by Matt Whitfield

The Pat White era is over in Morgantown. However, before Big East defensive coordinators begin dancing in the streets, they will have to contend with White’s understudy, Jarrett Brown.

After four years watching White have a record-breaking career at West Virginia, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound fifth-year senior takes the reigns of the offense. Brown is a true dual-threat QB that has taken full control of the offense since the spring and finished off a great preseason camp, easing the minds of the WVU staff heading into the season.

Brown has shown he is a capable alternative in big games before, so he is not an untested signal caller. His most impressive game came at the end of the season in 2006 where he started in place of the injured White and threw for 244 yards and ran for another 73 in helping the Mountaineers upend Rutgers in what was the unofficial Big East Championship game.

In addition to Brown, the offense will rely on Noel Devine who ran for more than 1,200 yards last season as a sophomore, leading the conference with an average of 6.3 yards a carry. Devine also caught 35 passes out of the backfield.

Brown has a group of exciting receivers as the Mountaineers under second-year head coach Bill Stewart plan to throw the ball more this season, working with slot receiver Jock Sanders, wide receivers Alric Arnett, 6-foot-8 Wes Lyons, Bradley Starks and exciting freshmen Logan Heastie, who shunned offers from Penn State and Miami, and Tavon Austin.

Sanders, who caught 53 passes a year ago, missed spring practices due to disciplinary reasons. Arnett caught six touchdown passes a year ago, including two in their Meineke Car Care Bowl victory to close the season.

Mountaineer fans hope that Brown is not running for his life in those attempts to throw as he will be behind an untested and inexperienced offensive line. Only one member of this year’s line, Selvish Capers, will have started more than five games entering the season. Capers, the right tackle, enters his third season as a starter. Eric Jobe finished the season as the starting center and was thought to continue that role in 2009, however a late camp move of Jobe to right guard and redshirt freshman Joe Madsen in at center has been made to solidify Brown’s protection. The success of the Mountaineers could very well depend on highly touted Josh Jenkins returning from injury and holding down the left guard position. The hole to fill at left tackle is also a large one as All-American Ryan Stanchek has graduated and Don Barclay will fill the vital role of Brown’s backside protector from opposing pass rushes.

One of the more over-looked factors of the Big East season could be the return to health of Mountaineer linebacker Reed Williams. The WVU leading tackler and MVP of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl returns after missing last season with a shoulder injury to headline the defense. All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Scooter Berry, a two-year starter at defensive end, also returns and teams with veteran nose tackle Chris Neild to anchor the defensive line in the WVU 3-4 scheme.

Other key defenders to watch this season is linebacker Pat Lazear, who moves to the outside after being one of last year’s starter on the inside, and hard-hitting safety Nate Sowers who finally found a positional home last season with WVU in the defensive backfield. JT Thomas was also an all-Big East linebacker last season. The defensive unit should be very strong for WVU this season as many starters return from a group that got better and better in 2008 as the season progressed.

Summary

The first half of the Mountaineers schedule is relatively easy, with the exception of the Auburn road game. This should give Brown time to adjust to his starting role and gel with his starters. The ladder half of the schedule is treacherous with the last three games coming against Cincinnati on the road, Pittsburgh at home, and on the road versus Rutgers. If the offensive line holds up and Brown pans out to be the next great West Virginia Quarterback it is foreseeable that the Mountaineers could start the season 7-0 or 6-1, and possibly be ranked coming into the South Florida game. What happens from there could be anyone’s guess. Most experts see the Big East as a fairly open conference, yet all the programs thought to be contenders the Mountaineers still must play.

by Michael Pina

Two years ago, the University of South Florida Bulls were easily the most surprising team in the nation. Now firmly established as a Big East force, the days of South Florida as a perennial pushover are long gone.

Behind quarterback Matt Grothe and defensive end George Selvie, the 2009 Bulls look to accomplish something never before done in school history. Win a Big East Title.

Mired in the recruiting hotbed that is southern Florida, Head Coach Jim Leavitt has finally been able to mold a contending, talented football team. While they may not get the type of talent Florida and Miami traditionally sign, the Bulls continue to grow as serious players on the recruiting trail. All of their verbal commitments for the 2010 season so far are from Florida which certainly bodes well for any team trying to build around athleticism.

With no Big East team ranked in the preseason top 25, the University of South Florida has a chance to gain respect if they can take advantage of their out of conference schedule. With games against Florida State (Sept. 26) and Miami (Nov. 28), Leavitt’s Bulls have a real shot at gaining national esteem and continuing to expand a program that two short years ago saw a meteoric rise to #2 in the country.

Even though last year wasn’t a poor showing outside of the conference, inside the Big East South Florida struggled, finishing 8-5. After a strong 5-0 start that included a win over #11 ranked Kansas, the team lost four of their next five, all against Big East rivals. The bottom fell out in a Nov. 15 home game against Rutgers when South Florida was thumped 49-16. The Bulls backed their way into the St. Petersburg Bowl and took advantage of the virtual home game by dominating Memphis. The strong finish could regain some of the program’s momentum heading into the 2009 season.

The team decided to cut ties with former offensive coordinator Greg Gregory after a frustratingly inconsistent season on the offensive side of the ball. USF promoted Mike Canales from within. This will be Canales’s second stint as offensive coordinator for USF, as he served the role from 1996-2000. The 47-year-old assistant is most noted for grooming current San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers when the two were at North Carolina State. With a new offensive mind running the show, the Bulls are looking to instill a spread attack that should create match up problems in the division.

On the defensive side of the ball, USF has hired former Cincinnati defensive coordinator Joe Tresey. Responsible for a defense that tied for the FBS lead in takeaways in 2007 and was the obvious strength of last season’s FedEx Orange Bowl team, Tresey is a great addition to an already aggressive defense.

