The 1989 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 1989. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1989 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA); (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Other notable selectors included Football News, the Gannett News Service, Newspaper Enterprise Association in conjunction with World Almanac, Scripps Howard (SH), and The Sporting News (TSN).
Consensus All-Americans
The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1989 and display which first-team designations they received.
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Full selections - offense
Quarterbacks
- Andre Ware, Houston (CFHOF) (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, GNS, NEA-2, SH)
- Major Harris, West Virginia (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-2, GNS, NEA-1)
- Tony Rice, Notre Dame (FN, GNS)
- Darian Hagan, Colorado (AP-3, UPI-2, TSN)
- John Friesz, Idaho (GNS)
- Dee Dowis, Air Force (GNS)
- Ty Detmer, BYU (CFHOF) (GNS)
Running backs
- Anthony Thompson, Indiana (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Emmitt Smith, Florida (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-2, SH, TSN)
- Blair Thomas, Penn State (AP-2, UPI-2, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1)
- Johnny Bailey, Texas A & I (FWAA, GNS)
- Chuck Weatherspoon, Houston (TSN)
- James Gray, Texas Tech (AP-2, UPI-2)
- Siran Stacy, Alabama (GNS, NEA-2)
- Blaise Bryant, Iowa State (AP-3, GNS)
- Mike Pringle, Cal State, Fullerton (AP-3, GNS)
- Harold Green, South Carolina (GNS)
- Aaron Craver, Fresno State (GNS)
- Ivory Lee Brown, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (GNS)
- Darrell Thompson, Minnesota (GNS)
Wide receivers
- Clarkston Hines, Duke (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1, SH)
- Terance Mathis, New Mexico (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, GNS, SH, TSN)
- Manny Hazard, Houston (AP-1, UPI-2, GNS, NEA-2)
- Rob Moore, Syracuse (AP-2, GNS, TSN)
- Dan Bitson, Tulsa (AP-2, GNS)
- Wesley Carroll, Miami (Fla) (AP-2)
- Reggie Rembert, West Virginia (AP-3, GNS)
- Richard Buchanan, Northwestern (AP-3, GNS)
- Andre Riley, Washington (GNS)
- Shannon Sharpe, Savannah State (GNS)
- Greg McMurtry, Michigan (NEA-2)
Tight ends
- Mike Busch, Iowa State (AFCA, UPI-1, WCFF, SH)
- Chris Smith, BYU (AP-3 [receiver], TSN)
- Charles Arbuckle, UCLA (UPI-2)
- Mike Jones, Texas A&M (NEA-1)
- Eric Green, Liberty (GNS)
- Derek Brown, Notre Dame (GNS)
- Jackie Harris, Louisiana-Monroe (GNS)
- Derrick Walker, Michigan (NEA-2)
Offensive tackles
- Jim Mabry, Arkansas (AFCA [offensive line], AP-1, UPI-1 [line], WCFF, FN, SH)
- Mohammed Elewonibi, BYU (AP-3, FWAA [offensive line], UPI-1 [line], GNS [off. guard], NEA-1 [off. guard])
- Bob Kula, Michigan State (AP-1, AFCA [line], UPI-2)
- Doug Glaser, Nebraska (AP-2, UPI-2 [line], WCFF, GNS, NEA-2)
- Stacy Long, Clemson (AP-3, TSN)
- Charles Odiorne, Texas Tech (AP-3, TSN)
- Chris Port, Duke (AP-2, FWAA [line], UPI-2 [line])
- Mike Pfiefer, Kentucky (FN, NEA-1)
- Ed Cunningham, Texas (NEA-1)
- Richmond Webb, Texas A&M (GNS)
- Roman Matusz, Pittsburgh (GNS)
- Glenn Parker, Arizona (GNS)
- Greg Skrepenak, Michigan (NEA-2)
Offensive guards
- Eric Still, Tennessee (AFCA [line], AP-1, FWAA [line], UPI-1 [line], WCFF, GNS, NEA-2, SH [off. tackle], TSN)
- Joe Garten, Colorado (AFCA [line], AP-1, UPI-1 [line], FWAA [line], NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Ed King, Auburn (AP-2, UPI-2 [line], WCFF, FN, GNS, SH)
- Mark Tucker, USC (FN, GNS)
- Roy Brown, Virginia (AP-2)
- Dean Dingman, Michigan (AP-3)
- Dave Szott, Penn State (GNS)
- Tim Grunhard, Notre Dame (NEA-2)
Centers
- Jake Young, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-1 [line], WCFF, NEA-2, SH)
- Michael Tanks, Florida State (AP-1, FWAA [offensive line], UPI-2 [line])
- Bern Brostek, Washington (AP-2, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
- Frank Cornish, UCLA (FN)
- John Flannery, Syracuse (GNS)
- Tony Mayberry, Wake Forest (GNS)
- Dean Caliguire, Pittsburgh (GNS)
Full selections - defense
Defensive ends
- Greg Mark, Miami (Fla) (AFCA [defensive line], AP-1 [defensive line], UPI-1 [line], GNS, NEA-2 [line], SH [line], TSN)
- Craig Veasey, Houston (TSN)
- Ray Savage, Virginia (AFCA [defensive line])
- Arthur Walker, Colorado (AP-3 [defensive line])
