Rutgers News

BIG EAST FOOTBALL: OPENING THURSDAY RECAP

Panthers fall in OT; Rutgers wins easy against FCS opponent

 

by RAPHIELLE JOHNSON

It’s never easy to win on the road, especially when your quarterback is making his first start, your change of pace running back (Ray Graham) is unable to go due to injury and most importantly the host has won seventeen straight home games. And in a game that featured more plays in which Pittsburgh and Utah looked to be in search of ways to give the win away, the Utes won in overtime 27-24 on a Joe Phillips 21-yard field goal. Pittsburgh received the ball first in the extra session but had the ball for just one play, as Tino Sunseri picked off by Utah defensive back Brian Blechen. From there it was a steady diet of Matt Asiata to work into range for the decisive kick.  

The Utes did a couple of things that proved critical to their victory. Offensively they exploited the weakness that is the coverage ability of the Pitt linebackers, hitting Jereme Brooks (five receptions, 87 yards and 2 TDs) and DeVonte Christopher (eight receptions, 155 yards and a touchdown) as QB Jordan Wynn finished with 283 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Utah also won the battle in the trenches on both sides of the football, epitomized by two things: the near-complete domination of DE Greg Romeus by left tackle John Cullen (the lone new starter on the offensive line, and also rated the best junior college lineman in America), and the three yards per carry allowed Dion Lewis (75 yards on 25 carries).  

Sunseri’s night was a mixed bag, getting off to a slow start that the Panthers navigated with some assistance from the aptly named Shaky Smithson (two fumbles) and a blocked punt to take an early 7-0 lead on Lewis’ 3-yard run. But Utah took control of the game as the Pitt offense sputtered (and seemingly forgot that Jon Baldwin was in fact on the field), heading into the locker room with a 14-7 lead thanks to the two connections between Wynn and Brooks. Once Pitt got the ball to Baldwin (who was locked up in an outstanding individual battle with corner Brandon Burton) they were able to get going, answering a 61-yard score from DeVonte Christopher with a 44-yard strike to the Biletnikoff Award candidate.  

After stopping the Utes on the ensuing drive (the Panther front four stepping up its’ play), Sunseri led the Panthers into field goal range and in Dan Hutchins they’ve got one of the best. His first attempt went through the uprights…but Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham called timeout just before the snap. Second attempt was wide left…but Whittingham called another timeout before that kick. With one remaining, Coach held onto it as Hutchins sent the game into overtime from 30 yards out. Next up for the Panthers is their home opener against New Hampshire next Saturday.  

Rutgers 31, Norfolk State 0 

Greg Schiano’s group got off to a slow start at Rutgers Stadium, lucky to head into the locker room at the half with a 6-0 lead. But they woke up in the third quarter (also, Norfolk State seemed to go through a cramping epidemic), scoring two touchdowns (one via a blocked punt) to take control of the game. Joe Martinek rushed for a game-high 109 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, and as a team the Scarlet Knights rushed for 268 yards on fifty carries. Freshman Jordan Thomas got off to a good start in the first half and finished with 47 yards on 13 rushes, and De’Antwan “The Rocket” Williams came off the bench late to add 69 yards on six carries.  

But despite the numbers on the ground the Rutgers offensive line wasn’t at its best, especially in the first half when the Spartan defense still had its legs. Things didn’t turn for the better up front until after the first drive of the second half was snuffed out on fourth and 1 just across midfield, as the NSU defense won the battle at the line of scrimmage and stopped Martinek for a loss. “I knew that we had a young line [coming into the season] that’s a work in progress, and it’s a work in progress,” said Coach Schiano. As last year’s much ballyhooed unit learned chemistry is essential to offensive line play, and it’s something that Rutgers will need to work on as they prepare for the trip to Florida International next Saturday.  

The Scarlet Knight defense also got off to a slow start, but once they woke up it was just about over for the Norfolk State offense. Steve Beauharnais led a balanced effort with seven tackles and Rutgers limited the Spartans to 156 total yards and 0-for-12 on third down. And cornerback Brandon Bing made his presence known in the kicking game, blocking a pair of Norfolk State punts (one of which was returned by Joe Lefeged for a touchdown) while also making four tackles. Norfolk State managed just 25 yards rushing and 3.2 yards per play overall, and while many will discount this as a “quality of opponent” game it’s a good reference point for a young football team. That being said, Rutgers will need to play much better football on the road next week.  

Positives

• Rutgers running backs: Joe Martinek, Jordan Thomas and De’Antwan Williams leading the way in a 268-yard night on the ground.
• Tino Sunseri’s game-tying drive: He did a good job of leading the Panthers down the field on the final drive, and overall had a good fourth quarter.
• Brandon Bing: A solid night overall for the RU defense was highlighted by Bing’s performance on that side of the ball as well as on special teams. The better he and Joe Lefeged play the better that secondary becomes.

Negatives

• Pitt’s line play: Utah won the battle in the trenches on both sides of the football. New Hampshire won’t offer much in the way of a physical challenge but it is an opportunity to improve upon technique ahead of the Miami (FL) game on the 23^rd.
• Tom Savage: He didn’t turn the ball over and the run game was where Rutgers was going to win, but the Big East’s most experienced starter needs to slow the game down a little. “I think Tom was racing a little bit. I’ve talked to him a lot,” remarked Coach Schiano. “You don’t have to be anything but you. Sometimes you get a lot of notoriety and who knows, maybe you start, oh, do I [have] to do this. I think this game will help him a ton.”
• Pitt’s linebackers: Utah exploited this group to no end in the passing game, a bad sign with the likes of Miami, Notre Dame and Cincinnati on the schedule (in addition to other units that have the wide receivers/tight ends to work the middle of the field). This has to be remedied if the Panthers are to ultimately win the Big East.

Quotes courtesy of ASAPSports.com

 

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WEEK #1 IN BIG EAST FOOTBALL

The season is finally upon us with Thursday’s kickoffs

by RAPHIELLE JOHNSON

No more predictions or bickering about polls; the time for teams to prove people either correct or incorrect has finally come. And while there are a couple of matchups involving Big East teams that won’t have much of a national impact (unless said teams lose), there are contests that will either confirm the conventional opinion of the conference (no need to state it; we all know what that is) or rip it to shreds with an impressive showing. The most important contest involves #15 (AP/Coaches) Pittsburgh, the preseason favorite to win the Big East, as they travel west to take on Utah (t-24^th Coaches) in Salt Lake City (8:30 PM, Versus).

The last meeting between these two took place in the 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, in which the Utes (led by then-coach Urban Meyer and QB Alex Smith) concluded an undefeated season by embarrassing the Panthers 35-7. But Pitt, who was playing for a lame duck head coach (Walt Harris) at the time, is far more talented and a far more stable program as well. In sophomore RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh has a bona fide Heisman contender who rushed for a conference-best 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns as a true freshman. Lewis and WR Jonathan Baldwin have appeared on award watch lists this summer, and there are other skill position players who can step up in Frank Cignetti’s offense.

But there is a big question mark, one that will get an answer one way or the other on Thursday night, and that is how QB Tino Sunseri performs in his first start as a Panther. With so many talented players at his disposal the key for Sunseri will be to take care of the football; the Utes were second in the Mountain West last season with 17 interceptions (Air Force; 20). But they do have to replace three of four starters in the secondary from last season, including two (Robert Johnson and R.J. Stanford) who heard their names called in the 2010 NFL Draft. The one returning starter: corner Brandon Burton, who was tied for second in the MWC last year with 10 pass breakups; he and Baldwin will see a lot of each other at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

 

The Panthers will also be tested defensively, especially by a tandem at running back that gave opponents fits for much of 2009. Backs Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata, listed as co-starters on this week’s depth chart, have led the Utes in rushing each of the last two seasons (Asiata in 2008, Wide in 2009). If Greg Romeus, Jabaal Sheard and the rest of that Pitt defensive line is neutralized by an offensive line that boast four returning starters and two Outland Trophy watch list members (center Zane Taylor and left guard Caleb Schlauderaff) it could be a long night for the visitors. The key for Pitt: force QB Jordan Wynn (who lit up Cal for 338 yards passing and played well as a true freshman) to have to make plays in negative down and distance situations; they can ill-afford to give away an average of 4+ yards on first down.

