ESPN College Football

It's time to bring back our series looking at the biggest hope and biggest concern for each Big East team heading into the 2011 season. We'll do this in reverse alphabetical order, so things kick off with the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Biggest reason for hope: Dana Holgorsen

West Virginia ranked just fifth in the Big East in scoring at 25.2 points per game last season, and the team averaged a paltry 12 points per game in its four losses in 2010. It's hard to imagine a Holgorsen attack ever scoring fewer than 20 points, especially with the tools available to him this season. Quarterback Geno Smith is a year older, and his targets like Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Brad Starks should cause opponents fits. This isn't the Big 12 or Conference USA where defense often appears optional, so it will be interesting to see how Holgorsen's schemes work in the grind-it-out mentality of the Big East. But it seems like a foregone conclusion that the West Virginia offense will be much more explosive in 2011.

Biggest reason for concern: Young defense

Sing defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel's praises all you want, and he deserves almost every accolade. Still, there's no getting around the fact that this defense lost a whole lot of valuable players, including Chris Neild, Brandon Hogan, J.T. Thomas and Robert Sands. Only four starters return, and Casteel has made no secret of the fact that his 3-3-5 scheme works best when it's full of veterans who know it in and out like last season. There are questions at noseguard, linebacker and in the secondary, a particularly critical area for this defense. On the flip side, star players Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller return up front, while Keith Tandy developed into an all-league cornerback last year and safety Terence Garvin led the team in tackles. If this is West Virginia's biggest area of concern, and it's not something more crippling like a bad offensive line or turnovers or staff chemistry problems, then the Mountaineers should be a safe bet to win seven or eight games at the very least.

OK, we've taken a look at the top candidates for 1,000-yard backs in the Big East for 2011, as well as nominees for 3,000-yard passers. Let's keep it going with a list of the most likely receivers to top 1,000 yards in the 2011 season.

How exclusive is that milestone? Only one player -- Cincinnati's Armon Binns -- got there last season, though three made it in 2009. Thirty-two players in the FBS had at least 1,000 yards receiving last season.

With a couple of teams opening things up on offense this season, we could be in line for a few 1,000-yard pass catchers. Here are my top candidates:

1. Tavon Austin, West Virginia, Jr.: Austin is not your typical receiver because of his small stature, but he could be a faster Wes Welker-type as the inside man for Dana Holgorsen's offense. Austin had 787 yards receiving last season, and I expect that number to go way up.

2. Mark Harrison, Rutgers, Jr.: One of the most improved players in the league last season, Harrison came on strong in the second half and finished with 829 receiving yards. With more confidence, a stronger start to the season and -- hopefully for Rutgers -- a more efficient offense, Harrison could put up even bigger numbers.

3. Devin Street, Pittsburgh, Soph.: I'm buying Street's stock, even though he had only 317 receiving yards last season. Todd Graham's offense is going to throw, throw, and throw some more, and Street seems like the most logical No. 1 target of Tino Sunseri's passes because of his size and athleticism. Mike Shanahan is also a strong candidate to go over the 1,000-yard mark after putting up 589 last season, but I see him as more of the possession guy to Street's big-play buster.

4. Kenbrell Thompkins, Cincinnati, Jr.: Thompkins has never played a down of major-college football, but Butch Jones raves about the junior-college transfer. Thompkins is in line to be the Bearcats' No. 1 receiver this season, and we've seen what that role has done for Mardy Gilyard and Binns.

5. D.J. Woods, Cincinnati, Sr.: The Bearcats had two receivers have more than 1,000 yards in 2008 and almost did it again in 2009. Woods, the slot man, nearly joined Binns there last season with 898 receiving yards. His stats could improve if he learns how to hang onto the ball in key situations.

6. Brad Starks/Ivan McCartney, West Virginia: The Mountaineers have plenty of candidates to reach 1,000 yards receiving in Holgorsen's offense. Starks, a senior, could be in line for a breakout year if he stays healthy. McCartney is all potential right now, but he's got a lot of it and just needs to mature.

7. Van Chew, Syracuse, Sr.: An under-the radar choice, Chew showed great improvement last season and finished with 611 receiving yards despite being hampered by injury late in the year. He's not a big guy, so he'll have to take a pounding and be durable, but he could end his career with a flourish. Also keep an eye on his teammate, Marcus Sales.

8. Josh Bellamy, Louisville, Sr.: I doubt the Cardinals' offense is going to be potent enough through the air to produce a 1,000-yard wideout. But Bellamy established himself as the clear No. 1 target there this spring at a position loaded with inexperience. He had 401 yards receiving in his first season after arriving from junior college and should have a chance to at least double that total this year. Bellamy is a better choice than any receiver from UConn or South Florida, both of which have major question marks in their passing game after spring practice.

West Virginia receiver Brad Starks will miss the rest of the spring and is expected to be out 12 weeks after shoulder surgery.

The senior had the procedure done on his right shoulder on Friday morning. It was reported as a severe sprain or separation that was serious enough to require having a screw inserted in the shoulder.

Starks had an injury-plagued year in 2010, finishing with just 19 catches for 317 yards. But he was the team's best deep threat and was having a very strong spring practice in Dana Holgorsen's system.

If the timeline holds, Starks should be back before fall camp begins. In the meantime, this could give an opportunity for Ivan McCartney to emerge as a weapon.

"I realized I have a lot to improve today," McCartney said after practice Friday. "It’s more than just getting into the end zone; there are more things you have to work on. Blocking, body language and attitude are all things I think I can work on.

"Individually, I can help the team out by limiting my mistakes. I can get a lot better at practice by working on my role within the offense."

