Big East: South Florida Bulls
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.
USF DT Grissom could be back for opener
May, 23, 2012
May 23
10:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- USF coach Skip Holtz delivered some encouraging news during the Big East spring meetings -- starting defensive tackle Cory Grissom is on pace to return for the start of the season.
Grissom broke his ankle during the last week of spring practice, and there were fears the injury could cost him some significant playing time. But after undergoing surgery and beginning rehab, Holtz said Grissom should be medically cleared Aug. 1. If there are no setbacks in his rehab and recovery, he should be able to play Sept. 1 against Chattanooga.
"He’s coming along well," Holtz said. "The swelling is going down, and he’s able to get on the bike and do some exercise things. One of the concerns was his weight that when he comes out of this he’s not 340 pounds and now it takes us a month to get back down to playing weight because of how much he would be limited with his exercise with the injury to the ankle. But he’s doing a great job keeping his weight down, he’s able to get on the weight and do some cardio things to keep his weight down. To this point, there have been no setbacks."
The tricky part will be handling Grissom during training camp. USF will take its time with him, to be sure it can get him up to speed with plenty of time to go before the season begins. All that will depend on how he handles getting back into practice.
"We’re going to have to be careful because we’re not going to be able to take him from 0 to 60 Aug. 1," Holtz said. "We’re going to have to slowly get him back in. Maybe we’ll take him through individual work for a week and no team stuff. Then the second week of camp, maybe we’ll let him do some 1-on-1s. Maybe the third week, he can get into inside drills or half line and hopefully when we get into our season, we’ll have been able to gradually get him back into it.
"He may get into it and at one point it, may start to swell and he may have soreness and we’ll have to pull back. Then you go a little slower with it. We’re going to have to see. It’s not the bone we’re worried about. It’s the ligaments and making sure that the ligaments come back strong enough and healthy enough and we don’t push him too early."
Grissom broke his ankle during the last week of spring practice, and there were fears the injury could cost him some significant playing time. But after undergoing surgery and beginning rehab, Holtz said Grissom should be medically cleared Aug. 1. If there are no setbacks in his rehab and recovery, he should be able to play Sept. 1 against Chattanooga.
"He’s coming along well," Holtz said. "The swelling is going down, and he’s able to get on the bike and do some exercise things. One of the concerns was his weight that when he comes out of this he’s not 340 pounds and now it takes us a month to get back down to playing weight because of how much he would be limited with his exercise with the injury to the ankle. But he’s doing a great job keeping his weight down, he’s able to get on the weight and do some cardio things to keep his weight down. To this point, there have been no setbacks."
The tricky part will be handling Grissom during training camp. USF will take its time with him, to be sure it can get him up to speed with plenty of time to go before the season begins. All that will depend on how he handles getting back into practice.
"We’re going to have to be careful because we’re not going to be able to take him from 0 to 60 Aug. 1," Holtz said. "We’re going to have to slowly get him back in. Maybe we’ll take him through individual work for a week and no team stuff. Then the second week of camp, maybe we’ll let him do some 1-on-1s. Maybe the third week, he can get into inside drills or half line and hopefully when we get into our season, we’ll have been able to gradually get him back into it.
"He may get into it and at one point it, may start to swell and he may have soreness and we’ll have to pull back. Then you go a little slower with it. We’re going to have to see. It’s not the bone we’re worried about. It’s the ligaments and making sure that the ligaments come back strong enough and healthy enough and we don’t push him too early."
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Last May, Bill Stewart joined his colleagues at the Big East spring meetings to tackle league business and catch up with old friends.
One of them, Cincinnati coach Butch Jones, was particularly saddened by the news of Stewart's sudden and tragic passing Monday. When Jones took a job as receivers coach at West Virginia in 2005, Stewart was there as quarterbacks coach. The two grew close in the two seasons Jones spent with the Mountaineers. They then had the opportunity to face each other on opposite sidelines as Big East head coaches.
"Just one year ago, he was sitting in the meetings with us and we were sitting on the beach together talking," Jones recalled Tuesday. "Things like this put things into perspective in all aspects."
Here is the way Jones will remember his good friend:
USF coach Skip Holtz also shared his fondest memory of Stewart.
