Big East: Mark Myers
Chryst says Tino Sunseri is his starter
May, 15, 2012
May 15
3:10
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Pitt coach Paul Chryst came right out and said what had become obvious this spring -- Tino Sunseri is his starting quarterback going into fall practice.
Chryst said Tuesday during the ACC spring meetings, "He was the best quarterback we had out of spring. That's why he's the starter."
Sunseri had been competing with Mark Myers and Trey Anderson for the starting job after a pretty brutal 2011 season. The truth is that Sunseri was not really a match for the spread offense under former coach Todd Graham. But he was inconsistent the season before under Dave Wannstedt, so there are those Pitt fans probably scratching their heads wondering what Sunseri can do to be better entering his third season as a starter.
"The biggest thing for quarterbacking is being able to do it and doing it on a consistent level," Chryst said. "That’s your normal progression. He clearly was the best this spring that we had. You’re aware of the history but it doesn’t really matter for us. What do you have right now? It’s our job to coach them and how can you help everyone get better? He’s got a great opportunity. He has played in a lot of games, he does have experience. He’s got room to grow. If he chooses to grow, and I know it’s easier for us to say last year or two years before that doesn’t matter. It matters in the sense that you should learn from all of it, positive or negative. But it doesn’t matter going forward.
"Right now, if you were to say who gives you the best chance to have success, it would be him. So coach the heck out of him."
Chryst said nobody grabbed the backup quarterback job. As for what he anticipates for Chad Voytik once the four-star prospect arrives this summer, Chryst said, "First he's got to get here. Then we've got to see how he picks up things. I anticipate him getting work. Legitimately getting work and then we'll see."
Now here is a quick update on running back Ray Graham, coming off a knee injury. Chryst said Graham is "progressing" and anticipates his star back will be ready for the start of fall camp.
"The plan is he will be ready," Chryst said. "We’ll have him practice. He needs it. They all need it. I’m not going to project too much until it’s time. But we’re planning on it. We’re going full steam ahead."
Chryst anticipates he will have all his players available for practice when fall camp opens.
Chryst said Tuesday during the ACC spring meetings, "He was the best quarterback we had out of spring. That's why he's the starter."
Sunseri had been competing with Mark Myers and Trey Anderson for the starting job after a pretty brutal 2011 season. The truth is that Sunseri was not really a match for the spread offense under former coach Todd Graham. But he was inconsistent the season before under Dave Wannstedt, so there are those Pitt fans probably scratching their heads wondering what Sunseri can do to be better entering his third season as a starter.
"The biggest thing for quarterbacking is being able to do it and doing it on a consistent level," Chryst said. "That’s your normal progression. He clearly was the best this spring that we had. You’re aware of the history but it doesn’t really matter for us. What do you have right now? It’s our job to coach them and how can you help everyone get better? He’s got a great opportunity. He has played in a lot of games, he does have experience. He’s got room to grow. If he chooses to grow, and I know it’s easier for us to say last year or two years before that doesn’t matter. It matters in the sense that you should learn from all of it, positive or negative. But it doesn’t matter going forward.
"Right now, if you were to say who gives you the best chance to have success, it would be him. So coach the heck out of him."
Chryst said nobody grabbed the backup quarterback job. As for what he anticipates for Chad Voytik once the four-star prospect arrives this summer, Chryst said, "First he's got to get here. Then we've got to see how he picks up things. I anticipate him getting work. Legitimately getting work and then we'll see."
Now here is a quick update on running back Ray Graham, coming off a knee injury. Chryst said Graham is "progressing" and anticipates his star back will be ready for the start of fall camp.
"The plan is he will be ready," Chryst said. "We’ll have him practice. He needs it. They all need it. I’m not going to project too much until it’s time. But we’re planning on it. We’re going full steam ahead."
Chryst anticipates he will have all his players available for practice when fall camp opens.
With nearly every Big East team having wrapped up spring practice, one constant remains -- open quarterback competitions.
Unless coach Kyle Flood makes a last-second decision following the Rutgers spring game Saturday, four schools will go into the summer without a starter at perhaps the most important position on a team. Here is a quick look at how those competitions stack up:
Cincinnati. Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay are the top two players vying for the job. Coach Butch Jones has decided not to name a starter, but all indications point to Legaux as winning the job once the fall rolls around. Legaux said during an interview this spring he had been taking most of the reps with the first team.
UConn. Five players remain in the competition -- Junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer, freshman Casey Cochran, Michael Nebrich, Scott McCummings and Johnny McEntee. Nobody distinguished himself through the spring or in the spring game, though Whitmer had the "best" performance of the three. Don't be surprised if Whitmer is the starter, Cochran is redshirted and McCummings continues in his role as Wildcat quarterback.
Pitt. Coach Paul Chryst has not named his starter, either, but he has indicated that incumbent Tino Sunseri has separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson. Now we'll see what happens when true freshman Chad Voytik enters the mix when he arrives in the summer.
Rutgers. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova went back and forth at quarterback last season for the Scarlet Knights, and neither one has really stood out this spring. Defense has dominated the scrimmages so far. Flood has said he would not make a decision until one player stood head and shoulders above the rest, but would like a starter in place a week to 10 days before the start of the season.
Unless coach Kyle Flood makes a last-second decision following the Rutgers spring game Saturday, four schools will go into the summer without a starter at perhaps the most important position on a team. Here is a quick look at how those competitions stack up:
Cincinnati. Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay are the top two players vying for the job. Coach Butch Jones has decided not to name a starter, but all indications point to Legaux as winning the job once the fall rolls around. Legaux said during an interview this spring he had been taking most of the reps with the first team.
UConn. Five players remain in the competition -- Junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer, freshman Casey Cochran, Michael Nebrich, Scott McCummings and Johnny McEntee. Nobody distinguished himself through the spring or in the spring game, though Whitmer had the "best" performance of the three. Don't be surprised if Whitmer is the starter, Cochran is redshirted and McCummings continues in his role as Wildcat quarterback.
Pitt. Coach Paul Chryst has not named his starter, either, but he has indicated that incumbent Tino Sunseri has separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson. Now we'll see what happens when true freshman Chad Voytik enters the mix when he arrives in the summer.
Rutgers. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova went back and forth at quarterback last season for the Scarlet Knights, and neither one has really stood out this spring. Defense has dominated the scrimmages so far. Flood has said he would not make a decision until one player stood head and shoulders above the rest, but would like a starter in place a week to 10 days before the start of the season.
Pitt coach Paul Chryst has not definitively declared Tino Sunseri as his starting quarterback headed into fall practice.
Does he need to?
Chryst said last week that Sunseri had separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson, which seemingly points in the direction of Sunseri winning the starting job. True freshman Chad Voytik enrolls this summer, so there is a chance that he could come in and blow everybody away with his amazing talent and grasp of the offense.
But right now, it appears Sunseri will go into his third straight season as the starter.
That is hard to believe for many, considering the lackluster results along the way. It is no secret that Sunseri has struggled with the deep ball, and clearly cannot run a spread offense. He should never be asked to do that again. I truly believe Sunseri should be given a pass for what happened last season, and I think the longer time goes on, perhaps more Pitt fans feel the same way. Todd Graham deserves the blame for what happened last season.
The point is that Chryst must believe Sunseri truly gives his team the best chance to win, given his experience and current understanding of the new offense. While the passing game was nothing to write home about -- Sunseri went 13-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and interception in the spring game -- you wonder how much of an ask is going to be made of the quarterbacks with the potential for such a strong running game.
Perhaps the quarterback for Pitt this season will be more of a game manager. Sunseri has been good at times throughout his career. Look back to the USF, UConn and Louisville games for recent examples. Give him time in the pocket, and he does not implode. I can guarantee the offensive line will be miles better this season.
The short passing game works for him, along with play action. Does he need to make 80-yard throws every game? Obviously a home run ball is nice every once in a while, but there have been quarterbacks without the greatest command of the deep ball that have fared just fine.
With the development of Isaac Bennett and Corey Davis, along with the return of Ray Graham and the arrival of Rushel Shell, Pitt has the perfect opportunity this season to just ground and pound, and let Sunseri throw it as a change of pace. Obviously, any great team wants to have balance with their running and passing attack. Obviously, teams will want to stack the box to force Pitt to throw. Sunseri has to learn how to beat the blitzes and make the clutch throws with games on the line.
But Ray Graham was so good last season, teams loaded the box and still couldn't stop him. The potential exists for the same to happen again this season with so much talent in the backfield. Pitt needs its ground game to work for Sunseri to work.
"(The run game) has a chance to be good," Chryst said after spring ball wrapped. "But it all starts with the line. The line made some improvements this spring. Ray's working, we need to get him back healthy and Rushel, we all know what he is ... There's also a lot of quesitons, but that will be a good problem if we have a bunch of running backs."
