WVU Announces Coaching Assignments

WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen announced the official coaching staff positions for the upcoming season. The announcement was held today, as the media finally had an opportunity to speak with some of the new staff members. The shifting included both the new and current coaches, as Holgorsen and company gets ready from Spring practices. Here is a look at the coaching staff, and their 2012 duties.

Dana Holgorsen: Head Coach

Shannon Dawson: Offensive Coordinator, Wide Receivers

Jake Spivital: Quarterbacks

Robert Gillespie: Running Backs

Bill Bedenbaugh: Offensive Line

Joe DeForest: Co-Defensive Coordinator, Safeties

Keith Patterson: Co-Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers

Daron Roberts: Cornerbacks

Erik Slaughter: Defensive Line

Steve Dunlap: Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams

Notes:

-Dawson now coaches all receivers.

-Holgorsen will still have final say on offensive calls.

-Roberts moves from receivers to cornerbacks. He coached corners in the NFL.

-Dunlap gets Asst HC title, and completely takes over Special Teams

-Ryan Dorchester becomes the new Recruiting Coordinator

WVU Moves up in the Polls

Following a 34-13 win over Marshall, West Virginia has moved up in the AP Poll, and finally debuts in the Coaches.

The Mountaineers went from 24 to 19th in the AP Poll. They also debut at number 24 in the Coaches.

WVU isn't the only Big East team ranked. After beating Notre Dame at South Bend, South Florida gets into the mix, coming in at number 22 in the AP. The Bulls aren't ranked in the Coaches, but are receiving the second-most votes of any non-ranked team.

The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday, hosting Norfolk State.

West Virginia v Marshall Preview

Time to take a closer look at the Friends of Coal Bowl. West Virginia hosts Marshall, and looks to remain undefeated against their little brother. Dana Holgorsen will certainly be looking for a stunning debut from his boys.


Offense:

West Virginia: WVU will bust out the new system for the first time in this game. Much more speed, much more passing, much more fun. However, don't let the offense fool you. When run correctly, the offense is very balanced. Last year, Kendall Hunter ran for over 1,000 yards in the Holgorsen system. So, look for Geno Smith to pass first to set up the youngsters at running back. Smith was solid in his first year starting, throwing for 24 touchdowns. His efficiency was good, but could stand to improve his accuracy. He will have many of the same targets, including Tavon Austin, who may play the role of Justin Blackmon. Stedman Bailey and Ryan Nehlen will start on the outside, and converted tight end, Tyler Urban should provide good size on the inside. The rushing attack will be interesting. Three freshmen and Trey Johnson will be fight one another for carries. The initial depth chart shows Roberts as the number one, but that may not matter. These guys will all get their opportunity to shine. The biggest question will be on the offensive line. One of the weakest groups in the conference last season, WVU's line will have to play bigger, faster, and stronger in this offense. Smith was hit far too often last season, and one hit could certainly derail the season. It will be interesting to see how this unit plays early, especially against a pretty good Marshall front seven.


Marshall: The Herd will start a true freshman at quarterback. Miami product, Rakeem Cato will get the start in his first ever game. It fits, considering the Herd offense will be inexperienced at all of the skilled positions. Martin Ward is the leading returning rusher. He finished with just 345 yards on the ground, and one touchdown. After him, Tron Martinez will get some looks. Aaron Dobson will lead the receivers. Dobson did have a nice 2010 campaign. He will lead a young receiving and tight end corp. The offensive line is a very solid bunch. Good experience, mixed with good technique is a recipe for success. The group will give Cato and the youngsters plenty of opportunities to move the football this season.

Defense:

West Virginia: WVU has to replace quite a few players from one of the best defenses of 2010. Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller are both back to anchor the line. Najee Goode will run the linebacking unit, and Ketih Tandy is still around to harass receivers. However, the rest of the secondary has plenty of questions, which will put some pressure on the front six. Miller and Irvin may be the best sack-tandem in the country, but will that group be able to slow down the run? If not, the passing game will open up, and really put the pressure on the young safeties. However, this is Jeff Casteel's baby and is one of the best in-game adjusters in the country.

Marshall: The Herd will be led by Conference USA First-Teamer Vinny Curry. The defensvie end finished with 12 sacks last season, and is hoping to build on that. He is one of nine returning players for Marshall, including the everyone in the secondary. This unit will have to show better maturity in 2011. The linebacking unit will be young, and will probably be a bit susceptible early on. This unit should be pretty solid against inferior offenses, and should gain in confidence.

Special Teams:

West Virginia: The Mountaineers will look to improve in this category from 2010. Kicker Tyler Bitencurt regressed from his first year, and punter Corey Smith is in his first year at the helm. Kick coverage has been a disaster since Rich Rodriquez left, which is interesting considering Bill Stewart was the Special Teams' coach...well...maybe that makes total sense. WVU will have to improve right away in that department. Kick/Punt returning duty will be split between Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, and Devon Brown. That's a pretty solid crop of speedsters.

Marshall: Tyler Warner returns as the primary placekicker. Warner hit just five field goals in 2010. Kase Whitehead is a very accurate punter, and will probably be used quite often early on. Troy Evans is the primary return specialist. He had an over 20 yard average last season on kick returns.

Coaching:

West Virginia: Dana Holgorsen steps into his first game. It's hard to truly get a gauge of how he will do, considering it will be his first game. e's an offensive genius, who wisely gave Jeff Casteel complete control of the defense.

Marshall: Doc Holliday spent a lot of time wearing Mountaineer colors during his career. He took over the Herd job last season, after many thought he would be Bill Stewart's successor. He has faced the Mountaineers once, and nearly beat them.

