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• Tavon Austin is looking to kick things into a higher gear this season for West Virginia.
• Louisville defensive tackle Tim High has lost about 50 pounds in an effort to find playing time.
• Skip Holtz has some options for his final few scholarships for this season.
• Ex-Bulls running back Mike Ford was arrested on battery charges.
• Selling naming rights to Rutgers Stadium is necessary for the athletic department's revenue stream.
• Syracuse got a commitment from a quarterback from Queens, N.Y.

South Florida senior running back Jamar Taylor is no longer a part of the Bulls' program, delivering another blow to the team's depth in the backfield.

Taylor missed all of spring practice to focus on his academics. He saw only limited action in 2009 because of a knee injury.

He spent one semester at Alabama before transferring back to his home state. Taylor's best year came in 2008, when he ran for 300 yards and three touchdowns on 62 carries. He had a career-best 72 yards and a touchdown in a 2008 win over Kansas.

Taylor's departure follows the dismissal of senior tailback Mike Ford before spring practice began. The Bulls also moved Lindsey Lamar from running back to wide receiver. Sixth-year senior Mo Plancher and sophomore Demetris Murray are the top options in the backfield at this point.

• Skip Holtz commended Mike Ford for the way he handled his dismissal and pledged to help him find another school, Greg Auman notes in the St. Petersburg Times.
• Speaking of the Bulls, Jim Leavitt is at the NFL combine as a guest of the St. Louis Rams.
• Anthony Davis is eager to prove himself at the NFL combine, Keith Sargeant writes in the Home News Tribune.
• Here's a Q&A with another Rutgers draft hopeful, Kevin Haslam.
• A Wilkes-Barre columnist advocates Pitt for the Big Ten.

As players, they had nothing in common. But when I heard the news about Mike Ford's dismissal from South Florida, I immediately thought of Elijah Fields.

Like's Pitt's talented but troubled safety, Ford had a world of potential but simply couldn't meet the requirements necessary to stay on the field. And like Fields, he won't be around for his senior season.

Bulls fans dreamed of big things from Ford when he rushed for 645 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman. He was a big back who could plow it in at the goal line, but he also had speed.

But Ford would never run for as much as 500 yards in a season again. He had problems with injuries and maintaining his weight. He was arrested twice. He got suspended for a game in 2007 and for the start of the 2009 season. He never could seem to get out of Jim Leavitt's doghouse and, for long stretches, it seemed like he had disappeared.

Then there was the breakout game in the 2010 International Bowl when he ran all over Northern Illinois in the second half and finished with 207 yards. I -- and I'm sure many Bulls fans felt the same way -- was looking forward to seeing what Ford could do as a senior under new coach Skip Holtz, who may have made more of a commitment to using running backs than Leavitt's staffs ever did.

An in-shape, motivated Ford getting 20 to 25 carries a game would have been intriguing to say the least. He was one of those players that fans always asked me about in chats and e-mails, because his talent was so obvious when he was on the field.

We don't know yet what Ford did to earn his dismissal. But, like Fields, he must have known he was on a very short leash, even with a new coaching staff in town. For him to commit even a minor transgression shows a recklessness and foolishness that is mind-boggling.

Sometimes it's good for a new head coach to dismiss a player for a rules violation, especially one as talented as Ford. That shows the rest of the team that the new sheriff means business. I'm sure, though, Holtz would rather had Ford in the backfield this spring, even though he still has a lot of available options there. The Bulls could go with Mo Plancher, Lindsey Lamar, Jamar Taylor, Richard Kelly ... the list goes on and on.

None had quite the package of potential that Ford had. It's a shame he could never fully realize all his skills had to offer.

Spring football in the Big East kicks off March 16. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program heading into the spring:

CINCINNATI
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:

• Building depth: New coach Butch Jones said this is the biggest key for the spring. The Bearcats have a lot of top-flight players with starting experience back, like Zach Collaros, Armon Binns, Isaiah Pead and JK Schaffer. But there's a lot of youth and inexperience in potential backup roles, especially at positions like offensive line, linebacker and receiver. All slates are clean with the new coaching staff, and the spring will be a time when new names can emerge in key roles.

• Defensive line retooling: Jones will switch back to the 4-3 after a year in the 3-4 scheme. Both starting defensive ends from last year are gone, but the smallish line was overpowered at times near the end of the season anyway. Derek Wolfe should be a fixture inside, Dan Giordano, Brandon Mills and John Hughes step into more prominent roles. Jones will have to decide whether to make Walter Stewart a defensive end or keep him at outside linebacker. The Bearcats could use a little more strength and bulk up front against the bigger Big East offensive lines.

• Vidal's arrival: USC transfer Vidal Hazelton is eligible after sitting out last year. He reputedly dominated practices last season, and now he'll get to go full time with the first string. A lot of people will be watching closely to see how he and Collaros connect during the spring. A big year by Hazelton will lessen the loss of star wideout Mardy Gilyard and could keep Cincinnati as the Big East's best offense.

CONNECTICUT
Spring practice starts: March 16
Spring game: April 17
What to watch:

• Secondary matters: UConn returns a truckload of starters and looks rock solid in most areas. But the defensive backfield will be an area of emphasis starting in the spring. Gone are stalwarts Robert McClain and Robert Vaughn from a secondary that got picked apart much of the season by opposing passing games. Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson showed progress by the end of their redshirt freshmen seasons and should be the starting corners. The Huskies need someone to replace Vaughn at safety and overall better performance from the unit.

• Frazer vs. Endres: Zach Frazer and Cody Endres have been splitting starts since the second half of the 2008 season at quarterback. Endres took over early last year and played well until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Frazer picked things up late after a slow start. The competition should be back on this spring, with Frazer probably holding the edge given his late-season improvement.

• Catch as catch can: Receiver was a major question for UConn going into last spring, when walk-on senior Marcus Easley surprised everybody with his giant leap forward. He became the go-to guy in 2009, but now he's gone, along with starter Brad Kanuch. So the Huskies are basically back in the same position as this time a year ago, needing to find some reliable pass catchers. Kashif Moore may be the next to break out after some good, late-year performances. And perhaps former highly-touted recruit Dwayne Difton will emerge. UConn hopes to catch lightning in a bottle again like it did with Easley.

LOUISVILLE
Spring practice starts: March 24
Spring game: April 16
What to watch:

• Switching to Strong: The Cardinals will have their first practices under new coach Charlie Strong, who promises to bring a much different style than former coach Steve Kragthorpe. Strong is known as being an intense guy on the field, and as a former top-flight defensive coordinator, he will likely be particularly demanding of players on that side of the ball. There will be new terminology to learn, new assistants and new standards to which the Cardinals must adjust in a hurry.

• The quarterback shuffle: Louisville had three quarterbacks -- Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein -- start games last year. All three will be given the chance to win the job in the spring, and mid-year enrollee Luke Woodley might see some snaps as well. Don't be surprised if this competition goes into the fall and if other newcomers like Dominique Brown get a look. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford wants to run a Florida-style spread offense, which might favor the more mobile Froman if he chooses to go with a veteran under center.

• Line play: The trenches have not been a particularly strong suit for Louisville the past couple of seasons, one of the reasons why the program has fallen out of annual postseason play. The Cardinals have gotten very little pass rush from the defensive line and not enough of a consistent push from the offensive line. Strong asked the offensive linemen to rework their bodies to prepare for the spread, and he'll need replacements for two senior defensive tackles. Junior-college imports Randy Salmon and Tyler Harrell will have a chance to impress on the defensive line. If the holdovers don't step up, we could see more newcomers in key spots by the summer.

(Read full post)

Spring practice is just around the corner, and that means it's time to start looking at two-deeps and position battles. While some players know what their roles will be in the fall, others will begin heated competitions for playing time during spring drills in hopes of impressing their coaches. Here are a few position battles worth watching this spring in the Big East:

• Pittsburgh quarterback: Pitt may well be the preseason Big East favorite, but the Panthers have to figure out their quarterback situation first. Sophomore Tino Sunseri came close to winning the job in a heated three-way battle last year and settled in as Bill Stull's backup. Pat Bostick, however, has improved his mechanics and has won big games in the past. This should be a good competition that might not be settled until the fall.

• Louisville quarterback: Three players -- Justin Burke, Adam Froman and Will Stein -- all started games under center for the Cardinals, and none of the trio distinguished himself as heads and shoulders above the rest. Whoever wins the job in the spring might not necessarily be the guy in the fall, as new coach Charlie Strong is bringing in some promising freshmen quarterbacks as well.

