ESPN College Football

I put the question to you last week -- who will have the best offense in the Big East in 2012?

You responded in a big way, with over 2,200 votes. Rutgers won the poll, with 26 percent of the vote. USF was at No. 2, then Louisville and Cincinnati. I put an "other" category because I was curious to hear what you had to say about any other team with the potential to have a good offense. For those wondering, our polls only go up to five choices, which is why I did not include all eight.

Many of you made the case for Pitt. I understand Ray Graham is set to return, and that obviously is a huge plus. But until some major questions are answered at quarterback, offensive line and receiver, it is hard to envision the Panthers having the best offense in the Big East, as of today. Plus, there is going to be a change in scheme. I believe coach Paul Chryst will get this offense turned around, but I am not sure how quickly it happens in Year 1.

Overall, there are a lot of questions about every offense in the league. There are no superstar quarterbacks, and no superstar receivers. That talent is going to have to be developed. But the Big East has not really been an offensive league in recent history. Defense has dominated, and that may be the case again in 2012.

Now here are some of your comments:

anthonyphillips84: I see USF turning a corner this year. People have been saying that for a long time but I feel this team has a lot of potential with the amount of experience and talent that is coming back this year. It's always wait and see with USF but I think there is a lot of potential for success with OOC games with FSU, Miami, Nevada (away) I think they can go into conference play ranked once again and hopefully for the first time we can take that play into conference.

snubbed1: My vote is going to SU. Top returning receiver plus the return of (Marcus) Sales who is a legit deep threat, big play receiver. A capable QB who could have a break out season if he can get some pass protection. The running back position is up in the air, but (Adonis Ameen) Moore is a bull up the middle and Prince-Tyson Gulley has speed to get around the corner, but our line that couldn't protect (Ryan) Nassib, was able to open enough holes for (Antwon) Bailey to gain 1,000 yards, same thing again this year. Only 2 guys are gone from the O-line and that means the remaining guys have started together for the last 2 seasons, not saying they'll be great, but they should be bigger and somewhat better.

CardsFanTX: I had to vote "Other" on this one. The other = Pitt. With Ray Graham's return and some good backups and a serviceable OL, they will probably lead the league in rushing. And I think (Paul) Chryst will simplify the passing schemes enough to make (Tino) Sunseri more comfortable and successful. After Pitt, I think Louisville will emerge as a solid offense this year. Probably not stellar numbers because that's just not (Charlie) Strong's style, but consistently good. I definitely think offense is a concern for Cincy and Rutgers and USF.

RutgersBallHardU: If Rutgers; running game improves, if our QB is good, then RU will definitely have the best offense, because of the WRs we got, and with our D. Looking like a hard challenge to beat.

hail2pitt02: Leaving out the team with easily the best RB corp? Not to mention, a QB better than (B.J.) Daniels, and statistically better than either QB choice for Rutgers (based off of completion percentage and quarterback rating) and the early runner for Cincy's QB spot - Munchie (Legaux)- with his mighty 47 percent completion rate, and losing (Isaiah) Pead. Right. PITT will have a better offense than USF and Rutgers at the very least. In terms of points per game, it might not match Cincy, but in effectiveness it will surpass them easily. Immediately tossing out the best player in the Big East is a joke.

Time to pick up my final position rankings for the 2011 season. Before you start sending in your notes to the mailbag, please keep in mind that West Virginia will be included in all 2011 postseason rankings and evaluations because the Mountaineers were still part of the league.

Now where was I? Oh yes, offense. Let us move on to running back. I am using rushing yards by quarterbacks and receivers in this evaluation.

1. Cincinnati. Isaiah Pead won Big East Offensive Player of the Year, but that was not the only story behind the Bearcats rushing attack this past season. Cincinnati had more total yards rushing than any other team with 2,321 -- Pead had a little more than half that total (1,259). The quarterbacks definitely contributed because everybody who played the position is a dual threat. But also keep in mind Cincinnati averaged 4.6 yards a carry -- tied for tops in the league, and led the league with 28 rushing TDs. Preseason ranking: 1.

2. Pitt. Ray Graham was having an unbelievable season before he got hurt, and I truly think he could have had a case for Big East Offensive Player of the Year had he stayed healthy. Zach Brown proved to be a solid backup, and it was nice to see the development of true freshman Isaac Bennett. Despite teams keying on the run, Pitt still finished third in the league in rushing. Preseason ranking: 2.

3. USF. The Bulls actually led the Big East in rushing, though they had nobody go over 1,000 yards. Still, what you realize is that three players went over 500 yards on the ground. That includes quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has the capability of making plays with his legs as well. Darrell Scott had some highlight-worthy plays this season (hurdler, anyone?) and was tough to bring down at times. Preseason ranking: 6.

