2007 UTEP Miners
Recap:
For the fourth consecutive season, the Miners got off to a fast
start before crumbling down the stretch, a troubling trend that’s
begun to chip away at Mike Price’s legacy in El Paso. Although UTEP
found a terrific replacement at quarterback for Jordan Palmer,
freshman Trevor Vittatoe, and ran the ball surprisingly well, it
wasn’t enough to overcome one of the nation’s poorest defensive
units. The surprise of the first half in Conference USA at 4-2, the
Miners lost their final six games, allowing an average of 44 points
a game.
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Marcus Thomas
Defensive Player of the Year: S Quintin Demps
Biggest Surprise: At its peak, UTEP had the look of a West
Division sleeper, especially after outlasting eventual division
champ Tulsa, 48-47, on Oct. 6. The Miners battled back in the final
quarter, winning on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Vittatoe to WR Joe
West with less than a minute remaining in the game.
Biggest Disappointment: The Miners’ second-half slide began
with a crushing defeat to East Carolina on Oct. 13. On its way to a
5-2 record and a third straight pulsating victory, UTEP allowed the
Pirates a game-knotting 34-yard touchdown pass on the final play of
regulation before falling, 45-42, in overtime. The program wouldn’t
win another game all year.
Looking Ahead: Vittatoe has three more years of eligibility
and Price refused a chance to return to Washington State, so the
Miner offense will be in good hands for the next few seasons.
However, if UTEP is going to be more than just half good in 2008, it
has to completely revamp a defense that stopped no one last fall.
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2007 UTEP Preview
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2006 UTEP Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 5-7
2007 Record: 4-8
Sept. 1 New
Mexico W 10-6
Sept. 8 at
Texas Tech L 45-21
Sept. 15
at NMSU
L 29-24
Sept. 22
Tex Southern
W 52-12
Sept. 29 at
SMU W 48-45 OT
Oct.
6
Tulsa W 48-47
Oct.
13
E Carolina L 45-42 OT
Oct.
27
Houston
L 34-31
Nov.
3
at Rice
L 56-48
Nov.
10
at Tulane
L 34-19
Nov.
17
Southern Miss L 56-30
Nov.
24 at
UCF L 36-20 |
Nov. 24
UCF 36 ... UTEP 20
UCF won the East title and will go play Tulsa for the
Conference USA title as Kevin Smith, who took over as the nation's
leading rusher with 2,164 yards, ran for 219 yards with a two-yard
touchdown run, and Kyle Israel threw three touchdown passes. The
Knights took a 16-0 lead in the second quarter highlighted by a
39-yard A.J. Guyton touchdown grab, but UTEP went on a run with 17
straight points helped by a 19-yard Fred Rouse catch and a 100-yard
Quintin Demps interception return for a score. And then the UCF
offense took over as Smith controlled the tempo and the clock the
rest of the way. Michael Torres finished with three field goals for
UCF.
Player of the game:
UCF RB Kevin Smith ran 46 times for 219 yards and a touchdown, and
caught three passes for 30 yards.
Stat Leaders: UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe,
20-37, 292 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Terrell Jackson, 5-25. Receiving: Jeff Moturi,
10-116
UCF - Passing: Kyle Israel, 18-26, 261 yds, 3
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Kevin Smith, 46-219, 1 TD. Receiving: Rocky
Ross, 7-68, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
There were positives out of the six-game
losing streak to close out the year. QB Trevor Vittatoe had some
strong moments throwing the ball and the receivers played well at
times, but the running game wasn't consistent and the defense got
ripped apart by everyone's running game. After yet another November
collapse, the program has to go back to the drawing board and figure
out why it's dying every single year. There were too many good
players on this team to not go bowling.
Nov. 17
Southern Miss 56 ... UTEP 30
Damion Fletcher ran for 211 yards and three touchdowns
including scores from three and 13 yards out as part of a
42-point second half run. Tory Harrison ran for two short scores
and Jeremy Young connected on two big pass plays hitting Gerald
Baptiste for a 53-yard touchdown on the first play of the second
half, and Torris Magee for a 55-yard score later in the third
quarter. UTEP got two Marcus Thomas touchdown runs and a 77-yard
Joe West catch in a 20-point second half. USM finishes with 363
rushing yards and 568 yards of total offense, and the two teams
combined for 23 penalties for 204 yards.
