Pitt's Calijah Kancey, Erick Hallett II, Izzy Abanikanda, PSU's Joey Porter Jr. named FWAA All-Americans
Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is joined by teammates Izzy Abanikanda and Erick Hallett II on the Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, released Friday.
It was the second All-America honor for Kancey in two days after he was named to the Walter Camp first team Thursday. The FWAA and Walter Camp teams are two of the five used in the NCAA’s selection of an annual consensus All-America team for college football.
Hallett and Abanikanda were named to the FWAA second team. Previously, Abanikanda was named a first team All-American by CBS Sports.
Hallett, a Cypress, Texas, native recorded a team-high six turnovers this season (three interceptions and three fumble recoveries) from his safety position. He leads the ACC and is third in the nation in recovered fumbles. He recorded compiled 47 tackles, three tackles for loss and 12 passes defended in 12 games.
Brooklyn, N.Y., native Abanikanda, a junior, rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns on 239 carries (6-yard average) in 11 games. He leads the country in rushing touchdowns, total TDs (21) and scoring (11.6 points per game). His lone receiving touchdown was one of the most dramatic of the season, taking the game-tying 24-yard catch-and-run into the end zone in the opening-night victory against West Virginia.
He ranks second nationally in all-purpose yards (164.1) and seventh in rushing (130.1.).
Pitt’s three overall FWAA selections are tied for second among all schools.
Penn State redshirt junior cornerback Joey Porter Jr., a North Allegheny graduate, also was selected second-team All-America by the FWAA. He is a second-team All-America selection by Walter Camp. In his Penn State career, Porter has collected 114 tackles (87 solo), two tackles for loss, 20 pass breakups and a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception.
Porter is one of 184 Penn State players named All-Americans. The Nittany Lions have had an All-American in 50 of the past 56 years, including 17 under coach James Franklin.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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