ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 7-6

2011 conference record: 5-2 (T-1)

Returning starters

Offense 8; Defense 10; Kicker/punter: 1.

Key returners

QB Teddy Bridgewater RB Dominique Brown, WR DeVante Parker, WR Eli Rogers, C Mario Benavides, CB Adrian Bushell, LB Preston Brown, S Hakeem Smith

Key losses

RB Victor Anderson, DE Greg Scruggs, LB Dexter Heyman, K Chris Philpott, TE Josh Chichester

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Victor Anderson (539 yards)

Passing: Teddy Bridgewater* (191-of-296 for 2,129 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs)

Receiving: Michaelee Harris* (455 yards)

Tackles: Dexter Heyman (90)

Sacks: Marcus Smith* (5.5)

Interceptions: Heyman (three)

Spring answers

1. Strong secondary. Louisville should have one of the better secondaries in the Big East with the return of cornerbacks Adrian Bushell and Andrew Johnson, and safeties Hakeem Smith and Calvin Pryor. Highly heralded Gerod Holliman isn't even included in the bunch after sitting out spring with a shoulder injury. Coach Charlie Strong has to be happy with this core group.

2. Preston Brown in the middle. Brown played on the outside last season but has shifted to middle linebacker to replace Dexter Heyman, the team's leading tackler from a year ago. Strong had nothing but praise for the spring Brown had in making the transition. Louisville feels good about having him in there.

3. Bridgewater on the rise. Any time true freshmen have good seasons, the phrase that gets thrown around is "sophomore slump." Therefore, some have wondered whether Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be as effective in Year 2 as he was as a true freshman. If his spring is any indication, he will be much more effective. Bridgewater had complete command of the offense in the spring and grew as a leader as well. Louisville appears to be in good hands.

Fall questions

1. Running back rotation. Strong's preference is to have one workhorse back, but Louisville may not achieve that for the second straight season. Coming out of spring, Strong said his team would most likely work four running backs into some sort of a rotation -- Dominique Brown, Jeremy Wright, Senorise Perry and Corvin Lamb. Just how that rotation will work and how effective the run game will be remain big questions.

2. Maturity. Strong has talked extensively to his players about being more mature this season, especially with increased expectations for another Big East championship. Though his team is more experienced, it's laden with sophomores and juniors who are still learning as they go. This team has to prove it can handle higher expectations, and big wins. After every big win last year, a letdown followed.

3. Kicker. With the reliable Chris Philpott gone, Louisville now turns to redshirt freshman John Wallace, who leads the way after the spring. Most every Big East game comes down to the wire, which increases the value of having a good kicker. Wallace is going to have to prove he can do it in game action right out of the gate.

Andrea Adelson looks at the offensive line position across the Big East, and believes there will be improvement in 2012.

Louisville opens spring camp this afternoon. Here is a quick primer on what to expect:

Spring changes: Of all eight Big East teams, the Cardinals have undergone the fewest changes during the offseason. The coaching staff has remained intact, as Shawn Watson was officially promoted to offensive coordinator. Only a handful of senior starters are gone, including Dexter Heyman, Greg Scruggs, Josh Chichester and Victor Anderson. They are big contributors to be sure. But the Cardinals return so many young players from a year ago, many are already projecting this to be one of the best teams in the Big East. You can bet coach Charlie Strong will be sure to hammer home nothing has changed -- as in, they have to stay focused and continue to play like underdogs.

Position battles to watch

Linebacker. Depth has to be built at this position, where the Cardinals lose starter Dexter Heyman. You can be sure all eyes will be on Preston Brown as he transitions inside, and the two early enrollee freshmen -- Keith Brown and James Burgess. Both will be on the weak side behind Daniel Brown. Deiontrez Mount, who transitioned to linebacker last season, is penciled in to start at the other outside position. But you have to think this is a position of flux given some of the incoming talent and the depth that has to be built.

Running back. Victor Anderson is gone, but the Cardinals return several veterans with playing experience in Dominique Brown and Jeremy Wright. Add in Senorise Perry and Corvin Lamb, and you have the makings of an excellent competition this spring. Coaches really want to take a good look at Lamb, a back with 4.3-speed who played with Teddy Bridgewater at Northwestern High in Miami.

Kicker. Chris Philpott is gone, leaving nobody on the roster with experience kicking or punting. So expect a wide-open race this spring and fall. The contenders at kicker are: redshirt freshman John Wallace, and walk-ons Andrew Fletcher and Matthew Nakatani. Incoming freshman Joshua Appleby is expected to compete when he arrives on campus this summer. Ryan Johnson is probably the leader at punter.

Injury update: Defensive end Roy Philon (back), center Mario Benavides (shoulder) and receiver Michaelee Harris (knee) are out.

As it stands today, there are only two players from the Big East listed on Mel Kiper's top 5 player rankings by position for the 2012 draft -- Mohamed Sanu at receiver and Bruce Irvin at outside linebacker.

But take heart, my friends. Next season seems to be in line to be much better.

Kiper has come out with his top 5 player rankings by position for the NFL draft class of 2013. These only include seniors, of course, since we have no idea about underclassmen leaving early. You will see several more Big East players listed:

Quarterback

No. 4 Geno Smith, West Virginia. Kiper believes Smith will get more scrutiny next season once he enters the draft spotlight.

Running back

No. 3 Ray Graham, Pitt.

Fullbacks

No. 5 Ryan Clarke, West Virginia

Receiver

No. 3 Tavon Austin, West Virginia

Center

No. 3 Mario Benavides, Louisville

You can see the complete lists by clicking on the links above. As always, I'll keep you updated once these lists start changing. For now, really interesting to see how some of these players stack up against the rest.

I had a chance to catch up with Louisville center Mario Benavides, who is finally healthy for the Cardinals after missing the first three games of the season with a serious infection in his right ankle. I asked Benavides about the improvement on the offensive line, and what he went through when he had to sit on the sideline.

The offensive line had probably its best performance of the season last week against Rutgers. What was the biggest difference?

MB: Everybody knew Rutgers was one of the top schools in the nation in sacks and creating turnovers. That gave us an edge throughout the whole week of practice. Being a younger group of guys, we’re finally starting to jell. We’re finally getting a feel for each other.

You were the only returning starter and you missed three games. So how long does it take for a group of guys to be able to work together well?

MB: There’s no timeline. When it happens it happens. As one of the older guys, you know when it’s coming. I feel like we’re starting to go in the right direction. The line we had last year, it took us a year and a half to play the way we did last season. Last year was when we finally jelled. Everybody matures at a different rate. We’ve asked the young guys to grow up quickly and they’re finally starting to do that.

How hard was it on you to sit out?

MB: It was really hard. I never had to sit out anything high school or college. I started every game besides one against Arkansas State last year. To go into camp feeling relatively healthy for the first time in three years, I was feeling pretty good about getting to work with the younger guys. It hurt us as a line and me, having to sit back and sit out and miss the first three games. That’s a long time, that’s two months without getting to work with the guys. I was thrown into the mix Marshall week with two days in practice. So I literally went from laid up in bed to playing.

So how did you get hurt?

MB: I had an infection in the joint of my right ankle that put me in the hospital for a while. It was tough. I lost 20 pounds and didn’t have an appetite. I was really sick. It was just one of those freak accidents where I woke up at the beginning of camp and I couldn’t put any weight on my ankle. I was in excruciating pain. It was an infection that was forming within my joint for a while and it finally blew up on me. I had to go in and do all kinds of stuff on it to get the pressure relieved.

How did you get the infection?

MB: I don’t know. I didn’t have a wound. It’s one of those things where I woke up and didn’t have any cuts. It was weird because I felt it between the bones, and was like, ‘What is going on?’ I can’t explain it. Even the doctors were kind of, ‘Hey, what’s going on? It was like a case study. I was in the hospital for a week and a half, two weeks total, in and out every a couple days. There was nothing I could do.

I cannot even imagine how hard that was on you.

MB: It was devastating. I felt like me being out there in games would at least give them a mental edge. Not only was I not playing with them, I wasn’t on the sideline. That was hard for me. You can be the vocal guy on the sideline, but I was laid up in the hospital. It was just really, really hard on me.

How did you make it through?

MB: Family and teammates. My parents flew up as soon as they heard about it from Texas. They were worried about me because something like that can get serious if it spreads throughout your body. I had to wear a PICC line in my heart. I went from me being pretty darn sick to playing football a week after I got out.

How long did it take you to feel like you were in football shape?

MB: Cincinnati week I started feeling better. I feel really good now. I finally feel not necessarily like the old me, but I feel like I’m headed in the right direction. I’m getting used to the quickness of the game, my football IQ -- it’s like riding a bike but not that easy. The last month was like my training camp. I’ve got that month back, and now I feel like I would have felt at the beginning of the season.

Was that the real Syracuse last week? The real Louisville?

Both teams were able to do what they do best. The Orange had good balance on offense and attacked on defense against West Virginia. The Cardinals pounded the ball and let their defense lead the way against Rutgers.

The result: victories for both.

Now the two meet Saturday hoping to gain a little momentum in their push for a conference championship. Louisville has won two straight in the series but is still looking for back-to-back conference wins for the first time under Charlie Strong.

Syracuse is hoping to avoid a letdown after a 49-23 win over the Mountaineers, especially with increasing chatter that the Orange could be BCS bound if they play that way each week.

