Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America ( FWAA ) is one of the organizations whose College Football All - America Team is recognized by the NCAA . The organization also selects the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year , the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner , the Outland Trophy winner , the Grantland Rice Trophy winner , a freshman All - America team , and weekly defensive player of the week , as well as developing scholarship programs and surveys for better working conditions . Since 1954 , the association has awarded the Grantland Rice Trophy to the college football team they choose to be the National Champion . Overview . The Football Writers Association of America was founded in 1941 and is composed of approximately 1 , 200 sports writers from both print and Internet media outlets . The organization strives for better working conditions for sports writers in college football press box es , and deals with access issues to college athletes and coaches . The FWAA consists of the men and women across North America who cover college football for a living . The membership includes journalists , broadcasters and publicists , as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game . The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations , major awards and an All - America team . The FWAA also sponsors scholarships for aspiring writers and an annual writing contest . All - America Committees . The Football Writers Association of America All - America Committee selects the 25 - man All - America Team and the winners of the Bronko Nagurski and Outland trophies . In the spring , the committee selects the FWAA All - America Watch List and the watch lists for both of the FWAA ' s major player awards . The FWAA has chosen an All - America Team annually since the 1944 season ; it is the second longest continuously - published team in major college football . Bert McGrane Award Winners . Presented to a member of the FWAA for " outstanding contribution to the organization " . 1974 Charley Johnson , Minneapolis Star 1975 Wilfrid Smith , Chicago Tribune 1976 Paul Zimmerman , Los Angeles Times 1977 Dick Cullum , Minneapolis Tribune 1978 Wilbur Evans , Cotton Bowl Athletic Association 1979 Tom Siler , Knoxville News - Sentinel 1980 Maury White , Des Moines Register 1981 Fred Russell , Nashville Banner 1982 Furman Bisher , Atlanta Journal 1983 John Mooney , Salt Lake Tribune 1984 Si Burick , Dayton News 1985 Blackie Sherrod , The Dallas Morning News 1986 Raymond Johnson , Nashville Tennessean 1987 Tim Cohane , Look Magazine 1988 Dave Campbell , Waco Tribune Herald 1989 Jim Brock , Cotton Bowl Athletic Association 1990 Jack Hairston , Gainesville Sun 1991 Murray Olderman , Newspaper Enterprise Association 1992 Volney Meece , The Daily Oklahoman 1993 Bob Hentzen , Topeka Capital Journal 1994 Edgar Allen , Nashville Journal 1995 Dick Herbert , Raleigh News & Observer 1996 Bob Hammel , Bloomington Herald - Times 1997 Bill Lumpkin , Birmingham Post - Herald 1998 Don Bryant , University of Nebraska 1999 Field Scovell , Cotton Bowl Athletic Association 2000 Jimmie McDowell , All - American Football Foundation 2001 Edwin Pope , Miami Herald 2002 Orville Henry , Arkansas Democrat - Gazette 2003 Dan Foster , Greenville News 2004 Pat Harmon , Cincinnati Post 2005 Steve Richardson , FWAA Executive Director 2006 John Junker , Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 2007 Mark Blaudschun , Boston Globe 2008 Claude Felton , University of Georgia 2009 Tony Barnhart , Atlanta Journal - Constitution 2010 Beano Cook , ESPN / University of Pittsburgh All - Time Teams . Selected by the Football Writers Association of America for the centennial year of college football in 1969 . An Early Era team was chose that featured Jim Thorpe , a modern team ( 1919 – 68 ) and a Quarter - Century team that was chosen in 1994 , 25 years after the college football centennial celebration . 1969 - 1994 All - America Team . Offense C – Dave Rimington , Nebraska G - John Hannah , Alabama G – Dean Steinkuhler , Nebraska T – Bill Fralic , Pittsburgh T – Jerry Sisemore , Texas TE – Keith Jackson , Oklahoma WR – Anthony Carter , Michigan WR – Jerry Rice , Mississippi Valley QB – John Elway , Stanford RB – Tony Dorsett , Pittsburgh RB – Herschel Walker , University of Georgia K – Tony Franklin , Texas A & M University KR – Johnny Rodgers , Nebraska Defense DE – Lee Roy Selmon , Oklahoma DE – Jack Youngblood , Florida DT – Steve Emtman , Washington DT – Randy White , Maryland LB – Hugh Green , Pittsburgh LB – Lawrence Taylor , North Carolina MLB – Mike Singletary , Baylor DB – Deion Sanders , Florida State DB – Ronnie Lott , Southern California DB – Jack Tatum , Ohio State DB – Kenny Easley , UCLA P - Ray Guy – Southern Mississippi 1919 - 1968 Modern Era All - America Team . E – Bennie Oosterbaan , Michigan E – Don Hutson , Alabama L – Bronko Nagurski , Minnesota L – Bruiser Kinard , Mississippi L – Jim Parker , Ohio State L – Bob Suffridge , Tennessee C – Mel Hein , Washington State B – Sammy Baugh , Texas Christian B – Jay Berwanger , Chicago B – Ernie Nevers , Stanford B – Red Grange , Illinois 1869 - 1918 Early Era All - America Team . E – Frank Hinkey , Yale E – Huntington Hardwick , Harvard T – Josh Cody , Vanderbilt T – Wilbur Henry , Washington and Jefferson G – Pudge Heffelfinger , Yale G – Truxton Hare , Pennsylvania C – Germany Schulz , Michigan B – Jim Thorpe , Carlisle B – Elmer Oliphant , Purdue B – Willie Heston , Michigan B – Walter Eckersall , Chicago Awards Sponsored . Currently the FWAA sponsors seven awards and those are affiliated with the National College Football Awards Association ( NCFAA ) .