Big East: Big East mailbag
You know it, you love it, you miss it when it's gone. It's the Big East mailbag.
Patrick from Mechanicsburg, Pa., writes: If this were a season in which Pat White and Geno Smith, each man coming in with the stats they acquired in their first season, which do you believe Dana Holgorsen would start? Which do you think would have given us the greatest thrills under the MountainAir attack?
Brian Bennett: Really interesting question. I think the important point is your clause about each player coming in after his first season of playing. White developed into a pretty good passer by the time he was a senior, but that clearly was not a strength for him early on. White was a 57 percent passer in his redshirt freshman campaign, with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Smith completed 65 percent in limited appearances as a true frosh. I would never want to bet against Pat White, one of the greatest winners in college football history. But I think Smith is better suited for what Holgorsen wants to do, and I think in your scenario it's entirely plausible that White might have transferred to a more friendly system.
Brandon from Morgantown writes: Do you think that Geno Smith is the face of the Big East right now?
Brian Bennett: That's two Smith questions in a row, so he must be. In all seriousness, this league lacks star power from a national perspective. There are no returning All-Americans, no players with a long track record or recognition like a Noel Devine. I wonder just how much people across the country really know Smith. But I do believe they will get to know him as he puts up huge numbers in Holgorsen's system, and that he has an excellent chance to become the face of the league.
Steve from Dunbar, W. Va., writes: Don't you think it's just a little too early to assume WV will lock up the Big East, considering the strong finishes that USF and Syracuse had last year?
Brian Bennett: Of course it's too early. I find it interesting that the perceptions of West Virginia have gone way up nationally from before spring until now, with the Mountaineers now cracking several top 20s. I don't know why that is, since the same strengths and weaknesses were evident back in February. I do think WVU should be the early favorite, but this league is way too balanced to assume any team will sail through it.
Josh from Newport, Ky., writes: I want to say that I am a big fan of the blog and read it daily. Do you think that Cincinnati could possibly be a dark horse for the Big East title in 2011? With the additions to the receiving corps and the extra year of maturity for Zach Collaros and company on the offense and with the entire defense back from last year, this team has the potential to surprise a lot of people. I like to think that two years ago they were a field goal away from playing in the national championship and many of those players that remain are seniors now and might want to go out with a bang, i.e. Mardy Gilyard and company. I think that a win at Tennessee and against NC State early in the year could give the team the confidence it needs to propel them to another Big East title this year. What are your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: When discussing the Big East polls from last week on Monday, I said I would vote Cincinnati as my surprise team, for many of the reasons you mention. The Bearcats could have won two more games last year (USF and Oklahoma) if they had simply taken better care of the football, and I have to think that the terrible turnover problem won't rear its head two years in a row. There are still some real questions on this team related to depth, the secondary, linebacker, etc., and it's not a team that can afford many injuries. But I can see Butch Jones getting this team back into a bowl, if not all the way back to its Big East title-winning ways.
Kurt R. from Louisville writes: Since we are still talking basketball around these parts, I wanted to get your opinion on UofL football. Can Louisville be competitive with an Oompa Loompa at QB? Or will the Frosh need to take the snaps? I feel pretty comfortable with all the other spots except QB.
Brian Bennett: I like Will Stein, and not just because I can see eye to eye with him in interviews. The kid is a winner, as he showed in high school, and I've had program insiders tell me he easily would have won the starting job a long time ago had he been a couple inches taller. Stein is smart and throws an accurate ball, and Louisville is not going to ask him to do much more than manage the game. I admit I did not think Adam Froman and Justin Burke were good enough to get the job done at a high level, but the Cardinals' coaching staff maximized their abilities last year.
Is Stein a BCS bowl-winning type of quarterback? That's a big question, especially since there are going to be situations where his height is a disadvantage. But whether he starts every game or Teddy Bridgewater comes on, I believe quarterback isn't near the top of this team's concerns. I'd begin that list with cornerback and offensive line.
Gregory from Peapack, N.J., writes: Question 1: How many wins do you think Rutgers football will have this year? Question 2: How much of a chance does Rutgers have of winning the Big East title in football this year? Question 3: If Rutgers underachieves this year do u think they will make a head coaching change at the end of the season?
Brian Bennett: Hey, no fair asking multiple questions at once! Just kidding. It's always difficult predicting an exact number of wins. The Scarlet Knights' nonconference schedule looks a little more tricky than usual, with a road game at North Carolina, a game against always-tough Navy and the Yankee Stadium hook-up with an improving Army program. Still not murderer's row by any stretch, but more difficult than Rutgers' schedules in the recent past.
Let's be conservative and say the team wins three nonleague games (Ohio, NC Central and Ohio). It also gets four Big East games at home and should be able to win two of those. I see this as a team that should finish somewhere between 5-7 and 7-5. I don't think it can win the Big East title just because of the problems on both lines, but Rutgers can certainly get back to its usual minor bowl. Coach Greg Schiano is in no immediate danger for reasons I've often listed, but another subpar season will increase the heat on him for 2012 and beyond.
Patrick from Mechanicsburg, Pa., writes: If this were a season in which Pat White and Geno Smith, each man coming in with the stats they acquired in their first season, which do you believe Dana Holgorsen would start? Which do you think would have given us the greatest thrills under the MountainAir attack?
Brian Bennett: Really interesting question. I think the important point is your clause about each player coming in after his first season of playing. White developed into a pretty good passer by the time he was a senior, but that clearly was not a strength for him early on. White was a 57 percent passer in his redshirt freshman campaign, with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Smith completed 65 percent in limited appearances as a true frosh. I would never want to bet against Pat White, one of the greatest winners in college football history. But I think Smith is better suited for what Holgorsen wants to do, and I think in your scenario it's entirely plausible that White might have transferred to a more friendly system.
Brandon from Morgantown writes: Do you think that Geno Smith is the face of the Big East right now?
Brian Bennett: That's two Smith questions in a row, so he must be. In all seriousness, this league lacks star power from a national perspective. There are no returning All-Americans, no players with a long track record or recognition like a Noel Devine. I wonder just how much people across the country really know Smith. But I do believe they will get to know him as he puts up huge numbers in Holgorsen's system, and that he has an excellent chance to become the face of the league.
Steve from Dunbar, W. Va., writes: Don't you think it's just a little too early to assume WV will lock up the Big East, considering the strong finishes that USF and Syracuse had last year?
Brian Bennett: Of course it's too early. I find it interesting that the perceptions of West Virginia have gone way up nationally from before spring until now, with the Mountaineers now cracking several top 20s. I don't know why that is, since the same strengths and weaknesses were evident back in February. I do think WVU should be the early favorite, but this league is way too balanced to assume any team will sail through it.
Josh from Newport, Ky., writes: I want to say that I am a big fan of the blog and read it daily. Do you think that Cincinnati could possibly be a dark horse for the Big East title in 2011? With the additions to the receiving corps and the extra year of maturity for Zach Collaros and company on the offense and with the entire defense back from last year, this team has the potential to surprise a lot of people. I like to think that two years ago they were a field goal away from playing in the national championship and many of those players that remain are seniors now and might want to go out with a bang, i.e. Mardy Gilyard and company. I think that a win at Tennessee and against NC State early in the year could give the team the confidence it needs to propel them to another Big East title this year. What are your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: When discussing the Big East polls from last week on Monday, I said I would vote Cincinnati as my surprise team, for many of the reasons you mention. The Bearcats could have won two more games last year (USF and Oklahoma) if they had simply taken better care of the football, and I have to think that the terrible turnover problem won't rear its head two years in a row. There are still some real questions on this team related to depth, the secondary, linebacker, etc., and it's not a team that can afford many injuries. But I can see Butch Jones getting this team back into a bowl, if not all the way back to its Big East title-winning ways.
Kurt R. from Louisville writes: Since we are still talking basketball around these parts, I wanted to get your opinion on UofL football. Can Louisville be competitive with an Oompa Loompa at QB? Or will the Frosh need to take the snaps? I feel pretty comfortable with all the other spots except QB.
Brian Bennett: I like Will Stein, and not just because I can see eye to eye with him in interviews. The kid is a winner, as he showed in high school, and I've had program insiders tell me he easily would have won the starting job a long time ago had he been a couple inches taller. Stein is smart and throws an accurate ball, and Louisville is not going to ask him to do much more than manage the game. I admit I did not think Adam Froman and Justin Burke were good enough to get the job done at a high level, but the Cardinals' coaching staff maximized their abilities last year.
Is Stein a BCS bowl-winning type of quarterback? That's a big question, especially since there are going to be situations where his height is a disadvantage. But whether he starts every game or Teddy Bridgewater comes on, I believe quarterback isn't near the top of this team's concerns. I'd begin that list with cornerback and offensive line.
Gregory from Peapack, N.J., writes: Question 1: How many wins do you think Rutgers football will have this year? Question 2: How much of a chance does Rutgers have of winning the Big East title in football this year? Question 3: If Rutgers underachieves this year do u think they will make a head coaching change at the end of the season?
Brian Bennett: Hey, no fair asking multiple questions at once! Just kidding. It's always difficult predicting an exact number of wins. The Scarlet Knights' nonconference schedule looks a little more tricky than usual, with a road game at North Carolina, a game against always-tough Navy and the Yankee Stadium hook-up with an improving Army program. Still not murderer's row by any stretch, but more difficult than Rutgers' schedules in the recent past.
Let's be conservative and say the team wins three nonleague games (Ohio, NC Central and Ohio). It also gets four Big East games at home and should be able to win two of those. I see this as a team that should finish somewhere between 5-7 and 7-5. I don't think it can win the Big East title just because of the problems on both lines, but Rutgers can certainly get back to its usual minor bowl. Coach Greg Schiano is in no immediate danger for reasons I've often listed, but another subpar season will increase the heat on him for 2012 and beyond.
Hey, everybody. Pretty good weekend, huh? Let's keep up the good vibes with some of your emails:
Zack from Louisville writes: So with the recent news that NC State's Russell Wilson has been allowed to play next season along the lines of Greg Paulus for Syracuse, do you think that UofL will take an interest? He obviously knows how to play, and knows Big East teams, having played against most Big East teams at one time or another in his career. If only to provide as a reliable backup and teach the new guys it seems like offering a scholarship doesn't seem like a bad idea. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: When I heard the Wilson news, I started thinking about Big East teams that could use him. The two most obvious ones are Louisville and Connecticut, since they are the two Big East teams that do not have a returning starting quarterback for 2011. And though at UConn he could learn from the same coaches who tutored Donovan McNabb, I can't imagine him going to Storrs. No offense to Will Stein, who had a really good spring for Louisville, but the Cardinals would be a great fit. Wilson could play for a year as Teddy Bridgewater -- another athletic, mobile guy -- learned from him. Colleague Joe Schad also mentioned Pitt as a possible destination, which probably came as news to Tino Sunseri.
I would imagine Wilson will have lots of opportunities, including from some SEC and ACC programs, and he'll end up in one of those leagues. One other thing to consider is the effect this will have on Cincinnati's game against the Wolfpack in September. I'm pretty sure Butch Jones is not too upset about missing Wilson this year.
William from Big East, USA, writes: Do you think the situation unfolding at UCF with Caldwell and Bender is being monitored by the Big East? If this situation unfolds and UCF gets hit with NCAA sanctions, im thinking their Big East football aspirations are officially over. Your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Let's see where this goes first, and the NCAA often moves at a snail's pace. But it's certainly not good timing for the Knights as they continue trying to make their case that they belong in the Big East. The league wouldn't want to bring in a program crippled by major NCAA sanctions, but it also might not know what UCF's future is when the conference is ready to make a move. Long term, even if it does have to deal with some punishment, UCF still has a lot of attractive features to offer.
Ken from Philadelphia writes: Hey BB, maybe you can shine some light on a subject for me. Jordan Todman was the 4th RB taken from the BE. Not only did he outperform the four in front of him on the field with no threat of a passing attack, but he also put better numbers up at the combine than all of them. Kiper had him rated 3rd coming out of the combine and he just free-falled. Any theories?
Brian Bennett: It was very surprising to me, especially after Todman appeared to pass every test at the combine. The best explanation is that teams shied away from Todman because of his size -- he's listed at 5-9 and about 200 pounds. Look at the other Big East backs taken ahead of him: Delone Carter, Bilal Powell and teammate Anthony Sherman are all much stronger backs, as were most of the other backs drafted ahead of Todman. But then how do you explain Dion Lewis going ahead of Todman?
So did Todman make a mistake coming out a year early? I don't think so. There is little else he could have proved in college, and running backs have short shelf lives. He carried it 334 times last season, and he probably would have taken a heavy load again this year since the Huskies have no proven quarterback. Todman isn't going to get the benefit of a rich contract to begin his NFL career, but if he performs the way he's capable, he'll be OK.
Steve from Huntington, W.Va., writes: Discovered the blog a couple of months ago and love it! I check 2-3 times per day and am looking forward to following during the upcoming season. My question: I know you don't put a lot of stock in spring "games" but isn't it a least a little encouraging that in West Virginia's game the new offense all seemed to be on the same page with a minimal number of procedure penalties and almost no broken plays, or is that just my Holgy fever looking for significance in insignificant things?
Brian Bennett: I understand the optimism, and any positive signs this time of year can be used as encouragement. I have little doubt that Dana Holgorsen's offense will be successful and much more productive than Jeff Mullen's schemes. I do think there are some lingering questions about the offensive line and the running game, and you shouldn't read a huge amount into the offense's production against the second-team defense last week. But 838 yards is 838 yards, and if that didn't get you daydreaming about the possibilities this fall, I don't know what will.
Jeff S. from Lambertville, N.J., writes: Instead of the Big East trying to grow by adding schools like 'Nova or UCF why not just set the bar and go big? I think the ACC and Big East (Football and Basketball schools only) should combine and create a truly Big East. Combining the 21 schools would leave an excellent Football and Basketball conference. The schools from the current Big East that are basketball only would not form a shabby Basketball conference and I am sure they would attract some good schools to come play with them. This new Big East would command much more respect and attention bringing much more lucrative T.V. and advertising deals.
Brian Bennett: It's like I suggested to my girlfriend: why don't we go big and add Rachel Bilson to the mix? An ACC/Big East merger may eventually be in the cards if the mega-conferences ever come to fruition. But the ACC is already locked in for the future with its TV deal, and a 21-school conference is way too unwieldy. Heck, 17 isn't exactly going real smoothly right now.
Tim from Portland, Ore., writes: I read you were running a half marathon Saturday. Let us know how fast or slow you ran it.
Brian Bennett: Thanks for asking. I ran it in 1:46.58, which was a personal best. I'll let you decide if that's fast or slow, but I'm not complaining.
Jason from Elkview, W.Va., writes: You listed Big East spring game attendance figures and compared them only to elite BCS programs in other conferences. Isn't it only fair for you to compare attendance with the likes of Washington State, Duke, Vanderbilt, Miami and such? How about the Mountain West schools? People like to compare the Big East to the MWC.
Brian Bennett: I listed the top five most-attended spring games just to give you an idea of how crazy some places are over football. Like I said, I think spring games are overrated and I'd probably find something better to do on a Saturday if given the choice. I don't think the Big East wants to compare itself to Duke, Vandy and Washington State. But since the ACC is the most comparable AQ conference, and we just had a question about an ACC-Big East merger, here are some reported spring game attendance figures from that league (note: not all schools announce spring game crowds):
Florida State: 53,818
Virginia Tech: 40,000
Clemson: 27,000
North Carolina: 15,500
NC State: 13,439
Miami: 11,724
Maryland: 5,000
Zack from Louisville writes: So with the recent news that NC State's Russell Wilson has been allowed to play next season along the lines of Greg Paulus for Syracuse, do you think that UofL will take an interest? He obviously knows how to play, and knows Big East teams, having played against most Big East teams at one time or another in his career. If only to provide as a reliable backup and teach the new guys it seems like offering a scholarship doesn't seem like a bad idea. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: When I heard the Wilson news, I started thinking about Big East teams that could use him. The two most obvious ones are Louisville and Connecticut, since they are the two Big East teams that do not have a returning starting quarterback for 2011. And though at UConn he could learn from the same coaches who tutored Donovan McNabb, I can't imagine him going to Storrs. No offense to Will Stein, who had a really good spring for Louisville, but the Cardinals would be a great fit. Wilson could play for a year as Teddy Bridgewater -- another athletic, mobile guy -- learned from him. Colleague Joe Schad also mentioned Pitt as a possible destination, which probably came as news to Tino Sunseri.
I would imagine Wilson will have lots of opportunities, including from some SEC and ACC programs, and he'll end up in one of those leagues. One other thing to consider is the effect this will have on Cincinnati's game against the Wolfpack in September. I'm pretty sure Butch Jones is not too upset about missing Wilson this year.
William from Big East, USA, writes: Do you think the situation unfolding at UCF with Caldwell and Bender is being monitored by the Big East? If this situation unfolds and UCF gets hit with NCAA sanctions, im thinking their Big East football aspirations are officially over. Your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Let's see where this goes first, and the NCAA often moves at a snail's pace. But it's certainly not good timing for the Knights as they continue trying to make their case that they belong in the Big East. The league wouldn't want to bring in a program crippled by major NCAA sanctions, but it also might not know what UCF's future is when the conference is ready to make a move. Long term, even if it does have to deal with some punishment, UCF still has a lot of attractive features to offer.
Ken from Philadelphia writes: Hey BB, maybe you can shine some light on a subject for me. Jordan Todman was the 4th RB taken from the BE. Not only did he outperform the four in front of him on the field with no threat of a passing attack, but he also put better numbers up at the combine than all of them. Kiper had him rated 3rd coming out of the combine and he just free-falled. Any theories?
Brian Bennett: It was very surprising to me, especially after Todman appeared to pass every test at the combine. The best explanation is that teams shied away from Todman because of his size -- he's listed at 5-9 and about 200 pounds. Look at the other Big East backs taken ahead of him: Delone Carter, Bilal Powell and teammate Anthony Sherman are all much stronger backs, as were most of the other backs drafted ahead of Todman. But then how do you explain Dion Lewis going ahead of Todman?
So did Todman make a mistake coming out a year early? I don't think so. There is little else he could have proved in college, and running backs have short shelf lives. He carried it 334 times last season, and he probably would have taken a heavy load again this year since the Huskies have no proven quarterback. Todman isn't going to get the benefit of a rich contract to begin his NFL career, but if he performs the way he's capable, he'll be OK.
Steve from Huntington, W.Va., writes: Discovered the blog a couple of months ago and love it! I check 2-3 times per day and am looking forward to following during the upcoming season. My question: I know you don't put a lot of stock in spring "games" but isn't it a least a little encouraging that in West Virginia's game the new offense all seemed to be on the same page with a minimal number of procedure penalties and almost no broken plays, or is that just my Holgy fever looking for significance in insignificant things?
Brian Bennett: I understand the optimism, and any positive signs this time of year can be used as encouragement. I have little doubt that Dana Holgorsen's offense will be successful and much more productive than Jeff Mullen's schemes. I do think there are some lingering questions about the offensive line and the running game, and you shouldn't read a huge amount into the offense's production against the second-team defense last week. But 838 yards is 838 yards, and if that didn't get you daydreaming about the possibilities this fall, I don't know what will.
Jeff S. from Lambertville, N.J., writes: Instead of the Big East trying to grow by adding schools like 'Nova or UCF why not just set the bar and go big? I think the ACC and Big East (Football and Basketball schools only) should combine and create a truly Big East. Combining the 21 schools would leave an excellent Football and Basketball conference. The schools from the current Big East that are basketball only would not form a shabby Basketball conference and I am sure they would attract some good schools to come play with them. This new Big East would command much more respect and attention bringing much more lucrative T.V. and advertising deals.
Brian Bennett: It's like I suggested to my girlfriend: why don't we go big and add Rachel Bilson to the mix? An ACC/Big East merger may eventually be in the cards if the mega-conferences ever come to fruition. But the ACC is already locked in for the future with its TV deal, and a 21-school conference is way too unwieldy. Heck, 17 isn't exactly going real smoothly right now.
Tim from Portland, Ore., writes: I read you were running a half marathon Saturday. Let us know how fast or slow you ran it.
Brian Bennett: Thanks for asking. I ran it in 1:46.58, which was a personal best. I'll let you decide if that's fast or slow, but I'm not complaining.
Jason from Elkview, W.Va., writes: You listed Big East spring game attendance figures and compared them only to elite BCS programs in other conferences. Isn't it only fair for you to compare attendance with the likes of Washington State, Duke, Vanderbilt, Miami and such? How about the Mountain West schools? People like to compare the Big East to the MWC.
