Big East football schedules: Opening Week

In 2009 the Big East football schedule opened with what many considered to be a bang of a game between Rutgers and Cincinnati in Piscataway. That was until Brian Kelly unleashed offensive weapons Tony Pike, Mardy Gilyard, Isaiah Pead and even sprinkled in some wildcat with Travis Kelce to turn what was supposed to be a bang into a dud of a game by halftime.

Isaiah Pead's sick juke-stop against Rutgers all but put the game away before halftime in last season's Big East opener on Labor Day (Getty Images)

The Bearcats pulled out to a 30-7 lead by the halftime gun and eventually put up two more touchdowns and a field goal in a 47-15 rout of the Scarlet Knights.

The Cincinnati Bearcats took the lead in the Big East and never looked back from there en route to its second straight title and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. And while Brian Kelly has since moved on, his predecessor, Butch Jones (who also followed up Kelly at Central Michigan in 2007) will look to get the Bearcats off to another hot start this year, but on the left coast this time.

Joining me, your effervescent blog host, in looking at the 2010 Big East schedules in week by week increments is the Sports Director for WPTS Radio in Pittsburgh, and a great friend of mine, Jake Meyer. He joined in the 2009 Big East schedule previews last March, and I’m happy to have him back.

Jake: Thanks Adam, glad to be back talking about college football, and in particular our home conference, the Big East. Last year was an exciting season that, as predicted here, came down to the final week of the season as our two schools matched up in what was without a doubt the game of the season in the Big East.

AN: And the best part about doing this schedule analysis now, rather than in March, as we did in 2009, is that we’ve had some time to see spring practices and hear about many teams on each schedule. Last year we were pretty accurate in saying that Pitt and Cincinnati would duke it out for the Big East title. How accurate will we be this year?

This was the scene in the UC locker room after the Pitt game (Courtesy of Tom Gelehrter, TwitPic.com)

Well, here’s the week one schedule for each Big East team. We’ll take a special look at Pittsburgh and Cincinnati along with one particular game that piques our interest each week.

Week 1 Big East Schedule
Thurs., Sept 2- Rutgers vs Norfolk State
Sept 2-Pittsburgh at Utah
Sat., Sept 4-USF vs Stony Brook
Sept 4-Louisville vs Kentucky
Sept 4-Connecticut at Michigan
Sept 4-West Virginia vs Coastal Carolina
Sept 4-Syracuse at Akron
Sept. 4-Cincinnati at Fresno State

AN: Jake, let’s start with the game second from the top. It’s your Pitt Panthers traveling out west to the newest Pac 10 (Or is it called the Pac 12 now?) member Utah—who is still playing in the Mountain West for one last year.

JM: This is a very difficult opening-game test for the Panthers, as Utah is coming off another very successful season, going 10-3 last season. Meanwhile, Pitt has some serious holes to fill on both sides of the ball, beginning at quarterback where redshirt-sophmore Tino Sunseri is expected to take the reins. Sunseri saw limited playing time last year, but will be starting his first game at Utah.

Playing in front of Sunseri is an offensive line that will have to replace the center and both guards. Coming out of Spring camp, Dave Wannstedt was very non-committal about who the starters would be. Right now the favorites to win those jobs would be Chris Jacobson at left guard, Greg Gaskins at right guard and former walk-on Alex Karabin, with Jacobson being the only one with any starting experience (2010 Meineke Car Bowl vs. North Carolina).

On the defensive side of the ball, Pitt loses both cornerbacks and middle linebacker Adam Gunn from last season, but the replacements appear to be ready to step in following Spring practice.

It’s rare to see a BCS conference team open the season on the road, especially when that opponent, at least for one more season, is a non-BCS team. Pitt will have to plug those holes and be fully prepared to play this game or they will be starting the season 0-1.

Now let’s take a look at the Cincinnati Bearcats, who will head to Fresno to play Pat Hill’s Fresno State Bulldogs.

AN: Last season Fresno State came into Nippert Stadium, and although Brian Kelly wasn’t too fond of playing out in Fresno, he said he would gladly do so because the game was scheduled before he became head coach of the Bearcats. Therefore it was scheduled before Butch Jones settled into his office (then moved down the hall into a larger one) in Corryville.

This year the Bulldogs won’t have Ryan Mathews to lead their rushing attack. In ’09 Mathews made Bob Diaco’s 3-4 defense look silly, rushing for 145 yards on 38 touches. The Bulldogs totaled 290 yards but fell just short, losing 28-20. Instead, Robbie Rouse and Michael Harris will take the ball.

Every fan and family member I see asks me, “So, how’s the team? Is the offense going to be ok?” Of course the offense will be the focal point this year, but Tim Banks’s defense will be tested in week one out in Fresno. If the Bearcat defense, making the switch back to a 4-3 base defense, can hold their own against the Fresno State run, the ‘Cats should, should be all right.

