Maryland Football 2000 Preseason Honors
6/21/2000 8:00:00 AM | Football
June 21, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Bolstered by LaMont Jordan, an outstanding all-junior linebacking corps, and specialists Brian Kopka and Brooks Barnard, the Maryland football team enters fall camp in early August with a host of highly-touted stars and units.
Jordan, the Terrapin's Heisman Trophy candidate running back, is featured consistently among national publications as one of the nation's best talents. After rushing for a school-record 1,632 yards last season and on pace to challenge the ACC career rushing mark, Jordan was honored as a Playboy All-American in May. Lindy's Preseason Annual lists the Forestville, Md., native as the country's top runner, while The Sporting News and College Football News both rank him No. 2. Lindy's ranked Jordan at No. 7 in this year's preseason Heisman race and The Sporting News ranked him No. 8. College Football News called him the No. 3 offensive player in the nation.
Paired with senior fullback Matt Kalapinski, who The Sporting News ranked as the No. 3 fullback in the country, Jordan and Kalapinski help to form what Lindy's ranked as the No. 8 offensive backfield in the nation.
Defensively, the Terps' linebacking corps is much-heralded heading into preseason camp. Led by leading returning tacklers Marlon Moore (130), Aaron Thompson (111) and Kevin Bishop (84), the trio helped the Terps earn a No. 8 unit ranking by Lindy's. Individually, third-year starter Thompson was named by Lindy's as the 14th-best outside lineback in the country.
Maryland's special teams and kicking units were also praised, based on past performance by returning placekicker Kopka, punter Barnard and return man Guilian Gary. Lindy's called the Maryland kicking game the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference. College Football News ranked the Terps' special teams as the league's best.
Kopka, ranked among national kicking and scoring leaders the past two seasons, was chosen by The Sporting News as the No. 2 kicker in the nation and the No. 2 candidate for the Lou Groza Award honoring the country's best kicker. He was ranked No. 8 nationally by College Football News. Barnard, whose 42.1-yard punting average last year was Maryland's best since 1993, was a third-team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News last season. Gary, the Terps' leading receiver in 1999 and the ACC leader in punt return yards, is on track to challenge the Maryland record for punt return yards in just his junior season.
Other notable Terps in preseason annuals include junior center Melvin Fowler, Jr. and junior defensive lineman Charles Hill, secondary-mates Shawn Forte and Tony Okanlawon, and freshman newcomers Chris Kelley and Maurice Shanks.
Also noted in this year's edition of the Lindy's Annual were All-Century and All-Decade reviews of the ACC. Former Terp defensive tackle Randy White as the ACC's defensive player of the century. Earning All-Century first team offense all-league accolades were offensive lineman Bob Pellegrini and Mike Sandusky, while teammate and fellow lineman Stan Jones was named to the second team. All three lineman helped the 1953 and 1955 Maryland teams to notoriety as the No. 4 and No. 6 ACC teams of all-time. White's 1984 Terps joined the '55 team in a sixth-place tie.
Among ACC All-Decade recipients was Jordan who, despite playing a part of his career during the decade of the '90s, was named a first team All-Decade running back.
Maryland football honors by national preseason publications:
LaMont Jordan Playboy All-American No. 2 running back in the nation - The Sporting News No. 8 Heisman Trophy candidate - The Sporting News All-ACC first team running back - The Sporting News All-America first team running back - Lindy's/Sportsline.com No. 1 running back in the nation - Lindy's No. 7 Heisman Trophy candidate - Lindy's No. 3 Doak Walker Award candidate - Lindy's No. 1 talent in the ACC - Lindy's All-ACC first team running back - Lindy's ACC "Real-Deal" Heisman candidate - Lindy's ACC "Real-Deal" Doak Walker candidate - Lindy's All-ACC running back - Athlon Sports All-America running back - Athlon Sports No. 2 running back in the nation - College Football News No. 3 offensive player in the pation - College Football News All-America first team running back - College Football News No. 1 Top ACC player - College Football News
Brian Kopka No. 2 kicker in the nation - The Sporting News No. 2 Lou Groza candidate - The Sporting News All-ACC first team kicker - The Sporting News All-ACC first team placekicker - Lindy's ACC "Real Deal" Lou Groza candidate - Lindy's All-ACC kicker - Athlon Sports No. 8 kicker in the nation - College Football News All-America honorable mention kicker - College Football News
Melvin Fowler, Jr. No. 7 center in the nation - The Sporting News All-ACC first team center - The Sporting News No. 14 center in the nation - Lindy's All-ACC first team center - Lindy's All-ACC first team center - Athlon Sports
Aaron Thompson All-ACC second team linebacker - The Sporting News No. 14 outside linebacker in the nation - Lindy's All-ACC second team linebacker - Lindy's
Charles Hill All-ACC second team defensive tackle - The Sporting News All-ACC second team defensive lineman - Lindy's
Matt Kalapinski No. 3 fullback in the nation - The Sporting News
Shawn Forte All-ACC second team defensive back - Lindy's
Brooks Barnard All-ACC second team punter - Lindy's
Tony Okanlawon All-ACC second team cornerback - The Sporting News
Maurice Shanks Future Star of the ACC, WR - Athlon Sports "Freshman of Influence" - Lindy's
Chris Kelley Future Star of the ACC, QB - Athlon Sports
National Unit Awards No. 7 Offensive Backfield - Lindy's No. 8 Top Linebacker Corps - Lindy's No. 17 Offensive Backfield - College Football News No. 26 Wide Receivers - College Football News No. 37 Offensive Line - College Football News
Conference Unit Awards No. 2 Quarterbacks - Lindy's No. 3 Receivers - Lindy's No. 2 Running Backs - Lindy's No. 4 Offensive Line - Lindy's No. 3 Defensive Line - Lindy's No. 2 Linebackers - Lindy's No. 1 Kicking Game - Lindy's No. 3 Offensive Backfield - College Football News No. 4 Receivers - College Football News No. 4 Offensive Line - College Football News No. 1 Special Teams - College Football News
ACC Century In Review - Lindy's Team of the Century 4. 1953 Maryland T6. 1955 Maryland T6. 1984 Maryland
Defensive Player of the Century Randy White, DL, Maryland
All-Century First Team Offense OL Bob Pellegrini OL Mike Sandusky
All-Century Second Team Offense OL Stan Jones
All-Century First Team Defense DL Randy White
