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| 2005 CUSA FOOTBALL PREVIEW | |
| powered by GREATSEATS.COM | |
| July 28, 2005 | |
| Jonathan, SCS.com Editor | Contact Jonathan |
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| PREVIEW HOME | PREVIEW FAQ |
| PROJECTED STANDINGS | TEAM PREVIEWS |
| CAN'T MISS GAMES | ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM |
| TEAM | CUSA | OVERALL |
| EAST | ||
| Southern Miss | 7-1 | 8-3 |
| UAB | 5-3 | 7-4 |
| Memphis | 5-3 | 6-5 |
| Marshall | 3-5 | 4-7 |
| UCF | 2-6 | 3-8 |
| East Carolina | 2-6 | 2-9 |
| WEST | ||
| UTEP | 6-2 | 9-2 |
| Houston | 6-2 | 7-4 |
| Tulane | 4-4 | 6-5 |
| Rice | 3-5 | 3-8 |
| Tulsa | 3-5 | 3-8 |
| SMU | 2-6 | 2-9 |
SOUTHERN MISS
Last Season: 7-5 / 5-3
Starters Returning: 6 offense, 7 defense
Projected wins: Tulane, McNeese, at ECU, Tulsa, UCF, MEM
Projected losses: at ALA
Toss-Ups: at HOU, at UAB, at NCSU, at MAR
PROJECTED RECORD: 8-3 / 7-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Eagles lost a large chunk of last year's defense but still look to be the most balanced team on the East side of CUSA. USM avoids West favorite UTEP and gets East rival Memphis at home.
UTEP
Last Season: 8-4 / 5-2
Starters Returning: 6 offense, 5 defense
Projected wins: at NMSU, NM, at Tulane, MAR, at Rice, Tulsa, TXSOU, at SMU
Projected losses: (none)
Toss-Ups: HOU, at MEM, UAB
PROJECTED RECORD: 9-2 / 6-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Miners finished their WAC stint on a good note with a 5-2 league finish a year ago. QB Jordan Palmer is an emerging star, and UTEP should continue to flourish under the guidance of Mike Price.
HOUSTON
Last Season: 3-8 / 3-5
Starters Returning: 8 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: SHSU, at Tulsa, at Tulane, at UCF, SMU, Rice
Projected losses: OR, at MSU
Toss-Ups: at UTEP, USM, MEM
PROJECTED RECORD: 7-4 / 6-2
BOTTOM LINE: After going bowling in 2003, the Cougars went just 3-8 a year ago. QB Kevin Kolb was disappointing in 2004, but if he returns to freshman form this fall, UH will be near the top of the league standings.
UAB
Last Season: 7-5 / 5-3
Starters Returning: 8 offense, 7 defense
Projected wins: at Troy, JSU, Rice, SMU, UCF, at ECU
Projected losses: at TN
Toss-Ups: at MAR, USM, at MEM, at UTEP
PROJECTED RECORD: 7-4 / 5-3
BOTTOM LINE: QB Darrell Hackney is one of the nation's top players at his position. Fifteen starters who went bowling in 2004 return, but unfortunately for Hackney, star WR Roddy White is not one of them.
MEMPHIS
Last Season: 8-4 / 5-3
Starters Returning: 5 offense, 7 defense
Projected wins: CHAT, at Tulsa, at UCF, ECU, MAR
Projected losses: at TN, at USM
Toss-Ups: MISS, UTEP, at HOU, UAB
PROJECTED RECORD: 6-5 / 5-3
BOTTOM LINE: Without question, the key to the Tigers' success will be the health of star RB DeAngelo Williams. The two-time CUSA Offensive POTY will have a larger load on his shoulders with QB Danny Wimprine gone.
TULANE
Last Season: 5-6 / 3-5
Starters Returning: 8 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: at SMU, SELA, MAR, at Rice, Tulsa
Projected losses: at USM, HOU, UTEP
Toss-Ups: MSU, at UCF, at Navy
PROJECTED RECORD: 6-5 / 4-4
BOTTOM LINE: Tulane has missed out on postseason play for two straight years but returns sixteen starters in 2005. The Green Wave's schedule is very favorable, meaning 6 wins should be achievable for this year's squad.
MARSHALL
Last Season: 4-7 / 3-5
Starters Returning: 3 offense, 3 defense
Projected wins: W&M, SMU, ECU
Projected losses: KSU, at VT, UAB, at UTEP, USM, at MEM
Toss-Ups: at UCF, at Tulane
PROJECTED RECORD: 4-7 / 3-5
BOTTOM LINE: After dominating the MAC for several seasons, the Herd fell back in the pack in recent years. A move to CUSA won't make their title hopes any brighter, especially with just a half-dozen returning starters.
RICE
Last Season: 3-8 / 2-6
Starters Returning: 3 offense, 7 defense
Projected wins: UCF
Projected losses: at UCLA, at TX, at UAB, UTEP, at HOU
Toss-Ups: Navy, at ECU, Tulsa, at SMU, Tulane
PROJECTED RECORD: 3-8 / 3-5
BOTTOM LINE: The Owls hope a league change will provide a spark to the football program that led the nation in rushing a year ago. That team, however, won just three games, and only ten starters are back for 2005.
TULSA
Last Season: 4-8 / 3-5
Starters Returning: 5 offense, 7 defense
Projected wins: SMU, ECU
Projected losses: MINN, at OU, at NTX, MEM, HOU, at USM, at UTEP
Toss-Ups: at Rice, at Tulane
PROJECTED RECORD: 3-8 / 3-5
BOTTOM LINE: After a highly-successful 2003 season that ended with a bowl appearance, Tulsa won just four games a season ago. The Hurricane's Ashlan Davis is one of the premier kick returners in America.
UCF
Last Season: 0-11 / 0-8
Starters Returning: 8 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: (none)
Projected losses: at SC, MEM, at USM, HOU, at UAB
Toss-Ups: at USF, MAR, at ULL, Tulane, at ECU, at Rice
PROJECTED RECORD: 3-8 / 2-6
BOTTOM LINE: Coach George O'Leary couldn't have gotten off to a worse start; his first-year squad failed to win a game in 2004. Sixteen starters return from a year ago, but UCF's all-time leading RB must be replaced.
EAST CAROLINA
Last Season: 2-9 / 2-6
Starters Returning: 7 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: (none)
Projected losses: at WF, at WVU, USM, at MEM, UAB
Toss-Ups: Duke, Rice, at SMU, UCF, at Tulsa, at MAR
PROJECTED RECORD: 2-9 / 2-6
BOTTOM LINE: Skip Holtz takes over the controls at East Carolina and will attempt to fare better than predecessor John Thompson. Last year's squad won just a pair of games; doubling that would be great success in 2005.
SMU
Last Season: 3-8 / 3-5
Starters Returning: 11 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: ECU
Projected losses: TCU, at TAMU, at UAB, at HOU, UTEP
Toss-Ups: BAY, Tulane, at MAR, at Tulsa, Rice
PROJECTED RECORD: 2-9 / 2-6
BOTTOM LINE: Coach Phil Bennett has won just six games in three years, which means it's about time to get something done. No excuses this year as nineteen starters, including all eleven on offense, return from 2004.
| Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Tickets | Nokia Sugar Bowl Tickets | Rose Bowl Tickets |
| October 21 | Southern Miss at UAB |
| November 19 | UAB at UTEP |
| September 24 | Southern Miss at Houston |
| November 19 | Memphis at Southern Miss |
| September 16 | Houston at UTEP |
| OFFENSE | |||
| OL | Matt Batusic | SR | UAB |
| OL | Travis Cooley | JR | Southern Miss |
| OL | Toby Bullock | SR | Marshall |
| OL | Jeff Perrett | JR | Tulsa |
| OL | George Batiste | JR | Southern Miss |
| RB | DeAngelo Williams | SR | Memphis |
| RB | Uril Parrish | SR | Tulsa |
| WR | Vincent Marshall | SR | Houston |
| WR | Jayson Boyd | SR | UTEP |
| TE | Garrett Mills | SR | Tulsa |
| QB | Darrell Hackney | SR | UAB |
| DEFENSE | |||
| DL | Larry McSwain | JR | UAB |
| DL | Marcus West | SR | Memphis |
| DL | Chris Mineo | SR | UTEP |
| DL | John Syptak | SR | Rice |
| LB | Anthony Cannon | SR | Tulane |
| LB | Chris Moore | SR | East Carolina |
| LB | Thomas Howard | SR | UTEP |
| DB | John Eubanks | SR | Southern Miss |
| DB | Curtis Keyes | SR | Marshall |
| DB | Wesley Smith | SR | Memphis |
| DB | Chris Royal | SR | Marshall |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | |||
| K | Stephen Gostkowski | SR | Memphis |
| P | Chris Beckman | JR | Tulane |
| AP | Ashlan Davis | SR | Tulsa |
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Photos Courtesy: theindependent.com, uabsports.com, utep.edu, memphis.edu, starbulletin.com, herald-dispatch.com, smumustangs.com, ucfathletics.com, ecupirates.com, ricefootball.net, tulanegreenwave.com
