Raphielle Johnson

BIG EAST FOOTBALL COACHING CHANGES

Leavitt firing garners national headlines

By Raphielle Johnson

On the surface three coaching changes within a conference wouldn’t be a huge deal. But when taking into consideration that only eight schools play football in the Big East this qualifies as an off-season of significant turnover. The most surprising move came on Friday with South Florida firing head coach Jim Leavitt, the lone coach in the program’s 13-year history. In a college football season that’s seen coaches fired at both Kansas and Texas Tech for their conduct towards players, Leavitt was let go over an incident with walk-on wide receiver Joel Miller at the half of their November 21st game against Louisville.

According to many testimonies Leavitt grabbed Miller by the throat and struck him in the face twice, allegations that the coach denied. Miller’s father went to the papers to change his story after it was originally reported by AOL Fanhouse writer Brett McMurphy on December 14th, saying then that Coach Leavitt had not struck his son. But in the investigation done by the school they came to the conclusion that Leavitt had indeed struck Miller after interviewing student-athletes and those who are not student-athletes. In the letter of termination sent to Leavitt by the school the school said the following in regards to its findings:

It was also reported that in the days following the incident Miller and Leavitt had a conversation in which the coach advised him to choose his words wisely because he (Leavitt) “was the most powerful man in the room”. Leavitt, who led the Bulls to an 8-5 record and a win over Northern Illinois in the International Bowl, leaves USF with an overall record of 95-47 and 17-18 in Big East play. Carl Franks, who was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator the last six years, was named acting head coach while the school looks for a permanent solution. Franks was head coach at Duke from 1998-2003, where he had a record of 7-45 before being fired.

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UCONN TAKES PAPAJOHN’S.COM BOWL WIN

By Raphielle Johnson

Going into the Papajohns.com Bowl the Connecticut defense was a concern due to their struggles in both tackling and execution. Having failed to hold an FBS opponent to fewer than 21 points since a 12-10 loss to North Carolina, the Huskies ran into the perfect tonic at Legion Field. South Carolina, who had struggled all season on the offensive line, was also dealing with the loss of offensive line coach Eric Wolford (he accepted the Youngstown State head coaching position) and his absence was rather apparent. The Connecticut defense limited the Gamecocks to 205 yards of offense in a 20-7 victory.

“I thought we were ready to play,” said South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier after the game. “I thought we’d practiced pretty well but obviously our offense was very sad and our defense not as good as it’s been most of the time.”

South Carolina, who finished the game with just twelve first downs (3-for-15 on third down), didn’t move the chains for the first time until halfway through the second quarter and managed just 2.9 yards per rush (76 yards). Scott Lutrus led UConn defenders with nine tackles and a sack and as a team the Huskies managed three sacks, eight tackles for loss and interception and a fumble recovery. Offensively the Huskies were led by senior running back Andre Dixon, who rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on thirty-three carries. Dixon, who won the Fred Sington Most Valuable Player award, became the 12th back in UConn history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark.

And with Jordan Todman (9 carries, 36 yards) already passing that mark the Huskies are one of just three teams in college football this season with multiple 1,000-yard rushers (Nevada and Georgia Tech). Zach Frazer wasn’t great in regards to his completion percentage, completing just nine of twenty-one attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown, but he did a good job of avoiding the crucial mistake on a day in which neither offense was poised to explode. And his touchdown pass that kicked off the scoring was arguably the play of the bowl season.

Kashif Moore was able to gain enough separation on the sideline in the first quarter, giving Frazer room to drop the ball in which Moore snagged with one hand. From there it was a race to the end zone, with the 37-yard strike giving UConn early control of the game. And thanks to the defense and South Carolina’s struggles (nine drops) control wasn’t relinquished until the end of the game. David Teggart added a pair of field goals in the first half to send the Huskies into the locker room with a 13-0 lead.

There was no more scoring until early in the fourth quarter when Dixon gamboled into the end zone from ten yards out to give Connecticut a 20-0 lead that for all intents and purposes sealed the game. South Carolina got on the board with 3:24 remaining on a 2-yard touchdown run by Brian Maddox but Alex Molina’s recovery of the onside kick shut the door. From there the Huskies ran out the clock, winning their second consecutive bowl game in as many seasons.

Things that went right:

1. Defense! For a unit that ranked 95th against the pass coming into the game to play as well as they did in all phases was a welcome surprise.

2. Running the football: Connecticut was able to control time of possession (35:28-24:32) and the tempo of the game thanks to a rushing attack that accounted for 146 yards against a stout South Carolina defense.
3. Discipline: The Gamecocks killed themselves with some untimely penalties that kept a UConn drive alive early in the third quarter. Connecticut finished the game without being penalized.

