2011 Record: (2-10, 1-7 in Sun Belt)

Head Coach: Rick Stockstill (35-40 at MTSU, 26-19 in Sun Belt)

Last Bowl Game: 2010 Season GoDaddy.com Bowl: lost to Miami (OH) 35-21

Four Year Coaching Trend: 5.75 wins, 6.75 losses per year; avg of 4 wins and 3.75 losses in Sun Belt per year

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Big Name Opponents: 9/29 at GT, 10/20 at Mississippi State

Must Win: 8/30 vs McNeese State, 9/8 vs FAU, 11/17 at South Alabama

Swing Games: 9/15 at Memphis, 11/1 at WKU, 11/24 vs Troy

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: only allowed 10 sacks the entire season (4th in the Nation)

Stat to Fear: gave up 95 third down conversions (116th in Nation) as opponents converted the rate of 48.97% (compared to 38.16% in 2010)

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 6; Defense: 6; Specialists: 1)

Key Defensive Returnees: LB/DE Leighton Gasque (6 sacks), DE Omar McLendon (54 tackles, 2.5 sacks)

Key Offensive Returnees: QB Logan Kilgore (18 TD, 12 INT), RB Benny Cunningham (501 yds, 4 TD), RB William Pratcher (585 yds, 2 TD), WR Tavarres Jefferson (51 rec)

Top Recruits: S Anfornee Stewart (Scout.com's #77 S), DT Shaquille Huff (#82 DT)

Verdict:

It was just three years ago that the Blue Raiders finished with double digit wins and went 7-1 in the Sun Belt. Fast forward two years and their record was flipped at 1-7 in the Sun Belt and they won just two games overall. The answer is that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. MTSU, under Stockstill, is typically not going to be the best or worst team in the Sun Belt. Generally speaking, you will find them in the middle.

On offense the Blue Raiders bring back some weapons for their Air Raid offense but there is one big concern and that's the offensive line. Last year, MTSU had the 12th most starts returning in the Nation on their OL. This year they must replace four starters from an OL that gave up just ten sacks last year.

On defense, MTSU must replace it's top four tacklers and everybody who had the wherewithal to intercept a pass last season (it's really not that big as they only intercepted four passes all year). MTSU has some young talent on defense but they took some major lumps last year as they gave up 2755 yards on the ground for the year. There wasn't a single game where they held their opponent under 100 yards rushing. They also gave up 37 rushing TDs (only Kansas and New Mexico gave up more). Tyrone Nix will join the defensive staff as a co-defensive coordinator and he will have his work cut out for him.

Middle Tennessee will improve from their 2-10 fall in 2011 and the schedule starts off with three winnable games. That being said, don't look for the Blue Raiders to go bowling this year.

2012 Prediction: 4-8

Previous 2012 Previews:

C-USA: Memphis

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

MWC: Wyoming

Sun Belt: FAU, North Texas, ULM

WAC: Idaho, New Mexico St, San Jose St

2011 Record: (2-10, 1-7 in C-USA)

Head Coach: Justin Fuente (first time head coach)

Coaches by the Numbers Hiring Summary

Last Bowl Game: 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl: lost to USF 41-14

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Litmus Test: 10/6 vs Rice, 11/10 vs Tulane, 11/17 at UAB

Must Win: 9/1 UT Martin

Out of Conference: 9/8 at Arkansas St, 9/15 MTSU, 9/22 at Duke

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: 30 takeaways in 2011 (17 more than 2010 and #1 in C-USA)

Stat to Fear: gave up 219 plays of 10 or more yards (117th out of 120 teams)

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 6; Defense: 7; Specialists: 2)

Key Defensive Returnees: DB/LB Akeem Davis (78 tackles, 3 INT)), LB Kenyata Johnson (72 tackles)

Key Offensive Returnees: RB Artaves Gibson (316 yds rushing), WR Kevin Wright (36 rec)

Top Recruits: QB Will Gross (Scout.com's #36 QB), TE Kerwin Harrison (#54 TE), OT Antonio Foster (JUCO), OG Markeith Minnick

Inside Scoop with Ryne Hancock:

CFBZ: Justin Fuente takes over for Larry Porter after he won just three games in two years. What are the initial impressions of Fuente?

Ryne: I think for the most part Fuente wants to make Memphis in the same mold that Gary Patterson made TCU. Keep in mind Memphis, like TCU 15 or so years ago, was a football afterthought. I think with Memphis going to a new conference and fans wanting a winner there's been nothing negative said about the guy as opposed to Porter.

CFBZ: What are the biggest reasons to be optimistic about Memphis football this season?

Ryne: I really couldn't tell you. The problem in Memphis is that people look at the local program as a punchline. In May people are already focusing on basketball as opposed to football. The only thing I could tell you is that at least the team will give some effort, which had been lacking the last two years. Other than that, there's really nothing for people to get excited about when it comes to Memphis football.

CFBZ: Looking at the schedule, what are the games that the fanbase wants to win more than any other?

Ryne: The only game I think people will get excited about is Southern Miss. It's been a fierce rivalry over the years and with former coach Tommy West on the staff there in Hattiesburg, I think the fans would love nothing more than a win over the Golden Eagles.

CFBZ: What is your gut feeling on the final record for 2012 and what makes the season successful in your eyes?

Ryne: With no SEC teams on the non-conference schedule and a down year in Conference USA, the Tigers should win six games at least.

Verdict:

The Memphis Tigers era of football under Larry Porter can best be described as irrelevant. In fact, that might be a good word to describe their program overall. You have to go all the way back to 1974 to find a head coach that had a winning record at Memphis (Fred Pancoast went 20-12-1 in three seasons). Memphis had a run from 2003-2008 under Tommy West where they went to a bowl game in five of six years but West didn't maintain that success.

Justin Fuente has a large task ahead of him. Fuente learned under Gary Patterson at TCU for five years and Fuente was very successful as an Offensive Coordinator at both TCU and Illinois State. The question is how quickly can he bring this success to Memphis and how quickly can he change their losing culture. The good news is that the cupboard isn't exactly bare. According to Scout.com, Memphis placed no lower than sixth in C-USA recruiting for each of the last three years. Returning starter at QB Taylor Reed has decided to hit the road as it looked like Texas Tech transfer Jacob Karam would be starting even if Reed stayed. It seems like it's a tradition passed down year to year, every year Memphis must start with a new quarterback. Stability has not been a friend of the Tigers quarterback situation and that's something Fuente will need to fix if he wants to be successful.

Despite a pretty easy looking schedule, I would be shocked if this is a one-year turnaround. Memphis will be better and more competitive this season but they still need to build depth, learn how to win and they also need to learn the new systems. Don't expect a miracle but Fuente should have success down the road.

2012 Prediction: 3-9

Previous 2012 Previews:

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

MWC: Wyoming

Sun Belt: FAU, North Texas, ULM

WAC: Idaho, New Mexico St, San Jose St

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2011 Record: (8-5, 5-2 in MWC)

Head Coach: Dave Christensen (18-20 at Wyoming, 10-13 in MWC)

Last Bowl Game: 2011 New Mexico Bowl: lost to Temple 37-15

2011 Preview

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Must Win: 9/15 vs Cal Poly, 9/22 at Idaho, 11/10 at New Mexico, 11/17 at UNLV

Paying the Bills: 9/1 at Texas

Swing Games: 9/8 vs Toledo, 10/6 at Nevada, 10/13 vs Air Force, 11/24 vs San Diego State

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: 31 takeaways in 2011 (16 more than 2010)

Stat to Fear: gave up 98 rushing plays of 10 or more yards (119th out of 120 teams)

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 6; Defense: 7; Specialists: 1)

Key Defensive Returnees: S Luke Ruff (102 tackles), S Luke Anderson (75 tackles, 9 PBU, 2 INT) CB Blair Burns (48 tackles, 4 INT)

Key Offensive Returnees: QB Brett Smith (20 TD, 11 INT), WR Dominic Rufran (44 rec, 2 TD), WR Robert Herron (43 rec, 3 TD), WR Chris McNeill (42 rec, 4 TD)

Top Recruits: OLB Sam Awrabi (Scout.com's #81 OLB), WR Trent Sewell (#93 WR)

Inside Scoop with Robert Gagliardi of Cowboy Chronicles:

CFBZ: Wyoming improved last year by five wins. What were the primary reasons for their improvement?

Robert Gagliardi: Because of the emergence of true freshman quarterback Brett Smith, who started every game, accounted for 31 touchdowns (20 passing, 10 rushing, one receiving) and set a Mountain West freshman record with 3,332 yards of total offense. Smith led the team in rushing (710 yards) and completed 61 percent of his passes. The defense allowed 431.6 yards and nearly 28 points per game, but it forced 31 turnovers and had one of the best turnover margins in the nation.

CFBZ: What are the biggest reasons to be optimistic that Wyoming can maintain that success this season?

Robert Gagliardi: The return and maturation of Smith, along with the team’s top three receivers from last season. There is a new defensive coordinator in Chris Tormey, a long-time friend of coach Dave Christensen’s. The defense continues to be a 4-3 base with multiple looks at times, but there seems to be a new energy and aggressiveness with this unit. The defensive secondary is athletic and deep.

CFBZ: Who are some under-the-rader players to watch this season?    

Robert Gagliardi: Offensively, look for sophomore Trey Norman to emerge as a primary target at receiver. He played sparingly as a true freshman last season. Junior Brandon Miller and sophomore Kody Sutton get their shots to be the primary running back in the program. Defensively, watch for sophomore Mark Nzeocha, who is from Germany. Nzeocha played outside linebacker last season, but was moved to safety and seems to be adapting well. At 6-3, 220, he’s a beast at safety who runs and moves well. Junior defensive tackle Patrick Mertens garnered some Freshman All-America honors in 2010, but missed all of last season due to an illness. He is back to full strength.

CFBZ: What is your gut feeling on the final record for 2012 and what makes the season successful in your eyes?     

Robert Gagliardi: If both lines improve and become more consistent, Wyoming could be at or close to eight wins or more again this season. Some play-makers need to emerge offensively, as well as continued improvement across the board defensively. The conference schedule is favorable for the most part, other than road trips to Nevada and Fresno State. I see Wyoming going 8-4 again in the regular season, with a shot at 9-3.

Verdict:

Dave Christensen has gone 7-6, 3-9 and 8-5 in his three years at Wyoming. Now that Christensen has been in place for three full years we should start to see more consistency in the program. Christensen is a former offensive coordinator for Missouri, so Wyoming likes to throw the ball around. Last year, they had a quarterback in Brett Smith who was more suited to do that and it showed on the field. Smith returns this year as a sophomore and he returns a ton of talent at the wide receiver position. I would expect Wyoming's offense to be similar to what it was last year if not a bit more successful.

On defense, Wyoming had a middle of the pack defense that struggled to stop the run. In their five losses, the Cowboys gave up an average of 6.1 ypc and 296 yards per game (they gave up at least 200 in every game they lost with the least being 200 to Boise State). Boise State returns a ton of talent in the back end of the defense but they need to find some answers up front.

2012 Prediction: 8-4

Previous 2012 Previews:

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

Sun Belt: FAU Owls, North Texas, ULM

WAC: Idaho, New Mexico St, San Jose St

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Is this man ready to take the Huskies to the next level?

QUESTION: Which team outside of Oregon, Stanford and USC has the best chance to win the conference this year?

Dale: It's wide open. Cal has recruited tremendously well for the last five years and has a lot of speed on defense. But the most dangerous team outside the big three might be the Washington Huskies, who've improved each year under Steve Sarkisian, and could take a big leap forward with a less imposing nonconference schedule (San Diego State and Portland State wrapped around a visit to LSU), a two-year starter at quarterback in Keith Price, and a defense that's bound to improve under new coordinator Josh Wilcox, a motivator who gave opponents fits while at Boise State. Wilcox, a former all-league defensive back at Oregon, whose father and brother were also both Ducks, will be gunning for bragging rights in the family rivalry, and he's a master of scheme and player development. The Huskies have plenty of talent on offense in Price, sophomore wide receiver Kasen Williams, 6-8, 260-pound tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and tailback Jesse Callier, who rushed for 5.5 yards a carry as a backup to Chris Polk last year. If Wilcox upgrades the defense, watch out for the Huskies. We'll know early if they're ready for the next level of success: they host Stanford on September 27th, travel to Oregon on October 6th, and host USC on October 13th in their first three weeks of PAC-12 play. Yikes!

Kyle: As mentioned Previously, I like Utah's chances. The South isn't a good division aside from USC -- three of the other four teams have first-year coaches. That combined with the Utes' improvement should make them head-and-shoulders above the rest of the division, which leaves the Trojans as the roadblock. 

I also like Cal in the North. Keenan Allen is a superstar at wide receiver, and the backfield of CJ Anderson and Isi Sofele is dangerous. I'm not too concerned about Zach Maynard, I expect him to improve vastly from last season. The question mark for the Golden Bears will be defense, which was gutted by graduation. If the reserves step up quickly, this is my pick to win the North (assuming Oregon is hit with NCAA sanctions).

Tim: It is tough to imagine any team outside of USC or Oregon winning the PAC-12 this season. Those two appear to be fringe National Championship contenders and at a level above everyone in the conference. However, of the next best teams in the league (CAL, Utah & UW), I believe Utah has the best chance to surprise. They return Jordan Wynn at QB and John White could be the best RB in the conference. They have arguably the league’s best defensive line and 7 starters returning to last years # 1 scoring PAC-12 defense. More importantly they have an extremely favorable schedule. They get USC and Cal at home, they don’t play Oregon or Stanford from the North and their road games are against ASU, UCLA, Oregon State, Washington and Colorado – 5 teams with a combined record of 25-40 and 0-3 in bowl games last year.

Pete: I’m optimistic about Washington. Steve Sarkisian’s offense leaves little doubt about its effectiveness, but the defense proved suspect. With former Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox and linebackers coach Peter Sirmon joining the staff, along with addition of defensive line coach and recruiter extraordinaire Tosh Lupoi from Cal, the defense should be on the uptick.

The Huskies have a tough 2012 schedule, including a week two game in Baton Rouge against LSU and a stretch of three successive games against Stanford (home), Oregon (away) and USC (home). If they pull two wins out of that series, they could be on their way to a conference championship game.

Ross: I don't really see anyone other than one of those three teams winning the league, but of the remaining teams Utah might have the best bet.  The Pac-12 South is breaking in a lot of new coaches (UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State) and Colorado is still digging themselves out of the hole of the last few years.  That leaves the Utes to challenge USC and they do get USC at home.  They also don't play Oregon or Stanford and their toughest road game is probably at Washington.  If they can spring the upset on USC, they could have the inside track to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Kevin: I really like the Washington Huskies. That being said, I think they are still about a year away from contending for the conference championship. Their defense is going to need at least a full year under Wilcox and for Lupoi to recruit some more top notch talent (like he alreay did with Shaq Thompson).

I like the arguements that Ross and Tim made for Utah. They don't jump off the page at me as a championship contender but you can't deny the schedule making gods shined the light on them this season. According to Phil Steele, they have the 113th easiest schedule in the Nation. The next Pac-12 team on that list is Stanford at #96 and then Arizona State at #73. I think it's safe to say that Utah has the easiest road to the Pac-12 Championship.

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2011 Record: (5-7, 3-4 in WAC)

Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (6-19 at SJSU, 3-12 in WAC)

Last Bowl Game: 2006 New Mexico Bowl: beat New Mexico 20-12

2011 Preview

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Must Win: 9/8 vs UC Davis, 10/20 at UTSA, 10/27 vs Texas State

Paying the Bills: 9/1 at Stanford

Revenge: 11/3 at Idaho, 11/17 vs BYU, 11/24 vs La Tech

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: gave up 17 sacks in 2011 (tied for 1st in the WAC and was a 15 sack improvement from 2010)

Stat to Fear: had the least amount of first downs in the Nation running the football (54)

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 6; Defense: 1; Specialists: 1)

Key Defensive Returnees: LB Keith Smith (104 tackles), DE Travis Johnson (9.5 sacks), S James Orth (4 INTs)

Key Offensive Returnees: WR Noel Grigsby (89 rec), WR Chandler Jones (61 rec), TE Ryan Otten (52 rec)

Top Recruits: S Christian Tago (Scout.com's #41 S), OT Fernando Villanueva (#85 OT), TE Billy Freeman (#69 TE)

Inside Scoop with Danny from SpartanBlitz.com:

CFBZ: Mike McIntyre improved his team wins by four over his first year. What are the next steps he needs to take to keep the Spartans improving?

SpartanBlitz.com: Coach McIntyre set the tone last season.  His team WILL NOT QUIT.  It doesn't matter how the Spartans are playing in the first 3 quarters, the 4th quarter is ultimately the deciding factor in a game.  Last year, there were times where the Spartans played anywhere from questionable to terrible in the first three quarters, only to come back and win.  Conversely, there were times where the Spartans played great in the first three quarters, only to come back and lose the game in the 4th quarter.  Coach Mac needs to instill some consistency in his team's performance.   With the acceptance of an invite to the Mountain West Conference, beginning in 2013, this is the last chance the Spartans have to win a Western Athletic Conference title, something they have not been able to achieve since their inclusion into the WAC.  That alone should be the driving force for the Spartans this year.  If that's not enough, new-MWC members Nevada, Hawaii, and Fresno State will not be playing them this year.  Replacing them on the schedule will be FBS newcomers University of Texas, San Antonio and Texas St.  While they are newcomers, it would be INCREDIBLY foolish to overlook them.

CFBZ: Who takes over at QB this year for the Spartans?

SpartanBlitz.com: The Spartans currently have 4 QBs on their roster: Junior Dasmen Stewart, Junior-transfer David Fales, Sophomore Blake Jurich, and Freshman Joe Gray.  Stewart has the most game experience (which isn't saying much since he played in a handful of games last year, mostly as a back up) and wasn't very impressive in the Spring Game earlier this year (4-14 56 yds).  The player that WAS impressive and looks to be the clear-cut favorite for starter is Fales (16-22 257 yds).  At 6'3. 220 lbs, he is a former Nevada recruit and Monterey Peninsula College transfer who has dazzled and impressed coaches during practices.  Jurich is looking like the best option at backup, statistically speaking (6-12 106 yds) and he has the stronger arm than Stewart.

CFBZ: Who are some under the radar players to keep an eye on?

SpartanBlitz.com: Probably the most versatile player on the team who played off and on last season is Sophomore Tyler Ervin.  Last year, Ervin was a RB who had decent success due to David Freeman's injury early in the season.  This year, Freeman is healthy and poised to be the starting RB, with Minnesota transfer DeLeon Eskridge backing him up.  Eskridge is a smaller but extremely tough RB at 5'11 215 lbs.  So this begs the question, what to do with Ervin?  Well, he has impressed Coach Mac with his abilities at the Cornerback position, as well as Punt and Kick Returner.  My guess is that you will see his name called quite a bit this year.

CFBZ: What is your gut feeling on the final record for the 2012 season and what makes the season successful in your eyes?

SpartanBlitz.com: The Spartans have 6 home games this year (UC Davis, Colo St, Utah St, Texas St, BYU, and Louisiana Tech).  Their away schedule is also fairly tame compared to previous seasons (Stanford, San Diego St, Navy, Univ Texas, San Antonio, Idaho, and New Mexico St).  They will be looking to avenge their surprising loss to Davis two years ago and their 1 pt loss to Utah St in Logan last year.  BYU and La Tech coming to San Jose will make the game closer than last year's.  They MUST make a statement by beating Colo St again and newcomer Texas St.  I can easily see a 4-2 home stand with a potential 5-1 if they can beat either BYU or La Tech.  

The only "bodybag" game I see in their away schedule is Stanford and even that term, I would use loosely, having lost their star QB to the NFL along with a lot of their offense.  The Spartans should have beaten Idaho last year but lost due to mostly self inflicted wounds (dumb penalties, poor clock management, etc).  They almost lost to New Mexico St late in the game, but thankfully didn't.  They beat Navy last year, but shouldn't expect this year to be as easy, as they have to travel cross-country to play them this time around.  San Diego St is a question mark but very winnable game.  Again, they MUST (and will) make a statement if they beat UTSA in San Antonio and their 65,000+ capacity stadium.  On the road, I can see a 3-3 record with a possibility of 4-2 if they can beat either Navy or SDSU.  That puts them at an 8-4 season with the possibilty of 9-3 if they can overachieve.  

In my eyes, they MUST have at least a bowl-eligible 6-6 or 7-5 season if they are to continue building progress as they head to the MWC.  Anything less is a true disappointment and maybe a call to start the panic.

Verdict:

Third year coach Mike MacIntyre took a big step with his Spartans last year by increasing their win total by four over his debut season. The Spartans also increased their WAC record from 0-8 to 3-4. A concern for the Spartans this year is their lack of returning starters as they rank 111th in the Nation according to Phil Steele. The biggest concerns at the skill position are losing starting QB Matt Faulkner (13 TD vs 13 INT) and RB Brandon Rutley (903 yds, 12 TD). How quickly those two can be replaced will go along way to the Spartans maintaining or bettering their record from 2011. One area that should be a strength for the Spartans is the receiving corps as they return five of their six leading ball catchers (losing only RB Rutley).

On defense, the Spartans lose a good amount of players including Duke Ihenacho. The good news is that the Spartans return three of their top leading tacklers, their top sacker and their top ball hawk. The Spartans didn't show a massive improvement last year on defense (30.3 ppg in 2011 vs 34.7 and 425.7 ypg vs 463.7) but they did show improvement. I would look for that to continue in MacIntyre's third year on the job.

One key for the Spartans is getting off to a quick start. Last year, they started 0-3 by playing two Pac-12 teams and Nevada. This year they start off with Stanford but then face UC Davis and Colorado State. I think the schedule is a bit easier this year as they should have three games this season that are easier than any of their games from 2012 (UTSA, Texas State, UC Davis). That being said there are a lot of games on the schedule that could go either way (Colorado State, San Diego State, Navy, Utah State) and those are the game that will decide the season. Is MacIntyre ready to take his group to the next level?

2012 Prediction: 6-6

Previous 2012 Previews:

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

Sun Belt: FAU Owls, North Texas, ULM

WAC: Idaho, New Mexico St

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Can this guy make the transition from pro to college?

QUESTION: The Pac-12 is set up to be one of the most intriguing conferences this year with all of the coaching changes. What team will you be keeping an eye on?

Dale: It's going to be an exciting conference race with a host of compelling story lines, utterly impossible to choose just one. Jim Mora's changing the culture at UCLA, and the talent there will now be welded to discipline. Expect an immediate boost in results, particularly if he's able to sort out the quarterback position.

Mike Leach is bringing swagger and innovation to the Palouse this year, and Washington State will again become the road trip no one wants to make. Marquess Wilson might break the 120-catch, 1500-yard barrier in that offense, and quarterbacks Jeff Tuel and Connor Halliday are tailor made for Leach's swing-from-the-mizzen-mast style of offense.

Kyle: Utah is a dangerous team. John White is a name to remember. He's the best running back in the West, and potentially the nation. A healthy Jordan Wynn should help White's production, and vice versa. UU also has one of the better defenders in the conference, Star Lotulelei. Last season was a bit of an acclimation process, but I think by season's end, Utah was more used to the size and speed of the Pac. Hosting USC in a classic trap game, I think the Utes steal a W and possibly the division.

Tim: I think I’ll be keeping an eye on Stanford this season. I believe the perception from a lot of non-PAC 12 fans and pundits is that the Cardinal, having lost four players selected in the first 42 picks of the draft, will take a step back. The loss of Luck will certainly be difficult to replace, but this team is loaded at just about every other position. They have one of the better defenses in the PAC 12, led by All-American candidates Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov at linebacker. They have some good RBs and TEs, and if you have noticed, they continue to recruit top level OL and DL talent. They will stick to their formula and continue to play physical, smash mouth football.

Pete: I’m a Rich Rodriquez fan so my attention will be on the Arizona Wildcats. Like he did at West Virginia and Michigan, RichRod will implement the spread option offense. Matt Scott appears suited to quarterback the new offense, though it will take time.

Rodriquez is reunited with longtime defense coordinator Jeff Casteel. The two worked together successfully in West Virginia, but Casteel did not follow Rodriquez to Ann Arbor. He’ll use the 3-3-5 in Tucson. Like the offense though, it’ll take time to learn and recruit the personnel for it to be at optimum success. In the meantime, it’ll be fun to watch the transition.

I’ll be paying attention to the developments in Pullman, Wash. too.

Ross: I'm curious to see how Stanford moves forward in the post-Luck era, I'm curious to see how USC lives up to the hype, and I'm curious to see how RichRod does at Arizona... but I'm really fascinated to see Mike Leach's return at Washington State.  I loved watching his Texas Tech teams, so I'm certainly excited to see what he can do with the Cougars.  They had a pretty strong passing attack last year and that should only get better with Leach's arrival.  I don't know how many games they'll win, but Washington State just became must-see viewing on late night Saturdays this fall.

