ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 9-4
2011 conference record: 4-3 (T-4)
Returning starters: Offense 6; Defense 8; Kicker/punter: 1.

Key returners

LB Khaseem Greene, NT Scott Vallone, CB Logan Ryan, S Duron Harmon, WR Mark Harrison, RB Jawan Jamison, OT Kaleb Johnson

Key losses

WR Mohamed Sanu, S David Rowe, K San San Te, LG Desmond Wynn, RG Art Forst, DT Justin Francis

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Jawan Jamison* (897 yards)
Passing: Chas Dodd* (139-of-245 for 1,574 yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs)
Receiving: Sanu (1,206 yards)
Tackles: Khaseem Greene* (141)
Sacks: Justin Francis (6.5)
Interceptions: Duron Harmon* (five)

Spring answers

1. Flood in control. One of the biggest story lines in the Big East headed into the spring was how coach Kyle Flood would manage a team ready to compete for a Big East title. It appears he has everything under control. There is a more relaxed mood around the facility, Flood has proven to be more of a delegator, and he isn't screaming at players every two seconds. He seems to know how he wants to lead this team, and used the spring to get comfortable as the man in charge.

2. Waters emerges. The Rutgers defense returns nearly everybody, but among the biggest shoes to fill is at strong safety, with David Rowe departing. Lorenzo Waters went into the spring penciled in as the starter, and did nothing to change that view during practices. He could be a force this year.

3. New kicker. It appears freshman Kyle Federico has emerged as the leader at kicker, to replace San San Te. Federico enrolled early and took advantage of being in the spring game, performing consistently well. Now we'll see how he does when the pressure is on Saturdays in the fall.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova battled for the starting quarterback job, and neither was consistent enough to win it after spring practice. So the two go into the offseason, continuing their competition. Dodd started eight games last season; Nova 5. Flood says he wants to make a decision at least a week before the season opener against Tulane.

2. Offensive line. Though Flood has a better idea about who can be his main contributors on the line, injuries really set back the group in terms of building chemistry. Tackle Kaleb Johnson was out; Betim Bujari missed time with an injured ankle but has moved from guard to center. In fact, four of the five starting linemen have been changed on the post-spring depth chart.

3. Running back. Jamison and Savon Huggins are sure to split the reps this year, as Flood has basically said he wants to use both as much as he can. But it remains to be seen who is tabbed as the starter, and how Rutgers is going to try and divide up the reps. Huggins came into Rutgers as the most highly touted prospect in school history. Now he gets another chance to live up to his advance billing.

Rutgers has released its post-spring depth chart, with a few changes of note. No, that does not mean a resolution to the quarterback derby. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova are still competing, as expected.

Here are some of the highlights on the new two-deep:

• There is more shuffling on the offensive line. Betim Bujari, who was listed as the starting left guard going into the spring, is now the starting center. The left guard job is open between Antwan Lowery and David Osei. Taj Alexander, listed at right tackle before the spring, is now the starting right guard. Maryland transfer R.J. Dill has moved into the starting right tackle spot. The only position that remains unchanged from the start of spring is Kaleb Johnson at left tackle.
• Competition also remains open at tight end, between D.C. Jefferson and Paul Carrezola. As expected, there is no starter at running back, either, with Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins still competing for the job.
• Michael Larrow was listed as one starter at defensive end going into the spring, but he now has a battle on his hands with Marcus Thompson. That spot is up for grabs. There is also open competition at the other defensive end spot between Ka'Lial Glaud and Marvin Booker.
• Isaac Holmes is now listed as the starter at defensive tackle, next to Scott Vallone. Kenneth Kirksey had been listed as the starter going into practice, but he was injured most of the spring.
• Kevin Snyder is pushing Jamal Merrell for a starting linebacker spot.
• True freshman Kyle Federico has won the starting kicker job, as he appears at the top of the depth chart.

Coaches always like to attach a caveat and say these are all subject to change when fall practice begins. But for now, you have an idea of where some of the players stack up headed into the offseason.

Not much came out of Rutgers' spring game this past weekend.

Still no starter at quarterback. Still no starter at running back. The competition continues into the spring.

Chas Dodd and Gary Nova faced the third-team defense in the intrasquad game Saturday, and each threw one touchdown pass. Nova went 12-of-13 for 174 yards and a touchdown, while Dodd went 6-of-7 for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Both said afterward they would have preferred for a starter to be named after spring practice, but neither one did enough to win the job, coach Kyle Flood has said.

At running back, Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins each ran for 43 yards. Jamison also had a touchdown run. The two are vying for the starting job, though Flood has said both will play extensively this season. Tim Wright had two touchdown receptions, while Brandon Coleman had two catches for 98 yards and one touchdown catch. Michael Burton also had a touchdown run.

Before the game, Rutgers announced its spring award winners.

Defensive end Ka’Lial Glaud won the Frank R. Burns Award, given to the player who displays extraordinary mental and physical toughness during spring practice.

