August 8, 2010
David Fox
Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer
Notre Dame's Brian Kelly (at Cincinnati), Michigan's Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia) and Arkansas' Bobby Petrino (Louisville) won Big East titles before bolting for bigger jobs. That leaves Connecticut's Randy Edsall as the only coach in the conference with a title, and even that comes with a caveat.
Edsall's Huskies tied West Virginia in the standings in 2007 but lost 66-21 to the Mountaineers. That means the only coach in the conference with a head-coaching appearance in a BCS game on his resume is WVU's Bill Stewart. But that also comes with an asterisk: Stewart was the interim coach when West Virginia defeated Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, as Rodriguez had left for Michigan in the period between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason.
The Big East, which has gone through its share of turnover in the past five seasons, begins the season looking for new faces to carry the conference banner. Just who the face of the conference will be is a mystery. Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis and West Virginia's Noel Devine put up prolific rushing numbers last season. By default, Rutgers' Tom Savage, USF's B.J. Daniels and Cincinnati's Zach Collaros are the quarterback headliners. With all of 11 career starts, Savage is the most experienced of the league's signal-callers.
The league may be won by a strong defense. Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and West Virginia hope to rely on their defenses to win games this season.
THE PLAYERS
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Pitt RB Dion Lewis. In a banner 2009 season for freshman running backs, none was more productive than Lewis. He rushed for 1,799 yards, falling a yard short of joining Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart and first-round pick Ryan Mathews in the 1,800-yard club. Lewis, who is 5 feet 8 and 195 pounds, was a workhorse, too. Only Gerhart topped his 325 carries.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Pitt DE Greg Romeus. He was a basketball prospect until he decided to focus on football full time as a senior at Coral Springs (Fla.) Coral Glades. Pitt was not an active blitzing team but still led the nation in sacks last season. A major reason was Romeus, who has 23.5 sacks in the past two seasons.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Connecticut QB Zach Frazer. The Huskies lost five games last season, by a total of 15 points. Consistent quarterback play could change those numbers. Frazer cut down on his interceptions during UConn's final five games, but he must improve his efficiency. Making things more difficult is the lack of a proven No. 1 receiver.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Rutgers LB Manny Abreu. He was a four-star prospect in the 2007 signing class, but he has started just seven career games and recorded only 18 tackles last season. Abreu said he wasn't motivated in the past, but that has changed. Rutgers sure hopes so. He's the biggest question at linebacker, with budding star Steve Beauharnais in the middle and veteran Antonio Lowery at the other outside spot.
BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE STAR: Cincinnati RB Isaiah Pead. With 806 yards last season, Pead was Cincinnati's top rusher since 2004, and that was on a team that ran the ball only 43 percent of the time. New coach Butch Jones is committed to a more balanced offense. Whether that means quarterback Zach Collaros will run more - a la Dan LeFevour, whom Jones coached at Central Michigan - remains to be seen. But Pead and his 6.7 yards-per-carry average can't be dismissed.
BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE STAR: Rutgers LB Steve Beauharnais. As a freshman in 2009, he moved into the starting lineup for the last three games, and made 11 tackles and 3.5 sacks. The Scarlet Knights have high hopes he will be a key player in what could be the fastest defense Greg Schiano has had at Rutgers.
BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Cincinnati WR Vidal Hazelton. The Bearcats are stacked at wide receiver with Armon Binns and D.J. Woods, but Hazelton - a senior transfer from USC - makes them even more dangerous. Hazelton was the second-ranked receiver behind Percy Harvin in the 2006 recruiting class, but he hasn't done much since catching 50 passes for 540 yards as a redshirt freshman at USC.
BEST DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Rutgers CB Logan Ryan. Cornerback is one of the few positions on the Scarlet Knights' defense with question marks. David Rowe looks to start at one spot. Brandon Bing goes into camp as the first-stringer at the other spot, but Ryan is on his heels. Ryan redshirted last season after leaving high school as a four-star recruit and a top-10 prospect in New Jersey.
MOST OVERRATED PLAYER: Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros. The Bearcats could not have won the Big East without Collaros' work as a super-sub for an injured Tony Pike. He may put up gaudy numbers this season under Butch Jones, but his limited work last season comes with one asterisk. Three of his four starts came against the fifth-, sixth- and seventh-ranked defenses in the Big East (Cincinnati ranked last). In his biggest start, against West Virginia, former coach Brian Kelly opted to go with Pike's experience in critical situations.
THE COACHES
1. Pittsburgh [ Team Preview ]
2. Connecticut [ Team Preview ]
3. Cincinnati [ Team Preview ]
4. West Virginia [ Team Preview ]
5. Rutgers [ Team Preview ]
6. USF [ Team Preview ]
7. Syracuse [ Team Preview ]
8. Louisville [ Team Preview ]
COACH ON THE HOTTEST SEAT: West Virginia offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. All of the Big East's head coaches are either new or fairly secure in their positions. The shakiest position may be that of the Mountaineers' offensive coordinator. West Virginia has ranked 61st and 59th in the nation in total offense the past two seasons after ranking 15th and fifth in Rich Rodriguez's final two seasons. Remember, West Virginia still had Pat White and Noel Devine in 2008 and Devine and senior quarterback Jarrett Brown last season.
BEST COACHING STAFF: Connecticut. Randy Edsall and his staff finally are getting their due, and the Huskies appear to be headed to a breakout season. The Huskies have carved out an identity as a tough, grind-it-out team anchored by the rushing attack and the defense, and the addition of coordinator Joe Moorhead and a no-huddle attack added a wrinkle to the offense last season. The Huskies don't pull in top-ranked talent - as Edsall frequently reminds observers - but they had four players selected in the first two rounds of the 2009 NFL draft.
BEST OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Pittsburgh's Frank Cignetti. QB Bill Stull looked like he would be the weak link on Pitt's 2009 offense, but Cignetti helped him become one of the nation's most efficient passers. Under Cignetti, Stull improved his completion rate from 57 percent to 65 percent while cutting his interceptions. Of course, RB Dion Lewis and WR Jonathan Baldwin helped Stull, but Cignetti more often than not put Stull in position to succeed. Cignetti gets another big test this season with sophomore Tino Sunseri replacing Stull at quarterback.
BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Pittsburgh's Phil Bennett. The most consistent defense over the past four seasons has been at Rutgers, but coach Greg Schiano oversees the defense there. Bennett's tenure as coach at SMU was forgettable, but he's a standout defensive coordinator. The Panthers have ranked second and third in the Big East in total defense in his two seasons and first in sacks last season. The biggest hurdle for putting up those kinds of numbers in 2010 is the loss of both starting tackles, including co-Big East defensive player of the year Mick Williams.
THE OTHER STUFF
Connecticut at Michigan, Sept. 4
Miami at Pittsburgh, Sept. 23
West Virginia at LSU, Sept. 25
North Carolina at Rutgers, Sept. 25
USF at West Virginia, Oct. 14
Rutgers at USF, Nov. 3
Pittsburgh at Connecticut, Nov. 11
Cincinnati at West Virginia, Nov. 13
West Virginia at Pittsburgh, Nov. 26
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Dec. 4
TEAM THAT WILL SURPRISE: Connecticut. The Huskies lost five games last season by a combined 15 points. All signs point to UConn being able to turn those close losses (none by more than four points) into wins. The Huskies won their last four games last season thanks to more consistent quarterback play. The defense started three freshmen last season who will benefit from more experience in 2010.
TEAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: West Virginia. Was the Gator Bowl loss to Florida State a preview of things to come? Presumably, QB Geno Smith will be more polished for the 2010 season than when he entered in relief against the Seminoles. But the Mountaineers have gone 18-8 in the past two seasons with seniors Pat White and then Jarrett Brown at quarterback. How will they fare with a sophomore?
GAME OF THE YEAR: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Dec. 4. In the regular season finale last year, Cincinnati trailed 31-10 in the second quarter, but ended up winning 45-44 on an Armon Binns touchdown catch in the final 33 seconds. Pitt's Dion Lewis also had his best game of the season with 47 carries for 194 yards and three touchdowns (all three totals were season-highs). The end-of-the season meeting could have BCS implications for the second consecutive season. Dave Wannstedt is 1-4 against Cincinnati since the Bearcats joined the Big East.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: USF. The Bulls have seven home games, including four conference games. That's the good news. The bad news is two of the road trips. Skip Holtz's first road game will be in Gainesville against Florida and the next-to-last regular-season game is at Miami. The Bulls built momentum by defeating Florida State in Tallahassee last season, but these two trips will be much more difficult. Big East road trips include West Virginia and Cincinnati.
EASIEST SCHEDULE: Connecticut. The Huskies open at Michigan, but that isn't as intimidating as it was a few years ago, especially after Connecticut beat Notre Dame in South Bend late last season. The Huskies play only one bowl team in the non-conference schedule, though that game could be tricky (at Temple). The remainder of the non-conference schedule (Texas Southern, Buffalo and Vanderbilt) is soft. Connecticut has four Big East road games but its toughest league games (West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) are at home.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB B.J. Daniels, USF (5-11/215, Soph.)
RB Noel Devine, West Virginia (5-8/180, Sr.)
RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh (5-8/195, Soph.)
WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh (6-5/230, Jr.)
WR Armon Binns, Cincinnati (6-4/200, Jr.)
TE Ben Guidugli, Cincinnati (6-1/237, Sr.)
T Art Forst, Rutgers (6-8/311, Jr.)
T Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh (6-4/305, Sr.)
G Zach Hurd, Connecticut (6-7/316, Sr.)
G Jason Kelce, Cincinnati (6-4/290, Jr.)
C Moe Petrus, Connecticut (6-2/293, Jr.)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
E Julian Miller, West Virginia (6-4/260, Jr.)
T Chris Neild, West Virginia (6-2/301, Sr.)
T Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati (6-5/302, Soph.)
E Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh (6-6/270, Sr.)
LB Scott Lutrus, Connecticut (6-3/243, Sr.)
LB J.T. Thomas, West Virginia (6-2/225, Sr.)
LB Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut (6-1/223, Sr.)
CB Brandon Hogan, West Virginia (5-10/189, Sr.)
CB Johnny Patrick, Louisville (6-0/190, Sr.)
FS Robert Sands, West Virginia (6-5/221, Jr.)
SS Dom DeCicco, Pittsburgh (6-4/230, Sr.)
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Tyler Bitancurt, West Virginia (6-1/198, Soph.)
P Rob Long, Syracuse (6-3/190, Sr.)
KR Cameron Saddler, Pittsburgh (5-7/170, Soph.)
PR Jock Sanders, West Virginia (5-7/179, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Tom Savage, Rutgers (6-5/226, Soph.)
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati (5-10/193, Jr.)
RB Jordan Todman, Connecticut (5-9/195, Jr.)
WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers (6-2/218, Soph.)
WR D.J. Woods, Cincinnati (6-0/182, Jr.)
TE Ryan Griffin, Connecticut (6-6/239, Soph.)
T Don Barclay, West Virginia (6-4/304, Jr.)
T Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh (6-4/330, Sr.)
G Alex Hoffman, Cincinnati (6-5/293, Jr.)
G Josh Jenkins, West Virginia (6-3/300, Jr.)
C Sampson Genus, USF (6-1/315, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
E Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh (6-4/260, Sr.)
T Twyon Martin, Connecticut (6-2/289, Jr.)
T Scott Vallone, Rutgers (6-0/270, Soph.)
E Alex Silvestro, Rutgers (6-4/260, Sr.)
LB Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers (6-2/230, Soph.)
LB Doug Hogue, Syracuse (6-2/226, Sr.)
LB Derrell Smith, Syracuse (6-1/232, Sr.)
CB Dominique Battle, Cincinnati (6-0/184, Jr.)
CB Quenton Washington, USF (5-10/190, Jr.)
