Liberty Bowl announces its 1990s All-decade Team
It isn't by chance Air Force is wellrepresented in the 1990s All-decade Team released by the Autozone Liberty Bowl. The Falcons played in the first three games of the decade.
Another common theme in the first half of the decade was defense.
The Falcons had with wins over Ohio State in 1990 and Mississippi State in 1991. Quarterback Rob Perez, defensive backs Carlton Mcdonald and Shannon Yates, linebacker Brian Hill and punter Jason Christ were among the Air Force standouts in those victories.
The streak ended in 1992 with No. 20
Ole Miss defeating Air Force, 13-0.
The Falcons' Fisher Deberry would also be named the decade's top head coach. Deberry participated in four consecutive Liberty Bowls, starting with a 1989 matchup against Ole Miss.
Top players from the annual bowl game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium have been honored the past five weeks to commemorate eight decades of existence.
No. 25 Louisville beat Michigan State, 18-7, and Illinois followed with a 30-0 shutout of East Carolina in 1994 to round out the first half of the decade.
Offenses rose to the occasion in the latter half, with winning teams averag
ing 30.8 points a game. Future six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection Donovan Mcnabb helped No. 23 Syracuse hold off Houston, 30-17 in 1996.
In 1997, Southern Miss roughed up Pittsburgh, 41-7. The next year, Tulane outlasted BYU, 41-27. Green Wave quarterback and bowl MVP Shaun King accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). A 23-17 victory by No. 16 Southern Miss over Colorado State capped things in 1999.
Here’s the complete 1990s All-decade Team:
Quarterbacks – Rob Perez (Air Force, 1990-1991); Donovan Mcnabb (Syracuse, 1996); Shaun King (Tulane, 1998)
Running Backs/receivers – Malcolm Thomas (Syracuse, 1996); Antowain Smith (Houston, 1996); Jake Hoffart (Pittsburgh, 1997); Kerwin Cook (Tulane, 1998); Sherrod Gideon (Southern Miss, 1997)
Offensive Linemen – Everett Lindsay (Ole Miss, 1992); John James (Mississippi State, 1991); Dan Beatty (Ohio State, 1990); Jeff Buckey (Stanford, 1995); Blaine Saipaia (Colorado State, 1999)
Kicker – Chad Holcomb (East Carolina, 1995)
Punter – Jason Christ (Air Force, 1991)
Defensive Backs – Carlton Mcdonald (Air Force, 1990-1991); Michael Jordan (Tulane, 1998); Shannon Yates (Air Force, 1991); Terrance Parrish (Southern Miss, 1997)
Linebackers – Simeon Rice (Illinois, 1994); Cassius Ware (Ole Miss, 1992); Brian Hill (Air Force, 1990); Keo Coleman (Mississippi State, 1991)
Defensive Linemen – Richard Glover (Michigan State, 1993); Adalius Thomas (Southern Miss, 1999); Artis Ford (Ole Miss, 1992)
Head Coach – Fisher Deberry (Air Force, 1990-1992)