12.4.2002 2002 C-USA Football All-Conference Teams
LaMarcus McDonald |
Conference USA announced its 2002 All-Conference football teams today, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches and media members in each conference city. C-USA concludes its seventh regular season this weekend when Cincinnati visits East Carolina on Friday night and Army faces Navy at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands on Saturday afternoon.
Regular season champion TCU placed a league-high 10 players on the all-conference teams, with five first team and five second team selections. Six members of the Horned Frogs No. 2 nationally-ranked defense dot the list, led by junior linebacker LaMarcus McDonald, defensive lineman Bo Schobel and cornerback Jason Goss, all first team members. McDonald leads the league in for tackles for loss with 28, ranking fifth in total tackles with 113 and second in sacks with 10, while Goss is second in C-USA in interceptions (7) and pass breakups (28).
Louisville will bring eight All-Conference USA selections to the GMAC Bowl, including a league-high six first team members. Senior QB Dave Ragone (2,687 yards and 23 TD passes) and senior TE Ronnie Ghent were named to the all-conference first team for the third consecutive season, joining Louisville's Ibn Green and Adalius Thomas of Southern Miss (both 1997-99) as the only players in C-USA history to earn first team honors in three consecutive years. Junior DE Dewayne White, the conference's all-time leader in sacks with 36.5, is Louisville's only defensive representative, while the Cardinals placed both the kick returner (Broderick Clark who leads the nation with a 34.1 avg.) and punt returner (Damien Dorsey) on first team.
Southern Miss, which is heading to the Houston Bowl, and Cincinnati, which is playing for a share of the regular season championship on Friday night, each had seven all-conference selections, with USM garnering five first-teamers and UC placing three. The Golden Eagles' selections are highlighted by a pair of linebackers in junior Rod Davis (league-leading 155 tackles and 11 sacks) and sophomore Michael Boley (132 tackles, 9 sacks). Cincinnati's choices include senior wide receiver LaDaris Vann, who leads the league in receptions (68) and receiving yards (828), and senior defensive end Antwan Peek (87 tackles, 20 TFL's, league-high seven forced fumbles).
Bowl-bound Tulane and Houston each had five players earn all-league honors, while Memphis had four. Among the Green Wave honorees is junior cornerback Lynaris Elpheage (league-leading 8 interceptions), a first team selection, and junior RB Mewelde Moore (Tulane's all-time leading rusher), a second team selection. The Cougars most prominent honoree was senior RB Joffrey Reynolds, who closed out his Cougar career setting a new Conference USA single-season record for rushing yards with 1,545. Memphis senior center Jimond Pugh was a first team choice, while senior Travis Anglin, the league's 1999 Co-Freshman of the Year as a quarterback, was named a second team wide receiver after catching 55 passes for 740 yards and 5 TDs this season.
East Carolina and UAB each had three all-league selections, while Army had one. Two of ECU's picks, offensive tackle Brian Rimpf and punter Jarad Preston, were first team choices, while UAB had three second-teamers, including offensive lineman Kirk Tuck, linebacker Zac Woodfin and cornerback Chris Brown. Army is represented by second team offensive lineman Aaron Burger.
For the first time in league history, three players earned all-conference honors at two different positions. Louisvile's Damien Dorsey was named first team at wide receiver and punt returner, becoming the fourth player in league history to earn first team honors at two positions, joining UAB's Rodregis Brooks (defensive back and return specialist in 1999), Houston's Ketric Sanford (running back and return specialist in 1997) and Eric Booth of Southern Miss (running back and return specialist in 1996). TCU's LaTarence Dunbar was a second teamer at wide receiver and kick returner, while Tulane's Lynaris Elpheage added to his first team honor at cornerback by being named as the second team punt returner.
Conference USA will announce its Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Year, as well as the Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year on Thursday, December 5.
2002 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Dave Ragone, Sr., Louisville
Running Back- Derrick Nix, Sr., Southern Miss
Running Back- Joffrey Reynolds, Sr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Kirt Doolin, Sr., Cincinnati
Offensive Lineman- Jamal Powell, Sr., TCU
Offensive Lineman- Jimond Pugh, Sr., Memphis
Offensive Lineman- Brian Rimpf, Jr., East Carolina
Offensive Lineman- Torrin Tucker, Sr., Southern Miss
Tight End- Ronnie Ghent, Sr., Louisvillle
Wide Receiver- Damien Dorsey, Sr., Louisville
Wide Receiver- LaDaris Vann, Sr., Cincinnati
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Floyd Dorsey, Sr., Tulane
Defensive Lineman- Antwan Peek, Sr., Cincinnati
Defensive Lineman- Bo Schobel, Jr., TCU
Defensive Lineman- Dewayne White, Jr., Louisville
Linebacker- Michael Boley, So., Southern Miss
Linebacker- Rod Davis, Jr., Southern Miss
Linebacker- LaMarcus McDonald, Jr., TCU
Defensive Back- Lynaris Elpheage, Jr., Tulane
Defensive Back- Jason Goss, Sr., TCU
Defensive Back- Hanik Milligan, Sr., Houston
Defensive Back- Etric Pruitt, Jr., Southern Miss
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Nick Browne, Jr., TCU
Punter- Jarad Preston, Sr., East Carolina
Kick Returner- Broderick Clark, Fr., Louisville
Punt Returner- Damien Dorsey, Sr., Louisville
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Gino Guidugli, So., Cincinnati
Running Back- Art Brown, Jr., East Carolina
Running Back- DeMarco McCleskey, Sr., Cincinnati
Running Back- Mewelde Moore, Jr., Tulane
Offensive Lineman- Aaron Burger, Sr., Army
Offensive Lineman- Rex Hadnot, Jr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Jason Jimenez, Sr., Southern Miss
Offensive Lineman- Chris Redding, Sr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Kirk Tuck, Sr., UAB
Tight End- Stephen Cucci, Jr., Houston
Wide Receiver- Travis Anglin, Sr., Memphis
Wide Receiver- LaTarence Dunbar, Sr., TCU
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Tony Brown, Sr., Memphis
Defensive Lineman- Terrell Paul, Sr., Southern Miss
Defensive Lineman- Chad Pugh, Jr., TCU
Defensive Lineman- John Turntine, Sr., TCU
Linebacker- Derrick Ballard, Jr., Memphis
Linebacker- Rod Day, Jr., Louisville
Linebacker- Zac Woodfin, So., UAB
Defensive Back- Blue Adams, Sr., Cincinnati
Defensive Back- Chris Brown, Sr., UAB
Defensive Back- Anthony Floyd, Sr., Louisville
Defensive Back- Kenneth Hilliard, Sr., TCU
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Jonathan Ruffin, Sr., Cincinnati
Punter- Seth Marler, Sr., Tulane
Kick Returner- LaTarence Dunbar, Sr., TCU
Punt Returner- Lynaris Elpheage, Jr., Tulane