The one thing that could work in the Panthers’ favor on Thursday night: history. This is the first road opener for Pitt featuring two ranked teams since 1976, when Tony Dorsett and company kicked off a national title campaign with a 31-10 win at Notre Dame. Also, the last time Pitt opened a season in the state of Utah they beat the Utes’ bitter rival (BYU) 27-17 in 1987. In a game that could go down to the wire, the presence of two Groza Award watch list members (Pitt’s Dan Hutchins and Utah’s Joe Phillips) is worth noting as well. One of these two could be asked to win the game, and with the added edge of home field (plus their first national TV appearance since announcing the move to the Pac-10 in 2011) expect the Utes to be more than ready to go.

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ODDS OF A BIG EAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

GUEST COLUMN

It’s certainly no secret that the BCS standards in NCAA Football have all but shunned the vast majority of college programs out there. It becomes increasingly hard to “earn” your respect on the field. Essentially, you must bust mouths and take it.

The Big East is no stranger to the snubbing. Rutgers and South Florida have to practically go undefeated in a season to even land on the BCS radar. West Virginia is treated a little more fairly, but one loss to a SEC team and they’re on a two-year timeout in the dunce corner.

With the upcoming NCAA Football season upon us, odds makers are scrambling to figure out who has the best shot at winning. And at this point in the preseason, it’s all about setting a standard for the gamblers.

Even though the athletes don’t get paid, we all know the NCAA is about the money. From the BCS and the bowl-going schools, to the average Joe placing a few bucks on the game, it’s all about the dough.

Of course, NCAA Football isn’t on line casinos; there’s more art than science to picking a winner. So let’s take a gander at who the so-called experts think are the teams to watch this season.

Alabama

It’s really no surprise here. Last year’s NCAA Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide have their entire offense returning. And in the SEC, their only legitimate competition is going to be a Florida Gators team minus Tim Tebow.

Depending on where you look, Alabama’s coming in at 4:1 or 9:2 – about the same across the board. They’re way out in front of most other teams, and you really can’t fault anyone for putting their eggs in ‘Bama’s basket. Saban has turned this program around, Heisman Trophy-winning Mark Ingram’s returning, and Greg McElroy is playing with house money and has a lot less weight on his shoulders.

Ohio State

To realists of the game, this one seems a little bit of a shocker. To those of us aware of the BCS favorites, the only shock here is that the Buckeyes aren’t rated higher than the Tide.

Coming in at 5:1, Ohio State has the same odds you’d have per hitting at least one pair on an internet video poker hand. Not bad considering we’re looking at a team that donkeyed the place us last year, and lost back-to-back National Championship games before that. But the Buckeyes are deep, and they’ve made the most out of their Midwestern recruiting dominance.

Their offense is like a who’s who of Sports Center highlight reel action. Pryor is a Michael Vick-like running QB with an even broader set of intangibles. The RB position goes 5 players deep, with athletes like Boom Herron, Jamaal Berry, Carlos Hyde, Jordan Hall and Brandon Saine.

Their defense has taken a slight hit with the loss of Kurt Coleman and Thad Gibson, but the “experts” are looking for a one-sided offensive explosion that beats teams 48-21 instead of a tough-nosed, well-rounded team inching out 28-24 victories.

Florida

Again, this one is a bit of a shock. Okay, so Florida’s probably going to be good this year. But they’ll be lucky to win the SEC with Alabama there, much less a National Championship. The odds of losing the SEC and finishing up with a #1 slot are truly astronomical, even for a BCS favorite like the Gators.

With Tebow gone, the Gators will be looking to rely heavily on Jeff Demps to run the football. And their new QB is already supposedly an NFL scout favorite – John Brantley.

Like Ohio State and the Midwest, Florida has much of the south on lockdown, and certainly all of Florida. Miami, Florida State and South Florida can attest to that.

So that means the defense is in prime position with younger players and they won’t feel the sting of losing Brandon Spikes and Joe Haden. The Gators are said to have the strongest defense in the SEC, and that’s going to transform them into a different ball club. 8:1 is no snubbing at all now that Tebow’s in the NFL.

These are the top-three favorites for the upcoming season. As far as the Big East goes, Pittsburgh is closest with odds of 50:1. West Virginia, a solid team that will undoubtedly contend with Pittsburgh for the Big East title, comes in at 80:1.

Looking from a fan’s angle, these numbers might not add up. But looking at it from a straight numbers angle, you should definitely play online blackjack instead of betting on a long shot here. The odds are much better.

Although, you can never really tell about the college football season, so risking $20 to win $1600 isn’t such a bad proposition. Realistically, however, just be prepared to lose that $20. There’s just too much talent elsewhere, and the SEC is like the BCS’s adopted child.

BIG EAST FOOTBALL NEWS & NOTES (8/30/2010)

Louisville names a starter and other happenings with season openers this week

By Raphielle Johnson  

Cincinnati:  Goebel looks to bounce back from an injury-filled 2009 (Tuesday)

While the Bearcats have been blessed with a deep backfield, one component was missing for much of last season due to injuries. Senior John Goebel, who rushed for 607 yards as a sophomore in 2008, missed much of 2009 due to a pulled hamstring (which he re-aggravated by coming back too soon) and a broken hand. Now back healthy Goebel will share the spotlight with Isaiah Pead and Darrin Williams, making up a three-headed attack that should flourish in their offensive system. And in a funny transition for Goebel he’s seen as the “big back”  when the early portion of his career saw him described as the smaller back in the mix. But at least he’s healthy and able to contribute on the field consistently this year. 

            No real surprises as Bearcats break camp (Wednesday)

The issue for Cincinnati going into camp was the need to develop depth in three areas: offensive line, defensive line and linebacker. And while the only major injury to occur at any of these three areas was the torn ACL suffered by LB Solomon Tentman, the needed depth did not come to the forefront either. Butch Jones (who was profiled on Saturday) and his staff will need these areas to add some contributors as the season wears along, or at the least not get hit by any serious injuries if they’re to win a third consecutive Big East title. The current two-deep has more than enough talent to get the job done, but in a collision sport there’s no such thing as a guarantee that all hands on deck in September will be healthy and available in November.  

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WEEK 1 BIG EAST OPPONENTS NEWS & NOTES

What’s your team’s opponent up to?

By Raphielle Johnson

• Fresno State (Cincinnati): The return of Rashad Evans at wide receiver (Sunday)

Of course the biggest news involving Pat Hill’s program was the move from the WAC to the Mountain West (along with Nevada), a move that may end up being the first seismic change on the collegiate athletics landscape since the ACC knocked down the first domino by adding Miami and Virginia Tech in 2003. But that’s of no concern to Cincinnati, who opens up their season at Fresno on September 4^th. Something to take note of: redshirt sophomore Rashad Evans’ return to the field after missing 2009 due to a slow-healing hamstring injury.

In Bryant-Jon Anteola’s piece in the Fresno Bee, Evans expresses his eagerness to get back on the field, and the Bulldogs have also used him as a wildcat-style quarterback in fall practice. Bigger and faster than he was as a freshman in 2008, Evans’ speed and playmaking ability make it a necessity for offensive coordinator Jeff Grady to come up with a variety of ways in which to get the ball into his hands. Look for Evans to also be a primary target for QB Evan Coburn in the passing game.

• Michigan (Connecticut): Three-horse race for the starting quarterback nod (Monday)

The quest to be the starting quarterback for the Wolverines on September 4^th isn’t limited to just incumbent Tate Forcier (who just last week earned his “wings”) and favorite Denard Robinson. Devin Gardner, who enrolled for his freshman year back in January, has made his way into the race with just a week left before the true beginning of game week preparations. In his piece for AnnArbor.com, Jeff Arnold focuses on the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder’s composure and work ethic, two characteristics that have kept Gardner in the competition to this point.

• Kentucky (Lousiville): Both teams announce starting QBs for the season opener (Monday)

Louisville head coach Charlie Strong made his decision known on Monday, naming Adam Froman the starter for the season opener against in-state rival Kentucky. But he wasn’t to be alone in the Commonwealth as Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips announced that Mike Hartline would be his starter. But does this mean that the competition is over? Not in the least, noted Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal, with the expectation in both camps being that all parties involved will continue to put their best foot forward despite the announcements.

• Utah (Pittsburgh): Notes released on the latest update to the depth chart (Monday)

One important development for the Utah defense is the arrival of junior college transfer Star Lotulelei (sophomore), who was finally cleared to take part in practice following his transfer from Snow JC. His dimensions: 6 feet 4, 330 pounds. Makes sense that Utah would refer to him as “mammoth” in their official release. Lotulelei is listed third at defensive tackle on the updated depth chart, which can be accessed in the PDF file on the linked page. And with the opener against Pitt coming on a Thursday, Kyle Whittingham and company began “game week” preparations on Monday for the 15^th-ranked Panthers.

• Norfolk State (Rutgers): Spartans need Wicker to step up (Thursday)

Not much in the way of updates on the Spartans but with both of their starting wide receivers from 2009 gone, they need senior Jeremy Wicker to step up as their leading man on the outside. Wicker, who played well in an early season matchup with Kentucky corner (and now Philadelphia Eagle) Trevard Lindley, was derailed by a high ankle sprain for much of 2009. Add in the fact that P.J. Hayden is academically ineligible this season and it becomes even more important that the senior become their best playmaker on the outside.

• Akron (Syracuse): Quarterback competition still undecided after Saturday’s scrimmage (Sunday)

Did Patrick Nicely distance himself from Matt Rodgers in the race to be the Zips’ starting quarterback on September 4^th? Not in the eyes of head coach Rob Ianello, who stated following Saturday’s scrimmage that he had yet to make a decision on who the starter will be. Nicely worked with the first team and Rodgers the second in the scrimmage, and they finished with similar stat lines. Ianello notes that he and his staff could make a decision sometime this week, but don’t be surprised if the Orange don’t know which one they will see take the first snap until early next week either.

• Stony Brook (USF): Seawolves ready to make a name for themselves nationally (Monday)

After arguably the most successful school year in the history of its athletics department, Stony Brook looks to keep the ball rolling in 2010-11. And what better way to start than an impressive effort at USF in the season opener? Doric Sam of the Stony Brook Statesman previews the upcoming season for the Seawolves, who were 6-5 overall (5-1 Big South, t-1^st) in 2009, and this is a team that won’t lie down in Tampa on September 4^th. Players to keep an eye on include RB Edwin Gowins, QB Michael Coulter and reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year LB Tyler Santucci.

• Coastal Carolina (West Virginia): Childers, O’Neal play well in Saturday’s scrimmage (Sunday)

While the Chanticleers may not be as talented as eventual national champion Villanova (WVU’s opening opponent last year) was, they’ve got some players to keep an eye on. One is converted tight end Jamie Childers, who has played well at the position since making the switch from quarterback. Childers led all pass catchers with 86 yards on three catches in the scrimmage, while senior Eric O’Neal rushed for a team-high 61 yards on 11 carries just a few days after sophomore Marcus Whitener supplanted him atop the depth chart.

