The 1951 College Football All-America team is composed of

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...

players who were selected as

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

ns by various organizations and writers that chose

College Football All-America Team The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term ''All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Football ...

s in 1951. The eight selectors recognized by the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

as "official" for the 1951 season are (1) the All-American Board (AAB), (2) the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA, (3) the

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(AP), (4) the

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

(FWAA), (5) the

International News Service The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.

(INS), (6) the

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(NEA), (7) the ''

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'' and (8) the

United Press United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20t ...

(UP).

Consensus All-Americans

For the year 1951, the NCAA recognizes eight published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.

All-American selections for 1951

Ends

* Bill McColl, Stanford (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Bob Carey, Michigan State (AAB; APO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Pat O'Donahue James Patrick Michael "Pat" O'Donahue (October 7, 1930 – July 18, 2017) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the San Francisco 49ers (1952) and the Green Bay Packers (1955). He played a ...

, Wisconsin (APD-1; FWD-1; NEAD-1) * Billy Howton, Rice (AFCA; APO-2; CP-3; CTO-1) *

Frank McPhee Frank McPhee (21 October 1948 – 10 May 2000) was a long-time Glasgow gangland boss. McPhee was reported to have built his "underworld empire" on drugs and robbery. He was jailed in 1978 for five years for robbery and served another five in ...

, Princeton (FWD-1 INSD-1; UP-2; CP-3) * Dewey McConnell, Wyoming (APD-1; NEAD-1) * Stan Williams, Baylor (FWO-1) * Leo Sugar, Purdue (APD-2; CTD-1) * Eddie Bell, Penn (APD-2; INSD-1) * Doug Atkins, Tennessee (CTD-1) * Tom McCann, Holy Cross (APO-2) *

Jim Mutscheller James 'Bucky' Mutscheller (March 31, 1930 – April 10, 2015) was an American football player who played tight end for nine seasons for the Baltimore Colts. Early life and education Mutscheller was born on March 31, 1930, in Beaver Falls, Pen ...

, Notre Dame (UP-2) *

Lowell Perry Lowell Wesley Perry (December 5, 1931 – January 7, 2001) was an American football player and coach, government official, businessman, and broadcaster. He was the first African-American assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), the ...

, Michigan (UP-3; CP-2) * Ed Barker, Washington State (UP-3) * Hal Faverty, Wisconsin (CP-2; INSO-1)

Tackles

* Don Coleman, Michigan State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Jim Weatherall, Oklahoma (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APD-1; FWD-1; INSD-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Pug Pearman William Andrew "Pug" Pearman (May 1, 1929 – December 19, 2004) was an American football player. A native of North Carolina, Pearman attended the University of Tennessee where he played at the tackle position for the Tennessee Volunteers foot ...

, Tennessee (APD-1; FWD-1; NEAD-1; UP-2; CP-3) * Bob Toneff, Notre Dame (APO-1; UP-2; CP-2) * Jack Little, Texas A&M (FWO-1) *

Chuck Ulrich Charles Ulrich, Jr. (December 14, 1929 – April 10, 2006) was a professional American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1958). Ulrich was a member of the Illi ...

, Illinois (INSO-1) * Bill George, Wake Forest (CTO-1) * Doug Conaway, Texas Christian (NEAD-1) * Lamar Wheat, Georgia Tech (UP-3; INSD-1) *

Dick Modzelewski Richard Blair Modzelewski (February 16, 1931 – October 19, 2018) was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He a ...

, Maryland (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; CTD-1) * Tom Johnson, Michigan (CTD-1) *

Ollie Spencer Oliver Spencer (April 17, 1931 – April 28, 1991) was an American National Football League (NFL) tackle and assistant coach. He played eight seasons in the NFL, with the Detroit Lions (1953 and 1956), the Green Bay Packers (1957 and 1958), ...

, Kansas (APO-2) * Bob Werckle, Vanderbilt (APO-2) * Hal Mitchell, UCLA (CP-2) * John Feltch, Holy Cross (CP-3) * Jerrell Price, Texas Tech (APD-2)

Guards

* Bob Ward, Maryland (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWD-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Les Richter, California (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; APD-1; FWD-1; INSO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1, CTD-1; WC-1) *

Ray Beck Ray Merril Beck (March 17, 1931 – January 10, 2007) was an American football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants in 1952 and from 1955 to 1957. Beck was born in Bowdon, Georgia and graduated from Cedartown High School ...

, Georgia Tech (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA; APD-1; FWO-1; NEAD-1; UP-3; CP-1; CTD-1) * Joe Palumbo, Virginia (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-1; NEAO-1) * Ted Daffer, Tennessee (APD-2; INSD-1; NEAD-1; UP-2; CP-2) *

Marv Matuszak Marvin H. Matuszak (September 12, 1931 – February 28, 2004) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and in the American Football League (AFL). He went to two NFL Pro Bowls and was once an American Football Leag ...

, Tulsa (APO-1) * Nick Liotta, Villanova (FWO-1; CTD-1 (linebacker)) * Chet Millett, Holy Cross (FWD-1) * George Mrkonic, Kansas (INSO-1) * Jim Donarski, Arizona (APO-2) * Norm Manoogian, Stanford (APO-2) * John Michels, Tennessee (UP-3) *

Harley Sewell Harley Edward Sewell (April 18, 1931 – December 17, 2011) was an American football guard for the Detroit Lions (1953–1962), the Los Angeles Rams (1963). He was born in Jefferson County, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Texas. He and ...

, Texas (College Football Hall of Fame) (CP-3) * Gerald Audette, Columbia (CP-3) *

Bill Athey Charles William Jeffrey Athey (born 27 September 1957) is a retired English first-class cricketer, who played for England, and first-class cricket for Gloucestershire, Yorkshire and Sussex; he also played a solitary one-day game for Worcester ...

, Baylor (APD-2)

Centers

Dick Hightower Richard Guy Hightower (August 3, 1930 – December 5, 2007) was an American football player. He played college football at the center position for the SMU Mustangs from 1949 to 1951. He was a consensus first-teamselection on the 1951 College Fo ...

, Southern Methodist (SMU) (AAB; AFCA; APO-2; INSO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Pat Cannamela, USC (APD-2; UP-2; FWD-1; INSD-1 (center); NEAD-1; CP-2 (guard)) *

Doug Moseley Douglas Dewayne Moseley, known as Doug Moseley (March 24, 1928November 8, 2017), was a Kentucky minister and politician who served in the Kentucky Senate The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky S ...

, Kentucky (APO-1; FWO-1; UP-3; CP-3) * Keith Flowers, Texas Christian (APD-1; CTD-1) * Chuck Boerio, Illinois (UP-2 (center); NEAD-1) * George Tarasovic, LSU (NEAO-1) * Charlie Harris, California (CP-2) * Donn Moomaw, UCLA (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; UP-3)

Quarterbacks

Babe Parilli Vito "Babe" Parilli (May 7, 1930 – July 15, 2017) was an American football quarterback and coach who played professionally for 18 seasons. Parilli spent five seasons in the National Football League (NFL), three in the Canadian Football League ...

, Kentucky (AAB; APO-2; UP-1; CP-1; INSD-1; SN; NEAO-1 (QB); CTO-1 (QB); WC-1) *

Larry Isbell Lawrence Dale Isbell (January 8, 1930 – October 31, 1978) was an American baseball and gridiron football player. He was one of the rare players to be All-American in both baseball and in football. He was an All-American quarterback in 1951, whe ...

, Baylor (APO-1; UP-3; FWO-1; CP-2; INSD-1) *

Gary Kerkorian Gary Ray Kerkorian (January 14, 1930 – May 22, 2000) was an Armenian-American football quarterback who played four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). College career Born into an Armenian family, Kerkorian attended Inglewood Hig ...

, Stanford (UP-2; CP-3; INSD-1) * Al Dorow, Michigan State (INSD-1) *

Bill Wade William James Wade (October 4, 1930 – March 9, 2016) was an American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest athletes in Nashville and Vanderbilt University hi ...

, Vanderbilt (APO-2)

Halfbacks

Dick Kazmaier Richard William Kazmaier Jr. (November 23, 1930 – August 1, 2013) was an American businessman and naval lieutenant. He played college football at Princeton University from 1949 through 1951 and was the winner of the 1951 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell ...

, Princeton (Heisman Trophy and College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1 (HB); SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1 (HB); WC-1) * Hank Lauricella, Tennessee (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1 (HB); SN; UP-1; FWO-1; CP-1; CTO-1 (HB); WC-1) *

Johnny Karras John J. Karras (January 29, 1928 – November 6, 2008) was an American football halfback who played one season with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the second round of the 1952 NFL ...

, Illinois (AFCA; AAB; APO-2; FWO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Ed Modzelewski Ed Modzelewski (January 13, 1929 – February 28, 2015) was an American football fullback, who played in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the University of Marylan ...

, Maryland (APO-2; UP-3; CP-2; INSO-1) * Bobby Dillon, Texas (APD-1; FWD-1 (halfback); NEAD-1 (safety); CTD-1) * Al Brosky, Illinois (APD-1; FWD-1 (safety)) * Harry Agganis, Boston U. (NEAD-1 (def. halfback)) * Jim Ellis, Michigan State (CTD-1) * Avatus Stone, Syracuse (CTD-1) * Johnny Bright, Drake (College and Canadian Football Hall of Fame) (UP-2; CP-3) *

Vic Janowicz Victor Felix Janowicz (February 26, 1930 – February 27, 1996) was an American football Halfback (American football), halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Ohio State University ...

, Ohio State (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; UP-2; CP-2) * Veryl Switzer, Kansas State (APD-2) * Jim Dooley, Miami (APD-2)

Fullbacks

* Ollie Matson, San Francisco (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) (APD-1; UP-2; FWD-1 (def. halfback); CP-2; INSO-1; NEAD-1 (def. halfback) * Hugh McElhenny, Washington (Pro and College Football Hall of Fame) (APO-1; UP-3; CP-3; NEAO-1 (FB); CTO-1 (FB)) *

Frank Gifford Francis Newton Gifford (August 16, 1930 – August 9, 2015) was an American football player, actor, and television sports commentator. After a 12-year playing career as a halfback and flanker for the New York Giants of the National Foo ...

, USC (Pro and College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA; UP-3; CP-3)

Key

Official selectors

Other selectors

Notes

References

{{College Football All-America Teams

All-America Team The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

College Football All-America Teams