Gator Bowl: NFL Draft Watch

Here are the following players to keep your eye for the 2010 NFL Draft in the GATOR BOWL.

Florida State Seminoles:

LB Dekoda Watson – Watson is a athletic outside linebacker who has shown the ability to make plays in both the running game, as well as covering tight ends and running backs alike. He is a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 defense and right now has a 3rd round grade.

CB Patrick Robinson – Robinson has all the physical skills to be a top notch cornerback, but this season hasn’t made the plays you would expect him to. He has a 2nd round grade right now and he has the ability to be a boom or bust type pick.

West Virginia Mountaineers:

QB Jarrett Brown – Brown has just started one season but has shown the ability to be a top notch quarterback prospect. He is a very good athlete with a strong arm and has the ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Right now has a 3rd round pick.

WR Alric Arnett – Arnett has good size at 6'2" and 190 pounds. The Mountaineer is a good overall receiver who has shown that he has the ability to run good routes, to complement his good hands. Right now he has a 5th round grade.

OT Selvish Capers – Capers is a very good offensive tackle with quick feet. He's a very impressive athlete for an offensive tackle, and should be able to play on the left and protect the quarterback's backside in the NFL. Right now he has 2nd round grade.

ILB Reed Williams – Williams came back from double-shoulder surgery to be a big time player this season for the Mountaineers. He is a good run defender but lacks great skills in the passing game. Right now has 7th round grade.

For more NFL, NFL Draft news, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jvanfulpen

Photo Courtesy of FSU Sports Information

Draft Watch: West Virginia @ South Florida

1) Jarrett Brown – The senior quarterback had to wait for three years, biding his time behind West Virginia legend Pat White before he could be the man in Morgantown. At 6’ 4” and 220 pounds Brown has good size, his arm is NFL quality and he is an excellent athlete who can make things happen with his legs. However, he has not improved his stock through seven games (injured early in win versus Marshall); his touchdown to interception ratio of eight to six is unimpressive, and he struggled in his two toughest contests—at Auburn and last week against UConn. He has completed 67.1 percent of his passes overall, but connected at just a 56.3 rate against the Tigers (1 TD, 4 INTs) in WVU’s lone loss of the season. Against the Huskies, the West Palm Beach native completed only 59. 3 percent of his passes and failed to find the end zone (1 INT). In cornerback Jerome Murphy and safety Nate Allen, the USF Bulls have a dangerous secondary that will take advantage of Brown’s mistakes.

2) Noel Devine vs. Kion Wilson – This should be a fun match-up, pitting the speed and open-field shiftiness of Devine against the hard-hitting and sound tackling of Wilson. Devine is coming off a 178-yard performance against the Huskies, which included a spectacular sideline, game-winning scamper that displayed both his speed and balance. He likes the lights too. Earlier this season on Thursday night against the Colorado Buffaloes he rumbled for 220 yards on 22 carries. This is an interesting match-up against maybe the speediest defense the Mountaineers have faced to date led by Wilson, who tops the Bulls with his 49 tackles. The junior college transfer is flourishing in his second season at the Division I level and facing a back like Devine in the open field will be the ultimate test.

3) Better prospect George Selvie or Jason Pierre-Paul – Could Selvie not even be the best defensive end prospect on his own team? Gone are the days of video game numbers for the former high school center, which he put up as a sophomore. Last season much of that was attributed to double and sometimes triple teams, but this year more often than not, Selvie is being slowed down one-on-one. The senior still leads the line with 27 tackles, but not tackles for a loss (6.5 TFLs) or sacks (3 sacks). Pierre-Paul may not be as polished as Selvie, but is bigger and perhaps a more impressive athlete. Although he is still refining his pass rushing skills (2 sacks), Pierre-Paul has lived in the opposition’s backfield this season and leads the Bulls with his 9.5 tackles for a loss. Not many ends can combine size, speed, athleticism and wingspan (81”) the way this junior college transfer does. He has better upside than Selvie, but Pierre-Paul would be wise to return for his senior season to refine his game. It will be interesting to see how each does when matched up with WVU's top tackle Selvish Capers.

Photos Courtesy of WVU Sports Communication, USF Athletics Communications

Big East Week 8 Preview

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON

South Florida 26, Pittsburgh 23

Tune in to watch two very talented defensive lines, both with more than one future NFL prospect, most notable are Greg Romeus and George Selvie. This is a difficult game to call because both teams are very similar. Each have tremendous pass rushes, hard nosed linebackers but have offenses that are prone to stalling. An important match-up in this game will be the South Florida secondary versus the Pittsburgh receivers. Last week Jonathan Baldwin was held to only one catch and others like tight end Dorin Dickerson picked up the slack. South Florida has one of the Big East's top cornerbacks in Jerome Murphy, who had his ups and downs against Cincinnati a week ago. Keep an eye on the Murhpy-Baldwin battle. Two key difference makers are freshmen Dion Lewis from Pittsburgh and USF's B.J Daniels. The talented Daniels had his freshman moments against Cincinnati, but don't be surprised if the quarterback has a breakout game this week. The Pitt defense might not do as well against the scrambling youngster. Lewis, who leads the Big East in rushing, will test the Bulls' rush defense.

West Virginia 25, Connecticut 17

The Huskies are always a tough opponent. They’re gritty and possess a consistent rushing attack. With all that has happened this week there’s going to be a little extra fight in them. The status of quarterback Jarrett Brown, who suffered a concussion from last week’s game, is critical to the Mountaineers success. He’s likely to start but his status is a game-time decision. This game will probably close up to the very end but the difference maker is Noel Devine.

Syracuse 33, Akron 21

This is a huge game for this Syracuse football team. Last year they dropped a home game versus the Zips and it was the low point of the season. It’s a must win, not only to spare the embarrassment to losing two in row to Akron but to turn around the season. After a two-game winning streak the Orange followed up with a sloppy performance against South Florida and contest against West Virginia where everythign went wrong. Off a bye week, the team should be prepared for this one. Mike Williams is quietly having an All-American caliber season leading the conference with 712 yards and 45 receptions and won’t face a defender who can cover him in this one. The defense has done a lot of shuffling especially on the defensive line, so it should be interesting to see how some of the lineup changes affect the unit plays.

