Morning Cup O' Mud: It's Almost Football Season!

Happy August! And that means that while it's still the dog days of summer and I'm still a masochist by rooting for the Mets, it's also almost football season. VUPowerhouse (if you aren't following them on YouTube, you should be) just posted their first summer recap for the football team.

In other Villanova football news, both Brant Clouser and Terence Thomas signed NFL contracts over the weekend. Clouser signed with the New York Giants, while Thomas signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Both will fight it out for roster spots during camp.

Ben Ijalana, drafted by the Colts in the second round of this year's draft, also signed his rookie contract.

More news from around the conference after The Jump.

Ricardo Gathers commits to St. John's. What are the Johnnies getting? | Rumble In The Garden
Forward Ricardo Gathers commits to the St. John's Red Storm.

The Maple Street Press Irish Kickoff Series: Part Three (Coaching) | One Foot Down
In Part Three of our interview with Pat Mitsch from Maple Street Press we take a look at the coaches at Notre Dame. Will some be leaving after this year?

Athlon Ranks Top 25 Big East Players | Cardiac Hill
Anyway, Athlon released their list of the top 25 Big East players and while Pitt had its share, West Virginia dominated the top ten.

2011 - Year of the Quarterback in the Big East | Big East Coast Bias
While the SEC prepares for the year of the running back, for the Big East, it's the year of the quarterback. With experience, changed offensive systems, and successful recruiting, the Big East should have some of the nation's best quarterback play back now and going forward.

Syracuse WR Marcus Sales Arrested On Felony Drug Charges | Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
The Post-Standard is reporting that Syracuse senior WR Marcus Sales is facing felony drug charges after being arrested Friday night.