Player of the game:
Southern Miss RB Damion Fletcher ran 34 times for
211 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Southern Miss - Passing:
Jeremy Young, 10-22, 205 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Damion Fletcher, 34-211, 3 TD. Receiving:
Gerald Baptiste, 4-74, 1 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 19-42, 290
yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 22-106, 2 TD. Receiving: Joe
West, 7-153, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
UTEP run defense has decided to take the rest of the season off.
Southern Miss ripped apart the Miners in the second half with
none of the adjustments working. The two big USM pass plays
helped to open things up, and the run defense couldn't get
enough safety help. The offense cranked out yards, but at this
point in the season. Trevor Vittatoe has to be more accurate and
more consistent.
Nov. 10
Tulane 34 ... UTEP 19
Tulane got out to a 17-0 first half lead on two Jeremy
Williams touchdown catches from 43 and 23 yards out, while Matt
Forte ran for two short scores to become the school's all-time
leading touchdown scorer. UTEP got a 59-yard Marcus Thomas
touchdown run in the second quarter, two Jose Martinez field
goals and a 12-yard Jeff Moturi touchdown catch, but it wasn't
enough as the Green Wave was always able to stay comfortably
ahead in the second half.
Player of the game:
Tulane WR Jeremy Williams caught eight passes for
188 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Tulane - Passing: Anthony
Scelfo, 7-11, 167 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Matt Forte, 38-171, 2 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Williams, 8-188, 2 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 28-43, 308
yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 11-124, 1 TD. Receiving:
Marcus Thomas, 7-68
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... UTEP
is doing its patented second half slide once again. It needed to
come up with wins over Conference USA lightweights Rice and
Tulane, but the defense struggled way too much, and the offense
failed to show up against the Green Wave. Marcus Thomas is the
team's star, but he only got 11 carries this week as the offense
relied way too much on Trevor Vittatoe and the passing game to
try to get back in the game. Now comes games against Southern
Miss and UCF in games those two must win. UTEP has to somehow
gear it back up or a once-promising season will turn into yet
another tremendous disaster.
Nov. 3
Rice 56 ... UTEP 48
Rice overcame seven turnovers and a 20-point fourth quarter
deficit with Chase Clement throwing three touchdown passes in
the final frame, and giving the Owls the lead for good with a
nine-yard touchdown run with 3:38 to play. UTEP had one final
chance, but the drive stalled. Clement accounted for eight
touchdowns, connecting with Jarett Dillard, Toren Dixon and
Tommy Henderson for two touchdowns each, while UTEP bombed away
with Trevor Vittatoe throwing five touchdown passes to five
different receivers, highlighted by a 76-yard play to Fred Rouse
early in the third quarter to give the Miners the lead and spark
a 28-7 run. Rice outgained the Miners 558 yards to 422.
Player of
the game:
Rice QB
Chase Clement completed 32 of 58 passes for 395 yards and six
touchdowns, and ran 14 times for 103 yards and two scores.
Stat Leaders: UTEP - Passing: Trevor
Vittatoe, 30-57, 373 yds, 5 TD
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 19-51, 1 TD. Receiving:
Lorne Sam, 9-86
Rice - Passing: Chase Clement, 32-58, 395
yds, 6 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Chars Clement, 14-103, 2 TD. Receiving:
Jarett Dillard, 11-168, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Everything was set up perfectly to get to a bowl game with the
apparent layups against Rice, and next week against Tulane,
before dealing with Southern Miss and UCF, and now after an epic
collapse to the Owls, and a third straight gut-wrenching loss,
head coach Mike Price will have to work some magic to get his
team to avoid yet another patented UTEP collapse. Getting Marcus
Thomas and the running game going again, like it was working
against Houston two weeks ago, will be a plus. On the positive
side, Trevor Vittatoe has emerged as a quarterback to build
around for the next few years.