Outlook:

Marshall always seems to play up to WVU ever since this series was renewed a few years back. However, the Herd just don't seem to be a very good matchup this season. West Virginia has superior talent, and should be much more efficient offensively. Having a true freshman gets his first collegiate start on the road in Morgantown is no easy task either. Plus, Marshall's skilled positions just won't be enough of a threat to the younger Mountaineer defense. Expect WVU to have success early. Holgorsen will surely want to show off the new offense, and also show he belongs as a head coach. Cato will have the pressure on big time. A few mistakes early from him will probably lock up the game for Mountaineers. The effort will be there from Marshall, but sheer effort isn't enough to take down WVU.

Prediction: 35-14 West Virginia

IT'S GAME WEEK: GAME ONE PRIMER

It's time folks. It's time to take a closer look at the first game of the season.

Matchup: West Virginia vs. Marshall

WHEN: Sunday, 3:30p, ESPN

LINE: -21 WVU

LAST YEAR'S GAME: 24-21 OT WVU

WVU PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Geno Smith, QB: 2,763 passing yards, 24 TDs, 7 INT

Tavon Austin, WR: 58 rec, 787 yards, 8 DS

Najee Goode, LB: 44 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Bruce Irvin, DE: 22 tackles, 14 sacks

MARSHALL PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Martin Ward, RB: 345 rushing yards, 1 TD

Aaron Dobson, WR: 44 rec, 689 yards, 5 TDs

Vinny Curry, DE: 94 tackles, 12 sacks

STORYLINES:

The Debut of Dana Holgorsen was supposed to be in 2012. However, the early exit of Bill Stewart sped up the process. The big question is how will this team respond? Holgorsen has been mildly satisfied with practice, but those are only practice. The big test will come against a team that WVU has never lost to. It took about 55 minutes for the Mountaineer offense to wake up last year in Huntington. There is no doubt that Holgorsen wants to put a number up early to show what this new offense is all about.

How will Marshall react? Yes, it's not the same exact team, but there are certainly enough players and coaches who remember the one that got away last season. Doc Holliday will have to keep his players grounded to make sure their emotions don't get the better of them. Marshall just needs to stay within striking distance to give themselves a chance...kind of like what WVU did last year.

Is the WVU Offense line ready? The boys better be, because Vinny Curry and company will be after it all game long. Marshall rushed and pounded Geno Smith last year, and will look to do the same in 2011. The Mountaineer line will have to play much better if they want to win comfortably.

Hey, is that beer in the stadium? Your'e damn right. Beer sales are now legal in Milan Puskar Stadium. What kind of impact will it make? Other than a few hundred thousand dollars going to the school each year, not much. People have blown it way out of proportion. Many collegiate stadiums sell it already, so it's nothing new.

Let's Realign the Conferences...Part Four, The Stadium Capacity Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Part 4: Stadium Size!

Enough with stadium diversity, it's time to line up the big boys with the big boys. I really have nothing else to say about this...it's pretty self-explanatory.

The Big Dog Conference: Now, this is a conference. All giant stadiums, and all solid programs. This is a dream conference fro college football fans everywhere.

Michigan (109,901)

Penn State (107,282)

Ohio State (102,329)

Tennessee (102,037)

Alabama (101,821)

Texas (100,119)

USC (93,607)

Georgia (92,746)

LSU (92,542)

UCLA (92,542)

Florida (88,548)

Auburn (87,451)

The Medium Dog Conference: This is a pretty damn good conference as well. A lot of national championships can be found with this group. Pretty dirty too.

Texas A&M (83,002)

Florida State (82,300)

Oklahoma (82,112)

Nebraska (81,067)

Notre Dame (80,795)

Wisconsin (80,321)

Clemson (80,301)

South Carolina (80,250)

Arkansas (76,000)

California (75,662)

Miami (75,504)

Michigan State (75,005)

The Pro-Stadium Conference: Yes, there's a reason why Tulane, Temple, and USF are this high on the list. The pro stadiums give the squads a bit of a boost in conference realignment, even though they should be nowhere near this.

Washington (72,500)

Arizona State (71,706)

UAB (71,594)

Missouri (71,004)

Iowa (70,585)

San Diego State (70,561)

Rice (70,000)

Tulane (69,703)

Temple (68,532)

Kentucky (67,606)

Virginia Tech (66,233)

USF (65,857)

The Rival Conference: Some good rivalries remain intact here. Pitt-WVU, UNC-NC STATE-UVA, Texas Tech-Oklahoma State, Purdue-Illinois, BYU-Ole Miss...well, maybe not that one.

Pittsburgh (65,050)

BYU (63,725)

Purdue (62,500)

Memphis (62,380)

Virginia (61,500)

Illinois (60,600)

Mississippi (60,580)

Texas Tech (60,454)

Oklahoma State (60,218)

West Virginia (60,000)

North Carolina (60,000)

NC State (57,583)

The Basketball Conference: Some solid basketball programs here, including numerous former National Champs. Now, all we need is Larry Eustachy and some Natty Ice.

Louisville (56,000)

Arizona (56,000)

Mississippi State (55,082)

Iowa State (55,000)

Georgia Tech (55,000)

Oregon (53,800)

Colorado (53,750)

Air Force (52,480)

Rutgers (52,454)

Indiana (52,180)

UTEP (52,000)

Maryland (51,500)

The One with the Trip to Hawaii Conference: Looks like tuition at Syracuse just skyrocketed.

Minnesota (50,805)

Kansas (50,300)

Kansas State (50,071)

Baylor (50,000)

East Carolina (50,000)

Hawaii (50,000)

Stanford (50,000)

Northwestern (49,256)

Syracuse (49,250)

TCU (46,000)

Oregon State (45,674)

UCF (45,301)

The All-American Travel Conference: We are going New England, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, Midwest...basically everywhere but the Southeast.

