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Louisville cornerback Darius Ashley has been suspended indefinitely after his second DUI arrest in seven months, coach Charlie Strong said Friday.

Strong held a news conference with the Louisville media, in which he stressed the importance of getting Ashley the help he needs to get his life back on track. Ashley was arrested this past weekend after he bumped a police cruiser. His blood-alcohol level was 0.186, more than twice the legal limit.

"Guys have to understand when they make a decision where their own life is placed in jeopardy or the life of someone else is placed in jeopardy, then it becomes a major problem," Strong said. "They have to realize they are responsible for their own actions. As a coach -- when a player fails, we all fail.

Ashley was expected to compete for the starting cornerback job, and now Louisville has even more concerns about depth in the secondary. Strong was asked whether he considered dismissing Ashley from the team.

"Any time you talk about do you dismiss a young man? When you see what has happened, two within seven months, you dismiss him from the team -- What does he become? Just another statistic in society?" Strong said. "So what did we accomplish and how did we help him? You have to help people. Here’s a young man who has never been an issue on our team until those two issues that he had, which are two serious issues, but he’s a young man, he went to class, never had a class issue with him, did all the right things. It wasn’t where I was going to walk in and say you’re out of this program. We have to help young people. Now, he may not ever play here again, but he’s going to be provided the right resources and enough help to get his life straight."

We continue our look at Big East title chances for each team in the league. Up today: Louisville. The Cardinals had a surprise season in Year 1 under Charlie Strong. Can they win a league title in Year 2?

Why Louisville will win the Big East

1. Dynamic duo. The Cardinals lose Bilal Powell, who led the team with 1,405 yards and was a huge reason they made it to and won their bowl game. But Victor Anderson and Jeremy Wright have the potential to step right in and keep up the pace in the running game. Anderson showed promise in the spring game after injuries held him back the past few years. He is ultra motivated to stay healthy going into his senior year. Wright missed the spring with an injury but should be fine for fall practice.

2. Young studs. No question Louisville is going to be young this season. But there is talent to be had. Much is expected of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who enrolled in school in January and participated with the team in the spring. He will definitely play this season. Eli Rogers and DeVante Parker could step right in at receiver; Gerod Holliman in the defensive backfield. Let's not forget redshirt freshman receiver Michaelee Harris and the return of Hakeem Smith at safety.

3. Front seven. The strength of the defense should be the front seven, where five of seven starters return. That includes defensive end Greg Scruggs, one of the hardest workers on the team poised for a big season. There is finally depth on the defensive line, with eight players returning who have had some starting experience. That could help make up for questions in the secondary.

Why Louisville won't win the Big East

1. Secondary. Perhaps the biggest question mark on the entire team is in the secondary. Smith made second team All-Big East as a freshman last season, but aside from him, there are some unknowns at cornerback with Johnny Patrick and Bobby Burns gone. Will cornerback Darius Ashley remain on the team after his second DUI arrest? Will Charles Gaines remain at cornerback after playing some there in the spring? Will Holliman be able to contribute immediately? Plenty has to be resolved before the season starts.

2. Offensive line. If you aren't good up front, then you aren't going to have much of a chance. The Cardinals return just one starter on the line in center Mario Benavides, who missed the spring with injuries. Powell had plenty of success because of his talent, but also because he had a veteran unit blocking for him. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford said depth is such a problem that Louisville might have to use true freshmen in the rotation this season. If there's any position where you don't want to see true freshmen, it's generally the offensive line.

3. Inexperience. It's well documented that Louisville lost 25 seniors from a team that won the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl last season. There is no question there is young talent, and that could be a plus. But it could also hurt when it comes to experience playing in big games and pressure-packed situations. Good teams thrive with veteran leadership, and that was the case last season. How is the youth movement going to serve Louisville?

Previously featured:

• West Virginia
• USF
• Rutgers
• Syracuse
• Pittsburgh
• Cincinnati

Enjoy your links ...

Ejuan Price was granted his release from Ohio State and plans to go to Pitt.

With the recent DUI arrest of Darius Ashley, Louisville has a cornerback conundrum.

Paul Pasqualoni got his chance to talk up the UConn program at ESPN on Monday.

USF newcomers report to campus this week.

Bill Stewart got $1.65 million as part of his settlement agreement with West Virginia. The Mountaineers got a commitment from athlete Brandon Napoleon, son of former WVU back Eugene Napoleon.

A blueprint for Syracuse to land top recruits.

It was Ray Rice Day in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Cornerback Kevin Houchins committed to Louisville.

Louisville cornerback Darius Ashley was arrested on a drunken driving charge for the second time since December after he rear-ended a police car this past weekend.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Ashley had a blood-alcohol level of 0.186, more than twice the legal limit. He hit the car at a stoplight early Saturday morning and told police his phone had distracted him. A team spokesman told the newspaper that coach Charlie Strong is aware of the incident but declined comment.

Ashley pleaded guilty to DUI in April following his arrest in December, when he was found unconscious at a drive-through with his car running. His blood alcohol level at the time was 0.192. Even though he missed spring practice, Ashley was considered to be one of the favorites to win a starting cornerback job this season.

2010 overall record: 7-6
2010 conference record: 3-4, T-5th in Big East

Returning starters:

Offense: 4. Defense: 7. Punter/kicker: 2.

Top returners:

S Hakeem Smith, C Mario Benavides, WR Josh Bellamy, RB Victor Anderson, LB Daniel Brown

Key losses:

RB Bilal Powell, CB Johnny Patrick, OT Byron Stingily, OG Mark Wetterer, TE Cameron Graham, WR Doug Beaumont, LB Brandon Heath, QB Adam Froman, QB Justin Burke

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Bilal Powell (1,405 yards)
Passing: Adam Froman (1,633 yards)
Receiving: Cameron Graham (470 yards)
Tackles: Hakeem Smith* (88 tackles)
Sacks: Rodney Gnat (9 sacks)
Interceptions: Johnny Patrick (5 interceptions)

Spring answers

1. Return of the Vic: Running back Victor Anderson, the 2008 Big East newcomer of the year, returned to the form that helped him rush for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman. Shaking off the injuries that have nagged him the past two years, Anderson had a big spring and earned praise from head coach Charlie Strong. Sophomore Jeremy Wright was presumed to be the starting tailback in place of Bilal Powell, but with Wright injured this spring, Anderson seized the opportunity.

2. Stein the man: True freshman and early enrollee Teddy Bridgewater arrived with a lot of hype from the recruiting trail. But it was former walk-on Will Stein who took charge of the quarterback competition. Stein, a junior who has made two career starts, used his poise and experience to hold off Bridgewater -- for now. Strong says he'd be very comfortable starting the 5-foot-10 Stein this season as Bridgewater continues to learn the college game.

3. Kicking it: It wasn't long ago that the Cardinals were a mess in the kicking game, especially on field goals. But Chris Philpott really solidified the punting and place-kicking chores from the middle of last season, making eight of his final nine field-goal attempts. The senior was back this spring doing his thing, and with so many injuries plaguing the Cardinals this preseason, at least they know they can count on Philpott on special teams.

Fall questions

1. Manning the corners: Cornerback was a position of need heading into the spring after the loss of starters Johnny Patrick and Bobby Burns. It remains a major concern going into the summer. The Cardinals looked at Jordan Paschal, Anthony Conner, Preston Pace and others this spring and even moved promising freshman receiver Charles Gaines there toward the end of practice. The return of Darius Ashley from injury should help, but big questions still linger.

2. Rebuilding the offensive line: The strength of Louisville's 2010 team was its veteran offensive line. This spring, that experience was nowhere to be found, as four starters graduated and the lone returnee, center Mario Benavides, sat out with a knee injury. Ryan Kessling and Alex Kupper have played as backups and should crack the starting lineup. The rest of the line is unproven and will need to continue to develop as a unit.

