2008 CFN WAC Preview
Team Previews &
Predictions
Boise State
|
Fresno
State
|
Hawaii |
Idaho
|
Louisiana
Tech
Nevada
|
New Mexico State
|
San Jose
State |
Utah State
-
CFN All-WAC Team &
Top 30 Players
- WAC Team-by-Team
Capsules
- WAC Unit
Rankings
- WAC Schedules &
Predictions
By
Pete Fiutak
Just when the WAC was
everyone’s hot conference after Boise State’s miraculous 2007 Fiesta
Bowl win over Oklahoma and Hawaii’s magical unbeaten run to the Sugar
Bowl, Georgia, East Carolina and New Mexico put the league right back in
its place.
Yeah, Fresno State beat Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl, but the
Yellow Jackets had just canned head coach Chan Gailey and played like a
team looking to get its season over with. The WAC lost its other three
bowl games with the biggest embarrassment Hawaii’s 41-10 loss to the
Bulldogs which wasn’t even as close as the final score.
And now it’s time for the rebound.
Boise State might have some early issues on the lines, but its loss to
Chris Johnson and East Carolina in the Hawaii Bowl appears to have been
a sort of wake up call for a program that’s known nothing but success
for the better part of the last decade. Nevada should have all the parts
humming again on offense after the shocking 23-0 loss to New Mexico in
the New Mexico Bowl, and Hawaii won’t be nearly as bad as expected; the
cupboard isn’t totally bare.
Meanwhile, New Mexico State should be an offensive juggernaut with
mighty-mite WR Chris Williams healthy again and QB Chase Holbrook back
for his third year as the starter. San Jose State should be back to its
2006 bowl-season form, Louisiana Tech is on the rise under second-year
head coach Derek Dooley, and Fresno State will have its best team in the
Pat Hill era.
Yes, the league is still divided by the haves and have-nots, Utah State
and Idaho will still struggle, but considering how much promise there
was at the end of last season and the deflation that came after the
bowls, the conference could use the stars to shine again. They will.
Team That'll Surprise
Louisiana Tech - This was a better team than it got credit for with a
decent 5-7 first season under head coach Derek Dooley, and now
everything's there to get bowl eligible. Eight starters return to what
was a young offense, with three freshmen thrown to the wolves late in
the year on the line, while five decent starters are back on defense.
There's immediate help from the JUCO ranks to help fill in the holes.
Team That'll Disappoint
Hawaii – 2007 was an all-timer of a season, and now seven starters are
gone off the offense and seven are gone from the D. This is a program in
transition, and while it's planning on challenging for the WAC title
again with an us-against-the-world attitude, the firepower simply isn't
there to get by both Fresno State and Boise State. No, the Warriors
aren't going to stop throwing it, but with a wholesale change in the
receiving corps and a new starting quarterback coming in to replace Colt
Brennan, there’s bound to be a drop-off.
WAC Game of the Year
Fresno State at Boise State, Nov. 28 – Boise
State is 6-1 against Fresno State since joining the WAC in 2001. The
last game of the regular season for each, this should determine the WAC
title, and if the Broncos can pull off an upset at Oregon in
mid-September, this showdown could be for a second unbeaten season and
BCS spot in three years.
One Bold Prediction
Fresno State will generate a major national buzz by winning two of the
three games against Rutgers, Wisconsin and UCLA, and then will blow its
chance at the WAC title by losing at San Jose State and Boise State to
close out the regular season. Pat Hill’s club has always been great at
getting to the top of the league mountain, but it can’t quite get over
the top. The Spartan defense should be terrific, and the Broncos at home
simply don’t lose really, really big games.
5 Big-Time Players Who Deserve a Bigger Spotlight ...
1. WR Chris Williams, Sr. New Mexico State
2. TE Bear Pascoe, Sr. Fresno State
3. S Shiloh Keo, Jr. Idaho
4. LB Joshua Mauga, Sr. Nevada
5. DE Kevin Basped, Soph. Nevada
Coach on the Hot Seat
Brent Guy,
Utah State – In four years Guy has put together a 6-28 résumé, but two
of the wins came at the end of last year to show he didn’t lose his team
and he things were getting better. However, barring something crazy
happening, his team, even with ten returning defensive starters, will
either finish last or second-to-last behind Idaho this season.
5 non-conference games WAC opponents had better take very, very
seriously
1. Wisconsin at Fresno State, Sept. 13
2. Boise State at Oregon, Sept. 20
3. Fresno State at UCLA, Sept. 27
4. Texas Tech at Nevada, Sept. 6
5. Fresno State at Rutgers, Sept. 1
5 Best Pro Prospects
1. TE Bear Pascoe, Sr. Fresno State
2. FS Antonio Baker, Jr. Louisiana Tech
3. CB Christopher Owens, Sr. San Jose State
4. C Dominic Green, Sr. Nevada
5. PK Dan Kelly, Sr. Hawaii
5 Biggest Shoes to Fill
1. QB Inoke Funaki for Colt Brennan, Hawaii
2. OT
Nate
Potter for
Ryan Clady, Boise State
3. WRs
Malcolm Lane & Michael Washington for
Ryan Grice-Mullen & Davone Bess, Hawaii
4. LB
Andre Ferguson for
David Vobora, Idaho
5. LB
Nick Bates for
Marcus Riley, Fresno St
Team Previews &
Predictions
Boise State
|
Fresno
State
|
Hawaii |
Idaho
|
Louisiana
Tech
Nevada
|
New Mexico State
|
San Jose
State |
Utah State
-
CFN All-WAC Team &
Top 30 Players
- WAC Team-by-Team
Capsules
- WAC Unit
Rankings
- WAC Schedules &
Predictions