ESPN College Football

It is time to evaluate the receiver position in the Big East. For the postseason rankings, I am going to include tight ends as well. Before the season started, I did them separately, but it makes more sense to do them together.

This is a position group that has a clear-cut 1-2. To me, the rest are pretty interchangeable, as no other group really stood out to me this season.

1. West Virginia. Slam dunk to have the Mountaineers on top, given the way Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey performed this season. Each had 1,000-yard seasons -- the first time in school history two players hit that mark. Bailey led the Big East with 12 receiving touchdowns, and was No. 1 in receiving yards per game. Austin was third in receiving yards per game and second in receptions per game. Add in Ivan McCartney, also ranked among the top-10 receivers in the Big East and that says it all. Preseason ranking: No. 2.

2. Rutgers. Mohamed Sanu had an unbelievable season for Rutgers with a school and Big East record 115 receptions. He dominated at receiver, leading the league in receptions per game and finishing second in receiving yards per game. That domination meant his teammates did not get as many opportunities -- Brandon Coleman only had 17 receptions; Mark Harrison 14, Quron Pratt had 32. But when you have an unstoppable force like Sanu, you keep going to him. Preseason ranking: No. 1.

3. Syracuse. When you think of the Orange, you don't necessarily think of high-profile receivers. But Alec Lemon and Nick Provo teamed to have outstanding seasons this year. Both posted career years, Provo made the Big East first team and Lemon made the second team. The two combined for 119 catches and 13 touchdowns. Depth wasn't great, but the performance of Lemon and Provo make up for that and vaults Syracuse here. Preseason ranking: No. 5.

4. Cincinnati. I thought the Bearcats receivers had a down year. D.J. Woods didn't really live up to his potential, and Anthony McClung led the team with 683 yards. That is the fewest yards for the team's leading receiver since 2006. What really sticks out: when Zach Collaros got hurt, the receivers as a whole never really stepped up the way they should have to help Munchie Legaux. Preseason ranking: No. 3.

5. Louisville. The Cardinals did get much better play out of their receivers, and were helped with the impact freshman DeVante Parker and Eli Rogers made. They didn't have anybody with eye-popping numbers, but they did have consistent enough performances out of this group. Preseason ranking: 7.

6. USF. The Bulls were really hurt by injuries at this position, and never really had a go-to guy emerge. Sterling Griffin was en route to a good season before he got hurt; A.J. Love got hurt as well. That left the position in the hands of many young, inexperienced guys. I thought Deonte Welch really had a nice second half. He was their best receiver when Griffin was out. Preseason ranking: 6.

7. UConn. Considering the way the Huskies struggled in the pass game, Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore and Ryan Griffin all put together solid seasons for UConn. Both Moores ranked in the top 10 in the Big East in receiving, and Griffin was the second-best tight end behind Nick Provo. Depth was lacking at the position -- as only five players caught double-digit passes, and only three are true wide receivers. Preseason ranking: 8.

8. Pitt. The Panthers got their tight ends and running backs involved heavily in the pass game, probably because there was depth lacking at the actual receiver position. Devin Street put together a solid season, with 754 yards receiving, and Mike Shanahan was decent. But otherwise, big plays were lacking. Passing game woes obviously had an impact. Preseason ranking: 4.

Time to check in to see how some players from the Big East fared during the college all-star games this past weekend.

In the East-West Shrine Bowl on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.:

• USF safety Jerrell Young and offensive guard Jeremiah Warren played for the East team, which lost to the West 24-17. Young finished the game with five tackles. Warren was selected team captain for his efforts throughout the week and started the game.
• West Virginia defensive standouts Julian Miller, Najee Goode and Keith Tandy also played in the game. Miller and Tandy nearly had interceptions.
• ESPN Scouts Inc. had observations about the game and practice in this draft blog . Miller and Warren received some notice.

In the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday in Carson, Calif.:

• Syracuse running back Antwon Bailey had 12 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown to lead the National team to a 20-14 win over the American team in the inaugural NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Safety Phillip Thomas also played in the game, making four tackles for the American squad. Bailey led all rushers, and also had three catches for 11 yards. His 8-yard touchdown run in the second quarter put his team up 10-0.

In the Battle of Florida on Saturday in Boca Raton:

• Louisville receiver Josh Bellamy had a 60-yard touchdown pass from Stephen Garcia in the third quarter as the North team beat the South 51-3. Bellamy ended with 90 yards on three receptions. Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden coached the North team, and the game got so out of hand, a running clock was used midway through the third quarter.
• Seven USF players were on the North team. Chaz Hine, A.J. Love, Kevin McCaskill, Patrick Hampton, Keith McCaskill and Quenton Washington started. Claude Davis had an early impact with a sack and forced fumble that led to a touchdown.
• Pitt running back Zach Brown had three carries for eight yards for the South team.
• Most of the players in the game are considered long shots for the draft, but there were 140 scouts there from the NFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League.

Senior Bowl practices begin this week with Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe and UConn defensive tackle Kendall Reyes.

You saw Part I of my Q&A with USF coach Skip Holtz.

Here is Part II of my interview with USF coach Skip Holtz, in which he talks about B.J. Daniels, Bobby Eveld and expectations for next season.

How would you rate B.J. Daniels’ performance this season?

SH: He made more progress. He’s a lot better this year than he was a year ago and probably even better than I thought he could be. It's not only B.J., but he starts the year throwing the ball to Terrence Mitchell, Sterling Griffin, A.J. Love. We were all excited they were back, and in middle season he’s throwing to Deonte Welch, Ruben Gonzalez, and Andre Davis, because those other guys were out. That’s just part of what we went through during the season. I reflect back to early in the year. He threw the ball to the field instead of the boundary. I said, ‘Why did you do that?’ And he basically said, ‘I don't have the same confidence in the freshmen as I do with Sterling Griffin.’ That confidence had to be built through the course of the season. Some of the injuries we had, had something to do with it but B.J. finished second in the league in total offense. … When you look at the program, we were better off than we were a year ago. B.J. is a much better quarterback than he was a year ago. He did a much better job of protecting the football and running the offense, showed maturity and poise. I couldn't be more excited about what he did.

But what about Bobby Eveld? He struggled when he went in there. Will there be a competition between him and Matt Floyd in the spring?

SH: We’ll give them an opportunity to compete. Bobby is a better quarterback than he was year ago, but Bobby did not look as comfortable playing later in the year as I would have liked to with a guy who had a year under his belt. From that standpoint, I think we've got to roll the ball out and let them compete. I want to see B.J. continue to improve, but the strides he has to make from this year to next year are not nearly as great than the ones he had to make from last year to this year. He still can get better, and he still can improve. He's getting pretty close to being a complete quarterback. With Bobby and Matt, they need to continue to compete.

What about Darrell Scott? Will he be back?

SH: Darrell Scott is going through the advisory board process. All indications are he'd like to come back but he'd like to see where he is right now. I would love to see him come back not just selfishly. I’d be the first one to say if he comes back and says he's going in the first round, he needs to go. I think he could benefit from coming back. I think he could help his draft status, but he has to make the decision in the best interest of him and his family. But I'd love to see him come back.

USF has been able to win big nonconference games, but can’t consistently win in Big East play. How do you change that?