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- Some quick thoughts after attending the viewing window of West Virginia's spring practice on Wednesday, the Mountaineers' first day in full pads:

• I was excited to see Dana Holgorsen's new offense in person, and it's not hard to see the reasons for optimism. The Mountaineers have speed at receiver, a promising young quarterback in Geno Smith and were giving their own defenses problems with the mix of run and pass. Bill Stewart had told me on Monday that the team hadn't looked downfield much yet in practice, but Smith threw deep a few times during the 11-on-11 period, and with good success. It wasn't all passing, though, as the offense lined up with two backs frequently and did some inside zone running.
• Holgorsen mostly stands on the sidelines during the team periods, signaling in the calls as he will on gameday. He doesn't say a whole lot during practice, letting his assistants handle the bulk of the talking. Holgorsen gives out a lot more instructions during film review, the players say.
• No worries about Smith's health. He was participating in all drills and running around well on his surgically repaired foot. This offense doesn't ask him to run much, anyway.
• Freshman Paul Millard got the second-team reps and throws a nice ball. Holgorsen told me he's far ahead of fellow freshman Brian Athey at this point, mostly owing to the fact that he played 5-A Texas high school ball. How this kid went unrecruited is baffling.
• Still no real standouts at tailback, but Daquan Hargrett had some nice runs while I was watching, including a burst up the middle for a long touchdown.
• Brad Starks got behind the defense for a long completion. He looks great and could be poised for a big senior year. Ivan McCartney dropped a pass early but later caught a short one and completely juked Brodrick Jenkins out of his shoes. McCartney has major potential if he continues to develop and mature. J.D. Woods also made a nice catch in traffic. Tyler Urban also got involved, and it will be interesting to see how the offense uses him.
• The defense wasn't allowed to tackle the quarterback, of course, but Bruce Irvin was in the backfield a lot -- "No one can block him yet," Stewart said -- and Julian Miller wasn't far behind. That's not surprising, especially since starting offensive tackles Don Barclay and Jeff Braun are out this spring with injuries. Irvin and a few other players were wearing the gold shoes from last year's special Nike Pro Combat uniforms, which made me happy to see.
• Linebacker Tyler Anderson had an interception off a tipped ball. Stewart then told him he should have stayed up and tried to score instead of falling on the ground. About the only thing last year's defense didn't do right last year was get turnovers and points.
• Overall impression: The Mountaineers weren't as sharp or crisp defensively as they were a year ago at this time, but that's almost a given after losing seven starters. There is still a lot of talent and speed here, and it's just going to take a little time for the defense to gel and the offense to get the system down. If it all comes together, this could easily be the best team in the Big East this year. But there's a long way to go.

Here's Part II of my conversation with West Virginia coach Bill Stewart. You can read Part I here.

This is the first time in a few years you haven't known who your starting tailback will be. How do you see that position this spring?


Bill Stewart: Well, it's wide open, honestly. We have some talented young men who are young guys. Shawne Alston, Ryan Clarke, Matt Lindamood -- these guys have played. Now it's time for Trey Johnson and some of these other signees from the year before to step up and make plays. This is going to be a learning spring, a big spring for them. And it's one they have a chance to showcase their skills out in space. That's what this offense is all about -- giving the ball to fast, athletic, quick guys who can make people miss. I don't think it will be a thing of beauty right from the start, but it will grow and we'll get better. I think all Mountaineer fans will be excited about what our offense is going to bring come August.

We saw Tavon Austin break out last year. How excited are you to see what he can do next, especially in this offense?


BS: You just have to get the ball in his hands. It doesn't matter if he's out in the flat, down the field or coming out of the backfield, he's a guy who has to have his touches. When he does touch the ball, good things happen. If the past is any indication of what's coming, then he has a chance for a tremendous year.

We know what guys like Tavon Austin, Brad Starks and even Stedman Bailey can do at receiver. What about Ivan McCartney?


BS: He has a chance to really get into the fold and the rotation. Last year, he just didn't know. He didn't have a spring ball, and as a true freshman, it's very, very difficult, particularly when you have players like Bradley Starks and Stedman Bailey out there. Ivan McCartney has a chance to be a very, very good player. You can't expect a touchdown every time the young man touches the ball. He's going to have to learn, going to have to block, run precise routes, be where he's supposed to be when the ball is in the air, get the ball and go make plays. He has the capability to do that, and he's shown some of it at times in scrimmages and things we did last fall. Spring time is a clean slate, a chance to go out and get a job. We're going to play a lot of receivers. I would think being a receiver in this offense, or a running back, whatever kind of skill person you are, that you would get excited because the ball is going to get thrown to you.

Where is Coley White this spring? Will he work at quarterback at all?


BS: Coley will be out in the slot at inside receiver. Geno Smith is our quarterback, and we have two nice freshmen who will have a chance to show their skills behind him. Then we have guys who can jump back there in that Wildcat -- can you imagine Tavon or Bradley Starks jumping back there? So there's going to be enough talent. We just have to stay healthy, and we have to see the new coaches and players. They'll all jell. It will just take a little time and be a learning situation But I truly expect smooth sailing.

You talked about the difficulty in replacing Chris Neild at nose tackle. What are your options there?


BS: Jorge Wright has a chance. He's grown now, he's a bigger young man. Josh Taylor has been a very steady backup. Those guys have a chance to get in there and show it's their time. Just like it's a chance for Branko Busic, Doug Rigg or Josh Francis at linebacker -- it's their time. At safety, it's time for Travis Bell to get out there and take a position. These are the things I'm excited about watching grow and formulate into a solid defense.

Bruce Irvin was spectacular as a pass-rush specialist last year. Can he now take the next step and be a complete player?


BS: He's worked very, very hard. He's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger. Bruce has that innate strength, that explosiveness and power. And when you're fast, that really makes up for a lack of size. That speed, quickness, long arms -- he's like Julian Miller. These guys are not big, thick guys, but they're tall, very powerful guys that play with great leverage. If you'll remember, Bruce was not in spring ball [last year]. He was a third-down guy for the first half of the season, and then toward the second half, three-fourths of the year, he was in there on second down. Now what he has to become is a first-, second- and third-down player. And he's going to be in a starter's role. We don't want to just leave him in there and play the two-gap all the time, because now you're not using all his skill, his strength, speed and quickness. You put him in a position to make plays. Now he has to get in and play every down so he can become that complete overall and total football player.

You talked a lot last year about having the experience to disguise and move around on defense like the '08 team. Can you do that now without as much experience?