Offensive lineman Taj Alexander won the Mark Mills Second Effort Award, given to the most improved offensive player. Linebacker Quentin Gause earned the Douglas A. Smith Award as the most improved defensive player.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Imagine being the best recruit to ever sign at a school. A school that has struggled at your particular position for years. A school so close to your hometown, the entire state has turned all its eyes to you to be some sort of savior sent from above.

Imagine dealing with all that at 18, the crossroads between being a kid and a grown-up.

It is safe to say nobody in the history of Rutgers dealt with the type of pressure running back Savon Huggins did last season. He came to the school as a five-star prospect, the consensus No. 1 player in the state of New Jersey, the answer to what has been missing since Ray Rice left town.

Huggins graced magazine covers and the front pages of newspapers, a phenomenon before he played a down. When he arrived on campus, he brushed aside suggestions that the pressure might be too great.

Then he started pressing once practice began, and never found a groove. He hurt his knee in early November, and missed the rest of the season. He never won the starting job.

"I know my mother told me when I came here, she was like, 'You realize you’re under a lot of pressure.' I was like, 'I’ll be fine.' Then I got here and realized, 'Woah. This is a lot,'" Huggins recalled. "It definitely is a learning experience, and something I will never take for granted. I’ll keep that for the rest of my life, to know what I have to do to get to where I have to get, and what I’ve been through. It wasn’t easy to go through what I went through, being hurt, all the pressure, and not doing what I’m expected to do."

Huggins ended the season with 146 yards on 56 carries and five touchdowns -- averaging a paltry 2.6 yards a carry. Every time he was asked about Huggins, former coach Greg Schiano said he just wanted his player to stop trying to do so much. As Huggins struggled, Jawan Jamison emerged as the freshman to watch, leading the team with 897 yards and nine touchdowns.

The players are now locked in a competition to win the starting running back job and help Rutgers improve its run game, which ranked near the bottom in the nation once again. There have no doubt been issues on the offensive line that have stunted the progress of the run game.

But there has not been a talent like Rice at the position since he left. Coach Kyle Flood has promised that both Jamison and Huggins will be used heavily, so it does not technically matter who wins the starting job.

During his most trying moments last season, Huggins said he relied on the support system around him. He never came into school believing himself to be the savior everyone expected, even though he admits he did not play relaxed on the field.

"First I had to prove myself to teammates," he said. "I never came in with that arrogance. I felt I had to go out there, have fun and contribute to my team. At the end of the day, regardless of who you are, you still have to be a team player. That’s what my approach was."

Huggins recognized where he struggled last season, and is intent on making everybody who placed such high expectations on him, believers once again.

"I never said I doubted myself," he said. "It was moreso I was thinking too much. I was getting caught up in hearing this and that. I would try to block it out, but I could hear it. I wasn’t playing relaxed. I was too tense. Now that I know the system and have a year under my belt, I feel more comfortable."

Another weekend has arrived, which means one last look into the mailbag.

Rob in NJ All Day writes: Why isn't anyone talking about Jawan Jamison and the Rutgers' run game? Our run game got better as the year went on and Jamison was a stud over the last couple games, including the bowl game. With this unit adding (R.J.) Dill at right tackle and a healthy, much bigger and stronger (Dallas) Hendrickson at center, I think he will be the best running back in the league. Mark my words, AA, and let's check back at the end of next year.

Andrea Adelson: Well, that is a pretty bold statement, considering Ray Graham is coming back to the league. I do believe the run game will be better, and the offensive line will be better. But the truth is, Rutgers was the worst rushing team in the Big East last season and was plagued with inconsistency -- even with some of Jamison's better games. That's why nobody is talking about Jamison. Add Savon Huggins back into the mix, and there is a true competition at running back this spring. I don't think it is set in stone that Jamison is going to be the featured back, despite what he did late in the year. Coach Kyle Flood wants both of them ready.

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Steve in Rome, N.Y., writes: AA, what do you think of Doug Marrone's decision to close practices? On one hand the local media seems to have struck back by writing virtually nothing on the team, so I'm dying for info. On the other hand, it certainly builds the anticipation for the spring game for the true diehards like myself! Anyway, appreciate your thoughts, keep up the great work on the blog, and rememeber that San Diego is east of somewhere!

Adelson: East of Hawaii, indeed! I don't think it is fair to say the local media has struck back by writing nothing on the team. Not only has Marrone closed practice, he, his players and assistants have been unavailable for post-practice comments. So there is not much in the way of information coming out of Syracuse. I don't have a problem with coaches closing practice. Most only allow a 30-minute viewing period for media, anyway. Now this may sound a bit self-serving because I am in the media, but I think it does hurt when you make nobody available for comment. I truly believe it helps the program when you make yourself available for articles, blog posts, and interviews. Especially when the focus has been on basketball. Give your guys some pub, put the Syracuse name out there. Nobody is asking them to reveal state secrets, and I don't think anybody is looking to write anything with a poison pen. I have not written anything myself, because there is nothing to write. If that is the way Marrone prefers it, then so be it.