FS Mike Holmes, Syracuse (5-11/182, Sr.)
SS Sidney Glover, West Virginia (5-11/207, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Ryan Lichtenstein, Syracuse (5-10/155, Soph.)
P Teddy Dellaganna, Rutgers (6-2/210, Sr.)
KR Robbie Frey, Connecticut (6-0/206, Jr.)
PR Aaron Smith, Pittsburgh (6-0/175, Jr.)
OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD
1. Cincinnati: QBs Zach Collaros and Chazz Anderson have starting experience at Cincinnati, and Collaros has lost only one game as a starter since high school. RB Isaiah Pead could flourish in the new offense.
2. West Virginia: Explosive Noel Devine leads the way in the backfield. Ryan Clarke bruised his way to eight touchdowns last season. QB Geno Smith is green, and he will be pressured by sophomore Coley White - Pat's brother - and redshirt freshman Barry Brunetti.
3. Pittsburgh: The strategy will be hand the ball to Dion Lewis and see what happens. Ray Graham is a quality backup. Tino Sunseri beat out former starter Pat Bostick and will start quarterback.
4. Connecticut: Don't count on Jordan Todman becoming another Donald Brown. He will be productive, but D.J. Shoemate, Kelmetrus Wylie and Robbie Frey are hungry for carries. The Huskies still are looking for QBs Zach Frazer and Cody Endres to play with more consistency.
5. Rutgers: Strong-armed Tom Savage will be the face of the Scarlet Knights for at least two more seasons, but Rutgers lacks depth behind him. RB Joe Martinek isn't a home-run threat, but he rushed for 967 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
6. USF: B.J. Daniels (772 rushing yards, nine touchdowns) might be less of a runner under Skip Holtz. Veteran Mo Plancher is a serviceable tailback but little more.
7. Louisville: Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell should be an effective tailback tandem if they can stay healthy. Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein are competing to start at quarterback. Neither reminds anyone of Brian Brohm or even Stefan LeFors.
8. Syracuse: The unit will get a boost if RB Delone Carter returns from a suspension. Otherwise, it could be a long year for the Orange.
RECEIVERS
1. Cincinnati: Armon Binns and D.J. Woods combined for 112 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns on a team that had star Mardy Gilyard last season. While Gilyard is gone, USC transfer Vidal Hazelton will be added to the mix. TE Ben Guidugli is a weapon, too.
2. Pittsburgh: Jonathan Baldwin will make a bid to be Pitt's third Biletnikoff winner, joining Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. A No. 2 guy needs to step up, though.
3. West Virginia: Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin are good slot receivers, but the Mountaineers are looking for a flanker to team with Brad Starks.
4. Rutgers: Mohamed Sanu, who also takes direct snaps out of the "wildcat" formation, is one of the Big East's best athletes. The Scarlet Knights are still looking for secondary receivers and hoping that 6-6, 258-pound TE D.C. Jefferson asserts himself.
5. Louisville: WR Josh Chichester is huge (6-8/240) but hasn't done much. Meanwhile, Doug Beaumont will look to reclaim his sophomore-season form in the new offense.
6. USF: Losing WR A.J. Love to an injury is devastating. The Bulls need Lindsey Lamar to become a big-time playmaker.
7. Connecticut: The Huskies are searching for another Marcus Easley to come out of nowhere. Kashif Moore and Isiah Moore have been around the block, and Dwayne Difton was a four-star recruit.
8. Syracuse: Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon took advantage of the early departure of Mike Williams, but who will get them the ball?
OFFENSIVE LINE
1. Connecticut: Losing Mike Hicks is big, but four starters return, including all-conference G Zach Hurd and C Moe Petrus.
2. West Virginia: Four starters return. The left side (T Don Barclay and G Josh Jenkins) could be the best in the conference.
3. Pittsburgh: Jason Pinkston and Lucas Nix form the best tackle tandem, but the interior is new, which could affect Dion Lewis. Pinkston should be one of the best tackles in the nation.
4. USF: The Bulls lost one of their best linemen, tackle Zach Hermann, to a neck injury. Sampson Genus is one of the Big East's best centers. Four linemen started at least six games season.
5. Cincinnati: Can the pass-happy Bearcats' trade with Pittsburgh? Cincinnati has the best guard duo (Alex Hoffman and Jason Kelce) but lost all-conference T Jeff Linkenbach and C Chris Jurek.
6. Louisville: The Cardinals' line could be one of the most underrated units in the league. They expect to start four seniors, but the best of the group is sophomore C Mario Benavides.
7. Rutgers: Even with first-round draft pick Anthony Davis at tackle and veteran C Ryan Blaszczyk, the Scarlet Knights allowed more than three sacks per game. How will a depth-shy group respond?
8. Syracuse: Injuries decimated this group last season. The best lineman, Ryan Bartholomew, moves from guard to center this season.
DEFENSIVE LINE
1. Rutgers: Only one starter is gone. The new starter at end is Jonathan Freeny, who had 9.5 sacks last season in a reserve role.
2. West Virginia: T Scooter Berry sat for much of last season, but T Chris Neild and E Julian Miller did just fine without him. The group should be better with Berry on the field.
3. Pittsburgh: Es Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard will keep Big East quarterbacks up at night; Romeus has All-America potential. Veterans Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih have big shoes to fill at tackle.
4. Connecticut: Tackle is in good shape with Twyon Martin, Kendall Reyes and Alex Polito. The pass rush will be a concern now that E Greg Lloyd is out for the season.
5. Cincinnati: The Bearcats are back in the 4-3, moving OLB Walter Stewart to end. He and T Derek Wolfe could cause problems for offensive lines. E Brandon Mills is short (5-10), but he had eight tackles for loss last season.
6. USF: The pass rush will take a dip without Es George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul, but at least the Bulls have good depth at the position. T Terrell McClain is one of the league's best.
