Football: Rodriguez/Henry Tabbed by Big East
December 09, 2003 12:34 PM | General
December 9, 2003
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PROVIDENCE -- Fresh off a record-breaking regular season, Pittsburgh's Heisman Trophy candidate - wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald - has been named Big East Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced. Miami safety Sean Taylor earned Defensive Player of the Year, while Andy Lee of Pittsburgh and DeAngelo Hall of Virginia Tech shared the Special Teams Player of the Year award. West Virginia wideout Chris Henry garnered Big East Rookie of the Year, while the Mountaineers' Rich Rodriguez earned Coach of the Year honors.
The all-Big East first and second Teams were also announced. All selections are made by the league’s head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own players.
Fitzgerald is the third Panther player to earn offensive accolades and just the second to do so outright (Billy West, Pittsburgh, 1994). Fitzgerald set nearly every conference receiving record this season, ranking first in the all-time record book in catches (87), yards (1,595) and touchdown receptions (22). The sophomore wide receiver has posted 132.9 yards per game, the top mark in the nation and an average that is first in league annals entering the bowl season. He leads the country with 10 games with 100 receiving yards or more and has caught a touchdown in an NCAA-record 18 consecutive contests.
A finalist for the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, Fitzgerald is the third wide receiver (Antonio Bryant, UP, Santana Moss, UM; 2000) in history to win the league award.
Taylor leads a Miami defense that is second nationally in pass defense, allowing 147.5 yards per game. The junior safety has a league-best nine interceptions, a total that is tied for second in the country. He has returned three pickoffs for scores, setting a Big East standard for interception returns for touchdowns in a season. He is second in the league with 18 pass break-ups and also has recorded 72 tackles (36 solo) in 2003. Taylor is the sixth Big East Defensive Player of the Year winner from Miami.
Lee wins special teams recognition for the second year in a row after leading the Big East in punting with 44.0 yards per kick, an average that is 14th nationally. The senior had the best average for a conference-leader since 1997 (Jimmy Kibble, VT, 45.1). He punted 75 times for 3,300 yards, with 20 traveling 50 or more yards. Twenty-three of his kicks were inside the 20-yard line, as he averaged 43.1 yards or better in nine of 12 outings. He had a long punt of 62 yards. He is the first player in Big East history to win special teams honors in back-to-back seasons.
Hall is first in the conference and No. 7 in the nation in punt returns with a 14.47-yard average. The junior had 30 returns for 434 yards, including two for touchdowns. He recorded two games with more than 100 return yards, with a long run of 60 yards. Hall, who also played on offense this season, was an All-BIG EAST First Team choice on both special teams and defense.
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Henry is the third Mountaineer in Big East history (Grant Wiley, 2000; Amos Zereoue, 1996) to earn rookie honors after finishing second in the conference with 10 touchdown catches and 87.3 yards per game. Henry, who did not play last year, finished the regular season with 38 receptions for 960 yards, averaging 25.3 yards per catch. The first three receptions of his career earlier this season went for touchdowns. He has been very strong in his last seven contests, catching 31 passes for 805 yards and seven scores. Henry also has four outings of 100 receiving yards or more in 2003.
Rodriguez guided West Virginia, picked fourth in the preseason poll, to a share of the Big East Championship. The title was the second for the Mountaineers and first since 1993. After a 1-4 start, he helped maintain the team's focus as WVU concluded the year with a seven-game winning streak. Rodriguez has led West Virginia to a 12-2 conference record over the past two seasons and guided them to their second straight bowl appearance. He is the second WVU coach (Don Nehlen, 1993) to earn league Coach of the Year honors and the fourth overall to be a unanimous selection.
The all-Big East selections boasted six repeat first team choices. Six players moved up from second to first team, with three players repeating on the second team. Six players were unanimous picks on the first squad - Fitzgerald, Taylor, Rod Rutherford and Andy Lee (Pittsburgh), Jonathan Vilma (Miami), Kevin Jones (Virginia Tech) and Grant Wiley (West Virginia). Every school in the conference had at least one player on the first squad. Vilma is just the ninth player in conference history to be a first team choice three times in his career.
West Virginia University players named to the all-Big East first team include running back Quincy Wilson, linebacker Grant Wiley and defensive back Brian King.
Mountaineers on the all-Big East second team include wide receiver Chris Henry, offensive guard Jeff Berk, quarterback Rasheed Marshall and defensive back Adam Jones.