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Jake in Montreal writes: Tino Sunseri for HEISMAN??????....No, I'm kidding. Who do you think will be the starting quarterback for Pitt under the new pro-style offense?I'm thinking (Mark) Myers. I can't trust Sunseri with the team. You with me?

Adelson: Everything out of Pittsburgh indicates Sunseri is the man headed into fall practice. He's the most experienced of the group, and has actually had a pretty decent camp. Maybe Paul Chryst has already worked his magic.

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Nick G. in Wethersfield, Conn., writes: Andrea, I know a lot of people so far are basing predictions and what not off of last year's teams and players lost. It seems to me that everyone for the most part is down on UConn for 2012. I don't think UConn will be as bad as people say or think we are going to be. The secondary will be much improved not only with Blidi Wreh-Wilson being healthy but because a lot of the guys who had to step in where very, very young. Now they have the experience and playing time. The defensive line lost a couple of guys that where great players, but we got some big ones to replace them that can handle the job just as well (I don't think we'll lose a step on the DL). And the O-line lost a few but got a new center that was a transfer from Penn St. and (Jimmy) Bennett is going to be healthy now. We are much deeper at linebacker now. We have some great players at RB, and more talent at WR than years in the past. Only Concern is at QB, but Johnny McEntee has been doing well this spring but so have the other four guys. They are all really competing for the starting spot with some flashes af great play. I honestly think this team can be top half of the league this year and fighting for the BCS berth with the last 2-3 weeks of the year if they stay away from injuries and all play to their potential, unlike last year.

Adelson: I fully expect UConn to be better, Nick. I think another year in the system is going to help everybody. As I mentioned in my offensive line preview video, I think this group will be improved. But again, any time you have questions at quarterback, you have questions about your entire team. There are no proven playmakers at receiver, either, though I know Shakim Phillips looked good before getting hurt. Linebacker will be strong, but depth along the defensive line is a major question as well. I asked Wreh-Wilson about being overlooked in the Big East, and he basically told me it was the same old story. "We've never been picked high, so we don’t worry about that," he said. If I had to guess right now, I think UConn goes back to a bowl game. Just a little better play at quarterback makes a huge, huge difference.

• A quick look at Cincinnati's special teams.
• Shakim Phillips could be a playmaker for UConn.
• Video: Spring practice No. 4 for Louisville. The Cardinals picked up a commitment from linebacker Jacarthy Mack.
• Freshman cornerback Lafayette Pitts is vying for a starting job.
• Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison looks to improve his game after a sporadic first season.
• USF is getting more physical at tight end.
• Two people have been charged with swindling $2.2 million from former Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney.
• Big East schedule analysis from Athlon Sports. Five games to watch in the Big East this season.

Rutgers is the final team to open spring practice. Here is a quick primer on what to expect.

Spring changes: What hasn't changed? Kyle Flood takes over as head coach, with only one other holdover from the previous staff -- Robb Smith takes over as defensive coordinator. There should be familiarity with the defense, as the scheme will stay the same. Dave Brock comes in as offensive coordinator, and also plans on sticking with the pro-style set the Scarlet Knights went back to last season. Several position changes also have been made. Most notably, Jeremy Deering has been moved from running back to wide receiver, and Kaleb Johnson is now at left tackle.

Position battles to watch

Quarterback. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova split starts last season, and both go into the spring battling for the starting job. "Do I expect there to be an outcome of that competition this spring?" Flood said last week. "I’m not putting a timetable on it. I’m not concerned about that. To me, if you want to put a long range timetable on it, you want to have your starter in place 10-14 days before you play your first game. So that would be the backend of the schedule. Whether or not that will happen this spring is really up to the players themselves to separate themselves from the other."

Running back. Jawan Jamison had a good season as a freshman last season, rushing for 897 yards and nine touchdowns. But Savon Huggins is healthy and ready for spring practice, and both are going to be competing for the starting job. Huggins missed the final four games of last season after coming in with an incredible amount of hype. Even in the games he did play, he seemed to be pressing. The key is for him to relax and let the big plays happen. In today's game, it is rare to go an entire season with one back. You need two ready to carry the load, and both have a shot to do so.

Defensive end: The one other position on the pre-spring depth chart that is up in the air is at end, where Ka'Lial Glaud and Marvin Booker are listed in the competition for the job to replace Manny Abreu. Jawaun Wynn, who moved to end at receiver, also will compete in the rotation, with the hopes that he can develop into a rush end.

Injury update: Out: NT Scott Vallone (shoulder); LB Khaseem Greene (ankle); OT Kaleb Johnson (shoulder); TE D.C. Jefferson (ankle); WR Tejay Johnson (hernia). Limited: DL Michael Larrow (ankle); CB Mason Robinson (knee); LB David Milewski (knee); OL Frank Quartucci (hip)

Who will have the best offense in the Big East in 2012?

It is time to make your voices heard.

You see this handy dandy poll. You also see only four teams listed. Those are the teams I believe have the best shot at having the best offense for 2012. If you disagree, vote for "other" and send me a note to the mailbag or leave your comment below with your best argument for your team.

