Preview 2007 CFN Preseason Rankings No. 100 to 109. ... Near the Bottom
2007 Preseason Rankings
Near the Bottom - No. 100 to No. 109 These teams should struggle to make much noise
There's
one very important distinction in the CFN preseason rankings: these
are based on how good the teams are going into the season and NOT
how they're going to finish. Some teams have easier
schedules than others, some get tougher road games and some will
need a little bit of time to jell meaning they might be better than
their final record might indicate. Going into the year, these are
how good the teams appear to be from No. 1 through 119.
100. Kent State
- Kent State Preview |
Offense
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Defense
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Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... the defense should be
solid with a fantastic pass rush and a promising secondary with
All-MAC quality performers in CB Jack Williams and SS Fritz Jacques
to count on. Colin Ferrell might be the league's best defensive
linemen, while Kevin Hogan might lead the conference in sacks and/or
quarterback pressures. Julian Edelman is a good enough quarterback
to lead the offense to a good year. The ranking is too high because ... the passing game isn't
going to be anything to write home about. If the ground attack isn't
working, the offense will go nowhere. The secondary might be decent,
but statistically, that was because the Golden Flashes didn't face
too many good passing teams. The D might be strong, but it won't be
as good as last year's, while the offense won't make a dramatic
enough leap to challenge for the conference title. Relative Strengths: Offensive Backfield, Linebacker
Relative
Weaknesses: Receiver, Special Teams
101.
Ball State
- Ball State
Preview |
Offense |
Defense
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Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... Nate Davis is the type of
quarterback teams win MAC titles with. The passing game should be
terrific with Davis slinging to a terrific group of pass catchers
led by tight end Darius Hill and recevier Dante Love. The defense
might not be anything special, but it'll be full of veterans and
might be just good enough to keep some teams down for a drive or two
in shootouts. The ranking is too high because ... the secondary can't cover
anyone. Corners Trey Buice and Trey Lewis have been through the MAC
a few times, but they aren't lock-down defenders. The ground game
might not be good enough to provide any sort of help for the passing
game. Relative Strengths: Quarterback, Receiver
Relative
Weaknesses: Running Back, Secondary
102.
Troy
- Troy Preview |
Offense
| Defense
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Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... the best team in the Sun
Belt is better. While that might not seem like much, consider how
easily the Trojans beat Rice in the New Orleans Bowl, and figure the
team is as good as an upper-level Conference USA team coming into
the season. QB Omar Haugabook will be the signature player, but the
defense will lead the way with a fantastic front that'll get into
the backfield early and often, and a secondary that'll shut down
everyone in the league. The ranking is too high because ... the running backs are
good, but nothing special, while the linebacking corps will be
average. The Achilles' heel could be an offensive line that will
struggle against any line of substance. This is a team that had a
so-so Sun Belt season, came up with the big win when it had to have
it, and won the bowl game in a surprising walk. Now, as the favorite
to with the conference title, the bull's-eye will be on the team's
back every game. Relative Strengths: Quarterback, Defensive Line
Relative
Weaknesses: Offensive Line, Running Back
103.
Rice
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Rice Preview |
Offense |
Defense The ranking is too low because ... even with a new coaching
staff in place, the team is now familiar with a spread offense that
was learned on the fly last season. QB Chase Clement and WR Jarett
Dillard are back for what should be the most dangerous pitch-catch
combination in Conference USA. The defense has enough decent
athletes to generate pressure into the backfield. The ranking is too high because ... the overall talent level
just isn't there. 2006 was a magical season when everything went
right, and even with shifts in alignments and a few tweaks and
adjustments, the run defense isn't going to be all that great, while
the lines are among the worst in the conference. Relative Strengths: Wide Receiver, Quarterback
Relative
Weaknesses: Defensive Line, Offensive Line
104.
Louisiana Tech
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Louisiana Tech
Preview
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Offense |
Defense
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Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... the ground game should be
just good enough to control most WAC games, with Patrick Jackson
likely to be the league's most underappreciated back. The defensive
back seven is fast and experienced, while the line can't be any
worse than last year. With Derek Dooley and a new coaching staff
comes new ideas and excitement, and there's enough overall
experience to work with to prevent a further slide into mediocrity.
