Big East News Articles
|
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene – who led their respective teams to shares of the BIG EAST championship – have been named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the league’s eight head coaches.
Temple had two individual award winners as running back Matt Brown was chosen BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year and linebacker Tyler Matakevich was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.
Louisville coach Charlie Strong and Rutgers coach Kyle Flood, who both claimed shares of the conference title, were chosen by their counterparts as BIG EAST Coaches of the Year.
Bridgewater becomes the just the second Louisville player to be named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and the first quarterback to earn the honor since 2007 when Pat White of West Virginia won. Bridgewater finished the regular season as the BIG EAST leader in pass efficiency (161.6) and was second in passing yards after he threw for 3,452 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He registered six games with at least 300 passing yards, tying for the BIG EAST lead, and showed a propensity for heroics, capped by his two-touchdown effort in the second half against Rutgers, when he played with a broken left wrist, yet led the Cardinals to a come-from-behind win and a share of the BIG EAST title.
Greene, who last year became the first Rutgers player to be chosen as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, became the first BIG EAST player since Virginia Tech’s Corey Moore in 1998 and 1999 to repeat as the league’s top defensive player. Greene led the BIG EAST in tackles for the second straight year, finishing with 125 stops in 12 games. He was fourth in the league in sacks (5.5), eighth in tackles for loss (10.5) and had six forced fumbles, which ranks second nationally. He is the key man on a Scarlet Knight unit that ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (14.3 ppg).
Brown is the first Temple player to earn BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year honors. Despite missing two games due to injury, Brown finished as the BIG EAST leader in all-purpose yards, averaging 143.4 yards per game. He averaged 25.5 yards on kickoff returns and was the only BIG EAST player to return a kickoff for a touchdown this season. He also averaged 14.2 yards on 17 punt returns and rushed for 372 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season.
Matakevich likewise became the first Temple player to be named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year. The true freshman did not make his first start until Temple’s fourth game of the season, yet he finished fourth in the BIG EAST in tackles, registering 101 stops. He had at least 10 tackles in six games, including in each of his first five career starts. Matakevich also had two fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and three tackles for loss during the 2012 season.
Strong and Flood shared BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors after each led his team to a share of the conference championship. It is the second such honor for Strong, who also was named in 2010, and the first career honor for Flood, who is in his first year as the Scarlet Knights’ head coach.
The conference also announced the 2012 All-BIG EAST Teams, which include three unanimous choices to the first team. Greene joined Syracuse wide receiver Alec Lemon and Connecticut defensive end Trevardo Williams on each coach’s ballot. Greene and his brother, Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham, were both repeat selections to the All-BIG EAST First Team, along with Louisville cornerback Adrian Bushell and Rutgers safety Duron Harmon.
2012 BIG EAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (So., Miami, Fla.)
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers (Sr., Elizabeth, N.J.)
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Brown, RB, Temple (Sr., Baltimore, Md.)
BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple (Fr., Stratford, Conn.)
BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
Charlie Strong, Louisville
Kyle Flood, Rutgers
|
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
|
|
OFFENSE
|
|
Pos.
|
Player
|
School
|
Cl.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
WR
|
Alec Lemon *
|
Syracuse
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
204
|
Crofton, Md./Arundel
|
|
WR
|
DeVante Parker
|
Louisville
|
So.
|
6-3
|
205
|
Louisville, Ky./Ballard
|
|
OT
|
Eric Lefeld
|
Cincinnati
|
So.
|
6-6
|
287
|
Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater
|
|
OT
|
Justin Pugh
|
Syracuse
|
Sr.
|
6-5
|
297
|
Holland, Pa./Council Rock South
|
|
OG
|
Austen Bujnoch
|
Cincinnati
|
Jr.
|
6-5
|
285
|
Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder
|
|
OG
|
Antwan Lowery
|
Rutgers
|
Jr.
|
6-4
|
305
|
Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus
|
|
C
|
Mario Benavides
|
Louisville
|
Sr.
|
6-4
|
280
|
Los Fresnos, Texas/Los Fresnos
|
|
TE
|
Travis Kelce
|
Cincinnati
|
Sr.
|
6-6
|
260
|
Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights
|
|
QB
|
Teddy Bridgewater
|
Louisville
|
So.
|
6-3
|
218
|
Miami, Fla./Northwestern
|
|
RB
|
Ray Graham
|
Pittsburgh
|
Sr.
|
5-9
|
190
|
Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth
|
|
RB
|
Montel Harris
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
207
|
Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian
|
|
K
|
Maikon Bonani
|
USF
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
176
|
Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales
|
|
RS
|
Matt Brown
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
5-5
|
165
|
Baltimore, Md./Peddie School/Milford Academy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE
|
|
Pos.
|
Player
|
School
|
Cl.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
DL
|
Dan Giordano
|
Cincinnati
|
Sr.
|
6-4
|
260
|
Frankford, Ill./Lincoln-Way East
|
|
DL
|
Trevardo Williams *
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
233
|
Bridgeport, Conn./Canterbury
|
|
DL
|
Aaron Donald
|
Pittsburgh
|
Jr.
