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AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Miami's Blake James has had his hands full since he was promoted to athletic director in February. The NCAA investigation that hung over the program then continues to hang over the program now.

I had a chance to catch up with James during ACC spring meetings to get a gauge on where Miami is in the investigation, and how he has handled the challenge. Here is a little of what he had to say:

What’s been the biggest challenge for you, given what’s hanging over the university?

BJ: There are challenges at every school. I just look at this opportunity, every job has its challenges and you deal with the challenge you have and you put yourself in the best position to be successful and you move forward. We have a group that’s going in one direction, and we’re all looking forward to putting the situation behind us and being able to focus on all the other things we need to do to be our best. Right now we’re going through the process with the NCAA and when that process is complete there’ll be other challenges out there and other things we have to work on but those are things you’re dealing with on a daily basis in an effort to achieve excellence.

Where is everything with the case right now?

BJ: We’re going to the next step of the process, the committee on infractions meeting we’ll have coming up in the near future. Beyond that, it would be hard for me to get into any more of the specifics.

From your seat, what have been the biggest frustrations with the process?

BJ: What I would say is if you looked at President [Donna] Shalala’s statement in February, that’s where we were at then and that’s where we’re at now. With that said, you recognize there’s a process to everything and we’re working our way through the process and look forward to having this done.

Is it hard to look forward with this looming and no resolution yet?

BJ: No. You have to always be looking to the bigger picture and to the greater goal, and you deal with everything you have going on around you. Whether it’s this situation or something else, there’s always going to be something going on that is not prohibiting you from getting to your goal, but it’s a distraction of ultimately getting you to where you want to go and so this is something that obviously is very serious, we take very serious and we’ll look forward to being through the process. But you don’t lose sight of where you’re going because this is going on around you.

Do you have a good idea of when this may be wrapped up?

BJ: No. I would say there will be no one happier than I am when it’s done, but I couldn’t speculate to when that is.

How much of your day is consumed by this?

BJ: We have a great team at the university, and we have a great group on the outside that’s working and those are the people who deserve the credit. President Shalala has put me in a position to do my job and do what we have to do. Part of it is this, but it doesn’t consume my time. We have a great group of people handling so much of the work that goes into this process. For the most part, I’ve been able to focus on the things we need to do to win ACC championships, graduate our student-athletes, develop young people -- the focus of what my job should be on a day-to-day basis.

Speaking of ACC championships, expectations are there for Miami to be in the league title game this year. What does that say about the job Al Golden has done given the NCAA cloud, and how do you feel about those expectations?

BJ: First I’ll say I think Al has done an incredible job. He’s someone who’s had to deal with the adversity much more on a daily basis than I have. To have someone with his character, his integrity, his approach in place is what makes my job all the better. We have a champion in a coach. In terms of the expectations, the expectations are always there for Miami. There’s never been a time when there weren’t those types of real lofty expectations. We’re excited as a program. We see what everyone else sees. We have a special group of young men that are representative of our program, we have a winner in a coach and when you combine those two, great things happen. We saw tremendous progress last year and I think we’ll continue to see tremendous progress under Coach Golden and that has us excited.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- There is a tranquil fountain in Al Golden’s spacious office at Miami, a decorative waterfall that gives the illusion of peace.

It’s a futile attempt at serenity.

Since the story of the NCAA investigation broke in August 2011 -- eight months after he was hired -- Golden has been working tirelessly to navigate the program through one of the most highly-publicized and controversial NCAA investigations in the history of college football. He’s been doing it blindly; out of the loop, as lawyers and high-ranking university officials make the decisions. Even with his office door closed, there has been no escaping the residual effects the investigation has had on recruiting, on the field and in the media.

“The shock waves since have not stopped,” Golden said. “They may have gotten quiet externally for a little while, or they may have jumped to the next story and navigated the media away from it, but it’s always come back. I promise you it has always come back. We have not been able to get away from it.”

Not that Golden has tried to run away from it -- quite the contrary.

One of the most underrated coaching moves in college football in recent years was the one that never happened. Golden, who was blindsided by the investigation from Day 1, is now in the midst of his third spring at Miami. His tenure has been lowlighted by three recruiting classes under the cloud of the NCAA investigation, two postseason bans, including the program’s first chance at the ACC title game, and one shocking concession from the NCAA that it gathered tainted evidence through unethical conduct. There have been enough distractions, not to mention other job openings, during that span to fill Sun Life Stadium. Yet Golden has found even more reasons to stick around.

“We have the good fortune of going to work at a place that, when it’s right, is as good as anywhere you can imagine in college football,” Golden said. “That’s what our job is -- to get it right. Our job is not to complain about what hasn’t gone right, or what has gone wrong -- anybody can do that. Our job is to fix it. To do that, you have to have a vision, you have to have leadership, and in this particular case, you have to have courage and resiliency and a great staff, and an administration that is committed and student-athletes that want to be a part of it. I feel like we have all of that.”

The one thing it doesn’t have, though, is closure. Miami is still arm wrestling with the NCAA, but the case took a major step forward on February 19 when the university received its notice of allegations from the NCAA. Miami has reportedly been charged with a lack of institutional control, and the school’s hearing with the NCAA’s committee on infractions is scheduled for June 14.

“It’s been very trying to say the least, very difficult, to work and recruit and live under that cloud, if you will,” Golden said. “But I don’t think there’s anybody that enters this building today that doesn’t think that finish line is within sight now.”

It’s been a long time coming.

Heading into the 2011 season opener against Maryland, Golden -- in his first game as head coach at Miami -- learned that eight of his players would be suspended by the NCAA for at least one game, including quarterback Jacory Harris. Somehow, Miami still found a way to win six games that season and become bowl eligible. They self-imposed their first postseason ban. After losing 12 starters last year, including the leading rusher, leading receivers, starting quarterback, and three offensive linemen, the media picked Miami to finish fifth in the Coastal Division standings. Instead, it finished 7-5 with a chance to play for the ACC title. See: Postseason Ban II.

During the span of those two seasons, the Penn State job came open. Golden played for the Nittany Lions and was a tight end under the late Joe Paterno. The Boston College job came open, where he was the linebackers coach from 1997-99. But never once did Golden even hint at the whisper of an interest in those jobs.

“That just shows his character, knowing a lot of coaches probably would’ve bailed and went to wherever they were offered, but he didn’t,” running back Duke Johnson said. “He stayed with us and he sees the potential we have and the things we can do. If that means him staying here and going through what we have to go through, we’re here with him.”

Miami defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio has seen, and helped, Golden pull programs out of the mud before.

With Golden at the helm, Temple played in a bowl game for the first time in 30 years. It was the first winning season the MAC program had seen since 1990. According to Temple, Golden also led the program through “the greatest academic turnaround in the NCAA APR Reform Era.”

D’Onofrio said their experiences at Temple have helped them at Miami.

“Certainly we had our share of tough moments to go through at Temple, to be honest with you,” D’Onofrio said. “We came in there, I think our first year we had 53 scholarship players. We had to slowly build that program back up. We had the greatest turnaround in college football on the field and off the field. There was a lot to dig in and do there. The last thing the people see are the wins, but the first few years there, they were tough. Those were tough days. We had a few 62-0 defeats in 2006.

“That’s just how we’re built, so to speak, and conditioned,” he said. “You go to work and coach who’s there, and whatever issues come up, you just go in there, don’t make any excuses and go to work. With Al, he sees the long-term vision of what can be done here. That was the reason to come here and take this job. It’s a job that has tremendous potential based on the football players you can get here. Miami has national appeal. From that standpoint, we felt confident that if we stayed the course, we could have success.”

On the field, they’re getting much closer.

Despite self-imposed sanctions that included scholarship reductions, Golden and his staff still landed the No. 15 recruiting class in the country for 2013. The Canes added a pair of top prospects after signing day in ESPN 150 tight end Derrick Griffin -- the No. 1 prospect at his position and a longtime Texas A&M commit -- and ESPN 300 RB Cornelius Edler.

Golden’s biggest recruit, though, was former Florida State assistant James Coley, one of the Noles’ top recruiters who left his alma mater to be the Canes’ offensive coordinator. Like Golden, the NCAA debacle did not scare Coley.

“At the end of the day, there’s a lot of energy here, positive energy, and that starts from the top -- from the president, to the AD, to the head coach,” Coley said. “For the last couple of years, they’ve been a real force, and they’ve fought through a lot, off the field and on the field. It’s good to see this team grow.

“There’s a lot of strength from the president, and from the athletic department,” he said. “I noticed it right away when I got here, what a strong school it is. I think if you’re anywhere else, where there’s not a lot of substance to a particular place, I think people bolt. But if the place is strong and it’s worth fighting for, you don’t leave.”

Golden never intended to.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Miami coach Al Golden can rattle off the names of just about every rookie who played defense for the Canes in 2012.

It’s not a quick conversation.

The Canes were the second-youngest team in the BCS behind Boston College, and a total of 21 freshmen played last year, including 16 true freshmen -- six of whom started at least one game on defense.

“There are so many,” Golden said. “There were so many young guys who had to play before they were really ready to play. Although there were some really tough moments on defense, everybody’s back, and everyone should be more mature and stronger and grown up. I expect them to really rise to the challenge now.”

They’re going to have to if Miami is going return to the top of the Coastal Division standings. Miami’s defense was one of the worst in the country last season, as it finished 116th in total defense, 112th in rushing defense and No. 82 in scoring defense, allowing 30.5 points per game. Those within the program are hoping last year’s growing pains pay dividends in experience this fall, as 10 starters return to the defense, including all four starters on the defensive line.

There were games last year in which Miami rotated about 27 players.

“We had to make a commitment to do that so we have an opportunity to win games in the fourth quarter and not get tired out,” said defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio. “In the long run, I think that will help us. I don’t see us having to be as deep this year, to be honest with you.”

There was also a significant increase in defensive plays last year. Some of that could be attributed to Miami’s offense scoring quickly, but it was also a product of Miami not getting off the field quick enough. The Canes were No. 82 in the country in third-down conversion defense. Miami was also one of the most penalized teams in the country (No. 107).

“We had more defensive penalties last year than any team I’ve ever been around as a defensive coordinator or a head coach,” Golden said. “A lot of that is just having too many young guys.”

That will change this year. Miami’s defensive line is expected to be a veteran group, led by junior defensive end Anthony Chickillo, senior defensive tackle Curtis Porter, junior tackle Olsen Pierre and senior defensive end Shayon Green. Golden said Pierre has developed physically, blocks well laterally and might be the most improved player of the group.

“We had so many guys that it was their first time playing,” Chickillo said. “College football is tough. We had a lot of guys making mental errors, not being in their gap when they were supposed to be there, blown coverages, too many things that really hurt us. Just not playing assignment football. It’s frustrating, but we’re going to be better for it in the future. So many guys got playing time and got to see what it’s like. Some young guys experienced success. We’re going to be better for it in the future.”

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- The move from Florida State to Miami wasn’t much of a move at all for offensive coordinator James Coley.

He never truly left Miami.

Coley grew up on Northwest 4th Street and 18th Avenue, about two blocks from the old Orange Bowl. He spent six years as a high school football coach in Miami from 1997-2002. He kept his home in South Florida from his days as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins -- a “cottage” he called it, that he bought with his wife, Kenia, before they had their two children.

Coley, a Florida State alum and Miami native, made a name for himself while on Jimbo Fisher’s staff at FSU, but his home -- literally -- is still in Miami. There’s no question his hire was a kick in the shins to the rival Seminoles. Coley is one of the top recruiters in the state. But the underlying reasons for the move were twofold: a chance to call plays and go home was simply too good to pass up.

“I think that when I sat down with my wife and saw the opportunity to come back home, and come to the University of Miami, it wasn’t a difficult decision at all,” Coley said. “It was eye-opening. It was a decision that was very encouraging and exciting.”