Leading that side of the ball will be one of the strongest defensive lines in the country, led by one of college football’s top players and soon to be household name, defensive end George Selvie. A 6-4, 250 pound, two-time All-American from Pensacola, Florida, Selvie is second on the active NCAA career sack list with 25.5 and first on the active NCAA career tackles for loss list with 60.

Offensively, just like the last three, the 2009 season hinges on the performance of quarterback Matt Grothe. He’s not only led the Bulls in passing yards since taking over as the starting quarterback, but he needs just 287 yards to become the Big East’s all-time career yardage leader. Unfortunately for USF fans, Grothe has proven to be consistently turnover prone, throwing exactly 14 picks in each of his first three seasons. If he can manage to cut down on the interceptions and take care of the ball better, South Florida should be a dangerous team in a league that as of today has no clear-cut favorite.

With experience and recognition already gained from the 2007 season, the 2009 South Florida Bulls have their sites set on a Big East crown. Anything else will be a major disappointment.

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By Anthony Jaskulski

The last time the Pittsburgh Panthers took the gridiron versus an opponent it was like two trains on the same track, facing each other and heading for sure disaster.

The only problem was both engines were out of gas and moved…nowhere.

That precisely sums up Pitt and their Sun Bowl bout with the Oregon State Beavers, in which the entire Panthers’ fan base scored just as many points as their favorite team, which was inevitably zero.

But much like the ways of David Bowie, Changes are all around the Panthers program for this upcoming 2009 football season.

The only question is: will those changes be for the better or the worse?

Pitt’s biggest task—without any question—is how to replace two of the biggest names from both sides of the ball in running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy and linebacker Scott McKillop; both in the NFL.

Despite the fact that the most experience from a year ago in the backfield has only 13 carries (Shariff Harris), the Panthers, surprisingly, have some great confidence in three standout backs.

Freshmen Ray Graham, Chris Burns and the all likely No.1 starter at this point, Dion Lewis, have all been quite impressive in camp, and should all get ample chances to tote the rock in the first half of the season.

“We’re very excited about the running game this year,” said Offensive Coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. “I think we have some very talented backs that can lead to this team’s success this year. I don’t think we’ll miss a step in that department.”

Cignetti Jr., a graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a born and raised Pittsburgher, left his OC job at California-Berkeley to join the Panthers after the OC job opened up last winter with Matt Cavanaugh’s departure. Cignetti helped the Golden Bears to a successful 9-4 season, and a top-notch running game that boasted 186 yards per game—29th in the country.

The quarterback to run the machine will be last year’s starter Bill Stull. The senior gunslinger was mediocre, at best, last season, throwing for just over 2,300 yards and a sketchy touchdown/interception ratio of 9/10. In his last game, the Sun Bowl shutout against Oregon State, Stull went a dismal 7 of 24 for 52 yards and one interception.

According to head coach Dave Wannstedt, every time he was asked about the quarterbacks and a possible battle, he simply stated: “Stull is our starter.”

The confidence in Stull that Wannstedt shows is also in the players’ mind’s as well, and Stull knows the support that he is getting, needs to be exerted on the field.

“I have to prove everybody right and do my job every single day, and please the coaches and my teammates,” said Stull. “The things I do mess up, I need to go back, see it cleaner and not make those mistakes again.”

Stull will have a veteran line with four starters returning, and will be anchored by junior tackle Jason Pinkston.

The receiving and tight end core is the most concrete unit on the offense. Standout sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin, who tallied up just over 400 yards in his freshman campaign, will join senior All-Big East and John Mackey award candidate tight end Nate Byham as two of the deadliest targets in the conference.

Looking on the defensive side of the ball, losing middle linebacker and captain Scott McKillop doesn’t seem so bad when you have, arguably, the best defensive line in the country.

Led by All-Big East senior defensive end Greg Romeus, who garnered 51 tackles a year ago, the Panthers line consists of a murderer’s row list with Jabaal Sheard, Gus Mustakus and Myles Caragein. All players are on at least one preseason award watch list this year.

“Obviously our defensive line gives you something to smile about,” said Wannstedt. “I’m happy with what we have returning in guys like Greg Romeus and Gus Mustakus, but I’m also excited about the younger guys that are making a difference. Guys like Shayne Hale (freshman) and Brandon Lindsay (sophomore) are really showing the depth we have in that area.”

The Panthers middle linebackers—those replacing McKillop—will consist of Adam Gunn and Shane Murray; both whom are coming back from season-ending injuries a year ago. Senior Steve Dell has also made some noise this camp and will more than likely see playing time.

Returning starter Greg Williams and sophomore Max Gruder will round out the linebackers, as the leading candidates for the outside backer slots.

Another unit that seems to be set in stone is the secondary.

Led by junior Dom DeCicco, who tallied up over 60 tackles last season and Aaron Berry and Jovani Chappel, the Panthers seem to have a good amount of solidarity and confidence in the safeties and cornerbacks. If safety Elijah “Scoot” Fields can get his on and off the field issues in order, the speedster will come in handy as a dangerous addition to this unit.

“We are a close group and we communicate real well, which is a big thing on the football field,” said DeCicco about the secondary. “We know how to pick each other up and know our capabilities out there. I think that is a large part in winning games, and why we are so successful as a group.”

Pitt was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Big East conference according to the media poll. But a preseason accolade and fifty cents can get you one collect call.

The real call has to come from the Panthers, who will have to rise above their two key departures and put the load on a group of seniors that Coach Wannstedt seems awfully thrilled about.

“From a coaching standpoint, it’s very exciting when you have as great a group of seniors as we have,” Wannstedt said. “It’s not the leading tackler in the conference like Scott McKillop, and maybe not the rookie of the year coming back like LeSean McCoy. But if you look at our football team, this is the largest group of seniors that we have, and this is the first class where we had the opportunity to evaluate from start to finish.”

