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College football guru Phil Steele has unveiled his preseason All-Big East selections.

I agree with most every first-team selection. Here are a few of my early thoughts. Note: the ESPN.com preseason Big East first team will come out just before the season begins.

• I completely understand having Teddy Bridgewater as the first-team quarterback, but I probably would have gone with B.J. Daniels here. I know many people think that makes me a little bit nutty. But I will repeat my thought process on this -- Daniels is going into his fourth year as a starter with some pretty terrific receivers and quality backs. On paper, he should be the best quarterback in the league.
• A little surprised to see Anthony McClung ahead of Alec Lemon at first-team receiver. Coach Butch Jones has said that McClung needs to have an outstanding summer to continue his development. Lemon was better last year; and I think he will have another solid season -- if healthy. It was also interesting to see two Pitt receivers on the first and second teams -- Devin Street and Mike Shanahan, respectively. Tino Sunseri is still the quarterback and the Panthers will be run heavy, so I'm not sure they will have two of the top four receivers in the league.
• Andre Davis may end up having a better season than Sterling Griffin at USF.
• Defensive line continues to be a position of strength. I think Walter Stewart is going to be one of the better players in the league. Maybe he sneaks in over Trevardo Williams, though it's hard to ignore the 12.5 sacks Williams had a year ago.
• Watch out for Pitt safety Ray Vinopal. He was not listed on any of the four teams. I think this is the deepest position in the league.
• I would have had Ralph David Abernathy IV at Cincinnati ahead of Jeremy Deering at kick returner.

As part of “College Football Live’s” 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, here’s a look at the top 10 players in the Big East. For those wondering, the Big East blog will still have its annual preseason Top 25 player countdown a little later in the summer.

Without further adieu:

1. Ray Graham, RB, Pitt. Taking a calculated risk here, considering we have no idea how Graham is going to look a year after tearing his ACL. Coach Paul Chryst says Graham will be ready for fall camp. If Graham is able to return to form, he should be the best player in the league.

2. Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers. Greene goes into the season as the preseason favorite to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, after sharing honors with Derek Wolfe in 2011. Though he broke his ankle in the bowl game, he will be ready for fall camp. Side note: Isn't it a neat that he and Graham are brothers?

3. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt. Donald emerged last season, finishing second in the league with 11 sacks. He has shifted inside to tackle this year, but he is the most productive and experienced player returning to the Pitt defensive line and should continue his upward trajectory.

4. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville. Bridgewater had a sensational freshman season, winning league Newcomer of the Year honors. Hopes are high for him to build off his impressive campaign in his second year as a starter. Louisville will do more to take advantage of his athleticism, with plans to install some hurry up offense.

5. Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers. Ryan led the league with 16 passes defended -- 13 breakups and three interceptions last season. Defensive back is one of the strongest positions across the league, and Ryan leads the way as the Big East's best cornerback.

6. Hakeem Smith, S, Louisville. Smith has gotten better in each of his seasons with the Cardinals, so this season should feature more of the same. In 2011, he had 84 tackles, tied for second in the league, with nine pass breakups. He also tied for second in the league with three forced fumbles and made the Big East first team.

7. Ryne Giddins, DE, USF. Giddins emerged in the second half of last season (yes, I know many of you still remember him for his personal foul against West Virginia), and is in line to have a breakout year for the Bulls, who should have one of the stronger defensive lines in the Big East.

8. B.J. Daniels, QB, USF. Daniels should be the best quarterback in the Big East, considering he is going into his fourth year as a starter. Is this the year he finally lives up to expectations and delivers a long-awaited -- and first -- league title?

9. Walter Stewart, DE, Cincinnati. Coach Butch Jones says he has not been around a player as focused as Stewart in a long time. That is saying something, considering the defensive stars the Bearcats had last season. Stewart is poised to give Cincinnati a huge presence at rush end.

10. Lyle McCombs, RB, UConn. McCombs ran for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman last season and returns for 2011 with much more confidence -- and the Huskies hope a better offensive line. He goes into the season as the unquestioned featured back.

Let's put one final bow on the spring with a look at five top breakout players.

JaQuez Jenkins, safety, USF. With starting strong safety Jon Lejiste out for the spring because of injury, Jenkins made his presence immediately felt in the defensive backfield and had one of the best springs of anybody on the Bulls roster. Jenkins was everywhere, making big plays and hard hits. His emergence gives USF a nice problem to have once Lejiste returns in the fall.

Scott Radcliff, receiver, Louisville. The most talked-about receiver after the Cardinals' spring game the former walk-on, who played with the first team and led all receivers with nine catches for 119 yards. He is listed ahead of Eli Rogers at the H-receiver spot on the post-spring depth chart.

