Milligan, Reynolds Grab First-Team Honors
12/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 4, 2002
A pair of record-setting seniors at the University of Houston today were named Conference USA First Team, as it was announced by the league office in Chicago. Six other Cougars were picked up either Second Team, All C-USA honors or Conference USA All-Freshman accolades.
The five members of the all-league squad represents the most postseason honorees for the Cougars since 1999, when seven UH standouts grabbed either first or second team awards.
Free safety Hanik Milligan (N. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and running back Joffrey Reynolds (Tyler, Texas) were honored by their outstanding 2002 performances with a first-team selection to the C-USA squad, while senior tackle Chris Redding (Houston, Texas) and a pair of juniors, guard/center Rex Hadnot (Lufkin, Texas) and tight end Stephen Cucci (Bradenton, Fla.), grabbed second-team accolades. Three freshmen-defensive linemen Matthew Bentley (Alvin, Texas) and Kade Lane (Houston, Texas) and offensive guard Roy Swan (Texas City, Texas)-were tabbed Conference USA All-Freshmen.
Milligan concluded his UH career as one of the most prolific tacklers in school history, capping off his senior season with 145 tackles, seven pass breakups, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. A member of both the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy "Watch Lists," Milligan started in 34 straight games for the Cougars and posted at 10 tackles in 23 of those games. As a matter of fact, Milligan had a nation's best 21 straight games with double-digit tackles stretching over two seasons.
A 2001 All C-USA Second Team selection, Milligan concluded his career with 405 total tackles in just three seasons, which ranks him number-three all-time in that category. He also finishes in the Top 10 in solo tackles (235), assists (170), pass breakups (20) and fumble recoveries (5).
As for Reynolds, the three-year starter posted a career year in 2002, rushing for a Conference USA-best 1,545 yards and 11 touchdowns on 316 attempts. His rushing total broke the one-year-old record of 1,432 set by East Carolina's Leonard Henry in 2001. Reynolds also set the C-USA mark for 100-yard rushing games in a season with eight, and his 300 yards rushing against East Carolina last month not only set a UH single-mark, but it also broke the existing C-USA mark.
Reynolds 316 attempts set a UH record and his yardage was the third-best in school history behind the 1,757 posted by Robert Newhouse in 1971 and Paul Gipson's 1,550 yards set in 1968. Reynolds concluded his career with 2,947 yards rushing, which ranks him third all-time in league history behind UH's Ketric Sanford (3,636 yards, 1996-99) and ECU's Henry (3,089). With 149 yards rushing against Louisville in the season finale, Reynolds recorded the 13th 100-yard performance of his UH career, placing him fifth all-time in school?s history books.
As a part of the nation's biggest offensive line, Hadnot and Redding opened rushing lanes for Reynolds and provided the pass protection for the Cougar quarterbacks, as Houston generated 26.7 points and 392.8 yards of total offense per game. The Cougars finished second in the conference in total offense behind Cincinnati, while the rushing attack also was ranked second behind TCU (203.7) at 170.2 yards per game.
Hadnot began the year as the Cougars starting left guard, but the two-year starter moved to the center position midway through the season with the season-ending injury to Al James. Hadnot-who has started 23 consecutive games-allowed only one sack all season and graded out at 89 percent on the season while setting UH offensive line marks for pancake blocks (160), knockdown blocks (196) and ESPN blocks (122.)
At left tackle Redding guarded the UH signal-callers blindsides and like Hadnot, only allowed one sack all season. Redding graded out the highest among the Cougar linemen, posting a 90% with starts in 11 of 12 games. He finished the 2002 season with 123 pancake, 137 knockdown and 105 ESPN blocks.
The final member of the second team was Cucci, who makes the postseason list one year removed from surgery on both his shoulders. A starter in 2000, Cucci returned to the starting lineup three times in 2002, playing in all 12 contests and racking up 12 catches for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Cucci also was impressive as a blocker, grading out at 93 percent on the season with 82 pancake, 81 knockdown and 65 ESPN blocks-numbers that were tops among the UH tight ends.
Moving to the freshman squads, the young D-line tandem of Bentley and Lane were a major reason the Cougars' rush defense was fourth in Conference USA. A true freshman, Bentley played in all 12 games for Houston this season, stepping as a starter during a five-game stretch midway through the season. Bentley finished his initial collegiate campaign with 35 total tackles, including six for losses and three sacks, which was second-best on the team behind Farouk Adelekan?s nine.
Like Bentley, Lane played the entire season as a true freshman, starting all 12 games at defensive tackle. Lane ended the year with 28 total tackles and registered two tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and one each of a sack, fumble recovery and pass breakup.
