ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 5-7

2011 conference record: 3-4 (6th place)

Returning starters

Offense 7; Defense 8; Kicker/punter: 1

Key returners

RB Lyle McCombs, TE Ryan Griffin, LB Sio Moore, DE Trevardo Williams, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson

Key losses

WR Kashif Moore, OT Mike Ryan, C Moe Petrus, DT Kendall Reyes, DT Twyon Martin, K Dave Teggart

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Lyle McCombs* (1,151 yards)

Passing: Johnny McEntee* (172-of-335 for 2,110 yards 12 TDs, 8 INTs)

Receiving: Kashif Moore (604 yards)

Tackles: Jory Johnson* (97)

Sacks: Trevardo Williams* (12.5)

Interceptions: Three tied with three each

Spring answers

1. Ryan Wirth steps up. UConn is taking a major hit to the middle of its line with Kendall Reyes and Twyon Martin both gone. Defensive tackle Wirth had one of the best springs for UConn and capped it with a terrific spring game, getting 4.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and a safety. He could be a really good replacement up front.

2. Running back depth. Even though running back D.J. Shoemate sustained a career-ending shoulder injury, UConn has to feel good about its depth at the position. Leading freshman rusher Lyle McCombs returns. Max DeLorenzo had a good spring, and there could also be big contributions from Martin Hyppolite and Joe Williams.

3. Big-play receiver potential. Boston College transfer Shakim Phillips had a very good spring, giving the Huskies hope that they have found a player to help the receiving group improve. He had five catches for 55 yards in the spring game. Mike Smith is back after sitting out a year to get his grades in order. Maybe UConn can also figure out how to get Nick Williams more involved.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback. Stop me if you've heard this one before. UConn is in need of a starting quarterback. For the second straight offseason there is uncertainty at the position, with five different players still in contention for the starting job. Junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer had the best performance in the spring game, but coach Paul Pasqualoni is going to wait to name his starter again.

2. Offensive line. UConn was shaky there last season and now goes into this year without its two best players in center Moe Petrus and tackle Mike Ryan. This has been made a priority, hence the decision to move offensive coordinator George DeLeone to coach this position. This group has to be better for the Huskies to be better.

3. Kicker. Dave Teggart was so reliable for so long for the Huskies, it would be easy just to take him for granted. Now he's gone and there will be a new player stepping up to fill his big shoes. Junior Chad Christen is among several players vying for the job. UConn also will have a true freshman come into the mix in the fall Bobby Puyol, one of the best high school prospects in the nation.

Another weekend has arrived, which means one last look into the mailbag.

Rob in NJ All Day writes: Why isn't anyone talking about Jawan Jamison and the Rutgers' run game? Our run game got better as the year went on and Jamison was a stud over the last couple games, including the bowl game. With this unit adding (R.J.) Dill at right tackle and a healthy, much bigger and stronger (Dallas) Hendrickson at center, I think he will be the best running back in the league. Mark my words, AA, and let's check back at the end of next year.

Andrea Adelson: Well, that is a pretty bold statement, considering Ray Graham is coming back to the league. I do believe the run game will be better, and the offensive line will be better. But the truth is, Rutgers was the worst rushing team in the Big East last season and was plagued with inconsistency -- even with some of Jamison's better games. That's why nobody is talking about Jamison. Add Savon Huggins back into the mix, and there is a true competition at running back this spring. I don't think it is set in stone that Jamison is going to be the featured back, despite what he did late in the year. Coach Kyle Flood wants both of them ready.

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Steve in Rome, N.Y., writes: AA, what do you think of Doug Marrone's decision to close practices? On one hand the local media seems to have struck back by writing virtually nothing on the team, so I'm dying for info. On the other hand, it certainly builds the anticipation for the spring game for the true diehards like myself! Anyway, appreciate your thoughts, keep up the great work on the blog, and rememeber that San Diego is east of somewhere!

Adelson: East of Hawaii, indeed! I don't think it is fair to say the local media has struck back by writing nothing on the team. Not only has Marrone closed practice, he, his players and assistants have been unavailable for post-practice comments. So there is not much in the way of information coming out of Syracuse. I don't have a problem with coaches closing practice. Most only allow a 30-minute viewing period for media, anyway. Now this may sound a bit self-serving because I am in the media, but I think it does hurt when you make nobody available for comment. I truly believe it helps the program when you make yourself available for articles, blog posts, and interviews. Especially when the focus has been on basketball. Give your guys some pub, put the Syracuse name out there. Nobody is asking them to reveal state secrets, and I don't think anybody is looking to write anything with a poison pen. I have not written anything myself, because there is nothing to write. If that is the way Marrone prefers it, then so be it.

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Jake in Montreal writes: Tino Sunseri for HEISMAN??????....No, I'm kidding. Who do you think will be the starting quarterback for Pitt under the new pro-style offense?I'm thinking (Mark) Myers. I can't trust Sunseri with the team. You with me?

Adelson: Everything out of Pittsburgh indicates Sunseri is the man headed into fall practice. He's the most experienced of the group, and has actually had a pretty decent camp. Maybe Paul Chryst has already worked his magic.

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Nick G. in Wethersfield, Conn., writes: Andrea, I know a lot of people so far are basing predictions and what not off of last year's teams and players lost. It seems to me that everyone for the most part is down on UConn for 2012. I don't think UConn will be as bad as people say or think we are going to be. The secondary will be much improved not only with Blidi Wreh-Wilson being healthy but because a lot of the guys who had to step in where very, very young. Now they have the experience and playing time. The defensive line lost a couple of guys that where great players, but we got some big ones to replace them that can handle the job just as well (I don't think we'll lose a step on the DL). And the O-line lost a few but got a new center that was a transfer from Penn St. and (Jimmy) Bennett is going to be healthy now. We are much deeper at linebacker now. We have some great players at RB, and more talent at WR than years in the past. Only Concern is at QB, but Johnny McEntee has been doing well this spring but so have the other four guys. They are all really competing for the starting spot with some flashes af great play. I honestly think this team can be top half of the league this year and fighting for the BCS berth with the last 2-3 weeks of the year if they stay away from injuries and all play to their potential, unlike last year.

Adelson: I fully expect UConn to be better, Nick. I think another year in the system is going to help everybody. As I mentioned in my offensive line preview video, I think this group will be improved. But again, any time you have questions at quarterback, you have questions about your entire team. There are no proven playmakers at receiver, either, though I know Shakim Phillips looked good before getting hurt. Linebacker will be strong, but depth along the defensive line is a major question as well. I asked Wreh-Wilson about being overlooked in the Big East, and he basically told me it was the same old story. "We've never been picked high, so we don’t worry about that," he said. If I had to guess right now, I think UConn goes back to a bowl game. Just a little better play at quarterback makes a huge, huge difference.

Now we move on to your pick for the best defense in the Big East in 2012.

Over 1,600 of you participated in my highly unscientific poll and chose Rutgers, with 37 percent of the vote. The "other" category was next with 23 percent, while Louisville got 20 percent of the vote. Remember, our polls only allow for five choices, which is why I included "other." I wanted to hear your take on the other teams in the league who could have the best defense.

My preseason choice is Rutgers, then Louisville. With all the returning starting talent the Scarlet Knights have, expectations are high for this team to build on last year's No. 1 defense.

And for the record, Rutgers was tops in the polls for best offense and defense in 2012.

Here is what you had to say:

VDScales: PITT's defense played better the last 6 games of the season and was 4th (350 total yardds) in the Big East. Going back to the defense they all were recruited to play. I see the defense being better than last year without a doubt, if not 1st in total D, 3rd as the worst!

AnthonyV6292: If the Rutgers coaches can get the play-calling right this year, the Scarlet Knights have a GREAT chance of winning their first Big East title this year. GO KNIGHTS!!!!!

Snubbed1: L'ville gets the nod on this one, only because of the coaching change at RU, otherwise it's a push between the 2 at this point.

CardsFanTX: Louisville. No new coaches to break in and tons of talent all over the field on defense. Rutgers will have a great D, too, but I think they'll miss (Greg) Schiano this first year.

CMerr: I think this new coach thing is way overblown. They were adamant about continuity in the hiring and I don't think they would have hired anyone who didn't have the same defensive and offensive philosophies as the previous coaches. I'm not saying RU is gonna go down and beat Arkansas, but it won't take a whole season for the team to get acclimated to the change. They should be ready to by the time the BE season begins.

CtThunder10: I'm not saying that Uconn will have the BEST D next year, Nor am I saying that we will be as bad as last year.. I'm being very optimistic when saying that UCONN will be in the Top 4 of the League for O and D.....

Bryand85: UConn will dominate next season. Thy return the most of any team on defense. Blidi (Wreh-Wilson) will be back at full strength to lead a secondary that saw a lot of time last year. Sio Moore is leading a much deeper linebacking core than last season. Also we return 3 great DEs in (Trevardo) Williams, (Teddy) Jennings and (Jesse) Joseph. The beast, Shamar Stephens at 6-5 and 317 lbs, will replace (Kendall) Reyes on the line. Shamar already has a lot of experience in the middle starting for Reyes as a freshman when he moved outside. As long as they stay healthy, no one will be throwing for 400 yards on us anytime soon.

I had a chance to catch up with UConn cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson for a brief phone interview now that the Huskies have started spring practice. We chatted about his return to the secondary, how the unit can get better, and motivation for the Huskies after a 5-7 season in 2011.

First of all, how is your knee feeling?

Blidi Wreh-Wilson: I'm fine, physically. I came back at the end of last season, and I’ve been rehabbing, and I got it back to 100 percent. Now I'm ready to go.

How tough was it to sit out while the rest of your teammates struggled last season?

BWW: It's definitely hard watching when you’re hurt. But now that that we're in spring, and back together with the same defense, it’s just good to be back out here with my teammates.

The secondary had its share of tough games last season. How will you guys be better in 2012?

BWW: We have four guys back from last year who played, so we're going to build this chemistry. We all know our assignments, now we just have to build the chemistry, communicate as best as we can and try to help the team as we best we can.

What is the potential of the group?

BWW: We did a lot of good last year -- we just didn't do enough down the stretch. The potential of the defense is sky high but nobody wins games on potential. We need to come out here this spring and just come together.

How much will it help being in the second year of the defense under coordinator Don Brown?

BWW: Coach Brown's defense is a mind-set you have to have to play it. Last year on game day, we may have had that mind-set during practice, but on game day it showed when things didn't go our way it was hard to rebound. Now going into our second year, we don't have to worry about the transition. It’s a lot smoother road for us.

What do you think was the biggest thing the team learned from the adversity of last season?

BWW: We learned how precious wins are and when we go out, we have to execute well and we have to be focused and not really worry if something goes wrong. We know what we're capable of to find a way out of that hole. We had some losses last season that were hurtful losses. We didn't execute as well as we should have, and we learned we have to be focused for 60 minutes, be focused the whole.

There are not many folks picking UConn to even make it back to a bowl game. How do the players feel about that?

BWW: We've never been picked high, so we don’t worry about that. We worry about what we can do, be the smartest team we can, and go out on Saturdays to get wins.

What do you see as your role going into your senior season?

BWW: I'm working on being a leader and doing what I can to help the team win. Whether it’s in film study, techniques, anything I can do so I’m not a distraction.

Today, we move on to the candidates for best defense in 2012.

Several of the best defenses in the league from a year ago return with their key players. A few others should make improvements. Who are my top four candidates headed into spring practice?

