by MATT WHITFIELD

Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg (PA) has a history of producing high-level football talent. NFL players like LeSean McCoy and Ricky Watters have come through the program and numerous others have made D-1 programs. Noah Spence, a 6-3, 230-pound junior-to-be Defensive End, has a chance to be the best of all them though according to his coach Jeff Weachter.

Spence, despite being only a sophomore last season, had 60 tackles, 20 of which were tackles for loss, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, three batted balls, two fumbles recovered and one touchdown. His Bishop Mcdevitt team went 12-1 and returns recent Pittsburgh-commit Jameel Poteat as well this upcoming season.

Spense has already received 14 offers with interest from top tier programs such as Florida and USC.

“I have gotten interest from USC, Florida, Florida State and Oregon,” said Spence. “I have been offered by Cincinnati, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, NC State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, Tennessee and Virginia.”

Spence also added at this time he has, ‘no favorite yet.’

Spence describes himself as one that seeks out ball and makes plays.

“I would describe myself as a quick after the ball, smart football player that has an eye for the ball,” said Spence.

At the next level Spence is being recruited as a Defensive End and an Outside Linebacker. He feels his build is such that he’ll play that could play either position.

“I am being recruited for are Outside Linebacker and Defensive End. I think it’s my build and my mental use during the game and my motor and eye for the ball,” said Spence.

Spence will undoubtedly see more offers as he progresses and gets bigger and stronger. However, for now Spence wants to work on using his strength more effectively.

“I need work on using my strength more for the next level,” said Spence.

With the numbers he’s already put up at such a rich football program Spence is certainly one to keep an eye on this fall. Undoubtedly Stephen Strasburg won’t be the only athlete people flock to Harrisburg to see this year.

By Raphielle Johnson

With camps getting underway (USF and Louisville kick things off on Thursday), now seems to be as good a time as any to take a look at the Big East football schedule for the upcoming season. Twelve games: seven conference and five non-conference, with the goal of those non-conference matchups to spread the wealth a bit. No teams will be seen twice on this portion of the slate, and seven of the eight Big East members will be on the schedule at some point. Feel free to add in your own thoughts below.

Week 1: Connecticut at Michigan (September 4th)

Michigan debuts their newly-renovated stadium amidst the cloud of NCAA inquiry in regards to practice time and other issues, not to mention two straight losing seasons under Rich Rodriguez. The Huskies, who won their last four games to close out 2009, never beat Rodriguez when he was the head coach at West Virginia (which received a letter from the NCAA today in regards to Rodriguez’s tenure in Morgantown) but this is likely their best chance. If the Huskies can shore up their secondary and tackling in space issues look out; it shouldn’t be a surprise if Zach Frazer, Jordan Todman and company leave Ann Arbor 1-0.

Best game: Pittsburgh at Utah (September 2nd)

Danger game: Cincinnati at Fresno State (September 4th)
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Week 2: USF at Florida (September 11th)

The Bulls split their two meetings with established Sunshine State powers in 2009, winning at Florida State and losing to Miami in Tampa. Things get a lot tougher this time around, even with the Gators going into their second game with John Brantley replacing Tim Tebow at quarterback. And while Doak Campbell was a tough environment “The Swamp” is among the toughest in college football; Florida is 34-2 at home during the Urban Meyer era and 113-13 since 1990. The key for USF: B.J. Daniels playing efficiently and not making any game-changing mistakes. Skip Holtz’s team has plenty of athletes, but this will be as tough as task as any the Bulls have had in their football history.

Best game: Syracuse at Washington (September 11th)

Danger game: West Virginia at Marshall (September 10th)
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Week 3: Cincinnati at North Carolina State (September 16th)

Butch Jones takes his Bearcats on the road for the second time this season, visiting Raleigh in a matchup of two of the three teams to beat Pittsburgh in 2009. And this could be an offensive bonanza for Zach Collaros and company, as the Wolfpack allowed 27 points or more in each of their final nine games (3-6 record). But NC State also has a dangerous dual threat quarterback of their own in Russell Wilson, who threw for 3,027 yards and 31 touchdowns a season ago along with 260 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. If the Bearcats haven’t taken care of their defensive issues from the second half of 2009 then this game becomes even tougher than it should be.

Best game: Connecticut at Temple (September 18th)

“Bonus” game: Louisville at Oregon State (September 18th)
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Week 4: Miami (FL) at Pittsburgh (September 23rd)

This is the weekend of opportunity for the Big East, and this Thursday night battle between the Panthers and Hurricanes kicks things off. The “Baby Canes” have reached the stage where they’re expected to play like the Hurricane greats of the past, and they’ll have 12 days in between this matchup and the trip to Ohio State on the 11th. Jacory Harris is healthy and he’s got a number of skill position players to get the ball to; Pitt’s best defense will be to pressure Harris with Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard leading the way. Add in RB Dion Lewis and WR Jonathan Baldwin and you’ve got quite a few players who stand to make some waves between this point and the end of the season. And given their schedules, should the winner of this game leave Heinz Field undefeated you never know what could lie down the road.

Best game: West Virginia at LSU (September 25th)

Opportunity game: Oklahoma vs. Cincinnati (September 25th, Paul Brown Stadium)
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Week 5: BYE WEEK (October 2nd)

Not a terrible week but a good one to take off nonetheless. Louisville needs to be on upset alert at Arkansas State while Pitt will need to avoid a possible hangover when Florida International comes calling. Connecticut hosting Vanderbilt could be a fight given the Commodores’ conference pedigree but at the end of the day it’s a game the Huskies should win.
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Week 6: Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (October 9th)

Notre Dame has dropped their last four games against Big East opponents, including their last two meetings with Pitt in 2008 and 2009. The Panthers have the ability to tack on another loss this season and they’ll see a familiar face on the opposing sideline in the form of Brian Kelly, who moved from Cincinnati to South Bend. Jonathan Baldwin was a man possessed in last season’s meeting with some spectacular catches but the Panthers had to hang on as the Irish rallied but came up short. Notre Dame also lacked an answer for Dion Lewis, who averaged seven yards per carry in gaining 152 yards on the afternoon. If Dayne Crist can approach the day that Jimmy Clausen had (27-42, 283 yards, 1 TD) then Notre Dame will have a shot, but anything less will likely result in a Pitt victory.

Best game: Connecticut at Rutgers (October 8th)

Conference game: Syracuse at USF (October 9th)
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Week 7: Cincinnati at Louisville (October 15th)

Charlie Strong and Butch Jones both get their first taste of the Keg of Nails rivalry, with the Bearcats enjoying a two-game win streak in the series after losing the prior five meetings. Zach Collaros threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns in last season’s 41-10 win in the Queen City, completing fifteen of the seventeen passes he attempted. But RB Isaiah Pead was just as big of a problem for the Louisville defense, rushing for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just six carries. Enter Coach Strong, whose defense at Florida did a good job of slowing down the Bearcats in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He won’t have the same level of talent (obviously) but maybe he took a few lessons from that 51-24 win that can be applied to this meeting.

