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Last spring, I sat in Bill Stewart's office in the West Virginia football complex for a long chat, as I had the previous two Aprils. Of course, this visit carried a distinctly different vibe, as Stewart was preparing to coach what he thought would be his final season as Mountaineers coach before handing the reins over to Dana Holgorsen.

Stewart never really wanted to participate in the peaceful transition of power, which became even more obvious just a few weeks later. Outwardly, though, he maintained his ever-rosy persona when I asked him what he planned to do with his life after football.

"I'm only going to be 59 this year," he told me. "I was born to coach. I was born to lead."

Sadly, and incredibly, Stewart didn't have much time to write a new chapter in his life, dying of a heart attack Monday just a couple of weeks shy of his 60th birthday.

His three-year run as West Virginia's head coach coincided with my three years covering the Big East for ESPN.com. I would always tell people who asked about the league one thing: There's not another football coach like Bill Stewart.

Nobody loved West Virginia more than the New Martinsville native who spoke reverentially about "the old Gold and Blue" every chance he got. You could have never pictured Stewart leaving the Mountaineers for a supposedly bigger job the way Rich Rodriguez did before the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Which is why, in the hours after Stewart led the the team to an upset of Oklahoma in that game as interim coach, West Virginia leaders got swept up in the euphoria and emotion and named him permanent head coach.

It was a hasty decision that in retrospect was probably the wrong call. Stewart hadn't even been a coordinator during his career as an assistant in Morgantown, and his one stint as a head coach, at VMI, was a failure. He could deliver a rousing speech, he could connect on a personal level with his players and -- despite the perception caused by his "aw shucks" manners -- he knew football.

But Stewart lacked an obsessive focus on details that mark most successful coaches at powerhouse schools, and his teams often reflected that. The Mountaineers in the Stewart era lost games to less talented teams because of untimely mistakes, turnovers and penalties. Fans believed his teams underachieved, and their case was only strengthened when Holgorsen won the Orange Bowl with Stewart's players last season.

But if the worst thing you could say about Bill Stewart was that he didn't spend every waking minute breaking down film or yelling at his assistants, so be it. He was a people person, through and through. On one of my first spring visits, we sat in his office talking for more than 90 minutes even though he had to attend a high school coaches' clinic that was underway. He asked me more questions than the other way around. On another visit, I was scheduled to drive back to Pittsburgh at the end of the day. Stewart worried that I would be driving into storms and kept checking the weather reports throughout the day. He asked me to let him know that I got back safely that night. How many BCS conference coaches would do that?

But that's how Stewart was, a genuinely nice and thoughtful person. His players -- some of whom, like Noel Devine, had wildly different backgrounds -- clearly loved him as a father figure. Players, media members and others who knew him got used to receiving daily inspirational text messages from Stewart while he was coaching.

And if Stewart was not the right guy to follow Rodriguez, then whose fault was that? If someone handed you your ultimate dream job, would you say no? Rodriguez's departure created an ugly rift, and Stewart helped unite the West Virginia family once again. His tenure was hardly a disaster, as the Mountaineers won nine games in each of his three seasons, including a share of the 2010 Big East title. The program recruited well on his watch, and he's responsible for bringing stars like Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Bruce Irvin to campus. Things could have gone a whole lot worse after Rodriguez left, but Stewart maintained the strength of the program and made it possible for Holgorsen to excel immediately. He was a nice guy who didn't finish anywhere near last.

Stewart was an American history buff who was convinced that his legacy would look better down the road. He might have been right about that, though the controversial end to the relationship between him and Holgorsen did him no favors. What I'll choose to remember about Stewart was his overwhelmingly decent, fundamentally caring personality. There was no head coach like Bill Stewart, and there weren't many people quite like him, either.

We're back, and the kindly introduction is over. It's time to get to know the real West Virginia.

How will the Mountaineers handle the transition? Big 12 blogger David Ubben and Big East blogger Andrea Adelson debated the issue.

David Ubben: TCU's jump would seem to be a lot bigger, but the Big East has had its well-chronicled struggles the past few years. The Mountaineers left the league with a convincing Orange Bowl win against Clemson, scoring 70 points in the process. Talk about endearing yourself to your new offensive-minded friends, huh? You've seen this team up close lately, though. What, if anything, do you think WVU will have to change to get back to the BCS as a Big-12 member?

Andrea Adelson: Well, one thing that definitely is going to change is the way West Virginia plays defense. Long-time defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel is out, and so is the odd 3-3-5 stack defense. The Mountaineers are going to go with a 3-4 base set under former Oklahoma State assistant Joe DeForest. This should help ease the transition from the stack, as West Virginia does not have the type of players on the roster to go with four down linemen.

In addition to the new scheme, West Virginia is losing its two best pass-rushers in Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller, perhaps its best defensive player in linebacker Najee Goode, and its best cover corner in Keith Tandy. There were times last season when the Mountaineers got beat deep in pass coverage, which will not bode well in Big 12 play.

However, cornerback Brodrick Jenkins has the potential to be truly terrific in 2012. He showed flashes late last season. As for the offense, coach Dana Holgorsen is looking for perfection. That means more consistent play out of an offensive line that was mediocre at times last season, and more explosion out of the run game. Starting running back Dustin Garrison is coming off ACL surgery, so it will be interesting to see whether he will be the same back come August.

Say what you will about the Holgorsen passing offense, but he definitely wants a running back to complement Geno Smith the way Kendall Hunter did with Brandon Weeden at Oklahoma State in 2010. How do you think West Virginia will fit in to its new conference home?

DU: WVU is a good fit on the field. Geographically, not so much, but the Big 12 teams have to like that. There's a lot of uneasiness with TCU entering the league. That could shake up recruiting a lot and cut into the share of teams like Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

But West Virginia's clearly a strong brand. This is a team that could just as easily have been in the SEC. Instead, it's in the Big 12. The three BCS wins are a big deal, as was the Orange Bowl win. That's endeared the Mountaineers to their new opponents in the Big 12. To win like that on that kind of stage says a lot about where the program is and where it's headed. Having a coach like Holgorsen, who has lots of ties to Texas, will help them grab a few players in Texas, too. The difference between WVU and Mizzou isn't much when you think about recruiting in Texas. I could see WVU being the biggest threat to Missouri recruiting in Texas.

But like TCU, winning games gets people excited. Big 12 fans are psyched about the Mountaineers, who seem like a fun group.

How do you think WVU's transition will compare to TCU's?

AA: Watching a team put up 70 points is always fun! Hearing a guy like Holgorsen talk is always fun because you never know what he is going to say.

But on to your question: I think West Virginia will have a much smoother transition than TCU because it has played in an AQ conference already. Yeah, OK enter your Big Least jokes in here. But West Virginia has been a solid program throughout the course of its history. Note that the Mountaineers are one of just 14 schools to have 700 program victories -- joining Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12.

West Virginia is one of just three schools to have at least nine wins in seven straight seasons. That doesn't happen by accident. And it's also important to note West Virginia is not exactly in a recruiting hotbed. Talent does not come pouring out of the state the way it does in Texas. The Mountaineers have built pipelines into Florida -- Geno Smith and Stedman Bailey being two notable examples on the squad -- and try to mine talent in Baltimore, Virginia and Washington, D.C. So I do think there will be inroads made into Texas with the Big 12 affiliation.

Already on the roster from the state are starting running back Dustin Garrison and quarterback Ford Childress, an ESPNU 150 player in the class of 2012. I respect the job Gary Patterson has done in building TCU, but I simply think there is going to be much more of a growing curve for a team transitioning to an automatic qualifying conference. What do you think?

DU: I'd agree. The Big East has been weak, but there aren't any teams like New Mexico and UNLV in that league, who are little more than a week off for teams as talented as TCU has been the past few years. Show up and you win.

Last year, even Kansas beat the MAC champions, Northern Illinois, before losing its final 10 games of 2011. Big 12 champion Oklahoma State lost to 6-7 Iowa State, too. This league is so, so deep. You have to show up and play well every week, and even then, you might not win. In 2010, 11 of the league's 12 teams had five wins and at least played a game with a chance to win six and qualify for a bowl game.

This year, nine of the 10 teams did that. It's got elite teams, too. Texas and OU played for titles in 2008 and 2009 and OSU was barely shut out of the title game this year.

The depth of the Big 12 is what TCU will have to get used to. In that sense, WVU will have to adjust much less. Of course, you never know for sure. We'll find out next year. WVU had some head-scratching losses, too. Losing to Syracuse by 26 points? Really? Sheesh.

Both of these teams are built to win in 2012, and I think they'll do it. But winning a Big 12 title requires you to show up every week and play well. In the Big East, which sent an eight-win team to the BCS in 2010, that hasn't necessarily been true.

In the Big 12, Texas or OU has basically run through the year with 0-2 losses every single season. If WVU wants to win this league, they'll have to do that.

When do you think WVU will win its first title? Will it win one?

AA: It is tough to put a time frame on when West Virginia will win a league title. As crazy as it might sound, I think this team is built to contend in 2012. The Mountaineers dropped FSU from the nonconference schedule, so you could consider Kansas as filling that void. I am sure West Virginia takes that.

Oklahoma is going to be a preseason national favorite, but after that, every single team returning has major question marks. Is Texas going to be Texas? What does Baylor do without RG3? What does Oklahoma State do without Weeden and Justin Blackmon?

You bring up a good point about the head-scratching losses. There have been a bunch of those over the last several seasons -- including TWO in a row to Syracuse. This is a team that has simply been inconsistent. It didn't put together a full game against Clemson. But I think Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are going to be a handful for teams to stop, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Mountaineers were a surprise contender in 2012. Are you buying or selling?

DU: I'd generally agree. Year 1 seems to be their best chance. It's a wide-open year in the Big 12, and I think Oklahoma's a bit overrated heading into next year, though the potential for a national title run is there. Texas looks like it's on its way back up, but next year won't be the year.

If it doesn't happen next year, though, I don't think WVU will win a Big 12 title in the next decade. It's a solid program that I think could get into the BCS, but win the Big 12?

With the stability, metroplex location and winning tradition, I like TCU's upside a whole lot more, and its ability to win a Big 12 title in the future. I'm buying a Horned Frogs Big 12 title in the next decade. Not so much on WVU.

Time to put you on the spot: What's WVU's record next year and Big 12 finish?

AA: I can see the hate mail trickling into the Big 12 mailbag over that one, Mr. Ubben!

DU: Maybe so. But hey, that's how we do things on the Big 12 Blog. I call it like I see it. And I see more potential for the Froggies, though I think the Mountaineers will be a solid, solid program. I wouldn't be that surprised if they won the league, but I'm not betting on it.

This is a league built around the state of Texas, and the location's going to make it tough for them to consistently field teams that can win 11-12 games consistently.

Next year, I'll take 9-3 for the Mountaineers, but a tie for third place.

After a bit of a delay, thanks to some legal wrangling, West Virginia is finally free.

The Big East and the Mountaineers have settled their lawsuit, and West Virginia is officially on its way to the Big 12 for 2012.

That means it's off the Big East blog and onto the Big 12 blog, too.

To help the Big 12 get to know its newest member, Big 12 blogger David Ubben asked Big East blogger Andrea Adelson for her thoughts.

David Ubben: AA, Les Miles had my favorite quote of the 2011 season in relation to West Virginia. "They were having a football party and invited us. I knew our guys would show up."

You were there, Andrea. What can Big 12 fans expect when they go to Morgantown? Is it a football party every weekend?

Andrea Adelson: Define "every weekend." West Virginia fans show up for the super gigantic games against teams like LSU and Pitt, but there has been concern that the fan base is "fair weather." Note -- 46,000 fans came out to watch Bowling Green. Now, the truth is, no fan in America gets up for the cupcake patsy schedule. But this rubbed Dana Holgorsen the wrong way, and he ripped on the fans after that game:

"All I heard about was how much this meant to everybody across the state of West Virginia. This was the NFL team in town and we're going to be here to support you. Well, having 40,000 people at a game isn't doing that. ... We do our best every week to fix what the problems are offensively, defensively and special teams wise. Well, what's everybody across the state of West Virginia, including the student body, doing to fix the fact that our players had to play in front of 40,000 people?"

Now, you remember Holgy from his days at Oklahoma State. OK maybe not, since there were not many of them. But he likes stirring the pot, and I firmly believe he did that to motivate a fan base that had become dispassionate with good ol' Bill Stewart "I never met a punt I didn't like" in charge. The fact is that West Virginia has the most spirited fan base in the Big East and averaged 8,000 more fans than Louisville, which ranked No. 2 in the league in attendance in 2011. The atmosphere is fun, and was absolutely electric against LSU.

I anticipate many more crowds like that with teams like Texas and Oklahoma appearing on the schedule. West Virginia fans have gotten a bad rap nationally because of the couch burning and rowdiness. But in the two games I attended last season, I thought everybody behaved themselves accordingly.

And hey, they now serve alcohol in the stadium. I'm sure Big 12 fans can drink to that.

DU: No doubt about the couch burning. Apparently West Virginia passed some legislation to make it stop, but I always found it sort of endearing and mostly harmless, albeit destructive. Maybe that's just me.

Holgorsen definitely speaks his mind, and I know fans will be fired up about alcohol sales in the stadium. What about once fans get to the stadium? Any in-game traditions they should be prepared for? Remember, this is the same league that had Texas A&M for its entirety. Visiting fans are prepared for a little weirdness.

AA: You mean weirder than couch burning?

Well, the Mountaineers mascot runs onto the field with the team toting a real rifle. Each year his costume is tailored to fit just him. But my favorite tradition has to be the playing of "Country Roads" at the end of each home victory. Fans stay in the stands and join the team in signing the song, which became a tradition in 1980 after John Denver dedicated Mountaineer Field with the song.

(Read full post)

Put on my blue suede shoes and I boarded the plane.

• One publication has Cincinnati's recruiting class as the best in the Big East. Cincinnati could still add one more player.
• Rutgers coach Kyle Flood is set to make some hires.
• Six USF players have Super Bowl rings.
• NFL Draft Diary with Phillip Thomas.
• The bickering continues between Sens. Joe Manchin and Mitch McConnell.
• West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen is contemplating new hires, too.

National signing day forced the cancellation of your midweek maiblog. But never fear, your week-ending mailblog is here.

Bob in CT writes: With the recruiting hoopla over, can we move on to next year's schedule? What happens if West Virginia plays in the Big 12 to teams like UConn, which would have four Big East teams they should play on the road and only two that they should play at home? Do you think that changes to three and three? Can you get a legal expert from West Virginia and from Rhode Island to give us their opinions on what will happen next?

Andrea Adelson: One of the most common questions I have gotten lately is about the future Big East schedule and when it is going to be released. I think your point is a big reason why there is no timetable for a release. Losing West Virginia would throw the scheduling situation into chaos, unless the Big East is able to convince a team like Boise State or San Diego State to join for 2012. I am pretty sure the Big East has got many, many contingency scenarios working but there is no way to guess right now how everything is going to play out. As for the legal expert -- stay tuned next week.

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Dave in Charlotte writes: What is your love affair with Charlie Strong? You've been praising him for over a year now. Yes, he has recruited well, but I disagree with your assessment that "he clearly showed in 2011 that he has the chops to coach up his young talent." The facts are, he has had two 7-6 seasons, with 2011 losses to FIU and Marshall. I'm not saying he's a bad coach -- just that you should let him earn his accolades.

Adelson: Is winning a share of the Big East title with one of the youngest teams in the nation not earning accolades? Those were two bad losses, but you forgot to mention the win at West Virginia, Louisville's first in Morgantown since 1990. He did it with a true freshman starting at quarterback, too. And let's not forget this program was in shambles when he arrived, and Louisville has been picked to finish near the bottom of the Big East for two straight seasons. So going 7-6 in back-to-back seasons, with a co-championship and bowl victory to me is proving your worth.

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Rickey in Lehigh Acres writes: I see that the Big East was 7-11 against AQ competition. That stat doesn't include USF's win over Notre Dame. Why not?

Adelson: It also doesn't include Pitt's loss to Notre Dame. For this post, we looked at how the Big East did against teams from AQ conferences. Notre Dame, as an independent, was left out.

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He Who has no Name writes: Andrea,Two questions/requests...1. Please tell Oliver Luck the next time you chat with him that his fan base absolutely does not want to drop FSU and would prefer we drop Marshall whom no one cares about playing. 2. Will ESPN allow you to come to the B12 blog with us? We would like someone who appears to keep their biases (or longing for the SEC) out of their work as much as possible :-D Thanks!

Adelson: I find your first point interesting. Nothing has been set on whether West Virginia is going to get out of the Florida State game, only that it might be an option. But say West Virginia goes into the Big 12 and faces a much more daunting schedule. Would fans still want to play what should be a preseason Top-10 team over what is a perceived automatic win over Marshall? I am always interested in hearing the fan perspective on having a tough nonconference schedule in addition to a tough conference schedule. As for the Big 12 blog, I leave you in the perfectly capable hands of David Ubben. He is even more lovable than me. I know, hard to imagine.

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Jack in Winston-Salem, N.C. writes: Whether Big East or Big 12, it looks from Dana Holgorsen's recruiting and comments he seems pretty sure he can roll up big scores on anyone. Do you see the other teams trying to match his offense or will they try to come up with more answers on defense?

Adelson: Oh, I think the Big 12 has him matched on offense, don't you think? When I mentioned West Virginia has question marks on defense headed into 2012, I got laughed at because "nobody plays defense in the Big 12."

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Andrew in California writes: I have a what if question about the (Greg) Schiano legacy. What if Temple had hired Schiano in 2001 and Rutgers had hired (Steve) Kragthorpe? Temple was booted at the end of 2004 for poor perfromance. Schiano lifted Rutgers from the ashes and saved their Big-East membership thanks to huge improvements on the field in 2003 and 2004. If not for Schiano, there is a really good chance that Rutgers would be in the MAC right now.

Adelson: I think Louisville fans would scoff, scoff! at the notion that Kragthorpe would have kept Rutgers down. But your point is taken, and should only reinforce the steps that Schiano made at Rutgers. So he didn't win any championships. But he absolutely saved a sinking program.

It is time to take a last look back at how each Big East team fared in 2011 with season-ending report cards. I wrap up the series with a look at West Virginia.

Offense: I could list the litany of school records West Virginia set this season, but there may not be enough room in this here post. Let's just say Dana Holgorsen is who we thought he was, and his high-flying system translated into the highest flying offense in school history. Geno Smith set a Big East single-season record with 4,385 yards passing; Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey each went over 1,000 yards receiving; and West Virginia averaged 459.6 yards of total offense while scoring an average of 34.9 points -- nine points higher than a year ago. The run game was inconsistent, and so was the offensive line. Though West Virginia did not put together a complete game on offense until the Orange Bowl, it is hard to give this unit anything but an A.

Grade: A.

Defense: No question this group got better as the year went on, primarily because all of the new starters on defense got a better feel for playing together. Taking Bruce Irvin out of the starting lineup and getting him back into situational downs shot up his sack numbers as well and helped the Mountaineers get reacquainted with their pass rush. One of the biggest reasons why West Virginia was able to storm back and win a share of the Big East was because of the way the defense played down the stretch, forcing critical turnovers and making key plays to pull out some close victories. And let's not forget the game-changing play against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, when Darwin Cook returned a fumble 99 yards to turn the tide in the game.

Grade: B.

Overall: West Virginia lived up to preseason expectations, even though it had to go about that in a roundabout way. After losing to Louisville, many counted the Mountaineers out. But they won three straight to earn the spot in the BCS title game, and then absolutely crushed Clemson with the spotlight squarely on them. This is a team that has some really excellent skill players who should rank right up there among the best in the country. The defense was up and down and will face a true test next season with a different scheme and many of its best players gone. But for 2011, there is no other way to judge this season than to say it was a success.

Grade: A.

Previously featured:

• Cincinnati
• UConn
• Louisville
• Pitt
• Rutgers
• USF
• Syracuse

West Virginia assistant Mike Smith lasted a little less than two weeks with the program.

Smith has decided to return to the New York Jets as linebackers coach, the school announced Thursday. Uncertainty over his position with the Mountaineers may have been a factor. In an interview with BlueGoldNews.com last month, Smith said figuring out what he would be doing for coach Dana Holgorsen needed to be figured out.

When West Virginia announced his hiring, Smith was only listed as a defensive assistant. He was the only assistant coach absent from the school's signing day media availability on Wednesday.

Here are some news and notes from each Big East team, based on comments from signing day news conferences today.

Cincinnati

The Bearcats signed 16 defensive players and 14 offensive players, and hit areas of need at linebacker and the secondary. This is also shaping up to be the best class in school history.

“The class lends itself to filling many needs within our program,” coach Butch Jones said. “We wanted to put an emphasis on team speed in general while addressing needs at defensive back and linebacker. We feel like we attracted a very high caliber of student-athlete in this class, which will continue to allow us to build a championship culture both on the field and in the classroom.”

UConn

The Huskies might not have the highest-profile class in the Big East, but they were able to fill several need areas. Coach Paul Pasqualoni said he was pleased with the class, but he would have been happy with another interior lineman and defensive back.

Two players committed but didn't sign — one flipped to Memphis and the other — receiver Neally Cunningham is expected to go to junior college.

Louisville

The Cardinals were able to bring in another outstanding class, and this one was led by the linebackers -- three of them are four-star players in James Burgess Jr., Keith Brown and Nick Dawson to specifically address a major need area. Working the state of Florida was huge, too. Ten total players, including transfers, hail from the state.

"We have to continue to move this program forward," coach Charlie Strong said. "You have to have a plan, you have to have a vision. The only way to win championships is bringing in great people."

Pitt

New coach Paul Chryst was also able to keep a strong recruiting class together, and did a great job once again in Western Pennsylvania, a key area for Pitt every year in recruiting.

"There's a group of guys, Pitt was the place for them," Chryst said. "They wanted to be here. They've got a unique bond because of sticking together and going through what they went through."

Rutgers

If there is one area Rutgers wants to dominate during recruiting it is the tri-state area, or the "state of Rutgers." Of the 20-player class, 19 are from the area. ESPNU150 defensive end Darius Hamilton was the big jewel of the class.

"It is the second year in a row now that the top player in the state of New Jersey has committed to Rutgers," coach Kyle Flood said. "But they are not the only great players that committed to Rutgers over the past two years, or the last three or five years. But every year we’ve been able to — more and more — build that wall around the 'State of Rutgers,' so that the players in our area are coming to play for us — the top players. And when a guy like Darius Hamilton does that on TV, what it does is it gives more validity to what we tell the people in this local area."

USF

Cornerback Chris Bivins has a chance to make an immediate impact, coach Skip Holtz said. Though the Bulls hit many of their needs in the secondary and on the offensive line, they did not sign a quarterback. That becomes a priority for the 2013 class.

"We would have liked to have a quarterback," Holtz said. "When you looked at some of the quarterbacks that were available, we were behind, and I did not want to take one just to take one. At that point, I said I'd rather hold onto it. I feel very comfortable with our quarterback situation right now."

Syracuse

Coach Doug Marrone was happy he was able to hit major needs on the defensive line. Though junior college defensive end Mark Garrick didn't sign as expected, Marrone listed Zian Jones and Markus Pierce-Brewster as two players who might be able to contribute immediately. He also said early enrollee Myles Davis, who came in as a linebacker, would start the spring at fullback.

He also mentioned kicker Ryan Norton as having a chance for an immediate impact as well because he is slated to handle kickoff duties.

West Virginia

Coach Dana Holgorsen confirmed what was long expected — the Mountaineers are abandoning the 3-3-5 stack defense they ran under former defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel and will run out of the 3-4 and 4-3. As for the offensive players that were signed, Holgorsen was high on receiver Deontay McManus.

“We’re fired up about getting him over here as soon as we can to teach him what to do and get him out there,” Holgorsen said. “Physically I can tell you right now he’s ready to play at the next level. We’ve got to get him here, teach him what to do and get his skills right to the point where he can get out there and compete at this level. We’re excited about Deontay and can’t wait to get him here.”

Big East conference call set for later this afternoon.

• Isaiah Pead looked good in his first Senior Bowl practice. Pead and Kendall Reyes caught the eye of one observer. Derek Wolfe has big hands.
• Former Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt speaks out about the state of the program.
• Rutgers got a huge commitment from offensive lineman J.J. Denman, who had been committed to Wisconsin.
• Former USF defensive coordinator Mark Snyder nearly doubled his salary in his move to Texas A&M.
• Syracuse got a de-commitment from linebacker Leroy Owens, who says he will sign with FIU. Why the JUCO route is perfect for the defensive line.
• West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen is still working to finalize his staff. Signing day will be busy in Morgantown.

West Virginia has hired Mike Smith as a defensive assistant as expected, the school announced Friday. Coach Dana Holgorsen will announce the coaching responsibilities of his new hires once his staff is complete.

The move had been widely reported for the past week.

Here is more from the school release:

“Mike has a promising future in the coaching profession, and I look forward to him joining the West Virginia coaching staff,” Holgorsen said. “I knew him during his playing days at Texas Tech, while I was on the coaching staff. He helped lay the groundwork that led to our success. He brings playing and coaching experience on both the college and professional levels.”

Smith comes to West Virginia after working for the past two and a half years with the outside linebackers for the New York Jets. He was recently promoted to full-time outside linebackers coach after serving as a coaching intern for the first two seasons.

He coached some of the Jets’ top linebacker talent and was on a staff which oversaw one of the NFL’s top defenses for the past two years. Some of his pupils included Aaron Maybin, Bart Scott and Jason Taylor. He was credited by Maybin for revitalizing his career after he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year for the 2011 season. The Jets defense finished the 2011 season ranked No. 5 in total defensive yards and No. 13 in rushing defense, allowing just 111.1 yards for game. The 2010 defense was No. 3 in the NFL in fewest rushing and total yards allowed, giving up only 90.9 rushing yards and 291.5 total yards per game. The Jets were No. 6 in scoring defense, giving up an average of 19.0 points per game.

“West Virginia University is one of the elite college football programs with a lot of history and tradition, and I am excited to join the staff,” Smith said. “I have known Dana for a long time, and it is evident to see how much he already has brought to the program in the short time he has been there. Having played in the Big 12 Conference, I look forward to being on the staff, as West Virginia makes the transition into a new era. The atmosphere and people at West Virginia were the biggest sell for me personally. It was like being at home.”

West Virginia has also hired Oklahoma State assistant Joe DeForest. The Mountaineers are in search of a replacement for defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, who is now at Arizona.

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

Cincinnati

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

UConn

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

Louisville

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

Pitt

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

Rutgers

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

USF

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

Syracuse

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

West Virginia

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

West Virginia hired Oklahoma State assistant coach Joe DeForest, the school announced Saturday.

Earlier this week, DeForest told The Tulsa World he had resigned to join the Mountaineers. According to the West Virginia release, coach Dana Holgorsen will announce the coaching responsibilities of his new hires once his staff is complete.

“Joe is an outstanding addition to the West Virginia football staff and brings years of experience, expertise and knowledge of the Big 12 Conference,” Holgorsen said in a statement. “He is not only a good coach, but a great teacher. I worked with him at Oklahoma State and look forward to him and his family joining the Mountaineer program.”

DeForest spent the past 11 years at Oklahoma State. Both were on the Cowboys’ staff in 2010. At Oklahoma State, DeForest was the associate head coach, special teams coordinator and safeties coach since 2005. From the 2001-05, he was the special teams coordinator and secondary coach for the Cowboys. He worked under Les Miles from 2001-04, and the past seven years under current coach Mike Gundy.

“I am happy to come to West Virginia University and be a part of Dana Holgorsen’s staff,” DeForest said in a statement. “Dana has done great things here already, and I look forward to helping him and the staff continue to build on what has already been started. As West Virginia enters the Big 12 Conference and with Dana’s previous knowledge of the conference, I am hopeful that my experience in the league also will be helpful in the transition as well. The Mountaineer program has a lot of history and tradition, and I look forward to West Virginia going to more BCS bowls in the future.”

The worst-kept secret has finally become official: West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel is headed to Arizona to join Rich Rodriguez in the same role.

Mountaineer defensive assistants Bill Kirelawich and David Lockwood are headed with him as well, Arizona announced Wednesday.

Both Casteel and Kirelawich coached with Rodriguez when he was the head man in West Virginia. Though their relationship went through its share of rocky moments, it was Rodriguez who asked Casteel to switch to the 3-3-5 stack defense that has become a trademark of his and the Mountaineers.

Casteel recalled during his media availability leading up to the Discover Orange Bowl:

"I think when we first came here, we thought that we'd be able to maybe get a niche in recruiting where we were having to go and recruit some of the three technique, so we thought it might be easier to get the tweener type kids, linebacker, the 6-foot-2, 185, 190, 200-pound kid and let them grow into 230, 235-pound kids that could run. So we tried to get a niche that way defensively along with Rich bringing in the spread and trying to get a niche offensively that way. It's kind of grown from that.

"We can morph into a lot of different things, I think, out of it. So it's been good to us. Over the last eight, nine, 10 years we've been fairly consistent. So it's been good for us."

Though reports had linked Casteel to Arizona since Rodriguez was hired last month, he steadfastly declined to comment on any speculation and wanted to focus on getting the team ready for the bowl game. But his past history, coupled with a desire to be seen as a viable candidate to become a head coach, made this seem like a move that was destined to be made.

Casteel issued a statement through West Virginia:

“I have enjoyed my time at West Virginia University, and it’s been 11 great years. I have coached some outstanding young men, and I would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication. I want to thank the coaches and staff members I have been associated with during my time at WVU for their work and support. The fans also have been great, and I want to thank them as well."

Now the big question for West Virginia moving forward is who coach Dana Holgorsen will hire to replace Casteel, and what type of defense the Mountaineers will run in the future. You have to go back nearly 10 years to remember a time when the Mountaineers ran a more traditional defensive formation.

Say what you will about the 3-3-5, it proved to be effective for Casteel. West Virginia ranked No. 3 in the nation in total defense in 2010, and No. 33 this season.

In Kirelawich, West Virginia is losing a lifer. He has been an assistant with the team since 1979, serving primarily as the defensive line coach.

Athletic director Oliver Luck also issued a statement on losing three defensive coaches:

“I want to thank our three departing defensive coaches for their more than 50 years of service to West Virginia University. They have been a part of much success and have left a lasting impact on our program and our student-athletes. Our football program will now move forward to fill our vacancies, and I am confident that Dana Holgorsen will bring in talented coaches that our players will continue to thrive under.”

You will have to wait until later this afternoon for my way-too-early 2012 Big East power rankings. But to keep you happy until then, I present Mark Schlabach's way-too-early Top 25 for 2012.

Two Big East teams make the list. Or is that 1.5 Big East teams? One Big East team? Still confused about what to call West Virginia in 2012. Until the lawsuits are settled, you will continue to see West Virginia in this blog -- although Big 12 blogger David Ubben included the Mountaineers in his 2012 Big 12 preseason power rankings, at No. 3.

So away we go:

No. 7 West Virginia. Schlabach says:

WVU fans finally saw a glimpse of how explosive coach Dana Holgorsen's spread offense can be in the Mountaineers' 70-33 rout of Clemson in the Discover Orange Bowl. Holgorsen's first season has to be considered a roaring success after a 10-3 finish, but the Mountaineers might have just scratched the surface with his high-powered offense.

No. 25 Louisville. Schlabach says:

Coach Charlie Strong has done a nice job of rebuilding the Cardinals, guiding them to back-to-back bowl games and a share of a Big East title in 2011. ... Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, tailback Dominique Brown and receiver DeVante Parker give the Cards a nice foundation on offense, and their defense should get better as a young secondary matures.

USA Today also has West Virginia at No. 10 in its early 2012 Top 25. Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com has West Virginia at No. 12, Rutgers at No. 24 and Louisville at No. 25.

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen won FWAA first-year coaching honors, and three Big East players were named to the FWAA Freshman All-America team announced Monday.

Holgorsen led the Mountaineers to a 10-3 record and win over Clemson in the Discover Orange Bowl in Year 1 as a head coach. The other Big East players honored:

• Rutgers offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson
• UConn running back Lyle McCombs
• Louisville offensive lineman Jake Smith

Johnson became the fifth player in school history to earn the prestigious honor, joining defensive tackle Scott Vallone (2009), quarterback Tom Savage (2009), offensive lineman Anthony Davis (2007) and defensive back Courtney Greene (2005). Johnson started 11 games this season at right tackle.

McCombs ran for 1,151 yards and seven touchdowns this season as the starter for the Huskies, and led the Big East in rushing in the regular season. That was the second-highest total among all freshmen in school history.

Smith became the first player in school history to be named on the Football Writers Association of America team. He started 13 games for Louisville at guard in 2011 as the Cardinals finished the season 7-6 and won a share of the Big East title.

The team and coach are selected by an 11-person panel of college football writers writers led by Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel.