All Entries Tagged With: "Big East football"

Notre Dame: Texas Of The Big East

Was everyone paying attention when Notre Dame forcefully confirmed over the weekend that one of its priorities is preserving the Big East Conference?

The league has reportedly scheduled a conference call later this week with the school presidents and athletic directors to discuss conference expansion and alignment issues.

More than likely, the conference call was scheduled before Monday’s news that the Big 12 Conference will be sticking around. Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Missouri are not packing their bags.

The Big East, if it is indeed being proactive, has some serious matters to resolve. First and foremost should be whether to add at least one more football member. The issue is too important for the conference to ignore any longer. Too important for even the Irish to ignore.

Even though it doesn’t play football in the Big East, Notre Dame is the Big East equivalent of Texas to the Big 12. When Notre Dame speaks, conference members listen, believing them when they say the Big East Conference is a priority.

Irish administrators have said twenty hundred times that they want to remain independent in football. So if Notre Dame doesn’t intend to play Big East football, how will the school contribute to the long-term viability of the conference?

Presumably Notre Dame is actively involved in seeking answers, working with conference members in recent days, putting its brain trust to work while applying clout. Generating creative ideas and innovative solutions, furthering the Notre Dame agenda of protecting the league.

And conference members will be all ears.

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Big East Football Paychecks

So who’s getting paid what among Big East football coaches? According to information just published by USA Today, Louisville’s Steve Kragthorpe ranks fifth in remuneration.
Interesting that two of the coaches who have won Big East titles — Brian Kelly of Cincinnati and Bill Stewart of West Virginia — apparently aren’t that effective in negotiating salaries thus far. Syracuse, a private school, does not comply with open records requests. The chart doesn’t include special incentive bonuses, which in Kragthorpe’s case would ratchet his compensation up to around $1.4 mil annually.

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The University of Louisville women’s basketball team, hobbled by injuries, opens the season with a couple of toughies, starting on the road Sunday at Dayton and then traveling to Hartford University on Tuesday. See Sonja’s preview of the early season schedule here.

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Big East Football: Week 7

By Paul Sykes

All eight Big East football teams were in action, including three conference match-ups and two playing elsewhere. The good thing about the Big East standings for Louisville is that teams with identical conference marks are listed in alphabetical order, with Syracuse at the bottom.

• No. 5 Cincinnati jumped on Louisville early with 21 points and never looked back in a 41-10 drubbing. U of L may have lost running back Vic Anderson for several weeks with a separated shoulder. UC travels to Syracuse next week while Louisville hosts Arkansas State.

• No. 22 West Virginia scored last in a see saw 28-24 win over Connecticut in Morgantown. Noel Devine took a 62-yard run to the house with 2:10 remaining for the win (Think he read my recap last week where I put him behind Dion Lewis?). 171 rushing yards for WVU in the second half. WVU (6-1) goes to Tampa for Friday night action vs. USF. UConn  (4-3) plays host to Rutgers Saturday.

• No. 20 Pitt rolled past visiting South Florida, 41-14. Bill Stull threw for two touchdowns and Dion Lewis rushed for two others in the rout. The Panthers (6-1) take the week off. USF (5-2) is the most penalized team in the Big East and has not won a conference game north of the Mason-Dixon line since the Civil War. USF will host WVU.

• Rutgers rolled past Army Friday 27-10 at West Point. Sophomore running back Joe Martinek ran for two scores and 147 yards in the rain to improve the Scarlet Knights to 5-2. Rutgers next travels to UConn.

• Syracuse managed 14 fourth-quarter points in the Carrier Dome to put away Akron 28-14. They sacked Zips QB Patrick Nicely five times and Cuse all conference receiver Mike Williams sat out the game on suspension.

Pitt, WVU and Cincinnati all remain undefeated in Big East play. South Florida and UConn sit at 1-2. Rutgers, Louisville and Syracuse have yet to win a conference game.

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Big East Football: Week 6

By Paul Sykes

Six of eight Big East football teams skirmished Saturday. Cincinnati and South Florida took the day off, preparing for an  ESPN event Thursday in Tampa.

• Louisville snapped a three-game losing streak by virtue of a dramatic 64-yard kickoff return by Trent Guy to set up a 32-yard field goal by Ryan Payne. U of L travels to Connecticut for a noon game Saturday.

• West Virginia did little wrong in a 34-13 pasting of Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. The usual suspects produced for the Eers, Noel Devine with two touchdowns and 91 rushing yards, quarterack Jarrett Brown tossing for 244 on 22-30 passing. The 4-1 Mountaineers host Marshall next (wonder if Matthew McConaughey will show?) while 2-4 Syracuse takes a week off to mend.

• Pittsburgh rallied from a late third quarter 21-6 deficit to top Connecticut, 24-21. Pitt nailed the victory on Dan Hutchins’ final play of the game 18 yd. field goal. UConn (3-2) gave up 147 yds. in the final 15 minutes while managing six of their own. Pitt (5-1) travels to Rutgers for a Friday night fight. The Huskies host Louisville Saturday.

• Rutgers stepped out of conference, smothering Texas Southern 42-0. The defense continues to shine in Jersey, creating four turnovers, serving up seven sacks and allowing a minus 25 yards rushing. They’ll need a similar effort if they expect to beat Pitt Thursday night.

A good week for the Big East. The Big East is 26-5 for the year if you eliminate Syracuse and Louisville, 32-12 otherwise. Pitt leads the conference standings at 2-0.  Cincinnati, South Florida and WVU are 1-0.

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Big East Football: Week 5

By Paul Sykes

Six Big East football teams snapped on the helmets this week, the conference going 2-0 in non-league play. There’s a three-way tie for first place in conference standings.

• West Virginia got the ball rolling against Colorado, defending the home turf with a 35-24 win. Once again, Noel Devine displayed his excellent running skills, and WVU WAS never seriously challenged. They take their 5-0 record to Syracuse next Saturday.
• Pitt improved to 4-1 with ITS conference-opening win over Louisville, roaring back from a 10-7 halftime deficit for 28 unanswered points. The 35-10 win included six sacks on U of L quarterback Adam Froman. Pitt hosts UConn next while Louisville renews its rivalry with Southern Miss at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
• South Florida is still unbeaten, using a 20-point third quarter to roll over Syracuse 34-20. This error filled contest included 11 turnovers, with Syracuse QB Greg Paulus leading the way with five interceptions to tie the school record. It doesn’t get any easier for the 2-3 Orange next week when they host WVU. South Florida takes a well-deserved week off.
• Cincinnati went on the road for a 37-13 victory home over Miami of Ohio. Jacob Ramsey racked up three scores and 103 rushing yards and QB Tony Pike tossed for two TD’s. The 5-0 Bearcats sit out next week.
• Rutgers and UConn were idle. They jump back into play Saturday, with the 3-1 Huskies visiting Pitt and 3-1 Rutgers is at home against Texas Southern.
• Cincy, USF and Pitt are 1-0 in conference play. UofL, Rutgers and Syracuse 0-1 against Big East foes. UConn and West Virginia play their first conference games Saturday.

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Big East Football: Week 3

By Paul Sykes

Other than the University of Louisville’s disappointing 31-27 loss to Kentucky, here’s how Big East football teams fared during the third big week:

• Before you get too impressed with South Florida’s 59-0 trouncing of Charlestown Southern, know that USF quarterback Matt Grothe blew out his knee in the game and he’s ACL done for the season. They may want a few of those points back later in the year. Florida State looms next week.  Suddenly, the Bulls look corral-able.
• No. 17 Cincinnati remained undefeated after three games, dumping 21 points on Oregon State in the 2nd quarter en route to a 28-18 beating of the Beavers. Tony Pike tossed 31-49 and 332 yards in the win. Fresno State visits next week.
• Pittsburgh went to 3-0 with a 27-14 sinking of Navy. This game featured the running of Dion Lewis (79 yards) and a weird play where quarterback Bill Stull completed a pass to himself via a tip and took the ball to the one-yard line where he fumbled it back to Navy. Pitt next travels to North Carolina State.
• West Virginia traveled to the deep South and dropped one to Auburn 41-30. Noel Devine rushed for three touchdowns and 128 yards for the Mountaineers. WVU continues to put up big yardage each game with 509 total yards against the Tigers. The Eers take next week off.
• Connecticut improved to 2-1 with a win at Baylor, 30-22. Andre Dixon rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns. Two Bear fumbles in the third quarter set up Husky scores, breaking a close game. UConn welcomes Rhode Island to West Hartford next week.
• Rutgers staggered to a 23-15 win against visiting Florida International. This one featured a wild fourth quarter with 25 points, including all of the visitor’s total.  True freshman Matt Savage threw for 185 yards for the Scarlet Knights.  Rutgers travels to Maryland next week.
• Syracuse got its first win of the year, at home over Northwestern 37-34. An Orange pick late in the fourth quarter set up the winning 40-yard field goal on the final play of the game.  Greg Paulus threw for 346 yards and Mike Williams hauled in two touchdown catches. Maine visits next week.

A 6-2 week for Big East schools that included wins against the Big 12, Pac 10 and Big 10. They went 0-2 against the SEC, though.

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Big East Football: Week 2

By Paul Sykes

Seven conference members took to the gridiron Saturday and the Big East went 5-2 in matchups. Louisville was the only idle team in week two.

• South Florida traveled to Bowling Green to square off against Western Kentucky. WKU trailed just 21-13 after three quarters to the Bulls but couldn’t produce any final quarter points and USF pulled away for a harder than figured 35-13 win. Bulls QB Matt Grothe had 281 yards of total offense to become the Big East’s all time yardage leader and threw for two TD’s.
• UConn pulled the shocker for three quarters leading #19 North Carolina 10-0 but a late rally by the Tar Heels and a costly offensive holding penalty in the end zone for a safety spelled the difference as UNC roared back to win 12-10 in East Hartford. UConn managed only 196 yards of offense.
• Cincinnati continued rolling up the points in week two, smashing South East Missouri 70-3 in Nippert Stadium. OB Tony Pike accounted for 4 scores and wide receiver Mardy Gilyard had three touchdown catches and one punt return to paydirt.
• Pittsburgh also resumed their point barrage in week two, throttling Buffalo 54-27. QB Bill Stull tossed three TD’s to Dorin Dickerson and the Panthers rolled up 500 yards of offense against the defending Mid-America Conference champions at Heinz Field.
• Rutgers recovered from a week one loss to Cincinnati by out pointing Howard 45-7. Rutgers scored on seven straight possessions and shut out the Bison in the second half. Freshman QB Tom Savage drew his first start and delivered two TD’s and 223 passing yards.
• West Virginia shut down East Carolina in Morgantown in the second half and pulled away to win 35-20. QB Jarrett Brown tossed four touchdowns and went 24-31 for 334 yards and added 73 yards rushing for the Eers.
• Syracuse fell behind to host Penn State 28-0 and lost to the #7 Nittany Lions 28-7. The Orangemen managed just 200 yards against the stout Penn State defense with just 65 on the ground.

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