• South Florida running back: Skip Holtz has suggested he'd like to have a real No. 1 tailback, something the Bulls haven't had in a long time. Mike Ford had a huge game against Northern Illinois in the International Bowl and may finally be ready to assume that go-to-guy role as a senior. Last year's starter, Mo Plancher, is trying to get a sixth year of eligibility. Sophomore Lindsey Lamar will push for the job, as well as possibly Jamar Taylor and several newcomers.

• Rutgers receiver and cornerback: Like last year, the Scarlet Knights go into the spring with one proven wideout (this time, Mohamed Sanu) and a bunch of question marks. It's time that someone from the group including Julian Hayes, Tim Wright, Keith Stroud and Marcus Cooper separate himself. At corner, Rutgers needs a replacement for Devin McCourty. Will a guy like Brandon Bing step forward, or will one of two redshirt freshmen -- Darrell Givens and Logan Ryan -- make a move in the spring?

• Cincinnati's defensive front seven: With a new coaching staff and probably a change back to a 4-3 scheme, the Cincinnati players have basically been told they're back to square one this spring. Add to that fact that both defensive ends and two starting linebackers were seniors this past season, and there are a lot of jobs up for grabs. The constants appear to be defensive tackle Derek Wolfe, linebacker JK Schaffer and Walter Stewart, who could either play linebacker or on the line. After that, it's one big competition.

Signing day is fast approaching, and every team is scrambling to put together or keep intact this year's class. So let's look at what each Big East team's pressing needs are going into this year's recruiting season.

Cincinnati

Receiver: Mardy Gilyard is gone, Armon Binns is a senior and Vidal Hazelton and D.J. Woods will be juniors. It's time to bring in the next wave of playmakers for the spread offense.

Defensive line: The Bearcats lose both starting defensive ends and their hybrid outside linebacker in the 3-4. The end of last season showed the need to get bigger and tougher up front.

Connecticut

Receiver: UConn made great strides in the passing game this year but still needs more reliable targets at wideout, especially with Marcus Easley and Brad Kanuch graduating. The Huskies brought in young receivers last year like Dwayne Difton, and they need to stay on that path.

Defensive back: Connecticut doesn't lose a whole lot off the 2009 team, but the secondary is one place that needs some restocking. Corner Robert McClain and safety Robert Vaughn were both seniors. Redshirt freshman Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz showed promise at corner late in the year, but more depth would help.

Linebacker: The Huskies will have an experienced linebacker corps next year, with Scott Lutrus, Lawrence Wilson and Greg Lloyd -- the latter may move to defensive line -- all seniors. Since Randy Edsall likes to redshirt as many freshmen as possible, this would be a good year to begin finding their eventual replacements.

Louisville

Depth: The Cardinals may have had the least amount of overall talent of any Big East team this season and have few pro prospects on the roster. First-year coach Charlie Strong's first order of business is simply to stock the cupboard.

Quarterback: Of the three players who started under center for the Cardinals last year, two (Justin Burke and Adam Froman) will be seniors, while the other (Will Stein) was a walk-on. None are considered pro prospects. Strong needs a major talent upgrade at that position.

Trenches: Louisville loses both starting defensive tackles, and three of its starting offensive linemen will be seniors. The team needs better players on both lines in order to compete consistently.

Pittsburgh

Cornerback: Starting corners Aaon Berry and Jovani Chappel were seniors, presenting one pressing need to a team that is otherwise well stocked. Pitt has signed a junior-college corner to help bridge the gap.

Receiver: Jonathan Baldwin will probably go to the NFL after this season. Which means the Panthers will need to start identifying the next great player at a position that's been manned in the past by Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald.

Quarterback: Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick will battle it out for the starting job this spring. But there's little depth behind them, especially with last year's signee, Kolby Gray, moving to safety.

Rutgers

Offensive line: The Scarlet Knights lose three starters from this year's O-line: center Ryan Blaszczyk, left tackle Anthony Davis and right tackle Kevin Haslam. That makes finding some young guys up front a priority.

Defensive back: Star corner Devin McCourty and starting safety Zaire Kitchen are gone. Rutgers has some promising young players in the secondary, especially at corner, but could use some future help at safety and more depth overall.

