ESPN College Football

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

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

Cincinnati

• Alex Hoffman, OL
• JK Schaffer, LB

UConn

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

Louisville

• Chris Philpott, K

Pitt

• Myles Caragein, DT

Rutgers

• Scott Vallone, NT

USF

• Chaz Hine, C
• Joel Miller, WR

Syracuse

• Torrey Ball, DT
• Kevyn Scott, CB

West Virginia

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

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The time for talking has ended. Game time is almost here. A few important notes for you to chew on as West Virginia and Clemson prepare to kick off in the Discover Orange Bowl.

1. The Big Ten is officiating this game. So no talk about the referees having it in for West Virginia because it is en route to the Big 12.

2. Watch for the receiver rotation. Tyler Urban has been banged up, and Brad Starks is out so that means guys like Ivan McCartney, Devon Brown and J.D. Woods are going to have to step up. Also remember Dustin Garrison is out, and he was tied for fourth on the team with 24 receptions. Woods is coming off his most productive game, with four catches for 38 yards against USF.

Coach Dana Holgorsen was asked about Woods this week and said, "

"Well, we gave him a chance. And one of the things that as a head coach you try to get your guys to be accountable for what their actions are, and J.D. wasn't doing a very good job of that from an academic standpoint to a workout standpoint. He thought a lot of stuff was optional, so he wasn't able to play very much. That was carrying over on the field.

"Eleven games later he was functioning right. I guess he wanted to stay playing some football when we were playing in Florida. He's from Naples, so when we went to South Florida he had his best week of practice, we put him in there and he made plays. Then when we get to go to the Orange Bowl, I guess he figured he'd start practicing good again, so he had 15 good practices because he gets to play in Miami. I guess we'll play all our games in Florida and he'll come out and he'll practice well and do what he's supposed to do."

Let's not forget, McCartney is from Miramar, Fla., down the street from Sun Life Stadium.

3. Which young player is going to step up? Take your pick, plenty of young players will be relied upon in this game -- Andrew Buie? Wes Tonkery? Shaq Petteway? McCartney? Right guard Quinton Spain is going to have to have a good game as well to help keep the Clemson pass rush at bay.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Your final links of the week ...

• Two players from Cincinnati and one from USF made Darren Rovell's all-college football name team. Athletic director Mike Thomas reflects on his time at Cincinnati.
• There is heavy competition at linebacker at UConn. The Huskies get another commitment.
• Louisville has some "crazy young talent."
• Pitt is making adjustments along the offensive line. Todd Thomas is home at last. Highly touted running back Rushel Shell has made a decision on where he will go to school but won't make it known until October. Is he hinting it's Pitt?
• Shane Meisner keeps the excitement on the inside for Rutgers. Paul Carrezola and D.C. Jefferson are relishing the competition at tight end.
• Syracuse noseguard Eric Crume has a combination of size and explosion.
• USF was relieved to have B.J. Daniels back at practice.
• West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin doesn't understand why he is being labeled "overrated." Tyler Urban expands his blocking horizons.

Big East blogger Andrea Adelson identifies Tyler Urban as an impact player for the Mountaineers in 2011.

I had a chance to catch up with West Virginia receiver Tyler Urban, and we discussed his transition from tight end to receiver. Urban is listed as No. 1 on the depth chart at Y-receiver, ahead of Wake Forest transfer Devon Brown. Here is a little of what Urban had to say:

AA: What do you think when you hear fans talking about you as an impact player for 2011?

TU: As an offense, we have a lot of impact weapons. We have Tavon [Austin], Stedman [Bailey]. My role change has been a little different, so I guess they see me in more of an impact role. But we have a lot of weapons on this offense I feel.

AA: How do you feel about the move to receiver?

TU: At first, I was hesitant about it. I wasn't sure about it. After working through spring ball, I felt more and more comfortable in trying to learn the position and embrace it with open arms.

AA: Why were you hesitant?

TU: With Coach [Dana] Holgorsen’s offense, I knew there wasn't much of a role for a tight end. He talked to me within a couple weeks of being here, and he told me I could play in this offense. Through spring ball, the reps I got and the production made me more comfortable.

AA: What has been the hardest adjustment?

TU: Everything before was from a 3-point stance from the line of scrimmage. Now I’m out in open spaces running routes way more often than doing blocking. I’m not blocking down on a defensive end or anything. There’s a lot more contact, but I felt good during the spring. I’m still working on it. I saw some areas I need to improve during spring ball.

