CUSA Announces 2007 Preseason Football Poll

[ponydawg]

Houston and Southern Miss.......
Sanders was First Team Offense.....

http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/sports/m- ... 07aaf.html

[George S. Patton]

Pretty consistent with us being picked to finish third. That's fine.

Nice to Sanders and Morstead on the first team. Me loves a great punter who can influence field position.

[MustangIcon]

Players per school on the Pre-Season 1st Team CUSA list:

Houston- 5
So. Miss- 5
Rice- 3
SMU, Tulsa, ECU, Marshall, UCF, UAB- 2
UTEP, Memphis- 1
Tulane- 0

While I am not sure what to expect from JWill this season, it is very possible that he ends up being the 1st team QB when things are all said and done this year. Also found it interesting that UH's most dangerous player, Anthony Alridge, did not make the first team. I would think that is more of a result of the fact that he played KR/RB/WR last season and couldn't really be defined into a position. They will be relying on him much more at RB this season with Jackie Battle now gone. This kid is one of the most exciting players in the country, and by far the biggest game breaker in CUSA.

[PonyPride]

.... While I am not sure what to expect from JWill this season, it is very possible that he ends up being the 1st team QB when things are all said and done this year....

Couldn't agree with you more. Most of the mags I've read have Paul Smith (Tulsa) and in some cases even Chase Clement (Rice) ahead of Willis, and I can't disagree more. Smith is not a bad player, but he strikes me more as a player who will not lose games, rather than a player who will win games for TU. Clement, in my opinion, had great numbers last year (4-1 TD-INT) in part because Jarrett Dillard caught everything thrown up last year. If he gets injured or if teams scheme better to defend him, I've got to believe Clement reverts back to being an average-at-best QB.

The only QB in the other division who looks like he might be better is Mankins (Memphis), and he might have huge numbers since he has a veteran line coming back, no real running game to speak of and two enormous (6-4 and 6-8) to throw to this year.

[PhirePhilBennett]

Pretty consistent with us being picked to finish third. That's fine.

Nice to Sanders and Morstead on the first team. Me loves a great punter who can influence field position.

So, if EVERYONE's saying we should finish third, would YOU agree then that should PB finish LESS than 3rd, he should be fired?

[Corso]

If someone goes undefeated, another team loses once (to the first team) and we lose to both — and finish 10-2 — would you admit that he shouldn't?

Let the season play out. There are too many variables to start calling for Coach Bennett's job — again — in July.

[PhirePhilBennett]

If someone goes undefeated, another team loses once (to the first team) and we lose to both — and finish 10-2 — would you admit that he shouldn't?

Let the season play out. There are too many variables to start calling for Coach Bennett's job — again — in July.

Please show me the scenario where that could occur. So basically, you're saying that CUSA-West would have 3 Top 15 teams? I mean, if we are 10-2, we beat Tech, Tcu, so we're ranked, but yet WORSE than two team ahead of us...surely they would both have only 1 or 2 out of conference losses if they were THAT good.

So that'd be great. Three CUSA-West teams 10-2 or better. Awesome!! Not, go pull your head out.

[PhirePhilBennett]

I'm pretty consistent.

dude, didn't need to know that...

[PonyKai]

Isn't it just nice that every major publication hasn't unanimously picked us to finish dead last? Not saying that the streets are paved with gold again, but when other people (not just our cheerleaders) are saying we're improving I'll take it for now. You can torch Bennett after the season.

[PhirePhilBennett]

I should expect after 6 years of being the youngest team in the NCAA that eventually SMU would be better than lower-tier in a conference...

[PonyKai]

Take it we aren't looking very hard for any silver lining.