ESPN College Football

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2012 record: 9-4

2012 conference record: 5-2

Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Gary Nova, RB Savon Huggins, WR Brandon Coleman, OL Andre Civil, OL Betim Bujari, DT Jamil Merrell, LB Jamal Merrell

Key losses

RB Jawan Jamison, WR Mark Harrison, WR Tim Wright, TE D.C. Jefferson, DT Scott Vallone, LB Khaseem Greene, LB Steve Beauharnais, CB Logan Ryan, CB Marcus Cooper, CB Brandon Jones, S Duron Harmon

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Jamison (1,075 yards, 4 TDs)

Passing: Nova* (221-of-388 for 2,695 yards, 22 TDs, 16 INTs)

Receiving: Coleman* (718 yards, 10 TD)

Tackles: Greene (136)

Sacks: Greene (6)

Interceptions: Brandon Jones (5)

Spring answers

1. Nova taking next step. The signal-caller shed 15 pounds and adapted well to new coordinator Ron Prince, putting behind a poor finish to the 2012 season and impressing in the spring game. He expressed more confidence this spring, and the staff was pleased with the quicker, more assertive man under center despite having to break in a new crop of receivers.

2. Huggins ready to fill hole. It would appear to be now or never for the third-year back, and he delivered this spring in getting the bulk of the carries. Huggins rushed for 73 yards and a score on 16 carries in the spring game, and the staff is confident in his ability to replace Jamison, especially with all of the experience Rutgers boasts up front.

3. New coordinators integrated. It seems as if Rutgers is turning over key pieces of its staff every year, and 2013 will be no different. Prince is in at offensive coordinator, and Dave Cohen is the fourth different playcaller for the program in as many seasons. Still, adjustments have seemingly been minimal, as Cohen served as an assistant on last year's unit and plans to keep the aggressive approach that landed them the No. 10 spot nationally in total defense.

Fall questions

1. Defensive playmakers. Rutgers had four defensive players taken in the NFL draft, including the heart and soul of the unit, Greene. Replacing the production of Greene and Beauharnais at linebacker (219 combined tackles, seven sacks, three picks, four fumble recoveries in 2012 alone) is no easy task on a unit that ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense.

2. Receiving depth. Coleman, the Scarlet Knights' top returning receiver, was sidelined all spring following minor offseason knee surgery. Outside of him, however, Rutgers returns just two wideouts (Quron Pratt, Miles Shuler) with any significant game action.

3. Special-teams impact. It's tough to grasp this based on 15 spring practices, but Rutgers needs to continue its playmaking on special teams. Head coach Kyle Flood has said that blocking kicks is part of the program's nature, as it has had more than 30 since 2009 and made a number of momentum-turning plays on the third side of the ball in close wins in 2012.

The big winner from the Big East on draft day?

Rutgers in a landslide.

The Scarlet Knights had a school-record seven players selected over the three-day draft, breaking the previous high of five set in 2009. New England drafted three Rutgers players -- cornerback Logan Ryan (third round), safety Duron Harmon (third round) and linebacker Steve Beauharnais (seventh round) -- the most by any NFL team in one NFL draft.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick is quite familiar with Rutgers, as his son, Stephen, was a long snapper on the team. Belichick and former coach Greg Schiano have had a great relationship going back many years and it paid off in a big way in 2013. Of the seven players who were drafted, two were underclassmen who declared early -- Ryan and running back Jawan Jamison.

Many questioned Jamison's decision to turn pro after one singular 1,000-yard season, and he ended up going in the seventh round by Washington. Jamison told Redskins beat writers on a conference call he made the decision to turn pro to help pay his mother's medical bills as she undergoes breast cancer treatment.

UConn was next with five players selected, further proof the team underachieved on the field the past several seasons. Three of those players went in a span of seven picks in the third round -- Dwayne Gratz to Jacksonville, Sio Moore to Oakland and Blidi Wreh-Wilson to Tennessee.

In all, the Big East had 19 players selected. That includes Syracuse, which is headed to the ACC for next season. Three Orange players were taken -- Justin Pugh in the first round to the Giants, Ryan Nassib in the fourth round to the Giants, and Shamarko Thomas in the fourth round to Pittsburgh.