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By Raphielle Johnson

The Scarlet Knights enter 2009 as one of the five teams thought to have an even chance at winning the Big East title. Every team has its definitive strengths that can go a long way towards earning a BCS berth, but each also has a significant weakness that if not addressed could cost them a title. For Rutgers the questions come at quarterback and wide receiver. Greg Schiano’s team has a schedule that lends itself to self-discovery after the season opener with Cincinnati; they’ll likely be favored in each of the following four games. The defense will be solid, and the same is expected of the offensive line and running backs. Here’s the unit-by-unit preview of the 2009 Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Offense

What’s the correct answer to the quarterback quandary: Domenic Natale or Tom Savage? Both? With just over a week to go before they open the season the Rutgers coaching staff still hasn’t decided which signal-caller will take the first snap. Natale’s the familiar face, having been a backup to Mike Teel last season. Domenic transferred back to his state university in 2006 following two years at Michigan State, and his experience will come via familiarity with the system of offensive co-coordinators Kyle Flood and Kirk Ciarrocca.

Savage is the highly-touted freshman who’s shot up the depth chart despite not taking part in spring drills. Ranked as one of the nation’s best pro-style quarterbacks by many of the recruiting services, Savage has the body (6-5, 225) and arm to hold the starting job for the next four years. Rest assured the freshman will play; rarely does a coaching staff not redshirt a true freshman if he isn’t going to get every opportunity to play. Fifth-year senior Jabu Lovelace will once again be in the role of “change of pace” quarterback, so look for him to run plays out of Rutgers’ “wildcat” formation.

The running backs look solid heading into 2009; the top four rushers from 2008 all return. Kordell Young (554 yards, 5 rushing TDs in 2008) may be the most talent of the quartet but he’s had injury issues throughout his career. Joe Martinek (404 yards, 4 rushing TDs) and Jourdan Brooks (516 yards, 6 rushing TDs) will also figure into the rotation, and they’ll both add a little more power to counteract Young’s speed. Blocking for them will be the dependable senior Jack Corcoran, who is also a solid option in the passing game.

Wide receiver will also undergo an overhaul with the losses of three of their top four pass catchers: Kenny Britt, Tiquan Underwood and tight end Kevin Brock. Tim Brown (27 receptions, 565 yards and 6 TDs) is the team’s leading returning receiver and the logical candidate to become the number one target for Natale and/or Savage. Mason Robinson, who was a running back in 2008, makes the move over to wide receiver and will look to separate himself from a number of options. Freshmen Mohamed Sanu and Marcus Cooper (redshirt) also stand to earn playing time, as does senior Julian Hayes. The tight end position will likely be manned by Shamar Graves or Fabian Ruiz, with the move of DC Jefferson from quarterback to tight end providing depth to a previously shallow position in regards to numbers.

The offensive line will be the strength of the Rutgers offense, and it’s a unit that could be the best in the Big East. Junior Anthony Davis anchors the unit that returns all five starters at left tackle, and he looked far more motivated in fall camp after residing in Coach Schiano’s dog house due to conditioning issues. Ryan Blaszczyk will start a third consecutive season at center while Chris Ruch and Kevin Haslam are the likely starters at the guard spots. Art Forst, who started eight games at right guard in 2008, kicks out to right tackle, flipping positions with Haslam. The line had depth and flexibility; if there’s also chemistry they’ll have a very successful season.

Defense

The Scarlet Knights return two starters on the defensive line in ends George Johnson and Alex Silvestro. While Johnson was an end last season Silvestro makes the move out from defensive tackle, where he started thirteen games in 2008. The departed Jamal Westerman led Rutgers with six sacks and the team had twenty-nine, so they’ll need the returning players to step up their production. Jonathan Freeny, who saw time in every game last season, will also be in the running for playing time as will senior Sorie Bayoh. At tackle Blair Bines and Eric LeGrand, both converted linebackers, saw time last season. Charlie Noonan and Scott Vallone are also in the running, but look for Bines to be one of the two starters inside.

The linebacking corps should be strong this season, led by senior middle linebacker Ryan D’Imperio. D’Imperio was second on the team in 2008 in tackles (93), tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (5.0). He’ll be leaned upon heavily due to the graduation of leading tackler Kevin Malast. Classmate Damaso Muñoz played well enough in spring drills to sew up the strongside position and sophomore Manny Abreu will be a player to watch on the weakside. Abreu had to beat out some solid competition in winning the job, so if he or any other starter goes down or doesn’t perform Antonio Lowery and Jim Dumont can earn repetitions. Marvin Booker and Edmond Laryea will also be in the running for playing time in 2009.

The secondary will have to deal with the losses of Courtney Greene and Jason McCourty they will have experience. Senior Devin McCourty will once again start at one cornerback position with Brandon Bing and Brandon Jones fighting it out to start on the opposite side. Safeties Joe Lefeged and Zaire Kitchen are two players you do not want to get hit by. Kitchen forced three fumbles in 2008 while Lefeged was Rutgers’ fourth-leading tackler. Patrick Kivlehan, David Rowe and Khaseem Greene will add depth to the secondary while also having the opportunity to contribute on special teams.

Special Teams

Rutgers should perform quite well in this department, and the kicking game improved as the season progressed. Despite a rough outing in the season opener San San Te finished 2008 12-of-17 on field goals and 45-of-48 on extra points. He’ll be backed up by redshirt freshman Tyler Thomas, who likely won’t see action unless Te happens to get injured or be ineffective. The punting duties will once again be handled by redshirt junior Teddy Dellaganna, who averaged forty-one yards per punt last season. Mason Robinson and Tim Brown will likely handle the kick return duties while Robinson and Devin McCourty are likely candidates to return punts.