BIG EAST FOOTBALL PERSONNEL NOTES & LINKS (8/23/2010)

Huskies take depth hits this week

By Raphielle Johnson  

Before getting into some team-specific notes, the Associated Press released its first Top 25 poll of the season on Saturday, and two Big East teams found their way into the rankings. Preseason favorite Pittsburgh was ranked 15^th while rival West Virginia rounded out the poll at number 25. Two-time conference champion Cincinnati tallied the most points of any team not ranked (108) while Connecticut (32 points) also received mention on some voters’ ballots. More watch lists for end of season awards were also released in the last week or so, with the Butkus, Groza, Hornung and Mackey committees all releasing their lists. Big East representation is as follows:  

Butkus (nation’s best linebacker): Doug Hogue (Syracuse), Greg Lloyd (Connecticut; out for the season), Scott Lutrus (Connecticut), Derrell Smith (Syracuse) and Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut)

Groza (nation’s best placekicker): Tyler Bitancurt (West Virginia) and Dan Hutchins (Pittsburgh)

Hornung (nation’s most versatile player): WR Doug Beaumont (Louisville), WR Jock Sanders (West Virginia) and WR Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers)

Mackey (nation’s best tight end): Ryan Griffin (Connecticut), Ben Guidugli (Cincinnati) and D.C. Jefferson (Rutgers) 

Cincinnati:  Defense beginning to show signs of progress (Wednesday)

The last three seasons have seen the Bearcats go from the 4-3 to the 3-4 and back to the 4-3 defensive scheme with Brian Kelly and company moving on to Notre Dame after last season. All that shifting, while it doesn’t seem like much, offers up quite the adjustment period for a unit that has to replace five starters going into the 2010 season. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks offered up some praise for his unit following Wednesday’s scrimmage at Higher Ground but also mentioned that their tackling needs to improve. The Bearcats had issues on that side of the football in the second half of last season, culminating with their blowout loss in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.  

            Who will win the backup quarterback job? (Sunday)

This is an important question for any team, much less one that’s seen its’ starting quarterbacks go down with injury at some point in each of the last three seasons. Incumbent Chazz Anderson, thought to naturally ascend into the role with the promotion of Zach Collaros, has a battle on his hands in the form of Brendon Kay (two passes thrown in 2009). Unfortunately for Cincy they also saw freshman linebacker Solomon Tentman go down with a knee injury on Saturday, and this could be a serious blow to their depth should he be out for an extended period of time (the article mentions that an ACL tear was feared).  

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TOP TALENT DOTS BIG EAST SCHEDULES

The best players on each team’s schedule

By Raphielle Johnson

With a schedule that includes matchups with some of the nation’s best teams, Big East schools will encounter some stiff tests outside of league play this season. But who are some of the best players that Big East schools will contend with in 2010? Below is one player on each side of the football that conference schools will need to keep tabs on, and while a few teams have marquee matchups with some of the sport’s biggest names that’s not a guarantee that said teams will provide the best individual. Feel free to add your thoughts below.

Offense

Cincinnati: QB Russell Wilson (NC State; September 16^th)

While much may not be expected of the Wolfpack this season do not sleep on the junior quarterback who is just as accomplished on the diamond (high selection in this year’s MLB Amateur Draft) as he is on the gridiron. Wilson followed up a First Team All-ACC season in 2008 with 3,027 yards and 31 touchdowns to just eleven interceptions, and he’s also a credible threat with his legs as well. And for a conference reference point all the Bearcats need to do is look at the tape from NC State’s comeback win over Pittsburgh last season. If you’re making a list of college football players with the ability to will their team to a win Russell’s name should be present.

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BIG EAST FOOTBALL NEWS & NOTES (8/15/2010)

By Raphielle Johnson

Five more awards announced have their preseason watch lists this week: the Bednarik (awarded to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player), Biletnikoff (awarded to the nation’s best wide receiver), Camp (awarded to the nation’s most outstanding football player), Maxwell (also awarded to the nation’s most outstanding football player), and the Guy (awarded to the nation’s best punter). The Big East players named to each of the watch lists are as follows:

Bednarik: DE Greg Romeus (Pittsburgh), FS Robert Sands (West Virginia), LB Derrell Smith (Syracuse) and LB Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut)

Biletnikoff: Jonathan Baldwin (Pittsburgh) and Armon Binns (Cincinnati)

Walter Camp: RB Noel Devine (West Virginia) and RB Dion Lewis (Pittsburgh)

