Big East's Best
June 07, 2007 01:21 PM | General
June 7, 2007
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Now that outsiders are done clobbering the Big East football conference over the head, let's take a look back at some of the great football players the conference has produced since its inception in 1991. Of course Miami has been a major player in college football for the past 20 years and its roster of outstanding players would make up all-time teams in any conference.
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| Center Dan Mozes won the Rimington Award as college football's top center in 2006.
AP photo |
Virginia Tech’s ascension to college football superpower status began in 1993 when it was demanded of Coach Frank Beamer that his team go to a bowl game that season or else he was to pack his bags. Today the idea of Frank Beamer not coaching Virginia Tech would be utterly foreign to Hokie supporters.
West Virginia, under Don Nehlen, and Boston College with Tom Coughlin and later Tom O’Brien, made significant contributions to the Big East. West Virginia has now become a major college football player under Rich Rodriguez, who became the first coach in school history to direct back-to-back Top 10 finishes.
Like West Virginia, Louisville is a rising star in the college football world having benefited mightily from its jump to the Big East two years ago.
Rutgers is also moving its way up the ladder toward college football’s upper echelon under the patient direction of Greg Schiano, who last year turned down a pitch from Miami to remain in Piscataway. Scarlet Knights supporters are expecting a repeat of their memorable 2006 campaign.
Pitt and Syracuse have traditionally been big players in college football throughout the years and both programs are looking to regain their swagger.
Connecticut, Cincinnati and South Florida are relative newcomers to big-time college football and those programs are not quite steeped in tradition as the rest of the Big East. Their most interesting football chapters have yet to be written.
Some of the best players in professional football today have their college roots in the Big East Conference.
So without further delay, here is one guy’s all-time all-Big East football team:
OFFENSE
WR, Larry Fitzgerald (Pitt)
The most decorated WR in Big East history earning Walter Camp player of the year and the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver
WR, Marvin Harrison (Syracuse)
A unanimous all-Big East player as a senior who has gone on to an all-pro career with the Indianapolis Colts
OT, Bryant McKinnie (Miami)
A consensus All-American and 2001 national player of the year by CNNSI.com, he was one of five Hurricane players picked in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft
OG, Doug Brezinski (Boston College)
A long-time NFL road grader who was a two-time first-team all-Big East offensive guard in 1997-98
C, Dan Mozes (West Virginia)
Rimington Award winner as college football’s top offensive lineman and a consensus All-American pick in 2006
OG, Chris Snee (Boston College)
Second-team All-America as a senior and first team all-Big East player who was drafted in the second round by the New York Giants in 2004
OT, Rich Braham (West Virginia)
All-American left tackle for West Virginia in 1993 who recently wrapped up a 14-year NFL career with the Cardinals and Bengals
TE, Kellen Winslow, Jr. (Miami)
Consensus All-American in 2003 that is considered one of the best in tight-end rich Miami history
QB, Michael Vick (Virginia Tech)
Heisman Trophy finalist and Archie Griffin Award winner who led Virginia Tech to the 1999 national championship game
RB, Edgerrin James (Miami)
Miami’s second all-time leading rusher who has gone on to an all-pro career with the Colts and Cardinals
RB, Curtis Martin (Pitt)
Four-time NFL Pro Bowler who ranks fourth among all-time NFL rushers with 14,101 career yards
PK, Shayne Graham (Virginia Tech)
All-time leading scorer in Big East history and a seven-year pro with the Cincinnati Bengals
KR/PR, Santana Moss (Miami)
A former walk-on who broke Miami’s career receiving record and became the first player in league history to be named both player and special teams player of the year in the same season
Honorable mention: Reggie Wayne (Miami), Antonio Bryant (Pitt), Santana Moss (Miami), Jake Grove (Virginia Tech), Brett Romberg (Miami), Mike Compton (West Virginia), Jim Pyne (Virginia Tech), Leon Searcy (Miami), Pete Mitchell (Boston College), Mark Chumura (Boston College), Jeremy Shockey (Miami), Donovan McNabb (Syracuse), Marc Bulger (West Virginia), Willis McGahee (Miami), Clinton Portis (Miami), Steve Slaton (West Virginia), William Green (Boston College), Kevin Jones (Virginia Tech), Amos Zereoue (West Virginia), Avon Cobourne (West Virginia), Carlos Huerta (Miami)
DEFENSE
DL, Warren Sapp, Miami
A Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik and Lombardi Award winner in 1994 at Miami before embarking upon an all-pro career
DL, Dwight Freeney, Syracuse
Had 34 sacks as a two-year starter at Syracuse and was the 11th player selected in the 2002 NFL draft
DL, Sean Gilbert, Pitt
The third player taken in the 1992 NFL draft who wound up playing 11 professional seasons with three different teams
DL, Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
Two-time Big East sack leader in 2003 and 2004 and later a first-round draft pick by the New York Giants
LB, Ray Lewis, Miami
Two-time NFL defensive player of the year winner, becoming just the sixth player in NFL history to capture the award multiple times
LB, Dan Morgan, Miami
The 2000 Big East defensive player of the year recorded a school and Big East record 532 tackles before being taken in the first round of the NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers
LB, Corey Moore, Virginia Tech
A Bronko Nagurski and Lombardi Award winner as college football’s top defensive player in 1999
CB, Pacman Jones, West Virginia
First team all-Big East and Big East special teams player of the year who was the sixth player taken in the 2004 NFL draft after leaving West Virginia a year early
CB, Duane Starks, Miami
The 10th overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft that has played 10 professional seasons with four different teams
S, Ed Reed, Miami
A two-time consensus All-American safety that was a key member of Miami’s national championship team in 2001
S, Sean Taylor, Miami
The Big East’s defensive player of the year and a consensus All-American in 2003, this head-hunter is considered one of the NFL’s best today with the Washington Redskins
S, Donovin Darius, Syracuse
A two-time all-Big East safety that set the Syracuse record for career tackles. He has later become one of the NFL’s hardest hitting safeties for the Jacksonville Jaguars
P, Todd Sauerbrun, West Virginia
Still owns the NCAA record with a 48.4 punting average in 1994 and was a consensus All-American that year. Was the 56th overall player selected in the 1995 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears
Honorable mention: Elvis Dumervil (Louisville), Grant Wiley (West Virginia), Ronyell Whitaker (Virginia Tech), Mike Rumph (Miami), Ben Taylor (Virginia Tech), Chris Hovan (Boston College), John Thornton (West Virginia), Darrelle Revis (Pitt), Cornell Brown (Virginia Tech), Canute Curtis (West Virginia), Aaron Beasley (West Virginia), Mike Mamula (Boston College), Kevin Mitchell (Syracuse), Ryan McNeil (Miami), Darryl Williams (Miami)
