Unveiling Miner Rush's Inaugural Conference USA Power Rankings
by Adrian Mac on Aug 31, 2010 12:10 AM MDT
in UTEP Miners Football
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PrintI think most out there would agree that Houston and Central Florida enter 2010 as the favorites to win their respective divisions. Those schools have made steady improvements and while they both have their weaknesses (see Houston's defense) I think they deserve to be 1-2 right now.
I will say this, there is a very high level of parity in talent throughout the C-USA. UTEP, Tulsa, Houston, and SMU all have comparable talent with above average offenses and less than stellar defenses. Across the way, Southern Miss, East Carolina, and UCF all have comparable talent as well. The West, again, will be known for prolific offenses and the East will have better defenses and running games. Right now, before any games are played, here are Miner Rush's C-USA Power Rankings.
Agree? Disagree? Let me hear it.
#12: The Tulane Green Wave: Last year, Bob Toledo's bunch was one of the 2-3 worst teams in the nation. Ryan Griffin is going to keep Tulane in some games this year, but right now, the Wave earn the dubious #12 spot. With their early season schedule, they might be here a while (Ole Miss, Houston, Rutgers). Game 1: Thursday vs. Southeastern Louisiana
#11: The Memphis Tigers Lost in the Mail: Cannon Smith, the son of FedEx's Fred Smith, is the starting quarterback for Memphis this year. Can he deliver the Tigers a .500 record? With the Tigers schedule (MSU, Louisville, Tennessee) I'm thinking it's going to be another long season in Memphis. Game 1: Saturday at Mississippi St. Bulldogs #10: The UAB Blazers All Talk? David Isabelle won't be the reason the Blazers struggle in 2010. I think it will be their defense. Coach Neil Calloway has been talking a lot about bowl games and winning seasons and to me it's starting to come off like he's trying to trick himself into believing he's built a winner. Game 1: Thursday vs. Florida Atlantic Owls #9: The Rice Owls Tough Break: I think Sam McGuffie is going to make Rice really fun to watch this season. But, the Owls just lost Scott Solomon, their best defensive player, for the entire season. The C-USA West has too many good offenses this year for Rice to make a real move. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the Owls QB. Game 1: Saturday vs. The Texas Longhorns (ESPN, ESPN 3) #8: The Marshall Thundering Herd Tough Crowd: A new coach with no head coaching experience is always a gamble. That's not what concerns me the most about Marshall, it's their quarterback play. Brian Anderson is steady but not stellar and Holliday scared away Clemson transfer Willy Korn. Marshall opens up Thursday at the Horseshoe. Game 1: Thursday at Ohio St. Buckeyes #7: The Tulsa Golden Hurricane Not Defensive: Tulsa is one of four teams that can potentially win the West Division. G.J. Kinne is good, but is he any better than Case Keenum, Kyle Padron, or Trevor Vittatoe? Tulsa checks in behind the other West squads because the Hurricane have the weakest offensive line of the bunch and because their 3-3-5 scheme can't hold up with the spread offenses of the C-USA West. Game 1: Sunday at East Carolina Pirates (ESPN 2 & ESPN 3) #6: The UTEP Miners Something to Prove: The Miners check in at #6 because of the way they finished 2009. UTEP has an underrated offense and if the defense improves, even marginally, I think the Miners are a legit threat in the West. Game 1: Saturday vs. Arkansas- Pine Bluff #5: The Southern Miss. Golden Eagles National Stage: DeAndre Brown might be the most exciting player in all of the C-USA (I'll still take Donald Buckram). Southern Miss has become the trendy pick to win it all. We'll know how good they are on Thursday when they open up the college football season on ESPN. Game 1: Thursday at South Carolina Gamecocks (ESPN, ESPN 3) #4: The East Carolina Pirates Texas Tech East: Last year's C-USA Champions take a bit of a dive entering 2010. Skip Holtz and quarterback Patrick Pinkney are gone. The defense will be fine but who's the QB? Will it be Boston College transfer Dominique Davis or Sophomore Brad Wornick? One things for sure, with former Texas Tech coaches Ruffin McNeill and Lincoln Riley calling the shots, expect the Air Raid to give ECU a new look in 2010. Game 1: Sunday vs. Tulsa #3: The SMU Mustangs What's the Over?: I'm either going to be a genius or a fool, but I honestly think SMU will give Texas Tech a run for their money on Sunday at Jones Stadium in Lubbock. I'd take Kyle Padron over Taylor Potts any day. I'm not calling a win, but I think it will be a lot closer than people think. Game 1: Sunday at Texas Tech Red Raiders (ESPN, ESPN 3) #2: The Central Florida Knights Major Question: UCF has the leagues best defensive player in Bruce Miller. But, among the league's championship contenders they probably have the biggest question mark at quarterback. Can Rob Calabrese get it done? Game 1: Saturday vs. South Dakota #1: The Houston Cougars The Favorite: I have my doubts about the Cougars ability to win Conference USA because their defense might be the worst in the league. So why am I giving the Cougars the nod? Because just about everybody in the C-USA had a terrible defense last season. Houston's offensive firepower puts them at #1.. for now. Game 1: Saturday vs. Texas State
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Marshall
Everybody has a pre-season ranking, and I can live with a 7-6 team with a new coach being 8th in yours, as you have the Thundering Herd. But it is a bit of a reach and shows little work on the writer’s part to say, “Holliday scared away Clemson transfer Willy Korn,” as you did.
