Tuesday, August 18, 2009
By Jim Feist
2009 Conference USA Football Preview
The college football season is fast approaching, the best time of the sports calendar. In order to make accurate college football predictions from week to week, one needs to delve deep into all the offseason changes and additions, not only with players but the coaching staffs. Here is my look at what to anticipate for the upcoming Conference USA football season.
C-USA East Division:
East Carolina
The East Carolina Pirates have seen a resurgence under fifth-year head coach Skip Holtz, taking them bowling the last three seasons. They are off an 9-5 SU/5-9 ATS campaign, which ended with a loss to Kentucky, 25-19, in the Liberty Bowl. They upset Virginia Tech and West Virginia early in the season, which put them overvalued by oddsmakers, ending on a 3-9 ATS run. After capturing the Conference USA East Division title by matching a school-record with a 6-2 mark, ECU followed by defeating Tulsa 27-24 on the road to claim its first conference championship since 1976. Holtz had experience as offensive coordinator at South Carolina under Lou Holtz, his father. The Pirates played hard for the new coach, going 5-6 overall and a strong 8-3 against the spread in 2005, then making a bowl in 2006 going 7-6 SU and 10-3 ATS, and 8-5 ATS in 2007 and 9-5 last season. That means Holtz is 31-20 ATS as coach here! The Pirates will return 8 starters on offense, 8 on the defensive side of the ball.
Most impressive under Holtz is the improvement of the offense, averaging 31 points, 182 yards rushing, and 202 yards passing per game in 2007 and 23.8 points, 128 yards rushing, 207 passing last fall. The passing attack has 6-foot-4 senior QB Robert Kass (2 TDs, 2 INTs), who played more in 2007 when he had 9 TDs, 4 INTs as Holtz rotated the signal callers with QB Patrick Pinkney. The senior Pinkney is back after throwing for 2,675 yards, 13 TDs and 7 picks. Pinkney is back for a sixth season at East Carolina, as the NCAA granted a request for an extra year for the quarterback. He missed all of 2005 while recovering from a shoulder injury and multiple surgeries. Pinkney completed 61 percent of his passes last season.
Senior wide receiver Jamar Bryant (216 and 704 yards the last two years) is back, along with junior WR Dwayne Harris (654) and soph WR Darryl Freeney (352 yards). The ground game has junior RB Norman Whitley (698 yards), a strong 4.9 yards per carry as he replaced ace RB Chris Johnson, who is now with the Tennessee Titans. 210-pound junior Jonathan Williams (380 yards) adds depth. A potential star is Williams, who averaged 6.8 yards a carry as a true freshman in 2007. This is a good system that Holtz has in place, so the offense should be productive.
East Carolina stood among the nation’s Top 30 in eight different statistical rankings (NCAA FBS Division) and finished among C-USA’s Top 3 in 12 categories, including league-best marks in scoring defense, total defense, red zone defense and punting. In addition, the Pirates turned in their highest take-away total (33) since 1996 and netted the most interceptions (22) since 1993. The defense allowed just 20.8 ppg and has 8 starters back. That was a huge upgrade from 2007, when the EC defense was terrible, allowing 30 points, 142 yards rushing and 288 passing per game! They are set at safety with senior SS Van Eskridge, and soph CBs Derek Blacknall and Emanuel Davis. The line is deep and experience behind LB Brandon Carr, Allen Crowder (DL), Kwaku Danso (DL), and Andrew Farr (DL). September games against West Virginia and North Carolina highlight a difficult early schedule where they play 4 road games in 5 weeks. Conference road games at Tulsa and Memphis will be a challenge, too, but they are good enought to be bowling again.
Southern Miss
Southern Miss showed 16-year coach Jeff Bower the door a year ago, despite making another bowl. Bower had success with a powerful running game and a tough defense. The new coach, Larry Fedora, brought in a different style, a wide-open spread offense he helped run at Oklahoma State. The results were predictable, as the Golden Eagles finished with the same record as 2007 (7-6), with a strong offense (30.7 ppg) but a soft defense. But they did make a bowl, beating Troy 30-27, ending the 2008 season on a 5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS run. The Golden Eagles have now had 15 straight seasons with a winning record.
So Southern Miss has given coach Larry Fedora a contract extension following a strong finish. The Golden Eagles ended the season with five straight wins and knocked off Sun Belt champion Troy 30-27 in overtime in the New Orleans Bowl, extending their streak to 15 straight winning seasons. The extension pushes his contract to four years through 2012. Southern Miss always plays a tough schedule, too. Last season they lost to Auburn, in 2007 they opened with a loss at Tennessee, and three years ago they lost to eventual national champion Florida. In 2005 they lost at Alabama 30-21 and at NC State 21-17 (getting the ATS cover in both games). In 2004 they upset Nebraska on the road, 21-17, as a +14 dog, lost at Alabama (27-3) then nearly stunned Cal, losing 26-16 as a +25 home dog!
Fedora, 46, came to Southern Miss after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. In 2006, the Cowboys were one of just two teams, the other being Boise State, to average over 200 yards both rushing and passing. The OSU offense averaged over 30 points per contest over his final two seasons as well. He was offensive coordinator at Florida in 2004 under Ron Zook.
Fedora has a ton of returning offensive talent to work with, led by sophomore QB Austin Davis (23 TDs, 8 picks, 3,134 yards), plus he ran for 508 yards. They lean heavily on one-back formations and no-huddle sets like Oklahoma State. This offense averaged 196 yards rushing and 238 passing. Senior RB Damion Fletcher has smashed most Southern Miss rushing records and now has 4,287 rushing yards in his career. But he had offseason trouble, sentenced to six months probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge. "Damion is paying for the mistake he made and we are handling the discipline internally," Fedora said. Fletcher ran for 1,313 yards, after a sensational sophomore campaign in 2007 running for 1,586 yards, 5.4 yards per carry, and 15 TDs. As a freshman in 2006 he ran for 1,388 yards, 5 yards per carry, and 11 TDs.
A guy to watch is sophomore WR DeAndre Brown, a former top recruit who spurned several SEC schools to play for the Golden Eagles. He was their top wideout as a freshman, with 67 catches for 1,117 yards and 12 TDs. He teams with senior WR Gerald Baptiste (464 yards) and 6-2 junior WR Torris Magee. Magee had an off year (86 yards) but led the team in 2007 with 44 catches and 632 yards.
The defense took a hit as Southern Mississippi junior linebacker Gerald McRath jumped to the NFL early. McRath was a Conference USA defensive player of the year winner and a two-time first-team all-conference selection. McRath had 127 tackles, two forced fumbles and two recovered. The secondary is solid with junior FS Chico Hunter. The defense may be a concern again, but this talented Southern Miss offense will win some games (5-4 over the total under Fedora). They have made bowl appearance in 11 of the past 12 seasons and should again.
Memphis
Memphis coach Tommy West had another strong offensive team, but one pitiful defensively, ending up 6-7 SU, 5-7 ATS. They averaged 28 ppg but allowed 28 per game! The previous season they allowed 32 ppg. That's why Memphis is 13-9 over the total the last two years. West has a talented offense returning, though there are newcomers on the offensive line on a team that averaged 205 yards rushing, 226 passing per contest.
Four of the five consistent starters in the offensive line were seniors in 2008, leaving Dominik Riley as the only player to start all 13 games. There are several talented players who will vie for a starting post, including returnees Malcom Rawls and Ronald Leary. The QB competition is interesting. Returning is senior QB Brett Toney (3 TDs, 2 picks, 338 yards), who started two games last season when Arkelon Hall was injured. Senior QB Hall (2,275 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs) returns after starting 11 games last season. A former Washington State signee, he was one of the highest-rated prep quarterbacks of 2005. Byron Ingram, a transfer from Georgia Tech, will get a look. The fire should be turned up in the fall when up-and-comer soph QB Tyler Bass returns full speed and highlytouted prep signee Will Gilchrist arrives in Memphis.
West is an excellent recruiter, particularly of offensive players. The running game was back on track in 2008 with the emergence of Curtis Steele. Steele, a junior college transfer, was redshirted in 2007 and was nearly pulled out of his redshirt towards the end of the season after injuries hobbled the Tiger ground game. He came out in 2008 and had a stellar junior season, rushing for 1,223 yards and seven TDs. The ground game will be enhanced by sophomore Brandon Ross, Wisconsin transfer Lance Smith and Greg Ray. Ross was thrust into action as a true freshman because of injuries to others and had a solid season. In just eight games, he rolled off 296 yards and two TDs on 58 carries. Ray was hobbled by a nagging hamstring injury in ’08 and was forced to redshirt.
The passing game has Junior 6-7 Deven Onarheim, who gets his shot this season after playing behind Brett Russell for the last two seasons. West has shifted the emphasis from big and powerful to simply, FAST. The solid one-two punch of 6-foot-8 senior Carlos Singleton (791 yards) and 6-foot-4 senior Duke Calhoun is back as both combined for 1,278 yards and eight scores on 92 receptions last season. Talk about some tall receiving targets! The air attack will be ramped up with the speed of Calhoun and Singleton added with transfer Jermaine McKenzie, returnee Cam Baker and redshirt freshmen Marcus Rucker and Curtis Johnson. The real key is for Tiger QBs to throw the ball up there and give the wideouts a chance to make the plays they are capable of making. This offense looks loaded to tear up C-USA defensives again.
But can they stop anybody? Memphis was brutal, allowing over 200 yards rushing and passing per game. in 2007, so West changed coordinators again, hiring former Miami assistant Tim Walton to run the defense. They improved a little, allowing 28 ppg. The defensive front will be the most talented and deepest position for the Tigers. Some of the returning players who will be challenging for a spot on the two-deep will be seniors Greg Terrell, Jada Brown, Josh Weaver and Steven Turner. Demetrius Culpepper, Joel McCleod and Charlie Bryant all have game experience and West picked up noted junior college transfer Justin Thompson in December. Tim McGee, who missed last season after requiring shoulder surgery, will also add to the size and talent on the line.
A pair of linebackers to watch are LSU transfer Derrick Odom and Mississippi State transfer Jamon Hughes. Memphis is 7-4, 8-4 and 5-5 over the total the last three years. Can they keep winning the close ones? Memphis was 2-5-1 ATS its last 7 as chalk. This offense should be decent, but the defense is still a question mark. Another good season to go over the total? Something to keep in mind with college football predictions this fall.
Central Florida
The Golden Knights have been on a roller coaster under George O'Leary. Central Florida was 0-11 SU, 3-8 ATS in 2004, then started 0-2 in 2005. And then, boom! The Golden Knights stunned the football world by going 8-1 the next nine games and all the way to the first-annual Conference USA championship game, losing 44-27 to Tulsa. The 8-4 season still earned Central Florida a bowl berth, a wild 49-48 loss to Nevada, to cap off a remarkable turnaround. They turned around in 2006, going 4-8 SU, 4-7 ATS with an erratic offense and a terrible defense, bounced back in 2007 with a 10-4 campaign, then back to 4-8 last season. So is 2009 bounce back time?
The Knights are under new offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe's system, who tries to upgrade a unit that averaged just 16.6 points, unlable to run (113 yards pg) or pass (116 yds passing pg). A master of offenses ranging from the traditional wishbone to the wide-open attacks of the CFL throughout his coaching career, Taaffe will be able to incorporate many different nuances to help the Knights move the ball better than a year ago. UCF was one of just four teams in the nation to start a true freshman at quarterback in the majority of its games last fall. Sophomore QB Rob Calabrese (7 TDs, 5 picks) returns after leading the team with 664 yards, while redshirt sophomore Joe Weatherford (0 TDs, 2 picks, 160 yards) is in the mix. Michael Greco, who started four games under center last fall, has been moved to the safety position where his athleticism could be an asset.
The Knights will bring back 10 of its 11 starters, losing just first-team All-Conference USA left tackle Patrick Brown, a fixture in the UCF offense for 50 consecutive starts. In addition to the host of freshmen and sophomores who gained valuable experience in 2008, UCF will welcome back two of its top receivers, A.J. Guyton and Rocky Ross, both of whom were lost for the season due to injuries. Guyton was one of the team's top receivers in 2007 but missed the entire 2008 campaign with a knee injury while Ross broke his clavicle at UTEP last September and the UCF offense was not the same without him in the final eight games. Senior WR Brian Watters (594 yards) is back, and they like true freshman Marquee Williams.J amar Newsome (four receptions, 81 yards, one touchdown), Notre Dame transfer Richard Jackson (seven games played, two receptions), Chad Alexander and J.T. McArthur also saw playing time for the Knights at wide receiver in 2008.
UCF boasted an exceptionally young offensive line a year ago with four first-year starters, two of them redshirt freshmen. Nick Pieschel, who started each of the final seven games of the season at left guard, will move over to the left tackle post. UCF returns a deep stable of sophomore tailbacks in 2009 as four different freshmen started. Brynn Harvey emerged as the starter and ended up leading the Knights with 125 attempts and 519 yards, averaging a solid 4.2 yards per carry. Ronnie Weaver started each of the first six games and gained 348 yards on his 102 carries, scoring twice, while freshman 6-4, 230-pound James Poe is a big back looking for time. UCF will take advantage of some of its tremendous defensive line depth to help bolster its offensive line, moving Theo Goins across to the other side of the ball to play left guard. Another converted defensive tackle, Wes Tunuufi Sauvao, will play center.
The Knights return 10 offensive starters and almost the entire defensive front seven from 2008. Last fall, UCF led C-USA in both rushing defense and passing efficiency defense while ranking second in total defense and scoring defense. The Knights were third in the nation with 8.17 tackles for loss per game and the majority of the student-athletes who produced them return. Defensive backs Josh Robinson and Jarrett Swaby both find themselves in the two-deep role. Central Florida is still 12-25 SU, 15-22 ATS on the road its last 37 road contests. The defense looks decent, but there are big question marks with the passing offense.
Marshall
The Thundering Herd was a little better than that 4-8 SU, 4-7 ATS record suggests. They started 3-1, then folded, losing three games by a field goal or less, including a 38-35 loss to mighty Tulsa as a +16 dog. The offense average 157 yards rushing per game and returns a ton of talent. It's the defense that was soft, allowing 27.7 ppg. Marshall offensive Coordinator John Shannon will have many weapons at his disposal this spring as Marshall welcomes back seven starters from last season. The Thundering Herd boasts one of the nation’s top receiving tight ends in Cody Slate and a deep group of running backs that is headlined by returning 1,000-yard rusher Darius Marshall.
Sophomore Mark Cann returns at quarterback and he will compete with junior Brian Anderson, who turned in a strong performance in last season's finale against Tulsa. Quarterback Cann threw for 1,767 yards and 14 touchdowns last leason in 11 starts. Anderson fi lled in for the injured Cann in last year's season finale against Tulsa and responded by completing 14-of-19 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions to nearly lead the Herd to an upset. Highly touted JUCO transfers Press Taylor (Norman, Okla.) and Jacob Laudenslayer (Modesto, Calif.) will also compete for the starting nod. Taylor led Butler County C.C. to back-toback Junior College National Championships.
Junior running Back Darius Marshall was an All-Conference USA selection, coming off of a stellar sophomore campaign that saw him rush for 1,095 yards and five touchdowns. However, Marshall was one of team players suspended after being arrested on drug charges in western West Virginia back in May. Tailback Darius Marshall and defensive back DeQuan Bembry, also known as DeQuan Starling, were arrested and charged with marijuana possession with intent to deliver. Last season as a sophomore, Marshall ran for 1,177 yards and scored five touchdowns. Bembry had 80 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, and intercepted a pass as a redshirt freshman. Marshall coach Mark Snyder says he's disappointed in the players' decision-making.
Highly touted freshmen Martin Ward and Jordan Taylor were redshirted last season and will now push for playing time in the backfield along with converted linebacker Antawn Booker. The Herd will be looking to replace Darius Passmore who led the team with 945 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season. Marshall returns several veterans in the receiving corps, including senior Courtney Edmonson, Bryant Milligan and Tavaris Thompson. All-America candidate TE Cody Slate will enter his senior season with 2,012 career receiving yards and 19 career touchdown receptions. Slate is such a valuable weapon that Marshall also utilizes him in the running game where he managed four carries for 60 yards last season.
Marshall Defensive Coordinator Rick Minter welcomes back eight starters and seven of its top 10 tacklers from last season. First-team All-Conference USA defensive end Albert McClellan returns for his senior season to lead a stout Thundering Herd defensive front that features four returning starters. The Marshall linebacking corps welcomes back the team's top tackler from a year ago in junior Mario Harvey who recorded 107 tackles as a sophomore. Freshman standout T.J. Drakeford returns at the cornerback spots, while seniors Ashton Hall and John Saunders as depth. The heat is on Coach Mark Snyder after back to back 3-9 SU, 4-7 ATS and 4-8 SU/4-7 ATS campaigns.
This is their fifih season in Conference USA and Marshall has gone 4-7, 5-7, 3-9 and 4-8 the last four seasons. The last four years they are 5-26 SU/9-21 ATS on the road! The defense has allowed 23, 22, 25.9, 29, 34 and 27.7 ppg the last six seasons -- and going in the wrong direction! Because of that bad defense, Marshall was 8-2 over the total (7-0 over in conference games) in 2006 and 7-4 over in 2007 before slipping to 7-2 under last year. Don't look for a winning season with this defense, not that difficult a college football prediction.
U.A.B.
Alabama Birmingham hasn't had a good start under coach Neil Callaway, the former Georgia offensive coordinator, going 2-10 SU, 5-6 ATS in 2007 and 4-8 SU, 5-4-1 ATS last year. Callaway, the third football coach in UAB history, has a five-year contract. Callaway was the offensive coordinator at Georgia the previous six seasons. He was the offensive line coach at Alabama in 1997 and line coach and offensive coordinator from 1998-00. They have had a young team that got torched on defense (35 ppg allowed) while averaging 19 ppg with the new offensive system in 2007, and just 22 ppg on offense last season while allowing 31 ppg.
Veteran coach Kim Helton begins his third year as offensive coordinator. He was running backs coach with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, a former head coach at the University of Houston from 1993-99. Senior QB Joseph Webb (10 TDs, 16 INTs) is back, though he was turnover prone and much better running the football, with 1,021 yards, leading the team. They are looking at jujnior QB Bryan Ellis and sophomore QB David Isabelle. Ellis is from Byron, Georgia, the 2007 Middle Georgia Class AAA offensive player of the year. Ellis had a strong senior season in high school, finishing with 3,600 yards passing and 31 touchdowns while throwing just 10 interceptions all year. He is a Callaway signee and the QB of the future, so don't be surprised if he gets his feet wet fast.
The QB will have an excellent returning target in junior WR Frantrell Forrest, who had 563 yards and 5 TDs in 2007, leading the Blazers as a freshman, and 536 yards last season, also leading the team. Senior RB Rashaud Slaughter has moved around from running back to slot receiver, but ran the football well last season with 514 yards, 4.5 ypc. Slaughter played slot receiver as a freshman before becoming the team's starting running back in 2007. The Blazers lost a key weapon in All-Conference USA kicker senior Swayze Waters.
The defense needs an overhaul, after allowing 169 rush yards per game in C-USA play in 2005, 157 yards rushing in 2006 and 256 yards per game (5.7 ypc) in 2007. The Blazers had just five sacks over the final six games that season, allowing an average of 40 points and going 0-6 SU, 2-4 ATS. But they made some improvements in 2008, allowing 24, 17 and 0 points the final three games. Of course, before that they had games allowing 45, 49, 45 and 70 points! Linebacker is the position where Callaway is looking for more depth behind senior B.J. Steed and junior Mike Tashman, but they lack depth. Tashman was a top prospect who helped lead Hoover High School to the 2005 Alabama Class 6A state championship. Tashman was a starting linebacker on the '05 Bucs team that finished 14-1 and defeated Daphne in the 6A state championship game.
"Defensively, we have been so shorthanded," said Callaway in the spring, "so be honest, we wanted to just make it through. I do think we had some good performances on the defensive side. I was very pleased with (DE) Derek Slaughter. I think the move with Timmy Davis (to defensive end) has been a good move. Caleb Dyck, I think will be able to help us at linebacker. Justin Wells made improvement, but he needs to continue to do that. Linebacker and safety have been hard to gauge because we were so shorthanded at those spots." UAB is 2-15 SU, 9-11 ATS on the road the last three years. The schedule is brutal, playing 5 of 6 road games beginning September 12, with back to back games at Troy and Texas A&M. A winning season is out of the question.
2009 C-USA West Division:
Tulsa
Tulsa (11-3 SU, 8-5 ATS) continues to roll on offense, even under second-year coach Todd Graham. Graham turned around Rice with a wide-open offensive attack and kept it rolling at Tulsa, with the help of OC Gus Malzahn, the architect of the hurry-up, no-huddle attack. They averaged 41 points and a nation’s-high 544 yards a game in 2007 and last season was even better, averaging 41 points, 254 yards rushing and 310 passing! But they lost a lot of talent, particularly dynamic QB David Johnson (46 TDs, 18 picks). Tulsa coach Todd Graham announced that after Malzahn's departure, Herb Hand will become the Golden Hurricane's lone offensive coordinator. He had shared the position with Malzahn. "One thing is certain: Our offense will remain the same as it has been in my entire head coaching career, as a no-huddle spread offense," Graham said.
Graham also agreed to a new 10-year contract that could keep him with the Golden Hurricane through the 2018 season. They will be on their third QB in three years, after senior QB David Johnson (46 TDs, 18 picks) graduated. Junior QB Jacob Bower will get first crack, he knows the system and threw for 138 yards last fall. Bower was the highest-rated JUCO quarterbacks in 2007, while junior QB Clark Harrell is also available. Graham expects the offense to bounce back. "Our biggest area of concern is our offensive line. There are three guys up front that I'm very pleased with -- Curt Puckett, Tyler Holmes and Clint Anderson. We have to find two more guys and have to get better there in a hurry."
RB Tarrion Adams is gone and has been a beast, rushing for 1,225 and 1,523 yards the last two years. 5-foot-9 junior RB Jamad Williams (523 yards) is quick and average over 6 yards per carry, while sophomore RB Charles Opeseyitan (355) averaged 7.9 ypc! There is experience in the passing game with senior WR Slick Shelley (627 yards), soph Damaris Johnson (608) and junior Charles Clay. Clay had 69 catches for 1,024 yards and 7 TDs in 2007 but slipped to 464 yards last season in this wide-open attack. He earned freshmen All-America recognition in 2007. Tulsa is 16-11 SU, 13-13 ATS on the road the last four years.
The defense is a bit light up front, allowing 29 points per game, a year after they allowed 197 rush yards, 273 passing yards and 35 points per game. Defensive backs senior CB Charles Davis and senior Kenny Sims will anchor down two spots in the Hurricane secondary. "Defensively, we have to get back to doing what we've done in the past of being successful, and that's a relentless attitude to run to the ball and get back to a hard edge mentality defensively," said Graham. "What we have to improve on defense is not giving away too many one play drives." The schedule isn't bad, though they open with three straight road games (including at Oklahoma). They should contend for the C-USA title and another bowl stop.
Houston
Houston (8-5 SU, 5-8 ATS) is a powerhouse offensive team under second-year head coach Kevin Sumlin, who came in after being offensive coordinator at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops. Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has made the Houston attack in the image of the one he just left at Texas Tech -- spread the field and air it out early and often! It will be hard to top last year's offensive numbers: 41 points, 161 yards rushing, 4.9 ypc, and 414 passing yards per game.
Quarterback Blake Joseph decided not to return for his final year of eligibility, but that won't be a concer as junior Case Keenum won the starting quarterback job and was sensational: Keenum threw for 5,020 yards, with 44 TDs, and 11 picks! He racked up more than 386 yards per game through the air, averaging more than 400 yards of total offense per game last season to lead the nation and was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. In 2007 the mobile Keenum was Conference USA Freshman of the Year and was outstanding, with 2,259 yards, 68.5% completions, 14 TDs and 10 INTs. He ran for 221 yards. With Keenum at the controls, the 2008 Cougars finished second in the FBS in total offense at 575.1 yards per game, while averaging 41.7 points per game. His efforts led Houston to its fourth straight bowl game, as the Cougars defeated Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl for the program's first bowl win in 28 years.
The talent doesn't end there, however. Sophomore running back Bryce Beall and sophomore receiver Tyron Carrier were announced as 2009 Preseason Trophy Favorites. Named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year last season, Beall set a Houston record for rushing yards by a freshman, rushing for a team-high 1,247 yards and 13 touchdowns. Beall also added 34 receptions for 496 yards and four scores, topped 100 yards rushing five times and finished the regular season with 102 points to pace UH. Tatum was named Second-Team Freshman All-America by College Football News. Carrier established UH freshman records in both receptions (80) and receiving yards (1,026), becoming the first freshman in Cougar history to reach 1,000 yards receiving.
Carrier was second on the team with nine touchdown receptions and was named to the 2008 All-C-USA Second Team and 2008 C-USA All-Freshman Team. Houston receiver Patrick Edwards, who broke his leg when he ran into a metal service cart in a game at Marshall last year, plans to play this season. Edwards also said he will pursue legal action against Marshall. He was running full speed for a long pass when his right shin crashed into the cart just beyond the end zone. The sophomore tells Houston television station KRIV that he's confident he can return at full strength. He was Houston's leading receiver with 634 yards when he was injured.
The defense has been up and down for several years and they are off a two straight poor seasons. In 2007 the defense allowed 30 points, 126 yards rushing and 254 passing per C-USA contest and last season allowed 31.2 ppg. On defense the Cougars have plenty of returning starters to lean on, including consensus First-Team All-Conference defensive end Phillip Hunt. Joining Hunt as returning starters include defensive lineman Tate Stewart, linebacker Cody Lubojasky, and cornerback Brandon Brinkley.
Houston switched to a 4-3 base alignment for 2008, but didn't improve much. Note that Houston averaged 39 ppg at home, just 29 ppg on the road. Houston is 11-17 SU, 11-17 ATS on the road the last fiver seasons. This is a team built for the quick turf at home, where they are 17-5 SU, 12-8 ATS averaging 37 ppg the last three years. Yes, they are 11-7 over the total at home the last three seasons. Houston has the offensive talent to be a conference force again, but the key will be the changes on defense.
U.T.E.P.
UTEP has flopped the last three seasons, going 5-7, 4-8 and 5-7. They failed to make a bowl in 2006 despite a 4-2 start, and in 2007 despite a 3-2 start. They started 3-3 last season. It's no secret what the problem has been: no defense. In 2007 the team allowed 34 points, 185 yards rushing and 315 yards passing per game, and last season allowed 37 ppg. Head Coach Mike Price is an offensive specialist and there's nothing wrong on that side of the ball for the Miners. Price reenergized the offense when he arrived in 2004, which exploded for 36 points, 142 yards rushing and 251 passing per game that season. In 2005, they averaged 31.8 points, 122 yards rushing and 300 passing per game, and 2006 they averaged 27 points and 311 yards passing. In 2007 it was 32 points and 276 yards passing per contest and 122 yards rushing, 284 passing per game last fall, so offense hasn't been the problem.
UTEP welcomes back 55 letterwinners, including 26 on offense, 27 on defense and two kickers. The Miners return 16 starters (eight offense/seven defense/one kicker), while losing eight starters (three offense/four defense/one kicker). The offense will be fine, led by junior QB Trevor Vittatoe. He was sensational as a freshman, passing for 3,101 yards, 25 TDs, 7 picks, and was even better in 2008 with 3,274 yards, 33 TDs and only 9 picks! Running back depth is a concern, though the guy to watch is speedy junior James Thomas II (351 yards), who was second in rushing and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. The Miners lost three games by five points or less to New Mexico State (34-33), Rice (49-44) and Houston.