Coley has fit right in at Miami, and he has inherited an offense that returns nine starters -- including every offensive lineman, 2012 Rookie of the Year Duke Johnson, and veteran quarterback Stephen Morris, who could be the best quarterback in the ACC in 2013. All of the pieces are in place for Coley to succeed calling plays for the first time since 2007, when he was at FIU.

While on Fisher’s staff, Coley was responsible for preparing the offense during the week, but on game day, it was in Fisher’s hands.

This fall, Coley will be calling the shots.

“It means a lot,” he said. “You work hard during the week and at the end of the week, after game-planning, you want to have your exclamation mark. You want to be able to finish the job. It means a lot and the opportunity to do it means a lot. I’m excited about it.”

Coley is an energetic, gregarious coach the players have responded to quickly this spring, and he made one very important decision that has helped smooth the transition of his hire: Coley hasn’t changed the entire playbook, and he has kept much of the terminology the same.

“It made my job a lot easier not having to learn new concepts, new plays and new terminology and everything like that,” said Morris. “As an offense, we’re really grateful Coach Coley was able to do that. On top of that, he’s still adding his own stuff, some stuff he likes, and stuff he didn’t like he’s taking out. That helps me learn and see how different plays work better for different coaches. I think it worked out great for the whole team, especially the offensive line. We’ve got some new runs in there, we’ve got some new protections for them. Everyone has adjusted well to it, especially Coach Coley himself.”

Coley’s story will undoubtedly resurface when Miami and Florida State play on Nov. 2 in Tallahassee, but Miami coach Al Golden said the hire wasn’t about the rivalry.

“I’ve always admired James from afar in the way they conducted their offense up there, and his ability to communicate and develop student-athletes, but also a number of mutual friends we have in the business thought highly of him,” Golden said. “It’s really not about Florida State and Miami. I know everybody likes to make it about that, but both of their families are from down here. He had an opportunity to come home to Miami and be an offensive coordinator where he grew up. Obviously he’s inherited a very mature offense, so I know he’s excited about it.”

Coley agreed.

“That’s huge,” he said. “You’re coming to a program that has really good players. It’s a team I’ve watched grow the last couple of years, and an organization that I’ve watched grow, from going against them on the field, to going against them in homes in recruiting. You’re saying to yourself, ‘Wow, this has now become the real deal. It’s back.’ That’s what kept on going through my mind. For me to have the opportunity to come here, wow, it’s on the rise again.”

And once again, it’s in his backyard.

 

Heather Dinich interviews Miami coach Al Golden about how spring practices have gone so far.

Miami opened spring practice this past weekend with the dark clouds that have hovered around the program slowly beginning to part.

Now that the school has received its notice of allegations from the NCAA, there is at least an end point to an investigation that has dragged on for more than two years and forced Miami to cut scholarships and self impose postseason penalties for 2011 and 2012. In his first comments since the notice was received, coach Al Golden told local reporters:

"That's signaling of the beginning of the end to me was big," Golden said. "You could almost sense it in the building and for the players that we have a chance to move forward now. We know that there's at least a terminal date now as opposed to being in the gray and we're excited about moving forward."

You can certainly understand why there was a sense of relief, particularly for the players, who have been living in a suspended state of, "What will happen to us?" But the notice of allegations, which has not been made public just yet, does not signal that the clouds have completely parted just yet.

There may be some sunlight coming through the clouds, but Miami could still face sanctions in addition to the ones that have been self imposed. The potential exists for another postseason ban, and/or more scholarship reductions, along with some time spent on probation. Nobody knows just yet what will befall Miami when the process ends.

But this first step is obviously important for Golden and his players. They know more today than they did last month; and they also know the end is near. Though the future remains a question mark, they are at least closer to the end. That seems to be enough for Golden and his players this spring, as they begin their quest for 2013.

Buried beneath pounds of paperwork from the NCAA is the fact that Miami’s depth chart should be good enough to win the Coastal Division in 2013. With so much attention focused on the NCAA investigation, Nevin Shapiro has gotten more ink (unfortunately) than quarterback Stephen Morris. And Morris is going to be very, very good.

As Miami begins spring practices on Saturday, the Canes do so underneath a cloud for the third straight preseason under coach Al Golden. If those within the program, though, can focus on their on-field goals and avoid the distractions once again, Miami should pick up right where it left off in 2012 -- at the top of the division standings. Miami returns 10 starters on offense and defense. Golden and his staff brought in the No. 15 recruiting class in the country, coupled with the experience of 21 freshmen who played in 2012.

This Coastal Division race is going to be tight. Expect every team in the division to be better. Trying to predict the division winner right now is like trying to predict when the NCAA will hand down its verdict. On anything. Miami fans, though, have reason to believe that if the program is eligible to play in the postseason, the pieces are in place to get them to Charlotte.

Here are three reasons why Miami is my way-too-early pick to win the Coastal Division:

1. QB Stephen Morris and running back Duke Johnson: This dynamic duo is going to be a highlight in the ACC. As a true freshman, Johnson had arguably the greatest freshman season in the program’s history. He was named the ACC’s Overall and Offensive Rookie of the Year after racking up 2,060 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns in 12 games. And Morris can be good enough to push Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd as the ACC’s best quarterback in 2013. Morris finished 2012 on a hot streak, as he threw for 1,131 yards and 11 TDs – with zero interceptions -- in his final four games. Morris finished the season with a program-record 3,415 yards of total offense, eclipsing the previous mark of 3,412 held by Bernie Kosar.

2. Experience up front: Miami returns all five starters on the offensive line (Malcolm Bunche, started 12 games at left tackle; Jon Feliciano, started 12 at left guard; Shane McDermott started 12 at center; Brandon Linder started 12 at right guard; Seantrel Henderson started seven at right tackle and Ereck Flowers started four at right tackle). Miami also returns all four starters on the defensive line (Anthony Chickillo 12 at defensive end, Curtis Porter the last three at defensive tackle, Olsen Pierre 11 at defensive tackle, and Shayon Green at defensive end). How many schools in the country can say they return every starter on both their offensive and defensive lines? Granted, the defensive line is Miami’s unit most in need of improvement this offseason, but considering the group only had 13 sacks a year ago, it should only be better.

