Northwestern University Athletics
Damien Anderson Named All-America by CNN/SI
12/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 5, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern junior running back Damien Anderson (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) was named first team All-American by CNN/Sports Illustrated. The announcement was made today.
This is the fifth All-America honor for Anderson, who is also one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. Previously, he was named All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, Football News Magazine, the Walter Camp Foundation, and The Sporting News.
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. Most amazingly, 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.
THE 2000 CNN/SI ALL-AMERICA TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Chris Weinke, Florida State
RB - DAMIEN ANDERSON, NORTHWESTERN
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU
TE - Todd Heap, Arizona State
WR - David Terrell, Michigan
WR - Marvin Minnis, Florida State
OL - Dominic Raiola, Nebraska
OL - Bryant McKinnie, Miami (Fla.)
OL - Steve Hutchinson, Michigan
OL - Chris Brown, Georgia Tech
OL - Chad Ward, Washington
DEFENSE
DE - Jamal Reynolds, Florida State
DL - John Henderson, Tennessee
DL - Julius Peppers, North Carolina
DL - Andre Carter, California
LB - Keith Adams, Clemson
LB - Dan Morgan, Miami (Fla.)
LB - Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma
CB - Lito Sheppard, Florida
CB - Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
S - Hakim Akbar, Washington
S - Ed Reed, Miami (Fla.)
SPECIALISTS
KR - Julius Jones, Notre Dame
PR - Andre Davis, Virginia Tech
Athlete - Santana Moss, Miami (Fla.)
K - Jonathon Ruffin, Cincinnati
P - Kevin Stemke, Wisconsin
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris Weinke, Florida State
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dennis Erickson, Oregon State
