Shepherd’s Tyson Bagent & Ferris State’s Caleb Murphy Headline the 2022 AFCA DII Coaches’ All-America Teams

Shepherd (W.Va.) quarterback Tyson Bagent and Ferris State (Mich.) defensive lineman Caleb Murphy headline the 2022 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Teams announced today by the American Football Coaches Association.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.

Bagent, a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, earned his second straight AFCA First-Team All-America honor by leading the Rams to NCAA Division II semifinals with a 13-2 record. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year set the NCAA all-division record of career touchdown passes at 159 in Shepherd’s quarterfinal win over Indiana (Pa.) on Dec. 3.

Murphy, the only non-NCAA Division I player remaining as a top five finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, set an all-divisions NCAA single-season record with 25.5 sacks in 2022. He leads the nation in tackles for loss with 37.5 and has added three forced fumbles. Murphy was named the 2022 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year.

Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.

From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.

Selection Process: The AFCA’s Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA’s seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the teams are chosen.

The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.