3. A favorable schedule: Miami has an entire month to prepare for league play, as its first ACC game isn’t until Oct. 5 against Georgia Tech. It doesn’t even have to leave the state until Oct. 17, when it travels to North Carolina, and even then the Canes have a bye week to prepare for the Thursday night game against the Tar Heels. Yes, they have to play rival FSU on the road, but they do get Virginia Tech at home. Winning at Pitt on a Friday in November won’t be easy, but getting Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech at home helps compensate for it.

NCAA president Mark Emmert is not giving up.

Never mind that 13 interviews officially have been excluded from the NCAA’s original investigation into Miami.

Forget that portions of 12 interviews have been excluded and “some factual allegations were entirely removed.”

Don’t worry, Miami fans. Nobody will see that tainted evidence in the final report. The NCAA apparently has Wite-Out. Not enough, though, to scrap the entire case and declare a mistrial. Despite the recent 52-page report that detailed the NCAA’s unprecedented screwup, Emmert still has roughly 80 percent of what he wants you to believe is a valid investigation into Miami’s athletic department, and he plans on using it.

“The intention is to move forward with this case,” Emmert said. “There’s still a lot of information that’s available that has in no way been tainted by this incident.”

Good luck getting anyone outside the NCAA to actually believe it. The problem for Miami, though, is that the only people who have to be convinced are the ones in Indianapolis.

The external “Enforcement Review Report” has cut the NCAA’s credibility to its core, and has left many outside the organization with no faith or trust in its ability to fairly judge Miami in this case. And it’s not going to matter one single bit, because the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions is pressing on. Miami is going to receive a notice of allegations. And in typical NCAA fashion, no timetable has been set for it.

“The committee will now move forward,” Emmert said. “I won’t set a timeline on that, but they’re moving forward with dispatch.”

Maybe the NCAA will have another president by the time Miami’s case is over.

Despite the program’s own wrongdoing, Miami fans have every right to be angry. It’s amazing Al Golden hasn’t turned his back and walked right out. He’s had to recruit three classes during this mess. Heck, even inner-city Philadelphia has to be sounding good right about now. Miami has followed the NCAA’s playbook on cooperation in this investigation every step of the way, while the NCAA reached a jaw-dropping new low with its investigative tactics. Instead of swinging back, Miami’s athletic department has punished itself with its tail between its legs:

• Miami has given up two bowl games and what would have been the program's first ACC championship game appearance since joining the league.
• The Canes have reduced their official visits.
• They have reduced their contacts and evaluation days in the fall.
• They have reduced the number of scholarships.

The NCAA? It fired a few high-ranking officials, vowed to be better, and said a notice of allegations is on its way.

You would think that Miami’s proactive approach, coupled with the NCAA’s botched investigation, would add up to a mistrial. Instead, in each of the past two teleconferences Emmert has had with the media regarding this incident, he has reiterated that the NCAA still has plenty of evidence against Miami and plans to move forward with it.

In a case that has redefined hypocrisy, the NCAA won’t relinquish its role as judge, despite the fact it was just found guilty.

Mike Aresco's five months on the job as Big East commissioner has been anything but routine. The former CBS Sports executive vice president of programming has seen Notre Dame, Rutgers, Louisville, Boise State and San Diego State make plans to leave his conference since he took the job. He has seen the "Catholic 7" basketball schools break off in an effort to form their own conference, while he has added Tulane and East Carolina, the latter currently set to enter as a football-only member. There is also the matter of negotiating a new television deal.

With moving days taking part across the blogs this week, we caught up with Aresco to talk about incoming 2013 members Central Florida, Houston, Memphis and SMU, as well as several other topics facing the Big East.

Obviously there's a lot out there right now about the TV deal. Where do you guys stand with that, and do you need a 12th school immediately to move forward with any further TV negotiations or deal?

Mike Aresco: I think we are getting closer. The TV doesn't really depend on whether we add another team or teams. I think our position has been that we're not interested in numbers just for numbers' sake. We don't need to be 14 or 16 teams or any of that. We just want to make sure we have the right teams and the right mix athletically, academically. And right now, as you know, we're at 10 with Navy going to join in '15. And Louisville/Rutgers -- if they leave after next year, we're not sure yet -- but if they leave after next year, we would replace them and have 10 and we would also have Navy coming in obviously a year later. At this point, we would definitely look at a 12th, because you'd want even divisions if you ultimately go to a championship game, which I think is our goal. We don't absolutely have to do that, but we think that that's what we would want to do. You can play unbalanced divisions, but it's not a great idea. It just isn't. So I think in that sense we would look at perhaps adding another team -- you know the usual suspects, you've heard those. And I don't know when we would make that decision. We've got some meetings coming up, we call it our group of 11 schools, and we could make a preliminary decision as to whether we want to expand, in probably the next several weeks, and then determine just what we want to do. And then if we did expand, [we'd choose] that team. But in terms of our football, I think everybody's fine playing as a 10-team league until we get Navy in. If we feel the need to expand, great.

But you mention some of the teams, I think our conference is really built on some programs that have had success and that really have a lot of potential. We look at SMU, and June Jones has done well there, but I think their best years are still ahead of them. Houston a couple years ago, obviously a tremendous season with Kevin Sumlin. Again, they need to sustain that. Same thing, USF has had years when they've been highly ranked and had good seasons. And UCF, you've seen what UCF has done, very strong program with good facilities. I think what we're looking to do is with our group from the North, Cincinnati, [Tommy] Tuberville there now. UConn. Temple, Al Golden left a program that was definitely rebuilt, and they have to sustain that. And eventually Navy, East Carolina with a great fan base. It's a good group of schools that frankly need to probably develop a storyline, now that we're going to be together. The schools haven't played together before. But I think they're all spending money, they're all trying to improve. Many of them are in big markets. I didn't mention Memphis -- they're spending a lot on their programs, and I didn't mention Tulane, they'll stay until 2014. Houston, building a new stadium.

