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We continue our team position rankings with the linebackers. This position was one of the hardest hit in the league with the number of quality players who are gone. You could probably interchange teams 2-7 in the rankings, depending on your point of view. So who is going to step up? Let's peer into the crystal ball.

1. South Florida. Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore form the best linebacking duo in the league, helping put the Bulls into the top spot. By no means have they fully arrived -- plenty of room for improvement here. What also helps with the ranking is depth. Reshard Cliett had a nice spring, after coming into USF as a safety. Junior college transfer Mike Juene was in for spring and also has raised expectations. Mike Lanaris and Curtis Weatherspoon should be important contributors as well.

2. Connecticut. The strength of the team is on defense, but if there is one group on this unit that has the biggest questions it is linebacker. There is no disputing Sio Moore is one of the best in the league. But the Huskies lost four-year starters Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus. Jory Johnson, Jerome Williams, Mike Osiecki and Yawin Smallwood are all in the mix, but there is no question this group is much more inexperienced than a year ago. Still, Moore makes this a top-tier group.

3. Louisville. The Cardinals lose Brandon Heath and a few other players who brought valuable experience. But Daniel Brown and Dexter Heyman are experienced starters who will anchor this unit. The Cardinals took a hit when Brandon Golson reportedly decided to transfer, so they are going to need to work on some depth.

4. Rutgers. Some players moved around during the spring -- Manny Abreu moved from strongside linebacker to defensive end, and Khaseem Greene moved from safety to weakside linebacker. These moves should make the defense better. Steve Beauharnais switched back to the strong side from the middle, a move that should benefit him. Ka'Lial Glaud is now penciled in to start in the middle. Marvin Booker had a good spring as well. Depth is an issue and true freshman Quentin Gause and Kevin Snyder could play. But this group should be better.

5. West Virginia. Najee Goode is a proven big-time player, but there were some huge losses for this unit. Anthony Leonard, JT Thomas and Pat Lazear are all gone. Junior college transfer Josh Francis and Casey Vance are competing on the weakside and Doug Rigg, Tyler Anderson and Donovan Miles on the strong side. Francis would add athleticism to the group, but first he has to win the starting job.

6. Pittsburgh. The Panthers are transitioning to a 3-4 and experimented plenty during the spring with various combinations. They have experience, with the top seven linebackers on the team returning. Plus Brandon Lindsey is going to play more of a hybrid defensive end/linebacker role. But this was one of the worst units on the team last season. Max Gruder and Greg Williams have to be better for this unit to be ranked higher.

7. Syracuse. The Orange lose not only two of their best players, but two of their biggest leaders in Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith. Smith led the team in tackles, and Hogue was right behind him, making linebacker one of the biggest question marks on this team heading into the season. Two other contributors, Malcolm Cater and Brice Hawkes, were kicked off the team. That leaves sophmore Marquis Spruill as the only player with significant playing time among the linebackers, and he moved to a new position in the middle. Early enrollee Dyshawn Davis, a receiver in high school, is penciled in to start so that should tell you where this group is headed into the fall.

8. Cincinnati. JK Schaffer is one of the best in the Big East, but depth here is a concern. Walter Stewart has moved to defensive end, leaving a hole at one of the linebacker spots. True freshmen Nick Temple and Dwight Jackson were in for spring practice are expected to compete for starting jobs. This unit was not very good last year and undersized, making it the group with the most to prove in 2011.

Previous rankings

• Offensive line
• Receiver
• Running back
• Tight end
• Quarterback
• Defensive line

2010 overall record: 8-5
2010 conference record: 3-4, tied for fifth in Big East

Returning starters:

Offense: 4. Defense: 6. Punter/kicker: 2.