Especially if it takes pressure off Sunseri.
Does he need to?
Chryst said last week that Sunseri had separated himself from Mark Myers and Trey Anderson, which seemingly points in the direction of Sunseri winning the starting job. True freshman Chad Voytik enrolls this summer, so there is a chance that he could come in and blow everybody away with his amazing talent and grasp of the offense.
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Charles LeClaire/US PresswirePittsburgh coach Paul Chryst has hinted that Tino Sunseri will be his starting quarterback in the fall.
Charles LeClaire/US PresswirePittsburgh coach Paul Chryst has hinted that Tino Sunseri will be his starting quarterback in the fall.That is hard to believe for many, considering the lackluster results along the way. It is no secret that Sunseri has struggled with the deep ball, and clearly cannot run a spread offense. He should never be asked to do that again. I truly believe Sunseri should be given a pass for what happened last season, and I think the longer time goes on, perhaps more Pitt fans feel the same way. Todd Graham deserves the blame for what happened last season.
The point is that Chryst must believe Sunseri truly gives his team the best chance to win, given his experience and current understanding of the new offense. While the passing game was nothing to write home about -- Sunseri went 13-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and interception in the spring game -- you wonder how much of an ask is going to be made of the quarterbacks with the potential for such a strong running game.
Perhaps the quarterback for Pitt this season will be more of a game manager. Sunseri has been good at times throughout his career. Look back to the USF, UConn and Louisville games for recent examples. Give him time in the pocket, and he does not implode. I can guarantee the offensive line will be miles better this season.
The short passing game works for him, along with play action. Does he need to make 80-yard throws every game? Obviously a home run ball is nice every once in a while, but there have been quarterbacks without the greatest command of the deep ball that have fared just fine.
With the development of Isaac Bennett and Corey Davis, along with the return of Ray Graham and the arrival of Rushel Shell, Pitt has the perfect opportunity this season to just ground and pound, and let Sunseri throw it as a change of pace. Obviously, any great team wants to have balance with their running and passing attack. Obviously, teams will want to stack the box to force Pitt to throw. Sunseri has to learn how to beat the blitzes and make the clutch throws with games on the line.
But Ray Graham was so good last season, teams loaded the box and still couldn't stop him. The potential exists for the same to happen again this season with so much talent in the backfield. Pitt needs its ground game to work for Sunseri to work.
"(The run game) has a chance to be good," Chryst said after spring ball wrapped. "But it all starts with the line. The line made some improvements this spring. Ray's working, we need to get him back healthy and Rushel, we all know what he is ... There's also a lot of quesitons, but that will be a good problem if we have a bunch of running backs."
Especially if it takes pressure off Sunseri.
Here is a quick recap of the four spring scrimmages around the Big East this past weekend:
Cincinnati. Inclement weather forced Cincinnati to cancel the Bearcat Bowl, as the Bearcats shifted to their indoor bubble for a brief practice. A couple hundred fans crowded into the bubble and onto the sidelines for a glimpse of what their team will look like in 2012. They saw quite the physical practice Saturday.
"We have to be a physical football team," coach Butch Jones said. "I said our margin of error is going to be extremely slim this year so we have to have a team that buys into the team concept, plays great team offense, team defense and team special teams. Our defense, we have to swarm to the football, we need all 11 hats getting to the football. It's an ongoing process but I liked the collisions I saw out here."
Louisville. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater capped off a terrific spring with a nearly flawless performance in the Red-White game, going 19-of-21 for 257 yards and three touchdowns as the first team beat the second team on a rainy Saturday. Bridgewater has been on point throughout the spring, completing about 70 percent of his passes, further establishing the Cardinals as one of the favorites to win the Big East in 2012.
"He's had a really good spring," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "He's been very accurate really all spring. I know he's been lights out. He's really played very well. I challenged him with the things he needed to get better with and use all the tools he has available to him. As a young player, he didn't quite get it. Now he's getting it. You're seeing a lot more completions now. He's worked hard. He's doing a lot of good things with his eyes and playing well."
Pitt. Isaac Bennett put an exclamation point on his terrific spring, running for 121 yards on 23 carries in the Blue-Gold game on Saturday. Pitt did not use a scoring format, relying instead on scripted situations. Bennett had a 51-yard run during the scrimmage, his fourth 50-plus yard run of the spring.
"Isaac worked this spring,” coach Paul Chryst said. “He is young and I think he had a chance to learn and to grow. The last scrimmages we’ve had, he’s gone pretty hard. He’s had some mistakes in pass blocking that he needs to clean up, but that is not atypical of a running back. I thought he did some good things.”
Tino Sunseri went 13-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and one interception, while Mark Myers was 10-of-16 for 167 yards and it seemed apparent to observers that the passing game needs work. In one more bit of news, Chryst announced before the scrimmage center Ryan Turnley and defensive end Shayne Hale won the Ed Conway Award, given annually to the most improved players of the spring.
Temple. The Owls may have answered some questions about depth in their backfield during the spring. In the Cherry-White game Saturday, Kenny Harper ran for a game-high 48 yards and two touchdowns -- one for each side. Jalen Fitzpatrick had 40 yards on five carries, while Matt Brown had 39 yards on seven rushes for the Owls.
The running game was more effective than the passing game, which struggled at times. Chris Coyer was 6-of-15 for 116 yards and a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Alderman. Receivers were plagued with several drops.
In another note, Temple announced its spring award winners -- Brown earned the Mark Bresani Award for spirit and enthusiasm; tight end Wanemi Omuso was most improved non-scholarship player; linebacker Ahkeem Smith was the most improved defensive player; Fitzpatrick was most improved offensive player; and linebacker Olaniyi Adewole was most improved special teams player.
Cincinnati. Inclement weather forced Cincinnati to cancel the Bearcat Bowl, as the Bearcats shifted to their indoor bubble for a brief practice. A couple hundred fans crowded into the bubble and onto the sidelines for a glimpse of what their team will look like in 2012. They saw quite the physical practice Saturday.
"We have to be a physical football team," coach Butch Jones said. "I said our margin of error is going to be extremely slim this year so we have to have a team that buys into the team concept, plays great team offense, team defense and team special teams. Our defense, we have to swarm to the football, we need all 11 hats getting to the football. It's an ongoing process but I liked the collisions I saw out here."
Louisville. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater capped off a terrific spring with a nearly flawless performance in the Red-White game, going 19-of-21 for 257 yards and three touchdowns as the first team beat the second team on a rainy Saturday. Bridgewater has been on point throughout the spring, completing about 70 percent of his passes, further establishing the Cardinals as one of the favorites to win the Big East in 2012.
"He's had a really good spring," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "He's been very accurate really all spring. I know he's been lights out. He's really played very well. I challenged him with the things he needed to get better with and use all the tools he has available to him. As a young player, he didn't quite get it. Now he's getting it. You're seeing a lot more completions now. He's worked hard. He's doing a lot of good things with his eyes and playing well."
Pitt. Isaac Bennett put an exclamation point on his terrific spring, running for 121 yards on 23 carries in the Blue-Gold game on Saturday. Pitt did not use a scoring format, relying instead on scripted situations. Bennett had a 51-yard run during the scrimmage, his fourth 50-plus yard run of the spring.
"Isaac worked this spring,” coach Paul Chryst said. “He is young and I think he had a chance to learn and to grow. The last scrimmages we’ve had, he’s gone pretty hard. He’s had some mistakes in pass blocking that he needs to clean up, but that is not atypical of a running back. I thought he did some good things.”
Tino Sunseri went 13-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and one interception, while Mark Myers was 10-of-16 for 167 yards and it seemed apparent to observers that the passing game needs work. In one more bit of news, Chryst announced before the scrimmage center Ryan Turnley and defensive end Shayne Hale won the Ed Conway Award, given annually to the most improved players of the spring.
Temple. The Owls may have answered some questions about depth in their backfield during the spring. In the Cherry-White game Saturday, Kenny Harper ran for a game-high 48 yards and two touchdowns -- one for each side. Jalen Fitzpatrick had 40 yards on five carries, while Matt Brown had 39 yards on seven rushes for the Owls.
The running game was more effective than the passing game, which struggled at times. Chris Coyer was 6-of-15 for 116 yards and a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Alderman. Receivers were plagued with several drops.
In another note, Temple announced its spring award winners -- Brown earned the Mark Bresani Award for spirit and enthusiasm; tight end Wanemi Omuso was most improved non-scholarship player; linebacker Ahkeem Smith was the most improved defensive player; Fitzpatrick was most improved offensive player; and linebacker Olaniyi Adewole was most improved special teams player.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pitt opened spring practice Thursday morning. Here is a little primer on what to expect.
