Wrapping Up The Q&As

Just as a follow-up to my Q&A with the Utah blog, Block U, Sean has my answers to his questions up on his site.  You can view them here.

Another Utah Q&A With Block U

Continuing with the Q&A theme, here's a second one - this time with Sean Reynolds of SB Nation's Utah blog, Block U.  Sean provides some more insight into Thursday's game. Thanks to both Sean and Dirk for participating in this week's Q&As.

1. What do you think fans are expecting from the 2010 Utah Utes?

Expectations are generally always high in Salt Lake City. It's been that way since Urban Meyer's first season and hasn't changed over the years. This season isn't much different, though some of us concede the difficulty of the schedule could keep the BCS just out of sight. So I'd wager we're mostly expecting ten or so wins, a top-25 finish and maybe contention for the conference crown. However, TCU has established a fantastic program in Fort Worth and they'll be difficult to stop - even though the game is in Salt Lake this year. I think that point, the fact most our tough games (outside of Notre Dame) come at home, has given us a bit of hope that maybe the team can exceed expectations.

Much of that is because the Utes have won seventeen straight at home and you've got to go all the way back to the start of the 2007 season to find their last home loss (which came a week after the Utes lost their quarterback and running back to injury in the season opener). Since that loss, they've been almost unstoppable at home and we kind of expect that to continue into this year. If Utah wins out at home, their two toughest road contests are at Air Force (the last team to win in Salt Lake) and Notre Dame. Those aren't going to be easy games and certainly could derail any talks of perfection. But before we can even get to that point, the team will still have to beat Pitt. Which won't be easy.

2. Head Coach Kyle Whittingham turned down the Tennessee job earlier this season. Do you think he'll eventually leave Utah in the near future or can you see him sticking around long-term? Is he ever mentioned as a potential head coach at BYU, his alma mater?

 I think now that Utah is moving to the Pac-10, it's far more unlikely we'll lose Kyle Whittingham to another program. I guess it's possible he accepts a job with a top-level team, but we'll worry about that when one of those jobs opens up.

 As for BYU, no worries there. He had an offer to coach them in 2005 and he turned them down for Utah. BYU fans hate Whittingham now because of that and I see no way they could ever accept him as their head coach. I mean, this is a guy who's been at Utah since 1994. Not many head coaches in college football can say they've been with the same football program for 16 years. 

3. Sophomore QB Jordan Wynn made few mistakes last year as a true freshman. Do you expect him to be at all rattled in the opener? If he is, do you any scenario barring injury where Whittingham would go to senior Terrance Cain?

I think he'd be more rattled if the game were in Pittsburgh. But the fact it's in front of a partisan crowd should help. Plus, it isn't like this will be his first tough game. As Utah's starter, Wynn has gone up against TCU, BYU and Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl. The only average performance there was against, if you can believe it, BYU and many fans suspect that was because he got his bell rung on the first drive of the game and he never really looked the same the rest of the night.

Utah's offense was not the problem against the Frogs. They scored more points (28) on TCU than any other team (though the defense allowed 55, so...) and Wynn, of course, had a break out performance against Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl.

If Wynn does struggle early, he has a great backfield to rely on with Eddie Wide II and Matt Asiata. Those are two backs that could start at most schools and they'll both be sharing time for the Utes. If things still aren't working out and Wynn is playing atrociously, then I would not be surprised if Whittingham brought in Cain. But I don't think that'll happen.

4. With a new QB in Tino Sunseri, I expect a heavy dose of the running game for Pitt in the opener. How do you think Utah's defensive line will respond? And if Pitt decides to go to the air, how is the secondary?

The defensive line is expected to be one of Utah's strongest points on defense. Sealver Siliga and Dave Kruger, whose brother, Paul, was a beast on the defense for Utah's 2008 season, are very talented players who'll make big plays.

Of course, last year Utah had some iffy games with the run defense. Oregon and TCU specifically had no real trouble moving the ball on them and it cost them at least one game (Utah nearly beat the Ducks in Eugene). Whether that consistency issue is at play in 2010, no one knows. But the line is good. We just hope they're consistently good.

Now as for the secondary, that's the question mark for this year's Utes. They replace a lot of talent there, albeit with some very athletic and quick guys. Kyle Whittingham has made it his mission to turn Utah's defense into a very fast and athletic one and you're going to see that in the secondary. But since it's raw at times, they probably aren't at the level where they can overwhelm in games. Not yet, anyway. But against a team breaking in a new quarterback, who has to do it on the road, I think the Utes are well positioned here.

5. How do you see Thursday's game shaping up?

 

The worst thing about the first game of the season is not knowing what to expect. You can only go off last year's results and even then, for both teams, a lot has changed. But because it is the first game and rarely do you have a flawless performance that early from either team, I think we'll see a tight contest that comes down to the fourth quarter. With the game being played in Salt Lake City, I've got to go with the Utes. I say they enter the fourth up 28-21 and win the game 35-24.

Prepping for Utah Week

It's about time - the moment we've been waiting for since Pitt wrapped up a ten-win season. The Utah game. If Pitt wins, they continue the momentum they've built up since beating North Carolina in the Car Care Bowl. Lose, and while the season will be far from over, Pitt will need to go back to the drawing board.

