1975 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team

Les Lacy, QB, Oakland

Quarterback Les Lacy and coach Wolveraider, who have combined to help lead the Oakland Invaders to the brink of a World Bowl II berth, took home two of the three major awards in voting of the USFL/WFL coaches.

Lacy compiled the league's best quarterback rating (126.29) while throwing for 54 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He outdistanced Portland QB William Hill, who threw for more than 6,000 yards, and San Antonio WR Donnie Baker, who caught more than 2,000 yards worth of passes, for the 1975 Offensive MVP Award.

Last year's co-MVPs, QBs Daniel McKee of Chicago and Agustin Crook of Denver (now Birmingham), did not receive any votes this time around.

Oscar Rodriguez, Steamer

Neither did last year's defensive MVP, Shreveport MLB John Cintron, slowed this season by a knee injury. But, lo and behold, Cintron had to only turn to the locker next to him to hand over the trophy. Steamers RDE Oscar Rodriguez was named 1975 defensive MVP in balloting that saw votes go to six different players. Rodriguez was far and away the league leader with 27 sacks and his 58 hurries were also among the league's best. His efforts helped Shreveport finish 12-4 and make the playoffs.

Wolveraider took over the Oakland helm for the final two games of the 1974 season and led the Invaders to a pair of upset wins over playoff-bound teams. Oakland took over right where they left off lin 1975 with a 14-2 regular season and a win over Portland in the second round of the playoffs. The Invaders play Detroit on Tuesday for the American Conference championship.

Wolveraider, Oakland

Only three players from the 1974 All-Pro team repeated—Baker, Oakland DB Edward Alston and Pittsburgh RB Cliff Thomas.

A quick look at the position races, with a summary at the bottom.

Offensive MVP
Les Lacy, QB, Oakland
Others receiving votes: William Hill, QB, Portland; Donnie Baker, WR, San Antonio.

Defensive MVP
Oscar Rodriguez, RDE, Shreveport
Others receiving votes: Richard Hartnett, LB, Oakland; Edward Alston, DB, Oakland; Carlos Johnson, LB, Tampa Bay; Norman Paulk, RDE, Portland; Frank Wakefield, DT, San Jose.

Coach of the Year
Wolveraider, Oakland
Others receiving votes: tribewriter, Georgia; CrimsonWolfZ, Chicago; BabyHuey, Birmingham; Hypnorhino, Oklahoma.

Offense

Quarterback
Les Lacy of the Oakland Invaders and William Hill of the Portland Storm were the only two QBs to receive votes. Both threw 54 TD passes. Hill had more passing yards (6,096 to 4,656), but threw twice as many interceptions. Lacy won a close vote.

Running Back
This vote may have been a historic one, as the two All-Pro running backs are both from the same team. Cliff Thomas and John Murray of the Pittsburgh Maulers combined for 2,980 yards rushing.
Others receiving votes: Bruce Fine, Chicago Blitz; Christopher Curtis, Oakland Invaders.

Wide Receiver
Donnie Baker of the San Antonio Gunslingers was an unanimous All-Pro. Randy Christmas of the Baltimore Stars was a distant second. Baker piled up 2,223 receiving yards on 111 catches and scored 19 TDs.
Others receiving votes: Michael Hunter, Houston Gamblers; Dusty Heckman, Oklahoma Outlaws; Albert Smith, Oakland Invaders; Santiago Smith, Los Angeles Express; Timothy Hanna, Detroit Wheels.

Tight End
Portland's Ivory Villaneuva was the runaway winner. He was one of only two TE with more than 1,000 receiving yards and his 13 TDs were five more than his nearest competitor.
Others receiving votes: Jose Lohman, San Jose SaberCats; Joshua Wright, Arizona Wranglers.

