Looking for Offense in the Big East

College Football Spring Storylines 2009 looks at the key developments and big news from spring ball.

Spring. The time for rebirth and renewal. At least that is the theory. While there was only one change at head coach, there will be plenty of new in the Big East, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Half the teams have a different offensive coordinator. To say nothing of the departures of top offensive talent including quarterbacks Pat White and Mike Teel, running backs LeSean McCoy and Donald Brown, along with wide receivers Kenny Britt, Dominick Goodman and Tiquan Underwood. Defense will definitely lead the way in the conference this year.
For the Big East, a disappointing year gives way to the hope of a new season. The Big East lost in a BCS Bowl for the first time since 2005. The conference did not have anyone finish in the top-ten in the polls. West Virginia was a season long disappointment when they were expected to contend for a possible national championship. Things definitely could have gone better.

Counting out the spring storylines of one through four:

1) The number of new head coaches and coaches sitting on the hot seat...

There's an odd set of feelings in Syracuse this year. Most Orange fans vaguely recall them, but cannot quite place them. They are called hope and optimism. Greg Robinson is gone and new head coach Doug Marrone and a new staff actually makes the fans think that there might be something approaching a football team. No one is expecting them to win the conference or even get to a bowl this year. The hole that the Orange are digging out is too great for that in year one.

Down in Louisville, it was not a shock that Steve Kragthorpe gets a third year to prove he has not been a total flop as the Cardinals head coach. This does, however, have the feel of a make-or-break season. The coaching staff has been overhauled with Kragthorpe also taking over offensive coordinator duties and for the third straight year, a new defensive coordinator. The roster has been almost gutted of Petrino's players. That means the high talent is gone, but so are the "problems" that Kragthorpe has often claimed to have inherited that hurt the team.

2) The only number of sure starting quarterbacks in the Big East...

In Cinci, Tony Pike is set as the starter. Of course given the way QBs went down with injuries for the Bearcats last year, nothing is assured beyond spring practices. Matt Grothe at USF is still running the show for one more year. After those two, things are much less sure. Pitt is likely going to stick with Bill Stull as the starter, but spring practice hardly made the case a lock.

West Virginia has the biggest gaping hole with Pat White gone. Jarrett Brown is a fifth year senior and expected to be the starter. In Rutgers, it seems to be Dom Natale by default as the only other quarterback competitor -- the excellently named Jabu Lovelace -- still has not come back from injuries. Louisville has three junior QBs and looks to be leaning towards Justin Burke over Adam Froman and Tyler Wolfe. Only Wolfe has any pass attempts in a game.

UConn has it coming down to Zach Frazer and Cory Endres. Frazer appears to be slightly ahead right now. Syracuse has named redshirt freshman Ryan Nassib as the starting quarterback, but the wildcard may be Greg Paulus who has expressed some interest in coming back to his hometown team for one year if the opportunity at Michigan does not happen.

3) The teams hoping to win with defense while figuring out the offense...

Assuming the Big East is wide open -- and that is a fair assumption -- then Pitt, UConn and Rutgers all believe they have a chance. They appear poised to dominate on the defensive side, and at the moment are just hoping the offense does not make things worse.

Pitt will look to a deep and strong defensive line to lead the way with Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard coming off the ends to terrorize opposing QBs. Rutgers will be counting on a veteran linebacking corp with seniors Ryan D'Imperio and Damaso Munoz along with redshirt sophomore Manny Abreu who played in all 13 games last season, starting eight games.

4) Lines that have fanbases worried...

Every fan worries about the overall strength of the offensive and defensive line for their teams. West Virginia and Cinci fans have to be especially concerned coming out of the spring. West Virginia is replacing their entire offensive line, while Cinci is doing the same on their defensive lines.

West Virginia not only will be replacing the best offensive player in the Big East for the past four years, but most of the starting offense is turning over. Noel Devine will be counted on to be even more dynamic and try to bounce outside while the offensive line tries to figure itself out.

Pitt is another team concerned with the offensive line. Center Robb Houser still does not look right coming back from a fractured right ankle, and they have no true back-up. They may have to move left guard John Malecki to center. The problem is, that the Panthers really lack the depth on the O-line to shuffle too many players. Jason Pinkston, the left tackle was out for the spring with shoulder surgery.

With Cinci, it is really one big question mark on defense. They have a new defensive coordinator who has nine new starters. The Bearcats lost both defensive ends and defensive tackles to graduation. Along with two of the three linebackers. Oh, and both corners as well which just puts more pressure up front.