2018 College Football Team Previews: Washington Huskies

Washington Huskies 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: If the goal in hiring Chris Petersen was to win 10 games per season and be in the conversation for PAC-12 titles and playoff appearances year after year, the goal has been hit head on. Washington was a toxic dumpster fire before Petersen was brought on board, despite winning around 8 games per year under Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian got the Huskies to being average, while Petersen has moved them to almost elite status. He has been helped with the downturn of Oregon football, and Stanford has been barely above average as well, and who cares about the PAC-12 South...the Huskies are now the power in the conference, and look primed to stay there for some time moving forward.

Breakdown Offense: Jake Browning never matched elite level QB play during his time at Washington, but what he is, is a solid game manager who makes few mistakes, and he simply knows how to play winning football at the QB position, and that should be more than good enough once again in 2018. Browning passed for 2719 yards and 19 TDs to just 5 INTs last fall, and he completed an outstanding 68.5% of his passes. That is what it takes to win in college football these days, and he gives the Huskies a shot every week. Jacob Eason will likely be the primary backup after starting a full season at Georgia before transferring. He is the heir apparent as of now.

Myles Gaskin is really the center of where this offense should run through in 2018 at RB. He rushed for 21 TDs last fall on 1380 yards rushing. He averaged 6.22 yards per carry, and should leave the Huskies after this season with several school records in his possession. He added 18 receptions last season, and scored 3 times on pass plays as well. There are some depth issues behind Gaskin. Salvon Ahmed and Sean McGrew are the most experienced of the returnees, and combined to rush for 477 yards last fall, and Washington signed just one 3 star recruit for the incoming class.

The Huskies are in start over mode at WR. Aaron Fuller, Andre Baccellia, and Chico McClatcher are penciled in as the starters for now, but none were starters a year ago. The 3 of them combined for 52 receptions last fall, with Fuller the most experienced with 26 of those receptions. Quinton Pounds and Ty Jones caught a combined 17 receptions last season, and they are the "depth". Marquis Spiker and Trey Lowe are a pair of incoming freshman who could make an impact, and crack the rotation.

Hunter Bryant is the leading TE with 22 receptions last fall, and will return to start, but is a better blocking option. In 2 TE sets, which the Huskies will be seen running, Drew Sample will basically be the co-starter, and he caught just 7 passes last fall. Jacob Kizer and Cade Cotton are battling for the TE3 spot in the lineup.

Both Tackles return on the line in Trey Adams (LT) and Kaleb McGary (RT), and C Nick Harris also returns. Both OGs need to be replaced. Luke Wattenberg and Devin Burleson are penciled in for now, but look for Matt James to push Burleson in fall camp at the RG spot. Jesse Sosebee, Andrew Kirkland, Sam Taimani, and Henry Roberts all provide solid depth. Wattenberg replaced Adams at LT last fall when Adams tore his ACL. Adams should be fine when the season starts.

Breakdown Defense: Washington's defense is back to elite status, as the Huskies ranked 8th nationally in total defense, 5th in scoring defense, and 4th nationally against the run.

NT Greg Gaines is back to anchor the line, but both players flanking him will be new when the season starts against Auburn in Atlanta. Levi Onwuzurike and Jaylen Johnson should be the starting DEs when camp breaks. Gaines totaled 5 TFLs last fall, Onwuzurike and Johnson combined for 7 as rotational players up front. They are both breakout candidates this fall. Benning Potoa'e, Jason Scrempos, and Jared Pulu will all be solid reserves in rotation.

Ben Burr-Kirven returns at ILB, while Tevis Bartlett returns at OLB. These will be the leaders in the middle of the defense. Burr-Kirven led the Huskies with 84 tackles last season, while Bartlett finished with 48 tackles, but he led the team with 12.5 TFLs. Barlett also added 4 sacks last season. Ryan Bowman will also return at OLB, and he led the Huskies with 5.5 sacks, and had 9.5 TFLs overall. DJ Beavers will be the new starter at ILB, and he finished with just 13 tackles last season as a reserve. Myles Rice and Jusstis Warren add depth outside, while Brandon Wellington and Matt preston are the projected starters inside. This should be one of the best overall LB units in the nation when all is said and done.

The secondary was the "weak link" last season, as the Huskies ranked 32nd nationally against the pass in the pass happy PAC-12. That said, both CB spots are open for battle in fall camp, with Jordan Miller and Myles Bryant in battle with Austin Joyner and Byron Murphy. Miller finished with 5 PBUs, while Bryant totaled 8. Murphy totaled 7 PBUs last season, and Joyner totaled just one. I can see the Huskies using Bryant, Miller, and Murphy when they go Nickel, with Murphy as the NB in that set. Keith Taylor should be the 4th CB.

The Safety spots should be rock solid heading into the fall. Taylor Rapp and JoJo McIntosh are both set to start with no real competition to push them out. Rapp finished with 59 tackles last fall, and McIntosh added 50. They are backed up by Isaiah Gilchrist and Brandon McKinney. This should be one of the best Safety units in the nation.

Breakdown Special Teams: Tristan Vizcaino and Van Soderberg both struggled at PK last season, combining to go just 13/22 on FG attempts. Vizcaino has moved on, but it looks as if Peyton Henry, a RS freshman, will step into the role this fall. Soderberg will still battle for the job in camp.

Joel Whitford was solid as a freshman at Punter, as he averaged 42.33 yards per punt. He returns to man the job.

Losing Dante Pettis will kill in the return game this fall. Aaron Fuller should replace him on PR duty, and may do some work on KR duty as well. Salvon Ahmed averaged over 25 yards per return on kickoffs, and should get more work in in 2018 in that area as well.

Final Analysis: There is absolutely no reason to expect the Huskies not to be the favorites for the overall PAC-12 title in 2018, but the opener against Auburn in Atlanta could be telling. If the Huskies win that game (another virtual SEC home game, even on neutral turf), there is little to stop them from running the table and moving on to the playoff. If the Huskies lose that game, there is a question as to whether the Huskies would merit that interest with one or two losses, and I believe the answer would be no, simply because of the amazing amount of PAC-12 bias in the media and among the people who work on the committee, and Larry Scott does nothing for the conference in terms of lobbying. This could be an amazing season, and should be, but expect some disappointment if the Huskies lose that opener.

Bilo's FBS Conference Projections

Here are my projections for each conference in FBS football for 2018:

American Athletic Conference East

1. UCF
2. USF
3. Temple
4. Cincinnati
5. U Conn
6. East Carolina

American Athletic Conference West

1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. Navy
4. SMU
5. Tulane
6. Tulsa

ACC Atlantic

1. Clemson
2. Florida State
3. Wake Forest
4. NC State
5. Louisville
6. Boston College
7. Syracuse

ACC Coastal

1. Miami
2. Virginia Tech
3. Duke
4. Georgia Tech
5. North Carolina
6. Pittsburgh
7. Virginia

Projected Champion: Clemson

Big 10 East

1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. Michigan State
4. Michigan
5. Maryland
6. Indiana
7. Rutgers

Big 10 West

1. Wisconsin
2. Purdue
3. Northwestern
4. Iowa
5. Nebraska
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois

Big 12

1. Oklahoma
2. West Virginia
3. TCU
4. Kansas State
5. Oklahoma State
6. Texas
7. Iowa State
8. Texas Tech
9. Baylor
10. Kansas

Conference USA East

1. FAU
2. Marshall
3. Middle Tennessee
4. Western Kentcuky
5. FIU
6. Old Dominion
7. Charlotte

Conference USA West

1. North Texas
2. Louisiana Tech
3. UAB
4. Southern Mississippi
5. UTSA
6. Rice
7. UTEP

MAC East

1. Ohio
2. Buffalo
3. Miami (Ohio)
4. Akron
5. Bowling Green
6. Kent State

MAC West

1. Northern Illinois
2. Toledo
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Eastern Michigan
6. Ball State

Mountain West Mountain

1. Fresno State
2. San Diego State
3. UNLV
4. Nevada
5. Hawaii
6. San Jose State

Mountain West West

1. Boise State
2. Wyoming
3. Colorado State
4. Utah State
5. Air Force
6. New Mexico

PAC-12 North

1. Washington
2. Stanford
3. Oregon
4. Washington State
5. California
6. Oregon State

PAC-12 South

1. USC
2. Utah
3. Arizona
4. UCLA
5. Colorado
6. Arizona State

SEC East

1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. South Carolina
4. Missouri
5. Kentucky
6. Tennessee
7. Vanderbilt

SEC West

1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. Mississippi State
4. Texas A&M
5. LSU
6. Arkansas
7. Ole Miss

Sun Belt East

1. Appalachian State
2. Troy
3. Georgia State
4. Georgia Southern
5. Coastal Carolina

Sun Belt West

1. Arkansas State
2. UL-Monroe
3. UL-Lafayette
4. South Alabama
5. Texas State

Independents

1. Notre Dame
2. Army
3. BYU
4. New Mexico State
5. U Mass
6. Liberty

2018 College Football Team Previews: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Dave Clawson shocked the nation last season with a Wake Forest team that far exceeded expectations. The Demon Deacons won 8 games last fall, including a 55-52 shootout win over Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl. With 17 starters returning this season, it would appear that the pieces are in place for yet another bowl run, but one of those pieces will not be John Wolford, who has moved on. If Wake Forest can find a solid QB that can move the football, not make mistakes, and not lose games, Wake Forest is in for another solid run.

Breakdown Offense: With Wolford gone, the job likely gets handed over to junior Kendall Hinton. Hinton appeared in 5 games last season, passing for 399 yards and 4 TDs to zero INTs. He completed 57.4% of his passes. The hope is that he can develop into a solid game manager that can keep the 17th ranked offensive team in the nation rolling. Hinton adds an element of running the football, as he averaged 4.13 yards per carry. He started against Clemson last fall, passing for 203 yards and rushing for another 92 in a 28-14 loss to the Tigers.

It looks like another season with a 3 way committee at RB. Matt Colburn II, Cade Carney, and Christian Beal should form it up. Colburn rushed for 902 yards with 7 scores, and averaged 5.45 yards per carry. Carney rushed for 232 yards, and Beal will be a RS freshman. Arkeem Byrd, who carried 77 times as a freshman, has moved to the secondary.

The receiving corps returns intact with Scotty Washington, Greg Dortch, and Alex Bachman. Dortch led the team with 53 receptions as a freshman for 722 yards and 9 scores. Washington posted a line of 45-711-3, and Bachman posted 21-365-3. Tabari Hines caught 53 balls last season, but has moved on. Steven Claude and Davis Johnson both return as backups, but have very little productive experience. That should open the door for prized recruit Sage Surratt, a 6-3, 210 lbs. target, to emerge for playing time.

Jack Freudenthal is the starting TE, replacing the departed Cam Serigne. He caught just 3 passes last season, but should see a big role this fall in replacing Serigne, who caught 44 passes last fall. Again, there is no experience behind Freudenthal.

