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Syracuse released its post-spring depth chart Wednesday afternoon. But before you get too excited about some of the changes, note that injured starters are not listed with the first team.

That does not mean they have been demoted. It simply means they were unable to practice for part of all of spring, so other players obviously stepped in for them.

A few observations:

• Marcus Sales is listed as one of the starting receivers, along with Jeremiah Kobena. Sales missed all of last season after he was arrested on drug-related charges. Those have been dropped. Alec Lemon, the leading returning receiver, missed the spring with a shoulder injury but is expected to be a starter once he returns.
• Ashton Broyld is listed as the No. 3 running back, behind Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley. This should be one of the better competitions going into the fall, especially if Adonis Ameen-Moore returns healthy.
• Donnie Simmons is listed at one of the defensive end spots, ahead of Deon Goggins, who moved from tackle. Brandon Sharpe is listed as the other end.
• In all, four returning starters are not listed with the first team -- Lemon, offensive tackle Justin Pugh, linebacker Marquis Spruill and cornerback Keon Lyn.

Another Wednesday, another mailblog. Let's dig in.

Ken in Connecticut writes: AA, I know it was only the spring game, BUT how can Chandler Whitmer not be named the starting quarterback for UConn? The stats really speak for themselves. He had a good game, while (Johnny) McINTee looked about the same as he did last year and the other two that played had similarly poor stat lines with low completion percentages and lots of INTs. I think the quicker coach (Paul) Pasqualoni names a quarterback, the better this team will be. Your thoughts?

Andrea Adelson: Whitmer did have better numbers, but I am not sure he blew anybody away, either. So clearly Pasqualoni believes more competition throughout the summer will serve all the quarterbacks well. I am a proponent of having your starting quarterback named going into the offseason, so chemistry and rhythm can be built with receivers, trust can be earned and leadership can develop. But if Pasqualoni did not name his starter yet, then I am sure he has good reasons.

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Dave H. in Millstone Township, N.J., writes: Hi Andrea - I'd like to hear your thoughts with regard to defenses outshining offenses in spring practice. Should fans really be concerned with poor offensive performance like we've seen around the Big East this spring, or is it normal for offenses to struggle at this time? Do traditionally offensive-minded conferences like the Pac-12 and WAC experience similar situations in their springs, where the defense continually dominates the offense? Is there any correlation to what materializes in the regular season?

Adelson: I think it is important to remember the Big East is primarily a defensive league. Seven of the eight teams in the league last season ranked in the top half of the nation in total defense. The strength of most every team in the Big East this season is going to be defense as well, when you take a look at teams like Rutgers, Louisville, UConn and USF to name four off the bat. Also, defenses do tend to be ahead of offenses during the spring and fall practice times. Be honest -- do any of the Big East offenses scare you right now? Didn't think so. Each one has major question marks and the potential for major shortcomings. So let's just say I wasn't surprised to see the results.

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Aaron H. in RU Land writes: Andrea - As always great work... I totally agree with your column on how vastly underrated (Mohamed) Sanu is. I lost count last year how many big third-down catches he made for RU to get them big first downs. When he first made his intentions known to enter the draft, the draft experts had him as a late first rounder (ala Kenny Britt).. I wonder if the draft process tradition of scouts knocking down a player (because they want their team to draft him) is in play with SANU. Don't be shocked if the Patriots keep their first round pick at 31 they take Sanu, especially knowing that (Greg) Schiano will most definitely be looking at him with their second-round pick.

Adelson: Thanks, Aaron. I think the 40-time has hurt him, and maybe there is a bit of scouts knocking him down so they can pick him. In any case, I think he will be a great addition to the team that picks him.

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Dave in Charlotte, N.C. writes: I agree with your article about the risk of the western school reneging if the Big East loses its AQ status. But I recall that you shut down this exact argument (numerous times in the chat room), saying regardless of AQ status, the Big East money is too good to pass up for San Diego State and Boise State. So which is it? Do you think this is a risk or not?

Adelson: You are right, I have shut down the argument. But just because I do not believe it will happen does not discount the potential risk. As I mentioned in that BCS post, losing San Diego State and Boise State is the worst-case nightmare scenario. I think the Big East has to be prepared for anything to happen, no matter how unlikely.

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Dennis in Tampa writes: Hey AA, a little delayed on this topic. Anyways, when you visited USF was there any talk or urgency for an on-campus stadium? The options in the past were tear up the golf course and build it there, or tear down the University mall and build it there. Just curious if you heard any rumblings.

Adelson: There was no talk or urgency on the matter, Dennis. I think that is a long-term vision coach Skip Holtz has, but I think it is way, way into the future, if it happens at all.

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Alex in Syracuse writes: Really, Tino Sunseri and UConn (as dark horses)? What about the Cuse and (Ryan) Nassib? He was second to Teddy Bridgewater in quarterback rating among Big East quarterbacks. He's got Marcus Sales back, who exploded in the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl, and Ashton Broyld can play QB/WR/DB/RB/TE (just call him a weapon). Might I also add a hopefully healthy Prince-Tyson Gulley at tailback, who will come in under the radar. To me, Syracuse's offense looks pretty stable, except I have no idea how to judge an offensive line. Do you know anything on Syracuse's o-line?

Adelson: Did you write in before or after the spring game? If it was after, then you are one really, really super positive fan. I try not to put too much stock into spring games, especially when there are so many injured players out. Syracuse was missing some key pieces, including tackle Justin Pugh. But I am not sure what happened offensively provides many glimmers of hope. I like Nassib fine, but the running game is a concern. Gulley has to stay healthy. The offensive line did not play well in the spring game, but that was not a surprise given some of the players out. The nonconference schedule is pretty brutal, too. Let's just say nothing that happened in the spring raised my hopes, not even the potential of Broyld.

I put the question to you last week -- who will have the best offense in the Big East in 2012?

You responded in a big way, with over 2,200 votes. Rutgers won the poll, with 26 percent of the vote. USF was at No. 2, then Louisville and Cincinnati. I put an "other" category because I was curious to hear what you had to say about any other team with the potential to have a good offense. For those wondering, our polls only go up to five choices, which is why I did not include all eight.

Many of you made the case for Pitt. I understand Ray Graham is set to return, and that obviously is a huge plus. But until some major questions are answered at quarterback, offensive line and receiver, it is hard to envision the Panthers having the best offense in the Big East, as of today. Plus, there is going to be a change in scheme. I believe coach Paul Chryst will get this offense turned around, but I am not sure how quickly it happens in Year 1.

Overall, there are a lot of questions about every offense in the league. There are no superstar quarterbacks, and no superstar receivers. That talent is going to have to be developed. But the Big East has not really been an offensive league in recent history. Defense has dominated, and that may be the case again in 2012.

Now here are some of your comments:

anthonyphillips84: I see USF turning a corner this year. People have been saying that for a long time but I feel this team has a lot of potential with the amount of experience and talent that is coming back this year. It's always wait and see with USF but I think there is a lot of potential for success with OOC games with FSU, Miami, Nevada (away) I think they can go into conference play ranked once again and hopefully for the first time we can take that play into conference.

snubbed1: My vote is going to SU. Top returning receiver plus the return of (Marcus) Sales who is a legit deep threat, big play receiver. A capable QB who could have a break out season if he can get some pass protection. The running back position is up in the air, but (Adonis Ameen) Moore is a bull up the middle and Prince-Tyson Gulley has speed to get around the corner, but our line that couldn't protect (Ryan) Nassib, was able to open enough holes for (Antwon) Bailey to gain 1,000 yards, same thing again this year. Only 2 guys are gone from the O-line and that means the remaining guys have started together for the last 2 seasons, not saying they'll be great, but they should be bigger and somewhat better.

CardsFanTX: I had to vote "Other" on this one. The other = Pitt. With Ray Graham's return and some good backups and a serviceable OL, they will probably lead the league in rushing. And I think (Paul) Chryst will simplify the passing schemes enough to make (Tino) Sunseri more comfortable and successful. After Pitt, I think Louisville will emerge as a solid offense this year. Probably not stellar numbers because that's just not (Charlie) Strong's style, but consistently good. I definitely think offense is a concern for Cincy and Rutgers and USF.

RutgersBallHardU: If Rutgers; running game improves, if our QB is good, then RU will definitely have the best offense, because of the WRs we got, and with our D. Looking like a hard challenge to beat.

hail2pitt02: Leaving out the team with easily the best RB corp? Not to mention, a QB better than (B.J.) Daniels, and statistically better than either QB choice for Rutgers (based off of completion percentage and quarterback rating) and the early runner for Cincy's QB spot - Munchie (Legaux)- with his mighty 47 percent completion rate, and losing (Isaiah) Pead. Right. PITT will have a better offense than USF and Rutgers at the very least. In terms of points per game, it might not match Cincy, but in effectiveness it will surpass them easily. Immediately tossing out the best player in the Big East is a joke.

Syracuse opens spring practice today. Here is a quick primer on what to expect.

Spring changes: The Orange made a few coaching changes on defense, hiring Donnie Henderson to coach the defensive backs and Steve Morrison to coach the linebackers. The Orange also are losing key players Chandler Jones, Mikhail Marinovich, Antwon Bailey, Nick Provo and Van Chew among many others. Syracuse will only have 70 players available this spring, but coach Doug Marrone says that won't stop him from playing a spring game next month.

Position battles to watch

Defensive line. Depth must be built at this position, and two starting end jobs have to be filled with the departures of Marinovich and Jones, and key backup Torrey Ball. Being without Robinson in the spring further depletes the depth, as Donnie Simmons and Brandon Sharpe are the only healthy players listed at end on the current Syracuse roster.

Running back. Losing another 1,000-yard rusher in Bailey means the Orange have to look for another starter. Adonis Ameen-Moore is out for spring, leaving Steve Rene, Jerome Smith, Prince-Tyson Gulley to split the majority of the reps. All these players have talent, but hardly any have major experience carrying the ball. Bailey had 240 carries for 1,051 yards last season; the running back with the next highest total was Smith, with 37 carries for 134 yards. To put it another way, Bailey accounted for 73 percent of Syracuse's rushing yards and 61 percent of Syracuse's carries last season.

Receiver. This is a position with plenty of room for growth in the spring, with Alec Lemon sitting out and Chew and Dorian Graham gone. Marcus Sales is back in the mix -- how does he look after taking an entire year off? This really is a good opportunity for young players like Jarrod West, Keenan Hale, Kyle Foster and Jeremiah Kobena to show what they've got.

Injury report: The Orange have several players who will be sitting out spring practice -- receiver Alec Lemon (shoulder), linebacker Marquis Spruill (lower body), center Rob Trudo (lower body), offensive tackle Sean Hickey (knee) cornerback Keon Lyn (shoulder), Ameen-Moore (upper body), fullback Carl Cutler (knee), defensive end Micah Robinson (upper body) Backup quarterback Terrel Hunt is out while serving a suspension.

Let us take a look back at Week 4:

The good: Cincinnati forced three more turnovers in a 44-14 win against NC State last Thursday night. That brings its nation-leading total to 16 takeways. But maybe even better -- the defensive line had its best performance of the season with six sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The defense held NC State to minus-26 yards rushing, the third-lowest rushing total in school history and the fewest since allowing minus-37 yards to Wichita State in 1974. ... You already know what a tremendous performance Rutgers receiver Mohamed Sanu had against Ohio. But a little overlooked was its performance on third down. Rutgers converted 11 of 18 third-down attempts (61.1 percent) against an Ohio defense that had held its previous opponents to 33.3 percent on third down. Greg Schiano might have not liked being in 18 third downs, but when you convert at that clip, you take it. ... Connecticut has held its opponent to three points in each of its two wins. ... USF had three scoring plays of 50 yards or more in the win against UTEP. Last season, the Bulls had three 50-yard scoring plays. Total.

The bad: Big East officiating had a bad weekend, after the league admitted its officials blew a call in the Syracuse-Toledo game that impacted the outcome. An extra point from Ross Krautman appeared to go wide, but it was called good on the field. That call was upheld on review. The point gave Syracuse a 30-27 lead late in the game. Toledo tied it with a field goal to send the contest into overtime. But the league now says the extra point was no good. Had that point come off the board, Syracuse would have led by 2 and not 3, giving Toledo a chance to win rather than tie. ... West Virginia allowed a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against LSU after cutting the deficit to six. That was the start of 21 unanswered points for the Tigers in a 47-21 win. The Mountaineers added four turnovers after committing three in the first three games combined. The 47 points were the most West Virginia has given up since losing 48-22 to Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl in 2002. ... Pitt was held to just 268 yards of total offense in its 15-12 loss to Notre Dame.

Stat sheet:

• West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin had 11 receptions for 187 yards, and receiver Stedman Bailey had eight catches for 115
  yards against LSU. It was the second straight game in which West Virginia had multiple 100-yard receivers.
• Quarterback Geno Smith had school records for completions (38), attempts (65) and passing yards (463) yards against LSU. He finished with 468 total yards of offense, a program single-game record.
• UConn quarterback Johnny McEntee threw the first two touchdown passes of his career against Buffalo.
• Pitt has not allowed a point in the first quarter this season.
• Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib leads the Big East in completion percentage (71.4).
• Syracuse receiver Van Chew now has 1,012 career receiving yards.
• Cincinnati receivers Anthony McClung (94) and Kenbrell Thompkins (72) set career highs for yards.
• Syracuse running back Prince-Tyson Gulley had carrer highs with 10 carries and 66 yards.
• Sanu set school and Big East records with 16 receptions for 176 yards.

Week 5 schedule
USF at Pitt, Thursday, 8 p.m., ESPN
Rutgers at Syracuse, Saturday, noon, Big East Network
Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), Saturday, 1 p.m., ESPN3
Western Michigan at UConn, Saturday 3:30 p.m., Big East Network
Marshall at Louisville, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Big East Network
Bowling Green at West Virginia, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Big East Network

Toledo has given Syracuse all it can handle, as the teams are tied headed into halftime. Here are a few first-half observations, and a few keys for Syracuse in the second half:

• Syracuse has hurt itself in this game. The biggest mistake was on a failed snap in the first quarter. Ryan Nassib was moving up to the line to make a call, but the ball was snapped and Toledo recovered. That led to a 21-yard touchdown run from Morgan Williams to put the Rockets up 10-0.
• The Orange have had several red-zone opportunities that they failed to cash in. On a third-and-7 from the Toledo 16, Nassib threw incomplete. Ross Krautman came on and made a 33-yard field goal to tie the game. Later in the second quarter, Nassib threw incomplete from the Toledo 14. Krautman made a 31-yard field goal instead.
• Syracuse is playing without a few of its top players on defense. Starting safety Shamarko Thomas is out, while Chandler Jones and Olando Fisher are out again. Keon Lyn appeared to aggravate a shoulder injury late in the first half, and Ri'Shard Anderson hobbled off as well.
• Prince-Tyson Gulley has provided a nice spark at running back, with 47 yards on five carries.

Keys for the second half:

• Get Toledo off the field. The Rockets have held the ball for 7 more minutes and done a nice job converting on third down. The Rockets have had 12 third-down attempts already in one half, and have made eight.
• Keep an eye on Eric Page. He already has 55 yards receiving in the first half and had a kickoff return called back because of a penalty. Page has been wide-open on several occasions, so he has to be contained.
• Take advantage of red-zone opportunities. Syracuse has been able to move the ball but then stalls close to the goal line. Can't settle for field goals, even against Toledo.

Every Big East team, minus West Virginia, has now released depth charts. I already took a look at Louisville and Pitt. Here is a quick glance at the others:

Cincinnati

• Only a few competitions remain before the opener Saturday against Austin Peay. At right guard, it will be either Austen Bujnoch or Andre Cureton. Chris Williams and Reuben Johnson are still fighting for the nickelback spot.
• Blake Annen will start over Adrien Robinson at tight end.
• The Bearcats have plenty of true freshmen sprinkled throughout the two-deep. Alex Chisum and Shaq Washington are listed as backup receivers. Ralph David Abernathy IV is listed as the kickoff returner. But at linebacker, three true freshmen should play: Nick Temple, Clemente Casseus and Dwight Jackson. Though Jameel Poteat had a good camp, George Winn still is the backup behind Isaiah Pead at running back.

Connecticut

• No clarity at quarterback, where you have Scott McCummings or Johnny McEntee or Michael Nebrich. We won't know who starts until the game against Fordham Thursday.
• There are still position competitions ongoing: at left guard, Gary Bardzak or Steve Greene will start; at tight end, Ryan Griffin or John Delahunt. Even at tailback, where it will be D.J. Shoemate or Lyle McCombs.

Rutgers

• Paul Carrezola and D.C. Jefferson are still competing for the starting tight end job. Defense also still has some positions up in the air. Manny Abreu or Michael Larrow will start at defensive end; Marvin Booker or Ka'Lial Glaud will start at the other end; Anthony DiPaula and Justin Doerner are competing to be the punter.
• There are true freshmen listed on the two-deep at critical spots: backup quarterback Gary Nova, backup right tackle Kaleb Johnson; backup defensive tackle Kenneth Kirksey and backup linebacker Kevin Snyder. You also have Savon Huggins, who might start at running back.

Syracuse

• There are not many surprises on the Syracuse depth chart. With Keon Lyn hurt for a chunk of spring, Ri'Shard Anderson will start at cornerback. Prince-Tyson Gulley or Jeremiah Kobena will handle kickoffs.
• As expected, freshman Dyshawn Davis will start at linebacker. Freshman Brandon Reddish, who turned heads during fall camp, will be a backup to Kevyn Scott at cornerback.

USF

• Evan Landi made the transition from receiver to tight end during fall camp, and now he is penciled in to start there over Andreas Shields.
• At running back, Darrell Scott or Demetris Murray will start.
• We heard a lot about the speedsters at receiver, and true freshmen Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez, but none are listed on the two-deep. Behind A.J. Love, Sterling Griffin and Joel Miller, you have Deonte Welch, Victor Marc and Stephen Bravo-Brown, a former walk-on who just earned a scholarship.
• Defensive tackle Elkino Watson and punter Mattias Ciabatti are the only true freshmen listed on the two deep.

Taking a look at practice reports from around the league:

Cincinnati: Freshman running back Akise Teague has been slowed by a hamstring injury for most of camp. Coach Butch Jones hopes to have Teague back in four to five games. That has opened up more reps for freshman Jameel Poteat. Jones expects Poteat and receiver Shaq Washington to be two true freshmen to play this season.

Connecticut: Kick returner Nick Williams is seeing more time at receiver with all the transfers the Huskies have had. "He's got real quickness in and out of cuts," coach Paul Pasqualoni said. "His play speed is very, very good. I don't know what his 40-yard dash is. It might be 5.0. But his play speed is pretty impressive. He plays fast and he's got quick feet. He's got excellent vision and excellent instincts with his hands on the ball. He's just one of those guys that's productive. Part of the skill set you look for is playmaker. You guys know what a playmaker is, I know what it is. They make plays. Sometimes you don't know how he did it, but they make plays. Nick is a playmaker. That issue of him being a kickoff returner, that tells you he can make plays. Let's try to use that in other areas as well. Try to get him the ball a few times other than kickoffs."

Linebacker Sio Moore sat out of practice Tuesday, but his injury isn't serious.

Louisville: The Cardinals had their kickoff luncheon Tuesday, and coach Charlie Strong emphasized his team's academics are improving. “When I hit the door there was no standing ovation,” he said. “They were going to hear what I had to say, and it wasn’t very pretty. I told them that never again would we have below a 2.5 team semester GPA. That will never again happen.”

Pitt: Devin Street sat out practice with what coach Todd Graham called a "bell-rung deal." Cameron Saddler and K'Waun Williams sat out for the second straight day, too. Meanwhile, backup quarterback Anthony Gonzalez has been practicing with the H-backs/tight ends. Walk-on Trey Anderson has passed Mark Myers for the backup quarterback job.

Rutgers: Coach Greg Schiano remains concerned with a head injury that has forced running back Jeremy Deering to miss most of fall practice. Deering won't practice until he is completely symptom free, and there is no timetable for when he can return. Savon Huggins and De'Antwan Williams have split the reps at running back during practice. Anthony Lalota, a transfer from Michigan, has decided to give up football to concentrate on academics.

Syracuse: The team is slowly starting to get healthy. Starting safeties Shamarko Thomas and Phillip Thomas were at practice Tuesday. Prince-Tyson Gulley and Steve Rene had nice practices, too.

USF: The team will hold its final workout in Vero Beach today. Defensive tackle Cory Grissom and cornerback Quenton Washington were able to return to practice Tuesday.

West Virginia: The defense had a good day of practice Tuesday. Coach Dana Holgorsen on who stood out: "I am not going to say they surprised me. We have some good players over there. We have some good returning players. Najee Goode is a good player that is smart and is a leader. He is a senior that has been doing a good job. Keith Tandy came up with a couple good picks. They were in the red zone area, which is an area that is a cardinal sin to turn the ball over in, but Geno [Smith] threw both of those picks. He is pretty reliable because you know what you are getting with him. Bruce Irvin is playing well and Jorge Wright stood out yesterday. Terrence Garvin is a guy that is always around the ball. We have some guys that are good over there, and we are just filling in the holes. Those guys need to continue to gain leadership, and the rest of them need to mesh together as a unit."

Taking a look at practice around the league:

Cincinnati: Several freshmen have already impressed their teammates. One tradition during fall camp is for the young players to lose the stripes on their helmets when their "big brother" on the team feels they've earned it. On Monday, defensive back Trenier Orr had his stripe removed by Camerron Cheatham and receiver Shaq Washington had his stripe removed by Zach Collaros.

Connecticut: The Huskies have spent time shuffling around players on their offensive line to see who gives them the best fit. The only locks -- tackle Mike Ryan and center Moe Petrus. Everybody else has been shifted.

"We're moving people around, looking at our depth so that guys can play different positions," offensive line coach Mike Foley told the Hartford Courant. "A guy like Gary Bardzak can play both at guard and he can also play center so it gives you that flexibility so you can always get your five best on the field. A guy like Adam Masters who plays tackle but also is playing guard and that allows us, with (tackle) Kevin Friend, to get some work with that first group, move it around and see what our best combination of guys is and really take it from there."

Louisville: Freshman Lorenzo Mauldin has moved from defensive end to tight end. Mauldin was moved to give the Cardinals some bodies at that position because of injuries to Nate Nord and Stephon Ball. Both players are expected to return to practice in the next few days. In another position switch, tight end Jordan Tennyson has moved to defensive end. Receiver Michaelee Harris has been practicing with a soft cast on his thumb, but made a couple of great catches during team work Monday morning.

Pitt: The Panthers are going to go with Ryan Turnley at center and Chris Jacobson at guard, though the two are still competing at center. Coach Todd Graham said during the scrimmage Sunday there were four mishandled snaps, so Turnley has to keep working. Jacobson is getting reps at left guard with the starters and center with the second unit. Graham wants his starting five to play together this week. "We need to get to the point where five guys are repping together constantly as a unit," Graham said. Receiver Cameron Saddler and cornerback K'Waun Williams sat out practice Monday because they were "dinged up." Receiver Devin Street left practice early, but Graham didn't think the injury was serious.

Rutgers: Coach Greg Schiano still wants to see more out of his offensive line, even after an impressive rushing performance in the scrimmage Saturday. "We have to make sure we protect better, continue to protect better. We protected better than we have but not good enough for a game," Schiano said. Running back Jawan Jamison (hamstring) returned to practice but was limited. Meanwhile, receivers Brandon Coleman and Miles Shuler, defensive end Manny Abreu and running back Jeremy Deering all wore non-contact jerseys.

Syracuse: Some injured players have slowly started to make their return to the field for the Orange. Running back Prince-Tyson Gulley and Steve Rene were in full pads Monday. Both should be cleared for full contact soon. Safety Shamarko Thomas also is likely to be back on the field today, and cornerback Keon Lyn could return this weekend. Coach Doug Marrone was asked whether he was worried about any of his injured players being out for the opener Sept. 1. Offensive lineman Sean Hickey is out for the season, but Marrone also is worried about lineman Ian Allport because of the severity of his concussion.

USF: Quarterback B.J. Daniels participated fully in both practices Monday. Fullback Armando Sanchez has moved back to linebacker from fullback. Coach Skip Holtz said the decision to redshirt all the freshmen linebackers played into the decision. Holtz also singled out all the true freshmen he expects to play this season, including defensive tackle Elkino Watson and receivers Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez.

West Virginia: Coach Dana Holgorsen has had high praise for young running backs Vernard Roberts, Dustin Garrison, Trey Johnson and Andrew Buie. But the Mountaineers may not necessarily go with a running back by committee approach. Nor are they looking for somebody who is going to be an afterthought to the passing game. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie told the Times West Virginian: "We would like a guy we could strap the team on his back and go,” he said.

Serving up your links for today ...

• Another UConn receiver has left the program.
• Much will be asked of Louisville's sophomores.
• Dana Holgorsen is a reason to be excited about the upcoming college football season. Paul Millard has the right attitude in camp, but Holgorsen has advertised walk-on tryouts for quarterback to the student body. Also in that story -- running back Daquan Hargrett is transferring. Is Tavon Austin the answer to return punts? Ryan Clarke carries a fumble rap.
• Pitt defensive end Bryan Murphy is academically ineligible. Also, linebacker Dan Mason (knee) is out indefinitely. Backup quarterback Anthony Gonzalez says his arrest on marijuana possession was a learning experience. The team has embraced Todd Graham's vision.
• Rutgers linebacker David Milewski is eager to test out his knee. Miles Shuler brings speed to the receiving group. Steve Beauharnais is moving back to middle linebacker after going outside in the spring.
• USF quarterback B.J. Daniels tweaked his hamstring during the morning practice Tuesday. No quarterback has more starting experience in the Big East than Daniels. Chaz Hine has been working at center.
• Prince-Tyson Gulley returned to practice for Syracuse and had a great day. It's been a big year for the Jones family.
• Video: catching up with Cincinnati linebacker Maalik Bomar. Isaiah Pead is one quick learner. Running back Darrin Williams' career is over after hamstring surgery.

There was some news stories around the Big East this weekend, so I figured they deserved mention in a blog post before they got swept away in the lunchtime links.

-- Syracuse has had quite a few weeks with off-the-field incidents. While we were away, backup quarterback Jonny Miller was charged with suspicion of robbery and assault. Coach Doug Marrone said both Miller and receiver Marcus Sales have been suspended indefinitely. Sales was arrested on drug charges. Meanwhile, running back Prince-Tyson Gulley is back in Syracuse but has yet to practice after getting stabbed during a fight at an on-campus party. He should be able to resume practice in the next week. At media day last week, Marrone said, "When things happen around you with negative situations, you have to turn them into an educational experience for everyone else. I’ve tried to do that. We have to learn from situations like this and also have to understand that we need all of our focus and attention on our football team for what we do out here on the football field."

Another backup running back, Steve Rene, is out for a week to 10 days while he heals from an infection in his right arm.

-- An interesting development out of USF. Transfer running back Dontae Aycock has decided to quit football. Coach Skip Holtz told local reporters that Aycock was having trouble with his weight and felt his heart wasn't in it anymore. Aycock transferred to USF from Auburn and was expected to contribute this season with another transfer, Darrell Scott from Colorado. Aycock will remain in school to get his degree. The Bulls will have to rely on Scott, Demetris Murray, Marcus Shaw and Bradley Battles. Perhaps this opens the door for true freshman Willie Davis to contribute.

-- West Virginia freshman quarterback Brian Athey has left the team and transferred to Illinois State, leaving the Mountaineers with just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Two. When it became clear Paul Millard would be the backup, Athey decided to leave in pursuit of playing time elsewhere.

-- Even though highly touted 2010 prospect Latwan Anderson tweeted that he would be joining Cincinnati, Anderson is not enrolled in school and not on the roster for fall practice. Anderson, who left the University of Miami after the 2010 season, has some academic issues to work through. Freshman receiver Rodriguez Coleman also isn't on the roster. Neither is linebacker Demetrius Alston.

-- Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison hurt his hamstring and is out for seven to 10 days, essentially leaving Jeremy Deering, De'Antwan Williams and Savon Huggins as the main competitors in the race to become the starter. Local media reports out of New Jersey say Huggins and Deering have emerged as the top two candidates for the job, though it is early in camp.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Let's catch up on what happened with these links ...

• Still no decision on the UConn quarterback battle. The Huskies get a commitment from quarterback Casey Cochran, the reigning Connecticut state player of the year. A touching tribute to New Haven Register columnist Dave Solomon, who died tragically in a car accident on his way home from a UConn football assignment.
• Louisville running back Victor Anderson hopes his senior year matches his freshman year. Teddy Bridgewater had to leave the final open practice of the fall with a sore shoulder. Greg Scruggs documents the travel delays that plagued his teammates en route to Big East media day. Worth the time if you've got it.
• Cincinnati landed three commitments from Michigan. The Bearcats are looking for a rebound as they open camp today.
• Pitt opens camp today. For the Panthers, it's Big East or bust.
• The quintessential Dana Holgorsen stat. Ryan Nehlen wants to continue what he started in the spring.
• Frank Cignetti is bringing an offense to Rutgers that is similar to what Mike McCarthy runs with the Green Bay Packers. Running back Jawan Jamison is out for seven to 10 days with a hamstring injury, which could put him at a disadvantage in the competition to start. Freshman quarterback Gary Nova is making a smooth transition.
• Syracuse running backs Prince-Tyson Gulley and Steven Rene will be able to practice in about a week. Impressions from Day 3 of practice.
• USF running back Dontae Aycock and defensive end Brandon Wilkinson have left the football program. Ohio State transfer receiver James Louis has USF on his short list.

Syracuse got a double dose of bad news over the weekend. First, it was reported that backup running back Prince Tyson-Gulley was stabbed when a fight broke out at an on-campus party early Friday morning. Then, receiver Marcus Sales was arrested and faces felony drug charges.

Syracuse has given no update on Gulley, but his wounds were not considered life-threatening. Gulley was listed as the backup to Antwon Bailey on the latest depth chart. Sales was listed as a starter with Van Chew. Coach Doug Marrone said in two separate statements that he would handle both the Gulley and Sales situations internally.

According to the Syracuse Post-Standard, Sales and his brother, Michael Sales Jr., were driving in a car that was stopped for running a red light on Friday night. Police reports showed there was the smell of marijuana in the car.

Among items found in the car were marijuana, hydrocodone and acetaminophen tablets, three digital scales, and a plastic cup with gin, according to the police reports.

Both Sales and his brother were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminally using drug paraphernalia. Last season, Sales caught 26 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns.

Incidents like this are never good for your program, but the timing is obviously even worse with the opening of fall camp just days away. Marrone is in Newport, R.I., for Big East media days, and no doubt will be asked for more information when he addresses reporters.

We wrap up our look at team position rankings with special teams. There are plenty of strong kickers and returners in the league. I did not separate them, though, because those would be more like individual rankings. Those are coming soon.

1. Connecticut. The Huskies have one of the best kickers in the league in Dave Teggart and one of the best kickoff returners in the league in Nick Williams putting them in the top spot here. Williams led the NCAA in kickoff return average last season with 35.3 yards per kick. Teggart was the Big East first-team selection, making 25 of 31 field goals. They should be better this year, even with the loss of Robbie Frey.

2. USF. The Bulls also have an excellent kicker-returner duo in Maikon Bonani and Lindsey Lamar. Bonani made 17 of 21 kicks last year, while Lamar was the first-team All-Big East selection, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaging 26 yards per return. Add in punt returner Terrence Mitchell and this is one of the best units in the league.

3. Louisville. The Cardinals have one of the best in the league in Chris Philpott, who punts and kicks. Josh Bleser is solid in splitting the punting duties with Philpott. Victor Anderson and Jeremy Wright are back as kickoff returners -- both averaged 30-plus yards per return last season. Wright's kick return helped the Cardinals win the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl last year. Doug Beaumont is gone as punt returner, but he is the only loss. This unit has a chance to be No. 1 at year's end.

4. Syracuse. The Orange have one of the best kickers in the league in Ross Krautman, who missed just one of his 19 field goal attempts last season. They do lose their top punt returner in Mike Holmes, along with punter Rob Long so there are questions at some of the most important spots on special teams. But Krautman, and the return of Dorian Graham and Prince-Tyson Gulley returning kicks puts this unit just ahead of the Bearcats.

5. Cincinnati. This is a mixed bag for the Bearcats. They have the best punter in the league in Pat O'Donnell, who also happens to be a physical freak in the weight room. They should be decent in the return game with the return of D.J. Woods, who will compete with Anthony McClung, Shaq Washington and Kenbrell Thompkins to return kicks and punts. Darrin Williams is in the mix for kickoff returner, too. But kicker is a huge question mark. Jacob Rogers was solid last season. Now there is uncertainty in the competition between Tony Miliano and Danny Milligan. Coach Butch Jones says he won't name a starter until game week.

6. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights also have question marks here. Kicker San San Te returns, but he needs to be better from longer distances (2-of-7 from 40-plus yards). Punter Teddy Dellaganna is gone and so is kickoff returner Joe Lefeged. True freshman Anthony DiPaula enrolled early and takes over at punter. Mason Robinson is back at punt returner, and Jeremy Deering and Mark Harrison make a good combo returning kicks.

7. West Virginia. The Mountaineers need more consistency from kicker Tyler Bitancurt, who missed his final four kicks of last season. He made just 10 of 17 attempts and looked shaky in the spring. West Virginia has a new holder and a new punter in Corey Smith, and hopes for improvement in the return game.

8. Pittsburgh. The Panthers have to replace both kicking specialists, including Big East first-team punter Dan Hutchins. At punter, you have walk-ons Matt Yoklic and Drake Greer, neither of whom has punted in a collegiate game. Kevin Harper takes over as kicker and had a good spring game. The Panthers also replace their long-snapper, so there will be a period of adjustment for this unit when the season starts. Cameron Saddler is a bright spot at returner.

Previous rankings

• Offensive line
• Receiver
• Running back
• Tight end
• Quarterback
• Defensive line
• Linebacker
• Safety
• Cornerback

Chandler Jones had so much fun working with at-risk boys last summer as part of the Youth Impact Program that Syracuse hosted, he decided to help out once again.

The school announced Wednesday it is hosting the program for the second straight year, and Jones will be there next week when it begins. The program will run from July 5-29, and Syracuse football players will help with classroom work in math, language and writing, along with life skills sessions, a football chalk talk and football practice.

The group of more than 100 at-risk, inner-city boys are from sixth, seventh and eighth grade. They will get to work with players Ollie Haney, Lewellyn Coker, Dyshawn Davis, Jaston George, Deon Goggins, Prince-Tyson Gulley, Sean Hickey, Nick Lepak, Keon Lyn, Phillip Thomas, Shamarko Thomas, Jeremi Wilkes and Jones. Syracuse athletics academic coordinator Joe Fields will direct the program, and public school teachers also will help.

If there is anything Jones wants the boys to take with them, it is an emphasis on getting an education.

"Last year, I wanted to send a message to them they can't do anything without academics," Jones said in a phone interview. "I told them,'You have to stay in school. To do some football drills, you have to get that math skill right. For me to teach you the secret move I do, you have to solve this problem.'"

Jones said he wants to be a mentor because that is something he did not have growing up. "I just look at it from my own perspective," he said. "When I was a kid, I didn't have a high prestigious athlete to talk to me and show me. I had older brothers, but they weren't Division I athletes. Being in the position I'm in, I want to help them be successful."