WSU Football: Deone Bucannon Receives Biggest Honor Yet, AP 1st Team All-America

Jul 26, 2013; Culver City, CA, USA; Washington State defensive back Deone Bucannon speaks to the media during PAC-12 media day held at the Sony Studios Lot. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Eight Cougars have taken the 1st team honors in the Associated Press All-America voting. EIGHT(!)… ever. Turk Edwards (T, 1930), Clancy Williams (DB, 1964), Dan Lynch (G, 1984), Mike Utley (G, 1988), Jason Hanson (K, 1989), Lamont Thompson (S, 2001), Rien Long (DT, 2002), Jerome Harrison (RB, 2005).

Make it NINE!

Deone Bucannon added his name to the prestigious list of Cougars to take the award home on Tuesday and is the third defensive back in the history of the school to do it. The NFL names that don’t dot the list are Marcus Trufant, Erik Coleman, Jason David, Hamzah and Hussain Abdullah, Billy Newman, Paul Sorensen, Billy Gaskins… you get the picture. It takes an extra 20 lbs of muscle and a special season of production to get this.

Aug 31, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Tre Mason (21) is tackled by Washington State Cougars safety Deone Bucannon (20) at Jordan Hare Stadium. The Tigers defeated the Cougars 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Bucannon led the Pac-12 in tackles with 109, while tallying up 5 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and also fumble recoveries. He also led the conference in bone crushing hits, likely winning the award when he put Auburn running back Tre Mason on a poster at Jordan Hare Stadium that first weekend. As you can see to our right, Mason was lucky it wasn’t also a stretcher and to his credit he went on to have a huge season. Still, we’re guessing he remembers that one, as Deone conceded a taunting flag to let him know about it.

Shockingly, it’s the only 15 yard hankie I can remember being tossed out against the big safety this season, which is incredible. Deone got tossed for targeting against Eastern Washington last season and then flagged again against UNLV. He would go on to draw a few more and it was assumed that his additional bulk would cause a few more flags to fly, but he was tremendously accurate when he tackled people.

Congratulations big #20! You deserve this award after working your butt off to become the player you are today. There will be a thousand players in bowl season this year, but you are as deserving as any to be finally playing in a game during December! The draft awaits after that.

Go Cougs!