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Coaches peg ECU behind Cards, USM
Pirates place four on preseason all-league team
From Conference USA, ECU and staff reports
CHICAGO — Two-time defending league champion Louisville has been chosen
to three-peat as the kingpin of Conference USA football, according to the
league's head coaches. The Cardinals edged Southern Miss for the top spot,
collecting seven first-place votes and 96 total points to the Golden Eagles'
three first-place votes and 91 points.
After finishing in second place each of the past three seasons, East
Carolina picked up 71 points and is projected to finish third, edging out
Texas Christian for the spot. The Horned Frogs gathered 68 points.
Louisville senior quarterback Dave Ragone was picked as the favorite to win
his third consecutive C-USA Offensive Player of the Year award. Last season,
Ragone completed just over 60 percent of his passes for a league-high 3,056
yards and a conference-best 23 touchdowns.
Ragone led the league in total offense (260.2 yards per game) and in
passing efficiency (143.5), while throwing 15 touchdowns with just one
interception in seven C-USA games.
Last season, the Cardinals became the first conference team to have the
offensive and defensive players of the year in the same season. Based on the
coaches' vote, that will be the case again in 2002, with U of L defensive
end Dewayne White was named as the probable defensive player of the year.
White is the nation's leading returnee in sacks with 15, including 11
that came in league play. He set a new Louisville school record with 24
tackles for loss, finishing the year with 47 total tackles. In 23 career
games, White has 27 sacks (fourth on C-USA's all-time list) and 41 tackles
for loss.
Tulane kicker Seth Marler, the 2001 Lou Groza Award winner, was chosen to
repeat as Special Teams Player of the Year. He hit 15-of-16 field goals and
39-of-40 extra points during the season to record the second-best percentage
in the country of kickers with 14 or more field goals.
In the voting for the predicted order of finish in the league race, the
coaches chose Cincinnati in fifth place, followed by Memphis, UAB, Tulane,
Houston and Army, respectively.
Rounding out the preseason poll are Houston and Army. The Cougars are
represented on the preseason All-Conference team by defensive back Hanik
Milligan, while Army offensive lineman Aaron Burger earned a spot on the
preseason team.
Predicted Order of Finish (1st place votes) Pts.
1. Louisville (7) 96
2. Southern Miss (3) 91
3. East Carolina 71
4. TCU 68
5. Cincinnati 65
6. Memphis 48
7. UAB 42
8. Tulane 28
9. Houston 24
10. Army 17
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All-Conference USA and Individual
Award Selections |
First Team Offense
QB Dave Ragone, Louisville
RB Mewelde Moore, Tulane
RB Derrick Nix, Southern Miss
OL Jeremy Bridges, Southern Miss
OL Aaron Burger, Army
OL Andy Galloway, UAB
OL Jimond Pugh, Memphis
OL Brian Rimpf, East Carolina
WR LaDaris Vann, Cincinnati
WR Roydell Williams, Tulane
TE Ronnie Ghent, Louisville |
First Team Defense
DL Terrell Paul, Southern Miss
DL Antwan Peek, Cincinnati
DL Chad Pugh, TCU
DL Dewayne White, Louisville
LB Rod Davis, Southern Miss
LB LaMarcus McDonald, TCU
LB John Williamson, East Carolina
DB Greg Brooks, Southern Miss
DB Curry Burns, Louisville
DB Anthony Floyd, Louisville
DB Jason Goss, TCU
DB Hanik Milligan, Houston |
First Team Special Teams
K Seth Marler, Tulane
P Jarad Preston, East Carolina
KR Marvin Townes, East Carolina
PR Willie Quinnie, UAB |
Offensive Player of the Year
Dave Ragone, QB, Louisville
Defensive Player of the Year
Dewayne White, DE, Louisville
Special Teams Player of the Year
Seth Marler, K, Tulane |
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