One of them, Cincinnati coach Butch Jones, was particularly saddened by the news of Stewart's sudden and tragic passing Monday. When Jones took a job as receivers coach at West Virginia in 2005, Stewart was there as quarterbacks coach. The two grew close in the two seasons Jones spent with the Mountaineers. They then had the opportunity to face each other on opposite sidelines as Big East head coaches.
"Just one year ago, he was sitting in the meetings with us and we were sitting on the beach together talking," Jones recalled Tuesday. "Things like this put things into perspective in all aspects."
Here is the way Jones will remember his good friend:
You think of Bill Stewart the man and how much his wife Karen and his son Blaine meant to him. The best word that describes him is family man. They were everything to him. That was first. Him and I have been through a lot of wars together on the same team and also competed against each other. He was an individual of high integrity. We had that special bond from the positions we coached, and our friendship really grew. He was one of the guys who took me under his wing. He was a mentor to a lot of people. A father figure but extremely competitive. He had a love and passion for the state of West Virginia and that university. He used to talk about the old blue and gold, so I will always think about the passion and the affinity he had for Morgantown and the people in that community.
USF coach Skip Holtz also shared his fondest memory of Stewart.
He’s one of those guys that when you would have a big win, your phone would ring and it would be Bill Stewart. But the thing that makes Bill so classy is when you had that heartbreaking loss, your phone would ring and it would be Bill Stewart. I have great respect for him not just as a football coach but as a man and the way he handled everything. We lost one of the good people in this business, without a doubt. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the entire West Virginia family because he was a special individual.
Qualities in the next Big East commissioner?
May, 22, 2012
May 22
3:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- There are plenty of questions surrounding the Big East headed into the summer. One, of course, is who will be the next commissioner?
I took a quick sampling from a few Big East coaches to see what they want in the next leader of the league. Here are a few responses:
Skip Holtz, USF: Somebody that’s going to have the vision, the leadership, the communication to do what’s in the best interest of this league moving forward. I’m excited. From a selfish standpoint, you’d like to have somebody with a football background … but I don’t think that’s what’s going to be mandated or required. I’m just looking for somebody with the leadership skills and strength to come in and run this league and do what’s in the best interest of the members involved.
Butch Jones, Cincinnati: Leadership. Vision, and also it’s, to be proactive. We have great institutions within the Big East Conference. We have a great philosophy on and off the field, with the institutions involved and where we are with the TV market, it’s a great product. We’re more competitive now than we have ever been. We made great additions to the league. Moving forward, that’s what you see.
Kyle Flood, Rutgers: I think the most important thing to me and to our football program at Rutgers is whoever ultimately ends up in that job becomes a vocal advocate for our conference. So whatever issues we decide in our conference, you want somebody who is going to have strong opinions based on the consensus of the people in the conference. And then have the ability to work with the other commissioners and work with the bowl representatives and the TV executives to get the best deal done for everybody.
I took a quick sampling from a few Big East coaches to see what they want in the next leader of the league. Here are a few responses:
Skip Holtz, USF: Somebody that’s going to have the vision, the leadership, the communication to do what’s in the best interest of this league moving forward. I’m excited. From a selfish standpoint, you’d like to have somebody with a football background … but I don’t think that’s what’s going to be mandated or required. I’m just looking for somebody with the leadership skills and strength to come in and run this league and do what’s in the best interest of the members involved.
Butch Jones, Cincinnati: Leadership. Vision, and also it’s, to be proactive. We have great institutions within the Big East Conference. We have a great philosophy on and off the field, with the institutions involved and where we are with the TV market, it’s a great product. We’re more competitive now than we have ever been. We made great additions to the league. Moving forward, that’s what you see.
Kyle Flood, Rutgers: I think the most important thing to me and to our football program at Rutgers is whoever ultimately ends up in that job becomes a vocal advocate for our conference. So whatever issues we decide in our conference, you want somebody who is going to have strong opinions based on the consensus of the people in the conference. And then have the ability to work with the other commissioners and work with the bowl representatives and the TV executives to get the best deal done for everybody.
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.
