2009 Record: 2-10 (1-7 in Sun Belt)
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Todd Dodge (5-31 at North Texas; 2-20 in Sun Belt games)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Clemson (9/4), Rice (9/11), at Army (9/18), Kansas State (11/27)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 26.6 points per game (4th in Sun Belt)
Rushing Yards/Game: 185 (2nd in Sun Belt)
Passing Yards/Game: 223 (5th in Sun Belt)
Total Yards/Game: 408 (4th in Sun Belt)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 35.6 points per game (8th in Sun Belt, 112 in the Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 195 (6th in Sun Belt)
Passing Yards/Game: 216 (1st in Sun Belt)
Total Yards/Game: 412 (5th in Sun Belt)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -1.17 per game (last in Sun Belt, 117th in Nation)
Penalties: 57 yards per game (4th in Sun Belt)
Returning Starters
Offense: 10
Defense: 8
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Nathan Tune, Sr (69 of 107 for 646 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: RB Lance Dunbar, Jr (200 carries for 1378 yds, 17 TD, 6.8 ypc, 114 ypg)
Receiving: WR Jamal Jackson, Sr (71 rec, 701 yds, 6 TD, 5.9 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Craig Robertson, Sr (107)
Sacks: DE Brandon Akpunku, Sr (4)
Interceptions: CB Royce Hill, Jr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #115
Pre-Snap Read: #120
2010 Pre-Season Sun Belt Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #7
Phil Steele: #3
Last year North Texas's turnover margin was worse than all but 3 teams (UGA, Tulane and Miami of Ohio). In addition there were only 8 teams that gave up more points than North Texas. North Texas had a middle-of-the-pack Sun Belt offense but when you are getting killed on turnovers it's going to translate negatively on the scoreboard. The only wins Todd Dodge managed last year were against Ball State in the opener and against Western Kentucky. North Texas lost a total of 5 games by 5 or less points so they are in the ballpark they just aren't connecting with the curve ball. One has to wonder how much longer Todd Dodge will be the coach if he can't turn those close games around. Some good news is that, along with Western Kentucky, North Texas returns the most starters in the Sun Belt. We reached out to Brett Vito of the Mean Green Blog of the Denton-Record Chronicle to find out more information about North Texas.
What are the major strengths of the team?
Lance Dunbar is one of the best running backs at a non-AQ school one is going to find, and he will be running behind an experienced offensive line this season. UNT ran the ball well last season and should be good again this year.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test and why?
UNT opens at Clemson. It doesn’t get much tougher than that. I would say the first key game will be Rice in the second week of the season. That is a game UNT needs to win, and the Mean Green will actually have a shot.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
I’m not playing, but for UNT, that game against Clemson could be a bit scary. There is a chance it could get out of hand. And more importantly, there is always a chance that UNT could lose a few key players before the games that it needs to win come up on the schedule.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
I don’t think people give Esteban Santiago enough credit. He has been a rock at right tackle for years.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Lance Dunbar, without a doubt.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
I would say Craig Robertson. He is a senior linebacker who has been about as consistent a player as one could ask for in the college game. He is out there every game and produces. UNT has been terrible defensively the last several years. I hate to imagine what that defense would look like without him.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
UNT needs either Nathan Tune or Derek Thompson to play well while taking over at quarterback. UNT has had a revolving door at quarterback ever since Scott Hall graduated in 2004. Tune has started a couple of games last year, while Thompson played just one series. If Tune starts, he will be the sixth starting quarterback in six seasons. If UNT goes with Thompson, he will be the seventh starter in six seasons.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
It’s tough to say, but my guess is Jamize Olawale, a tight end out of the California JC ranks. UNT has a new offensive coordinator who plans on using the tight end more and Olawale seems like the type of guy who could emerge.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
UNT desperately needs help at defensive end, especially now that Eddrick Gilmore has graduated. UNT signed Mike Miller to play the strong side. He had better be what they expect him to be, because I don’t see a whole lot of other options.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
I am picking UNT to go 4-8. That record would double last season’s win total. I have a hard time seeing UNT beating Clemson, Kansas State, Troy or Middle Tennessee. That leaves eight games. UNT will win some of those games, but hasn’t put together back-to-back wins since 2004. UNT could get on a roll, but with a new quarterback and a defense that still has to put it together, I have a hard time seeing the team getting on the kind of roll that would lead to a .500 season.
Make sure to check out the Denton Record-Chronicle's Mean Green Blog for more insight on North Texas and Sun Belt football.
Previous Sun Belt Previews
Troy Trojans
Next Preview: Rice Owls
Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Michael Felder Interview
Michael Felder says that his all-time sports moment was running out of the tunnel at Kenan Stadium as Woody Durham, the voice of the Heels, introduced him on Meet the Heels day in August 2003. Michael currently writes and hosts a podcast for In The Bleachers. Here's how his bio at In The Bleachers describes him:
What is it like to play for a college team that has a bigger basketball tradition than football. Does it cause any more pressure since you feel as if you are fighting for respect even within your own school?
Tough question honestly and I think there are two answers. On a personal level the basketball and football teams exist without much friction and actually get along quite well. However, outside of the personal dealings there's always that contentious sentiment that exists. Whether it is a guy hearing rival fans bring up "you'll always be a basketball" or hearing the loudest applause at a bowl game being for Roy Williams on the jumbotron it is clear where football ranks to a lot of UNC fans.
There's not more pressure on players rather there's a sense of trust within the locker room. When things go great you get the pat on the backs but all the while knowing that any misstep could result in folks being more excited for an exhibition basketball game than for a regular season football game. The truth hurts and while there are negative comments made at times I will say that from talking to our current players the attitude is a bit different than when we were limping our way through the season during the years I played.
Having played for UNC I have to ask you about your predictions for the Tar Heels and for the ACC this year. Will UNC live up to the pre-season hype they are getting in some circles and who do you see meeting in the ACC Championship game?
I'm not fully locked into my predictions yet but I definitely see the Heels going at least 8-4 with a real shot at getting to that 10-2 range if the pieces fall into place. Pre-season hype is a fickle mistress as Ole Miss and Oklahoma State taught us just a season ago. This team is good enough to live up to the hype and unlike most folks on the periphery I am fully confident in both the wide receivers and offensive line and their ability to keep TJ upright.