4. West Virginia. Dustin Garrison was having a fine debut season until a torn ACL sidelined him for the Orange Bowl. There is no question this was an area of inconsistency for the Mountaineers throughout the season. But having players like Tavon Austin run plays out of the backfield, plus a guy like Shawne Alston step up when Garrison was hurt showed there was some talent that could keep teams off-balance, when the Mountaineers wanted to. Preseason ranking: 3.

5. Syracuse. Antwon Bailey had a good season, going over 1,000 yards while earning a spot on the Big East first team. The problem is that there was virtually no depth behind him. The next-highest rusher was Jerome Smith, with 134 yards on the ground. So depth was a clear issue. Bailey is the big reason why the Orange rank here. Preseason ranking: 5.

6. UConn. Lyle McCombs saves the day for the Huskies in this category. Just like Syracuse, there was a critical lack of depth at running back once D.J. Shoemate went out. Quarterback Scott McCummings provided a nice change of pace out of the backfield, but the Huskies only averaged 3.1 yards a carry as a whole, with a total of 13 rushing touchdowns. Preseason ranking: 8.

7. Louisville. I didn't think there was anything spectacular about this group of running backs. Louisville did a nice job when it moved Dominique Brown from quarterback to running back, and that really gave this unit a boost. But the Cardinals struggled most of the year on the ground. Only one back went over 100 yards on the year -- Jeremy Wright. That ranks as the fewest in the Big East. Preseason ranking: 4.

8. Rutgers. Jawan Jamison definitely emerged, but I don't think anybody would tell you that Rutgers' rushing offense scared teams this past season. The Scarlet Knights were the worst Big East rushing team, and averaged a Big East-worst 2.8 yards a carry with an average of 97.8 yards per game on the ground. Just a hunch, but I think this area will be vastly improved in 2012. Preseason ranking: 7.

We are counting down the top 25 players in the Big East, one player at a time.

Up today: Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse.

2011 stats: 240 carries, 1,051 yards, six touchdowns, first-team All- Big East selection; added 29 receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Making the case: Bailey was tabbed to shoulder the rushing load this season with the departure of Delone Carter — and had a career year. He was one of just three running backs in the Big East to go over 1,000 yards -- nearly double his previous high of 554 yards -- and finished third in the league in rushing. He also hit a career high with six rushing touchdowns, and had six 100-yard games on the season -- tied for most in the Big East. His diminutive size (5-foot-7) made him sneaky at times, and allowed him to elude defenders. The Syracuse run game might not have been as consistent as it was in 2010, but it is hard to fault Bailey's effort. It says something that he earned a spot on the conference's first team -- considering those honors are voted on by the coaches.

Preseason ranking: NR.

The countdown:

No. 25 Ryne Giddins, DE, USF

No. 24 Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia

No. 23 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers

It is time to take a last look back at how each Big East team fared in 2011 with season-ending report cards.

Up today: Syracuse.

Offense: Syracuse was slightly better on offense this past season than it was in 2010, averaging about 20 more yards a game. But that was not enough to get the Orange out of the bottom half of the national rankings. They finished ranked No. 90 in total offense and struggled running the ball -- down over 20 yards a game from last season. Antwon Bailey still was a first-team selection and went over 1,000 yards but there was never real consistency in the ground game or the offense as a whole. Ryan Nassib and Alec Lemon had career years, but a lot of that was a function of struggling in the run game and being behind in several games this season. Syracuse did have four players make the Big East first-team but in seven losses this season, Syracuse averaged 16.2 points per game and hit the 20-point mark just twice.

Grade: C.

Defense: This was a much more inexperienced group compared to a season ago, and it showed. What compounded that were injuries to key players, most notably defensive end Chandler Jones. Syracuse went from No. 3 in the league in scoring defense (19.3 pgg) to last (28.5); from No. 2 in total defense (301.5 ypg) to last (386.4); from No. 1 in pass defense (165.3 ypg) to sixth (258.2 ypg). Pass defense was the biggest area of weakness, though Syracuse got better in that area as the season wore on. The Orange got a boost when Jones returned, but there were key breakdowns at various times in most every game this season. Syracuse gave up fewer than 28 points just four times this past season.

Grade: D.

Overall: Syracuse went into the season hoping to build on the moment of 2010, when it ended a long drought and made it back to a bowl game. After a surprise win over West Virginia got Syracuse to a 5-2 start, most everybody expected those hopes would become a reality. But Syracuse ended the season on a five-game losing streak, and that victory over the Mountaineers proved to be their only one in Big East play. That win was their only real convincing one of the season. They needed a comeback over Wake Forest; had to hold off FCS Rhode Island; had a controversial finish against Toledo; and a mad scramble to beat Tulane. This was not the step coach Doug Marrone envisioned for his team this season.