The passing game should be very potent, with the return of junior WR Kris Adams (958 yards, 14 TDs) and senior WR Jeff Moturi (655 yards), the top two wideouts. Regular starters back on the offensive line are LT Mike Aguayo, RG Rod Huntley, RT Will Osolinsky and LG Cameron Raschke. UTEP shifted from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-3-5 last fall, but it didn't help. Osia Lewis begins his second season as UTEP's defensive coordinator after serving in the same capacity at New Mexico for the previous five years. He uses an aggressive zone-blitz-type defense, with 3 safeties roaming the field and attacking from different angles.
Defensive starters returning are RCB Cornelius Brown, Miner back Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, RSLB Anthony Morrow, NT Steve Riddick, RE Robert Soleyjacks, LCB Melvin Stephenson II and Braxton Amy, who started nine games at SAM linebacker in 2007. The Miners will play six of their first nine games against teams that went to bowls last season. UTEP kicks off the 2009 campaign with back-to-back home games versus Buffalo (Sept. 5) and Kansas (Sept. 12). The Miners will complete their non-conference slate with trips to I-10 rival New Mexico State (Sept. 19) and Texas (Sept. 26). UTEP’s first three Conference USA games are all against '08 bowl teams -- versus Houston (Oct. 3), at Memphis (Oct. 10) and against Tulsa (Oct. 21). Three of the Miners four games in the month of November are on the road against Tulane (Nov. 7), SMU (Nov. 14) and Rice (Nov. 21). UTEP has seven games scheduled versus teams that ended the 2008 campaign in bowls. Marshall, Memphis and UAB return to the Miners’ conference schedule for the first time since 2006. They went 6-2 over the total with that great offense and lousy 'D'. If they can straighten out the defense with the new system, a winning season is a possibility.
Rice
Rice (10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS) has had 3 coaches in 5 years! Ken Hatfield and his running offense went out after a 1-10 2005 season, and new coach Todd Graham turned things around in 2006 with a 7-5 regular season and a bowl game, their first bowl bid since 1961. He was so good, he's gone! Graham headed out to become the head coach at Tulsa, so David Bailiff, 50, took over the last two seasons. He had spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. They looked like a high school team on defense in 2007, going 3-9 SU, 4-7 ATS while giving up 43 points and 312 passing yards per game. Then they turned it all around in 2008 with a 10-3 campaign (7-1 in C-USA).
The offense returns 4 starters to a unit that was sensational, averaging 41 points, 144 yards rushing and 327 passing! But that was under QB Chase Clement (44 TDs,7 picks), who is gone. Junior QB John Thomas Shepherd (78 yards) has played in 14 games and has one start in his career. In addition, freshman QB Ryan Lewis is available, along with sophomore QB Nick Fanuzzi, a transfer from Alabama. The top two receivers are gone, so senior WR Toren Dixon (598 yards) gets the nod. He has 101 career receptions and a 26-game reception streak. Junior WR Pierre Beasley (49 yards) has to step up. He caught his first TD pass vs. UTEP last fall, plus there is 6-6 senior WR Taylor Wardlow and senior Corbin Smiter (4th on team with 30 receptions).
The ground game lose its top rushers (including QB Clement, who ran for 693 yards), so the onus falls on sophomoreTB Tyler Smith and senior Jeramy Goodson (69 yards), who averaged 6.1 per carrry last season in limited action. Junior LT Scott Mitchell has 18 consecutive starts at left tackle, senior LG Jake Hicks started 10 games at right tackle in 2008, and soph RT Tyler Parish played in all 13 games, three starts in 2008. Don't expect this offense to be even close to last fall with all the new faces.
Despite the 10-win season, Rice has suffered from poor defense the last few years, no matter who was coach, and that was the case last season, allowing 34.9 ppg. In 2007 Rice allowed 42 points, 219 yards rushing and 318 passing in C-USA play per game. DE is a strength with junior DE Cheta Ozougwu, who led the D-line with 39 tackles, and soph Arnaud Gason-Nadon, who was All C-USA Freshman in 2008. Rice is a rather amazing 19-3 over the total the last two years! 8 starters return on defense, led by senior S Andrew Sendejo, junior DE Scott Solomon, and hard hitting, though undersized, linebackers. Mark this one down: Rice is 30-5 over the total the last three years! Rice is on a 12-5 SU, 12-5 ATS ATS run, but bettor's beware: Rice is 9-17 SU/10-15 ATS its last 26 on the road.
Tulane
Believe it or not, Tulane overachieved in a 4-8 SU/4-7 ATS campaign under first-year coach Bob Toledo in 2007, then slipped to 2-10 last year without workhorse RB Matt Forte. Toledo was the head coach at UCLA (1996-2002) where his teams had wide-open, spread offenses. Toledo came to Tulane from New Mexico, where he spent the 2006 season as offensive coordinator. He has coached in 13 bowl games during his career, including seven of the traditional New Year's Day bowls. The offense slipped to 16.7 points and 221 yards passing per game in 2008.
The pressure will be on the quarterbacks to produce, but the problem is Tulanes' QB situation is very weak. 6-5 junior QB Kevin Moore got the most time in 2008 and passed for 2,169 yards, but threw 8 TDs, 13 picks. Don't rule out sophomore QB Joe Kemp, who threw for 244 yards, 2 TDs and one pick as a freshman. The receiving corps is decent, led by senior WR Jeremy Williams (437 and 773 yards the last two years) and junior TE Cody Sparks (245 yards). Williams caught 40 passes for 484 yards as a freshman when he was No. 2 on the team in receiving. 8 starters returns on offense.
But who will run the football? Senior RB Andre Anderson (864 yards) was decent with 5.0 yards per carry, but they slipped to 118 yards rushing per game as a team after Forte went to the NFL. Anderson will compete with juniors Andre Agers, J.T. McDonald and junior FB Jordan Stephany in the backfield. The offensive line is decent, though they lose the guard tandem of seniors Troy Kropog and Michael Parenton. Tulane was all passing in 2006, averaging 247 yards in the air and just 91.7 yards rushing, then was mainly rushing in 2007, before having to rely more on a weak passing game last year while falling behind too often. Toledo will look for more balance this fall. Toledo would like to try and keep the Tulane tradition of developing QBs under Chris Scelfo, who helped developed star QB J.P. Losman, a first round NFL draft pick. The previous four Tulane quarterbacks have been Shaun King, Patrick Ramsey, J.P. Losman and Lester Ricard, who all produced (Ricard had 18 TDs, 10 picks in 2006).
Toledo promoted O'Neill Gilbert to the position of defensive coordinator for the Green Wave last fall, but the defense was awful, allowing 34.5 ppg. 8 starters return on defense, led by DT Justin Adams, DT Emmanuel Aluko, DT Chris Asumnu, LB Travis Burks, and CBs Phillip Davis and Charles Harris. Tulane has gone 8-4, 7-4 and 4-4 over the total the last three years with a decent offense put weak 'D'. Opening with Tulsa and BYU means an 0-2 start, and they end the season playing 5 of 6 on the road (one game at LSU)! Tulane is 3-15 SU, 7-11 ATS on the road the last three seasons and 4-28 SU, 8-23-1 ATS its last 32 as a dog!
S.M.U.
SMU went to the run-and-shoot attack under first-year Head Coach June Jones last season, and things didn't work out well in a 1-11 SU, 4-7 ATS campain. That makes SMU 2-21 SU, 7-15 ATS the last two campaigns. They carry a 10-game skid into the new season. Quarterbacks soph Bo Levi Mitchell, junior Braden Smith and J.J. McDermott lead the offense, one that averaged 21 points, 272 yards passing, 41 yards rushing. That's as one-dimensional as you can get! And the defense was brutal, allowing 41 ppg.
Bo Mitchell was going to Hawaii until Jones changed zip codes, and Mitchell threw for 2,865 yards, 24 TDs, 23 picks. There is no balanace on offense, so they will throw again to junior WR Aldrick Robinson (59 grabs, 1,047 yards, 11 TDs), senior WR Emmanuel Sanders (958 yards, 9 TDs) and sophomore WR Cole Beasley (366 yards), the top three targets.
It's been a tough offseason for the program, as former Kansas City Chiefs coach Frank Gansz, who was special teams coach at SMU last year, died in a Dallas hospital. He was 70. SMU spokesman Brad Sutton said Gansz developed complications after undergoing knee replacement surgery. Jones will try to get the offense more productive, but don't look for any balance, especially as they are likely to be behind often.
Jones is no defensive coach and he needs some help with his group. The SMU defense was awful in 2007, giving up 39 points, 187 yards rushing and 306 passing per game, and worse last season. All that was a bit shocking, as in 2006 the run defense was the best in C-USA. The secondary has now been torched for 246, 306 and 275 yards per game the last three years, so they should begin there! SMU is 15-13 over the total the last three seasons. Defending C-USA champion East Carolina comes to Dallas on Oct. 10 before Navy comes calling on Oct. 17. SMU will then have back-to-back road games at Houston (Oct. 24) and Tulsa (Oct. 31). A winning season is unlikely with this defense. All of this should help you sift through information on smaller college schools when assessing college football predictions just around the corner!
