Big East: Louisville Cardinals
Our series on coaches we love to hate is coming to a close. Go ahead, shed that tear.
Earlier this week, I asked you to vote for the biggest Big East villain in recent history. All week, it was a dead heat between vagabond Todd Graham and traitor Rich Rodriguez, ahead of Bobby Petrino, Brian Kelly and Randy Edsall.
The winner, as of 8 a.m. this morning: Rodriguez -- but he was just barely ahead of Graham. With 3,206 votes in, Rodriguez got 29 percent of the vote; Graham got 28 percent. Petrino was next, followed by Kelly and Edsall.
Here is a little of what you had to say, with a few entries for coaches not included in the poll.
John Ready in Youngstown, Ohio, writes: I think you should add Steve Kragthorpe to the list. He absolutely ruined the Cards. I am a die hard Louisville fan, but found it hard to watch the Cards during the Krag-era. He may not be a villain, but he has been quite vilified for his job (not) done during his tenure.
Mark in Marlboro, N.J., writes: With regards to the poll about the biggest villains, they all have their faults. Graham was a horrible coach, Edsall didn't take a much better job, Rich Rod went for the money and Petrino is a bad guy, even before his latest episode. As the father of a Cincy grad, I don't get on Kelly as much as their fan base. He made the program relevant taking them to two straight BCS Bowl games. My son went to school thinking the hoop squad would be playing in the Final Four. With a name like Kelly, you can't deny the man the opportunity to coach at Notre Dame
Jordan in Lakeland, Fla., writes: He may not be the winner, but I am not sure how you could not include Jim Leavitt in your list of villians.
White Dog777 writes: All the other coaches seem to have made upward mobile decisions but Randy Edsall leaving UCONN for his dream job at Maryland? Plus the way he left the team and not flying back from the Fiesta bowl with them was in my mind bush league. I really hope UCONN kicks the snot out of them in Maryland on Sept. 15th.
Bradenton Bull writes: IMO it's Brian Kelly for leaving UC high an dry right before playing UF in the BCS Bowl. UC ended up getting killed, which obviously greatly contributed to the negative perception of the Big East.. That blow out was killer to the conference. Not saying they would've beat UF, but I don't think they'd have gotten worked over like that.
Calmteer writes: Todd Graham and Petrino should be running away with this vote. The other three all put in their time and left their schools much better than they found them and all brought their schools multiple Big East championships and BCS games.
Eric 72785 writes: They did not point out that RichRod left the day after losing a game against a TERRIBLE team... that had we won, would have placed WVU in the NC. He literally (threw) away a number 2 ranking, with zero shot at not being in the big show ... *uck RichRod.
IAM4WVU87 writes: Funny Rodriguez and Graham receiving an almost equal number of votes, and now that are coaching in the same conference. Those poor $@%!$@%! have no idea what they're in for.
Earlier this week, I asked you to vote for the biggest Big East villain in recent history. All week, it was a dead heat between vagabond Todd Graham and traitor Rich Rodriguez, ahead of Bobby Petrino, Brian Kelly and Randy Edsall.
The winner, as of 8 a.m. this morning: Rodriguez -- but he was just barely ahead of Graham. With 3,206 votes in, Rodriguez got 29 percent of the vote; Graham got 28 percent. Petrino was next, followed by Kelly and Edsall.
Here is a little of what you had to say, with a few entries for coaches not included in the poll.
John Ready in Youngstown, Ohio, writes: I think you should add Steve Kragthorpe to the list. He absolutely ruined the Cards. I am a die hard Louisville fan, but found it hard to watch the Cards during the Krag-era. He may not be a villain, but he has been quite vilified for his job (not) done during his tenure.
Mark in Marlboro, N.J., writes: With regards to the poll about the biggest villains, they all have their faults. Graham was a horrible coach, Edsall didn't take a much better job, Rich Rod went for the money and Petrino is a bad guy, even before his latest episode. As the father of a Cincy grad, I don't get on Kelly as much as their fan base. He made the program relevant taking them to two straight BCS Bowl games. My son went to school thinking the hoop squad would be playing in the Final Four. With a name like Kelly, you can't deny the man the opportunity to coach at Notre Dame
Jordan in Lakeland, Fla., writes: He may not be the winner, but I am not sure how you could not include Jim Leavitt in your list of villians.
White Dog777 writes: All the other coaches seem to have made upward mobile decisions but Randy Edsall leaving UCONN for his dream job at Maryland? Plus the way he left the team and not flying back from the Fiesta bowl with them was in my mind bush league. I really hope UCONN kicks the snot out of them in Maryland on Sept. 15th.
Bradenton Bull writes: IMO it's Brian Kelly for leaving UC high an dry right before playing UF in the BCS Bowl. UC ended up getting killed, which obviously greatly contributed to the negative perception of the Big East.. That blow out was killer to the conference. Not saying they would've beat UF, but I don't think they'd have gotten worked over like that.
Calmteer writes: Todd Graham and Petrino should be running away with this vote. The other three all put in their time and left their schools much better than they found them and all brought their schools multiple Big East championships and BCS games.
Eric 72785 writes: They did not point out that RichRod left the day after losing a game against a TERRIBLE team... that had we won, would have placed WVU in the NC. He literally (threw) away a number 2 ranking, with zero shot at not being in the big show ... *uck RichRod.
IAM4WVU87 writes: Funny Rodriguez and Graham receiving an almost equal number of votes, and now that are coaching in the same conference. Those poor $@%!$@%! have no idea what they're in for.
Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!
- Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock saw unity at the Big East spring meetings.
- Louisville has offered class of 2014 athlete DeShone Kizer.
- The Big East pins its hopes on a TV deal.
- You can read more of Todd Graham's justifications for leaving Pitt. His story gets a little different every time he tells it, doesn't it?
- Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones signed with the Patriots.
- Big East expansion West is still in the works.
Phil Steele unveils All-Big East picks
May, 24, 2012
May 24
10:30
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
College football guru Phil Steele has unveiled his preseason All-Big East selections.
I agree with most every first-team selection. Here are a few of my early thoughts. Note: the ESPN.com preseason Big East first team will come out just before the season begins.
I agree with most every first-team selection. Here are a few of my early thoughts. Note: the ESPN.com preseason Big East first team will come out just before the season begins.
- I completely understand having Teddy Bridgewater as the first-team quarterback, but I probably would have gone with B.J. Daniels here. I know many people think that makes me a little bit nutty. But I will repeat my thought process on this -- Daniels is going into his fourth year as a starter with some pretty terrific receivers and quality backs. On paper, he should be the best quarterback in the league.
- A little surprised to see Anthony McClung ahead of Alec Lemon at first-team receiver. Coach Butch Jones has said that McClung needs to have an outstanding summer to continue his development. Lemon was better last year; and I think he will have another solid season -- if healthy. It was also interesting to see two Pitt receivers on the first and second teams -- Devin Street and Mike Shanahan, respectively. Tino Sunseri is still the quarterback and the Panthers will be run heavy, so I'm not sure they will have two of the top four receivers in the league.
