So Chris Ball leaves Pitt after one season to go back to an old haunt.

Former Washington State University secondary coach Chris Ball will return to the Cougars’ sideline next season.

New WSU coach Paul Wulff announced Friday that Ball would be coming back to join his defensive staff.

Ball spent three years as WSU’s secondary coach from 200-02.

I’m not even going to speculate on what happens next for the coaching staff.

Big East conference play got underway the last couple of nights. As that was happening, a slew of previews came out once more updating things. As you can imagine, injuries — especially to Pitt — were a big theme.

Dixon has enough depth and experience at those position to keep the Panthers competitive in the Big East, as long as they defend the perimeter. We’d be surprised if they didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, although without Fields it will be a lot harder to get back to the Sweet 16.

Pitt’s injuries have been the most prominent, though, several other teams have their own problems.

Pittsburgh lost Mike Cook (knee) for the season and guard Levance Fields (foot) for at least two months. The Panthers will be an interesting case study. Coach Jamie Dixon’s club may go 8-10 or 9-9 in the league, yet still be in the conversation come Selection Sunday.

Syracuse lost last season’s starting backcourt – Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins – to knee injuries. Padgett was expected to miss the season, then returned for the league opener Tuesday against Cincinnati. The Bearcats lost perhaps their best player, Texas transfer Mike Williams, in the fall with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Marquette’s Dan Fitzgerald (wrist) and Providence guard Sharaud Curry (foot) also have been hobbled.

Villanova is also without Casiem Drummond who went down with a stress fracture provided vital defense and rebounding inside Pitt’s injuries, however, are still the big story.

The biggest story heading into conference play is the state of the Pittsburgh Panthers (11-1).

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Not only were Jamie Dixon’s Panthers one of the favorites to win the Big East, but with freshman DeJuan Blair stepping in nicely and averaging about 10 rebounds, they had all the pieces necessary to make a Final Four run.

But now, who knows? No loss for Pitt this season will be as big as the two the program has already sustained in the injury column.

So with Pitt down, the question in part is what teams will challenge G-town for the Big East.

Has any team’s fortune changed more in just more than one game’s time? First, the Panthers lost forward Mike Cook for the season in overtime against Duke. After they stole the win on a late Levance Fields 3, they lost Fields for perhaps the rest of the regular season while getting destroyed at Dayton. The Panthers still have one of the best frontcourt tandems in the country with freshman forward DeJuan Blair and junior Sam Young, as well as a lot of grit, but these losses are two big blows any team would struggle to overcome. The loss of Fields might short-circuit Pitt’s conference-title hopes.

Marquette is about the best bet at the moment. Louisville has appeared to falter, but you should never count a Rick Pitino team out this earl. Some think Villanova — of course that was before the loss to DePaul last night.

Personally, and I hate typing this, I think UConn will be back up there. Things seem to be coming together with the talent they have.

The big HS All-Star game is as much about some top players having a bigger stage to announce their verbals. A little extra publicity, and maybe drama. That is unless the news hasn’t been steadily leaked for a while.

The big thing Pitt can expect from the US Army All-American Bowl is that Shayne Hale will make his decision known. And that Pitt will be the hat he puts on. Even the Virginia papers are acknowledging this.

Several other highly touted players will be making college decisions Saturday in San Antonio. Shayne Hale, a 6-3, 235-pound defensive from Gateway High in Monroeville, Pa., will decide between Virginia, Ohio State and Pittsburgh. He is expected to choose Pittsburgh.

My only promise if the announcement comes is that I will avoid the obvious post headline of “Hale to Pitt.”

The big question mark and potentially huge coup, though, would be if OG Josh Jenkins from Parkersburg, WV were to select Pitt.

Jenkins, who led Parkersburg to back-to-back state titles, said Pitt entered the picture mainly because it’s close to home. He will visit Pitt on Jan. 18 and he said it would take an exceptional visit to sway him toward the Panthers.

“It’s going to have to blow me away probably, so it’ll be interesting if they do,” he said.

Unfortunately, Pitt basketball will be at Cinci on the 19th, so no Oakland Zoo treatment to help the case. I wouldn’t be surprised with the hiring of Bill Stewart by WVU, if it doesn’t swing him back to the Mountaineers.

The game is on at 2 pm tomorrow on ABC (whoops, mistake made) 1 pm on NBC. There’s an Under Armour All-star HS game on ABC at 2pm.