Utah (45,017)

Boston College (44,500)

New Mexico (42,000)

Vanderbilt (41,448)

Fresno State (41,031)

Army (40,000)

Connecticut (40,000)

Marshall (38,019)

UNLV (36,800)

Southern Miss (36,000)

Tulsa (35,542)

Washington State (35,117)

The Pathetic AQ School Conference: Cincy, Duke, and Wake should all be booted from AQ status. You can't even have a 40,000+ seat stadium? Pathetic!

Cincinnati (35,097)

Navy (35,000)

Colorado State (34,400)

Duke (33,941)

Boise (33,500)

Wyoming (32,580)

SMU (32,000)

Houston (32,000)

Wake Forest (31,500)

Louisiana-Lafayette (31,000)

Middle Tennessee State (31,000)

Arkansas State (30,964)

The Safety School Conference: So, you can't get into that reach school? Well, here are all your backups...all in one conference.

North Texas (30,850)

Louisiana Tech (30,600)

San Jose State (30,456)

Louisiana-Monroe (30,427)

New Mexico State (30,343)

Utah State (30,257)

Western Michigan (30,200)

Eastern Michigan (30,200)

Central Michigan (30,199)

Akron (30,000)

Troy (30,000)

Nevada (29,993)

The MAC Conference? Yeah, pretty much.

Buffalo (29,013)

Toledo (26,248)

Northern Illinois (25,500)

Kent (25,000)

Miami (OH) (24,286)

Ohio (24,000)

Bowling Green (23,724)

FIU (23,500)

Ball State (22,500)

Western Kentucky (22,000)

FAU (20,450)

Idaho (16,000)

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

Let's Realign The Conferences...Part Three, The Year Established Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Part Three...Year Established!

Yeah! Let's go old school with it, and talk 1800's football. You know, when the game looked more like slow-motion rugby, and the losing team was fed to rabid wolverines...well, maybe not, but you get the idea.

The strategy is simple...the teams are lined up by the year the team was established. Alphabetical order was used to split up some of the more popular years. That's about it, really. So, here you go!

(note: year established is not necessarily the year they joined FBS or 1-A)

Part One can be found here.

Part Two can be found here.

1. The Traditional Conference

Talk about the traditional programs here. Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Navy, Cincinnati. Wait...what? How the hell were the Bearcats one of the first teams? And, yes Rutgers, we know your the oldest school playing at this level.

Rutgers (1869)

Northwestern (1876)

Michigan (1879)

Navy (1879)

Kentucky (1881)

California (1882)

Minnesota (1882)

Cincinnati (1885)

Indiana (1887)

Notre Dame (1887)

Penn State (1887)

Purdue (1887)

2. The Blah Conference

I bet you can't wait for that Duke v Miami (OH) game? I'm sure Syracuse is going to love paying for those trips to New Mexico and California.

Duke (1888)

Miami (OH) (1888)

New Mexico State (1888)

North Carolina (1888)

USC (1888)

Virginia (1888)

Wake Forest (1888)

Iowa (1889)

New Mexico (1889)

Syracuse (1889)

Washington (1889)

Wisconsin (1889)

3. The Practical Conference

This conference kind of works. Most teams are in the midwest, and many play one another already. Army and Eastern Michigan would struggle just a little.

Army (1890)

Colorado (1890)

Illinois (1890)

Kansas (1890)

Missouri (1890)

Nebraska (1890)

Ohio State (1890)

Pittsburgh (1890)

Vanderbilt (1890)

Akron (1891)

Eastern Michigan (1891)

Stanford (1891)

4. The Power Conference

Now, this is a conference. Every team is from a Big-six conference with the exception of Utah State. Storylines galore.

Tennessee (1891)

West Virginia (1892)

Alabama (1892)

Aubrun (1892)

Georgia (1892)

Georgia Tech (1892)

Iowa State (1892)

Maryland (1892)

NC State (1892)

South Carolina (1892)

Utah (1892)

Utah State (1892)

5. The Geographically Messed-Up Conference

The entire country is represented in this conference. BC could travel to the south, southwest, and northwest all in one year. Some serious programs here as well with Texas and LSU anchoring.

Virginia Tech (1892)

Boston College (1893)

Colorado State (1893)

Kansas State (1893)

LSU (1893)

Ole Miss (1893)

Oregon State (1893)

San Jose State (1893)

Texas (1893)

Tulane (1893)

Wyoming (1893)

Arkansas (1894)

6. The Lopsided Conference

Ummm, not exactly a deep conference. Actually, one of Oregon, A&M, or Oklahoma should win the damn thing every year. Idaho v Washington State will garner huge east coast ratings.

Buffalo (1894)

Idaho (1894)

Ohio (1894)

Oregon (1894)

Temple (1894)

Texas A&M (1894)

Washington State (1894)

Marshall (1895)

Mississippi State (1895)

Oklahoma (1895)

Tulsa (1895)

Central Michigan (1896)

7. The Legit Conference

Anther pretty solid conference. Teams that may not get the attention they deserve. The taxpayers of Connecticut wouldn't enjoy the travel costs, but oh well.

Clemson (1896)

Connecticut (1896)

Michigan State (1896)

Nevada (1896)

TCU (1896)

Arizona State (1897)

Arizona (1899)

Baylor (1899)

Northern Illinois (1899)

Louisiana-Lafayette (1901)

Louisiana Tech (1901)

Oklahoma State (1901)

8. The Garbage Conference

Garbage.