Oct. 27
Houston 34 ... UTEP 31
Houston cranked up 520 yards of total offense, but needed a
one-yard Terance Ganaway touchdown run to finally pull ahead in the
fourth quarter and two defensive stops to finally get the win. UTEP
took a 17-7 first half lead on a nine-yard Jamar Hunt touchdown
catch and a 34-yard Joe West scoring grab, but the Cougars bounced
back with two T.J. Lawrence field goals and a 20-yard Case Keenum
touchdown run. Keenum gave Houston the lead in the fourth quarter on
a five-yard pass to Perry McDaniel, but UTEP would fight back with
Trevor Vittatoe's third touchdown pass of the game on a 35-yard
throw to Jeff Moturi. That would be it for the Miner offense. UTEP
started off the scoring with a 57-yard Jose Martinez field goal.
Player of the
game:
Houston RB
Anthony Alridge ran 27 times for 204 yards, and caught six passes
for 43 yards
Stat Leaders: Houston - Passing: Case Keenum,
13-20, 116 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Anthony Alridge, 27-204. Receiving: Anthony
Alridge, 6-43
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 8-23, 134 yds,
3 TD
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 28-178. Receiving: Jeff Moturi,
4-94, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Two straight tough losses, thanks to
defensive meltdowns against East Carolina and Houston, have all but
knocked UTEP out of the Conference USA race. There were some major
positives in the loss, from Marcus Thomas running wild yet again, to
the decent offensive balance, but Trevor Vittatoe was too off
throughout the game and wasn't able to come through late despite
having two chances to come up with late scoring drives. A bowl bid
is still possible, but there's little margin for error with three of
the final four games on the road, and the home date with Southern
Miss.
Oct. 13
East Carolina 45 ... UTEP 42 OT
UTEP got a 45--yard field goal from Jose Martinez in overtime,
but ECU QB Rob Kass plunged in for a one-yard score to pull off a
wild win. The Miners appeared to have the game won, as Marcus Thomas
tore off a 31-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds to play, but the
Pirates put it into overtime on a 34-yard Juwon Crowell touchdown
catch with no time left on the clock. The two teams traded scores
throughout, with Thomas starting things off with a 42-yard scoring
catch, and ECU taking an early lead with a 50-yard Van Eskridge
fumble recovery for a score. In the third quarter, ECU came up with
a few haymakers, getting a 57-yard Dwayne Harris touchdown run and
an 80-yard Jamar Bryant touchdown catch to go up ten. But UTEP would
respond with the third of Martinez's four field goals and a 17-yard
Jeff Moturi touchdown grab early in the fourth before the fireworks
at the end. UTEP cranked out 589 yards of total offense, while ECU
came up with 507.
Player of the
game:
In a losing
cause, UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe completed 38 of 55 passes for 409
yards and three touchdowns with an interception
Stat Leaders: East Carolina - Passing: Rob Kass,
18-32, 219 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chris Johnson, 23-126. Receiving: Jamar
Bryant, 7-133, 1 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 38-55, 409 yds,
3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 22-103, 1 TD. Receiving: Jeff
Moturi, 12-113, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
UTEP won two straight close shootouts,
and then it got burned in heartbreaking fashion by East Carolina.
The Miners had the game in hand, and appeared to have its charmed
year continue with a Marcus Thomas late touchdown run, but the
secondary couldn't come up with the big play at the end of
regulation. Now the team has to get over this in a hurry with
Houston coming up next. They're still in the C-USA title hunt, but
they can't afford a loss to the Cougars with Southern Miss and UCF
still to play.
Oct. 6
UTEP 48 ... Tulsa 47
In a wild games with 1,218 yards of total offense, UTEP came
through with a 14-yard Joe West touchdown catch with 58 seconds to
play to tie it, and then Jose Martinez hit the extra point to take
the lead. It wasn't over. Tulsa got a big kickoff return from Trae
Johnson, who later caught a 14-yard pass on fourth and one, to set
up a 53-yard field goal attempt, but Jarod Tracy missed wide left to
give UTEP the win. Marcus Thomas ran for three touchdowns for the
Miners, scoring from three, 11 and 38 yards out, while Tulsa got a
huge day from Paul Smith, who threw two touchdown passes to Johnson,
and ran for two more.