Kevin: The answer to this question has to be Washington State for me. Mike Leach's predecessor, Paul Wiuff, went just 9-40 in his run at Wazzu and after his first season (10-3) Bill Doba never won more than six games in his five year run. It's been four years of mediocrity followed by four years of misery. While Wazzu was not good last year, they were making strides and were starting to gain some steam. It will be very interesting to see what Mike Leach can do with this team.

Another team I am very interested in watching is Steve Sarkisian's Washington Huskies. In his first three years Sark has gone 19-19 but the Huskies feel like they are just about ready to breakout. The problem for the Huskies is that their division is inhabited by Oregon and Stanford. Quarterback Keith Price looks like he's on the verge of stardom but Sark has to fix the defense. This year Sark has brought in Justin Wilcox and Tosh Lapoi to fix the defense. I think the Huskies are one year away but it will be interesting to see what kind of steps they can take this year.

Come back tomorrow on Monday as we will conclude our Pac-12 roundtable series with our final question.

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There are some talented options to replace this guys production

QUESTION: Who do you see as the breakout stars of the Pac-12 this season?

Dale: Already a tremendous college football player, Kenjon Barner enters his senior year as the feature back in the Oregon spread offense, and he rushed for  939 yards and 11 tds as a complement to LaMichael James last season. When he's had opportunities to carry the load in past seasons, he's responded big time, including a 160-yard, five touchdown effort against New Mexico two years ago, and a 123-yard game against USC coming off the bench. Barner has a good burst and vision. His slashing up-field running style is perfect for the Oregon zone blocking scheme, which requires him to make one cut and go. With De'Anthony Thomas spreading defenses with his speed, Barner could challenge the 1800-yard barrier and make a big run for the Stiff Arm Trophy in a potent offense that might remain in the Top Five all season.

Kyle: Jeff Tuel was originally to be Washington State's starter, but was injured most of last year. He'll flourish in Mike Leach's offense. Similarly, I think Matt Scott is capable of big things running Rich Rodriguez's spread option at Arizona. 
Kenjon Barner got starts when LaMichael James was injured, and looked like a stud. I think Barner puts up the kind of numbers that generate Heisman buzz as the clear-cut No. 1 RB in Oregon's system.

Tim: Washington State QB Jeff Tuel could have a monster season in Mike Leach’s offense. Tuel was actually WSU’s starting QB at the start of last season, but he broke his clavicle in game # 1, so a lot of people have forgotten about him. He’s 6-3, 220 pounds and is on some NFL watch lists. He also has some excellent weapons to work with; most notably All-Conference WR Marquess Wilson who caught 82 passes last year.

The other can’t miss breakout star will be the Oregon QB. Either Bryan Bennett, who started a few games last season, or spring game star Marcus Mariota. Both bring skills to the Duck run-first scheme that Darron Thomas did not possess, and with weapons like De’Anthony Thomas and Kenyon Barner drawing most of the defensive attention, either QB should thrive.

Pete: The first names that come to mind are Oregon running backs De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner. With the departure of LaMichael James, the position is wide open. Thomas played last year and was electrifying as a return specialist. I’ll be curious to see whether he can be successful down after down on the offense.

I’m curious to see whether Barry Sanders Jr. can crack the line-up at Stanford. Stepfan Taylor (senior) rushed for 1,300 yards last season, but the Cardinal offense will look a little different this year without Andrew Luck under center.

Ross: This is cheating a little, but I think De'Anthony Thomas is going to have a spectacular season as the lead running back in the Oregon offense.  He flashed moments of stunning ability last year as a complement to LaMichael James, but with James heading to the pros, Thomas is going to be the main cog in the lightning-fast Oregon attack.  He should put up some monster numbers this year.

Kevin: I'm looking at Arizona red-shirt senior quarterback Matt Scott. In his first three years at Arizona, Scott saw action and showed flashes. As a junior he went 66 for 93 (71% completion rate) for 776 yards and 4 TD versus 2 INTs. Last year, he red-shirted so he could play full-time this season. Little did he know that Rich Rodriguez would be his head coach when he finally got his chance to be the number one option. Scott has the athletic ability to fit into RichRod's scheme as he's been a good runner in his career at Arizona (accumulated over 300 yards as a sophomore on the ground). Arizona had an offensive explosion in their spring game. It was probably a little of a good offense and a little of a bad defense but Scott put up some impressive numbers as he went 22 of 35 for 315 and 4 touchdowns. Even without those nice spring stats, Scott would be my choice here. He's a talented kid who has been sitting back waiting his time and learning. He's ready to breakout this season.

Come back tomorrow as we continue our Pac-12 roundtable as we look at the most interesting teams in the Pac-12.

