ECU quarterback Carden named AAC player of the year

Shane Carden, leader of one of the most prolific offenses in East Carolina history, scored again on Tuesday as he was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

In the Pirates’ first season as members of the AAC, Carden established a conference record for passing yards with 4,309, which ranks second in the nation, to go along with his 28 touchdown passes.

The ECU senior, named first-team all-conference, has completed 65 percent of his passes this season and ranks second in the FBS in total offense with 366.6 yards per game.

Carden, who was the 2013 Conference USA MVP, owns the Pirates school record for completions (1,018), TD passes (84), passing yards (11,564) and total offense (11,831).

Also named all-AAC first-team selections were senior wide receiver Justin Hardy, senior center Taylor Hudson and senior nose tackle Terry Williams.

Hardy, a two-time C-USA first teamer, was the only unanimous all-conference selection. The former walk-on, who recently broke the FBS record for career receptions, leads the country in receptions per game (9.2), while his 1,334 receiving yards is the fifth-best total in the nation.

The senior wideout, who also won the Burlsworth Trophy, is the Pirates career leader in receptions (376), receiving yards (4,381) and touchdown receptions (34), and is the only ECU player to record three 1,000-yard seasons in his career.

The Pirates also landed five players on the all-conference second-team, as junior linebacker Zeek Bigger, sophomore guard J.T. Boyd, junior tackle Ike Harris, junior WR Bryce Williams and senior linebacker Brandon Williams all earned postseason honors.

The inside linebacker tandem of Bigger and Williams has been crucial to the Pirates this season, helping ECU rank seventh in the nation in run defense (107.1 ypg). Bigger leads the Pirates with 134 tackles this season, while Williams is second with 113.

East Carolina (8-4) will wrap up its 2014 season when it faces Florida (6-5) in the Birmingham Bowl on Jan. 3 at noon.

This story was originally published December 11, 2014 at 12:02 AM with the headline "ECU quarterback Carden named AAC player of the year."