PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There have been probably unfair comparisons to Aaron Donald, but judging by his post-season awards some of it is legitimized for Panthers defensive lineman Calijah Kancey.
The junior is the first Pitt unanimous All-American since Donald in 2013.
What that means is the NCAA uses five All-America selectors to determine consensus and unanimous status: The Walter Camp Football Foundation, AFCA, Football Writers Association of American, Sporting News and Associated Press. All had Kancey on their first-teams.
Only 13 Panthers ever earned the distinction previously as Kancey now joins the list that includes:
· Aaron Donald
· Hugh Green (twice)
· Bill Fralic (twice)
· Larry Fitzgerald
· Mark May
· Tony Dorsett
· Mike Ditka
· Joe Walton
· Marshall Goldberg
· Warren Heller
· Joe Donchess
· Gilbert Welch
The Miami native was also named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year as well as being a finalist for the Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
"This is just an incredible honor," Kancey said in a statement released by the university. "I want to thank all of the All-America voters who considered me worthy of this recognition. I am so grateful for my Pitt coaches and teammates as well as our support staff. They help make me better every single day, on and off the field. This is just as much their honor as it is mine. I'm so blessed to be able to call myself a Pitt Panther."
"I've run out of superlatives to describe how I feel about Calijah," Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said via Pitt release. "He is the best defensive tackle I've ever coached, period. He's a first team All-American as player and, more importantly, as a person. These national honors didn't happen by accident. He absolutely earned them all and we are so proud of him."
Kancey has already announced he will not play in the season-finale against UCLA, December 30 at the Sun Bowl.