Time to close out the week with a final installment of the Big East mailblog. It was a busy week at the ACC meetings. There will be plenty more next week with the Big East meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Stay tuned for updates, and a few more notes from Pitt and Syracuse.
Now who has some questions?
Paul in New Jersey writes: AA, If there is no agreement with any of the new BCS proposals, is it possible the conference commissioners would just throw up their arms and continue to operate the BCS under the current rules in 2014?
Andrea Adelson: Anything is possible, Paul, especially when each conference has its own agenda. Just look at this comment from ACC commissioner John Swofford from our media availability Wednesday: "The more this gets focused, the more difficult it will become in terms of getting us all to agree on something. I don’t think we’ll end up back with where we are right now, but it’s possible. We’ll have to see how that plays out."
Paul in the Adirondacks writes: SU fan here who's still bitter about the move to the ACC. Is it wrong of me to feel some joy that FSU might bolt the ACC for another conference? That way they get a taste of their own medicine? Also at this point why don't the Big East and ACC be proactive and join the conferences together to form a beast in all sports?
Adelson: I feel your pain, but you have to come to terms with the fact that Syracuse will indeed become a member of the ACC. Therefore, you should feel no joy that Florida State might bolt for another conference. Florida State is one of the few high-profile football teams the ACC has. If the Seminoles go, then you are looking at potentially another addition from the Big East. If you just want another version of the Big East, then you can jump for joy. But if you want a strong football conference, then you should worry. As for the super conglomerate ACC/Big East, a 27-team conference is really not a conference. C-USA and the Mountain West just tried to create an association, but it appears that might not work out. The ACC has its own interests, so I'm not sure how it would benefit with a joint Big East venture.
Petey D. in Ansonia, Conn., writes: What's the deal with UConn having a plethora of quarterbacks with the offer to the prep school kid
from Plano (Richard Lagow)? Not saying that he even signs with UConn, but, when do they take what they have and develop a couple quarterbacks instead of trying to use a stable of quarterbacks, because we all know if you have more than one starting QB you have no starting QB. And is the front-runner Chandler Whitmer?
Adelson: I don't have any issue with UConn offering a quarterback. Most teams carry somewhere in the neighborhood of four scholarship quarterbacks at one time. That is one position where depth is really important, particularly if the players you sign don't pan out, which has been the case recently for the Huskies. As for the front-runner, my guess is it's Whitmer after his spring-game performance, but coach Paul Pasqualoni has not said anything official.
Frank in Sarasota, Fla., writes: There is no way USF has the support for an on-campus stadium. Ray Jay is a better place than USF will ever be able to build and the student athletic fees are already fairly high. Let us figure out if we will be in Conference USA by 2015. I know I will be at the games no matter what, but how many fans will come out to see the Bulls play Rice, Tulane or another third-tier football school without any regional draw?
Adelson: As opposed to SMU, Houston, San Diego State and Boise State? Or heck, even Rutgers and UConn? As I mentioned in the post, I think it is good that USF is thinking big. But the only way the Bulls should ever do it is if they have the financial backing and are certain they will be able to get a better deal than they have at Raymond James Stadium. The old saying "If you build it, they will come" does not ring true for on-campus stadiums everywhere.
John in Louisville, Ky., writes: AA, hope you are having fun at the ACC meetings, and taking notes on how they are worse than the BE. I have a bowl question. With so many schools located in the north, and quite a few domes in those areas, why don't we have bowls there? Example in Indianapolis, shouldn't be that hard to find a weekend the Colts have an away game and have a B1G vs. BE (or ACC, or B12). Fans would love it and show up in larger numbers than having to travel to the south every year.
Adelson: I will be comparing meetings between the two, that is for sure. As for your questions, cities must want to host bowl games. Indianapolis might be interested in hosting a national championship game. But a second-tier bowl game? Maybe not. There also is an extensive application process even to be approved to host a bowl game. Detroit does host the Little Caesars Bowl, which pits the Big Ten against the MAC. But I'm not sure what other cities would want to start up their own games.
Jonathan in Storrs, Conn., writes: Concerning that USA Today study of the percent of subsidies each school receives from student fees, the 23.8 percent that UConn receives go to the Student Recreation Services as UConn puts that under the athletic department. So the fees technically go the athletic department, but are funneled to the student recreation services for the rec center and intramurals.
