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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Maybe it's silly, but I feel a bit like a trailblazer of sorts here in Mountaineers country. Those of us who hail from the Midwest or the South haven't had much reason to head to West Virginia, and I'd never been until yesterday. For most Big 12 fans and media, I'd say that's the case. Alas, I'll start there before moving to matters on the field.

• The rumors you've heard are true. This campus and area is beautiful, just as advertised by West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen and just about anybody else who's been here. The drive from the Denver airport to Boulder used to be my favorite in the Big 12, but it's now been replaced by the drive from Pittsburgh to Morgantown. I had heard it was two hours. It's not. It's in the ballpark of an hour to 90 minutes. Easily doable. Unlike Boulder, there isn't one big looming mountain, though. The campus and surrounding area is set among rolling hills unlike anything you'll see in the Big 12, save some parts of Austin, Texas. The drive over gives you a sense of the landscape, and there are plenty of gorgeous views. You'll love the first time you make it. I grew up in Northwest Arkansas in the thick of the Ozark Mountains, and it reminded me of that area a lot. No huge peaks, but lots of gorgeous scenery. I can only imagine how it will look in the fall.
• As for travel, I have some advice for airlines: Add more flights on fall weekends between Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Dallas and Houston, the three biggest hubs for Big 12 fans. If you get a direct flight into Pittsburgh, the travel won't be much different than trying to get to Texas A&M, Mizzou or Kansas State. I had to connect through Philadelphia, though, and it was a legitimate half-day of travel. It might take a little out of you heading into a game weekend.
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Andrew Weber/US PresswireWest Virginia's Geno Smith is as physically imposing as any of his new Big 12 QB counterparts.
• Unfortunately, I was on hand for the coldest day of the spring in West Virginia. It had been in the 70s and 80s for much of the workouts, but it was overcast and 50 degrees with blustery winds throughout Tuesday's two-plus-hour session, which included plenty of team drills. Holgorsen's teams typically don't tackle much, but players were going full contact on Tuesday, tackling to the ground during team drills, a rarity in the spring for some programs. Running back Ryan Clarke went down with an ankle injury, but his status is pending more examination from doctors.
• I was struck by Geno Smith's physical prowess. I'm not sure I realized just how big he is. He's every bit of 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, and maybe more. To me, he was more physically imposing than Landry Jones, who checks in at 6-4, 229. Other than Collin Klein, you won't see any Big 12 passers with the kind of physique Jones and Smith have.
• Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin? Good grief, those two are as advertised. Nobody in the Big 12 is going to be able to cover Austin with any consistency. Bailey and Smith have been friends since growing up in South Florida, and Bailey will be productive, too. Smith's throwing reps were limited on Tuesday to give his shoulder a little rest, but he hit Bailey and Austin for rainbow 40- to 50-yard passes on consecutive plays during 11-on-11 drills Tuesday. Bailey isn't quite as physically impressive as Austin (namely his quickness), but he's really smart and coordinated, and he'll be able to get open and make plays like he did last year.
• The quarterbacks behind Smith, by the way? Both Texas natives who I'm sure are itching to go up against some familiar faces. Sophomore Paul Millard is from Flower Mound, a Dallas suburb, and Ford Childress (6-5, 224) is from Houston. Both looked strong, and Millard hooked up with Ivan McCartney on a deep ball while working some with the first team early in practice. Honestly, WVU might have the best full set of QBs in the league right now, beyond starters.
• The scariest thing about WVU right now? You probably know the skill-position players -- specifically at QB and receiver -- are as good as if not better than any in the Big 12. But look out for the youngsters, too. WVU is deep and have a lot of guys who keep on coming. One name already turning heads this spring: True freshman early enrollee Jordan Thompson, a Katy, Texas, native who made plenty of plays during Tuesday's practice, and took a huge hit from a pair of defenders. "They've been waiting to do that for a long time," yelled a teammate as another picked Thompson up and Holgorsen smiled at his "Welcome to Division I football" moment.
• You know about Bailey and Austin, but look out for J.D. Woods, too. He looked the part of playmaker in Tuesday's practice, and the senior could finally be turning a corner after a quiet junior season.
• I'll have plenty more through the week -- I'm here until Thursday -- so keep checking back for more from my trip to West Virginia.

MIAMI -- After a month of analyzing keys, players, depth charts and matchups it is time for West Virginia to show what it is made of in the Discover Orange Bowl against Clemson.

This could be the Mountaineers' final game as members of the Big East, so you know they want to go out on top. And as always, a good performance in this one can be used as a springboard into 2012, especially with so many stars coming back on offense.

West Virginia announced several lineup changes before the game began: Tyler Rader will start at right guard in place of Quinton Spain; Pat Eger will start at right tackle in place of Curtis Feigt; Shawne Alston will start in place of Dustin Garrison; and Ryan Clarke will be the B-back as Alston takes over for Garrison.

The starting spur safety will be a game-time decision.

The stadium looks to be about half full, but a larger contingent of Clemson fans is on hand for this game.

We continue our team position rankings today with running back. The running back situation in the league is similar to the receiver situation. Only one team returns its leading rusher from a year ago (Rutgers leading rusher Jordan Thomas is now at cornerback). Most everyone has a lot of young, unproven talent waiting in the wings.

So how to judge? To make these rankings, I considered returning starters, accolades for returning starters, depth and potential. I went with the top 2 teams based largely on the belief that their No. 1 running backs will be the two best in the league even though depth is lacking. Everybody else has significant questions so I weighed depth and potential more heavily.

1. Cincinnati. The Bearcats have perhaps the best back in the league in Isaiah Pead, a second-team Big East selection last year after he ran for 1,029 yards and six touchdowns. A healthy Darrin Williams should help, too. Joining them this year are two highly touted true freshmen in Jameel Poteat and Akise Teague, making this a unit that has returning talent and even more potential than last season.

2. Pittsburgh. The Panthers have one of the best running backs in the league in Ray Graham, but behind him there are major questions. Zach Brown is transferring in from Wisconsin, so that should help. Depth is a major concern, but Graham is the reason this unit is up so high. Some of the incoming true freshmen among Malcolm Crockett, Jeremiah Bryson, Isaac Bennett, and Corey Davis are going to have to play.

3. West Virginia. Noel Devine is gone, leaving a big hole to fill at the running back spot. This is one of the biggest positions of intrigue going into fall camp because it is so wide open. True freshman Vernard Roberts came in during the spring and did a nice job. Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston, Matt Lindamood and Trey Johnson are in the mix. But expectations are high for true freshmen Andrew Buie and Dustin Garrison to contribute as well. The Mountaineers have the best depth but no No. 1 back right now, which is why they are here.

4. Louisville. Another big-time rusher in Bilal Powell is gone and so are his 1,405 yards. Victor Anderson had a nice spring, leaving many to hope he can return to the form that he showed as a freshman. He and Jeremy Wright could be a fearsome 1-2 combo. The Cardinals are committed to running the ball, so that is a plus, and a big reason why the Cardinals are ranked No. 4. The big question here is how an inexperienced offensive line is going to affect the run game.

5. Syracuse. The Orange lose Delone Carter and his 1,233 yards. But Antwon Bailey is back and ready to assume the starting job. Bailey had 554 yards last season, but he is not the power back Carter was. Prince Tyson Gulley is second on the depth chart, and there are others who could contribute: Steven Rene, Jerome Smith, Mario Tull and maybe even freshman Greg Tobias. There also is freshman Adonis Ameen-Moore, a bruiser with speed.

6. USF. Hopes are high for Darrell Scott to come in and transform the Bulls rushing game. He is eligbile after transferring in from Colorado, and so is Dontae Aycock, a transfer from Auburn. Demetris Murray, who ran for 573 yards last season, also returns. But there are questions here. Will Scott be the savior? He was OK at Colorado and had a so-so spring. Who is the game-breaker? The Bulls traditionally have struggled to run the ball consistently. USF has not had a 1,000 yard rusher since 2005.

7. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have struggled in the run game since Ray Rice left and believe they might have a game-changer in true freshman Savon Huggins. No question the young man has talent, but will he step in right away to start and make a huge impact out of the gate? Jeremy Deering, De'Antwan Williams and Jawan Jamison are in the mix as well, but all eyes are going to be on Huggins. One key to this whole mix -- how much better will the offensive line be to help the run game?

8. Connecticut. The Huskies lose their MVP in Jordan Todman, who led the league with 1,695 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Also gone is backup Robbie Frey, leaving this position a gigantic question mark. DJ Shoemate is penciled in to start and is the team's leading returning rusher with 115 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman Lyle McCombs also will be in the mix to start and there are some true freshmen who might play as well.

Previous rankings:

• Offensive line
• Receiver

Time for the second part of my interview with West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, focused around the personnel on offense and his expectations for the team. In case you missed it, Part I ran Friday.

AA: How do you feel about the increased expectations now that you are head coach?

DH: Nobody has any higher expectations than I do. I don’t worry too much about what happens on the outside. I just worry about what our expectations are on the inside.

AA: One of the questions I have gotten the most is what is going to happen at running back. What do you expect come fall practice?

DH: I expect them to be competitive. That’s our deepest position. We have a couple older guys, mostly bigger guys in Shawne Alston, and Ryan Clarke. We’ve got two sophomores and three true freshmen that have a chance to be the guy. In the spring, we didn’t know who (Vernard) Roberts was in the first two or three practices, but he got better and better and took ahold of the spot toward the end of spring. (Dustin) Garrison and (Andrew) Buie, both highly successful players in high school, we’ll throw them in the mix and see which one comes out on top. It takes you two or three guys to be able to get it done, anyway.

AA: Geno Smith is getting a lot of mention right now as potential Big East Player of the Year and maybe even a dark horse for the Heisman. What is a realistic expectation for him?

DH: He needs to seize the opportunity so to speak. Experience isn’t one thing that he’s lacking. The experience in this offense is something he’s lacking, maturing both physically and mentally and leadership wise is something he has to expedite. He’s not young anymore. He’s got to get it done now. I like his body language right now. He likes to play football, but he needs to play at a high level all the time. That’s practice and games. He can’t have any days off.

AA: In respect to that, what did you see out of him in the spring?

DH: I didn’t view him as a guy who took some days off or anything like that. It’s just game day is different. You’ve got to prepare all week. That’s one thing I don’t know yet. I haven’t prepared for a game yet with him. How does he prepare? How does he study? How does he learn? How does he rally the troops and get everybody better? (Houston quarterback) Case Keenum made every player around him better and (Oklahoma State quarterback) Brandon Weeden studied like crazy. He knew the game plan and signals before I even signaled it. Geno has got to get on that level. Loving to play football and loving to compete is good on game day, but I’ve got to see it for six days out of him prior to game day.

