Kansas Jayhawks 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Kansas 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Rhode Island
9/10 Ohio
9/17 at Memphis
9/29 at Texas Tech
10/8 TCU
10/15 at Baylor
10/22 Oklahoma State
10/29 at Oklahoma
11/5 at West Virginia
11/12 Iowa State
11/19 Texas
11/26 at Kansas State

Notes: Kansas has finally found an FCS program they can beat in the opener this season in Rhode Island, but the rest of September looks bad...October will be bloody for Kansas, as they play all the top programs in the league in succession in TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma, all in a row...Kansas finishes with 3 of 5 on the road, and the carcass should be plenty worn out by then. Kansas will likely once again be one of our ten worst teams in the nation in 2016.
Overall Projected Record: 1-11

Iowa State 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a continuing look at Big 12 football schedules in 2016, with Iowa State...

9/3 Northern Iowa
9/10 at Iowa
9/17 at TCU
9/24 San Jose State
10/1 Baylor
10/8 at Oklahoma State
10/15 at Texas
10/29 Kansas State
11/3 Oklahoma
11/12 at Kansas
11/19 Texas Tech
11/26 West Virginia

Notes: The schedule does no favors for new coach Matt Campbell in 2016, with 2 of 3 on the road to open the season, including road trips to Iowa and TCU...ISU also plays 2 of the first 3 games in October on the road, with games at Oklahoma State and Texas coming after a game against Baylor at home, not that this helps matters...The Cyclones finish with 4 of 5 at home finally, but by then, the damage will have been done.
Overall Projected Record: 3-9

Baylor Bears 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at how the 2016 Bears Football season lines up...

9/3 Northwestern State
9/10 SMU
9/17 at Rice
9/24 Oklahoma State
10/1 at Iowa State
10/15 Kansas
10/29 at Texas
11/5 TCU
11/12 at Oklahoma
11/18 Kansas State
11/25 at Texas Tech
12/3 at West Virginia

Notes: When the Bears get left out a playoff bid once again, they would only have themselves to blame. Obviously, in 3 years, Baylor has still not figured out the strength of schedule is a huge part of getting chosen for one of the four bids. The non-con schedule is garbage, so Baylor should easily sweep through September before meeting Oklahoma State on 9/24...In equally odd news, Baylor has two weeks off in October, with byes on the 8th and again 2 weeks later on the 22nd...Baylor gets TCU at home, and Oklahoma on the road in early November, but then gets 3 very winnable games to close out the regular season, albeit with the final 2 on the road at Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Overall Projected Record: 11-1

2016 NFL Draft: Top Ten Quarterbacks Broken Down

With the NFL Draft fast approaching, I thought I'd take some time to quickly break down the top ten players at every position in a quick, easy to read format, as to get my thoughts across on each of these prospects without having you taking all day to read. I will begin with the top ten QBs for 2016...

Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
Everyone has fallen in love with Wentz as he rocketed up most big boards all the way to the top spot in the draft now occupied by the LA Rams. Here' the thing...I don't think that Wentz is ready to be drafted as a number one overall, or even in the top 15 or 20 in the draft. That would mean that Wentz is ready to step in and become in impact player now. As much as I do respect his skills, Wentz is not ready to be that guy. Wentz may be that guy in a few years, but right now, he is a guy who is coming out of an FCS program (championships aside), that plays a lower level of competition, and played all of his home games in a dome. There has not been an impact ready FCS QB in the draft since Steve McNair, and Wentz is not McNair. Any team drafting Wentz higher in the first round may just be dooming him to a career that could get lost on a bad team. He deserves a better fate.
Where he's likely to go: #1 overall
Where he should go: Early 2nd round

Jared Goff, California
Goff and Wentz have been neck and neck during the scouting process leading up to this draft, but as the case is with Wentz, I have some serious issues with Goff as well. Goff is a system QB, and doesn't know the meaning of "playing under center". He has lived his life out of the shotgun, and so will basically have to be reworked into a QB that can play in a more conservative and standardized NFL system. Another issue is that he is a big guy, but he isn't a "big" guy. He is lanky, and is not necessarily the kind of guy who buys time in a pocket. Cal got better in each of his seasons there, but he has still never won a huge game in his career. That is concerning as well. A QB being selected as high as Goff is likely to be should have a well rounded career behind him in college, and I do not feel that Goff has ever had that.
Where he's likely to go: Top 5
Where he should go: Late 1st round

Paxton Lynch, Memphis
Lynch is probably more game ready than Goff or Wentz from a perspective of size, arm strength, and an ability to win big games against high level opponents. Lynch is a big guy, but isn't scrawny, like Goff. He has wins against SEC level opponents, and was part of a revolutionary change in program history, unlike Goff. Lynch can move in the pocket and change a play with his feet, unlike Goff. Lynch's main problem is that is also more of a system QB, having played a majority of his snaps in shotgun mode. He will have to be retrained to learn the NFL game and its tempo. That fact aside, he seems to me to be more of a game ready prospect than either Wentz or Goff.
Where he's likely to go: Mid 1st round
Where he should go: Mid 1st round

Connor Cook, Michigan State
Cook is probably the most game ready in the NFL of the entire QB class, but where he falls short in the eyes of NFL personnel people is that he is not flashy. Let me be as clear as I can be...flashy is incredibly overrated. Everyone falls for that garbage, which is why we get saddled with RG3 and Johnny Manziel. Cook is a solid game managing QB who can make some solid throws, minimize mistakes, and win football games. He is what a QB in the league should be all about. He has the size, the arm, and the edgy persona to be a QB and leader on that next level. His draw back is that he is an edgy guy, but I like that in a QB. He is willing to call guys out and push his teammates to the next level, and I am enamored by that quality in a kid coming out of college. Many don't have that, or can't develop that.
Where he's likely to go: Early 2nd round
Where he should go: Mid 1st round

Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Prescott is a guy who had been gaining in popularity, but he showed his first major character flaw at the wrong time, getting busted for a DUI in recent weeks, before the draft. That is not stepping up and being a leader and a high level character guy that NFL teams should be looking for. That being said, many NFL teams aren't smart. Rather, they are stupid organizations run by not entirely smart people all the time. That being said, team personnel guys fall in love with the flash of a guy like Prescott. Sure, he's a big, strong guy. He can run like the wind. He has an arm. All that may be true, but he is also erratic. He comes from a system that is not entirely like anything you will see on an NFL field. RG3 was a better passer, but Prescott compares to him in certain ways, and we see how well that has worked out. Prescott models for me as a decent college QB on an overachieving team who's skill level ends there. Not a fan of his prospective pro career as it projects forward.
Where he's likely to go: Late 1st round, or early second round
Where he should go: 5th round as a developmental type QB

Cardale Jones, Ohio State
That Jones is listed as a top ten QB in this draft is strictly an indictment on how bad QB play has gotten in college and pro football over the years. Jones is a bowl full of mush between the ears, pure and simple. He's the kind of guy who believes that the world owes him something. He has all of three major games under his belt as a starting QB, and that is it. Sure, they were big games, but that is not a resume that I, for one, would be drafting off of. Jones believed that he went to school to play football, and not actually go to class. What's he going to do when he has to apply himself on the next level, and actually work? This guy is going to be a problem for someone. If it were my team, I'd just hope it wasn't mine. I don't like dumb players, and this guy is as dumb as they come.
Where he's likely to go: 3rd round
Where he should go: Undrafted

Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
That Hackenberg is a top ten QB in this draft class is a travesty. His best games were against San Diego State, Indiana, Illinois, and Buffalo last season. My grandma could have had great games against those teams. Hackenberg is a hack. He blamed his coaches for his bad play during combine interviews. His accuracy is just pure garbage. His attitude is pure garbage. His game is pure garbage. That anyone is even considering drafting him just goes to show you how dumb so very many NFL personnel people are these days. If I found out my team was about to draft this guy, I'd find a way to cut the phone lines in the war room, or jam the transmission somehow. As I said last week on Twitter, Hackenberg is not an NFL QB, he's a statue holding a football. Zero talent here.
Where he's likely to go: 4th round
Where he should go: Nowhere near an NFL franchise. Totally undraftable.