Cincinnati. The Bearcats have some definite question marks on defense headed into the season, with JK Schaffer, Derek Wolfe and John Hughes gone. But they also return some veteran players, particularly along the defensive line and in the secondary. Walter Stewart is poised for a breakout season at end. Drew Frey is coming off an All-Big East season at safety. If the front seven is able to match the production of a year ago, that will alleviate whatever concerns there might be in the middle of the defense, and at corner.

UConn. The Huskies had the best run defense a year ago, but the worst pass offense. I fully expect the back end to be much better, with Blidi Wreh-Wilson back and healthy, and several young players in Ty-Meer Brown and Byron Jones having gained experience a year ago. Kendall Reyes is gone inside, but this is a defense that returns a majority of its starters, along with solid linebacker Sio Moore.

Louisville. The Cardinals finished No. 2 last season in total defense, and return a great majority of their key contributors. The big hole is in the middle of the defense since Dexter Heyman is done. The secondary should be much improved now that young players have much more game experience. The Cardinals need more depth along the defensive line, but the players who should contribute all saw significant action last season. If there is one thing you can bank on with a Charlie Strong-coached team, it is solid defense.

Rutgers. This would be my preseason choice for No. 1 defense. The Scarlet Knights were No. 1 in the Big East last year and return virtually everybody. That includes Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene, along with Logan Ryan, Scott Vallone and Steve Beauharnais. Greg Schiano is gone, but the aggressive defensive scheme that he favored will remain.

I included "other" as an option so folks can express their displeasure with my four choices. If I had to put in a No. 5 choice, it would probably be USF. The Bulls return many key players, including Sam Barrington, DeDe Lattimore, Ryne Giddins and Kayvon Webster. But they also switched defensive coordinators and have to prove they can hold on to four-quarter leads.

Make sure to vote, or send me an email or leave a response in the comments section with your prediction for best defense in 2012.

The final ranking of the Big East Top 25 players for 2011 is complete. So it's time for a little breakdown.

By school

West Virginia: 7

Cincinnati: 4

Rutgers: 4

UConn: 3

Syracuse: 2

Louisville: 2

Pitt: 2

USF: 1

By unit

Offense: 9

Defense: 16

By position

Defensive line: 8

Running back: 4

Linebacker: 4

Defensive back: 4

Wide receiver: 3

Quarterback: 2

Now for what many of you have asked to see -- the players ranked in my preseason list who went unranked on the final list.

No. 2 Brandon Lindsey, DL/LB, Pitt. There are many Panthers fans who are upset that Lindsey did not make the final Top 25 list. Lindsey had 8.5 sacks, down from the 10 he had a year ago, while he transitioned to a new hybrid defensive end/linebacker position. I think being caught in no-man's land at times this season really took a toll. Pitt never really decided how they wanted to use him, and while he had the stats, overall I didn't think he was as effective as he was a year ago. In fact, I think he was probably misused in the new 3-4 scheme.

No. 10 Sio Moore, LB, UConn. Moore did have a good season for the Huskies, but I thought he was inconsistent on the whole at a position that had some pretty strong players. Moore did not make either Big East conference team, an award voted on by the coaches, but I do expect him to have a much better season in 2012.

No. 12 Moe Petrus, C, UConn. Offensive line was an area of weakness across the Big East, and UConn was no exception. Petrus was the first-team Big East center, but the Huskies had big problems on the line this past season, and I didn't think any lineman was worthy of recognition.

No. 13 Mark Harrison, WR, Rutgers. Totally misjudged the receiver position at Rutgers, where Mohamed Sanu dominated. Still, I wasn't the only one who had high expectations for Harrison in 2011, so I think it is safe to say he disappointed.

No. 15 Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, UConn. Wreh-Wilson hurt his knee and missed a good chunk of the season, leaving the Huskies' secondary to fend without him. The result was a mess.

No. 16 D.J. Woods, WR, Cincinnati. Woods never really became the go-to receiver for the Bearcats, finishing with just 444 yards and two touchdowns. His production was down by more than half compared to the 2010 season, when he had 898 yards and eight touchdown receptions.

No. 19 Jarred Holley, S, Pitt. Holley did make the Big East first-team, but he didn't make as many big plays this season as he did during the 2010 season at a position that was relatively week across the league.

No. 22 Victor Anderson, RB, Louisville. Anderson got his chance as a starter, and never really made a big impact. He struggled to play through a sprained ankle, and ended up splitting reps with Jeremy Wright and Dominique Brown, finishing with 539 yards and three touchdown runs.

No. 23 Tino Sunseri, QB, Pitt. Do I need to go into how I badly miscalculated here?

No. 24 B.J. Daniels, QB, USF. Daniels had more yards passing, more touchdown passes and cut down on the interceptions from the 2010 season. But he wasn't an elite quarterback in the league, and ended up making critical mistakes in several key games this past season.

No. 25 Dave Teggart, PK, UConn. Teggart's field goal percentage was down from the 2010 season, and he also missed the first extra point attempt of his career. Nobody in the kicking/punting game really merited a mention in the Top 25.

Last up in our position rankings for the defense -- the secondary. In the preseason, I rated the safeties and cornerbacks separately. In the postseason evaluation, I feel that would be a little redundant, so I am taking into account the unit as a whole. Of all the positions, I felt there was a clear bottom and a clear top to the league in this category.

In my opinion, this was also one of the weakest positions in the league. Only three teams allowed opponents to complete fewer than 60 percent of their passes.

1. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights were clearly the best here, allowing a league-low eight passing touchdowns, grabbing a league-high 19 interceptions and allowing their opponents to complete just 51.8 percent of their passes. Logan Ryan emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, while safety Duron Harmon won first-team honors.

2. West Virginia. Though there were some problems for the Mountaineers in the secondary this season, for the most part this group held its own. Cornerback Pat Miller was inconsistent and eventually lost some starts to Brodrick Jenkins -- who was an upgrade. Keith Tandy was third in the league with four interceptions, and Eain Smith, Terence Garvin and Darwin Cook played well at safety. West Virginia finished the year as the No. 2 pass defense, and let's not forget some of the huge plays this group made at the end of the season.