Should we be lucky enough to make it through to the ACC Championship Game I think we'll be staring Boston College in the face. Not because BC is far and away better than FSU or Clemson but rather because we play Clemson and FSU during the season and for us to end up in Charlotte we'll have to likely win both.
Who are some of the more unheralded players on this years UNC team that we should keep an eye on?
Kevin Reddick is the first kid that comes to mind. Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant and Zach Brown are more physically gifted but Reddick is the best pure linebacker on the squad in terms of diagnosing plays and playing down hill.
Another name guy that I'm expecting big things from is Jonathan Cooper. Most folks won't notice his impact but the big guy is a monster on the offensive line and I think he deserves as much love for the progress he's made as any of the bigger names on defense or at the skill positions.
As a former defensive back, who are some of the guys currently playing in college that you feel best epitomize that position and that you enjoy watching play the game?
Last year was easy, Eric Berry was the quintessential safety in every sense of the word. This year you've got no one who has his top end talent but the class of safeties is so deep you can go any direction. Personally, to avoid the homer label I try not to talk too much Deunta Williams, although he is exceptional. I'll go with Mark Barron at Bama. He's a guy who is an absolute force in the run game and makes smart plays in the back end. He's as complete a safety as there is in the nation and he along with Deunta, DeAndre McDaniel of Clemson and Rahim Moore are all "pick your poison" when it comes to safeties.
On the flip-side who are some of the players catching the football that you might be a little nervous to face?
As for receivers the first name that pops into my mind is AJ Green. Green was the only true weapon for the Dawgs a season ago and he still put up over 808 yards. Julio Jones played with Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, Michael Floyd had Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate as his helpers and Jon Baldwin was aided by Dion Lewis. Green was UGA and he still was the best player just about everytime he stepped on the field.
What games are you most looking forward to this year and why?
That's easy, UNC-LSU at the Georgia Dome is tops on my list. Seeing my boys square off against the Bayou Bengals is the type of shot in the arm our program needs to prove we belong on the stage.
Other games of note for me include Miami-Ohio State, Virginia Tech-Boise State, Florida-UGA and USC-Notre Dame. The ACC games are true markers for our conference and if the league is going to be a major player on the football landscape we need to pick up at least one of these spotlight contests. Florida-UGA is always fun for me and I think the Dawgs have a shot at breaking Meyers stranglehold. USC-Notre Dame both have two new, very different coaches and the first installment in this rivalry game could set the tone for the years to come.
Not including UNC, who is your "way too early" pick to take the National Championship this year?
My way too early pick to win the title is Nebraska. Their schedule is conducive with Texas at home, Texas A&M as the next toughest game before battling Texas or OU in the Big XII championship. Don't hold me to that as I've got predictions to be made on the site in two weeks, things might change.
Any teams flying under the radar that you think could make a run for the title?
As for under the radar teams I'm going to take the Miami Hurricanes. They have the talent to win the title but I'm not sure they've got the mentality or the testicular fortitude to gut out the tough win. For every Wake Forest '09 or Virginia '08 gritty win they've got UNC '08 and '09, Georgia Tech '08 and Clemson '09 type games on their resume. If they can put it together upstairs and get tough the Canes could be hoisting the crystal football.
We would like to thank Michael for spending some time with us and getting us more hyped up for the football season. Make sure you head on over to In The Bleachers and check out their writing and podcasts this college football season.
A former college football player who still loves the game. He brings the same attention to detail, student of the game approach to his writing that he brought to the field as an undersized scrappy safety for the UNC Tar Heels. In other words he practiced a lot of football and played very little. When evaluations came around toughness and knowledge of the game were high, tangible skills were not so much.
One of our goals here at College Football Zealots is to provide you with multiple perspectives on the game of college football. When we had the chance to interview Michael I jumped at it as I love getting the perspective of guys that have actually played the game at the college level. Michael is based in the south so we know he is well versed on the ACC and SEC. Here is a short glimpse into the mind of Michael Felder...
Tough question honestly and I think there are two answers. On a personal level the basketball and football teams exist without much friction and actually get along quite well. However, outside of the personal dealings there's always that contentious sentiment that exists. Whether it is a guy hearing rival fans bring up "you'll always be a basketball" or hearing the loudest applause at a bowl game being for Roy Williams on the jumbotron it is clear where football ranks to a lot of UNC fans.
There's not more pressure on players rather there's a sense of trust within the locker room. When things go great you get the pat on the backs but all the while knowing that any misstep could result in folks being more excited for an exhibition basketball game than for a regular season football game. The truth hurts and while there are negative comments made at times I will say that from talking to our current players the attitude is a bit different than when we were limping our way through the season during the years I played.
Having played for UNC I have to ask you about your predictions for the Tar Heels and for the ACC this year. Will UNC live up to the pre-season hype they are getting in some circles and who do you see meeting in the ACC Championship game?
I'm not fully locked into my predictions yet but I definitely see the Heels going at least 8-4 with a real shot at getting to that 10-2 range if the pieces fall into place. Pre-season hype is a fickle mistress as Ole Miss and Oklahoma State taught us just a season ago. This team is good enough to live up to the hype and unlike most folks on the periphery I am fully confident in both the wide receivers and offensive line and their ability to keep TJ upright.
Should we be lucky enough to make it through to the ACC Championship Game I think we'll be staring Boston College in the face. Not because BC is far and away better than FSU or Clemson but rather because we play Clemson and FSU during the season and for us to end up in Charlotte we'll have to likely win both.
Who are some of the more unheralded players on this years UNC team that we should keep an eye on?
Kevin Reddick is the first kid that comes to mind. Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant and Zach Brown are more physically gifted but Reddick is the best pure linebacker on the squad in terms of diagnosing plays and playing down hill.
Another name guy that I'm expecting big things from is Jonathan Cooper. Most folks won't notice his impact but the big guy is a monster on the offensive line and I think he deserves as much love for the progress he's made as any of the bigger names on defense or at the skill positions.
As a former defensive back, who are some of the guys currently playing in college that you feel best epitomize that position and that you enjoy watching play the game?
Last year was easy, Eric Berry was the quintessential safety in every sense of the word. This year you've got no one who has his top end talent but the class of safeties is so deep you can go any direction. Personally, to avoid the homer label I try not to talk too much Deunta Williams, although he is exceptional. I'll go with Mark Barron at Bama. He's a guy who is an absolute force in the run game and makes smart plays in the back end. He's as complete a safety as there is in the nation and he along with Deunta, DeAndre McDaniel of Clemson and Rahim Moore are all "pick your poison" when it comes to safeties.
