Your Best 11 Mailbag: Building a Defense, Big 12 Expansion, Best WRs and More

It is Thursday, and that means it is time for the #YB11 Mailbag folks! Got a lot to get into, so we will not waste any time.

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@InTheBleachers geno smiths realistic heisman chance? #wvu

— James(@jcharris08) April 26, 2012"

Geno Smith, quarterback for West Virginia, and the Heisman. He is not a name that comes to mind at the beginning of the Heisman race, but he is a guy that is poised to have a heck of a season on many levels.

Year two with Dana Holgorsen should show some growth and now that the Mountaineers are in the Big 12, they will have more games on the national stage.

As far as his chances, I'd say he's sitting on the outside looking in. He is not a favorite, but with a stellar season, Smith, much like TCU's Casey Pachall, could find himself joining Landry Jones and Collin Klein in the quest for a Big 12 Heisman winner.

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@InTheBleachers After USC, who has the best WR corps for 2012? WVU (Austin, Bailey), Tenn (Hunter, Rodgers) or other?

— Scott K (@RazorJamon) April 26, 2012"

This is an interesting question and there are a lot of folks that feel as though their wide receiver group should be in that mix for best or next best. We'll concede best to the Trojans and focus on the next set.

I like Clemson with Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins. I like West Virginia with Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. If you've been following along here at #YB11, then you know I'm in love with Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter at Tennessee.

However, I'm going to give the edge to the Hogs. Cobi Hamilton is a legitimate problem for defenses and Marquel Wade is going to fit into the mix nicely.

The major reason the Razorbacks get the nod is for tight end Chris Gragg. Yes, he counts in the wide receiver mix for the Hogs; they flex him out, run him in motion and play him out of the backfield. He is the one piece that none of these other teams have to combat and he is one of the biggest mismatches in the nation.

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@InTheBleachers hell I'll keep going. Who's biggest threat to SEC for the title? USC, Ohio State, or other?

— James(@jcharris08) April 26, 2012"

Well, it can't be Ohio State, what with the whole postseason ban and all that jazz, so they're out. Next up would be Oregon, USC and some blend of Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan and Kansas State, depending upon who you ask.

The honest truth from me? I think the biggest threat to the SEC's title hopes is the SEC itself. Running the table is not easy and having to battle with Georgia or South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game is enough to trip up a one-loss SEC West squad. 

But, if I have to pick an outsider to unseat the six-time national champions, then I'll ride with Southern Cal. Lane Kiffin put in his year in the SEC; he is not exactly scared of the league. Save for the Ole Miss game in 2009, Kiffin most certainly did not embarrass himself going up against the league's best.

With the team USC has coming back on both sides of the ball, the Trojans would be a formidable foe for LSU, Alabama, Georgia or Arkansas, should one of those four get a title shot.

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@InTheBleachers For Q&A day, could you envision a school leaving the ACC for a better football conference?Which school would be most likely?

— Jon Paul Mccaskill (@JonPknowsSPORTS) April 26, 2012"

This question is going to go with the next, because they have about the same answer.

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@InTheBleachers how about: Do you see the Big 12 furthering expansion efforts in the near future? And if so, who's added?

— Matt P (@umwolfpack87) April 26, 2012"

Given the disgruntled nature of Clemson and Florida State fans and their administrations, the idea that they could take off from the ACC is not something that seems impossible. Throw NC State into that same mix as a school that has a little bit of Texas A&M-styled resentment about them towards UNC.

The reason I lumped these questions together is because the Big 12 is the likely place that receives the ACC's disgruntled parties. The SEC is not going to admit schools in the same state as current member institutions—a form of appeasement to the current members.

Should the Big 12 look to expand, dialing up Clemson and Florida State, a football focus and promise of money might be able to pry them away.

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@InTheBleachers thoughts toward more spread in the ACC? Obviously with Clemson then Fedoras ideology and VT even thinking pistol?

— Beau (@BeaunerJam) April 26, 2012"

To be frank, it doesn't bother me too much. Until one of these offenses does something of note, it is just changing one form of mediocrity for another.

Clemson's hype machine took a hit for me a year ago after NC State took them behind the woodshed in divisional play. Ultimately, the Tigers were a three-loss football team in the regular season that lost their final two games by a combined score of 71-26. Maybe they should have slowed down the pace so NC State and South Carolina didn't have so much time to blow them out.

In all seriousness, the league is not any better or worse with the spread. It is the same league. Whether teams lose games 20-14 or 45-38, they are still losses and while it might make fans excited, it doesn't bring home wins in the BCS bowls or big-time non-conference contests.

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@InTheBleachers How do you see the Big East coming out of all of this shuffling...will they still be the "last" BCS league?

— johnmaddox (@johnmaddox) April 26, 2012"

Probably. There are schools with potential coming in and adding Boise State is a good move, but as a whole they are still somewhere behind the ACC at the sixth spot.

However, if Louisville can keep Charlie Strong around, that is a great start for the conferences push to improving their respectability. The Cardinals should set the tone for the Big East in 2012 with Cincinnati, Rutgers, USF, Pitt and the rest pushing to improve on a weekly basis.

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@InTheBleachers If you needed to "rebuild" a defense where would you start? Scheme, type of players etc.

— Patti Jones (@DrPattiJones) April 26, 2012"

This is a tough question because there are two different answers; a theoretical one and a reality-based one.

In theory, you start with your scheme and then fill in the holes as you go. Depending upon a coach's defensive philosophy and his conference's offensive style, he should tailor his scheme to those needs and then find players to fit.

Unfortunately, in reality, coaches don't get clean slates to work with when they walk into the door. Todd Grantham did not have all the 3-4 personnel he needed upon arrival at Georgia; he had to grow some bodies, rework some position roles and find a way to fit the pieces together.

So in reality, you have to work with what you have. That means rejiggering your defense to fit the talent that is already on the roster. You can't play man-to-man defense on the edge if you've got a roster full of zone corners; all that happens is the other team playing their fight song a lot after they torch your guys.

So for me, I'd have an ideal in mind that I continually work toward, but know that I have to put my current players in the position to be successful.

Thanks for all the questions, folks!