Brian Bennett: I listed the top five most-attended spring games just to give you an idea of how crazy some places are over football. Like I said, I think spring games are overrated and I'd probably find something better to do on a Saturday if given the choice. I don't think the Big East wants to compare itself to Duke, Vandy and Washington State. But since the ACC is the most comparable AQ conference, and we just had a question about an ACC-Big East merger, here are some reported spring game attendance figures from that league (note: not all schools announce spring game crowds):
Florida State: 53,818
Virginia Tech: 40,000
Clemson: 27,000
North Carolina: 15,500
NC State: 13,439
Miami: 11,724
Maryland: 5,000
So a movie comes out with both Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel in it, and it bombs. How is that possible?
On to more important questions: yours.
Hank from Leeds, Mass., writes: BB, I thought that opening with Michigan was a driving force for UConn last off-season. The team really rallied around that challenge. I know the game at Michigan didn't pan out as hoped but the gains made in the off-season certainly did. I think the Huskies may have been the most motivated team in the BE last summer. Which team in the BE do you see as having that edge this offseason?
Brian Bennett: Well, I'm not sure I can agree with you about UConn. The Huskies fell flat on their face against Michigan, lost to Temple and started out 0-2 in the Big East. They didn't start playing well until late October, and Randy Edsall hinted that they might have read too many of their press clippings in the summer. All that said, the team with the most motivation for the opener has to be South Florida. The Bulls open at Notre Dame in a game that will get a lot of attention with the Holtz connections. They know if they win in South Bend, it will open a lot of eyes.
Michael M. from Williamsburg, Va., writes: I've been hearing a lot about the new offensive system Todd Graham is installing at Pitt. However, as one of the many people that are still somewhat skeptical of Tino Sunseri (note, I was always something of a Pat Bostick fan) I have to wonder whether he can really run a spread system. What's your thought on this subject?
Brian Bennett: I would argue that Sunseri might actually be a better fit for the spread than the pro-style. Think about it: In Wannstedt's system, he was often asked to throw deep off of play-action, and the deep ball looks like his biggest weakness. In Graham's system, he'll be in the shotgun, which will help his view of the field since he's not very tall. The system is based more on getting rid of the ball quickly and making decisive reads than pure arm strength. Sunseri, as a the son of a coach, understands the game well. Look at some quarterbacks who've had success under Graham like Paul Smith and G.J. Kinne at Tulsa, and they're not physically imposing.
Rickey from Lehigh Acres, Fla., writes: I see that USF is tops on the list of a Florida receiver looking to transfer. We already got a few running backs that transferred looking for a fresh start after running into trouble at their other schools. How do you think this reflects on the program? Does this cast USF in a bad light since we are accepting some guys with checkered backgrounds or does this make USF look good by allowing some guys a second chance to play ball, earn a degree and hopefully turn their lives around?
Brian Bennett: It all depends on how the guys behave once they get to your school. I go back to how Louisville accepted a lot of transfers and found great success with players like Eric Shelton and Nate Harris. But that bit them on the behind when they took a chance on Willie Williams. None of the guys coming to USF have major problems in their background from what I can tell. Part of the advantage of being located in Tampa means that the Bulls will be an attractive destination for Florida players looking to come home from other schools.
Matt from Oklahoma City, Okla., writes: Why does Cullen Christan have to sit out a year and Barry Brunetti does not? They are both transfering back home?
Brian Bennett: Brunetti, the former West Virginia quarterback, successfully appealed to the NCAA to become immediately eligible by citing his mother's health. She's recovering from a car accident and lives in Memphis, which is much closer to Ole Miss than Morgantown. Christian, who's transferring to Pitt from Michigan, has no such extenuating circumstances that I'm aware of. By the way, this story says Bill Stewart helped Brunetti win his appeal. It's nice to see a coach helping a player out like that.
Matt Rob from Pittsburgh writes: Your description of the Big East as a "Torso League" is validated by the four-year performance averages. The Big East places third out of all conferences, and has a top-to-bottom average better than any others.
Brian Bennett: Say what you want about the Big East, but there are no easy outs anymore in conference play. If Cincinnati and Rutgers are improved this year as I think they will be, this will easily be the most balanced league in the country, top to bottom. But can any one team stand out?
Corey from Hurricane writes: Regarding what it would take for WVU fans to feel more fondly about Rich Rodriguez: I know many Mountaineer fans that aren't angry or happy with Rich Rod any more -- it's more a sense of apathy. I feel that more than anything WVU fans still just can't get their minds around why he would ever leave Morgantown. He had spent seven years to build his alma mater and life-long favorite team to the brink of a national championship (and had he stayed in 2008 it's hard to believe that team would have not gone undefeated), but only to leave for "greener pastures" at Michigan. I for one will never understand how yearly BCS games, Top 10 finishes, and shots at the NC game are not of the greenest of pastures.
Ryan from Houston writes: I admit that I have never understood the level of resentment and outright hatred showered upon Rich. Granted, the way in which he left the team and the state was unceremonious. However, I don't understand how people can just sweep him under the rug and act like he didn't have an outrageous level of success at WVU that really re-energized the university and the whole state. Maybe one of these days, Mountaineer fans as a whole will learn to appreciate his tenure and the unprecedented success. .... For what it's worth, I am a native West Virginian, attended WVU undergrad and law school, and I had Rich at the top of my wish list for replacing Stew.
Ed from Morgantown: In response to your question: yes, we do still hate Rich Fraudriguez.. 'nuff said.
Brian Bennett: Well, there are certainly many different opinions about Rodriguez. I do think, with time, there will be more appreciation of what he accomplished in Morgantown. It's pretty easy to see why he left: more money, the appeal of coaching Michigan and some obvious conflicts he had at West Virginia. These days in college football, to have a coach stick around for seven years or so is pretty much an era. Rodriguez leaving was an error. But I bet he'd do the same thing again if given the choice.
On to more important questions: yours.
Hank from Leeds, Mass., writes: BB, I thought that opening with Michigan was a driving force for UConn last off-season. The team really rallied around that challenge. I know the game at Michigan didn't pan out as hoped but the gains made in the off-season certainly did. I think the Huskies may have been the most motivated team in the BE last summer. Which team in the BE do you see as having that edge this offseason?
Brian Bennett: Well, I'm not sure I can agree with you about UConn. The Huskies fell flat on their face against Michigan, lost to Temple and started out 0-2 in the Big East. They didn't start playing well until late October, and Randy Edsall hinted that they might have read too many of their press clippings in the summer. All that said, the team with the most motivation for the opener has to be South Florida. The Bulls open at Notre Dame in a game that will get a lot of attention with the Holtz connections. They know if they win in South Bend, it will open a lot of eyes.
Michael M. from Williamsburg, Va., writes: I've been hearing a lot about the new offensive system Todd Graham is installing at Pitt. However, as one of the many people that are still somewhat skeptical of Tino Sunseri (note, I was always something of a Pat Bostick fan) I have to wonder whether he can really run a spread system. What's your thought on this subject?
Brian Bennett: I would argue that Sunseri might actually be a better fit for the spread than the pro-style. Think about it: In Wannstedt's system, he was often asked to throw deep off of play-action, and the deep ball looks like his biggest weakness. In Graham's system, he'll be in the shotgun, which will help his view of the field since he's not very tall. The system is based more on getting rid of the ball quickly and making decisive reads than pure arm strength. Sunseri, as a the son of a coach, understands the game well. Look at some quarterbacks who've had success under Graham like Paul Smith and G.J. Kinne at Tulsa, and they're not physically imposing.
Rickey from Lehigh Acres, Fla., writes: I see that USF is tops on the list of a Florida receiver looking to transfer. We already got a few running backs that transferred looking for a fresh start after running into trouble at their other schools. How do you think this reflects on the program? Does this cast USF in a bad light since we are accepting some guys with checkered backgrounds or does this make USF look good by allowing some guys a second chance to play ball, earn a degree and hopefully turn their lives around?
Brian Bennett: It all depends on how the guys behave once they get to your school. I go back to how Louisville accepted a lot of transfers and found great success with players like Eric Shelton and Nate Harris. But that bit them on the behind when they took a chance on Willie Williams. None of the guys coming to USF have major problems in their background from what I can tell. Part of the advantage of being located in Tampa means that the Bulls will be an attractive destination for Florida players looking to come home from other schools.
Matt from Oklahoma City, Okla., writes: Why does Cullen Christan have to sit out a year and Barry Brunetti does not? They are both transfering back home?
Brian Bennett: Brunetti, the former West Virginia quarterback, successfully appealed to the NCAA to become immediately eligible by citing his mother's health. She's recovering from a car accident and lives in Memphis, which is much closer to Ole Miss than Morgantown. Christian, who's transferring to Pitt from Michigan, has no such extenuating circumstances that I'm aware of. By the way, this story says Bill Stewart helped Brunetti win his appeal. It's nice to see a coach helping a player out like that.
Matt Rob from Pittsburgh writes: Your description of the Big East as a "Torso League" is validated by the four-year performance averages. The Big East places third out of all conferences, and has a top-to-bottom average better than any others.
Brian Bennett: Say what you want about the Big East, but there are no easy outs anymore in conference play. If Cincinnati and Rutgers are improved this year as I think they will be, this will easily be the most balanced league in the country, top to bottom. But can any one team stand out?
Corey from Hurricane writes: Regarding what it would take for WVU fans to feel more fondly about Rich Rodriguez: I know many Mountaineer fans that aren't angry or happy with Rich Rod any more -- it's more a sense of apathy. I feel that more than anything WVU fans still just can't get their minds around why he would ever leave Morgantown. He had spent seven years to build his alma mater and life-long favorite team to the brink of a national championship (and had he stayed in 2008 it's hard to believe that team would have not gone undefeated), but only to leave for "greener pastures" at Michigan. I for one will never understand how yearly BCS games, Top 10 finishes, and shots at the NC game are not of the greenest of pastures.
Ryan from Houston writes: I admit that I have never understood the level of resentment and outright hatred showered upon Rich. Granted, the way in which he left the team and the state was unceremonious. However, I don't understand how people can just sweep him under the rug and act like he didn't have an outrageous level of success at WVU that really re-energized the university and the whole state. Maybe one of these days, Mountaineer fans as a whole will learn to appreciate his tenure and the unprecedented success. .... For what it's worth, I am a native West Virginian, attended WVU undergrad and law school, and I had Rich at the top of my wish list for replacing Stew.
Ed from Morgantown: In response to your question: yes, we do still hate Rich Fraudriguez.. 'nuff said.
Brian Bennett: Well, there are certainly many different opinions about Rodriguez. I do think, with time, there will be more appreciation of what he accomplished in Morgantown. It's pretty easy to see why he left: more money, the appeal of coaching Michigan and some obvious conflicts he had at West Virginia. These days in college football, to have a coach stick around for seven years or so is pretty much an era. Rodriguez leaving was an error. But I bet he'd do the same thing again if given the choice.
It's time for a mailbag, and I'm not just mailing it in ...
Eric from Harrisburg, Pa., writes: Because of the whole Villanova/Big East expansion fiasco, will this finally be the beginning end of the conference as we know it, and will the football schools form their own conference?
Brian Bennett: I thought the conference as we know it would stick together for longer than most people expected, but the Villanova situation has the potential to be a Franz Ferdinand moment (the archduke, not the rock band). Villanova clearly wants to get on the side of the football-playing members in case of a future split, and if the Big East tells that school no after basically offering an open invite in the fall, who knows what the reaction and ramifications will be for the basketball-only schools? The thing that would keep this together is a lucrative TV contract for all sports; we all know that Big East basketball is an extremely valuable property, and Big East football on its own would be less so.
Greg from Pittsburgh writes: This whole situation with Villanova is turning into a nightmare for the conference. If the conference really wanted 'Nova to join, they would have done so already. The Wildcats have until June 1st, I believe, to decide or they won't be able to be a full member until 2015. If the two sides haven't agreed by then, should we be expecting UCF to join before July to get them in with TCU in 2012? And which do you think will ultimately be the better option for the conference?
Brian Bennett: I've been pretty clear on this here blog that UCF is a much better option than Villanova. No need to rehash that again. Will the conference immediately move on if the Villanova thing falls apart? Not necessarily. The league stated its goal of expanding to 10 teams, but it doesn't really need more than nine at this point. TCU ensures a balanced schedule, eight conference games and only four nonconference games. If the Villanova situation turns uglier, the conference may want to step back and assess its future before moving on to another school. Schools like UCF will always be sitting there available.
John G. from Louisville writes: The questions raised about PPL Park for Villanova football got me looking around to see where Cincinnati is at for a rennovation and expansion of Nippert Stadium. I didn't find much, so what is the status of that project? By the way, thanks to UC for making all those seats at Paul Brown available for the Ville fans to fill on Oct 15th.
Brian Bennett: The last we heard, Cincinnati had studied expansion but didn't have a firm plan in place. A minor renovation is more likely in the near future than a major overhaul, and the timetable even for that is up in the air. The difference between a proposed 30,000-seat PPL Park with expansion and Nippert? At least the Bearcats' stadium is on campus.
Scott from Buckhannon, W. Va., writes: I'm going to be bold here and say that I am more excited than anyone else that Dana Holgorsen's offense and hand-picked staff have come to Morgantown. BUT I don't know how I can possibly express how much I appreciate Jeff Casteel and his loyalty to WVU. I still don't think he gets near the credit he deserves. I know the saying "offense wins fans; defense wins championships," but I could absolutely hug Jeff Casteel for what he has accomplished at WVU! Here's to Jeff Casteel!!!
Brian Bennett: Casteel became the sole defensive coordinator in Morgantown in 2003. Since then, the Mountaineers have finished in the top 15 nationally in total defense three times and in the top 40 nationally in six of his eight seasons. They've finished in the top 15 nationally in points allowed four of the last six years. That's consistency. I'm interested to see how the defensive numbers fare with a high-powered, high-paced offense, but Casteel has done it before with a pretty potent attack led by Rich Rodriguez.
Matt from Cincinnati writes: The amount of youth and inexperience on the Louisville roster makes me think they're in for a long year. I would see 7-6 as a major victory this season. Do you know of any comparisons over the past 10 years in which a team relied so heavily on youth and had success? Graduating 27 seniors hurts! I trust Charlie Strong to keep the program going in the right direction, but fear a knee-jerk reaction to another 7-6 season from the locals. Any read on the expectations? I don't think its fair to judge a coach for 3-5 years.
Brian Bennett: First of all, I wouldn't worry too much about a backlash from the fans. Strong can do no wrong in their eyes right now, and most are extremely excited about the recruiting Strong and his staff have been doing. It always helps to follow one of the most unliked coaches in program history. The Cardinals will be young, but a lot of the players on the two-deep have had game experience. And there are plenty of veterans around, like Vic Anderson, Greg Scruggs, Dexter Heyman, Josh Chichester and Mario Benavides.
When I think of young teams that have had major success in the Big East, the 2005 West Virginia league champs usually spring first to mind. Those Mountaineers had a lot of freshmen and sophomores, but they were extremely talented. I don't think Louisville is to that level yet, but the Cardinals are bringing more speed and athleticism into the program and aren't that far away.
Eric from Harrisburg, Pa., writes: Because of the whole Villanova/Big East expansion fiasco, will this finally be the beginning end of the conference as we know it, and will the football schools form their own conference?
Brian Bennett: I thought the conference as we know it would stick together for longer than most people expected, but the Villanova situation has the potential to be a Franz Ferdinand moment (the archduke, not the rock band). Villanova clearly wants to get on the side of the football-playing members in case of a future split, and if the Big East tells that school no after basically offering an open invite in the fall, who knows what the reaction and ramifications will be for the basketball-only schools? The thing that would keep this together is a lucrative TV contract for all sports; we all know that Big East basketball is an extremely valuable property, and Big East football on its own would be less so.
Greg from Pittsburgh writes: This whole situation with Villanova is turning into a nightmare for the conference. If the conference really wanted 'Nova to join, they would have done so already. The Wildcats have until June 1st, I believe, to decide or they won't be able to be a full member until 2015. If the two sides haven't agreed by then, should we be expecting UCF to join before July to get them in with TCU in 2012? And which do you think will ultimately be the better option for the conference?
Brian Bennett: I've been pretty clear on this here blog that UCF is a much better option than Villanova. No need to rehash that again. Will the conference immediately move on if the Villanova thing falls apart? Not necessarily. The league stated its goal of expanding to 10 teams, but it doesn't really need more than nine at this point. TCU ensures a balanced schedule, eight conference games and only four nonconference games. If the Villanova situation turns uglier, the conference may want to step back and assess its future before moving on to another school. Schools like UCF will always be sitting there available.
John G. from Louisville writes: The questions raised about PPL Park for Villanova football got me looking around to see where Cincinnati is at for a rennovation and expansion of Nippert Stadium. I didn't find much, so what is the status of that project? By the way, thanks to UC for making all those seats at Paul Brown available for the Ville fans to fill on Oct 15th.
Brian Bennett: The last we heard, Cincinnati had studied expansion but didn't have a firm plan in place. A minor renovation is more likely in the near future than a major overhaul, and the timetable even for that is up in the air. The difference between a proposed 30,000-seat PPL Park with expansion and Nippert? At least the Bearcats' stadium is on campus.
Scott from Buckhannon, W. Va., writes: I'm going to be bold here and say that I am more excited than anyone else that Dana Holgorsen's offense and hand-picked staff have come to Morgantown. BUT I don't know how I can possibly express how much I appreciate Jeff Casteel and his loyalty to WVU. I still don't think he gets near the credit he deserves. I know the saying "offense wins fans; defense wins championships," but I could absolutely hug Jeff Casteel for what he has accomplished at WVU! Here's to Jeff Casteel!!!
Brian Bennett: Casteel became the sole defensive coordinator in Morgantown in 2003. Since then, the Mountaineers have finished in the top 15 nationally in total defense three times and in the top 40 nationally in six of his eight seasons. They've finished in the top 15 nationally in points allowed four of the last six years. That's consistency. I'm interested to see how the defensive numbers fare with a high-powered, high-paced offense, but Casteel has done it before with a pretty potent attack led by Rich Rodriguez.
Matt from Cincinnati writes: The amount of youth and inexperience on the Louisville roster makes me think they're in for a long year. I would see 7-6 as a major victory this season. Do you know of any comparisons over the past 10 years in which a team relied so heavily on youth and had success? Graduating 27 seniors hurts! I trust Charlie Strong to keep the program going in the right direction, but fear a knee-jerk reaction to another 7-6 season from the locals. Any read on the expectations? I don't think its fair to judge a coach for 3-5 years.
Brian Bennett: First of all, I wouldn't worry too much about a backlash from the fans. Strong can do no wrong in their eyes right now, and most are extremely excited about the recruiting Strong and his staff have been doing. It always helps to follow one of the most unliked coaches in program history. The Cardinals will be young, but a lot of the players on the two-deep have had game experience. And there are plenty of veterans around, like Vic Anderson, Greg Scruggs, Dexter Heyman, Josh Chichester and Mario Benavides.
When I think of young teams that have had major success in the Big East, the 2005 West Virginia league champs usually spring first to mind. Those Mountaineers had a lot of freshmen and sophomores, but they were extremely talented. I don't think Louisville is to that level yet, but the Cardinals are bringing more speed and athleticism into the program and aren't that far away.
A Tuesday mailbag actually on Tuesday. Imagine that. What's on your mind?
Kevin R. from Washington, DC, writes: Hey, Brian, love the blog. With Greg Schiano going for more speed on defense, do you think that he will finally be able to successfully defend against the spread offense? Recent history seems to show that he has been unable to defend against the spread, what with the difficulties against teams like WVU and Cincinnati. With Pitt adopting a no-huddle spread, it could be another long year if the Rutgers D can't keep up with spread offense teams.
Brian Bennett: That's the idea behind it, Kevin. And teams are going to have to be able to defend the spread effectively to win in this league going forward. You mentioned Pitt, Cincinnati and West Virginia as no-huddle, up-tempo offenses now. TCU also plays a version of the spread, and I think Louisville and Connecticut will move more toward that in the future. There will still be some power teams, but matching speed for speed will become a necessity in short order.
Kris from Hollidaysburg, Pa., writes: What happened to Robert Sands' draft prospects? A month ago most places I saw had him going in the 3rd round. In your recent blog about Kiper and McShay and their projections, Sands wasn't even mentioned. Any explanation?
Brian Bennett: From what I'm hearing, Sands hasn't impressed in his pre-draft workouts. He has looked stiff and has shown poor ball skills. He'll probably still get drafted just because of his potential, but right now it's looking like he might have been better served by another year at West Virginia.
Keith from Martinsburg, W.Va., writes: Do you think there is a Big East team that will be equipped to win a national title in the next few years? With a few teams on the rise and TCU coming in. Will there be enough respect for the conference, if we start winning some big games, to get a team in the title game if it goes undefeated, or even a 1-loss team like WVU almost did in 07?
Brian Bennett: People forget quickly how close 2006 Louisville, 2007 West Virginia and 2009 Cincinnati were to playing in the BCS title game. So it can happen. Last year's performance overall and three straight BCS bowl losses have taken a toll on the Big East's reputation, which could pose a problem if a team is in the title hunt this year. But we've clearly seen in the recent past that it can happen. A lot still depends on what happens elsewhere, because at this point the SEC champion is almost guaranteed a spot in the title match. A Big East team would need a good nonconference win to brag about, like if West Virginia were to beat LSU and LSU went on to win the SEC West.
