Big East football notebook

[Apis Bull]

Big East football notebook

Tuesday, August 31, 2004

BY TOM LUICCI

Star-Ledger Staff

Anyone who doubts the assertion that television runs college football needs only to look at the Big East this year. League teams will play games every day of the week except Tuesday this fall, with the non-traditional schedule kicking off Sunday when Syracuse plays at Purdue.

"My opinion is, it would be awfully nice if we could play Saturday at 1 (o'clock) every week," Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said. "(But) we also understand what drives this thing."

The Orange's Sunday opener shouldn't offend the sensibilities of college football purists because it falls on a day when there are no classes and no NFL yet. Why not take advantage of ABC-TV's national exposure under those circumstances?

But it goes beyond that, with the respect-starved Big East -- caught in a transition year -- bucking both the NFL and college professors this fall.

Pittsburgh is at South FloridaMonday night, Connecticut plays games on a Wednesday, a Thursday and a Friday this year, and Rutgers is playing at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning -- a time usually reserved for the Garfield float in the Macy's parade. Later that night, West Virginia is at Pittsburgh.

The reason is simple. TV.

"It is a little different, but I like it," Connecticut coach Randy Edsall said. "I like it from the standpoint of exposure."

Pasqualoni says: "It's another part of the landscape of college football" now, with his biggest objection being missed class time.

"There's an exposure advantage," he said, "but there's a price to pay for the inconvenience. I like to see kids in school Monday through Friday."

SNAP JUDGMENTS Three of the seven Big East schools have needed to make a decision at quarterback this summer, and two have. Pittsburgh will go with Tyler Palko, who redshirted last season after playing in six games in 2002. Boston College has tapped senior Paul Peterson to call signals -- and now hopes to redshirt fellow senior Quinton Porter. But Syracuse still hasn't named a starter yet, with Perry Patterson, Xzavier Gaines and true freshman Joe Fields competing for the job.

"We probably won't come up with an announcement until the end of the week," Pasqualoni said.

SIMPLY GRAND? Boston College's streak of producing a 1,000-yard rusher the past six years -- with eight players managing the feat since 1992 -- falls to the shoulders (and legs) of third-year sophomore Jeff Ross and/or redshirt freshman L.V. Whitworth. The Eagles open their season Thursday at Ball State.

Ross came to America from Liberia when he was 14. Whitworth is a highly touted recruit from Milton, Mass.

"Jeff Ross will start. L.V. Whitworth will play. Both will play in the first half, then we'll make a decision at halftime as to what we're going to do," coach Tom O'Brien said.

MOUNTAINOUS EXPECTATIONS With Miami and Virginia Tech now in the ACC, West Virginia is the consensus pick to win the Big East. That puts a bull's-eye squarely on the Mountaineers jerseys, something they haven't had to deal with for a while.

"We have a lot more eyes on us. We have to be mature enough to handle it," coach Rich Rodriguez said. "I'm anxious to see if we're mature enough to handle it and (can) live up to the expectations."

ON THE MEND Injuries will force four key players to miss their team's season openers.

Temple DT Antwon Burton is out at least the first two games, coach Bobby Wallace said, with a broken foot. UConn TB Terry Caulley didn't pass his physical following knee surgery and his career may be in jeopardy.

BC wide receiver Larry Lester, a Piscataway High graduate, will miss at least the first game with a sprained knee. Pittsburgh's Princell Brockenbrough, expected to replace Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver, is out indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery.

TOAL'S ROAD Former Don Bosco Prep star Brian Toal, generally considered New Jersey's top high school player last year, will open this season as the backup weakside linebacker for Boston College.

"Brian has learned a lot this preseason," O'Brien said. "He was better at the end of camp as he progressed. He was better as he got more comfortable. There have been some flashes of what we think will be an outstanding linebacker at Boston College."

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