Player of the game: UTEP RB Marcus Thomas ran 27 times for 134
yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Tulsa - Passing: Paul Smith,
26-43, 383 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Charles Clay, 11-112, 1 TD. Receiving: Trae
Johnson, 8-127, 2 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 21-27, 319 yds,
3 TD
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 27-134, 3 TD. Receiving:
Jeff Moturi, 7-174,
2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... With
one offensive explosion against Tulsa, coming on the heels of a
thriller against SMU, UTEP has found itself in the lead in the
Conference USA race, but there aren't many league breathers coming
up with East Carolina and Houston next. The defense might not even
be close, but all the parts are working on offense, with Marcus
Thomas finally running like the star he was supposed to be a few
years ago, and Trevor Vittatoe maturing as a passer in each game.
It's not a stretch to call this the biggest win in the Mike Price
era, and now the momentum has to continue against the Pirates
Sept. 29
UTEP 48 ... SMU 45 OT
UTEP answered SMU's overtime field goal with the third Marcus
Thomas touchdown run of the day barreling in from ten yards out to
complete the comeback. Down 42-28 in the fourth, the Miners got two
Trevor Vittatoe touchdown passes, the second coming on a nine-yard
strike to Jake Sears with seven seconds to play to force overtime. This
was the second major Miner comeback of the game, with Lorne Sam running
for two third quarter touchdowns, and Thomas running it in from 11 yards
out, as part of a 21-point run to overcome an early 28-7 deficit. SMU
got two James Mapps touchdown runs, a 50-yard Cedrick Dorsey dash, and a
23-yard interception return for a touchdown from Wilton McCray, but the
defense couldn't hold down the UTEP running game. The two teams combined
for 1,074 yards of total offense, with UTEP running for 308.
Player
of the game:
UTEP
RB Marcus Thomas rushed for 207 yards and three touchdowns on 35
carries.
Stat Leaders: UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe,
17-33, 255 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 35-207, 3 TDs. Receiving: Lorne
Sam, 5-88
SMU - Passing: Justin Willis, 15-28, 259 yds, 2 TDs,
1 INT
Rushing: James Mapps, 26-149, 2 TDs. Receiving: Emmanuel
Sanders, 6-95
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
While the defense had a
nightmare of a time against the SMU offense, the offense started to hum
better than it had all season long. Marcus Thomas is starting to run
like the star everyone was hoping he'd be, while Trevor Vittatoe had
just enough good moments to provide a little bit of balance. Getting
Lorne Sam involved in the offense is a must, and he came through with
some key runs in the comeback. With big home showdowns against Tulsa,
East Carolina and Houston up next, this was a vital, confidence-boosting
road win.
Sept. 22
UTEP 52 ... Texas Southern 12
UTEP forced five turnovers, were helped by ten Texas
Southern penalties, and rolled easily to a 38-0 first half lead
highlighted by Marcus Thomas runs from 15 and 27 yards out, and two
Trevor Vittatoe touchdown passes to Jeff Moturi. Texas Southern broke
the run with a 21-yard William Osborne touchdown grab in the third
quarter, but the Miner bench had been emptied.
Player
of the game:
UTEP
RB Marcus Thomas ran 11 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, and ran
once for 18 yards
Stat Leaders: Texas Southern - Passing: Tino
Edgecomb, 16-28, 158 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Brent Wilson, 11-76. Receiving: William Osborne,
6-56, 2 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 10-16, 199 yds, 2
TD
Rushing: James Thomas, 11-105, 2 TD. Receiving: Joe West,
4-88
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
After the losses to New Mexico State and
Texas Tech, and the close call against New Mexico to start the year,
UTEP needed a laugher of a blowout win, and Texas Southern was happy to
provide it. Marcus Thomas showed off the running pop everyone's been
waiting for, mainly because he finally had holes to run through. Trevor
Vittatoe threw well, but backup Kyle Wright struggled. If nothing else,
this game cemented Vittatoe that much more in the starting job.
