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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?

I caught up with West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart on Tuesday afternoon and will have a Q&A post with him very soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you his comments on quarterback Geno Smith.

The rising junior, as you know, had surgery on his troublesome foot back in January. Smith has pronounced himself fit to participate in spring drills, though he was limited in last year's spring practice with the same problem. Here's what Stewart had to say about his quarterback entering spring practice, which begins Wednesday in Morgantown:

"He's ready to go. He's not going to be able to run. We're going to nurse that foot a little bit, make sure everything is good."

Stewart said Smith will do a little more than he did last spring, but won't do everything.

"Bootleg runs, nakeds -- we're not going to do things like that early in the spring," he said. "We'll just have to see how he progresses and then we'll add to his repertoire."

Having Smith run isn't as critical right now as having him available for all the throws he needs to make in learning offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen's offense. West Virginia will need a lot of reps, because there are only true freshmen behind him. Coley White, who played quarterback last season when Smith couldn't go, will work at inside receiver this spring, Stewart said.

I had a chance to talk with West Virginia offensive coordinator/head-coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen on Wednesday afternoon, and highlights from our conversation will make their way to a blog post near you soon.

But I thought I'd share an advance snippet from that talk regarding arguably the most important issue surrounding the Mountaineers this spring: the availability of quarterback Geno Smith.

Smith had yet another surgery on his troublesome left foot in January. That's the same foot injury that held him out of live drills last spring. It didn't hurt him or the Mountaineers too much, as Smith still had an outstanding sophomore campaign in his first year of starting. But now the team is installing Holgorsen's new offense, and every bit of work Smith can get in the preseason will help.

Holgorsen said Smith is to be out of his walking boot in about a month. West Virginia will begin its spring practice on March 28, the day classes resume after spring break.

"That Monday morning, we'll test him and see how much he can actually do," Holgorsen said. "I think as spring goes on, he'll be able to do more and more, which is good."

But Holgorsen said the Mountaineers will exercise caution with their star quarterback.

"He's supposed to be back, but we're not going to rush it," Holgorsen said. "That's what happened last year -- he tried to come back too quickly, and it never healed."

Smith played through a stress fracture most of last season, a fact that wasn't revealed until the Champs Sports Bowl. For the second straight spring, West Virginia has almost no experience behind him. Coley White, who took snaps when Smith couldn't last spring, is still around, but might not be the best fit for Holgorsen's style. The Mountaineers also brought in two freshmen early enrollees in Brian Athey and Paul Millard, whom Holgorsen described as "two 6-foot-3, good-looking kids who've thrown the ball a bunch. But you never know how those guys are going to develop."

Holgorsen is trying to teach Smith his system now through meetings and film work in the limited time coaches can spend with players under NCAA rules. I asked him if that kind of work would do the job if Smith once again must spend most of spring contact work on the sidelines.

"Not as well as it be would be if he were actually doing the reps," he said. "Right now and over the next five weeks, it's all mental reps. Hopefully during the five weeks of spring, he'll be learning from actual trial and error."

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.

• Butch Jones is definitely not Brian Kelly, but he'll try to keep Kelly's success going at Cincinnati.

• Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti is key to Pitt's chances at Utah.

• Shifting to receiver has meant new aches and pains for Coley White. A West Virginia offensive lineman transferred to Marshall.

• What the South Florida defense lacks in star power, it may make up for in depth.

• Randy Edsall has been a master builder at UConn.

• Doug Marrone is sticking to his plan to rebuild Syracuse.

• A thorough preview of Rutgers' 2010 season.

• Charlie Strong helped get linebacker Brandon Heath's head on straight.

Wednesday was an interesting day to be a backup quarterback.

West Virginia true freshman Jeremy Johnson, who caused near statewide consternation when he missed practice on Monday and Tuesday, returned to the team for Wednesday's drills. Head coach Bill Stewart said Johnson, a Texas native, was just dealing with homesickness, but there had been speculation that Johnson was looking to transfer.

"He was just a freshman who was homesick," Stewart said. "[This] tells us we have a great family here and we don't let outsiders break the family."

