ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 10-3
2011 conference record: 5-2 (T-1)
Returning starters: Offense 4; defense 8; kicker/punter: 2

Key returners
WR Kenbrell Thompkins, QB Munchie Legaux, WR Anthony McClung, DE Walter Stewart, DE Dan Giordano, S Drew Frey, LB Maalik Bomar

Key losses
QB Zach Collaros, RB Isaiah Pead, LB JK Schaffer, DT Derek Wolfe, DT John Hughes, WR D.J. Woods, LT Alex Hoffman, LG Randy Martinez

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Isaiah Pead (1,259 yards)
Passing: Zach Collaros (166-of-272 for 1,940 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs)
Receiving: Anthony McClung* (683 yards)
Tackles: JK Schaffer (114)
Sacks: Derek Wolfe (9.5)
Interceptions: Three with three each

Spring answers

1. Middle linebacker: One of the biggest holes for the Bearcats this spring was at middle linebacker, where JK Schaffer had more than 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons. After spring ended, Solomon Tentman was penciled in as the starter, after playing sparingly in his time on campus. The reason -- a major knee injury that threatened to end his career before it really started. But Tentman fought back with hard work and determination and is one of the surprise stories of the spring.

2. Inside presence: Cincinnati lost some major beef in the middle of its line, with the departures of John Hughes and Derek Wolfe, both high NFL draft picks last month. But as expected, Camaron Beard and Jordan Stepp had good springs and leave as the starters at tackle. The hope is that their athleticism will help make up for their smaller size.

3. Walter Stewart emerges as leader: Coach Butch Jones singled Stewart out not only for his exemplary play this spring, but also for his growth as a leader. Cincinnati is definitely going to need the leadership after losing so many key seniors from its Big East championship team.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback: Coach Butch Jones isn't ready to name his starter yet, though Munchie Legaux filled in for an injured Zach Collaros in three starts last season. Jones says Brandon Kay has really pushed Legaux this spring, and wants the competition between them to remain open into the offseason. Legaux has got to work on his accuracy and chemistry with his receivers in order to take the next step.

2. Receiver depth: One of the biggest areas of concern headed into the offseason is at receiver, where Cincinnati is in need of a number of players to step up. Receiver was one position where Cincinnati underachieved last season. Kenbrell Thompkins, Anthony McClung and Alex Chisum all have great potential, and so does the recently-converted Jordan Luallen. But given this offense, Cincinnati needs more than just four receivers to be playmakers.

3. Secondary depth: This has been one area that has been a concern for several years now. While Cincinnati does have several experienced players returning, Jones listed depth at this position as one area he wants to see improved throughout the offseason. Cincinnati had several players sit out spring drills because of injury, so that also was a factor.

I had a chance to catch up with Cincinnati coach Butch Jones on Tuesday, with the Bearcats having wrapped up spring practice. Here are a few notes from our conversation.

• Jones is not yet ready to name a starting quarterback, leaving the competition between Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay ongoing through the summer. "The big thing is an overall level of consistency that we're searching for," Jones said. "Both are a little bit different in their games, but the thing that we're searching for is the individual who can manage the offense with great efficiency, take care of the football, who is a coach on the field. A lot of great quarterback play is a lot like being a great point guard in basketball, knowing how to distribute the ball, identifying matchups and taking care of the football. It's the small details. I've been really encouraged by both individuals. They've shown tremendous work ethic, and great poise. The competition has made them both better."
• The players Jones noted who really stepped up their games this spring: defensive linemen Walter Stewart, Dan Giordano and Jordan Stepp; running backs George Winn and Jameel Poteat; receiver Kenbrell Thompkins; and offensive lineman Eric Lefeld. Watch for Stewart to emerge as the new leader on defense.
• Receiver is still an area with big questions. Thompkins and Alex Chisum both had nice springs, but depth is a concern. Anthony McClung was limited with an injury, while Dyjuan Lewis got hurt early in the spring and will not be back in time for fall practice. Lewis suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot while going up for a ball and landing awkwardly. Jordan Luallen, making the transition to receiver, also was limited during the spring with an injury, though he returned for the final two practices. Jones expects to rely on him in the passing game, and needs Max Morrison, Chris Moore and Shaq Washington to have very productive summers.
• Cincinnati also was missing a few offensive linemen this spring because of injury, including starter Austen Bujnoch. Cory Keebler was also limited. But that gave other players valuable reps. Jones feels good about Dan Sprague at center. Sean Hooey returned and got extensive reps, and Jones also liked the way Kevin Schloemer practiced as well.
• On defense, Solomon Tentman has garnered some attention with his incredible return from a devastating knee injury. But Jones noted that Tentman is not even at 100 percent. Jones also praised Greg Blair and Nick Temple, who will be relied on both in the middle and on the outside at linebacker. "We are going to ask a lot of Nick," Jones said. "He has to be a rock of stability for us."
• The secondary looks to be the most experienced position in terms of number of starts, though veterans Deven Drane and Dominique Battle both sat out with injuries. That gave Trenier Orr valuable reps, and Arryn Chenault has emerged at safety next to Drew Frey.
• So what are the major question marks left? "It is the overall depth and continuity on the offensive line, that still remains an area of concern," Jones said. "I think again, depth at receiver, young individuals having to step up. Overall the middle of our defense, at defensive tackle, linebacker and the safety position as well."
• One other injury to note: defensive lineman Roney Lozano got hurt this spring and is not expected to return until the middle of the season.

