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Vidal Hazelton's medical miracle comeback never happened for Cincinnati, though the receiver says he was ready to go.

He tore the ACL in his left knee in the opener against Fresno State but vowed to play again before the season ended. Hazelton was medically cleared to play in the penultimate game against Connecticut but was held out because the Bearcats' compliance department thought there was still a chance he could get approved for a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. He found out before the finale against Pittsburgh that his college career was coming to an end, but then a snowstorm hit Nippert Stadium.

"It was snowing and our season wasn't going well, so it didn't make sense to risk it," Hazelton said.

So Hazelton's Cincinnati career lasted just a little more than one half of a game. He transferred to Cincinnati from USC after his junior year and petitioned to become immediately eligible. But the NCAA didn't buy his appeal, which was based on his desire to be closer to his sick grandfather in Georgia. Then the coach he hoped to play for, Brian Kelly, left for Notre Dame. Hazelton said the NCAA turned him down for a sixth year because he needed to show that two lost years were out of his control; though he had an ankle injury that limited him at USC, that wasn't considered major enough for a special waiver.

Hazelton really hasn't played football in two years and was hampered by the ankle problem his last year with the Trojans. The injury in the opener this season just seemed cruel.

"It was really frustrating, because in that Fresno game I was kind of getting my feet wet," he said. "I was having a pretty good game.

"I was pretty down about it that Sunday. But for some reason, I woke up Monday and just had really good spirits. I was laughing and smiling with everybody just to let them know I was OK. I didn't have any down days after that. I honestly didn't."

Hazelton is ready to move onto the next chapter of his life, which he hopes is an NFL career. He has moved to Los Angeles, where he has begun training at the Athletes Performance Institute. He's working several hours a day with other NFL hopefuls like former USC players Allen Bradford and Jurrell Casey and Hawaii's Greg Salas.

Just four months removed from his ACL surgery, Hazelton says he's still only about 85 or 90 percent. But he's confident that he can do enough to impress the pro scouts during workouts, even in what looks to be a strong class of receiver prospects this spring.

"Yeah, it hurts me not having a lot of film," he said. "But a lot of scouts came to our practice [at Cincinnati]. If somebody wants to watch me work out, I'm sure I'll be all right."

Though it didn't work out the way he envisioned, Hazelton said he has no regrets about transferring to Cincinnati. Or maybe one: that he couldn't do more to help this year as the team struggled to a 4-8 record.

"It was tough, but I think they're going to be a lot better next year," he said. "Nobody wants to feel that way again."

After two straight Big East titles and BCS game appearances, Cincinnati came crashing down to earth with a 4-8 record in 2010.

Several factors conspired against the Bearcats in this disappointing season. There was the coaching transition, of course, as Butch Jones took over for Brian Kelly. There was a difficult early schedule that included games at Fresno State and NC State and versus Oklahoma, all of which Cincinnati lost. Injuries played a part, as starting receiver Vidal Hazelton went down in the opener with a torn ACL, and the team's most experienced cornerback (Dominique Battle) missed most of the year with a knee injury.

The Bearcats led the league in points scored and total offense but finished last in points allowed thanks to an undersized, inexperienced defense that gave up nearly 34 points per conference game. Unlike last season, when they could win shootouts late in the year because of their prolific offense, they continually ended their own drives with mistakes. Their abysmal minus-15 turnover margin was second-worst in the FBS.

Intangibles were at play as well. Jones had to fight a sense of entitlement that stemmed from those two straight championships. Senior center Jason Kelce told the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this month that the team lacked the hunger it had in previous years.

So what can Cincinnati do to get back to the postseason in 2011?

Jones has a strong nucleus returning. The team loses only six starting seniors, none of them on defense. Quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Isaiah Pead and receiver D.J. Woods are all among the best at their position in the Big East, so the offense should thrive again, especially with a year of Jones' system under their belts. The Bearcats will miss start wideout Armon Binns, but freshman Anthony McClung showed promise late in the year, and former star recruit Dyjuan Woods and junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins will become eligible.

The defense remains an issue, and this offseason will be crucial in the weight room for the Bearcats to add some bulk. Jones has to fill in some gaps through recruiting and may look to a junior college player or two to provide immediate help.

Next year's schedule will be slightly easier, with difficult games against Tennessee and NC State but highly winnable contests against Austin Peay, Akron and Miami of Ohio. For the first time in a few years, the Bearcats won't be picked among the favorites for the Big East. But they should improve enough to get back to a bowl in 2011.

Injured Cincinnati receiver Vidal Hazelton is trying to return this season, according to a story from Cincinnati Enquirer's Bill Koch.

Hazelton, a senior who transferred from USC, tore his left ACL in the season opener at Fresno State and was presumed lost for the season. But his rehab is ahead of schedule, and he says he wants to come back for the season finale against Pittsburgh on Dec. 4.