So I think it's a story of growth. That's what we're looking for, we're trying to grow. We think we can compete. Our goal is to be competing with the five conferences that are perceived as the five power conferences. As you know, we were one of the six, we're still one of the six BCS conferences, but we know that we have to fight and try to be, again, a challenger, to challenge those other five. And that's why I think TV and exposure and marketing and promotion are really important. I think we've got some good brands, some good schools, but there's a lot of untapped potential there.

You mentioned Rutgers and Louisville in passing there. Do you plan ahead as if next year will be their last year in this conference? Where do you guys stand with them as it relates to that?

MA: Don't know yet, Matt, we're still negotiating with them. I think they would probably want to leave after '14, and if a reasonable settlement can be negotiated, we'll certainly look at that. We just haven't made any decision yet. They're definitely in for this year, and then the question is whether they would stay through '14.

Similar with Notre Dame. I know they announced last week that they were going to be in there for at least one more year. Would you envision that being their last year there?

MA: Again, all three of those schools have a commitment through the summer of '15 and then the question comes whether they would stay that extra year. That's going to depend on what kind of agreement we negotiate with them. We certainly have shown a willingness to engage in those kinds of negotiations.

With all the moving parts, do you plan or foresee a nine-game conference schedule in the future?

MA: We don't right now. It's something we could look at, but right now we plan to do an eight-game conference schedule. As you know, a lot of conferences are adopting nine games. Again, we'll either be at ... 11 or 12 [in 2015], '14 we'll either be 10 or 11. I think our membership has expressed preference for eight games. Eight conference games allows them to play more nonconference games. But that's something we can revisit certainly.

As you guys move forward, as the landscape itself moves forward, what are your plans as it relates to bowl tie-ins? What do you guys hope to accomplish in those negotiations?

MA: We'd like to certainly keep the tie-ins we have; we have some good ones. It's a fluid situation. We also could look at some others that make some sense. Again, the conference now will have schools from Texas, from Carolina, very attractive. I think our goal will be to make sure we're in a variety of bowls in a variety of locations so we have nice experiences for our fans and teams. We're definitely talking. We know that that next round is coming up soon. There's going to be some change, we realize that. Could we have some slightly different bowl configurations? We could. But we really like the bowls we're involved in, whether it's the Russell Athletic, or it's the Belk, or it's the Pinstripe, the Liberty, the BBVA Compass. Go down the list, we've got good bowls. But we're going to look at others, too. And we're a bigger conference, Matt, than we were. We'll be at 10 this year, then we'll be potentially at some point 11 and maybe 12. That could give us a chance to develop more tie-ins.

I've seen you touch on this earlier in other interviews. East Carolina, is that a school you want to become a full member eventually?

MA: That's something we haven't decided yet. We're going to take a hard look at that very soon. I think that would certainly be their preference. We haven't made any decisions yet, but we would certainly give that a lot of consideration.

What about the name? I know there's been so much debate about who gets it, who's negotiating with what, what the real Big East is and so forth. How does that play out in your mind in terms of the Big East name? Is that something you really want to fight hard to keep? Do you think maybe a fresher approach would be best for the conference? What's your take on that?

MA: Yeah, people have speculated either way on that. I think our feeling is we would fight hard for it because we think that you can do a fresh approach and keep the name. We would talk about the new Big East or the reinvented Big East, because it isn't the same Big East it was a few months ago. We can't pretend it is. We've had 12 teams leave in the interim for various reasons, and no one's fault, but the point is we know we're a different conference even though we are the Big East. The Big East has tremendous brand equity built up over a lot of years, in basketball and in football. And so consequently our preference would be to keep the name and just rebuild our league and rebuild the brand. I don't think it needs much rebuilding, but clearly when you've had some of the publicity we've had, you need to deal with that and we will. So we think going forward with that brand, with that brand equity is more advantageous than not.

To go off that a little bit, what is it about this conference that you think makes it an elite conference moving forward? What are some of the characteristics that are going to make you a real player in the years to come?

MA: I think we have a real chance to be a player. I think that we have schools that historically have had success, that are in good markets, that have good brands, that have not played together and, as I said, have not developed a storyline yet. But if you look around and you look at the individual programs, they have good potential, they'll play good opponents and I think that they will hold their own. I think you've got schools in talent-rich states. You've got schools with good fan support. You've got schools, again, as I said, in big markets. And take it one by one. Again, Cincinnati with Tommy Tuberville, and they've had a history of hiring excellent coaches. One of the goals of our conference is to hold on to our coaches as long as we can. And you know that head coaches come in, do a great job and move on. We'd like to hold on to them, but if we don't, we'd like to get the next great coach to come along. We had Brian Kelly in this conference. We had Brady Hoke at San Diego State, which didn't end up joining the Big East. You had a lot of terrific coaches around. Kevin Sumlin, look what he's done. And we need to retain them.

But Cincinnati and Tuberville. Connecticut's done a great job over a 10-year period of building a program. Then you've got Navy, everybody loves Navy; they play good football. Temple, again, has just real potential in Philadelphia, has to realize it and it will. East Carolina, solid football program, will gain a lot more attention and exposure in the Big East than it did where they were. And UCF, you've seen what they've done. You've seen what USF has done over the years. USF a little disappointing recently but thinking they've got the coach that is going to take them to the next level. Memphis is spending a lot of money and resources on the program. They have real potential as well. Tulane, new stadium, rich recruiting area. They've had success historically in football. Katrina set them back but they're spending money, they've got the will and determination to get better. And the same thing with Houston and SMU. And as those schools get better they'll garner a lot of attention. Look at SMU, you saw what they did in the bowl game. And you saw what June Jones has done the last few years. So I think there's real potential. There's also a history of achievement. Not necessarily sustained achievement; they haven't had consistently great seasons sometimes -- that doesn't mean that we can't do that.

