First-Team Selection Is a First-Class Move

Heisman Trophy favorite Desmond Howard of Michigan, freshman phenom Marshall Faulk of San Diego State and all-time passing leader Ty Detmer of Brigham Young were named to the 1991 Associated Press All-America college football team on Thursday. --AP Dispatch

Let’s all settle back now and calmly put this news in perspective.

Ready?

It is absolutely unbelievable.

I came back from lunch Thursday, signed onto the computer, called up the sports wires and noticed that the Associated Press was announcing its All-American team.

Curiously, I brought the list onto the screen. Curiously, I wondered if maybe Marshall Faulk’s exploits at San Diego State might get him a second- or third-team position or maybe honorable mention.

The offensive first team started with Ty Detmer, as it should, at quarterback.

Bang. And then there were the running backs, Vaughn Dunbar of Indiana and . . . Marshall Faulk, San Diego State, 5-10, 180, freshman, New Orleans.

I was shocked.

Stunned.

This, mind you, is the most prestigious All-America team.

Was I thinking he did not deserve such an honor?

Far from it.

In his favor, of course, was the fact that he led the nation in both rushing (158.8 yards per game) and scoring (15.6 points per game), the first freshman to lead in either category. His 386 yards rushing against Pacific, then an NCAA record, did not hurt either.

However, comma ...

Marshall Faulk had a lot more going against him than he had going for him.

- SDSU does not have one of those teams voters automatically include when they are scanning their All-American checklists. In fact, no Aztec had ever been named first-team Associated Press All-American.

- Freshmen are rarely awarded such an accolade. Since freshmen became eligible in 1972, the only other first-team Associated Press All-Americans were Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker.

- Faulk did not start until SDSU’s fifth game . . . and missed 3 1/2 games because of injured ribs.

This young man, who got all of seven lines in the Aztecs’ 1991 media guide, obviously did enough to capture the attention of the nation when he was on the field. It did not hurt that he played in three nationally televised games. And it certainly did not hurt that he rushed for 154 yards against Miami last Saturday.

This was a measure of both Marshall Faulk and his university, and I’m not sure who is doing (or has done) more for the other.

The university has given Faulk opportunities, both academically and athletically. He has definitely taken advantage of the latter and hopefully is taking advantage of the former.

In taking such amazing advantage of his athletic opportunities, Faulk has done wondrous things for the football program at SDSU.

Setting the single-game rushing record gave both him and the university national exposure. Leading the nation in rushing and scoring gave both him and the university national exposure. Making first-team AP All-American gave both him and the university national exposure.

Next up, to be sure, is an appearance on the Bob Hope Christmas Special on Dec. 18. That’s pretty heady stuff.

SDSU recruiters can send tapes of that program to prospects who doubt they can gain fame playing their collegiate football for a Western Athletic Conference university tucked in the far southwestern corner of the continent.

“Here, kid,” they will say, “watch our man Marshall trade barbs with Bob Hope . . . “

Heady stuff?

Marshall Faulk, first team All-American as a freshman, is in position to change the way his university’s football program is perceived nationally, if he hasn’t already. Coming off an excellent 1991 season with such a player coming back, SDSU has an excellent chance of opening the 1992 season with a Top 25 ranking.

And there’s something about individual awards that merits reassessment.

It has to do with the Heisman Trophy.

A few weeks ago, I was asked if an SDSU player ever could win the Heisman. I scoffed at the notion.

I scoff no longer.

The two athletes who preceded Faulk as freshman All-Americas, Dorsett and Walker, both ultimately won Heisman Trophies.

That’s called heady company, too.

With Marshall Faulk, it is not a matter of someday getting there. He’s there.