South Florida

Defensive line: The Bulls didn't expect Jason Pierre-Paul to bolt for the NFL after one season when they signed him. That loss, along with the graduation of George Selvie, exposes the need for a big-time pass rusher, though last year's top signee, Ryne Giddins, could become that.

Linebacker: Middle linebacker and leading tackler Kion Wilson was a senior, as was weakside starter Chris Robinson. The Bulls love rising sophomore Sam Barrington, but they need some future stars around him.

Running back: The past few years, South Florida has always had a lot of tailbacks but no true standout. With Mo Plancher graduating and Mike Ford a senior, new coach Skip Holtz may want to locate a true No. 1 running back for the future.

Syracuse

Depth: Like Louisville, Syracuse needs bodies. The roster was decimated by injuries and departures last season, and Doug Marrone's program won't take off until it has enough depth to compete week to week.

Linebacker: The position should be in decent shape this year, but there isn't much behind the projected starters. It's telling that Marrone already has commitments from six linebackers.

Playmakers: Once Mike Williams quit, the Orange struggled to do much in the passing game. Marrone needs receivers, running backs and tight ends in order to employ a more wide open, multiple offense like he oversaw with the New Orleans Saints.

West Virginia

Linebacker: West Virginia's needs for 2010 aren't plentiful since a ton of starters return. But the Mountaineers lost middle linebacker and defensive stalwart Reed Williams to graduation, and they could start three seniors there this season. Time to restock.

Receiver: Jock Sanders' return was a boost, but the team also lost Alric Arnett and Wes Lyons and is still looking for a dependable No. 1 wideout to complement an increased passing game.

Defensive line: Depth was an issue up front this past season, with Scooter Berry in and out of the lineup and junior college signee Tevita Finau never showing up. Berry and nose tackle Chris Neild will both be seniors this season.

Opening up the ol' mailbag ...

Aaron from Cincinnati writes: What's with Jim Leavitt? So he lost his cool and slapped a player, totally unacceptable yes but unequivocally unforgivable? Leavitt should have confronted his team and the individual in question shortly after the incident and sincerely and straightforwardly taken ownership of his glaring mistake. I'm sure he would much prefer the outcome of that course of action over that of his current denial tactic.

Brian Bennett: It's the old saw about the cover-up being worse than the crime. Assuming the allegation is in fact true, Leavitt could have owned up to it immediately, apologized profusely and maybe gotten away with a suspension or a slap on the wrist. Instead, according to the South Florida investigators, he gave conflicting statements and acted as if he were untouchable. The most unbelievable account in the entire report to me was Leavitt's assertion that he didn't know walk-on Joel Miller had messed up on special teams, and that he had only approached him in an encouraging manner to see why he seemed so down. That just does not seem like how a detail-oriented, highly emotional football coach would act at halftime of a close game.

Let's also be honest about something else in the Leavitt affair. He was in the second year of a contract that would pay him more than $12 million through 2014. And there were serious questions about whether he would ever get the Bulls to the next level. If Leavitt were winning 10 games a year and bringing home Big East titles, I doubt he'd be gone right now no matter what happened in the locker room that day against Louisville.

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Dennis from Tampa writes: It sucks that Leavitt got the boot. So here's my question. Big hypothetical: What do you think of head coach Joe Tresey and quarterback coach Matt Grothe for the USF staff next year? I honestly think that would be interesting. Also is it just Leavitt that's going, or him and his whole staff?

Brian Bennett: I think the Tresey idea is more feasible than Grothe, given that he has no coaching experience whatsoever. But I doubt any current Bulls assistants will be given serious consideration for the head coaching job. Skip Holtz looks to be the leading contender right now. It will be up to the new coach to decide if he wants to keep any of Leavitt's former staff.

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Brian from Tampa writes: I was wondering why coach Leavitt didn't just make Mike Ford the key ingredient for USF's offense. It's obvious he's talented and can carry the team in most games. Even Nick Saban was mad we ended up with this guy a few years back. Do you think Mike Ford is the answer next year for the Bulls to win a Big East title finally?

Brian Bennett: Well, Ford was injured much of last year, he has had weight issues and seemed to be in and out of the doghouse for whatever reason. The Bulls also didn't really feature a tailback much, as they liked to have B.J. Daniels run around and make plays. There's no question Ford is talented and a big, bruising back. Having a breakout bowl game and getting a fresh start with a new coach might be the best thing for him if he's motivated and healthy for 2010.