So with that said, we've got a great guest to kick off this year's Q&As - Dirk Facer, a sports writer for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, who covers Utes football for the newspaper. Be sure to check out some of his excellent work for the full lowdown on Utah.

Dirk provided some answers to my questions below:

1. Freshman QB Jordan Wynn looked really sharp last year after taking over as the starter. How did he look in camp this Fall?

A: Wynn has picked up where he left off in last year’s Poinsettia Bowl victory over Cal, netting MVP honors by completing 26-of-36 passes for a career-high 338 passes and three touchdowns. Confidence is the big thing. Instead of competing for the job like he did last fall, Wynn entered camp as the designated starter and has embraced the role — leading the first unit throughout.
 

2. How did senior QB Terrance Cain take last year's demotion despite leading the team to a 7-1 start?

A: While acknowledging it was tough at first, Cain accepted the change and has been pushing Wynn ever since. Cain had a fantastic camp, working mostly with the twos, and may see action in specific packages as the backup. Cain and Wynn have remained friends throughout the competition.

3. With the departure of star WR David Reed and the return of 1,000 yard rusher Eddie Wide, do you expect to see Utah run the ball a little more than usual in the opener or will they look to test Pitt's unproven secondary?

A: The Utes certainly have strength in the backfield with Wide and fellow senior running back Matt Asiata, who led the team in rushing in 2008 and was setting the pace again last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury, back in the fold. Senior Jereme Brooks headlines a deep, but relatively inexperienced receiving corps. Utah will likely run the ball quite a bit, but has the weapons to throw it often as well.

4. Where are some of the weaknesses on Utah's defense that Pitt might be able to exploit?

A: The Utes have consistently been able to reload on defense over the years. However, this season’s squad features three new starting linebackers and new starters at both safety spots and one of the cornerback positions. Pitt is expected to challenge the newcomers. The Utes, however, counter with an aggressive defensive front.

5. How do you see the Utah vs. Pitt game shaping up on Thursday?

A: It certainly is shaping up as a much better matchup than the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. The main question in this meeting involves Utah’s ability to slow Pitt’s ground game. Another thing to watch is how the Panthers handle the travel to altitude and a hostile environment. The Utes have won 13 consecutive games when coach Kyle Whittingham has eight or more days to prepare for an opponent.

Big East Blogger Roundtable

Pico over at The East Coast Bias graciously put together another Big East roundtable. This one takes a look at recaps for each basketball team. I offered my thoughts and you can also find other Big East bloggers, including Chas over at Pitt Blather, on there offering their two cents.

All five question/answer sessions aren't up yet, but the first one is.

Be sure to check back there for the other answers once they're posted.

Rutgers Q&A With On The Raritan Banks

In preparation for the game against Rutgers, I was glad to get an invite for a Q&A from Shawn over at the Rutgers blog, On the Raritan Banks. Here are his answers to my questions and you can check out his site later for my answers to his Qs.

1. Following a promising 9-2 start, Rutgers ran into the meat of their schedule in a hurry - a nine game stretch including games at UNC, WVU, and Georgetown and home games against Villanova, and Syracuse. I know it's the Big East and everyone has tough schedules, but is there any thinking that teams like Rutgers might have a better shot at the NCAA Tournament if they weren't in the juggernaut that is the Big East? I guess what I'm asking is, are there times when Rutgers fans might dread having to play in the Big East?

I've certainly wondered how things may have turned out if RU was back in the Atlantic-10. Although the A-10 is having a better year than the ACC, it is still several rungs below the Big East. That being said, I'm still a big fan of the Big East. True, RU gets spanked from time to time, but I can still make the short trip up Route 27 to the RAC and watch players like Scottie Reynolds, Wes Johnson, Greg Monroe, and Luke Harangody when they come to town. Honestly, I'd rather have us struggle in the Big East and eventually turn into a legitimate conference contender than dominate at a mid-major. The key is to eventually turn the program around. Right now, the team would struggle against the nation's top mid-majors. I still have patience, but I'm sure others are losing it with each losing season in the Big East.

2. Everyone knows about Mike Rosario, but I think a big part of the game will be how the centers play against each other. Hamady Ndiaye and Gary McGhee are similar in ways that I think at times, both have probably frustrated fans who want more from them. Though both have experienced some growth this year, Ndiaye has really played well at times and has probably had a better year than Pitt's big man, Gary McGhee. What are some of the strength's/weaknesses of Ndiaye's game?

An obvious strength of H's game is his shot-blocking ability. He leads the Big East with over four blocks per game and is four shy of tying the school's all-time mark set by Roy Hinson (355). He has to be a front-runner for Big East Defensive Player of the Year. A glaring weakness-stone hands. He gets a lot of easy dunks, but he should probably have twice as many stuffs this season. He has difficulty handling passes that premiere big men put away with ease. He's picked up his scoring once sophomore center Gregory Echenique transferred to Creighton and left his heart on the floor every night. The fans love him at the RAC and it was a shame the team couldn't get a win for H against Seton Hall on Senior Night.