Western Michigan (1905)

Florida (1906)

Hawaii (1909)

Troy (1909)

Arkansas State (1911)

Louisville (1912)

Memphis (1912)

Middle Tennessee State (1912)

Rice (1912)

Southern Miss (1912)

North Texas (1913)

Western Kentucky (1913)

9. The Defensively-Challenged Conference

Wow, we are talking about some serious points being put up in this conference. Take the over, unless Jacory Harris is your quarterback.

UTEP (1914)

SMU (1915)

Toledo (1917)

Bowling Green (1919)

UCLA (1919)

Kent State (1920)

Fresno State (1921)

San Diego State (1921)

BYU (1922)

Ball State (1924)

Texas Tech (1925)

Miami (1925)

10. The Lack-of-Depth Conference

This conference would probably come down to FSU v Boise State every year. Maybe the occasional South Florida, but we know how they choke every season.

Louisiana-Monroe (1931)

East Carolina (1932)

Boise State (1933)

Houston (1946)

Florida State (1946)

Air Force (1955)

UNLV (1968)

UCF (1979)

UAB (1991)

South Florida (1997)

Florida Atlantic (2001)

Florida International (2002)

Let's Realign the Conferences, Part Two: Alphabetical Order

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Here is part two of many to come. Part one can be found here.

This is a pretty simple strategy; just line them up by name. No thought put into it at all...well, other than trying to decide what name to use (ie Mississippi vs Ole Miss). Let's just say the travel cost could get a little out of control.

1. This is an interesting collection. A few SEC and PAC-12 schools highlight the group, but watch-out for Air Force. The Academy could be the wildcard in this conference. Travel could be worse, though West Point to Arizona possibly twice-a-year would be fun.

Air Force

Akron
Alabama
Arizona
Arizona State
Arkansas
Arkansas State

Army
Auburn

Ball State

Baylor

2. It's a battle of East vs West in this conference. Nothng like a trip for California to Boston in December to spice things up. The closest trip for Clemson? Cincinnati. Ouch.

Boise State

Boston College

Bowling Green

BYU

Buffalo

California

Central Michigan

Cincinnati

Clemson

Colorado

Colorado State

Connecticut

3. Well, someone was going to be stuck with Hawaii. I'm not sure the Warriors would be able to afford this conference. Numerous trips to the East Coast could prove quite costly. Florida, FSU, Georgia, and Tech actually make this conference quite competitive.

Duke

East Carolina

Eastern Michigan

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida International

Florida State

Fresno State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Hawaii

Houston

4. What a boring conference. It's like taking the most lame teams from their respective conferences and throwing them together. This is a basketball conference.

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Kent State

Kentucky

Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Monroe

Louisiana Tech

5. Now, this is a conference. Traditional programs, mixed with emerging schools. Many of these colleges have BCS experience, and lots of promise for the future. Obviously I'm talking about Memphis and Miami (OH).

Louisville

LSU

Marshall

Maryland

Memphis

Miami

MIami (OH)

MIchigan

MIchigan State

Middle Tennessee

Minnesota

Mississippi State

6. This actually looks like a traditional Notre Dame schedule. Lots of "who cares" teams, a few solid programs, and Navy. Now, only if Purdue had snuck in.

Missouri

Navy

NC State

Nebraska

Nevada

New Mexico

New Mexico State

North Carolina

North Texas

Northern Illinois

Northwestern

Notre Dame

7. Another pretty tough group. Could be one of the deepest with 10 out of the 12 from BCS conferences. Good luck to Rice and Ohio...they will need it.

Ohio

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Ole Miss

Oregon

Oregon State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Rice

Rutgers

8. Talk about some travel. California to Florida to New York to everywhere in between. Actually, it's quite a nice group of traditional programs. Nice to see Texas and Stanford in together, considering the two schools are top-5 in overall NCAA championships in all sports.

San Diego State

San Jose State

SMU

South Carolina

South Florida

Southern Miss

Stanford

Syracuse

TCU

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

9. Let the bragging rights begin between California and Texas. This is a also a very dirty conference, with the likes of USC, UCF, Toledo, and Texas TEch in the mix. Who am I kidding? They all cheat.

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Toledo

Troy
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UCF

UCLA

USC
Utah
Utah State

10. Well, WVU and Virginia Tech would be rivals again. Other than that, not much to talk about. Lots of travel, and lots of subpar programs.

UTEP

Vanderbilt
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Washington
Washington State
West Virginia
Western Kentucky
Western Michigan
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Big East Fantasy PK Rankings

Who doesn't love a good kicker? Nobody! We here at the Flying Dub love kickers so much, we will give them their own column. We won't throw them in with the defense or just completely ignore them. No! The kickers deserve their day. And, Friday is for kickers.


Late Rounders (Never pick a kicker early)

Dave Teggart (UConn): Can hit from anywhere, and is automatic on PATs. However, a new QB and starting tailback could hurt his draft stock.

Ross Krautman (Syracuse): Missed just one field goal in 2010, and is poised to continue his excellence. Certainly a possibility to start, especially with the early-season schedule

Chris Philpott (Louisville): The duel-threat kicker should be one of the best in the Big East again this season. Philpott is worth a look in bigger leagues.

Maikon Bonani (USF): If the Bulls' offense can be more consistent, Bonani could have a solid year. The USF kicker drained 17 field goals last season. However, the Bulls need to score more TDs to give Bonani more value.


Projects:

Tyler Bitancurt (West Virginia): He regressed in year two, missing seven field goals. Bitancurt should put up some big PAT numbers, but has to get more consistant to be worth playing.

San San Te (Rutgers): Automatic from close, Te needs to find some accuracy from distance. He could be worth picking up a few weeks in, if Rutgers is scoring.