On the flip-side who are some of the players catching the football that you might be a little nervous to face?
As for receivers the first name that pops into my mind is AJ Green. Green was the only true weapon for the Dawgs a season ago and he still put up over 808 yards. Julio Jones played with Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, Michael Floyd had Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate as his helpers and Jon Baldwin was aided by Dion Lewis. Green was UGA and he still was the best player just about everytime he stepped on the field.
What games are you most looking forward to this year and why?
That's easy, UNC-LSU at the Georgia Dome is tops on my list. Seeing my boys square off against the Bayou Bengals is the type of shot in the arm our program needs to prove we belong on the stage.
Other games of note for me include Miami-Ohio State, Virginia Tech-Boise State, Florida-UGA and USC-Notre Dame. The ACC games are true markers for our conference and if the league is going to be a major player on the football landscape we need to pick up at least one of these spotlight contests. Florida-UGA is always fun for me and I think the Dawgs have a shot at breaking Meyers stranglehold. USC-Notre Dame both have two new, very different coaches and the first installment in this rivalry game could set the tone for the years to come.
Not including UNC, who is your "way too early" pick to take the National Championship this year?
My way too early pick to win the title is Nebraska. Their schedule is conducive with Texas at home, Texas A&M as the next toughest game before battling Texas or OU in the Big XII championship. Don't hold me to that as I've got predictions to be made on the site in two weeks, things might change.
Any teams flying under the radar that you think could make a run for the title?
As for under the radar teams I'm going to take the Miami Hurricanes. They have the talent to win the title but I'm not sure they've got the mentality or the testicular fortitude to gut out the tough win. For every Wake Forest '09 or Virginia '08 gritty win they've got UNC '08 and '09, Georgia Tech '08 and Clemson '09 type games on their resume. If they can put it together upstairs and get tough the Canes could be hoisting the crystal football.
We would like to thank Michael for spending some time with us and getting us more hyped up for the football season. Make sure you head on over to In The Bleachers and check out their writing and podcasts this college football season.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
My Favorite Moment of the 2009 season
Hello all, I'm Chris Hatcher, one of the new bloggers for College Football Zealots. I first wanted to thank Kevin for affording me the opportunity to blog about something I love...COLLEGE FOOTBALL BABY (a little bit of Corso). Kevin sent us a topic for this week, asking us to tell about our favorite moment of the 2009 season...so here it goes.
Even though I am a diehard Virginia Tech Hokie, and anyone would be hard pressed to find a better ending to a game than the Hokies had against Nebraska in 2009, I'm going with another game that the blackshirts played in. That's right, the Big XII Championship Game. It was a true pleasure as a college football fan to see Ndamukong Suh TAKE OVER a game as important as this one, especially from the DT position. I didn't hide it at all that I felt Suh should have been toting the Heisman after this game, even though Ingram was good all season long too.
This game was ugly, gritty, and a defensive battle (a couple of things I'm very familiar with from watching Hokie football). It was on later than the more high profile SEC Championship, but have no doubt, it was just as important. It was almost a defining career moment for Colt McCoy in a BAD way when he milked the clock a little too much and the Cornhuskers ran on the field celebrating. But after a review, the refs determined :01 should be put back up on the clock, which allowed Texas to kick a field goal and escape with a 12-10 victory. From a college football fan's objective perspective, that was the game of the year.
However, it did feel good to get the win against the Huskers (who by the way had some of the classiest fans I have EVER met), especially in the way we did. It felt like karma played a part in that one because it was almost identical to the game in 2007 where BC's Matt Ryan engineered two fourth-quarter drives in the last 6 minutes, the last one coming with :14 seconds left, to come from behind and beat the Hokies.
Also, it was GREAT to be able to shut up all of the Tennessee fans who had been talking trash for years with a win in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. For someone who grew up basically equidistant to Knoxville and Blacksburg, you can't even imagine how sweet that was. To add to the joke, all of the Vols' fans were talking about their love affair with Kiffin only to find out Kiffin was cheating on them with his former school USC. That one ended quickly.
Pre-Season Preview: San Jose State Spartans
2009 Record: 2-10 (1-7 in WAC)
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (First Time Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Alabama (9/4), at Wisconsin (9/11), Southern Utah (9/18), at Utah (9/25), UC Davis (10/2)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 13.8 points per game (8th in WAC, 118th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 76 (9th in WAC, 116th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 207 (5th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 284 (8th in WAC, 115th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 34.5 points per game (8th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 259 (last in WAC, 119th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 183 (2nd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 442 (8th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.33 per game (5th in WAC)
Penalties: 46 yards per game (3rd in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Jordan La Secla, Sr (182 of 304 for 1926 yds, 10 TD, 11 INT, 160 ypg)
Rushing: RB Lamon Muldrow, Sr (131 carries for 592 yds, 4.5 ypc, 49 ypg)
Receiving: WR Marquis Avery, Sr (42 rec, 465 yds, 6 TD, 4.7 rec/game)
Tackles: FS Tanner Burns, Jr (94)
Sacks: DT Pablo Garcia, Jr (4)
Interceptions: FS Tanner Burns, Jr (2); CB Peyton Thompson, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #110
Pre-Snap Read: #113
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #8
Phil Steele: #9
What do you get when you combine one of the worst offenses in the WAC with one of the worst defenses in the WAC? You get 2-10. That's what San Jose State got last year.The Spartans are only a few years removed from a bowl victory in the New Mexico bowl but the only wins they had last year were a 10 point win over Cal Poly and a 3 point win over a 3-10 New Mexico State team. San Jose State has a new head coach in former Duke defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre. San Jose State has scheduled 3 heavyweights on their non-conference schedule (Alabama, Wisconsin and Utah) and 2 wins (UC Davis and Southern Utah). I guess they aren't counting on going bowling since they scheduled 13 regular season games. We questioned the San Jose State blog Spartanthunder.com to find out what they thought about the 2010 Spartans.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths- Defense is the only strength, but will be weaker this year due to loss of players to graduation.
Weaknesses- No proven QB, Kicking Game, or Running game to be seen (San Jose State lost its best offensive players and two of its three defensive players).
