Football Writers Association of America facts for kids
The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is a group for people who write about college football in the United States. It started in 1941. About 1,200 professional sports writers belong to the FWAA. These members work for newspapers and websites.
The group also includes journalists, broadcasters, and publicists. They also have important leaders from all parts of the game. The FWAA helps make sure sports writers have good working conditions. This includes how they work at games and how they can talk to college athletes and coaches.
The FWAA also helps students who want to become writers. They offer scholarships and hold a writing contest every year. The FWAA is known for choosing the College Football All-America Team. This team is recognized by the NCAA.
The FWAA also picks winners for several awards. These include the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. They also choose the Outland Trophy winner. From 1954 to 2013, the FWAA gave the Grantland Rice Trophy. This award went to the college football team they thought was the best in the country.
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All-America Committees
The Football Writers Association of America has a special committee. This committee picks the 25 players for the All-America Team. They also choose the winners of the Bronko Nagurski and Outland trophies.
In the spring, this committee creates a "Watch List." This list names players who might win the FWAA's main awards. The FWAA has chosen an All-America Team every year since 1944. It is one of the oldest teams chosen in major college football.
Bert McGrane Award
The Bert McGrane Award is given to a member of the FWAA. It honors someone who has made a great contribution to the organization.
Some past winners include:
- 1974 Charley Johnson, Minneapolis Star
- 1975 Wilfrid Smith, Chicago Tribune
- 1981 Fred Russell, Nashville Banner
- 1985 Blackie Sherrod, The Dallas Morning News
- 1991 Murray Olderman, Newspaper Enterprise Association
- 2005 Steve Richardson, FWAA Executive Director
- 2009 Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- 2016 Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
- 2022 Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports
All-Time Teams
The Football Writers Association of America has also picked "All-Time Teams." They did this in 1969 for the 100th year of college football. They chose an Early Era team and a Modern Era team. In 1993, they picked a Quarter-Century team.
1969–1994 All-America Team
This team was chosen 25 years after the college football centennial.
Offense
- C – Dave Rimington, Nebraska
- G – John Hannah, Alabama
- G – Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska
- T – Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh
- T – Jerry Sisemore, Texas
- TE – Keith Jackson, Oklahoma
- WR – Anthony Carter, Michigan
- WR – Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley
- QB – John Elway, Stanford
- RB – Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh
- RB – Herschel Walker, University of Georgia
- K – Tony Franklin, Texas A&M University
- KR – Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska
Defense
- DE – Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
- DE – Jack Youngblood, Florida
- DT – Steve Emtman, Washington
- DT – Randy White, Maryland
- LB – Hugh Green, Pittsburgh
- LB – Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina
- MLB – Mike Singletary, Baylor
- DB – Deion Sanders, Florida State
- DB – Ronnie Lott, Southern California
- DB – Jack Tatum, Ohio State
- DB – Kenny Easley, UCLA
- P – Ray Guy – Southern Mississippi
1919–1968 Modern Era All-America Team
- E – Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan
- E – Don Hutson, Alabama
- L – Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota
- L – Bruiser Kinard, Mississippi
- L – Jim Parker, Ohio State
- L – Bob Suffridge, Tennessee
- C – Mel Hein, Washington State
- B – Sammy Baugh, Texas Christian
- B – Jay Berwanger, Chicago
- B – Ernie Nevers, Stanford
- B – Red Grange, Illinois
1869–1918 Early Era All-America Team
- E – Frank Hinkey, Yale
- E – Huntington Hardwick, Harvard
- T – Josh Cody, Vanderbilt
- T – Wilbur Henry, Washington and Jefferson
- G – Pudge Heffelfinger, Yale
- G – Truxtun Hare, Pennsylvania
- C – Germany Schulz, Michigan
- B – Jim Thorpe, Carlisle
- B – Elmer Oliphant, Purdue
- B – Willie Heston, Michigan
- B – Walter Eckersall, Chicago
Awards Sponsored by FWAA
The FWAA currently supports seven awards. These awards are connected with the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA).
- All-America and Freshman All-America Teams
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- Outland Trophy
- Grantland Rice Trophy
- Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
- FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award
- Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week
FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll
Starting in the 2014 season, 26 members of the FWAA began voting in a new poll. This poll is a partnership with the National Football Foundation. It is called the FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.
See also
- Pro Football Writers Association
- National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
- Baseball Writers' Association of America
- United States Basketball Writers Association (college)
- Pro Basketball Writers Association
- Professional Hockey Writers Association
- National Sports Media Association
