By: Rich Douglas
The Pac 12, in my opinion, is the second best conference in the country. While it's not as deep as the SEC, it's not out of the realm of possibility that more than half of the conference will see the Top 25 while only Colorado can be seen as a punching bag team.
North Division
-Oregon: Even after losing head coach Chip Kelly, the Ducks look poised to make a run at the national title. Kelly's teams went 34-3 in conference play with 31 wins by 10 or more points as his offenses dominated every single year. New head coach Mark Helfrich has a tough act to follow, but as the teams offensive coordinator under Kelly's reign, he should have no problem continuing their dominance as he has plenty of key players returning. Everyone likes to talk about their elite offense, and why not, but people forget that their quick and opportunistic defense was the reason they led the country in TO Margin last season at +21.
-Stanford: The Cardinal look to defend last season's Rose Bowl victory, and while they are probably second best this year, they are likely to see plenty of success throughout the season as David Shaw continues to move this team forward. With QB Josh Nunes retiring, the Kevin Hogan era will continue after he got some experience last season starting six games under center.
-Washington: The North division could be its own legitimate conference. This fourth place ranking of the Huskies is a bit misleading because this team could beat any team in this conference on any given night. They struggled last season because of various injuries to key players, and a regression of QB Keith Price, but they should be healed up and ready to challenge every team on their schedule. Junior Bishop Sankey is back, fresh off of a 1,439 rushing season and he'll be behind a big experienced line. The defense is stacked with plenty of impact players including 3 Linebackers that are amongst the best in the North in Feeney, Shaq Thompson, and Timu.
-Oregon State: The Beavers are coming off of the biggest turnaround in school history as they were wildly successful in a season where the expectations were very low. Head coach Mike Riley has a roster that is stacked with returning lettermen on both sides of the ball. The state of Oregon may become the most exciting place for college football this year if things come together for a Civil War showdown against Oregon at the end of the year. As is the common theme in the Pac 12s elite teams, the Offensive Lines are deep and experienced. With Sean Mannion just being named the starting QB, OSU will have a solid offense with Storm Woods at RB and Brandin Cooks likely leading the way at WR. Future NFLer Scott Crichton leads a defense that should stifle opposing defenses. They'll need to be strong as there is a lot of firepower in this conference.
-Washington State: The Cougars had an interesting year with Mike Leach running things in Pullman. After losing to lowly Colorado at home, they rebounded with a comeback victory in the Apple Cup over their instate rivals. There is plenty of experience returning for the Cougs, as their heavy air attack will be led by QB Connor Halliday.
-California: The Tedford era is over after 11 seasons as former Louisiana Tech offensive guru Sonny Dykes takes over in Berkeley. Dykes' complex offensive schemes caused problems for every team they faced, but his teams suffered in defense as they were ranked last in the country in 2012 allowing 455 yards per game. They lose plenty of key players on offense so they should struggle, but this program should get going once he gets his players in action down the road.
South Division
-USC: While there is plenty of uncertainty as to who will start behind center for the Trojans, their roster is loaded with talent and they should be able to get to the conference title game and attempt to make a run at the Rose Bowl. Lane Kiffin has shown that he can recruit, but will need to actually have his team perform on the field in order to secure his job. The Offensive Line will be very good and should pave the way for a career season for Silas Redd. Marqise Lee doesn't have a QB yet, but it won't matter as he's projected to be a top 5 pick. The defense will be much better with the likes of Bailey, Dawson, and Pullard all experienced LBs, as well as a big line that should disrupt enemy backfields.
-Arizona State: Many have the Sun Devils as the favorites to win the South, and with good reason. Heisman candidate Taylor Kelly returns at QB after finishing 3rd in the nation in passing efficiency. Todd Graham has plenty of returning players including explosive RB Marion Grice. There isn't a lot to complain about Tempe and a victory at home against USC on September 28th could set them up for a great season. On defense, the Sun Devils are deep as they have 3/4s of their DL coming back, 2/3s of their LBs and both of their safeties. Alden Darby and Chris Young have had great college careers in the secondary and look to have big senior seasons for their team.
-Utah: The Utes look to get back onto their winning ways as their transition to the Pac 12 has not been as smooth as they had hoped for. Their offense has a ton of potential with Sophomore QB Travis Wilson starting under center. Wilson has plenty of size and arm strength and will look to utilize what should be a stellar offensive attack. Coach Whittingham now has Dennis Erickson running the offense as they should be a team that surprises the Pac 12 this season.
-UCLA: The loss of Johnathan Franklin hurts this highly potent offense, but Jim Mora Jr. has plenty of things to be excited about with Sophomore QB Brett Hundley leading the offense. The team will likely go as Hundley goes. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they aren't as experienced as their cross town rivals, or Arizona State, but they're highly athletic and will look to win the South 3 straight years.
-Arizona: This season may be a let down for Rich Rodriguez' Wildcats. They struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, but were able to make up for it with their excellent offense last season. With QB Matt Scott's graduation and a defense that is very inexperienced, it's entirely possible that they'll be even worse defending in this pass heavy conference.
-Colorado: What can you say about my alma mater? It's going to be a brutal season. They'll certainly be better than last year…but that's obviously not saying much after they were able to secure just 1 win. WR Paul Richardson returns after missing all of last season and former Texas recruit Connor Wood should find some success passing the ball, but coach Mike McIntyre has his hands full. Still, people are hopeful in Boulder as this wouldn't be the first program that McIntyre has turned around, but he's got a ways to go to right this ship.
Conference Championship Game: Oregon over USC
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
2013 MAC Preview
The MAC gained some serious chops this past season when
Northern Illinois was able to crash the BCS, and Toledo could have had they
beaten the Huskies at the end of the season.
The Conference also has taken some big steps to try and get that
national attention by playing a lot of midweek games. And that has brought the talent level up
across the conference, with there being a several teams in each division that
could take home the title.
Western Division
Winner: Northern Illinois
Jordan Lynch is the mid major Heisman sleeper again this
year, by being a little bit of everything.
He completed 60.2% of his passes for 25 TDs and 6 Ints for 8 yards per
attempt. He ran the ball with power,
averaging over 6 yards per carry and 3.76 inside the redzone, with 12 TDs. He’s a solid physical specimen, so he can
take that kind of physical punishment.
There should be though an expanded role though for Akeem Daniels who had
just 68 carries last year. However, a
majority of his work came the last 3 games of the year, when he rushed for 286
yards. He should also factor into the
passing game again after picking up 259 yards on 20 catches with a 66.7% catch
rate. That will be good since gone now
is Martel Moore, an NIU legend. Tommylee
Lewis is the top returning wideout after catching 70% of his passes for over 11
yards per catch. It will be tough though
to replicate those offensive numbers of a year ago if a few youngsters don’t step
up. It will help to keep things rolling
that the entire offensive line returns from last year, and some of the depth
has starting experience. On the
defensive front only Ken Bishop returns as a starter, after posting 42.5
tackles with 9.5 of them for loss and had a pair of sacks. Joe Windsor is a pass rush specialist that
could see his 7 sacks from last year balloon a bit with an increase in playing
time. Jamaal Bass returns to man the OLB
spot, after posting 64 tackles with 6 TFL last year. The secondary has depth after several
injuries last year forced people into the lineup. Luckily, senior Jimmie Ward returns from an
84.5 tackle campaign, in which he picked off 3 passes and defended 11. CB Marlon Moore picked off 2 passes and
defended 4 as the top returning corner.
NIU lost a lot of productive players from a year ago and a
head coach that won 23 games in his 2 years with the program. However, they return the key player in Jordan
Lynch, and new head coach Rod Carey should continue the tradition.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
2013 American Athletic Conference Preview
By: Rich Douglas
Gone is the Big East, in Division 1 football at least, in comes the American Athletic Conference, and it sucks! Except for Louisville.
Louisville - It's a shame this team is in such a terrible conference because I really do believe that they would do damage in some of the better ones. They have the best pro-style QB in Teddy Bridgewater who with his big arm distributes the ball very well to his receiving core. Bridgewater, at the moment, is a surefire top 5 NFL pick, but will need his talented supporting cast to help that come to fruition. His top receivers, Devante Parker and Damian Copeland return as well as his RBs Senorise Perry and Dominique Brown. Former Auburn Star Michael Dyer has also been added to the backfield in what should be a very fun offense to watch. The Cardinal defense was very good last year, but they could be even better as they return almost every starter. Last season they finished 23rd in overall yards allowed and 17th in passing yards allowed. A late season road trip to Cincy will be their toughest test, but this team is the team to beat in this conference.
Cincinnati - Tommy Tuberville's Bearcats pose the only real threat to Louisville this season. The starting QB has yet to be named, but Brendon Kay may have the inside track over Munchie Legaux after replacing him last season and going 4-1 in games he started. An experienced Offensive Line will be key for the do it all back Ralph Abernathy. Abernathy led the team with 1,508 all purpose yards last season. The offense has plenty of weapons, but the team may struggle on the defensive side of the ball. After an average season last year, the team loses Maalik Bomar and Dan Giordano to the NFL.
Central Florida - George O'Leary's team finished strongly last year with a 7-1 conference record and a second straight bowl win. Junior QB Blake Bortles is highly talented and returns after a very successful season in where he passed for 3,000 yards 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. RB Latavius Murray graduated, but Storm Johnson should fill in nicely as a starter. He was second in rushing on the team last season. The defense lost some key pieces and will be leaning on SS Clayton Geathers to be a playmaker in the secondary. With so much uncertainty as to who will start, UCF may be inconsistent on D.
SMU - After 6 seasons, head coach June Jones may finally be turning this program around after a victory over Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl. Garrett Gilbert returns for his senior season and will be looking to improve on his 53% completion rate an 1 to 1 TD:INT ratio. Traylon Shead will be taking over at RB for Zach Line, but will be working with a new Offensive Line as just 2 starters are returning. Top receiver Darius Johnson was lost to graduation, but Jeremy Johnson, Derikk Thompson and Keenan Holman all return after good seasons last year. The Mustangs only return 3 starters on defense after a highly successful season last year. They lose their top sack and tackles leaders in Margus Hunt and Taylor Reed and will have no seniors on the Defensive Line. Both safeties are their only returning starters as the team will rely on Jay Scott and Kenneth Acker to carry over last season's success.
Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights are coming off of a successful inaugural season for coach Kyle Flood. They finished the years as Big East Co-Champions even with QB Gary Nova's inconsistencies throughout the year. That inconsistency led to their 3 game losing streak to end the season, but the team still exceeded expectations. With just 6 starters returning on offense, the team may struggle under first year Offensive Coordinator Ron Prince, but 4 members of their Offensive Line will be back in what should make for the most formidable line in the conference. The Defense loses last year's Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene as well as a number of other starters. Lorenzo Waters is the only returning starter in the secondary. The unit as a whole may suffer due to all the departures.
Houston - How the mighty have fallen. This isn't the same offense that Case Keenum led a couple years ago, but second year Coach Tony Levine brings in former Oklahoma OC Doug Meacham to help right the offense. Starting QB David Piland returns, but is without top playmaker Charles Sims. The offense was so young last year that they return all of their other starters, but they unit as a whole still has a lot to prove. Former NFL defensive coordinator David Gibbs has been brought in to fix a defense that struggled for the most part last year. The team's leading tackler Phillip Steward was lost to graduation and the team will lean on Derrick Matthews to stabilize an inexperienced LB unit. The defense was ranked 10th in the nation in sacks last year but probably won't replicate that success with only one returning starter on the line.
South Florida - FIrst year head coach Willie Taggart will have his hands full. B.J Daniels was lost to graduation after having an excellent career in South Florida with 8,433 yards passing and 52 TDs during his 4 years of starting. Austin Reiter anchors an Offensive Line with high expectations as he's on the preseason Rimington Award Watch List. USF's top three rushers are all gone as it's clear that the unit will struggle. The defense brings back 6 starters including Notre Dame transfer Aaron Lynch at defensive end. Dede Lattimore will play MLB after recording 75 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks last season. Safety Mark Joyce will lead the secondary along with FS JaQuez Jenkins.
