ESPN College Football

Not getting drafted doesn't necessarily mean the end of one's football career. Once the draft finishes, there's a scramble for players and teams to sign free-agent deals. Here's a list, compiled from various media and team reports, of undrafted Big East players who have signed with NFL teams (list will be updated as new information rolls in):

Cincinnati

Jeff Linkenbach, OT, Indianapolis

Aaron Webster, S, Houston

Mike Windt, LS, Cincinnati

Connecticut

Lindsey Witten, DE, Pittsburgh

Louisville

Joe Tronzo, FB, Cincinnati

Scott Long, WR, San Francisco

UPDATE: Trent Guy, WR, Oakland

Pittsburgh

Bill Stull, QB, Kansas City

John Malecki, OG, Tennessee

Mick Williams, DT, New York Jets

Aaron Berry, CB, Detroit

Rutgers

Kevin Haslam, OT, Jacksonville

Jack Corcoran, FB, Houston

UPDATE: Tim Brown, WR, New York Giants

South Florida

Kion Wilson, LB, San Diego

Delbert Alvarado, K, Dallas

West Virginia

Jarrett Brown, QB, San Francisco

Alric Arnett, WR, Denver

• Dwayne Difton had a tough freshman year, made tougher by the loss of friend Jasper Howard. But the UConn receiver says he's ready to contribute now, Desmond Conner writes in the Hartford Courant.
• Bill Stull tried to show scouts that he's a legitimate NFL prospect at Pitt's pro day on Wednesday, Paul Zeise writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• One guy who doesn't have to do much convincing is Dorin Dickerson, Ralph Paulk writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Here's a preview of Cincinnati's spring practice from the Cincinnati Enquirer's Bill Koch.
• Greg Schiano is eager for the challenge of leading a young team into the spring, Tom Luicci writes in The Star-Ledger.

A postseason ranking of the Big East's Top 30 players ...

No. 21

Bill Stull, QB, Pittsburgh, Sr.

Preseason ranking: NR

Why him here: It wasn't clear if Stull would even have a job in 2009, much less end up on this list.

He struggled mightily down the stretch in '08, culminating in a terrible performance in the 3-0 Sun Bowl loss to Oregon State. Coach Dave Wannstedt opened up the quarterback competition in the spring and fall, and fans were openly clamoring for a change under center.

But with the help of new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, Stull became a much better quarterback as a senior. He made quicker and better decisions and put the ball where it needed to be. Stull completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns with only eight interceptions while leading the Panthers to a 10-win season. He led the Big East in pass efficiency and total passing yards.

That kind of production would normally put a player higher on a list like this. But Stull's future potential is a big question mark. He's a tough guy and an excellent leader, but he probably lacks the arm strength to be a starting NFL quarterback. Then again, Stull has proved doubters wrong before.

No. 22: Nate Allen, S, South Florida
No. 23: Marcus Easley, WR, Connecticut
No. 24: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
No. 25: Jarrett Brown, QB, West Virginia
No. 26: George Selvie, DE, South Florida
No. 27: Kion Wilson, LB, South Florida
No. 28: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
No. 29: Lindsey Witten, DE, Connecticut
No. 30: Jeff Linkenbach, OT, Cincinnati

Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. could be drawing interest from the NFL's Chicago Bears.

Several reports, including this one from the Chicago Sun-Times, say that the Bears are checking in on Cignetti for their open offensive coordinator position. Chicago has been turned down by three potential candidates already.

Cignetti just completed his first year at Pitt after coming over from Cal. He is credited for helping develop Bill Stull into a reliable, highly-productive quarterback. Stull's decision-making and accuracy greatly improved his senior year under Cignetti, and the Panthers averaged 32.1 points per game, second best in the Big East behind Cincinnati.

Cignetti is also a Pittsburgh native who could eventually be groomed as a future Pitt head coach. He has pro experience, having served as the quarterbacks coach for San Francisco and New Orleans before going to Cal.

