OCR Text |
Show WAC football 2006 preview: BSU hot and at top, USU not 95 E. 400 IN. Logan 752-9673 Thi jjh'combo 'Drink may be substituted for another side dish. PO1M' HAUMtl) HOUSfc. I- I IV A I1. I P A H - n N.'M, VF AR *.- >/**r*f/f i. BY G . CHRISTOPHER TERRY Senior Writer Although Utah State should be an improved football team this year, playing in the rugged WAC conference it's possible the improvements won't show up in the victories column. Long known for powerhouses Boise State and Fresno State, the WAC boasts an able field of challengers this season in Hawaii, Nevada, Idaho and Utah State. Meanwhile, Boise and Fresno appear as strong as ever. Here are the team previews, in likely order of finish: 1. Boise State Broncos From 2002-2004, the Broncos went 24-0 in WAC play. Last yea r, after getting drilled by Fresno State, BSU didn't give up and when Fresno dropped their last three, the Broncos got a share of the WAC title with Nevada. Although brilliant coach Dan Hawkins has moved on, the offensive coordinator of the last five year Chris Johnson takes over, so there is continuity. NELSON I- ffffi From page 7 7 ADULTS $16 *• FAST PASS Si8 *s CHILDREN 6-12 $S DISCOUNT FREQUENT FEAR CARDS ARK AVAILABLE AT ACL 7-LLLVbN LOCATIONS for firm,'' Ru\i , v P o i | i flu mil R.-scn-ut.uf* ctitl . ^ O I - ll>'j~77O\ 0 DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS, INCLUDING THE ALL NEW PIRATES OF THE SCARE-IBBEAN *V AND THE RPHH 25 YEARS OF FhAR MUSEUM OPENING ON SEPTEMBER 21 FOR MORE INFO CAI 1,801.4.^3.7701 VISIT OUR WF.B SITE AT WWAV.ROCKYPOINTHAUNTEDMOUSF.COM /IONS BANu eric et The TRUTH mysyto.com Montgomery caught Cohan's eye while coaching Stanford the previous 18 years, turning the Cardinal into a national power with a Final Four appearance and 393 victories. But he never got results in the NBA. "This was a new challenge that I was eager to embrace and glad that I had the chance to pursue and experience," Montgomery said in a statement. Nelson was the NBAs coach of the year in 1983 and 1985 with Milwaukee. TeazersBarandGrill.com They have nine starters back on defense, including the entire secondary and allWAC senior linebacker Korey Hall. They play their home games on the blue turf of Bronco Stadium, where they average 48 more attendees than their 30,000 seat arena technically sits, and they have won 30-straight regular season games. Quarterback Jared Zabransky might be the best player in the WAC. 2. Fresno State Head Coach Pat Hill has helped put WAC football WESTERN ATHLETIC on the map by taking on any team willing to play him. In 2003, the Bulldogs knocked off Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin in consecutive weeks. Incredibly, Hill hasn't won the WAC yet — a tribute to how good Boise has been. Last year, Fresno beat Boise and appeared to have things locked up. Then they dropped a thriller of a game to USC as Reggie Bush put on a show. Drained after the excruciating loss to the Trojans, Fresno lost their next two games and failed to win the WAC again despite being the best team. Four of five offensive linemen return, Dwayne Wright is a seasoned 1,000-yard rusher, and they have another big pocket passer quarterback in Tom Brandstater. Eight starters return on defense. 3. Hawaii Head Coach June Jones and Offensive Coordinator Jerry Glanville were both NFL coaches for the Chargers and the Oilers and Falcons, respectively. Timmy Chang threw for more yards than any QB in the history of the NCAA here, then last year was replaced by walk-on Colt Brennan who led the NCAA in passing yards and finished with 35 touchdown passes. Brennan set nine school records last year. Eight other starters are back on offense. It looks like Hawaii will spread people out with fast little 5-foot-10inch guys and let Brennan run up big numbers. The biggest obstacle for the running back, Brian Flowers, Warriors is their historically and the 44th-ranked high poor performance after long school runner, Andre Harris, flights to the mainland. join the team. The Vandals 4. Nevada are 102-48-1 in the dome The Wolf Pack got to play since 1975. Fresno State the week after 7. Louisiana Tech the Bulldogs' epic against The Bulldogsfinished6-2 USC and benefited from last year and tied for second a big letdown, scoring the in the WAC. That team was upset and getting a piece out gained by 11.1 yards per of the WAC crown. The game. This year, they return improbable finish won Chris eight starters on offense Ault a WAC coach of the year but only two on defense. award, but didn't get the The schedule has Tech on , the road for eight games, Pack any favors on at home in Ruston for just the schedule this five. Last year, they were year. They have to fortunate to end up plus-13 travel to Fresno CONFERENCE in turnovers and it will be to open the year, tough to duplicate that. which will be a 8. New Mexico State challenging game for them to win. Jeff Rowe Much like Nebraska and is a senior who has been Notre Dame struggled to starting games since 2002 convert from run-oriented > and is familiar with their offenses to pro-style passgimmicky-but-effective pising attacks in recent years,. tol offense. Seven starters the Other Aggies had return on defense. some tough going last year learning Head Coach Hal 5. Utah State Mumme's system. This year The Aggies play a bruthe passer will be 6-foot-6tal non-conference schedinch Chase Holbrook, who ule with games against Arkansas, Utah and BYU, so played in Mumme's system they shouldn't be intimidated at SE Louisiana State for two years and transferred here. by anyone. Quarterback Leon Jackson III deserves to The Defensive Coordinator is Woody Widenhofer, a be mentioned with the best name Steelers fans will recplayers in the WAC, while ognize because he