Best game: USF at West Virginia (October 14th)

Conference game: Pittsburgh at Syracuse
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Week 8: Rutgers at Pittsburgh (October 23rd)

The Panthers were able to avenge an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Scarlet Knights in 2008 last season thanks primarily to Dion Lewis, who rushed for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the 24-17 result. But the bigger story on that night should have been Pitt’s run defense, holding Rutgers to 38 yards on 20 carries and putting RU’s offensive hopes on the shoulders of freshman Tom Savage. Savage played well in defeat and should be even better this season, but if Rutgers has a similar level of production on the ground they’re likely going to leave the Steel City with a loss. Also of importance for RU will be to keep Savage upright; an offensive line that was touted as the best in the Big East last season allowed forty sacks. If Greg Romeus and company run wild it’s going to be a long day for the visitors.

Best game: USF at Cincinnati (October 22nd)

Danger game: Connecticut at Louisville (October 23rd)
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Week 9: West Virginia at Connecticut (October 29th)

Last season, amidst the tragic passing of Jasper Howard, the Huskies had a chance to beat West Virginia for the first time in school history. But a late touchdown from Noel Devine gave the Mountaineers the 28-24 victory in Morgantown. With this one being at Rentschler Field it’s the best shot at picking up that landmark win for Randy Edsall and company. Cincinnati may be the two-time defending Big East champs, but if you want to make your mark within the conference you must find a way to beat West Virginia. Who the quarterback will be for the visitors is uncertain at this point but with the likes of Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin (returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown last year) there’s no doubt that WVU poses some serious challenges for the UConn defense.

Other Games: Syracuse at Cincinnati, Louisville at Pittsburgh (October 30th)
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Week 10: BYE WEEK (November 6th)

There are only two games on the docket for this weekend: USF hosts Rutgers in a Wednesday night game and Syracuse welcomes Louisville to the Carrier Dome on Saturday. Sets up for a good second bye week before the final stretch run, consisting of four conference games.
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Week 11: Cincinnati at West Virginia (November 13th)

Pittsburgh’s trip to Connecticut may be the national Thursday night game but the Bearcats and Mountaineers will be a game you won’t want to miss either. Last year’s 24-21 Cincinnati win at Nippert Stadium left a bad taste in the mouths of Mountaineer fans due to the fact that rules regarding the replay of Isaiah Pead’s touchdown to tie the game at 14 in the second quarter. Did the ball cross the plane before Pead lost the football? You may still be able to get differing views on the call to this day, and the replay will likely be shown at some point in the days leading up to this affair. Cincinnati was able to produce 437 yards of offense in the win while the Mountaineers weren’t too shabby themselves with 397; whichever team does a better job against the run will win.

Best game: Pittsburgh at Connecticut (November 11th)

Recruiting game: Syracuse at Rutgers (November 13th)
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Week 12: Pittsburgh at USF (November 20th)

While the Panthers still have games against bitter rival West Virginia and Cincinnati remaining after this contest they’d better be ready for the Bulls. Last year’s meeting was the second consecutive loss for USF (they’d been whipped by Cincinnati the week prior) after their 5-0 start, and even though the Bulls beat West Virginia in their next outing the concern about another nosedive was real. USF could do nothing offensively or defensively in the first half as Bill Stull and company jumped out to a 31-7 halftime lead on the way to a 41-14 pasting. B.J. Daniels completed just four of eight passes on the day and as a team the Bulls accounted for 212 yards to the Panthers’ 486; Skip Holtz shouldn’t have to do much more to motivate his guys for the return meeting than roll the game tape and hand out copies of the box score. A win here could set up the Panthers for that decisive run towards an elusive BCS berth, but it won’t be easy.

Best game: Rutgers at Cincinnati (November 20th)

“Payback” game: Connecticut at Syracuse (November 20th)
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Week 13: Pittsburgh at West Virginia (November 26th)

There really isn’t much more to say than two words: “Backyard Brawl”. One of the most heated rivalries in college football, there’s still a bad taste in the mouths of the Panthers who watched their undefeated conference season go down the drain in Morgantown last season. For Mountaineers that may have been just a small measure of revenge for Pitt spoiling their shot at a national title in 2007 by the tune of 13-9, forcing West Virginia to settle for a trip to Glendale for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. If the preseason predictions are correct there will be a lot more than pride on the line, but you could put a tin can up for grabs between these two and they’d find a way to fight to the death (in a football sense) for it.

Best game: Cincinnati at Connecticut (November 27th)

“Welcome Back” Game: Boston College at Syracuse (November 27th)

Opportunity Game: USF at Miami (November 27th)

Week 14: Take Your Pick (December 4th)

The top six teams in the preseason poll are playing on the final day of the regular season, which (if history means anything) means that we won’t have a Big East champion until this day ends. And it’ll be exciting as well, given how the matchup between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh went in 2009. The Bearcats host Pitt while Connecticut visits USF and Rutgers heads south to Morgantown. The largest margin of victory in these games last season: three points (West Virginia 24, Rutgers 21).

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By Raphielle Johnson

Tuesday morning marked the official release of the Big East preseason media poll, with Pittsburgh being the pick to win the conference. Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers, who lost their final two conference games a season ago to miss out on a BCS bid, picked up the first place vote on 22 of 24 ballots to separate themselves from two-time defending champ Cincinnati and West Virginia by 48 points. The Bearcats and Mountaineers both finished with 142 points, although Bill Stewart’s squad picked up one of the other two first place votes. Connecticut, who won their last four games to end 2009, picked up the other first place vote and finished fourth in the poll. Rutgers, who has won their last four bowl games, finished fifth by twenty points over USF and Syracuse finished one point ahead of Louisville for seventh.

1) Pittsburgh -190 points (22 first-place votes)
2) Cincinnati – 142 points
(tie) West Virginia – 142 points (one first-place vote)
4) Connecticut – 131 points (one first-place vote)
5) Rutgers – 99 points
6) South Florida – 79 points
7) Syracuse – 41 points
8] Louisville – 40 points

Can’t say that this is much of a surprise; on paper well before Tuesday’s release the Big East looked to be a league of three “tiers”: the top four with Pittsburgh leading the way, followed by a pair of teams in Rutgers and USF who have the ability to be positive surprises and the rebuilding projects at Syracuse and Louisville bringing up the rear. Personal pick for surprise team is USF; the Bulls have a lot more talent at the disposal of new head coach Skip Holtz and his staff than meets the eye. The biggest question in regards to personnel has to be Syracuse. What happens if they don’t have the services of either Delone Carter (led the team in rushing last season) or Averin Collier (slated to be the starter once Carter was dismissed from school)? You’d have to drop them behind Louisville, who has RB Victor Anderson back for his junior campaign (look for him to rebound from last season should he remain relatively healthy).