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2011 Record: (2-10, 1-6 in WAC)

Head Coach: Robb Akey (19-43 at Idaho, 9-30 in WAC)

Last Bowl Game: 2009 Season Humanitarian Bowl: beat Bowling Green 43-42

2011 Preview

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Must Win: 8/30 vs Eastern Washington, 10/13 at Texas State, 11/17 vs UTSA

Paying the Bills: 9/15 at LSU

Revenge: 9/8 at Bowling Green, 10/6 vs New Mexico St, 10/20 at La Tech, 11/10 at BYU, 11/24 at Utah St

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: returned three punts for a TD out of 17 tries

Stat to Fear: converted 29.1% of third down opportunities (114th in Nation)

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 5; Defense: 5; Specialists: 2)

Key Defensive Returnees: S Gary Walker (109 tackles), LB Conrad Scheidt (93 tackles)

Key Offensive Returnees: WR Mike Scott (55 rec), TE Michael LaGrone (21 rec, 3 TD)

Top Recruits: S Ma'ne Manaea (Scout.com's #78 Safety), DT Semisi Tupou (JUCO), TE Eric Lemke (#88 TE), QB Chad Chalich (#94 QB), QB Austin DeCoud (#101 QB)

Inside Scoop with Nick Jezierny of The Idaho Statesmen:

CFBZ: When we talked last year the thought was that Idaho had a shot to have a decent year and get to a bowl. Unfortunately, they won just two games. What went wrong?

Nick Jezierny: Idaho's quarterback play was, to be nice, atrocious last season. A part of that was due to a nonexistent running game, which was due in part to an awful offensive front.

CFBZ: Idaho will be breaking in a new starting QB this year. Who will get the ball and what do they bring to the table?

Nick Jezierny: It's too early to tell. Juniors Taylor Davis and Dominique Blackman are competing for the starting QB job, and the race won't be decided until fall camp. Davis has a little more experience and is the more mobile, while Blackman has the size and is considered a better thrower.

CFBZ: Which players need to step up this year if Idaho wants to get back to bowl eligiblity?

Nick Jezierny: The quarterback position and offensive line must play better. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter how improved the defense is. That side of the ball, as well as special teams, should be the strength of the Vandals. But the offense will have to produce better.

CFBZ: What is your gut feeling on the final record for the 2011 season and what makes the season successful in your eyes?
 

Nick Jezierny:  A .500 record would be a success considering road games at LSU, North Carolina and BYU. The Vandals must win four or five conference games for bowl eligibility to happen and sneak a nonconference win against either Wyoming or Bowling Green, too.

Verdict:

After winning just three games in his first two years at Idaho, Robb Akey posted a record of 14-12 in his next two years. Idaho felt they were headed in the right direction but last year they won just two games and now face an uphill battle.

This year, Idaho promotes running back coach Jason Gesser to offensive coordinator. Gesser wants to play a more aggressive style but he has to find the right fit at quarterback first. The offensive line is also going through a transition as they replace three starters and move to a new blocking scheme. It will be interesting to see how Gesser fairs as he's just one season removed from coaching high school football. The offense will be the key to the Vandals season. 

2012 Prediction: 3-9

Previous 2012 Previews:

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

Sun Belt: FAU Owls, North Texas, ULM

WAC: New Mexico St,

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2011 Record: (4-9, 2-5 in WAC)

Head Coach: DeWayne Walker (9-29 at NMSU, 4-19 in WAC)

Last Bowl Game: 1960 Sun Bowl: beat Utah State 20-13

2011 Preview

Schedule Glimpse:

2012 Schedule Link

Must Win: 8/30 vs Sacramento St, 9/29 vs UTSA, 12/1 at Texas State

Paying the Bills: 11/3 at Auburn

Revenge: 9/8 at Ohio, 9/15 at UTEP, 10/20 at Utah St, 10/27 vs La Tech, 11/10 vs SJSU, 11/24 vs BYU

Statistical Snapshot:

2011 Statistics Link

Stat to Cheer: averaged 8.8 points per game more in 2011 than the previous season

Stat to Fear: gave up 48.5 points per game down the stretch in the month of November

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 5; Defense: 3; Specialists: 2)

Key Defensive Returnees: LB Bryan Bonilla (71 tackles), DT Walton Taumoepeau (3 sacks, 4.5 TFL)

Key Offensive Returnees: WR Austin Franklin (34 rec, 3 TD), WR Kemonte' Bateman (28 rec, 4 TD)

Top Recruits: DT Kevin Laudermill (JUCO), TE Zach Jones (Scout.com's #83 ranked TE), OG Isaiah Folasa (#114 OG)

Inside Scoop with bleedCRIMSON.net:

CFBZ: DeWayne Walker went 4-9 in his third year at NMSU. Does he have the team headed in the right direction?

bleedCRIMSON.net: Despite what on the outside might appear as a disappointing record of 4-9 in 2011, Walker has the team headed upward.  The Aggies notched victories over in-state rival New Mexico (admittedly a horrendous team but a win over a rival is a win over a rival), a win over Minnesota at Minnesota and the program's first ever win over Fresno State.  The Aggies were also competitive in nearly every game which has not necessarily been the case in recent Aggie football history.  The biggest obstacle for them to overcome this season is the loss of a majority of the starting group from both sides of the ball including standout wide receiver Taveon Rogers, standout running back Kenny Turner, defensive back Jonte Green (drafted in the 6th round by the Detroit Lions) as well as the departures of offensive coordinator Doug Martin and the departure of defensive coordinator Dale Lindsey.  The Aggies have brought in a Martin protege to try to keep the offense going and new defensive coordinator David Elson has injected life into the Aggie defense.

