Teams "UNDER THE RADAR" Tim McShay article
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Wake Forest's surprise ACC title run and Orange Bowl berth proved to be one of the defining story lines of the 2006 college football season. Unlike the other big underdog success stories of last season (Boise State and Rutgers), the Demon Deacons came out of nowhere. They were the only team in the country to win a "big six" conference title after failing to reach a bowl game the season prior.
Which teams are capable of pulling off a similar feat this fall? Take a look below at my top candidate in each of the six major conferences. Remember that the only teams eligible are the ones that failed to go bowling last season.
ACC: Virginia Cavaliers
After taking its hits during last season's five-win, rebuilding campaign, Virginia is primed to break out in 2007. Coach Al Groh and his staff return 19 of 22 starters from last season. Groh's preference is to win with a dominant defense that is complemented by a conservative but physical and efficient offense.
One-half of the equation is in place; DE Chris Long anchors a unit that should rank among the nation's elite after finishing in the top 25 in total defense and scoring defense in 2006.
The other half of the equation is up to Groh's son, Mike, who failed to live up to expectations as first-year offensive coordinator last season. The Cavaliers should be able to run the ball more effectively with a veteran offensive line that returns all five starters. They also will rely upon a solid pair of tight ends, Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, to help move the chains.
However, the unit comes up severely short in terms of proven playmakers at the skill positions. Jameel Sewell is a dual-threat quarterback who should improve as a passer after gaining valuable experience during his freshman season. Unfortunately, he missed spring practices with a wrist injury, and his best vertical threat, WR Kevin Ogletree, suffered a season-ending knee injury.
If Virginia is to give in-state rival Virginia Tech a run for its money in the ACC Coastal this fall, Sewell must show better poise and accuracy as a passer, and freshman Keith Payne needs to exceed the high expectations as the Cavaliers' featured back.
Big 12: Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks finished with a 6-6 record last season despite two overtime losses as well as two other losses by a combined four points. With the nucleus of that team returning to face a comparatively soft schedule, there's reason to believe coach Mark Mangino's squad could pull off up to eight wins this fall.
The offense will miss the tough running of Jon Cornish. As a whole, however, it can be even more productive this season if sophomore QB Kerry Meier continues to progress and takes advantage of a talented crop of receivers headlined by Marcus Henry and Dexton Fields. The defense should continue to be stout versus the run, and Aqib Talib, one of the nation's premier cornerbacks, should anchor a much-improved secondary.
Four September home games should help the Jayhawks get off to a fast start and propel them to their best season under Mangino's watch.
Big East: Pitt Panthers
The Pitt faithful are getting restless. The Panthers have failed to reach a bowl and have a sub-.500 record the past two seasons under coach Dave Wannstedt. Meanwhile, the Big East has seen West Virginia and Louisville earn BCS bowl berths, while Rutgers, South Florida and Cincinnati have played in the postseason.
Despite losing QB Tyler Palko and ILB H.B. Blades to the NFL, as well as WR Derek Kinder to a season-ending injury, the Panthers have enough emerging talent to exceed expectations in 2007. Bill Stull shows promise as Palko's successor and will receive support from RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, WR Oderick Turner and four returning starters along the offensive line. On defense, Pitt must replace all three starting linebackers, but its recruiting classes have been strong in that department. DE Joe Clermond anchors an experienced and deep defensive line, while CB Kennard Cox is fluid enough in coverage to consistently be left alone against opponents' top receivers.
A soft early schedule will allow Stull the time he needs to get acclimated as the starter. The Panthers could win six of their first seven games, which would provide a needed confidence boost for a tough second-half stretch that includes trips to Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Big Ten: Illinois Fighting Illini
Coach Ron Zook's remarkable recruiting classes should finally pay dividends on the field in Year 3 of his tenure. QB Juice Williams possesses game-breaking athleticism, and he should make considerable strides as a passer this season. He headlines an offense that returns eight starters from last season. Ironically, Williams' two best weapons should be first-year starters, stud freshman WR Arrelious Benn and junior RB Rashard Mendenhall.