3. Pitt. The Panthers were up and down in pass defense all year, and were hurt when safety Jason Hendricks was lost for the year. Antwuan Reed was better; Jarred Holley earned his spot on the Big East first team. This was not an opportunistic group, with a league-low eight interceptions. But it was one that got better as the year went on. After allowing over 300 yards in two of the first three games of the season, the Panthers held the rest of their opponents below that mark.

4. USF. This unit was steady, if unspectacular in 2011. Kayvon Webster was much improved, and Jerrell Young did a nice job anchoring the team at safety. But there weren't big plays -- 12 total interceptions, and depth was an issue when injuries hit late in the season. Major kudos are deserved for holding West Virginia to 237 yards -- second-lowest on the year.

5. Louisville. The Cardinals were better than I expected given all the youth and inexperience in the secondary. Hakeem Smith was good again; Adrian Bushell was a huge pickup and made a big impact. The one weakness was getting beat way too many times on deep passes. Louisville allowed 20 passing touchdowns and had just 10 interceptions, tied for second-worst in the league.

6. Cincinnati. The Bearcats were a much more opportunistic group than a year ago. Drew Frey emerged as a first-team Big East safety, and Cam Cheatham and Deven Drane each got three interceptions. But the long pass was again something the Bearcats had a hard time covering, and wrapping up and tackling was sometimes a problem, too. Opponents averaged 7 yards a completion.

7. Syracuse. Injuries took a toll on the defensive backs last season. Players like Shamarko Thomas, Olando Fisher, Ri'Shard Anderson and Keon Lyn were banged up and that impacted how everybody played. Then the best player in the secondary, Phillip Thomas, was suspended for the final two games of the season. Syracuse gave up 300 yards five times last season, and only had 10 interceptions.

8. UConn. The Huskies struggled in the secondary all season, particularly after starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson went out with a knee injury. There were a lot of young players forced into action, and it showed. UConn gave up over 400 yards passing four times last season, and ranked last in the league in passing defense.

Spring practice is right around the corner. Let's look at some quick snapshots of each team.

CINCINNATI

Spring practice start date: March 1

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Replacing Pead. The biggest position battle looming might be at running back, where Isaiah Pead is gone, leaving a big hole in the offense. Pead won Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors and was the MVP of the Bearcats this past season. Pead and quarterback Zach Collaros combined for 64 percent of the carries and 64 percent of the rushing yards. Cincinnati might go with much more of a rotation this year. George Winn, Jameel Poteat, Ralph David Abernathy IV and a promising group of freshmen all figure to be in the mix.
• Quarterbacks. Collaros is gone, but at least Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen have game experience. Coach Butch Jones says the competition is wide-open in the spring, but you can bet that getting timing down with receivers has to be at the top of the agenda for all the quarterbacks. That was really lacking this past season.
• Man in the middle. Linebacker J.K. Schaffer has been the heart of this defense for the past three seasons, getting more than 100 tackles in each of those three campaigns. So who fills his shoes? That is one of the biggest position battles to watch for the Bearcats. Dwight Jackson, Greg Blair, Solomon Tentman and Kevin Hyland are all in the mix this spring.

UCONN

Spring practice start date: March 20

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Quarterbacks. We finally get to see how highly touted freshman Casey Cochran looks when he takes his first snaps under center for the Huskies. He is the man many are tabbing as the starter for 2012, so his development beginning in the spring will be huge for the team's prospects in the fall.
• Offensive line. The Huskies have to replace Moe Petrus, who started the past three seasons at center, and Mike Ryan, who's as solid as they come at tackle. Coach Paul Pasqualoni decided to shift coaching responsibilities for the line to offensive coordinator George DeLeone in order to boost this unit. DeLeone's background is primarily in coaching the offensive line, so this move could pay off nicely for the Huskies.
• Improving pass defense. Perhaps more than finding a replacement for Kendall Reyes, improving the pass defense has to be priority No. 1 this spring. The Huskies are losing starting safety Jerome Junior, but there are young players capable of taking over. Having Blidi Wreh-Wilson healthy is obviously huge, but I am guessing that technique, fundamentals and coverages will be emphasized this spring.

LOUISVILLE

Spring practice start date: March 21

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Growing up. Gaining maturity has been a big theme since the season ended. It is only spring practice, but I think coach Charlie Strong wants to get a good sense from his players about their focus. How committed are they to getting to a BCS bowl game? To starting the season as a preseason Top 25 team? To going undefeated? All coaches say championships are won starting in January.
• Young linebackers. Louisville has to find a replacement for Dexter Heyman and gain some depth at the position. So it will be intriguing to see how early-enrollee linebackers Keith Brown and James Burgess do during spring practice and whether they can emerge to be contributors in 2012.
• Kicker/punter. With Chris Philpott gone, there isn’t anyone on the roster with game experience at punter or kicker, so expect a wide-open competition in the spring. Redshirt freshman kicker John Wallace may have an edge, if only because he is on scholarship. Walk-ons Andrew Fletcher and Matthew Nakatani also will get long looks. Ryan Johnson is probably the leader at punter. Incoming freshman Joshua Appleby is talented and will compete when he arrives on campus.

PITT

Spring practice start date: March 15

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Quarterback. At some point, we all must put Tino Sunseri's 2011 season behind him. That has to begin in the spring, when coach Paul Chryst anticipates getting a good look at all his quarterbacks, including Mark Myers and Trey Anderson. This will be the third system in three seasons for Sunseri; can he turn the corner?
• New coaches. How will the Panthers adjust to their new coaches and new scheme? This is Chryst's first head-coaching job, and he's already had to deal with staff reshuffling because two guys he brought in changed their minds and moved on elsewhere. How equipped are he and his new coordinators to handle their roles, and how well do the players buy into their system?
• Offensive line. Bigger problem area -- quarterback or offensive line? The two go hand in hand, and this is one position that clearly has to be addressed. The good news is some young players got experience, and they will leave the spread hurry-up that was not so friendly to the line. The bad news -- still not much in the way of depth or options. We'll see whether the Chryst system that worked so well at Wisconsin works with a group that clearly underachieved in 2011.