Here is a look at where players on current or future Big East teams went:

First round

• No. 12 Houston CB D.J. Hayden, Oakland

Second round

• No. 51 SMU DE Margus Hunt, Cincinnati

Third round

• No. 63 Cincinnati TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City
• No. 64 UConn CB Dwayne Gratz, Jacksonville
• No. 66 UConn LB Sio Moore, Oakland
• No. 70 UConn CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Tennessee
• No. 83 Rutgers CB Logan Ryan, New England
• No. 90 USF CB Kayvon Webster, Denver
• No. 91 Rutgers S Duron Harmon, New England

Fourth round

• No. 117 Rutgers LB Khaseem Greene, Chicago
• No. 124 UConn DE Trevardo Williams, Houston

Sixth round

• No. 181 UCF RB Latavius Murray, Oakland
• No. 201 UConn TE Ryan Griffin, Houston

Seventh round

• No. 219 Rutgers TE D.C. Jefferson, Arizona
• No. 228 Rutgers RB Jawan Jamison, Washington
• No. 232 USF LB Sam Barrington, Green Bay
• No. 235 Rutgers LB Steve Beauharnais, New England
• No. 237 USF QB B.J. Daniels, San Francisco
• No. 243 UCF S Kemal Ishmael, Atlanta
• No. 252 Rutgers CB Marcus Cooper, San Francisco

Here is a look at some of the notable free-agent signings:

Cincinnati: RB George Winn (Houston); DE Dan Giordano (Arizona); WR Kenbrell Thompkins (New England); LB Maalik Bomar (Jacksonville).

Louisville: C Mario Benavides (Kansas City); OT Alex Kupper (Houston); CB Adrian Bushell (Oakland).

Temple: RB Montel Harris (Tampa Bay); DE John Youboty (Denver); P/K Brandon McManus (Indianapolis); OL Martin Wallace (Cleveland).

Two of the biggest storylines for Rutgers entering the 2013 spring season centered around two of its biggest offensive weapons -- one because of what he has done and the other because of what he may be able to do.

It was only a spring game, but Gary Nova and Savon Huggins did what they could to assure Scarlet Knights fans that the quarterback and running back positions will be in strong shape in 2013. Nova completed 11 of 16 passes for 222 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while Huggins rushed for 73 yards and a score on 16 carries, while adding 19 yards on two catches.

Nova struggled during Rutgers' three-game losing streak to close the 2012 campaign but entered the spring lighter and more confident. He had a full vote of confidence from head coach Kyle Flood following his poor showings last season, and he has worked closely with new offensive coordinator Ron Prince throughout the spring, with nothing but positive words about him coming out of Piscataway, N.J.

Huggins, meanwhile, will have to carry the load in Rutgers' backfield after Jawan Jamison did much of the same last year. The Scarlet Knights' offense was never the same late in the season, when Jamison was hurting, and the top-rated player in the state of New Jersey from the Class of 2011 finally has the running back position all to himself. His 41-carry, 179-yard performance in a key win over Cincinnati late last season showed what he is capable of when given opportunity knocks.

Nova and Huggins' Scarlet team were 57-19 winners over the White team Saturday, with the game's final five touchdowns scored by 16 sixth-to-eighth graders from towns affected by Hurricane Sandy, playing flag football.

Roughly 21,000 fans at High Point Solution Stadium were given an option to donate $5 to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund. Rutgers wore "R Strong" helmets and sported jerseys with the names of more than 90 towns affected by Sandy, with each being signed by Flood and given to each town later this spring and summer.

Senior end Marcus Thompson won the Frank R. Burns Award, given to the player who displayed extraordinary mental and physical toughness in the spring. Redshirt freshman running back Desmon Peoples won the Mark Mills Second Effort Award and redshirt freshman corner Ian Thomas won the Douglas A. Smith Award as the most improved offensive and defensive players, respectively.

Madness.