BS: The 2008 team was a thing of beauty, and last year was identical. You had a guy like a Robert Sands, a Sidney Glover -- those guys were moving, and if you pulled this end of the string the body parts all fell in place. This year, I still see a Terence Garvin, an Eain Smith, a Travis Bell who played a little bit. These guys have that, they just haven't done it.

It reminds me quite a bit of our '08 team, when we lost eight starters on defense after the Fiesta Bowl win. The first game we did OK, then we got beat up at East Carolina because we didn't tackle well, we didn't disguise well. Against Colorado, we got a little bit better. Then after that, they jelled together and got pretty solid. We're not at a point where we can do that every single year; it just doesn't happen. Not many teams in college football does that happen for. But we've got guys that have played, who have been out there in battle and in pressure situations enough that I think it will help carry over early. And it's all about early. It's like coming out of the blocks -- you have to have that confidence, have to have a playmaker, a guy who steps up.

You've talked about chemistry being key this year. What is the chemistry like with the whole new offensive staff?


BS: Everyone is fine. We're college football coaches, we love our jobs and do what we're supposed to do. The camaraderie we have blended in is what the players will see, and they'll pick up and go with that. I don't see one problem with that. It's been a smooth transition. We all get along and work hard. We're putting in the time to get to know each other. The staff will have to get to know each other and see what the players can do, and we'll rely on each other to win a football game.

I hope we're very, very explosive. We have the capability of that; it just hasn't been done yet. That's what spring is about, what fall preseason camp is about. You're not ever going to be hitting on all cylinders in the first game. But the camaraderie has been good. These guys are professionals, and it's much smoother than what people outside can imagine.

Once again, circumstances have forced me to move the regular Tuesday mailbag to Wednesday. But better late than never, right?

Mike from Somerville, N.J., writes: To add or respond to your comments last week regarding the security of Greg Schiano, one point that you didn't make is the public perception of the kids in the program being generally good kids, and their outstanding academic acheivement. Now, 4-8 with the powder-puffs on their schedule dilutes a lot of the good will, but a consistent competitive team, with bowl victories, and continued academic performance has him very secure at Rutgers. Toss in a Big East championship, and he could publically support the teachers' union in NJ and still be the favored son of NJ!

Brian Bennett: You raise a good point about Schiano's academic achievements, including Rutgers' APR crown. We saw how a slew of arrests hurt Dave Wannstedt last year. Still, if a coach wins big, then nobody talks about poor academics. If he doesn't win enough, nobody cares about high graduation rates. It's ultimately all about the won-loss record, and while Schiano is safe for now, no coach is immune to pressure if the losses mount.

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Greg from New Jersey writes: Schiano apparently tried Mohamed Sanu out at punter during practice, and on his first kick he hit out a 55-yarder. Last year he had a rushing TD, a passing TD, and a receiving TD, not to mention an interception on the one play he was put at safety (in limited time mind you). My question is have you ever seen a player more versatile?

Brian Bennett: Paul Hornung, maybe? Having Sanu punt would sure open up lots of opportunities for fakes -- and create some nervous opposing coaches on fourth down.

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Doug C. from Morgantown writes: Can we get an early oddsmakers on Big East Offensive Player of the year in 2011? Geno Smith has to be up there...who else?

Brian Bennett: I'd put it like this right now ...

Geno Smith: 3 to 1
Zach Collaros: 4 to 1
Ray Graham: 6 to 1
Isaiah Pead: 8 to 1
B.J. Daniels: 10 to 1
The field: 15 to 1

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Casey H. from Charleston, W.Va., writes: Who do you feel will pick up the start at tailback for WVU next season, and do you think he will be a large component of the offensive production?

Brian Bennett: My hunch is it will be Shawne Alston. I just think he has the best combination of skills, and he was impressive in some spot duty last year. Ryan Clarke will also be used a lot. We'll have to wait and see on the incoming freshmen. Remember that Kendall Hunter ran for more than 1,500 yards last year for Dana Holgorsen at Oklahoma State.

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Ed from Morgantown writes: Agree with WVU's spring superlatives, but don't underestimate the depth at WR. Beyond Tavon Austin and Bradley Starks, Stedman Bailey is going to break out this year, and we all have high hopes for OchoChinco's cousin Ivan McCartney (not to mention JD Woods & Coley White).

Brian Bennett: I mentioned receiver as a source of strength, but no less of an expert than Holgorsen himself has said the position needs more depth. He'd like to have eight dependable receivers, at least, for his system. Right now, I'd say West Virginia has about five or six.

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Brad B. from Bethel Park, Pa., writes: Is Pitt's Kolby Gray the best country singer in college football?

Brian Bennett: Not my type of music, but that's pretty impressive. Pitt will have to hope he's equally good at safety, where he's moved back after a short spring stint at quarterback. This also reminds me: Is B.J. Daniels the best romance suspense novelist in college football?

West Virginia opens practice on Wednesday, and I had a chance to catch up with head coach Bill Stewart on the eve of spring drills. Here's Part I of our conversation. (Note: Stewart offered a thorough, lengthy overview at the start of my interview, so I'm going to divide that up by topic rather than make you wade through several unbroken paragraphs).

You obviously had some great leaders on last year's team. How do you see this year's team replacing that?

Bill Stewart: We've lost seven guys on our defensive side of the ball to graduation and four of those guys went to the NFL combine. That tells you not only the kind of players we had, that tells you about the leadership we had on the 2010 football squad.

This year's team, I see a guy now like Keith Tandy; we're counting on big, big things from Keith. We've got some other young corners in Patrick Miller and Brodrick Jenkins, who have played, so that's kind of exciting. We've got some underclassmen to jump in the mix as well. I'm anxious to see Ishmael Banks, and Brantwon Bowser is ready to go and he has a chance to step up and make plays. We lost some players at safety, and certainly who I feel was the best corner in the league in Brandon Hogan. But I really feel good about our corners. With the inside guys, the spur, free safety and the bandit, we have Terence Garvin back, who gave us great play last year, and I'm looking for a big year out of him. Eain Smith is back, and he had a really good last couple of years. Then it's time for guys like Travis Bell and Mike Dorsey and Darwin Cook, Wes Tonkery, see these guys step up and make plays. That's going to be a fun thing to watch.