7. Syracuse: Coaches hope E Chandler Jones (10 TFL last season) picks up where his brother, Arthur, left off.
8. Louisville: Starters Greg Scruggs, Malcolm Tatum and William Savoy are back, but Louisville ranked last in the Big East in sacks and rush defense last season.
LINEBACKERS
1. Connecticut: With Scott Lutrus battling injuries, Lawrence Wilson shouldered a bigger load, leading the Big East with 140 tackles, including 11 for loss. Lutrus, who had 69 tackles in eight games, is healthy, and sophomore Jory Johnson saw ample time as a rookie.
2. Rutgers: Steve Beauharnais is one of the Big East's rising stars. Antonio Lowery is Rutgers' returning leading tackler (55 stops). Manny Abreu needs to live up to his four-star billing or lose ground to Morgan Carter.
3. Syracuse: Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue were a productive duo with 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss last season. Others need to become more consistent contributors.
4. West Virginia: Losing Reed Williams is big, but J.T. Thomas has become one of the best 'backers in the conference. Pat Lazear, who led the team with 78 tackles, moves from the strongside to Williams' spot in the middle.
5. Pittsburgh: MLB Dan Mason performed admirably in limited duty. Now he takes over a full-time role. Max Gruder led Pitt last season with 91 tackles. Greg Williams showed flashes as a freshman but was inconsistent as a sophomore starter.
6. USF: Sabbath Joseph is a reliable veteran. Otherwise, USF is counting on youth. Sam Barrington has all-conference potential. DeDe Lattimore could start as a redshirt freshman.
7. Cincinnati: J.K. Schaffer is a legitimate playmaker. The unit was depleted when projected starting MLB Dorian Davis left the team.
8. Louisville: Jon Dempsey and Chris Campa were bright spots defensively last season, but they're gone. It's time for Antwon Canady and Brandon Heath, a former safety, to contribute in major ways.
SECONDARY
1. West Virginia: Brandon Hogan is the Big East's best cover corner, and FS Robert Sands could be the best playmaker in the secondary. S Sidney Glover is a two-year starter and a big hitter in WVU's 3-3-5 scheme.
2. Rutgers: Departed CB Devin McCourty was the heart and soul of the defense, so projected starting CBs David Rowe and Brandon Bing have their work cut out for them. SS Joe Lefeged is a fearsome hitter.
3. USF: The Bulls led the league in pass efficiency defense last season. The departures of pass rushers George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul and FS Nate Allen will put more pressure on the corner tandem of Quenton Washington and Kayvon Webster.
4. Connecticut: CBs Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz and SS Jerome Junior were pressed into major roles as freshmen. The Huskies should be much improved in the secondary with a full season to prepare.
5. Pittsburgh: The safety tandem of Dom DeCicco and Jarred Holley (six combined interceptions) is back. Cornerback is a concern, though.
6. Syracuse: A mix of youth and experience. Ss Mike Holmes and Max Suter have been contributors since their freshman season.
7. Cincinnati: CB Dominique Battle and SS Drew Frey are back, but did you see Florida torch the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl?
8. Louisville: Johnny Patrick is one of the best cornerbacks in the Big East and the best player on the Louisville defense. Beyond him, Louisville is seeking answers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
1. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights return a solid kicker/punter tandem in San San Te and Teddy Dellaganna. Joe Lefeged averaged 32.4 yards per kickoff return with a touchdown. Rutgers also led the Big East with five blocked kicks and finished first or second in punt and kickoff coverage in the league.
2. Syracuse: Rob Long has a career average of 43.1 yards per punt in three seasons. Ryan Lichtenstein converted 13-of-17 field-goal attempts last season.
3. West Virginia: Tyler Bitancurt was the best kicker in the Big East as a freshman, converting 13-of-15 attempts. The Mountaineers must replace productive P Scott Koslowski. Jock Sanders is a top return man.
4. Pittsburgh: Dan Hutchins doubled as the punter and kicker with moderate success. Cameron Saddler and Aaron Smith have all-conference potential in the return game.
5. Cincinnati: Jake Rogers is another punter/kicker, though he may give up punting duties this season. Losing ace return man Mardy Gilyard - and coach Brian Kelly - means Cincinnati needs to regroup on special teams.
6. Connecticut: Robbie Frey and Jordan Todman form the top kick-return tandem in the Big East. After claiming the kicking job as a freshman, Dave Teggart was inconsistent as a sophomore (14-of-23). The Huskies will miss P Desi Cullen.
7. USF: The Bulls have a kicking competition between Maikon Bonani, who missed last season with an injury, and incumbent Eric Schwartz. Neither return man was particularly impressive, and USF is looking for a punter.
8. Louisville: Kickoff specialist Chris Philpott becomes the full-time kicker after converting 6-of-8 field-goal attempts and just 10-of-13 extra points.
COACHING STAFFS
1. Connecticut: No one gets more out of his talent than Randy Edsall. He has winning seasons, bowl wins and draft picks. All that is missing is a Big East title.
2. Pittsburgh: Dave Wannstedt and his staff unearthed Dion Lewis and Greg Romeus and landed five-star Jon Baldwin. But despite numerous recruiting successes, the Panthers must avoid inexplicable losses (such as North Carolina State in '09, Bowling Green in '08 and Ohio U. in '05).
3. USF: After winning two consecutive Conference USA titles at East Carolina, Skip Holtz relishes working at a place that isn't a rebuilding job.
4. Rutgers: Greg Schiano shuffles through assistants at a high clip, but Rutgers is a consistent bowl team. (Did you ever think anyone would say that?) Like Edsall, Schiano is hungry for a Big East title.
5. Cincinnati: Butch Jones followed Brian Kelly at Central Michigan and won two MAC titles. Can he do the same at Cincinnati?
6. West Virginia: Hey, West Virginia is in better shape than Michigan right now. That works in Bill Stewart's favor. Returning to the BCS would really make a difference.
7. Syracuse: The attitude at Syracuse has turned around, but the talent still needs to catch up.
8. Louisville: The long wait is over for Charlie Strong, who finally is overseeing his own program. The talent level must get better.