Gary P. from Cincinnati writes: What would have to happen to make or force the Big East to expand to 12 football schools?
Brian Bennett: Well, it's taking a while for the league to even get to 10, with the Villanova situation still in the wind. The problem with going to 12 is that you're adding three schools who have not been in BCS AQ conferences and who will have something to prove. The Big East is not getting teams from other AQ leagues to jump ship, so it would have to pick from candidates like UCF, East Carolina, Houston, etc. The league basically becomes Conference USA at that point, not to mention the effect it has on basketball. I say get to 10 and then re-evaluate after a couple of years.
Aaron from Boca Raton, Fla., writes: Thanks for keeping the Big East fans informed. I really liked how you recently included a post about TCU and you're right about getting to know them. Since they will soon be in our conference, any chance of regularly including articles about them? Maybe Andrea Adelson's blog posts about TCU could be included here. Go Bulls!
Brian Bennett: My plan as of right now is to have at least a weekly TCU update during the season. I would think that all Big East fans are rooting for the Horned Frogs to have a strong season in their exit campaign from the Mountain West. Speaking of which ...
Corey from Baton Rouge, La., writes: Everyone keeps pointing to 2012 as the year that the Big East takes a step forward, mainly due to the addition of TCU. Now, I've been a Mountaineer fan my entire life, and in general, a fan of the Big East (except Pitt). This has, of course, turned me into a pessimist. Knowing what I know about the Big East in football, isn't it more likely that TCU will take a huge hit this year with all the lost players, get crushed by Boise State, and limp into the postseason with a 9-3 record? They join the Big East, struggle to beat the top of the conference, and never regain their luster. Logistics are, as we can all expect, a nightmare, and everyone in the end agrees that it was a bad idea. The Big East takes ridicule by the major media, as usual. Can you give me any reason to believe that this won't be the case? Then please pick South Florida to win the conference this year.
Brian Bennett: Wow, that is pessimistic. I don't think it's unrealistic for TCU to suffer a few losses this year; the Horned Frogs lost several key players of the Rose Bowl team, and the Mountain West did them no favors in the schedule. But I have confidence that Gary Patterson will keep this program at a high level, and I believe TCU will contend right away in the Big East in 2012. Other reasons for optimism in 2012 include some pretty good senior quarterbacks: Geno Smith, Tino Sunseri, B.J. Daniels and Ryan Nassib.
Kevin from Mahwah, N.J., writes: Brian, you continue to have high expectations on South Florida, but I am a bit confused. I think people are getting carried away with their victory over a likely unmotivited Clemson team in their bowl game. They still were 3-4 in Big East and with big losses to graduation. In the end, they have big question on both lines, especially on the offensive line, and potential but no proven playmakers from the skill positions, outside QB. Seems a lot is hung on B.J. Daniels reaching next level of performance.They have potential to be good, but to me, I am a little perplexed how are reaching "co-favorite" status with West Virginia, can you elaborate more on your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: I look at more than just the Meineke Car Care Bowl and see how USF finished. The Bulls won four of their final six games, including on the road at Louisville and Miami. Their two losses in that span were both one-possession games they could have won. Add in that it was Skip Holtz's first season, and the natural progression that should occur in Year Two, and you can expect the team to improve in 2011. They lost some valuable seniors but also played a lot of guys in 2010 and brought in two potential difference makers at running back with Darrell Scott and Dontae Aycock.
You're right, though, in that the season may ultimately depend on Daniels continuing to mature. The receiving corps is still a big question mark and did not play well this spring. That's a concern. Ultimately, my endorsement of USF as a contender has much to do with question marks at just about every other Big East team this season. Pitt and UConn have new head coaches. Cincinnati and Rutgers are coming off 4-8 seasons. Louisville and Syracuse each lost a ton of senior starters. South Florida and West Virginia look like the safest bets right now, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the smartest bets.
Kevin R. from Washington, DC, writes: Hey, Brian, love the blog. With Greg Schiano going for more speed on defense, do you think that he will finally be able to successfully defend against the spread offense? Recent history seems to show that he has been unable to defend against the spread, what with the difficulties against teams like WVU and Cincinnati. With Pitt adopting a no-huddle spread, it could be another long year if the Rutgers D can't keep up with spread offense teams.
Brian Bennett: That's the idea behind it, Kevin. And teams are going to have to be able to defend the spread effectively to win in this league going forward. You mentioned Pitt, Cincinnati and West Virginia as no-huddle, up-tempo offenses now. TCU also plays a version of the spread, and I think Louisville and Connecticut will move more toward that in the future. There will still be some power teams, but matching speed for speed will become a necessity in short order.
Kris from Hollidaysburg, Pa., writes: What happened to Robert Sands' draft prospects? A month ago most places I saw had him going in the 3rd round. In your recent blog about Kiper and McShay and their projections, Sands wasn't even mentioned. Any explanation?
Brian Bennett: From what I'm hearing, Sands hasn't impressed in his pre-draft workouts. He has looked stiff and has shown poor ball skills. He'll probably still get drafted just because of his potential, but right now it's looking like he might have been better served by another year at West Virginia.
Keith from Martinsburg, W.Va., writes: Do you think there is a Big East team that will be equipped to win a national title in the next few years? With a few teams on the rise and TCU coming in. Will there be enough respect for the conference, if we start winning some big games, to get a team in the title game if it goes undefeated, or even a 1-loss team like WVU almost did in 07?
Brian Bennett: People forget quickly how close 2006 Louisville, 2007 West Virginia and 2009 Cincinnati were to playing in the BCS title game. So it can happen. Last year's performance overall and three straight BCS bowl losses have taken a toll on the Big East's reputation, which could pose a problem if a team is in the title hunt this year. But we've clearly seen in the recent past that it can happen. A lot still depends on what happens elsewhere, because at this point the SEC champion is almost guaranteed a spot in the title match. A Big East team would need a good nonconference win to brag about, like if West Virginia were to beat LSU and LSU went on to win the SEC West.
Gary P. from Cincinnati writes: What would have to happen to make or force the Big East to expand to 12 football schools?
Brian Bennett: Well, it's taking a while for the league to even get to 10, with the Villanova situation still in the wind. The problem with going to 12 is that you're adding three schools who have not been in BCS AQ conferences and who will have something to prove. The Big East is not getting teams from other AQ leagues to jump ship, so it would have to pick from candidates like UCF, East Carolina, Houston, etc. The league basically becomes Conference USA at that point, not to mention the effect it has on basketball. I say get to 10 and then re-evaluate after a couple of years.
Aaron from Boca Raton, Fla., writes: Thanks for keeping the Big East fans informed. I really liked how you recently included a post about TCU and you're right about getting to know them. Since they will soon be in our conference, any chance of regularly including articles about them? Maybe Andrea Adelson's blog posts about TCU could be included here. Go Bulls!
Brian Bennett: My plan as of right now is to have at least a weekly TCU update during the season. I would think that all Big East fans are rooting for the Horned Frogs to have a strong season in their exit campaign from the Mountain West. Speaking of which ...
Corey from Baton Rouge, La., writes: Everyone keeps pointing to 2012 as the year that the Big East takes a step forward, mainly due to the addition of TCU. Now, I've been a Mountaineer fan my entire life, and in general, a fan of the Big East (except Pitt). This has, of course, turned me into a pessimist. Knowing what I know about the Big East in football, isn't it more likely that TCU will take a huge hit this year with all the lost players, get crushed by Boise State, and limp into the postseason with a 9-3 record? They join the Big East, struggle to beat the top of the conference, and never regain their luster. Logistics are, as we can all expect, a nightmare, and everyone in the end agrees that it was a bad idea. The Big East takes ridicule by the major media, as usual. Can you give me any reason to believe that this won't be the case? Then please pick South Florida to win the conference this year.
Brian Bennett: Wow, that is pessimistic. I don't think it's unrealistic for TCU to suffer a few losses this year; the Horned Frogs lost several key players of the Rose Bowl team, and the Mountain West did them no favors in the schedule. But I have confidence that Gary Patterson will keep this program at a high level, and I believe TCU will contend right away in the Big East in 2012. Other reasons for optimism in 2012 include some pretty good senior quarterbacks: Geno Smith, Tino Sunseri, B.J. Daniels and Ryan Nassib.
Kevin from Mahwah, N.J., writes: Brian, you continue to have high expectations on South Florida, but I am a bit confused. I think people are getting carried away with their victory over a likely unmotivited Clemson team in their bowl game. They still were 3-4 in Big East and with big losses to graduation. In the end, they have big question on both lines, especially on the offensive line, and potential but no proven playmakers from the skill positions, outside QB. Seems a lot is hung on B.J. Daniels reaching next level of performance.They have potential to be good, but to me, I am a little perplexed how are reaching "co-favorite" status with West Virginia, can you elaborate more on your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: I look at more than just the Meineke Car Care Bowl and see how USF finished. The Bulls won four of their final six games, including on the road at Louisville and Miami. Their two losses in that span were both one-possession games they could have won. Add in that it was Skip Holtz's first season, and the natural progression that should occur in Year Two, and you can expect the team to improve in 2011. They lost some valuable seniors but also played a lot of guys in 2010 and brought in two potential difference makers at running back with Darrell Scott and Dontae Aycock.
You're right, though, in that the season may ultimately depend on Daniels continuing to mature. The receiving corps is still a big question mark and did not play well this spring. That's a concern. Ultimately, my endorsement of USF as a contender has much to do with question marks at just about every other Big East team this season. Pitt and UConn have new head coaches. Cincinnati and Rutgers are coming off 4-8 seasons. Louisville and Syracuse each lost a ton of senior starters. South Florida and West Virginia look like the safest bets right now, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the smartest bets.
My days are a little off after covering the NCAA basketball tournament for a week. That's why they call it madness, I suppose. So here's a mailbag that usually runs Tuesday but is running Wednesday for the second straight week. I'll be straightened out soon.
Ben R. from Pittsburgh writes: Your reference to The National in Tuesday's Big East lunchtime links made by day, Brian! They're actually Cincinnati natives but Brooklyn's their home now. But on to my question ... do you think Tino Sunseri will be under center/in the shotgun for Pitt next year?
Brian Bennett: Glad you liked it and even happier you got the reference. The National is great and I've seen them a few times in concert. Anyhow, Todd Graham has talked about how being in the shotgun will be good for Sunseri so he's better able to scan the defense pre-snap. I expect we'll see him in that formation the overwhelming majority of the time.
Dave from Hartford, Conn., writes: I have to disagree with you on the Connecticut superlatives. You nailed it with the D-line as the strength, but I believe a majority would say that QB is the weakest position going into next year. Based on the strength of the O-line, D.J. Shoemate, Martin Hyppolite, Jonathan Jean-Louis once healthy, plus Leon Kinnard or either of the incoming freshman will be an effective running back next year. Maybe not at a Jordan Todman or Donald Brown level, but good enough. QB on the other hand, is a complete unknown with only Michael Box having three quarters of experience under his belt. That's the position that would keep me awake at night going into next year; wondering how you landed on RB.
Brian Bennett: I was either going to pick quarterback or running back, and you make good points on why the quarterback position is weak. My argument would be that there are at least a lot of candidates, including Box, Michael Nebrich, Johnny McEntee and Scott McCummings. Whereas there are only two guys available for spring practice at tailback, and neither of them have had much actual experience at the position. The running back position will eventually be deeper, but for that series I was considering who was going through spring practice. You're right, though, that if the offensive line stays strong, UConn will be able to run the ball. On the flip side, the Huskies won the Big East last year without much production from the quarterback spot.
John from Dallas writes: Do you think the Big East is a stepping stone for TCU to one day join the Big 12? Or do you think Texas & Co. are happy with only having 10 teams and splitting their revenue amongst themselves?
Brian Bennett: The Big 12 has no interest in TCU. That league already owns the Dallas/Fort Worth market with Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Baylor and others. All TCU brings is another competitive team that splits the revenue.
A.J. from Syracuse writes: How does USF consistently have a strong defensive line after losing so many starters?
Brian Bennett: That's a good question. Defensive line has been a consistent source of strength for the program year after year. My answer is that Florida produces an inordinate amount of those big, fast defensive linemen that everybody wants, which is why so many schools recruit the state. South Florida has done a good job keeping some of that talent home.
Brian H. from New Jersey writes: I want your opinion on Greg Schiano. He'll be entering his 11th season at Rutgers. He's won nothing in arguably the easiest BCS conference. He's now by far the most seasoned coach in this league (no one else has even five seasons), and putting up the results he has in recent years if you ask me is unacceptable. Going 4-8 in a year when the league was way down this season, losing to rookie coaches over and over again, and not to mention losing to Tulane on homecoming (who was ranked 119th in FBS overall preseason in several publications), is preposterous. I honestly think that if he does not improve next season (i.e. .500 minimum), he's gone. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Well, first I think you have to judge Schiano based on where the program was when he came in and where it is now. There's no doubt that he has improved the Scarlet Knights by leaps and bounds in every area. They have become a yearly bowl team, with last year being a notable exception. Does Schiano need to have a breakthrough and win the Big East soon? Yes. (And maybe it was just bad luck that his best team, the 2006 one, played in what was the best year for the conference since the new format began). He has recruited very well and has the talent to get to the next level in the next couple of years. But Schiano is in no immediate danger, because of what he's done for the program and for his very expensive contract.
Michael S. from Louisville writes: I could not help but notice that in your piece about how the Big East would have fared in a football playoff, you threw out both of Cincy's BCS teams (good move, I agree). I could not help but recall though, that when you had a mock playoff between the best BE teams last year that you had one of the Cincy teams beating the 2006 Louisville team. I remember (and I am not going to mince words here) that is was one of the DUMB DUMB DUMBEST things I had ever seen you write. Your justification at the time was that the Cincy teams refused to lose in the regular season, but this was suppose to be a postseason scenario! Further, you had just admitted that Cincy won in two down years for the league, while Louisville won the league in arguably its strongest year (2006). I think you just proved yourself how dumb that pick was last year.
Brian Bennett: I believe that 2006 Louisville team was better than the 2009 Cincinnati team. I also believe that weird things can happen in a tournament, which is why I picked the upset. Just look to the other madness for plenty of examples of similar craziness.
Ben R. from Pittsburgh writes: Your reference to The National in Tuesday's Big East lunchtime links made by day, Brian! They're actually Cincinnati natives but Brooklyn's their home now. But on to my question ... do you think Tino Sunseri will be under center/in the shotgun for Pitt next year?
Brian Bennett: Glad you liked it and even happier you got the reference. The National is great and I've seen them a few times in concert. Anyhow, Todd Graham has talked about how being in the shotgun will be good for Sunseri so he's better able to scan the defense pre-snap. I expect we'll see him in that formation the overwhelming majority of the time.
Dave from Hartford, Conn., writes: I have to disagree with you on the Connecticut superlatives. You nailed it with the D-line as the strength, but I believe a majority would say that QB is the weakest position going into next year. Based on the strength of the O-line, D.J. Shoemate, Martin Hyppolite, Jonathan Jean-Louis once healthy, plus Leon Kinnard or either of the incoming freshman will be an effective running back next year. Maybe not at a Jordan Todman or Donald Brown level, but good enough. QB on the other hand, is a complete unknown with only Michael Box having three quarters of experience under his belt. That's the position that would keep me awake at night going into next year; wondering how you landed on RB.
Brian Bennett: I was either going to pick quarterback or running back, and you make good points on why the quarterback position is weak. My argument would be that there are at least a lot of candidates, including Box, Michael Nebrich, Johnny McEntee and Scott McCummings. Whereas there are only two guys available for spring practice at tailback, and neither of them have had much actual experience at the position. The running back position will eventually be deeper, but for that series I was considering who was going through spring practice. You're right, though, that if the offensive line stays strong, UConn will be able to run the ball. On the flip side, the Huskies won the Big East last year without much production from the quarterback spot.
John from Dallas writes: Do you think the Big East is a stepping stone for TCU to one day join the Big 12? Or do you think Texas & Co. are happy with only having 10 teams and splitting their revenue amongst themselves?
Brian Bennett: The Big 12 has no interest in TCU. That league already owns the Dallas/Fort Worth market with Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Baylor and others. All TCU brings is another competitive team that splits the revenue.
A.J. from Syracuse writes: How does USF consistently have a strong defensive line after losing so many starters?
Brian Bennett: That's a good question. Defensive line has been a consistent source of strength for the program year after year. My answer is that Florida produces an inordinate amount of those big, fast defensive linemen that everybody wants, which is why so many schools recruit the state. South Florida has done a good job keeping some of that talent home.
Brian H. from New Jersey writes: I want your opinion on Greg Schiano. He'll be entering his 11th season at Rutgers. He's won nothing in arguably the easiest BCS conference. He's now by far the most seasoned coach in this league (no one else has even five seasons), and putting up the results he has in recent years if you ask me is unacceptable. Going 4-8 in a year when the league was way down this season, losing to rookie coaches over and over again, and not to mention losing to Tulane on homecoming (who was ranked 119th in FBS overall preseason in several publications), is preposterous. I honestly think that if he does not improve next season (i.e. .500 minimum), he's gone. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Well, first I think you have to judge Schiano based on where the program was when he came in and where it is now. There's no doubt that he has improved the Scarlet Knights by leaps and bounds in every area. They have become a yearly bowl team, with last year being a notable exception. Does Schiano need to have a breakthrough and win the Big East soon? Yes. (And maybe it was just bad luck that his best team, the 2006 one, played in what was the best year for the conference since the new format began). He has recruited very well and has the talent to get to the next level in the next couple of years. But Schiano is in no immediate danger, because of what he's done for the program and for his very expensive contract.
Michael S. from Louisville writes: I could not help but notice that in your piece about how the Big East would have fared in a football playoff, you threw out both of Cincy's BCS teams (good move, I agree). I could not help but recall though, that when you had a mock playoff between the best BE teams last year that you had one of the Cincy teams beating the 2006 Louisville team. I remember (and I am not going to mince words here) that is was one of the DUMB DUMB DUMBEST things I had ever seen you write. Your justification at the time was that the Cincy teams refused to lose in the regular season, but this was suppose to be a postseason scenario! Further, you had just admitted that Cincy won in two down years for the league, while Louisville won the league in arguably its strongest year (2006). I think you just proved yourself how dumb that pick was last year.
Brian Bennett: I believe that 2006 Louisville team was better than the 2009 Cincinnati team. I also believe that weird things can happen in a tournament, which is why I picked the upset. Just look to the other madness for plenty of examples of similar craziness.
Because of travel and some NCAA Tournament responsibilities, I didn't have time to do a regular Tuesday mailbag. And there won't be a chat today, either. But to make up for it, I'm offering up a special Wednesday edition of your e-mails to me.
Robert from Syracuse writes: You asked how Syracuse fans feel about playing "home games" in the new Meadowlands: I can't speak for all, but as a loyal SU fan, I think it stinks! I have been a season-ticket holder for 15 years now, some of them good through the McNabb era, but also some horrible through the G-Rob era. Still every year, I sent in my check for my seat and sat there and supported them. For those of us who stuck around and loyally supported the program through good and bad, I look at these games at the Meadowlands as a slap in the face. You said exactly what I have been saying to people who defend the notion of playing down there, we will never see a "big name" opponent in the dome again. I understand the financial upside to these games, but the thought of never seeing them in Syracuse again makes me realize even more that its not about the fans, the students, the tradition, the atmosphere of being on campus ... it's all about the money.
Brian Bennett: Robert, fans like you are the ones I feel most sorry for in this situation. You still have the option of going to the games in the Meadowlands, of course, but it will be highly inconvenient for you. And obviously you are right that it's all about the money. You just have to hope the exposure in New York helps the program, and that other games in the Carrier Dome will therefore become more significant. (Either that, or invest in an East Rutherford time share).
Mike from New Brunswick, N.J., writes: I'm a Rutgers fan, and I'm OK with Syracuse playing games in Jersey. I would prefer them not to, but I don't think it's going to hurt Rutgers in any way. New Jersey is becoming a decidedly Rutgers state and Syracuse playing in the here every other year 10 years from now, when New Jersey will be more than likely even more Rutgers leaning, won't do much. As for New York City there is a battle between the Knights and the Orange as of right now, but Rutgers is vastly closer to the city on a normal basis anyway. Plus, there is often not many great recruits coming out of the city regardless.
Brian Bennett: I don't see much reason for Rutgers fans to be upset about this. New Jersey residents aren't all of a sudden going to switch loyalties to the Orange because of an occasional game in the Meadowlands. The Scarlet Knights just expanded their stadium and need to focus on making that a great campus environment (and, you know, scheduling a decent team in there every once in a while). But the Syracuse-Rutgers battle for recruits in the New York City area will be a fun one to watch in the coming years. Whatever you think of the Orange, Doug Marrone has done a great job in making Syracuse relevant again.
