Holmes, Mack pace All-SWAC Football Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The same two players who were predicted to garner offensive and defensive player of the year honors in the Southwestern Athletic Conference before the season started are indeed the exact two players who've now captured those awards.

Corey Holmes, the stellar running back at Mississippi Valley State University who overcame an early-season injury to lead the SWAC in rushing for the second straight season, has been named the league's offensive player of the year, while Lernard Mack, Texas Southern University's star linebacker, has landed defensive player of the year honors. The two, in addition to all of the members of the All-SWAC first team, will be honored at the HealthSouth SWAC Championship Awards Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Birmingham.

For Holmes, winning offensive player of the year is particularly rewarding, considering the fact that he missed two games because of his injury but still managed to top the league in rushing with an average of 133.9 yards a game. The scored 10 touchdowns, ranked fifth in the SWAC in scoring with 6.7 points a game and ranked second in all-purpose yardage with 142.4 total yards per contest.

"I came into this year's season looking to lead my team to the SWAC Championship game, but I got injured during the Louisiana Tech game," stated Holmes, who also won offensive player of the year honors in 1999. "It was hard working my way back into playing form to accomplish such an honor as SWAC offensive player of the year again this year.

"It's a dream that has come true for me," added Holmes. I've worked hard at being the best I can be on and off the field. This season, there were some real good players on offense in the SWAC. Any one of the nominees could have been chosen as SWAC player of the year."

Mack, a 6-2, 225-pound junior from Houston, Tex., had the banner year that was expected of him, helping his Texas Southern team enjoy one of its most successful seasons in decades. He leads the conference in tackles with 119, including 62 solos and 57 assists. He added five sacks. "This season, I felt a little pressure being named preseason defensive player of the year," stated Mack. "I had a good game against Prairie View A&M and that boosted my confidence for the rest of the season.

"The award is a great accomplishment, however, I would give it back if it meant our team would be able to play this weekend at the SWAC Championship," added Mack. "A SWAC ring is what motivates me. This is one of the main reasons I've put my NFL aspirations on hold. I want to be a part of a championship at Texas Southern."

Besides the offensive and defensive player of the year honors, other special awards selected by the head coaches include freshman of the year, which went to Santino Hall of Texas Southern, and newcomer of the year, which was won by Robert Kent of Jackson State University. Hall, a 6-1, 185-pound defensive back from Palm Beach, Fla., is a co-leader in the conference in interceptions with eight for 37 yards. He also accumulated 26 tackles. Hall had three interceptions in TSU's 19-15 win at Jackson State.

Kent was JSU's do-it-all man this season. The 6-5, 205-pound redshirt freshman from Indianola, Miss. has ranked as one of the premier quarterbacks and punters in the SWAC all season long. As the Tigers' starting quarterback, he ranks third in the league with an average of 228.2 yards passing per contest while completing 165 of 331 passes with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. As JSU's starting punter, his average of 39.5 yards per punt also ranks third in the SWAC.

The two teams competing in the 2000 HealthSouth SWAC Championship dominate the All- SWAC first team. Both Alabama A&M University and Grambling State University placed four players on the first team units with Southern University equaling that number. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff followed with three first team selections, Texas Southern with two and Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Prairie View A&M University each landing one player apiece on the first team unit. Alabama State, Southern and Texas Southern also placed special teams players on the All-SWAC first team.

The 2000 All-SWAC second team was dominated by Jackson State, which had six players on the offensive and defensive units. The Tigers were followed by Grambling State and Texas Southern, each with three second team honorees, Alabama A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff with two, and Alabama State, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State and Prairie View A&M with one selectee apiece. JSU's place-kicker and punter also made the second team unit, as did MVSU's return specialist.

Coach of the year honors in the SWAC automatically goes to the head coach of the championship team. Accordingly, that honor will be bestowed upon either Alabama A&M's Ron Cooper or Grambling State's Doug Williams following completion of Saturday's title game.

The complete listing of the 2000 All-SWAC team follows:

2000 ALL-SWAC FOOTBALL TEAM
(As voted on by the league's head coaches)

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE:

TE: Marcus Holbert, Alcorn State (6-4, 250, Jr., Morton, Miss.)

OL: Charles Ray, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-5, 290, So., St. Louis, Mo.)

OL: James Hartsfield, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-0, 291, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.)

OL: Kendrick Rogers, Alabama A&M (6-6, 305, Sr., Mobile, Ala.)

OL: Frank Livingston, Grambling State (6-6, 200, Sr., Little Rock, Ark.)

OL: Quentin Brisco, Southern Univ. (6-4, 275, Sr., Carencro, La.)

QB: Darnell Kennedy, Alabama State (6-0, 180, Jr., Mobile, Ala.)