RUTGERS

Spring practice start date: March 27

Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• New staff. Just like Pitt, Rutgers goes into the spring with a new head coach and new offensive coordinator. But there should be much more familiarity for the Scarlet Knights. For one, they are going to continue running a pro-style set, even with a new coordinator. For another, assistant Robb Smith has been elevated to defensive coordinator and will employ the same aggressive 4-3 scheme that Greg Schiano used. Still, Kyle Flood is a first-time head coach and is going to need to get his bearings, to put his own stamp on this program.
• Quarterbacks: Chas Dodd and Gary Nova go into the spring in a competition to earn the starting job. Neither was spectacular last season, but there are those who believe Nova has more room for improvement because he has a stronger arm. He just needs to cut down on his mistakes.
• Receivers stepping up. Last spring might as well have been a coming-out party for receiver Brandon Coleman. But he was virtually silent during the season, as Mohamed Sanu got all the headlines and the catches. With Sanu gone, there remains talent in the receiving corps with guys like Coleman, Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt returning and a group of up-and-coming redshirt freshmen as well. Who is going to step up?

USF

Spring practice start date: March 21

Spring game: April 7 and 14

What to watch:

• Rebound. USF is always a team that looks good on paper and in the early season. But then the usual collapse ensues. What has coach Skip Holtz learned in his first two seasons on the job that will allow him to fix what has continually plagued this team, and how can that be worked on during the spring? Folks will pay attention more than ever because USF has one of the most talented and experienced teams returning.
• New DC. Chris Cosh takes over as defensive coordinator, and one of his first orders of business is making sure he molds his group into a much more passionate but disciplined unit. This group needs a beating heart, and DeDe Lattimore might be the perfect player to step into that role. The bigger question is how these players will adapt to their third coordinator in four years.
• Depth in secondary. The Bulls need to work on depth in the secondary, especially after losing starting safety Jerrell Young and starting cornerback Quenton Washington. That departure in particular means all eyes are going to be on early enrollee Chris Bivins, a four-star cornerback out of Gainesville, Fla. Spring will give him time to really work on bulking up -- he was listed at 166 pounds out of high school.

SYRACUSE

Spring practice start date: March 20

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Receivers. There is plenty of opportunity for this group to get better and have somebody emerge this spring. With Alec Lemon sidelined, plenty of young players should be getting reps and a chance to get some rhythm with Ryan Nassib. Watch for Keenan Hale, Kyle Foster and Jarrod West. Still no word on whether Marcus Sales will be reinstated in time for the spring.
• Quarterback. Not necessarily Nassib, but early enrollee Ashton Broyld, a dual-threat QB who played last season at Milford Academy. Coach Doug Marrone already has talked about potentially getting Broyld reps in games as a change-of-pace quarterback, and there are plenty of Orange fans who want to finally see what it is that Broyld can do.
• Defensive line. One area that has to improve is along the defensive front, where Syracuse struggled to get a consistent pass rush. Their best two players are gone in Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich, leaving guys like Micah Robinson and Brandon Sharpe as likely first-teamers in the spring. More help comes in this summer in the form of junior college transfers Zian Jones and Markus Pierce-Brewster.

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

Next up: UConn

Offense: The Huskies took a major tumble this season, ranking No. 8 in the league in total offense, No. 7 in rushing offense, No. 6 in sacks against and No. 5 in scoring offense. Last season, they ranked in the top 5 in all four categories. The number that truly pops out at me is this one: the Huskies averaged 4.6 yards a play this season to rank No. 112 in the nation. The major problems have been well-documented: no true starting quarterback, and an offensive line that was shuffled plenty and simply way too inconsistent. The previous season, the Huskies gave up 15 sacks; this season the number skyrocketed to 41. You can put some of the blame on Johnny McEntee and his inability to get rid of the football, but there is no doubt the offensive line took a step back. It was hard for anybody to emerge at receiver given what was happening at quarterback. At least freshman Lyle McCombs emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise dismal campaign.

Grade: D.

Defense: The defense was a mixed bag. The front seven played really well at times -- the Huskies ranked No. 1 in the Big East and No. 3 in the nation in rushing defense; Trevardo Williams led the league with 12.5 sacks; and they increased their sack total over last season by eight. The big problem was the secondary, which partly contributes to why UConn ranks so highly on run defense. Teams just passed at will on this team, especially once cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson went out with a knee injury. The pass defense was a problem last season, and it was an even bigger one this year, as the Huskies gave up an average of 281 yards a game to rank No. 113 in the nation. It's really hard to overlook that stat when handing out a grade.

Grade: C.

Overall: You have to say UConn took a step back because it finished with a losing record for the first time since 2006. A transition to a new head coach and new schemes on offense and defense meant an expected rough patch. Factor in no development or improvement at quarterback, and you get a 5-7 record. The Huskies were close in several early games against Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Western Michigan. Wins in any of those would have gotten them back to a bowl game. But they blew fourth quarter leads in each and only beat one team with a winning record this season. To me, a .500 season equates a C, so the Huskies have to drop a notch below that.

Grade: D.

Previously featured:

• Cincinnati

Every team has plenty to do in the offseason. Today, I present to you my top priorities for each Big East program headed into the 2012 season.

