University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Dave Crenshaw
Tony Pollard Named Walter Camp All-American
Dec 07, 2017 | Football
Just second Tiger to earn first-team honors from Walter Camp voters.
Walter Camp All-America Teams
MEMPHIS – Sophomore kick returner Tony Pollard has been named a first team Walter Camp All-American it was announced, Thursday. Pollard is just the fourth Tiger to be named to the Walter Camp list, the oldest All-American team, and is just the second Tiger to earn first team honors from the national voting pool of 130 FBS head coaches and sports information directors.
Pollard leads the country in kickoff return yards per game (42.4 ypr) and kickoff return touchdowns (4). He is the two-time defending American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and is a two-time, first team all-conference honoree.
As a freshman in 2016, Pollard had 38 returns for 1,068 yards and two touchdowns. This year, he has had fewer opportunities to field kickoffs (17), but still has 751 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 1,819 career return yards with six touchdowns. His six career kickoff return touchdowns is just one shy of the NCAA career record, currently shared by Tyron Carrier, Rashaad Penny and CJ Spiller.
The Melrose graduate has also taken on a bigger role in the Memphis offense. This season, while helping Memphis to an American Athletic Conference West Division title and the program's first-ever football championship game appearance, he has added 34 catches for 501 yards and four touchdowns and 22 rushes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Pollard was named to the FWAA and USA Today Freshman All-American squads last season and earlier today, was named a second team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
He is just the fourth player in Memphis history to earn a nod from the Walter Camp All-American voters and is just the second to earn first-team honors in Memphis history.
2005 – DeAngelo Williams (RB), 1st Team
2013 – Tom Hornsey (P), 2nd Team
2015 – Jake Elliott (K), 2nd Team
2017 – Tony Pollard (KR), 1st Team
As a first team Walter Camp All-America honoree, Pollard will be honored at the organization's 51st annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut, Jan. 11-13, at Yale University Commons.
This is the 128th edition of the Walter Camp All-American team, the nation's oldest All-America Team. Twenty-six players were named to this year's first team. Pollard is one of two players from the American Athletic Conference named to the team. Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver was also named to the first team. Pollard and Oliver were two of three sophomores named to the first team.
MEMPHIS – Sophomore kick returner Tony Pollard has been named a first team Walter Camp All-American it was announced, Thursday. Pollard is just the fourth Tiger to be named to the Walter Camp list, the oldest All-American team, and is just the second Tiger to earn first team honors from the national voting pool of 130 FBS head coaches and sports information directors.
Pollard leads the country in kickoff return yards per game (42.4 ypr) and kickoff return touchdowns (4). He is the two-time defending American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and is a two-time, first team all-conference honoree.
As a freshman in 2016, Pollard had 38 returns for 1,068 yards and two touchdowns. This year, he has had fewer opportunities to field kickoffs (17), but still has 751 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 1,819 career return yards with six touchdowns. His six career kickoff return touchdowns is just one shy of the NCAA career record, currently shared by Tyron Carrier, Rashaad Penny and CJ Spiller.
The Melrose graduate has also taken on a bigger role in the Memphis offense. This season, while helping Memphis to an American Athletic Conference West Division title and the program's first-ever football championship game appearance, he has added 34 catches for 501 yards and four touchdowns and 22 rushes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Pollard was named to the FWAA and USA Today Freshman All-American squads last season and earlier today, was named a second team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
He is just the fourth player in Memphis history to earn a nod from the Walter Camp All-American voters and is just the second to earn first-team honors in Memphis history.
2005 – DeAngelo Williams (RB), 1st Team
2013 – Tom Hornsey (P), 2nd Team
2015 – Jake Elliott (K), 2nd Team
2017 – Tony Pollard (KR), 1st Team
As a first team Walter Camp All-America honoree, Pollard will be honored at the organization's 51st annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut, Jan. 11-13, at Yale University Commons.
This is the 128th edition of the Walter Camp All-American team, the nation's oldest All-America Team. Twenty-six players were named to this year's first team. Pollard is one of two players from the American Athletic Conference named to the team. Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver was also named to the first team. Pollard and Oliver were two of three sophomores named to the first team.
Players Mentioned
RB
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