Spring changes: Another spring means more change for the Panthers, who have gone through more than their share of upheaval over the past 15 months. New coach Paul Chryst has brought in an entirely new staff and new scheme, going back to more of a pro-style set on offense and the 4-3 on defense. Eight starters return to an offense that should benefit from a return to a more traditional system. But only four starters return on defense, with some major holes to fill in the front seven.
In addition, 11 players have changed positions.
Position battles to watch
Quarterback. Though incumbent Tino Sunseri goes into the spring as the favorite to win the starting job, Chryst has said the competition is open. Five players are going to be getting reps this spring -- Sunseri, Mark Myers and Trey Anderson, along with Anthony Gonzalez and E.J. Banks. Gonzalez began his Pitt career at quarterback before moving to H-back; Banks has played cornerback. The big player missing is incoming freshman Chad Voytik, one of the stars of the 2012 recruiting class. He arrives this summer.
Defensive end. With the news that Aaron Donald has moved inside full-time in the 4-3, the Panthers are in search of some quality defensive ends as they transition back to starting four down linemen. Brandon Lindsey, who played end/linebacker, is gone so there are some gaps to fill. Shayne Hale is the only upperclassman at the position this spring. Sophomores T.J. Clemmings and Bryan Murphy are coming off redshirt seasons, LaQuentin Smith moves to end after playing linebacker last season, and Devin Cook enters the mix after redshirting last season.
Linebacker. Leading tackler Max Gruder is gone, along with Greg Williams and Tristan Roberts. Todd Thomas, expected to return on the strong side, is out for the spring with a knee injury. Players to watch this spring include Ejuan Price, Manny Williams, Carl Fleming, Shane Gordon and Eric Williams. But perhaps the biggest story could be Dan Mason, who is healthy and vying for playing time at middle linebacker after sitting out a year and a half with a serious knee injury sustained in 2010.
Offensive tackle. Lucas Nix, Greg Gaskins and Jordan Gibbs are all gone, leaving both tackle positions up for grabs. Juantez Hollins and Matt Rotheram saw some playing time last season, but neither one was very effective. They go into the spring with competition from Justin Virbitsky, who moves over from tight end, along with Penn State transfer Tom Ricketts and 2011 junior college transfer Zenel Demhasaj.
Injury report: Running back Ray Graham (knee) and Thomas (knee) are out for the spring. Receiver Mike Shanahan (back), guard Chris Jacobson (knee) and safety Jarred Holley (knee) will be limited.
Spring changes: Another spring means more change for the Panthers, who have gone through more than their share of upheaval over the past 15 months. New coach Paul Chryst has brought in an entirely new staff and new scheme, going back to more of a pro-style set on offense and the 4-3 on defense. Eight starters return to an offense that should benefit from a return to a more traditional system. But only four starters return on defense, with some major holes to fill in the front seven.
In addition, 11 players have changed positions.
Position battles to watch
Quarterback. Though incumbent Tino Sunseri goes into the spring as the favorite to win the starting job, Chryst has said the competition is open. Five players are going to be getting reps this spring -- Sunseri, Mark Myers and Trey Anderson, along with Anthony Gonzalez and E.J. Banks. Gonzalez began his Pitt career at quarterback before moving to H-back; Banks has played cornerback. The big player missing is incoming freshman Chad Voytik, one of the stars of the 2012 recruiting class. He arrives this summer.
Defensive end. With the news that Aaron Donald has moved inside full-time in the 4-3, the Panthers are in search of some quality defensive ends as they transition back to starting four down linemen. Brandon Lindsey, who played end/linebacker, is gone so there are some gaps to fill. Shayne Hale is the only upperclassman at the position this spring. Sophomores T.J. Clemmings and Bryan Murphy are coming off redshirt seasons, LaQuentin Smith moves to end after playing linebacker last season, and Devin Cook enters the mix after redshirting last season.
Linebacker. Leading tackler Max Gruder is gone, along with Greg Williams and Tristan Roberts. Todd Thomas, expected to return on the strong side, is out for the spring with a knee injury. Players to watch this spring include Ejuan Price, Manny Williams, Carl Fleming, Shane Gordon and Eric Williams. But perhaps the biggest story could be Dan Mason, who is healthy and vying for playing time at middle linebacker after sitting out a year and a half with a serious knee injury sustained in 2010.
Offensive tackle. Lucas Nix, Greg Gaskins and Jordan Gibbs are all gone, leaving both tackle positions up for grabs. Juantez Hollins and Matt Rotheram saw some playing time last season, but neither one was very effective. They go into the spring with competition from Justin Virbitsky, who moves over from tight end, along with Penn State transfer Tom Ricketts and 2011 junior college transfer Zenel Demhasaj.
Injury report: Running back Ray Graham (knee) and Thomas (knee) are out for the spring. Receiver Mike Shanahan (back), guard Chris Jacobson (knee) and safety Jarred Holley (knee) will be limited.
Spring practice is right around the corner. Let's look at some quick snapshots of each team.
CINCINNATI
Spring practice start date: March 1
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
UCONN
Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 21
What to watch:
LOUISVILLE
Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
PITT
Spring practice start date: March 15
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
RUTGERS
Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28
What to watch:
USF
Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 7 and 14
What to watch:
SYRACUSE
Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 21
What to watch:
CINCINNATI
Spring practice start date: March 1
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
- Replacing Pead. The biggest position battle looming might be at running back, where Isaiah Pead is gone, leaving a big hole in the offense. Pead won Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors and was the MVP of the Bearcats this past season. Pead and quarterback Zach Collaros combined for 64 percent of the carries and 64 percent of the rushing yards. Cincinnati might go with much more of a rotation this year. George Winn, Jameel Poteat, Ralph David Abernathy IV and a promising group of freshmen all figure to be in the mix.
- Quarterbacks. Collaros is gone, but at least Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen have game experience. Coach Butch Jones says the competition is wide-open in the spring, but you can bet that getting timing down with receivers has to be at the top of the agenda for all the quarterbacks. That was really lacking this past season.
- Man in the middle. Linebacker J.K. Schaffer has been the heart of this defense for the past three seasons, getting more than 100 tackles in each of those three campaigns. So who fills his shoes? That is one of the biggest position battles to watch for the Bearcats. Dwight Jackson, Greg Blair, Solomon Tentman and Kevin Hyland are all in the mix this spring.
UCONN
Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 21
What to watch:
- Quarterbacks. We finally get to see how highly touted freshman Casey Cochran looks when he takes his first snaps under center for the Huskies. He is the man many are tabbing as the starter for 2012, so his development beginning in the spring will be huge for the team's prospects in the fall.
- Offensive line. The Huskies have to replace Moe Petrus, who started the past three seasons at center, and Mike Ryan, who's as solid as they come at tackle. Coach Paul Pasqualoni decided to shift coaching responsibilities for the line to offensive coordinator George DeLeone in order to boost this unit. DeLeone's background is primarily in coaching the offensive line, so this move could pay off nicely for the Huskies.
- Improving pass defense. Perhaps more than finding a replacement for Kendall Reyes, improving the pass defense has to be priority No. 1 this spring. The Huskies are losing starting safety Jerome Junior, but there are young players capable of taking over. Having Blidi Wreh-Wilson healthy is obviously huge, but I am guessing that technique, fundamentals and coverages will be emphasized this spring.
LOUISVILLE
Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
- Growing up. Gaining maturity has been a big theme since the season ended. It is only spring practice, but I think coach Charlie Strong wants to get a good sense from his players about their focus. How committed are they to getting to a BCS bowl game? To starting the season as a preseason Top 25 team? To going undefeated? All coaches say championships are won starting in January.
- Young linebackers. Louisville has to find a replacement for Dexter Heyman and gain some depth at the position. So it will be intriguing to see how early-enrollee linebackers Keith Brown and James Burgess do during spring practice and whether they can emerge to be contributors in 2012.
- Kicker/punter. With Chris Philpott gone, there isn’t anyone on the roster with game experience at punter or kicker, so expect a wide-open competition in the spring. Redshirt freshman kicker John Wallace may have an edge, if only because he is on scholarship. Walk-ons Andrew Fletcher and Matthew Nakatani also will get long looks. Ryan Johnson is probably the leader at punter. Incoming freshman Joshua Appleby is talented and will compete when he arrives on campus.
PITT
Spring practice start date: March 15
Spring game: April 14
What to watch:
- Quarterback. At some point, we all must put Tino Sunseri's 2011 season behind him. That has to begin in the spring, when coach Paul Chryst anticipates getting a good look at all his quarterbacks, including Mark Myers and Trey Anderson. This will be the third system in three seasons for Sunseri; can he turn the corner?
- New coaches. How will the Panthers adjust to their new coaches and new scheme? This is Chryst's first head-coaching job, and he's already had to deal with staff reshuffling because two guys he brought in changed their minds and moved on elsewhere. How equipped are he and his new coordinators to handle their roles, and how well do the players buy into their system?