SH: Some of those close games we talked about losing, those are the games we're going to have to win. I do believe we are that close but that's the next step for this program. We have had some big nonconference wins. The biggest thing we talked about from the start of camp that we needed to improve was our depth. I felt like depth was a concern. Unfortunately, you're going to get into those situations where some young guys are going to have to step up. … Can we win here? I do believe we can win a Big East championship here. I believe with the team we have returning, with the experience we have, we have a chance to be a pretty good football team if we continue to make the same strides we made this year.

What is the biggest thing you learned about yourself this season?

SH: Not that I learned, but you reiterate the details is the difference between winning and losing. It's not that you threw a touchdown pass; it’s that you don't have a personal foul on a critical drive. It’s that you don’t have a missed assignment. It was like that in nine of the 12 games we had. We had a lead with 10 minutes or less to go. We sit here at 5-7, and I am encouraged by this football team. I love their attitude. I love the way they work every week. I love the way they come to practice. It's just the wins were elusive.

Are you planning on making changes to your staff?

SH: I'm having a lot of my exit interviews now. As soon as we finished our last game, the majority of our coaches went on the road recruiting. I have to sit down and meet with everybody. I have to evaluate a little bit of the season and where we are.

Here are a few Big East news and notes from the final coaches teleconference of the season.

Cincinnati

Coach Butch Jones said Jordan Luallen will remain a part of the game plan against UConn in the season finale, after Luallen had 77 yards on six carries against Syracuse last week. He nearly had two touchdowns, but came up just short both times. Once, he fell at the 1 without being tackled.

"He's an individual who has great intensity, great energy and he's one of our team leaders, and our players really rally around him. He came in and gave us a spark. I thought Munchie (Legaux) took great strides from Week 1 to Week 2. We think he's going to do nothing but get better. Jordan has to learn how to pick his ankles up to keep him from not falling down on the 1-yard line."

Connecticut

The Huskies have played multiple quarterbacks for a majority of the season, and are now facing a team that will do the same against them. Though they are coming off a big win against Rutgers, coach Paul Pasqualoni is aware of what his team is facing on the road against the Bearcats.

"This will be a big challenge for us to go on the road and play a real physical defense, and an offense that scores a lot of points. This will be hard for us," he said.

Louisville

Coach Charlie Strong is hopeful to get some of his injured players on defense back for the bowl game. Defensive linemen Randy Salmon, B.J. Butler and Greg Scruggs have missed a good portion of the season with various ailments, so the month off between games should help get them back on the field.

"We would love to have those guys back," Strong said.

Pittsburgh

Coach Todd Graham said running back Zach Brown (bruised sternum) and receiver Ronald Jones (concussion) were questionable for the finale against Syracuse after getting hurt in the loss against West Virginia. If Brown is unable to go, the Panthers would start their third running back of the season -- true freshman Isaac Bennett.

"We're hopeful Zach will be able to play," Graham said. "If it's possible, he will because he's a tough guy. "

Rutgers

Coach Greg Schiano reiterated his disappointment over his team's performance in a 40-22 loss to UConn, costing his team at least a share of the conference title.

"I thought we had a great week of practice," Schiano said. "I thought they dealt with the hype of the game really well. We just did not perform with precision, we didn’t coach with precision, organization was not precise enough to be able to win a game against a good team like Connecticut in their stadium."

USF

Starting quarterback B.J. Daniels remains questionable with a bruised shoulder, and coach Skip Holtz didn't give any indication about whether he thought Daniels would be able to play Thursday against West Virginia.

"He was able to throw a little bit last night, but I don't know that he's going to be able to have the velocity on the ball or be able to protect himself," Holtz said. "We know he can go out there and run around right now, because his legs are fine, we'll just have to see how he rehabs and heals. We're going to have to wait and see how he responds to the treatment."

Holtz added there is a chance receivers Sterling Griffin and A.J. Love could return this week.

Syracuse

Coach Doug Marrone says his players have got to respond to the adversity that has hit in order to beat Pittsburgh in the season finale and make it to a bowl game. Syracuse has lost four straight after starting the season 5-2.

"It's a difficult situation," Marrone said. "We try to teach our players about adversity early on and in the offseason. Now it's real. Now you have to fight your way through it and go. A lot of the focus right now is making sure we get in the proper state of mind for how we're getting ready to attack, and go out there and play and not worry about not making a mistake or things that cause us to be tight. We just need to go out there and play a good football game."

West Virginia

Coach Dana Holgorsen said he would start Curtis Feigt at right tackle and Quinton Spain at right guard against USF. Both came on in relief -- for Tyler Rader and Pat Eger -- against Pittsburgh, and helped solidify the offensive line. Feigt is a converted defensive lineman who saw his first real significant action of the season last week.

Holgorsen added that Corey Smith would start the game at punter.

Every Big East team, minus West Virginia, has now released depth charts. I already took a look at Louisville and Pitt. Here is a quick glance at the others:

Cincinnati

• Only a few competitions remain before the opener Saturday against Austin Peay. At right guard, it will be either Austen Bujnoch or Andre Cureton. Chris Williams and Reuben Johnson are still fighting for the nickelback spot.
• Blake Annen will start over Adrien Robinson at tight end.
• The Bearcats have plenty of true freshmen sprinkled throughout the two-deep. Alex Chisum and Shaq Washington are listed as backup receivers. Ralph David Abernathy IV is listed as the kickoff returner. But at linebacker, three true freshmen should play: Nick Temple, Clemente Casseus and Dwight Jackson. Though Jameel Poteat had a good camp, George Winn still is the backup behind Isaiah Pead at running back.

Connecticut

• No clarity at quarterback, where you have Scott McCummings or Johnny McEntee or Michael Nebrich. We won't know who starts until the game against Fordham Thursday.
• There are still position competitions ongoing: at left guard, Gary Bardzak or Steve Greene will start; at tight end, Ryan Griffin or John Delahunt. Even at tailback, where it will be D.J. Shoemate or Lyle McCombs.

Rutgers

• Paul Carrezola and D.C. Jefferson are still competing for the starting tight end job. Defense also still has some positions up in the air. Manny Abreu or Michael Larrow will start at defensive end; Marvin Booker or Ka'Lial Glaud will start at the other end; Anthony DiPaula and Justin Doerner are competing to be the punter.
• There are true freshmen listed on the two-deep at critical spots: backup quarterback Gary Nova, backup right tackle Kaleb Johnson; backup defensive tackle Kenneth Kirksey and backup linebacker Kevin Snyder. You also have Savon Huggins, who might start at running back.

Syracuse

• There are not many surprises on the Syracuse depth chart. With Keon Lyn hurt for a chunk of spring, Ri'Shard Anderson will start at cornerback. Prince-Tyson Gulley or Jeremiah Kobena will handle kickoffs.
• As expected, freshman Dyshawn Davis will start at linebacker. Freshman Brandon Reddish, who turned heads during fall camp, will be a backup to Kevyn Scott at cornerback.

USF

• Evan Landi made the transition from receiver to tight end during fall camp, and now he is penciled in to start there over Andreas Shields.
• At running back, Darrell Scott or Demetris Murray will start.
• We heard a lot about the speedsters at receiver, and true freshmen Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez, but none are listed on the two-deep. Behind A.J. Love, Sterling Griffin and Joel Miller, you have Deonte Welch, Victor Marc and Stephen Bravo-Brown, a former walk-on who just earned a scholarship.
• Defensive tackle Elkino Watson and punter Mattias Ciabatti are the only true freshmen listed on the two deep.

