Big East Notebook: Stewart Won't Talk About Rodriguez Controversy

While most of the college football world is talking about the allegations against Michigan's program and coach Rich Rodriguez for violating NCAA rules governing practice time, West Virginia coach Bill Stewart does not want in on the discussion.

Stewart, a former Rodriguez assistant at West Virginia who succeeded Rodriguez when he left in 2007, was asked on Monday's Big East conference call about Rodriguez.

But before the question had been completed, Stewart interrupted with "next question." The reporter, from AnnArbor.com, asked Stewart if he was serious.

"I'm here to talk about West Virginia football," Stewart said.

The Detroit Free-Press reported the allegations against Rodriguez at Michigan, but West Virginia school officials said Monday there were no "complaints" about Rodriguez breaking NCAA rules while he was with the Mountaineers from 2001-07.

"Based upon our looking back over the weekend, we don't feel we have any concerns," WVU assistant athletic director for communications Michael Fragale told the Charleston Daily Mail. "We have checked it out and there has been nothing flagged and nothing out of the ordinary.

"There were no student-athlete complaints during the time (Rodriguez) was here."

Also, former players that spoke to The Daily Mail anonymously reiterated the athletic department's findings.

"Compliance was always around," one player told the newspaper. "You couldn't do it even if you wanted to. There wasn't any rule-breaking going on because you couldn't do any of that with compliance around like they were."

Sign (Early) on the Dotted Line

Even though a proposal by the American Football Coaches Association was denied by the conference commissioners for an early signing period in football, the Big East remains in favor of one, Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt said.

"I would like to see it," Wannstedt said. "We make a commitment to these kids when they verbal. If they verbal, I think it should be a two-way street. I think the early signing date would help from the commitments you have."

Wannstedt said the Big East, as a conference, favors the early signing period. However, don't include University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt in that group.

"Against early signing," Leavitt recently tweeted. "If there is a change of coaches what would you tell your son. Still go that school? Don't rush things. Of course the schools up north want early signing because of the recruiting weekends in the winter. They have prospects in early."

Wannstedt said he averages losing and gaining only about one recruit each per year that de-commits from Pitt or had committed to another school and changed his mind to Pittsburgh.

"You see it [players de-committing from schools] more down in the south, from a lot of the Florida schools," Wannstedt said. "From what I read, the Southeastern Conference has a lot more of that stuff than in the Northeast."

One Big East assistant was asked about the challenges of holding onto an early Florida high school commitment. "It's like the Wild, Wild West recruiting in Florida."

Pitt Sees Red With Bostick Again

Maybe this is finally the year Pittsburgh junior QB Pat Bostick will actually be redshirted. Wannstedt told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he would try to redshirt Bostick this season.

Redshirt freshman Tino Sunseri will be the back-up to starter Bill Stull.

"Bill Stull is the starter, Tino Sunseri will be the No. 2," Wannstedt said. "I told Tino Sunseri, the wish list is to get him playing time. We want to get him in as many games as we can. We'll take it one week at a time. We would like to redshirt Pat if we could. He is all for that."

Bostick was slated to be redshirted as a freshman, but ended up starting Pitt's final eight games. Last season, coaches wanted him to redshirt, but he those plans ended midway through the year when he was put in during mop-up duty against Navy. He later got one start, leading the Panthers to a four overtime victory at Notre Dame.

The Panthers, picked by the media as the preseason favorites to win the league, open against Youngstown State Saturday.

USF Honoring Dorsey

Ever since USF freshman RB Keeley Dorsey died on Jan. 17, 2007 at the age of 19 after collapsing while weightlifting, no USF player has worn No. 10.

That will change Saturday.

This would have been Dorsey's senior year so the Bulls are honoring Dorsey this season with one player each week wearing Dorsey's No. 10 jersey. Senior DT Aaron Harris will wear No. 10 for Saturday's season opener with Wofford.

"I wanted to be the first one," Harris said. "It will be emotional for everyone. It will give me more motivation. When I think of him, I remember his smile. Everybody remembers his smile."

Officially, Keeley's death was ruled natural causes. Hillsborough County associate medical examiner Laura Hair said it was "sudden cardiac death of undetermined etiology" and there was a possibility he had an undiagnosed genetic heart disorder called Long QT Syndrome.

Tammie Dorsey, Keeley's mother, said this summer she wasn't sure how she would react seeing a USF senior wearing her son's No. 10 and she continues to cope.

"Does it get easier? It gets a little easier, but that doesn't mean it gets easy," Tammie Dorsey told The Tampa Tribune. "It gets to the point where you can get up and you can function a little bit. You don't cry as much. You still think about him. You try to remember as much as you can."

Around the League

Defending champion Cincinnati opens league play at Rutgers Monday. The winner will remain in sole possession of first place in the league and the loser will be stuck in the league basement until the next conference game is played Oct. 2 when Pitt visits Louisville. ... The Doug Marrone/Greg Paulus era begins Saturday when Syracuse hosts Minnesota. "I try to be organized as possible, in school, trying to learn the offense and getting to know the guys," said Paulus, the former Duke basketball star who joined the Orange a few weeks ago. "It has been neat." ... Leavitt's ballot in the USA Today coaches' poll was released last week following an open records request by SI.com, but Leavitt said he will probably continue to make his ballot public. Only three schools provided their ballots to SI.com. "I probably will keep it public," Leavitt said. "I don't see any reason not too." Leavitt voted USF at No. 18 and had five of USF's 10 Division I-A opponents (Florida State, Miami, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Rutgers) in his Top 25 ballot, while only FSU was ranked in the coaches' poll. ... UConn coach Randy Edsall said he declined to vote in the coaches' poll this season. "It's hard to rank (all) those teams when you never see them," Edsall said. ... Justin Burke has been named Louisville's starting QB in Saturday's opener against Indiana State. This will be the first career start for Burke, a junior transfer from N.C. State.