Walter Stewart, defensive end, Cincinnati. Yes, Stewart is a returning starter. But he has never had a spring like the one he just completed, in which he was able to maintain what he started as his position. Stewart had been switched to several positions earlier in his career, but now he has a home at end and is ready to be a force this season.

Ray Vinopal, safety, Pitt. Safety could actually turn out to be a position of strength across the Big East with some of the talent that has emerged this spring. Vinopal sat out a year after transferring in from Michigan, and despite the coaching change, had an outstanding spring. He made big plays, forced turnovers and now makes safety a bright spot for the Panthers with Jarred Holley, Andrew Taglianetti and Jason Hendricks all returning.

Ryan Wirth, defensive tackle, UConn. The Huskies lost an NFL player in Kendall Reyes, along with their other starting tackle, so this is a huge question going into the season. But Wirth showed he can make an impact inside, especially after his spring performance, with 4.5 sacks and a safety.

With the season coming into view, let's take a look at what we learned in the Big East this spring.

1. Running backs have to prove themselves. Isaiah Pead is gone. Antwon Bailey is gone. Ray Graham is coming off a serious knee injury. There are some major question marks at virtually every Big East school at this position headed into the fall. Chief among them -- how does Graham do a year removed from ACL surgery? How do Cincinnati, Syracuse and Louisville spread the ball to their various running backs? How does Temple replace the production of Bernard Pierce? Does Savon Huggins improve on his injury-shortened freshman season at Rutgers? How is Lindsey Lamar used in the backfield at USF? Can Lyle McCombs repeat as a 1,000-yard rusher for UConn?

2. Next sack leader? The Big East generally has some of the top leaders in sacks in the country. Last year, it was Trevardo Williams and Aaron Donald who emerged to finish in the Top 10. The year before, it was first-year Big East player Bruce Irvin. So who is the next Big East player to lead the charge? USF defensive end Ryne Giddins, Cincinnati defensive end Walter Stewart and UConn tackle Ryan Wirth all had terrific springs so keep those names in mind as the season begins.

3. Earth to offense. We had an inkling that the Big East defenses would be way ahead of the offenses this spring, and that all came to fruition once the spring games were played. Defenses essentially dominated at nearly every school. Syracuse did not score a point on offense; UConn had two total offensive touchdowns; USF quarterback B.J. Daniels went 9-of-26 for 88 yards in the Bulls' spring game; Chris Coyer and his receivers struggled in the Temple spring game; and the Pitt passing game was just so-so in its final scrimmage. While it is true defenses are usually ahead of the offenses in the early going of practices, it is obvious most every offensive unit needs to get much better this offseason.

4. Bridgewater: Rising star. It was apparent that Louisville had a special player in Teddy Bridgewater last season. But worries about a potential "sophomore slump" have been temporarily put to rest after the spring he had. Bridgewater was stellar in the spring game, going 19-of-21 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Afterward, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said that Bridgewater completed about 70 percent of his passes in the spring. "I know he's been lights out," Watson said. "He's really played very well. I challenged him with the things he needed to get better with and use all the tools he has available to him. As a young player, he didn't quite get it. Now he's getting it. You're seeing a lot more completions now. He's worked hard. He's doing a lot of good things with his eyes and playing well."

5. Athletes (almost) everywhere. One trend to watch is the conversion of quarterbacks to running backs/receivers. Cincinnati moved Jordan Luallen to receiver, and he is expected to see time as a Wildcat quarterback as well. Ashton Broyld has been moved to running back, though he also played receiver in the spring game. Louisville converted quarterback Dominique Brown to running back last fall, and he is in contention to win the starting job. Temple running back Jalen Fitzpatrick was recruited as a quarterback out of high school. Those four players have the potential to be huge assets to their team. There were a few other notable position switches as well -- Lindsey Lamar is now at running back at USF; and Jeremy Deering is now a receiver at Rutgers.

2011 overall record: 10-3
2011 conference record: 5-2 (T-1)
Returning starters: Offense 4; defense 8; kicker/punter: 2

Key returners
WR Kenbrell Thompkins, QB Munchie Legaux, WR Anthony McClung, DE Walter Stewart, DE Dan Giordano, S Drew Frey, LB Maalik Bomar

Key losses
QB Zach Collaros, RB Isaiah Pead, LB JK Schaffer, DT Derek Wolfe, DT John Hughes, WR D.J. Woods, LT Alex Hoffman, LG Randy Martinez

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Isaiah Pead (1,259 yards)
Passing: Zach Collaros (166-of-272 for 1,940 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs)
Receiving: Anthony McClung* (683 yards)
Tackles: JK Schaffer (114)
Sacks: Derek Wolfe (9.5)
Interceptions: Three with three each

Spring answers

1. Middle linebacker: One of the biggest holes for the Bearcats this spring was at middle linebacker, where JK Schaffer had more than 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons. After spring ended, Solomon Tentman was penciled in as the starter, after playing sparingly in his time on campus. The reason -- a major knee injury that threatened to end his career before it really started. But Tentman fought back with hard work and determination and is one of the surprise stories of the spring.