Sept. 15
New Mexico State 29 ... UTEP 24
New Mexico State got two fourth quarter touchdown catches
from Chris Williams, striking from 82 and 59 yards out, and the defense
held on late in the tight win. UTEP got its first points on a 100-yard
Quintin Demps interception return for a touchdown, increased the lead on
a 12-yard Marcus Thomas run, and after a big kickoff return from Fred
Rouse, following the Williams 82-yard touchdown, needed one play to take
the lead on a 25-yard Jeff Moturi touchdown catch.
Player of the game: New Mexico State WR Chris Williams
caught nine passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: New Mexico State - Passing:
Chase Holbrook, 36-48, 434 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Justine Buries, 15-77, 1 TD. Receiving:
Chris Williams, 9-221, 2 TD
UTEP- Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 15-27,
261 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 21-74, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeff Moturi, 6-105, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
How could UTEP not run the ball on New Mexico State? Yeah, the Aggie
run defense is better, but the Miners were only able to average 2.7
yards per carry with Marcus Thomas getting stuffed, or at least slowed
down, for most of the game. Trevor Vittotoe wasn't perfect, but he did a
nice job of pushing the ball deep, but he's still not quite there yet
when it comes to shootouts. He still needs Thomas and the ground attack
to help out.
Sept. 8
Texas Tech 45 ... UTEP 31
UTEP got up early with a 21-point first quarter run on two
Trevor Vittatoe touchdown passes, including a 41-yarder to Joe West,
and a two-yard Marcus Thomas touchdown run, and held a 28-17 lead
after a three-yard Thomas score. And then the Red Raider
offense took over, outscoring UTEP 28-3 in the second half on three
of Graham Harrell's four touchdown passes. Michael Crabtree made two
scoring grabs and Shannon Woods ran for a two-yard score to finally
put the game away.
Player of
the game ... Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell completed 48 of 64
passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns with an interception
Stat Leaders: Texas Tech - Passing: Graham
Harrell, 48-64, 484 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Shannon Woods, 7-46, 1 TD Receiving:
Michael Crabtree, 15-188, 2 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 12-26, 202
yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 22-85, 2 TD Receiving:
Joe West, 5-101, 1
TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... UTEP
might not have had the firepower to keep up with Texas Tech in the
second half, but it was a decent stepping-stone game in the
emergence of Trevor Vittatoe as a passer. He struggled way too much
with his accuracy, but he connected on a few nice passes in the
first quarter before the Red Raiders woke up. To beat New Mexico
State, he'll need to bomb away even more, and RB Marcus Thomas will
have to build on this nice performance. Defensively, Braxton Amy had
a tremendous game with 16 tackles, 13 of them solo.
Sept. 1
UTEP 10 ... New Mexico 6
New Mexico outgained UTEP 379 yards to 195, but the Miners got
the one big play it had to have with a 36-yard Terrell Jackson
touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. The Miner defense held,
as hit had all game long allowing John Sullivan field goals
from 20 and 40 yards out. UTEP scored first on the game's opening
drive on a 51-yard Jose Martinez field goal.
Player of the game: UTEP S Quintin Demps made 17
tackles with two tackles for loss and broke up a pass
Stat Leaders: New Mexico - Passing:
Trevor Vittatoe, 6-21, 59 yds
Rushing: Terrell Jackson, 11-70, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeff Moturi, 3-22
UTEP - Passing: Donovan Porterie, 25-39,
190 yds
Rushing: Rodney Ferguson, 32-128. Receiving: Marcus
Smith, 11-77
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... UTEP
might have come away with a win over New Mexico, but it was as ugly
as it gets. Basically, the Miners got one good offensive play, the
Terrell Jackson touchdown run for the winning points, and did
nothing else. It's a long way from the Jordan Palmer days as Trevor
Vittatoe struggled mightily to complete the most basic passes. He'd
better get in tune with his targets in a hurry, or the Texas Tech
game next week will be a nightmare.
Sept. 1 - New Mexico
Offense: The offense is scrapping the Bob Toledo attack and going
back to a more basic style that'll pound the ball more with a big line,
but won't forget about balancing things out through the air. With one of
the Mountain West's best receiving tandems in Travis Brown and Marcus
Smith, and a rising superstar in quarterback Donovan Porterie, the
passing game should shine, while Rodney Ferguson will be a 1,000-yard
back. If injuries are a problem, there will be big troubles with no
developed depth among the skills positions and even less to count on up
front.