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
First major test is the first game of the season versus national champion Alabama (good luck)
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Most feared- #1 ranked Alabama, #4 ranked Boise, #16 Wisconsin, #18 Utah, Fresno and Nevada (all equally feared)
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Best player nobody talks about- RB, Brandon Rutley
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Best offensive player- RB Lamon Muldrow
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Best defensive player- S Duke Ihenacho
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Step up player- Any QB on the squad
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Best offensive newcomer- Cory Murphy- QB Frosh
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Best defensive newcomer- Courtlin Thompson- S
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Final record 2010- 3 wins and 10 lost (Only wins are southern utah, nm state, and hawaii)- And could lose the hawaii game and be 2 and 11. The season is a disaster even before it has began with a new head coach, and not much to rebuild upon.
Previous WAC Previews
Boise State Broncos
Fresno State Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Michael Felder interview
Next Preview: North Texas Mean Green
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (First Time Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Alabama (9/4), at Wisconsin (9/11), Southern Utah (9/18), at Utah (9/25), UC Davis (10/2)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 13.8 points per game (8th in WAC, 118th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 76 (9th in WAC, 116th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 207 (5th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 284 (8th in WAC, 115th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 34.5 points per game (8th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 259 (last in WAC, 119th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 183 (2nd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 442 (8th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.33 per game (5th in WAC)
Penalties: 46 yards per game (3rd in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Jordan La Secla, Sr (182 of 304 for 1926 yds, 10 TD, 11 INT, 160 ypg)
Rushing: RB Lamon Muldrow, Sr (131 carries for 592 yds, 4.5 ypc, 49 ypg)
Receiving: WR Marquis Avery, Sr (42 rec, 465 yds, 6 TD, 4.7 rec/game)
Tackles: FS Tanner Burns, Jr (94)
Sacks: DT Pablo Garcia, Jr (4)
Interceptions: FS Tanner Burns, Jr (2); CB Peyton Thompson, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #110
Pre-Snap Read: #113
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #8
Phil Steele: #9
What do you get when you combine one of the worst offenses in the WAC with one of the worst defenses in the WAC? You get 2-10. That's what San Jose State got last year.The Spartans are only a few years removed from a bowl victory in the New Mexico bowl but the only wins they had last year were a 10 point win over Cal Poly and a 3 point win over a 3-10 New Mexico State team. San Jose State has a new head coach in former Duke defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre. San Jose State has scheduled 3 heavyweights on their non-conference schedule (Alabama, Wisconsin and Utah) and 2 wins (UC Davis and Southern Utah). I guess they aren't counting on going bowling since they scheduled 13 regular season games. We questioned the San Jose State blog Spartanthunder.com to find out what they thought about the 2010 Spartans.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths- Defense is the only strength, but will be weaker this year due to loss of players to graduation.
Weaknesses- No proven QB, Kicking Game, or Running game to be seen (San Jose State lost its best offensive players and two of its three defensive players).
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
First major test is the first game of the season versus national champion Alabama (good luck)
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Most feared- #1 ranked Alabama, #4 ranked Boise, #16 Wisconsin, #18 Utah, Fresno and Nevada (all equally feared)
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Best player nobody talks about- RB, Brandon Rutley
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Best offensive player- RB Lamon Muldrow
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Best defensive player- S Duke Ihenacho
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Step up player- Any QB on the squad
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Best offensive newcomer- Cory Murphy- QB Frosh
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Best defensive newcomer- Courtlin Thompson- S
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Final record 2010- 3 wins and 10 lost (Only wins are southern utah, nm state, and hawaii)- And could lose the hawaii game and be 2 and 11. The season is a disaster even before it has began with a new head coach, and not much to rebuild upon.
Previous WAC Previews
Boise State Broncos
Fresno State Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Michael Felder interview
Next Preview: North Texas Mean Green
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2009 Record: 4-8 (3-5 in WAC)
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Sonny Dykes (First Time Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: Grambling State (9/4), at Texas A&M (9/11), Navy (9/18), Southern Miss (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 29.2 points per game (5th in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 184 (5th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 188 (7th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 372 (7th in WAC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.8 points per game (2nd in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 162 (4th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 205 (6th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 368 (2nd in WAC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.58 per game (2nd in WAC)
Penalties: 54 yards per game (5th in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 6
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ross Jenkins, Sr (172 of 290 for 2095 yds, 17 TD, 5 INT, 174 ypg)
Rushing: RB Tyrone Duplessis, Soph (70 carries for 277 yds, 3.9 ypc, 30 ypg)
Receiving: WR Cruz Williams, Soph (15 rec, 259 yds, 3 TD, 1.3 rec/game, 17 ypc)
Receiving: WR Phillip Livas, Sr (20 rec, 205 yds, 1.7 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Adrien Cole, Jr (93)
Sacks: DE Matt Broha, Jr (4)
Interceptions: CB Josh Victorian, Sr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #84
Pre-Snap Read: #104
Sporting News: #72
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #4
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Hawaii Bowl (vs. UCF)
Statistically speaking Louisiana Tech was a pretty decent football team last year. They played a tough out of conference schedule and got handled by Navy and Auburn but put up a good fight against LSU before losing by 8 points. In conference they lost 3 games (Utah State, Idaho, Fresno State) by a total of 5 points and only lost to Boise State by 10. If Tech wins those 3 games they go 7-5 instead of 4-8 but that's why they play the games. They had a 5 game stretch from October 24 through November 21 in which they lost 5 games by a total of 23 points and two of those were the LSU and Boise State game (the other three were the three they lost by a combined 5 pts). Derek Dooley departs from the Bulldogs this year with a career record of 17-20 (12-12 in conference) to take over at Tennessee. Sonny Dykes comes from Arizona to take over at Louisiana Tech. We reached out to Jonathan Nida of Scout.com's Louisiana Tech site Here Come The Dawgs to learn more about the 2010 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
This year’s team has a lot of depth at WR. Our OL rotation is about 12 deep and most of them got a decent amount of PT last season. The major victory of the off-season was retaining DC Tommy Spangler who’s had the defense trending up every year since his arrival. If the trend continues, this defense will be a strength of this team. Our biggest question mark is at QB. Dykes’ system requires precision passing, confidence, and great command of the playbook. Jenkins was a game manager last season and that won’t get the job done this season. DL depth is always an issue for all but a few elite programs in the country…it’s an issue at Louisiana Tech.
