Big East: Tavon Austin
Greetings from the Midwest. Let's see what's happening around the Beast.
- South Florida player Boo Simon quits football after being diagnosed with epilepsy. The Bulls are working at an accelerated pace this spring.
- Pitt's new defense is similar to the one employed by former coach Dave Wannstedt. Panthers RB Isaac Bennett gets a showcase opportunity in practice while Ray Graham is on the mend.
- Tavon Austin's versatility stands out for West Virginia. Donte Campbell could be the Mountaineers' next 1,000-yard receiver.
- Connecticut coach Paul Pasqualoni has no issues with taking transfers, as long as they fit his program.
- Kyle Flood's friends and family members weigh in on the new Rutgers coach.
- Cincinnati coach Butch Jones discusses the second section of spring football.
- Athlon Sports ranks the current and future Big East coaches.
- Louisville offers a defensive back from Florida.
No. 1 in the Big East in 2011: Geno Smith
March, 12, 2012
Mar 12
10:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
You waited all weekend for me to confirm what you already figured out: West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith takes the No. 1 spot in my countdown of the top 25 players in the Big East for 2011.
He may not have won Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors, but I thought Smith was the best and most valuable player in the league this year. Why?
Making the case: There is no way West Virginia would have had another record-breaking offensive year and been one of the most explosive groups in the country without Smith. Take Smith away, and Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are not nearly as effective. There is no denying that trio of players benefited from playing in the high-powered offense Dana Holgorsen brought with him from Oklahoma State. But one glance at what happened at Pitt should show everybody that there is no such thing as just being able to insert any warm body into a spread offense and have it work like magic.
Were there problems? Sure, there were problems. Smith made bad decisions at times. The offense failed to put together a complete game on more than one occasion, driving the ball ridiculously well at some points, then stalling at others. We finally saw the full capability of the offense on display in the Orange Bowl against Clemson, a sign of things to come for 2012. But for 2011 at least, Smith learned the offense and did a great job in his first year -- setting the school and Big East record with 4,385 yards, while throwing for 31 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Smith ranked No. 8 in the nation in passing, and was the most highly visible player in the Big East.
With Smith leading the way, West Virginia set 19 different school records. Smith owns seven of them. And if anybody needs reminding, his backup was a true freshman. So if Smith had gotten hurt, this team would have been in a heap of trouble. I don't think you can say the same of Austin. As good as Austin is, I think West Virginia would have been able to make do without him. That's why I have Smith ahead of his teammate.
Why Smith over Isaiah Pead? As I have written before, I understand the argument for making Pead the No. 1 player in the Big East. He had his best season, and was extremely valuable to the Bearcats, especially after Zach Collaros got hurt. But in a must-win game against Rutgers the week after losing Collaros, Pead had his worst game of the season, with 28 yards on 14 carries. A lot of that was a function of the way the Scarlet Knights focused on shutting him down and making Munchie Legaux beat them. But I think all Bearcats fans can probably agree they expected a little more out of Pead in that game. It was as if the entire offense failed to show up. To me, MVPs find a way to make a play -- even with nine men in the box.
Not to take away anything from the season Pead had. I obviously think highly enough of him to rank him No. 2 in the Big East. But overall, I thought Smith was better and more valuable, so he gets my No. 1 ranking.
Preseason ranking: No. 1
The countdown:
No. 2 Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
No. 3 Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
No. 4 Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
No. 5 Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
No. 6 Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
No. 7 Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
No. 8 Ray Graham, RB, Pitt
No. 9 Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati
No. 10 JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati
No. 11 Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn
No. 12 Najee Goode, LB, West Virginia
No. 13 Bruce Irvin, DE West Virginia
No. 14 Julian Miller, DE, West Virginia
No. 15 Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
No. 16 Trevardo Williams, DE, UConn
No. 17 Aaron Donald, DE, Pitt
No. 18 Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
No. 19 Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville
No. 20 Dexter Heyman, LB, Louisville
No. 21 Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn
No. 22 Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse
No. 23 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers
No. 24 Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia
No. 25 Ryne Giddins, DE, USF
He may not have won Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors, but I thought Smith was the best and most valuable player in the league this year. Why?
Making the case: There is no way West Virginia would have had another record-breaking offensive year and been one of the most explosive groups in the country without Smith. Take Smith away, and Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are not nearly as effective. There is no denying that trio of players benefited from playing in the high-powered offense Dana Holgorsen brought with him from Oklahoma State. But one glance at what happened at Pitt should show everybody that there is no such thing as just being able to insert any warm body into a spread offense and have it work like magic.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Al BehrmanThe Mountaineers had a record-breaking season on offense behind Geno Smith's 4,385 passing yards.
AP Photo/Al BehrmanThe Mountaineers had a record-breaking season on offense behind Geno Smith's 4,385 passing yards.With Smith leading the way, West Virginia set 19 different school records. Smith owns seven of them. And if anybody needs reminding, his backup was a true freshman. So if Smith had gotten hurt, this team would have been in a heap of trouble. I don't think you can say the same of Austin. As good as Austin is, I think West Virginia would have been able to make do without him. That's why I have Smith ahead of his teammate.
Why Smith over Isaiah Pead? As I have written before, I understand the argument for making Pead the No. 1 player in the Big East. He had his best season, and was extremely valuable to the Bearcats, especially after Zach Collaros got hurt. But in a must-win game against Rutgers the week after losing Collaros, Pead had his worst game of the season, with 28 yards on 14 carries. A lot of that was a function of the way the Scarlet Knights focused on shutting him down and making Munchie Legaux beat them. But I think all Bearcats fans can probably agree they expected a little more out of Pead in that game. It was as if the entire offense failed to show up. To me, MVPs find a way to make a play -- even with nine men in the box.
Not to take away anything from the season Pead had. I obviously think highly enough of him to rank him No. 2 in the Big East. But overall, I thought Smith was better and more valuable, so he gets my No. 1 ranking.
Preseason ranking: No. 1
The countdown:
No. 2 Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
No. 3 Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
No. 4 Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
No. 5 Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
No. 6 Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
No. 7 Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
No. 8 Ray Graham, RB, Pitt
No. 9 Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati
No. 10 JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati
No. 11 Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn
No. 12 Najee Goode, LB, West Virginia
No. 13 Bruce Irvin, DE West Virginia
No. 14 Julian Miller, DE, West Virginia
No. 15 Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
No. 16 Trevardo Williams, DE, UConn
No. 17 Aaron Donald, DE, Pitt
No. 18 Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
No. 19 Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville
No. 20 Dexter Heyman, LB, Louisville
No. 21 Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn
No. 22 Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse
No. 23 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers
No. 24 Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia
No. 25 Ryne Giddins, DE, USF
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
Big East position rankings: Special teams
February, 24, 2012
Feb 24
3:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
We have come to the final group in the 2011 postseason position rankings: special teams. This one is all encompassing -- kickers, punters, returners, and team coverage -- which has made it quite the task to evaluate as one group. Some teams had returns that excelled and kickers that were so-so. Some had great kickers but a so-so return game.
I tried to give equal weight to all parts. In the end, I took the rankings in several special-teams categories and used an average ranking to help determine these. Special weight was given to game-changing plays as well.
1. Cincinnati. The Bearcats ranked in the top two in four of the five statistical categories I used to evaluate special teams as a whole. The only area lacking was field goals, but I thought overall Tony Miliano had a decent year for a true freshman, even considering his missed kick against West Virginia. Ralph David Abernathy IV emerged as a dynamite kickoff man, and Pat O'Donnell was the best punter in the Big East again. Kickoff coverage was solid as well. Preseason ranking: 5.
2. UConn. Nick Williams averaged just 5.6 yards a return on punts. He was not particularly dynamic on kickoff returns, either, ranking No. 4 in the Big East after going into the season as one of the top returners in the league. UConn was one of two Big East teams without a kickoff return for a touchdown. But still, the Huskies were solid in every other category. Dave Teggart once again was the Big East first-team kicker, and Cole Wagner averaged 41.1 yards a punt. Preseason ranking: 1.
3. West Virginia. Tavon Austin was hands down the best returner in the Big East this season, and one of the best in the nation. But since this is an evaluation of special teams as a whole, everything is taken into account. West Virginia had the worst punting situation in the Big East, and ranked last in kickoff coverage. There were several critical blocked field goals as well. Special teams absolutely improved as the year went on, and some players made big plays -- Eain Smith comes to mind. But Austin alone wasn't enough to elevate the group higher. Preseason ranking: 7.
4. Rutgers. Once again, the Scarlet Knights were highly effective at blocking kicks -- a staple under coach Greg Schiano. Jeremy Deering was solid in the kickoff return game as well. But San San Te had the worst field goal percentage in the Big East (64.5 percent), and kickoff coverage ranked No. 7 in the conference. Rutgers only had an opportunity to return 16 punts last season, averaging about 6 yards a return. Preseason ranking: 6.
5. Pitt. The Panthers lost their punter and field goal kicker from a year ago and did perhaps better than expected in special teams overall. Punter Matt Yoklic was second in the league in punts, though Kevin Harper did struggle at times with his field goals. Losing Cameron Saddler really hurt the punt return game as well. Preseason ranking: 8.
6. Syracuse. Ross Krautman led the Big East in field goal percentage (78.9) but he only had 19 attempts on the season, second fewest in the Big East. Punt returns were essentially nonexistent -- with only 12 attempts for an average of 3.1 yards a return. Jeremiah Kobena was a nice addition at kickoff returner, but the Orange still ranked No. 6 in the Big East in that category and kickoff return coverage as well. Preseason ranking: 4.
7. Louisville. Chris Philpott had a disappointing season, ranking No. 7 in the league in field goal percentage (66.7). He and Josh Bleser averaged 37.3 yards a punt. Punt returning ranked No. 7 in the Big East as well, and aside from Adrian Bushell's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, that category was just average for the Cardinals. Preseason ranking: 3.
8. USF. I think the Bulls were the biggest disappointment in this category. Lindsey Lamar, who was the first-team Big East selection at returner last year, had zero this year and ranked No. 9 in the league in kickoff return average. His average was down some six yards from last season. When Terrence Mitchell got hurt and missed the second half of the season, no one was dynamic at punt returner, either. Maikon Bonani ranked No. 3 in field goal percentage but fairly or not is going to be remembered for missing a field goal that would have beaten Rutgers, and eventually gotten the Bulls bowl eligible. Preseason ranking: 2.
I tried to give equal weight to all parts. In the end, I took the rankings in several special-teams categories and used an average ranking to help determine these. Special weight was given to game-changing plays as well.
1. Cincinnati. The Bearcats ranked in the top two in four of the five statistical categories I used to evaluate special teams as a whole. The only area lacking was field goals, but I thought overall Tony Miliano had a decent year for a true freshman, even considering his missed kick against West Virginia. Ralph David Abernathy IV emerged as a dynamite kickoff man, and Pat O'Donnell was the best punter in the Big East again. Kickoff coverage was solid as well. Preseason ranking: 5.
2. UConn. Nick Williams averaged just 5.6 yards a return on punts. He was not particularly dynamic on kickoff returns, either, ranking No. 4 in the Big East after going into the season as one of the top returners in the league. UConn was one of two Big East teams without a kickoff return for a touchdown. But still, the Huskies were solid in every other category. Dave Teggart once again was the Big East first-team kicker, and Cole Wagner averaged 41.1 yards a punt. Preseason ranking: 1.
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Charles LeClaire/US PresswireTavon Austin had two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season.
Charles LeClaire/US PresswireTavon Austin had two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season.4. Rutgers. Once again, the Scarlet Knights were highly effective at blocking kicks -- a staple under coach Greg Schiano. Jeremy Deering was solid in the kickoff return game as well. But San San Te had the worst field goal percentage in the Big East (64.5 percent), and kickoff coverage ranked No. 7 in the conference. Rutgers only had an opportunity to return 16 punts last season, averaging about 6 yards a return. Preseason ranking: 6.
5. Pitt. The Panthers lost their punter and field goal kicker from a year ago and did perhaps better than expected in special teams overall. Punter Matt Yoklic was second in the league in punts, though Kevin Harper did struggle at times with his field goals. Losing Cameron Saddler really hurt the punt return game as well. Preseason ranking: 8.
6. Syracuse. Ross Krautman led the Big East in field goal percentage (78.9) but he only had 19 attempts on the season, second fewest in the Big East. Punt returns were essentially nonexistent -- with only 12 attempts for an average of 3.1 yards a return. Jeremiah Kobena was a nice addition at kickoff returner, but the Orange still ranked No. 6 in the Big East in that category and kickoff return coverage as well. Preseason ranking: 4.
7. Louisville. Chris Philpott had a disappointing season, ranking No. 7 in the league in field goal percentage (66.7). He and Josh Bleser averaged 37.3 yards a punt. Punt returning ranked No. 7 in the Big East as well, and aside from Adrian Bushell's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, that category was just average for the Cardinals. Preseason ranking: 3.
8. USF. I think the Bulls were the biggest disappointment in this category. Lindsey Lamar, who was the first-team Big East selection at returner last year, had zero this year and ranked No. 9 in the league in kickoff return average. His average was down some six yards from last season. When Terrence Mitchell got hurt and missed the second half of the season, no one was dynamic at punt returner, either. Maikon Bonani ranked No. 3 in field goal percentage but fairly or not is going to be remembered for missing a field goal that would have beaten Rutgers, and eventually gotten the Bulls bowl eligible. Preseason ranking: 2.
Time to pick up my final position rankings for the 2011 season. Before you start sending in your notes to the mailbag, please keep in mind that West Virginia will be included in all 2011 postseason rankings and evaluations because the Mountaineers were still part of the league.
Now where was I? Oh yes, offense. Let us move on to running back. I am using rushing yards by quarterbacks and receivers in this evaluation.
1. Cincinnati. Isaiah Pead won Big East Offensive Player of the Year, but that was not the only story behind the Bearcats rushing attack this past season. Cincinnati had more total yards rushing than any other team with 2,321 -- Pead had a little more than half that total (1,259). The quarterbacks definitely contributed because everybody who played the position is a dual threat. But also keep in mind Cincinnati averaged 4.6 yards a carry -- tied for tops in the league, and led the league with 28 rushing TDs. Preseason ranking: 1.
2. Pitt. Ray Graham was having an unbelievable season before he got hurt, and I truly think he could have had a case for Big East Offensive Player of the Year had he stayed healthy. Zach Brown proved to be a solid backup, and it was nice to see the development of true freshman Isaac Bennett. Despite teams keying on the run, Pitt still finished third in the league in rushing. Preseason ranking: 2.
3. USF. The Bulls actually led the Big East in rushing, though they had nobody go over 1,000 yards. Still, what you realize is that three players went over 500 yards on the ground. That includes quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has the capability of making plays with his legs as well. Darrell Scott had some highlight-worthy plays this season (hurdler, anyone?) and was tough to bring down at times. Preseason ranking: 6.
4. West Virginia. Dustin Garrison was having a fine debut season until a torn ACL sidelined him for the Orange Bowl. There is no question this was an area of inconsistency for the Mountaineers throughout the season. But having players like Tavon Austin run plays out of the backfield, plus a guy like Shawne Alston step up when Garrison was hurt showed there was some talent that could keep teams off-balance, when the Mountaineers wanted to. Preseason ranking: 3.
5. Syracuse. Antwon Bailey had a good season, going over 1,000 yards while earning a spot on the Big East first team. The problem is that there was virtually no depth behind him. The next-highest rusher was Jerome Smith, with 134 yards on the ground. So depth was a clear issue. Bailey is the big reason why the Orange rank here. Preseason ranking: 5.
6. UConn. Lyle McCombs saves the day for the Huskies in this category. Just like Syracuse, there was a critical lack of depth at running back once D.J. Shoemate went out. Quarterback Scott McCummings provided a nice change of pace out of the backfield, but the Huskies only averaged 3.1 yards a carry as a whole, with a total of 13 rushing touchdowns. Preseason ranking: 8.
7. Louisville. I didn't think there was anything spectacular about this group of running backs. Louisville did a nice job when it moved Dominique Brown from quarterback to running back, and that really gave this unit a boost. But the Cardinals struggled most of the year on the ground. Only one back went over 100 yards on the year -- Jeremy Wright. That ranks as the fewest in the Big East. Preseason ranking: 4.
8. Rutgers. Jawan Jamison definitely emerged, but I don't think anybody would tell you that Rutgers' rushing offense scared teams this past season. The Scarlet Knights were the worst Big East rushing team, and averaged a Big East-worst 2.8 yards a carry with an average of 97.8 yards per game on the ground. Just a hunch, but I think this area will be vastly improved in 2012. Preseason ranking: 7.
Now where was I? Oh yes, offense. Let us move on to running back. I am using rushing yards by quarterbacks and receivers in this evaluation.
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Rich Kane/Icon SMIIsaiah Pead and Cincinnati averaged 4.6 yards per rush in 2011.
Rich Kane/Icon SMIIsaiah Pead and Cincinnati averaged 4.6 yards per rush in 2011.2. Pitt. Ray Graham was having an unbelievable season before he got hurt, and I truly think he could have had a case for Big East Offensive Player of the Year had he stayed healthy. Zach Brown proved to be a solid backup, and it was nice to see the development of true freshman Isaac Bennett. Despite teams keying on the run, Pitt still finished third in the league in rushing. Preseason ranking: 2.
3. USF. The Bulls actually led the Big East in rushing, though they had nobody go over 1,000 yards. Still, what you realize is that three players went over 500 yards on the ground. That includes quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has the capability of making plays with his legs as well. Darrell Scott had some highlight-worthy plays this season (hurdler, anyone?) and was tough to bring down at times. Preseason ranking: 6.
4. West Virginia. Dustin Garrison was having a fine debut season until a torn ACL sidelined him for the Orange Bowl. There is no question this was an area of inconsistency for the Mountaineers throughout the season. But having players like Tavon Austin run plays out of the backfield, plus a guy like Shawne Alston step up when Garrison was hurt showed there was some talent that could keep teams off-balance, when the Mountaineers wanted to. Preseason ranking: 3.