Grade: D.

Previously featured:

• Cincinnati
• UConn
• Louisville
• Pitt
• Rutgers
• USF

With one day to go before signing day, it is worth taking a look back at how the players on the Big East first-team fared when they were coming out of high school.

You will see, once again, that recruiting rankings generally have nothing to do with the way a player will do in college. So anybody freaking out about what your school does or does not have in the way of commitments for 2012, just take a deep breath. And look at how some of the most unheralded players out of high school become some of the best in the Big East.

I used ESPN recruiting rankings. Note only one player honored on the first team was ranked as an ESPNU150 player. Many on defense came in as either athletes, receivers or quarterbacks.

Offense

WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. Sanu was ranked the No. 18 safety in the nation coming out of high school in 2009, with a scout grade of 80.

WR/RS Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Austin was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation coming out of high school in 2009 -- three spots behind De'Antwan Williams (Rutgers) and one spot behind Jason Douglas (Pitt). Know who else was ranked ahead -- Victor Marc and Bradley Battles of USF.

OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse. Unranked at his position for the class of 2009, Pugh got a scout grade of 40. Talk about making the most of somebody who was "undervalued."

OT Don Barclay, West Virginia. Ranked No. 65 at his position in the class of 2007. One other West Virginia player was ranked athead of him, at No. 55 -- Gino Gradkowski, who transferred to Delaware.

OG Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Rated the No. 161 defensive end in the class of 2007.

OG Art Forst, Rutgers. Forst was ranked the No. 25 offensive tackle in the class of 2008 -- the second-highest Big East player on the list behind Lucas Nix of Pitt.

OG Andrew Tiller, Syracuse. Tiller was unranked and did not even get a scouts grade when he was being evaluated in 2009 out of Nassau Community College.

C Moe Petrus, Connecticut. The best center in the Big East was unranked and had no scouts grade when he signed with UConn in 2007.

TE Nick Provo, Syracuse. Provo was ranked No. 86 at his position in the class of 2007

QB Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith has lived up to his billing -- ranking No. 97 on the ESPNU150 in the class of 2009. He was the No. 8 player at his position and No. 15 in the state of Florida.

RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The No. 152 ranked running back in the class of 2008, Pead got a scout grade of 71. He just won MVP Honors on the Senior Bowl.

RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh. Rated the No. 66 running back in the class of 2009, Graham was rated behind West Virginia's Daquan Hargrett (left program) and USF's Adaris Bellamy (academics).

RB Antwon Bailey, Syracuse. Ranked the No. 128 running back in the class of 2008 -- well behind fellow signee Averin Collier (No. 42). Collier was considered the gem of the class, but academics derailed his career.

K Dave Teggart, Connecticut. Teggart was ranked the No. 25 kicker in the class of 2007.

Defense

DL Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe was unranked at his position in the class of 2008 and got a scout grade of 40. Four years later, he was the co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

DL Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Reyes also was unranked in his position in the class of 2007 with a scout grade of 40. Believe it or not, he came into UConn at 220 pounds (he's now around 300) and now has a shot to be a mid-round draft pick.

DL Chandler Jones, Syracuse. Jones came to Syracuse as a 230-pound tight end, unranked and giving a scout grade of 40. Now he is headed to the NFL draft as a projected second-to-third round pick.

DL Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Irvin took an incredible journey to West Virginia through Mt. SAC junior college after dropping out of high school.

LB JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer was ranked the No. 93 outside linebacker in the class of 2008, behind such players as Tyler Urban, Marvin Booker (Rutgers), Quavon Taylor (USF) and Marcus Witherspoon (Rutgers).

LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. No ranking or scout grade for Greene, who went to prep school before arriving at Rutgers.

LB Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a quarterback and linebacker in high school who was not ranked.

CB Adrian Bushell, Louisville. Bushell was ranked the No. 21 cornerback in the class of 2008 and originally signed with Florida. After playing at junior college, he made an immediate impact with the Cardinals.

CB Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy was ranked the No. 207 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2007. The same group that featured Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett.

S Drew Frey, Cincinnati. Frey was a receiver coming out of high school and unranked, with a scout grade of 40.

S Hakeem Smith, Louisville. Smith was ranked the No. 93 receiver in the class of 2009, but his athleticism allowed him to switch to defense and emerge as one of the best safeties in the league.

S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh. Also a receiver in the class of 2008, Holley was ranked No. 230 at that position with a scout grade of 65.