Cincinnati safety Drew Frey made the Big East first team last season, though that may have been hard for him to imagine the way his career began.

Frey came to the Bearcats in 2007, eager to prove himself immediately. But he dislocated his shoulder during his first camp and was forced to redshirt.

No problem. Frey worked as hard as he could to get back into shape and be better than ever. His redshirt freshman season came, and Frey impressed coaches enough during fall camp that he got his shot at some significant playing time early in the year.

That led to his first career start.

And another setback.

Frey broke his arm in the first quarter of that first college start, ending his season yet again.

"That was a big blow," Frey said in a recent phone interview. "But it's not over unless you say it's over. I think those injuries have made me become a better person, a better player. Obviously I got set back. But I needed to take strides not only get to where I was but to keep getting better. It was a good for me."

Because the injury happened early on, Frey was granted a sixth year of eligibility. And the dark moments were only temporary, replaced with even more eagerness to get back onto the field. Now, would you believe that Frey has started 36 games for the Bearcats, among the most of any player returning to the Big East in 2012?

He is coming off his finest season, in which he finished second on the team with a career-high 73 tackles, had two interceptions and eight pass breakups. The way he did it is even more commendable when you consider the full classload he took as an architectural engineering technology major.

Frey had to take two classes for his major that ran through all of his meeting time before practice. So Frey would come in early to meet with his defensive coordinator and position coach, then would have to build in extra time into his already-busy day to watch film.

"I think it was beneficial because I got that one-on-one time," Frey said. "I got to dig into the coaches' minds, and ask, 'Why are we calling this call?' It was good for us in the grand scheme of things but it was difficult."

Frey has become a mainstay in a defensive backfield that has gone through its fair share of ups and downs, but one that has greater expectations headed into the spring game Saturday and the upcoming season.

For one, the group is the most veteran unit returning to the defense. They should be better than they have been the last three years. They also have a new defensive backs coach Shannon Morrison, whom Frey says relates really well with the players.

"As a team and as a defense and defensive backfield, we always strive for greatness," Frey said. "It's that level of competitive greatness, we're striving for that every day. Spring is not about perfection. It's about the details, stressing effort, intensity, swarming to the ball that team sense of getting 11 hats together. From a defensive back perspective, I want to be that guy that gets everybody going."

Today, we move on to the candidates for best defense in 2012.

Several of the best defenses in the league from a year ago return with their key players. A few others should make improvements. Who are my top four candidates headed into spring practice?

Cincinnati. The Bearcats have some definite question marks on defense headed into the season, with JK Schaffer, Derek Wolfe and John Hughes gone. But they also return some veteran players, particularly along the defensive line and in the secondary. Walter Stewart is poised for a breakout season at end. Drew Frey is coming off an All-Big East season at safety. If the front seven is able to match the production of a year ago, that will alleviate whatever concerns there might be in the middle of the defense, and at corner.

UConn. The Huskies had the best run defense a year ago, but the worst pass offense. I fully expect the back end to be much better, with Blidi Wreh-Wilson back and healthy, and several young players in Ty-Meer Brown and Byron Jones having gained experience a year ago. Kendall Reyes is gone inside, but this is a defense that returns a majority of its starters, along with solid linebacker Sio Moore.

Louisville. The Cardinals finished No. 2 last season in total defense, and return a great majority of their key contributors. The big hole is in the middle of the defense since Dexter Heyman is done. The secondary should be much improved now that young players have much more game experience. The Cardinals need more depth along the defensive line, but the players who should contribute all saw significant action last season. If there is one thing you can bank on with a Charlie Strong-coached team, it is solid defense.

Rutgers. This would be my preseason choice for No. 1 defense. The Scarlet Knights were No. 1 in the Big East last year and return virtually everybody. That includes Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene, along with Logan Ryan, Scott Vallone and Steve Beauharnais. Greg Schiano is gone, but the aggressive defensive scheme that he favored will remain.

I included "other" as an option so folks can express their displeasure with my four choices. If I had to put in a No. 5 choice, it would probably be USF. The Bulls return many key players, including Sam Barrington, DeDe Lattimore, Ryne Giddins and Kayvon Webster. But they also switched defensive coordinators and have to prove they can hold on to four-quarter leads.

Make sure to vote, or send me an email or leave a response in the comments section with your prediction for best defense in 2012.

Last up in our position rankings for the defense -- the secondary. In the preseason, I rated the safeties and cornerbacks separately. In the postseason evaluation, I feel that would be a little redundant, so I am taking into account the unit as a whole. Of all the positions, I felt there was a clear bottom and a clear top to the league in this category.

In my opinion, this was also one of the weakest positions in the league. Only three teams allowed opponents to complete fewer than 60 percent of their passes.

1. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights were clearly the best here, allowing a league-low eight passing touchdowns, grabbing a league-high 19 interceptions and allowing their opponents to complete just 51.8 percent of their passes. Logan Ryan emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, while safety Duron Harmon won first-team honors.

2. West Virginia. Though there were some problems for the Mountaineers in the secondary this season, for the most part this group held its own. Cornerback Pat Miller was inconsistent and eventually lost some starts to Brodrick Jenkins -- who was an upgrade. Keith Tandy was third in the league with four interceptions, and Eain Smith, Terence Garvin and Darwin Cook played well at safety. West Virginia finished the year as the No. 2 pass defense, and let's not forget some of the huge plays this group made at the end of the season.

3. Pitt. The Panthers were up and down in pass defense all year, and were hurt when safety Jason Hendricks was lost for the year. Antwuan Reed was better; Jarred Holley earned his spot on the Big East first team. This was not an opportunistic group, with a league-low eight interceptions. But it was one that got better as the year went on. After allowing over 300 yards in two of the first three games of the season, the Panthers held the rest of their opponents below that mark.

4. USF. This unit was steady, if unspectacular in 2011. Kayvon Webster was much improved, and Jerrell Young did a nice job anchoring the team at safety. But there weren't big plays -- 12 total interceptions, and depth was an issue when injuries hit late in the season. Major kudos are deserved for holding West Virginia to 237 yards -- second-lowest on the year.

5. Louisville. The Cardinals were better than I expected given all the youth and inexperience in the secondary. Hakeem Smith was good again; Adrian Bushell was a huge pickup and made a big impact. The one weakness was getting beat way too many times on deep passes. Louisville allowed 20 passing touchdowns and had just 10 interceptions, tied for second-worst in the league.

6. Cincinnati. The Bearcats were a much more opportunistic group than a year ago. Drew Frey emerged as a first-team Big East safety, and Cam Cheatham and Deven Drane each got three interceptions. But the long pass was again something the Bearcats had a hard time covering, and wrapping up and tackling was sometimes a problem, too. Opponents averaged 7 yards a completion.

7. Syracuse. Injuries took a toll on the defensive backs last season. Players like Shamarko Thomas, Olando Fisher, Ri'Shard Anderson and Keon Lyn were banged up and that impacted how everybody played. Then the best player in the secondary, Phillip Thomas, was suspended for the final two games of the season. Syracuse gave up 300 yards five times last season, and only had 10 interceptions.

8. UConn. The Huskies struggled in the secondary all season, particularly after starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson went out with a knee injury. There were a lot of young players forced into action, and it showed. UConn gave up over 400 yards passing four times last season, and ranked last in the league in passing defense.

With one day to go before signing day, it is worth taking a look back at how the players on the Big East first-team fared when they were coming out of high school.

You will see, once again, that recruiting rankings generally have nothing to do with the way a player will do in college. So anybody freaking out about what your school does or does not have in the way of commitments for 2012, just take a deep breath. And look at how some of the most unheralded players out of high school become some of the best in the Big East.

I used ESPN recruiting rankings. Note only one player honored on the first team was ranked as an ESPNU150 player. Many on defense came in as either athletes, receivers or quarterbacks.

Offense

WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. Sanu was ranked the No. 18 safety in the nation coming out of high school in 2009, with a scout grade of 80.

WR/RS Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Austin was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation coming out of high school in 2009 -- three spots behind De'Antwan Williams (Rutgers) and one spot behind Jason Douglas (Pitt). Know who else was ranked ahead -- Victor Marc and Bradley Battles of USF.

OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse. Unranked at his position for the class of 2009, Pugh got a scout grade of 40. Talk about making the most of somebody who was "undervalued."

OT Don Barclay, West Virginia. Ranked No. 65 at his position in the class of 2007. One other West Virginia player was ranked athead of him, at No. 55 -- Gino Gradkowski, who transferred to Delaware.

OG Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Rated the No. 161 defensive end in the class of 2007.

OG Art Forst, Rutgers. Forst was ranked the No. 25 offensive tackle in the class of 2008 -- the second-highest Big East player on the list behind Lucas Nix of Pitt.

OG Andrew Tiller, Syracuse. Tiller was unranked and did not even get a scouts grade when he was being evaluated in 2009 out of Nassau Community College.

C Moe Petrus, Connecticut. The best center in the Big East was unranked and had no scouts grade when he signed with UConn in 2007.

TE Nick Provo, Syracuse. Provo was ranked No. 86 at his position in the class of 2007

QB Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith has lived up to his billing -- ranking No. 97 on the ESPNU150 in the class of 2009. He was the No. 8 player at his position and No. 15 in the state of Florida.

RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The No. 152 ranked running back in the class of 2008, Pead got a scout grade of 71. He just won MVP Honors on the Senior Bowl.

RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh. Rated the No. 66 running back in the class of 2009, Graham was rated behind West Virginia's Daquan Hargrett (left program) and USF's Adaris Bellamy (academics).

RB Antwon Bailey, Syracuse. Ranked the No. 128 running back in the class of 2008 -- well behind fellow signee Averin Collier (No. 42). Collier was considered the gem of the class, but academics derailed his career.

K Dave Teggart, Connecticut. Teggart was ranked the No. 25 kicker in the class of 2007.

Defense

DL Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe was unranked at his position in the class of 2008 and got a scout grade of 40. Four years later, he was the co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

DL Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Reyes also was unranked in his position in the class of 2007 with a scout grade of 40. Believe it or not, he came into UConn at 220 pounds (he's now around 300) and now has a shot to be a mid-round draft pick.

DL Chandler Jones, Syracuse. Jones came to Syracuse as a 230-pound tight end, unranked and giving a scout grade of 40. Now he is headed to the NFL draft as a projected second-to-third round pick.

DL Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Irvin took an incredible journey to West Virginia through Mt. SAC junior college after dropping out of high school.

LB JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer was ranked the No. 93 outside linebacker in the class of 2008, behind such players as Tyler Urban, Marvin Booker (Rutgers), Quavon Taylor (USF) and Marcus Witherspoon (Rutgers).

LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. No ranking or scout grade for Greene, who went to prep school before arriving at Rutgers.

LB Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a quarterback and linebacker in high school who was not ranked.

CB Adrian Bushell, Louisville. Bushell was ranked the No. 21 cornerback in the class of 2008 and originally signed with Florida. After playing at junior college, he made an immediate impact with the Cardinals.

CB Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy was ranked the No. 207 quarterback in the nation in the class of 2007. The same group that featured Jimmy Clausen and Ryan Mallett.

S Drew Frey, Cincinnati. Frey was a receiver coming out of high school and unranked, with a scout grade of 40.

S Hakeem Smith, Louisville. Smith was ranked the No. 93 receiver in the class of 2009, but his athleticism allowed him to switch to defense and emerge as one of the best safeties in the league.

S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh. Also a receiver in the class of 2008, Holley was ranked No. 230 at that position with a scout grade of 65.

S Duron Harmon, Rutgers. The No. 49 athlete in the class of 2009, he was ranked below teammate Jamal Merrell, Todd Thomas of Pitt and Kayvon Webster of USF.

P Pat O'Donnell, Cincinnati. O'Donnell was unranked with a scout grade of 40, but he has emerged as one of the most impressive iron men in the league.

It is time to take a last look back at how each Big East team fared in 2011 with season-ending report cards.

First up: Cincinnati

Offense: The Bearcats were a much different offense in 2011 than they were in 2010. Total offense was down by 31 yards, and so were total first downs and third-down conversions. But rushing offense was up, as Cincinnati tried to play to its strengths: running the football. Credit the Bearcats for having a solid offensive line and the Big East Offensive Player of the Year in Isaiah Pead. After starting quarterback Zach Collaros got hurt, it was much harder for the Bearcats to generate any offensive consistency with Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen behind center. Pead had his struggles as well. The receiving corps as a whole has also got a lot of growing up to do and that showed no matter who was throwing the passes. As much as I would like to give Cincinnati a pass for what happened with Collaros, that is indeed part of the season and part of the overall grade.

Grade: B.

Defense: One of the biggest reasons the Bearcats won this season is because of their defensive turnaround. Total defense was right around the same as it was last year, but the biggest areas of improvement are among the most important to defensive success: rushing defense, sacks, tackles for loss and takeaways. Cincinnati ranked No. 1 in the Big East in sacks with 46 -- a whopping 20 more than last season. The Bearcats had 16 interceptions -- double what they had last year. Overall they had 33 takeaways -- 19 more than 2010. They also gave up an average of 40 yards fewer per game on the ground. Playing aggressive, opportunistic defense generally makes your team much better, and that is exactly what Cincinnati did in 2011. You can't overlook the contributions of Derek Wolfe and JK Schaffer, or the improvement of safety Drew Frey to this group.

Grade: A.

Overall: Once again, Cincinnati was underestimated going into the season and once again the Bearcats proved their doubters wrong, finishing with a share of the Big East title, a 10-win season, a bowl win for the first time since 2007, Big East coach of the Year honors for Butch Jones, six players on the Big East first team, and a final AP ranking of No. 25. Whew! It is worth repeating that Cincinnati won 10 games for the fourth time in five seasons, an incredible standard to continue to uphold. Getting to double-digit victories is the sign of a great season and this one absolutely qualifies for Cincinnati.

Grade: A

National signing day is inching ever closer, so it is time to take a look at the biggest recruiting needs for every team in the Big East.

Cincinnati

Defensive line. Cincinnati loses a host of seniors from this position, including Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe, John Hughes, Monte Taylor, and Rob Trigg. Factor in the key contributors for 2012 will be seniors in Dan Giordano, Brandon Mills and Walter Stewart and it is time to reload at this position.

Receiver. There is some promising young talent on the roster, but several guys are going to be leaving in the next few years. The Bearcats really need a guy who can stretch the field and make some big plays to join Anthony McClung and Alex Chisum.

Secondary. The Bearcats are going to take a hit at this position after 2012, losing a ton of seniors-to-be, including Cam Cheatham, Drew Frey, Dominique Battle and Reuben Johnson. Senior safety Wesley Richardson is already gone. The lone four-star commitment the Bearcats have is from a safety, Marcus Foster.

UConn

Quarterback. This need has been addressed in this recruiting cycle, with junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer and Casey Cochran already enrolled in school.

Tight end. With the impending departure of Ryan Griffin and John Delahunt, the Huskies could use another young player to be groomed to take over. Tight end is a critical part of the UConn offense.