- Oliver Barnett, Kentucky (AP-3 [defensive line], GNS)
Defensive tackles
- Chris Zorich, Notre Dame (CFHOF) (AP-1 [defensive line], FWAA [defensive line], UPI-1 [line], WCFF [line], FN, GNS [nose tackle], NEA-2 [line], SH [line], TSN [nose tackle])
- Tim Ryan, USC (AP-1 [defensive line], FWAA [defensive line], UPI-1 [line], WCFF [line], FN, NEA-2 [line], SH [line])
- Marc Spindler, Pittsburgh (AP-2 [defensive line], UPI-2 [line], GNS, TSN)
- Cortez Kennedy, Miami (Fla.) (AP-2 [defensive line], UPI-2 [line], GNS, NEA-1 [line], TSN)
- Jeff Alm, Notre Dame (AP-2, GNS)
- Ray Agnew, North Carolina State (AP-3 [defensive line])
- Russell Maryland, Miami (Fla) (AP-3 [defensive line], GNS)
- Eric Hayes, Florida State (GNS)
- Travis Davis, Michigan State (GNS)
- Ted Washington, Louisville (GNS)
Nose guards
- Moe Gardner, Illinois (AFCA [defensive line], AP-1 [defensive line], FWAA [defensive line], UPI-1 [line], WCFF [line], FN, GNS [nose tackle], NEA-1 [line], SH [line])
- Odell Haggins, Florida State (AFCA [defensive line], AP-2 [defensive line], UPI-2 [line], WCFF [line], GNS [nose tackle], NEA-1 [line])
Linebackers
- Alfred Williams, Colorado (AFCA [defensive line], AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, GNS, NEA-1)
- Percy Snow, Michigan State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN [inside linebacker])
- Keith McCants, Alabama (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN [inside linebacker])
- James Francis, Baylor (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, FN, GNS, NEA-1, TSN [special teams])
- Kanavis McGhee, Colorado (UPI-2, WCFF, NEA-2, SH)
- Andre Collins, Penn State (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, GNS, NEA-2)
- Junior Seau, USC (AP-2, GNS, NEA-2, TSN [outside linebacker])
- Craig Ogletree, Auburn (TSN [outside linebacker])
- Ned Bolcar, Notre Dame (UPI-2)
- Ron Cox, Fresno State (AP-3, GNS)
- Bob Davis, BYU (AP-3)
- Terry Wooden, Syracuse (AP-3, NEA-2)
- Tony Bennett, Ole Miss (GNS)
- Darion Conner, Jackson State (GNS)
Defensive backs
- Todd Lyght, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS [cornerback], NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Mark Carrier, USC (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS [safety], NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Tripp Welborne, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS [safety], NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- LeRoy Butler, Florida State (AP-1, UPI-1, WCFF, NEA-2, SH)
- Chris Oldham, Oregon (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, GNS [cornerback])
- Harlon Barnett, Michigan State (TSN, AP-3)
- John Mangum, Alabama (AP-2, FN)
- Reggie Cooper, Nebraska (AP-2, NEA-1)
- Ben Smith, Georgia (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-2)
- Walter Briggs, Hawaii (UPI-2)
- Richard Fain, Florida (UPI-2)
- Ken Swilling, Georgia Tech (AP-3, GNS [safety], NEA-2)
- James Williams, Fresno State (AP-3, GNS [cornerback])
- Adrian Jones, Missouri (AP-3)
- Mickey Washington, Texas A&M (GNS [cornerback])
- Alonzo Hampton, Pittsburgh (GNS [cornerback])
- Pat Terrell, Notre Dame (GNS [safety])
- Jesse Campbell, North Carolina State (GNS [safety])
- Nathan LaDuke, Arizona State (NEA-2)
Full selections - special teams
Placekickers
- Jason Hanson, Washington State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, FN, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
- Philip Doyle, Alabama (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-2)
- Chris Gardocki, Clemson (AP-3, GNS [combination])
- David Browndyke, LSU (GNS)
Punters
- Tom Rouen, Colorado (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WCFF, GNS, NEA-1, SH)
- Robbie Keen, California (AFCA, UPI-2)
- Kirk Maggio, UCLA (AP-3, NEA-2, TSN)
- Shawn McCarthy, Purdue (AP-2, FN)
- Sean Fleming, Wyoming (GNS)
Return specialists
- Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame (AP-1, FWAA [kick returner], UPI-2 [wide receiver], FN, GNS [wide receiver], NEA-1 [wide receiver], TSN)
- Mike Bellamy, Illinois (AP-2)
- Ron Gray, Air Force (AP-3)
Key
- Bold â Consensus All-American
- CFHOF - Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
- -1 â First-team selection
- -2 â Second-team selection
- -3 â Third-team selection
Official selectors
Other selectors
See also
References