Michigan State University Athletics
Allen, Calhoun Named CBS Sports All-Americans
12/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State fifth-year senior center Jack Allen has been named first-team All-American by CBS Sports, while fifth-year senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun earned second-team honors. The All-America Team was selected by a panel of college football writers, analysts and experts across CBS Sports.
Earlier this week, Allen was named one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football. In addition, he also received first-team All-America honors from SI.com and second-team accolades from USA TODAY.
One of the most decorated offensive linemen in school history, Allen becomes just the third Spartan offensive lineman to earn first-team All-America honors twice (Dave Behrman, 1961-62; Tony Mandarich, 1987-88) and only the 15th in school history.
Allen earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015 for the second year in a row. He is only the fifth Spartan on the offensive line to garner first-team All-Big Ten accolades twice (Ellison Kelly, 1957-58; Dave Behrman, 1961-62; Joe DeLamielleure, 1971-72; Tony Mandarich, 1987-88) and just the second center (Behrman).
A tough, tenacious and versatile lineman, Allen has started 11 games at center for the Spartans in 2015 while helping lead the team to a Big Ten Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He started the first six games at center, but missed the Michigan and Indiana games with a lower leg injury he suffered in the Rutgers game in Week 6; he returned to the starting lineup in Week 9 vs. Nebraska. He also played at left tackle vs. Purdue and Rutgers due to injuries along the offensive line.
The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Allen graded out at an All-America level in the win over Penn State on Senior Day in his last appearance at Spartan Stadium, leading the team with 10 knockdowns and also rushing for a 9-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Hinsdale, Illinois, native led the Spartans with nine knockdowns at Ohio State as the Spartans rushed for 203 yards and ended the second-ranked Buckeyes' 23-game winning streak. He was named the Spartan Offensive Player of the Week against Maryland and Central Michigan.
Allen, a 2014 USA TODAY first-team All-American, has played in 47 career games, including 46 starts (41 at center, five at left guard), and has only allowed three career sacks. The co-captain has registered more than 285 career knockdowns and was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy (nation's top scholar-athlete).
Calhoun was named first-team All-Big Ten for the third year in a row, becoming the first Spartan defensive lineman in school history to earn first-team honors three times.
Calhoun, who was named the 2013 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and also earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2013 and 2014, leads the Spartans in tackles for loss (14.5 for 81 yards), sacks (10.5 for 74 yards) and quarterback hurries (18). He has recorded career highs in tackles (45), tackles for loss and sacks in 2015. Calhoun ranks third in the Big Ten in sacks and sixth in tackles for loss.
In addition to becoming the first Spartan defensive lineman to garner first-team All-Big Ten honors three times, he is just the eighth Spartan in school history to accomplish the feat and the first since linebacker Greg Jones (2008-10).
A three-time second-team All-American, Calhoun was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award (college defensive player of the year), Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and Lott IMPACT Trophy.
He matched his season high with six tackles in MSU's 16-13 victory over No. 4 Iowa in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game, with three resulting in losses (17 yards) including two sacks (16 yards). Calhoun also was credited with one forced fumble and a QB hurry. The Spartans limited the Hawkeyes to 13 first downs, 52 rushing yards (24 carries) and 268 total yards.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Calhoun was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and third time of his career following his performance in the 27-23 win at No. 12 Michigan on Oct. 17. Calhoun, who wore No. 43 in tribute to injured linebacker Ed Davis, recorded five tackles, including a career-best 3.5 for losses (11 yards) against the Wolverines. His tackles for losses included two sacks (6 yards). The Spartan defense forced Michigan to go three-and-out on six possessions and limited the Wolverines to a season low in total yards (230).
He also was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week after recording a season-high six tackles in No. 2 Michigan State's 30-10 victory Central Michigan on Sept. 26, with three resulting in losses (24 yards) including 2.5 sacks (24 yards). Calhoun also was credited with four quarterback hurries, one pass break-up and a blocked kick against CMU. He finished the game with a team-high 37 production points, the most by a Spartan defensive player this season.
The Middletown, New Jersey, native ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in tackles for loss yardage (first with 267), sacks (second with 27), sack yardage (second with 211), tackles for loss (fourth with 43.5), and fumble recoveries (tied for 10th with five). In 53 career games, including 40 consecutive starts, he has 127 tackles with 43.5 resulting in losses (34 percent). His 27 sacks are the most by any Spartan in the Mark Dantonio era and rank second among active players in the NCAA FBS.
Michigan State (12-1 overall, 7-1 Big Ten), which finished No. 3 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, will face No 2 Alabama (12-1 overall, 7-1 SEC) in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, with the semifinal scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It marks MSU's second-straight appearance in the Cotton Bowl Classic, as the Spartans rallied from a 20-point deficit for a 42-41 win over No. 4 Baylor in 2015.