So how did I arrive at these four teams? Here is my quick explanation.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats run the type of offense that generally puts up some yards and points. Under Butch Jones, Cincinnati finished No. 1 in total offense in 2010 and No. 3 in 2011. Although Isaiah Pead and Zach Collaros are gone, I think the Bearcats have the potential to put up big numbers again, should Munchie Legaux develop in the pass game, and the running backs produce the way Pead did.

Louisville. Teddy Bridgewater returns for his sophomore season, along with some talented receivers in Michaelee Harris, Eli Rogers and DeVante Parker. There are some talented players at running back as well. That is where I think the Cardinals have to do better. They ranked No. 7 in total offense in 2011 without a consistent run game; they ranked No. 3 in 2010 with one.

Rutgers. Interesting choice, right? Rutgers ranked No. 6 in total offense last season, has a major question mark at quarterback and also loses Mohamed Sanu. But I am taking a guess that Gary Nova wins the starting job, and does much better in his second go-around. He has talented receivers to help live up to their potential. The offensive line will be an area of strength, and Savon Huggins and Jawan Jamison allow the Scarlet Knights a more consistent running game.

USF. The Bulls have too much talent not to be one of the best offenses in the league, with B.J. Daniels returning for his senior season, along with some really nice skill position players such as Sterling Griffin, Andre Davis, Deonte Welch, Terrence Mitchell and Chris Dunkley. When you look at the roster, you absolutely see the potential for this group to really have a breakout season.

If I had to pick a fifth team in the mix, it would be Syracuse. Ryan Nassib and Alec Lemon return, and Marcus Sales will be back. Instead of putting a fifth team in the poll, I figured it would be easier to have "other" as an option so that way all the fans on the blog can voice their opinions.

I am sure we will revisit this topic in the summer, but for now, discuss!

Rutgers coach Kyle Flood held a news conference Tuesday to preview spring practice, which begins a week from today. He gave us all a little bit of news with position changes and an injury update.

First, here are the players who will either be held out of spring practice entirely, or be limited during drills.

Out

NT Scott Vallone (shoulder)

LB Khaseem Greene (ankle)

OT Kaleb Johnson (shoulder)

TE D.C. Jefferson (ankle)

WR Tejay Johnson (hernia)

Limited

DL Michael Larrow (ankle)

CB Mason Robinson (knee)

LB David Milewski (knee)

OL Frank Quartucci (hip)

Position changes

Jeremy Deering, from running back to wide receiver.

J.T. Tartakoff -- from receiver to safety

Sam Bergen -- from linebacker to fullback

Jawaun Wynn -- from receiver to rush end

Kaleb Johnson -- from right tackle to left tackle

Here are some of Flood's comments from his news conference:

On moving Johnson to left tackle: "I see [him] as a very talented, physically strong offensive lineman, and with our depth and our personnel, the guy best suited to be our left tackle going forward, and hopefully do it for three years." Johnson was a freshman All-American after emerging as the starter at right tackle last season.

Flood said it might seem unusual to have Wynn move from receiver to end, but he will be playing more of a hybrid end/linebacker position. "He's a physically talented young man. That is a position where, as he grows comfortable with it, he'll be able to impact the games on a high level."

On the quarterback competition between Gary Nova and Chas Dodd, Flood would not put a timetable for when he wants to make a decision. But the starting job is no doubt up for grabs. "What we have is two really talented, quality young people who have won big games for us. I'm anxious to watch them compete this spring. It's up to the players to see if one separates himself."

On the running back battle between Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins, who is totally healthy headed into the spring: "I don't think anybody's ahead of anyone at that position. What I've said to players over the years is there's nothing more valuable than consistency. That's something we've lacked at that position. We need a guy we can hand the ball to who can give us a high-quality game every time we hand him the ball. I'm hoping to find that in both guys. You need more than one."

Flood also confirmed that Robinson was granted his sixth year of eligibility. "To have a young person of that caliber, that quality back in our program, I think he will bring a level of leadership that you can only understand if you spend time in a locker room with Division I football players. He can do things for me in a leadership role that nobody else can do. We're really excited to have him back with us."

As for the depth chart, the offensive line has some new faces with three seniors gone. As expected, Dallas Hendrikson is at center. But sophomore Taj Alexander is listed at right tackle, and David Osei is at right guard. Betim Bujari is at left guard.

Brandon Coleman is listed at the starting receiver spot left by Mohamed Sanu.

At the safety spot David Rowe leaves, and Lorenzo Waters is penciled in ahead of Wayne Warren. And watch for a battle at defensive end between Ka'Lial Glaud and Marvin Booker. Kenneth Kirsey is listed No. 1 at defensive tackle in the spot left by Justin Francis.

Let's take a final peek inside the mailbag at the end of the week.

Austin Gray in Northfield, Vt., writes: Andrea: Curious about the anti-Temple slant? The Big East seems desperate to stop the bleeding. Replacing schools like VaTech, BC, Miami, Pitt, WVU and Syracuse with schools like UCF, Navy, SMU, Houston, Memphis, Louisville and Cincinnati shows the downward trend of the conference. Temple seems to bench mark right in the wheel house of the new adds, yes?