Offensive line. UConn is losing its two best linemen in Moe Petrus and Mike Ryan. Of the 16 linemen currently listed on the roster, seven are juniors or seniors. Linemen generally take a redshirt season, so it never hurts to sign more to be able to restock.

Louisville

Linebacker. The Cardinals are losing Dexter Heyman and have a lot of juniors and seniors on their roster at this position. It is no surprise, then, that three of the top players coming in are linebackers -- Keith Brown and James Burgess are already enrolled; four-star recruit Nick Dawson has given a commitment.

Offensive line. Louisville has young players here, but not much depth, as evidenced this season when several true freshmen were forced to play much earlier than anticipated. It never hurts to build depth here, and the Cardinals have gotten a huge commit from four-star guard Abraham Garcia out of Miami.

Running back. This was an area the Cardinals struggled in this season, having to move quarterback Dominique Brown to the position. Victor Anderson is gone, and this team could really used another back to carry the load.

Pitt

Quarterback. This one is pretty self explanatory if you watched Tino Sunseri play. Mark Myers and Trey Anderson are also on the roster, but the Panthers are in definite need here -- which is why so many fans are looking forward to commit Chad Voytik coming to town.

Linebacker. This has been an area of inconsistency for the Panthers, who lose their best player in Max Gruder. There are some young players with talent in Todd Thomas and Ejuan Price, but this position could definitely use an upgrade.

Receiver. The play of the offense was disappointing this season, and that includes the receivers. Pitt could use some players to stretch the field. Ronald Jones was a start this season. But when you consider that Cameron Saddler, Mike Shanahan and Devin Street will all be upperclassmen in 2012, this is a definite area of need.

Rutgers

Receiver. Mohamed Sanu is gone, and Mark Harrison is a senior to be. There is plenty of young talent, but there is a reason Rutgers has commitments from four athletes. This gives the Scarlet Knights the flexibility to try them at receiver or running back, another area of need.

Running back. Once Savon Huggins got hurt this year, Rutgers had Jawan Jamison and Jeremy Deering at running back and that was about it. Depth has to be developed here.

Offensive line. Strides have absolutely been made at this position, but coach Greg Schiano likes to reiterate that the Scarlet Knights aren't going to pull themselves out of the hole they were in overnight. They need another solid draft class at this position to keep building.

USF

Secondary. Injuries and inconsistent play this season showed the Bulls really lacked some depth and need some immediate help in this area, which is why they signed junior college cornerbacks Fidel Montgomery and Josh Brown. One of their top four-star commitments is cornerback Chris Bivins.

Quarterback. Beyond B.J. Daniels, a senior in 2012, the Bulls have Bobby Eveld and Matt Floyd as the two heirs to take over. Eveld has been less than impressive, and we don't know much about Floyd. The Bulls would be served to get another quarterback in as they prepare for the future.

Running back. Darrell Scott is gone, and the Bulls are really in need of a game breaker at this position. Demetris Murray is going to be a senior, and nobody else really has stepped up at the position. Depth has to be built here, because USF goes into spring practice with four running backs on the roster.

Syracuse

Defensive line. The Orange are losing Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich and could really used some difference-makers up front who can help get after the quarterback. Depth is an issue here. One of their big commitments so far has been defensive end Josh Manley out of Georgia.

Secondary. This was one of the weakest parts of the team and now the Orange lose Phillip Thomas and Kevyn Scott, and there was a lack of depth when injuries hit this position in 2011. Brooklyn prep safety Wayne Morgan would be a huge get to add to this unit.

Receiver. Alec Lemon is a senior, Van Chew is gone and who knows what happens with Marcus Sales. The bottom line is the Orange are in major need of a game-changer to turn 15-yard passes into 40-yard receptions.

West Virginia

Quarterback. Geno Smith is a rising senior and after him it is crickets in the form of one player behind him in Paul Millard. So consider this need majorly filled with Ford Childress, ranked No. 139 on the ESPNU 150.

Offensive line. The most inconsistent part of the team in 2011, West Virginia has a major need here. The Mountaineers struggled so badly here they started converted defensive lineman Curtis Feigt late in the season. Don Barclay is gone, and Joe Madsen, Jeff Braun and Josh Jenkins are all upperclassmen.

Defensive line. Julian Miller, Josh Taylor and Bruce Irvin are gone, and there are depth concerns here. West Virginia has four commitments from defensive linemen already.

This season saw plenty of players emerge throughout the Big East. But who was most improved among them?

It was tough in many cases to narrow this down to one player per team. My criteria might be different from yours. I am looking for players who were not on any preseason lists, who were not expected to have breakout seasons, who had yet to live up to their full potential.

For example, it would be easy to say West Virginia receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey were among the most improved. There is no doubt they were, as they each got over 1,000 yards. But we all expected them to have big seasons because of Dana Holgorsen. So I went with a different player for West Virginia.