RB: Corey Holmes, Mississippi Valley State (5-8, 195, Sr., Metcalf, Miss.)

RB: Dwight McKissic, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-0, 220, Jr., Arlington, Tex.)

WR: Michael Hayes, Southern Univ. (6-5, 210, Jr., Opelousas, La.)

WR: Scotty Anderson, Grambling State (6-3, 180, Sr., Jonesboro, La.)

PK: J.B. LaCombe, Texas Southern (5-11, 190, Sr., Riverside, Calif.)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE:

DL: Robert Mathis, Alabama A&M (6-2, 235, So., Atlanta, Ga.)

DL: Antonio Mays, Southern Univ. (6-3, 255, Sr., Waterloo, Ia.)

DL: Kreme Davis, Texas Southern (6-5, 225, Sr., Dallas, Tex.)

DL: Ardante Dawson, Alabama A&M (6-5, 250, Jr., Miami, Fla.)

LB: Lernard Mack, Texas Southern (6-2, 225, Jr., Houston, Tex.)

LB: Edward Reese, Jackson State (6-1, 240, Sr., Mobile, Ala.)

LB: Robert Taylor, Grambling State (6-4, 255, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.)

DB: Calvin Spears, Grambling State (6-0, 190, Jr., Baton Rouge, La.)

DB: Brandon Reed, Alabama A&M (5-10, 190, So., Mobile, Ala.)

DB: Anthony Carr, Prairie View A&M (5-9, 175, Sr., Houston, Tex.)

DB: Edreece Brown, Southern Univ. (5-9, 175, Sr., Clinton, La.)

P: David Beckford, Alabama State (6-0, 185, So., Hollywood, Fla.)

RS: Nemesis Bates, Southern Univ. (5-10, 200, Sr., New Orleans, La.)

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:

Santino Hall, Texas Southern (6-1, 185, Fr., DB, Palm Beach, Fla.)

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:

Robert Kent, Jackson State (6-5, 205, Fr., QB/P, Indianola, Miss.)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Lernard Mack, Texas Southern (6-2, 225, Jr., LB, Houston, Tex.)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Corey Holmes, Mississippi Valley State (5-8, 195, Sr., Metcalf Miss.)

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Coach of the team which wins the SWAC Championship

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE:

TE: Phillip Doolin, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-0, 240, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.)

OL: Gary Akins, Jackson State (6-0, 310, Jr., Chicago, Ill.)

OL: Larry Metevia, Grambling State (6-0, 320, Jr., Baton Rouge, La.)

OL: Kevin Thomas, Jackson State (6-1, 285, Sr., Franklin, La.)

OL: Kris Allen, Texas Southern (6-2, 280, Jr., Lake Jackson, Tex.)

OL: Gary Jenkins, Southern Univ. (6-3, 290, So., New Orleans, La.)

QB: Robert Kent, Jackson State (6-5, 205, Fr., Indianola, Miss.)

RB: Ron Johnson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-0, 211, Jr., Pine Bluff, Ark.)

RB: Curtis Donnell, Alabama A&M (6-0, 190, Jr., Mobile, Ala.)

WR: Kenyon Hambrick, Alabama A&M (6-2, 190, Jr., Huntsville, Ala.)

WR: Daniel Guy, Jackson State (6-2, 195, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.)

PK: Brian Reynolds, Jackson State (5-10, 155, Sr., Jackson, Miss.)

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE:

DL: Willie Gray, Grambling State (6-0, 300, So., New Orleans, La.)

DL: Tommy Balom,. Texas Southern (6-4, 255, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.)

DL: Lawrence Pendeleton, Miss. Valley State (6-4, 285, Sr., Mobile, Ala.)

DL: Robert Malone, Alabama State (6-4, 260, Jr., Prichard, Ala.)

LB: George Guidry, Grambling State (6-2, 230, Sr., Lake Charles, La.)

LB: Howard Clark, Alcorn State (6-0, 221, Jr., Fayette, Miss.)

LB: Jamaal Ware, Alabama A&M (6-0, 215, Jr., Lanett, Ala.)

DB: Santino Hall, Texas Southern (6-1, 185, Fr., Palm Beach, Fla.)

DB: Kenny Bryant, Jackson State (5-11, 185, Sr., Jackson, Miss.)

DB: Bobby Perry, Prairie View A&M (6-3, 183, Jr., Miami, Fla.)

DB: Xavier Denson, Jackson State (6-2, 190, Jr., Morton, Miss.)

P: Robert Kent, Jackson State (6-5, 205, Fr., Jackson, Miss.)

RS: Terrell Adams, Miss. Valley (5-8, 165, Jr., Greenwood, Miss.)

Front Page

Newsroom Index