NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Jason Henderson has achieved something no Old Dominion football player has ever done at the FBS level.
He’s an All-American.
Henderson was named a second-team All-American Friday by the Football Writers Association of America. He’s one of just four Group of 5 players on either the first or second team.
The Monarchs linebacker leads the nation with 186 tackles, 49 more than North Carolina’s Cedric Gray at number two. Henderson’s total tackles are the third-most in FBS history and he had double-digit tackles in 11 of 12 games this season. He’s the only player in the nation to have multiple 20-plus tackle games this season, and led the team with 10 tackles for loss. Henderson also had a sack and three pass breakups.
Henderson broke ODU’s single-season record for tackles in the eighth game of the year at Georgia State and surpassed the Sun Belt Conference record in the 10th game of the season.
Henderson’s tackle total is third most in a single-season in FBS history. Only Texas Tech’s Lawrence Flugence (193 tackles, 2002) and Boston College’s Luke Kuechly (191 tackles, 2011). Henderson’s 15.5 tackles per game are the third most in FBS history behind Keuchly’s 15.9 per game in 2011 and Rick Sherrod’s (West Virginia) 15.6 in 2001.
A native of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., Henderson is the 10th player to earn All-American honors in Monarchs history, joining their FCS All-Americans – punter Jonathan Plisco (three-time), long snapper Dustin Phillips, defensive tackle Ronnie Cameron, quarterback Taylor Heinicke, wide receiver Nick Mayers, long snapper Rick Lovato, defensive tackle Chris Burnette and linebacker Craig Wilkins.
FWAA All-America Team
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Caleb Williams, USC
RB Blake Corum, Michigan
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL Steve Avila, TCU
OL Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
OL John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Jalen Carter, Georgia
DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
DL Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
LB Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
DB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
DB Clark Phillips III, Utah
DB Chris Smith, Georgia
DB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Christopher Dunn, N.C. State
P Tory Taylor, Iowa
KR Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State
PR Derius Davis, TCU
AP Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Max Duggan, TCU
RB Israel Abanikanda, Pitt
RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
WR Josh Downs, North Carolina
WR Rashee Rice, SMU
TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
OL Joe Alt, Notre Dame
OL Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
OL O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
OL Andrew Vorhees, USC
C Alex Forsyth, Oregon
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
DL Tyler Davis, Clemson
DL Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
DL Mike Morris, Michigan
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
DB Erick Hallett II, Pitt
DB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
DB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
DB John Torchio, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Joshua Karty, Stanford
P Bryce Baringer, Michigan State
KR Milan Tucker, App State
PR Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
AP Chase Brown, Illinois
First Team by Conference: Big Ten 9, SEC 7, Big 12 4, Pac-12 4, ACC 2, American Athletic 1.
Second Team by Conference: Big Ten 7, ACC 4, SEC 4, Big 12 3, Pac-12 3, Independents 3, Sun Belt 2, American Athletic 1.
Combined by Conference: Big Ten 16, SEC 11, Big 12 7, Pac-12 7, ACC 6, Independents 3, American Athletic 2, Sun Belt 2.
First Team by School: Georgia 3, Iowa 2, Michigan 2, Mississippi State 2, Ohio State 2, TCU 2, USC 2, Alabama, Cincinnati, Illinois, Minnesota, N.C. State, Northwestern, Pitt, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah.
Second Team by School: Notre Dame 3, Pitt 2, TCU 2, Alabama, App State, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida, Illinois, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio State, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, SMU, Stanford, USC, Wisconsin.
Combined by School: TCU 4, Georgia 3, Michigan 3, Notre Dame 3, Ohio State 3, Pitt 3, USC 3, Alabama 2, Illinois 2, Iowa 2, Minnesota 2, Mississippi State 2, App State, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida, Kansas State, Michigan State, North Carolina, N.C. State, Northwestern, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, SMU, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah, Wisconsin.