5. Syracuse. Antwon Bailey had a good season, going over 1,000 yards while earning a spot on the Big East first team. The problem is that there was virtually no depth behind him. The next-highest rusher was Jerome Smith, with 134 yards on the ground. So depth was a clear issue. Bailey is the big reason why the Orange rank here. Preseason ranking: 5.
6. UConn. Lyle McCombs saves the day for the Huskies in this category. Just like Syracuse, there was a critical lack of depth at running back once D.J. Shoemate went out. Quarterback Scott McCummings provided a nice change of pace out of the backfield, but the Huskies only averaged 3.1 yards a carry as a whole, with a total of 13 rushing touchdowns. Preseason ranking: 8.
7. Louisville. I didn't think there was anything spectacular about this group of running backs. Louisville did a nice job when it moved Dominique Brown from quarterback to running back, and that really gave this unit a boost. But the Cardinals struggled most of the year on the ground. Only one back went over 100 yards on the year -- Jeremy Wright. That ranks as the fewest in the Big East. Preseason ranking: 4.
8. Rutgers. Jawan Jamison definitely emerged, but I don't think anybody would tell you that Rutgers' rushing offense scared teams this past season. The Scarlet Knights were the worst Big East rushing team, and averaged a Big East-worst 2.8 yards a carry with an average of 97.8 yards per game on the ground. Just a hunch, but I think this area will be vastly improved in 2012. Preseason ranking: 7.
Where can Tavon Austin get better?
February, 15, 2012
Feb 15
11:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
There is no other way to say it -- West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin was terrific in 2011.
His speed allowed him to make huge plays not only at receiver, but at running back and in special teams as well. There is a reason he led the nation in all-purpose yards with 198 a game, and did most of his damage after contact.
Nobody could bring him down. Clemson is still trying to figure out where he went.
So how can Austin get better for the Mountaineers in 2012, especially now that they are joining a new conference? His cousin has a unique perspective to that question. Shawn Waller, a high school football coach in the Baltimore area, began coaching Austin when he was 9. Believe it or not, Austin has been doing offseason workouts since that young age in a quest to make himself better than everyone else.
Part of it was his small size. He needed to do something to make up for being the little guy who was consistently overlooked. But much of it was his competitive drive, the yearning to be better than everybody else.
"A lot of people say he has the God-given ability, not knowing the hours he put in as a boy, every winter, every summer trying to get better," Waller said in a phone interview. "He worked all year on football. That he is reaping the benefits now is a testament to him, his hard work and his dedication."
Waller helped Austin go through agility drills, conditioning and strength exercises. He did push ups and sit ups, ran up a lot of hills, up a lot of steps. By the time Austin got to high school, he was showing his teammates the proper way to use agility ladders because he was a pro at it.
Nine years old might sound a bit young for somebody to be working year 'round. Waller insists it was Austin who wanted to do it all. He just wanted to help his younger cousin get there the right way.
"He always wanted to be the best, and he always worked it," said Waller. "If he wanted it, I was meeting him halfway there. That's what drew me to coming back year after year because he was willing to do it. He wanted to do the work, so I was going to be the person there to help him."
Austin credits his cousin for helping him not only develop as a player, but also giving him tough skin. Waller, like West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, does not sugarcoat. Waller always has been honest with Austin, and that came through during his toughest time in Morgantown.
Austin was recruited to play running back, and was told he would have an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Noel Devine. But the coaches decided he would be better served to play receiver. Austin was understandably bummed, but a phone conversation with Waller helped him realize this move would be for the best.
So he took to his new position the way he took to everything else -- he worked harder than everybody; he studied other receivers; he absorbed as much information as he could from those around him. Playing receiver means less wear and tear on his body, and more opportunities for huge game-breaking plays.
"I really have to thank my cousin," Austin said. "He always told me to keep my mind-set right. I never saw myself as a receiver because of how I played, but I came out and did well at it and I'm thankful it worked out my way."
So back to the original question -- where can Austin get better? When you consider he only has been playing receiver for a few years, there is plenty of room for growth when it comes to film study and his understanding of the game.
"I told him, his talent is there, now I would like to see the overall understanding of the game, studying the game and his craft, understanding what the defense is trying to do to him so he's always a step ahead," Waller said. "That will take him to another level. Once you get to a certain level, everybody is good.
"Once he understands the game, how to beat the coverages, what coverages look like, understanding what the quarterback is seeing so they're on the same page, just learning the game."
Austin had several games in which he had some big drops, something he knows he has to work on for 2012.
"I had eight dropped balls," Austin said. "That is definitely motivating me moving forward."
So is retaining his spot as the top all-purpose man in the country.
His speed allowed him to make huge plays not only at receiver, but at running back and in special teams as well. There is a reason he led the nation in all-purpose yards with 198 a game, and did most of his damage after contact.
Nobody could bring him down. Clemson is still trying to figure out where he went.
So how can Austin get better for the Mountaineers in 2012, especially now that they are joining a new conference? His cousin has a unique perspective to that question. Shawn Waller, a high school football coach in the Baltimore area, began coaching Austin when he was 9. Believe it or not, Austin has been doing offseason workouts since that young age in a quest to make himself better than everyone else.
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Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIREWest Virginia receiver Tavon Austin set a new Orange Bowl record with 280 all-purpose yards against Clemson.
Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIREWest Virginia receiver Tavon Austin set a new Orange Bowl record with 280 all-purpose yards against Clemson."A lot of people say he has the God-given ability, not knowing the hours he put in as a boy, every winter, every summer trying to get better," Waller said in a phone interview. "He worked all year on football. That he is reaping the benefits now is a testament to him, his hard work and his dedication."
Waller helped Austin go through agility drills, conditioning and strength exercises. He did push ups and sit ups, ran up a lot of hills, up a lot of steps. By the time Austin got to high school, he was showing his teammates the proper way to use agility ladders because he was a pro at it.
Nine years old might sound a bit young for somebody to be working year 'round. Waller insists it was Austin who wanted to do it all. He just wanted to help his younger cousin get there the right way.
"He always wanted to be the best, and he always worked it," said Waller. "If he wanted it, I was meeting him halfway there. That's what drew me to coming back year after year because he was willing to do it. He wanted to do the work, so I was going to be the person there to help him."
Austin credits his cousin for helping him not only develop as a player, but also giving him tough skin. Waller, like West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, does not sugarcoat. Waller always has been honest with Austin, and that came through during his toughest time in Morgantown.
Austin was recruited to play running back, and was told he would have an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Noel Devine. But the coaches decided he would be better served to play receiver. Austin was understandably bummed, but a phone conversation with Waller helped him realize this move would be for the best.
So he took to his new position the way he took to everything else -- he worked harder than everybody; he studied other receivers; he absorbed as much information as he could from those around him. Playing receiver means less wear and tear on his body, and more opportunities for huge game-breaking plays.
"I really have to thank my cousin," Austin said. "He always told me to keep my mind-set right. I never saw myself as a receiver because of how I played, but I came out and did well at it and I'm thankful it worked out my way."
So back to the original question -- where can Austin get better? When you consider he only has been playing receiver for a few years, there is plenty of room for growth when it comes to film study and his understanding of the game.
"I told him, his talent is there, now I would like to see the overall understanding of the game, studying the game and his craft, understanding what the defense is trying to do to him so he's always a step ahead," Waller said. "That will take him to another level. Once you get to a certain level, everybody is good.
"Once he understands the game, how to beat the coverages, what coverages look like, understanding what the quarterback is seeing so they're on the same page, just learning the game."
Austin had several games in which he had some big drops, something he knows he has to work on for 2012.
"I had eight dropped balls," Austin said. "That is definitely motivating me moving forward."
So is retaining his spot as the top all-purpose man in the country.
Introducing WVU to its home in the Big 12
February, 15, 2012
Feb 15
9:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben and
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Andrew Weber/US PresswireWest Virginia's Milan Puskar Stadium offers new experiences for Big 12 fans.The Big East and the Mountaineers have settled their lawsuit, and West Virginia is officially on its way to the Big 12 for 2012.
That means it's off the Big East blog and onto the Big 12 blog, too.
To help the Big 12 get to know its newest member, Big 12 blogger David Ubben asked Big East blogger Andrea Adelson for her thoughts.
David Ubben: AA, Les Miles had my favorite quote of the 2011 season in relation to West Virginia. "They were having a football party and invited us. I knew our guys would show up."
You were there, Andrea. What can Big 12 fans expect when they go to Morgantown? Is it a football party every weekend?
Andrea Adelson: Define "every weekend." West Virginia fans show up for the super gigantic games against teams like LSU and Pitt, but there has been concern that the fan base is "fair weather." Note -- 46,000 fans came out to watch Bowling Green. Now, the truth is, no fan in America gets up for the cupcake patsy schedule. But this rubbed Dana Holgorsen the wrong way, and he ripped on the fans after that game:
"All I heard about was how much this meant to everybody across the state of West Virginia. This was the NFL team in town and we're going to be here to support you. Well, having 40,000 people at a game isn't doing that. ... We do our best every week to fix what the problems are offensively, defensively and special teams wise. Well, what's everybody across the state of West Virginia, including the student body, doing to fix the fact that our players had to play in front of 40,000 people?"
