Desert Sapper
3/2/2006, 08:38 AM
I took CFN's Spring outlooks for each of OU's 2006 opponents and put them in this one location (in the order we play them) for convenience.
UAB
The big spring question is ... Can UAB figure out how to win all the games it's supposed to? There were wins over UTEP and Memphis last year, but there was also a stunning loss to SMU along with the bowl-eligibility killing loss to East Carolina to close out the regular season. There won't be heart-and-soul QB Darrell Hackney to count on anymore, so it'll be up to the veterans to provide some stability and consistency throughout the season. That means new leaders have to emerge this spring.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive tackle. Along with seeing if Chris Williams can take Hackney's place at quarterback, the Blazers have to find replacements for Sam Williamson and Ernest Respress on the defensive interior. They were the key cogs in the run defense, and now Sam Kendrick and Clarence Respress have to take over.
Spring attitude... Win the East. Even without Hackney, there are enough returning talent on both sides of the ball to hope for a bounce-back season and a bowl bid. With 14 starters coming back and kicker/punter Parker Mullins, there's no reason the division title can't be there for the taking going into season-ending road trips to Southern Miss and UCF.
Washington
The big spring question is ... Is Ty Willingham going to be able to turn things around in his second year? The Huskies weren't as awful as they were in 2004, but 2-9 is still 2-9. Willingham's first priority has to be to strengthen the defense after spending last year looking for more consistency on offense. No, Washington isn't going to contend for the Pac 10 title, but a six win season is very possible with the right breaks.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback. Is Isaiah Stanback ready to take another step up and become more of a playmaker? Speed isn't a question considering Stanback is one of the school's star 60-meter sprinters, and he made nice strides as a passer throwing for 2,136 yards with nine touchdown passes and six interceptions. Willingham hand-picked his quarterback of the future by recruiting Jake Locker, but he's hopefully not needed until next year.
Spring attitude... It's time to be better. This is Washington. It wasn't all that long ago when the program was a yearly battler for the Pac 10 title and was a national superpower. Willingham can coach, and the resources and facilities are there to succeed. This year has to be a major stepping stone to next year, but confidence only comes with wins.
Oregon
Spring practice starts April 4, Spring Game: April 29
The big spring question is ... Was last year a fluke or is Oregon really a ten-win team again? A little of both. Oregon's best win last year was over ... Arizona State? Cal? Fresno State? There were only four wins over bowl teams and no dominating performance over a good team to get anyone outside of Eugene screaming about seeing the Ducks in the BCS. Even so, there's a ton of good talent returning on both sides of the ball led by what should be one of the Pac 10's best offensive lines and a talented collection of skill players.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive lineman (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_Pac10.htm##). The Ducks can patch the holes in the back seven, but finding comparable replacements for Haloti Ngata, Devan Long and Darius Sanders off the league's number one defense won't be done. David Faaeteete has the unenviable task of trying to fill in for Ngata, while Nick Reed and Victor Filipe will get the first look on the end.
Spring attitude... Feel disrespected. That "no one loves us" whine didn't work for the Holiday Bowl, but it could serve as motivation going into the season with Oregon likely to be ranked around third in the Pac 10 preseason pecking order. The offense should be able to hang punch for punch with anyone in America, and it'll have plenty of chances to show what it can do on a national scale in games against Oklahoma, at Arizona State, at Cal and at USC.
MTSU
Spring practice starts April 4, Spring Game: April 29
The big spring question is ... How will things be different under new head coach Rick Stockstill? Probably not much. MTSU had the league's best defense last year, and Stockstill has promised his D will be tough and hard-nosed. Then again, all coaches say that. His offense will be wide-open, which is was under Andy McCollum. Stockstill will pay off a few years from now when his recruiting skills kick in and he brings more talent to Murfreesboro.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive lineman (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_SunBelt.htm##). The Blue Raiders (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_SunBelt.htm##) were nasty up front last year with a tremendous D line, but now the top tackles need to be replaced along with end Devarick Scandrett. There's decent size returning with Bobby Payne on one end and tackle Chris Anderson in the middle, but more playmakers have to emerge early on this spring if MTSU is going to lead the league in run defense again.
Spring attitude... Find a way to get more out of the offense. After getting nothing out of the running game last year, Stockstill has to either make sure the passing attack is more productive or get more production up front to get more than 110 rushing yards per game. MTSU lost three league games by a total of ten points, so if the D can be almost as good as last year, there's a great chance for a run at the Sun Belt title.
