2000 All-USA football team All-USA second team

State-by-state players of the year First-team offense Joe Mauer. (Steve Wewerka, USA TODAY) Player of the year

QB  JOE MAUER, 6-4, 210, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul). Quick hits: Completed 178 of 288 passes for 3,022 yards and 41 TDs. Threw seven TD passes in a state playoff game. Two-year totals are 5,528 yards and 73 TDs. Caught for the U.S. junior national baseball team (hit .522) and is considered a potential first-round selection in the upcoming amateur draft. Named Gatorade's national football player of the year. Quotable: "Joe is a money player. When the game is on the line, he wants the ball."  Cretin-Derham coach Rich Kallok. GPA: 3.26. Favorite Class: Business law. Pregame routine: "Our routine was the same; about eight of us would go to Wendy's for hamburgers, order the same thing each time and then head back to my house, where we'd watch television," Mauer says. Colleges choice: Florida State RB  KEVIN JONES, 6-0, 208, Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, Pa.). Quick hits: Rushed for career league- and county-record 5,817 yards and 83 TDs. Ran for 1,268 yards and 21 TDs in 10 games this season. Quotable: "He showed durability by playing injured."  O'Hara coach George Stratts. Colleges choice: Virginia Tech RB  ERIC SHELTON, 6-3, 235, Bryan Station (Lexington, Ky.). Quick hits: Had 1,379 yards and 12 TDs rushing in nine games. All-state track sprinter with 4.5 speed. Quotable: "He's a power runner with size and speed."  Bryan Station coach John Nochta. Colleges choice: Ohio State. OL  BLAKE LARSEN, 6-7, 300, Atlantic (Iowa). Quick hits: Averaged 10 "pancake" blocks a game. Also throws discus and plays basketball. Was named the state's Gatorade player of year. Quotable: "He is a once-in-a-lifetime player."  Atlantic coach Gaylord Schelling. Colleges choice: Iowa OL  BEN WILKERSON, 6-5, 280, Hemphill (Texas). Quick hits: Had 121 "pancake" blocks. Helped team rush for 399 yards a game and 9.24 yards a carry. Quotable: "Ben is a devastating run blocker and can run a legitimate sub-5.0 in the 40."  Hemphill coach Larry Upshaw. Colleges choice: Louisiana State OL  ANDREW WHITWORTH, 6-7, 310, West Monroe (La.) Quick hits: Graded better than 80% blocking. Powerlifts 400 pounds. Quotable: "He's extremely agile with quick feet for a big man."  West Monroe coach Don Shows. Colleges choice: Louisiana State OL  CHRIS SPENCER, 6-4, 305, Madison (Miss.) Central. Quick hits: Possesses quick feet and bench-presses 410 pounds. Quotable: "Chris is a real force and a blocking machine, especially on runs."  Madison Central coach Mike Justice. Colleges choice: Mississippi WR  REGGIE WILLIAMS, 6-5, 215, Lakes (Lakewood, Wash.) Quick hits: Had 45 receptions for 811 yards and 16 touchdowns. Quotable: "Reggie was our big-play guy. With his size and speed, he's a freak of nature but is the ultimate team player."  Lakes coach Dave Miller. Colleges choice: Washington WR  ROSCOE CROSBY, 6-2, 205, Union (S.C.). Quick hits: Caught 77 passes for 1,408 yards and 20 TDs. Considered a potential high draft choice for the 2001 baseball draft. Quotable: "His receiving skills are on a higher level than any high school player."  Union coach Mike Anthony. Colleges choice: Clemson TE  MARK LeVOIR, 6-7, 310, Eden Prairie (Minn.). Quick hits: Had 16 catches for 189 yards and four TDs for state champion. Says he'll attend Notre Dame. Quotable: "He's a devastating drive blocker with tremendous strength and good speed."  Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant. Colleges choice: Notre Dame ATHLETE  Kelly Baraka, 6-1, 190, Northern (Portage, Mich.). Quick hits: Ran for 1,624 yards and 25 TDs on 169 carries. Career totals are 4,098 yards and 61 TDs. Quotable: "Any time Kelly had his hands on the ball, he (was a threat) to score."  Northern coach Pete Schermerhorn. Colleges choice: Michigan K  Mike McLaughlin, 6-1, 190, Gautier (Miss.). Quick hits: Made 39 of 40 PATs and 12 of 16 FGs, five beyond 40 yards. Averaged 63.7 yards per kickoff. Quotable: "Our kickoff team was like the Maytag repairman  they didn't have to do anything."  Gautier coach Don Nelson. Colleges choice: Alabama First-team defense Shaun Cody. (Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY) Player of the year