And one other thing, Matt, I would say: The Big East brand and the Big East conference has always elevated anyone who joined, and I think that's still going to be true. If you look at the history of Louisville coming into the conference, [they] didn't have programs like they have now. Tom Jurich has always credited the Big East with part of their success. Same thing with Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech. He'll always maintain that if it weren't for their time in the Big East, they never could've built their program and their brand. So I think we've always been a scrappy conference. We've had to reinvent ourselves a few times, we've done it successfully, we'll do it again. We also view ourselves as a challenger brand, meaning we're going to challenge. Perception is important. We need to show people that we've got a strong group of schools that are going to compete at a high level, and the goal obviously is to make sure we have the resources. And we'll look at TV. We'll do well enough on the TV in terms of finances, you've read about some of that. And we have resources in our conference, we're part of the BCS for one more year. Going forward we're still part of, I don't know what the whole system's going to be called, but we'll have significant revenue from that. And we'll have other sources of revenue in our conference. So financially we're in good shape. And we think our schools will have the resources to do what they need to do to compete.

Syracuse has officially made the move into the ACC football blog. Now it's Pitt's turn. The Panthers will become full members of the ACC on July 1, joining the Coastal Division with former Big East partners Miami and Virginia Tech. As far as we're concerned, here in the blogosphere, the move has been made.

Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich are here to welcome Pittsburgh into the ACC blog. C'mon in, there's plenty of room.

Heather Dinich: Andrea, one of the biggest surprises of the 2012 season was Pitt's 35-17 win against Virginia Tech on Sept. 15. It wasn't just that Virginia Tech lost, it was how Pitt won -- convincingly, by manhandling the Hokies up front on both sides of the ball. Few, if any, saw that coming, as Virginia Tech was outworked and outmuscled by a team that had lost its first two games of the season, including to Youngstown State. How concerned should the rest of the Coastal Division be about the 2013 Panthers?

Andrea Adelson: Heather, that was a great shock to us all, because up to that point, Pitt had not proven to be very good up front. In fact, the Panthers struggled for much of the season to gain consistency on their offensive and defensive lines. That win was one of their most complete of the season, topped only by their 27-6 win against No. 18 Rutgers later in the year. I am on the record as saying I believe Pitt will have an opportunity to contend for the Coastal Division. First, quarterback play should be improved dramatically, with either former Freshman All-American Tom Savage or four-star recruit Chad Voytik at the helm. Second, the Panthers have a solid running back in Rushel Shell and an unheralded receiver in Devin Street. And third, the Panthers return nine starters on defense, including All-Big East tackle Aaron Donald. I also think this team will be better in Year 2 under Paul Chryst. It's actually the first time since 2009 and '10 that the Panthers have had the same head coach in back-to-back seasons.

Having said that, there are a few concerns. First and foremost is playing consistently week in and week out. Those who follow me on the Big East blog know I referred to this team as "Good Pitt/Bad Pitt" all season because of the Jekyll and Hyde performances. Pitt followed a lose two, win two pattern all season. Chryst needs to find a way to get his team to play at the same level every single week. Second, the offensive line has to be better, because it has been pretty bad the past several years. Pitt won't be able to play the way Chryst wants to play on offense if the line doesn't improve. And third, Pitt is searching for yet another defensive coordinator since Dave Huxtable has gone to NC State. So that's my take. What will Pitt find in the Coastal this year?

HD: A much-improved Virginia Tech team. A Miami team ready to play for the league title (if it's eligible, of course). An eligible North Carolina team ready to contend for the Coastal Division title in the second season under Larry Fedora. A Georgia Tech team that returns the bulk of its playmakers and should get upgrades at quarterback (Vad Lee) and defensive coordinator (Ted Roof). Duke will have something to prove, as it has had some significant staff changes, including the departure of senior quarterback Sean Renfree and record-setting senior receiver Conner Vernon. Virginia had a staff overhaul, but coach Mike London should be feeling some heat to get back to a bowl.

Overall, the Coastal Division should be much, much better than it was last year. Heck, it can't get much worse, as the Hokies had their worst season in 20 years, two teams were ineligible, and Georgia Tech needed a waiver just to play in a bowl game. The Coastal Division is more balanced than the Atlantic Division, and Pitt will fit right in, adding to that parity. I'm looking forward to seeing Pitt-Miami and Pitt-Virginia Tech on a more regular basis. Miami has yet to play for the ACC title since joining the league, while Virginia Tech has owned it. Make no mistake -- last season was an anomaly in Blacksburg. What will it take for Pitt to follow the Hokies' path in the ACC?

AA: Great question, Heather. No. 1 on the list has to be coaching stability. The Pitt program has been set back because of the missteps over the past three years with head coaches. Most everybody believes Chryst is a solid football coach, but he is going to need time to get this program where he wants it. And he has exceptional resources to get the job done, with state-of-the-art facilities and extremely fertile recruiting ground in the Pennsylvania area. Pitt does not have to go far to find some of the most talented players in the nation. They finished just outside the top 40 on signing day last week. They can sell their ties to the Steelers, playing in an NFL stadium, and their incredible history, filled with national championships and Hall of Famers. Now, you could come back and say, "Well, Miami has all that, and more, and the Canes have failed to dominate the ACC as predicted." Very true. But you also make my point for me. Miami's weakness has been at the head-coaching position, as well, with Larry Coker and Randy Shannon unable to continue the success Miami had in the Big East. Al Golden now has the Canes in position to be the favorites in the Coastal.

Virginia Tech? Well, Virginia Tech has had Frank Beamer, the picture of coaching stability. After Wisconsin lost coach Bret Bielema, many wondered whether athletic director Barry Alvarez would approach Chryst, a long-time Wisconsin assistant and Wisconsin graduate. But Chryst let it be known he did not have any intention of leaving Pitt after a year on the job. He is committed to the Panthers. Now the administration has to show its commitment by giving him time to build. If he's as good as many think he can be, Pitt will be fine.

Miami coach Al Golden had to replace his offensive coordinator, Jedd Fisch, just weeks before signing day. Once again, he has had to put together a recruiting class with a highly publicized NCAA investigation looming.

All things considered, it hasn’t been a bad day for Miami, but it hasn’t been spectacular, either. It was mainly a back-and-forth against rival Florida State for some of the nation’s top prospects.

