By Raphielle Johnson  

Rumors began to fly around the Villanova community on Thursday in regards to the possible promotion of its football program, defending FCS national champions and currently ranked second in the major polls, to the FBS level as a Big East member. In an email sent to VU faculty and staff, Father Peter Donohue, O.S.A. (school president) stated that the school would make an in-depth and thorough study into the possibility of such a move. Big East commissioner John Marinatto was on the Villanova campus before Labor Day and mentioned to the Villanova leadership that the football-playing members wanted the Wildcats to upgrade and become the ninth member of the football conference, but despite this recent turn of events it isn’t as if Villanova is going down this road for the first time.  

Back in 1994, when the Big East was renegotiating its’ television contracts with CBS, offered the first glimpse into the tenuous nature of a union between teams that play football and those that don’t. Expansion eventually came into play as well, with the opportunity to make more dollars providing the impetus to do something…but that feeling wasn’t mutual. The league would sign a TV deal with CBS, and at that point it was either expansion (Rutgers and West Virginia) or conference dissolution with the football schools owning the rights to the deal. Included in that was the provision that Connecticut and Villanova could join as football members (opportunity actually presented in 1997) should they ever decide to make the move up (some information in this came from the book “Basketball Warfare” by Kevin McNamara).  

Of course there are questions that need answering, such as where Villanova will play its home games, where they’d add 22 scholarships to women’s sports per Title IX rules, improving facilities and infrastructure and the like. So this is far from a done deal either way, but the fact that the leadership at Villanova will at least look into it is a development to be acknowledged. With Big East presidents slated to meet in November, and the Big Ten due to hold its meetings in December, the next two months are very important in regards to the long-term survival of the current Big East configuration.  

Would a 9-team league be able to compete monetarily with what the Big Ten could offer (should the league decide to expand past 12)? No, but it would at least solidify the Big East for the time being in terms of scheduling, with an even number of league games and just for non-conference games to schedule instead of the current five. And as we saw with the Mountain West and WAC this summer, what you expect to happen one month could end up being worlds apart from the reality that’s to come a month later.  

Cincinnati: Barnett looking to seize second chance (Wednesday)

With Vidal Hazelton going down to a season-ending ACL tear in the season-opening loss to Fresno State, the Bearcats need a wide receiver to step up in his place. Enter senior Marcus Barnett, who spent two years in Brian Kelly’s dog house (even playing some defensive back) after an outstanding freshman campaign. And not only is Barnett ready for the chance, but he’s also grateful for it. Moving from the slot to the outside will be an adjustment, but playing against Indiana State this weekend should offer the Cincinnati offense an easier set of circumstances.  

Connecticut: Girlfriend, daughter of Jasper Howard to attend home opener (Friday)

While the major on-field news going into tomorrow’s game against Texas Southern is that Husky linebacker Scott Lutrus will be out (many suspect it to be another shoulder stinger), there will be some special spectators in attendance at Rentschler Field. Daneisha Freeman, the girlfriend of the late Jasper Howard, will be at the game as will their daughter Ja’Miya. Head coach Randy Edsall and a few of the players paid the family a visit shortly after spring practice.  

Louisville: Cardinals sense defensive improvement (Thursday)  
One area in which Louisville improved from the first half to the second in their 23-16 loss to Kentucky last weekend was on defense, despite giving up 466 yards for the entire game. The Wildcats managed just three points in the second half as the Cardinals settled down and the youngsters became more sure of themselves. Saturday’s game against Eastern Kentucky, even without Brandon Heath, should allow the Louisville defense more opportunities to both tighten things up as well as get more players game experience in advance of their trip to Oregon State.  

Pittsburgh: Defensive line looks to rebound from subpar opening (Friday)

Much was (and still is) expected from the Pitt front four this season, and it wasn’t the best sight for fans that Utah decisively won the battle up front in the 27-24 overtime win. But with a team coming into Heinz Field that likes to run the football in New Hampshire, Saturday offers Greg Romeus and company the chance to take a step back in the proper direction. Romeus, ruled questionable in yesterday’s injury report, still isn’t 100% and maybe Dave Wannstedt decided to sit him down for the afternoon. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers fare up front (and at QB with Tino Sunseri) with 12 days in between the Wildcats and a visit from Miami (FL) on the 23^rd.  

Rutgers: Scarlet Knights will be without Watkis on Saturday (Friday)

The day before the Rutgers program added a verbal commitment to its 2011 class in the form of offensive lineman Keith Lumpkin from St. Joseph’s of Montvale, offensive lineman Devon Watkis went down with a high ankle sprain and will be out indefinitely. The disappointing thing for Greg Schiano is that Watkis was performing very well in practice and was one of the young players who could have made an impact on Saturday against FIU. Also key in the trip south will be the Rutgers defense’s ability to neutralize the talented T.Y. Hilton, who had nine receptions for 80 yards and two scores in last season’s meeting.  Rutgers’ solid secondary will most certainly be tested tomorrow night, as they fully expect.  

Syracuse: Chance for program to take a major step forward (Friday)

While many don’t expect the Orange to win when they take on the Washington Huskies in Seattle Saturday evening, that doesn’t mean that Doug Marrone’s team is without a chance. This is a far different group than the one that was pasted by the Huskies 42-12 in their last meeting back in 2007, with hope on the rise in year two under the new regime. They’ll have their hands full with the talented Jake Locker and Chris Polk, but the SU defense has normally performed up to standards. The key: the offense, which looked much improved against Akron last week but will need to put forth a mistake-free showing in order to win.  

USF: Holtz, Meyer became fast friends 20 years ago (Friday)

While the game at Florida is the ultimate barometer for the USF program in regards to possibly making the “Big Three” in the Sunshine State the “Big Four”, don’t expect there to be any animosity between the two head coaches. Skip Holtz and Urban Meyer have known each other for two decades, with Skip even getting the ball rolling on Meyer being hired by Lou Holtz as receivers coach at Notre Dame when the old coach had his mind set on someone else.  

West Virginia: Defense in the right state of mind heading into Marshall contest (Friday)

On the heels of tonight’s meeting in Huntington with the Thundering Herd, members of the WVU defense discussed their goal of shutting out “any and every team” each week. The 31-0 victory over Coastal Carolina was the Mountaineers’  first home shutout since 1997, and with Marshall not exactly looking like an offensive powerhouse at Ohio State maybe a second shutout is on the horizon. WVU has won all nine meetings in the series, which could be in jeopardy if the two schools can’t come to some sort of agreement in the near future (games in 2011 and 2012 will be played in Morgantown).

Week 2 Injury Report

By Raphielle Johnson  

CINCINNATI (vs. Indiana State, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

Vidal Hazelton, WR Knee

Solomon Tentman, LB Knee 

Out

LB Ryan Paxson 

Doubtful

DB Chris Williams

Pending Surgery

DB Arryn Chenault (knee)

LB Alex Delisi (knee)

“”

CONNECTICUT (vs. Texas Southern, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

DE Marcus Campbell (knee)

WR Geremy Davis (knee) 

Out

LB Scott Lutrus (upper extremity)

RB Jonathan Jean-Louis (torso)

“”

LOUISVILLE (vs. Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

Stephon Ball, TE Knee

Anthony Conner, CB Knee

Joe Evinger, OL Back

Michaelee Harris, WR Knee 

Out

LB Brandon Heath (finger)

RB Kamal Hogan (concussion)

OL Kamran Joyer (foot)

WR Troy Pascley (knee) 

Probable

TE Pete Nochta (knee)

“”

PITTSBURGH (vs. New Hampshire, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

None reported 

Questionable

S Dom DeCicco (hamstring)

DE Greg Romeus (back)

S Andrew Taglianetti (groin) 

Probable

RB Ray Graham (knee) 

“”

RUTGERS (at Florida International, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

LSN Rob Horrell (knee)

WR Tim Wright (knee) 

Out

FB Robert Joseph (Lower Body)

WR Phil Lewis (Upper Body)

WR Quron Pratt (Upper Body)

RB Casey Turner (Lower Body)

OL Devon Watkins (Lower Body)

Questionable

OL Matt McBride (Lower Body)

Probable

DE Sorie Bayoh (Lower Body)

QB Steve Shimko (Upper Body)

WR J.T. Tartacoff (Lower Body)

“”

South Florida (at Florida, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

None reported 

Out

WR Sterling Griffin (ankle)

WR A.J. Love (knee)

OG John McGhin (hip)

“”

SYRACUSE (at Wasington, Sept. 11)

Out For Season

Ri’Shard Anderson, CB Shoulder

Cody Catalina, TE Knee

Carl Cutler, FB Knee

Ollie Haney, DL Chest

Jared Kimmel, DE Knee

Jarrod West, WR Foot 

Out

LB Ryan Gillum (Upper Body)

CB Kevyn Scott (Lower Body)

“”

WEST VIRGINIA (at Marshall, Sept. 10)

Out

Pat Lazear, LB (knee/tibia)

Doubtful

Branko Busick, LB (hand)

Tyler Urban, TE (knee)

Probable

Cole Bowers, OL (knee)

Out For Season

Nick Kindler, OL (shoulder)

Pending Surgery

Donovan Pearson, DL (toe, cyst)

“”

By Raphielle Johnson  

While the Big East took a number of hits last week due to a 4-4 weekend, it’s a new week and maybe last week wasn’t as bad as many determined. While member teams had just one win over an FBS team (Syracuse over Akron), three of the four losses came on the road (Cincinnati, Connecticut and Pittsburgh). Does this completely make up for the .500 week? Of course not, but at the very least it can be acknowledged that Big East teams were willing to accept the challenge of playing tough openers on the road. Week 2 brings a more manageable slate, with all eight teams playing and six Big East teams will be favored.  

One of the two underdogs: USF (1-0), who heads north to take on the Florida Gators (1-0; #8 AP/#6 Coaches) for the first time in school history (12:21 PM SEC Network/ESPN GamePlan). In the first game of the post-Tim Tebow era the Gator offense struggled, especially with the shotgun snap, and went into the locker room at the half with just fourteen net yards of offense. Given their opponent (Miami, Ohio; 1-11 in 2009) and the play of the defense, Florida was able to get away with this level of ineptitude but don’t expect to see a similar performance this week. The Gators got the ball moving in the fourth quarter, throwing downfield more in the game’s final fifteen minutes.  

“We tried earlier in the game,” said Coach Meyer in Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. “When you get out of rhythm as many times as we had in that first half, it’s tough to [on] second down and forever or a couple of those plays that we did have called when it was lack of execution. So consciously we did do that in the second half.”  

John Brantley, in his first start at quarterback, completed 17 of 25 passes for just 113 yards but he did throw a pair of touchdown passes without being intercepted. But he did have two of the eight fumbles charged to Florida on the afternoon (didn’t lose either and can be blamed on the snapping issues), with the Gators losing three. Florida’s also deep at running back, including the speedster Jeff Demps (8 carries, 98 yards and a touchdown), Mike Gillislee (6 carries, 55 yards) and Emmanuel Moody. The Bulls won’t see a prototypical “feature” back, but the Gators many options come together to make them a very dangerous team both on the ground and in the passing game (the same goes for their receivers at this stage, although Chris Rainey is a burner as well).  

This meeting will test the growth of the Bulls’ offense as well, most notably QB B.J. Daniels and the offensive line. Daniels is learning a new offense with new terminology, and going into The Swamp won’t be the easiest task for the sophomore. “Even though he got a year of experience under his belt a year ago,”  said USF head coach Skip Holtz in Monday’s Big East Coaches Teleconference. “He’s still very young from a mental standpoint and not just because he’s a sophomore but because we have come in and brought an entirely new offense in. He’s learned an entirely new language and he is mentally a true freshman in this new system.” 

While the Florida defensive line had a pair of sacks in the opener, that accounted for just 12 of the 35 yards that the Redhawks lost on the ground (net rushing: four yards). And the defensive line can be credited for much of that, led by redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard (had both sacks) and senior defensive end Justin Trattou. Florida will rotate a number of bodies up front; meaning that center Sampson Genus will need to get his line mates the proper line calls in dealing with the Florida front seven.  

But the biggest test may be reserved for WR Dontavia Bogan and the rest of the pass catchers, as they will deal with the likes of Ahmad Black and Janoris Jenkins. Black led the Gators with 12 tackles last weekend, including 1.5 TFL and an interception returned 40 yards. Jenkins actually scored on his pick, giving Florida their first points of the game on a 67-yard return in the second quarter while also breaking up three passes and making four tackles. If Bogan, Evan Landi and the rest of the USF receivers struggle to get open it could be a long day offensively for the visitors. But it will help their cause if the running backs can make some headway on the ground, which would open things up through the air.  

This most certainly is not Stony Brook, but Florida also knows that they’re taking on a team better than the Miami (Ohio) outfit they dispatched 34-12. USF has picked up some big wins in the month of September in recent years, and if they can win the turnover battle Coach Holtz’s team has the ability to give Florida some trouble. Don’t expect anyone to pick the Bulls to win on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done.  

#23 AP/#22 Coaches West Virginia (1-0) at Marshall (0-1) 7 PM Friday on ESPN

Just because the Thundering Herd have yet to win a “Friends of Coal Bowl” in their history doesn’t mean that the Mountaineers will show up in Huntington expecting an easy win. And a familiar face will be on the Marshall sideline as head coach as well, with Doc Holliday running the show in his first season at the helm. Marshall has lost their last nine meetings with ranked teams, and if they’re unable to run the football as they were against Ohio State last Thursday (44 yards on 21 attempts) the streak will move to ten. They tried to run the ball by committee in Columbus and more of the same should be expected as none of the ballcarriers did much to separate themselves, and QB Brian Anderson completed 18 of 35 passes for 135 yards and an interception.  

Sailing was smoother for the Mountaineers, whose defense and special teams carried the day until the offense got untracked in a 31-0 shutout of Coastal Carolina. Noel Devine led the way on the ground with 111 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries as West Virginia rushed for 184 yards and QB Geno Smith completed 20 of 27 passes for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns (one interception). In last season’s meeting (24-7 WVU) Smith completed 15 of 21 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown in place of Jarrett Brown, who was knocked out of the game in the first quarter. Marshall was solid defensively in that meeting but their offense could muster little after taking a 7-0 lead into the second quarter and after giving up 529 yards to Ohio State last week expect many adjustments.  

How does West Virginia make this an even tougher contest than it’s expected to be? Fail to take care of the football and get off to another slow start offensively. But given the ability of their defense and special teams, Bill Stewart’s club has enough firepower to withstand such a beginning. Marshall’s lone touchdown last week came on a blocked field goal, which shows the threat they can provide on special teams while also underlining how much the offense struggled. Rivalry games are a tricky prospect, but WVU should be fine in Huntington.  

Texas Southern (0-1) at Connecticut (0-1) Noon on SNY

The Huskies look to move forward from that pasting at the hands of Michigan, taking on a team from the SWAC for the first time in school history in the home opener. Jordan Todman rushed for 105 yards in Ann Arbor, but that may have been about the only positive to take from the 30-10 defeat. One thing to keep an eye on: the mindset of the Huskies given the hype surrounding the Michigan game and the harsh reality that hit their collective chins. Receivers dropped passes, the defensive line was manhandled and the defense overall was caught out of position and missed tackles in the open field. Not to say that it’s impossible that the Tigers can win, but this is a good opportunity to shore up the fundamentals ahead of next week’s tough road game at Temple.  

Texas Southern put up 373 yards of offense in a 16-14 loss to Prairie View A&M last weekend, but four interceptions thrown by QB Arvell Nelson (including one returned for a touchdown) did TSU in. RB Marcus Wright and WR William Osborne are two of the other offensive players UConn will need to keep an eye on, but Lawrence Wilson, Greg Lloyd Jr. and company should be able to take care of business. One question (that won’t have much of an answer until the conference releases injury reports on Thursday) is the health of Husky linebacker Scott Lutrus, who missed a number of snaps on Saturday. Coach Edsall was mum about it on Monday, telling the media that no injury-related info would be given until the report was released. But this would be the optimal game for Lutrus to sit if it came to that point.  

Indiana State (1-0) at Cincinnati (0-1) Noon on FSN Ohio

One common thread in the three Big East losses on the road was the fact that the visitors all lost the battle up front, and the beating was no more decisive than what happened in Fresno Saturday night. Fresno State, one of the worst teams in college football last season in terms of sacks (9), sacked Zach Collaros eight times in the 28-14 victory. And to add injury to insult, WR Vidal Hazelton tore an ACL on a second half kickoff return, ending his season after sitting out a year per NCAA transfer rules. Senior Marcus Barnett moves into Hazelton’s vacated role from the slot, and the Sycamores look to be a good opponent for the Bearcats to work out the receiving corps as well as the offensive line kinks ahead of their trip to NC State.  

Indiana State beat St. Joseph’s (IN) 57-7 in their season opener, with senior RB Darius Gates rushing for 160 yards and three touchdowns while freshman RB Shakir Bell added 133 yards and a score. But Cincinnati isn’t St. Joseph’s, as the Bearcats limited Fresno State to 49 yards on the ground last week. But if there was a defensive concern it was the mistakes in the secondary, which may not be challenged much by an ISU offense that threw for 143 yards and would much rather use their running backs to get the job done offensively. Keep an eye on the Bearcat receivers, especially those who lack the experience of an Armon Binns or D.J. Woods; Cincinnati needs to find a way to improve their depth at this position before the games get tougher.  

New Hampshire (1-0) at Pittsburgh (0-1) 1 PM on ESPN3

Following the overtime loss at Utah, Pittsburgh hosts New Hampshire in the first meeting ever between the two programs. And the Wildcats are no slouch either; currently ranked 5^th in the FCS Top 25, UNH has won its last five games against current Big East members (UConn four times) and plays in arguably the best conference at the FCS level (CAA). In the 33-3 win over Central Connecticut State last Thursday Dontra Peters rushed for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Terrance Fox returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. The Pittsburgh defensive line, which lost the battle against Utah’s offensive line last week, needs to assert itself (especially ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard) early and set the tone for a unit that failed to get to QB Jordan Wynn and gave up 405 yards.  

QB Tino Sunseri made some strides in last week’s loss, especially in the fourth quarter as he helped get the Panthers into position to force overtime. Then he was picked off on the first play of the extra session, setting the stage for the Utes to pound the ball into position for an easy game-winning field goal. He’ll need to do a better job of using WR Jon Baldwin in the passing game, as the All-America candidate didn’t record a reception until the fourth quarter. Of course there were a number of missed opportunities in the red zone where either Sunseri didn’t look to Baldwin or the play calls were geared towards their best aerial option; this week gives Pitt a chance to improve in this area ahead of a bye week before Miami (FL) comes calling on the 23^rd. Also worth keeping an eye on is the health of RB Ray Graham, who dressed last week but was unable to go due to injury. The more they can get from him the better Dion Lewis is as the feature back, and Graham’s presence will make this contest that much more manageable. 

Eastern Kentucky (0-1) at Louisville (0-1) 3:30 PM on Big East Network (local)

Things didn’t look too good for Charlie Strong and company at the half, as they trailed Kentucky 20-3 and looked to be headed in the wrong direction. But the coaches made some very good adjustments at the half, turning a possible blowout into a respectable 23-16 defeat, dropping their fourth straight in the rivalry. But a visit from Eastern Kentucky allows Victor Anderson, Bilal Powell, Adam Froman and company the opportunity to work on getting off to faster starts. Powell rushed for 153 yards and a score last weekend, and while Anderson didn’t have the same success on the ground he did have a critical kickoff return that got the momentum rolling.  

But Louisville needs to get more from Froman (127 yards) and company in the passing game, Doug Beaumont and Cameron Graham each finished last week’s game with three receptions and the Cardinals can use this game to find a playmaker or two on the outside (EKU does have one of the best DBs at the FCS level in Jeremy Caldwell). “What we have to do is just make more plays at that position,” said Coach Strong on Monday. “We just have to get the ball in the right guys’ hands…we have some guys that we can line up at that position. We just need playmakers.” 

Defensively, Louisville will need to slow down Derby City native QB T.J. Pryor, who threw for 315 yards in the Colonels’ season-opening loss to Missouri State. The Bears were able to take away the EKU running game while also forcing three turnovers (two interceptions) in the 31-9 victory. Louisville had issues in the first half in regards to missed assignments defensively, which backed them into a corner they were unable to fight out of completely. That shouldn’t be an issue this weekend, but if they fail to control Pryor and favored target Tyrone Goard things could be more complicated than they should be.  

Syracuse (1-0) at Washington (0-1) 7 PM on FSN Northwest/FCS Atlantic

The Orange, winners of their first season opener since 2003, are back on the road with a far stiffer test on their hands this weekend. Husky Stadium is one of the tougher environments for visiting teams, as the crowd noise reverberates off of the roof and back onto the field when the crowd is fired up. And in senior QB Jake Locker they’ve got one of the most respected signal-callers in the nation; the key for the Syracuse defense will be to force the ball out of his hands and make the other Huskies beat them. Syracuse is 1-11-1 heading west for non-conference games since 1964 while Washington is 23-2 since 1970 when facing teams from the east at home; those numbers don’t bode too well if you believe in history’s impact.  

Syracuse offensively got the job done on the ground last week, rushing for 202 yards (Delone Carter led the way with 91 yards while Antwon Bailey added 58) and taking some of the pressure off of Ryan Nassib. They’ll need more of the same; too many long-yardage situations for the young quarterback would play right into the hands of Nick Holt’s defense. Van Chew and Alec Lemon, who both played well last week, will go up against a pair of talented yet young (both are sophomores) corners in Desmond Trufant and Nate Fellner. BYU was able to put up 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns against this group; if Syracuse can do the same in addition to run the football they’ve got a chance to pull off the upset.  

Defensively the bar gets raised substantially for the Syracuse defense that did most of what they wanted to the Zips. Locker’s ability to hurt opponents both through the air and with his legs makes him one of the top pro prospects in college football, and an early pick for some to win the Heisman Trophy. BYU held him to 29 yards on the ground last week, sacking Locker once on the evening. RB Chris Polk is the primary rushing option for the Huskies, rushing for 92 yards on 16 carries last week and was the 10^th back in Washington history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark (1,113) in 2009. Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar are the primary threats in the passing game, but the Syracuse secondary has the athletic ability to compete. If they can contain Locker, the Orange have a shot to win. That being said, this is a tall task for a team still learning how to win.  

Rutgers (1-0) at Florida International (0-0) 8 PM on SNY/Big East Network

While there isn’t a “rivalry”  connection between the Scarlet Knights and Golden Panthers this is a big game for the Rutgers program. Why? Location, location, location. Greg Schiano and his staff hit the State of Florida, especially south Florida, hard when it comes to recruiting and an impressive showing in Miami would help to make an impression on the scholastic programs in that area. It’s also the season opener for FIU, winners of three games in 2009, and they boast a pair of talented offensive players in junior wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (57 receptions for 632 yards and 5 TDs; 28.8 yards per kickoff return) and senior center Brad Serini (Rimington Award watch list).  

Rutgers played well defensively last week after a sluggish first quarter, but Norfolk State did not have a playmaker the caliber of Hilton, who can turn the direction of a game with one touch of the football. In last year’s meeting (a 23-15 Rutgers victory) the Scarlet Knights finished with five sacks while also limiting the Golden Panthers to just 42 yards rushing. Offensively, Rutgers will need to see more out of QB Tom Savage, and the Scarlet Knights will be tested in the passing game by FIU defensive backs Anthony Gaitor and Jonathan Cyprien; we’ll find out of RU has any other playmakers at receiver outside of Mohamed Sanu ready to step up. RB Joe Martinek eclipsed the 100-yard mark last week and rushed for 121 yards in last season’s meeting, and the presence of Jordan Thomas (and De’Antwan Williams) will help the running game even more.  

Rutgers should be on full alert Saturday night; the season opener is usually an adrenaline rush for any team, and adding the visit of a team from a BCS conference to that equation should have FIU sky-high. If Savage can get some things going through the air it becomes far easier for Rutgers to move the football offensively, and the defense is talented enough to slow down Hilton and limit his opportunities.  

Picks (6-2 last week via Twitter; UConn and Cincinnati were the losses)

West Virginia over Marshall

UConn over Texas Southern

Florida over USF

Cincinnati over Indiana State

Pittsburgh over New Hampshire

Louisville over Eastern Kentucky

Washington over Syracuse

Rutgers over FIU

By Raphielle Johnson

The Big East Conference released its selections for Players of the Week and the Honor Roll on Monday morning, with Syracuse players winning both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week while a Scarlet Knight was named Special Teams Player of the Week. The honorees are as follows:

Big East Offensive Player of the Week: QB Ryan Nassib (Syracuse)

17-27, 229 yards and two touchdown passes; rushed for 58 yards on nine attempts.

Big East Defensive Player of the Week: FS Mike Holmes (Syracuse)

Six tackles and one sack, and scored a touchdown on a 57-yard blocked field goal return in the third quarter.

Big East Special Team Player of the Week: CB Brandon Bing (Rutgers)

Blocked two punts to set up scores (one of which was returned for a TD) in the Scarlet Knights’  31-0 victory over Norfolk State, while also racking up four tackles.

Honor Roll

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville: 153 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the Cardinals’ 23-16 loss to Kentucky.

Alex Silvestro, DE, Rutgers: Five tackles (four TFL) and a sack in the Scarlet Knights’ 31-0 win over Norfolk State.

B.J. Daniels, QB, USF: 15-22, 264 yards and two touchdown passes in the Bulls’ 59-14 win over Stony Brook.

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: 23 carries for 11 yards and a touchdown in the Mountaineers’ 31-0 win over Coastal Carolina. The senior back moved into eighth all-time on the conference’s career rushing list.

Gregg Pugnetti, P, West Virginia: Averaged 49.2 yards per punt on six attempts, including a long of 71 yards and two punts that were downed at the Coastal Carolina 1-yard line.

Hazelton out for the season

Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones announced in today’s coaches teleconference that WR Vidal Hazelton, who sat out last season as a transfer (USC) would be out for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL suffered in Saturday’s loss at Fresno State. Coach Jones went on to mention that senior Marcus Barnett would move outside and fill Hazelton’s role. Barnett got his career at UC off to a thrilling start as a freshman, only to make his way into Brian Kelly’s doghouse each of the next two seasons. But adding this to other losses before the season even began, you have to wonder about the Bearcats’ depth at receiver.

By Raphielle Johnson

After Pittsburgh’s overtime loss at Utah on Thursday night the onus was on Cincinnati and Connecticut to show well in nationally televised road games. Do so and the Big East can at least remain in a holding pattern in regards to perception. But thanks in large part to losing the battle in the trenches both the Bearcats and Huskies return home licking their wounds and needing to rectify some serious issues. UConn led things off with a 30-10 loss at Michigan, a contest that turned for good on a D.J. Shoemate fumble at the Michigan 3 on 4^th & 1 with 2:29 remaining in the 3^rd quarter. But while that fumble may have shut the door there was a long list of issues that led to the Huskies being in such a predicament to begin with.

After forcing UConn into a three and out on the game’s first possession, Rich Rodriguez’s Wolverines went right to work, driving 96 yards on 14 plays and going ahead on a 12-yard run from Vincent Smith. The issues for the Husky defense: poor tackling and a front four outweighed by a large margin. Sound familiar? QB Denard Robinson, who was named the starter yet hadn’t done enough in fall camp to be declared the only man for the job, put together the best performance of his career. The sophomore rushed for 197 yards on 29 carries (1 TD; 6.8 yards per rush) while also completing 19 of 22 passes for another 186 yards and a score. But the most amazing statistic: ten different times Robinson rushed for a first down. Hank Hughes’ defense had no answers for the Wolverines’ spread option as Rodriguez moved to 5-0 (no wins by single digits) against Edsall all-time.

“It’s a totally different team because of the quarterback. It’s a totally different team,” said Coach Edsall. “I would say that Rich would feel very, very comfortable with this guy [Robinson] at quarterback because this is what Rich did when we played him at West Virginia with Pat White. I’m not saying that he’s Pat White because Pat was pretty good, but with time I think that this young man will have a chance to become a very good quarterback (quote courtesy of the Michigan Sports Network).”

Michigan eventually led 21-0 after a Michael Shaw touchdown run with 9:12 remaining in the second quarter before the Husky offense showed any sign of life. David Teggart converted a field goal from 32 yards out to put UConn on the board, but the offense was victimized by drops in the passing game and the inability to stay on the field (4-for-15 on third down) in order to buy the defense some extra time to rest (Michigan, by contrast, was 14-for-19 on third down). Simply put the visitors were lucky to head into the locker room down just 21-10.

The Wolverines ran nearly seven minutes off the clock to start the third quarter, with Brendan Gibbons making a field goal from 24 yards out to increase the lead to fourteen. But with a one-score game well within reach, UConn saw their best chance knocked out of the grasp or Shoemate inside the Michigan 5. “We had a chance to go in and make it a seven-point ballgame and you fumble the ball,” said Edsall. “Again it’s little things, technique things like get the ball on your outside arm and cover it up when you’re down in that area (quote courtesy of the Michigan Sports Network).”

Now 0-1 on the season, UConn returns home to take on Texas Southern at noon next Saturday. And with so many of the issues that sprung up in Ann Arbor being the same ones that plagued them through much of 2009, expect the fundamentals to be stressed heavily in the days of practice leading up to the home opener. While the same can’t be said for the two-time defending Big East champions, Cincinnati’s offensive linemen won’t have much fun going over the film from their late-night loss at Fresno State. The Bulldogs scored the game’s final 28 points after falling behind 14-0 to end the Bearcats’ 18-game regular season win streak, 28-14.

Pat Hill’s Bulldogs were one of the nation’s most inept teams when it came to sacking the quarterback, registering just nine in all of 2009. The total Saturday night: eight. Those sacks played a major role in the Bearcats finishing with just 15 yards on the ground and with QB Zach Collaros having little time to wait for his receivers to get open, the passing game sputtered as well (5.3 yards per attempt). On a night that saw the Cincinnati defense perform well against the run (49 yards on 30 carries), the Bearcat defense had some lapses in the passing game that proved fatal once their offense was neutralized.

Ryan Colburn, who completed 18 of 24 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns (one interception), led the Bulldogs on three consecutive scoring drives spanning the second and third quarters. Colburn hit Robbie Rouse for the first touchdown, getting the Bulldogs on the board four plays after a Cincinnati three and out was capped by a 20-yard loss (sack). After four more Bearcat offensive plays Fresno State went 42 yards on five plays, tying the game on a 16-yard pass from Colburn to Jamel Hamler. And while Colburn and company continued to move the football, Cincinnati essentially ground to a halt.

No drive in the second half went for more than 22 yards, and the absence of a running game or pass protection shut the door on any kind of comeback in the fourth quarter. “I was real proud of the way our team played tonight, especially our defense,” said Fresno State head coach Pat Hill. “I was really happy for them, because that is an explosive offensive football team. They played great tonight the Bulldog defense, we have something to build on there (quote courtesy of Fresno State Athletics).” Next up for the Bearcats is Indiana State in the home opener at noon.

Kentucky 23, Louisville 16

Despite a career-best 153 yards from senior running back Bilal Powell, the Cardinals lost to their in-state rival for the fourth consecutive time in front of a packed house at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Derrick Locke, who led Kentucky with 104 yards rushing, scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter as the Wildcats took a 13-0 lead into the second quarter. The Cardinals didn’t get on the board until Chris Philpott connected from 42 yards out early in the second quarter, and Kentucky took a 20-6 lead into the locker room. But the second half produced a far better performance from Charlie Strong’s squad, which simply had to come out and do a better job of executing the fundamentals.

“We knew we had a lot of new guys,” said linebacker Brandon Heath. “We were too anxious to make plays and everybody had to settle down, that’s what we did in the second half. We pretty much shut them out in the second half (quote courtesy of Louisville Athletics).” The Cardinal defense allowed just three points in the final thirty minutes, getting back into the contest on Powell’s 80-yard run with 8:41 left in the third quarter to answer a Ryan Tydlacka 41-yard field goal. The key for Louisville offensively will be to get Victor Anderson rolling (32 yards on eight carries) and instilling more confidence in senior QB Adam Froman (14-29, 127 yards and an interception). If those two can produce along with Powell this becomes a far better offense than the 2009 version.

While coaches don’t believe in moral victories, the second half offered positive signs for a team that in the first thirty minutes looked a lot like the one that limped to four wins last season. But if the young defense can stay in the proper positions and execute, and Froman (and his receivers) can get something going in the passing game Louisville will be a better football team. “We need to limit our dropped balls,” said tight end Cameron Graham. “Sometimes when you drop balls you try to concentrate too hard. You might look away too early. We need to concentrate and look the ball in and make plays for our offense (quote courtesy of Louisville Athletics).” Next up for Louisville is Eastern Kentucky, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 PM on Saturday.

USF 59, Stony Brook 14

While the first game of the Skip Holtz era got off to a slow start, the Seawolves of Stony Brook proved to be of little match for B.J. Daniels and company. Special teams errors essentially spotted the Big South co-champions a 14-7 lead after Michael Coulter hit Brock Jackolski with a 27-yard strike with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter. But once the Bulls got going they were near impossible for Stony Brook to stop, racking up 563 yards and forcing four turnovers while scoring the final 52 points of the game. Daniels took to the new offensive system with relative ease, completing 15 of 22 passes for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also rushing for 23 yards on five carries (one touchdown).

The goal is to keep Daniels from taking on as much of a burden as he had to last year, and given the number of players who were given opportunities in the run game that could actually happen. Freshman Marcus Shaw rushed for a team-high 86 yards on four carries (63 coming on the final TD of the game) while Demetris Murray (10 carries, 77 yards) and Moise Plancher (7 carries, 27 yards) received the bulk of the carries; if the Bulls are to preserve Daniels’ body throughout the season they’ll need to limit the number of hits that he takes. Evan Landi led all pass catchers with six receptions for 104 yards while Dontavia Bogan took a hitch 59 yards for a score on the first offensive play of the season.

23 players saw their first action for USF, who picked off four passes (Mark Joyce returned one for a 33-yard touchdown in the third quarter) and limited the Seawolves to 2-12 on third down. Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore remarked after the game that you can wake up the “sleeping giant” after giving them a scare in the early going, and that’s exactly what happened after the shaky first quarter. And it’s also appropriate for the challenge that awaits the Bulls next weekend. The Bulls head north to take on Florida, and given the Gators’ poor offensive performance you can bet that they’ll be ready to get back onto the field.

Syracuse 29, Akron 3

Doug Marrone’s team holds the distinction of owning the Big East’s lone win over an FBS opponent, opening their season with a win for the first time since the 2003 season. Ryan Nassib threw for 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Delone Carter led all rushers with 91 yards and a touchdown. But there’s definitely work to be done between now and next weekend’s game at Washington, especially on special teams. There were issues receiving punts (swirling winds made this tricky) as well as two botched PATs; while they could get away with those miscues and three turnovers (two lost fumbles) against the struggling Zips they won’t be as lucky in Seattle.

Syracuse’s first offensive drive of the season gave fans a reason to cheer as Nassib and company drove 69 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a 23-yard strike to Aaron Weaver to put the first points on the board. Ross Krautman made a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter to give Syracuse a 10-0 lead, with the two teams both scoring in the final 1:16 of the half (Akron field goal, Syracuse touchdown pass from Nassib to Van Chew) to make it 17-3 at the break. From there it was about the Syracuse defense closing out a solid performance (allowing just 166 yards and limiting the Zips to 4-for-17 on third downs) and the special teams even returning a blocked field goal for the touchdown that essentially sealed the outcome.

Overall the special teams did their damage in this area as well as coverage as the Zips seldom enjoyed good starting field position outside of the two fumbles recovered by their defense. With Jake Locker and company playing their home opener on the heels of a tough loss at BYU, Syracuse should be ready for the Huskies to come out of the gate flying next weekend. But if Saturday was an indicator of how things could go in the second year under Marrone then they should be more than ready.

West Virginia 31, Coastal Carolina 0

While the Mountaineers didn’t get off to a blazing start against the overmatched Chanticleers, they took care of business as Geno Smith completed 20 of 27 passes for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his first career start. Noel Devine eclipsed the 100-yard mark (111 yards) while Jock Sanders (8 receptions, 71 yards) and Tavon Austin (5 receptions, 90 yards) did a good job in the passing game. But the most impressive aspect of the win was the defense, which limited Coastal Carolina to just over three yards per play overall and 63 yards rushing on 33 carries in posting its first shutout since a 38-0 pasting of Cincinnati in 2005.

The Mountaineers led just 10-0 at the half thanks to scores from J.D. Woods (4-yard reception) and Tyler Bitancurt (21-yard field goal), pulling away for good in the third quarter with scores from Jock Sanders and Ryan Clarke. Freshman Barry Brunetti was the only other quarterback to see time, playing in the fourth quarter following the Mountaineers’ final scoring drive early in the stanza. While the offense still has some kinks to work out ahead of Friday night’s visit to Marshall, the defense and special teams left head coach Bill Stewart pleased. West Virginia has now won nine straight home games.

Positives

• West Virginia defense and special teams: Coastal Carolina was overmatched, but it’s still impressive to limit a team to three yards per play.
• Bilal Powell: Career-high 153 yards rushing, including an 80-yard touchdown run that got Louisville back into the game.
• B.J. Daniels: The Bulls’ signal caller did a good job of moving the offense, and he also didn’t take many hits. Without an experienced backup, B.J.’s health will be key this season.

Negatives

• Conference perception: Pitt’s loss at Utah was by no means bad, especially when compared to the performances put up by Cincinnati and Connecticut. One win over an FBS opponent.
• Cincinnati offensive line: Giving up eight sacks to a team that had nine all of last season is inexcusable.
• Connecticut defense: The issues of last season (tackling in space, secondary execution) reared their ugly heads in Ann Arbor, and Michigan also exploited a defensive line that’s rather light in the britches. Not a good sign.

Next Week’s Schedule

West Virginia at Marshall (Friday, 7 PM ESPN2)

USF at Florida (Saturday, TBA)

Indiana State at Cincinnati (Saturday, Noon)

Texas Southern at Connecticut (Saturday, Noon SNY/Big East)

New Hampshire at Pittsburgh (Saturday, 1 PM)

Eastern Kentucky at Louisville (Saturday, 3:30 PM)

Syracuse at Washington (Saturday, 7 PM FSN)

Rutgers at Florida International (Saturday, 8 PM)

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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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.

Thursday 7:30 PM (ESPN3) Norfolk State at Rutgers

These two schools have met just once, and that didn’t go too well for the Spartans as Ray Rice and company spanked them 59-0 back in 2007. While Norfolk State looks a little better in regards to possibly scoring this time around, the prospects for actually winning look quite grim. Rutgers will have to keep tabs of preseason All-MEAC selection RB DeAngelo Branche, but a defense led by safety Joe Lefeged and linebacker Antonio Lowery could make a move towards duplicating last season’s 34 turnovers forced. Offensively, sophomore QB Tom Savage begins the season as the unquestioned starter with his need to stay healthy being almost as important as his production.

Unfortunately for RU, Kordell Young is out due to injury but leading rusher Joe Martinek returns and will be aided by the addition of freshman Jordan Thomas. If these two, along with Mohamed Sanu at wide receiver, produce as they’re capable of Rutgers should roll. In fact, even if the Scarlet Knights should get off to a sloppy start don’t expect them to not finish the Spartans off with relative ease. This opener allows the other receivers, who need to step up lest opponents focus solely on Sanu, to get their feet wet and build some confidence. Also keep an eye on TE D.C. Jefferson, who could be one of the Big East’s best with a full season at the position under his belt.

Saturday 3:30 PM (ABC/ESPN) Connecticut at Michigan

The second of three big games for the Big East this weekend takes UConn to Ann Arbor for their first-ever meeting with the Wolverines. It’s the first game in a newly-expanded Michigan Stadium, and given the offseason this game could be seen as vital for head coach Rich Rodriguez. Coach Rodriguez, who found himself at the center of still ongoing NCAA inquiries at Michigan and West Virginia, needs to get off to a good start in his third season at Michigan and will likely play more than one quarterback on Saturday.

Denard Robinson seemed to have held the lead for the starting nod throughout camp with incumbent Tate Forcier and true freshman Devin Gardner still in hot pursuit. The key for the UConn defense in slowing down the Michigan spread: sure tackling in space, an issue for much of last season. But head coach Randy Edsall had a surprise for the masses on Monday, releasing the depth chart with Greg Lloyd not only present but starting at middle linebacker. Originally declared a medical redshirt due to an ACL injury suffered in the Syracuse game last season, Lloyd teams up with Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus in one of the nation’s best linebacking units.

Offensively, Zach Frazer won’t have to worry about Michigan’s best defensive back (Troy Woolfolk), who is out for the year due to a dislocated ankle suffered in fall drills. This is a good development for a receiving corps that needs some players outside of Kashif Moore and tight end Ryan Griffin to step up. But the Huskies know where their offensive bread is buttered: on the ground behind one of the Big East’s best lines. Backs Jordan Todman, Robbie Frey and USC transfer D.J. Shoemate will all tote the football on Saturday, and if the Michigan defense hasn’t improved (10^th in the Big Ten in rushing defense) it could be a long day for the home team.

UConn has won both of their prior meetings against a Big Ten member but it should also be noted that both wins came over Indiana. In terms of football history the Hoosiers are a long way away from the Wolverines, who also have the motivation of an embarrassing two-year run that has the fan base on edge and ready to howl for their head coach’s head. If the Husky defense, especially the secondary, plays the way it did in the PapaJohns.com Bowl they could end up heading back to Storrs with a historic win in tow. But even if a shootout were to occur, Coach Edsall may still have enough to pick up his first win over Coach Rodriguez.

Saturday 3:30 PM (ABC/ESPN) Kentucky at Louisville

The battle for the Governor’s Cup will be one that attracts many viewers, from the 55,000 in the newly expanded Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium to the many nationwide looking to see what’s in store with both head coaches (UK’s Joker Phillips and UL’s Charlie Strong) coaching their first game as the man in charge. The Wildcats have won the last three meetings, forcing a pair of key turnovers late to beat the Cardinals 31-27 last season in Lexington. QB Mike Hartline opens the season as Kentucky’s starter for the third consecutive season with the hope that he can end his senior campaign in a better fashion than his prior two, while senior Adam Froman gets the nod for Louisville.

But three of the four best offensive players in this game are running backs: Kentucky’s Derrick Locke and Louisville’s Victor Anderson and Bilal Powell. Anderson rushed for 110 yards and a score in last year’s meeting, but Powell was shut down (12 carries, two yards) in the loss. Add in Kentucky senior WR Randall Cobb, who can make a variety of things happen with the football in his hands, and you’ve got a matchup that should result in some points. The key for Louisville: the improvement of their defense under Coach Strong and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, both of whom possess impressive coaching credentials from prior stops. For Kentucky, they’ll need defensive coordinator Steve Brown to work some more magic with six starters (including CB Trevard Lindley) needing to be replaced.