By Jim Feist
2009 Conference USA Football Preview
The college football season is fast approaching, the best time of the sports calendar. In order to make accurate college football predictions from week to week, one needs to delve deep into all the offseason changes and additions, not only with players but the coaching staffs. Here is my look at what to anticipate for the upcoming Conference USA football season.
C-USA East Division:
East Carolina
The East Carolina Pirates have seen a resurgence under fifth-year head coach Skip Holtz, taking them bowling the last three seasons. They are off an 9-5 SU/5-9 ATS campaign, which ended with a loss to Kentucky, 25-19, in the Liberty Bowl. They upset Virginia Tech and West Virginia early in the season, which put them overvalued by oddsmakers, ending on a 3-9 ATS run. After capturing the Conference USA East Division title by matching a school-record with a 6-2 mark, ECU followed by defeating Tulsa 27-24 on the road to claim its first conference championship since 1976. Holtz had experience as offensive coordinator at South Carolina under Lou Holtz, his father. The Pirates played hard for the new coach, going 5-6 overall and a strong 8-3 against the spread in 2005, then making a bowl in 2006 going 7-6 SU and 10-3 ATS, and 8-5 ATS in 2007 and 9-5 last season. That means Holtz is 31-20 ATS as coach here! The Pirates will return 8 starters on offense, 8 on the defensive side of the ball.
Most impressive under Holtz is the improvement of the offense, averaging 31 points, 182 yards rushing, and 202 yards passing per game in 2007 and 23.8 points, 128 yards rushing, 207 passing last fall. The passing attack has 6-foot-4 senior QB Robert Kass (2 TDs, 2 INTs), who played more in 2007 when he had 9 TDs, 4 INTs as Holtz rotated the signal callers with QB Patrick Pinkney. The senior Pinkney is back after throwing for 2,675 yards, 13 TDs and 7 picks. Pinkney is back for a sixth season at East Carolina, as the NCAA granted a request for an extra year for the quarterback. He missed all of 2005 while recovering from a shoulder injury and multiple surgeries. Pinkney completed 61 percent of his passes last season.
Senior wide receiver Jamar Bryant (216 and 704 yards the last two years) is back, along with junior WR Dwayne Harris (654) and soph WR Darryl Freeney (352 yards). The ground game has junior RB Norman Whitley (698 yards), a strong 4.9 yards per carry as he replaced ace RB Chris Johnson, who is now with the Tennessee Titans. 210-pound junior Jonathan Williams (380 yards) adds depth. A potential star is Williams, who averaged 6.8 yards a carry as a true freshman in 2007. This is a good system that Holtz has in place, so the offense should be productive.
East Carolina stood among the nation’s Top 30 in eight different statistical rankings (NCAA FBS Division) and finished among C-USA’s Top 3 in 12 categories, including league-best marks in scoring defense, total defense, red zone defense and punting. In addition, the Pirates turned in their highest take-away total (33) since 1996 and netted the most interceptions (22) since 1993. The defense allowed just 20.8 ppg and has 8 starters back. That was a huge upgrade from 2007, when the EC defense was terrible, allowing 30 points, 142 yards rushing and 288 passing per game! They are set at safety with senior SS Van Eskridge, and soph CBs Derek Blacknall and Emanuel Davis. The line is deep and experience behind LB Brandon Carr, Allen Crowder (DL), Kwaku Danso (DL), and Andrew Farr (DL). September games against West Virginia and North Carolina highlight a difficult early schedule where they play 4 road games in 5 weeks. Conference road games at Tulsa and Memphis will be a challenge, too, but they are good enought to be bowling again.
Southern Miss
Southern Miss showed 16-year coach Jeff Bower the door a year ago, despite making another bowl. Bower had success with a powerful running game and a tough defense. The new coach, Larry Fedora, brought in a different style, a wide-open spread offense he helped run at Oklahoma State. The results were predictable, as the Golden Eagles finished with the same record as 2007 (7-6), with a strong offense (30.7 ppg) but a soft defense. But they did make a bowl, beating Troy 30-27, ending the 2008 season on a 5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS run. The Golden Eagles have now had 15 straight seasons with a winning record.
So Southern Miss has given coach Larry Fedora a contract extension following a strong finish. The Golden Eagles ended the season with five straight wins and knocked off Sun Belt champion Troy 30-27 in overtime in the New Orleans Bowl, extending their streak to 15 straight winning seasons. The extension pushes his contract to four years through 2012. Southern Miss always plays a tough schedule, too. Last season they lost to Auburn, in 2007 they opened with a loss at Tennessee, and three years ago they lost to eventual national champion Florida. In 2005 they lost at Alabama 30-21 and at NC State 21-17 (getting the ATS cover in both games). In 2004 they upset Nebraska on the road, 21-17, as a +14 dog, lost at Alabama (27-3) then nearly stunned Cal, losing 26-16 as a +25 home dog!
Fedora, 46, came to Southern Miss after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. In 2006, the Cowboys were one of just two teams, the other being Boise State, to average over 200 yards both rushing and passing. The OSU offense averaged over 30 points per contest over his final two seasons as well. He was offensive coordinator at Florida in 2004 under Ron Zook.
Fedora has a ton of returning offensive talent to work with, led by sophomore QB Austin Davis (23 TDs, 8 picks, 3,134 yards), plus he ran for 508 yards. They lean heavily on one-back formations and no-huddle sets like Oklahoma State. This offense averaged 196 yards rushing and 238 passing. Senior RB Damion Fletcher has smashed most Southern Miss rushing records and now has 4,287 rushing yards in his career. But he had offseason trouble, sentenced to six months probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge. "Damion is paying for the mistake he made and we are handling the discipline internally," Fedora said. Fletcher ran for 1,313 yards, after a sensational sophomore campaign in 2007 running for 1,586 yards, 5.4 yards per carry, and 15 TDs. As a freshman in 2006 he ran for 1,388 yards, 5 yards per carry, and 11 TDs.
A guy to watch is sophomore WR DeAndre Brown, a former top recruit who spurned several SEC schools to play for the Golden Eagles. He was their top wideout as a freshman, with 67 catches for 1,117 yards and 12 TDs. He teams with senior WR Gerald Baptiste (464 yards) and 6-2 junior WR Torris Magee. Magee had an off year (86 yards) but led the team in 2007 with 44 catches and 632 yards.
The defense took a hit as Southern Mississippi junior linebacker Gerald McRath jumped to the NFL early. McRath was a Conference USA defensive player of the year winner and a two-time first-team all-conference selection. McRath had 127 tackles, two forced fumbles and two recovered. The secondary is solid with junior FS Chico Hunter. The defense may be a concern again, but this talented Southern Miss offense will win some games (5-4 over the total under Fedora). They have made bowl appearance in 11 of the past 12 seasons and should again.
Memphis
Memphis coach Tommy West had another strong offensive team, but one pitiful defensively, ending up 6-7 SU, 5-7 ATS. They averaged 28 ppg but allowed 28 per game! The previous season they allowed 32 ppg. That's why Memphis is 13-9 over the total the last two years. West has a talented offense returning, though there are newcomers on the offensive line on a team that averaged 205 yards rushing, 226 passing per contest.
Four of the five consistent starters in the offensive line were seniors in 2008, leaving Dominik Riley as the only player to start all 13 games. There are several talented players who will vie for a starting post, including returnees Malcom Rawls and Ronald Leary. The QB competition is interesting. Returning is senior QB Brett Toney (3 TDs, 2 picks, 338 yards), who started two games last season when Arkelon Hall was injured. Senior QB Hall (2,275 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs) returns after starting 11 games last season. A former Washington State signee, he was one of the highest-rated prep quarterbacks of 2005. Byron Ingram, a transfer from Georgia Tech, will get a look. The fire should be turned up in the fall when up-and-comer soph QB Tyler Bass returns full speed and highlytouted prep signee Will Gilchrist arrives in Memphis.
West is an excellent recruiter, particularly of offensive players. The running game was back on track in 2008 with the emergence of Curtis Steele. Steele, a junior college transfer, was redshirted in 2007 and was nearly pulled out of his redshirt towards the end of the season after injuries hobbled the Tiger ground game. He came out in 2008 and had a stellar junior season, rushing for 1,223 yards and seven TDs. The ground game will be enhanced by sophomore Brandon Ross, Wisconsin transfer Lance Smith and Greg Ray. Ross was thrust into action as a true freshman because of injuries to others and had a solid season. In just eight games, he rolled off 296 yards and two TDs on 58 carries. Ray was hobbled by a nagging hamstring injury in ’08 and was forced to redshirt.
The passing game has Junior 6-7 Deven Onarheim, who gets his shot this season after playing behind Brett Russell for the last two seasons. West has shifted the emphasis from big and powerful to simply, FAST. The solid one-two punch of 6-foot-8 senior Carlos Singleton (791 yards) and 6-foot-4 senior Duke Calhoun is back as both combined for 1,278 yards and eight scores on 92 receptions last season. Talk about some tall receiving targets! The air attack will be ramped up with the speed of Calhoun and Singleton added with transfer Jermaine McKenzie, returnee Cam Baker and redshirt freshmen Marcus Rucker and Curtis Johnson. The real key is for Tiger QBs to throw the ball up there and give the wideouts a chance to make the plays they are capable of making. This offense looks loaded to tear up C-USA defensives again.
