A few tidbits from the Big East’s weekly conference call.
Not a whole lot of news:
– UConn is preparing to face both of Ohio University’s top quarterbacks when they meet Sept. 5 in Athens.
UConn head coach Randy Edsall said Monday that the Huskies expect to see both Boo Jackson and Theo Scott.
“We’re preparing for both of them,” Edsall said. “Both of them are very good quarterbacks.”
– A media member tried to ask West Virginia coach Bill Stewart about his former boss Rich Rodriguez but was quickly cut off.
“Next question,” Stewart said. “I’m talking about West Virginia football today.”
Rodriguez, now the head coach at Michigan, held what appeared to be a very emotional press conference Monday as he and the program try to answer questions about how many hours his players spend “practicing.”
– A number of questions about the Big East not having any representatives in the top 25. Most coaches said it doesn’t matter _ yet.
“The Big East will show its merit by the end of the season,” Edsall said. “Which is what it’s all about any how.”
– UConn fans, who for the better part of three decades loved to hate Duke, will soon get their chance to face Greg Paulus, who Duke-haters for the better part of three years have loved to … well, hate.
Paulus used to be a point guard at Duke but now he’s a quarterback with the Syracuse football team. He grew up in Syracuse and was a standout high school quarterback. He has returned to the town’s university as a grad student and will take the reins of the Orange offense.
Paulus and the Orange face Minnesota on Saturday at the Dome.
“At the end of the day myself and the rest of the staff felt that our best chances of winning were with Greg at quarterback,” first-year Syracuse coach Doug Marrone said. “If he wasn’t good enough, he wouldn’t play. I told him that from the beginning. There were no deals or anything like that.”
Marrone says Paulus’ job isn’t some sort of ploy for publicity.
“I’ve come here to win games right away,” Marrone said. “Greg gives us the best chance to do that.”
Marrone says Paulus is stronger than he was in high school and has better vision. He’s obviously still in shape, too.
“The only question about Greg is the durability, playing week-in and week-out,” Marrone said.
- Neill
