BOSTON COLLEGE INSIDE SLANT Steady as she goes has been the theme in coach Tom O'Brien's five seasons at Boston College. The Eagles have made bowl appearances their last three seasons and are one of only eight teams in college football that has won bowl games the last two seasons. There's no reason to think the trend won't continue in 2002. Yes, BC will be without one of the top players in the country in RB William Green, who opted for the NFL over his senior season. But QB Brian St. Pierre is coming off a strong showing (203 yards total offense per game, 25 touchdown passes) and might even challenge Miami's Ken Dorsey for conference honors. Junior Derrick Knight (337 yards rushing last season) is the leading candidate to replace Green. He rushed for 78 yards against No. 1 Miami when Green was suspended. Sophomore Brandon Brokaw and Penn State transfer Horace Dodd will push him for time. Receivers also will be new, but O'Brien looks for Jamal Burke to have a breakout season. Tight end is strong with the return of Sean Ryan (17-223) and Frank Misurelli (4-42). Four starters return in the interior line, softening the loss of standout Marc Colombo. C Dan Koppen and T Marc Parenteau, two second-team all-Big East selections, lead the way. Other starters back are T Leo Bell and G Chris Snee. Three starters return on the defensive line, where all eyes will be on DE Antonio Garay to see how he recovers from a neck injury that sidelined him after eight games. DE Derric Rossy had three starts in 2002. Juniors Doug Goodwin and Tom Martin will be the tackles. LBs Vinny Ciurciu and Josh Ott, first and fourth in tackles for BC last season, return while junior Brian Flores and redshirt freshman Ray Henderson will compete for the other outside slot. Three of four starters return in the secondary. Two seniors, Doug Bessette and Ralph Parent, will start at safety, but Brian Flores could push for more time. Trevor White will return at one cornerback spot while Peter Shean is expected to step in at the other. In the kicking game, P Kevin McMyler will concentrate solely on punting with the return of PK Sandro Sciortino from a leg injury that cost him all of 2001. BC gets seven home games on its schedule, but faces an early trip to Miami, where it will be hot and humid. Later, a three-game road stretch features trips to Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and West Virginia. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At Miami, Sept. 21 — The Eagles come off an open date before visiting the Hurricanes, who will be looking to beat BC more emphatically than they did in last year's meeting. At Pittsburgh, Oct. 26 — Just how important this game is will depend on what transpires before, but both the Eagles and Panthers are hopeful of establishing themselves as members of the conference elite with Miami and Virginia Tech. The winner of this one could claim that honor. THE EAGLES WILL GO 9-3 IF: An adequate replacement can be found for RB William Green and QB Brian St. Pierre can stay healthy. The defense needs to perform as it did in holding Miami to only one offensive touchdown. THE EAGLES WILL GO 7-5 IF: Nobody steps up at running back and early losses to Miami and Virginia Tech leave them flat. QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's become a tremendous leader and can become a great quarterback." — BC coach Tom O'Brien on his senior signal caller, Brian St. Pierre. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Brian St. Pierre, RB Derrick Knight, FB J.P. Comella, WR Jamal Burke, WR Keith Hemmings, TE Sean Ryan, LT Marc Parenteau, LG Chris Snee,, C Dan Koppen, RG Augie Hoffman, RT Leo Bell. Defense — DE Antonio Garay, DT Doug Goodwin, DT Tom Martin, DE Derric Rossy, OLB Brian Flores, MLB Vinny Ciurciu, OLB Josh Ott, CB Trevor White, CB Peter Shean, SS Doug Bessette, FS Ralph Parent. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Brian St. Pierre — Second team all-Big East behind Miami's Ken Dorsey, St. Pierre will have to carry a bigger share of the offensive load until the running game rebuilds from the loss of RB William Green. Because of Dorsey and Green, St. Pierre probably was overlooked last season, but he generated an average of 203 yards per game in total offense and joined Dorsey as the only Big East QBs to throw for more than 2,000 yards (2,016). BREAKOUT STAR: MLB Vinny Ciurciu — He led the team with 87 tackles and had two interceptions in his first season after transferring from Clemson. He should be in line for even bigger things this season if he can stay healthy. MEDICAL WATCH: DE Antonio Garay is coming off a neck injury that sidelined him the last three regular-season games and the bowl win over Georgia. He also sat out the spring. He can make a big difference. In just eight games, he ended up as the team's sixth-leading tackler. MIAMI INSIDE SLANT So, what do you do for an encore when you finish 12-0 and win a national championship in your very first season as a head coach? Why, you win another title, of course. At least, that's the way Miami coach Larry Coker looks at it. Just ask him and his likely reply will be, "Do it again." That will be a monumental task, of course, but there's no question Miami has the firepower to play for another title. Despite losing 11 players to the NFL, including five first-round draft picks, the Hurricanes are loaded again. There are many valuable returnees, starting with QB Ken Dorsey. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting last year and is 26-1 as a starter. He also has thrown for a school-record 58 touchdown passes against only 16 career interceptions. He'll have plenty of targets. Wide receiver was a question mark in 2001 but not in 2002. Andre Johnson (a league-leading 10 TD catches in 2001) leads a talented group that includes veteran Ethenic Sands, Kevin Beard and Jason Geathers. The star of the spring was redshirt freshman WR Roscoe Parrish. The Canes lost TE Jeremy Shockey to the NFL a year early, but Kellen Winslow II, the son of the NFL Hall-of-Famer, looks ready to step in there. The running game got a jolt when freshman sensation RB Frank Gore suffered a knee injury and had to have surgery. The earliest he'll be back is Oct. 1. Willis McGahee, who backed up the departed Clinton Portis, is the likely starter with Jarrett Payton sharing time. Three holes need to be filled on the offensive line, which is anchored by a pair of Canadians — C Brett Romberg and G Sherko Haji-Rasouli. T Vernon Carey saw quite a bit of playing time last fall and will fill one spot. G Ed Wilkins, who took over when Haji-Rasouli was injured late last fall, is back, and sophomore T Carlos Joseph has big-time potential. Defensively, the front seven is probably the best in the nation. The Canes have four who are capable of starting at end — Jerome McDougle, Andrew Williams, Cornelius Green and Jamaal Green, and starters William Joseph and Matt Walter return at tackle along with mammoth backup Vince Wilfork (6-2, 350). MLB Jonathan Vilma will be flanked by returning starter D.J. Williams on one side and either promising newcomer Leon Williams or veteran Howard Clark on the other. The secondary will be new, but it has potential talent. Sophomore Alfonso Marshall played in 10 games last year, and junior Maurice Sikes has seen extensive action over his career. Senior James Scott and sophomores Antrel Rolle and Sean Taylor and redshirt freshman Kelly Jennings all will compete for time. Both PK Todd Sievers and P Freddie Capshaw return. Miami will have several candidates to choose from in their return game. The schedule, which includes trips to Florida and Tennessee and home games against Florida State and Virginia Tech, toughens up considerably. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At Florida, Sept. 7. Nothing like catching the renewal of an old rivalry early. The last time these two met the Hurricanes waltzed to a 37-20 win in the 2000 Sugar Bowl. The Gators will be looking to make up for that in this meeting in The Swamp, but will it be as much fun without Steve Spurrier on the sideline? Vs. Florida State, Oct. 12. These two played a classic in Miami two years ago, and this one could easily match that, or at least come close. The winner likely will emerge as a national title contender. THE HURRICANES WILL GO 11-1 IF: QB Ken Dorsey stays healthy and the Hurricanes are able to survive an early road test at Florida and later trip to Tennessee. The defense will be solid up front. THE HURRICANES WILL GO 9-3 IF: Opponents exploit the inexperienced secondary early on and/or the running game suffers without the injured Frank Gore. The Hurricanes do have a lot of talent to make up for injuries, except at quarterback where Ken Dorsey returns. QUOTE TO NOTE: "The thing we tried to do with our players is raise the bar. If we're the same team we were a year ago, that won't be good enough." — Coach Larry Coker, in the New York Post, on the upcoming season. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Ken Dorsey, RB Willis McGahee, FB Jarrett Payton, WR Andre Johnson, WR Kevin Beard, TE Kellen Winslow II, LT Carlos Joseph, LG Sherko Haji-Rasouli, C Brett Romberg, RG Ed Wilkins, RT Vernon Carey. Defense — DE Jerome McDougle, DT William Joseph, DT Matt Walters, DE Andrew Williams, OLB D.J. Williams, MLB Jonathan Vilma, OLB Leon Williams, CB Kelly Jennings, CB Alfonso Marshall, SS Maurice Sikes, FS Sean Taylor. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Ken Dorsey — Want to shake up Miami fans? Ask them to picture the 2002 Hurricanes without Dorsey calling signals. It isn't that backup Derrick Crudup is chopped liver. It's just that Dorsey is one of the premier QBs in the country and a contender for the Heisman Trophy after finishing third in the voting last year. BREAKOUT STAR: WR Andre Johnson — He entered last season as a talented speedster, but still a question mark because of his inexperience. He showed what he is capable of by winning co-MVP honors in the Rose Bowl win over Nebraska. MEDICAL WATCH: All eyes will be on the progress of freshman sensation RB Frank Gore, who had knee surgery in the spring. It was hoped he would be ready in time to open the season, but now is projected to return in October. That leaves the running back job up to Willis McGahee and Jarrett Payton. OG Ed Wilkins, who assumed a starting role late in the season, missed spring drills after having shoulder surgery. He should return and challenge for a starting role. OG Sherko Haji-Rasouli (knee) also will ease into fall drills. LB Howard Clark, a starter in 2000, also sat out the spring after having ankle surgery. PITTSBURGH