S Duron Harmon, Rutgers. The No. 49 athlete in the class of 2009, he was ranked below teammate Jamal Merrell, Todd Thomas of Pitt and Kayvon Webster of USF.

P Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati. O'Donnell was unranked with a scout grade of 40, but he has emerged as one of the most impressive iron men in the league.

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.

Welcome to your midweek mailblog. Let's take a peek inside:

Rob in Morgantown, W.Va., writes: Here's a hypothetical question. Say WVU is forced to stay in the Big East next season, runs the table and is headed to the national championship game for the first time since 1988. Would the second-place Big East team also get a bid to a BCS bowl to fill the Big East slot, or would they need to have a one or two loss season? Hey the ACC got two bids so why not the Big East?

Adelson: I love hypotheticals in the offseason! I think you answered your own question here. If West Virginia is forced to stay in the Big East and runs the table, then the Mountaineers would be representing the Big East in the BCS. Future affiliation would mean nothing in this case. Just like Nebraska represented the Big 12 in 2010, even with its plans to join the Big Ten in 2011. The only way a second Big East team gets picked for the Big East is if it is in the eligible pool of candidates. That means a Top 14 finish in the BCS standings, having at least nine wins and getting picked ahead of eligible at-large candidates from conferences like the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. I am not sure I see that happening.

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Colin in Aldie, Va., writes: Andrea - Using the assumption that the way-too-early 2012 preseason rankings are within a spot or two of how the actual preseason rankings will appear (meaning WVU is Top 10), how much do you think WVU's placement in the B12 or Big East has an impact on its title hopes? Lot's of "what if" scenarios can be done of course, but let's say we have one loss in the B12 - would that carry more weight than going undefeated playing in the BE?

Adelson: Great question, Colin. I think it is safe to say that West Virginia has an easier road to an undefeated season playing a Big East schedule. But undefeated seasons in the Big East do not guarantee a place in the national championship game if there are multiple undefeated teams. I think it probably is too early to say whether a one-loss team from the Big 12 ranks higher than an undefeated team from the Big East. A lot really depends on preseason ranking, and the perception of the quality of schedule. Going back to 2007, for example, 11-2 Oklahoma finished No. 4 in the final BCS standings, while 10-2 West Virginia was No. 9. But in 2009, undefeated Cincinnati was ahead of a one-loss Florida team in the final BCS standings. There really is no way to predict. But you have to think an undefeated team like West Virginia out of the Big East -- with all the preseason hype it will get and a nonconference win over FSU -- would be ranked higher than a one-loss team from the Big 12.

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Michael W. Holbrook in Syracuse writes: What happened to The Syracuse Orange this year after such a successful season last year!?!?!? What can we expect next year? How is The Orange's recruiting going? Thank you very much for your time and consideration!

Adelson: I think there were a few factors at play this season. First, Syracuse lost a lot of tremendous senior leadership from guys like Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith and ultimately, I think it was much harder for the Orange to find seniors to step up and take on that role. Secondly, Syracuse lost a good number of starters on defense. Combine that with injuries that hit early in the season, most especially in the secondary, and this group took a step back in 2011. Third, there was no real offensive consistency and Ryan Nassib seemed to play worse as the season progressed. Fourth, the West Virginia victory really did a number on this team. After getting to five wins, it seemed like a no-brainer that the Orange would make a bowl game. But after losing a couple, players pressed. They put pressure on themselves to get that sixth win, and they were basically playing like they were too worried about making a mistake. All of that combined for a 5-7 season. I had Syracuse eighth in my way too early predictions because I think the Orange lose some of their best players once again, in Antwon Bailey, Chandler Jones, Phillip Thomas and Nick Provo to name a few. This team has to show me something to inspire some confidence. As for recruiting, I think it is safe to say it has been a mixed bag. The Orange got a huge lift this weekend when three-star defensive end Josh Manley out of Georgia committed. They have lost out on some of the prospects they really wanted, but they also have commitments from 11 three-stars.

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Eroc in The District writes: Do yourself a favor. Don't forget (Cincinnati's) Dan Giordano. He was often overlooked on the DL this season due to Walter Stewart getting most of the hype and Derek Wolfe beasting his opposition (which I called and you never game me a mention). Giordano is a blue collar, high motor DE. Yes, he will miss Wolfe and Hughes but the Bearcats DT rotation should be deeper, which will favor him.

Adelson: Does this count as a mention? I do believe I had Mr. Wolfe ranked in the preseason top 25, though very, very under-ranked at No. 21. I think what will help Cincinnati in 2012 without Wolfe and Hughes is the way this team was able to get its rotation going this season, getting guys like Giordano, Brandon Mills and Jordan Stepp valuable experience and playing time. That was something that was sorely lacking in 2010. Depth has to be built in spring practice and fall camp, but I will be absolutely interested to see whether this new configuration can keep up the production from 2011, without its co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Several Big East players have been invited to participate in postseason all-star games. Here are the players who have agreed to participate in the Casino Del Sol All-Star Game and The East-West Shrine Game, the two contests that have released their full rosters.

