Northwestern University Athletics
Damien Anderson Named All-America by Football News
11/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 22, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern junior running back Damien Anderson (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) was named first team All-America by Football News Magazine. The announcement was made today.
The Football News editorial staff picked three All-America teams, which will be announced in the December 9 issue.
This is the second All-America honor for Anderson. On Monday, he was named All-America by the Football Writers Association of America.
Anderson, who helped lead the Wildcats to a share of the Big Ten title and a spot in the SYLVANIA Alamo Bowl, set several school records this season. Prominent among them were the single-season records for rushing yards (1,914) and touchdowns (22). He finished second nationally in rushing with 174.0 yards per game, and shattered Lorenzo White's Big Ten records for rushing yards (1,549) and rushing average (193.6) in conference games. Anderson set the conference marks with 54 fewer carries than White needed in 1985. Overall this season, Anderson averaged a staggering 6.5 yards per carry in 2000. Perhaps most amazingly, Anderson did not fumble during the entire season, covering 293 rushing attempts.
Anderson had four games over the 200-yard mark, a school record, including a 292-yard day against Indiana that was the third-best rushing day in school history and a 268-yard day against Michigan that was the best individual rushing performance ever against a Wolverine defense by 67 yards. He also had four-touchdown games against Indiana and Illinois, tying a single-game mark in the process.
With one full season still to play, Anderson has 3,579 yards rushing which leaves him 214 yards shy of Darnell Autry's all-time school rushing record.
Anderson is the first All-American at Northwestern since linebacker Pat Fitzgerald earned the honor in 1996.
Two other Wildcat offensive players were named honorable mention All-America by Football News. Quarterback Zak Kustok and lineman Jeff Roehl.
THE 2000 FOOTBALL NEWS ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Chris Weinke, Florida State
RB - DAMIEN ANDERSON, NORTHWESTERN
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU
TE - Brian Natkin, Texas El-Paso
WR - Marvin Minnis, Florida State
WR - Quincy Morgan, Kansas State
OL - Dominic Raiola, Nebraska
OL - Bryant McKinnie, Miami (Fla.)
OL - Steve Hutchinson, Michigan
OL - Chris Brown, Georgia Tech
OL - Ben Hamilton, Minnesota
K - Jamie Rheem, Kansas State
DEFENSE
DL - Jamal Reynolds, Florida State
DL - Andre Carter, California
DL - Mario Fatafehi, Kansas State
DL - John Henderson, Tennessee
LB - Keith Adams, Clemson
LB - Dan Morgan, Miami (Fla.)
LB - Levar Fisher, NC State
DB - Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
DB - J.T. Thatcher, Oklahoma
DB - Fred Smoot, Mississippi State
DB - Dwight Smith, Akron
P - Preston Gruening, Minnesota
