The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Dickson, Elliott named FWAA All-Americans
12.11.2017 | Football
Punter Michael Dickson and safety DeShon Elliott both garnered first-team honors.
AUSTIN, Texas – Two Texas Longhorns were named first team All-Americans on Monday afternoon by the Football Writers Association of America. Punter Michael Dickson and safety DeShon Elliott were both recognized following their standout seasons. Last season, RB D'Onta Foreman and OL Connor Williams were both first team All-Americans by the FWAA.
Dickson, a native of Sydney, Australia, becomes the second Longhorn punter to ever earn first team All-America honors from the FWAA, after Russell Erxleben was honored three times from 1976-78. Dickson leads the country averaging 48.4 yards per punt on 73 attempts. His net average of 44.7 yards per punt is the best in the country as well. He won the 2017 Ray Guy Award and was also the Big 12's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
So far in 2017, Dickson has 34 punts of more than 50 yards, 14 of more than 60 yards and a career-long punt of 76 yards in a game at TCU. That 76-yard punt was the fifth-longest in the country this season, and tied for the fifth-longest in school history. He has had 32 punts downed inside the 20-yard line, 27 downed inside the 15, 14 downed inside the 10 and six downed inside the opponents' five-yard line.
Elliott, a native of Rockwall, Texas, becomes the first Longhorn defensive back honored on the first team since Aaron Ross in 2006. Elliott totaled 63 tackles (50 solo) with 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and nine pass breakups. His six interceptions rank third nationally and his two interceptions returned for a touchdown are first. Elliott and the Longhorns' secondary held all three first team All-Big 12 wide receivers out of the end zone this season, limiting Biletnikoff Award winner Oklahoma State's James Washington to four catches for 42 yards, Biletnikoff Award finalist West Virginia's David Sills to two catches for 47 yards and Iowa State's Allen Lazard to five catches for 63 yards.
The remaining All-America teams will be announced later this week, with the consensus All-America team being announced by the NCAA on Thursday.
Walter Camp Football Foundation: P Michael Dickson (first team), S DeShon Elliott (first team)
Associated Press: P Michael Dickson (first team), S DeShon Elliott (second team), LB Malik Jefferson (second team)
Sports Illustrated: S DeShon Elliott (first team), P Michael Dickson (second team), LB Malik Jefferson (second team)
The All-American: P Michael Dickson (first team), S DeShon Elliott (second team)
USA Today: P Michael Dickson (first team), S DeShon Elliott (second team)
SB Nation: P Michael Dickson (first team), S DeShon Elliott (second team), DT Poona Ford (honorable mention), LB Malik Jefferson (honorable mention)