|
6-0
|
275
|
Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills
|
|
DL
|
Scott Vallone
|
Rutgers
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
275
|
Central Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony’s
|
|
LB
|
Greg Blair
|
Cincinnati
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
252
|
Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley/Lackawanna CC
|
|
LB
|
Sio Moore
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
229
|
Apex, N.C./Apex
|
|
LB
|
Yawin Smallwood
|
Connecticut
|
So.
|
6-3
|
235
|
Worcester, Mass./Doherty
|
|
LB
|
Khaseem Greene *
|
Rutgers
|
Sr.
|
6-1
|
230
|
Elizabeth, N.J./Avon Old Farms
|
|
CB
|
Adrian Bushell
|
Louisville
|
Sr.
|
5-11
|
184
|
DeSoto, Texas/Cedar Valley CC
|
|
CB
|
Logan Ryan
|
Rutgers
|
Jr.
|
6-0
|
190
|
Berlin, N.J./Eastern
|
|
S
|
Duron Harmon
|
Rutgers
|
Sr.
|
6-1
|
200
|
Magnolia, Del./Caesar Rodney
|
|
S
|
Shamarko Thomas
|
Syracuse
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
206
|
Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes
|
|
P
|
Brandon McManus
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
190
|
Hatfield, Pa./North Penn
|
* unanimous selection
|
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
|
|
OFFENSE
|
|
Pos.
|
Player
|
School
|
Cl.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
WR
|
Mike Shanahan
|
Pittsburgh
|
Sr.
|
6-5
|
225
|
North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin
|
|
WR
|
Devin Street
|
Pittsburgh
|
Jr.
|
6-4
|
190
|
Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
|
|
WR
|
Brandon Coleman
|
Rutgers
|
So.
|
6-6
|
220
|
Accokeek, Md./Bishop McNamara
|
|
OT
|
Alex Kupper
|
Louisville
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
298
|
Louisville, Ky./Trinity
|
|
OT
|
Kaleb Johnson
|
Rutgers
|
So.
|
6-4
|
300
|
Jacksonville, Fla./Edward H. White
|
|
OT
|
Martin Wallace
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
6-6
|
300
|
New York, N.Y./Beacon School
|
|
OG
|
Adam Masters
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-4
|
298
|
Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman
|
|
OG
|
Mark Popek
|
USF
|
Sr.
|
6-7
|
299
|
Plant City, Fla./Plant City
|
|
C
|
Ryan Turnley
|
Pittsburgh
|
Sr.
|
6-6
|
320
|
Hopewell, Pa./Hopewell
|
|
QB
|
Ryan Nassib
|
Syracuse
|
Gr.
|
6-3
|
227
|
West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep
|
|
TE
|
Ryan Griffin
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-6
|
247
|
Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry
|
|
RB
|
George Winn
|
Cincinnati
|
Sr.
|
5-11
|
210
|
Southfield, Mich./Detroit Jesuit
|
|
RB
|
Jawan Jamison
|
Rutgers
|
So.
|
5-8
|
200
|
Stark, Fla./The Bolles School
|
|
K
|
Brandon McManus
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
190
|
Hatfield, Pa./North Penn
|
|
RS
|
Nick Williams
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
184
|
East Windsor, N.J./The Hun School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE
|
|
Pos.
|
Player
|
School
|
Cl.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
DL
|
Walter Stewart
|
Cincinnati
|
Sr.
|
6-5
|
249
|
Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley
|
|
DL
|
Cory Grissom
|
USF
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
316
|
La Grange, Ga./Troup County
|
|
DL
|
Brandon Sharpe
|
Syracuse
|
Sr.
|
6-1
|
255
|
Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes
|
|
DL
|
John Youboty
|
Temple
|
Sr.
|
6-4
|
250
|
Houston, Texas/Klein
|
|
LB
|
Preston Brown
|
Louisville
|
Jr.
|
6-2
|
255
|
Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest
|
|
LB
|
Sam Barrington
|
USF
|
Sr.
|
6-1
|
230
|
Jacksonville, Fla./Terry Parker
|
|
LB
|
Tyler Matakevich
|
Temple
|
Fr.
|
6-1
|
220
|
Stratford, Conn./St. Joseph’s/Milford Academy
|
|
CB
|
Dwayne Gratz
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-0
|
198
|
Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway
|
|
CB
|
Blidi Wreh-Wilson
|
Connecticut
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
190
|
Edinboro, Pa./General McLaine
|
|
S
|
Calvin Pryor
|
Louisville
|
So.
|
6-2
|
213
|
Port St. Joe, Fla./Port St. Joe
|
|
S
|
Hakeem Smith
|
Louisville
|
Jr.
|
6-1
|
187
|
Jonesboro, Ga./Riverdale
|
|
S
|
Jason Hendricks
|
Pittsburgh
|
Jr.
|
6-0
|
180
|
Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic
|
|
P
|
Pat O’Donnell
|
Cincinnati
|
Jr.
|
6-5
|
222
|
Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central
|
|
P
|
Justin Brockhaus-Kann
|
USF
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
214
|
Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs
|
Additional players added to the All-BIG EAST teams due to ties in the voting
|
|
|
|
|
|