CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Former Illinois linebacker Dick Butkus was named to the All-Time All-America First Team, ESPN announced Thursday as part of its ongoing coverage of college football's 150th anniversary.
Butkus, whose larger-than-life statue was unveiled outside the new Smith Football Center in October, is regarded by many as the greatest linebacker in football history. Butkus played center on offense and linebacker on defense for Coach Pete Elliott, leading the Illini to the 1963 Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl victory over Washington.
Butkus is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, as well as the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame. He was two-time consensus All-American, three-time All-Big Ten and the 1963 Silver Football Award winner. Butkus finished third in the 1964 Heisman Trophy balloting and went on to a nine-year Hall of Fame career with the NFL's Chicago Bears. His Illinois jersey, No. 50, was retired in 1986 and he was named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-Century team in 1989. The nation's top linebacker receives the "Butkus Award" each season.
Butkus is one of 50 players honored on the All-Time All-America lists. First and second teams were named, consisting of 11 players on offense, 11 on defense, a kicker, a punter and an all-purpose player on both teams.
First Team
Offense
QB: Roger Staubach, Navy
RB: Jim Brown, Syracuse; Herschel Walker, Georgia
WR: Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State; Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt
TE: Mike Ditka, Pitt
C: Chuck Bednarik, Penn
OT: Orlando Pace, Ohio State; Bill Fralic, Pitt
OG: John Hannah, Alabama; Jim Parker, Ohio State
Defense
DE: Hugh Green, Pitt; Reggie White, Tennessee
DT: Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota; Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
LB: Dick Butkus, Illinois; Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina; Tommy Nobis, Texasas
CB: Deion Sanders, Florida State; Charles Woodson, Michigan
S: Jack Tatum, Ohio State; Ronnie Lott, USC
Specialists
K: Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State
P: Ray Guy, Southern Miss
AP: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska
Second Team
Offense
QB: Peyton Manning, Tennessee
RB: Bo Jackson, Auburn; Archie Griffin, Ohio State
WR: Randy Moss, Marshall; Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State
TE: Keith Jackson, Oklahoma
C: Dave Rimington, Nebraska
OT: Anthony Munoz, USC; Jonathan Ogden, UCLA
OG: Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame; Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska
Defense
DE: Bubba Smith, Michigan State; Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech
DT: Randy White, Maryland; Joe Greene, North Texas
LB: Jack Ham, Penn State; Derrick Thomas, Alabama; Cornelius Bennett, Alabama
CB: Rod Woodson, Purdue; Champ Bailey, Georgia
S: Kenny Easley, UCLA; Ed Reed, Miami
Specialists
K: Kevin Butler, Georgia
P: Russell Erxleben, Texas
AP: Tim Brown, Notre Dame
Butkus, whose larger-than-life statue was unveiled outside the new Smith Football Center in October, is regarded by many as the greatest linebacker in football history. Butkus played center on offense and linebacker on defense for Coach Pete Elliott, leading the Illini to the 1963 Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl victory over Washington.
Butkus is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, as well as the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame. He was two-time consensus All-American, three-time All-Big Ten and the 1963 Silver Football Award winner. Butkus finished third in the 1964 Heisman Trophy balloting and went on to a nine-year Hall of Fame career with the NFL's Chicago Bears. His Illinois jersey, No. 50, was retired in 1986 and he was named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-Century team in 1989. The nation's top linebacker receives the "Butkus Award" each season.
Butkus is one of 50 players honored on the All-Time All-America lists. First and second teams were named, consisting of 11 players on offense, 11 on defense, a kicker, a punter and an all-purpose player on both teams.
First Team
Offense
QB: Roger Staubach, Navy
RB: Jim Brown, Syracuse; Herschel Walker, Georgia
WR: Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State; Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt
TE: Mike Ditka, Pitt
C: Chuck Bednarik, Penn
OT: Orlando Pace, Ohio State; Bill Fralic, Pitt
OG: John Hannah, Alabama; Jim Parker, Ohio State
Defense
DE: Hugh Green, Pitt; Reggie White, Tennessee
DT: Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota; Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
LB: Dick Butkus, Illinois; Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina; Tommy Nobis, Texasas
CB: Deion Sanders, Florida State; Charles Woodson, Michigan
S: Jack Tatum, Ohio State; Ronnie Lott, USC
Specialists
K: Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State
P: Ray Guy, Southern Miss
AP: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska
Second Team
Offense
QB: Peyton Manning, Tennessee
RB: Bo Jackson, Auburn; Archie Griffin, Ohio State
WR: Randy Moss, Marshall; Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State
TE: Keith Jackson, Oklahoma
C: Dave Rimington, Nebraska
OT: Anthony Munoz, USC; Jonathan Ogden, UCLA
OG: Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame; Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska
Defense
DE: Bubba Smith, Michigan State; Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech
DT: Randy White, Maryland; Joe Greene, North Texas
LB: Jack Ham, Penn State; Derrick Thomas, Alabama; Cornelius Bennett, Alabama
CB: Rod Woodson, Purdue; Champ Bailey, Georgia
S: Kenny Easley, UCLA; Ed Reed, Miami
Specialists
K: Kevin Butler, Georgia
P: Russell Erxleben, Texas
AP: Tim Brown, Notre Dame
