Big East: Ricardo Matthews
Big East mailbag: Pitt rumors and expansion talk
Adam B. from Pittsburgh writes: I have been hearing fairly persistent rumors over the past four to five days that it is a done deal that Pitt will be going to the Big Ten. Have you heard this as well? How likely is this move? I would just like to have some light shed on this.
Brian Bennett: Adam is just one of about, oh, 300 people to ask me this question since Sunday. I can answer this one really quickly: the rumors have no merit. None. Somehow this thing got started on message boards and on the series of tubes and took off, but no one could claim a source and the timing never made any sense at all.
I've talked to people at Pitt, and my colleague Adam Rittenberg has spoken to Big Ten officials, and everybody says there have been no contact whatsoever between the two parties. Look, it's possible that Pittsburgh could eventually be invited to join the Big Ten. But that day is several months away at the earliest and is no guarantee. For now, there's simply nothing there.
Andrew from California writes: In your questions with Big East head honcho John Marinatto you mentioned Villanova for possible expansion. My question is how come no one considers Georgetown for expansion? Philly already has Temple and the Eagles to compete for ticket sales, and Villanova only has about 9,000 students and very little money in the bank. Georgetown is bigger, has a lot more money and D.C. is a big tourist draw to help bring people in. They could easily bring their on-campus field to 35,000 seats with the available space and use RFK stadium for big games.
Brian Bennett: Sounds good on paper, but in reality Georgetown's program is really struggling at the FCS level. The Hoyas went 0-11 this past season and are just 5-38 since 2006. And my understanding is the school has had issues with its on-campus stadium. Georgetown just isn't in a position to move up to the FBS and compete anytime soon. Right now it needs to focus on trying to win at the lower level. Villanova, meanwhile is the reigning FCS champion.
Brett from Austin, Texas, writes: I'm disappointed that you didn't ask Marinatto tougher questions regarding the possibility of the Big 10 possibly taking a Big East team. This is a serious crossroads for the Big East and you let him off the hook by alllowing him to deflect just about every question you question. The commissioner came off as out of touch with what is really going on in college football and I'm afraid that might be bad news for those us that are fans of Big East football.
Brian Bennett: Well, Brett, the bottom line is that right now this is a Big Ten issue more than a Big East one, so what's the commissioner supposed to say? At the end of the day, if the Big Ten offers a Big East school a chance to make a whole lot more money, there's not much the Big East can do to match the financial incentives, other than -- as Marinatto pointed out -- make the league as strong as possible right now. I assure you Marinatto is not out of touch; in fact, he's very plugged in, and many people credit him for being one of the strongest reasons the Big East survived after 2004. But it's clear that his style is not to talk much about these issues publicly, unlike some other leagues.
Ken from Philly writes: Hey, BB, how can you have George Selvie and Jabaal Sheard ahead of Lindsey Witten [in your postseason Top 30 list]? Yes alot of his sacks came against lesser competition, but USF and Pitt had there share of cupcakes (especially USF). And Selvie and Sheard played opposite two players who will be in your top 10 whereas Witten played opposite true freshman all year.
Brian Bennett: It's close -- I had Witten 29th, Sheard 28th and Selvie at No. 26. The reason I ranked Witten behind those guys is because I felt like he disappeared during the middle of the year. And it seemed like he even worked his way into Randy Edsall's doghouse after a hot start. I felt like Selvie and Sheard, on the other hand, brought it every game even if their stats maybe aren't as good. And I thought Witten was a little weaker against the run, particularly compared to Sheard. Again, though, we're almost splitting hairs here.
Dave from Charlotte, N.C., writes: The Big East has two big things going for it: 1) the perceived greatness of the basketball conference; and 2) the actual computer-ranking "goodness" of the football conference (at least for the past few years). Given that, in your opinion, is there any chance at all that the Big East could expand by raiding other BCS conferences? Maryland, Georgia Tech, and Penn State come to mind. I know it's a long shot, but it doesn't seem that crazy when you add it up. Of course, the major stumbling block in this is that the Big East management seems to act reactively instead of proactively.
