A couple of weeks ago, FanHouse addressed the significant number of injuries involving Big East quarterbacks. Since then, it's only gotten worse.Cincinnati's Tony Pike and West Virginia's Jarrett Brown were the league's latest quarterbacks that left games with injuries last weekend.
Last season in the Big East, 12 players started at least two games at quarterback. That number already was equaled after the season's first six weeks.
Pike left the South Florida game in the third quarter with a wrist injury on his left (non-throwing) hand, while Brown left on the first series after suffering a helmet-on-helmet hit.
Pike and Brown are the latest additions to a laundry list of league quarterbacks who have been sidelined with injuries, including USF's Matt Grothe (knee), UConn's Zach Frazer (knee), Louisville's Justin Burke (bruised sternum) and Rutgers' Tom Savage (concussion).
However, Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, who has dealt with his share of injuries at the position, said the injuries are "the nature of the beast. If you don't want your quarterback hit, put a fullback in there."
Pittsburgh is the league's only team that has had its starting quarterback -- Bill Stull -- go wire-to-wire this season. And, ironically, if it was up to Pitt's fans, he would have been pulled in the season opener -- after two pass attempts. Stull was booed by the home crowd after his second pass attempt, but now ranks seventh nationally and first in the Big East in passing efficiency.
Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt said the Panthers have had their share of quarterback injury problems. In the 2007 season opener, Stull suffered a thumb injury that sidelined him the entire year.
"We've gone through our share of quarterback injuries like everyone else," Wannstedt said.
Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week
1. Brian Kelly is the league's best coach.
Sure, we figured this out last year but it bares repeating: Kelly is the league's best coach and one of the nation's best. Last season, he had to use three different quarterbacks because of injuries and still won the Big East title. Thursday at South Florida, senior quarterback Tony Pike was knocked out with a wrist injury early in the third quarter. So what happens? Kelly changes his game plan on the fly. Cincinnati had five yards rushing in the first half, but after Pike left the Bearcats rolled up 184 yards rushing in the second half -- even though USF knew back-up Zach Collaros wasn't as strong a passer as Pike. As Kelly said about losing another quarterback to injury after Thursday's win at South Florida: "I don't want to bore you with the details, but I've been down this road before." We won't bore you with the details either, but go ahead and give Kelly coach of the year honors.
2. The Fab Four is down to three
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote the league had been reduced to a Fab Four of contenders - Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and USF. Make that three. USF's home loss to Cincinnati knocks the Bulls out of title contention -- unless USF can pull off an upset at Pittsburgh Saturday. If the Bulls lose at Pitt, they'll be knee deep in another mid-season meltdown, following the same pattern as in 2007 and 2008 when they got into the national rankings after starting 6-0 and 5-0, only to finish each season unranked.
3. Don't ever-- ever-- pick a team to win the league based strictly on its offensive line.
While Pittsburgh was the preseason choice of the league's beat writers (including myself), there was a large contingent of folks, including Phil Steele's fabulous College Football Preview magazine, that picked Rutgers to win the league title, despite the fact the Scarlet Knights had to replace QB Mike Teel and their top two wide receivers. The theory was that Rutgers' experienced offensive line - touted as the Big East's best and one of the nation's best - would overpower everything in its sight. That hasn't exactly happened. The Scarlet Knights 4-2 overall, 0-2 Big East) are averaging only 16 points a game in Big East play, compared to 36 points in non-conference play, while their offensive output (351 yards per game) is 47 yards less per game than last season.
Latest College Football Images
Texas head football coach Mack Brown calls on a questioner during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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Texas head football coach Mack Brown speaks during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners game behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
AP
Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy is shown during an NCAA football media opportunity Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. With the Oklahoma Sooners game behind them, the Texas Longhorns look ahead to a two-game road swing at Missouri and at No. 14 Oklahoma State. McCoy says he'll probably lose his the nail on his bruised right thumb, but the injury won't keep him from playing this week against Missouri. McCoy hurt the thumb on his throwing hand in the second quarter of No. 3 Texas' 16-13 win Saturday over No. 25 Oklahoma. He struggled through one of the worst passing games of his career, completing 21 of 40 for 127 yards with one touchdown and one interception. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES**
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES**
AP
Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall speaks during a news conference about the stabbing death of playerJasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, speaks at a news conference about the stabbing death of player Jasper Howard as university president Michael J. Hogan, second from left, Major Ron Blichter of UConn Police, center, UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway, second from right, and player Desi Cullen, right, listen in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A student walks by yellow tape marking the crime scene where University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was stabbed and killed early Sunday morning, in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
AP
Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Howard, 20, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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Re-Tweeting Week 7
Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.
1. Cincinnati: No need to rush Tony Pike back with upcoming games against Louisville, Syracuse
2. Pittsburgh: Dion Lewis needs 82 yards to become only fourth freshman in Pitt history with 1,000 yards rushing
3. West Virginia: Coach Bill Stewart said QB Jarrett Brown is doubtful for Saturday's game with UConn
4. USF: Wait 'til next year. Since '03, USF has never gone unbeaten in home league games. Thursday's loss to Cincinnati extends that streak
5. UConn: Huskies will honor murdered teammate Jasper Howard with JH decals on the back of their helmets
6. Rutgers: Scarlet Knights have won last two meetings with Army by a combined margin of 71-9
7. Syracuse: Oskie alert Saturday. Doug Marrone says Greg Paulus remains SU's starting quarterback against Akron
8. Louisville: House of Cards have lost seven consecutive Big East games No. 8 comes Saturday at Cincinnati
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