was the wide outs Tony Pennyman and Kevin Robinson already DC under Chuck Noll for two of their Super Bowl wins. are. Tailback Marcus Cross Akieem Jolla was the No. 5was voted WAC newcomer rated wide receiver when he of the year. Road trips to came out of high school and San Jose State, Nevada and Louisiana Tech are winnable transferred to NMSU from. Miami. and the Ags get Hawaii, Idaho and Fresno State at 9. San Jose State home. Continuing the theme ( 6. Idaho of big-name coaches in the At one time, the Vandals WAC is Dick Tomey, the were a great example for all-time winningest coach downtrodden programs like at Arizona, who is in his USU, because from 1982 to second year at San Jose. He the present, they had only has installed his trademark seven losing seasons. This Desert Swarm defense here despite having to convince and last year was able to recruits to play on the hard reduce the points allowed turf of the Kibbie Dome per game by 10.1, but gets in out-of-the-way Moscow, only two starters back from Idaho. The new coach in that unit. In their last five town is Dennis Erickson, games, the Spartans averwho won a national chamaged more than 200 yards pionship at Miami and rushing and tiny secondcoached the NFL's Seattle team All-WAC running back Seahawks. He inherits nine Yonus Davis is back. returning starters on offense -graham@cc.usu.edu and seven on defense. The 28th-ranked junior college One heck of a good Guy Coach at home in Logan, ready for competition BY G . CHRISTOPHER TERRY Senior Writer A Private Club for Members Bar & Grill 366 36th Street • Ogden •801-395-1517 U S U Students: Take our free shuttle and well bring you to the club and take you home! We can do this for parties of 12 or more. Shuttle: 801-698-6730. All USU students who show tneirji!lb]fearai at the door on Friday or Saturday night may buy a full membership for only $12. Offer good through September 2006. • Kick Off Party Sat Sept 16: Ulitimate Combat Fighting from 6-10 p.m. with DJ Latu immediately following. Then after that it will be Friday Night Fight Night every other Friday Night. T&XAS, HOL^-BM. CAS>rt •FRJZ.BS. ON EACH-ROW.NIX \Ar UV5. SPINNING FAVORJTB HiP-H-OP ANV> TOP t-HTS. 80$ shots § y Tt>K, LAx>ies> FR.ee, ^ w y s 4 3 5ATU.RX>Ay: -SLCS ALL-STAR. MIX6R. PJ LATH. KARA.OKB WITHJACKSON , FR.IX>Ay § SAT. NIGHTS! Utah Statesman: Who are some of the coaches you feel like you've learned a lot from in your career? Brent Guy: I'd probably have to start with Jimmy Johnson. That's where my defensive philosophy came from with the four-man front. I played for him at Oklahoma State and I learned a lot of my defensive philosophiesfromhim. As far as my head coaching, where I've probably molded myself the most was under Dirk Koetter, the guy at Arizona State. We were together at Boise State and Arizona State a total of seven years and I learned a lot of organizational stuff from him that I use today. The defensive coordinator at Arkansas, a guy named Reggie Herring, was my position coach and so a lot of my mentality about football I learned from him. He had a big impact on my career. US: How do you find Cache Valley as a place to live with your family? BG: We love it. One of the reasons I moved here is because of Cache Valley. I like living in a small community, I grew up in a small community, it's safe. My kids can ride the LTD down and go to the movies. My daugh- ter is at Logan High and my son is at Wilson Elementary, so they're really close to us so I can see them. US: What other sports do you enjoy playing or watching? BG: People talk about the cold, but I like to snow ski in the offseason. You'll see me up at Beaver Mountain a lot; tell the students to say hi to me when they're up there. I'm up there with my family skiing a lot. Skiing would be the one hobby I have. US: What would you be doing if you hadn't decided to become a football coach? BG: I would probably be in some type of business. I would think sales or something like that. It would probably be along those lines. I do a lot of speaking and talking, you have to get up in front of people and talk to be a football coach. US: What is your favorite part ofyourjob? BG: Probably my very favorite part of it is just seeing the kids grow up and get a degree. Then they go out and come back 10 years later and you sec that they're successful and they have families. Saturdays are great when you win, but the real winning in coaching is 10 years later when you see what kids have done with their lives and the oppor- • tunity they had when they. came to college. US: Do you feel like you're hungrier for success as a first-time head coach than, someone like Pat Hill or Dennis Erickson who has ] experienced a lot of success? BG: I'm hungry for success at Utah State because I've been here when we've had success and so I know it can happen. I know history can repeat itself. The thing we have to do is build it and then maintain it. I'm really hungry not so much for myself as a head coach as I am to establish something at Utah State that I know can be done because I've been here and done it before. US: What is it like for , you to stand on the sidelines across from coaches in the WAC with NFL experience and gaudy lists of accomplishments in college ball , and coach against them? BG: You don't really think about those types of things; all you really think about is what your team has to do to execute to beat them. I've met and known a lot of those guys and so it's not as intimidating as you might ! think. Although you know you have to be prepared because they're very good coaches and experienced coaches, like June Jones is — he does a good job and they're always ready to play. But you're more concerned about your team executing * the game plan. 'graham@cc.usu.edu |