The line returns intact as well, which is great news. Justin Herron (LT), Phil Haynes (LG), Ryan Anderson (C), Patrick Osterhage (RG), and Jake Benzinger (RT) all return, and should form up one of the best lines in the ACC. Ja'Vionte' Nash and Taleni Suhren provide depth at the Tackle spots, and Tyler Watson and Sean Maginn provide inside depth at OG. Nathan Gilliam is the backup at C.

Breakdown Defense: The defensive line is all set inside, as both DTs return in Willie Yarbary and Zeek Rodney. This duo is rock solid, as they combined for 16 TFLs and 5 sacks last fall. Elontae Bateman and Sulaiman Kamara are the backups, so depth will not be an issue here.

The Demon Deacons will need to find two new starters at DE. Carlos Basham and Chris Calhoun are the leaders there heading into fall camp. Calhoun is a senior who has had some success on rotation, but Basham is a sophomore with little experience coming in. Depth may be at issue at the DE spot.

Only one starter returns at LB in Demetrius Kemp. He totaled 63 tackles, but was not very active behind the line, with just 1.5 TFLs. Justin Strnad and Nate Mays are the leaders to start in the open spots. Strnad totaled a solid 51 tackles last fall, while Mays totaled just 3 tackles in 9 games played as a sophomore. Ja'Cquez Williams is the only backup with any experience coming back. He totaled 21 tackles as a reserve last fall.

The secondary returns with 3 starters, but this unit was torched last fall to a tune of 271.5 yards per game, and ranked just 118th nationally against the pass. Amari Henderson and Essang Bassey are back at CB. Bassey totaled 16 PBUs last fall, while Henderson added 12. Bassey tied with Strnad with 3 INTs last fall, while Henderson added 2. Cameron Glenn returns to start at FS. He totaled 7 PBUs, 2 QB hurries, and one forced fumble to go with a team leading 98 tackles. He should be an NFL draft candidate in 2019. Chuck Wade, Jr. is the leader for the open SS spot as a senior. He totaled just 7 tackles in 13 games last fall. Ja'Sir Taylor and Malik Grate are the backups at CB, but depth is dicey at the Safety spots.

Breakdown Special Teams: The Demon Deacons lose Mike Weaver at PK after he hit 21/25 FG attempts last fall. Freshman Zach Murphy is slated to be his replacement, but those are big shoes to fill.

Dom Maggio is the Punter once again as a sophomore, and averaged a rock solid 44.06 yards per punt as a freshman last fall.

Dortch and Wade are the KR duo for Wake Forest, and Dortch was the leader with an average of 22.06 yards per return on 397 yards. Wade had a larger average (24) but fewer yards (360). Dortch is also the man on PR duty, and averaged 8.1 yards per return.

Final Analysis: Wake Forest needs to fix their defense, because if they had a reliable defense in 2017, they may have won 10 games or more. As is, they ranked 112th nationally in total defense, and that is what could hold them back in 2018, despite having some real talent on that side of the football. They have some very nice pieces coming back on offense, and if Hinton can keep things rolling at QB, Wake could be in for a solid season. I don't see them pushing for a division title, but they may have a say in who does make that run. Another bowl should be expected.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech Hokies 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: There has been a lot going on this off-season in Blacksburg in terms of off field developments, with players leaving, being kicked off the team, or having academic issues, such as Josh Jackson. His situation with academics looks to have worked itself out, for now, but there has been a ton of attrition across the board, especially defensively. That said, Justin Fuente has done a terrific job recruiting, and the Hokies still look strong in ACC play. Whether or not they will be strong enough to push Clemson or Miami may be a different story.

Breakdown Offense: Jackson was questionable throughout the late spring and early summer as to whether or not he would be academically eligible for the 2018 season. That seems to have been put to bed, which is great news, because if he is not available at QB, the season may just fall off the rails without him. He passed for 2991 yards and 20 TDs, and tossed 9 INTs, while completing 59.1% of his passes. He has work to do yet, and we should see some improvement on the field as a sophomore, but only if his line does a better job of protecting him. He added 6 rushing TDs as well, but if he has time to throw, he is much more dangerous. RS freshman Hendon Hooker appears to be the next option, while true freshman Quincy Patterson may be the 3rd QB, if he doesn't redshirt.

Travon McCmillan is gone at RB, and it looks as if Jalen Holston, a sophomore, is the replacement, for now. Holston carried the ball 70 times as a freshman, but averaged just 3.23 yards per carry. Deshawn McClease was injured a good part of last season, and may get a look as well. McClease actually led the team with just 530 yards rushing last fall, and the Hokies need someone to stand up and break out this fall if they want to stay in the ACC race.

Sean Savoy and Eric Kumah both return at WR, but Cam Phillips has moved on. Savoy posted a line of 39-454-4 and averaged 11.64 yards per catch. Kumah posted 28-324-2, and averaged 11.57 yards per catch. Damon Hazelton, a Ball State transfer, may be a strong key with this unit, but was injured and missed spring football. He caught 51 passes for Ball State in 2016, but did not stretch the field at all, as he averaged under 10 yards per catch. Hezekiah Grimsley and CJ Carroll will try to add some depth, but overall, this group is underwhelming.

Dalton Keene returns to start at TE this fall, and caught 10 passes as a freshman last fall, but he may be a better field stretch receiver than any of the actual wideouts. Chris Cunningham backs him up, and averaged over 19 yards per catch on 9 receptions last fall.

The line is a work in progress, as it was hardly stable last fall. The unit returns 3 starters in Yosuah Nijman (LT), Kyle Chung (C), and Braxton Pfaff (RG). D'Andre Plantin is penciled in at LG, while Tyrell Smith is penciled in at RT.

Breakdown Defense: The Hokies defense is basically in a rebuild mode now. They lost 6 players to the NFL this spring, and then Adonis Alexander, and expected starter at CB, was declared academically ineligible, and put himself in for the NFL supplemental draft. Jeremy Webb, who was expected to compete for playing time was injured and lost for the season, and then expected starter at NB, Mook Reynolds, was recently dismissed from the team.

The line may be the best and deepest unit on the defensive side, as 3 starters return in DT Vinny Mihota, DT Ricky Walker, and DE Trevon Hill. Walker was the most acitve of the group last fall with 12.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Hill was solid as well, as he added 12.5 TFLs, and 5.5 sacks. Mihota added 3.5 TFLs up the middle. Houshun Gaines is expected to step into the open DE spot in camp. He totaled 7 TFLs of his own last fall, and is a solid option.

The LB unit is a project right now, and could be the weak link. Rayshard Ashby and Dylan Rivers are both sophomores, and combined for 3 tackles last fall, yet are slated as starters.

The secondary, as we dsicussed earlier, took a few severe hits. With Alexander gone at CB, that leaves that job wide open heading into camp. Jovonn Quillen is the only sure bet at CB now, and he finished with just one PBU in 11 games played last fall. With Reynolds gone at NB, again, that leaves that position in a tempest. Reggie Floyd is a lock to start at S, but the FS spot could be a camp battle, with Divine Deablo leading for that opening. Jeremy Webb, a JC transfer, was expected to fill an open CB spot, but he is lost for the season to injury.

Breakdown Special Teams: Brian Johnson hit 3/4 FG attempts last fall, and now has the job full time at PK.

Oscar Bradburn is the returning Punter, and averaged 42.39 yards per punt last fall.

The KR and PR jobs are another area where there is talent, but no names attached to a particular role just yet.

Final Analysis: Fuente has recruited well, and that will have to show this fall, as the Hokies could turn very young in certain areas on both sides of the football. If Jackson cannot play QB this fall because of academics, one of 2 freshmen play there as well. The Hokies have talent, but they don't have a ton of experience, and if that young talent does not gel quickly, this season could quickly begin to take a slide. The good news? The schedule is completely manageable, and that could help in a big way.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia Cavaliers 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: It would seem that the Cavaliers failed to cash in as much as they could have on the talent that was on the roster last fall. Bronco Mendenhall coached the Wahoos to a bowl bid despite a late season crash, and even the bowl game ended in misery with a crushing 49-7 loss to a Navy team that also entered the Military Bowl on the skids. The future is not nearly as bright as the surprise that was last season. Virginia returns just 4 starters on an offense that still ranked just 106th in scoring despite 6 wins. The Cavaliers also ranked 106th in total offense. The defense may have to carry the day, and that normally does not work out.

Breakdown Offense: The Cavaliers must find a replacement for Kurt Benkert at QB in fall camp, and the favorite is Arizona Western transfer Bryce Perkins, a former Arizona State signee. He seemed to lock down the job coming out of spring practice, despite the return of Lindell Stone, the primary backup last season who only saw one game of action.

Jordan Ellis returns at RB after leading the team with 836 yards and 6 scores, but he lacks big play ability, as he averaged just 3.89 yards per carry. Depth is non-existent behind him.

Joe Reed returns to start at WR,  but Olammide Zaccheaus led the team with 85 receptions for 895 yards last season. He scored 5 times. Reed caught 23 passes. Terrell Jana is penciled in as the 3rd receiver, but he caught just 2 passes as a freshman. De'Vante Cross caught just one pass last fall, and is about all there is for depth.

Evan Butts is back at TE after catching 32 passes last fall, and should see a larger role in things this fall. Tanner Cowley is back to serve as the TE2.

Only 2 starters come back on the line in Dillon Reinkensmeyer (LT) and Jake Fieler (C). Ben Knutson (LG), RJ Proctor (RG), and Marcus Applefield (RT) are penciled in as the new starters. Depth is terrible.

Breakdown Defense: Eli Hanback is the lone returning starter on the D line at NT. He should be flanked by Richard Burney and Mandy Alonso at the DE spots. It's difficult to see where the pass rush will come from with this group. Hanback finished with 58 tackles last season.

Jordan Mack will return to start at ILB, while Chris Peace is back at OLB. Pease led the team with 10.5 TFLs last season, and added 7.5 sacks and 68 tackles. Mack totaled 114 tackles with 7 TFLs and 3 sacks. Charles Snowden is the new starter at OLB, while Malcolm Cook starts at the open ILB spot. Cook finished with 46 tackles last fall, while Snowden added just 13.

Bryce Hall returns to start at CB. He finished 2nd on the team with 9 PBUs last fall, and picked off one pass. The open CB spot should go to senior Tim Harris, who totaled just one tackle last fall.

Brenton Nelson is the returning starter at SS, and totaled 64 tackles with 6 PBUs and 4 INTs. He is joined by FS Juan Thornhill, who totaled 4 INTs of his own to go with a team leading 12 PBUs and 63 tackles.

Breakdown Special Teams: AJ Mejia is back at PK, but hit just 8/12 FG attempts last season. More will be needed from him. He did manage to hit all 37 of his PATs.

Lester Coleman was solid at Punter, averaging 43.71 yards per punt.