Cincinnati

• Settle on a quarterback. If 2011 was any indication, then Munchie Legaux seems a sure bet to start next season. He showed flashes, but he needs to spend the bulk of his offseason developing a nice rhythm and chemistry with his receivers. That was one of the biggest roadblocks for him when he took over for Zach Collaros. Cincinnati has some good talent at receiver -- with Anthony McClung, Kenbrell Thompkins and Alex Chisum coming back -- so this must be a top priority.
• Develop senior leadership. The Bearcats are losing the best senior class in school history, filled with leaders left and right. With guys such as Collaros, Isaiah Pead and JK Schaffer gone, who is going to take the responsibility of leading this team? That is something that must be worked on throughout the offseason.

UConn

• Find a quarterback. Sounds the same as last season, right? The Huskies never really found one in 2011 and that is a big reason why they struggled. Spring practice has the potential to have five different quarterbacks taking reps in Johnny McEntee, Scott McCummings, Michael Nebrich, Chandler Whitmer and Casey Cochran. Somebody has to emerge to take a hold of this offense.
• Work on improving the secondary. The weakest part of this team last season ranked No. 113 in the nation, so this is a clear area that has to get better. The Huskies were hurt when starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson missed a good chunk of the season with a knee injury, and they also had to rely on freshmen in Byron Jones and Ty-Meer Brown. This group will be much more experienced, so you have to hope they will be much better, too.

Louisville

• Mature. The Cardinals were one of the youngest teams in the nation last season, and their immaturity showed at times. But now they enter the offseason with exceedingly high expectations. Many preseason lists have them ranked in the Top 25 and challenging for the Big East title. This team will still be young in 2012, so it will be imperative for coach Charlie Strong to help get this group to mature quickly and stay focused.
• Work on the run game. Strong wants the run game to be the bread-and-butter of the offense, and this was an area that took a step back in 2011 with Bilal Powell gone. Louisville went from being ranked No. 1 in the Big East to No. 5 in the Big East, averaging 121.5 yards per game. That is down over 50 yards per game. Dominique Brown and Jeremy Wright are back, but they have to be consistent and the Cardinals probably need somebody else to emerge.

Pitt

• New identity. A new coach means a new identity, so it will be interesting to see how the Panthers look under Paul Chryst and his new staff. We will find out when spring practice opens in March. There is plenty of talent on the roster, but the big question is how will the talent be utilized?
• Is Tino the man? This is starting to sound like a trend, right? The Panthers have quarterback issues as well after Tino Sunseri had a season to forget. Much of his performance can probably be laid at the feet of former coach Todd Graham, who stubbornly tried to run an offensive system that was not suited for the players he had. You can be sure Chryst will open up the quarterback competition to see who emerges.

Rutgers

• Handle expectations. The Scarlet Knights have not been so good in the past when the pressure is on. All you have to do is look back at what happened this season, with a shot to win a share of the Big East title. Now they are getting some preseason love and probably have their best team since 2006. So coach Greg Schiano is going to have to do a good job of managing preparation and focus because expectations were raised off a successful 2011 campaign.
• Quarterback derby. Yet another Big East team with a quarterback question mark. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova ended up splitting the starts this past season. Now there is the possibility that former quarterback Tom Savage transfers back in. I don't know if Schiano can afford to keep playing musical chairs with his quarterbacks every season.

USF

• Re-focus. The Bulls have to put 2011 behind them and focus on the future. This is still a team that has the talent to win. Coach Skip Holtz has to find a way to get that done. This is going to be a veteran team that has been through good times and bad. He needs leaders who will their teammates to victory, who know how to win close games and are determined to get this team back on top. Who are they?
• New defense. USF brings in new defensive coordinator Chris Cosh from Kansas State, its third different coordinator in the past four years. Getting the players adapted to his scheme as soon as possible has to be a point of emphasis in the spring and throughout the offseason.

Syracuse

• More offensive consistency. To be sure, Ryan Nassib and Alec Lemon both had career years and made strides for the Orange. But a lot of that was because the run game was inconsistent, and Syracuse found itself trailing late in several games. This team has to find a way to sustain drives and score -- Syracuse was No. 7 in the Big East in scoring offense (24.2 ppg).
• Shore up the defense. The Orange lose some of their best players on the defensive line, and have to get better in the secondary, which was a major problem for most of the year. Syracuse ranked No. 98 in the nation in pass defense, and they lose some key contributors. Shamarko Thomas is really going to have to step up and take control of this group.

West Virginia

• Big 12 or Big East? The Mountaineers are bent on leaving for the Big 12, regardless of any court outcomes. On-field issues have nothing on trying to figure out where you are going to be playing. And who you are going to be playing.
• Defense. Coach Dana Holgorsen has hired a few defensive assistants, but still no word yet on who is going to run the show. That, of course, will determine the future course of this defense. It appears an inevitability that they will no longer use the 3-3-5 that former coordinator Jeff Casteel ran. Plus, players such as Keith Tandy, Najee Goode, Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller are gone. Shoring up this unit has to be tops on Holgorsen's list.

CONNECTICUT HUSKIES

Record: 5-7, 3-4 Big East

First-year coach Paul Pasqualoni certainly had plenty to deal with in his return to the head coaching ranks. He had no starting quarterback to speak of, lost his top receiver to academics, and had largely unproven backs set to replace Jordan Todman. The defense was revamping its style under coordinator Don Brown and was missing some key players, particularly at linebacker. But despite all these problems, the Huskies found themselves in contention for the league title into the season's final weeks.

But there simply was not enough consistency out of this team. No consecutive wins on the season. Blown second-half leads against Vanderbilt, Western Michigan and Iowa State. A pass defense that fell apart once top cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson was lost for an extended period with a knee injury. Meanwhile, the two-headed quarterback duo of Johnny McEntee and Scott McCummings worked at times, but not enough. Once D.J. Shoemate was lost for the season with an ankle injury after a total of eight carries, Lyle McCombs stepped in and handled the load, going over 1,000 yards.

In the end, this team needed to win one Big East game on the road to get back to a bowl game and simply could not get the job done.