2. Inside presence: Cincinnati lost some major beef in the middle of its line, with the departures of John Hughes and Derek Wolfe, both high NFL draft picks last month. But as expected, Camaron Beard and Jordan Stepp had good springs and leave as the starters at tackle. The hope is that their athleticism will help make up for their smaller size.

3. Walter Stewart emerges as leader: Coach Butch Jones singled Stewart out not only for his exemplary play this spring, but also for his growth as a leader. Cincinnati is definitely going to need the leadership after losing so many key seniors from its Big East championship team.

Fall questions

1. Quarterback: Coach Butch Jones isn't ready to name his starter yet, though Munchie Legaux filled in for an injured Zach Collaros in three starts last season. Jones says Brandon Kay has really pushed Legaux this spring, and wants the competition between them to remain open into the offseason. Legaux has got to work on his accuracy and chemistry with his receivers in order to take the next step.

2. Receiver depth: One of the biggest areas of concern headed into the offseason is at receiver, where Cincinnati is in need of a number of players to step up. Receiver was one position where Cincinnati underachieved last season. Kenbrell Thompkins, Anthony McClung and Alex Chisum all have great potential, and so does the recently-converted Jordan Luallen. But given this offense, Cincinnati needs more than just four receivers to be playmakers.

3. Secondary depth: This has been one area that has been a concern for several years now. While Cincinnati does have several experienced players returning, Jones listed depth at this position as one area he wants to see improved throughout the offseason. Cincinnati had several players sit out spring drills because of injury, so that also was a factor.

I had a chance to catch up with Cincinnati coach Butch Jones on Tuesday, with the Bearcats having wrapped up spring practice. Here are a few notes from our conversation.

• Jones is not yet ready to name a starting quarterback, leaving the competition between Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay ongoing through the summer. "The big thing is an overall level of consistency that we're searching for," Jones said. "Both are a little bit different in their games, but the thing that we're searching for is the individual who can manage the offense with great efficiency, take care of the football, who is a coach on the field. A lot of great quarterback play is a lot like being a great point guard in basketball, knowing how to distribute the ball, identifying matchups and taking care of the football. It's the small details. I've been really encouraged by both individuals. They've shown tremendous work ethic, and great poise. The competition has made them both better."
• The players Jones noted who really stepped up their games this spring: defensive linemen Walter Stewart, Dan Giordano and Jordan Stepp; running backs George Winn and Jameel Poteat; receiver Kenbrell Thompkins; and offensive lineman Eric Lefeld. Watch for Stewart to emerge as the new leader on defense.
• Receiver is still an area with big questions. Thompkins and Alex Chisum both had nice springs, but depth is a concern. Anthony McClung was limited with an injury, while Dyjuan Lewis got hurt early in the spring and will not be back in time for fall practice. Lewis suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot while going up for a ball and landing awkwardly. Jordan Luallen, making the transition to receiver, also was limited during the spring with an injury, though he returned for the final two practices. Jones expects to rely on him in the passing game, and needs Max Morrison, Chris Moore and Shaq Washington to have very productive summers.
• Cincinnati also was missing a few offensive linemen this spring because of injury, including starter Austen Bujnoch. Cory Keebler was also limited. But that gave other players valuable reps. Jones feels good about Dan Sprague at center. Sean Hooey returned and got extensive reps, and Jones also liked the way Kevin Schloemer practiced as well.
• On defense, Solomon Tentman has garnered some attention with his incredible return from a devastating knee injury. But Jones noted that Tentman is not even at 100 percent. Jones also praised Greg Blair and Nick Temple, who will be relied on both in the middle and on the outside at linebacker. "We are going to ask a lot of Nick," Jones said. "He has to be a rock of stability for us."
• The secondary looks to be the most experienced position in terms of number of starts, though veterans Deven Drane and Dominique Battle both sat out with injuries. That gave Trenier Orr valuable reps, and Arryn Chenault has emerged at safety next to Drew Frey.
• So what are the major question marks left? "It is the overall depth and continuity on the offensive line, that still remains an area of concern," Jones said. "I think again, depth at receiver, young individuals having to step up. Overall the middle of our defense, at defensive tackle, linebacker and the safety position as well."
• One other injury to note: defensive lineman Roney Lozano got hurt this spring and is not expected to return until the middle of the season.

You understand why Cincinnati defensive end Walter Stewart feels so comfortable during spring practice.

He no longer feels like a ping-pong ball.