It remains to be seen whether Johnson will contribute to this year's team, but his return adds depth to the quarterback position, which right now includes just him, fellow freshman Barry Brunetti and sophomore starter Geno Smith, with slot receiver Coley White able to move under center if necessary.

Hopefully this week's events will just be a blip on the radar in a long and fruitful West Virginia career for Johnson.

At UConn, No. 2 quarterback Cody Endres, along with backup guard Erik Kuraczea, were suspended indefinitely for a "violation of university and athletic department policies," according to the school. No further details were given.

The Hartford Courant's Desmond Conner reports that similarly worded suspensions in the past have lasted about a month.

Endres started six games last year but is the clear backup to Zach Frazer going into 2010. Without him, the Huskies will turn to Michael Box as the second-string quarterback. They also have Johnny McEntee and intriguing freshman Leon Kinnard available.

Kuraczea started five games last year but was running behind Mathieu Olivier at left guard. His absence will hurt the depth there, but Connecticut always seems to find guys on the offensive line. Redshirt freshman Steve Greene is listed as the third-string left guard.

West Virginia has two highly-touted true freshman quarterbacks. Soon, the Mountaineers could be down to just one.

Jeremy Johnson, who is battling classmate Barry Brunetti for the No. 2 job behind Geno Smith, did not practice with the team on Monday and is considering a possible transfer. Head coach Bill Stewart told reporters that the Texas native is simply homesick.

If Johnson were to leave, that would clear up the depth chart. Brunetti would slide into the No. 2 hole, and Coley White or Brad Starks could be the emergency No. 3. It seemed unlikely that both Brunetti and Johnson would stay at quarterback all four years since they entered at the same time.

The tough part is, Johnson is seen as the more athletic of the two and a fast runner who can be used elsewhere on the field if he's not at quarterback. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because he hasn't officially left yet.

• Early training camp injuries are becoming a concern for Rutgers.

• Isaiah Pead could be featured more this year in Cincinnati -- and at 6.7 yards per carry, why not?

• The attorney for the student Delone Carter allegedly beat up is criticizing Syracuse for letting the running back return to the team.

• Pittsburgh is looking for someone to replace Dorin Dickerson at tight end.

• Charlie Strong has fear on his side at Louisville.

• Coley White is adapting to the receiver position -- for now.

• Some notes and observations from South Florida camp.

• A tough break for former UConn receiver Marcus Easley.

Coley White is determined to make an impact on the field for West Virginia this season. He's just not sure at which position that will occur.

White volunteered to move to receiver before spring practice began in hopes of getting some playing time. But with Geno Smith limited by a broken foot, White took most of the live reps at quarterback and never had a chance to work out at wideout.

The upshot was, the redshirt sophomore had an excellent spring by all accounts, proving that he was a credible quarterback that the Mountaineers can use.

"It was a good spring for me," White said Tuesday. "It was good for me to get out there and learn the offense, learn the defense and just be active. I think I showed them a little bit of what I was about."

West Virginia was set to resume 7-on-7 passing drills Tuesday evening, and White said he'd probably start off playing quarterback. Later on this summer, he said, he'd spend more time at receiver. He's studied the position some already in film work.

The Mountaineers' plan is for Smith to start at quarterback, with true freshmen Jeremy Johnson and Barry Brunetti hopefully learning the ropes enough before the season begins so that one of them can serve as the backup. But White may still figure into the mix.

"I guess we'll have to see what the future holds," White said. "I don't know what's going to happen. There's always competition, but it's up to the coaches."

There was speculation last offseason that Pat White's younger brother might transfer since he didn't have a clear path to play. White has silenced that talk. "I'm here," he says.

And soon it will be time for him to contribute on the field. Somewhere.

"I'm really excited about that," he said. "I just want to go out there, have fun and go play."