Top returners:

QB B.J. Daniels, RB Demetris Murray, LB Sam Barrington, LB DeDe Lattimore, WR A.J. Love, S Jon Lejiste

Key losses:

C Sampson Genus, DT Terrell McClain, RB Mo Plancher, WR Dontavia Bogan, LB Jacquian Williams, CB Mistral Raymond

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Mo Plancher (793 yards)
Passing: B.J. Daniels* (1,685 yards)
Receiving: Dontavia Bogan (685 yards)
Tackles: Jacquian Williams (71)
Sacks: Jon Lejiste* and Craig Marshall (4)
Interceptions: Jerrell Young* (3)

Spring answers

1. Quarterback security: At this time last spring, South Florida had B.J. Daniels and no other quarterbacks who had taken a college snap. Head coach Skip Holtz said he would make it an open competition this spring between Daniels and former walk-on Bobby Eveld, but Daniels mostly carried over his solid play from the Meineke Car Care Bowl to hold onto the starting spot. And now the Bulls know they can rely on Eveld, and freshman Matt Floyd showed some good things this spring. Holtz goes into his second year in Tampa feeling much better about his quarterback position.

2. Ground gains: USF was really a run-first offense last year and should be even better running the ball in 2011. Demetris Murray was a co-starter last year and kept his grip on the No. 1 tailback job after a solid spring. Colorado transfer Darrell Scott had a nagging hamstring injury but flashed the talent that once made him the nation's most sought-after tailback recruit. Add in Auburn transfer Dontae Aycock and Marcus Shaw, and the Bulls have depth and versatility in the backfield.

3. Solid back seven: South Florida has churned out pro prospects at linebacker and defensive back of late, and that again looks to be an area of strength this season. The Bulls bring back all four of their top safeties, led by veterans Jon Lejiste and Jerrell Young, plus experienced corners in Kayvon Webster and Quenton Washington. Starters Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore return at linebacker, and there's good depth with Mike Lanaris, Curtis Weatherspoon and the spring emergence of Reshard Cliett and Mike Jeune.

Fall questions

1. Catch me if you can: Daniels' passing numbers looked bad at times in the spring, and Holtz often blamed the receivers. The Bulls weren't very good in the passing game last year and lost leading receiver Dontavia Bogan to graduation. A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin struggled to get all the way back from last year's injuries. Sophomore Terrence Mitchell looked like a promising playmaker on occasion, but overall the group needs to get a whole lot better this summer.

2. Offensive line concerns: South Florida has to replace All-Big East center Sampson Genus and both starting tackles from last season. Some veterans are still around, like Mark Popek, Jeremiah Warren and Chaz Hine, and redshirt freshman Quinterrius Eatmon locked up the right tackle job with a good spring. Still, this group needs to jell this summer and find some more depth behind the starters.

3. Defensive tackle depth: The coaching staff feels good about the defensive ends, but there are still some questions on the interior after losing third-round NFL pick Terrell McClain. Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill are veterans at the inside positions and should be fine at starter; the Bulls would like more depth behind them. They would love to see a young player like Todd Chandler or even incoming freshman Elkino Watson step up during fall camp to solidify the rotation there.

South Florida, which wrapped up its spring practice last weekend, has issued its post-spring two-deep. You can find it here.

Don't go too crazy over it, because there is still a long time before the season begins. But this tells you how Skip Holtz and his staff feel about the team coming out of spring.

The notable changes include Terrence Mitchell taking over as a starting receiver ahead of Sterling Griffin, and Sam Barrington back at middle linebacker, with Reshard Cliett and Curtis Weatherspoon listed as co-starters at the strongside linebacker spot. Anthony Hill has moved from defensive tackle to backup defensive end. Demetris Murray is listed as the starting tailback ahead of Darrell Scott, with Auburn transfer Dontae Aycock failing to crack the two deep.

South Florida was the first Big East team to start spring practice, and the Bulls are now the first league team to finish after Saturday's final scrimmage before the public on campus.

The good news from the scrimmage was that the offense, which had an ugly day in the official spring game a week earlier, played better on Saturday. Darrell Scott and Demetris Murray combined to rush for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback B.J. Daniels also had a rushing score. But in the bad news department, Daniels was just 8-for-19 for 117 yards as he and the receivers again struggled to connect.

"I don't think we competed very well at receiver," head coach Skip Holtz said afterward. "We had two or three interceptions with opportunities to compete for it at receiver as well. On the positive side, our quarterbacks actually gave them a chance to catch it, where a week ago we threw it 20 yards over everybody's heads."

On defense, Holtz singled out Mike Jeune, Reshard Cliett and Curtis Weatherspoon, all of whom are young linebackers.

With spring over, the Bulls' biggest questions heading into the summer appear to be at receiver, and finding depth at cornerback and on the offensive line. They look strong and deep at running back and have a solid defense, especially with the starting group.