AA: What are your biggest objectives now before fall practice starts?

DH: Continuing to unite as one, so to speak. We’ve got an existing defensive staff, new offensive staff, sides of the ball that haven’t played together. The only way to win championships is if you are truly a team. That needs to trickle down to the administration and the fans. There needs to be a high level of excitement surrounding Mountaineer football.

The number 1,000 is like Mount Everest for a college running back. Forget for a moment that over 12 regular season games plus a bowl, a runner has to average fewer than 77 yards per game to reach the milestone of 1,000 yards in a year. It's still a magical number.

The Big East has been blessed with top tailbacks the past few seasons, including five 1,000-yard rushers in 2010 (and two more guys who topped 920 yards last season).

Who will get there in 2011? Let's take a look at the top candidates, in order:

1. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati: Pead is the Big East's leading returning rusher this season, having produced 1,029 yards last season. The senior could be in for an even bigger year in '11 if he can stay healthy and the Bearcats offense can remain committed to the run.

2. Ray Graham, Pittsburgh: Graham ran for 922 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry despite splitting carries with Dion Lewis last season. Now as the featured back -- and the only experienced ball carrier -- in new coach Todd Graham's fast-paced offense, Graham might be the safest bet of any Big East player to top 1,000 yards this year.

3. Antwon Bailey, Syracuse: Bailey rushed for 554 yards last season and now should be the starting tailback behind a veteran Orange offensive line. Delone Carter topped 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons in this offense, so Bailey could do the same if given the same opportunities.

4. D.J. Shoemate or some other Connecticut back: Picking a UConn back to go over 1,000 used to be a given. Donald Brown eclipsed 2,000 in 2008, two backs got into four figures in 2009, and Jordan Todman finished second nationally in rushing a year ago. The Huskies still have a powerful offensive line that will pave holes, and the running game will be important with an unproven quarterback. But there's no clear heir to Todman. Shoemate has gotten most of the reps this spring but must prove he's elusive enough to be an elite tailback. If not, perhaps Lyle McCombs or an incoming freshman will get a shot.

5. Unknown West Virginia back: Most of the focus on Dana Holgorsen's offense centers on the passing game. But Holgorsen had a 1,500-yard back last year at Oklahoma State and 1,200-yard one at Houston in 2008. So the Mountaineers could definitely see a player cross that threshold. The question remains whether that would be Ryan Clarke, Shawne Alston, Daquan Hargrett, Andrew Buie or whomever.

6. Jeremy Wright, Louisville: The sophomore likely will succeed Bilal Powell, who finished as the second best runner in the Big East last year. Wright showed his ability in limited time when Powell was hurt a year ago, and the Cardinals proved their commitment to running the ball under Charlie Strong in 2010. But Wright has also missed this spring with an injury, and the offensive line must replace four starters. Senior Victor Anderson has a 1,000-yard season under his belt but must regain his freshman form.

7. Darrell Scott/Demetris Murray/Dontae Aycock, South Florida: Call them the 3-D backfield. It's unclear which back will emerge as the leader in the USF backfield, whether it's the Colorado transfer Scott, the Auburn transfer Aycock or Murray, who ran for 542 yards a year ago. They might split carries so much that no one guy reaches 1,000.

8. Savon Huggins or another Rutgers back: The Scarlet Knights haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ray Rice, though Joe Martinek got close two years ago. The conventional wisdom is that super-recruit Huggins will earn the running back mantle when he arrives this summer. But first he'll have to beat out Jeremy Deering, De'Antwan Williams and Jawan Jamison. And the Rutgers offensive line will have to be a whole lot better to clear the way toward 1,000 yards for any one back.

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.

Spring practice is just around the corner -- South Florida will be on its new practice fields next week, while other Big East teams will follow suit shortly after.

So here's a look at what to expect from each league team this spring.

Cincinnati

Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Fixing the defense: There's little doubt that improving the defense is the first order of business in Clifton. The Bearcats ranked last in the Big East last season while giving up 28 points per game. The good news is that all 11 starters on that side of the ball are back. The bad news is those are the same guys who couldn't get it done a season ago. An extra year of maturity should help, and Butch Jones expects more depth and competition on defense, including the arrival of junior-college import Malcolm Murray at safety.

• Restocking the Binns: Cincinnati should still be strong on offense with the return of senior quarterback Zach Collaros and senior Isaiah Pead, the leading returning rusher in the Big East. Yet the loss of the league's most productive receiver in 2010, Armon Binns, means the Bearcats need to find a few more guys to make plays at receiver. D.J. Woods is an obvious choice as the new go-to guy, but he'll have to solve his fumble problems. Transfer Kenbrell Thompkins, who couldn't get eligible last season, will look to step forward. Another sidelined receiver, freshman Dyjuan Lewis, won't be cleared to join in team activities until the summer.

• Looking for leaders: One of the problems during the 2010 4-8 season, as voiced by departing senior Jason Kelce and implied by Jones, was a lack of leadership on the team. Hey, it happens sometimes when your program has been to back-to-back BCS games and young players feel an undeserved sense of entitlement. Jones has been trying to change that, and we should be able to tell during the spring whether some new leaders have emerged.

