CSNbbs

Predicted order of finish:
East
UAB
USM
Memphis
Marshall
ECU
UCF

West
UTEP
Houston
Tulane
Rice
Tulsa
SMU

CUSA ranked as the 8th best conference. Ascending (Houston). Reason - Kolb directing talent-rich offense. Descending (Memphis) Reason - Loss Wimprine (QB), best WR's & A. Means (NT).

Most underrated player - John Syptak, DE, Rice. Reason - Versatile, strong, fast and intelligent. Considered one-man wrecking crew. Most overrated - Vincent Marshall, WR, Houston. Reason - Despite outstanding numbers he dropped too many balls.

Biggest shoes to fill - UTEP Howard Jackson, RB, Memphis Danny Wimprine, QB and UAB Roddy White, WR.

Best Coach - Mike Price, UTEP. Best staff - UTEP. Coach on the hot seat - George O'Leary, UCF.

Biggest games - Sept 16, Houston @ UTEP. Reason - Shoot'em up affair on ESPN Friday Night. First one to 50 wins. Oct. 21, USM @ UAB. Reason - Will set the tone for East Division title. Chance to showcase Hackney (again). Nov 19, UAB @ UTEP. Reason - Possible preview of league's first championship game.

Bowl bound - UAB, USM, Memphis, UTEP, Houston & Tulane.

Best bets - UAB will not win conference championship, O'Leary will need to update his resume...again, Rice will bench QB Armstrong and go with Clement, and USM will once again prove they're the team to beat in CUSA.

Recruiting
1. Tulsa
2. UAB
3. UCF
4. Marshall
5. USM
6. SMU
7. UTEP
8. Memphis
9. Houston
10. Rice
11. Tulane
12. ECU

UAB, USM, Memphis, Marshall, UTEP and Houston and have a full page write up.

More tidbits:

Toughest league schedule: Tulsa

Tennessee according to TSN has the 2nd toughest schedule in the nation. Mention a couple of CUSA teams in regards to that: Before Tennessee get into the annual brutal SEC schedule, their non-conference run consist of @Notre Dame and[b]CUSA heavies UAB and Memphis @ home.

Best QB's in 2 minute drill - Palko, Pitt, D. Hackney, UAB, & Gradkowski, Toledo

Biggest hitters - D. Jackson, Maryland, T. Coley, USM, & McGarigle, Nortwestern

Which conferences came out better or worst after realignment:
ACC - Better (Considers B.C. a solid addition and 12th team for championship game)
BE - Call it a wash. (Considers UL and B.C. to be of equal value. Says B.C. would have dominate CUSA too!)
CUSA - Worse. (Marshall missing oomph and Price will eventually leave UTEP. UCF out of remaining 4 teams has the best potential)
MAC - Better (Losing Marshall and UCF gives league a Midwestern identity without losing anything on the field).
MWC - Significantly better. (Gives MWC access to Texas recruiting and opportunity for Ft. Worth Bowl)
WAC - Worse (But only because it weakens the league ability to recruit Texas)
Sun Belt - Better (FAU and FIU will compete immediately and pull 2nd tier talent from Florida recruiting base like UNT does in Texas)

All-Americans - 2nd team, John Eubanks, CB, USM

UTEP's Mike Price listed as one of 5 coaches on the fast track to a BCS conference program.

Go UAB!

"C-USA Heavy"

I like the sound of that :)