Cleveland Thunderbolts LDE Jim Zarate, the 1977 Rookie of the Year, followed up with a record-breaking season in 1978 to highlight the USFL/WFL's fifth All-Pro Team.
Zarate's 145 hurries were a single-season league record. His 28 sacks were just three shy of the league record, shared by fellow All-Pro William Lewis of Tampa Bay and Georgia's Ryan Moore (1974).
The offensive MVP was Portland WR John Sanders, whose 2,541 receiving yards was just 7 shy of the league record.and whose 103 catches and 18 TDs also rank among the league's all-time best.
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| Travis Curcio, LB, Washington |
Seven different coaches received votes, but New Jersey's raidergreg69 edged Memphis' PrivateSnowflake by one vote for Coach of the Year after leading the Generals to the league's best regular-season record (15-1).
Philadelphia LB Curtis Bernard was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after making All-Pro in his first season and leading all rookies with 91 tackles. San Antonio WR Freddie Mercury was Offensive Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies with 1,287 receiving yards and 13 TDs. Mercury won by one vote over Michigan WR Anthony Toler and Houston OL Patrick Eveland.
You can view the list of all-time All-Pro teams here.
1978 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team
(Previous selections in parentheses)Offense: Luis Gero, QB, Tampa Bay; Patrick Hiebert, RB, Oklahoma; Gregory Shea, RB, Memphis ('77 KR); John Sanders, WR, Portland; Robert Zapata, WR, Orlando; Leroy Selmon, TE, New Jersey; Thomas Watson, OL, Detroit ('77); David Rodman, OL, Michigan; James Smith, OL, Tampa Bay ('77); Lee Ward, OL, Oklahoma; Brandon Roberge, OL, Tampa Bay.
Special Teams: Donald Dosch, K, Portland; Randy Mead, P, Georgia; James Connelly, KR, Houston.
Defense: Jim Zarate, DL, Cleveland ('77); Nathan Branch, DL, Memphis ('75); William Lewis, DL, Tampa Bay; Keith Smith, DL, Honolulu; Travis Curcio, LB, Washington ('74, '76, '77); James Kelley, LB, Southern California ('76, '77); Gregory Hubbard, LB, Baltimore; Curtis Bernard, LB, Philadelphia; Cory Vargas, DB, Houston ('76); Bradley Martinez, DB, Pittsburgh; Jeffrey Bonner, DB, Honolulu; Kerry Justin, DB, New Jersey..
Offensive MVP: John Sanders, WR, Portland
Defensive MVP: Jim Zarate, DL, Cleveland
Coach of the Year: raidergreg69, New Jersey
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Freddie Mercury, WR, San Antonio
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Curtis Bernard, LB, Philadelphia
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES (in order of votes received)
QB: Ryan Tate, New Orleans; William Hill, Portland; Dale Brown, Oklahoma; Michael London, Michigan.
RB: Cliff Thomas, Pittsburgh; Douglas Donald, Orlando; John Murray, Pittsburgh; Jeffrey Graham, San Antonio.
WR: Michael Sonnenberg, Denver; Edward Conner, Tampa Bay; Gerard Hall, Memphis; Michael Hunter, Honolulu; James Rosenzweig, Oklahoma.
TE: Gregory Drayton, Southern California; Michael Sutton, Oakland; Zachary Powell, Detroit; David Albrecht, Birmingham.
OL: Rick Brun, Oakland; Michael Warren, San Jose; Joseph Frost, Tampa Bay; John Piche, New Jersey; Lonnie Robinson, Shreveport; Kenneth Addison, Portland; Leonardo Putnam, Los Angeles; Anthony Quinn, Birmingham; Lawrence Becker, San Antonio; Jimmy Rice, Georgia.
KR: Curtis Scott, Arizona.
DL: Louis Duron, Los Angeles; James Lockette, New Jersey; Derrick Mattison, Charlotte; Alton Pastor, Michigan; Javier Woods, Southern California; Frank Wakefield, San Jose; Miguel Gross, New Orleans.
LB: Douglas Banda, Memphis; Christopher Shaw, Tampa Bay; Christopher Turner, Detroit; Richard Hartnett, Oklahoma; Kurt Kim, Birmingham; Ramon Boldt, New Orleans; Michael Monday, Georgia.
DB: Timothy McLaughlin, Portland; Joseph Abernathy, Charlotte; Thomas Koenig, Arizona; Carlos Turner, Los Angeles; Robert Mason, Charlotte; Eugene Holland, Houston; Marshall Forbes, Georgia; Monte Cherry, Cleveland; Oliver Serrano, Cleveland; Ralph Johnson, Georgia; Robert Newton, New Orleans; Christopher Chen, Michigan.
Offensive MVP: Luis Gero, Tampa Bay; Michael London, Michigan; Patrick Hiebert, Oklahoma; William Hill, Portland; Robert Burns, Houston; Robert Zapata, Orlando.
Defensive MVP: William Lewis, Tampa Bay; Nathan Branch, Memphis; Bradley Martinez, Pittsburgh; Monte Cherry, Cleveland; Alton Pastor, Michigan; Michael Forbes.
Coach of the Year: PrivateSnowflake, Memphis; Mcarovil, Tampa Bay; MWD65, Los Angeles; DemonMaster, Orlando; Wayne110, Oakland; Otterpop, Pittsburgh.
Offensive Rookie: Patrick Eveland, Houston; Anthony Toler, Michigan; Robert Burns, Houston; Wade Wentz, Birmingham.
Defensive Rookie: Miguel Gross, New Orleans; Jim Morrison, San Antonio; Adam Young, Memphis.