Beyond Projects:

Kevin Harper (Pittsburgh): The first-year kicker will have to prove something before being worth drafting.

Tony Miliano and Danny Milligan (Cincinnati): Neither have any value at this point, considering neither has won the job yet.

Other Neutral Fields for WVU?

The announcement yesterday of WVU playing James Madison in Washington DC in 2012 got me thinking...which can be dangerous. I started to wonder where else could be a good neutral field game for the Mountaineers? The recruiting region, facilities, and level of alumni would have to be taken into consideration. For instance, FedEx Field is solid, the alumni base is very good, and the Mountaineers are always recruiting the DC area. Plus, Jame Madison is far enough away that it wouldn't be mistaken for the home team.

So, here is my list of other possible destinations that fit the criteria.


Location: Baltimore, MD
Stadium: M&T Stadium (Capacity: 71,008)
Opponent: Delaware
Distance for Opponent: 59 miles
Alumni Level: Outstanding
Recruiting Region: Solid

Baltimore is not only close to Morgantwon, but is a hotbed for WVU alums. It's also close enough to Morgantown for a capacity crowd. The recruiting region has treated the Mountaineers well, with players like Tavon Austin and Ryan Clarke, who are currently on the team. With a game every other year in College Park, having a game in Baltimore would envelope the region. Meanwhile, Delaware is usually a very competitive team in the CAA.


Location: Orlando, FL
Stadium: Florida Citrus Bowl (Capacity: 70,000)
Opponent: Bethune-Cookman
Distance for Opponent: 56 miles
Alumni Level: Solid
Recruiting Region: Outstanding

Who wouldn't want to have a few more games in Florida? The recruiting climate is top-notch, and the alumni number is higher than one might think. Plus, Orlando is a vacation destination. Have the game in November, and watch hoards of Mounty fans roll down for the game and a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Bethune-Cookman did share the MEAC title last season.


Location: Cleveland, OH
Stadium: Cleveland Browns Stadium (Capacity: 73,200)
Opponent: Youngstown State
Distance for Opponent: 73 miles
Alumni Level: Solid
Recruiting Region: Solid

Ah yes, have to make a trip to the "Mistake by the Lake". Cleveland offers a pipeline to Ohio recruiting, which has been one of the more underrated regions in the country. It would also be a good location for the midwestern alums from not only Cleveland, but the surrounding areas. Youngstown used to be a premier school in the FCS. Though, they are now known mostly for Jim Tressel dirtying up the program.


Location: New York, NY
Stadium: Yankee Stadium (54,251)
Opponent: Stony Brook
Distance for Opponent: 56 miles
Alumni Level: Solid
Recruiting Level: Solid (for basketball)

Why not? Its the number one market in America, has a boatload of basketball recruits, and is loaded with former Mountaineers. Maybe Amos Zereoue can even cater the event? Football games are great for recruits for any sports, so a game at Yankee Stadium would be ideal. Plus, it opens up the door for alums from New England and parts of Canada as well. Stony Brook is not known for football, but is within striking distance of the Bronx.


Location: Philadelphia, PA
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field (69,144)
Opponent: Temple Delaware State
Distance for Opponent: 76 miles
Alumni Level: Outstanding
Recruiting Level: Solid (for basketball)

It's another basketball hotbed, and also a city loaded with Mounties. It's close enough to Morgantown to get the fan train rolling. There is some football talent in and around Philly, but Western PA has always been more flashy. Villanova could be the opponent, but that would be way too much of a home game for them. So, give me some Delaware State!


Location: Charlotte
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium (Capacity: 73,778)
Opponent: Wofford
Distance for Opponent: 76 miles
Alumni Level: Very Solid
Recruiting Level: Solid

Who wouldn't love to travel down to Charlotte for a game? Great city, solid alumni base, and an ever improving recruiting region. This would be a very nice fit for the Mountaineers, who haven't played at the Bank since 2008. Wofford is usually a competitive squad that has played at Mountaineer Field before.


Location: Portland, ME
Stadium: Fitzpatrick Stadium (6,300)
Opponent: Maine
Distance for Opponent: 137 miles
Alumni Level: Like four People
Recruiting Level: Ummm

Yeah, I just put this on here, because I want to be able to walk to WVU games again. A man can dream, can't he?

Big East Fantasy TE Rankings

Our College Fantasy Football rankings will focus on the Tight ends today. It's not a very deep group, and West Virginia won't even employ one in the Holgorsen Offense. However, there are a few valuable picks, and maybe a steal or two.

Early Round Value:

Josh Chichester (Louisville): The former wideout has tremendous size and ability, and continues to improve at the position. Chichester should be one of the top pass-catchers for Louisville this season, so the touchdown numbers will most likely improve as well. Could end up being a Top-10 fantasy TE.

Pros: Size, Ability, Hands

Cons: WR by Trade, Route-Running

2010 Stats: 22 Rec, 317 Yards, 5 TDs


Middle Round Value:

Nick Provo (Syracuse): 2010 proved to be a breakthrough year for Provo, who finished with 33 receptions. However, he will need to find the endzone much more to be a top fantasy TE. Provo has the ideal size and strength to dominate, and should have solid numbers in 2011.

Pros: Size, Strength, Route-Running

Cons: Injury-Prone, Explosiveness

2010 Stats: 33 Rec, 365 Yards, 1 TD

Possible Late Round Steal:

D.C. Jefferson (Rutgers): He has the ideal size to be a beast, but hasn't lived up to the potential. Having a more mature QB could help him find some of that potential. Jefferson could be one of the best steals this season if he performs.

Ryan Griffin (UConn): He's a very solid pass-catcher, and will be one of the most important targets for the Huskies. However, the QB situation in Storrs will hurt his draft stock. Griffin could be a wait-and-see guy.