Offensive Line
Portland's Kenneth Addison, Thomas Nedd of Birmingham, Cleveland's Kevin Peck, San Jose center James Smith and Chicago's Dale Jarrett constitute the first team. All are first-time All-Pros.
Others receiving votes: Andre Adkins, Pittsburgh Maulers; Charles Bukowski, Boston Breakers; Antonio Preston, Cleveland Thunderbolts; Rick Brun, Oakland Invaders; Sidney Woosley, Pittsburgh Maulers; Morris Beery, Detroit Wheels; James Smith, Tampa Bay Bandits; Robert Reece, Shreveport Steamer; Brandon Roberge, Tampa Bay Bandits; Donald Glenn, Denver Gold.

Special Teams

Kick Returner
Glenn Williamson of the Georgia Force was the easy winner after averaging 41 yards per kickoff return and 6.3 per punt return.
Others receiving votes: Bruno Fredericks, Birmingham Stallions; John Bradley, Denver Gold.

Kicker
Arizona's Anthony Schaefer led the league in kickoff average (73.3) and converted 91.3 percent of his field goal attempts (27 of 29), including 6-for-6 from 50 yards or longer.

Punter
Jeff Castle of the New York Stars was the only punter to rank in the league's top six in average (third), net (first) and pinned-inside-20 (sixth).

Defense

Defensive Line
Nathan Branch of the Memphis Showboats, Shreveport's Oscar Rodriguez, Portland's Norman Paulk and San Jose's Frank Wakefield were comfortably ahead of the field. Paulk led the league with 76 hurries and Wakefield led all DL with 92 tackles.
Others receiving votes: Wilbert Sierra, Philadelphia Bell; Josh Daughtry, Detroit Wheels; Juan Frigo, Detroit Wheels; Mitchell Plummer, San Antonio Gunslingers; Raphael Alvarez, Jacksonville Bulls; James Lockette, New Jersey Generals.

Linebackers
Oakland's Richard Harnett, San Antonio's Jonathan Neal, Florida's Bernard Washington and Tampa Bay's Carlos Johnson were the first-team linebackers. Johnson and Hartnett both had more than 100 tackles.
Others receiving votes: James Kelley, Southern California Sun; Bobby Wells, Detroit Wheels; Arthur Bowie, New York Stars; Travis Curcio, Washington Federals; Gregory Hubbard, Baltimore Stars; Ronald Murphy, Portland Storm.

Defensive Backs
Oakland's Edward Alston was the leader in DB votes, followed on the first team by New Jersey's Mike Williams, James Jones of Memphis and Houston's Jeffrey Bonner. Alston allowed only 33.5 percent of passes thrown against him to be completed.
Others receiving votes: Robert Gonzales, Chicago Blitz; Richard Glasgow, Georgia Force; Leon Crisman, San Antonio Gunslingers; Marcus Kramer, Portland Storm; Timothy McLaughlin, Portland Storm; Dusty Baker, Birmingham Stallions.

Summary Listing

1975 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team

(*-Repeat selection)

Offense: Les Lacy, QB, Oakland; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh*; John Murray, RB, Pittsburgh; Donnie Baker, WR, San Antonio*; Randy Christmas, WR, Baltimore; Ivory Villaneuva, TE, Portland; OL Kenneth Addison, Portland; OL Thomas Nedd, Birmingham; OL Kevin Peck, Cleveland; OL James Smith, San Jose; OL Dale Jarrett, Chicago.

Special Teams: Anthony Schaefer, K, Arizona; Jeff Castle, P, New York; Glenn Williamson, KR, Georgia.

Defense: Nathan Branch, DL, Memphis; Oscar Rodriguez, DL, Shreveport; Norman Paulk, DL, Portland; Frank Wakefield, DL, San Jose; Richard Hartnett, LB, Oakland; Jonathan Neal, LB, San Antonio; Bernard Washington, LB, Florida; Carlos Johnson, LB, Tampa Bay; Edward Alston, DB, Oakland*; Mike Williams, DB, New Jersey; James Jones, DB, Memphis.

Offensive MVP: Les Lacy, QB, Oakland
Defensive MVP: Oscar Rodriguez, RDE, Shreveport
Coach of the Year: Wolverraider, Oakland