Stewart bounced around linebacker positions when he first arrived in Cincinnati. But finally this spring, there is stability. For the first time in his career, Stewart will go into the season playing the same position for consecutive seasons. He has solidified himself as a defensive end, somebody who used his athleticism and quickness to make an impact on the line in 2011.

Now that both starting defensive tackles are gone, defensive end is a position of depth and strength going into 2012 and Stewart is a big reason why.

"I just feel like I'm light years ahead of where I was last year and the year before that," Stewart said in a recent phone interview. "It just makes playing football a lot easier when you know what you have to do instead of playing something different. It's a good feeling knowing I can come out here and not really worry about anything else."

Stewart finished last season second on the team with six sacks, and added five quarterback hurries and 11 tackles for loss in his first year playing defensive end, where he started all 13 games. But it was not until the second half of the season that Stewart really got the hang of playing his new spot, while also getting adjusted to the increased weight he had to put on to play end.

When he arrived on campus, Stewart weighed 216 pounds. Last season, he played at 245, and now hopes to add between 5-10 more pounds to his frame before 2012 begins, "so I can stay light on my feet and be able to cover."

Where can he get better? "I want to make more improvements in the run game, and be better at the point of attack," Stewart said.

Though Cincinnati has only had a handful of practices before pausing for spring break, Stewart already has caught the eye of coach Butch Jones. When asked about players who have stood out in the early going, Jones mentioned Stewart.

As for the intangibles, Stewart received the most improved leader award from his coaches this past season, and will be looked at to be an even stronger leader in 2012 with players like Derek Wolfe and JK Schaffer gone. He is more of a "lead by example" player, and will take some of the younger linemen aside and work with them one-on-one to help them improve.

He also realizes that as one of the veterans coming back, Stewart has a big role to play if the defensive line is going to be as good as it was last season. He has the most starting experience of any player returning to the front seven — having started 36 of the 38 games he has played in over the last three seasons.

"We have to set the tone," he said. "Me, Dan (Giordano) and Brandon (Mills), especially up front. We are the veterans of the group and have been here the longest, so we have to set the tone every day for the defensive line and the defense. We take pride in that."

One of the biggest reasons Cincinnati was able to win at least a share of its third Big East title last season was a rejuvenated defense that feasted on making tackles behind the line and forcing turnovers.

Although seven starters return to the group, the focus during spring practice is squarely on the four players missing -- and on who will replace them in the lineup.

Cincinnati loses co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe, leading tackler J.K. Schaffer and huge inside presence John Hughes. Starting safety Wesley Richardson also is gone, putting recently promoted defensive coordinator John Jancek on the spot immediately.

"I told our defense those players have graduated and moved on, but the expectations haven't," Jancek said in a recent phone interview. "The expectations remain the same, and so it's just a matter of the players that we have on our team taking advantage of those opportunities and fulfilling those expectations. I'm very excited about some of the younger players that have been growing and developing in our program. We have some big shoes to fill, losing the amount of production we did through the middle of our defense. It's challenging and exciting and provides other people with a great opportunity."

Last season, Cincinnati ranked No. 1 in the nation in tackles for loss and No. 2 in sacks. Factor in several other key senior departures, and the Bearcats are losing players who accounted for 52 percent of those tackles behind the line and 55 percent of their sacks. The biggest menace was Wolfe, who had 21.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks alone. He was a huge reason Cincinnati finished tied for No. 6 in the nation in rush defense last year.

Wolfe and Hughes were space-eaters in the middle, each weighing more than 300 pounds. With them gone, Cincinnati will be smaller up front. Camaron Beard and Jordan Stepp are the front-runners to win the starting jobs, and neither weighs 300 pounds. Of all the defensive linemen listed on the current roster, only redshirt freshman Brandon Mitchell weighs 300 pounds or more.

Add in the loss of Schaffer, huge in run support and pass coverage and the surest tackler the Bearcats have had the past three seasons, and you see why there is so much interest in how the Bearcats fill the void.

"We're ready to go ahead and build our own identity," said defensive end Walter Stewart, who has the most tackles for loss (11) and sacks (six) of all returning players. "We have good coaches, and we're going to develop our younger players in the spring and summer during camp. There's a lot of opportunity on the field with big John gone, Wolfe, JK -- it opens the door for another person."

The philosophy won't change -- Cincinnati will continue to be aggressive, try to force turnovers and stay disciplined. Incredibly, the Bearcats had only one offside penalty all season on the line -- that belonged to departing senior Monte Taylor. Stewart, Dan Giordano and Brandon Mills return at defensive end, and all three are seniors -- putting them in charge of helping the younger players along.