But, I wouldn’t be honest if I told you I wasn’t a little skittish heading into this game. To open on the road is a challenge, especially with a brand new coaching staff and new offensive and defensive schemes. However, if anyone has shown they can take what Brian Kelly has built and continue his success, it’s Butch Jones.

Butch Jones has been a one man ball of energy since showing up in Corryville preaching his family attitude. So far, players have bought in. Can Jones win a game on the field?

I have a feeling this game will be tight, but it’ll be the talent of the Big East, along with the playmakers on the UC offense (and UC could arguably have one of the best offenses in all the land this year) that will pull the ‘Cats ahead in the end.

So there’s a look at the two-time defending Big East champions and the guys who are probably going to be favored to knock UC off the throne. Jake, which week one game interests you the most beyond the two matchups we’ve just profiled?

JM: Well, I’ll be very interested to see what happens when UConn heads to the Big House in Ann Arbor to take on Michigan. Michigan’s struggles under former West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez have been well documented and this is a pivotal year for him and his team. UConn has experience knocking off struggling all-time top-10 teams on the road, having last year beaten Notre Dame in South Bend. A win could set up a very nice season for UConn, and could hasten Rodriguez’s exit. I would have to favor Michigan in this game, but I’m not really sure how that team is going to play this year and UConn is more than capable of pulling off the upset. Adam, what game are you looking forward to in week one?

AN: Obviously the eyes of all media types will be on Butch Jones, who follows Brian Kelly, again, but what about Charlie Strong, who had the opportunity to whoop up on the Bearcats as Florida’s defensive coordinator in the Sugar Bowl? And I feel Strong’s debut will be anticipated a whole heck of a lot more than South Florida’s new head man Skip Holtz, especially since Strong has brought in a decent recruiting class and is playing a decent opponent in Kentucky. Strong and the Cardinals may not necessarily win, but a solid showing against the Wildcats will certainly put Strong and the Cards on the right path to rebuilding, and Louisville hopes Strong can take them there.

Kelly takes the reins of the Fighting Irish on Saturday against Purdue (Cincinnati Enquirer)

JM: It’s interesting that out of the three new coaches in the Big East this year, the one who has had the most positive impact so far is Charlie Strong. He’s brought in a solid recruiting class and may finally get Louisville back to respectability. I don’t know if that is a testament to Strong and his ability, the strength of the Louisville program name to recruits or simply a major indictment against the job Steve Kragthorpe did there. The other new coaches in the Big East, Jones and Holtz, have yet to distinguish themselves from their successful predecessors.

AN: That’s all for week one of the Big East schedules. Only hours until the pigskin starts in the college ranks, and I, along with Jake, can’t wait to bring you more about the Big East as the weeks go on.

Thanks for reading folks.

UC bye week news and notes

The 10-0 Cincinnati Bearcats will take one week off from football this week, at least from playing a game. For the first time in school history (a phrase that has been used a lot the past three seasons in the Queen City) the ‘Cats won their first ten games. Ranked #5 in all three major polls (AP, Coaches, BCS) the Bearcats are now positioning themselves for an important showdown with Pittsburgh on December 5th.

But, next Friday the ‘Cats take on the Illinois Fighting Illini at noon. Enjoy your turkey and NFL on Thursday, wake up insanely early and get your Christmas shopping done on Friday, and then come home and enjoy some real good football from Nippert Stadium.

Here’s some other news and notes on the UC football team and program as we move through the bye week.

1. UC committed to Kelly? Yes…
The University of Cincinnati’s board of trustees yesterday announced that the university would be borrowing money for the Jefferson Avenue Athletic Complex. According to yesterday’s Cincinnati Enquirer report, “Under the financial plan prepared for trustees, UC would borrow $9.7 million and raise $2.1 million to build the fields this year. The bulk of the fund-raising would happen in 2012-13, when it would receive $5.2 million, and the entire project would be paid off by 2015.”

So this means that the indoor “bubble” will be ready to go for next season. It’ll keep me covered when it rains and when it gets cold. Oh, and make no bones about it, this move was more than just an initiative to help the school. The Cincinnati Enquirer also stated later on that, “the fields are a critical factor in UC’s strategy to retain football coach Brian Kelly.”

With sold-out games and a growing fanbase, UC is attempting to capitalize and build something that will keep Brian Kelly in Cincinnati

Notre Dame already has an indoor facility. Brian Kelly’s name has come up as a prime candidate for the Notre Dame job if much beleaguered head man Charlie Weis was to get fired this season

2. So what does BK think about Notre Dame?
Kelly says he’s flattered that he’s being considered for the job, but it doesn’t change how his team prepares week to week day to day. “As far as the rumors go, our kids really don't pay much attention to them, because I don’t” Kelly said. “I don't get distracted. We're humbled that our name is being associated with programs, but we don't really spend much time thinking about it. Our kids have become immune to it, as I have.”

Will Brian Kelly be leading UC next season? That's the million dollar question right now

It’s gotten to the point that I should just wear a shirt that says, “I don’t know,” on it and every time someone asks me about Kelly to ND, I should point at the shirt. Here’s an interesting thought about the Notre Dame job…What about Jim Harbaugh from Stanford? He can beat USC (as evidenced this past Saturday). I’m just suggesting it.

