With the early departure of running back Ray Rice to the NFL and no clear-cut favorite to fill the void, Rutgers may have to air things out. Senior Mike Teel passed for 3,147 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall despite playing the final nine games with a fractured thumb on his throwing hand. And in senior Tiquan Underwood (1,100 yards, seven TDs) and junior Kenny Britt (1,232 yards, eight TDs), he has two of the top wideouts in the conference.... Former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English accepted the same position at Louisville, where he faces a major challenge: rebuilding a unit that allowed 31.4 points per game. English prefers an attacking 4-3 scheme, but with a dearth of playmakers, he spent last spring stressing fundamentals and discipline.... Can UConn improve on its breakthrough 2007 season? Coach Randy Edsall played 17 freshmen last year, including linebackers Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson, who started all 13 games and combined for 220 tackles. They will be among six sophomores in the lineup. -- Mark Beech