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+---- Thread: *Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! (/showthread.php?tid=40101)
*Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - Pat - 06-25-2022
Congratulations to the Season 35 Sim Football Writers Guild All-Pro Team!
Numerical ranks (1st, 2nd, 3rd…) are stated for that position group, unless otherwise noted as an overall rank.
QUARTERBACK
![[Image: KZ1UzXT.png]](https://i.imgur.com/KZ1UzXT.png)
1st team: Wendell Sailor (Unanimous Selection)
Key Stats: 68.4% completion rate (1st), 36 TD passes (3rd), 4.50 TD/INT (1st), 7.21 TANY/A (1st), 106.0 QBR (1st)
2nd team: Gimmy Jaroppolo Jr
Key Stats: 4,648 yards (2nd), 45 TD passes (1st), 13.6 Yd/Cmp (1st), 7.08 TANY/A (2nd), 103.3 QBR (2nd)
Wendell Sailor may not have thrown at the highest rate this season, but when he did he was on point. His league-leading 68.4% completion rate led to incredible efficiency metrics, the best QBR in the league, and a stellar 1.41% interception rate (also league leading, for those keeping track at home). Toss in an impressive 36 touchdowns en route to leading Arizona to a 13-3 record and an ASFC championship appearance, and it’s tough to make an argument for anyone else to sit on the QB throne. Sure, Sailor’s total yardage was more middle of the pack, but that comes with lower passing volume in general. It doesn’t change the fact that Sailor was the most well-rounded QB this season, with no true weaknesses to counter his impressive strengths.
Of course, for as impressive as Sailor’s efficiency metrics were, Jaroppolo was the QB to truly blow the league out of the water. The Baltimore signal caller easily paced the league in almost every metric available. You want touchdowns? How about 45 of them, 8 more than second place. Explosive plays? Gimmy led the league in both 20+ and 40+ yard passes. Yards per completion? More than a yard per catch better than second place. The one critical flaw in Jaroppolo’s game - and the reason he is a 2nd team All-Pro rather than 1st - is his turnover rate. Gimmy tossed 19 interceptions last season, which translates to a 3.51% clip at his low passing volume (both worst in the league). Still, there’s something to be said for the physical embodiment of “Go big or go home,” and that was enough to earn Jaroppolo 2nd team All-Pro honors.
RUNNING BACK
1st team: John Huntsman
Key Stats: 1412 rush yds. (4th), 5.0 YPC (t-2nd), 15 rush TDs (t-2nd), 1936 scrim. Yds (4th), 19 total TDs (2nd), 61 pancakes (1st), 864 KR yards (2nd overall)
1st team: Jay Cue Jr
Key Stats: 1939 rush yds (1st), 4.7 YPC, 16 rush TDs (1st), 20 total TDs (1st), 2340 scrim. yds. (1st)
2nd team: Lonnie Jackson
Key Stats: 1747 rush yds. (2nd), 4.8 YPC, 2115 scrim. yds. (2nd), 17 total TDs (t-3rd), 25.4 KR avg.
2nd team: Busch Goose
Key Stats: 1053 rush yds., 5.5 YPC (1st), 60 catches (3rd), 723 yards (3rd), 8 rec. TDs (t-1st), 15 total TDs (4th), 29.9 KR avg (2nd overall), 9.8 PR avg. (4th overall), 0 fumbles
If you’ve been following the ISFL for a few seasons then you’re familiar with Sarasota’s star Running Back, John Huntsman. After a dominant campaign in Season 34, many experts wondered if he would be able to repeat it in Season 35. Well, he answered those questions by posting nearly 2,000 yards, with 19 touchdowns on a blazing 5 yards per carry, and was the heartbeat of Sarasota’s offense which scored a ridiculous 30.8 points per game. Not only did he do damage on offense, but he also racked up the second most kick return yards in the league.
Our other First Team RB this season also needs no introduction as he’s the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and Running Back of the Year - Arizona’s Jay Cue Jr. Many experts had him picked as a preseason favorite for a monster season, and all he did was come out and lead the league in rushing yards, rushing TDs, scrimmage yards, and scrimmage TDs. While Sailor may have walked away with the Most Valuable Player hardware, there’s some out there who believe that Cue Jr was the real reason for Arizona’s success.
Our first Second Teamer is none other than Old Man Breakout Player of the Year, Philadelphia’s Lonnie Jackson. While you can argue that Huntsman and Cue Jr were the hearts of their respective offenses, there’s no question that Jackson was the heart, brains, and lungs of the Liberty offense. Philadelphia’s offense finished in the bottom half of the league in both scoring and yards, yet Jackson compiled the second more rushing and scrimmage yards, as well as the third-most touchdowns in the league.
