Jags stand out on All-SWAC list

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Six members of the Southern University Jaguars football team were selected to the 2002 All-SWAC Football Team. The team honors the most productive players of the 10 teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as voted on by the Conference head coaches and sports information directors.
Heading the list as Newcomer of the Year is sophomore running back Kenneth Peoples. Peoples led the SWAC with 780 yards this season in only ten games, averaging 78 yards per game. Peoples 780 yards helped propel Southern to fourth place overall in the SWAC in rushing.
On the offensive side and defensive end respectively, senior offensive lineman Gary Jenkins junior cornerback Lenny Williams made the All-SWAC First Team.
Sophomore kick returner Ezra Landry rounded off the list for Southern representing special teams on the All-SWAC First Team.
Wide reciever Michael Hayes and defensive back Herman Hartman bot earned second-team honors for the Jaguars.
Grambling State quarterback Bruce Eugene and Alabama A&M defensive end Robert Mathis were selected the Southwestern Athletic Conference football Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Jackson State wide receiver Torrey Ross picked up Freshman of the Year honors.
Eugene, is a 6-1, 230, sophomore quarterback from New Orleans, LA He leads the nation (NCAA, I-AA) in Total Offense with 4,159 yds (378.1 ypg) and Points Responsible For, 280 (25.45 gm). He has passed for 3,717 yds (tops in NCAA I-AA) with 37 TDs and rushed for another 442 yds with nine TDs. He recently set a new Grambling State single-season passing record held by his coach Doug Williams. Eugene is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, indicative of the best offensive player in NCAA I-AA football.
Mathis, a 6-0, 227, senior defensive end from Atlanta, GA, anchored an Alabama A&M’s defensive unit that led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in three of four defensive categories (Total Defense, Scoring Defense, Rushing Defense). Mathis led the SWAC in sack s (20), Tackles for Loss (31) and Forced Fumbles (10). His twenty sacks sets a new NCAA I-AA record.
Peoples of Southern, led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in rushing with 699 yds in nine games (77.7 ypg). He leads Southern in TDs (8) and Scoring (48 pts).
Jackson State’s Ross had 714 yds on 51 catches this season. His top games came against North Carolina A&T where he had 10 catches for 126 yds and at Grambling State where he gained 177 yds on 11 receptions.
In the overall count, all 10 SWAC schools had some player(s) picked to the 2002 All-SWAC team. Jackson State had nine players named to the All-SWAC team – two 1st team, six 2nd team and Freshman of the year. Grambling State had nine players selected – seven 1st team, two 2nd team, plus Offensive Player of the Year. Alabama A&M had eight players – three 1st team, four 2nd team, Defensive Player of the Year. Alcorn State had six players – one 1st team, five 2nd team. Southern had six players selected – three 1st team, two 2nd team, Newcomer of the Year. Two schools had five players picked; Miss. Valley – three 1st team, two 2nd team; and Texas Southern – three 1st team, two 2nd team. Alabama State had three players – one 1st team, two 2nd team. Prairie View A&M had one 1st team player and Ark.-Pine Bluff had one 2nd team player picked.
 
2002 ALL-SWAC FOOTBALL TEAM
First Team
OFFENSE
OL-Terry Riley-Grambling State, 6-0,300, Sr., Shreveport, LA
OL-Brandon James-Grambling State, 6-3, 280, Sr., Grambling, LA
OL-GARY JENKINS-SOUTHERN, 6-3, 290, SR., NEW ORLEANS, LA
OL-Robertville Louis-Alabama A&M, 6-1, 288, Soph., Tampa, FL
OL-Mario Branch-Miss. Valley State, 6-7, 330, Sr., Greenwood, MS
TE-Gershone Jessie-Grambling State, 6-4, 230, Sr., Houston, TX
WR-Tramon Douglas-Grambling State, 6-1, 205, Jr., Baton Rouge, LA
WR-Cortez Hankton-Texas Southern, 6-2, 200, Sr., New Orleans, LA
QB-Bruce Eugene-Grambling State, 6-1, 230, Soph., New Orleans, LA
RB-Tarnaka Counslor-Jackson State, 5-9, 178, Sr., Clarksdale, MS
RB-KENNETH PEOPLES-SOUTHERN, 5-11, 210, SOPH., WINSTON-SALEM, NC
P-David Beckford-Alabama State, 6-1, 185 Sr., Hollywood, FL
 
DEFENSE
DL-Robert Mathis-Alabama A&M, 6’0, 227, Sr., Atlanta, GA
DL-Willie Gray-Grambling State, 6-0, 285, Jr., New Orleans, LA
DL-Joseph Crear-Miss. Valley State, 6-3, 260, Sr., Moss Point, MS
DL-Ronnie Nunn-Prairie View A&M, 6-0, 223, Sr., San Antonio, TX
LB-Elgin Andrews-Jackson State, 6-1, 248, Sr., McComb, MS
LB-Jamaal Ware-Alabama A&M, 5-10, 205, Sr., Lanett, AL
LB-Cedric McDonald-Miss. Valley State, 6-1, 230, Jr., Sosa, MS
DB-Chris Brown-Grambling State, 6-3, 200, Sr., Zachary, LA
DB-Tyrone Parsons-Alcorn State, 5-9, 160, Jr., Memphis, TN
DB-Oliver Celestin-Texas Southern, 6-1, 200, Sr., New Orleans, LA
DB-LENNY WILLIAMS-SOUTHERN, 6-0, 185, JR., LAKE CHARLES, LA
K-Vincent Patrick-Texas Southern, 5-11, 190, Jr., Portland, OR
KR-EZRA LANDRY-SOUTHERN, 5-7, 165, JR., NEW ORLEANS, LA
*Tied*
 
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
OFFENSE
Bruce Eugene (QB) -Grambling State
DEFENSE
Robert Mathis (DE) -Alabama A&M
NEWCOMER
KENNETH PEOPLES (RB) -SOUTHERN
FRESHMAN
Torrey Ross (WR) -Jackson State
 
Second Team
OFFENSE
OL-Michael Matthews-Jackson State, 6-4, 300, Sr., Memphis, TN
OL-Jason Lewis-Alcorn State, 6-1, 298, Jr., Houston, TX
OL-Courtney Van Buren -Ark.-Pine Bluff, 6-6, 370, Sr., St. Louis, MO
OL-Chris Bates-Jackson State, 6-2, 285, Soph., Ridgeland, MS
OL-Chris Hammond-Jackson State, 6-4, 280, Sr., Chicago, IL
TE-Jacob Wilson-Alabama A&M, 6-1, 227, Jr., Mobile, AL
WR-Kris Peters-Alcorn State, 5-8, !60, Sr., Baton Rouge, LA
WR-*MICHAEL HAYES*-SOUTHERN, 6-5, 220, SR., OPELOUSAS, LA
WR-*Tim Manning*-Jackson State, 6-0, 180, Jr., Jackson, MS
QB-Robert Kent-Jackson State, 6-5, 218, Jr., Indianola, MS
RB-Melvin Gideon-Alabama A&M, 5-5, 181, Sr., Huntsville, AL
RB-Karrell Charles-Grambling State, 5-9, 200, Jr., St. Francisville, LA
P-Shane Phillips-Alcorn State, 6-3, 225, Fr., Melbourne, AUS
*Tied*
DEFENSE
DL-Bryan Williams-Alcorn State, 6-6, 315, Sr., Memphis, TN
DL-Earl Cochran-Alabama State, 6-4, 225, Jr., Birmingham, AL
DL-Deon Deboise-Jackson State, 6-1, 290, Soph., Shuqualak, MS
DL-Antwan Lawrence-Grambling State, 6-1, 280, Sr., Brunswick, GA
LB-Lernard Mack-Texas Southern, 6-2, 235, Sr., Houston, TX
LB-*Travorris Nunn*-Alabama A&M, 5-10, 234, Sr., Birmingham, AL
LB-*Dwan Wilson*-Alcorn State, 6-3, 225, Soph., Tylertown, MS
LB-*Willie Gator*-Miss. Valley State, 5-10, 220, Sr., Oxford, MS
DB-O’Keefe Henderson-Miss. Valley State, 6-1, 172, Jr., Canton, MS
DB-Antwan Hill-Alabama State, 5-11, 175, Jr., Mobile, AL
DB-HERMAN HARTMAN-SOUTHERN, 6-0, 185, SR., MORGAN CITY, LA
DB-Lamont Woulard-Jackson State, 6-2, 190, Jr., Gulfport, MS
K-Rashad Cyler-Alabama A&M, 5-8, 180, Jr., Stone Mountain, GA
KR-Corey Alexander-Texas Southern, 5-9, 185, Soph., Houston, TX