Now, you remember Holgy from his days at Oklahoma State. OK maybe not, since there were not many of them. But he likes stirring the pot, and I firmly believe he did that to motivate a fan base that had become dispassionate with good ol' Bill Stewart "I never met a punt I didn't like" in charge. The fact is that West Virginia has the most spirited fan base in the Big East and averaged 8,000 more fans than Louisville, which ranked No. 2 in the league in attendance in 2011. The atmosphere is fun, and was absolutely electric against LSU.
I anticipate many more crowds like that with teams like Texas and Oklahoma appearing on the schedule. West Virginia fans have gotten a bad rap nationally because of the couch burning and rowdiness. But in the two games I attended last season, I thought everybody behaved themselves accordingly.
And hey, they now serve alcohol in the stadium. I'm sure Big 12 fans can drink to that.
DU: No doubt about the couch burning. Apparently West Virginia passed some legislation to make it stop, but I always found it sort of endearing and mostly harmless, albeit destructive. Maybe that's just me.
Holgorsen definitely speaks his mind, and I know fans will be fired up about alcohol sales in the stadium. What about once fans get to the stadium? Any in-game traditions they should be prepared for? Remember, this is the same league that had Texas A&M for its entirety. Visiting fans are prepared for a little weirdness.
AA: You mean weirder than couch burning?
Well, the Mountaineers mascot runs onto the field with the team toting a real rifle. Each year his costume is tailored to fit just him. But my favorite tradition has to be the playing of "Country Roads" at the end of each home victory. Fans stay in the stands and join the team in signing the song, which became a tradition in 1980 after John Denver dedicated Mountaineer Field with the song.
It is time to evaluate the receiver position in the Big East. For the postseason rankings, I am going to include tight ends as well. Before the season started, I did them separately, but it makes more sense to do them together.
This is a position group that has a clear-cut 1-2. To me, the rest are pretty interchangeable, as no other group really stood out to me this season.
1. West Virginia. Slam dunk to have the Mountaineers on top, given the way Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey performed this season. Each had 1,000-yard seasons -- the first time in school history two players hit that mark. Bailey led the Big East with 12 receiving touchdowns, and was No. 1 in receiving yards per game. Austin was third in receiving yards per game and second in receptions per game. Add in Ivan McCartney, also ranked among the top-10 receivers in the Big East and that says it all. Preseason ranking: No. 2.
2. Rutgers. Mohamed Sanu had an unbelievable season for Rutgers with a school and Big East record 115 receptions. He dominated at receiver, leading the league in receptions per game and finishing second in receiving yards per game. That domination meant his teammates did not get as many opportunities -- Brandon Coleman only had 17 receptions; Mark Harrison 14, Quron Pratt had 32. But when you have an unstoppable force like Sanu, you keep going to him. Preseason ranking: No. 1.
3. Syracuse. When you think of the Orange, you don't necessarily think of high-profile receivers. But Alec Lemon and Nick Provo teamed to have outstanding seasons this year. Both posted career years, Provo made the Big East first team and Lemon made the second team. The two combined for 119 catches and 13 touchdowns. Depth wasn't great, but the performance of Lemon and Provo make up for that and vaults Syracuse here. Preseason ranking: No. 5.
4. Cincinnati. I thought the Bearcats receivers had a down year. D.J. Woods didn't really live up to his potential, and Anthony McClung led the team with 683 yards. That is the fewest yards for the team's leading receiver since 2006. What really sticks out: when Zach Collaros got hurt, the receivers as a whole never really stepped up the way they should have to help Munchie Legaux. Preseason ranking: No. 3.
5. Louisville. The Cardinals did get much better play out of their receivers, and were helped with the impact freshman DeVante Parker and Eli Rogers made. They didn't have anybody with eye-popping numbers, but they did have consistent enough performances out of this group. Preseason ranking: 7.
6. USF. The Bulls were really hurt by injuries at this position, and never really had a go-to guy emerge. Sterling Griffin was en route to a good season before he got hurt; A.J. Love got hurt as well. That left the position in the hands of many young, inexperienced guys. I thought Deonte Welch really had a nice second half. He was their best receiver when Griffin was out. Preseason ranking: 6.
7. UConn. Considering the way the Huskies struggled in the pass game, Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore and Ryan Griffin all put together solid seasons for UConn. Both Moores ranked in the top 10 in the Big East in receiving, and Griffin was the second-best tight end behind Nick Provo. Depth was lacking at the position -- as only five players caught double-digit passes, and only three are true wide receivers. Preseason ranking: 8.
8. Pitt. The Panthers got their tight ends and running backs involved heavily in the pass game, probably because there was depth lacking at the actual receiver position. Devin Street put together a solid season, with 754 yards receiving, and Mike Shanahan was decent. But otherwise, big plays were lacking. Passing game woes obviously had an impact. Preseason ranking: 4.
This is a position group that has a clear-cut 1-2. To me, the rest are pretty interchangeable, as no other group really stood out to me this season.
1. West Virginia. Slam dunk to have the Mountaineers on top, given the way Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey performed this season. Each had 1,000-yard seasons -- the first time in school history two players hit that mark. Bailey led the Big East with 12 receiving touchdowns, and was No. 1 in receiving yards per game. Austin was third in receiving yards per game and second in receptions per game. Add in Ivan McCartney, also ranked among the top-10 receivers in the Big East and that says it all. Preseason ranking: No. 2.
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Kim Klement/US PRESSWIREWest Virginia's Stedman Bailey led the Big East in touchdowns and yards receiving per game.
Kim Klement/US PRESSWIREWest Virginia's Stedman Bailey led the Big East in touchdowns and yards receiving per game.3. Syracuse. When you think of the Orange, you don't necessarily think of high-profile receivers. But Alec Lemon and Nick Provo teamed to have outstanding seasons this year. Both posted career years, Provo made the Big East first team and Lemon made the second team. The two combined for 119 catches and 13 touchdowns. Depth wasn't great, but the performance of Lemon and Provo make up for that and vaults Syracuse here. Preseason ranking: No. 5.
4. Cincinnati. I thought the Bearcats receivers had a down year. D.J. Woods didn't really live up to his potential, and Anthony McClung led the team with 683 yards. That is the fewest yards for the team's leading receiver since 2006. What really sticks out: when Zach Collaros got hurt, the receivers as a whole never really stepped up the way they should have to help Munchie Legaux. Preseason ranking: No. 3.
5. Louisville. The Cardinals did get much better play out of their receivers, and were helped with the impact freshman DeVante Parker and Eli Rogers made. They didn't have anybody with eye-popping numbers, but they did have consistent enough performances out of this group. Preseason ranking: 7.
6. USF. The Bulls were really hurt by injuries at this position, and never really had a go-to guy emerge. Sterling Griffin was en route to a good season before he got hurt; A.J. Love got hurt as well. That left the position in the hands of many young, inexperienced guys. I thought Deonte Welch really had a nice second half. He was their best receiver when Griffin was out. Preseason ranking: 6.
7. UConn. Considering the way the Huskies struggled in the pass game, Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore and Ryan Griffin all put together solid seasons for UConn. Both Moores ranked in the top 10 in the Big East in receiving, and Griffin was the second-best tight end behind Nick Provo. Depth was lacking at the position -- as only five players caught double-digit passes, and only three are true wide receivers. Preseason ranking: 8.
8. Pitt. The Panthers got their tight ends and running backs involved heavily in the pass game, probably because there was depth lacking at the actual receiver position. Devin Street put together a solid season, with 754 yards receiving, and Mike Shanahan was decent. But otherwise, big plays were lacking. Passing game woes obviously had an impact. Preseason ranking: 4.
It is time to take a last look back at how each Big East team fared in 2011 with season-ending report cards. I wrap up the series with a look at West Virginia.
Offense: I could list the litany of school records West Virginia set this season, but there may not be enough room in this here post. Let's just say Dana Holgorsen is who we thought he was, and his high-flying system translated into the highest flying offense in school history. Geno Smith set a Big East single-season record with 4,385 yards passing; Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey each went over 1,000 yards receiving; and West Virginia averaged 459.6 yards of total offense while scoring an average of 34.9 points -- nine points higher than a year ago. The run game was inconsistent, and so was the offensive line. Though West Virginia did not put together a complete game on offense until the Orange Bowl, it is hard to give this unit anything but an A.
Grade: A.
Defense: No question this group got better as the year went on, primarily because all of the new starters on defense got a better feel for playing together. Taking Bruce Irvin out of the starting lineup and getting him back into situational downs shot up his sack numbers as well and helped the Mountaineers get reacquainted with their pass rush. One of the biggest reasons why West Virginia was able to storm back and win a share of the Big East was because of the way the defense played down the stretch, forcing critical turnovers and making key plays to pull out some close victories. And let's not forget the game-changing play against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, when Darwin Cook returned a fumble 99 yards to turn the tide in the game.
Grade: B.
Overall: West Virginia lived up to preseason expectations, even though it had to go about that in a roundabout way. After losing to Louisville, many counted the Mountaineers out. But they won three straight to earn the spot in the BCS title game, and then absolutely crushed Clemson with the spotlight squarely on them. This is a team that has some really excellent skill players who should rank right up there among the best in the country. The defense was up and down and will face a true test next season with a different scheme and many of its best players gone. But for 2011, there is no other way to judge this season than to say it was a success.
