freshmen, averaging 102.2 yards per game.
"We couldn't be more proud of Spencer for becoming our first Freshman All-America honoree," head coach Bill Clark said. "He is truly deserving of this incredible award and his accolades will motivate him throughout the offseason to replicate his success next year."
Brown tallied six 100-yard rushing games this season, including a career-best 209 yards at Southern Miss which was the game he broke Jordan Howard's school freshman rushing record. Five of his six 100-yard rushing games came in C-USA play.
Brown is one of three Conference USA players represented on the FWAA All-America Team along with linebacker Racheem Boothe of Southern Miss and cornerback Amik Robertson of Louisiana Tech.
The Big Ten led the FWAA with six players selected, followed by the SEC (5), the Pac-12 (4) and the ACC, Mountain West Conference and Conference USA, each of which had three players. The 10 FBS conferences are represented on the 30-man team and there is also a player from an independent school.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
2017 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:
Offense:
QB - Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB - Spencer Brown, UAB
RB - AJ Dillon, Boston College
RB - Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR - Justin Hall, Ball State
WR - McLane Mannix, Nevada
WR - JD Spielman, Nebraska
TE - Matt Bushman, BYU
OT - Alaric Jackson, Iowa
OT - Andrew Thomas, Georgia
G - Navaughn Donaldson, Miami
C - Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
Defense:
DE - Curtis Weaver, Boise State
DE - Kylan Wilborn, Arizona
DT - Ross Blacklock, TCU
DT - Jordan Scott, Oregon
LB - Racheem Boothe, Southern Miss
LB - Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
LB - Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
LB - Colin Schooler, Arizona
DB - T.J. Carter, Memphis
DB - Chase Lucas, Arizona State
DB - Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
DB - Tariq Thompson, San Diego State
DB - Andraez "Greedy" Williams, LSU
Special Teams:
P - Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech
K - Jace Christmass, Mississippi State
KR - Marcus Jones, Troy
PR - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
Head Coach:
Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Brown, the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, becomes UAB's first player to be named an FWAA Freshman All-America performer in school history.
The Birmingham native ran for 1,329 yards and 10 touchdowns as he erupted onto the scene in 2017. He was a mid-year addition to the Doak Walker Award Watch List and finished as the nation's third leading rusher among freshmen, averaging 102.2 yards per game.
"We couldn't be more proud of Spencer for becoming our first Freshman All-America honoree," head coach Bill Clark said. "He is truly deserving of this incredible award and his accolades will motivate him throughout the offseason to replicate his success next year."
Brown tallied six 100-yard rushing games this season, including a career-best 209 yards at Southern Miss which was the game he broke Jordan Howard's school freshman rushing record. Five of his six 100-yard rushing games came in C-USA play.
Brown is one of three Conference USA players represented on the FWAA All-America Team along with linebacker Racheem Boothe of Southern Miss and cornerback Amik Robertson of Louisiana Tech.
The Big Ten led the FWAA with six players selected, followed by the SEC (5), the Pac-12 (4) and the ACC, Mountain West Conference and Conference USA, each of which had three players. The 10 FBS conferences are represented on the 30-man team and there is also a player from an independent school.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
2017 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:
Offense:
QB - Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB - Spencer Brown, UAB
RB - AJ Dillon, Boston College
RB - Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
WR - Justin Hall, Ball State
WR - McLane Mannix, Nevada
WR - JD Spielman, Nebraska
TE - Matt Bushman, BYU
OT - Alaric Jackson, Iowa
OT - Andrew Thomas, Georgia
G - Navaughn Donaldson, Miami
C - Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
Defense:
DE - Curtis Weaver, Boise State
DE - Kylan Wilborn, Arizona
DT - Ross Blacklock, TCU
DT - Jordan Scott, Oregon
LB - Racheem Boothe, Southern Miss
LB - Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
LB - Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
LB - Colin Schooler, Arizona
DB - T.J. Carter, Memphis
DB - Chase Lucas, Arizona State
DB - Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
DB - Tariq Thompson, San Diego State
DB - Andraez "Greedy" Williams, LSU
Special Teams:
P - Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech
K - Jace Christmass, Mississippi State
KR - Marcus Jones, Troy
PR - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
Head Coach:
Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
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