But can they stop anybody? Memphis was brutal, allowing over 200 yards rushing and passing per game. in 2007, so West changed coordinators again, hiring former Miami assistant Tim Walton to run the defense. They improved a little, allowing 28 ppg. The defensive front will be the most talented and deepest position for the Tigers. Some of the returning players who will be challenging for a spot on the two-deep will be seniors Greg Terrell, Jada Brown, Josh Weaver and Steven Turner. Demetrius Culpepper, Joel McCleod and Charlie Bryant all have game experience and West picked up noted junior college transfer Justin Thompson in December. Tim McGee, who missed last season after requiring shoulder surgery, will also add to the size and talent on the line.
A pair of linebackers to watch are LSU transfer Derrick Odom and Mississippi State transfer Jamon Hughes. Memphis is 7-4, 8-4 and 5-5 over the total the last three years. Can they keep winning the close ones? Memphis was 2-5-1 ATS its last 7 as chalk. This offense should be decent, but the defense is still a question mark. Another good season to go over the total? Something to keep in mind with college football predictions this fall.
Central Florida
The Golden Knights have been on a roller coaster under George O'Leary. Central Florida was 0-11 SU, 3-8 ATS in 2004, then started 0-2 in 2005. And then, boom! The Golden Knights stunned the football world by going 8-1 the next nine games and all the way to the first-annual Conference USA championship game, losing 44-27 to Tulsa. The 8-4 season still earned Central Florida a bowl berth, a wild 49-48 loss to Nevada, to cap off a remarkable turnaround. They turned around in 2006, going 4-8 SU, 4-7 ATS with an erratic offense and a terrible defense, bounced back in 2007 with a 10-4 campaign, then back to 4-8 last season. So is 2009 bounce back time?
The Knights are under new offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe's system, who tries to upgrade a unit that averaged just 16.6 points, unlable to run (113 yards pg) or pass (116 yds passing pg). A master of offenses ranging from the traditional wishbone to the wide-open attacks of the CFL throughout his coaching career, Taaffe will be able to incorporate many different nuances to help the Knights move the ball better than a year ago. UCF was one of just four teams in the nation to start a true freshman at quarterback in the majority of its games last fall. Sophomore QB Rob Calabrese (7 TDs, 5 picks) returns after leading the team with 664 yards, while redshirt sophomore Joe Weatherford (0 TDs, 2 picks, 160 yards) is in the mix. Michael Greco, who started four games under center last fall, has been moved to the safety position where his athleticism could be an asset.
The Knights will bring back 10 of its 11 starters, losing just first-team All-Conference USA left tackle Patrick Brown, a fixture in the UCF offense for 50 consecutive starts. In addition to the host of freshmen and sophomores who gained valuable experience in 2008, UCF will welcome back two of its top receivers, A.J. Guyton and Rocky Ross, both of whom were lost for the season due to injuries. Guyton was one of the team's top receivers in 2007 but missed the entire 2008 campaign with a knee injury while Ross broke his clavicle at UTEP last September and the UCF offense was not the same without him in the final eight games. Senior WR Brian Watters (594 yards) is back, and they like true freshman Marquee Williams.J amar Newsome (four receptions, 81 yards, one touchdown), Notre Dame transfer Richard Jackson (seven games played, two receptions), Chad Alexander and J.T. McArthur also saw playing time for the Knights at wide receiver in 2008.
UCF boasted an exceptionally young offensive line a year ago with four first-year starters, two of them redshirt freshmen. Nick Pieschel, who started each of the final seven games of the season at left guard, will move over to the left tackle post. UCF returns a deep stable of sophomore tailbacks in 2009 as four different freshmen started. Brynn Harvey emerged as the starter and ended up leading the Knights with 125 attempts and 519 yards, averaging a solid 4.2 yards per carry. Ronnie Weaver started each of the first six games and gained 348 yards on his 102 carries, scoring twice, while freshman 6-4, 230-pound James Poe is a big back looking for time. UCF will take advantage of some of its tremendous defensive line depth to help bolster its offensive line, moving Theo Goins across to the other side of the ball to play left guard. Another converted defensive tackle, Wes Tunuufi Sauvao, will play center.
The Knights return 10 offensive starters and almost the entire defensive front seven from 2008. Last fall, UCF led C-USA in both rushing defense and passing efficiency defense while ranking second in total defense and scoring defense. The Knights were third in the nation with 8.17 tackles for loss per game and the majority of the student-athletes who produced them return. Defensive backs Josh Robinson and Jarrett Swaby both find themselves in the two-deep role. Central Florida is still 12-25 SU, 15-22 ATS on the road its last 37 road contests. The defense looks decent, but there are big question marks with the passing offense.
Marshall
The Thundering Herd was a little better than that 4-8 SU, 4-7 ATS record suggests. They started 3-1, then folded, losing three games by a field goal or less, including a 38-35 loss to mighty Tulsa as a +16 dog. The offense average 157 yards rushing per game and returns a ton of talent. It's the defense that was soft, allowing 27.7 ppg. Marshall offensive Coordinator John Shannon will have many weapons at his disposal this spring as Marshall welcomes back seven starters from last season. The Thundering Herd boasts one of the nation’s top receiving tight ends in Cody Slate and a deep group of running backs that is headlined by returning 1,000-yard rusher Darius Marshall.
Sophomore Mark Cann returns at quarterback and he will compete with junior Brian Anderson, who turned in a strong performance in last season's finale against Tulsa. Quarterback Cann threw for 1,767 yards and 14 touchdowns last leason in 11 starts. Anderson fi lled in for the injured Cann in last year's season finale against Tulsa and responded by completing 14-of-19 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions to nearly lead the Herd to an upset. Highly touted JUCO transfers Press Taylor (Norman, Okla.) and Jacob Laudenslayer (Modesto, Calif.) will also compete for the starting nod. Taylor led Butler County C.C. to back-toback Junior College National Championships.
Junior running Back Darius Marshall was an All-Conference USA selection, coming off of a stellar sophomore campaign that saw him rush for 1,095 yards and five touchdowns. However, Marshall was one of team players suspended after being arrested on drug charges in western West Virginia back in May. Tailback Darius Marshall and defensive back DeQuan Bembry, also known as DeQuan Starling, were arrested and charged with marijuana possession with intent to deliver. Last season as a sophomore, Marshall ran for 1,177 yards and scored five touchdowns. Bembry had 80 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, and intercepted a pass as a redshirt freshman. Marshall coach Mark Snyder says he's disappointed in the players' decision-making.
Highly touted freshmen Martin Ward and Jordan Taylor were redshirted last season and will now push for playing time in the backfield along with converted linebacker Antawn Booker. The Herd will be looking to replace Darius Passmore who led the team with 945 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season. Marshall returns several veterans in the receiving corps, including senior Courtney Edmonson, Bryant Milligan and Tavaris Thompson. All-America candidate TE Cody Slate will enter his senior season with 2,012 career receiving yards and 19 career touchdown receptions. Slate is such a valuable weapon that Marshall also utilizes him in the running game where he managed four carries for 60 yards last season.
Marshall Defensive Coordinator Rick Minter welcomes back eight starters and seven of its top 10 tacklers from last season. First-team All-Conference USA defensive end Albert McClellan returns for his senior season to lead a stout Thundering Herd defensive front that features four returning starters. The Marshall linebacking corps welcomes back the team's top tackler from a year ago in junior Mario Harvey who recorded 107 tackles as a sophomore. Freshman standout T.J. Drakeford returns at the cornerback spots, while seniors Ashton Hall and John Saunders as depth. The heat is on Coach Mark Snyder after back to back 3-9 SU, 4-7 ATS and 4-8 SU/4-7 ATS campaigns.
This is their fifih season in Conference USA and Marshall has gone 4-7, 5-7, 3-9 and 4-8 the last four seasons. The last four years they are 5-26 SU/9-21 ATS on the road! The defense has allowed 23, 22, 25.9, 29, 34 and 27.7 ppg the last six seasons -- and going in the wrong direction! Because of that bad defense, Marshall was 8-2 over the total (7-0 over in conference games) in 2006 and 7-4 over in 2007 before slipping to 7-2 under last year. Don't look for a winning season with this defense, not that difficult a college football prediction.
U.A.B.
Alabama Birmingham hasn't had a good start under coach Neil Callaway, the former Georgia offensive coordinator, going 2-10 SU, 5-6 ATS in 2007 and 4-8 SU, 5-4-1 ATS last year. Callaway, the third football coach in UAB history, has a five-year contract. Callaway was the offensive coordinator at Georgia the previous six seasons. He was the offensive line coach at Alabama in 1997 and line coach and offensive coordinator from 1998-00. They have had a young team that got torched on defense (35 ppg allowed) while averaging 19 ppg with the new offensive system in 2007, and just 22 ppg on offense last season while allowing 31 ppg.
Veteran coach Kim Helton begins his third year as offensive coordinator. He was running backs coach with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, a former head coach at the University of Houston from 1993-99. Senior QB Joseph Webb (10 TDs, 16 INTs) is back, though he was turnover prone and much better running the football, with 1,021 yards, leading the team. They are looking at jujnior QB Bryan Ellis and sophomore QB David Isabelle. Ellis is from Byron, Georgia, the 2007 Middle Georgia Class AAA offensive player of the year. Ellis had a strong senior season in high school, finishing with 3,600 yards passing and 31 touchdowns while throwing just 10 interceptions all year. He is a Callaway signee and the QB of the future, so don't be surprised if he gets his feet wet fast.