- Andre Davis may end up having a better season than Sterling Griffin at USF.
- Defensive line continues to be a position of strength. I think Walter Stewart is going to be one of the better players in the league. Maybe he sneaks in over Trevardo Williams, though it's hard to ignore the 12.5 sacks Williams had a year ago.
- Watch out for Pitt safety Ray Vinopal. He was not listed on any of the four teams. I think this is the deepest position in the league.
- I would have had Ralph David Abernathy IV at Cincinnati ahead of Jeremy Deering at kick returner.
Is there such a thing as a Big East coach being hated because he wins too much?
The answer is clearly no when you look at the current group of head coaches. Three of them have never coached in a Big East game. Three are going into their third seasons in the league and are barely above .500. Paul Pasqualoni has a bushel-full of victories, but nearly all of them came at Syracuse two decades ago.
So let us take a dip back into history to find an answer. Here are the all-time winningest coaches in Big East history, by overall percentage. I am using this statistic because many of the biggest winners do not stick around the Big East for long.
The conclusion is an easy one: Much more than one hated coach, Miami was a hated team because of all the wins it racked up while playing in the Big East from 1991-2003. That includes two national championships and seven Big East titles, more than any other school. Coker was never vilified or hated. The man is impossibly nice.
Davis' image took much more of a hit at North Carolina because he left the place in scandal, with two major investigations hanging over the program. While at Miami, he was lauded as the man who saved the program from NCAA sanctions. It is hard to hate a coach who won 10 games only once in his career.
Erickson simply took over for Jimmy Johnson and continued what was started.
But the assignment is to find a coach hated for winning. Let's look at some of the other names on the list. Kelly and Petrino were hated much more for the way they left their programs, as documented earlier in this series. Kelly only coached three years in the Big East; Petrino only two in the Big East. I can't imagine their short stays struck fear into the hearts of opponents, despite all the victories.
So let's turn the focus to Rodriguez. He, more than any of the aforementioned coaches, probably fits the bill. In his final three seasons in Morgantown, Rodriguez won two league championships and had three 11-win seasons. His team went undefeated in league play in 2005, one of only two teams to accomplish the feat in the past seven years. He won with swagger and style, and some of the best athletes in Big East history.
But I used the word probably. Because as great as Rodriguez was, his on-field coaching career in the Big East will be defined by what he didn't do in 2007. West Virginia was ranked No. 2 in the country going into the regular-season finale against Pitt in the always heated Backyard Brawl. Win, and the Mountaineers would be playing for the school's first national title. Pitt was already out of the bowl picture, entering the game at 4-7. West Virginia was a 28 1/2-point favorite.
Slam dunk, right? Well, you guys know what happened. Pitt pulled one of the biggest upsets in the series, and Rodriguez went packing to Michigan. The loss will always follow Rodriguez, despite all of his wins in the league. On the day he needed a win most of all, he failed. But that loss did not make him a villain in Morgantown. Leaving did.
That is why it is hard to anoint any Big East coach as somebody hated for winning.
Current Big East coaches' career records in the league:
The answer is clearly no when you look at the current group of head coaches. Three of them have never coached in a Big East game. Three are going into their third seasons in the league and are barely above .500. Paul Pasqualoni has a bushel-full of victories, but nearly all of them came at Syracuse two decades ago.
So let us take a dip back into history to find an answer. Here are the all-time winningest coaches in Big East history, by overall percentage. I am using this statistic because many of the biggest winners do not stick around the Big East for long.
- Larry Coker, Miami: 35-3 (.921)
- Dennis Erickson, Miami: 42-6 (.875)
- Brian Kelly, Cincinnati: 34-6 (.850)
- Bobby Petrino, Louisville: 21-4 (.840)
- Butch Davis, Miami: 51-20 (.718)
- Bill Stewart, West Virginia: 28-12 (.700)
- Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia: 60-26 (.698)
- Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: 108-48-1 (.691)
The conclusion is an easy one: Much more than one hated coach, Miami was a hated team because of all the wins it racked up while playing in the Big East from 1991-2003. That includes two national championships and seven Big East titles, more than any other school. Coker was never vilified or hated. The man is impossibly nice.
Davis' image took much more of a hit at North Carolina because he left the place in scandal, with two major investigations hanging over the program. While at Miami, he was lauded as the man who saved the program from NCAA sanctions. It is hard to hate a coach who won 10 games only once in his career.
Erickson simply took over for Jimmy Johnson and continued what was started.
But the assignment is to find a coach hated for winning. Let's look at some of the other names on the list. Kelly and Petrino were hated much more for the way they left their programs, as documented earlier in this series. Kelly only coached three years in the Big East; Petrino only two in the Big East. I can't imagine their short stays struck fear into the hearts of opponents, despite all the victories.
So let's turn the focus to Rodriguez. He, more than any of the aforementioned coaches, probably fits the bill. In his final three seasons in Morgantown, Rodriguez won two league championships and had three 11-win seasons. His team went undefeated in league play in 2005, one of only two teams to accomplish the feat in the past seven years. He won with swagger and style, and some of the best athletes in Big East history.
But I used the word probably. Because as great as Rodriguez was, his on-field coaching career in the Big East will be defined by what he didn't do in 2007. West Virginia was ranked No. 2 in the country going into the regular-season finale against Pitt in the always heated Backyard Brawl. Win, and the Mountaineers would be playing for the school's first national title. Pitt was already out of the bowl picture, entering the game at 4-7. West Virginia was a 28 1/2-point favorite.
Slam dunk, right? Well, you guys know what happened. Pitt pulled one of the biggest upsets in the series, and Rodriguez went packing to Michigan. The loss will always follow Rodriguez, despite all of his wins in the league. On the day he needed a win most of all, he failed. But that loss did not make him a villain in Morgantown. Leaving did.
That is why it is hard to anoint any Big East coach as somebody hated for winning.
Current Big East coaches' career records in the league:
- Paul Pasqualoni, Syracuse and UConn: 112-63-1
- Doug Marrone, Syracuse: 17-20
- Butch Jones, Cincinnati: 14-11
- Charlie Strong, Louisville: 14-12
- Skip Holtz, USF: 13-12
- Steve Addazio, Temple: 0-0
- Paul Chryst, Pitt: 0-0
- Kyle Flood, Rutgers: 0-0
Welcome to your mid-week mailblog! Let's get to your questions.
John in Louisville writes: AA, I know you report on the conference as you see it, and you have provided stats that prove that the BE is as good if not better overall than the ACC. So my question is, why do you think that the "perception" in the national sports media is that the BE is not as good? Neither conference has a consistent national player, and we have won more bowls than the ACC, games that seem to carry more weight nationally.
