Dec. 17, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced this afternoon that University of New Mexico senior kicker John Sullivan has been named a consensus All-American. Sullivan who received first team All-America honors from ESPN.com, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation, is the third consensus All-American in program history, joining safety Brian Urlacher (1999) and wide receiver Terance Mathis (1989).
Sullivan is the lone player from the Mountain West Conference on the 28-man consensus All-America team. Sullivan, Boise State offensive lineman Ryan Clady, and Central Florida running back Kevin Smith are the only players from non-automatic qualifying BCS conferences on the team.
The players on the consensus All-America team had the majority of votes competing against players at that position only. The points system was used for the selections of the All-America team (three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team). Eight players were unanimous choices by the five organizations used in the consensus chart — American Football Coaches Association (First Team), Associated Press (First, Second and Third Teams), Football Writers Association of America (First Team), The Sporting News (First and Second Teams) and Walter Camp Foundation (First and Second Teams).
Also a 2007 first team all-MWC honoree, Sullivan leads the nation in field goals, averaging 2.36 per game. He has set school and conference records with 26 field goals made this year in 11 games played. The fifth-year senior from Tehachapi, Calif., is 9-9 from 40 to 49 yards this year and his field goals have provided the winning margin in four games for the 8-4 Lobos in 2007.
A four-year walk-on, Sullivan was placed on scholarship in August of 2007 – four months after suffering a torn ACL in his left plant leg during a kickoff drill in spring practice. He played his first football game since 2002 in the Lobos’ season opener at UTEP, but began his career 2 of 4 on field goals in a four-point UNM loss. Since that game he has made 24 of 25 field goals – including a school record 18 straight – the second longest streak in the nation this year.
Fellow seniors Bryan Clampitt (Dallas, Texas) and Jon O’Brien (Tehachapi, Calif.) were instrumental in Sullivan’s All-America campaign, handling the holding and snapping duties, respectively, on all of New Mexico’s extra point and field goal attempts in 2007.
New Mexico will play Nevada in New Mexico Bowl II on Saturday, Dec. 22. The game will be televised live on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. as the only game in its time slot.
2007 NCAA Consensus All-America Team
Offense:
WR–*Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, 6-3, 208, Freshman; WR–Jordy Nelson, Kansas St., 6-3, 217, Senior; TE–Martin Rucker, Missouri, 6-6, 255, Senior; OL–Ryan Clady, Boise St., 6-6, 317, Junior; OL–*Jake Long, Michigan, 6-7, 315, Senior; OL–Steve Justice, Wake Forest, 6-4, 284; Senior; C–Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, 6-4, 307, Junior; OL–Duke Robinson, Oklahoma, 6-5, 352, Junior; QB–Tim Tebow, Florida, 6-3, 235, Sophomore; RB–*Darren McFadden, Arkansas, 6-2, 215, Junior; RB–Kevin Smith, UCF, 6-1, 211, Junior; PK–John Sullivan, New Mexico, 5-10, 152, Senior; KR–Felix Jones, Arkansas, 6-0, 207, Junior; AP–Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, 6-1, 185, Freshman.
Defense:
DL–*Glenn Dorsey, LSU, 6-2, 303, Senior; DL–*Sedrick Ellis, Southern California, 6-2, 305, Senior; DL–*Chris Long, Virginia, 6-4, 284, Senior; DL–George Selvie, South Fla., 6-4, 242, Sophomore; LB–Dan Connor, Penn St., 6-3, 233, Senior; LB–Jordan Dizon, Colorado, 6-0, 220, Senior; LB–J Leman, Illinois, 6-3, 243, Senior; LB–*James Laurinaitis, Ohio St., 6-3, 240, Junior; LB–Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma, 6-0, 238, Junior; DB–Antoine Carson, Arizona, 6-0, 185, Senior; DB–Jamie Silva, Boston College, 5-11, 210, Senior; DB–Craig Steltz, LSU, 6-2, 209, Senior; DB–*Aqib Talib, Kansas, 6-2, 195, Junior; P–Kevin Huber, Cincinnati, 6-1, 210, Junior.
John Sullivan All-America Accolades In 2007
Walter Camp Football Foundation – first team
ESPN.com – first team
The Sporting News – first team
CollegeFootballNews.com – second team
Associated Press – third team
Sports Illustrated – honorable mention