• The Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi says everyone in the new Big East should get the same revenue split.
• Tommy Tuberville is in his element as a coach, Tom Groeschen writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
• The Hartford Courant's Desmond Conner answers whether fixing UConn's offense may be as simple as fixing its O-line.
• Ray Rice invited fellow former Rutgers back Jawan Jamison to train with him, Tom Luicci writes in the (Newark) Star-Ledger.
• Joey Grant continues to progress at center, Paul Tenorio writes in the Orlando Sentinel.

With Jawan Jamison headed to the NFL, two major questions confront the Rutgers coaching staff at the running back position this spring.

1. Is Savon Huggins capable of shouldering the load in 2013?

2. Who will provide depth at the position?

All eyes will be on Huggins when the Scarlet Knights open spring practice later this month as he gets his opportunity to earn the starting job. "He's earned that right," coach Kyle Flood said recently. Huggins served as a backup the past two seasons after arriving as one of the most highly touted players in school history. In his true freshman year, injuries curtailed his season.

Last year, Jamison beat him out for the starting job. But folks were able to get a glimpse of what Huggins is capable of when Jamison hurt his ankle late last season. What we saw was a mixed bag. Whereas Jamison surpassed 100 yards in six of the first seven games of the season, Huggins managed to do it just once when he got his chance to start.

That was a pretty big game -- 179 yards on 41 carries in a win over Cincinnati on the road. But otherwise, Huggins was not especially consistent, nor did he show an ability to make something out of nothing. The Rutgers running game collapsed when Jamison was out. Though the season didn't end the way Jamison wanted it to, he was pretty spectacular when he was at full speed.

Consider: Jamison became the third Rutgers player since 1976 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. And he is just the seventh player at Rutgers to record a 1,000-yard season. Rutgers has played football for 144 years, so you can see why Jamison getting to 1,000 yards was a pretty big deal.

Can Huggins get there this year? Have we seen a big enough sample size in games to make a judgment one way or the other?

"We all saw what Savon can do in the Cincinnati game when given those types of reps, and I think he’s the type of running back -- because he’s a powerful, strong runner -- he’s the kind of guy who gets better as the game goes on," Flood said.

Depth is another concern. Huggins and Jamison combined for 374 of the 431 total carries Rutgers had last season. Paul James (five carries for 22 yards) and Ben Martin (10 for 48 yards) are the only other two running backs on the roster who got carries last year. Flood also mentioned Desmon Peoples, who redshirted last season, and early enrollee Dontea Ayres as having an opportunity to compete this spring.

"PJ James is a very strong runner, very good vision, and Desmon Peoples is extremely hard to tackle, so I think we’ve got some players that we think we can win with," Flood said. "Now they’re going to have to do it against better competition as we get into the spring."

Twenty-four former Big East players and several more stars from future conference teams have been in Indianapolis the past week showing off in front of their prospective future employers. With the NFL scouting combine wrapping up today with defensive backs working out, we'll take a look at how some of the Big East's stars fared.

• Former Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce is part of a very deep tight end class that, Todd McShay says , could see six players taken over the NFL draft's first two rounds. Kelce did not run after suffering an injury that had forced him to skip the Senior Bowl. Scouts Inc. rates Kelce as the fifth-best draft-eligible tight end. Former Rutgers tight end D.C. Jefferson comes in at 14th .
• Scouts Inc. has former Memphis tackle Jordan Devaney as the No. 56 draft-eligible offensive lineman , and it has former Syracuse tackle Justin Pugh at No. 7. And, whaddaya know, it also gives a draftable grade (34) to former Louisville center Mario Benavides, who was the biggest combine snub among all former Big East players.
• As for other cheat sheets by position: Former Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison (4.68 40-yard dash) comes in as the No. 4 draft-eligible running back -- this after leaving school with two years of eligibility remaining. Former Temple back Montel Harris (4.68 40) is No. 18, former Pitt back Ray Graham (4.80 40) is No. 21, former SMU fullback Zach Line (4.77 40) is No. 27 and former Cincinnati tailback George Winn (4.75 40) is No. 34. Former Syracuse wideout Alec Lemon ranks No. 26 among receivers , former Rutgers wideout Mark Harrison ranks No. 33, former Cincinnati wideout Kenbrell Thompkins is No. 35 and former SMU wideout Darius Johnson is No. 39.
• Other players receiving plenty of love? Former SMU end Margus Hunt, who reportedly repped 225 pounds 38 times on the bench press and ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in a performance that could see his stock soar into the first round. Former UConn end Trevardo Williams reportedly ran the fastest 40 time among defensive linemen, clocking in at 4.57 .
• Two players to keep eyes on today are Logan Ryan and Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Ryan left Rutgers a year early and could go off the board in the second round, while Wreh-Wilson is currently Scouts Inc.'s No. 25 overall player, the highest ranking among a deep pool of former Huskies defensive players.

