College Football Preview: Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference is in the midst of an identity crisis. Thanks to years of continual greatness, the world is familiar with Boise State. Thanks to years of continual putting-up-tons-of-points, a lot of people know about Hawaii. Once those two have been named, however, the well is dry. Seriously, ask your friends to name a team or two in the WAC not named Boise State or Hawaii. Possible answers would be San Diego State, Utah, BYU, TCU, or even Tulsa or Rice. None of which are correct. Nevada, Louisiana Tech, Idaho, Fresno State, San Jose State, Utah State, and New Mexico State fill out the field in the 9-team league. Now, can they finally get the national love that their Boisean and Hawaiian brothers have achieved? For some, 'yes' isn't as far off an answer as you might think. For others...well, let's just say this conference has some tough rebuilding projects that are currently underway.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1.) Boise State - Business as usual for the Broncos. These guys are well-versed in how to win this conference. Outside of their WAC debut in 2001 and a slip-up in 2007, they've won the WAC every single season since they joined the conference. Expect more of the same this year. QB Kellen Moore returns after a stellar freshman year to lead an offense that should be the best in the WAC, and among the best in the country. Though Moore lost dependable targets from last year's team, WRs Titus Young and Austin Pettis possess the ability to pick up where their predecessors left off. Young averaged nearly 15 yards per catch last season and has speed to burn. Dependable RB Ian Johnson is gone, but the running game is in good hands with Jeremy Avery, who rushed for 614 yards in relief of Johnson last season. Those expecting a letdown from the Bronco offense due to losses at the skill positions are going to be sorely disappointed. Defensively, Boise State features an unheralded group that finished 3rd in the country in scoring defense last year . 5 starters return to the unit, including dynamic CB Kyle Wilson who could've entered the NFL Draft early, but chose to remain in Boise for his senior season. The secondary will follow his lead, as well as that of ball-hawking S Jeron Johnson. The linebacking corps needs to be rebuilt, but Hunter White and Aaron Tevis appear to be up to the task. The defensive line is young, but does return all-conference performer Ryan Winterswyk at DE. Byron Hout, the other defensive end, is a young player to watch for the Broncos. Boise State has a couple of interesting non-conference games, hosting Oregon the first week of the season and traveling to Tulsa mid-year. However, their conference slate appears to be in their favor, as Nevada visits Boise late in the season.

2.) Nevada - World, meet Colin Kaepernick. The multi-dimensional QB for the Wolf Pack (two words, remember) threw for 2,849 yards and 22 touchdowns last season while also rushing for 1,130 yards and 17 touchdowns. Simply absurd numbers. Following his lead, the offense should be great. Nevada's coach, Chris Ault, is the father of the Pistol offense, in which the quarterback is about halfway between the center and where he'd lineup if he were in the shotgun. This quirky formation allows Kaepernick to keep the defense off-balanced...in addition to his prodigious talent, of course. The Wolf Pack must replace their top two receivers, but WRs Chris Wellington and Maurice Patterson will prove to be capable options. Due to this, the running game will probably see more work, and that's just fine with RB Vai Taua, who led the WAC in rushing yards last season with 1,521. Defensively, Nevada needs work. If the defense were half as good as the offense, they'd be on to something. Unfortunately, they finished last season finished next-to-last nationally against the pass and 99th overall in scoring defense. 6 starters return to the unit, including DEs Kevin Basped and Dontay Moch, who combined for 36 tackles for loss in 2008. The secondary was terrible last year, and may not be much better this year. S Jonathan Amaya is a stud, but he is surrounded by youth and inexperience -- two factors that can't be counted on to improve a struggling unit. The Wolf Pack's schedule is favorable, with Louisiana Tech and Fresno State coming to Reno. Unfortunately, Nevada's last game of the year is at Boise...never a good proposition. Oh, make sure you watch their opening weekend game at Notre Dame. That could be fun.

3.) Fresno State - Pat Hill is one the warm seat. Not quite the hot seat, but people in the San Joaquin Valley are getting a little antsy. Hill has been at the school for 12 years, but has yet to win a WAC championship. This year doesn't look likely to bring his first one, either. QB Tom Brandstater is gone, and his replacement is still up in the air. Ryan Colburn knows the system, but Derek Carr, David's younger brother, is quite the talent and may push for the starting job as a freshman. Honestly, though, whoever wins the job is likely to hand off to a deep stable of backs most of the time anyway. RBs Ryan Matthews and WAC name of the year nominee Lonyae Miller will start atop the depth chart, but due to injuries to them both last year, Anthony Harding is actually the leading returning rusher after gaining 822 yards on the ground in 2008. At wide receiver, WAC name of the year nominee Seyi Ajirotutu will look to improve on the 795 yards and 5 touchdowns he produced last season. On defense, the Bulldogs look to improve after an uncharacteristically bad year in 2008. A Pat Hill-coached team being 108th in the country agains the run, as the Bulldogs were last year, just doesn't seem possible. The defensive line returns three starters and should show vast improvement over last year. The linebacker corps, led by Ben Jacobs and Nico Herron, should be very good and will help that run defense ranking improve. The secondary must break in 3 new starters, but S Moses Harris will ensure that the unit will not underachieve. The schedule sets up nicely for the Bulldogs. The road game against Nevada will be tough, but the other conference road games are against Hawaii, Idaho, and New Mexico State. Not bad. Take care of business at home, and see what happens.

