Please rate the WAC teams in the following positions from 1-9:
QB
RB
WR/TE
OL
DL
LB
DB (defensive backfield including corners and safeties)


QB
1. Nevada
2. Hawaii
3. Boise St (I'd rank the Broncos higher, but there is a lot of critisism of Z)
4. Fresno St (Even though they haven't got a starter, you have to like the talent.)
5. Idaho (Until Leon Jackson proves he can have a better season passing the ball, I have to pick Wichman over him.)
6. Utah St
7. SJSU
8. NMSU (What is the consensus in Las Cruces? Is Joey Vincent going to be the starter?)
9. La Tech

RB (this category is other ignorant category for me since the WAC lost so many great backs to graduation)
1. Fresno St (Fresno St seems to be frequently loaded at this position.)
2. La Tech (again they have been loaded lately)
3. Boise St (losing Lee Marks hurts. Is there a replacement?)
4. Utah St (Marcus Cross is going to be a good one.)
5. Nevada (losing BJ Mitchell hurts. Is there a replacement?)
6. Idaho
7. Hawaii
8. SJSU
9. NMSU

WR/TE
1. Hawaii (Bess has to be one of the best WRs in the league. Hawaii depends on their recievers.)
2. Fresno St (with Paul Williams and Joe Fernandez, you have to like the Bulldogs)
3. Boise St (Naanee and Rabb are under rated. Derek Schouman is a good one also.)
4. Nevada (returning a lot of talent, especially at TE)
5. Utah St (Pennyman and Robinson are a great combo, but don't forget about names like Nnambdi Gwacham at WR and Rob Myers at TE.)
6. NMSU
7. La Tech
8. Idaho
9. SJSU

OL
1. Boise St (returning a lot of talent)
2. Fresno St
3. Nevada
4. La Tech
5. Hawaii (protecting Brennan and the short passing game will be critical for this bunch)
6. Idaho
7. SJSU
8. NMSU
9. Utah St (there are a lot of questions with Utah St's OL, coming into this year. We'll see how they handle those concerns.)

DL
1. Fresno St
2. Boise St
3. Utah St (believe it or not, I think Utah St's DL is one of the best as long as Brian Soi is in the line-up.)
4. Hawaii
5. Nevada
6. NMSU
7. Idaho
8. La Tech (how will La Tech and SJSU answer for losing their starters?)
9. SJSU

LB
1. Boise St (Korey Hall has to be the best LB coming into this year in the WAC.)
2. Fresno St (probably an under rated group)
3. Nevada
4. Hawaii
5. Utah St (Jake Hutton returns as one of the WAC's leading tacklers)
6. SJSU
7. NMSU
8. La Tech
9. Idaho

DB
1. Boise St
2. Nevada
3. Fresno St
4. Idaho
5. Hawaii
6. Utah St
7. La Tech
8. NMSU
9. SJSU

As for punters and kickers, I'd say that Boise St is #1 at this point and NMSU is last with Utah St just barely ahead in 8th.

Nevada returns Robert Hubbard at RB, who had breakout games against Fresno St and Central Florida last year. Over the two games, he rushed for 272 yards (8.8 yd per carry) and 6 TDs (would have had 7 TDs, but "took a knee" in the closing minute against Fresno St. For the year, he had 741 yd (5.9 yd per carry) and 11 TDs (only one less than Mitchell). However, after Hubbard, RB is a big question mark.

IMO, you have Nevada's DBs rated too high.

QB. 3-4 Holbrook will turn some heads. Young but has a gun, and will be one of the better QB's in the league by the time we start conference games.

RB. Burries is a capable back probably around #5 back in the conference.

OL. New and improved around 6-8 in the WAC last year this was #9 unit in the WAC last year.

WR. 3-4 with the addition of Jolla and Tolbert returning this along with AJ Harris, and Dubois, Hobson, Franzoy, Cleaver this is a deep unit.

DL. 5 middle of the road without a lot of depth.

LB's 3-6 Depending on how the youngster's play should be the backbone of the D.

DB's 6-8 This unit needs to improve and with the movement of some players I think it will. Braynt is an NFL caliber corner, but needs help back there, and need someone to replace the leadership skills of Griebal.

Kickers and Punters 9 unless something dramatic happens before the season.

QB

1. Hawaii
2. Nevada
3. NMSU - I agree with funag on Holbrook. He's taylor made for the WAC.
4. Boise


RB
1. La. Tech
2. Boise
3. Nevada
4. SJSU
5 Fresno


WR

1. Hawaii
2. Boise
3. Nevada
4. NMSU
5. USU

OL

Agree with ejm.

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I'm going to have to put more thought into the other positions.

I agree with the La. Tech ratings for the most part except LB. We are loaded at LB and will be for sometime. Don't look at who we graduated. This is a spot where we are definitely re-loading and not re-building. I think the guys replacing our graduating Sr's are actually gonna be better than last years group of LB's. (and that was one hell of a group of LB's.) They are young , fast, and love to hit.