The NFL combine is set to begin, so let's take a look at some of the more intriguing storylines involving Big East players who have gotten an invitation to Indianapolis.

• Scouts have raved about UConn linebacker Sio Moore, who played well in both his all-star game appearances last month. Now, Scouts Inc. expert Kevin Weidl says that Moore could continue his upward momentum with a good showing at the combine. Weidl writes, "He has helped his stock during the postseason process as much as any other prospect, and he should perform well in the 40 and the jumps. Doing so could help him get into the second-round mix after beginning the season as a Day 3 prospect."
• Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce is also a prospect to watch, although he is unlikely to do any drills after getting hurt last month, an injury that forced him to skip the Senior Bowl. Still, draft experts are high on him. Mel Kiper has Kelce rated his No. 4 tight end in his latest breakdown of the Top 5 prospects at each position.
• Several other Big East players are rated in Kiper's Top 5: linebacker Khaseem Greene at No. 2 among outside linebackers; Ryan Nassib at No. 5 among quarterbacks, and Justin Pugh at No. 5 among tackles. (For more information on Syracuse players, pop over to the ACC blog).
• You know who else is rated? Louisville center Mario Benavides, ranked No. 5 among available centers. Strangely enough, Benavides was not extended an invitation to the combine, the biggest snub involving Big East players. The NFL handed out 333 invites but not one to the best center in the Big East the last two years, and a finalist for the Rimington Award in 2012? The deserves a C'mon, Man! Benavides was surprised, but he's still training in Naples, Fla., with Clif Marshall at Ignition APG. One bit of news that should make scouts happy -- Benavides already has put on 15 pounds and is up to 295. Benavides says he played this past season with little to no upper body strength, after offseason surgery hampered his training. He's now lifting hard for the first time in a year, so the weight has come on. A little extra motivation has helped, too.
• I will be interested to see how Rutgers cornerback Logan Ryan and running back Jawan Jamison do at the combine, and whether they can improve their draft stock. Both players left school with a year of eligibility remaining. Jamison seemed to make the more questionable decision, but he says he got a third-round draft grade. He hopes Ray Rice's success can help him out.
• And in case you missed it earlier this week, I did a video look at what Cincinnati defensive end Walter Stewart has to gain from the combine.

Workouts begin Saturday for tight ends, offensive linemen and special teams.

Time to move on in our countdown of the Top 25 players in the Big East in 2012.

TIE No. 13: Ray Graham, RB, Pitt; Jawan Jamison, RB, Rutgers

Making the case: Too close to call so we have an unprecedented situation here in the Top 25 countdown (at least in the time I have been doing the rankings). I have Graham and Jamison together at No. 13. Their stats are virtually the same:

Graham had 222 carries for 1,042 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing; 36 catches for 340 yards and two touchdowns receiving.

Jamison had 255 carries for 1,075 yards and four touchdowns rushing; 28 catches for 323 yards and two touchdowns receiving.

Graham averaged 4.7 yards per carry; Jamison averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Jamison ranked No. 4 in the Big East in rushing; Graham ranked No. 5.

Going into the season, I only had three running backs featured in the Top 25 preseason countdown. By the time we finish up, there will be five. So it is safe to say Matt and I thought there were some outstanding running back performances across the league this season. Graham, of course, had the most inspirational one in his return from a torn ACL. He only missed one game all season, and that was the bowl because of a strained hamstring. Coaches rewarded him with a spot on the Big East first team.