Maxwell: WR Jonathan Baldwin (Pittsburgh), QB Zach Collaros (Cincinnati), RB Noel Devine (West Virginia), RB Dion Lewis (Pittsburgh), RB Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati), QB Tom Savage (Rutgers) and RB Jordan Todman (Connecticut)

Guy: Rob Long (Syracuse)

As for the injuries that have hit the wide receiver position within the Big East in the first two weeks of practice (not even a full 14 days), it’s a good thing the conference went with a running back from each school for the cover of its media guide. Rutgers and Syracuse have seen receivers expected to be important cogs within their respective offenses go down, with the Scarlet Knights knowing that their lost receiver will be out for the season. Tim Wright, who won the job opposite Mohamed Sanu in spring practice, went down with a knee injury on Tuesday and was officially declared out for the season on Wednesday. The man who gets the first shot at replacing Wright is Mark Harrison, who fell just short of getting the top spot on the depth chart at the end of the spring. Harrison averaged just over sixteen yards per reception in 2009 but had just five catches on the season.

As for Syracuse, the first day of practice for Delone Carter (and third day of practice overall) ended up being a bad one for freshman Jarrod West. West left practice without sock or cleat on his right foot early in the session, and head coach Doug Marrone didn’t sound too optimistic when discussing the injury with reporters following practice. With the Orange having a number of possession receivers but lacking difference makers on the outside the hope was that West, who was an all-state selection in Pennsylvania last year and originally committed to Stanford, would be a player they could count on to make a difference. Of course the true severity of the injury is still unknown, and you can only hope for good news if you’re a Syracuse fan.

John F. Silver of the Manchester Journal-Inquirer wrote a piece on Connecticut left tackle Jimmy Bennett, who’s sat out the last two seasons and is competing with Adam Masters for the starting nod. Bennett, from Alexandria, VA, was one of the Huskies’ best recruits two seasons ago and after redshirting injured his knee last season. But his return from injury hasn’t tempered the expectations of the coaching staff, which thinks Bennett has the ability to be the best offensive lineman UConn has produced during the Randy Edsall era.

As for West Virginia, who has found itself in the news more for issues involving the NCAA rules manual recently, the focus is on starting quarterback Geno Smith and his ability to lead the offense and distribute the football. Smith is just one of two new starters on the Mountaineer offense, and while he’s got a number of capable skill players at his disposal they’ll only be as good as he allows them to be. Also, Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail focused on the journey to health of left guard Chad Snodgrass, who is currently second on the depth chart behind Josh Jenkins. At the least Snodgrass remaining healthy gives West Virginia more line depth, a luxury that any team would desire.

And while it’s never a bad thing to have a visitor who possesses the resume of a Lou Holtz (who spoke to the team on Wednesday), USF didn’t go through the best of days on the injury front in Vero Beach. With RT Jake Sims out due to concussion-like symptoms, the Bulls saw another tackle go down late in practice in the form of Mark Popek (right knee). Popek, who started five games last season as a true freshman, was second on the depth chart at left tackle going into fall camp. With the number of injuries/departures at wide receiver the last thing head coach Skip Holtz needs is to have another position get hit hard by injuries. But the good news is that WR Sterling Griffin was at practice (still not participating) without the protective boot he’d been sporting due to injury.

Other Links:

Cincinnati is expecting big things from Isaiah Pead this season, and head coach Butch Jones won’t be standing in the way of the sophomore’s progress.

Louisville: A number of newcomers will provide the Cardinals with much-needed depth- and playmaking ability- at wide receiver this season.

Pittsburgh: While they do have big holes to fill in the middle of the defensive line with Mick Williams and Guz Mustakas having graduated, the Panthers aren’t without options. And it’s also helped the defense that sophomore middle linebacker Dan Mason is ready to take on a leading role.