- Offensive line. Bigger problem area -- quarterback or offensive line? The two go hand in hand, and this is one position that clearly has to be addressed. The good news is some young players got experience, and they will leave the spread hurry-up that was not so friendly to the line. The bad news -- still not much in the way of depth or options. We'll see whether the Chryst system that worked so well at Wisconsin works with a group that clearly underachieved in 2011.
RUTGERS
Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28
What to watch:
- New staff. Just like Pitt, Rutgers goes into the spring with a new head coach and new offensive coordinator. But there should be much more familiarity for the Scarlet Knights. For one, they are going to continue running a pro-style set, even with a new coordinator. For another, assistant Robb Smith has been elevated to defensive coordinator and will employ the same aggressive 4-3 scheme that Greg Schiano used. Still, Kyle Flood is a first-time head coach and is going to need to get his bearings, to put his own stamp on this program.
- Quarterbacks: Chas Dodd and Gary Nova go into the spring in a competition to earn the starting job. Neither was spectacular last season, but there are those who believe Nova has more room for improvement because he has a stronger arm. He just needs to cut down on his mistakes.
- Receivers stepping up. Last spring might as well have been a coming-out party for receiver Brandon Coleman. But he was virtually silent during the season, as Mohamed Sanu got all the headlines and the catches. With Sanu gone, there remains talent in the receiving corps with guys like Coleman, Mark Harrison and Quron Pratt returning and a group of up-and-coming redshirt freshmen as well. Who is going to step up?
USF
Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 7 and 14
What to watch:
- Rebound. USF is always a team that looks good on paper and in the early season. But then the usual collapse ensues. What has coach Skip Holtz learned in his first two seasons on the job that will allow him to fix what has continually plagued this team, and how can that be worked on during the spring? Folks will pay attention more than ever because USF has one of the most talented and experienced teams returning.
- New DC. Chris Cosh takes over as defensive coordinator, and one of his first orders of business is making sure he molds his group into a much more passionate but disciplined unit. This group needs a beating heart, and DeDe Lattimore might be the perfect player to step into that role. The bigger question is how these players will adapt to their third coordinator in four years.
- Depth in secondary. The Bulls need to work on depth in the secondary, especially after losing starting safety Jerrell Young and starting cornerback Quenton Washington. That departure in particular means all eyes are going to be on early enrollee Chris Bivins, a four-star cornerback out of Gainesville, Fla. Spring will give him time to really work on bulking up -- he was listed at 166 pounds out of high school.
SYRACUSE
Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 21
What to watch:
- Receivers. There is plenty of opportunity for this group to get better and have somebody emerge this spring. With Alec Lemon sidelined, plenty of young players should be getting reps and a chance to get some rhythm with Ryan Nassib. Watch for Keenan Hale, Kyle Foster and Jarrod West. Still no word on whether Marcus Sales will be reinstated in time for the spring.
- Quarterback. Not necessarily Nassib, but early enrollee Ashton Broyld, a dual-threat QB who played last season at Milford Academy. Coach Doug Marrone already has talked about potentially getting Broyld reps in games as a change-of-pace quarterback, and there are plenty of Orange fans who want to finally see what it is that Broyld can do.
- Defensive line. One area that has to improve is along the defensive front, where Syracuse struggled to get a consistent pass rush. Their best two players are gone in Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich, leaving guys like Micah Robinson and Brandon Sharpe as likely first-teamers in the spring. More help comes in this summer in the form of junior college transfers Zian Jones and Markus Pierce-Brewster.
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.
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.
One final look into the mailbag before the weekend begins.
Rich Lin in S. River, N.J., writes: Hi Andrea, Enjoy your work on the blog. There is an ongoing debate among the Rutgers faithful about coach (Greg) Schiano. Pretty much most accept the fact that there is no way the school is going to eat the cost of buying out his contract. However, one camp thinks that if Schiano is still the best fit for this job and that if he was hypothetically fired, we would never be able to find a replacement that would want the job or be able to continue what Schiano has built and take it to the next level. The other camp believes that with the salary, support and facilities it would be easy to find a replacement. With the news of Washington State hiring Mike Leach at $2 mil a year, what are your thoughts about this debate? Could Schiano be easily replaced? Would experienced and successful coaches jump at the opportunity to come to Rutgers?
Adelson: Thanks, Rich. I really need Rutgers fans to explain why there is a push to kick Schiano to the curb. He just led your team back to a bowl game after being picked to finish dead last in the Big East, was one win away from a first conference championship and has an absolutely loaded roster set to return for 2012 but you want him gone? You have a coach who has now gone to bowl games six of the past seven years (4-1 in bowls, by the way), graduates his players, turns out NFL prospects and that is not good enough because he has yet to win a Big East championship? Look, I understand the frustration because he has been there 11 years and there are no rings. I understand the frustration after watching this team implode in a 40-22 loss to UConn. I really do. But I don't see why Rutgers would do away with a coach who has elevated this program from doormat to bowl contender each season. Rutgers had one winning season in Big East play from 1991-2000. Since Schiano arrived, Rutgers has four. Before Schiano, Rutgers had a combined 15 Big East wins. Under Schiano, that number is 28. As for the second part of your question -- recruiting in the Big East is not such an easy job these days. Given the uncertainty about the conference moving forward, I think it would probably be hard to attract a "wow-factor" candidate that the fans seem to want. The Big East has not been a "destination" conference for coaches, but a "stepping stone" conference. Mike Leach has a fun offense, but he never won a Big 12 title in nine seasons at Texas Tech.
Jim C. in New Brunswick, N.J., writes: AA - Regarding your comment on the UConn-Rutgers rivalry in the last mailbag. I have to tell you you're a bit off about where it stands. As a long time and die hard Rutgers fan, I absolutely consider UConn our top rival and have for some time now. Sure it's no Backyard Brawl yet, but the only other team I even consider a real rival for Rutgers is sorta Navy, but that's more of a friendly, respectful, we play each other or five times every decade for over 120 years throwback to the early days of college football type rivalry, not the kind you think of as a real rivalry. The games between Rutgers and UConn recently have been typically close and pretty epic. Not only did they just dash our championship hopes but a few years back we stunned them at home in their emotional first home game after Jasper Howard was murdered. Tim Brown (Jasper Howard's childhood best friend) caught an incredible 81-yard catch to seal it. I think its the best rivalry the BE has beyond the brawl and has been for a while.
Adelson: Thank you, Jim. I appreciate your perspective, and thank you for shedding some additional light. I guess I was looking at it more from a national perspective, and even a league perspective. I just don't know that this game moves the needle in that regard.
Adam in Pittsburgh writes: Do you have any idea why Todd Graham refuses to play Mark Myers? Trey Anderson is injured, and (Tino) Sunseri just simply cannot make plays. There are rumors about why Myers doesn't play, whether it's due to his ability or being in Todd Graham's dog house, Sunseri has obviously been extremely disappointing and Graham is visibly frustrated with his play. I think the entire Pitt fanbase would like an answer to this, or at the very least, why is Sunseri still playing? It can't be to help Sunseri develop, because there's been little to no progress made with him.
Adelson: Graham continues to maintain Sunseri gives his team the best chance to win, and at this point, I have to believe him. Given the way Sunseri has played, you would think that Graham would put in anybody else if they were capable of doing better in this offense. So clearly Mark Myers has not done enough to make the coaches believe he can get the job done.
Craig in Cincinnati writes: Love your blog! I keep seeing UC mentioned as going to the Birmingham Bowl. No disrespect, but why would a Big East co-champ be going there? Seems like a let down for a good season.
Adelson: If Cincinnati wins, the top two options are the Liberty Bowl in Memphis and Belk Bowl in Charlotte. My inclination is that Louisville would head to Belk because that game wants NC State, and Cincinnati already played the Wolf Pack this season. The Liberty Bowl matchup would be against an SEC team. I think BBVA Compass, which is in Birmingham, would go to the Pitt/Syracuse winner. And don't forget when it comes to selecting teams, bowls can choose the teams they want regardless of finish (outside the BCS of course). If Cincinnati loses, Louisville goes to the BCS and I still think Cincinnati goes to the Liberty. Interesting quandary develops for Belk because that game would want West Virginia. But it would also want to avoid a rematch of last year's WVU-NC State game. UConn would go to Beef 'O' Brady's. These are all just guesses. Nothing will be firmed up until after the games Saturday.