Defense: The 3-3-5 scheme will stay in place, but the Lobo
position will be fifth defensive back more than a linebacker. As always,
there are plenty of great athletes who can run and fly to the ball. Now
there has to be more production against the pass and more big plays in
the backfield. The linebacking corps with Cody Kase moving from the
outside in, should be stellar, while the cornerback tandem of DeAndre
Wright and Glover Quin should be among the best in the league. There's a
ton of talent to get excited about, but, unlike last year, will it all
come together to form one of the league's better defenses? It's
possible.
Sept. 8 – at Texas Tech
Offense: On the surface, there might appear to be a world
of problems. The quarterback situation is allegedly up for grabs, the
star running back practiced like he was too secure and got booted to
third string, almost all the top receivers are gone, and four starters
have to be replaced on the line. Don't shed too many tears. Graham
Harrell had a great spring and will be the staring quarterback once
again, Shannon Woods will get back in everyone's good graces this fall
and be a top back, and Michael Crabtree might be the best receiver the
program has had in several years. Of course, it all goes kaput if the
line doesn't come together quickly, but Mike Leach and his coaching
staff have dealt with worse. There might be question marks, but there's
also a whole bunch of talented prospects. This will be one of the
nation's five best passing offenses once again, but it might not be
consistent.
Defense: This D will be a major part in several shootouts, and
not in a good way. The secondary will be the strength, and it's not even
close, with a pair of all-star safeties in Darcel McBath and Joe Garcia,
along with star corner Chris Parker. The front seven is a major problem,
especially the defensive line, with no depth and only one starter
returning. The linebacking corps isn't all that big, but it's fast and
should be good in time. Expect good running teams to be able to rumble
at will.
Sept. 15 – at New Mexico State
Offense: So that's how it's supposed to work? With Chase
Holbrook at the helm, the Aggies finished third in the nation in total
offense averaging 475 yards a game, 15th in scoring averaging 31 points
a game, and second in passing averaging 399 yards per game. Those
numbers might seem pedestrian this year if everyone stays healthy. Nine
starters return including the top seven pass catchers, starting running
back Jeremiah Williams, four linemen, and of course, Holbrook, who'll be
one of the nation's statistical leaders all year long if the line, which
found the right combination late last year, gives him just a little more
time.
Defense: Big plays, big plays, big plays. The call has gone out
from defensive coordinator Woody Widenhofer for the defense to use all
its experience, with eight returning starters (with safety Gerald
Gurrier moving to receiver) to find a way to force more turnovers, come
up with more stops on third downs, and most importantly, generate a pass
rush. The Aggies came up with a mere 15 sacks and 55 tackles for loss
last year, and those numbers need to double to give the beleaguered
secondary any shot of being better. There isn't a whole bunch of talent
from top to bottom, so everyone will have to be ultra-aggressive and
more consistent.
Sept. 22 – Texas Southern
Sept. 29 – at SMU
Offense: In sophomore Justin Willis, SMU has a legitimate
franchise quarterback with the physical tools to move an offense and the
intangibles to lead a program to victories and eventually bowl games.
He’ll be growing alongside classmate Emmanuel Sanders, who ignited a
mediocre receiving corps last year with 46 catches and nine touchdown
receptions. Junior back DeMyron Martin is eyeing the kind of rebound
year that’ll refocus his career while giving more balance to the
offense. He’ll have the luxury of running behind a seasoned line that
returns four starters. If, as expected, the Mustangs are playing in
shootouts this year, they’ve now got the offensive weapons to keep pace.
Defense: The Mustangs will spend the better part of the year
trying to replace three starters from the 2006 defensive line, including
standouts Justin Rogers and Adrian Haywood. If they can solve that
complex riddle, look out. The back seven, led by Butkus Award candidate
Reggie Carrington, is very fast and very capable of spurring an
improvement from last year’s middling results. The more likely scenario
has the line struggling to create a consistent push and the secondary
getting burned by opposing hurlers with way too much time to find their
targets.
