Payne Named to C-USA All-Conference Team
12/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 5, 2001
Senior offensive guard Victor Payne is the lone TCU representative on the Conference USA all-conference first team, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches and media members in each conference city, the conference office announced today.
Three Frog defensive players, sophomore lineman Chad Pugh, junior linebacker LeMarcus McDonald and junior defensive back Jason Goss, earned second team all-conference accolades. In addition, defensive back Marvin Godbolt was the Frogs' lone representative on the All-Freshman team.
Payne, a six-foot, 305-pounder from Jasper, Texas, was the only returning starter of "The Big Uglies," TCU's offensive line. The strongest player on the squad with an 800-pound squat to his credit, Payne has made 34 collegiate starts, most on the team. He was named the "Best Blocker" in Conference USA by The Sporting News during the season. The senior lineman has been issued an invitation to participate in the Rotary Gridiron Classic post-season all-star game, presented by Tyco.
Pugh, at six-foot-three and 277 pounds, has been a stalwart in the middle of the Horned Frogs' defense. The sophomore from Saginaw, Texas plugs up the middle, allowing TCU to rank third in the conference and 10th in the nation against the run. His efforts helped the Frogs set a school record by holding Louisville to -47 yards rushing.
McDonald, a Waco product, notched 5 1/2 tackles for losses totaling 43 yards in the win over Louisville, including 3 1/2 sacks for 27 yards, earning conference Player of the Week accolades. His efforts helped the Frogs set a school record by holding the Cardinals to -47 yards rushing. The 6-1, 217-pounder is second on the squad with 75 tackles, including a Conference USA-leading 23 for losses totaling 104 yards. He is tied for the team lead with six sacks and has added four quarterback hurries.
Goss, a junior defensive back, has been the Frogs top cornerback this season, often taking the opponents' top receiver in man coverage. The 5-10, 182-pounder has been at the top of the list both in the conference (1st) and nationally (4th) with 24 passes defended, an average of 2.4 passes defended per game.
Godbolt, a redshirt freshman, burst onto the collegiate scene in a big way in the Pigskin Classic. The Frogs' strong safety from San Antonio made seven tackles, five behind the line of scrimmage for a total of 37 yards in losses in the Frogs' season opener at Nebraska. He was honored for his performance by being named the TCU MVP on ABC-Sports The 5-11, 195-pounder is tied for the team lead with six sacks and has 13 tackles for loss. He ranks among the nation's leaders in both tackles for loss and sacks for freshmen. The Sporting News called him the league's "Best Blitzer."