Here are my picks:

Cincinnati: Drew Frey, safety. Runner-up: Derek Wolfe, defensive tackle. This was an incredibly tough choice for me. Wolfe essentially doubled his stats from 2010, ranking No. 5 in the nation in tackles for loss (21.5) and No. 16 in sacks (9.5) en route to Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. But Wolfe did make my preseason list of top 25 players in the Big East, as I anticipated he would be in store for a solid season. Frey, on the other hand, was a huge question mark going into the year because of the way the Cincinnati secondary played in 2010. He ended up second on the team in tackles (73) and had eight pass breakups. Do you know how many he had last year? One. Frey was first-team All-Big East and emerged as one of the best safeties in the league.

UConn: Trevardo Williams, defensive end. What a leap Williams made this season, leading the Big East with 12.5 sacks and winning second-team honors. Though he started seven games last season, it was no sure thing that Williams would emerge as the full-time starter. But he more than held his own, and worked in the offseason to use more than just his speed to get after the quarterback. It paid off.

Louisville: Preston Brown, linebacker. When the season started, Brown was not even penciled in as a starter. He played in 13 games in 2010 but coach Charlie Strong was waiting on him to emerge and prove he could be counted on. He most certainly did that in 2011, finishing third on the team with 84 tackles. He was consistently good for most of the season, and he and Dexter Heyman proved to be a great linebacker duo.

Pittsburgh: Aaron Donald, defensive tackle. Donald figured to be counted on to provide depth, but he went ahead and finished second in the Big East in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (16) -- both team-highs. He also added a team-high 11 quarterback hurries. He ended the season as a starter and a second-team All-Big East selection.

Rutgers: Khaseem Greene, linebacker. Runner-up: Mohamed Sanu, receiver. This was really, really, really hard to decide. Sanu set a Big East and school record with 115 receptions and was the best player on offense. Greene won Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year after switching positions in the offseason. So why Greene? Well, Sanu was on my preseason top 25 players list and I thought he had a chance to have a good season because he was healthy and would be playing receiver. But Greene was more of a question mark because he had moved over from safety. He was on nobody's radar for Defensive Player of the Year when the season started, but emerged as one of the finest players in the league. So he gets the nod.

USF: Kayvon Webster, cornerback. Webster was one of the more highly touted prospects USF signed in 2009, but it has taken a while for him to live up to expectations. He did so this season, in his first year as a full-time starter. Webster had 49 tackles and seven pass breakups this season and made the All-Big East second team.

Syracuse: Alec Lemon, receiver. Lemon more than doubled his receiving and yardage totals from 2010 -- setting a school record with 68 receptions for 834 yards with six touchdowns, all career highs. He had seven or more receptions in six games; in 2009 and 2010 he had two games combined with seven or more catches. Lemon quickly emerged as a much-needed go-to receiver, especially with Marcus Sales out (suspension). His performance placed him on the All-Big East second team.

West Virginia: Tyler Bitancurt, kicker. Runner-up: Stedman Bailey. You can make the argument for Bailey and I would not disagree. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin were projected to have big seasons -- both were in my preseason top 25. Bailey was right on the outside. But the strides Bitancurt made were bigger than any other kicker in the Big East. He took his field goal percentage from 58.8 percent to 72.7 percent, moving him from last place to No. 4 in the league. He nailed a 28-yard kick with no time left against USF to give the Mountaineers a share of the Big East title and a BCS berth.

'Tis the season to wish you all a merry holiday!

• Cincinnati safety Drew Frey shows speed and drive.
• How about Dan Orlovsky!
• Louisville is taking a business approach to the Belk Bowl. Adjustments have to be made with Michaelee Harris out.
• Can Paul Chryst rebuild faith in Pitt? Paul Zeise breaks down the hire.
• Rutgers cornerback Brandon Jones has played through injury this season.
• Sammy Watkins is one of the many challenges West Virginia will face in the Orange Bowl.

Cincinnati dominated the Big East individual awards announced Thursday, as running back Isaiah Pead was honored as Offensive Player of the Year, tackle Derek Wolfe was selected as Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Butch Jones won Coach of the Year.

Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene also took Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is the Newcomer of the Year and West Virginia all-purpose player Tavon Austin is the Special Teams Player of the Year.

Below you will find the first and second teams. All of these awards and teams are selected by the eight league coaches. Here are some of my thoughts on the winners:

• I have to say I am surprised to see Pead win Offensive Player of the Year. I thought West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith would be a slam dunk because he and the Mountaineers dominated on offense this season. That being said, Pead is deserving of this award because he was the most valuable player for the Bearcats this season and he put the team on his back when Zach Collaros went down with an ankle injury. Pead led the Big East in touchdowns (14) and ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards with 1,429. He is a very deserving winner.
• As for the defensive awards, I am not surprised to see a split. My choice was Greene, and I have been going back and forth for most of the season on who was most valuable for Cincinnati -- Wolfe or linebacker JK Schaffer. I thought both were terrific this season. But perhaps the coaches voted for Wolfe because he had a breakout season and was a big reason why Cincinnati led the nation in sacks. Wolfe led the Big East with 19.5 tackles for loss to rank No. 6 in the nation. The senior also had 9.5 sacks after notching 10 sacks combined coming into this season.
• Jones also was my choice for coach of the year because of the turnaround season he led: from 4-8 to 9-3 and a share of the Big East title.
• As for the first-team offense, I am surprised that Tavon Austin made it at receiver over teammate Stedman Bailey. Both are extremely solid, valuable players, but I thought Bailey was a notch more consistent this season as a wide receiver. Austin absolutely is the special teams player of the year. I also was surprised to see Antwon Bailey with first-team honors. My two backs would have been Ray Graham and Pead.
• On first-team defense, West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin made the list despite an inconsistent season. Coaches clearly realized what a force he is because he was double-teamed most of the year and still got 7.5 sacks. The coaches were torn at safety, where four players were honored on the first team. I thought Duron Harmon and Hakeem Smith were the top two this season.
• How about Rutgers getting Art Forst on the first team at guard and Desmond Wynn on the second team at guard. Hand clap for the big-time improvement on the Scarlet Knights offensive line.