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=1111053
David Fox
Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer
Notre Dame's Brian Kelly (at Cincinnati), Michigan's Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia) and Arkansas' Bobby Petrino (Louisville) won Big East titles before bolting for bigger jobs. That leaves Connecticut's Randy Edsall as the only coach in the conference with a title, and even that comes with a caveat.
Edsall's Huskies tied West Virginia in the standings in 2007 but lost 66-21 to the Mountaineers. That means the only coach in the conference with a head-coaching appearance in a BCS game on his resume is WVU's Bill Stewart. But that also comes with an asterisk: Stewart was the interim coach when West Virginia defeated Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, as Rodriguez had left for Michigan in the period between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason.
The Big East, which has gone through its share of turnover in the past five seasons, begins the season looking for new faces to carry the conference banner. Just who the face of the conference will be is a mystery. Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis and West Virginia's Noel Devine put up prolific rushing numbers last season. By default, Rutgers' Tom Savage, USF's B.J. Daniels and Cincinnati's Zach Collaros are the quarterback headliners. With all of 11 career starts, Savage is the most experienced of the league's signal-callers.
The league may be won by a strong defense. Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and West Virginia hope to rely on their defenses to win games this season.
THE PLAYERS
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Pitt RB Dion Lewis. In a banner 2009 season for freshman running backs, none was more productive than Lewis. He rushed for 1,799 yards, falling a yard short of joining Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart and first-round pick Ryan Mathews in the 1,800-yard club. Lewis, who is 5 feet 8 and 195 pounds, was a workhorse, too. Only Gerhart topped his 325 carries.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Pitt DE Greg Romeus. He was a basketball prospect until he decided to focus on football full time as a senior at Coral Springs (Fla.) Coral Glades. Pitt was not an active blitzing team but still led the nation in sacks last season. A major reason was Romeus, who has 23.5 sacks in the past two seasons.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Connecticut QB Zach Frazer. The Huskies lost five games last season, by a total of 15 points. Consistent quarterback play could change those numbers. Frazer cut down on his interceptions during UConn's final five games, but he must improve his efficiency. Making things more difficult is the lack of a proven No. 1 receiver.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Rutgers LB Manny Abreu. He was a four-star prospect in the 2007 signing class, but he has started just seven career games and recorded only 18 tackles last season. Abreu said he wasn't motivated in the past, but that has changed. Rutgers sure hopes so. He's the biggest question at linebacker, with budding star Steve Beauharnais in the middle and veteran Antonio Lowery at the other outside spot.
BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE STAR: Cincinnati RB Isaiah Pead. With 806 yards last season, Pead was Cincinnati's top rusher since 2004, and that was on a team that ran the ball only 43 percent of the time. New coach Butch Jones is committed to a more balanced offense. Whether that means quarterback Zach Collaros will run more - a la Dan LeFevour, whom Jones coached at Central Michigan - remains to be seen. But Pead and his 6.7 yards-per-carry average can't be dismissed.
BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE STAR: Rutgers LB Steve Beauharnais. As a freshman in 2009, he moved into the starting lineup for the last three games, and made 11 tackles and 3.5 sacks. The Scarlet Knights have high hopes he will be a key player in what could be the fastest defense Greg Schiano has had at Rutgers.
BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Cincinnati WR Vidal Hazelton. The Bearcats are stacked at wide receiver with Armon Binns and D.J. Woods, but Hazelton - a senior transfer from USC - makes them even more dangerous. Hazelton was the second-ranked receiver behind Percy Harvin in the 2006 recruiting class, but he hasn't done much since catching 50 passes for 540 yards as a redshirt freshman at USC.
BEST DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Rutgers CB Logan Ryan. Cornerback is one of the few positions on the Scarlet Knights' defense with question marks. David Rowe looks to start at one spot. Brandon Bing goes into camp as the first-stringer at the other spot, but Ryan is on his heels. Ryan redshirted last season after leaving high school as a four-star recruit and a top-10 prospect in New Jersey.
MOST OVERRATED PLAYER: Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros. The Bearcats could not have won the Big East without Collaros' work as a super-sub for an injured Tony Pike. He may put up gaudy numbers this season under Butch Jones, but his limited work last season comes with one asterisk. Three of his four starts came against the fifth-, sixth- and seventh-ranked defenses in the Big East (Cincinnati ranked last). In his biggest start, against West Virginia, former coach Brian Kelly opted to go with Pike's experience in critical situations.
THE COACHES
1. Pittsburgh [ Team Preview ]
2. Connecticut [ Team Preview ]
3. Cincinnati [ Team Preview ]
4. West Virginia [ Team Preview ]
5. Rutgers [ Team Preview ]
6. USF [ Team Preview ]
7. Syracuse [ Team Preview ]
8. Louisville [ Team Preview ]
COACH ON THE HOTTEST SEAT: West Virginia offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen. All of the Big East's head coaches are either new or fairly secure in their positions. The shakiest position may be that of the Mountaineers' offensive coordinator. West Virginia has ranked 61st and 59th in the nation in total offense the past two seasons after ranking 15th and fifth in Rich Rodriguez's final two seasons. Remember, West Virginia still had Pat White and Noel Devine in 2008 and Devine and senior quarterback Jarrett Brown last season.
BEST COACHING STAFF: Connecticut. Randy Edsall and his staff finally are getting their due, and the Huskies appear to be headed to a breakout season. The Huskies have carved out an identity as a tough, grind-it-out team anchored by the rushing attack and the defense, and the addition of coordinator Joe Moorhead and a no-huddle attack added a wrinkle to the offense last season. The Huskies don't pull in top-ranked talent - as Edsall frequently reminds observers - but they had four players selected in the first two rounds of the 2009 NFL draft.
BEST OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Pittsburgh's Frank Cignetti. QB Bill Stull looked like he would be the weak link on Pitt's 2009 offense, but Cignetti helped him become one of the nation's most efficient passers. Under Cignetti, Stull improved his completion rate from 57 percent to 65 percent while cutting his interceptions. Of course, RB Dion Lewis and WR Jonathan Baldwin helped Stull, but Cignetti more often than not put Stull in position to succeed. Cignetti gets another big test this season with sophomore Tino Sunseri replacing Stull at quarterback.
BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Pittsburgh's Phil Bennett. The most consistent defense over the past four seasons has been at Rutgers, but coach Greg Schiano oversees the defense there. Bennett's tenure as coach at SMU was forgettable, but he's a standout defensive coordinator. The Panthers have ranked second and third in the Big East in total defense in his two seasons and first in sacks last season. The biggest hurdle for putting up those kinds of numbers in 2010 is the loss of both starting tackles, including co-Big East defensive player of the year Mick Williams.
THE OTHER STUFF
Connecticut at Michigan, Sept. 4
Miami at Pittsburgh, Sept. 23
West Virginia at LSU, Sept. 25
North Carolina at Rutgers, Sept. 25
USF at West Virginia, Oct. 14
Rutgers at USF, Nov. 3
Pittsburgh at Connecticut, Nov. 11
Cincinnati at West Virginia, Nov. 13
West Virginia at Pittsburgh, Nov. 26
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Dec. 4
TEAM THAT WILL SURPRISE: Connecticut. The Huskies lost five games last season by a combined 15 points. All signs point to UConn being able to turn those close losses (none by more than four points) into wins. The Huskies won their last four games last season thanks to more consistent quarterback play. The defense started three freshmen last season who will benefit from more experience in 2010.
TEAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: West Virginia. Was the Gator Bowl loss to Florida State a preview of things to come? Presumably, QB Geno Smith will be more polished for the 2010 season than when he entered in relief against the Seminoles. But the Mountaineers have gone 18-8 in the past two seasons with seniors Pat White and then Jarrett Brown at quarterback. How will they fare with a sophomore?
GAME OF THE YEAR: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Dec. 4. In the regular season finale last year, Cincinnati trailed 31-10 in the second quarter, but ended up winning 45-44 on an Armon Binns touchdown catch in the final 33 seconds. Pitt's Dion Lewis also had his best game of the season with 47 carries for 194 yards and three touchdowns (all three totals were season-highs). The end-of-the season meeting could have BCS implications for the second consecutive season. Dave Wannstedt is 1-4 against Cincinnati since the Bearcats joined the Big East.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: USF. The Bulls have seven home games, including four conference games. That's the good news. The bad news is two of the road trips. Skip Holtz's first road game will be in Gainesville against Florida and the next-to-last regular-season game is at Miami. The Bulls built momentum by defeating Florida State in Tallahassee last season, but these two trips will be much more difficult. Big East road trips include West Virginia and Cincinnati.
EASIEST SCHEDULE: Connecticut. The Huskies open at Michigan, but that isn't as intimidating as it was a few years ago, especially after Connecticut beat Notre Dame in South Bend late last season. The Huskies play only one bowl team in the non-conference schedule, though that game could be tricky (at Temple). The remainder of the non-conference schedule (Texas Southern, Buffalo and Vanderbilt) is soft. Connecticut has four Big East road games but its toughest league games (West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) are at home.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB B.J. Daniels, USF (5-11/215, Soph.)
RB Noel Devine, West Virginia (5-8/180, Sr.)
RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh (5-8/195, Soph.)
WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh (6-5/230, Jr.)
WR Armon Binns, Cincinnati (6-4/200, Jr.)
TE Ben Guidugli, Cincinnati (6-1/237, Sr.)
T Art Forst, Rutgers (6-8/311, Jr.)
T Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh (6-4/305, Sr.)
G Zach Hurd, Connecticut (6-7/316, Sr.)
G Jason Kelce, Cincinnati (6-4/290, Jr.)
C Moe Petrus, Connecticut (6-2/293, Jr.)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
E Julian Miller, West Virginia (6-4/260, Jr.)
T Chris Neild, West Virginia (6-2/301, Sr.)
T Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati (6-5/302, Soph.)
E Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh (6-6/270, Sr.)
LB Scott Lutrus, Connecticut (6-3/243, Sr.)
LB J.T. Thomas, West Virginia (6-2/225, Sr.)
LB Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut (6-1/223, Sr.)
CB Brandon Hogan, West Virginia (5-10/189, Sr.)
CB Johnny Patrick, Louisville (6-0/190, Sr.)
FS Robert Sands, West Virginia (6-5/221, Jr.)
SS Dom DeCicco, Pittsburgh (6-4/230, Sr.)
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Tyler Bitancurt, West Virginia (6-1/198, Soph.)
P Rob Long, Syracuse (6-3/190, Sr.)
KR Cameron Saddler, Pittsburgh (5-7/170, Soph.)
PR Jock Sanders, West Virginia (5-7/179, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Tom Savage, Rutgers (6-5/226, Soph.)
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati (5-10/193, Jr.)
RB Jordan Todman, Connecticut (5-9/195, Jr.)
WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers (6-2/218, Soph.)
WR D.J. Woods, Cincinnati (6-0/182, Jr.)
TE Ryan Griffin, Connecticut (6-6/239, Soph.)
T Don Barclay, West Virginia (6-4/304, Jr.)
T Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh (6-4/330, Sr.)
G Alex Hoffman, Cincinnati (6-5/293, Jr.)
G Josh Jenkins, West Virginia (6-3/300, Jr.)
C Sampson Genus, USF (6-1/315, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
E Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh (6-4/260, Sr.)
T Twyon Martin, Connecticut (6-2/289, Jr.)
T Scott Vallone, Rutgers (6-0/270, Soph.)
E Alex Silvestro, Rutgers (6-4/260, Sr.)
LB Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers (6-2/230, Soph.)
LB Doug Hogue, Syracuse (6-2/226, Sr.)
LB Derrell Smith, Syracuse (6-1/232, Sr.)
CB Dominique Battle, Cincinnati (6-0/184, Jr.)
CB Quenton Washington, USF (5-10/190, Jr.)
