ESPN - Breaking down the Big East

[KB]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2871229

2006 overall record:

9-4

Conference record:

4-3

Returning starters

Offense: 8, Defense: 8, Kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

QB Matt Grothe, DE George Selvie, LB Ben Moffitt, CB Mike Jenkins, CB Trae Williams, OT Marc Dile, OT Walter Walker, C Nick Capogna, LB/DE Chris Robinson, WR Taurus Johnson

Key losses

LB Stephen Nicholas, WR S.J. Green, WR Ean Randolph, S Jeremy Burnett, LB Pat St. Louis, OT Thed Watson, TE Will Bleakley

Top newcomer: QB Alton Voss  

2006 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Matt Grothe* (622 yds)

Passing: Matt Grothe* (2,576 yds)

Receiving: Ean Randolph (506 yds)

Tackles: Ben Moffitt* (112)

Sacks: Stephen Nicholas (7½)

Interceptions: Trae Williams* (7)

Spring answers: 1. Ford is the real deal: Perhaps the most high-profile player to ever sign with the Bulls, freshman tailback Mike Ford showed he might be worth the hype during the spring. Ford, 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, originally signed with Alabama out of Sarasota (Fla.) High School in 2004. He was one of only two Florida prep players to run for 200 yards or more in 11 straight games (Tennessee Titans back Travis Henry is the other), while running for a state-record 2,836 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior. After signing with the Tide, he failed to qualify and enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. Ford will challenge junior Benjamin Williams, the MVP of the Papajohns.com Bowl, and freshman Aston Samuels for the starting job this fall. Ford ran eight times for 55 yards and one touchdown during the spring game.

2. Grothe's healthy: Quarterback Matt Grothe, who set school freshman records with 2,576 passing yards, 622 rushing yards and 3,198 all-purpose yards last season, showed no effects from the hairline fracture of his fibula suffered in the bowl game. He was 18-of-34 for 179 yards without an interception during the spring game.

3. Cornerbacks are back: The Bulls return a pair of cornerbacks who could start for any team in the country. Senior Trae Williams had seven interceptions last season, and senior Mike Jenkins is one of the fastest players in the Big East. Jenkins had a team-high 15 pass breakups in 2006. Jenkins was arrested in March for his role in a disturbance outside a Tampa nightclub. He was briefly suspended during the spring, but won't miss any time this fall, coach Jim Leavitt said.

4. Staff changes: Leavitt moved quickly in hiring replacements for former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Rod Smith and offensive line coach Greg Frey, who both left for Big East rival West Virginia. Leavitt hired Mike Canales from Arizona as his team's passing game coordinator and receivers coach, and former Iowa State coach Dan McCarney was hired to coach the defensive line. Graduate assistant Mike Simmonds, a former NFL offensive lineman, was promoted to Frey's position. Also, Greg Gregory was promoted from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator.

5. Immediate help at linebacker: The Bulls must replace starting outside linebackers Stephen Nicholas and Pat St. Louis, two of the stars on a defense that essentially carried the team last season. Tyrone McKenzie, a second team All-Big 12 selection with Iowa State last season, transferred to Tampa in January. Because McKenzie returned to his hometown to help care for an ailing family member, he received a waiver from the NCAA, which allows him to play for the Bulls this fall, instead of sitting out one year under NCAA transfer rules. McKenzie averaged a whopping 10.8 tackles per game last season, eighth-best in Division I-A.

Fall questions: 1. Huners hurt: Returning left guard Matt Huners tore the ACL in his knee during the spring and will miss this coming season. He was one of the team's top returning linemen, along with tackles Marc Dile and Walter Walker. Two freshmen (Jeremiah Warren and Zach Hermann ) were playing behind Huners and right guard Ryan Schmidt, a Kansas State transfer. Center Nick Capogn also returns.

2. More big plays at receiver: With wideout S.J. Green and Ean Randolph departing, the Bulls will be counting heavily on senior Amarri Jackson and junior Taurus Johnson in the passing game. Jackson had 26 catches for 393 yards and is very adept at running reverses. Johnson caught 37 passes for 494 yards, but lacked consistency last season.

3. What to do with Chris Robinson. It's a nice problem to have for Leavitt, who is considering playing sophomore Chris Robinson at defensive end or outside linebacker this fall. As a freshman, Robinson proved his pass rushing skills with seven sacks and nine tackles for loss. He left spring listed as the No. 1 strongside linebacker, but could move to end, especially if McKenzie or JUCO transfer Donte Spires are ready to start at linebacker.

4. Will Amp Lee get the message: Leavitt suspended junior Amp Hill near the end of spring drills, after the LSU transfer, ahem, signed a football after scoring a touchdown during a scrimmage. Leavitt said Hill also needed to get his academics in order. Hill, once a big-time recruit, caught 19 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns last season. He is physically capable of much, much more.

5. Shore up the special teams: Punter Justin Teachey struggled mightily as a punter last year, averaging 38.2 yards with little hang time. As a result, the Bulls had a net punting average of only 30 yards. Teachey hasn't yet abandoned the rugby-style punting, which made him so successful on fakes last season. The Bulls hope Taurus Johnson can improve their kickoff returns, and Randolph must be replaced on punt returns.

[BULLfreak]

very surprised they listed Voss as top newcomer

[JoeB]

Pretty solid analysis, although Teachey's hang time is the result of the rugby style punt, so he'll never keep it up in the air for very long.  

[USFan]

Is this true?

Huners hurt: Returning left guard Matt Huners tore the ACL in his knee during the spring and will miss this coming season

I thought he would be ready by then.

[JoeB]

Last I saw he was trying to get back by the Auburn week, and if not then most likely West Virginia.  This is the first I've seen him listed as out for the season.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

I just don't see Huners getting back this season.

An ACL tear is an ACL tear.

IMO, if he does come back, it will almost certainly be at something less than 100%.

That would hurt both him and the team.

[SeaBull]

Whoever wrote this is on it...

The only people that know more are us fanatics and the AD

Great write up

[E.T.]

Agree SeaBull . . . impressive.

Really like that they think our CB's could start for anyone.

Really thinking of a Top 25 Pre-Season Ranking  8-)

Go BULLS !!!

[HarveyGlass]

Really like that they think our CB's could start for anyone.

Williams and Jenkins vs Douglas and Urrutia should be awesome.  **** the BigEast is good! :GoBulls

[E.T.]

Really like that they think our CB's could start for anyone.

Williams and Jenkins vs Douglas and Urrutia should be awesome.  **** the BigEast is good! :GoBulls

Don't think it will be that entertaining of a match-up ... Brohm will be running too much away from our Front Seven  8-)

Go BULLS !!!

:GoBulls