The Bears have also received permission to speak with Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers. He is a former Syracuse assistant who tutored Donovan McNabb, and he is believed to be one of Doug Marrone's top targets for the open offensive coordinator spot with the Orange.

Continuing the countdown of the best Big East games of 2009:

No. 6


Pittsburgh 24, Connecticut 21, Oct. 10 at Heinz Field

Why this one: Pitt looked doomed in this game. Late in the third quarter, Andre Dixon rumbled into the end zone for a 21-6 UConn lead. But then the Panthers turned things on, igniting their best comeback of the season. Bill Stull and Jonathan Baldwin hooked up for a touchdown pass just before the fourth quarter began, and Pitt limited the Huskies to just 6 total yards in the fourth quarter. It all came down to a field goal as time expired, and Dan Hutchins drilled the 18-yard chip shot.

What it meant: Pitt stayed alive in the Big East race, while UConn suffered one of its many heartbreaking losses in conference play.

Player of the game: Baldwin had eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown and was the most dominating player on the field.

Play of the game: Stull hit tight end Nate Byham for a 7-yard gain on fourth-and-4 from the UConn 35 early in the fourth quarter, continuing a drive that ended with the tying touchdown.

Memorable quote: "I think all of our coaches are on the verge of having a heart attack," Stull said. "But it's encouraging when you see that we didn't play exactly how we wanted but we still won. It's going to be a little exciting and a little scary when we do put everything together."

Previously:

No. 7: Cincinnati 24, West Virginia 21
No. 8: West Virginia 19, Pitt 16
No. 9: South Florida 17, Florida State 7
No. 10: Syracuse 37, Northwestern 34

Like we did for every week of the regular season, it's time to hit the rewind button and look back on the Big East postseason:

Team of the postseason: Connecticut. The Huskies took out an SEC opponent (South Carolina) in impressive fashion and finished the year with four straight wins. There was no better story in college football this season.

Best game: Pitt's 19-17 win over had all the requisite drama and a game-winning field goal in the final minute. Hard to believe, but it was the only Big East bowl game decided by fewer than 12 points.

Biggest play: Connecticut receiver Kashif Moore's one-handed, 37-yard touchdown grab from Zach Frazer in the first quarter against South Carolina. It was spectacular and set the tone for the Huskies' win.


Best call: Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt's two fourth-down decisions on the winning drive at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. First, he decided to go for it on fourth-and-one from his own 30 with half a quarter left instead of punting and playing defense. Bill Stull converted the quarterback sneak. Then on fourth-and-two from the North Carolina 30 with 1:56 left, Wannstedt sent out the field goal unit but hoped to draw the Tar Heels offsides. That's exactly what happened, and both plays helped Pitt string together an incredible 18-play, 79-yard, 8:47 drive to win the game.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Dion Lewis. How appropriate that the league's offensive MVP and freshman of the year also wins postseason Big Man on Campus honors. He deserves it after his 159 yards rushing on 28 carries and a touchdown against North Carolina.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): The UConn front seven. Can't single out just one guy in a dominating effort by the Huskies up front. South Carolina was shut out until scoring a touchdown with 3:24 left. The defensive line, led by tackle Kendall Reyes, looked fast and determined and was every bit as good as what the Gamecocks saw in the SEC. The linebackers, particularly Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson, made plays all over the field. And almost all of them return in '10.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Pitt's Dan Hutchins missed a field goal early but rebounded to hit four of them, including the 33-yard game-winner with 52 seconds left.

Worst hangover: Cincinnati, and not just because the Bearcats and their fans spent a week roaming the French Quarter. The biggest game in school history turned into possibly the biggest mismatch in a BCS game, as Florida staked a 37-3 lead and rolled to a 51-24 victory at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It will probably be a long time before we see those Cincinnati white helmets again. And it may be a while before a Big East team silences a skeptical public about its national title credentials.

Best timing: Rutgers senior linebacker Damaso Munoz had been kidded by his teammates for being one of the few Scarlet Knights' defenders who had never scored a touchdown. So with 2:18 left against Central Florida, Munoz corralled an onside kick and ran it back 35 yards to paydirt. He dived into the end zone and spiked the ball to cap his career.

