SEC, Tide dominate coaches’ All-American team

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced its All-American team Monday, with the SEC leading all conferences with nine players selected — six of those coming from the defensive side of the ball. The Big Ten (six), Big 12 (five) and Pac-12 (three) were the only other conferences with more than one player.

The MAC had more players selected — one, Western Michigan wide receiver Jordan White — than automatic-qualifying BcS conference the Big East.

As for individual schools, Alabama had five players (two offense, three defense), while Oklahoma State and Wisconsin had three each and Georgia two. The Tide’s total of five marks the second-highest one-team total in the history of the AFCA All-American teams, which were first announced in 1945. Oklahoma in 2003 holds the AFCA record with six.

Unbeaten and top-ranked LSU had only one player selected to the AFCA team — defensive back Morris Claiborne.

Just two players from the 2010 team made the cut for the 2011 squad — Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and Oregon running back LaMichael James, who made it this year as the AFCA’s all-purpose player.

Of the 25 players, 12 were seniors, 12 were juniors and 1 was a sophomore. The lone sophomore was Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones.