Binns, Collaros First Team All-Big East

The All-Big East teams came out today. The Cincinnati Bearcats had two representatives on the first team. Zach Collaros was the unanimous selection at quarterback. Armon Binns was a first teamer, but didn’t get on every ballot, which was ridiculous since he was the best WR in the conference. The second team hosted C Jason Kelce, LB JK Schaffer, WR DJ Woods, RB Isaiah Pead and TE Ben Guidugli. Let’s see the awards with my commentary. 

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

Todman was a da doy as player of the year. Sheard had a great season filling in the shoes of Greg Romeous. Lindsey Lamar was the most dynamic special teams player all season. Nick Williams only returned like 12 kicks. Hakeem Smith is a surprise until you dig deeper. He led Louisville in tackles, and quickly became one of the better safeties in the conference, as noted by his second team selection. Can’t really go wrong with Strong or Edsall, I would have voted for Strong and Marrone. 

On my ballot, I had Geno Smith on the first team, so I’m a bit surprised Collaros was unanimous. I voted Austin first team over Baldwin, but that was more to be contrarian. Cam Graham was the best tight end in the conference, and the linemen were no surprise to people in the know. On defense, I think the selections were right on. I see the argument for Hogan over Tandy, and I can’t say I disagree, but that’s one thing. I was hoping JK would end up on the first team, but there were a lot of good linebackers this season. When you don’t win, you get second team. I think that’s what happened to Kelce as well. 

Congrats to everyone selected, especially Zach Collaros, Armon Binns, DJ Woods, Isaiah Pead, Jason Kelce, JK Schaffer and Ben Guidugli because this is a Cincinnati blog. 

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