Rich Lin in S. River, N.J., writes: Hi Andrea, Enjoy your work on the blog. There is an ongoing debate among the Rutgers faithful about coach (Greg) Schiano. Pretty much most accept the fact that there is no way the school is going to eat the cost of buying out his contract. However, one camp thinks that if Schiano is still the best fit for this job and that if he was hypothetically fired, we would never be able to find a replacement that would want the job or be able to continue what Schiano has built and take it to the next level. The other camp believes that with the salary, support and facilities it would be easy to find a replacement. With the news of Washington State hiring Mike Leach at $2 mil a year, what are your thoughts about this debate? Could Schiano be easily replaced? Would experienced and successful coaches jump at the opportunity to come to Rutgers?
Adelson: Thanks, Rich. I really need Rutgers fans to explain why there is a push to kick Schiano to the curb. He just led your team back to a bowl game after being picked to finish dead last in the Big East, was one win away from a first conference championship and has an absolutely loaded roster set to return for 2012 but you want him gone? You have a coach who has now gone to bowl games six of the past seven years (4-1 in bowls, by the way), graduates his players, turns out NFL prospects and that is not good enough because he has yet to win a Big East championship? Look, I understand the frustration because he has been there 11 years and there are no rings. I understand the frustration after watching this team implode in a 40-22 loss to UConn. I really do. But I don't see why Rutgers would do away with a coach who has elevated this program from doormat to bowl contender each season. Rutgers had one winning season in Big East play from 1991-2000. Since Schiano arrived, Rutgers has four. Before Schiano, Rutgers had a combined 15 Big East wins. Under Schiano, that number is 28. As for the second part of your question -- recruiting in the Big East is not such an easy job these days. Given the uncertainty about the conference moving forward, I think it would probably be hard to attract a "wow-factor" candidate that the fans seem to want. The Big East has not been a "destination" conference for coaches, but a "stepping stone" conference. Mike Leach has a fun offense, but he never won a Big 12 title in nine seasons at Texas Tech.
Jim C. in New Brunswick, N.J., writes: AA - Regarding your comment on the UConn-Rutgers rivalry in the last mailbag. I have to tell you you're a bit off about where it stands. As a long time and die hard Rutgers fan, I absolutely consider UConn our top rival and have for some time now. Sure it's no Backyard Brawl yet, but the only other team I even consider a real rival for Rutgers is sorta Navy, but that's more of a friendly, respectful, we play each other or five times every decade for over 120 years throwback to the early days of college football type rivalry, not the kind you think of as a real rivalry. The games between Rutgers and UConn recently have been typically close and pretty epic. Not only did they just dash our championship hopes but a few years back we stunned them at home in their emotional first home game after Jasper Howard was murdered. Tim Brown (Jasper Howard's childhood best friend) caught an incredible 81-yard catch to seal it. I think its the best rivalry the BE has beyond the brawl and has been for a while.
Adelson: Thank you, Jim. I appreciate your perspective, and thank you for shedding some additional light. I guess I was looking at it more from a national perspective, and even a league perspective. I just don't know that this game moves the needle in that regard.
Adam in Pittsburgh writes: Do you have any idea why Todd Graham refuses to play Mark Myers? Trey Anderson is injured, and (Tino) Sunseri just simply cannot make plays. There are rumors about why Myers doesn't play, whether it's due to his ability or being in Todd Graham's dog house, Sunseri has obviously been extremely disappointing and Graham is visibly frustrated with his play. I think the entire Pitt fanbase would like an answer to this, or at the very least, why is Sunseri still playing? It can't be to help Sunseri develop, because there's been little to no progress made with him.
Adelson: Graham continues to maintain Sunseri gives his team the best chance to win, and at this point, I have to believe him. Given the way Sunseri has played, you would think that Graham would put in anybody else if they were capable of doing better in this offense. So clearly Mark Myers has not done enough to make the coaches believe he can get the job done.
Craig in Cincinnati writes: Love your blog! I keep seeing UC mentioned as going to the Birmingham Bowl. No disrespect, but why would a Big East co-champ be going there? Seems like a let down for a good season.
Adelson: If Cincinnati wins, the top two options are the Liberty Bowl in Memphis and Belk Bowl in Charlotte. My inclination is that Louisville would head to Belk because that game wants NC State, and Cincinnati already played the Wolf Pack this season. The Liberty Bowl matchup would be against an SEC team. I think BBVA Compass, which is in Birmingham, would go to the Pitt/Syracuse winner. And don't forget when it comes to selecting teams, bowls can choose the teams they want regardless of finish (outside the BCS of course). If Cincinnati loses, Louisville goes to the BCS and I still think Cincinnati goes to the Liberty. Interesting quandary develops for Belk because that game would want West Virginia. But it would also want to avoid a rematch of last year's WVU-NC State game. UConn would go to Beef 'O' Brady's. These are all just guesses. Nothing will be firmed up until after the games Saturday.
Time to take a dip into the mailbag.
Doak in Orono, Maine, writes: Hey Andrea, Is there any chance with a win v. Cincy that Paul Pasqualoni is up for Big East coach of the year? Working with what he had, and didn't have, to be in most games and come up with a bowl game is pretty impressive considering how they have looked at times this year. Butch Jones, in my mind, is the only other contender (if, a big if, UConn wins Saturday).
Andrea Adelson: It is hard for me to see him having much of a shot. His team would be 6-6 after making a BCS game last year, and would not have any claim on the Big East title. I think Butch Jones and Charlie Strong are much more deserving because of what they have done with their teams this season. Louisville was 2-4 and won a share of the title. Cincinnati has won four more games than last season with one more to go.
Dave in College Station, Texas, writes: Andrea, looking at the latest power rankings I understand the perception of the Big Least. However, the Mountain West has now surpassed the ACC as well. Why is there no complaint about the lack of competition in the Almost Contenders Conference? After all, the Big East did win the nonconference battle correct?
Adelson: The nonconference battle between the Big East and ACC stands at 3-3 heading into bowl season. But to your main point -- I have not heard overwhelming praise for the ACC this year. Virginia Tech is 10-1 and nobody is saying the Hokies deserve a spot in the BCS national title game. When Clemson tanked, people just saw that as more of the same from the ACC. One thing to keep in mind -- the ACC does have a team ranked in the top 5. The Big East has one ranked at No. 23. So that makes a big difference when it comes to perception.
William in Charleston writes: AA, while I would love a BCS game over any bowl (no confidence in Cincy), what are the chances WVU and a Big 12 team give us an early preview of whats to come in the Pinstripe Bowl?
Adelson: The Belk Bowl is pretty locked into West Virginia if the Mountaineers are available, from what I gather.
Eric Freidly of Baltimore writes: Can you please explain the mysterious "Low Block" call on Jorge Wright. I have watched a lot of football and never heard of that penalty.Thanks!
Adelson: This was a hot topic of discussion during the Pitt-West Virginia game. Coach Dana Holgorsen clarified after the game that Wright blocked somebody below the knees, and that is against the rules. Holgorsen said it was the right call.
Jerry in Indianapolis writes: Can we now say that Tino Sunseri is not the right quarterback to run a spread offense. He has had a couple of good games but the others have been horrible. You can't win games by going 12-of-23 for 137 yards. What are Pitt's options next year (and I don't see a true freshman as an option)?
Adelson: Jerry, I am glad you asked. To say Sunseri has been a disappointment is an understatement. As you guys know, I really thought he would be able to pick up this offense, but he hasn't improved at all from the start of the season. He is continuing to make the same mistakes, and that has been incredibly frustrating for coach Todd Graham. When asked about his quarterback situation moving forward, Graham said that he would be open to taking a fifth-year transfer, the way he did with running back Zach Brown. Nobody has declared transfer intentions yet, but it was certainly eye-opening to hear Graham say that, and an indication he is losing faith in Sunseri -- if he hasn't already lost it completely. Trey Anderson and Mark Myers are still on the roster, and Pitt also brings in true freshman Chad Voytik. So I think it is safe to say Sunseri will be pushed hard for the starting job next year.
DC in Hillsborough, N.J., writes: People have been talking for a few years about a budding rivalry between UConn and Rutgers. Close proximity, close games, battling for the NY market, some people said the only thing that was missing was for the game to have an impact on the conference and the season. With the impact of the recent UConn win on Rutgers championship hopes, how do you think the "budding rivalry" sits? I'd bet Rutgers will remember that game next year when UConn goes to New Brunswick.
Adelson: For there to be a rivalry, there has to be a spirited passion and intense dislike not only among the players but among the fans. I think there are going to have to be many more games like that one for this to become what we think of as the true definition of a rivalry. And the Big East certainly needs one, with the Backyard Brawl most likely coming to an end.
Doak in Orono, Maine, writes: Hey Andrea, Is there any chance with a win v. Cincy that Paul Pasqualoni is up for Big East coach of the year? Working with what he had, and didn't have, to be in most games and come up with a bowl game is pretty impressive considering how they have looked at times this year. Butch Jones, in my mind, is the only other contender (if, a big if, UConn wins Saturday).