[On linebackers]: We lost three great linebackers; everybody knows that. We have Najee Goode back, and he's given us great leadership, as Casey Vance has done. A newcomer coming into the fold is Josh Francis. Man, he's real fast, he's explosive. He's going to be a real force, I think, in there at linebacker. We have Branko Busic, and Doug Rigg is a rising superstar, I really believe that.

[On the defensive line]: We lost Scooter Berry and what I think was the best nose guard in the league in Chris Neild. But we still have Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin, the great sack master. And now we have some young guys like Will Clarke, Jorge Wright, Josh Taylor and J.B. Lageman in there at nose guard. So there are some guys in ready to step up and make plays. Now it's their turn.

[On wide receivers/running backs]: Brad Starks can be as good as there is in this league. Stedman Bailey, what a player he was, and then Tavon Austin, J.D. Woods and Ivan McCartney. So we've got five or six top quality receivers. I'm really anxious to see how they do in this new offense. And then you take our new tight/end fullback type in Tyler Urban, who I think is going to be as good a big back as there is. And then you take Ryan Clarke, Matt Lindamood, Shawne Alston ... these guys have all played and they've done well.

[On the offensive line]: I'm worried about our offensive line, simply because Don Barclay and Jeff Braun, our two starting tackles, are out with shoulder injuries. They're healing up fine. That just makes way for the young guys. Now we'll see what Quinton Spain, the big redshirt freshman, can do with a chance to come into his own. Some other tackles like Nick Kindler and Pat Eger will get a lot of snaps this spring. And I'm really excited about our inside guys. Our center, Joey Madsen, is a great leader, he's the heart of the offensive line. Josh Jenkins has started a bunch of games at left guard. And then we have Cole Bowers, who's probably the most talented lineman we have, he just hasn't played that much. I'm really excited to see those inside guys.

I'm really looking forward to this offensive scheme. We have a lot of speed and we're very very blessed to have tremendous speed at our skill positions. And our offensive line, once Braun and Barclay get back, could be very very formidable

[On special teams]: I worry about our special teams a little bit. We're now on our fourth punter in four years in Corey Smith. Our punting game is still a question mark. Our kicker, Tyler Bitancurt, he's won big games for us, but he missed two there in the [Champs Sports] Bowl, so he's got some work to do. ... What we really need to step up to the plate, to be very honest, is our return men. Our return men we just haven't hit the big play like Tavon did a couple years ago against UConn [in 2009], or like Shawn Terry used to do in the early 2000s. We need to get more productivity on our punt and kickoff retrun. That's one of the big things we'll work hard at this spring.

Who do you have now as your return men?


BS: Tavon Austin and Bradley Starks could be good return men. I really like Brodrick Jenkins with the punt return game; I think he has a chance to catch punts and maybe make a name for himself. Some other skill guys we'll throw back there. That's what spring practice is all about. We'll see who can catch a punt, make a couple of guys miss and give us a couple of first downs on these returns.

Sounds like you hired an interesting special teams coach this week in Daron Roberts.


BS: He's going to help out. I got a nice call from a friend of mine with the Detroit Lions who said, "Boy, he's a great guy, very much a student of the game." He's going to bring some excitement to the game. He's young, and I know our players will rally around him. ... We're going to break it up again -- Steve [Dunlap] will be doing the defensive side of the special teams like kickoff and punt return, punt block, and Daron is going to be heading up kickoff return units and things like that. So there shouldn't be that much change there.

Again, we need more productivity there. We do have the talent, we just haven't done it yet. That's something that has to come back to the arsenal. I know what we're going to do on defense, and I think I know what we're going to do on offense, because we have fast playmakers who make people miss in space, and that's what this new offense is going to be all about. That's going to be exciting, and I can't wait to see it in action. But our return game has to get better.

Can you get a sense, through meetings and workouts, how well the team is picking up the new offense so far?

BS: Oh yeah. It's like anything else. It will look worse before it gets better. That's true no matter what brand of offense or defense you run. We think we have a pretty good deal going with this 3-3 stack. We know it, the coaches know it, the players know it inside and out pretty much. Now we just have to get the new players ... to carry on the tradition. And then offensively, I'm excited about what's on the horizon. We haven't done it yet, we haven't gotten a first down yet, but I think we're going to have a few tricks in the arsenal that's going to make us more explosive, and maybe we can get some of that game-breaking type play that we need to have.

Let's finish up our spring superlatives series with West Virginia -- not because the Mountaineers are last in the Big East alphabetically but because they're the last to start spring practice, on Wednesday.

Again, we're looking at positions as they stand for this spring only.

Strongest position: Defensive end


Key returnees: Julian Miller, Bruce Irvin

Key departures: Scooter Berry

The skinny: West Virginia will have a hard time finding someone to replace Chris Neild in the middle of its defensive line, but the two outside spots are in very good hands. Miller is an underrated performer nationally and could be in line for stardom in 2011. All Irvin did was lead the Big East and finish second nationally in sacks as a third-down specialist. Technically, Miller will move to tackle this spring, but in the Mountaineers' three-man front, he'll still have opportunities to get to the quarterback. There should be decent depth with Will Clarke and J.B. Lageman, among others. Honorable mention: offensive line, which returns four starters but must improve in a new system, and receiver, which has playmakers like Tavon Austin and Brad Starks but needs more depth.

Weakest position: Linebacker

Key returnees: Najee Goode

Key departures: J.T. Thomas, Anthony Leonard, Pat Lazear

The skinny: Goode, a senior, is the only returning starter from a year ago, and injuries forced him into a larger role than many expected. He'll either stay at the strongside spot or move to the weak side. The Mountaineers hope junior-college transfer Josh Francis can step in right away and be a big contributor. They will also look to sophomores Doug Rigg and Branko Busick, senior Casey Vance and others to step up. But it's not easy to replace three seniors who were as valuable as the guys West Virginia lost. (Dis)honorable mention: The secondary, which loses three key players in Brandon Hogan, Robert Sands and Sidney Glover but still returns Keith Tandy and Terence Garvin.

