Boise State Tops Non-AQ Post Spring Rankings
by Jeremy Mauss on May 10, 2011 10:40 PM PDT
in Mountain West Football
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PrintESPN's Andrea Adelson put together a top 10 list for the non-AQ schols and it is a good list with a few surprises with BYU and Tulsa in the top five in the rankings. Tulsa returns 16 starters and their offense is usually one of the best in the country, but they do bring in a new head coach and offensive coordinator. BYU at three seems high for a preseason or in this case post-spring rankings. They return 19 starters and finished the season well, but that was against bad competition outside of Utah and UTEP in the bowl game.
By years end I could see BYU being ranked in the top 25, but it depends on how well the young group gels. Their schedule has a good mix of teams and Adelson mentions every game is winnable, but I do not see how going to Texas is a winnable game regardless of how bad they were last year. BYU did beat Oklahoma in 2009, so there is that history.
If San Diego State finds new receivers they will be deadly and shoot up the list, and Air Force's success will depend on replacing a few Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright, Jr. in the secondary as well as finding a new fullback.
1. Boise State: The Broncos have Kellen Moore back, and that makes them a preseason top 10 team going into the season. Geraldo Hiwat, Tyler Shoemaker and Kirby Moore had good springs, helping ease some questions about the receiver situation.
2. TCU: The Horned Frogs are at the point where they don't rebuild. They reload. They move ahead of BYU based on their defense. I am still uncertain about how Casey Pachall will do at QB. Andy Dalton lost five games in his first year as a starter, though the TCU defense in 2007 was not as good as what is expected in 2011.
3. BYU
4. Tulsa
5. Houston
6. San Diego State: The Aztecs lost coach Brady Hoke and their top receivers in Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson. But Ronnie Hillman, Ryan Lindley and Miles Burris return in the highly competitive Mountain West.
7. Air Force: The Falcons could be a dark horse contender in the Mountain West with Tim Jefferson returning at quarterback.
8. UCF
9. Hawaii
10. Northern Illinois
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O come on Northern Illinois before Nevada? I know we got a tough schedule but we deserve to be on top if we go OOC undeafeated.
Also Hawaii and Fresno Play in Nevada so Nevada should be the favorite to win the WAC
BYU will turn heads this year
There are no QB questions coming out of spring, our stable RB’s has only gotten stronger and faster, we return our Oline, we’ve significantly beefed up our WR’s, our LB’s are going to be bigger and faster, our DB’s are taller, and our Dline has shored up with some solid bigs. Every game really is winnable. Don’t be surprised if BYU ends up with only 1 loss. Not going to say undefeated because they’ve been finding ways to screw that up the past 5 years.
Watch out for BYU.
by vaughnzipper on May 11, 2011 3:17 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I agree
Not many people are talking about BYU because of the down year they had last season, but I expect them to be very good this season. They return so much talent that was very young last year, it’ll be hard for the Cougars not to reach 10 wins.
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i actually agree too. heaps showed great improvement in the last five games.
could be a breakout year for him nationally.
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by wolfmanshowlforever on May 11, 2011 6:39 PM PDT up reply actions
AF, SDSU, for sure, but I like her inclusion of future MWC member Hawaii
in the top 10 as well. That team could easily be the WAC Champions this year. And, to make things interesting, they have a showdown with vaughnzipper’s BYU at the end of the season.
Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn't do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another.---Vince Lombardi
Imagine a one loss Hawaii and one or two loss BYU
playing at the end of the season. Both will be in the top 25 and I believe ESPN said they’re picking up that game. Even if it’s on ESPNU or something like that they would probably bump it if both are in the top 25.
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Let's go Cougs!
by sabbi on May 11, 2011 6:38 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
SDSU has a good pass catching TE
Rocky Long has stated the Aztecs will be featuring more double TE sets this season. I hope that will take some pressure off our young WRs and allow them to develop at their own pace.
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