My picks:

Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Cincinnati
Connecticut
USF
Rutgers
Louisville
Syracuse

Preseason Award Watch Lists

July marks the time of the year when the individual awards release their initial watch lists for the upcoming season, and a number of Big East players found themselves honored. Below are the players from member schools who are on these lists.

Nagurski Award: DE Greg Romeus (Pittsburgh), S Robert Sands (West Virginia), LB J.K. Schaeffer (Cincinnati), LB J.T. Thomas (West Virginia), LB Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut)

O’Brien Award: QB Zach Collaros (Cincinnati), Tom Savage (Rutgers)

Outland Trophy: G Art Forst (Rutgers), G Zach Hurd (Connecticut), T Jason Pinkston (Rutgers)

Thorpe Award: S Dom DeCicco (Pittsburgh), CB Brandon Hogan (West Virginia), CB Johnny Patrick (Louisville), S Robert Sands (West Virginia)

More awards watch lists will be released next week.

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It’s a down year for talent in the state, both with the number of elite prospects and the overall number of high-major prospects, but there are still some very good players to be recruited.

The glamour positions of quarterback and wide receiver are severely lacking, and there are no elite offensive linemen or linebackers, but there is an excellent running back which is a rarity in the state, three excellent cornerbacks, and a slew of exciting pass rushers.

As always, the final rankings are my own, but only after talking to many high school coaches, college scouts, and independent scouts, such as Joe Butler of Metro Index Scouting.

1. Ben Koyack, Oil City HS (Oil City) TE – It’s not often that a tight end is the best player in the state, but there is little doubt that will be the case this year. At 6′5″ and 230 pounds, he has good size with a frame to get even bigger. He also possesses great hands to go along with good speed and athleticism. More of a threat as a receiver but is a willing and good blocker. Most of all, he just knows how to play football. Committed to NOTRE DAME over Penn State, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, LSU, California, Virginia Tech, USC, and many others. Bottom line – A perfect fit for new coach Brian Kelly and there’s no reason why he can’t be a star at the college level.

2. Jameel Poteat, Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) RB – At 5′10″ and 195 pounds, you would think he may have trouble being an every down back, but that’s not the case due to his solid body, tough inside running, and blocking ability. But to show what a versatile talent he is, he also has great feet, good quickness and speed, and excellent hands. Has over 40 offers and considers Pittsburgh (where cousin Hank Poteat played), Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati to be four of his final ten. The other six will come from a list of West Virginia, Wisconsin, USC, Washington, Tennessee, Boston College and Florida. Bottom line – Has it all except great size, but he offsets that will his vast array of skills.

3. Dondi Kirby, Gateway HS (Monroeville) CB/S – Terry Smith’s Gateway Gators are no strangers to the list as they produce multiple top prospects every season. At 6′2″ and 190 pounds, Kirby’s size, especially his height, is in the elite category for the position. His athleticism and quickness are excellent and could be enough to stay at the position, but if not, he could always be an excellent safety, or even a wide receiver. His impressive offer list includes Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Florida, Wisconsin and Iowa. Bottom line – Big athletes that can legitimately play cornerback are a rarity, but the fact that Kirby has that chance makes him highly coveted. Even if he can’t pull it off he should be a quality player at a different position.

4. Terrell Chestnut, Pottsgrove HS (Pottstown) CB – Solidly built and tough at 5′10 1/2″ and 185 pounds. Plays quarterback for Pottsgrove so he is inexperienced as a corner, but he has the elite athleticism, speed, and football skills to make the transition. Also can project as a dangerous punt returner. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, LSU, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Rutgers. Bottom line – Will have to learn the position, but his ideal speed and athleticism could eventually make him a quality corner and game breaking punt returner.

5. Kyshoen Jarrett, East Stroudsburg HS (East Stroudsburg) CB – Solidly built at 5′11″ and 180 pounds. Cover corner with excellent speed and athleticism but is well-rounded with the ability to come up strong against the run. A true corner who knows how to play the position. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Stanford and Virginia. Bottom line – Pretty even with Chestnut as a prospect and has what it takes to be a successful player at the next level.

6. Mike Caputo, West Allegheny HS (Imperial) S/LB – Became a WPIAL legend as a junior by going toe to toe with rival Rushel Shell, Hopewell’s ‘12 phenom, and by ending the season with over 2,600 yards and 38 touchdowns. Currently at 6′1″ and 200 pounds, Caputo has the speed and athleticism to play safety, but could also add some weight and play linebacker. Offers include Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. Bottom line – A real western PA football player and class kid. The kind of player that every school wants in their program because he will be great both on and off the field.

7. Deion Barnes, Northeast HS (Philadelphia) DE – As we’ve said many times before, kids inside the city of Philadelphia often get under recruited, and that’s the case this time with Barnes. At 6′4″ and 220 pounds, he obviously needs to get much bigger, but he has the frame to do so. On the plus side, his arms are extremely long, his quickness on the pass rush is topnotch, and he is already strong for how lean he is. He is also tough against the run and closes just as fast on a running back as he does on a quarterback. Offers include Penn State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Georgia, Louisville and South Carolina. Bottom line – Pass rushers, especially fast ones with long arms, are highly coveted, and it’s a shame that he does not have more than a dozen offers.

8. Ejuan Price, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) LB – One of the more undervalued and underpublicized top prospects in the state this season, but one look at his film will show anybody that he is a big time player. Not big at 6′0″ 220, but he makes up for it with his elite level quickness and aggressiveness. Against both the run or the pass, he fires across the line of scrimmage like a rocket. Currently holds offers from Pittsburgh, Ohio State, West Virginia, Michigan State, Syracuse and Iowa. Bottom line – Many schools may not look at him because of his size, but that’s their mistake. As current 5′11″ Pitt (and former top 5 prospect from Penn Hills) starting middle linebacker Dan Mason proves, when you’re good, you don’t have to be over 6′ tall to be an excellent college linebacker.

9. Branden Jackson, McKeesport Area HS (McKeesport) DE – Another rangy 6′4″ 220 pounder with great quickness. Plays middle linebacker for the Tigers but with his great length and quickness, he will likely be a speed rusher at the college level. Skinny and needs to add a lot of muscle, but once he adds the weight, he could be a big time player. Offers include West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, Texas Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Louisville, Iowa and Virginia, among others. Bottom line – One of a handful of potential big time pass rushers coming out of the state this year.