The first major test this year will be against Texas A&M. What do you hope to learn from that game and what would you view as a successful outing against the Aggies?
I don’t believe in moral victories, so success is a win. What I hope to learn about is how this team deals with a major program with a major home field advantage. Dooley’s teams were tough, but we lacked the offensive output to jump out and put the big boys behind the 8-ball. Our defense plays solid until continuous strings of 3 and outs tire them out. My hope is the offense is able to maintain drives and strike quick. Success is a win, the Aggie faithful in their seats until the final gun would be a good sign for the rest of our season (and a bad sign for the rest of the WAC)
What team on the schedule do you want to beat the most?
Nothing would make me happier than sending the Broncos out with a loss on their (blue) turf. Number 2 would be Nevada who has had our number just as much as Boise the past 4 years or so.
Who do you consider your top rivals?
Tech is in the strange position of not having a real rivalry relationship. Part of this is that there is minimal fan interaction in the far flung WAC. Some of our more traditional in-state rivalry games haven’t been played in half a decade. I don’t really see this changing unless Tech is able to gain entry to Conference USA.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Jay Dudley is a guy who doesn’t get a lot of press, but he’s an athletic freak at LB and he flies to the ball.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
From a pro-potential standpoint, it’s probably OT Rob McGill. Phillip Livas has been electrifying and should challenge for the career record for returns for a TD this season. What’s really amazing is that he’s done all of this injured most of his career. If his turf toe is under control, he’ll be amazing.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Tough to say, but I’ll go with Adrien Cole. Cole is a force at the MLB position. He packs a punch and seems to really be growing from a great hitter into a great football player.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
One of the QBs. I don’t really care which one, but this defense is going to be solid enough to go bowling if the offense can transition to the Dykes/Franklin system. If the QB can’t get it done in that system, we’re done. If they can get it done, watch out!
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
This is a tie between two receivers in Ahmad Paige (transfer from Tennessee) and Tim Molton (transfer from LSU). Both guys were highly rated out of high school and appear to be ready to make some big contributions if the QBs can get them the ball.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Josh Tillman (JUCO DL) will be called upon to help early and he appears quite able. Freshmen Seth Ancar is probably one of the more celebrated defensive signees this year, but he may not see the field until 2011.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
I think success depends on whether or not we’re bowl eligible. We lost a lot of close ones last year and a year of maturity should help with that. We’ve got 7 home games (including a neutral site game in Shreveport…an hour down the road) and we’ve got a lot of great contributors back. Worst case: 5-7…Best case: 9-3…most likely 7-5.
Make sure you check out Scout.com's Here Comes The Dawgss for your Louisiana Tech and recruiting needs this football season.
Previous WAC Previews
Boise State Broncos
Fresno State Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: San Jose State Spartans
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Sonny Dykes (First Time Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: Grambling State (9/4), at Texas A&M (9/11), Navy (9/18), Southern Miss (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 29.2 points per game (5th in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 184 (5th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 188 (7th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 372 (7th in WAC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.8 points per game (2nd in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 162 (4th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 205 (6th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 368 (2nd in WAC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.58 per game (2nd in WAC)
Penalties: 54 yards per game (5th in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 6
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ross Jenkins, Sr (172 of 290 for 2095 yds, 17 TD, 5 INT, 174 ypg)
Rushing: RB Tyrone Duplessis, Soph (70 carries for 277 yds, 3.9 ypc, 30 ypg)
Receiving: WR Cruz Williams, Soph (15 rec, 259 yds, 3 TD, 1.3 rec/game, 17 ypc)
Receiving: WR Phillip Livas, Sr (20 rec, 205 yds, 1.7 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Adrien Cole, Jr (93)
Sacks: DE Matt Broha, Jr (4)
Interceptions: CB Josh Victorian, Sr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #84
Pre-Snap Read: #104
Sporting News: #72
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #4
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Hawaii Bowl (vs. UCF)
Statistically speaking Louisiana Tech was a pretty decent football team last year. They played a tough out of conference schedule and got handled by Navy and Auburn but put up a good fight against LSU before losing by 8 points. In conference they lost 3 games (Utah State, Idaho, Fresno State) by a total of 5 points and only lost to Boise State by 10. If Tech wins those 3 games they go 7-5 instead of 4-8 but that's why they play the games. They had a 5 game stretch from October 24 through November 21 in which they lost 5 games by a total of 23 points and two of those were the LSU and Boise State game (the other three were the three they lost by a combined 5 pts). Derek Dooley departs from the Bulldogs this year with a career record of 17-20 (12-12 in conference) to take over at Tennessee. Sonny Dykes comes from Arizona to take over at Louisiana Tech. We reached out to Jonathan Nida of Scout.com's Louisiana Tech site Here Come The Dawgs to learn more about the 2010 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
This year’s team has a lot of depth at WR. Our OL rotation is about 12 deep and most of them got a decent amount of PT last season. The major victory of the off-season was retaining DC Tommy Spangler who’s had the defense trending up every year since his arrival. If the trend continues, this defense will be a strength of this team. Our biggest question mark is at QB. Dykes’ system requires precision passing, confidence, and great command of the playbook. Jenkins was a game manager last season and that won’t get the job done this season. DL depth is always an issue for all but a few elite programs in the country…it’s an issue at Louisiana Tech.
The first major test this year will be against Texas A&M. What do you hope to learn from that game and what would you view as a successful outing against the Aggies?
I don’t believe in moral victories, so success is a win. What I hope to learn about is how this team deals with a major program with a major home field advantage. Dooley’s teams were tough, but we lacked the offensive output to jump out and put the big boys behind the 8-ball. Our defense plays solid until continuous strings of 3 and outs tire them out. My hope is the offense is able to maintain drives and strike quick. Success is a win, the Aggie faithful in their seats until the final gun would be a good sign for the rest of our season (and a bad sign for the rest of the WAC)
What team on the schedule do you want to beat the most?
Nothing would make me happier than sending the Broncos out with a loss on their (blue) turf. Number 2 would be Nevada who has had our number just as much as Boise the past 4 years or so.
Who do you consider your top rivals?