IMO We are weak at QB, CB and DL--Good athletes , no experience

We are completely Loaded at RB and LB-- Talented AND Deep

We could be pretty good at WR, TE and S but we will have to see.

Quarterbacks

1. Hawai'i - Colt Brennan - I was FAR more impressed by Colt Brennan than any other QB in the W.A.C. last season.

2. Nevada - Jeff Rowe - He played well, particularly against Fresno State, but he sucked against Boise State.

3. Boise State - Zabransky can be both great and awful in the same game. You never know what you will get with him.

4. Idaho - Steven Wichman looked pretty good against Boise State last season. That's the only time I saw him last season tho.

5. Utah State - Leon Jackson III - I liked what I saw of him last season.

6. La Tech - Zac Champion - Ya gotta like a QB named Zac Champion. Even tho he only had two pass attempts (and two completions) last season.

7. Fresno St - Brandstater or Norton or whoever wins the starting QB spot for FSU it is likely to be a very long season/learning experience.

8. New Mexico State - Taylor Holbrook apparently looked pretty good in the NMS spring game.....but he was playing against the NMS defense.

9. San Jose State - Adam Trafalis had a QB efficiency rating of 108 last season.

Running Backs


1. San Jose State - Yonus Davis gained 638 yds last season on only 95 carries (6.7 yds/carry).

2. Nevada - Robert Hubbard gained 719 yds last season on only 122 carries (5.9 yds/carry)

3. Boise State - Ian Johnson was the best running back last season for Boise State as a FRESHMAN IMHO (yes better than Lee Marks). He will be All-WAC this season now that he won't have to share the ball with three Seniors as he did last season. He rushed for 678 yds last season on only 119 carries (5.6 yds/carry).

4. Hawaii - Nate Ilaoa rec'd a 6th year of eligibility from the NCAA. He averaged 7.6 yds/carry last season and gained 654 yds on only 85 carries. IF Hawai'i ran the ball more often I'd have to put Ilaoa as # 1.

5. Fresno State - Fresno lost both of their top two running backs from last season. But they have Dwayne Wright returning after missing almost all of the last two seasons with injury. He was 2nd team All-WAC in 2003 and gained over 1,000 yards that season. Question is can he STAY healthy this season?

6. La Tech - Freddie Franklin started only eight games last season due to injury however he gained 448 on only 91 carries last season.

7. Utah St - Marcus Cross was tabbed by The Sporting News as the 2006 W.A.C. pre-season Newcomer of the year. However this ain't JC ball.

8. New Mexico State - Justine Buries gained 779 yds last season on 187 carries (4.2 yds/carry).

9. Idaho - Rolly Lumbala is back. He gained 472 yds on 128 carries last season (3.7 yds/carry).



Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

1. Hawaii - All five of their top five receivers from last season return again this season (Bess, Grice-Mullen, Dickerson, Mock and Ilaoa).

2. Boise St - BSU is loaded with returning WR's and TE's. Drisan James, Legedau Naanee and Jerard Rabb will all be Senior WR's this season and they were the three top WR's last season for BSU. BSU is also loaded with TE's with Derek Schouman and Jared Hunter (both Seniors) as well as Sherm Blaser and Ryan Putnam.

3. Nevada - They return three of their top four receivers from last season but they lost the guy who was clearly their best last season in Nichiren Flowers.

4. Fresno St - Paul Williams and Joe Fernandez are both excellent but they are lacking at the TE spot.

5. Utah St - Much like Fresno State they return two very good wide receivers but they are lacking at the TE position.

6. New Mexico State - They return three of their top four WR's from last season but much like Nevada they lost their best WR (Dombrowksi) and they don't even have a TE do they?

7. La Tech - They return two of their top three WR's from last season as well as their starting TE but none of them had outstanding results last seaosn.

8. Idaho

9. SJSU

Offensive Line

1. Boise State - They return six players who started at least two games last season (Ryan Clady 10 games, Tad Miller 12 games, Jeff Cavender 12 games, Pete Cavender 9 games, Andrew Woodruff 3 games and Ryan Keating 2 games) and they have very experienced backups at four of the five OL spots.

2. Fresno State - They return four starters on their O line.

3. La Tech - They return three starters

5. Hawaii - They also return three starters

6. Idaho - They return four starters.......but is that good news?

7. SJSU - Same as Idaho

8. NMSU - Three O line starters return from last season.

9. Utah St - Only two O line starters return from last year.


Defensive Line

1. Boise St - Three of four DL starters return including the two-time winner of the Outstanding Defensive Lineman of the year award at Boise State, i.e., Andrew Browning (a former walk-on).

2. Fresno State - They also return three of four starters from last season but they lost arguably their best D lineman in Garrett McIntyre.

3. Hawai'i - They return all three starters on their D line.

4. Nevada - Two of three starters return for the Wolf Pack.

5. Utah State - Two of four starters return

6. New Mexico State - Two of three starters return.

7. Idaho - Two of four starters return

Tie for 8th and 9th. La Tech and San Jose State - They both have no starters returning on their D lines.


