PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Connecticut running back Jordan Todman and Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard, who helped their respective teams to shares of the BIG EAST championship, have been named the 2010 BIG EAST Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in the annual postseason vote of the league's eight head football coaches.
USF wide receiver Lindsey Lamar was chosen as the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year, while Louisville safety Hakeem Smith was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.
Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall, who led the Huskies to their first Bowl Championship Series appearance, and Louisville head coach Charlie Strong, who brought the Cardinals to the postseason for the first time in four years, shared BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors.
The conference also announced the selections to the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams, highlighted by five unanimous selections to the first team.
Todman was unanimously chosen as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the second Connecticut running back in the last three years to earn the conference's top offensive honor. Todman joins 2008 winner Donald Brown as the only Connecticut players to be named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year.
Todman finished the regular season ranked second nationally in rushing, averaging 143.1 yards per game. He ran for 1,574 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the BIG EAST in both categories, and went for at least 100 yards nine times in 11 games. He had at least one rushing touchdown in eight games and had two games with three rushing touchdowns. He ran for a season-high 222 yards on 37 carries in a 30-28 win against Pittsburgh, went for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-21 win against Vanderbilt and had 175 yards and three TDs in a 38-17 win against Cincinnati.
Sheard's selection as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year marks the third consecutive season, and the fourth time in the last five years, that a Pittsburgh player earned top defensive honors from the conference. He is the Panthers' fifth BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year selection, joining 2006 winner H.B. Blades, 2008 winner Scott McKillop and 2009 winners Greg Romeus and Mick Williams.
With Romeus sidelined by injury for all but two games of the 2010 season, Sheard was the focal point of opposing offensive lines, yet still finished the regular season with nine sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, ranking second in the BIG EAST in both categories. He had four forced fumbles, 15 quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups to go with 52 tackles.
Lamar becomes USF's first BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year honoree and joins 2007 Defensive Player of the Year George Selvie as the only USF players to earn a major individual honor from the conference.
Lamar averaged 28.1 yards on 30 kickoff returns in the regular season, leading the BIG EAST with 842 yards and two touchdowns. He sprung a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Syracuse and had a 100-yard return for a score against Louisville, becoming the 10th player in BIG EAST history to register two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season. Lamar finished the regular season with 1,004 all-purpose yards and had six games with at least 100 all-purpose yards.
Smith is the second Louisville player in the last three years to be named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, joining running back Victor Anderson, who was selected in 2008. He is just the fifth defensive player to win the award.
Smith, who made 11 starts at strong safety as a freshman, was the leading tackler on a resurgent Louisville defense in 2010. He led the Cardinals with 80 tackles, anchoring a defense that ranked third in the BIG EAST in points allowed (18.7 ppg) and yards allowed (302.4 ypg). Louisville was next-to-last in the BIG EAST in both categories last year.
Edsall and Strong tied in the voting for BIG EAST Coach of the Year, marking the first tie since the award was first presented in 1991. Both coaches are first-time winners of the award.
Edsall, whose team started the year with three wins in its first seven games, turned the Huskies around to win the last five games of the regular season and claim a share of the BIG EAST championship. Connecticut earned its second BIG EAST title in four years and was awarded the conference's BCS bid, sending the Huskies to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl for the first time. Connecticut, which will make its fourth consecutive postseason appearance, will face Big 12 champion Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz.
Strong took over a team that had finished last in the BIG EAST in each of the past two seasons, and was picked last in the 2010 preseason media poll, and brought the Cardinals back to the postseason for the first time since 2006. Louisville finished the regular season 6-6 overall and 3-4 in the BIG EAST, including road wins at Syracuse and Rutgers.
The BIG EAST also has recognized the members of its All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams. Todman and Sheard highlight a group of five unanimous selections to the first team. Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros, Connecticut offensive guard Zach Hurd and Louisville offensive guard Mark Wetterer joined Todman and Sheard as unanimous picks of the league's head coaches.
Hurd joins Pittsburgh wide receiver Jon Baldwin, Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jason Pinkston and West Virginia safety Robert Sands as back-to-back selections to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
2010 BIG EAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut (Jr., North Dartmouth, Mass.) *
BIG EAST CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh (Sr., Hollywood Hills, Fla.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lindsey Lamar, WR, USF (So., Tampa, Fla.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville (RFr., Jonesboro, Ga.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE COACHES OF THE YEAR
Randy Edsall, Connecticut
Charlie Strong, Louisville
ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/High School
WR Armon Binns Cincinnati Sr. 6-3 210 Pasadena, Calif./Pasadena
WR Jon Baldwin Pittsburgh Jr. 6-5 230 Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa
OT Mike Ryan Connecticut Jr. 6-5 332 Tamaqua, Pa./Marian Catholic
OT Jason Pinkston Pittsburgh Sr. 6-4 305 Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin
OG Zach Hurd * Connecticut Sr. 6-7 323 Waterford, Conn./Waterford
OG Mark Wetterer * Louisville Sr. 6-5 306 Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson
C Sampson Genus USF Sr. 6-1 314 Lake City, Fla./Columbia
TE Cameron Graham Louisville Sr. 6-4 242 Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood
QB Zach Collaros * Cincinnati Jr. 6-0 216 Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville
RB Jordan Todman * Connecticut Jr. 5-9 190 North Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth
RB Bilal Powell Louisville Sr. 6-0 204 Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson
K Dave Teggart Connecticut Jr. 6-0 209 Northborough, Mass./Algonqun
RS Lindsey Lamar USF So. 5-9 160 Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough
DEFENSE
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/High School
DL Kendall Reyes Connecticut Jr. 6-4 287 Nashua, N.H./Nashua North
DL Jabaal Sheard * Pittsburgh Sr. 6-4 260 Hollywood Hills, Fla./Hollywood Hills
DL Terrell McClain USF Sr. 6-3 302 Pensacola, Fla./Pensacola
DL Chris Neild West Virginia Sr. 6-2 301 Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg
LB Lawrence Wilson Connecticut Sr. 6-1 217 Tuscaloosa, Ala./Paul W. Bryant
LB Doug Hogue Syracuse Sr. 6-2 226 Yonkers, N.Y./Roosevelt
LB J.T. Thomas West Virginia Sr. 6-2 225 Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Ely
CB Johnny Patrick Louisville Sr. 6-0 186 Deland, Fla./Deland
CB Keith Tandy West Virginia Jr. 5-10 198 Hopkinsville, Ky./Christian County
S Dom DeCicco Pittsburgh Sr. 6-4 230 Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson
S Robert Sands West Virginia Jr. 6-5 221 Carol City, Fla./Miami-Carol City
P Dan Hutchins Pittsburgh Sr. 5-11 195 Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Township
* unanimous selection
ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/High School
WR D.J. Woods Cincinnati Jr. 6-0 172 Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville
WR Dontavia Bogan USF Sr. 6-1 188 Thomasville, Ga./Central County
WR Tavon Austin West Virginia So. 5-9 173 Baltimore, Md./Dunbar
WR Jock Sanders West Virginia Sr. 5-7 179 St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg Catholic
OT Justin Pugh Syracuse So. 6-5 287 Holland, Pa./Council Rock South
OT Don Barclay West Virginia Jr. 6-4 304 Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley
OL Jason Kelce Cincinnati Sr. 6-4 283 Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights
OL Byron Stingily Louisville Sr. 6-5 300 Country Club Hills, Ill./Joliet CC
OL Jacob Sims USF Sr. 6-5 290 Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park
C Moe Petrus Connecticut Jr. 6-2 292 St. Laurent, Que./Vanier Prep
TE Ben Guidugli Cincinnati Sr. 6-1 240 Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands
QB Geno Smith West Virginia So. 6-3 210 Miami, Fla./Miramar
RB Isaiah Pead Cincinnati Jr. 5-11 194 Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy
RB Delone Carter Syracuse Sr. 5-10 215 Copley, Ohio/Copley Senior
K Ross Krautman Syracuse Fr. 5-7 154 Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo
RS Nick Williams Connecticut So. 5-9 182 East Windsor, N.J./The Hun School
DEFENSE
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/High School
DL Brandon Lindsey Pittsburgh Jr. 6-2 250 Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa
DL Chandler Jones Syracuse Jr. 6-5 251 Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott
DL Scooter Berry West Virginia Sr. 6-1 287 North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon
DL Bruce Irvin West Virginia Jr. 6-3 235 Walnut, Calif./Mt. San Antonio CC
LB JK Schaffer Cincinnati Jr. 6-1 228 Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle
LB Jacquain Williams USF Sr. 6-3 216 Tampa, Fla./Riverview
LB Derrell Smith Syracuse Sr. 6-1 232 New Castle, Del./Paul Hodgson
CB Mistral Raymond USF Sr. 6-2 192 Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto
CB Brandon Hogan West Virginia Sr. 5-10 189 Manassas, Va./Osbourn
S Hakeem Smith Louisville RFr. 6-1 174 Jonesboro, Ga./Riverdale
S Jared Holley Pittsburgh So. 5-10 180 Easton, Pa./Easton Area
S Joe Lefeged Rutgers Sr. 6-1 205 Germantown, Md./Northwest
P Rob Long Syracuse Sr. 6-3 190 Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1991 Gino Torretta, QB, Miami, Jr.
1992 Gino Torretta, QB, Miami, Sr. *
1993 Glenn Foley, QB, Boston College, Sr.
1994 Billy West, RB, Pittsburgh, So.
1995 Marco Battaglia, TE, Rutgers, Sr.
1996 Jim Druckenmiller, QB, Virginia Tech, Sr.
Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, So.
1997 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, Jr.
1998 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse, Sr.
1999 Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech, Fr.
2000 Antonio Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh, So.
Lee Suggs, RB, Virginia Tech, So.
Santana Moss, WR, Miami, Sr.
2001 William Green, RB, Boston College, Jr.
Ken Dorsey, QB, Miami, Jr.
2002 Ken Dorsey, QB, Miami, Sr.
Willis McGahee, RB, Miami, So.
2003 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh, So.
2004 Rasheed Marshall, QB, West Virginia, Sr.
2005 Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville, So.
2006 Pat White, QB, West Virginia, So.
2007 Pat White, QB, West Virginia, Jr.
2008 Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut, Jr.
2009 Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh, Fr.
2010 Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut, Jr. *
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1991 Darrin Smith, LB, Miami, Jr.
George Rooks, DT, Syracuse, Sr.
1992 Micheal Barrow, LB, Miami, Sr.
1993 Kevin Patrick, DE, Miami, Sr.
1994 Warren Sapp, DL, Miami, Jr.
1995 Cornell Brown, DE, Virginia Tech, Jr.
1996 Canute Curtis, DL, West Virginia, Sr.
1997 Donovin Darius, S, Syracuse, Sr.
1998 Corey Moore, DE, Virginia Tech, Jr.
1999 Corey Moore, DE, Virginia Tech, Sr.*
2000 Dan Morgan, LB, Miami, Sr.*
2001 Edward Reed, SS, Miami, Sr.
Dwight Freeney, DE, Syracuse, Sr.
2002 Dan Klecko, DL, Temple, Sr.
2003 Sean Taylor, FS, Miami, Jr.
2004 Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College, Jr.
2005 Elvis Dumervil, DE, Louisville, Sr.
2006 H.B. Blades, LB, Pittsburgh, Sr.
2007 George Selvie, DE, USF, So.
2008 Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh, Sr.
2009 Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh, Jr.
Mick Williams, DT, Pittsburgh, Sr.
2010 Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh, Sr.
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1991 Kevin Williams, RS, Miami, So.
1992 John Biskup, PK, Syracuse, Sr.
1993 Pat O'Neill, P/PK, Syracuse, Sr.
1994 Todd Sauerbrun, P, West Virginia, Sr. *
1995 Marvin Harrison, RS, Syracuse, Sr.
1996 Tremain Mack, RS, Miami, Sr.*
1997 Quinton Spotwood, KR, Syracuse, So. *
1998 Kevin Johnson, KR, Syracuse, Sr. *
1999 Shayne Graham, PK, Virginia Tech, Sr.
2000 Santana Moss, PR, Miami, Sr.*
2001 Phillip Buchanon, PR/KR, Miami, Jr.
2002 Andy Lee, P, Pittsburgh, Jr.
Nate Jones, KR, Rutgers, Jr.
2003 Andy Lee, P, Pittsburgh, Sr.
DeAngelo Hall, PR, Virginia Tech, Jr.
2004 Adam Jones, West Virginia, RS/DB, Jr.
2005 Willie Foster, Rutgers, RS/WR, Jr.
2006 Ean Randolph, USF, RS, Sr.
2007 Kevin Huber, P, Cincinnati, Jr.
2008 Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati, Jr.
2009 Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati, Sr.
2010 Lindsey Lamar, WR, USF, So.
BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1991 Tom Tumulty, LB, Pittsburgh
1992 Bruce Presley, RB, Rutgers
1993 Terrell Willis, RB, Rutgers
1994 Kenard Lang, DE, Miami
1995 Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse *
1996 Amos Zereoue, RB, West Virginia *
1997 Reggie Wayne, WR, Miami
1998 Joaquin Gonzalez, OT, Miami
1999 Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech
2000 Grant Wiley, LB, West Virginia
2001 Kevin Jones, RB, Virginia Tech
2002 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh
2003 Chris Henry, WR, West Virginia
2004 Brian Toal, LB, Boston College
2005 Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia
2006 Matt Grothe, QB, USF
2007 LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh *
2008 Victor Anderson, RB, Louisville
2009 Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh *
2010 Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville
BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
1991 Dennis Erickson, Miami*
1992 Dennis Erickson, Miami
1993 Don Nehlen, West Virginia*
1994 Dennis Erickson, Miami
1995 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech*
1996 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
1997 Walt Harris, Pittsburgh
1998 Terry Shea, Rutgers
1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
2000 Butch Davis, Miami
2001 Larry Coker, Miami
2002 Larry Coker, Miami
2003 Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia*
2004 Walt Harris, Pittsburgh
2005 Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
2006 Greg Schiano, Rutgers
2007 Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
2008 Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
2009 Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
2010 Randy Edsall, Connecticut
Charlie Strong, Louisville
