Over at the Fanhouse, I have the results of a small voting bloc of Big East bloggers on Big East football awards. It’s a small bloc, because not many responses were received.
Here’s my ballot.
Coaching performance from Best to Worst:
- Jim Leavitt, USF
- Greg Schiano, Rutgers
- Bob Petrino, Louisville
- Mark Dantonio, Cinci
- Rich Rodriguez, WVU
- Randy Edsall, UConn
- Dave Wannstedt, Pitt
- Greg Robinson, Syracuse
I was stunned by how well USF did. At the start of the season, I figured them for last. What with all the injuries, arrests, and drug suspensions. Yet, they kept winning. They got better during the season. For just the 2006 season, I think Leavitt edges Schiano who would get this award if it was for evaluating the job over his whole tenure.
Greg Robinson does not have the talent, and the team did not quitting. I have some real questions about his decisionmaking and coaching . Dave Wannstedt and Pitt’s secon-half nose-dive keeps all the questions and doubts about Wannstedt being a head coach answered for many and unanswered for poor Pitt fans.
Offensive Player of the Year:
Pat White, QB, WVU. He makes the offense go. His decisionmaking in the spread option has been excellent all year. The threat of him taking off, frees up Steve Slaton. He doesn’t pass much, but is quite accurate when he does.
Defensive Player of the Year:
H.B. Blades, MLB, Pitt.
It’s hard to pick Blades, considering how bad the defense around him was. I think to some degree that this is a reflection on how down the defense was overall in the Big East. Rutgers had probably the best team defense, but who was the actual difference maker on the squad? Rameel Meekins? Courtney Greene? That was a squad where the sum exceeded the parts.
Defense, on the other hand, was lacking in major star power. Rutgers had the best defense this year, but it was a unit outperforming the individuals. Is Courtney Greene better or more important to Rutgers than Rameel Meekins?
That made Blades the only standout in the Big East, despite being on a defense that was torched by any team with a competent O-line and running back who could go north-south.
Special Teams Player of the Year:
Art Carmody, K, Louisville.
Some good return guys in JuJuan Spillman (L-ville), Lowell Robinson (Pitt) and Ean Randolph (USF); but Carmody was reliable and extremely valuable to Louisville. Especially during the games when Brohm was out and then just trying to get back into form.
Newcomer of the Year:
Matt Grothe, QB, USF.
A no-brainer. He was the reason that USF did much better than expected. Stepped in when Julmiste went down to start the season, and just won with his arm and legs. He was the entire USF offense for many games, and still couldn’t be stopped by defenses keying on him. Could very well be better than Pat White next year.
Most Overrated Player:
Brendan Carney, P, Syracuse.
Ray Guy hopeful, the only thing working for Syracuse last year. Just fell to middle of the pack in Big East punting.
Most Surprising Team:
Cinci
I thought they would be 6th or 7th in the Big East this year. Instead, they improved all season despite lesser talent than nearly every team in the conference. The lack of depth caught up to them in many games as they faded in the second half. They gave every team they faced at least one half where they scared the crap out of them including: VT, OSU, Pitt, WVU and L-ville.
USF was a close second in this category for me.
Most Disappointing Team:
Pitt
The way Pitt collapsed in the second half of the season was pathetic. They folded as they faced better competition. The team failed to improve throughout the season like good teams or teams with promise do. Very frustrating to see them skid off the tracks in the final five games.
Way too early prediction for best team in 2007:
USF.
I think USF might be able to challenge next year — assuming their players can avoid arrests and drug suspensions. They’ve got the coach, and the talent is starting to fit into place. It’s going out on a limb, but if you really want to make predictions about the 2007 season in December, then why not go on the crazy side. Why take the easy call with Louisville?
