Posted by Chip Patterson

When Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti was charged with the task of replacing Greg Schiano on short notice, one of his first interviews was offensive line and interim head coach Kyle Flood. In a 48 hour span, Flood was named the next head coach of the program and signed the only Top 25 recruiting class in the Big East.

Flood, the longest tenured assistant on Schiano's staff, was also a popular choice for the current roster. ScarletKnights.com provided this exclusive behind the scenes look at Flood's official introduction to the team after being hired as head coach.

(HT: Football Scoop)



For more on Rutgers' recruiting class, check out Bryan Fischer's Big East Signing Day Grades at the Eye On Recruiting.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Louisville head coach Charlie Strong has officially promoted quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson to offensive coordinator, according to a release from the school on Monday.

Watson's promotion comes after assuming the offensive play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Mike Sanford four games into the 2011 season. After the change the Cardinals' offense improved from 18.8 points per game to 23.3, and with freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater as the starter Louisville won five of their last six regular season games to earn a share of the Big East title.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that Charlie has given me at the University of Louisville,” Watson said in a release. “I’m looking forward to working with this outstanding staff and a good nucleus of young and talented players.”

Watson's promotion was just one of several staff changes announced by Charlie Strong on Monday. It was announced that offensive line coach Dave Borberly will take on the duties as running game coordinator, and graduate assistant Sherrone Moore has been named tight ends coach. Moore, an offensive guard at Oklahoma from 2006-08, has spent the last three seasons with the Louisville program.

“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m very excited for this challenge,” Moore said in a release. “I’m excited about working with coach Watson and trying to win another Big East championship. I had a great chance to work with the tight ends toward the end of last year, and I’m excited about the challenges ahead with this young group.”

Strong recently welcomed 24 new signees to the Cardinals' team on National Signing Day. You can get a full recap on Louisville and the rest of the conference by checking out Bryan Fischer's Big East Signing Day Grades at the Eye On Recruiting.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

West Virginia's decision to abruptly cancel their 2012 non-conference matchup with Florida State has left the Seminoles in a difficult position, and the Seminoles' administration may decide to take legal action against the school.

CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy first reported the Mountaineers' cancelation of their Sept. 8 game at Florida State, leaving the Seminoles very little time to fill the spot before the release of the 2012 regular season schedule. Coley Harvey, of the Orlando Sentinel, reported on Saturday that the school may decide to proceed with litigation if the Seminoles are "unable to find a suitable replacement" for the Sept. 8 date.

During Saturday afternoon's FSU men's basketball game, [athletic director Randy] Spetman told the Orlando Sentinel that the FSU may be forced to sue West Virginia if it is unable to land an opponent that would fill FSU's financial needs.

"It's not good timing," Spetman said of West Virginia's decision to cancel.

Although the Mountaineers are contractually on the hook for $500,000, per the game's official contract that was drafted in 2005 and amended in 2009, there could be other damages that FSU would try to persue.

Spetman speculated that total liquated damages — lost ticket sales, potential travel costs for the new incoming opponent, possible changes in television money — could run in the millions.

"We have the buyout, there's that, and then there will be whatever liquidated damages," Spetman said. "If we aren't able to find another team, that's what we're going to have to look at.

"You're talking about a lot of money."

The game was the first of a two-year, home-and-home series between West Virginia and Florida State, with the second showdown to take place in Morgantown, W.Va. in 2013. In his report, Harvey points out that with the both teams expected to be preseason top-10 teams and the game might have been a strong candidate to host ESPN's "College Gameday." Brett McMurphy suggested that Florida State's best options to replace West Virginia lie in the Big East, where all seven remaining teams will need one more game on their 2012 schedule if the Mountaineers leave.

West Virginia's cancellation of the game is considered to be another sign that the Mountaineers plan on competing in the Big 12 in 2012, despite the ongoing legal battle to leave the Big East. For much more on Florida State's non-conference schedule for 2012, follow Seminole RapidReports.

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Posted by Jerry Hinnen

Boise State announced last December that its impending move to the Big East wouldn't take place until 2013. But with West Virginia still caught in limbo between its old league and its leap to the Big 12, the San Jose Mercury-News's Jon Wilner reported this week that the Broncos might still be considering an offer to step directly into the Mountaineers' scheduling shoes should WVU extricate itself in time for the 2012 season.

Boise president Bob Kustra told the Idaho Statesman Friday that he had "heard those rumors." But he stated firmly that any move for this coming season is already off the table.

"It's too late. I can't imagine how anyone can pull that off," he said. "We would never want to pull it off in a fashion that dealt shabbily with our existing partners in the Mountain West. I don't think that could ever work."

If the Mountaineers succeeded in joining the Big 12 by this fall -- and with a 10-team schedule already released to the conference's television partners, the expectation both in the Big 12 offices and Morgantown is that they will -- the Big East will be set to play out the 2012 season with just seven members: Cincinnati, South Florida, UConn, Rutgers, Louisville, Syracuse and Pitt. (The Orange and Panthers have both announced their intentions to join the ACC and are scheduled to leave in 2014, but both could look to leave next year if the Mountaineers are successful in their attempt to bolt early.)

Once 2013 hits, the Big East will receive a substantial boost in the form of five new members, the Broncos included. But for 2012, facing the ugly prospect of just six conference games and a matter of weeks in which to find a nonconference replacement for the Mountaineers, it's understandable if John Marinatto would like to see BSU make a last-gasp switch. Unfortunately for him, it seems like Kustra and the Broncos aren't in quite such a hurry.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

With the letters signed and numbers set for the 2012 roster, this is the period when schools begin to tighten up the roster. For Cincinnati running back Akise Teague, who currently faces one count of burglary, that means a dismissal from the Bearcats football team.

“Akise Teague has been suspended indefinitely and dismissed from the University of Cincinnati football team," head coach Butch Jones said in an official release.  "Student-athletes in the program are held to a higher standard of conduct on and off the field as representatives of the University. This incident in no way reflects the values, principles and ideals of our football program.”

Teague is accused of going into unlocked dorm rooms while students slept and stealing various items on Jan. 22. When he was confronted by university police, he admitted to the crimes and offered a written confession.

The sophomore running back from Youngstown, Ohio appeared in two games for the Bearcats last season. He totaled 42 yards and one touchdown in eight carries, but was not even listed on the depth chart for Cincinnati's bowl game.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Breaking down who won and lost in the Big East on National Signing Day

WINNER: Rutgers

Losing your head coach less than a week before National Signing Day should be recruiting suicide, but Kyle Flood was able to not only hold on to most of the Scarlet Knights' class but sign one of the top recruits in the state of New Jersey. The addition of defensive end Darius Hamilton (pictured above, No. 29 overall prospect) gives Rutgers the only Big East class in the CBS Sports National Signing Day Top 25.



LOSER: The Big East's national stock

The Big East was not a huge player in National Signing Day this year. Much of that is likely due to the uncertain football future of the league. While schools like San Diego State and Boise State may use the future move to their advantage in recruiting, an existing Big East school cannot promise a future with a BCS automatic bid.

WINNER: West Virginia

With 27 commits in the Class of 2012, Dana Holgorsen is bringing in a healthy load of talent to the Mountaineers program. There were only two National Signing Day commitments, but both were significant additions to the class. Adam Pankey is a 6-foot-5, 290 pound offensive lineman who chose West Virginia after being committed to Pittsburgh since October 2011. Talented athlete Travares Copeland was the eighth Florida prospect in the 2012 class, a new hot spot for West Virginia apparently.



LOSER: West Virginia

Head coach Dana Holgorsen mentioned on National Signing Day that the "in between" stage of the West Virginia program as they transition from the Big East to the Big 12 hurt them on the recruiting trail. While some recruits may have heightened their interest in the Mountaineers because of the opportunity to play in the Big 12, competing schools used the ongoing legal battle as a reason to turn recruits away from Morgantown.  The Mountaineers' staff was able to keep many of the commitments they expected to sign, but it could have made West Virginia a bigger player for top prospects down the stretch.

WINNER: Louisville

Charlie Strong didn't shock anyone with a big National Signing Day surprise, but the Cardinals were able to hold on to a solid class of recruits that ranks among the best in the Big East. Strong once again dipped into the Sunshine State, pulling nearly a third of Louisville's class from the state of Florida. On a day when few Big East hats were on the table for top prospects, holding on to your commits was the best case scenario for the Cardinals.

LOSER: Syracuse

While Louisville was able to hold on to some of their prized recruits, Orange head coach Doug Marrone was not so lucky. Four Syracuse verbal commits changed their mind before National Signing Day, most notably defensive lineman Harold Brantley. Brantley, a 6-foot-3, 280 pound recruit from Hershey, Pa., committed to the Orange on June 29 but had a late change of heart after visiting Missouri this past weekend. Syracuse also lost linebacker Tashon Whitehurst, who signed with South Florida.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Breaking down who won and lost in the Big East on National Signing Day

WINNER: Rutgers

Losing your head coach less than a week before National Signing Day should be recruiting suicide, but Kyle Flood was able to not only hold on to most of the Scarlet Knights' class but sign one of the top recruits in the state of New Jersey. The addition of defensive end Darius Hamilton (pictured above, No. 29 overall prospect) gives Rutgers the only Big East class in the CBS Sports National Signing Day Top 25.



LOSER: The Big East's national stock

The Big East was not a huge player in National Signing Day this year. Much of that is likely due to the uncertain football future of the league. While schools like San Diego State and Boise State may use the future move to their advantage in recruiting, an existing Big East school cannot promise a future with a BCS automatic bid.

WINNER: West Virginia

With 27 commits in the Class of 2012, Dana Holgorsen is bringing in a healthy load of talent to the Mountaineers program. There were only two National Signing Day commitments, but both were significant additions to the class. Adam Pankey is a 6-foot-5, 290 pound offensive lineman who chose West Virginia after being committed to Pittsburgh since October 2011. Talented athlete Travares Copeland was the eighth Florida prospect in the 2012 class, a new hot spot for West Virginia apparently.



LOSER: West Virginia

Head coach Dana Holgorsen mentioned on National Signing Day that the "in between" stage of the West Virginia program as they transition from the Big East to the Big 12 hurt them on the recruiting trail. While some recruits may have heightened their interest in the Mountaineers because of the opportunity to play in the Big 12, competing schools used the ongoing legal battle as a reason to turn recruits away from Morgantown.  The Mountaineers' staff was able to keep many of the commitments they expected to sign, but it could have made West Virginia a bigger player for top prospects down the stretch.

WINNER: Louisville

Charlie Strong didn't shock anyone with a big National Signing Day surprise, but the Cardinals were able to hold on to a solid class of recruits that ranks among the best in the Big East. Strong once again dipped into the Sunshine State, pulling nearly a third of Louisville's class from the state of Florida. On a day when few Big East hats were on the table for top prospects, holding on to your commits was the best case scenario for the Cardinals.

LOSER: Syracuse

While Louisville was able to hold on to some of their prized recruits, Orange head coach Doug Marrone was not so lucky. Four Syracuse verbal commits changed their mind before National Signing Day, most notably defensive lineman Harold Brantley. Brantley, a 6-foot-3, 280 pound recruit from Hershey, Pa., committed to the Orange on June 29 but had a late change of heart after visiting Missouri this past weekend. Syracuse also lost linebacker Tashon Whitehurst, who signed with South Florida.

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Posted by Eye On College Football

For all up-to-the-minute updates and analysis throughout National Signing Day, head on over to Signing Day Central and the Eye On Recruiting. If you are just tuning in, here is what you may have missed.


No. 1 overall prospect Dorial Green-Beckham committed to Missouri


Offensive tackle Andrus Peat (No. 8 overall prospect) will be heading to Stanford

Nelson Agholor will join a dynamic group of athletes at USC


Former Cal and Washington commit Jordan Payton flipped again to UCLA


Linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons selected Georgia over Florida


Top defensive tackle prospect Eddie Goldman will join Mario Edwards at Florida State


After being "100 percent" set on Florida State, defensive end Dante Fowler flipped his commitment to Florida

Linebacker Reggie Northrup (Jacksonville, Fla.) switched his commitment from Miami to Florida State

Top 100 linebacker Kwon Alexander (Oxford, Ala.) picked LSU over Auburn


Top ranked wide receiver Deontay Greenberry flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Houston


Standout offensive tackle Kyle Dodson flipped from Wisconsin to Ohio State


Alexander's high school teammate, cornerback Trae Elston, will head to Ole Miss 


Korren Kirven signed with Alabama over in-state favorite Virginia Tech

Mirmar (Fla.) standout cornerback Tracy Howard will play for the hometown Miami Hurricanes


RB Justin Taylor turns down Alabama grayshirt, signs with Kentucky


MaxPreps' No. 6 athlete Joel Caleb will likely play wide receiver for Virginia Tech


Florida DE Leonard Williams chooses USC over several SEC schools


Defensive back Corey Thompson flips commitment from Texas A&M to LSU


Auburn signs Top 100 WR JaQuay Williams, OL Will Adams



Don't forget to also check the MaxPreps' Team Recruiting Rankings page to see how the teams stack up as the players put pen to paper on Signing Day. You can also sort the committed recruits by conference and check out Tom Lemming's Top 100 Recruits for the class of 2011. More Recruiting Coverage