Connecticut

Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Back to the future: For the first time since the end of 1990s, and for the first time ever as an FBS-level program, the Huskies will have someone other than Randy Edsall leading them through practice in March. Former longtime Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni took over when Edsall left for Maryland, and Pasqualoni hired new coordinators (George DeLeone on offense and Don Brown on defense) to mix in with the holdovers from Edsall's staff. UConn has been doing things the same way for a long time, and with pretty strong results. How will the team react to Pasqualoni's new-look, old-school ways?

• Backfield in motion: Quarterback Zach Frazer is gone. Star tailback Jordan Todman left early for the NFL. Fullback Anthony Sherman graduated. Everything behind center is new. The quarterback position looks pretty wide open, with sophomore Michael Box perhaps having the edge after making one (very unsuccessful) start in 2010. Early enrollee Michael Nebrich is one to watch. How will the Huskies replace Todman? Good question. Robbie Frey decided to concentrate on graduate school, leaving USC transfer D.J. Shoemate as the only experienced ballcarrier. Freshman Lyle McCombs' status is unclear for spring after his offseason arrest, and the two running backs in the signing class won't arrive until summer. Right now, it's anybody's guess as to who might carry on the UConn running back tradition.

• Reloading at linebacker: The Connecticut defense brings a lot back, but one position that needs refilling is linebacker. Lawrence Wilson, who led the Big East in tackles the past two seasons, and Scott Lutrus, a four-year starter and solid leader, both exhausted their eligibility. Sio Moore looks like a rising star and had some huge games in 2010, but the other two positions have large shoes to fill.

Louisville

Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 15

What to watch:

• Smooth sailing for Bridegwater?: The Cardinals' most pressing issue is at quarterback, where senior co-starters Justin Burke and Adam Froman are gone. Highly-touted recruit Teddy Bridgewater will participate in the spring, and how quickly he picks up the college game and coordinator Mike Sanford's system could go a long way to determining what happens this fall. If he needs more time, senior Will Stein will happily take the reins.

• Rebuilding the O-line: The key to Louisville's offensive success was its senior-laden line, which proved to be the best in the Big East a year ago. But now four new starters must be found to go along with center Mario Benavides. The new guys must get up to speed and develop chemistry quickly for the running game and presumed new starter Jeremy Wright to duplicate last season's progress.

• Last line of defense: Louisville's defense was most vulnerable at its back end at times last season, and now the Cardinals must replace both starting cornerbacks (including All-Big East first team performer Johnny Patrick), no to mention two senior linebackers. An obvious candidate to take over some leadership is safety Hakeem Smith, who was the Big East rookie of the year. The plus side is that Charlie Strong and coordinator Vance Bedford will have more young talent to work with.

Pittsburgh

Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Golden Graham?: There will be no more drastic change in the Big East this spring than the offense at Pittsburgh, which will go from a run-based pro-style attack to Graham's no-huddle, wide-open, points-per-minute machine. Can the Panthers get this new offense up and running this spring? Does Graham have the players to make it work? And how will his offense, so successful in Conference USA, translate into the more rugged Big East? All those questions will be fascinating to follow.

• Quarterback competition: Junior Tino Sunseri started every game in his first year at the controls in 2010, and he played well at times. But a new style and new coaching staff means that he might have an edge, but not necessarily an insurmountable one, in this spring's competition. Redshirt freshman Mark Myers is multi-talented and will be given a look, along with classmate Anthony Gonzalez and Kolby Gray. The current staff has no loyalty to Sunseri, so he'll need to perform at a high level this spring to keep his job.

• Shoring up the 'D': It's no secret that Pitt struggled in defending the pass last season. Graham's offense may be more explosive, but he doesn't want to have to get into shootouts all the time. He and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson have experience running 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 formations and may go to more of those kinds of looks to counter the increasing spread offenses throughout the league. First Pitt will have to get better play from its secondary and linebackers in pass coverage, and that starts this spring.

Rutgers

Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

• Line change: The first thing to focus on this spring for the Scarlet Knights is the front five on offense. The offensive line has been a mess for the past two years and was an utter disaster a year ago. Head coach Greg Schiano is counting on junior-college center Dallas Hendrickson to provide some immediate help, and that another year will lead to better things for the returnees. Rutgers needs answers at right tackle, especially, and if the line can't block its own defense in spring practice, you'll know there's trouble.

• A Frank re-assessment: Former Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti takes over the Scarlet Knights' playcalling duties this spring, and his pro-style background seems like a perfect match for what Schiano likes to do. Look for Cignetti to try to establish a stronger running game this spring (while waiting for mega-recruit Savon Huggins to arrive this summer) and abandon the Wildcat formation and other gimmicks that Rutgers desperately turned to the past two years. His work with sophomore starter Chas Dodd will also be critical, since there are no other experienced quarterbacks on campus.

• Recharging the defense: You always expect a Schiano-led defense to be rock solid, but that defense wore down last season and ended up allowing more points in conference play than anybody. Three of the starting four defensive linemen are gone, as well as the team's leading tackler -- linebacker Antonio Lowery -- and safety Joe Lefeged. Schiano has recruited well and has lots of young players ready to step into bigger roles. Spring will be the time we start to learn who's ready to handle increased responsibilities.