Jacoby Brissett, NC State
Brissett is not nearly ready to play on any level of the NFL, but he is, however, an excellent candidate for a developmental project for a few years down the road. Brissett was lost at Florida, but as he showed after transferring to Raleigh, he really came around in so very many ways. He did not have a perfect combine, but nobody did. Brissett is the kind of player that could get with e avery good QB coach in the NFL (like Brett Hundley with Alex Van Pelt at Green Bay) that could rebuild him and rework his flaws. If that happens, Brissett is a total steal in this draft in the right spot.
Where he's likely to go: 5th round
Where he should go: 5th round, maybe 6th...the lower he goes, the better the steal.

Kevin Hogan, Stanford
Hogan was good for Stanford in the post Andrew Luck years, as he did not allow the Cardinal to step too far back. Hogan was, for all accounts, a decent, game managing QB for Stanford, who could make a few plays with his feet, and make some decent throws. In my opinion, we have seen all we will ever see from Hogan. Hogan will never be the kind of QB that can lead an NFL franchise, and his skills were baselined as a decent college QB who has not the skills or abilities necessary to succeed on the next level. He is ok, but he is not nearly good enough to be considered as anything special.
Where he is likely to go: 6th round...maybe 7th
Where he should go: Undrafted

Brandon Allen, Arkansas
Allen was an average QB until he blew up in his senior season, but his numbers were severely inflated by two OT games against Auburn and Ole Miss (which is why I hate and detest the college OT rule/model). Allen tossed 30 TDs last fall to just 8 picks, but don't get fooled or sold by those numbers. Where you should really look is early last season before Arkansas pulled themselves together, especially the loss to Toledo at home, where Allen was a mere mortal, at best. Allen will likely get a shot somewhere, but he is not an impact guy.
Where he is likely to go: 7th round
Where he should go: Undrafted

The Next Ten

Nate Sudfeld, Indiana...Injuries derailed him. That's why he slides so low, as he cannot stay on the field.

Vernon Adams, Oregon...Another injury prone guy in 2015. Aside from that, his skills do not translate to the pro game.

Cody Kessler, USC...If you asked me a year ago, I'd have said he was a good prospect. Undersized, but he can play. Worth a late round flyer.

Jacob Coker, Alabama...He has no value in the pros. Very average college QB.

Matt Johnson, Bowling Green...System guy with a decent arm. System QBs rarely make it.

Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky...2 time All-Bilo FBS QB of the Year, but that is what he was...a legendary college QB who does not translate as next level material.

Jeff Driskell, Louisiana Tech...Driskell was horrible at Florida, but then again, name a Gator QB that wasn't under Will Muschamp (read that line a few times South Carolina). He transferred to Louisiana Tech, but that is a system offense that is not complicated, and is basically playground in nature. Driskell has size, arm, and IQ going for him, but his overall tenacity is lacking. He may not have good enough huddle presence to make it on the next level, and may have trouble moving forward. Some teams like him, but I am not sure whom.

Travis Wilson, Utah...Erratic at best, horrible at worst. Wilson has been all things, good and bad. Not worth the trouble.

Trevone Boykin, TCU...If being arrested in a bar fight and assaulting an officer days before your bowl game are good charcter traits, I don't know what's bad. Priorities are obviously a mess despite good numbers. Good college player, but nothing more.

Jake Ruddock, Michigan...Made strides at Michigan in one season after transferring, but his career is likely done.

Next...Top Ten Running Backs

USF Bulls 2016 Football Schedule

We complete our look at the AAC 2016 football schedule with USF...

9/3 Towson
9/10 Northern Illinois
9/17 at Syracuse
9/24 Florida State
10/1 at Cincinnati
10/8 East Carolina
10/15 U Conn
10/21 at Temple
10/28 Navy
11/12 at Memphis
11/19 at SMU
11/26 UCF

Notes: USF opens with 3 of 4 at home, and should be favored in 2 of those 3 games...The Bulls close out with 3 of 5 on the road, and could only be favored in one of those games...USF is favored by some to win the AAC in 2016, but the schedule certainly doesn't set up that way.
Overall Projected Record: 7-5

U Conn Huskies 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the U Conn 2016 football schedule...

9/1 Maine
9/10 at Navy
9/17 Virginia
9/24 Syracuse
9/29 at Houston
10/8 Cincinnati
10/15 at USF
10/22 UCF
10/29 at East Carolina
11/4 Temple
11/19 at Boston College
11/26 Tulane

Notes: The September schedule is rather ambiguous, as U Conn will be heavily favored to beat Maine, will be underdogs to Navy and Houston, and could be favored against Virginia and Syracuse, but they could also end up dogs against the Cavaliers and Orange....U Conn opens with 3 of 5 at home, and closes with 3 of 5 at home as well...The schedule sets up for a strong finish if U Conn can get their offense together for that run...In short, U Conn is a team in flux, and could go either way, making projecting their schedule a bit difficult.
Overall Projected Record: 5-7

UCF Knights 2016 Football Schedule

Coninuing on with the AAC Football Schedule breakdown, I take a look at the UCF Knights...

9/3 South Carolina
9/10 at Michigan
9/17 Maryland
9/24 at FIU
10/1 at East Carolina
10/7 Tulane
10/15 Temple
10/22 at U Conn
10/29 at Houston
11/12 Cincinnati
11/19 Tulsa
11/26 at USF

Notes: For a team with a new coach, and in need of a severe rebuilding project, the September schedule is murderous. UCF starts off with 3 Power 5 opponents, albeit two at home, before wrapping up the month in Ft. Lauderdale against FIU, which is the only game that UCF may be favored in...UCF doesn't catch many breaks in October, as they play 3 of 5 on the road, including games against Temple, Tulane, and Houston...November sees a slight break with 2 of 3 at home, but none of those dates will see the Knights being favored either...UCF gets back to back home games twice in 2016, and also sees back to back road games twice...UCF will play one Friday game all season, with every other game falling on Saturday.
Projected Overall Record: 1-11

Tulsa Golden Hurricane 2016 Football Schedule

Continuing on with my AAC 2016 Schedule breakdown, I continue with Tulsa...

9/3 San Jose State
9/10 at Ohio State
9/17 North Carolina A&T
9/24 at Fresno State
10/7 SMU
10/15 at Houston
10/22 Tulane
10/29 at Memphis
11/5 East Carolina
11/12 at Navy
11/19 at UCF
11/25 Cincinnati

Notes: The trip to Ohio State is brutal, but September sets up very nicely for Tulsa to win 3 of 4...October looks like a split, with wins against SMU and Tulane, but potential losses to  Houston and Memphis on the road...November could also be a splitter, as I see Tulsa taking games against East Carolina and UCF, but potentially falling to Navy and Cincinnati...Tulsa does not get back to back home games all season...Tulsa does play back to back road games just once in 2016, but at the worst possible time, November with trips to Navy and UCF before returning home for a finale against Cincinnati.
Overall Projected Record: 7-5

Tulane Green Wave 2016 Football Schedule

I continue my AAC Schedule breakdowns for 2016 with Tulane...

9/1 at Wake Forest

9/10 Southern

9/17 Navy

9/24 UL-Lafayette

10/1 at U Mass

10/7 UCF

10/14 Memphis

10/22 at Tulsa

10/29 SMU

11/12 at Houston

11/19 Temple

11/26 at U Conn

Notes: September could be a good launching pad to an improved record for Tulane, as they could be favored in 3 of 4 games. Navy should be a loss, but games at Wake Forest, Southern, and UL-Lafayette could all be wins for Tulane...I can see Tulane picking up three more wins in 5 dates in October, and that could be enough to contend for a bowl...November is the toughest month by far for Tulane, as I could easily see them being swept for the month, especially with 2 of 3 on the road...After opening with back to back home games at Yulman Stadium, Tulane does not get the chance to play back to back at home again in 2016. That being said, the Green Wave do get 7 home games.

Overall Projected Record: 6-6

Temple Owls 2016 Football Schedule

A look ahead to the Temple 2016 football schedule...

9/2 Army
9/10 Stony Brook
9/17 at Penn State
9/24 Charlotte
10/1 SMU
10/6 at Memphis
10/15 at UCF
10/21 USF
10/29 Cincinnati
11/4 at U Conn
11/19 at Tulane
11/26 East Carolina

Notes: The non conference schedule is ridiculous in its lack of impact games. Army, Stony Brook, and Charlotte are all laughable opponents at best for Temple...If the Owls can pull a win at Penn State, they will go 4-0 in September...October could be a 3-2 month, or it could be a 2-3 month. The decider? How good is USF...Temple will play either on a Friday or a Thursday four times in 2016, a ridiculous amount...The Owls get 2 of their last 3 games on the road.
Overall Projected Record: 9-3

SMU Mustangs 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the SMU 2016 football schedule...

9/3 at North Texas
9/10 at Baylor
9/17 Liberty
9/23 TCU
10/1 at Temple
10/7 at Tulsa
10/22 Houston
10/29 at Tulane
11/5 Memphis
11/12 at East Carolina
11/19 USF
11/26 Navy

Notes: Mustangs could actually get out of September at 2-2 after some rough years...If SMU loses to UNT in opener, the season will go south very quickly after that...From 10/1 to 10/29, SMU only plays at Gerald Ford Stadium once, and that is a sure loss to Houston...SMU gets a reprieve in November, playing 3 of 4 at home, but season could be burned by then.
Overall Projected Record: 3-9

Navy Midshipmen 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Navy 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Fordham
9/10 U Conn
9/17 at Tulane
10/1 at Air Force
10/8 Houston
10/13 at East Carolina
10/22 Memphis
10/28 at USF
11/5 Notre Dame
11/12 Tulsa
11/26 at SMU
12/10 Army at Baltimore

Notes: The opener against FCS member Fordham is tougher than it looks...Navy could very well be 3-0 heading into the Air Force game...Navy gets back to back home games just once this season, but plays twice in Baltimore (against Notre Dame, Army)...Navy is a difficult team to project because of the opening at QB with Keenan Reynolds having moved on...Navy gets a huge break from getting Houston, Memphis, and Tulsa at home, Notre Dame and Army in Baltimore.
Overall Projected Record: 8-4

Memphis Tigers 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Memphis 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Southeast Missouri State
9/17 Kansas
9/24 Bowling Green
10/1 at Ole Miss
10/6 Temple
10/14 at Tulane
10/22 at Navy
10/29 Tulsa
11/5 at SMU
11/12 USF
11/18 at Cincinnati
11/25 Houston

Notes: Despite concerns at QB, Memphis should win 3 of 4 in September...After opening with 3 straight at home, Memphis does not get back to back home games anymore in 2016 after that...Tigers play back to back home games just once all season...Memphis will get 7 home games in 2016, should be favored in 6 of them...most difficult stretch in final 2 games with Cincy on the road and Houston at home.
Overall Projected Record: 8-4

Houston Cougars 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the 2016 Houston Cougars football schedule...

9/3 Oklahoma
10/10 Lamar
9/15 at Cincinnati
9/24 at Texas State
9/29 U Conn
10/8 at Navy
10/15 Tulsa
10/22 at SMU
10/29 UCF
11/12 Tulane
11/17 Louisville
11/25 at Memphis

Notes: The biggest game of the year is the opener against Oklahoma. If UH can pull a home upset, the Cougars could push for a top five ranking in 2016...Other than the OU game, UH should be a favorite in every game they play this season...Potential trap games are at Cincy on 9/15 and at Navy on 10/8...Cougars play 3 of final 4 at home, lone road trip is at Memphis during that stretch...Cougars should be double digit favorites in 3 of final 4 games, likely would not be against Louisville.
Overall Projected Record: 11-1

East Carolina Pirates 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the ECU 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Western Carolina
9/10 NC State
9/17 at South Carolina
9/24 at Virginia Tech
10/1 UCF
10/8 at USF
10/13 Navy
10/22 at Cincinnati
10/29 U Conn
11/5 at Tulsa
11/12 SMU
11/26 at Temple

Notes: After opening with 2 straight home games, ECU never plays back to back home games again in 2016...ECU starts the season playing 3 of 5 on the road, and also finishes the season that way...Despite the opener with FCS WCU, the non conference schedule is loaded with 3 power 5 opponents, 2 of them on the road...Pirates avoid Houston and Memphis, but get both Cincy and Temple on the road.
Overall Projected Record: 6-6

Cincinnati Bearcats 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Cincinnati Bearcats 2016 football schedule...

9/1 Tennessee-Martin
9/10 at Purdue
9/15 Houston
9/24 Miami (Ohio)
10/1 USF
10/8 at U Conn
10/22 East Carolina
10/29 at Temple
11/5 BYU
11/12 at UCF
11/18 Memphis
11/25 at Tulsa

Notes: UC has two short turn weeks, one between 9/10 and 9/15 that includes games with Purdue and Houston, and between 11/12 and 11/18 with games at UCF and home for Memphis...UC gets their rivalry game against Miami (Ohio) on 9/24...UC gets no breaks in AAC play as they get Houston, at Temple, and Memphis at home...UC opens with 4 of first 5 at home, but closes with 3 of final 5 games on the road, including the season finale at Tulsa.
Overall Projected Record: 9-3

Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Wake Forest 2016 football schedule...

9/1 Tulane
9/10 at Duke
9/17 Delaware
9/24 at Indiana
10/1 at NC State
10/8 Syracuse
10/15 at Florida State
10/29 Army
11/5 Virginia
11/12 at Louisville
11/19 Clemson
11/26 Boston College

Notes: Wake opens with three of their first five games on the road...A complete reversal, Wake closes with four of five at home, including the final two games against Clemson and BC.,,The Deacons have a solid shot of winning two of three to open the season, and could be in all four of their first games in September...The Deacons play back to back road games just once...Wake Forest has zero short turn weeks in 2016.
Overall Projected Record: 4-8

Virginia Tech Hokies 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Hokie 2016 football Schedule...

9/3 Liberty
9/10 Tennessee at Bristol
9/17 Boston College
9/24 East Carolina
10/8 at North Carolina
10/15 at Syracuse
10/20 Miami
10/27 at Pittsburgh
11/5 at Duke
11/12 Georgia Tech
11/19 at Notre Dame
11/26 Virginia

Notes: The Hokies open with three of four at home in Blacksburg...After the opening month, Tech plays four of five on the road, with the lone home game coming on 10/20 against Miami...VT plays just one short turn in 2016, with a road trip to Syracuse followed five days later at home with Miami...Hokies finish with two of three at home, including rivalry game with Virginia in season finale.
Overall Projected Record: 7-5

Virginia Cavaliers 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Virginia Cavaliers 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Richmond
9/10 at Oregon
9/17 at U Conn
9/24 Central Michigan
10/1 at Duke
10/15 Pittsburgh
10/22 North Carolina
10/29 Louisville
11/5 at Wake Forest
11/12 Miami
11/19 at Georgia Tech
11/26 at Virginia Tech

Notes: UVA plays 3 of first five games on the road...Cavaliers play only one road game in October after rough opening stretch...November is fairly brutal, with 3 of 4 on the road, including final 2 games...Richmond game is a trap, as is game against CMU...UVA plays on road at PAC-12 team for 2nd straight season (UCLA in 2015, Oregon in 2016).
Overall Projected Record: 3-9

Syracuse Orange 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Syracuse 2016 football schedule...

9/2 Colgate
9/9 Louisville
9/17 USF
9/24 at U Conn
10/1 Notre Dame at The Meadowlands
10/8 at Wake Forest
10/15 Virginia Tech
10/22 at Boston College
11/5 at Clemson
11/12 NC State
11/19 Florida State
11/26 at Pittsburgh

Notes: The game against Colgate is ridiculous scheduling for an easy win...Orange play their first three at home, then play 5 of next 6 on the road or in a neutral site...neutral site game with Notre Dame makes zero sense in scheme of things as Syracuse won't draw there, and college football is not much of a draw in NYC market...Syracuse will play just 6 home games in year one of Dino Baber era.
Overall Projected Record: 4-8

Pittsburgh Panthers 2016 Football Schedule

Here's a look at the Pitt Panthers 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Villanova
9/10 Penn State
9/17 at Oklahoma State
9/24 at North Carolina
10/1 Marshall
10/8 Georgia Tech
10/15 at Virginia
10/27 Virginia Tech
11/5 at Miami
11/12 at Clemson
11/19 Duke
11/26 Syracuse

Notes: The non conference schedule is fairly bold, as the Panthers re-engage in their long running rivalry with Penn State, and they travel to take on Oklahoma State in Stillwater. The Game against Marshall on 10/1 is also a trap game that will tell a lot about the true grit of this Panthers team...Back to back road games in September and November ought to tell the tale of how this season will go. Trips to Ok. State and UNC in September are brutal, and trips to Miami and Clemson could be season crushing...Pitt does get to play their final two at home, and may need those wins to go bowling.
Overall Projected Record: 7-5

North Carolina Tar Heels 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the UNC 2016 football schedule...

9/3 Georgia at Atlanta
9/10 at Illinois
9/17 James Madison
9/24 Pittsburgh
10/1 at Florida State
10/8 Virginia Tech
10/15 at Miami
10/22 at Virginia
11/5 Georgia Tech
11/10 at Duke
11/19 Citadel
11/25 NC State

Notes: The Tar Heels SOS will be highly damaged at the end of the season, as they play two games against FCS opponents in James Madison and Citadel...UNC plays short turn weeks in games on 11/5 and 11/10, and then again on 11/19 to 11/25...UNC will not play at home until 9/17 after a neutral site game with Georgia and a trip to Illinois...UNC will play just 6 games in Chapel Hill.
Overall Projected Record: 10-2

NC State Wolfpack 2016 Schedule

Here's a look a the 2016 NC State football schedule...

9/1 William & Mary
9/10 at East Carolina
9/17 Old Dominion
10/1 Wake Forest
10/8 Notre Dame
10/15 at Clemson
10/22 at Louisville
10/29 Boston College
11/5 Florida State
11/12 at Syracuse
11/19 Miami
11/25 at North Carolina

Notes: The non conference schedule has got to be one of the weakest in the nation, with FCS William & Mary, ECU, and Old Dominion on the slate...The Pack only has one short turn week all season, and it's the last heading into the season finale against UNC...NC State plays back to back road games once all season, 10/15 at Clemson and 10/22 at Louisville.
Overall Record Projection: 6-6

Miami Hurricanes 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the 2016 Miami Hurricanes schedule as the Canes begin the Mark Richt era...

9/3 Florida A&M
9/10 Florida Atlantic
9/17 at Appalachian State
10/1 at Georgia Tech
10/8 Florida State
10/15 North Carolina
10/20 at Virginia Tech
10/29 at Notre Dame
11/5 Pittsburgh
11/12 at Virginia
11/19 at NC State
11/26 Duke

Notes: The non conference schedule is a joke, with Florida A&M and FAU to open. When the Canes go to App State on 9/17, they had better have their A game showing, because the Mountaineers will be out for the kill at home...Miami closes with two of three on the road...After a home game with FAU on 9/10, Miami does not play at home again until 10/8...Miami has a short turn after the UNC game on 10/15, as they play at Virginia Tech five days later, followed by a road trip to Notre Dame a week after that.
Projected Final Overall 2016 Record: 6-6

Louisville Cardinals 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Louisville Cardinals 2016 football schedule:

9/1 Charlotte
9/9 at Syracuse
9/17 Florida State
9/24 at Marshall
10/1 at Clemson
10/14 Duke
10/22 NC State
10/29 at Virginia
11/5 at Boston College
11/12 Wake Forest
11/17 at Houston
11/26 Kentucky

Notes: After opening with an easy game at home with Charlotte, the Cardinals will play three of four on the road, with Florida State being the lone home game. Between 9/1 and 10/1, Louisville plays at home just twice...The Cardinals will play Marshall and Houston on the road, giving the Cardinals two road trips to non power five schools...Louisville plays just six home games in 2016...After opening with only two of five at home, the Cardinals finish with that same number, closing out with three of the final five games on the road.
Projected Final 2016 Record: 8-4

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 2016 Schedule

Here is a look at the Georgia Tech 2016 Schedule:

9/3 Boston College at Dublin, Ireland
9/10 Mercer
9/17 Vanderbilt
9/22 Clemson
10/1 Miami
10/8 at Pittsburgh
10/15 Georgia Southern
10/29 Duke
11/5 at North Carolina
11/12 at Virginia Tech
11/19 Virginia
11/26 at Georgia

Notes: Again, I am no fan of the Dublin trip, as it makes no sense to either side to go there...After the trip to Ireland, Georgia Tech stays home all the way until 10/8 when they travel to Pitt, one of the longest home stretches in the nation (4 straight home games without a bye week)...Tech only has one short turn week, between 9/17 and 9/22 (against Vandy and Clemson in that order)...Tech plays three of their final four on the road after an early season home binge, including a road trip to Athens to play Georgia in the finale...two non conference games are against in state opponents in Mercer and Georgia Southern.
Projected Overall 2016 Record: 6-6

Florida State Seminoles 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the 2016 Florida State football schedule:

9/5 Ole Miss at Orlando
9/10 Charleston Southern
9/17 at Louisville
9/24 at USF
10/1 North Carolina
10/8 at Miami
10/15 Wake Forest
10/29 Clemson
11/5 at NC State
11/11 Boston College
11/19 at Syracuse
11/26 Florida

Notes: I am not certain why the Seminoles taking on Ole Miss in Orlando is a thing, or why it is deemed important enough to move to a Monday, which is another trend that I do not approve of...The Seminoles only get five days between the Ole Miss opener and their home opener, but that home opener is against Charleston Southern, so there's that...FSU only plays one home game in the month of September, the Charleston Southern game...FSU plays three of four at home in October, with the lone road trip going to Miami...The Seminoles play two of their final three at home, including Florida.
Projected Overall 2016 Record: 10-2

Duke Blue Devils 2016 Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Duke 2016 Football schedule:

9/3 North Carolina Central
9/10 Wake Forest
9/17 at Northwestern
9/24 at Notre Dame
10/1 Virginia
10/8 Army
10/14 at Louisville
10/29 at Georgia Tech
11/5 Virginia Tech
11/10 North Carolina
11/19 at Pittsburgh
11/26 at Miami

Notes: Duke is treating the NC Central game like a rivalry, but it is nothing of the sort. The non conference scheduling is lacking in name power, but the trips to Notre Dame and Northwestern could be brutal...After playing Army on 10/8, the Devils do not return home again until taking on Virginia Tech on 11/5, one of the longest stretches in the nation. This stretch does include a bye week...Duke also gets screwed by having two short weeks this season, as they get six days between Army and a visit to Louisville, and they only get five days between Virginia Tech and North Carolina. At best, I see Duke splitting those four games.
Projected 2016 Record: 8-4

2016 Clemson Tigers Football Schedule

Here is a look at the Clemson 2016 football schedule...

9/3 at Auburn
9/10 Troy
9/17 South Carolina State
9/22 at Georgia Tech
10/1 Louisville
10/7 at Boston College
10/15 NC State
10/29 at Florida State
11/5 Syracuse
11/12 Pittsburgh
11/19 at Wake Forest
11/26 South Carolina

Notes: The Tigers get seven at home this season, and finish with three of four at Memorial Stadium, including the finale against arch rival South Carolina...The non conference schedule is pretty easy, and that includes a road trip to Auburn against a Tigers team that may not be very good yet again...Clemson will only get back to back home games twice this season, in September against Troy and SC State, and in November against Syracuse and Pitt.
Projected Record: 11-1

Boston College 2016 Football Schedule

Here is your 2016 BC Eagles football schedule:

9/3 vs. Georgia Tech at Dublin, Ireland
9/10 at U Mass
9/17 at Virginia Tech
9/24 Wagner
10/1 Buffalo
10/7 Clemson
10/22 Syracuse
10/29 at NC State
11/5 Louisville
11/11 at Florida State
11/19 U Conn
11/26 at Wake Forest

Notes: The opening game in Ireland is absolutely senseless. I don't care how many Irish folks live in Southie, they aren't traveling to Dublin for this game...The Eagles do not get a home date until 9/24 against FCS member Wagner, which is another joke of a game for BC, but maybe one where they can score more than ten points...After the opener on 9/24, the Eagles will not go on the road again until 10/29 when they take on NC State in Raleigh...BC opens with three straight on the road, and only has two of their final five games at home.
Projected Overall 2016 Record: 4-8

Larry Coker Settles With UTSA

Larry Coker, who resigned after a 3-9 season in 2015, has settled on his buyout with UTSA for $650,000 according to an AP report tonight. Coker could have received as much as $1.56 million as severance for his last three seasons remaining on his deal.
Coker finished 26-32 at UTSA after starting the program from scratch, but fell from popularity with a loud but small group in the fan base during a season that many felt fell under expectations, despite a largely popular opinion before and during the season that this was largely a rebuilding year after the Roadrunners lost more than 30 seniors from the 2014 season. Coker, rather than divide the university and fan base decided to resign under pressure instead.
Coker coaching career is likely over considering his age and experience at this point.
The original report was issued by the San Antonio Express-News after having received the information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Illinois Firing of Bill Cubit: Right Move, Wrong Time