10. Delvon Simmons, McKeesport Area HS (McKeesport) DT – Jackson’s partner in crime and every bit as good. Raw, but at 6′5″ and 265 pounds, he has the natural size, speed, and athleticism to be turned into a potential college star some day. Offers include Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Maryland, Connecticut, Louisville and Rutgers, among others. Bottom line – McKeesport always has a tough defense, but rarely have they had such a potentially dominating duo as Simmons and Jackson.

11. Desimon Green, Clairton HS (Clairton) DE – Class A power Clairton may be a small school but they are a power that routinely sends top prospects to top colleges. This year they may have their best prospect in many years in the 6′4″ 220 sack artist. A man among boys in Class A, Green has used his great length and speed over his sophomore and junior seasons to accumulate an amazing 50 sacks. Also an effective quarterback, and has some offers for that position, but his destiny is on the defensive line. Local school Pittsburgh may be the favorite, but Texas Tech is a sleeper. Both have offered as have West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse and half of the MAC schools. Bottom line – Once he gets bigger, the sky is the limit due to his excellent length and speed.

12. Quinton Jefferson, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) DE – The third of the three excellent WPIAL defensive end prospects this year, but he’s only third on the list because somebody has to be. At 6′3″ and 225 pounds, he is in the same size range as the other top DE prospects in the state, and he also has the same explosiveness off the edge. Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Boston College, Wisconsin, Maryland, Iowa and Cincinnati are among his offers. Bottom line – It’s the year of the pass rusher in the state and Jefferson has the potential to be as good as any of them.

13. Ben Kline, Dallastown Area HS (Dallastown) LB – Solid, blue collar middle linebacker with decent 6′2″ 220 pound size, good strength, and topnotch intangibles. Should get bigger and stronger, and then become a very good run stopper in the middle of the defense. Chose PITTSBURGH over West Virginia, Michigan, Boston College, UConn, Rutgers, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Illinois, and Duke. Bottom line – Physically, he is not at the elite level at any aspect of his game, but he is above average at everything. Combine that with his toughness and intangibles and you have a future quality starter in college.

14. Kevin Reihner, Scranton Prep (Scranton) OG – It’s a poor year for offensive linemen in the state, but this tough brawler would be near the top of the list in any year. At 6′3″ and 275 pounds, he will need to add size, but he is an extremely brutal and aggressive run blocker that goes all out until the whistle blows. He even once blocked a defensive lineman 30 yards until both ended up in the end zone. Father was an offensive lineman for both Penn State and the Houston Oilers. Excellent student who wants to be a doctor. Chose STANFORD over Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Syracuse, Minnesota, Northwestern, and North Carolina State. Bottom line- A brawler with brains and you can’t ask for two better traits in a guard.

15. Shawn Oakman, Penn Wood HS (Lansdowne) DE – Yet another defensive end, but at 6′8″ and 240 pounds he isn’t exactly cut from the same cloth. Needless to say, his height is at the elite level, and the only concern is if he has stopped growing yet. Muscular, but can put on another 30-40 pounds easily. A mid-major basketball prospect with offers from Temple and LaSalle, but his quickness is only adequate. Football offers include Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, North Carolina State and UConn. Bottom line – You can’t teach 6′8″ so schools are going to be tempted to see what they can do with him, if he decides to play football.

16. Armstead Williams, Gateway HS (Monroeville) LB – Once again Terry Smith puts multiple players near the top of the list, this time with the 6′2″ 200 pound Williams. Quick and fast enough to play wide receiver for the Gators, and he could play at that position at the next level, but more than likely he will end up on the defensive side of the ball. Must get stronger and more physical if he does stay on defense. Offers include Michigan, Boston College, Illinois, Maryland, Louisville, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Purdue and North Carolina State. Bottom line – Has the makings of a very athletic and quick college linebacker.

17. Paul Gaughan, Dunmore HS (Dunmore) OT – Great size at 6′6″ 280, plus he has the frame to add more. Moves very well for his size and could possibly pan out on the left side. Excellent student with a 3.7 GPA. Has offers from Boston College, Michigan, Wisconsin, Stanford, Maryland, Illinois, Syracuse and Northwestern among others. Bottom line – Has the natural size and intelligence that schools covet for the position, especially if he proves that he can make it at left tackle.

18. Jordan Kerner, Fairview HS (Fairview) DE – At 6′5″ he has great height for the position, plus the frame to add to his current 230 pounds. Strong with good straight line speed. Plays all out on every play and even excels on special teams by making tackles on kick and punt coverage, and blocking field goals. Could also end up at tight end. Has offers from West Virginia, Boston College, Rutgers, Iowa, Maryland and Minnesota. Bottom line – Good natural size combined with good athletic skills and all out hustle makes him intriguing.

19. Brandon Clemons, Delaware Valley, Delaware Valley HS (Milford) – OG/DT- Very raw, but at 6′4″ and 250 pounds he has the frame to get much bigger. If he can keep his speed and quickness then he could be a real find. Tore his meniscus in his knee last season but played through it. Had surgery in November and appears to be healthy now. Projects equally well on both sides of the ball. Has offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland, UConn and Boston College. Bottom line – Raw but physically impressive. Has a high ceiling.

20. Brandon Cottom, Council Rock North HS (Newtown) RB/LB – Physically imposing 6′2″ 230 pound beast who is athletic and fast enough to return punts and kicks last season (returning a few for touchdowns). Projects equally well on both sides of the ball but it looks like he may get a look at running back first. Smart kid who wants to be an airline pilot. Chose PURDUE over Cincinnati, Rutgers, Duke, Syracuse, Illinois, and Minnesota.

21. Dexter Bridge, Conestoga HS (Berwyn) WR – Under recruited athlete who has good 6′2″ 185 pound size, speed, athleticism, and leaping ability. Runs smooth routes and has good hands. Has only two offers, from Illinois and North Carolina State, but more should come his way eventually. Bottom line – May not be a star at the next level, but has all the tools to be an effective starter eventually.

22. Tyler Kroft, Downingtown East HS (Exton) TE – At 6′5″ and 220 pounds, he obviously will need a few years to add good weight, but he has the frame to do so. Once he does get the size, he has good speed, athleticism, and hands to go with it. More of a receiver in high school so blocking is something he will need to learn. Chose RUTGERS over West Virginia, Boston College, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Northwestern, and UConn. Bottom line- it will take a few years to get tight end size, learn to play the position, and to learn how to block, but eventually he could be a good college player.

23. Artie Rowell, Central Dauphin HS (Harrisburg) OG/C – At only 6′2″, he is limited to the interior line, but he is a solid, and well proportioned, 295 pounds. Very strong with quick feet. Chose PITTSBURGH over Northwestern and Temple. Bottom line- A solid prospect who should be able to play for the Panthers in the future.

24. Andrew Zeller, Red Lion Area HS (Red Lion) – One of the bigger surprises of this recruiting class as the 6′5″ 280 pound lineman was only 6′1″ and 220 pounds prior to last season. The best part is that he has kept his athleticism and speed. Has offers from Oregon, Rutgers, Maryland and Duke. Bottom line – Still a sleeper, but somebody may end up with a steal.

25. Lafayette Pitts, Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) CB/RB – Not big at 5′10″ and 175 pounds, and he doesn’t possess elite speed or quickness, but he runs hard, is elusive, and knows how to play the game. Also an excellent special teams player, especially returning kicks and punts. Has offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Maryland, Iowa and Illinois.

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2011 Red Bank Catholic (NJ) tight end Jack Tabb has been following the story of conference realignment fairly intently and finds the whole story very intriguing.

“I think it’s all pretty interesting,” Tabb said. “I heard Rutgers might be going to the Big 10 and I think it could be a good fit for them.”

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end has proven himself as one of the top tight ends on the East Coast and has already reeled in 18 offers from some top-notch programs.

But none might be bigger than the offer from SEC powerhouse Florida.

“I’m very excited about Florida it’s probably my biggest offer,” Tabb said. “They have obviously won some recent national championships and have a good APR rating.”

Florida also might benefit from Tabb’s admiration of the SEC. Although his playing style might be more reminiscent of the Big-10—he loves pancaking opponents, he also loves all of the speed that exists within the SEC.

“I definitely like the SEC a lot because it’s all about speed,” he said. “Even though I’m a bigger player I still like to utilize my speed and play like that.”

In addition to Florida, Tabb has offers from such programs as Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia and West Virginia.

He recently decided to make a third trip to Rutgers this past weekend and yet again had a great time at the home state school.

“It was a great visit—a very relaxed day,” he said. “It was cool to each lunch with other recruits like Miles (Shuler) and Savon (Huggins).

“I talk to Miles a lot and we congratulate each other on new offers. But we also kind of look around at (Rutgers) and think what could be.”

Rutgers has put a lot of time and effort in recruiting him and the tight end has developed a good relationship with head coach Greg Schiano.

Schiano along with Maryland assistant James Franklin have made quite the impression on him.

“They say what they feel—they won’t mess with you,” he said. “They don’t spit any bull to you they just tell you exactly how it is.”

This summer Tabb along with his mother plan to go on quite a few visits to see different colleges. There is a Florida visit to see Miami, Florida, South Florida and Central Florida; a Carolina visit to see North Carolina and NC State, and a Midwest visit to look at Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Cincinnati.

There is no current timetable on a decision for Tabb though he claims he won’t wait until National Signing Day, but still needs more time to visit other schools.

He anticipates majoring in broadcast journalism and will look for a school with a good journalism program.

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By Raphielle Johnson

The company line following the BCS meetings in Phoenix last month was that the Big Ten Conference would wait until December to issue invites to possible expansion targets, staying on course instead of accelerating the process as rumored. That may have been thrown for a loop if the report put out by 810 WHB in Kansas City on Monday has any truth to it. According to the Kansas City-based ESPN affiliate the Big Ten will invite four institutions to join the league: Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Rutgers. Is there truth to the report or is it merely speculation from “sources” that could be wrong? That’s the question and the report was followed by denials from those intimately involved with the process.

All four schools issued denials on Monday and with an issue such as this it’s difficult to find the truth in the midst of so many rumors. But well before this day the Big East had a simple decision to make. Is the league proactive, making a move with the idea of beating the Big Ten to the punch and gaining a little leverage for itself? Or does the Big East go the reactive route, acting only after it knows what the Big Ten’s course of action will be? You can’t blame Big East loyalists who’ve had flashbacks to the ACC’s calling of three schools back in 2003-04 when it comes to the latter course of action.

The first move the Big East made was to bring on former NFL commissioner (and Georgetown alumnus) Paul Tagliabue as a special advisor to help in advancing the conference. Tagliabue’s first “move” was to send a shot in the direction of the Big Ten in an interview last month with Pete Thamel of the New York Times. Tagliabue questioned the worth of the Big Ten expanding with media markets in mind, asking the following question:

“Is Minnesota and Rutgers going to get a big rating on Long Island? Give me a break. Every game isn’t Michigan and Michigan State. Am I going to rush home from a tennis game on Saturday to watch Minnesota and Rutgers if I live on Long Island?”

With all due respect, the same could have been asked about a matchup between DePaul and Providence on the basketball court when the Big East made the move to expand to 16 teams. Big Ten members received in upwards of $22 million dollars from revenues this past year; Big East football-playing members took home just under one-third of that. The main motivation for this move would be to spread the brand of both the conference and the highly lucrative Big Ten Network while also ensuring that the new members are good fits for the conference.

Tagliabue may be correct in that someone who lives on Long Island would have little interest in a Minnesota/Rutgers matchup, but so long as the Big Ten can get cable service providers in the New York metropolitan area to carry its network without charging extraordinary fees to do so the “mission” would be accomplished. Hate to say it but the words seemed a bit similar to what former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said in a press conference on the heels of the ACC’s intentions becoming known back in 2003.

“This [Miami’s pending decision] will be the most disastrous blow to intercollegiate athletics in my lifetime,” he said. “It’s wrong. I don’t want to hear about previous pieces of expansion. People were not damaged (then). No one has been hurt. People wanted to leave in those cases (Basketball Warfare by Kevin McNamara, 2007).” Tranghese went on to say that “I’ve heard that what happens to us is an unintended consequence. It is not an unintended consequence. It’s there, they see it and I don’t sense one iota of concern about it (Basketball Warfare by Kevin McNamara, 2007).”

How does this apply to the current situation? If the idea of the Big Ten looking to move to sixteen members is true then Big East Football is in serious danger of falling off the landscape. The four schools above would only make fifteen, meaning that the Big Ten would need one other school to round out the group, and with Pittsburgh and Syracuse being two hot names earlier in the speculation process the Big East could be down to six FBS members. And that’s if Notre Dame does a stunning 180 and decides that they want to give up their independence. But if they do what many expect them to do and stick to their figurative guns the Big Ten either stays at 14 or they go to 16 by adding two more schools.

And a move to sixteen would likely cost the Big East three FBS members, forcing them to decide whether to make their own additions in order to keep Big East Football alive or allowing the remaining members to look for the best possible deal. Sixteen teams would likely set off dominoes throughout the collegiate landscape resulting in the birth of “super conferences” as the SEC, ACC, Pac-10 and Big 12 make moves in order to ensure their places at the table in the future. Another raid of Conference USA (and maybe even looking at teams in the Mid-American Conference) would do little to preserve the Big East’s BCS bid, forcing the remaining football representatives to look towards the ACC (or maybe even the SEC) in order to keep their football programs alive.