South Florida

Spring practice starts: March 3
Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• Transfers accepted: Running backs Darrell Scott and Dontae Aycock have strong credentials; Scott was one of the more sought-after recruits in the country before disappointing at Colorado, while Aycock was set to play for Auburn. Both become eligible this year and will show their stuff this spring. The two big-bodied ballcarriers could add some power and explosiveness to the Bulls offense. Notre Dame transfer Spencer Boyd should bring depth, at the very least, to the secondary.

• B.J. still the main Bull?: Junior B.J. Daniels seemed to reassert himself as the starter with a big performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl win over Clemson. But before that, there were serious questions about whether sophomore Bobby Eveld might unseat him. Daniels goes into the spring with an obvious edge, but he'll be pushed by Eveld and redshirt freshman Jamius Gunsby. He'll need to perform at a consistent level to stiff-arm questions about his job security.

• Receiver reconstitution: No doubt, receiver was the position that needed the largest upgrade a year ago. The bad news is, the Bulls lost leading pass-catcher Dontavia Bogan, who was nearly a one-man show at wideout in 2010. On the flip side, A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin return from injury. And Skip Holtz hopes getting thrown into the fire last season sped the development of guys like Evan Landi, Joel Miller and Lindsey Lamar. At the very least, the position has a lot more experience and depth than it did a year ago at this time.

Syracuse

Spring practice starts: March 8
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Displacing Delone: Senior Delone Carter brought the thunder to the Syracuse running game the last two years, and he may have been the least favorite ballcarrier for opposing tacklers to bring down. With him gone, it remains to be seen whether the smaller Antwon Bailey can be an every-down back, or if youngsters like Prince-Tyson Gulley and Jerome Smith are ready for an increased role in the offense.

• Linebacker makeover: It would be hard for any team to lose a more productive linebacker tandem than the Orange did with seniors Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith. They were both crucial to what defensive coordinator Scott Shafer liked to do. The lone returning starter is Marquis Spruill, who played as a true freshman last year. Could a newcomer like junior-college transfer Siriki Diabate be ready to help immediately?

• Wideout wonders: Marcus Sales helped rescue an ailing passing game with his breakout performance in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Is Sales ready to play like that all the time now, or was he a one-game wonder? Will Van Chew continue the improvement he showed last season before getting injured? Can the Orange get more out of Alec Lemon? What new faces might help at receiver? The answers to these questions will be key to the attack under Nathaniel Hackett, who was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason.

West Virginia

Spring practice starts: March 28
Spring game: April 29

What to watch:

• Dana days: Mountaineer Nation is salivating at the thought of what Dana Holgorsen will do to revive the offense. Holgorsen has had an immediate and incredible impact at the last two places where he called plays, and some solid work in the spring is required to do the same in Morgantown. A couple of things are for sure: the Mountaineers will be throwing it around a whole bunch during practice, and fans will breathlessly gobble up every small detail. Another thing to watch will be the chemistry between Holgorsen's hand-picked offensive staff and Bill Stewart, the man he'll replace at the end of the season. That relationship will also be dissected relentlessly.

• Defense reload or rebuild?: Most people assume West Virginia will continue to field an excellent defense because of coordinator Jeff Casteel. That may be true, but no team lost more defensive talent than the Mountaineers, who must replace frontline players like tackle Chris Neild, linebacker J.T. Thomas, safety Robert Sands and cornerback Brandon Hogan, among others. There's still a lot to like here, including ends Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin and corner Keith Tandy, but for Casteel must find new contributors to keep his 3-3-5 humming along.

• Who's in the backfield?: It's not yet know just how much quarterback Geno Smith will be able to do during spring practice after his offseason foot surgery. Obviously, the more reps he can take, the better he'll be able to get Holgorsen's system down. And there's no experience behind him. West Virginia will be cautious with Smith, though, because the fall is way more important. With Noel Devine gone and Tavon Austin seemingly making his move to receiver permanent, there will be competition for the starting running back spot. Shawne Alston and Ryan Clarke are bulldozers who could add an interesting wrinkle to Holgorsen's spread if they get the job done.

There's no more intriguing figure in the Big East for 2011 than Dana Holgorsen. The new West Virginia offensive coordinator/head-coach-in-waiting brings his high-powered offense to Morgantown, as everyone will be watching how the relationship between him and Bill Stewart works out. He's also a colorful character.

I talked to Holgorsen earlier this week about a host of topics, and here is Part I of our conversation. Look for Part II on Friday.

Now that you've gotten a chance to take a breath after signing day and actually settle in a bit, how important is this time period right now?

Dana Holgorsen: It's pretty important. That signing day week, we started to get the know the kids, and now with the five weeks of offseason [before spring practice], we've really got to take advantage from a watching film standpoint. It's about us offensive coaches, and the defensive coaches as well, getting on the same page and getting a plan for spring. And also, 1) getting to know the guys and 2) getting them lined up and 3) watching film of the offense, that way they've got an idea of what's going on the first day of spring. We don't want to start teaching them the first day of spring. We want to start teaching them now.

Have you gotten a sense of what the players can do by watching film and in what little you can interact with them at this point?