Jeff from Pittsburgh, Pa., writes: Interesting tidbit regarding Syracuse using the Meadowlands Stadium. Do you think this stadium will be the future site of a Big East championship game?
Brian Bennett: It would make a logical neutral site for such a game, especially as much as the league courts New York City, wouldn't it? Just a couple problems as I see it. One, as I've written, the Big East does not need a championship game if it's only going to have nine or 10 teams. Play a round-robin schedule and be done with it -- having a rematch would be pointless most years. Two, given the size of the fan bases, I'm not sure a neutral site is a great idea. We have seen the problems the ACC has had filling the stands for its game, and that league has bigger fan bases, for the most part, than the Big East. If there ever is a championship game, a home site seems to make more sense, though Pitt and USF could have trouble with their stadium availabilities.
Kevin from Mahwah, N.J., writes: I agree with your assessment that no existing BCS conference team has any incentive to come to the Big East (they will all take a money hit). Given we have already broken the "geographic" ice, with TCU, has the idea of Boise ever been discussed? A marriage alway needs to benefit both parties, and Boise's situation seems nearly identical to TCU in every way: 1) Better than average BCS team. 2) No automatic bid into BCS system. 3) Big East will offer improvement in their situation.
Brian Bennett: I can assure you the Big East has looked at every potential expansion team. The thing about Boise State that is different from TCU is it's a whole lot easier to fly to the east from Dallas/Fort Worth than it is from Idaho.
Oliver from Philadelphia writes: Hey, I've been reading your blog for a while now and I was wondering with all this speculation about Villanova joining the Big East, is it possible that dropping Villanova entirely and adding Temple in all sports would be a bad idea? I mean really, what does Villanova have that Temple doesn't?
Brian Bennett: Villanova has a long and successful (at least in men's basketball) relationship with the Big East. Temple has a failed relationship with the league in football.
Justin from Louisville writes: I've been having thoughts about Louisville's upcoming season and how they have to replace guys like Adam Froman, Bilal Powell, and the linemen. I've been thinking Charlie Strong may return to his option tactics from his Florida days, and utilize an option attack with their starting QB (amongst Teddy Bridgewater, Will Stein or Dominique Brown), Jeremy Wright and maybe Victor Anderson. Am I being a bit farfetched in my belief, or is it reasonable?
Brian Bennett: Well, when Mike Sanford became offensive coordinator, he promised that the Cardinals would run a version of the Florida spread, which -- if you'll recall a fellow named Tebow -- includes quarterback runs. They didn't do it a whole lot last year, especially when the less mobile Justin Burke took over as starter. Of course, they also had a great back and a good line, so it wasn't that necessary. Stein and Bridgewater can both move, so the option could become more of an option, so to speak. I think you'll see this offense continue to grow and utilize the strengths of its players, just as Florida was different with both Tim Tebow and Chris Leak.
Robert from Syracuse writes: You asked how Syracuse fans feel about playing "home games" in the new Meadowlands: I can't speak for all, but as a loyal SU fan, I think it stinks! I have been a season-ticket holder for 15 years now, some of them good through the McNabb era, but also some horrible through the G-Rob era. Still every year, I sent in my check for my seat and sat there and supported them. For those of us who stuck around and loyally supported the program through good and bad, I look at these games at the Meadowlands as a slap in the face. You said exactly what I have been saying to people who defend the notion of playing down there, we will never see a "big name" opponent in the dome again. I understand the financial upside to these games, but the thought of never seeing them in Syracuse again makes me realize even more that its not about the fans, the students, the tradition, the atmosphere of being on campus ... it's all about the money.
Brian Bennett: Robert, fans like you are the ones I feel most sorry for in this situation. You still have the option of going to the games in the Meadowlands, of course, but it will be highly inconvenient for you. And obviously you are right that it's all about the money. You just have to hope the exposure in New York helps the program, and that other games in the Carrier Dome will therefore become more significant. (Either that, or invest in an East Rutherford time share).
Mike from New Brunswick, N.J., writes: I'm a Rutgers fan, and I'm OK with Syracuse playing games in Jersey. I would prefer them not to, but I don't think it's going to hurt Rutgers in any way. New Jersey is becoming a decidedly Rutgers state and Syracuse playing in the here every other year 10 years from now, when New Jersey will be more than likely even more Rutgers leaning, won't do much. As for New York City there is a battle between the Knights and the Orange as of right now, but Rutgers is vastly closer to the city on a normal basis anyway. Plus, there is often not many great recruits coming out of the city regardless.
Brian Bennett: I don't see much reason for Rutgers fans to be upset about this. New Jersey residents aren't all of a sudden going to switch loyalties to the Orange because of an occasional game in the Meadowlands. The Scarlet Knights just expanded their stadium and need to focus on making that a great campus environment (and, you know, scheduling a decent team in there every once in a while). But the Syracuse-Rutgers battle for recruits in the New York City area will be a fun one to watch in the coming years. Whatever you think of the Orange, Doug Marrone has done a great job in making Syracuse relevant again.
Jeff from Pittsburgh, Pa., writes: Interesting tidbit regarding Syracuse using the Meadowlands Stadium. Do you think this stadium will be the future site of a Big East championship game?
Brian Bennett: It would make a logical neutral site for such a game, especially as much as the league courts New York City, wouldn't it? Just a couple problems as I see it. One, as I've written, the Big East does not need a championship game if it's only going to have nine or 10 teams. Play a round-robin schedule and be done with it -- having a rematch would be pointless most years. Two, given the size of the fan bases, I'm not sure a neutral site is a great idea. We have seen the problems the ACC has had filling the stands for its game, and that league has bigger fan bases, for the most part, than the Big East. If there ever is a championship game, a home site seems to make more sense, though Pitt and USF could have trouble with their stadium availabilities.
Kevin from Mahwah, N.J., writes: I agree with your assessment that no existing BCS conference team has any incentive to come to the Big East (they will all take a money hit). Given we have already broken the "geographic" ice, with TCU, has the idea of Boise ever been discussed? A marriage alway needs to benefit both parties, and Boise's situation seems nearly identical to TCU in every way: 1) Better than average BCS team. 2) No automatic bid into BCS system. 3) Big East will offer improvement in their situation.
Brian Bennett: I can assure you the Big East has looked at every potential expansion team. The thing about Boise State that is different from TCU is it's a whole lot easier to fly to the east from Dallas/Fort Worth than it is from Idaho.
Oliver from Philadelphia writes: Hey, I've been reading your blog for a while now and I was wondering with all this speculation about Villanova joining the Big East, is it possible that dropping Villanova entirely and adding Temple in all sports would be a bad idea? I mean really, what does Villanova have that Temple doesn't?
Brian Bennett: Villanova has a long and successful (at least in men's basketball) relationship with the Big East. Temple has a failed relationship with the league in football.
Justin from Louisville writes: I've been having thoughts about Louisville's upcoming season and how they have to replace guys like Adam Froman, Bilal Powell, and the linemen. I've been thinking Charlie Strong may return to his option tactics from his Florida days, and utilize an option attack with their starting QB (amongst Teddy Bridgewater, Will Stein or Dominique Brown), Jeremy Wright and maybe Victor Anderson. Am I being a bit farfetched in my belief, or is it reasonable?
Brian Bennett: Well, when Mike Sanford became offensive coordinator, he promised that the Cardinals would run a version of the Florida spread, which -- if you'll recall a fellow named Tebow -- includes quarterback runs. They didn't do it a whole lot last year, especially when the less mobile Justin Burke took over as starter. Of course, they also had a great back and a good line, so it wasn't that necessary. Stein and Bridgewater can both move, so the option could become more of an option, so to speak. I think you'll see this offense continue to grow and utilize the strengths of its players, just as Florida was different with both Tim Tebow and Chris Leak.
Besides from all the excellent submissions on what you love about the Big East, the mailbag was pretty light this week. I know it's a slow time in college football, and I'm sure most of you are like me and anxiously awaiting the release of the new Radiohead album this weekend. But keep those e-mails flowing.
Here's a shorter-than-usual Tuesday mailbag:
Keith G. from Martinsburg, W. Va., writes: I have a question looking back to the bowl season that has bugged me a little. In the WVU-NC State game, WVU lost by 16 and left the game with three timeouts left. Does this seem ridiculous, like Bill Stewart just gave up? Is this a sign of things to come? Has he lost everything to fight for, causing him to just throw the towel in early?
Brian Bennett: The Mountaineers could have called all the timeouts they wanted, but that probably wasn't going to help them score more points that night against NC State. I don't believe for a second that Stewart threw in the towel, but from everything I've heard about the whole buildup to that bowl, there were a ton of distractions and maybe some people on the West Virginia sidelines who weren't all that thrilled to be there. Regardless, I don't think it will have any impact on 2011.
Doug C. from Morgantown, W. Va., writes: My question: Is Bruce Irvin the best sack artist the Big East has ever seen?
Brian Bennett: Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil, among others, would consider those fighting words. Irvin had a strong debut, with 14 sacks in a specialist's role. But he isn't an all-time great yet by any means. I hope to see him become a more complete player in 2011.
Andrew from California writes: I have a question regarding a potential Villanova transition period. If they decide to move up to FBS, I understand that they would have a two-year transition period, where they would presumably play a full Big East schedule but still be considered FCS. Assuming each Big East team keeps their other scheduled game against an FCS team, does that mean every team would technically have two FCS games on the books? Could that disqualify a 6-6 Big East team from a bowl game?
Brian Bennett: Nothing has been decided, of course, but if Villanova decided to make the move, it's highly unlikely the Wildcats would play a full Big East schedule in their transition year. Their schedule would probably look a lot like Connecticut's did in the Huskies' transition period in 2002 and 2003. UConn played three Big East teams in each of those years, interspersed with some other FBS opponents. I would imagine that would be the same with Villanova, which could be the FCS team on a few Big East teams' schedules until it made the full-fledged transition.
Kevin from Tampa writes: Hopefully Skip Holtz can build some rapport in the area with locals and on the national scene. Obviously, I'm biased and would love to see stories like this get as much coverage as possible. With that in mind... perhaps this belongs on the blog?
Brian Bennett: I included that story in the lunchtime links when it came out. But if you missed it, it's a nice tale.
Mickey from Pittsburgh writes: I'm getting severely annoyed with still hearing comments about how Pitt should have never gotten rid of Dave Wannstedt. What kind of season do you think Todd Graham has to have so that we don't have to hear anymore Wanny supporters saying "I told you so" this time next year?
Brian Bennett: Pitt has a tough nonconference schedule, with games against Utah and Notre Dame at home and Iowa on the road. So it's entirely possible that Graham's first-year record won't look much better than Wannstedt's 7-5 regular season in 2010. However, I think Panthers fans will be on board if Graham's offenses are as exciting as promised. A constant complain from Panthers fans revolved around the conservative approach by Wannstedt. Graham's new style could be a breath of fresh air in that area.
Here's a shorter-than-usual Tuesday mailbag:
Keith G. from Martinsburg, W. Va., writes: I have a question looking back to the bowl season that has bugged me a little. In the WVU-NC State game, WVU lost by 16 and left the game with three timeouts left. Does this seem ridiculous, like Bill Stewart just gave up? Is this a sign of things to come? Has he lost everything to fight for, causing him to just throw the towel in early?
Brian Bennett: The Mountaineers could have called all the timeouts they wanted, but that probably wasn't going to help them score more points that night against NC State. I don't believe for a second that Stewart threw in the towel, but from everything I've heard about the whole buildup to that bowl, there were a ton of distractions and maybe some people on the West Virginia sidelines who weren't all that thrilled to be there. Regardless, I don't think it will have any impact on 2011.
Doug C. from Morgantown, W. Va., writes: My question: Is Bruce Irvin the best sack artist the Big East has ever seen?
Brian Bennett: Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil, among others, would consider those fighting words. Irvin had a strong debut, with 14 sacks in a specialist's role. But he isn't an all-time great yet by any means. I hope to see him become a more complete player in 2011.
Andrew from California writes: I have a question regarding a potential Villanova transition period. If they decide to move up to FBS, I understand that they would have a two-year transition period, where they would presumably play a full Big East schedule but still be considered FCS. Assuming each Big East team keeps their other scheduled game against an FCS team, does that mean every team would technically have two FCS games on the books? Could that disqualify a 6-6 Big East team from a bowl game?
Brian Bennett: Nothing has been decided, of course, but if Villanova decided to make the move, it's highly unlikely the Wildcats would play a full Big East schedule in their transition year. Their schedule would probably look a lot like Connecticut's did in the Huskies' transition period in 2002 and 2003. UConn played three Big East teams in each of those years, interspersed with some other FBS opponents. I would imagine that would be the same with Villanova, which could be the FCS team on a few Big East teams' schedules until it made the full-fledged transition.
Kevin from Tampa writes: Hopefully Skip Holtz can build some rapport in the area with locals and on the national scene. Obviously, I'm biased and would love to see stories like this get as much coverage as possible. With that in mind... perhaps this belongs on the blog?
Brian Bennett: I included that story in the lunchtime links when it came out. But if you missed it, it's a nice tale.
Mickey from Pittsburgh writes: I'm getting severely annoyed with still hearing comments about how Pitt should have never gotten rid of Dave Wannstedt. What kind of season do you think Todd Graham has to have so that we don't have to hear anymore Wanny supporters saying "I told you so" this time next year?
Brian Bennett: Pitt has a tough nonconference schedule, with games against Utah and Notre Dame at home and Iowa on the road. So it's entirely possible that Graham's first-year record won't look much better than Wannstedt's 7-5 regular season in 2010. However, I think Panthers fans will be on board if Graham's offenses are as exciting as promised. A constant complain from Panthers fans revolved around the conservative approach by Wannstedt. Graham's new style could be a breath of fresh air in that area.
Thanks to those of you who offered changes/corrections to my posts reviewing the 2007 recruiting classes. Trying to track nearly 200 players from four years ago with a quick turnaround can lead to some oversights, and I've tried to fix where possible. As I said in the beginning, it was not an exact science, nor was it meant to be. Of course, the underlying point remains: Teams are lucky if they get about a 60 percent return on solid contributors from their signing classes.
Now on to some of your e-mails on signing day eve:
Bill from South Jersey writes: In your article "Greg Schiano does right by Tom Savage," I could not disagree more. When a player/players commit to a school (Rutgers, USC, Notre Dame, TCU, South Florida) they should honor the commitment. What drives me crazy are the kids that say, "Well, I'm outta here because it's not working for me. I'll transfer, that's the answer." Hardships, coach either fired/quit/retire that's different. Then a college should be able to just pull a commitment whenever they feel like as well. I might agree with Schiano's reason b/c we recruit there, but where is line drawn at? When is enough enough?
Brian Bennett: I respect your opinion, Bill, but we disagree on this one. I'd buy the commitment argument if it worked both ways, but it simply doesn't. Schools only give players one-year renewable scholarships, and coaches can leave anytime after promising a player they will be there their entire four years. Why should a college student be forced to stay at a school if he decides the situation isn't right for him? We all have that freedom in our work lives, and we had it when we were students. Restricting a player from transferring to a conference school or a team on the schedule is one thing, but players should be free to go just about anywhere else they choose.
Matt from Storrs writes: In one of your recent posts you talked about recruiting needs, and for UConn you didn't mention they needed a running back despite Jordan Todman's departure, or a quarterback, which in addition to the wide receivers was a struggling position. How confident are you that UConn can fill these positions?
Brian Bennett: Connecticut does at least have some options at those positions. Michael Box started a game last year at quarterback and is just a sophomore. There's also Scott McCummings, Johnny McEntee and Leon Kinnard, and the Huskies should at least be able to match the production they got in last year's passing game, which wasn't much. At running back, they have Robbie Frey back, plus D.J. Shoemate and Lyle McCombs, who was fairly well-regarded as a recruit. Todman leaves big shoes to fill, but UConn has shown the ability to plug in new players at tailback and not miss a beat.
Dave from Pittsburgh writes: Ryne Giddins at USF deserves mentions in the ESPNU150 list -- he made a few big plays last year and looks like he'll be a future star. It sounds like he's already penciled in as a starter next year. USF's only other ESPNU 150 guy is Todd Chandler -- no idea if he'll pan out.
Brian Bennett: You're right, both those guys should have been in there. Giddins needs to have a breakthrough season for the Bulls next year. Defensive linemen sometimes take a little longer to develop.
Zack M. from Sana'a, Yemen, writes: Great job with the blog. Thanks for keeping it so active during the off-season and giving us all our daily fix of college football. How quickly can the Big East climb out of the hole it dug for itself last season? Do you think next year might even be worse? I truly hope the best for the conference but it's hard to be optimistic. I would imagine the only recruits that would want to come to the BE would be punters and kickers ;-)
Brian Bennett: Yemen? Really? Well, I might be overly optimistic, but I think the Big East is in for a rebound soon. The majority of the teams bring back their starting quarterback, which is always big. New offenses at West Virginia and Pitt should help those teams in the long run. I could see 2011 being a sort of bridge year, and then in 2012 when all the coaches have their systems fully in place and TCU comes in, we could be looking at a really strong Big East campaign.
Jack from Louisville writes: When you have talked about Louisville and Teddy Bridgewater sometimes it sounds like you didn't know he is on campus and is going to practice this spring. But it would just be me and how you are wording it. But I think he will be our starting QB next year and will break many records after 4 years of being here.
Brian Bennett: Yes, I'm aware Bridgewater is already enrolled and will practice this spring. That gives him a huge leg up on DaMarcus Smith, provided Smith still signs with the Cardinals. But there is still a long way to go.
John from McKinney, Texas, writes: Read your article about recruiting needs. The old Pitt staff was going to (and probably the current Pitt staff will), hit WPIAL hard for OL in 2012. There are suppose to be 4 or 5 pretty good OL prospects in the 2012 in WPIAL. I heard WPIAL class for 2012 is suppose to be one of the strongest ones in recent years. It will be interesting to see if the new staff can hold off Ohio State for the top recruits.
Brian Bennett: That may be the case, but as of right now this year's recruiting class has only two offensive linemen in it. Given Pitt's problems on the line this year, coupled with the loss of the Panthers' starting left tackle and center, that seems like a problem to me.
Adam M. from East Brunswick, N.J., writes: Just saw that Josue Matias decommitted from Rutgers and gave Florida State a solid verbal. I find this strange as new Rutgers recruit Savon Huggins was quoted as saying Matias wanted to go wherever he (Huggins) went. Should his hasty retreat have Rutgers fans worried?
Brian Bennett: It's my experience that a lot of players say they want to play together in college, but only a portion of the time does that turn out to be true. In the end, the player has to decide what's best for himself.
Philip M. from Austin, Texas, writes: I do not see the point of getting to 10 members. If not going for 12, I think it's best to stay at nine. Please enlighten me on what 10 members brings. Thank you in advance.
Brian Bennett: Say hello to one of my favorite cities, Philip. The Big East doesn't need to get to 10. A nine-team league works just fine for scheduling. But the conference has said it wants to go to 10. The advantages would be an extra TV market for media-rights negotiating purposes, and potentially a stronger overall league. Remember that except for the Big 12, all other BCS leagues will have 12 members in 2011.
Shane W. from Clarksburg, W. Va., writes: First of all, I'm a huge fan of the blog. I read it every day. I was just wondering, how badly do you think staying for his senior year affected Noel Devine's draft stock?
Brian Bennett: Thanks for the kind words, Shane. I don't really think it had much negative effect. Devine still would have measured 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds last year. Maybe if he'd been healthier he could have looked better for scouts, but his size was always going to be a big question mark.
Brian from Tampa writes: Do you think the state of Florida is now the "BIG 4". This is a Yes or No question.
Brian Bennett: No. Not yet. I agree with Skip Holtz: The Bulls need to win a Big East championship and get to a BCS game before they can consider themselves on the same level as Florida, Florida State and Miami. They are getting closer, though.
Doug from Tampa writes: BB, your push for UCF wouldn't have anything to do with ESPN and the parent company Disney ties would it? I know you're looking out for your job and all and in a tough spot, but if you are a real journalist and have any honor than why not disclose the whole story in spite of it? Yes, it could be career suicide but you would be a hero and show you're a class act. There are better fits than UCF for the BE; if we are looking at a wish list, UCF is about 5-to-10 on the wish list correct.
Brian Bennett: I am afraid to answer this letter, because Mickey is holding my whole family hostage at gunpoint. Nah, come on, that's just silly. Hey, it's my job to give my opinions on Big East issues, and it's simply my opinion that Central Florida is the best fit for a 10th league member right now. No other available program has the facilities, market, large student body and a team that just finished in the Top 25 and beat an SEC team in a bowl game. Reasonable minds can disagree whether the Knights are the best fit. But to say UCF isn't even in the top five best available teams is just ridiculous.