Linebackers

1. Fresno State - All three starters return

2. Boise St - Korey Hall and Colt Brooks are both excellent. Brooks is underrated as far as I'm concerned.

3. Hawaii

4. Nevada

5. Utah St

6. New Mexico State

7. San Jose State

8. La Tech

9. Idaho

Defensive Backs

1. Boise State

2. Fresno State

3. Nevada

4. Hawai'i

5. Idaho

6. Utah State

7. La Tech

8. NMSU

9. SJSU

I believe Tech will surprise people in two areas this year. I believe their DB's will surprise you. Our safety play is going to be very good IMO. We've got one guy with a great brain and one guy who's the most versatile athlete I've ever seen. Weldon Brown will be playing safety this year. He was recruited as a RB. We were loaded. We moved him to WR. This spring, we made him a safety. He can catch and he can hit. He will surprise you. Tech's LB's are gonna be just as stout this year as they were last year. And, b/w Freddie Franklin, Patrick Jackson, and William Griffin, Tech will have the best RB corp in the conference. Our QB could end up being anywhere from 2-9...it really is a question mark. Once this team gels, I think they could be hard to beat. The WR's are very talented and very deep. Hopefully we can find a guy to get them the ball.

I don't know much about everybody else...but, I gotta say that Colt Brennan looks as if he will be a monster. I hope he gets the flu when Tech comes to the island.

They may not have the single best back, but as a group, with the return of Byrd, they will have great combinations of power and speed.

I agree Bob. The La. Tech coaching staff has a knack for finding RB's.

They were superb last year....and they'll be even better this year.

QB

1. UNR
2. HAW
3. BSU
4. NMSU


RB
1. La. Tech
2. Boise
3. SJSU
4. FREZ
5 UNR


WR

1. Hawaii
2. Boise
3. SJSU
4. UNR
5. USU

looks like NEVADA is going to be pretty good this yr, aint it funny TULSA leaves the wac and now they are doing great, and now NEVADA is doing great in the wac, interesting to see how the MINERS would of done the last yr and this yr, MINERS are loaded this yr, to bad our only challege from the wac is nmsu, which is a low tier wac team. goodluck to the wac,
hope you do well against the mwc they are too cocky.

Tech is getting the shaft in WR/TE votes here. Our backup tightend was honorable mention freshman All American. We have a big 6-5 wr with track star speed and great hands along with one of the fastest guys in the WAC as another reciever who catches bullets (if he can just learn to catch the easy passes). Not to mention we signed a FREAK who could be starting for us at D-end because of his size but has the speed and the hands to be a playmaker reciever. With that said runningback and linebacker once again looks to be Tech's strong point.

Juice752 Wrote:Tech is getting the shaft in WR/TE votes here. Our backup tightend was honorable mention freshman All American. We have a big 6-5 wr with track star speed and great hands along with one of the fastest guys in the WAC as another reciever who catches bullets (if he can just learn to catch the easy passes). Not to mention we signed a FREAK who could be starting for us at D-end because of his size but has the speed and the hands to be a playmaker reciever. With that said runningback and linebacker once again looks to be Tech's strong point.

I might could understand some of the thought behind the low WR votes, but Newman caught 8 TD's last year. I guess the low votes on LB are because we had two great ones depart. I look for Brannon Jackson to be one of the biggest hitters in the league and thus one of the best MLB's. I'm lovin' all this football talk though.

johnnylightnin Wrote:

Juice752 Wrote:Tech is getting the shaft in WR/TE votes here. Our backup tightend was honorable mention freshman All American. We have a big 6-5 wr with track star speed and great hands along with one of the fastest guys in the WAC as another reciever who catches bullets (if he can just learn to catch the easy passes). Not to mention we signed a FREAK who could be starting for us at D-end because of his size but has the speed and the hands to be a playmaker reciever. With that said runningback and linebacker once again looks to be Tech's strong point.

I might could understand some of the thought behind the low WR votes, but Newman caught 8 TD's last year. I guess the low votes on LB are because we had two great ones depart. I look for Brannon Jackson to be one of the biggest hitters in the league and thus one of the best MLB's. I'm lovin' all this football talk though.

Newman caught 8 touchdowns and he is our most under-rated reciever. Wheeler and Holland get the glory because Wheeler's size and Holland's speed. The lowest Tech's recievers should rank is 4.

I think La. Tech is getting short changed on the receiving end because everybody knows that your RB's were young...but arguably the best group of RB's in the WAC.

Tech is becoming known as RB U. Especially since you recruited another top RB in this year's class.

jediwarrior Wrote:I think La. Tech is getting short changed on the receiving end because everybody knows that your RB's were young...but arguably the best group of RB's in the WAC.

Tech is becoming known as RB U. Especially since you recruited another top RB in this year's class.

Interestingly enough, CFN rated our Recievers ahead of our running backs.