What could the Big East do in order to keep its football setup alive? They’ve begun to investigate the viability of their own network, but that would likely fall under the “too late” column. Possible numbers in terms of revenue and cable providers would be of the “hopeful” variety while the Big Ten Network obviously already offers concrete numbers with more likely to follow. Does Big East commissioner John Marinatto make the move of offering schools already in BCS conferences (i.e. – Boston College, Maryland, Penn State, etc.) membership in order to hold off the Big Ten?

Far-fetched to say the least; any reasonable candidate already in a BCS conference takes home more money now than they would in the Big East unless the conference were to offer a financial package they couldn’t refuse. And the idea of prepping a Villanova to move up would be a tough sell to the current membership despite the Wildcats’ success as an FCS member; Georgetown (0-11, 0-6 Patriot League in 2009) being sold as a candidate to move up would get the person who proposed such an idea laughed out of the room.

This leaves one possible move for the Big East to consider, one that Connecticut head football coach Randy Edsall said in a luncheon meeting of the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce a couple of weeks ago has been brought up by a few of the football coaches. The idea: the Big East issues Notre Dame the “play football in the league or all of your other sports leave” ultimatum. Big East football coaches have wanted a ninth member for some time due to the relief it would offer in regards to scheduling, and at worst Notre Dame could be nudged towards joining the Big Ten to give them 12 members.

But the success of that hinges on the Big Ten’s willingness to stop at twelve; Monday’s rumor (and other statements recently) show that the conference would have no problem with going beyond that number. And who’s to say that the Irish would automatically join the Big Ten? They could keep football independent and look to join a league such as the Atlantic 10…or end up somewhere else. There are far too many moving parts at this stage to think that pushing Notre Dame out would automatically “save” Big East Football.

The other aspect that would have to come to fruition in order for the ultimatum idea to work: the other BCS conferences telling Notre Dame that they’d no longer have their “own” seat at the table. But what would motivate a league like the Big Ten or SEC to do that when they’re making millions as it is? At first glance an ultimatum looks to be the way for the Big East to go, but the more you look at it (also, keep in mind the seven non-football members) the less realistic that option becomes.

But the Big East has to do something at this point; the question is whether or not they have the ability to do anything of consequence before the Big Ten comes to a decision. The college landscape has Big East Football in check; will it be “checkmate” come December (if not earlier)? Many institutions nervously await the answer.

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My honest apologies to those who tune in each week for my Monday Morning Quarterback Column. Last week it just couldn’t get done, but I’ll do my best to make it up with in depth coverage of the three games which took place this past Saturday. We had a major upset, an expected outcome and a win for a suffering Connecticut program that was as emotional and fulfilling as one victory can possibly be.

Rutgers (7-3, 2-3) vs. Syracuse (4-7, 1-5) (31-13 Syracuse Win)

After finally cracking the top 25 for the first time this season, becoming the fifth Big East team to do so in 2009, Rutgers continued their woeful conference performances falling to Syracuse in what has to be the year’s biggest upset.

Fresh off a more than convincing 31-0 victory over South Florida, the Scarlet Knights looked terrible, specifically on the defensive end of the ball where they allowed 424 yards and 23 first downs by one of the most anemic offenses in the country.

Freshman quarterback Tom Savage played like a freshman, going 7 for 17 with 66 yards passing and two interceptions. In the end, Syracuse played like a team that wanted to win for its seniors on their day and they pulled it off.

South Florida (7-3, 3-3) vs. Louisville (4-7, 1-3) (34-22 South Florida Win)

B.J. Daniels had one of the better all around games by a quarterback this season, finishing with 304 yards passing and 141 yards rushing. He accounted for three touchdowns including a 20-yard run and a 16-yard pass. The freshman resiliently rebounded from the worst start of his career last week against Rutgers, accounting for 445 total yards (12 off of Matt Grothe’s school record) while surpassing his statistical output from last week in the game’s first two drives.

Albeit the win came against lowly Louisville. A team which has lost nine straight road games and looks as misguided as any team in the nation. The Cardinals actually managed to go up 16-14 on a second quarter punt return by Trent Guy, but a field goal at the half’s horn put South Florida up for good.

This clearly isn’t the Bulls season of dominance, but with a freshman quarterback taking his lumps, showing gradual progression and learning each week, South Florida looks like a dangerous school for the next few years and will certainly compete for the Big East title.

Connecticut (5-5, 1-4) vs. Notre Dame (6-5) (33-30 2OT Connecticut Win)

On national television, on the road, against a historic program playing on Senior Day, Connecticut was finally able to win that ever elusive close game which has been haunting them all season long.

It took two overtimes, but the Huskies managed to pull off the upset with a 4-yard Andre Dixon touchdown scamper through the left side of the line. Jordan Todman had the game’s highlight plays which included a 43-yard run in the second quarter that put Connecticut on the board and a 96-yard kick off return that tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.

Notre Dame’s Golden Tate had another fine game with nine receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown, but it wasn’t enough and all signs now point to this contest being the final nail in the coffin for Charlie Weis.

Quote of the Week- “You’ve got to understand what this team has gone through. A couple of close games, and then you lose a teammate, you lose a brother, you lose a son, and you’re trying so hard to honor him by winning on the field. We hadn’t done that.”

-Connecticut Head Coach Randy Edsall

Big East Top Performers- South Florida Quarterback B.J. Daniels- A superb day for the Bulls and specifically their young leader who, as previously mentioned, should only improve and get better over the next few years.

Connecticut Football Program- Huge win for the Huskies. No team deserved to win a game in the entire country more than Connecticut and to do it in front of the entire country made it all the sweeter.

Mike’s Big East Power Poll

Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
South Florida
Connecticut
Rutgers
Syracuse
Louisville

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.

But they fought back, scoring ten unanswered points to close to within 14-10 before a David Ruffer field goal pushed the margin back to seven. At that point the team who’s been victimized in recent weeks by the kick return got a break of its own. Jordan Todman ran back the ensuing kick 96 yards to tie the score at seventeen. Dueling field goals, the second of which was made by David Teggart to tie the score at twenty, led to overtime but not before Teggart missed a field goal to win it following a pair of suspect (to be kind) holding calls to nullify two Andre Dixon touchdown runs.

The first overtime brought about a trading of touchdown passes, with Zach Frazer hitting Kashif Moore followed by Jimmy Clausen finding Michael Floyd. Notre Dame could only manage a field goal on their second possession and their run defense remained a problem. Dixon went off tackle to the left and into the end zone from four yards out to provide the Huskies their first win since the passing of Jasper Howard. It marked the second consecutive season in which a Big East opponent (Syracuse) has ruined the Notre Dame Senior Day and if the Irish fall at Stanford next week they fall out of the running for selection to the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.

