Big East football has not been pretty in 2008

The porous performance leaking from Big East football teams thus far has led to a widespread… The porous performance leaking from Big East football teams thus far has led to a widespread coining of the conference as ‘the Big Least.’ But perhaps a more accurate and less common pun is ‘the Big Feast.’ Teams from (supposedly) worse conferences like the Conference USA, MAC and WAC have devoured Big East opponents like an uncle letting loose at Thanksgiving dinner. And there hasn’t been an announcement that the meal could end soon. None of the eight teams in the Big Feast have escaped becoming platters for showcase. Two schools are undefeated at 2-0, but both eked out victories in games that should have been beat-downs. In recent years, the Big East has been gaining more respect as a BCS conference, thanks to the outrageous success of West Virginia and the development of such programs as Louisville, South Florida and Rutgers. Over the’ last two years, the Big East has been’ 8-2 in bowl games, including a 5-0 mark in 2006. So, what in the world of Rich Rodriguez is going on here? Can the 2008 Big Feast be saved? Let’s start with Pitt. Its problems have been well-documented, but they deserve to be documented again. Star sophomore running back LeSean McCoy has stumbled through Pitt’s 1-1 start, but that has plenty to do with opposing teams’ smart strategy to load eight defenders in the box to stop him. This means the defenses have dared quarterback Bill Stull to pass, and he has ‘- a lot. His 84 attempts are fourth most in the nation. The main problem? Probably 80 of those passes didn’t travel more than 10 yards in the air. Coach Dave Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh need to be more imaginative in their play-calling. Pitt’s offense generated nothing in the second half of its opening loss to MAC opponent Bowling Green. But the way the Big Feast has started, a turnaround could delay the dinner party in memory of the Panthers. West Virginia’s offense was impressed with’ the team’s first win over Villanova. Unfortunately, this isn’t basketball season, and Villanova isn’t a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1-A) opponent. The Mountaineers, thought to be a BCS title contender, followed a 48-point performance with a clunker against Conference USA’s East Carolina, 24-3. New coach, Bill Stewart, already has some explaining to do. South Florida, the other hyped preseason candidate for the conference crown, didn’t politick so well last weekend at Central Florida. The No. 18 Bulls escaped, just barely, in overtime, 31-24. They look like the clear favorites in the Big Feast for now, if only because of a 2-0 record. If South Florida gets past No. 13 Kansas tonight, the schedule could be favorable for a while. Connecticut is the other 2-0 team in the Big Feast. It can’t be counted out, either ‘not;’mdash; the Huskies actually shared the conference title last season with West Virginia. But the Huskies squeaked by Temple of the MAC Saturday, 12-9, in another overtime affair. Temple is improving but was so bad as part of the old version of the Big Feast that it was kicked out in 2004. Rutgers lost its home opener to Fresno State, scoring only seven points. The Scarlet Knights might have squandered an opportunity for a good start, and could struggle to reach a bowl game. Louisville probably misses the scumbag that was its former coach, Bobby Petrino, and quarterback Brian Brohm. The Cardinals were swallowed whole by rival Kentucky in the opening week, 27-2. It’s pretty bad when you get outscored by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cincinnati could avoid becoming a tasty treat in the Big Feast. The Bearcats hung with No. 4 Oklahoma for three quarters before falling. Quarterback Dustin Grutza’s broken leg means that the defense has to step up. And as for Syracuse, well, there’s the fans’ hope that Greg Robinson gets fired. An 0-2 start packed with a home loss to lowly Akron equals cooked the Orange as the first appetizers served. The Big Feast is 8-7 through two weeks and could be 8-8 if North Carolina knocked off Rutgers last night. That’s embarrassing for a BCS conference. Adjustments are necessary throughout the conference to salvage 2008 as a success. Unless South Florida continues its run and Pitt, West Virginia and Cincinnati rebound, other major conferences will be pretty hungry once the bowl season comes around. Then, the Big Feast will transform to the Big Least.