Here are your links for today ...

• Kyle Flood looks to help the Rutgers offensive line rebound in 2011. True freshman Kaleb Johnson has already made an impact on the offensive line. The punting competition is worth watching.
• Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe says, "We're going to be the best defense in the Big East." The commitment of prep quarterback Bennie Coney has Cincinnati rolling in recruiting.
• Despite losses, UConn has depth at receiver. The first practice in pads turned physical.
• Louisville kicker Chris Philpott says he's bigger and better.
• Pitt has three cornerbacks who have proven they can play at a high level. There is no timetable for when Dan Mason can return for the Panthers, but he vows to be back this season.
• A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin have helped each other return after injuries kept them out for USF last season. Defensive end Ryne Giddins is taking his game up a notch.
• Impressions from Day 5 at Syracuse. The Orange picked up a commitment from Virginia prep linebacker Darius Parson.
• West Virginia backup quarterback Paul Millard is eager for playing time. Dana Holgorsen is so concerned about depth he is marketing a walk-on tryout Aug. 22. Reciever Ivan McCartney has something to prove.
• Athlon ranks the best units in the Big East.

Welcome to your Friday edition of the Big East mailbag. Hope everyone has a terrific weekend.

Ritchie T. in Mims, Fla., writes: How can USF win anything since you don't even have one WR ranked in the top 10 ? How bad must they be that out of eight teams, you don't find one guy that could make the list? Unless their defense can shut everyone out, other teams will put eight in the box and shut them down.

Andrea Adelson: Look at the USF receivers and tell me who deserves to be in the top 10. Try to be unbiased when you do so. There are so many question marks. I thought about putting Sterling Griffin in there but he is totally unproven. A.J. Love? You could make a case but he is coming off an ACL injury. Lindsey Lamar? Known more for special teams at this point. I think this is the biggest question mark on the offense, and my rankings reflect that. As for your contention that USF has "nobody" on offense, I did have B.J. Daniels ranked No. 4 -- pretty high for a player who has been as inconsistent as he has been. So that means I expect him to be able to elevate a receiving corps that needs to be elevated.

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Dave in Connecticut writes: If they want to peel back the curtain of amateurism with pay-for-play, then do so completely and remove the university from the equation all together. If athletes are no longer amateurs, then they should not be left under the guise of university control. Most -- if not all -- schools have athletic foundations today; so, just franchise these as for-profit businesses. Boosters and donors would become shareholders; they would own and run the athletics department. Each foundation would still be affiliated with only one school and only "hire" students from that school for their teams. The foundations could pay the tuition, room, board, etc. for their employees -- or just pay them outright as a job. From the university's perspective, these student-athletes would be just like any other student with a job paying for and attending classes.

Adelson writes: Dave, how exactly would this make everything better? First of all, I am not sure that these athletic foundations would have the money to be able to pay out what it costs for scholarships, and then also help the athletic departments in the way that they do. Not every foundation is rolling in cash. I still am hoping in the whole "amateur" enterprise, even though college sports is bigger business today than ever. You would just be talking about athletes for hire -- and I still think there would be some players looking for ways to put even more dollars in their pockets no matter whether they are paid from a foundation or not.

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Drew in Cincinnati writes: Andrea, great job on the blog. However, you are correct that Cincinnati Bearcat fans would be questioning your placement of Geno Smith over Zach Collaros in the QB rankings. Much of your argument lies in the "potential" that Geno Smith might have with Coach (Dana) Holgorsen. However, I think that argument might be a little thin, as "potential" is extremely subjective. For example, if we used "potential", Travis Kelce might have the "potential" to be the best tight end in the Big East...etc., etc. Instead, with these two, there appears to be a proven and immediate track record that should have Collaros as No. 1 in the ranking. Shouldn't we rely more on the stats at hand?

Adelson writes: Thanks, Drew. I did look at stats, as I mentioned in the write-up in the quarterback rankings. Zach Collaros had a league-high 14 interceptions last season, and his completion percentage was less than 60 percent. He threw for two more touchdowns and 139 more yards than Smith last season. Now tell me, do those stats jump out at you and say Collaros should be the overwhelming favorite as the No. 1 quarterback? You are right, I do mention "potential" a lot in these rankings. But once again, we can take a look at the stats of the quarterbacks who have played under Holgorsen and project out a better season for Smith.

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UConnJ in Westbrook, Conn., writes: Re: naming "athletic dorms" for paying customers- the issue is that some schools actually have the jocks mingle with the rest of the student body. UConn does this; I'm from Ann Arbor and this was always one of the (many) bones of contention between UM and OSU (guess which does which).

Adelson writes: Does it matter who lives in the dorm as long as somebody wants to pony up and put a name on it?

We continue our team position rankings today with receiver. This is an area of great potential for plenty of teams around the league, especially with some of the high-octane offenses that we are going to see. Only three teams return their leading receiver from last season. The overriding theme seems to be this: there is a lot of talent, but much of it is unproven. So how are these receivers going to step up?

To make these rankings, I considered returning starters, accolades for returning starters, depth and potential.

1. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have proven talent and depth at this position, putting them at the top spot in these rankings. When healthy, Mark Harrison and Mohamed Sanu form one of the top 1-2 punches in the entire league. Add in Brandon Coleman, who had an outstanding spring, along with Tim Wright returning from injury and the top four looks as solid as it gets. Let's not forget incoming speedsters Miles Shuler and Tejay Johnson, who have the potential to play as well.

2. West Virginia. The Mountaineers have Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and a whole bunch of questions at the position. But with the new offense Dana Holgorsen is bringing in, other receivers have a chance to be more effective. Austin is about as close as you can come to a surefire first-team All-Big East player. Ryan Nehlen had a nice spring and could be the surprise of the season. So could Tyler Urban, a converted tight end. How will Brad Starks do after shoulder surgery? Will Ivan McCartney live up to his potential? There is talent here and great potential if everybody lives up to expectations.

3. Cincinnati. The Bearcats are stocked with talent, but many of these skill players have got to gain experience and fast with Armon Binns, Marcus Barnett, Vidal Hazelton and Ben Guidugli gone. D.J. Woods is expected to be a first-team All-Big East selection. But beyond he and Anthony McClung, you have got young guys -- junior college transfers Kenbrell Thompkins and Damon Julian, redshirt freshman Dyjuan Lewis, freshmen Shaq Washington, Chris Moore, Alex Chisum and Max Morrison. Thompkins showed great promise in the spring.

4. Pittsburgh. The Panthers lose their leading receiver in Jon Baldwin, but the duo of Mike Shanahan and Devin Street could each be 1,000-yard receivers. Behind them, though, there are some questions and inexperience. Junior Cameron Saddler is going to have to step up. Redshirt freshmen Salath Williams, Drew Carswell, junior college transfer Josh Brinson and true freshman Justin Jackson are all young but have a chance to be big contributors. Pitt also is waiting to hear whether UNC transfer Brendon Felder will have his petition for immediate eligibility granted.

5. Syracuse. The Orange have plenty of solid returning receivers in Van Chew, Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon but what this team is really lacking is big-play potential. In five games last season, Syracuse failed to complete a pass that went longer than 30 yards. In fact, Ryan Nassib averaged 6.5 yards per pass attempt. A healthy Jarrod West could help those numbers improve. Dorian Graham has to work on his hands, too.

