Eight repeat selections, including Fresno State quarterback Trent Dilfer and San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk, head the 1993 All-Western Athletic Conference football team announced Tuesday.
Dennis Franchione, who directed New Mexico to its first winning season since 1982, was named the WAC Coach of the Year.In voting by the league's head coaches, nine of the WAC's 10 teams were represented on the first team, with Colorado State and Fresno State leading the way at five selections apiece. New Mexico was next with four, followed by Wyoming and Brigham Young with three each.
Franchione, 42, guided the Lobos to a 6-5 record in his second season as head coach. He was a narrow winner over Wyoming's Joe Tiller.
Dilfer was named the WAC's offensive player of the year, and Texas-El Paso linebacker Barron Wortham, who led the league with 88 unassisted tackles, was the defensive player of the year.
Wyoming offensive tackle Steve Scifres was named freshman of the year, and Air Force punter-placekicker Chris MacInnis was the special teams player of the year.
Besides Dilfer and Faulk, repeat selections included three wide receivers - Ryan Yarborough of Wyoming, Darnay Scott of San Diego State and Eric Drage of BYU. Also repeating were Wortham, defensive end Luther Elliss of Utah and safety Greg Myers of CSU.
Dilfer, who led FSU to no worse than a WAC co-championship, ranks second nationally in passing efficiency and has a current NCAA-record string of 271 consecutive passes without an interception. Faulk, named to the first team for the third straight year, has rushed for 1,380 yards with one game remaining and leads the WAC with 18 touchdowns.
Faulk is joined in the backfield by FSU's Ron Rivers, who currently leads the WAC in rushing with 1,440 yards.
Yarborough, Scott and Drage rank second, fifth and sixth, respectively, on the WAC's all-time receiving yardage list. Yarborough has caught 57 passes for 1,295 yards and 13 TDs this year. Scott has a WAC-high 72 catches for 1,242 yards and 10 TDs. Drage, sidelined the last two games with broken ribs, has 50 catches for 839 yards and four TDs.
CSU, the WAC leader in total defense, placed four defenders on the first team. Besides Myers, other Rams named to the squad were linebacker Brian Schneider and linemen Steve Norton and Steve Hodge.
1993 All-Western Athletic Conference football team
First Team
WR - Ryan Yarborough, 6-2, 185, senior, Wyoming; Darnay Scott, 6-3, 185, junior, San Diego St.; Eric Drage, 6-1, 185, senior, Brigham Young.
TE - Mike Jones, 6-2, 235, senior, Wyoming.
OL - Jason James, 6-5, 305, junior, Fresno St.; Bob Cox, 6-1, 269, senior, Colorado St.; Lance Scott, 6-3, 268, junior, Utah; Chad Mathis, 6-5, 275, senior, Air Force; Klint Hall, 6-7, 288, senior, New Mexico; Mike Empey, 6-7, 290, senior, Brigham Young.
QB - Trent Dilfer, 6-5, 225, junior, Fresno St.
RB - Marshall Faulk, 5-10, 200, junior, San Diego St.; Ron Rivers, 5-9, 190, senior, Fresno St.
DL - Steve Norton, 6-2, 260, senior, Colorado St.; Kurt Whitehead, 6-3, 244, senior, Wyoming; Luther Elliss, 6-5, 257, junior, Utah; Steve Hodge, 6-2, 260, junior, Colorado St.
LB - Barron Wortham, 6-0, 230, senior, Texas-El Paso; Brian Schneider, 6-1, 223, senior, Colorado St.; Tuli Mateialona, 6-1, 227, senior, New Mexico; Todd Herget, 6-3, 230, senior, Brigham Young.
DB - Greg Myers, 6-2, 184, sophomore, Colorado St.; Eric Jack, 5-10, 177, senior, New Mexico; James Burton, 5-9, 180, senior, Fresno St.; Ray Wilson, 6-1, 199, senior, New Mexico.
PK - Derek Mahoney, 5-11, 170, senior, Fresno St.; Marshall Young, 5-9, 193, sophomore, Texas-El Pasophomore
P - Chris MacInnis, 5-11, 183, senior, Air Force.
RS - Greg Myers, 6-2, 184, sophomore, Colorado St.
Offensive Player of Year - Trent Dilfer, QB, Fresno St.
