The 1972 All-America college football team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1972. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes six selectors as "official" for the 1972 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) which selected its team for Kodak based on a vote of the nation's coaches; (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected by the nation's football writers; (4) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) selected based on the votes of sports writers at NEA newspapers; (5) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (6) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC).
Eight players are recognized by the NCAA as unanimous All-America selections. They are: (1) wide receiver and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers of Nebraska; (2) tight end Charles Young of USC; (3) offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore of Texas; (4) offensive guard John Hannah of Alabama; (5) running back Greg Pruitt of Oklahoma; (6) defensive tackle Greg Marx of Notre Dame; (7) middle guard Rich Glover of Nebraska; and (8) defensive back Brad Van Pelt of Michigan State.
Consensus All-Americans
The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1972 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Offense
Receivers
Tight ends
Tackles
Guards
Centers
Quarterbacks
Running backs
- Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma
- Otis Armstrong, Purdue
- Woody Green, Arizona State
- Dick Jauron, Yale
- Sam Cunningham, USC
- George Amundson, Iowa State
- Howard Stevens, Louisville
- Roosevelt Leaks, Texas
- Charlie Davis, Colorado
- Anthony Davis, USC
- Bob Hitchens, Miami (OH)
- Steve Jones, Duke
- Pete Van Valkenburg, BYU
Defense
Defensive ends
Defensive tackles
- Greg Marx, Notre Dame
- Dave Butz, Purdue
- Roger Goree, Baylor
- John Grant, Southern California
- Derland Moore, Oklahoma
- John LeHeup, South Carolina
- Bud Magrum, Colorado
- George Hasenohrl, Ohio State
- Bob Leyen, Yale
- Charlie Davis, Texas Christian
Middle guards
Linebackers
- Randy Gradishar, Ohio State
- John Skorupan, Penn State
- Steve Brown, Oregon State
- Jamie Rotella, Tennessee
- Rich Wood, USC
- Jim Youngblood, Tennessee Tech
- Tom Jackson, Louisville
- Warren Capone, LSU
- John Mitchell, Alabama
- Jackie Wallace, Arizona
- Matt Blair, Iowa State
- Glen Gaspard, Texas
- Jim Merlo, Stanford
- Eddie Sheats, Kansas
Defensive backs
- Brad Van Pelt, Michigan State
- Cullen Bryant, Colorado
- Randy Logan, Michigan
- Robert Popelka, Southern Methodist
- Burgess Owens, Miami
- Jackie Wallace, Arizona
- Conrad Graham, Tennessee
- Randy Rhino, Georgia Tech
- Calvin Jones, Washington
- Drane Scrivener, Tulsa
- Ray Guy, Southern Miss
- Frank Dowsing, Mississippi State
- Joe Blahak, Nebraska
- J. T. Thomas, Florida State
- John Provost, Holy Cross
Special teams
Kickers
Punters
Key
- Bold â Consensus All-American
- -1 â First-team selection
- -2 â Second-team selection
- -3 â Third-team selection
Official selectors
Other selectors
- FN â Football News
- PFW â Pro Football Weekly
- Time â Time magazine
- TSN â The Sporting News
See also
References