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Brent Yarina's Bio: BigTenNetwork.com editor Brent Yarina takes you around Big Ten athletics, on and off the court. |
It's wide open, so who's going to win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year?
| Nov 9 2009, 3:10 PM | Topic: Talking Big Ten | ||
It didn't make sense -- not when Pryor was just a sophomore, his hype still greater than his game, and when offensive veterans such as Daryll Clark, Juice Williams, Eric Decker and Arrelious Benn, to name a few, were back for another year. Turns out, we were all wrong. In one of the more wide open fields in the award's recent history, it's become a weekly challenge to pinpoint deserving parties, let alone a clear-cut winner. Injuries (Decker, Mike Kafka, Brandon Minor) and unforeseen struggles (Williams, Benn, Evan Royster) haven't helped the situation, but somebody is going to take home the honor, so let's consider the top candidates through Week 10: 1. RB John Clay, Wisconsin - Clay became the favorite, at least in my mind, following Daryll Clark's clunker in Saturday's loss to Ohio State, the quarterback's second poor performance in as many games against a dominant Big Ten defense. Even though Clay wasn't No. 1 on the depth chart to start the season and had a case of fumble-itis early on, he's been the most consistent Big Ten weapon since conference play opened. The running back is the conference's leading rusher and his 11 scores are the most of any non-quarterback. 2009 stats: 192 car., 973 yards, 11 TD 2. QB Kirk Cousins, Michigan State - There are quarterbacks with gaudier overall numbers, but none has a higher quarterback rating (149.3) or has thrown fewer interceptions (5) than Cousins. On top of that, only Mike Kafka can match Cousins' 63.7 completion percentage. Clearly, Cousins has been as efficient as they come this season, and if it weren't for him sharing time with Keith Nichol the first several weeks, there's no denying his statistics would be much more impressive. Is it fair to penalize him when he should have been the guy all along? I don't think so. 2009 stats: 158-248, 2,097 yards, 14 TD, 5 INT 3. QB Daryll Clark, Penn State - Take away the Iowa and Ohio State games, Clark might be in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy, much less Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Thing is, the combined 24-of-60 for 323 yards, one TD and four interceptions isn't coming off his record. When he's on, Clark is arguably the Big Ten's best, and that's why his inclusion on this list is a must. 2009 stats: 178-291, 2,283 yards, 18 TD, 8 INT; 59 car., 168 yards, 6 TD 4. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State - It's been a trying season for Pryor, to say the least, but he's turning it on late and is the beneficiary of his dual-threat ability. As a passer, Pryor wouldn't even be in the discussion, but when you add his 604 rushing yards, good enough for fifth place in the Big Ten, and his seven rushing scores, tied for third, he's a very worthy candidate. Still, his woes and inconsistencies as a passer are a great detriment to his candidacy. 2009 stats: 121-224, 1,668 yards, 15 TD, 9 INT; 115 car., 604 yards, 7 TD 5. WR Blair White, Michigan State - By now, everyone knows White's story, the heartwarming one about him going from a walk-on to a relevant scholarship player. But it's his performance, not his story, that has made him into a cult hero. In his final year of eligibility, White has become one of the conference's best wide receivers, with 58 receptions (4th), 836 yards (3rd) and seven scores (tied for first). 2009 stats: 58 rec., 836 yards, 7 TD Notable omissions: QB Mike Kafka, Northwestern; QB Joey Elliott, Purdue; RB Ralph Bolden, Purdue; WR Eric Decker, Minnesota; WR Keith Smith, Purdue; WR Tandon Doss, Indiana; WR Zeke Markshausen, Northwestern |
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