Reed was a fairly dangerous return man last fall, averaging 29.69 yards per return, and he took 2 back for scores. The Cavaliers need to find a new PR man in camp.

Final Analysis: Virginia shocked some folks early last fall when they won 6 of their first 9 games, but then everything came crashing down, and they enter the season on a 4 game skid with a roster that does not look prepared to take the next step. Mendenhall may have been ahead of schedule in terms of development with this program last fall, and that could have hurt him. Mendenhall is changing his offensive scheme to fit a more spread option look this fall after failing to move the football on the ground last season, but he has little RB depth to work with there, so Perkins will have to show something at QB when he runs the football to get things going. In short, it looks like getting back to a bowl may not be something you should be expecting in 2018.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Commodores 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Back to back blowout losses to Kentucky and Missouri had killed the Commodores bowl chances before they had a shot to beat Tennessee in the regular season finale in Knoxville. This has to be a critical year for head coach Derek Mason, as the has been to just one bowl in 4 years, and that ended in a 41-17 loss to NC State. With a record of 18-31 overall, it's safe to say that the legacy of James Franklin has largely not been protected and built upon, and that is a shame, as Vandy was becoming more relevant during Franklin's tenure. With another fairly tough slate to work through, can Mason do enough to save his own skin?

Breakdown Offense: One cannot feel as if the Kyle Shurmer years are not being largely wasted at Vanderbilt. He passed for 2823 yards and 26 TDs to 10 INTs last fall, and while accuracy was not the greatest with a completion rate of 57.9%, it wasn't entirely his fault. Deuce Wallace returns as the primary backup, but he should not be seeing the field much with Shurmer in his way.

The Commodores need a new starter at RB, with Ke'Shawn Vaughn slotted into that spot for now after becoming eligible post transfer from Illinois. He rushed for 723 yards as a freshman, and then fell off the grid with the staff at Illinois. Khari Blasingame should be the backup once again, but did little to establish himself last fall.

The Commodores will have 3 new starting WRs as well, which could make things tough on Shurmer. Kalija Lipscomb, Chris Pierce, and Donaven Tennyson are the penciled in starters for now. Lipscomb caught 37 passes for 610 yards, and led the team with 8 scores last season while averaging 16.49 yards per catch. He is the best of the bunch. Tennyson caught just 8 passes last fall, and Pierce caught none. There is no depth to speak of. Alex Stump, an Ohio State transfer who was eligible last season, never caught on.

Jared Pinckney is back to start at TE, and caught 22 passes last season, and could see an increased role in the passing game this fall with the developing situation ongoing at WR. Sam Dobbs should serve as his immediate backup.

The line returns 4 starters in Justin Skuls (LT), Egidio DellaRipa (C), Bruno Reagan (RG), and Devin Cochran (RT). Reagan has NFL draft potential at either C or G. Cole Clemons provides depth at Tackle, while Jared Southers adds depth inside. Sean McMoore should be the primary backup at Center.

Breakdown Defense: Onley 4 starters return on this side of the football for Vanderbilt. and Dare Odeyingbo is the lone starter to return on the line at DE. He led the team with 11 TFLs last season, and he added 4.5 sacks. Dayo Odeyingbo is penciled in to start at the opposite DE spot, and he finished with 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks off the bench. Cameron Tidd is the projected starter at NT. Josiah Sa'o could push for time at NT as well. Drew Birchmeier will serve as a backup at the DE spots.

Charles Wright is the lone returning starter at LB. He totaled 42 tackles last fall, but only 18 of those were solo jobs. He did manage 10.5 TFLs, and he led the team with 9 sacks. Jordan Griffin, Andrew Rector, and Josh Smith are the projected new starters. Griffin totaled 62 tackles last fall, and Smith added 21. Rector totaled 4 in 9 games played. Caleb Peart could push for one of the starting spots as well, and he finished with 11 tackles as a sophomore. Alston Orji has massive potential at ILB as a true freshman.

JoeJuan Williams (CB) and FS LaDarius Wiley are the returning starters in the secondary. Williams finished with 10 PBUs last fall, but did not convert any of those into picks. Wiley totaled 5 PBUs and a pick, and led the team with 88 tackles. Donovan Sheffield should start at CB after playing in all 12 games last fall. Zaire Jones is the favorite to start at SS after appearing in 11 games as a freshman.

Breakdown Special Teams: Ryley Guay finally gets to rip the PK job away from the mess that was Tommy Openshaw. He has yet to attempt a live FG for the Commodores, despite being available last fall to do so. He did hit his lone PAT attempt. Javon Rice, a freshman, will push him for the job in fall camp.

Parker Thome is the Punter after transferring in from Columbia with a 42.7 yards per punt average.

Jamauri Wakefield should be the KR man after averaging 23.82 yards per return last fall. Lipscomb was rather pedestrian on PR duty after averaging 5.93 yards per return last fall, but should hold the job.

Final Analysis: With just the 4 starters coming back on offense, Kyle Shurmer has to be wondering why he did not just take the shot at the NFL last fall, as his numbers seemingly cannot get better with the cast he has coming back this fall. With a host of question marks, and a relatively tough schedule waiting on them, Vanderbilt could end up right back where they were a year ago, falling short of the bowl bid with around 5 wins. If anything goes wrong, or if injuries set in, it could get far worse, as there just is not a ton of depth available to rely on. Mason could be in real trouble here.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Utah State Aggies

Utah State Aggies 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Remember just a few short seasons ago, when Matt Wells was a red hot rising star in the coaching ranks, and was even mentioned as a possible candidate at USC? Those days appear to be over, and Wells' stock is plummeting to the garbage shoot after some pretty rough times in Logan. The program is trending in the wrong direction, and whatever magic spell Wells had up his sleeve appears to have run its course. The Aggies finished 6-7 last season, and snuck into a bowl depsite losing to Air Force in the finale last season, but they dropped that game to New Mexico State, a team that had not been to a bowl in my lifetime. If the Aggies slip backwards at all this fall, the grumbling may start in earnest. Wells is currently 15-23 in his last 3 years on the job.

Breakdown Offense: Jordan Love returns at QB, but he is no lock for success after passing for just 8 TDs and 6 INTs and completing just 54.9% of his passes. He averaged just 135.9 yards passing per game in 12 appearances, and he did not blow any doors off with his rushing ability. That said, the team did respond with him under center, and won 3/4 games when he started, but he has to elevate his game as a sophomore if the Aggies are to get back to a bowl. The backup job is wide open, as just 4 QBs made it to spring ball.

Gerold Bright takes over at RB for the Aggies, but he may share carries with Eltoro Allen. The 2 backs combined for just 97 carries total last season. Bright averaged 8.59 yards per carry in limited action, and the staff is hoping that his big burst ability carries over with more work. Tre Miller will be looking for reps as well as a sophomore.

Jordan Nathan and Ron'Quavion Tarver return to start at WR. Tarver caught 48 passes for 569 yards and 7 TDs to lead the team last fall. Nathan caught 25 passes for 324 yards. Savon Scarver is the 3rd receiver, and caught 11 passes as a freshman. Aaren Vaughns, Chad Artist, and DJ Nelson add depth to the unit.

Dax Raymond is back at TE to start. He finished 2nd on the team with 41 receptions last season for 456 yards, but he scored just once. Carson Terrell is the backup.

One key for the Aggies is that every starter returns on the line in Roman Andrus (LT), Moroni Iniguez (LG), Quin Ficklin (C), Rob Castaneda (RG), and Sean Taylor (RT). Ty Shaw and Demytrick Ali'ifua will provide some depth.

Breakdown Defense: The D line returns 2 of 3 starters in NT Chris Unga and DE Logan Lee. They combined for just 5.5 TFLs last fall, and as a result, the Aggies ranked 115th nationally against the run. Devon Anderson will likely step in at the open DE spot in fall camp. Mohelike Uasike and Gasetoto Schuster will provide some depth along with Adewale Adeoye. Ritisoni Fata and Jacoby Wildman add more rotational depth as well to what should be one of the deepest lines on the Mountain West.

Sull Tamaivena and Chase Christiansen will return at LB for the Aggies. Tamaivena led the Aggies in tackles with 111, and also led the team with 6.5 TFLs. Christiansen added 71 tackles, with 4 TFLs. They will be flanked by new starters in Dalton Baker and Justus Te'i. They combined for just 1.5 TFLs last season. Derek Larson and David Woodward provide depth at the OLB spots, while Mason Tobeck and Kevin Meitzenheimer are the backups inside. Louy Compton, Ofa Latu, and Maika Magalai add even more depth. Look for Tipa Galeai to work his way into the rotation as well after transferring from TCU after he was kicked out of school for his role in a dorm fight.

The secondary returns 3 starters in CB Ja'Marcus Ingram, CB Cameron Haney, and S Gaje Ferguson. Ingram and Haney combined for 11 PBUs last fall, and Ferguson finished 2nd on the team with 90 tackles. Baron Gajkowski is penciled in to start at FS, and he finished with 50 tackles last fall as a freshman. Deante Fortenberry is the 3rd CB, while Aaron Wade steps in as the 3rd Safety for now.

Breakdown Special Teams: Dominik Eberle is back at PK after hitting a solid 18/24 FG attempts last fall. The staff would like to see a bit more consistency as a junior.

Aaron Dalton is back at Punter as a senior after averaging 42.01 yards per punt.

Scarver is one of the more dynamic KR men in the Mountain West, averaging 24.04 yards per return with one taken back for a score last fall. Jordan Nathan does a solid job at PR as well, averaging 8.52 yards per return.

Final Analysis: If there is a team built for a rise that nobody is watching in the Mountain West, it could be Utah State, but the QB situation has to be ironed out with Love as a passer, as he needs to show that he has the ability to lock down the job full time moving forward. The run game has got to develop with less than ideal depth as well. Defensively, the Aggies may have more depth across the board than any Group of 5 school coming back into the 2018 season, and we should see solid improvement across the board. If this all falls apart, and injuries deplete depth on offense, and the Aggies fail to go bowling again, we could maybe be hearing about some change coming, but that should not happen with this roster.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Utah Utes

Utah Utes 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: The Utes may have the best sitting coach in the PAC-12, as Kyle Whittingham continues to get more out of less, and has the longest bowl game winning streak in the nation, including the only bowl win in a miserable 1-8 effort by the conference last season. He returns 8 starters on offense, but the Utes have to figure some things out on defense, as just 4 starters return on that side of the football. With the PAC-12 South being a wide open race heading into the 2018 season, is this the year that the Utes finally claim their first division outright title?

Breakdown Offense: With Tyler Huntley coming back at QB, the Utes may have one of the 2 most experienced starters in the PAC-12 South. What the Utes need from him is consistency, and a reduction in game killing turnovers. He tossed 15 TD passes last fall, but also managed to toss 10 INTs as well, and that will have to change. He did manage to pass for 2411 yards in 10 games last season, and completed 63.8% of his passes. He added 537 yards rushing and 6 scores, which will keep defenses honest. RS freshman Jason Shelley is in a battle for the backup spot with highly touted Jack Tuttle for the backup job, and either one of those players could very realistically eventually steal the job from Huntley at some point.