Adelson: Thanks for the clarification, Jonathan. Excellent information.
Now who has some questions?
Paul in New Jersey writes: AA, If there is no agreement with any of the new BCS proposals, is it possible the conference commissioners would just throw up their arms and continue to operate the BCS under the current rules in 2014?
Andrea Adelson: Anything is possible, Paul, especially when each conference has its own agenda. Just look at this comment from ACC commissioner John Swofford from our media availability Wednesday: "The more this gets focused, the more difficult it will become in terms of getting us all to agree on something. I don’t think we’ll end up back with where we are right now, but it’s possible. We’ll have to see how that plays out."
Paul in the Adirondacks writes: SU fan here who's still bitter about the move to the ACC. Is it wrong of me to feel some joy that FSU might bolt the ACC for another conference? That way they get a taste of their own medicine? Also at this point why don't the Big East and ACC be proactive and join the conferences together to form a beast in all sports?
Adelson: I feel your pain, but you have to come to terms with the fact that Syracuse will indeed become a member of the ACC. Therefore, you should feel no joy that Florida State might bolt for another conference. Florida State is one of the few high-profile football teams the ACC has. If the Seminoles go, then you are looking at potentially another addition from the Big East. If you just want another version of the Big East, then you can jump for joy. But if you want a strong football conference, then you should worry. As for the super conglomerate ACC/Big East, a 27-team conference is really not a conference. C-USA and the Mountain West just tried to create an association, but it appears that might not work out. The ACC has its own interests, so I'm not sure how it would benefit with a joint Big East venture.
Petey D. in Ansonia, Conn., writes: What's the deal with UConn having a plethora of quarterbacks with the offer to the prep school kid
from Plano (Richard Lagow)? Not saying that he even signs with UConn, but, when do they take what they have and develop a couple quarterbacks instead of trying to use a stable of quarterbacks, because we all know if you have more than one starting QB you have no starting QB. And is the front-runner Chandler Whitmer?
Adelson: I don't have any issue with UConn offering a quarterback. Most teams carry somewhere in the neighborhood of four scholarship quarterbacks at one time. That is one position where depth is really important, particularly if the players you sign don't pan out, which has been the case recently for the Huskies. As for the front-runner, my guess is it's Whitmer after his spring-game performance, but coach Paul Pasqualoni has not said anything official.
Frank in Sarasota, Fla., writes: There is no way USF has the support for an on-campus stadium. Ray Jay is a better place than USF will ever be able to build and the student athletic fees are already fairly high. Let us figure out if we will be in Conference USA by 2015. I know I will be at the games no matter what, but how many fans will come out to see the Bulls play Rice, Tulane or another third-tier football school without any regional draw?
Adelson: As opposed to SMU, Houston, San Diego State and Boise State? Or heck, even Rutgers and UConn? As I mentioned in the post, I think it is good that USF is thinking big. But the only way the Bulls should ever do it is if they have the financial backing and are certain they will be able to get a better deal than they have at Raymond James Stadium. The old saying "If you build it, they will come" does not ring true for on-campus stadiums everywhere.
John in Louisville, Ky., writes: AA, hope you are having fun at the ACC meetings, and taking notes on how they are worse than the BE. I have a bowl question. With so many schools located in the north, and quite a few domes in those areas, why don't we have bowls there? Example in Indianapolis, shouldn't be that hard to find a weekend the Colts have an away game and have a B1G vs. BE (or ACC, or B12). Fans would love it and show up in larger numbers than having to travel to the south every year.
Adelson: I will be comparing meetings between the two, that is for sure. As for your questions, cities must want to host bowl games. Indianapolis might be interested in hosting a national championship game. But a second-tier bowl game? Maybe not. There also is an extensive application process even to be approved to host a bowl game. Detroit does host the Little Caesars Bowl, which pits the Big Ten against the MAC. But I'm not sure what other cities would want to start up their own games.