Now on to some of your e-mails on signing day eve:
Bill from South Jersey writes: In your article "Greg Schiano does right by Tom Savage," I could not disagree more. When a player/players commit to a school (Rutgers, USC, Notre Dame, TCU, South Florida) they should honor the commitment. What drives me crazy are the kids that say, "Well, I'm outta here because it's not working for me. I'll transfer, that's the answer." Hardships, coach either fired/quit/retire that's different. Then a college should be able to just pull a commitment whenever they feel like as well. I might agree with Schiano's reason b/c we recruit there, but where is line drawn at? When is enough enough?
Brian Bennett: I respect your opinion, Bill, but we disagree on this one. I'd buy the commitment argument if it worked both ways, but it simply doesn't. Schools only give players one-year renewable scholarships, and coaches can leave anytime after promising a player they will be there their entire four years. Why should a college student be forced to stay at a school if he decides the situation isn't right for him? We all have that freedom in our work lives, and we had it when we were students. Restricting a player from transferring to a conference school or a team on the schedule is one thing, but players should be free to go just about anywhere else they choose.
Matt from Storrs writes: In one of your recent posts you talked about recruiting needs, and for UConn you didn't mention they needed a running back despite Jordan Todman's departure, or a quarterback, which in addition to the wide receivers was a struggling position. How confident are you that UConn can fill these positions?
Brian Bennett: Connecticut does at least have some options at those positions. Michael Box started a game last year at quarterback and is just a sophomore. There's also Scott McCummings, Johnny McEntee and Leon Kinnard, and the Huskies should at least be able to match the production they got in last year's passing game, which wasn't much. At running back, they have Robbie Frey back, plus D.J. Shoemate and Lyle McCombs, who was fairly well-regarded as a recruit. Todman leaves big shoes to fill, but UConn has shown the ability to plug in new players at tailback and not miss a beat.
Dave from Pittsburgh writes: Ryne Giddins at USF deserves mentions in the ESPNU150 list -- he made a few big plays last year and looks like he'll be a future star. It sounds like he's already penciled in as a starter next year. USF's only other ESPNU 150 guy is Todd Chandler -- no idea if he'll pan out.
Brian Bennett: You're right, both those guys should have been in there. Giddins needs to have a breakthrough season for the Bulls next year. Defensive linemen sometimes take a little longer to develop.
Zack M. from Sana'a, Yemen, writes: Great job with the blog. Thanks for keeping it so active during the off-season and giving us all our daily fix of college football. How quickly can the Big East climb out of the hole it dug for itself last season? Do you think next year might even be worse? I truly hope the best for the conference but it's hard to be optimistic. I would imagine the only recruits that would want to come to the BE would be punters and kickers ;-)
Brian Bennett: Yemen? Really? Well, I might be overly optimistic, but I think the Big East is in for a rebound soon. The majority of the teams bring back their starting quarterback, which is always big. New offenses at West Virginia and Pitt should help those teams in the long run. I could see 2011 being a sort of bridge year, and then in 2012 when all the coaches have their systems fully in place and TCU comes in, we could be looking at a really strong Big East campaign.
Jack from Louisville writes: When you have talked about Louisville and Teddy Bridgewater sometimes it sounds like you didn't know he is on campus and is going to practice this spring. But it would just be me and how you are wording it. But I think he will be our starting QB next year and will break many records after 4 years of being here.
Brian Bennett: Yes, I'm aware Bridgewater is already enrolled and will practice this spring. That gives him a huge leg up on DaMarcus Smith, provided Smith still signs with the Cardinals. But there is still a long way to go.
John from McKinney, Texas, writes: Read your article about recruiting needs. The old Pitt staff was going to (and probably the current Pitt staff will), hit WPIAL hard for OL in 2012. There are suppose to be 4 or 5 pretty good OL prospects in the 2012 in WPIAL. I heard WPIAL class for 2012 is suppose to be one of the strongest ones in recent years. It will be interesting to see if the new staff can hold off Ohio State for the top recruits.
Brian Bennett: That may be the case, but as of right now this year's recruiting class has only two offensive linemen in it. Given Pitt's problems on the line this year, coupled with the loss of the Panthers' starting left tackle and center, that seems like a problem to me.
Adam M. from East Brunswick, N.J., writes: Just saw that Josue Matias decommitted from Rutgers and gave Florida State a solid verbal. I find this strange as new Rutgers recruit Savon Huggins was quoted as saying Matias wanted to go wherever he (Huggins) went. Should his hasty retreat have Rutgers fans worried?
Brian Bennett: It's my experience that a lot of players say they want to play together in college, but only a portion of the time does that turn out to be true. In the end, the player has to decide what's best for himself.
Philip M. from Austin, Texas, writes: I do not see the point of getting to 10 members. If not going for 12, I think it's best to stay at nine. Please enlighten me on what 10 members brings. Thank you in advance.
Brian Bennett: Say hello to one of my favorite cities, Philip. The Big East doesn't need to get to 10. A nine-team league works just fine for scheduling. But the conference has said it wants to go to 10. The advantages would be an extra TV market for media-rights negotiating purposes, and potentially a stronger overall league. Remember that except for the Big 12, all other BCS leagues will have 12 members in 2011.
Shane W. from Clarksburg, W. Va., writes: First of all, I'm a huge fan of the blog. I read it every day. I was just wondering, how badly do you think staying for his senior year affected Noel Devine's draft stock?
Brian Bennett: Thanks for the kind words, Shane. I don't really think it had much negative effect. Devine still would have measured 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds last year. Maybe if he'd been healthier he could have looked better for scouts, but his size was always going to be a big question mark.
Brian from Tampa writes: Do you think the state of Florida is now the "BIG 4". This is a Yes or No question.
Brian Bennett: No. Not yet. I agree with Skip Holtz: The Bulls need to win a Big East championship and get to a BCS game before they can consider themselves on the same level as Florida, Florida State and Miami. They are getting closer, though.
Doug from Tampa writes: BB, your push for UCF wouldn't have anything to do with ESPN and the parent company Disney ties would it? I know you're looking out for your job and all and in a tough spot, but if you are a real journalist and have any honor than why not disclose the whole story in spite of it? Yes, it could be career suicide but you would be a hero and show you're a class act. There are better fits than UCF for the BE; if we are looking at a wish list, UCF is about 5-to-10 on the wish list correct.
Brian Bennett: I am afraid to answer this letter, because Mickey is holding my whole family hostage at gunpoint. Nah, come on, that's just silly. Hey, it's my job to give my opinions on Big East issues, and it's simply my opinion that Central Florida is the best fit for a 10th league member right now. No other available program has the facilities, market, large student body and a team that just finished in the Top 25 and beat an SEC team in a bowl game. Reasonable minds can disagree whether the Knights are the best fit. But to say UCF isn't even in the top five best available teams is just ridiculous.
Because Monday was a holiday, I didn't have time to post the usual Tuesday mailbag. But I'm back to make it up on Wednesday, and what better way to start hump day than answering some of your e-mails?
William from Mt. Vernon, Va., writes: Hey, Mr. Bennett, great blog. My question is about recruiting. The hiring of Paul P. at UConn and Rutgers poaching of Frank Cignetti, along with Doug Marrone's Syracuse success will set up big recruiting battles between the tri-state teams. Yet many have scoffed at the level of talent in the Northeast. Some say there isn't enough to sustain many Top 25 teams at all. Between the two scenarios, which do you think is more likely? 1. All three teams will stay relatively equal. 2. One team will get hot early, make national noise and stand head over heels in the recruiting race.
Brian Bennett: Recruiting skirmishes are definitely about to get more interesting. I think the key battlegrounds are now New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and don't forget Penn State, Pittsburgh and maybe even Maryland in the mix. The bottom line is that there aren't enough talented players in Connecticut or even New York to build an entire team. Programs have to find talent in all sorts of places -- see Rutgers' recruiting successes in Florida, and UConn's in, of all places, Canada. Players are everywhere, and it will be up to the schools to find it. I don't see any one team dominating on or off the field because each will win its share of recruiting battles. It will come down to proper evaluation and player development.
Stephen from CT writes: Brian, I noticed your comment the other day about Mohamed Sanu being the backup QB. Perhaps you missed the verbal given by Gary Nova, who ranks in the top 15 of Pro-style QB's in just about everyone's list? He he undefeated as a starter in the toughest league north of Virginia. Don Bosco Prep has produced some very good QB's over the years that have gone on to play at the college level (Teel, Levy, Simms). I think Chas might be lucky to get out of camp as the starter.
Brian Bennett: Well, I just mentioned that Sanu would be an option there, and I do think it would be interesting to see what he could do as a full-time quarterback. As for Nova, he is a nice prospect, but he will also be a true freshman. I'm not sure Rutgers wants a true frosh starting at quarterback for a third straight year. Has that ever been done anywhere?
Todd from Berwyn, Penn., writes: I read this blog pretty religiously, so forgive me if I've missed this, but what is the contract situation with Dana Holgorsen? I know they have agreed in terms/principle, but has anything been signed? If not, any indication that this could be a similar situation to Holgorsen's time at OSU where he lived in a hotel and then moved on?
Brian Bennett: Holgorsen is signed for six years. He'll make $800,000 this year, and that will increase to $1.4 million when he becomes head coach in 2012. I doubt he'll be living in the Waterfront Place Hotel, unless maybe he and Bob Huggins decide to go halfsies on a suite.
Chad from Hickory, N.C., writes: What are your thoughts on Todd Graham's hiring of quite a few of RichRod's assistants, given the already bad blood between WVU and Pitt and WVU and the assistants, especially Calvin Magee. This year's Backyard Brawl will be quite a show.
Brian Bennett: As someone who covers both schools closely, I love it. It adds a ton of intrigue. Of course, if Pitt wanted to duplicate the RichRod experience, it could have just hired the real thing, because he was available. Don't forget the history between Graham and Holgorsen. Is it the day after Thanksgiving yet?
Ray P. from Gilbert, Ariz., writes: Brian, since joining the Big East, Charlie Strong has brought the practice of overrecruiting to his mode of operations. Although he is a successful recruiter, his practice of accepting verbal commitments and then reneging or offering a consolation grey shirt (when that was never part of the original deal) at the last minute is unethical and repugnant. I'd like to see the BE put a stop to this reprehensible practice so we don't start behaving like an SEC program. I know you are a Louisville man, but what are your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: If by Louisville man you mean I live in the city, then yes. Anything more than that is junk. Anyway, Strong came from the SEC and probably learned a lot about recruiting there. Louisville has 27 commitments right now, according to ESPN.com, and had 25 seniors this season. Give or take a few departures, and it's not that overboard. I'll give Strong a pass here because the Cardinals badly needed a talent overhaul, and he has to fix the roster. But it should not become an annual practice.
Matt from Cincinnati writes: Maybe UConn is onto something. Let's say UConn remains a solid program and gets back to the BCS in the next few years. Would some big time program want a 64+ year old coach? Likely not.The BCS has become the tweener conference. It's a destination for up-and-coming coaches until those coaches outgrow it and move on. Kelly, RichRod, Edsall, etc. were all marketable names. Win or lose, Pasquerelli is likely there to stay.
Brian Bennett: Or Pasqualoni. If it works out like that, great for the Huskies. I don't think Pasqualoni will be shopping for many jobs, especially since he's now back in his home state. But I also don't think you can make hires based on whether you think the coach will stay. You hire the guy you think gives you the best chance to win, and if he wins big and then moves on, that just means that both parties came out ahead.
Jim W. from Cincinnati writes: When everyone talks about the Big East in the last 3 BCS games, I think they really need to look at the Cincinnati-Florida Sugar Bowl differently. I think the criticism for the Bearcats against VATech & UConn against OK is valid, but in the Sugar Bowl I doubt ANY team would have beaten Florida. They had the unexpected announcement of Urban Myer leaving, Tim Tebow's last game plus they had lost the SEC Championship to Alabama after being ranked number one most of the year
Brian Bennett: Well, that Florida team was really good and played a great game. But don't underestimate the role Cincinnati had in making the Gators look good, either. I was there, and it was easy to see how physically outmatched the Bearcats were from the start, not to mention how disrupted and distracted they were in the pre-bowl practices leading up to the game. Cincinnati simply did not come out fully ready for that game and got stomped on by an excellent team. Remember that it was 30-3 at halftime. UConn lost by one more point in its BCS game but was far more competitive throughout against Oklahoma.
William from Mt. Vernon, Va., writes: Hey, Mr. Bennett, great blog. My question is about recruiting. The hiring of Paul P. at UConn and Rutgers poaching of Frank Cignetti, along with Doug Marrone's Syracuse success will set up big recruiting battles between the tri-state teams. Yet many have scoffed at the level of talent in the Northeast. Some say there isn't enough to sustain many Top 25 teams at all. Between the two scenarios, which do you think is more likely? 1. All three teams will stay relatively equal. 2. One team will get hot early, make national noise and stand head over heels in the recruiting race.
Brian Bennett: Recruiting skirmishes are definitely about to get more interesting. I think the key battlegrounds are now New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and don't forget Penn State, Pittsburgh and maybe even Maryland in the mix. The bottom line is that there aren't enough talented players in Connecticut or even New York to build an entire team. Programs have to find talent in all sorts of places -- see Rutgers' recruiting successes in Florida, and UConn's in, of all places, Canada. Players are everywhere, and it will be up to the schools to find it. I don't see any one team dominating on or off the field because each will win its share of recruiting battles. It will come down to proper evaluation and player development.
Stephen from CT writes: Brian, I noticed your comment the other day about Mohamed Sanu being the backup QB. Perhaps you missed the verbal given by Gary Nova, who ranks in the top 15 of Pro-style QB's in just about everyone's list? He he undefeated as a starter in the toughest league north of Virginia. Don Bosco Prep has produced some very good QB's over the years that have gone on to play at the college level (Teel, Levy, Simms). I think Chas might be lucky to get out of camp as the starter.
Brian Bennett: Well, I just mentioned that Sanu would be an option there, and I do think it would be interesting to see what he could do as a full-time quarterback. As for Nova, he is a nice prospect, but he will also be a true freshman. I'm not sure Rutgers wants a true frosh starting at quarterback for a third straight year. Has that ever been done anywhere?
Todd from Berwyn, Penn., writes: I read this blog pretty religiously, so forgive me if I've missed this, but what is the contract situation with Dana Holgorsen? I know they have agreed in terms/principle, but has anything been signed? If not, any indication that this could be a similar situation to Holgorsen's time at OSU where he lived in a hotel and then moved on?
Brian Bennett: Holgorsen is signed for six years. He'll make $800,000 this year, and that will increase to $1.4 million when he becomes head coach in 2012. I doubt he'll be living in the Waterfront Place Hotel, unless maybe he and Bob Huggins decide to go halfsies on a suite.
Chad from Hickory, N.C., writes: What are your thoughts on Todd Graham's hiring of quite a few of RichRod's assistants, given the already bad blood between WVU and Pitt and WVU and the assistants, especially Calvin Magee. This year's Backyard Brawl will be quite a show.
Brian Bennett: As someone who covers both schools closely, I love it. It adds a ton of intrigue. Of course, if Pitt wanted to duplicate the RichRod experience, it could have just hired the real thing, because he was available. Don't forget the history between Graham and Holgorsen. Is it the day after Thanksgiving yet?
Ray P. from Gilbert, Ariz., writes: Brian, since joining the Big East, Charlie Strong has brought the practice of overrecruiting to his mode of operations. Although he is a successful recruiter, his practice of accepting verbal commitments and then reneging or offering a consolation grey shirt (when that was never part of the original deal) at the last minute is unethical and repugnant. I'd like to see the BE put a stop to this reprehensible practice so we don't start behaving like an SEC program. I know you are a Louisville man, but what are your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: If by Louisville man you mean I live in the city, then yes. Anything more than that is junk. Anyway, Strong came from the SEC and probably learned a lot about recruiting there. Louisville has 27 commitments right now, according to ESPN.com, and had 25 seniors this season. Give or take a few departures, and it's not that overboard. I'll give Strong a pass here because the Cardinals badly needed a talent overhaul, and he has to fix the roster. But it should not become an annual practice.
Matt from Cincinnati writes: Maybe UConn is onto something. Let's say UConn remains a solid program and gets back to the BCS in the next few years. Would some big time program want a 64+ year old coach? Likely not.The BCS has become the tweener conference. It's a destination for up-and-coming coaches until those coaches outgrow it and move on. Kelly, RichRod, Edsall, etc. were all marketable names. Win or lose, Pasquerelli is likely there to stay.
Brian Bennett: Or Pasqualoni. If it works out like that, great for the Huskies. I don't think Pasqualoni will be shopping for many jobs, especially since he's now back in his home state. But I also don't think you can make hires based on whether you think the coach will stay. You hire the guy you think gives you the best chance to win, and if he wins big and then moves on, that just means that both parties came out ahead.
Jim W. from Cincinnati writes: When everyone talks about the Big East in the last 3 BCS games, I think they really need to look at the Cincinnati-Florida Sugar Bowl differently. I think the criticism for the Bearcats against VATech & UConn against OK is valid, but in the Sugar Bowl I doubt ANY team would have beaten Florida. They had the unexpected announcement of Urban Myer leaving, Tim Tebow's last game plus they had lost the SEC Championship to Alabama after being ranked number one most of the year
Brian Bennett: Well, that Florida team was really good and played a great game. But don't underestimate the role Cincinnati had in making the Gators look good, either. I was there, and it was easy to see how physically outmatched the Bearcats were from the start, not to mention how disrupted and distracted they were in the pre-bowl practices leading up to the game. Cincinnati simply did not come out fully ready for that game and got stomped on by an excellent team. Remember that it was 30-3 at halftime. UConn lost by one more point in its BCS game but was far more competitive throughout against Oklahoma.
The long, torturous offseason has officially begun. Nearly nine more months before we have Big East football again. But I am here to talk you through it. The doctor is in:
Kevin from Macon, Ga., writes: What are the comparative bowl records with the other conferences? I could be biased, but it seems like the Big East finished much stronger than it started.
Brian Bennett: Ask and ye shall receive. Here are the records for the top eight conferences in bowl play:
Mountain West: 4-1
Big East: 4-2
SEC: 5-5
Pac-10: 2-2
WAC: 2-2
ACC: 4-5
Big 12: 3-5
Big Ten: 3-5
The Big East went 4-2 for the second straight season. It's not as rosy as it seems because of the competition level and the performance at the top, and I'll have more to say about that in a blog post soon. But it's still a very respectable record and much better than the nonconference regular season failures by the league.
Jason from Detroit writes: What's your problem, Bennett? If WVU is ranked 29-to-32 to end 2010, why shouldn't they be in the Top 25 to start 2011? The defense needs to replace alot, but the returning players all have experience. With Jeff Casteel returning, why wouldn't they be in the top third of the country? With Dana Holgorsen running an offense made of players that are a year older, and since we really only lose one contributing player from 2010 (Jock Sanders), why won't this offense be much improved? Can you not see that the difference in offensive output between 2010 and 2011 will more than make up for the increase in points the defense will give up? And I don't buy the "awkward coaching situation" [stuff].
Brian Bennett: The Internet doesn't have enough room for me to explain all my problems. As far as West Virginia and the rankings, you have to first of all remember how preseason rankings are tabulated. Voters usually take into account the number of returning starters and the way the team finished. With the Mountaineers losing eight defensive starters, changing philosophy on defense and losing Sanders and Noel Devine -- I know Devine wasn't a huge factor on the 2010 team, but casual observers (read: most voters) won't understand that -- West Virginia will likely start outside the Top 25, as will the entire Big East.
I think the defense can still be very good, but there's no substitute for the veteran leadership and talent that guys like Chris Neild, J.T. Thomas, Brandon Hogan and Robert Sands brought. Scoring more points under Holgorsen could make up for that. As for the coaching situation, no one knows how this is going to work. But I just highly doubt it's going to be entirely smooth.
Drew from Anchorage writes: Chris Petersen spurns Stanford to stay at Boise State ... what can Big East Schools learn from the Boise States and TCUs about hanging onto highly sought-after coaches?
Brian Bennett: That's an excellent question. Both Petersen and TCU's Gary Patterson have had many, many offers to leave but have stayed at their schools. I think a lot of it is their programs were the first to give them a shot, and they feel incredibly loyal. They have also built their programs into powerhouses and have very lucrative contracts. That's the best I think Big East schools can hope for: Pay well, hope the coach is happy where he is and give him the tools to succeed. That will be enough for a select few, but not the majority.
Brady from Pittsburgh writes: So I just read Pitt's official press release on the hiring of Todd Graham and it calls him "one of the finest offensive minds in the country." Am I missing something here? Isn't Graham a defensive guy first and foremost, who has hired innovated spread offense coordinators?
Brian Bennett: It's really strange, because as far as I can tell, Graham spent his entire career before becoming a head coach on the defensive side. Kudos to him for having an open mind about wide-open offenses and for hiring brilliant playcallers. But the fact is that Tulsa's defenses haven't been very good. It's somewhat reminiscent of Brian Kelly, who came up through the ranks as a defensive coach but became an offensive guru once he became a head coach. The best head coaches just find ways to win.