The fourth Running Back on the All-Pro Team this season, the Master Honker from Baltimore, Busch Goose, may not have matched the same volume of yards and touchdowns on the ground as his All-Pro counterparts; but he made up for it by being an all-around weapon for the Hawks. When he did carry the ball, Goose was extremely efficient, scampering for a league-leading 5.5 yards per carry. He was also a threat in the passing game, where he led all Running Backs in touchdowns.
WIDE RECEIVER
1st team: Luke Quick
Key stats: 73 rec., 1284 yards, 17.6 YPR (1st), 11 TDs (t-4th)
1st team: Vincent Sharpei Jr
Key stats: 99 rec., 1467 yards (2nd), 14.8 YPR (t-5th), 11 TDs (t-4th)
2nd team: Nick Kaepercolin Jr
Key stats: 100 rec, 1410 yds (4th), 14 TDs (1st), 44 pancakes (1st)
2nd team: Johnny Patey
Key stats: 102 rec (2nd), 1521 yds (1st), 14.9 YPR (4th), 11 TDs (t-4th)
Luke Quick was an absolute stud in terms of efficiency this season. Leading the league in both yards per catch and yards per target is no easy feat. Combine that with being top 6 in yards and scoring double digit TDs despite seeing just 121 targets and Quick was an easy 1st team inclusion. The most interesting part of Quick’s statline is his obscenely high yards per catch paired with a not as high as expected number of explosive plays (20+ yards), implying he was very consistently getting chunk plays.
Sharpei Jr. emerged from the Chicago 3 headed monster at WR as the best of the bunch in S35. Vinny had the holy trinity of important WR stats with his combo of high catch rate/low drop rate, high volume stats, and great efficiency. Not only was Sharpei 2nd in receiving yards, but he was also top 5 in yards per target and top 5 in yards per catch. There really weren’t any holes in Sharpei’s game and he was rewarded with a 1st team All Pro selection for it.
Nick Kaepercolin Jr had arguably the best volume stats in the league this season led mainly by his 14 TDs, but his top 4 finish in receiving yards is nothing to scoff at either. And his position leading pancakes is a fun addition to his overall success. Outside of being great in terms of volume, his explosiveness was amongst the best and his efficiency was really good too. The only thing keeping him from a 1st team selection was a position leading 10 drops, even with those drops he still had a pretty high catch rate on top of that.
Johnny Patey had another breakout season, putting up 2.5x the yards as he had just 2 seasons ago. Similar to the other WRs that made these teams, Patey excelled in both volume and efficiency stats. He led the league as the only WR to put up more than 1500 yards which he paired with double digit TDs. Patey was also one of just three WRs with 8 40+ yard catches and he was also T-3rd with 20 20+ yard catches.
TIGHT END
1st team: Buffalo Hunter
Key stats: 79 rec (t-3rd), 814 rec yds (3rd), 12 rec. TDs (1st, t-3rd overall), 65 pancakes (1st)
2nd team: Lenard Graf
Key stats: 68 rec., 830 rec. yds (2nd), 12.2 YPR (1st), 42.65 1st-down% (2nd), 9 TDs (2nd), 57 pancakes (2nd)
Buffalo Hunter was a star in both conferences this season, beginning the year as the main pass-catcher for the NSFC’s Philadelphia Liberty. However, Hunter had made clear in the offseason that they wanted out of Philly, and in a rare mid-season trade moved out to sunny Honolulu and the Hahalua of the ASFC. Hunter frequently lined up out wide for the Liberty, but played almost exclusively as a traditional TE for the Hahalua without missing a beat. A mismatch monster, Hunter terrorized opposing defenders and tracked down 12 TD passes. Buffalo didn’t hide from blocking assignments either, stampeding over opposing defenders and leaving them flat on their back 65 times. (That’s more touchdowns than either 1st-Team All-Pro wide receiver and more pancakes than the two All-Pro guards!) All that and an Ultimus ring besides.
With apologies to San Jose’s Deshawn Penne, who also merited All-Pro consideration, Lenard Graf staked his claim as the ISFL’s premier Vertical Threat TE this season. In Baltimore’s ultra-weaponized lightspeed offense, Graf wasn’t targeted as frequently and didn’t catch as many passes as other top TEs, but his incredible effectiveness with every ball he caught makes him an All-Pro. He stretched the field, averaging 12.2 YPC (the best of any TE by nearly two full yards), and he moved the chains, with 29 of his 68 catches going for first downs. Graf was no stranger to the endzone either, hauling in 9 TD catches, and proved that his strength was equal to his speed by stacking up 57 pancakes.