"I'm determined," he told the Enquirer. "I definitely want to come back. It’s starting to pay off. The doctors are telling me they’re amazed by how fast I’m healing.”

If Hazelton is indeed ready, it will be an interesting decision whether he should come back. ACL recoveries are getting quicker than ever, but for a receiver to come back that fast and have his usual speed and cutting ability would be pretty amazing. Hazelton would risk re-injuring the knee and severely damaging his NFL hopes.

“I look at like you’ve only got one life to live,” Hazelton said. “I’m not going to put myself in that situation. Neither is the doctor. I’m going to get it looked at by a whole bunch of doctors and make sure everything is good. If I feel good, I’m going to play. I’m not going to hold back from nothing."

Hazelton could also try and gain a medical redshirt and play next season for the Bearcats. But as a senior who has already sat out a year under NCAA transfer rules, he is not guaranteed to get a sixth year of eligibility, and the NCAA is unpredictable in its decision. He cannot apply for that redshirt until after the season, and it could take weeks or months after that before he gets an official decision.

Hazelton might also want to see where the Bearcats are by Dec. 4. What if Cincinnati is playing for a Big East title in the finale? Hazelton could then come back and contribute toward a possible BCS game. Or what if the Bearcats are heading toward 6-6 or worse? Would it then be worth it to come back?

When Cincinnati settled for a field goal on its opening drive last week against Indiana State, there was no celebrating on the sidelines.

Instead, as quarterback Zach Collaros recalls, players were hanging their heads in frustration. At halftime of that game against one of the worst FCS programs around, the Bearcats led only 12-7. This came after mustering just two touchdowns in a 28-14 loss to Fresno State in the opener.

The offense that was the best in the Big East a year ago and predicted by many to be explosive again this year had suddenly become plodding.

"We were frustrated because we had great expectations for ourselves," Collaros said. "That kind of got us in a funk."

The Bearcats responded by scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter to blow last weekend's game open. Still, this offense hasn't yet looked like the one that scored 117 points in last season's first two games, or even like new coach Butch Jones' old high-scoring attack at Central Michigan. It ranks fifth in the Big East in scoring and just seventh in total offense, a neighborhood never known during the Brian Kelly era.

Cincinnati is hoping to get back to those high-flying days Thursday night at NC State (ESPN, 7:30 ET).

"Our offense has something to prove this week," offensive guard Alex Hoffman said. "We've kind of got a chip on our shoulders, especially as an offensive line."

Collaros was sacked eight times at Fresno State and hurried countless more. After that game, Jones opened up the competition at every offensive line spot, though he made just one change to the starting lineup, with Randy Martinez moved up to start at guard. Jones said he thought the line made "great strides, but we're still a work in progress."

They will also have their hands full against a blitz-happy NC State team that will be a whole lot more physical than lowly Indiana State.

"Our chemistry has been great this week, and we're all on the same page," Hoffman said. "We're going to protect Zach a lot better. He's not going to get touched."

A huge year was expected from Collaros, who turned in dazzling numbers in four starts replacing the injured Tony Pike last season. Collaros' stats through two games this year are solid -- he's completing 60 percent of his passes and has three touchdowns with no interceptions. But he also held onto the ball too long at times against Fresno, leading to some of those sacks.

"I was trying to make too many plays in the second half," he said. "I was trying to win a game by myself."

Jones has cautioned all along that, despite those four starts last year, Collaros is basically still a first-year starter at quarterback.

"Zach is still going through the evolution stages," Jones said. "People look at those four games, but it's still different when you're the starting quarterback. There's so much that goes into the leadership at that position, from making the right reads and the right decisions."

Collaros also no longer has as many weapons around him as he once did. Receiver Vidal Hazelton was lost for the year with a torn ACL in the Fresno game. Wideouts Kenbrell Thompkins and Dyjuan Lewis are ineligible. Running back Isaiah Pead missed the Indiana State game with swelling in his knee. The starting receivers are still strong, but Jones said there have been too many incompletions.

"Dropped passes are like turnovers in our offense," he said.

When the Bearcats are completing passes and avoiding negative plays, they get into a hyper tempo in their no-huddle offense. The pace picked up considerably in that third quarter outburst last week, and that's the way Cincinnati wants to play.

If that happens at NC State, then maybe this offense will look like its old familiar self.

"If we execute the way we know how, there's no question we'll put up big points and big numbers," Collaros said.

Even as most people were praising Cincinnati's receiving corps as one of the best in the nation this preseason, head coach Butch Jones was quietly nervous about the depth.