Schedule/Prediction

Rutgers has taken its fair share of criticism for their 2009 football schedule, with cynics noting how soft the non-conference slate is. With two FCS opponents it could definitely use some “meat on its bones”, but to harp on its softness is to ignore this fact: that very same schedule is what gives Greg Schiano’s team its best shot since 2006 at a BCS berth. Opening a season with a conference game (Cincinnati on Labor Day) is never preferred, but Rutgers hosts all four of the other Big East title contenders.

Their toughest non-conference game is at Maryland on September 26th, and although the Terrapins took care of business at Rutgers last season the 2009 version isn’t expected to be as good as they were last season. Visits from Howard, Florida International and Texas Southern should be handled, as should a trip to Army in October. If the Scarlet Knights can get through the defending Big East champion Bearcats in the opener they should be 5-0 when Pitt visits on October 16th. A win there and all of a sudden a run similar to 2006’s 8-0 start is well within the realm of possibility.

A conservative number of wins would be eight, provided either Natale or Savage provides a solid answer at quarterback. The lack of experience at quarterback and wide receiver (guys have played, but to lose playmakers like Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood can’t be overlooked) lent itself to the media pegging the Scarlet Knights in the fifth position in the preseason media poll. Rutgers looks solid in just about every other position and the kicking game should be improved in 2009. A Big East championship is well within the realm of possibility in 2009.

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By Raphielle Johnson

The 2009 football season is finally here, and once again much isn’t expected of Connecticut. Picked to finish sixth in the Big East, the Huskies will have to replace starters such as Donald Brown, Darius Butler and Tyler Lorenzen if they want to go to their third consecutive bowl game. Brown rushed for more than 2,000 yards last season, an amazing accomplishment when considering how bad the passing game was. Husky quarterbacks combined to throw five touchdown passes and seventeen interceptions in 2008, which makes Brown’s omission as a Doak Walker Award finalist all the more glaring.

Joe Moorhead takes over as offensive coordinator for the departed Rob Ambrose (head coach at Towson), and he brings with him an up-tempo no-huddle attack that the Huskies hope will open things up. On defense Connecticut will once again be solid with six starters back. Linebackers Scott Lutrus, Greg Lloyd and Lawrence Wilson make up one of the better units in the Big East, and they’ll be counted on to lead a unit that ranked sixth nationally in total defense. Special teams should be solid as well, thanks to the return of punter Desi Cullen, kicker David Teggart and a host of capable kick returners.

Under Coach Edsall, the Huskies have made a living of taking players who get little fanfare and turn them into solid college football players and sending players to the professional ranks as well. The given is that Connecticut will be a tough, fundamentally sound team that won’t lie down for anyone. And with arguably the toughest schedule of the Edsall era on the horizon, they’ll need to be just that if they’re to compete for a Big East championship. Below is a unit-by-unit preview of the 2009 Connecticut Huskies.

Offense

New offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead has a starting quarterback in Zach Frazer, who performed better than Cody Endres in spring drills. They will be the top two on the depth chart with true freshman Mike Cox sitting third. There’s no Donald Brown to carry the bulk of the offensive load so Frazer will have to improve his production. Not the prettiest passer if you’re looking for tight spirals, Zach will need to rely upon sound decision-making if he’s to be successful. Luckily for the quarterbacks, they’ve got a number of options at the skill positions.

Running backs Jordan Todman, Andre Dixon are all looking to show what they can do since Brown got the lion’s share of the carries in 2008. Todman is a young speedster who was brought in as a change of pace back last season, and he could combine to make up a solid partnership with Dixon. Andre was second team All-Big East in 2007, but he got a bit complacent and combined that with some off-field issues. The end result was a 2008 with just nine carries on the season. If he’s ready to go, and the reports were that he’s anxious to show his skills, he can get back to that 2007 level. Frey, who has done the bulk of his work on special teams, could see more time as a running back in addition to his kick return duties (averaged twenty yards per return in 2008). And with fullbacks Anthony Sherman and Anthony Davis they’ll have very good lead blockers.

The receiving corps is loaded with young talent; whether that young talent is ready to hit the scene will go a long way in how much the passing game improves. True freshman Dwayne Difton has received a lot of press in the preseason, and the skills are there. It’s rare to find fast guys who are also praised for their route running, and this combination makes the Fort Lauderdale native a threat to opposing defenses.

Returnees Kashif Moore, Brad Kanuch, Marcus Easley and Michael Smith will all factor into the rotation, as will youngsters such as Gerrard Sheppard and Mike Lang. Tight end is a bit lean with the loss of Steve Brouse and Martin Bedard but with Coach Moorhead preferring a three-wide formation players such as Corey Manning and John Delahunt may not see as much playing time as they would have in the previous system.

The offensive line returns three starters but will have to replace a pair of very good blockers in William Beatty and Keith Gray. Moe Petrus moves over to center and 2008 starters Mike Hicks (right tackle) and Zach Hurd (right guard) man those positions. Dan Gray, who’s got thirty games under his belt, will start at left tackle while there’s competition at left guard. Redshirt senior Alex LaMagdelaine missed every game except for one last season, and he’ll be fighting for the starting spot with Mathieu Olivier and Scott Schultz. The offensive line can be pretty good if they develop chemistry and remain healthy. Jimmy Bennett has already gone down with a season-ending injury, so they can’t afford any other significant losses.

Defense

Stout defense has been a staple of the Randy Edsall era, and it should be no different this season. They’ll need to replace three starters on the defensive line, including ends Cody Brown and Julius Williams. Lindsey Witten will most likely man one of the end positions while it’s wide open on the other side. Freshmen Trevardo Williams and Jesse Joseph will compete with redshirt freshman A.J. Portee for the starting spot. Witten will likely be backed up by redshirt junior Mike Cox, who missed all of last season due to injury. Tywon Martin, the lone returning starter up front, returns at defensive tackle and will be joined by classmate Kendall Reyes. Outside of redshirt senior Brandon Dillon and redshirt junior Alex Polito the Huskies are young in the middle, so the pressure is on Martin and Reyes to produce.

