South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong, Jr. and Florida A&M’s Isaiah Land Highlight the 2021 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Teams

South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong, Jr. and Florida A&M linebacker Isaiah Land headline the 2021 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches’ All-America Team 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.

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A two-time AFCA All-American, Strong led the FCS rushing yards (1,686), was second in rushing touchdowns (18) and fourth in rush yards per carry (7.03). He rushed for 100 yards or more in nine games this season and threw four touchdown passes. A Buck Buchanan Award finalist, Land leads the nation in sacks (19) and tackles for loss (25.5). He also added three forced fumbles, two pass break-ups and one fumble recovery to go along with his 43 tackles and team-high six quarterback hurries.

2021 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team – First Team

Offense

Defense

Specialists

*-2021 Spring AFCA All-American

2021 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team – Second Team

Offense

Defense

Specialists

*-2021 Spring AFCA All-American

Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. 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 — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), 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. A return specialist was added in 1997, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.

Top Teams: North Dakota State has the most AFCA All-America selections of any current FCS school with 36 selections by 33 players. The Bison are followed by Montana (34/32), Eastern Washington (33/27), Delaware (32/29), Eastern Kentucky (29/27), James Madison (27/26), Northern Iowa (27/23), Weber State (25/24), South Carolina State (23/20), Montana State (21/21), Furman (21/20), Grambling State (21/20), Lehigh (20/20), New Hampshire (20/17), Sam Houston (20/16), South Dakota State (20/15), North Dakota (20/18), Portland State (18/17), Eastern Illinois (18/16), Youngstown State (18/16), McNeese (18/15), Florida A&M (17/16), Western Illinois (17/16), UC Davis (17/15), Illinois State (17/14), Northern Colorado (17/14), Towson (16/16), Stephen F. Austin (16/15), Tennessee State (16/15), Cal Poly (16/14), Abilene Christian (15/14), Jackson State (15/14) and Villanova (15/12).

Consecutive Years: Eastern Kentucky leads all schools, having had at least one player named to the AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America Team in each of the first 15 years an FCS team was chosen (1979-93). South Dakota State has the longest current streak at eight years from 2014 to present.

Class Distinction: This year’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America Team is made up of 30 seniors, 12 juniors, four sophomores, two freshmen and four graduate students.

Back-to-Back: South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong, Jr., McNeese defensive lineman Isaiah Chambers, Northern Iowa defensive lineman Jared Brinkman, South Carolina State defensive back Decobie Durant, James Madison place-kicker Ethan Ratke, Eastern Washington quarterback Eric Barriere and offensive lineman Tristen Taylor, Chattanooga defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell and Sam Houston defensive back Zyon McCollum earned AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America honors for a second consecutive season in 2021.

First Time School: Campbell earned AFCA All-America honors for the first time in 2021 when Brevin Allen was named as a second team defensive lineman.

Double Duo: Eastern Washington teammates Eric Barriere (QB) and Tristen Taylor (OL) join Chattanooga teammates Keionta Davis (DL) and Corey Levin (OL) as the only FCS schools to have teammates earn back-to-back AFCA All-America honors. Barriere and Taylor were named to the 2021 spring and fall teams while Davis and Levin were both named to the 2015 and 2016 teams. They join eight duos in FBS: Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and JK Scott (2016 and 2017); USC’s Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush (2004 and 2005); Army’s Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard (1945 and 1946); Notre Dame’s George Connor and Johnny Lujack (1946 and 1947); Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and George Webster (1966 and 1967); Ohio State’s Jack Tatum and Jim Stillwagon (1969 and 1970); Notre Dame’s Ken MacAfee and Ross Browner (1976 and 1977) and Colorado’s Joe Garten and Alfred Will­iams (1989 and 1990).

Long Time Coming: Offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad made the AFCA FCS All-America Team for Cornell, marking the first time the Big Red have had a representative since 2005, when offensive lineman Kevin Boothe made the team.

Repeat After Me:  Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp (2013-16) joins Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Johnny Bailey and Ottawa’s (Ariz.) Dustin Rivera as the only players to earn AFCA Coaches’ All-America honors in four consecutive years at any level. Bailey was a four-year pick at running back in Division II from 1986-89 while Rivera won his four honors (2018-21) in the NAIA as an offensive lineman. His first three All-America honors came at Southwestern (Kan.).

Third Time’s A Charm: Kennesaw State linebacker Bryson Armstrong (2017, 2019, spring 2021) joins San Diego offensive lineman Daniel Cooney (2016-18), South Dakota State running back Zach Zenner (2012-14), Chattanooga defensive lineman Davis Tull (2012-14), and linebackers Gary Reasons of Northwestern State (1981-83) and Dexter Coakley of Appalachian State (1994-96), as the only three-time AFCA All-Americans in Football Championship Subdivision history.