Emmert tops Little All-American

Mount Union's Ross Watson of Fitch was a first-team selection.
By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP Sports Writer
Think of Tyler Emmert as a small-school version of Matt Leinart -- a can't-lose quarterback of a college football dynasty, without all the hype and a long way from Hollywood.
Emmert was selected to The Associated Press Little All-America team released Thursday, two days before he'll try to lead Carroll College to its fourth straight NAIA national championship.
The senior enters his final game Saturday against St. Francis, Ind., 50-3 as a starter at the tiny private Catholic school in Helena, Mont.
Leinart is 37-1 for No. 1 Southern California, with a Rose Bowl showdown against Texas and a chance for the a third straight national title looming.
"Apples to oranges there," Emmert said of comparing the Fighting Saints to the Trojans.
True, but it's been an impressive run for Emmert and Carroll College, nonetheless.
Great statistics
Emmert has thrown for 3,039 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, becoming the NAIA career leader in total offense while directing an attack that relies heavily on the short pass.
"The quarterback isn't there to make big plays, you're supposed to just take with the defense gives you," he said.
The AP Little All-America team is made up of players from NCAA Division II and III schools, as well as from the NAIA.
Emmert was the only NAIA player on the first team, and he beat out some tough competition.
Jimmy Terwilliger of East Stroudsburg threw for 50 touchdowns and 4,571 yards and won the Harlon Hill Award as Division II's top player. He made the second team.
Linfield's Brett Elliott, a Division I-A transfer from Utah who was the Little All-American quarterback last year, was third-team this season. The senior threw 49 touchdown passes.
Watson leads d-backs
Fitch graduate Ross Watson of D-III powerhouse Mount Union leads the first-team defensive backs.
Mount Union plays Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday in the Stagg Bowl, shooting for its eight national title and first since 2002.
Dan Peters of Shepherd leads Division II in interceptions with 12. Deonte Bolden of Carson-Newman and Brent Grimes of Shippensburg rounded out the secondary.
On offense, Emmert was joined in the Little All-America backfield by Jamar Brittingham of Bloomsburg and Germaine Race of Pittsburg State. Brittingham leads Division II with 2,260 yards rushing and 34 touchdowns. Race has scored 33 touchdowns.
The receivers are Evan Prall of East Stroudsburg, who leads Division II with 1,766 yards receiving, and his Division III counterpart, Nick Bublavi of Catholic. The senior has caught 101 passes for 1,797 yards.
Brandon Twito, a 6-foot-7, 273-pound tight end, gives Pittsburg State two players on the first-team offense.
Five 300-plus pounders make up the Little All-America offensive line, including 335-pound Jahri Evans, who opened holes for Brittingham at Bloomsburg.
Huge linemen
The other linemen were Josh Bourke of Division II national champion Grand Valley State; Chris Kuper of North Dakota; Josh McCoy of West Texas A & amp;M; and Joe Scalice of Division III Ithaca.
Jeff Glas of North Dakota was the kicker after booting 30 field goals, and Justin Gallas of Colorado Mines is the all-purpose player. The receiver led D-II in all-purpose yards with 236.5 per game.
Linebacker Digger Anderson gives North Dakota three first-teamers, the most of any school. Deandre Fillmore of Texas A & amp;M-Kingsville and John DiGiorgio of Saginaw Valley State were the other linebackers.
Up front were Dave Tollefson of Division II national runner-up Northwest Missouri State, Clayton Farrell of Abilene Christian, Andrew Schable of South Dakota, who leads D-II in sacks with 18.5, and Damien Dumonceaux of Division III St. John's, Minn.
Punter Jeff Williams of Adams State was the only repeat first-teamer.
Emmert, just like Leinart, will try to complete a perfect season on Saturday in Tennessee.
Unlike the USC star, there's a good chance Emmert's final college game will be his football finale.
"If I got the opportunity to play [pro] I'd definitely jump at it," he said.
But he's not about to be a football vagabond, playing in minor leagues for years hoping to hit it big.
"I'm probably more interested in starting a family," he said.
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