UAB
The big spring question is ... Can UAB figure out how to win all the games it's supposed to? There were wins over UTEP and Memphis last year, but there was also a stunning loss to SMU along with the bowl-eligibility killing loss to East Carolina to close out the regular season. There won't be heart-and-soul QB Darrell Hackney to count on anymore, so it'll be up to the veterans to provide some stability and consistency throughout the season. That means new leaders have to emerge this spring.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive tackle. Along with seeing if Chris Williams can take Hackney's place at quarterback, the Blazers have to find replacements for Sam Williamson and Ernest Respress on the defensive interior. They were the key cogs in the run defense, and now Sam Kendrick and Clarence Respress have to take over.
Spring attitude... Win the East. Even without Hackney, there are enough returning talent on both sides of the ball to hope for a bounce-back season and a bowl bid. With 14 starters coming back and kicker/punter Parker Mullins, there's no reason the division title can't be there for the taking going into season-ending road trips to Southern Miss and UCF.
Washington
The big spring question is ... Is Ty Willingham going to be able to turn things around in his second year? The Huskies weren't as awful as they were in 2004, but 2-9 is still 2-9. Willingham's first priority has to be to strengthen the defense after spending last year looking for more consistency on offense. No, Washington isn't going to contend for the Pac 10 title, but a six win season is very possible with the right breaks.
The most important position to watch is ... Quarterback. Is Isaiah Stanback ready to take another step up and become more of a playmaker? Speed isn't a question considering Stanback is one of the school's star 60-meter sprinters, and he made nice strides as a passer throwing for 2,136 yards with nine touchdown passes and six interceptions. Willingham hand-picked his quarterback of the future by recruiting Jake Locker, but he's hopefully not needed until next year.
Spring attitude... It's time to be better. This is Washington. It wasn't all that long ago when the program was a yearly battler for the Pac 10 title and was a national superpower. Willingham can coach, and the resources and facilities are there to succeed. This year has to be a major stepping stone to next year, but confidence only comes with wins.
Oregon
Spring practice starts April 4, Spring Game: April 29
The big spring question is ... Was last year a fluke or is Oregon really a ten-win team again? A little of both. Oregon's best win last year was over ... Arizona State? Cal? Fresno State? There were only four wins over bowl teams and no dominating performance over a good team to get anyone outside of Eugene screaming about seeing the Ducks in the BCS. Even so, there's a ton of good talent returning on both sides of the ball led by what should be one of the Pac 10's best offensive lines and a talented collection of skill players.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive lineman (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_Pac10.htm##). The Ducks can patch the holes in the back seven, but finding comparable replacements for Haloti Ngata, Devan Long and Darius Sanders off the league's number one defense won't be done. David Faaeteete has the unenviable task of trying to fill in for Ngata, while Nick Reed and Victor Filipe will get the first look on the end.
Spring attitude... Feel disrespected. That "no one loves us" whine didn't work for the Holiday Bowl, but it could serve as motivation going into the season with Oregon likely to be ranked around third in the Pac 10 preseason pecking order. The offense should be able to hang punch for punch with anyone in America, and it'll have plenty of chances to show what it can do on a national scale in games against Oklahoma, at Arizona State, at Cal and at USC.
MTSU
Spring practice starts April 4, Spring Game: April 29
The big spring question is ... How will things be different under new head coach Rick Stockstill? Probably not much. MTSU had the league's best defense last year, and Stockstill has promised his D will be tough and hard-nosed. Then again, all coaches say that. His offense will be wide-open, which is was under Andy McCollum. Stockstill will pay off a few years from now when his recruiting skills kick in and he brings more talent to Murfreesboro.
The most important position to watch is ... Defensive lineman (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_SunBelt.htm##). The Blue Raiders (http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Spring_Preview/Springlooks_SunBelt.htm##) were nasty up front last year with a tremendous D line, but now the top tackles need to be replaced along with end Devarick Scandrett. There's decent size returning with Bobby Payne on one end and tackle Chris Anderson in the middle, but more playmakers have to emerge early on this spring if MTSU is going to lead the league in run defense again.
Spring attitude... Find a way to get more out of the offense. After getting nothing out of the running game last year, Stockstill has to either make sure the passing attack is more productive or get more production up front to get more than 110 rushing yards per game. MTSU lost three league games by a total of ten points, so if the D can be almost as good as last year, there's a great chance for a run at the Sun Belt title.