DH: I watched just a little bit of tape on what they did last year from a personnel standpoint. Everybody is kind of starting over. We've got a lot of experience coming back from guys who have played. But it's a new system. It's going to be a chance for a lot of kids to wipe the slate clean and start over and mature. There are a bunch of guys who had redshirted or hadn't played very much who are going to develop. We've got to figure out who those guys are. It will take practice time to do it.

Do you feel like you've got the speed and skill you need to run the offense the way you want?

DH: I think so. There is more experience at the receiver position here than there was at Houston when I first got to Houston or at Oklahoma State when I first got to Oklahoma State. There are probably guys here who have played more football, though that doesn't necessarily mean they're better. It doesn't mean they're going to develop. But I think there are some guys with more experience at the skill positions -- not at running back but at receiver. At receiver, I think we've got about five guys who are a proven commodity, while at running back I think we've got guys have played a little bit, but they played behind [Noel] Devine for a couple of years.

At Houston and Oklahoma State, you were able to get your offense installed and be highly productive right away. What's the secret to that?

DH: Each place is different. Both at Houston and Oklahoma State, I was coming into a situation where we had only three returning starters. But there were bodies on campus. We have more returning starters here than any of the two previous places I was at. It's about how they adjust and how they jell more than anything. We've done it before, and the system isn't any different than it's been the last three years. So we'll teach them and then line them up and then it's just a matter of meshing together.

Do you feel like it's a system that can be easily learned, without a lot of confusing terminology and such?

DH: I think one thing we've always done a good job of, and it's probably the biggest thing I learned from Mike Leach, is the organization of how we present it and how we practice it. I've made some changes at each stop each year to try and make it a little easier for these guys to grasp, but the key is to grasp it as quickly as possible. We're taking advantage of the meeting time we have over the next five weeks so they'll have a quicker grasp of it and get better at it. I don't want them thinking about what they're doing all the time. I want them just reacting.

What are your initial impressions of Geno Smith?

DH: Calm. He's pretty poised. He's played a lot of football and won a lot of games. People gravitate toward him, so whether he wants to be a leader or not, he's one of those guys who is. He's got a lot to learn, and he's got to prove he can do it. But watching him on film, he seems pretty poised in the pocket. He doesn't get rattled and doesn't panic.

Do you think he fits with what you want to do offensively?

DH: Yeah, I think he does. We don't have much on campus. We've got him and we've got two true freshmen who were midterm enrollees, so we have three quarterbacks. Geno is the returning starter, and then there are two high kids that are both 6-foot-3, good-looking kids who've thrown the ball a bunch. But you never know how those guys are going to develop. They've got a guy in front of them that has played games and has proved to be able to win.

How about the running back position, where you've got some bigger backs than West Virginia has had in a while?

DH: I just don't know a whole lot about them. There's Shawne Alston, but he's battling an injury and I haven't seen him run around. [Note: Alston is dealing with a knee injury but is expected to participate in spring practice]. Ryan Clarke has been impressive. He's a physical kid who does a good job in the weight room. He's a bigger back but also athletic as heck now. Those two guys have some snaps under their belt. We have to look at guys like Daquan Hargrett and Trey Johnson, and then a midterm guy like Vernard Roberts, who's a freshman. That gives you five people to line up and figure out what they can do.

And your system is adaptable for bigger backs?

DH: Either they get yards or they don't get yards. We had a first-team all-conference fullback at Oklahoma State who played about 35 snaps a game. So you've just got to evaluate your personnel and get the best ones out there. I don't care what they look like. It's about production, and if your better players are bigger people, then put 'em in there.

Here are three keys for West Virginia in Tuesday's Champs Sports Bowl showdown against NC State:

1. Pressure Russell Wilson: Well, sure, you always want to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. But that's an even more important goal against Wilson, who is responsible for so much of what the Wolfpack does offensively. West Virginia will be playing without top cornerback Brandon Hogan, so if Wilson has time to scan the field, he could pick on replacement Pat Miller. Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 scheme has been great at disguising coverages and confusing quarterbacks with blitzes from varying angles. Wilson has been more prone to mistakes this year than previous seasons, throwing eight interceptions in NC State's four losses. When the Mountaineers get near him, though, they can't let him break contain or he can burn them with his running ability.

2. Let it fly: This is the final game at West Virginia for offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen, who will be replaced next week by Dana Holgorsen. It will also be the last game for Bill Stewart before his lame-duck year begins. So what's there to lose? The Mountaineers should be aggressive on offense, and go for whatever Mullen has left in the playbook. NC State is solid against the run, and Noel Devine probably still won't be his usual explosive self. But quarterback Geno Smith has been terrific during the current four-game winning streak, throwing eight touchdown passes and just one interception. Don't be afraid to put the game in his hands.

3. Limit turnovers: Another no-brainer for any team, but this is one stat that usually tells the tale for the Mountaineers. They committed eight in their three losses this season compared to 15 in their nine wins. Ball-carriers like Ryan Clarke have had trouble with costly fumbles in big games. If West Virginia plays a clean game against NC State, it should have an excellent chance to win its third bowl game under Stewart.

The No. 2 bowl in the Big East pecking order is also the second-earliest bowl for the league. West Virginia gets back to action after a few weeks of wild coaching news. Here's a quick preview of Tuesday night's Champs Sports Bowl:

WHO TO WATCH: West Virginia running back Noel Devine. It's the final college game for Devine, who has amassed more than 4,000 rushing yards in his career. He hasn't been the same player this year ever since a foot injury against LSU, which was later exacerbated by an ankle problem in the Louisville game. But now he's had a few weeks to heal, and perhaps he's ready to deliver a fitting swan song. When he's right, there's no more explosive player in the country. If he's not himself, then the Mountaineers may turn to Shawne Alston and Ryan Clarke for the bulk of the carries.