6. USF. The Bulls lose leading receiver Dontavia Bogan, but they return injured players Sterling Griffin and A.J. Love to the mix, which is going to be huge. Lindsey Lamar and Evan Landi also return, along with Terrence Mitchell, Joel Miller and Faron Hornes. Deonte Welch had a nice spring game and is listed as a backup behind Landi. True freshman Andre Davis has the potential to contribute as well. The Bulls have plenty of depth here but there are still some questions about this group, especially with Griffin and Love coming off injuries.

7. Louisville. The Cardinals lose their top two receivers, and have got to figure out a way to make big plays and stretch the field with a young group. Josh Bellamy appears to be the go-to man headed into 2011, and much is going to be expected of Andrell Smith and Michaelee Harris. Both are coming off injuries and were unable to practice in the spring. True freshmen are most likely going to be relied upon, giving Eli Rogers and DeVante Parker and opportunity to play.

8. Connecticut. A playmaker has got to emerge from this group to help out whoever is going to be playing quarterback. The Huskies lost leading receiver Mike Smith because of academics. Kashif Moore, Ryan Griffin and Isiah Moore return but UConn is going to need some of its redshirt freshmen like Geremy Davis and Tebucky Jones Jr. to step up. The Huskies are not preparing to run the spread, so the potential for a 1,000-yard receiver in this group is low.

Previous rankings:

• Offensive line

We continue our look at Big East title chances for each team in the league. Up next: USF. There are plenty of reasons to believe the Bulls could win the league this year. Skip Holtz has a history of doing well in Year 2, B.J. Daniels has the potential to have a breakout season, the defense returns Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore and they get West Virginia at home to close the season.

Why USF will win the league title

1. B.J. Daniels takes charge. Holtz expects much out of Daniels this season after seeing improvement at the end of the year. Daniels was bowl MVP against Clemson, going 20-of-27 for 189 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and ran for another. Holtz saw a continuing progression into spring football and believes the time is now for a breakout season. "B.J. is not only starting to pick up the offense, this was his first year going through spring practice in the same offense he ran the fall before," Holtz said. "Watching him take the next step in growing through that, I use the analogy all the time: He’s taken French I, Latin and Spanish I and now he’s going into Spanish II. To see the steps he’s taken has been exciting."

2. Better running back production. USF has not had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2005, but hopes are high for that to change this season with the addition of Colorado transfer Darrell Scott. Dontae Aycock also is eligible after transferring in from Auburn, and you also have second-leading rusher Demetris Murray returning. Marcus Shaw is back, too. This position has depth and could be one of strength.

3. Solid D. USF returns six starters on defense and should be stronger at each position. Big things are projected for defensive end Ryne Giddins. Lattimore and Barrington anchor the linebacker group after combining for 134 tackles last season, and Mike Jeune and Reshard Cliett provide excellent depth. The secondary returns three of four starters, including Jon Lejiste. This unit could be the best in the league.

Why USF won't win the league title

1. Daniels regresses. What if Daniels takes a step back and does not continue to improve the way he should? Then USF will be in big trouble. What the Bulls need most out of him is consistency, and he has yet to show that during a full season. A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin are back from injuries, so that should help, but the pressure to get the passing game going and efficient rests on Daniels, who ended last season with 13 interceptions to 11 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 58.

2. Inexperience. Yes, the Bulls only lose 15 letter winners, but a majority of those were starters. Only 11 starters return, and USF loses big-time contributors in leading tackler Jacquain Williams, leading rusher Moise Plancher, leading receiver Dontavia Bogan, Terrell McClain, Mistral Raymond, Sampson Genus and Jacob Sims. The offensive line only has two starters returning and is going to rely on a redshirt freshman at one of the tackle positions.

3. Schedule. USF has had a history of losing games late in the season and has to turn that trend around in order to have a shot at winning its first conference title. The last time the Bulls posted a winning record in their final four games was 2007. The Bulls do close the season with three home games, so that is a positive. But on the other hand, they only get three conference games at home. Its first conference game is at Pittsburgh, quite an early season test.

Previously featured:

• West Virginia

Onward we march with the Hope and Concern series, looking at each Big East team's top reasons for optimism and pessimism in the 2011 season. We've reached the South Florida Bulls.

Biggest reason for hope: Defensive depth

If you asked a casual, non-Big East-centric college football fan to name one South Florida defensive player, you'd probably be greeted by a blank stare. Skip Holtz called this a no-name defense last year, and that side of the ball lost arguably its top player last year in NFL draftee Terrell McClain. So why is this listed as the biggest reason for hope? Because the Bulls still have a whole lot to work with on defense. As usual, the defensive line is well stocked all over, with potential breakout years by ends Patrick Hampton and Ryne Giddins. The team needs to find some reliable backups at defensive tackle but has many candidates. Linebacker is in good shape with Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore returning as starters, and guys like Mike Jeune, Reshard Cliett stepping up this spring. And the Bulls have all of their top safeties and a returning starter at cornerback. Add all of that up plus whatever contributions some fresh faces can offer, and defensive coordinator Mark Snyder should have the talent to challenge opposing offenses.

Biggest reason for concern: The passing game

The running game will likely improve from last year with the addition of Colorado transfer Darrell Scott and the return of Demetris Murray. But the Bulls probably are only going as far as their passing game goes. It was often brutal at times last season, thanks both to inexperience at the receiver position and poor decision making by quarterback B.J. Daniels, as USF finished ahead of only UConn in passing yards per game. Another year in the system should help Daniels grow and show the poise he did in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Clemson, but the receivers did not take a step forward this spring to Holtz's disappointment. Perhaps A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin can add more if they continue to heal from injuries, and Terrence Mitchell looks like a future difference-maker. It's difficult to win in college football without a passable passing game, and South Florida won't live up to its potential until that part of its game comes along for the ride.

2010 overall record: 8-5
2010 conference record: 3-4, tied for fifth in Big East

Returning starters:

Offense: 4. Defense: 6. Punter/kicker: 2.

Top returners:

QB B.J. Daniels, RB Demetris Murray, LB Sam Barrington, LB DeDe Lattimore, WR A.J. Love, S Jon Lejiste

Key losses:

C Sampson Genus, DT Terrell McClain, RB Mo Plancher, WR Dontavia Bogan, LB Jacquian Williams, CB Mistral Raymond

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Mo Plancher (793 yards)
Passing: B.J. Daniels* (1,685 yards)
Receiving: Dontavia Bogan (685 yards)
Tackles: Jacquian Williams (71)
Sacks: Jon Lejiste* and Craig Marshall (4)
Interceptions: Jerrell Young* (3)

Spring answers

1. Quarterback security: At this time last spring, South Florida had B.J. Daniels and no other quarterbacks who had taken a college snap. Head coach Skip Holtz said he would make it an open competition this spring between Daniels and former walk-on Bobby Eveld, but Daniels mostly carried over his solid play from the Meineke Car Care Bowl to hold onto the starting spot. And now the Bulls know they can rely on Eveld, and freshman Matt Floyd showed some good things this spring. Holtz goes into his second year in Tampa feeling much better about his quarterback position.

2. Ground gains: USF was really a run-first offense last year and should be even better running the ball in 2011. Demetris Murray was a co-starter last year and kept his grip on the No. 1 tailback job after a solid spring. Colorado transfer Darrell Scott had a nagging hamstring injury but flashed the talent that once made him the nation's most sought-after tailback recruit. Add in Auburn transfer Dontae Aycock and Marcus Shaw, and the Bulls have depth and versatility in the backfield.