Josh Whitman had a busy day during his first day on the job as the new Athletic Director at Illinois. He fired Bill Cubit, who had just completed his first season as Illinois head coach as an interim after Tim Beckman was fired for a variety of issues. The fact that Bill Cubit was fired at Illinois isn't all too troubling, but the timing of it is.
Cubit had been given a two year deal to coach Illinois moving forward, a reward for stepping onto a sinking ship and guiding not into the rocks, but gently bumping them during a season of change and transition. Cubit is a good guy, and a decent coach, but was never a popular choice to run an irrelevant program in a Power 5 conference. Detractors were right about that, but he was the best choice that a dysfunctional university could have made during a period that was so absolutely out of control with its dysfunction that it made Donald Trump look like a sane, truth telling, non Nazi, non carnival barker by comparison.
Illinois as a university has been a mess. There is no cohesion in the presidency, the academic councils, or the athletic department, and the AD search has largely been a disaster until Whitman was hired, and he was hired, it should be noted, from as far outside of Power 5 country as you can find. That should go well. Nobody wanted the AD job, and the thought of hiring a football coach within that environment should have scared the hell out of anyone with a vested interest. Most sane people want nothing to do with the University of Illinois. That comes as a shock to nobody.
Bill Cubit stood in as a leader during amazingly turbulent times. He stood in as a calm in a tempest and did a credible job of leading a lost group through those hellish times and showed a good deal of growth among these young men in the process. Of course, he never should have had the job, but who else wanted it?
Josh Whitman is already making a mess before he has even unloaded a house plant into his office. Cubit deserved his reward to at least transition this program over the next two years until calmer times come to the university. At that point, Illinois would be a much more popular destination, if the new group of leaders can show some direction, it could be a much sought after position. That time is not now, as this group of leaders has hardly had a moment to move the needle.
Whitman has hired Lovie Smith, a move that will be made official once he clears all of the internal HR hurdles and paperwork. Lovie Smith has not coached in the NCAA since 1995 as the Ohio State DB coach. His overall record as an NFL coach is 89-87. He is freshly fired from his most recent disaster as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Whitman thinks that this choice will move the needle in the direction of football success, I am guessing that he will be completely disappointed.
Lovie Smith is not a great football coach. He won three divisional titles with the Bears, but in a weak NFC North, and that success was hardly extended.
This hire smells of desperation for Whitman to make a splashy, big name hire. It was splashy alright, but only in the way that toilet water splashes when human waste drops into it. It was a big name alright, but only big in terms that any name in the NFL is big, even the failures.
It is certain that Cubit probably was not the right guy, but there were plenty of good coaches that could have done well at Illinois, and were available, even today. PJ Fleck, Brock Spack, Al Golden, and several others, and they all would have been interested enough to give Whitman a few moments of their time on a phone call. In the end, Whitman goes with Lovie Smith. Probably the worst option of those available, including keeping Cubit, was hiring an NFL burnout with a mediocre record whose glory days in the state are a thing of distant memory. This is what you get when your new AD is a hire out of a D3 program with little history of football success in an arena where football success is the only real success that anyone gives a damn about. Bill Cubit was always going to be a short timer, but he deserved at least one more year as a reward for being a glutton for punishment.
In the end, the train wreck that is the Illinois athletic department seems alive and well.

Idaho and New Mexico State Removed From Sun Belt

After making pitches for long term membership in the Sun Belt Conference, the league has officially ended the relationships with both Idaho and New Mexico State effective at the end of the 2017 season. For Idaho, this is their second departure from the conference, as they were a founding football member.
Both teams are left with an unappetizing look at beings independents, something both have toyed with in the past, or awaiting another invitation from an FBS conference, which seems unlikely to happen.
The only palatable move at this point for both schools is to lose 22 scholarships each and join the ranks of FCS football. Of course, there is a nuclear option to drop football altogether at this point, but that also seems unlikely. The Mountain West, which makes sense geographically, is not walking through that door, nor are they blowing up any phones. NMSU has some sway there, as they have a long standing rivalry with New Mexico, but that doesn't seem to be a draw. NMSU could also look into Conference USA, where they could find a fit in the West with arch rival UTEP, but that also seems a long shot at best, as the Aggie basketball program is the real draw, not the football program.
Idaho AD Rob Spear, who recently received a contract extension through 2020, has stated that his long term goal is to keep Idaho in FBS football. We all want things we can't have, Rob. FBS football no longer looks viable for either program, short term or long. In the 1980's independence was a thing. In 2016, unless your name is Notre Dame, not so much.
In short, the Big Sky Conference has made a major push towards getting Idaho back in the fold, as they compete in all other sports in that conference, and they also dominated the league in football in the 1980's and 90's before leaving for the not so green pastures of FBS football. The Big Sky would love to have the Vandals back, and have been very up front about that. It's best to go where you are wanted, not where you are not.
New Mexico State would also be attractive to a couple of FCS leagues. First, they fit wonderfully well in the footprint of the Southland Conference, where a majority of members play in neighboring Texas. Cost of travel would be very inexpensive, and there are several potential long term rivals available. NMSU could still keep non conference dates with rivals New Mexico and UTEP annually, and still play in what is becoming a power league in FCS football.
Another option for NMSU would be to join Idaho in the Big Sky. There are several schools, however not as many as the SLC, that NMSU geographically fits with including Northern Arizona, Southern Utah, Weber State, and Northern Colorado. There has been no official public push or comment about NMSU from the Big Sky brass, but one has to think that an option may exist there that could be mutually beneficial, as NMSU does have a 30,000 seat stadium to bring forth.
Whatever happens moving forward, both schools have some healing to do. These programs have been abysmal for far too long now, and, especially in the case of NMSU, they have to show they are ready to go all in on football, even on the FCS level, to be have a strong impact. NMSU played for years in the Missouri Valley Conference, a 1-AA league that hosted 1-A programs, and rarely found success even on that level, so there is some serious work to do, especially on the coaching front, where Doug Martin is hardly the guy to resurrect this program from the dead. Paul Petrino was a good hire by Idaho, and the team has some solid young talent, and therefore looks like a better bet short term for immediate success.
These two programs have some time to figure out their next steps, but not as much time as they would like. The clock is ticking, and the longer they wait, the less likely they are to land deals that make sense and are healthy for these programs moving forward.

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks
2015 Record: 8-5 (5-3, SEC West)
2015 Bowl: Liberty Bowl, Defeated Kansas State 45-23

What Went Right: For starters, the second half of the season was much stronger than the beginning. Arkansas won six of their final seven games to get to the Liberty bowl, and finished third in the SEC West, which nobody saw as a possibility with the way the played in the first half of the season.
Brandon Allen ended up passing for 3440 yards and 30 TDs, and averaged 264.6 yards per game on the season. Once the Razorbacks started leaning on him more, the team started winning around him.
Alex Collins was a machine, rushing for 20 scores on the season to go with his 5.82 yards per carry and 1577 rushing yards. The combo of Allen's passing and Collins' rush attack gave the Hogs something to build on during their run.
Drew Morgan became a star of sorts, catching 10 TD passes at WR, while TE Hunter Henry lived up to his billing by hauling in 51 passes for 759 yards.
Defensively, Arkansas held opponents to 24 points or less six times, and during those six games, they looked like a solid unit. Brooks Ellis and Dre Greenlaw were tackling machines with 102 and 95 tackles respectively at LB. Deatrich Wise was a force on the line, picking up 10.5 TFLs, 8 of which were sacks. Greenlaw forced a pair of fumbles as well, while DB Jared Collins defended 9 passes. Henre' Tolliver added 8 pass defenses.
Punter Toby Baker averaged over 41 yards per punt on the season to be the star of the kicking game.
What Went Wrong: Ugly early season losses to Toledo and Texas Tech nearly derailed the Razorbacks in 2015. Arkansas was a team that, on paper, looked like they should have been able to compete for the SEC West title, but those early losses crumbled faith, and it seemed like the Razorbacks never truly believed in their ability until the season was half over, and that is when they finally turned on the jets. The offense stumbled early on, even when the defense was playing well, and that didn't help either.
The defense was largely hit and miss, and was one of the more frustrating parts of the season. Arkansas ended up in too many shootouts, and even though they won some big games that way, that's still not Arkansas football. In wins over Auburn and Ole Miss, Arkansas scored 54 and 53 points, but gave up 46 and 52. They also scored 51 against Mississippi State, but gave up 50. Luckily, Arkansas won all three of those games, but it was all luck in the end, and luck never lasts forever.
Special teams had their own nightmare in the PK game, as Cole Hedlund connected on just 9 of 15 attempts. True, he was just a freshman, but that number has to severely improve in 2016.
Looking Ahead: The Hogs may have missed their window. Allen and Collins are both gone, as is Hunter Henry on offense. There is little to no experience coming back at QB, and Both Kody Walker and Rawleigh Williams III combined for 146 carries in 2015. Morgan returns as a senior at WR, but who will get him the ball, and who will step up to take over the load the Henry carried? Other than Morgan, no other receiver caught more than 28 passes last season.
Defensively, the unpredictable performances have to be a thing of the past. Nobody finished with more than 2 picks last season, and only Wise finished with more than 10 TFLs. Those numbers are concerning heading into 2016, as the defense will likely have to make up for an offense that may be trying to find its way early on.
Special teams are a mess on the PK side, and that is concerning as well with an inexperienced offense coming back.
The non con schedule has some trickiness to it early with games against Louisiana Tech and TCU, but wraps with games against Alcorn State and Texas State.
2016 Projection: 5-7, No Bowl

