Spiller Named First-Team All-American by American Football Coaches Association

Dec. 3, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson senior running back C.J. Spiller has been named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Spiller is one of just two ACC players on the team. The other is Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who will face Spiller and the Tigers in the ACC Championship game on Saturday in Tampa, FL.

Spiller was named the first-team all-purpose player on the 2009 AFCA team. He is the first Clemson player named to the AFCA All-America team since Gaines Adams in 2006. He is the first offensive player named to the team since 1990 when Stacy Long was selected. Spiller is the first back or receiver from Clemson named to the AFCA team since tight end Bennie Cunningham in 1974.

Spiller was named the ACC Player of the Year on Wednesday, the first Tiger to receive that honor since Michael Dean Perry in 1987. He ranks fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards with 184 yards per game. He is the only player in the nation to score at least one touchdown in every game this year and has 16 overall, just two off the Clemson season record.

Spiller also ranks second in the nation in kickoff return average with a 35.8 figure. He has four touchdowns on his 18 kickoff returns and seven touchdowns for his career. He has already established the NCAA FBS record for kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career.

This year he has accounted for a touchdown five different ways, seven rushing, four receiving, four on kickoff returns, one on a punt return and one by throwing a touchdown pass.

For the year, Spiller has 912 yards rushing, 440 receiving, 210 on punt returns and 645 on kickoff returns. He needs just 88 yards rushing and 60 yards receiving to become the first player in ACC history with at least 1000 yards rushing and 500 receiving in the same year.

Spiller, who will graduate from Clemson on December 17 with a degree in sociology, has 21 career touchdowns of 50 yards or more, including nine this year.

2009 AFCA Coaches’ All-America Team

OffensePos – Name, School WR – Golden Tate, Notre Dame WR – Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati TE – Dennis Pitta, BYU OL – Mike Johnson, Alabama OL – Russell Okung, Oklahoma St. C – Chris Hall, Texas OL – Trent Williams, Oklahoma OL – Mike Iupati, Idaho QB – Colt McCoy, Texas RB – Mark Ingram, Alabama RB – Toby Gerhart, Stanford

DefensePos – Name, School DL – Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska DL – Jerry Hughes, TCU Gary Patterson DL – Jared Odrick, Penn St. DL – Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech DL – Brian Price, UCLA LB – Rolando McClain, Alabama LB – Greg Jones, Michigan St. DB – Eric Berry*, Tennessee DB – Joe Haden, Florida DB – Javier Arenas, Alabama DB – Earl Thomas, Texas

SpecialistsPos – Name, School P – Drew Butler, Georgia PK – Kai Forbath, UCLAAP – C.J. Spiller, Clemson