Ranking Big East Head Coaches

2011: 5-7

Connecticut Record: 5-7 (2nd season)

A Connecticut native, Pasqualoni wasn't the ideal hire once Randy Edsall bolted for Maryland after leading the Huskies to an improbable Fiesta Bowl bid after the 2010 season. Pasqualoni, who coached Syracuse from 1991-2004, had been a defensive assistant in the NFL since 2005 - a gig he took after fading results with the Orange.

But the 62-year-old Pasqualoni didn't infuse much energy into the program in a five-win debut season. With the Huskies stuck in the crumbling Big East for now, it's possible that Pasqualoni could win a conference up for grabs before a move to the ACC. We wouldn't bet on it, though.

2011: 9-4 (under Greg Schiano)

Rutgers Record: 1st season

Greg Schiano is going to be a tough act follow. He coached Rutgers for a decade and guided it from laughingstock to a perennial bowl team. Schiano's squad won five bowl games in his last six seasons and even topped out with 11 wins in 2006. Flood, the Scarlet Knights' offensive line coach for the past six seasons, takes his first head-coaching job with Schiano gone to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

At just 41-years old, Flood coached in high school, Division II and in the FCS with Hofstra and Delaware before landing the position job at Rutgers in 2006. Now he's a head coach in a major conference. We will see what he's made of.

2011: 5-7

Syracuse Record: 17-20 (4th season)

Marrone is fighting the eternal struggle of trying to bring once-proud Syracuse back to prominence. An offensive lineman for the Orange in the 1980s, Marrone has posted one winning season at the helm of his alma mater.

Yes, the eight wins in 2010 were the most for Syracuse since 2001. But four- and five-win seasons are not going to cut it for the Orange, who soon will be moving up in the world against tougher competition in the ACC. Marrone is going to have to show some consistent results if he plans to be around for that transition.

2011: 9-4

Temple Record: 9-4 (2nd season)

We will give it up for Addazio, a maligned offensive coordinator at Florida who won nine games in his first season at Temple. Those are the same Owls who once were booted from the Big East for being non-competitive. But Al Golden, now the head man at Miami (FL), helped resurrect the program - winning 17 games in his final two seasons in Philly.

As for Addazio, we will wait to see if gets consistent results for the Owls without Golden's players.

2011: 5-7

South Florida Record: 13-12 (3rd season)

We know that it hasn't happened yet, but Holtz should fulfill the expectations that many have for him at USF. He made his name while Connecticut still was in the FCS, coached under his father, Lou, at South Carolina and guided East Carolina to two Conference USA titles. But in two seasons with the Bulls, he has posted just a 13-12 record.

However, we won't judge Holtz - who coaches in the midst of a fertile recruiting ground - on a small body of work at South Florida, but people are starting to get impatient in Tampa.

2011: 6-7 (under Todd Graham)

Pitt Record: 1st season

The Panthers made the best of a bad situation - and may end up better off than they were before the slippery Todd Graham left Pitt after just one 6-6 regular season. In fact, it has been a whirlwind period for the Panthers, who hired Mike Haywood as their head man in December of 2010 but fired him just days later after a domestic violence arrest in Indiana.

Pitt no doubt hopes that Chryst, a successful offensive coordinator at Wisconsin, can provide some stability for the program. After churning out 1,000-yard backs in Madison with a smash-mouth offense, Chryst could turn out to be a great hire for the Panthers.

2011: 7-6

Louisville Record: 14-12 (3rd Season)

Strong is just what Louisville football has needed. Overlooked in recent years by its basketball program, Louisville must love that Strong has made a point to push the Cardinals of the gridiron upon the community. He even has embraced the football rivalry between Louisville and Kentucky. Pardon the expression, but he certainly is a strong presence.

A longtime assistant coach, Strong also has made two bowl games in his two seasons at the helm of his first coaching job. After hauling in good recruiting classes, we think it only will get better from here as many believe the Cardinals to be the favorite in the Big East for 2012.

2011: 10-3

Cincinnati Record: 14-11 (3rd season)

It won't be long before Jones is guiding the Fighting Irish to success in South Bend. OK, we kid. The coach has followed Brian Kelly to his last two coaching stops. Jones won two MAC titles with Central Michigan after Kelly left for Cincy. Then Jones followed Kelly's undefeated regular season in 2009 with an 11-win season last fall with the Bearcats.

So in Jones' five years as a head coach, he has at least shared the conference title in three of them. We like that batting average. We will look for more success for Jones in the coming seasons - wherever he may be.