ESPN College Football

Seventeen players on Big East teams during the 2011 season have been selected to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, it was announced Wednesday.

To qualify, college football players from all divisions have to maintain at least a cumulative 3.2 grade-point average throughout their college career. A total of 721 players from 232 schools qualified this past season, making this the largest class since the program was created in 2007.

Cincinnati

• Alex Hoffman, OL
• JK Schaffer, LB

UConn

• Harris Agbor, S
• Corey Manning, TE
• Dave Teggart, K

Louisville

• Chris Philpott, K

Pitt

• Myles Caragein, DT

Rutgers

• Scott Vallone, NT

USF

• Chaz Hine, C
• Joel Miller, WR

Syracuse

• Torrey Ball, DT
• Kevyn Scott, CB

West Virginia

• Ricky Kovatch, RB
• Cody Nutter, LS
• Keith Tandy, CB
• Tyler Urban, TE
• Casey Vance, LB

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

OFFENSE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEFENSE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SPECIAL TEAMS

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

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

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

AP: Austin. See above.

Last week, we took a look at the up-and-coming freshmen in the Big East. Now it is time to take a look at all of the departing senior talent. There is a ton across every team in this league. Sixteen of the 29 players honored on the All-Big East first team are seniors. There are still five bowl games left to be played, but it is worth taking a look at how many seniors are departing.

I will take a closer look at some of these "super seniors" in a future post.

Cincinnati

• Seniors: 21
• Starters: 12
• Key losses: Zach Collaros, Isaiah Pead, Randy Martinez, D.J. Woods, Evan Davis, John Hughes, Wes Richardson, Alex Hoffman, JK Schaffer, Adrien Robinson, Tom DeTemple, Derek Wolfe.

UConn

• Seniors: 13
• Starters: 7
• Key losses: Mike Ryan, Moe Petrus, Kashif Moore, Isiah Moore, Dave Teggart, Twyon Martin, Kendall Reyes.

Louisville

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 9
• Key losses: Victor Anderson, Josh Bellamy, Josh Chichester, Ryan Kessling, Dexter Heyman, William Savoy, Greg Scruggs, Chris Philpott.

Pitt

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 9
• Key losses: Lucas Nix, Greg Gaskins, Jordan Gibbs, Antwuan Reed, Max Gruder, Greg Williams, Brandon Lindsey, Chas Alecxih, Myles Caragein.

Rutgers

• Seniors: 16
• Starters: 8
• Key losses: Desmond Wynn, Caleb Ruch, Art Forst, Joe Martinek, Justin Francis, Manny Abreu, David Rowe, San San Te.

USF

• Seniors: 17
• Starters: 6
• Key losses: Jeremiah Warren, Chaz Hine, Quenton Washington, Jerrell Young, Patrick Hampton, Keith McCaskill.

Syracuse

• Seniors: 18
• Starters: 7
• Key losses: Van Chew, Andrew Tiller, Michael Hay, Antwon Bailey, Kevyn Scott, Mikhail Marinovich, Nick Provo.

West Virginia

• Seniors: 22
• Starters: 8
• Key losses: Don Barclay, Julian Miller, Bruce Irvin, Najee Goode, Keith Tandy, Eain Smith.

Several Big East players have been selected to the Capital One All-District team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve and maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. He must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at the institution and completed at least one full academic year at the school.

As All-District honorees, these players will now be placed on the national ballot for Academic All-American consideration.

District 1

FB Adam Harris, Syracuse

DB Kevyn Scott, Syracuse

District 2

K Chris Philpott, Louisville

DL Myles Caragein, Pitt

District 4

TE Evan Landi, USF

C Chaz Hine, USF

Pitt dominated USF last week. Now how do the Panthers keep their momentum?

That is the big question facing the team this week, as it prepares to play at Rutgers on Saturday. But the task is not so much about backing up what they did in a 44-17 win over the Bulls Thursday night. The challenge is about building on the success; realizing what can happen when the system in place is executed properly.

Players gained a great deal of confidence last week, something that was missing after its two heartbreaking losses to Iowa and Notre Dame. Coach Todd Graham brought wildly different offensive and defensive schemes for his players to learn, and they faltered at understanding them.

But everything came together last week, and Pitt had its most complete performance. That in itself is a confidence booster moving forward.

"We're coming together," Graham said. "The guys are really committed to one another. We are a close-knit team and you had to face a little adversity for that to happen. When you face adversity you realize that at the end of the day you have to be arm-in-arm and to depend on each other. When you face great adversity like we did at the Iowa game and losing two close games then that helps.

"The thing we're facing is time. We're trying to develop relationships with this team but relationships and building a team takes time. We wanted it to happen early on so I think those two losses helped us. We have not faced the entire adversity we will this season, but this team has the makings of a championship team. It is going to be about us getting better every single day from me as a coach to the very last player to take the field. These guys are coming together and transforming."

Two of the starkest transformations from the USF game: the play of quarterback Tino Sunseri, and the overall performance of the defense. Sunseri executed more run options than he had all season, in part because he had to start believing he could be a runner and a passer. That is something he never had to do in the old offense.

"I felt I could only run if certain things opened up very clearly," Sunseri said.

He had to completely change his mind-set. He had 12 carries for 35 yards, and USF coach Skip Holtz said his designed runs "discombobulated" his team and caught his players off guard. Teams will be more prepared for that now that they have seen him do it.

But having that option makes Pitt much more difficult to prepare for because of what the Panthers have in Ray Graham. Talk about a workhorse. Graham has 126 carries and leads the team with 25 catches. If Sunseri can get the deep passing game going -- something Pitt has yet to do -- you will see an offense that can reach its full potential.

"We just have to keep on staying hungry, keep on learning, keep on going back to the film, learning as much as we can, trying to make sure we can get our mistakes fixed, and keep on trying to play as hard as we can for 60 minutes each and every week," Sunseri said.

As for the defense, the Panthers had surrendered a whopping 49 points in the fourth quarter in their first four games. Many of those came on big plays in the pass game. But they shut the Bulls out in the second half.

"We finally learned how to execute the fundamentals," defensive tackle Myles Caragein said.

Pitt is trying to get to 2-0 in the Big East for the seventh time since round-robin play in the conference began in 1993. The Panthers have won the last two games against Rutgers, but have dropped two of their last three games at Rutgers.

"Our philosophy is to stay in the left lane, put the hammer down and to try and get better each week," Graham said. "I have been pretty consistent in what my beliefs are in this team and the system we have in place. Our deal is we have to go out and face a unique and different challenge. Just like South Florida was very unique in what they did, Rutgers is very unique in what they do. The bottom line is if we execute this system, take care of the ball and play Pitt football the way we know how then were are going to be successful."

PITTSBURGH -- No more Iowas. No more Notre Dames. No more partial efforts.

As they prepared to open league play, each and every Pitt player talked about the way they had failed to play a complete game this season. They knew what type of talent they had on this team, that they let wins slip away against the Hawkeyes and the Irish after blowing fourth-quarter leads.

They may have been the only ones who believed they were capable of what unfolded Thursday night. Pitt unleashed four games' worth of frustration on No. 16 USF, dominating the previously unbeaten Bulls 44-17.

Ray Graham was the best player on the field, running over, around and through the Bulls' defense to the tune of 226 yards and two touchdowns en route to 303 all-purpose yards. Tino Sunseri, who has been one of the most criticized players in the Big East, had his best performance of the season. The offensive line, down two starters, outmuscled USF up front. The defensive line played aggressively, forcing B.J. Daniels into his worst game of the season.

Pitt was more physical. Pitt was smarter. Pitt played with confidence. Pitt looked prepared. Pitt looked like a Big East contender.

"That's what our team is supposed to look like," nose tackle Myles Caragein said. "That's the Pitt way."

Pitt struggled to play the Pitt way in the first four games of the season. Expectations were high for the Panthers heading into the season, with new head coach Todd Graham promising up-tempo, high-octane offense. But there was nothing high octane about what they did to open the season. Graham repeatedly criticized his players for failing to execute his offense, and none took the brunt of that criticism more than Sunseri.

But it was not just Graham who criticized him. If you had turned on talk radio in Pittsburgh or checked a Panthers message board this week, you would have found an increasing chorus of people who wondered why Graham didn't just bench Sunseri already.

Sunseri had struggled throwing the deep ball, working at a quick tempo and getting rid of the ball in a timely fashion. The low point came last week in a loss to Notre Dame, when the Panthers scored just 12 points and Sunseri was sacked six times. The lack of a real threat in the passing game impacted Ray Graham, one of the most dynamic players in the Big East.

Without any real threat to hurt teams with the pass, Ray Graham was essentially shut down in the losses to Iowa and Notre Dame. Sunseri, the son of a coach, realized he was not living up to his capabilities. His father told him so in a phone conversation last week, in which he told his son to try to do better to adapt to the changes of the new offense.

Sunseri was resistant to change. More specifically, he was resistant to execute some of the run options required of the quarterback in the Graham style offense. That is something Sunseri never had to do before, and contributed to the heavy number of sacks he had taken this season. So Sunseri met with co-offensive coordinator Mike Norvell this week to hammer out how exactly he could do a better job when called on to run.

You saw the results. Sunseri went 22-of-33 for 216 yards with a touchdown. He also ran for 35 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown. It is safe to say USF never expected Sunseri to have as much success running the ball as he did.

But the Bulls should have been better prepared for Ray Graham, who was unstoppable. Graham unleashed some series spin moves. He broke tackles. He made defenders fall away helplessly. It was his second 200-yard game of the season, and his incredible talent was showcased in every move he made. Not only that, he caught four passes for 42 yards out of the backfield and returned two kickoffs for 35 yards.

Rather than try to play his hurry-up style in the fourth quarter, Todd Graham stuck with Ray Graham and the run game. That was in contrast to the end of the Iowa game, in which the Panthers never sustained a drive and Iowa was able to come back.

"Ray's been phenomenal," Todd Graham said. "I thought it was his best performance.This kid’s competitiveness is off the chart. He runs all over the field, and then he comes over there and he’s cheering on the kickoff team, he demanded that he returned the kickoffs. I love how he’s competing. These kids are transforming. I feel like we’re close. It’s just one game, but we’re close. All of us are really coming together and I’m proud of them."

The Panthers had dropped two straight and were in danger of a three-game losing streak with one of the best Big East teams coming to town. It's too early in the season to declare anything a must-win, but as safety Jarred Holley said, "That was needed. Big-time."

It was just one game, as Todd Graham said. But an important game to open league play. Now the effort has to be sustained for the remainder of the season.

"We're on a mission," Ray Graham said. "To win the Big East."

Serving up your links for today ...

• Cincinnati season-ticket sales are down 22 percent. Receiver Chris Moore is out four to six weeks with a shoulder injury.
• Connecticut is ready to break camp, but Paul Pasqualoni won't name a starting quarterback until game day. There is one clue about who won't start -- Michael Box said he has been practicing with the scout team. The Huskies got another commitment.
• Louisville quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson addresses the competition between Teddy Bridgewater and Will Stein.
• Things are not a snap for Pitt center Ryan Turnley. Myles Caragein is in line to lead the Panthers.
• Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is excited about his team after breaking camp Thursday. Paul Carrezola has made a big impact at tight end. The new trio of linebackers adds lots of speed. Wayne Warren is a serious drummer.
• Which Syracuse freshmen will play this season?
• Does USF have sleeper potential? Sam Barrington will start at strongside linebacker. There is still some competition for kicking jobs.
• Shaq Rowell took the long road to West Virginia. Dana Holgorsen's offense is simpler than it sounds. Confident Tyler Bitancurt is back kicking. A worry list for West Virginia fans.

Andrea Adelson talks about Pittsburgh nose tackle Myles Caragein and wideout Mike Shanahan.

Pitt nose tackle Myles Caragein previews the upcoming season.

Big East media day is almost here, so I thought you would like to see what the league has planned for its annual preseason get together Aug. 2 in Newport, R.I.

The league will produce a live studio show from media day on BIGEAST.tv for the Big East Digital Network. The show is available for free, and will be the first place fans can see the results of the preseason media poll. In addition, the show will feature interviews with players, coaches and other guests.

Fans may submit questions for coaches and players via the conference’s Facebook page and Twitter(#bemediaday) between now and the date of the show.

Now here is the list of players scheduled to attend. Remember, this list is subject to change. I will be there as well, bringing you plenty of news, notes and video interviews.

Cincinnati
Zach Collaros, QB
JK Schaffer, LB

Connecticut
Kendall Reyes, DT
Moe Petrus, OL
Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB
Kashif Moore, WR

Louisville
Victor Anderson, RB
Josh Chichester, TE
Chris Philpott, K
Greg Scruggs, DE

Pittsburgh
Jared Holley, DB
Mike Shanahan, WR
Myles Caragein, DL

Rutgers
Joe Martinek, FB
David Rowe, DB

USF
Jeremiah Warren, OL
Quenton Washington, CB

Syracuse
Antwon Bailey, RB
Ryan Nassib, QB
Chandler Jones, DE
Mikhail Marinovich, DE

West Virginia
Bruce Irvin, DE
Geno Smith, QB
Keith Tandy, CB

We continue our look at team position rankings today, and start up with the defense. First up are the guys in the trenches, the defensive line. This has got to be one of the strongest positions from team to team in the Big East. Four different teams could probably make an argument for the No. 1 spot. There are lots of standout defensive ends and tackles in the league, but I also am judging experience, returning starters and depth here.

1. Connecticut. The Huskies have good players and depth this season, and get the nod as the top line in the league. Defensive end Jesse Joseph and defensive tackle Kendall Reyes return. Reyes turned down a shot at the NFL for one more season, and is the only first-team Big East selection on the defensive line returning to his team. Both Reyes and Joseph are defensive player of the year candidates. Five players return who started seven or more games last season, giving the Huskies plenty of experience along the line.

2. Pittsburgh. The Panthers lose defensive player of the year Jabaal Sheard and are switching to the 3-4. But they do have another candidate for that award in Brandon Lindsey. We have to count him half here, though, because he is transitioning to the new hybrid defensive end/linebacker position. Still, the Panthers have solid players in Chas Alecxih and Myles Caragein on the line, along with depth in Aaron Donald, Tyrone Ezell, Kaynin Mosley-Smith and Bryan Murphy. Even without Sheard, this is one of the strongest lines in the league.

3. West Virginia.You have got to love the tandem of Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin, who combined for 23 sacks last season. They are the best returning tandem in the league. But they are ranked here for a few reasons. First, how does Irvin transition from spot player to full-time starter? Will he be as effective as last season, when he led the league with 14 sacks? How does Miller transition to defensive tackle? Losing noseguard Chris Neild is a huge blow, too. Josh Taylor is penciled in to start, depending on what happens with Jorge Wright. Junior college transfer Shaq Rowell will be in the mix, too, with high expectations.

4. USF. The Bulls might be losing three starters, including Terrell McClain and Craig Marshall, but this unit has the potential to be even better than the group in 2010. Hopes are high for Ryne Giddins to step in at defensive end and be an immediate difference-maker. Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill are veterans inside, but if there is one question mark here it is depth at tackle. True freshman Elkino Watson could make a big impact.

5. Louisville. Three starters return, and there is potential for this group to be very productive. Defensive end Greg Scruggs is in line for a breakout season. Eight linemen have starting experience, so there is depth, though there is youth here. Players like BJ Butler, Brandon Dunn and Roy Philon have a chance to take big-time leaps, but this unit is still relatively unproven compared the ones ranked ahead.

6. Syracuse. No question the Orange have excellent defensive ends in Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich. But the Orange lose their starters on the inside. Deon Goggins and Cory Boatman are penciled in to start at tackle but they are undersized. So are some of the other players who will rotate in. The line as a whole is pretty undersized when you think about it, and a big reason why Syracuse is ranked here.

7. Cincinnati. The Bearcats were solid against the run last season but struggled to get a consistent pass rush. They hope to remedy that now that Walter Stewart has moved to defensive end. Last season, the Bearcats lacked depth but that is no longer the case in 2011. The top eight players in the rotation return, and there is nice size in the middle -- especially with defensive tackle Derek Wolfe returning. Still, the Bearcats have a lot to prove this season.

8. Rutgers. Aside from nose tackle Scott Vallone, there are some questions on this defensive line, which has to show significant improvement over a unit that was so-so in 2010. Rutgers was one of the worst teams in the nation in sacks last season, with just 17. Manny Abreu moves from linebacker. How does that transition go? Justin Francis had a nice spring at end. Does that continue in 2011? Will Michigan transfer Anthony La Lota have an impact next to Vallone? There is a lot of inexperience along the entire line.

Previous rankings

• Offensive line
• Receiver
• Running back
• Tight end
• Quarterback

We continue our look at Big East title chances for each team in the league. Up today: Pittsburgh. Plenty of folks have their hopes up for the Panthers now that new coach Todd Graham is in charge. But Pittsburgh has disappointed its fans of late. Can Graham reverse that trend in Year 1?

Three reasons why Pittsburgh will win the Big East

1. High-flying offense. Say so long to the plodding, conservative days of Dave Wannstedt and hello to the high-flying days of Graham. His no-huddle, spread attack helped Tulsa become one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, and there certainly is talent for the same to happen in Pittsburgh. Ray Graham is going to be a key component to the offense, even as Pittsburgh moves away from a pro-style attack. Mike Shanahan and Devin Street could emerge, and Tino Sunseri has an opportunity to prove his critics wrong.

2. Depth on defensive line.You are not going anywhere unless you can play well on the defensive line, and this certainly has the potential to be the strength of the team, even without Jabaal Sheard. Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih return and Brandon Lindsey will play the hybrid defensive end/linebacker position in the new defensive scheme. Graham acknowledges that Sheard is the biggest player the Panthers have to replace, but Lindsey could be the man to make folks forget about him. Lindsey led the Big East in tackles for loss last season with 17.5 and is a preseason candidate for defensive player of the year.

3. Believe in Ray. Graham is going to be a huge piece of this offense, simply because he is going to have to take some of the pressure off Sunseri to perform. There is little depth behind him, so Graham could emerge and have a 1,000-yard season with Dion Lewis gone. He already is bulking up and ready to carry more of the load. A solid offensive line should be able to help, especially if Chris Jacobson pans out at center.

Three reasons why Pittsburgh won't win the Big East

1. Sunseri. There are many a Pittsburgh fan that is skeptical about whether Sunseri can handle the rigors of this offense, especially because his deep ball has been so-so. But this is an offense that relies on high percentage passes, so Pittsburgh will put Sunseri into a position to succeed. But this is a completely different style of offense than he is used to, and he is going to have to do much on the fly in the no huddle. If he can't hack it, then Pittsburgh is in trouble.

2. Secondary concerns. One of the biggest question marks on the team is the secondary. Todd Graham is high on K'Waun Williams and Buddy Jackson at cornerback, but they have a lot to prove this season. Meanwhile, leading tackler and first-team All-Big East safety Dom DeCicco is gone, and Pittsburgh is going to have to figure out how to make up for his production.

3. Special teams.You know the old cliche. Nobody notices special teams unless they end up costing you the game. Pittsburgh loses Dan Hutchins, who punted and kicked field goals for the Panthers. Hutchins was the first-team All-Big East punter, so there are big shoes to fill there for walk-on Matt Yoklic. Kevin Harper is penciled in to replace Hutchins at place-kicker. This group definitely needs more seasoning, and fans have to hope they will be up to the test.

Previously featured:

• West Virginia
• USF
• Rutgers
• Syracuse

I got the following question in my chat on Wednesday and wanted to answer it but knew I needed more time to think about it than the rapid fire nature of those chats allows:

John (Tampa, FL): If you could create an ultimate Big East team for next season taking a group from the schools (USF - DL, WVU - DB, UCONN - OL, etc.) what would your team look like?

As Barney Stinson would say, challenge accepted. Now that I've had a day to assemble my thoughts, it's time to assemble my team. As John's rules indicated, I can choose an entire position group from each Big East team, and I want to make sure my squad is as cohesive as possible. Here's how I would shape my Big East super team:

Quarterback: West Virginia

I want Geno Smith running my team, plain and simple. I realize there isn't much experienced depth behind him. But how many Big East teams have experienced backup QBs? Hardly any.

Running back: Louisville

This is going to be a controversial pick, but hear me out. I would be using a spread offense, so I would want a couple of quick backs. I also want two proven guys here. While I'd love to have Ray Graham or Isaiah Pead, they don't have much behind them right now. West Virginia has a stable of backs, but none have stood out. USF has potential but no home-run hitters. Rutgers could be a good choice if Savon Huggins is as good as advertised, but who knows? So I'm rolling with the Cardinals' tandem of Jeremy Wright and Victor Anderson, both of whom I like to have good years if healthy.

Wide receivers: Rutgers


I've long been obsessed with tall receivers, probably far more so than I should. So that's why I'm going with the Scarlet Knights, who bring me Mark Harrison (6-foot-3), Mohamed Sanu (6-2), Tim Wright (6-4) and Brandon Coleman (6-6), plus tight end D.C. Jefferson (6-6), whom I'd find a way to use in my spread. Your 5-foot-9 cornerbacks should be afraid, very afraid.

Offensive line: Connecticut

The Huskies might not have exactly the right kind of offensive line for my offensive scheme, but they've been so good for so long that this is almost a no-brainer. And I'm hoping UConn offensive line coach Mike Foley comes along in the deal.

Defensive line: Pittsburgh

This is the toughest call on the board, as I believe defensive line is the strongest position in the Big East for 2011. I could have chosen South Florida, which has been producing solid and deep D-lines for years now. But there are no stars -- yet -- on that Bulls line. It was also tough to overlook UConn, which is deep and talented with guys like Jesse Joseph and Kendall Reyes, as well as West Virginia (Bruce Irvin, Julian Miller) and Syracuse (Chandler Jones, Mikhail Marinovich). In the end, I choose Pitt because of the overall depth of this unit. I'm playing a 4-3 on defense, so I'd line up Brandon Lindsey at defensive end, with Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih at tackles. Then I'd still have Aaron Donald, Bryan Murphy, Tyrone Ezell, Khaynin Mosley-Smith and others to work with. We're coming after your quarterback.

Linebacker: South Florida

I want a fast, athletic defense with linebackers who can really run. And I like the way the Bulls fit my plan here. Returning starters Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore can make plays all over the place, and guys like Reshard Cliett and Mike Jeune will get after you.

Cornerbacks: Connecticut

Blidi Wreh-Wilson is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and Dwayne Gratz isn't too shabby, either. Both have lots of experience in this league as well. Plus, just about every backup who saw time last season returns in 2011. I know I can count on these guys when I call for the blitz.

Safeties: Syracuse

I'll take the Thomas boys, Phillip and Shamarko. (And I'll have more on Phillip Thomas in an upcoming blog post). These guys have been playing next to each other for two years, are both good tacklers and in my mind are the best safety tandem in the league.

Specialists: Connecticut

My team is going to be so good that we're not going to need to kick many long field goals, but I'll take Dave Teggart's rocket-launcher of a leg just in case. And if Nick Williams can maintain his ridiculous 35-yard kick return average from last year, my offense is going to have great field position most of the time.

So there's my super team. I'm already booking some hotel rooms for the Orange Bowl for these guys. What do you think?

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.

I'm continuing to look at each Big East team's spring replacement plans -- specifically, how did each program fare in finding a successor for its biggest departed star. Up today: the Pitt Panthers.

Biggest shoes to fill: Jabaal Sheard

Sheard was the 2010 Big East defensive player of the year, using his nonstop motor to register 14.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks despite facing constant double-teams. The attention he demanded opened up opportunities for other players, like fellow defensive end Brandon Lindsey.

Spring replacement(s): Bryan Murphy and depth

This wasn't the typical "plug-and-play" scenario this spring. For one, Lindsey -- the most likely heir to the Panthers' recent run of star defensive players -- missed spring drills with an injury. Additionally, Pitt is switching defensive philosophies, going with a three-man front as its base that will include Lindsey playing the hybrid linebacker/end position. With Lindsey out, Murphy shined in that role this spring, and the staff will find a place for him on the field this year. The Pitt coaches also raved about the depth they had up front, which was unlike anything they saw at Tulsa. With starting tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih returning and guys like Aaron Donald, Tyrone Ezell and Kaynin Mosley-Smith emerging this spring, the interior should be strong and deep. Justin Hargrove, T.J. Clemmings, Shayne Hale and Carl Fleming are others who can help at the defensive end spot.

Summer outlook: Getting Lindsey back is of course the biggest boost for this defense. He should be perfect for the hybrid position with his speed and burst off the line of scrimmage. The Panthers may not have another end who puts up the numbers that Sheard does, but they have a solid rotation of guys who can keep the pressure on up front. And with a more attacking, blitzing scheme, getting to the quarterback shouldn't be too much of a problem.