Andrea Adelson: The anti-Temple slant? I do not believe I have written an opinion piece yet on the possibility of Temple joining the Big East. If you are referring to the chat, then I think I probably speak for most Big East fans when I say I am puzzled at what seems to be the disorganization of these moves. Not only that, the Big East did kick Temple out previously for under performance. I agree the Owls are leap years from where they were before, but it seems as though these moves, once again, have been done in a haphazard and illogical way. If Temple was really the No. 1 priority, why not just skip the step where it asked Boise State to enter a year early? Why not add Temple first for 2012 and then wait on the announcement of Memphis? Why not add everybody when TCU came on board in 2010? Temple does fall in line with everybody else, but excuse me if I leave the pom poms in my closet.

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Evan in Philadelphia writes: If Temple joins the Big East for 2012, how do you see the Owl finishing in the conference? I feel the Owls can compete with every team in the conference this upcoming year.

Adelson: Compete, sure. Beat every team? No. If the Owls join I would peg them to be somewhere in the 6-8 range. I think Louisville, Rutgers, Cincinnati, USF and even Pitt are better. There are some major questions facing this team at quarterback and on defense. The Big East gets a really bad rap, but it is a better conference top to bottom than the MAC, a league Temple has yet to win.

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Aaron H. in Monroe, N.J., writes: Andrea -As always you are doing a great job and appreciate the love you have been giving Rutgers through out your position rankings on defense. I feel like this is HUGE year for RU football and feel like this is year we finally win the BE crown. With the lost of (Mohamed) Sanu and a whole new offensive staff, do you think that they will be an ultra conservative offense? (especially with a stout defense). It just seems like this year the Big East is going to be won by the team who makes the least mistakes on offense (as cliched as it sounds).

Adelson: Well, to be a conservative offense, you need to have a solid run game, right? So that will all be predicated on how much better the Scarlet Knights will be on the ground. Jawan Jamison showed flashes, and the offensive line was better. But that still translated to one of the worst run offenses in the nation. Getting Savon Huggins back healthy helps, but he was too tentative when he got the ball last year, and needs to just let go and play. Now, Rutgers did win nine games a year ago with a bad run offense. But to win a Big East title, I think the Scarlet Knights are going to have to get better in this area.

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CardFanDan in The 'Ville writes: The Big East's refusal to help Boise State with early exit penalties seems like another example of the schism between basketball schools and football schools in the conference. There is no way that the basketball-only schools would give up some of their piece of WVU's buyout to invite a football only school. Do you agree? Do you feel -as I do- that the basketball and football schools in the Big East are drifting even further apart throughout the conference expansion process?

Adelson: I think it is too early to comment on whether the basketball schools put the kibosh on Boise until we know exactly how the discussions went down. Perhaps it was the league office that handled these negotiations without input from every league school. I don't believe the schools are any further apart. Because look at the moves that have been made -- Memphis was a nod to basketball; if Temple joins, that would be a nod for basketball as well. If the hoops schools really, truly felt life was better on their own, they probably would have left by now.

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Steve in Charleston, W.Va., writes: From you article about Temple: The Big East had been hoping it could persuade Boise State -- to leave the Mountain West early.Isn't this hypocritical by the Big East after fighting against WVU?

Adelson: About as hypocritical as trying to get Temple out of the MAC to join immediately, in direct violation of the Owls' exit provision that calls for a two-year waiting period. But this is how it is in the world of college expansion. There is no such thing as looking out for everybody else. You have got to look out first and foremost for yourself.

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Mike in 'Cuse writes: Nothing is written in stone. Because Temple appears on the way in, doesn't mean Louisville is on the way out. So obviously the Big East won't sit at 13 teams. Do you think they look to add a 14th team now, wait for Navy to come in, or wait to see if their are any more defections?

Adelson: I think that is the big question left for the Big East. The league has given no indication that it is in a rush to get to 14. I really think this is an exceptional circumstance because of the dire need to get another team in place for the 2012 season. I could be dead wrong, but I am not sure getting to 14 is an absolute priority right now -- unless the Big East believes it has to for the good of television negotiations.

I had a chance to catch up with Rutgers coach Kyle Flood at the end of his whirlwind week as new head coach and recruiting class savior. Here is a little of what he had to say:

You told athletic director Tim Pernetti you were the right man for the job, but did you have to prove it with the recruiting class you signed?

KF: It had to be both. The relationships we had with this recruiting class were critical. The reason for the long days was we wanted to stay in constant contact. From the very first moment we got on the phone my message was always the same. I'm the interim head coach, and I expect to be the head coach going forward, and I expect to be the head coach for a long time. For the recruits, what happened was unsettling. The only way to get them to understand that was to stay in constant contact. When you’re trying to do that with 18 signees not enrolled with us, that takes time because you’re not just talking to the recruits. You’re talking to parents, aunts and uncles, whoever the important people are in the recruits’ lives.

What did you say to Tim during your interview?