ESPN's "College Football Live" is running down its list of the most irreplaceable players for the 2010 season. You may recall that I presented the list of the most indispensable players for the Big East earlier this spring. It's time to revisit that list, with one change among my choices:

Cincinnati: Derek Wolfe, DT. Virtually all of the Bearcats' question marks are located on the defensive side of the ball, and Wolfe is their best and most dominant defensive linemen. That's a position that's already thin in experience and numbers, and losing him as the run-stuffer would be tough to overcome.

Connecticut: Lawrence Wilson, LB. UConn has a lot of depth and not a ton of superstars. But Wilson had a Big East-best 140 tackles last year and is one of the Huskies' most athletic defenders. Linebacker is not a position loaded with a lot of experienced backups for UConn, making Wilson irreplaceable.

Louisville: Johnny Patrick, CB. The Cardinals' defensive backfield looked scary at times this spring -- scary for them, not opposing offenses. Patrick is the one rock back there as one of the league's better cornerbacks. Without him, things could really get frightening.

Pittsburgh: The "College Football Live" staff chose Dion Lewis, but I think Pitt could run the ball effectively with Ray Graham and others without Lewis. I chose safety Dom DeCicco earlier in the spring. But now, after seeing Pitt in practice, I'd have to vote for left tackle Jason Pinkston. The senior is an invaluable anchor on the offensive line, especially with questions at center and guard.

Rutgers: Tom Savage, QB. No-brainer here. Rutgers' only other options right now are Steve Shimko, incoming freshman Chas Dodd or moving receiver Mohamed Sanu or tight end D.C. Jefferson under center. None of those would portend good things.

South Florida: B.J. Daniels, QB. Just as obvious and correct as the Savage pick. Daniels is the only player who's taken a collegiate snap at quarterback currently on the depth chart, if you don't count receiver Evan Landi.

Syracuse: Derrell Smith, LB. Syracuse managed to beat Rutgers while Smith was injured late in the year, but his leadership and playmaking ability from the middle linebacker spot would be hard to replace for long stretches of the season.

West Virginia: Chris Neild, DT. Coley White played well enough this spring to make the Mountaineers believe they could win without Geno Smith. Tavon Austin and Jock Sanders could step in for Noel Devine if needed. While the defensive line should be deeper than it was a year ago, neither West Virginia nor many other teams have many guys like Neild who can take on two or even three blockers on every play.

Spring is over. Players have shown what they're capable of doing and what they still need to work on. So it's time to start breaking down each position in the Big East to see who is the strongest.

This is a ranking of the entire position group, so while having frontline talent helps, depth matters too. Let's start with the position that everybody always looks to first: quarterback.

1. Cincinnati: Zach Collaros will enter the season with probably the highest expectations of any Big East signal-caller, given his spectacular four-game starting stint in 2009 and the offense he'll play in for Butch Jones. Chazz Anderson also had a strong spring and could easily win games if something happens to Collaros.

2. Connecticut: Surprised? Don't be. Zach Frazer looked sharp this spring after ending the 2009 season strong, and his backup, Cody Endres, has already proved he can win games in the Big East. Michael Box is a promising prospect, Johnny McEntee does some things well and Leon Kinnard is a lightning bug who could help out in certain packages. This may be the deepest team in the league at QB.

3. Pittsburgh: No, Tino Sunseri has never started a game. But Pat Bostick has, and he's won some big ones. Sunseri is skilled and has a lot to work with, while Pitt can feel comfortable with one of the more experienced backups in the league. Remember, depth matters.

4. Rutgers: Though only a true sophomore, Tom Savage has more career starts than any returning starting quarterback in the league, amazingly enough. But the situation is perilous behind him, with only Steve Shimko there now. Can incoming freshman Chas Dodd help out this summer?

5. South Florida: Talk about your dangerous backup situations. B.J. Daniels is an electric player, but right now he only has walk-ons behind him. Incoming true frosh Jamius Gunsby will serve as his backup, but the Bulls don't want to have to go down that road this year.

6. West Virginia: This is one of those rankings that will look silly in time. I think Geno Smith will develop into one of the league's better quarterbacks. But since he was limited in the spring by a foot injury, the jury has to remain out on the sophomore until he's healthy. Coley White stood out this spring when given a bunch of snaps, but he'll likely move to receiver this fall as the Mountaineers see what they have in true freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson.