Andrea Adelson: The fact that the Big East has been raided twice in the last 10 years is a huge reason why. Miami was a national power at the time. Virginia Tech has been incredibly successful and so has West Virginia. College football, perhaps more than any other sport, holds onto its history and tradition. People do not look at the facts so much as the teams. Cincinnati? C-USA. Louisville? C-USA. I could go on, but you get my drift. This is still a conference in search of an identity. The ACC has programs that have at least won or played for national titles. That may have been in the way past. Unfortunately, that trumps recent success in the minds of many.
Zain in Tampa writes: Hi Andrea, you wrote a really interesting article recently about a potential on-campus stadium for USF. As a recent grad for USF, I'd like to explain a few things about the situation that we've seen as a USF community. Firstly, we're not likely to build an erector set stadium for $70M dollars. We're a large research school in a major football conference. It wouldn't make any sense whatsoever. That sort of stadium would only be built if we were desperate, much like UCF was when the Citrus Bowl was basically rotting in on itself. Most USF fans I know have pointed to the recently built stadium at the University of Minnesota as an example of a stadium they feel would be a great fit for USF. The downside to such a stadium is the cost. Minnesota spent close to $300M on their facility and they also had state assistance. We are not likely to get anywhere near the type of aid that Minnesota got as a state flagship school. The only money we can expect is an investment fund that invests a certain amount of money per credit hour with the state and is returned every four to five years for on campus projects. The total amount expected from that fund should be between $15 to $20 million. As you can guess, a new stadium is a 10 to 15 year commitment. As much as it would nice to see you reporting from Bulls Stadium, you might be waiting a while for it, Andrea.
Adelson: It is nice to dream, right!
David in Santa Barbara, Calif., writes: Is the new helmet rule nation-wide, or just the ACC?
Adelson: Nationwide. I got the information at the ACC meetings, so I figured I would post it onto the Big East blog for fans to familiarize themselves with these changes. They were also discussed during the Big East meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Rickey in Lehigh Acres, Fla., writes: Andrea! Why did you have to start giving USF some love again? We've shown over and over that we can't deal with these expectations. LOL. I really hope you're right this time.
Adelson: I was really hesitant about moving up the Bulls. But on paper, they have the most starters returning; a four-year starter at quarterback; and a coach going into Year 3. Every single Big East team has major question marks. I thought USF had fewer unknowns, so I moved the Bulls up. Now we see if this is the year.
James in San Antonio writes: Hey Andrea, with news that the Big 12 and SEC will be playing in a bowl, what, if anything is the Big East plus Notre Dame doing to secure an anchor bowl. It looks like the Big East and ACC are the 2 conferences left out. Wouldn't it make sense for the Big East Champ or Notre Dame to play the ACC champ in Orange Bowl? Please tell me that the Big East is working on something, anything, for their main bowl.
Adelson: The Big East can want the partnership. The question is whether the ACC and Orange Bowl would be onboard with that, particularly when you look at recent attendance/TV ratings in matchups between the two leagues in that bowl game. Securing a BCS tie-in and reworking its bowl agreements are priorities for the Big East. But the league is probably not going to be able to do anything until the future BCS system is arranged.
Frank in Philly writes: AA, Any word on Montel Harris? If he comes to Temple, would that get them out of the basement in your preseason rankings?
Adelson: No word, Frank. And I'm afraid his addition will not move Temple out of the basement. I'm more concerned with depth on the lines than the quality skill players for the Owls.
Brad in Louisville writes: Was Louisville's Coach Charlie Strong present at the Big East meetings this week? According to Andy Katz, Rick Pitino was nowhere to be found on the basketball side. I'm interested to know what role, if any, U of L played last week given the rumors that they are moving on to the Big 12.
Adelson: Yes, Strong was here, along with athletic director Tom Jurich. They were actively a part of the meetings as the Big East tries to move forward all together. What you hear are rumors only. Louisville is a member of the Big East.
John in Louisville writes: AA, I know you report on the conference as you see it, and you have provided stats that prove that the BE is as good if not better overall than the ACC. So my question is, why do you think that the "perception" in the national sports media is that the BE is not as good? Neither conference has a consistent national player, and we have won more bowls than the ACC, games that seem to carry more weight nationally.
Andrea Adelson: The fact that the Big East has been raided twice in the last 10 years is a huge reason why. Miami was a national power at the time. Virginia Tech has been incredibly successful and so has West Virginia. College football, perhaps more than any other sport, holds onto its history and tradition. People do not look at the facts so much as the teams. Cincinnati? C-USA. Louisville? C-USA. I could go on, but you get my drift. This is still a conference in search of an identity. The ACC has programs that have at least won or played for national titles. That may have been in the way past. Unfortunately, that trumps recent success in the minds of many.
Zain in Tampa writes: Hi Andrea, you wrote a really interesting article recently about a potential on-campus stadium for USF. As a recent grad for USF, I'd like to explain a few things about the situation that we've seen as a USF community. Firstly, we're not likely to build an erector set stadium for $70M dollars. We're a large research school in a major football conference. It wouldn't make any sense whatsoever. That sort of stadium would only be built if we were desperate, much like UCF was when the Citrus Bowl was basically rotting in on itself. Most USF fans I know have pointed to the recently built stadium at the University of Minnesota as an example of a stadium they feel would be a great fit for USF. The downside to such a stadium is the cost. Minnesota spent close to $300M on their facility and they also had state assistance. We are not likely to get anywhere near the type of aid that Minnesota got as a state flagship school. The only money we can expect is an investment fund that invests a certain amount of money per credit hour with the state and is returned every four to five years for on campus projects. The total amount expected from that fund should be between $15 to $20 million. As you can guess, a new stadium is a 10 to 15 year commitment. As much as it would nice to see you reporting from Bulls Stadium, you might be waiting a while for it, Andrea.
Adelson: It is nice to dream, right!
David in Santa Barbara, Calif., writes: Is the new helmet rule nation-wide, or just the ACC?
Adelson: Nationwide. I got the information at the ACC meetings, so I figured I would post it onto the Big East blog for fans to familiarize themselves with these changes. They were also discussed during the Big East meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Rickey in Lehigh Acres, Fla., writes: Andrea! Why did you have to start giving USF some love again? We've shown over and over that we can't deal with these expectations. LOL. I really hope you're right this time.
Adelson: I was really hesitant about moving up the Bulls. But on paper, they have the most starters returning; a four-year starter at quarterback; and a coach going into Year 3. Every single Big East team has major question marks. I thought USF had fewer unknowns, so I moved the Bulls up. Now we see if this is the year.
James in San Antonio writes: Hey Andrea, with news that the Big 12 and SEC will be playing in a bowl, what, if anything is the Big East plus Notre Dame doing to secure an anchor bowl. It looks like the Big East and ACC are the 2 conferences left out. Wouldn't it make sense for the Big East Champ or Notre Dame to play the ACC champ in Orange Bowl? Please tell me that the Big East is working on something, anything, for their main bowl.