Sure, the starters were great, but Jones' up-tempo system demands that a lot of players rotate in at receiver to stay fresh. The depth started taking hits when junior college import Kenbrell Thompkins was ruled ineligible, when highly touted freshman Dyjuan Lewis wasn't cleared and when Jamar Howard got hurt in the spring.

All of those developments, however, pale in comparison to the loss of Vidal Hazelton.

The USC transfer, who was arguably the most talked-about newcomer in the Big East this season, is already done for the year after tearing his ACL on a kickoff return in the Fresno State game. Hazelton had six catches for 63 yards before the injury. You've got to feel terrible for a guy who sat out all of last year under transfer rules only to get less than one game his senior season.

Hazelton did not redshirt at USC, so there's a possibility that he could gain another year of eligibility. That's something that won't be determined until after the year, however, and who knows with the NCAA?

Hazelton brought size, strength and big-play ability to the wide receiver group. Now there's even more pressure on Armon Binns to be the Bearcats' No. 1 wideout. D.J. Woods had a strong first half against Fresno State and is one of the better slot receivers in the league. Marcus Barnett will assume Hazelton's role on the outside opposite Binns.

Barnett was a star his freshman year before finding himself in Brian Kelly's doghouse as a sophomore and junior. He has a lot of experience and ability, but his skinny frame -- his nickname is "Bones" -- means he will not be the same physical target that Hazelton was. He seems better suited as a slot guy.

"I don't think it will affect [us] that much in terms of what we do offensively and in terms of personnel groupings," Jones said. "But any time you take a person like Vidal out of the offense, obviously it concerns you a little bit because of his talent and playmaking ability.

"I'm excited for Marcus Barnett. ... Now is his opportunity to come in and make amends for the last couple of years, so we'll see how that goes."

Cincinnati, surprisingly, already has some offensive question marks after scoring just 14 points against Fresno State -- its lowest total in almost two years. Zach Collaros was sacked eight times and hurried even more. While Jones said not all of the sacks could be blamed on the offensive line -- Collaros clearly held onto the ball too long on several plays -- he's considering some personnel changes up front.

We all thought the Bearcats would have an explosive offense in 2010. Now that's not as certain. And with games coming up this month at NC State and against Oklahoma, Jones and his team could find themselves in an early hole if they don't make the right adjustments.

The season is upon us.

Games begin Thursday, and we'll be full bore into college football by the weekend. So it's a final chance to make some predictions, and here are my picks for some various Big East 2010 awards/honors:

Big East winner: Pittsburgh

The schedule is downright frightening. The Panthers have some question marks, particularly along the offensive interior. And the league is as balanced as it's ever been. But I've been picking Pitt all offseason, and this is a team with as much or more high-end talent as anybody in the Big East, led by Dion Lewis, Jon Baldwin and Greg Romeus. If the Panthers are who we thought they were, as Dennis Green might say, then they should be able to navigate their difficult schedule and win their first outright Big East title.

Offensive MVP: West Virginia running back Noel Devine

Lots of candidates here, including last season's winner (Lewis), Cincinnati's Zach Collaros, Rutgers' Tom Savage, et al. I just feel like Devine is primed for a huge year as a senior, eager to prove he can do it all to satisfy the NFL scouts. And with a more experienced offensive line and potentially a more consistent passing game, he could find even more running room for his explosive bursts. It's awfully tough to go against Lewis; then again, winning an award like this two years in a row is hard for any player because the expectation levels increase.

Defensive MVP: West Virginia safety Robert Sands

Again, I'm going away from conventional wisdom here in not picking Romeus, last year's co-defensive player of the year. Sands was a play-making monster in the second half of last season and should continue to build on that with a veteran defense around him. And if you're wondering why I would pick the offensive and defensive players of the year from West Virginia and then choose Pitt as the champion, there is precedent: last season, Pittsburgh had the offensive and both co-defensive players of the year, yet finished second.

Surprise team: Connecticut

A strong season by UConn wouldn't surprise anyone who follows this blog or the Big East in general. Still, there are a lot of people who don't know much about the Huskies, and Randy Edsall's team could very well win the league's BCS bid for the first time. Remember that UConn gets West Virginia, Pitt and Cincinnati at home this season.

Team most likely to disappoint: Cincinnati

Only because expectations have been built so high. It's pretty hard to top 12-0, especially when you change coaching staffs and play a schedule that includes road games against N.C. State, Fresno State, West Virginia and UConn and a home-away-from-home matchup with Oklahoma. The Bearcats are a definite Big East contender, but many of their fans might be disappointed with a 9-3 type of season.

Newcomer of the year: Cincinnati receiver Vidal Hazelton

Hazelton comes into an offense tailor-made for receivers to put up huge stats, and the talented former USC Trojan should be ready to make a major impact in his one and only season in the Big East.

Freshman of the year: Rutgers receiver Jeremy Deering

Taking a stab at a wild card here. With injuries to the Scarlet Knights receiving corps, there is opportunity for the speedy Deering, who can also make a major impact on special teams and with some Wildcat stuff. I also seriously considered West Virginia's Ivan McCartney and South Florida's Terrence Mitchell.

Coach of the year: Randy Edsall, Connecticut

With Brian Kelly and his Vulcan death grip on the coach of the year award gone, Edsall will be the popular choice if he leads the Huskies to the breakthrough season many are predicting.

Can't-miss game: West Virginia at Pittsburgh, Nov. 26

The Backyard Brawl is always an event, and this year it could be for the Big East title. Pitt and WVU enter the season as the only two ranked teams, and look at the scores of the past three years to see just how close this rivalry has been: 13-9 (Pitt in '07), 19-15 (Pitt in '08) and 19-16 (WVU in '09).

One of the main reasons Vidal Hazelton chose Cincinnati after transferring from USC in 2008 was to be closer to his grandfather. James Hazelton, who Vidal describes as one of his biggest fans, had been diagnosed with cancer at his home in Georgia.

"He couldn't get on a plane anymore, and I wanted him to be able to drive to my games," Hazelton said. "He's doing well now, going through the radiation process. He's really excited for the season."

Bearcats fans share that same enthusiasm about the idea of finally seeing Hazelton playing for their team this season. The senior receiver was denied a waiver for immediate eligibility by the NCAA and sat out the 2009 season under transfer rules. Now Hazelton may be ready to make the biggest impact of any Big East newcomer in 2010.

He was the No. 3 prospect in the recruiting class of 2006, according to ESPN's Scouts Inc. As a sophomore with the Trojans, he caught 50 passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns. His junior year was marred by an early ankle injury.

Though Cincinnati had a superstar wideout last year in Mardy Gilyard and another highly productive one in Armon Binns, coaches would say that Hazelton was at times the best receiver in practice.

"The scout team was kind of like my motivation, because that was the only thing I had to look forward to every day," Hazelton said. "The coaches would be on me every day to make sure I gave a good look to the defense."

Still, first-year Bearcats coach Butch Jones says sometimes it's easy for a player to go through practice without the pressures of knowing the entire offense or having to perform on game day. Jones saw Hazelton go through a transition in spring practice as he tried to knock the rust off and get down to serious preparation. Now, he looks ready.

"He's hungry, and he's a football junkie," Jones said. "You'll see him carrying a laptop around and be on YouTube watching different receiver videos and all that.

"I think you'll see an individual who can make all the plays. He's a very good route runner, and he's going to be a playmaker."

At 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, Hazelton has the size and strength to be a good blocker, something he says he takes pride in, and to go over the middle. He's got speed to stretch defenses as well, and he wants to show that he can average more than the 10.8 yards per catch he posted at USC.

"I don't want to be labeled as a possession receiver," he said. "So when I get the ball, I just want to do good things and make a lot of plays."

Cincinnati needs Hazelton to replace the playmaking abilities of Gilyard, who was one of the most prolific receivers in Big East history. If he comes close to doing so, the Bearcats should have the best receiving corps in the conference and one of the best in the nation. Binns, also a senior, had 888 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last season, while junior D.J. Woods caught 51 passes for 640 yards and four scores.

"Everybody brings something different to the table," Hazelton said. "Binns, if you throw it up, he's got unbelievable ball skills in the air. D.J. is fast and runs really good routes, so he's an excellent slot guy. Bones [Marcus Barnett], for somebody who's kind of skinny, he's got a lot of heart. He's not afraid to catch the ball over the middle."

Hazelton said he expects his grandfather to make the seven-hour drive to watch each of the Bearcats' home games this year. With that receiving group, James Hazelton should never be bored.

Forget all the conference realignment talk that makes Big East fans sweat. The real action to watch is on the field this year in an intriguing, balanced league race. Here are five major storylines to watch:

1. Can Cincinnati three-peat? The Bearcats have run roughshod over the Big East the past two years, winning back-to-back titles and 13 of 14 league games in the process. But now they must continue the magic with a new coaching staff led by Butch Jones. The offense should keep humming at a high level, with Zach Collaros replacing Tony Pike and USC transfer Vidal Hazelton making up for Mardy Gilyard's lost production. The question marks -- again -- are on defense, where several starters are gone and depth is minimal. The schedule (early games at Fresno State, at NC State and against Oklahoma, plus road conference games against West Virginia and UConn) offers few favors.

2. Is West Virginia back? Don't call it a comeback, as LL Cool J might say. The Mountaineers have won nine games each of the past two years and have been mere whiskers away from winning Big East titles. Still, that represents a dip from the heyday of 2005-07, when West Virginia won 11 games and finished in the Top 10 each year. This team is loaded with stars like Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Robert Sands and more returning starters than any other league team. The players and coaches say it's time to get back to the days of double-digit wins. Bill Stewart isn't on the hot seat and doesn't deserve to be, but there's little doubt this is a big year for him and the program.

3. Stars shining bright: The Big East returns its best batch of star players since 2007. The electric Devine came back to create more highlights for his senior year. Pitt's Dion Lewis was among the nation's top rushers as a true freshman. Teammate Jon Baldwin might be the most physically gifted receiver in the country. Throw in some promising young quarterbacks (including Collaros, Rutgers' Tom Savage and South Florida's B.J. Daniels) and a batch of defensive playmakers (Sands, Pitt's Greg Romeus, UConn's Lawrence Wilson), and the Big East has players who can light up league Saturdays while challenging for national awards.

4. New eras: While Jones is new to Cincinnati and brings a distinct management style, he's replaced Brian Kelly before and hopes to keep the program zipping along. Two other first-year coaches, South Florida's Skip Holtz and Louisville's Charlie Strong, are trying to remake the culture. Holtz looks to get the Bulls over the hump in the Big East instead of settling for fast starts and slow finishes. Strong wants to return the Cardinals to their winning ways after a disastrous three-year stint under Steve Kragthorpe. And though Greg Schiano is the longest-tenured coach in the league, Rutgers is in a sense beginning a new era as well. The Scarlet Knights enter the season depending on a ton of freshmen and sophomores, ushering in what they hope is a window for title contention.

5. Quest for respect: The Big East is always fighting to earn respect nationally, and this season brings several high-profile chances to do just that (albeit many of them on the road). Cincinnati welcomes Oklahoma to Paul Brown Stadium. South Florida plays at Florida and Miami. West Virginia is at LSU. Pitt plays at Utah, at Notre Dame and home against Miami. Connecticut opens at Michigan. Syracuse plays Boston College and at Washington. North Carolina comes to Rutgers. With a fair share of wins in these difficult games, the league could forever put to rest those old Big Least jokes.

It's time to revive our annual preseason series looking at the best and worst possible outcomes for each Big East school. We'll go in alphabetical order for these. And as always, we try to mix in a little fun with our predictions.

Opening the cases: Cincinnati.

Best Case

Never underestimate the heart of a champion, but that's exactly what most people are doing with the Bearcats.

All Cincinnati has done is win back-to-back Big East titles and 18 straight regular season games. Yet the program is neither ranked in the major polls nor favored to win the league.

Well, Butch Jones already proved he can inherit a Brian Kelly team and keep it playing at a high level. He's an offensive mastermind as well, and he's got arguably the best offensive cast in the league to work with. Quarterback Zach Collaros shows that last year's Heisman-worthy, four-game starting stretch was no fluke, as he and receivers Armon Binns, Vidal Hazelton and D.J. Woods torch opposing secondaries. Isaiah Pead runs wild and the Bearcats lead the country in scoring.

The defense, doubted yet again, comes through and does enough to help the team win games. After winning a scrape at Fresno State in the opener, the Bearcats take a 3-0 record into a sold-out Paul Brown Stadium showdown against Oklahoma -- and they beat the Sooners for the best regular-season win in school history.

From there, the schedule softens and allows for an 8-0 start. Cincinnati suffers its one hiccup of the year at West Virginia, but recovers to sweep the final three games and deny Pitt the Big East title yet again in the season finale. An 11-1 record sends the Bearcats to the BCS for the third straight year, and this time they get it done by beating Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame goes 2-10, leading to Brian Kelly's shocking first-year dismissal. A weeping Kelly announces at his farewell press conference: "I never should have left Cincinnati."

Worst Case

It's hard to three-peat. It's hard to successfully manage a coaching transition. The schedule is hard. And the season is hard to stomach for spoiled Cincinnati fans.

The offense scores a lot of points, but the Bearcats can't win shootouts every week. Injuries deplete the receiving corps, and Collaros can't possibly top last year's insane stats. The defense is still undersized, and a lack of depth all over takes its toll. Players used to winning all the time get frustrated and question the new staff.

Giant-killer Fresno State takes the Bearcats down in Week One, and the travel-weary team loses again at NC State 12 days later. The sluggish 1-2 start causes disinterest in the pro sports town of Cincinnati, and Paul Brown is all Sooner red for Oklahoma's visit. A 28-point blowout leaves the Bearcats battered and bruised at 1-4.

They rebound in the stretch that includes Miami of Ohio, Louisville and Syracuse, but UConn and West Virginia use their home-field advantage to turn the tables from last year's last-minute defeats. Pitt comes into Nippert Stadium in the finale and wins to clinch the Big East title, leaving Cincinnati at 5-7. Bearcats fans wonder if they have a Steve Kragthorpe situation on their hands, and Nippert expansion plans are put on indefinite hold.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame goes 12-0 and plays Ohio State for the BCS title as Kelly wins the coach of the year award. He announces at the award banquet: "I'm so glad I left Cincinnati."

