Sean Tucker Named AFCA All-American
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker named to the American Football Coaches Foundation (AFCA) All-American team on Wednesday. Tucker made the second team along with Michigan's Hassan Haskins. First team selections were Michigan State's Kenneth Walker and Iowa State's Breece Hall. This means Tucker made four of the five prestigious All-American teams that are used to determine if a player is considered a consensus All-American. Those five include the AFCA, AP, FWAA, Sporting News an Walter Camp.
The Sporting News All-American Teams was the only one to leave Tucker off of its teams. This means that Tucker will not be a consensus All-American. Michigan State's Kenneth Walker and Iowa State's Breece Hall were first team selections for The Sporting News, while Missouri's Tyler Badie and BYU's Tyler Allgeier were selected to the second team. Allgeier had 87 fewer yards than Tucker despite three more caries, but had did have six more total touchdowns. This is the only one of the five All American teams to exclude Tucker and first to include Allgeier.
Tucker was listed as an AP All-American on Monday. Last week, Tucker was named a First Team All-American by the FWAA and a Second Team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Tucker ran for 1,496 yards during the 2021 season, breaking Joe Morris' 42 year old school record in the process. Tucker also set program records for most 100 yard performances in a season and most consecutive 100 yard games. Tucker finished fourth in the nation in rushing yards, fourth in total scrimmage yards and fifth in all-purpose yards.
Despite the strong season as undoubtedly one of college football’s best running backs, the Doak Walker Award, which honors the best running back in the country each year, did not include Tucker among its three finalists. Still, the strong 2021 campaign has set Tucker up to be on everyone’s radar nationally entering the 2022 season. Tucker has also stated he expects to return to the Orange for 2022, where he will assuredly be the focal point of the offense once again.
Tucker was been named Team MVP and Outstanding Back during the Syracuse football awards banquet Sunday night. Tucker was also named to ESPN's All-America First Team.
