College Sports Information Directors of America

2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football Team (PDF)

TOWSON, Md. – Quarterback Andrew Luck of Stanford University, one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy and the son of Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame member Oliver Luck, leads the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I football team, as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Honored as the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division I football, Luck is a junior who is an architectural design major with a 3.48 grade point average (G.P.A).

The winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the top quarterback in college football, Luck has led No. 4 Stanford to an 11-1 record and a berth in the Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl where the Cardinal will face No. 3 Oklahoma State (11-1) on Jan. 2.

In 12 games this season, the Houston, Texas native has completed 261-of-373 passes for 3,170 yards and 35 touchdowns. He ranks fifth in the nation with a 167.5 passing efficiency. As a starting quarterback, he has led Stanford to a 31-6 record, the most wins ever by a Stanford quarterback.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2010, Luck has been honored as the Pacific-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year the last two seasons. Named as a first team All-America quarterback by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Luck has thrown 80 touchdown passes in his career, breaking the school record set by the legendary John Elway (1979-82). A finalist for the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player, he has completed 686-of-1033 passes for 9,083 yards in his career.

His father, who is currently the Director of Athletics at West Virginia University, was a Rhodes Scholar finalist who graduated from WVU in 1982. A two-time Academic All-America® quarterback for the Mountaineers, he was an NFL quarterback for four years. He was inducted into the Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in 2008.

The 26 members of the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Football Division I first team have an average G.P.A. of 3.82.

There are four repeat selections on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. Senior offensive linemen John Dowd of the U.S. Naval Academy and Barrett Jones of Alabama join senior punter Drew Butler of Georgia and senior defensive back Austin Cassidy of Nebraska on the first team for the second year in a row.

A mechanical engineering major with a 3.91 G.P.A., Dowd is the first two-time Capital One Academic All-America® first team selection in Naval Academy history. A three-year starter at guard for one of the top rushing teams in the nation, he helped Navy make back-to-back bowl game appearances in 2009 and 2010. The Staten Island, N.Y. native can play the tackle positions. Additionally, he was named second team Academic All-America® as a sophomore.

A first team All-Southeastern Conference honoree at left tackle the last two years, Jones has helped No. 2 Alabama post an 11-1 record and earn a place in the BCS Championship Game against Louisiana State. A graduate student, Jones earned his undergraduate degree in accounting in just three years and he has a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. A versatile lineman who has played all five positions on the offensive line, he has made 35 career starts. A first team Associated Press All-American in 2010, the Germantown, Tenn. native was also a second team Academic All-America® selection in 2009 before earning first team notice last year.

One of the top punters in college football history, Butler is a three-time All-SEC selection who has a 45.2 career punting average. A graduate student who earned his B.A. degree in journalism with a 3.62 G.P.A., he is pursuing a graduate degree in kinesiology. A native of Duluth, Ga., Butler was the winner of the 2009 Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation. A two-time All-American, he is averaging 44.3 yards per punt this season while leading the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record and a berth in the SEC championship game. Georgia will face Michigan State in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2.

Cassidy was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team for the second time after leading Nebraska to a 9-3 record and a bid to the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 2 where the Cornhuskers will play South Carolina. A graduate student who earned his B.S. degree in psychology with a 3.91 G.P.A., Cassidy is pursuing his M.B.A. and has a 4.0 G.P.A. An honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference safety, Cassidy is fourth on the team with 68 tackles. He has also intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble.

Cassidy is one of two Nebraska representatives on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team as Husker junior running back Rex Burkhead was also honored. A History major with a 3.38 G.P.A., Burkhead earned first team All-Big Ten Conference honors after an outstanding 2011 season. In 12 games, he ran for more than 100 yards seven times. He has rushed for 1,268 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. A native of Plano, Texas, he is the third-leading rusher in the Big Ten.

Nebraska is one of three schools with two players named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. The U.S. Military Academy and Montana also had two first team honorees.

Army linebacker Andrew Rodriguez and junior defensive end Zach Watts are Army’s representatives on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. They will be leading the Cadets into the Army-Navy game on Saturday (Dec. 10).

The recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy that is presented to the top Scholar-Athlete in the nation by the National Football Foundation, Rodriguez is a mechanical engineering major with a 4.14 G.P.A. While starting 10 of 11 games for Army, he has registered 55 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles. Ranked third in his class at West Point, the Alexandria, Va. native led the team in tackles in 2009. After missing the entire 2010 season with a back injury, he made an unexpected return to the team this year and served as a team captain.

An engineering management major who holds a 3.46 G.P.A., Watts started all 11 games for the Cadets and made 21 tackles. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., he tied for the team lead with three sacks and he also forced a fumble against Fordham that was returned for a touchdown.

Montana defensive end Bobby Alt and defensive tackle Bryan Waldhauser represent that university on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. They have led Montana to a 10-2 record and the Big Sky Conference championship this season. Ranked fourth in NCAA FCS, Montana hosts Northern Iowa in the NCAA FCS quarter-finals on Saturday.

A senior sociology major with a 3.92 G.P.A., Alt is a two-year starter who earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2011. With 41 tackles, the Ontario, Cal. native ranks seventh on the team. He also has two sacks and 6.5 tackles for lost yardage. A first team All-Big Sky Conference selection, Waldhauser is fourth on the team with 63 tackles. A graduate student who earned his degree in business, he had a 3.62 G.P.A. as an undergraduate. Waldhauser is currently working on his M.B.A. A second team all-conference selection last year, he ranks among the Grizzlies’ all-time leaders in sacks and tackles for lost yardage.

A second team Capital One Academic All-America® selection in 2010, graduate student Ben Boothby of Northern Iowa also claimed a spot as a first team defensive lineman in 2011. Boothby, who earned a degree in kinesiology and graduated with a 3.89 G.P.A., was named as an NCAA FCS first team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). A two-time all-conference selection, the Clinton, Iowa native has made 75 tackles with 7.5 sacks. He has led No. 5 Northern Iowa to a 10-3 record and a berth in the NCAA FCS quarter-finals where the Panthers will play Montana.

Due to a tie in the voting, there were five defensive linemen named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. Senior David Niumatalolo of New Mexico State joins Alt, Boothby, Waldhauser and Watts on the defensive line. A biology major with a perfect 4.0 G.P.A., Niumatalolo started all 13 games for the Aggies. He was fourth on the team with 84 tackles. He also had a team-leading seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for lost yardage.

Senior linebacker Joe Holland of Purdue, a second team Capital One Academic All-America® selection last year, joins senior Tim Bolte of Bucknell to complete the linebacking corps.

An honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selection, Holland has a double major of movement and sport science and pre-dentistry and carries a 3.96 G.P.A. The Boilermakers’ second-leading tackler, he has made 85 tackles with 8.5 tackles for lost yardage. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Holland and Purdue will face Western Michigan in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl in Detroit.

A two-year starter at linebacker at Bucknell, Bolte has a double major of Asian Studies and political science with a 3.93 G.P.A. Selected as the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for football, he was second on the team with 64 tackles. He also returned an interception for a touchdown. A native of Towson, Md., he led the Bison to a 6-5 record as a senior and finished his career with 142 tackles.

Due to another tie in the voting, there are five defensive backs on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. Graduate student defensive back Kevyn Scott of Syracuse joins seniors Tysyn Hartman of Kansas State, Alex Sewall of Indiana State and Steve Wirkus of Dayton. Along with Cassidy, they complete the defensive backs on the first team.

A graduate student who earned his B.A. degree in information management and technology with a 3.89 G.P.A., Scott started all 12 games at Syracuse. He was 12th on the team in tackles and his two interceptions clinched victories for the 5-7 Orange. A native of Miramar, Fla., Scott is also a member of the Syracuse track and field team.

Named second team All-Big 12 Conference, Hartman made 62 tackles to help No. 8 Kansas State post a 10-2 record. A finance major holding a 3.56 G.P.A., Hartman is a two-year captain of the Wildcats who intercepted three passes this season and has 10 interceptions in his career. A native of Wichita, Kan., he earned Big 12 All-Academic honors three times. Hartman and the Wildcats have earned a berth in the Cotton Bowl where they will face No. 6 Arkansas on Jan. 6.

An exercise science major with a 3.75 G.P.A., Sewall led Indiana State to a 6-5 record. A two-time selection as first team All-Missouri Valley Conference, he made 114 tackles to finish third in the MVC. A native of Western Springs, Ill., he finished his career with 358 tackles, sixth on the Sycamores’ all-time list.

An accounting major with a 3.75 G.P.A., Wirkus helped Dayton to a 6-5 record. A starter in nine of 11 games, he was fifth on the team with 54 tackles as a senior. A member of three Pioneer Football League championship teams in his career, he led the league with four interceptions in 2011. A native of Broadview Heights, Ohio, he led the Flyers to their 34th winning season in the last 35 years.

The offensive linemen who earned Academic All-America® first team honors include graduate student David Pickard of Southern Illinois, senior Nate Potter (Boise State) and junior Patrick Ward (Northwestern) who join Dowd and Jones to complete the o-line on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. Pickard and Potter were both named to the second team last year.

A three-year starter at tackle for Southern Illinois, Pickard graduated with a degree in political science and a 3.94 G.P.A. last summer. He also minored in criminal justice and criminology. As a graduate student, Pickard has a 4.0 G.P.A. in public administration. A starter in all 11 games in 2011, he earned second team All-Missouri Valley honors as a senior. A third team All-American selection as a sophomore, the Oak Park, Ill. native earned all-conference notice three times.

A four-year starter at left tackle for No. 6 Boise State, Potter is a History major with a 3.70 G.P.A. A three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection, he has led the Broncos to an 11-1 record and a berth in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl where the Broncos will play Arizona State on Dec. 22. A candidate for the Outland Trophy as the top offensive lineman in college football, the Boise, Idaho native has helped the Broncos post an incredible 49-3 record over the last four years.

A mechanical engineering major with a 3.92 G.P.A., Ward has started 25 consecutive games at right tackle for Northwestern. Named as a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar, he has played a vital role in the Wildcats’ impressive offensive statistics over the last three years. A native of Homer Glen, Ill., Ward has led Northwestern to a 6-6 record and a spot in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston where the Wildcats will play Texas A&M on Dec. 31.

Senior running back Chris Ganious of South Dakota joins Burkhead as the running backs on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. A psychology major with a 3.80 G.P.A., Ganious ran for 471 yards and scored three touchdowns as a senior. While helping the Coyotes post a 6-5 record, he caught 14 passes for 106 yards. A two-time all-conference selection, Ganious finished his career as the third-leading rusher in school history with 2,871 yards.

Junior Pat Kelly of Liberty and senior Briggs Orsbon of Ball State were chosen as the wide receivers on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team.

An exercise science major with a 4.0 G.P.A., Kelly earned second team All-Big South Conference honors. He caught 40 passes for 591 yards and three touchdowns. A native of New Orleans, La., Kelly led the Flames to a 7-4 record and a second place finish in the Big South.

A risk management and finance major with a 4.0 G.P.A., Orsbon was named second team All-Mid-American Conference after catching 66 passes for 649 yards and four touchdowns at Ball State. The Cardinals’ team captain, he also averaged 19.9 yards per kickoff return. A native of Convoy, Ohio, he set a MAC championship game record with 13 catches for 141 yards.

A first team All-Southland Conference selection, senior tight end Justin Aldredge of Northwestern State holds down the tight end position on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. A business administration and accounting major with a 3.90 G.P.A., he led the Demons with 39 receptions for 514 yards and two touchdowns. The Ruston, La. native finished his career with 86 catches for 1,241 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Senior place kicker John Potter of Western Michigan rounds out the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football first team. A business major with a 3.98 G.P.A., he led the Broncos to a 7-5 record by scoring a team-leading 99 points. A third team All-Mid-American Conference selection, he has scored a school record 323 points. He will take a school record streak of 126 consecutive conversions made into the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. As a senior, he has made 15 of 21 field goal attempts and all 54 extra point tries.

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $122.2 billion in deposits and $197.5 billion in total assets outstanding as of December 31, 2010. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One, N.A. has approximately 1,000 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Capital One, an NCAA Corporate Champion, began its affiliation with college sports with the sponsorship of the 2001 Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) and ESPN’s Capital One Bowl Week. In 2010, Capital One launched the Capital One Cup, a prestigious new program rewarding NCAA Division I athletics programs for their cumulative on-field performance across multiple men’s and women’s sports. In addition, Capital One sponsors the ABC College Football Halftime Report, Capital One All-America Mascot Team, all 88 NCAA Championships including the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, and numerous other collegiate programs.