"With a great performance comes great expectations," Syracuse defensive end Mikhail Marinovich said. "People are going to expect to see that every week. We're just not focusing on the game after next or what’s happening in the future. Everybody is focused on the game at hand. Since this coaching staff has been here, they haven’t beaten Louisville. We’re just looking to really focus on the stuff that got us beat last year."

Louisville ran for 160 yards on the Orange last season. Their run game has not been nearly as effective this season, but the Cardinals picked it up against Rutgers as Jeremy Wright became the first 100-yard rusher of the season. Louisville did not exactly score a bushel of points, but the Cardinals did get enough to win.

But perhaps most impressive was the play of the offensive line, which has been banged up all season. The Cardinals entered the game ranked almost near the bottom in the country in sacks, allowing 3.7 per game.

Louisville had given up four or more sacks in four of the first six games. But the Cardinals did not give up one sack for the first time all season with the lineup of center Mario Benavides, guards Jake Smith and John Miller, and tackles Ryan Kessling and Alex Kupper. Quite impressive considering Rutgers went into the game with 24 sacks.

"It definitely helps us on the offensive line in terms of confidence," Benavides said. "It helps across the board on offense because we play better. The quarterbacks have more confidence in us, the wide receivers have more confidence in us, the running backs. We’re starting to grow, but we have to keep growing and not get complacent. As a young team, you take success and you tend to get fat and happy. Our coaches are doing a good job of keeping us grounded."

Though the grind-it-out Louisville style presents a different challenge than the air-it-out West Virginia style, the Syracuse defense also got some much needed momentum from its performance last week.

It helped having defensive end Chandler Jones back. He had two of the team's four sacks to help boost a group that had not gotten as much pressure on the quarterback. That, of course, helps out the rest of the defense and Syracuse posted its largest margin of victory.

"It does give us confidence," Marinovich said. "When we’re firing on all cylinders, there’s no telling what we can do. But it also raises the bar to work harder every day and take our game to the next level."

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

Record: 2-3 (0-0, Big East)

Everybody knew Louisville would field a young squad after losing 25 seniors off last season's bowl team. That inexperience has shown throughout the entire team, and has played a role in the Cardinals' early struggles. So far, Louisville has had 24 players make their first collegiate appearance. Eleven true freshmen have played, and eight have made starts. That includes quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has started the last two games while Will Stein has been out with a shoulder injury. The offensive line has not only been plagued with inexperience, but injuries as well. Center Mario Benavides missed the first three games of the season; Hector Hernandez, Kamran Joyner and John Miller have also missed games. Struggles along the line and with the running backs have meant struggles for the entire offense. Louisville, one of the best rushing teams last season with Bilal Powell, is now one of the worst in the league. The Cardinals have just two rushing touchdowns all season.

Penalties and turnovers have plagued them as well. Sensing a need to make a move to boost his offense, coach Charlie Strong has relieved Mike Sanford of his duties as offensive coordinator and handed the play calling over to Shawn Watson. Sanford remains with the team but in an undefined role. Bridgewater has been OK as a starter -- he gets major credit for leading the Cardinals to a huge win over Kentucky. But they have scored 20 total points in two games since that momentous victory, and teams are forcing Louisville to throw to beat them. Meanwhile, Louisville ranks No. 8 in the Big East in penalties and turnover margin (minus-4), two more reasons why Louisville has had problems so far this season.

Offensive MVP: The offense has been so anemic, there is nobody worthy of MVP. Don't believe me? Look at the stats.

Defensive MVP:LB Dexter Heyman. The Cardinals have gotten some good performances from their defense, but Heyman has stood out. Heyman leads the team with 39 tackles -- including seven for loss. He also has two sacks, one forced fumble and an interception this season.

Here are some news and notes from the Big East coaches call earlier today.

Cincinnati
Can the NC State win be a springboard for the Bearcats?

"When you win, it breeds more and more confidence," coach Butch Jones said. "We need to build off it. Games like this can help you or they can hurt you. We still have a lot of improvements we have to make.

UConn
Starting cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson has a sprained MCL and is out at least a couple of weeks. Coach Paul Pasqualoni did not have a timetable for his return. Wreh-Wilson was injured against Buffalo, and Gary Wilburn replaced him. He will get the starting nod while Wreh-Wilson is out.

"Nobody's happy about the way this has happened, because Blidi had such a big game going the other night when it happened. It's just a shame. He's a leader, he's a captain, but this is an opportunity for Gary Wilburn and I think he'll do well with it," Pasqualoni said.

Louisville
Coach Charlie Strong said the team is preparing as if quarterback Will Stein will be able to play. Less certain is the status of center Mario Benavides.