All three starting linebackers from last season return, giving the Huskies one of the best units in the conference. Scott Lutrus led the team with 106 tackles on the strong side while weak side linebacker Lawrence Wilson was second on the team with seventy-three. Greg Lloyd will play in the middle, leaving the remaining linebackers on the roster to fight for backup spots on the two-deep. Juniors Kijuan Dabney and Greg Robinson (redshirt), and redshirt freshmen Jory Johnson, Sio Moore and Jerome Williams will all look to earn some playing time when the “big three” need a breather.

The secondary should be solid as well despite the loss of Darius Butler to the NFL. Jasper Howard, who showed the ability to become one of the better corners in the conference last year while also leading the Big East in punt return average, takes over Butler’s role as the shut down corner. Robert McClain has plenty of playing experience, and backups such as Gary Wilburn, Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Robert Vaughn, a second team All-Big East selection in 2008, is back at free safety while redshirt sophomore Jonathan Jean-Louis will start at strong safety. There’s a good balance of youth and experience in the secondary, which should add to the competition for playing time.

Special Teams/Schedule

The kicking jobs are in good hands with the return of senior punter Desi Cullen and sophomore kicker David Teggart. Teggart was 13-15 on field goals last season, but the punt coverage unit needs work if the Huskies are to go bowling again. Six punts were blocked, a stat that helped contribute to Cullen having a net average of 32.7 yards per punt. That’s not going to get it done. In one game (at North Carolina) Bruce Carter set an NCAA record in blocking three Cullen punts…in the same quarter. If that area is revamped, look for the Husky special team to perform quite well. Jasper Howard will once again return punts while Robbie Frey and Jordan Todman will return kickoffs.

In regards to the schedule, it gives the Huskies very few chances to lick their wounds should things begin to head south. The season opens with a trip to Ohio, where the fans will be anxious to see the Bobcats pick off a BCS conference opponent. The home schedule kicks off with a visit from the aforementioned Tar Heels the following Saturday, and they should be right in the thick of things in the ACC. Connecticut will also play non-conference road games against Baylor and Notre Dame while hosting former Yankee Conference rival Rhode Island.

As for the seven-game Big East slate, the Huskies picked the wrong year to have to visit Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Cincinnati. In between those games are home dates with Louisville (homecoming) and Rutgers. The regular season ends with home games against Syracuse and USF, the latter of which is one of three Big East games to be played on December 5th. The six teams playing on that final Saturday are also the top six picks in the preseason media poll.

Prediction

Looking at the schedule and dealing with the unknown of how the passing game performs in a new system, it’s tough to peg the Huskies for any more than seven wins. Some may even look at the tough slate and project no more than five wins. If the offensive linemen can stay healthy and Zach Frazer can progress as a passer a bowl game is within the realm of possibility. It may be too much to throw the Huskies into the Big East title hunt, but given the lack of separation among the top five teams why not them? Any team in the top six has at least a puncher’s chance of being the last team standing; whether or not it’s Connecticut will depend largely upon their offense.

by Scott Macmann

Is Cincinnati the Rodney Dangerfield of college football? You know, “no respect”….?

The Bearcats have now finished in the Top 25 two seasons in a row but once again they are locked out of the pre-season polls.

The Bearcats won last season’s Big East football championship with a 6-1 conference record, 11-2 overall regular season. They return one of the conference’s and nation’s most dynamic offenses largely intact. They have defeated their former nemeses Pittsburgh, Louisville and West Virginia. Moreover, since September 23, 2006, when they had lost to Pitt, Ohio State and Virginia Tech in back to back to back games to open up the season, the Bearcats have reeled off a record of 28 wins and just 8 losses (Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, UConn, Louisville-2, Pitt, WVU-2). The Cincinnati Bearcats should not be a surprise to anyone or overlooked anymore.

And yet, the reigning champs of the Big East return for 2009 with most pundits believing that 2008 was a fluke. However, the reality is that Cincinnati turned the corner three years ago and has only been getting better as first Mark Dantonio and now Brian Kelly have revived the 5th oldest NCAA Division I football program. Cincinnati’s successful three year run has been built on solid defense first constructed by Dantonio, and now in Kelly’s tenure by an eclectic spread offense that Kelly sometimes refers to as his “Coast to Coast” scheme since he takes ideas from anywhere that he can.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

Most of the negativity concerning the Bearcats’ chances are based on the fact that UC lost 10 defensive starters to graduation. Perhaps they think Brian Kelly is going to trot out a bunch of true Freshmen to replace them, but a look under the hood shows plenty of talent and plenty of experience (not Freshmen) waiting to take their turn.

During last season UC coach Brian Kelly became increasingly convinced that he had to change his defensive philosophy to deal with the growing threat posed by Spread offenses. Kelly wanted to switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4. But this is only partially accurate. What Kelly really wanted to do is install the Spread Defense: a defense that flexes between the 4-3 and 3-4 without substitution based on the defense’s read of the situation. Kelly’s defensive coordinator Joe Tresey apparently balked at the plan, and Kelly sent him packing. Cincinnati’s new coordinator is Bob Diaco who served under Kelly at Central Michigan. Diaco is experienced with the 3-4 and is on board with Kelly’s vision.

The defense starts with seniors Ricardo Matthews and Curtis Young who will man the front line with senior Andre Revels lining up across from the center. This trio of veterans will step into their starting positions from last years’ reserve roles with little trouble.