Happy Friday and an early Happy Halloween to everybody. Hope your team delivers more treats than tricks this weekend.

Your e-mails are always a treat.

Joe L. from Huntersville, N.C., writes: I love the studio remodel! There's only one problem. USF already lacks the national respect and now your head seems to cover them as if you're ashamed to admit they're part of the Big East. Mind adjusting the camera angle and giving USF some love? Back to the real question, if you take away the two long passes for TDs (Landi and Hornes) against Cinncinati, USF didn't move the ball very well (only 185 yards passing and 92 yrds rushing on 36 attempts). Their formula seems pretty simple right now and should be easily stopped with a zone-blitzing scheme. Do you think the 38 points were a fluke or will the pressure continue to get to Daniels as teams shut down the long ball and force him to pass short?

Brian Bennett: Thanks, Joe, and I realize that my noggin is always going to cover up some of the background. I'll do my best to spread the pain around.

As for USF, I talked to B.J. Daniels this week and will get more into that next week as we preview the Wednesday (yes, Wednesday) game against Rutgers. I don't see the Bulls scoring 38 points regularly and think a lot of that can be attributed to Cincinnati's very generous defense, which will make a lot of teams look good. The key thing, though, is that Daniels made the right read and decisions and didn't turn the ball over. South Florida's defense is good enough to keep it in every game (Cincinnati had a ton of points and yards, but the Bearcats have the league's best offense), and if Daniels and company can just avoid mistakes and put some points on the board, the Bulls will be OK.

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Matt from New York, writes: Hey BB, I know last time they they had a big win (USF) they got pummeled (PITT), but Syracuse is a win over Cincinnati away from the Top 25. Can we please take a minute to think about how ridiculous of an idea this was for the past 4-5 years? Also, What in God's name was the AD at Michigan on when he sent away Scott Shafer to bring in Greg Robinson as his DC?

Brian Bennett: Think Rich Rodriguez is wishing for a do over on that move right about now? Syracuse would take that trade again every time. As for the Top 25, it remains to be seen if the Orange will get in with a win this week -- and I really don't see how you rank Syracuse ahead of Pittsburgh given the head-to-head result. Regardless, the job Doug Marrone has done there in less than two years is nothing short of remarkable, and he has to be on every short list for national coach of the year honors.

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Eddie F. from Storrs, Conn., writes: I know all summer I was writing to you about how UConn was in for a big breakout year, starting with a blowout aganist Rich Rod in Week 1 (well we all know how my prediciton turned out). But just looking at our depth chart, do you think it is safe to say that we might have been one year off? Considering our entire secondary is sophomores, the only seniors on defense are Lutrus and Wilson, and on offense really only Zach Hurd and Frazer, even though he as been in and out of the starting spot. Now I know a win Friday could turn our season around, and I'm not counting that out, but do you think it is possible that if we bring back right now as I count it 18 starters (hopefully J.T. won't leave early) that we can finally make some noise in the Big East?

Brian Bennett: Eighteen returning starters is a great place to start, but remember UConn had 16 back this year and that didn't work out too well. I'm going to have to view the Huskies with some skepticism until they finally do have that breakout year. My concern is bulk up front and speed defensively, and quarterback play. Unless Mike Box returns and plays well down the stretch, Connecticut is going to have a major question mark at the most important position next year, and its passing game has not been great to begin with.

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David E. from Wendell, N.C., writes: I am a true Mountaineer fan. My great-grandfather helped start the first football team at WVU and he lettered in baseball. I am also a Coach Stew fan. He was one of my first choices from the start. My only complaint with Stew is he needs to let his offense lose. I kind of miss the coach Rod years with White and Slaton the way the offense ran wild, but Rod still lost 2 games. I think Rod's problem was when the team was behind early he did not have the right personality to bring them back, but coach Stew does. I think he will have the 'Eers back on top he just needs to put it in high gear. Line up Devine and Austin in the backfield and use more screens with Austin, Devine and Sanders... get them into space. Thanks.

Brian Bennett: I'll say this: I think we'll see Friday night what West Virginia truly believes is its offensive identity. Facing a must-win game after a week of criticism, you know the Mountaineers want a big performance on national TV. I'm looking forward to seeing what Stewart and Jeff Mullen have planned.

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John from Asheville, N.C., writes: I think WVU's offense should now be described as "spectacularly average" in place of "explosive." Think about it. We have all the talent to be "explosive" but there is always something holding us back. Whether it's turnovers, the inability to compensate for injuries, penalties, horrible O-line play, or horrible play-calling, there is a minimum of one thing every game that disgusts me. It seems like when we fix one thing, something else becomes an issue. The ability to make the offense "average" is, quite simply, "spectacular."

Brian Bennett: But does West Virginia truly have elite offensive talent? The offensive line is average at best. Outside of Don Barclay, nobody is playing at an all-Big East level up front. Geno Smith is really good, but he's a first-year starting quarterback. Tavon Austin is fast, but he's in his first year of playing wideout and is, what, 5-foot-8? Jock Sanders is basically a possession receiver -- he's averaging fewer than 10 yards a catch for the second year in a row. The only true downfield receiving threat is Brad Starks, who's been injured and inconsistent in his career. Noel Devine is undeniably great, but he's also been banged up and doesn't have a great line.

Just something to think about.

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Patrick from Seoul, South Korea, writes: Hey BB! I was wondering what you think the chances are for a 3-way tie would be for the Big East? Hear me out...Syracuse looks really competitive this year, and is dangerous enough to beat anybody in the league the rest of the way. If Syracuse wins out, and WVU rebounds to win out the rest of the season, leaving Syracuse, WVU, and Pittsburgh all at 6-1 in Big East. Who would get the BCS bid?

