HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison football's Earl Watford and Stephon Robertson have been named All-Americans by The Sports Network, the organization announced today. Watford earned a spot on the first team, while Robertson was recognized on the second team.
A redshirt-senior offensive guard, Watford was the top-rated offensive lineman for the Dukes, starting all 11 games while also serving as a team captain. The AFCA All-American as well as First Team All-CAA selection for the second consecutive season allowed just one sack on the season while, under extremely stringent linemen grading, grading out 80 percent or higher six times and 90 percent or better twice. Overall, he graded out at 85 percent for the season and had 25 knockdowns while leading an offense that ranked fourth in rushing offense in the CAA at 209.0 yards per game and 4.6 yards per rush. He blocked for Dae'Quan Scott, who ranked third in the CAA in rushing at 86.8 yards per game and earned Second Team All-CAA honors this year. Watford played in 43 games in his career, starting in 37 of them including the last 35 straight.
Robertson was previously selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year over several top candidates, including reigning Buck Buchanan Award winner Matt Evans of New Hampshire, as well as earning First Team All-CAA honors. A starter in all 11 games this year and 34 played in his career, Robertson was a force for Madison's defense, which ranked second in the CAA and 24th in FCS football in scoring, first in the league and 19th nationally in rushing defense and fifth in the CAA in pass defense. Also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the nation's top defensive player, Robertson finished with a team-high 101 tackles, including 48 solos, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and five pass breakups, earning him First Team All-CAA honors for the second straight year after being named CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010. Also a finalist for the Dudley Award as the state's top Division I player, he was third in the league and tied for 43rd in the nation with 9.18 tackles per game. He led JMU in tackles in seven of the 11 games played this year and recorded double-digit tackles in six games, five of them CAA contests.
In his career, Robertson has started in 34 of a possible 35 games. He has amassed 304 career tackles, an average over his career of 8.94 tackles per game, despite being targeted as a threat by every opposing offense.
2012 The Sports Network FCS All-America Team
With position, player, school, class, height, weight:
First Team - Offense
QB - Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, So., 6-1, 195
RB - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 205; Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, So., 6-0, 215
FB - Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr., 5-11, 230
WR - Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 5-10, 181; Aaron Mellette, Elon, Sr., 6-4, 220
TE - A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State, So., 6-4, 245
OL - Michael Bamiro, Stony Brook, Jr., 6-8, 345; Mike Sellers, The Citadel, Jr., 6-0, 295; Billy Turner, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-6, 300; Earl Watford, James Madison, Sr., 6-4, 290; Bryan Witzmann, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-7, 300
AP - Walter Powell, Murray State, Jr., 6-0, 180
PK - Patrick Murray, Fordham, Sr., 5-7, 160
KR - Jerodis Williams, Furman, Sr., 5-11, 195
First Team - Defense
DE - Caleb Schreibeis, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 252; Colton Underwood, Illinois State, Jr., 6-4, 255
DT - Cody Larsen, Southern Utah, Sr., 6-4, 300; Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-2, 300
LB - Matt Evans, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-0, 226; Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State, Sr., 5-11, 240; Robert McCabe, Georgetown, Sr., 6-2, 230; Jody Owens, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 223
DB - Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, So., 6-1, 220; Cooper Taylor, Richmond, Sr., 6-5, 235; Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-0, 195; Marcus Williams, North Dakota State, DB, Jr., 5-11, 194
P - Andy Wilder, Northern Arizona, Jr., 6-3, 205
PR - Dominic Gunn, Northern Colorado, Sr., 5-11, 170
Second-Team Offense
QB - Gavin McCarney, Colgate, Jr., 6-2, 205
RB - Shakir Bell, Indiana State, Jr., 5-8, 185; Deonte Williams, Cal Poly, Sr., 5-10, 200
FB - Kendall Gaskins, Richmond, Sr., 6-1, 238
WR - Jordan Harris, Bryant, Jr., 6-2, 215; Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr., 6-5, 215; Kevin Norrell, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 200
TE - Kyle Juszczyk, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 240
OL - Aaron Adams, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 6-5, 295; Sean Davies, UC Davis, Sr., 6-4, 297; Dakota Dozier, Furman, Jr., 6-4, 291; Rogers Gaines, Tennessee State, Sr., 6-7, 320; Corey Howard, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-1, 290
AP - Tyler Varga, Yale, So., 5-11, 220
PK - Jimmy Pavel, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 195
KR - Fabian Truss, Samford, Jr., 5-9, 190
Second Team - Defense
DE - Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sr., 6-2, 260; Davis Tull, Chattanooga, So., 6-3, 230
DT - Montori Hughes, UT Martin, Sr., 6-4, 330; Caraun Reid, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 305
LB - Keith Pough, Howard, Sr., 6-3, 225; Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Jr., 5-11, 220; Ian Sluss, Portland State, Sr., 6-0, 225; Jordan Tripp, Montana, Jr., 6-4, 244
DB - Robert Alford, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 5-11, 185; Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State, So., 6-1, 180; T.J. Lee III, Eastern Washington, Jr., 5-9, 170; B.W. Webb, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 180
P - Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State, Jr., 6-2, 185
PR - Austin Shanks, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-8, 185
Third Team - Offense
QB - Casey Brockman, Murray State, Sr., 6-2, 220
RB - Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State, Jr., 5-9, 210; Jordan McCord, Colgate, Sr., 5-11, 210
FB - Jake Hess, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-10, 227
WR - Sean Price, Appalachian State, Fr., 6-5, 210; Quentin Sims, UT Martin, Sr., 6-3, 202
TE - MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois, So., 6-3, 247
OL - Garrett Frye, Georgia Southern, So., 6-4, 257; Terrance Hackney, Bethune- Cookman, So., 6-6, 310; Kaleb Hopson, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-6, 300; Terren Jones, Alabama State, Sr., 6-7, 334; Ryan Risch, Colgate, Sr., 6-5, 303; J.C. Tretter, Cornell, Sr., 6-4, 295
AP - Greg Hardin, North Dakota, Jr., 5-11, 168
PK - Ernie Collins, San Diego, Sr., 6-2, 240
KR - Carlos Anderson, Northern Iowa, Sr., 5-8, 172; Colby Walden, Jacksonville, Sr., 5-11, 185
Third Team - Defense
DE - Frank Beltre, Towson, Sr., 6-2, 225; Mike Catapano, Princeton, Sr., 6-4, 270; Nolan Nearhoff, Robert Morris, Sr., 6-2, 250; Zach Wagenmann, Montana, So., 6-4, 240
DT - Chris Burnette, Old Dominion, Sr., 6-4, 290; Robert Simpson, Mississippi Valley State, Jr., 6-4, 255; Jared Smith, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-3, 300
LB - Seth Allison, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 195; Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, So., 5-10, 205; Dorian Bell, Duquesne, Jr., 6-1, 234; Wes Dothard, Chattanooga, Jr., 6-1, 235; Blake Peiffer, Southeast Missouri State, Sr., 6-1, 225; Paul Worrilow, Delaware, Sr., 6-0, 230
DB - Jordan Dangerfield, Towson, Sr., 5-11, 200; Ben Ericksen, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 200; Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-0, 185; Kejuan Riley, Alabama State, Sr., 6-2, 208; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, So., 6-0, 214; Johnny Towalid, Indiana State, Sr., 5-11, 170
P - Sam Martin, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-1, 205
PR - Jesse Grandy, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 165
