USF is going to be good.

Cincy was taken for basketball. Now, with Huggins gone from Cincy I'm hoping they can elevate their football program. Their new AD ( a woman that fired Huggins) doesn't seem to be the brightest on the block. They are at least better than Temple. So, maybe a slight win in that regards.

Tar Heel, The Big East's 2nd place team scored 70 points on UNC. LOL! A team that USF ( the Big East's 5th best team) beat by 34 points. Sargin Ratings mean nothing except mathematical formulaitons and polls that equate to somewhere in the middle

UNC woud have been the 7th best team in the Big East. Rutgers, Pitt, UCONN, & USF in addtion to the obvious superior programs of Louisville and WVU being light years ahead of UNC.

I will make a wager. In the 9 ACC- BE games this year and in only the second year of teams playing since the additions and subtracting, I will wager a bet to be determined the Big East goes 5-4 or better this fall.

Willing to make that wager?

Also, the Big East typically sends 5 and maybe 6 teams to bowl games in the past. If you do the percentages, that is hardly sending more teams to bowl games. Actually, its a lower percentage to share the lucrative BCS game and its cash proceeds with as the ACC does with 12 teams.

1) BCS Bowl Game
2) Gator Bowl or Sun Bowl Against ACC or Pac-10 ( which will become New Years day bowl in 07).
3) Houston Net.1 Bowl against Big 12 #4 team
4. Tire Bowl against ACC's 5th place team
5. NYC Big Apple Bowl to start up in 08 or 09 in new Jets stadium against a Big 10 team.
6. Motor or another bowl.

Also, the Liberty Bowl is Memphis comes onboard with the Big East fotball side to have 9 teams. Fed Ex wants Memphis in the Big East. A SEC team.

Its more than wishful thinking. Its a reality. The Big East will continue to improve and become a better conference than with Miami, BC, and VT who now dominate the ACC.

[ March 31, 2006, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

A stat for highheels.

Big East BCS bowl wins last year-1
ACC BCS bowl wins last year-0

And that one is the only one that matters to me.

Oh...one more.

ACC NCAA violations being investigated-too many to name
Current Big East NCAA violations being investigated-0

Also, but looking at the Bg East right now, you could say that WVU is to the Big East at the moment what FSU used to be to the ACC before adding the BE defectors. Defined pretty much by one good team.

[ March 31, 2006, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: wvderby ]

Cincy being better than Temple is like saying the Royals are better than the Devil Rays. Do not hold your breath waiting for that school to have a viable football program.

Somehow, they've managed to stay the second best football team in the same city that has the Bengals....a difficult feat when you think of it.

The BE will be fine. WVU and L'ville will be legitimate Top 15 teams next season and both will be explosive on offense. Rutgers appears to have turned the corner and could have one of the best backfields in the country in 2006. Pitt's going to be much better next season and UConn and South Florida are building solid programs. Syracuse is likely to have a few more rough years before they get it going. Unfortunately, perception becomes reality and it may take longer for the percception of the league to change.

What happens if the Big East gets raided again and, say, loses West Virginia to the SEC or Connecticut and Syracuse to the ACC (in an attempt to regain basketball supremecy).

The Big East is one more raid away from collapsing. I know it, you know it and the president's of these schools know it too.

the BE isn't going to get raided again

why would any of the current schools want to leave?

I still question why they didn't take Memphis when they had the chance but I think that eventually Memphis will join the BE

all the schools will benefit from their membership i the BE-it's a conference that has had its problems but is bouncing back

WVU will be leading the way this season with L'ville as another top ten team

we'll do fine

You underestimate the lure of more money to a college athletic program.

As for why Syracuse and UCONN would leave the Big East...well Syracuse has already tried, plus Georgetown and Villanova don't equal North Carolina and Duke in basketball, even if Villanova was No. 1 seed in the tournament this year.

Why would West Virginia go to the SEC? What, you'd turn down a chance to be in the richest college athletic's conference of all? Where the current members make close to $10 Million per year, just from the conference payout alone while the Big East pays out based on how a school performs?

The Big East and the fans of its member schools are the only ones who think the conference won't get raided again, which is what they thought before it happened the first time.

Oh, and you won't get much sympathy for being raided from America when you continually go and raid Conference USA for members.

The hyprocrisy, and arrogance, of the Big East amazes me.

lol

"The hyprocrisy, and arrogance, of the Big East amazes me."

Southern Miss. would pounce at a chance to join the BE and you and I both know it. Sounds to me that some people are a little bitter they haven't been asked to join so they could be in a BCS conference. I personally would not mind seeing S. Miss and Memphis join the Big East for football only, but the basketball side of the conference is too big as it is.

I'll say this too, I wouldn't complain if WVU jumped to the Big-10 or the SEC. The Big 10(+1) has already considered adding another team to give them 12 teams and make them eligible for a conference championship game in football. The SEC has considered replacing Vanderbilt because they are never good at anything but giving the SEC a school to point to and brag about academics. ND will never join the Big 10 because of traditional rivalries that would clash with a conference schedule and because they don't want to share their TV and bowl revenue.

So who does that leave if this were to happen in the near future?

If the Big-10 expands to 12 teams or SEC replaces Vandy, the talks would include Pitt(Big 10 only), Syracuse (Big 10 only), WVU (both Big 10 and SEC) and Louisville (SEC only). I'd give WVU the nod over all of these schools in either situation. Louisville is competitive in both football and basketball at the moment but they just would not fit into the SEC mold quite yet and they lack tradition. Pitt does not own their own football stadium. They rent Heinz field. That's a huge mark against them. Their football program is taking a dive because of bad decisions by the AD like hiring a moron like Wannstedt as head coach. Syracuse is happy in the Big East. They have become more of a basketball school anyways since their football team has pretty much sucked the last few years. I don't think they would leave for the Big 10.

In the next 5-10 years, I would not be surprised to see somewhat of another conference realignment and see WVU jump to the Big 10 or SEC and the Big East go back to raiding C-USA for teams such as S. Miss, Memphis, or ECU.

WVU won't go to the Big 10/11 because of academics

all of the Big 10/11 schools are members of some academic organization

WVU doesn't qualify because their mission is different from Ohio State or Indiana

I wouldn't mind seeing WVU join the SEC but I'd much rather have them stay in the BE and play traditional rivals like Pitt and Syracuse and new rivals like L'ville

and please tell me what mid-level school wouldn't want to play in a BCS conference

do you think that L'ville would be a top ten schoo next year if it was still in C-USA?

Well...I have to say that I don't mind being in the current BE, either. The BE will maintain it's BCS bid the same way the ACC did all through the 90's. While I'd love to see WVU play in a more competitive football league like the Big-10 or SEC, I also like the fact we will also have an outstanding chance to be in contention for the BE automatic BCS bid every year. I think I'd be happy either way.

Like I said before, WVU can be to the Big East what FSU was to the ACC in the 1990's.

If something were to happen sometime in the future that would put WVU in a position to make a move,there's one thing that concerns me about the SEC in particular. They are constantly riddled with teams committing NCAA violations and cheating. I DO NOT like that.

great point about the SEC and it's history of violations

when I was at WVU, I looked forward to the Pitt Syracuse and Rutgers games because WVU has lots of students from Pennsylvania, New York and Jersey

Maryland was also another big rival because we have lots of kids from the DC metro area and Morgantown is very close to the Maryland border

and we still get lots of students from those areas

we're a northeastern team no matter where we're located

we don't have any rivals from the SEC or the Big 10/11 except for Penn State, and I wish we still played them from time to time

Even before the start of BE play, WVU seemed perfectly content playing all of the eastern independent schools, the so-called East Indies. When I attended WVU back in the late 70s, we'd occasionlly play an SEC team like Kentucky, or an ACC team like NC State, but never a B-10 school. Of course, WVU was so bad back then that playing teams like Ohio State or Alabama would have just added to the misery of getting destroyed each year by the likes of Pitt and Penn State.

Terrific post JerseyGuy wink

I have always believed WVU's best interest is as an Eastern Football school aligned with Northeastern schools. While BC and PSU have bolted, there is still a core of Syracuse, Rutgers ( a vastly improving program), Pitt, UCONN and WVU to captivate the large TV audiences of the Northeast. Throw in Louisville's appeal and its rather obvious Big East Commissioner Trangese has used the basketball side to possibly garner the Big East's richest TV deal in its history.

While we can talk about what if's and if this conference adds that team if they subtract that team and so forth for hours. Its been the hot rumor of the last three years. The reality is I don't see college football shakeup where conferences expand to more than 12 teams.

Also, Im of the belief why should WVU follow BC and PSU's direction? I certainly understand PSU's frustration with Pitt and their warranted reason for leaving for the Big 10 after joe pa attempted to form an all sports league. But, there is no reason for BC to ahve left and certainly no remaining team. We are fine and I would rather build something special than play follow the leader. WVU has the ability to be that leader and lead the resurgence of Eastern Football.

If UCONN & Rutgers football take off like expected, NYC will become a huge Big East football city. Rutgers scored the highest football ratings for the NYC market ever in the Insight Bowl. Not bad for a team that has been college football';s doormat that is now taking off in a fertile hotbed for recruting in the state of New Jersey.

Certainly, Pitt and Syracuse have the tradition and facilities.


Also, I dont see the Big 10 looking East for a member to add to equal 12 teams. The Big 10 would only add Notre Dame as its 12th. Other than that, they have no desire as their commissioner stated to add a 12th team for a championship game for a couple different reasons. A) OSU and Michigan game would take back seat to a conference Championship game. A Championship game would potentially knock out the undefeated team from the national championship game as it has with SEC and Big 12 teams. From the Ohio State and Michigan game alone the advertising revenue equals the same as the SEC Championship game. Why all this info? No team from the Big East is going anywhere.


I agree with Derby's assessment. What FSU was to the ACC in the 90's, WVU will be to the Big East. The ACC was a one trick pony in the 90's with Chief Osceola riding the pony off with the ACC championship yearly without much competition. As the three Big East teams in VT, BC, and Miami dominate the ACC football, WVU will take the reigns of the Big East. the diference is, the Big East has another program a lot better than any ACC program from the 90's besides FSU in Louisville. If another team or two take off and explode, while the BE won't challenged the SEC as the best conference, it certainly will have a lot to boast about as ESPN game day is wrapping up on Saturday nights highlighting BE action.

[ April 04, 2006, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

Awwwww.....you guys trying to legitimize big east football by comparing it to how the ACC was 10 years ago.....that's just sooo cute!!

NCAA Football Champions in the Past 25 Years
By current ACC members:
1981 Clemson
1983 Miami
1987 Miami
1989 Miami
1990 Georgia Tech
1991 Miami
1993 Florida State
1999 Florida State
2001 Miami

By current big east members:
*

(*=null)

lol @ highheels for listing Miami when they WEREN'T part of the ACC. If it wasn't for FSU, you wouldn't have shit. Before the ACC snatched the three BE teams, they sucked overall as a football conference.

Keep in mind the BE football conference did not even EXIST until 1991. So in actuality...Miami won their 2 MNC WHILE they were in the BIG EAST not the ACC. Looking at the record...FSU 2 Miami 2 (while a Big East member.)

BTW, another correction. Pitt has some national championships back in the day if you want to go back before the BE existed. lol @ you.

[ April 04, 2006, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: wvderby ]

And if you wish to go far back in history.

Do not forget to add Syracuse to that NC list(1959).

Just sayin'

wow. could you list those matchups? that's a bold proposal. i'm a huge big east basketball fan, and truly believe it to be the best basketball conference, but i must say i feel the bravado with regards to big east football is unwarranted. but maybe it'll be better than i think. can't get much worse i guess.

Someone take the bet!

Big East versus ACC 2006

There are 8 matchups.

For some reason when I thought of 9 based on the an ongoing discussion between Louisville and NC State from 2 months ago. That fell through. NC State probably didn't want to play a team like Louisville. Could you blame them? LOL Look at the last two years score between Louisville and North Carolina. Louisville 69 UNC 14 in 2005 & Louisville 38 UNC 0 in 2004. Anyway, back to the argument hand.

6-2 in favor of the Big East at best & 4-4 at worst.

Certian Big East wins:
West Virginia over Maryland in Morgantown

Certain ACC wins:
Virginia Tech over Cincy

Probable Big East wins:
Louisville over Miami at Louisville( this could be a rout)

UCONN over Wake Forest in Hartford ( UCONN beat Wake forest 51-17 2 years ago in North Carolina).

Pittsburgh over UVA ( Pitt returns 17 starters and UVA lost many and had almost the entire coaching staff leave and mass defections during the offseason).


Toss up games

USF at UNC. USF should have one of the better defenses in the country coming off a bowl season. USF has a good chance to win, but replacing their star running back Andre Hill and installing super talented Sophomore Carlton Hill ( turned down Miami to play at USF)


Rutgers @ UNC On paper, this is a mismatch. Rutgers has one of the best backfield in the nation in explosive Brian Leanord ( he's way hot too and probably the best Fulback in the nation) and Super sophomore Running back Rammell Rice who gained over 1,000 yards as a true freshman. But, considering RU's ability to blow games against inferior teams, I won't state their game as probable even this this is a mismatch. RU has too much skilled talent for UNC, but taken into account the old RU, its too late to put them as probable just yet.

Syracuse at Wake Forest SU could be exceptionally improved from last season. Their highly acclaimed incoming QB passing QB to run Robinson's West coast offense along with two of the best WR'sin the country from the last 2 years recruiting class should help. This could be a breakout game for the Orange and get their storied program back on track.


All in ALL, when you consider WVU and Louisville are far superior in talent to any other ACC program at this time & with Pitt &Rutgers looking solid, you have to put the proper context into its persective in the ACC has 12 teams and the Big East has 8.

Just as Tar Heel cried the Big East had one million teams ( 16 actually) in basketball, thus it was bound to have better teams, the same logic can be stated ( actually more accuraretly in football) in regards to 12 teams of the ACC compared to the 8 of the Big East. Additionally, with this being the 2nd year of the dust collecting after conference additions and subtractions, if the Big East goes 4-4 to 5-3 in these 8 games, it illustrates the Big East actually makes programs and not vice versa.
This is an area where the ACC actually had dificulty getting beyond the FSU label where it almost lost its BCS eligibilty in the 90's compromising of 1 super power and 8 dwarfs ( teams that don't attend classes in Tallahassee).

The Big East has seen West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh win or pla played for national championship in its bowl games in the last 30 years playing a Big East/Eastern football schedule. The ACC can only provide 3 schools that have done the same in Clemson and Georgia Tech ( when FSU wasn't on their schedule and the AC was even more weak than it was in the 90's) and of course Florida State because of the weak ACC schedule.

The reality is, the Big East makes programs. This is evidenced by BC, Miami, and VT owning the ACC since taking over the league in the last 2 years. . The Big East simply reloads.

WVU and Louisville are now elite teams. Who will be the next team to follow suit? Rutgers? UCONN? Pitt or Syracuse again? The Big East makes programs not vice versa.

[ April 04, 2006, 06:09 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

Tar Heel,

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gam...ameId=252810097

Warm Regards,

GymMountainEER

Yes, big east football is on such an upswing that those "weaker" programs--Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College--decided to leave for the ACC because they obviously wouldn't be able to compete with such "eastern" football powerhouses as Rutgers and South Florida.

Dear Buffy.....keep dreaming! (hey, but at least your posts are funny)

The ACC took Miami (NCAA violations and probation within the last 10 years) BC that had the big gambling/point shaving scandal, and Vagina Tech that has more criminals on their team than San Quentin. They all fit right into the ACC. Enjoy.

yes sweetie, but all of those infractions occurred while they were big east members!!

just for you:
Rutgers
Pitt
Cincinnati
Syurpcuse

Would you like to provide a list of the ACC violations? lol You don't want to get in that battle unless you want to totally embarrass yourself and the conference you are trying to defend. WVU isn't on that list. That is enough satisfaction for me.

If the Big East is so horrible Tar Heel, explain why your team ( UNC) lost 2 games over the previous 2 years by a combined score of 107 to 14 to a Big East team.

During these past two seasons, UNC was a bowl team two years ago & a had a .500 record in the ACC last year, yet still couldn't even somewhat compete in these two games against a team that wasn't even the Big East's best team. Care to explain? LOL!


I undestand the ACC's nervousness and that the expansion has backfired. The Basketball product is average and football isn't collecting the revenue ACC commisioner Swofford promised the 12 teams. Also, the ACC sent a 8-4 team into its BCS game against Penn State. The ACC champion didn't even finished ranked in the top 25 with its average recrod of 8-5.


What is the ACC's record in the BCS game now anyway? Something like 1-7?

More funny, the Big East champion won the Sugar Bowl and was ranked higher than any ACC team.

Again, I get why you are nervous. It makes sense.

[ April 05, 2006, 03:30 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

I hate to burst your bubble, but NYC will not become a huge college football market. People here are only interested in the college where they went to school, not to the "local" team. If that was the case, we'd all be rooting for Columbia.

The two pro teams dominate the coverage here, even when they are losing. Rutgers is a passing thought, even when they are winning. If Rutgers wins on a regular basis, the local alumni may pay attention, but that's about it.

BTW, what is your source that the Insight Bowl was the highest rated college football game in NYC? Or are you saying it was the highest rated RUTGERS football game in NYC?

PSU,

It was posted on RU's rival site along with the source. I will attempt to locat it.

Additionally, you can't state RU won't garner the attention of the NYC market ( the world's top television market).

FSU, Miami, & Florida exploded in the late 70's and 80's and those Florida markets were thought to only support proffesional sports and other college programs from all the transplants that moved into the state.

More and more people in New Jersey are seeing RU as their state school and equating that to New Jersey Pride. With a population of close to 7-8 million people in NJ and with a huge Jersey population that lives in NYC and with the campus being only 30 miles from NYC, its not un thinkable for RU to become NYC's college football team.

Just as USC is the dominant program in Southern & Mid California ( SD, LA, Long Beach, Palm Springs, Fresno and other cities) and competes with pro fans, RU if they continue their improvement could make headways into the NYC market and the East Coast.


I'll search for that source.

[ April 05, 2006, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

Ummmmmmmmmmm... two things. 30 miles around here might as well be 3 states away. Many people in Manhattan don't leave Manhattan, nor do they have cars. Hell, there are people who live downtown who never venture uptown. NYC is not like other cities in many ways, including a more cosmopolitan mindset, a strong neighborhood identification, and a different perspective on "distance," etc.

Second: USC, FSU, Miami... you are talking about programs that have competed for and won National Championships. IF RU were to do that, and maintain that stature, sure, they would generate a higher level of attention in NYC. How much is up for debate. I don't care how much they've improved, I don't see that happening anytime soon. We'll see.

Oh, and Tell-a-hussy and Gainesville don't have pro sports teams, nor were they anywhere near the Dolphins (the Jaguars didn't come into being until after those programs established themselves). As for Miami, well, they still can't fill half of their stadium for some games, so I question just how much attention they really get in Miami, despite their success. That leaves USC, which has had a long history in football, before the NFL. And correct me if I'm wrong, but what NFL team do they currently compete with in LA for attention?

OK, a 3rd thing: New Jersey Pride... you are joking, right?

[ April 05, 2006, 08:19 PM: Message edited by: Penn State ]

Bruce Springsteen, Sopranos, and so forth.

I do understand a PSU person downplaying an up and coming RU program.

BTW, I've inquired the source for the TV ratings on NYC. I'll post it when I get a reply.

Toxic Waste Dumps, Chemical Factories and so forth. eek!

I'm not downplaying an up and coming RU program... I'm taking issue with your assertion they're about to take Manhattan by storm.

I noticed you didn't dispute my points about the other programs you cited. :cool:

I look forward to the ratings info... I am very curious about that.

We get the point. You don't think too much of New Jersey. Lets keep the talk on football.

A RU poster replied The Insight Bowl was ESPN's most viewed college football game ever in the NYC market.

He stated ESPN has only been keeping ratings of specificc markets in the last 5 years.

Still, that is impressive and clearly illustrates RU can at least be NYC's college fotoball team if it keeps improving. Again, I get why PSU would be a little "threatened" by this.

I don't feel threatened, so stop trying to imply I am.

OK, so we've gone from highest rated football game, to highest rated football game on ESPN in the last 5 years. I wonder how the RU game ratings compares to all those football games on ABC and CBS? That would really tell you something.

Conference Results of 2005 College Football Bowl Games:

ACC.........5-3
Big 12.......5-3
Pac-10.....3-2
SEC.........3-3
USA.........3-3
Mtn West..2-2
MAC.........1-1
Big 10.......3-4
WAC........1-2
big east...1-3
Sunbelt.....0-1

Teams the ACC beat in bowl games

Boise State ( barely)
Minnesota ( barely)

Louisville ( barely) and UL's sensational QB Brohm didn't play. The same QB who beat a .500 ACC ( UNC) team by 55 points.

a Dysfuntional Colorado team after the Barrett firing.

USF and its horrible offense taht didn't score a point.


Lost to

GT lost to a .500 UTAH team( LOL)

LSU beat Miami like a pulp

and lets not forget the comical 8-5 conference champs FSU in the Orange bowl.


You are really chest thumping about this?

LMAO!

[ April 07, 2006, 06:34 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

WVU-38
UGA-35

The only one that mattered.

[ April 07, 2006, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: wvderby ]

Thanks for the link Buff. hi Derby!

[ April 13, 2006, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

Another SI article on WVU football.

Mountain of Expectations

For a school that " no one cares about" LOL, WVU is garnering as much attention this offseason as anyone and probably more so based on so many coaching staffs making what is becoming a pilgimarage to Morgantown.

Texas AM's Denis Franchonie was in Morgantown yesterday talking with WVU's coaching staff. So Far, Ohio State, PSU, Michigan, Alabama, and more have equaled up to 35 colleges that have sent assitants or head coaches to ask RR's advice on the Spread ( which WVU's coach invented).

WVU's Spring Game being televised tomorrow on ESPN! wink

Another Article from ESPN.com

http://westvirginia.rivals.com/showmsg.asp...2248616&style=1

Seems ESPN Football guru Pat Forde ( who has WVU as #1 pre season next year) was in Morgantown this past week too. He will have a huge feature article on WVU's spring workouts next week.


[Post edited for hyperlink format - Outsports moderator]

[ April 18, 2006, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: m1 ]

I saw where Cal's coach was in M-town earlier this year as well

Another article on the front page of CBSSports.com college football on Coach RR's offensive strategy and how the best programs are not wanting to emulate his offense.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/...l/story/9375047

WVU's spring season concluded today with a sensational performance by the offense. Even though Heisman Candidate Steve Slaton only played one series and the other super sophomore QB Pat White didn't run ( he wasn't allowed to be tackled) thus he didn't run the option or scramble, his passing has improved drastically. White was 18-24 in the game for 200 yars. If his passing continues to improve like he demonstrated today & based off his minf boggling 1000 yards rushing last year as a freshman ( breaking Michael Vick and Donavon McNabb's statistics) in only 8 games as a freshman, WVU's spread offense could be lethel.

The biggest surprise of the spring game came from home state hero and formers Parade All American Brandon Barrett's emergence. Barrett caught 7 passes for 120 yards. It seems Brandon has battled back from injuries and other off the field issues and is ready for a breakout sophomore year. In being one of the more celebrated recruits at WVU, he finally looks ready to deliver the expecations in being one of the top recruits ( Rivals ranked him #36 in country) in the 2004 class.

If Barrett steps up like many think he will, add sophomore WR Reynaud ( 2 TD's in Sugar Bowl)with his deadly speed and playmaking, and 6-5 speedster 6-5 Myles big play threat ( 600 yards last year), WVU is looking very good at the wideout position. Throw in highly sought after 6-7 4.4 speester Wes Lyons ( over 25 offers from OSU, PSU, Miami, Oklahoma, and others) who will arrive this summer and WVU's receiving corp should become one of the deadlist in the nation when you factor in defenses that load up on the line attempting to stop White and Slaton ( arguable the best QB/RB combination in America along with Louisville's Bush and Brohm) and now have these WR's spped to deal with now.

Throw in two All Americans ( Dan Mozes and Jeremey Sheffey) and another freshman all american ( Ryan Stancheck) on the line and WVU's offense is geared up and ready to tock and roll this Fall.

What needs work?

The Defensive secondary has five starters to replace. The development of the Defensive backs and safeties will be the difference in WVU being a BCS top 5-8 team or a team that wins the national champinship.

[ April 15, 2006, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

College football's 10 best Running Back's ( 3 are from the Big East).

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/storie.../041006aao.html

College football's 10 best QB's ( 2 from Big East)

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/storie.../040506aau.html

wink

[ April 16, 2006, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

All from recruits of which none except Brandon Barrett (4 star) were rated over 3 stars by recruiting services. Imagine that.

Good points Derby.

It further illustrates posters that chest thump over recruiting prowess when there teams only deliver mediocre to below average results seem kinda desperate for a pat on the back.

When you take into account WVU has delivered 5-7 All Americans this decade ( since 00)alone when none of them were higher than 3 stars it really does illustrate the notion that posters who throw obscure past recruiting rankings and stars of high school/prep players rankings in an attempt to devalue exceptional college talent at WVU is highly comical.

Case in point,

USA today high school player of the year Ronald Curry who played at UNC 5-7 years ago. He was a celebrated player out of Virginia who chose to play at UNC and its average football program. He equated to average college football playe who eventually lost his QB job his junior or seniotr year to Durant ( who wasn just average himself).

Now, take into account 3-star recruit Pat White at WVU. He broke Michael Vick's and Donavon McNabb's Big East QB rusghing record ( in just 8 games) rushing for 1,000 yards as a freshman. Pat White will be in NYC in the future as a Heisman finalist as Curry best accolade was possibly winning 4 games in one season at UNC in an average ACC conference.

Kinda puts things into perspective, doesn't?

[ April 18, 2006, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

oh please. you can always find five star busts and two star superstars.

i don't think it's coincidence that teams like texas and usc are atop the recruiting rankings almost every year. seems like those teams have won some national championships as a result...

Nebraska has won numerous national champinships in the past with less acclaimed recruits. Also, Georgia Tech and Colorado have won National championships with less stars by their incoming freshman's name. Im not discouting highly rated recruiting classes dont deliver exceptional teams. However, the notion teams that dont finish in the top 10 of these rankings are somehow inferior is ridiculous.

Tennessee ( my alma alter) had the #1 class last year ( 2005) and finished 5-6 last season.

It also took Texas and Mack Brown almost 10 years to perfect top 5 classes to where it equated into a national championship.

Coaching and player development are far more crucial than recruting rankings of 17 year old kids.

[ April 18, 2006, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: GymMountainEER ]

ESPN.COM college football front page has an excellent writeup on Rutgers and their "dashing duo" of Brian Leanord and Ray Rice who form of the elite backfields in college football. Combined they totaled 2500 yards rushing.

Great story on how The State University of New Jersey- Rutgers is actually talking about football in the spring.

http://rutgers.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=...2371890&style=1

Two new articles on WVU football on ESPN's front page and one on the front page of its college football section. Pat Forde goes in depth and discusses WVU climb from a good program to one of the top in the nation. Great reads. Not bad for a school some stated "no one in america cares about". Seems many are making a pilgmirage to Morgantown.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/sto..._pat&id=2413663

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/sto..._pat&id=2413603

Notice 2 Big East teams are ranked in the top 11 ( 25 percent of its teams) while the ACC doesn't place any in the latest CBS poll for this coming season.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/...story/9403359/1

that's just one writer's poll on the CBS sports site but I'm guessing that the preseason polls will pretty much reflect what he said

I am a bit nervous about us being ranked so high

that's just me though