WHAT TO WATCH: West Virginia's defense versus NC State quarterback Russell Wilson. The Mountaineers had one of the best defenses in the country this year, not once allowing more than 21 points. That defense will be facing the best quarterback it has seen this year in the dangerous, multi-dimensional Wilson. Add to that the fact that top cornerback Brandon Hogan will miss the game with a torn ACL, and this is arguably the biggest challenge all season for this defense. Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 scheme and a ton of veterans have made West Virginia difficult for any quarterback to solve this year. It will be fun to watch how Wilson fares.

WHY WATCH: West Virginia is the highest-ranked team in the Big East, and many people think the Mountaineers would have made a better BCS representative for the league than Connecticut, to which they lost in overtime on the road. Here is their chance to prove it. It will also be the final game before Dana Holgorsen takes over as offensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting, so this marks the end of an era in some ways. The Big East is looking for respect, and so its top-ranked team needs to take care of business against an ACC also-ran.

PREDICTION: This is a tough one because nobody knows exactly how much of a distraction the coaching situation was for this team. Hogan's loss hurts, too. I think Wilson will help NC State exploit West Virginia's defense more than any other team all season, but in the end Geno Smith and the Mountaineers make one more play. Give me West Virginia by a field goal, 26-23.

West Virginia has done all it can do. Now it must wait until Saturday night and hope South Florida can provide the assist.

A big second half charge helped the No. 24 Mountaineers to a 35-14 win over Rutgers. They clinched a share of the Big East title, and they will go to a BCS game if Connecticut loses to the Bulls in Tampa. If not, it's off to the Champs Sports Bowl.

West Virginia reminded us all why it needs help with its poor ballhandling against the Scarlet Knights. It lost three fumbles inside the Rutgers 15 and very nearly coughed up two more. Turnovers led to defeats against both Syracuse and Connecticut and cost at least a better shot at beating LSU.

But the Mountaineers are good enough to overcome those mistakes, especially against a bad team like Rutgers, which ended the year on a six-game losing streak. West Virginia had 524 yards to 202 by Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights only put together one real scoring drive before tacking on a garbage touchdown late against the second-string defense.

Geno Smith was terrific, completing 23 of 28 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown. Tavon Austin had six catches for 121 yards and a score and also had a 46-yard touchdown run. The Mountaineers continue to move the ball well without getting much from the still-injured Noel Devine. They tried to get him a touchdown late in his final home game, but Devine fumbled.

Ryan Clarke, despite an early goal-line fumble, has three touchdowns despite rushing just seven times for 11 yards.

Rutgers gave up six more sacks, giving them an insanely high 61 for the season. That's the most recorded by an FBS team in the last five years. Head coach Greg Schiano has a lot of evaluating to do now that this season is mercifully over.

West Virginia just has some watching and rooting left to do. The Mountaineers showed Saturday why they'd be a tough opponent for anyone in a BCS game, but they have only themselves to blame for not controlling their own path to one.

The only way West Virginia was going to lose to Rutgers is if the Mountaineers were concentrating on the Connecticut outcome and came out flat.

But even with two seemingly costly turnovers, the Mountaineers are having no problems early on.

They lead 14-0 after one quarter despite continued fumbling problems. Ryan Clarke, who coughed it up at terrible times earlier this year at LSU and UConn, lost the ball inside the Rutgers 10. Later, Jock Sanders fumbled at the Rutgers 13.

But the Scarlet Knights can't capitalize because their offense is no match for the scary-good Mountaineers D. The nation's worst offensive line has already allowed two sacks, and now that they're playing from behind, it could get ugly.

Geno Smith is slicing up the Rutgers defense, even when the Scarlet Knights only rush three. This is a total mismatch, and as long as West Virginia takes care of the ball to a slightly competent degree, it will clinch a share of the Big East title.

West Virginia had high aspirations for this season. A Big East title and a 10-win season were on the agenda.

The Mountaineers can still reach both of those goals, with a twist. They will clinch at least a share of the Big East title by beating Rutgers on Saturday, but they won't be going to a BCS game unless Connecticut loses. So how would a 9-3 regular season without a BCS game reconcile with those preseason dreams?

"In that scenario, if it happens, we did win a Big East championship," nose tackle Chris Neild said. "We always try to go undefeated every season. But if we had a share of the Big East title, we'd be happy with that and go to a bowl game with high expectations that we could win."

A UConn victory could send No. 24 West Virginia to the Champs Sports Bowl, possibly against NC State. Officials from that game are said to be leaning toward the Mountaineers instead of 7-5 Notre Dame. But if they chose to take the Irish, West Virginia could fall down to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

First things first, however. The Mountaineers have to take care of Rutgers on Saturday. Nothing suggests that will pose much of a problem.

The Scarlet Knights have lost 15 straight to West Virginia, the longest active losing streak in Big East play. They are 0-16 all-time in Morgantown. That futile history is compounded by a putrid present. Rutgers has lost five straight games, the last two by a combined 48 points. The offensive line, worst in the nation in pass protection, will go up against one of the best defenses in the nation. A West Virginia offense that has started to take off in recent weeks should enjoy playing a team that has allowed 109 points its last two games.

