NEW ORLEANS -- The two hottest players in the Southwestern Athletic Conference have been rewarded with the league's top individual honors.
Corey Holmes, a 5-8, 195-pound junior running back at Mississippi Valley State University, has been tabbed the SWAC's offensive player of the year while Tommie Head, a 6-1, 210-pound junior linebacker at Jackson State University, is the league's defensive player of the year. The pair were recipients of SWAC player of the week honors more than any other players, Holmes winning the honor four consecutive weeks between October 23 and November 13 with Head capturing the weekly defensive honor a total of four times as well.
Holmes finished the season as the SWAC's top ground-gainer, rushing for a league best 1,692 yards on 333 carries, averages of 153.8 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. He scored 11 touchdowns. His season rushing yardage total eclipsed a 43-year-old school record of 1,460 yards set by Earnest Riggins back in 1956.
Winning SWAC offensive player of the year honors wasn't Holmes' goal, he stated, but he said he'll gladly accept the trophy.
"I worked hard all season," said Holmes, a native of Metcalf, Miss. "I had my mind set on winning rather than receiving individual honors. I'm happy to receive it, however. I give the credit to my offensive line and the coaching staff.
MVSU head coach LaTraia Jones stated, "I tell you, Corey is the type of guy you'd want to have on any team. He worked hard and richly deserves all the honors he receives. Great things are ahead for the upcoming season for him."
Head, meanwhile, finished his regular-season ranked fourth in the conference in tackles with 94, including 60 unassisted and 34 assists. He added five sacks, third-best among the linebackers. All of this came in his first season as a JSU starter.
"Tommie Head has proven to be an unselfish person and a hard worker," noted JSU interim head coach Robert Hughes. "He and I had a talk early in season about him giving it his all this season. He said he'd go out and do his best and he did it.
"Tommie's a mild-mannered person -- that's why we call him Clark Kent," added Hughes. "He can turn it on and turn it off. Off the field, you'd never know he plays football. On the field, he's one of the toughest individuals I've seen in a long time. He's well-deserving of defensive player of the year, not only because of his stats but also because of his character."
The 1999 All-SWAC offensive unit consists of four players from Jackson State, two from Alcorn State, two from Grambling State and one each from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, Southern and Texas Southern. JSU's recipients on the offensive unit consist of linemen Jeramogi Todd (6-1, 285, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.) and Kevin Thomas (6-1, 285, Jr., Franklin, La.), running back Destry Wright (5-10, 204, Sr., Clarksdale, Miss.) and wide receiver Sylvester Morris (6-2, 180, Jr., Jonesboro, La.).
Alcorn State's duo consists of tight end Marcus Holbert (6-4, 240, So., Morton, Miss.) and lineman Chad Slaughter (6-7, 317, Sr., Dallas, Tex.). Quarterback Lionel Hayes (6-4, 230, Sr., Baton Rouge, La.) and wide receiver Scotty Anderson (6-3, 180, Jr., Jonesboro, La.) are Grambling's selections to the offensive unit.
Rounding out the All-SWAC offensive team are lineman Terrance Beadles (6-4, 291, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.) of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Holmes of MVSU, lineman Damon Nivens (6-6, 314, Sr., New York, N.Y.) of Southern and placekicker J.B. LaCombe (5-11, 190, Jr., Riverside, Calif.).
The 1999 All-SWAC defensive unit is dominated by Jackson State and Southern, which account for four selections apiece. Alabama State, Grambling State, Mississippi Valley State and Texas Southern made up the remaining four slots.
JSU's contingent consists of linemen Jason Marshall (6-3, 295, Sr., Jackson, Miss.) and Eric Chandler (6-6, 285, Sr., Starkville, Miss.) in addition to Head at linebacker and defensive back Rashard Anderson (6-3, 195, Sr., Forest, Miss.).
Southern's defensive honorees consist of linemen Demarcus Miller (5-10, 285, Sr., Houston, Tex.) and Gillis Wilson (6-2, 282, Sr., Patterson, La.), linebacker Channing Warner (6-1, 232, Sr., Marrero, La.) and defensive back Edreece Brown (5-9, 174, Jr., Clinton, La.).
The remaining slot on the defensive unit went to linebacker Lernard Mack (6-2, 225, So., Missouri City, Tex.) of Texas Southern, defensive back Jasmine Tramel (6-0, 194, Sr., Tampa, Fla.) of Mississippi Valley State, defensive back Calvin Spears of Grambling State (6-0, 190, So., Baton Rouge, La.) and punter David Beckford (6-0, 195, Fr., Hollywood, Fla.).
The All-SWAC football team will officially be honored during HealthSouth SWAC Football Championship Week next month in Birmingham, Ala. The honors will be bestowed upon the recipients at the City of Birmingham Welcome Luncheon on Friday, December 10.
