Te’o, Ruffer named second team All-Americans

Two Irish players were named to Sports Illustrated’s All-American teams, with linebacker Manti Te’o and kicker David Ruffer both named to the second team.

(This is the part of the entry where I apologize for the funky formatting of this post and also wonder what the All-American team would’ve looked like with Kyle Rudolph and Dayne Crist staying healthy (which would’ve helped Michael Floyd’s season) and then REALLY wonder what the All-American team would’ve looked like with Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate still around in South Bend. Ahh… what could have been, right?)

Here are SI’s All American choices:

First Team:

QB – Cam Newton, Auburn                            DE – Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson
RB – LaMichael James, Oregon                     DT – Nick Fairley, Auburn
RB – Jordan Todman, UConn                        DT – Stephen Paea, Oregon State
WR – Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St.         DE – Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
WR – Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma                      LB – Nate Irving, NC State
TE – Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin                 LB – Greg Jones, Michigan State
OL – Jordan Holmes, Oregon                        LB – Luke Kuechly, Boston College
OL – Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin                        CB – Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
OL – Rodney Hudson, Florida State               S – Tejay Johnson, TCU
OL – Nate Solder, Colorado                             S – Quinton Carter, Oklahoma
OL – Lee Ziemba, Auburn                              CB – Patrick Peterson, LSU

K – Alex Henery, Nebraska                              R – Cliff Harris, Oregon
P – Chas Henry, Florida                                  AP – Randall Cobb, Kentucky

Second Team:

QB – Andrew Luck, Stanford                          DE – J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
RB – Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma St.             DT – Jared Crick, Nebraska
RB – Vai Taua, Nevada                                    DT – Drake Nevis, LSU
WR – Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina           DE – Dontay Moch, Nevada
WR – Juron Criner, Arizona                           LB – Lavonte David, Nebraska
TE – D.J. Williams, Arkansas                         LB – Von Miller, Texas A&M
OL – Jake Kirkpatrick, TCU                            LB – Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
OL – Derek Sherrod, Mississippi St.             CB – Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech
OL – Caleb Schlauderaff, Utah                         S – Mark Barron, Alabama
OL – Anthony Castonzo, Boston College        S – John Boyett, Oregon
OL – John Moffitt, Wisconsin                        CB – Keith Tandy, West Virginia

K – David Ruffer, Notre Dame                           R – Eric Page, Toledo
P – Aaron Bates, Michigan State                       AP – Damaris Johnson, Tulsa

No other Irish players were named to the Honorable Mention lists. (Which included 11 additional wide receivers.)