ESPN College Football

Former Pitt quarterback Pat Bostick joins Bill Hillgrove to form the team's new radio duo for the 2011 season.

Bostick was a three-year letterman for Pitt, serving as the backup to Tino Sunseri last season.

In addition to game day, Bostick will have a weekly guest segment on the Panthers’ flagship station and continue his work as a regular columnist for the Pitt website and the official athletic department newspaper.

Bostick replaces Bill Fralic, who stepped down after serving the past seven seasons as Pitt’s radio analyst.

“I am thoroughly honored to be the new color analyst for Pitt football,” Bostick said in a statement. “My passion for the University of Pittsburgh and Pitt football will be reflected in my diligence and dedication to helping provide an insightful, entertaining and enjoyable radio broadcast for Panther fans."

While Bostick will be entering his first season in the radio booth, Hillgrove begins his 38th year as the “Voice of the Panthers” and 42nd overall doing Pitt football broadcasts.

Quarterback Pat Bostick has decided to concentrate on graduate studies instead of using his final year of eligibility, Pittsburgh announced on Tuesday.

Bostick was pressed into starting duty as a true freshman season in 2007, which memorably ended with a 13-9 upset at West Virginia. His only other start after that season came in 2008 at Notre Dame, which Pitt won in four overtimes. Bostick redshirted in 2009.

He was a highly-decorated recruit but never produced big numbers on the field. Teammates and coaches, however, praised his leadership off the field.

Pitt still has plenty of candidates for the quarterback spot this year. Starter Tino Sunseri is back, and Mark Myers and Anthony Gonzalez are redshirt freshman. Kolby Gray, recruited as a quarterback but moved to safety last year, will move back to quarterback this spring.

The Big East doesn't usually grab a lot of the nation's elite players. There are currently four members of the ESPNU 150 who are committed to Big East schools, with three of those heading to Louisville.

So it's nice when those rare blue-chippers actually work out. ESPN's recruiting experts put together a list of how the 2007 ESPNU 150 players panned out, and here's a look at the four Big East players on that list:

Noel Devine, West Virginia (No. 6 overall): I'd say this was a fortuitous relationship. Devine might have had a disappointing, injury-plagued senior season, but he still ended his career as one of the top running backs in Big East history.

Anthony Davis, Rutgers (No. 113): Davis was a major recruiting coup for the Scarlet Knights. A three-year starter who anchored the left tackle spot his final two seasons, Davis was dominant at times and inconsistent at others. But he was the No. 11 overall pick in last year's NFL Draft after just three years in school.

Pat Bostick, Pittsburgh (No. 134): Always a little overrated as a prospect, Bostick was forced into a starting role his true freshman year as Pitt went 5-7. From there he settled into a backup's role, but he was under center for two of the Panthers' most memorable victories: at West Virginia at the end of '07, and at Notre Dame in 2008.

Manny Abreu, Rutgers (No. 144): Abreu has never quite lived up to his hype, but has been a solid contributor at linebacker for most of his career thus far and has a year left.

Why stop at 2007? Here's a look at how some other ESPNU 150 performers have panned out at Big East schools in recent years:

Brandon Heath, Louisville (No. 58 overall in 2006): Heath was hurt a lot earlier in his career but became a star linebacker as a senior this past season, finishing with 70 tackles and three sacks.

Nate Byham, Pittsburgh (No. 68 in 2006): Byham was the top blocking tight end in the league for most of his career at Pitt and went on to the NFL.

Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh (No. 74 in 2006): Dickerson underachieved for his first three years as the Panthers could never quite figure out what to do with him. Moved to tight end, he had a huge senior year and finally justified the hype.

Andrey Baskin, Syracuse (No. 86 in 2006): Never made it to the Orange.

Deantwan "Peanut" Whitehead, Louisville (No. 130 in 2006): Had a promising freshman year at defensive end, but a back injury prematurely ended his football career.

Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh (No. 25 in 2008): Baldwin had an excellent three-year career and is entering the NFL Draft.

Shayne Hale, Pittsburgh (No. 101 in 2008): Moved from linebacker to defensive end after his redshirt freshman year, but hasn't been able to crack the rotation.

Chris Burns, Pittsburgh (No. 110 in 2008): The running back was buried on the depth chart for two years and transferred to UMass after the season.

Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh (No. 124 in 2008): Started this season at right tackle before moving inside to guard and playing at an all-league level.

Darrell Givens, Rutgers (No. 61 in 2009): The cornerback has yet to make an impact for the Scarlet Knights.

Geno Smith, West Virginia (No. 97 in 2009): Starting quarterback for the Mountaineers was my choice this year for first team All-Big East at his position.

Tom Savage, Rutgers (No. 125 in 2009): Took over starting job early in true freshman year, but was replaced this year by freshman Chas Dodd. Has announced he will transfer this spring.

Antwan Lowery, Rutgers (No. 134 in 2009): Was moved to offensive line last season and contributed; expected to start in 2011.

Demar Dorsey, Louisville (No. 12 in 2010): Opting for Louisville after Michigan would not admit him, Dorsey has not been able to get eligible and has never enrolled with the Cardinals.

Ivan McCartney, West Virginia (No. 109 in 2010): Had one catch as a true freshman; could see his role expand in Dana Holgorsen's new offense.

Terrence Mitchell, South Florida (No. 144 in 2010): Signed as a defensive back, he had his biggest impact as an electric punt returner. Was switched to offense midway through the season and could stay on as a receiver.

Some losses stick with you a little longer than others. For Pittsburgh, last Thursday's 31-3 home blowout loss to Miami was covered in molasses and stick 'em.

The Panthers were embarrassed on national TV in a game in which they were barely competitive. For a team picked to win the Big East and do big things this year, it was a major wake up call.

"I think that one will be hanging around until we get everything rolling like we want it to be rolling around here," offensive lineman Lucas Nix said.

The question is whether Pitt (1-2) will ever get it rolling this season. The Panthers go into Saturday's game against dangerous Florida International needing to win or facing a real implosion of their season.

Dave Wannstedt has shuffled the underperforming offensive line, moving Nix from right tackle to right guard in place of Greg Gaskins. Jordan Gibbs inherits Nix's old spot at tackle. Adjusting on the fly with an offensive line is never easy; Nix has never played inside and Gibbs hasn't seen much action at all in his career.

"We'll need some time to work it out," Nix said. "I've got to work on some of the pulls and figuring out my angles on that type of stuff. We've got to get back to running the ball here."

The running game has suffered, and the passing game isn't much better. Quarterback Tino Sunseri didn't play well against Miami and finds himself on a shorter leash this week. If he doesn't improve, veteran backup Pat Bostick might supplant him.

"Until we start becoming more consistent in the passing game, they’re going to overplay the run," Wannstedt said. "I think that as we become more consistent in the passing game, that will force people to back out of there a little bit."

No doubt that Pitt's confidence was rattled in the Miami loss. Seniors like defensive end Jabaal Sheard are trying to rally the team together.

"We lost to two good teams we could have beaten," Sheard said. "If we avoid things like penalties, missed blocks and missed tackles, we can be unstoppable. When we see the teams we lost to continue winning, it shows we can still do it.

"We have to stay positive, and we still have the Big East to look forward to. I want a ring before I leave Pitt."

1. TCB Weekend: It's a rare week when every Big East team is favored and expected to win, with only UConn's game against Vanderbilt featuring a major-conference opponent. The league has been battered and bruised for its September performance, so this is a time to pick up some wins and confidence -- provided that everybody takes care of business.

2. Endres enters: Cody Endres looked good in relief of Zach Frazer at quarterback for Connecticut last week, and now he gets his first starting assignment since October of last season. Can he keep it up against an SEC defense? And can the Huskies passing game continue to show improvement?

3. UConn's rush to victory: Notice I called Vanderbilt an SEC defense in the last item, and technically that's true. But the Commodores rank 105th in the FBS in rushing defense, allowing 206 yards per game. We don't know yet if Jordan Todman will play after missing last week's game with an arm injury. But clearly there should be some running room for a team that loves to move the ball on the ground.

4. Macho Man Savage?: Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage is dealing with bruised ribs, and if you ever experienced an injury there, you know how painful that can be. It remains to be seen whether Savage, who has gotten off to a rough start while healthy, will play or be able to be effective against Tulane. If he can't go, then true freshman Chas Dodd may be forced into action, or Mohamed Sanu will see a whole lot of Wildcat time. That could make an already scuffling Rutgers offense even more sketchy.

5. Pitt's new-look line: Pittsburgh shook things up this week with its offensive line, moving tackle Lucas Nix inside and installing Jordan Gibbs at right tackle. The Panthers are desperately trying to get the line right and open up room for their running game, which is key to everything they want to do. The reshaped line gets its first challenge against Florida International, which gave Rutgers all it could handle in Week 2. FIU likes to blitz from different angles and has Florida athletes, so this will be a good litmus test for Pitt's makeover.

6. Sunseri in the spotlight: Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri did not look good against Miami, and when reserve Pat Bostick came in during the fourth quarter some fans were ready to make the change permanent. Dave Wannstedt isn't ready to make a switch and still believes in Sunseri. But clearly, the first-year starter needs to get on track, because the Panthers don't have much room for error. And they have a veteran in Bostick waiting in the wings.

7. Bulls on the run or in the air?: South Florida escaped Western Kentucky last week by running the ball almost exclusively. Now the Bulls play a Florida Atlantic team that ranks last in the country in rushing defense. So expect some more of the power I-formation look, and potentially a big day for Demetris Murray and Mo Plancher. At the same time, however, receivers Dontavia Bogan and Sterling Griffin could be back from injury, and both could use some work before next week's Big East opener against Syracuse. So USF needs to air it out a bit, too.

8. New Cardinals catchers: Louisville has suffered all kinds of injuries at the receiver position, the latest knocking out leading pass catcher Doug Beaumont. The Cardinals need to find people to make plays in the passing game this week at Arkansas State, and they could look to junior college transfer Josh Bellamy, sophomore Andrell Smith or freshmen Kai Dominguez and Jarrett Davis. None have much experience, and Louisville will likely need to get plays out of them against a Red Wolves team that's averaging 28 points per game.

A month of games is in the books. It hasn't been a very good book for the Big East. Let's see what's on your minds:

Chris from Hawthorne, N.J., writes: I have a question about Rutgers coaching staff/decision making. Do you think that Rutgers struggles have anything to do with Greg Schiano having co-coordinators on both offense and defense? It seems to me that there could be mixed messages coming from two people with the same job. In my opinion, Schiano needs to man up and name one person to each of these jobs in order to create more cohesion, and stability. Like the old QB saying; if you have two, you don't have one. Your thoughts?

Brian Bennett: Wait a minute, Chris. Are you saying Rutgers' offense has a message? (I kid, I kid). The Scarlet Knights' offense has a lot of problems, but I don't think the co-coordinator set up is one of them. A lot of places have passing game coordinators, running game coordinators, etc., and a most of the time they're just glorified titles. As long as the responsibilities are clearly delineated, it shouldn't be an issue.

Now, we don't get to hear much from the Rutgers coordinators, so it's hard to know what they're thinking sometimes. But the defense has co-coordinators (not to mention heavy input from Schiano) and I don't hear anybody complaining about that side of the ball. I think it's more personnel/philosophy than any splitting of roles.

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Sean from Tampa writes: Do WVU fans have any merit in thinking either head coach Bill Stewart or offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen have any right to be fired?

Brian Bennett: I understand some of your frustrations, believe me. However, I don't get why they should be criticized much after the LSU game. West Virginia lost by six points in a game where it missed two field goals and gave up a punt return touchdown. And LSU has a ferocious defense that was very impressive in person. There aren't a lot of SEC teams that are going to score much more than 14 points on the road against the Tigers. Throw in the fact that Noel Devine was injured early, and that was a tremendously difficult assignment for the Mountaineers.

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Tim from Arlington, Va., writes: As infuriating as the loss to LSU was, I did take one positive away. WVU's defense has lived up to the hype. I'll be surprised to see any team in the BE score more than 14 points against WVU. As far as the negatives, SPECIAL TEAMS AGAIN!!! I thought we finally had that under control.

Brian Bennett: I thought the defense played very well at times, although the Mountaineers really needed some more stops in the fourth quarter to improve field position. And let's not forget to underscore the fact that LSU's offense -- especially its passing game and play calling -- are embarrassingly bad. I mean, it's laughably bad. There's a reason LSU fans were booing quarterback Jordan Jefferson even though they had the lead the entire game.

As far as special teams, there were definite breakdowns that proved fatal. But West Virginia's problems in the past were more in kickoff coverage. Punt coverage and especially field-goal kicking weren't really concerns before this game.

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Brandon from Pittsburgh writes: You said that Pitt had no chance to win in the fourth quarter of the game against Miami. I'd say Pitt still had a chance... 12 minutes left receiving a punt at midfield down 17-3. The final score was ugly, but it was not indicative as to how long Pitt was actually in the game. Once Cam Saddler fumbled the punt, it was over. Until then, the Panthers hung in there.

Brian Bennett: I'll agree that Pitt had some momentum after getting a defensive stop and forcing a punt down 17-3. But I don't know how anyone could say that the Panthers looked like a team ready to march the field for two touchdowns after not being able to move the ball with any effectiveness the entire night. At that point, a 14-point lead was insurmountable. Yes, Pat Bostick had some success when he came in, but by that point Miami's defense had backed off and was just trying to protect the big lead. Give the Pitt defense credit for keeping the score in striking range, but the offense had nothing against the Hurricanes.

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Dwight from Parkersburg, W.Va., writes: Strangest moment in Week 4? Should have been Geno Smith getting a little too close to his RG, thinking it was his center.

Brian Bennett: That was strange, and rather comical. But it's a play I've seen before, and with the LSU fans screaming their lungs off while the Mountaineers were pinned near their own end zone, it was almost understandable. I've never seen a starting quarterback come in for the onsides hands team, and actually field the ball.

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Trey P. from Oldsmar, Fla., writes: I don't understand why USF is ranked so low according to you this week. What would it have proved to go guns blazing and actually try against WKU? Would a 42-7 win really have been that important?

Brian Bennett: I'm taking the same stance on South Florida I've had all along: wait and see. As I wrote, they're the most difficult team in the league to read right now, a sentiment that even their own coaches echo. With a blowout over a totally outmatched FCS team, a good performance that ultimately fell far short against Florida and a close win over Western Kentucky, it's almost impossible to tell where the Bulls are.

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Andew from Toledo, Ohio, writes: No Big East Teams in the Top 25. What if the Big East champ is a four loss team and not in the top 25? Has this ever happened before?

Brian Bennett: Not a four-loss team, but Pittsburgh went to the Fiesta Bowl after finishing 8-3 in 2004 (and then got blown out by Utah). This is starting to look a lot like 2004.

Who in their right mind picked Pittsburgh to win the Big East? Wait, don't answer that.

If the Panthers are the best the Big East has to offer, well, the league may be even worse than anybody feared. Pitt was simply atrocious offensively and in other areas in a 31-3 beatdown at home to Miami. Dave Wannstedt's team falls to 1-2 and looks like a program in crisis mode at this point.

Just a quick rundown of Pitt's main problems right now:

• An offensive line that can't keep defenses from charging up the middle;

• A wildly disappointing campaign from Dion Lewis (12 carries for 41 yards on Thursday night). Ray Graham outperformed his backfield mate for the second straight game;

• An injured Greg Romeus;

• An injured Dan Mason, as the middle linebacker suffered a gruesome-looking leg injury in the third quarter. He's got a dislocated kneecap and is likely gone for the year;

• Lack of discipline both on (penalties -- unofficially nine on Thursday) and off (arrests -- officially four since the summer) the field;

• A young quarterback whose confidence might have been shaken. Tino Sunseri looked like he got happy feet under the heavy pressure by the Miami defense, and Pat Bostick relieved him midway through the fourth quarter.

Look, Miami could be really good, and better defensively than any team left on the schedule. There's a lot of season left. But Pitt needs to fix its problems, and fast.

A FIU team that gave Rutgers and Texas A&M fits comes to Heinz Field next week, and then comes a trip to Notre Dame. If the Panthers play like they did Thursday, they could easily have three losses heading into Big East play. And that means that even a 5-2 record in league action -- which last year's 10-win team produced -- would equal a 7-5 record. Or it could be worse.

It's a vastly disappointing season for the team that was the overwhelming preseason conference favorite. Wannstedt tried to warn us that this team had issues, but most of us saw that as merely a coach downplaying expectations. It looks like Wannstedt knew something after all.

Pitt fans better hope he knows how to cure these ills.

The first weekend when every Big East team was in fall camp just concluded, which meant plenty of scrimmages.

Several teams had their first full-bore intrasquad scrimmages of the preseason, which can help determine depth charts and give an early indication of how things are going. Here are some notes from those workouts:

PITT: The Panthers went through an 88-play scrimmage, but they did so without injured key players such as Dom DeCicco, Myles Caragein, Andrew Taglianetti and Greg Romeus, who continues to be unavailable with back spasms. In addition, Jabaal Sheard, Dion Lewis and Jon Baldwin played limited snaps.

Ray Graham was taken out of the scrimmage after going down with a knee injury, but it did not appear to be serious. Quarterback Tino Sunseri was just 5-for-11 for 61 yards, while backup Pat Bostick impressed by going 9-of-15 for 163 yards and three scores.

RUTGERS: Defense dominated in the Scarlet Knights' 2 1/2 hour scrimmage, which is not surprising given how strong the Rutgers 'D' looks. The offense, which played without Howard Barbieri and Joe Martinek, scored just one touchdown while the defense scored off a turnover and had two safeties.

Quarterback Tom Savage went just 8-of-15 for 52 yards as the offense managed just 74 yards on its first 29 plays. De'Antwan Williams hoped to make a push for the No. 2 running back job but finished with just 13 yards on four carries while losing a fumble. Mason Robinson scored the lone TD.

WEST VIRGINIA: Head coach Bill Stewart mostly didn't like what he saw out of the Mountaineers' first scrimmage.

"Sloppy tackling, not breaking on the ball, not doing back-side cutoff blocks, not hustling, drops, exchange snaps,'' he said. "I'm not real pleased. [We] didn't play up to our standards."

Noel Devine did, though, ripping off a 79-yard touchdown run and then taking most of the rest of the day off. And so did Bruce Irvin. The junior-college import recorded two sacks as West Virginia lined up with four defensive linemen. Coaches and teammates are singing the praises of Irvin for his quickness and burst so far in practice.

Quarterbacks Geno Smith and freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson combined to complete 16 of 18 passes for 113 yards on mostly short routes.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Defense was also ahead of the offense at South Florida, as the Bulls mustered one touchdown in a nearly 150-snap scrimmage.

Quarterback B.J. Daniels missed 11 of his first 12 passes and finished 7-for-22 for 70 yards. True freshman backup Jamius Gunsby did look good, though, going 12-for-17 for 169 yards, including a 58-yard completion. But the defense had three interceptions.

"Right now we're a long way from being productive as an offensive football team," coach Skip Holtz said. "With the penalties and dropped passes and missing open receivers and inconsistencies in the passing game, it's very difficult to get anything into rhythm. We've got a lot of work to do right now, but I think the attitude is good and they're willing."

SYRACUSE: Coach Doug Marrone was disgusted by his team's lack of physicality on Friday, especially the offense, so he emphasized that in Saturday's first full-contact, two-hour scrimmage.

So the focus was on running the ball and running it hard, which Delone Carter did. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Nassib remained turnover-free. Freshman linebacker Marquis Spruill got some looks with the first-team defense at outside linebacker, where he's battling with Ryan Gillum.

LOUISVILLE: Head coach Charlie Strong held his scrimmage behind closed doors, with no fans or media allowed to attend. So details of the 90-play scrimmage were unknown. The school's official account said the Cardinals worked on situations like 1st-and-10 from their own 30, 1st-and-10 from the 12 inside the red zone and 1st-and-10 from their own 1.

"Early in the scrimmage, the offense didn't move the ball very well, but the longer we went, the better it got," Strong said. "We still have a long way to go and we still have to get better. We have to improve our tackling and we need some guys to really step up and become leaders of this team."

Because of my vacation last week, it's been a full seven days since the last mailbag. Time to remedy that and catch up on some overdue correspondence.

Eddie from Norwalk, Conn., writes:Hey, Brian, I can see you got quite a bit of sun down in Florida, haha. But, hey, who do you think has the best depth at quarterback in the league? I know just from experience that in the last two UConn seasons, we've gone though multiple quarterbacks and I think backups are often overlooked and can really make or break a season for a team (i.e. B.J. Daniels). Personally I'm not too worried about UConn depth knowing that both Frazer and Endres can play well, and I'm interested in seeing what our new redshirt freshman Mike Box can do. But which team do you think has the best backups?

Brian Bennett: You're right, Eddie, I did get quite a bit of sun. I'm now a nice shade of pink instead of my usual pale. Anyway, I touched on quarterback depth earlier this summer with my post-season position rankings. But to sum up, Connecticut, Cincinnati and Pitt are in the best positions should something happen to their starters. UConn has Cody Endres and a bevy of young quarterbacks. Cincinnati has Chazz Anderson, who has won games for them and who looked good this spring. And Pitt has Pat Bostick, who has two of the bigger wins in recent school history (at Notre Dame 2008, at West Virginia 2007).

Conversely, Rutgers and South Florida are in a world of hurt if something happens to either Tom Savage or Daniels.

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R. Dean from Morgantown writes: Don't you suspect that one reason that West Virginia football might be taken lightly by the national media for the 2010 season is that it is just difficult to take coach Bill Stewart seriously?

Brian Bennett: That's an interesting question. Certainly, given Stewart's folksy way of speaking and the skepticism from some quarters that greeted his hiring after the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, you'd have to think there are many in the national media who underestimate him. I don't happen to be one of them. But Stewart does need to show he can do better than a nine-win season, which is nothing to scoff at, but still slightly below the lofty expectations of his fan base. These next two years are big.

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Nick from Morgantown writes: The NCAA is doing a lot of probing. Also, there is considerable discussion about agents and NCAA players. How would you respond if the NCAA asked you to implement one rule to make the situation more efficient?

Brian Bennett: I would point to something in the distance, and when they turned their heads to look, I would run away. Seriously, though, it's almost impossible for the NCAA to keep agents from sniffing around players. You can't babysit them 24 hours a day, and when there's money at stake, people find a way to do what they're going to do.

The one change I'd like to see is making the players accountable for their actions. If you take money from an agent while you're in college and get your school on probation, then you have to at least pay back your scholarship money and perhaps a larger fine. If players thought there would be repercussions for dealing with agents while in school, they might think twice about it. Right now, a guy like Reggie Bush gets off scot-free except for the damage to his reputation.

On another note, how many of you guys have been sweating the possibility that an important player from your team went to one of those Miami parties? (I was just in Miami last week, but I swear I had nothing to do with it!).

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Newman from Clifton writes:Would you please put an end to all of this talk about Cincinnati taking a step back because Butch Jones is in his first year? How long did it take him to win a championship at CMU? How long did it take Chip Kelly to get to a BCS bowl?

Brian Bennett: I think it's quite possible that Butch Jones will build on what Brian Kelly established. But let's face it: it's hard to improve on 12-0 in the short term. As I wrote in a post recently examining the effect of coaching transitions, history shows that programs where new coaches inherit highly successful teams usually take a small step backward initially. And by the way, Kelly's last Central Michigan team went 10-4 and a bowl victory; Jones's first Chippewas season ended with an 8-6 record and a postseason loss.

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Rick from Newport, Ky., writes: I agree with your key stretchfor the Bearcats, but I disagree with your suggestion that weather for the UConn game could be a factor for a passing team like Cincy. Did you watch the Bearcats at Pitt last December? I also believe the defense will be improved for Cincinnati in 2010. The defensive game plan for most of last season was to take away big plays, which they were successful at. I believe the new staff will have the defense much better prepared to battle for every yard this season.

Brian Bennett:You make some good points, Rick. The cold and snow definitely didn't do much to slow down Cincinnati's offense in that Pitt game. The Bearcats scored 45 points (though their total offensive yardage, 371, was well below their season average). Rain and wet conditions do more to affect a passing team than cold and snow. But spread offenses are so efficient these days that even a little bad weather often times can't slow them down.

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Robinson from Louisville writes: I've been looking everywhere for information on the 2010 Big East Media Day. What are the dates for it?

Brian Bennett:The coaches will arrive in Newport, R.I., a week from this Sunday. The annual clam bake -- mmm ... lobster -- will be the following Monday. The official media day, which consists of an hour each with all the league's coaches and the selected players, will be held Aug. 3. Of course, I will be there and will have all the news and developments throughout the event.

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Sean from Tampa writes:You usually do a very good job in covering all of the Big East evenly; however I can't help but notice how you are undercutting USF's coverage a bit. I feel that the USF vs. Miami game or the USF vs. Florida game will earn the Big East more respect than Rutgers vs. UNC or UConn vs. (a struggling) Michigan. I understand you have those USF games listed; however they aren't in the Top 5, and I really feel that at least one of them should be. Moreover, in your Big East grudge matches article you failed to include the ever-growing rivalry between USF and WVU.

Brian Bennett:There's probably no better way for the Big East to gain respect than for South Florida to take down the Gators in The Swamp. I just cannot envision a scenario in which that happens, especially so early in the season with a new coaching staff leading the Bulls. So I don't view that as a realistic possibility. The Miami game would be another huge win, especially for USF's continuing quest for respect in its own state. But I think it's more important for the league that Pittsburgh -- the likely preseason favorite -- beats the Hurricanes at home in a nationally televised contest.

You make a good point about the USF-West Virginia rivalry. I didn't include it because there doesn't seem to be a lot of bad blood or controversy between the two schools despite how competitive that series has been. Yet it will be interesting to see if Skip Holtz can continue the Bulls' recent run of success against the Mountaineers.

Spring is over. Players have shown what they're capable of doing and what they still need to work on. So it's time to start breaking down each position in the Big East to see who is the strongest.

This is a ranking of the entire position group, so while having frontline talent helps, depth matters too. Let's start with the position that everybody always looks to first: quarterback.

1. Cincinnati: Zach Collaros will enter the season with probably the highest expectations of any Big East signal-caller, given his spectacular four-game starting stint in 2009 and the offense he'll play in for Butch Jones. Chazz Anderson also had a strong spring and could easily win games if something happens to Collaros.

2. Connecticut: Surprised? Don't be. Zach Frazer looked sharp this spring after ending the 2009 season strong, and his backup, Cody Endres, has already proved he can win games in the Big East. Michael Box is a promising prospect, Johnny McEntee does some things well and Leon Kinnard is a lightning bug who could help out in certain packages. This may be the deepest team in the league at QB.

3. Pittsburgh: No, Tino Sunseri has never started a game. But Pat Bostick has, and he's won some big ones. Sunseri is skilled and has a lot to work with, while Pitt can feel comfortable with one of the more experienced backups in the league. Remember, depth matters.

4. Rutgers: Though only a true sophomore, Tom Savage has more career starts than any returning starting quarterback in the league, amazingly enough. But the situation is perilous behind him, with only Steve Shimko there now. Can incoming freshman Chas Dodd help out this summer?

5. South Florida: Talk about your dangerous backup situations. B.J. Daniels is an electric player, but right now he only has walk-ons behind him. Incoming true frosh Jamius Gunsby will serve as his backup, but the Bulls don't want to have to go down that road this year.

6. West Virginia: This is one of those rankings that will look silly in time. I think Geno Smith will develop into one of the league's better quarterbacks. But since he was limited in the spring by a foot injury, the jury has to remain out on the sophomore until he's healthy. Coley White stood out this spring when given a bunch of snaps, but he'll likely move to receiver this fall as the Mountaineers see what they have in true freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson.

7. Louisville: Depth is not a problem for the Cardinals, who are still deciding between Adam Froman and Justin Burke, with former starter Will Stein in the wings. Freshman Dominique Brown will be given a look this summer as well. The problem, instead, is the lack of an elite player at the position.

8. Syracuse: The Orange enter the season as one of only two Big East teams to not return a quarterback with starting experience. Ryan Nassib did play a lot this year, and redshirt freshman Charley Loeb pushed him this spring. Highly-touted recruit Jonny Miller arrives this summer.

2009 overall record: 10-3

2009 conference record: 5-2, T-2nd in Big East

Returning starters
Offense: 5. Defense: 6. Punter/kicker: 2

Top returners
RB Dion Lewis, WR Jonathan Baldwin, OT Jason Pinkston, DE Greg Romeus, DE Jabaal Sheard, LB Max Gruder, WR Mike Shanahan, LB Dan Mason

Key losses
QB Bill Stull, DT Mick Williams, TE Dorin Dickerson, TE Nate Byham, LB Adam Gunn, CB Aaron Berry, S Elijah Fields

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Dion Lewis* (1,799 yards)
Passing: Bill Stull (2,633 yards)
Receiving: Jonathan Baldwin* (1,111 yards)
Tackles: Max Gruder* (91)
Sacks: Greg Romeus* (8)
Interceptions: Dom DeCicco*, Jarred Holley* and Elijah Fields (3)

Spring answers

1. Tino time: This spring ostensibly brought a quarterback competition, but Tino Sunseri began it as the No. 1 guy and held off a challenge from Pat Bostick to remain in that role. The sophomore has a good arm, solid mobility and a strong understanding of the game. Even though he's never had much significant college experience, Pitt feels comfortable with him under center.

2. Reed and react: The Panthers were looking for someone to step up at cornerback, and Antwuan Reed did just that. The junior had been confined mostly to a special teams and backup role his first two years but shined in his chance to run with the first team. He should be a starter in the fall.

3. More playmakers: Pitt was already blessed to have Dion Lewis, Jonathan Baldwin and Mike Shanahan. This spring saw Ray Graham excel alongside Lewis at tailback and former quarterback Greg Cross push for playing time at receiver. Add in impressive young wideout Devin Street, and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. has a lot of options and flexibility.


Fall questions

1. Department of the interior: The offensive line is solid at the tackle spots, but Pittsburgh left the spring with lingering questions at center and right guard. Alex Karabin is trying to hold onto the job at center, but he's been a four-year walk-on for a reason. The Panthers will either have to explore some shuffling around or hope their current players improve this summer to keep the interior stout. The backups on the O-line need work, too.

2. Tight end turnover: Arguably the two best tight ends in the Big East called Heinz Field home last year as both Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham got drafted last month. Replacing them and what each did so well -- Dickerson a versatile and speedy pass catcher, Byham a tough-nosed blocker -- won't be easy. Mike Cruz appeared to be the best all-around option on the roster this spring.


3. Weakside linebacker strength: Two-year starter Greg Williams held onto his job in the spring, but just barely. Tristan Roberts made a strong charge for the role and earned coach Dave Wannstedt's praise, while Williams has struggled to play up to his physical talent. This is a competition worth watching in the fall.

PITTSBURGH -- For most of his youth football career, Tino Sunseri eschewed the glory positions. Instead, he played offensive and defensive line and fullback.

"I always liked to hit people," he says.

But he also had a stronger and better arm than anybody on his team, and in the middle of one game his coach tried him at quarterback. Sunseri tossed a couple of touchdown passes, the team won and his days in the trenches officially ended.

Now Sunseri is about to be installed at quarterback in a slightly more pressurized situation. Though this spring he was ostensibly involved in a competition with Pat Bostick for the starting job at Pittsburgh, there was never much doubt about the outcome. Sunseri has taken virtually all of the first-team reps and, barring some unforeseen developments this summer, the redshirt sophomore will start under center for the Panthers' opener at Utah.

"We can win with Pat Bostick," head coach Dave Wannstedt said. "But Tino has got more upside right now."

Sunseri may hold the key for this Pitt team, which will surround him with top-flight offensive players like Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin. Sunseri nearly won the job last season before settling in as Bill Stull's backup and appearing in five games, all in mop-up work.

"Billy and I developed a really good friendship," he said. "I was one of the first guys he came over to on the sidelines. He wanted to see what I was thinking and what I saw out there. That worked out very well for me, because I learned what it was like to be in there."

Stull put together a solid senior year under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. Sunseri doesn't have Stull's experience but he has more physical skills. For one, he delivers a much crisper ball.

"He can make all the throws," Wannstedt said. "The throw from the hash mark to the sidelines in college football is farther than it is in the pros. We'll play 12 games this year, and there will probably be three or four quarterbacks we see who can make that throw with accuracy and with enough juice on it. He can make those throws."

Sunseri also has more mobility than Stull and can run if needed. Wannstedt says he's similar to Tyler Palko in that regard. But Sunseri insists he is a "pocket-first guy" who will look to scramble only when the situation dictates.

Will Pitt need to roll him out of the pocket in order to get clear throwing lanes? Sunseri is listed at 6-foot-2 but even he chuckles when asked about that. He's far closer to 6-foot. Yet he brushes off concerns that he'll have passes batted down by taller defensive linemen.

"I would say Drew Brees did a very good job in the Super Bowl," Sunseri said, referring to the New Orleans Saints' 6-foot quarterback. "When you're that kind of quarterback, when you get the ball out of your hands quickly and you're smart and you know where to go, it doesn't matter how tall you are. If you prove it on the practice field, it should carry over to the games. Our defense is good and I'm still finding alleyways to throw."

Sunseri has the bloodlines for success. His father, Sal, was an All-American linebacker at the school from 1979-1981 and was even coached by Wannstedt. His mother, Roxann, was a standout gymnast for the Panthers. He starred at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, the alma mater of Dan Marino, and ran a run-first, pro-style offense very similar to the one he'll now be controlling.

He's a confident guy and an honor roll student who understands the game well. One of Wannstedt's favorite things about Sunseri's spring performance is that he has rarely turned the ball over.

"What's impressed me most is his command of the huddle," Lewis said. "He's trying to be a leader. He'll try to counsel guys, calm them down. He can throw and you know he wants to get better."

No more just hitting guys for Sunseri. He's in a glory position, and his play could help define Pitt's season.

While some Big East teams took the weekend off for Easter, there were a few spring scrimmages around the league on Saturday. Here are some notes from those workouts:

Pittsburgh

Pitt's offense looked sharp, scoring two touchdowns in the first 10 plays of a full-squad scrimmage. Tino Sunseri finished 13-of-18 for 129 yards and four touchdowns to solidify his spot as the No. 1 quarterback, while Pat Bostick was 10-of-14 for 122 yards and a score.

Mike Cruz, Greg Cross, Mike Shanahan and Jonathan Baldwin all had touchdown catches. Dion Lewis ran for 64 yards on nine carries.

The defense was hamstrung by a wrist injury to end Jabaal Sheard, who will have to wear a cast. Dom DeCicco missed the scrimmage with a foot problem, and reigning Big East co-defensive player of the year Greg Romeus didn't play much.

Louisville

The defense, which struggled badly in the previous week of practice, made a comeback during a 115-play scrimmage that was interrupted by rain.

Justin Burke began with the first team at quarterback, then split snaps with Adam Froman. Receiver Doug Beaumont had a pair of touchdown catches and offered much more resistance than last week. But Johnny Patrick and Champ Lee each made interceptions in the red zone, with Patrick's coming in the end zone.

Cincinnati

The Bearcats held what Butch Jones calls "Competition Saturday," with the team doing live hitting -- save for the quarterbacks -- for the first time this spring. They went through a 70-play scrimmage, with the defense winning by a score of 78-74. The scrimmage came down to the final drill and ended with two straight incompletions in the red zone.

Jones took a pre-practice photo with more than 70 faculty members. The Bearcats' GPA has risen from a 2.4 to a 2.8 since Jones took over in January.

If there were an award for Big East coordinator of the year, Pitt's Frank Cignetti Jr. would likely have won it for the 2009 season.

In his first year guiding the Panthers offense, Cignetti developed Bill Stull into a confident decision-maker and top-flight quarterback while helping true freshman Dion Lewis become one of the nation's leading rushers. Cignetti also found a way to use Dorin Dickerson to the utmost effect at tight end while making Pitt the league's second-highest scoring team behind Cincinnati.

Now, entering his second season under Dave Wannstedt, Cignetti is looking for even better things.

"We were happy with last year but not satisfied," he said this week. "We're going to make it better. We want to go from good to great."

He will have a talented and experienced cast to work with when the Panthers open spring practice on Thursday. But there are still some question marks, beginning at quarterback. Tino Sunseri opens the spring listed atop the depth chart, with Pat Bostick behind him. But Cignetti insists it will be a healthy competition between the two to replace Stull.

Sunseri was Stull's backup last year and has long been a fan favorite.

"First of all, I like his mental makeup," Cignetti said of Sunseri. "He's competitive, he's tough, he's functionally intelligent, he expects to win. He's a very good passer who can make all the throws. He can throw the ball deep, he can throw the intermediate route. And I like his mobility -- not only can he play within the pocket, but he has good movement outside the pocket."

Bostick has won big games in his career already (at West Virginia in '07, at Notre Dame in '08) and spent last year honing his game while redshirting.

"He has made tremendous strides," Cignetti said. "When you talk about functional intelligence, he's got it. Pat can think and react as fast as anybody, and that's why probably why, in practice when I've been around, he completes so many balls. He's a decisive decision-maker and he has tremendous leadership skills and the respect of all his peers."

A good running game is the best friend of any quarterback, and Pitt has that with Lewis, who ran for a league-best 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Cignetti said he expects Ray Graham to step up and challenge Lewis this spring and that Lewis can still get better, though his numbers might not necessarily show it.

"As Dion progresses throughout his career, he'll make better run game reads, become a better pass protector and become a better receiver out of the backfield," Cignetti said.

Cignetti also has the luxury of working with receivers like the emerging Mike Shanahan and freak-of-nature Jonathan Baldwin, who could become an even bigger force this year as a junior.

"It's my job and my responsibility to make sure Jon gets his touches," Cignetti said. "He's legitimately as good a playmaker as there is in the country. We're looking forward to increasing his production."

One concern for the offense is the loss of Dickerson, who had 10 touchdown grabs last year, and his outstanding blocking tight end counterpart, Nate Byham. Cignetti said it's a big spring for Mike Cruz as he looks to step into the featured tight end role, and that there's nobody who really matches what Dickerson could do.

"Guy's like that don't come around too often at that position," he said. "[Dickerson] legitimately ran a 4.4 at the NFL combine and verticalled 43 [inches]. I just don't know how you replace that talent. But we've got to find ways to replace that production."

Pittsburgh needs to find a few answers on offense this spring. But the Panthers feel confident that they've got the right man in charge of that task.

Football is almost back.

Well, it's only spring practice, but at least there will be some actual gridiron action to talk about starting next week in the Big East. Four league teams -- UConn, South Florida, Cincinnati and Pitt -- all begin spring drills next week. I'll be following all of the developments and hitting the road to see as many teams as I can in person.

I've already interviewed most of the league's head coaches and written about what to watch this spring. Some things we won't really know until the games begin in the fall, like how the three teams with new head coaches respond to the change or whether there's a new balance of power in the league. But here are the five questions that should have some answers this spring that I find the most intriguing as teams get back on the practice field:

1. Whither B.J. and Geno? South Florida and West Virginia fans anxiously await the status of their sophomore quarterbacks. B.J. Daniels will go through only limited drills after offseason shoulder surgery, while Geno Smith's availability after a January foot injury is questionable. Neither team has any depth at the position, and both quarterbacks need as much seasoning as possible to make 2010 a success. Just how much will each do this spring?

2. Who'll catch on at UConn and Rutgers? We were asking the same question at this time last year, wondering who would emerge at receiver for both the Huskies and Scarlet Knights. The answers came in the form of Marcus Easley (Huskies) and Mohamed Sanu (Scarlet Knights), who both came out of seemingly nowhere to make big spring impressions that led to great 2009 seasons. Both teams are back in the same boat this year, with Easley having graduated and Sanu needing some help like Tim Brown did a year ago. Each team has several young candidates who should be more mature and wiser than in the spring of '09. Each is looking for a spring success story like Easley and Sanu.

3. Who will lead Pitt and Louisville? The Pittsburgh quarterback battle might be the most interesting and most important competition of the spring, seeing as how the Panthers are potential Big East favorites. Dave Wannstedt has said he'd like to have a starter named between Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick going into the summer. Louisville has a free-for-all competition with Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein all having started games a year ago, and whoever emerges from the field might have to go and win the job again in the fall against a newcomer.

4. What do the offenses at Cincinnati and Syracuse look like? New Bearcats coach Butch Jones runs a similar offense to predecessor Brian Kelly, preferring a high-tempo, no-huddle spread. Still, he will bring subtle differences, and with Zach Collaros under center you can count on more quarterback runs. The chemistry between Collaros and highly touted USC transfer Vidal Hazelton will also be something to watch. At Syracuse, head coach Doug Marrone takes over the offense as his own coordinator. Will the Orange run a lot of motion and misdirection stuff like they did in an upset of Rutgers near the end of the year, when some suggested Marrone was calling the shots? And which receivers will step up to help Ryan Nassib and the passing game?

5. Who are the new stars? By April of last year, the buzz was high on guys like Dion Lewis, Sanu and Easley, who ended up having great falls. Who will be the spring sensations and breakout names of this spring?

Those are my biggest questions, and I'd like to hear what pressing questions you have for your teams this spring. Fortunately, we'll all start getting some answers next week.