Projects:

Andreas Shields (USF): He will take over the starting roll in Tampa, and will look to be one of B.J. Daniels' top targets. Not a lot of value at this point.

Blake Annen, Adrien Robinson, Travis Kelce (Cincinnati): They are all fighting for the starting job. Follow this closely, because Zach Collaros will use the position.

Hubie Graham (Pittsburgh): The Illinois transfer will be the Panthers' primary TE target. Hard to tell how much Todd Graham will use the position in his offense.

Big East WR Fantasy Rankings

As we get closer to the fantasy season, it's time to take a look at the wideouts in the conference. This is always the toughest to rate, considering there's probably four or five guys that nobody has ever heard of that will have good years. Here's a look at the guys we have at least heard of.


Zeus Level:

Tavon Austin (West Virginia): The 2010 break-out start should put up monster numbers. Austin is the top returning WR for Geno Smith, in a new pass-happy system. Look for huge numbers and double-digit touchdowns in 2011.

Pros: Speed, Hands, QB

Cons: Size, Route Running

2010 Stats: 58 Rec, 946 Total Yards, 9 Total TDs

D.J.Woods (Cincinnati): A very productive WR for the Bearcats, and can also boost a special teams' unit. Look for double-digit TDs this season, especially with his QB improving in the Cincy System. Woods' biggest downfall? Fumbles. He could be a top-10 fantasy receiver if he holds onto the damn ball.

Pros: Speed, Versatility, QB

Cons: Hands, Fumble-Prone

2010 Stats: 57 Rec, 985 Total Yards, 10 Total TDs

Early Round Value:

Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers): His receiving numbers were pretty good last year, but Sanu capitalized in other ways. He ended up throwing for three scores, and had four more on the ground, as the Wildcat QB for the Knights. 2011 should bring more success for him on the outside, with being healthy and Chas Dodd getting more used to college football.

Pros: Versatility, Hands, Size

Cons: Durability, QB

2010 Stats: 44 Rec, 887 Total Yards, 9 Total TDs

Mark Harrison (Rutgers): Benefited from Sanu's injuries last season. Harrison ended up being a scoring machine for Rutgers in 2010, and will undoubtedly be right there again. Don't be surprised if you hear "Sanu to Harrison" a few times. There will be a lot of pressure on Dodd with all this receiving talent.

Pros: Size, Hands

Cons: QB, Route Running

2010 Stats: 44 Rec, 829 Total Yards, 9 TDs

Mike Shanahan (Pittsburgh): He will benefit from Jon Baldwin being gone. Shanahan has great size, great ability, and now just has to find the endzone. He put up great PPR numbers last season, but has to be more of a TD machine to improve his fantasy value. Of course, a lot of that falls on his QB.

Pros: Size, Hands, Ability

Cons: Explosiveness, QB

2010 Stats: 43 Rec, 589 Total Yards, 1 TD

Middle Round Value:

Van Chew (Syracuse): Who doesn't want a dude named Chew on his team? He ended up with pretty solid numbers in 2010. As Ryan Nassib gains more confidence, look for Chew to be the primary beneficiary.

Stedman Bailey (West Virginia): It's hard to gauge who will be the secondary target for Geno Smith this season. But, certainly Bailey will be in the mix. Geno's high school teammate proved he can be a big time playmaker with four TD's in his Freshman year.

Josh Bellamy (Louisville): There's a question about the Cardinals' QB right now(sharing the job is never good), but when it is figured out Bellamy will be there to clean up. Look for the speedy wideout's TD numbers to improve in 2011.

Evan Landi (USF): He'll probably slide in the draft due to his 2010 numbers, which were just okay. But, those numbers should be much better with BJ Daniels being more comfortable in Todd Fitch's offense.

Marcus Sales (Syracuse): Two consistent seasons has many believing Sales will truly break through in 2011. Could be good value later in the draft.

Possible Late Round Steal:

Brad Starks (West Virginia): He only had 19 receptions last season, but four went for TDs. He is one to watch in the Holgorsen offense.

Kashif Moore (UConn): With Michael Smith being out for 2011, The Huskies will primarily rely on Moore. He did lead the UConn WRs in TDs last year. Could be a late steal if UConn finds a suitable QB.

Andrell Smith (Louisville): Missed the whole Spring due to injury. If healthy, Smith could be a nice late pick, considering he has proved he can score.

Devin Street (Pittsburgh): He had a very respectable Freshman season, and looks to truly explode in 2011.

Anthony McClung (Cincinnati): Will benefit with so many leaving the program. McClung showed solid promise in 2010.

Alec Lemon (Syracuse): He may be behind a few receivers, but watch for his numbers to steadily improve. A great offseason has a lot of people buzzing about this kid.

Projects:

A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin (USF): Both missed 2010 with injuries, and could be nice late round steals, especially if Daniels is going to bounce back in 2011.

Isiah Moore (UConn): Moore will be one of the go-to guys in Storrs this season. However, everything will rely on the new QB.

YouTube Time: The Fake Punt

Oh, Phil Brady. You were the King for a Day.

Late in the fourth quarter in 2005, the mediocre punter found himself in a position to seal up the Sugar Bowl win for the Mountaineers. On a 4th and 6, on the Georgia 48, and with just 1:45 to play, Rich Rodriguez correctly went for broke. The "Rugby-Style" punt opened up the defense, and Brady rushed to victory. An epic finish, to a truly fantastic game. I'm glad I was there to witness Mountaineer history. On a side note: The Georgia fans' reactions are priceless.

Big East Fantasy RB Rankings

We continue our look at the most valuable fantasy players in the Big East. This time we check out the tailbacks that could be the difference between fantasy domination and being dominated in a not-so fantastic way.

