Darnold, Barkley are AP All-Americans
US C quarterback Sam Darnold and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley put on a show at the Rose Bowl last season and established themselves as two of the biggest names in college football coming into 2017.
The Heisman Trophy contenders highlight the first preseason All-America team in the history of the Associated Press.
Darnold passed for 453 yards and five touchdowns in USC’s 52-49 victory over the Nittany Lions. The sophomore comes into this season leading No. 4 USC on a nine-game win streak.
“Obviously, there are some grand expectations for him, but he’s welcomed those,” USC head coach Clay Helton said. “That’s part of being a USC quarterback. That’s why you come to USC. You’re the face of the program and you’re the leader of the program.”
Barkley ran for 194 yards and scored three touchdowns against USC.
Darnold was voted to the first team by a panel of 51 Top 25 voters, edging out Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, who is the second-team quarterback on the lists released Tuesday.
Joining Darnold and Barkley in the backfield is LSU running back Derrius Guice, who spent the last two seasons as a backup to Leonard Fournette.
The first-team defense is led by two players who were postseason All-Americans in 2016: Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who made it to the first team as a freshman last season, and Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Utes select quarterback: Tyler Huntley was named Utah’s starting quarterback over a returning two-time captain in senior Troy Williams.
Williams threw for 2,757 yards in 13 starts last season, but Huntley’s consistency during training camp earned him the nod, according to head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Troy Taylor. ’Canes name starting QB: Malik Rosier has won the starting-quarterback job for No. 18 Miami, winning the right to replace record-setting threeyear starter Brad Kaaya under center for the Hurricanes.
Rosier has passed for 370 yards at Miami, most of those in his only start: Oct. 31, 2015, at Duke, where his 20-for-29, 272-yard, two-touchdown showing was overshadowed by the eight-lateral kickoff return for a game-winning TD that the Hurricanes pulled off as time expired.
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