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Friday, August 24
WAC football preview
Fresno State is head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the WAC. Entering his fifth year as the Bulldogs' head coach, Pat Hill has his most talented team yet.
They play 13 games this year and have to travel 21,000 miles, but they have four tough games in the early season -- three in succession (at Colorado, Oregon State at home and at Wisconsin) and then at Colorado State on Oct. 13. The remaining nine games are winnable. If the Bulldogs can pull off an upset or two, they can end up in the top 20. Fresno State has won 15 games in a row at home, the third-longest home winning streak in the country behind only Florida State and Oregon. Playing Oregon State at home will be a key test.
After Fresno State, Hawaii appears to be next in line, with UTEP and Boise State also potentially in the mix, although the Broncos are in transition with a new coach and the loss of their star players and UTEP is breaking in a new quarterback. Tulsa and Rice are sleeper teams that could rise up and be second or third in the conference. They will be very dangerous.
FRESNO STATE
Offensively, the Bulldogs return nine starters. Quarterback David Carr has a chance to be a first-round draft choice and one of the elite QBs in the country. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, he bench-presses nearly 400 pounds. He's tough, smart and well-respected as a leader. He got beat up in the first game last year against Ohio State (a 43-10 loss). But he hung in there and kept coming back. Against Air Force in the Silicon Valley Bowl, the Bulldogs were down 34-7 at the half. He proceeded to throw for 391 yards and five TD passes before they lost 37-34, but Carr led a dramatic comeback.
Carr has five talented receivers returning, led by Rodney Wright, a big-time playmaker. He only played in four games last year because he had a torn calf muscle. If he can stay healthy, that would be a bonus. Bernard Barrian had a great year last season. He really came on strong with a lot of big plays. He's outstanding after the catch. Running back is the big question. Therrian Fontenot, a 6-foot, 185-pound freshman with great quickness, won't be on the field until the fall. But they have a veteran, Paris Gaines, who had a knee injury two years ago and wasn't up to the level expected last year. Now he's 100 percent. With Fontenot and Gaines, they hope the running game is more solid than questionable.
Defensively, the Bulldogs have to replace three linebackers. They have a stud at DT in senior Alan Harper and an outstanding DE in Nick Burley. They have an inside-outside game up front with Harper and Burley. Justin Johnson, their sack leader in '98 and '99, sat out last year with a shoulder injury, but he returns at outside linebacker. Anthony Limbrick, a first-team all-WAC player in '99, is also back at free safety. He was out last year with a broken thumb in the first game and ended up redshirting.
Fresno State is a quality football team that could easily win nine or 10 games. The Bulldogs are the class of the WAC.
HAWAII
The Warriors had a great year two years ago, but they fell on hard times last year. Coach June Jones has a chance to get them back to where they were two years ago because of their quarterback, Timmy Chang. The sophomore had some outstanding games last season.
All four receivers are back, led by Ashley Lelie -- a tall, angular player (6-3, 180) -- and Craig Stutzmann. Also watch out for Tafiti Uso, a transfer from Stanford who sat out last year. He's a senior who will be in the mix heavily at receiver. They also have a great OG, Vince Manuwai, a 6-2½, 298-pound junior. He could be one of the best offensive lineman in school history.
The running back situation is questionable. Where will rushing yards come from? Two newcomers, Mike Bass and Josh Naleahi, join Thero Mitchell, who played last year. The Warriors hope the running game is not suspect.
Defensively, Hawaii could not stop the run last season. There are also some holes at cornerback. The key defensive player is Wayne Hunter, a transfer from Cal who sat out last year. He can play DE or DT and is 6-5, 286 pounds. The Warriors think he can really help the run defense.
UTEP
The Miners could be an interesting team. They lost QB Rocky Perez and TE Brian Natkin to graduation. Menson Holloway, their sack leader who also led the WAC with 12, moved on as well. Losing their top three players, it could be a transition year.
Last season they beat Fresno State, scored 30-plus points in seven games and over 40 points in four games. The offense could have a big dropoff, but the QB position is the key. The two QBs are redshirt freshman Jon Schaaper and Wesley Phillips, the son of Wade Phillips and the grandson of Bum Phillips. Bum actually coached at UTEP in 1962. Schaaper is a big-time athlete who can run. He had a hand injury and missed all but the last week of spring practice, so they don't know what they have with him in the fall. He has a lot of upside.
Although the Miners lost Natkin, they feel Joey Knapp could be an even better tight end. He's big at 6-5, 255 pounds and quick and could be one of the better tight ends in the country. They also have Lee Mays, a 6-2, 192-pound senior receiver. He led the nation with 15 TD receptions last year and had 70 catches with a 15.7-yard average. He was productive and a touchdown maker.
Defensively, they have one of the top secondaries in the WAC, led by cornerback Crance Clemons. The key player to replace Holloway is Gabe Williams, a junior right defensive end. The Miners' staff is very high on Williams, who must pick up the slack. The defense must improve because it gave up 55 points to Oklahoma, 45 to Texas A&M, 47 to TCU and 38 to Boise State in the bowl game.
TULSA
The Golden Hurricane should be improved and a team to watch under head coach Keith Burns. The defense has some key additions, including Mike Dulaney, a junior transfer from Oklahoma who sat out last season. They are excited about his athletic ability and the impact he can make to the defense.Also watch out for C.J. Scott, a sophomore cornerback. He is only 5-7, but he made a lot of big plays last season, with 11 pass breakups and five interceptions. Also, they have a rover who has a chance to shine, Keithan McCorry. He led the Golden Hurricane in tackles last season.
Offensively, they have some good skill-position talent. They have a great senior receiver in Donald Shoals (5-9 1/2, 175). He had 80 catches and a 14.9-yard average and five touchdowns. He also returned two punts for touchdowns. He is outstanding after the catch. In a short passing game, he can do some damage if he gets his hands on the ball. He will be the No. 1 receiving option. Senior left tackle Kevin Shaffer is a strong kid with good feet and has a chance to play in the NFL.
Junior quarterback Josh Blankenship completed only 52 percent of his passes last year and threw 11 interceptions compared to nine touchdowns. He needs to improve his numbers this year and become more accurate and consistent. He has a key weapon in Jarod Roach, a tight end who has a chance to be productive. He is 6-3 and has his weight is up to 233. Sophomore tailback Eric Richardson had big games at the end of the last season, with 194 yards against San Jose State and 206 yards against Nevada.
BOISE STATE
It's a transition year for the Broncos, newcomers to the WAC. They have a new coach in Dan Hawkins, who replaces Dirk Koetter, now at Arizona State. And in the WAC, they have a much tougher schedule.
Their quarterback situation is the key because they lost Bart Hendricks, who was a great QB and the nation's top-rated passer last season. Stepping in is sophomore Ryan Dinwiddie, the backup last year. They feel he has a stronger arm than Hendricks, but he's not quite the athlete or overall quarterback. Hendricks was like a Josh Heupel or Danny Wuerffel, but maybe even a little better in some areas at the college level.
The Broncos open at South Carolina on Sept. 1 with an inexperienced QB. That's not a good place to start. But the offensive line back as well as the tight end. Junior Brock Forsey, their best offensive player, is outstanding at running back. A solid, hard-nosed runner, Forsey scored nine touchdowns last season, rushed for 914 yards and caught 23 passes.
On defense, there are new defensive linemen and linebackers; the Broncos lack proven starters in the front seven. They also lost safety Shaunard Hart. In the secondary, they must replace Dempsy Dees, an outstanding cover corner. But they don't feel the secondary will have a huge dropoff because of Quintin Mikell, a junior free safety. He's the defensive headliner without Hart and Dees. They need a great year from Mikell. They lost their three best players to graduation -- Hendricks, Hart and Dees. They retain Forsey and Mikell, but they need big years from them.
RICE
The Owls could be the sleeper team of the WAC, but tempering my enthusiasm for Rice is the season-ending injury to quarterback Jeremy Hurd, who tore the ACL in his right knee.
Replacing Hurd in Rice's option attack is Kyle Herm, a third-year sophomore. The 5-9, 185-pounder had a shoulder problem last season, when he served as the backup, but he has quickness and great athletic ability. In a quarter and a half of play against UTEP last season, Herm rushed for 92 yards and threw a TD pass. With a little bit of game experience, Herm at least gives Rice some hope without Hurd, who will have two years of eligibility left. There will be a dropoff, but not much.
Otherwise, with RB Clint Hatfield joining Herm in the backfield, they should give opponents some problems with the option, something teams can't simulate in practice. Defenses could be caught off guard. A team needs a great fullback to run the option effectively, and they have one in Jamie Tyler. Other than Herm, he has to be the key to the offense. Receiver Gavin Boothe is athletically gifted. They have some interesting offensive components to watch. They don't have much depth, but if they stay relatively healthy, they could surprise people.
The defense could be their best in a long time. They have one of the WAC's best defensive players in Dan Dawson, an outside linebacker. Jason Hebert, a free safety, could play for anybody. And DTs Larry Brown and B.J. Forguson each weigh about 300 pounds. With 26 seniors on the roster, the defense could be in pretty good shape. It's an experienced team. They were 3-8 last year but could have been 7-4 with a few more breaks. They could be in the hunt for a minor bowl if they stay healthy and the core group of stars stay on the field.
SAN JOSE STATE
The Spartans had a nice season in 2000, including an upset of TCU. But suddenly head coach Dave Baldwin moves on to Cincinnati as the offensive coordinator. Fitz Hill, who was at Arkansas under Houston Nutt, takes over as head coach of a program that can score points. They averaged 31 points per game last year and should be able to do the same this year.
The Spartans return four starters on the offensive line to open holes for running back Deonce Whitaker, one of the better backs in the country. At 5-6 and 188 pounds, he is amazingly strong; he's able to squat 745 pounds. Left tackle Chris Se'esago is moving to guard and could be a future NFL player. Receiver Rashied Davis, a senior, had an excellent year last year. QB Marcus Arroyo was inconsistent last year, but he had several outstanding games. He only completed 50.9 percent of his passes for 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. If he can play his A game regularly, the offense can be as productive or more than last year.
Defense is a big question mark again. The Spartans give up points and need to find a way to stop the run. They allowed nearly 500 yards per game in total offense. Ironically, they returned six interceptions for touchdowns, tying Miami (Fla.) for the national lead and falling only one shy of the NCAA record of seven, held by Tennessee in 1972. They still couldn't stop anybody, though, and they lost most of their talent to graduation. They have to play at USC, at Colorado and host Stanford to open the season. It's a tough schedule for a team without a defense that will have to outscore teams. They also have to go to Arizona (eight road games overall). Taking a bad defense on the road is not a good formula for success.
SMU
The Mustangs have 20 starters back off a 3-9 team, but what does that mean? The offensive line must hold up. The left side is strong, with tackle Joey Slaton and guard James McCarthy. They have a solid running back in Kris Briggs, who can run between the tackles but doesn't have breakaway speed. They are breaking in a new quarterback, Kelen Luker, who redshirted last year and has a strong arm and is considered a pretty good leader. But the offense should still be pretty average.
On defense, the Mustangs hope to be better. They have developed a little more depth. The key player is MLB Vic Voleria, who led the conference in tackles last year with 130. They also have Kevin Garrett, an outstanding junior cornerback who runs a 4.28 in the 40 and has a chance to be one of the best corners in the conference. But their non-conference schedule is tough; they play at TCU, at North Carolina and host N.C. State. They won three games last year and should be in a similar situation this year.
LOUISIANA TECH
They will air it out again. Luke McCown is a pretty good throwing quarterback. At running back they have John Simon, who led the nation with 72 catches, and Delwin Degg is at wide receiver. They have a huge offensive tackle in Damien Laverne. It's up to McCown, Simon and Degg to key the offense, which will be counted on to score points. Their receivers are young, and they lost James Jordan to graduation; he led the nation with 109 catches last year. They also lost Shawn Cangelosi, another receiver. They'll need to get the ball to Simon. And Degg will have to make up for the graduation loss of Jordan and Cangelosi.
On defense, they are going to a 3-4. The top players are DB Bobby Gray who's their top player overall. They feel they have an up-and-comer in sophomore LB Antonio Crow. The biggest question is the defense. Teams just ran, ran, ran against Louisiana Tech. Can they stop anybody? They will be flashy and have exciting moments throwing the ball, but losing the two receivers hurts and defensively they need to stop people.
NEVADA
Senior quarterback David Neill threw 13 touchdown passes and had 12 interceptions, completing 50 percent of his passes, but he gets beat up a lot. Opposing defenses really get after him. Nevada had a very poor offensive line last year, though all five starters return. Neill may have a chance to play in the NFL, but he gets hit hard. Chris Tormey is in his second year as head coach, and he brought in lots of juco kids to help on the line. Junior WR Nate Burleson is a pretty good player who had 57 catches last year. But Neill needs time to throw the ball. He was left without much personnel to work with last year.
Defensively, sophomore LB George Cordova and FS Ronnie Hardeman are the headliners. But they don't have much more to speak of. They open at BYU and play at Colorado State. If they win one game, it would be a lot.
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