"I think there were a lot of positives," Holtz said. "We came out of this one healthy, and we weren't able to say that a year ago at this time. We were able to get a lot of scrimmage reps, and a lot of young guys had the opportunity to get out here and play."

Here's the third part of a series looking at three players from each team who will burst onto the scene in the Big East. It could be an incoming or redshirt freshman, a transfer or just someone stepping into a new role.

Up today is South Florida:

Terrence Mitchell, CB: Mitchell represented a huge recruiting coup for Skip Holtz, who lured the standout away from Florida State just before signing day. Given South Florida's youth in the secondary, Mitchell -- whom ESPN's Scouts Inc. rated as the 12th best cornerback in the class of 2009 -- has an excellent chance of seeing early playing time and perhaps even starting right off the bat.

Claude Davis, DE: A big-time prospect from the junior college ranks, Davis enrolled in January and went through spring practice. At the two-year level, he recorded 18 sacks in two years. The 6-foot-4, 247-pound Davis would love to have the kind of first-year impact that Jason Pierre-Paul had last season at defensive end, but Pierre-Paul was a special case. Davis should find a significant role on the defense.

Curtis Weatherspoon, LB: Like Davis, Weatherspoon enrolled in January from junior college and got spring practice reps. He's currently listed as a backup linebacker after earning juco All-American honors at defensive back. Look for the 6-2, 205-pound Weatherspoon to break into the lineup on nickel and dime packages and provide depth at linebacker.

More fresh faces.

Spring football in the Big East kicks off March 16. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program heading into the spring:

CINCINNATI
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:

• Building depth: New coach Butch Jones said this is the biggest key for the spring. The Bearcats have a lot of top-flight players with starting experience back, like Zach Collaros, Armon Binns, Isaiah Pead and JK Schaffer. But there's a lot of youth and inexperience in potential backup roles, especially at positions like offensive line, linebacker and receiver. All slates are clean with the new coaching staff, and the spring will be a time when new names can emerge in key roles.

• Defensive line retooling: Jones will switch back to the 4-3 after a year in the 3-4 scheme. Both starting defensive ends from last year are gone, but the smallish line was overpowered at times near the end of the season anyway. Derek Wolfe should be a fixture inside, Dan Giordano, Brandon Mills and John Hughes step into more prominent roles. Jones will have to decide whether to make Walter Stewart a defensive end or keep him at outside linebacker. The Bearcats could use a little more strength and bulk up front against the bigger Big East offensive lines.

• Vidal's arrival: USC transfer Vidal Hazelton is eligible after sitting out last year. He reputedly dominated practices last season, and now he'll get to go full time with the first string. A lot of people will be watching closely to see how he and Collaros connect during the spring. A big year by Hazelton will lessen the loss of star wideout Mardy Gilyard and could keep Cincinnati as the Big East's best offense.

CONNECTICUT
Spring practice starts: March 16
Spring game: April 17
What to watch:

• Secondary matters: UConn returns a truckload of starters and looks rock solid in most areas. But the defensive backfield will be an area of emphasis starting in the spring. Gone are stalwarts Robert McClain and Robert Vaughn from a secondary that got picked apart much of the season by opposing passing games. Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson showed progress by the end of their redshirt freshmen seasons and should be the starting corners. The Huskies need someone to replace Vaughn at safety and overall better performance from the unit.

• Frazer vs. Endres: Zach Frazer and Cody Endres have been splitting starts since the second half of the 2008 season at quarterback. Endres took over early last year and played well until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Frazer picked things up late after a slow start. The competition should be back on this spring, with Frazer probably holding the edge given his late-season improvement.

• Catch as catch can: Receiver was a major question for UConn going into last spring, when walk-on senior Marcus Easley surprised everybody with his giant leap forward. He became the go-to guy in 2009, but now he's gone, along with starter Brad Kanuch. So the Huskies are basically back in the same position as this time a year ago, needing to find some reliable pass catchers. Kashif Moore may be the next to break out after some good, late-year performances. And perhaps former highly-touted recruit Dwayne Difton will emerge. UConn hopes to catch lightning in a bottle again like it did with Easley.