Andrew from Tampa writes: I like Skip Holtz as a coach and I think he has done a good job with the players as well as the community. However, I can't help but notice that he has been losing the recruiting battles up to this point (to Louisville, as well as others). This was an area that coach Jim Leavitt had improved upon every year but now I feel we have taken a step back. What is your view on the subject, and how vital is recruiting in the big scheme of things?
Brian Bennett: Holtz has yet to bring in any real studs a la his Terrence Mitchell signing day coup from a year ago. I find it a little odd. Some of it may be due to the fact that he and his staff just haven't had time to build a lot of connections in the area. You would think recruiting will pick up if he continues to win. It's vitally important, but you can't really judge a class based on the scout service rankings. UConn just went to a BCS game, and nobody was doing backflips over their classes the past three or four years.
Tyler E. from Storrs writes: I know it's a little early, but is the Orange Bowl next year going to be ACC champ vs. Big East champ? (Neither are going to send their champ to the BCS Championship and the Big East has been picked last for three years plus Orange has last selection next January).
Brian Bennett: The Big East can hope that it will make the BCS title game, or at the very least have a team attractive enough that it doesn't last until the final pick. But in all likelihood, the Orange will be the spot as that bowl does indeed have the last straw. The Big East is like the fat kid in the schoolyard when kickball sides are chosen; the league has been the last pick for the last three years. But maybe there will be a situation like in the '08 games, when Hawaii qualified and the Rainbows were even less desirable.
Rob from Orlando writes: Where will Rich Rodriguez go and would it be smart for him to just lay low awhile? Is Rodriguez not a fit for Pitt or is Pitt not a fit for Rodriguez? Is it possible to lay low and see if WVU's coach in waiting will succeed or make mends if he doesn't and try to salvage a WVU coaching position in 2014? I would like to hear your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: RichRod hasn't called me for advice lately, but I think his best bet would be to take the year off and wait for the right opening. Pickings are slim right now, and he can jump on the carousel next year after perhaps doing some TV work, at which he'd excel. Pittsburgh didn't have interest in Rodriguez but may end up with a coaching staff filled with former Rodriguez assistants. Hmmm. I think Clemson and Rodriguez would make an excellent match if Dabo Swinney doesn't get the job done in 2011.
Bob from Palm Springs, Calif., writes: Those guys questioning your grammatical abilities in the Mailbag comments--WHICH ones are you going to remind THAT you get paid to write, and they probably don't!!! Also, how about all those Food Network chefs questioning your unique lasagna recipe?
Brian Bennett: Wait a minute: I can get paid to do this? As for the lasagna, everybody should know that's a famous New Zealand recipe.
Kevin from Macon, Ga., writes: What are the comparative bowl records with the other conferences? I could be biased, but it seems like the Big East finished much stronger than it started.
Brian Bennett: Ask and ye shall receive. Here are the records for the top eight conferences in bowl play:
Mountain West: 4-1
Big East: 4-2
SEC: 5-5
Pac-10: 2-2
WAC: 2-2
ACC: 4-5
Big 12: 3-5
Big Ten: 3-5
The Big East went 4-2 for the second straight season. It's not as rosy as it seems because of the competition level and the performance at the top, and I'll have more to say about that in a blog post soon. But it's still a very respectable record and much better than the nonconference regular season failures by the league.
Jason from Detroit writes: What's your problem, Bennett? If WVU is ranked 29-to-32 to end 2010, why shouldn't they be in the Top 25 to start 2011? The defense needs to replace alot, but the returning players all have experience. With Jeff Casteel returning, why wouldn't they be in the top third of the country? With Dana Holgorsen running an offense made of players that are a year older, and since we really only lose one contributing player from 2010 (Jock Sanders), why won't this offense be much improved? Can you not see that the difference in offensive output between 2010 and 2011 will more than make up for the increase in points the defense will give up? And I don't buy the "awkward coaching situation" [stuff].
Brian Bennett: The Internet doesn't have enough room for me to explain all my problems. As far as West Virginia and the rankings, you have to first of all remember how preseason rankings are tabulated. Voters usually take into account the number of returning starters and the way the team finished. With the Mountaineers losing eight defensive starters, changing philosophy on defense and losing Sanders and Noel Devine -- I know Devine wasn't a huge factor on the 2010 team, but casual observers (read: most voters) won't understand that -- West Virginia will likely start outside the Top 25, as will the entire Big East.
I think the defense can still be very good, but there's no substitute for the veteran leadership and talent that guys like Chris Neild, J.T. Thomas, Brandon Hogan and Robert Sands brought. Scoring more points under Holgorsen could make up for that. As for the coaching situation, no one knows how this is going to work. But I just highly doubt it's going to be entirely smooth.
Drew from Anchorage writes: Chris Petersen spurns Stanford to stay at Boise State ... what can Big East Schools learn from the Boise States and TCUs about hanging onto highly sought-after coaches?
Brian Bennett: That's an excellent question. Both Petersen and TCU's Gary Patterson have had many, many offers to leave but have stayed at their schools. I think a lot of it is their programs were the first to give them a shot, and they feel incredibly loyal. They have also built their programs into powerhouses and have very lucrative contracts. That's the best I think Big East schools can hope for: Pay well, hope the coach is happy where he is and give him the tools to succeed. That will be enough for a select few, but not the majority.
Brady from Pittsburgh writes: So I just read Pitt's official press release on the hiring of Todd Graham and it calls him "one of the finest offensive minds in the country." Am I missing something here? Isn't Graham a defensive guy first and foremost, who has hired innovated spread offense coordinators?
Brian Bennett: It's really strange, because as far as I can tell, Graham spent his entire career before becoming a head coach on the defensive side. Kudos to him for having an open mind about wide-open offenses and for hiring brilliant playcallers. But the fact is that Tulsa's defenses haven't been very good. It's somewhat reminiscent of Brian Kelly, who came up through the ranks as a defensive coach but became an offensive guru once he became a head coach. The best head coaches just find ways to win.
Andrew from Tampa writes: I like Skip Holtz as a coach and I think he has done a good job with the players as well as the community. However, I can't help but notice that he has been losing the recruiting battles up to this point (to Louisville, as well as others). This was an area that coach Jim Leavitt had improved upon every year but now I feel we have taken a step back. What is your view on the subject, and how vital is recruiting in the big scheme of things?
Brian Bennett: Holtz has yet to bring in any real studs a la his Terrence Mitchell signing day coup from a year ago. I find it a little odd. Some of it may be due to the fact that he and his staff just haven't had time to build a lot of connections in the area. You would think recruiting will pick up if he continues to win. It's vitally important, but you can't really judge a class based on the scout service rankings. UConn just went to a BCS game, and nobody was doing backflips over their classes the past three or four years.
Tyler E. from Storrs writes: I know it's a little early, but is the Orange Bowl next year going to be ACC champ vs. Big East champ? (Neither are going to send their champ to the BCS Championship and the Big East has been picked last for three years plus Orange has last selection next January).
Brian Bennett: The Big East can hope that it will make the BCS title game, or at the very least have a team attractive enough that it doesn't last until the final pick. But in all likelihood, the Orange will be the spot as that bowl does indeed have the last straw. The Big East is like the fat kid in the schoolyard when kickball sides are chosen; the league has been the last pick for the last three years. But maybe there will be a situation like in the '08 games, when Hawaii qualified and the Rainbows were even less desirable.
Rob from Orlando writes: Where will Rich Rodriguez go and would it be smart for him to just lay low awhile? Is Rodriguez not a fit for Pitt or is Pitt not a fit for Rodriguez? Is it possible to lay low and see if WVU's coach in waiting will succeed or make mends if he doesn't and try to salvage a WVU coaching position in 2014? I would like to hear your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: RichRod hasn't called me for advice lately, but I think his best bet would be to take the year off and wait for the right opening. Pickings are slim right now, and he can jump on the carousel next year after perhaps doing some TV work, at which he'd excel. Pittsburgh didn't have interest in Rodriguez but may end up with a coaching staff filled with former Rodriguez assistants. Hmmm. I think Clemson and Rodriguez would make an excellent match if Dabo Swinney doesn't get the job done in 2011.
Bob from Palm Springs, Calif., writes: Those guys questioning your grammatical abilities in the Mailbag comments--WHICH ones are you going to remind THAT you get paid to write, and they probably don't!!! Also, how about all those Food Network chefs questioning your unique lasagna recipe?
Brian Bennett: Wait a minute: I can get paid to do this? As for the lasagna, everybody should know that's a famous New Zealand recipe.
As promised, here's the second part of my Big East mailbag:
Tony from Louisville writes: After UCF's 10-6 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, how do you see their standing in the Big East's expansion plans? Have they solidified a status as a respectable team or will they still need to show the Big East more before any offers are made?
Adam from Tampa, Fla., writes: Uh, beating a sorry Georgia team means UCF belongs in the Big East? If all it took was beating a crappy BCS conference team, UCF qualified back in 2000, or whenever they beat one of the worst teams Alabama ever fielded. No team that UCF beat finished the year with a winning record, and only one that they beat had a winning record at the time of the game (SMU in the Conference USA title game). Putting what TCU has done and what UCF has done in the same blog post is an insult to TCU.
Brian Bennett: Well, there were certainly two schools of thought in my mailbag about whether Central Florida proved it's the best Big East expansion candidate. Funny that the ones who are against the Knights all seem to live in the Tampa area. I'm sure that's just a coincidence. For sure, that Georgia team was not very good. But beating a brand-name SEC team in a bowl is always noteworthy, and UCF finished 11-3 and will be in the final Top 25. If that season were in a vacuum, then you shouldn't get too excited. But when you combine this season with Central Florida's other assets -- new facilities, great location, huge and growing student body -- I think that definitely puts the Knights way ahead of Villanova as an attractive option.
And as for USF fans who think UCF will hurt their program, aren't there plenty of examples of other conferences who have two teams located close by (Oregon and Oregon State, USC-UCLA, Michigan-Michigan State, Duke-North Carolina and on and on). I realize the difference here is that these are two young programs surrounded by other in-state competitors. But think of how much fun it would be to beat them in conference play.
Colin Mc. from Purchase, N.Y., writes: With UConn's poor offensive showing against Oklahoma, how far away are the Huskies from having a balanced offensive attack? If they had a decent passing game this year, coupled with their dynamic rushing attack and never-say-die defense, they really could have been a force. They will likely always have a solid ground game, but they NEED a big-time QB and WR's to compete with AQ-conference powerhouses. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: You're exactly right, but let's not forget that UConn's passing game had reached a much higher level of competence last year before backsliding big time this year. The Huskies never found a replacement for Marcus Easley as a true deep threat and regressed. Some of it has to do with Randy Edsall's conservative philosophy. There's no reason UConn can't have a much better passing game, and I wonder if the school will go with an offensive mind in its next hire. Programs often tend to go the exact opposite route from the previous guy in these situations.
Jacob from Cincy writes: Would 2009 Cincinnati beat 2010 Oklahoma?
Brian Bennett: Heck, 2010 Cincinnati almost beat 2010 Oklahoma.
Tim from Cincinnati writes: With another coach with success in the Big East leaving to coach another program and the continued pressure the Big East is taking for the lack of quality teams, how much does the league need a coach to stick around and potentially dominate the league? I know a lot of this comes down to money, facilities ... however the Big East would appear to be the easiest conference to build and sustain a powerhouse.
Brian Bennett: The guys who stick around a long time in one conference are becoming rarer and rarer. Even Urban Meyer made it only six seasons at Florida. But having all this turnover is not good for the league, and the Big East needs some of its top-flight coaches to stick around. I think, for instance, Skip Holtz and Charlie Strong can do outstanding things in this league, but both will be highly sought after if they build winners. It's easier to get to the BCS through the Big East, but there's more money and a better shot at a national title elsewhere.
Erick from Houston writes: As a Big East fan in Houston I have 2 quick questions: With the top 3 teams in the conference in the middle of coaching changes and some bottom teams trending up, is it safe to say that in 2011 the championship is clearly up for grabs? If this is the case, could 2011 be another bad year for the Big East in the press or will the TCU story overshadow everything?
Brian Bennett: The 2011 title looks very much wide open again. I don't think there is a clear favorite at this point because of all the question marks at every single program. Get ready for some more bad press in the preseason, because it's highly doubtful that any Big East team will be ranked in the Top 25 to start the year for the second time in three years. The only way to change that is by winning some more nonconference games in September this time. I don't think the TCU story will overshadow much, but the Horned Frogs can't come on board fast enough for the league.
Scott P. from Bayonne, N.J., writes: Do you thing Randy Edsall's departure from UConn will help recruiting for Rutgers or Syracuse? Also, Rutgers seems to have taken steps backwards the last couple of years. Do the Scarlet Knights have what it takes to reverse that trend and compete for the Big East title, especially in a softer league with teams like Pitt and UConn in the midst of coaching transitions? Or will the emergence of Syracuse negate any potential advantage Rutgers may have obtained from those circumstances in the Big East?
Brian Bennett: I'm not sure Edsall's departure does much to affect the recruiting for Syracuse and Rutgers, because the Huskies weren't always competing for the same players as those schools. Edsall thrived by finding under-the-radar guys. It will be interesting, though, to see if UConn hires a guy who will get involved in more recruiting skirmishes, especially in the southern part of the state. Edsall seemed to back off guys who had a star mentality or too much hype, but the next coach might have a completely different approach. As for Rutgers, I still think this is a team with a lot of talent that will be maturing in the next year or two. If the Scarlet Knights can get back to any level of consistent production offensively, they should compete for the league title. If not, the pressure will mount on Greg Schiano.
Tony from Louisville writes: After UCF's 10-6 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, how do you see their standing in the Big East's expansion plans? Have they solidified a status as a respectable team or will they still need to show the Big East more before any offers are made?
Adam from Tampa, Fla., writes: Uh, beating a sorry Georgia team means UCF belongs in the Big East? If all it took was beating a crappy BCS conference team, UCF qualified back in 2000, or whenever they beat one of the worst teams Alabama ever fielded. No team that UCF beat finished the year with a winning record, and only one that they beat had a winning record at the time of the game (SMU in the Conference USA title game). Putting what TCU has done and what UCF has done in the same blog post is an insult to TCU.
Brian Bennett: Well, there were certainly two schools of thought in my mailbag about whether Central Florida proved it's the best Big East expansion candidate. Funny that the ones who are against the Knights all seem to live in the Tampa area. I'm sure that's just a coincidence. For sure, that Georgia team was not very good. But beating a brand-name SEC team in a bowl is always noteworthy, and UCF finished 11-3 and will be in the final Top 25. If that season were in a vacuum, then you shouldn't get too excited. But when you combine this season with Central Florida's other assets -- new facilities, great location, huge and growing student body -- I think that definitely puts the Knights way ahead of Villanova as an attractive option.
And as for USF fans who think UCF will hurt their program, aren't there plenty of examples of other conferences who have two teams located close by (Oregon and Oregon State, USC-UCLA, Michigan-Michigan State, Duke-North Carolina and on and on). I realize the difference here is that these are two young programs surrounded by other in-state competitors. But think of how much fun it would be to beat them in conference play.
Colin Mc. from Purchase, N.Y., writes: With UConn's poor offensive showing against Oklahoma, how far away are the Huskies from having a balanced offensive attack? If they had a decent passing game this year, coupled with their dynamic rushing attack and never-say-die defense, they really could have been a force. They will likely always have a solid ground game, but they NEED a big-time QB and WR's to compete with AQ-conference powerhouses. Thoughts?
Brian Bennett: You're exactly right, but let's not forget that UConn's passing game had reached a much higher level of competence last year before backsliding big time this year. The Huskies never found a replacement for Marcus Easley as a true deep threat and regressed. Some of it has to do with Randy Edsall's conservative philosophy. There's no reason UConn can't have a much better passing game, and I wonder if the school will go with an offensive mind in its next hire. Programs often tend to go the exact opposite route from the previous guy in these situations.
Jacob from Cincy writes: Would 2009 Cincinnati beat 2010 Oklahoma?
Brian Bennett: Heck, 2010 Cincinnati almost beat 2010 Oklahoma.
Tim from Cincinnati writes: With another coach with success in the Big East leaving to coach another program and the continued pressure the Big East is taking for the lack of quality teams, how much does the league need a coach to stick around and potentially dominate the league? I know a lot of this comes down to money, facilities ... however the Big East would appear to be the easiest conference to build and sustain a powerhouse.
Brian Bennett: The guys who stick around a long time in one conference are becoming rarer and rarer. Even Urban Meyer made it only six seasons at Florida. But having all this turnover is not good for the league, and the Big East needs some of its top-flight coaches to stick around. I think, for instance, Skip Holtz and Charlie Strong can do outstanding things in this league, but both will be highly sought after if they build winners. It's easier to get to the BCS through the Big East, but there's more money and a better shot at a national title elsewhere.
Erick from Houston writes: As a Big East fan in Houston I have 2 quick questions: With the top 3 teams in the conference in the middle of coaching changes and some bottom teams trending up, is it safe to say that in 2011 the championship is clearly up for grabs? If this is the case, could 2011 be another bad year for the Big East in the press or will the TCU story overshadow everything?
Brian Bennett: The 2011 title looks very much wide open again. I don't think there is a clear favorite at this point because of all the question marks at every single program. Get ready for some more bad press in the preseason, because it's highly doubtful that any Big East team will be ranked in the Top 25 to start the year for the second time in three years. The only way to change that is by winning some more nonconference games in September this time. I don't think the TCU story will overshadow much, but the Horned Frogs can't come on board fast enough for the league.
Scott P. from Bayonne, N.J., writes: Do you thing Randy Edsall's departure from UConn will help recruiting for Rutgers or Syracuse? Also, Rutgers seems to have taken steps backwards the last couple of years. Do the Scarlet Knights have what it takes to reverse that trend and compete for the Big East title, especially in a softer league with teams like Pitt and UConn in the midst of coaching transitions? Or will the emergence of Syracuse negate any potential advantage Rutgers may have obtained from those circumstances in the Big East?
Brian Bennett: I'm not sure Edsall's departure does much to affect the recruiting for Syracuse and Rutgers, because the Huskies weren't always competing for the same players as those schools. Edsall thrived by finding under-the-radar guys. It will be interesting, though, to see if UConn hires a guy who will get involved in more recruiting skirmishes, especially in the southern part of the state. Edsall seemed to back off guys who had a star mentality or too much hype, but the next coach might have a completely different approach. As for Rutgers, I still think this is a team with a lot of talent that will be maturing in the next year or two. If the Scarlet Knights can get back to any level of consistent production offensively, they should compete for the league title. If not, the pressure will mount on Greg Schiano.
So much has happened in the past week, and there was no time for a Friday mailbag on New Year's Eve. So I'm going with a two-parter today. The ol' mailbag is pretty full as you might imagine, but there's still time to get some questions in that I can answer either later on Tuesday or on Friday.
Let the good times roll ...
Jerry from Indianapolis writes: Good old Steve Pederson. He has made us completely forget about the disappointing football season by botching another coaching search. Do you think Pitt gets a refund from the search firm that did a background check on Haywood? Seriously, who (other than Tom Bradley) is going to want this job now that all the recruits are gone? Thanks for settings the program back five years, Steve. P.S. I hear Bill Callahan is available.
Brian Bennett: There is no doubt that this entire situation was mishandled. It's unfair to blame Pederson for Haywood's legal troubles, though clearly the background check into Haywood failed on some level when the school so prioritized character and integrity. Pederson did not do a good job in the Dave Wannstedt situation, awkwardly trying to save face by characterizing it as a resignation and then not demanding an answer on whether Wannstedt would coach the BBVA Compass Bowl. That blew up in his face as well. And Haywood was a questionable hire from the beginning.
The only good news is, I think Pittsburgh is still a good job with many advantages, and a good coach should still want that job regardless of this year's recruiting class. Remember that Pitt only had 12 seniors, so this class is not as vital as most. But any new coach has to ask himself how strong the leadership above him will be at the school.
Andrew U. from Canton, Mich., writes: Now that Pitt has officially fired Mike Haywood, and Rich Rodriguez seemingly on his way out at Michigan, does Pitt reach out to Rodriguez and try to bring him back to the Big East? Would either side be able to stomach the other? Or is it just business?
Brian Bennett: As someone who writes about the Big East all the times and needs copy in the offseason, I am begging and praying for this to happen. What a storyline that would be, especially with Pitt going to West Virginia in 2011. If you're Pitt, why not? There's no reason not to give it a try (except for the small fact that, currently, Rodriguez still has a job). I don't know if Rodriguez, who is from West Virginia and still is friends with many Mountaineers boosters, would do it. Then again, I never thought Rick Pitino would be the coach at Louisville after he left Kentucky.
Jeff from East Hartford writes: Hey, BB, who do you think would be a good fit to replace Randy Edsall at UConn? What do you think our expectations of a new coach should be?
