| The votes are in, and our panel of experts (read: me) has finalized its selections for UVa's All-Decade Team for 1990-1999. The leading vote-getters on offense are below. Defense can be found here; special teams can be found here; and final cuts can be found here. |
| Offense |
| Historical Stats & Info |
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| Quarterback - Shawn Moore |
| Sure, Moore only played one season in the 1990s. And yes, Aaron Brooks put up some impressive numbers and won several big games for the Hoos from 1996-1998. But during his senior season, Shawn Moore was one of the most exciting players in UVa history. As a senior, Moore completed 144 of 241 passes for 2,262 yards and 21 touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback in ACC history to lead the nation in passing efficiency (160.7). He was also a dangerous runner, finishing the season with 303 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned 1st Team All-ACC honors and was named ACC Player of the Year. Moore was also selected to numerous All-America teams (1st Team – Kodak and Football Writers' Association of America; 2nd Team – AP, UPI and The Sporting News). Moore led the Hoos to the #1 ranking, which they held for three consecutive weeks, and a berth in the 1991 Sugar Bowl. He finished fourth in balloting for the 1990 Heisman Trophy, capturing more votes than any other player in ACC history at the time. Moore is one of only six former Hoos to have his jersey number (12) retired. |
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| Running Back - Terry Kirby & Thomas Jones |
| This is far and away the toughest position on the 1990s team. Virginia was blessed to see three of the most gifted running backs in the program's history - Terry Kirby, Tiki Barber and Thomas Jones - come through Charlottesville during the 1990s. The decision was made even tougher by the fact that I was at UVa for Kirby's first two seasons, and he remains one of my favorite players of all-time. In order to bring some objectivity into the decision making process, I decided to compare all three players on 20 different criteria. Even though Kirby's freshman season was in 1989, I included his stats from that season so that the statistics would reflect a four-year snapshot for each player. Here's how they stacked up. (Note: "Rank" indicates where that player currently ranks on UVa's all-time list for that particular statistic.) |
Unfortunately, after reviewing this data I was even more confused about whom to pick. So I decided to
rank each category on a 5-point scale, where the player with the best numbers in a particular category
receives 5 points, the player with the second best totals receives 3 points, and the player with the third
best totals receives 1 point. In the event of a tie, I gave both players the maximum number of points.
For example, both Kirby and Barber led UVa in all-purpose yards three times, while Jones only led the
team in that category twice. Both Kirby and Barber received 5 points, while Jones received 3.
With that torturous introduction out of the way, here's how everything shook out:
rank each category on a 5-point scale, where the player with the best numbers in a particular category
receives 5 points, the player with the second best totals receives 3 points, and the player with the third
best totals receives 1 point. In the event of a tie, I gave both players the maximum number of points.
For example, both Kirby and Barber led UVa in all-purpose yards three times, while Jones only led the
team in that category twice. Both Kirby and Barber received 5 points, while Jones received 3.
With that torturous introduction out of the way, here's how everything shook out:
So there you have it. It kills me to leave Tiki off the team, as he's clearly one of Virginia's top-5 backs of
all-time and he's done so many great things for the University. But the numbers give Kirby and Jones
a slight advantage.
all-time and he's done so many great things for the University. But the numbers give Kirby and Jones
a slight advantage.
| Wide Receiver - Herman Moore |
| Like Shawn Moore, Herman Moore only played one season in the 1990s. However, it was the best season any UVa wideout has ever had. Moore finished the year with an ACC record 1,190 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions (both of which are still school records), and he had a touchdown reception in nine consecutive games (an NCAA record at the time). Moore also had four 100-yard games in 1990, three of which rank in the top-15 on UVa's all-time list. Moore was at his best in big games, putting up nine catches for 234 yards (2nd most in school history) and a touchdown against Georgia Tech, and six catches for 180 yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech. Moore was a unanimous 1st Team All-ACC selection in 1990 and was named 1st Team All-American by the AP, UPI, The Sporting News, Football News, and Football Writers' Association of America. In addition, he finished 6th in the Heisman Trophy balloting. |
| Wide Receiver - Tyrone Davis |
| This is another tough one. Virginia had several big-play wide receivers in the 1990s, but after Herman Moore, two guys stand above everyone else - Tyrone Davis and Germane Crowell. My gut said Davis was the pick, but I decided to do a statistical comparison just to be certain. Below is the breakdown. (Note: "Seasons in Top-15" refers to seasons that rank in the top-15 on UVa's all-time receiving list.) |
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It turns out this was even closer than I thought. It's tough to leave Crowell off the team, but the tie
goes to the guy I originally selected here - Davis.