FS Mike Holmes, Syracuse (5-11/182, Sr.)
SS Sidney Glover, West Virginia (5-11/207, Sr.)
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Ryan Lichtenstein, Syracuse (5-10/155, Soph.)
P Teddy Dellaganna, Rutgers (6-2/210, Sr.)
KR Robbie Frey, Connecticut (6-0/206, Jr.)
PR Aaron Smith, Pittsburgh (6-0/175, Jr.)
OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD
1. Cincinnati: QBs Zach Collaros and Chazz Anderson have starting experience at Cincinnati, and Collaros has lost only one game as a starter since high school. RB Isaiah Pead could flourish in the new offense.
2. West Virginia: Explosive Noel Devine leads the way in the backfield. Ryan Clarke bruised his way to eight touchdowns last season. QB Geno Smith is green, and he will be pressured by sophomore Coley White - Pat's brother - and redshirt freshman Barry Brunetti.
3. Pittsburgh: The strategy will be hand the ball to Dion Lewis and see what happens. Ray Graham is a quality backup. Tino Sunseri beat out former starter Pat Bostick and will start quarterback.
4. Connecticut: Don't count on Jordan Todman becoming another Donald Brown. He will be productive, but D.J. Shoemate, Kelmetrus Wylie and Robbie Frey are hungry for carries. The Huskies still are looking for QBs Zach Frazer and Cody Endres to play with more consistency.
5. Rutgers: Strong-armed Tom Savage will be the face of the Scarlet Knights for at least two more seasons, but Rutgers lacks depth behind him. RB Joe Martinek isn't a home-run threat, but he rushed for 967 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
6. USF: B.J. Daniels (772 rushing yards, nine touchdowns) might be less of a runner under Skip Holtz. Veteran Mo Plancher is a serviceable tailback but little more.
7. Louisville: Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell should be an effective tailback tandem if they can stay healthy. Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein are competing to start at quarterback. Neither reminds anyone of Brian Brohm or even Stefan LeFors.
8. Syracuse: The unit will get a boost if RB Delone Carter returns from a suspension. Otherwise, it could be a long year for the Orange.
RECEIVERS
1. Cincinnati: Armon Binns and D.J. Woods combined for 112 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns on a team that had star Mardy Gilyard last season. While Gilyard is gone, USC transfer Vidal Hazelton will be added to the mix. TE Ben Guidugli is a weapon, too.
2. Pittsburgh: Jonathan Baldwin will make a bid to be Pitt's third Biletnikoff winner, joining Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. A No. 2 guy needs to step up, though.
3. West Virginia: Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin are good slot receivers, but the Mountaineers are looking for a flanker to team with Brad Starks.
4. Rutgers: Mohamed Sanu, who also takes direct snaps out of the "wildcat" formation, is one of the Big East's best athletes. The Scarlet Knights are still looking for secondary receivers and hoping that 6-6, 258-pound TE D.C. Jefferson asserts himself.
5. Louisville: WR Josh Chichester is huge (6-8/240) but hasn't done much. Meanwhile, Doug Beaumont will look to reclaim his sophomore-season form in the new offense.
6. USF: Losing WR A.J. Love to an injury is devastating. The Bulls need Lindsey Lamar to become a big-time playmaker.
7. Connecticut: The Huskies are searching for another Marcus Easley to come out of nowhere. Kashif Moore and Isiah Moore have been around the block, and Dwayne Difton was a four-star recruit.
8. Syracuse: Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon took advantage of the early departure of Mike Williams, but who will get them the ball?
OFFENSIVE LINE
1. Connecticut: Losing Mike Hicks is big, but four starters return, including all-conference G Zach Hurd and C Moe Petrus.
2. West Virginia: Four starters return. The left side (T Don Barclay and G Josh Jenkins) could be the best in the conference.
3. Pittsburgh: Jason Pinkston and Lucas Nix form the best tackle tandem, but the interior is new, which could affect Dion Lewis. Pinkston should be one of the best tackles in the nation.
4. USF: The Bulls lost one of their best linemen, tackle Zach Hermann, to a neck injury. Sampson Genus is one of the Big East's best centers. Four linemen started at least six games season.
5. Cincinnati: Can the pass-happy Bearcats' trade with Pittsburgh? Cincinnati has the best guard duo (Alex Hoffman and Jason Kelce) but lost all-conference T Jeff Linkenbach and C Chris Jurek.
6. Louisville: The Cardinals' line could be one of the most underrated units in the league. They expect to start four seniors, but the best of the group is sophomore C Mario Benavides.
7. Rutgers: Even with first-round draft pick Anthony Davis at tackle and veteran C Ryan Blaszczyk, the Scarlet Knights allowed more than three sacks per game. How will a depth-shy group respond?
8. Syracuse: Injuries decimated this group last season. The best lineman, Ryan Bartholomew, moves from guard to center this season.
DEFENSIVE LINE
1. Rutgers: Only one starter is gone. The new starter at end is Jonathan Freeny, who had 9.5 sacks last season in a reserve role.
2. West Virginia: T Scooter Berry sat for much of last season, but T Chris Neild and E Julian Miller did just fine without him. The group should be better with Berry on the field.
3. Pittsburgh: Es Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard will keep Big East quarterbacks up at night; Romeus has All-America potential. Veterans Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih have big shoes to fill at tackle.
4. Connecticut: Tackle is in good shape with Twyon Martin, Kendall Reyes and Alex Polito. The pass rush will be a concern now that E Greg Lloyd is out for the season.
5. Cincinnati: The Bearcats are back in the 4-3, moving OLB Walter Stewart to end. He and T Derek Wolfe could cause problems for offensive lines. E Brandon Mills is short (5-10), but he had eight tackles for loss last season.
6. USF: The pass rush will take a dip without Es George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul, but at least the Bulls have good depth at the position. T Terrell McClain is one of the league's best.
