USD Football 2002

44

USD Verizon/Academic All-Americans

CoSIDA/Verizon Academic All-Americans The CoSIDNVerizon Academic All-America Football Team, selected annu– ally by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America, honors the nation's best student-athletes. Just as the balancing of football and academics is difficult, the standards for nomination and selection to the team are rigorous. To be nominated, a varsity starter or key reserve player must have a minimum 3.200 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.000 scale). The program began in the 1950s with honorees in football; later, basketball and baseball all-academic teams were added. Academic and athletics biographical data of nominees are prepared in ballot form and mailed to the CoSIDA membership, who vote in each ofeight districts. From the eight district teams comes a national ballot, distributed to the 1,400 members for the final all-academic team. "The achievements of these young men should truly be commended," said NBC sportscaster Dick Enberg, spokesperson for the Verizon academic all-America team. "I often wonder where college students find the time and energy to play a demanding sport like football, excel in the classroom and be active on campus and in their communities. To me, these are truly all-Americans." Below is a look at USD's football Verizon Academic All-Americans: Dan Herbert Herbert was a four-year letterwinner ( 1978-81) and in his senior campaign set a school record for interceptions in a season with 8 (stil l the current mark) ... the 198 I squad finished 9-1 ... besides earning Verizon Academic All-America honors, Dan earned Kodak College Division II All-America honors, was selected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (San Diego Chapter) and participated in the 1981 Blue-Gray All-Star game. Dan is an attorney in San Diego. Jeff Mansukhani Jeff played four years between 1984-1987 as a wide receiver and kick returner ... he was selected 2nd Team Verizon/Academic All-American after his junior season when he hauled in a team-best 49 receptions for 811 yards ( 16.6 average) and 7 touchdowns .. . he also averaged 15.6 yards on 9 punt returns and 23.3 yards on 18 kickoff returns ... hi s senior year ( 1987) he caught 17 receptions for 338 yards ( 19.9 average) and 3 touchdowns ... he was a two-time USD Offensive Playerofthe Year. Jeff is an attorney at law. Bryan Day------------------- Bryan played four years between 1985-88 as a defensive back ... he was the school 's first two-time First Team GTE Academic All-American ( 1987 & 1988) ... he lead the Toreros' in tackles both hi s junior and senior campaigns and was a two-time USD Defensive Player of the Year ... in 1988 he tallied 88 tackles to go with 3 quarterback sacks (- 17 yards), 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 8 pass deflections and 2 interceptions ... in 1987 he totaled 91 tackles and 6 interceptions ... he carried a 3.78 grade point average in Business/Economics. He currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada where he is an attorney. John Gomez John played four years at USD (1985-88) and earned 2nd Team Verizon/Academic All-America honors his senior year ( 1988) as a defensive lineman ... he started his career at USD as a linebacker before moving to the line for his final two seasons ... he started 7 games in 1987 when the team recorded four shutouts on their way to a 6-3-1 season ... in 1988 he totaled 34 tackles in 9 starts with I quarterback sack and 8 quarterback hurries. John resides in San Diego where he is an attorney. Doug Popovich Doug became the school ' s second student-athlete to be selected twice as a First Team Verizon/ Academic All-American ( 1994, 1995) ... a two-time USD Defensive Player of the Year, Doug lead the team in tackles both his junior ( 142) and senior ( 125) campaigns ... three times he was selected the team's James B. Orwig Scholar Athlete of the Year ... he was named a $25,000 Burger King Scholar-Athlete of the Week (Oct. 7, 1996) and earned a $5,000 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship ... an Ocean Studies major at USD with a 3.88 grade-point-average, Doug attended Yale University's Graduate School. Jeb Dougherty----------------- In 1996 Jeb was selected First Team Verizon/Academic All-America after leading the Toreros in tackles ( I 13) and averaging 28.0 yards per kickoff return ... in addition, he was named Associated Press l-AA Third Team All-America; First Team AII-PFL; PFL All-Academic; a$ I0,000 Burger King Scholar-Athlete of the Week; and the team's Defensive Player of the Year ... during his junior campaign he earned 2nd Team Verizon/Academic All-America honors as a defensive back ... a two– sport star, he was a Third Team Verizon Academic All-America selection in baseball his senior year in 1997 ... drafted in the 1997 June major league draft by the Anaheim Angels. Jeb currently resides in San Diego.

Dan Herbert Defensive Back 1981

Jeff Mansukhani Wide Receiver 1986

Bryan Day Defensive Back 1987, 1988

John Gomez Defensive Line 1988

Doug Popovich Defensive Back 1994, 1995

Jeb Dougherty Defensive Back 1995, 1996