Andrea Adelson: It is hard for me to see him having much of a shot. His team would be 6-6 after making a BCS game last year, and would not have any claim on the Big East title. I think Butch Jones and Charlie Strong are much more deserving because of what they have done with their teams this season. Louisville was 2-4 and won a share of the title. Cincinnati has won four more games than last season with one more to go.
Dave in College Station, Texas, writes: Andrea, looking at the latest power rankings I understand the perception of the Big Least. However, the Mountain West has now surpassed the ACC as well. Why is there no complaint about the lack of competition in the Almost Contenders Conference? After all, the Big East did win the nonconference battle correct?
Adelson: The nonconference battle between the Big East and ACC stands at 3-3 heading into bowl season. But to your main point -- I have not heard overwhelming praise for the ACC this year. Virginia Tech is 10-1 and nobody is saying the Hokies deserve a spot in the BCS national title game. When Clemson tanked, people just saw that as more of the same from the ACC. One thing to keep in mind -- the ACC does have a team ranked in the top 5. The Big East has one ranked at No. 23. So that makes a big difference when it comes to perception.
William in Charleston writes: AA, while I would love a BCS game over any bowl (no confidence in Cincy), what are the chances WVU and a Big 12 team give us an early preview of whats to come in the Pinstripe Bowl?
Adelson: The Belk Bowl is pretty locked into West Virginia if the Mountaineers are available, from what I gather.
Eric Freidly of Baltimore writes: Can you please explain the mysterious "Low Block" call on Jorge Wright. I have watched a lot of football and never heard of that penalty.Thanks!
Adelson: This was a hot topic of discussion during the Pitt-West Virginia game. Coach Dana Holgorsen clarified after the game that Wright blocked somebody below the knees, and that is against the rules. Holgorsen said it was the right call.
Jerry in Indianapolis writes: Can we now say that Tino Sunseri is not the right quarterback to run a spread offense. He has had a couple of good games but the others have been horrible. You can't win games by going 12-of-23 for 137 yards. What are Pitt's options next year (and I don't see a true freshman as an option)?
Adelson: Jerry, I am glad you asked. To say Sunseri has been a disappointment is an understatement. As you guys know, I really thought he would be able to pick up this offense, but he hasn't improved at all from the start of the season. He is continuing to make the same mistakes, and that has been incredibly frustrating for coach Todd Graham. When asked about his quarterback situation moving forward, Graham said that he would be open to taking a fifth-year transfer, the way he did with running back Zach Brown. Nobody has declared transfer intentions yet, but it was certainly eye-opening to hear Graham say that, and an indication he is losing faith in Sunseri -- if he hasn't already lost it completely. Trey Anderson and Mark Myers are still on the roster, and Pitt also brings in true freshman Chad Voytik. So I think it is safe to say Sunseri will be pushed hard for the starting job next year.
DC in Hillsborough, N.J., writes: People have been talking for a few years about a budding rivalry between UConn and Rutgers. Close proximity, close games, battling for the NY market, some people said the only thing that was missing was for the game to have an impact on the conference and the season. With the impact of the recent UConn win on Rutgers championship hopes, how do you think the "budding rivalry" sits? I'd bet Rutgers will remember that game next year when UConn goes to New Brunswick.
Adelson: For there to be a rivalry, there has to be a spirited passion and intense dislike not only among the players but among the fans. I think there are going to have to be many more games like that one for this to become what we think of as the true definition of a rivalry. And the Big East certainly needs one, with the Backyard Brawl most likely coming to an end.
Here are news and notes off the Big East coaches call earlier today:
Cincinnati
Coach Butch Jones said he was most proud of the way his team responded when it was down against USF.
"As time goes on you find more and more out about your team but they responded the way I anticipated they would respond," he said. "We have great leadership on this football team and they have great belief and great confidence. Even though we didn’t play our best football, we found a way to win. Everybody was very confident when we got the ball to start that drive, and there was no doubt we were going to win that football game."
Connecticut
Coach Paul Pasqualoni praised the contributions of several young players on his team, including running back Lyle McCombs, linebacker Yawin Smallwood and safety Byron Jones.
"When I got in here I didn’t anticipate Lyle was going to have to carry the load, but we’ve lost so many backs," Pasqualoni said. "He’s done an excellent job. Yawin Smallwood who didn’t even practice at the position in the spring ... we lost Jerome Williams late in the spring, threw him in there in preseason camp he’s grown and gotten a feel for it. Byron has played every position we’ve got in the back end, and he’s made plays. These guys have had a lot: new system, new coach, new approach. They’ve done a real good job. They’ve been real important."
Louisville
Cornerback Anthony Conner underwent surgery on his neck Monday. For more, click here.
Pitt
Coach Todd Graham said starting offensive lineman Lucas Nix (knee) would be a game-time decision. But the Panthers will be without starting safety Jason Hendricks, out for the season with a shoulder injury. Andrew Taglianetti will step into the starting lineup.
Also, Mark Myers will be the backup quarterback against UConn on Wednesday. Myers has had a good week of practice while Trey Anderson has sat out with tendonitis in his wrist.
Rutgers
Coach Greg Schiano called his team's 16-14 loss to Louisville "very disappointing" and said his team was going to have to find a way to bounce back and fast with West Virginia coming to town Saturday.
"We’re going to have to bounce back and there’s no time to lick our wounds here because we’ve got a very good West Virginia team coming to town and I imagine a very angry West Virginia team," he said.
Syracuse
Coach Doug Marrone said one of the biggest points of emphasis is moving away from the big win against West Virginia and focusing in on Louisville.
"We have great challenges: as coaches we know we have to manage losses well, but we also have to manage wins well," Marrone said. "We have to turn the page where some people don’t want to. We still have a long way to go."
USF
Coach Skip Holtz said receiver Sterling Griffin was undergoing further tests on his sprained right ankle. Doctors fear there might be a break in the bone, which would force him to miss the season. If there is no break, the best-case scenario is for him to miss just a couple weeks. But for now he is "very doubtful" for the Bulls' next game against Rutgers on Nov. 5.
"I would hate it for Sterling with everything he’s been through," Holtz said. "He’s come back so strong and he’s worked so hard to be here and made such a big impact this season."
West Virginia
Coach Dana Holgorsen was asked about comments Julian Miller made, in which he said maybe the Mountaineers needed a poor performance as a wake-up call.
"We tried to prevent that on the front end," Holgorsen said. "For two weeks all we told them was Syracuse is a very well coached football team that’s going to think that they can win and they played harder, they played with more effort, more energy, more excitement than our guys. Sometimes you don’t get through to them."
Cincinnati
Coach Butch Jones said he was most proud of the way his team responded when it was down against USF.
"As time goes on you find more and more out about your team but they responded the way I anticipated they would respond," he said. "We have great leadership on this football team and they have great belief and great confidence. Even though we didn’t play our best football, we found a way to win. Everybody was very confident when we got the ball to start that drive, and there was no doubt we were going to win that football game."
Connecticut
Coach Paul Pasqualoni praised the contributions of several young players on his team, including running back Lyle McCombs, linebacker Yawin Smallwood and safety Byron Jones.
"When I got in here I didn’t anticipate Lyle was going to have to carry the load, but we’ve lost so many backs," Pasqualoni said. "He’s done an excellent job. Yawin Smallwood who didn’t even practice at the position in the spring ... we lost Jerome Williams late in the spring, threw him in there in preseason camp he’s grown and gotten a feel for it. Byron has played every position we’ve got in the back end, and he’s made plays. These guys have had a lot: new system, new coach, new approach. They’ve done a real good job. They’ve been real important."
Louisville
Cornerback Anthony Conner underwent surgery on his neck Monday. For more, click here.
Pitt
Coach Todd Graham said starting offensive lineman Lucas Nix (knee) would be a game-time decision. But the Panthers will be without starting safety Jason Hendricks, out for the season with a shoulder injury. Andrew Taglianetti will step into the starting lineup.
Also, Mark Myers will be the backup quarterback against UConn on Wednesday. Myers has had a good week of practice while Trey Anderson has sat out with tendonitis in his wrist.
Rutgers
Coach Greg Schiano called his team's 16-14 loss to Louisville "very disappointing" and said his team was going to have to find a way to bounce back and fast with West Virginia coming to town Saturday.
"We’re going to have to bounce back and there’s no time to lick our wounds here because we’ve got a very good West Virginia team coming to town and I imagine a very angry West Virginia team," he said.
Syracuse
Coach Doug Marrone said one of the biggest points of emphasis is moving away from the big win against West Virginia and focusing in on Louisville.
"We have great challenges: as coaches we know we have to manage losses well, but we also have to manage wins well," Marrone said. "We have to turn the page where some people don’t want to. We still have a long way to go."