The Senior Bowl is releasing its player roster daily, and there is no official word yet about players from Big East schools.

Casino Del Sol All-Star Game, Monday

Don Barclay, OT, West Virginia

Evan Davis, OG, Cincinnati

Dexter Heyman, LB, Louisville

Antwuan Reed, CB, Pitt

Manny Abreu, LB, Rutgers

Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse

Andrew Tiller, OL, Syracuse

East-West Shrine Game, Jan. 21

Moe Petrus, C, UConn

Max Gruder, LB, Pitt

Brandon Lindsey, LB, Pitt

Justin Francis, DL, Rutgers

Desmond Wynn, OG, Rutgers

Jeremiah Warren, OG, USF

Jerrell Young, S, USF

Najee Goode, LB, West Virginia

Julian Miller, DL, West Virginia

Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia

Because I love you all so much, I now present to you my early 2012 Big East power rankings. The season is one day old, so I reserve the right to change my mind based on spring practice and then fall practice. To say these are way early is to say West Virginia beat Clemson. Understatement!

1. West Virginia.* You see the asterisk there for obvious reasons. Will the Mountaineers be in this league in 2012, or will somebody else get to be called the favorite in the preseason? Should West Virginia return to this league, that performance in the Orange Bowl should frighten the rest of this conference. Now granted, there will be some major questions on this defense, but if Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey can put up half a hundred every week, the Mountaineers are going to be really tough to beat.

2. Rutgers. This was a tough call for me. The Scarlet Knights still have quarterback issues, a nonexistent running game and are losing Mohamed Sanu. But they also return 16 starters, including Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene. Everything should be in place for this team to make a serious run. The offensive line will be better; I firmly believe the quarterback play will be better; and there is enough talent at receiver to make up for Sanu's loss.

3. Louisville. Right now, I think it is a toss up between Louisville and Rutgers. The Cardinals also return a majority of their starters, including freshman of the year Teddy Bridgewater, along with a talented receiving corps and an offensive line that solidified itself as the season went on. What I worry about most right now is maturity and leadership. Louisville seems to thrive in an underdog role, and that will not be the case in 2012.

4. Cincinnati. The Bearcats lose 21 seniors, including Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Pead, Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe, defensive leader JK Schaffer and starting quarterback Zach Collaros. There is a lot of young talent on this team, but the key word is young. How will the Bearcats handle themselves without so many of their best players?

5. USF. This has got to be the year the Bulls make a serious run at the Big East. The only problem is they have no idea how to win Big East games, and that prevents me from listing them higher than middle of the road in this league. There are going to be a lot of returning starters and returning seniors on this team, and plenty of talent. But there are some holes that have to be filled on the offensive line, defensive line and in the secondary. B.J. Daniels must win this season.

6. Pitt. I truly believe Paul Chryst is the best hire Pitt could have made this time around. But does that mean he has what he needs to be able to turn this team into a serious Big East contender? There are major question marks at quarterback, offensive line, defensive line and linebacker. The defense was the strength of this team but it's losing most of its best players. How does Ray Graham come back from knee surgery? I think of all the Big East teams, the Panthers have the most questions headed into the offseason.

7. UConn. Should we talk again about quarterback issues for the Huskies? It was the same theme in the preseason last year. We are no closer today to knowing who is going to lead this team, because there will be yet another quarterback competition. Running back should be an area of strength, just like last season, and there are some good players returning on the defensive line. But offensive line and secondary are also two major questions that must be improved for this team to contend again.

8. Syracuse. The Orange lost their best players on defense in Phillip Thomas, Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich, along with 1,000-yard rusher Antwon Bailey. There are also depth questions on the offensive line, defensive line and at receiver. Ryan Nassib took a good first step this season, but he's got to make bigger steps this year. First and foremost, this team must find an identity and solve all the issues that plagued them at the end of this season.

Syracuse running back Antwon Bailey and offensive guard Andrew Tiller were selected to play in the Casino Del Sol All-Star Game, set for Jan. 16 in Tucson, Ariz.

Bailey rushed for 1,051 yards this season, becoming the 15th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. His 2,144 career yards on the ground ranks him 16th all-time at Syracuse, and he is one of two Big East running backs with six 100-yard games this season.