Stacy Coley, the No. 4 receiver in his class, gave the Canes a boost when he donned a “Swag” hat and announced his decision to come to the U. Coley had been thought to be leaning towards FSU, so it was somewhat of a surprise. The Noles beat Miami, though, on Miami native Matthew Thomas, the nation’s No. 1 outside linebacker, and defensive tackle Keith Bryant, the No. 135 overall prospect. Bryant had previously committed to Miami. On the flip side, Miami beat Florida State for running back Augustus Edwards, and that was a position of need for Miami.

The Canes also needed to reload at defensive tackle, but Golden missed out on defensive tackle Jay-nard Bostwick, who chose Florida. They also could have really used Bryant -- moreso than FSU.

On the positive, Golden kept Miami Northwestern cornerback Artie Burns at home, and beat Louisville for linebacker Jermaine Grace, the No. 138 overall prospect.

Golden told ESPNU that the NCAA investigation’s effect on this year’s class is “incalculable.”

“We’re not just fighting the opposition; we’re fighting the term sanctions all the time,” Golden said this morning. “It’s sanctions and the opposition versus us. It’s basically been a 2.5 year probation. I’m proud of our staff for continuing to battle and fight through it, and we’re proud of the recruits who believe in what we’re doing and want to move forward, and really want to be Miami Hurricanes in the end.”

There’s no question Miami added some “swag” to its class today, but it also missed out on some, too.

Al Golden just beat Jimbo Fisher at his best game -- recruiting.

Golden hired one of the country’s best recruiters -- and he plucked him right off of Fisher’s staff. Golden somehow managed to lure Florida State’s top remaining assistant, Miami native James Coley, in what was hands down the ACC’s best hire of the offseason.

Golden, who lost offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch last week to the Jacksonville Jaguars, was put in a tough spot, having to make such a critical hire just weeks before signing day. Not only did Golden dodge a bullet, but he fired it right back at Miami’s biggest rival. Miami has been beaten and overshadowed by Florida State’s recent success, but this is the kind of move that can tilt that scale back in favor of the Canes -- and quickly. Coley will also benefit tremendously from it, assuming Golden will allow him to call the plays -- something he didn’t do on Fisher’s staff.

As much as this move helps Miami, it hurts Florida State. And, to be quite honest, it looks bad for Fisher. Coley is a 1997 Florida State graduate. He just finished his fifth season at his alma mater. He worked with Fisher as a graduate assistant when they were at LSU. They’ve got history. The chance to call plays, though, and move back to his hometown easily explains what was probably a difficult decision.

Would calling the plays have changed Coley’s mind? Would he have stayed if Fisher would have relinquished that authority to him?

Coley wasn’t immediately available for comment, but it’s hard not to wonder.

The Noles have now lost six assistants since winning the ACC championship game, including their top two in former defensive coordinator Mark Stoops and now Coley. Because of the impact this will have in recruiting -- both for Miami and against Florida State -- Coley’s departure is arguably the program’s most significant loss. Staff turnover is nothing new, but now Fisher is the one in a bind with signing day rapidly approaching on Feb. 6. Fisher’s desire to continue to call the plays could complicate his hire of the next offensive coordinator. How many top-notch recruiters and coordinators are out there still looking for a job who will be willing to do everything but call the plays?

Miami, meanwhile, just got an outgoing recruiter who grew up next to the Orange Bowl, one who knows the high schools and area as well as his own living room. He also spent two years as an assistant with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban.

As the recruiting coordinator at Florida State in 2008 and 2009, Coley helped the Noles bring in back-to-back top-10 signing classes, which have helped restock FSU's talent pool. He was named the top recruiter in the ACC in 2010 by ESPN.com.

He still is one of the ACC’s best recruiters.

Only now, he’s bringing the talent home to Miami.

There is never a good time to lose a coach off your football team. Let's get that out of the way here at the top.

But Miami is losing offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch at a particularly tough time for a host of reasons:

• The Hurricanes' offense made major strides in 2012 and returns every starter but running back Mike James, ratcheting up expectations for a group with rising stars in Stephen Morris and ACC Rookie of the Year Duke Johnson.
• Morris, in particular, grew immensely in his first year as a starter while learning under Fisch, setting the school single-season total offense record with 3,415 yards.
• Time is ticking down to National Signing Day. Fisch has been a particularly strong recruiter for Miami, and now the Hurricanes have to hold on to key commits, particularly on offense.
• Let's not forget NCAA sanctions are looming, too.

Of all the reasons listed, I think the biggest concern is the continuity on offense for 2013. During coach Al Golden's season wrap-up news conference last November, he fielded one question after another about the defense, clearly the weakest group on the team. He has been asked several times about defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio, and plans to shore up one of the worst defenses in America.

But on offense? There were no concerns before, but surely there are now as Miami now deals with the loss of two coaches -- Fisch and receiver coach George McDonald. After losing nobody off his staff a year ago, the Hurricanes have to make changes. Golden was widely praised for his hire of former FIU coach Mario Cristobal, who takes McDonald's spot on staff.

Replacing Fisch, though, is bigger. Coordinator changes can oftentimes impact players and schemes. You can bet Golden will find somebody with a similar philosophy as Fisch. In fact, many times coaches have their new coordinators adapt to the schemes already in place to lessen the impact these transitions have on players.

Particularly the quarterback. Morris and Fisch had a great working relationship, as Fisch also served as quarterbacks coach. And Morris got better as the year went on, exactly what you want to see out of your quarterback, throwing 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his final four games. Miami went 3-1 in those contests, with the lone loss a wild 41-40 setback to Virginia.

The final stats bear out the improvement. Morris was a major upgrade over Jacory Harris, as the Hurricanes scored more, had more yards of total offense and passed for more yards than a season ago. Miami was improved in those three major categories, and just about the same in rushing offense. Given Morris' return as a senior, a young and talented receiving corps and all the incredible talent we saw out of Johnson, there is reason for optimism.

That's why this is such an important hire for Golden to make. He's got to get this one right.

Mario Cristobal's dismissal from Florida International was stunning, but his arrival at Miami is the complete opposite: a total no-brainer.