You know how much Jamison impacted Rutgers' offense based on what happened at the end of the season. After Jamison sprained his ankle against Army on Nov. 10, the Rutgers rushing attack was not the same. Jamison had six 100-yard games in the first seven games of the season; none in the final six. When he was limited with the injury, Rutgers dropped three straight to end the season.

Previous ranking: Graham was No. 3 on the preseason countdown; Jamison was unranked.

The countdown

No. 14 Mario Benavides, C, Louisville

No. 15 Adrian Bushell, CB, Louisville

No. 16 Sio Moore, LB, UConn

No. 17 Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse

No. 18 Scott Vallone, DT, Rutgers

No. 19 Jerome Smith, RB, Syracuse

No. 20 Devin Street, WR, Pitt

No. 21 DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

No. 22 Matt Brown, RB, Temple

No. 23 Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville

No. 24 Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple

No. 25 Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt

The NFL combine list is out, and a whopping 333 players have been invited.

There are 24 representatives from the Big East this year, including a school-record six from Rutgers. Every Big East school is represented.

That is the most of any Big East team, and breaks the old school record of three, set in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Here is the complete list of Big East players, set for the biggest pro audition of their careers Feb. 23-26 in Indianapolis.

Sam Barrington, LB, USF

Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers

Adrian Bushell, CB, Louisville

Ray Graham, RB, Pitt

Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers

Dwayne Gratz, DB, UConn

Cory Grissom, DT, USF

Montel Harris, RB, Temple

Mark Harrison, WR, Rutgers

Jawan Jamison, RB, Rutgers

D.C. Jefferson, TE, Rutgers

Travis Kelce, Cincinnati

Alec Lemon, WR, Syracuse

Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse

Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse

Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers

Sio Moore, LB, UConn

Walter Stewart, Cincinnati

Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse

Kenbrell Thompkins, WR, Cincinnati

Kayvon Webster, CB, USF

Trevardo Williams, DE, UConn

George Winn, RB, Cincinnati

Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, UConn

Noted college football guru Phil Steele has come out with his definitive list of returning starters for 2013 for every team in the country.

No surprise to see Louisville at the top of the list, though I think the number of starters the Cardinals have returning is higher than the 15 Steele lists. I have been going with a slightly higher number, 17, because I am counting receiver Damian Copeland and linebacker James Burgess as returning starters.

Things can get tricky when doing these tallies. How many starts qualifies somebody as a returning starter? In my methodology, a player must start more than half of a season's worth of games to be listed as a returning starter. That's why I have Louisville with slightly more.

Anyway, here are the 10 teams scheduled to be in the Big East for 2013 and how they stack up in this category, from most returning starters to fewest, according to Steele.

Louisville

• Total: 15
• Offense: 6
• Defense: 9
• Note: The Cardinals also return both specialists. Key losses include All-Big East center Mario Benavides and All-Big East cornerback Adrian Bushell.

Temple

• Total: 15
• Offense: 8
• Defense: 7
• Note: Kicker/punter Brandon McManus is gone -- huge loss. Steele also is counting Chris Coyer as a returning starter, but expect the quarterback competition to be open in the spring. Running backs Montel Harris and Matt Brown are big losses as well.

Cincinnati

• Total: 14
• Offense: 8
• Defense: 6
• Note: Both specialists return. Key losses include running back George Winn, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive end Dan Giordano and safety Drew Frey.

Houston

• Total: 14
• Offense: 9
• Defense: 5
• Note: Houston loses its kicker for 2013. Key losses include center Jacolby Ashworth, linebacker Phillip Steward and defensive back D.J. Hayden -- all Conference-USA first-team selections.

UConn

• Total: 13
• Offense: 8
• Defense: 5
• Note: Both specialists return. The defense takes the major hit, losing defensive end Trevardo Williams, linebacker Sio Moore, and cornerbacks Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson among others.

Memphis

• Total: 13
• Offense: 7
• Defense: 6
• Note: The Tigers have to replace their kicker. Key losses include offensive lineman Jordan Devey, receiver Marcus Rucker and linebacker Akeem Davis.