Tiller started 25 of 35 career games at Syracuse, including all 12 this season. He has blocked for 1,000-yard rushers in each of the past two seasons, including Bailey this year. Both Bailey and Tiller were first-team Big East selections.

Last week, we took a look at the up-and-coming freshmen in the Big East. Now it is time to take a look at all of the departing senior talent. There is a ton across every team in this league. Sixteen of the 29 players honored on the All-Big East first team are seniors. There are still five bowl games left to be played, but it is worth taking a look at how many seniors are departing.

I will take a closer look at some of these "super seniors" in a future post.

Cincinnati

• Seniors: 21
• Starters: 12
• Key losses: Zach Collaros, Isaiah Pead, Randy Martinez, D.J. Woods, Evan Davis, John Hughes, Wes Richardson, Alex Hoffman, JK Schaffer, Adrien Robinson, Tom DeTemple, Derek Wolfe.

UConn

• Seniors: 13
• Starters: 7
• Key losses: Mike Ryan, Moe Petrus, Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore, Dave Teggart, Twyon Martin, Kendall Reyes.

Louisville

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 9
• Key losses: Victor Anderson, Josh Bellamy, Josh Chichester, Ryan Kessling, Dexter Heyman, William Savoy, Greg Scruggs, Chris Philpott.

Pitt

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 9
• Key losses: Lucas Nix, Greg Gaskins, Jordan Gibbs, Antwuan Reed, Max Gruder, Greg Williams, Brandon Lindsey, Chas Alecxih, Myles Caragein.

Rutgers

• Seniors: 16
• Starters: 8
• Key losses: Desmond Wynn, Caleb Ruch, Art Forst, Joe Martinek, Justin Francis, Manny Abreu, David Rowe, San San Te.

USF

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 6
• Key losses: Jeremiah Warren, Chaz Hine, Quenton Washington, Jerrell Young, Patrick Hampton, Keith McCaskill.

Syracuse

• Seniors: 18
• Starters: 7
• Key losses: Van Chew, Andrew Tiller, Michael Hay, Antwon Bailey, Kevyn Scott, Mikhail Marinovich, Nick Provo.

West Virginia

• Seniors: 22
• Starters: 8
• Key losses: Don Barclay, Julian Miller, Bruce Irvin, Najee Goode, Keith Tandy, Eain Smith.

Cincinnati dominated the Big East individual awards announced Thursday, as running back Isaiah Pead was honored as Offensive Player of the Year, tackle Derek Wolfe was selected as Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Butch Jones won Coach of the Year.

Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene also took Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is the Newcomer of the Year and West Virginia all-purpose player Tavon Austin is the Special Teams Player of the Year.

Below you will find the first and second teams. All of these awards and teams are selected by the eight league coaches. Here are some of my thoughts on the winners:

• I have to say I am surprised to see Pead win Offensive Player of the Year. I thought West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith would be a slam dunk because he and the Mountaineers dominated on offense this season. That being said, Pead is deserving of this award because he was the most valuable player for the Bearcats this season and he put the team on his back when Zach Collaros went down with an ankle injury. Pead led the Big East in touchdowns (14) and ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards with 1,429. He is a very deserving winner.
• As for the defensive awards, I am not surprised to see a split. My choice was Greene, and I have been going back and forth for most of the season on who was most valuable for Cincinnati -- Wolfe or linebacker JK Schaffer. I thought both were terrific this season. But perhaps the coaches voted for Wolfe because he had a breakout season and was a big reason why Cincinnati led the nation in sacks. Wolfe led the Big East with 19.5 tackles for loss to rank No. 6 in the nation. The senior also had 9.5 sacks after notching 10 sacks combined coming into this season.
• Jones also was my choice for coach of the year because of the turnaround season he led: from 4-8 to 9-3 and a share of the Big East title.
• As for the first-team offense, I am surprised that Tavon Austin made it at receiver over teammate Stedman Bailey. Both are extremely solid, valuable players, but I thought Bailey was a notch more consistent this season as a wide receiver. Austin absolutely is the special teams player of the year. I also was surprised to see Antwon Bailey with first-team honors. My two backs would have been Ray Graham and Pead.
• On first-team defense, West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin made the list despite an inconsistent season. Coaches clearly realized what a force he is because he was double-teamed most of the year and still got 7.5 sacks. The coaches were torn at safety, where four players were honored on the first team. I thought Duron Harmon and Hakeem Smith were the top two this season.
• How about Rutgers getting Art Forst on the first team at guard and Desmond Wynn on the second team at guard. Hand clap for the big-time improvement on the Scarlet Knights offensive line.