Zack Moss had a strong sophomore campaign in 2017, as he rushed for 1173 yards and 10 TDs, while averaging 5.48 yards per carry on 16.46 carries per game. It would be a good thing to see those carries up around 20 per game this fall, but he may split carries with Huntley once again as he did last fall. Armand Shyne could be the primary backup this fall, but Devonta'e Henry-Cole will be pushing for carries as well. Depth, overall, is not fantastic at this spot.

Siaosi Mariner is back to start at WR, as is Samson Nacua, but Darren Carrington and Raelon Singleton are gone, taking 106 receptions with them. Mariner caught 20 passes last fall, while Nacua caught 29. Demari Simpkins and Bryan Thompson should fill the other two spots. Simpkins caught 29 passes, while Thompson caught just 5 last fall. Bronson Boyd, Jameson Field, Jaylen Dixon, and Tyquez Hampton will all try to provide some depth here.

The line is loaded with 4 starters returning in Jackson Barton (LT), Lo Falemaka (C), Jordan Aguasiva (RG), and Darrin Paulo (RT). Kevin Dixon, Nick ford, and Mo Unutoa should provide solid depth at Tackle, while Orlando Umana and Alani Havili-Katoa will provide backup depth at Guard. Kyle Lanterman backs up at Center.

Breakdown Defense: The Utes have some work to do in replacing 3 starters on the defensive line. Only DE Bradley Anae returns to start after tying for the team lead with 10 TFLs. He led the team with 7 sacks, and forced 3 fumbles. He should be joined by Caleb Repp on the other side. He played in 13 games as a sophomore last fall as a rotational DE. Davir Hamilton will back up Anae, while the other spot could be backed up by Maxs Tupai and Nick Heninger, both sophomores.

Both DTs will need replacing. Leki Fotu and Pita Tonga are penciled in there. They combined for 4 TFLs off the bench last season. Hauati Pututau and John Pensini project as the key backups there.

Chase Hanson is the lone returning starter at LB this season. He played in just 8 games last fall, but collected 51 tackles in that time, and added 3.5 TFLs. He should be paired with Cody Barton, who totaled 45 tackles on the season, with 4.5 TFLs. Donovan Thompson and Chris Hart will provide immediate backup depth, and are solid option.

Just two starters return in the secondary for the Utes in Julian Blackmon (CB) and Corrion Ballard (FS). Blackmon totaled 6 PBUs last fall, and led the team with 4 INTs. Ballard added 2 picks and 45 tackles. Jaylon Johnson is penciled in to the open CB spot for now, but Tyrone Smith and Nigel King should be in the mix as well. Javelin Guidry is the NB in the 4-2-5 set, and he totaled 4 PBUs as a freshman. Tareke Lewis is the backup there. Terrell Burgess is the expected starter at SS this fall, but Marquise Blair will battle him in camp for the job. josh Nurse backs up Blackmon, while Malone Mataele backs up Ballard.

Breakdown Special Teams: The Utah kicking game is loaded across the board. Matt Guy returns after nailing 30/34 FG attempts last fall, and he added a perfect 40/40 on PATs.

Mitch Wishnowski is back at Punter, and averaged 43.88 yards per punt last fall. You cannot ask for more from this unit.

Simpkins likely returns kicks again after averaging 23 yards per return last season, but the Utes need to find a new PR man in camp.

Final Analysis: Utah has all the tools they need to make a move in the PAC-12 South, as not one team can be called a clear favorite in the division. Whittingham continues to win football games with talent that he has to work harder than anyone in the conference for, and wins bowl games at an astonishing rate. The Utes have the best kicking game in the West, and maybe even the nation, and that helps matters. If they can get more consistency out of their QB, that makes them even tougher to beat. This is going to be a team to watch in 2018.

2018 College Football Team Previews: UTSA Roadrunners

UTSA Roadrunners 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: UTSA got off to a strong start last fall after their opener was cancelled because of a hurricane in Houston, but after a 5-2 start, the Roadrunners finished just 1-3, and missed out on a bowl trip. The schedule gets tougher in 2018, and the roster has some holes, especially on offense, where just 3 starters return. After an opening stretch that includes 3 Power 5 opponents (2 on the road), can the Roadrunners hit the reset button and make some waves in CUSA football?

Breakdown Offense: Spring camp saw 7 different QBs make their way into camp, but only a couple had a shot of replacing Dalton Sturm, who moved on after last season. Bryce Rivers, who was the primary backup last season, should get the nod in camp over Cale Grundy. RS freshman Frank Harris was in the battle as well until he injured his knee in the spring session, and we should still have a competition heading into fall camp. JoJo Weeks will be on campus in fall camp, and could find his way into the competition as well as a freshman.

Jalen Rhodes is expected to win the RB position in camp. He led the team with 659 yards and 5 scores, and averaged 4.92 yards per carry last fall. I can see him having an increased workload this season. BJ Daniels is penciled in as the backup, but carried the ball just 13 times. Brett Winnegan, could not win the backup job in camp, and could be the 3rd back after 17 carries last season. Halen Steward is the FB.

UTSA must replace both starting receivers. Tariq Woolen is in a battle with Tykee Ogle-Kellogg at one spot. Woolen is a RS freshman, while Ogle-Kellogg is a true freshman, so there will be some growing pains here. Greg Campbell appears to have won the Z WR spot, but caught just 27 passes last fall, and never saw the end zone. Blaze Moorhead is penciled in as his backup there, but he caught just 5 passes. Marquez McNair is the H WR when they go to 3 receiver sets. He caught just 16 passes last fall, averaging just 1.8 touches per game. Matt Guidry backs him up, but has no experience.

TJ King steps in as the new starting TE. Michael Goff and Chance McCleod will be in a camp battle for the TE2 spot.

The line gets back just 2 starters from last season in Jordan Wright (LG) and Josh Dunlop (RT). Treyveon Shannon is a junior transfer who will likely start at LT, while RS freshman Kevin Davis is penciled in at C. The Roadrunners will start another junior transfer at RG in Jalyn Galmore. Josh Otis and Dominic Pastucci will back up the Tackle spots, while David Anzaldua and Jacob Graner are the backups at the OG spots. Bosah Osakwe is the backup Center.

Breakdown Defense: Marcus Davenport is gone at DE, but the staff believes they got a good one to replace him in East Mississippi JC transfer Lorenzo Dantzler. He started his career at Southern Mississippi, but redshirted, and will have 3 years of eligibility remaining. Still, he could end up backing up Eric Banks at the DE and SAM spot. Banks finished with 7.5 TFLs last fall, and added 1.5 sacks. Jarrod Carter-McLin is penciled in at the open DE spot currently, but that is still an open topic heading into camp. He totaled 3 TFLs as a sub last fall. Solomon Wise will be in a camp battle with Robert Fuente to win the backup spot behind Carter-McLin.

Both starter return at DT in Baylen Baker and Kevin Strong. Strong totaled 7.5 TFLs last fall with 3 sacks, while Baker is more of a people mover that opens holes for the play makers. Baker may not end up starting, however, as he has moved back on the depth chart post spring ball, with junior King Newton moving in to replace him. Newton totaled 3.5 TFLs last fall, and may be more of a pressure option up the middle. Jaylon Haynes and Morris Joseph are in a camp battle to back up one spot, while Baker is in a battle to stay on the 2nd unit with Jim Philistin pushing him.

Josiah Tauaefa is back to start at his MIKE spot in the LB unit this fall. He totaled just 29 tackles in a down season for him, and missed 3 games. Lawrence Jackson could be his backup when camp breaks and the season starts. Les Maruo will be the new starter at WILL, but totaled just 12 tackles last season. He will be backed up by RS freshman Donovan Perkins.

Both corners need to be replaced, but 2 of 3 Safeties return in CJ Levine and Carl Austin III. Austin totaled 48 tackles, while Levine totaled 46 last fall. Brenndan Johnson and Andrew Martel are their backups. Darryl Godfrey looks to line up at the RAM Safety spot. He totaled 19 tackles with 2 PBUs last fall. Carrington Kearney is his backup.

Clayton Johnson has locked up one CB spot, and played in 6 games last fall as a sophomore. He will be backed up by Teddrick McGhee. The second CB spot will be an open camp battle between Stanley Dye, Jr. and Javontavius Mosley. Mosley played in 8 games as a freshman last fall.

Breakdown Special Teams: Jarad Sackett is as good as it gets for PKs in CUSA football, as he nailed 19/22 FG attempts last season. He was also good on 23/24 PAT tries.

Yanis Routsas is also solid on punts, as he averaged 41.55 yards per punt last fall.

Winnegan is solid on KR duty, as he averaged 23.23 yards per return last fall. Kirk Johnson, Jr. could step into the open PR job in camp.

Final Analysis: The Roadrunners are not in great shape coming into the season. With just 3 starters returning on offense, and 6 on defense, there are a ton of questions to be answered in fall camp, and at key positions. Production levels from the returning defensive players were not exactly great either, and that is concerning for a team that finished ranked 5th nationally in total defense a year ago. I would expect a drop there. Jason Rollins is an up and coming DC, but he will have his hands full. Offensively, the Roadrunners were pedestrian last season, at best, as they averaged just 23.5 points per game. If the defense slides this season, the offense may not be able to keep up. The schedule is fairly brutal early, so we may be forced to see another bumpy go in 2018 from this club, before everything has a chance to gel for 2019.

2018 College Football Team Previews: UTEP Miners

UTEP Miners 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: UTEP was the worst team in FBS football last fall, and was probably worse than half of all FCS teams as well. Sean Kugler resigned as head coach at mid-season, and Mike Price came out of retirement to see the program through the end of the season, but things did not get much better. What UTEP did after that was quite confusing, as they bypassed several strong FCS candidates to hire Kansas State OC Dana Dimel, who possesses a career 30-39 record as a head coach. It may have been the most baffling hire in the FBS ranks, considering Dimel's age, and his track record. In short, don't look for too many miracles in El Paso, outside of some excellent choices in food consumption around town.

Breakdown Offense: The Miners had a 5 way QB battle in spring camp, but it looks as if the job should fall to Iowa Western transfer Kai Locksley. Locksley has the dual threat ability that Dimel values in his offense, but the Miners still threw the football 63 times in the spring game, which you should find worrisome if you are a Miners fan. Ryan Metz is still in the mix as well as we head to fall camp after 5 mostly uninspiring starts last fall.

The Miners will go out of a 2 back set most of the time, and will add a FB, which is right out of the Kansas State playbook. Quardraiz Wadley is the leader for the RB spot, but rushed for just 277 yards last season, and averaged 4.78 yards per carry. There is virtually no depth here, with sophomore Ronald Awatt the most experienced back returning other than Wadley, and he carried just 5 times for 13 yards as a freshman. Forest McKee is the starting FB heading out of spring ball.