Grade: A.
Previously featured:
Offense: I could list the litany of school records West Virginia set this season, but there may not be enough room in this here post. Let's just say Dana Holgorsen is who we thought he was, and his high-flying system translated into the highest flying offense in school history. Geno Smith set a Big East single-season record with 4,385 yards passing; Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey each went over 1,000 yards receiving; and West Virginia averaged 459.6 yards of total offense while scoring an average of 34.9 points -- nine points higher than a year ago. The run game was inconsistent, and so was the offensive line. Though West Virginia did not put together a complete game on offense until the Orange Bowl, it is hard to give this unit anything but an A.
Grade: A.
Defense: No question this group got better as the year went on, primarily because all of the new starters on defense got a better feel for playing together. Taking Bruce Irvin out of the starting lineup and getting him back into situational downs shot up his sack numbers as well and helped the Mountaineers get reacquainted with their pass rush. One of the biggest reasons why West Virginia was able to storm back and win a share of the Big East was because of the way the defense played down the stretch, forcing critical turnovers and making key plays to pull out some close victories. And let's not forget the game-changing play against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, when Darwin Cook returned a fumble 99 yards to turn the tide in the game.
Grade: B.
Overall: West Virginia lived up to preseason expectations, even though it had to go about that in a roundabout way. After losing to Louisville, many counted the Mountaineers out. But they won three straight to earn the spot in the BCS title game, and then absolutely crushed Clemson with the spotlight squarely on them. This is a team that has some really excellent skill players who should rank right up there among the best in the country. The defense was up and down and will face a true test next season with a different scheme and many of its best players gone. But for 2011, there is no other way to judge this season than to say it was a success.
Grade: A.
Previously featured:
How 2011 All-Big East team fared as recruits
January, 31, 2012
Jan 31
9:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
With one day to go before signing day, it is worth taking a look back at how the players on the Big East first-team fared when they were coming out of high school.
You will see, once again, that recruiting rankings generally have nothing to do with the way a player will do in college. So anybody freaking out about what your school does or does not have in the way of commitments for 2012, just take a deep breath. And look at how some of the most unheralded players out of high school become some of the best in the Big East.
I used ESPN recruiting rankings. Note only one player honored on the first team was ranked as an ESPNU150 player. Many on defense came in as either athletes, receivers or quarterbacks.
Offense
WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. Sanu was ranked the No. 18 safety in the nation coming out of high school in 2009, with a scout grade of 80.
WR/RS Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Austin was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation coming out of high school in 2009 -- three spots behind De'Antwan Williams (Rutgers) and one spot behind Jason Douglas (Pitt). Know who else was ranked ahead -- Victor Marc and Bradley Battles of USF.
OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse. Unranked at his position for the class of 2009, Pugh got a scout grade of 40. Talk about making the most of somebody who was "undervalued."
OT Don Barclay, West Virginia. Ranked No. 65 at his position in the class of 2007. One other West Virginia player was ranked athead of him, at No. 55 -- Gino Gradkowski, who transferred to Delaware.
OG Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Rated the No. 161 defensive end in the class of 2007.
OG Art Forst, Rutgers. Forst was ranked the No. 25 offensive tackle in the class of 2008 -- the second-highest Big East player on the list behind Lucas Nix of Pitt.
OG Andrew Tiller, Syracuse. Tiller was unranked and did not even get a scouts grade when he was being evaluated in 2009 out of Nassau Community College.
C Moe Petrus, Connecticut. The best center in the Big East was unranked and had no scouts grade when he signed with UConn in 2007.
TE Nick Provo, Syracuse. Provo was ranked No. 86 at his position in the class of 2007
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith has lived up to his billing -- ranking No. 97 on the ESPNU150 in the class of 2009. He was the No. 8 player at his position and No. 15 in the state of Florida.
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The No. 152 ranked running back in the class of 2008, Pead got a scout grade of 71. He just won MVP Honors on the Senior Bowl.
RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh. Rated the No. 66 running back in the class of 2009, Graham was rated behind West Virginia's Daquan Hargrett (left program) and USF's Adaris Bellamy (academics).
RB Antwon Bailey, Syracuse. Ranked the No. 128 running back in the class of 2008 -- well behind fellow signee Averin Collier (No. 42). Collier was considered the gem of the class, but academics derailed his career.
K Dave Teggart, Connecticut. Teggart was ranked the No. 25 kicker in the class of 2007.
Defense
DL Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe was unranked at his position in the class of 2008 and got a scout grade of 40. Four years later, he was the co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
DL Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Reyes also was unranked in his position in the class of 2007 with a scout grade of 40. Believe it or not, he came into UConn at 220 pounds (he's now around 300) and now has a shot to be a mid-round draft pick.
DL Chandler Jones, Syracuse. Jones came to Syracuse as a 230-pound tight end, unranked and giving a scout grade of 40. Now he is headed to the NFL draft as a projected second-to-third round pick.
DL Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Irvin took an incredible journey to West Virginia through Mt. SAC junior college after dropping out of high school.
LB JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer was ranked the No. 93 outside linebacker in the class of 2008, behind such players as Tyler Urban, Marvin Booker (Rutgers), Quavon Taylor (USF) and Marcus Witherspoon (Rutgers).
LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. No ranking or scout grade for Greene, who went to prep school before arriving at Rutgers.
LB Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a quarterback and linebacker in high school who was not ranked.
CB Adrian Bushell, Louisville. Bushell was ranked the No. 21 cornerback in the class of 2008 and originally signed with Florida. After playing at junior college, he made an immediate impact with the Cardinals.
CB Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy was ranked the No. 207 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2007. The same group that featured Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett.
S Drew Frey, Cincinnati. Frey was a receiver coming out of high school and unranked, with a scout grade of 40.
S Hakeem Smith, Louisville. Smith was ranked the No. 93 receiver in the class of 2009, but his athleticism allowed him to switch to defense and emerge as one of the best safeties in the league.
S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh. Also a receiver in the class of 2008, Holley was ranked No. 230 at that position with a scout grade of 65.
S Duron Harmon, Rutgers. The No. 49 athlete in the class of 2009, he was ranked below teammate Jamal Merrell, Todd Thomas of Pitt and Kayvon Webster of USF.
P Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati. O'Donnell was unranked with a scout grade of 40, but he has emerged as one of the most impressive iron men in the league.
You will see, once again, that recruiting rankings generally have nothing to do with the way a player will do in college. So anybody freaking out about what your school does or does not have in the way of commitments for 2012, just take a deep breath. And look at how some of the most unheralded players out of high school become some of the best in the Big East.
I used ESPN recruiting rankings. Note only one player honored on the first team was ranked as an ESPNU150 player. Many on defense came in as either athletes, receivers or quarterbacks.
Offense
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Al BehrmanCincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe -- the 2011 co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year -- was unranked coming out of high school.
AP Photo/Al BehrmanCincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe -- the 2011 co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year -- was unranked coming out of high school.WR/RS Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Austin was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation coming out of high school in 2009 -- three spots behind De'Antwan Williams (Rutgers) and one spot behind Jason Douglas (Pitt). Know who else was ranked ahead -- Victor Marc and Bradley Battles of USF.
OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse. Unranked at his position for the class of 2009, Pugh got a scout grade of 40. Talk about making the most of somebody who was "undervalued."
OT Don Barclay, West Virginia. Ranked No. 65 at his position in the class of 2007. One other West Virginia player was ranked athead of him, at No. 55 -- Gino Gradkowski, who transferred to Delaware.
OG Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Rated the No. 161 defensive end in the class of 2007.
OG Art Forst, Rutgers. Forst was ranked the No. 25 offensive tackle in the class of 2008 -- the second-highest Big East player on the list behind Lucas Nix of Pitt.
OG Andrew Tiller, Syracuse. Tiller was unranked and did not even get a scouts grade when he was being evaluated in 2009 out of Nassau Community College.
C Moe Petrus, Connecticut. The best center in the Big East was unranked and had no scouts grade when he signed with UConn in 2007.
TE Nick Provo, Syracuse. Provo was ranked No. 86 at his position in the class of 2007
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith has lived up to his billing -- ranking No. 97 on the ESPNU150 in the class of 2009. He was the No. 8 player at his position and No. 15 in the state of Florida.
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The No. 152 ranked running back in the class of 2008, Pead got a scout grade of 71. He just won MVP Honors on the Senior Bowl.
RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh. Rated the No. 66 running back in the class of 2009, Graham was rated behind West Virginia's Daquan Hargrett (left program) and USF's Adaris Bellamy (academics).
RB Antwon Bailey, Syracuse. Ranked the No. 128 running back in the class of 2008 -- well behind fellow signee Averin Collier (No. 42). Collier was considered the gem of the class, but academics derailed his career.
K Dave Teggart, Connecticut. Teggart was ranked the No. 25 kicker in the class of 2007.
Defense
DL Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe was unranked at his position in the class of 2008 and got a scout grade of 40. Four years later, he was the co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
DL Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Reyes also was unranked in his position in the class of 2007 with a scout grade of 40. Believe it or not, he came into UConn at 220 pounds (he's now around 300) and now has a shot to be a mid-round draft pick.