3. Running game needs to pick up steam
This week the UC offensive staff is working on beefing up the running game, which was a staple of the offense (in fact some would consider it was the only offense) under former Head Coach Mark Dantonio. Since Kelly has gotten to UC he has often talked about getting better on the ground. In the spring of 2008 he focused on short yardage situations. This spring he did the same. Now, with a bye week, Kelly and Offensive Coordinator/Offensive line coach Jeff Quinn are scheming ways to get the Bearcats to be more proficient on the ground.

“We’re spending quite a bit of time on some of the things we need to continue to work on, especially running the football,” Kelly said. “That’s going to be the secret to success in November and December. We still have some things to iron out.”

Isaiah Pead racked up 175 yards against West Virginia on Friday night

Kelly talked more about his practice schedule. Take note of what he says. “It’s so important that you really emphasize relative to practice that it’s quality not quantity,” Kelly said. “We’ve backed off our practices quite a bit. We’ve talked to the kids about giving us 1½ hours of locked-in focus. The word we’ve used is purposeful. You’ve got to have a purpose when you go out to practice.”

So far this year the Bearcats have produced quality and quantity on gamedays. Practice really does make perfect.

4. The UC defense should work hard on defending run
It’s no secret that UC has had a tough time defending the power running attack over the past few weeks. Both UConn and West Virginia ran for over 200 yards a piece on the Bearcats defense—which up to this point in the season had been quite strong. UC held prominent Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rogers to 73 yards rushing in game three.

UC's defense has had no trouble sacking quarterbacks. Here, Ricardo Matthews sacks West Virginia's Jarret Brown. UC is 5th in the nation in sacks, tied with USC

But, UConn’s Jordan Todman ran for 162 and West Virginia ran for 202 yards as a team against the ‘Cats last Friday evening. The more lingering problem for UC is that Pittsburgh is a power running team. They will line up, “Big Ten style”, as I call it, and pound it up the middle with freshman sensation Dion Lewis.

Lewis has run for 1291 yards this season, with an average of 5.8 yards per rush, and 13 touchdowns. Did I mention the kid is a true freshman? Only three times this season Lewis has been held to under 100 yards rushing (Navy, NC State, and Louisville). Perhaps those games hold the keys to stopping the best runner in the Big East this season.

Now, some will argue that the nation’s leading rusher, Ryan Matthews of Fresno State, also had a great day against the UC defense. Those are the same people who would forget that UC’s plan that day was to limit the big play ability of Matthews. Kelly’s plan that day was to play a lot of cover two, as he stated after the game, to give Marcus Barnett (the wideout turned cornerback for that game) some help in pass defense.

5. Big East replay catching grief for “questionable calls”
On Friday night in the West Virginia-UC game, the Bearcats faced first and goal from the one yard line. Zach Collaros turned and handed the ball off to Isaiah Pead, who dove forward for the endzone. He lost the ball, West Virginia recovered it, and the play was, of course, reviewed by the video replay booth.

It was determined by the booth that Pead stretched the ball across the goal line and therefore scored before he lost the ball. (This picture below, courtesy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, is as close a view as I could get my hands on…for now)

Let’s not forget that John McDaid and crew were officiating this game. McDaid might be the worst official in the Big East conference, and maybe the nation. Every time we get him, I cringe. McDaid had the UC/USF showdown in mid-October, the Pittsburgh loss (their only one this year) at NC State, and last season he had the Backyard Brawl between Pitt and WVU, plus the UC game one week later in Hawaii (one of the worst officiated games I’ve ever witnessed).

Maybe the Big East shouldn’t be worrying about their replay booth, and be more worried about who the man is on the field making the calls.

West Virginia fans note that they “lost the game” on this call. Brian Bennett, Big East blogger for ESPN.com, who was in attendance at the game, wrote, “Did those calls decide the game? No. I generally believe that one call, unless it's at the very end, should not be blamed for a loss. Teams have many opportunities to make up for such calls, and indeed, West Virginia got stopped on a fourth down deep in Cincinnati territory in the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers should only point fingers at themselves.”

But he wasn’t done there. Later on he wrote, “As to whether the Mountaineers would have won, my feeling is: score more points. West Virginia would have had the ball on its own 1. Who knows if Cincinnati makes a stop, gets the ball back and scores before halftime? Or maybe not. In the end, the Mountaineers had the ball inside the 30 and got stopped on fourth down. They lost by three. So they had plenty of chances after the call to win the game.”

Not too much to argue there folks. A lot of football left and WVU just couldn’t get it done in the second half. Call me myopic, but I agree with Bennett, and not just because it went for my team.
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Hope you’ve enjoyed some insight. I’ve gotta get back to homework, but later this week I hope to post a few thoughts on one of the most influential teachers I’ve had at UC, and possibly a little piece on why I love NASCAR so very much.

Have a good Wednesday all.