Adelson: The Big East can want the partnership. The question is whether the ACC and Orange Bowl would be onboard with that, particularly when you look at recent attendance/TV ratings in matchups between the two leagues in that bowl game. Securing a BCS tie-in and reworking its bowl agreements are priorities for the Big East. But the league is probably not going to be able to do anything until the future BCS system is arranged.
Frank in Philly writes: AA, Any word on Montel Harris? If he comes to Temple, would that get them out of the basement in your preseason rankings?
Adelson: No word, Frank. And I'm afraid his addition will not move Temple out of the basement. I'm more concerned with depth on the lines than the quality skill players for the Owls.
Brad in Louisville writes: Was Louisville's Coach Charlie Strong present at the Big East meetings this week? According to Andy Katz, Rick Pitino was nowhere to be found on the basketball side. I'm interested to know what role, if any, U of L played last week given the rumors that they are moving on to the Big 12.
Adelson: Yes, Strong was here, along with athletic director Tom Jurich. They were actively a part of the meetings as the Big East tries to move forward all together. What you hear are rumors only. Louisville is a member of the Big East.
Spring meetings are wrapping up today, so the Big East chat has been moved to Thursday at 4 p.m. Hope to see you then!
- The demolition of Memorial Stadium at UConn has begun.
- Lindy's college football preview has Louisville in the Orange Bowl.
- Dan Samuelson changed his commitment from Pitt to Nebraska.
- Former Rutgers football player Pat Kivlehan won Big East Player of the Year in baseball.
- Skip Holtz's son will walk on at Texas.
- Junior college commit Wayne Williams talks about why he picked Syracuse.
- Why Bill Bradshaw of Temple should be athletic director of the year.
- John Marinatto made about $600,000 as commissioner in 2010.
Earlier today, you saw my compilation of recent Big East coaches who have left their respective teams in, well, not the greatest ways.
Now it is your time to vote: Which coach do you think is the most hated or vilified in recent Big East history? Because let's be honest: there are no villains in the league right now. No coach has been in the league longer than four seasons; no coach has done anything to draw the ire or disrespect of their fellow coaches or fans.
So we have to dip back into history, and there we find plenty of guys who ruffled feathers. Your choices:
Randy Edsall. Hightailed it out of UConn after the Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma, forgoing the team charter plane home to run off with Maryland. Never told his players in person he was going to leave.
Todd Graham. Hightailed it out of Pitt after a 6-6 season filled with failed promises and underachievement. Said goodbye via text message, and has since said it was a mistake to take the Panthers job. And his kids didn't like Pittsburgh. Now enjoying sunny Arizona.
Brian Kelly. Hightailed it out of Cincinnati after a 12-0 regular season for Notre Dame. Waited until the end of his team banquet to tell his players of his departure after they already found out from news reports.
Bobby Petrino. Hightailed it out of Louisville after a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl appearance for the Atlanta Falcons, after having conversations with Auburn, Florida, LSU and the Oakland Raiders while still coaching the Cardinals.
Rich Rodriguez. Hightailed it out of West Virginia for Michigan, where he failed spectacularly in three seasons with the Wolverines. He may still be the most hated man in Morgantown.
What do you think? Did I forget anyone? Please leave your comments down below or in the mailbag and we will recap the results and some of your thoughts Friday.
So we have to dip back into history, and there we find plenty of guys who ruffled feathers. Your choices:
Randy Edsall. Hightailed it out of UConn after the Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma, forgoing the team charter plane home to run off with Maryland. Never told his players in person he was going to leave.
Todd Graham. Hightailed it out of Pitt after a 6-6 season filled with failed promises and underachievement. Said goodbye via text message, and has since said it was a mistake to take the Panthers job. And his kids didn't like Pittsburgh. Now enjoying sunny Arizona.
Brian Kelly. Hightailed it out of Cincinnati after a 12-0 regular season for Notre Dame. Waited until the end of his team banquet to tell his players of his departure after they already found out from news reports.
Bobby Petrino. Hightailed it out of Louisville after a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl appearance for the Atlanta Falcons, after having conversations with Auburn, Florida, LSU and the Oakland Raiders while still coaching the Cardinals.
Rich Rodriguez. Hightailed it out of West Virginia for Michigan, where he failed spectacularly in three seasons with the Wolverines. He may still be the most hated man in Morgantown.
What do you think? Did I forget anyone? Please leave your comments down below or in the mailbag and we will recap the results and some of your thoughts Friday.
Time for a little game. Think of the most vilified college football coaches today.
Your list probably looks something like this:
Bobby Petrino.
Rich Rodriguez.
Todd Graham.
Randy Edsall.
You know what they all have in common. They all were Big East coaches at one point in time. Really great Big East coaches, to boot. But alas, great coaches never stick around for long in this league, a common lament among Big East fans. Perhaps the bigger question is -- what has made the Big East a breeding ground for villainous coaches?
Consider the recent history.
Exhibit A. Petrino got his first head coaching job at Louisville, and did one heck of a job, going 41-9 in four seasons. But the Cardinals were never just right, were they? I mean, how could they be when you 1) Try to negotiate a deal to become head coach at Auburn behind your boss' back. 2) Interview at Florida, Mississippi AND LSU the following year, while pledging love and loyalty to Louisville in between. 3) Forget loyalty and interview with the Oakland Raiders after Year 3 in Louisville. 4) Finally end the misery and leave for the Atlanta Falcons after a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl berth.
That Atlanta dream job was not quite right either, so he left with good-bye statements taped to his players' lockers before the season even ended and headed for Arkansas. You all know how well his stint ended there.
Maybe all these aforementioned Big East coaches just hate good-byes.
Edsall left for Maryland after UConn lost the Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma in January 2011 and never told his players word one about his plans. In fact, he did not even take the team charter home with the team. What may even be worse than that -- he made Jordan Todman get up in front of the team to explain why he was leaving early for the NFL draft. Edsall just finished a 2-10 season at Maryland in which he took a beating and lost 24 transfers. He is working hard to right the ship -- but you can bet some folks in Storrs are thinking, "Karma!"
Meanwhile at Pitt, Graham also had a tough time with good-byes at the end of last season. He told his players he was leaving via text message and hightailed it for Arizona State after a 6-6 season in which he had his players buying into an "high-octane" and "high-energy" offense. This, of course, came after he pretty much begged for the Pitt job after the Mike Haywood fiasco. But his shenanigans started at Rice, where he also had a one-year stint before leaving for Tulsa. ESPN.com columnist Mark Schlabach dubbed Graham the new president of the Liar's Club after his Pitt exit.
Rich Rod? Well, he is persona non grata in two states, West Virginia and Michigan. Who can forget the drama after he left the Mountaineers for the Wolverines in 2007, a few short months after signing a new contract and pledging his commitment to his school? West Virginia sued Rodriguez in the wake of his departure, and Michigan turned out to be an absolute disaster. It sure ain't easy being hated in as many spots as these guys.