KF: I said to him at one point in the interview, we were into it for a little while, in our profession secrets are not very well kept. I know you’re going to talk to some coaches. On paper, they're good football coaches. But I can tell you this: there's nobody better for this job than me, and nobody who will care more for Rutgers football than me.

Now that you do have the job and recruiting is over, what is your first order of business?

KF: The first order of business for us is to organize our winter workouts. We have to hit the ground running, and then start working on spring practice, summer, preseason training camp. I can't wait to get going.

Greg Schiano took a lot of heat for the way he switched quarterbacks. You have two in Chas Dodd and Gary Nova coming back for the spring. What is your plan for the quarterback position?

KF: We're very fortunate we have two guys in the program right now in Chas Dodd and Gary Nova. They’ve won very big football games for us at Rutgers. It’s a unique position to be in. I'd much rather be in that position than any other. We've got spring practice to figure out the rest.

Greg talked at length about getting the offensive line shored up, and you guys turned a corner this year under your leadership. What was the biggest change?

KF: Having just gone through the season, what really helped us was getting back to the basics of what we believe in. The style of offense, the pro-style system as an offensive line coach, that type of system is what an offensive lineman wants to play in and generally what an offensive lineman thrives in. What I've said to people is if you want to know what the Rutgers offensive line is going to look like moving forward, look at the Cincinnati game and the Iowa State game. … We have Kaleb Johnson coming back, Betim Bujari and got some great pieces to build around. You can see where we're going.

Is Savon Huggins going to be healthy for spring practice? How do you envision the running back rotation working with Jawan Jamison coming off a good season?

KF: Yes, Savon will be healthy for spring practice. Savon and Jawan are really talented running backs, and we've got others behind them who are excellent players as well. We have an opportunity this spring to get a good look at all of them.

What is your thought on hiring a defensive coordinator, particularly since Greg made the calls last season?

KF: The way we play defense here is not going to change. The system is going to stay intact. We are going to be a high pressure defense as long as I’m the head coach.

What will change?

KF: What I've said is the core values are going to be the same. My personality is different. I think as we go through this, I want to take the things that are really good and I want to make them great. It’s not a situation where the head coach was let go because they weren’t winning. This is a team that's won five straight bowl games in the last six years. This is a really good team and we want to advance it forward.

How do you do that?

KF: By taking the little things and making them better. It’s going to be the little things.

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.

Without further adieu, here is your 2011 Big East All-Bowl team:

OFFENSE

QB: Geno Smith, West Virginia. Smith was named the Discover Orange Bowl MVP after the Mountaineers routed Clemson 70-33. Smith ended up with Orange Bowl records for passing yards (401), touchdowns responsible for (six) and total offense (433). He threw just 11 incompletions and had zero interceptions.

RB: Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year turned in a terrific final performance as a member of the Bearcats in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt. Pead set a school bowl record with 149 yards rushing in a 31-24 win, his sixth 100-yard game of the season. His 12-yard touchdown run with 1:52 remaining sealed the team's first bowl victory since 2007.

RB:Jawan Jamison, Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights run game was inconsistent all season, but the redshirt freshman stepped up against Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Jamison was named MVP of the game after gaining 131 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. It was his third 100-yard game of his career. All of them happened this season.

WR: Tavon Austin, West Virginia. The best playmaker on the Orange Bowl field was pretty much unstoppable. Austin racked up an Orange Bowl record with 280 all-purpose yards, including 117 yards receiving, 46 yards rushing and 117 yards on kickoff returns. He also set Orange Bowl records for receptions (12) and receiving touchdowns (four).

WR: Josh Bellamy, Louisville. Bellamy set a season-high with 98 receiving yards in a loss to NC State in the Belk Bowl. Still, he had the most receiving yards by a Cardinal in a bowl game since Harry Douglas had 165 against Wake Forest in the 2007 Orange Bowl. His 53-yard reception in the first quarter was a career long and the second-longest pass play for Louisville this season.

OG: Randy Martinez, Cincinnati. Martinez has been one of the most consistent offensive linemen for the Bearcats over the past two seasons, and he graded out near the top once again in the Liberty Bowl. Martinez helped pave the way for 221 rushing yards -- second most against FBS competition this season.

OG: Betim Bujari, Rutgers, OT: Desmond Wynn, Rutgers. Bujari made just his third start of the season, on the left side no less. Wynn slid over from guard to tackle. But the combination worked for the Scarlet Knights, who put together perhaps their best effort on the offensive line all season. Rutgers ran for 173 yards -- their second-highest total of the season. And they did not allow a sack.

OT: Don Barclay, West Virginia, C: Joe Madsen, West Virginia. One of the biggest knocks against the Mountaineers this season was their inconsistency on the offensive line. In the days leading up to the Orange Bowl, Madsen said he felt the unit had played to the level of its competition. The hope was that facing several NFL draft prospects on the Clemson line would help West Virginia play better. Whatever works, right? West Virginia ran for 188 yards and did not allow a sack in its domination of the Tigers.

