Dec. 14, 2005
WACO, Texas -
When the 2005 AFCA Division I-AA Coaches' All-America Team was released on Wednesday, only one school had more than two players on the team - Illinois State. The Redbirds' Stafford Davis and Laurént Robinson continued the post-season award tour by claiming first team all-America honors.
Robinson, who finished 10th in the 2005 Walter Payton Award voting, ranks No. 1 nationally in yards per game (133.2) and No. 2 in catches per contest (7.8). He set league and school season marks with 1,465 receiving yards on a conference-tying best 86 catches. He posted six 100-yard receiving games, including two games of 200 yards or more, highlighted by his 292 receiving yards on 14 catches against Indiana State in the season finale. The Rockledge, Fla., native finished with 12 touchdown catches. To date, he has been a first team all-America selection by the Walter Camp Foundation and The Sports Network and was voted to the second team by The Sports Xchange.
Davis, a four-year starter who started all 46 games of his collegiate career, blocked for the most prolific offense in Illinois State history. With Davis paving the way, the offense averaged 39.2 points per game and a league-best 40.7 points per conference game. The two-time All-Gateway First Team selection helped guide the `Birds to a league-best 477.5 total yards of offense per game, which ranked No. 4 nationally at the end of the regular season. He played 783 snaps on the season and led the team with 68 knockdowns. This is Davis' second first team all-America selection this season after being recognized by The Sports Network.
In all, the Gateway Football Conference had four players named to the all-America squad, all on offense. Joining Robinson and Davis were Western Kentucky offensive lineman Erik Losey and Southern Illinois running back Arkee Whitlock.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The AFCA's Division I-AA All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's nine 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 team is chosen.
