WAC Preview and Prediction
By Michael Schneid
PROJECTED WAC STANDINGS
Realignment News:
In 2013:
Boise State left in 2010
UTSA and Texas State are both new to the conference and to FBS and will likely finish in 6th and 7th in their only years with the WAC. Despite having veteran coaches, both teams lack the talent to compete with Louisiana Tech and the rest of the teams.
AWARDS:
Offensive Player of the Year: Colby Cameron, QB, Louisiana Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Johnson, DE, San Jose State
Coach of the Year: Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech
Notable Non-Conference Games:
Louisiana Tech vs. Texas A&M (8/30)
Utah State @ Wisconsin (9/15)
San Jose State @ Stanford (9/1)
New Mexico State @ Ohio (9/8)
Idaho @ LSU (9/15)
Texas State vs. Texas Tech (9/8)
UTSA @ Rice (10/13)
Team Analysis:
Louisiana Tech won the WAC in 2011, when the conference still included Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada. Now, with the conference down to seven teams, Louisiana Tech should have an even easier path to the title. The Bulldogs were 8-5 year last year, including 6-1 in conference, behind second year head coach Sonny Dykes. Dykes was hired in 2010 after spending three years as Arizona's offensive coordinator and six years with Texas Tech before that. He brings his fast pace, spread style to Ruston, Louisiana for year three.
Senior Colby Cameron is the expected starter at QB, where Nick Isham began last season but transferred to Arizona. Dykes feels Cameron is very well developed and he had 13 TD, 3 INT in 2011 on 118-215 passing.
Cameron's top weapon, Quinton Patton returns at WR. Patton caught 79 passes for 1,202 yards, 9 TDs in 2011. If Cameron and Patton can maintain their chemistry and momentum from the end of last season, the Bulldogs will run away with the WAC. The Bulldogs won their last four games with Cameron starting before losing in the Poinsettia Bowl to TCU.
Utah State will give Louisiana Tech a hard time. The Aggies finished 6th in the nation in rushing a year ago, but both top runners - Robert Turbin and Michael Smith - are gone. Utah State went 7-6 last year and made their first bowl game in 14 years in 2011 and will hope to continue to build on that momentum and return to a bowl and finish over .500 in consecutive seasons. The Aggies are one of the top threats to Louisiana Tech and travel to Joe Aillet Stadium on November 17th in a game that could determine the conference champion.
While Utah State replaces their strong running game, San Jose State must replace their strong passing game. Matt Faulkner graduates after setting a SJSU record with 3,149 passing yards in 2011. Faulkner is expected to be replaced by junior David Fales. The Spartans are led by their defense and Defensive End Travis Johnson. The last few years the defense has struggled with injuries and youth but now that youth has turned into experience and SJ State's defense features five returning starters.
New Mexico State has not gone to a bowl game in 52 years. Andrew Manley started the first three games last season as a freshmen, before tearing his ACL. He completed nearly 57% of his passes and had a 2:1 TD:INT ratio in those three games while also averaging 297.3 ypg. If Manley is healthy and can play for 12 games like he did for three, the Aggies may have a chance to approach .500.
Idaho has three new starters on the offensive line, a new QB, and a new RB plus a new offensive coordinator. The Vandals finished 107th in ppg, 102nd in rushing yards and 88th in passing yards in 2011. With so many new pieces it is hard to see how the Vandals will be able to improve on a 2-10 season in 2011. They should win more games, because the WAC is much weaker but they still won't be able to compete with Louisiana Tech near the top.
PROJECTED WAC STANDINGS
- Louisiana Tech
- Utah State
- San Jose State
- New Mexico State
- Idaho
- UTSA
- Texas State
Realignment News:
In 2013:
- Louisiana Tech and UTSA will join Conference USA.
- San Jose State and Utah State will join the Mountain West Conference.
- Texas State will join the Sun Belt Conference.
Boise State left in 2010
UTSA and Texas State are both new to the conference and to FBS and will likely finish in 6th and 7th in their only years with the WAC. Despite having veteran coaches, both teams lack the talent to compete with Louisiana Tech and the rest of the teams.
AWARDS:
Offensive Player of the Year: Colby Cameron, QB, Louisiana Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Johnson, DE, San Jose State
Coach of the Year: Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech
Notable Non-Conference Games:
Louisiana Tech vs. Texas A&M (8/30)
Utah State @ Wisconsin (9/15)
San Jose State @ Stanford (9/1)
New Mexico State @ Ohio (9/8)
Idaho @ LSU (9/15)
Texas State vs. Texas Tech (9/8)
UTSA @ Rice (10/13)
Team Analysis:
Louisiana Tech won the WAC in 2011, when the conference still included Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada. Now, with the conference down to seven teams, Louisiana Tech should have an even easier path to the title. The Bulldogs were 8-5 year last year, including 6-1 in conference, behind second year head coach Sonny Dykes. Dykes was hired in 2010 after spending three years as Arizona's offensive coordinator and six years with Texas Tech before that. He brings his fast pace, spread style to Ruston, Louisiana for year three.
Senior Colby Cameron is the expected starter at QB, where Nick Isham began last season but transferred to Arizona. Dykes feels Cameron is very well developed and he had 13 TD, 3 INT in 2011 on 118-215 passing.
Cameron's top weapon, Quinton Patton returns at WR. Patton caught 79 passes for 1,202 yards, 9 TDs in 2011. If Cameron and Patton can maintain their chemistry and momentum from the end of last season, the Bulldogs will run away with the WAC. The Bulldogs won their last four games with Cameron starting before losing in the Poinsettia Bowl to TCU.
Utah State will give Louisiana Tech a hard time. The Aggies finished 6th in the nation in rushing a year ago, but both top runners - Robert Turbin and Michael Smith - are gone. Utah State went 7-6 last year and made their first bowl game in 14 years in 2011 and will hope to continue to build on that momentum and return to a bowl and finish over .500 in consecutive seasons. The Aggies are one of the top threats to Louisiana Tech and travel to Joe Aillet Stadium on November 17th in a game that could determine the conference champion.
While Utah State replaces their strong running game, San Jose State must replace their strong passing game. Matt Faulkner graduates after setting a SJSU record with 3,149 passing yards in 2011. Faulkner is expected to be replaced by junior David Fales. The Spartans are led by their defense and Defensive End Travis Johnson. The last few years the defense has struggled with injuries and youth but now that youth has turned into experience and SJ State's defense features five returning starters.
New Mexico State has not gone to a bowl game in 52 years. Andrew Manley started the first three games last season as a freshmen, before tearing his ACL. He completed nearly 57% of his passes and had a 2:1 TD:INT ratio in those three games while also averaging 297.3 ypg. If Manley is healthy and can play for 12 games like he did for three, the Aggies may have a chance to approach .500.
Idaho has three new starters on the offensive line, a new QB, and a new RB plus a new offensive coordinator. The Vandals finished 107th in ppg, 102nd in rushing yards and 88th in passing yards in 2011. With so many new pieces it is hard to see how the Vandals will be able to improve on a 2-10 season in 2011. They should win more games, because the WAC is much weaker but they still won't be able to compete with Louisiana Tech near the top.
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