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Arizona State

Arizona State Sun Devils

2015 Record: 6-7 (4-5 PAC-12 South)

Bowl: Cactus Bowl, Lost to West Virginia 43-42

What Went Right: Offense has never been a problem under Todd Graham at ASU, as the Sun Devils scored 34.6 points per game. ASU picked up 305 1st downs, compared to 271 that they gave up, and averaged 4.33 yards per carry in the run game. The passing game flourished on TD/INT ratio, as they tossed 30 TDs on the season to 9 picks. The punting game was strong, averaging 42.77 yards per try, 

One also needs to take these numbers with somewhat of a grain of salt. In an age where Sirius College Sports Nation personalities try to sell us on teams like Oklahoma State playing great defense (they don't), offensive numbers are bloated like a corpse being dragged out of a river. Offenses like we see today were a blip on the radar 20 to 30 years ago, and were limited to leagues like the old WAC, where defense was a mere suggestion in the days of Steve Young at BYU. 

What Went Wrong: Lack of defense was ultimately the downfall of the 2015 Arizona State season, as they gave up 30 or more points 8 times, including 43 to West Virginia in a one point bowl loss. You simply should never have to score 40 points per game just to secure a win, and that was largely a major issue in Tempe. ASU did come up with big plays here and there, as evidenced by having 15 picks to just giving up 9 on the season, but these plays were not enough to ensure that they did not give up over 6000 yards in 13 games, a staggering number. Because so many games were incredibly tight, ASU was never able to develop a QB behind senior Mike Bercovici, and therefore enters 2016 without much of a developed option at all. ASU also failed to have a defender eclipse 100 tackles for the year. I do give credit to LBs Salamo Fiso and Antonio Longino, as they were forces off the edge with more than 20 TFLs each, but there wasn't much else going on. 

Top Stars: QB Mike Bercovici, RB Demario Richard, WR Devin Lucien, WR Tim White, P Matt Haack, DB Kareem Orr, LB Salamo Fiso, LB Antonio Longino

Look Ahead: There are problems on the horizon. ASU loses a boatload of productivity on offense, starting at QB, where not one backup got credible playing time last season. They are starting over from nothing. Three of the top four WRs are departing as well, leaving the passing game in a state of flux. The running game could use some depth as well, as only two backs received more than 100 carries on the season, but both return. On Special teams, Haack returns at Punter, which is important, but Zane Gonzalez was a bit of a mess in 2015, hitting on only 76.5% of his tries. 

Defensively, ASU has got to shore themselves up, because if they give up 33.5 points per game once again, they will be no better, and could actually be worse than 6-7. Three of their top five tacklers are gone, and Longino is one of them, leaving Fiso on his own moving forward. If you thought this season was uneven, at best, next season could be a bit of a train wreck if some young players don't step up big.

The good news is that the Devils have a soft non con schedule, with games against Northern Arizona, Texas Tech, and UTSA on the slate. The conference schedule, however, will be unforgiving. 

2016 Prediction: 5-7. No Bowl

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats
2015 Record: 7-6 (3-6 PAC-12 South)
Bowl: New Mexico Bowl, Defeated New Mexico 45-37

What Went Right: We will start with that, because the 2015 season went wrong in many different ways for the Wildcats. Offensively, the Cats still managed to score plenty by averaging 37.4 points per game. Anu Solomon, while not being entirely himself, still managed to pass for 2667 yards and 20 TDs, while limiting himself to just 5 INTs on the year. He missed time because of a head injury, and sometimes looked like that was still affecting him later in the year. He still compiled 242.5 yards per game in what can still be considered an off season for him. While nobody in the receiving corps had a fantastic season, the top four receivers had good years in Cayleb Jones, Johnny Jackson, Nate Phillips, and David Richards, as they combined for 20 TD receptions as a group. Phillips was especially effective on punt returns, where he averaged 17.29 yards per return on the season. Tyrell Johnson is also a developing star in the kick return game, averaging over 25 yards per return. Drew Riggleman closed out his career as perhaps the best punter in Arizona history, averaging over 45 yards per punt. Casey Skowron was also good on 18/22 FGs to give the Wildcats one of  the better kicking tandems in the league.
Will Parks finished with 7 pass breakups on the season, and that's where the good news on defense starts and ends.
What Went Wrong: The defense imploded in 2015, and what should have been one of the better teams in Arizona history on paper became a complete disaster in a real hurry, starting with a shocking 42-32 narrow win over a bottoming out UTSA club to start the season. UA gave up just over 35 points per game and gave up 30 or more points 8 times during the season, including giving up over 40 three times, and they even surrendered 37 points to New Mexico in the bowl win. Scooby Wright was hurt early on, and when he returned he was dreadfully out of shape, and even resembled some guy who ate Scooby Wright at some points. He was miserably out of shape, and when he returned early against UCLA, he just looked like a shell of himself. Arizona gave up 300 1st downs, allowed 28 TD passes, gave up 30 rushing scores, and allowed over 6000 yards of offense. The also allowed 10/18 conversions on 4th downs. and opposing teams had a 93.1% success rate in red zone scoring against them. The defense lacked play makers, and it was completely obvious on defense.
Offensively, what has always been a potent run game failed to secure a 1000 yard rusher, or even anything resembling one, which really put too much pressure on Solomon when he wasn't at his best.
Stars: QB Anu Solomon, WR Cayleb Jones, WR/PR Cayleb Jones, P Drew Riggleman, PK Casey Skowron
Best Win: Utah, 37-30
Worst Loss: Washington, 49-3
Look Ahead: Solomon is back at QB, and he should be better as a junior in 2016. Jared Baker is gone at RB, and Nick Wilson should step up to replace him next fall after playing in just 9 games in 2015. Cayleb Jones should return, as should Nate Phillips and Samajie Grant, but Dave Richards and Johnny Jackson depart. Trey Griffey and Tyrell Johnson both return, but combined for just 16 receptions. They will need more production to give the corps some depth.
Reggie Gilbert is gone on the D line, and so Jack Banda and Sani Fuimanoa are the most experienced linemen returning on defense. Luca Bruno should join them, but there is little depth to mention up front. Scooby Wright is gone after a horrible season, and that may be a huge mistake on his part. Deandre Miller is back, however, and is in line for a big season in 2016. Jake Matthews also returns at LB, but after him, it's a huge gap in experience and productivity. The secondary should be loaded with potential talent in Paul Magliore, Jr., DaVonte Neal, Tellas Jones, Cam Denson, and Jarvis McCall, Jr. Again, if injuries should occur, depth may be a problem.
Both kickers need to be replaced as well, and replacing Riggleman may be a huge issue.
The non-con schedule does provide the Wildcats a break, as Arizona gets BYU in Glendale, and they also play Grambling and Hawaii.
Rich Rodriguez played Arizona for a contract extension after he flirted hard with South Carolina during the winter, and that may have been a mistake for Arizona to play into that. Rodriguez has made Arizona viable to a point, but they may be back peddling into some dark times ahead, and Rodriguez getting an extension after what was largely a train wreck of a season may prove to be a bane in the end.
Projection: 6-6, minor bowl