If Dion Lewis were to go down, Pitt could still run the ball well with Ray Graham, Chris Burns and Jason Douglas, plus battering ram fullback Henry Hynoski.

But the Panthers aren't the only team in the Big East that's prepared for injuries and other scenarios at key spots.

There are few players as dynamic as Noel Devine, but West Virginia believes it may have the next divine runner in Tavon Austin. Jock Sanders has also ably filled in at tailback for Devine over the years, and Ryan Clarke is physical, bruising ball carrier.

Cincinnati and Connecticut are blessed with rare quarterback depth. While Zach Collaros should be a star, his backup -- Chazz Anderson -- has already won important games. Same goes with UConn, which will start Zach Frazer but feels comfortable with Cody Endres leading the team. And both teams have third-stringers who can play.

The Bearcats are loaded at wide receiver with Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and Vidal Hazelton. Take one out, and it would hurt but not cripple the offense, as Marcus Barnett and two players who excelled in junior college -- Jamar Howard and Kenbrell Thompkins -- could pick up some slack.

UConn has the league's deepest cast at offensive line, which showed this spring when Adam Masters and Kevin Friend stepped in to compensate for injuries and excelled. The Huskies seem to just plug in and play on their O-line with little dropoff.

Rutgers might have its deepest defensive line ever under Greg Schiano, so deep that the Scarlet Knights didn't mind moving former top-rated recruit Antwan Lowery over to offense. South Florida lost George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul off its defensive line but could still go 8-to-10 deep there if youngsters develop as expected.

Depth isn't a word thrown around Syracuse much lately, but the Orange enter 2010 with a full stable of defensive backs, including five players who started a year ago and several others who earned valuable experience in 2009.

Overall, I'd say UConn, Pittsburgh and West Virginia are the deepest teams in the Big East. But depending on the position, some teams are better off than others.

Cincinnati coach Butch Jones still hasn't officially named Zach Collaros his starting quarterback yet. Chalk that up to a motivational tactic, because there's no way Collaros won't be under center when the Bearcats open the season.

The junior was razor sharp in Saturday's Bearcats Bowl, hitting his first 11 passes and completing 18 of 20 overall for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Granted, his performance came against the second-team defense.

Receiver D.J. Woods had six catches for 88 yards and a score and threw a 60-yard pass to Vidal Hazelton on a play that Jones let a fan in the stands select. Hazelton had four catches for 88 yards and a score.

Tailback Darrin Williams got most of the carries with Isaiah Pead and John Goebel out with injuries. Williams finished with 64 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.

The second-team offense failed to score against the first-team defense.

Dan Giordano, Aaron Roberson and Chris Williams collected tackles for loss that scored points for the defense in Jones' modified scoring system.

Football is almost back.

Well, it's only spring practice, but at least there will be some actual gridiron action to talk about starting next week in the Big East. Four league teams -- UConn, South Florida, Cincinnati and Pitt -- all begin spring drills next week. I'll be following all of the developments and hitting the road to see as many teams as I can in person.

I've already interviewed most of the league's head coaches and written about what to watch this spring. Some things we won't really know until the games begin in the fall, like how the three teams with new head coaches respond to the change or whether there's a new balance of power in the league. But here are the five questions that should have some answers this spring that I find the most intriguing as teams get back on the practice field:

1. Whither B.J. and Geno? South Florida and West Virginia fans anxiously await the status of their sophomore quarterbacks. B.J. Daniels will go through only limited drills after offseason shoulder surgery, while Geno Smith's availability after a January foot injury is questionable. Neither team has any depth at the position, and both quarterbacks need as much seasoning as possible to make 2010 a success. Just how much will each do this spring?

2. Who'll catch on at UConn and Rutgers? We were asking the same question at this time last year, wondering who would emerge at receiver for both the Huskies and Scarlet Knights. The answers came in the form of Marcus Easley (Huskies) and Mohamed Sanu (Scarlet Knights), who both came out of seemingly nowhere to make big spring impressions that led to great 2009 seasons. Both teams are back in the same boat this year, with Easley having graduated and Sanu needing some help like Tim Brown did a year ago. Each team has several young candidates who should be more mature and wiser than in the spring of '09. Each is looking for a spring success story like Easley and Sanu.

3. Who will lead Pitt and Louisville? The Pittsburgh quarterback battle might be the most interesting and most important competition of the spring, seeing as how the Panthers are potential Big East favorites. Dave Wannstedt has said he'd like to have a starter named between Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick going into the summer. Louisville has a free-for-all competition with Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein all having started games a year ago, and whoever emerges from the field might have to go and win the job again in the fall against a newcomer.