Finally, Swan was inserted into the starting lineup prior to the Memphis game and showed no effects of his rookie season. Swan finished the year as a five-game starter at left guard, and he graded out 84 percent with only one sack allowed.
-UHcougars.com-
Note: Listed below are the entire postseason lists.
2002 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Dave Ragone, Sr., Louisville
Running Back- Derrick Nix, Sr., Southern Miss
Running Back- Joffrey Reynolds, Sr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Kirt Doolin, Sr., Cincinnati
Offensive Lineman- Jamal Powell, Sr., TCU
Offensive Lineman- Jimond Pugh, Sr., Memphis
Offensive Lineman- Brian Rimpf, Jr., East Carolina
Offensive Lineman- Torrin Tucker, Sr., Southern Miss
Tight End- Ronnie Ghent, Sr., Louisvillle
Wide Receiver- Damien Dorsey, Sr., Louisville
Wide Receiver- LaDaris Vann, Sr., Cincinnati
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Floyd Dorsey, Sr., Tulane
Defensive Lineman- Antwan Peek, Sr., Cincinnati
Defensive Lineman- Bo Schobel, Jr., TCU
Defensive Lineman- Dewayne White, Jr., Louisville
Linebacker- Michael Boley, So., Southern Miss
Linebacker- Rod Davis, Jr., Southern Miss
Linebacker- LaMarcus McDonald, Jr., TCU
Defensive Back- Lynaris Elpheage, Jr., Tulane
Defensive Back- Jason Goss, Sr., TCU
Defensive Back- Hanik Milligan, Sr., Houston
Defensive Back- Etric Pruitt, Jr., Southern Miss
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Nick Browne, Jr., TCU
Punter- Jarad Preston, Sr., East Carolina
Kick Returner- Broderick Clark, Fr., Louisville
Punt Returner- Damien Dorsey, Sr., Louisville
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Gino Guidugli, So., Cincinnati
Running Back- Art Brown, Jr., East Carolina
Running Back- DeMarco McCleskey, Sr., Cincinnati
Running Back- Mewelde Moore, Jr., Tulane
Offensive Lineman- Aaron Burger, Sr., Army
Offensive Lineman- Rex Hadnot, Jr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Jason Jiminez, Sr., Southern Miss
Offensive Lineman- Chris Redding, Sr., Houston
Offensive Lineman- Kirk Tuck, Sr., UAB
Tight End- Stephen Cucci, Jr., Houston
Wide Receiver- Travis Anglin, Sr., Memphis
Wide Receiver- LaTarence Dunbar, Sr., TCU
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Tony Brown, Sr., Memphis
Defensive Lineman- Terrell Paul, Sr., Southern Miss
Defensive Lineman- Chad Pugh, Jr., TCU
Defensive Lineman- John Turntine, Sr., TCU
Linebacker- Derrick Ballard, Jr., Memphis
Linebacker- Rod Day, Jr., Louisville
Linebacker- Zac Woodfin, So., UAB
Defensive Back- Blue Adams, Sr., Cincinnati
Defensive Back- Chris Brown, Sr., UAB
Defensive Back- Anthony Floyd, Sr., Louisville
Defensive Back- Kenneth Hilliard, Sr., TCU
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Jonathan Ruffin, Sr., Cincinnati
Punter- Seth Marler, Sr., Tulane
Kick Returner- LaTarence Dunbar, Sr., TCU
Punt Returner- Lynaris Elpheage, Jr., Tulane
2002 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Darrell Hackney, UAB
Running Back- Lonta Hobbs, TCU
Running Back- DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
Offensive Lineman- Travis Leffew, Louisville
Offensive Lineman- Chris McGee, Tulane
Offensive Lineman- Roy Swan, Houston
Offensive Lineman- Matt Traina, Tulane
Offensive Lineman- Joel Yakovac, Cincinnati
Tight End- John Doucette, Memphis
Wide Receiver- Joshua Tinch, Louisville
Wide Receiver- Damarcus Davis, Tulane
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman- Matthew Bentley, Houston
Defensive Lineman- Kade Lane, Houston
Defensive Lineman- Ranorris Ray, TCU
Defensive Lineman- Guy Whimper, East Carolina
Linebacker- Anthony Cannon, Tulane
Linebacker- Chris Moore, East Carolina
Linebacker- Julius Wainwright, UAB
Defensive Back- O.C. Collins, Memphis
Defensive Back- John Eubanks, Southern Miss
Defensive Back- Reicko Jones, East Carolina
Defensive Back- Sean Lucas, Tulane
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker- Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis
Punter- Chet Ervin, Cincinnati
Kick Returner- Broderick Clark, Louisville