Cincinnati 26, Louisville 14

Last year Cincinnati snapped a five-game losing streak to the Cardinals. Look for Cincy to make it two in row in this battle of former Conference USA programs. Defensively, the Bearcats has improved and are continuing to get better each week. Linebacker Andre Revels and cornerback Drew Fey have been playing well of late with senior safety Aaron Webster. Quarterback Tony Pike is questionable but that shouldn’t stop the Bearcats from remaining undefeated, at least not this week.

Last week: 3-1, Season 35-6

Photos Courtesy of USF Athletics Communications, Syracuse University Athletics

Big East Power Rankings Week 8

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON

1. Cincinnati Bearcats 6-0, (2-0): Last week: WOn at South Florida 34-17 - Talk about an impressive victory. With their starting quarterback Tony Pike out for the entire second half with a shoulder injury, the offense managed to put up 17 points in the second half and secured a victory on the road. Back-up quarterback Zach Collaros only completed four-of-seven passes, but on a key third and long it was his 75-yard designed run for a touchdown that was the back breaker in the game—an outstanding call to take advantage of the over pursuit of the South Florida blitz. Coaching, advantage Brian Kelly. But what was most impressive about the win was the play of the defense. The big play: on the first play of the second quarter safety Aaron Webster turned the game around with an interception in the red zone that was returned 83 yards to set up a touchdown, at least a ten point swing. Closing Out: In the second half they held the Bulls to three total first downs and forced five three-and-outs. This team seems to have that special element that equates to victories. Some how, some way they get it done. Up Next: vs. Louisville

2. West Virginia 5-1, (1-0): Last week: Win vs. Marshall 24-7 - It took a second half surge to put away their in-state rival, but don’t get down on the Mountaineers. An early injury to quarterback Jarrett Brown caused the offense to get out rhythm. His replacement, freshman Geno Smith was four-of-eight in the first half but didn’t complete a pass over ten yards until midway through the third quarter. His longest pass was a 33-yard touchdown connection with Alric Arnett late in the third. It was Noel Devine leading the way as usual. Up Next: vs. Connecticut

3. Pittsburgh 6-1, (3-0): Last week: Win at Rutgers 24-17 - Another week, another close call. They handed Rutgers several chances to take this game-fumbles on special teams, missed field goals and costly penalties. But the end result was a win. Most of the credit goes to the front seven on the defense and freshman phenom Dion Lewis. The linebacking play was tremendous, Max Gruder is is a star of tomorrow in the Big East. The defensive line was spectacular again, not giving any room for Rutgers' ball carriers to do a thing (38 yards total rushing). However there is a vulnerable spot on this defense. With cornerback Aaron Berry out for the game with a shoulder injury the secondary was ineffective. Lewis is third in the nation in rushing and was clutch last Friday, which included a 58-yard touchdown run was the biggest play of the game. On the Panther’s final drive that melted the clock it was Lewis gaining chunks of yards on all seven touches he had. There’s a lot of promise for this team, they possess enough talent to take the conference but one has to wonder not if, but when will this sloppy play catches up to them. Up Next: vs. South Florida

4. South Florida Bulls 5-1, (1-1): Last week: Lost vs. Cincinnati 17-34 - This defense can put the heat on the quarterback but when it counts, they struggle to stop the run. Cornerback Jerome Murphy had a disappointing game committing two personal foul penalties and was beat more than once on key plays. However, the panic button shouldn’t be pressed just yet, but the way this team has collapsed in seasons past, a win at Pittsburgh is badly needed. The key for the next game and for how successful this team can be this season is the play of freshman quarterback B.J Daniels. Up Next: @ Pittsburgh

5.Connecticut 4-2, (1-1): Last week: Win vs. Louisville 38-25 - It was all about airing it out, well at least for UConn's standards. Quarterback Cody Endres threw for a career-high 273 yards and a touchdown. Not to say the reliable running game wasn't there, Andre Dixon rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. He’s quietly having a fantastic senior campaign. The story was the defense, perhaps one of the most underrated units in the league. They are an aggressive bunch-forcing four turnovers and some big stops when it mattered most. Up Next: @ West Virginia

6. Rutgers 4-2, (0-2): Last week: Lost vs. Pittsburgh 17-24 - Bad. That’s basically how Rutgers has played in their two Big East games this year, and if wasn’t for Syracuse and Louisville, the Knights wouldn’t be this high. Luckily a gift turnover that led to a touchdown avoided a near touchdown-less game. Not much positives to take from this game. Up Next: @ Army

7. Louisville 2-4, (0-2): Last week: Lost at Connecticut 25-38 - They have one of the worst defenses of any team in the BCS conferences and have already allowed over 30-plus points four times this season. The Cardinals are likely to be visiting the bottom sometime very soon. Up Next: @ Cincinnati

8. Syracuse 2-4, (0-2): Last week: Bye - Can’t move a team up after a bye, but a win against the Akron Zips could get them out of the basement for a week. Two weeks ago Greg Paulus was benched for the second half in the team’s loss to West Virginia. It will be interesting to see how he responds and how the fans react; they will get on the former Duke point gaurd if the Orange fall behind early. Up Next: vs. Akron

Photos Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh, Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics

Big East Power Rankings Week 7

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON

1. Cincinnati Bearcats 5-0, (1-0): Last week: Bye - They’ve been the most impressive team in the Big East so far. They haven’t just padded their record either, wins over Rutgers, at Oregon State and versus Fresno State are all looking more and more like quality wins. The offense has been by far the most consistent in the conference averaging 42 points a game. The quality of the passing game led by quarterback Tony Pike and wide receiver Marshwan Gilyard can be thanked for that. Up Next: @ South Florida


