November 20, 2001

COLUMBIA, S.C. – When casting your votes for the 2001 All-Southeastern Conference Football squads, please keep these University of South Carolina Gamecocks in mind. For the second year in a row, South Carolina has posted at least eight victories and will be making its second consecutive bowl appearance. The Gamecocks are currently ranked #18 in both of the national polls and have been nationally ranked the entire season – a first in the school’s history.

DEFENSE

Kalimba Edwards, senior, linebacker, East Pointe, Ga. – Selected team captain by his teammates…Semi-finalist for both the Butkus and Rotary Lombardi Awards…Preseason Playboy magazine All-America pick…Preseason All-SEC first-team selection…Team’s fourth leading tackler with 79 total hits…Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his sterling performance in victory over Georgia, which included nine tackles, one QB sack, two tackles for loss and two QB pressures…Had a career-high 14 tackles in victory over Mississippi State…Had 12 total tackles in win over Alabama…Tops the team with 11 QB pressures…Missed the Clemson game with a sprained knee…Consensus first-team All-SEC selection in 2000…Projected to be first round NFL draft pick in April…Named to the SEC Good Works Team.

Sheldon Brown, senior, cornerback, Ft. Lawn, S.C. – Candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award…Had two key interceptions in victory over Clemson…Has nine career interceptions…Named preseason All-SEC…Has 51 tackles on the season, with a team-leading 12 pass breakups…Recorded season-high 12 tackles in victory over Mississippi State…Against Alabama, he made eight tackles and broke up one pass…Named All-SEC in 2000.

Andre Goodman, senior, cornerback, Greenville, S.C. – Team leader with three interceptions…Also thwarted a two-point conversion attempt by Clemson with an interception…Has 41 tackles on the season…Second on the club with four pass breakups…Had interceptions vs. Boise State, Mississippi State, and Alabama…Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following the victory over Mississippi State, as he had an interception, four tackles and five pass deflections in that contest…Had six tackles vs. Tennessee…Had three tackles and two pass breakups in win over Georgia.

Rashad Faison, junior, spur (safety), Wauchula, Fla. – Pound for pound, he may be the best defender on the Gamecock team…Team leader with 99 total tackles…Has a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss…Also has an interception, two QB sacks, one fumble recovery, one touchdown and six pass breakups…Picked up a blocked field goal in the Boise State game and returned it a school-record 82 yards for a touchdown…Had eight tackles in the win over Georgia…Made nine tackles, including two for loss, knocked down a pass and caused a fumble in the victory over Mississippi State…Had seven stops, one fumble recovery and caused one fumble in win over Alabama…Made 10 tackles in win over Kentucky…Also caused a fumble in that contest…Had 13 tackles, had an interception, and took a fake punt 41 yards in the Wofford game…Had nine tackles vs. Florida…Played extremely well against Clemson with 13 total tackles (10 solo stops).

Willie Offord, senior, spur (safety), Palatka, Fla. – Has started all 11 games…Team’s fifth leading tackler with 77 total stops…Had seven tackles in win over Clemson…Made 10 tackles, caused one fumble and intercepted a pass in the win over Georgia…Had nine tackles, including two for loss, and recorded a QB sack in victory over Mississippi State…Had 10 tackles in win over Alabama and made six stops vs. Tennessee…Led the team with 10 tackles vs. Florida.

OFFENSE

Melvin Paige, senior, offensive tackle, Dillon, S.C. – Leader of offensive line who has 37 career starts under his belt…His blocking has paved the way for the running tandem of Derek Watson and Andrew Pinnock…Has helped USC rank second in the SEC in rushing offense on the season (187 yards per game)…Preseason All-SEC pick…Named second-team All-SEC in 2000.

Travelle Wharton, sophomore, offensive tackle, Hillcrest, S.C. – Has started 10 of the 11 games at the ever important left tackle position…Missed the Arkansas game with an ankle sprain (USC’s offense sputtered that afternoon)…Came back against Vanderbilt and helped USC ring up a school record 656 yards of total offense…Named freshman All-America in SEC All-Freshman in 2000.

Andrew Pinnock, junior, runningback, Bloomfield, Conn. – Team’s leading touchdown producer with 10 TDs on the season…That total ranks third in the SEC…USC’s second leading rusher with 573 yards on 103 carries (5.6 average)…Rushed for a team-high 80 yards on 14 carries in the win over Clemson…Rushed for 105 yards in win over Vanderbilt…Scored three TDs in victory over Wofford…Tallied two TDs and rushed for 61 yards in victory.

Brian Scott, senior, wide receiver, Darlington, S.C. – USC’s leading receiver with 40 catches for 647 yards and four touchdowns … Caught game-winning touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining in victory over Georgia … Caught a 43-yard TD pass in win over Alabama … Had five receptions for 112 yards vs. Arkansas … Had six receptions for 143 yards and one TD in victory over Vanderbilt … In win over Clemson, he had a game-high six receptions for 73 yards.

Derek Watson, junior, runningback, Williamston, S.C. – Team’s leading rusher with 591 yards on 128 carries (4.6 average) … Has scored seven touchdowns — five rushing and two receiving … Ranks second in the SEC kickoff returns with a 29.3 average … Ranks seventh in the SEC in all-purpose yards, averaging 104.8 per game … Rushed for 135 yards on just 16 carries in win over Kentucky … Rushed for 105 yards in victory over Vanderbilt … Rushed for 75 yards against Tennessee … His 66-yard return of the opening kickoff against Georgia set up USC’s initial touchdown … His career rushing total of 2,051 yards ranks 11th in school history.

Phil Petty, senior, quarterback, Boiling Springs, S.C. – Excellent field general who has led USC to 16 victories over the past 22 games … Ranks eighth in the SEC in passing yards (154.5) and ninth in total offense (175.7) … Is completing 58 percent of his passes and has thrown just six interceptions, while tossing 10 touchdown passes … Was very solid in win over Georgia, completing 19 of 29 passes for 193 yards and one TD … Threw game-winning touchdown passes against Georgia and Alabama … Led USC to school-record offensive performance vs. Vanderbilt, as the Gamecocks racked up 656 total yards…Not particularly flashy, he just wins.

Larrell Johnson, senior, center, Tampa, Fla. – Selected team captain by his teammates…Has started all 11 games at center…Powerful run blocker who has been main cog in success of offensive line…Moved to center at end of 2000 season and the move has proven to be extremely effective to the overall fortunes of the offense.

Shane Hall, junior, guard, Indian Mills, N.J. – Versatile offensive lineman who can play both guard and tackle…Has started 10 games, seven at guard and three at tackle…Dependable and consistent performer…His flexibility makes him an invaluable member of the offensive line.

FRESHMAN ALL-SEC

Matthew Thomas, freshman, wide receiver, Pearson, Ga. – True freshman who has come onto scene and made an immediate impact…Has 16 receptions for 219 yards, with a long reception of 58 yards vs. Alabama…His 32-yard reception late in the Georgia game helped set up USC’s game-winning touchdown…Has excellent speed and moves after he catches the football…Has also returned one kickoff for 12 yards…Has appeared in 10 games with four starts.