Still, the Mountaineers are exercising caution, as the senior class that will be honored Saturday reminds the younger players about 2007, when a Pittsburgh team with a losing record spoiled Senior Night and a shot at the BCS title game.

"They don’t have anything to lose," fullback Ryan Clarke said of Rutgers. "They could possibly use this to come out and play their hardest game."

Assuming another year-end catastrophe does not strike, West Virginia should take care of business. Then, about four hours after the players have showered and gone home, they'll tune in to the Connecticut-South Florida game.

"If we don't handle our business, that game is meaningless to us," Neild said. "But if we need to watch it, I think a lot of us will have our eyes on game. It is tough to play down there [in Tampa]."

The Mountaineers will be hoping and praying the Bulls can help them out, knowing a nine-win season and Big East co-championship would be good. But a BCS game would be great.

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt came out trying to be aggressive in the Backyard Brawl, throwing the ball on its first five plays from scrimmage.

It was that fifth play that proved problematic.

Brandon Hogan picked off Tino Sunseri and ran it back 53 yards to the Pitt 2, where Ryan Clarke banged it in for the touchdown on the next play. Just like that, West Virginia has jumped ahead and put the burden on Pitt to play from behind against this great defense.

Throwing it is the right plan for Pitt, and the Panthers used a lot of play-action early. That's the only way to loosen this defense up. But let's see if the turnover makes Dave Wannstedt get conservative, and whether Sunseri can avoid further costly mistakes.

Looking back on the biggest Big East week thus far:

Team(s) of the week: (tie) Connecticut, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. All three went on the road to hostile environments, and all three shut down opponents who had a lot to play for. This trio allowed only one offensive touchdown in Week 12 while separating itself from the rest of the Big East pack.

Best game: Not a lot of instant classics in Week 12. I'll go with Pitt's 17-10 win over South Florida, which at least had some second-half drama. West Virginia beat Louisville by the same score, but that game never felt more out of reach because of how the Mountaineers' defense shut everything down.

Biggest play: In the second half at Louisville, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith turned to call timeout at nearly the same time as the ball was snapped and hit him in the back. Officials awarded Smith the timeout to the dismay of the home crowd. On the next play, Smith hit Noel Devine for a 48-yard pass play to the Louisville 2. That led to a Ryan Clarke touchdown, and the Mountaineers never trailed after that.

Best call: South Florida couldn't get much going offensively against Pittsburgh. But in the third quarter, the Bulls pulled off a beautifully-executed end around with true freshman Terrence Mitchell, who sprinted 45 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 10. Unfortunately for USF, it was not enough.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati. There are career nights, and then there are video-game nights. Pead had the latter, scoring five touchdowns and rushing for 213 yards in a 69-38 destruction of Rutgers.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): Kendall Reyes, DE, Connecticut. Created two turnovers with an interception and a forced fumble, and both led to scores in the Huskies' 23-6 win at Syracuse.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Gregg Pugnetti, P, West Virginia. Bill Stewart called his punter "our player of the game" after the win over Louisville. Pugnetti averaged 44.9 yards on seven punts and downed two inside the 20 as the Cardinals brought the house at him over and over again.

Worst hangover: Rutgers. Sure, Syracuse and South Florida were virtually eliminated from the Big East race, and Louisville lost its second straight chance at a bowl. But how do the Scarlet Knights give up 69 points to a Cincinnati team that had been struggling for weeks? Things are not good in Piscataway these days.

Strangest moment: In the second half of the Syracuse-Connecticut game, Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib had one of his passes batted into the air by a Huskies defender. Nassib caught the ball himself, and then proceeded to throw another pass. Um, that's a penalty. My favorite part was the referee's explanation: "The quarterback cannot throw two forward passes on the same down." Insert quote from Dazed & Confused's Wooderson here: "It'd be a whole lot cooler if you could."

Now let's look ahead to the penultimate regular-season game for most and -- can you believe it -- already the final regular-season game of 2010 for Louisville and Syracuse (Games listed in descending order of interest/importance; all games Saturday except where noted):

West Virginia (7-3, 3-2 Big East) at Pittsburgh (6-4, 4-1): The Backyard Brawl as it should be: full of meaning for the Big East title. (ABC, Noon ET Friday)

Cincinnati (4-6, 2-3) at Connecticut (6-4, 3-2): The Huskies have to win to stay alive in the Big East title race. Bearcats have to win to stay alive for a bowl game. (ESPN3.com, Noon ET)

South Florida (6-4, 3-3) at Miami (7-4): The Bulls have accomplished many firsts this season. Winning a Big East title won't be one of them. But beating Miami would serve as a nice consolation prize. (ESPNU, Noon ET)

Boston College (6-5) at Syracuse (7-4, 4-3): The Orange's season will be judged a success no matter what happens the rest of the way. But 8-4 sure looks better than 7-5 with an 0-for-FBS record at home, doesn't it? (ESPN, Noon ET)

Louisville (5-6, 2-4) at Rutgers (4-6, 1-4): Loser is eliminated from bowl contention. Cardinals should be more prepared than they were two years ago in a humiliating season-ending loss. (ESPN2, 11 a.m. ET, Friday)