Football: West Virginia, Pitt should top conference

It’s undeniable ­— the Big East conference is far from the best football conference in the… It’s undeniable ­— the Big East conference is far from the best football conference in the nation. While some experts might argue that the Big East doesn’t even deserve its annual automatic BCS Bowl bid, one thing that can’t be debated is that while there are few national standouts in the conference, the best teams in the Big East make for exciting — and often unpredictable — football.

Last year, Connecticut, Pitt and West Virginia all finished 5-2 in conference play, with Connecticut earning the BCS Bowl bid based on a tiebreaker.

The fight for No. 1 should be just as neck-and-neck in 2011 as teams vie for the conference’s last BCS bid before Texas Christian University joins the Big East next year. Here are my predictions of how the standings will look at the end of what will surely be another entertaining season in the Big East.

West Virginia — The Mountaineers enter this season as the favorites to win the title. West Virginia has most of its key players returning on both sides of the ball, and second-year quarterback Geno Smith and his explosive group of receivers will lead new head coach Dana Holgersen’s spread passing system.

Pittsburgh – With the Backyard Brawl, which may be called the Backyard Shootout for the next few years due to Pitt and West Virgina’s new high-powered offenses, at West Virginia this November, Panther fans might have to wait at least another year before Todd Graham takes them back to the BCS.

South Florida – Although Pitt and West Virginia have the most talent in the Big East, USF could make some major noise this season. Junior quarterback B.J. Daniels will be the key to everything South Florida does. Don’t be surprised if the Bulls compete for the Big East title until the very end.

Louisville – Head coach Charlie Strong recruited well, and this year’s Louisville team will be full of raw, young talent. So don’t be surprised if this team upsets one of the conference’s big boys. But with a questionable quarterback situation and an injury-prone running back in Victor Anderson, Strong’s team might be inconsistent.

Syracuse – Syracuse lost a lot of key defensive players, but with quarterback Ryan Nassib leading the way, Syracuse should have another respectable season and go to their second-straight bowl.

Cincinnati – After winning the conference in 2008 and 2009, the Bearcats received a reality check last season following Coach Brian Kelly’s departure to Notre Dame. Quarterback Zach Collaros will lead the offense and all 11 starters return on defense. Cincinnati could be a dangerous game for the Big East’s top teams, but the Bearcats will lack consistency.

Rutgers – Head coach Greg Schiano’s Scarlet Knights only won one Big East game last season as they failed to earn a bowl bid for the first time since 2004. This year’s team is more experienced and talented with quarterback Chas Dodd and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu set to torture Big East defenses, but their defensive problems will make for another long year in Piscataway, N.J.

Connecticut – The defending Big East Champs not only lost their starting quarterback Zach Frazer and stud running back Jordan Todman, but long-time head coach Randy Edsall also followed out by bolting to Maryland.

Coach of the Year – Skip Holtz, South Florida

The Bulls are my sleeper to win the Big East this season. Even if they lose their conference opener at Pitt, the middle of USF’s schedule looks favorable. If the Bulls can win the games leading up to the season finale at home against West Virginia, they could surprise everyone and end up winning the conference. That would be enough to earn Holtz Coach of the Year honors.

Offensive Player of the Year – Geno Smith, Quarterback, West Virginia

Under new head coach Dana Holgorsen, Smith appears set for a breakout season. Last season, in his first year as a starter, Smith showed he had all the tools to be a star college quarterback as he racked up 24 passing touchdowns while throwing only seven interceptions. The Mountaineers will throw the ball even more this season, with their talented core of receivers and Holgersen’s offensive system, so expect Smith to pile up some extremely impressive numbers.

Defensive Player of the Year – Brandon Lindsey, Linebacker, Pittsburgh

Lindsey exploded onto the scene for the Panthers’ last season when defensive end Greg Romeus went down with an early injury. Lindsey made the most of his extended playing time by tallying 10 sacks and leading the conference with 18 tackles for loss. With Pitt’s new aggressive defense and its experienced interior defensive line giving Lindsey plenty of room to blitz, the linebacker could be a sack and turnover machine for the Panthers this year.

Freshman of the Year – Savon Huggins, Running Back, Rutgers

When this highly touted rusher decided to stay at home in New Jersey and play for the Scarlet Knights, he instantly gave Rutgers fans a reason to look forward to the season. Huggins has drawn comparisons to former Rutgers running back Ray Rice. With former Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti and his pro-style offense taking over the Scarlet Knight offense, teams might struggle to stop Rutgers’ rushing attack for years to come.