Oct. 6 - Tulsa
Offense: Can Gus Malzahn’s hurry-up, no-huddle offense really
work at this level … take two. All the buzz about Malzahn’s fancy
playbook fizzled in Fayetteville last year, but unlike at Arkansas,
Tulsa coach Tood Graham is on board and prepared to see all of the
offense’s bell and whistles. The system aims to control the tempo,
physically and mentally wear out opponents, and sort of run a two-minute
offense for four quarters. Senior quarterback Paul Smith is liable to
go berserk running this offense, but a makeshift offensive line and a
whole new set of receivers will be two major stumbling blocks. When the
Hurricane runs the ball, it’ll turn to senior Courtney Tennial and
junior Tarrion Adams, arguably the best running duo in Conference
USA.
Defense: Head coach Todd Graham brings the 3-3-5 and a very
aggressive style back to Tulsa, where he led the defense from
2003-2005. The fact that he coached and recruited many of this year’s
players should make for a smoother-than-expected transition. Graham
will showcase a swarming unit that brings turnovers back to Tulsa. In
his final season as the defensive coordinator, the Hurricane had 36
takeaways. Without him last year? 14. The strength is at linebacker,
which features three senior starters and Nelson Coleman, one of the
nation’s best middle linebackers you’ve never seen play. With so much
over pursuing going on in 2007, a retooled secondary could give up as
many big plays this year as it has in the last two combined.
Oct. 13 - East Carolina
Offense: Skip Holtz likes to spread the field out and turn his
quarterback loose, but with the battery of James Pinkney and Aundrae
Allison gone, the Pirates will put more emphasis on the ground game.
That means extra carries this year for versatile senior Chris Johnson
and his young understudies, Dominique Lindsay and Norman Whitley. While
strong-armed sophomore Rob Kass will replace Pinkney behind center, an
adequate replacement for Allison will be much tougher to find. Look for
the quarterback to utilize a group of tight ends that has the potential
to be as good as any in Conference USA. For ECU to improve on last
season’s weak offensive output, the veteran line needs to give Kass an
extra second or two in the pocket and create more daylight for the
backs.
Defense: If the Pirate defensive line doesn’t outright dominate
at times this season, heads will roll at the end of the year. There’s
way too much talent and depth on this unit for it not to make a quantum
leap from 2006. Junior end Marcus Hands, in particular, has the size
and quickness to be special after underachieving last fall. Penetration
up front figures to help a secondary that’s easily the weak link of this
defense. Three starters, including both corners, need to be replaced
from a group that was one of the underrated team strengths for the past
two seasons.
Oct. 27 - Houston
Offense:
The graduation of four-year starting quarterback Kevin Kolb signals a new era in
Houston, but it doesn’t mean the Cougars will be inept on offense in 2007.
There’s too much explosiveness and veteran leadership for that to happen. Last
year’s backup, sophomore Blake Joseph, is expected to get the nod at
quarterback. He’s got a huge arm and about as much fear as he does experience.
Surrounding Joseph will be a half-dozen players that earned all-league honors
last year, headed by senior running back Anthony Alridge, one of the nation’s
fastest players.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Alan Weddell’s goal is to bring pressure
from every angle and invent ways to get as much speed as possible on the field.
With that in mind, he’ll be installing some elements of a 4-2-5 package in 2007
to periodically get an athletic rover into the mix. The personnel is deep and
reliable, especially with a front seven that includes dynamic junior end Phillip
Hunt and a couple of all-league linebackers in junior Cody Lubojasky and senior
Trent Allen. If senior safety Rocky Schwartz is all the way back from knee
surgery and the corners hold up, the pieces are in place for this to be
Conference USA’s stingiest defense.a
Nov. 3 – at Rice
Offense: Todd Graham and his staff are gone, but the spread attack is
alive and well at Rice, good news for an offense that returns its starting
quarterback and All-American wide receiver. Although Chase Clement to Jarett
Dillard will be a familiar phrase this fall, the Owls are also developing a
bunch of good-looking, young pass-catchers that are ready to contribute. The
quest for offensive balance, however, won’t be so easy now that underappreciated
running back Quinton Smith has exhausted his eligibility. Last year was a
painful transition for the offensive line, but with four starters back and a
full year in the system, there are no excuses for not being much better in pass
protection.