Brian Bennett: Hi, Patrick, and thanks for adding another country to the Big East blog's ever-expanding global village. The first tiebreaker, of course, would be head-to-head, but in your scenario all three teams would be 1-1 against each other (Pitt has beaten Syracuse, Syracuse has beaten West Virginia and West Virginia would have to beat Pitt to make them all 6-1). If that's the case, then the highest ranked team in the BCS standings would take the title. And given that all three teams are pretty closely bunched in the BCS standings right now, that would be fascinating to watch.

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Duane W. from Yorktown, Va., writes: Dude, you do a good job covering the league, but how about some positives? The problem with the Big East (other than the commish) is that we are a young conference in terms of "existence" and we certainly missed the Hype Train. In every other conference they glorify themselves like crazy. Even when it's not warranted. We all know the league isn't great this year, but can you be more positive in your coverage? You're supposed to be our (BE fans) voice at ESPN.

Steven from Salt Lake City, Utah, writes: I love how you try to provide the biggest cushion you can for the Big LEast's fall. (Not that they had that far to fall in the first place.) But Big East bashing? Perhaps those teams should beat a BCS opponent (heck... an FBS opponent outside that poor league). Parity? Why can't you and ESPN just admit that conference stinks in football (and not just this season)?

Brian Bennett: You guys need to get your stories straight. Am I too negative about the Big East or too positive? Trick or treat?

There was nothing more significant that happened in Week 7 than the neck injury to Rutgers' Eric LeGrand. It's devastating, and fans from all schools have been sending in their prayers and condolences.

On to more trivial matters, as we review the games and action from the week.

Team of the week: Pittsburgh. The Panthers haven't had much reason to celebrate this season, but a 31-point road win against a Syracuse team that was jacked up on confidence will do the trick. Pitt fumbled away its nonconference opportunities, but it would be foolish to count this team out of the Big East race.

Best game: Cincinnati's 35-27 win against Louisville was far and away the most entertaining game of the week in the Big East. It was a shootout in the first half, as the Cardinals took a 24-21 lead into the locker room. The scoring slowed down in the second half, but there were many big plays, big performances and an exciting finish.

Biggest play: Robert Sands' interception of South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels in the final minute before halftime of West Virginia's 20-6 win on Thursday. The pick set up a Mountaineers' score right before intermission to make it 17-3 and put the game on ice. Lesson to USF coach Skip Holtz: Never let Daniels pass near the end of the half while in his own territory. That proved disastrous against both Florida and West Virginia.

Best call: The touchdown set up by the Sands play was an exciting hook-and-ladder pass that Jock Sanders lateraled to Noel Devine. Gotta give credit to Bill Stewart and Jeff Mullen for that, especially after criticizing them for the double-pass play that failed against Maryland. But, actually, my award for best call involves the first West Virginia touchdown. The Mountaineers had their big-back look with Ryan Clarke and a fullback in the I, but Geno Smith faked the handoff and found a wide open Brad Starks for a 31-yard strike. West Virginia hadn't passed much out of that formation, and it clearly caught USF off guard.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Cincinnati receiver Armon Binns had eight catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-clinching 62-yard score in the fourth quarter. Good to see Binns have a monster game after he'd been relatively quiet much of the year.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy was burned repeatedly in last year's game against South Florida. On Thursday, he had 10 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble to prove he's no longer a weak link in the chain.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Pitt's Dan Hutchins averaged 50 yards on five punts and had two downed inside the 20. He also made his lone field-goal attempt, a 24-yarder.

Strangest moment: Rutgers seemingly had everything in place for a game-winning field-goal try against Army after rallying from a 17-3 deficit. Chas Dodd completed a pass to Mohamed Sanu at the Army 28 on first down. Then Dodd ran for a 2-yard loss, trying to get the ball to the middle of the field. Then Army called timeout, and Rutgers somehow got a delay of game penalty after that stoppage as Dodd couldn't find his helmet on the sideline.

Forced to run another play, Rutgers gave up a sack. And then Dodd threw an interception on fourth down, forcing overtime. Fortunately for the Scarlet Knights, they still went on to win.

"We fouled that thing up," head coach Greg Schiano said. "I've made a lot of really good, time-management decisions over 10 years, really good ones that have won games for us. That one could have lost the game for us. That's my job to take control, and that was a bonehead move by me."

Worst hangover: Syracuse. The Orange kicked away a lot of momentum and fan excitement by losing 45-14 at home to Pittsburgh on Saturday. They surely thought they had improved to the point where they wouldn't get blown out at home like that in a conference game. You could sense the resignation by the home fans, many of whom headed for the Carrier Dome exits midway through the third quarter.

Now let's look ahead to Week 8, the first week when all eight Big East teams are squaring off head-to-head in conference play (Games listed in descending order of importance/interest):

Rutgers (4-2, 1-0 Big East) at Pitt (3-3, 1-0): The only matchup featuring two teams with undefeated Big East records. Rutgers had owned this series until Pitt struck back last year. How will the Scarlet Knights react after the LeGrand injury? (ESPN3.com, Noon ET).


Connecticut (3-3, 0-1) at Louisville (3-3, 0-1): The past three games in this series have all been close, with UConn winning all three. One of these two teams will essentially be out of the Big East race by Saturday night. (ESPNU, 3:30 ET)

Syracuse (4-2, 1-1) at No. 20 West Virginia (5-1, 1-0): How do the Orange bounce back while taking on what looks like the best team in the league? Can the Mountaineers keep things rolling and avoid a letdown? (ESPN2, Noon ET)

South Florida (3-3, 0-2) at Cincinnati (3-3, 1-0): Two teams going different routes, as the Bearcats have turned it on offensively, while the Bulls continue to search for answers on that side of the ball. (ESPN2, Friday, 8 ET)

The player-of-the-year race standings are moving to a separate post on Wednesday mornings for the rest of the season. So consider this just your weekly stock listings:

Stock up

1. Syracuse: Postseason alert level has been elevated to Orange. Doug Marrone's 4-1 team is the talk of the Big East after taking down South Florida on the road. Syracuse should have a boisterous home crowd ready for the Pitt game this week in the biggest moment for the program since 2004.

