Okay, I’m not getting involved in a college basketball blogpoll (if you think I have some bias in football, I think I could drive people to incoherent rages with how I’d treat the ACC). I am, however, going to participate in the Big East Power Poll, put together by Big East Basketball Blog.
I did not vote in the preseason All-Big East Squads, because I didn’t feel informed sufficiently on the individual players — primarily from the 4 new squads. There is a lot of buzz, though, regarding Sam Young.
Anyhow, this was my pre-season prediction for the Big East.
- UConn — So much talent: Josh Boone, Rudy Gay and Marcus Williams headline. Plenty around them, plus a coach in Calhoun who always gets them playing better deeper into the seaosn. Only glaring weakness is the lack of depth at point guard. If Williams has to play back into shape during BE season, they could finish 3d or even 4th.
- Louisville — It’s a Pitino team. It’s a brand name for quality college basketball.
- Villanova — The loss of Sumpter and the slow return of Fraser makes the once hot pick to win the BE a little shakier.
- Syracuse — A point guard who has had a fantastic career, now the veteran leader expected to carry a large load with a squad around him that has questions and inexperienced, young talent. Could be a disaster, except they have a proven, experienced, Hall of Fame coach who has shown he can make it work in the regular season.
- Georgetown — Bowman and Green will continue to develop and thrive under JTIII. This team could finish 3d or take a surprising step backwards and drop to 8th. It depends on how quickly the new players embrace the style of play.
- WVU — While this team hit its stride at the end of the year, it was a very up and down team. I expect more of the same this season.
- Pitt — See Syracuse, but take out the Boeheim factor.
- Cinci — Adam Kennedy coaches a team with talent, but is a lame-duck, interim. He has one eye on auditioning for a future head coaching job elsewhere and another on joining Huggy-bear at his next coaching gig.
- ND — I don’t see them having enough inside offense or interior defense. Teans will be all over Falls and Quinn to keep them from having open looks.
- Marquette — Very young team.
- St. John’s — Good team, good coach, insufficient depth.
- DePaul — Some talent, an average coach.
- Rutgers — This is a sleeping gian– No, I can’t even type that. They will win a couple more games than last year, but it would have been hard to lose more in the conference.
- Providence — Now Brewington is an issue. Not a good scene for the Friars this year.
- USF — I’m going out on a limb by saying they won’t be the worst team in the Big East.
- Seton Hall — Louis Orr, dead man walking. His players know it.
It is no exaggeration to say that one-quarter of the head coaches are likely coaching for their jobs this season. Louis Orr, Seton Hall; Gary Waters, Rutgers; Adam Kennedy, Cinci; and Tim Welsh, Providence. If they fail to even get their squads to the Big East Tournament, they are guaranteed toast.
Welsh, may be surprising to some, but after the underachieving season they had last year, there is real pressure to show some progress and not that he was just lucky to have Ryan Gomes.
