Miller, Newton garner rookie awards

Football Betting Lines

02/04/2012 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Denver linebacker Von Miller and Carolina quarterback Cam Newton were named the defensive and offensive Rookies of the Year, respectively, for the 2011 season.

The voting, as conducted by the Associated Press, saw Miller receive 39 of 50 total votes. San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith obtained the other 11 votes.

Miller becomes the second Denver player to win a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, joining linebacker Mike Croel (1991). Miller, the second overall pick of the draft out of Texas A&M, had 64 tackles and 11 1/2 sacks during the season. He played the final four games with a cast to protect his surgically repaired right thumb.

Newton, the top overall draft selection, threw for 4,051 yards and 21 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. He became the first QB in league history to pass for over 4,000 yards and rush for over 500 in the same season. Newton ran for 706 yards while breaking Steve Grogan's 35-year-old NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback with 14.

Newton received 47 votes to run away with the honor, placing well ahead of Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, who got the other three votes. He's the first Panther to capture the honor. Defensive end Julius Peppers was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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