UCF

• Total: 11
• Offense: 6
• Defense: 5
• Note: The defending C-USA East division champs have to replace their punter. Other key losses include running back Latavius Murray, offensive lineman Jordan Rae, defensive lineman Troy Davis and cornerback Kemal Ishmael -- all C-USA first team selections.

Rutgers

• Total: 10
• Offense: 6
• Defense: 4
• Note: Rutgers has to replace its punter. Key losses are huge on the defense: linebackers Khaseem Greene and Steve Beauharnais, defensive tackle Scott Vallone and cornerback Logan Ryan, along with leading rusher Jawan Jamison.

USF

• Total: 10
• Offense: 4
• Defense: 6
• Note: Both specialists have to be replaced. Key losses include quarterback B.J. Daniels, running back Demetris Murray, linebacker Sam Barrington and cornerback Kayvon Webster.

SMU

• Total: 9
• Offense: 6
• Defense: 3
• Note: At least SMU returns both specialists. Huge losses here, from running back Zach Line to receiver Darius Johnson to defensive end Margus Hunt to linebackers Ja'Gared Davis and Taylor Reed.

Three Big East players jumped early to the NFL draft, while a number of others opted to return to school for another season or two.

The movers? Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison and cornerback Logan Ryan and Syracuse offensive tackle Justin Pugh.

Notable names to return? Rutgers receiver Brandon Coleman, Syracuse running back Jerome Smith and Pitt receiver Devin Street and defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

How did everyone fare?

Biggest winners: The Panthers are the clear winners here, as two of their best players opted to stay in school for another year. Street led the Big East in catches (73) in 2012 and was third in receiving yards (975), adding five touchdowns. Donald moved from end to tackle and led the conference in tackles for loss (18.5), adding 64 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Their returns can also serve as public votes of confidence in Paul Chryst after the first-year coach's 6-7 campaign.

Biggest loser: Rutgers, meanwhile, is the clear loser here. Ryan was a two-time All-Big East selection, and this season he notched 94 tackles, five tackles for loss, four picks, two fumble recoveries and 17 pass break-ups. He is rateded the 39th-best player on ESPN's draft board. Jamison became just the third Scarlet Knights player since 1976 to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season, as he rushed for 1,075 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 28 catches for 323 yards and two more scores. He was a second-team All-Big East selection.

Head-scratcher: Jamison was the biggest surprise among the early defections, as he was just a redshirt sophomore and his body of work is relatively small. He was hampered by injuries down the stretch this past season, netting just 122 rushing yards over his final four games. ESPN ranks him as the No. 6 back in this year's draft, and not among the top 100 players in the draft.

The replacements: The highly touted Savon Huggins figures to step into the No. 1 role in Rutgers' backfield, as he rushed for 410 yards and two scores this season, including a 41-carry, 179-yard effort in a win at Cincinnati. Rising redshirt sophomore Tejay Johnson and rising junior Gareef Glashen are the next two men in at corner for the Scarlet Knights. Johnson, an ESPN two-star recruit, played in every game this season, notching 11 tackles and forcing a fumble. Glashen, another two-star player, played in 10 games this season and made seven tackles.

Pugh, meanwhile, will leave big shoes to fill at left tackle following three consecutive seasons of All-Big East production. Sean Hickey replaced Pugh for the first four games this season while Pugh recovered from offseason surgery, before moving to right tackle. Hickey figures to start next season at left tackle.

Time to hand out Rutgers' grades.

OFFENSE: I am aware that most every Rutgers fan does not want to relive what happened on offense in 2012. For those who do not want to be reminded about the offense's failures, skip down to the defense section. For those who want another reminder of what could have been, hello! I do not think anybody truly believed Rutgers would be an offensive juggernaut headed into 2012. But this group was worse than the year before, even with the same starter at quarterback for all 13 games. Maybe that was the problem. Gary Nova was ineffective save for one game all season. He ended the season with 14 interceptions in his final seven games, including four in a three-game losing streak to end the year. Once Jawan Jamison hurt his ankle against Army, the ground game came to a halt. This team never replaced the productivity of Mohamed Sanu, either. Rutgers ranked in the bottom three in the Big East in total offense, scoring offense, rushing offense and passing offense. Jamison did get his 1,000 yards -- the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. GRADE: D.

