J. B. Cash's Column

Caste Football's 2004 All-American Football Team
pictured: Navy's star running back Kyle Eckel

(1/11/05) Here is Caste Football’s 2004 College All-American Football Team. Seniors are marked with an asterisk.

Almost all NFL players come from the ranks of NCAA Div. I-A schools. If a player does not excel at that level his opportunity for making an NFL team, let alone starring as a professional, is limited.

Here are the best white college football players in the country. With the exception of the quarterbacks they have had to overcome the oppressive racial bigotry that marked them as inferior from their first peewee game through every practice and tryout of their young lives.

Despite a skeptical coaching profession, a hostile media, and uncaring fans, they have persevered and succeeded. Most of them will not get any further chances as the prejudice gets turned up a notch, especially by the scouting services that will insult and demean every one of these special and talented young men. But for now, for their courage and accomplishments we salute them.

(Pictures of many of the All-Americans listed below can be found on the Caste Football discussion board in our College Football Stars section.)

1ST TEAM QB: Alex Smith, Jr. Utah, 185 of 280 passes (66%) for 2,624 yards, 28 TDs, 4 INT, 563 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns. No one ran an offense better than Alex Smith did this season taking Urban Meyer's spread attack to another level getting Utah to a historic BCS game and not letting anyone get closer than 17 points. Matt Leinart, Jason White and Jason Campbell were all tremendous leaders and all deserve the number one honor, but Smith was the best overall combination of passing and running and was flawless during the biggest games, hanging 341 yards and four touchdowns on North Carolina, and 359 yards and three scores on Texas A&M. Up until the regular season finale against BYU, Smith only threw two interceptions all year.

2ND TEAM QB Matt Leinart, Jr. USC, 251 of 377 (66%) for 2,990 yards and 28 TDs, 6 INT. The Heisman trophy winner and Orange Bowl MVP led his team to No. 1 in the nation with a convincing rout of the Oklahoma Sooners 55-19. He has a bright future ahead either in college or the NFL.

*HONORABLE MENTION QB Jason White, Sr. Oklahoma, 231 of 354 (65%) for 2,961 yards and 33 TDs, 6 INT. Last year's Heisman Trophy winner led his team to the championship game for the second year in a row. The senior should be a high draft pick for some lucky NFL club.

*1ST TEAM RB Kyle Eckel, Sr. Naval Academy, rushed 235 times for 1147 yards and 11 TD’s. Navy had a great season as its program returned to prominence. Eckel was the No. 1 weapon on a record setting running team. Unfortunately Eckel will probably be ignored by the NFL just as he was ignored by the media during his brilliant college career. Hard to believe a quality player at a U.S. military Academy during a time of war could receive so little acclaim. It is surely a first in the history of the United States. Eckel was nearly the only white running back to receive a lot of playing time as the featured back at a Div. I-A school. It is very depressing that there are virtually no white players given the opportunity to run with the football anywhere else in the U.S.

*1ST TEAM RB Luke Clemens, Sr. Miami (OH), 213 rushes for 899 yds. and 12 TDs. Clemens gets the nod as the 2nd back as he gained nearly 900 yards and scored 12 TDs.

2ND TEAM RB Dan Burks, So. UAB, ran 164 times for 880 yds and 4 TDs. Burks had a good year but despite his impressive yards per carry may not even be a starter next year.

*2ND TEAM RB Chance Kretschmer, Sr. Nevada, 176 rushes for 813 yards and 7 TDs. Perhaps the best white running back in the country. Chance was touted as one of the best in the nation coming off a good year in 2003. Led the nation in yards rushing as a freshman in 2001. Unfortunately injuries limited his effectiveness. He did play for a major program. May be invited to an NFL camp to learn to block for black runners.

HONORABLE MENTION: Brian Leonard, Soph. Rutgers, ran 199 times for 732 yds and 7 TDs. One to keep an eye on. Rutgers plays a tough schedule and sends many a player to the pros. Here’s hoping he continues to get a lot of carries next year.

1ST TEAM WR: Mike Hass, Jr. Oregon State, caught 86 passes for 1379 yards with 7 TDs. Hass starred for a below par Oregon State team. We hope he can be as effective next year with a new QB. One of the best in the country. Finished third in the nation in receiving yardage.

1ST TEAM WR: Eric Deslauriers; Jr. Eastern Michigan University, caught 84 passes for 1257 yards and 13 scores. One of the most underrated receivers in college football. Was seventh in the nation in receiving yards yet only made second team All-American in the MAC. Absolutely amazing!

*2nd TEAM WR: Trey Haverty, Sr. Texas Tech, 77 receptions for 1019 yards and 6 TDs. The Red Raider star was a big play-maker for Texas Tech. We hope that he gets a chance at a spot in the NFL.

2nd TEAM WR: David Anderson, Jr. Colorado State, caught 57 passes for 940 yards with 2 TDs.

