Filling the biggest shoes

Sporting News, The, Sept 2, 2005 by Steve Greenberg

BIG 12 Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma. There's this guy named Jason White. Blond, goes about 6-2, threw the ball around a little for the Sooners, hung around for six years, played in a couple of BCS title games, won a Heisman. Ring a bell? It's a new era in OU football, and it will be defined largely by the performance of ... well, running back Adrian Peterson. And also by Bomar, a 6-4 redshirt freshman who came to Norman from Texas as one of the top recruits in America yet is deep in the shadow of a kid widely considered the best college running back since Herschel Walker. It's probably worth acknowledging the possibility that Bomar won't be the starter; junior Paul Thompson also is in the race. In fact, both are listed atop the depth chart, along with sophomore Tommy Grady (who isn't even practicing), according to the school's website. That, friends, is a bunch of baloney. Though Thompson's experience makes him attractive, Bomar has gifts that don't come around often, even for a coach as spoiled as Bob Stoops. Bomar, frankly, has gifts White never had.

SEC Les Miles, LSU. Nick Saban built this program into a monster in five seasons, taking the Tigers to the BCS championship two years ago. But ask Florida fans how quickly things can go bad. Ask Alabama fans. Keeping the Tigers at an elite level for even one season is no sure thing for Miles, who will be under immense pressure to reach the SEC title game with a roster that is loaded with talent. LSU--with a cake road schedule that includes Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Mississippi--likely will be favored in every regular-season game but must break in a new starting quarterback. Miles was an underdog at Oklahoma State, and there's a lot to be said for that. In Baton Rouge, there's nowhere to go but down.

MOUNTAIN WEST Brian Johnson, Utah. Talk about a player who's up against it. Johnson (6-2, 203) not only must pick up where Alex Smith--the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft--left off, he must do it without the leading rusher and top two receivers from last year's undefeated Utes--and without Urban Meyer. Under new coach Kyle Whittingham, the Utes will face an angry conference bent on revenge; their narrowest win last season was by 14 points. Enough preamble: Is Johnson any good? Absolutely. He played in 10 games last season and had a pass-efficiency rating of 129.7 during Utah's run that included a victory in the Fiesta Bowl. That doesn't make the 18-year-old sophomore a future NFL first-rounder, but it's reason enough to buy into Johnson's future.

ACC Sergio Gilliam and Chansi Stuckey, Clemson. It takes two to replace Justin Miller--Gilliam at cornerback, Stuckey as the primary return threat. Clemson can't trust its offense, so the defense and special teams again will be asked to hold off a collapse.

BIG EAST Dave Wannstedt, Pitt. A city school such as Pitt has no guarantees of being able to stay competitive on a national level. If Wanny fails to win a league championship at his alma mater, this will be his last stop before it's back to Coordinatorville for good.

BIG TEN Joe Monty, Wisconsin. The key to the Badgers' league-leading defense last season was the line's ability to pressure the quarterback without blitz support. That luxury will be compromised with four new starters unless Monty, a speed-rushing end, goes sack crazy.

C-USA Gerald McRath, Southern Miss. Coaches rave about McRath, a redshirt freshman who lacks size (he's 6-2, 210) but is fast and has battled back from a shoulder injury. He'll replace standout strongside linebacker Michael Boley, who was C-USA's version of Ray Lewis.

MAC Shane Montgomery, Miami (Ohio). This is the Cradle of Coaches-if you don't make a name for yourself here ... well, Montgomery doesn't have time to think about that. The MAC keeps getting stronger, and this is a big year for the RedHawks to prove they can hang with Bowling Green.

PAC-10 Joseph Ayoob, Cal. What's expected of a Jeff Tedford quarterback? Extreme efficiency and, eventually, a spot in the first round of the draft. Ayoob has two years of junior college training--not necessarily a bad thing, but he might have a few bad habits that will need breaking.

SUN BELT Jamario Thomas and Patrick Cobbs, North Texas. The nation's leading rushers in 2004 (Thomas) and 2003 (Cobbs) will have to share the load now that Cobbs' knee is healthy. Will each be able to play at an elite level despite not being The Man?

WAC Freddie Franklin and Mark Dillard, Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs simply don't throw the ball well, so a pair of sophomores must run in the shoes of Ryan Moats, one of the nation's leading rushers last season. Franklin is a home run threat, but Dillard packs more of a punch.