Zeus Level:

Ray Graham (Pitt): He burst onto the scene last year, and never looked back. Graham will now be the primary back, so his numbers should get much better. He can catch out of the backfield, and also found the endzone fairly consistently. If Graham can hold onto the football, look for him to be a great producer.
Pros: Speed, Maneuverability, Offensive Line
Cons: Size, Fumble-Prone
2010 Stats: 1135 Total Yards, 24 Rec, 10 Total TDs

Solid Early Round Value:

Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati): He is in a perfect offense for putting up super numbers. Pead ended up with 1,000 yards, and also caught 29 passes...excellent for PPR leagues. His numbers should go up even more, as Cincy gets more used to Butch Jones' offense.
Pros: Speed, Moves, Pass Catching
Cons: Durability, Low TD Numbers
2010 Stats: 1219 Total Yards, 29 Rec, 7 Total TDs

Middle Round Value:

Antwon Bailey (Syracuse): The Mighty Mite is ready to take the reins in the dome. He had a productive season as a backup, and should improve in 2011. Bailey is a true duel-threat, putting up some of the best reception numbers as a RB in the Big East. Can he carry the load as the number one? We'll find out soon enough.
Pros: Speed, Big Play Ability, Pass Catching
Cons: Size, Power, Untested as a starter
2010 Stats: 860 Total Yards, 35 Rec, 5 Total TDs

Possible Late Round Steal:

Ryan Clarke (West Virginia): The bruiser is a TD machine in the redzone. Unfortunately, he is also a fumble machine. There will also be a big question about how he is used in Dana Holgorsen's new system.

Victor Anderson (Louisville): Here is the wildcard from the conference. Anderson rushed for 1,000 yards in 2008. Since then, injuries and ineffectiveness has sidelined his career. However, Anderson will be the leading man, and will need to find that Freshman form to prove he is worth starting in fantasy.

Projects:

Demetris Murray (USF): He is the leading returning rusher for USF, posting over 500 yards in 2010. He will be in a battle though, with a pair of talented transfers. Many say its his job to lose.

Darrell Scott (USF): Once upon a time, Darrell Scott was a five star recruit for Colorado. Now, he is in his first year at USF. This is one to watch though. If Scott has an opportunity to show what made him a top recruit, he may never leave the field.

D.J. Shoemate (UConn): UConn's top returning rusher had just 115 yards last year. It may be better to stay away from Husky RBs this year.

Savon Huggins (Rutgers): Some are calling this true freshman the next best thing. A late round pick in a keeper league is where he will land.

Jeremy Wright (Louisville): Should put up nice numbers even as a backup. But, could really take off if Anderson goes down again.

Big East QB Fantasy Rankings

Okay, the birthday week is over, back to the grind folks. It's time to take a look at the upcoming season from a fantasy perspective. Yes, I play college fantasy football, and you should too. Here is a look at the Big East's Quarterbacks.

Zeus Level:

Zach Collaros (Cincinnati): Dude should put up monster numbers. And, having a duel-threat quarterback in fantasy football is very key. Collaros had an off year, and still totaled 30 touchdowns. Look for these numbers to improve this season as Collaros gets more acquainted to Butch Jones' system.
Pros: Duel-Threat, Big Play Ability, QB-Friendly System
Cons: Interception-Prone, Low Completion Percentage, Durability
2010 Stats: 3104 Total yards, 30 Total TD's, 14 INT

Geno Smith (West Virginia): Coming off a breakout year, Smith is expected to shine in his new system. It could be a remarkable year if he quickly adjusts to Dana Holgorsen's offense. He finished 2010 with 24 TD's with an inept offensive coordinator. He also has a good crop of receivers, which make things even easier for the big man.
Pros: Accuracy, Awareness, QB Friendly-System
Cons: Durability, Offensive Line
2010 Stats: 2970 Total Yards, 24 TDs, 7 INT


Middle Round Value:

B.J. Daniels (South Florida): He had a very inconsistent 2010, but finished strongly. Many believe Daniels is poised to get back to his solid form in year two of the Skip Holtz' Era in Tampa. Even with his struggles and injury issues, Daniels managed to total 16 touchdowns in 11 games. However, his turnover numbers will have to fall to become an elite fantasy player.
Pros: Duel-Threat, Good Arm, Fits System
Cons: Interception-prone, Durability, Receivers
2010 Stats: 1928 Total Yards, 16 Total TDs, 13 INT

Tino Sunseri (Pitt): Here is your typical middle round pick. Sunseri won't wow anyone, but should put up pretty good numbers. He will have a nice running game to open things up, with solid receivers to throw at. He's not the biggest guy, doesn't have the best arm. He quietly goes through the motions.
Pros: Accuracy, Durability, Receivers
Cons: Big-Play Ability, Poise
2010 Stats: 2680 Total Yards, 18 Total TDs, 9 INT

Ryan Nassib (Syracuse): It was a breakthrough season for Nassib, as Syracuse reached a bowl for the first time in a long time. Nassib totaled 20 touchdowns in his first year starting. His accuracy will need to improve to take the next step, but having a solid crop of receivers should help. Nassib could be a solid late round steal if still on the board.
Pros: System, Receivers, Fearless
Cons: Accuracy, Big-Play Ability
2010 Stats: 2334 Total Yards, 20 Total TDs, 8 INT


Projects:

Chas Dodd (Rutgers): Should be the starter, and did show some promise last season. Needs to improve his decision-making and accuracy. He will have a great group of receivers around him.

Will Stein (Louisville): Didn't get a lot of time in 2010, and will probably split time with Teddy Bridgewater. You may want to consider Bridgewater in a big keeper league.