Jonathan in Storrs, Conn., writes: Concerning that USA Today study of the percent of subsidies each school receives from student fees, the 23.8 percent that UConn receives go to the Student Recreation Services as UConn puts that under the athletic department. So the fees technically go the athletic department, but are funneled to the student recreation services for the rec center and intramurals.
Adelson: Thanks for the clarification, Jonathan. Excellent information.
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.
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.
USF coach Skip Holtz set the conversation on building an on-campus stadium off and rolling last year when he said in a national interview he would be in favor of one if done the right way.
Since then, Bulls fans have waited in anticipation to see if anything would actually happen. Athletic director Doug Woolard was recently asked the same question in an interview with WUSF Public Media after renovations to the basketball arena were completed. This is what he said:
USF currently plays at Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To begin to even think about building an on-campus stadium, note the words "expensive proposition." Because the Bulls already play in such a great stadium, amenities and size wise, I really doubt the Bulls want to do this on the cheap.
They could opt to build an erector-set type stadium for somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe $70 million, but the stadium would be smaller than RayJay and full of metal bleachers. While it's true that a smaller stadium than RayJay is probably more appealing, any future stadium has to be done right, and get the right type of backing.
Particularly when you see the athletic department operated in the red last year, according to USA Today, and got nearly 40 percent of its revenues from subsidies. Outside sources of funding would have to be found, but even then the school would nearly be assured of taking on some sort of debt load. Building a football stadium is much more costly than any of the recent renovations and additions made to the athletic facilities.
It is good that USF is thinking big when it comes to future plans. But they need to be cautious as well, and make sure they have the perfect plan to make their dream a reality.
Since then, Bulls fans have waited in anticipation to see if anything would actually happen. Athletic director Doug Woolard was recently asked the same question in an interview with WUSF Public Media after renovations to the basketball arena were completed. This is what he said:
"It's something I know are in some long-range plans. It would be terrific to have a stadium on campus because for six or seven Saturdays in the fall, to have people throughout the whole region to come to our campus and see what it looks like, 50,000 people on Saturdays, it would be great. At the same time, we play at place right now that is pretty spectacular so I would hope that at some point in the future it would occur. But it's an expensive proposition and it would take a commitment and a business plan that would work to make that happen."
USF currently plays at Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To begin to even think about building an on-campus stadium, note the words "expensive proposition." Because the Bulls already play in such a great stadium, amenities and size wise, I really doubt the Bulls want to do this on the cheap.
They could opt to build an erector-set type stadium for somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe $70 million, but the stadium would be smaller than RayJay and full of metal bleachers. While it's true that a smaller stadium than RayJay is probably more appealing, any future stadium has to be done right, and get the right type of backing.
Particularly when you see the athletic department operated in the red last year, according to USA Today, and got nearly 40 percent of its revenues from subsidies. Outside sources of funding would have to be found, but even then the school would nearly be assured of taking on some sort of debt load. Building a football stadium is much more costly than any of the recent renovations and additions made to the athletic facilities.
It is good that USF is thinking big when it comes to future plans. But they need to be cautious as well, and make sure they have the perfect plan to make their dream a reality.
Serving up your links. ...
- Cincinnati was the only Big East team to finish in the top 25 in the ESPN "College GameDay" contest.
- Former UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway will take over at Hofstra.
- Without Howard Schnellenberger, the College Football Hall of Fame class lacks fire. Video: former Louisville defensive end Greg Scruggs doesn't like the term "turf toe."
- Pitt's lawsuit against the Big East will most likely benefit the Panthers. Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has talked at length about resuming an annual game with Pitt. But there is one small problem.
- You'll be hearing more about Rutgers' inside look at spring practice, airing Saturday.
- Lee Roy Selmon's legacy will live forever at USF.
- Syracuse the No. 92 team in the nation? Four incoming Syracuse freshman will play in the New York State High School Football Classic.
- Is Temple in store for a letdown in the Big East?
Every once in a while, it is important to remember that there is a reason players at every single university in America are called student-athletes.
Because, you know, they are on campus to get that all-important degree. While everybody is familiar with what football players do on Saturday, every athlete you root for has an overloaded schedule filled with classes, study hall, home work, practice and film study. So I felt it is important to recognize two Big East schools that have made some serious strides with their academic reputations this last semester.
USF and Louisville each set program marks for academic performance during the recently completed spring semester. But what makes this an even bigger accomplishment at each school is what they had to overcome to get there.
Just one year ago, the Cardinals announced they lost three scholarships because of a poor Academic Progress Rate performance. APR is a measure of eligibility and retention of student athletes over a four-year span. Its intention is to help schools better track how their players are doing in the classroom. In the 2011 report, Louisville went below the NCAA minimum 925, thanks in part to coaching turnover. During the four-year span that was measured, the Cardinals had three different head coaches (Bobby Petrino, Steve Kragthorpe, Charlie Strong).
Strong put a major emphasis on academics, and that showed this spring. Thirty-seven players had a grade-point average of 3.0 or better -- two had a perfect 4.0. Seventy-three players earned a 2.5 GPA or higher this spring. The team produced a combined 2.76 GPA for the semester, the highest average under Strong.
USF also made major strides since poor APR marks in 2006. Over the past two years, the Bulls have posted the largest APR gains of any team in an automatic qualifying conference. This spring, a program-record 37 student-athletes posted a grade-point average of 3.0 or better. USF also set a new top mark with a semester GPA of 2.76, better than the record of 2.64 set in fall 2011.
Since Skip Holtz became coach in 2010, the number of players with at least a 3.0 GPA has increased each semester.
"I feel like we're really healthy right now as a program," Holtz said on the school's website. "Not just physically, but academically we're on a very sound foundation."
Rutgers already made serious improvements under former coach Greg Schiano, ranking in the top three in APR in the nation in his final four years with the Scarlet Knights. Last year, Cincinnati won the Big East Academic Excellence Award for the 2010 season. The football team had a 2.68 GPA for the 2010-11 year, including an all-time team record of a 2.9 team GPA for the 2011 winter quarter.
And every Big East school was represented on the 2012 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, recognizing college players who maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. The Big East was the only one of the six automatic qualifying conferences that had every school represented.
Because, you know, they are on campus to get that all-important degree. While everybody is familiar with what football players do on Saturday, every athlete you root for has an overloaded schedule filled with classes, study hall, home work, practice and film study. So I felt it is important to recognize two Big East schools that have made some serious strides with their academic reputations this last semester.
USF and Louisville each set program marks for academic performance during the recently completed spring semester. But what makes this an even bigger accomplishment at each school is what they had to overcome to get there.
Just one year ago, the Cardinals announced they lost three scholarships because of a poor Academic Progress Rate performance. APR is a measure of eligibility and retention of student athletes over a four-year span. Its intention is to help schools better track how their players are doing in the classroom. In the 2011 report, Louisville went below the NCAA minimum 925, thanks in part to coaching turnover. During the four-year span that was measured, the Cardinals had three different head coaches (Bobby Petrino, Steve Kragthorpe, Charlie Strong).
Strong put a major emphasis on academics, and that showed this spring. Thirty-seven players had a grade-point average of 3.0 or better -- two had a perfect 4.0. Seventy-three players earned a 2.5 GPA or higher this spring. The team produced a combined 2.76 GPA for the semester, the highest average under Strong.
USF also made major strides since poor APR marks in 2006. Over the past two years, the Bulls have posted the largest APR gains of any team in an automatic qualifying conference. This spring, a program-record 37 student-athletes posted a grade-point average of 3.0 or better. USF also set a new top mark with a semester GPA of 2.76, better than the record of 2.64 set in fall 2011.
Since Skip Holtz became coach in 2010, the number of players with at least a 3.0 GPA has increased each semester.
"I feel like we're really healthy right now as a program," Holtz said on the school's website. "Not just physically, but academically we're on a very sound foundation."
Rutgers already made serious improvements under former coach Greg Schiano, ranking in the top three in APR in the nation in his final four years with the Scarlet Knights. Last year, Cincinnati won the Big East Academic Excellence Award for the 2010 season. The football team had a 2.68 GPA for the 2010-11 year, including an all-time team record of a 2.9 team GPA for the 2011 winter quarter.
And every Big East school was represented on the 2012 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, recognizing college players who maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. The Big East was the only one of the six automatic qualifying conferences that had every school represented.
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.
