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Sidelines Kalani Simpson |
July means Hawaii
is the team to beatTHE 2003 WAC Football Media Preseason Poll is due. Incidentally, so is today's column.
Here's to efficiency:
1) Hawaii. Yes, I know. I'm a notorious homer. But this should be the year, if UH can get through an early road swing at USC and Vegas without injury of both physical and psychological nature. Experienced quarterback. Lots of quality receivers. A stacked defense. Rice, Fresno, Boise State all come here. Plus, the new unbeatable FieldTurf.
The biggest question mark may be the offensive line, which is relatively inexperienced and still unsettled. But we've all called line coach Mike Cavanaugh a genius. Now is when he proves it.
2) Fresno State. Here's the thing. Fresno looks loaded. Nine starters back on offense, including, after a year out, NFL prospect Bernard Berrian. Lots of talent on defense. The hunger of coming back from a year in which their championship dreams were dashed.
One problem. The Bulldogs open at Tennessee, Oregon State and Oklahoma in consecutive weeks. Like last season, they could be finished before they begin.
3) Boise State. Tough to put these guys third. Dan Hawkins looks like a good guy to bet on and quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie returns, even if eight other offensive starters don't. Boise rolled through the WAC last year on its way to 12 wins. They'll probably prove everyone wrong all over again.
Still, at Fresno. At UH.
4) Louisiana Tech. What happened to this formerly up-and-coming program? Last year it was bad luck with turnovers, and I don't think that will happen again. Tech has Luke McCown in his fourth year at quarterback, the conference's best kicker and a location that rivals Hawaii's as the Road Trip From Hell. I predict comeback.
5) Nevada. Nineteen returning starters from a team that wasn't bad? This may be low for them, which shows the WAC may not be so terrible next season after all. Thank goodness.
6) SMU. I like this coach. I think this program is going to get better. I think it'll get better as the season goes on.
7) San Jose State. This team showed life last year under Fitz Hill. Things were looking up. But the schedule (at Florida, at Stanford, at Nebraska, at Boise, at Fresno State) is going to get them.
8) Rice. Never underestimate Ken Hatfield. (Oops, I think I just did.)
9) UTEP. "At least we have some juniors now," coach Gary Nord said this spring.
10) Tulsa. Lord help us.
There. Is that everybody? No last-second expansion?
OK, good. Now. Cut these picks out. Crumple. Throw them in the rubbish can.
If anyone brings this up in November, I'm denying the whole thing.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com