DL Chandler Jones, Syracuse. Jones came to Syracuse as a 230-pound tight end, unranked and giving a scout grade of 40. Now he is headed to the NFL draft as a projected second-to-third round pick.
DL Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Irvin took an incredible journey to West Virginia through Mt. SAC junior college after dropping out of high school.
LB JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer was ranked the No. 93 outside linebacker in the class of 2008, behind such players as Tyler Urban, Marvin Booker (Rutgers), Quavon Taylor (USF) and Marcus Witherspoon (Rutgers).
LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. No ranking or scout grade for Greene, who went to prep school before arriving at Rutgers.
LB Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a quarterback and linebacker in high school who was not ranked.
CB Adrian Bushell, Louisville. Bushell was ranked the No. 21 cornerback in the class of 2008 and originally signed with Florida. After playing at junior college, he made an immediate impact with the Cardinals.
CB Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy was ranked the No. 207 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2007. The same group that featured Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett.
S Drew Frey, Cincinnati. Frey was a receiver coming out of high school and unranked, with a scout grade of 40.
S Hakeem Smith, Louisville. Smith was ranked the No. 93 receiver in the class of 2009, but his athleticism allowed him to switch to defense and emerge as one of the best safeties in the league.
S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh. Also a receiver in the class of 2008, Holley was ranked No. 230 at that position with a scout grade of 65.
S Duron Harmon, Rutgers. The No. 49 athlete in the class of 2009, he was ranked below teammate Jamal Merrell, Todd Thomas of Pitt and Kayvon Webster of USF.
P Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati. O'Donnell was unranked with a scout grade of 40, but he has emerged as one of the most impressive iron men in the league.
As it stands today, there are only two players from the Big East listed on Mel Kiper's top 5 player rankings by position for the 2012 draft -- Mohamed Sanu at receiver and Bruce Irvin at outside linebacker.
But take heart, my friends. Next season seems to be in line to be much better.
Kiper has come out with his top 5 player rankings by position for the NFL draft class of 2013. These only include seniors, of course, since we have no idea about underclassmen leaving early. You will see several more Big East players listed:
Quarterback
No. 4 Geno Smith, West Virginia. Kiper believes Smith will get more scrutiny next season once he enters the draft spotlight.
Running back
No. 3 Ray Graham, Pitt.
Fullbacks
No. 5 Ryan Clarke, West Virginia
Receiver
No. 3 Tavon Austin, West Virginia
Center
No. 3 Mario Benavides, Louisville
You can see the complete lists by clicking on the links above. As always, I'll keep you updated once these lists start changing. For now, really interesting to see how some of these players stack up against the rest.
But take heart, my friends. Next season seems to be in line to be much better.
Kiper has come out with his top 5 player rankings by position for the NFL draft class of 2013. These only include seniors, of course, since we have no idea about underclassmen leaving early. You will see several more Big East players listed:
Quarterback
No. 4 Geno Smith, West Virginia. Kiper believes Smith will get more scrutiny next season once he enters the draft spotlight.
Running back
No. 3 Ray Graham, Pitt.
Fullbacks
No. 5 Ryan Clarke, West Virginia
Receiver
No. 3 Tavon Austin, West Virginia
Center
No. 3 Mario Benavides, Louisville
You can see the complete lists by clicking on the links above. As always, I'll keep you updated once these lists start changing. For now, really interesting to see how some of these players stack up against the rest.
Come one, come all for your midweek Big East mailblog.
Jackson Fiske in Cincinnati writes: Do you believe that the moves the Big East has made toward expansion have been beneficial? Obviously it is important to maintain a certain number of teams, but it seems like the conference is going after quantity and not quality. Conferences like the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac-12 would never consider adding some of these choices.
Andrea Adelson: I think the Big East did the best it could do under the circumstances. The truth is that the Big East simply does not have the cache to be able to go and raid other conferences. No team from the ACC or Big Ten, for example, is leaving its secure conference home to join one that has been teetering on the brink. So given that, the Big East did what needed to be done to survive. It added the most successful non-AQ teams out there which also expands its television footprint and national reach. The Big East was not going to sit there and fold. Bringing in these schools had to be done.
Mike in Orlando writes: Andrea, It opens up quite a few possibilities with Navy joining the Big East in football only, the most obvious one being its effect on Air Force and Army in negotiations. What I've wondered, and what I've heard whispered in the darker corners of the forum Internet is the effect this move will have on BYU and Notre Dame. Do you think it is a pipe dream or a possibility that we see the addition of (best case scenario, in my opinion) of AFA, ND, and BYU by 2015, making a 14-team (and very powerful, market-wise) conference?
Adelson: I think Notre Dame is a pipe dream. I will not rule out the other two even though they said no for right now. Market forces can change minds, especially if independence does not work out for BYU (Although the Big 12 could be an option as well). Notre Dame will wait until the very last moment to join a conference. If and win that does happen, I just don't think the Big East will be the big winner.
John in Roanoke, Va., writes: Andrea, your question about the Big East Offensive MVP is interesting. However, I think you (and others) have missed an important angle when comparing Smith vs. Austin vs. Pead. Who was most VALUABLE to their team? In other words, how many more games would their respective teams have lost if they went down with a season-ending injury on the first play of game one? Without Austin, WVU might have lost an extra game or two -- the team would have lost explosiveness at the slot position, but there are other weapons at the receiver position. Without Pead, Cincy simply relies more heavily on a proven quarterback in (Zach) Collaros, but I'll admit they still might have lost another game or two. Without Geno, WVU relies on a true freshman quarterback, mostly unrecruited and certainly unproven. WVU would have been lucky to go 6-6.
Adelson: John, you bring up a logical point. I think I addressed the idea of who was most valuable in the blog. I believe the award went to Pead because coaches believed he was most valuable, especially once Collaros went down. How would Cincinnati have done without Collaros AND Pead? Based on your reasoning, Smith should have been the MVP of his own team. But he was not. That honor went to Austin, which I thought was very interesting and the whole reason I revisited the topic.
Grant in NYC writes: Hi AA. As an alum and die-hard 'Cuse football fan, I find it hard to believe that Doug Marrone has not changed or announced any coaching changes. The last two years we have had the same offensive coordinator and the offense has been horrible. We were the only team in the Big East not to play at all two quarterbacks. (Ryan) Nassib played the whole year. Not one other quarterback got a chance to show what they can do. I would like to see Doug Marrone go with a dual-threat like a Ashton Broyld or another mobile quarterback. What do you think? I do like coach (Scot) Shafer as the DC. We just didn't have the man-power last year as the year before, which you will agree. Also we lose a lot this year due to players leaving early, kicked off the team and what not. Do you see 'Cuse getting any better this season? The recruiting seems to be OK at best, but no studs or four-stars. I know we don't always get the best players, but Doug Marrone seems to know what he is doing and I do like coach Marone. I just wish we can get a big fish one of these days.
Adelson: I agree wholeheartedly with your defensive assessment. However, I am not of the same mind about pulling Nassib. I understand the frustrations over the offense not really making strides this year over last year, but what would putting in an inexperienced quarterback have done? Nassib did end up having a career year, and he improved in virtually every statistical category even if it didn't feel that way. He gives Syracuse the best chance to win. Broyld is totally unproven, and so are the other guys on the roster. I don't think Cincinnati or USF would have played their backups if given a choice. Would you rather play three like UConn? I don't think so. Syracuse has just got to find a way to be more consistent with Nassib leading the charge. As for recruiting, your complaints are understood. But again, it is all about developing the talent you bring in. I have always believed this star rating system is a crock because nobody really knows how these kids are going to turn out. Florida has consistently signed Top 5 recruiting classes filled with four and five star players and went 7-6 last season. It's all about getting as much as you can out of these kids once they arrive.
Kris in Hollidaysburg, Pa., writes: Andrea, There were a lot of people on the chat last week speculating that the ACC is having buyer's remorse over Pitt and Syracuse, and I tend to agree. Of the teams that will no longer be in the Big East, who will get the most TV money: ACC schools Pitt and Cuse, or Big 12 schools WVU and TCU? What about a few years down the road? Thanks.
Adelson: Well if you are splitting a pie 10 ways versus splitting it 14 ways, then I go with the Big 12 schools. I think the ACC is going to renegotiate with Syracuse and Pitt on board and will be lucky to get an incremental increase per school as part of the new deal. Any conference with Texas and Oklahoma in it would probably get more television dollars in my best estimation.
Jackson Fiske in Cincinnati writes: Do you believe that the moves the Big East has made toward expansion have been beneficial? Obviously it is important to maintain a certain number of teams, but it seems like the conference is going after quantity and not quality. Conferences like the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac-12 would never consider adding some of these choices.
Andrea Adelson: I think the Big East did the best it could do under the circumstances. The truth is that the Big East simply does not have the cache to be able to go and raid other conferences. No team from the ACC or Big Ten, for example, is leaving its secure conference home to join one that has been teetering on the brink. So given that, the Big East did what needed to be done to survive. It added the most successful non-AQ teams out there which also expands its television footprint and national reach. The Big East was not going to sit there and fold. Bringing in these schools had to be done.