UConn: I wouldn't suggest any of these beauties.

Let's Realign the Conferences, Part One: The Geographical Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be. Here is part one of many to come.

Northeast Conference: This was an easy one to put together. Some nice rivalries would be renewed, and it would be loaded with tradition.

Army
Boston College
Buffalo
Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts (2012)
Navy
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Temple
West Virginia

ACC Conference: Might as well keep the name. The majority of these teams are already in the same conference now, so it would be a pretty smooth transition.

Clemson
Duke
East Carolina
Georgia
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
South Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

Floribama Conference: This would be one hell of an exciting conference. Athletes Galore! The recruiting would be cut-throat, and I mean that literally. There could be coaches shanking other coaches.

Alabama
Alabama-Birmingham
Auburn
Central Florida
Florida
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Florida State
Miami
South Alabama (2012)
South Florida
Troy

Delta Conference: Another fun recruiting battle would come from this southern conference. Not sure if there would be better action on the field or in the parking lot.

Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
LSU
Louisiana Tech
Memphis
Middle Tennessee State
Miss State
Ole Miss
Southern Miss
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Texarkanas Conference: This might actually be my favorite. Who doesn't want to see all of the Texas teams together? And, starting in 2012 you could fill out an entire Texas conference with the addition of UTSA and Texas State.

Arkansas
Arkansas State
Baylor
Houston
North Texas
SMU
Rice
TCU
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
UTEP

SouthWestish Conference: A purely geographic find here. This might be the lamest conference. Not much to digest. So...let's just move on.

Air Force
Arizona
Arizona State
BYU
Colorado
Colorado State
New Mexico
New Mexico State
Nevada
UNLV
Utah
Utah State


Left Coast Conference: This one is straight-up Liberal. We take every school on the coast, and mash them together. Should be fun recruiting grounds, with much less hate than the southeast.

California
Fresno
Hawaii
Oregon
Oregon State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Stanford
UCLA
USC
Washington
Washington State

Tornado Ally Conference: I actually think this is a very competitive conference. Lots of chalk, and of course, Boise State could finally prove themselves.

Boise State
Idaho
Iowa
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Wyoming
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Tulsa

Lake Michigan Conference: Well, these schools will save some coin on travel, but not too strong at all. Michigan, Michigan State or Notre Dame will win every year until the end of time.

Ball State
Central Michigan
Eastern Kentucky
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Northern Illinois
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Purdue
Western Michigan
Wisconsin

YougotstuckwithMarshall Conference: Well someone had to be stuck with the armpit of college athletics. Cheating would be out of control in this conference.

Akron
Bowling Green
Cincinnati
Kent State
Kentucky
Louisville
Marshall
Miami (OH)
Ohio
Ohio State
Toledo
Western Kentucky

Taking a Look at The Heisman Odds

A few weeks back bodog released its list of Heisman candidates and their odds. Let's take a closer look at some of the contenders.

Sure Bet: Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford, 9-2): He has the best odds to win, because he is the surefire favorite. Expect him to comfortably win if he continues to progress as a quarterback, or equals last year's performance.
2010 Stats: 3,338 Yards, 32 TD, 8 INT

Second Sure Bet: Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama, 10-1): He finally gets the opportunity to show everyone why he was the number one RB recruit a few years back. He has been very solid in a secondary roll, and has shown what he can do as the man when Mark Ingram was injured. Expect him to get a lot of carries with a new QB in town.
2010 Stats: 700 Yards, 6.3 YPC, 10 Total TD

Bad Bet: Ryan Broyles (WR,Oklahoma, 15-1): You're throwing money away if you bet on Broyles. If he has a Hesiman-like year then his QB, Landry Jones is going to win. The only way for a wideout to win is if their QB is completely incompetent (Rod Rutherford? Reggie Ball?) which Jones is not.
2010 Stats: 131 REC, 1,622 Yards, 14 TD

Longshot Bet: Geno Smith (QB, WVU, 50-1): These are some good betting odds for someone coming off a solid year. The big question is, will he learn Dana Holgorsen's offense quickly? If he does, watch out...could put up monster numbers. He will also face many substandard defenses.
2010 Stats: 2,763 Yards, 24 TD, 7 INT

Long Shot Because of Where He Plays Bet: Kellen Moore (QB, BSU, 18-1): He has the numbers to win. He just doesn't have the attractiveness. The school and television schedule (only two games on ESPN) will hinder his chances.
2010 Stats: 3,845 Yards, 35 TD, 6 INT

Might Win Because His QB is a Drunk Bet: Marcus Lattimore (RB, SC, 7-1): The dude is an absolute tank. He ended up scoring 19 total touchdowns in his Freshman campaign. He also has a disaster of a QB in Stephen Garcia, so Marcus will be relied upon heavily. Durability may be an issue though.
2010 Stats: 1,197 Yards, 19 Total TD, 4.8 YPC

Here are a Few Others to Quickly Rule Out:

Michael Floyd (WR, ND, 40-1): QB issues...alcohol issues
Dayne Crist (QB, ND, 75-1): See above...minus the alcohol
EJ Manuel (QB, FSU, 50-1): First-Year starter...won't have two-in-a-row win
Darron Thomas (Oregon, 35-1): Overshadowed by his RB
Case Keenum (QB, Houston, 35-1): Coming off a severe injury
Matt Barkley (QB, USC, 45-1): Will lose votes due to his team's violations
Nick Foles (QB, Arizona, 45-1): Dude can barely throw.
Dan Persa (QB, Northwestern, 95-1): Come one, its Northwestern.
Russell Shepard (WR, LSU, 50-1): Matt Flynn isn't walking through that door.