Freeney Named Co-BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year - Smith and O'Connor Named to the First Team
12/5/2001 5:00:23 PM | Football
Freeney becomes only the sixth player in league history to be named unanimous All-BIG EAST first team for two years in a row. Freeney established NCAA, BIG EAST and Syracuse records with 17.5 sacks in 2001. He led the conference in forced fumbles with eight and his 11 forced fumbles and recovered (eight forced, three recovered) is also an NCAA record. Freeney is a finalist for the Lombardi and Nagurski Awards.
Freeney is the first Orangemen to earn BIG EAST Player of the Year honors since Donovan McNabb won Offensive Player of the Year in 1998. Donovin Darius was the BIG EAST Defensive Player in 1997.
Joining Freeney on the All-BIG EAST first team defense was junior middle linebacker Clifton Smith (Freeport, NY). It is Smith's second consecutive selection to the conference's first team. Smith collected 94 tackles and three sacks this season.
Senior guard Sean O'Connor (Morristown, NJ) was named to the offense's first team. O'Connor opened up holes for an SU running game that produced more than 2,000 yards this season.
SU's rushing game was acknowledged by second-team selections PJ Alexander (Tallahassee, FL) and James Mungro (East Stroudsburg, PA). Alexander, a senior tackle, helped clear the way for Mungro's 1,170 rushing yards, which is the third-highest single-season total in school history. Mungro, a senior tailback, also tied a school record with 14 rushing touchdowns in 2001.
The Orange's leading tackler, senior free safety Quentin Harris (Wilkes-Barre, PA), earned second-team defensive honors. Harris led SU with 126 stops this season. He also had four interceptions, which tied for both the team lead and third in the BIG EAST.
Senior cornerback Willie Ford (Falmouth, MA) also made the All-BIG EAST second team defense. Ford led the conference in pass breakups with 16.
Junior Mike Shafer (Sarasota, FL) was named the conference's second team punter. Shafer averaged 42.6 yards per kick, which ranked second in the BIG EAST this season. He set BIG EAST and SU single-season records with 77 punts in 2001.