What didn’t go right:

1. Passing game efficiency: It wasn’t a big deal due to South Carolina’s offensive issues but Frazer completed less than half of his passes. They were able to get a few big plays through the air, but there were also a couple of missed opportunities that could have led to even more points.

Unit Grades:

Offense: B (the running game got the job done and to be honest there wasn’t much they had to do besides not turn the ball over)
Defense: A (obviously a shutout would have been even better but this unit executed their assignments and made tackles to eliminate the Gamecocks’ big-play opportunities)
Special Teams: A (this was an area that the Huskies held a clear advantage in going into the game and they made sure not to mess that up)

PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL: UCONN/SOUTH CAROLINA PREVIEW

Gamecock defense poses serious challenges to the Huskies

By Raphielle Johnson

Game week is finally here for the Connecticut Huskies (7-5) with preparations for the PapaJohns.com Bowl well underway. The team will arrive in Birmingham on Tuesday, with Saturday’s kickoff slated to be at 2 PM on ESPN. On the other side of the field will be the South Carolina Gamecocks, coached by one of the game’s iconic figures in Steve Spurrier. Just like the Huskies there are a number of talented youngsters on the roster, and the hope in that regard is that a win on Saturday can be the springboard to an even better 2010.

But South Carolina is also blessed with one of the game’s best linebackers in senior Eric Norwood. Norwood leads a defense that ranked among the SEC’s best this season and if not for Lorenzo Ward (coordinator) and Ellis Johnson’s (assistant head coach) unit it could be argued that South Carolina would be home for the holidays. Other standouts on the defense include safety Chris Culliver and defensive lineman Cliff Matthews.

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BIG EAST FOOTBALL 2009 SEASON AWARDS

Big East Honors Announced with Panthers and Bearcats splitting major awards

By Raphielle Johnson

The Big East Conference announced its 2009 football awards on Wednesday afternoon and there were few surprises with the results. Brian Kelly, who in some circles is rumored to be headed to Notre Dame, was named the Big East Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. Kelly’s Cincinnati Bearcats finished the regular season 12-0 and will once again represent the league in the Bowl Championship Series, playing Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Bearcats also saw Mardy Gilyard win the Big East Special Teams Player of the Year, the second consecutive award for the senior and third straight for the UC program (Kevin Huber in 2007).

As for the offensive and defensive honors those went to Pittsburgh, with freshman Dion Lewis winning both Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year. Lewis led the Big East in rushing and ranked in the top five nationally in rushing yards per game. Defensively Greg Romeus and Mick Williams shared the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award and as a team Pitt had ten players named to the league’s First Team All-Big East squad. Lastly the conference made late Connecticut cornerback Jasper Howard the honorary captain. Howard was tragically lost in the early morning hours of October 18th after playing one of the best games of his career in a win over Louisville.

“As a family, we wanted to respectfully remember Jasper Howard and honor his memory,” said Big East commissioner John Marinatto in the conference’s release. “In naming him the Honorary Captain of the 2009 All-BIG EAST Team, we have memorialized his name in BIG EAST Conference history.”

2009 Big East Football Awards

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SOUTH FLORIDA – UCONN FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Which Bulls step onto the field Saturday in season finale vs UConn?

By Raphielle Johnson

One of the biggest enigmas in the Big East, both this season and in years past, has been the USF Bulls. When fully motivated and focused on the task at hand Jim Leavitt’s team can beat anyone. But on days when they show up flat they can lose to anyone, and sometimes the results can be downright embarrassing. What will their mindset be at Rentschler Field: play out the string or attempt to close the season on a high note? It’s bound to be an emotional Senior Day and the Huskies have played good football the last two weeks. But they’ll have to account for the loss of MLB Greg Lloyd Jr. (knee); Scott Lutrus slides over from the “Husky” to the middle and redshirt freshman Jory Johnson takes his place.

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A LOOK AT THE FINAL WEEKEND OF BIG EAST FOOTBALL

Bearcats and Panthers square off for Big East title in River City Showdown

By Raphielle Johnson

While there are three conference games on the schedule for the final Saturday of the regular season there’s only one that matters nationally. #5 Cincinnati (11-0, 6-0) takes its high-powered offense on the road to take on a Pittsburgh team (9-2, 5-1) coming off of a loss to bitter rival West Virginia. The winner (Noon on ABC) lands the Big East’s BCS bid, with the Bearcats winning the conference outright with a victory while the Panthers would share the trophy but not the most important spoils.

The question for the Bearcats: can they stop the run? It’s been an issue in victories over Fresno State, Connecticut and Illinois and they’re going to have their hands full with the freshman tandem of Dion Lewis and Ray Graham. Not only is Lewis a virtual lock to win the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award but a case could be made for him being Offensive Player of the Year. He leads the Big East in rushing and his emergence has taken some of the pressure off of QB Bill Stull, who’s had a banner 2009 despite his struggles last week.

The problem with first-year defensive coordinator Bob Diaco has been opponents’ ability to run between the tackles against the three-man front. Add to this a Pittsburgh offensive line that many consider to be the best in the conference and this could end up being a costly issue for the Bearcats. But if Cincinnati can take a page out of West Virginia’s book and force Stull into rushed decisions they could end up with the upper hand via turnover margin even if Lewis and Graham combine for a big afternoon.

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CONNECTICUT – SYRACUSE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Orange boast solid defense to challenge Huskies

By Raphielle Johnson

While the football series between Connecticut and Syracuse isn’t on the level of the basketball version in terms of vitriol there are still things to be gained in Saturday’s meeting (Noon on the Big East Network). The Huskies are looking for one more win to become bowl eligible (two wins would essentially guarantee them a bid) while the Orange will be staying home for the holidays.

Look for head coach Doug Marrone to sell his players on their season finale being their bowl game with Syracuse aiming to finish the season on a positive note. With both teams rejuvenated by recent victories this should be a game that doesn’t lack energy. Below is a quick scouting report on the Syracuse two-deep.

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BIG EAST WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK #13

Annual “Backyard Brawl” between Pitt & WVU takes center stage

By Raphielle Johnson

One of the fiercest rivalries in the game will be played on Friday night (7PM on ESPN2) in Morgantown and it would be a conservative statement to say that these two schools don’t like each other. The Panthers (9-1, 5-0) return to Morgantown for the first time since their upset of the Mountaineers in 2007, a result that knocked West Virginia (7-3, 3-2) out of a possible national title berth and could be seen as a program-changing result for both.

West Virginia did go on to win the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with a dominant performance over Oklahoma, but that result changed the atmosphere surrounding Dave Wannstedt’s program. The Panthers won nine games last season and have followed that up with one of their best seasons as a Big East football member. Bill Stull, inconsistent throughout his career in the Steel City, has played the best football of his career due to improved decision-making and the presence of offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr.

The Pittsburgh native calling the plays has done a masterful job of using the run (backs Dion Lewis and Ray Graham) and the pass (Jonathan Baldwin, Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham) all season long and if not for a defensive letdown in the second half at NC State the Panthers are undefeated. The match of wits between Cignetti Jr. and West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel will likely determine the outcome in Morgantown. As for the West Virginia offense, their explosive playmaking ability has sometimes been short-circuited by their propensity to turn the ball over.

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UCONN OUTLASTS NOTRE DAME IN OT

Dixon TD run in 2nd OT wins it for UConn leaving Weis’ future in limbo

By Raphielle Johnson

To put into perspective just how much Saturday’s 33-30 win at Notre Dame means to the Connecticut program in regards to football, here are the 1999 standings in the Atlantic 10 Football Conference:

James Madison* 7-1 8-4

Massachusetts* 7-1 9-4

Villanova 6-2 7-4

Delaware 5-3 7-4

William & Mary 5-3 6-5

Connecticut 3-5 4-7

Maine 3-5 4-7

New Hampshire 3-5 5-6

Richmond 3-5 5-6

Northeastern 1-7 2-9

Rhode Island 1-7 1-10

In ten seasons a lot has changed: the A-10 no longer sponsors football (the CAA handles that) and the Huskies have progressed to the point where they’d have the opportunity to visit South Bend. Now while Notre Dame isn’t “Notre Dame” you cannot discount what the result means for Randy Edsall’s program. Following a much-needed bye week there were numerous moments where it looked as if the Huskies were in danger of falling out of reach. The first: Jimmy Clausen’s quarterback sneak early in the second quarter to put the Irish up 14-0. At that point the Huskies hadn’t shown the ability to slow down the Notre Dame passing game.

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UCONN – NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PREVIEW

A Look at the Notre Dame Two-Deep Roster as Charlie Weis Firestorm Continues

By Raphielle Johnson

Saturday marks the first-ever meeting between Connecticut and Notre Dame, and if you remember the days of watching Yankee Conference football at Memorial Stadium then you know how special this is. The future of head coach Charlie Weis is the national subplot on Senior Day in South Bend but the Huskies get an opportunity on national television to pick up their fifth win of the season. The question: can the Connecticut secondary hold its own against the vaunted Notre Dame passing attack? If so they’ll have a shot at heading back to Storrs with the win. No major injuries for UConn outside of those already deemed to be season-ending while the Irish will be without the stellar tight end Kyle Rudolph.

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