Young and senior Craig Carey are what Kelly calls his hybrids and will be able to rush or drop back as the situation calls for. They can put their hand down or they can go off and cause trouble. Last year’s star Connor Barwin, now in the NFL, is seen as the prototype for the role.

The other interesting linebacker story is Demetrius Jones. It wasn’t too long ago that Jones was Notre Dame’s starting QB. Jones left ND when he got benched and came to Kelly who almost immediately detected that something was wrong with Jones’ throwing motion. Kelly was right, and soon Jones was being operated on. Demetrius was given the chance to compete and play QB last season, but apparently his arm can’t handle the continued stress of running Kelly’s pass-intensive offense. Realizing it was insane to let an athlete like Jones sit on the bench, Kelly in the Spring gave Jones his marching orders to switch to linebacker. Reluctant at first, the Pied Piper Kelly clearly convinced Jones that if he wanted to get into the NFL it won’t be as a quarterback. Although it’s too early to tell if it’ll get him to the NFL, Demetrius Jones has already won himself a starting position for the Bearcats at LB and seems to be warming to the possibilities. Ask Connor Barwin, Demetrius.

The main defensive story, however, that everyone will be watching is in the defensive backfield. The secondary saw the most devastating losses with Mickens, Smith and Underwood all going to the NFL. Senior Aaron Webster is the only returning starter, but talented Drew Frey (medical redshirt) who was injured early last season returns to join him, while Dominique Battle (SO) and Brad Jones (SR) will now man the corners as starters. The foursome is already showing in camp that they are ready for prime time. Backups Obadiah Cheatham, Ruben Johnson, Chris Williams and Malik James will all provide fresh legs with varying experience too. These are not rookies though. Most have made significant contributions as backups, and now that it’s their turn show every indication they will produce.

All in all, there is reason to believe that contrary to the wishes of other Big East opponents, the Bearcats are reloading on defense, not rebuilding.

SPECIAL TEAMS WON’T BE AS SPECIAL

All-American Kevin Huber will be punting for a different Cincinnati team this Fall, and many a Bengals fan is hoping the Bengals can emulate the Bearcats winning style. The Bearcats have scrambled to find an acceptable replacement, but replacing an All-American isn’t going to be easy. Junior Jake Rodgers, who normally handles placekicking duties, appears to be the short-term solution. But the key point to remember is that punting is not likely going to be the weapon that it has been for the last two years, and that may make a key difference.

OFFENSE

The nightmare of five different quarterbacks was only a year ago, but out of that nightmare emerged a confident and capable Tony Pike. Now a senior, Pike is the unchallenged starter. In much less than a full season of games Pike put up over 2,000 yards of passing yardage. So, logic suggests he should be able to do much better with a full season to work with, right? Pike has put on weight and worked his butt off to get stronger and tougher than he was last year when he was too frail to punch it in from the one yard line thus sealing the Bearcats loss to VT in the Orange Bowl. For the Bearcats to be successful, Pike must be tougher.

Pike will have a platoon worth of wide receivers and tight ends to play catch with this season. Everyone’s darling is senior Mardy Gilyard aka “Bones”. Bones will be joined by Armon Binns (JR), DJ Wood (SO) and Marcus Barnett (JR) who will also do some moonlighting in the defensive backfield during certain situations. It will be important for all four of these wide receivers to step up so that defense’s get burned for double-teaming Gilyard, which they undoubtedly will do.

Cincinnati’s offensive achilles heel has been the run for both Kelly and his predecessor Dantonio. Although the committee system of running backs has sort of worked, the reality is that the Bearcats can have trouble moving the ball on the ground. This has particularly hurt them near the goal line, in short yardage situations, and during the fourth quarter when they have been unable to execute the typical clock-devouring end-game with rush after rush after rush.

Sophomore Isaiah Pead appeared to be the solution, but his freshman year saw limited and mostly unimpressive performances against quality opponents. On the other hand, he was a freshman. He has some speed, but his tendency is to squander his opportunities by running to the outside, rather than going between the tackles. Redshirt freshman Darrin Williams is also seen as a potential solution to Cincinnati’s running woes, but too little is known yet about what he will be able to bring to the table. So, with that said, expect to see John Goebel (JR) and Jacob Ramsey (SR) get a lot of carries as they have in the past until Pead or Williams show they are ready to take on the mission full-time with better results.

In summation, taking a contrarian view, the offense is probably more of a danger area for the Bearcats than the defense. The defense may or may not be able to match the efforts of the 2007 and 2008 squads, but they will probably be solid. The offense though will be under pressure to be “oustanding”, hobbled by a questionable rushing attack, and potentially crippled by a somewhat frail quarterback. And both defense and offense will play from weaker positions on the field due to the loss of a mighty punting weapon. Is this guaranteed? No, but my guess is that the offense is more precarious than many suspect.

PROGNOSTICATING THE SCHEDULE

The schedule will be tricky, and will require the Bearcats to fire on all cylinders to make a go of repeating as Big East champs, but it might happen.

Sep 7 @ Rutgers 4pm CLOSE – LEAN WIN
Sep 12 Southeast Missouri State WIN
Sep 19 @ Oregon State 6:45pm CLOSE – LEAN LOSS
Sep 26 Fresno State LIKELY WIN
Oct 3 @ Miami OH for the Victory Bell WIN
Oct 15 @ South Florida 7:30pm CLOSE – LEAN LOSS
Oct 24 Louisville for the Keg of Nails CLOSE – LEAN WIN
Oct 31 @ Syracuse LIKELY WIN
Nov 7 Connecticut CLOSE – LEAN WIN
Nov 13 West Virginia 8pm CLOSE – LEAN WIN
Bye
Nov 27 Illinois CLOSE – LEAN WIN
Dec 5 @ Pittsburgh for some dumb, recently invented trophy CLOSE – LEAN LOSS

Well, the first thing you see is the word “CLOSE” an awful lot. Like last year I think a lot of these games will be decided by a touchdown or less. Kelly has had a good record in these matchups, but we’ll see. Louisville is considered close because it’s Louisville, a real rivalry game.

UNLIKELY: LOSE ALL THE CLOSE GAMES: 4 – 8
POSSIBLE: LOSE HALF THE CLOSE LEAN WIN GAMES: 6 – 6 or 7-5
MOST LIKELY: WIN CLOSE GAMES LEANING WIN: 9 – 3
POSSIBLE: WIN ALL THE CLOSE GAMES: 12 – 0 (this is essentially what happened last year)

IN CONCLUSION

Most likely the Bearcats will go anywhere from 8-4 to 10-2. The defense will be sound, although not spectacular. The offense will make or break this season. The Bearcats need to be truly multi-dimensional for Kelly’s Coast-to-Coast Cat Attack to work its magic.
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Be sure to see our Cincinnati Football Schedule & Tickets page to buy individual game (home or away) tickets or your 2009 UC season tickets.
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As you all know by now, the Big East Media Days took place on Monday and Tuesday, and it was an interesting meeting to say the least. The conference, going into its first year under the direction of new commissioner John Marinatto, has some serious questions to answer in the near future. Bowl lineup, possible expansion and the possibility of playing a bowl game in the new Yankee Stadium have all been topics of discussion, with the first being the most important matter. While media days didn’t give any definitive answers on those subjects it did provide insight into what the media was thinking would happen in 2009.

The keyword for the Big East in 2009 is “parity” with six of the eight teams considered to have a realistic shot at grabbing the conference’s BCS berth. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder; those who view the league from a distance rush to declare the Big East as “mediocre”, while those with a more intimate view look at the possible wild race as a positive rather than a negative. Pittsburgh was the media choice to win the league, but in a telling result the top five teams were separated by only thirty-five points in the poll.

Each team has a significant hole to fill; a blemish that if neglected can be all the difference between a BCS berth and playing in a bowl game further down in the conference pecking order. Four teams received first-place votes, with the Panthers and defending champ Cincinnati each garnering eight. But the Bearcats were beaten out for second by West Virginia, a fact that goes to show just how even the top of the Big East is expected to be. So, what does issue does each team need to resolve in order to win the conference? Here’s the full preseason poll, with a significant question/possible answer for each team.

1) Pittsburgh (161 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (lost in Sun Bowl to Oregon State)

Returning starters: 14

Question: How will the Panthers account for the loss of running back LeSean McCoy?

Answer: Pitt will have to handle this by committee. In replacing McCoy new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. will need to account for nearly 1,800 yards of offense and 126 points (35.8% of the Panthers’ point total). Freshman Dion Lewis, who was the best back in spring drills, enters fall camp as the starter but by no means is Lewis “the man”. Freshmen Ray Graham and Chris Burns (redshirt), along with sophomore Shariff Harris, will also have ample opportunities in fall camp to earn carries, if not the starting role.

Luckily for Pittsburgh they’ve got established threats at wide receiver (Jonathan Baldwin, Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee) and tight end (senior Nate Byham), and an offensive line that returns four starters has been through the battles and could be the best unit in the conference. Early on the Panthers will need more production from QB Bill Stull, but the stable of running backs has enough talent to make a big splash this season.

2) West Virginia (151 total points, Five first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (beat North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl)

Returning starters: 15

Question: How will the Mountaineers account for the lack of experience on the offensive line?

Answer: Selvish Capers and Eric Jobe have the most experience up front; Capers will be starting for the third straight season and Jobe started the last five games of 2008 at center. But with a unit that was considered to be the Big East’s best going into last season the West Virginia offensive line had its fair share of struggles. Don Barclay, likely the starter at left tackle, broke his foot in the spring game and it remains to be seen how well he has healed in the offseason. Look for Barclay’s health to be a major talking point through the first week of fall camp.

Josh Jenkins has game experience as well but saw his 2008 ended by a knee injury. If Jenkins is able to contribute early the Mountaineer line will be that much better. Matt Timmerman is expected to be the man at right guard. What this all comes down to is chemistry; despite their experience a season ago the West Virginia line didn’t always look to be on the same page (see: loss at East Carolina for one example). If offensive line coach David Johnson can get this unit to mesh don’t look for West Virginia to suffer much of a decline.

3) Cincinnati (144 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 11-3 (lost to Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl)

Returning starters: 9

Question: How will Cincinnati account for the loss of ten defensive starters?

Answer: Last season was the perfect storm for the Bearcats, who had the pleasure of combining a very good offense with experienced (and talented) defensive and special teams units. One trip to the Orange Bowl later and Cincinnati now gets to address the significant losses on defense. Free safety Aaron Webster (60 tackles, one interception) is the lone returning starter, and it’s a good thing that Webster plays a position of leadership as this unit will need his experience. The good news for Cincinnati is that a number of players moving into starting roles saw extensive playing time in 2008.

Linebackers Andre Revels and J.K. Schaffer were both a part of the rotation last season, as were linemen Curtis Young, Ricardo Mathews and John Hughes. Marcus Barnett will move into one of the cornerback slots, seeing time on both sides of the football (wide receiver). Barnett received second team All-Big East honors in 2007, so the fact that he’ll see extensive time on defense speaks to both the depth at wide receiver and the lack of experience at corner. And the clock is on for the Bearcats to gets things right on defense; they open at Rutgers on Labor Day.

4) South Florida (130 total points, Three first-place votes)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Memphis in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl)

Returning starters: 11

Question: Will the offensive line be strong enough to keep Matt Grothe from running for his life?

