Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 9, 1993 TAG: 9312090078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From staff and Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Pyne was named a first-team All-American by the five services or publications recognized by the NCAA: Kodak, Football Writers Association of America, Wal- Dixon ter Camp Foundation, United Press International and The Associated Press.
Dixon was recognized by Football Writers, Walter Camp, United Press International and The Associated Press. He is Virginia's sixth consensus All-American and the third in four years, joining wide receiver Herman Moore in 1990 and defensive end Chris Slade last year.
Other consensus choices from UVa were backs Eugene Mayer in 1915 and Bill Dudley in 1941, and offensive tackle Jim Dombrowski in 1985.
Tech's consensus All-Americans before Pyne were defensive back Frank Loria in 1967 and defensive lineman Bruce Smith in 1984.
Loria was a first-team choice on the five teams Pyne made, but at the time, a player needed to make six All-America teams to be considered a unanimous All-America. Loria did not make the Central Press All-America first team.
In 1991, offensive tackles Eugene Chung of Tech and Ray Roberts of Virginia both were named first-team All-Americans, although neither was a consensus choice. Chung was selected by the Football Writers and Roberts by Kodak. Both were first-round National Football League draft choices.
Heisman Trophy favorite Charlie Ward, Lombardi Award winner Aaron Taylor and three-time selection Marshall Faulk were among the most notable Associated Press first-team choices this year.
Faulk made the team for the third straight year, the first player to do that since Georgia's Herschel Walker from 1980-82. The San Diego State running back, who will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft, led the nation with 24 touchdowns, was third in all-purpose yards and No. 5 in rushing.
Ward directed top-ranked Florida State's "fast-break" offense, which led the NCAA in scoring with a 43.2-point average. The elusive quarterback was the nation's fourth-leading passer, completing 69 percent for 3,032 yards, 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
Taylor, the Lombardi winner as the nation's top lineman, and Rob Waldrop made the team for the second consecutive year.
Joining Ward and Faulk in the backfield is Northern Illinois' LeShon Johnson, the nation's leading rusher with a 179.6-yard average. Johnson twice gained more than 300 yards in a game and finished with the fourth-highest rushing total (1,976 yards) in NCAA history.
Another record-setter, Wyoming's Ryan Yarborough, leads a trio of wide receivers on the AP squad. The others are J.J. Stokes of UCLA and Johnnie Morton of Southern Cal.
Yarborough caught 67 passes for 1,512 yards to become the NCAA's all-time leader in receiving yardage leader with 4,357. He finished second in career touchdown catches with 42.
The all-purpose player is Alabama's David Palmer, who was used as a runner, receiver, quarterback, punt returner and kickoff returner.
Rounding out the offense are Pyne, Dixon, tackle Wayne Gandy of Auburn, Stacy Seegars of Clemson and UCLA kicker Bjorn Merten.
Dixon was declared academically ineligible before Virginia's final regular-season game and will not play for the Cavaliers in the Carquest Bowl.
Along with Waldrop, the defensive line includes Dan Wilkinson of Ohio State, Sam Adams of Texas A&M and Kevin Patrick of Miami.
The linebackers are Trev Alberts of Nebraska, Derrick Brooks of Florida State and Dana Howard of Illinois. The secondary features Antonio Langham of Alabama, Aaron Glenn of Texas A&M, Jeff Burris of Notre Dame and Jaime Mendez of Kansas State.
The punter is Auburn's Terry Daniel, who finished second nationally with a 46.9-yard average.
Florida State, Auburn, Alabama, UCLA, Texas A&M and Notre Dame each had two players on the team, which was selected by AP football writer Rick Warner and regional AP sports writers.
There are nine underclassmen on the team - seven juniors plus Merten and Wilkinson. The juniors are Faulk, Stokes, Palmer, Adams, Brooks, Howard and Daniel.
The All-America team will be featured at 8 p.m. Dec. 15 on the Bob Hope Christmas show (WSLS Channel 10).
by CNB