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Sporting News, The, August 19, 2005
MATT HAYES' TAKES
OK, let's get this out of the way: There's no way UAB star QB Darrell Hackney is 240 pounds. (260?)There, I said it. I feel better now.... I love Memphis RB DeAngelo Williams, but two quick things: He is NOT a Heisman Trophy contender, and he might not be the best tailback in his own conference. Tyler Ebell, a UCLA transfer, will give an already strong UTEP offense more firepower in a loaded backfield.... Houston QB Kevin Kolb fell off the radar last year after a big freshman season because the Cougars' pass-blocking was horrible. Coach Art Briles (think Mike Leach) has retooled the line, and Kolb will have Houston pushing UTEP for the West Division title.... Former MAC members Marshall and Central Florida won't have much of an impact in Year 1. But Herd CB Chris Hawkins, a North Carolina transfer, will push Southern Miss CB John Eubanks for the claim of being the league's top cover corner.... Southern Miss has moved Trevis Coley from free safety to linebacker in an effort to shore up a unit that has been the foundation of the Golden Eagles' stature as a C-USA heavyweight. But Coley (6-2,216) is undersized, and the other starters (twin brother Kevis Coley and Gerald McRath) fall well below the talent standard of previous units.
UNIT
RANKINGS
OFFENSE
PROJECTED Wide
FINISH Backfield receivers Line Overall
East
1. UAB 2 4 1 2
2. Southern Miss 5 3 5 4
3. Memphis 4 7 10 7
4. Marshall 10 10 4 8
5. East Carolina 12 11 8 11
6. Central Florida 9 8 9 9
West
1. UTEP 3 1 2 1
2. Houston 1 2 6 3
3. Tulane 6 5 3 5
4. Rice 8 12 12 12
5. Tulsa 7 6 7 6
6. SMU 11 9 11 10
DEFENSE
PROJECTED Defensive
FINISH Line Linebackers backs Overall
East 1 10 10 6
1. UAB 3 11 1 3
2. Southern Miss 1 1 3 1
3. Memphis 2 12 4 8
4. Marshall 7 5 8 10
5. East Carolina 12 7 9 12
6. Central Florida 9
West
1. UTEP 4 6 2 2
2. Houston 6 2 6 4
3. Tulane 10 8 5 7
4. Rice 8 4 12 9
5. Tulsa 5 9 11 11
6. SMU 11 3 7 5
PROJECTED Special Schedule
FINISH teams Coaching strength
East
1. UAB 6 5 9
2. Southern Miss 1 2 1
3. Memphis 9 3 4
4. Marshall 7 12 8
5. East Carolina 3 10 7
6. Central Florida 11 4 10
West
1. UTEP 4 1 12
2. Houston 12 8 6
3. Tulane 5 7 11
4. Rice 2 6 3
5. Tulsa 8 9 2
6. SMU 10 11 5
COPYRIGHT 2005 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
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