Lieberman: Predictions for next seaon’s Big East football award winners

Across the nation, spring practices are revving ever so slightly for annual spring… Across the nation, spring practices are revving ever so slightly for annual spring scrimmages. These festivals of football fandom are more than just large-scale advertisements for boosters and season ticket holders. They’re the first look we get at what a team has to offer for the coming year.

Last week, I took an early glance and broke down each team in a lengthy preview of Big East football. This week, it’s time to predict the awards, who will win them and why.

Big East Offensive MVP

RB, Noel Devine — West Virginia

Mountaineer fans had to be thrilled when they found out the junior Devine was returning for one more year at West Virginia rather than entering the NFL Draft. Make no mistake, Devine would’ve been drafted, and early.

But Devine is back, and poised for a breakout year for the Mountaineers. He’s always had the ability to bust out big gains since his days of splitting carries with Steve Slaton. But last year, Devine showed he can be patient as well. He settled for three- and four-yard gains on his way to a 1,465-yard, 13-touchdown season. He did all this, despite battling a late-season ankle injury.

There’s no question that if Devine stays healthy, he’ll easily amass 1,500 yards this season. I think with an offensive line returning four starters, plus a quality backup in sophomore Ryan Clarke, Devine will have a huge year.

Big East Defensive MVP

DE, Greg Romeus — Pitt

Where else should I go besides re-upping with Romeus this year? Pitt fans know he’s a freak athlete: Listed at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, he has impossible speed for his size. It creates huge mismatches for opposing offensive tackles.

Sure, Pitt lost its two starting defensive tackles. They were a big reason why Romeus had eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season. But returning is opposite defensive end Jabaal Sheard. Offensive lines won’t be able to double-team Romeus for fear of opening up Sheard on the other side.

A guy like Romeus is only going to get better. He’s in only his sixth year of playing football, period. He still is improving even as a junior. Last year was just a taste of what this talented defensive stud can do. Quarterbacks better pray he doesn’t wreak absolute havoc in the Big East this season.

Big East Coach of the Year

Doug Marrone — Syracuse

Bear with me on this one. I know he’s returning less talent than two teams scrimmaging on the Cathedral lawn, but Marrone’s Orange are looking more promising than they have in a long time.

Their quarterback situation should be light-years improved. Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus was a turnover machine last season, now the reigns are handed over to sophomore Ryan Nassib. With Marrone calling the plays this year, as he did when he coached Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints from 2006-08, the offense should improve. Throw in an outstanding linebacking corps inside a decent defense, and this team could have something to work with this year.

If Syracuse can sweep its nonconference schedule (at Akron, at Washington, Maine, Boston College) and steal two wins in the Big East, they’re bowl eligible. That, my friends, is a good way to earn Coach of the Year.

Quick Hits:

If you’ve read my columns in the past, you know I also write about Big East baseball. I’ll digress to that a bit here, because this story is just too weird to pass up. The Pitt baseball team lost 9-8 after a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth in the opening game of a three-game set against Rutgers on April 1. The two runs on the error capped a five-run ninth inning for Rutgers. Pitt coach Joe Jordano, according to reports from multiple outlets including the New York Post, left the dugout to argue a call with the umpires on the field. As the umpires huddled, Rutgers men’s basketball coach Fred Hill Jr., whose father Fred Hill Sr. is Rutgers’ baseball coach, reportedly stood in front of Pitt’s dugout and was seen and heard yelling profanities in the direction of Jordano and the Pitt coaching staff. According to NewJerseyNewsroom.com, Hill Jr. was fired yesterday and Rutgers has started looking for his replacement. One candidate, according to that same article, is Robert Morris’ Mike Rice. A bizarre way to get rid of a coach, but Hill’s career record of 47-77 — a .379 winning percentage — probably wasn’t doing him any favors in giving him job security either.

Mark my words, Tom Savage and Zach Collaros are going to battle as the top two quarterbacks in the league this year. Savage will come out on top.

Remember NFL running back Tyrone Wheatley? Well, now he’s a coach at Syracuse and, as this feature describes, he’s passing along his knowledge to the Orange’s backfield.