What Went Right

The running game led the way for the Huskies with both Todman (130 yards) and Dixon (114) eclipsing the 100-yard mark. As a team Connecticut rushed for 231 yards, taking advantage of their edge in size up front. The second half defense also came through, holding Notre Dame to six points (regulation) after giving up fourteen points in quick fashion in the first half. Young corners Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz made some big plays in the latter stages of the game to keep the Huskies alive on a day in which Jimmy Clausen threw for 329 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively the Huskies forced a pair of fumbles and linebackers Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus were all over the field. Wilson racked up sixteen total tackles while Lutrus added fourteen. Outside of the missed kick by Teggart at the end of regulation the Huskies performed well on special teams, getting a score in the return game for the third consecutive game. Teggart’s kicks seemed to have tailed left even before the miss so it isn’t a huge surprise that it was wide left. But overall he was better than in recent weeks, making the kick that tied the game in the process.

What Went Wrong

You can start with the first half pass defense, which gave a substantial cushion to the dangerous tandem of Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. Hank Hughes and Todd Orlando allowed the secondary to play a bit tighter in the second half and the Husky corners refused to back down despite their height they were giving away. And despite making some key throws down the stretch Frazer did complete just twelve of twenty-five passes for 141 yards.

Of course there are issues to be worked on in the days leading up to their home game with rival Syracuse (Noon on the Big East Network) but Saturday wasn’t a day to look at what should have been done. Nor was it a day to look forward, ignoring the significance of this win. Saturday was a day for reflection: on what the Connecticut program had been through over the past month and how far the program has come since the days of home games at Memorial Stadium, struggling to finish above water in the Atlantic 10 (preceded by the Yankee Conference). On a day that no one in their right mind would predict ten years ago, Connecticut won at Notre Dame. Cheers.

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.

Offense

QB 7 Jimmy Clausen (Jr.)
13 Evan Sharpley (Sr.)

RB 5 Armando Allen (Jr.)
33 Robert Hughes (Jr.)

FB 34 James Aldridge (Sr.)
86 Bobby Burger (Sr.)

Clausen is the clear star of the Notre Dame backfield, which is both a testament to his production and the lack thereof from the running backs. The junior from California has thrown for an average of 305 yards per game, completing 67.4% of his passes for twenty-one touchdowns and four interceptions. He isn’t a threat to run and teams have been effective when applying pressure to him. If Lindsey Witten and company allow him to stand in the backfield and pick out receivers it could be a long day for the Husky secondary.

As for the running backs Allen leads the team in rushing with 591 yards on the season, good for an average of nearly seventy-four yards per game. But he only averages less than fifteen carries per game, and Robert Hughes gets fewer than eight carries per game. They’ll get the ball but not as often as the receivers, two of the best in the nation.

X 23 Golden Tate (Jr.)
18 Duval Kamara (Jr.)

TE 83 Mike Ragone (Jr.)
86 Bobby Burger (Sr.)

Z 3 Michael Floyd (So.)
82 Robby Parris (Sr.)

Tate and Floyd are the guys who the Huskies will need to account for on every play; Floyd missed five games with a broken collarbone but still averages twenty yards per reception. Golden Tate leads the team with seventy-four receptions for 1,172 yards and eleven touchdowns. Coach Weis also won’t hesitate to get Golden the ball via reverses or other trick plays; he’s that important to their offense. Kyle Rudolph’s injury likely means that receivers Robby Parris and Duval Kamara get more work on the passing game. Tight ends Ragone and Burger have combined for four receptions for forty-four yards this season.

LT 72 Paul Duncan (Sr.)
77 Matt Romine (Jr.)

LG 59 Chris Stewart (Sr.)
51 Dan Wenger (Sr.)

C 55 Eric Olsen (Sr.)
51 Dan Wenger (Sr.)

RG 78 Trevor Robinson (So.)
51 Dan Wenger (Sr.)

RT 74 Sam Young (Sr.)
Taylor Dever (Jr.)

This is an experienced group but they aren’t exactly world-beaters either; you could argue that Cincinnati’s got a better unit than the Irish. They’ve given up twenty-one sacks this season, a number that would rank fifth in the Big East. Notre Dame isn’t the best at running the football, ranking in the eighties in rushing offense but this group’s primary job is to keep Clausen upright.

Defense

LDE 89 Kapron Lewis-Moore (So.)
53 Morrice Richardson (Sr.)

DT 9 Ethan Johnson (So.)
79 Hafis Williams (So.)

NT 95 Ian Williams (Jr.)
98 Sean Cwynar (So.)

RDE 56 Kerry Neal (Jr.)
46 Steve Filer (So.)

Notre Dame ranks 83rd in total defense and they’ve had issues both on the ground and through the air. Ethan Johnson is tied for the team lead with three sacks on the season and he’s a tackle; the ends haven’t been particularly effective at applying pressure. Notre Dame ranks 72nd in rush defense (153.20 yards per game) and 68th in sacks per game (1.80), and those are areas that the Huskies can exploit with backs Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. And in order for Notre Dame to pressure Zach Frazer into mistakes they’re likely going to need to rely upon the blitzes dialed up by defensive co-coordinators Corwin Brown and Jon Tenuta.

SAM 45 Darius Fleming (So.)
22 Harrison Smith (Jr.)

MIKE 58 Brian Smith (Jr.)
49 Toryan Smith (Sr.)

WILL 5 Manti Te’o (Fr.)
58 Brian Smith (Jr.)

Three of Notre Dame’s top four tacklers are linebackers with Brian Smith leading the corps with fifty-eight stops and 5.5 tackles for loss. He also has the lone interception by a non-defensive back for the Irish. Manti Te’o is a star in the making on the weak side while Harrison Smith is third on the team in tackles on the strong side. Fleming leads the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and splits time with Harrison Smith. This is a group that can run and they will be used to blitz on many occasions but the Huskies have already seen a solid linebacking unit in North Carolina so they should be fine.

LCB 4 Gary Gray (Jr.)
8 Raeshon McNeil (Sr.)

FS 28 Kyle McCarthy (Sr.)
15 Dan McCarthy (So.)

SS 31 Sergio Brown (Sr.)
26 Jamoris Slaughter (So.)

RCB 12 Robert Blanton (So.)
2 Darrin Walls (Sr.)

This is the most-maligned portion of the Notre Dame defense but they’ve got one of the better safeties in America in senior Kyle McCarthy. McCarthy, who led the team in tackles last season, once again leads Notre Dame with seventy-eight passes while also defending nine passes and picking off five passes. But Notre Dame ranks 85th in pass defense and the overall quality of this group has a lot to do with that. The corners aren’t the fastest and they play a lot of zone due to the blitzing scheme, which could mean good days for Marcus Easley and Kashif Moore just to name two receivers.

