Three First-Teamers
December 10, 2002 01:13 PM | General
By John Antonik for
MSNsportsNET.com
December 12, 2002
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Three West Virginia University football players were named to the all-Big East first team, announced today. The all-Big East teams were selected by the conference coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Senior running back Avon Cobourne and senior offensive tackle Lance Nimmo were named to the all-Big East offensive first team, while junior linebacker Grant Wiley was named to the all-Big East defensive first team.
Cobourne led the conference with 1,593 yards and 15 touchdowns on 310 carries. He is the Big East’s career rushing leader with 4,922 career yards. Blocking for Cobourne up front was senior tackle Lance Nimmo, who helped the Mountaineers rank second in the country in total rushing.
Wiley led an improved West Virginia defense with a team-best 129 tackles and 13.5 tackles for losses. He also produced three sacks and two interceptions.
Making the all-Big East second team were senior guard Ken Sandor on offense, and senior tackle David Upchurch, senior linebacker James Davis and senior strong safety Angel Estrada on defense.
West Virginia failed to place a single player on the all-conference team last year.
Despite leading his team to the nation’s best turnaround, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez was edged for conference coach of the year honors in favor of Miami’s Larry Coker, who is vying for his second straight national title next month against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Miami’s Ken Dorsey and Willia McGahee were named co-offensive player of the year while Temple’s Dan Klecko was named defensive player of the year.
The league also picked co-special teams players of the year in Pitt’s Andy Lee and Rutgers’ Nate Jones, and a rookie of the year in Pitt’s Larry Fitzgerald.
Miami a total of 13 players make the all-Big East first offensive and defensive teams. Pitt was second with six first teamers, followed by West Virginia (three), Boston College, Rutgers and Temple (one each).
Virginia Tech and Syracuse failed to have a single player named to either of the all-Big East first teams.
Ties in the voting created additional positions for offensive player of the year, special teams player of the year and second-team wide receiver, place kicker and kick returner.
Big East offensive player of
the year
Ken Dorsey, Miami
Willis McGahee, Miami
Big East defensive player of
the year
Dan Klecko, Temple
Big East special teams
player of the year
Andy Lee, Pitt
Nate Jones, Rutgers
Big East rookie of the year
Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt
Big East coach of the year
Larry Coker, Miami
|
2002 Big East First Team Offense |
||
|
WR |
Andre Johnson |
Miami |
|
WR |
Larry Fitzgerald |
Pitt |
|
OT |
Lance Nimmo |
West Virginia |
|
OG |
Bryan Anderson |
Pitt |
|
C |
Brett Romberg |
Miami |
|
OG |
Sherko Haji-Rasouli |
Miami |
|
OT |
Mark Parenteau |
Boston College |
|
TE |
Kellen Winslow |
Miami |
|
QB |
Ken Dorsey |
Miami |
|
RB |
Willis McGahee |
Miami |
|
RB |
Avon Cobourne |
West Virginia |
|
PK |
Todd Sievers |
Miami |
|
KR |
Nate Jones |
Rutgers |
|
2002 Big East First Team Defense |
||
|
DL |
William Joseph |
Miami |
|
DL |
Jerome McDougle |
Miami |
|
DL |
Claude Harriott |
Pitt |
|
DL |
Dan Klecko |
Temple |
|
LB |
Jonathan Vilma |
Miami |
|
LB |
Gerald Hayes |
Pitt |
|
LB |
Grant Wiley |
West Virginia |
|
CB |
Antrel Rolle |
Miami |
|
CB |
Torrie Cox |
Pitt |
|
S |
Maurice Sikes |
Miami |
|
S |
Sean Taylor |
Miami |
|
P |
Andy Lee |
Pitt |
|
KR |
Nate Jones |
Rutgers |
|
2002 Big East Second Team Offense |
||
|
WR |
Jamel Riddle |
Syracuse |
|
WR |
David Tyree |
Syracuse |
|
WR |
Ernest Wilford |
Virginia Tech |
|
OT |
Rob Petitti |
Pitt |
|
OG |
Anthony Davis |
Virginia Tech |
|
C |
Dan Koppen |
Boston College |
|
OG |
Ken Sandor |
West Virginia |
|
OT |
Carlos Joseph |
Miami |
|
TE |
Sean Ryan |
Boston College |
|
QB |
Rod Rutherford |
Pitt |
|
RB |
Derrick Knight |
Boston College |
|
RB |
Lee Suggs |
Virginia Tech |
|
PK |
Sandro Sciortino |
Boston College |
|
PK |
Cap Poklemba |
Temple |
|
KR |
Jamel Riddle |
Syracuse |
|
KR |
DeAngelo Hall |
Virginia Tech |
|
2002 Big East Second Team Defense |
||
|
DL |
Jamaal Green |
Miami |
|
DL |
Louis Gachelin |
Syracuse |
|
DL |
Nathaniel Adibi |
Virginia Tech |
|
DL |
David Upchurch |
West Virginia |
|
LB |
D.J. Williams |
Miami |
|
LB |
Clifton Smith |
Syracuse |
|
LB |
James Davis |
West Virginia |
|
CB |
Shawn Seabrooks |
Rutgers |
|
CB |
DeAngelo Hall |
Virginia Tech |
|
S |
Willie Pile |
Virginia Tech |
|
S |
Angel Estrada |
West Virginia |
|
P |
Vinnie Burns |
Virginia Tech |