7. Louisville: Depth is not a problem for the Cardinals, who are still deciding between Adam Froman and Justin Burke, with former starter Will Stein in the wings. Freshman Dominique Brown will be given a look this summer as well. The problem, instead, is the lack of an elite player at the position.

8. Syracuse: The Orange enter the season as one of only two Big East teams to not return a quarterback with starting experience. Ryan Nassib did play a lot this year, and redshirt freshman Charley Loeb pushed him this spring. Highly-touted recruit Jonny Miller arrives this summer.

It's quiet around here with no football. Maybe I can organize the neighborhood kids into a 7-on-7 passing drill. Or I could just answer your e-mails. That sounds like less effort.

Ben from Austin, Texas, writes: A few months back, I asked what WVU would do with Jeremy Johnson and Barry Brunetti with quarterback depth being so thin. Now that Coley White has given a little more confidence to the depth of that position, how do you see the depth charts of both quarterback and wide receiver shaking out? Do you think White (or maybe Johnson) will eventually switch to WR to help with the depth there? I know it's early to tell, but fun to ask.

Brian Bennett: Hey, Ben, and hope things are well in one of my favorite cities in America. Coley White played pretty well this spring and gave West Virginia's coaches some confidence he can help them win if need be. But this is Geno Smith's team, make no mistake about it. White has asked to move to receiver, and the team will honor that request this fall while having him keep his hand in the quarterback picture (think receiver Bradley Starks, who's been the emergency QB for a couple of years now).

As for the youngsters, it remains to be seen how they perform when they show up. The thinking has been that Johnson has the more natural skill set to switch to receiver or another position if Brunetti plays well. But Johnson will be given a shot at quarterback first.

Jim from Indianapolis writes: A few years ago, Va. Tech, Miami, and Boston College left the Big East to join the ACC. Their main reason for doing it was money. As in more of it. In response to that, Rutgers, West Virginia, Pitt, and UConn sued the ACC. Now, if they were invited, Rutgers, Pitt, and UConn would (supposedly) all leave the Big East for the Big Ten for the same reason: money. Am I the only one who sees any hypocrisy in all this?

Brian Bennett: Hypocrisy in college sports? Why, this is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing!

Seriously, though, Jim raises a good point. And imagine if some of these schools are left hanging after a Big Ten raid and need the ACC to come in and rescue them. Will those old hard feelings stand in the way? It's amazing how well you can bury the hatchet when faced with possible extinction.

Eric H. from Manassas Park, Va., writes: Long time reader, first time writer. I had a thought today with all of the talk of conference realignment, and its impact on the Big East. One thing everyone seems to be forgetting is the service academies. I think the Big East could gain a few things by adding Army and Navy. Navy certainly is doing well in football, and Army is starting to show some signs of life. I'm not sure either will up the playing level of the Big East, but surely, with the following they have, it should be able to help out on the revenue end. Your thoughts?

Brian Bennett: The Big East looked into this a few years ago, but the idea was abandoned for several reasons. Navy likes its independence and its ability to play a national schedule, while also lining up some winnable games to get to bowls every year. Neither school adds anything in the other sports. And while the trip to West Point is always a treasure, Army is still a long way away from consistently competing at a BCS level in football.

John from Beaufort, S.C., writes: Is it a good or bad thing that there has been so little news about Louisville this offseason? And how do you think Louisville will really do this year?

Brian Bennett: It's good from the standpoint that there haven't been any arrests, transfers or other negative issues arising. It's bad from the perspective that the Cardinals have become somewhat irrelevant from the national scene, which is Steve Kragthorpe's most damaging lasting legacy. I think things could be a little rough this year, but I expect Charlie Strong to get some young kids experience and toughen this team up. He'll have Louisville back in the news for the right reasons very quickly.