Tech is in the strange position of not having a real rivalry relationship. Part of this is that there is minimal fan interaction in the far flung WAC. Some of our more traditional in-state rivalry games haven’t been played in half a decade. I don’t really see this changing unless Tech is able to gain entry to Conference USA.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Jay Dudley is a guy who doesn’t get a lot of press, but he’s an athletic freak at LB and he flies to the ball.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
From a pro-potential standpoint, it’s probably OT Rob McGill. Phillip Livas has been electrifying and should challenge for the career record for returns for a TD this season. What’s really amazing is that he’s done all of this injured most of his career. If his turf toe is under control, he’ll be amazing.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Tough to say, but I’ll go with Adrien Cole. Cole is a force at the MLB position. He packs a punch and seems to really be growing from a great hitter into a great football player.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
One of the QBs. I don’t really care which one, but this defense is going to be solid enough to go bowling if the offense can transition to the Dykes/Franklin system. If the QB can’t get it done in that system, we’re done. If they can get it done, watch out!
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
This is a tie between two receivers in Ahmad Paige (transfer from Tennessee) and Tim Molton (transfer from LSU). Both guys were highly rated out of high school and appear to be ready to make some big contributions if the QBs can get them the ball.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Josh Tillman (JUCO DL) will be called upon to help early and he appears quite able. Freshmen Seth Ancar is probably one of the more celebrated defensive signees this year, but he may not see the field until 2011.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
I think success depends on whether or not we’re bowl eligible. We lost a lot of close ones last year and a year of maturity should help with that. We’ve got 7 home games (including a neutral site game in Shreveport…an hour down the road) and we’ve got a lot of great contributors back. Worst case: 5-7…Best case: 9-3…most likely 7-5.
Make sure you check out Scout.com's Here Comes The Dawgss for your Louisiana Tech and recruiting needs this football season.
Previous WAC Previews
Boise State Broncos
Fresno State Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: San Jose State Spartans
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
Friday, July 9, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Boise State Broncos
2009 Record: 14-0 (8-0 in WAC)
2009 Bowl: Fiesta Bowl (beat TCU 17-10))
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #4
Head Coach: Chris Petersen (49-4 at Boise State)
Non-Conference Schedule: Virginia Tech (9/6), at Wyoming (9/18), Oregon State (9/25), Toledo (10/9)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 42.2 points per game (1st in WAC, tied for 1st in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 186 (4th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 264 (3rd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 450 (3rd in WAC, 10th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 17.1 points per game (1st in WAC, 13th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 120 (2nd in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (1st in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 300 (1st in WAC, 14th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +1.50 per game (1st in WAC, 3rd in Nation)
Penalties: 56 yards per game (6th in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 11
Defense: 10
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Kellen Moore, Jr (277 of 432 for 3536 yds, 39 TD, 3 INT, 252 ypg)
Rushing: RB Jeremy Avery, Sr (209 carries for 1151 yds, 6 TD, 5.5 ypc, 82 ypg)
Receiving: WR Titus Young, Sr (79 rec, 1041 yds, 10 TD, 5.6 rec/game, 74 rec ypg)
Tackles: SS Jeron Johnson, Sr (91)
Sacks: DE Ryan Winterswyk, Sr (9)
Interceptions: CB Brandon Thompson, Sr (6)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #4
Lindy's: #2
Mark Schlabach: #3
Phil Steele: #6
Rivals: #4
Scout: #8
Sporting News: #3
Sports Illustrated: #3
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #1
Phil Steele: #1
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Rose Bowl
Phil Steele: Kraft Foods Bowl (vs. Stanford)
Boise State beat Oregon in a season opening grinder that will long be remembered for what happened after the game. The Broncos went on to go undefeated and then knock off TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State needed a break to get into the National Championship game but did not get it last year. This year they have a really tough opening week game against Virginia Tech. Then also have a pretty tough match-up with Oregon State in their third game of the year. If Boise State gets past Virginia Tech it looks like they will once again be in position to play in the National Championship game if things break their way. When I was doing this preview I pulled Chris Peterson's record off of Wikipedia and was more than a little bit surprised at his 49-4 record. Sure, Boise State is playing a lot of teams that do not match up with them but only losing 4 games over a 4 year period (while also playing out of conference games like Oregon and beating the likes of Oklahoma and TCU in their bowl games) is amazing. Another stat that stood out for me was Kellen Moore's TD to interception ratio which was 39 to 3 as a sophmore last year. Moore was a big factor in Boise State's turnover margin which was a very healthy +1.5. When you are getting the ball 1.5 times more than your opponent good things are going to happen. Boise State returns practically everybody from their undefeated team of last year. If you are a Broncos fan you can't help but be confident going into the year. We caught up with Kevan Lee of the SB Nation Boise State Blog One Bronco Nation Under God (OBNUG) to find out what to expect from the 2010 Boise State Broncos.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths:
Experience. Boise State returns 20 of 22 starters, except that the coaching staff told no one their starting job was safe this season. That's right. The Broncos will have Fiesta Bowl veterans nervously watching the two-deep roster every week.
Defense. Boise State's defense is better than its offense, and it took me a good year-and-a-half to wrap my head around that one.
Beating WAC teams. Especially Nevada.
Coaching. And I do not even mean gameday coaching, although that is really good, too. Boise State has great year-round coaching from recruiting to training to teaching to motivating to managing and everything in between.
Running back. There are four players who have had 100-yard games. And I love them all equally. (That's not true. I love Doug Martin best.)
Weaknesses:
Killer instinct. Boise State let too many teams hang around last year. It was bad times. Not only did it cost them some respect from pollsters and the national media (Beating Tulsa by a touchdown? Mark May finds that very disagreeable), but it also made it very hard on my life-crippling gambling addiction.
Bowl games. Except for the Fiesta Bowl.
Depth behind Austin Pettis. When Pettis went down last year, the Bronco offense was not itself. Sadly, the Pettis cloning project I tried to underfund this offseason went south and I blew the cash I raised on Lego Harry Potter.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Well, it's certainly not a WAC team. Am I right? Who's with me?
/realizing the joke's on me
/getting depressed
/watching 2010 Fiesta Bowl DVR
/feeling better
Obviously, the answer from most all sane Bronco fans will be Virginia Tech. The Hokies are a preseason Top Ten team with the kind of depth and talent that non-BCS schools simply don't see all that often. And those sane Bronco fans are right; VT will be a test.
But I am most fearful of Oregon State. Beaver fear courses through my veins for a number of reasons. A) Oregon State is a very well-coached team that is one of the most consistent programs in the Northwest. B) The game is not receiving the cataclysmic attention of the Broncos' Labor Day opener with the Hokies, and therefore it stands to reason that players and fans might be overlooking it. C) The Rodgers' brothers were birthed by video game Bo Jackson. D) The game follows a tough test on the road against Wyoming.