The ranking is too high because ... the defense still has to
prove it can stop someone. This was the nation's worst defense from
start to finish, and now the experience has to turn into production.
There was no pressure generated from anywhere, and the jury is still
out on whether or not the new coaching staff has come up with any
brilliant ideas to changes things up. Relative Strengths: Running Back, Special Teams
Relative
Weaknesses:
Defensive Line, Quarterback
105.
Tulane
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Tulane Preview
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Offense
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Defense |
Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... new head coach Bob Toledo
should inject some life into an offense that great stagnant over the
last few years. There will be more vertical passes with a good,
speedy receiving corps to rely on, while there should be a little
semblance of a running game if Matt Forte can get any room. Eight
starters return on defense. The ranking is too high because ... there's still a lot of
rebuilding to be done. The program still hasn't rebounded from the
Katrina disaster, and it's still about the baby steps to get Tulane
back to where it was at a few years ago. The offensive line might be
the worst in the league and will have a hard time allowing the skill
players to do their thing. The secondary will get ripped apart by
the better Conference USA passers. Relative Strengths: Running Back, Receiver
Relative
Weaknesses: Offensive Line, Secondary
106.
UAB
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UAB Preview |
Offense |
Defense |
Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... after doing a whole lot of
nothing last year, the offense is undergoing an overhaul under new
coordinator Kim Helton with a pro-style attack. The defense should
be better with a good back seven returning and potential to be
improved up front. The biggest key will be at quarterback, where two
good prospects in Joseph Webb and Sam Hunt will battle it out. The ranking is too high because ... the offense won't go
anywhere unless the line is better. It should be a big issue with
four senior starters needing to be replaced, and not enough talent
at the skill positions to make up for the youth up front. There
isn't going to be much of a pass rush from the D line early on with
Brandon Jeffries the lone pass rusher to count on. Relative Strengths: Linebacker, Quarterback
Relative
Weaknesses: Offensive Line, Defensive Line
107.
UL Monroe
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UL Lafayette
Preview |
Offense
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Defense
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Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... the Warhawks get all 11
starters back from the Sun Belt's best offense. The ground game
should be close to unstoppable in conference play with Calvin Dawson
working behind one of the league's best lines. Kinsmon Lancaster is
a good, veteran quarterback who should do a better job of using all
his experienced targets. The ranking is too high because ... the defense still has a
long way to go before it'll be among the league's best. The line is
the real issue without much of a pass rush to rely on and not enough
beef against the run. Losing Kevin Payne and Chaz Williams from the
secondary could be a killer. The team, overall, might be better, but
the record probably won't indicate it. Relative Strengths: Running Back, Offensive Line
Relative
Weaknesses:
Linebacker, Defensive Line
108.
Arkansas State
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Arkansas State
Preview |
Offense
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Defense |
Depth Chart The ranking is too low because ... everyone in the Sun Belt
should be able to run, and ASU will be able to pound with the best
of them with four good backs to carry the workload led by Reggie
Arnold. The defense has a great back seven and the best safety
tandem in the Sun Belt with Tyrell Johnson and Khayyam Burns each
strong enough to earn all-star honors. The ranking is too high because ... there won't be much, if
any passing. Corey Leonard can run the ball, but he's not going to
scare anyone with his arm. That means the ground game will be
everything, and that could be a problem with an average line to work
behind. The defensive line has the potential to be a huge weakness,
which would be just enough to keep the Indians out of the Sun Belt
race. Relative Strengths: Running Back, Secondary
Relative
Weaknesses: Linebacker, Quarterback
The ranking is too low because ... the Blue Raiders are
loaded on the defensive line with three all-star caliber ends in
Erik Walden, Sean Mosley and Tavares Jones, who should all be
terrors for opposing quarterbacks. The receiving corps, while not
all that great, has enough experience to potentially make the
passing game the best of an awful Sun Belt lot. The O line might be
average, but it's very big and should do some shoving around for a
good group of backs. The ranking is too high because ... there are big issues at
several key spots. While this could grow into the Sun Belt's best
team by late October, going into the year there are just enough
problems to be in the middle of the conference pack early on. The
defensive back seven has some patching up to do, while the offense
has to prove it can be consistent, and not just opportunistic. Relative Strengths: Defensive Line, Running Back
Relative
Weaknesses: Linebacker, Wide Receiver
