Wednesday, December 12, 2001
Fonoti makes The Rose Bowl will be an indicator of more than who the best team in the country is. It may determine who the best offensive lineman is.
first team
The former Kahuku standout is
Lelie on third team
named to AP's list of the bestFrom staff and wire reports
After being named to the Associated Press's second team last year, Nebraska's Toniu Fonoti was named to this year's first team yesterday, along with Bryant McKinnie of Miami.
"I actually didn't even know they voted," Fonoti said in a telephone interview yesterday with the Star-Bulletin. "I'm glad to hear about it, it makes my day. I still have to win a national championship to get that icing on the cake."
The Kahuku product and McKinnie, who won the Outland Trophy over Fonoti last week, will share the field in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 3. As if a national championship was not enough motivation, showing people he is as good as McKinnie is.
"It is a little bit (of extra motivation)," Fonoti said. "It is something to kinda show people that I am good enough to get to be a finalist with him. He is a great player."
Going into the national championship game, Fonoti anchors an offensive line that has pushed Nebraska to first in the nation in rushing with 311.1 yards per game. The junior already holds the Cornhuskers' career record for pancakes with 379, breaking the record in 23 games. It took Aaron Taylor 35 games to set the old mark.
Fonoti is just the third Cornhusker offensive lineman to play as a true freshman since the NCAA restored freshman eligibility in 1972. The others were Jake Young and Will Shields.
Quarterbacks Eric Crouch and Rex Grossman added a new twist to the AP All-America team -- the Heisman Trophy winner and runner-up are both on it.
Crouch, Nebraska's option whiz, was selected as the all-purpose player, while Grossman, Florida's sensational passer, won the quarterback spot on the team announced yesterday.
Miami's Ken Dorsey was the second-team quarterback and Fresno State's David Carr made third team.
Crouch was the choice in a category that replaced return specialist 10 years ago. The change was made to recognize college football's more versatile players.
Crouch ran for 1,115 yards and 18 TDs, passed for 1,510 yards and seven scores and also caught a 63-yard TD pass. Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El was the second-team all-purpose pick.
Grossman, who topped the nation in passing with 3,896 yards and 34 touchdowns, led four Florida players -- the most of any school -- chosen for the 26-player AP team. He guided the Gators to a 9-2 record, an Orange Bowl berth, and was selected AP player of the year last week.
Wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, offensive tackle Mike Pearson and defensive end Alex Brown are the other Gators on the team. It also includes free safety Edward Reed, one of three repeat All-Americans.
BYU's Luke Staley and Tennessee's Travis Stephens are the running backs, with LSU's Josh Reed joining Gaffney at wide receiver.
Staley, the Doak Walker Award winner who ran for 1,673 yards, led the nation in scoring with 28 touchdowns. Stephens ran for 1,464 yards and 10 TDs.
Josh Reed caught 94 passes for 1,740 yards and seven TDs in helping LSU win the Southeastern Conference title and a spot in the Sugar Bowl. Gaffney had 67 catches for 1,191 yards and 13 TDs.
Along the defensive line are four standout ends -- North Carolina's Julius Peppers, Syracuse's Dwight Freeney, Tennessee's John Henderson and Brown.
Peppers had 912 sacks and returned one of his three interceptions for a TD; Freeney led the nation with 1712 sacks and forced eight fumbles; Henderson, injured early in the season, finished strong to come up with eight tackles for losses; and Brown had 1012 sacks for a defense that allowed just 14.1 points per game.
Oklahoma's Roy Williams, the Nagurski Trophy and Thorpe Award winner, heads up the secondary along with Miami's Reed, Texas' Quentin Jammer and Washington State's LaMont Thompson.
Williams had 101 tackles, five interceptions and 22 pass breakups; Reed led the Hurricanes' tenacious defense with nine interceptions; Jammer had 55 tackles and 24 pass breakups for the nation's top-rated pass defense; and Thompson led the Pac-10 with eight interceptions, including four against UCLA.
The rest of the offense includes Colorado tight end Dan Graham, Ohio State center LeCharles Bentley, and Colorado's Andre Gurode.
Graham caught 51 passes for 753 yards and six TDs for the Buffaloes, who won the Big 12 title and will play in the Fiesta Bowl.
Auburn's David Duval, who kicked winning field goals in three consecutive games, including a 44-yarder against Florida, is the place-kicker. Duval hit 16 of 27 field goals and all 30 extra-point tries.
The other defensive All-Americans are linebackers Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma, Levar Fisher of North Carolina State, E.J. Henderson of Maryland and Robert Thomas of UCLA.
Purdue's Travis Dorsch has a unique distinction -- he's the All-American punter and also made third team as kicker. His 48.4-yard punting average matched the fourth best in NCAA history, and he was 20 of 25 on field goals.
In addition to Reed, the other repeaters are Calmus and Henderson.