Answer: Throughout his career the book on Grothe has been a rather simple one: he can kill you in a variety of ways but if you can make him feel as if the game is entirely on his shoulders you can create some turnovers. With four starters needing to be replaced up front that’s an area that head coach Jim Leavitt and offensive line coach Larry Scott would like to have some answers to by the end of fall camp. Zach Hermann has the most experience among the linemen, starting sixteen straight games before going down with a foot injury.

He and Jake Sims look to be near locks to start this season, as is left tackle Jatavious Jackson. Center and right tackle still have some issues to resolve, and the Bulls hope to have definitive answers heading into the season opener against Wofford. USF has a forgiving early schedule to say the least, with Wofford, Western Kentucky (road) and Charleston Southern being the first three games. That should give the line ample time to develop chemistry heading into their trip to Tallahassee on September 26th.

5) Rutgers (126 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat NC State in the PapaJohns.com Bowl)

Returning starters: 16

Question: How will Rutgers make up for significant losses in the passing game?

Answer: To be honest Coach Schiano may not have solid answers right now. Domenic Natale and Jabu Lovelace go into fall camp competing for the starting job; neither did enough in the spring to claim the starting role as their own. Mike Teel may have been maligned but he had a solid career at Rutgers; once the Scarlet Knights reached the heights of a Top 10 ranking and New York City attention in 2006 the spotlights became all the more intense and being solid wasn’t good enough for some. Luckily for Natale and Lovelace in front of them will be what many believe to be the best offensive line in the Big East.

As for wide receiver the loss of Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, two of the most productive receivers in school history, leaves a gaping hole in the passing game. Tim Brown is the most experienced returnee, a player who’s more of a vertical threat for the Scarlet Knights. Other options include Mason Robinson (saw time at running back in 2008), Andrew DePaola and Julian Hayes. Rutgers has a manageable schedule…but that’s after a conference opener with defending champ Cincinnati on Labor Day. Some publications had Rutgers pegged as preseason favorite, but they got no first-place votes in Newport. Which set of predictions rings true will depend on the development of the wide receivers.

6) Connecticut (74 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Buffalo in the International Bowl)

Returning starters: 14

Question: Can the quarterback position raise it level of production?

Answer: The Huskies had better have a good answer because there’s no Donald Brown to bail them out. Husky quarterbacks combined for five touchdown passes and seventeen interceptions in 2008, a stat that makes Brown eclipsing 2,000 yards rushing all the more impressive (and yet he wasn’t a finalist for the Doak Walker Award). Zach Frazer, who started a few games for the injured Tyler Lorenzen in 2008, is the starter heading into fall camp but expect Cody Endres to also play a part in the competition if Frazer struggles early.

Connecticut doesn’t take any breaks in the non-conference schedule with a season-opening trip to Ohio preceding games with North Carolina and Baylor, so whether or not the passing game improved will be quite evident by the end of September. Wide receiver was also a sore spot with the lack of a playmaker outside of Darius Butler, who buttered his bread as a cornerback. Butler’s in the NFL, so returnees such as Marcus Easley and Brad Kanuch need to improve. Youngsters Dwayne Difton, Gerrard Sheppard and Kashif Moore will also play a role in the improvement of the passing game. Increased production in this area could help the Huskies finish above their sixth-place projection.

7) Louisville (51 total points)
2008 Record: 5-7

Returning starters: 15

Question: Can the Cardinals improve their defensive production?

Answer: Given the instability at quarterback Coach Kragthorpe and company surely hopes that this is the case. For all the talk of the impact that Ron English would have for a unit that struggled mightily in 2007, Louisville still ranked seventh in the conference in total defense and dead last against the pass. Compared to 2007 (6th against the pass, 7th total) Louisville actually got worse. Coach English has moved on to take the head coaching job at Eastern Michigan, so the onus falls upon the shoulders of Brent Guy (former Utah State head coach) to improve the unit.

Linebacker will be a position of strength with all three starters back on campus, led by second team All-Big East selection Jon Dempsey (team-high 80 tackles). The secondary will be led by Richard Reglin, but the key will be how much a young front four progresses. Greg Scruggs and Rodney Gnat have the most experience but they’re both ends, so some tackles will need to step up as well. If Louisville can get something from this group look for Victor Anderson to lead the way on offense, and possibly get the Cardinals back into a bowl game.

Syracuse (27 total points)
2008 Record: 3-9

Returning starters: 14

Question: Is Ryan Nassib the answer when it comes to solving the Orange’s passing game issues?

Answer: New head coach Doug Marrone didn’t need much time to make his decision, giving the redshirt sophomore the nod early in spring practice. But Syracuse’s issues on offense were due in large part to their ineptitude in the passing game, something that fans were promised a solution for when Greg Robinson was hired four years ago. But with Marrone in charge, he who was offensive coordinator last season for a New Orleans Saints team that led the NFL in total offense, expect bigger things from the Orange.

What also helps Syracuse is the return of wide receiver Mike Williams. Williams, who sat out last season due to academic issues, had over 800 receiving yards and ten touchdowns in 2007. He’ll be a more than welcome addition to a unit that has lacked playmakers on the outside for a few years. His return will take some pressure off of Donte Davis and Da’Mon Merkerson, and tight end Mike Owen was the second-leading receiver for the Orange in 2008. What’s all the more telling is that Davis led the team with just 312 receiving yards a season ago.

Improvement may not be measured in wins and losses this season (Syracuse opens with three Big Ten opponents), but Coach Marrone will get things headed in the right direction.

Rank…Team…………….Points
…1…Pittsburgh (8)………161
…2…West Virginia (5)……151
…3…Cincinnati (8)………144
…4…South Florida (3)……130
…5…Rutgers…………….126
…6…Connecticut………….74
…7…Louisville…………..51
…8…Syracuse…………….27

The NBE Football Report will cover Big East football and recruiting similar to our very popular NBE Basketball Report. Look for our additional season preview articles in the coming weeks as we introduce our writing team for the football side.

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