3. Ndiaye, of course, leads into a former frontcourt player for Rutgers, Greg Echenique. He had a very good freshman year for Rutgers and looked like he was going to be an excellent player early on this year. Corey Chandler (who of course had issues with his transfer to Binghamton) was the first prized recruit to bolt, now Echenique. What were the circumstances of each player leaving?

Chandler was dismissed for behavioral issues. He was dismissed at Binghamton as well. I have no problem losing a talented player that was too problematic. Hopefully things will work out for Corey Chandler. As far as Ech goes, that's a different story. I wish him well too, but I think he may have over-reacted. I've only got rumors and speculations to go by concerning his transfer. I do know we suffered without him this season and he leaves a big hole to fill for next year. Let's hope he gave up too early, Rutgers turns things around, and the Scarlet Knights get a chance to pay Creighton in the next three years and make Ech regret his hasty decision. Who leaves the metropolitan area and basketball mecca for Nebraska? Apparently Gregory Echenique. Whatever dude.

4. It may sound a little foolish, but as good as Mike Rosario was last year as a freshman, I was expecting a little more from him this year. While I don't think it's a big deal that his scoring hasn't improved, I'm a little surprised that his shooting percentages haven't. At times he can be a good shooter, but others, he really has struggled much the way Pitt's guard Ashton Gibbs has. I'm wondering if there's any frustration towards him for that by Rutgers fans. And because of that, is there any chance he leaves school early after next season (provided he doesn't try to this season, which I can't imagine would be the case)?

Again, I've heard some rumors that Rosario might leave to play professional ball overseas ala Brandon Jennings and then try his luck with the NBA draft. I personally don't see it. I think Rosario likes his team and has developed more confidence in newcomers Dane Miller and Jonathan Mitchell to carry some of the scoring load. I agree with your thoughts on Rosario's efficiency. While he did lead the team with 17 points in Thursday night's loss to Seton Hall, he shot 4-16 from the floor. His shot selection was also questionable in the second half when the Seton Hall lead was in striking distance. More a shooter than a slasher like Dane Miller, Rosario needs a legitimate inside presence to open the floor for him. While Rosario can slash and get to the rim, he does have trouble finishing among the muscle for which the Big East is famous. Rosario has a similar build to a guy like Brandon Jennings, Rosario is listed as two inches taller and about 10 pounds heavier, but he lacks the ability to finish among the big fellas that will be needed at the next level. That's what he needs to work on and why he'll be back on the banks next season.

5. With a chance to finish over .500, Fred Hill has finally gotten this team to turn around at least a little bit this year. What are the long-term hopes for him? He's recruited pretty well and I'm wondering if people think he's the long-term fix for the program? What kind of guy is he?

I personally like Fred Hill. He never lost control of his team and has to get a lot of credit for turning a team around that many had pegged to be the worst team in Big East history. Finishing above .500 would be huge considering the team must win Saturday's game at Pitt to make this a reality. This will be tough to accomplish. Everyone likes to think a famous coach would come in and dramatically turn the program around. This is unlikely. Hill might not be the wrong guy for this program. Like you said, he can recruit. He signed Rosario ,the school's first McDonald's High School All-American, and Miller, the likely Big East Rookie of the Year, in back to back recruiting classes. Those are huge steps and I feel pretty confident that he's back at least for next year. It's a definite if his team knocks off your beloved Panthers on Saturday.

St. John's Q&A With East Coast Bias

Pico over at the East Coast Bias/St. John's blog checked back in with me for another Q&A session. His answers to my questions are below and you can visit his site to see my answers to his:

1. As I alluded to in one of my questions and also in our last Q&A, St. John's still has an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament. They'll likely need to win their next three (Pitt, at Syracuse, and at DePaul) along with at least two in the Big East tournament, but it's still a possibility - one that will be increased with a win against Pitt. How much NCAA tournament talk is still going on at this point?

It’s interesting to me that other bloggers mention that St. John’s, holding steady at 12th or 13th in the conference, has a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Part of my surprise is that within the message boards, pretty much anyone who posts regularly is upset about the team, thinks they are simply destined to lose, and that the coach should be fired. I think it’s hard for that set of fans to see just how much parity the league has this year (does that mean the league is good? Or that it’s bad? I think I am going to ask some of the other league bloggers this question, too). It’s hard for me to see it.

That said, this team isn’t going to the NCAAs. They would have to beat Syracuse and make a run of at least 2 rounds in the NCAA Tournament, while other teams really have shocking losses, and all the mid-majors (and Pac-10) have no surprise tournament upsets. St. John’s has too many bad losses – Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall; they’re 2-8 against the RPI top 50, and 0-6 against the top 25, they’re under .500 in conference. It would take a Georgia-style act of God to get this team in.
The NIT is possible but unlikely, with the Big East teams ahead of St. John’s in the standings.

2. When looking at the points scored and points given up per game, Pitt and St. John's are very close. Pitt has only scored about 1.5 more ppg and given up about 3 ppg less, yet they have a decidedly better record. What has been the main thing(s) keeping St. John's from joining the ranks of the Big East elite this year?

Pittsburgh plays a slower pace, and that masks how much better their offense and defense is. Despite their inefficiency sometimes, Pitt does a better job executing on both ends, and gets to the free throw line. St. John’s doesn’t, and shoots poorly from the line, to boot. In conference, Pitt is scoring around 5 points more per game and both teams give up about the same number of points per game.
St. John’s offense has really held them back. They’ve gotten worked on defense, for sure, but the Storm hasn’t been much worse than league average, generally. But the offense – and lack of forcing turnovers – has slowed them down.

3. Pitt fans are familiar with D.J. Kennedy, of course, being from Pittsburgh. Some point to him as a missed prospect that Pitt passed on (for Brad Wanamaker), I believe. Is there any NBA talk surrounding him and if not, what does he need to work on to have a chance at getting into an NBA camp?

Earlier in the year a draft board (at nbadraft.net, maybe?) had him as a second round pick next year. He might get there. He’s a hard worker. I don’t know that he has immense physical gifts, but sometimes, he’s a very smart player and knows how to make plays. I think he needs to work on a number of things – his shot has to be more steady (though he has gotten better at getting his shot off and his first step).

Kennedy could improve his handle a little. And I think his defense could get him to stick in the league as a Trenton Hassell, Bruce Bowen kind of defender – versatile, tough, tall. Maybe even at Matt Barnes type, who just makes plays everywhere – Barnes was a decent, not standout player on a good UCLA team, but he was also a great glue guy with a wealth of half-tapped gifts and athleticism to get by on. Kennedy’s athleticism isn’t quite there, and he’s a couple of inches shorter.

4. Justin Burrell, a relatively unknown to a lot of people came out and had arguably his best game of the year against Pitt in their first meeting (14 points on 5-7 shooting / 7 rebounds). Other than him and the usual suspects in Kennedy, Dwight Hardy, and Anthony Mason, Jr., who else is someone that Pitt should keep their eye on? Maybe not someone for a huge game, but someone who could provide a key spark when needed?

Malik Boothe has been crafty and fairly effective in the past 5 games. At the very least, he’s been aggressive, and he can make some plays on offense driving to the hoop. Both Paris Horne and Sean Evans can make some plays; Evans is the team’s best offensive rebounder. Those are the only other guys who might have the ball and be looked to for playmaking.

Q&A With Astro's Bulls Blog

Ken over at Astros Bulls Blog inquired about a Q&A for the game on Sunday and helped put this one together fairly quickly - thanks to him for the invite. His answers to my questions are below - be sure to check out his site for my take on his questions.

1. South Florida has already won more games this year (13) than they have in any of the past seven. They've not been able to beat the upper-tier teams yet, but they're now starting to win some conference games. The team has taken a step up and is starting to compete a little. What's the next step you'd like to see the team take?

Depth. It's been frustrating the last few years to see us play teams like Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Syracuse tough for 30 minutes, and then fall apart in the last 10 minutes due to us being tired. Coach Heath has had to go the JUCO and transfer route to try to help out, but every season it seems that one or two guys transfer out as well. This year it was Ron Anderson Jr. coming into the program from Kansas State, but we also had Jordan Dumars leave for Michigan, and Justin Leemow heading home.

2. I watched a bit of the USF / Seton Hall game and noticed there were a lot of empty lower-level seats. Having won those three out of their last four Big East games, what kind of buzz is around the area?

Unfortunately, there really hasn't been much of a buzz around Tampa about this team. You can see some of the football season ticket holders start to go to some games, but unfortunately a lot of the season tickets holders in the first level hardly go to any games. I really think the last decade of futility, along with football's meteoric rise, led to basketball being an afterthought in the area. As people say, winning cures all, but in a football mad state like Florida, it will take some time before the Sun Dome get to where it used to be in the early 90s.

3. USF has one of the top scoring duos in the country in Dominique Jones and Augustus Gilchrist (averaging a combined 40+ ppg) - at least before Gilchrist's injury. How highly rated were these guys as recruits? Any thought that either or both of these guys are NBA prospects?

Gus Gilchrist was the 8th rated center out of high school. He signed with Virginia Tech, but after the shootings he wanted out of his LOI. He then went to Maryland, but found out that he would have to sit out two years before he could play. After realizing this after the fact, he finally made his way to Tampa and did pretty well last season. His conditioning was called into question by some fans last year, but during the offseason the S&C staff found out he was anemic. An iron supplement later, and Gus is living up to his potential. I would consider him a pro prospect, but I think his game is better suited for Europe. Either way, he will be making a name for himself once he leaves.

Jones wasn't widely regarded as a prospect at all. He didn't have an AAU team, and Polk County, Florida isn't a hotbed for basketball. Once he did make it on campus, he has been an incredible steal for us. I really don't know where USF would be right now if Jones wasn't here. There are some draft sites that have Dominique going anywhere from the late first round to the early second round. There are some rumors that he might leave for the draft after this season, but I think he will be back for his senior year.

4. The road ahead for USF features a lot of tough opponents (Pitt, Georgetown, UCONN, and Nova, to name a few). An NCAA tournament bid isn't likely without some major upsets. But are there hopes for the NIT? Would that make for a successful season?