Mike in Orlando writes: Andrea, It opens up quite a few possibilities with Navy joining the Big East in football only, the most obvious one being its effect on Air Force and Army in negotiations. What I've wondered, and what I've heard whispered in the darker corners of the forum Internet is the effect this move will have on BYU and Notre Dame. Do you think it is a pipe dream or a possibility that we see the addition of (best case scenario, in my opinion) of AFA, ND, and BYU by 2015, making a 14-team (and very powerful, market-wise) conference?
Adelson: I think Notre Dame is a pipe dream. I will not rule out the other two even though they said no for right now. Market forces can change minds, especially if independence does not work out for BYU (Although the Big 12 could be an option as well). Notre Dame will wait until the very last moment to join a conference. If and win that does happen, I just don't think the Big East will be the big winner.
John in Roanoke, Va., writes: Andrea, your question about the Big East Offensive MVP is interesting. However, I think you (and others) have missed an important angle when comparing Smith vs. Austin vs. Pead. Who was most VALUABLE to their team? In other words, how many more games would their respective teams have lost if they went down with a season-ending injury on the first play of game one? Without Austin, WVU might have lost an extra game or two -- the team would have lost explosiveness at the slot position, but there are other weapons at the receiver position. Without Pead, Cincy simply relies more heavily on a proven quarterback in (Zach) Collaros, but I'll admit they still might have lost another game or two. Without Geno, WVU relies on a true freshman quarterback, mostly unrecruited and certainly unproven. WVU would have been lucky to go 6-6.
Adelson: John, you bring up a logical point. I think I addressed the idea of who was most valuable in the blog. I believe the award went to Pead because coaches believed he was most valuable, especially once Collaros went down. How would Cincinnati have done without Collaros AND Pead? Based on your reasoning, Smith should have been the MVP of his own team. But he was not. That honor went to Austin, which I thought was very interesting and the whole reason I revisited the topic.
Grant in NYC writes: Hi AA. As an alum and die-hard 'Cuse football fan, I find it hard to believe that Doug Marrone has not changed or announced any coaching changes. The last two years we have had the same offensive coordinator and the offense has been horrible. We were the only team in the Big East not to play at all two quarterbacks. (Ryan) Nassib played the whole year. Not one other quarterback got a chance to show what they can do. I would like to see Doug Marrone go with a dual-threat like a Ashton Broyld or another mobile quarterback. What do you think? I do like coach (Scot) Shafer as the DC. We just didn't have the man-power last year as the year before, which you will agree. Also we lose a lot this year due to players leaving early, kicked off the team and what not. Do you see 'Cuse getting any better this season? The recruiting seems to be OK at best, but no studs or four-stars. I know we don't always get the best players, but Doug Marrone seems to know what he is doing and I do like coach Marone. I just wish we can get a big fish one of these days.
Adelson: I agree wholeheartedly with your defensive assessment. However, I am not of the same mind about pulling Nassib. I understand the frustrations over the offense not really making strides this year over last year, but what would putting in an inexperienced quarterback have done? Nassib did end up having a career year, and he improved in virtually every statistical category even if it didn't feel that way. He gives Syracuse the best chance to win. Broyld is totally unproven, and so are the other guys on the roster. I don't think Cincinnati or USF would have played their backups if given a choice. Would you rather play three like UConn? I don't think so. Syracuse has just got to find a way to be more consistent with Nassib leading the charge. As for recruiting, your complaints are understood. But again, it is all about developing the talent you bring in. I have always believed this star rating system is a crock because nobody really knows how these kids are going to turn out. Florida has consistently signed Top 5 recruiting classes filled with four and five star players and went 7-6 last season. It's all about getting as much as you can out of these kids once they arrive.
Kris in Hollidaysburg, Pa., writes: Andrea, There were a lot of people on the chat last week speculating that the ACC is having buyer's remorse over Pitt and Syracuse, and I tend to agree. Of the teams that will no longer be in the Big East, who will get the most TV money: ACC schools Pitt and Cuse, or Big 12 schools WVU and TCU? What about a few years down the road? Thanks.
Adelson: Well if you are splitting a pie 10 ways versus splitting it 14 ways, then I go with the Big 12 schools. I think the ACC is going to renegotiate with Syracuse and Pitt on board and will be lucky to get an incremental increase per school as part of the new deal. Any conference with Texas and Oklahoma in it would probably get more television dollars in my best estimation.
Geno Smith vs. Isaiah Pead, revisited
January, 23, 2012
Jan 23
1:30
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Let me take you back to December, when the Big East unveiled its player of the year awards.
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead won Offensive Player of the Year honors over West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, sending Mountaineers fans into a wild fury.
It was a conspiracy!
West Virginia was being punished for leaving the Big East!
It was obvious Smith was the best player!
That just about sums up the feedback I got into the mailbag, and the comments I saw on the blog.
I was surprised, too. Smith had my vote for Big East Offensive Player of the Year. But I also saw the merits of giving Pead the award, and tried to explain that rationale in one of my mailblogs last month. What helped me to understand was talking to several coaches around the league, who simply thought Smith had a much better supporting cast around him, which helped him boost his numbers.
Well, lo and behold. Another school has supported that theory.
West Virginia itself.
Last week, the school announced its team award winners. Taking home Offensive Player of the Year: receiver Tavon Austin. Not Smith.
So perhaps we should revisit the Pead vs. Smith debate one last time.
To support the idea that Smith had help in boosting his numbers, all you need to do is take a look at this one impressive stat: going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson, Austin had 1,063 yards receiving. Do you know how many yards came after the catch? According to ESPN Stats & Information, that would be 807 -- the most of any player in the BCS Top 25. Or to put it another way, 75.9 percent of his yards came after he caught a pass.
That is some impressive shakin' and bakin' -- which no doubt played a part in Austin being named his team's Offensive Player of the Year. When he got into open space, he was unstoppable. I think the Orange Bowl summed up the way they complemented each other. Austin got my vote for MVP of the game because I felt he was the biggest difference-maker on the field. But Smith won MVP honors for his eye-popping numbers.
It is entirely possible the two split votes among the eight league coaches who cast their ballots. There already is early talk that they could split Heisman votes next season. If anything, the old debate about whether a quarterback makes a receiver or vice versa is an intriguing one when it comes to these two players.
As for Pead, anybody who watched Cincinnati play this season noticed a transformation on offense. Last season, the Bearcats ranked No. 1 in the league in pass offense, averaging 260.7 yards a game, and No. 5 in rushing offense. This season, Cincinnati ranked No. 2 in rushing offense, averaging more than 20 yards more a game in this area. Pass offense was down to 207.6 yards a game.
You could say that is a function of Cincinnati trailing in games last season, but the reality is that Pead was the best player on offense in 2011, and coach Butch Jones made a commitment to making sure he was utilizing his best player. Pead had a carer-high 237 carries -- 80 more than last season. He also had a career-high 12 touchdown runs and more than 1,200 yards on the ground.
Smith and Austin posted career-highs as well, and so did West Virginia receiver Stedman Bailey in this new offense. But clearly the coaches looked beyond the numbers and at the value of each player to their respective teams. Did Austin give Smith a boost? Absolutely. Did the new offense give them both a boost? Absolutely. Nobody will dispute that.
But after seeing Austin win his own team's offensive player of the year award, I felt it necessary to re-think who is most deserving of being Big East Offensive Player of the Year.
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead won Offensive Player of the Year honors over West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, sending Mountaineers fans into a wild fury.
It was a conspiracy!
[+] Enlarge
Kim Klement/US PresswireGeno Smith put up eye-popping numbers this past season, but was not named West Virginia's Offensive Player of the Year.
Kim Klement/US PresswireGeno Smith put up eye-popping numbers this past season, but was not named West Virginia's Offensive Player of the Year.It was obvious Smith was the best player!
That just about sums up the feedback I got into the mailbag, and the comments I saw on the blog.
I was surprised, too. Smith had my vote for Big East Offensive Player of the Year. But I also saw the merits of giving Pead the award, and tried to explain that rationale in one of my mailblogs last month. What helped me to understand was talking to several coaches around the league, who simply thought Smith had a much better supporting cast around him, which helped him boost his numbers.
Well, lo and behold. Another school has supported that theory.
West Virginia itself.
Last week, the school announced its team award winners. Taking home Offensive Player of the Year: receiver Tavon Austin. Not Smith.
So perhaps we should revisit the Pead vs. Smith debate one last time.
To support the idea that Smith had help in boosting his numbers, all you need to do is take a look at this one impressive stat: going into the Orange Bowl against Clemson, Austin had 1,063 yards receiving. Do you know how many yards came after the catch? According to ESPN Stats & Information, that would be 807 -- the most of any player in the BCS Top 25. Or to put it another way, 75.9 percent of his yards came after he caught a pass.
That is some impressive shakin' and bakin' -- which no doubt played a part in Austin being named his team's Offensive Player of the Year. When he got into open space, he was unstoppable. I think the Orange Bowl summed up the way they complemented each other. Austin got my vote for MVP of the game because I felt he was the biggest difference-maker on the field. But Smith won MVP honors for his eye-popping numbers.
It is entirely possible the two split votes among the eight league coaches who cast their ballots. There already is early talk that they could split Heisman votes next season. If anything, the old debate about whether a quarterback makes a receiver or vice versa is an intriguing one when it comes to these two players.
