Tag Archives: Johnathan Franklin

Franklin’s friendship with Hundley

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Even a year ago, Johnathan Franklin and Brett Hundley weren’t as close as they are now. Then they became roommates and became more or less inseparable. Franklin said Hundley and redshirt sophomore Librado Barocio — another roommate — will likely be his best men at his wedding.

That sort of relationship is hard to come by, and has certainly helped in a season that have seen both Franklin and Hundley turn into stars.

“It’s great,” Franklin said. “That’s my quarterback. He’s going to give me the ball, so I know that he likes me a little bit. Just being able to keep each other accountable, call each other out on certain things and not be mad about it. …

“I tell them literally every day, I wish I had another year with y’all.”

Said Hundley: “I trust Jet with pretty much anything and everything. Just to have that relationship on and off the field … you’re sort of on the same level.”

Franklin named FWAA All-American

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Johnathan Franklin made the FWAA All-American list today, the last of the NCAA-recognized teams to be announced. Of those five teams (AP, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News are the others), this is Franklin’s first appearance on a first team. He missed out on AFCA and Sporting News lists, and made the AP and Walter Camp second teams.

USC’s Marqise Lee was the only Pac-12 player to make all five first teams. Tellingly, no running backs in the country achieved unanimous All-American status, with Franklin, Kenjon Barner (Oregon), Montee Ball (Wisconsin) and Ka’Deem Carey (Arizona) all swapping in and out of the top spots.

Fauria left off Phil Steele’s All-Pac-12

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Here are the Bruins that made Phil Steele’s All-Pac-12 teams:

OFFENSE
1st: RB Johnathan Franklin, OL Xavier Su’a-Filo
2nd: OL Jeff Baca
3rd: WR Shaquelle Evans
DEFENSE
1st: LB Anthony Barr
2nd: DT Datone Jones, LB Eric Kendricks
SPECIAL TEAMS
1st: P Jeff Locke
3rd: KR Damien Thigpen, PR Steven Manfro (Huh?!)

The most glaring omission is senior Fauria, who was left off despite being one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award — given to the top tight end in the nation. I get that Fauria isn’t a true blocking tight end anymore, but he was tied for second in the conference with 11 touchdown receptions. Arizona State’s Chris Coyle, who got the third team nod, grabbed just five and only had 11 more yards per game (54.9 to 43.2).

On the bright side for UCLA fans, Franklin made first team with Kenjon Barner, beating out Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey. This could bode well for Franklin’s chances at the last remaining NCAA-recognized All-American list: the Football Writers Association of America releases its team later this week, and Steele is on the committee.

Three Bruins earn AP All-American spots

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Tailback Johnathan Franklin and linebacker Anthony Barr were both named second-team All-Americans by the Associated Press this morning. Offensive lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo made the third team.

Franklin shared his second-team nod with fellow Doak Walker finalist Kenjon Barner (Oregon), both of whom were beat out by Wisconsin’s Montee Ball (Doak Walker winner) and Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey (nation’s leading rusher).

The five All-American lists recognized by the NCAA are the AP, American Football Coaches Association, Sporting News, Walter Camp and the Football Writers Association of America (which will be released later this week).

Franklin was also a second-teamer on the Walter Camp list, behind Ball, Barner and Carey. No other Bruin has made an All-American list other than the AP, but no other list went three teams deep.

Other AP first-team selections from the Pac-12: WR Marqise Lee (USC), TE Zach Ertz (Stanford), DT Star Lotulelei (Utah), DT Will Sutton (ASU), CB Jordan Poyer (Oregon State).