2. South Florida Bulls 5-0, (1-0): Last week: Bye - Talk about no respect. It wasn’t until last week that they cracked the coaches and AP poll. Sure, they’re schedule has had a lot of soft spots and every time Florida State loses it makes their victory in Tallahassee look less appealing, but this team is the real deal. I know...doesn't someone say that every year just around this time? But so far their defense has been utterly dominate, allowing an average of 9.4 points a game, and they have completely shutdown the opponent's passing game. What has stood out has been the pass rush and how well the team has responded when quarterback Matt Grothe went down with a season-ending injury. Watch out...here comes South Florida, again. Up Next: Cincinnati

3. West Virginia 4-1, (1-0): Last week: Win at Syracuse 34-13 - If it wasn’t for an awful fourth quarter by Jarrett Brown at Auburn, the Mountaineers could easily be undefeated. The bright side is since then, the senior has been much better throwing three touchdowns with no interceptions. The offense has looked real sharp. They dominated every aspect of the game at the Carrier Dome last week and show no signs of slowing down. Up Next: Marshall

4. Pittsburgh 4-1, (1-0): Last week: Win vs. Connecticut 24-21 - Inconsistency is the issue in Western PA. There’s no question they’re a talented bunch but too many times this season their offense stalls or the defense gives up to many big plays. It happened again in their last game versus the Huskies, forcing Pitt to overcome a 21-6 lead due sloppy red zone execution and giving up big pass plays. Quarterback Bill Stull turned it around and their pass rush came alive in the fourth quarter leading them to a big come from behind victory. Even though they didn’t play perfect football, it was an impressive win. They kept fighting and won the type of game they have lost all too often. Don’t forget about Pittsburgh in this conference race, they have the most underrated receiving core in the Big East. Up Next: @ Rutgers

5.Connecticut 3-2, (0-1): Last week: Loss at Pittsburgh 21-24 - The main reason why Connecticut lost last week, as well their first loss against North Carolina is their one-dimensional offense. When the game was close, Pittsburgh was able to just gear up to stop the run and force the Huskies to beat them in the passing game. The defense may have given up a key touchdown and the drive that led to the game-winning field goal, but it’s tough to blame them considering how much time they spent the field in the second half. This is a bowl quality team but unless the defense completely dominates, they won’t beat too many of the top tier teams. Up Next: Louisville

6. Rutgers 4-1, (0-1): Last week: Win vs. Texas Southern 42-0 - Despite having a better record the Scarlet Knights sit below Connecticut. Since they were blown out by the Bearcats on college football's opening weekend, they’ve rolled off four straight wins including a road victory at Maryland. But two of those wins have come against FCS schools and another against a Sun Belt foe. Fans have to be excited with the play of their freshman quarterback Tom Savage, but the real test will come Friday night at home against Pittsburgh. They’re offensive line has been a bit shaky and are likely to have trouble protecting the quarterback against Pitt's pass-rushing book ends. Their defense has been a force creating turnovers, already 12 on the young season. Up Next: Pittsburgh

7. Louisville 2-3, (0-1): Last week: Win vs. Southern Miss 25-23 - Things are far from being righted at Louisville, but any win is a good win for this program. Even though it was against a Conference USA team that was without their starting quarterback, it was still a nice victory over a solid football team. Heroics by quarterback Adam Froman and wide receiver Scott Long led to a game-winning field in the final seconds. Up Next: @ Connecticut

8. Syracuse 2-4, (0-2): Last week: Loss vs. West Virginia 13-34 - Both the ‘Cuse and Louisville will probably be flip-flopping the bottom two spots in the conference all year, but for now it’s the Orange who belong at the bottom. After a two-game winning streak they have responded with two home loses where they turned the ball over too often, among a bevy of mistakes. Their starting quarterback Greg Paulus is tied for interception lead in the nation. The offensive line the line needs to regroup and get healthier before they send the team into a tailspin. Up Next: Bye

Photos Courtesy of Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics, USF Athletics Communications

Big East: Week 5 Preview

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

West Virginia 38, Colorado 20

Get ready for a Buffalo beat down. Three weeks ago when Colorado faced Toledo, the Buffaloes could not stop the run or the pass allowing 624 yards in the loss, including two 100-yard rushers. They could not defend the mobile quarterback Aaron Opelt, so don’t expect them to have any less trouble containing Jarrett Brown. Despite coming off of a four-interception game against Auburn, the turnover bug won’t bite the Mountaineers this week. Expect a big game from Brown and look for him to hit receivers Alric Arnett and Jock Sanders for a couple of long pass plays early.

Pittsburgh 26, Louisville 14

Both teams come into this contest off a loss. The Pittsburgh defense has been in shambles, especially the secondary. They gave up a ton of yards through the air last week against NC State and looked overmatched blowing a 14-point lead. However, don’t worry about the unit in this one. Expect cornerback Aaron Berry to have a bounce back game. Defensive end Mick Williams is coming off a performance in which he had 4.5 tackles for a loss, combined with Greg Romeus, gives them a powerful defensive line. The Panther’s D will have their strongest performance yet this Friday under the lights leading the way for the victory.

South Florida 22, Syracuse 14

It’s the prototypical sandwich game. After last week’s inspiring victory over instate goliath Florida State in Tallahassee, the USF Bulls might be looking ahead to their game next week against conference favorite Cincinnati. However, a trip to the Carrier Dome resides between the team’s two biggest games of the early season. From top to bottom, it’s clear Syracuse isn’t as talented as the Bulls, but there are a couple reasons why they’ll hang around. Arthur Jones and brother Chandler Jones have been relentless up front and linebacker Derrell Smith has been a sure tackler and outstanding on run blitzes. Syracuse receiver Mike Williams is a game changer, he’s always in the mix on any Syracuse scoring drive. Williams is tall and has fantastic hands. What makes him even more difficult to defend is how many different routes he can run. He’s not a one trick pony. The problem for the Orange is that none of the names mentioned can help protect the quarterback. If South Florida’s defensive line can dominate in the trenches against a good FSU offensive line what are they going to do against Syracuse? The answer is easy…manhandle them. The crowed may be in favor of the Orange, but the field turf won’t be. Players like Craig Marshall and George Selvie are explosive and will take advantage. They and the rest of the deep defensive line will be in the face of quarterback Greg Paulus all game long. The only way Syracuse pulls off the upset is if their secondary can limit their mistakes and force a couple of key interceptions by freshman B.J. Daniels. But don’t count on it. Bank on Daniels being the leading rusher in the game and South Florida pulling out a fifth straight victory.