3. Solid back seven: South Florida has churned out pro prospects at linebacker and defensive back of late, and that again looks to be an area of strength this season. The Bulls bring back all four of their top safeties, led by veterans Jon Lejiste and Jerrell Young, plus experienced corners in Kayvon Webster and Quenton Washington. Starters Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore return at linebacker, and there's good depth with Mike Lanaris, Curtis Weatherspoon and the spring emergence of Reshard Cliett and Mike Jeune.

Fall questions

1. Catch me if you can: Daniels' passing numbers looked bad at times in the spring, and Holtz often blamed the receivers. The Bulls weren't very good in the passing game last year and lost leading receiver Dontavia Bogan to graduation. A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin struggled to get all the way back from last year's injuries. Sophomore Terrence Mitchell looked like a promising playmaker on occasion, but overall the group needs to get a whole lot better this summer.

2. Offensive line concerns: South Florida has to replace All-Big East center Sampson Genus and both starting tackles from last season. Some veterans are still around, like Mark Popek, Jeremiah Warren and Chaz Hine, and redshirt freshman Quinterrius Eatmon locked up the right tackle job with a good spring. Still, this group needs to jell this summer and find some more depth behind the starters.

3. Defensive tackle depth: The coaching staff feels good about the defensive ends, but there are still some questions on the interior after losing third-round NFL pick Terrell McClain. Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill are veterans at the inside positions and should be fine at starter; the Bulls would like more depth behind them. They would love to see a young player like Todd Chandler or even incoming freshman Elkino Watson step up during fall camp to solidify the rotation there.

About a week ago, Jake Locker stopped by South Florida's football complex with Jon Gruden. The NFL prospect wanted to throw a few balls with the Bulls receivers.

A.J. Love figured that was as good a time as any to see how much he could do.

"When the lights come on, you've got to show up," he said. "That was the first time I pushed as hard as I could, as far as routes go."

The USF senior receiver found out that day that his surgically repaired left knee was 100 percent. And since South Florida's spring practices began late last week, he said the coaches "have unleashed me."

If only they could have done that last season. Love had a standout spring a year ago and was emerging as the team's potential No. 1 wideout. But in the spring game, of all places, he tore his ACL.

"That was really tough, because I had just gone through everything with my teammates and worked so hard to get ready for the season," he said. "I felt like I let them down, too, because they had been dependent on me."

Love hoped for a speedy recovery so he could rejoin the Bulls for the second half of last season. But after a minor setback in early November, he shelved that idea and put his trust in the hands of the NCAA, praying for a sixth year of eligibility. Head coach Skip Holtz delivered the good news after the team's second bowl practice last December.

Now, Love is trying to round back into form, and the Bulls could use the ability he flashed last spring. Last year's top receiver, Dontavia Bogan, is gone, and though the team has a deeper, more experienced group at wideout, there is still no definite top guy. Love's 489 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2009 stands as the most returning production at the position.

He says he has no limitations at practice and is wearing a knee brace this spring only as a precaution. His biggest hurdle, as it is for many players coming off injuries, might be mental.

"You have to gain that confidence back," Holtz told reporters last week. "You’re very tentative on it. He’s going to have to get that confidence back, but the other thing is knock the rust off. So many times when you’re thinking about your leg, you’re not thinking about catching the ball, you’re not thinking about turning and running a route on your defender.”

Love has been through this before, though, missing the 2006 season with a thumb injury and hurting his other knee.

"You can't be scared playing this game," he said. "I know injuries happen, and it's out of my control if it does happen, anyway. So I just go out there and play."

Love said he learned more about the game as an extra coach on the sidelines, seeing things that players sometimes miss when they're in the heat of the battle. He knows the offense after two years of studying it, and he has good chemistry with quarterback B.J. Daniels because they have thrown together for the past three years.

Love is ready to make good on his statement last year that he would be the Bulls' No. 1 receiver. The spring can't end and the fall can't begin soon enough for him.

"I'm very anxious," he said. "I've waited a year for this."

Spring practice is just around the corner -- South Florida will be on its new practice fields next week, while other Big East teams will follow suit shortly after.

So here's a look at what to expect from each league team this spring.

Cincinnati

Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Fixing the defense: There's little doubt that improving the defense is the first order of business in Clifton. The Bearcats ranked last in the Big East last season while giving up 28 points per game. The good news is that all 11 starters on that side of the ball are back. The bad news is those are the same guys who couldn't get it done a season ago. An extra year of maturity should help, and Butch Jones expects more depth and competition on defense, including the arrival of junior-college import Malcolm Murray at safety.

• Restocking the Binns: Cincinnati should still be strong on offense with the return of senior quarterback Zach Collaros and senior Isaiah Pead, the leading returning rusher in the Big East. Yet the loss of the league's most productive receiver in 2010, Armon Binns, means the Bearcats need to find a few more guys to make plays at receiver. D.J. Woods is an obvious choice as the new go-to guy, but he'll have to solve his fumble problems. Transfer Kenbrell Thompkins, who couldn't get eligible last season, will look to step forward. Another sidelined receiver, freshman Dyjuan Lewis, won't be cleared to join in team activities until the summer.

• Looking for leaders: One of the problems during the 2010 4-8 season, as voiced by departing senior Jason Kelce and implied by Jones, was a lack of leadership on the team. Hey, it happens sometimes when your program has been to back-to-back BCS games and young players feel an undeserved sense of entitlement. Jones has been trying to change that, and we should be able to tell during the spring whether some new leaders have emerged.

Connecticut

Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Back to the future: For the first time since the end of 1990s, and for the first time ever as an FBS-level program, the Huskies will have someone other than Randy Edsall leading them through practice in March. Former longtime Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni took over when Edsall left for Maryland, and Pasqualoni hired new coordinators (George DeLeone on offense and Don Brown on defense) to mix in with the holdovers from Edsall's staff. UConn has been doing things the same way for a long time, and with pretty strong results. How will the team react to Pasqualoni's new-look, old-school ways?

• Backfield in motion: Quarterback Zach Frazer is gone. Star tailback Jordan Todman left early for the NFL. Fullback Anthony Sherman graduated. Everything behind center is new. The quarterback position looks pretty wide open, with sophomore Michael Box perhaps having the edge after making one (very unsuccessful) start in 2010. Early enrollee Michael Nebrich is one to watch. How will the Huskies replace Todman? Good question. Robbie Frey decided to concentrate on graduate school, leaving USC transfer D.J. Shoemate as the only experienced ballcarrier. Freshman Lyle McCombs' status is unclear for spring after his offseason arrest, and the two running backs in the signing class won't arrive until summer. Right now, it's anybody's guess as to who might carry on the UConn running back tradition.

• Reloading at linebacker: The Connecticut defense brings a lot back, but one position that needs refilling is linebacker. Lawrence Wilson, who led the Big East in tackles the past two seasons, and Scott Lutrus, a four-year starter and solid leader, both exhausted their eligibility. Sio Moore looks like a rising star and had some huge games in 2010, but the other two positions have large shoes to fill.