Here's a look at some of the superlatives from the Big East during spring practice:

Best spring game performance: South Florida receiver Dontavia Bogan was the favored recipient of B.J. Daniels' air show in the spring game, catching nine balls for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Bogan's big game gave some reason for hope on a day when fellow wideout A.J. Love tore his ACL.

Best improvement by a position group: Rutgers' receivers. In a year, the Scarlet Knights pass-catchers went from Tim Brown and a bunch of nobodies (remember, Mohamed Sanu had to be moved over from defense late last spring to shore things up) to a group full of potential. Credit the impressive offseason improvements by Tim Wright, Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt.

Best guest playcaller: Cincinnati coach Butch Jones let a fan in the stands call a play from the playbook, and the fan wisely chose some trickery. The play resulted in a 60-yard bomb on an option pass from receiver D.J. Woods to Vidal Hazelton.

Best two-way player: West Virginia's Coley White played quarterback for both the Gold and Blue teams in the spring game as Geno Smith was held out to protect a foot injury. Pat White's younger brother threw three touchdowns to complete a stellar spring. "He's a White," wide receiver Jock Sanders said, simply.

Best spring game atmosphere: (Tie) Rutgers and West Virginia were the only two teams in the Big East to draw 20,000 fans to their spring games.

Best bold quote: "We have improved in toughness and physicality and people just wanting to play the game," Syracuse linebacker Derrell Smith said. "Coach [Doug Marrone] did a good job for preparing us for last season and I think that he is going to do an even better job this year. Hopefully I'll be out here next year with a championship ring on my finger."

2009 overall record: 9-4

2009 conference record: 5-2, T-2nd in Big East

Returning starters: Offense: 9. Defense: 9. Punter/kicker: 1

Top returners
RB Noel Devine, WR Jock Sanders, WR Bradley Starks, LB J.T. Thomas, DT Chris Neild, S Robert Sands, DE Scooter Berry

Key losses
QB Jarrett Brown, LB Reed Williams, OT Selvish Capers, WR Alric Arnett

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Noel Devine* (1,465 yards)

Passing: Jarrett Brown (2,144 yards)

Receiving: Jock Sanders* (688 yards)

Tackles: Pat Lazear* (78)

Sacks: Julian Miller* (9)

Interceptions: Robert Sands* (5)

Spring answers

1. Experience matters: West Virginia returns 18 starters on offense and defense, most in the Big East, so even a few injuries and other issues that kept players out of practice this spring weren't a big deal. The coaching staff has the luxury of plugging in veterans at virtually every position, and when the first-stringers finally came together in the spring game, they looked very sharp. This is a team that should be ready to go from the opening gate.

2. White is all right: With projected starting quarterback Geno Smith limited throughout the spring by a foot injury, sophomore Coley White took the vast majority of the snaps. Though some had questioned whether he could play quarterback at this level, White showed great improvement throughout the spring and could easily lead the Mountaineers to victory if something goes wrong with Smith.

3. Backfield in motion: The Mountaineers should not have many problems running the ball this season. Devine returned and looks poised for a monster senior year. Shawne Alston also impressed at times, as well as fullback/tailback Ryan Clarke. West Virginia could also use Tavon Austin, Sanders and Daquan Hargrett as ball carriers.

Fall questions

1. Wideout depth: The defections of Deon Long and Logan Heastie before spring thinned the receiving corps. Sanders is a stud in the slot, but Starks needs to have a big year as one of the team's few deep threats. The pint-sized Austin has to show he can be effective outside of the slot, and Stedman Bailey must continue to make improvements. Incoming freshman Ivan McCartney could play an immediate role as well.

2. The offensive line: The Mountaineers return four starters who took virtually every snap last season. Still, coach Bill Stewart expressed concern about the right side of the line, including right tackle, where Selvish Capers must be replaced. There's a lot of experience up front, but this unit needs to gel this fall.

3. Improved leadership: Stewart called for more leadership from his team this spring, particularly among the underclassmen. The Mountaineers have solid senior leaders in guys like Devine, Sanders, Chris Neild and J.T. Thomas. But Stewart would like to see fewer young players running stadium stairs or riding exercise bikes during fall practice.