PSU, NAU, SUU, UCD: Why?

[weberwildcat]

Just read the 7 page thread about Big Sky predictions...

1. Why are most hot on Portland St being good (finishing top 5)?

2. Why do most have Northern Ariz as near the bottom? Did something happen?

3. Southern UT as far as I know still has that same QB so I would assume they should be a lock for top 6, no?

4. Most have Davis near the bottom. Are they expected to be really horrible?

[clenz]

Not a big sky fan...but I'll guess

1. Why are most hot on Portland St being good (finishing top 5)?
- Not sure...apparently lost 7 starters on D and QB...maybe it has more to do with the bottom of the Big Sky than the quality of PSU?

2. Why do most have Northern Ariz as near the bottom? Did something happen?
- NAU always seems to finish at 4-6 wins...this year that could put them towards the bottom?

3. Southern UT as far as I know still has that same QB so I would assume they should be a lock for top 6, no?
- I don't know what they have on D. As good as their QB is I was not impressed with what I saw on their trip to UNI last year. Could be very good or bad.


4. Most have Davis near the bottom. Are they expected to be really horrible?
- Davis hasn't been that good in the Big West. Staring with last year their wins by season going back goes 4, 6, 6, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6....having to step up in competition likely won't help.

[frinq]

I wouldn't say the line is hot on PSU (look at Mvem's predictions). But yes, it's reasonable to see them in the middle somewhere. Coach Burton introduced the Pistol offense last year (does anyone else in the Big Sky use it?) and it worked (7-4 isn't bad). We'll use it again, though we won't concentrate so thoroughly as last year on the run. Much is made of losing QB Kavanaugh and RB McCaffrey. So we'll have a different version of the Pistol. So? We'll have a different QB with different strengths (look up Ramirez). The O line is intact from last year, and the D line has been rebuilt well. The LBs are intact. The safeties look fine. On the whole I'd say that 7-4 again is perfectly possible. But God forbid that I predict it. If on the other hand you think losing Kavanaugh and McCaffrey will destroy the team, feel free to think so.

[89Hen]

2. Why do most have Northern Ariz as near the bottom? Did something happen?

Several folks around here have them winning the Fiesta Bowl this year.

[Brock Landers]

Just read the 7 page thread about Big Sky predictions...

1. Why are most hot on Portland St being good (finishing top 5)?

2. Why do most have Northern Ariz as near the bottom? Did something happen?

3. Southern UT as far as I know still has that same QB so I would assume they should be a lock for top 6, no?

4. Most have Davis near the bottom. Are they expected to be really horrible?

1. Burton + Pistol

2. Perpetual mediocrity

3. Perpetual mediocrity

4. Perpetual mediocrity

[JackParty]

In some case the past dictates the future as in "history repeats itself" so the perpetual mediocrity comment has some merit. It's hard to change a culture but it is possible and probable with NAU.

Reliable, experienced QB with great accuracy.
Best Running Back in Zach Bauhman
'Best Rushing Offense - add Covaugn DeBoskie from Cal and a converted top WR burner Shanks to tailback coupled with a monster blocking TE with good hands and a great blocking FB.
New Coaches that have made an impact on both sides of the ball
New AD, great facilities - top training facility in the NFL - sold more season tickets this year than any year for the SkyDome.
Changes in the program - There is a new attitude. Players have said it is the best camp they have ever had.
Top LB who injury redshirted at SAM. 6'1" 235. Played as a freshman at Portland State - tranfered to ASU and had a knee injury in spring ball. Bounced back to NAU. Look up the Offense-Defense ALL American Game - he was the West's leading tackler against a ton of talent.
Deep and talented at the corners with another FBS transfer.
Hungry DE from Boise who will do some damage in the Big Sky

I could go on....but I will let their play do the talking. The BS stops when the games begin.

[kemajic]

Just read the 7 page thread about Big Sky predictions...

1. Why are most hot on Portland St being good (finishing top 5)?

2. Why do most have Northern Ariz as near the bottom? Did something happen?

3. Southern UT as far as I know still has that same QB so I would assume they should be a lock for top 6, no?

4. Most have Davis near the bottom. Are they expected to be really horrible?

1. Burton + Pistol

2. Perpetual mediocrity

3. Perpetual mediocrity

4. Perpetual mediocrity

Actually SUU advanced to mediocrity; it was formerly pathetic.

[SUUTbird]

1. Burton + Pistol

2. Perpetual mediocrity

3. Perpetual mediocrity

4. Perpetual mediocrity

Actually SUU advanced to mediocrity; it was formerly pathetic.

Thank Ed Lamb for that, glad to have fought our way out of the cellar, expect to be an upper team in the Big Sky this season. Were not exactly stepping up the competition that much since we played alot of you guys over the years and did rather well

[Mike Johnson]

Duplicate

[Mike Johnson]

Actually SUU advanced to mediocrity; it was formerly pathetic.

Amazing what happens after they were able to pretty much fully fund their scholarships. They were forced reclassify football from Division II to I-AA (they were I in all sports but football) many years ago and for a very long time they effectively tried and failed to compete in FCS with a program funded at the Division II level. Only recently did they get their scholarships up to where they could be a count program for FBS teams. The quality of players has improved. The coaching staff is the best they ever had (although Gary Andersen might contest that statement--but he gets to host his old team to start the season). Ed Lamb has the highest winning percentage of SUU coaches since they moved from Division II. Things are definitely looking up for them.

They have made huge strides--there is no doubt about that. We'll see where they stack up in the enlarged Big Sky this year. To have the conference pre-season pick for most valuable offensive player as well as players on both the offensive and defensive line picked to the all conference team isn't bad. I am sure other teams did better.

While I would love to see them contend for the title, I suspect they will struggle to win all the big games that would require. I suspect they will be more of spoiler than a contender. They are a team that no team in the Big Sky should over look. Then again, I think there are a lot of teams in the Big Sky one cannot overlook.

[mtjack]

Coach Burton introduced the Pistol offense last year (does anyone else in the Big Sky use it?) and it worked (7-4 isn't bad).

I watched Perry (Gilbert, AZ) HIgh School's game last Friday and talked to two of their coaches about them using the pistol offense. They said they learned the offense at a U Nevada-Reno camp but were familiar that PSU ran it as well. The "pistol" is fun to watch and I bet kids enjoy playing in a run and gun offense.

Replacing Kavanaugh (spelling?) and McCaffrey will be tough but Burton seems to have been able to recruit some good athletes to PSU.

[frinq]

Kavanaugh (your spelling's fine) will be missed: he was an excellent running QB. However, he was only average at passing. Finding a QB that can do both is the trick. Burton did in fact recruit a couple very good QB freshmen, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them didn't see some time. We also have a good sophomore, who may well start (Burton holds his cards to his chest and won't anounce until game time.) We also have a transfer who's an outstanding passer, but his running's suspect. Carroll College, no pushover but probably a solid win, will give us the chance to see at least two of the quarterbacks; by the second week it should be settled.

As for McCaffrey, there's quite a story there. He came out of a small school in the eastern part of the state (high desert) with a state-wide reputation as a runner. Glanville, coach at the time, instead had him penciled in as a WR and he languished as such for two years until Burton and his Pistol took over and immediately put him back in as a RB. The rest is history. We have a couple runners to replace him.