LOUISVILLE
Spring practice starts: March 24
Spring game: April 16
What to watch:

• Switching to Strong: The Cardinals will have their first practices under new coach Charlie Strong, who promises to bring a much different style than former coach Steve Kragthorpe. Strong is known as being an intense guy on the field, and as a former top-flight defensive coordinator, he will likely be particularly demanding of players on that side of the ball. There will be new terminology to learn, new assistants and new standards to which the Cardinals must adjust in a hurry.

• The quarterback shuffle: Louisville had three quarterbacks -- Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein -- start games last year. All three will be given the chance to win the job in the spring, and mid-year enrollee Luke Woodley might see some snaps as well. Don't be surprised if this competition goes into the fall and if other newcomers like Dominique Brown get a look. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford wants to run a Florida-style spread offense, which might favor the more mobile Froman if he chooses to go with a veteran under center.

• Line play: The trenches have not been a particularly strong suit for Louisville the past couple of seasons, one of the reasons why the program has fallen out of annual postseason play. The Cardinals have gotten very little pass rush from the defensive line and not enough of a consistent push from the offensive line. Strong asked the offensive linemen to rework their bodies to prepare for the spread, and he'll need replacements for two senior defensive tackles. Junior-college imports Randy Salmon and Tyler Harrell will have a chance to impress on the defensive line. If the holdovers don't step up, we could see more newcomers in key spots by the summer.

(Read full post)

South Florida found success by going to the junior college ranks for defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul this season. The Bulls are hoping for similar luck with two new junior college defenders.

The Bulls announced that defensive end Claude Davis and linebacker Curtis Weatherspoon had signed letters of intent and will enroll in January so they can participate in spring practice.

Davis is a 6-foot-4, 247-pounder who will be asked to bolster the defensive end position. The Bulls lose senior George Selvie and quite possibly Pierre-Paul, who is being projected as a high-round draft pick. Pro Football Weekly named Pierre-Paul a first-team All-American on Monday.

"Claude's a great athlete with excellent speed and quickness," USF defensive line coach John Hendrick said. "He has great ability to rush the passer and is a relentless pursuer of the football."

Weatherspoon, who played at Valdosta (Ga.) High School before going to junior college, is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound outside linebacker. Bulls leading tackler Kion Wilson, a senior middle linebacker, also came over from junior college.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Some quick-hit recruiting notes from over the weekend ...

• Pittsburgh landed a commitment from standout Ohio prep running back Andre Givens, who was looking at a host of Big Ten schools as well as Cincinnati and Louisville.

Then he gave this interesting quote to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Kevin Gorman:

"The Big Ten has big backs and big lineman. It's not as fast as the Big East Conference," Givens said. "I want to be somewhere that plays fast. I felt Pitt was right."

The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder rushed for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Here's the ESPN Scouts Inc. evaluation of Givens.

Pitt, which now has 16 commitments for 2010, is going to have a lot of competition at running back the next couple of years, including current freshmen Dion Lewis and Raymond Graham and fellow 2010 recruit T.J. Peeler. But that's not a bad problem to have, and running backs can often change positions with ease.

• South Florida's recruiting has picked up steam, and the Bulls reeled in two commitments over the weekend.

One was Brandon Wilkinson, a defensive end from Venice, Fla., who was being recruited by Purdue, Rutgers, Vanderbilt and others. Wilkerson was listed at 6-foot-4 and a scant 192 pounds by Scouts Inc., but Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times that Wilkerson has bulked up to 230 pounds.

South Florida also got good news from junior college linebacker Curtis Weatherspoon, who's from the same hometown as Carlton Williams and Cedric Hill. Auman reports that Weatherspoon will enroll in January and be ready for spring practice next year.

• This actually happened on Thursday, but Louisville got a commitment from a second high school quarterback in the class of 2010. Mike Rocco from Lynchburg, Va., pledged to the Cardinals after throwing for 2,066 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior. Rocco works in a pro-style system that should fit Steve Kragthorpe's offense.

Earlier this month, Kragthorpe secured a commitment from Texas prep quarterback Luke Woodley, who threw for over 3,700 yards and 41 touchdowns in a spread system. With Louisville's top two quarterback candidates this season -- Justin Burke and Adam Froman -- both being juniors, the Cards need to restock the position for the future.