Temple University Athletics
Matakevich Adds AFCA First Team All-America Honors
12.16.15 | Football, T. Matakevich - All-American Candidate
PHILADELPHIA – Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich has been named first team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. He is the only player from a non-Power 5 school to be honored on the list. The senior has had quite a week, winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award – both given to the nation's best defensive player. He also garnered first team All-America by Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, USA Today and the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and was named an All-American by The Sporting News.
Matakevich is the first-ever Temple defensive player to earn first-team All-America honors, and the first at any position to earn the nod since Paul Palmer in 1986. He also was the recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation Connecticut Player of the Year award. Matakevich, the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
The Stratford, Conn., native is the only FBS players to lead his team in tackles every game of the 2015 season. He is college football's active leader with 481 career tackles, and is ninth all-time on the NCAA career list. This season, Matakevich racked up 126 total tackles, and became just the seventh college football player to have four seasons over 100 tackles. He also leads the nation in interceptions among linebackers with a career-high five and also reached career-highs in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (15.0).
Matakevich and the Owls will wrap up the 2015 season in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo on Tuesday, December 22. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN. For tickets and package information, visit owlstix.com.
2015 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-America Team
Offense
WR- Corey Coleman, Baylor; Josh Doctson, TCU
TE- Hunter Henry, Arkansas
OL- Joshua Garnett, Stanford; Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame; Ryan KelIy, Alabama; Spencer Drango, Baylor; Taylor Decker, Ohio State
Defense
DL- Shaq Lawson, Clemson; Carl Nassib, Penn State; Joey Bosa, Ohio State; A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
LB- Reggie Ragland, Alabama; Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame; Tyler Matakevich, Temple
DB- Vernon Hargreves, III, Florida; Desmond King, Iowa; Jalen Ramsey, Florida State; Jeremy Cash, Duke
Specialist
P- Tom Hackett, Utah
PK- Ka'imi Fairbairn, UCLA
AP- Ryan Switzer, North Carolina
Matakevich is the first-ever Temple defensive player to earn first-team All-America honors, and the first at any position to earn the nod since Paul Palmer in 1986. He also was the recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation Connecticut Player of the Year award. Matakevich, the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
The Stratford, Conn., native is the only FBS players to lead his team in tackles every game of the 2015 season. He is college football's active leader with 481 career tackles, and is ninth all-time on the NCAA career list. This season, Matakevich racked up 126 total tackles, and became just the seventh college football player to have four seasons over 100 tackles. He also leads the nation in interceptions among linebackers with a career-high five and also reached career-highs in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (15.0).
Matakevich and the Owls will wrap up the 2015 season in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo on Tuesday, December 22. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN. For tickets and package information, visit owlstix.com.
2015 AFCA FBS Coaches' All-America Team
Offense
WR- Corey Coleman, Baylor; Josh Doctson, TCU
TE- Hunter Henry, Arkansas
OL- Joshua Garnett, Stanford; Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame; Ryan KelIy, Alabama; Spencer Drango, Baylor; Taylor Decker, Ohio State
QB - Deshaun Watson, Clemson
RB- Derrick Henry, Alabama; Christian McCaffrey, StanfordDefense
DL- Shaq Lawson, Clemson; Carl Nassib, Penn State; Joey Bosa, Ohio State; A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama
LB- Reggie Ragland, Alabama; Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame; Tyler Matakevich, Temple
DB- Vernon Hargreves, III, Florida; Desmond King, Iowa; Jalen Ramsey, Florida State; Jeremy Cash, Duke
Specialist
P- Tom Hackett, Utah
PK- Ka'imi Fairbairn, UCLA
AP- Ryan Switzer, North Carolina
Players Mentioned
LB
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