The Big East Preview
By Adam Barone The eight-team Big East, the shallowest BCS conference, got its seventh bowl
tie-in this off season—the St. Petersburg Bowl (huh?). At this rate, by
about 2025 every team in the country will make it to a bowl and bowls will be
pointless. This conference has a decent amount of depth, but it’s virtually
impossible that seven of the eight teams will be at least .500.
The Mountaineers are the favorite, but don’t tie up too much of your money
with them—in this unpredictable conference, it’s not unforeseeable
for them to finish last, or close to it.
South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe and Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy
will challenge White as the conference’s best player.
Sports handicapping requires research and preparation, so here’s an idea
of how Ace sees the Big East shaking out for your NCAA football betting in 2008:
Rising: Pittsburgh, Connecticut
Falling: Louisville
1. West Virginia: Bill Stewart takes over for Rich Rodriguez
after Rodriguez’s departure to Michigan and has 13 starters returning.
His hiring was a surprise and many feel that he got the job based only on an
emotional Fiesta Bowl Sooner-thrashing.
Pat White will run less this year, according to Stewart, simply because the
Mountaineers only losses came to South Florida and Pitt when White left early
because of injuries. Noel Devine will be an adequate replacement for Steve Slaton
behind an experienced offensive line.
Only four starters return on a defense that will need to retool. Both top tacklers,
Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy, are back and will probably have to do all the
work. Unless one or both of them are paralyzed or are involved in a farm accident
at some point, they’ll be the leading tacklers again this season.
2. South Florida: The Bulls’ only new starter on offense
will be at right tackle, and with 18 starters returning overall, South Florida
could climb in the national rankings in 2008.
Quarterback Matt Grothe is only a junior and could be a top NFL prospect. Sophomore
running back Mike Ford looks to improve on his 12 touchdown freshman season.
The defense lost cornerback Mike Jenkins, an NFL first round pick. The unit
also lost linebacker Ben Moffitt, and Jenkins’ counterpart—cornerback
Trae Williams. How well those holes can be filled will determine how far South
Florida can go this season.
3. Pittsburgh: Head coach Dave Wannstedt can recruit—Pitt
has the Big East’s best incoming class—but he flat out sucks at
managing a team on the field. Don’t believe too much of the hype on the
Panthers. Their roster is impressive, but the national media seems oblivious
to Wanny’s incompetence. Pitt could make it into the top five in the nation
with its talent, repeat last season’s 5-7, or be even worse.
Running back LeSean McCoy will be just a sophomore this season and is emerging
as one of the nation’s best backs. He’ll line up behind junior signal
caller Bill Stull, who went down in the first game last season with a thumb
injury. The inexperience of the offensive line could spell disaster for an otherwise
talented offense.
There’s a ton of depth at wide receiver, starting with Derek Kinder. Kinder
was a 2006 all Big East selection, but missed last season with a knee injury.
The front line on defense is fantastic, and all three starting linebackers return.
4. Connecticut: Everyone seems to sleep on the Huskies, but
they probably don’t mind. A whopping 19 starters return for a UConn squad
that finished 9-4 a season ago.
Senior quarterback Tyler Lorenzen is going into his second year as the starter
and has a solid running game behind him. Two offensive linemen are gone—both
guards.
Wide receiver is the problem area, as there’s no big play threat. Connecticut
managed games well in 2007, committing just over one turnover per game and establishing
a strong running attack. Tailbacks Andre Dixon and Donald Brown make up one
of the nation’s more dependable tandems. More big plays from the offense
are a necessity for 2008.
The front seven on defense is a brick wall. All three linebackers return to
transform what was an inexperienced group a year ago into a strength.
This isn’t a flashy team, but if they can continue to limit mistakes they’ll
finish high in the standings again.
5. Rutgers: Greg Shiano becomes the senior member of the Big
East coaching fraternity with Rich Rodriguez leaving. The Scarlet Knights have
16 starters returning and will be searching for a new identity now that running
back Ray Rice has left for the NFL.
Quarterback Mike Teel leads an experienced and dangerous passing game with three
starting receivers and his starting tight end returning. Three new o-linemen
will block for sophomore tailback Kordell Young. Not Kordell Walker, although
that would be fantastic. Round-house kick!
Eight starters return on a defense that is capable of being better than last
season’s no. 17 in the country.
Don’t underestimate the loss of Ray Rice. A whole new identity will likely
mean a new (bad) result for the Knights.
6. Cincinnati: The Bearcats were a surprise last season, finishing
10-3. Fifteen starters return for Brian Kelly and will try to take a step forward
without quarterback Ben Mauk.
Senior quarterback Dustin Grutza has a gun for an arm, but probably won’t
be able to pick up where Mauk left off as this team’s leader. Junior running
back Jacob Ramsey only has three career starts but is a favorite of the coaching
staff.
The defense will have to replace both safeties, but the corners are both top-notch
seniors. A pass rusher will have to emerge at d-end, where the Cats have little
experience.
Sept. 6 at Oklahoma could send Cincinnati into a tailspin.
7. Louisville: Steve Kragthorpe and his Cardinals have more
issues this season than Lindsay Lohan…and they don’t even get to
be on drugs.
Hunter Cantwell has plenty of potential at quarterback, but will live in the
shadow of Brian Brohm. There’s no depth at receiver and some guy named
Bilal Powell, a sophomore, is slated to carry the ball out of the backfield.
Luckily, the two returning starters on the line are at center and left tackle,
so Cantwell will probably still have his head attached at the end of the season.
The defense is almost entirely new and has a new coordinator in Ron English.
Louisville is likely to fall hard in what could be a make or break year for
Kragthorpe.
8. Syracuse: Blech. The Orange, or Orange Men, or Orange Juice—whatever
the ‘Cuse is calling itself this week are/is nauseating. It’s the
one fat cheerleader in a group of otherwise hot Big East teams. Louisville needs
to pluck its unibrow.
The Orange Juice went 2-10 last season and, as if it matters, return 13 starters.
Quarterback Andrew Robinson and receiver Mike Williams are actually quality
football players. The running game was 118th in the country last season out
of 122. Yum. The line allowed 54 sacks in 2007.
There are no good players on defense. Hopefully the Orange Juice play only high
school teams in 2008. Bet on them to lose. Don’t watch.
Member Login