Brian Bennett: For all the expansion talk about schools like Villanova and Central Florida, the best thing the Big East could do is grab an established program that's already in a BCS league. It's not going to be anyone from the Big Ten because that league makes too much money and going to the Big East would be a step down.
So the only real option on that front would be the ACC, which hasn't exactly tore it up in football since expanding to 12 teams. Maryland and Boston College would make the most sense, especially if they get fed up with what is perceived at times to be a bias toward the Carolina schools. I have no idea if either would be interested in bolting or what it would take, but those seem to make the likeliest targets if the Big East chose to go that way.
I think the Big East learned some painful but valuable lessons from the last raid and I believe the conference will be more prepared this time around. But the next year or so will present a major challenge that requires bold thinking and leadership.
Jim from Fort Mitchell, Ky., writes: Cincinnati wins two Big East titles and has Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard being drafted and you focus on Pitt?
Brian Bennett: Since that's all you wrote, I don't really know what you're referring to, Jim. But given the timing of your e-mail, I'm going to assume you're talking about my post that looked back on the 2006 recruiting classes. And clearly, Pitt had a great haul that year with players like Nate Byham, Jason Pinkston, Dorin Dickerson and Greg Romeus. Neither Gilyard nor Pike were in the '06 class; they were both fifth-year seniors from the class of '05. While Cincinnati certainly had key contributors from its '06 class, notably Aaron Webster, Ben Guidugli and Ricardo Matthews, by my count more than half that class never did much. The players who formed the nucleus of the two-time Big East champs mostly hailed from other classes.
What to watch in the Big East, Week 3
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
1. Cincinnati's defense vs. the Rodgers brothers: Shutting down Southeast Missouri State and Rutgers was nice. The real test for Cincinnati's rebuilt defense arrives this weekend against Oregon State and their two main playmakers, Jacquizz and James Rodgers. Quarterback Sean Canfield will easily be the best the Bearcats have faced this season, and the back line of the Cincinnati defense may be its most vulnerable area. The Beavers have given up five sacks already this year, so guys like Curtis Young and Ricardo Matthews could apply some pressure up front.
2. The Cincinnati passing game: We know that Pittsburgh could do nothing through the air against Oregon State in the Sun Bowl. Well, Tony Pike is no Bill Stull. The Beavers have given up 251 yards per game through the air this year already to lesser opponents. Can Pike keep up his stellar early-season play and silence the crowd in Corvallis?
3. Just Plains speed: All you ever hear about is the SEC's dominant speed. Well, West Virginia will come to the Plains with plenty of burners of its own, including Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin. Last year in Morgantown, the Mountaineers looked like the much faster team. Auburn has some impressive athletes on defense, but you can't hit what you can't catch. If West Virginia can eliminate some of the penalties and mistakes it had in the first two games, it should move the ball and put up enough points in this game.
4. The West Virginia defense vs. Auburn's running game: The Tigers have been unbelievable on the ground thus far under Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn, averaging 345.5 yards per game rushing. Those are Pat White/Steve Slaton kind of numbers and then some. How will West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel counter that with his three-man front, especially if top defensive lineman Scooter Berry is unable to go? The last thing West Virginia wants is for Jarrett Brown to be standing on the sideline while the Tigers run the ball at will.
5. Syracuse's grit: Are the Orange content to be a team that plays good opponents tough, like they did against Minnesota and Penn State? Or can they get over the hump, beat Northwestern and prove things have changed under Doug Marrone? The offense needs to open things up a little more. While Greg Paulus has been decent, Syracuse has scored seven points since halftime of the Minnesota game. And the defense will have a challenge against the Wildcats' multi-dimensional offense.
6. UConn's, uh, offense: Maybe Cody Endres is the spark UConn needs at quarterback. That is, if he's over the stomach bug that bothered him all week. The Huskies need something to get them going on offense, because the passing game once again looks anemic. Scoring in the teens is probably not going to cut it against Robert Griffin and Baylor. It's time for offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead to show why he was hired.
7. Triple option near the three rivers: Navy befuddles many defenses with its triple-option offense. Pitt has seen it up close the past two years and did a good job shutting it down last year. But that 42-21 win in Annapolis came when the Midshipmen had quarterback issues; Ricky Dobbs is now in control under center and can run or pass. The Panthers' defense needs to tighten up some problem areas from last week at Buffalo in order to keep this one from being close.
8. Dion Lewis: The true freshman has been nothing short of spectacular in his first two college games. LeSean McCoy had a field day against Navy last season, and the Pitt offensive line should be able to open plenty of running lanes for Lewis. Are we in for yet another special performance?
9. Justin Burke's homecoming: The Louisville quarterback is from Lexington, Ky., and will be playing in his home city against Kentucky. He will not get a warm reception. Expect Kentucky to play press man-to-man against the Cardinals receivers, stack the box and force Burke to beat them throwing the ball. Burke doesn't have the strongest arm around, and he must constantly be aware of where the Wildcats' star cornerback, Trevard Lindley, is lining up. He must complete some deep balls to Scott Long or others to loosen up the defense for Victor Anderson.
10. Focus for South Florida and Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are playing their second straight no-name opponent (Florida International). For the Bulls, this is their third in a row (Charleston Southern). Both have big road games next week, Rutgers at Maryland and South Florida at Florida State. But they need to concentrate on the task at hand and put their outmatched opponents away on Saturday. If not, doubt will linger.
WEST HARRISON, Ind. -- Some thoughts and observations from today's Cincinnati practice at Camp Higher Ground:
• Perhaps the main thing that struck me from watching the Bearcats was how much depth they appear to have.
The receiving corps is full of playmakers behind Mardy Gilyard, with Armon Binns, Jamar Howard, D.J. Woods and Marcus Barnett all looking strong. The defense constantly shuffled in players at linebacker and the line without a dropoff. There are four capable running backs. While people focus on all the lost starters, Cincinnati hasn't gotten enough credit for building a deep, talented roster.
"I think we've got enough receivers," Kelly said. "We've got enough tight ends and enough running backs. It's still about executing what we want to do. But strength and having enough players is not going to be a concern."
• Speaking of the running backs, I was looking forward to seeing what progress Isaiah Pead had made, since I heard he has turned in a good training camp thus far. Alas, he banged his knee early in practice and sat out most of the workout. John Goebel also sat out while nursing a minor injury.
So the majority of the carries went to Jacob Ramsey and freshman Darrin Williams. The latter is a redshirt freshman who's 5-foot-7, on a good day, but by the looks of things is tough as nails. He had some impressive runs near the goal line.
Running the ball was not a particular strength for Cincinnati a year ago, especially in short-yardage situations. But the amount of playmakers in the passing game could help in that area.
"Running the football in the spread offense is as much about having receivers that have to be respected than anything else," Kelly said. "It wasn't really talked about, but we didn't have a full complement of receivers last year.
"When you're concerned about those guys and have to bracket and double them, it opens up your running game. ... Having good receivers helps the running game, and having a quarterback who's very efficient in the passing game means you'll see a lot more drop eight, rush three. And that means run the ball."
• Barnett, who played cornerback in the spring and was deemed a two-way player recently by Kelly, spent the entire practice at wideout. He made a spectacular catch and run for a touchdown late in practice and was great throughout the morning. He's pushing Woods hard for the starting slot job.
"He looked like the 2007 Marcus Barnett," Gilyard said. "I told him, 'Little brother, you've finally grown up.' I disowned him for a while when he went over to the defense."
Makes you wonder if the spring move to defense, which came after Barnett's vastly disappointing sophomore year, was simply a motivational ploy from Kelly.
• Tight end was a little-used weapon in the offense last season. But the top three tight ends who practiced this morning -- Ben Guidugli, Adrien Robinson and Kazeem Alli -- all looked extremely impressive both physically and in making plays. And Kelly said converted quarterback Travis Kelce, who was banged up today, is just as good.
"It is clearly a different group of guys than we had last year, just in terms of overall development physically and mentally understanding what we're doing," Kelly said. "The tight end is going to be an important weapon in our offense this year."
• All that needs to be said about Tony Pike is that he looks locked in and ready for a huge year. Kelly joked about how strong the comfort level for the coaching staff is in their starting quarterback.
"We're not talking about, he didn't see the inside vertical," he said. "We're just making sure he gets an extra peanut butter and jelly today."
• Howard, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior college transfer, had his ups and downs in practice and is clearly still learning the system. But he's got all the physical tools to be a difference maker. Perhaps the most impressive receiver on the field today was Vidal Hazelton, the USC transfer who won't be eligible until 2010. At one point, he beat rookie corner Chris Williams for a completion. Defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs summed it up perfectly by yelling, "That's men and boys right there."
• How about the defense? Well, for the most part it looked solid, though there some tackling issues at times. The defensive front consisted at various times of Alex Daniels, Ricardo Matthews, John Hughes and Derek Wolfe, who are all imposing specimens with experience under their belt. Redshirt freshman Walter Stewart even got some run with the first team early on in 11-on-11 drills.
• One of the biggest competitions taking place is in the defensive backfield. Brad Jones is starting at cornerback right now, and the senior made several nice plays today. He's also 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds and could easily slide over to safety next to Aaron Webster in place of Drew Frey, if necessary.
Dominique Battle and Cameron Cheatham are also making strides at cornerback. Kelly said he didn't think a lot of true freshmen would play this year, but defensive back is the one place where you might see some newbies. He mentioned freshman Reuben Johson and junior college import Malik James as possibilities, and Williams was a highly-rated recruit.
"We've got some pieces that allow us to have some versatility back there," he said.
• Kelly said it's too soon to tell who's leading the competition to replace All-American punter Kevin Huber. Jake Rogers and freshman Patrick O'Donnell are the main candidates. Rogers also handles kickoffs and field goals, and Kelly said he's being careful not to overuse Rogers' leg during practice.
• It was only Aug. 17, but you can be sure Cincinnati is peeking ahead just a bit. During one drill featuring the first-team defense against the scout team offense, coaches called out, "This is the Rutgers play!" That game is just 19 days away.
• By the way, Kelly joined the Twitter craze over the weekend with his own page. Given his ability to talk, it figures to be one of the more entertaining coaches' pages out there (though, granted, that's not a very high bar to clear).
• That's all for today. Check back tomorrow morning for a story on Gilyard, the best returning receiver in the Big East and also quite possibly the best quote man in the league.
With the start of practice just around the corner, I'll be offering three preseason predictions for each Big East team over the next few days. As usual, we'll go in alphabetical order, starting with Cincinnati:
1. Tony Pike will lead the league with more than 3,200 passing yards.
Pike threw for 2,407 yards last year as a junior despite not taking over the job until Week 3 and missing time later with a broken arm. If he can stay healthy as a senior, the big-armed Pike should have a monster year. Though he no longer has Dominick Goodman around, he's still got Mardy Gilyard, D.J. Woods and junior-college transfer Jamar Howard as targets. And with a rebuilt defense, Brian Kelly will probably look for his offense to carry more of the load in '09. Remember that Ben Mauk threw for 3,121 yards two years ago in Kelly's system.
2. The defense will be better than everybody expects.
Sure, there are 10 starters missing from last season. But the coaching staff liked what they saw from the new guys in the spring, for the most part. The Bearcats still have senior playmakers like Curtis Young, Marcus Waugh, Ricardo Matthews and Aaron Webster. While the defense won't be as strong as last year's, it will prove competent enough for Cincinnati to compete every week in a mediocre league.
3. Cincinnati won't repeat as Big East champs but will go to a good bowl.
The schedule, which includes road trips to Rutgers, South Florida and Pittsburgh, will keep the Bearcats from winning the league title again. But seven wins should be a minimum for this team, and a nine-win season is reasonably attainable. That means a bowl victory would give Kelly three straight seasons of double-digit victories at Cincinnati, which would be a remarkable feat.
Looking back at the '06 Big East recruiting classes
My colleague Ted Miller out in the wild, wild west of the Pac-10 had a really fun post earlier this week. He looked back on that conference's 2006 recruiting class. Players who signed that year should be seniors or redshirt juniors now, so it's a perfect time to judge the class on actual results, not promise.
And so, I figure that's a good idea to steal and apply to the Big East. Pittsburgh had the 16th-best recruiting class in the nation that season, according to our Scouts Inc. experts, while Louisville ranked 21st. No other Big East team cracked the top 25.
Let's take a look back and see how things have turned out, shall we?
Cincinnati
Class: 22
Expected major contributors in 2009: 7 -- LB John Goebel, LB Robby Armstrong, CB Marcus Barnett, TE Ben Guidugli, DL Ricardo Matthews, RB Jacob Ramsey, S Aaron Webster
Misses: DT Oren Wilson
Verdict: Mark Dantonio's final full class contained some players who have already contributed, like Ramsey, Guidugli, Barnett and Webster, and some who should assume bigger roles this year, like Armstrong and Matthews. But overall, this lacked the quality of the deep '05 bunch that formed the core of last year's Orange Bowl squad. Receiver Jamar Howard, who was part of the '06 class but didn't qualify in 2006, is back this year after a stint in junior college.
Connecticut
Class: 24
Expected major contributors in 2009: 11 -- WR Brad Kanuch, S Robert Vaughn, K Desi Cullen, OL Zach Hurd, LB Scott Lutrus, CB Robert McClain, LB Lawrence Wilson, DE Lindsey Witten, OL Mathieu Olivier, DT Alex Polito, DE Mike Cox
Misses: CB Jamie Nixon
Verdict: As usual, Randy Edsall's '06 class didn't draw much attention nationally. But he found a whole bunch of players who exceeded their star rankings and became key pieces for the Huskies. Lutrus is one of the best linebackers in the Big East, while Vaughn is a top safety and Witten has NFL potential. UConn could use a breakthrough from the oft-injured Kanuch.
Louisville
Class: 30
Expected major contributors in 2009: 7 -- DE Rodney Gnat, DT L.T. Walker, LB Brandon Heath, WR Josh Chichester, CB Johnny Patrick, WR Troy Pascley, OT Jeff Adams
Misses: DT Aundre Henderson, DT Kareem Crowell, QB Emmanuel Francis
Verdict: Bobby Petrino's final class at Louisville looked great on paper but was hit hard by attrition and misevaluations, which is part of the reason why the Cardinals have been so thin the past two years. Some problems were unforeseen; promising defensive end Peanut Whitehead had his career ended after just a season by a back injury. Henderson decided he didn't like football and quit. Running back Anthony Allen transferred. Several others were dismissed for disciplinary reasons or never panned out.
Pittsburgh
Class: 27
Expected major contributors in 2009: 9 -- TE Nate Byham, OT Jason Pinkston, CB Aaron Berry, OL John Malecki, CB Jovani Chappel, OL Joe Thomas, S Elijah Fields, DE Greg Romeus, CB Ricky Gary
Misses: QB Kevan Smith, CB Aaron Smith, DT Scott Corson
Verdict: Overall, this was a deep, solid class that will form the backbone of this year's team. Add in the fact that star left tackle Jeff Otah was part of this group as a junior college transfer, and it becomes all the more impressive. Byham, Pinkston, Berry and Romeus are All-Big East-caliber players with pro futures. Pitt hasn't seemed able to figure out what to do yet with once highly-rated prospect Dorin Dickerson. Running back Kevin Collier could contribute this year.
Rutgers
Class: 27
Expected major contributors in 2009: 9 -- RB Kordell Young, WR Tim Brown, LB Antonio Lowery, DT Blair Bines, LB Ryan D'Imperio, DB Zaire Kitchen, TE Shamar Graves, FB Jack Corcoran, DT Charlie Noonan
Misses: TE Jeff Minemeyer, LB Sorie Bayoh
Verdict: The best player from this class, Kenny Britt, was a first-round NFL draft pick in April. Combine that with a high number of contributors, and Greg Schiano had a pretty good batting average with this class.
South Florida
Class: 30
Expected major contributors in 2009: 11 -- WR Carlton Mitchell, OL Zach Hermann, S Nate Allen, DB Jerrell Young, OL Jeremiah Warren, LB Sabbath Joseph, DL Aaron Harris, DL Craig Marshall, K Delbert Alvarado, WR Ed Alcin, OL Kevin McCaskill
Misses: DT Leslie Stirrups, WR Jason Sherman, DE Joseph Jackson
Verdict: Surprisingly, some of the Bulls' highest-rated recruits in the 2006 class are the ones who didn't pan out, while the lesser-regarded names have gained regular playing time. The best player so far of this group is Allen, who should have an NFL future. This is a good class that just needs a little more star power.
Syracuse
Class: 22
Expected major contributors in 2009: 9 -- TE Andrew Robinson, RB Delone Carter, OL Jim McKenzie, OL Ryan Bartholomew, OL Tucker Baumbach, OL Jonathan Meldrum, DE Jared Kimmel, LB Derrell Smith, WR Mike Williams
Misses: WR Andrey Baskin, S Derek Hrinya
Verdict: Several players from the '06 batch will start this year, including nearly all of Syracuse's offensive line. But this class, like most of Greg Robinson's efforts, is short on all-conference caliber players. Baskin was the Orange's biggest recruit, but he failed to qualify and never made it to campus. Robinson was the starting quarterback two years ago before switching to tight end this spring.
West Virginia
Class: 16
Expected major contributors in 2009: 6 -- DT Chris Neild, WR Wes Lyons, LB Anthony Leonard, C Eric Jobe, S Franchot "Boogie" Allen, LB J.T. Thomas
Misses: S John Maddox, CB Robert Williams, OL Eric Rodemoyer, CB Greg Davis
Verdict: The Mountaineers had a small class in '06, and they could have handed out half the scholarships and gotten the same results. Only eight 2006 signees are on the current roster. Several from that class are expected to take a step up this year, including Neild, Lyons and Allen. Still, only getting six major contributors from any class is a hard pill to swallow.
Kelly pleased with Bearcats' progress after spring game
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
By the time Cincinnati's spring game arrived on Saturday, the Bearcats had already accomplished what they wanted in their first 14 practices, head coach Brian Kelly said.
"I'm really pleased," Kelly said. "We got our defensive coordinator in place. We got our system in place. We made some changes and moved some changes where I think moving some personnel around helped us. So we clicked off three major things on my list to do."
The offense beat the defense on Saturday as Kelly kept things pretty basic. His defense, which is replacing 10 starters, stayed mostly in a 4-3 base and rarely showed off its new 3-4 alignment. The Bearcats will change alignments based on the opponent and the situation this year under new coordinator Bob Diaco.
"Everybody has talked about losing 10, but we're a mature group of guys," Kelly said. "We've got physically mature guys on the defensive side of the ball. From my standpoint, I'm pleased with where we are right now."
Quarterback Tony Pike handled the spring game like a poised veteran, completing 25 of 35 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. Kelly said the two things he wanted to see from Pike were wide-field throws and a quick release on play-action, and Pike completed both missions.
Reserve quarterback Zach Collaros, who split his time this spring between football and playing on the baseball team, helped his cause by going 9-of-13 for 146 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown pass to Danny Milligan. Collaros is battling Chazz Anderson for the role of Pike's backup.
"My heart skips a little bit because I don't know what he's doing sometimes," Kelly said of Collaros. "But generally it comes out pretty good."
Armon Binns was the leading receiver, with seven catches for 74 yards and a score. Tight end Gino Guidugli added seven receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown.
The running game only produced 84 yards on 44 carries, but Kelly has been happy with his team's progress in that area this spring.
Derek Wolfe had two sacks for the defense. Ricardo Matthews had two tackles for loss and forced a fumble that he recovered.
The Cincinnati spring game marked the last official practice for any Big East team until fall camps open.
Evaluation period almost complete for Bearcats
CINCINNATI -- Saturday's spring game will mostly serve as a fan-friendly showcase and a cap to a busy weekend of events around campus, Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly said this morning. The serious evaluating of players is just about over.
So with just one real spring practice left, how does Kelly evaluate his defending Big East champions?
"I think we've done a very good job of implementing a system of defense that fits the personnel we have," Kelly said after Tuesday's practice in unseasonably chilly temperatures and occasional hail.
"I think we've got some very good depth in certain areas, particularly the defensive line. I feel much better about where we are at the cornerback position. On the offensive side of the ball, our offensive line is better and the ability to run the ball -- we've got five running backs that are in play right now with (John) Goebel, (Jacob) Ramsey, (Darrin) Williams, (Isaiah) Pead and (Scott) Johnson. So there are some things we can take away from the last three weeks that are pretty positive."
Among Kelly's remaining concerns this spring are depth at middle linebacker and safety and consistency at the tight end spot. But he likes the way Marcus Waugh, a senior who used to play fullback and tight end, has taken to the middle linebacker position. And converted wide receiver Marcus Barnett "has shown that he can be a Big East starting cornerback."
The defense, of course, was the biggest question mark heading into this spring after losing 10 senior starters and changing coordinators and scheme. In recent practices, though, the defense has outplayed the far more veteran offense. On Tuesday, the offense struck back, hitting several long pass plays in the first 11-on-11 drills. The defense rebounded near the end of practice during red-zone situations.
The Bearcats haven't released a depth chart this spring and won't until either just before or after Saturday's spring game. But the first-team defense on Tuesday was Derek Wolfe, Ricardo Matthews and Curtis Young up front, John Hughes, Robby Armstrong, J.K. Shafer, and Waugh at linebacker, Barnett and Brad Jones at corner and Aaron Webster and Drew Frey playing safety. Frey showed some toughness by having a dislocated finger popped back into place on the sidelines early in practice.
The offense has very few questions with Tony Pike clearly established as the starting quarterback. Wide receiver Vidal Hazelton is still trying to win clearance from the NCAA so he can play this year after transferring from USC; Cincinnati recently submitted his paperwork and is hoping for a ruling soon.
The punting game could use some more work, if Tuesday is any indication. While there were some boomers in the bunch, there were plenty of ugly ducklings mixed in. Kevin Huber isn't walking through that door.
Mostly, though, Kelly said the Bearcats know what they have now going into fall.
"If you're using the spring game to evaluate, then you probably didn't do a very good job leading up to it," he said.
Thoughts on Cincinnati's first spring practice
CINCINNATI -- Here are some of my observations from Cincinnati's first spring practice:
• The first thing that strikes you is how many new names and numbers you have to get to know. Of course, I knew going in that the Bearcats lost basically their entire defense, but it's still a little jarring not seeing any familiar faces or names on that side of the ball.
• Coach Brian Kelly won't release a depth chart until just before the spring game, and the staff is still trying to figure out who to play where on defense. But for those of you into reading tea leaves, here was the first-team defense when 11-on-11 work began: Ricardo Matthews, Derek Wolfe and Walter Stewart on the defensive line, Craig Carey, John Hughes, Robby Armstrong and J.K. Schafer at linebacker, Marcus Barnett and Brad Jones at cornerback and Aaron Webster and Drew Frey at safety.
The odds of that being the exact starting defense in Week 1 against Rutgers are about as good as my chances of picking every Big East game correctly this season. Veteran linebacker Andre Revels was out with knee problems. And expect Curtis Young to be in there as well.
• As you can tell from the lineup, the Bearcats did have a 3-4 alignment on defense. But they didn't just have three down linemen and four linebackers in traditional spots. Linebackers would sometimes put their hand down on the line of scrimmage before the snap and other times drop back as safeties in coverage. The defense can shift to multiple looks depending on what the offense does, and I think that's the point of this switch.
• New defensive coordinator Bob Diaco is a vocal and animated guy, and along with excitable defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, forms a lively 1-2 punch. One of the buzzwords both guys used on Tuesday was "jam." They were constantly reinforcing to the defensive backs to jam the receivers at the line of scrimmage. And Kelly, who's got a reputation as an offensive guy, spent a lot of time with the defense on Day 1.
• Demetrius Jones was with the second-team linebackers, but I didn't see anything noteworthy from him. Remember that it's early, and they're not in pads yet, so that doesn't mean much.
• Let's talk about the offense. Looks like Kelly has quite a box of toys to play with. Running backs Isaiah Pead and Darrin Williams should add a whole new dimension to the attack with their speed. Williams is an intriguing guy. He's listed at 5-foot-7, which might be generous. But he's powerfully built and has a nice burst. He could be the next mighty mite in the Big East, joining Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Victor Anderson.
• USC transfer Vidal Hazelton is listed at 210 pounds and looks pretty thick. He was playing the inside receiver spot with the second-teamers. He could be a load over the middle, and he seems more like a slot guy than a true deep threat. Of course, we won't see him play until 2010 unless he wins his NCAA appeal.
• Tony Pike made some pretty downfield throws. He could be ready for a monster year. One of his favorite targets was sophomore D.J. Woods, who could be in line for a breakout campaign.
• The Bearcats ran a little option look with Zach Collaros and others. I don't know if that will be incorporated at all this season if Pike stays healthy, but it's another wrinkle Kelly can consider.
• Former Cincinnati All-American punter Kevin Huber was on hand, and his potential replacements got to try a few kicks. Michael Cooke had the best day on that front, and the Bearcats used some rugby style kicks.
• That's enough for Day 1. I'll have some more practice reports from other schools later on this week.
You can't build a great defense without an outstanding defensive line. If you don't have run-stuffers or the ability to pressure the quarterback with your front four, then good luck.
Which Big East teams are feeling good about their trenches and which are looking for answers heading into spring practice? Let's take the temperature.
Feeling great:
• Pittsburgh: The Panthers might have the league's best pair of defensive ends in Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard. Losing nose tackle Rashaad Duncan hurts, but Pitt still has Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas to plug the middle. This was one of the Big East's best defensive lines in 2008 and should be just as good if not better in '09.
• South Florida: The Bulls should have the deepest and most talented defensive line in the league this season. Getting George Selvie back for his senior season was huge; he commands so much attention at defensive end that it opens up opportunities for everyone else. He's got a lot of help, too, with Terrell McClain, Sampson Genus, Aaron Harris, Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill in the middle and Craig Marshall at end, plus incoming players like Jason Pierre-Paul and Ryne Giddens. This group has a chance to be among the best in the nation.
• West Virginia: The Mountaineers have very few holes to fill on defense, though they must replace one starter up front in their 3-3-5 alignment. Either Julian Miller or Larry Ford should be able to step in for Doug Slavonic, while Chris Neild and Scooter Berry are back along an underrated defensive line.
Some questions:
• Connecticut: The Huskies lost a pair of senior defensive ends and dynamic disrupters in Cody Brown and Julius Williams. The good news is that defensive tackles Kendall Reyes and Twyon Martin played well as redshirt freshmen last season, and Lindsey Witten has shown in the past that he's a capable defensive end. UConn just needs to find a playmaker or two.
• Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights lost two major contributors up front with the graduation of end Jamaal Westerman and tackle Pete Tverdov. But there are plenty of experienced players here, and if huge recruits Antwan Lowery and Isaac Holmes can pitch in this season, Rutgers should be just fine on the D-line.
Big questions:
• Cincinnati: The Bearcats don't have any returning starters on the line, which was one of their main strengths in 2008. Plus, they're likely going to switch to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Bob Diaco. This spring will be all about finding guys who are ready to play and who can fill those roles in the new alignment. Look for Curtis Young and Ricardo Matthews to be among those fighting for time.
• Louisville: Three starters are gone, leaving a whole host of question marks for the Cardinals. They seemed to be playing four defensive tackles at times last season but hope a healthy Rodney Gnat and true sophomore Greg Scruggs can add speed to the edge. Steve Kragthorpe has also added some junior college transfers to the mix to help depth. Who will start there is anyone's guess right now.
• Syracuse: This unit was thrown into limbo with the news last week that star tackle Arthur Jones needed surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. There's no timetable yet for his return. If he's not at full strength to begin the season, then Syracuse's defense takes a huge hit. The defensive line already was dealing with the loss of two starters from 2008.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