DEFENSE: We all expected Rutgers to be top-notch on defense, and it did not disappoint. In fact, this is the group that helped the Scarlet Knights stay in contention for the Big East title until the final game of the regular season. Khaseem Greene was outstanding once again, winning Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors. Three others made the All-Big East first team: cornerback Logan Ryan, safety Duron Harmon and defensive tackle Scott Vallone. Rutgers ended up ranking No. 6 in the nation in rushing defense and No. 10 in total defense -- making its biggest strides against the run. One year after allowing an average of 141 yards per game on the ground, that number dropped to 97.2. Rutgers only gave up six rushing touchdowns all season. In 2012, it allowed 17. The honest truth: who knows what type of season Rutgers would have had without this defense. GRADE: A.

OVERALL: Rutgers won a share of its first Big East title, but that achievement rings hollow when you consider the missed opportunities. The Scarlet Knights opened 7-0 before inexcusably losing at home to Kent State. Then another inexcusable loss to Pitt. A win there would have given Rutgers its first BCS berth. This team had one more chance to make the BCS, with a win at home over Louisville in the final regular-season game. Rutgers blew a 14-3 halftime lead. The bowl loss to Virginia Tech prevented Rutgers from winning 10 games and ended its five-game bowl winning streak. Rutgers did make history this season, and first-year coach Kyle Flood shared Big East Coach of the Year honors. But there could have been much more. GRADE: B.

Previous report cards

• Cincinnati
• UConn
• Louisville
• Pittsburgh

Rutgers offensive coordinator Dave Brock has been hired as the head coach at Delaware, leaving the Scarlet Knights looking for their fourth coordinator in as many years.

Coach Kyle Flood said in a statement: "I am very excited for Dave and Karen. Dave Brock is the perfect fit for The University of Delaware and will run a football program they will always be proud of. I have two lasting memories from my time in Newark, great people and championship football. I know the people are still great and I know Dave will bring championships back to Delaware."

Flood spent four seasons as an assistant at Delaware, from 2002-05. He and Brock worked together on the Hofstra staff from 1997-2001. Brock only spent this past season at Rutgers, and he got mixed results. The Rutgers offense remained ineffective for a majority of the season, and quarterback Gary Nova seemed to regress in the last month. Nobody needs to be reminded of what happened in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

Rutgers ranked toward the bottom half of the Big East stats in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and passing offense. It ranked worse in every category but rushing offense than a year ago. Rutgers scored a total of 33 points in its final three Big East games -- the last two losses. Had Rutgers been able to find any semblance of consistency on offense in losses to Pitt and Louisville, it would have gone to the BCS.

Instead, the Scarlet Knights ended the season on a three game losing streak. And now they need to find another coordinator, somebody whose No. 1 goal has to be to jump-start a pretty anemic group that will be missing its top player in Jawan Jamison in 2013.

Time to take an early look at the new-look Big East headed into 2013. Now, a few caveats: First, these rankings are subject to change many times before the season begins. Second, I am basing them mostly on returning starters and results from 2012. Since a majority of this league is new, I have not had time to sit down and watch every single game from every program.

Third -- we still have no idea if this is what the league will look like in 2013!

So give me a little time and take these for what they are -- a first take on 2013 with much more to come. *Note: Those looking for Pitt and Syracuse, check the ACC blog.

1. Louisville. I think we can all agree here -- the Cardinals will go into the season as the prohibitive favorite to win the Big East. Teddy Bridgewater returns, along with just about every starter on a team that beat Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Get ready for this team to try to make another run.

2. Cincinnati. I know the Bearcats have had a coaching change, but I like that the core nucleus returns. Cincinnati should have the best offensive line in the league; Brendon Kay got his sixth year, and so did emerging middle linebacker Greg Blair. While there are major players who have to be replaced, Cincinnati showed this year it has players to step right in and get the job done.