At linebacker, Jancek said Solomon Tentman would go into the spring with the first unit, with junior college transfer Greg Blair also in the mix. But the Bearcats are training outside linebacker Nick Temple to play inside when they go to substitution packages and nickel defense. Temple played as a true freshman last season and shows the athleticism and versatility needed to play both.

"I don't know what his learning curve will be now that he'll be inside," Jancek said. "I have played him in the past at the inside linebacker spot. He showed signs of having some good instincts and some good vision and things that you need to have at the position."

The secondary does return three starters and cornerback Dominique Battle, but this is a group that is still in major need of improvement. Plus, it just lost defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, so how many strides are made at this position will also be something to watch.

Jancek realizes that the team must take steps this spring. But he likes the group of players he has on his side.

"There's a lot of unknowns for us at this point," Jancek said. "We've lost some of the key players from this past season, and we're still trying to find out what the new guys can do. We know that we have a great group of individuals in regards to work ethic and character and guys who are committed. That's really exciting for us as coaches. We'll know more as we work through spring ball whose skill sets are going to be utilized for us this season."

National signing day is inching ever closer, so it is time to take a look at the biggest recruiting needs for every team in the Big East.

Cincinnati

Defensive line. Cincinnati loses a host of seniors from this position, including Co-Defensive Player of the Year Derek Wolfe, John Hughes, Monte Taylor, and Rob Trigg. Factor in the key contributors for 2012 will be seniors in Dan Giordano, Brandon Mills and Walter Stewart and it is time to reload at this position.

Receiver. There is some promising young talent on the roster, but several guys are going to be leaving in the next few years. The Bearcats really need a guy who can stretch the field and make some big plays to join Anthony McClung and Alex Chisum.

Secondary. The Bearcats are going to take a hit at this position after 2012, losing a ton of seniors-to-be, including Cam Cheatham, Drew Frey, Dominique Battle and Reuben Johnson. Senior safety Wesley Richardson is already gone. The lone four-star commitment the Bearcats have is from a safety, Marcus Foster.

UConn

Quarterback. This need has been addressed in this recruiting cycle, with junior college transfer Chandler Whitmer and Casey Cochran already enrolled in school.

Tight end. With the impending departure of Ryan Griffin and John Delahunt, the Huskies could use another young player to be groomed to take over. Tight end is a critical part of the UConn offense.

Offensive line. UConn is losing its two best linemen in Moe Petrus and Mike Ryan. Of the 16 linemen currently listed on the roster, seven are juniors or seniors. Linemen generally take a redshirt season, so it never hurts to sign more to be able to restock.

Louisville

Linebacker. The Cardinals are losing Dexter Heyman and have a lot of juniors and seniors on their roster at this position. It is no surprise, then, that three of the top players coming in are linebackers -- Keith Brown and James Burgess are already enrolled; four-star recruit Nick Dawson has given a commitment.

Offensive line. Louisville has young players here, but not much depth, as evidenced this season when several true freshmen were forced to play much earlier than anticipated. It never hurts to build depth here, and the Cardinals have gotten a huge commit from four-star guard Abraham Garcia out of Miami.

Running back. This was an area the Cardinals struggled in this season, having to move quarterback Dominique Brown to the position. Victor Anderson is gone, and this team could really used another back to carry the load.

Pitt

Quarterback. This one is pretty self explanatory if you watched Tino Sunseri play. Mark Myers and Trey Anderson are also on the roster, but the Panthers are in definite need here -- which is why so many fans are looking forward to commit Chad Voytik coming to town.

Linebacker. This has been an area of inconsistency for the Panthers, who lose their best player in Max Gruder. There are some young players with talent in Todd Thomas and Ejuan Price, but this position could definitely use an upgrade.

Receiver. The play of the offense was disappointing this season, and that includes the receivers. Pitt could use some players to stretch the field. Ronald Jones was a start this season. But when you consider that Cameron Saddler, Mike Shanahan and Devin Street will all be upperclassmen in 2012, this is a definite area of need.

Rutgers

Receiver. Mohamed Sanu is gone, and Mark Harrison is a senior to be. There is plenty of young talent, but there is a reason Rutgers has commitments from four athletes. This gives the Scarlet Knights the flexibility to try them at receiver or running back, another area of need.

Running back. Once Savon Huggins got hurt this year, Rutgers had Jawan Jamison and Jeremy Deering at running back and that was about it. Depth has to be developed here.

Offensive line. Strides have absolutely been made at this position, but coach Greg Schiano likes to reiterate that the Scarlet Knights aren't going to pull themselves out of the hole they were in overnight. They need another solid draft class at this position to keep building.

USF

Secondary. Injuries and inconsistent play this season showed the Bulls really lacked some depth and need some immediate help in this area, which is why they signed junior college cornerbacks Fidel Montgomery and Josh Brown. One of their top four-star commitments is cornerback Chris Bivins.

