BY RALPH VENTRE
Week 10 was no different than the previous nine weeks in the United States Football League with NCAA FCS products making plays throughout the spring season.
Talking Pigskin‘s FCS Fabulous Five has aimed to highlight those top playmakers on a weekly basis throughout the USFL season.
Former Western Illinois receiver Lance Lenoir (Michigan Panthers) and Northern Arizona’s all-time leading passer Case Cookus (Philadelphia Stars) capped impressive regular season campaigns with notable performances in Week 10. Former Big South Rookie of the Year C.J. Marable made contributions as a rusher and pass-catcher in Birmingham’s regular season finale as well.
FCS products on both sides of the Generals-Stars matchup reached pay dirt in Week 10. Former Towson running back Darius Victor scored on a two-yard pass for New Jersey while Tennessee State product Chris Rowland opened the second-half scoring by taking a screen pass 19 yards across the goalline.
All five aforementioned former FCS players came up just shy of another Fab Five appearance, but here are the ones who made the list…
WR/PR Rashard Davis, Tampa Bay Bandits (James Madison)
Davis made the FCS Fab Five list for the second consecutive week, and, this time, it is a result of his punt return prowess.
The former James Madison receiver made one catch for 23 yards in Tampa Bay’s regular season finale and he provided a spark against the first-place Birmingham Stallions by taking a third-quarter punt 74 yards to the house. Davis also scored a touchdown in Week 9 as part of a 112-yard receiving performance against New Orleans.
The 2016 Stats Perform All-American punt returner made four house calls as a senior at JMU.
DE Ahmad Gooden, Houston Gamblers (Samford)
The former All-Southern Conference selection played a significant role in a Houston Gamblers’ defensive effort that kept the team’s Week 10 opponent out of the end zone. Gooden logged nine tackles, including eight solo stops, in the Gamblers’ 20-3 triumph over the New Orleans Breakers.
Gooden, who recorded 2.0 sacks back in the USFL season opener, also registered a quarterback takedown in the finale. The Alabama native played in 45 games over his four-year Samford career, which ended in 2018.
LB Donald Payne, Houston Gamblers (Stetson)
Payne put an exclamation point on a phenomenal season-long performance. The former Stetson Hatter safety cemented his status as the USFL tackles leader by logging nine stops in a 20-3 victory over the New Orleans Breakers.
He opened the scoring in Week 10. With the Breakers backed up at their own 4-yard line, Payne intercepted a second-down pass at the 12 and returned it for a touchdown. It was his second Pick-6 of the season.
Payne, who made seven solo stops and 1.0 tackle-for-loss in the regular season finale, led the league in tackles from wire-to-wire and finished the 10-game campaign with 117 takedowns. Prior to starring in the USFL, Payne made 30 regular season appearances for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars with the most-recent outing coming in 2019. Payne was a three-time Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Year for Stetson and signed an undrafted free agent contract following the 2017 NFL Draft.
DE Adam Rodriguez, Philadelphia Stars (Weber State)
Another week in the USFL and another sack for the former Weber State edge rusher. Rodriguez hasn’t received as much attention as Chris Odom and Davin Bellamy, but he has been just as productive as those two All-USFL selections.
Rodriguez, who recorded multiple tackles in nine of 10 games, made four stops in the regular season finale against the New Jersey Generals. The former All-Big Sky Conference performer also logged his ninth sack of the season, ranking second overall on the USFL leader board. Rodriguez registered at least 1.0 sack in seven of 10 appearances.
WR Darrius Shepherd, New Jersey Generals (North Dakota State)
The former NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game Most Outstanding Player was a key part of the New Jersey Generals’ passing attack for the second week in a row. Shepherd, who led North Dakota State in receptions for three straight seasons, made six grabs for 79 yards in the Generals’ regular season finale.
Shepherd, who made a nice catch-and-run for a 33-yard gain in the second quarter against Philadelphia, totaled 178 receiving yards on 14 receptions in New Jersey’s past two victories.
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