Louisville

Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 15

What to watch:

• Smooth sailing for Bridegwater?: The Cardinals' most pressing issue is at quarterback, where senior co-starters Justin Burke and Adam Froman are gone. Highly-touted recruit Teddy Bridgewater will participate in the spring, and how quickly he picks up the college game and coordinator Mike Sanford's system could go a long way to determining what happens this fall. If he needs more time, senior Will Stein will happily take the reins.

• Rebuilding the O-line: The key to Louisville's offensive success was its senior-laden line, which proved to be the best in the Big East a year ago. But now four new starters must be found to go along with center Mario Benavides. The new guys must get up to speed and develop chemistry quickly for the running game and presumed new starter Jeremy Wright to duplicate last season's progress.

• Last line of defense: Louisville's defense was most vulnerable at its back end at times last season, and now the Cardinals must replace both starting cornerbacks (including All-Big East first team performer Johnny Patrick), no to mention two senior linebackers. An obvious candidate to take over some leadership is safety Hakeem Smith, who was the Big East rookie of the year. The plus side is that Charlie Strong and coordinator Vance Bedford will have more young talent to work with.

Pittsburgh

Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Golden Graham?: There will be no more drastic change in the Big East this spring than the offense at Pittsburgh, which will go from a run-based pro-style attack to Graham's no-huddle, wide-open, points-per-minute machine. Can the Panthers get this new offense up and running this spring? Does Graham have the players to make it work? And how will his offense, so successful in Conference USA, translate into the more rugged Big East? All those questions will be fascinating to follow.

• Quarterback competition: Junior Tino Sunseri started every game in his first year at the controls in 2010, and he played well at times. But a new style and new coaching staff means that he might have an edge, but not necessarily an insurmountable one, in this spring's competition. Redshirt freshman Mark Myers is multi-talented and will be given a look, along with classmate Anthony Gonzalez and Kolby Gray. The current staff has no loyalty to Sunseri, so he'll need to perform at a high level this spring to keep his job.

• Shoring up the 'D': It's no secret that Pitt struggled in defending the pass last season. Graham's offense may be more explosive, but he doesn't want to have to get into shootouts all the time. He and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson have experience running 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 formations and may go to more of those kinds of looks to counter the increasing spread offenses throughout the league. First Pitt will have to get better play from its secondary and linebackers in pass coverage, and that starts this spring.

Rutgers

Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

• Line change: The first thing to focus on this spring for the Scarlet Knights is the front five on offense. The offensive line has been a mess for the past two years and was an utter disaster a year ago. Head coach Greg Schiano is counting on junior-college center Dallas Hendrickson to provide some immediate help, and that another year will lead to better things for the returnees. Rutgers needs answers at right tackle, especially, and if the line can't block its own defense in spring practice, you'll know there's trouble.

• A Frank re-assessment: Former Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti takes over the Scarlet Knights' playcalling duties this spring, and his pro-style background seems like a perfect match for what Schiano likes to do. Look for Cignetti to try to establish a stronger running game this spring (while waiting for mega-recruit Savon Huggins to arrive this summer) and abandon the Wildcat formation and other gimmicks that Rutgers desperately turned to the past two years. His work with sophomore starter Chas Dodd will also be critical, since there are no other experienced quarterbacks on campus.

• Recharging the defense: You always expect a Schiano-led defense to be rock solid, but that defense wore down last season and ended up allowing more points in conference play than anybody. Three of the starting four defensive linemen are gone, as well as the team's leading tackler -- linebacker Antonio Lowery -- and safety Joe Lefeged. Schiano has recruited well and has lots of young players ready to step into bigger roles. Spring will be the time we start to learn who's ready to handle increased responsibilities.

South Florida

Spring practice starts: March 3
Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• Transfers accepted: Running backs Darrell Scott and Dontae Aycock have strong credentials; Scott was one of the more sought-after recruits in the country before disappointing at Colorado, while Aycock was set to play for Auburn. Both become eligible this year and will show their stuff this spring. The two big-bodied ballcarriers could add some power and explosiveness to the Bulls offense. Notre Dame transfer Spencer Boyd should bring depth, at the very least, to the secondary.

• B.J. still the main Bull?: Junior B.J. Daniels seemed to reassert himself as the starter with a big performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl win over Clemson. But before that, there were serious questions about whether sophomore Bobby Eveld might unseat him. Daniels goes into the spring with an obvious edge, but he'll be pushed by Eveld and redshirt freshman Jamius Gunsby. He'll need to perform at a consistent level to stiff-arm questions about his job security.

• Receiver reconstitution: No doubt, receiver was the position that needed the largest upgrade a year ago. The bad news is, the Bulls lost leading pass-catcher Dontavia Bogan, who was nearly a one-man show at wideout in 2010. On the flip side, A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin return from injury. And Skip Holtz hopes getting thrown into the fire last season sped the development of guys like Evan Landi, Joel Miller and Lindsey Lamar. At the very least, the position has a lot more experience and depth than it did a year ago at this time.

Syracuse

Spring practice starts: March 8
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Displacing Delone: Senior Delone Carter brought the thunder to the Syracuse running game the last two years, and he may have been the least favorite ballcarrier for opposing tacklers to bring down. With him gone, it remains to be seen whether the smaller Antwon Bailey can be an every-down back, or if youngsters like Prince-Tyson Gulley and Jerome Smith are ready for an increased role in the offense.

• Linebacker makeover: It would be hard for any team to lose a more productive linebacker tandem than the Orange did with seniors Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith. They were both crucial to what defensive coordinator Scott Shafer liked to do. The lone returning starter is Marquis Spruill, who played as a true freshman last year. Could a newcomer like junior-college transfer Siriki Diabate be ready to help immediately?

• Wideout wonders: Marcus Sales helped rescue an ailing passing game with his breakout performance in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Is Sales ready to play like that all the time now, or was he a one-game wonder? Will Van Chew continue the improvement he showed last season before getting injured? Can the Orange get more out of Alec Lemon? What new faces might help at receiver? The answers to these questions will be key to the attack under Nathaniel Hackett, who was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason.

West Virginia

Spring practice starts: March 28
Spring game: April 29

What to watch:

• Dana days: Mountaineer Nation is salivating at the thought of what Dana Holgorsen will do to revive the offense. Holgorsen has had an immediate and incredible impact at the last two places where he called plays, and some solid work in the spring is required to do the same in Morgantown. A couple of things are for sure: the Mountaineers will be throwing it around a whole bunch during practice, and fans will breathlessly gobble up every small detail. Another thing to watch will be the chemistry between Holgorsen's hand-picked offensive staff and Bill Stewart, the man he'll replace at the end of the season. That relationship will also be dissected relentlessly.

• Defense reload or rebuild?: Most people assume West Virginia will continue to field an excellent defense because of coordinator Jeff Casteel. That may be true, but no team lost more defensive talent than the Mountaineers, who must replace frontline players like tackle Chris Neild, linebacker J.T. Thomas, safety Robert Sands and cornerback Brandon Hogan, among others. There's still a lot to like here, including ends Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin and corner Keith Tandy, but for Casteel must find new contributors to keep his 3-3-5 humming along.

• Who's in the backfield?: It's not yet know just how much quarterback Geno Smith will be able to do during spring practice after his offseason foot surgery. Obviously, the more reps he can take, the better he'll be able to get Holgorsen's system down. And there's no experience behind him. West Virginia will be cautious with Smith, though, because the fall is way more important. With Noel Devine gone and Tavon Austin seemingly making his move to receiver permanent, there will be competition for the starting running back spot. Shawne Alston and Ryan Clarke are bulldozers who could add an interesting wrinkle to Holgorsen's spread if they get the job done.