USF
Coach Skip Holtz said receiver Sterling Griffin was undergoing further tests on his sprained right ankle. Doctors fear there might be a break in the bone, which would force him to miss the season. If there is no break, the best-case scenario is for him to miss just a couple weeks. But for now he is "very doubtful" for the Bulls' next game against Rutgers on Nov. 5.
"I would hate it for Sterling with everything he’s been through," Holtz said. "He’s come back so strong and he’s worked so hard to be here and made such a big impact this season."
West Virginia
Coach Dana Holgorsen was asked about comments Julian Miller made, in which he said maybe the Mountaineers needed a poor performance as a wake-up call.
"We tried to prevent that on the front end," Holgorsen said. "For two weeks all we told them was Syracuse is a very well coached football team that’s going to think that they can win and they played harder, they played with more effort, more energy, more excitement than our guys. Sometimes you don’t get through to them."
Every league team will release its depth chart at some point this week with the season upon us. The Pitt two-deep came out this morning with few surprises.
- There is no decision yet on backup quarterback. Behind Tino Sunseri, Pitt lists Trey Anderson OR Mark Myers.
- There still is some uncertainty at linebacker. Max Gruder or Tristan Roberts will start on the weak side, while Todd Thomas or Andrew Taglianetti will start at strong side. Taglianetti also plays safety.
- Justin Hargrove could be in danger of losing his starting job at defensive end. The depth chart lists Hargrove OR Aaron Donald as the starter there. That is not much of a surprise. Donald had an excellent offseason and fall camp.
- Who is the backup behind Ray Graham? Zach Brown, Corey Davis and Malcolm Crockett are all listed as options at No. 2.
- K'Waun Phillips and Antwuan Reed are listed as the starting cornerbacks.
- Kevin Harper will be the place-kicker.
- The return jobs are still up in the air. At kick returner, it will be either Davis or Buddy Jackson. At punt returner, it will be either Ronald Jones or Cameron Saddler.
- Plenty of true freshmen will get opportunities. Ten true freshmen are listed on the two-deep: Jones, Anderson, Crockett, Davis, running back Isaac Bennett, safety Lafayette Pitts, safety Lloyd Carrington, linebacker LaQuentin Smith, linebacker Ejuan Price and nose tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith.
Big East position rankings: Quarterback
July, 1, 2011
7/01/11
11:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
We continue our look at team position rankings with quarterback. This is a position of strength for the league with so many starters returning, and the addition of two very high-powered offensive attacks. Should be quite fun to watch.
1. West Virginia. Geno Smith is about the closest to a Heisman candidate as the Big East has going into the season. He had a solid sophomore season, and now with the addition of Dana Holgorsen to the offense, should be the pre-eminent quarterback in the league. Three of Holgorsen's past six quarterbacks passed for 5,000 yards. Not many folks can throw that stat around. Depth is a bit of a concern. The current backup is invited walk-on Paul Millard, a true freshman. True freshman Brian Athey is listed No. 3.
2. Cincinnati. It is really close between Zach Collaros and Smith. Collaros is the defending first-team Big East quarterback and certainly has what it takes to throw for 3,000 yards this season. He has tremendous wide receivers with a lot of talent as well. The offensive line has to step up to give him some more time to throw. But either way, Collaros is in line to have another great season. The backup spot also is uncertain here, with the departure of Chazz Anderson. Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen will battle in the fall.
3. Pittsburgh. I know Tino Sunseri has taken his share of lumps, but he has the potential to have his best season yet with the new offense coach Todd Graham plans to install. Yes, there are questions about Sunseri and whether he can throw the deep ball, but look for him to be asked to make more high-percentage passes than chucking 70-yard bombs. There also is uncertainty here with the suspension of Anthony Gonzalez. Both he and Mark Myers are redshirt freshmen and were competing for the backup job.
4. USF. B.J. Daniels was inconsistent and banged up last season, but closed the year with a nice game against Clemson. Will that translate into a season that knocks people's socks off in 2011? What should help is the fact that he is going into the season with the same offensive coordinator as the previous one. There is continuity there for him. There are questions at receiver and on the offensive line, but Daniels could have his best season. Backup Bobby Eveld has experience -- and was the hero of that big win against Miami.
5. Rutgers. The next three spots in the rankings are a bit murky for me. You could make an argument for each team to be in either the 5-6-7 spot. I chose Chas Dodd here because I think he has the potential for a good season. The Scarlet Knights have a clear vision on offense, and they also have some of the most talented receivers in the league. Going back to a more pro-style attack should help, and Dodd made some serious strides in the spring. Depth is an issue, with true freshmen Gary Nova and Mike Bimonte expected to be in the mix for the backup job.
6. Syracuse. Ryan Nassib made some strides in his first season as a starter, and seems to be poised to take the next step. He has a solid receiving crew and a solid offensive line. His performance against Kansas State could serve as a launching point for him going into this season. But this is a team that has struggled to make big plays in the passing game, and that is going to have to change for Nassib to climb up this list.
7. Louisville. This ranking is a mere reflection of the uncertainty around the position. The Cardinals and Huskies are the only two teams with this position unsettled, hence the rankings. There is no denying the potential that Teddy Bridgewater brings. But he is a true freshmen, and true freshmen are simply wild cards. Will Stein is steady, but is he the man to guide this team to a league championship? Both will play, but who is going to step up and take charge?
8. UConn. The Huskies have no starter right now and have a four-man race between Michael Nebrich, Scott McCummings, Johnny McEntee and Michael Box. Coach Paul Pasqualoni hopes to get this resolved as quickly as possible, but since this is the only team with major uncertainty, the Huskies land here.
Previous rankings
1. West Virginia. Geno Smith is about the closest to a Heisman candidate as the Big East has going into the season. He had a solid sophomore season, and now with the addition of Dana Holgorsen to the offense, should be the pre-eminent quarterback in the league. Three of Holgorsen's past six quarterbacks passed for 5,000 yards. Not many folks can throw that stat around. Depth is a bit of a concern. The current backup is invited walk-on Paul Millard, a true freshman. True freshman Brian Athey is listed No. 3.
[+] Enlarge
Mark Zerof/US PresswireCincinnati's Zach Collaros is part of a strong group of returning quarterbacks in the Big East.
Mark Zerof/US PresswireCincinnati's Zach Collaros is part of a strong group of returning quarterbacks in the Big East.3. Pittsburgh. I know Tino Sunseri has taken his share of lumps, but he has the potential to have his best season yet with the new offense coach Todd Graham plans to install. Yes, there are questions about Sunseri and whether he can throw the deep ball, but look for him to be asked to make more high-percentage passes than chucking 70-yard bombs. There also is uncertainty here with the suspension of Anthony Gonzalez. Both he and Mark Myers are redshirt freshmen and were competing for the backup job.
4. USF. B.J. Daniels was inconsistent and banged up last season, but closed the year with a nice game against Clemson. Will that translate into a season that knocks people's socks off in 2011? What should help is the fact that he is going into the season with the same offensive coordinator as the previous one. There is continuity there for him. There are questions at receiver and on the offensive line, but Daniels could have his best season. Backup Bobby Eveld has experience -- and was the hero of that big win against Miami.
5. Rutgers. The next three spots in the rankings are a bit murky for me. You could make an argument for each team to be in either the 5-6-7 spot. I chose Chas Dodd here because I think he has the potential for a good season. The Scarlet Knights have a clear vision on offense, and they also have some of the most talented receivers in the league. Going back to a more pro-style attack should help, and Dodd made some serious strides in the spring. Depth is an issue, with true freshmen Gary Nova and Mike Bimonte expected to be in the mix for the backup job.
6. Syracuse. Ryan Nassib made some strides in his first season as a starter, and seems to be poised to take the next step. He has a solid receiving crew and a solid offensive line. His performance against Kansas State could serve as a launching point for him going into this season. But this is a team that has struggled to make big plays in the passing game, and that is going to have to change for Nassib to climb up this list.
7. Louisville. This ranking is a mere reflection of the uncertainty around the position. The Cardinals and Huskies are the only two teams with this position unsettled, hence the rankings. There is no denying the potential that Teddy Bridgewater brings. But he is a true freshmen, and true freshmen are simply wild cards. Will Stein is steady, but is he the man to guide this team to a league championship? Both will play, but who is going to step up and take charge?
8. UConn. The Huskies have no starter right now and have a four-man race between Michael Nebrich, Scott McCummings, Johnny McEntee and Michael Box. Coach Paul Pasqualoni hopes to get this resolved as quickly as possible, but since this is the only team with major uncertainty, the Huskies land here.
Previous rankings
Pittsburgh backup quarterback Anthony Gonzalez has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. The school did not release any other information.
But The Morning Call reports that Gonzalez was arrested for marijuana possession early Friday morning in Bethlehem, Pa.