Offensive MVP: McCombs. Kudos to the freshman, who ended up with 1,151 yards rushing to lead not only his team but the Big East; he scored seven touchdowns, tops among UConn's ball carriers. The Huskies have had an individual player lead the Big East in rushing in three of the past four seasons.

Defensive MVP: Sio Moore, LB. I know Trevardo Williams had 12.5 sacks, but Moore was outstanding for most of the season. He had 86 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss to rank No. 2 in the Big East. He also was second on the team with 6.5 sacks, tied for the team lead with three interceptions, and had nine passes defensed, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Turning point: A 34-20 loss to Louisville. Coming off a bye week, you expected the Huskies to be better prepared than they were in this game. They had dropped passes, missed tackles and blown chances. That ultimately hurt UConn, which had a chance to still be a part of the conference race with a victory. But a loss sent the Huskies to 2-3 in league play and 4-6 on the season, putting them in position to have to win out just to make a bowl game. They were unable to do that.

What's next: For the first time since 2005, the Huskies are going to be home during bowl season. Pasqualoni has to figure out a solution at quarterback, and how to get more consistency out of his players. They also lose some key players off the defense -- including Kendall Reyes, Twyon Martin.

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we are giving you our predictions a day early. Happy, happy, joy, joy, right? Not for anybody who has to pick the games in this league, that is for sure. Trying to pin down one team is the equivalent of trying to corral a muddy pig. But that is why they pay me the ultra gigantic big bucks. I went 2-1 last week to bring the season total up to 41-21.

Friday

Louisville at USF, 11 a.m., ESPN2. The Cardinals are 0-for-4 in Tampa, so I penciled in USF to win this game based on the Ray Jay voodoo factor. Then B.J. Daniels got hurt, and it is unknown whether he will be available to play. The Cardinals have won four of five and are playing for a spot in the BCS, so the potential for distraction is there. Plus, they are going to have to contend with what has developed into one of the better defensive lines in the league. USF has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in four straight games, and most recently held Lamar Miller to 50 yards rushing. The Bulls have the two highest sack totals in school history this season (seven against UConn, six against Miami). But Bobby Eveld moved the offense 68 yards on four drives last week against Miami and will be facing a defense that likes to blitz. He does not present the option to run, the way Daniels does, so that will make it easier for Louisville to be more aggressive with its schemes. This one may end up being a punt-fest, but watch for Louisville to do enough to win. Louisville 17, USF 13.

Pitt at West Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN. The two bitter rivals meet for what could be the last time as conference members. But more than bragging rights is on the line in this one. Both teams need to win in order to keep their BCS and Big East title hopes alive. Pitt showed against Louisville it is perfectly capable of playing a ground game even without Ray Graham. West Virginia has had some issues stopping the run this year. Meanwhile, Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are going to be facing a defense that might be the most improved in the league from Week 1 until now. The Mountaineers are going to have to figure out a way to control Aaron Donald (nine sacks) and the defensive line, which has an advantage on paper in this one. If they can, there are opportunities -- especially in the screen game and underneath. West Virginia needs to force the game into the hands of Tino Sunseri, and force him into mistakes (he has eight interceptions to nine touchdowns this season). This is a game that has had its share of upsets, but West Virginia will win because of its superior talent at the skill positions. West Virginia 31, Pitt 24.

Saturday

Cincinnati at Syracuse, noon, Big East Network. This is a must-win game for both teams: the Bearcats have to win out to keep their hopes alive for a Big East championship, Syracuse needs a win to become bowl eligible. Neither team was impressive on offense their last time out. Cincinnati has to find ways to help take the load off quarterback Munchie Legaux. It would help if the Bearcats controlled the line of scrimmage the way they have for most of the season. They failed badly in that category last week against Rutgers. Cincinnati should have the advantage along the offensive and defensive lines in this one, but if the Bearcats don't block, drop passes and fail to do anything on first down, it's going to be a long day again. Syracuse worked ones versus ones during its bye week to try and better simulate game conditions. The last time the Orange came off a bye, they beat West Virginia. I really think Cincinnati steps up to help Legaux. Cincinnati 24, Syracuse 20.

Rutgers at UConn, noon, ESPN2. If the last three years are any indication, this game is going to be wild and close. The last three meetings have been decided by a total of nine points. Last season, the Scarlet Knights came from behind to beat UConn 27-24 for their only league win of the season. But the teams are headed in opposite directions this season. Rutgers has a chance to clinch a share of their first ever Big East title; UConn is barely clinging to its bowl hopes. The Huskies turned in a disappointing performance last week against Louisville, full of missed tackles and dropped passes. Now they will be going against an aggressive defense that absolutely shut down Cincinnati last week. UConn has had major problems in the secondary and though Blidi Wreh-Wilson is back, how will the Huskies guard Mohamed Sanu? Rutgers 27, UConn 17.

Sending thoughts and prayers to Oklahoma State today ...

• Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead is nearing school milestones.
• UConn is still waiting on cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Running back recruit Montrell Dobbs is academically ineligible.
• Louisville has to shore up its rushing defense.
• Pitt defensive end Aaron Donald is making a big impact.
• Quarterback Chas Dodd and Rutgers look to eliminate the turnovers. Eric LeGrand's entrance will highlight senior day activities.
• Miami coach Al Golden says the South Florida defensive line is the best the Hurricanes have faced this season.
• Syracuse safety Phillip Thomas has been suspended from the team.
• Matt Lindamood has fought through the pain for West Virginia.

Here are some news and notes off the Big East coaches call today:

Cincinnati

Coach Butch Jones said quarterback Zach Collaros underwent surgery on his broken right ankle on Monday morning, and all indications were that it was a success. As for Collaros' spirits, Jones said, "Typical Zach Collaros fashion -- very upbeat, very positive, all his thoughts were helping the team win as much as he possibly can."

Collaros is out for the final three games of the regular season.