DL  SHAUN CODY, 6-5, 255, Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.). Quick hits: Had 105 tackles and 22 sacks in 14 games. On offense, playing fullback, he had 50 catches for 830 yards and rushed 45 times for 327 yards and 10 TDs. Quotable: "He's one of the most humble players I've ever coached. He's a big boy in a man's body and has a mean streak when he steps onto the field."  Los Altos coach Greg Gano. GPA: 3.1. Favorite class: Math. Pregame routine: "I take a nap and relax at home. Before taking the field, we play a team song that puts us in the winning mood." Colleges choice: Southern California DL  TOMMIE HARRIS, 6-3, 285, Ellison (Killeen, Texas). Quick hits: 63 tackles, three hurries and six tackles for a loss this season. Quotable: "Tommie gives you everything he has."  Ellison coach Jim Skinner. Colleges choice: Oklahoma DL  MARQUISE HILL, 6-8, 305, De La Salle (New Orleans). Quick hits: Had 76 tackles, seven sacks, caused five fumbles, and hurried the QB seven times. Quotable: "He's very focused. Darren wants to be a great player and goes all out on every snap."  De La Salle coach Darren Barbier. Colleges choice: Louisiana State DL  ANTTAJ HAWTHORNE, 6-4, 305, Hamden, Conn. Quick hits: Had 17 sacks, 102 solo tackles, 12 knockdowns, and forced seven fumbles. Quotable: "He's a big-time hitter with a great instinct for the ball."  Hamden coach Tony Martone. Colleges choice: Wisconsin LB  MICHAEL-JORDAN CRAVEN, 6-2, 215, La Quinta, Calif. Quick hits: Had 14 sacks, 191 tackles and four interceptions, including two for TDs. Quotable: "He legitimately runs a 4.5 in the 40 and hits like a ton. He doesn't leave any rubber on the front of his face mask."  La Quinta coach Dan Armstrong. Colleges choice: Stanford LB  KEVIN SIMON, 5-11, 215, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). Quick hits: 113 tackles, 30 solo, forced four fumbles, scored a defensive TD and had two interceptions. Quotable: "Kevin's closing speed behind the line and upfield is amazing."  De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur. Colleges choice: Tennessee LB  LEON WILLIAMS, 6-3, 235, Canarsie (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Quick hits: 132 total tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a defensive TD and 12 sacks. 329 career tackles and 31 sacks. Quotable: "His hard hitting and speed (are) a lethal combination."  Canarsie coach Mike Camardese. Colleges choice: Miami (Fla.) DB  ERNEST SHAZOR, 6-4, 200, Martin Luther King (Detroit). Quick hits: 97 tackles, eight interceptions, two for scores, and two blocked punts. 20 career interceptions. Quotable: "He has the ability to take away the big plays."  King coach James Reynolds. Colleges choice: Michigan DB  MATT WARE, 6-3, 195, Loyola (Los Angeles). Quick hits: Had four interceptions. As a quarterback, he passed for 1,150 yards and nine TDs and ran for 1,250 yards and 18 TDs. Quotable: "He's a multitalented player."  Loyola coach Steve Grady. Colleges choice: UCLA DB  MARLIN JACKSON, 6-1, 185, Sharon, Pa. Quick hits: Had 84 total tackles. Broke up 11 passes with five interceptions. Quotable: "Marlin has shown he's a great open-field tackler and cover guy."  Sharon coach Jim Wildman. Colleges choice: Michigan DB  ANTREL ROLLE, 6-1, 200 South Dade (Homestead, Fla.). Quick hits: Had 86 total tackles, recovered two fumbles and had four interceptions, including one for a TD. Quotable: "God blessed him with the whole package  he does everything so well."  South Dade coach Don Drinkhahn. Colleges choice: Miami (Fla.) P  RYAN WIMBERLEY, 6-2, 190 Houston (Mo.). Quick hits: Averaged 49.2 yards a punt. Also rushed for 968 yards, returned kicks and played safety. Quotable: "It didn't matter where he punted from. I knew he'd put the opposition in a hole."  Houston coach Dan Decker. Colleges choice: Oklahoma State Coach of the year Tony Severino. (V. Craig Sands, USA TODAY) TONY SEVERINO, Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.). This season: Guided Rockhurst (14-0) to its fifth state championship. Also won state titles in 1981, '83, '86, and '87. His overall record: 211-64-1 (24 years). Coaching philosophy: "I never want wins and losses to define a group of kids. Football is only a small bit of a student-athlete's life. You are measured on what you do as a member of society." Coaching influences: "My coaching idol is Joe Paterno (of Penn State). I once had the opportunity to meet with him, and he was everything I ever imagined and more. After reading his book, I adapted the mantra: Gentlemen with courage. I ask the kids to apply this to life on and off the field." Quotable: On being named coach of the year: "For once, I'm speechless. It's the greatest honor of my coaching career." The 2000 season: "It was a magical run. It was one of those years that everything seemed to go our way." How the team was selected

USA TODAY's 2000 All-USA high school football team was chosen by Christopher Lawlor, after discussions with college coaches, analysts and writers.