In the first season under Brown’s tutelage the UK defense jumped from 118^th to 53^rd in total defense, and despite the personnel losses there are experienced played back on all three levels. DE DeQuin Evans and CB Randall Burden are two of the key contributors defensively, and job one will be to shut down Anderson and Powell. If Kentucky can do that and force Froman to have to win the game with his arm it could be a long afternoon for the Cardinals, and the same goes for the Louisville defense in regards to slowing down Locke and Cobb. A win here gets the victorious team headed in the right direction as both boast slates that could get them out of the first month 3-1.

Saturday 3:30 PM (Big East Network) Coastal Carolina at #25/t-24 West Virginia 

The Geno Smith era gets underway in Morgantown as the Mountaineers host a Coastal Carolina squad that returns 22 starters from last season. The Chanticleers, picked to finish 3^rd in the Big South, also boast an All-American in the secondary in the form of Josh Norman (8 interceptions in 2009) and an all-conference candidate on offense (TE David Duran). While it will be tough sledding for CCU in terms of actually winning the game, they could be a pesky foe as Liberty was for WVU last year (the Flames shared the Big South title with Stony Brook). But the problem for CCU could be their rushing defense, which ranked a putrid 95^th nationally last season.

This sets up as the kind of game that could see not only Noel Devine go off, but also offers some of the other backs on the Mountaineer depth chart get some reps as well. Add in the versatile Jock Sanders and fellow receiver Tavon Austin, and Bill Stewart’s team looks a safe bet to take care of business at home. Besides the way in which Smith runs the offense, the production at wide receiver is also worth keeping an eye on. For Sanders and Austin there are more than a few players who need to step up and make their presence known in order for WVU to be successful in 2010. Does WVU make this one tougher than it should be and look ahead to the matchup at Marshall next week? That may be the only thing that stops them against the Chanticleers.

Saturday 6 PM (ESPN3) Syracuse at Akron

The Orange hit the road in a game that likely won’t make waves nationally unless they happen to lose, with the Zips taking the field in the first game of the Rob Ianello era. Coach Ianello made his decision in regards to his starting quarterback earlier this week as well, handing the reigns to sophomore Patrick Nicely. Nicely started seven games as a true freshman in 2009, but Matt Rodgers (who began 2009 as the starter before going down with a season-ending knee injury) is also available and ready if needed. The Zips were a rough outfit to watch offensively last season, ranking 11^th in the MAC in total offense (300.9 ypg) while averaging just over 19 points per game. LB Derrell Smith leads a Syracuse defense that returns 12 starters (yes, 12) and 73% of the tackles made in 2009, and the unit held the Zips to just 50 yards in the second half of last year’s meeting (28-14 SU win).

Offensively the difference in last year’s game was RB Delone Carter, who rushed for 170 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries, and it’s a good thing that the senior was reinstated early in fall camp. Along with Carter (who will start) in the backfield are the experienced Antwon Bailey and freshman Prince-Tyson Gulley, who steps into the role vacated by the academically ineligible Averin Collier. QB Ryan Nassib, who beat out Charlie Loeb for the starting job in the spring, needs to expand the offense through the air in order to free things up in the running game and he’ll need some wide receivers to step to the forefront. Van Chew and Alec Lemon are the listed starters but who will make plays downfield?

That’s the key question that needs answering on Saturday, and if it can be answered in the affirmative it would be a positive sign heading into their trip to Washington next weekend. The Zips were solid defensively and return three starters at linebacker, including Brian Wagner (an impressive 132 tackles as a freshman in 2009) and Mike Thomas. Very good against the pass last season (4^th in the MAC in pass defense), the Zips have to replace three starters in the secondary. This could bode well for the Syracuse passing game, but they weren’t exactly world beaters through the air in 2009. Look for the Akron to be energetic, as it’s rare that they get to host an opponent from a BCS conference, but this is a game that the Orange should win.

Saturday 7 PM Stony Brook at USF 

The Bulls kick off a “Holtz New Era” on Saturday night, hosting a Stony Brook squad that returns the majority of their key contributors that won a share of the Big South title last season. But while Chuck Priore’s squad will offer some resistance and the Bulls will take the field under a new staff for the first time this should be a convincing win for the Bulls. QB B.J. Daniels won’t have as many designed runs in the new offensive system but his athleticism is still something that opponents will need to account for. Moise Plancher and Bradley Battles (who had a very good fall camp) are the co-starters at running back, a position that has a number of bodies even with the dismissal of Mike Ford. And banged up at wide receiver (no Sterling Griffin or A.J. Love), players outside of Dontavia Bogan will have to opportunity to make their mark.

On both sides of the football the Seawolves have to replace seven starters from a season ago, but they also boast a pair of preseason All-America candidates in RB Edwin Gowins (890 yards, nine touchdowns) and K Wesley Skiffington (15-17 FGs, 26-30 PATs). Also worth noting is that this is Stony Brook’s first-ever game against an FBS opponent, so while they should be fully motivated to play (so long as Hurricane Earl doesn’t throw their travel plans for a serious loop) this is a level that they’ve never dealt with. This should also mean a good opportunity for the USF defense, especially the line, to get its’ bearings in advance of next week’s trip to Gainesville. Job one is to win; avoiding any major injuries is job two.

Saturday 10 PM (ESPN2) Cincinnati at Fresno State

The motto for the Fresno State program under Pat Hill has been a rather simple one: “Anyone, Anyplace, Anytime”. The Bulldogs have taken on many tough non-conference opponents and have been competitive more times than not (this mindset could have an adverse impact on their conference title hopes; Hill has yet to win a WAC crown), and this is a dangerous opener to the Butch Jones era despite RB Ryan Mathews being a San Diego Charger. Last season’s meeting was an interesting one that the Bearcats won 28-20, as Fresno State possessed the football for an astonishing 43:42 while gaining 443 yards. The Bulldogs rushed for 290 yards, exposing a chink in the Cincinnati defensive armor that didn’t prove fatal until Tim Tebow and company got a hold of the Bearcats in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Running the football for the Bulldogs will likely be a platoon that includes Robbie Rouse and A.J. Ellis among four players listed on the depth chart. Rouse has the most experience of the four (429 yards last year), and Coach Hill expects all four to see time. But the one man the Cincinnati defense will need to keep tabs on is WR Rashad Evans, a burner who played well as a freshman in 2008 but missed all of 2009 due to injury. The Cincinnati defense, which goes back to a 4-3 scheme under co-defensive coordinators Tim Banks and Jon Jancek, has to improve against the pass (78^th in 2009) and they will be tested by QB Ryan Colburn (who should be improved in his senior campaign).

But the Bearcats also return a number of contributors on one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, with QB Zach Collaros taking over full-time for the graduated Tony Pike. Fresno State was solid against the run in 2009, but dreadful against the pass (111^th nationally), and while Collaros can run he’s also a good passer who has a number of dangerous weapons at wide receiver and tight end to throw to. Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and TE Ben Guidugli all played major roles in 2009’s title run, and into the spotlight in place of Mardy Gilyard is USC transfer Vidal Hazelton. Big things are expected of Hazelton, and there are also three very good running backs in Isaiah Pead, Darrin Williams and John Goebel.

DE Chris Carter (First Team All-WAC) and S Lorne Bell (Second Team All-WAC) lead the Fresno State defense, a unit that will play with emotion but could find itself shorthanded in dealing the Bearcat offense. This will most certainly be a challenge for Cincinnati but it will be disappointing if they fail to take care of business in the Valley.

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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.

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.  

