|
|
|
|
Thursday, December 13, 2001
ABC Sports Online's 2001 All-America Team
ABC Sports Online
When Nebraska headed out to Boulder for Thanksgiving, the Huskers seemed to be invincible. They were 11-0, and cruising to a Big 12 championship tête-à-tête with Oklahoma for a shot at playing for the national championship. After their 62-36 shellacking, it all seemed lost -- no national championship and no Heisman for Eric Crouch.
|  | | Eric Crouch has been the nation's best player all season. |
But everything could change this Saturday. If Tennessee loses to LSU in the SEC Championship game, the BCS computers could send the Huskers to Pasadena to face Miami for the national title.
And Crouch could rightly win the Heisman in New York. Crouch's numbers in defeat (360 yards, 2 TDs) are being downplayed. His ability to take Nebraska so far is being ignored. That is why ABC Sports Online is giving its Player of the Year Award to Crouch, the leader of the Husker option.
There were a number of standouts on defense, but there was one player who stood out time and again -- Roy Williams of Oklahoma. From bone-crunching hits to key interceptions, the junior was the key playmaker that made the Sooners the most feared defense in the nation.
The season had many surprises, but none bigger than the champions of the ACC and Big 12. ABC Sports Online Coach of the Year Ralph Friedgen directed Maryland to a 10-1 record in his first season in College Park, as the Terps ended Florida State's dominance of the ACC.
Colorado started its season with a 24-22 loss at home to Fresno State. Doubters started to expect another 3-8 season in Boulder, but Gary Barnett's team bounced back, and earned ABC Sports Online's Surprise of the Year. Since an October loss to Texas, the Buffaloes have won five straight, including wins over then-No. 2 Nebraska and then-No. 3 Texas to earn a spot in the BCS and possibly the national championship game.
There were many memorable games in 2001, from the seven overtime marathon between Arkansas and Mississippi to the 1 vs. 2 showdown between Oklahoma and Nebraska. But ABC Sports Online based its selection on the Game of the Year on the game's importance. With a trip to Pasadena hanging in the balance, nothing could have matched the excitement, importance and history that were on display when Tennessee beat Florida in The Swamp for the first time in 30 years to win the SEC Eastern Division title and move within one game of reaching the national championship game. Other games of merit were Texas-Colorado and Miami-Virginia Tech.
Looking ahead to next season, ABC Sports Online's "Team to Watch" in 2002 is Florida State. With a year under their belt, Chris Rix and Adrian McPherson should be ready when Bobby Bowden opens up his offense, the receivers should be experienced and healthy, and Darnell Dockett should lead a defense that will improve greatly after a down year.
|
OFFENSE
|
|
QB
|
Eric Crouch
|
Nebraska
|
|
RB
|
Luke Staley
|
BYU
|
|
RB
|
Travis Stephens
|
Tennessee
|
|
WR
|
Josh Reed
|
LSU
|
|
WR
|
Lee Evans
|
Wisconsin
|
|
TE
|
Daniel Graham
|
Colorado
|
|
OT
|
Bryant McKinnie
|
Miami
|
|
OG
|
Toniu Fonoti
|
Nebraska
|
|
C
|
LeCharles Bentley
|
Ohio State
|
|
OG
|
Andre Gurode
|
Colorado
|
|
OT
|
Mike Pearson
|
Florida
|
|
PK
|
Damon Duval
|
Auburn
|
|
All-Purpose
|
Bernard Berrian
|
Fresno State
|
|
DEFENSE
|
|
DE
|
Dwight Freeney
|
Syracuse
|
|
DT
|
John Henderson
|
Tennessee
|
|
DT
|
Wendell Bryant
|
Wisconsin
|
|
DE
|
Julius Peppers
|
North Carolina
|
|
LB
|
Rocky Calmus
|
Oklahoma
|
|
LB
|
E.J. Henderson
|
Maryland
|
|
LB
|
Robert Thomas
|
UCLA
|
|
CB
|
Quentin Jammer
|
Texas
|
|
CB
|
Phillip Buchanon
|
Miami
|
|
S
|
Ed Reed
|
Miami
|
|
S
|
Roy Williams
|
Oklahoma
|
|
P
|
Jeff Ferguson
|
Oklahoma
|
Second Team
|
OFFENSE
|
|
QB
|
Ken Dorsey
|
Miami
|
|
RB
|
Bruce Perry
|
Maryland
|
|
RB
|
Chester Taylor
|
Toledo
|
|
WR
|
Jabar Gaffney
|
Florida
|
|
WR
|
Darius Watts
|
Marshall
|
|
TE
|
Jeremy Shockey
|
Miami
|
|
OT
|
Joaquin Gonzalez
|
Miami
|
|
OG
|
Antwan Kirk-Hughes
|
Texas
|
|
C
|
Seth McKinney
|
Texas A&M
|
|
OG
|
Martin Bibla
|
Miami
|
|
OT
|
Victor Rogers
|
Colorado
|
|
PK
|
Seth Marler
|
Tulane
|
|
All-Purpose
|
Roman Hollowell
|
Colorado
|
|
DEFENSE
|
|
DE
|
Alex Brown
|
Florida
|
|
DT
|
William Joseph
|
Miami
|
|
DT
|
Alan Harper
|
Fresno State
|
|
DE
|
Anthony Weaver
|
Notre Dame
|
|
LB
|
Larry Foote
|
Michigan
|
|
LB
|
Levar Fisher
|
North Carolina State
|
|
LB
|
Ben Taylor
|
Virginia Tech
|
|
CB
|
Eugene Wilson
|
Illinois
|
|
CB
|
Keyuo Craver
|
Nebraska
|
|
S
|
Quentin Harris
|
Syracuse
|
|
S
|
Mike Doss
|
Ohio State
|
|
P
|
Travis Dorsch
|
Purdue
|
|
|
|
|
ESPN.com:
HELP |
ADVERTISER INFO |
CONTACT US |
TOOLS |
SITE MAP
Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.
|
|
