Today the AFCA released the 2011 coaches' All-America team, and the 2011 Butkus Award winner is curiously absent from the list of All-Americans at the linebacker position. Here are this year's AFCA All-America selections at LB:

• LB Don'ta Hightower, Alabama
• LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia
• LB Lavonte David, Nebraska

So Kuechly was just named the top linebacker in college football, but can't crack the top three on the AFCA All-America team?

Turns out the ACC was barely represented at all on this year's AFCA All-America team. Of the 25 players selected for this year's AFCA All-America team, just one -- Florida State punter Shawn Powell -- made the cut from the ACC. The SEC led the way with nine selections, followed by the Big Ten with six, Big 12 with five, Pac-12 with three, and the ACC and MAC with one apiece.

Unlike last year, where Kuechly claimed unanimous All-American status, his absence from this year's AFCA All-America team won't allow him to repeat this feat. According to the NCAA, unanimous status is given to players who appear on each of the following All-America teams: American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press and The Sporting News.

Guess #40 is left with no choice but to return to school to try to become a unanimous All-American once again in his senior season.

Hat Tip: Team Speed Kills