Kavika Johnson and Terry Juniel are penciled in to start at WR this fall. They combined for just 37 receptions last fall for 387 yards and 2 scores. Neither is much of what one wants to see in terms of stretching the field of play. Erik Brown is the 3rd receiver, and caught just 12 passes last fall. Warren Redix and Walter Dawn will try to add some kind of depth here, as will Eddie Sinegal.

David Lucero steps in as the starter at TE this fall after catching 17 passes last season. He averaged just 7.59 yards per catch. Josh Weeks backs him up, but there were only 2 listed TEs in spring camp.

Will Hernandez is gone on the line, and that leaves a mountain sized hole. The line gets just 2 starters back in Ruben Guerra (LT), and Derron Gatewood (C). Bobby Delfaro (LG), Greg Long (RG), and Jerrod Brooks (RT) are penciled in for now. Long was an All-CUSA pick as a freshman at Tackle who has lost time to injury, and will now move inside.

Breakdown Defense: The Miners get 2 starters back on the line in Denzel Chukwukelu (DT) and Trace Mascorro (DE). They combined for just 6 TFLs last fall, so the Miners need to find some force up front to improve a pass defense that ranked 119th nationally. CJ Reese projects as the new starter at DE. Sani Buckingham could come into play at DE, while Josh Ortega is still in the mix at DT. Dedrick Simpson could provide some depth at DE.

The Miners are starting over again at LB, as all 3 spots are open heading into camp. Jayson VanHook, Sione Tupou, and Dylan Parsee are penciled in for now. With the top 3 tacklers and LBs gone, the Miners must replace 237 tackles from that group. Jamar Smith is in the mix in the middle, while depth outside is not readily available.

The secondary should be the best unit on the team this fall, and ranked a respectable 48th against the pass last fall. This unit returns 4 starters in CBs Nik Needham and Kalon Beverly, and Safeties Kahani Smith and Michael Lewis. Needham and Beverly both finished with 8 PBUs last fall, while Lewis and Smith combined for 6 more. Needham and Smith are also the leading returning tacklers, as Needham finished with 59 tackles, and Smith tied with Lewis at 46 tackles each. Justin Rogers, a junior, steps into the open Safety spot in the 3-3-5 set, and moves over from CB.

Breakdown Special Teams: The kicking game last season, like everything else, was a complete disaster. Brady Viles is back, but hit just 1/4 attempts last season, while connecting on 11/12 PATs. Jason Filley is also availableand hit 2/3 FG attempts, and was perfect on 7 PAT tries.

Filley will likely handle Punting duties, as Alan Luna is gone after averaging 44.09 yards per punt last season.

Juriel is a solid option on KR duty after averaging 25.38 yards per return last fall, while he averaged just 3.92 yards per return on punts.

Final Analysis: Ugh. The Miners are still a mess, and I don't love the hire of Dimel, as it felt like a place holder for someone they will only have to go after in a few years. He has been a highly successful coordinator, but a terrible head coach, so the hire itself leaves much to be desired for me. The roster is full of players who could mostly not make it anywhere else, and the program is a dumpster fire right now, much like a chunk of the entire athletic department. It's hard to see, at this point, where much improvement will come from, and at the end of the day, it all starts with winning at least one game this fall, which would be a marked increase from last season. Get ready, folks, it's going to be another long, down year on the border.

2018 College Football team Previews: USC Trojans

USC Trojans 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: The Trojans have to be in a bit of a start over mindset now that Sam Darnold and Ronald Jones, just 2 of several top players from the 2017 season, are gone. There are question marks all over the field on both sides of the football for the staff to figure out, and things got tougher in the city when UCLA hired Chip Kelly after last season. USC must find a new QB/RB combo package in fall camp, and has to find a way to maintain dominance in the city of Los Angeles. With another talented crop of recruits coming in the door, can USC stay on top in the PAC-12 South?

Breakdown Offense: It all starts with who will replace Sam Darnold at QB in fall camp. True freshman JT Daniels could be the answer, and was the only QB in camp with solid reps that showed well in the spring. Matt Fink, who was the primary backup last season, could actually fall on the depth chart if he cannot beat out Thomas or Jack Sears, who was a highly touted freshman who redshirted last fall. This 3 way battle should continue into fall camp, but Daniels seems to have the edge.

Stephen Carr was projected to win the RB job after carrying the football just 6.5 times per game last fall, but he missed all of spring ball after having back surgery, and that held the door open for Aca'Cedric Ware, and now it looks like they may share carries when the season starts, or Ware could take the job outright if Carr is not fully ready to go. Both have decent big play ability, as each back rushed for over 5 yards per carry in limited action last fall. Both also have injury concerns. Vavae Malepeai could fill in as the 3rd back, and with the injury history of Carr and Ware, he could find himself thrust into full time duty at any point. He also has injury issues, so it could still fall to the 4th option in freshman Markese Stepp. If it falls that far, the Trojans could be in real trouble here.

Deontay Burnett and Steven Mitchell are gone, and that means that the Trojans have to find 127 receptions worth of work from someone else now. Tyler Vaughn is the first outside WR on the depth chart after spring ball broke, and he finished 2nd on the team with 57 receptions for 809 yards and 5 TDs. He averaged 14.19 yards per catch last fall. Michael Pittman missed most of spring ball, but still projects as the second starter at outside WR. He caught 23 passes for 404 yards and scored 2 times in 11 games last fall, averaging 17.57 yards per catch. Josh Imatorbhebhe is the primary backup to Vaughn, but caught just 2 passes last season. Randal Grimes could back up Pittman, but missed a chunk of spring football because of academic issues. Devon Williams, another true freshman, could lose his shot at a redshirt if Grimes cannot go. Joseph Lewis was suspended indefinitely at outside WR, and Jalen Greene transferred out, which gave the outside corps a real shot to their depth as a unit. Another freshman, Amon-Ra St. Brown, still projects as the starting SLOT receiver, even though he was not available for spring ball, as he did not enroll early. Velus Jones, Jr. is the backup heading into fall camp, but will see a number of different roles. Trevon Sidney and Pig Young should add depth, but Sidney cannot seem to get on the field, and Young had academic issues that forced him to miss out of a chunk of time in spring ball, and may not be developed enough to see the field.

Daniel Imatorbhebhe and Tyler Petite are listed as co-starters at TE this fall, but both have had some injury issues, and neither went all out in spring ball, with Imatorbhebhe being completely held out. Josh Falo is the TE3 for now, but with the injury history owned by the starters, he could see more time than many may think. Erik Krommenhoek will likely see more time as well as the backup to the blocker that Petite is.

The LT job is open on the line, with Austin Jackson and Clayton Johnston battling it out into fall camp. Jackson may have the edge heading into fall camp, as Johnston has more value backing up the Tackle spot on both sides. Jalen McKenzie redshirted last fall, and held his own as a backup in camp at the Tackle spot. Chris Brown has the LG spot locked down, with Alijah Vera-Tucker backing him up coming off a lost season to injury. Toa Lobendahn is the starting Center, with Brett Neilon backs him up, but again, Lobendahn is an injury concern, so Neilon could end up seeing starting reps, as he did much of spring practice. Justin Dedich, a freshman, was forced into the fire during spring ball as an early enrollee, and held his own. The staff would love to redshirt him, but if either Lobendahn or Neilon go down, that option goes out the window.

Andrew Vorhees starts at RG, if his knee holds up. He tore his meniscus during the final week of practice, but should be ready to go in fall camp. Jacob Daniel is the backup, and held up well in the final week of the spring. Chuma Edoga is back to start at RT once again, and was solid in spring ball. Johnston could back up here, if he does not win the LT spot. Liam Douglas is a true freshman, and the staff would love to redshirt him, if depth provides itself to do so.

Breakdown Defense: The interior of the defensive line looks solid heading into fall camp, so much so that Jay Tufele can slide over and take over at the DT spot because of depth at NT. Malik Dorton, who totaled 3.5 TFLs last fall, will rotate at this spot with Ifele. Liam Jimmons is still developing as a sophomore, and could see some time as well here. Brandon Pili has pulled ahead in the battle for the NT spot, with Marlon Tuipulotu sliding to the second unit heading into the fall. Pili is a sophomore, while Tuipulotu is a RS freshman, so the Trojans are extremely young and raw here, but talented. Freshman Trevor Trout should redshirt this fall given the depth in the middle.

Christian Rector totaled 11 TFLs last fall, and added 7.5 sacks, and will start at DE this fall. He also provides flexibility when the Trojans go to a 3 man front, and can kick out to OLB as well. He will be a featured part of the pass rush scheme this fall. Caleb Tremblay is a transfer, and enrolled early, and slid into the backup spot here behind Rector. Connor Murphy also figures in at DE for depth, as he has moved down to DE from OLB.

Porter Gustin returns at the PREDATOR LB spot this fall, and should be one of the best defenders in the PAC-12. He needs to stay healthy, however, as he played in just 4 games last fall. Oluwole Betiku is his backup, for now, but missed all of spring ball with a hip injury. Hunter Echols is also available here as a backup, but missed all of 2017 with a hip injury of his own. He seems healthy now, which is good news. Abdul Malik-McClain has a promising future, but will likely redshirt.

Jordan Iosefa is the starter at OLB after rumors had lingered about his move to ILB went away in spring camp. He totaled 31 tackles while filling in for various injuries last season, but locked down this spot without a doubt. Kana'i Mauga fired up the staff in spring ball as an early enrollee freshman, and will be the primary backup here. Juliano Falaniko adds some depth, but he is falling behind at this point.

Cameron Smith starts in the middle of the defense for the Trojans, and may be their best all around player returning to duty this fall. He led the team with 112 tackles, and added 11 TFLs. He is not much as a pass rusher, but he certainly fills the gap against the run. Converted FB Reuben Peters is likely the backup to Smith.

John Houston will start at the Weakside LB spot. He totaled 84 tackles last fall and added 3.5 TFLs. Levi Jones will likely serve as the backup here. The Trojans are thin and young after Jones at this spot.

Iman Marshall returns to start at one CB spot after picking up 10 PBUs last fall. He also added 51 tackles. The task in 2018 is to turn some of those plays on balls into INTs, as he had not a single one in 2017. Greg Johnson lost last season to a redshirt with a shoulder injury, but is now a RS freshman ready to back up Marshall, despite still missing spring ball with the same injury. If he cannot go, look for freshman Olaijah Griffin to walk into the job.

The Trojans took a major hit at the other CB spot, as Jack Jones was ruled academically ineligible for 2018. He left school and has enrolled at a JC to try to get everything straight. That leaves Isaiah Langley to win the job in fall camp after he got work in last season in parts. Isaac Taylor-Stuart, yet another freshman, may be forced into action sooner than he is ready for because of depth issues. Ajene Harris is the Nickel Back when needed, with Jonathon Lockett returning from 2 lost seasons with a hip issue as the backup.

