Rivals.com C-USA Breakdown
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:55 amhttp://collegefootball.rivals.com/conte ... ID=1249827
BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: SMU K Mike Loftus. Loftus, a redshirt freshman, is expected to be the Mustangs' kicker. SMU made just seven field-goal attempts last season, and in a division in which the top three are pretty evenly matched, it will help if a team can count on its kicker. Loftus is from Anaheim (Calif.) Servite and generally was considered one of the nation's top 10 kickers as a high school senior.
BEST STAFF: SMU. Everyone knows about June Jones and his love of the passing game, but he also hires good assistants, which is a big reason he was successful at Hawaii and is building a solid program at SMU. Defensive coordinator Tom Mason has done great work with what used to be a ghastly unit, offensive line coach Adrian Klemm is a recruiting demon and wide receiver coach Jeff Reinebold - who was the defensive line coach at Hawaii in 2006 and '07 - has done a solid job with his position group.
BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: SMU's Tom Mason. UCF's Dave Huxtable left to become Wisconsin's linebacker coach, so we'll go with Mason. Mason, who was Fresno State's linebacker coach when Jones hired him at SMU, doesn't get enough credit for the turnaround he has overseen. SMU was 40th nationally in total defense last season and allowed 352.9 yards per game. In 2007, that total was 498.7. Mason has presided over dramatic improvement - from 479.5 in '08 to 397.1 in '09 to last season. Mason runs a 3-4 set and blitzes frequently.
GAME OF THE YEAR: SMU at Houston, Nov. 19. We say it's an even-money bet that the West Division regular-season title will be on the line when these teams meet. Houston has won five in a row in the series, averaging 40.4 points during that streak.
WHO WINS THE LEAGUE?
Mike Huguenin: SMU
WHO WILL LEAD THE LEAGUE IN RUSHING?
Olin Buchanan: SMU RB Zach Line
Tom Dienhart: SMU RB Zach Line
David Fox: Tulane TB Orleans Darkwa
Mike Huguenin: SMU RB Zach Line
Steve Megargee: SMU RB Zach Line
WHICH SCHOOL HAS THE BEST-LOOKING UNIFORM?
Olin Buchanan: Tulane
Tom Dienhart: SMU
David Fox: SMU
Mike Huguenin: Tulsa
Steve Megargee: UCF
WHO WILL LEAD IN RECEPTIONS?
Olin Buchanan: SMU WR Cole Beasley
Tom Dienhart: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis
David Fox: SMU WR Cole Beasley
Mike Huguenin: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis
Steve Megargee: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis
BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: SMU K Mike Loftus. Loftus, a redshirt freshman, is expected to be the Mustangs' kicker. SMU made just seven field-goal attempts last season, and in a division in which the top three are pretty evenly matched, it will help if a team can count on its kicker. Loftus is from Anaheim (Calif.) Servite and generally was considered one of the nation's top 10 kickers as a high school senior.
BEST STAFF: SMU. Everyone knows about June Jones and his love of the passing game, but he also hires good assistants, which is a big reason he was successful at Hawaii and is building a solid program at SMU. Defensive coordinator Tom Mason has done great work with what used to be a ghastly unit, offensive line coach Adrian Klemm is a recruiting demon and wide receiver coach Jeff Reinebold - who was the defensive line coach at Hawaii in 2006 and '07 - has done a solid job with his position group.
BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: SMU's Tom Mason. UCF's Dave Huxtable left to become Wisconsin's linebacker coach, so we'll go with Mason. Mason, who was Fresno State's linebacker coach when Jones hired him at SMU, doesn't get enough credit for the turnaround he has overseen. SMU was 40th nationally in total defense last season and allowed 352.9 yards per game. In 2007, that total was 498.7. Mason has presided over dramatic improvement - from 479.5 in '08 to 397.1 in '09 to last season. Mason runs a 3-4 set and blitzes frequently.
GAME OF THE YEAR: SMU at Houston, Nov. 19. We say it's an even-money bet that the West Division regular-season title will be on the line when these teams meet. Houston has won five in a row in the series, averaging 40.4 points during that streak.
WHO WINS THE LEAGUE?
Mike Huguenin: SMU
WHO WILL LEAD THE LEAGUE IN RUSHING?
Olin Buchanan: SMU RB Zach Line
Tom Dienhart: SMU RB Zach Line
David Fox: Tulane TB Orleans Darkwa
Mike Huguenin: SMU RB Zach Line
Steve Megargee: SMU RB Zach Line
WHICH SCHOOL HAS THE BEST-LOOKING UNIFORM?
Olin Buchanan: Tulane
Tom Dienhart: SMU
David Fox: SMU
Mike Huguenin: Tulsa
Steve Megargee: UCF
WHO WILL LEAD IN RECEPTIONS?
Olin Buchanan: SMU WR Cole Beasley
Tom Dienhart: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis
David Fox: SMU WR Cole Beasley
Mike Huguenin: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis
Steve Megargee: East Carolina WR Lance Lewis