Karim tabbed as unanimous College Sporting News All-American
12/29/2009 | 12:00:00 | Football
Dec. 29, 2009
By Jason Clay
www.SIUSalukis.com
CHICAGO, Ill. - Southern Illinois senior running back Deji Karim was one of 10 unanimous selections to the College Sporting News 2009 FCS Fabulous Fifty All-American Team that was released late Monday night. Senior linebacker Brandin Jordan and junior cornerback Korey Lindsey were both voted to the honorable mention team.
For Karim, who was the 2009 Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year, this is his third first team all-America selection this season. He was voted to the Associated Press first team on Dec. 16 and the Walter Camp Foundation All-America team on Dec. 14.
Karim finished third in the voting for the Walter Payton Award that is given to the most outstanding player in the FCS. He rushed for 1,694 yards on the year with 20 total touchdowns and his 2,339 all-purpose yards set a new school record.
Jordan and Lindsey's selection to the honorable mention team gives them both their third all-America nod this season. Jordan, who was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, was also selected as a first team AP All-American and to the Walter Camp team. He led the Dawgs with 85 tackles on the season and rounded out his career as the fourth leading tackler in school history (370 tackles).
Lindsey was the lone Saluki voted to the AFCA All-America team (Dec. 15) and he made the AP's third team. He is just the second cornerback in school history to receive all-America accolades in back-to-back seasons. Lindsey intercepted six passes in 2009 and now has 13 picks in his career, which ranks No. 3 in school history. He needs seven interceptions in his senior season to tie Terry Taylor's school record of 20.
Unlike other All-American teams, the CSN honor's squad is designed to be like a real team, capable of taking the field and competing in a game. It includes everything from quarterbacks who can run or pass, often overlooked fullbacks, to a long snapper and other special teams performers.
50 players made up 2009 edition of the Fabulous Fifty Team for Division I Football Championship Subdivision All-American honors from College Sporting News as selected by its 11 staff members. Including the honorable mention selections, 138 student-athletes from 70 schools are represented.