Ykili Ross is the starter at SS, and will replace Chris Hawkins. He does not have a ton of experience here, as he slides over from NB and CB. Bubba Bolden could also see the starting job, and had a strong spring. Talanoa Hufanga, a freshman, impressed in spring ball, and bares some watching in fall camp.

Marvell Tell starts at FS, and finished with 85 tackles last fall. Isaiah Pola-Maolost his freshman season to injury, and is coming off a redshirt. He was still not able to do anything in spring ball, and that left the door open for CJ Pollard to win the backup job in fall camp.

Breakdown Special Teams: Chase McGrath is back at PK, but he made just 12/17 FG attempts as a freshman, and could use a good push. He was 58/59 on PAT work.

Reid Budrovich is back at Punter, and averaged 41.62 yards per punt last season.

Velus Jones is the primary KR man after averaging 24.52 yards per return as a freshman, and Ajene Harris could be available for PR duty, if Michael Pittman doesn't push for that role.

Final Analysis: The Trojans have an injury history and youth problem. They are going to be too dependent on players coming off injuries, or players with a massive injury history, and will also have a depth issue with the use of freshmen to a large degree on both sides of the football. If injuries once again take hold, this could go from a season that has the Trojans in a chase for the South crown once again in the PAC-12, to being a lost season altogether. Chip Kelly taking up residency in Westwood does not help the overall picture, but that should not have much of an effect until 2019 and beyond, as Kelly has to build a roster that reflects his coaching style. This season could go either way for this Trojan team.

2018 College Football Team Previews: UCF Knights

UCF Knights 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Whether or not you believe that UCF deserved at least a share of the national title or not, there is no doubt that the Knights won my national title last fall after our Power Ratings System showed through the numbers that they had done enough to claim said title when all was said and done. Scott Forst moved on to the job he could not refuse at Nebraska, and now the program is in the hands of Josh Heupel, who ran the high power offensive machine at Missouri as OC last fall. That's good news for this offense, as McKenzie Milton, one of the most exciting players in the college game, is back. Frost left the cupboard mostly stocked for Heupel, and all he has to do is no waste the opportunity given with this job.

Breakdown Offense: Milton was electrifying at times last fall, as he passed for 4037 yards and 37 TDs to just 9 INTs on the season. He was highly accurate, completing 67.1% of his passes, and added another 613 yards with his legs. He added 8 rushing scores, while averaging a rock solid 5.78 yards per carry. He is one of the top returning QBs in the nation this fall. Noah Vedral, his backup last fall, traveled with Frost to Lincoln, and so Damian Mack takes over that role in fall camp.

Adrian Killins is back to start at RB as well. He rushed for 790 yards and scored 10 TDs last fall while averaging 6.48 yards per carry. His role should be much the same this fall. Taj McGowan, who carried the ball 69 times last fall, is the primary backup, while Cordarrian Richardson announced he would be transferring to Texas A&M. That opens an opportunity for sophomore Greg McCRae. Jawon Hamilton, who would have been in the mix for the RB3 spot, transferred to James Madison.

More good news comes at WR, as both Gabriel Davis and Dredrick Snelson return to start. The Knights do have some bad news, however, as Tre'Quon Smith bolted for the NFL. Snelson posted a line of 46-695-8, and averaged 15.11 yards per catch. Davis caught 27 passes last fall for 391 yards and 4 scores. Otis Anderson steps in as the 3rd receiver, and is as much a threat as a rusher as he is a receiver. He caught 30 passes as a freshman, and rushed for 494 yards and 4 scores. Marlon Williams and Tristan Payton add depth.

The Knights got solid news with the transfer of Wisconsin TE Jake Hescock this fall. That's great news due to the fact that UCF loses 3 seniors at the position, which is a valued one in Heupel's offense.

Jordan Johnson (C) and Wyatt Miller (RT) both return on the line to start. Trevor Albert (LT), Tyler Hudanick (LG) and Parker Boudreaux (RG) are all projected to cut the lineup in fall camp. Jake Brown could make a push for the LT job, while Samuel Jackson could push for time at LG. Boman Swanson could also make himself known at RT in camp.

Breakdown Defense: The defense takes a bit of a hit this season, especially on the line, where only one starter returns in DT Trysten Hill. Hill was good for 4 TFLs last fall. Gabriel Luyanda and Brendan Hayes are penciled in at DE, while Joey Connors is projected to start at the open DT spot. Luyanda and Connors combined for 8 TFLs last season, while Hayes was not part of the equation.

Pat Jasinki and Titus Davis are back at LB to start. Jasinki led the Knights with 104 tackles last fal, while adding 8.5 TFLs. Davis totaled 67 tackles with 5 TFLs. Shawn Burgess-Becker is penciled in to replace Shaquem Griffin this fall, which is a huge task. He totaled just 15 tackles last season. Nate Evans and Eric Mitchell should add some depth.

The secondary gets back 3 starters this fall, which is great news. Brandon Moore will return to start at CB. He was good for 8 PBUs in coverage last season, and totaled 31 tackles. He should be joined by new starter Nevelle Clarke. He played in 7 games as a sophomore, and totaled 3 PBUs.

Tre Neal and Kyle Gibson are both back to start at Safety. Neal was good for 68 tackles and 3 PBUs, while Gibson grabbed 64 tackles and 4 PBUs. Gibson also tied with the now departed Mike Hughes with 4 INTs. Antwan Collier and Richie Grant provide backup depth.

Breakdown Special Teams: Matthew Wright is back at PK, but he needs more consistency and accuracy, as he hit just 13/18 FGs last fall. He was a busy guy on PATs, however, as he hit 80/81.

Mac Loudermilk is back at Punter, and averaged just 39.61 yards per punt, and could use a good push.

With Mike Hughes gone, both KR and PR jobs are open in camp.

Final Analysis: The schedule sets up nicely to make another massive run in 2018, and there is plenty of talent on hand to make that a reality for the Knights this fall. UCF should be favored in all 12 of their regular season games this season, and another AAC title is well within the range of possibilities, as is another run on a NY6 bowl game this fall. Auburn felt the sting of losing to UCF in the Peach Bowl, and someone else could be lining up for the same sting in 2018. No matter what the Knights do, the selection committee will never allow a non P5 team to crash their pathetic playoff party, so UCF needs to take what they can get their hands on, and allow people like me to proclaim them national champs.

2018 College Football Team Previews: UAB Blazers

UAB Blazers 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Nobody saw UAB coming last year on the way to an 8-5 finish after being on hiatus for 2 seasons. Bill Clark, one of the best coaches in the game, stuck around, and built the program from rubble, and then managed to stick around after teams sought him out during the off-season. With Clark and his staff back in the fold, there are few reasons to expect that the Blazers will not be competitive once again. Nobody will be fooled this time around, and teams will be waiting on them, but another bowl run could be in store.

Breakdown Offense: AJ Erdely came out of nowhere last fall, and tossed 16 TD passes to just 4 INTs while passing for 2331 yards. He completed 60.7% of his passes, and returns for his senior season to lead the Blazers. He added 13 rushing scores to his arsenal last fall, and should be one of the better QBs in CUSA football. Tyler Johnston returns after only attempting 2 passes as the backup as a freshman last fall, but former South Alabama starter Dallas Davis is going to push him for the backup job in camp.

The top 3 rushers all return for the Blazers, led by starter Spencer Brown, who blew up last season as a freshman to rush for 1329 yards and 10 scores, while averaging 5.32 yards per carry. James Noble III will return to the group after carrying 54 times last season, and Michigan transfer Kingston Davis could push them all before the end of the season.

There is an issue at receiver, where only one starter returns in Andre Wilson. Wilson led the team by posting 54-677-6, and averaged 12.54 yards per catch last fall. Collin Lisa and Xavier Ubosi are projected as the new starters. Lisa did catch 33 passes last fall, and Ubosi added 13 receptions. Jonathon Haden and Justin Walker are around to provide some depth, as is Sederian Copeland.

Logan Scott returns at TE, but caught just 4 passes last fall. Hayden Pittman caught 9 passes, and should get plenty of reps.

The line should be strong once again, as 4 starters return into the fold. James Davis (LT), Lee Dufour (C), Malique Johnson (RG), and Justice Powers (RT) will all be back, with Rishard Cook, a senior, being penciled in at LG. Bryant Novick and David Galten should provide some depth.

Breakdown Defense: Garrett Marino is the lone returning starter on the line for the Blazers in 2018. He totaled 8 TFLs last fall, but finished with just one sack on the season. Anthony Rush and Quindarius Thagard are projected to start at the open spots up front. Rush totaled 9 TFLs, while Thagard totaled just 2.5 in 12 games. Stacy Keely should see some reps as well after totaling 5 TFLs. Zachary Williams adds some depth on the bench.

The Blazers get 2 starters back at LB in the 3-4 set. Keely could rotate between the line and LB this fall, depending on situation. Fitzgerald Mofor also returns. Mofor totaled 74 tackles last fall, but was good for just 3.5 TFLs. Thomas Johnston and Chris Woolbright project to start this season in the open spots. They combined for 5.5 TFLs last fall. Johnston totaled 32 tackles as a freshman, while Woolbright totaled 15.Craig Kanyangarara and Tre Crawford add depth.

The secondary will get 3 starters back from a unit that ranked 22nd nationally against the pass last season. DA Williams is back and will start at CB. He totaled 4 PBUs and totaled 16 tackles. Will Dawkins returns at SS after a 35 tackle season. Broderick Thomas is back at FS, and totaled 95 tackles. Brontae Harris is the new starter at CB, and played in all 13 games as a freshman last fall.

Breakdown Special Teams: Nick Vogel is back at PK after hitting 13/17 FGs last fall., He was good for 40/42 PAT tries as well.

Joel Dixon returns at Punter, and averaged 41.34 yards per punt.

The KR game is manned by Haden once again, after he averaged 22.81 yards per return. Andre Wilson joins him in that role, and averaged 20.76 yards per return. Wilson averaged 9.39 yards per punt return as well.

Final Analysis: The Blazers shocked the nation last fall by rolling up 8 wins in the first return season of the program after not fielding a team for 2 years. It was a testament to the work of Bill Clark in holding this football team together during that time, and a testament to him that he stayed on. The program is in excellent hand, and is in solid shape moving forward, with a new on campus stadium coming their way soon. Look for the Blazers to roll through the first month of the season, and that alone should set them up nicely for another bowl bid.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Tulsa Golden Hurricane 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: The 2017 season presented a nasty fall from grace for Tulsa after the Golden Hurricane had lost several top performers from the 2016 season. Tulsa fell from 10 wins to 2, and fell from 42 points per game to 29 offensively. They also went from allowing 29.7 points per game to allowing 37.5 points per game defensively, and ranked 127th out of 129 teams in total defense. Phillip Montgomery will have his hands full trying to get Tulsa back up to par, and in getting them back to near the top of the AAC West.

Breakdown Offense: Luke Skipper is back to start at QB after missing 5 games last season. He passed for just 1141 yards and 3 scores, and tossed 4 picks, while completing just 55.9% of his passes. Chad President also returns, but he wasn't much better, passing for just 921 yards in 12 appearances, with 3 TDs and 2 INTs. He completed just 52.9% of his passes on the season. One of these two QBs must step up this fall, or moving up from 2 wins will seem like a massive mountain to climb. As a unit, Tulsa QBs threw just 6 TD passes all season long. Dane Evans tossed 32 alone the season before.

D'Angelo Brewer and his 1500 yards are gone. Shamari Brooks will now step into his roleafter rushing for 687 yards and a team leading 10 scores last season. He averaged 5.77 yards per carry, and could be a candidate for a breakout season as a sophomore. Corey Taylor II should be the number 2 back after carrying just 34 times last fall. Depth is a huge problem.

Josh Stewart, Keenen Johnson, and Justin Hobbs are all back to start at WR, and Keylon Stokes is projected as the 4th starter in the spread offense. Hobbs led the team with 55 catches for 830 yards and 3 scores, and averaged 15.09 yards per carry. Johnson posted 44-539-1, and Stewart posted 13-162-0. Stokes caught just 9 passes in 6 games last season.

The line gets 3 starters back in Tyler Bowling (LG), Chandler Miller (C), and Willie Wright (RT). Washid Muhammed is projected to start at LT, while Tiller Bucktrot is the projected RG.

Breakdown Defense: The defense was as bad as any team in the nation last fall, and there are some real problems still apparent. Shemarr Robinson is the lone returning starter on the line, and will be back at DT once again. He totaled just one TFL last fall. Garrett Flanary is penciled in next to him at DT, while Travis Gipson and Myles Mouton are projected to start at DE. None of these players has provided much pop during their time until now.

Diamon Cannon and Cooper Edmiston are back at LB. Edmiston finished 2nd on the team with 106 tackles last fall, but added just 2 TFLs. Cannon was good for 60 tackles and 4 TFLs. Robert Revels III is penciled in for the open LB spot, and totaled 25 tackles off the bench last season. Treyvon Reeves adds some depth.

The secondary returns 3 starters in Akayieb Evans (CB), Reggie Robinson III (CB), and McKinley Whitfield (S). Robinson led the team with 9 PBUs last fall, but Evans struggled in coverage last season with just 2 PBUs. Whitfield totaled 8 PBUs, and led the team with 113 tackles. Keidrien Wadley is expected to fill the open Safety spot. He played in 9 games as a sophomore in 2017. Cristian Williams will back up at both Safety spots, while depth needs to be found at CB. Look for Daiquain Jackson to push for a Safety job at some point after redshirting to transition over from RB.

Breakdown Special Teams: Nathan Walker walks into the starting PK job as a senior this fall, but has never attempted a kick at Tulsa.

Thomas Bennett is back at Punter, and was solid last season with an average of 42.31 yards per punt.

Keylon Stokes will be back in the KR role this fall, and averaged 20.27 yards per return. Tulsa returned just 3 punts as a team last fall, and will be looking for a new PR man in camp.

Final Analysis: Stopping anybody on defense will be an upgrade over their utter failures of 2017. The QB situation has to develop firmly this fall as well, as the run game could be more of benefit if defenses honestly believed that they could throw the football. There are some tools available, but getting Tulsa much above where they were a year ago is going to be a major challenge this season, as the defense really does not have a lot to show for it in terms of overall change, or talent for that matter. Montgomery has to get this program back on track, or the old hot seat could come calling for him next winter.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Tulane Green Wave

Tulane Green Wave 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: It all came down to 3 points last season in New Orleans. With only a 4th bowl trip in 30 years on the line, Tulane fell to SMU in Dallas 41-38, a 3 point loss. That was their 7th loss, and took the Green Wave out of bowl contention in the season finale. That is amazing in and of itself, as when Willie Fritz got to Tulane, the cupboard was completely empty. Now, in his 3rd season with the Green Wave, one of the best coaches in the game that people never hear about, may be on the cusp of pushing the Green Wave over the top and into a bowl.

Breakdown Offense: Jonathon Banks gives the Green Wave a QB that they think they can rely on to move the needle up this season. He passed for 1797 yards and 12 TDs, and tossed just 5 INTs last fall while improving in a big way in the second half of the season. He still has to work on accuracy, as he completed just 56.6% of his passes. Banks brings the added dimension of being able to run, and he rushed for 592 yards last fall with an additional 7 scores, and averaged 4 yards per carry. The overall health of the position, however, is up in the air, as 3 QBs have transferred since the end of last season, including top backup Johnathon Brantley and 3rd stringer Khalil McClain. Former starter Glen Cuiellette also transferred out.

Dontrell Hilliard is gone at RB, and that is a large hole to fill. Darius Bradwell should get first crack at replacing him after carrying the ball 66 times as the 3rd back last fall. Corey Dauphine, a transfer from Texas Tech, will be in the mix as well. Stephon Huderson, who carried 19 times as a freshman, should round out the group.

Tulane gets the entire starting receiving unit back intact, which is great news for the Green Wave's bowl aspirations. Terren Encalade, Darnell Mooney, and Jabril Clewis are all back to start. Encalade led the team with a line of 39-730-4, and averaged 18.72 yards per catch. Mooney posted 34-599-4, and averaged 17.62 yards per catch. Clewis posted 16-174-0, and averaged 10.88 yards per catch. Jacob Robinson, Devin Glenn, and Jaetavian Toles are the backups.

Charles Jones II is also back at TE after catching 13 passes. He scored 2 times last fall. Kendall Ardoin is the top backup here.

The line is all set from C to the right in Corey Dublin (C), Dominique Briggs (RG), and John Leglue (RT). Keyshawn McCloud projcts as the new starter at LT, while Cameron Jackel, a freshman, could start at LG. Tyler Johnson could be in the mix for the LT job, and Joey Claybrook, a sophomore, will provide depth at the Tackle spots. Finding depth in the middle will be a task taken on in fall camp.

Breakdown Defense: There are some issues on the defensive side, as the Green Wave has to find all new starters in the line in camp. As of now, Robert Kennedy and Patrick Johnson are penciled in at DE. Kennedy is a senior, while Johnson is a sophomore. They combined for 4 TFLs off the bench last fall. Jeffrey Johnson is the NT and Cameron Sample will be the DT, as the depth chart states now. Sample played in 11 games as a freshman last fall. Depth will be an issue.

Zachery Harris is back to start at LB. He totaled 69 tackles with just 3 TFLs last fall. He will be paired with a new starter in the 4-2-5 set. Junior Lawrence Graham projects to start in the open spot, but he totaled just 12 tackles last fall. Again, depth is a major issue here.

Just 2 starters return in the secondary in CB Donnie Lewis and S Roderic Teamer. Lewis led the team last fall with 11 PBUs, and totaled 3 INTs on the season. Teamer was good for 48 tackles. Jaylon Monroe (CB), Tirise Barge (NB) and PJ Hall (S) are the projected new starters. Barge is, by far, the most experienced of the group, as he played in all 12 games as a freshman last season. Replacing Parry Nickerson will be a massive task. Thakarius Keyes will give a push for the open CB spot, while Chase Kuerschen will make a push for the open Safety spot.

Breakdown Special Teams: Merek Glover is back at PK, and is almost automatic, as he hit 8/9 FG attempts last fall as a sophomore. He was 32/34 on PATs.

Zach Block is back as well, and will once again handle the Punter position. He needs to find more consistency, as he averaged 39.56 yards per punt last fall.

The return jobs appear open in camp.

Final Analysis: Willie Fritz is a rock solid head coach, and the fact that he has taken Tulane to where they are in 2 short seasons is evidence of that. Tulane football is headed in the right direction, and is in the right hands, and if the defensive issues can be ironed out early enough, Tulane could finally make the push to get back to a bowl for the first time since 2013. What was more painful than the 3 points keeping them from that goal last fall, was that Banks was one inch short of the end zone when time expired in that SMU loss. Offensively, the Green Wave should get that last push this season.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Troy Trojans

Troy Trojans 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: The good news is that Neal Brown returns as head coach, as he is coming off an 11-2 season and a 1st place finish in the Sun Belt standings. He was one of the best G5 coaches in the nation not pilfered by a larger school, and frankly I am shocked that he remains at Troy. The bad news is that he has to return to coach a team without his best weapons on offense in Brandon Silvers and Jordan Chunn, and returns just 2 skill set players from last season. With a ton of holes on both sides of the football to worry about in August, the time has come to test the mettle of Brown's overall recruiting abilities and see if he is building a foundation, or was maybe just a flash in the pan.

Breakdown Offense: It's time for Kaleb Barker to step up and shine at QB for Troy. He completed 8/13 passes last season as the understudy to Silvers, and his time is now as a junior. He has completed 11 total passes in 2 years, and he will be asked to, at the very least, be a game manager that does not turn the football over or make game killing mistakes. If he cannot win out in camp, Sawyer Smith gets a shot at the job.

With Chunn gone at RB, the job likely falls to Jamarius Henderson, a junior. He rushed just 45 times as a sophomore, but showed big play ability with an average of 7.89 yards per carry. If he can become a home run threat on the field as a regular, that takes all of the pressure off of the new QB, but if the new QB fails to get things rolling and keep things honest, Henderson could run into a brick wall. JC transfer Kevin Perkins will have his shot at some carries as well, and BJ Smith, a junior, could fill out the group, despite having just 27 carries last season.

Receiver should be a decent spot for the Trojans heading into camp, as 2 starters return in Deondre Douglas and Damion Willis. Douglas caught 48 passes for 628 yards last fall, and averaged 13.08 yards per catch. Willis caught 42 passes for 620 yards and averaged 14.76 yards per catch. They combined for 7 TD receptions. Sidney Davis is expected to step into the 3rd receiver role, but caught just 8 passes in 13 games as a junior. The bad news here is that the Trojans lose 4 of the top 7 pass catchers from a year ago, so there is little depth.

Gabe Hill is the starter at TE, but caught just one pass last season, and is basically a 3rd tackle in this offense.

The Trojans line may be the strength of the offense in 2018, as 4 starters return in Kirk Kelley (LT), Deontas Crumitie (C), Tristan Crowder (RG), and J.I. Gaston (RT). Dylan Bradshaw, a senior, brings program experience to the RG spot. James Peach, a junior, could find himself in the mix for that OG spot as well, but also could bring depth to the interior or at Tackle. Zach Banner and Dylan Bradshaw bring depth at C and G, and should help make this the best line in the Sun Belt this fall.

Breakdown Defense: Vic Koenning's defense was the best in the Sun Belt last fall, and ranked 24th overall nationally in total defense. That said, there are plenty of holes to fill heading into fall camp, especially on the line, where just one starter returns in NG Trevon Sanders. He was good for 5 TFLs last fall, andanchors a defense that ranked 7th nationally last fall against the run. Zo Bridges is penciled in to start at DE, and should blow up this fall after recording 6 TFLs last fall as a rotational end. Marcus Webb is slated to start at DT, and totaled 8.5 TFLs, so even with new names in full time starting spots, the experience and depth remains the same. Antione Barker fills in at both DE and DT and added another 6.5 TFLs last fall.

Hunter Reese is back for his senior season at the BANDIT position, which is a hybrid LB/S spot. He led the team with 14 TFLs last fall, and added 6.5 sacks, and 35 total tackles. Tron Folsom is the returning starter at LB in the 3-3-5 defense, and he led the team with 80 tackles, adding 9 TFLs, 3 PBUs, and 2 QB hurries. AJ Smiley is the penciled in new starter at LB, but he recorded just 10 tackles last fall. Justin Whisenhunt could also be in the mix up against Smiley in camp. Zo Bridges brings a decent backup at BANDIT, while Kevin Nixon brings some depth to the overall LB group.

The secondary returns just 2 of 5 starters this fall in CB Blace Brown and S Cedarius Rookard. Both are seniors. Brown totaled 6 PBUs, and a team leading 5 INTs last fall, and should be a pre-season All-Sun Belt pick. Rookard picked off 2 passes, forced 2 fumbles, and totaled 74 tackles, good for 2nd on the team. Marcus Jones fits into the open CB spot, as he totaled 6 PBUs as a freshman last fall, with 2 INTs. Tyler Murray is the new NB heading into fall camp. He picked off a pass and forced 2 fumbles in 13 games as a freshman last fall. Melvin Tyus is the likely new starter at the open S spot. He played in 13 games as a sophomore last fall. Jawon McDowell is the likely 3rd CB, while Adarius Wesley backs up at Safety.

Breakdown Special Teams: Tyler Sumpter is back and will handle both PK an P this fall after hitting 7/9 FG attempts last season, and averaging 40 yards per punt.

Marcus Jones is one of the best return men in the game, and returned 3 kicks for scores last fall while averaging 30.3 yards per return. He also averaged 9.31 yards per punt.

Final Analysis: The holes on offense are a bit more concerning than most on defense, as the defensive holes could be plugged by experienced players who are now getting a bigger break or role than they had a year ago, and so depth is paying off, with room to spare on that side of the football. Troy should not slip far defensively, and maybe won't at all. Offensively, with both a new QB and RB, and 4 of their top 7 receivers gone, the Trojans will have to get someone to step up in each of these areas in a big way, and that is asking more. The line should be one of the best in the Sun Belt, and they may have to work harder this year than last, when they only allowed 15 sacks on the season. In short, Troy should be good enough once again to be one of the top 3 teams in the conference, but pushing for a repeat conference title may be asking a lot. Still, it's hard to count them out.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Toledo Rockets

Toledo Rockets 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Jason Candle has picked right up where Matt Campbell left off with the Rockets, but Candle moved a step ahead when he won the MAC title last season, the first time that has happened since 2004. The Rockets are loaded with talent yet again, but have to find a replacement for one of the best players in school and conference history in QB Logan Woodside, who has moved on to the NFL. Candle and OC Brian Wright have gotten to work on that project, and the end result could determine whether or not the Rockets have enough fuel to soar to another MAC title in 2018.

Breakdown Offense: The QB job is down to junior Mitchell Guadagni or Eli Peters, a sophomore. Guadagni has all of 6 attempted passes to his name, and completed just one of them, and was the 3rd string QB last fall. Peters may have the brighter future, but has no experience.

Art Thompkins was the 3rd back last fall, but could be starting in 2018, but will likely share carries with Shakif Seymour. Seymour rushed for 702 yards last fall, and scored 12 times while averaging 6.05 yards per carry. Thompkins rushed for 629 yards, while scoring 2 times. He also avareged 6.05 yards per carry. Production and experience drops off sharply after that.

The Rockets have one of the better receiving corps in the nation heading into the season.Cody Thompson, Jon'Vea Johnson, and Diontae Johnson all return. Diontae Johnson was a beast last season, as he posted 74-1278-13, and averaged over 17 yards per catch. Jon'Vae Johnson caught 42 passed for 689 yards and 5 scores, and averaged 16.4 yards per catch. Thompson missed 9 games last fall, and managed to post 28-537-4, and averaged 19.18 yards per catch, and may be the bet of the group, if healthy. There is plenty of depth and talent behind this group as well.

Reggie Gilliam will start at TE, but Jordan Fisher also returns after catching 20 passes last season.

The line could be a question, as just 2 starters return. Sami Kassem (LG) and Bryce Harris (C) are those starters. Yazeed Atariwa is projected to start at LT, and Brandon Heidecker is penciled in at RT. Luke Doerger is projected at RG. Look for Brock Ruble, a transfer from Florida State, to have a shot to start at either Tackle or Guard, as he started 13 games for the Seminoles at Tackle last season.

Breakdown Defense: The line may be a bit thin this fall, as just one starter returns in DT Nate Childress. He totaled just 2 TFLs as a sophomore last season. Tyrone Chambers is penciled in as the starter at the open DT spot. He played in just 3 games as a freshman. Willie Ross and Tuzar Skipper are the projected starters at DE. They combined for 3 TFLs off the bench.

Tyler Taafe is the lone starting LB returning, and he totaled just 38 tackles, with 24 of those coming as assists. Richard Olekanma, a senior, is expected to start along side him in the 4-2-5 set. He totaled 45 tackles last fall. Again, depth is thin.

The secondary is loaded, and returns 4 of 5 starters in Ka'Dar Hollman (CB), DeDarallo Blue (NB), Kahlil Robinson (S), and Josh Teachey (S). Hollman recorded 7 PBUs and 35 tackles. Blue finished with 36 tackles, and 2 PBUs. Robinson totaled 4 PBUs, 4 INTs, and 67 tackles, and Teachey totaled 56 tackles. Sophomore Justin Clark looks to take over the open spot at CB. He totaled 5 PBUs as a freshman.

Breakdown Special Teams: Jameson Vest is one of the best PKs in the nation after hitting 25/30 FG attempts last season, and he hit 56/58 PATs. He will be a senior this fall.

Bailey Flint is back at Punter, but struggled to average just over 38 yards per punt last fall as a freshman. More is needed from him.

Final Analysis: Toledo looks to be in the running to win 10 games or more once again this season, but surviving a tough early run that includes games against Miami at home, and Fresno State on the road, will be key. The Rockets are looking to develop help at key spots (QB, defensive front 6), and will have limited slots early on to get those spots comfortably running. If they can get everything together entering MAC play, Toledo will once again be a tough out, and should have the ability to push West favorite Northern Illinois on the road in November.

2018 College Football Team Previews: Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech Red Raiders 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: It's put up or shut up time for head coach Kliff Kingsbury in Lubbock, as he enters year 6 with an overall record of 30-33. Personally, I would have fired him after each of the past two seasons, and given that most outlets have them projected as finishing 8th in the Big 12 this fall, most folks do not believe that things are going to get much better moving forward. With just one skill player coming back on offense, and a defense that ranked 104th last season overall, there is just no real buzz around things changing, and it would be thought easily that Kingsbury could be dead man walking as head coach entering the 2018 campaign.

Breakdown Offense: Nic Shimonek is gone at QB, so it's time to move on to the next in line of plug and play QBs that populate the air raid system. Sophomore Jett Duffey and junior McLane Carter are in a battle for the QB spot heading into fall camp. Neither did much to establish themselves to this point however. Duffy is extremely raw, and Carter lacks overall arm strength and accuracy. This is bad news for a coach who desperately needs someone to step up.

De'Leon Ward and Tre King look to split carries this fall, as they did throughout spring camp. King rushed for 623 yards as the backup last fall, and averaged 4.76 yards per carry. He scored 5 times. Ward did not carry the football at all last fall. The issue is that everyone on the roster at RB is either extremely raw, or is not much of a threat to break out.

TJ Vasher is the lone returning starter at WR this fall. He caught just 29 passes last fall, and totaled 545 yards while averaging 18.79 yards per catch. He scored 6 times. Antoine Wesley, De'Quan Bowman, and Donta Thompson left spring ball holding the other 3 starting spots. They combined for 13 receptions last fall. There is virtually zero depth or experience after this group.

The line returns 4 starters in Travis Bruffy (LT), Paul Stawarz (C), Jack Anderson (RG), and Terence Steele (RT). Dawson Deaton is penciled in at LG as a freshman. Jacob Hines could push him for the job in fall camp, while Madison Akamnonu and Bailey Smith add some depth outside at the Tackle spots.

Breakdown Defense: Defense has never been a staple under Kingsbury, and that could be the case again in 2018, as the Red Raiders ranked 104th in total defense last fall, and 122nd nationally against the pass. Broderick Washington (DT) and Eli Howard (DE) are your returning starters on the line. Howard led the team last fall with 8.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks. Washington finished last fall with a pair of sacks. Nick McCann is penciled in at NT, while Kolin Hill returns to start at DE. Hill totaled 6 TFLs last fall, while McCann played in 10 games as a freshman.

Dakota Allen and Jordyn Brooks both return to start at LB. Allen led the team with 102 tackles last fall, and totaled 6 TFLs. Brooks totaled 89 tackles, but made just 0.5 tackles behind the line last fall. Depth at LB may be an issue after the starting unit.

The secondary returns 4 of 5 starters in the 4-2-5 set. Vaughnte Dorsey, Jah'Shawn Johnson, and Justus Parker all return at Safety, while DaMarcus Fields is the returning starter at CB. Fields recorded 7 PBUs last fall. Dorsey totaled 3 PBUs and added 59 tackles. Johnson recorded 97 tackles, and added 5 PBUs. Parker led the team with 4 INTs, and added 3 QB hurries and 4 forced fumbles, and was good for 42 tackles. Octavious Morgan is the other starting CB, and he finished with 8 PBUs last fall.

Breakdown Special Teams: Clayton Hatfield returns at PK for the Red Raiders, but hit just 6/10 FG attempts last fall. He missed 7 games with injury.

Dominic Panazzalo managed to average 41.4 yards per punt last season despite some costly shanks. He will be expected to be more consistent this fall as a senior.

Both KR and PR jobs are wide open heading into fall camp, and likely will not be settled until the season opener against Ole Miss on 9/1 in Houston.

Final Analysis: It would seem that the power that be are finally awakened to the fact that they may not have the right guy running their program. It's win now or else for Kingsbury after 5 mostly wasted years of settling towards the Big 12 basement. This program does not have to be bad, but it has settled for that with Kingsbury for far too long. With all of the massive questions and holes on offense heading into the fall, it would seem next to impossible for this team to finish high enough in the conference standings to save Kingsbury now, short of a miracle. The first 6 weeks of the schedule alone could finish him off.