Brian Bennett: Usually in a coaching search, there are one or two obvious names that jump out as candidates. This one is different. Since UConn has little history at the FBS level and Edsall doesn't exactly have a coaching tree, this search is anyone's guess. Steve Addazio would have been an interesting choice, but he's off the market. There have been a lot of different names thrown around, but I don't think anyone has an idea right now. Keep in mind that this is not an easy job; Connecticut has great facilities but it lacks a natural, strong recruiting base.
The next coach should be someone with knowledge of the Northeast. I think the Huskies needed a program builder when they hired Edsall. Now I think they should go for someone who has a a creative and innovative system, whether that's on offense or defense. The program needs something on which to hang its hat and attract players. Perhaps even an NFL guy.
Steve L. from Piscataway writes: With no big name FBS coaches chomping at the bit for the new vacancy at UConn, what are the odds that the Huskies turn to Andy Talley at Villanova? If so, that may force Nova's hand as to whether or not they make the jump to FBS and the Big East.
Brian Bennett: Well that would be interesting now, wouldn't it? Talley can certainly coach. But he also just completed his 26th season at Villanova and is a Pennsylvania native. I'm not sure why he would jump, unless this whole Big East talk has whetted his appetite to coach at the FBS level now.
Jerry L. from Huntington Beach, Calif., writes: I was 9 when Maryland won its only national championship in 1953. The hiring of edsall indicates the school is not interested in winning another one. It was time for Friedgen's departure. His first three years were great. His last seven, rather pedestrian and the guy never beat FSU. But Randy Edsall?
Brian Bennett: Edsall is an excellent coach, and I'm interested to see what he can do now that he access to a few more athletes. He's a great leader and outstanding developer of talent. But any UConn fan will tell you that his teams are hard to watch at times. They play with solid fundamentals but are very conservative on offense. Friedgen won one more game this year than Edsall did in his BCS campaign. While I think Edsall will win in College Park, I'm not rushing to the season-ticket windows if I'm a Maryland fan.
Joe from Syracuse writes: As a Syracuse fan, I'm just as upset at that final call as any Kansas State fan. The conversation now isn't that Syracuse managed to win a bowl, it's that the refs gave the win to Syracuse. That may or may not be the case, we'll never know. However, as a fan that change in the conversation seriously marred what should have been a pinnacle moment for the team.
Brian Bennett: Couldn't agree more, Joe. The refs robbed Kansas State of a chance to win and cheapened the win for the Orange. What a horrible, awful, travesty of a call. And don't tell me it was the right call based on the rules. There is a time and place for judgment, and besides, Tennessee players celebrated several more times in the very next bowl game.
I'll never understand why the NCAA (and the NFL, for that matter) is so intent on legislating fun and celebration out of a game in which takes so much passion to play.
David E. from Richmond, Va., writes: If TCU had been in the BE this year and went undefeated, do you think it would have impacted the selection of Oregon & Auburn for the so-called "championship game"? Or would the BE have been in the audience for that game?
Brian Bennett: It wouldn't have been any different than last year, when Cincinnati was 12-0 and shut out of a chance to play for the title. TCU's biggest problem was its schedule, and the Big East as it performed this year wouldn't have helped much.
Scott from Kitchener, Canada, writes: As a long time Orange fan I will say thank you from all of us faithful for picking the 'Cuse to fail in their attempt to win a bowl game. Keep up the great job reporting an unbiased view of the Big East.
Brian Bennett: Glad I could help. I accept all major credit cards and money orders. Sorry, no personal checks.
Jeff from Pittsburgh writes: Never a dull moment with the Big East Conference?
Brian Bennett: Only during this year's games. (I kid, I kid).
Let the good times roll ...
Jerry from Indianapolis writes: Good old Steve Pederson. He has made us completely forget about the disappointing football season by botching another coaching search. Do you think Pitt gets a refund from the search firm that did a background check on Haywood? Seriously, who (other than Tom Bradley) is going to want this job now that all the recruits are gone? Thanks for settings the program back five years, Steve. P.S. I hear Bill Callahan is available.
Brian Bennett: There is no doubt that this entire situation was mishandled. It's unfair to blame Pederson for Haywood's legal troubles, though clearly the background check into Haywood failed on some level when the school so prioritized character and integrity. Pederson did not do a good job in the Dave Wannstedt situation, awkwardly trying to save face by characterizing it as a resignation and then not demanding an answer on whether Wannstedt would coach the BBVA Compass Bowl. That blew up in his face as well. And Haywood was a questionable hire from the beginning.
The only good news is, I think Pittsburgh is still a good job with many advantages, and a good coach should still want that job regardless of this year's recruiting class. Remember that Pitt only had 12 seniors, so this class is not as vital as most. But any new coach has to ask himself how strong the leadership above him will be at the school.
Andrew U. from Canton, Mich., writes: Now that Pitt has officially fired Mike Haywood, and Rich Rodriguez seemingly on his way out at Michigan, does Pitt reach out to Rodriguez and try to bring him back to the Big East? Would either side be able to stomach the other? Or is it just business?
Brian Bennett: As someone who writes about the Big East all the times and needs copy in the offseason, I am begging and praying for this to happen. What a storyline that would be, especially with Pitt going to West Virginia in 2011. If you're Pitt, why not? There's no reason not to give it a try (except for the small fact that, currently, Rodriguez still has a job). I don't know if Rodriguez, who is from West Virginia and still is friends with many Mountaineers boosters, would do it. Then again, I never thought Rick Pitino would be the coach at Louisville after he left Kentucky.
Jeff from East Hartford writes: Hey, BB, who do you think would be a good fit to replace Randy Edsall at UConn? What do you think our expectations of a new coach should be?
Brian Bennett: Usually in a coaching search, there are one or two obvious names that jump out as candidates. This one is different. Since UConn has little history at the FBS level and Edsall doesn't exactly have a coaching tree, this search is anyone's guess. Steve Addazio would have been an interesting choice, but he's off the market. There have been a lot of different names thrown around, but I don't think anyone has an idea right now. Keep in mind that this is not an easy job; Connecticut has great facilities but it lacks a natural, strong recruiting base.
The next coach should be someone with knowledge of the Northeast. I think the Huskies needed a program builder when they hired Edsall. Now I think they should go for someone who has a a creative and innovative system, whether that's on offense or defense. The program needs something on which to hang its hat and attract players. Perhaps even an NFL guy.
Steve L. from Piscataway writes: With no big name FBS coaches chomping at the bit for the new vacancy at UConn, what are the odds that the Huskies turn to Andy Talley at Villanova? If so, that may force Nova's hand as to whether or not they make the jump to FBS and the Big East.
Brian Bennett: Well that would be interesting now, wouldn't it? Talley can certainly coach. But he also just completed his 26th season at Villanova and is a Pennsylvania native. I'm not sure why he would jump, unless this whole Big East talk has whetted his appetite to coach at the FBS level now.
Jerry L. from Huntington Beach, Calif., writes: I was 9 when Maryland won its only national championship in 1953. The hiring of edsall indicates the school is not interested in winning another one. It was time for Friedgen's departure. His first three years were great. His last seven, rather pedestrian and the guy never beat FSU. But Randy Edsall?
Brian Bennett: Edsall is an excellent coach, and I'm interested to see what he can do now that he access to a few more athletes. He's a great leader and outstanding developer of talent. But any UConn fan will tell you that his teams are hard to watch at times. They play with solid fundamentals but are very conservative on offense. Friedgen won one more game this year than Edsall did in his BCS campaign. While I think Edsall will win in College Park, I'm not rushing to the season-ticket windows if I'm a Maryland fan.
Joe from Syracuse writes: As a Syracuse fan, I'm just as upset at that final call as any Kansas State fan. The conversation now isn't that Syracuse managed to win a bowl, it's that the refs gave the win to Syracuse. That may or may not be the case, we'll never know. However, as a fan that change in the conversation seriously marred what should have been a pinnacle moment for the team.
Brian Bennett: Couldn't agree more, Joe. The refs robbed Kansas State of a chance to win and cheapened the win for the Orange. What a horrible, awful, travesty of a call. And don't tell me it was the right call based on the rules. There is a time and place for judgment, and besides, Tennessee players celebrated several more times in the very next bowl game.
I'll never understand why the NCAA (and the NFL, for that matter) is so intent on legislating fun and celebration out of a game in which takes so much passion to play.
David E. from Richmond, Va., writes: If TCU had been in the BE this year and went undefeated, do you think it would have impacted the selection of Oregon & Auburn for the so-called "championship game"? Or would the BE have been in the audience for that game?
Brian Bennett: It wouldn't have been any different than last year, when Cincinnati was 12-0 and shut out of a chance to play for the title. TCU's biggest problem was its schedule, and the Big East as it performed this year wouldn't have helped much.
Scott from Kitchener, Canada, writes: As a long time Orange fan I will say thank you from all of us faithful for picking the 'Cuse to fail in their attempt to win a bowl game. Keep up the great job reporting an unbiased view of the Big East.
Brian Bennett: Glad I could help. I accept all major credit cards and money orders. Sorry, no personal checks.
Jeff from Pittsburgh writes: Never a dull moment with the Big East Conference?
Brian Bennett: Only during this year's games. (I kid, I kid).
Welcome to the first 2010 postseason mailbag. Lots to discuss, so let's jump into it.
Brian from West Haven, Conn., writes: I think UConn's win was great for this program for obvious reasons, but after watching an ecstatic Randy Edsall in his postgame interview, I realized something else. They just locked in their head coach for at least one more year. Edsall is always on the top of every big program's coaching list. There is no way he would take another job this year, and leave his team before their BCS bowl. Would he????
Brian Bennett: Well it wouldn't be the first time in the last two years that a Big East coach left before his BCS game. Edsall will have some opportunities this offseason. (Though I just don't see him at Miami; seems like such a weird fit.) That said, I can't imagine that after 12 years of working to get to this point that he would bail before getting the reward of a BCS game. If he were to leave, I think it would be more like Bobby Petrino's exit, coming a couple of days after the bowl game. I'm not saying Edsall will leave UConn, but in this business you always have to be prepared for such a possibility.
Josh from Kansas City writes: Let's be honest here. UConn just barely beat a substandard South Florida team. They couldn't score a touchdown against its substandard defense and they were almost beaten by its walk-on QB. Is there any chance they can hang with Okla-freaking-homa? How bad is this for the Big East? This Fiesta Bowl is going to be worse than the pounding Florida gave Cincinnati. I'm not making uneducated speculation here. WVU was the Big East's best hope and the conference is about to be embarrassed again. Am I wrong?
Brian Bennett: Well, you're wrong about USF's defense being substandard. And I don't think Oklahoma is unbeatable. The other points are much harder to argue. There's a chance this game could get ugly, but UConn has a month to prepare and should have a major chip on its shoulder after weeks of being counted out by the media and the public.
E. Dillard from Houston writes: Rocky Balboa should be the patron saint of the Big East Conference. Is it deja vu or maybe it's just me, but this year's Fiesta Bowl feels a lot like WVU-Georgia a few years back. No one in the country thought that WV or the Big East in general deserved to play the champs of the mighty SEC in a BCS bowl. In fact to read the sportswriters back then, no one expected a Big East team to win any of its bowl games. My gut feeling is that events could repeat itself.
Brian Bennett: There certainly is the same underdog spirit at play. But let's not get too carried away in that comparison. That Mountaineers team was 10-1 and ranked No. 11 to end the season They ripped through the Big East at 7-0 and their only loss was to Virginia Tech. This UConn team is unranked in the coaches' poll and BCS standings and is 8-4 after going 5-2 in the Big East. A UConn upset would be far more surprising than West Virginia's 2005 victory.
Jim from Parts Unknown writes: I am disappointed that you would say to Connecticut, "you deserve it" in referring to BCS game? How about all the other teams that are ranked? The BSC is unfortunately losing its credibility and this game is more of a travesty for all the teams that are ranked ahead of Connecticut but will not go to a big game. It is hard to appreciate anyone in the sports world that would say something so egregious.
Brian Bennett: Jim, they put a system in place where if you win your conference, you go to a BCS game. UConn won the Big East. So, yes, it absolutely deserves to go and that can't be disputed. It's no different than in the NFL, where an NFC West team might go 8-8 with a terrible schedule but win its division and make the playoffs over better teams with better records in other divisions. Everybody knows the rules before the season starts, so any complaining about it now is just whining. The Huskies did what they needed to do; others did not.
Jim M. from Prosser, Wash., writes: I am so confused. I didn't think the Fiesta Bowl was under any kind of contract with the Big East. If that is the case, can you please explain to me why the powers that be would choose an 8-4 UConn team over a fabulous rematch game in Boise State vs Oklahoma? On paper and on the field, UConn could not compete with the Broncos, and the Broncos would travel better than the Huskies as well. Please advise me..... I may never sleep again.
Brian Bennett: You are very confused indeed, Jim. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl had the final pick of teams, and since UConn was still there and had an automatic bid, that game had no choice but to take the Huskies. If you think that Boise State should have made a BCS game, your beef is with the Sugar Bowl, which took Arkansas as an at-large pick. But since the Razorbacks finished two spots higher in the BCS standings, it's hard to find any quibble with that. It sure seems like a rearranging of the games based on geography -- Stanford-Wisconsin in the Rose, TCU-Oklahoma in the Fiesta and UConn-Virginia Tech in the Orange -- would make a lot more sense, but what do I know? As for your sleeplessness, maybe try some melatonin.
Lonnie S. from Atlanta writes: I really appreciate your sobering outlook on the Big East this year, although I think you are too critical, I admit that I can be too optomistic. I am excited for this bowl season as the thing I want out of this postseason is for the Big East to go undefeated and thereby end this Big East Bashing Party that we brought on ourselves. If the league does go 6-0 in the bowls, will the roasting end? Should it end in your opinion?
Brian Bennett: You put it perfectly: the Big East brought this upon itself. It's been a terrible year for the league, and only a fool would argue otherwise. The bowl question you raise is interesting. I tend to think that people have very short memories when it comes to bowl results except for the big games; could you, for instance, tell me the winners of last year's Liberty, Capitol One and Outback bowls without looking it up? And I'm not sure the rest of the country will be impressed if the Big East beats NC State, Kentucky, Clemson, Kansas State and Southern Miss in bowls. The perception changer would be if Connecticut can beat Oklahoma, along with good showings by everyone else. Then maybe people would shut up ... until spring 2011, that is.
Greg from NYC writes: Hey Brian, now that the Big Ten has officially said that they will not expand in the near future, can the Big East can take a sigh of relief? This though seems like the perfect time for the Big East to get even more serious about expansion and add UCF and possibly 2 more teams to get to 12. It would make the future seem a little brighter. Do you think that it will happen or will they hold at 10 if they get there?
Brian Bennett: The Big Ten was all set to invite Rutgers but then it actually watched the Scarlet Knights play this year. I kid, I kid. I expected that the Big Ten would want to stay put with Nebraska for at least a couple of seasons and see how that went before expanding again, and it wouldn't be surprising for that league to decide to grow again in a few years. But for now, the Big East has to feel great about how things turned out. I think the league will get to 10 and then stop for the time being. I just don't think there are three viable candidates to add, nor does the conference have the stomach to possibly grow to 20 teams overall.
Stephen from Syracuse writes: I cannot believe you ranked South Florida above Syracuse in your final rankings. I'm picking up my jaw off the floor.
Brian Bennett: Hope you observed the five-second rule. It's all in the way they finished. Syracuse really limped to the tape by losing three of its last four. USF was playing its best at the end and won four of its last six (with one of those losses coming on Dave Teggart's 52-yard field goal last week). Yes, the Orange beat the Bulls in the first game of conference play. Guess what? Rutgers beat UConn in the first league game. Should I have ranked the Scarlet Knights ahead of the Huskies?
Gary S. from Los Angeles writes: I was waiting to see someone comment on this but haven't so far. First, congrats again to all of the Big East Champions (revisit the year Pitt, BC and WVU were tied and Pitt went). BUT the Big East needs to revise its BCS Bowl qualifications. The Big Ten goes with the highest BCS ranked team. Why is this fairer? Because teams win and lose at different levels of the season. At the end of the season, a team may not be the same as at the beginning. Along with that goes home field advantage that can help one team knock off a better team. If we followed Big 10 (12) policies we would not be in this mess.
Brian Bennett: You're overlooking one key fact, Gary: Michigan State and Ohio State didn't play this year, so the Big Ten needed some sort of tiebreaker to decide. In the Big East, Connecticut beat both Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and both of those games were well into the season. The Huskies earned it on the field, and I'd sure rather have that be the deciding factor than polls, especially when most voters don't pay close attention to the Big East.
Thomas G. from Newport News, Va., writes: I dont know if you will answer this or not, but it can't hurt to ask. Have you heard any grumblings of this rumor of Nick Saban to WVU? I know it sounds crazy, so you can have a few moments to laugh. AD Oliver Luck wants to turn this program in to a national power & what a better way than to bring home possibly the best HC in the NCAA.
Brian Bennett: Since Thomas is a staff sergeant in the Air Force, and today is Pearl Harbor Day, I will resist making any wiseguy jokes in response to this question. This ... is ... so ... difficult ... OK, I'd better end this now before I break that pledge.
Brian from West Haven, Conn., writes: I think UConn's win was great for this program for obvious reasons, but after watching an ecstatic Randy Edsall in his postgame interview, I realized something else. They just locked in their head coach for at least one more year. Edsall is always on the top of every big program's coaching list. There is no way he would take another job this year, and leave his team before their BCS bowl. Would he????
Brian Bennett: Well it wouldn't be the first time in the last two years that a Big East coach left before his BCS game. Edsall will have some opportunities this offseason. (Though I just don't see him at Miami; seems like such a weird fit.) That said, I can't imagine that after 12 years of working to get to this point that he would bail before getting the reward of a BCS game. If he were to leave, I think it would be more like Bobby Petrino's exit, coming a couple of days after the bowl game. I'm not saying Edsall will leave UConn, but in this business you always have to be prepared for such a possibility.
Josh from Kansas City writes: Let's be honest here. UConn just barely beat a substandard South Florida team. They couldn't score a touchdown against its substandard defense and they were almost beaten by its walk-on QB. Is there any chance they can hang with Okla-freaking-homa? How bad is this for the Big East? This Fiesta Bowl is going to be worse than the pounding Florida gave Cincinnati. I'm not making uneducated speculation here. WVU was the Big East's best hope and the conference is about to be embarrassed again. Am I wrong?
Brian Bennett: Well, you're wrong about USF's defense being substandard. And I don't think Oklahoma is unbeatable. The other points are much harder to argue. There's a chance this game could get ugly, but UConn has a month to prepare and should have a major chip on its shoulder after weeks of being counted out by the media and the public.
E. Dillard from Houston writes: Rocky Balboa should be the patron saint of the Big East Conference. Is it deja vu or maybe it's just me, but this year's Fiesta Bowl feels a lot like WVU-Georgia a few years back. No one in the country thought that WV or the Big East in general deserved to play the champs of the mighty SEC in a BCS bowl. In fact to read the sportswriters back then, no one expected a Big East team to win any of its bowl games. My gut feeling is that events could repeat itself.
Brian Bennett: There certainly is the same underdog spirit at play. But let's not get too carried away in that comparison. That Mountaineers team was 10-1 and ranked No. 11 to end the season They ripped through the Big East at 7-0 and their only loss was to Virginia Tech. This UConn team is unranked in the coaches' poll and BCS standings and is 8-4 after going 5-2 in the Big East. A UConn upset would be far more surprising than West Virginia's 2005 victory.
Jim from Parts Unknown writes: I am disappointed that you would say to Connecticut, "you deserve it" in referring to BCS game? How about all the other teams that are ranked? The BSC is unfortunately losing its credibility and this game is more of a travesty for all the teams that are ranked ahead of Connecticut but will not go to a big game. It is hard to appreciate anyone in the sports world that would say something so egregious.
Brian Bennett: Jim, they put a system in place where if you win your conference, you go to a BCS game. UConn won the Big East. So, yes, it absolutely deserves to go and that can't be disputed. It's no different than in the NFL, where an NFC West team might go 8-8 with a terrible schedule but win its division and make the playoffs over better teams with better records in other divisions. Everybody knows the rules before the season starts, so any complaining about it now is just whining. The Huskies did what they needed to do; others did not.
Jim M. from Prosser, Wash., writes: I am so confused. I didn't think the Fiesta Bowl was under any kind of contract with the Big East. If that is the case, can you please explain to me why the powers that be would choose an 8-4 UConn team over a fabulous rematch game in Boise State vs Oklahoma? On paper and on the field, UConn could not compete with the Broncos, and the Broncos would travel better than the Huskies as well. Please advise me..... I may never sleep again.
Brian Bennett: You are very confused indeed, Jim. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl had the final pick of teams, and since UConn was still there and had an automatic bid, that game had no choice but to take the Huskies. If you think that Boise State should have made a BCS game, your beef is with the Sugar Bowl, which took Arkansas as an at-large pick. But since the Razorbacks finished two spots higher in the BCS standings, it's hard to find any quibble with that. It sure seems like a rearranging of the games based on geography -- Stanford-Wisconsin in the Rose, TCU-Oklahoma in the Fiesta and UConn-Virginia Tech in the Orange -- would make a lot more sense, but what do I know? As for your sleeplessness, maybe try some melatonin.
Lonnie S. from Atlanta writes: I really appreciate your sobering outlook on the Big East this year, although I think you are too critical, I admit that I can be too optomistic. I am excited for this bowl season as the thing I want out of this postseason is for the Big East to go undefeated and thereby end this Big East Bashing Party that we brought on ourselves. If the league does go 6-0 in the bowls, will the roasting end? Should it end in your opinion?
Brian Bennett: You put it perfectly: the Big East brought this upon itself. It's been a terrible year for the league, and only a fool would argue otherwise. The bowl question you raise is interesting. I tend to think that people have very short memories when it comes to bowl results except for the big games; could you, for instance, tell me the winners of last year's Liberty, Capitol One and Outback bowls without looking it up? And I'm not sure the rest of the country will be impressed if the Big East beats NC State, Kentucky, Clemson, Kansas State and Southern Miss in bowls. The perception changer would be if Connecticut can beat Oklahoma, along with good showings by everyone else. Then maybe people would shut up ... until spring 2011, that is.
Greg from NYC writes: Hey Brian, now that the Big Ten has officially said that they will not expand in the near future, can the Big East can take a sigh of relief? This though seems like the perfect time for the Big East to get even more serious about expansion and add UCF and possibly 2 more teams to get to 12. It would make the future seem a little brighter. Do you think that it will happen or will they hold at 10 if they get there?
Brian Bennett: The Big Ten was all set to invite Rutgers but then it actually watched the Scarlet Knights play this year. I kid, I kid. I expected that the Big Ten would want to stay put with Nebraska for at least a couple of seasons and see how that went before expanding again, and it wouldn't be surprising for that league to decide to grow again in a few years. But for now, the Big East has to feel great about how things turned out. I think the league will get to 10 and then stop for the time being. I just don't think there are three viable candidates to add, nor does the conference have the stomach to possibly grow to 20 teams overall.
Stephen from Syracuse writes: I cannot believe you ranked South Florida above Syracuse in your final rankings. I'm picking up my jaw off the floor.
Brian Bennett: Hope you observed the five-second rule. It's all in the way they finished. Syracuse really limped to the tape by losing three of its last four. USF was playing its best at the end and won four of its last six (with one of those losses coming on Dave Teggart's 52-yard field goal last week). Yes, the Orange beat the Bulls in the first game of conference play. Guess what? Rutgers beat UConn in the first league game. Should I have ranked the Scarlet Knights ahead of the Huskies?
Gary S. from Los Angeles writes: I was waiting to see someone comment on this but haven't so far. First, congrats again to all of the Big East Champions (revisit the year Pitt, BC and WVU were tied and Pitt went). BUT the Big East needs to revise its BCS Bowl qualifications. The Big Ten goes with the highest BCS ranked team. Why is this fairer? Because teams win and lose at different levels of the season. At the end of the season, a team may not be the same as at the beginning. Along with that goes home field advantage that can help one team knock off a better team. If we followed Big 10 (12) policies we would not be in this mess.
Brian Bennett: You're overlooking one key fact, Gary: Michigan State and Ohio State didn't play this year, so the Big Ten needed some sort of tiebreaker to decide. In the Big East, Connecticut beat both Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and both of those games were well into the season. The Huskies earned it on the field, and I'd sure rather have that be the deciding factor than polls, especially when most voters don't pay close attention to the Big East.
Thomas G. from Newport News, Va., writes: I dont know if you will answer this or not, but it can't hurt to ask. Have you heard any grumblings of this rumor of Nick Saban to WVU? I know it sounds crazy, so you can have a few moments to laugh. AD Oliver Luck wants to turn this program in to a national power & what a better way than to bring home possibly the best HC in the NCAA.
Brian Bennett: Since Thomas is a staff sergeant in the Air Force, and today is Pearl Harbor Day, I will resist making any wiseguy jokes in response to this question. This ... is ... so ... difficult ... OK, I'd better end this now before I break that pledge.
With the holiday week and games on Friday, this will be the only mailbag of the week. So give thanks that you only have to put up with my smart-aleck responses to your e-mails once this week.
Buck-ize from Bossier City, La., writes: BIG EAST is WEAK! Pittsburgh shouldn't even be considered for a BCS game when there will be many one-loss teams that don't even get a shot at a BCS game, and I have to watch Pittsburgh? Really? It's UNFAIR to those who pay and support the BCS by going to the game every year to have to "settle" with a lackluster performing team. ... Do me a favor, find a way to point out how unfair it is to pay BCS ticket prices for a team that may have four losses and win their conference? It's unfair to pay big bucks to watch a game like that.
Brian Bennett: I was unaware that someone was forcing people to buy tickets to these games. Look, if you don't like the way the BCS system is set up, the only way to change it is by voting with your pocketbook and your TV viewership. On the bright side, there will probably be plenty of cheap tickets available on the Internet to whatever BCS game the Big East champ plays in.
Zac from Cincinnati writes: I'm too lazy to actually look at the schedules and go through all the scenarios, but by looking at the standings, would it be at all possible for every Big East team to be bowl eligible?
Brian Bennett: Zac, you shouldn't be lazy until after your big meal on Thursday. Anyway, it's not possible since Louisville plays Rutgers this week and both have six losses. However, it is possible that the Big East has seven bowl-eligible teams if Cincinnati wins out or only five if Rutgers beats Louisville and loses to West Virginia while Cincinnati loses a game. And remember the league has six bowl tie-ins.
Craig J. from Culloden, W. Va., writes: Do you think that if Virginia Tech makes it to the Orange Bowl and WVU gets the Big East BCS bid that the Orange Bowl officials will pick WVU to try and sell some tix? 'Cause the last few years they have not sold too many. I know the BE is supposed to be the last pick, but wouldn't that be a smart matchup because of the rivalry?
Brian Bennett: It's not outside the realm of possibility, but I doubt it. And here's why. Orange Bowl officials have not been real happy with their matchups of late -- Iowa vs. Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati and Kansas vs. Virginia Tech in the last three years. So I don't think they'd be real enthused with a possible unranked Big East champion. I think they'd be more inclined to take a Big Ten team like Wisconsin or Ohio State that was ranked in the Top 10 if they could get it.
John from Piscataway writes: Say Rutgers (by some miracle) beats Louisville and West Virginia and goes 6-6. What effect would that have on the bowl situation? Do you think they would go to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl and bump Syracuse to Beef 'O' Brady's, or Rutgers would go to the Beef O' bowl for the second straight year?
Brian Bennett: Bowls don't typically like to have the same team a second year in a row, but there is the matter of ticket sales to deal with. The Pinstripe Bowl is in its first year and would like to guarantee a good crowd. Rutgers is closer than Syracuse, but would Scarlet Knights fans be fired up to watch this team play another game? Maybe off a two-game winning streak, but right now my sense is no. I don't think it will matter, because I'd be stunned to see Rutgers beat West Virginia, even in this wacky year.
Edgar from New York writes: In regards to the whole Big East Expansion talk, TCU is a team I would love to see in the Big East. If the season finishes in a similar fashion as last year with TCU and Boise State playing in BCS bowls, what are the odds that we can see a preview of what's to come in the Big East if TCU plays against Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl?
Brian Bennett: Almost a zero percent chance. The Fiesta Bowl will take the Big 12 champ unless that conference puts a team in the BCS title game, and that's not happening.
Charles from Orlando, Fla., writes: With the struggles that the Big East has had this year with its nonconference games, will a win this weekend for USF at Miami be more important for the USF program or, dare I say it, the Big East?
Brian Bennett: Interesting question, but I say it would be bigger for South Florida. The damage to the Big East's reputation was done earlier this season, and there's no making up for the lack of Top 25 teams. And with all the other big rivalry games this weekend, I doubt a Bulls win over Miami -- an unranked, 7-4 Hurricanes team, mind you -- will cause much of a ripple. It's more important for South Florida as a program to notch another win over the state's Big Three. And it would give the Bulls a chance at a seven- or even eight-win regular season with a signature victory in there.
Joe M. from Tampa writes: Long time reader here. Do you think that coaching with a cool head and NO emotion at all is the way to go? I think USF needs an emotional leader, and they don't have one at all. When Jim Leavitt was here, he was fired up! He got the team fired up! He made them believe....I just don't see that with Skip Holtz. Your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Thanks for reading, Jim, but I have to say I couldn't disagree more strongly with you here. Yes, Leavitt had a lot of emotion, but once that wore off, there didn't seem to be much else going on. You can sprint out of tunnels and head-butt people all you like, but I'd rather have a coach calmly making solid adjustments during the game. (And besides, it seems to me that Urban Meyer is fairly sedate on the sidelines, and he does a pretty decent job). I think Holtz is a great motivator who has done a fantastic job this year, and once he gets better and more experienced offensive talent, the rest of the Big East had better watch out.
Mark from Katy, Texas, writes: Hey B-squared, I just looked up the bowl payouts for some of the BE tie-ins and saw info that said the BBVA Compass Bowl's payout is a lot less than the other bowls that BE teams can go to. Is that correct and wouldn't a team rather have even the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl over BBVA if the payout is so much smaller, even if it's maybe a slightly less desirable bowl?
Brian Bennett: Bowl payouts really make no difference to individual teams, because the Big East pools all its bowl money and distributes it equally among the members. Teams may get a larger travel allowance based on where they're playing and the expenses involved, but other than that it doesn't matter.
Ben S. from Colorado Springs, Colo., writes: This is more of an NCAA rules question, but here it goes. Pitt gave up 75 yards in pass interference penalties to USF this weekend, as you said, taking USF's long game out of the picture. How different would it have been if the NCAA played with pro rules? Is there any chance that the NCAA will change its pass interference penalty rules? (I'm guessing not.)
Brian Bennett: It's an interesting issue. I have not sensed any sentiment for changing the rules to mirror the NFL's. You can look at it a couple of ways. One, it's almost a good play for a defender to grab a receiver if he's beaten on a deep ball, since it's better to give up a 15-yard penalty than, say, a 75-yard touchdown. On the other hand, sometimes in the NFL teams are bailed out just by chucking the ball deep and hoping for an interference call, and that leaves crucial moments of the game up to a judgment call by officials.
Bill S. from DeMotte, Ind., writes: I believe Notre Dame can go to the Champs Sports Bowl win or lose at USC. The rule where a 6-6 team could not be chosen over a 7-5 team is no longer on the books.
Brian Bennett: Nope, that's incorrect, Bill. The rule change is that a bowl can take a 6-6 team over a team with a winning record for an at-large spot, unlike in years past. But the Champs Sports has a contract with the Big East and Notre Dame, and that contract says the Irish must be at least 7-5 to be selected ahead of a Big East team. So Notre Dame must beat USC to be eligible for that game.
Terry S. from San Clemente, Calif., writes: Is there really a Santa Claus? If so, tell him all I want for Christmas is a full-time special-teams coach for my Pitt Panthers. I'm a huge Dave Wannstedt fan and want to see him succeed. But I can think of 4-5 Pitt losses the past two seasons, solely or partly due to major special teams mistakes. The two most painful and obvious being Cincy last year and UConn this year. Hopefully Pitt's head coach sees that too, and fires Pitt's special teams coach.
Brian Bennett: Of course there is a Santa Claus. My girlfriend assured me of that when I saw her sitting in an old guy's lap last week. Anyway, I feel your pain about Pitt's special teams. I can't say with any certainty how much of the Panthers' woes are due to coaching, or what Wannstedt's special teams expertise really is. But I do know that I've seen head coaches try to coach specific units in the Big East without a lot of success. Bill Stewart was West Virginia's special teams coach the past couple of years when the Mountaineers really struggled on kickoff coverage; they've been a lot better this year since he handed off those duties. Steve Kragthorpe took over as his own offensive coordinator last year and promptly saw Louisville post its lowest point total in more than a decade.
I'm not saying that these guys aren't capable of coaching position groups or units (and Randy Edsall has helped improved the UConn safeties since he took them over). But head coaches have so many other things on their plate that perhaps it's a better idea to have someone with more time dedicate themselves to that task.
Seth from Richmond, Va., writes: The Backyard Brawl is Friday. Both teams will be wearing the new Pro Combat uniforms. Which teams uniform do you like better?
Brian Bennett: In case you missed it, here's my post about the uniforms from September with links to photos of the duds. Of the two, I like West Virginia's better. Maybe I'm just partial to the gold shoes.
Buck-ize from Bossier City, La., writes: BIG EAST is WEAK! Pittsburgh shouldn't even be considered for a BCS game when there will be many one-loss teams that don't even get a shot at a BCS game, and I have to watch Pittsburgh? Really? It's UNFAIR to those who pay and support the BCS by going to the game every year to have to "settle" with a lackluster performing team. ... Do me a favor, find a way to point out how unfair it is to pay BCS ticket prices for a team that may have four losses and win their conference? It's unfair to pay big bucks to watch a game like that.
Brian Bennett: I was unaware that someone was forcing people to buy tickets to these games. Look, if you don't like the way the BCS system is set up, the only way to change it is by voting with your pocketbook and your TV viewership. On the bright side, there will probably be plenty of cheap tickets available on the Internet to whatever BCS game the Big East champ plays in.
Zac from Cincinnati writes: I'm too lazy to actually look at the schedules and go through all the scenarios, but by looking at the standings, would it be at all possible for every Big East team to be bowl eligible?
Brian Bennett: Zac, you shouldn't be lazy until after your big meal on Thursday. Anyway, it's not possible since Louisville plays Rutgers this week and both have six losses. However, it is possible that the Big East has seven bowl-eligible teams if Cincinnati wins out or only five if Rutgers beats Louisville and loses to West Virginia while Cincinnati loses a game. And remember the league has six bowl tie-ins.
Craig J. from Culloden, W. Va., writes: Do you think that if Virginia Tech makes it to the Orange Bowl and WVU gets the Big East BCS bid that the Orange Bowl officials will pick WVU to try and sell some tix? 'Cause the last few years they have not sold too many. I know the BE is supposed to be the last pick, but wouldn't that be a smart matchup because of the rivalry?
Brian Bennett: It's not outside the realm of possibility, but I doubt it. And here's why. Orange Bowl officials have not been real happy with their matchups of late -- Iowa vs. Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati and Kansas vs. Virginia Tech in the last three years. So I don't think they'd be real enthused with a possible unranked Big East champion. I think they'd be more inclined to take a Big Ten team like Wisconsin or Ohio State that was ranked in the Top 10 if they could get it.
John from Piscataway writes: Say Rutgers (by some miracle) beats Louisville and West Virginia and goes 6-6. What effect would that have on the bowl situation? Do you think they would go to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl and bump Syracuse to Beef 'O' Brady's, or Rutgers would go to the Beef O' bowl for the second straight year?
Brian Bennett: Bowls don't typically like to have the same team a second year in a row, but there is the matter of ticket sales to deal with. The Pinstripe Bowl is in its first year and would like to guarantee a good crowd. Rutgers is closer than Syracuse, but would Scarlet Knights fans be fired up to watch this team play another game? Maybe off a two-game winning streak, but right now my sense is no. I don't think it will matter, because I'd be stunned to see Rutgers beat West Virginia, even in this wacky year.
Edgar from New York writes: In regards to the whole Big East Expansion talk, TCU is a team I would love to see in the Big East. If the season finishes in a similar fashion as last year with TCU and Boise State playing in BCS bowls, what are the odds that we can see a preview of what's to come in the Big East if TCU plays against Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl?
Brian Bennett: Almost a zero percent chance. The Fiesta Bowl will take the Big 12 champ unless that conference puts a team in the BCS title game, and that's not happening.
Charles from Orlando, Fla., writes: With the struggles that the Big East has had this year with its nonconference games, will a win this weekend for USF at Miami be more important for the USF program or, dare I say it, the Big East?
Brian Bennett: Interesting question, but I say it would be bigger for South Florida. The damage to the Big East's reputation was done earlier this season, and there's no making up for the lack of Top 25 teams. And with all the other big rivalry games this weekend, I doubt a Bulls win over Miami -- an unranked, 7-4 Hurricanes team, mind you -- will cause much of a ripple. It's more important for South Florida as a program to notch another win over the state's Big Three. And it would give the Bulls a chance at a seven- or even eight-win regular season with a signature victory in there.
Joe M. from Tampa writes: Long time reader here. Do you think that coaching with a cool head and NO emotion at all is the way to go? I think USF needs an emotional leader, and they don't have one at all. When Jim Leavitt was here, he was fired up! He got the team fired up! He made them believe....I just don't see that with Skip Holtz. Your thoughts?
Brian Bennett: Thanks for reading, Jim, but I have to say I couldn't disagree more strongly with you here. Yes, Leavitt had a lot of emotion, but once that wore off, there didn't seem to be much else going on. You can sprint out of tunnels and head-butt people all you like, but I'd rather have a coach calmly making solid adjustments during the game. (And besides, it seems to me that Urban Meyer is fairly sedate on the sidelines, and he does a pretty decent job). I think Holtz is a great motivator who has done a fantastic job this year, and once he gets better and more experienced offensive talent, the rest of the Big East had better watch out.
Mark from Katy, Texas, writes: Hey B-squared, I just looked up the bowl payouts for some of the BE tie-ins and saw info that said the BBVA Compass Bowl's payout is a lot less than the other bowls that BE teams can go to. Is that correct and wouldn't a team rather have even the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl over BBVA if the payout is so much smaller, even if it's maybe a slightly less desirable bowl?
Brian Bennett: Bowl payouts really make no difference to individual teams, because the Big East pools all its bowl money and distributes it equally among the members. Teams may get a larger travel allowance based on where they're playing and the expenses involved, but other than that it doesn't matter.
Ben S. from Colorado Springs, Colo., writes: This is more of an NCAA rules question, but here it goes. Pitt gave up 75 yards in pass interference penalties to USF this weekend, as you said, taking USF's long game out of the picture. How different would it have been if the NCAA played with pro rules? Is there any chance that the NCAA will change its pass interference penalty rules? (I'm guessing not.)
Brian Bennett: It's an interesting issue. I have not sensed any sentiment for changing the rules to mirror the NFL's. You can look at it a couple of ways. One, it's almost a good play for a defender to grab a receiver if he's beaten on a deep ball, since it's better to give up a 15-yard penalty than, say, a 75-yard touchdown. On the other hand, sometimes in the NFL teams are bailed out just by chucking the ball deep and hoping for an interference call, and that leaves crucial moments of the game up to a judgment call by officials.
Bill S. from DeMotte, Ind., writes: I believe Notre Dame can go to the Champs Sports Bowl win or lose at USC. The rule where a 6-6 team could not be chosen over a 7-5 team is no longer on the books.
Brian Bennett: Nope, that's incorrect, Bill. The rule change is that a bowl can take a 6-6 team over a team with a winning record for an at-large spot, unlike in years past. But the Champs Sports has a contract with the Big East and Notre Dame, and that contract says the Irish must be at least 7-5 to be selected ahead of a Big East team. So Notre Dame must beat USC to be eligible for that game.
Terry S. from San Clemente, Calif., writes: Is there really a Santa Claus? If so, tell him all I want for Christmas is a full-time special-teams coach for my Pitt Panthers. I'm a huge Dave Wannstedt fan and want to see him succeed. But I can think of 4-5 Pitt losses the past two seasons, solely or partly due to major special teams mistakes. The two most painful and obvious being Cincy last year and UConn this year. Hopefully Pitt's head coach sees that too, and fires Pitt's special teams coach.
Brian Bennett: Of course there is a Santa Claus. My girlfriend assured me of that when I saw her sitting in an old guy's lap last week. Anyway, I feel your pain about Pitt's special teams. I can't say with any certainty how much of the Panthers' woes are due to coaching, or what Wannstedt's special teams expertise really is. But I do know that I've seen head coaches try to coach specific units in the Big East without a lot of success. Bill Stewart was West Virginia's special teams coach the past couple of years when the Mountaineers really struggled on kickoff coverage; they've been a lot better this year since he handed off those duties. Steve Kragthorpe took over as his own offensive coordinator last year and promptly saw Louisville post its lowest point total in more than a decade.
I'm not saying that these guys aren't capable of coaching position groups or units (and Randy Edsall has helped improved the UConn safeties since he took them over). But head coaches have so many other things on their plate that perhaps it's a better idea to have someone with more time dedicate themselves to that task.
Seth from Richmond, Va., writes: The Backyard Brawl is Friday. Both teams will be wearing the new Pro Combat uniforms. Which teams uniform do you like better?
Brian Bennett: In case you missed it, here's my post about the uniforms from September with links to photos of the duds. Of the two, I like West Virginia's better. Maybe I'm just partial to the gold shoes.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