“He has a chance,” Strong said. “How much of a chance that is, we don’t know, but we’re going to get him out there and try to let him go to work on Tuesday and see exactly where we are.”

Guard John Miller and cornerback Andrew Johnson are also "prepared to go."

Pittsburgh
Coach Todd Graham knows it has been slow going for his offense, which scored just 12 points last week against Notre Dame. Tino Sunseri was sacked six times, and a big reason why is because he continues to hold onto the ball too long. Graham was asked what it would take to get the offense going.

"Actually run the offense would be the first key," he said. "We've had a lot of misreads, taking sacks on quick-game passes. We're up and down, which results in being really inconsistent. We've done a lot of things. We got better, but that's not what we're after."

Rutgers
Rutgers made some changes along the offensive line, with Betim Bujari and Kaleb Johnson making their first career starts. Was there improvement against Ohio?

“We were a little better. Jawan Jamison had some nice runs," coach Greg Schiano said. "He made some people miss in the backfield and turned them into positive plays, had a couple big runs. Anytime you can produce, which we did, it makes you feel better. But when you watch the tape, it doesn’t take away the evils. We still have our issues. We started two new guys. I felt they performed relatively well. This is going to be a big week now. You always hear coaches say the biggest improvement is between Week 1 and Week 2. For Kaleb and Betim, this was their Week 1, so let's see how much they improve."

Syracuse
Coach Doug Marrone alluded to the injuries his team has had to deal with, especially on defense with players like Chandler Jones, Shamarko Thomas, Olando Fisher and Ri'Shard Anderson having missed time. But he was not ready to make any announcements about their playing status.

"We're a banged-up football team," Marrone said. "We have to make decisions on players -- who's playing, who's not. It will be a very, very big game for everyone."

USF
The Bulls and Panthers face the tough process of having to open Big East play with just five days between games. USF will practice late Monday night, which is usually a day off, to work around players' class schedules.

"It makes it difficult," coach Skip Holtz said. "You just have to be smart with what you do. You have to polish up some of the things you've been running at this point to get ready for this game."

West Virginia
Coach Dana Holgorsen said he has already begun to emphasize to his team that it has got to play smarter. Turnovers, special teams mistakes and penalties really hurt the Mountaineers in their loss to LSU.

Let's stay together ... or not.

• The running game is setting the pace for Cincinnati. Opponent watch: NC State hit by injuries.
• UConn is in great shape no matter what happens. Time for UConn's offense to step up.
• Louisville center Mario Benavides is working his way back.
• Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri believes the Iowa game was his best game yet. Notre Dame's visit brings hype. Penn State coach Joe Paterno believes Pitt's move to the ACC is a good thing for the school and conference.
• Rutgers receiver Brandon Coleman is ready to make his potential a reality. Miles Shuler is a work in progress. Could Jeremy Deering return kicks?
• Syracuse cornerback Brandon Reddish got a rude welcome to Division I football.
• Troubling days are ahead for USF and the Big East. Could the Bulls become embraceable orphans?
• Opponent update: Get to know the LSU defense. Chefs from Louisiana and West Virginia are teaming up for a good cause. Video: player interviews. On third down, Shawne Alston might be the answer.

Here are some Big East news and notes off the weekly coaches teleconference today:

Cincinnati

• Coach Butch Jones has no regrets about going for it on two fourth-and-shorts in the first half against Tennessee. The Bearcats failed to convert both times, and that seemed to swing momentum. “We liked the play we had both times called," Jones said. "We just didn’t execute it. If we don’t go for it, everyone’s calling in saying, ‘Well you didn’t believe in your team.’ If I had to do it all over again we’d do it all over again. We’re going to play to win the football game. We need to make and convert on fourth-and-inches."
• Dominique Battle got the start at cornerback instead of Deven Drane based on his week of practice, but the starting job is up for grabs again this week. "Whoever has the best week of preparation will be the starter," Jones said.

Connecticut

• Redshirt freshman running back Lyle McCombs has has two straight 100-yard games while D.J. Shoemate has sat out with an ankle injury. Coach Paul Pasqualoni said he held Shoemate out as a precaution, and is hopeful he will be able to return to play against Iowa State on Friday. When Shoemate does return, the plan is to play them both and play them both early.

Louisville

• The Cardinals will be without starting center Mario Benavides for the third straight game, a serious blow to an offensive line that has struggled the first two games of the season. Coach Charlie Strong is hopeful B.J. Butler can come back to play.
• As for his team headed into a huge game against Kentucky, Strong said his team is not playing with a lot of confidence. "The thing about it -- we’re not a very good football team," he said. "Coaches haven’t done a good job of coaching, players haven’t done a good job of playing. Our players, they have to compete and they have to stay focused and locked in for a 60 minute game."