Temple - The Owl offense is pretty horrendous. Chris Coyer threw for just 946 yards with 8 TDs and 4 INTs as the offense went through long stretches of being stagnant. Montel Harris was their lone bright spot as he eclipsed 1,000 yards in rushing, but he's lost to graduation. After its become pretty clear that Coyer will not be able to lead this offense, they have since moved him to TE and given the reigns to junior Connor Reilly. The offensive line should at least provide some stability with 4 starters returning. The defense was equally as terrible last year and it might not be any better. They'll rely heavily on their Linebacking core as all three starters are returning. They only have 1 starter back on the line.
UConn - There isn't much to say about the Husky offense that put everyone to sleep last season. Chandler Whitmer might have been the worst QB in any major conference last season after throwing 9 TDs and 16 INTs. Lyle McCombs ran for 860 yards and 8 TDs and will need to have a big season this year in order for UConn to have any success. The defense is somewhat inexperienced but has a few good skilled players. Yawin Smallwood led the team last year with 120 tackles, 15 for loss, and four sacks. The Defensive Line returns 3 players as this team should be able to pressure opposing QBs with success.
Memphis - This is all you need to see about this Memphis Tigers team. They'll struggle, and there isn't much to say, but you've got to cheer for good guy QB Jacob Karam. As for the team, well, they'll suck.
Gone is the Big East, in Division 1 football at least, in comes the American Athletic Conference, and it sucks! Except for Louisville.
Louisville - It's a shame this team is in such a terrible conference because I really do believe that they would do damage in some of the better ones. They have the best pro-style QB in Teddy Bridgewater who with his big arm distributes the ball very well to his receiving core. Bridgewater, at the moment, is a surefire top 5 NFL pick, but will need his talented supporting cast to help that come to fruition. His top receivers, Devante Parker and Damian Copeland return as well as his RBs Senorise Perry and Dominique Brown. Former Auburn Star Michael Dyer has also been added to the backfield in what should be a very fun offense to watch. The Cardinal defense was very good last year, but they could be even better as they return almost every starter. Last season they finished 23rd in overall yards allowed and 17th in passing yards allowed. A late season road trip to Cincy will be their toughest test, but this team is the team to beat in this conference.
Cincinnati - Tommy Tuberville's Bearcats pose the only real threat to Louisville this season. The starting QB has yet to be named, but Brendon Kay may have the inside track over Munchie Legaux after replacing him last season and going 4-1 in games he started. An experienced Offensive Line will be key for the do it all back Ralph Abernathy. Abernathy led the team with 1,508 all purpose yards last season. The offense has plenty of weapons, but the team may struggle on the defensive side of the ball. After an average season last year, the team loses Maalik Bomar and Dan Giordano to the NFL.
Central Florida - George O'Leary's team finished strongly last year with a 7-1 conference record and a second straight bowl win. Junior QB Blake Bortles is highly talented and returns after a very successful season in where he passed for 3,000 yards 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. RB Latavius Murray graduated, but Storm Johnson should fill in nicely as a starter. He was second in rushing on the team last season. The defense lost some key pieces and will be leaning on SS Clayton Geathers to be a playmaker in the secondary. With so much uncertainty as to who will start, UCF may be inconsistent on D.
SMU - After 6 seasons, head coach June Jones may finally be turning this program around after a victory over Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl. Garrett Gilbert returns for his senior season and will be looking to improve on his 53% completion rate an 1 to 1 TD:INT ratio. Traylon Shead will be taking over at RB for Zach Line, but will be working with a new Offensive Line as just 2 starters are returning. Top receiver Darius Johnson was lost to graduation, but Jeremy Johnson, Derikk Thompson and Keenan Holman all return after good seasons last year. The Mustangs only return 3 starters on defense after a highly successful season last year. They lose their top sack and tackles leaders in Margus Hunt and Taylor Reed and will have no seniors on the Defensive Line. Both safeties are their only returning starters as the team will rely on Jay Scott and Kenneth Acker to carry over last season's success.
Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights are coming off of a successful inaugural season for coach Kyle Flood. They finished the years as Big East Co-Champions even with QB Gary Nova's inconsistencies throughout the year. That inconsistency led to their 3 game losing streak to end the season, but the team still exceeded expectations. With just 6 starters returning on offense, the team may struggle under first year Offensive Coordinator Ron Prince, but 4 members of their Offensive Line will be back in what should make for the most formidable line in the conference. The Defense loses last year's Defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene as well as a number of other starters. Lorenzo Waters is the only returning starter in the secondary. The unit as a whole may suffer due to all the departures.
Houston - How the mighty have fallen. This isn't the same offense that Case Keenum led a couple years ago, but second year Coach Tony Levine brings in former Oklahoma OC Doug Meacham to help right the offense. Starting QB David Piland returns, but is without top playmaker Charles Sims. The offense was so young last year that they return all of their other starters, but they unit as a whole still has a lot to prove. Former NFL defensive coordinator David Gibbs has been brought in to fix a defense that struggled for the most part last year. The team's leading tackler Phillip Steward was lost to graduation and the team will lean on Derrick Matthews to stabilize an inexperienced LB unit. The defense was ranked 10th in the nation in sacks last year but probably won't replicate that success with only one returning starter on the line.
South Florida - FIrst year head coach Willie Taggart will have his hands full. B.J Daniels was lost to graduation after having an excellent career in South Florida with 8,433 yards passing and 52 TDs during his 4 years of starting. Austin Reiter anchors an Offensive Line with high expectations as he's on the preseason Rimington Award Watch List. USF's top three rushers are all gone as it's clear that the unit will struggle. The defense brings back 6 starters including Notre Dame transfer Aaron Lynch at defensive end. Dede Lattimore will play MLB after recording 75 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks last season. Safety Mark Joyce will lead the secondary along with FS JaQuez Jenkins.