Cincinnati 45, Miami (Ohio) 26

It’s the battle for the victory a bell, a rivalry trophy that has not been secured by Miami since 2005 and don’t expect that to change this Saturday. Even though the Bearcats put up a ton of yards against Fresno State last week their offense stalled a bit. Don’t expect that to happen against a Red Hawks defense that has been struggling against the pass. Tony Pike and Cincinnati win in a rout.

Photo Courtesy of WVU Sports Communication

Big East: Week Three Preview

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

If you can imagine the college football season as an academic year, then week three is like mid-term week in the first semester. This Saturday will tell us whole lot about where some Big East teams stack up against the rest of the country, and how good they could be in 2009. Let’s take a look at the syllabus and see which tests are slated for this weekend:

Philosophy: If a team plays well but doesn’t get a win, do they still get any love? After just two games there has been more optimism and attention around the Syracuse football program then there has been in the past two or three years. But the ‘Cuse are 0-2 and are not earning any bowl births with moral victories. This week they play their third straight Big Ten opponent hosting Northwestern at the Carrier Dome.

The Prediction: Syracuse 26, Northwestern 21 - Head coach Doug Marrone gets his first win. The star of the game will be senior defensive tackle Arthur Jones with his first breakout game of the season.

History: A Cincinnati football team has not played a road game against a Pac-10 opponent since 1976, a win over Arizona State. Playing a road game across the country can sometimes take a toll on a team and sway the game one way or another. This week the Bearcats play at Oregon State, and as well as the 'Cats' defense played in week one at Rutgers, they didn’t have to defend a dynamic player like Jacquizz Rodgers.

The Prediction: Cincinnati 41, Oregon State 30 – Expect to see Tony Pike early and often. The Bearcats will jump out to a fast start and never relinquish the lead. Oregon State has had some offensive line troubles, which could allow Cincinnati seniors Curtis Young and Ricardo Matthews to have big days pressuring the quarterback.

Geography: The Mountaineers have been on a groove against the SEC, representing the Big East against what is widely considered the top conference in the country. In the past four seasons they’ve gone 4-0 including a win over Auburn last year, 35-17. The game will be a test for the WVU offense playing against a very talented and athletic Tiger defense. Watch for the play quarterback Jarrett Brown, he’s athletic like Patrick White but can be the winner that White was?

The Prediction: Auburn 21, West Virginia 16 - Both of these teams are underrated and the speed alone is a reason to watch. In the end, the Tigers’ home crowed and better defensive play propels them to a win as WVU fails to capture the South.

Nautical Studies: Pittsburgh has won comfortably in their first two games. However, the Navy triple-option can always throw a team off guard and translate into an upset. This will be the third straight year these two schools have squared-up, the road team has won each battle so far.

The Prediction: Pittsburgh 28, Navy 20 - I just have a feeling that Navy will keep it close, I don’t know if it’s because the Panthers have a history of playing to their competition or the scare that the Midshipmen delivered in Columbus. For the second straight week I have high expectations for Pittsburgh receiver Jonathon Baldwin to have a big game, he will not disappoint.

Psychology: Talk about a Freudian slip-up. Last week Connecticut collapsed and lost on a safety by ways of a hold in the end zone. Can UConn recover from blowing a 10-point second-half lead to North Carolina? They’re going to have to bounce back at Baylor without their starting quarterback Zach Frazer. this is a good test for this blitz-burg defense against a star in the making—Baylor sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin III. The offense will need someone to lean on.

Prediction: Baylor 23, Connecticut 14 - It’s another bad match-up for the Huskies. The offense has not shown that they can do anything consistently. A turnover or two lead to a couple of easy Baylor scores.

Architecture: How can Louisville rebuild their program? For starters, not losing to Kentucky again. A loss would make it three wins in a row for the Wildcats, something that has not happened since the two schools starting playing regularly in 1994. How well Lexington native and Cardinal quarterback Justin Burke plays will be the key in this one. Keep this match-up on your radar: (CB) Trevard Lindley, Kentucky vs. (WR) Doug Beaumont, Louisville.

Prediction: Kentucky 27, Louisville 13 - A real underrated rivalry game. I’m seeing big things for quarterback Mike Hartline.

Recess: It will be walk in the park for Rutgers and South Florida. Rutgers tries to make it two in row hosting Sun Belt foe Florida International, while the Bulls play Charleston-Southern. Remember them? They lost to Florida 62-3.

Prediction: South Florida 48, Charleston Southern 6 - Start planning for next week and the team’s trip to Tallahassee.

Prediction: Rutgers 33, Florida International 14 - Next week at Maryland is a road game that could swing the Scarlet Knights’ season. This is will be just a tune-up for the Terps.

Last week: 7-0; Season: 14-0

Photo Courtesy of Syracuse University Athletics & University of Pittsburgh

Big East: Week Two Review

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

We take a look back on a record set, a game-losing safety, and the week that was in the Big East.

Game of the Week: Sloppy field, sloppy offenses, and a sloppy finish. That’s the best way to describe Connecticut’s 12-10 loss to 16th ranked North Carolina in a game that saw the deciding points come on a safety. Neither team ran or passed the ball well, and each gave up two turnovers. The Tar Heels’ valiant fourth quarter comeback was sparked by the offensive line winning the battle in the trenches. Running back Ryan Houston’s clutch 30 yards on six carries led North Carolina on a game-tying touchdown drive. The player of the game was Lindsey Witten. The 6’ 4” senior sacked the quarterback 3.5 times and is the conference leader with a seven on the season. Unfortunately for the Huskies, a holding penalty in the end zone committed by Dan Ryan was just enough for North Carolina to grab the win.