As for Pead, anybody who watched Cincinnati play this season noticed a transformation on offense. Last season, the Bearcats ranked No. 1 in the league in pass offense, averaging 260.7 yards a game, and No. 5 in rushing offense. This season, Cincinnati ranked No. 2 in rushing offense, averaging more than 20 yards more a game in this area. Pass offense was down to 207.6 yards a game.
You could say that is a function of Cincinnati trailing in games last season, but the reality is that Pead was the best player on offense in 2011, and coach Butch Jones made a commitment to making sure he was utilizing his best player. Pead had a carer-high 237 carries -- 80 more than last season. He also had a career-high 12 touchdown runs and more than 1,200 yards on the ground.
Smith and Austin posted career-highs as well, and so did West Virginia receiver Stedman Bailey in this new offense. But clearly the coaches looked beyond the numbers and at the value of each player to their respective teams. Did Austin give Smith a boost? Absolutely. Did the new offense give them both a boost? Absolutely. Nobody will dispute that.
But after seeing Austin win his own team's offensive player of the year award, I felt it necessary to re-think who is most deserving of being Big East Offensive Player of the Year.
West Virginia announced its team award winners for the 2011 season, and its permanent team captains:
Awards:
Offensive Player of the Year: Tavon Austin
Defensive Player of the Year: Najee Goode
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cody Nutter
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Cody Clay
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Ismail Showell
Captains:
Don Barclay, Goode, Geno Smith and Keith Tandy.
Awards:
Offensive Player of the Year: Tavon Austin
Defensive Player of the Year: Najee Goode
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cody Nutter
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Cody Clay
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Ismail Showell
Captains:
Don Barclay, Goode, Geno Smith and Keith Tandy.
This season saw plenty of players emerge throughout the Big East. But who was most improved among them?
It was tough in many cases to narrow this down to one player per team. My criteria might be different from yours. I am looking for players who were not on any preseason lists, who were not expected to have breakout seasons, who had yet to live up to their full potential.
For example, it would be easy to say West Virginia receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey were among the most improved. There is no doubt they were, as they each got over 1,000 yards. But we all expected them to have big seasons because of Dana Holgorsen. So I went with a different player for West Virginia.
Here are my picks:
Cincinnati: Drew Frey, safety. Runner-up: Derek Wolfe, defensive tackle. This was an incredibly tough choice for me. Wolfe essentially doubled his stats from 2010, ranking No. 5 in the nation in tackles for loss (21.5) and No. 16 in sacks (9.5) en route to Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. But Wolfe did make my preseason list of top 25 players in the Big East, as I anticipated he would be in store for a solid season. Frey, on the other hand, was a huge question mark going into the year because of the way the Cincinnati secondary played in 2010. He ended up second on the team in tackles (73) and had eight pass breakups. Do you know how many he had last year? One. Frey was first-team All-Big East and emerged as one of the best safeties in the league.
UConn: Trevardo Williams, defensive end. What a leap Williams made this season, leading the Big East with 12.5 sacks and winning second-team honors. Though he started seven games last season, it was no sure thing that Williams would emerge as the full-time starter. But he more than held his own, and worked in the offseason to use more than just his speed to get after the quarterback. It paid off.
Louisville: Preston Brown, linebacker. When the season started, Brown was not even penciled in as a starter. He played in 13 games in 2010 but coach Charlie Strong was waiting on him to emerge and prove he could be counted on. He most certainly did that in 2011, finishing third on the team with 84 tackles. He was consistently good for most of the season, and he and Dexter Heyman proved to be a great linebacker duo.
Pittsburgh: Aaron Donald, defensive tackle. Donald figured to be counted on to provide depth, but he went ahead and finished second in the Big East in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (16) -- both team-highs. He also added a team-high 11 quarterback hurries. He ended the season as a starter and a second-team All-Big East selection.
Rutgers: Khaseem Greene, linebacker. Runner-up: Mohamed Sanu, receiver. This was really, really, really hard to decide. Sanu set a Big East and school record with 115 receptions and was the best player on offense. Greene won Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year after switching positions in the offseason. So why Greene? Well, Sanu was on my preseason top 25 players list and I thought he had a chance to have a good season because he was healthy and would be playing receiver. But Greene was more of a question mark because he had moved over from safety. He was on nobody's radar for Defensive Player of the Year when the season started, but emerged as one of the finest players in the league. So he gets the nod.
USF: Kayvon Webster, cornerback. Webster was one of the more highly touted prospects USF signed in 2009, but it has taken a while for him to live up to expectations. He did so this season, in his first year as a full-time starter. Webster had 49 tackles and seven pass breakups this season and made the All-Big East second team.
Syracuse: Alec Lemon, receiver. Lemon more than doubled his receiving and yardage totals from 2010 -- setting a school record with 68 receptions for 834 yards with six touchdowns, all career highs. He had seven or more receptions in six games; in 2009 and 2010 he had two games combined with seven or more catches. Lemon quickly emerged as a much-needed go-to receiver, especially with Marcus Sales out (suspension). His performance placed him on the All-Big East second team.
West Virginia: Tyler Bitancurt, kicker. Runner-up: Stedman Bailey. You can make the argument for Bailey and I would not disagree. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin were projected to have big seasons -- both were in my preseason top 25. Bailey was right on the outside. But the strides Bitancurt made were bigger than any other kicker in the Big East. He took his field goal percentage from 58.8 percent to 72.7 percent, moving him from last place to No. 4 in the league. He nailed a 28-yard kick with no time left against USF to give the Mountaineers a share of the Big East title and a BCS berth.
It was tough in many cases to narrow this down to one player per team. My criteria might be different from yours. I am looking for players who were not on any preseason lists, who were not expected to have breakout seasons, who had yet to live up to their full potential.
For example, it would be easy to say West Virginia receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey were among the most improved. There is no doubt they were, as they each got over 1,000 yards. But we all expected them to have big seasons because of Dana Holgorsen. So I went with a different player for West Virginia.
Here are my picks:
Cincinnati: Drew Frey, safety. Runner-up: Derek Wolfe, defensive tackle. This was an incredibly tough choice for me. Wolfe essentially doubled his stats from 2010, ranking No. 5 in the nation in tackles for loss (21.5) and No. 16 in sacks (9.5) en route to Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. But Wolfe did make my preseason list of top 25 players in the Big East, as I anticipated he would be in store for a solid season. Frey, on the other hand, was a huge question mark going into the year because of the way the Cincinnati secondary played in 2010. He ended up second on the team in tackles (73) and had eight pass breakups. Do you know how many he had last year? One. Frey was first-team All-Big East and emerged as one of the best safeties in the league.
[+] Enlarge
Charles LeClaire/US PresswireHuskies defensive end Trevardo Williams, left, lead the Big East with 12.5 sacks.
Charles LeClaire/US PresswireHuskies defensive end Trevardo Williams, left, lead the Big East with 12.5 sacks.Louisville: Preston Brown, linebacker. When the season started, Brown was not even penciled in as a starter. He played in 13 games in 2010 but coach Charlie Strong was waiting on him to emerge and prove he could be counted on. He most certainly did that in 2011, finishing third on the team with 84 tackles. He was consistently good for most of the season, and he and Dexter Heyman proved to be a great linebacker duo.
Pittsburgh: Aaron Donald, defensive tackle. Donald figured to be counted on to provide depth, but he went ahead and finished second in the Big East in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (16) -- both team-highs. He also added a team-high 11 quarterback hurries. He ended the season as a starter and a second-team All-Big East selection.
Rutgers: Khaseem Greene, linebacker. Runner-up: Mohamed Sanu, receiver. This was really, really, really hard to decide. Sanu set a Big East and school record with 115 receptions and was the best player on offense. Greene won Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year after switching positions in the offseason. So why Greene? Well, Sanu was on my preseason top 25 players list and I thought he had a chance to have a good season because he was healthy and would be playing receiver. But Greene was more of a question mark because he had moved over from safety. He was on nobody's radar for Defensive Player of the Year when the season started, but emerged as one of the finest players in the league. So he gets the nod.
USF: Kayvon Webster, cornerback. Webster was one of the more highly touted prospects USF signed in 2009, but it has taken a while for him to live up to expectations. He did so this season, in his first year as a full-time starter. Webster had 49 tackles and seven pass breakups this season and made the All-Big East second team.
Syracuse: Alec Lemon, receiver. Lemon more than doubled his receiving and yardage totals from 2010 -- setting a school record with 68 receptions for 834 yards with six touchdowns, all career highs. He had seven or more receptions in six games; in 2009 and 2010 he had two games combined with seven or more catches. Lemon quickly emerged as a much-needed go-to receiver, especially with Marcus Sales out (suspension). His performance placed him on the All-Big East second team.
West Virginia: Tyler Bitancurt, kicker. Runner-up: Stedman Bailey. You can make the argument for Bailey and I would not disagree. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin were projected to have big seasons -- both were in my preseason top 25. Bailey was right on the outside. But the strides Bitancurt made were bigger than any other kicker in the Big East. He took his field goal percentage from 58.8 percent to 72.7 percent, moving him from last place to No. 4 in the league. He nailed a 28-yard kick with no time left against USF to give the Mountaineers a share of the Big East title and a BCS berth.
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.
