Seven Cardinals Earn First Team All-BIG EAST Honors
Dec. 6, 2006 PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Following its first-ever BIG EAST championship, 12 Louisville football players were rewarded Wednesday by being named to the All-BIG EAST team, as selected by the league's coaches. Harry Douglas, Renardo Foster, Kurt Quarterman, George Bussey, Art Carmody, William Gay and Amobi Okoye all made the first team, while Mario Urrutia, Eric Wood, Malik Jackson and Brian Brohm all made the second team. The seven first teamers were the most in the league. Douglas had an outstanding year, catching 60 passes for 1,100 yards and was tops in the conference in receptions per game and receiving yards. He caught a pass in all 12 games and had three 100-yard receiving games. He ended the year with a career-best 149 yards last week against Connecticut. Foster, Quarterman and Bussey were part of a much-improved offensive line. Each player started all 12 games, as the Cardinals are the nation's second-best offensive unit in the nation. Carmody, who is re-writing the University of Louisville record book, is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. He connected on a school record 20-of-23 field goals and is a perfect 57-for-57 in extra points. He had a streak of 15 in row this season and is second in the nation in field goals. He also ranks fourth in the country in scoring. Gay is having a career-best year from his cornerback position. He is second in the BIG EAST Conference in interceptions with five and second in passes defended. He has a career-best 55 tackles and also owns a pair of sacks. Okoye, who is a 19-year old senior, was one of two unanimous selections after playing his best season with the Cardinals. Okoye recorded a career-high for tackles with 49 and also had a career-high six sacks. One of the team's captains, Okoye is also one of the team's emotional leaders. Urrutia had his best season as a sophomore wide receiver. The 6-6 product of Fern Creek High School, caught 55 passes for 929 yards and six touchdowns. He continues to make big plays in the passing game, averaging 17.2 yards per catch. He has four 100-yard games and has caught a pass in all 12 games. Wood makes the second team as a center. The sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio., started all 12 games, playing over 700 offensive snaps and grading out at 87 percent. Brohm, who missed two games due to injury, is starting to put up huge numbers late in the season. Brohm has thrown for 2,783 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, completing 62.7 percent of his throws. In the last three games, Brohm has thrown for 951 yards and 10 touchdowns, including four in games against Pittsburgh and Connecticut. Jackson has stepped up his game to another level this season as one of the big playmakers on defense. Jackson is third on the team in tackles with 53, but leads the team in tackles for loss with 14 and sacks with eight. He had one of the season's biggest play when he return a fumble for a touchdown against third-ranked West Virginia. Sharp was steady for the Cardinals at safety, starting all 12 games as one of the veterans of the secondary. He recorded 50 tackles and also had seven pass break-ups. The Cardinals play 15th-ranked Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl on January 2. 2006 BIG EAST FOOTBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR 2006 ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
** - unanimous selection 2006 ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
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.
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