Jones Named Football News Player Of The Year Semifinalist
Virginia running back currently leads nation in rushing.
VIRGINIASPORTSDOTCOM Thomas Jones is one<BR>of five running backs<BR>selected as semifinalists<BR>for the Football News<BR>Offensive Player of<BR>the Year.
VIRGINIASPORTSDOTCOM
Thomas Jones is one
of five running backs
selected as semifinalists
for the Football News
Offensive Player of
the Year.
 VIRGINIASPORTSDOTCOM

Nov. 11, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - University of Virginia tailback Thomas Jones is one of 15 players named semifinalists for the Football News Offensive Player of the Year. Jones is one of five running backs selected by the magazine's editorial staff.

Jones, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, leads the nation in rushing this season (165.1 ypg) as he rewrites the Virginia record book. He is UVa's all-time leading rusher with 3686 yards during his career. His 1486 yards this season is a school record as he pursues the Atlantic Coast Conference single-season mark. North Carolina's Don McCauley rushed for 1720 yards in 1970, Jones needs 235 yards in the Cavaliers' final two games to break that record. Jones also owns ACC records for most 200-yard games in a season (three) and career (five).

Other semifinalists (listed alphabetically) include: RB Shaun Alexander (Sr., Alabama), QB Major Applewhite (Soph., Texas), QB Drew Brees (Jr., Purdue), RB Darren Davis (Sr., Iowa State), RB Ron Dayne (Sr., Wisconsin), QB Kevin Feterik (Sr., Brigham Young), QB Joe Hamilton (Sr., Georgia Tech), WR Darrell Jackson (Jr., Florida), QB Jarious Jackson (Sr., Notre Dame), QB Chad Pennington (Sr., Marshall), QB Chris Redman (Sr., Louisville), RB LaDanian Tomlinson (Jr., TCU), WR Troy Walters (Sr., Stanford) and WR Peter Warrick (Sr., Florida State).

The magazine also selected the following defensive players for its Defensive Player of the Year Award-LB Keith Adams (So., Clemson), LB LaVar Arrington (Jr., Penn State), DE Alex Brown (Soph., Florida), DE Courtney Brown (Sr., Penn State), S Tyrone Carter (Sr., Minnesota), LB Na'il Diggs (Jr., Ohio State), DB Deon Grant (Jr., Tennessee), LB Julius Jackson (Sr., Nebraska), DE Corey Moore (Sr., Virginia Tech), LB Julian Peterson (Sr., Michigan State), DT Corey Simon (Sr., Florida State), LB Mark Simoneau (Sr., Kansas State), DE Adalius Thomas (Sr., Southern Mississippi), S Brian Urlacher (Sr., New Mexico), LB Nate Webster (Jr., Miami, Fla.).

The Football News offensive and defensive winners will be announced on Dec. 1.