Mercilus named to Coaches' All-American Team
By: Aaron Bennett
Updated: December 5, 2011
WACO, Tex. - Illinois junior defensive end Whitney Mercilus has been
named to the 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches All-America Team, announced today by the
American Football Coaches Association. Mercilus is one four defensive linemen on
the 25-man team and is Illinois' first AFCAfirst-team All-American since
linebacker J Leman in 2007.
Mercilus, who is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski
National Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Ted Hendricks National
Defensive End of the Year Award, leads the nation in sacks, sacks per game and
forced fumbles while ranking sixth nationally in tackles for loss per game.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Mercilus is one of college
football's breakout players in 2011, as he has 52 tackles, 19.5 tackles for
loss, 14.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and six quarterback hurries. Mercilus has
already has broken the Illinois and Big Ten single-season records for forced
fumbles and is one shy of tying the NCAA record of 10. He also is 1.5 sacks away
from tying former two-time All-America Simeon Rice's school season record of 16
sacks. He has had at least one sack in 10 of 12 games this season, including a
career-high three against Indiana, and has forced a fumble in four straight
games.
In addition to being a finalist for the Hendricks and
Nagurski Awards, Mercilus also is a first team All-Big Ten selection and is a
semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the nation's top
defensive player, and the Rotary Lombardi Award, given annually to the nation's
top offensive or defensive lineman or
linebacker.
Mercilus will have a chance to add to his record totals,
as the Illini will face UCLA in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Dec. 31 in San
Francisco. For more information on Illinois' second straight bowl bid, visit
Illinois Bowl Central:
http://bit.ly/ILBowlCentral
Mercilus Honors in 2011 (as of Dec.
5)
First Team All-American
(AFCA)
First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches and
Media)
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Finalist
Hendricks Award Finalist
Bednarik Award
Semifnalist
Rotary Lombardi Award
Semifinalist
