Wilson a 1st-team all-American; Wilson, Waters 1st-team All-Big 12

One of the keys to a successful Texas Tech football season was the Red Raiders' propensity for wreaking havoc in opponents' backfields.

The Red Raiders have 82 tackles for loss, 20th in the FBS. More than any of the four College Football Playoff teams. More than Rose Bowl-bound Utah. More than Sugar Bowl-bound Alabama. More than Cotton Bowl-bound Southern California.

The Tech players who stirred up the most trouble behind the line of scrimmage were defensive end Tyree Wilson and safety Marquis Waters, and now they have recognition for their efforts. On teams released Friday, Wilson was named a first-team all-American by the Football Writers Association of America and Wilson and Waters were first-team honorees on The Associated Press All-Big 12 team.

The FWAA's is one of five all-America teams recognized and used by the NCAA in determining players designated as unanimous or consensus all-Americans. The other four recognized teams are those of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the American Football Coaches Association, The Associated Press and The Sporting News.

Before Wilson, the last Tech player to be named a first-team all-American by one of the five recognized organizations was wide receiver Antoine Wesley in 2018 by the FWAA.

Wilson, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound senior from New London West Rusk, was credited with 61 tackles in 10 games before he suffered a broken foot that ended his season. Wilson has seven sacks and still leads the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 14. Waters has 12 1/2 tackles for loss, most among FBS defensive backs.

First-year Red Raiders defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter used Waters near the line of scrimmage and had him coming forward more often than dropping into coverage. The 6-1, 219-pound senior made 55 tackles, a sack and seven quarterback hurries.

Wilson and Waters were the only Tech players to make The AP All-Big 12 team, which was selected by a voting panel of 18 sportswriters and sportscasters who regularly cover the conference.

TCU quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan is The AP Big 12 offensive player of the year in a unanimous vote, as was the selection of Sonny Dykes for coach of the year after his first season with the Horned Frogs.

Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was chosen as the top defensive player, and Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a transfer from Central Florida, was the newcomer of the year.

Nine TCU players — six on offense, three on defense — were first-team picks after the Frogs were the first Big 12 team since Texas in 2009 to finish the regular season 12-0. They made the four-team playoff, with a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Michigan, even after losing in overtime to Kansas State in the conference championship game.

Duggan is one of the nation's most efficient passers, with 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also has 404 yards rushing with six more TDs. He lost his starting job going into the season, but returned to that role after an injury to Chandler Morris in the opener and now has made 41 career starts.

The Big 12's top rusher and pass catcher were both unanimous choices while again being first-team picks. Texas running back Bijan Robinson has run for 131.7 yards per game with 18 TDs, and Iowa State receiver Xavier Hutchinson has 107 catches for 1,171 yards and six TDs.

Three offensive linemen were first-team selections for the second year in a row: Guards Cooper Beebe from Kansas State and Steve Avila from TCU, and Baylor tackle Connor Galvin.

On the defensive side, Anudike-Uzomah and tackles Dante Stills from West Virginia and Siaki Ika from Baylor all repeated as first-team picks, as did TCU cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. Anudike-Uzomah and Stills were unanimous selections.

Associated Press sports writer Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL TEAM

The 2022 AP All-Big 12 team, as selected by a panel of 18 sports writers and sportscasters who regularly cover the league, with players listed alphabetically with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown. (“u-” denotes unanimous selection):

FIRST TEAM  

Offense  

Wide receivers: u-Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State, 6-3, 210, Sr., Jacksonville, Florida; Quentin Johnston, TCU, 6-4, 215, Jr., Temple. Tight end: Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas, 6-4, 242, So., Denton Ryan.

Tackles: Connor Galvin, Baylor, 6-7, 302, Sr., Katy; Anton Harrison, 6-5, 315, Jr., Washington, D.C. Guards: Steve Avila, TCU, 6-4, 330, Sr., South Grand Prairie; Cooper Beebe, Kansas State, 6-4, 322, Jr., Kansas City, Kansas. Center: Alan Ali, TCU, 6-5, 300, Sr., Keller Timber Creek.

Quarterback: u-Max Duggan, TCU, 6-2, 210, Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa. Running backs: u-Bijan Robinson, Texas, 6-0, 222, Jr., Tucson, Arizona; Kendre Miller, TCU, 6-0, 220, Jr., Mount Enterprise.

All-purpose: Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State, 5-6, 176, Round Rock Cedar Ridge.

Kicker: Griffin Kell, TCU, 6-0, 193, Sr., Arlington.

Defense  

Ends: u-Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State, 6-4, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Missouri; Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech, 6-6, 275, Sr., New London West Rusk. Tackles: u-Dante Stills, West Virginia, 6-4, 290, Sr., Fairmont, West Virginia; Siaki Ika, Baylor, 6-4, 358, Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah.

Linebackers: Jaylan Ford, Texas, 6-3, 234, Jr., Frisco Lone Star; DeMarvion Overshown, Texas, 6-4, 220, Sr., Arp; Dee Winters, TCU, 6-1, 230, Sr., Burton.

Cornerbacks: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU, 5-9, 180, Sr., Waco Midway; Josh Newton, TCU, 6-0, 195, Jr., Monroe, Louisiana. Safeties: Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 215, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Marquis Waters, Texas Tech, 6-1, 219, Sr., Delray Beach, Florida.

Punter: Michael Turk, Oklahoma, 6-0, 231, Sr., Fort Bend Ridge Point.

