Cards Dominate All-Conference Team
December 05, 2001 | Football
Dec. 5, 2001
Regular season champion Louisville, ranked No. 22 in this week's AP poll, had a league-high eight players named first team all-Conference USA and a league-best 11 on the first and second teams combined. In a vote by the league's 10 head football coaches and media members in each conference city, Louisville players found their way onto eight of a possible 25 slots on the first team while no other school in the league had more than three selections.
Four members of the Cardinals' offense dot the list, led by junior quarterback Dave Ragone, who completed a league-high 60 percent of his passes for 3,056 yards and 23 TDs. Senior wideout Deion Branch, who pulled down 72 receptions for nine touchdowns and a league-high 1,188 receiving yards, junior tight end Ronnie Ghent, who nabbed 34 catches for 330 yards and five touchdowns, and senior offensive lineman Aaron Dardzinski round out the first team offensive selections for the Cards.
Louisville's three first team defensive selections include sophomore defensive end Dewayne White, who led C-USA in sacks with 15 and set a single season school record for tackles for loss with 24. Junior defensive end Michael Josiah, the Cards' all-time leader for sacks and tackles for loss, and junior safety Anthony Floyd, the Cards' career leader for interceptions, round out U of L's first team selections on defense.
Senior receiver/kick returner Zek Parker, the Cards' career leader for kickoff return yardage, was named the league's top return specialist as he also earned first team accolades on special teams.
Senior offensive lineman Rob Eble was Louisville's lone offensive representative on the second team, while junior Curry Burns and freshman Ronnie Gallishaw, both defensive backs, earned second team honors on the defensive side of the ball.
Gallishaw and defensive lineman Bobby Leffew were also named to the all-freshman team.
For Ragone, Ghent, Branch and Floyd, this marks the second consecutive year they have earned first team accolades while Josiah and Parker make their debuts on the first team after earning second team honors in 2000.
Offensive, defensive and special teams players of the year, as well as freshman and coach of the year will be announced on December 5.