Team of the week: This is cautious praise because it was against Buffalo, but this week Pittsburgh did something they rarely did last year—looked good on offense. Quarterback Bill Stull threw for three touchdowns for the first time in his career. The 54-27 win was charged by true freshman Dion Lewis. If his debut wasn’t impressive enough—20 carries for 137 yards and a pair of TDs versus Youngstown St.—this week he put on a clinic, rushing for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Four Buffalo turnovers left them with little chance to match the Panthers’ firepower. When was the last time you heard that? It’s the most points Pittsburgh has scored since 1999. The only blemish in the win was Pitt’s inability to stop Buffalo wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt, who racked up 157 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns.

Record Setter: Congratulations to Matt Grothe for passing Pat White as the all-time Big East career yardage leader. Grothe broke the record on a 12-yard scramble in the Bulls’ 35-13 victory over Western Kentucky. The senior threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns.

Don't Forget About: Jarrett Brown was just too much for East Carolina to handle, as the West Virginia quarterback threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers 35-10 win. A key hookup with wide receiver Alric Arnett for a touchdown put the game away in the third quarter.

Freshman Watch: A win over Howard isn’t likely to stem the tide of panic at Rutgers just yet, but quarterback Tom Savage surely gave Knights fans something to smile about. The true freshman threw for 223 yards and displayed a cannon of an arm. He connected twice with Tim Brown on big plays, including a 49-yard bomb on his first throw of the day.

Wide Out Week: Four different Big East wide receivers put up big performances in week two: The 'nice hands award' goes to Jock Sanders (West Virginia) for the second consecutive week. The Mountaineer led all wide outs in receptions, pulling down nine balls for 99 yards. In the ‘it’s been a while’ category, Carlton Mitchell (South Florida) hit the century mark (130 yards) for the first time since his freshman year (2007). You can call Tim Brown (Rutgers) ‘Big Plays’. He led the conference in yards, racking up 132 for the Scarlet Knights on just three catches. Finally, it should come as 'no surprise' that Marshwan Gilyard (Cincinnati), had his way with SE Missouri State, posting 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Photo Courtesy of USF Athletics Communications

BCS Busters Week Two Preview

Game of the Week: East Carolina @ West Virginia

The first test for the Pirates will be a hard one. Morgantown is one of the toughest places to play in all of college football. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney needs to get over his week one performance and play the way a veteran quarterback of his caliber can play if ECU is to beat a good West Virginia team. They will also need to stop the Mountaineers’ potent rushing attack led by running back Noel Devine, who rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown on just 17 attempts against Liberty. Mountaineer quarterback Jarrett Brown will be hard to contain due to his ability to get out of the pocket and run. He rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown while going 19-of-26 for 243 yards. If they can contain these two playmakers of West Virginia and limit their turnovers on offense, they should leave Morgantown with a win.

Players to Watch: East Carolina: QB Patrick Pinkney, RB Dominique Lindsay, DE C.J. Wilson

Players to Watch: West Virginia: QB Jarrett Brown, RB Noel Devine, CB Robert Sands

Prediction: West Virginia 27, East Carolina 20

Other Games to Watch:

TCU @ Virginia: The Frogs get a lowly ACC opponent in Virginia who is coming off a loss to William & Mary. This should be a good way for the Frogs to get into the swing of things to start their season. Look for Jerry Hughes to get into the backfield and disrupt the offense of Virginia.
Prediction: TCU 24, Virginia 17

Fresno State @ Wisconsin: Fresno State is coming off an offensive outburst against UC Davis, led by a number of backs who are able to carry the ball effectively. They now have to get the ground game going against a much tougher Wisconsin defense if they want to emerge victorious.
Prediction: Wisconsin 35, Fresno State 21

Colorado @ Toledo: After carrying the ball only 22 times and throwing 69 times against Purdue, the Rockets will need to find their run game if they are to have a chance against Colorado.
Prediction: Colorado 39, Toledo 14

Kansas @ UTEP: The Miners will need to slow down the Jayhawks’ offense and succeed in their balanced attack—as they did against Buffalo—in order to come out of this one with a win.
Prediction: Kansas 31, UTEP 20

Photos Courtesy of East Carolina University Athletic Media Relations, TCU Athletics Media Relations

Big East Week One Preview

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON

Week one in the Big East-on the slate are mostly pre-season games for the conference’s best, a new era begins for Syracuse, and two conference contenders face off on Monday in an early season battle.

Minnesota 31, Syracuse 21

Head Coach Doug Marrone and quarterback Greg Paulus make their Syracuse debuts. With the spotlight on the Carrier Dome for probably the only time this season, expect a strong effort from the Orange. Unfortunately their offensive line isn’t looking strong and if they get into a shoot-out versus Gopher quarterback Adam Weber, the ‘Cuse are in trouble. Player Spotlight: When Mike Holmes played cornerback he showed skills playing the ball as well athleticism, but he was pushed around by bigger receivers. The speedy junior makes his first start at free-safety for the Orange.

Connecticut 35, Ohio 14

Sure, opening the year on the road is always tough but there is no upset alert here. Ohio doesn’t have the athletes to win this game and aren’t exactly an intimidating MAC team. The Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback and running back, so count on a strong UConn defense to lead the way to victory. Head Coach Randy Edsall has yet to lose versus a MAC opponent (7-0).

South Florida 51, Wofford 10

The Bulls usually start of the season strong, lighting up the scoreboard against lower-level competition. It’s important that the USF receivers display ability and execution as they are a young group. Matt Grothe is likely to outscore Wofford and their wacky formations by himself—this game won’t be close.