Korn was No. 4 on the depth chart from the start of his camp to the day he transferred to Div. II North Greenville (where, by the way, he is also not the starter). Good, smart kid whose arm has not come back to the strength he had prior to two surgeries at Clemson.
Brian Anderson threw for 2,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in an offense that was confused after running through the script and often just was told to “pick a side” to throw to as a game plan.
New co-coordinators Bill Legg (WVU/Marshall/Purdue) and Tony Petersen (Marshall/Minnesota/Iowa State) have given Anderson and the two freshmen at quarterback for the Herd more in six weeks of actual on-field instruction than Anderson received in his first four years. Anderson, too, has matured, been a team leader and was elected captain by his teammates.
Doc has these kids buying in to what they are preaching, which is fast-paced, fundamental football. Will they beat Ohio State and WVU in games one and two? Probably not, but they will play better. The defensive front is as good as any in C-USA, the spread offense is quick-hitting and if the offensive line stays healthy, watch out for the Herd from game three to 12.
Woody Woodrum
Senior Editor, Herd Insider Magazine
Sports Director, Kindred Communications
Host, College Football/Basketball Today and the Insider Sportsline
Huntington, W.Va.
I must admit..
I’m not an expert on Marshall football but I read, and post, a ton of news clippings on the Herd weekly. I think, moving a highly touted transfer quarterback from an ACC school to safety, and Korn’s very public responses against Holliday, could more than justify a statement that he “scared” him away. Korn didn’t leave there on good terms:
“"I went (Friday morning) and talked to the coaches. They spun it one way," Korn said. "The truth is I felt like I wasn’t getting as many reps as Brian (Anderson) and Eddie (Sullivan). I went in there and wanted to know what was going on because I felt like I was performing well. I only threw one pick through 10 practices, no matter what the drill was, one-on-one or seven-on-seven or whatever. I was taking care of the ball and making plays. They told me, ‘Well, we’re going with Brian and Eddie because they have stronger arms than you. I just thought that was amazing. I just thought that was amazing. I was completely shocked. They told me I was playing safety and I could help them on special teams. I was ready to pack my bags as soon as they told me that.”
I appreciate your insight on the new coordinators but I think anytime a team brings in a new staff there is going to be room for some growing pains- that’s a big reason why I had Marshall so low. I had to wonder, if they played Tulsa or UTEP tomorrow, who do I think would win? I honestly take both West schools right now. Of course- we haven’t seen anybody play yet but going in I think its fair to say that.
Yes, Anderson threw 14 touchdowns but he also threw 13 interceptions. He’s been steady but I don’t think many people outside Huntington expect him to turn into a prolific spread passer. You obviously know more about the Herd than I do- but from the outside looking in, it appears Marshall may take a step back from a bowl season.
Down the road, Holliday’s recruiting ties to Florida should pay off. He seems like a fiery guy but the verdict is still out on whether or not he will be a good head coach. I have to wonder about that because he was at WVU for all those years and then the Mountaineers passed him up when Rod left. I know they brought him in as an Associate Head Coach but I do wonder why he is barely now getting his first chance at a head coaching gig.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Houston's defense
will be nowhere near the worst in the conference.
by Dustin Rensink on Aug 31, 2010 12:33 PM MDT reply actions
Hey Dustin- UH's defense should be better with Stewart
But right now, I can’t agree that they “will be nowhere near the worst in the conference” because I have to take into account how they played last year. (111th in total defense, 115th in running defense). The Coogs were dead last in C-USA against the run. Will the new 3-4 change that? We’ll see, but going into the season I think their defense makes UH susceptible to possible upset bids by several C-USA squads.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
By the way- Great Job at SBNation Houston
Great to have more C-USA coverage on the network.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
It's a much more experienced group than last year
and that’s before you take into account the transfers of Matangi Tonga and Sammy Brown, two of the top JuCo players in the nation at their respective positions.
Also, keep in mind that it wasn’t an entirely untalented group last year. Held SMU to 15. Won the Texas Tech game. Sure, when it was bad, it was bad, but how many C-USA defenses were that good when they were good? Also, keep in mind that total yardage and point totals are going to be skewed because our offense causes there to be so many more possessions per game than most teams.
The defense has been outpacing the offense for much of the Spring and Fall. Even our Houston Chronicle beat writer, an alumnus of that school in Austin, and a very sober analyst, has been won over.
I’m not expecting to convince you. Just don’t say I didn’t tell you so.
And thanks, I’ve been enjoying writing there very much. Hope to get to meet you in a couple weeks.
by Dustin Rensink on Aug 31, 2010 2:42 PM MDT up reply actions
Ha
I’m not expecting to convince you. Just don’t say I didn’t tell you so.
Point very well taken. I am trying to be objective, really, with these rankings. I honestly think the talent levels among TU, UTEP, SMU, and UH are very close right now and whenever there’s that much parity its possible for upsets and insanity. The more I read up on the rest of the league, the harder I think it will be for UH to run the table. I’ll say this, if UH beats UTEP and UTEP has no chance at the West, I think some Miner fans will hope UH makes it to a BCS game for the good of the league (We just might not admit that out loud).
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
“I honestly think the talent levels among TU, UTEP, SMU, and UH are very close right now and whenever there’s that much parity its possible for upsets and insanity”
The way I see it, I don’t think any of those schools are measurably better than any of the others defensively. Offensively, I have to put Houston a notch about the rest. That’s no knock on the rest, I think the other three schools have very good offenses, but Houston’s is in a class all its own.
Let me put it this way. I can’t agree with the statement that the talent levels among those four schools is very close, because Houston’s going to blow some people out, but nobody in C-USA is going to blow out Houston. Will there be nail-biters, and the chance for upsets? Almost certainly. But I think UH is the class of the conference, and I don’t think it’s as close as you make it sound.
But, you know, that’s just like, my opinion, man.
by Dustin Rensink on Aug 31, 2010 4:04 PM MDT up reply actions
Oh and definitely lets meet up in Houston
I got the first round.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
The difference between Houston and UTEP's rush defense last year
was 0.08 yards per carry.
by Dustin Rensink on Aug 31, 2010 2:46 PM MDT up reply actions
I realize that
But I’m not saying UTEP is going to Win the C-USA. Houston is the favorite, no disputing that, and in my blog poll ballot I ranked them #17 in the country. If the Cougars don’t run the table, or win the league, it will probably be due to their struggles against the run. Someone will grind them to death and keep UH off the field. Just my pre-season guess.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
uh dee still has depth issues
I remember reading about a few dismissals from the team due to inelgibility, getting kicked off or just focusing on a degree. If uh can avoid the injury bug (with high octane west cusa offenses—good luck) then their dee will be improved and they will have a 2 loss season. But i dont i dont think that will happen. Defenses win championships and i dont see the new def coordinator making a difference if he has no depth. One more thing—your qb has avoided an injury so far. Is your backup ready to if/when this happens. Dont say i didnt tell you so…
btw, good job on your chron coog fan blog. I have to check out your new site.
by MinerManiax on Aug 31, 2010 4:07 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
Whoops, typo
What I was trying to say was…
We don’t use the i-word when it comes to Case Keenum. We don’t want to talk about it, don’t want to think about it. We’re closing our eyes, plugging our eyes, and humming aloud. In all seriousness, Houston does have a few options (the job would probably fall to junior Cotton Turner) that wouldn’t be horrible, but they wouldn’t be Case, either.
Most of the losses I can think of (A.J. Dugat, L.J. Castile, Jarve Dean, Charles Sims) have been on the offensive side of the ball. We did lose Zeke Riser, a starting DE from a year ago, due to injury, but the defense has been mostly spared.
Still, you are correct that the defense isn’t terribly deep. The silver lining of all the injuries from a year ago is that some the likes of Kelvin King and Phillip Steward and Kris Johnston were forced to play more minutes than they might have otherwise. On account of which, the number of experienced defensive players, while not ideal, is higher than it was a year ago, easily.
by Dustin Rensink on Aug 31, 2010 10:55 PM MDT up reply actions
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