INSIDE SLANT Few teams have managed to do what Pittsburgh did a year ago — start off the season 1-5 and then finish up with a six-game winning streak, including a Tangerine Bowl win over North Carolina State. Coach Walt Harris has 15 starters returning, but one key loss has him wary. QB David Priestley, who engineered last fall's turnaround, is gone. His replacement, Rod Rutherford, would be the leader to inherit that spot, but his passing has been spotty (19-62-1 for 262 yards and a touchdown). Sophomore Pat Hoderny is the only other signal-caller with any experience, albeit that consisting of only eight passes (three completions). Harris is holding off making a decision on who is No. 1. Considering that, Pitt is going to have to rely on its defense early, and that's the good news. With MLB Chris Hayes and his outside mates, Lewis Moore and Brian Beinecke, returning, the Panthers will be a tough unit to move on. In the defensive line, seniors Brian Guzek and Ryan Smith shared starting duties at one end last season. Claude Harriott is slated to move up to replace the departed Bryan Knight at the other. Tyre Young and Darrell McMurray are solid at tackle. The secondary took a hit with the loss of all-Big East safety Ramon Walker, who departed for the NFL. But senior Torrie Cox and junior Shawntae Spencer are solid. William Ferguson, Tyrone Gilliard, Tez Morris and Darren McCray are competing for the other spots. Offensively, the strength figures to be the ground game. Rutherford is a solid runner (255 yards, six TDs) at quarterback, and sophomore Raymond Kirkley was eighth in the league rushing last season (645 yards). Brandon Miree, a transfer from Alabama, also is eligible. FB Lousaka Polite has two years of starting experience. Senior Lamar Slade is the most experienced of the returning receivers. He had 27 catches for 226 yards in 2001. Yogi Roth had 11 catches for 291 yards. Sophomore Roosevelt Bynes has shown flashes of what he can do. TE Kris Wilson returns after a 19-catch, 272-yard season in 2001. The best news is up front, where all five starters return. C Chad Reed has been playing since his freshman campaign. Other veterans are OTs Rob Pettiti and Matt Morgan and OGs Bryan Anderson and Dan LaCarte. P Andy Lee returns. A three-way fight among J.B. Gibboney, Mike Rava and David Abdul could develop at placekicker. Cox and Spencer are experienced return men. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At Syracuse, Oct. 5 — This is the start of a four-game stretch that just may determine Pittsburgh's season. The Panthers have only one road game among their first five and should come into this one 5-0 if they beat Texas A&M at home. At Virginia Tech, Nov. 2 — The last in that series of four severe tests, the Panthers could use the boost in confidence a win over the Hokies would give them with a trip to Miami coming up Nov. 21. THE PANTHERS WILL GO 9-3 IF: QB Rod Rutherford develops enough consistency to make the offense click on a regular basis. He played in a lot of short yardage situations last season, but will step up this fall. THE PANTHERS WILL GO 7-5 IF: They don't sweep their first five games — Ohio, Texas A&M, at UAB, Rutgers and Toledo, in order. That schedule is made for a fast start and is followed by a tough four-game stretch that features trips to Syracuse and Notre Dame followed by a home game against Boston College and a trip to Virginia Tech. QUOTE TO NOTE: "My confidence level is getting to where it was in high school." — QB Rod Rutherford, in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, on his approach to the season STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Rod Rutherford, RB Raymond Kirkley, FB Lousaka Polite, WR Lamar Slade, WR Roosevelt Bynes, TE Kris Wilson, LT Rob Petitti, LG Dan LaCarte, C Chad Reed, RG Bryan Anderson, RT Matt Morgan. Defense — DE Brian Guzek, DT Tyre Young, DT Darrell McMurray, DE Claude Harriott, OLB Lewis Moore, MLB Gerald Hayes, OLB Brian Beinecke, CB Torrie Cox, CB Shawntae Spencer, SS Tyrone Gilliard, FS William Ferguson. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Rod Rutherford — It was hoped he would take over running the spread offense coach Walt Harris wanted to run last year, but the now-departed David Priestley had to come to Pitt's rescue after a 1-5 start. It's now up to Rutherford with only sophomore Pat Hoderny (3-for-8 passing in his career) and two incoming high school stars (Tyler Palko and Luke Getsy) to back him up. BREAKOUT STAR: RB Raymond Kirkley — As a true freshman, he stepped up and led the Panthers in rushing with 645 yards (4.2 per carry) last fall, despite missing starts the last two games when hampered with an ankle injury. He could take the pressure off QB Rod Rutherford. MEDICAL WATCH: SS Gary Urschler, a former walk-on, seemed headed for a starting job his senior season but suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the spring and had to have surgery. He also has experience at free safety. The secondary took another hit when Corey Humphreys, the other projected safety, also had knee surgery. DT Darrell McMurray sat out the spring because of back surgery but is expected to be fully recovered. RB Raymond Kirkley (wrist surgery) missed the spring but should be ready by fall. RUTGERS INSIDE SLANT At Rutgers, you measure