Defense: In an attempt to bolster a run defense that allowed more than
300 yards to five straight opponents in 2006, Rice is shifting from the 3-3-5 to
the 4-2-5. The move puts another big body in the box, but also puts an enormous
burden on a line that lost three of last year’s best linemen to graduation. The
new scheme encourages constant pressure from a back seven that boasts the young
athletes, such as junior linebacker Brian Raines and sophomore safety Andrew
Sendejo, to create havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Lost in last year’s
statistically awful season was the fact that the opportunistic Owls paced
Conference USA in turnovers and sacks.
Nov. 10 – at Tulane
Offense: New head coach Bob Toledo would like to get vertical get the
passing game moving, but it's not going to happen at the expense of the ground
attack. With a good back in Matt Forte to work with, the Green Wave will try to
run the ball to create some semblance of balance, but the offensive line might
not be in place to do it. Scott Elliott is the odds-on favorite to win the
starting quarterback job in a four-man race, and he has some decent young
receivers to work with.
Defense: Tulane hasn't played consistent defense in a few years, and it
needs to count on experience, especially up front, to change things around.
Eight starters return led by senior tackles Frank Morton and Avery Williams. The
secondary needs to be far better after allowing over 250 passing yards a game,
but that could be a bit of an issue with two new starting corners being broken
in. The new coaching staff will use a variety of formations and schemes to try
to get more production, and while the overall defense should be better, there
will still be times when it'll get bombed on.
Nov. 17 - Southern Miss
Offense: While it’s become fashionable for programs across the country to
switch to some fancy derivative of the spread offense, Southern Miss is content
to pound the ball on the ground, control the clock and let its defense win
games. Sure, the Eagles prefer balance, but in Hattiesburg, the run continues
to set up the pass. Last year’s league-leading rusher, sophomore Damion
Fletcher, is back for an encore, and this time, he brought friends. Southern
Miss is deep in the backfield, which will take pressure off versatile, yet
erratic, senior quarterback Jeremy Young. His favorite target will again be
tight end Shawn Nelson, a future pro with All-America potential. For a change,
there are restless moments about an offensive line that’s replacing three
starters, two of which were First Team All-Conference USA in 2006.
Defense: The “Nasty Bunch” defense that’s become the trademark of
Southern Miss football under Jeff Bower should be one of the nation’s top ranked
units in 2007. It’s fast and experienced, and if Bower gets his way, about to
become as physical as his vintage teams of the late 1990s. The Eagles return
nine starters, including the entire front seven and five players that earned
all-Conference USA recognition in 2006. Good luck moving the ball on this
veteran group. If there’s a weak link on defense it’s in the secondary, where
two new starting corners will be broken in. One way to help rookies Eddie
Willingham and Michael McGee will be to get more pressure on the quarterback
than last year, when USM was No. 81 in the country in sacks.
Nov. 24 – at UCF
Offense: Quarterback Steven Moffett and premier receiver Mike Walker have
graduated, so logic dictates the Knights will lean on junior Kevin Smith for a
while. He’s as good as any back in the league when he’s healthy, and has the
luxury of four starting linemen returning. Don’t expect any drop-off from
Moffett to senior Kyle Israel. In fact, the veteran of 16 games and five starts
was so sharp down the stretch in 2006, some around the program feel he could be
even better running the pro-style offense if a couple of the young receivers
emerge.
Defense: Nothing typified UCF’s collapse in 2006 more than the shoddy
play of the defense, which finished 106th nationally and allowed
almost 30 points a game. The secondary was a particular mess, prompting George
O’Leary to open up the competition at every spot, despite the return of four
starters. The coach had a chance to take the wrappers off some of his young
kids late last year, which will benefit players, such as tackles Torrell Johnson
and Travis Timmons and end Jared Kirksey, this season. More than anything else,
the Knights are looking to improve their team speed after looking a step slow
throughout the 2006 season.
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