Cincinnati survived a serious second-half scare from UConn to hold on for a 35-27 win and clinch a share of the Big East title -- a season removed from a losing season.

Cincinnati, Louisville and West Virginia all finish as Big East co-champions. The BCS representative will be determined by the final BCS standings -- where it is almost certain West Virginia will finish as the highest-ranked team. We won't know officially until the standings are unveiled Sunday night, but No. 23 West Virginia is the only Big East team currently ranked in the Top 25.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 28-6 halftime lead but there was fight left in the Huskies in the second half. UConn quarterback Johnny McEntee played much better, and was able to find some holes in the Cincinnati secondary as he led the Huskies on a comeback. McEntee threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes -- to Mark Hinkley and Ryan Griffin. That 25-yard touchdown pass to Griffin came one play following an interception by Munchie Legaux.

Cincinnati got the ball with 5:46 remaining. All UConn needed was one stop to try and complete its comeback bid. But the Bearcats made two third-and-short conversions with runs, and they were able to ice the game despite being outscored 21-7 in the second half. Dave Teggart ended up with four field goals on the day for the Huskies, who had to play the majority of the game without backup quarterback Scott McCummings (concussion).

Legaux threw three touchdown passes, but also had two interceptions. The Bearcats were not as effective using Jordan Luallen as they were last week, as he had four catches for no yards. It was the defense that really made the difference in this game. Walter Stewart scored a touchdown after snatching the ball from McEntee in the end zone, and Drew Frey had an interception return for a touchdown.

The Bearcats had six sacks in the game, and John Hughes and Derek Wolfe were absolute terrors behind the line of scrimmage. Now Cincinnati can look forward to getting back to a bowl game, most likely the Liberty Bowl. UConn ends the season without a bowl berth, a year after representing the Big East in the BCS.

Some of the bloggers have begun a series taking a look at one assistant coach whose position group will be in the spotlight this fall. Call me a copy cat -- it is my turn. Today, I start with Cincinnati.

Coach: Kerry Coombs

Position: Defensive backs

Experience: Coombs is entering his fifth season with the Bearcats after a run as one of the most successful high school coaches in Cincinnati. At Colerain High, he coached Ohio Division I Defensive Player of the Year award winners in 2004 and 2006, and led his school to 10 playoff appearances. In his first season at Cincinnati in 2007, the Bearcats led the NCAA with 26 interceptions. That season, Coombs coached All-Big East safety Haruki Nakamura, who was drafted in the sixth round in 2008. In 2008, the secondary had three NFL draft picks (Mike Mickens, DeAngelo Smith, Brandon Underwood).

Of note: Coombs was the only member of Brian Kelly's staff who stayed behind to join new coach Butch Jones last season. He told Brian Bennett his decision came down to this: "I've lived here all my life. I'm 48 years old and have spent my life in this town. This is really who I am and what I know. And for me, it's the place to be. That and the fact that I love the kids on our team."

His challenge: Coombs did not just go from good coach to bad coach in one season. He had his share of challenges going into 2010, and then starting cornerback Dominique Battle went down with a knee injury. Drew Frey saw his production go down, and Reuben Johnson was so raw he gave up more than his share of big plays. The team was so inexperienced on the back end, it simply was not aggressive and soft at times. In the end, the Bearcats were the worst passing defense in the Big East and one of the worst in the country.

They ranked No. 99 in FBS with just eight interceptions -- the first time under Coombs they were in single digits in the category. Cincinnati also ranked No. 88 in passing defense, allowing an average of 234 yards a game; and No. 106 in pass efficiency defense, allowing opponents to complete 65 percent of their passes, 25 passing touchdowns and a total of 2,808 yards. This year, all starters return and so does Battle, but the team is still young. Still, the plan is to be more aggressive with the secondary and go back to what worked in the past.

Camerron Cheatham has taken on more of a leadership role this offseason, and the addition of junior college transfer Malcolm Murray should help, though he is listed behind Wes Richardson on the depth chart. Battle also should be healthy and provide a boost. This unit is still young -- of the 10 players on the two-deep, only Battle and Richardson are seniors. But they do have way more playing experience and should be better.

2010 overall record: 4-8
2010 conference record: 2-5, seventh in Big East

Returning starters:

Offense: 5. Defense: 11. Punter/kicker: 1.