SECOND TEAM

Offense  

Wide receivers: Marvin Mims, Oklahoma, 5-11, 182, Jr., Frisco Lone Star; Xavier Worthy, Texas, 6-1, 160, So., Fresno, California. Tight end: Brayden Willis, Oklahoma, 6-4, 240, Arlington Martin.

Tackles: Wanya Morris, Oklahoma, 6-6, 310, Sr., Grayson, Georgia; Kelvin Banks, Texas, 6-4, 320, Fr., Humble Summer Creek. Guards: Hunter Woodard, Oklahoma State, 6-5, 300, Sr., Tuscola, Illinois; Grant Miller, Baylor, 6-4, 312, Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Center: Zach Frazier, West Virginia, 6-3, 306, So., Fairmont, West Virginia.

Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, 5-11, 203, Jr., Mililani, Hawaii. Running backs: Eric Gray, Oklahoma, 5-10, 210, Sr., Memphis, Tennessee; Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State, 5-6, 176, Jr., Round Rock Cedar Ridge.

Kicker: Tanner Brown, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 180, Sr., Saugus, California.

All-purpose: Derius Davis, TCU, 5-10, 175, Sr., Saint Francisville, Louisiana.

Defense

Ends: Will McDonald, Iowa State, 6-4, 245, Sr., Pewaukee, Wisconsin; Lonnie Phelps, Kansas, 6-3, 245, Jr., Cincinnati. Tackles: Moro Ojomo, Texas, 6-3, 284, Sr., Katy; Keondre Coburn, Texas, 6-2, 344, Sr., Spring Westfield.

Linebackers: Mason Cobb, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 230, Jr., Provo, Utah; Dillon Doyle, Baylor, 6-3, 240, Sr., Iowa City, Iowa; Johnny Hodges, TCU, 6-2, 240, Jr., Darnestown, Maryland.

Cornerbacks: Julius Brents, Kansas State, 6-4, 202, Sr., Indianapolis; Cobee Bryant, Kansas, 6-0, 170, So., Evergreen, Alabama. Safeties: Aubrey Burks, West Virginia, 5-11, 201, So., Oakridge, Florida; Al Walcott, Baylor, 6-2, 219, Sr., Wilmington, North Carolina.

Punter: Ty Zentner, Kansas State, 6-2, 200, Sr., Topeka, Kansas.

Coach of the year: u-Sonny Dykes, TCU.  Offensive player of the year: u-Max Duggan, QB, TCU. Defensive player of the year: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State. Newcomer of the year: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma.

___

AP All-Big 12 voting panel: Ryan Aber, The Oklahoman; Eric Bailey, Tulsa World; Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman; Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News; Arne Green, Salina Journal; Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Travis Hines, Des Moines Register; Eric Kelly, KWKT-TV, Waco;  Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star; Chuck Landon, Charleston Gazette-Mail; Randy Peterson, Des Moines Register; Kellis Robinett, Wichita Eagle; Carlos Silva, Jr., Lubbock Avalanche-Journal; Matt Tait, Lawrence Journal World; Jacob Unruh, The Oklahoman; John Werner, Waco Tribune-Herald; Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal; Scott Wright, The Oklahoman.

___

FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION

ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Quarterback: Caleb Williams, So., Southern California. Running backs: Blake Corum, Jr., Michigan; Bijan Robinson, Jr., Texas.

Wide receivers: Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State; Jalin Hyatt, Jr., Tennessee. Tight end: Brock Bowers, So., Georgia.

Linemen: Steve Avila, Sr., TCU; Paris Johnson, Jr., Ohio State; John Michael Schmitz, Sr., Minnesota; Peter Skoronski, Jr., Northwestern; Olusegun Oluwatimi, Sr., Michigan.

Defense

Linemen: Jalen Carter, Jr., Georgia; Calijah Kancey, Jr., Pittsburgh; Tuli Tuipulotu, Jr., Southern California; Tyree Wilson, Sr., Texas Tech.

Linebackers: Will Anderson, Jr., Alabama; Jack Campbell, Sr., Iowa; Ivan Pace, Sr., Cincinnati.

Backs: Emmanuel Forbes, Jr., Mississippi State; Clark Phillips, So., Utah; Chris Smith, Sr., Georgia; Devon Witherspoon, Jr., Illinois.

Specialists

Kicker: Christopher Dunn, Sr., North Carolina State. Punter: Tory Taylor, Jr., Iowa. Kickoff return: Lideatrick Griffin, Jr., Mississippi State. Punt return: Derius Davis, Sr., TCU. All-purpose: Zach Charbonnet, Sr., UCLA.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

Quarterback: Max Duggan, TCU. Running backs: Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh; Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota.

Wide receivers: Josh Downs, North Carolina; Rashee Rice, SMU. Tight end: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame.

Linemen: Joe Alt, Notre Dame; Nick Broeker, Mississippi; O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida; Andrew Vorhees, Southern California. Center: Alex Forsyth, Oregon.

Defense

Linemen: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State; Tyler Davis, Clemson; Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame; Mike Morris, Michigan.

Linebackers: Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State; Jason Henderson, Old Dominion; Drew Sanders, Arkansas.

Backs: Erick Hallett, Pittsburgh; Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU; Joey Porter, Penn State; John Torchio, Wisconsin.

Specialists

Kicker: Joshua Karty, Stanford. Punter: Bryce Baringer, Michigan State. Kickoff return: Milan Tucker, Appalachian State. Punt return: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama. All-purpose: Chase Brown, Illinois.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Wilson a first-team all-American; Wilson, Waters first-team All-Big 12