Best off-the-field game: The backflip contest between South Florida defenders Jason Pierre-Paul and Kion Wilson before the International Bowl. Pierre-Paul won easily with a dazzling array of flips, and that athleticism is why NFL scouts drool over the still-raw defensive end. You can watch the whole thing here.

Strangest moment: At the end of three quarters, West Virginia tailback Noel Devine had rushed for 168 yards on 16 carries, including a 70-yard gain. And those numbers wouldn't change. Despite closing the gap on Florida State to 23-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers never again gave the ball to their best offensive weapon. It's as if West Virginia coaches thought Devine had already opted to leave for the NFL before the fourth quarter began.

The Big East is 2-for-2, and Pitt's 19-17 win over North Carolina was pretty impressive, considering it came in basically a road game in Charlotte at the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

The big news was that the Panthers notched their first 10-win season since 1981, though that Dan Marino-led team went 11-1 instead of 10-3. Still, it represents progress for Dave Wannstedt's program and gives Pitt something to build upon.

"Ten wins separates you, and I don't think these guys know what they have accomplished here tonight and probably won't for a few weeks or a month or however long," Wannstedt said. "I think that people know that we are back as a program, and you have to go out and prove it. You have to show up and you have to play and you have to win games like this."

On Wednesday, I presented three keys for Pitt in this game: Make North Carolina's offense work to score instead of giving up a special teams or defensive big play; protect quarterback Bill Stull against the heavy Tar Heels pass rush and get tight end Dorin Dickerson involved.

While North Carolina put together a couple of nice drives, its offense finished with just 264 total yards. Stull didn't throw any interceptions and Pitt didn't give up any damaging special teams plays. The Pitt offensive line yielded two sacks, but Stull had plenty of time most of the day and the Panthers won the battle up front. Dickerson had four catches for 21 yards but dropped a touchdown pass early. He just hasn't looked the same the last three games, and you have to wonder if he's fully healthy.

But Mike Shanahan stepped up with five big catches, including some tough ones over the middle, and it looks like he can be the key possession receiver to Jonathan Baldwin's deep threat next season. Combine that with another year from the amazing Dion Lewis, and that's an awfully good start for 2010, even if Pitt has to replace three offensive line starters and break in a new quarterback.

It was good way for the Panthers to end things after they lost their last two regular-season games in the final minute. Of course, they also beat UConn in the final seconds, so the odds probably worked out. This game will long be remembered by Pitt fans for the 17-play, 8:47 drive that led to the winning field goal. To do that against the No. 6 rated defense in the FBS was particularly special.

"The series or two before we came unglued a little bit," Wannstedt said. "We were not lined up, we were hurrying a bit, we had a bad snap, we had a penalty. So our guys went out there and there was no room for error. For our guys to go out there and complete that many plays in a row for the most part successfully says a lot about the focus and discipline of our kids."

Pittsburgh should wind up in the Top 15 and should be ranked to start next season despite some major personnel losses, including Stull, Dickerson, those O-linemen, defensive tackle Mick Williams, linebacker Adam Gunn and cornerback Aaron Berry. Junior defensive end Greg Romeus could opt for the NFL as well. But in addition to the offensive core I mentioned earlier, the Panthers still have rising young talent like linebacker Dan Mason, who grabbed a crucial interception at the goal line.

You have to make Pitt one of the early favorites in the Big East in 2010. Totally different feeling than after last year's Sun Bowl, huh?

Instant analysis of Pittsburgh's 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

How the game was won: It was a close, back-and-forth battle as you'd expect between two teams and two head coaches that are in many ways mirror images of each other.

Pitt trailed 17-16 when it took over on its own 5-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Panthers wisely put the burden on their running game and Dion Lewis, who to that point had been shut down in the second half. Lewis rushed for 58 yards on a 17-play, 8:47 drive that resulted in a Dan Hutchins 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds left. The Pitt defense then held off a final Tar Heels' drive.