There are others who left in less-than-ideal ways. How about Brian Kelly at Cincinnati, waiting until the end of his team banquet to announce his departure for Notre Dame? This was hours AFTER players began hearing news reports that they had lost their coach. Most recently, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano left for Tampa Bay less than a week before signing day, not even telling his loyal assistants, who were out on the road recruiting without any idea about what was happening.
His departure was tame compared to the rest. As for the others, I think they would make an excellent subject for a new television series.
"College Football Coaches Behaving Badly."
Your list probably looks something like this:
Bobby Petrino.
Rich Rodriguez.
Todd Graham.
Randy Edsall.
[+] Enlarge
Kim Klement/US PresswireRandy Edsall is just one of many former Big East coaches who left the league.
Kim Klement/US PresswireRandy Edsall is just one of many former Big East coaches who left the league.Consider the recent history.
Exhibit A. Petrino got his first head coaching job at Louisville, and did one heck of a job, going 41-9 in four seasons. But the Cardinals were never just right, were they? I mean, how could they be when you 1) Try to negotiate a deal to become head coach at Auburn behind your boss' back. 2) Interview at Florida, Mississippi AND LSU the following year, while pledging love and loyalty to Louisville in between. 3) Forget loyalty and interview with the Oakland Raiders after Year 3 in Louisville. 4) Finally end the misery and leave for the Atlanta Falcons after a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl berth.
That Atlanta dream job was not quite right either, so he left with good-bye statements taped to his players' lockers before the season even ended and headed for Arkansas. You all know how well his stint ended there.
Maybe all these aforementioned Big East coaches just hate good-byes.
Edsall left for Maryland after UConn lost the Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma in January 2011 and never told his players word one about his plans. In fact, he did not even take the team charter home with the team. What may even be worse than that -- he made Jordan Todman get up in front of the team to explain why he was leaving early for the NFL draft. Edsall just finished a 2-10 season at Maryland in which he took a beating and lost 24 transfers. He is working hard to right the ship -- but you can bet some folks in Storrs are thinking, "Karma!"
Meanwhile at Pitt, Graham also had a tough time with good-byes at the end of last season. He told his players he was leaving via text message and hightailed it for Arizona State after a 6-6 season in which he had his players buying into an "high-octane" and "high-energy" offense. This, of course, came after he pretty much begged for the Pitt job after the Mike Haywood fiasco. But his shenanigans started at Rice, where he also had a one-year stint before leaving for Tulsa. ESPN.com columnist Mark Schlabach dubbed Graham the new president of the Liar's Club after his Pitt exit.
Rich Rod? Well, he is persona non grata in two states, West Virginia and Michigan. Who can forget the drama after he left the Mountaineers for the Wolverines in 2007, a few short months after signing a new contract and pledging his commitment to his school? West Virginia sued Rodriguez in the wake of his departure, and Michigan turned out to be an absolute disaster. It sure ain't easy being hated in as many spots as these guys.
There are others who left in less-than-ideal ways. How about Brian Kelly at Cincinnati, waiting until the end of his team banquet to announce his departure for Notre Dame? This was hours AFTER players began hearing news reports that they had lost their coach. Most recently, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano left for Tampa Bay less than a week before signing day, not even telling his loyal assistants, who were out on the road recruiting without any idea about what was happening.
His departure was tame compared to the rest. As for the others, I think they would make an excellent subject for a new television series.
"College Football Coaches Behaving Badly."
As part of “College Football Live’s” 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, here’s a look at the top 10 players in the Big East. For those wondering, the Big East blog will still have its annual preseason Top 25 player countdown a little later in the summer.
Without further adieu:
1. Ray Graham, RB, Pitt. Taking a calculated risk here, considering we have no idea how Graham is going to look a year after tearing his ACL. Coach Paul Chryst says Graham will be ready for fall camp. If Graham is able to return to form, he should be the best player in the league.
2. Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers. Greene goes into the season as the preseason favorite to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, after sharing honors with Derek Wolfe in 2011. Though he broke his ankle in the bowl game, he will be ready for fall camp. Side note: Isn't it a neat that he and Graham are brothers?
3. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt. Donald emerged last season, finishing second in the league with 11 sacks. He has shifted inside to tackle this year, but he is the most productive and experienced player returning to the Pitt defensive line and should continue his upward trajectory.
4. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville. Bridgewater had a sensational freshman season, winning league Newcomer of the Year honors. Hopes are high for him to build off his impressive campaign in his second year as a starter. Louisville will do more to take advantage of his athleticism, with plans to install some hurry up offense.
5. Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers. Ryan led the league with 16 passes defended -- 13 breakups and three interceptions last season. Defensive back is one of the strongest positions across the league, and Ryan leads the way as the Big East's best cornerback.
6. Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville. Smith has gotten better in each of his seasons with the Cardinals, so this season should feature more of the same. In 2011, he had 84 tackles, tied for second in the league, with nine pass breakups. He also tied for second in the league with three forced fumbles and made the Big East first team.
7. Ryne Giddins, DE, USF. Giddins emerged in the second half of last season (yes, I know many of you still remember him for his personal foul against West Virginia), and is in line to have a breakout year for the Bulls, who should have one of the stronger defensive lines in the Big East.
8. B.J. Daniels, QB, USF. Daniels should be the best quarterback in the Big East, considering he is going into his fourth year as a starter. Is this the year he finally lives up to expectations and delivers a long-awaited -- and first -- league title?
9. Walter Stewart, DE, Cincinnati. Coach Butch Jones says he has not been around a player as focused as Stewart in a long time. That is saying something, considering the defensive stars the Bearcats had last season. Stewart is poised to give Cincinnati a huge presence at rush end.
10. Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn. McCombs ran for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman last season and returns for 2011 with much more confidence -- and the Huskies hope a better offensive line. He goes into the season as the unquestioned featured back.
Without further adieu:
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Keith SrakocicRay Graham could be the Big East's best player if healthy.
AP Photo/Keith SrakocicRay Graham could be the Big East's best player if healthy.2. Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers. Greene goes into the season as the preseason favorite to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, after sharing honors with Derek Wolfe in 2011. Though he broke his ankle in the bowl game, he will be ready for fall camp. Side note: Isn't it a neat that he and Graham are brothers?
3. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt. Donald emerged last season, finishing second in the league with 11 sacks. He has shifted inside to tackle this year, but he is the most productive and experienced player returning to the Pitt defensive line and should continue his upward trajectory.
4. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville. Bridgewater had a sensational freshman season, winning league Newcomer of the Year honors. Hopes are high for him to build off his impressive campaign in his second year as a starter. Louisville will do more to take advantage of his athleticism, with plans to install some hurry up offense.
5. Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers. Ryan led the league with 16 passes defended -- 13 breakups and three interceptions last season. Defensive back is one of the strongest positions across the league, and Ryan leads the way as the Big East's best cornerback.
6. Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville. Smith has gotten better in each of his seasons with the Cardinals, so this season should feature more of the same. In 2011, he had 84 tackles, tied for second in the league, with nine pass breakups. He also tied for second in the league with three forced fumbles and made the Big East first team.
7. Ryne Giddins, DE, USF. Giddins emerged in the second half of last season (yes, I know many of you still remember him for his personal foul against West Virginia), and is in line to have a breakout year for the Bulls, who should have one of the stronger defensive lines in the Big East.
8. B.J. Daniels, QB, USF. Daniels should be the best quarterback in the Big East, considering he is going into his fourth year as a starter. Is this the year he finally lives up to expectations and delivers a long-awaited -- and first -- league title?
9. Walter Stewart, DE, Cincinnati. Coach Butch Jones says he has not been around a player as focused as Stewart in a long time. That is saying something, considering the defensive stars the Bearcats had last season. Stewart is poised to give Cincinnati a huge presence at rush end.
10. Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn. McCombs ran for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman last season and returns for 2011 with much more confidence -- and the Huskies hope a better offensive line. He goes into the season as the unquestioned featured back.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- There are plenty of items on the agenda for the Big East spring meetings, which begin Monday and run through Wednesday. Here is a brief primer on what the league's administrators, coaches and interim commissioner Joe Bailey will have on the table.
1. Conference stability. Though a league official told Joe Schad that Boise State has reaffirmed its commitment to the conference, you can bet that is going to be among the topics discussed. The Big East needs Boise State to join in a pretty bad way, and the Broncos must find a home for its non-football sports now that the WAC appears to be on the brink of collapse. Boise State is the big-ticket school the Big East needs moving forward. But beyond Boise State and the non-AQ schools joining, the Big East needs to know that all its member schools are committed so it can move forward in a meaningful way. That goes for teams like Louisville, UConn and Rutgers to name three. All of the new members -- Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, Houston, UCF, Temple, Memphis and Navy will be represented at the meetings. Syracuse and Pitt will not be there.
2. Commissioner search. The Big East has to find a new leader for the conference and fast, what with BCS negotiations set to continue in June and TV negotiations set to begin in September. What will the consensus be among those in attendance about the type of person they want in charge? How will Bailey assist in getting the Big East the best leader it can find among a rapidly changing landscape?
3. TV contract. The Big East has to get an excellent TV deal when it begins negotiations in September. First and foremost, it needs to be in the same ballpark as the deal that it turned down last year; and it is going to have to be in the same ballpark as the ACC to really be able to move forward. How will the Big East negotiate, which TV partners are interested, and will this finally lend stability to the league?
4. BCS, playoff. It appears to be a certainty that a four-team playoff will be coming to college football for the 2014 season. Which format does the Big East approve? More importantly than that, how does the Big East keep its seat as one of the top-six conferences in terms of BCS revenue distribution? The league is in danger of falling out of that grouping. That leads to the next topic.
5. Bowl tie-ins. The recent news that the Big 12-SEC champions would play in a bowl game is not good for a league like the Big East. Colleague Mark Schlabach writes: "And what about the depleted Big East? It's pretty clear the Big East is no longer sitting at the same table with the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC, after it lost Pittsburgh, Syracuse, TCU and West Virginia to other leagues. Now the Big East might not even be sitting in the same room as the other BCS conferences." The possibility of a Big East-ACC matchup might be on the table, but Schlabach writes, "That matchup has really worked out well for the Orange Bowl. Maybe they'll increase the stakes by giving the winner an at-large invitation to the NCAA men's basketball tournament."
6. Divisional alignment. Lost among all the hot topics is divisional alignment once the Big East expands beyond eight teams for 2013. All reports point to Temple joining the West with Boise State and San Diego State, along with Houston and SMU. The other team moving out West has not been completely determined. Once Navy joins for 2015, then there will probably be more shifting. Of course, the Big East may look totally different in 2015 so ...
1. Conference stability. Though a league official told Joe Schad that Boise State has reaffirmed its commitment to the conference, you can bet that is going to be among the topics discussed. The Big East needs Boise State to join in a pretty bad way, and the Broncos must find a home for its non-football sports now that the WAC appears to be on the brink of collapse. Boise State is the big-ticket school the Big East needs moving forward. But beyond Boise State and the non-AQ schools joining, the Big East needs to know that all its member schools are committed so it can move forward in a meaningful way. That goes for teams like Louisville, UConn and Rutgers to name three. All of the new members -- Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, Houston, UCF, Temple, Memphis and Navy will be represented at the meetings. Syracuse and Pitt will not be there.
2. Commissioner search. The Big East has to find a new leader for the conference and fast, what with BCS negotiations set to continue in June and TV negotiations set to begin in September. What will the consensus be among those in attendance about the type of person they want in charge? How will Bailey assist in getting the Big East the best leader it can find among a rapidly changing landscape?
3. TV contract. The Big East has to get an excellent TV deal when it begins negotiations in September. First and foremost, it needs to be in the same ballpark as the deal that it turned down last year; and it is going to have to be in the same ballpark as the ACC to really be able to move forward. How will the Big East negotiate, which TV partners are interested, and will this finally lend stability to the league?
4. BCS, playoff. It appears to be a certainty that a four-team playoff will be coming to college football for the 2014 season. Which format does the Big East approve? More importantly than that, how does the Big East keep its seat as one of the top-six conferences in terms of BCS revenue distribution? The league is in danger of falling out of that grouping. That leads to the next topic.
5. Bowl tie-ins. The recent news that the Big 12-SEC champions would play in a bowl game is not good for a league like the Big East. Colleague Mark Schlabach writes: "And what about the depleted Big East? It's pretty clear the Big East is no longer sitting at the same table with the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC, after it lost Pittsburgh, Syracuse, TCU and West Virginia to other leagues. Now the Big East might not even be sitting in the same room as the other BCS conferences." The possibility of a Big East-ACC matchup might be on the table, but Schlabach writes, "That matchup has really worked out well for the Orange Bowl. Maybe they'll increase the stakes by giving the winner an at-large invitation to the NCAA men's basketball tournament."
6. Divisional alignment. Lost among all the hot topics is divisional alignment once the Big East expands beyond eight teams for 2013. All reports point to Temple joining the West with Boise State and San Diego State, along with Houston and SMU. The other team moving out West has not been completely determined. Once Navy joins for 2015, then there will probably be more shifting. Of course, the Big East may look totally different in 2015 so ...
Time for my long-awaited post-spring power rankings. I made only a few changes from the pre-spring rankings. Here goes ...
