Missouri Southern State defensive lineman Brandon Williams and Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh headline the 2012 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Williams picked up his third straight AFCA All-America Team honor by finishing third in the nation in forced fumbles with five, and recorded 8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. Williams is the third player to earn three straight AFCA Division II All-America honors. Quiteh led the nation in rushing (2,121 yards), touchdowns (24) and rushing yards per game (176.75). He is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable player in Division II.
2012 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team
Offense
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| WR | Chris Bowden | 6-2 | 215 | Sr. | Wingate | Joe Reich | Forsyth, Ga. (Mary Persons) |
| WR | John Brown | 5-11 | 171 | Jr. | Pittsburg St. | Tim Beck | Homestead, Fla. (Homestead) |
| OL | Mark Jackson | 6-6 | 320 | Sr. | Glenville St. | David Hutchison | Columbus, Ohio (Brockhaven) |
| OL | Garth Heikkinen* | 6-4 | 315 | Sr. | Minnesota-Duluth | Bob Nielson | Duluth, Minn. (Central) |
| C | Kevin Day | 6-0 | 270 | Sr. | Carson-Newman | Ken Sparks | Soddy-Daisy, Tenn. (Soddy-Daisy) |
| OL | Manase Foketi | 6-5 | 320 | Sr. | West Texas A&M | Don Carthel | Hesperia, Calif. (Sultana) |
| OL | Ryan Schraeder* | 6-7 | 300 | Sr. | Valdosta St. | David Dean | Wichita, Kan. (Maize) |
| QB | Taylor Housewright | 6-2 | 215 | Sr. | Ashland | Lee Owens | Ashland, Ohio (Ashland) |
| RB | Franklyn Quiteh | 5-10 | 203 | Jr. | Bloomsburg | Danny Hale | Tobyhanna, Pa. (Pocono Mountain West) |
| RB | Michael Hill | 5-11 | 205 | Sr. | Missouri Western St. | Jerry Partridge | St. Joesph, Mo. (Central) |
| RB | Rayon Simmons, Jr. | 5-10 | 210 | Sr. | Winona St. | Tom Sawyer | University City, Mo. (Christian Brothers College) |
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| DL | Brandon Williams** | 6-3 | 325 | Sr. | Missouri Southern St. | Daryl Daye | Kirkwood, Mo. (Rockwood Summit) |
| DL | Brad Davis | 6-1 | 245 | Sr. | Elizabeth City St. | Waverly Tillar | Charlotte, N.C. (Independence) |
| DL | Armonty Bryant | 6-4 | 250 | Sr. | East Central (Okla.) | Tim McCarty | Wichita Falls, Texas (Wichita Falls) |
| DL | Zach Moore | 6-6 | 282 | Jr. | Concordia-St. Paul | Ryan Williams | Chicago, Ill. (Simeon Academy) |
| LB | Ronell Williams | 6-1 | 230 | So. | West Chester | Bill Zwaan | Chester, Pa. (Chester) |
| LB | Corey Jones | 6-2 | 240 | Sr. | Lane | Derrick Burroughs | Compton, Ca. (John C. Fremont) |
| LB | Jeremy Aguilar | 6-1 | 235 | Sr. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | Bo Atterberry | Los Angeles, Ca. (Roosevelt) |
| DB | Don Unamba | 6-1 | 192 | Sr. | Southern Arkansas | Bill Keopple | Hurst, Texas (L.D. Bell) |
| DB | Pierre Desir | 6-2 | 206 | Jr. | Lindenwood (Mo.) | Patrick Ross | St. Charles, Mo. (Francis Howell Central) |
| DB | Rontez Miles* | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | California (Pa.) | Mike Kellar | Braddock, Pa. (Woodland Hills) |
| DB | Jack Moro | 5-11 | 190 | Jr. | St. Cloud State | Scott Underwood | Brookfield, Wis. (Central) |
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| P | Randy Weich | 6-2 | 250 | Sr. | Wayne St. (Neb.) | Dan McLaughlin | Lincoln, Neb. (Pierce) |
| PK | Sam Brockshus | 5-11 | 200 | Jr. | Minnesota St.-Mankato | Aaron Keen | Spencer, Iowa. (Spencer) |
| AP | Tyron Laughinghouse | 6-2 | 175 | Sr. | St. Augustine’s | Michael Costa | Greenville, N.C. (Rose) |
*-2011 AFCA All-American
**-2010 & 2011 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006.
Selection Process: The AFCA’s Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA’s nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.
Top Teams: Texas A&M-Kingsville has been represented a total of 34 times by 30 players on the AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team. Trailing Texas A&M-Kingsville is Pittsburg State (19/16), Indiana (Pa.) (18/16), Northwest Missouri State (17/13), North Alabama (16/15), Abilene Christian (15/14), Carson-Newman (15/14), Grand Valley State (15/14), American International (14/13), Ferris State (14/12), Texas A&M-Commerce (14/12), New Haven (13/13), Valdosta State (13/11), Indianapolis (10/10), Ashland (10/10) and Saginaw Valley State (10/10).
Consecutive Years: Texas A&M-Kingsville had at least one player named to the AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team for 18 straight seasons, from 1986 to 2003, the longest streak by any team in Division II. Missouri Southern State, St. Cloud State and Valdosta State are tied for the longest current streak with a player selected to the AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team for three straight seasons, from 2010 to present.
Repeat After Me: Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Johnny Bailey is the only player to earn Coaches’ All-America honors in four consecutive years at any level. Bailey was a four-year pick at running back in 1986-87-88-89.
Three-peat: Missouri Southern State’s Brandon Williams was named to the Division II Coaches’ All-America Team for a third straight year in 2012, tying him with Minnesota State-Mankato’s Tywan Mitchell (1996-98) and Mars Hill’s Jonas Randolph (2009-2011) as the only players to earn three straight Division II Coaches’ All-America Team honors.
Back-to-Back: California (Pa.) defensive back Rontez Miles, Minnesota-Duluth offensive lineman Garth Heikkinen and Valdosta State offensive lineman Ryan Schraeder are the only players to earn AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America honors for the second consecutive season in 2012.
Two Players, Two Schools: Punter Mark Bounds and placekicker Greg Zuerlein are the only players to earn Coaches’ All-America honors at two different schools. Bounds was named to the AFCA College Division I team in 1990 while playing for West Texas A&M. He transferred to Texas Tech after West Texas dropped football and earned I-A All-America honors as a Red Raider in 1991. Zuerlein was named to the Division II Coaches’ All-America Team in 2009 while playing for Nebraska-Omaha. He transferred to Missouri Western State after Nebraska-Omaha dropped its football program and earned Division II honors in 2011 as a Griffon.
Class Distinction: This year’s Division II Coaches’ All-America Team is made up of 18 seniors, six juniors and one sophomore.
First Time Schools: Defensive linemen Brad Davis of Elizabeth City State and Zach Moore of Concordia-St. Paul have earned AFCA Coaches’ All-America Team honors for the first time, for their schools, this year.
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