progress in baby steps. Step 1 last year: The Knights didn't have to forfeit to anyone. They lost those nine games fair and square. Step 2 this year would be getting a third win. A fourth victory would be cause for celebration. Things were just that low when Greg Schiano took over at Rutgers last season. Good thing he's the youngest coach in Division I-A college football, because this rebuilding project is going to take time. Schiano says the players he has now are better, much better, than the group that greeted him when he took over, but they are still young and will pay that price with a schedule that includes all the Big East teams plus trips to Tennessee and Notre Dame. Ouch! On offense, the bright spot is TE L.J. Smith. A second-team all-Big East choice in 2001, he had 282 yards and three touchdowns receiving. He has more than 1,000 yards receiving for his career. WR Aaron Martin has some big-play potential as evidenced by his 20.9-yard average per reception. QB Ryan Cubit went through a baptism under fire as a true freshman last season, earning plaudits for his toughness in the process. He threw for 1,433 yards but completed less than half his passes (120-of-268). Ted Trump and Chris Baker will compete for time. Sophomores Marcus Jones and Clarence Pittman are expected to compete at running back. RB Rikki Cook, who showed some promise as a freshman, left the team during the off-season. Several veterans return in the offensive line. C Mike Esposito, OT Trohn Carswell, LG Marty Pyszczmuka, OG Howard Blackwood, and OT Brian Duffy combined for 42 of 55 possible starts in 2001. Defensively, the Knights will have 10 players who started at one time or another returning. Schiano looks for a lot of competition at linebacker with seniors Brian Bender and Gary Brackett and juniors and Jeremy Campbell and Brian Hohmann competing for time. Brackett was the team's MVP last year with 92 tackles. Up front, senior DT Greg Pysczymuka and senior DE Raheem Orr will be flanked with youngsters like DT Davon Clark, DE Alfred Peterson and DE Ryan Neill. This is an area, Schiano says, that must improve fundamentally, not exactly a rosy outlook. SS Shawn Seabrooks leads a group of veterans in the secondary. He had 99 tackles last year and returned an interception 99 yards against Buffalo. CB DeWayne Thompson, CB Brandon Haw and FS Nate Colon all have been starters throughout their careers. P Mike Barr was third in the conference last season, and PK Ryan Sands also returns. Tres Moses averaged 8.4 yards on punt returns, and Nate Jones and Eddie Grimes return as kick returns. The early schedule is favorable and should give Rutgers the opportunity to match or even better its 2001 victory total in the first three games. Then reality sets in. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: Vs. Army, Sept. 14 — If the Knights are to improve on last year's two-win season, this is one they will need to win. Rutgers will have few opportunities to win, even if improved in coach Greg Schiano's second season. It can't afford to waste them. Vs. Temple, Nov. 16 — Both teams likely will be looking at this game as one it can win after being overmatched the previous weeks. Getting the Owls at home should help the Knights. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS WILL GO 4-8 IF: Things fall right early and they are able to sweep their first three (Villanova and Buffalo in addition to Army) and add one more in October or November. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS WILL GO 2-10 IF: Things don't fall right early and they revert to form. Their road games come in pairs and are all tough — Pittsburgh and Tennessee in September, Virginia Tech and Syracuse in October, and Notre Dame and Boston College in November. QUOTE TO NOTE: "The two things which I think we have accomplished vs. this time last year is that we have become a more mentally tough football team, and a more fundamentally sound football team." — Coach Greg Schiano, on how his second year at Rutgers stacks up with 2001 STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Ryan Cubit, RB Clarence Pittman, FB Ray Pilch, WR Aaron Martin, WR Sean Carty, TE L.J. Smith, LT Trohn Carswell, LG Marty Pyszczmuka, C Mike Esposito, RG Howard Blackwood, RT Brian Duffy. Defense — DE Raheem Orr, DT Greg Pyszczymuka, DT Davon Clark, DE Alfred Peterson, OLB Brian Bender, MLB Gary Brackett, OLB Mitch Davis, CB DeWayne Thompson, CB Brandon Haw, SS Shawn Seabrooks, FS Nate Colon. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: TE L.J. Smith — The lone legitimate all-conference performer in the lineup, Smith has more than 1,000 career receiving yards. He figures to be the go-to guy in key situations. BREAKOUT STAR: RB Clarence Pittman — He spent 2001 on the scout team but gave indications of what he is capable of by rushing for 77 yards in the spring game. At Northwestern High in Miami, Fla., he rushed for more than 1,700 yards and scored 23 touchdowns, including one 368-yard (29 carries), six-touchdown performance in a 41-35 win over Coral Gables. MEDICAL WATCH: Promising freshman offensive lineman Randy Boxill (knee) already is ruled out for the season. DE Raheem Orr managed to play only seven games last fall because of various injuries and will have to be available for all 12 if the Knights are to have any shot at making progress. SYRACUSE INSIDE SLANT Quietly, oh-so quietly, Syracuse marched to a second-place finish in the Big East last year, posting a stunning win at Blacksburg, Va., over a Virginia Tech team many were touting to challenge Miami for the league title. At 6-1 in the Big East, the Orangemen finished comfortably in front of the Hokies, who tied for third with Boston College and Pittsburgh. Duplicating that in 2002 will be a tall order with the losses the Orangemen have suffered in the offensive line, backfield and defensive front. But the good news: Both R.J. Anderson, who sparked the turnaround, and his backup, Troy Nunes, return at quarterback. Though he isn't known as a passer, Anderson had the lowest interception percentage — 1.38 — in the conference with just two picks in 144 passes. The bad news: Both his backfield mates, TB James Mungro and FB Kyle Johnson are gone. Their replacements are likely sophomore Walter Reyes and senior Chris Davis, respectively. Davis does have three touchdowns in his career, and Reyes had 139 yards on 42 carries last year. WR Johnnie Morant (18-409) seems on the verge of a breakout season. David Tyree and Jamel Riddle also have experience at receiver. Joe Donnelly and Lenny Cusumano are in a two-way fight for tight end. Coach Paul Pasqualoni said he is planning to "go forward" without TE David Hohensee, who has been contesting an eligibility question with the NCAA, though Hohensee took part in spring practice and is included in the team's media guide. The interior line must be almost entirely rebuilt. C Nick Romeo is the only returning starter. Junior Kevin Sampson and sophomore Adam Terry seem the likely candidates to start at tackle, and sophomore Mat Tarullo, junior Charles Simpson and senior Erik Kaloyanides will battle for guard spots. All-Big East LB Clifton Smith will lead the defense. He is the team's top returning tackler from a year ago (94) and is a member of several preseason All-America teams. He will be flanked by juniors Jameel Dumas and Rich Scanlon. Up front, the big job will be to replace sack king DE Dwight Freeney. Battling for that spot will be Ryan LaCasse, Julian Pollard and James Wyche. DE Josh Thomas is the leader in the line at the other end. Two starters, CBs Latroy Oliver and Will Hunter, are among seniors returning in the secondary. SS Keeon Walker is a two-year starter. At free safety, the candidates to replace the departed Quentin Harris are O'Neil Scott and Troy Swittenburg. On special teams, Mike Shafer set Syracuse records for most punts (77) and yards (3,282) and was second in the league with a 42.6 average. Sophomore PK Collin Barber won the starting job at mid-season last fall. WR Jamel Riddle will handle punt return duties (13.1 average in 2001), and Oliver will lead a corps of kickoff returners. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At BYU, Aug. 29. The Orangemen got out of the gate slowly last season, losing their first two and generally looking like a second-division team. They can correct that this season. With home games against North Carolina and Rhode Island to follow, a win over BYU could propel them to 3-0 before a trip to Auburn. Vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 5. This figures to be, by far, the toughest league game of the month for the Orangemen, who also get Temple, West Virginia and Rutgers in October. A win should vault the Orangemen to a 4-0 start in league play. THE ORANGEMEN WILL GO 10-2 IF: They can fill the holes in their offensive line and get more out of QB R.J. Anderson in their passing game. With new backfield mates, Anderson might have to look more at his receivers. THE ORANGEMEN WILL GO 7-5 IF: They lose to both Auburn and Pittsburgh early. With dates against Virginia Tech and Miami surrounding a trip to Boston College, the November slate toughens up considerably. QUOTE TO NOTE: "I really didn't get the opportunity to take my game to the next level last year. Pretty much, I just want to show what I'm capable of doing. I think last year was taken from me a little bit." — LB Clifton Smith, in the Syracuse Post-Standard, on his outlook this season now that he is not hampered with a nagging shoulder injury STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB R.J. Anderson, RB Walter Reyes, FB Chris Davis, WR David Tyree, WR Johnnie Morant, TE Lenny Cusumanno, LT Adam Terry, LG Erik Kaloyanides, C Nick Romeo, RG Matt Tarullo, LT Kevin Sampson. Defense — DE Josh Thomas, DT Christian Ferrara, DT Louis Gachelin, DE Julian Pollard, OLB Jameel Dumas, MLB Clifton Smith, OLB Rich Scanlon, CB Latroy Oliver, CB Will Hunter, SS Keeon Walker, FS O'Neil Scott. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB R.J. Anderson — He doesn't have the most impressive passing statistics (72-144-2, 1,153 yards, 5 touchdowns), but the Orangemen didn't turn around their season last year until he took over the starting role. BREAKOUT STAR: MLB Clifton Smith — The anchor of the defense, he earned Defensive MVP honors in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl with a dozen tackles and two sacks in the win over Kansas State. He should get lots of attention with the departure of Dwight Freeney. MEDICAL WATCH: Backup QB Troy Nunes, who has 17 career starts, sat out spring practice after surgery on his left (non-throwing) wrist. Backup DE Billy Wilson (knee) will not be available until November, and FS Maurice McClain (broken leg) will not play the regular season but could practice in December if the Orangemen make the postseason. He was projected as a starter until the injury in the spring. LB Clifton Smith (shoulder) says he is ready to return after sitting out the spring following surgery. TEMPLE INSIDE SLANT A year ago, people spoke of Temple with a tone of respect. The Owls, they said, had a good shot at finishing over .500. The optimism was a bit overstated. Beset by numerous injuries, the Owls limped home with yet another 4-7 mark. No such rosy outlook is predicted for Temple this season. The schedule is not as favorable — early home games against Oregon State and Miami and trips to South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh later — and some holes to fill defensively have tempered optimism. Temple should be better offensively with 10 starters returning. That's unless injuries hit again. The problem is, QB Mike McGann will be asked to run a new spread offense. Sometimes there are growing pains that come with new offensive threats, and those growing pains often translate to losses. The key will be RB Tanardo Sharps. Hampered by injuries last season, he still rushed for 771 yards. If he stays healthy, he is a quality back. The only graduation loss is at fullback, and the new spread has no fullback. Instead, Makonnen Fenton will take over at A-back. He saw action in all 11 games last fall. WR Sean Dillard heads a talented receiving corps. He averaged a league-best 4.6 catches per game in 2001. Zamir Cobb and Krishan Lewis fill out the position. TE Eric Carpenter is a returning starter. OTs Dave Yovanivits and Damian Hendricks anchor the offensive line, which welcomes back all five starters. Other starters returning are OGs Joe Laudano and Anthony Bolden and C Donny Klein. DE Dan Klecko is the leader on defense. He may be on the verge of a big season. J.D. Stanley or Arlan Johnson should emerge at the other end while DTs Rob Sack and Taso Apostolidis emerged from the spring at No. 1 on the depth chart. J.D. Nichols and Troy Bennett are the projected starters at inside linebacker with Terrence Belvin and Leon Gray pushing for time. S Jairo Almonte leads the five-back secondary with CB Terrance Leftwich, CB Yazid Jackson, FS Jamal Wallace and SS Lafton Thompson completing the lineup. Senior PK Cap Poklemba and sophomore P Jace Armore return on special teams. Fenton and Sharps will handle kickoff returns, and Dillard and Cobb will do the job on punt returns. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: Vs. Oregon State Sept. 5. Nothing would boost the Owls' confidence more than a victory over a team that just a year ago was being touted in some corners as a national title contender. Getting the Beavers early in the season and at Franklin Field could play in their favor. Vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 28. It isn't likely the Owls will be favored in this one, but even so, this is one they could win. This may be another one of those "swing" games that help determine if the Owls can get to the break-even mark. THE OWLS WILL GO 5-7 IF: They develop consistency on offense and get solid play at quarterback. A series of injuries hurt their chances last year when they were expected to break a long string of losing seasons. A more difficult schedule — among non-conference foes are Oregon State, South Carolina (on the road) and Cincinnati — probably will keep them from a .500 or better season. THE OWLS WILL GO 3-8 IF: They have similar problems to those experienced by Pittsburgh and West Virginia last season when those two Big East teams installed spread offenses similar to the philosophy the Owls have adopted for 2002. QUOTE TO NOTE: "His challenge this year is to be a dominant player, and it is our challenge to get him in position to do that, whether it is at defensive tackle or defensive end." — Coach Bobby Wallace, on defensive line star Dan Klecko. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Mike McGann, RB Tanardo Sharps, A-Back Makonnen Fenton, WR Zamir Cobb, WR Sean Dillard, TE Eric Carpenter, LT Dave Yovanovits, LG Joe Laudano, C Donny Klein, RG Anthony Bolden, RT Damian Hendricks. Defense — DE Dan Klecko, DT Rob Sack, DT Taso Apostolidis, DE J.D. Stanley, LB J.D. Nichols, LB Troy Bennett, S Jairo Almonte, CB Terrance Leftwich, CB Yazid Jackson, SS Lafton Thompson, FS Jamal Wallace. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: DE Dan Klecko — The son of former NFL star Joe Klecko is one of three unanimous all-Big East selections returning this fall along with Miami QB Ken Dorsey and Miami PK Todd Sievers. Temple will have to fill some holes with losses like DE Raheem Brock and CB Chonn Lacey and will need even more production from Klecko. BREAKOUT STAR: TE Eric Carpenter — He started seven games as a freshman in 2001. Though wide receivers are highlighted in the new spread offense, the tight end often provides relief in key situations. Carpenter could add punch to the offense. MEDICAL WATCH: WRs Ikey Chuku (knee) and Terrence Stubbs (leg) are returning from injuries that cost them all but one game of the 2001 season. (Chuku was injured in the season opener; Stubbs was hurt in the preseason.) Returning starter C Donny Klein was limited in the spring because of postseason shoulder surgery. QB Mike McGann emerged from the spring as the starter after missing the last two games of 2001 because of an injured thumb. VIRGINIA TECH INSIDE SLANT Virginia Tech will put a streak of nine consecutive bowl games on the line this season. With postseason dates showing up on nearly every street corner — the Big East garnered yet another date this season, giving the eight-team conference a fifth bowl spot — the Hokies are not likely to fail to make it 10 in a row. But there are more questions this fall than in past seasons. It starts at quarterback. Grant Noel returns, but he came under fire for his lack of consistency last year ... and now he's coming off a spring knee injury. He completed a respectable 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,812 yards, but many felt he wasn't up to what was needed to put the Hokies in national title contention. Marcus Vick, Michael's younger brother, may come in and push for playing time as a true freshman. From there, it goes to the defensive front, where Tech must replace DTs Chad Beasley and David Pugh. And it ends at linebacker, where three newcomers will shoulder the load. On the plus side, few teams in the country will be able to match the tandem of RBs Lee Suggs (recovering from a knee injury) and Kevin Jones. Jones averaged 87 yards a game after Suggs went down in the opener. Keith Burnell, who was being moved from running back to wideout, left the team. Junior Doug Easlick hopes to move up to starter at fullback. Junior WR Shawn Witten leads a receiving corps that includes Ernest Wilford and Terrell Parham. Junior TE Keith Willis has the most experience of those competing for that starting job. Three starters return in the interior offensive line, but OG Jake Grove will move over to center. The others are OG Luke Owens, who started the last eight games of 2001, and OT Anthony Davis, who started all 11. Sophomore OT Jon Dunn, the biggest Hokie of them all at 6-7, 324 pounds, is the likely starter on the right side. Sophomore OG James Miller will be on the left side. The secondary figures to be the strength of the defense, although it received a jolt when CB Eric Green suffered a knee injury in off-season work. He was slated to back up all-Big East first-teamer Ronyell Whitaker. Sophomore CB DeAngelo Hall will start opposite Whitaker. Safeties are senior Willie Pile and Billy Hardee. New linebackers look to be sophomores Mike Daniels and Mikai Baaqee and junior Vegas Robinson. PK Carter Warley, who came under fire for his inconsistency in 2001, returns but will get a challenge from newcomer Nic Schmitt. Sophomore Vinnie Burns and junior Bobby Beaslee will fight for the punting job. Whitaker and Hall are candidates for punt return duty. Sophomore Richard Johnson will handle kickoff returns. He averaged 22.2 yards per return last year. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At Boston College, Oct. 10 — Despite facing a September card tougher than in recent seasons, the Hokies should arrive at this date with a 5-0 mark. This should be a tough road test against a steadily improving conference rival. At Miami, Dec. 7 — Syracuse spoiled last year's made-for-TV conference finish by knocking off Virginia Tech at Blacksburg earlier in the season. The odds are against both the Hurricanes and Hokies arriving at this point of the season with 11-0 marks, but this one still could have conference honors riding on it. Or, it could be one of the two will need this one to get into the national title game, as Miami did by winning at Blacksburg last season. THE HOKIES WILL GO 10-2 IF: They can get consistent play at quarterback, either from veteran Grant Noel or sophomore Bryan Randall — or maybe even freshman Marcus Vick. RB Lee Suggs, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 2002 opener, also must come through. He and Kevin Jones form a potent 1-2 backfield combo. THE HOKIES WILL GO 8-4 IF: Replacements don't come through in the defensive front. Tech has thrived on defense in recent years but now is facing an overhaul in the line and at linebacker. QUOTE TO NOTE: "When Kevin is in the game, it's my rest time. So when I get on the field, I'll be better," — RB Lee Suggs, at the Big East media day, speaking about his role now that he is joined by RB Kevin Jones STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Grant Noel, RB Lee Suggs, FB Doug Easlick, WR Shawn Witten, WR Ernest Wilford, TE Keith Willis, LT Anthony Davis, LG James Miller, C Jake Grove, RG Luke Owens, RT Jon Dunn. Defense — DE Nathaniel Adibi, DT Kevin Lewis, DT Mark Costen, DE Jim Davis, OLB Mike Daniels, MLB Mikai Baaqee, OLB Vegas Robinson, CB Ronyell Whitaker, CB DeAngelo Hall, SS Billy Hardee, FS Willie Pile. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: CB Ronyell Whitaker — First team all-Big East in 2001, he becomes the leader of what should be Tech's strength defensively in 2002 — its secondary. With games against QBs like Miami's Ken Dorsey and Boston College's Brian St. Pierre on the horizon, Tech's secondary faces some severe tests. BREAKOUT STAR: Sophomore RB Kevin Jones — When Lee Suggs went down with a season-ending knee injury in the opener, Jones had to step up quickly — and he did in a big way. He rushed for an average of 87 yards per game. With Suggs returning, Tech has one of the top, if not the No. 1, running back tandem in the country. MEDICAL WATCH: QB Grant Noel did not require surgery for a knee injury suffered in the spring, but he will bear close watching as fall drills begin. Even without the injury, he faces a challenge from a pair of athletic underclassmen — sophomore Bryan Randall and true freshman Marcus Vick. WR Shawn Witten is returning after missing half of last season with a broken leg. CB Eric Green (knee) may be lost for the season. WEST VIRGINIA INSIDE SLANT Much better things were expected for West Virginia in Rich Rodriguez's first season than a 3-8 record. Much of the reason for that shortcoming was the problem the Mountaineers had adapting to the new no-huddle spread offense. Assuming they are more comfortable during their second year in the system, they now must face a defensive overhaul. Under new co-defensive coordinators Jeff Casteel and Todd Graham, the Mountaineers are going to a set that features three down linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks, two strong safeties and a free safety. They look at it as a more aggressive approach than last season's eight-man front. Yet, the big problem last year was inconsistency on offense. West Virginia hopes new QB Rasheed Marshall will get the hang of running the spread better than his predecessor, Brad Lewis. Marshall may have gotten more opportunity last season if not sidelined by a wrist injury. Of course, if Marshall has any problems, he can simply hand the ball to RB Avon Cobourne, one of the premier backs in the country. Cobourne has 18 100-yard rushing games in his career. Junior Quincy Wilson is a solid backup. Hikee Johnson is the leader at fullback. WRs A.J. Nastasi and Phil Braxton are both solid performers, and TE Moe Fafano is the leading candidate for a starting job at that spot. In the interior line, OTs Lance Nimmo and Tim Brown both started 11 games last fall as did C Zack Dillow. Jeff Berk and Ken Sandor are the guards. Defensively, Jason Davis, David Upchurch and Tim Love figure to anchor the down positions up front. Upchurch is touted as an all-league performer. Injury-riddled LB Grant Wiley is solid in the middle if he can stay healthy, while Adam Lehnortt and James Davis flank him to form a solid corps. Senior Angel Estrada will lead the five-back secondary. He had 69 tackles, including two sacks, in 2001. Others competing for starting positions are Lance Frazier, Brian King, Arthur Harrison, Jahmille Addae and Lewis Daniels. On special teams, P Mark Fazzolari has averaged over 40 yards a kick his first two seasons, and PK Todd James is expected to step in for Brenden Rauh. Braxton or WR Mike Page will handle kick return duties while Frazier likely will keep handling punt returns. Getting off to a good start could be imperative for the Mountaineers. They finish with three of four on the road in November. NOTES AND QUOTES KEY GAMES: At Wisconsin, Sept. 7 — A road game at a Big Ten school nearly always is a good test of where your program is. The Mountaineers were winless on the road last season, making 21 of their 32 turnovers in their five away games. Vs. Maryland, Oct. 5 — The Mountaineers weren't all that far out of it last year against a Maryland team that would go on to the Atlantic Coast Conference title, losing only 32-20 despite losing six turnovers to the Terps' none. A win here would be a big step for the Mountaineers. THE MOUNTAINEERS WILL GO 7-5 IF: QB Rasheed Marshall picks up where he left off last year when he was 41-of-79 passing for 327 yards and a touchdown the season's last two games. He is a threat to run as evidenced by three dashes of 30 yards or more as a freshman last year. The defense also must adapt quickly to a new scheme. THE MOUNTAINEERS WILL GO 3-8 IF: The new defensive alignment stumbles as the new spread offense did in 2001. The schedule is not all that unfavorable early, but the Mountaineers need to be at their best to take advantage of it. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We dug our own hole." — OT Lance Nimmo, in the Charleston Daily Mail, assuming responsibility for the Mountaineers' losing season in 2001 STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense — QB Rasheed Marshall, RB Avon Cobourne, FB Hikee Johnson, WR A.J. Nastasi, WR Phil Braxton, TE Moe Fofano, LT Lance Nimmo, LG Jeff Berk, C Zack Dillow, RG Ken Sandor, RT Tim Brown. Defense — DE Jason Davis, DT David Upchurch, DE Tim Love, OLB James Davis, MLB Grant Wiley, OLB Adam Lehnortt, CB Lance Frazier, CB Brian King, SS Arthur Harrison, SS Angel Estrada, FS Jahmille Addae. MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: RB Avon Cobourne — One of the top runners in the country, he is just 632 yards shy of Amos Zereoue's school record 4,086 yards for his career. BREAKOUT STAR: LB Grant Wiley — Despite being hampered by a series of nagging injuries that cost him two full games and parts of others, he was just two tackles short of the 100 mark in 2001. He could shine in West Virginia's new scheme. MEDICAL WATCH: LB Grant Wiley says he is over the broken leg suffered his sophomore season. He also rehabbed his hamstring through the off-season. QB Rasheed Marshall (wrist) seems recovered.