Q: Is Paul Hewitt in trouble at Georgia Tech?
— John Turner, Pittsfield, Mass.
A: Wow. The Yellow Jackets are searching for a new football coach. Isn’t that enough? Talk about a heck of a wreck.

No, I don’t think Hewitt is in trouble. I know Tech is 4-4 after a 72-67 victory at Georgia State on Wednesday night. I also know Tech is playing one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Georgia State game ended a stretch away from home that included losses to Winthrop in the Paradise Jam, at Indiana and at Vanderbilt.

Now the Yellow Jackets can rest until playing No. 3 Kansas at home on Dec. 18. Hewitt is regrouping. He knew it was a big risk signing Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young. Both left after one season and headed to the NBA. He has a real chemistry test this year with four seniors and four freshmen. It’s going to be difficult to match last season’s 20 wins but Tech should finish in the middle of the ACC. And a trip to the postseason (either the NCAA or the NIT) certainly isn’t out of the question. That would provide some more security for Hewitt, who is already signed through 2010-11.

Q: What team will challenge Georgetown in the Big East now that Louisville has all these injuries?
— Josie, Richmond, Ind.
A: Knee is a dirty word at Louisville this season. Knee injuries to David Padgett and Juan Palacios have certainly changed the outlook for the Cardinals.

But I don’t see coach Rick Pitino or Derrick Caracter waving a white flag yet. There is so much talent remaining, with Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa and Caracter leading the way, that the Cardinals can remain in the top half of the Big East. Things will look brighter if Palacios returns soon and Pitino has indicated that is possible.

Pittsburgh could be the team to step into challenger’s role. We will learn more about the Panthers when they play Duke on Dec. 20. Marquette’s only loss so far came to Duke. I still think Syracuse will become a very good team as Jim Boeheim’s freshmen mature. But a real sleeper in the Big East might be Villanova. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher are starting to look like a very dynamic duo.

Q: Do you think this year’s Duke squad is better than advertised and on a team that can go 10 deep, who do you think will emerge as the “go to” player?
— Chad Watson, Asheville, N.C.
A: When you say “better than advertised” I’m assuming you mean better than the preseason rankings. The Blue Devils were generally considered a Top 15 team in the preseason polls. Most prognosticators positioned Duke in the Nos. 12, 13 or 14 slot. That seemed fair at the time but at this point the Blue Devils look even better. The reason? The freshmen.

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Kyle Singler, Taylor King and Nolan Smith have been outstanding. And sophomore Gerald Henderson is off to a very good start. You had to be impressed with Duke’s performance at the Maui Invitational, including a big win over Marquette. Singler has the whole package. He makes some of the other highly touted freshmen seem one-dimensional by comparison. This is a much better Duke team than last season and Mike Krzyzewski may have more depth than he has had in 10 or 12 years. The go-to guy could be different every night but I wouldn’t be surprised if Singler ends up playing that role consistently. His game is sensational and he already has shown the maturity to handle that pressure.

Q: Is Jaycee Carroll of Utah State the best player who doesn’t get enough pub?
— Bill, Logan, Utah
A: I don’t know if he is the best but he’s probably on the starting five. Carroll averaged 21.3 points last season as a junior. If he exceeds that just slightly this season he could finish with 2,500 career points. That would put him in some elite company and very close to the top 50 all-time.

And yet, because he plays in the Western Athletic Conference and doesn’t get the national TV exposure that others benefit from, I would guess even avid fans on the East Coast don’t know Carroll. He should become Utah State’s all-time leading scorer and that’s saying something in Stew Morrill’s fine program. Here’s a wish that the Aggies reach the NCAA tournament in Carroll’s senior year. Joining Carroll on my Low Pub starting lineup would be Rider’s Jason Thompson, South Florida’s Kentrell Gransberry, George Mason’s Will Thomas and Bradley’s Daniel Ruffin.

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