CFBZ: Who do you see as the starter at QB this season?

bleedCRIMSON.net: The Aggies actually played four different quarterbacks last year, the starter Andrew Manley went down in the third game of the season with an ACL injury, senior backup Matt Christian stepped in and had a phenomenal season but he too battled injury problems every week, true freshman Travaughn Colwell played as his replacement and when Colwell was stricken with foot problems, quarterback-turned-tight-end Trevor Wells took a few snaps.  Clearly after last season the Aggies realized they can never have too many quarterbacks on the roster so they enter 2012 with Manley, Colwell, junior college transfers Andrew McDonald and Nick Carey as well as true freshman King Davis III.  As he was last season, Manley has been announced as the Aggies' starter after spring practice.  He's your classic drop-back quarterback.  Colwell and McDonald will battle for the backup position in the fall.  Colwell is an athlete.  He's a raw talent who showed some flashes of being a potential Colin Kaepernick-type quarterback.  McDonald is a passing quarterback who is also capable of pulling the ball down and running with it, potentially fitting in the same mold as Matt Christian last season.

CFBZ: What do you see as the biggest opportunities for NMSU this season?

bleedCRIMSON.net: The biggest opportunity for the Aggies this season is quite frankly not having to deal with Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State or Hawai'i on the conference schedule. While Boise State did not appear on the schedule last season after their jump to the Mountain West, the other three did but they won't this season as they all play their first seasons in the Mountain West.  Replaced on the docket are games against UT-San Antonio and Texas State, a pair of first-year FBS schools.  Those are two games that the Aggies feel like they should win. They'll also have winnable league games against Idaho and San Jose State while the two toughest league games will be against Utah State and defending champ Louisiana Tech.  With the massive defections from the WAC, it'll be a quick six-game conference schedule.  The Aggies have a real shot at finishing at .500 or better and in the top half of the league for the first time since their Sun Belt days.

CFBZ: What is your gut feeling on the final record for the 2011 season and what makes the season successful in your eyes?

bleedCRIMSON.net: With the four "toss up" conference games plus games against rivals New Mexico and Texas El-Paso as well as a home game against FCS Sacramento State, this is a situation where the Aggies can realistically hope for a .500 or better record.  Anything less than being bowl eligible will feel like a major disappointment and with the uncertainty surrounding the WAC's status as an FBS football conference beginning in 2013, there's a realistic possibility that this could be the Aggies' last, best shot at reaching a bowl game.

Verdict:

The loss of starters definitely scares me a bit for the Aggies. The Aggies lose their top five tacklers and seven of their top eight on defense and on offense they lose 1,000 yard rusher Kenny Turner and their top two receivers (in terms of yardage). There is always a debate around "returning" starters and quite frankly it comes down to who is replacing them. My gut tells me that this is a lot to lose for a team that has hovered around the bottom run of the FBS for as long as I can remember.

The good news for NMSU is their schedule. NMSU can't take anything for granted but their schedule shapes up nicely with two schools making the transition at the FBS and an opener against Sacramento State. This year will go a long way in telling if NMSU is headed in the right direction.

2012 Prediction: 5-7

Previous 2012 Previews:

MAC: Bowling Green, EMU, Toledo, WMU

Sun Belt: FAU Owls, North Texas, ULM

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This Christmas, one of the gifts that I got under the tree was the book "Leading the Charge in Football and Life: Swing Your Sword". I didn't really have a chance to read it until I went to the beach this spring for a few days. I didn't know a lot about Mike Leach before reading the book. I knew he was very successful at Texas Tech, I knew he was labeled as a bit of a free spirit and of course I knew how he was ousted by Texas Tech.

The book is a very good and insightful read. From the early years where you learn about a unique way Mike Leach dealt with a neighborhood dog who was bullying him to how Leach coached a youth baseball team when he was just a kid and had the team doing a shadow infield drill to warm up.

The book has some very interesting stories about Leach as a person and also details a lot of his thoughts about coaching and his offensive philosophy. Again, it's a very interesting read and highly recommended.

Leach stands out as being different from the average coach. One of the things that makes Leach different is that he puts himself out there. Most coaches are going to go about their business and talk to the media and fans when they are slotted to or when they have time. Leach makes a point to be accessible and to reach out and to learn from any situation that he's in. A recent example of this was a Q&A that he did on reddit. 

Here is a sample of some of the questions posed by the reddit members and Leach's answers:

In an era where guys like Buzz Bissinger are making a stink out of "banning college football" it's refreshing to have a guy like Mike Leach championing the sport despite the fact that he's been used by some of the morally bankrupt that live in the college football world. I'm sure we will talk about it more this off-season and when the season starts but Washington State is one of the teams that I'm most interested in watching this year.

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