Pitt

• Coach Todd Graham reiterated once again that Tino Sunseri is his starting quarterback headed into Saturday's game at Iowa. But if there are two areas where his team has to get better, it is on the offensive line and at the quarterback spot. "The main thing has been the plays where we have not executed the offense," Graham said. "We're not showing the discipline we have to have to run this offense. We haven’t played very well at quarterback. Tino’s done some great things at times and we have great potential and I have great belief in Tino and what we’re doing. But there’s a lot of pressure on that position. We’ve got to be more disciplined and work hard to get better."

Rutgers

• Coach Greg Schiano told local reporters that he was concerned about televisions not working in the coaches box at North Carolina during a critical goal-line situation that resulted in no points. Schiano said Monday that the televisions were not working in the North Carolina box, either, and he was under the impression that two of the plays in question were reviewed, per NCAA rules.
• He added that during the bye week, one of the big areas of focus would be on getting the offensive line and running game better. He did not rule out making some changes to the starting lineup, either. Depth also is an issue. "It’s a bit of a Rubik’s Cube," Schiano said. "We're not at the point where we have 10 offensive linemen. We will get there, but we’re not there right now."

Syracuse

• Coach Doug Marrone said starting defensive end Chandler Jones and safety Olando Fisher would miss Saturday's game at USC. He is hopeful Jones will be able to return next week. Marrone said Torrey Ball and Brandon Sharpe did well in place of Jones last week. But one of the big reasons the defense has struggled is all the youth. Losing Jones in such a big game is going to take a toll.
• Marrone also had a bit of trivia on the call. The last Big East team to win on the road at USC was Pitt in 1957. The Panthers won 20-14.

USF

• Coach Skip Holtz was pleased with the way his team was able to respond against Ball State after an emotional week. A big reason for the big day was quarterback B.J. Daniels, who seems to have come into his own in the offense through two games. "I'm proud of how he has grabbed a hold of this. He is playing with confidence, with poise. He understands what we’re trying to do offensively, and it’s showing in his play on the field. He’s doing a great job."
• Darrell Scott had 85 yards rushing and a few attempts at hurdling defenders. But Holtz said Scott has been shaking off the rust and is looking forward to his continued development. "He’s 245 pounds and thinks he’s trying to be a hurdle champion," Holtz joked. "But at 245, you run through them, you don’t jump over them. But he's doing a nice job, got a smile on his face, working hard. He has a chance to be an excellent football player and great addition to this football team."

West Virginia

• Coach Dana Holgorsen was asked whether the offense is where he thought it would be after two games. "There’s no gauge," he said. "I still really don’t know where we’re at right now."
• The Mountaineers have struggled to run the ball, something Holgorsen wants corrected quickly. Because he wants opponents to think they at least are able to run the ball well so as to not stack the deck against them. "It’s more about being efficient and not letting the defense dictate being one sided," he said. "How many yards you rush for is not nearly as important as them respecting the fact you are able to run the ball."

Here are some injury updates from the Big East.

Cincinnati: Tight end Travis Kelce is expected back against Tennessee after sitting out last week with a sprained ankle.

Connecticut:Coach Paul Pasqualoni said he is optimistic D.J. Shoematewill be able to play against Vanderbilt. Pasqualoni said Tuesday that Shoemate showed encouraging signs at practice Sunday. Meanwhile, defensive end Jesse Joseph remains out.

Louisville:Defensive end B.J. Butler and center Mario Benavides will miss a second straight game because of injuries. Will Stein (ankle) will play. Receiver Josh Bellamy(hamstring) is day-to-day. Defensive tackle Roy Philon, cornerback Jordon Paschal and nose tackle Brandon Dunn could return against FIU.

Pitt: The Panthers sustained no major injuries against Buffalo. Receiver Ed Tinker is expected back this week.

Rutgers:Cornerback Mason Robinson is out for the season with a torn ACL, coach Greg Schiano announced Tuesday. Robinson was the team's top punt returner and rotated in at cornerback. Starting left guard Desmond Wynn hurt his knee against NC Central and it appears he is doubtful to play.

Syracuse:Defensive end Chandler Jones, safety Olando Fisher and cornerback Ri'Shard Anderson are out indefinitely, Syracuse announced Tuesday. All three were injured against Wake Forest. Anderson has an upper body injury, and Jones and Fisher have lower body injuries.

USF: No major injuries.

West Virginia:Dana Holgorsen said Andrew Buie and Trey Johnsonare day-to-day. Buie was hurt against Marshall, while Johnson was held out of the game. Matt Lindamood also is injured and was held out against Marshall.

Here are some news and notes from the Big East coaches following their teleconference Monday:

Cincinnati

• Coach Butch Jones said he was pleased with the way his team performed in a 72-10 win over Austin Peay, especially with the five turnovers it created. The Bearcats were minus-15 last season in turnover margin, so it was good for Jones to see some of the word they concentrated on during the offseason pay off.
• He was also asked about receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, who was a Tennessee signee before going the junior college route and ending up at Cincinnati. The Bearcats play at Tennessee on Saturday. "I don't think this football game is any bigger than any other game he'll play in," Jones said.

Connecticut

• Coach Paul Pasqualoni said running back D.J. Shoemate was day to day, but he was optimistic he would be able to play at Vanderbilt on Saturday. Shoemate was held out of last weekend's game against Fordham with a sprained ankle. Defensive end Jesse Joseph is not expected back.
• Much was made about the way the Huskies played three quarterbacks against Fordham. But the defense turned in a nice showing, getting pressure on the quarterback and holding Fordham to three points. New starting linebackers Yawin Smallwood and Jory Johnson did well, and Teddy Jennings held his own in replacing Joseph. "They had one very nice run, but other than that I thought we did well against the run, and that was a major objective going into the game, and we collapsed the pocket," Pasqualoni said.

Louisville

• Quarterback Will Stein is in a walking boot to protect a sprained ankle, but coach Charlie Strong said he will play against FIU. Center Mario Benavides and defensive end B.J. Butler are out. Defensive tackle Brandon Dunn is questionable. Defensive end Greg Scruggs, who had limited snaps last week, will play, Strong said.
• On the way Stein played against Murray State: "He is a player that is not afraid to take chances, he can scramble and his feet help him get out of trouble," Strong said. Freshman Teddy Bridgewater only had one series, but he is expected to play against FIU.

Pitt

• The Panthers ran 43 offensive plays against Buffalo but only had seven points in the first half. Much has been made about some of the inconsistency on the offense, but Todd Graham said his players were a little too amped up at the start of the game. Offensive lineman Jordan Gibbs hyperventilated and had to miss a quarter. "I thought there's some things we can do better," Graham said. "But we came away after watching the film very positive. Any time you come away and score 35 points and feel bad about it and you get a win, you're doing well."
• Graham said the offense averaged about 16-17 seconds between plays on offense, which is about what he expects in the hurry-up style.

Rutgers

• Coach Greg Schiano said the North Carolina defense reminds him of the personnel he had at Miami in 1999 and 2000, when he served as defensive coordinator under Butch Davis.
• Schiano has spoken with Davis, who was fired at North Carolina days before training camp started. "Butch is a tough guy," Schiano said. "He's been through a lot. He's a man of character. His faith will carry him through this." When asked how Davis was holding up, he said, "Like any of us would feel, he built a tremendous program there at North Carolina. It got snatched from right under him four weeks before the season. I can't imagine how difficult that is."

Syracuse

• Coach Doug Marrone said some of the big plays his team allowed early against Wake Forest were the result of miscommunication, with new players in the game and others getting hurt. But he was really happy with the way it stepped up in the red zone. "They were able to hit us on some big plays early on, but our red zone defense was outstanding," he said. "When it got in there real tight, we gave up one touchdown in the red zone out of six attempts."
• As for the way his offense struggled early in the game, Marrone said much of that was because of pregame preparations. Syracuse was anticipating more of a zone look, but that was not what the Orange saw.

USF

• It has been a bittersweet time for the Bulls. They beat Notre Dame 23-20 on Saturday, but came back to the news that visionary leader Lee Roy Selmon had died after suffering a stroke. "It was a real blow and a very somber day yesterday," Holtz said. "When you look back at the game on Saturday, it was just the opposite."
• He also said the team had plenty of room for improvement. He liked how B.J. Daniels managed the game, but believes his quarterback can play much better. The same for his defense, which gave up 508 yards.

West Virginia

• Running back Andrew Buie took a shot in the game against Marshall and his status for this weekend's game is up in the air. The same goes for running back Trey Johnson, who also missed the Marshall game because of injury.
• As for the way his offensive line played, coach Dana Holgorsen said they were OK. He mentioned Marshall did a few things West Virginia had not seen on tape, so that caused a few problems early in the game. As for some of the inconsistency on offense, Holgorsen said, "We didn't do a great job at taking what they were giving us. We tried a little bit too hard to make big plays where it's all about putting the ball in play. Way too many negative plays. Give Marshall credit for that. They did some things defensively that got to us that we weren't anticipating."

Time for lots of flak to come my way over the Top 25 Big East player rankings. Thanks to everyone who submitted their comments and nominations.

This was not an easy assignment for me. In no way did "bias" enter into the picture. I never even tallied up the final player count by school until my post Monday. I tried my best to project the players I thought would be the best in the league at the end of the season, with some input from other players and coaches as well. Will I be wrong on some of them? There are always busts, and there are always surprise players. Who just missed the cut? My last five "cut" were:

Mike Ryan, OT, UConn
Sam Barrington, LB, USF
Scott Vallone, DT, Rutgers
Antwon Bailey, RB, Syracuse
Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse

Now let's hear from you. USF fans were by far the most upset with the list because I had B.J. Daniels ranked, and nobody on defense. Let me reiterate an important point: this is projecting who I think will be in the Top 25 at the end of the season. Daniels might not be the best USF player now, but I think he will be when the season ends. USF fans dismissing that leads me to believe they do not have much faith in him running this team.

Eric C. in Pittsburgh: How could you possibly leave off Max Gruder? I would even consider him putting in the top 10. He's had 175 tackles in the last 2 years and he is the clear cut leader of the Pitt defense. He may not be the most athletic or talented player, but he is as essential to this Pitt defense as Brandon Lindsey is, and he is primed to have a big year. What were you thinking, Andrea!

AA:At last glance on the depth chart, Gruder and Tristan Roberts were locked in a battle to start.

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Charlie in Louisville writes: Come on, Andrea. Where is Mario Benavides in the top 25?

AA: I have great respect for him. One of the best centers in the league. Just don't think he is a Top 25 player.

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cory_hartman: It is understandable that Antwon Bailey is not on your preseason list, but he will be on your postseason list. Ryan Nassib and several of the offensive linemen have a shot too, as also do the Thomases at safety. But Ross Krautman is a better placekicker than Dave Teggart this year, just like he was last year. He should be No. 25 right now.

AA: Teggart was pretty clutch with the game on the line last season.

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newarklax24: A placekicker in the top 25. That's the dumbest thing I've ever seen.

AA: Let me know how dumb it is when your team loses a game on a last-second kick.

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uconnhuskies1995: The league's best OT Mike Ryan should have been on this list.

AA: I thought long and hard about him.

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Calmteer: Biggest snub was DeDe Lattimore, USF linebacker. Everyone is talking about the USF defense and specifically their linebackers........so how do make a top 25 list and not include a USF linebacker??

AA: Was it DeDe Lattimore or Sam Barrington who got snubbed? Barrington is moving positions, last I saw. These guys are good, yes, but they did not make any watch lists and have a ways to go to live up to their potential.

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LeavittyJim: AA, you're an idiot. I'm not even going to waste my time dignifying this with a response. The only reason I came to the blog was because I still follow on Twitter for some reason.

AA: Well, I guess you wasted your time.

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tampbabe67: She has shown nothing but hate towards USF. She won't openly say it, but she lives in Orlando...pretty much sums up some of the things she says about USF. USF has one of the best collections of talent in the conference and we put ONE player on the list. She is an idiot.

AA: Yup, those stories on Ryne Giddins, Chaz Hine, Armando Sanchez, B.J. Daniels and Skip Holtz = pure hatred.

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Any in Atlanta: Really disappointed by your lack of knowledge on the Big East. To have BJ Daniels listed as the top USF player and the only player in the top 25 shows you don't take your job seriously. I come the this blog everyday and wont be for much longer.

AA: Not to compare with others, but I think Athlon Sports had ... wait for it ... ZERO USF players in its Top 25. I guess they don't take their job seriously, either.

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BearcatTuba: I see a lot of USF fans complaining about the number of players on this list. Remember, a good team is made of just that a team, and individual stars can only carry you so far in a sport like football. We (Cincy fans) thought the same thing when BB did his post season list in 2009. UC maybe had 3 guys in the top 25 and it seem odd since UC was a great team that year, and a lot of fans thought we got snubbed that year. But look at the team, besides (Tony) Pike, (Mardy) Gilyard, and (Armon) Binns (maybe) who on that team was a star? Take consolation that she has you ranked as a team at third and look at it like you have a great team that knows how to pull together in the game.

AA: Indeed.

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wvrobo304: Keith Tandy should be top 5 and and Joe Madsen should be somewhere in the teens as well. Stedman Bailey made some big plays last year but I want to see a little more. I can understand him getting overlooked. I think that USF not getting much love from AA is kind of unrealistic. They're always underrated.

AA: We'll see what happens at the end of the season!

T-minus two days ...

• Cincinnati is moving as fast as it can to find a new athletic director. Coach Butch Jones is happy to be opening at home.
• D.J. Shoemate and Lyle McCombs are expected to get plenty of carries for UConn. All three quarterbacks feel they have a chance to start. New guards report for duty.
• With Mario Benavides out at center, Louisville is going to have five new starters on the offensive line. Will Stein's brother, Nathan, was lucky not to be paralyzed after injuring his neck in a high school football game.
• Andrew Taglianetti will be used in multiple roles for Pitt. Todd Graham is putting his stamp on the program. Athletic director Steve Pederson doesn't want to cut corners to win.
• Rutgers coaches want Mark Harrison to be more aggressive. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the team.
• There will be plenty of new faces starting on the Syracuse defense. Here is some reaction to a call for more Orange fans to fill the Dome.
• Stewart Mandel of SI.com picks USF to win the Big East and make it to the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. Tight end Mike McFarland was granted a hardship waiver and is eligible to play immediately for the Bulls.
• Andrew Buie finds comfort in his decision to join West Virginia. Mysteries abound for the Mountaineers in the opener. Is that a new chant you are going to hear at home games?

The Big East football coaches' call wrapped up a little bit ago. UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni was the only coach unable to make it because of disruptions from Hurricane Irene. Here are some news and notes from each coach:

Cincinnati

• Coach Butch Jones confirmed that he has hired former West Virginia offensive line coach Dave Johnson as an assistant.
• He also said Deven Drane is going to start at cornerback, with Dominique Battle right behind him. Jones also anticipates playing eight true freshmen.
• On the makeup of the team this season: “I like the mentality of our football team. We’ve improved our toughness and mental state of mind.”

Louisville

• Coach Charlie Strong confirmed former Florida cornerback Adrian Bushell has enrolled in school. Bushell played at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College last season and has only been on campus for two days, so it will take time for him to get up to speed before he can contribute.
• Strong also said center Mario Benavides, defensive end B.J. Butler and freshman running back Corvin Lamb are out with injuries.
• The Cardinals also plan on playing all three quarterbacks against Murray State on Thursday. Will Stein will start, but Teddy Bridgewater and Dominique Brown will get in as well.

Pitt

• The only player out for the game is linebacker Dan Mason.
• What is Todd Graham most eager to see about this team? “How we handle adversity. I’m anxious to see them get on the field and execute what we’re doing. I feel good about where we’re at. We’ve got an awful lot taught. I'm anxious to see how they respond and get them on the field in game day. I've told them I expect them to be better on game day than they were in the spring and summer.”
• At his news conference in Pittsburgh, Graham said walk-on freshman Trey Anderson would be the backup at quarterback and Shane Gordon would start at strongside linebacker.

Rutgers

• Greg Schiano on playing N.C. Central: “I’m not worried about our team overlooking anybody. If you know about the type of season we had last year, we underachieved. We didn’t meet expectations and our entire program can’t wait to play a football game.”
• Schiano says running back Jeremy Deering should be able to play after missing practice time with a head injury. As for his running back rotation between Savon Huggins, DeAntwan Williams and Jawan Jamison, Schiano said, “Savon is definitely going to play. Depending on what we run the first play of the game, will it be Savon, DeAntwan Williams or Jawan Jamison? I don’t know how it’s going to go. Savon has done a good job in training camp. He’s shown why he is the player that he is. He’s a talented guy, very mature and worked hard to get ready.”

Syracuse

• Coach Doug Marrone said Phillip Thomas and Shamarko Thomas, and cornerback Keon Lyn are back at practice and would be able to play against Wake Forest on Thursday night.
• Marrone threw out some stats in his opening remarks. Syracuse is 1-12 against ACC teams since 1996, including 0-8 at home.
• He also addressed some of the problems with winning home games. Syracuse has not had a winning home record since 2004. The main thing is eliminating the distractions that come with playing at home.

USF

• Skip Holtz talked a lot about the excitement of playing Notre Dame for his players, and the campus as well. Holtz spoke at a pep rally on campus and felt a buzz around the students, too. “There is a lot of excitement,” he said. “It's fed by not only the way we finished the season last year, but the excitement to play Notre Dame on national television. These are big games for us.”
• Holtz also said he didn’t expect any players to sit out with injuries.

West Virginia

• Dana Holgorsen still has not decided on a running back rotation, but said all three freshmen -- Vernard Roberts, Andrew Buie and Dustin Garrison will play Sunday against Marshall.
• On why he doesn’t use a playbook: “The thought process is we don't want people staring at a piece of paper. We want them to understand it based on film, seeing how it's done right, how it's done wrong and doing it trial and error on your own. We put together a few mini-playbook stuff that's video related. It makes more sense to us."
• Holgorsen also said Pat Eger is leading the race to start at right tackle. Quinton Spain is the backup to both tackles. He also expects Julian Miller to be cleared for Marshall.
• On Bruce Irvin being an every-down player: “Whether he can be every down as good as he is on specific pass-rush things, I don't know. Time will tell. He set the bar pretty high being a third-down pass-rusher.”