2. Louisville: The Orange aren't the only team making a bottoms-up move. The Cardinals dismantled Memphis 56-0 and shockingly lead the Big East in total offense, rushing and passing offense, first downs and sacks. Charlie Strong's 3-2 team will try to make a real statement Friday night at home against Cincinnati.

3. Isaiah Pead: The Bearcats' offense looks much better with a healthy Pead in the backfield, doesn't it? Pead nearly crossed 200 yards in the first half against Miami (Ohio), and on the season he's averaging an are-you-serious 9.8 yards per carry.

4. Brad Starks: The West Virginia receiver had been banged-up all year and didn't have a catch going into Week 6. Against UNLV, he had four catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns. He gives this Mountaineers' offense another big-play target. The rest of the Big East responds, "Well, that's just great."

5. Pitt's offensive line: This stock couldn't go any lower from earlier in the season, but the Panthers have showed some progress since moving Lucas Nix to guard and installing Jordan Gibbs at tackle. Their line isn't going to mow people down, but if it can be serviceable as it was against Notre Dame, Pitt will have a much better chance of competing in the Big East.

Stock down

1. B.J. Daniels: Skip Holtz keeps saying that Daniels is trying to learn Spanish after being taught French for two years. But right now, it seems like the sophomore quarterback is speaking Pig Latin. He was brutal against Syracuse while throwing two interceptions and completely missing two wide-open receivers for touchdowns. He needs to get better fast or USF might miss the postseason entirely.

2. USF's home crowd: The St. Petersburg Times reported that the Bulls' actual attendance for Saturday's game against Syracuse was 30,344, or smaller than the average crowds for games against Stony Brook, Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic. What? For the first conference home game for a 3-1 team? And don't say it was because the Tampa Bay Rays had a playoff game that day. The entire Rays fan base could fit in the Raymond James pirate ship.

3. Pitt's late-game strategy: The Panthers' series on their second-to-last possession against Notre Dame was mind-boggling. They called two inside runs to Dion Lewis, then threw a short pass that was knocked down. Dave Wannstedt called a timeout before the fourth-and-5 play and then decided to punt. Wannstedt said the field position dictated that strategy, and it's true Pitt was pinned inside the 10. But who cares about field position when the game is on the line and you might not get the ball back anyway? Besides, at 2-2 coming into the game, the Panthers had nothing to lose yet played as if they were trying not to win.

4. UConn vs. the big play: I guess we should have seen this coming when Vanderbilt repeatedly burned the Huskies for big plays in the first half two weeks ago. Connecticut's defense did the impossible in making Rutgers look like a big-strike offense last Friday, including a 52-yard touchdown that tied it up in the fourth quarter and another long pass that set up the game-winning kick. Now with Blidi Wreh-Wilson undergoing hand surgery, the UConn defense might be even more vulnerable.

5. Memphis' shot at Big East membership: No offense to Louisville's sterling effort, but Memphis looks like possibly one of the worst teams in the FBS. This is a program that desperately wants to get invited to the Big East, yet it might be more suited at this point for the Sun Belt. I'm sure all the league coaches would love to welcome in the Tigers, though, so they could have a guaranteed league win every year.

Chas Dodd, QB, Rutgers: Making his first career start, the true freshman completed 18 of 29 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-24 win over Connecticut on Friday.

Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse: The senior ran for 105 yards on 26 carries as the Orange beat South Florida 13-9.

Adam Froman, QB, Louisville: Froman threw four touchdown passes on just 16 attempts, all in the first half, in the Cardinals' 56-0 thrashing of Memphis.

Bradley Starks, WR, West Virginia: Starks had four catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns in the Mountaineers' 49-10 win over UNLV.

Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati: Pead ran 10 times for 197 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half, in a 45-3 win over Miami of Ohio

West Virginia will open conference play on Thursday at home against South Florida, and I think it's safe to say the Mountaineers will have more confidence than the Bulls.

The Mountaineers broke the 40-point barrier for the first time since the 2008 opener against Villanova, and they did it by early in the third quarter against UNLV. Bill Stewart pulled the starters after Geno Smith found Brad Starks for the third touchdown pass between the two and a 42-0 lead.

Starks had no catches on the season before Saturday. He's got four for 100 yards and those three scores against the Rebels.

It's been a dominant effort on both sides of the ball. West Virginia still looks like the best team in the Big East. The Mountaineers can start to prove that on Thursday night.

Here is the final chapter of my look at the best and worst case scenarios for each Big East team. Closing out the cases is West Virginia.

Best Case

Country roads lead to Arizona.

This is the Mountaineers' best chance at a national title since 2007. Starters are back everywhere, with big-time playmakers like Noel Devine and Jock Sanders on offense and Robert Sands on defense. Newcomers like Ivan McCartney, Stedman Bailey and Bruce Irvin make immediate impacts. New starting quarterback Geno Smith shows poise beyond his years and evokes memories of Pat White.

The schedule is set up perfectly for a run, too. Coastal Carolina and Marshall present no problems in the first two weeks. Devine runs for 200 yards and three scores in a blowout of Maryland, setting up a Top 15 matchup in Baton Rouge the following week.

The LSU game resembles the 2006 Sugar Bowl, as Devine, Sanders and Tavon Austin shock the Tigers out of the gate with their speed. West Virginia builds a 35-7 halftime lead and hangs on for a 38-35 victory, moving the Mountaineers into the Top 10.

They won't budge from that neighborhood the rest of the year. A hangover-induced ugly win over UNLV follows, and then revenge is earned against South Florida. West Virginia then takes out two teams it never loses to in Syracuse and Connecticut before welcoming Cincinnati back to Morgantown Nov. 13. Turning the tables from the last two years, officials botch a call that awards Devine a touchdown instead of a goal-line fumble, and the Mountaineers prevail in overtime.

After beating Louisville with ease, the Backyard Brawl arrives with the Big East title on the line. It's a bruising, back-and-forth game, but Smith finds Brad Starks in the end zone in the final minute for a six-point win. A season-ending romp over Rutgers finishes a 12-0 season and a BCS title berth against another surprise undefeated team, Virginia Tech. Devine, who compiles 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns, wins the Heisman Trophy.