3. Rutgers. I honestly think this might be too high for the Scarlet Knights. I may just still be suffering from sitting through the entire Russell Athletic Bowl. But there are major questions that have to be answered -- is Gary Nova any better at quarterback? Can Savon Huggins step right in for Jawan Jamison? Who steps up on a defense that loses its biggest playmakers? Far too many unknowns.

4. UCF. I like Blake Bortles, and I like Storm Johnson, and the Knights are coming off a 10-win season as they join the Big East. To me, they are the best looking of the newcomers. Key players on defense have to be replaced, and don't forget that this team could be serving a postseason ban.

5. San Diego State. The Aztecs return a majority of their starters, including Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Adam Muema, who ran for 1,458 yards and 16 touchdowns this year. I watched their San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl meltdown from start to finish. My takeaway -- if this team wants to make a serious run, it needs much better play out of quarterback Adam Dingwell.

6. USF. In all honesty, the Bulls could be lower, given their performance the past two years. They have no quarterback. No running back. Questions all over the place on defense. And a new coach. Willie Taggart is going to need some time to change the program, but I think there is enough talent at some of the skill positions and up front for the Bulls to be more competitive in 2013.

7. Connecticut. Considering the best players on defense are gone, it is hard to believe the Huskies will be much improved in 2013 over 2012. The defense was the best part of this team, and now it must replace the Big East leader in sacks, (Trevardo Williams), along with Sio Moore, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jory Johnson and Dwayne Gratz. Offensively, this group needs an overhaul. Will it get one before it's too late?

8. Houston. The Cougars had a rough first year under new coach Tony Levine, finishing 5-7 in 2012. But there are some key players returning and a new offensive coordinator who should help steady the ship. Watch out for cornerback Trevon Stewart, named a FWAA freshman All-American.

9. Temple. I think the Owls have a chance to make some major leaps up this list depending on how spring practice shakes out. There is a new coach in town in Matt Rhule, who knows better than anyone what it takes to win at Temple. He needs to make a decision at quarterback and find a running back, for starters.

10. SMU. I do not have much hope for the Mustangs in Year 1, at least not yet. This team is taking bigger losses than any Big East newcomer. Starting running back Zach Line is gone. So are defensive standouts Margus Hunt, Ja'Gared Davis and Taylor Reed.

11. Memphis. The Tigers made marked improvement in 2012 under Justin Fuente, going 4-8 -- including a three-game winning streak to end the season. Seventeen starters return, including quarterback Jacob Karam, so the Tigers definitely have momentum going into Year 1 in the Big East.

Rutgers leading rusher Jawan Jamison announced Saturday he would forgo his final two years of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

Jamison was an All-Big East second-team selection after rushing for a team-best 1,075 yards in 2012. The redshirt sophomore averaged 4.2 yards per carry and scored four touchdowns this season. He also caught 28 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns.

“Jawan has been an exciting player for us during his career,” Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said in a statement. “He is a running back with tremendous vision, great balance and has the gift to make people miss in the open field. We wish Jawan well as he begins his journey to play in the NFL.”

Jamison joins cornerback Logan Ryan as early entrants into the NFL draft. While Ryan appears to be an early round selection, Jamsion has not been rated as highly among underclassmen backs among draft experts. But Jamison said on a teleconference Saturday that he received a third-round grade from the NFL draft advisory board, and that was a huge influence on his decision.

This is a relatively weak group of running backs, so that could help him, too.

"It actually surprised me," Jamison said of getting the third-round grade. "I thought it was going to be lower. When I got it, I was really excited. I feel like we made the best decision, and that's why I decided to declare."

An ankle injury slowed Jamison in the final month of the regular season and the bowl game. He did earn early comparisons to former Scarlet Knights back Ray Rice, but his productivity dipped once he got hurt. Still, Jamison was the third Rutgers player since 1976 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, and the seventh player at Rutgers to record a 1,000-yard season.

Jamison said his ankle is still sore, and the injury did not really have an impact on his decision. He will work now to strength it as he prepares to improve his draft stock even further. As for what he can add to a team, Jamison said, "I just feel like I can do whatever my coaches want me to do, catch passes, run outside, pass block, too. I feel I can do it all."