It is not too often the perfect fit falls into a coach's lap. That is exactly what happened to Al Golden, who had the common sense to realize he had to snap Cristobal up before anybody else could take him away. Cristobal's title (associate head coach/tight ends) means little, quite honestly.

His value lies in two critical areas: recruiting and coaching experience. It helps, of course, that Cristobal is from Miami, played at Miami and has roots so embedded in Miami, he hesitated when head coaching opportunities at Pitt and Rutgers came his way a little over a year ago.

So Cristobal's FIU team struggled under heightened expectations in 2012, going 3-9 -- and a season that ultimately (and surprisingly) cost him his job. That does nothing to diminish the tireless work he put in turning around a program that had facilities worse than many high schools when he took the head coaching job in 2006. Not to mention crushing sanctions as a result of infractions before his arrival.

FIU reached heights it had never seen before, and may not see again for a long while. The Panthers reached those heights with kids recruited from the South Florida area -- kids that may have been overlooked by Miami or Florida or Florida State. Kids that perhaps were recruited by those schools but wanted an opportunity to play right away or just wanted to play for Cristobal, period.

His recruiting ties to the area run longer than Golden's, longer than anybody on the current staff save for Art Kehoe. Cristobal is seen as a young, rising star in the business and a move like this works for Miami and it works for him. How long will it last? Well, you can ask that of any coach in America. There is no doubt Cristobal would love another head coaching job. Working at Miami again should only enhance his reputation, and help Miami.

Cristobal knows how to recruit, and he knows how to coach and he knows how to win. That, in the end, will help Miami win. No matter how long he stays.

Brace yourselves.

This is not the ACC power rankings you are used to. It is bigger. Let’s hope it’s not badder. The first version of the 2013 ACC power rankings reflects the addition of Pittsburgh Panthers and Syracuse Orange. There are 14 teams here (and Boston College is still last). Welcome to the league, Pitt and Cuse.

There are still plenty of questions for several teams that have players still undecided about their NFL careers, but this is your first take on a ranking likely to change many times between now and the opening kickoff. Lots can happen (and does) during signing day, spring ball and summer camp, but here is how Andrea Adelson and I think the ACC will shape up this fall based on what we know now:

1. Clemson -- With quarterback Tajh Boyd and offensive coordinator Chad Morris working together again, the Tigers would have the best coordinator/quarterback combo returning in the ACC. The defense should take another step forward in the second season under coordinator Brent Venables, and the Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over LSU was a monumental springboard for the program heading into the offseason.

2. Florida State -- The Seminoles will be going through a transition, as coach Jimbo Fisher has to replace at least five assistants on his staff, as well as starting quarterback EJ Manuel. With several players, including defensive end Bjoern Werner, leaving early for the NFL draft, the Noles will have to reload.

3. Miami -- The Hurricanes hoped their self-imposed bowl ban was a preemptive strike against NCAA sanctions. With quarterback Stephen Morris returning, along with ACC Rookie of the Year Duke Johnson and what could be one of the best offensive lines in the ACC, expectations should be much higher for the Canes in Year 3 under Al Golden.

4. Georgia Tech -- The Yellow Jackets will have some momentum and confidence to build on after their bowl win over USC, but more importantly, they’ve got an experienced, talented roster to work with. Georgia Tech will have eight starters back on a defense that made measurable progress in the second half of the season.

5. UNC -- Coach Larry Fedora is going to have to work some magic in trying to replace leading rusher/returner Giovani Bernard, who left early for the NFL, and his lead blocker, Jonathan Cooper. Quarterback Bryn Renner will be a senior, though, and the Tar Heels have other talented running backs waiting in the wings.

6. Pitt -- The moment every Pitt fan has been waiting for -- Tino Sunseri will no longer be the starting quarterback in 2013. Does that mean the position gets an automatic upgrade? Promising running back Rushel Shell returns, and Pitt's defense should be much better, but questions remain on the offensive line.

7. Virginia Tech -- The school has yet to announce any staff changes, quarterback Logan Thomas has yet to announce whether or not he is returning for his senior season, and the Hokies open the schedule against national champion Alabama. Doesn’t look good.

8. Syracuse -- Major questions surround the Orange now that coach Doug Marrone has left for the Buffalo Bills. This is a team that already had to replace starting quarterback Ryan Nassib, all-Big East tackle Justin Pugh, record-setting receiver Alec Lemon and leading tackler Shamarko Thomas. But Syracuse does have 1,000-yard rusher Jerome Smith returning, along with linebackers Marquis Spruill and Dyshawn Davis. Many questions must be answered before 2013 begins.

9. Maryland -- It can only get better, right? Maryland was down to its fifth-string quarterback last year, linebacker Shawn Petty. Starter C.J. Brown should be ready to return to the starting lineup this summer and healed from a torn ACL. The defense has some big shoes to fill, but the Terps should have enough experience to be bowl bound in their final season in the ACC.

10. Wake Forest -- The Deacs were thrown off track last season by injuries and suspensions and should be a better team this year. Quarterback Tanner Price returns for his senior season, along with receiver Michael Campanaro, who should be one of the best in the ACC if he can stay healthy.

11. Duke -- The Blue Devils have to replace quarterback Sean Renfree and his top target, ACC record-setting receiver, Conner Vernon. Duke went to its first bowl game since 1994, but the program still has something to prove after losing its last five games of the season. The Coastal Division should collectively be stronger this year.

12. Virginia -- Phillip Sims will take over at quarterback after the transfer of Michael Rocco, but how much time will David Watford see under center? The hires of Tom O’Brien and Jon Tenuta were smart moves, but the staff will have to find a way to extract more out of many of the same players who struggled last year.

13. NC State -- Quarterback Mike Glennon is out, and first-year coach Dave Doeren is in. The Wolfpack will have an entirely different look this fall, and some bumps in the road should be expected as the program begins a new era under Doeren.

14. Boston College -- The Eagles have lots of work to do under first-year coach Steve Addazio. It all starts with recruiting, but the staff is also going to have to find a way to improve the running game and get the defense back to its stingy ways.