I peed my pants a little writing that paragraph.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
DE Shea McClellin. The pecking order of Boise State defensive linemen goes like this: DE Ryan Winterswyk, DT Billy Winn, DT Chase Baker, JUCO transfer and never-taken-a-snap-before-with-the-defense DE Tyrone Crawford, afro'ed DE Jarrell Root, MLB Byron Hout, and then McClellin. To say that people don't talk about McClellin enough is to say that not enough people watched Better Off Ted. Of course they didn't watch. There was too much else to do.
Well those people were missing out, both because Better Off Ted was excellent and so is the Better Off Ted metaphor in this case, McClellin. The former high school RB from small-town Idaho blossomed as a starter last season, and he looked absolutely superb in spring practice. He has one of those Jared Allen motors, which helps him compensate for the quasi-RB way he plays defensive end.
Best of all, McClellin often lines up as a linebacker when the Broncos switch from their traditional 4-2-5 into the 3-4 or the 3-3-5. It is terrifying to watch, and I am 30 miles away in my papasan chair.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Kellen Moore is the best offensive player on the team, as well as the planet, and probably in the history of the world. It's a fact. Ask any Bronco fan.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
DT Billy Winn. Oho, did I throw you off the scent by singing hallelujahs at Shea McClellin in the above paragraphs? McClellin may be a force at DE, but a DEs impact is much more acute and narrow than a DT. Winn can control football games when is playing his best. He has that rare DT ability to hold the line of scrimmage and absorb blockers while still possessing a passing game push. His bull rush is top notch. And even he gets into the linebacker action when the Broncos go to the 3-3-5.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach its full capability?
CB Brandyn Thompson. This question inspired a post over at OBNUG where I blamed my premature disappointment on Thompson's inability to replace Kyle Wilson man to man. Am I being unreasonable? Of course I am. Thompson doesn't even have dreadlocks or his own wrapped RV.
However, just because Wilson's shoes are impossibly large to fill doesn't mean that Thompson gets a free pass. The Boise State defense got used to relying on Wilson's lockdown corner skills so much so that the D transformed into a blitzing, risk-taking unit that didn't need to pay any attention to one whole half of the field. Can Thompson pull the same sleight of hand this season? His up-and-down 2009 had hints of greatness and hints of awfulness. We'll see.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LT Faraji Wright. The Broncos did a very strange thing this offseason. They moved their best offensive lineman, LT Nate Potter, to guard. Why? Because Faraji Wright told them to, that's why.
Wright and Wright clone Charles Leno were such up-and-coming stars in the BSU system that Bronco coaches were forced to make room for them. Inside went Potter, and Wright and Leno were left to duke it out for starting honors in his place.
I'm going with Wright for the starting role based on what little I have seen of him in practices and scrimmages. Plus, his name is not synonymous with the man who ruined late night television. Had there been a Charles O'Brien, I would have voted for him.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
DE Tyrone Crawford. There is only one spot on the Boise State defense that had to be replaced this offseason (although the Bronco coaching staff said everyone's spots are fair game, so there goes that fun stat).
You will hear a lot about CBs Jerrell Gavins and Jamar Taylor, stepping into the vacant spot at cornerback. But chances are that you will hear Crawford's name plenty, too, once the season kicks off. A Canadian JUCO transfer, Crawford is expected to seriously contend for a starting spot this season on the defensive line. Will he overtake Winterswyk or McClellin? Quite possibly. But even if he doesn't, the Boise State coaches rotate their defensive linemen often enough that he will make an impact.
Former DE Byron Hout (he of the LeGarrette Blount punch) was moved to MLB to make room for Crawford, and Hout was a really good DE. Crawford must be something special.
Make sure you check out OBNUG prior to and after the big Virginia Tech showdown. You can also follow them on Twitter @OBNUG.
Previous WAC Previews
Fresno State Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
2009 Bowl: Fiesta Bowl (beat TCU 17-10))
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #4
Head Coach: Chris Petersen (49-4 at Boise State)
Non-Conference Schedule: Virginia Tech (9/6), at Wyoming (9/18), Oregon State (9/25), Toledo (10/9)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 42.2 points per game (1st in WAC, tied for 1st in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 186 (4th in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 264 (3rd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 450 (3rd in WAC, 10th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 17.1 points per game (1st in WAC, 13th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 120 (2nd in WAC)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (1st in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 300 (1st in WAC, 14th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +1.50 per game (1st in WAC, 3rd in Nation)
Penalties: 56 yards per game (6th in WAC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 11
Defense: 10
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Kellen Moore, Jr (277 of 432 for 3536 yds, 39 TD, 3 INT, 252 ypg)
Rushing: RB Jeremy Avery, Sr (209 carries for 1151 yds, 6 TD, 5.5 ypc, 82 ypg)
Receiving: WR Titus Young, Sr (79 rec, 1041 yds, 10 TD, 5.6 rec/game, 74 rec ypg)
Tackles: SS Jeron Johnson, Sr (91)
Sacks: DE Ryan Winterswyk, Sr (9)
Interceptions: CB Brandon Thompson, Sr (6)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #4
Lindy's: #2
Mark Schlabach: #3
Phil Steele: #6
Rivals: #4
Scout: #8
Sporting News: #3
Sports Illustrated: #3
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #1
Phil Steele: #1
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Rose Bowl
Phil Steele: Kraft Foods Bowl (vs. Stanford)
Boise State beat Oregon in a season opening grinder that will long be remembered for what happened after the game. The Broncos went on to go undefeated and then knock off TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State needed a break to get into the National Championship game but did not get it last year. This year they have a really tough opening week game against Virginia Tech. Then also have a pretty tough match-up with Oregon State in their third game of the year. If Boise State gets past Virginia Tech it looks like they will once again be in position to play in the National Championship game if things break their way. When I was doing this preview I pulled Chris Peterson's record off of Wikipedia and was more than a little bit surprised at his 49-4 record. Sure, Boise State is playing a lot of teams that do not match up with them but only losing 4 games over a 4 year period (while also playing out of conference games like Oregon and beating the likes of Oklahoma and TCU in their bowl games) is amazing. Another stat that stood out for me was Kellen Moore's TD to interception ratio which was 39 to 3 as a sophmore last year. Moore was a big factor in Boise State's turnover margin which was a very healthy +1.5. When you are getting the ball 1.5 times more than your opponent good things are going to happen. Boise State returns practically everybody from their undefeated team of last year. If you are a Broncos fan you can't help but be confident going into the year. We caught up with Kevan Lee of the SB Nation Boise State Blog One Bronco Nation Under God (OBNUG) to find out what to expect from the 2010 Boise State Broncos.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths:
Experience. Boise State returns 20 of 22 starters, except that the coaching staff told no one their starting job was safe this season. That's right. The Broncos will have Fiesta Bowl veterans nervously watching the two-deep roster every week.
