Dec. 10, 2009
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -
Notre Dame junior wide receiver Golden Tate was not only named Walter Camp First Team All-American, but he also captured the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top wide receiver, both announced tonight (Thursday, Dec. 10) at The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show held at the Atlantic Dance Hall at Walt Disney World Resort.
Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn./Hendersonville) recently capped off the best receiving season in Notre Dame football history. He finished with 93 receptions for 1,496 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 2009. Tate added two rushing touchdowns, one punt return for a score and totaled 1,915 all-purpose yards, second most in Irish single-season history.
Tate equaled or surpassed eight school records this year, including most catches and receiving yards in a season, tied for most touchdown catches in a season, most receiving yards in a career, most 100-yard receiving games in a season and career, most receiving yards per game in a season and tied for most consecutive games with a touchdown reception.
Tate ranks in the top eight nationally in nine different statistical categories and no wide receiver had more games with at least 100 receiving yards this year than Tate's nine. He also scored at least one touchdown in each of the final 11 contests for Notre Dame.
The American Football Coaches Association has already named Tate, who shared Irish season MVP honors with junior QB Jimmy Clausen, a first-team All-American.
Tate, who recently declared his intention to enter the 2010 NFL draft, departs as the most prolific receiver in Notre Dame history. He recorded 2,707 receiving yards on 157 receptions with 26 touchdowns. Tate ranks second in career touchdown receptions and is tied for third in career receptions.
Tate is the first Irish player to be named Walter Camp First Team All-American since defensive back Shane Walton received the honor following the 2002 season. He is also the first Notre Dame offensive player to earn first-team honors from Walter Camp since offensive tackle Mike Rosenthal in 1998. In fact, Tate is the first Irish wideout to accomplish the feat since Raghib Ismail in 1990.
Tate is the first Notre Dame receiver to take home the Biletnikoff Award. Former All-American
Jeff Samardzija was a two-time finalist (2005, 2006), while Derrick Mayes was a two-time semifinalist (1994, 1995).
TATE'S NOTRE DAME RECORD BOOK
Ranks First in:
Receptions - Season (93, 2009)
Receiving Yards - Season (1,496, 2009)
Receiving Yards - Career (2,707)
Receiving Yards per Game - Season (124.7, 2009)
Games with 100+ Yards - Season (9, 2009)
Games with 100+ Yards - Career (15)
TD Receptions - Season (15, 2009)
Consecutive Games with a TD Reception - Season/Career (8, 2009)
Ranks Second in:
Receiving Yards - Game (244, vs. Washington, 2009)
All-Purpose Yards - Season (1,915, 2009)
TD Receptions - Game (3, vs. Hawaii, 2008, and at Stanford, 2009)
TD Receptions - Career (26)
Total TD - Season (18, 2009)
2009 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America Teams
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
WR Jordan Shipley, Texas Sr. 6-0 190 Burnet, TX
WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame Jr. 5-11 195 Hendersonville, TN
TE Dennis Pitta, BYU Sr. 6-5 247 Moorpark, CA
OL Russell Okung, Oklahoma State Sr. 6-5 300 Houston, TX
OL Mike Iupati, Idaho Sr. 6-6 330 Anaheim, CA
OL Mike Johnson, Alabama Sr. 6-6 305 Pensacola, FL
OL Trent Williams, Oklahoma Sr. 6-5 318 Longview, TX
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida Sr. 6-5 320 Lakeland, FL
QB Colt McCoy, Texas# Sr. 6-2 210 Tuscola, TX
RB Toby Gerhart, Stanford Sr. 6-1 235 Norco, CA
RB Mark Ingram, Alabama So. 5-10 215 Flint, MI
PK Kai Forbath, UCLA Jr. 6-0 192 Pacific Palisades, CA
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Sr. 6-4 300 Portland, OR
DL Jerry Hughes, TCU# Sr. 6-4 257 Sugar Land, TX
DL Terrence Cody, Alabama% Sr. 6-5 365 Fort Myers, FL
DL Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma Jr. 6-4 297 Oklahoma City, OK
LB Rolando McClain, Alabama Jr. 6-4 258 Decatur, AL
LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina Sr. 6-1 252 Acworth, GA
LB Brandon Spikes, Florida# Sr. 6-3 258 Shelby, NC
DB Eric Berry, Tennessee# Jr. 5-11 203 Fairburn, GA
DB Taylor Mays, USC# Sr. 6-3 230 Seattle, WA
DB Earl Thomas, Texas So. 5-10 197 Orange, TX
DB Joe Haden, Florida Jr. 5-11 190 Fort Washington, MD
P Drew Butler, Georgia So. 6-2 203 Duluth, GA
KR C.J. Spiller, Clemson Sr. 5-11 195 Lake Butler, FL
# - 2008 Walter Camp First Team All-American
% - 2008 Walter Camp Second Team All-American
-- ND --
