Thursday, July 24, 2003
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com

At Big East Media Day Wednesday at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands, the Big East media picked the Hokies 3rd in the Big East, behind #1 Miami and #2 Pittsburgh.

This year marks the first time the Hokies have been picked lower than second since 1998. From 1999-2002, Tech was picked to finish second.

It marks the ninth time in eleven years Miami has been picked first. In 1996, Syracuse was picked first, and in 1998, WVU was picked first. The previous eight times Miami was picked first, they won the league title four times: 1994, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

The Canes, winners of the national championship in 2001, and runners-up in 2002, return 12 starters (per Athlon), including all four defensive backs and star linebackers D.J. Williams and Jonathan Vilma. The Canes don't return a single starter on the defensive line, but they have disruptive junior DT Vince Wilfork to lead the line.

Offensively, Miami is hoping that transfer Brock Berlin, a junior, can fill the big shoes left empty by Ken Dorsey, who went 38-2 as a starter in three years. They'll lean on all-world tight end Kellen Winslow and an offensive line that returns three starters from a dominant 2002 unit.

The Canes have won 24 straight Big East games, dating back to their 1999 loss to Virginia Tech. Miami must visit both Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech this year.

Pittsburgh has their most heavily-hyped team in years, with QB Rod Rutherford, All-American caliber wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and the powerful Brandon Miree coming back at running back. Defensively, the Panthers lost stalwart LB Gerald Hayes, but they bring back DE Claude Harriott, a one-man wrecking crew. The Panthers, who return 17 starters (per Lindy's) have the luxury of playing Miami and Virginia Tech at home.

The Hokies bring back 17 starters as well, including QB Bryan Randall, WR Ernest Wilford, and C Jake Grove. Tailback Kevin Jones gets to show if he is an every-down back, and defensively, Tech returns their entire defensive line two-deep, with the exception of injured redshirting defensive end Jim Davis. The Hokies also bring back linebackers Mikal Baaqee and Vegas Robinson, plus underrated CB DeAngelo Hall, who is getting no respect at all from preseason publications and awards lists.

WVU, the surprise #2 finisher in the league last year at 6-1 (losing only to Miami), must prove that last year's 9-4 record wasn't a fluke. It will be tough, as the Mountaineers return 10 starters (per Lindy's), less than any other Big East team except Temple (10). The Eers will rely on QB Rasheed Marshall and LB Grant Wiley.

Boston College, the league's 5th-place team a year ago, lost their starting defensive backfield and wide receivers to graduation, and will break in new QB Quinton Porter, who will try to take up the slack left by the departed Brian St. Pierre.

Syracuse, a paltry 4-8 (2-5 Big East; 7th place) last year, faces a tough season. They have road trips to VT and Miami and are hoping that the mediocre R.J. Anderson will step up at QB. The good news for the Cuse is that they return six of their front seven on defense.

Temple, who will play just two more seasons in the Big East, is a program on the verge of collapse. They return just ten starters from a 4-8 (2-5 Big East) team, and their 2003 recruiting class consists of 23 junior college transfers, a bad sign. The Owls have not struck a deal to play at the Philadelphia Eagles' new Lincoln Financial Field and therefore don't even know, in late July, where they're going to be playing their 2003 home games. Things look good for Temple to play at Lincoln, but the deal has not been inked yet.

Rutgers, a putrid 1-11 (0-7) last year, returns just 11 starters (per Athlon), including just four on an offense that finished last in the league in rushing offense, scoring offense, and total offense.

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