Down to the top 3 players in the Big East for 2011. The suspense is killing you!
Up today: Tavon Austin, WR/KR, West Virginia
Making the case: Austin's most impressive stat is this -- going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson, he had racked up 807 yards after the catch on the season. To me, that says all you need to know about his abilities not only as a receiver but an all-around playmaker for the Mountaineers. And we are just talking about his contributions on offense, where he finished right behind Mohamed Sanu on the Big East stat sheet with 101 receptions on the season, and third in the league with 1,186 yards receiving. So what got him ranked ahead of Sanu?
For me, it was his overall versatility. Austin did it all this season, and led the nation in all-purpose yards -- averaging 198 a game. That is an incredible amount for a single player, considering all of the Mountaineers' talented skill guys. He led the league in punt return average; led the league with two kickoff returns for touchdowns, and was a threat to score a touchdown every time he touched the ball. His performance in the Orange Bowl was absolutely outstanding. I am on record as saying I thought he should have been MVP of that game. Talk offensive system all you want; Austin transcended that system and proved he was one of the best in the league this year.
Preseason ranking: No. 6
The countdown:
No. 25 Ryne Giddins, DE, USF
No. 24 Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia
No. 23 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers
No. 22 Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse
No. 21 Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn
No. 20 Dexter Heyman, LB, Louisville
No. 19 Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville
No. 18 Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
No. 17 Aaron Donald, DE, Pitt
No. 16 Trevardo Williams, DE, UConn
No. 15 Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
No. 14 Julian Miller, DE, West Virginia
No. 13 Bruce Irvin, DE West Virginia
No. 12 Najee Goode, LB, West Virginia
No. 11 Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn
No. 10 JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati
No. 9 Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati
No. 8 Ray Graham, RB, Pitt
No. 7 Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
No. 6 Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
No. 5 Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
No. 4 Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
Up today: Tavon Austin, WR/KR, West Virginia
Making the case: Austin's most impressive stat is this -- going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson, he had racked up 807 yards after the catch on the season. To me, that says all you need to know about his abilities not only as a receiver but an all-around playmaker for the Mountaineers. And we are just talking about his contributions on offense, where he finished right behind Mohamed Sanu on the Big East stat sheet with 101 receptions on the season, and third in the league with 1,186 yards receiving. So what got him ranked ahead of Sanu?
For me, it was his overall versatility. Austin did it all this season, and led the nation in all-purpose yards -- averaging 198 a game. That is an incredible amount for a single player, considering all of the Mountaineers' talented skill guys. He led the league in punt return average; led the league with two kickoff returns for touchdowns, and was a threat to score a touchdown every time he touched the ball. His performance in the Orange Bowl was absolutely outstanding. I am on record as saying I thought he should have been MVP of that game. Talk offensive system all you want; Austin transcended that system and proved he was one of the best in the league this year.
Preseason ranking: No. 6
The countdown:
No. 25 Ryne Giddins, DE, USF
No. 24 Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia
No. 23 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers
No. 22 Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse
No. 21 Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn
No. 20 Dexter Heyman, LB, Louisville
No. 19 Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville
No. 18 Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
No. 17 Aaron Donald, DE, Pitt
No. 16 Trevardo Williams, DE, UConn
No. 15 Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
No. 14 Julian Miller, DE, West Virginia
No. 13 Bruce Irvin, DE West Virginia
No. 12 Najee Goode, LB, West Virginia
No. 11 Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn
No. 10 JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati
No. 9 Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati
No. 8 Ray Graham, RB, Pitt
No. 7 Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
No. 6 Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
No. 5 Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
No. 4 Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
Andrea Adelson | email
College Football- ESPN.com Big East/Nation blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010
- Wrote for The Orlando Sentinel
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
Matt Fortuna
Fortuna joined ESPN.com in 2011 after working for MLB.com and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, where he covered college sports. He grew up in New York and is a Penn State graduate.
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