Quarterback. Beyond B.J. Daniels, a senior in 2012, the Bulls have Bobby Eveld and Matt Floyd as the two heirs to take over. Eveld has been less than impressive, and we don't know much about Floyd. The Bulls would be served to get another quarterback in as they prepare for the future.

Running back. Darrell Scott is gone, and the Bulls are really in need of a game breaker at this position. Demetris Murray is going to be a senior, and nobody else really has stepped up at the position. Depth has to be built here, because USF goes into spring practice with four running backs on the roster.

Syracuse

Defensive line. The Orange are losing Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich and could really used some difference-makers up front who can help get after the quarterback. Depth is an issue here. One of their big commitments so far has been defensive end Josh Manley out of Georgia.

Secondary. This was one of the weakest parts of the team and now the Orange lose Phillip Thomas and Kevyn Scott, and there was a lack of depth when injuries hit this position in 2011. Brooklyn prep safety Wayne Morgan would be a huge get to add to this unit.

Receiver. Alec Lemon is a senior, Van Chew is gone and who knows what happens with Marcus Sales. The bottom line is the Orange are in major need of a game-changer to turn 15-yard passes into 40-yard receptions.

West Virginia

Quarterback. Geno Smith is a rising senior and after him it is crickets in the form of one player behind him in Paul Millard. So consider this need majorly filled with Ford Childress, ranked No. 139 on the ESPNU 150.

Offensive line. The most inconsistent part of the team in 2011, West Virginia has a major need here. The Mountaineers struggled so badly here they started converted defensive lineman Curtis Feigt late in the season. Don Barclay is gone, and Joe Madsen, Jeff Braun and Josh Jenkins are all upperclassmen.

Defensive line. Julian Miller, Josh Taylor and Bruce Irvin are gone, and there are depth concerns here. West Virginia has four commitments from defensive linemen already.

If you missed it, here is Part I of my interview with Cincinnati coach Butch Jones. Today, Jones goes over some of the key questions headed into spring practice, which begins March 1.

Did you allow yourself any time to enjoy the season after the bowl win or did you rush into preparations for 2012?

BJ: We started working on 2012 during bowl prep. We wanted to finish, but were also were getting ready for the future. We stayed after in Memphis so we could enjoy the win, took a day and then we were full-fledged onto 2012. That's the thing in our profession -- you can never sit back. I thought we did some great things with bowl prep. We had our seniors meet with the junior class and talk about leadership and the things they learned.

So on to the future, what happens at the quarterback spot? Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen got playing time this year, so they have to be the leaders, right?

BJ: They're going to have to earn that position every day. The exciting thing is with all the youth that we have and the competition that we have, there's already a renewed spirit, there’s a renewed commitment, there's excitement and energy in our football program. That's not just with the quarterback spot. I can feel that excitement already. I think the experience that Munchie gained and Jordan gained will prove to be extremely beneficial as we move forward. But it’s also exciting because of Patrick Coyne, Brendon Kay. Throw in two youngsters who graduated high school early -- to have them here already is going to pay huge dividends as well.

What do you think when people think 2012 will be a rebuilding year? I’ve written it myself.

BJ: All we can control is ourselves -- continuing to build our football program, and not paying attention. You look at last year -- I have it sitting on my desk -- you look at preseason rankings in the Big East conference and you look at the positions. Every single one of our defensive positions was ranked 7 or 8 in our conference. The thing we have to do is focus on being a better football team. It's what you sign your name to -- it's that excellence we talk about. I don't get caught up in the outside world because I know what we have, our players know what we have. We talk about not building a team but a program, and I think we have proven across the country we are a football program. So we just have to control what we can control, our daily work ethic, how we go to class, every individual taking accountability. There's a lot of excitement here in the community and in our football program. I think change is good, change keeps people on their toes. There's a lot of competition, our junior class that are now seniors they understand the responsibility that it is in our football program. There's a great spirit right now.

Where do you think is your biggest area of strength going into 2012?

BJ: Well, we won a lot of games on special teams this year. You look at starting season with an unproven kicker, Tony (Miliano) has a lot of room for improvement, but he also made big kicks for us, Pat O’Donnell returns as well. In our secondary, those individuals have gained a ton of experience, Deven Drane continued to get better as the season progressed, along with Cam Cheatham. Now we have Trenier Orr, whom we’re high on, so we’re going to have a high level of competition. We get Dominique Battle back. You look at our defensive end position with Walter Stewart and Brandon Mills, Dan Giordano so that and then I expect our receiving corps to be much better with Anthony McClung, Kenbrell Thompkins, Alex Chisum and the experience they gained. Also, I thought our tight ends really made some big plays for us. We’re going to miss Adrien Robinson, but that's a position that could be pretty strong as well.

How about at running back? You seem to have a lot of depth there when it comes to trying to replace Isaiah Pead.

BJ: I don't know if you just replace a great back like Isaiah. He meant so much to us but that's probably one of the most competitive spots that we'll have in our football program. When you look at Ralph David Abernathy and what he brings to the table, that big kickoff return (against Vanderbilt), Jameel Poteat, Akise Teague, George Winn. And if we’re able to maintain a couple in the recruitment process, I think that's going to be a very, very competitive position as we move forward and we'll see how it goes. The mark of great coaches is they're able to adapt each and every year for their strengths and weaknesses so we have to do a great job of playing to our strength. Each team have a different personality. We just have to do a great job of putting our schemes in and allowing players to be successful in what they can do.

The regular season is a wrap, folks. So what did we learn in Week 14?

1. West Virginia is almost certainly in the BCS. West Virginia rallied to beat USF 30-27 and Cincinnati beat UConn 35-27 to force a three-way tie atop the Big East standings. The Bearcats, Louisville and Mountaineers can all call themselves champions, but it is West Virginia that most likely claims the BCS bid. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, No. 23 West Virginia will finish as the highest-ranked Big East team in the final BCS standings when they are unveiled Sunday night. Nobody believed Louisville and Cincinnati would finish as champions, but West Virginia was the preseason choice to win the league so you can say the Mountaineers met expectations. They may have not done it in dominating fashion -- they needed comeback wins in their final three games -- but good teams find a way to win the close matches. Just ask USF. Now the Big East is faced with quite the awkward situation. It is embroiled in a lawsuit with its BCS rep.

2. Cincinnati roared. When the game kicked off between Cincinnati and UConn, the Bearcats knew they were on the outside looking in when it came to a BCS spot. Some wondered whether that would affect their performance. Cincinnati vowed it was all about the ring, and indeed the defense came out with an inspired showing -- two defensive scores, six sacks, 13 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries. Walter Stewart had one of the highlight plays of the year when he stripped Johnny McEntee in the end zone. J.K. Schaffer had 11 tackles and finished with more than 100 for the third straight season. Derek Wolfe had 10 tackles, five for loss. John Hughes had nine tackles, four for loss. The Huskies made a game of it late, but the overall performance on defense was pretty stellar.

3. Pitt salvages season. No way did anybody in Pittsburgh, let alone coach Todd Graham, think that the Panthers would go 6-6 this season. He came into the job boasting of lofty goals with his spread, no-huddle offense. But reality hit early, when it became apparent that he simply did not have the personnel to run the offense the way it should be run. Still, becoming bowl eligible after a 33-20 win over Syracuse has to take some of the sting off a season that fell short of expectations. The offense wasn't exactly a well-oiled machine against the Orange -- six Syracuse turnovers essentially saved the day. Graham will gladly take the extra practice time that comes with bowl preparation, and another opportunity to send the senior class out the right way.

4. USF, Syracuse, UConn staying home. All three of these teams made bowl games last season -- UConn was in the BCS -- but all three fell short this year. Each finished 5-7, for a variety of reasons. USF and Syracuse ended the season on major losing skids. The Bulls opened 4-0 and dropped six of their final seven. Syracuse opened 5-2 and lost five straight after failing to generate much offense. UConn was never able to win consecutive games, gave up too many big plays in the passing game, and could never quite get its quarterback situation figured out. Syracuse finished 1-6 in Big East play for the fifth time in six years.

5. Bulls disappoint. Preseason expectations were highest for USF, so its collapse probably is the most disappointing in the league. The Bulls end with their first losing season since 2004, when they went 4-7, the year before they joined the Big East. Four of its losses came on the final play of the game. Five of them featured blown second-half leads. That includes its loss to West Virginia. Just when it appeared USF might work its magic on West Virginia in Tampa yet again, it killed itself with turnovers and penalties. The final five minutes were a microcosm of the season. B.J. Daniels fumbles deep in West Virginia territory. The ensuing Mountaineers drive is aided by a personal foul penalty on USF. As West Virginia lines up for the field goal, USF gets flagged again, making it a chip shot for Tyler Bitancurt. Bulls fans want Skip Holtz on the hot seat, but he's not going anywhere just yet.

How about a few helmet stickers on the final week of the regular season for a job well done.

Tavon Austin, KR, West Virginia. Austin returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown in a 30-27 win over USF, becoming the first Mountaineer to score on at least two kickoff returns in a season since Shawn Terry scored on three in 2000.

Tyler Bitancurt, K, West Virginia. Bitancurt made a 28-yard field goal with no time left to give the Mountaineers a 30-27 win over USF, clinching a share of the Big East championship. Bitancurt did have a miss in the game, but he also made a total of three field goals, including one from 42 yards.

Kevin Harper, K, Pitt. Harper kicked a career-high four field goals in a 33-20 win over Syracuse. Harper made kicks from 37, 47 and two from 36 in the victory, though he did miss one from 44 yards.

Brandon Lindsey, DE, Pitt. Lindsey was a huge reason why Pitt beat Syracuse 33-20. He had a hand in half of Syracuse's six turnovers -- with two forced fumbles and an interception that directly led to 13 points. Lindsey added a sack, three quarterback hurries and six total tackles.

Walter Stewart, DE, Cincinnati. Stewart got the game started with a huge play, snatching the ball out of Johnny McEntee's hands in the end zone for a defensive score, as the Bearcats went on to beat UConn. It was the first touchdown of Stewart's career. He was credited with a sack, tackle for loss, forced fumble and fumble recovery on the play.

Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati. Wolfe recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss in a 35-27 win over UConn. Wolfe moves into fourth place on the school career sacks list with 19.5, and 10th on the career tackles for loss list with 35.

Cincinnati survived a serious second-half scare from UConn to hold on for a 35-27 win and clinch a share of the Big East title -- a season removed from a losing season.

Cincinnati, Louisville and West Virginia all finish as Big East co-champions. The BCS representative will be determined by the final BCS standings -- where it is almost certain West Virginia will finish as the highest-ranked team. We won't know officially until the standings are unveiled Sunday night, but No. 23 West Virginia is the only Big East team currently ranked in the Top 25.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 28-6 halftime lead but there was fight left in the Huskies in the second half. UConn quarterback Johnny McEntee played much better, and was able to find some holes in the Cincinnati secondary as he led the Huskies on a comeback. McEntee threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes -- to Mark Hinkley and Ryan Griffin. That 25-yard touchdown pass to Griffin came one play following an interception by Munchie Legaux.

Cincinnati got the ball with 5:46 remaining. All UConn needed was one stop to try and complete its comeback bid. But the Bearcats made two third-and-short conversions with runs, and they were able to ice the game despite being outscored 21-7 in the second half. Dave Teggart ended up with four field goals on the day for the Huskies, who had to play the majority of the game without backup quarterback Scott McCummings (concussion).

Legaux threw three touchdown passes, but also had two interceptions. The Bearcats were not as effective using Jordan Luallen as they were last week, as he had four catches for no yards. It was the defense that really made the difference in this game. Walter Stewart scored a touchdown after snatching the ball from McEntee in the end zone, and Drew Frey had an interception return for a touchdown.

The Bearcats had six sacks in the game, and John Hughes and Derek Wolfe were absolute terrors behind the line of scrimmage. Now Cincinnati can look forward to getting back to a bowl game, most likely the Liberty Bowl. UConn ends the season without a bowl berth, a year after representing the Big East in the BCS.

Cincinnati is poised to win a share of the Big East title, and that means West Virginia is likely headed to the BCS.

The Bearcats have a 28-6 lead against UConn thanks to some pretty impressive defensive plays. Walter Stewart had a highlight play in the first quarter, when he simply snatched the ball out of quarterback Johnny McEntee's hands in the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. Stewart was credited with a sack, tackle for loss, forced fumble, fumble recovery and touchdown all on the same play.

Drew Frey also scored a defensive touchdown with an interception for a score. UConn has been unable to move the ball on offense, and has been really hurt by the loss of backup quarterback Scott McCummings, who left the game in the first quarter after taking a hit to the head. The Huskies had been using he and McEntee effectively over the last three games. Without him, Cincinnati has teed off on McEntee, and he has been sacked multiple times.

The Huskies have 64 yards of total offense -- 5 on the ground. Lyle McCombs has 11 carries for 21 yards. Even when the Huskies got an opportunity on a first-and-goal at the 10 off a fumble by Isaiah Pead, they moved backward and had to settle for a field goal.

If Cincinnati wins, the Bearcats, Louisville and West Virginia finish in a three-way tie atop the Big East standings. West Virginia would most likely go to the BCS as the highest ranked Big East team.

Flying high in the sky ...

• Walter Stewart's hard work is paying off for Cincinnati.
• A UConn consultant recommends raising ticket prices for some football games.
• Louisville and Pitt, by the numbers.
• Pitt coach Todd Graham says the hard work his players are putting in will pay off.
• Rutgers coach Greg Schiano tries to keep his team focused.
• Syracuse University has lifted an interim suspension on receiver Marcus Sales, but he still has one hurdle to clear before returning to the classroom.
• For all the times USF has climbed and crashed, this is the worst, writes St. Petersburg Times columnist Gary Shelton.
• Turnovers, special teams are to blame for West Virginia's struggles.