Texas Lutheran's Manny Longoria named 2019 AFCA All-America 2nd Team
SEGUIN, Texas – Texas Lutheran senior defensive end Manny Longoria (Geronimo/Navarro) is the fifth American Football Coaches Association All-American in TLU Football history after being named Wednesday to the AFCA's Second Team All-America squad for NCAA Division III.
On this select list of TLU award winners, Longoria joins former running back David Wehmeyer (1973, College Division II), linebacker D.W. Rutledge (1974, College Division II), offensive lineman Jerry Ellis (1975, College Division II), and place-kicker Allen Cain (2011, NCAA Division III).
Counting All-America awards from a variety of associations, Longoria is the 91st playing All-American in TLU Football history.
A three-time all-conference player in the American Southwest Conference and a two-time All-South Region selection, Longoria is a playing All-American in any association for the first time.
Longoria is TLU's all-time leader in sacks and tackles for loss. A three-year starter, Longoria ended his playing career with 24.5 sacks (158 yards in losses) and 46.5 tackles for loss (226 yards in losses). He also registered four forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles, a blocked kick, and two defensive touchdowns.
With Longoria starting at defensive end for the last 30 games (three seasons), the Bulldogs produced a 21-9 overall record and a 20-7 conference record.
In 2019, the Bulldogs won a school-record eight games in the ASC and won eight games overall for just the eighth time in school history. TLU's runner-up finish in the ASC was a school-best result in the league.
In TLU's 38-27 win over then-No. 6 Hardin-Simmons on Oct. 5, Longoria returned a fumble 39 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 24-13 lead in the third quarter.
TLU's win that day in Abilene was the Bulldogs' second-ever win in HSU's Shelton Stadium. The victory, in the middle of a seven-game conference win streak, put the Bulldogs in position to play for the ASC Championship on Nov. 9 against No. 1-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor.
In his senior year, Longoria produced six sacks for 29 yards and 12 tackles for loss for 47 yards. He collected a single-season, career-best 43 total tackles. Longoria ended his playing career with 119 total tackles in 35 career games played.
Longoria already is an Academic All-American®, having claimed that honor in 2018 from the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Longoria is an Academic All-America® nominee again in 2019. The Academic All-America® Team for NCAA Division III Football will be announced on Dec. 11.
Only Longoria and Cain have claimed both AFCA All-America honors and Academic All-America® honors. Cain was a playing All-American and Academic All-American® in 2011. He repeated as an Academic All-American® in 2012.
TLU All-Time AFCA All-America Selections
RB David Wehmeyer (College-II) 1973
LB D.W. Rutledge (College-II) 1974
OL Jerry Ellis (College-II) 1975
PK Allen Cain (NCAA-III) 2011
DE Manny Longoria (NCAA-III) 2019
TLU All-Time Football All-America List (from several associations)
Matt Alves 2006*, 2007*
Andy Anderson 1963
Frank Annweiler 1961
Pat Bailey 1967
Marquis Barrolle 2014
Christopher Bennett 2015
Walter Bartosh 1974
Greg Biedeger 1971
Melvin Boelter 1968, 1969, 1970
Steve Bohnert 1976
Dustin Boren 1999
Tyler Brandenburg 2014
Alejandro Briseno 2017
Ronnie Broz 1970
Allen Cain 2011&, 2012&
Jim Craig 1967
Fred Davis 1976
Arlen Dunham 1955
Phil Dunne 1975, 1976
Jerry Ellis 1975
Trent Faith 1984
Otis Fields 1973
Joe Froelich 1972
David Garcia 2004
Willie Gipson 1975
B.J. Gotte 2000
Gene Greenshield 1950
Josh Heimann 2000
Fred Hightower 1954
Arlon Hoermann 1965
Tyler Howlett 2016*
Royce Johnson 1972
Chris Keller 1976
Mike Klett 1968
Wade Klare 1985
Bucky Lampe 1977
Billy Larson 1959
Lief Larson 1982, 1983
Bill Lehman 1960
Elton Lieke 1964
Manny Longoria 2018*, 2019
Dickie Manske 1965
Eddie Marburger 1957
Roy Maas 1967, 1968, 1969
Charlie McMahon 1957
Floyd Medearis 1970, 1971
Mike Medina 1986
Richard Miller 1985
Tommy Moten 1984
Ebbie Neptune 1962
Doug Nettles 1985
Chris Ormiston 1983
Dennis Ortmann 1973, 1974
Kevin Ott 1975
Carroll Parker 1984
Jeremy Pawelek 2005
Jim Perdue 1974
Kent Richter 1968
Matt Ross 2004
D.W. Rutledge 1974
David Saenz 1999
Bobby Sagebiel 1972
Carl Schoessow 1970, 1971
Ricky Smith 1971
Mark Stavinoha 1973
Jeff Stevens 1976
Holt Storrie 2004, 2005
Carl Tolbert 1977
Walter Ulbricht 1971, 1972
Robert Valdez 1975
Mike Washington 1974, 1975, 1976
Dan Wegand 1972
David Wehmeyer 1971, 1973, 1974
Larry West 1969, 1970
Bruce Alan Wells 1969
Kendall Wilkerson 2014
* Academic All-American
& Playing and Academic All-American in same year