ESPN College Football

Jeff Casteel has got it all wrong.

The West Virginia defensive coordinator needs to hire a fast-talking agent, pronto. Perhaps he could enlist a marketing team. A website wouldn't hurt either.

Doesn't Casteel know this is the age of the superstar coordinator in college football, the guy who gets tons of face time during TV broadcasts and commands a salary of up to half a million dollars? Your name is supposed to be on every list of future head coaches, and if you can get one of those coach-in-waiting contracts, even better.

But Casteel is hiding in plain sight. He doesn't get much attention nationally despite annually overseeing one of the top defenses in the Big East and in the country.

"Jeff doesn't have an agent," head coach Bill Stewart said. "Jeff does not promote himself. I hope he stays under the radar screen so people leave him be and he can stay here forever."

If the Mountaineers' defense keeps performing like it has this season, then sooner or later people will have to start noticing Casteel.

West Virginia ranks third nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 12.3 points per game. It is No. 5 in total defense (245.8 yards per game), No. 4 in rushing defense (83.2 ypg), second in first downs allowed (just more than 12 per game) and 11th in both pass defense and sacks.

The defense had high expectations coming into this year as it returned nine starters, and that experience is paying off. Ten of the starters are either juniors or seniors, and many of them are multi-year contributors. Defensive linemen Chris Neild, Scooter Berry and Julian Miller, linebacker J.T. Thomas and defensive backs Sidney Glover, Robert Sands and Brandon Hogan have an average of 28 career starts between them.

"They haven't changed a call in three years," said South Florida offensive coordinator Todd Fitch, whose team managed only a pair of field goals against the Mountaineers in a 20-6 loss last week. "These guys have been playing three years in a row and have tremendous experience, and so they can handle adjustments, they can handle adversity and success.

"I don't know if they have any All-Americans running around, but they're all really good players. I think it's really the cohesion and the speed they play with because they're confident and know what they're doing."

Just attributing the defense's success to veteran moxie would do a disservice to Casteel's work, however. Several players have made great improvement, especially cornerback Keith Tandy, who went from a hide-your-eyes liability to a solid defender who has four interceptions and just won Big East defensive player of the week honors. West Virginia lost leading returning tackler Pat Lazear to a knee injury in preseason camp, but Casteel adjusted by moving Anthony Leonard back to the middle and inserting Najee Goode into the starting lineup.

"The way Anthony has played has been a big key," Casteel said. "And Najee is starting to make some big plays. The more confidence he gets, the better he's going to play."

Casteel has been on the WVU staff since 2001 and the sole defensive coordinator since 2003. His 3-3-5 stack defenses have had some great years in the past, including 2007 when they finished seventh in the FBS in total defense. The Mountaineers finished 11th in points allowed in '08. Yet when people talk about West Virginia, the conversation usually revolves around Pat White, Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, Jock Sanders, Geno Smith ...

"It's always been about the offensive stars," Stewart said. "[But] I've said it since I've been the head coach and I'll say it again: Jeff's defenses kept us in games way back in the early 2000s, and he has done it since I've been a head coach."

So why hasn't Casteel gotten more publicity? For one, the Paden City, W. Va., native is happy in his home state. He turned down a chance to follow Rich Rodriguez to Michigan after 2007. And he's not the type to toot his own horn.

"I really don't concern myself with those things," he said. "That's for other people to discuss. I just try to come in and do the best job I can. It doesn't matter to me whether anybody is talking about Jeff Casteel. There are a lot of great assistants here, too, who work their tails off. That stuff is not really not on my radar."

I asked Casteel whether he was interested in becoming a head coach or if he was a guy just happy to be a coordinator.

"If the right opportunity came along, no question about it," he said. "But I don't actively try to get out and seek things because I can't do that and do a good job here. If the opportunity to be a head coach came along, it's something I would look at. Everything is about being in the right situation. West Virginia is a good place and I'm happy here."

The marketing folks have a difficult case on their hands here. Jeff Casteel has a lot to learn about the superstar culture.

Go ahead and poke some fun at Scooter Berry's age. His coach does it, and Berry doesn't mind.

"I'm actually 37," Berry joked. "My birthday is next week."

He's not that old, but Berry -- who recently turned 24 -- is the elder statesman on West Virginia. He joined the Mountaineers way back in 2006.

"It's weird watching young guys coming in who are 18, 19 years old," he said. "But at the same time, I think I can show them and teach them a lot. I have a lot of knowledge and consider myself a coach on the field."

Unfortunately, Berry spent far too much time on the sideline with the coaches in 2009. And he didn't always set the best example for others to follow.

The 2008 All-Big East defensive linemen had a forgettable junior season. He missed five games because of suspension and injuries and had to sit out the Gator Bowl because of academics.

He tore up his shoulder early in the season against East Carolina, setting him down the wrong path.

"I wanted to get surgery right away, but they talked me into playing hurt," he said. "It's fine, because guys play hurt and I did it. But I wasn't used to it."

Berry hurt his knee while hitting Marshall running back Darius Marshall and says overcompensating for the shoulder injury was to blame. But there was no one else to blame for his other troubles. He was arrested Oct. 18 for public intoxication and disorderly conduct, drawing a suspension from Bill Stewart.

"I dropped the ball," he said. "You've got to be a man about something like that. It was like there was a fork in the road, and I went straight. But it's all about how you bounce back from something like that."

The way he approached it was to embrace his age and stop partying like a college student. Now, he says, he tries to focus on football and not much else. And after sitting out this spring to heal his injuries, he's in great shape and raring to go for Saturday's opener against Coastal Carolina.

He should be a stalwart on what looks like one of the best defensive lines in the Big East. Senior Chris Neild anchors the middle, with sack artist Julian Miller on the other side. The Mountaineers also have Josh Taylor, who saw time last year, and promising newcomers Will Clarke and Bruce Irvin.

"[Defensive line] Coach [Bill] Kirelawich always talks about depth on the defensive line, but since I've been here we've never really had that," Berry said. "Now, it's not just one deep or two deep. There are people behind that who can come in and play well. It's good for the defense to be able to rotate a lot of guys and keep them fresh."

An old guy like Berry might need a few breaks here and there to stay healthy. But he's also ready to make up for the disappointment of last season.

"I feel like I have a lot to prove," he said. "Not to everyone else, but to myself. I feel like if I leave everything on the field, then at the end of the day, I'll be happy with the outcome."

Lots of links today as I head to Cincinnati to check out the Bearcats' practice ...

• Rutgers' Mason Robinson has moved back to wide receiver to help a depleted group. The injury to J.T. Tartacoff was not as bad as feared.
• UConn guard Mathieu Olivier went through Senior Day ceremonies last season, but then decided he wanted to come back for more. Andrew Opoku has moved again -- this time to tight end.
• John Goebel is back for Cincinnati after injuries wrecked the running back's 2009 season.
• Scooter Berry says he's back for West Virginia.
• Andrew Tiller may play a bigger role for Syracuse after dropping more than 70 pounds since last year.
• Only one true freshman is expected to play this season for Pitt. For now.
• Skip Holtz and Butch Jones are among the first-year coaches Tony Barnhart expects to succeed.
• Freshman running back Bradley Battles is making an impression at South Florida. The Bulls landed an offensive lineman.
• Louisville's Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell share a tight bond, though that wasn't always the case.
• This is a couple of days old now, but the impact of a possible Big East Network is discussed.

• Averin Collier didn't report at Syracuse and it looks like the backup running back won't play in 2010.
• Butch Jones is humble, hungry and full of motivational ploys. That might make him the right coach for Cincinnati right now.
• Greg Romeus was carted off the field, but the Pitt star is OK. The Panthers have no excuses this year.
• Scooter Berry feels like West Virginia's old man in his sixth academic year.
• D.J. Shoemate can't wait to start his next chapter at UConn.
• Another USF receiver went down.
• Louisville wants Victor Anderson to avoid too much punishment.
• Rutgers' Kordell Young is determined to keep playing despite multiple injuries.

Rolling on with our post-spring position rankings in the Big East. We turn to the defense now and start up front with the linemen. Remember that depth matters as well as star power:

1. Pittsburgh: The Panthers had the best defensive line in the league a year ago, and that remains the case even without defensive tackle, and Big East co-defensive player of the year, Mick Williams. Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard are the best pair of defensive ends in the league, while tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih are solid at tackle. There's depth, too, with emerging young players like Tyrone Ezell and Shayne Hale.

2. West Virginia: What was a thin position at times last year has become an area of strength for the Mountaineers. Chris Neild is a beast at nose tackle, while Scooter Berry and Julian Miller (nine sacks in '09) bring experience to the defensive end spots in the 3-3-5 scheme. Will Clarke looks like a future star, while junior college import Bruce Irvin is expected to add depth this summer.

3. Rutgers: Three of the four starters return, including senior Alex Silvestro and sophomore Scott Vallone. Jonathan Freeny should be ready for a starting role after recording nine sacks as a rush specialist a year ago, while Eric LeGrand, Justin Francis and redshirt freshmen Andre Civil and Isaac Holmes are around to provide excellent depth.