The first team has 15 seniors, nine juniors and two sophomores -- Grossman and Gaffney.
The SEC was the top conference with eight All-Americans, with the Big 12 next at seven, followed by the ACC and Big East with three each, the Big Ten and Pac-10 with two each and the Mountain West with one.
Associated Press All-Americans
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSEQuarterback -- Rex Grossman, Florida, 6-1, 223, sophomore, Bloomington, Ind.
Running backs -- Luke Staley, BYU, 6-2, 225, junior, Tualatin, Ore.; Travis Stephens, Tennessee, 5-9, 190, senior, Clarksville, Tenn.
Wide receivers -- Jabar Gaffney, Florida, 6-1, 197, sophomore, Jacksonville, Fla.; Josh Reed, LSU, 5-11, 200, junior, Rayne, La.
Tight end -- Dan Graham, Colorado, 6-3, 245, senior, Denver.
Center -- LeCharles Bentley, Ohio State, 6-2, 300, senior, Cleveland.
Guards-Tackles -- Toniu Fonoti, Nebraska, 6-4, 340, junior, Hauula; Andre Gurode, Colorado, 6-4, 320, senior, Houston; Bryant McKinnie, Miami, 6-9, 335, senior, Woodbury, N.J.; Mike Pearson, Florida, 6-7, 300, junior, Seffner, Fla.
Place-kicker -- Damon Duval, Auburn, 6-1, 186, junior, Chattanooga, Tenn.
All-Purpose -- Eric Crouch, Nebraska, 6-1, 200, senior, Omaha, Neb.
DEFENSE
Linemen -- Alex Brown, Florida, 6-4, 254, senior, White Springs, Fla.; Dwight Freeney, Syracuse, 6-1, 250, senior, Bloomfield, Conn.; John Henderson, Tennessee, 6-7, 290, senior, Nashville, Tenn.; Julius Peppers, North Carolina, 6-6, 285, junior, Bailey, N.C.
Linebackers -- Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma, 6-3, 235, senior, Jenks, Okla.; Levar Fisher, North Carolina State, 6-2, 233, senior, Beaufort, N.C.; E.J. Henderson, Maryland, 6-2, 243, junior, Aberdeen, Md.; Robert Thomas, UCLA, 6-2, 237, senior, Imperial, Calif.
Backs -- Quentin Jammer, Texas, 6-1, 200, senior, Angleton, Texas; Edward Reed, Miami, 6-0, 198, senior, St. Rose, La.; LaMont Thompson, Washington State, 6-2, 213, senior, Richmond, Calif.; Roy Williams, Oklahoma, 6-0, 221, junior, Union City, Calif.
Punter -- Travis Dorsch, Purdue, 6-6, 222, junior, Bozeman, Montana.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSEQuarterback -- Ken Dorsey, Miami.
Running backs -- William Green, Boston College; Larry Ned, San Diego State.
Wide receivers -- Lee Evans, Wisconsin; Marquise Walker, Michigan.
Tight end -- Jeremy Shockey, Miami.
Center -- Seth McKinney, Texas A&M.
Guards-Tackles -- Jonathan Goodwin, Michigan; Terence Metcalf, Mississippi; Fred Weary, Tennessee; Mike Williams, Texas.
Place-kicker -- Todd Sievers, Miami.
All-purpose -- Antwaan Randle El, Indiana.
DEFENSE
Linemen -- Wendell Bryant, Wisconsin; Alan Harper, Fresno State; Cory Redding, Texas; Larry Tripplett, Washington.
Linebackers -- Kalimba Edwards, South Carolina; Trev Faulk, LSU; Larry Foote, Michigan; Ben Taylor, Virginia Tech.
Backs -- Philip Buchanon, Miami; Keyou Craver, Nebraska; Troy Polamalu, USC; Lito Sheppard, Florida.
Punter -- David Zastudil, Ohio.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSEQuarterback -- David Carr, Fresno State.
Running backs -- Clinton Portis, Miami; Chester Taylor, Toledo.
Wide receivers -- Kevin Curtis, Utah State; Ashley Lelie, Hawaii.
Tight end -- Tracey Wistrom, Nebraska.
Center -- Luke Butkus, Illinois.
Guards-Tackles -- Martin Bibla, Miami; Eric Heitman, Stanford; Victor Rogers, Colorado; Frank Romero, Oklahoma.
Place-kicker -- Travis Dorsch, Purdue.
All-purpose -- Keenan Howry, Oregon.
DEFENSE
Linemen -- William Joseph, Miami; Jerome McDougle, Miami; Will Overstreet, Tennessee; Ryan Sims, North Carolina.
Linebackers -- Andra Davis, Florida; Lawrence Flugence, Texas Tech; Ben Leber, Kansas State; D.D. Lewis, Texas.
Backs -- Mike Doss, Ohio State; Michael Lewis, Colorado; Ronyell Whitaker, Virginia Tech; Tank Williams, Stanford.