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Andrew from Cambridge, Mass., writes: With all of the coaching changes the Big East will face this offseason (it's hard to believe that there will be three new head coaches next fall), which do you think will have the most negative impact on its program? For example, the entire coaching staff (save one assistant) that led Cincinnati to an average of 11 wins the past three seasons will be gone, and Butch Jones will install an entirely new staff. Won't that affect whether or not that team will be as competitive next year? Contrast that with the Jim Leavitt situation at USF, where -- perhaps -- only the head coach might change.

Brian Bennett: Well, I'd have to disagree with you about the South Florida situation. While a few former assistants may be retained, I'd fully expect the new head coach to bring in his own guys. Coaching transitions are never easy, and it's rare that a team that already had some success gets a lot better in the first year of a new coach.

That's why I think Cincinnati will probably be impacted the most. While I believe Jones will do a good job, the bar is so ridiculously high right now after Brian Kelly won 34 games and went 12-0 this past year. There is bound to be a small dropoff initially, though that doesn't mean Jones can't compete for the Big East title next year and have the Bearcats sustain success for years to come. It's just asking a lot for a guy to come in and go 12-0 or 11-1 right away. Louisville should improve under Charlie Strong, and I believe the right hire could really lift South Florida to another level.

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Phil from Charleston, W. Va., writes: With the Big Ten having a good year in bowl games and with the addition of the bye week in all Big Ten schedules, do you think that they would still be looking at expansion?

Brian Bennett: The Big Ten's postseason showing hurts the argument that their long layoff before the bowls was a problem, doesn't it? Still, I think this is about more than just that. The Big Ten sees a money factory in the idea of a league title game and another market for the Big Ten Network. I think this train is on a one-way course right now that will end in expansion.

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Rod R. from Phoenix writes: Your segment of ticket sales and school attendance at bowl games may be somewhat misleading. For example, as a WVU alum I live in Phoenix and have attended over the years the Gator Bowl, Insight Bowl and was in Georgia for the Sugar Bowl and certainly attended WVU-Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. I got my tickets on StubHub and while sitting in the arena in Glendale had quite a few conversations with people like me who got tickets from other vendors.

Brian Bennett: I mentioned in that post that I was only considering the actual official allotments sold by the school. The reason is that there is no way to calculate how many tickets were sold to whom by other means. And bowls look at that official allotment number because that's the one that can be quantified. It also affects schools' bottom lines, because they are on the hook for buying any tickets from the allotment that aren't sold; they don't get any money when you buy through an independent vendor. Yes, there were more than 18,000 fans from Cincinnati in New Orleans, and there were more than 15,000 West Virginia backers in Jacksonville. But those will be the official numbers that bowl officials will remember in the future.

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Kevin L. from Cincinnati writes: Hey Brian! I know UC just got creamed by an angry NFL team and we just lost the best coach in the Big East but I still believe we will go unbeaten again this year as I did last year. Oklahoma lost an inordinate amount of players to the draft, NC State lost its running back, Fresno lost its running back, and we have Zach Collaros coming in with some serious experience.

Brian Bennett: I admire your optimism, Kevin. See what I meant earlier about how high the bar is for Butch Jones?

Which players had the best bowl performances from the Big East? Here's our all-bowl team:

Offense

QB Tom Savage, Rutgers
There weren't a lot of big numbers for Big East quarterbacks in the postseason. The Scarlet Knights' true freshman completed 14 of 27 for 294 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, in a win over Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

RB Mike Ford, South Florida
Ford exploded for 207 yards on 20 carries -- almost all of them in the second half -- to help the Bulls beat Northern Illinois in the International Bowl.

RB Dion Lewis, Pitt
The sensational freshman had 159 yards on 28 carries and a score against North Carolina's tough run defense in the Meineke Car Care Bowl

RB Noel Devine, West Virginia
The Mountaineers' star ran for 168 yards on 16 carries in just three quarters against Florida State in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl

WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
Yet another freshman standout, Sanu had four catches for 97 yards and a score and also ran the ball 13 times for 41 yards and two more touchdowns.

WR Mike Shanahan, Pitt
Shanahan had five catches for 83 yards, many of them in traffic and in key spots, against North Carolina. And he's a freshman, too.

OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers
The future NFL first-rounder had his ups and downs this season. But he held off Central Florida's impressive pass rusher in a strong performance during his final college game.

OT Jason Pinkston, Pitt
North Carolina came into the Meineke game with the nation's No. 6 defense, but Pinkston helped the Pitt line move the chains and get the win.

C Moe Petrus, UConn
Petrus was part of a group that helped pave the way for 146 rushing yards against South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl.

OG John Malecki, Pitt

OG Zach Hurd, UConn

Defense

DE Lindsey Witten, UConn
The senior was part of a defensive line that overwhelmed the South Carolina offensive front.

DT Kendall Reyes, UConn
He had a one sack and put lots of pressure on Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia.

DT Mick Williams, Pitt
The Big East co-defensive player of the year registered a pair of sacks against North Carolina.

DE Alex Daniels, Cincinnati
One of the few Bearcats who had a good night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Daniels had a pair of sacks and three tackles for loss against Florida.

LB Max Gruder, Pitt
Playing in his hometown, Gruder recorded 11 tackles and forced a fumble against North Carolina.

LB Scott Lutrus, UConn
The junior had nine tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery against South Carolina.

LB Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers
Another freshman, Beauharnais had seven tackles and a pair of sacks against Central Florida.

CB Billy Anderson, Rutgers
The little-known reserve returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown near the end of the first half in a key play.

CB Jerome Murphy, South Florida
He had an interception, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups in the International Bowl.

S Robert Sands, West Virginia
Sands was just about everywhere in the Gator Bowl, recording 13 tackles, two of them for loss.

S Robert Vaughn, UConn
Vaughn had an interception and two pass breakups in the Papajohns.com Bowl.

Specialists

K Dan Hutchins, Pitt
Hutchins hit four field goals, including the game-winning 33-yarder, against North Carolina.

P Jake Rogers, Cincinnati
Rogers punted more than he has in a game all season, but he put half his six punts inside the Florida 20.

KR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
He sure had plenty of opportunities, but he piled up a Sugar Bowl-record 207 return yards on eight attempts.

Reviewing some of the highs and lows of Big East bowl season:

Best defensive performance: Connecticut clamped down on South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl, shutting the SEC opponent out until the final four minutes, and holding the Gamecocks to just 205 total yards. They play a little defense in the Big East, too.

Worst defensive performance: Well, maybe they don't play defense in the Big Easy. Cincinnati's late-season struggles to stop anyone reached a nadir in the Allstate Sugar Bowl as the Bearcats allowed 51 points and 659 total yards to Florida. The plan going in was to make Tim Tebow strictly a passer; he gleefully accepted the challenge by throwing for a BCS record 482 yards while completing 31 of his 35 attempts.

Best out-of-nowhere performance: Mike Ford hadn't done a whole lot for South Florida in two years, and rushed for only 243 yards in the regular season. Then the Bulls tailback rumbled for 207 yards -- nearly all of it in the second half -- against Northern Illinois in the International Bowl. Maybe he just likes Canada. Alert the CFL.

Worst into-nowhere disappearing act: West Virginia's Noel Devine was nearly unstoppable for three quarters against Florida State. But Devine, who had 168 yards on 16 carries, never touched the ball in the fourth quarter of the Mountaineers' futile comeback attempt.

Worst break: Jarret Brown's injury at the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. The senior waited patiently behind Pat White for three years but couldn't play after the first half of his bowl game because of an ankle problem. He deserved to finish his career in better fashion.

Best statement: Pitt and North Carolina both pride themselves on hard-nosed football. Well, Dave Wannstedt's team got the upper hand in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Trailing by one in the fourth quarter, the Panthers went on an epic, 17-play, 8:47 drive for the winning field goal. It was old-school, smash-mouth football at its finest.

Best atmosphere: The Gator Bowl. A record crowd of 84,129 packed the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for Bobby Bowden's last game. The sight of Bowden throwing the flaming spear into the turf before the game was undeniably cool. You can forgive West Virginia for not enjoying some of the over-the-top Bowden tributes, though, such as having the Florida State coach's picture on all the buses transporting people to the stadium.

Worst atmosphere: International Bowl. Who thought pitting South Florida and Northern Illinois in Canada would be a good idea? Fewer than 1,500 fans from either school made the trip across the border, and the announced crowd of 22,185 was the smallest of any bowl game this year.

Best future preview: It's a four-way tie. Two true freshmen -- quarterback Tom Savage and receiver Mohamed Sanu -- formed a potent duo for Rutgers in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels had a solid game against Northern Illinois. And West Virginia fans got to see their next quarterback when freshman Geno Smith took over for Brown in the second half.

Worst bowl week buildup: Urban Meyer's seemingly unnecessary Sugar Bowl retirement/non-retirement drama overshadowed much of the pregame talk and excitement. Add in Cincinnati's own coaching controversies, and hardly anybody focused on the actual game (though from the Bearcats' standpoint, maybe that was a good thing). What happened to bowls being rewards for all the players' hard work?

Instant analysis of the International Bowl, which South Florida won 27-3 over Northern Illinois:

How the game was won: The Bulls couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half and went into intermission locked in a 3-3 tie. Northern Illinois kept breaking through the South Florida offensive line and sacked B.J. Daniels four times in the half. The second half was a different story completely, as coach Jim Leavitt went to his running game with Mike Ford and the line started holding its own. Given more time, Daniels threw two touchdown passes, and the South Florida defense was far too athletic for the Huskies to handle the entire day.

Player of the game: Mike Ford. The junior running back has been mostly missing in action since a promising freshman season, but he came up with a huge postseason. Ford used his size and speed to rumble for a Bulls bowl-record 207 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, tilting the game in his team's favor.

Turning point: Daniels scrambled away from pressure and made a ridiculous 46-yard pass to A.J. Love for South Florida's first touchdown with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter. That seemed to relax the Bulls, and they cruised home from there.

Stat of the game: Northern Illinois was just 3-of-16 on third- and fourth-down conversion attempts.

What it means: Not a whole lot. South Florida got its second straight bowl victory and ended the season on a positive note, but beating a MAC also-ran doesn't impress too many people. The attention now immediately turns to coach Jim Leavitt and the school's continuing investigation into his alleged mistreatment of a player. The outcome of that will determine where this team goes next year. The Bulls bring a whole bunch of talented young players back, especially on offense with the electric Daniels at the helm.

• With Kevin Sumlin and Turner Gill out of the picture, it looks like Butch Jones and Skip Holtz are the two main outside candidates for Cincinnati, Bill Koch writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
• Rutgers tight end D.C. Jefferson is looking forward to an offseason of work to improve at his position, Tom Luicci says in The Star-Ledger.
• One of Syracuse's newest recruits was impressed with the cleanliness and smell of the team's locker room, Bud Poliquin says in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
• Notre Dame's consideration of both Brian Kelly and Randy Edsall says a lot about the Big East, Ralph Paulk writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• A 9-3 season is nothing to be ashamed about for West Virginia, Colin Dunlap writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• Jarrett Brown was once a Florida State fan but no more, Dave Hickman writes in the Charleston Gazette.
• South Florida is looking into getting a sixth year for running back Mo Plancher, Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times.

• Charlie Strong believes he can restore the greatness at Louisville, C.L. Brown writes in The Courier-Journal. Fans are cautiously optimistic, Grace Schneider writes. Strong's first priority is recruiting, Jody Demling says.
• It's time for Dave Wannstedt to stand and deliver on his championship promises, Kevin Gorman writes in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• The Gator Bowl is so big that they're adding seats.
• South Florida's Mike Ford was arrested for driving without a license, Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times.
• The Tampa Tribune's Scott Carter looks at some questions facing South Florida going forward.
• UConn lineman Zach Hurd has gone from being labeled "soft" to being picked first team All-Big East, Chuck Banning writes in The Day.

UConn is not doing what it does best. But it's good enough for a halftime lead over South Florida.

Shockingly, the Huskies have only 27 rushing yards in the first half. I thought their offensive line would push around the smaller South Florida defensive front, but so far Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman have been held in check in snowy East Hartford.

But two Zach Frazer passes to Marcus Easley -- one that set up a touchdown and another that went for a score -- have been the difference in a 13-7 UConn lead. South Florida got on the board with 2:33 left on a Mike Ford touchdown run, but the Huskies came right back with that Easley score in the final minute.

We've seen a missed extra point mean a lot already today in the Big East, and the Huskies missed their first one. We'll see if that has any effect. South Florida also missed a long field goal at the end of the half.

South Florida is hanging in well, particularly given the weather elements that are so unnatural for the Bulls.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Only one thing can help me get over a soul-crushing baseball playoff loss, and that's talking college football. Fortunately, I have lots of friends who are happy to do just that. Lot of questions this week, so this will be a two-parter today.

Let's get started.

Robinson from Louisville writes: I've been hearing rumors about Tom Jurich telling Steve Kragthrope he will not be the coach next year and he has the option to resign this week leading up to the Southern Miss game or after the game Saturday night. Have you heard anything about this?

Brian Bennett: Yes, it's been a crazy week in Louisville, with all kinds of rumors flying about Kragthorpe's imminent departure. One blog even reported it as a done deal, prompting the head of Louisville's sports information department to publicly refute that claim. (That blog, by the way, had only one previous post in its history before "breaking" the Kragthorpe story; take from that what you will.) You haven't seen anything about that on this blog, because I don't find it to be credible at all.

I do think it's amusing that the same scenario repeats itself in every college city when a coach is struggling: unnamed sources "reporting" the coach will be fired, big-name out-of-work coaches "spotted" roaming the city. In Louisville, people are convinced Jon Gruden and Tommy Tuberville have been checking out everything from local restaurants to real estate.

The fact is, Louisville is only four games into the season. It's too early for anything like this to happen. But Kragthorpe had better find a way to get his team past Southern Miss on Saturday, or the rumors will really intensify.

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Mark from Katy, Texas, writes: Brian, I think it's funny that so many people are asking if Cincinnati can run the table and challenge for a national championship. I did that in 2007 with USF when we were ranked No. 2, and we all know how that turned out. I even let myself do it again last year a little. I'm thinking the team might have fallen into the same trap. I'm hoping the Bulls have finally gotten the message that the real season starts with Big East play, not nonconference games. But I wonder if Cincy and their fans have learned that lesson yet. Thoughts?

Brian Bennett: I agree that it's ludicrous to be talking about undefeated seasons this early. How'd that work out for BYU and Houston? You really shouldn't even think about going undefeated until you're at least 8-0. But it happens every year. With no playoff, college football fans have to speculate endlessly about what might happen in the regular season.

Of course, there's a big difference between fans talking about it and the players thinking about it. Brian Kelly is smart and a good enough motivator to keep his guys focused, but let's face it: this is uncharted territory for the Bearcats. They won't be looking past South Florida, but if they win in Tampa next Thursday, how they handle the situation and the pressure becomes more of a question.

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David D. from Hackensack, N.J., writes: Do you think if USF goes undefeated (beating three or four ranked teams along the way -- FSU, Cincinnati, Miami, and possibly West Virginia) that they will be given the chance to play for the national title if there are still one-loss SEC teams around? Would you make a national case for them if they don't get in?

Brian Bennett: I guess David didn't get the memo. Anyway, it's a fun question. The Bulls will be hampered by a couple of things. One, they are starting so low in the polls that it's going to be tough to jump any one-loss teams from the SEC or even USC or Virginia Tech if they keep winning. Two, though a win over Miami in November would be huge, critics will point to two FCS schools and Western Kentucky on the schedule.

It also will hurt South Florida if Florida State continues to tumble. I'm interested in how high the Bulls would climb if they beat Cincinnati; will pollsters reward them for beating a top-10 team, or will they simply then believe the Bearcats were not as good as advertised? South Florida would need a big bump from that game to have any chance.

Then again, we're talking about a program that has never had fewer than three conference losses, so let's not get ahead of ourselves too much.

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Chris from Orlando writes: Is there a reason that Jim Leavitt doesn't start Mike Ford and make him the main back at USF? It just seems like the Bulls offense is so much more explosive with him on the field. He is a strong, very talented runner who always requires at least three or four hits before he goes down (at which point he falls forward for another couple). What gives?

Brian Bennett: Well, Chris, you have to remember that Ford was suspended early in the season, so he's just now getting back to game shape. Mo Plancher has been pretty good as the team's starting running back. Also, I don't see Ford as being explosive, like you do. He's more of a big back who gives the team a power-running option. That makes for a nice complement with B.J. Daniels, and he'll definitely be a big part of the offense from here on out.