AA: How much help are you getting from the other receivers?

TU:We work together at least three times a week, all the receivers are working together. Tavon, we have two much different playing styles. He's the speedy inside receiver, I'm more the post-up bigger inside receiver. I can't compare too much with him, but they've been giving me tips on basic route running, watching how they release off the ball or how they extend their routes. I’m more watching them and learning. I’m also working with some of the younger quarterbacks, probably four times a week and just getting reps every day, doing as much as I can on top of 7-on-7.

AA: What else do you have to work on this summer?

TU: I still have to work on being comfortable in space. It’s just something I am going to have to get used to. Spring ball helped me with that, and I want to increase my speed as much as I can.

AA: What do you think of the high expectations people have for this offense?

TU: It's definitely exciting,. It's exciting to have that buzz around WV football again. Now we have to wait until September to prove it, and we'll try to take it from there.

2010 overall record: 9-4
2010 conference record: 5-2, tied for first in Big East

Returning starters:

Offense: 8. Defense: 4. Punter/kicker: 1.

Top returners:

QB Geno Smith, WR Tavon Austin, DE Bruce Irvin, DE Julian Miller, CB Keith Tandy, OT Don Barclay, WR Brad Starks, S Terence Garvin

Key losses:

RB Noel Devine, WR Jock Sanders, CB Brandon Hogan, DL Chris Neild, S Robert Sands, DL Scooter Berry, S Sidney Glover, LB J.T. Thomas

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Noel Devine (936 yards)
Passing: Geno Smith* (2,763 yards)
Receiving: Tavon Austin* (787 yards)
Tackles: Terence Garvin* (76 tackles)
Sacks: Bruce Irvin* (14 sacks)
Interceptions: Keith Tandy* (6 interceptions)

Spring answers

1. Offensive firepower: Dana Holgorsen's arrival had an immediate effect on the Mountaineers' offense, as witnessed by the 800-plus yards and 87 points put up in the spring game. The offense wasn't quite that crisp the entire spring, but it's clear that West Virginia will be hard to stop in 2011. Quarterback Geno Smith showed no ill effects from his offseason foot surgery, and even without injured players like Shawne Alston, Brad Starks and Ryan Clarke, the offense found ways to move the ball in Holgorsen's schemes this spring.

2. Bruce Almighty: Of course, the offense was helped by the fact that the defense couldn't hit the quarterback. If it could, Bruce Irvin might have injured every signal-caller on the roster. Coming off a 14-sack season, Irvin spent more time in the backfield than most Mountaineer ball carriers this spring. He had an almost unfair advantage since both West Virginia starting tackles were out with injuries. But Irvin also showed he's ready to take on an every-down role this season, and that he's still one of the most fearsome pass-rushers in the country.

3. Urban renewal: Tight end Tyler Urban wondered what his role in the offense would be when Holgorsen brought his spread to town. Urban moved to the slot receiver position and shined there in the spring. He's a matchup nightmare for linebackers at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. The only note of caution: Urban has been hyped in the spring before and has usually become an afterthought by the fall. He and the Mountaineers hope that is different this year.

Fall questions

1. Replacing Neild: Finding someone to fill in for noseguard Chris Neild was one of the toughest jobs facing defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel this spring. Jorge Wright stepped forward and appeared to earn the starting job, but he was arrested on gun and marijuana charges just before the spring game. He has been suspended indefinitely, and though Bill Stewart has shown he will give guys second chances, no one really knows for sure when Wright will be back. That leaves the noseguard position in flux this summer, with Josh Taylor and incoming junior-college transfer Shaq Rowell the best available options.

2. The offensive line: Holgorsen may have one of the brightest offensive minds in the country, but it's hard to move the ball without a good offensive line no matter how smart you are. The Mountaineers didn't have either starting tackle this spring, and starting guard Josh Jenkins hurt his knee in the spring game and could miss significant time if it does not heal this summer. The O-line hasn't been dominant since the Rich Rodriguez era, and depth is lacking. West Virginia needs things to come together there by the fall to reach its full potential.

3. The kicking game: Veteran place-kicker Tyler Bitancurt had all kinds of problems this spring, missing field goal tries and having some blocked. While it's too early to panic over kicking, Bitancurt needs to figure out what's wrong or he'll be out of a job. One solution is to just score more touchdowns, but odds are at least one big game in 2011 will come down to a field goal. The Mountaineers also want to get more explosive in the kick-return game after not doing much there last year.

• West Virginia has a plan to use tight end Tyler Urban, even in the spread offense. Dana Holgorsen's arrival has been a blessing for running back Daquan Hargrett. The Mountaineers are seeking approval to sell beer at home games.
• UConn has high expectations on special teams with some standout contributors returning.
• Louisville's young offensive line is growing up together this spring.
• Rutgers receiver Brandon Coleman is starting to live up to his hype.
• Some odds and ends from Syracuse's weekend scrimmage.
• Observations from USF's final scrimmage (and practice) of the spring.

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- Some quick thoughts after attending the viewing window of West Virginia's spring practice on Wednesday, the Mountaineers' first day in full pads:

• I was excited to see Dana Holgorsen's new offense in person, and it's not hard to see the reasons for optimism. The Mountaineers have speed at receiver, a promising young quarterback in Geno Smith and were giving their own defenses problems with the mix of run and pass. Bill Stewart had told me on Monday that the team hadn't looked downfield much yet in practice, but Smith threw deep a few times during the 11-on-11 period, and with good success. It wasn't all passing, though, as the offense lined up with two backs frequently and did some inside zone running.
• Holgorsen mostly stands on the sidelines during the team periods, signaling in the calls as he will on gameday. He doesn't say a whole lot during practice, letting his assistants handle the bulk of the talking. Holgorsen gives out a lot more instructions during film review, the players say.
• No worries about Smith's health. He was participating in all drills and running around well on his surgically repaired foot. This offense doesn't ask him to run much, anyway.
• Freshman Paul Millard got the second-team reps and throws a nice ball. Holgorsen told me he's far ahead of fellow freshman Brian Athey at this point, mostly owing to the fact that he played 5-A Texas high school ball. How this kid went unrecruited is baffling.
• Still no real standouts at tailback, but Daquan Hargrett had some nice runs while I was watching, including a burst up the middle for a long touchdown.
• Brad Starks got behind the defense for a long completion. He looks great and could be poised for a big senior year. Ivan McCartney dropped a pass early but later caught a short one and completely juked Brodrick Jenkins out of his shoes. McCartney has major potential if he continues to develop and mature. J.D. Woods also made a nice catch in traffic. Tyler Urban also got involved, and it will be interesting to see how the offense uses him.
• The defense wasn't allowed to tackle the quarterback, of course, but Bruce Irvin was in the backfield a lot -- "No one can block him yet," Stewart said -- and Julian Miller wasn't far behind. That's not surprising, especially since starting offensive tackles Don Barclay and Jeff Braun are out this spring with injuries. Irvin and a few other players were wearing the gold shoes from last year's special Nike Pro Combat uniforms, which made me happy to see.
• Linebacker Tyler Anderson had an interception off a tipped ball. Stewart then told him he should have stayed up and tried to score instead of falling on the ground. About the only thing last year's defense didn't do right last year was get turnovers and points.
• Overall impression: The Mountaineers weren't as sharp or crisp defensively as they were a year ago at this time, but that's almost a given after losing seven starters. There is still a lot of talent and speed here, and it's just going to take a little time for the defense to gel and the offense to get the system down. If it all comes together, this could easily be the best team in the Big East this year. But there's a long way to go.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- It's early, real early, this spring for West Virginia, which began practice later than any Big East team. But one thing seems pretty clear in the initial going: the Mountaineers have a wide-open competition at running back.

This is something new around these parts, as West Virginia could count on Noel Devine and Steve Slaton before him to claim the ball-carrying load for the past several years. With a new offensive system and different types of backs on the roster this year, though, that position looks uncertain.

"I have not seen that Noel Devine or that Steve Slaton guy," head coach Bill Stewart said. "I have not seen that jump cut. Is it there? We'll see. But I haven't seen it yet."

The most experienced running backs on the team are 230-pound Ryan Clarke, 220-pound Shawne Alston and 235-pound Matt Lindamood. Those aren't the types of runners that Dana Holgorsen is used to using in his spread offense.

"The main back has always been a little quicker, a shiftier guy," Holgorsen said. "Someone who can get involved in the passing game, get the ball out in space and go score."