Temple - The Owl offense is pretty horrendous. Chris Coyer threw for just 946 yards with 8 TDs and 4 INTs as the offense went through long stretches of being stagnant. Montel Harris was their lone bright spot as he eclipsed 1,000 yards in rushing, but he's lost to graduation. After its become pretty clear that Coyer will not be able to lead this offense, they have since moved him to TE and given the reigns to junior Connor Reilly. The offensive line should at least provide some stability with 4 starters returning. The defense was equally as terrible last year and it might not be any better. They'll rely heavily on their Linebacking core as all three starters are returning. They only have 1 starter back on the line.
UConn - There isn't much to say about the Husky offense that put everyone to sleep last season. Chandler Whitmer might have been the worst QB in any major conference last season after throwing 9 TDs and 16 INTs. Lyle McCombs ran for 860 yards and 8 TDs and will need to have a big season this year in order for UConn to have any success. The defense is somewhat inexperienced but has a few good skilled players. Yawin Smallwood led the team last year with 120 tackles, 15 for loss, and four sacks. The Defensive Line returns 3 players as this team should be able to pressure opposing QBs with success.
Memphis - This is all you need to see about this Memphis Tigers team. They'll struggle, and there isn't much to say, but you've got to cheer for good guy QB Jacob Karam. As for the team, well, they'll suck.
ACC Conference Preview
By: Rich Douglas
The ACC is a conference that has a few very clearly top level teams, and a lot fo teams all floating around the muddled middle. This is especially true in the Coastal conference after Virginia Tech had the wheels fall off of nearly a decade of double digit wins. The Atlantic is really a two horse race of Clemson and Florida State. But, all of these teams have a chance to get bowl bids with just a few breaks going their way.
The ACC is a conference that has a few very clearly top level teams, and a lot fo teams all floating around the muddled middle. This is especially true in the Coastal conference after Virginia Tech had the wheels fall off of nearly a decade of double digit wins. The Atlantic is really a two horse race of Clemson and Florida State. But, all of these teams have a chance to get bowl bids with just a few breaks going their way.
Atlantic Division
Winner: Clemson
The Tigers hopes this season rest almost solely on the
shoulders of QB Tahj Boyd. The senior
completed 67.2% of his passes with 36 TDs and just 13 Ints for better than 9
yards per attempt. He’s also a factor in
the running game after averaging 12 carries a game (14 if we include plays
ending in sacks) and scored 10 times, averaging over 3 yards a carry in the red
zone. He’ll have to live up to that
performance though without Deandre Hopkins, a player that averaged 11 yards a
target (128 targets!), and the very underrated TE Brandon Ford; Ford posted a
75.5% catch rate and 9.1 yards per target.
TO offset that, hopefully will be a fully healthy Sammy Watkins who
averaged 9.1 yards per target last year, and almost 15 yards a catch the year
before when healthy. Redshirt Freshman
Germone Hopper will also likely see extended looks, as will former 4 star
recruit Martavis Bryant (16 targets, 19.1 yards per target). The running game though should help ease some
of the pressure despite losing Andre Ellington.
Roderick McDowell averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season, and averaged
2.88 yards per carry in the redzone. The
offensive line should also be good, losing only 1 starter and featuring wealth
of talented backups with 64 combined starts.
The defensive line is built the same way, losing only sack master Mallicah
Goodman. However the DT rotation will be
strong, anchored especially by Grady Jarrett, who had 8.5 tackles for loss last
year, with 2 sacks and 5 QB hurries. DE
Vic Beasley will likely see an increased role with the departure of Goodman
after creating 8 sacks, and another 2 QB hurries. The LB corps lost Jonathan Willard, a do it
all WILL backer, but does return two Junior 5 star recruits (Stephone Anthony
and Tony Steward). The secondary is more
patchwork though after losing both starting safeties and top corner Xavier Brewer. However, Travis Blanks is a talented
sophomore who had 7 passes defended last year, and CB Garry Peters had 8 with 1
Int.
Clemson is built for years to come with the amount of
talented depth they have. However, this
year with a favorable schedule (3 top 25 teams with two at home) and a down ACC
should put them in the right spot to take the division crown. The lines are both stout and the offense
should remain explosive as long as Boyd stays healthy. It also should help that they get the other
contender at home this year.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
2013 Mountain West Conference Preview
By: Rich Douglas
With the additions of San Jose State and Utah State, the Mountain West will now be a 12 team conference that consists of 2 divisions, The Mountain, and The West Divisions. I see what they did there. This conference is stacked on the offensive side of the ball and should provide plenty of action for those who decide to bet on their games.
Mountain Division
Boise State - Perennial powerhouse Boise State sits atop our rankings this year. While only 5 starters on offense are returning, senior QB Joe Southwick and WR Matt Miller should lead the way in will be a solid offense. Head coach Chris Petersen is usually unbeatable when he returns his starting QB and this season should follow suit as Southwick improved dramatically as the season went on. Boise State always boasts an excellent defense which always gets them near the top of the country in Turnover Ratio. DE Demarcus Lawrence recorded 9.5 sacks last year, and will lead a defense that allowed just 15.8 points a game while having a +20 in TO ratio.
Utah State - The Aggies should make an immediate impact this season as first year head coach Matt Wells will look to continue the growing success his school has had in recent years. Chuckie Keeton started all 13 games last season in his Sophomore year and should build off of what became a breakthrough season under center. The dual threat QB racked up 3.373 yards passing while rushing for 619 yards. He found the end zone a total of 35 times (27 passing, 8 rushing). All five offensive linemen will be returning in what will be an excellent offense to watch. The Aggies had an excellent defense last year finishing 7th in the country in points allowed and 14th in yards allowed per game. Unfortunately, much of there team graduated and/or is not with the team anymore so those gaudy numbers from last year will be hard to replicate.
Wyoming - For a couple years now, the Cowboys have seemed like they were just on the verge of a program changing season, but it hasn't yet come to fruition for them. They have some excellent athletes on both sides of the ball, and could surprise some people this year. Junior QB Brett Smith returns after having an excellent season where he threw for 2,832 yards with 27 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. There wasn't much of a running game last year, which is what led to a sometimes stagnant offense. RB D.J May will need to have a big Sophomore season in order to change that. The defense was not great last season, and they may actually be worse this year as there was plenty turnover. Sophomore Eddie Yarborough returned at DE and will look to lead the team in sacks again.
Air Force - The Falcons are always an interesting team to look at with Troy Calhoun calling the shots and continuing their long standing triple option tradition. Calhoun had his first losing season at the Academy, but was still able to rally his team to their sixth straight bowl game. It will be tough for them to make another one this year as they'll be in a fairly deep rebuild. They lose their two leading rushers in QB Dietz and RB Getz, but as always have plenty of guys in line to run the ball.
New Mexico - Bob Davie might be turning things around in Albuquerque as the Lobos had plenty of positives during their 4-9 season. While many consider last season a failure, I believe it was just a product of having expectations that were far too lofty. The Lobos will still struggle this year under first year QB Cole Gautsche who will attempt to lead their run first offense. Kasey Carrier will be back for his senior season after turning some heads last year with 1,498 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Sophomore Jhurrell Pressley ran for 468 yards and 6 scores last season as well. The Lobos should really struggle on defense as they only have 2 starters returning. So again, the expectations will probably be too high, but I think Coach Davie is slowly turning things around in New Mexico.
Colorado State - What has happened to football in the state of Colorado? With Air Force getting progressively worse, and Colorado being absolutely horrendous, Colorado State might actually be the worst of the bunch. Jim McElwain started off his first year on a high note with a victory over instate rival Colorado, but it was downhill after that. The Rams simply don't have a clear cut starting QB as they started 3 different players last season. Senior Chris Nwoke remains a threat at RB and will share time with Donnell Alexander. Both sides of the line are depleted and undersized. It's going to be a long season in Fort Collins, but the one strong point of the team is at linebacker where all three starters are returning after decent seasons. Aaron Davis will look to build off of his team best 84 tackles.
West Division
Fresno State - Derek Carr returns at QB (yes he's David's little brother) and should lead his Bulldogs to greatness this season. I'm really high on this squad, and it starts with Carr. He's matching the numbers put up by his older brother and should be considered as an early Heisman Candidate. Robbie Rouse is gone at RB, but Sophomore Marteze Waller has plenty of talent and should be able to fill the void. WR Davante Adams is destined for the NFL after having an incredible Freshman season with 102 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 TDs. The Bulldogs are easily a good team, but they'll be a great team depending on their defense. MWC defensive player of the year and All American safety Phillip Thomas is gone, but Derron Smith and corner Sean Alston will lead a very opportunistic defense. Expect great things.
San Jose State - Another new coming team and another impressive second place finish. The Spartans will be without coach Mike McIntryre who turned this program from a 1 win team to an 11 win team in 4 short years. He's not in Colorado, but his old team remains well in tact. 15 starters return including 7 on offense. QB David Fales is a legitimate NFL prospect and should wreak havoc on defenses in this conference. He makes great use of his WRs and spreads the ball very well. His favorite target Noel Grisby will be back after an 82 catch 1,307 season. Six starters return on defense including a DL that boasts Anthony Larceval and junior Travis Raciti. They'll look to beef up their game as WAC Defensive Player of the Year Travis Johnson was lost to graduation.
San Diego State - This conference and primarily this division is very deep. The Aztecs come in just behind the Bulldogs and Spartans as they return 17 players from their 9-4 season. Junior QB Adam Dingwell struggled at times last year when he filled in for Ryan Katz and will have to have a great season to get his team to keep pace with the rest of this division. RB Adam Muema was excellent last season rushing for 1,458 yards and 16 scores and should make the transition easier on Dingwell. The defense will be the strong suit of the team as 9 talented players return from last season. LBs Jake Fely and Derek Largent return as juniors along with senior leader Nick Tenhaeff. The Line will be anchored by junior Sam Meredith.
Nevada - In a conference that has the likes of Derek Carr, David Fales, Chuckie Keeton and Joe Southwick, the Wolfpack may be the luckiest of all as they have QB Cody Fajardo signal calling for them. I'm not very high on Nevada as a whole, but Fajardo was made for their pistol offense and will continue to flourish under it for first year coach Brian Polian after Chris Ault (maker of the pistol offense) stepped down after last season. There isn't a RB on the roster that has had any game action ever, but Devin Combs projects as a possible fill in until they get a full time starter. What the Wolfpack will struggle with most is their defense. They were horrendous last year and could actually be worse. We're talking about a team that allowed 33.8 points per game and 442.5 yards per game.
UNLV - It's going to be another tough season for Coach Bobby Hauck. It isn't necessarily because the Rebels are going to be worse than last year, because they shouldn't be, but their conference schedule is quite difficult. QB Nick Sherry showed flashes of excellence last season and will need to step it up a bit more in order for his team to have a shot in some of these games. The DL returns three seniors in Gaston, Garrick, and Klorman and should have some success in a pass heavy league. Seniors Hasson and Hodge return in the secondary and must play well in order for their units to succeed.
Hawaii - The one positive for the Warriors is that they're returning 19 starters. Unfortunately for Coach Norm Chow, those players made up one of the worst squads Hawaii has ever fielded. QB Sean Schroeder returns after a rough junior season where he passed for 1,889 yards with 11 TDs an 12 INTs. The offense just never clicked as they were ranked 101st or worse in Points Per Game, Yards Per Game, and TO Margin.
Conference Championship Game: Fresno State over Boise State
With the additions of San Jose State and Utah State, the Mountain West will now be a 12 team conference that consists of 2 divisions, The Mountain, and The West Divisions. I see what they did there. This conference is stacked on the offensive side of the ball and should provide plenty of action for those who decide to bet on their games.
Mountain Division
Boise State - Perennial powerhouse Boise State sits atop our rankings this year. While only 5 starters on offense are returning, senior QB Joe Southwick and WR Matt Miller should lead the way in will be a solid offense. Head coach Chris Petersen is usually unbeatable when he returns his starting QB and this season should follow suit as Southwick improved dramatically as the season went on. Boise State always boasts an excellent defense which always gets them near the top of the country in Turnover Ratio. DE Demarcus Lawrence recorded 9.5 sacks last year, and will lead a defense that allowed just 15.8 points a game while having a +20 in TO ratio.
Utah State - The Aggies should make an immediate impact this season as first year head coach Matt Wells will look to continue the growing success his school has had in recent years. Chuckie Keeton started all 13 games last season in his Sophomore year and should build off of what became a breakthrough season under center. The dual threat QB racked up 3.373 yards passing while rushing for 619 yards. He found the end zone a total of 35 times (27 passing, 8 rushing). All five offensive linemen will be returning in what will be an excellent offense to watch. The Aggies had an excellent defense last year finishing 7th in the country in points allowed and 14th in yards allowed per game. Unfortunately, much of there team graduated and/or is not with the team anymore so those gaudy numbers from last year will be hard to replicate.
Wyoming - For a couple years now, the Cowboys have seemed like they were just on the verge of a program changing season, but it hasn't yet come to fruition for them. They have some excellent athletes on both sides of the ball, and could surprise some people this year. Junior QB Brett Smith returns after having an excellent season where he threw for 2,832 yards with 27 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. There wasn't much of a running game last year, which is what led to a sometimes stagnant offense. RB D.J May will need to have a big Sophomore season in order to change that. The defense was not great last season, and they may actually be worse this year as there was plenty turnover. Sophomore Eddie Yarborough returned at DE and will look to lead the team in sacks again.
Air Force - The Falcons are always an interesting team to look at with Troy Calhoun calling the shots and continuing their long standing triple option tradition. Calhoun had his first losing season at the Academy, but was still able to rally his team to their sixth straight bowl game. It will be tough for them to make another one this year as they'll be in a fairly deep rebuild. They lose their two leading rushers in QB Dietz and RB Getz, but as always have plenty of guys in line to run the ball.
New Mexico - Bob Davie might be turning things around in Albuquerque as the Lobos had plenty of positives during their 4-9 season. While many consider last season a failure, I believe it was just a product of having expectations that were far too lofty. The Lobos will still struggle this year under first year QB Cole Gautsche who will attempt to lead their run first offense. Kasey Carrier will be back for his senior season after turning some heads last year with 1,498 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Sophomore Jhurrell Pressley ran for 468 yards and 6 scores last season as well. The Lobos should really struggle on defense as they only have 2 starters returning. So again, the expectations will probably be too high, but I think Coach Davie is slowly turning things around in New Mexico.
Colorado State - What has happened to football in the state of Colorado? With Air Force getting progressively worse, and Colorado being absolutely horrendous, Colorado State might actually be the worst of the bunch. Jim McElwain started off his first year on a high note with a victory over instate rival Colorado, but it was downhill after that. The Rams simply don't have a clear cut starting QB as they started 3 different players last season. Senior Chris Nwoke remains a threat at RB and will share time with Donnell Alexander. Both sides of the line are depleted and undersized. It's going to be a long season in Fort Collins, but the one strong point of the team is at linebacker where all three starters are returning after decent seasons. Aaron Davis will look to build off of his team best 84 tackles.
West Division
Fresno State - Derek Carr returns at QB (yes he's David's little brother) and should lead his Bulldogs to greatness this season. I'm really high on this squad, and it starts with Carr. He's matching the numbers put up by his older brother and should be considered as an early Heisman Candidate. Robbie Rouse is gone at RB, but Sophomore Marteze Waller has plenty of talent and should be able to fill the void. WR Davante Adams is destined for the NFL after having an incredible Freshman season with 102 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 TDs. The Bulldogs are easily a good team, but they'll be a great team depending on their defense. MWC defensive player of the year and All American safety Phillip Thomas is gone, but Derron Smith and corner Sean Alston will lead a very opportunistic defense. Expect great things.
San Jose State - Another new coming team and another impressive second place finish. The Spartans will be without coach Mike McIntryre who turned this program from a 1 win team to an 11 win team in 4 short years. He's not in Colorado, but his old team remains well in tact. 15 starters return including 7 on offense. QB David Fales is a legitimate NFL prospect and should wreak havoc on defenses in this conference. He makes great use of his WRs and spreads the ball very well. His favorite target Noel Grisby will be back after an 82 catch 1,307 season. Six starters return on defense including a DL that boasts Anthony Larceval and junior Travis Raciti. They'll look to beef up their game as WAC Defensive Player of the Year Travis Johnson was lost to graduation.
San Diego State - This conference and primarily this division is very deep. The Aztecs come in just behind the Bulldogs and Spartans as they return 17 players from their 9-4 season. Junior QB Adam Dingwell struggled at times last year when he filled in for Ryan Katz and will have to have a great season to get his team to keep pace with the rest of this division. RB Adam Muema was excellent last season rushing for 1,458 yards and 16 scores and should make the transition easier on Dingwell. The defense will be the strong suit of the team as 9 talented players return from last season. LBs Jake Fely and Derek Largent return as juniors along with senior leader Nick Tenhaeff. The Line will be anchored by junior Sam Meredith.
Nevada - In a conference that has the likes of Derek Carr, David Fales, Chuckie Keeton and Joe Southwick, the Wolfpack may be the luckiest of all as they have QB Cody Fajardo signal calling for them. I'm not very high on Nevada as a whole, but Fajardo was made for their pistol offense and will continue to flourish under it for first year coach Brian Polian after Chris Ault (maker of the pistol offense) stepped down after last season. There isn't a RB on the roster that has had any game action ever, but Devin Combs projects as a possible fill in until they get a full time starter. What the Wolfpack will struggle with most is their defense. They were horrendous last year and could actually be worse. We're talking about a team that allowed 33.8 points per game and 442.5 yards per game.
UNLV - It's going to be another tough season for Coach Bobby Hauck. It isn't necessarily because the Rebels are going to be worse than last year, because they shouldn't be, but their conference schedule is quite difficult. QB Nick Sherry showed flashes of excellence last season and will need to step it up a bit more in order for his team to have a shot in some of these games. The DL returns three seniors in Gaston, Garrick, and Klorman and should have some success in a pass heavy league. Seniors Hasson and Hodge return in the secondary and must play well in order for their units to succeed.
Hawaii - The one positive for the Warriors is that they're returning 19 starters. Unfortunately for Coach Norm Chow, those players made up one of the worst squads Hawaii has ever fielded. QB Sean Schroeder returns after a rough junior season where he passed for 1,889 yards with 11 TDs an 12 INTs. The offense just never clicked as they were ranked 101st or worse in Points Per Game, Yards Per Game, and TO Margin.
Conference Championship Game: Fresno State over Boise State
2013 Sun Belt Conference Preview
By: Rich Douglas
The Sun Belt, in my opinion, was the most underrated conference last year. They put themselves on notice after UL Monroe defeated Arkansas early last year, but the conference turned out to be much more than that. Unfortunately, the Sun Belt has been left effected from the changing college football landscape and is not deep as it had been. Still, there are some teams to watch with plenty of potential NFL talent.
UL Monroe - Kolton Browning is no doubt the best player in the conference. He heads into his senior season after a 29 touchdown 3,049 yard breakthrough season. Je'Ron Hamm and Tavarese Maye come back after stellar seasons. Four of the five big bodies on the OL will be back as well. On the defensive side of the ball, seven starters return to make for a very formidable unit. While they might not be the most talented bunch, they're asked to do a lot as the Warhawk quick strike offense puts the defense on the field fairly often.
UL Lafayette - Blaine Gautier is gone at QB and the very talented Terrance Broadway will take over full time under center. Broadway may challenge Browning as the player of the year due to his elite athleticism. He didn't play a full season last year and still managed to pass for 2,842 yards and rush for 769. Alonzo Harris is back at RB, but will have a bit of a challenge ahead of him as two of the starting members of last year's OL have graduated. The defense remains in tact and is very strong up front. Look for DE Christian Ringo to have a big season as the anchor to their big DL.
Western Kentucky - Coach Bobby Petrino takes over a Hilltopper team that underachieved a bit last season. Senior RB Antonio Andrews comes into the season as one of the more explosive players in the conference. He rushed for 1,728 yards last season and will be relied upon heavily again. With Kawaun Jakes gone at QB, Brandon Doughty looks to take hold at QB. Last year, the Hilltopper defense was arguably the best in the Sun Belt, their DL might suffer though as they are breaking in all 4 of their players as first year starters.
Arkansas State - The Red Wolves were one of our favorite teams to play last season, and it paid dividends week in and week out. They won the conference title after winning the final 8 games of the season. Unfortunately, QB Ryan Aplin is gone as well as 4 other members on offense. RB David Oku returns as well as top receiver J.D McKissic. They will look to make things easier on projected starter Philip Butterfield.
Troy - The Trojans would be projected to finish last in most other conferences, but two out of three of the teams that I have below them will be new to the conference. They have just six total starters returning this year. Luckily for them, their three most important players on offense will return. QB Corey Robinson, RB Deon Anthony, and WR Eric Thomas will all be back. Thomas will have some NFL teams watching and will be rewarded if he has a big year. On defense, they'll likely struggle with just 2 starters coming back.
South Alabama - The Jags will probably have a strong defense, but their offense will struggle to keep up with the firepower of the other teams in the conference. Ross Metheny is back under center for his senior season, but he struggled greatly last year throwing for 12 TDs and 12 INTs. On the defensive side of the ball, LB Enrique Williams and DE Alex Page will disrupt plenty of backfields as South Alabama will rely on them to keep them in their games.
Texas State - Newcomers Texas State are coming in fresh off of their first season at the D-I level. They went 4-8 in the WAC last season and will try to match that number this year. Tyler Arndt will be a first year starter at QB, but he saw some time last season. Defensively, they should have a tough time in the conference, especially against some of the better teams. While there are no real impact players, Michael Orakpo will need to lead the way at LB to slow down some of the opposing attacks.
Georgia State - The Panthers will have a tough time this season. There isn't much to say about them other than they'll be one of the worst teams in all of Division I football. Their only win last season was against winless Rhode Island. The good news is 8 starters are back on offense, including QB Ben McLane…so there's that.
The Sun Belt, in my opinion, was the most underrated conference last year. They put themselves on notice after UL Monroe defeated Arkansas early last year, but the conference turned out to be much more than that. Unfortunately, the Sun Belt has been left effected from the changing college football landscape and is not deep as it had been. Still, there are some teams to watch with plenty of potential NFL talent.
UL Monroe - Kolton Browning is no doubt the best player in the conference. He heads into his senior season after a 29 touchdown 3,049 yard breakthrough season. Je'Ron Hamm and Tavarese Maye come back after stellar seasons. Four of the five big bodies on the OL will be back as well. On the defensive side of the ball, seven starters return to make for a very formidable unit. While they might not be the most talented bunch, they're asked to do a lot as the Warhawk quick strike offense puts the defense on the field fairly often.
UL Lafayette - Blaine Gautier is gone at QB and the very talented Terrance Broadway will take over full time under center. Broadway may challenge Browning as the player of the year due to his elite athleticism. He didn't play a full season last year and still managed to pass for 2,842 yards and rush for 769. Alonzo Harris is back at RB, but will have a bit of a challenge ahead of him as two of the starting members of last year's OL have graduated. The defense remains in tact and is very strong up front. Look for DE Christian Ringo to have a big season as the anchor to their big DL.
Western Kentucky - Coach Bobby Petrino takes over a Hilltopper team that underachieved a bit last season. Senior RB Antonio Andrews comes into the season as one of the more explosive players in the conference. He rushed for 1,728 yards last season and will be relied upon heavily again. With Kawaun Jakes gone at QB, Brandon Doughty looks to take hold at QB. Last year, the Hilltopper defense was arguably the best in the Sun Belt, their DL might suffer though as they are breaking in all 4 of their players as first year starters.
Arkansas State - The Red Wolves were one of our favorite teams to play last season, and it paid dividends week in and week out. They won the conference title after winning the final 8 games of the season. Unfortunately, QB Ryan Aplin is gone as well as 4 other members on offense. RB David Oku returns as well as top receiver J.D McKissic. They will look to make things easier on projected starter Philip Butterfield.
Troy - The Trojans would be projected to finish last in most other conferences, but two out of three of the teams that I have below them will be new to the conference. They have just six total starters returning this year. Luckily for them, their three most important players on offense will return. QB Corey Robinson, RB Deon Anthony, and WR Eric Thomas will all be back. Thomas will have some NFL teams watching and will be rewarded if he has a big year. On defense, they'll likely struggle with just 2 starters coming back.
South Alabama - The Jags will probably have a strong defense, but their offense will struggle to keep up with the firepower of the other teams in the conference. Ross Metheny is back under center for his senior season, but he struggled greatly last year throwing for 12 TDs and 12 INTs. On the defensive side of the ball, LB Enrique Williams and DE Alex Page will disrupt plenty of backfields as South Alabama will rely on them to keep them in their games.
Texas State - Newcomers Texas State are coming in fresh off of their first season at the D-I level. They went 4-8 in the WAC last season and will try to match that number this year. Tyler Arndt will be a first year starter at QB, but he saw some time last season. Defensively, they should have a tough time in the conference, especially against some of the better teams. While there are no real impact players, Michael Orakpo will need to lead the way at LB to slow down some of the opposing attacks.
Georgia State - The Panthers will have a tough time this season. There isn't much to say about them other than they'll be one of the worst teams in all of Division I football. Their only win last season was against winless Rhode Island. The good news is 8 starters are back on offense, including QB Ben McLane…so there's that.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
SEC Preview
by Richard Douglas
The SEC will likely continue its reign as the premier conference in college football, with a top to bottom set of teams that could give almost anyone in the nation a run. The power teams should be able to maintain their perch at the top, but the mid level teams like Mizzou, Vandy and Ole Miss are knocking on the door to possibly upset the balance of power.
The SEC will likely continue its reign as the premier conference in college football, with a top to bottom set of teams that could give almost anyone in the nation a run. The power teams should be able to maintain their perch at the top, but the mid level teams like Mizzou, Vandy and Ole Miss are knocking on the door to possibly upset the balance of power.
Eastern Division
Winner: Georgia
The Bulldogs came one play away from completing a comeback
that folks would have been playing on NCAA games for years. Instead, they had to settle for whacking
Nebraska in a bowl game and hoping to be in position to make another run this
year. It’ll be with possibly the best
offense in the country, featuring another potential top QB in the NFL draft in
Aaron Murray. Murray averaged 10.1 yards
per completion, completed 64.5% of his passes and had 36 TDs to only 10
Ints. The only downside to his game is a
propensity to take sacks, getting whacked 6.3% of the time. He will have to try and repeat that
performance without his ridiculously explosive top target Tavarres King. He will though have a lot to work with, with
Malcolm Mitchell, Arthur Lynch, Michael Bennet and Chris Conley all posting
better than 60% catch rates and double digit yards per target (76.9, 70.6,
70.6, 62.5 and 11, 12.7, 10.1, 10.7 respectively). The offensive line returns entirely intact as
well, with over 100 combined starts.
That experience together should benefit the run game again, which
features two of the best backs in the country in Todd Gurley and Keith
Marshall. Gurley averaged 6.2 yards per
carry and scored 17 times, while Marshall picked up 6.5 and scored 8
times. The pair combined for 66 runs of
10 yards or more, with 22 of them going for more than 20. How the amount of 4 star recruits that fills
the front seven depth chart are able to fill in for the ultra talented group
that graduated. The aforementioned group
has 8 four star recruits that didn’t record any plays for the Dawgs last year,
but will get back its top DE in Garrison Smith (42 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack), and
Amarlo Herrera at the LB position (51.5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 Int, 2 passes defended.) The secondary is in the same boat, with a lot
of highly touted youth and one top returning player in Damian Swann (43.5
tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 4 Ints, 5 passes defended).
Georgia has to come out of the gate strong. They play Clemson, South Carolina, and LSU
all in the first month. After that
though, the schedule should roll out in front of them with a big game against
Florida to start November. The Dawgs can
run the table again in the East if they get 3 wins in September due to that
young defense coming out strong to begin, because the offense is strong enough
to beat even the most hardened SEC defenses.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Conference USA Preview
By Rich Douglas
C-USA has not been immune to the realignment fever that has gripped college football the past several years. Louisiana Tech, UTSA, Florida Atlantic and Middel Tennessee State all arrive, just as Memphis leaves, and conference mainstays Tulane, Tulsa and East Carolina prepare to depart. With a shift like that the power structure could easily get turned upside down, especially with several schools graduating a lot of Seniors.
C-USA has not been immune to the realignment fever that has gripped college football the past several years. Louisiana Tech, UTSA, Florida Atlantic and Middel Tennessee State all arrive, just as Memphis leaves, and conference mainstays Tulane, Tulsa and East Carolina prepare to depart. With a shift like that the power structure could easily get turned upside down, especially with several schools graduating a lot of Seniors.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Big 12 Conference Preview
By Rich Douglas
The Big 12 is a conference in a bit of upheaval still from the defections over the past several years. No team has a clear cut advantage over any of the others, with almost every school looking at a different signal caller this year than was set last year, and most of the talent on the defensive side of the ball will be getting overturned throughout the conference. The only thing that really hasnt changed are the head coaches, where every school but Tech will return their head man from last year, and even then Kingsbury is easily recognizable in Lubbock. Its going to be an exciting season, with a majority of the biggest conference games coming in the last month.
The Big 12 is a conference in a bit of upheaval still from the defections over the past several years. No team has a clear cut advantage over any of the others, with almost every school looking at a different signal caller this year than was set last year, and most of the talent on the defensive side of the ball will be getting overturned throughout the conference. The only thing that really hasnt changed are the head coaches, where every school but Tech will return their head man from last year, and even then Kingsbury is easily recognizable in Lubbock. Its going to be an exciting season, with a majority of the biggest conference games coming in the last month.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Richard Douglas NFL & College Football Early Season Special!
Whether a serious sports bettor or just a fan of sports, the
insight provided by Richard Douglas is second to none, if you enjoy reading Rich’s
informative blog post then May I suggest you take a look at his sports picks!
For a limited time take advantage of Rich’s NFL &College Football Season Special (only $279 for the entire season) at
ChuckEdel.com!
Thanks,
Chris Allen(ChuckEdel.com website manager)
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