goes to the guy I originally selected here - Davis.
| Tight End - Aaron Mundy |
| Originally, I thought there were a couple of possibilities here. However, that changed after I took a closer look at Mundy's numbers and realized that I'd been totally sleeping on him. Mundy lettered all four seasons at UVa (1990-1993) and started 31 games at tight end. As a sophomore in 1991, Mundy finished second on the team in receiving yards (409) and tied for second in touchdown receptions (5). As a junior, Mundy finished with 27 receptions (one behind Terry Kirby's team-leading 28) for 411 yards (second on the team) and three touchdowns (third). Although Mundy's statistics were down a bit as a senior (20 catches for 303 yards), he earned 1st Team All-ACC Honors. Mundy finished his career with 85 receptions for 1,196 yards and eight touchdowns. His 1,196 receiving yards put him just outside the top-15 on Virginia's all-time list. (Tim Finkelston ranks 15th with 1,279 yards.) |
| Tackle - Ray Roberts |
| Although Roberts played only half his career (1988-1991) in the 1990s, he was still a no-brainer. As a junior in 1990, Roberts was selected 1st Team All-ACC and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the player voted the most outstanding blocker in the ACC in a poll of conference coaches. As a senior in 1991, Roberts served as a team captain and once again earned 1st Team All-ACC honors. He also won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the second time, becoming only the second Virginia player to win the award twice. In addition, Roberts was selected 1st Team All-America by the Scripps Howard News Service and Kodak (American Football Coaches Association), and he earned second-team All-America honors from College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Football News, the Associated Press and United Press International. |
| Guard - Mark Dixon |
| Dixon is unquestionably one of the best and most decorated guards in UVa history. Dixon earned 2nd Team All-ACC honors as a junior in 1992. He then followed that up with a monster senior season, during which he was selected 1st Team All-ACC and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. In addition, Dixon was a consensus 1st Team All-American, earning 1st Team honors from the AP, UPI, Football News, Walter Camp Football Foundation, Football Writers' Association of America, College & Pro Football Newsweekly and The Sporting News. |
| Center - John St. Clair |
| Like Mark Dixon, St. Clair followed up a promising junior campaign with a breakout senior season. As a junior in 1998, St. Clair earned 2nd Team All-ACC honors and helped pave the way for Thomas Jones to run for over 1,300 yards. As a senior in 1999, St. Clair he was selected 1st Team All-ACC, received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and helped TJ rumble for a school-record 1,798 yards. In addition, St. Clair was selected 1st Team All-America by Sports Illustrated and College Football News, becoming the first center in school history to earn 1st-Team All-America distinction. |
| Guard - Noel LaMontagne |
| LaMontagne was one of the most talented and versatile offensive linemen ever to play at the University. After playing in nine games (including one start) as a redshirt freshman in 1996, LaMontagne started all 11 games at left guard in 1997. In 1998, LaMontagne helped pave the way for Thomas Jones' first 1,000 yard season and was voted 1st Team All-ACC, despite missing three games after injuring his ankle against Georgia Tech. As a senior in 1999, LaMontagne was selected as a team captain and was once again voted 1st Team All-ACC, becoming UVa's first offensive lineman to earn 1st Team honors in consecutive seasons since Ray Roberts. In addition, LaMontagne was selected to two All-America teams (1st Team All-America by The Sporting News, 2nd Team All-America by College & Pro Football Newsweekly), and he won the ACC's Tatum Award as its top scholar-athlete. |
| Tackle - Jason Augustino |
| Augustino was a three-time letter-winner for the Hoos (1993-1995). As a junior in 1994, Augustino started every game at left tackle and earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors. A team captain as a senior in 1995, Augustino once again started every game at left tackle, anchoring an offensive line that helped produce more than 2,000 rushing yards. For his efforts, Augustino was selected 1st Team All-ACC in 1995. |
