Spring
Preview
2008
WAC Spring Football Previews
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 WAC Spring Analysis
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2008
Early Lookaheads -
WAC
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2008 WAC Insider Spring
Questions & Answers
Boise State
Spring Practice Begins: March 12 Game: April 13
The early spring buzz ... A mini-crisis might be averted, or at
least postponed. Jeremy Childs, the team's most dangerous receiver, and
a first team All-WAC returnee, was booted off the team for a semester
for "undisclosed reasons," with the rumor that it was for plagiarism. He
won't be involved with the team during spring ball and the jury is still
out on whether or not there will be any aftereffects this fall, but it
initially looked like the Broncos would be without their top target for
a year. Now it appears he'll be back in the mix for fall practice.
The big spring question is ... What happened to the defense?
Outside of a 69-67 four overtime shootout win over Nevada, the D was
solid throughout the year until it collapsed late in Hawaii, first
against the Warriors, and then in a Hawaii Bowl collapse to East
Carolina. Safety Marty Tadman will be sorely missed in the secondary,
but the rest of the defensive back seven returns. The D line was fine
overall, and the sacks came in waves, but it wasn't always strong at
getting into the backfield on a regular basis and now it has to replace
three good starters. The attention this spring will be paid to the
offense, but the coaching staff wants to make sure this is the WAC's
best defense again and not look like the group that lost focus late.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback, with
offensive tackle a close second. With Ryan Clady off to the NFL, both
tackles are gone, and four starters are need to be replaced from a
fantastic group. Every practice will be vital to get several green
players time to figure out what they're doing. Finding a steady passer
will get all the headlines with four prospects in the mix with last
year's starter, Taylor Tharp, gone. It's a wide open race with Bush
Hamdan, last year's top backup, the slight leader, with sophomore
Michael Coughlin, a big bomber, Nick Lomax, son of former NFL star,
Neil, and good-looking redshirt freshman Kellen Moore all getting an
equal shot. For the first time in several years, a quarterback wasn't
brought in this recruiting season, so this is it.
Spring attitude... Get the mojo back. After winning 23 of 24
straight games, the team dropped two in a row for the first time since
early 2005, and for only the second time since early 2001. With the way
the 2007 season ended, there has to be a bit of a wake-up call that for
all the success the program has had, it can't just show up and expect to
win. The attitude has to be there that this is still a
little-engine-that-could program, even if it isn't, and the team can't
stop being hungry. East Carolina was the team that wanted it more in
Hawaii.
Fresno State
(starting in April)
The early spring buzz ... This could be the best team in the
successful 11-year tenure of Pat Hill. Eight starters are back on
offense and seven are back on D, including most of the stars, and now
the one big issue, offensive coordinator, has been resolved. Jim
McElwain took off for Alabama as a revolving door continued with a
different OC needing to be hired for the fourth year in a row, but the
offense should be even more dangerous with Doug Nussmeier, the
quarterback coach for the St. Louis Rams, taking over. Considering
junior QB Tom Brandstater is on the verge of becoming the NFL prospect
many expected him to become earlier in his career, this was a great
hire.
The big spring question is ... What's the defense going to do to
force more mistakes? Even with stars like Tyler Clutts and Marcus Riley
on the defensive front seven, who are both gone now, and with the
tremendous pressure brought into the backfield on a regular basis both
on opposing quarterbacks and against the run, there weren't any
takeaways. The D came up with a mere 13 and didn't do nearly enough to
hold firm against the better running teams. If the defensive can do more
to even out the turnover margin, Brandstater can take more shots down
the field and the offense can take a few more chances.
The most important position to watch is ... Kicker and
punter. Clint Stitser was a decent veteran placekicker, hitting 16 of 24
field goals, and while Kyle Zimmerman wasn't a special punter, he wasn't
all that bad. With the opening three games of the year at UCLA, at
Kansas State and against Wisconsin, everything has to be in place from
day one, and if the special teams are an issue, the Bulldogs will come
out on the wrong side of a few close games.
Spring attitude... Don't believe the hype. Yes, the team is
fantastic. Yes, this is likely the preseason WAC favorite, and yes, it's
right to get fired up and expect to be in for a good season, but Hill's
biggest mistake has always been to think globally, and not act locally.
The program always seems to focus on being big-time and then fail to get
the job done in the WAC, and with all the talk that's bound to start up
about FSU possibly being a contender for an at-large BCS spot, the team
can't be set up for a fall if it happens to lose to UCLA and/or
Wisconsin early on.
Hawaii
The early spring buzz ... It's all about spin control and trying
to get the momentum going again. With the embarrassment in the Sugar
Bowl all but destroying most of the positives coming from the tremendous
2007 regular season, the goal is to keep the high-octane offense going
under head coach Greg McMackin, but it'll have to do so without Colt
Brennan and all-star receivers Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen. With
most of the coaching staff still in place, and McMackin's knowledge of
the program, things might not be as bad as they appear.
The big spring question is ... Was June Jones right? Jones
seemed to be a natural fit for Hawaii with his history, his relationship
with the community, and with the system in place to get national
attention year after year. However, he was fed up with the lack of
funding, the horrendous facilities, and the inability to recruit like
most programs can. The infrastructure wasn't there, and the money money
wasn't close to as comparable to what he got from SMU. Now it's up to
McMackin and this year's team to show that there's more to the program
than Jones, Brennan and the success of last year.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback and
receiver. The passing game isn't going to be nearly as effective as it's
been over the last two seasons, but the recruiting class is loaded with
prospects ready to give it a try. Tyler Graunke is the early favorite to
take over the starting quarterback job, after filling in nicely when
Brennan was dinged up last year, but JUCO transfer Greg Alexander is a
big bomber who might take the gig right away. Brent Rausch is another
ready-made starter who'll come in and compete for the job. McMackin also
hit the JUCO ranks hard for receivers with five good ones brought in.
Spring attitude... Enjoy being the underdog again. After a
year of being in the spotlight and in the weekly national consciousness,
Hawaii will be under the radar compared to Fresno State and Boise State.
Opening the season at Florida isn't going to help matters, and following
up a date with Weber State with a trip to Oregon State could make for a
rough start. Whatever. The team has to focus on getting better for the
WAC season and being a contender again for a conference title. Able to
use the no one respects us line, the motivation will be there.
Idaho
Spring Practice
Begins: March 31 Game: April 27
The early spring buzz ... The program is starting to think long
term, and it can with head coach Robb Akey certain to stick around for a
while, his contract won't let him duck out for without paying a ton, and
the facilities are starting to be built up. The money is being pumped in
with a massive undertaking in place to improve the Kibbie Dome and to
make a statement that the program is trying to go big-time.
The big spring question is ... Did the recruiting class
provide the instant help needed? The rebuilding job continues as Akey
looks to lay the foundation for a job that'll take at least another year
before the program is close to hoping to be competitive in the WAC race.
The recruiting class focused mostly on defense, with the hope of being
able to run a 4-3 as opposed to the 3-4 the team had to go with last
year. The other key was speed at receiver, a big issue throughout last
year as the Vandals couldn't keep up in any sort of shootout.
The most important position to watch is ... Middle
linebacker. Everyone's returning on offense, everyone, and eight
starters are back on defense, but there's a major loss in leadership
along with plays with 148 tackles last year and 324 for his career. He
was a big, versatile presence for the D who was able to play in the
middle or on the weakside, and with Jo'Artis Ratti also gone, it'll be
up to sophomores Adam Sahmion, Jo Jo Dickson and Justin Allen to turn
into producers.
Spring attitude... Keep improving. With so much returning
experience and a recruiting class expected to provide instant help,
it'll be tempting to hope for a major turnaround and a shocker of a
season. The team is still at least a year away, this is still a
ridiculously young group loaded with underclassmen, so the focus has to
be on getting better each week and creating more competition for each
spot.
Louisiana Tech
Spring Practice Begins: March 26 Game: April 21
The early spring buzz ... The team is still smarting from a few
last second recruiting defections. The class was decent, but it could've
been a whole bunch better if it had been able to close on OT Nick
Chartain to Southern Miss, WR Bud Patterson to TCU, and most
importantly, QB Bret Jefcoat to Southern Miss. Call it a case of a young
coaching staff learning the ins and outs of the recruiting world. Now,
with Jefcoat out of the picture ...
The big spring question is ... Who's going to play at
quarterback? Jefcoat was supposed to be an instant contender to replace
the steady, but unspectacular Zac Champion. There are still options with
last year's backup, Michael Mosley, getting the first look and Grambling
transfer Al Hawkins and promising transfer Steve Ensminger also in the
mix. Considering the passing game was one of the least efficient in
America, the hope isn't just to come up with a new starter, but to
improve the position.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive end.
The defense improved by leaps and bounds after finishing dead last in
the nation in 2006, but now it has to replace three starters off the
defensive line and three linebackers. JUCO star Kwame Jordan is supposed
to be the new star on the end, but the team needs senior Wes Day and
sophomore Randy Grigsby to shine on the outside early on.
Spring attitude... Get to a bowl. After a nice first season
under Derek Dooley going 5-7, and it had a chance to finish .500 but got
blasted by Nevada in the regular season finale. More production from the
offense, improvement in a veteran secondary, and a few lucky breaks here
and there that the program hasn't been able to get over the last few
years should lead to a winning season.
Nevada
Spring Practice Begins: March 27 Spring Scrimmage: April
21
The early spring buzz ... The defense has to undergo some
major changes after losing a ton from the secondary, Ezra Butler and
Nick Fuhr in the linebacking corps, and Matt Hines at nose tackle.
However, the team got a fantastic pickup in former Oregon State
defensive backs coach Nigel Burton to take over the defense while still
keeping Ken Wilson, the former defensive coordinator, who'll take over
the linebackers.
The big spring question is ... What was that in the New Mexico Bowl?
After cranking out one of the nation's most effective offenses and being
a consistent scoring machine, the Wolf Pack got shut out 23-0 by New
Mexico, but that could turn out to be the best thing that could happen
to the team for the 2008 season. Motivation won't be a problem, and now
there can be more competition for key spots on the offense, especially
at quarterback where Nick Graziano is healthy again and back to battle
Colin Kaepernick.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive back.
Even though head coach Chris Ault is turning 62 this season, there's no
real talk of retirement yet. However, the recruiting class was built for
the here and now with several key defensive pickups expecting to make
plenty of noise right away. With three starters gone from the secondary,
including both corners, beating Boise State for JUCO transfer Thaddeus
Brown and getting ready-made starters in Maurice Harvey and Antoine
Thompson could actually improve a mediocre pass defense.
Spring attitude... No excuses. The offense should be one of
the 15 best in America in total yards, and the defensive holes appear to
have been patched by the recruiting class. The Pack has been excellent
since the return of Ault, but it's still not the star of the league like
it once was. This year, Fresno State and Boise State are loaded and
ready for a run at the title, and Nevada has to take the attitude that
it belongs in the same discussion.
New
Mexico State
The early spring buzz ... If the offense isn't one of the 15 most
productive in America, it'll be a total shock. QB Chase Holbrook
actually had a decision to make about whether or not to come back to for
his senior year, but after being projected as a sixth round pick, and
with 2009 looking like a lousy draft for quarterbacks, Holbrook can make
a big jump with another monster year. Also helping the cause will be the
addition of long time SEC defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn to try to
finally improve a defense that's been among the worst in America for
several years. If nothing else, there will be more aggressiveness and
more sacks this year.
The big spring question is ... Are the wins ever going to
come? The eight wins over the last two years might not seem like much,
but the program has still improved greatly from where it was a few years
ago when Hal Mumme first took over. However, four of the eight came
against FCS teams and the best win in the Mumme era came against a 2007
UTEP team that finished 4-8. There have been some close calls, battling
hard in losses to Nevada and Fresno State last year, but the victories
and success aren't there. There has to be more to show for by the end of
this year.
The most important position to watch is ... Running back.
Yes, NMSU, the place with one of the most one-dimensional attacks in
college football, is paying more attention to the running game, or at
least the backs, bringing in four decent prospects who fit the system.
Justine Buries, one of the team's leading rushers over the last few
years, transferred to Hofstra, and Jeremiah Williams and Tonny Glynn,
who missed time late last year with a broken ankle, are back, but the
excitement in the recruiting class with JUCO transfers Marquell Colston
and Seth Smith to be in the mix right away. Mumme also looked to the
future with Donovan Roberts and Ruben Martinez, who'll be running the
ball in two years.
Spring attitude... Just get the offense right and everything
else will fall into place. With Holbrook back along with Chris Williams
and all the other top targets after injuries and inconsistency struck
last year, there's no reason for this not to be among the most dangerous
attacks in college football. There's too much experience with everyone
knowing the system cold to not be more productive. This team is built to
rock and roll in shootouts, and now it has to start winning its share of
games.
San
Jose State
Spring Practice Begins: March 9 Game: April 14
The early spring buzz ... Dick Tomey is still in San Jose and not
off to Honolulu. Rumors were swirling in mid-January that Tomey was
destined to take over for June Jones, and/or the athletic director job,
at Hawaii, but those weren't true and the program appears ready to be
back in a bowl hunt. Between Tomey's age, currently 69, and the overall
belief that he'll end up trying his hand at one more big program if
given the opportunity, it made the recruiting season tough.
The big spring question is ... Can the team really improve
that much? Yes, but it's not because of the 2008 recruiting class. With
seven scholarships taken away by the NCAA for lousy marks on the
Academic Progress Report, the recruiting class wasn't as big as it
needed to be, and it could hurt the depth in the long run. However,
there will be a big splash from last year with former Oregon State CB
Coye Francies, former USC DE Jeff Schweiger, and former Cal QB Kyle Reed
all ready to roll after sitting out last year, while WR Marquis Avery is
ready to make an impact from this year's class to go with the excellent
tandem of Kevin Jurovich and David Richmond.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback. Adam
Tafralis turned into a very, very nice quarterback after struggling
early in his career, and he will be missed. All eyes will be on Reed,
who has all the tools to be strong right away, but he'll have to battle
Jordan LaSecla and Myles Eden for the job. With the receiving corps in
place, whoever wins the job should put up huge numbers.
Spring attitude... Win now. After a disappointing 5-7 season,
with a late loss to Louisiana Tech killing the shot at a .500 campaign,
the team has no real excuse to not be better with a strong offense
coming back and a veteran defense that Tomey should be able to help mold
into one of the best in the WAC. Considering the team lost to Fresno
State and Boise State by a combined score of 72-7, there's still a ways
to go to be one of the league's elite, but that doesn't mean it can't go
to its second bowl in three years.
Utah State
Spring Practice Begins: March 21 Game: April 13
The early spring buzz ... The call went out by Brent Guy to get
bigger, and the recruiting class reflected that as the Aggies made the
attempt to get more physical and much larger after being pushed around
way too often over the last few years. While the defense might not
exactly be a brick wall, the combination of new, big JUCO players with
all the returning veterans, ten starters return from last year's D,
should mean more overall production.
The big spring question is ... Will the team finally be able
to score? The top playmaker, Kevin Robinson, is gone, along with
longtime unproductive starting QB Leon Jackson, but enough starters
return to be a little better throwing the ball after finishing 116th in
the nation in passing offense and 115th in total yards. The spring has
to be about finding something, anything that the O can count on. It
needs an identity as soon as possible.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback. The
position has been an issue for years and now the job is wide open. Jase
McCormick is a mature veteran who signed with the team in 2002 before
going on an LDS Church Mission. New recruit Robert Fuller will be the X
factor throughout the offseason. The prep pickup is a multi-talented
playmaker who can be used at several other positions if he doesn't end
up taking over under center, but he could turn into the team's most
dangerous option if McCormick isn't moving the ball.
Spring attitude... Build on the two wins at the end of the
year. Guy has somehow survived after winning just six games in three
seasons, but there won't be a fifth season unless there's a major
upswing in production and hope for the future. The team will never be in
a better place under Guy than it is this year with all the returning
experience and the instant help from the recruiting class, so while
hoping for a WAC title is unrealistic, winning five games isn't asking
for the world.