FULLBACK
First Team: Gus Bus
Key Stats: 84 rush (1st), 322 yds (1st), 3.83 YPC (2nd), 4 rush TDs (1st), 36 rec. (1st), 59 pancakes (2nd), 0 sacks allowed
Second Team: Michael Patrick Porkins
Key Stats: 66 rush (2nd), 254 rush yds (2nd), 3.85 YPC (1st), 2 rush TD (t-2nd), 40 pancakes, 0 sacks allowed
Now, when you look over his statline for the year, you might be asking yourself how Gus Bus wasn’t a Unanimous First Team selection, and the answer for that is that there are members on the committee who are Fullback purists and don’t believe that Gus really played as a FB this year. Others believe that his versatility - he played FB, RB, and TE - only helped his value as he was the Swiss Army Knife of the Otters offense. Unfortunately for all of us, this is the last season we’ll get to have these discussions, as Gus Bus has slimmed down a bit and will not be lining up out wide full time for Orange County.
After his rookie performance in New Orleans, Porkins had all of the Second Line fans saying, “You down with MPP? Yeah, you know me” as he helped pave the way for their ground game, which finished with over 2,000 yards on the season. He played a much more traditional role in the offense, but showed some wiggle when he was given the ball, averaging nearly four yards per carry and totalling over 250 yards. With the vacancy left by Gus Bus, MPP has his sights set on making the First Team in Season 36.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
![[Image: WXTsFIZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/WXTsFIZ.png)
Editor’s note: due to a lack of human players at Offensive Guard in Season 35, the committee voted to award a third spot on both the first and second team to Offensive Tackle.
1st team: Stumpy Jones (Unanimous Selection)
Key Stats: 136 pancakes, 0 SA, 3 penalties, 15 pen yards
1st team: Jaja DingDong
Key Stats: 120 pancakes, 2 SA, 4 penalties, 20 pen yards
1st team: Theo Awardsystemisbad
Key Stats: 106 pancakes, 1 SA, 2 penalties, 5 pen yards
2nd team: Beniri T’Chawama
Key Stats: 115 pancakes, 3 SA, 0 penalties
2nd team: Swantavius Payne
Key Stats: 105 pancakes, 1 SA, 5 penalties, 42 pen yards
2nd team: Connor Quigley
Key Stats: 96 pancakes, 2 SA, 6 penalties, 55 yards
Over the past few seasons, there has been one Offensive Tackle that has stood above the rest - Sarasota’s Stumpy Jones. Season 35 was yet another landmark year for him, not only leading the league in pancakes (16 more than second place) and the only Lineman to eclipse 80 pancakes and not allow a single sack.
Our second Tackle on the team is no stranger to the All-Pro Committee either, none other than Mister EuroVision himself, Jaja DingDong. DingDong put up another remarkable season in S35, finishing second in the league in pancakes with 120, as well as allowing his QB to be sacked twice. He did commit a fair few number of penalties on the season, but his overall resume helped the Committee overlook it.
Our third First Team Tackle might not like the awards system, but the committee liked him in Season 35. Theo held down the Hawks OL this past year, as he kept negative plays to a minimum, only allowing a single sack and committing two penalties. Theo may have not have posted the highest number of pancakes, but his ability to play mostly clean is why he was voted to the First Team.
Beniri T’Chawama heads up our Second Team Offensive Tackles, and he was a force for Honolulu as they won the Ultimus. When comparing his resume to others on this list, he checks many of the boxes - high pancakes and zero penalties. What held him back from the first team was having three sacks allowed on the year, more than any other All-Pro Tackle.
Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, Swantavius Payne earned his spot on the team by posting a very strong 105 pancakes and only allowing 1 sack, a statline very similar to First Teamer Theo Awardsystemisbad. What held Swanty back from the First Team, however, was his tendency to make rookie mistakes and being flagged for five penalties on the season.
Our final All-Pro Tackle, Connor Quigley, is the old man of the group and has announced that Season 35 would be his last. He went out on strong terms, averaging 6 pancakes a game and allowing his Quarterback to only be sacked twice. He did, however, have a tendency to try and make up for his aging athleticism with some illegal moves, causing him to be penalized six times.
OFFENSIVE GUARD
![[Image: 3zpan9d.png]](https://i.imgur.com/3zpan9d.png)
1st team: Bob Roberts (Unanimous Selection)
Key Stats: 59 pancakes, 0 SA
2nd team: Cheese Farley
Key Stats: 64 pancakes, 3 SA
Big Bob “The Blob” Roberts might not have the foot speed to play OT any more, but he crushed his move to the interior of the line. Bob Rob knows his job: keep Malcolm Savage upright when he throws and clear him a path when he tucks and runs. RB Brandon Prince also benefited greatly from Bob’s ornery presence heaving opposing DTs out of the way.
Cheese Farley was a bit vulnerable to opposing pass rushers, giving up 3 sacks, but he made up for it in the running game. Cheese might not be Swiss, but he’s still very good at creating holes, and stacked up 64 pancakes doing it. Cheese would wedge an opening, and GOAT TANK would blast through it, with Farley’s blocking helping him to 1484 rushing yards, 3rd-most in the league.
CENTER
1st team: Manhattan Project
Key Stats: 86 pancakes, 1 SA
2nd team: Tay Swizzle
Key Stats: 75 pancakes, 0 SA
Death, taxes, Manhattan Project 1st team All Pro. I will say 86 pancakes and 1 SA is a below average season for a player the caliber of Manhattan Project, but the fact that this is still worthy of 1st team All Pro just speaks to how damn good his career has been. Project led all centers in pancakes and put up a clean sheet penalty wise by being one of just three OL total with no penalties on the year.
Tay Swizzle is probably the first center in several seasons to actually threaten Manhattan Project’s 1st team All Pro spot. Tay did this by putting up a position 2nd most pancakes with 75 while also not allowing a single sack over the course of the season. This would’ve been a much closer race had Swizzle not been called for 4 penalties for 30 total yards, but still a great season worthy of an All Pro selection.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
![[Image: Z9VKgM6.png]](https://i.imgur.com/Z9VKgM6.png)
1st team: Chuck Roth (Unanimous selection)
Key stats: 65 tackles, 12 TFL, 10 sacks, 1 FF/FR, 1 FG block
1st team: Cade Williams
Key stats: 42 tackles, 8 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 FF/2 FR
2nd team: Honky-Tonk Haywood
Key stats: 38 tackles, 1 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 safeties, 2 FF/1 FR
2nd team: Emperor de Pengu
Key stats: 58 tackles, 10 TFL, 1 sack, 1 punt block
Another season in the books and another Defensive Tackle of the Year and Unanimous First Team All-Pro for the ageless Chuck Roth. There really is nothing else we can write about Roth that hasn’t been said. Season 35 was a special season, even for him, as he claimed the defensive triple crown, leading all DTs in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks.
Cade Williams, traded to Honolulu in a blockbuster move, made an immediate impact for the Hahalua en route to their Ultimus win. He was the best combination of a run stuffer and pass rusher among DTs not named Chuck Roth. With Roth potentially nearing retirement, many experts wonder if it’s time for a new face to step up and be the face of the position, and many think Williams has the ability to be that player.
If you’ve been following the All-Pro team since its inception, you’re more than familiar with Honky-Tonk Haywood. He and his former Portland Python teammate, Chuck Roth, have been two of the most consistent performers at Defensive Tackle for much of their careers. Haywood decided that Season 35 would be his last, and he went out with a strong showing, securing seven sacks and even notching two safeties.
Not all DTs are built the same, and while sacks might be the hot commodity, you also need players willing to get dirty in run defense. The Yeti may not have been a strong team this past season, but de Pengu did everything he could to hold down the front seven, as his 10 tackles for loss and nearly 60 tackles show.
DEFENSIVE END
![[Image: OqoCbI6.png]](https://i.imgur.com/OqoCbI6.png)
![[Image: F2QAuuP.png]](https://i.imgur.com/F2QAuuP.png)
1st team: David Moyes (Unanimous Selection)
Key stats: 96 tackles (1st), 13 TFL (1st, t-5th overall), 16 sacks (t-1st, t-2nd overall), 2 FF/1 FR
1st team: Marlon Brando (Unanimous Selection)
Key stats: 53 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 FF, 16 sacks (t-1st, t-2nd overall)
2nd team: Lucid Dreams
Key stats: 58 tackles (4th), 6 TFL (t-4th), 10 sacks (t-3rd)
2nd team: Ilove Hotsalads
Key stats: 37 tackles, 3 TFL, 13 sacks (2nd, t-3rd overall), 1 FF/1 FR
The first of our two Unanimous First Team Defensive Ends should really come as no surprise as he walked away with a DE of the Year award and a Defensive Player of the Year nomination. Moyes was nigh-unstoppable in Season 35 as he led all DEs in tackles, tackles for loss, and tied for the lead in sacks. When nominations and discussions were taking place, Moyes on the First Team was treated as a foregone conclusion.
Our other First Team spot also ended up being a Unanimous selection, and when looking at the numbers it makes sense why. Marlon Brando was a Quarterback-seeking missile in S35, and his 16 sacks were good enough to tie Moyes for the lead among DEs and was good enough for second-most in the league.
While the Liberty may have ended on the outside looking into the playoffs, none of the blame for their shortcomings can be placed on Lucid Dreams who has had a late career surge. He was an all-around rock for the Philly defense, where he finished in the top four in just about every stat among Defensive Ends. He’s hoping to use this momentum to propel himself to the First Team in Season 36.
Question? What’s better than an elite pass rusher on your defensive line? Answer: having two. The Fire Salamanders showed what happens when an offense can’t just focus on stopping one DE, as both of their players this season made reservations in the backfield. Hotsalads may have only had 37 tackles on the year, but for over a third of them to be sacks showed an amazing specialty that none of our other DEs had.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
![[Image: 0NUtLwo.png]](https://i.imgur.com/0NUtLwo.png)
1st team: Xavier Walls (Unanimous Selection)
Key stats: 124 tackles (4th), 17 TFL (t-2nd), 19 sacks (1st overall), 9 FF/4 FR (both 1st overall), 9 PD (t-3rd), 1 INT, 1 TD
1st team: Bambam McMullet
Key stats: 127 tackles (t-3rd), 15 TFL (4th), 13 sacks (t-3rd), 2 FF/1 FR
2nd team: Big Slammu
Key stats: 96 tackles, 7 TFL, 16 sacks (2nd), 6 FF/3 FR (both 2nd overall), 1 INT, 1 TD
2nd team: Dont Draft
Key stats: 119 tackles (5th), 17 TFL (t-2nd), 12 sacks (4th), 3 FF/3 FR, 10 PD (t-2nd), 3 INT (t-1st)
Finally out from the shadow of Gary Goodman and in the sunshine in Hawaii, Xavier Walls had the breakout season we’ve all been waiting for since he dominated the DSFL back in Season 28, and ended up earning a Defensive Player of the Year for it. His numbers do all the talking here, so I don’t know how much we can say. He netted a staggering 36 total tackles behind the line of scrimmage and forced a ridiculous 9 fumbles. Now, since he is a Walls it would be improper to call him an unstoppable force, but “immovable object” seems perfectly apt.
Of all the spots on the All-Pro Team this season, none was more contested than the second First Team OLB spot. Ultimately, BamBam won out in the end by the slimmest of margins, and when looking at his resume he definitely checks the boxes: high tackles and a great tackle rate, great pass defense (59% CtA on the season), and a high number of both sacks and TFLs.
In the eyes of many committee members this season, we had no Second Team All-Pros at OLB, instead having simply four First Teamers; and, when you see the numbers of our Second Team OLBs it’s easy to see why they believe that. Slammu benefited greatly from having Walls opposite him as he was able to amass the second-most sacks and forced fumbles in the league.
Dont Draft was nothing short of a playmaker for Sarasota in S35, as he did everything for the Sailfish defense. While his sacks total might look pedestrian compared to others on the team, his ability to disrupt plays in both run and pass defense showed a high diversity in skill that not many other defenders could claim this season.
INSIDE LINEBACKER
![[Image: n0KteNi.png]](https://i.imgur.com/n0KteNi.png)
1st team: Bender Rodriguez (Unanimous Selection)
Key stats: 108 tackles (4th), 17 TFL (1st, t-2nd overall), 11 sacks (1st), 9 PD (t-3rd), 1 FF/3 FR
Once again, Bender set the standard for ILBs in the league. His numbers made us double and triple check his positional usage to make sure he wasn’t playing as an OLB! But he was not. If you look just at the flashy stuff, Bender had a massive 28 negative plays (Sacks+TFLs). The next closest at the position was 9 behind that mark! His 11 sacks were 4 higher than the next most at ILB and his 17 TFLs was good enough for the second most at any position. If you keep scanning his stat line, you’ll notice that he was decent comparatively in coverage as well. 68.55 catch% is a little higher than you’d like to see, but was right below the average for the position. Perhaps most impressive in my eyes, is that Bender got through the whole season without being credited for a penalty! All in all, another incredible season from the literal machine.
2nd team: Adam Schell
Key stats: 101 tackles, 13 TFL (2nd, t-5th overall), 6 sacks, 10 PD (2nd)
Now that I’ve waxed poetic about bender’s season, I don’t want to dismiss Schell. He is the owner of the 19 negative plays mentioned earlier. So, he was no slouch when it came to play-stopping ability. Where he stood out amongst the rest was his coverage work. 60% Catch on 84 targets is fantastic, especially when the average is almost 10% higher! 60% is almost into that elite range we look at for Cornerbacks! So, yes, he may have missed a few more tackles than we typically like to see from a Linebacker, but his combo of breaking up plays in the pass game and ground attack was easily enough for him to take our Second Team position.
CORNERBACK
![[Image: 8hkSEKW.png]](https://i.imgur.com/8hkSEKW.png)
1st team: Kalam Mekhar (Unanimous Selection)
Key stats: 79 tackles, 58.78 catch%, 7 INTs (t-1st overall), 40 PDs (1st), 3 def. TD (t-1st overall)
Mekhar was on our radar early in the year and never took his foot off the gas. This is an ELITE season. No back and forth, no “but but he didn’t”. No. Kalam did it all. 7 picks, 3 taken to the crib. 40 PDs; the most we’ve seen since S31. And the most mind-boggling of all. 58.78% CATCH% ON 148 TARGETS. That’s the take home. You could NOT throw on this kid. This isn’t a boom or bust situation like Treyvon Diggs. This is purely a boom situation. Watching this statline this year, waiting to see if it dropped off at all, was a privilege. Congratulations on an all-time performance and an easy unanimous selection to our First Team.
1st team: Mark Goodhead
Key Stats: 87 tackles, 63.24 catch%, 7 INTs (t-1st overall), 36 PDs (2nd), 2 def. TD (t-2nd overall), 1 FF/1 FR, 0 penalties
Now, how do you follow that? Simple enough. You find the other stat line with 7 picks and another 2 defensive Touchdowns. Goodhead? More like Greathead! Only 4 PDs behind Mekhar as well, Goodhead had a fantastic year in coverage, and managed to do it with 0 penalties; always an impressive feat for a defender. A stat that is often overlooked for defenders, but especially for Corners, is tackles. If you get beat, you gotta recover and stop the play. Or even if a run play heads your way, gotta do your thing. Goodhead racked up 87 of those bad boys and was only credited with 1 miss. Being reliable in pass coverage, AND not being a liability when cleaning up the play is a perfect combo and explains the well-earned First Team placement.
1st team flex DB: Raeni Clarke
Key stats: 85 tackles, 64.67 catch%, 5 INTs (t-3rd), 31 PDs (4th), 1 sack, 0 penalties
This was a great season for all Corners, and Clarke was no exception. She was targeted 150 times (t-2nd), so she was certainly battle-tested. And through that she managed a 64% Catch% and added on 31 PDs. And while she was involved in a mountain of plays, she was yet another player to finish the year with 0 penalties to her name. You may see that a few times in all these defensive write-ups but we point it out because that value is incredible. She also was another sure tackler, ending with 85 on her tally and only credited with 1 miss. She may be regressing in TPE, but her skills are only getting sharper and she should be able to produce another great season or 2 for the Sabercats!
2nd team: Willie Miller
Key stats: 90 tackles, 66.20 catch%, 6 INTs (t-2nd), 28 PDs (5th)
2nd team: Lip Gallagher
Key stats: 94 tackles (t-4th), 64.08 catch%, 5 INTs (t-3rd), 32 PDs (t-3rd), 1 FF
Willie Miller discovered the ultimate secret of the ISFL - getting that AARP card in the mail is a sign of great things to come! After hitting regression, Miller showed the world that he has aged like a fine wine. His strong play for the Liberty was a big part why their defense finished fourth in the league in scoring and Philadelphia surprised many experts with an 8-8 record.
Our fifth CB on the ballot, Lip Gallagher, posted a very similar season to Willie, with a slightly better CtA% and more PDs, but with one less interception. With the front seven of the Hahalua grabbing all the headlines, many fans forgot that their secondary was as strong as it was this season, and Gallagher was a big reason why.
SAFETY
1st team: Rean Schwarzer
Key stats: 75 tackles, 65.45 catch%, 6 INTs (t-1st, t-2nd overall), 13 PDs (3rd), 3/0 FF/FR
1st team: Tom Taylor
Key stats: 54 tackles, 64.55 catch%, 6 INTs (t-1st, t-2nd overall), 11 PDs (t-5th), 6 sacks (3rd), 1 safety
2nd team: Jacob Raske
Key stats: 70 tackles, 60.19 catch% (2nd), 3 INTs, 16 PDs (t-1st), 1 def. TD, 1 sack
2nd team: Fuzzy George
Key stats: 91 tackles (3rd), 8 sacks (1st), 1 FF, 63.28 catch% (4th), 2 INTs, 10 PDs
2nd team flex DB: Jay Spears
Key stats: 88 tackles (5th), 1 TFL, 4 sacks (t-5th), 3 FF/2 FR, 66.07 catch%, 2 INTs, 6 PDs
One little-known wildlife fact is that otters are apex predators that hunt in pairs (don’t look that up, just trust me) and the ISFL Otters decided to try that method out with their Safeties this season. Schwarzer and Taylor had such identical stats this year that it makes the most sense to write about them as a pair. Both notched six interceptions (tied for second-most in the league), allowed close to 65% of targets near them to be completed, and swatted away about a dozen passes. Where they differed was that Taylor was used more as a blitzer, notching six sacks, while Schwarzer played more as the last line of defense.
Keeping with tradition, our Second Team Safeties also played in the same defensive backfield, and played very different roles there. Raske has shown great talent throughout his career as a playmaker in pass defense, and S35 was no different. He had a very strong 60% CtA rate, tied for the lead among all Safeties with 16 PDs, and picked off three passes. His ability to cover the deep part of the field by himself allowed our other Second Team S and his teammate, Fuzzy George, to do what he does best: hit people. His 91 tackles were the third most among the position, but where he made his name was as a blitzer, getting to opposing Quarterbacks 8 times on the season - most among all Safeties.
Our second Flex spot this season went to another foreign tackling machine, this time just north of the border. Spears was a patroller in the middle of the field for YKW where he totalled the third most tackles on his team (and most by any defensive back). He was no slouch in pass defense either, where he posted a very respectable 66% CtA rate and snagged two interceptions.
KICKER
1st team: Double Doink
Key stats: 100% FG (22/22, 1st), 13 FG 40+ yards (t-2nd), 9.99 PAR
This season the SFWG learned the value of PAR (points above replacement). In a nutshell, that stat represents the value a single player adds over an average player at the same position. So, if you take the average of kick accuracy from say 40+ yards, you’d see that kickers missed roughly 2 on the season. Doink didn’t miss any from that range so, compared to the alternatives (replacements), their value goes up. In fact, Doink didn’t miss kicks from any range (was the only kicker to go 100%), thus resulting in a sky-high PAR of 9.99. That should help explain why they were voted as our First Team selection even with a lower than normal volume. If you trot out your placekicker and they never miss, that’s unreal value, even if you don’t call on them much. They did, however, miss 3 XPs, which is a little unusual, but not enough to outshine the positional value.
2nd team: Dallas Dole
Key stats: 93.9% FG (31/33, 2nd), 47/47 XP (2nd), 22/22 Inside 40 (2nd), 5.45 PAR
Our other DD combined volume and accuracy, only missing 2 kicks on 33 attempts. They really did their dirty work from inside 40 yards, going an automatic 22 of 22 attempts from that range. So, if the Otters’ offense stalled in the red zone, Dole was sure to clean it up; a kicker’s dream. They also had no misses on 47 XP attempts, which you love to see from your place kicker. That combo of reliability and solid production from the otter offense led Dole to finish with the second most points of any kicker this season, with a huge 140! A great season for sure, and possibly one of many for the Orange County boot.
PUNTER:
1st team: Freddy Bly
Key Stats: 3688 punt yds (3rd), 46.1 Punt Avg., 52.5% i20 rate (1st)
The guild typically has a tough time deciding what metrics should weigh the most when talking value for Punters. More specifically, how heavily should we weigh I20s vs I20% vs Punt Avg .etc? This season, Bly sort of took that discussion to a new level. His Punt Avg was, well, average. The average for punters was 46.13 and Bly finished at 46.10. However, what they did with those punts was pretty exceptional. Bly finished 3rd in yards, and absolutely crushed it with the I20 metrics. Over half of his 80 punts pinned the opposing offense deep in their territory. In this writer’s humble opinion, that explains the lower average length of punt. So ultimately, it comes down to, would you rather be credited with slightly longer punts, or have shorter punts that put the other team at a disadvantage? This year, the guild chose the latter.
2nd team: Dallas Dole
Key Stats: 48.1 punt avg. (2nd), 39.2% i20 rate, 71-yard long (t-1st)
Dole was a little farther on the other end of the spectrum compared to Bly, in that their I20 numbers were lower, but their Punt avg was much higher; over 2 yards more per punt. Only his rival DD (Double Doink) bested him in average and only did so by 0.03 yards per kick. And, speaking of Double Doink, Doin nd Dole tied this season for longest punt with a whopping 71 yarder! Dole still had a solid year in terms of I20, but compared to Bly, did fall short of our First Team selection. This was still a great kicking season overall for Dole, and he should be able to continue that for the Otters into next season.
RETURNER:
1st team: Tugg Speedman
Key Stats: 1053 combined return yards (4th), 27.04 KR avg, 14.80 PR avg (1st), 2 PR TDs
2nd team: Cobra Kai
Key Stats: 1173 combined return yards (1st), 28.08 KR avg (4th), 12.08 PR avg (3rd), 79-yard PR long (1st)
Tugg Speedman might be well into his regression seasons, but apparently someone forgot to tell him, since he actually seems to be getting faster with age. He’s been the most dangerous returner in the league for years, and this season he became just the second player in the new sim era with 2 punt return TDs in a single season. (Jackson Kingston was the first to do it, also while playing for the Silverbacks. Something in that New York tap water?)
Also no stranger to the All-Pro returner discussion, Cobra Kai announced mid-season that he intended to call it a career after S35, and he certainly went out on a high note, winning the Ultimus in his final game and slashing his way through opposing special teams units every time he received a kick. Cobra was the only player in the Top 5 of both kick return and punt return average distance, but missed out on recording a return TD. He’ll just have to be content with his second Ultimus ring instead.
SFWG All-Pro First Team
QB - Wendell Sailor*
RB - Jay Cue Jr
RB - John Huntsman
FB - Gus Bus
WR - Luke Quick
WR - Vincent Sharpei Jr
TE - Buffalo Hunter
OT - Stumpy Jones*
OT - Theo Awardsystemisbad
OT - Jaja Dingdong
OG - Bob Roberts*
C - Manhattan Project
DT - Chuck Roth*
DT - Cade Williams
DE - David Moyes*
DE - Marlon Brando*
OLB - Xavier Walls*
OLB - Bambam McMullet
ILB - Bender Rodriguez*
CB - Kalam Mekhar*
CB - Mark Goodhead
S - Rean Schwarzer
S - Tom Taylor
Flex DB - Raeni Clarke
K - Double Doink
P - Freddy Bly
Ret - Tugg Speedman
SFWG All-Pro Second Team
QB - Gimmy Jaroppolo Jr
RB -Lonnie Jackson
RB - Busch Goose
FB - Michael Patrick Porkins
WR - Nick Kaepercolin JR
WR - Johnny Patey
TE - Lenard Graf
OT - Beniri T'Chawama
OT - Swantavius Payne
OT - Connor Quigley
OG - Cheese Farley
C - Tay Swizzle
DT - Honky Tonk Haywood
DT - Emperor de Pengu
DE - Lucid Dreams
DE - Ilove Hotsalads
OLB - Big Slammu
OLB - Dont Draft
ILB - Adam Schell
CB - Willie Miller
CB - Lip Gallagher
S - Jacob Raske
S - Fuzzy George
Flex DB - Jay Spears
K - Dallas Dole
P - Dallas Dole
Ret - Cobra Kai
* = Unanimous selection
Other Players Receiving Votes:
QB Dexter Zaylren; RB Goat Tank Jr; FB Ivan Toastovich; WR Quenton Crash; WR Bernd D Brot; WR Bud R Fingers; TE Deshawn Penne; OT Bernie Sanders; OG Marquees Acho Jr; OG Mauler Panda; DT Amadeus Redding; DE Morpheus Czargyros; OLB Dexter Hall; OLB L’Gazzy Burfict; OLB Konstantin Selich; CB Ray the Manta Ray; CB Modern Nazgul; CB Guy Gibson; S Dee Walt; S Amari Springer; S Dogwood Maple; S Remus Roman; P Ikick Ballz; Ret Squidward Tentacles
Summary by team:
(8): 4 first team; 4 second team (7): 2 first team; 5 second team (6): 4 first team; 2 second team (6): 3 first team; 3 second team (5): 3 first team; 2 second team (5): 0 first team; 5 second team (3): 3 first team; 0 second team (3): 2 first team; 1 second team (2): 2 first team; 0 second team (2): 2 first team; 0 second team (2): 1 first team; 1 second team (2): 1 first team; 1 second team (2): 0 first team; 2 second team (1): 0 first team; 1 second team-------
Thank you again for reading this season’s SFWG All-Pro Team!
As always, the Simulation Football Writer’s Guild is open to bringing new members into the guild. Linked here is a post qWest made in the past that discusses what we do and how you might reach out to get on board.
Hip hip hooray again for all of the S35 All-Pro players!
© 2022 Simulation Football Writers’ Guild
Grader, please pay out the media with the following splits:
@RussDrivesTheBus - 20%
@Michiganonymous - 20%
@Pvtpenne - 15%
@TubaDeus - 15%
@Pat - 10%
@Modern_Duke - 5%
@slate - 5%
@Kotasa - 5%
@ThunderTitan82 - 5%
RE: Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - Crunk - 06-25-2022
Quality content as always. Thank you All-Pro team!
RE: Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - BOOM™ - 06-26-2022
Kinder words then I deserve, but thank you and congratulations to all those named/receiving votes.
RE: Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - Pat - 06-26-2022
(06-26-2022, 08:28 PM)BOOM™ Wrote: Kinder words then I deserve, but thank you and congratulations to all those named/receiving votes.
Keep it up with this attitude and we're going to say NICER things!
RE: Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - BOOM™ - 06-26-2022
![[Image: chris-pratt-andy.gif]](https://c.tenor.com/4SONfaMbgJQAAAAC/chris-pratt-andy.gif)
RE: *Season 35 ISFL All-Pro Team! - shrub02 - 06-28-2022
Bender can finally retire <3