We haven't been to any type of tournament since the early 2000s when we had a couple of NIT bids, so ANYTHING would be a huge accomplishment to Heath and Co. All I have asked from this team is 16 wins, and barring a huge collapse, we should be able to reach that mark. You will see me doing backflips if for some reason we make it to the NCAAs, but I would love to see an NIT berth as well.

5. I'll sneak in one football question since the Jim Leavitt thing kind of took off and was a nationwide story. What are your thoughts? Were the majority of fans seemingly for him or against him?

I think most fans were for Jim Leavitt. The last couple of October collapses irked some people, but this was the father of USF Football, and most acknowledged that he would leave on his own terms. I really didn't think Leavitt did it until the report came out, and even then, it still leaves some doubt in your mind. The thing that killed Leavitt was the fact that tried to cover up the whole thing, asking players what they told the investigators and not cooperating at all. With everyone retaining lawyers, I don't think this is over with in the least. I know Leavitt will want to get paid for what he claims is wrongful termination, and if he does get a settlement from the university, the Miller family will most likely sue Coach Leavitt. Just a huge trainwreck on all accounts.

Q&A With Pico at The East Coast Bias

Pico over at the fantastic blog, The East Coast Bias, asked for my participation in a brief Q&A before the Pitt / St. John's game. Below are his answers to my questions - be sure to check out his site for my answers to his:

1. I saw a bit of that St. John's / Villanova game on Saturday and was surprised by the number of Nova fans at the game, even with the fairly close proximity of the two teams. We all know that St. John's has a strong basketball history, but being down for a while, just how strong of a brand is St. John's basketball in the NYC area? With all the professional teams nearby, I'm sure they take somewhat of a backseat, but just how much?

That's certainly not abnormal, the numbers of opposing fans in the Garden. Pitt draws well there, Duke draws well there, Kentucky draws well there, U Conn draws well there - a lot of fans move to the NYC area. Recently, Rick Pitino said in his pregame chat with reporters before the St. John's game that the Big East didn't need St. John's to be good for the league to be strong; he could have extended that statement to "Madison Square Garden doesn't need St. John's to be good to sell tickets." And the Garden has no real allegiance; they just need to make their projected gate receipts.

The question about the Red Storm (or Redmen, as some prefer) and the strength of the brand is hotly debated among some fans. Is it just the losing that causes problems in filling the arena? Or is it that NYC isn't a college basketball city? Or is it the competition for ticket money?

But U Conn fans can fill the Garden because they win. Duke can get a good crowd going. And basketball tickets for college are much more affordable than pro tickets or football tickets. The pro teams are nice, but they're also not that good - especially when talking about basketball. There are a generation of people in their 20's and even early 30's whose memory of a rocking Garden and a relevant St. John's is at the edges of their 10th year, or in little spurts. Losing and a lack of fan memory doesn't do much to build a brand. And while I think the Garden will always draw a bipartisan crowd, NY is filled with basketball fans; a game there doesn't have to feel like an away game for the Red Storm.

2. St. John's is just now getting Anthony Mason, Jr. back in game shape after his injury and as expected, his minutes have been down a bit as the coaches are working him back in slowly. I've been kind of a fan of his during his career as he's a legitimate inside and outside player with the ability to hit the three (even though he's a bit streaky from out there). What kind of impact is he expected to make to the team once he gets back to full strength?

It's hard to say for certain what impact he'll make. There aren't strong expectations - he's been off of the grid for a year and a half, almost. And being out that long has to indicate a serious athletic issue. Certainly, he looks bigger, but Mase hasn't displayed the athleticism that the coaching staff wanted him to use more often to drive 2 years ago before he started having recurring hamstring injuries. But he's been more under control and rebounding very well in his time back. But the team could use another player who can score and create his shot when the droughts happen, when the team is out of rhythm. Can he be that? I'm not sure. Is he good enough to carry the team? Not sure on that, but I would think that's doubtful. But I'd love to see him try.

3. At 12-7, St. John's is off to one of its better starts since the 2001-02 season when they last made the NCAA Tournament. With a tough schedule still to come, while a tournament run is not likely this year, it's not impossible. The decent showing against Nova was probably slightly encouraging. What will St. John's need to do to make a run at the tournament or make a strong run in the NIT?

The showing against Nova looked like the showing against Georgetown, and the first half against U Conn. It doesn't feel strong, it feels like the same old thing - sloppy/ non-impact pay at the point, perimeter-focused play, midgame droughts... Some will say the team has a problem with second halves with respect to coaching, but I think slightly differently; the coaching and halftime adjustments are a factor, but so is the wearing down of talent. St. John's makes mistakes, and by the second half, the other team can exploit those mistakes and weaknesses.

To make a run at the tourney or the NIT... hmm. I think the team has to make a sudden turnaround in offense, scoring more regularly, drawing fouls. I think Dwight Hardy would have to start and put up 15 points per game; I think some player has to become an 8-10 point per game scorer in the paint and then the team has to get him the ball regularly; I think the team has to get something out of the point guards; I think the perimeter defense needs to improve. Perhaps Omari Lawrence will be as good as he was against Villanova; maybe Dele Coker would get more time. Maybe Justin Burrell will see the floor more and be a consistent scorer; maybe Justin Brownlee will do the same. There's a lot to overcome to get to either of those milestones

4. With only one winning season (16-15 in 2006-07) at St. John's in the five years he's served as coach, what are the thoughts on Norm Roberts around the area? If he doesn't get to above .500 this year, is he in any danger of losing his job? If so, or even if not, who are some coaching candidates that have been thrown around by media or even by fans?

The newspaper coverage - like in most places - won't go hard after Coach Norm Roberts, but even the local media know that the fans are frustrated, that it's been 6 years, and there's no real reason to believe this is going to turn around. I don't think a winning season is the firing threshold. After all, 1 overall winning season in 5 years (or 2 in 6 years) usually gets a coach fired, and 28-64 (30% winning percentage) in the Big East... one has to think that's some thin ice. This year the team's 2-5 in conference. It's going to be nearly impossible to get to .500 in the Big East this year, and what's the threshold for Norm in between .500 (the NCAAs) and a 2-win season? To be fair, the Athletic Director has said that he has confidence in Norm, and they (he and the President) like how he represents the University. But this was supposed to be the year the team starts winning games; I don't think the decision-makers realized how far St. John's has been from winning margins in the past.

The media hasn't run with the "if he's fired" ball yet, so no coaching candidates to date. The fans on the message boards have their favorites, ranging to most NYC-connected coaches, mostly with (positive) head coaching records. I won't give voice to those names (though admittedly, I will take a look at some coaches for the possible local openings on the East Coast Bias blog), but Tom Pecora will find a way to get his name in there. If it gets to "dead man walking" level - and no one quite knows at what level the coach would certainly be fired - there are multiple issues to consider, including how much the school will pay, the "cleanliness" of the coach, et cetera.

5. Dwight Hardy has been a key player for the Red Storm coming from Community College. As a junior, fans will still have another year to have him around. Has his production been a surprise for the team or was he expected to contribute this much?

A slight surprise, but the fans figured that if he could really shoot, he'd get time - the team has lacked a 3-point shooter for much of Norm Roberts' time at St. John's. So someone who could come up and just start shooting with just a simple screen was going to get some minutes. He's been a nice player for sure; and his ability to bring the ball up on occasion is also helpful.

Q&A With Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician

First, if you have never visited the Syracuse blog NunesMagician.com before, do it...now. This guy has a great blog and once you check out his Mike Williams timeline, you'll see that plenty led up to Williams' abrupt departure.

Sean at the Nunes Magician blog was gracious enough to participate in a brief Q&A for the upcoming game. See my questions with his answers below. Check out his site soon for my answers to his questions.

EYEOFAPANTHER: Obviously, I've got to ask about the Mike Williams saga. I was aware of some of his past issues, but has leaving the team in the middle of his senior season been something that fans thought was a possibility at any point during his career? What kind of personality does Williams have and how do you see this affecting his NFL draft stock assuming he still wants to play professionally?

NUNESMAGICIAN: The Mike Williams saga has been eye-opening to say the least. It's completely redefined the way we see Mike and his legacy at Syracuse. Remember, this is a guy who already had two strikes against him for the cheating issue last season and whatever it was he did to get suspended two weeks ago before the Akron game. So when he goes on his Facebook page and cries about not feeling wanted...it rings a little hollow and makes you wonder if Mike really gets it. I mean, the fact that his teammates allegedly almost didn't vote him back onto the squad after his latest transgression speaks volumes considering how good of a player he is.

As for his draft stock, we've seen players with worse transgressions get drafted high so I'm not sure just how much he hurt himself. He might have gone from a 1st-rounder to a 2nd-rounder. Possibly even worse. And he's probably cost himself a million or two. But, assuming he keeps in shape, he'll still get drafted. He's too talented not to take a risk on, though his attitude will be questioned every single day until the draft.

In other words, expect the Oakland Raiders to take Williams with their 2nd-round pick in 2010.


EYEOFAPANTHER: From what I've seen a couple of times on message boards and websites, it looks like Doug Marrone is already feeling some pressure from fans. Personally, from an outsider's point of view, it looks like Syracuse has really looked respectable this year. At 3-5 with still some arguably winnable games still on their schedule (although with the loss of Williams, additional wins may be a little tougher to come by), are the fans really that upset with how the season has played out so far considering the team has only averaged 2.5 wins over the past four years? If Syracuse can manage to get to five wins, would the season be considered a success in your eyes?

NUNESMAGICIAN: Considering the talent level and the schedule we played, if Syracuse gets to five wins this is a HA-YUGELY successful season. The problem is that Syracuse came out of the gates guns blazing this season. We almost beat Minnesota. We beat Northestern. We looked like we could hold our own with most teams on the schedule ahead. Then we got blown out by West Virginia and South Florida and all of sudden SU fans were disappointed. But not just normal-disappointed...they were disappointed as if Syracuse had previously been en route to the Orange Bowl. Our expectations had been raised and all of a sudden we were expecting 6 wins and a bowl berth. So...fans are frustrated again.

I admit, I get frustrated too. The thing about sports is that very few of us have patience. We want to win right now and if that's not happening then we're pissed off. Syracuse is on the right track and Doug Marrone has proven enough to show that he's got the staff and the plan to lead us back. This year is a write-off and it always has been. Doesn't mean we don't think we can win some games.


EYEOFAPANTHER: A lot of Pitt fans may be surprised to know that Syracuse ranks 7th in the nation (1st in the Big East) in rushing defense and haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season. Conversely, they are 117th in pass defense. Is Syracuse really that good against the run or are their low rushing totals due to teams passing the ball a lot more against them?

NUNESMAGICIAN: Can't it be a little of both? The strongest unit on the entire team is the defensive line, anchored by future pro Arthur Jones. Plus, linebacker Derrell Smith has emerged as a devestating hitter. So unto itself, that unit has been fantastic at shutting down opposing rushers all year. That said, our defensive backfield is argualy the weakest unit on the team. They've been carved up like Thanksgiving turkeys all year. It also doesn't help that we've gone up against some extremely talented receivers (Eric Decker, Marty Gilyard). That's still no excuse for the numbers though. Opposing teams would be crazy not to attack our secondary and so that's inflated the numbers on both sides. But that doesn' mean our run D isn't very good.


EYEOFAPANTHER: With Williams seemingly out of the picture for this Saturday, who are some offensive players that you expect to be featured this weekend?

NUNESMAGICIAN: First and foremost the Orange will be relying on RB Delone Carter. Carter is coming off his best game of the year, 170 yards and 3 TDs against Akron. All year Delone has been running hard but the offensive line hasn't helped him out too much. With back-up RB Antwon Bailey suspended this weekend as part of the car accident that Williams was involved in, the pressure is on Carter even more to keep those numbers up and keep the SU offense on the field.

Obviously you'll see Greg Paulus but also expect to see Ryan Nassib. Paulus is the start and Doug Marrone would never say that we have a two-QB system. Rather, Nassib comes in for certain packages, like our version of the Wildcat. Whereas Paulus bring leadership, Nassib brings a shoulder cannon that Greg can't match.

The wide recievers are going to be expected to step up in a major way and SU fans will be looking to Marcus Sales, Donte Davis and Alec Lemon namely to fill Mike Williams' shoes. Without Williams it's a young unit but they all have enough experience to be able to handle themselves.


EYEOFAPANTHER: How have fans reacted to Greg Paulus this year overall? For someone playing quarterback for a D-I football team in a BCS conference for the first time, I think he's played reasonably well. He's had some success, but games like this past weekend at Cincinnati and his five interception performance vs. South Florida have been costly. Are fans axiously anticipating the Ryan Nassib era next year where I would presume he'd be the full-time starter?

NUNESMAGICIAN: It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for fans with Greg Paulus. The opening game against Minnesota is a perfect metaphor for the entire season. For the most part, Paulus played well. He looked shaky at times, forced some throws at others but seemed to be able to find a way to keep the ball moving and control the offense. So much so that the Orange took the Gophers into overtime...where Paulus throw an inexcusable interception in the endzone that led to Minnesota's victory. That's been the thing with Paulus all year. He's a leader and a great binding force for the team the way a senior should be, but he's making a lot of freshman mistakes. That his back-up, redshirt freshman Ryan Nassib, seems to look more comfortable in the pocket makes us concerned. While Doug Marrone is sticking by Paulus, I'm pretty sure that if you took a vote right now, the fans would rather see Nassib in as the starter.

Make no mistake, the Paulus Experiment has still been a success. SU is better than we were last year and Paulus has done a lot for the university and the program. But that alone doesn't win football games.


EYEOFAPANTHER: I planned to end this after five questions, but I heard about the recent promotion this weekend where students were admitted for free and couldn't resist. The announced crowd was about 33,000, but we all know those numbers are usually deceptive and I figure that less were in attendance. At Pitt, we've had our fair share of games with lower than expected turnouts, so I can relate a bit to this. Playing a top five team in the country, with weather not a factor as Syracuse plays in a dome, how surprised were you that the stadium was realistically probably only a little more than half full?

NUNESMAGICIAN: I was shocked. Absolutely shocked. In all seriousness, I was convinced the student section would be packed or at the very least 2/3 full. When I saw that maybe 30 students showed up in spite of the free offer...I was just floored. I ended up penning an article where I basically said we have the worst student fanbase in the nation. A week later, I won't back down from that statement. Like a wrote on my site, why did you bother coming to Syracuse is you're not going to go to the football games? You might as well have gome to LeMoyne College (better basketball program, anyway).

They are an apathetic bunch thanks to the Greg Robinson Era. Luckily, some of them will be gone soon and we hope the incoming freshman start up a new trend of, you know, caring.

Rutgers Week - Q&A With Bleed Scarlet

I was fortunate to hold a brief Q&A with Jon over at Bleed Scarlet on the upcomning game this Friday with Rutgers. Below are his answers to my questions. Please visit his site, Bleed Scarlet, to view my answers to his questions.

1. Tom Savage was regarded as one of the top incoming recruits in the Big East this year. He's yet to throw an interception so far this year. What else can you tell us about him? Has he met/exceeded fan expectations?

It's hard to talk about Savage without contrasting him with the competition at QB. Jabu Lovelace is only used in option packages. Dom Natale is accurate and can scramble a little, but he has a weak arm, and makes poor decisions. His turnover meltdown turned the opener with Cincinnati into a blowout. Natale could move the ball a little, but at this point, the staff is so scared of him throwing a pick that they don't trust him to throw the ball at all.

Tom Savage is the team's best option at the moment. He has good arm strength, and as you noted, has managed not to turn the ball over to this point. He helps merely in virtue of teams respecting his arm to the point where they're no longer crowding the LOS, as they do with Natale.

Has he met expectations? Some fans see the press clippings and expect him to be John Elway from day one. I'm satisfied that he hasn't been a complete disaster as a true freshman. Savage has mostly been used as a game manager, with the occasional deep strike to Tim Brown, or a nice run every so often. They're trying to protect him - lots of handoffs, and WR screens from the Shotgun. He's shown flashes, showing some poise, and fits of inconsistency. He is far ahead of where Mike Teel was at this point in their careers.

2. Rutgers came out of the gate losing to the conference favorite to date, Cincinnati. Their level of competition hasn't been all that great since that game, but they've responded with four wins. Do fans still think that the conference championship is still a real possibility this year after that first game? How have expectations changed since starting 0-1, now being 4-1?

I think most fans are cautiously optimistic, although there was a lot of knee-jerk anger after the loss in the opener. Because of the recent schedule, it's hard exactly to get a handle on how the team has improved over the past month. I still see the Big East as wide open, and Rutgers as having just as much a chance as any team to finish near the top of the conference. I expected Cincinnati to be the best team in the Big East this year, and for Rutgers to finish third, and I'm going to stick with that for the moment.

My main reason for optimism is how exactly Cincy won the opener. Dom Natale had an epic meltdown under center, and Cincinnati's gameplan took our defense completely out of its element. The strength is with the front seven, and an aggressive dose of blitzes to hit the QB, and speed up his throws. They need to be attacking and moving forward. It's not that the pass rush played poorly in the opener; they didn't even have a chance. Cincy's offense was spreading out, Pike took three step drops, and quickly released the ball to whichever receiver receiver beat the zone coverage.. I don't see anyone else on the schedule with the personnel or schemes to mirror that strategy.

That's not to say everything looks great. The OL and secondary have shown improvement, but are still works in progress. RU hasn't found a third receiver to replace the injured Mason Robinson (sort of our version of Dickerson, a big time talent who has yet to stick at a position). Certain units still look out of sync at times, and need to develop better chemistry. It's a young team, and they're still meshing. The game on Friday will be a useful barometer for accessing just exactly where everything is at by this point.

3. The schedule really broke well for Rutgers this year as they get many of the top conference teams at home. What do you see left as their toughest remaining game as we look at what teams have done to this point? And if you had to make a gut prediction for a final record, what would it be?

I'm not sure what to expect from West Virginia going forward, but the Mountaineers have had RU's number in recent memory, and they have been the best program in the Big East as of late. Until proven otherwise, the road to the BIg East championship still goes through Morgantown. From top to bottom, Pittsburgh does have by far the best roster in the conference. I'm in awe of Jonathan Baldwin. Him and Michael Floyd are my two favorite receivers to watch in the country. I always find myself watching Pitt games and cursing the team for not getting Baldwin the ball more. Have to give my props to Romeus too.

Rutgers will obviously beat Army, and I'm not expecting much trouble from road dates at Syracuse or Louisville. Everything else is a tossup, so I expect to finish between 8 to 10 wins, which is mostly an indictment of how bad the team's OOC schedule was this year.

4. Senior wideout Tim Brown wasn't really seen as an All-Conference performer this year and looks to have been overlooked. His production has already almost exceeded last year's. Was Rutgers expecting this type of output from him or was it completely unexpected?

If you look at his statistics from the past few years, Brown was fairly productive as a slot receiver. He more than earned a starting job this year, although I was concerned about how his small frame would hold up taking more hits. Part of his high yardage total owes to the weak schedule, but Brown is good. Not in the same neighborhood of Baldwin or Kenny Britt, but he's a lot better than Tiquan Underwood. Brown will drop a ball here or there, but makes up for it with his explosive speed. He also shows surprising leaping ability for such a little guy.

Now, if only another young receiver would step up besides Mohamed Sanu...

5. After Greg Schiano's 11-2 season in 2006, the team has posted two more solid seasons of 8-5. Even though Rutgers has now strung together four consecutive winning seasons, do the local fanbase/media feel that they've garnered more national attention or do they think it is going to take a few more similar years before the program is recognized nationally?

The team's profile is steadily increasing, but that can be a double edged sword, especially in the New York City/New Jersey marget. Sometimes being under the spotlight can magnify wrinkles too. The Rutgers football program seems to be in that generally solid, occasionally threatening, top 40 range, and that's about where they deserve to be before they can start showing more consistency. Forget years; it takes decades to get true national recognition. That isn't going to happen overnight. As long as the team keeps showing steady progress, as long as fan support keeps improving, that's the way to sustain manageable and realistic growth.