3. Finding big-play targets: The Cardinals struggled to stretch the field in the passing game last season, and they don't return much production at receiver. Senior Josh Bellamy established himself as a go-to guy there this spring, but the unit was thinned out by injuries this spring. Some talented newcomers are on the way this summer in DeVante Parker and Eli Rogers, and Louisville hopes Michaelee Harris can contribute after two unfortunate knee injuries. There should be more speed at wideout this season, but it will be awfully young.

• West Virginia's season ticket numbers are strong so far. Dana Holgorsen wants to see a new attititude out of the Mountaineers (might be the first time I've seen a coach use the word "vivaciousness"). The WVU defense is getting back to basics.
• Oliver Luck talked about Big East expansion.
• Caleb Ruch is still moving around the Rutgers offensive line. Linebacker David Milewski is close to returning from a knee injury.
• Syracuse's linebackers are small and inexperienced, but they have potential.
• A backup USF fullback is transferring.
• Louisville cornerback Darius Ashley pleaded guilty to a DUI charge.
• Zach Collaros could end up with some pretty historic numbers for Cincinnati.

Time to gauge the strongest and weakest spring positions for Louisville. (And I'll be checking out the Cardinals' first practice later on today.)

Strongest position: Safety

Key returnees: Hakeem Smith, Shenard Holton, Mike Evans

Key departures: None

The skinny: With injuries depleting several other positions, safety looks like it's, well, the safest heading into spring. Both starters and the top backup return, and Smith and Holton were the team's top two tacklers in 2010. Smith was the Big East newcomer of the year last season. It's a position that could use more depth, but there are young players available here and more coming in this summer, including Gerod Holliman.

Weakest position: Cornerback

Key returnees: None

Key departures: Johnny Patrick, Bobby Burns

The skinny: This looks like the most challenging issue for the Cardinals this spring, even with injuries riddling other positions. Both starters from last year are gone, including All-Big East performer Patrick. Junior Darius Ashley is out for the spring with an injury. So Louisville will need young players to step up, including redshirt freshman Jordan Paschal, while getting something out of seniors Anthony Conner and Preston Pace.

Louisville is going to be a little shorthanded when it opens spring practice on March 23.

Head coach Charlie Strong said during a media briefing Tuesday that several key players on both sides of the ball won't be available for spring drills because of injuries.

That includes many of the Cardinals' projected starters or heavy contributors on the defensive line. Senior tackle Greg Scruggs (sports hernia), senior end William Savoy (sports hernia) and sophomore end B.J. Butler (shoulder) all played major roles on defense last year but won't go this spring. Strong also mentioned sophomore returning starter Brandon Dunn as being "kind of questionable," but a Louisville spokesman later said that the tackle should be able to participate.

Cornerback Darius Ashley (shoulder) also will be held out, which is key because Louisville lost both starting cornerbacks from last year and has little experience at the position.

On offense, center Mario Benavides (knee surgery) is questionable for the spring. Benavides is the only returning starter on the Louisville offensive line. Meanwhile, running back Jeremy Wright (sports hernia) won't play this spring, either. He is expected to take over the starting job from Bilal Powell. The Cardinals still have former Big East Rookie of the Year Victor Anderson at tailback, and they have moved Zed Evans and Senorise Perry from defense to running back to help the depth there.

Receiver Damian Copeland (ankle) also will be held out, while wideout Andrell Smith (back) is questionable. Louisville is expecting freshman Michaelee Harris, who looked good in last year's fall camp before injuring his knee in August, to be healthy and ready to practice this spring.

The good news for Strong and the Cardinals is that all of the injured players are expected to be healthy by the start of fall practice. In the meantime, the team will have to build some depth and get other players reps in the spring.

I'll have more from Strong's informative session later on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.

Cincinnati hosts South Florida tonight at Nippert Stadium. The links lead off with those teams:

Zach Collaros and the Bearcats offense is clicking. A defensive switch worked out for Camerron Cheatham.

The Bulls hope they're better prepared for Collaros than they were last year. The South Florida offensive line is taking the blame for the team's scoring problems.

Pitt is prepared for Rutgers' Wildcat looks. Tino Sunseri is growing more comfortable.

Eric LeGrand has shown no movement, and his condition is not expected to change soon.