Gonzalez, a redshirt freshman, appeared to have won the backup job behind Tino Sunseri after a strong spring. He received the team's Ed Conway Award as the most improved offensive player in spring practice.
This is the first serious disciplinary issue to become public under new head coach Todd Graham, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. Dave Wannstedt's dismissal last year was based partly on the number of high-profile, off-the-field troubles that plagued the program last year. Graham not only had a mandate to clean that up when he was hired by athletic director Steve Pederson, but he promised to not tolerate any problems.
Pitt still has another backup quarterback option in redshirt freshman Mark Myers.
UPDATE: This story gets more interesting, as the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Syracuse receiver Jarrod West was with Gonzalez at the time of the arrest and will be cited for underage drinking. West and Gonzalez played together at Liberty High School in Bethlehem. There has been no word yet from Syracuse on a possible disciplinary action against West.
But The Morning Call reports that Gonzalez was arrested for marijuana possession early Friday morning in Bethlehem, Pa.
Gonzalez, a redshirt freshman, appeared to have won the backup job behind Tino Sunseri after a strong spring. He received the team's Ed Conway Award as the most improved offensive player in spring practice.
This is the first serious disciplinary issue to become public under new head coach Todd Graham, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. Dave Wannstedt's dismissal last year was based partly on the number of high-profile, off-the-field troubles that plagued the program last year. Graham not only had a mandate to clean that up when he was hired by athletic director Steve Pederson, but he promised to not tolerate any problems.
Pitt still has another backup quarterback option in redshirt freshman Mark Myers.
UPDATE: This story gets more interesting, as the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Syracuse receiver Jarrod West was with Gonzalez at the time of the arrest and will be cited for underage drinking. West and Gonzalez played together at Liberty High School in Bethlehem. There has been no word yet from Syracuse on a possible disciplinary action against West.
2010 overall record: 8-5
2010 conference record: 5-2, T-1st in Big East
Returning starters:
Offense: 6, defense: 8, punter/kicker: 0
Top returners:
DE Brandon Lindsey, RB Ray Graham, QB Tino Sunseri, WR Mike Shanahan, DT Chas Alexcih, DT Myles Caragein, S Jarred Holley
Key losses:
WR Jon Baldwin, RB Dion Lewis, DE Jabaal Sheard, OT Jason Pinkston, S Dom DeCicco
2010 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Dion Lewis (1,061 yards)
Passing: Tino Sunseri* (2,572 yards)
Receiving: Jon Baldwin (822 yards)
Tackles: Dom DeCicco (94 tackles)
Sacks: Brandon Lindsey* (10 sacks)
Interceptions: DeCicco and Jarred Holley* (5 interceptions)
Spring answers
1. Depth on the defensive line: New head coach Todd Graham seemed most excited this spring about the depth he has to work with on the defensive line. Starting tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih return, along with Brandon Lindsey, who will play the new linebacker/defensive end hybrid position. The Panthers also got strong contributions this spring from guys like Bryan Murphy, Aaron Donald, Tyrone Ezell and Khaynin Mosley-Smith. Graham feels like he's blessed with a terrific rotation up front that might be the overall strength of the team.
2. New center of attention: Pitt played a former walk-on at center last season and had no heir apparent ready. A mid-spring switch to center for guard Chris Jacobson appeared to pay dividends. The senior had some trouble with snapping early on as expected for someone who had never played the position. But he grew more comfortable as the spring wore on, and the Pitt coaches liked the way his move there improved the overall line. Jacobson will spend the rest of the summer getting a crash-course at center school.
3. Still Sunseri: There were questions coming into spring whether Tino Sunseri would hold onto his starting quarterback job, or whether he'd be surpassed by talented redshirt freshmen Mark Myers and Anthony Gonzalez in a new offensive system. But Sunseri made it clear early on that he would not be supplanted, and he provided a steady hand at the most important position. His 400-yard passing day in the spring game indicated what he can do in this no-huddle offense, and coaches raved about his preparation and understanding of the game.
Fall questions
1. Linebacker mix: Linebacker was not a strong position for Pitt last season, and now the team needs four of them in the 3-4 scheme. The Panthers played around with different combos there this spring while trying to find ways to hide their limitations. Two players who could contribute, Dan Mason and Todd Thomas, missed the spring because of injuries. Graham hopes to get more out of Greg Williams, who's fast but inconsistent. The depth chart could change a couple of times between now and the start of the season.
2. Corner concerns: The good news is, sophomore K'Waun Williams and fifth-year senior Buddy Jackson had nice springs and established themselves as leaders at cornerback. The bad news is, Williams is still inexperienced, while Jackson has never lived up to his physical talent in games. Antwuan Reed missed the spring because of injury, so it's unknown how much he'll improve on an up-and-down 2010. Incoming freshman Lafayette Pitts could get a look here this summer as well. Pitt feels like it has some good candidates to improve last season's play at cornerback, but a lot must still be proved on Saturdays in the fall.
3. Punting progress: The Panthers must replace All-Big East punter Dan Hutchins, who also handled field goals for them last season. They feel like Kevin Harper will do a solid job in place-kicking; he's got a huge leg and can connect from beyond 50 yards if he can maintain accuracy. At punter, walk-on sophomore Matt Yoklic had the edge this spring. He boomed some punts, but also lacked consistency. You never know with kickers until the lights come on for real.
2010 conference record: 5-2, T-1st in Big East
Returning starters:
Offense: 6, defense: 8, punter/kicker: 0
Top returners:
DE Brandon Lindsey, RB Ray Graham, QB Tino Sunseri, WR Mike Shanahan, DT Chas Alexcih, DT Myles Caragein, S Jarred Holley
Key losses:
WR Jon Baldwin, RB Dion Lewis, DE Jabaal Sheard, OT Jason Pinkston, S Dom DeCicco
2010 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Dion Lewis (1,061 yards)
Passing: Tino Sunseri* (2,572 yards)
Receiving: Jon Baldwin (822 yards)
Tackles: Dom DeCicco (94 tackles)
Sacks: Brandon Lindsey* (10 sacks)
Interceptions: DeCicco and Jarred Holley* (5 interceptions)
Spring answers
1. Depth on the defensive line: New head coach Todd Graham seemed most excited this spring about the depth he has to work with on the defensive line. Starting tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih return, along with Brandon Lindsey, who will play the new linebacker/defensive end hybrid position. The Panthers also got strong contributions this spring from guys like Bryan Murphy, Aaron Donald, Tyrone Ezell and Khaynin Mosley-Smith. Graham feels like he's blessed with a terrific rotation up front that might be the overall strength of the team.
2. New center of attention: Pitt played a former walk-on at center last season and had no heir apparent ready. A mid-spring switch to center for guard Chris Jacobson appeared to pay dividends. The senior had some trouble with snapping early on as expected for someone who had never played the position. But he grew more comfortable as the spring wore on, and the Pitt coaches liked the way his move there improved the overall line. Jacobson will spend the rest of the summer getting a crash-course at center school.
3. Still Sunseri: There were questions coming into spring whether Tino Sunseri would hold onto his starting quarterback job, or whether he'd be surpassed by talented redshirt freshmen Mark Myers and Anthony Gonzalez in a new offensive system. But Sunseri made it clear early on that he would not be supplanted, and he provided a steady hand at the most important position. His 400-yard passing day in the spring game indicated what he can do in this no-huddle offense, and coaches raved about his preparation and understanding of the game.
Fall questions
1. Linebacker mix: Linebacker was not a strong position for Pitt last season, and now the team needs four of them in the 3-4 scheme. The Panthers played around with different combos there this spring while trying to find ways to hide their limitations. Two players who could contribute, Dan Mason and Todd Thomas, missed the spring because of injuries. Graham hopes to get more out of Greg Williams, who's fast but inconsistent. The depth chart could change a couple of times between now and the start of the season.
2. Corner concerns: The good news is, sophomore K'Waun Williams and fifth-year senior Buddy Jackson had nice springs and established themselves as leaders at cornerback. The bad news is, Williams is still inexperienced, while Jackson has never lived up to his physical talent in games. Antwuan Reed missed the spring because of injury, so it's unknown how much he'll improve on an up-and-down 2010. Incoming freshman Lafayette Pitts could get a look here this summer as well. Pitt feels like it has some good candidates to improve last season's play at cornerback, but a lot must still be proved on Saturdays in the fall.
3. Punting progress: The Panthers must replace All-Big East punter Dan Hutchins, who also handled field goals for them last season. They feel like Kevin Harper will do a solid job in place-kicking; he's got a huge leg and can connect from beyond 50 yards if he can maintain accuracy. At punter, walk-on sophomore Matt Yoklic had the edge this spring. He boomed some punts, but also lacked consistency. You never know with kickers until the lights come on for real.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