Turning point: Hutchins lined up for a 47-yard attempt on fourth-and-two earlier in the drive. That was probably out of his range. But North Carolina was whistled for an offsides penalty, allowing Pitt to move closer and to eat up even more time.

Player of the game: Lewis. Despite a costly fumble through the end zone for a touchback in the first quarter, Lewis was still the best player on the field. He finished with 28 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown as he broke Tony Dorsett's freshman Pitt record for rushing in a season. Also credit the Pitt offensive line, which won the battle up front against the Tar Heels' No. 6 rated defense.

Unsung hero of the game: Mike Shanahan. The freshman receiver had five catches for 83 yards, and many of them were in crucial situations. He held onto a 13-yard grab on third-and-seven despite taking a big hit over the middle during Pitt's winning drive.

Best call: Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt often is criticized for being too conservative. But facing a 4th and 1 on his own 30 on that winning march, he trusted his offensive line instead of going the safe route and punting. Quarterback Bill Stull followed that line for a three-yard gain on a sneak.

What it means: Pitt reached the 10-win mark for the first time since 1981 and should finish the season in the Top 15. The victory was a relief after the Panthers lost their last two regular season games in the final minute and saw their BCS bowl chances slip away. Now they have some momentum to build upon for next season, when they should begin the year in the Top 25. And the Big East is off to a 2-0 start in the postseason.

Three keys for Pittsburgh in Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina:

1. Make the Tar Heels offense beat you: In other words, don't let North Carolina get points in non-traditional ways, which is one of its trademarks. The Tar Heels have seven non-offensive scores this season, including four interception returns for touchdowns. Their actual offense, however, is pretty pedestrian, ranking 106th nationally in total offense. Pitt quarterback Bill Stull was sure with the ball most of the season, but threw some costly interceptions in the last two games. Special teams have to be stronger than they were against Cincinnati. If it's up to T.J. Yates and the North Carolina offense to march the field continually, the Panthers should be in good shape.

2. Protect Stull: This one seems like an easy category for Pittsburgh to win, since it gave up just 13 sacks in 12 regular-season games. But North Carolina is terrific at rushing the passer, especially with defensive end Robert Quinn, who had 11 sacks on the year. The Tar Heels defensive line, like Pitt's, is athletic and aggressive and doesn't need much help from other blitzers to get to the quarterback. The Panthers need to be physical up front, get the running game going with Dion Lewis and allow Stull time to find his receivers downfield.

3. Get Dorin Dickerson involved: The senior tight end was one of Pitt's best weapons the first 10 games and was on pace for an All-American season. He disappeared in the final two games, catching only two passes total in losses to West Virginia and Cincinnati. Was he hurt, or did the team just forget about him? Without Dickerson's multi-dimensional skills, the Panthers offense becomes a lot more predictable. He'll be needed in this game to keep the North Carolina defense on its toes.

Previewing Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl between No. 17 Pittsburgh (9-3) and North Carolina (8-4):

WHO TO WATCH: Pittsburgh running back Dion Lewis. North Carolina ranks ninth nationally in rush defense and has held nine of its 12 opponents to under 100 total rushing yards. Can Lewis and the Pitt offensive line break that trend? The superb freshman won Big East offensive MVP honors by running for 1,640 yards and 16 carries this season, including 207 yards on a whopping 47 carries in the season finale against Cincinnati. Lewis holds the key to Pitt's entire offensive game plan.

WHAT TO WATCH: The Tar Heels' defense has spectacular stats, ranking sixth nationally in total defense, third in tackles for loss and leading the nation in interception return yardage. But Pitt had the best offensive line in the Big East this season and averaged 33 points a game with dynamic weapons like Lewis, Jonathan Baldwin and Dorin Dickerson surrounding quarterback Bill Stull. Can Pitt hold off North Carolina pass rusher Robert Quinn and can Stull avoid turnovers? If so, the Panthers should score enough points to win against a Tar Heels offense that doesn't have a lot of big-time playmakers.

