Morgan and Moss Nab Big East Player of Week Honors
Oct. 23, 2000
Providence, R.I. – Miami linebacker Dan Morgan and receiver/return man Santana Moss both captured BIG EAST Player of the Week honors for their performances in UM’s 45-17 win at Temple on Saturday, the league announced.
Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Bryant has been named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced. Morgan and Virginia Tech free safety Willie Pile share defensive honors, while the Hurricanes’ Moss captures Special Teams Player of the Week.
Morgan (Coral Springs, Fla.) recorded the fourth double-figure tackle effort in his last five games in Miami’s 45-17 victory at Temple. The senior linebacker finished with 17 tackles, including 13 solo. He also had a quarterback sack (seven yards) and two tackles for loss. He moved into second place on the Hurricanes’ career tackle chart with 472. He has won the defensive honor three times in his career.
Moss (Miami, Fla.) tied a BIG EAST career record in Miami’s victory over Temple. The senior return specialist had a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown, the fourth time in his career he has returned a punt for a score. The four TDs ties the league mark set by Syracuse’s Quinton Spotwood (1996-99). Moss finished with four returns for 121 yards, the fourth best single-game performance in Hurricane history. Overall, he accounted for 241 all-purpose yards in the game.
Bryant (Miami, Fla.) became the first Panther receiver in school history to record two 200-yard games in his career in leading Pittsburgh to a 42-26 win over Boston College. The sophomore wideout caught eight passes for 222 yards, a 27.8-yard average. He also had two touchdowns, scoring on catches of 41 and 67 yards. He accounted for 67 percent of the Panthers’ offense, falling three yards short of the BIG EAST and Pittsburgh record for receiving yards in a game (Dietrich Jells, 225 vs. WVU, 1994). Bryant has six triple-digit receiving yard efforts in his career and leads the nation this year with 140.6 receiving yards per game.
Pile (Alexandria, Va.) tied a BIG EAST and Virginia Tech record with three interceptions in the Hokies’ 22-14 win at Syracuse. The sophomore free safety set up the first two Tech scores with his pickoffs, including an 11-yard return that set up the first Hokie touchdown. Pile was also credited with 10 tackles, including eight solo. He leads the team with five interceptions this season.