Top returners:

QB Zach Collaros, RB Isaiah Pead, WR D.J. Woods, OT Alex Hoffman, DT Derek Wolfe, DE Walter Stewart, LB JK Schaffer

Key losses:

WR Armon Binns, C Jason Kelce

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Isaiah Pead* (1,029 yards)
Passing: Zach Collaros* (2,902 yards)
Receiving: Armon Binns (1,101 yards)
Tackles: JK Schaffer* (111 tackles)
Sacks: Brandon Mills* (six sacks)
Interceptions: Drew Frey* and Wes Richardson* (2 interceptions)

Spring answers

1. Better up front: The Bearcats' defense was bad last season, with lots of holes all over. One of the problems stemmed from the lack of a consistent pass rush on a thin defensive line. Players like Derek Wolfe and Brandon Mills played far too many snaps along that defensive front. Head coach Butch Jones feels better about the depth this season, with the addition of young players like Camaron Beard and Brad Harrah, plus the continued development of veterans like Dan Giordano and John Hughes. Moving Walter Stewart from linebacker to full-time defensive end should help with speed off the edge, and Wolfe should be one of the best interior tackles in the league. It's not an all-world line, but it should be a lot better.

2. Locked and loaded: Cincinnati led the Big East in scoring a year ago, and even with the loss of the league's top receiver in Armon Binns, the offense has the weapons to be very dangerous again. Quarterback Zach Collaros is a senior who's now fully in charge of the offense, and running back Isaiah Pead is the league's leading returning rusher after producing a 1,000-yard season in 2010. Junior-college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins emerged as a potential No. 1 wideout, and Anthony McClung and O.J. Woodard made strides. Add in explosive slot man D.J. Woods and incoming players Dyjuan Lewis and Jameel Poteat, and the Bearcats should be hard for defenses to handle in 2011.

3. Early start successes: Cincinnati had five recruits from its 2011 class enroll early, and Jones said the team went 5-for-5 in getting good players and future contributors from that group. Look for receiver Shaq Washington and defensive back Malcolm Murray to push for major playing time. If nothing else, the early enrollees help build depth for a team that didn't have much of a bench a year ago.

Fall questions

1. The back seven on 'D': While the defensive front figures to be improved, there still are questions on the rest of the defense. JK Schaffer is a rock at linebacker, but the Bearcats don't have much depth elsewhere at that position. All the defensive backs return from last season, but they did not play well in 2010 and had some struggles this spring. They need to become better tacklers and more aggressive on balls in the air. The defense showed some improvement in the spring but still has a long way to go.

2. Kicker questions: Jake Rogers was as reliable a placekicker as there was in the Big East the past few years. Tony Miliano, Danny Milligan and punter Pat O'Donnell battled to replace him this spring, but none of them clinched the job. Jones has said he'll probably wait until the week before the season opener to name his field-goal specialist.

3. Zach's backup: Collaros is completely entrenched as the starter and as valuable as any Big East player. But who would the Bearcats turn to if something happened to him? Chazz Anderson, who backed up Collaros last season and started the Syracuse game, decided to transfer after spring practice. The options include Georgia Tech transfer Jordan Luallen, oft-injured junior Brendon Kay, sophomore Munchie Legaux and early enrollee Stephen Weatherford. The No. 2 spot will likely remain up for grabs into fall practice.

Cincinnati coach Butch Jones will kick off his second spring practice with the Bearcats on Tuesday, looking to improve upon a disappointing 4-8 debut campaign. I caught up with Jones to preview the spring, and here's Part I of our conversation.

After the rough year in 2010, how are the players' attitudes heading into the spring?

Butch Jones: I've been very pleased. I think we've had a very, very productive offseason. I've liked our leadership, and that's the biggest thing -- teaching our players about leadership and team unity. We've talked about each day is a different challenge. Each day you've got to win the day. We've talked about how before you can even be in contention to win a championship, your team has to be comprised of individual champions. Yesterday our winter quarter grades came out, and we have 83 players, scholarship and non-scholarship. We had a 2.9 GPA, which is very impressive. So they've answered that challenge, and they've answered the challenge in the strength and conditioning area. And now we need to answer the challenge for spring football.

It's the second year for your system now, and your entire coaching staff returns. How much positive impact will that have?

BJ: You win with continuity. At Central Michigan, we were very fortunate to keep our coaching staff intact. This year was extremely challenging, because we had four staff members be offered other BCS, high-caliber, high-profile jobs. And all four stayed. I think that speaks volumes about how they feel about the direction of our program and our players, loyalty, all that stuff. You look at what our defensive players have gone through, with three defensive coordinators in three years, and I'm just a firm believer you win with continuity. Everyone knows what's expected. That's been a huge benefit this offseason.

Looking at your defense, you have all 11 starters back. But the defense obviously struggled last year. So do you look at it as a good thing that every starter is back, or that there needs to be some major change there?

BJ: The key there is, we can't just be older; we must get better. We have to take major, major strides on that side of the ball. It comes first and foremost with a physicality and presence, and we've got to get much more tougher, much more physical. When I say tougher, it's both mental and physical. It's being able to handle sudden changes, it's creating turnovers, it's third down and getting off the field. So there's so much that goes into improving the defense and making us a better tackling team. This spring is going to be very, very physical. We're going to challenge them as we did in our winter conditioning.

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