The QB will have an excellent returning target in junior WR Frantrell Forrest, who had 563 yards and 5 TDs in 2007, leading the Blazers as a freshman, and 536 yards last season, also leading the team. Senior RB Rashaud Slaughter has moved around from running back to slot receiver, but ran the football well last season with 514 yards, 4.5 ypc. Slaughter played slot receiver as a freshman before becoming the team's starting running back in 2007. The Blazers lost a key weapon in All-Conference USA kicker senior Swayze Waters.
The defense needs an overhaul, after allowing 169 rush yards per game in C-USA play in 2005, 157 yards rushing in 2006 and 256 yards per game (5.7 ypc) in 2007. The Blazers had just five sacks over the final six games that season, allowing an average of 40 points and going 0-6 SU, 2-4 ATS. But they made some improvements in 2008, allowing 24, 17 and 0 points the final three games. Of course, before that they had games allowing 45, 49, 45 and 70 points! Linebacker is the position where Callaway is looking for more depth behind senior B.J. Steed and junior Mike Tashman, but they lack depth. Tashman was a top prospect who helped lead Hoover High School to the 2005 Alabama Class 6A state championship. Tashman was a starting linebacker on the '05 Bucs team that finished 14-1 and defeated Daphne in the 6A state championship game.
"Defensively, we have been so shorthanded," said Callaway in the spring, "so be honest, we wanted to just make it through. I do think we had some good performances on the defensive side. I was very pleased with (DE) Derek Slaughter. I think the move with Timmy Davis (to defensive end) has been a good move. Caleb Dyck, I think will be able to help us at linebacker. Justin Wells made improvement, but he needs to continue to do that. Linebacker and safety have been hard to gauge because we were so shorthanded at those spots." UAB is 2-15 SU, 9-11 ATS on the road the last three years. The schedule is brutal, playing 5 of 6 road games beginning September 12, with back to back games at Troy and Texas A&M. A winning season is out of the question.
2009 C-USA West Division:
Tulsa
Tulsa (11-3 SU, 8-5 ATS) continues to roll on offense, even under second-year coach Todd Graham. Graham turned around Rice with a wide-open offensive attack and kept it rolling at Tulsa, with the help of OC Gus Malzahn, the architect of the hurry-up, no-huddle attack. They averaged 41 points and a nation’s-high 544 yards a game in 2007 and last season was even better, averaging 41 points, 254 yards rushing and 310 passing! But they lost a lot of talent, particularly dynamic QB David Johnson (46 TDs, 18 picks). Tulsa coach Todd Graham announced that after Malzahn's departure, Herb Hand will become the Golden Hurricane's lone offensive coordinator. He had shared the position with Malzahn. "One thing is certain: Our offense will remain the same as it has been in my entire head coaching career, as a no-huddle spread offense," Graham said.
Graham also agreed to a new 10-year contract that could keep him with the Golden Hurricane through the 2018 season. They will be on their third QB in three years, after senior QB David Johnson (46 TDs, 18 picks) graduated. Junior QB Jacob Bower will get first crack, he knows the system and threw for 138 yards last fall. Bower was the highest-rated JUCO quarterbacks in 2007, while junior QB Clark Harrell is also available. Graham expects the offense to bounce back. "Our biggest area of concern is our offensive line. There are three guys up front that I'm very pleased with -- Curt Puckett, Tyler Holmes and Clint Anderson. We have to find two more guys and have to get better there in a hurry."
RB Tarrion Adams is gone and has been a beast, rushing for 1,225 and 1,523 yards the last two years. 5-foot-9 junior RB Jamad Williams (523 yards) is quick and average over 6 yards per carry, while sophomore RB Charles Opeseyitan (355) averaged 7.9 ypc! There is experience in the passing game with senior WR Slick Shelley (627 yards), soph Damaris Johnson (608) and junior Charles Clay. Clay had 69 catches for 1,024 yards and 7 TDs in 2007 but slipped to 464 yards last season in this wide-open attack. He earned freshmen All-America recognition in 2007. Tulsa is 16-11 SU, 13-13 ATS on the road the last four years.
The defense is a bit light up front, allowing 29 points per game, a year after they allowed 197 rush yards, 273 passing yards and 35 points per game. Defensive backs senior CB Charles Davis and senior Kenny Sims will anchor down two spots in the Hurricane secondary. "Defensively, we have to get back to doing what we've done in the past of being successful, and that's a relentless attitude to run to the ball and get back to a hard edge mentality defensively," said Graham. "What we have to improve on defense is not giving away too many one play drives." The schedule isn't bad, though they open with three straight road games (including at Oklahoma). They should contend for the C-USA title and another bowl stop.
Houston
Houston (8-5 SU, 5-8 ATS) is a powerhouse offensive team under second-year head coach Kevin Sumlin, who came in after being offensive coordinator at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops. Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has made the Houston attack in the image of the one he just left at Texas Tech -- spread the field and air it out early and often! It will be hard to top last year's offensive numbers: 41 points, 161 yards rushing, 4.9 ypc, and 414 passing yards per game.
Quarterback Blake Joseph decided not to return for his final year of eligibility, but that won't be a concer as junior Case Keenum won the starting quarterback job and was sensational: Keenum threw for 5,020 yards, with 44 TDs, and 11 picks! He racked up more than 386 yards per game through the air, averaging more than 400 yards of total offense per game last season to lead the nation and was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. In 2007 the mobile Keenum was Conference USA Freshman of the Year and was outstanding, with 2,259 yards, 68.5% completions, 14 TDs and 10 INTs. He ran for 221 yards. With Keenum at the controls, the 2008 Cougars finished second in the FBS in total offense at 575.1 yards per game, while averaging 41.7 points per game. His efforts led Houston to its fourth straight bowl game, as the Cougars defeated Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl for the program's first bowl win in 28 years.
The talent doesn't end there, however. Sophomore running back Bryce Beall and sophomore receiver Tyron Carrier were announced as 2009 Preseason Trophy Favorites. Named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year last season, Beall set a Houston record for rushing yards by a freshman, rushing for a team-high 1,247 yards and 13 touchdowns. Beall also added 34 receptions for 496 yards and four scores, topped 100 yards rushing five times and finished the regular season with 102 points to pace UH. Tatum was named Second-Team Freshman All-America by College Football News. Carrier established UH freshman records in both receptions (80) and receiving yards (1,026), becoming the first freshman in Cougar history to reach 1,000 yards receiving.
Carrier was second on the team with nine touchdown receptions and was named to the 2008 All-C-USA Second Team and 2008 C-USA All-Freshman Team. Houston receiver Patrick Edwards, who broke his leg when he ran into a metal service cart in a game at Marshall last year, plans to play this season. Edwards also said he will pursue legal action against Marshall. He was running full speed for a long pass when his right shin crashed into the cart just beyond the end zone. The sophomore tells Houston television station KRIV that he's confident he can return at full strength. He was Houston's leading receiver with 634 yards when he was injured.
The defense has been up and down for several years and they are off a two straight poor seasons. In 2007 the defense allowed 30 points, 126 yards rushing and 254 passing per C-USA contest and last season allowed 31.2 ppg. On defense the Cougars have plenty of returning starters to lean on, including consensus First-Team All-Conference defensive end Phillip Hunt. Joining Hunt as returning starters include defensive lineman Tate Stewart, linebacker Cody Lubojasky, and cornerback Brandon Brinkley.
Houston switched to a 4-3 base alignment for 2008, but didn't improve much. Note that Houston averaged 39 ppg at home, just 29 ppg on the road. Houston is 11-17 SU, 11-17 ATS on the road the last fiver seasons. This is a team built for the quick turf at home, where they are 17-5 SU, 12-8 ATS averaging 37 ppg the last three years. Yes, they are 11-7 over the total at home the last three seasons. Houston has the offensive talent to be a conference force again, but the key will be the changes on defense.
U.T.E.P.
UTEP has flopped the last three seasons, going 5-7, 4-8 and 5-7. They failed to make a bowl in 2006 despite a 4-2 start, and in 2007 despite a 3-2 start. They started 3-3 last season. It's no secret what the problem has been: no defense. In 2007 the team allowed 34 points, 185 yards rushing and 315 yards passing per game, and last season allowed 37 ppg. Head Coach Mike Price is an offensive specialist and there's nothing wrong on that side of the ball for the Miners. Price reenergized the offense when he arrived in 2004, which exploded for 36 points, 142 yards rushing and 251 passing per game that season. In 2005, they averaged 31.8 points, 122 yards rushing and 300 passing per game, and 2006 they averaged 27 points and 311 yards passing. In 2007 it was 32 points and 276 yards passing per contest and 122 yards rushing, 284 passing per game last fall, so offense hasn't been the problem.
UTEP welcomes back 55 letterwinners, including 26 on offense, 27 on defense and two kickers. The Miners return 16 starters (eight offense/seven defense/one kicker), while losing eight starters (three offense/four defense/one kicker). The offense will be fine, led by junior QB Trevor Vittatoe. He was sensational as a freshman, passing for 3,101 yards, 25 TDs, 7 picks, and was even better in 2008 with 3,274 yards, 33 TDs and only 9 picks! Running back depth is a concern, though the guy to watch is speedy junior James Thomas II (351 yards), who was second in rushing and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. The Miners lost three games by five points or less to New Mexico State (34-33), Rice (49-44) and Houston.
The passing game should be very potent, with the return of junior WR Kris Adams (958 yards, 14 TDs) and senior WR Jeff Moturi (655 yards), the top two wideouts. Regular starters back on the offensive line are LT Mike Aguayo, RG Rod Huntley, RT Will Osolinsky and LG Cameron Raschke. UTEP shifted from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-3-5 last fall, but it didn't help. Osia Lewis begins his second season as UTEP's defensive coordinator after serving in the same capacity at New Mexico for the previous five years. He uses an aggressive zone-blitz-type defense, with 3 safeties roaming the field and attacking from different angles.
Defensive starters returning are RCB Cornelius Brown, Miner back Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, RSLB Anthony Morrow, NT Steve Riddick, RE Robert Soleyjacks, LCB Melvin Stephenson II and Braxton Amy, who started nine games at SAM linebacker in 2007. The Miners will play six of their first nine games against teams that went to bowls last season. UTEP kicks off the 2009 campaign with back-to-back home games versus Buffalo (Sept. 5) and Kansas (Sept. 12). The Miners will complete their non-conference slate with trips to I-10 rival New Mexico State (Sept. 19) and Texas (Sept. 26). UTEP’s first three Conference USA games are all against '08 bowl teams -- versus Houston (Oct. 3), at Memphis (Oct. 10) and against Tulsa (Oct. 21). Three of the Miners four games in the month of November are on the road against Tulane (Nov. 7), SMU (Nov. 14) and Rice (Nov. 21). UTEP has seven games scheduled versus teams that ended the 2008 campaign in bowls. Marshall, Memphis and UAB return to the Miners’ conference schedule for the first time since 2006. They went 6-2 over the total with that great offense and lousy 'D'. If they can straighten out the defense with the new system, a winning season is a possibility.
Rice
Rice (10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS) has had 3 coaches in 5 years! Ken Hatfield and his running offense went out after a 1-10 2005 season, and new coach Todd Graham turned things around in 2006 with a 7-5 regular season and a bowl game, their first bowl bid since 1961. He was so good, he's gone! Graham headed out to become the head coach at Tulsa, so David Bailiff, 50, took over the last two seasons. He had spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. They looked like a high school team on defense in 2007, going 3-9 SU, 4-7 ATS while giving up 43 points and 312 passing yards per game. Then they turned it all around in 2008 with a 10-3 campaign (7-1 in C-USA).
The offense returns 4 starters to a unit that was sensational, averaging 41 points, 144 yards rushing and 327 passing! But that was under QB Chase Clement (44 TDs,7 picks), who is gone. Junior QB John Thomas Shepherd (78 yards) has played in 14 games and has one start in his career. In addition, freshman QB Ryan Lewis is available, along with sophomore QB Nick Fanuzzi, a transfer from Alabama. The top two receivers are gone, so senior WR Toren Dixon (598 yards) gets the nod. He has 101 career receptions and a 26-game reception streak. Junior WR Pierre Beasley (49 yards) has to step up. He caught his first TD pass vs. UTEP last fall, plus there is 6-6 senior WR Taylor Wardlow and senior Corbin Smiter (4th on team with 30 receptions).
The ground game lose its top rushers (including QB Clement, who ran for 693 yards), so the onus falls on sophomoreTB Tyler Smith and senior Jeramy Goodson (69 yards), who averaged 6.1 per carrry last season in limited action. Junior LT Scott Mitchell has 18 consecutive starts at left tackle, senior LG Jake Hicks started 10 games at right tackle in 2008, and soph RT Tyler Parish played in all 13 games, three starts in 2008. Don't expect this offense to be even close to last fall with all the new faces.
Despite the 10-win season, Rice has suffered from poor defense the last few years, no matter who was coach, and that was the case last season, allowing 34.9 ppg. In 2007 Rice allowed 42 points, 219 yards rushing and 318 passing in C-USA play per game. DE is a strength with junior DE Cheta Ozougwu, who led the D-line with 39 tackles, and soph Arnaud Gason-Nadon, who was All C-USA Freshman in 2008. Rice is a rather amazing 19-3 over the total the last two years! 8 starters return on defense, led by senior S Andrew Sendejo, junior DE Scott Solomon, and hard hitting, though undersized, linebackers. Mark this one down: Rice is 30-5 over the total the last three years! Rice is on a 12-5 SU, 12-5 ATS ATS run, but bettor's beware: Rice is 9-17 SU/10-15 ATS its last 26 on the road.
Tulane
Believe it or not, Tulane overachieved in a 4-8 SU/4-7 ATS campaign under first-year coach Bob Toledo in 2007, then slipped to 2-10 last year without workhorse RB Matt Forte. Toledo was the head coach at UCLA (1996-2002) where his teams had wide-open, spread offenses. Toledo came to Tulane from New Mexico, where he spent the 2006 season as offensive coordinator. He has coached in 13 bowl games during his career, including seven of the traditional New Year's Day bowls. The offense slipped to 16.7 points and 221 yards passing per game in 2008.
The pressure will be on the quarterbacks to produce, but the problem is Tulanes' QB situation is very weak. 6-5 junior QB Kevin Moore got the most time in 2008 and passed for 2,169 yards, but threw 8 TDs, 13 picks. Don't rule out sophomore QB Joe Kemp, who threw for 244 yards, 2 TDs and one pick as a freshman. The receiving corps is decent, led by senior WR Jeremy Williams (437 and 773 yards the last two years) and junior TE Cody Sparks (245 yards). Williams caught 40 passes for 484 yards as a freshman when he was No. 2 on the team in receiving. 8 starters returns on offense.
But who will run the football? Senior RB Andre Anderson (864 yards) was decent with 5.0 yards per carry, but they slipped to 118 yards rushing per game as a team after Forte went to the NFL. Anderson will compete with juniors Andre Agers, J.T. McDonald and junior FB Jordan Stephany in the backfield. The offensive line is decent, though they lose the guard tandem of seniors Troy Kropog and Michael Parenton. Tulane was all passing in 2006, averaging 247 yards in the air and just 91.7 yards rushing, then was mainly rushing in 2007, before having to rely more on a weak passing game last year while falling behind too often. Toledo will look for more balance this fall. Toledo would like to try and keep the Tulane tradition of developing QBs under Chris Scelfo, who helped developed star QB J.P. Losman, a first round NFL draft pick. The previous four Tulane quarterbacks have been Shaun King, Patrick Ramsey, J.P. Losman and Lester Ricard, who all produced (Ricard had 18 TDs, 10 picks in 2006).
Toledo promoted O'Neill Gilbert to the position of defensive coordinator for the Green Wave last fall, but the defense was awful, allowing 34.5 ppg. 8 starters return on defense, led by DT Justin Adams, DT Emmanuel Aluko, DT Chris Asumnu, LB Travis Burks, and CBs Phillip Davis and Charles Harris. Tulane has gone 8-4, 7-4 and 4-4 over the total the last three years with a decent offense put weak 'D'. Opening with Tulsa and BYU means an 0-2 start, and they end the season playing 5 of 6 on the road (one game at LSU)! Tulane is 3-15 SU, 7-11 ATS on the road the last three seasons and 4-28 SU, 8-23-1 ATS its last 32 as a dog!
S.M.U.
SMU went to the run-and-shoot attack under first-year Head Coach June Jones last season, and things didn't work out well in a 1-11 SU, 4-7 ATS campain. That makes SMU 2-21 SU, 7-15 ATS the last two campaigns. They carry a 10-game skid into the new season. Quarterbacks soph Bo Levi Mitchell, junior Braden Smith and J.J. McDermott lead the offense, one that averaged 21 points, 272 yards passing, 41 yards rushing. That's as one-dimensional as you can get! And the defense was brutal, allowing 41 ppg.
Bo Mitchell was going to Hawaii until Jones changed zip codes, and Mitchell threw for 2,865 yards, 24 TDs, 23 picks. There is no balanace on offense, so they will throw again to junior WR Aldrick Robinson (59 grabs, 1,047 yards, 11 TDs), senior WR Emmanuel Sanders (958 yards, 9 TDs) and sophomore WR Cole Beasley (366 yards), the top three targets.
It's been a tough offseason for the program, as former Kansas City Chiefs coach Frank Gansz, who was special teams coach at SMU last year, died in a Dallas hospital. He was 70. SMU spokesman Brad Sutton said Gansz developed complications after undergoing knee replacement surgery. Jones will try to get the offense more productive, but don't look for any balance, especially as they are likely to be behind often.
Jones is no defensive coach and he needs some help with his group. The SMU defense was awful in 2007, giving up 39 points, 187 yards rushing and 306 passing per game, and worse last season. All that was a bit shocking, as in 2006 the run defense was the best in C-USA. The secondary has now been torched for 246, 306 and 275 yards per game the last three years, so they should begin there! SMU is 15-13 over the total the last three seasons. Defending C-USA champion East Carolina comes to Dallas on Oct. 10 before Navy comes calling on Oct. 17. SMU will then have back-to-back road games at Houston (Oct. 24) and Tulsa (Oct. 31). A winning season is unlikely with this defense. All of this should help you sift through information on smaller college schools when assessing college football predictions just around the corner!
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