4. What do the offenses at Cincinnati and Syracuse look like? New Bearcats coach Butch Jones runs a similar offense to predecessor Brian Kelly, preferring a high-tempo, no-huddle spread. Still, he will bring subtle differences, and with Zach Collaros under center you can count on more quarterback runs. The chemistry between Collaros and highly touted USC transfer Vidal Hazelton will also be something to watch. At Syracuse, head coach Doug Marrone takes over the offense as his own coordinator. Will the Orange run a lot of motion and misdirection stuff like they did in an upset of Rutgers near the end of the year, when some suggested Marrone was calling the shots? And which receivers will step up to help Ryan Nassib and the passing game?

5. Who are the new stars? By April of last year, the buzz was high on guys like Dion Lewis, Sanu and Easley, who ended up having great falls. Who will be the spring sensations and breakout names of this spring?

Those are my biggest questions, and I'd like to hear what pressing questions you have for your teams this spring. Fortunately, we'll all start getting some answers next week.

Spring football in the Big East kicks off March 16. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program heading into the spring:

CINCINNATI
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:

• Building depth: New coach Butch Jones said this is the biggest key for the spring. The Bearcats have a lot of top-flight players with starting experience back, like Zach Collaros, Armon Binns, Isaiah Pead and JK Schaffer. But there's a lot of youth and inexperience in potential backup roles, especially at positions like offensive line, linebacker and receiver. All slates are clean with the new coaching staff, and the spring will be a time when new names can emerge in key roles.

• Defensive line retooling: Jones will switch back to the 4-3 after a year in the 3-4 scheme. Both starting defensive ends from last year are gone, but the smallish line was overpowered at times near the end of the season anyway. Derek Wolfe should be a fixture inside, Dan Giordano, Brandon Mills and John Hughes step into more prominent roles. Jones will have to decide whether to make Walter Stewart a defensive end or keep him at outside linebacker. The Bearcats could use a little more strength and bulk up front against the bigger Big East offensive lines.

• Vidal's arrival: USC transfer Vidal Hazelton is eligible after sitting out last year. He reputedly dominated practices last season, and now he'll get to go full time with the first string. A lot of people will be watching closely to see how he and Collaros connect during the spring. A big year by Hazelton will lessen the loss of star wideout Mardy Gilyard and could keep Cincinnati as the Big East's best offense.

CONNECTICUT
Spring practice starts: March 16
Spring game: April 17
What to watch:

• Secondary matters: UConn returns a truckload of starters and looks rock solid in most areas. But the defensive backfield will be an area of emphasis starting in the spring. Gone are stalwarts Robert McClain and Robert Vaughn from a secondary that got picked apart much of the season by opposing passing games. Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson showed progress by the end of their redshirt freshmen seasons and should be the starting corners. The Huskies need someone to replace Vaughn at safety and overall better performance from the unit.

• Frazer vs. Endres: Zach Frazer and Cody Endres have been splitting starts since the second half of the 2008 season at quarterback. Endres took over early last year and played well until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Frazer picked things up late after a slow start. The competition should be back on this spring, with Frazer probably holding the edge given his late-season improvement.

• Catch as catch can: Receiver was a major question for UConn going into last spring, when walk-on senior Marcus Easley surprised everybody with his giant leap forward. He became the go-to guy in 2009, but now he's gone, along with starter Brad Kanuch. So the Huskies are basically back in the same position as this time a year ago, needing to find some reliable pass catchers. Kashif Moore may be the next to break out after some good, late-year performances. And perhaps former highly-touted recruit Dwayne Difton will emerge. UConn hopes to catch lightning in a bottle again like it did with Easley.

LOUISVILLE
Spring practice starts: March 24
Spring game: April 16
What to watch:

• Switching to Strong: The Cardinals will have their first practices under new coach Charlie Strong, who promises to bring a much different style than former coach Steve Kragthorpe. Strong is known as being an intense guy on the field, and as a former top-flight defensive coordinator, he will likely be particularly demanding of players on that side of the ball. There will be new terminology to learn, new assistants and new standards to which the Cardinals must adjust in a hurry.

• The quarterback shuffle: Louisville had three quarterbacks -- Adam Froman, Justin Burke and Will Stein -- start games last year. All three will be given the chance to win the job in the spring, and mid-year enrollee Luke Woodley might see some snaps as well. Don't be surprised if this competition goes into the fall and if other newcomers like Dominique Brown get a look. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford wants to run a Florida-style spread offense, which might favor the more mobile Froman if he chooses to go with a veteran under center.

