The Associated Press All-America team is the most prestigious honor that a college player can receive (outside of winning the Heisman Trophy, of course). Over the last 100 years of the All-America team's existence, there have been some iconic names included.
On Thursday, the Associated Press released its staff picks for the All-Time All-America team, in which a century's worth of names was sifted down to just 50. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was named as first-team QB, followed by Texas' Vince Young on the second team.
Of course, an ambitious list like that is going to cause a stir from fans claiming that there were obvious snubs. There are only so many spots to go around, and some sort of criteria had to help the writers make the cuts. Someone was bound to get left out; still, these omissions were a bit more egregious than the rest.
The 3 biggest snubs from the AP's All-Time All-America team
Here are just three players that likely deserved a spot on the All-Time All-America team but came up just short of inclusion.
Anthony Munoz (OT - USC)
Widely considered one of the best offensive linemen ever to play the game of football, Munoz was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He played for the University of Southern California from 1976-79 and helped the Trojans win the 1980 Rose Bowl over the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.
While his prowess as a football player in general is well known, injuries plagued his college career and thus he actually was never named to an AP All-America team. Still, on pure talent, he belongs.
Ray Guy (P - Southern Mississippi)
The legendary punter played for Southern Mississippi from 1970-72 and eventually became the first (and still only) at his position to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He led the nation in average punt yardage (46.2 yards per punt) at one point and was named the MVP of the Chicago College All-Star Game.
He once sent the ball 93 yards on a punt against Mississippi in 1972 and also successfully converted a then-record 61-yard field goal (Guy kicked for Southern Miss during his tenure too). Guy was one of the most versatile players in college football in his era, also starting at safety in his senior season and logging eight interceptions. He could've been eligible for the AP's all-purpose position on the All-Time All-America team but it appears the only reason he wasn't included at any spot was because punters weren't included in the voting until 1981.
Tim Brown (WR - Notre Dame)
Brown is a genuinely surprising omission from both the first and second teams by the AP. He was the first wide receiver to ever win the Heisman Trophy in 1987 and earned All-American honors that same year and also in 1986. The Notre Dame wideout owned 19 individual school records when he graduated and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
The AP instead decided to choose Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald and Marshall's Randy Moss for the All-Time first team, and Alabama's Devonta Smith and Michigan's Desmond Howard for the second team.