West Virginia is wary of Syracuse despite the Orange's performance against Pitt. Marvin Graves recalls the day he "robbed" the Mountaineers.

UConn is relying on Michael Box. Louisville's Darius Ashley is adjusting to cornerback.

• Pitt's Greg Romeus could be out as long as eight weeks, if he's even able to return.
• In the wake of Brandon Hogan's suspension, it's time for Brodrick Jenkins and Pat Miller to walk the walk.
• NC State's coaches are very familiar with Cincinnati.
• UConn needs to approach the Temple game with a sense of urgency.
• Jim Leavitt is trying to tie a questionable hiring of a basketball recruit's trainer into his wrongful termination suit against USF.
• The next two games could allow Syracuse to build some depth.
• Darius Ashley could be in line for more playing time at Louisville.
• Rutgers is getting back to basics on offense during its bye week.
• Villanova is only part of the answer for the Big East.

So much in football, Louisville coach Charlie Strong says, often comes down to how the linemen look coming off the bus.

"Small guys are just small guys," he said. "Big guys look good."

Strong is used to having a team pass the look test, having come off a long tenure as Florida's defensive coordinator. His new team doesn't measure up -- literally -- when it comes to the defensive line.

One of the key differences between Louisville's Orange Bowl team of 2006 and the three bowl-less editions that followed was elite talent up front on defense. Strong is mixing and matching and making do, but that means a guy like Greg Scruggs was moved to defensive tackle at just 262 pounds. The Cardinals are going to have to try to hold the fort with undersized players.

"You look at the offensive lines in this conference and you're like, 'Wow,'" defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said. "We're not big enough right now. We've got guys who are 260, 270 pounds, and when they go against a 330-pound offensive tackle, they're at a disadvantage."

Bedford said he wants his linemen to be in the 280- to 290-pound range and that the primary attribute the Louisville staff is seeking on the recruiting trail is size and bulk. But that's the future. They've still got to figure out how to win games now.

"We've got to load the box more and get as many guys as close to the line as possible to try and slow things down," Bedford said. "We've got to do a variety of things -- eight-man fronts, moving people around -- to give our guys a chance."

Size isn't always everything in football. The Cardinals hope they have other ways to get to the ball.

"Speed and knowing what you've got to do," senior linebacker Brandon Heath said. "Playing fast and executing every play, that will make up for a lot."

A few other notes from Louisville's media day:

• Even with the concerns on the defensive line, Bedford said his main worry is the secondary, where only cornerback Johnny Patrick is proven. Finding another suitable cornerback becomes more vital if the defense is loading the box to help against the run, leaving the defensive backs on an island. "As far as depth, there is none," Bedford said. Bedford said as of now, only Heath and Scruggs have locked up starting jobs on defense, though a natural disaster would probably have to occur to keep Patrick on the bench.
• Strong still has not named a quarterback out of the trio of Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein. He said his criteria will be to find a real team leader, someone "the guys truly respect."
• Former Michigan signee Demar Dorsey and USC transfer Jordan Campbell -- two guys who could really help the defense -- still aren't part of the team."We're moving forward as if those guys are not going to be here," Strong said.
• Redshirt freshman running back Jeremy Wright, who was so impressive in the spring that the staff felt comfortable moving Darius Ashley to cornerback, is out with a bruised knee and his timetable for return is unknown. He missed time in the spring with a sports hernia. Backup tight end Pete Nochta is also out with a knee injury.
• Strong didn't offer specific goals for the 2010 season and said he didn't know how long it would take to get Louisville back to its winning tradition. But he said he told the seniors that "we owe it to you to get you to a bowl game this year."

It's time to get back to our post-spring rankings of each Big East position group. A lot of teams have question marks in their secondaries heading into this summer; let's look at how they stand in comparison to one another:

1. West Virginia: The Mountaineers play five defensive backs in their 3-3-5 alignment and should be well stocked for 2010. Safety Robert Sands should compete for league defensive player of the year honors if he continues his rapid development, while senior Sidney Glover is an experienced playmaker at one of the other safety spots. West Virginia needs Brandon Hogan to rediscover his form and for Keith Tandy to keep improving, and this could be one of the team's strongest units.

2. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights lost the best cornerback in the Big East when Devin McCourty took his skills to the NFL, but I still like the group that's returning. Joe Lefeged should step up and assume McCourty's leadership role as a senior safety, while Khaseem Greene looks ready to become a front-line safety. David Rowe is a solid corner, and either Brandon Bing or Logan Ryan should fill the other spot. The Scarlet Knights have a lot of talented young players here to provide quality depth, as well.

3. Syracuse: The Orange officially have five returning starters in the secondary because of injuries last year, and several players gained valuable experience during 2009. There's a good mixture of veteran leadership with guys like seniors Mike Holmes, Da'Mon Merkerson and Max Suter as well as rising stars like Shamarko Thomas and Phillip Thomas.

4. Pittsburgh: Antwuan Reed helped answer a big question with a strong spring at cornerback. The other corner spot will likely be filled by either junior college transfer Saheed Imoru or Buddy Jackson, with Ricky Gary around to add depth. The safety position should be in good shape when Dom DeCicco and Andrew Taglianetti return from their injuries, while Jarred Holley established himself as a dependable safety last year.

5. South Florida: The Bulls lost a pair of draft picks in Nate Allen and Jerome Murphy and have some young players moving into key roles this season. The good news is those youngsters have talent. The key will be whether Quenton Washington and Kayvon Webster can hold down the cornerback spots.

6. Cincinnati: There's healthy competition in the secondary for the Bearcats, who increasingly gave up big plays in the passing game as the 2009 season wore on. Dominique Battle, Camerron Cheatham, Chris Williams and Reuben Johnson all vied for playing time at corner this spring. Drew Frey is a steady safety. The group needs to make more plays than it did a year ago but should embrace a more aggressive scheme this year.

7. Connecticut: The Huskies ranked last in pass defense last season and lost two senior stalwarts from the secondary. The defensive backfield was in disarray at times this spring. The return of Blidi Wreh-Wilson from his shoulder injury this summer should help out the cornerback spot with Dwayne Gratz. Jerome Junior should be solid at one safety spot, while Kijuan Dabney is trying to win the other job after moving from linebacker. The Huskies are counting on a lot of young players to improve quickly before the season begins.

8. Louisville: The Cardinals had so much trouble finding playmakers in the secondary this spring that running back Darius Ashley moved to corner to help out. Johnny Patrick is one of the league's better cornerbacks but needs help in the defensive backfield. The healthy return of safety Terence Simien would provide a boost, but this remains a trouble spot heading into the fall.

One of the fun things about spring practice is seeing players emerge from relative obscurity into major roles for the first time.

As I traveled around the Big East, I saw a lot of new faces and learned a lot of new names. Today I thought I'd highlight a list of five (actually six) players who opened my eyes. These aren't necessarily the biggest breakthrough players of spring. Rather, they are guys about whom I didn't know very much when practice started but who forced me to learn about them in a hurry:

1. Tim Wright/Quron Pratt, Rutgers: It was easy to miss Wright last year, even though he's a physically gifted, 6-foot-4 receiver. That's because he primarily played on special teams, if at all. But this spring, he took a leap forward and became one of Tom Savage's primary targets. And Pratt, a redshirt freshman, showed a lot of quickness and shiftiness in the slot receiver position. These two helped the Scarlet Knights' receiver position go from question mark to strength in a hurry.

2. Jeremy Wright, Louisville: Given all of the talk about Louisville's three primary running backs heading into the spring -- Victor Anderson, Bilal Powell and Darius Ashley -- I didn't hear a whole lot about the redshirt freshman Wright. But there were times in practice when he was the team's most impressive tailback, so much so that the Cardinals felt comfortable moving Ashley to defense. Unfortunately, a sports hernia injury cut Wright's spring short.

3. Adam Masters, Connecticut: Injuries to Jimmy Bennett and Mike Ryan allowed the redshirt sophomore Masters to get a lot of snaps at offensive tackle this spring, and he was so good at it that he may give one of those guys a battle for the starting job this fall. UConn continues to come up with excellent, under-the-radar offensive linemen.