Here is Part II of my pre-spring interview with South Florida coach Skip Holtz, in which we look forward to spring practice and the 2011 season. You can read Part I here. And if you missed Holtz's comments on his quarterback situation, you can find those here.

You don't bring back a lot of starters. But considering how many guys you played last year, how comfortable do you feel with your returning experience this season?


Skip Holtz: I do feel like we return quite a bit of experience. You look at a guy like Mark Popek on the offensive line, who didn't start but played quite a bit, and Danous Estenor played quite a bit. Obviously Bobby Eveld started one game. I'll just use the quarterback position: last year in the spring, we had one quarterback on scholarship; this spring we're going to have four. I look at the improvements we've made there from a competitive standpoint.

[Tight ends] Andreas Shields and Jeff Hawkins played. We had a number of running backs play. I look on the defensive line and we played four defensive ends and even though we graduated two of them, Ryne Giddins, Patrick Hampton and Julius Forte played just as much as the starters did. We played about seven linebackers a year ago, so even though we lost three, you return four with a significant amount of experience. I think we redshirted some really good players. We return all four of our safeties a year ago. We played three cornerbacks and two of them return.

So I think we have a great nucleus to build on. I definitely feel like we're much farther ahead than we were a year ago at this time.

You brought in three transfers from other BCS programs last year. Can you tell me about each of them?


SH: I'm really excited, and I'll start with the running backs. When we came in here a year ago, all of a sudden [Mike] Ford and [Jamar] Taylor were dismissed from the team. You start looking ahead and say Mo Plancher is going to graduate, and we're going to have a hole at the running back position. So we brought in some transfers in Darrell Scott from Colorado and Dontae Aycock from Auburn, and I think they're both very very talented players who are working extremely hard. They were both very impressive on the scout team with their attitudes and their work habits.

Darrell Scott came in about 240 [pounds]; he's down to about 226 and looks great. I think both of them are definitely going to be guys who make an immediate impact, and that's why we didn't sign a lot of junior college guys -- there was only one junior college player in our class. I think guys like Aycock and Scott are going to make a huge difference. And then a young man who transferred from Notre Dame, Spencer Boyd, is going to bring some depth to us in the secondary, where we graduated Mistral Raymond. He's a great athlete, and he's going to have an opportunity to come in and compete for time.

You had a good running game but not a lot of explosive gains there last season. How much can the new guys help that?


SH: We didn't have a lot of big plays there, you're right. Both Dontae Aycock and Darrell Scott are bigger running backs. Mo Plancher was about 200, Demetrius Murray was about 200 pounds, where Darrell Scott is 226 and Dontae Aycock is about 230. I think they're bigger, stronger running backs who are going to be able to break more tackles maybe than we have in the past, and when I watch those two guys run, they've shown me some big-play potential. So I'm really excited to see how they develop and mature as we go through spring practice and fall camp.

How are receivers A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin coming along from the injuries that kept them out all of last season?


SH: Well, it's nice to have them both back. A year ago we had four players returning with any type of experience at receiver, and Carlton Mitchell left early for the NFL before we got here. All of a sudden A.J. Love gets injured in the spring game, and Sterling Griffin gets injured in the summer. Dontavia Bogan had a great year for us, and what happened was a lot of these young guys got a chance to get experience last year. And then when you add A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin back to the mix, I think we'll be much deeper there. Plus, I'm excited about a couple of young signees we have that are coming into the program this season. But I think we'll be much deeper at that position, we'll be more experienced and we'll have more playmakers than we had a year ago.

Did it feel like, offensively, you were playing with one arm tied behind your back at times last year?


SH: It really did, with our limited big-play potential in the running game and how inexperienced we were at the receiver position. But Evan Landi came on and gained some great experience. Terrence Mitchell converted over to wide receiver halfway through the year and made an impact. Steven Bravo-Brown got better, Joel Miller had a great game against Miami. And with those guys gaining that kind of experience and then being able to throw A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin in there, it may be one of the most experienced positions on our football team.

Defensively, it seems like Terrell McClain will be the hardest guy to replace. I know Bruce Feldman had some nice words about Todd Chandler the other day. How do you see the defense being able to replace McClain?


SH: It's hard to replace a guy like Terrell McClain as a senior, whom they're talking about as a possible first-day draft pick, with a redshirt freshman. Keith McCaskill was solid for us last year and he's going to have to play more for us. Cory Grissom is going to be a year older as a starting nose guard. We're going to have to get a little more out of him. Anthony Hill is a guy who played a limited role for us a year ago that's going to be a junior; both him and Luke Sager, I expect more out of them. And then you hope Todd Chandler continues to mature into that position. And then there's a signee like Elkino Watson, who came in with an awful lot of accolades and is a talented player.

There are an awful lot of players there, and I don't think we're going to ask just one player to pick up that slack, that hole in the bucket left by Terrell McClain. We're going to ask a number of players to step their game up and fulfill that void.

Your season opener this year is at Notre Dame. How much does that help motivate everybody this offseason?


SH: I think it's huge as a far as a motivational factor. I remember being at Notre Dame, and we used to open with Michigan every year, when I was at East Carolina, we opened with Virginia Tech. And what that does for your players' focus as they go into winter workouts and spring practice and summer conditioning and fall camp, it just keeps their focus maintained with what's on the horizon. Having the opportunity to play Notre Dame as a young football program like we are, I think it creates an awful lot of excitement in our program, and it's something I know the players are looking forward to.

Have you talked much with your dad about that game yet?


SH: No, not enough yet. We'll get into that more as we get into summer breakdown. Right now, as we started winter workouts and are getting into out new practice facility, we're just trying to see where our players are and what we can do. Every team has a life expectancy of one year, and this time of year you start to put the pieces together. We're working on our own strengths and weaknesses before we start looking at our opponent and what they can do.

But I know they finished the season with wins at Southern Cal and a lopsided win against Miami. So I know it's going to be a great challenge, it's going to be a tall order. But it's going to be something as a young program that our players and fans are really looking forward to. It's going to be interesting to see what colors Dr. Lou is wearing that Saturday.

The team is drawing some offseason buzz because of how you finished. How do you address that, if at all, with the players?


SH: I think it's a huge compliment to what this team has accomplished and a huge compliment to this program for what we've been able to accomplish in such a short period of time. The thing for us is, we've just got to stay focused on the task at hand. You start sitting around reading the newspaper articles and drinking the Kool-aid and start believing what everybody starts writing about you, your focus isn't where it needs to be as far as getting a team ready, getting it focused and getting ready for a season. I think it's nice to be able to have that type of exposure for our program, for our fan base and for our players, that they've earned and deserved.

But I think there are two aspects of building a program: I think you have to start by learning how to win, and then once you learn how to win as we started to do toward the end of last season, I think there's a whole another process that goes into being able to handle winning. That becomes maintaining your focus and not getting sidetracked by the circus of college football that goes with the media exposure and everything else.

I suppose that's a nice problem to have.


SH: I'd much rather be here than still trying to learn how to win.

Signing day is now just 48 hours away. So let's take a look at the recruiting needs are for each Big East team in this class.