DEFENSE

DL: Myles Caragein, Pitt. The Panthers may not have had the greatest game in the BBVA Compass Bowl against SMU, but Caragein was solid for most of the afternoon, with six tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup.

DL: Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati. Wolfe ended his Co-Defensive Player of the Year season with six tackles, including two for loss, against Vanderbilt.

DL: Aaron Donald, Pitt. Donald did his part for the Panthers, with one sack, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and five tackles in all. Pitt racked up four sacks on the day and held SMU to 61 yards rushing in the loss.

LB: Najee Goode, West Virginia. Goode was a part of an outstanding defensive effort, with 1.5 tackles for loss, one sacks, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery against Clemson.

LB: Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. After posting one of the best regular seasons in school history, Greene finished everything off with a team-high 13 tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl to finish the year with 140, tied for fifth in the school single-season record books. Unfortunately, he could not complete the game after breaking his ankle. He is expected to be fine for 2012.

LB: JK Schaffer, Cincinnati. Schaffer had nine tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss in a win over Vanderbilt. He closes out his career with 337 stops, a mark that ranks him ninth on the Big East career list.

LB: Nick Temple, Cincinnati. The true freshman saved his best performance of the season for the final game of the season. Temple had a career-high eight tackles, a forced fumble and his first career interception in a win over Vanderbilt. Simply put, he was everywhere for the Bearcats.

S: Darwin Cook, West Virginia. Cook had perhaps the play of the game in the Orange Bowl, when he scooped up a fumble by Andre Ellington and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown to seize momentum in the second quarter against Clemson. West Virginia ended up scoring 35 points in the frame to put the game way, way, way out of reach.

S: Eain Smith, West Virginia. With starting Terence Garvin out because of a knee injury, many wondered whether Cook and Smith would take more on their shoulders. They both delivered in a big way. Smith finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 12 solo stops, and assisted on a tackle for loss.

CB: Keith Tandy, West Virginia. Tandy had six tackles and an interception on the night, and was part of a secondary that completely shut down Sammy Watkins, holding him to 66 yards on five catches. After a shaky start, West Virginia hunkered down and gave up just 78 yards passing in the second half. Tajh Boyd completed only 52 percent of his passes.

CB: Logan Ryan, Rutgers. Ryan really seemed to grow up throughout the season and ended the year with another big performance. Logan had seven tackles -- 2.5 for loss -- one interception and half a sack in the win over Iowa State.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Tyler Bitancurt, West Virginia. Bitancurt was 10-for-10 on extra-point attempts in the Orange Bowl, setting a new record for extra points attempted and made in any bowl game.

P: Justin Doerner, Rutgers. Doerner had a terrific performance against Iowa State with a season-best 49.7-yard average on six punts. Two of them went inside the 20. One of them went 57 yards. His average was tops among the five Big East punters in bowl games.

KR: Ralph David Abernathy IV, Cincinnati. After Vanderbilt went up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter, Abernathy took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a score to put the Bearcats up for good. It was the first return for a score in his career.

AP: Austin. See above.

Here are some of the highs and lows of Big East bowl season:

Best performance, team: West Virginia. The 70-33 win over Clemson in the Discover Orange Bowl goes down as one of the best team performances in bowl history. The Mountaineers set a bowl record for points scored, and another bowl record for points scored in one quarter (35, second); an Orange Bowl record for touchdowns (10); and tied an Orange Bowl record for first downs (31). Theirs was the most dominating bowl win of the season.

Best performance, individual: Tavon Austin, West Virginia. Geno Smith won game MVP honors, but I thought the biggest difference maker was Austin. He set Orange Bowl records for total yards (280), receptions (12) and receiving touchdowns (4) and his versatility was a major reason why the Mountaineers won. Smith said this about Austin after the game: "He won me an MVP. I should give him a trophy."

Worst performance, team: Pitt. The numbers on offense were ugly once again in the BBVA Compass Bowl against SMU. The Panthers had season lows in points and yards rushing (10), and their 205 total yards were second-worst this season. They also were 6-of-17 on third down, and had no touchdowns in four trips inside the SMU 25. Pretty sure Pitt is happy to turn the page on this season.

Best comeback: Zach Collaros, Cincinnati. In the weeks leading up to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, we could only guess about whether Collaros would make it back from a broken ankle. He was weeks ahead of rehab, but there was still soreness and he was not running all that well. But Collaros is such a gamer, he refused to be held out of the game. He made his triumphant return and the Bearcats beat Vanderbilt 31-24.

Worst injury: Khaseem Greene, Rutgers. It looked gruesome on television -- Greene went down hard on his ankle against Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and we were all thankful when the television replays stopped. It was a tough end to the season for the co-Defensive Player of the Year, who had one of the finest defensive performances this bowl season with 13 tackles, half a sack and a forced fumble. Greene ended up with a broken ankle, but should be just fine for the start of training camp this summer.