Returning to the scene of his greatest triumph, Bill Stewart delivers a stirring pre-game speech at University of Phoenix Stadium. Sufficiently jacked, West Virginia runs the Hokies ragged and dedicates the crystal trophy to the fallen coal miners back home.

After the season, the school is cleared of all NCAA wrongdoing as the infractions committee pins all blame on Rodriguez, barring him from ever coaching college football again.

Worst Case


Country roads lead to an oncoming 18-wheeler.

The Mountaineers are a veteran bunch, but there still remain questions about the offensive line, the receivers' experience and depth at quarterback.

After starting off with two less-than-impressive wins, West Virginia is upset by a hungry Maryland squad, causing much grumbling among the fan base. A week of distractions and finger-pointing prove disastrous in Death Valley, as LSU pummels the Mountaineers by three touchdowns and breaks Smith's foot in the process.

The team squeaks by UNLV with true freshman Barry Brunetti at the helm, but South Florida continues to play thorn in the side with a win in Morgantown. That begins a quarterback carousel between Brunetti, Jeremy Johnson and Coley White, none of whom are particularly effective.

West Virginia beats Syracuse but finally trips up against a fired-up Connecticut in East Hartford on a Friday night. Cincinnati runs its winning streak over the Mountaineers to three.

After Louisville throws a scare into Stewart's team, Pitt rolls to a 21-point victory in the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers win the Big East title and play for the BCS championship.

Smith returns from injury at the end of the season to salvage a win over Rutgers in the finale. But a 6-6 record causes near panic throughout the state's borders, and fans stay away from the team's consolation trip to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

After the season, the NCAA decided to set a precedent against teams violating practice time rules. West Virginia loses scholarships and practice sessions for the next two years. (Rodriguez and Michigan get slapped, too, but after an 11-2 season, the Wolverines forgive and forget.) Athletic director Oliver Luck gives a tepid vote of confidence to Stewart, but there's no doubt where the hottest coaching seat in America resides for 2011.

Sophomore Geno Smith is taking over the reins at quarterback for West Virginia. The Mountaineers are an experienced team with more starters back than any other Big East school, but they'll need their first-year starter under center to deliver.

I caught up with Smith this week, and here's how our conversation went:

How is camp going? How comfortable do you feel with the offense and your health?

Geno Smith: I'm feeling comfortable in every aspect of my game out there on the field. I'm bigger and stronger, my foot is 100 percent healthy now and I'm making solid reads and seeing lots of things. I'm feeling pretty happy with my progress so far.

I'm hearing good things about young receivers Stedman Bailey and Ivan McCartney, who played with you in high school. How are they doing?

GS: Stedman and Ivan, those two guys are dynamic receivers. They have special talents. They're different in their own ways but both can stretch the field and make great catches. You know, I played with those guys in high school, so we have a lot of chemistry off the field more than just on the field. But our timing and everything is great and those guys have adjusted to the offense really well.

It's been a year since you played with McCartney. Was it easy to pick that chemistry right back up?

GS: In the offseason we work on timing, and as soon as he got here we worked on the routes and 7-on-7 drills. So when camp started, we were acclimated with each other again. So now it's just making the reads and the throws and catches.

Having played in some games last year and going through the spring, do you feel like you know this offense really well now?

GS: Yes. In the offseason, I took it upon myself to watch as much film as possible. I studied tape and did a lot of little things that are really helping me now because I'm seeing coverages and making checks. Everything is really going smoothly with our offense, and I think guys have gained confidence because of that.

The season is coming up in just about two weeks. How excited are you to think about running out there as the starting quarterback for the first time?

GS: Oh, man, I can't even think about it right now. I'm not even sure what today is since we're in camp. I'm just focusing on getting better day by day, but I know pretty soon I'll be out there and the fans will be out there cheering and it will be time to play. But now I'm focusing on the day-by-day work.

How are the two freshmen quarterbacks -- Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson -- doing? You were in their shoes this time last year, so how much can you help them out?

GS: I try my best to help those guys and teach them little things I've learned from the time I've been here. Those guys are picking up the offense really well. They're special talents. I look forward to watching those guys play, because they have great talent, and once they get a grasp of the offense the sky's the limit for those guys.

You're playing against a strong, veteran defense every day in practice. How much better is that making you?

GS: It helps us a lot. Not only do they have talent but the schemes they run are very difficult to read. They run out of the 3-3-5 base and they move around and disguise coverages so well that it's hard to get a read on them. But I think that's going to help us along the line because it makes us focus and pay attention more to the little things and the little keys that give the defense away.

Quarterbacks are always viewed as leaders, yet you're a young guy on a veteran team. So how do you handle that leadership role?

GS: I never had to really take over a leadership role. Those guys bestowed their trust in me. I just I'm a born leader and try to be a leader in everything we do. But at the same time those guys came to me and said, "We understand you're our leader and we want you to be there for us. We want you to push us." So I took that upon myself to do that.

This question might not make sense, but when you're throwing to guys as fast as Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin, is it hard to adjust to their speed?

GS: I understand what you're saying, but we've got the timing down and it's not hard to throw to those guys. It takes a lot off pressure to me because I can throw a little screen pass to those guys and they can take it the distance. So it's nice to have players like Tavon, Jock, Noel, Stedman, Bradley [Starks] and Ivan.

You must look around and just love the weapons you have on offense, right?

GS: We've got some extreme talent, not just on offense but on both sides of ball. I think we can be a real special team.

Do you get that sense around the team that this can be a special season?

GS: Our confidence is through the roof right now. The way we are performing against the defense, and those guys are so hard to stop. We've got so many great seniors like Jock, Noel, J.T. [Thomas], Chris Neild and those guys are always pushing us. I think that's the reason why we're going to be so good.

When you have guys like that setting the standard, it must be hard not to follow them.

GS: They set the standard and it's almost become a tradition to work hard. We've got a saying around here that goes "Be the hammer and not the nail," so that sets a standard for us as well. It's making us work harder and pay attention a lot more.