Defense. Boise State's defense is better than its offense, and it took me a good year-and-a-half to wrap my head around that one.
Beating WAC teams. Especially Nevada.
Coaching. And I do not even mean gameday coaching, although that is really good, too. Boise State has great year-round coaching from recruiting to training to teaching to motivating to managing and everything in between.
Running back. There are four players who have had 100-yard games. And I love them all equally. (That's not true. I love Doug Martin best.)
Weaknesses:
Killer instinct. Boise State let too many teams hang around last year. It was bad times. Not only did it cost them some respect from pollsters and the national media (Beating Tulsa by a touchdown? Mark May finds that very disagreeable), but it also made it very hard on my life-crippling gambling addiction.
Bowl games. Except for the Fiesta Bowl.
Depth behind Austin Pettis. When Pettis went down last year, the Bronco offense was not itself. Sadly, the Pettis cloning project I tried to underfund this offseason went south and I blew the cash I raised on Lego Harry Potter.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Well, it's certainly not a WAC team. Am I right? Who's with me?
/realizing the joke's on me
/getting depressed
/watching 2010 Fiesta Bowl DVR
/feeling better
Obviously, the answer from most all sane Bronco fans will be Virginia Tech. The Hokies are a preseason Top Ten team with the kind of depth and talent that non-BCS schools simply don't see all that often. And those sane Bronco fans are right; VT will be a test.
But I am most fearful of Oregon State. Beaver fear courses through my veins for a number of reasons. A) Oregon State is a very well-coached team that is one of the most consistent programs in the Northwest. B) The game is not receiving the cataclysmic attention of the Broncos' Labor Day opener with the Hokies, and therefore it stands to reason that players and fans might be overlooking it. C) The Rodgers' brothers were birthed by video game Bo Jackson. D) The game follows a tough test on the road against Wyoming.
I peed my pants a little writing that paragraph.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
DE Shea McClellin. The pecking order of Boise State defensive linemen goes like this: DE Ryan Winterswyk, DT Billy Winn, DT Chase Baker, JUCO transfer and never-taken-a-snap-before-with-the-defense DE Tyrone Crawford, afro'ed DE Jarrell Root, MLB Byron Hout, and then McClellin. To say that people don't talk about McClellin enough is to say that not enough people watched Better Off Ted. Of course they didn't watch. There was too much else to do.
Well those people were missing out, both because Better Off Ted was excellent and so is the Better Off Ted metaphor in this case, McClellin. The former high school RB from small-town Idaho blossomed as a starter last season, and he looked absolutely superb in spring practice. He has one of those Jared Allen motors, which helps him compensate for the quasi-RB way he plays defensive end.
Best of all, McClellin often lines up as a linebacker when the Broncos switch from their traditional 4-2-5 into the 3-4 or the 3-3-5. It is terrifying to watch, and I am 30 miles away in my papasan chair.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Kellen Moore is the best offensive player on the team, as well as the planet, and probably in the history of the world. It's a fact. Ask any Bronco fan.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
DT Billy Winn. Oho, did I throw you off the scent by singing hallelujahs at Shea McClellin in the above paragraphs? McClellin may be a force at DE, but a DEs impact is much more acute and narrow than a DT. Winn can control football games when is playing his best. He has that rare DT ability to hold the line of scrimmage and absorb blockers while still possessing a passing game push. His bull rush is top notch. And even he gets into the linebacker action when the Broncos go to the 3-3-5.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach its full capability?
CB Brandyn Thompson. This question inspired a post over at OBNUG where I blamed my premature disappointment on Thompson's inability to replace Kyle Wilson man to man. Am I being unreasonable? Of course I am. Thompson doesn't even have dreadlocks or his own wrapped RV.
However, just because Wilson's shoes are impossibly large to fill doesn't mean that Thompson gets a free pass. The Boise State defense got used to relying on Wilson's lockdown corner skills so much so that the D transformed into a blitzing, risk-taking unit that didn't need to pay any attention to one whole half of the field. Can Thompson pull the same sleight of hand this season? His up-and-down 2009 had hints of greatness and hints of awfulness. We'll see.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LT Faraji Wright. The Broncos did a very strange thing this offseason. They moved their best offensive lineman, LT Nate Potter, to guard. Why? Because Faraji Wright told them to, that's why.
Wright and Wright clone Charles Leno were such up-and-coming stars in the BSU system that Bronco coaches were forced to make room for them. Inside went Potter, and Wright and Leno were left to duke it out for starting honors in his place.
I'm going with Wright for the starting role based on what little I have seen of him in practices and scrimmages. Plus, his name is not synonymous with the man who ruined late night television. Had there been a Charles O'Brien, I would have voted for him.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
DE Tyrone Crawford. There is only one spot on the Boise State defense that had to be replaced this offseason (although the Bronco coaching staff said everyone's spots are fair game, so there goes that fun stat).
You will hear a lot about CBs Jerrell Gavins and Jamar Taylor, stepping into the vacant spot at cornerback. But chances are that you will hear Crawford's name plenty, too, once the season kicks off. A Canadian JUCO transfer, Crawford is expected to seriously contend for a starting spot this season on the defensive line. Will he overtake Winterswyk or McClellin? Quite possibly. But even if he doesn't, the Boise State coaches rotate their defensive linemen often enough that he will make an impact.
Former DE Byron Hout (he of the LeGarrette Blount punch) was moved to MLB to make room for Crawford, and Hout was a really good DE. Crawford must be something special.
Make sure you check out OBNUG prior to and after the big Virginia Tech showdown. You can also follow them on Twitter @OBNUG.
Previous WAC Previews
Fresno State Bulldogs
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
