Redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick caught the league and the nation by storm this season and was rewarded with both the Big East offensive player of the year honor and the league's rookie of the year honor. He became the first player in college football history to win a conference's player of the year award in the same season he won the rookie of the year award.

Vick, who accounted for 2,425 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns (12 passing, eight rushing) set an NCAA freshman record for passing efficiency (180.4), breaking the old record held by three-time Big East player of the year and former Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb. The mark was the second-best performance in college football since 1979 and set a Big East record.

"Talent-wise, we all knew he was going to be good," Beamer said. "We just never expected the guy to play with so much poise.

"We didn't know how he'd react in pressure situations. But up there at West Virginia, I believed the guy showed that he liked it."

Vick was the second unanimous offensive player of the year winner (Gino Torretta, Miami, 1992) and the second freshman quarterback to earn All-Big East honors (Donovan McNabb, Syracuse, 1995).