Punter -- Jeff Ferguson, Oklahoma.
In a season full of individual honors, Hawaii's Ashley Lelie received his most prestigious yesterday -- third-team Associated Press All-American. Lelie honored as
AP third-teamerUH's record-breaking receiver
UH results, schedule
is the first to make the
prestigious team since ElamBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comThe junior wide receiver's thoughts went immediately to his teammates when asked what he thought about the recognition.
"It's good, a reflection of the team," Lelie said.
Lelie finished the season as UH's all-time leading receiver with 3,341 yards on 194 receptions. He also holds the school record with 32 career touchdown catches.
The Radford High School graduate also broke school single-season records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Lelie is the first UH player to get AP All-America recognition since kicker Jason Elam was named to the third team in 1992.
Return specialist Larry Khan-Smith was named to the second team in 1988.
Hawaii's only first team AP All-American was defensive lineman Al Noga in 1986.
Lelie said after Saturday's 72-45 season-ending victory over Brigham Young that he is leaning toward returning for his senior year rather than making himself available for the NFL Draft.
"I'll probably make a decision after Christmas," he said yesterday.
UH receivers coach Ron Lee said the decision is all Lelie's, but he obviously hopes the former walk-on returns for 2002.
"He has to do what's best for him and go with his heart," Lee said. "I think he wants to stay. He'll have another great year. We have all the ingredients to be better. I think he's having fun."
Lee said Lelie is an example of a player who improved through sheer effort.
"He always had the speed, but (two years ago) he didn't know how to run a route and didn't know how to get off the line, he had a lot of things to work on," Lee said. "He got better through hard work. I don't think he's reached his potential yet, there's still a lot of technique for him to learn. We haven't seen the best of Ashley yet."
Money matters: The final numbers aren't in, but associate athletic director Jim Donovan said the football team has met expenses for this year -- and that doesn't include income from walk-up ticket sales for the Brigham Young game.
"That game definitely helped us financially," Donovan said.
Before the BYU game, the football team had generated $3,684,000 and the expense budget for the year is $3,564,000, Donovan said.
UH will know if football met its projected net income in two or three weeks, he said.
Hana hou still unlikely: UH and Western Athletic Conference officials continued to give it their best shot yesterday, but it still appeared very unlikely that a Christmas Day game at Aloha Stadium could be set up for the 9-3 Warriors.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson was scheduled to meet with the NCAA regarding the proposed game. He did not return a call from the Star-Bulletin last night.
UH president Evan Dobelle was also at the forefront of the effort.
"Basically, there is nothing new," UH spokesman Jim Manke said yesterday afternoon.
Possible opponents for such a game include Mississippi, Wake Forest, Southern Mississippi and UCLA. But the teams have stopped practicing, some for several weeks already. Some players may have begun dealing with agents, which would make them ineligible.
UCLA is the only opponent likely to attract a sell-out crowd for such a game. But a source close to the Bruins athletic department said it is "extremely unlikely" UCLA would be interested in a game here.
Hawaii coach June Jones said he likes the idea of such a game. He is on the mainland and was unavailable for comment last night.
More national honors: Three Warriors were named to The Sporting News All-America teams.
Lelie was named to the third team at wide receiver.
Kicker Justin Ayat made the freshman first team, and offensive lineman Uriah Moenoa was selected to the freshman fourth team.
Jones mentioned again: Jones' name came up again in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story about Georgia Tech's search for a new coach.
Jones has repeatedly said he plans to remain as UH coach. His contract is currently being renegotiated.
9-3 overall, 5-3 Western Athletic Conference 2001 results
Sept. 8: Montana* W 30-12 Sept. 22: Nevada L 28-20 Sept. 29: Rice L 27-24 Oct. 6: at SMU (OT) W 38-31 Oct. 13: UTEP W 66-7 Oct. 20: at Tulsa W 36-15 Oct. 26: Fresno State W 38-34 Nov. 3: San Jose State W 34-10 Nov. 10: Boise State L 21-28 Nov. 17: Miami (Ohio) W 52-51 Nov. 24: Air Force W 52-30 Dec. 8: BYU W 72-45 * At War Memorial Stadium, Maui
Records for this year are before bowl games 2002 schedule
Aug. 31: Eastern Illinois (9-2)
Sept. 7: at Brigham Young (12-1)
Sept. 21: at Texas-El Paso (2-9)
Sept. 28: Southern Methodist (4-7)
Oct. 5: at Boise State (8-4)
Oct. 12: Nevada (3-8)
Oct. 19: Tulsa (1-10)
Oct. 26: at Fresno State (11-2)
Nov. 2: San Jose State (3-9)
Nov. 16: at Rice (8-4)
Nov. 23: Cincinnati (7-4)
Nov. 30: Washington State (9-2)
Dec. 7: San Diego State (3-8)
UH Athletics
