Remember Paul Troth?

If you follow recruiting you probably do. Two years ago, he was one of the nation's top QB prospects. Troth committed to East Carolina over a host of more high-profile programs and sat behind Pirate star David Garrard. This winter (ECU conducts its spring ball in the winter because of all the rain that comes in April -- or at least that's the reason they gave me), Troth answered all questions about who would replace Garrard. He completely outshined scrambler Desmond Robinson, although more recruiting experts probably wouldn't recognize the 6'4" QB now.

That's because, since reporting to ECU at 201 pounds, he has hit the weights hard. Troth now weighs in at 237. "And it's all muscle," says Pirate OC Doug Martin. "You can tell how much stronger he is by the pace on the ball."

Troth doesn't have Garrard's running ability, but he can still move around the pocket a little. He also is much more accurate than the big guy, and the major difference should come in ECU's intermediate passing game. Martin expects the strong-armed soph to continue what has developed into an impressive QB tradition in Greenville that goes from Jeff Blake to Marcus Crandell to Garrard. "I'm really fascinated with him," says Martin. "He really has come far very fast and he's much further along than David was at this stage.

"He has great vision. He can see that defender coming on the blitz. He can see that receiver coming open and he can pick up his hot read. He is a very special player."

One of the Pirates's other revelations during spring caught them more off guard. That was the emergence of a tight end, something that the ECU offense lacked last season. But Tutu Moye made the move from linebacker to TE effortlessly. The former minor-league baseball player, who first gave coaches an idea he might be their answer after making a jaw-dropping INT while on the scout team during last December's bowl prep, is a 6'2", 225-pounder with 4.6 speed and great hands. Even though he will be one of the nation's smaller TEs, in ECU's offense the position is more of an H-back, which suits Moye well. "He will be able to stretch the field for us," says Martin.

· Another one-time super prep QB poised to make some noise is Matt Berry. The 6'5" passer who has spent the last few years in Panama on a mission came back to BYU this winter and is pushing Brett Engemann for the vacant Cougar quarterback job. "He still has to get his legs back and he's still trying to grasp the offense, but for a guy his size, he has good feet and vision and great touch," says Cougar QB coach Robbie Bosco.

Berry has already added 15 pounds back on to his frame (up to 215), but Engemann, the brother-in-law of Larry King, has looked pretty sharp in his return from shoulder surgery. "It's been a whole new system for him too, but he has a really good arm and he has been playing well," says Bosco.

Both, though, could get overtaken if incoming quarterback phenom Ben Olson can pick up Gary Crowton's offense fast. That is, if Olson decides not to go on a mission this fall.

· Jabari Davis, one of the host of blue-chip RBs who came to Tennessee last year, is starting to turn heads. The 6-0, 235-pound soph-to-be is running with purpose, just like the J-Train that tore through Georgia prep football. "He's looking like a real hard runner," said WR Kelley Washington. "He's proving he can take a beat and he can give a beating."

Speaking of Washington, college football's most impressive athlete has continued to add polish to his receiving skills. The 6'4", 225-pound former minor leaguer has spent hours studying tape of Peerless Price and Marcus Nash to refine his route running in hopes of becoming a more complete wide receiver. "I'm watching to see how they work the system," says Washington. "Last year, I was just getting by on my athletic ability and this year, I want to be better."

Bruce Feldman covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.