Special Teams

K 40 Nick Tausch (Fr.)
48 David Ruffer (Jr.)

P 35 Ben Turk (Fr.)
43 Eric Maust (Sr.)

PR 23 Golden Tate (Jr.)
5 Armando Allen (Jr.)

KR 32 Theo Riddick (Fr.)
21 Barry Gallup, Jr. (Sr.)

Notre Dame is going back to the freshmen in the kicking game, and outside of Tausch making fourteen of seventeen field goals they haven’t been very good. The punters head into Saturday’s game averaging 35.4 yards per punt, resulting in a ranking of 112th in net punting average. Eric Maust will handle the kickoffs and the Irish have a net average of forty-two yards per kick. Golden Tate is the dangerous return man, averaging sixteen yards per return. Riddick and Gallup Jr. handle the kick return duties, and in an area that the Huskies have had trouble with in recent weeks the freshman averages more than twenty-three yards per return.

By Raphielle Johnson

West Virginia (7-2, 3-1) may be just one game behind Big East co-leaders Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, but their game on Friday night against the Bearcats is likely their final chance at being a player in the conference title race. By no means were the Mountaineers impressive in their 17-9 win over Louisville last weekend, even losing Noel Devine to a sprained ankle. But he’ll be ready to go in the Queen City where they hope to move the ball on a defense that struggled last weekend.

Cincinnati (9-0, 5-0) remained undefeated with a 47-45 win over Connecticut thanks to 711 yards of offense, but the defense definitely left something to be desired. They were unable to force any turnovers and had a hard time dealing with the Huskies’ power run game. The Bearcats have been best challenged by teams (Fresno State and Connecticut) who can line up and pound the ball, taking advantage of the Bearcats’ 3-4 scheme. Going against spread looks has helped Bob Diaco’s defense lead the nation in tackles for loss to this point in the season, but this may be the most versatile version that they’ll see.

Jarrett Brown also has his ankle issues to deal with but should be ready to go on Friday night as well. And you have to wonder if there are some lingering effects from the concussion suffered early in the win over Marshall for the fifth-year senior. Before the injury Brown completed 68.8% of his passes; after he’s completed just 57.9%. He’s got to be accurate in the passing game if the Mountaineers are to entertain thoughts of winning; Cincinnati leads the Big East with fourteen interceptions.

The biggest news in regards to this game has been the health of Tony Pike, who will get some reps while Zach Collaros gets the start and the lion’s share of the reps. It’s a good problem to have if you’re Brian Kelly, but they’ll be forced to work by a defense that has allowed opponents to complete just 52.1% of their passes. West Virginia ranks sixth in pass defense but third in pass efficiency defense, ranking second in the conference in interceptions (12).

If the Mountaineer defense can control threats such as Mardy Gilyard, Armon Binns and D.J. Woods through the air they’ve got a shot. Backs Jacob Ramsey and Isaiah Pead offer up their own set of challenges but you’re much rather those two be left to beat you instead of the other way around. West Virginia’s fleeting Big East title hopes will depend upon their defensive success.

The remainder of the Big East schedule for Week 11:

South Florida (6-2, 2-2) @ Rutgers (6-2, 1-2) (Thursday 8 PM on ESPN)

Bowl eligibility is on the line in Piscataway when the Bulls visit the Scarlet Knights; both have played two FCS opponents so they need seven wins. Rutgers may be the most confounding 6-2 team in America; their best win came over a Connecticut team that’s 4-5 so we’re going to find out a lot about this team on Thursday. The offensive line that was built up as the best in the Big East when the season began will have its hands full with the likes of Jason Paul-Pierre, George Selvie and Aaron Harris. Look for the Knights to hit USF with a heavy dose of backs Joe Martinek and Jourdan Brooks in hopes of loosening things up for Tom Savage through the air.

Whether or not the Bulls win on the road will depend upon the accuracy of USF QB B.J. Daniels, who has completed just 52.5% of his passes this season. He completed half of his pass attempts in the 30-19 win over West Virginia on October 30th while also rushing for 104 yards, and head coach Jim Leavitt will need a similar effort (with more accuracy through the air) if the Bulls are to pick up their third conference win of the season. Two of the Big East’s top three defenses will be on display and Rutgers may have the advantage in the turnover department with their +18 turnover margin.

Rutgers needs a win for validation at this point but win or lose we should come away with a more definitive answer in regards to who they are and who they can eventually be.

Syracuse (3-6, 0-4) @ Louisville (3-6, 0-4) (Noon on Big East Network)

You can’t put Notre Dame on regional television so this is the “Big East Network Game of the Week”. At least it sets up to be a competitive game; how pretty this will be remains to be seen. Both have issues at quarterback in regards to production but at the least Doug Marrone is staying with Greg Paulus as his guy. Steve Kragthorpe, on the other hand, went with the diminutive Will Stein last week but list both Adam Froman and Justin Burke ahead of him on the depth chart this week.

These are two of the three worst teams in the conference in turnover margin, another reason why this game could be a bit ugly. Louisville actually ranks fourth in pass defense and fifth in pass offense, meaning that players such as Scott Long and Trent Guy could be the ultimate difference-makers. Being a first-year coach Doug Marrone has time on his side; a loss for Kragthorpe could be the beginning of the end of his tenure in the Derby City.

Notre Dame (6-3) @ Pittsburgh (8-1, 5-0) (8 PM on ABC)

This is a bigger game for the Irish in regards to the direction of their program but it also means a lot to the Panthers on two levels. First there’s the opportunity to knock off a “name brand” opponent on national television while maintaining their BCS Top 10 ranking. Secondly, and possibly more importantly for the conference as a whole, is the matter of the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl. The reps of the game haven’t made it a secret that they’d like Notre Dame in the last year of their agreement with the Big East.

But a win by the Panthers, especially an impressive one, would make it extremely difficult for the bowl to take the Irish over the Big East #2 since a BCS at-large selection is highly unlikely. The question will be whether or not the Irish can slow down Pitt’s rushing attack led by freshman Dion Lewis; they had numerous breakdowns against Navy last week and the same could happen here. There’s also the passing game and playcalling of offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. that Notre Dame will have to deal with, and the signs aren’t looking good for them.

Notre Dame will be without TE Kyle Rudolph due to injury but they’ve still got receivers Michael Floyd and Golden Tate for Jimmy Clausen to look to. The question will be how well their line plays against a Pitt front four that has proven to be one of the nation’s best this season. Greg Romeus is an outstanding player at defensive end and one could make the argument that DT Mick Williams is a possible All-American inside. Pitt won last season’s meeting in overtime and many are expecting the Panthers to take care of business at Heinz Field.

Bye: Connecticut (4-5, 1-4). The Huskies will visit Notre Dame on the 21st.