Albany, N.Y. ? University at Albany's Raphael Nguti has been chosen to the American Football Coaches Association 2008 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches' All-America Football Team as announced on Thursday, Dec. 18 by the AFCA.  Nguti is the fourth UAlbany player to be named to the AFCA FCS All-America squad.

            Nguti, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle from Rochester, N.Y., was selected to the All-Northeast Conference first team for the second consecutive year.  He moved from right tackle to left tackle this season and led an offense that ranked 16th nationally in rushing (200.6 ypg) and first in the conference in total offense (363.2 ypg).  The Great Danes ran for 250 or more yards against five opponents this season.  Nguti, who blocked for the nation's second-leading rusher this year, has made 24 consecutive starts over the last two seasons.  He played in 45 games as a collegian and earned four varsity letters.

            “It's a great tribute to him as an offensive lineman,” said UAlbany's Bob Ford, who leads all active FCS head coaches with 234 career victories.  “He came here close to 400 pounds and transformed himself into a dominating run-down blocker with great physical presence at the point of attack.  Every professional team has been through here to look at him so we will see what happens in the future.”

            Nguti led UAlbany (9-3) to its second consecutive NEC championship and a 28-0 victory over Pioneer Football League champion Jacksonville in the Gridiron Classic on Dec. 6.  The Great Danes became the second team in conference history to go undefeated against league opponents in back-to-back years.

            UAlbany's previous AFCA All-Americans were inside linebacker Colin Disch (2006), offensive tackle Geir Gudmundsen (2004) and offensive tackle J.T. Herfurth (2000).

2008 America Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' All-America Team

Offense
Pos Name                 Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                 Coach             Hometown (High School)
WR  Andre Roberts        5-11 175 Jr. The Citadel            Kevin Higgins     Columbia, S.C. (Spring Valley)
WR  Ramses Barden*       6-6  227 Sr. Cal Poly               Rich Ellerson     Altadena, Calif. (Flintridge Prep)
TE  John Nalbone         6-4  255 Sr. Monmouth (N.J.)        Kevin Callahan    Lawrenceville, N.J. (Lawrence)
OL  Nick Hennessey       6-6  300 Sr. Colgate                Dick Biddle       Danvers, Mass. (Phillips Andover)
OL  Raphael Nguti        6-7  330 Sr. Albany                 Bob Ford          Rochester, N.Y. (Brighton)
OL  Aaron Lockwood       6-2  303 Sr. Southern Illinois      Dale Lennon       Topeka, Kan. (Seaman)
OL  Demario  Deese       6-4  305 Sr. Gardner-Webb           Steve Patton      Charlotte, N.C. (Independence)
OL  Brad Samsa           6-3  290 Sr. Youngstown St.         Jon Heacock       Warren, Ohio (Howland)
QB  Armanti Edwards      6-0  184 Jr. Appalachian St.        Jerry Moore       Greenwood, S.C. (Greenwood)
RB  Javarris Williams    5-11 215 Sr. Tennessee St.          James Webster     Richmond, Texas (Foster)
RB  Herb Donaldson       5-11 225 Sr. Western Illinois       Don Patterson     St. Louis, Mo. (CBC)

Defense
Pos Name                 Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                 Coach             Hometown (High School)
DL  James Ruffin         6-4  265 Jr. Northern Iowa          Mark Farley       Burnsville, Minn. (Burnsville)
DL  Jovan Belcher        6-2  228 Sr. Maine                  Jack Cosgrove     West Babylon, N.Y. (West Babylon)
DL  Greg Miller          6-3  250 Sr. Villanova              Andy Talley       Willow Grove, Pa. (Abington)
DL  Greg Peach           6-3  255 Sr. Eastern Washington     Beau Baldwin      Vancouver, Wash. (Evergreen)
LB  Jason Williams*      6-3  235 Sr. Western Illinois       Don Patterson     Chicago, Ill. (DuSable)
LB  Marcellus Speaks     6-2  230 Sr. Jackson St.            Rick Comegy       Jackson, Miss. (Provine)
LB  Bobby Abare          6-2  220 Sr. Yale                   Jack Siedlecki    Acton, Mass. (Acton-Boxboro)
DB  Lardarius Webb       5-10 205 Sr. Nicholls St.           Jay Thomas        Opelika, Ala. (Beauregard)
DB  William Middleton    5-11 186 Sr. Furman                 Bobby Lamb        Atlanta, Ga. (Marist)
DB  Dontrell Miller      5-8  175 Jr. Tennessee-Martin       Jason Simpson     Demopolis, Ala. (Demopolis)
DB  Colt Anderson        5-11 195 Sr. Montana                Bobby Hauck       Butte, Mont. (Butte)

Specialists
Pos Name                 Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                 Coach             Hometown (High School)
P   Doug Spada           6-1  190 Jr. Southeast Missouri St. Tony Samuel       Shelby, N.C. (Fork Union Military Academy)
PK  Robbie Dehaze        6-3  193 Sr. Northern Arizona       Jerome Souers     Sherwood, Ore. (Sherwood)
AP  Scotty McGee         5-9  180 Jr. James Madison          Mickey Matthews   Virginia Beach, Va. (Ocean Lakes)