Highlighted by first-team linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough (Decatur, Ga./Cedar Grove), Appalachian State University led all NCAA Division I FCS programs with four representatives on The Sports Network’s 2012 FCS all-America teams, which were announced Monday. Joining Kimbrough on the TSN all-America squads are third-team punter Sam Martin (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr’s Mill), cornerback Demetrius McCray (Covington, Ga./Newton) and wide receiver Sean Price (Reston, Va./South Lakes). Appalachian State’s four TSN all-Americans are tops among 122 FCS teams nationally. Alabama State, Central Arkansas, Colgate, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Sam Houston State, Stony Brook and Tennessee State tied for second with two all-Americans apiece.
Kimbrough is an all-American for the second time, having previously earned first-team recognition from College Sports Journal and second-team accolades from The Sports Network and Phil Steele Publications as a junior in 2011. As a senior, Kimbrough racked up 143 tackles, good for the third-highest total in the nation and seventh in Appalachian State single-season history. He also ranks third in the Southern Conference and among the top 100 nationally with 12.5 tackles for loss (1.04 per game) and 11th in the SoCon with 4.5 sacks. He was named the SoCon’s co-Defensive Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the nation’s top FCS defensive player.
Martin garnered all-America recognition for the first time on the strength of a 45.9-yard punting average, which ranks third nationally and second in Appalachian State history. Twenty-five of the senior’s 60 punts were downed inside the opponent’s 20 yard line, which set a school record for punts downed inside the 20 and helped the Mountaineers rank second nationally with a 40.8-yard net punting average. Martin also excelled as Appalachian’s kickoff specialist (averaging 63.1 yards with 45 touchbacks in 71 kickoffs) and place-kicker (making 7-of-10 field goals, including the final five of the season). He is the first Mountaineer punter since Nate McKinney in 2003 to earn all-America recognition.
McCray is a two-time all-American after receiving fourth-team plaudits from Phil Steele Publications as a junior in 2011. He tied for the Southern Conference lead with four interceptions in 2012, becoming the first Mountaineer cornerback to ever lead the league in interceptions twice (he paced the SoCon with five INTs in 2011). The senior also led the team with eight passes defended, ranked sixth on the squad with 55 tackles from his cornerback position and forced a fumble. Like Kimbrough, he is one of 20 finalists for the Buchanan Award.
Price is the only freshman among The Sports Network’s 97 all-Americans in 2012. In just 10 games, the 6-5 wideout caught 81 passes for 1,196 yards and eight touchdowns, shattering the FCS records for receptions (71, set by Cal State Northridge’s Drew Amerson in 1999) and receiving yards (1,073, set by Marshall’s Randy Moss in 1996). Price’s 7.1 receptions and 119.6 yards per game both rank sixth nationally this season, regardless of class, and he is one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the nation’s top FCS freshman.
With the additions of Martin and Price, Appalachian State now boasts a total of 86 all-Americans in its 83-season football history. Forty-five different Mountaineers have earned all-America recognition since 2000.

2012 The Sports Network FCS All-America Team

First Team - Offense

QB - Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, So., 6-1, 195

RB - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 205; Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, So., 6-0, 215

FB - Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr., 5-11, 230

WR - Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 5-10, 181; Aaron Mellette, Elon, Sr., 6-4, 220

TE - A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State, So., 6-4, 245

OL - Michael Bamiro, Stony Brook, Jr., 6-8, 345; Mike Sellers, The Citadel, Jr., 6-0, 295; Billy Turner, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-6, 300; Earl Watford, James Madison, Sr., 6-4, 290; Bryan Witzmann, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-7, 300

AP - Walter Powell, Murray State, Jr., 6-0, 180

PK - Patrick Murray, Fordham, Sr., 5-7, 160

KR - Jerodis Williams, Furman, Sr., 5-11, 195

First Team - Defense

DE - Caleb Schreibeis, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 252; Colton Underwood, Illinois State, Jr., 6-4, 255

DT - Cody Larsen, Southern Utah, Sr., 6-4, 300; Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-2, 300

LB - Matt Evans, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-0, 226; Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State, Sr., 5-11, 240; Robert McCabe, Georgetown, Sr., 6-2, 230; Jody Owens, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 223

DB - Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, So., 6-1, 220; Cooper Taylor, Richmond, Sr., 6-5, 235; Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-0, 195; Marcus Williams, North Dakota State, DB, Jr., 5-11, 194

P - Andy Wilder, Northern Arizona, Jr., 6-3, 205

PR - Dominic Gunn, Northern Colorado, Sr., 5-11, 170

Second-Team Offense

QB - Gavin McCarney, Colgate, Jr., 6-2, 205

RB - Shakir Bell, Indiana State, Jr., 5-8, 185; Deonte Williams, Cal Poly, Sr., 5-10, 200

FB - Kendall Gaskins, Richmond, Sr., 6-1, 238

WR - Jordan Harris, Bryant, Jr., 6-2, 215; Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr., 6-5, 215; Kevin Norrell, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 200

TE - Kyle Juszczyk, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 240

OL - Aaron Adams, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 6-5, 295; Sean Davies, UC Davis, Sr., 6-4, 297; Dakota Dozier, Furman, Jr., 6-4, 291; Rogers Gaines, Tennessee State, Sr., 6-7, 320; Corey Howard, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-1, 290

AP - Tyler Varga, Yale, So., 5-11, 220

PK - Jimmy Pavel, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 195

KR - Fabian Truss, Samford, Jr., 5-9, 190

Second Team - Defense

DE - Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sr., 6-2, 260; Davis Tull, Chattanooga, So., 6-3, 230

DT - Montori Hughes, UT Martin, Sr., 6-4, 330; Caraun Reid, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 305

LB - Keith Pough, Howard, Sr., 6-3, 225; Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Jr., 5-11, 220; Ian Sluss, Portland State, Sr., 6-0, 225; Jordan Tripp, Montana, Jr., 6-4, 244

DB - Robert Alford, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 5-11, 185; Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State, So., 6-1, 180; T.J. Lee III, Eastern Washington, Jr., 5-9, 170; B.W. Webb, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 180

P - Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State, Jr., 6-2, 185

PR - Austin Shanks, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-8, 185

Third Team - Offense

QB - Casey Brockman, Murray State, Sr., 6-2, 220

RB - Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State, Jr., 5-9, 210; Jordan McCord, Colgate, Sr., 5-11, 210

FB - Jake Hess, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-10, 227

WR - Sean Price, Appalachian State, Fr., 6-5, 210; Quentin Sims, UT Martin, Sr., 6-3, 202

TE - MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois, So., 6-3, 247

OL - Garrett Frye, Georgia Southern, So., 6-4, 257; Terrance Hackney, Bethune- Cookman, So., 6-6, 310; Kaleb Hopson, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-6, 300; Terren Jones, Alabama State, Sr., 6-7, 334; Ryan Risch, Colgate, Sr., 6-5, 303; J.C. Tretter, Cornell, Sr., 6-4, 295

AP - Greg Hardin, North Dakota, Jr., 5-11, 168

PK - Ernie Collins, San Diego, Sr., 6-2, 240

KR - Carlos Anderson, Northern Iowa, Sr., 5-8, 172; Colby Walden, Jacksonville, Sr., 5-11, 185

Third Team - Defense

DE - Frank Beltre, Towson, Sr., 6-2, 225; Mike Catapano, Princeton, Sr., 6-4, 270; Nolan Nearhoof, Robert Morris, Sr., 6-2, 250; Zach Wagenmann, Montana, So., 6-4, 240

DT - Chris Burnette, Old Dominion, Sr., 6-4, 290; Robert Simpson, Mississippi Valley State, Jr., 6-4, 255; Jared Smith, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-3, 300

LB - Seth Allison, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 195; Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, So., 5-10, 205; Dorian Bell, Duquesne, Jr., 6-1, 234; Wes Dothard, Chattanooga, Jr., 6-1, 235; Blake Peiffer, Southeast Missouri State, Sr., 6-1, 225; Paul Worrilow, Delaware, Sr., 6-0, 230

DB - Jordan Dangerfield, Towson, Sr., 5-11, 200; Ben Ericksen, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 200; Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-0, 185; Kejuan Riley, Alabama State, Sr., 6-2, 208; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, So., 6-0, 214; Johnny Towalid, Indiana State, Sr., 5-11, 170

P - Sam Martin, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-1, 205

PR - Jesse Grandy, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 165

Photo Courtesy: Jeremy Kimbrough and Demetrius McCray, ASU Athletics