Gophers Ben Lauer named to FWAA Freshman All-America Team w/ Jameis Winston

[BleedGopher]

Congrats to Lauer!

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (FWAA) – The 13th annual Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team has been announced, led by two key figures in tonight's VIZIO BCS National Championship Game, Florida State quarterback and Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn.

Winston, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, became the second quarterback to be named to both the FWAA All-America Team and its Freshman All-America Team, following in the footsteps of Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel a season ago. North Carolina kick returner Ryan Switzer was also named to both FWAA All-America teams. Only three other players have earned a spot on both teams: Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson (2004); and Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Missouri wide receiver/return specialist Jeremy Maclin (2007). The FWAA has named a Freshman All-America team since the 2001 season.

Malzahn, in his first season as the head coach at Auburn, claimed the first-year coaching honors after his Tigers completed a 12-1 regular season the claim the Southeastern Conference title. Last month, Malzahn was named the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award as the FWAA's National Coach of the Year.

The team and coach are selected by an 10-person panel of nationally-prominent writers led by Mike Griffith of the MLive Media Group. Both true freshmen (21 players) and redshirt freshmen (seven players) were considered for the team and are so noted.

http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/news/2013/allamerica140106.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[LBJ]

Wow. Big honor. Congrats to Ben! It is hard to not be excited about the future of this team.

 

[MadtownGopher]

This is awesome. Who was the last Gopher to be named to this team?

 

[60's Guy]

Wow! That is Awesome!

Wow. Big honor. Congrats to Ben! It is hard to not be excited about the future of this team.

Totally agree. That's first team too! I didn't see a second team. Outstanding honor! For those thinking
Ed Olson will be hard to replace or those thinking Pirsig will start at left tackle, I'd say these guys saw a
different performance. The honor doesn't guarantee Ben anything, I understand, but it validates he had a
pretty nice season and oline is rising up in status.

I only saw 3 other Big Ten honorees of the 25 or so guys. But, what jumped out was that we missed on
a Western Michigan wide receiver from Illinois. Woulda, coulda, ifs and buts.

 

[ChicagoGopher]

Not bad for a 2* guy with offers only from NIU and the two North Dakota schools!

 

[ncgo4]

This should help with recruiting Ragnow. He will certainly recognize that Minnesota can coach "up" our young OL.

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

This is awesome. Who was the last Gopher to be named to this team?

Maybe Laurence Maroney. Anyone know?

 

[SWMNGOPHER]

It says Steve Davis was as a true freshman in 2005 for the latest one. Maroney was also one in 2003 as was Bradley Vance at LB in 2001.