• Line play: The trenches have not been a particularly strong suit for Louisville the past couple of seasons, one of the reasons why the program has fallen out of annual postseason play. The Cardinals have gotten very little pass rush from the defensive line and not enough of a consistent push from the offensive line. Strong asked the offensive linemen to rework their bodies to prepare for the spread, and he'll need replacements for two senior defensive tackles. Junior-college imports Randy Salmon and Tyler Harrell will have a chance to impress on the defensive line. If the holdovers don't step up, we could see more newcomers in key spots by the summer.

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Bowl season is long gone. Draft declaration day has passed. Signing day is over. So now it's time to look ahead and gauge the Big East teams as we head into spring. Here, then, are our first set of power rankings for the 2010 season:

1. Pittsburgh: The Panthers will have to replace quarterback Bill Stull, co-defensive player of the year Mick Williams and some other key pieces. But they've still got offensive player of the year Dion Lewis, receiver Jonathan Baldwin, two talented lines and depth created by solid recruiting. This could be their year.

2. West Virginia: Like Pitt, West Virginia will have to break in a new quarterback, though sophomore Geno Smith got some valuable experience during the 2009 campaign. The Mountaineers, though, lose only two starters on defense and bring back the core of their offense, including Noel Devine and Jock Sanders. If the offensive line improves, this team should challenge for the title.

3. Cincinnati: This could prove a bit low for the two-time defending Big East champs, who should have a very potent offense with Zach Collaros, Vidal Hazelton, Armon Binns, Isaiah Pead, et al. Once again, however, the Bearcats will be looking for new playmakers on defense. And with the transition to a new coaching staff, I've got to think the team takes a small step back.

4. Connecticut: The Huskies lost only six starters from 2009 and finished as strong as anybody in the conference. If they can patch up some holes in the secondary and find some receiving threats to replace Marcus Easley, this is a team that can make a run at the Big East crown.

T-5. Rutgers: Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu are a year older, which is nice. Not so nice: The Scarlet Knights must replace three starting offensive linemen, their best wideout (Tim Brown) and five key starters on defense. Don't count them out, but this will be a young team that may be a year away from serious conference contention.

T-5. South Florida: The Bulls are the hardest team for me to peg in these rankings right now. They have lots of potential and bring back the nucleus of the offense around promising sophomore quarterback B.J. Daniels. On the other hand, the defense will be young, though it should be very skilled. The biggest question is whether new coach Skip Holtz can reverse the program's recent history and get it to overachieve in Big East play.

7. Syracuse: It's tough to differentiate between Syracuse and Louisville for the last two spots in these rankings. Both will be at a disadvantage talentwise. It pretty much comes down to the fact that it's Doug Marrone's second year vs. the first year for Charlie Strong. Still, the Orange need a quarterback and some offensive playmakers to avoid the cellar again.

8. Louisville: I believe Strong will get the Cardinals turned around in due time. This year will probably be a struggle again. If he finishes better than seventh this year, we'll know the man can really coach.

If the 2009 Big East season taught us anything, it was that newcomers can have a big impact.

From offensive player of the year Dion Lewis to Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu to Jason Pierre-Paul to Greg Paulus, new faces were having an impact all over the league. So which newcomers to the Big East should we be keeping an eye on this spring? Here are a few candidates:

• Vidal Hazelton, WR, Cincinnati: The USC transfer becomes eligible this season and could become an immediate star. He's got size, at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, and wowed onlookers at practice last year. Hazelton could help make sure the Bearcats don't miss a beat on offense this season without Mardy Gilyard.
• Will Clarke, DE, West Virginia: The Mountaineers need some depth up front defensively, and Clarke should be able to help out after a redshirt year. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Pittsburgh native can use this spring to push for playing time at defensive end before highly regarded junior college transfer Bruce Irvin arrives this summer.
• Darrell Givens, CB, Rutgers: Givens was an ESPNU 150 recruit who came to Rutgers after not being admitted to Penn State last year. He spent the 2009 season redshirting as the Scarlet Knights had Devin McCourty. Now may be Givens' time to shine with both McCourty and Billy Anderson gone. Also keep an eye on Logan Ryan, a fellow redshirt freshman corner who was neck and neck with Givens in practice sessions last year.
• Claude Davis, DE, South Florida: The next Pierre-Paul? OK, that's expecting too much of anyone. But like the Bulls' one-year wonder, Davis was a junior college standout with excellent measurables (6-foot-4, 250 pounds). Unlike his predecessor, Davis enrolled in January and will get a full spring under his belt before entering major college football. And with Pierre-Paul and George Selvie both off to the NFL, there is ample playing time available.
• Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh: Street wasn't one of Pitt's more heralded recruits from the class of 2009, but he won rave reviews last season as a member of the scout team. This spring provides an opportunity for the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder to show he's ready to become an option behind Jonathan Baldwin and Mike Shanahan in the Pitt passing game.