Louisville 41, Indiana State 21

This is a good game for the quarterbacks to get in sync before the schedule gets tough for the Cardinals. Don't be surprised to see more than one quarterback, with Justin Burke getting the starting nod. Player Spotlight: Cards wide receiver Doug Beaumont is going to have a big opener—consider it the opening act for his break-out season.

Pittsburgh 28, Youngstown State 3

Anything but a blowout for Pittsburgh would be a disappointment. The Panthers are debuting two new top freshman tailbacks, Dion Lewis and Ray Graham, and both have been raved about all summer. But it’s their defense that gives this group of Penguins no chance in Pittsburgh.

West Virginia 32, Liberty 14

It might as well be the New York Liberty visiting Mountaineer Stadium—this is nothing more than a tune-up for the Mountaineers’ rematch versus East Carolina next week. Jarrett Brown begins his campaign as the new leader at WVU.

Cincinnati 26, Rutgers 23

Are you ready for some football? That’s right, some Monday Afternoon Football—Big East style. Cincinnati begins their quest to defend the conference crown but it won’t be an easy task, especially for a season opener. They’ll be relying on a completely new defense and there’s no telling how they’ll respond in a nasty environment. The Scarlet Knights offense is likely to start out slowly, breaking in a new quarterback, but the points will come—they have skill players. But in the end, it will be Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard leading the Bearcats’ late rally.

Photos Courtesy of WVU Sports Communication & UConn Athletic Communications

CFI Countdown: #25 West Virginia Mountaineers

2008 Record: 9-4 (Big East: 5-2)
Bowl Game: Won Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. North Carolina 31-30
Location: Morgantown, West Virginia
Stadium: Mountaineer Field @ Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000)
Head Coach: Bill Stewart
Overall: 18-29 (5th season)
@ West Virginia: 10-4 (2nd season)
Link to WVU Football Page

After entering the season with high expectations, it is hard to make the argument that the Mountaineers weren’t at least somewhat of a disappointment in 2008, despite winning nine games (with the senior class winning a record 42 games) and a fourth straight bowl game. However, for the first time with Pat White leading the way, WVU failed to win 11 games and finish in the top 10. That they did so in Bill Stewart’s first season at the helm has the Morgantown faithful keeping a wary eye on the head coach’s sophomore effort.

When the Mountaineers Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Mullen (2nd Season)
Scheme: Spread Option
Starters Returning: Six
Key Losses: QB Pat White, OT Ryan Stancheck, OG Greg Isdaner, OC Mike Dent, WR Dorrell Jalloh

Senior signal caller Jarrett Brown is not your typical first year senior starter—the kid has skills—he simply had the misfortune of playing behind one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football the past three seasons. Whenever he has had the opportunity to play, Brown has represented himself well, displaying the ability to beat opposing defenses with his arm and legs. If the Mountaineers are going to throw more in ’09, as Coach Bill Stewart vows, then the receiving corps will need to step up as well. In seniors Alric Arnett and Wes Lyons, junior Jack Sanders, sophomore Bradley Starks, as well as freshman Logan Heastie, they have the weapons to make the transition. That doesn’t mean the running game will be an afterthought, not with the explosively dynamic Noel Devine (pictured), who at 5’ 8” (175 pounds) is a dangerous homerun hitter who will strike fear in opposing defenses. To allow the skill players to do what they can do, the offensive line will need to mesh after losing several key longtime contributors. Right tackle Selvish Capers is a nice building block.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) OT Selvish Capers (SR), 2) RB Noel Devine (JR), 3) QB Jarrett Brown (SR)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Jeff Casteel (8th Season)
Scheme: 3-3-5 Stack
Starters Returning: Six
Key Losses: LB Mortty Ivy, CB Ellis Lankster, S Quinton Andrews

It all starts up front with defensive end Scooter Berry (pictured) and noseman Chris Neild—a pair of juniors who were the linchpins of the number one scoring defense in the Big East last season. Berry has the quicks to get into the backfield, while Neild is as active as they come in the middle. While it will be difficult to replace Mortty Ivy, 2008 Fiesta Bowl MVP Reed Williams makes his return after suffering a serious shoulder injury. The secondary needs to replace a pair of key contributors and will rely on a sophomore duo—cornerback Keith Tandy and safety Robert Sands—to fill in. Sands has the ability to flourish as a playmaker.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) LB Reed Williams (SR), 2) DL Scooter Berry (JR), 3) S Robert Sands (SO)

The Schedule

Out of conference they face East Carolina, Auburn, and Colorado—can they avenge 2008 losses to the Pirates and Buffaloes without slipping up in their trip to Auburn, which is sandwiched in between? Early season losses to ECU and Colorado derailed any chances for National Title contention last year. In conference play, they face three tough road tests (@ South Florida, Cincinnati & Rutgers), with two coming in the final three games of the season. They also play host to Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving weekend, having lost the last two Backyard Brawls to their border rival.

Pivotal Point

We can talk about the questions on the offensive line, the adjustment in offensive philosophy, and the potential vulnerabilities in their pass defense, but nothing can stack up to having to replace Pat White. No matter how much confidence Florida native Brown has earned, it’s one thing to fill in for the man…it’s quite another to be the man. It will be unfair, but the comparisons to White—a legend in his own time—are inevitable. As critical as his running and passing is to the offense, it is how Brown replaces White as the team’s leader that will dictate how high these Mountaineers will climb. Not to be underestimated is the loss of kicker/punter Pat McAfee.

CFI Final Analysis

Since going 1-6 in Big East play (3-9 overall) in 2001, the Mountaineers have been in the thick of the Big East race, winning the conference title in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007—and this year will be no different. The second year under Coach Stewart and the first without White will go a long way in determining how people feel about the program’s future. Don’t expect a top ten finish or 11 wins—like in 2005, 2006 and 2007—but another bowl appearance and a top 25 finish should be in the offing.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #24 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication

Q&A: Bill Stewart, Head Coach, WVU

College Football Insiders Coaches Corner interview with West Virginia Head Coach Bill Stewart. Hosted by Daniel Mogollon. Click to listen.


