ESPN College Football

Something was missing for Syracuse after the Orange won at West Virginia last week.

Sure, the players celebrated in the locker room and enjoyed the upset victory. But this was no surprise party. No one screamed, "Oh my god, I can't believe we did it" afterward.

Could it be that Syracuse is getting used to winning big games now?

"There was a different sense in the locker room after the West Virginia game," head coach Doug Marrone said. "People talk about changing the culture, and it's not really from the coaches. It's when players start to say, 'OK, listen, we won this game. We're going to enjoy it, but we know we have to come back and work hard and let it go.'"

Sometimes the final hurdle a program must clear when it abandons years of losing is dealing with success. Syracuse registered its first big victory this season at South Florida three weeks ago, beating the Bulls for the first time ever. The following week, the Orange returned home amid all kinds of back-slapping and enthusiasm -- and they promptly got blown out 45-14 by Pitt on homecoming.

The players refuse to say that they lost focus or got carried away from the USF win. But they readily acknowledge handling last week's victory differently.

"After the South Florida game, everyone was very excited," senior defensive back Mike Holmes said. "After the West Virginia game we were like, 'OK, we won. Time for the next game.' We're getting accustomed to winning around here."

As well they should. The Orange (5-2, 2-1 Big East) have won three of their past five conference games dating to last year, after all. They'll look to keep that positive momentum going this Saturday at Cincinnati, another team they've never beaten in league play.

In fact, the series with the Bearcats hasn't been all that close in recent years. Syracuse has lost by 21, 20 and 21 points in the past three meetings, respectively, while Cincinnati has scored an average of nearly 37 points per win.

The Bearcats have the league's best passing attack and the Big East's top two receivers, which could pose problems for the Orange defense. Syracuse has been burned by good passing teams this season, giving up four touchdown passes to both Washington's Jake Locker and Pitt's Tino Sunseri in their only two losses, both blowouts. Scott Shafer's defense loves to blitz, and if the other team can pick that up and throw deep, then things can get ugly.

"It's definitely going to come down to covering and getting pressure on the quarterback," Holmes said. "I believe we have our work cut out for us again."

But Syracuse might have caught a break with the injury to Bearcats quarterback Zach Collaros. He suffered a bruised knee last week against South Florida and is questionable for Saturday. Shafer and his charges would rather throw their confusing pressure schemes at backup Chazz Anderson and see what he can do.

Either way, these Orange will arrive in Nippert Stadium as a confident bunch. And if they come away with yet another road victory, they will act like they've been there before. Because now they actually have.

"We've got to make winning a habit," linebacker Doug Hogue said. "For all of us seniors, we have to make sure the younger guys know what it's like to win and what it takes to win. We've got to keep pushing."

Stock up

1. Sio Moore: Making his first start for Connecticut in place of Greg Lloyd on Saturday, Moore recorded 16 tackles and an interception to earn Big East defensive player of the week honors. Randy Edsall likes what Moore brings at linebacker but cautioned, "He did OK. Let's not crown him as Dick Butkus yet."

2. Demetris Murray: The USF running back rushed for 115 yards against Western Kentucky and is becoming more and more of a weapon in the Bulls offense.

3. Mike Holmes: The Syracuse defensive back is averaging 18.67 yards per punt return, which ranks eighth in the FBS.

4. Pitt and USF punting: Pittsburgh ranks No. 1 nationally and South Florida is No. 3 in net punt average.

Stock down

1. Big East in the polls: The league failed to have a team crack the Top 25 this week. According to ESPN Stats & Info, it’s the first time a BCS automatic qualifying conference has been shut out of the AP poll during the season since Nov. 21, 1999 (Pac-10).

2. Rutgers' playcalling: Sure the receivers are young and the line hasn't jelled. But we're now going on two years of ineffective offense by the Scarlet Knights. The Wildcat is being used past the point of usefulness. At some point, the playcalling has to get better.

3. West Virginia special teams: The Mountaineers have made a marked improvement in kick coverage, but they allowed a punt return touchdown at LSU and missed two field goals, one of which was blocked. Tyler Bitancurt is just 5-for-8 now on field goals this year.

4. Pitt's promotional department: Pittsburgh established separate web sites for Dion Lewis, Greg Romeus and Jon Baldwin this preseason. I'm not saying those sites are cursed, but I'm pretty sure their hits have gone way down this month.

Player of the year race: Offense

1. Jordan Todman, RB, UConn: I elevated Todman even though he sat out last week with an injury. Why? Because Noel Devine didn't do much at LSU (he hurt his toe) and Todman still leads the league in rushing.

2. Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: We saw the Collaros we expected all year vs. Oklahoma, and now he's back on top the Big East in passing yards, with a 9-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ration.

3. Devine: He'll bounce back strong, as long as he's healthy.

4. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia: Didn't have a great game at LSU, but a lot of quarterbacks would struggle against that defense in that atmosphere.

5. Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse: Leads the league in pass efficiency. Need to see him do it against top-flight competition, however.

Player of the year race: Defense

1. Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers: He was my leader last week, and no one really stepped up and overtook him in Week 4.

2. JK Schaffer, LB, Cincinnati: Now leads league in tackles and had terrific interception vs. Oklahoma.

3. Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: Still anchor of impressive defense, but he needs to start making some big plays himself.

4. Derrell Smith, LB, Syracuse: Tied for second in the league in tackles. Very, very steady.

5. Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh: Leads league in tackles for loss and is third in sacks. One of few Panthers who played well against Miami.

The bell has rung on Week 1. Let's check the stocks.

Stock up

1. Ryan Nassib: Making his first start at quarterback for Syracuse, Nassib completed 17 of 27 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Akron. That earned him Big East player of the week honors.

2. The West Virginia kicking game: The Mountaineers' kickoff coverage, which had been pretty awful the last couple of years, allowed only 94 return yards on six kickoffs against Coastal Carolina. New punter Gregg Pugnetti averaged 49.2 yards on six attempts, including a 71-yarder.

3. Jordan Thomas: The Rutgers true freshman got 15 touches in the opener against Norfolk State. While he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, he flashed his speed and quickness and showed he can be an asset to the Scarlet Knights' offense.

4. Steven Bravo-Brown: A true freshman walk-on, Bravo-Brown got thrown right into the fire for South Florida. The receiver had four catches for 48 yards against Stony Brook.

Stock down

1. The Cincinnati offense: The Bearcats were among the nation's top-scoring teams last year, and that figured to continue under Butch Jones. But Cincinnati mustered only 14 points at Fresno State -- none in the second half -- as the offensive line allowed eight sacks. And receiver Vidal Hazelton has been lost for the year to a torn ACL.

2. Pitt's red zone offense: The Panthers were inside Utah's 20 four times but came away with just one touchdown and three field goals. Pitt was one of the best teams in the country in red zone offense the past two years. It will need sevens, not threes, against upcoming opponents Miami and Notre Dame.

3. Connecticut's defensive front: We wondered about the Huskies' secondary. Turns out, UConn got pushed around up front by Michigan last week. The defensive line is undersized and lacks experience. "We've got to get a lot more physical," Randy Edsall said.

4. Louisville's wide receivers: Adam Froman completed just six passes to receivers against Kentucky, and none for more than 15 yards. Junior college import Josh Bellamy was hurt early and Troy Pascley continued to be inconsistent. The Cardinals lack players who can stretch the field and keep defenses honest.

Player of the year race: Offense

1. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: Devine assumes the top spot after rushing for 111 yards against Coastal Carolina.

2. B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida: Daniels was strong out of the gate, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns and running for a score versus Stony Brook.

3. Dion Lewis, RB, Pitt: When your career low for rushing yards is 75, that means you've had a great career. Lewis will bounce back.

4. Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut: As disappointing as the Huskies were, Todman still had 105 yards and a score against Michigan.

5. Nassib: Might as well give the reigning offensive player of the week some love.

Player of the year race: Defense

1. Robert Sands, S, West Virginia: Had 1.5 tackles for loss and anchored a defense that pitched a shutout versus Coastal Carolina.

2. Alex Silvestro, DE, Rutgers: Silvestro had four tackles for loss against Norfolk State.

3. Greg Romeus, DE, Pitt: Disappointing effort against Utah for the preseason favorite, as Romeus had no sacks or quarterback hurries in the loss.

4. Lawrence Wilson, LB, Connecticut: Team's defensive effort was poor, but Wilson continued to be a tackling machine with 12 stops.

5. Mike Holmes, DB, Syracuse: Won the league's official defensive player of the week award for his performance at Akron.

Dion Lewis vs. Noel Devine:

Lewis: 25 rushes for 75 yards (3.0 ypc) and one touchdown

Devine: 23 rushes for 111 yards (4.8 ypc) and one touchdown

Tom Savage vs. B.J. Daniels

Savage: 10-of-19 for 148 yards and one touchdown; rushed six times for 18 yards

Daniels: 15-for-22, 264 yards and two touchdowns; rushed five times for 23 yards and a score

Who would have thought that Syracuse would need to carry the banner for the Big East in Week 1?