1. Louisville: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked better than ever this spring, giving me renewed confidence the Cardinals are going to be the preseason favorite in the league. The secondary should be exceptionally strong, and the offensive line should be better. Questions remain at running back and with depth in the front seven. But of all the teams in the league, I think the Cardinals have the most stability headed into the season. Plus, it hugely helps to have Charlie Strong entering Year 3.
2. USF: Big jump for the Bulls. I know I said I refused to buy into USF until the Bulls actually do something. But what they have returning is hard to ignore. Generally speaking, teams with 18 returning starters -- many of them seniors -- do really well. So do teams with veteran starting quarterbacks. While USF still has some major question marks on paper -- can B.J. Daniels develop, what happens at running back, where is the depth at linebacker -- the Bulls look like they have a shot.
3. Rutgers: At one time, I had Rutgers as my preseason favorite. But I am a little nervous about the situation at quarterback. I thought there would be a resolution this spring, but neither Chas Dodd nor Gary Nova did much to impress. Mohamed Sanu is gone, there are more shifts on the offensive line, and the running game has to prove something. I think the defense will be the best in the Big East. The offense is scaring me right now, which is why I moved the Scarlet Knights down.
4. Cincinnati: The Bearcats do return talent, and players who saw some significant action last season. But they also lose 21 seniors, including Big East Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead and Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe. I don't have any doubts that the Bearcats will have a good season. I just don't know if they will win another championship.
5. Pitt: If there is any team with "ifs" all over the roster, it is the Panthers. They have a new head coach. They are returning Tino Sunseri at quarterback. Nobody knows how Ray Graham is going to do after major knee surgery. The offensive line has to be better. There is not much depth on the defensive line. If all of these come together, the Panthers could be really good. If they don't, they could be really bad.
6. UConn: The Huskies will be good on defense. But what about quarterback? I feel like a broken record saying the same thing over again. Quarterback uncertainty always makes me hesitant to rank a team in the top half of the league. I was hesitant last year, and I am hesitant again this year.
7. Syracuse: I have said this before, but it bears repeating: I think Syracuse is the hardest team to gauge in the Big East. The Orange have to be more consistent on offense. They have to find a running game to help ease some of the burden off quarterback Ryan Nassib. Does Ashton Broyld give them enough to get them more explosive plays? The defense still has depth concerns in the front seven.
8. Temple: I worry about how the Owls will make the transition to the Big East in Year 1. I think Temple has a good team, but the Owls also lost a lot of their best players and have depth concerns on the offensive and defensive lines. That is enough to worry any coach in Year 1 in a major conference.
1. Louisville: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked better than ever this spring, giving me renewed confidence the Cardinals are going to be the preseason favorite in the league. The secondary should be exceptionally strong, and the offensive line should be better. Questions remain at running back and with depth in the front seven. But of all the teams in the league, I think the Cardinals have the most stability headed into the season. Plus, it hugely helps to have Charlie Strong entering Year 3.
2. USF: Big jump for the Bulls. I know I said I refused to buy into USF until the Bulls actually do something. But what they have returning is hard to ignore. Generally speaking, teams with 18 returning starters -- many of them seniors -- do really well. So do teams with veteran starting quarterbacks. While USF still has some major question marks on paper -- can B.J. Daniels develop, what happens at running back, where is the depth at linebacker -- the Bulls look like they have a shot.
3. Rutgers: At one time, I had Rutgers as my preseason favorite. But I am a little nervous about the situation at quarterback. I thought there would be a resolution this spring, but neither Chas Dodd nor Gary Nova did much to impress. Mohamed Sanu is gone, there are more shifts on the offensive line, and the running game has to prove something. I think the defense will be the best in the Big East. The offense is scaring me right now, which is why I moved the Scarlet Knights down.
4. Cincinnati: The Bearcats do return talent, and players who saw some significant action last season. But they also lose 21 seniors, including Big East Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead and Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe. I don't have any doubts that the Bearcats will have a good season. I just don't know if they will win another championship.
5. Pitt: If there is any team with "ifs" all over the roster, it is the Panthers. They have a new head coach. They are returning Tino Sunseri at quarterback. Nobody knows how Ray Graham is going to do after major knee surgery. The offensive line has to be better. There is not much depth on the defensive line. If all of these come together, the Panthers could be really good. If they don't, they could be really bad.
6. UConn: The Huskies will be good on defense. But what about quarterback? I feel like a broken record saying the same thing over again. Quarterback uncertainty always makes me hesitant to rank a team in the top half of the league. I was hesitant last year, and I am hesitant again this year.
7. Syracuse: I have said this before, but it bears repeating: I think Syracuse is the hardest team to gauge in the Big East. The Orange have to be more consistent on offense. They have to find a running game to help ease some of the burden off quarterback Ryan Nassib. Does Ashton Broyld give them enough to get them more explosive plays? The defense still has depth concerns in the front seven.
8. Temple: I worry about how the Owls will make the transition to the Big East in Year 1. I think Temple has a good team, but the Owls also lost a lot of their best players and have depth concerns on the offensive and defensive lines. That is enough to worry any coach in Year 1 in a major conference.
Time to move along to Week 9 in my ultimate Big East road trip. For those just tuning in, I am selecting the games I would choose to see each and every week this season.
My editors usually do that for me. But if the scheduling were up to me, this is where I would want to go.
Here is the Week 9 schedule:
Fri., Oct. 26
Why: This one is pretty obvious to me. After all, I have anointed this one as the next great Big East rivalry game! This one is certain to have league implications, the way it did last season. If Louisville holds on to its 16-14 fourth-quarter lead last year, then the Cardinals would have won the Big East title outright instead of sharing with the Bearcats and West Virginia. But if wishes were kittens, the world would be full of cats. Or some such nonsense.
Anyway, Cincinnati has won the last four meetings for the Keg of Nails and leads the all-time series between the two. Many are predicting Louisville will break that streak this year, as the Cardinals are one of the expected preseason favorites while Cincinnati has fallen into the "rebuild" category. But as Bearcats fans love to point out, all us so-called experts never accurately predict the Big East winner nor how Cincinnati will fare.
The way this game falls for both teams just adds to the intrigue of the matchup. This will be the third in a very difficult three-game Big East stretch for Louisville, which plays at Pitt in Week 7, then hosts USF in Week 8. Pitt, USF and Cincinnati are no slouches. And remember back to my Week 7 pick, Pitt physically dominated the Cardinals last year. Pitt should be even more physical this year.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, opens Big East play against Pitt in Week 1 and then plays five straight nonconference games before traveling to Louisville. The nonconference schedule really only has one toss-up game (Virginia Tech), so getting those five games in before playing the Cardinals should definitely help the Bearcats work out whatever deficiencies there might be headed back into Big East play. On the other hand, opening at Pitt and at Louisville is extremely challenging and the Bearcats cannot afford to open league play in an 0-2 hole.
Here are my previous choices:
My editors usually do that for me. But if the scheduling were up to me, this is where I would want to go.
Here is the Week 9 schedule:
Fri., Oct. 26
- Cincinnati at Louisville
- Temple at Pitt
- Kent State at Rutgers
- Syracuse at USF
Why: This one is pretty obvious to me. After all, I have anointed this one as the next great Big East rivalry game! This one is certain to have league implications, the way it did last season. If Louisville holds on to its 16-14 fourth-quarter lead last year, then the Cardinals would have won the Big East title outright instead of sharing with the Bearcats and West Virginia. But if wishes were kittens, the world would be full of cats. Or some such nonsense.
Anyway, Cincinnati has won the last four meetings for the Keg of Nails and leads the all-time series between the two. Many are predicting Louisville will break that streak this year, as the Cardinals are one of the expected preseason favorites while Cincinnati has fallen into the "rebuild" category. But as Bearcats fans love to point out, all us so-called experts never accurately predict the Big East winner nor how Cincinnati will fare.
The way this game falls for both teams just adds to the intrigue of the matchup. This will be the third in a very difficult three-game Big East stretch for Louisville, which plays at Pitt in Week 7, then hosts USF in Week 8. Pitt, USF and Cincinnati are no slouches. And remember back to my Week 7 pick, Pitt physically dominated the Cardinals last year. Pitt should be even more physical this year.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, opens Big East play against Pitt in Week 1 and then plays five straight nonconference games before traveling to Louisville. The nonconference schedule really only has one toss-up game (Virginia Tech), so getting those five games in before playing the Cardinals should definitely help the Bearcats work out whatever deficiencies there might be headed back into Big East play. On the other hand, opening at Pitt and at Louisville is extremely challenging and the Bearcats cannot afford to open league play in an 0-2 hole.
Here are my previous choices:
Let's put one final bow on the spring with a look at five top breakout players.
JaQuez Jenkins, safety, USF. With starting strong safety Jon Lejiste out for the spring because of injury, Jenkins made his presence immediately felt in the defensive backfield and had one of the best springs of anybody on the Bulls roster. Jenkins was everywhere, making big plays and hard hits. His emergence gives USF a nice problem to have once Lejiste returns in the fall.
Scott Radcliff, receiver, Louisville. The most talked-about receiver after the Cardinals' spring game the former walk-on, who played with the first team and led all receivers with nine catches for 119 yards. He is listed ahead of Eli Rogers at the H-receiver spot on the post-spring depth chart.
Walter Stewart, defensive end, Cincinnati. Yes, Stewart is a returning starter. But he has never had a spring like the one he just completed, in which he was able to maintain what he started as his position. Stewart had been switched to several positions earlier in his career, but now he has a home at end and is ready to be a force this season.
Ray Vinopal, safety, Pitt. Safety could actually turn out to be a position of strength across the Big East with some of the talent that has emerged this spring. Vinopal sat out a year after transferring in from Michigan, and despite the coaching change, had an outstanding spring. He made big plays, forced turnovers and now makes safety a bright spot for the Panthers with Jarred Holley, Andrew Taglianetti and Jason Hendricks all returning.
Ryan Wirth, defensive tackle, UConn. The Huskies lost an NFL player in Kendall Reyes, along with their other starting tackle, so this is a huge question going into the season. But Wirth showed he can make an impact inside, especially after his spring performance, with 4.5 sacks and a safety.
JaQuez Jenkins, safety, USF. With starting strong safety Jon Lejiste out for the spring because of injury, Jenkins made his presence immediately felt in the defensive backfield and had one of the best springs of anybody on the Bulls roster. Jenkins was everywhere, making big plays and hard hits. His emergence gives USF a nice problem to have once Lejiste returns in the fall.
Scott Radcliff, receiver, Louisville. The most talked-about receiver after the Cardinals' spring game the former walk-on, who played with the first team and led all receivers with nine catches for 119 yards. He is listed ahead of Eli Rogers at the H-receiver spot on the post-spring depth chart.
Walter Stewart, defensive end, Cincinnati. Yes, Stewart is a returning starter. But he has never had a spring like the one he just completed, in which he was able to maintain what he started as his position. Stewart had been switched to several positions earlier in his career, but now he has a home at end and is ready to be a force this season.
Ray Vinopal, safety, Pitt. Safety could actually turn out to be a position of strength across the Big East with some of the talent that has emerged this spring. Vinopal sat out a year after transferring in from Michigan, and despite the coaching change, had an outstanding spring. He made big plays, forced turnovers and now makes safety a bright spot for the Panthers with Jarred Holley, Andrew Taglianetti and Jason Hendricks all returning.
Ryan Wirth, defensive tackle, UConn. The Huskies lost an NFL player in Kendall Reyes, along with their other starting tackle, so this is a huge question going into the season. But Wirth showed he can make an impact inside, especially after his spring performance, with 4.5 sacks and a safety.
So I don't think Pitt fans are too happy about the Sunseri news. Understatement?
- Cincinnati linebacker JK Schaffer was tabbed Mr. Bearcat, the first student-athlete in the last 20 years to win the award.
- UConn is the first to offer prep quarterback Richard Lagow of Plano, Texas.
- A look at Kentucky vs. Louisville financially.
- Here is a Pitt preview.
- Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti is flattered, but he isn't thinking about becoming the next Big East commissioner.
- Skip Holtz talks USF football.
- Syracuse received its first commitment for the class of 2013 -- Tyler Provo, brother of Nick Provo.
- The Big West may take in Boise State's other sports.
- UCF is looking ahead to its Big East future.
USA Today has come out with its thorough annual study into expenses and revenues at every single Division I public school, and the results are not all that surprising.
Only 22 schools among all Division I public schools operate in the black, generating enough revenue to cover all athletics expenses. UConn and Louisville are the only two Big East schools that fit that category among the six public league schools that provided information to the news organization.
According to USA Today, revenue generated across all schools increased by $190 million. But spending across 227 public schools in Division I rose by $267 million from a year ago. Subsidies across all schools also have grown. Rutgers receives the greatest help among the Big East schools when it comes to subsidies, at 47.3 percent of its revenue. West Virginia was the only Big East school getting less than 10 percent of its revenues from subsidies.
Check out the interactive database to see where your school stands. Syracuse (private) and Pitt (state exemption) are not included.
Only 22 schools among all Division I public schools operate in the black, generating enough revenue to cover all athletics expenses. UConn and Louisville are the only two Big East schools that fit that category among the six public league schools that provided information to the news organization.
According to USA Today, revenue generated across all schools increased by $190 million. But spending across 227 public schools in Division I rose by $267 million from a year ago. Subsidies across all schools also have grown. Rutgers receives the greatest help among the Big East schools when it comes to subsidies, at 47.3 percent of its revenue. West Virginia was the only Big East school getting less than 10 percent of its revenues from subsidies.
Check out the interactive database to see where your school stands. Syracuse (private) and Pitt (state exemption) are not included.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