Coach Stewart is 10-4 as head coach at WVU, including bowl wins over a Bob Stoops-led Oklahoma team and Butch Davis' North Carolina squad. So how are things in Morgantown?

Stewart: It’s going really well Daniel. Thank you for having us on and thanks for your interest in Mountaineer football. We had our meeting last night, at six o’clock we met. We made sure they're all back safe and sound. Classes just began after a week of spring break, it’s always nice for these lads to get out and enjoy themselves. We had lifting this morning as usual. We’re going to lift on Monday’s and Thursday’s, generally. We’re going to practice Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday so we’ll meet today at four for a short meeting and we’ll practice tomorrow and Wednesday, then we’ll lift again on Thursday and practice on Friday and Saturday and that will conclude week number one. We’re excited about spring practice. This is a great time and the sun is out in Morgantown, how about that? Spring is here and I hope it’s here to stay.

Since this is the eve of spring football at West Virginia, what are your goals for the spring, other than staying healthy, of course?

Stewart: Well, first and foremost we want to stay healthy. We want to have fun, but we work really hard. We had something all winter. Phase one is the winter conditioning and it's tough. We call it “another level”, 6 am workouts. Some people call it “4th quarter”, some people call it whatever...but we call it another level because we have to pick up our game and elevate it to another level. We have been doing that with eight, 6 am workouts, four weeks, two a week. Then we have had very hard and strenuous lifting, much running, much agility, much strength. We did yoga, which was really great. That’s phase one. Now it’s phase two, coming in, that’s spring ball. That’s the time when you get to work on your skills, holding up your game, try to improve the squad for next year and try to formulate the plan. Trying new things, new wrinkles, that’s what we are excited about now. But what we’re going to do is first...offensively, we need to get better on third downs, although we weren’t as bad as people think. Just statistically, we just lost key situations in a couple games but we need to improve our third downs offensively and by that I mean a short-yardage package. I really want to haul in on that. I still want to push the ball vertically down the field number two, because we think we have a strong-armed quarterback coming back in Jarrett Brown, so we really want to push that ball vertically downfield. Then we want to take advantage of all of our skills...we need to spread the wealth. With Patrick White gone, number three, we need to spread the wealth. So number one, improve short yardage, number two, push the ball vertically down the field and number three, spread the wealth since Pat’s departure. That’s offensively. Defensively, Daniel, we need to get off the field. We were not good, we were the number one team in America last year in the red zone—you know, keeping people out of the end zone—but not we were not good at time of possession or getting off the field. So first and foremost, I want to really stress three-and-outs, three-and-outs. We are going to hammer that and pound it into our guys' heads. Three-and-out, three-and-out, because we have to get off the field. Offensively we averaged 53 snaps a game last year, but we should be in the 60’s. That’s the defense. Offensively we had some drives, but the defense has to get off the field and give us the ball. So we really need to stress that. We also need to get a better blitz package. When you get a better blitz package, number three then, you’re going to have to play man-to-man coverage better. On defensive we're going to have to get three-and-outs and get off the field, develop a more consistent and more fun fire zone blitz package and number three, improve our man coverage. We have some good guys that can do it, we have some guys that are great at it but we've all got to get great at it so we can blitz more, that’s our forte. Kicking, we need to replace Pat McAfee, but how do you replace a guy that has done all that he has done? On kick-off coverage, we were number two in the nation, Daniel, on punts and number 117 out of 119 on kick-offs. I’m the guy coaching both of them so I should get a raise for one and probably knocked on the head for the other one.

(Laughs) How important is this spring to Jarrett Brown, both as a passer and in terms of taking over that leadership role after four seasons of winning under Pat White?

Stewart: He is up against it. It is his ball. It’s his job to lose, he’s earned that right. I coached him here for three years before I became the head coach. All he’s ever done when he has gone in is won. Every game that he has started for Patrick White he has won. He has watched a lot of games for three years, studying Patrick's play. Really, for four years, but who knew Pat was going to be that good for four years when Jarrett came? I compliment him for staying, I compliment him for persevering. He is not Patrick White, he is a different player than Patrick White. But he is good leader, he leads in his own way. This is going to be a big spring for him.

Let’s get to the soap opera part of the segment. According to reports from Pro Day, you told teams Pat White would be a quarterback, so teams did not ask him to run routes. White said he didn’t run routes because he wasn’t asked to. What happened that day?

Stewart: Pat White is a quarterback. Patrick White is a quarterback and that is what he’s going to be. He was pitching and catching, and being worked out and did a good job. I didn’t what him to pull anything, so if someone wanted him to run routes then they can come on in and work him out. All I know is he's going to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick and to those people who don’t think he can play quarterback, I just hope he never plays against them because he will beat them. I run this ship in Morgantown, and I had one guy come up to me and say they were looking at him as their third quarterback. I looked over at him and wanted to say, “Have you ever seen your first and second quarterback play?” But that’s not my role. They’ve got their job, I’ve got my job. My job is to protect my players. We have had the Denver Broncos in here to work Patrick out, and he ran routes for them after he threw. We had the New England Patriots in here, and he ran routes for them after he threw. But I’m not going to get that kid throwing and running all these drills, exhausting himself or hurting himself trying to be a receiver when he is a quarterback. I’ll say it again: people who don’t think he’s a quarterback, I hope you never have to play against him because he will beat you. That’s the end of the story.

I guess I don’t need to ask you what’s your take on the whole Pat White debate?

Stewart: All these guys who sit in these TV booths, and there a lot of great guys many of whom are my friends, who keep on saying he’d be better as a receiver, they have never been on the sidelines and seen that fire in his eyes. I guess as long as they never have to play against him and lose, they never have to be accountable. I’m telling you guys, he’s a quarterback. He is the greatest winner in college football today. There are some NFL teams that agree with me and we’ll see when the Draft comes.