Yet that's what has happened, with the league going 0-3 in its first three games against major competition. Syracuse is about to snap that winless streak as it leads Akron 23-3 late in the third quarter.

Of course, the Zips aren't as strong as Utah, Michigan or even Kentucky, but the game is on the road. And Syracuse has had an encouraging performance despite three turnovers. Ryan Nassib, making his first start, has two touchdown throws plus an interception. Mike Holmes returned a blocked kick 57 yards for another score. The defense has been terrific, holding Akron to under 100 yards at this point.

It's a solid opening for the Orange, who aren't used to many easy wins.

Next Tuesday is Big East media day in Newport, R.I. Each team will bring its head coach and selected players; all the coaches meet with the media in the same room for an hour, followed by an hour with all the players.

Here's the list of players who are coming to Rhode Island for their close-ups (and lobster bibs):

Cincinnati
QB Zach Collaros, WR Armon Binns, LB JK Schaffer

Connecticut
LB Scott Lutrus, OG Zach Hurd, DT Kendall Reyes, FB Anthony Sherman

Louisville
OL Mark Wetterer, LB Brandon Heath

Pittsburgh
RB Dion Lewis, WR Jonathan Baldwin, OT Jason Pinkston, DE Greg Romeus, S Dom DeCicco

Rutgers
RB Joe Martinek, S Joe Lefeged

South Florida
QB B.J. Daniels, C Sampson Genus

Syracuse
LB Derrell Smith, LB Doug Hogue, S Mike Holmes, OL Ryan Bartholomew, P Rob Long

West Virginia
RB Noel Devine, WR Jock Sanders, LB J.T. Thomas

A couple of thoughts:

Obviously, the star power here is from Lewis, Baldwin, Romeus, Devine, Collaros and Daniels. I expect big crowds in front of each of those players.

It would have been nice to have either Tom Savage or Mohamed Sanu from Rutgers, but Greg Schiano has always brought his upperclassmen to these events. Those guys will get their chance.

A tip of the cap to Syracuse for bringing punter Rob Long. Nice to see special-teamers get some recognition, and Long should be up for some awards this year.

Who will eat the most lobsters at the clam bake? My early money is on Hurd, Bartholomew and Genus. When in doubt, go with the offensive linemen.

Anyone else missing from this list you would have liked to see on it? And what questions would you have for some of these guys?

It's time to get back to our post-spring rankings of each Big East position group. A lot of teams have question marks in their secondaries heading into this summer; let's look at how they stand in comparison to one another:

1. West Virginia: The Mountaineers play five defensive backs in their 3-3-5 alignment and should be well stocked for 2010. Safety Robert Sands should compete for league defensive player of the year honors if he continues his rapid development, while senior Sidney Glover is an experienced playmaker at one of the other safety spots. West Virginia needs Brandon Hogan to rediscover his form and for Keith Tandy to keep improving, and this could be one of the team's strongest units.

2. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights lost the best cornerback in the Big East when Devin McCourty took his skills to the NFL, but I still like the group that's returning. Joe Lefeged should step up and assume McCourty's leadership role as a senior safety, while Khaseem Greene looks ready to become a front-line safety. David Rowe is a solid corner, and either Brandon Bing or Logan Ryan should fill the other spot. The Scarlet Knights have a lot of talented young players here to provide quality depth, as well.

3. Syracuse: The Orange officially have five returning starters in the secondary because of injuries last year, and several players gained valuable experience during 2009. There's a good mixture of veteran leadership with guys like seniors Mike Holmes, Da'Mon Merkerson and Max Suter as well as rising stars like Shamarko Thomas and Phillip Thomas.

4. Pittsburgh: Antwuan Reed helped answer a big question with a strong spring at cornerback. The other corner spot will likely be filled by either junior college transfer Saheed Imoru or Buddy Jackson, with Ricky Gary around to add depth. The safety position should be in good shape when Dom DeCicco and Andrew Taglianetti return from their injuries, while Jarred Holley established himself as a dependable safety last year.

5. South Florida: The Bulls lost a pair of draft picks in Nate Allen and Jerome Murphy and have some young players moving into key roles this season. The good news is those youngsters have talent. The key will be whether Quenton Washington and Kayvon Webster can hold down the cornerback spots.

6. Cincinnati: There's healthy competition in the secondary for the Bearcats, who increasingly gave up big plays in the passing game as the 2009 season wore on. Dominique Battle, Camerron Cheatham, Chris Williams and Reuben Johnson all vied for playing time at corner this spring. Drew Frey is a steady safety. The group needs to make more plays than it did a year ago but should embrace a more aggressive scheme this year.

7. Connecticut: The Huskies ranked last in pass defense last season and lost two senior stalwarts from the secondary. The defensive backfield was in disarray at times this spring. The return of Blidi Wreh-Wilson from his shoulder injury this summer should help out the cornerback spot with Dwayne Gratz. Jerome Junior should be solid at one safety spot, while Kijuan Dabney is trying to win the other job after moving from linebacker. The Huskies are counting on a lot of young players to improve quickly before the season begins.

8. Louisville: The Cardinals had so much trouble finding playmakers in the secondary this spring that running back Darius Ashley moved to corner to help out. Johnny Patrick is one of the league's better cornerbacks but needs help in the defensive backfield. The healthy return of safety Terence Simien would provide a boost, but this remains a trouble spot heading into the fall.

2009 overall record: 4-8

2009 conference record: 1-6, T-7th in Big East

Returning starters
Offense: 4. Defense: 6. Punter/kicker: 2

Top returners
RB Delone Carter, LB Derrell Smith, LB Doug Hogue, C Ryan Bartholomew, RB Antwon Bailey, DE Chandler Jones, S Mike Holmes, QB Ryan Nassib

Key losses
QB Greg Paulus, DT Arthur Jones, OL Jim McKenzie, TE Mike Owen

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Delone Carter* (1,021 yards)
Passing: Greg Paulus (2,024 yards)
Receiving: Mike Williams (746 yards)
Tackles: Derrell Smith* (82)
Sacks: Doug Hogue* (9.5)
Interceptions: Mike Holmes* (3)

Spring answers

1. New-look offense: Head coach Doug Marrone took over as his own offensive coordinator in the offseason, and this spring offered a glimpse of what a Marrone-controlled attack might look like. In the spring game, the Orange looked to throw the ball downfield a lot more than they did last year under coordinator Rob Spence, who favored short passes and screens. Also gone is the no-huddle and spread, replaced by multiple formations and two-back, two-tight end sets, even some option. The goal is to create more big plays, something Syracuse lacked in '09.

2. Improved depth: Syracuse still didn't have enough players to stage a full spring game. But the Orange are in much better shape than they were last year, when attrition through injuries and other issues meant they could have taken a short bus to away games. There's depth at running back, linebacker and in the secondary, while the numbers are improving along the lines.

3. Defensive aggression: Getting Derrell Smith back healthy and having him alongside returning sacks leader Doug Hogue gives the Orange a stellar 1-2 punch at linebacker. Shamarko Thomas and Philip Thomas played well at corner, and Marrone likes the pass rush off the edge with Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich. Scott Shafer's Syracuse defense surprised some people in 2009 and could be better in '10.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback competition: Ryan Nassib entered the spring as the presumed starter after serving as Greg Paulus' apprentice last season. But Charley Loeb pushed him in practice and had a strong spring game. While Nassib probably holds the edge, Loeb or incoming freshman Jonny Miller could make things interesting in fall camp.

2. Go-to who? Since Mike Williams left the team in the middle of last year, Syracuse hasn't really had a go-to wide receiver. Marcus Sales had a big spring game, while Alec Lemon and Van Chew had their moments as well. Perhaps this will be a spread-the-wealth offense, because Syracuse does have three versatile tailbacks. But the emergence of a true No. 1 receiver would sure help.

3. Whither Delone: Star tailback Delone Carter's arrest and subsequent suspension from school at the end of spring practice creates some questions for the fall. While Carter's lawyer said the senior can return to school in time for the season, he'll miss all of the team workouts this summer and possibly fall practice. It remains to be seen if Marrone will issue further punishment as well.

This the second part of my interview with Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. You can read the first part here.

Let's talk about the defense, starting up front. You lost a great player in the middle in Arthur Jones but you have both starting defensive ends back. How do you see that position this spring?

Doug Marrone: At the ends we have Mikhail Marinovich and Chandler Jones, and they have a lot of experience playing. Chandler Jones is a very talented player and Marinovich, he's a long kid with good speed, good leverage, a very quick kid. Torrey Ball came over from junior college last year and added some depth. Jarred Kimmel is not participating in the spring but he's played a lot and he'll come back in the fall. So those players have some experience.

On the inside, Andrew Lewis played a lot for us. Bud Tribbey stepped up and played well. It's hard to replace a player like Arthur Jones, though. Anthony Perkins played some and we have some junior college kids coming in and some freshmen who should add depth to the inside position. Ollie Haney played for us in short-yardage situations, and we'll see if he can play more in normal downs. So we have some players there and we have some coming in. But you don't want to be sitting here saying, we've got a kid coming in here, a kid coming in there and then you're banking on that. You go to that well too many times and it's hard to run a program that way.

At linebacker, you have two of your best playmakers back in Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue. You must feel pretty good about that spot.

DM: I do. Having Derrell Smith back in the middle and the year he had was very good for us. It's interesting because a year ago at this time when we started spring, he made the move from outside to inside and, really, he struggled early on in the spring. And really of all of sudden, for lack of a better term, the light goes off for him and he really excelled within the structure of the defense. He really had a solid year with some postseason honors, and we expect the same from him this year. Doug Hogue, he was the third or fourth team running back when we first got here. And he broke the tackles for loss in a game record held by Dwight Freeney, which is pretty darn good. And he's another big kid who can run.

So they've had a year in our system to develop, and that will help them. Ryan Gillum is at the other outside position, and we'll see what he can do. And we've got kids coming in and kids here now who'll come in and compete at those positions.

What about the secondary? You had a lot of young kids get experience there a year ago and now it seems like you have some pretty good depth there.

DM: Yeah, we do. Phillip Thomas as a freshman, he played quite a bit, and he can play safety or corner for us. Mike Holmes has been a solid player for us in the secondary along with Max Suter. Then, obviously, Shamarko Thomas had a great year for us back there. Da'Mon Merkerson played the other corner and Kevyn Scott is there at corner. So it's a good competition back there. I think the competition can really help them. We'll be able to have some versatility because there are about three or four players who can play the nickel position, too.

You talked earlier about the seven mid-year enrollees. How many do you think will have a chance to make an immediate impact

DM: The kids who came from high school, it's a little bit tougher for them. But they'll have the experience of going through spring and our six-week program as far as weight lifting and running. The junior college guys are physically ready; it's a matter of how they compete and how they handle it. Michael Hay can help us on the offensive line. Olando Fisher, whether its at linebacker, defensive back or on special teams, can help us right away. Then there are the two kids from Hofstra. I mentioned Aaron Weaver. Jose Cruz also came in and can help us at tight end.

Do you anticipate any position changes, like Mike Jones or Doug Hogue pulled off last year?

DM: Not right now. Right now, we're pretty much set as far as where guys are playing, whether it's the offensive line or the secondary or things like that. We just want to see them compete and then we're trying to play the best player. We might have three good corners and one is better than the starting safety, so you've got to make a decision to get the kid on the field somehow. It's no different than the offensive line. If your third or fourth best lineman is a backup right tackle, you've got to get him on the field somehow. We have to have some type of diversity to play those players, and that's what we'll look out when we start practice.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Our preseason position rankings comes to a close on the final official day of the college preseason. The only thing left is special teams, where we'll consider punters, kickers, returners and coverage units as a whole.


1. Cincinnati: The Bearcats have the league's best return man in Mardy Gilyard, one of the best place-kickers in the country in Jake Rogers and led the league in kickoff
coverage last year. Losing All-American punter Kevin Huber hurts, but Rogers should be able to do an adequate job there.


2. Connecticut: The Huskies had their share of problems with special teams mistakes a year ago, but I have to believe Randy Edsall will get those fixed. Beyond that, they have a senior punter in Desi Cullen, whose numbers would have been much better if not for so many blocked kicks, and a strong-armed place-kicker in Dave Teggart. The return and cover teams should be solid as well.


3. Rutgers: Punting and kicking are in good hands with returning starters Teddy Dellaganna and San San Te, respectively. The Scarlet Knights led the league in punt return average last year and were solid on kickoffs as well.


4. Syracuse: The Orange have the top returning punter in the league with Rob Long and one of the better return men in Mike Holmes. Field goals are a major question, however, after departures left the Orange with only one scholarship place-kicker and none who have performed in a college game.


5. South Florida: The Bulls would have ranked much higher if not for the injury to Maikon Bonani. As is, Delbert Alvarado will have to handle field goals, and he's been erratic throughout his career. Alvarado is a very solid punter, however, and Dontavia Bogan is the best returner in the league outside of Gilyard.