Connecticut

Coach Paul Pasqualoni said cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson is questionable headed into Saturday's game against Louisville. Wreh-Wilson was limited last week during the bye, and has missed the last five games with a knee injury. Meanwhile, the Huskies might have a losing record at 4-5, but they still have a shot at the Big East title because they are one of five teams with two conference losses.

"We've got enough on our plate just to get ready for our next opponent," he said. "We've got our work cut out for us. Anything else is a distraction and the more distracted you are, the worse you play."

Louisville

Coach Charlie Strong was disappointed that his players were not focused in on their game against Pitt, a week after a huge victory against West Virginia. Strong said with such a young team, winning simply hasn't become a habit yet and that is something that takes time when you are rebuilding a program.

"You can't turn it on and turn it off on game day," he said. "That is done from Sunday to Friday not on Saturday. They have to understand that, you have to keep working them and drilling it in their heads."

Pitt

Coach Todd Graham said he hoped offensive lineman Lucas Nix would be able to play again at West Virginia on Nov. 25. Nix got hurt against USF in September and has been unable to play since then. Graham did praise his offensive line for its best performance of the season in a win at Louisville.

Also, Pitt was able to win its first road game without recording one penalty.

Rutgers

Coach Greg Schiano said he does not expect wholesale change from Cincinnati now that the Bearcats are playing backup quarterback Munchie Legaux.

"What we're going to see is whatever his strengths are -- they're going to be emphasized in the game plan," Schiano said. "He's an incredibly powerful guy. He's fast, he's elusive. Once he settled down (against West Virginia), he threw the ball very well. You can see he's a cool customer and as Coach Jones has said, 'His time is now.'"

Syracuse

Coach Doug Marrone said everybody, from the coaches to the players, have to do more in order to turn this three-game slide around.

"We have to focus on excelling to execute at the highest level," he said. "It starts with me. I have to make sure I'm doing everything I can to the best of my ability. We all have to do more and then when we get out there on the field we have to excel and get our game to that level of execution."

USF

Coach Skip Holtz said his team had a great opportunity to be able to play in-state rival Miami at home.

"Any time you get into the in-state rivalries, the phone lines between players will be going back and forth because these guys have competed against each other," Holtz said. "There's a lot of pride in this state and it will be a huge rivalry game for us. It will be a great challenge with the talent level, speed and athleticism they have on that team."

West Virginia

The Mountaineers got a solid effort from their defense after having some problems in their last three games, and tightened up after giving up a quick scoring drive to open the game. Julian Miller came up big with a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the end zone and picked up Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.

"We didn't start very good," coach Dana Holgorsen said. "Zach Collaros is a heck of a quarterback. Isaiah Pead is as good a running back as I've seen in a while. That guy is explosive and made plays. They jumped on us but we kept playing and ended up making enough plays to win the game."

Louisville got me again. Two weeks in a row I pick the Cardinals to lose, and two weeks in a row they win. That was my only loss of the short week as I went 2-1. Through nine weeks, I am 37-14 and hoping to do better with a full slate for Week 10.

Louisville at No. 24 West Virginia, noon, Big East Network. This is your classic battle of offense versus defense. So which side will prevail? The Cardinals have played well in their two straight wins over Rutgers and Syracuse. The run game has worked; the defense has not given up the big play and forced turnovers, too. The good news for Louisville is that West Virginia has had problems stopping the run and has not generated much of a pass rush this season. The bad news -- the Cardinals have lost four straight to the Mountaineers and are going to be faced with a serious challenge in stopping the West Virginia passing game. Louisville likes to bring the blitz, but if it is picked up well in this game, then the Cardinals run the risk of leaving playmakers like Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey running loose. Remember earlier in the year T.Y. Hilton burned this defense for more than 200 yards passing. Louisville is much better today than it was in Week 2. But the big play can be had on this unit. West Virginia does just enough to win. West Virginia 27, Louisville 20.

Syracuse at UConn, noon, ESPNU. The Coach P Bowl brings Paul Pasqualoni face-to-face with the team he coached from 1991-2004. But Pasqualoni has downplayed any and all mention of that this week as he focuses on trying to get his team better. UConn needs to win three of its final four games to become bowl eligible, and has got to find ways to get Johnny McEntee to be more effective leading the offense. If there is one area that Syracuse should be able to exploit it is the UConn secondary, which has been bad without leader Blidi Wreh-Wilson. It is uncertain whether Wreh-Wilson will be back this week. The key, of course, is for Ryan Nassib to be more on target than he was last week against Louisville in which he missed plenty of open receivers. UConn is 3-0 at home in this series, but I think the Orange bounce back. Syracuse 30, UConn 17.

Cincinnati at Pitt, 7 p.m., ESPNU. Which Tino Sunseri is going to show up on Saturday? The Sunseri that passed for 38 yards against Utah or the Sunseri that passed for 419 yards against UConn? It is hard to imagine Pitt being the same team without Ray Graham. Zach Brown is perfectly capable, but Graham brought a dynamic that is hard to replicate. Cincinnati is the best rushing defense in the Big East, and has been effective at putting pressure on the quarterback, so I think the Panthers are going to have a hard time having the same success on offense this week as they had last week. The Bearcats have allowed just four rushing touchdowns all season. I think Cincinnati has the type of offense that can exploit some of the problems in the Pitt secondary, especially with safety Jason Hendricks out for the season. Cincinnati 30, Pitt 21.

USF at Rutgers, 7 p.m., ESPN3. Both teams are desperate for a win -- USF has lost three straight, Rutgers has lost two straight. The Bulls just need to put an entire game together, while Rutgers has to cut down on the mistakes that have plagued it lately. You can bet USF is going to try and force Gary Nova into making the same mistakes he has made in the two straight losses but it's not as if the USF defense has been an unstoppable force. Still, it is tough to imagine USF dropping to 0-4 in conference with all the talent it has. The Bulls will find a way to win. USF 24, Rutgers 20.