7. Syracuse: Coaches hope E Chandler Jones (10 TFL last season) picks up where his brother, Arthur, left off.
8. Louisville: Starters Greg Scruggs, Malcolm Tatum and William Savoy are back, but Louisville ranked last in the Big East in sacks and rush defense last season.
LINEBACKERS
1. Connecticut: With Scott Lutrus battling injuries, Lawrence Wilson shouldered a bigger load, leading the Big East with 140 tackles, including 11 for loss. Lutrus, who had 69 tackles in eight games, is healthy, and sophomore Jory Johnson saw ample time as a rookie.
2. Rutgers: Steve Beauharnais is one of the Big East's rising stars. Antonio Lowery is Rutgers' returning leading tackler (55 stops). Manny Abreu needs to live up to his four-star billing or lose ground to Morgan Carter.
3. Syracuse: Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue were a productive duo with 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss last season. Others need to become more consistent contributors.
4. West Virginia: Losing Reed Williams is big, but J.T. Thomas has become one of the best 'backers in the conference. Pat Lazear, who led the team with 78 tackles, moves from the strongside to Williams' spot in the middle.
5. Pittsburgh: MLB Dan Mason performed admirably in limited duty. Now he takes over a full-time role. Max Gruder led Pitt last season with 91 tackles. Greg Williams showed flashes as a freshman but was inconsistent as a sophomore starter.
6. USF: Sabbath Joseph is a reliable veteran. Otherwise, USF is counting on youth. Sam Barrington has all-conference potential. DeDe Lattimore could start as a redshirt freshman.
7. Cincinnati: J.K. Schaffer is a legitimate playmaker. The unit was depleted when projected starting MLB Dorian Davis left the team.
8. Louisville: Jon Dempsey and Chris Campa were bright spots defensively last season, but they're gone. It's time for Antwon Canady and Brandon Heath, a former safety, to contribute in major ways.
SECONDARY
1. West Virginia: Brandon Hogan is the Big East's best cover corner, and FS Robert Sands could be the best playmaker in the secondary. S Sidney Glover is a two-year starter and a big hitter in WVU's 3-3-5 scheme.
2. Rutgers: Departed CB Devin McCourty was the heart and soul of the defense, so projected starting CBs David Rowe and Brandon Bing have their work cut out for them. SS Joe Lefeged is a fearsome hitter.
3. USF: The Bulls led the league in pass efficiency defense last season. The departures of pass rushers George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul and FS Nate Allen will put more pressure on the corner tandem of Quenton Washington and Kayvon Webster.
4. Connecticut: CBs Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz and SS Jerome Junior were pressed into major roles as freshmen. The Huskies should be much improved in the secondary with a full season to prepare.
5. Pittsburgh: The safety tandem of Dom DeCicco and Jarred Holley (six combined interceptions) is back. Cornerback is a concern, though.
6. Syracuse: A mix of youth and experience. Ss Mike Holmes and Max Suter have been contributors since their freshman season.
7. Cincinnati: CB Dominique Battle and SS Drew Frey are back, but did you see Florida torch the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl?
8. Louisville: Johnny Patrick is one of the best cornerbacks in the Big East and the best player on the Louisville defense. Beyond him, Louisville is seeking answers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
1. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights return a solid kicker/punter tandem in San San Te and Teddy Dellaganna. Joe Lefeged averaged 32.4 yards per kickoff return with a touchdown. Rutgers also led the Big East with five blocked kicks and finished first or second in punt and kickoff coverage in the league.
2. Syracuse: Rob Long has a career average of 43.1 yards per punt in three seasons. Ryan Lichtenstein converted 13-of-17 field-goal attempts last season.
3. West Virginia: Tyler Bitancurt was the best kicker in the Big East as a freshman, converting 13-of-15 attempts. The Mountaineers must replace productive P Scott Koslowski. Jock Sanders is a top return man.
4. Pittsburgh: Dan Hutchins doubled as the punter and kicker with moderate success. Cameron Saddler and Aaron Smith have all-conference potential in the return game.
5. Cincinnati: Jake Rogers is another punter/kicker, though he may give up punting duties this season. Losing ace return man Mardy Gilyard - and coach Brian Kelly - means Cincinnati needs to regroup on special teams.
6. Connecticut: Robbie Frey and Jordan Todman form the top kick-return tandem in the Big East. After claiming the kicking job as a freshman, Dave Teggart was inconsistent as a sophomore (14-of-23). The Huskies will miss P Desi Cullen.
7. USF: The Bulls have a kicking competition between Maikon Bonani, who missed last season with an injury, and incumbent Eric Schwartz. Neither return man was particularly impressive, and USF is looking for a punter.
8. Louisville: Kickoff specialist Chris Philpott becomes the full-time kicker after converting 6-of-8 field-goal attempts and just 10-of-13 extra points.
COACHING STAFFS
1. Connecticut: No one gets more out of his talent than Randy Edsall. He has winning seasons, bowl wins and draft picks. All that is missing is a Big East title.
2. Pittsburgh: Dave Wannstedt and his staff unearthed Dion Lewis and Greg Romeus and landed five-star Jon Baldwin. But despite numerous recruiting successes, the Panthers must avoid inexplicable losses (such as North Carolina State in '09, Bowling Green in '08 and Ohio U. in '05).
3. USF: After winning two consecutive Conference USA titles at East Carolina, Skip Holtz relishes working at a place that isn't a rebuilding job.
4. Rutgers: Greg Schiano shuffles through assistants at a high clip, but Rutgers is a consistent bowl team. (Did you ever think anyone would say that?) Like Edsall, Schiano is hungry for a Big East title.
5. Cincinnati: Butch Jones followed Brian Kelly at Central Michigan and won two MAC titles. Can he do the same at Cincinnati?
6. West Virginia: Hey, West Virginia is in better shape than Michigan right now. That works in Bill Stewart's favor. Returning to the BCS would really make a difference.
7. Syracuse: The attitude at Syracuse has turned around, but the talent still needs to catch up.
8. Louisville: The long wait is over for Charlie Strong, who finally is overseeing his own program. The talent level must get better.
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