SYRACUSE ORANGE

Record: 5-7, 1-6 Big East

The Orange got off to a 5-2 start to the season, but many wondered whether that record was a bit misleading. Four of the victories were by a touchdown or less. One of them was in dispute after Big East referees made an error in awarding an extra point. Another was a nail biter against FCS Rhode Island. Yet another against a Tulane team that finished 2-11. You see where I am going with this.

Its definitive moment came in a 49-23 win over then-No. 15 West Virginia to go bump its record to 5-2. A second consecutive bowl was in sight. But Syracuse was unable to get to the magical six-win mark, dropping five straight games to finish with a losing season. Coach Doug Marrone said his team was simply pressing too much after that victory. But there also were inexperienced players, injuries and distractions to contend with, including the one-year suspension of starting safety Phillip Thomas -- the MVP of the unit to that point.

When it comes down to it, Syracuse could not score enough, and could not stop its opponents from scoring. It is plain to see in the Big East stat book -- the Orange finished the season ranked No. 7 in the Big East in scoring offense (24.2 point per game) and No. 8 in scoring defense (28.5 ppg).

Offensive MVP: Antwon Bailey, RB. Bailey had his best production in the middle of the season, when the Orange were winning. Still, he went over 1,000 yards rushing and added 200 receiving for some good all-purpose numbers. Alec Lemon emerged at receiver, and Nick Provo was a key player at tight end. Quarterback Ryan Nassib played well at times, too, but came up short in crucial situations.

Defensive MVP: Chandler Jones, DE. It is tough to give this to Thomas, who missed the final two games of the year after being suspended. He was easily the unit's best player this season, with six interceptions and 82 tackles. So I am going to go with Jones, who managed to lead the team in sacks (4.5) despite missing four games. He closed the season with solid performances, and added an interception and two forced fumbles.

Turning point: What ended up being a huge victory was actually the turning point to the season. Syracuse was unable to win another game after completely dominating West Virginia on Oct. 21. The Orange were mistake-prone the rest of the way out, with turnovers, penalties, crucial dropped passes and missed tackles.

What's next: A long offseason filled with questions that must be answered. Marrone said after the season ended he would take a look at himself and his coaching staff to find ways to improve themselves and be more accountable to their players. Recruiting has got to be picked up as well, along with players stepping up to take charge of a team that is in desperate need of leadership.

Time to take a look at the week that was in the Big East:

The good: Defense ruled the day in all three games this past weekend. Four teams combined for five defensive scores. You can see more about that in my One Good Thing video later today. West Virginia is the new "cardiac team" of the Big East, after needing last-minute wins in its final three games of the season to get a share of the Big East championship and a BCS spot. The Mountaineers faced late deficits in all those games, and found a way to win. Against South Florida, it was Najee Goode with a forced fumble by B.J. Daniels that allowed Tyler Bitancurt to make the field goal to win the game 30-27. Running back Dustin Garrison had a 5-yard touchdown run for his sixth touchdown of the season -- but his first since the UConn game Oct. 8. Pat Miller had an interception return for a touchdown, the third defensive score of the season. The last time West Virginia got three defensive scores in a season was 2007. ... Cincinnati coach Butch Jones earned his third conference championship as a head coach (2007, 2009 Central Michigan) after the Bearcats claimed a share of the Big East. The Bearcats had two defensive scores, giving them six this season. That is the most since Cincinnati got seven defensive scores in 2002. Linebacker JK Schaffer has 103 tackles this season, becoming the fifth Cincinnati player to eclipse the 100-tackle plateau for three consecutive seasons. ... Pitt forced six turnovers against Syracuse, a season-high for the Panthers. The six turnovers are the most for Pitt since is recorded six against Ohio on Aug. 31, 2002 (five interceptions, one fumble recovery). Freshman running back Isaac Bennett got his first career start. The Panthers burned his redshirt once Ray Graham was lost for the season. ... Though Syracuse lost, Antwon Bailey went over 1,000 yards rushing this season, giving the Big East three 1,000 yard rushers (Isaiah Pead, Lyle McCombs).

The bad: The season could not have ended worse for USF and Syracuse. The Orange lost five straight to close out the year, and had six turnovers against the Panthers, essentially dooming their chances of making a second-straight bowl game. Syracuse played without defensive end Mikhail Marinovich, who sat out with an injury. That ended his team-best streak of 36 consecutive starts. The last time the
rst-string defense took the
eld without Marinovich was on Nov. 29, 2008 at Cincinnati. ... USF was able to get quarterback B.J. Daniels to start despite a bruised shoulder, but his late fumble against the Mountaineers proved costly. Daniels seemed hesitant to run all night and favored his shoulder, but he did have some good plays that sparked a Bulls rally in the second-half. But as has been the theme this season, the defense could not come up with a critical stop when it mattered most. Ryne Giddins was called for a personal foul penalty on what ended up being the game-winning drive. Had he not attempted to punch a player, USF would have gotten a stop on West Virginia. The Bulls ended their worst season since 2004. ... UConn moved to 0-5 in games at Cincinnati, though the Huskies gave it a valiant effort after trailing 28-6 at halftime. The Huskies had several wasted opportunities to score touchdowns inside the red zone, and close the season without winning consecutive games. UConn also was 0-3 on the road in Big East play, with losses to West Virginia, Pitt and the Bearcats. This is the first season the Huskies will not be in a bowl game since 2005.