4. Tristan Roberts, Pittsburgh: Roberts didn't play last year because of an injury and was mostly a special-teams player the year before. Now healthy, he made a big push this spring at outside linebacker, giving two-year starter Greg Williams reason to worry about his job security in the fall.

5. Evan Davis, Cincinnati: It's hard to be more anonymous than a backup center, even on a BCS bowl team. Davis waited behind Chris Jurek for two years before getting a crack at the starting job this spring. He didn't disappoint, playing extremely well and giving the Bearcats peace of mind at that crucial position.

2009 overall record: 4-8

2009 conference record: 1-6, T-7th Big East

Returning starters

Offense: 9. Defense: 6. Punter/kicker: 1

Top returners


QB Adam Froman, QB Justin Burke, RB Victor Anderson, RB Bilal Powell, WR Doug Beaumont, CB Johnny Patrick, LB Brandon Heath

Key losses


WR Scott Long, WR Trent Guy, LB Jon Dempsey, LB Antwan Canady, DT L.D. Scott, DT L.T. Walker

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Victor Anderson* (473 yards)
Passing: Adam Froman* (1,354 yards)
Receiving: Scott Long (1,727 yards)

Tackles: Jon Dempsey (107)
Sacks: Chris Campa (6)
Interceptions: Chaz Thompson (3)

Spring answers


1. Only the Strong survive: From his "Circle of Life" drills to open practice to the way he and his staff raised the intensity of every workout, new coach Charlie Strong did everything he could to instill toughness and passion in the Cardinals. The team, which is tired of losing, seemed to buy in to Strong's methods wholeheartedly. Louisville hopes it can make up for what it may lack in talent with heart.

2. Crowded backfield: Victor Anderson, who was limited by offseason shoulder surgery, is one of the best running backs in the Big East. Bilal Powell looked sleeker and faster this spring, while redshirt freshman Jeremy Wright impressed everybody before suffering a sports hernia injury. The Cardinals felt so good about their tailback depth that they moved Darius Ashley to cornerback.

3. Kicking it up a notch: Louisville was pretty horrendous on field goals the past two years and shuffled through kickers while looking for someone who could do the job. Chris Philpott seized control of that position this spring and drilled several long field goals in high-intensity drills. A few more field goals here and there could make the difference in a winning or losing season.

Fall questions


1. Quarterback conundrum: Adam Froman and Justin Burke split reps with the first team throughout the spring, and Strong has yet to name a starter. It's the second straight year that Louisville will enter the fall without a clear No. 1 quarterback. And will freshman Dominique Brown get a chance to compete there when he arrives this summer?

2. Trouble in the trenches: Simply put, the defensive line did not look talented enough to compete with the better offensive lines in the Big East throughout much of this spring. The interior of the line lacks bulk and strength, while Louisville hasn't had a top-flight edge pass rusher in a couple of years now. It's a problem that probably will only get fixed through recruiting.

3. Secondary concerns: Moving Ashley wasn't just a sign of strength in the offensive backfield. It was a desperation move to shore up the defensive backfield. Johnny Patrick is a solid cornerback, but the other corner spot was a mess. And with Terrence Simien sitting out the spring while he recovered from a kidney injury, the safeties didn't look so hot either. Combine the secondary issues with the lack of a legitimate pass rush, and there are major reasons to be concerned for this defense heading into the fall.

• Pitt's Mike Shanahan is bouncing back after a spring bout with mono, Michael Sanserino writes it the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• West Virginia's Soraya Ogebar, who is from Nigeria, has learned to love football, Mike Casazza writes in the Charleston Daily Mail.
• UConn is wrapping up spring practice but still evaluating, Desmond Conner says in the Hartford Courant.
• Skip Holtz will match the ones vs. ones in Saturday's South Florida spring game, Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times.
• Louisville's Darius Ashley, the second-leading rusher on the team last year, is adjusting to his spring fling at cornerback, C.L. Brown writes in The Courier-Journal.