BATON ROUGE — When it came time to vote for the All-Louisiana College football team, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel took the message to heart.
On the team announced by the LSWA for 2002, only five of the 25 first-teamers were not natives of Louisiana. Of the five, four were from Texas and one from Mississippi.
The team was chosen by a voting panel of LSWA members following nominations by sports information directors of the football playing colleges and universities in the state.
Record setting Grambling State quarterback Bruce Eugene, LSU All-American linebacker Bradie James and McNeese State Coach Tommy Tate were the top award winners on this year’s team along with quarterback Steven Jyles of ULM and Roderick Royal of McNeese State who also captured special honors.
Eugene was the Offensive MVP of the team after throwing for 4,042 yards and 40 touchdowns in leading Grambling State to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship. The sophomore from New Orleans also rushed for nine scores and almost 500 yards, putting his I-AA leading total offense at 4,850 yards. He completed 241-of-484 passes and in the process broke many of Grambling head coach Doug Williams’ records when he was the star quarterback at the school. He was named the SWAC Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award.
James, who was one of 14 National Scholar Athletes chosen from all NCAA Divisions, led the Tiger defense that ranked fifth in the nation in total defense, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Tigers were second in pass defense and 12th in scoring defense. He led LSU with 147 tackles, third in the SEC. The total tackles for the West Monroe senior was the second highest single-season total in LSU history.
Tate took the Cowboys to the Division 1-AA Championship game and the No. 1 ranking in Division 1-AA with his only loss coming on the road at Nebraska, to earn state coach of the year honors. The Cowboys had wins over nationally ranked Grambling, Youngstown State, Western Kentucky, Northwestern State, Montana State and Montana.
Jyles of Louisiana Monroe earned Freshman of the Year honors, completing 181-of-368 passes for 3,218 yards and 17 touchdowns, while also rushing for three touchdowns. He earned Sun Belt and LSWA weekly honors against Utah State when the Baton Rouge product threw for 470 yards and four touchdowns. He was third in the nation among freshman QBs in passing yards per game (193.2) and total offense (206.9).
Royal of McNeese State transferred from Florida and earned Newcomer of the Year honors for first-year players in the state of Louisiana at the linebacker position. The junior from Baton Rouge made 121 tackles with 15 tackles for loss and four QB sacks. He was also voted first team All-Southland Conference and the SLC Newcomer of the Year.
Along with Eugene at quarterback on the first team were Stephen Peterman (LSU), Rodney Reed (LSU), Jason Davis (McNeese), Matt DeRoche (Nicholls St.) and Damian LaVergne (Louisiana Tech) on the offensive line; Jeff Hamilton (McNeese) at tight end; Mewelde Moore (Tulane) and Joe Smith (Louisiana Tech) at running back; Tramon Douglas (Grambling) and Michael Clayton (LSU) at wide receiver; Joe Corbello (LSU) as place kicker and Domanick Davis (LSU) at return specialist.
On the first team defense with James at the other two linebacker positions are Kurt Rodriguez (Northwestern State) and Roderick Royal (McNeese St.). The members of the first-team defensive line are Floyd Dorsey (Tulane), Roy Locks (Northwestern State), Chad Lavalais (LSU) and Quincy Myles (La. Tech). The first team defensive backs are Lynaris Elpheage (Tulane), Charles Tillman (Louisiana Lafayette), Corey Webster (LSU) and Hadley Prince (McNeese). LSU’s Donnie Jones is the punter.
Only Peterman (Mississippi) and Smith (Texas) on offense and Dorsey, Locks and Tillman (all three from Texas) are the only first-team players not natives of Louisiana.
LSWA ALL-LOUISIANA COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM
Selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association
First Team Offense
Pos. Name, School HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN
OL Stephen Peterman, LSU 6-4 300 Jr. Waveland, Miss.
OL Rodney Reed, LSU 6-4 280 Jr. West Monroe, La.
OL Jason Davis, McNeese 6-1 332 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
OL Matt DeRoche, Nicholls St. 6-6 305 Sr. Houma, La.
OL Damian LaVergne, La. Tech 6-6 325 Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
QB Bruce Eugene, Grambling 6-1 230 So. New Orleans, La.
TE Jeff Hamilton, McNeese 6-4 239 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
RB Mewelde Moore, Tulane 6-0 203 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
RB Joe Smith, La. Tech 6-1 220 Sr. Cleveland, Texas
WR Tramon Douglas, Grambling 6-1 205 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
WR Michael Clayton, LSU 6-4 192 So. Baton Rouge, La.
K John Corbello, LSU 5-11 225 Sr. Lafayette, La.
KR Domanick Davis, LSU 5-10 215 Sr. Breaux Bridge, La.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Pos. Name, School HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN
DL Floyd Dorsey, Tulane 6-0 260 Sr. Tyler, Texas
DL Roy Locks, Northwestern St. 5-11 240 Sr. Orange, Texas
DL Chad Lavalais, LSU 6-3 289 Jr. Marksville, La.
DL Quincy Myles, La. Tech 6-3 310 Sr. Shreveport, La.
LB Bradie James, LSU 6-3 248 Sr. West Monroe, La.
LB Kurt Rodriguez, Northwestern St. 6-2 238 Sr. New Orleans, La.
LB Roderick Royal, McNeese State 6-1 241 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
DB Lynaris Elpheage, Tulane 5-9 170 Jr. New Orleans, La.
DB Charles Tillman, Louisiana Lafayette 6-2 192 Sr. Copperas Cove, Texas
DB Corey Webster, LSU 6-0 197 Jr. Vacherie, La.
DB Hadley Prince, McNeese St. 5-9 204 Sr. Sulphur, La.
P Donnie Jones, LSU 6-3 218 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bruce Eugene, Grambling State
Voting: Eugene 12, Moore 3, Smith 2, King 2
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bradie James, LSU
Voting: James 15, Prince 3, Elpheage 1
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Steven Jyles, Louisiana Monroe
Voting: Jyles 8 1/2, Cannon 7, Zeigler 2 1/2, Lips 1
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Roderick Royal, McNeese
Voting: Royal 11, Johnese 6, Peoples 1, Quick 1
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tommy Tate, McNeese State
Voting: Tate 11, Daye 6, Williams 2, Scelfo 1
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
OL – Gary Jenkins, Southern; Andrew Whitworth, LSU; Chris McGee, Tulane; Dwight Hurdler, McNeese State; Terry Riley, Grambling State.
TE – Major Richmond, Louisiana Tech
QB – Josh Son, Nicholls State
RB – Vic King, McNeese State; Domanick Davis, LSU
WR – Fred Stamps, Louisiana Lafayette; Mack Vincent, Louisiana Monroe
PK – Seth Marler, Tulane
KR – LeJuan Walker, Nicholls State
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Willie Gray, Grambling State; Roy Locks, Northwestern State; John Paul Jones, McNeese State; Kenan Blackmon, Tulane
LB – Anthony Cannon, Tulane; Ryan Garrison, McNeese State; Curtis Randall, Louisiana Tech
DB – Chris Brown, Grambling State; Demetrius Hookfin, LSU; Terrence McGee, Northwestern State; Chris Thompson, Nicholls State.
P – Seth Marler, Tulane
HONORABLE MENTION
OL – Brandon James, Grambling State; Jonathon Raush, Louisiana Lafayette; Aaron Lips, Louisiana Tech
QB – Luke McCown, Louisiana Tech
DL – B. J. McNutt, McNeese State