WHY TO WATCH: These two teams are mirror images of each other, as Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt and North Carolina's Butch Davis are both defensive-minded Jimmy Johnson disciples. You'll see two pro-style offenses and attacking, 4-3 defenses with plenty of future pros on the field. Both teams spent several weeks in the Top 25, with North Carolina peaking at No. 19 and Pitt cracking the Top 10. And last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl featuring the Tar Heels and a Big East team (West Virginia) was one of the most entertaining games of bowl season.

PREDICTION: Pitt wins 24-21. The Panthers just have more offensive options than North Carolina and a good enough offensive line to slow down the Tar Heels' terrific defensive front. And the Pitt D-line, led by Big East co-defensive MVPs Mick Williams and Greg Romeus, should use speed to its advantage against North Carolina's big but slower offensive front.

Original post is here.

Best case in a nutshell: 11-1 and Fiesta Bowl.

Worst case in a nutshell: 5-7

Reality: 9-3 and Meineke Car Care Bowl.

That's just crazy talk: "The offense, never all that pretty in its best days under [Dave] Wannstedt, regresses with the loss of [LeSean] McCoy. [Bill] Stull struggles early, and [Tino] Sunseri and [Pat] Bostick show why Wannstedt stuck with Stull for so long. Unable to keep defenses honest against the pass, and with two freshmen backs who miss assignments and fumble the ball, points are harder to come by than winning seasons for the Pirates."

Not too far off: "The dynamic running game opens things up for the passing game ..."

What really happened: The two biggest concerns in the preseason -- quarterback and running back -- turned into major strengths thanks to the improvement made by Stull and the heroics of freshman tailback Dion Lewis. After an early-season stumble against NC State, Pitt was in line for one of its best seasons ever at 9-1 and ranked in the top 10.

But the offense failed in a loss at West Virginia, the defense couldn't hold onto a big lead in the finale against Cincinnati, and the Panthers finished with the same 9-3 record as a year ago. There was nothing resembling a worst-case scenario here, but what's painful for Pitt fans is how close the team came to realizing its best-case possibilities.

Dion Lewis is the Big East's offensive player of the year, while Pitt teammates Greg Romeus and Mick Williams shared the defensive player of the year award in voting by the league's head coaches. It's the first time two teammates have ever shared that honor.

Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard repeated as the league's special teams player of the year, while Brian Kelly made it a three-peat on coach of the year honors.

Lewis, who rushed for nearly 1,700 yards, also was named the Big East rookie of the year. He's the first to win both offensive and rookie awards since Virginia Tech's Michael Vick.

The league also announced its postseason first and second All-Big East teams and made the late Jasper Howard an honorary captain. The UConn cornerback was stabbed to death hours after the Huskies' Oct. 17 win over Louisville.

"We regard the Big East Conference as the biggest family in collegiate athletics,” commissioner John Marinatto said in a statement. “As a family, we wanted to respectfully remember Jasper Howard and honor his memory."

When I revealed my own awards on Tuesday, I chose Williams as the defensive player of the year but noted how close it was between him and Romeus. Obviously, the coaches couldn't decide.

Here's the complete list of all the award winners and the first- and second-team selections. There are a few differences between the official Big East team and my choices for the ESPN.com All-Big East team. Because the league simply awards extra spots when there are ties, both Bill Stull and Tony Pike are officially first-teamers at quarterback. Anthony Davis made the league first team but not mine at offensive tackle; while Davis is clearly the most naturally gifted lineman in the league, there's no way he was consistent or productive enough this season to earn that distinction.

The coaches also chose Cincinnati's Chris Jurek at center, while I had UConn's Moe Petrus. Either one is a fine choice.

On defense, the official team has five defensive linemen, four linebackers and three cornerbacks, plus two safeties. Well, you could definitely stop some offenses with that kind of lineup. I think it's time the league institute some tiebreaker rules, because in an eight-team league, that's completely ridiculous.

Anyway, one of the main differences in the league's team and my own is the coaches voted for West Virginia's Robert Sands at safety over my pick, South Florida's Nate Allen. I have no beef with that, since I wrestled with that choice for a long time.

Most people would have picked two-time All-American defensive end George Selvie as the preseason defensive player of the year. The South Florida senior only made the league's second team, however.

The view on Pittsburgh has changed drastically since Thanksgiving.

On Turkey Day, the Panthers stood at 9-1, were ranked in the Top 10 and had a Big East title in their sights. The next night, they got upended by a last-second field goal at West Virginia. And then the following week, they lost a heart-wrenching 45-44 shootout to Cincinnati with the BCS bid on the line.

What looked like a season for the ages instead turned into a 9-3 campaign -- the same record Pitt finished with in 2008. Two close losses shouldn't totally obscure what the program accomplished in the regular season, however.

New offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. helped turn Bill Stull into more than just a serviceable quarterback; his improved decision-making actually made Stull one of the best in the Big East. Cignetti also found a way to make talented-but-often-ignored senior Dorin Dickerson into one of the nation's top pass-catching tight ends, while receiver Jonathan Baldwin took another step toward superstardom. And of course, true freshman Dion Lewis wowed everybody with his huge year at tailback.

Defensively, the Pitt defense tightened up after a disheartening early-season loss to NC State. The defensive line was the best in the league, and the linebackers and secondary covered up their mistakes. The Panthers looked dominant at times, giving fans reason to believe that the program had regained its old prominence.

Unfortunately, the last two weeks may be what people remember about this season.

Offensive MVP: Lewis. Stull, Baldwin and Dickerson were great, as was the offensive line. But Lewis made it all work with his 1,640 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Defensive MVP: Mick Williams. The defensive tackle was the leader of a stalwart line, registering 15 tackles for loss.

Turning point: The Panthers led Cincinnati 31-10 late in the first half on Dec. 5, so close to the Big East trophy that they could almost touch it. Then Mardy Gilyard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, and the fight was back on. It was a fight Pitt would lose in a painful manner.

What's next: Pitt can regain some goodwill by beating North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to get their 10th win. As for next year, coach Dave Wannstedt will have to find a replacement at quarterback for Stull -- likely Tino Sunseri. And Pitt will lose the majority of its two lines, which was where the team's true strength lay. Still, Lewis and Baldwin will return, and Wannstedt has recruited so well that there will be enough talent on the roster to compete for the league championship again in 2010.

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Pittsburgh (9-3) vs. North Carolina (8-4):
Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Talk about your long fall down. Pittsburgh was a missed extra point away from winning the Big East and making the Sugar Bowl. Instead, the Panthers find themselves playing in Charlotte against a middle-of-the-pack ACC team.

Once Pitt gets over the disappointment, it should realize it still has the opportunity to win 10 games for the first time in more than a quarter of a century. But first it will have to beat a Tar Heels team that will be on home turf and matches up well in many areas.

The Pittsburgh game plan will revolve around true freshman running back Dion Lewis -- assuming Lewis can still walk after his 47-carry performance against Cincinnati. North Carolina, though, ranks ninth nationally against the run and has the No. 6-ranked overall defense in America.

Pitt has a lot more weapons offensively than the often-anemic Tar Heels, however, with receivers Jonathan Baldwin and tight end Dorin Dickerson. The game could come down to how Bill Stull plays; the senior quarterback was terrific most of the year but threw costly interceptions against West Virginia and Cincinnati in losses the past two weeks.

There shouldn't be many secrets in this game. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt and North Carolina coach Butch Davis go way back and were defensive assistants together at Oklahoma State, Miami and the Dallas Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson.

PITTSBURGH -- For some unknown reason, Pitt went away from Dion Lewis in the third quarter, as he got only five carries.

But after Bill Stull threw his second interception of the game -- what's up with turnovers between these normally mistake-free teams? -- Pitt's defense got a key stop. And then Lewis got the call to bring it home. He ran for his second touchdown -- on his 38th carry of the game -- and Pitt is back up by two scores, 38-24.

Thirty-eight carries for a true freshman. Wow. Just keep feeding Lewis. That's pretty much all Pitt should do the rest of the game.