Defensive Player of Year - Barron Wortham, LB, UTEP.
Freshman of Year - Steve Scifres, OT, Wyoming.
Special Teams Player of Year - Chris MacInnis, PK-P, Air Force.
Coach of Year - Dennis Franchione, New Mexico.
Second Team
WR - Bryan Rowley, Utah; Carl Winston, UNM.
TE - Henry Lusk, Utah.
OL - Ron Collins, FSU; Pat Meyer, CSU; Carlson Leomiti, SDSU; Anthony Brown, Utah; Mike Alexander, SDSU; Peter Pale, Hawaii.
QB - Stoney Case, UNM; Mike McCoy, Utah; John Walsh, BYU.
RB - Jamal Anderson, Utah; Ryan Christopherson, Wyoming.
PK - Chris Yergensen, Utah.
RS - Tyler Anderson, BYU.
DL - Brad Bell, FSU; Lenny Gomes, BYU; La'Roi Glover, SDSU; Brent Schieffer, Wyoming.
LB - Mike Black, AFA; Mark Rexford, Utah; Ron Papazian, FSU; Johnny Harrison, AFA; Al Aliipule, Hawaii.
DB - Andre Strode, CSU; Darrell Lewis, SDSU; Brian Watkins, AFA; Kenny Johnson, Wyoming.
P - Mike Nesbitt, UNM.
Honorable Mention
WR - Tyler Anderson, BYU; Paul Turner, CSU; Charlie Jones, FSU; Malcolm Seabron, FSU; Lee Harris, FSU; Tydus Winans, FSU; Turhon O'Bannon, UNM; J.J. Rowlett, UTEP; Deron Claiborne, Utah. TE - Dave Eaglin, AFA; David Sloan, UNM. OL - Erik Mitchell, AFA; Eli Herring, BYU; Evan Pilgrim, BYU; Derek Yurosek, CSU; Josh Coldiron, FSU; Kenny Hall, FSU; Russ Hartmann, FSU; Travis Fonseca, Hawaii; Lene Amosa, Hawaii; Justin Hall, UNM; Omar Lowrance, UTEP; Ed Castillo, Utah; Greg Scanlan, Wyoming; Cody Kelly, Wyoming; Steve Scifres, Wyoming; Chris Finch, SDSU. QB - Michael Carter, Hawaii; Anthoney Hill, CSU; Tim Gutierrez, SDSU; Joe Hughes, Wyoming. RB - Obasi Onuoha, AFA; Wayne Young, AFA; Kalin Hall, BYU; Jamal Willis, BYU; E.J. Watson, CSU; Anthony Daigle, FSU; Brian Gordon, Hawaii; Winslow Oliver, UNM.
DL - Curtis Sutton, AFA; Rod Melzer, AFA; Randy Brock, BYU; Travis Hall, BYU; Sean Moran, CSU; Demetrius Edwards, FSU; Taase Faumui, Hawaii; Jarrett Anderson, UNM; Buddy Billingsley, UNM; Jamal Duff, SDSU; Turaj Smith, SDSU; Pookie Floyd, UTEP; Blaine Berger, Utah; Bronzell Miller, Utah; Thomas Williams, Wyoming; Tyrone Williams, Wyoming. LB - Steve Russ, AFA; Steve Walker, AFA; Saxon Yandell, AFA; Nathan Hall, BYU; Chris Peters, FSU; Gene Smith, FSU; Stu Williams, Hawaii; Dan Coverly, UNM; Terry Moore, UNM; Mark Brook, Wyoming. DB - Kelvin King, AFA; Patrick Mitchell, BYU; Ray Jackson, CSU; Omar Stoutmire, FSU; Tommy Jones, FSU; Carlos Anderson, Hawaii; Herb McKinley, UNM; Eric Sutton, SDSU; Cedric Crawford, Utah; Steve Hendrix, Wyoming; Rob Levin, Wyoming.
PK - Chris MacInnis, AFA; Peter Holt, SDSU. P - Alan Boardman, BYU; Steve Wilson, Hawaii; Mike McGee, CSU; Marshall Young, UTEP. RS - David Dunn, FSU; Obasi Onuoha, AFA; Ray Peterson, SDSU; Keith Williams, Utah; Prentice Rhone, Wyoming.