Tell me more about his intangibles. His leadership skills, I think because he is not that demonstrative and kind of quiet that gets overlooked a little bit.

Stewart: I’ll tell you what. I don’t know about NFL locker rooms, but I know some NFL coaches really well. I have worked with some NFL coaches and I know they win because they have great locker rooms. First and foremost, before Patrick White even goes to the field, he will always be a positive influence in the locker room. Second, he will always be a positive influence in the community. Thirdly, he will be a great role model in society because he is a powerful man of faith. Now, with all that is going on in the world today, why somebody wouldn’t want this guy in the locker room, quarterback or receiver, I don’t get it. All I can tell is what he did for us. He is the greatest winner I've ever been around in my 37 years of coaching. He is the only guy that has won four college football games and three MVPs. He is a four-time bowl winner, and in three of them, he was MVP.

Kenny Britt had 12 for 151 yards, you held Donald Brown to a season low 82 yards, LeSean McCoy ran for 183 yards and Hakeem Nicks had his memorable performance with eight catches for 217 yards and three touchdowns. I can bring these up because you went 3-1 in those games. Who was the most impressive player you went up against?

Stewart: You talk about Kenny Britt, Mike Teel and those kids are great. Kenny Britt, I love watching him play, but didn’t like playing against him. Man he can play. He is going to have a great future. Donald Brown, what can you say about that guy? LeSean McCoy, holy cow! You talk about great backs, I mean, they are great backs. Hakeem Nicks, you know what I told the defense at halftime? You want to hear some great coaching, Daniel? I’m at halftime in Charlotte. I walk in, I never say much to the defense. I tell them, “Fellas, that number 88 out there, Hakeem Nicks, you don’t have one guy, two guys, or probably three guys that can cover him.” Then I looked at them and said, “Good luck.” We had to get him off the field somehow, then offensively we need to spread out wealth, have to stay out there on third downs and that makes us the better football team. Daniel, it’s all about intangibles. The great ones are always going to take it to you, the Britts, Browns, McCoys and Nickes. Matt Grothe, I just love watching him play. I don’t like playing against him but my God, the kid just wins. There are so many great players in the Big East, Tony Pike is another one. There are just so many great players that scare us tremendously. I have such great respect for these people. Then you look at Dan Hawkins, the quarterback out there in Colorado, I’m already thinking about him. There are so many great players we’re going to play this year, it’s scary. We have to step our game up. We have to take better control of the ball. We have to stay on the field offensively and get off the field defensively and try to play field position. We are not there yet either. We’re going to be a young football team, we’re going to be very young. We’re not nearly there. I think 2010, 2011, and 2012 are going to be very exciting for West Virginia football. Daniel, I’m telling you the God’s truth, I’m worried about 2009 because of how many new players in key positions we have, if that makes sense.

Back in 1995 you gave a kid named Mike Tomlin his first job in the coaching business at the Virginia Military Institute. What do you remember from your first impressions of meeting the now Super Bowl winning head coach?

Stewart: I played against him in 1994. I have a warm spot in my heart for William & Mary because I coached there in 1981, 1982, and 1983, Michael was a senior captain with Shawn Knight on that 1994 William & Mary team that went to the playoffs. I was building the VMI program that first year. All I saw was a classy young man who could catch balls, block like Hines Ward, and played with such tenacity. He is just so tough, so dependable and just had fun. I watched him on film up to a game, after a game and I told my players, “You should just play like this guy”. Lo and behold, I got wind that he may want to go into coaching or law school, so I called up Jimmye Laycock, my old boss, and told him to tell me all about him. He told me, “Billy he’s everything you saw”. I told him to come up and visit me, so he came up and I talked him out of law school for a year and his Mother just about killed me, God bless her. She hugs me today for it today. I told him, “Come up here to VMI and coach for us”. I told him, “You’re going to be a coach”. First meeting, I come down there in the spring or fall, he’s 23 years old now and just played against these guys for four years. He said, “Coach, do I meet in there with coach Sherman?“, our quarterbacks coach, I said, “No Michael, you have your own room”. All I did was pat him on the backside and told him to make them play like you did. Let me tell you, I have walked by that meeting room, never had to poke my head in, never wanted to poke my head in because I wanted to give him that security. That guy coached back then exactly how he does now. A ball of fire, enthusiastic, a guy who knew what he was talking about. The best the receivers ever played at Virginia Military Institute was when Mike Tomlin was coaching them in 1995. We beat some good teams that year, including a big upset at Liberty. We beat some really good teams. Michael Tomlin was one of the reasons for that and I will forever be grateful. I told Hines Ward one day after a practice in camp, “If he had your God-given speed, he’d still be playing and you’d be coaching”. That’s how good Michael Tomlin was. A tremendous competitor and that’s why Mike Tomlin is successful with the Steelers and a great fit for the greatest organization in football. It’s a great marriage. But that’s why Mike Tomlin is who he is, and he’s just been that way since he was a young fella and I’m just so lucky to be a part of his life. I gave a guy a job and the rest is history. I’m proud to know him and honored to be his friend.

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication

Coaches Corner: HC Bill Stewart, WVU

Coach Stew is 10-4 as headman of the West Virginia Mountaineers out of the BIG EAST, including Bowl wins over a highly touted Oklahoma Sooners team led by Bob Stoops in his first games in the Fiesta Bowl as WVU's head coach and a thrilling victory over Butch Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Stewart joins College Football Insiders founder Daniel Mogollon in this CFI Coaches Corner on the eve of West Virginia Spring Football, filling us in on what the Mountaineers hope to accomplish this spring, as well as giving insight on several players heading into the 2009 NFL Draft, including his take on the great Pat White debate. What happened at the Mountaineer's Pro Day? Is Jarrett Brown ready to take over the reigns? How impressed was he with the likes of Kenny Britt, Donald Brown, Shady McCoy and Hakeem Nicks?

Click to find out and much more, including the lowdown on Mike Tomlin as a rookie coach fresh out of college back in 1995. 19 Min.

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication