Bryce McNeal Leaves Louisville And Other Big East Coaches Teleconference Notes

Kyle Flood - Happy to have chosen a starting QB (Gary Nova) based on his 'body of work'. Thinks Tulane will be tough because they have 24 juniors and seniors in their two-deep and beat Rutgers in Piscataway two years ago. Not worried about the Big East only having one ranked team. More concerned with how things will finish and where teams will be ranked at the end of the years. Preseason rankings are "unearned". Won't have a strict script, but does have a series of 'drive starters' that players know to expect. Khaseem Greene is healthy and Flood expects a great deal from him in his second year at linebacker. Both Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins will get carries. The Rutgers operations staff is monitoring the hurricane

Charlie Strong - It's the preseason, so still not sure what type of team you have yet. Still thinks the team isn't good enough to be complacent. Notes that Louisville hasn't won at home against Kentucky since 2006. Bryce McNeal is no longer a part of the team. A running back to the primary guy will be chosen later this week.

Paul Chryst - Ray Graham remains a game-time decision, but has shown a lot more confidence in his knee. Freshman Rushel Shell and Isaac Bennett will also play. Not nervous about his first game as a head coach. "Gameday is for players". Not worried about teams being ranked or unranked because all of that will be determined by the games played on the field.

Paul Pasqualoni - Shamar Stephen will miss the opener. Thinks the offense will be more consistent with Chandler Whitmer at quarterback. Likes playing UMass but admits he doesn't have film to really evaluate them. Thinks people around the nation don't know Big East personnel well enough to give it proper credit and predicts more than one Big East team will finish the year in the top 25.

Doug Marrone - Justin Pugh is still being evaluated to possibly play in the opener. Facing Kain Colter for Northwestern will present a challenge but likes that Syracuse has played a number of mobile quarterbacks. Not concerned that pollsters and coaches don't have more Big East teams ranked.

Butch Jones - Says the team is very young, having 65 first or second year players. He will make a decision on a quarterback on Tuesday. Says the Big East is an "undervalued commodity".

Skip Holtz - Looking forward to playing Chattanooga. Thinks they'll present an interesting challenge because of their aggression on defense and they way they move guys around and attack. Thinks the preseason polls for the Big East really don't matter and that it all has to be proven on the field. Says teams in the state of Florida being down probably an anomaly and might be due to so much recent coaching turnover. Also thinks people should expect a lot of the team since they return so many players that have multiple years of experience.

Steve Addazio - Thinks playing Villanova is good for Philadelphia and would like to continue playing them as well as continuing to play Penn State. Thinks the team will be just fine at running back replacing Bernard Pierce. Thinks both Matt Brown and Montel Harris will do just fine replacing that production.