4.) Louisiana Tech - Quietly, Derek Dooley has done quite the job at La Tech. Vince's boy has taken the Bulldogs from wayward program with little direction to bowl game winner in two short seasons. What can he do for an encore in year 3? Well, the record may not improve upon last year's 8-5 mark due to a murderous schedule, but the team will most likely be better. QB Ross Jenkins was 6-2 as a starter last season, proving to be cagey if not ultra-productive. The Bulldogs offense is nowhere near as explosive as Nevada's, but it does enough to win ballgames. RBs Daniel Porter and Myke Compton will help Jenkins move the ball, but neither is a gamebreaker. In fact, the only gamebreaker on Louisiana Tech's offense is WAC nickname of the year nominee Phillip "Saturday Night" Livas. Livas caught two touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns, returned two punts for touchdowns, and one kickoff for a touchdown last season. On defense last year, the Bulldogs were terrific against the run and horrific against the pass. Expect more of the same this year as three defensive linemen return, including all-WAC performer D'Anthony "Boo" Smith. All three linebackers are new starters, but have logged significant time as reserves. The safety tandem of Deon Young and Antonio Baker will attempt to improve the pass defense, but it may be up to newcomer and WAC name of the year nominee Olajuwon Paige, as he looks to shore things up at cornerback. The schedule is a mixed bag. On one hand, Boise State comes to Ruston; but on the other hand, Nevada and Fresno State are both road games. Those three games will determine La Tech's final standing in the WAC.

5.) San Jose State - Since returning to coaching at San Jose State, Dick Tomey has done quite the reclamation job. The Spartans were terrible prior to his arrival, but have won a bowl game since he came to Silicon Valley (2006 New Mexico Bowl). This year's team may be the deepest and most talented he's coached. Senior QB Kyle Reed, a transfer from Cal, showed great improvement last year, completing 64% of his passes. With a talented group of receivers at his disposal, look for Reed's numbers to skyrocket and the Spartan passing game to thrive. Keep an eye on WR Kevin Jurovich, who missed last season due to mono, but was an all-WAC player in 2007. The running game is in need of help due to the graduation of all-conference RB Yonus Davis, but Patrick Perry returns after missing the last TWO seasons with a serious knee injury. I'm rooting for him to have a good year; he deserves it. The defense was 21st in the country in total defense last year and will be very good once again. The line returns 2 starters, the linebacking corps returns 2 starters, and the secondary returns both safeties. If new cornerbacks Peyton Thompson and Alex Germany can live up to expectations, this unit could be the best in the WAC. Unfortunately for San Jose State, no matter how good they are, a bowl game is in serious doubt. Early games against USC, Stanford, and Utah will be tough to win. Road games in conference at Fresno State, Boise State, and Louisiana Tech will also provide tough challenges. The Spartans have the talent in place to return to a bowl game, but must win some very tough games in order to do so.

6.) Hawaii - Gone are the days of the high-flying passing attacks orchestrated by June Jones and his slew of star QBs. New coach Greg McMackin prefers more of a balanced offense and an attacking defense. Leading that offense will be QB Greg Alexander, who threw for 14 TDs in part-time work last season. His receiving corps will be strong, led by Malcolm Lane and Greg Salas, who had 831 yards receiving last year. RB Inoke Funaki will start, but look for plenty of carries from Leon Wright-Jackson as well. Defensively, the Warriors must rebuild. Only 2 starters return from a defense that carried Hawaii to their bowl berth last season. The line only returns one guy, but that guy is DE John Fonoti, a productive player. The linebackers are led by a duo of WAC name of the year nominees, Brashton Satele and Blaze Soares. Don't let the initials fool you, these guys don't BS. Yeah, I went there. The secondary is going to be pretty bad. The new starters at each position are juniors and seniors, but have very little game experience. Look for many a passer to have a career day against the Warriors. Outside of the obvious home-field advantage, the Warriors face a manageable schedule. They must go on the road to face Nevada, but both Boise State and Fresno State come to Honolulu. Because of their extra-game schedule, Hawaii must win seven games to make a bowl. That certainly seems within reach this season. The defense's maturation will dictate the actual outcome of the campaign.

7.) New Mexico State - The good news for new coach DeWayne Walker? He's got plenty of job security. The bad news? He's going to need every single bit of it. Such is the life in Las Cruces, where the former UCLA defensive coordinator looks to get the Aggies off the mat. Offensively, there are a boatload of questions. Only 3 starters return, all of whom are on the offensive line. The skill position players are all new, including junior college transfer Jeff Fleming and freshman Trevor Walls, who are battling for the starting quarterback position. Running backs Tonny Glynn and Marquell Colston are both seniors who should expect their workloads to increase signficantly this year while the QBs get their feet wet. Walker takes a physical approach to the game, and it will start with the rushing attack. On the other side of the ball, there is a little more hope. Walker brings an attacking style and a mean streak, both of which will benefit the Aggies D. The defensive line is all new and will have to grow up quickly to bolster a unit that finished 115th against the run in 2008. The strength of the defense will be at linebacker, where returning starters Nick Paden and Jason Scott will be the heart and soul of the defense. The secondary is led by CB Davon House, but SS Junior Fasavalu should contend for all-conference honors. The New Mexico State schedule is tough. They must go on the road to Louisiana Tech, San Jose State, and Boise State. Winning two or three games would be a good first year for Walker and his staff, before aiming higher in 2010.

8.) Utah State - The Aggies didn't have to look far to find their new coach. Gary Andersen (not to be confused with former NFL kicker Gary Anderson) was the defensive coordinator at Utah last season. He brings with him to Logan a fresh approach that will be needed for a program that hasn't seen the glory days in quite a while. Andersen installed a fast-break no-huddle offense and QB Diondre Borel will run it. Think of him as Colin Kaepernick lite, a pass-run hybrid who can make plays with his feet as well as his arm. His receiving corps isn't the best, but the new offensive system should provide plenty of opportunities for a leader to emerge among Xavier Bowman, Stanley Morrison, and WAC name of the year nominee Nnamdi Gwacham. The running game will be spread amongst several backs, including sophomore Robert Turbin. On defense, Andersen must rebuild a unit that finished 107th in the nation in scoring defense last year. It all starts up front with DT Nathan Royster, as the Aggies hope to put more pressure on the quarterback and need strong line play to do so. LB Paul Igboeli, an all-conference player last year, is the leader of the defense after logging 78 tackles last year. The secondary needs to improve, and the return of 3 starters to the unit may be just the trick. The schedule is tough, and even the games against potential bottom-feeders Idaho and New Mexico State are on the road. Andersen may works wonders in his first season, but it may only result in two wins.

9.) Idaho - The Vandals sport one of the coolest nicknames in college athletics, but don't exactly scare anybody. Years and years of futility will do that. Coach Robb Akey has only been there two years, and things are looking up somewhat in year 3. The running game, led by RB Deonte' Jackson, will be quite good, and may even lead the Vandals to an upset if their opponent is caught napping. The passing game is dormant, but if QB Nathan Enderle can cut down on his interceptions, much-needed balance will be added to the offense. On defense, there are holes all over the place. The Vandals didn't finish in the top 100 nationally in any major statistical category last season. The secondary should be the strength of the unit, led by WAC name of the year nominee Shiloh Keo at safety. The linebackers are all new and will not be a very good group, but if the line can improve with DE Aaron Lavarias, then the defense could make strides this year. However, there doesn't seem to be enough talent in place to make a significant step forward. The schedule, for what it's worth, is rugged. Road trips to Nevada, San Jose State, and Boise State are certain losses and the season-ending home game against Utah State could prove to be the difference betweeen a winless season and a one-win season.

Disappointing Team: Hawaii

Surprise Team: San Jose State

Top Players: QB Colin Kaepernick, Nevada; QB Kellen Moore, Boise State; WR Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State; WR Phillip Livas, Louisiana Tech; RB Vai Taua, Nevada

Players to Keep An Eye On: WR Titus Young, Boise State; QB Diondre Borel, Utah State; CB Olajuwon Paige, Louisiana Tech; QB Kyle Reed, San Jose State; LB Brashton Satele, Hawaii

Key Games: Boise State at Fresno State, September 18th; Louisiana Tech at Nevada, October 9th; San Jose State at Fresno State, October 17th; Fresno State at Nevada, November 14th; Nevada at Boise State, November 27th

Coolest Jerseys: Utah State Aggies

~~ Lank