*HONORABLE MENTION WR: TJ Acree, Sr. Boise State, 55 catches for 947 yards and 8 TDs

1ST TEAM TE: Heath Miller, Jr. Virginia, 36 catches for 475 yards and 5 touchdowns

2ND TEAM TE: Zach Miller, Fr. Arizona State, 51 catches for 524 yards and 6 touchdowns

HONORABLE MENTION TE: Clark Harris, Jr. Rutgers, 53 catches for 725 yards and 5 TDs

*1ST TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Wesley Britt, Sr. Alalbama

*1ST TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Nick Kaczur, Sr. Toledo

*1ST TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: David Baas, Sr. Michigan

*1ST TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Rob Petitti, Sr. Pittsburgh

*1ST TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Rian Melander, Sr. Minnesota

2ND TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Daryn Colledge JR. Boise State

2ND TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Travis Leffew, Jr. Louisville

2ND TEAM OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Andrew Whitworth, Jr. LSU


*1ST TEAM PLACE KICKER: Mike Nugent, Sr. Ohio State; 20/23 FG’s, 27/27 PAT’s; Lou Groza Award winner

1ST TEAM PUNTER: Brandon Fields, Jr. Michigan State; 47.9-yard average (led nation) putting 13 inside the 20 and only one blocked punt.

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Mitch Meeuwsen, Sr. Oregon State, First Team All-American by SPN.com. First Team All-Pacific-10 Conference; second in NCAA Division I football for career interceptions with 20. led the Pac-10 this season with six interceptions and was third for overall passes defended with 14. Tied for the team lead for career tackles with 211 and has started a team-best 39 career games.

1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Jim Leonhard, JR. Wisconsin, was named a first-team All-America safety by ESPN.com. earned honorable mention All-America status from SI.com. Led the Big Ten with six interceptions,

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Rob Lee Sr. Northern Illinois. True cornerback. Very little publicity playing for Northern Illinois but some scouting reports rank him ahead of Meeuwson and Fox.

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Dustin Fox, Sr. OSU. Rare white cornerback playing for a major college power. Should get a shot in the NFL — at safety of course.

1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Josh Golden, Jr. ASU. Another rare white corner playing for a major Div. I school. Hoping for a big year next year to get his token shot at a safety spot in the NFL.

2nd TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Morgan Scalley Jr. Utah 6 int (3rd in nation).

*2nd TEAM DEFENSIVE BACK: Justin Beriault, Sr. Ball State.

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: David Pollack, Sr. Georgia, 48 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, 32 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles.

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Dan Cody, Sr. Oklahoma In 2004 - FWAA All-American (first team), All-Big 12 (AP), All-Big 12 (Coaches), All-Big 12 (AP).

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Ryan Neill, Sr. Rutgers.

*1ST TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Ben Lynch, Sr. West Virginia.

2ND TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: John Syptak, JR. Rice.

2ND TEAM DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Garrett McIntyre, Jr. Fresno State.

1ST TEAM LINEBACKER: A. J. Hawk, Jr. Ohio State, semifinalist for the Bednarik Award; also was a semifinalist for the Butkus and Lombardi Awards and a candidate for the Lott Award. 111 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and a sack. Second in the Big Ten in tackles per game with an average of 12.3. Led the Buckeyes in tackles six times this year and surpassed last year’s total of 106.

*1ST TEAM LINEBACKER: Matt Grootegoed, Sr. USC, one of three finalists for the Butkus Award, 4-year starter who was a 2003 semifinalist for the Butkus as well as the Lombardi Award, had 47 tackles, including 9.5 for losses (with 2 sacks), along with a team-high 4 interceptions, 3 deflections, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. Was tied for 15th nationally in interceptions.

*1ST TEAM LINEBACKER: Barrett Ruud, Sr. Nebraska, first-team All-Big 12 defense. Led the Big 12 Conference in tackles with 143 tackles, including a team-high 18 tackles for loss. Nine games with 10 or more tackles in 2004, including a career-high 19 tackles at Kansas State. School's all-time leading tackler with 432 career stops.

2nd TEAM LINEBACKER: Spencer Havner, Jr. UCLA, 125 tackles, 1 sack, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 3 broken up passes; led the Pac 10 in tackles; making 84 solo stops.

2nd TEAM LINEBACKER: Chad Greenway, Jr. Iowa.

2nd TEAM LINEBACKER: Korey Hall, So. Boise State.

1ST TEAM KICK RETURNER: Dan Sheldon, Jr. Northern Illinois, 5th in the nation in yds/return (16.4)

*2nd TEAM KICK RETURNER: Chad Owens, Sr. Hawaii, 11th in nation with 14.8 avg.

1ST TEAM PUNT RETURNER: Jim Leonhard, Jr. Wisconsin. Already mentioned above as a first team DB, the all-purpose Leonhard is also one of the best returners in the Big Ten.

2nd TEAM PUNT RETURNER: Ed Hinkel, Jr. Iowa. Hinkel is another of the good white receivers recruited by Iowa. Similar to Tim Dwight he is a first class receiver and excellent punt returner.

(Pictures of most of the Caste Football 2004 All-American Team can be found at the College Football Stars section of our discussion board.)
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