Quick bowl look:

Belk Bowl, Dec. 27: Louisville vs. NC State. The Cardinals are the hottest team in the Big East, having finished the season 5-1, while the Wolfpack are probably one of the most inconsistent teams in the ACC. Louisville barely lost to UNC, which did lose to NC State. Cincinnati smacked the Wolfpack earlier this year, too.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 30: Rutgers vs. Iowa State. Fans might not be happy about not getting a vacation destination, but at least they get to stay close to home to see Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have been good in bowl games -- 4-1 under Greg Schiano -- and get a team that has lost two straight since pulling one of the biggest upsets of the season.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31: Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt. The Bearcats lost to Tennessee this season, but this is a vastly different team than the one that dropped that game. Vanderbilt is absolutely much improved, but the Bearcats are going to be motivated to post another 10-win season.

Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 4: No. 23 West Virginia vs. No. 15 Clemson. An offensive shootout is expected in this one between two of the more fun groups to watch. Love the matchup between Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd in this game. I still can't believe this is the first trip to the Orange Bowl for the Mountaineers.

BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 7: Pitt vs. SMU. How about the all-disappointment bowl in this one? The Panthers won a share of the Big East title last season and dropped to 6-6 under first-year coach Todd Graham. SMU won the West Division in C-USA last season, but finished 7-5, with losses in four of its final six games.

Time for our final regular-season installment of did you know? Thanks to the school sports information directors for these notes today and all season long.

• Syracuse running back Antwon Bailey needs 2 yards rushing against the Panthers to reach 1,000 yards for the season. Should he get them, Bailey would become the 10th Syracuse back to record a 1,000-yard rushing season. Syracuse has had a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last three seasons (Curtis Brinkley - 2008; Delone Carter - 2009, 2010).
• Bailey recorded his sixth 100-yard rushing game against Cincinnati with a career-high 135 yards, which ties for the most 100-yard games in the Big East this season with Lyle McCombs of UConn.
• Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib needs 88 yards to set the school's single-season passing mark of 2,547, set by Marvin Graves in 1993. He also needs one more touchdown pass to tie the single-season passing mark of 22, held by Donovan McNabb (1998) and Don McPherson (1987).
• Syracuse receivers Van Chew, Alec Lemon and tight end Nick Provo have combined for 141 receptions, or 59.2 percent (141-238) of Syracuse's total catches this season. All three members of the trio have more than 400 yards receiving, and they’ve combined to catch 16 of Syracuse’s 22 passing touchdowns.
• McCombs is the second-leading freshman rusher in the nation behind Giovani Bernard of North Carolina. McCombs is averaging 100.82 yards a game; Bernard is averaging 101.83.
• UConn has won two of the last three against Cincinnati.
• The Huskies need a win to go to their fifth straight bowl game. They are 3-1 in Big East home games and 0-2 on the road in league games.
• UConn has never won in Cincinnati. The Huskies are 0-4 all-time on the road against the Bearcats, including a tough 47-45 shootout loss there two years ago.
• Pitt has won six straight over Syracuse.
• Over the past four games, Pitt opponents are only 10 of 50 on third down, a 20 percent conversion rate (Louisville 3 of 11; Cincinnati 2 of 13; Connecticut 3 of 14; West Virginia 2 of 12).
• Pitt has recorded at least one sack in each of the past 23 games. The Panthers were last held without a sack on Sept. 2, 2010, a 27-24 overtime loss at Utah.
• The Pitt pass defense has improved since September. Over their last six contests, the Panthers have given up an average of 187.7 yards through the air. That average is down from the season's opening five games, when Pitt gave up 289.6 per game.
• Cincinnati linebacker JK Schaffer needs six tackles to break the 100-tackle mark for the third straight season, and would become the fifth Cincinnati player all-time to achieve that mark along with: Hassan Champion (1996-98), Phillip Curry (1994-97), Brad Jackson (1995-97) and Karl Woods(1978-80).
• Running back Isaiah Pead is the first Cincinnati player in 25 seasons (Reggie Taylor, 1984-86) to break the 1,000-yard plateau in back-to-back seasons.