Connecticut:  Opoku moved to tight end (Wednesday)

Could freshman Andrew Opoku finally have a home in regards to his position? The North Brunswick, NJ native enrolled back in January as a safety only to be moved to outside linebacker during spring practice, and on Tuesday he was switched to tight end. Opoku, who played wide receiver in high school, noted following Tuesday’s practice that the area in which he needs the most work is blocking. With the “Husky” linebacker spot being four deep without Opoku and starter Ryan Griffin missing some practice due to a few bumps it made sense to shift the freshman. But with Griffin and John Delahunt ahead of him it’s a longshot that Opoku takes the field at Michigan in the season opener.  

      Martin looking to remain out of the dog house (Saturday)

One of the stories of the spring was the displeasure that head coach Randy Edsall had with the work of defensive end Tywon Martin, who dropped to third string at one point before finishing drills as a co-starter. Add in injuries to Greg Lloyd Jr. and Marcus Campbell and it’s a good thing that Martin has turned things around going into game week. The front four will be key against Michigan’s spread option attack, and if they can hold their own the Huskies have a very good chance of leaving Ann Arbor with the win.  

Louisville:  Froman gets the starting nod (Monday)

Both the Cardinals and rival Kentucky (Mike Hartline) made their decisions on Monday, with Charlie Strong handing the reins to the offense to senior Adam Froman. One of three competitors who saw time last season for a unit that lacked punch, Froman missed out of the preseason battle last year due to injury. The goal of offensive coordinator Mike Sanford and quarterbacks coach Mike Groh is to avoid a similar “musical chairs” scenario, and the best way to do that is for Froman to take control and perform. The physical tools are there; starting Saturday can Froman get the job done?  

            Coach Strong minces no words following practice (Wednesday)

One thing that the arrival of Charlie Strong brings to the Louisville program is the expectation of excellence, and to say the least the Cardinals didn’t bring their best effort to the field on Wednesday. Coach Strong moved the practice session to Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium with the thought being that guys would be more than ready to go, and that didn’t happen. Coach Strong made it known that his team had “wasted a day; we came out and we didn’t compete”. To say the least the bar’s been raised (in regards to what’s expected on a daily basis) in the Derby City; whether or not there’s a significant increase in wins remains to be seen.  

Pittsburgh:  Pitt’s biggest obstacle in 2010? The schedule. (Saturday)

Ranked 15^th in the first Associated Press poll of the season and a near-consensus pick to win the Big East, Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers will have their work cut out for them thanks to their schedule. It all begins with the trip out to Salt Lake City to take on Utah Thursday night, and a key for the Panthers in the opener will be the playcalling mastery of offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti (Sunday). With QB Tino Sunseri making his first start in a hostile environment it will be even more important for Cignetti to push the right buttons in regards to the plays he calls; the easier it is for Sunseri to get the ball to his playmakers the better the Panthers’ chances are.  

Rutgers:  Running back tandem looking to make an impact (Friday)

While Joe Martinek did well as the feature back in 2009, rushing for 967 yards and nine touchdowns to lead Rutgers, the offense missed out of a speed component at the position due in large part to the health of Kordell Young. But that could (and should) change this season due to true freshman Jordan Thomas, a speedy back who rushed for a school record 3,308 yards for Union-Endicott HS. While such a number may be a bit unrealistic at the level he now runs at, it’s expected that Thomas contribute. First there was Terell Willis and Bruce Presley, then Ray Rice and Brian Leonard. Could Martinek (redshirt junior) and Thomas get to that status at some point?  

            Savage ready to get the season going (Sunday)

The feeling for starting quarterback Tom Savage as the regular season opener on Thursday approaches is far different than what it was last year as a true freshman. From “sheer athletic terror” to “butterflies”, the sophomore feels like he’s ready to get things going. And with a number of areas that have uncertainties going into the opener against Norfolk State it’s a good thing that Savage feels far more prepared this year than last. The Scarlet Knights will need the Big East’s most experienced quarterback (12 career starts) to be just that.  

USF:   While the stars may be gone, Bulls defense enjoys the luxury of depth (Monday)

It’s not easy to replace the likes of Jason Pierre-Paul, Nate Allen and George Selvie to name three of the five starters lost on the USF defense. But while they won’t have many household names in the first season of the Skip Holtz era, the Bulls will enjoy the luxury of having a number of options all over the field. And for a team that gave up twice as many points in the second quarter as the first in 2009 Big East games, those extra legs should be a bonus in 2010.  

            St. Petersburg Times USF beat writer Greg Auman broke down the 2010 Bulls in this season preview, as well as a video interview with QB B.J. Daniels on his thoughts concerning the new offensive system.  

Syracuse:  Drop in weight leads to an increase in reps for Tiller (Wednesday)

Beating Miami for the services of Andrew Tiller out of Nassau CC was seen as a major coup for Doug Marrone in his first season coaching his alma mater. But there was one major issue for Tiller last season: his weight (408 pounds). The poor conditioning limited the transfer’s opportunity to contribute, but after dropping 70 pounds in the last year he’s got the starting right guard job heading into preparations for the season opener at Akron. Combining with fellow Nassau CC transfer Mike Hays (tackle) on the right side of the line, look for Tiller to clear the way for Syracuse’s stable of running backs all season (health withstanding).  

            Defensive tackle Haney out for the year (Tuesday)

The last thing Syracuse needed was another season-ending injury, but that’s exactly what happened when senior Ollie Haney tore a pectoral muscle in last Saturday’s Ernie Davis Club scrimmage. Haney’s loss makes seven Orange players who will not play this year due to injury or academic issues. Syracuse also has three freshmen who still haven’t been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse: DE Jason Bromley, LB Malcolm Cater and DB Keon Lyn.  

West Virginia:  Nine seniors emerge as starters on first depth chart (Wednesday)

Following last Saturday’s final scrimmage the Mountaineer coaching staff put together their depth chart going into the season opener against Coastal Carolina, and it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that nine of the starters are seniors. However, one of those seniors is not right guard Eric Jobe, who is now second behind redshirt freshman Cole Bowers. Seven seniors will start on the defensive side of the football, including Brandon Hogan, who regained his starting role at corner from sophomore Brodrick Jenkins.  

And in regards to the quarterback position freshmen Barry Brunetti and Jeremy Johnson are listed as co-backups behind Geno Smith and both could see time against the Chanticleers. On Friday Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail added a piece on freshman left tackle Quinton Spain along with a note on the improved positioning of redshirt freshman wide receiver J.D. Woods. Woods would likely see the field in four receiver sets, but overall the Mountaineers need some guys outside of Jock Sanders to step up. Look for a number of players to get their shot on Saturday.  

Awards Watch Lists

Lombardi: DE Julian Miller (West Virginia), LT Jason Pinkston (Pittsburgh), DE Greg Romeus (Pittsburgh), LB Derrell Smith (Syracuse), LB J.T. Thomas (West Virginia) and LB Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut) 

Rimington (nation’s best center): Ryan Bartholomew (Syracuse), Mario Benavides (Louisville) and Moe Petrus (Connecticut) 

Walker (nation’s best running back): Victor Anderson (Louisville), Noel Devine (West Virginia), Dion Lewis (Pittsburgh), Bilal Powell (Louisville) and Jordan Todman (Connecticut) 

Lowe’s Senior Class Award: DL Chris Neild (West Virginia) and LB Derrell Smith (Syracuse)

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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.