PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Reflecting a season in which it won its first BIG EAST championship and was chosen to play in the FedEx Orange Bowl, Cincinnati earned two of the BIG EAST’s major postseason awards as chosen by the league’s eight head coaches.
Bearcat sophomore Mardy Gilyard, who led the BIG EAST in kickoff return yardage and scored two special teams touchdowns, was chosen as BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year and head coach Brian Kelly was a repeat selection as BIG EAST Coach of the Year.
Connecticut running back Donald Brown, who finished the regular season as the national leader in rushing, was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, while Pittsburgh linebacker Scott McKillop, who led the BIG EAST in tackles for the second straight year, was tabbed as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. Louisville running back Victor Anderson was chosen as BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.
Brown becomes the first Connecticut player to win one of the BIG EAST’s major individual football awards and is the first running back to be named Offensive Player of the Year since Willis McGahee of Miami shared the honor in 2002. Brown rushed for 1,822 yards and 17 touchdowns during the regular season and has been atop the national leaderboard in rushing yards (151.8 yards per game) for the majority of the year. He ran for at least 100 yards in 10 games.
McKillop is the second Pittsburgh linebacker in the last three years to be named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, joining 2006 winner H.B. Blades. McKillop had 126 tackles during the regular season, averaging 10.5 stops per game to rank ninth nationally. He had at least 10 tackles in six games this season and finished the regular season with four sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception.
Gilyard is the second straight Cincinnati player to be named BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year, following punter Kevin Huber, who earned the honor in 2007. Gilyard established himself as the conference’s most dangerous kickoff return man with a 28.0-yard average and two touchdowns. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Bearcats’ win against West Virginia and also scored on a kickoff return in a loss to Oklahoma.
Anderson is the first Louisville player to earn BIG EAST Rookie of the Year honors after he finished fifth in the conference in rushing (87.2 yards per game). Anderson ran for 1,047 yards and eight touchdowns in a freshman season in which he had five 100-yard games.
Kelly earned BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors for the second time in as many seasons on the Bearcat sideline. He is the first coach to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons since Larry Coker of Miami was chosen in 2001 and 2002. Kelly led the Bearcats – who were picked fifth in the BIG EAST preseason media poll – to their first conference championship and their first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. Cincinnati finished the regular season at 11-2 overall and 6-1 in the BIG EAST and is ranked No. 12 in the final regular-season AP and USA Today polls.
The BIG EAST also has recognized the members of its All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams. The first team includes six unanimous selections in Donald Brown and defensive end Cody Brown of Connecticut, McCoy and McKillop from Pittsburgh, USF linebacker Tyrone McKenzie and Cincinnati cornerback Mike Mickens.
McCoy is one of the three repeat selections on offense to the All-BIG EAST First Team. He joins West Virginia quarterback Pat White and Louisville center Eric Wood, who were both first team selections in 2007. The first team defense features four back-to-back selections, including McKillop, Mickens, Huber and USF defensive end George Selvie.
2008 BIG EAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (Jr., Atlantic Highlands, N.J.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh (Sr., Export, Pa.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati (So., Palm Coast, Fla.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Victor Anderson, RB, Louisville (Fr., Louisville, Ky.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
|
Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown/High School |
|
WR |
Mardy Gilyard |
Cincinnati |
So. |
6-1 |
190 |
Palm Coast, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast |
|
WR |
Kenny Britt |
Rutgers |
Jr. |
6-4 |
205 |
Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne |
|
OT |
Will Beatty |
Connecticut |
Sr. |
6-6 |
300 |
York, Pa./William Penn |
|
OT |
Ryan Stanchek |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-4 |
303 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle |
|
OG |
George Bussey |
Louisville |
Sr. |
6-4 |
306 |
Louisville, Ky./Western |
|
OG |
C.J. Davis |
Pittsburgh |
Sr. |
6-3 |
310 |
Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny |
|
C |
Eric Wood |
Louisville |
Sr. |
6-4 |
301 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder |
|
TE |