BIG EAST FOOTBALL DEPTH CHART NEWS

Orange receive important boost in backfield

By Raphielle Johnson

With Averin Collier’s status still up in the air for academic reasons (it does not look good in terms of him playing this season), Doug Marrone was looking at going into a season with just one experienced running back at his disposal (Antwon Bailey). But Syracuse received quite the depth chart boost on Monday with the clearance of 1,000-yard rusher Delone Carter. Carter, kicked out of school in April for punching another student (February 27^th snowball incident), was cleared by the school’s judicial review board on Monday to re-enroll. While not in Syracuse for practice and the team’s media day at the Carrier Dome, Collier is expected back sometime this week.

There’s no overstating the importance of this news; behind Bailey there was a surplus of inexperienced backs, and the addition of Carter will allow Coach Marrone and running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley some time in developing those youngsters. Also, junior college transfer Lou Alexander (offensive tackle) looks to be on his way towards being cleared to join the team, and his presence will provide the offensive line with more depth and added competition. Lastly, in their quest for a downfield playmaker at wide receiver the Orange will look to Dorian Graham. Graham, who missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury, moves from cornerback to wide receiver and possesses some freakish athletic measurements.

Wide receiver talk segues into the injury woes that have hit USF at the position in their first full week of practice. Senior wideout Colby Erskin, who’d been granted a sixth year of eligibility for medical reasons (three prior ACL tears), tore the ACL in his left knee on Saturday, ending his season before it even began. Add this to the departure of Carlton Mitchell (NFL), four players deciding not to return and projected starters Sterling Griffin and A.J. Love both missing the first month of the season (at least) due to their own injuries. This is not a good start for Skip Holtz and company, who will likely lean heavily on Lindsey Lamar to make things happen from that position.

In other wide receiver news, Cincinnati learned that they will not have the services of junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins per NCAA transfer rules. Thompkins, who signed an LOI to play for Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, was not released from the letter by the new coaching staff and as a result will have to sit out the season. However, Thompkins will have two years of eligibility beginning with the 2011 season. Cincinnati will be fine at wide receiver without him, and he should at the very least help out the secondary as they get their reps in against the offensive scout team. Tight end Travis Kelce will not play this season due to a violation of team rules.

Connecticut kicked things off on Monday, and the big move for Randy Edsall’s team actually came in the form of a coaching move. Coach Edsall will handle the safeties this season, allowing first-year secondary coach Darnell Perkins to work solely with the cornerbacks. The Huskies have to replace Robert McClain at free safety and the overall youth is such that it could help them to hear a more familiar voice for the time being. UConn ranked 88^th in pass defense in 2009, and that area could be the difference between contending for the Big East title and simply going to another bowl game.

As for Rutgers, the absence of backup quarterback Steve Shimko (shoulder injury) could open the door for true freshman Chas Dodd to earn the #2 nod in his stead. Tom Luicci of the Newark Star-Ledger writes that the coaches have been impressed with Dodd’s demeanor and ability. But regardless of who wins the backup job the hopes of the Scarlet Knights will rest on the health of Tom Savage; they cannot afford for him to go down due to injury. Pittsburgh is looking for a big season from redshirt junior linebacker Tristan Roberts, who moved ahead of Greg Williams at WILL linebacker due to his play in the spring. Roberts getting the job done will provide even more depth to a unit that’s expected by many to be the best in the conference this season.

Louisville DE Malcolm Tatum is hoping to hold onto his starting job for the entire season, as he lost that spot after just two games in 2009. C.L. Brown of the Louisville Courier-Journal also wrote on Monday that linebacker Deon Rogers, who switched from Georgia to Louisville once the Cardinals hired Charlie Strong, was cleared to join the team. Scout.com ranked Rogers 53^rd in the nation among linebackers and gave him a three-star rating.

West Virginia, which met the deadline to respond to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations, will be looking for significant production from spur Terrence Garvin given the many responsibilities for his position within their 3-3-5 scheme. Given the overall strength of the Mountaineer defense, Garvin (one of two new starters on defense) should have plenty of opportunities to make things happen. At the very least he’ll have experienced voices on the field letting him know where he needs to be.

2010 ULTIMATE BIG EAST FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

A week-by-week look at the biggest games in 2010 within the Big East

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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