Worst loss: Louisville. Yes, we can say Pitt had a terrible loss, but the season had gone horribly for the Panthers and after another coaching change, you almost understood why they failed to show up. But the Cardinals finished the season with wins in four of their final five games, and earned a share of the Big East title. They were riding high going into their game against NC State in the Belk Bowl. An NC State team, by the way, that Cincinnati clobbered earlier in the season. I fully expected a win. But Louisville came out flat and trailed 31-10 before a valiant attempt at a comeback. Too many mistakes did in the Cardinals and they lost 31-24. I give a hand clap to the comeback, but I firmly believe this is a game the Cardinals should have won.

Best momentum swing (1): Clemson running back Andre Ellington was on his way in for a short touchdown in the second quarter against the Mountaineers. But he lost the football, and Darwin Cook returned it 99 yards for a score. West Virginia ended up scoring 35 points in the second quarter -- including 21 off three turnovers.

Best momentum swing (2): Cincinnati trailed Vanderbilt 21-17 early in the fourth quarter, after Larry Smith connected with Chris Boyd on a 68-yard touchdown pass. Ralph David Abernathy IV took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a score to put the Bearcats ahead 24-21. It was the first return for a score in his career. Even better -- Cincinnati would never trail again.

Worst series: Louisville scored to make it 31-24 with 4:29 left in the fourth quarter. Plenty of time to kick it deep and then trust your defense to get a three-and-out to set up good field position for a game-winning drive. Charlie Strong opted for an onside kick, and NC State recovered. Luckily for the Cardinals, NC State coach Tom O'Brien made a move that was even more head-scratching when he decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Louisville 33. The Cardinals stopped them to get great field position with 1:35 remaining. But Teddy Bridgewater took two sacks on the drive, and ended up throwing his third interception to end the game.

Best turnaround: Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights went into their game against Iowa State averaging 2.6 yards a carry and 91.5 yards a game on the ground. They nearly doubled those numbers in the bowl game, rushing for 173 yards and 4.1 yards a carry, as Jawan Jamison had 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Now that the college football season is over, we have plenty of time to dissect what happened. Let us take a look back at what we learned about the Big East during bowl season.

1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Yup, that was West Virginia hanging 70 on Clemson. Yup, that was Cincinnati beating Vanderbilt. Yup, that was two 10-win Big East teams finishing in the Top 25. Not too shabby for the most disrespected league in America. The twin results of bowl season might do little to calm the anti-Big East rhetoric, but clearly West Virginia served notice that it should not be trifled with in 2012. All season long we waited on the Mountaineers to put together a complete game from start to finish. We finally got it in the Discover Orange Bowl to the tune of a bowl record for points scored, along with many other Orange Bowl and BCS marks shattered. The television ratings might not have been terrific, but West Virginia put on one heck of a show in South Florida. Say what you will about its imminent departure to the Big 12 -- that game counted for the Big East, which had lost its three previous BCS games by a combined 38 points.

2. Comeback kid. Cincinnati coach Butch Jones wasn't exaggerating when he said Zach Collaros' return from an ankle injury was one of the best stories of bowl season. It was indeed. Collaros is a good kid and a good player who deserved to lead his team in his final game. He worked countless hours in the rehab room to get his broken ankle healed up enough to be able to play Vanderbilt. His status was a question leading up to the game, so much so that the Commodores were favored over the co-Big East champs. But Collaros was able to come back to the field about two weeks before schedule and deliver a 31-24 win. His stats weren't pretty (neither were his interceptions), but Collaros gutted it out and did just enough to get the Bearcats their fourth 10-win season in the past five years.

3. Louisville has some growing up to do. Don't get me wrong. The Cardinals exceeded most everyone's expectations this season when they won a share of the Big East title, and beat West Virginia along the way. But they had a few too many mistakes in their Belk Bowl loss to NC State, and their late rally came up just short. Teddy Bridgewater threw three interceptions, and was confused by some of the blitzes thrown his way. He also took several sacks late in the game when he should have thrown the ball away. This was a winnable game for Louisville, and it always hurts to lose. But I think this game can serve as a valuable learning experience heading into 2012.

4. Rutgers completes turnaround. It was a few months ago that people like me picked Rutgers to finish dead last. Consider its bowl win against Iowa State the bookend to a terrific turnaround season. What we always know to be true about the Scarlet Knights happened again -- they won their fifth straight bowl game, the longest active bowl winning streak in the nation. The game turned out to be the final one for receiver Mohamed Sanu, who declared for the NFL draft the following week. He had six catches for 62 yards in the game, and Jawan Jamison showed once again that the potential is there for the Scarlet Knights to have a good run game.

5. Pitt ends the misery. It was a miserable season for the Panthers, and they ended it with a miserable performance against SMU in the BBVA Compass Bowl. You can hardly blame them for wanting to turn the page on 2011, a season that has been defined by the antics of former coach Todd Graham. First he left his players in the lurch by making them play a style of offense that made them look inept. Then he left his players in the lurch when he lied to them and actually left with a text message through a surrogate as his way of thanking them for their hard work this season. Pitt ended up 6-7 -- its first losing season since 2007. The top half of the league might have been good, but the Big East did have four teams with losing records for the first time since 2005.