Nate Byham |
Pittsburgh |
Jr. |
6-3 |
255 |
Franklin, Pa./Franklin |
|
QB |
Pat White |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-2 |
190 |
Daphne, Ala./Daphne |
|
RB |
Donald Brown * |
Connecticut |
Jr. |
5-10 |
208 |
Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Red Bank Catholic |
|
RB |
LeSean McCoy * |
Pittsburgh |
So. |
5-11 |
210 |
Harrisburg, Pa./Milford Academy |
|
K |
Conor Lee |
Pittsburgh |
Sr. |
5-11 |
200 |
Upper St. Clair, Pa./Fork Union |
|
KR/PR |
Mardy Gilyard |
Cincinnati |
So. |
6-1 |
190 |
Palm Coast, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast |
DEFENSE
|
DL |
Connor Barwin |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-4 |
255 |
Hazel Park, Mich./U. of Detroit Jesuit |
|
DL |
Cody Brown * |
Connecticut |
Sr. |
6-3 |
246 |
Coral Spings, Fla./Coral Springs |
|
DL |
George Selvie |
USF |
Jr. |
6-4 |
245 |
Pensacola, Fla./Pine Forest |
|
DL |
Arthur Jones |
Syracuse |
Jr. |
6-4 |
291 |
Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott |
|
LB |
Scott McKillop * |
Pittsburgh |
Sr. |
6-2 |
240 |
Export, Pa./Kiski Area |
|
LB |
Tyrone McKenzie * |
USF |
Sr. |
6-2 |
235 |
Riverview, Fla./Riverview |
|
LB |
Mortty Ivy |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-2 |
236 |
Monroeville, Pa./Gateway |
|
CB |
Mike Mickens * |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-0 |
165 |
Huber Heights, Ohio/Ohio Wayne |
|
CB |
Darius Butler |
Connecticut |
Sr. |
5-11 |
181 |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Coral Springs Charter |
|
S |
Brandon Underwood |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-1 |
190 |
Hamilton, Ohio/Toledo St. John’s |
|
S |
Courtney Greene |
Rutgers |
Sr. |
6-2 |
215 |
New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle |
|
P |
Kevin Huber |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-1 |
210 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas |
* unanimous selection
ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
|
WR |
Dominick Goodman |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-1 |
210 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain |
|
WR |
Doug Beaumont |
Louisville |
So. |
5-9 |
176 |
Louisville, Ky./Male |
|
WR |
Jock Sanders |
West Virginia |
So. |
5-8 |
174 |
St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg Catholic |
|
OT |
Marc Dile |
USF |
Sr. |
6-4 |
309 |
Miami, Fla./Edison |
|
OT |
Anthony Davis |
Rutgers |
So. |
6-6 |
325 |
Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway |
|
OT |
Trevor Canfield |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-5 |
305 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Western Hills |
|
OG |
Matt Huners |
USF |
Sr. |
6-3 |
305 |
Palm Harbor, Fla./Palm Harbor University |
|
OG |
Ryan Durand |
Syracuse |
Sr. |
6-5 |
303 |
Leominster, Mass./Saint Bernard’s Prep |
|
C |
Mike Dent |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-4 |
285 |
Jeannette, Pa./Jeannette |
| TE |
Cedric Hill |
USF |
Sr. |
6-3 |
230 |
Valdosta, Fla./Valdosta |
|
QB |
Tony Pike |
Cincinnati |
Jr. |
6-6 |
225 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Reading |
|
RB |
Victor Anderson |
Louisville |
Fr. |
5-9 |
182 |
Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier |
|
RB |
Curtis Brinkley |
Syracuse |
Sr. |
5-9 |
203 |
Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic |
|
RB |
Noel Devine |
West Virginia |
So. |
5-8 |
173 |
Fort Myers, Fla./North Fort Myers |
|
K |
Pat McAfee |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-1 |
220 |
Plum, Pa./Plum |
|
KR/PR |
Trent Guy |
Louisville |
Jr. |
5-9 |
165 |
Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte |
DEFENSE
|
DL |
Terrill Byrd |
Cincinnati |
Sr. |
6-1 |
290 |
Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain |
|
DL |
Greg Romeus |
Pittsburgh |
So. |
6-5 |
265 |
Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades |
|
DL |
Jamaal Westerman |
Rutgers |
Sr. |
6-3 |
265 |
Brampton, Ont./Notre Dame |
|
DL |
Scooter Berry |
West Virginia |
So. |
6-1 |
288 |
North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon |
|
LB |
Scott Lutrus |
Connecticut |
So. |
6-3 |
228 |
Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield |
|
LB |
Jon Dempsey |
Louisville |
Jr. |
6-0 |
233 |
Willingboro, N.J./College of the Sequoias |
|
LB |
Ryan D’Imperio |
Rutgers |
Jr. |
6-3 |
240 |
Sewell, N.J./Washington Township |
|
CB |
Aaron Berry |
Pittsburgh |
Jr. |
5-11 |
175 |
Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt |
|
CB |
Ellis Lankster |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
5-10 |
191 |
Whistler, Ala./Jones JC |
|
S |
Robert Vaughn |
Connecticut |
Jr. |
6-0 |
192 |
North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro |
|
S |
Carlton Williams |
USF |
Sr. |
6-4 |
214 |
Valdosta, Ga./Valdosta |
|
P |
Pat McAfee |
West Virginia |
Sr. |
6-1 |
220 |
Plum, Pa./Plum |
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2008 Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut, Jr.
2007 Pat White, QB, West Virginia, Jr.
2006 Pat White, QB, West Virginia, So.
2005 Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville, So.
2004 Rasheed Marshall, QB, West Virginia, Sr.
2003 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh, So.
2002 Ken Dorsey, QB, Miami, Sr.
Willis McGahee, RB, Miami, So.
2001 William Green, RB, Boston College, Jr.
Ken Dorsey, QB, Miami, Jr.
2000 Antonio Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh, So.
Santana Moss, WR, Miami, Sr.
Lee Suggs, RB, Virginia Tech, So.
1999 Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech, Fr.
1998 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, Sr.
1997 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, Jr.
1996 Jim Druckenmiller, QB, Virginia Tech, Sr.
Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, So.
1995 Marco Battaglia, TE, Rutgers, Sr.
1994 Billy West, RB, Pittsburgh, So.
1993 Glenn Foley, QB, Boston College, Sr.
1992 Gino Torretta, QB, Miami, Sr.*
1991 Gino Torretta, QB, Miami, Jr.
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2008 Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh, Sr.
2007 George Selvie, DE, USF, So.
2006 H.B. Blades, LB, Pittsburgh, Sr.
2005 Elvis Dumervil, DE, Louisville, Sr.
2004 Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College, Jr.
2003 Sean Taylor, FS, Miami, Jr.
2002 Dan Klecko, DL, Temple, Sr.
2001 Edward Reed, SS, Miami, Sr.
Dwight Freeney, DE, Syracuse, Sr.
2000 Dan Morgan, LB, Miami, Sr.*
1999 Corey Moore, DE, Virginia Tech, Sr.*
1998 Corey Moore, DE, Virginia Tech, Jr.
1997 Donovin Darius, S, Syracuse, Sr.
1996 Canute Curtis, DL, West Virginia, Sr.
1995 Cornell Brown, DE, Virginia Tech, Jr.
1994 Warren Sapp, DL, Miami, Jr.
1993 Kevin Patrick, DE, Miami, Sr.
1992 Micheal Barrow, LB, Miami, Sr.
1991 Darrin Smith, LB, Miami, Jr.
George Rooks, DT, Syracuse, Sr.
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2008 Mardy Gilyard, KR, Cincinnati, So.
2007 Kevin Huber, P, Cincinnati, Jr.
2006 Ean Randolph, USF, RS, Sr.
2005 Willie Foster, Rutgers, RS/WR, Jr.
2004 Adam Jones, West Virginia, RS/DB, Jr.
2003 Andy Lee, P, Pittsburgh, Sr.
DeAngelo Hall, PR, Virginia Tech, Jr.
2002 Andy Lee, P, Pittsburgh, Jr.
Nate Jones, KR, Rutgers, Jr.
2001 Phillip Buchanon, PR/KR, Miami, Jr.
2000 Santana Moss, PR, Miami, Sr.*
1999 Shayne Graham, PK, Virginia Tech, Sr.
1998 Kevin Johnson, KR, Syracuse, Sr.*
1997 Quinton Spotwood, KR, Syracuse, So.*
1996 Tremain Mack, RS, Miami, Sr.*
1995 Marvin Harrison, RS, Syracuse, Sr.
1994 Todd Sauerbrun, P, West Virginia, Sr.*
1993 Pat O’Neill, P/PK, Syracuse, Sr.
1992 John Biskup, PK, Syracuse, Sr.
1991 Kevin Williams, RS, Miami, So.
BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
2008 Victor Anderson, RB, Louisville
2007 LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh *
2006 Matt Grothe, QB, USF
2005 Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia
2004 Brian Toal, LB, Boston College
2003 Chris Henry, WR, West Virginia
2002 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh
2001 Kevin Jones, RB, Virginia Tech
2000 Grant Wiley, LB, West Virginia
1999 Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech
1998 Joaquin Gonzalez, OT, Miami
1997 Reggie Wayne, WR, Miami
1996 Amos Zereoue, RB, West Virginia*
1995 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse*
1994 Kenard Lang, DE, Miami
1993 Terrell Willis, RB, Rutgers
1992 Bruce Presley, RB, Rutgers
1991 Tom Tumulty, LB, Pittsburgh
BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
2008 Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
2007 Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
2006 Greg Schiano, Rutgers
2005 Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
2004 Walt Harris, Pittsburgh
2003 Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia*
2002 Larry Coker, Miami
2001 Larry Coker, Miami
2000 Butch Davis, Miami
1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
1998 Terry Shea, Rutgers
1997 Walt Harris, Pittsburgh
1996 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
1995 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech*
1994 Dennis Erickson, Miami
1993 Don Nehlen, West Virginia*
1992 Dennis Erickson, Miami
1991 Dennis Erickson, Miami*
* - unanimous selection
Note: The All-BIG EAST Second Team includes additional players due to ties in the voting
Courtesy: BIG EAST Conference