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Appalachian State Mountaineers

Appalachian State Mountaineers
2015 Record: 11-2 (7-1 Sun Belt)
Bowl: Camellia, Defeated Ohio 31-29
What Went Right: The offense was clicking very nicely in 2015, as the Mountaineers averaged 36.7 points per game, while the defense gave up just 19.1 points per game. With both sides of the ball performing, ASU won 11 games based on a very balanced approach, including a late bowl win. ASU ran the ball very effectively, gaining 5.83 yards per carry, while allowing 3.44. Marcus Cox was a star, rushing for 1423 yards and 9 TDs on 20.25 carries per game. He averaged 5.86 yards every time he ran the ball. Sophomore Taylor Lamb was a star as well at QB, as he passed for 2387 yards and 31 TDs to just 9 picks on the year. He only attempted 21.8 passes per game, so expect him to get more action as next season opens up.
Senior Ronald Blair was a beast up front, recording 19 TFLs in 2015 to go with 7.5 sacks and 71 tackles. Sophomore Latrell Gibbs was a star in the secondary, recording seven INTs, and should be a center piece in 2016.Sophomore LB Eric Boggs led the team with 104 tackles, and junior LB John Law recorded another 72.
What Went Wrong: ASU was in a tight race in the Sun Belt, but when the big opportunity came, they folded against Arkansas State, a loss that essentially handed the Red Wolves the SBC crown for 2015. While the receiving corps was plenty balanced when it came to production, nobody ever stepped up to be the guy in the passing game for Lamb. That would need to change for Lamb to develop more effectively. Otherwise, very little went wrong in 2015.
Stars: QB Taylor Lamb, RB Marcus Cox, RB Jalin Moore, P Bentlee Critcher, PK Zach Matics, DB Latrell Gibbs, LB Eric Boggs, DL Ronald Blair, TE Barrett Burns
Best Win: Georgia Southern 31-13
Worst Loss: Arkansas State 40-27
Look Ahead: Lamb is a junior in 2016, and so should have more liberty to operate in the system. He will have to focus on improving upon a 60% completion rate. Both Cox and Moore are back to RB, giving ASU an interesting one-two punch out of the backfield. The WR corps is somewhat decimated, with three of the top four WRs departing. Only Shaedon Meadors and TE Barrett Burns return, and they combined for 36 grabs last fall. Burns did grab 8 TDs last fall, however, so he should be more potent in the passing game.
Blairs loss on defense to graduation is huge. He was a major force, and it may take more than one player to fill his shoes in 2016. Nate Norwood, Olawale Dada, Tyson Fernandez, Antonious Sims, Tashion Singleton, and Darian Small will all get time next fall. John Law, Eric Boggs, and Devan Stringer all are slotted to return at LB, giving the Mountaineers one of the best LB groups in the Sun Belt. Caleb Fuller and Kennan Gilchrist add depth. ASU picked off 18 passes in 2015, and every major contributor returns in Latrell Gibbs, Mondo Williams, Alex Gray, and Tae Hayes. Doug Middleton departs, but AJ Howard returns. as do Josh Thomas and Junior Sigalo.
All in all, ASU looks like they could be an odds on early favorite in the Sun Belt in 2016, and I see no reason to fear a drop off, especially if they can find some production on defense to replace the loss of Blair. The future looks bright. The non-con schedule could be a little tough, as they travel to take on Tennessee and Akron on the road, but they get Miami and Old Dominion at home.
2016 Projection: 9-3, bowl bid

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama Crimson Tide
2015 Record: 14-1 (7-1 SEC West)
2015 Bowl: National Title Game, Defeated Clemson 45-40; Cotton Bowl, Defeated Michigan State 38-0

What Went Right: Alabama did what Alabama does in 2015. They reloaded and won another national championship under Nick Saban, the most dependable coach in college football. Saban is a coaching machine who gets the best out of every player on the roster, and recruits to win now and not later. That paid off yet again.
Jake Coker is never going to be the best player ever, but he learned and progressed under OC/QB Coach Lane Kiffin and passed for 3118 yards and 21 TDs, and learned to be an effective game manager that led the Tide to a title. Of course, he had help in Heisman winning RB Derrick Henry, who rushed for 2219 yards and 28 TDs on 5.62 yards per carry. Henry was used like a traditional workhorse back, and it paid off as he carried the ball just over 26 times per game, unlike other schools who buy into the silliness of a back by committee approach. Freshman WR Calvin Ridley also blew up, catching 89 passes for 1065 yards and seven TDs, while averaging 11.74 yards every time he touched the football. ArDarius Stewart also had a big sophomore season, catching 63 passes for 700 yards. TE OJ Howard compiled 38 grabs for 702 yards as well.
Defensively, the Tide only allowed 15.1 points per game, and was swarming as always. They allowed just 2.43 yards per rushing attempt, and picked off 19 passes while allowing just 17 TD passes. Teams managed just 4.3 yards per offensive play against the Tide. On their 19 picks, four of them went for scores. They allowed just 28.63% of 3rd down conversions last fall as well.
What Went Wrong: Not much went badly, but there were a few areas that could use some attention. The Tide, for being so adept at moving the football, only converted on 37.38% of 3rd down conversions. Things were not much better in the kicking game, as they converted on just 23/33 FGs for a success rate of just 69.7%.
Alabama also lost to Ole Miss for the second consecutive season, a trend that must not become a long term thing, but I am guessing that it won't be.
Stars: RB Derrick Henry, QB Jake Coker, WR Calvin Ridley, WR ArDarius Stewart, TE OJ Howard, DB/PR Cyrus Jones, RB/KR Kenyan Drake, P JK Scott, DB Eddie Jackson, LB Reggie Ragland, LB Reuben Foster, DB Geno Matias-Smith, DL Jonathon Allen, LB Tim Williams, LB Ryan Anderson, DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB Marlon Murphy
Best Win: Michigan State 38-0
Worst Loss: Ole Miss 43-37
Look Ahead: Alabama starts out the 2016 season looking for a QB to replace Coker, but that should not be a problem. Cooper Bateman earned the number two job last fall, and should have an edge heading into spring ball. Derrick Henry has left early and Kenyon Drake has graduated. That leaves incoming sophomores Damian Harris and Bo Scarbrough as the most experienced backs returning in the fall. They could both see most of the carries in the spring, along with Derrick Gore. Ridley and Stewart both return at WR, and TE OJ Howard announced his intent to return for his senior season. Robert Foster and Cam Sims will likely add depth after the departure of Richard Mullaney.
On defense, Jonathon Allen has announced that he will return on the line this season, which is great news. A'Shawn Robinson will not, leaving a gap in the middle of the line. De'Shawn Hand will also be back as a junior, and Dalvin Tomlinson both return, but after that, the line largely needs rebuilding. Ragland is gone at LB, but Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson, and Reuben Foster all return to give the Tide one of the best units in the nation. Shaun Dion-Hamilton will be asked to step into Ragland's shoes this season. The secondaryis loaded with the return of Eddie Jackson, Marlon Humphery, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Ronnie Harrison. Tony Brown and Maurice Smith should provide some depth, and the rest will come from the talented recruiting class.
The non-con schedule isn't too grueling, with an opener against what should be a talented but somewhat rebuilding USC team in Arlington, Texas in the opener. That game is followed by all easily winnable games against Western Kentucky, Kent State, and a late November debacle against FCS member Chattanooga.
Projection: 12-1, SEC Title and Playoff Birth

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Akron Zips

Akron Zips
2015 Record: 8-5 (5-3 MAC)
Bowl: Beat Utah State, Idaho Potato Bowl 23-21
What Went Right: Terry Bowden finally broke through with the Zips and won 8 games in 2015, taking them to the Idaho Potato Bowl, where the Zips upset Utah State. Akron won their final four regular season games to get into bowl position, and then won their bowl to finish the seasonw ith five straight wins. That's very unlike Akron in the last 20 years, so Bowden is now making his presence felt in the MAC.
Akron won largely on a very much improved defense in 2015, giving up just 21.5 points per game. Senior LB Jatavis Brown led the team with 20 TFLs in 2015 and was a driving spearhead that led Akron out of the darkness. Jamal Marcus was a force up front , racking up 12.5 TFLs, while Dylan Evans added another 12. 12 of those 20 TFLs for Brown went for sacks, and he led the team with 116 total tackles, making him our MAC defensive player of the year. Evans added an additional 106 tackles on the season, while Darryl Monroe added another 83. Junior DeAndre Scott was also good for 6 picks, making one of the most successful ball hawks in the nation. The defense averaged giving up just under 3 yards per carry rushing.
On offense, Akron showed their most improvement when it came to the passing game, and even though it was far from perfect, the Zips showed some major effort in this area. Thomas Woodson, a sophomore, passed for 2202 yards and 16 TDs. He needs to improve on accuracy in a big way, but this area has long been lacking in the Zip offensive arsenal.
Conor Hundley rushed for 10 TDs, giving the Zips a solid effort in the run game.
What Went Wrong: Early scheduling was a nightmare for Akron, as they opened with Oklahoma and Pittsburgh, and the Zips combined to score 10 points in those two losses.
The Zips, while showing some offensive improvement, were largely a one trick pony with a defense that covered the offense most of the season. Akron averaged just 23.9 points per game, and averaged just 5.13 yards per play on the year.
The return game was almost abysmal, as the Zips averaged just 5.16 yards per punt return, and just 16.62 yards per return on kickoffs.
The passing game, while improved in some areas, was still largely not big game ready, as Woodson completed just 52% of his passes, and tossed 11 picks to just 16 TDs. Some of his issues could be that coaches kept things conservative, but they could afford to unleash him just a bit next fall.
The Zips had to win four straight just to get to a bowl game after a rough start, and they cannot afford to get so far behind the ball next fall out of the gate.
Stars: RB Conor Hundley, WR/LB Jerome Lane, P Zach Paul, DB DeAndre Scott, LB Jatavis Brown, LB Dylan Evans, LB Darryl Monroe, DL Jamal Marcus
Best Win: Buffalo 42-21
Worst Loss: Oklahoma 41-3
Looking Ahead: Woodson has got to turn a corner to get the Zips back into the postseason next year, but he loses some serious helo as Hundley has moved on at RB. Van Edwards will be the most experienced back returning in 2016, and he carried just 14 times in 2015. Jerome Lane returns at WR after leading the Zips with a 20.05 yard per catch average and 8 TDs. That being said, for Woodson to improve, he will need more receivers to step up, most namely Austin Wolf, AJ Coney, Tyrell Goodman, and Anthony Young. That group caught just 36 passes combined in 2015, while Lane caught 38 by himself.
On defense, the line returns Jamal Marcus, and that is huge. Marcus will be the new leader of the defense with the departure of Jatavis Brown at LB. Rodeny Coe is also gone from the line, but Se'Von Pittman does return. There should be a mix of experience coming back on the line as well with Brock Boxen, Daumantus Venckus-Cucchiara, Richard Dorvilus, and Brennan Williams all returning. Brown is gone at LB, and that is a huge hit for the Zips defense, as is the loss of Dylan Evans and Darryl Monroe. Ulysees Gilbert III, John Rachal, and Andrew Hauser are the next group up, and they have huge shoes to fill. Kris Givens and Bryce Cheek are both gone at DB, but there should be some decent options returning among Zach Guiser, DeAndre Scott, Jordan George, Kyron Brown, and Larry Hope.
Robert Stein is gone at PK after a largely up and down season, so the Zips are starting over there, while Zach Paul also departs after averaging more than 41 yards per punt in 2015. Both replacements will be watched carefully from spring ball into fall camp.
The Zips non-conference schedule will be mostly brutal after their opener with VMI. Akron then gets Wisconsin, Marshall, and Appalachian State, all 2015 bowl teams, to wrap up non-con play.
2016 Projection: 5-7, no bowl

2015 Look Back/2016 Look Ahead: Air Force Falcons

Air Force Falcons
8-6 (6-2)
Lost 55-26 to California in Armed Forces Bowl

Looking Back: The Falcons were a success of sorts, winning the MWC Mountain Division, but they fell short in the title game, and were eventually outclassed and hammered by Cal in their bowl loss. What Went Right: The offense was in good shape in 2015, as the Falcons averaged 33.8 points per game on the season. Air Force rushed for over double the yards that they gave up on the season, finishing with 4472 yards and 45 TDs on the year, while giving up 2026 yards and 20 TDs. The Falcons averaged 6.4 yards per offensive play, and managed to edge out opponents in red zone scoring by a margin of around two percent.
Stars: Jacobi Owens rushed for 1026 yards and seven TDs on the season, while QB Karson Roberts added 10 rushing scores on the season. Owens averaged 5.32 yards per carry. Jalen Robinette and Garrett Brown both averaged over 20 yards per reception as big play targets. Luke Strebel was a star in the kicking game, hitting 10/11 FG attempts on the season. Weston Steelhammer, one of the best DBs in the league, picked off five passes, and also led the team with 80 tackles, and 10.5 TFLs. Alex Hanson led the team with 15.5 TFLs, while DJ Dunn, Jr. recorded 12.5 TFLs, and Claude Alexander III recorded 10.5.
What Went Wrong: The Falcons did manage to lose six games this season, including a loss to Navy that cost them the Commander-In-Chief trophy in 2015. That takes some shine off the season. The Falcons did manage to beat Army 20-3, but were not in the game in a 33-11 loss to Navy. The Falcons were also outclassed in the Armed Forces Bowl loss to Cal. The Falcons were solid at home, but they were less than stellar on the road, having finished 2-6 on the road/in neutral site games. The Falcons also largely were not great on 3rd down conversions, making just 43% of them on the year. Either the Falcons made big plays, or they were a three and out kind of team. They were better on 4th downs than at 3rd down conversions. The Falcons two wins in non-conference play were against Morgan State and Army, while they were outgunned in losses to Michigan State and Navy, and we've already discussed the Cal game.
Best Win: Boise State (37-30)
Worst Loss: Colorado State (38-23)
Looking Ahead: Nate Romine returns to reclaim the QB job next fall, as Karson Roberts moves on. Owens should return as the primary back as well, giving the Falcons plenty to work with in the backfield. Timothy McVey, DJ Johnson, Bryan Driskell, Shane Davern, and Benton Washington all return as well, giving the Falcons the deepest backfield in the conference, and one of the deepest in the nation. Garrett Brown departs, however Jalen Robinette does return as the primary deep threat in the passing game. Garrett Griffin is gone at TE as well, so look for Ryan Refitt to step into the starting role. Tyler Williams, who caught just two passes, will need to step up in a big way at WR.
Seven Offensive Linemen return, so the Falcons could use some help and some depth there as well.
Defensively, the Falcons Alex Hansen and his 15.5 TFLs are gone, so someone up front needs to step up off the edge. Dunn and Alexander are joined at LB by Grant Ross and Ryan Watson at LB, Jacob Onyechi, Patrick Healy, Omar Gardea, and Matt Evans all return as well, giving the Falcons solid depth. Weston Steelhammer is the leader on defense, and he returns in the secondary, as does Roland Ladipo, Brodie Hicks, and Jesse Washington. The Falcons have experience at three more spots in the secondary, so there should be no issues there either.
Luke Strebel was almost automatic at PK last fall, and returns this fall. Short of a slump, he should provide plenty of scoring options. Steve Brosy returns at Punter, but averaged just 37 yards per punt on 33 attempts last season, and senior Brett Dunn is gone. The Falcons could use some help there.
What 2016 Holds In Store: Winning the division again is absolutely in range, but I am not sure if the Falcons have enough to win the league for the first time. Troy Calhoun is back as coach, but did flirt somewhat with Missouri during the off season. He was on the hot seat two years ago, but has rebounded nicely. He may never be the best coach going, but he has done a fine job with the Falcons. Boise State was down in 2015, and Air Force took advantage. The falcons will be pressed by the Broncos in 2016, and look for New Mexico and Utah State to press as well.
The non-conference schedule is highly manageable, as they host Abilene Christian, Georgia State, and Navy, and they visit Army in a winnable road game. Look for the Falcons to push for another division title, and maybe improve on their overall record. In short, a return to a bowl is highly probable.
Final Prediction: 8-4, bowl bound