Kendall Hunter, who ran for more than 1,500 yards under Holgorsen last season at Oklahoma State, was a 200-pounder. He coached smaller, quicker backs at both Houston and Texas Tech before that.

Holgorsen will adapt his offense to his personnel -- see his three-back, diamond formation last season at Oklahoma State -- and West Virginia will be able to throw some serious power looks at teams with Clarke, Austin, Lindamood and even Tyler Urban, who will see some time in the backfield as the tight end is phased out.

But it seems likely that a younger, more fleet-footed tailback will get some opportunities in an offense based on speed.

"A guy like Daquan Hargrett or a Trey Johnson, those guys have got a chance to see the field and touch the ball a lot more than they did last year," Holgorsen said. "That doesn't mean we're giving up on Alston and Clarke."

The Mountaineers will also bring in two shiftier players this summer in highly-regarded running back prospect Andrew Buie, a 190-pounder, and highly-productive Texas high school runner Dustin Garrison, who measures 5-foot-8 and 160. Both could see some action right away, just as Slaton and Devine did as true freshmen.

It might be until the summer, at least, before West Virginia discovers the heir to those former stars.

West Virginia opens practice on Wednesday, and I had a chance to catch up with head coach Bill Stewart on the eve of spring drills. Here's Part I of our conversation. (Note: Stewart offered a thorough, lengthy overview at the start of my interview, so I'm going to divide that up by topic rather than make you wade through several unbroken paragraphs).

You obviously had some great leaders on last year's team. How do you see this year's team replacing that?

Bill Stewart: We've lost seven guys on our defensive side of the ball to graduation and four of those guys went to the NFL combine. That tells you not only the kind of players we had, that tells you about the leadership we had on the 2010 football squad.

This year's team, I see a guy now like Keith Tandy; we're counting on big, big things from Keith. We've got some other young corners in Patrick Miller and Brodrick Jenkins, who have played, so that's kind of exciting. We've got some underclassmen to jump in the mix as well. I'm anxious to see Ishmael Banks, and Brantwon Bowser is ready to go and he has a chance to step up and make plays. We lost some players at safety, and certainly who I feel was the best corner in the league in Brandon Hogan. But I really feel good about our corners. With the inside guys, the spur, free safety and the bandit, we have Terence Garvin back, who gave us great play last year, and I'm looking for a big year out of him. Eain Smith is back, and he had a really good last couple of years. Then it's time for guys like Travis Bell and Mike Dorsey and Darwin Cook, Wes Tonkery, see these guys step up and make plays. That's going to be a fun thing to watch.

[On linebackers]: We lost three great linebackers; everybody knows that. We have Najee Goode back, and he's given us great leadership, as Casey Vance has done. A newcomer coming into the fold is Josh Francis. Man, he's real fast, he's explosive. He's going to be a real force, I think, in there at linebacker. We have Branko Busic, and Doug Rigg is a rising superstar, I really believe that.

[On the defensive line]: We lost Scooter Berry and what I think was the best nose guard in the league in Chris Neild. But we still have Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin, the great sack master. And now we have some young guys like Will Clarke, Jorge Wright, Josh Taylor and J.B. Lageman in there at nose guard. So there are some guys in ready to step up and make plays. Now it's their turn.

[On wide receivers/running backs]: Brad Starks can be as good as there is in this league. Stedman Bailey, what a player he was, and then Tavon Austin, J.D. Woods and Ivan McCartney. So we've got five or six top quality receivers. I'm really anxious to see how they do in this new offense. And then you take our new tight/end fullback type in Tyler Urban, who I think is going to be as good a big back as there is. And then you take Ryan Clarke, Matt Lindamood, Shawne Alston ... these guys have all played and they've done well.

[On the offensive line]: I'm worried about our offensive line, simply because Don Barclay and Jeff Braun, our two starting tackles, are out with shoulder injuries. They're healing up fine. That just makes way for the young guys. Now we'll see what Quinton Spain, the big redshirt freshman, can do with a chance to come into his own. Some other tackles like Nick Kindler and Pat Eger will get a lot of snaps this spring. And I'm really excited about our inside guys. Our center, Joey Madsen, is a great leader, he's the heart of the offensive line. Josh Jenkins has started a bunch of games at left guard. And then we have Cole Bowers, who's probably the most talented lineman we have, he just hasn't played that much. I'm really excited to see those inside guys.

I'm really looking forward to this offensive scheme. We have a lot of speed and we're very very blessed to have tremendous speed at our skill positions. And our offensive line, once Braun and Barclay get back, could be very very formidable

[On special teams]: I worry about our special teams a little bit. We're now on our fourth punter in four years in Corey Smith. Our punting game is still a question mark. Our kicker, Tyler Bitancurt, he's won big games for us, but he missed two there in the [Champs Sports] Bowl, so he's got some work to do. ... What we really need to step up to the plate, to be very honest, is our return men. Our return men we just haven't hit the big play like Tavon did a couple years ago against UConn [in 2009], or like Shawn Terry used to do in the early 2000s. We need to get more productivity on our punt and kickoff retrun. That's one of the big things we'll work hard at this spring.

Who do you have now as your return men?


BS: Tavon Austin and Bradley Starks could be good return men. I really like Brodrick Jenkins with the punt return game; I think he has a chance to catch punts and maybe make a name for himself. Some other skill guys we'll throw back there. That's what spring practice is all about. We'll see who can catch a punt, make a couple of guys miss and give us a couple of first downs on these returns.

Sounds like you hired an interesting special teams coach this week in Daron Roberts.


BS: He's going to help out. I got a nice call from a friend of mine with the Detroit Lions who said, "Boy, he's a great guy, very much a student of the game." He's going to bring some excitement to the game. He's young, and I know our players will rally around him. ... We're going to break it up again -- Steve [Dunlap] will be doing the defensive side of the special teams like kickoff and punt return, punt block, and Daron is going to be heading up kickoff return units and things like that. So there shouldn't be that much change there.

Again, we need more productivity there. We do have the talent, we just haven't done it yet. That's something that has to come back to the arsenal. I know what we're going to do on defense, and I think I know what we're going to do on offense, because we have fast playmakers who make people miss in space, and that's what this new offense is going to be all about. That's going to be exciting, and I can't wait to see it in action. But our return game has to get better.

Can you get a sense, through meetings and workouts, how well the team is picking up the new offense so far?

BS: Oh yeah. It's like anything else. It will look worse before it gets better. That's true no matter what brand of offense or defense you run. We think we have a pretty good deal going with this 3-3 stack. We know it, the coaches know it, the players know it inside and out pretty much. Now we just have to get the new players ... to carry on the tradition. And then offensively, I'm excited about what's on the horizon. We haven't done it yet, we haven't gotten a first down yet, but I think we're going to have a few tricks in the arsenal that's going to make us more explosive, and maybe we can get some of that game-breaking type play that we need to have.

West Virginia faced a third-and-2 early in the second quarter against Marshall. Before the snap, Matt Timmerman shifted from left tackle to the right side to form an unbalanced line.

After the snap, tight end Will Johnson (238 pounds) followed behind Timmerman. Fullback Matt Lindamood (234 pounds) served as another blocker out of the I-formation. Ryan Clarke (247 pounds) took the handoff and rumbled 4 yards behind all that beef for the first down.

That mountainous Mountaineer package offered a hint that's been confirmed by the stats through three games: This is a different kind of West Virginia offense.

No longer does the offense rely just on small, speedy backs and quarterback runs. LSU's defense must prepare for a balanced, multi-faceted attack on Saturday.

"Two years ago against Colorado, we couldn’t get a first down because I didn’t have any tight ends or fullbacks," head coach Bill Stewart said. "I had little skill guys and slots. I didn’t have any Will Johnson because he just converted, or Tyler Urban, or Ryan Clarke because he wasn’t doing what I wanted and now I have a 238-pound chiseled man.

"So, we have to become well-rounded, and we have more in the arsenal. It’s called spreading the wealth and keeping people off balance."

The additional poundage has helped, but nothing has aided the offensive transformation more than the emergence of sophomore quarterback Geno Smith as a precision pocket passer.

Smith is completing 70.3 percent of his throws; the school record for completion percentage in a season is Pat White's 66.7 percent in 2007. He has already thrown eight touchdown passes, or four fewer than the Mountaineers had all of last season.

Smith can run, but that's rarely his first option. His only two runs of more than 10 yards this season came as he scrambled against a Marshall prevent defense in the fourth-quarter comeback. West Virginia is averaging 226 passing yards per game this season, up from 191 per game in 2009 and 151 in '08.

The play calling reflects that balance as well. The Mountaineers have rushed 136 times this year and passed it 107 times, a 56-44 ratio. Last year, the ratio was 59-41 in favor of the run, and in '08 it was tilted 63-37 toward the run.

Last week against Maryland, Smith tossed four touchdown passes in the first 33 minutes, and West Virginia used the power running of Clarke behind Lindamood to help run out the clock late. No wonder the Mountaineers tried a double-pass trick play in the third quarter; when you've got that many toys, you want to play with them.

"We've got more options," offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen told the Charleston Daily Mail after the Maryland win. "We don't have to throw it on every down just like we don't have to run it on every down. We've got a lot of guys who can do a lot of things."

They've still got the small skill guys in Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin. But they're also developing receivers like Stedman Bailey and tight end Johnson, who caught the touchdown near the end of regulation in the Marshall win.

"Those guys really make a defensive coordinator look at this offense differently than they did a couple years ago," Smith said.

West Virginia has issued its injury report for Friday's game at Marshall, and not surprisingly, linebacker Pat Lazear has been listed as out for the game because of a knee injury.

Lazear, who led the team in tackles last year with 78, also missed the opener against Coastal Carolina. Najee Goode started in his place.

Linebacker Branko Busic (hand) and tight end Tyler Urban (knee) are listed as doubtful. Offensive lineman Cole Bowers is listed as probable with a knee injury.

Tight ends in the Big East are relatively anonymous. But four players from the league have been nominated to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, presented to the best tight end in the country.

The honorees are Louisville's Cameron Graham, Rutgers' D.C. Jefferson, Cincinnati's Ben Guidugli and Connecticut's Ryan Griffin.

Of the four, Jefferson has the most raw ability, but he's still learning the position. Guidugli, a senior, is the most accomplished of the group. I think Griffin could have a breakout year, and Graham was solid in 2009 and just needs to be a little more consistent to be a major weapon for the Cardinals.

You could also throw in West Virginia's Tyler Urban, who has drawn high praise from his coaches even though the Mountaineers traditionally haven't used the tight end very much. Pittsburgh had the two best tight ends in the league last season in Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham, and will try to use Mike Cruz with a similar level of success.

• West Virginia offensive lineman Chad Snodgrass is working his way back.
• Mountaineers tight end Tyler Urban is hoping for more opportunities this season.
• Here's a ranking of Big East receiving groups.
• Syracuse and September TV are not a match this year.
• Here is one man's odds for each Big East contender.
• A look at Rutgers' 2010 prospects.

Tight ends are an odd duck. They're not quite receivers, not quite offensive linemen, though they do a little of both jobs. So I thought I'd break them out into their own category as the final group for our post-spring Big East position rankings:

1. Cincinnati: It's unclear how new coach Butch Jones will use tight ends in his offense, but he's got great options there. Ben Guidugli is an all-conference performer, while Adrien Robinson is a physically imposing player at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds. Don't forget Travis Kelce, either. They just add to the seemingly never-ending offensive stockpile the Bearcats have.

2. Rutgers: D.C. Jefferson caught only five balls last year, but remember he made a late switch to tight end before the season began. A terrific 6-foot-6 athlete, this could be a breakout year for him. Paul Carrezola turned some heads this spring as well.

3. West Virginia: Tyler Urban and Will Johnson are two talented and experienced tight ends who could start for many teams. They'll help in the running game. The question is whether the Mountaineers will use the tight end more in the passing game as often promised.

4. Connecticut: Ryan Griffin quietly developed into a valuable target in 2009 and could be counted on even more this year as a receiver. John Delahunt got some valuable experience as well in '09 and should contribute.

5. Pittsburgh: What a change from the past year, when the Panthers had the top two tight ends in the league in Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham. Now it's time for Mike Cruz to emerge as the next playmaker at the position. Virginia transfer Andrew Devlin and Brock DeCicco will also look to crack the lineup.

6. Louisville: Cameron Graham has shown flashes of his ability and had a nice spring. The senior should turn into a more consistent presence, especially in the Florida-esque offense. Pete Nochta needs to live up to his potential.

7. Syracuse: Losing Mike Owen leaves this group as a big unknown. Senior Nick Provo, who finished the spring as a starter, hasn't posted many stats in his career. Hofstra transfer Jose Cruz is a big target.

8. South Florida: The Bulls didn't use tight ends much in the spread offense. They could see a resurgence under Skip Holtz. Current starter Jeff Hawkins has only played in one career game.