Grothe, Randolph Earn BIG EAST Awards, Trio All-BE

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID Office

TAMPA, Fla. (December 6, 2006) -- University of South Florida football players Matt Grothe (BIG EAST Rookie of the Year) and Ean Randolph (BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year) claimed conference specialty awards and three players were named All-BIG EAST First Team, the league office announced Wednesday.

Senior linebacker Stephen Nicholas, junior cornerback Trae Williams and Randolph (kick returner/punt returner) each earned spots on the league's first team roster.  The Bulls did not have a player named to the second team squad.

Grothe's record-setting freshman campaign caught the eye of the head coaches in the league and across the country.  A Lakeland, Fla. native, he ranks as the nation's top freshman in total offense (258.5).  Grothe completed 196-of-307 passes for 2,495 yards and 14 touchdowns.  In addition, he rushed for 607 yards and nine scores.

Randolph played a key role in the team's success this season, both in the return game and as a wide receiver.  He was tops in the conference in punt return average (14.7) this season by almost two yards. Randolph returned 22 punts for 323 yards and one touchdown. The Bulls' senior also ranks sixth nationally in punt returns.

Nicholas is second on the roster this season with 96 tackles, which includes 12 tackles-for-loss and five sacks.  His 320 career tackles rank him second on USF's all-time list and his 50.5 tackles-for-loss are tops in the record book.  He also owns a pair of interceptions in 2006.

Williams is tops in the BIG EAST and tied for sixth in the nation with seven interceptions (0.58 per game) this season, which matches USF's single-season record as well.  His 10 career picks rank him second on the career list.  He has also contributed 49 tackles, nine pass break ups and a blocked kick.  

The selections of Nicholas, Randolph and Williams marks the first time in program history the Bulls have had more than one player named to the first team in the same season.  Running back Andre Hall was the squad's lone BIG EAST first teamer in 2005.

[BULLfreak]

2006 BIG EAST FOOTBALL AWARDS

BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

 Patrick White, West Virginia, QB, Sophomore, 6-2, 190, Daphne, Ala./Daphne

BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

 H.B. Blades, Pittsburgh, LB, Senior, 6-0, 240, Plantation, Fla./Plantation

BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

 Ean Randolph, USF, Return Specialist, Freshman, 5-9, 175, Plant City, Fla./Durant

BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

 Matt Grothe, USF, QB, Freshman, 6-0, 200, Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson

BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR

 Greg Schiano, Rutgers, 6th Season, 29-41 (.414)

 2006 Record: 10-2 overall, 5-2 BIG EAST

 Alma Mater: Bucknell University (1988); Hometown: Wyckoff, N.J.

2006 ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Junior College

WR Harry Douglas Louisville Jr. 5-11 170 Jonesboro, Ga./Jones

WR Derek Kinder Pittsburgh Jr. 6-1 205 Albion, N.Y./Albion

OT George Bussey Louisville So. 6-4 298 Louisville, Ky./Western

OT Renardo Foster Louisville Sr. 6-7 325 Ripley, Tenn./Ripley

OT Jeremy Zuttah Rutgers Jr. 6-4 290 Edison, N.J./J.P. Stevens

OG Kurt Quarterman Louisville Sr. 6-5 328 Albany, Ga./Westover

OG Jeremy Sheffey West Virginia Sr. 6-3 290 Catlettsburg, Ky./Boyd County

C Dan Mozes West Virginia Sr. 6-4 290 Washington, Pa./Washington

TE Clark Harris Rutgers Sr. 6-6 260 Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional

QB Patrick White West Virginia So. 6-2 190 Daphne, Ala./Daphne

RB Ray Rice Rutgers So. 5-9 195 New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle

RB Steve Slaton West Virginia So. 5-10 190 Levittown, Pa./Conwell-Egan

K Art Carmody Louisville Jr. 5-9 180 Shreveport, La./Loyola College

KR/PR Ean Randolph USF Fr. 5-9 175 Plant City, Fla./Durant

DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Junior College

DL Terrill Byrd Cincinnati So. 6-1 285 Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain

DL **Amobe Okoye Louisville Sr. 6-2 305 Huntsville, Ala./Lee

DL Eric Foster Rutgers Jr. 6-2 260 Homestead, Fla./Homestead

DL Keilein Dykes West Virginia Jr. 6-4 290 Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney

LB Kevin McCullough Cincinnati Sr. 6-2 240 Hudson, Ohio/Hudson/Grand Rapids

LB H.B. Blades Pittsburgh Sr. 6-0 240 Plantation, Fla./Plantation

LB Stephen Nicholas USF Sr. 6-3 225 Jacksonville, Fla./Lee

CB William Gay Louisville Sr. 5-11 184 Tallahassee, Fla./Rickards

CB Darrelle Revis Pittsburgh Jr. 6-0 200 Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa

CB Trae Williams USF Jr. 5-10 185 Plant City, Fla./Durant

S Dominic Ross Cincinnati Sr. 6-0 200 Marion, Ohio/Harding

S **Eric Wicks West Virginia Sr. 6-1 210 Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry

P Joe Radigan Rutgers Sr. 6-5 220 Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken

** - unanimous selection

2006 ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Junior College

WR Mario Urrutia Louisville So. 6-6 228 Louisville, Ky./Fern Creek

WR Darius Reynaud West Virginia Jr. 5-10 200 Luling, La./Hahnville

OT Pedro Sosa Rutgers Jr. 6-5 295 Union City, N.J./Union Hill

OT Ryan Stanchek West Virginia So. 6-4 280 Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle

OG Trevor Canfield Cincinnati So. 6-5 300 Cincinnati, Ohio/Western Hills

OG Cameron Stephenson Rutgers Sr. 6-5 305 Inglewood, Calif./Hawthorne/LA Harbor

C Eric Wood Louisville So. 6-4 297 Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder

TE Brent Celek Cincinnati Sr. 6-4 260 Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle

QB Brian Brohm Louisville Jr. 6-4 226 Louisville, Ky./Trinity

RB Donald Brown II Connecticut Fr. 5-10 207 Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Red Bank Catholic

RB Brian Leonard Rutgers Sr. 6-2 235 Gouverneur, N.Y./Gouverneur

K Jeremy Ito Rutgers Jr. 5-11 185 Redlands, Calif./Redlands

KR/PR Vaughn Rivers West Virginia Jr. 5-9 170 Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry

DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Junior College

DL Rhema Fuller Connecticut Sr. 6-2 266 Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa

DL Joe Clermond Pittsburgh Jr. 6-3 260 Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain

DL Ramel Meekins Rutgers Sr. 6-0 275 Westwood, N.J./Westwood

DL Jamaal Westerman Rutgers So. 6-3 252 Brampton, Ontario/Notre Dame

DL Jameel McClain Syracuse Jr. 6-1 252 Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington

LB Malik Jackson Louisville Jr. 6-2 231 Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody

LB Devraun Thompson Rutgers Sr. 5-11 220 Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway

LB Kelvin Smith Syracuse Sr. 6-2 233 New Hempstead, N.Y./North Rockland

CB Mike Mickens Cincinnati So. 6-0 165 Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne

CB Tanard Jackson Syracuse Sr. 6-1 193 Silver Spring, Md./Bullis School

S Brandon Sharp Louisville Sr. 5-11 195 Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles

S Ron Girault Rutgers Jr. 5-11 195 Spring Valley, N.Y./St. Joseph's (Montvale)

S Courtney Greene Rutgers So. 6-1 205 New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle

P Adam Graessle Pittsburgh Sr. 6-4 225 Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman

Note: Ties in the voting created additional positions for offensive tackle and cornerback on the first team and defensive tackle and safety on the second team.

http://www.bigeast.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120606aac.html

USF players in bold

players from the state of Florida are underlined

[E.T.]

I mentioned this in the other thread ...

I am SOFA KING PI$$ED that Big Ben Moffitt is not here !  >

[USFootball]

Neither Moffet or St Louis??