We still have 30 minutes before Brian Kelly gets on the Big East coaches’ teleconference. Something tells me he won’t have his quarterback situation figured out by then. Then again, maybe he will. How do you take out an arm – and a set of legs - as hot as Zach Collaros’?
Collaros is the latest Big East player up for AT&T’s All-America Player of the Week. His competition is Stanford back Toby Gerhart, Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward, and Texas wideout Jordan Shipley and if he’s going to be the first Big East player to actually win this thing, the league’s fans are going to have to do a better job voting. Text messaging VOTE to 345345 will do it.
Collaros is obviously the Big East’s Offensive Player of the Week. Here, straight from the league office, is the entire Honor Roll…
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zach Collaros • So. • QB • Cincinnati • Steubenville, Ohio Collaros set a BIG EAST record with 555 yards of total offense and figured in three touchdowns in the Bearcats’ 47-45 win against Connecticut. He completed 29 of 37 passes for 480 yards — good for fourth on the BIG EAST’s single-game chart — and a touchdown and rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Collaros led the Bearcats on nine scoring drives and helped Cincinnati amass 711 yards of offense — the most in a game involving two BIG EAST teams in conference history.
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Julian Miller • So. • DE • West Virginia • Columbus, Ohio Miller had six tackles, including three sacks for losses of 19 yards, and one pass breakup in West Virginia’s 17-9 win against Louisville. He delivered sacks on consecutive plays in the fourth quarter when the Cardinals threatened for the tying touchdown. Miller led a Mountaineer defense that had five sacks against the Cardinals and held its opponent without a touchdown for the first time this season.
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jacob Rogers • Jr. • K/P • Cincinnati • Warsaw, Ind. Rogers scored 17 points, averaged 43 yards on three punts and had two kickoffs downed for touchbacks in the Bearcats’ 47-45 win against Connecticut. He was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, connecting from 41, 27, 34 and 35 yards and was 5-for-5 on PATs.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut — Ran for 162 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries in a 47-45 loss at Cincinnati.
Darius Ashley, RB, Louisville — Had 164 rushing yards on a career-high 33 carries in a 17-9 loss at West Virginia.
Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh — Had seven receptions for a career-high 118 yards and a touchdown in a 37-10 win against Syracuse.
Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse — Ran for 143 yards on 17 carries in a 37-10 loss at Pittsburgh.
Jock Sanders, WR, West Virginia — Had a first-half touchdown reception and filled in at running back with 66 yards on 12 carries in a 17-9 win against Louisville.
Aditi Kinkhabwala has written a regular column for SI.com and been published in Sports Illustrated.
Interesting that Kelly said the job is Pike’s when he’s ready. Given what Collaros did against the Huskies, I figured he’d be the starter. I’ll bet though that he still sees time in the games.
Hard to leave a weapon like that on the bench.