6. Pittsburgh: The Panthers had to replace dependable kicker Conor Lee and punter Dave Brytus. Dan Hutchins will attempt to fill both roles while dealing with the sometimes tricky wind patterns at Heinz Field. Pitt has enough athletes that it should field above-average return and coverage units.


7. West Virginia: While the Mountaineers were awful in kick coverage last year, at least they had the reliable Pat McAfee on field goals and kicks. He's gone now, leaving field goal duties to Tyler Bitancurt and punting to Scott Kozlowski. Both need to perform better than they did in the spring. With guys like Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin, there's no reason why the Mountaineers shouldn't improve on their mediocre return numbers of '08.


8. Louisville: Special teams were an adventure last year for the Cardinals, especially on field goals and punts. The same players will handle those roles this year, so they'll need to have improved leaps and bounds. Louisville also ranked last in the Big East on kick returns a year ago.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Syracuse coach Doug Marrone says he is "looking for great things" out of versatile safety Mike Holmes this season, Dave Rahme writes in the Syracuse Post-Standard. Want to know why I ranked Pitt as having the Big East's best defensive line? Read this Paul Zeise story. West Virginia's new starting center likes to have the ball in his hands, Bob Hertzel writes in the Times West Virginian. Natural talent isn't what has made UConn football successful, Desmond Conner writes in the Hartford Courant. Louisville lost two big names but is hoping to not miss a beat on the offensive line, C.L. Brown writes in The Courier-Journal. Rutgers kicker San San Te is adjusting to the new wind patterns in expanded Rutgers Stadium, Keith Sargeant writes in the Home News Tribune. This column is a couple days old, but if you want to get your blood boiling on a Friday, read the first few paragraphs.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

This is the final installment of our pre-spring checkups on how each Big East team is feeling about its position groups. Teams will know a lot more starting next week, as Louisville hits the practice field Sunday and South Florida and Rutgers start spring ball on Tuesday.

On to the cornerback situations, where no team can be 100 percent confident right now but some are feeling better than others:

Feeling pretty good:

• Connecticut: Darius Butler is off the to NFL, but the Huskies played well when he was hurt late in the year. Jasper Howard has the talent to become a star cornerback in this league. Sophomore Jonathan Jean-Louis will have to replace Dahna Deleston at safety.

• Pittsburgh: The good news for Pitt is three of four starters are back. The bad news is they didn't play all that well collectively at times last year. Aaron Berry has the ability to be a lot better and more consistent at corner. Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields could man the safety spots with Eric Thatcher gone.

• West Virginia: Thursday's announcement that starting safety Quinton Andrews isn't coming back dealt a blow to this unit, which is already replacing Ellis Lankster at quarterback. On the plus side, there's a lot of talent on hand, including Brandon Hogan at corner and Robert Sands, who played free safety as a true freshman. And the incoming recruiting class included several defensive backs.

Some questions:

• Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have to replace their best cornerback (Jason McCourty) and best safety (Courtney Greene) from last year's team. McCourty's twin brother, Devin, is back for his senior year, and Joe Lefeged and Zaire Kitchen can ably man the safety spots. This is a unit that needs to come up with more turnovers, however.

• Syracuse: The Orange need new starters at both safety spots, though junior Max Suter got some time there late in the year and performed well. Both corners are back in Mike Holmes and Kevyn Scott. As a whole, the position was mostly unremarkable in 2008.

Big questions:

• Cincinnati: Three of the best defensive backs in the league -- Mike Mickens, DeAngelo Smith and Brandon Underwood -- are all gone. Safety Aaron Webster is the only returning starter on the entire defense. The Bearcats will need youngsters like sophomore Dominique Battle to take charge in the spring and beyond.

• Louisville: Johnny Patrick is a solid corner with a nose for the ball, while Karldell Dunning is mostly untested at the other corner spot. The return of Richard Raglin from injury bolsters the safety position. But the Cardinals have almost no depth here, especially at corner, and we saw what happened when injuries ravaged their secondary last year for the Rutgers game.

• South Florida: The Bulls' defensive backfield had a disappointing season in 2008 and repeatedly got burned for big plays in conference games. The team's best corner, senior Jerome Murphy, is back, along with starting safety Nate Allen, and Quenton Washington contributed as a redshirt freshman last year. New defensive coordinator Joe Tresey will coach the secondary, too, and he had a lot of success at Cincinnati with his DB's. Perhaps he can get this group righted.