4. South Florida: Yes, George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul are gone. Still, new Bulls defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said the line had SEC-caliber depth this spring. Tackles Terrell McClain and Keith McCaskill and end Craig Marshall are the veterans of the group. If Ryne Giddins, Julius Forte and junior college star Claude Davis develop as expected, this line could be among the most feared in the league.

5. Connecticut: Kendall Reyes and Twyon Martin are moving into their third year as starters at tackle (though Martin found himself in the doghouse this spring). Promising sophomores Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams return at end along with Marcus Campbell, who missed last year because of academics. Getting converted linebacker Greg Lloyd back from knee surgery this summer would help provide depth, and UConn lacks some size on the edge.

6. Cincinnati: Derek Wolfe is an elite run-stopper in the middle, but the Bearcats will need improved production from Dan Giordano, John Hughes and Brandon Mills. Depth is a serious concern behind the starting unit.

7. Syracuse: Replacing Arthur Jones in the middle is no easy task. His younger brother, Chandler, could be ready to break out as a star defensive end after recording 10.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore. Mikhail Marinovich could join him in opposing backfields from the other end spot. This line held its own last year but lacks proven stars.

8. Louisville: The Cardinals' defensive line looked like a mess this spring, with no standout ends and lacked size and strength on the interior. Greg Scruggs was moved from end to tackle despite weighing just 270 pounds. It's been a couple of years since the Louisville defensive line truly could pressure opposing quarterbacks with any consistency; at least head coach Charlie Strong knows how to build a good defense.

The product you see in spring practice isn't necessarily indicative of the team you'll see in the fall. That's because several players are held out of spring drills because of injury, academics or just plain precaution.

The following is a list of players who missed all or significant parts of the spring and need to come through for their teams when it really counts.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats had a lot of injuries this spring that cost several players time. They'll need right tackle C.J. Cobb (ankle surgery) to come back strong, and, of course, they hope running back Isaiah Pead's sore knee that kept him out of the spring game isn't serious.

Connecticut: Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson didn't play this spring because of offseason shoulder surgery, and the Huskies' secondary badly needs his playmaking abilities. Offensive lineman Jimmy Bennett and Greg Lloyd could add valuable depth in the trenches if they recover from knee problems.

Louisville: Running backs Victor Anderson (shoulder surgery) and Jeremy Wright (sports hernia) were either limited or missed time this spring. That position should be one of the Cardinals' strong suits this season. And they'll need good health from safety Terrence Simien (kidney).

Pittsburgh: Safeties Andrew Taglianetti (knee) and Dom DeCicco (foot) should be fully healed by fall camp, adding much-needed depth and experience to the Panthers' secondary.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights already had some kinks to work out in their offensive line, and that wasn't helped by injuries to center Howard Barbieri and tackle Desmond Wynn this spring. Obviously, both guys need to come back strong for Rutgers to capitalize on its potential.

South Florida: If the Bulls could get anything out of receiver A.J. Love (torn ACL) this spring, it would provide a major bonus. And, of course, quarterback B.J. Daniels needs to be fully recovered from his shoulder surgery, but no one expects that to be a problem.

Syracuse: The Orange managed to avoid the injury bug for the most part. But standout linebacker Doug Hogue needed knee surgery after the spring game. He should be fine by the time August arrives. And, naturally, suspended running back Delone Carter's status will be a question that lingers through the summer.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers won't get where they want to go unless quarterback Geno Smith (foot) is able to do a whole lot more than he could this spring. Getting Scooter Berry back to his 2008 form would also help the defensive line immensely.

Chris Neild might be one of the most underappreciated players in the Big East. At least outside of Morgantown.

The West Virginia senior might have had only 35 tackles and no sacks last season, but numbers can't begin to define how valuable he is. Neild is the Big East's best nose tackle and a key to the Mountaineers' 3-3-5 defensive scheme.

Neild has to take on blockers in the middle in order for that scheme to work. And the 6-foot-2, 301-pounder does that to perfection.

"I've just got to do my job and do what I do to free up the linebackers," he said. "I've got to be at the right place at the right moment. That could be occupying two guys or even three guys."

Now entering his third year of starting, Neild understands that he's not going to get a lot of glory. Instead, he's going to do a lot of dirty work in the trenches.

"If teams want to focus on the running game, I know it's going to be a long day for me," he said. "But I've got the feeling down and know what I'm supposed to be doing."

If Neild is relatively unknown outside of West Virginia, he is cherished by his team. Head coach Bill Stewart praised Neild's leadership this spring and said he needed to find guys like Neild at other positions with his attitude and work ethic, like in the secondary.

Neild helped keep the defensive line strong last year despite injuries and other issues that forced Scooter Berry out and with young players like Julian Miller learning the ropes. This season, the Mountaineers are deep and experienced up front with all three starters back.

"What we have is potential," Neild said. "It means nothing until we put it out on the field. But when we get those numbers out there, I think we'll be a real force to be dealt with."

And no doubt Neild will be right in the middle of that force.

2009 overall record: 9-4

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

Returning starters: Offense: 9. Defense: 9. Punter/kicker: 1

Top returners
RB Noel Devine, WR Jock Sanders, WR Bradley Starks, LB J.T. Thomas, DT Chris Neild, S Robert Sands, DE Scooter Berry

Key losses
QB Jarrett Brown, LB Reed Williams, OT Selvish Capers, WR Alric Arnett

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Noel Devine* (1,465 yards)

Passing: Jarrett Brown (2,144 yards)

Receiving: Jock Sanders* (688 yards)

Tackles: Pat Lazear* (78)

Sacks: Julian Miller* (9)

Interceptions: Robert Sands* (5)

Spring answers

1. Experience matters: West Virginia returns 18 starters on offense and defense, most in the Big East, so even a few injuries and other issues that kept players out of practice this spring weren't a big deal. The coaching staff has the luxury of plugging in veterans at virtually every position, and when the first-stringers finally came together in the spring game, they looked very sharp. This is a team that should be ready to go from the opening gate.

2. White is all right: With projected starting quarterback Geno Smith limited throughout the spring by a foot injury, sophomore Coley White took the vast majority of the snaps. Though some had questioned whether he could play quarterback at this level, White showed great improvement throughout the spring and could easily lead the Mountaineers to victory if something goes wrong with Smith.

3. Backfield in motion: The Mountaineers should not have many problems running the ball this season. Devine returned and looks poised for a monster senior year. Shawne Alston also impressed at times, as well as fullback/tailback Ryan Clarke. West Virginia could also use Tavon Austin, Sanders and Daquan Hargrett as ball carriers.

Fall questions

1. Wideout depth: The defections of Deon Long and Logan Heastie before spring thinned the receiving corps. Sanders is a stud in the slot, but Starks needs to have a big year as one of the team's few deep threats. The pint-sized Austin has to show he can be effective outside of the slot, and Stedman Bailey must continue to make improvements. Incoming freshman Ivan McCartney could play an immediate role as well.

2. The offensive line: The Mountaineers return four starters who took virtually every snap last season. Still, coach Bill Stewart expressed concern about the right side of the line, including right tackle, where Selvish Capers must be replaced. There's a lot of experience up front, but this unit needs to gel this fall.

3. Improved leadership: Stewart called for more leadership from his team this spring, particularly among the underclassmen. The Mountaineers have solid senior leaders in guys like Devine, Sanders, Chris Neild and J.T. Thomas. But Stewart would like to see fewer young players running stadium stairs or riding exercise bikes during fall practice.

The West Virginia spring game was a good, old-fashioned blowout.

That's because coach Bill Stewart stacked the Blue team with the starters and most of the key reserves. Not surprisingly, then, that loaded side beat the Gold squad 38-0.

Coley White played quarterback for both sides as Geno Smith sat out because of his foot injury. White, who had a really strong spring, went 16-for-25 for 162 yards and three scores while playing for the Blue side. He was 6-for-11 for 27 yards and two interceptions for the Blue, which managed only 47 yards on 27 plays against the first-string defense.

Stewart praised White and said he wants Pat White's younger brother "to keep his hand in the quarterback position" this fall when Smith returns and two promising freshmen arrive. White will likely be a slot receiver once fall camp begins.

The fans got to see the Mountaineers stars shine, as Noel Devine had 73 yards on 12 carries and Jock Sanders had 70 receiving yards. Bradley Starks was limited with an ankle injury, while Scooter Berry and J.T. Thomas sat out with injuries. Cornerback Brandon Hogan, who's had some issues this spring that have kept him off the practice field, started the game and had an interception.

"Defensively, we didn’t just play base," Stewart said. "We didn’t go out there and do a three-man front or a base four-man rush. We did a lot of stuff on both sides of the ball. That was good. I wanted to see our defense fly around, knock the ball and create some turnovers."

West Virginia drew 21,029 fans to the Friday night scrimmage, one of the largest spring game crowds in school history and most in the Big East this year.

It took West Virginia seemingly forever to hit the practice field this spring, so how did the Mountaineers look on Tuesday night?

Rusty and disjointed, according to the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman. That's largely because the Mountaineers aren't playing with a full cast.

Geno Smith, of course, is limited because of his foot injury. Defensive lineman Scooter Berry, coming back from shoulder surgery, likely won't do much except some work on his own. Starting cornerback Brandon Hogan and fullback/tailback Ryan Clarke ran the stadium steps Tuesday as punishment. Starting safety Sidney Glover will miss most Tuesday practices because of a class conflict.

Glover should be fine. But it's a little disconcerting that Hogan, who's coming off a disappointing year, and Clarke, who was in the doghouse his true freshman year, are not meeting expectations so far. As Hickman says:

No wonder at the end of the first of 15 spring practices Stewart preferred to talk in generalities. Specific bright spots, after all, were hard to find.

"But we're going to have a good spring, I assure you of that,'' Stewart said. "You always have issues.''

Smith is wearing the non-contact jersey, of course, but he is able to go through pass skeleton drills. He broke his left foot in January.

"It was a sharp pain," he told reporters. "I immediately thought it was a sprain. A lot of doubt went through my mind, but the next day I got back on my grind and started working again and I am here now.

"I want to do as much in spring practice as they want me to do. I will do what my team needs me to do and much as the trainers say I can do."

Meanwhile, Smith's status makes this spring very intriguing for Coley White, Bob Hertzel writes in the Times West Virginian. Stewart praised the way White threw the ball Tuesday night, but White was hoping to move to wide receiver this spring in order to get more playing time.

Perhaps circumstances will thrust him into a starring role, as they did with his older brother, Pat. Hertzel writes:

White isn’t looking at it as retarding his transition to wide receiver. He believes he knows the position as well as he can because the quarterback must know all the positions, and there’s always the idea that maybe fate has intervened here in some way.

“I may have a good spring,” he said. “You never know.”

This is Part II of my conversation with West Virginia coach Bill Stewart. You can read Part I here.

How happy were you to get Noel Devine back?

Bill Stewart: Noel is 1,000 yards, 1,200 yards, 1,500 yards ... I'd love to see him have a banner year, I really would. I'd love to see him have one of the greatest years ever because he's so deserving. He came back when he could have gone out. He's such a great role model. He's matured so much and become such a leader; he's become a leader in the community. This guy has done everything right. There couldn't be a better script than for him to come out on top.

On the defensive line, you have three starters back, and it looks like you have more depth now than last year.


BS: I was very, very, very frustrated with our defensive line depth and quality of play [in 2009]. Chris Neild, he's a warrior. If there is anybody better in the league, I didn't see him. He's one of those five, six, seven or eight guys in the league where you just say, 'Wow, this guy's a player.'

Julian Miller got better, Scooter [Berry] is back. We're so young behind them, but we've got some big, tall, fast, rangy youngsters who'll bring a lot of excitement to us, and it will be a whole lot easier on to get those boys in the game. So I'm excited about what we have; it just hasn't been done yet. The three older guys -- Neild, Miller and Berry -- we've got to get them some help. We've got to have some guys who can get them off the field and make some quality plays. We didn't have that last year. If you're going to win big, you've got to have two defensive lines.

I've heard good things about Will Clarke.

BS: Will Clarke will be a dandy. I think you're going to love B.J. Irvin. Some of these guys are growing and getting bigger. We'll be young, but, hey, we're going to let them play.

You have three returning starters at linebacker. How about that position and the depth behind them?


BS: J.T. Thomas, of course, is a leader. But, again, we've got to have quality play out of our young people. We can't play three seniors all year. That's like last year on the defensive line, we played three guys and nobody else played so nobody got any experience.

We've got to get some quality depth because three guys will be graduating and they're all young behind them. So we've got to find some young linebackers to provide us some quality depth. Those are my two biggest concerns of the defense. Can we find three more guys on the defensive line and three good young linebackers to say, hey, we can play at this level. That's what were not doing right now, I don't think. I'm very concerned about that.

You return a lot in the secondary. Do you feel like that's one of your strengths right now?


BS: I hate losing Nate Sowers and Boogie Allen, but really we lost two starters on defense: Reed Williams and Boogie/Nate, so it was three guys at two positions, if that makes sense. So we should be better. We're more cagey now, wiser now. We should make more plays out of the secondary with the corners and the safeties. They've been young the last two years and now we're ready. Those guys should step up and really be our leaders.

We used to be able to move around with guys like [Eric] Wicks and [Ryan] Mundy. We haven't had that the last couple of years. We line up and people know what we're doing. We've been scared, not cagey. Now I want to challenge them to do more. I want to play more man, I want to be cagey and disguise our coverages and I want to attack more. It all starts back in that secondary.

Robert Sands really came on at the end of the year at safety. How good can he be for you?


BS: He's a big, fast, powerful man. He needs to have a year for himself, and for West Virginia of course, a breakout year like Bradley Starks needs to have. And this would really set the stage for these guys. Starks needs to become an offensive star like Noel and Robert Sands needs to become a defensive star. He's got to be like Neild in the secondary. And then you say, 'Wow, OK, now we're cooking. This is really good.'

Overall, and we've already touched on a few of them, what are your most pressing issues for this spring?

BS: First and foremost, offensively we've got to get more consistent and finish. We were 9-3 and we had one bad quarter at Auburn offensively. Jarrett [Brown] tried to force that ball to Noel when the blitz came, and if he had thrown that ball to Jock [Sanders] he still may be running. But we didn't finish the fourth quarter at Auburn. We didn't finish three quarters at Tampa. For whatever reason, we're 2-3 against those guys [South Florida].

So we've got to learn how to be consistent and finish. That's all I keep telling them as an offense -- I want to finish the deal, close the deal, finish, finish, finish. I want to spread the wealth. I told you we've got two fine tight ends. I'm going to put Tavon Austin in the starting lineup. I want to feature Noel. I told him and Jock to get their butts in the best shape possible because, lads, you're going to be touching the ball.

But it all depends on, can our young quarterback -- whoever it is, because I don't know who it's going to be -- can he take this football team over and lead?

On defense, I think we need to become even more aggressive than we've been. I want to do even more blitzing, spend more time on man coverage. I think we've got guys who can lock you down and get after the quarterback. I want that [opposing] quarterback to know that when you play the Mountaineers, you'd better get it off and get it off quick, because it's coming. So more man coverage, more pressure and if we don't get more depth, it's going to bite us.

We're approaching the top five in the Big East postseason player rankings, and you can probably figure out which five players those are without much trouble, if not the exact order.

So what about those who just missed the cut? Making a list of just 30 players across an eight-team league means some really good players have to be left off. Let's start with a look at those on my preseason list who failed to duplicate the honor in the postseason:

No. 3: Matt Grothe: A terrific career, obviously, but the South Florida quarterback's season was cut down by a knee injury before it ever really got going, and his pro potential is questionable at best.

No. 7: Victor Anderson: Another guy who's season was hampered by injury. Anderson posted only 473 rushing yards for Louisville, though he remains capable of big things in the next two years.

No. 10: Reed Williams: The West Virginia linebacker could have easily made this list, as he's not only an excellent player but a terrific leader. Just missed because he, too, was limited at times because of injuries.

No. 11: Ryan D'Imperio: The Rutgers linebacker wasn't nearly as productive as he had been, with his tackles dipping down to 76. But he wasn't fully healthy either.

No. 12: Scott Lutrus: Starting to sound like a broken record here. The Huskies linebacker missed huge chunks of time with various injuries and was surpassed on this list by teammate Lawrence Wilson. But he'll be a prominent preseason candidate for top 30 designation.

No. 15: Aaron Berry: The Pitt corner had a solid but not spectacular season.

No. 16: Robert Vaughn: The UConn safety dropped because of a poor overall performance by the Huskies' secondary.

No. 17: Scooter Berry: The West Virginia tackle missed significant time with injuries and a suspension.

No 19: Scott Long: My most controversial preseason pick had the misfortune of playing for a bad offense. But the Louisville receiver did get an NFL combine invite.

No. 21: Jessie Hester: The South Florida wideout struggled with injuries for much of 2009 and never regained his '08 form.

No. 22: Ryan Blaszczyk: The Rutgers offensive line disappointed, dragging its center's ranking down with it.

No. 24: Brandon Hogan: Improved as season went on; could easily make the preseason list this summer.

No. 25: Mike Williams: Was arguably the league's top receiver for half the year. But you don't quit your team midseason and expect to make a list of the league's best.

No. 27: Jock Sanders: A tough, tough omission from the list, especially considering he had 72 catches for West Virginia. What decided it for me was that he averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch and had only three touchdowns, and his production took a nosedive late in the season.

No. 28: Nate Byham: Still a terrific blocking tight end, but his pass-catching opportunities instead went to Dorin Dickerson, and I didn't want to put two Pitt tight ends on the list.

No. 29: Jon Dempsey: Had a fine year (107 tackles), but it was hard to tell by the end of the season whether he or Chris Campa was Louisville's best linebacker. No Cardinals made the postseason top 30, which gives you an idea of the challenge facing Charlie Strong.

No. 30: Moe Petrus: The UConn center was part of a terrific line, but Chris Jurek and Sampson Genus edged him out for the first- and second-team All-Big East center positions as voted by the coaches.

OK, now that we've exposed how far off my preseason list was, here are a few other players who barely missed the postseason cut:

Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: An interesting decision here. He was outstanding in less than half a season's worth of work, including a record-breaking performance against UConn. And his potential is off the charts. Probably should have included him, but I just felt he didn't play enough in 2009. He'll definitely be on the preseason list, and probably awfully high.

Zach Hurd, UConn, and John Malecki, Pitt: Two of the best guards in the league, a position which sadly wasn't represented on this list. Guards are like the Rodney Dangerfield of football.

J.T. Thomas, West Virginia, and Adam Gunn, Pitt: Excellent linebackers in a league that's stacked at that position.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: He was at times the Bearcats' best weapon when defenses concentrated on Mardy Gilyard. You wonder how much the system inflates the stats of receivers. Binns, though, will surely appear on the summer list.

Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia: I thought he was one of the top two or three interior linemen in the league. Just missed.

I'm sure I'm failing to mention other worthy candidates, but I've already gone on and on long enough. Sound off on other players you think should have made it, or why I'm crazy for not including some of these on the list.

Signing day is fast approaching, and every team is scrambling to put together or keep intact this year's class. So let's look at what each Big East team's pressing needs are going into this year's recruiting season.

Cincinnati

Receiver: Mardy Gilyard is gone, Armon Binns is a senior and Vidal Hazelton and D.J. Woods will be juniors. It's time to bring in the next wave of playmakers for the spread offense.

Defensive line: The Bearcats lose both starting defensive ends and their hybrid outside linebacker in the 3-4. The end of last season showed the need to get bigger and tougher up front.

Connecticut

Receiver: UConn made great strides in the passing game this year but still needs more reliable targets at wideout, especially with Marcus Easley and Brad Kanuch graduating. The Huskies brought in young receivers last year like Dwayne Difton, and they need to stay on that path.

Defensive back: Connecticut doesn't lose a whole lot off the 2009 team, but the secondary is one place that needs some restocking. Corner Robert McClain and safety Robert Vaughn were both seniors. Redshirt freshman Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz showed promise at corner late in the year, but more depth would help.

Linebacker: The Huskies will have an experienced linebacker corps next year, with Scott Lutrus, Lawrence Wilson and Greg Lloyd -- the latter may move to defensive line -- all seniors. Since Randy Edsall likes to redshirt as many freshmen as possible, this would be a good year to begin finding their eventual replacements.

Louisville

Depth: The Cardinals may have had the least amount of overall talent of any Big East team this season and have few pro prospects on the roster. First-year coach Charlie Strong's first order of business is simply to stock the cupboard.

Quarterback: Of the three players who started under center for the Cardinals last year, two (Justin Burke and Adam Froman) will be seniors, while the other (Will Stein) was a walk-on. None are considered pro prospects. Strong needs a major talent upgrade at that position.

Trenches: Louisville loses both starting defensive tackles, and three of its starting offensive linemen will be seniors. The team needs better players on both lines in order to compete consistently.

Pittsburgh

Cornerback: Starting corners Aaon Berry and Jovani Chappel were seniors, presenting one pressing need to a team that is otherwise well stocked. Pitt has signed a junior-college corner to help bridge the gap.

Receiver: Jonathan Baldwin will probably go to the NFL after this season. Which means the Panthers will need to start identifying the next great player at a position that's been manned in the past by Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald.

Quarterback: Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick will battle it out for the starting job this spring. But there's little depth behind them, especially with last year's signee, Kolby Gray, moving to safety.

Rutgers

Offensive line: The Scarlet Knights lose three starters from this year's O-line: center Ryan Blaszczyk, left tackle Anthony Davis and right tackle Kevin Haslam. That makes finding some young guys up front a priority.

Defensive back: Star corner Devin McCourty and starting safety Zaire Kitchen are gone. Rutgers has some promising young players in the secondary, especially at corner, but could use some future help at safety and more depth overall.

South Florida

Defensive line: The Bulls didn't expect Jason Pierre-Paul to bolt for the NFL after one season when they signed him. That loss, along with the graduation of George Selvie, exposes the need for a big-time pass rusher, though last year's top signee, Ryne Giddins, could become that.

Linebacker: Middle linebacker and leading tackler Kion Wilson was a senior, as was weakside starter Chris Robinson. The Bulls love rising sophomore Sam Barrington, but they need some future stars around him.

Running back: The past few years, South Florida has always had a lot of tailbacks but no true standout. With Mo Plancher graduating and Mike Ford a senior, new coach Skip Holtz may want to locate a true No. 1 running back for the future.

Syracuse

Depth: Like Louisville, Syracuse needs bodies. The roster was decimated by injuries and departures last season, and Doug Marrone's program won't take off until it has enough depth to compete week to week.

Linebacker: The position should be in decent shape this year, but there isn't much behind the projected starters. It's telling that Marrone already has commitments from six linebackers.

Playmakers: Once Mike Williams quit, the Orange struggled to do much in the passing game. Marrone needs receivers, running backs and tight ends in order to employ a more wide open, multiple offense like he oversaw with the New Orleans Saints.

West Virginia

Linebacker: West Virginia's needs for 2010 aren't plentiful since a ton of starters return. But the Mountaineers lost middle linebacker and defensive stalwart Reed Williams to graduation, and they could start three seniors there this season. Time to restock.

Receiver: Jock Sanders' return was a boost, but the team also lost Alric Arnett and Wes Lyons and is still looking for a dependable No. 1 wideout to complement an increased passing game.

Defensive line: Depth was an issue up front this past season, with Scooter Berry in and out of the lineup and junior college signee Tevita Finau never showing up. Berry and nose tackle Chris Neild will both be seniors this season.

A brief primer on Friday's Konica Minolta Gator Bowl matchup between West Virginia (9-3) and Florida State (6-6):

WHO TO WATCH: Noel Devine. The electric West Virginia tailback is one of the most exciting players in college football. But the junior might be playing in his last game for the Mountaineers as a potential NFL career beckons. Florida State allowed more than 200 yards rushing per game this season, ranking 108th in the nation. The conditions seem perfect for a huge final performance from Devine in his home state.

WHAT TO WATCH: These two teams are built on speed, and you know you'll see a lot of athletes all over the field. West Virginia's offense isn't what it used to be, but Florida State's former defensive superiority has gone MIA. A big key will be how Seminoles freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel handles himself in a bowl spotlight and against the Mountaineers' unusual 3-3-5 defensive scheme. West Virginia's defense found a new gear late in the season and -- even without ineligible starters Scooter Berry and Nate Sowers -- could cause the inexperienced signal-caller lots of problems.

WHY WATCH: Of course, the only reason Florida State is even in Jacksonville is because of Bobby Bowden's last game. Anyone with an appreciation of college football history will want to see one of the sport's true lions -- and a real gentleman -- coach one more time. From a West Virginia perspective, the Mountaineers can finish with a 10-win season and start building for next year, when a lot of key players return. Bill Stewart can improve to 3-0 in bowl games. And the Big East can notch another scalp against the ACC.

PREDICTION: West Virginia has clearly had the better season and is a better team. But the Mountaineers will be an underdog in this game because of the tidal wave of support for Bowden and the emotion the Seminoles will surely bring to the field. Florida State comes out firing, but inspiration can't cover for all the mistakes Bowden's club has made throughout the year. West Virginia in a squeaker, 27-25.

When Scooter Berry reflects on the 2009 season, he might just want to forget most of it.

The West Virginia junior defensive tackle missed time early this season with a shoulder injury. Then in October, he was suspended by coach Bill Stewart after being arrested outside a night club for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

Berry worked his way back onto the field, but he won't play in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. West Virginia announced today that Berry, along with starting safety Nate Sowers, is ineligible for the game against Florida State.

The school didn't provide further details, but Berry said this on his Twitter page:

"I was ruled inel yesterday by the University, GPA is good but since I didn't pass more than2 classes in my major I'm not allowed to play."

Berry was a second-team All-Big East performer last year but ended up appearing in only eight games this season, recording 15 tackles and a sack. In his absence, the Mountaineers will likely have to rely on sophomore Josh Taylor to step forward. Taylor has 20 tackles, two sacks and an interception on the year.

The loss of Berry thins a defensive line that already lacked much experienced depth. And the secondary will have to do some shuffling without Sowers, who has 43 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in 12 games this season. Franchot "Boogie" Allen or Eain Smith could take Sowers' starting spot.

Since Sowers is a senior, his college career is over. Berry has another year of eligibility, and he must hope that next season is far better than this one.