The positions listed reflect areas of need for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and don't take into account players who have already committed at those spots, though I try to highlight some of those notable commitments below.

Cincinnati

Offensive line: The Bearcats lose three senior starters from an offensive line that had its share of struggles in the 2010 season. Left tackle, center and right guard will all need new starters in 2011, and Butch Jones wasn't thrilled with the depth he inherited at those key positions. He needs to refill the ranks.

Running back: Isaiah Pead had a breakthrough year and might be the top running back in the Big East in 2011, but he's a senior. Backup John Goebel graduated, and Darrin Williams hasn't shown enough consistency as an every-down player. The Bearcats hope current commitment Jameel Poteat can be the next Pead.

Defensive toughness: Cincinnati returns all 11 starters from the 2010 defense, but that defense gave up the most points in the Big East. There's not a position on the defense that couldn't use more depth and more talent. The Bearcats were especially light on strength and toughness on defense, so any hard-nosed guys who can play on that side of the ball are welcome to join.

Connecticut

Linebacker: UConn returns most of its starting defense from 2010 but loses a pair of four-year starters in linebackers Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson. Sio Moore is a rising star at the position, but it will be hard to replace the veteran leadership and production that Lutrus and Wilson provided. The Huskies' top two recruits right now are both linebackers.

Offensive line: The Huskies lose both starting guards from 2010, including All-Big East performer Zach Hurd. The program has had an uncanny knack for simply plugging in new starters along that offensive front and not missing a beat. It remains to be seen whether new coach Paul Pasqualoni and his staff can continue that tradition.

Wide receiver: Sure, UConn returns virtually all of its pass-catchers from the Big East championship team. But the passing game was brutally bad down the stretch, and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl loss highlighted the need for more playmakers on offense. Pasqualoni has said he wants to throw the ball down the field to stretch the defense, and he'll need game-breakers to do so.

Louisville

Quarterback: Adam Froman and Justin Burke split the starting duties under center last season, and both were seniors. The only other quarterback on the roster with experience at the position is Will Stein, who'll be a senior this year. Dominique Brown was recruited as a quarterback last year, but his future probably lies at another position. Incoming freshmen Teddy Bridgewater and DaMarcus Smith, if he keeps his pledge to the Cardinals, could compete for the starting job right away.

Defensive back: The secondary was a constant source of concern for Louisville last year, and the Cardinals got a surprising contribution from Big East rookie of the year Hakeem Smith at safety. But both starting cornerbacks, including likely NFL draft pick Johnny Patrick, are gone. Louisville's top recruit right now is safety Gerod Holliman.

Wide receiver: The Cardinals had an excellent running game and the top pass-catching tight end in the Big East a year ago. But they had trouble going vertical in the passing game because of a lack of explosive playmakers in the passing game. Injuries and inexperience hurt the position last season, and leading receiver Doug Beaumont graduated. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford's attack will look much different when Louisville gets some star wideouts on board.

Pittsburgh

Running back: Dion Lewis bolted for the NFL as a draft-eligible sophomore, and fullback Henry Hynoski went pro early as well. That leaves Ray Graham as the only real option for handoffs. It's no surprise that Pitt has commitments from four players identified as running backs in this class so far.

Wide receiver: Jon Baldwin took his talents to the NFL after his junior year. True, the Panthers still have plenty of talent at the position, including Mike Shanahan and the emerging Devin Street. But Todd Graham's new wide-open offense is going to need a lot of targets in the passing game, especially versatile players who can do lots of things in space.

Offensive line: Pitt's problems in the middle of its offensive line to start last season exposed a shocking lack of depth at the position, which had suffered through several recruiting misses in the past. The Panthers now have to replace their All-Big East left tackle in Jason Pinkston and find a new starting center. And Graham's offense is going to require a different kind of blocking scheme.

Rutgers

Offensive line: This is a no-brainer for a team that gave up a nation's-worst 61 sacks a year ago. It's hard to find immediate help at this position, but the Scarlet Knights did ink a junior-college player who is expected to start at center this season. Whether it's the scheme or just the players running it, Rutgers needs a change up front.

Running back: Jordan Thomas did some nice things as a true freshman, and Joe Martinek hopes to be fully healthy for his senior year. But Greg Schiano's offense has been searching for a difference-maker at tailback since Ray Rice went to the Baltimore Ravens. He hopes Savon Huggins, the top New Jersey recruit who committed late last week, is that guy.

Quarterback: Tom Savage's transfer leaves true sophomore Chas Dodd as the only quarterback with any experience. It's hard to go through a whole year with just one quarterback, so the Scarlet Knights desperately need depth. They received a pledge from Don Bosco Prep signal-caller Gary Nova, a former Pitt recruit.

Defensive line: Three of the four starters along the defensive line were seniors last year, including starting defensive ends Jonathan Freeny and Alex Silvestro. Schiano has some promising young players at the position but needs depth there so he can rotate in fresh bodies to rush the passer.

South Florida

Wide receiver: The Bulls' dearth of reliable targets in the passing game was painfully obvious most of the year. No. 1 wideout Dontavia Bogan was a senior, meaning some of the younger players at that spot need to grow up in a hurry. USF should get A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin back from injury, but it's clear that Skip Holtz needs some more deep threats.

Offensive line: Three starters are gone off the offensive line, including tackles Jamar Bass and Jake Sims and center Sampson Genus. The two returning starters will be seniors this season. The Bulls need to usher in the next wave of linemen into the program this recruiting season.

Defensive back: Mistral Raymond, who could play both corner and safety for the Bulls last season, is gone. There wasn't a ton of depth here this year, and though Quenton Washington had a great Meineke Car Care Bowl game, South Florida feels like it can upgrade its secondary through recruiting.

Syracuse

Linebacker: The Orange had one of the better defenses in the Big East in '10, and senior linebackers Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith were big reasons why. Marquis Spruill showed promise at the position as a true freshman this season, and Syracuse needs a couple more like him to stay strong in Scott Shafer's pressure scheme.

Wide receiver: Marcus Sales came out of nowhere to have a huge New Era Pinstripe Bowl performance, but it remains to be seen if he can duplicate that performance next year. Van Chew showed great improvement throughout the year, but he and Alec Lemon dealt with injuries down the stretch that often left Ryan Nassib without anybody to target.

Running back: Delone Carter's graduation and Averin Collier's dismissal thins the backfield significantly. Antwon Bailey returns for his senior year but has to prove he's an every-down back. No one else on the roster has proved anything at the position.

West Virginia

Quarterback: The good news is that Geno Smith has thoroughly established himself as The Man at quarterback. The bad news is that Smith's entrenchment at the position helped run off freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson, so the Mountaineers once again have no depth behind their starter. They have brought in an intriguing under-the-radar prospect in Paul Millard, who had ridiculous numbers in Texas.

Defensive back: Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 scheme demands the constant need for physical safeties who can play in different spots. West Virginia also lost a pair of stalwarts at the position in Sidney Glover and Robert Sands, who left early for the NFL. Add in the loss of star cornerback Brandon Hogan, and it's time to reload the secondary in Morgantown.

Linebacker: The Mountaineers got surprisingly good contributions from Anthony Leonard at middle linebacker this season, and J.T. Thomas was as solid as everyone expected. They both depart, along with top backup Pat Lazear, and only senior Najee Goode remains among the experienced players at the position. West Virginia hopes junior-college import Josh Francis can help right away.