ILB J Leman is one of nine returning starters on a defense that showed promise at times (holding Ohio State to 17 points) but was far too inconsistent. The emergence of Derek Walker as a dominant edge rusher and Vontae Davis as a shut-down cover corner should give Zook and coordinator Vince Okruch the personnel advantages they need to load up more in what promises to be a run-heavy Big Ten.
If all this young talent matures properly, the Illini have a soft enough nonconference schedule (Missouri, Western Illinois, at Syracuse and Ball State) to go bowling for the first time since 2001.
Pac-10: Arizona Wildcats
Coach Mike Stoops made wholesale coaching changes to a unit that finished 115th nationally in total offense last season. Enter Sonny Dykes, a Mike Leach disciple, who is installing the Texas Tech spread-passing attack. The quick-hitting aerial scheme should help keep talented but oft-injured QB Willie Tuitama healthy, while also allowing him to maximize a deep crop of receivers. As a result, Arizona's offense stands to be one of the nation's most improved in 2007.
The defense is expected to take the next step towards superiority. DE Louis Holmes and CB Antoine Cason are just two of 10 starters who return from last season's group, which finished third in the Pac-10 in scoring defense. Stoops' squad must get off to a fast start in its first three games (at BYU, Northern Arizona and New Mexico) before things heat up with a conference schedule that includes trips to Cal, Oregon State, USC and Arizona State.
SEC: Vanderbilt Commodores
The nation's most talented conference had slim pickings, as only three of the 12 teams failed to reach a bowl last season. I believe Kentucky is the most underrated team in the SEC. However, sticking with the given criteria, Vanderbilt gets the nod over the two schools in Mississippi as the SEC's top sleeper candidate.
QB Chris Nickson is a dual-threat quarterback with an impressive blend of athleticism and toughness. More experience should lead to fewer mistakes, and Nickson has a better supporting cast (WR Earl Bennett, RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison and five senior starters along the offensive line) than any Vandy quarterback in the past decade.
Defensively, Vandy is strong up the middle with DT Theo Horrocks, MLB Jonathan Goff and safety Reshard Langford returning. But some of the young talent on the perimeter must step up in order to improve on last season's unit that finished 10th in the SEC in scoring defense.
By no means does Vandy stand a chance to compete for a conference title. In fact, a fourth-place finish in the SEC East would be a remarkable accomplishment. Still, the Commodores have the right blend of talent returning to emerge as a sleeper team in 2007 -- and possibly finish with a .500 or better record for the first time since 1982.
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Wake Forest's surprise ACC title run and Orange Bowl berth proved to be one of the defining story lines of the 2006 college football season. Unlike the other big underdog success stories of last season (Boise State and Rutgers), the Demon Deacons came out of nowhere. They were the only team in the country to win a "big six" conference title after failing to reach a bowl game the season prior.
Which teams are capable of pulling off a similar feat this fall? Take a look below at my top candidate in each of the six major conferences. Remember that the only teams eligible are the ones that failed to go bowling last season.
After taking its hits during last season's five-win, rebuilding campaign, Virginia is primed to break out in 2007. Coach Al Groh and his staff return 19 of 22 starters from last season. Groh's preference is to win with a dominant defense that is complemented by a conservative but physical and efficient offense.
One-half of the equation is in place; DE Chris Long anchors a unit that should rank among the nation's elite after finishing in the top 25 in total defense and scoring defense in 2006.
The other half of the equation is up to Groh's son, Mike, who failed to live up to expectations as first-year offensive coordinator last season. The Cavaliers should be able to run the ball more effectively with a veteran offensive line that returns all five starters. They also will rely upon a solid pair of tight ends, Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, to help move the chains.
However, the unit comes up severely short in terms of proven playmakers at the skill positions. Jameel Sewell is a dual-threat quarterback who should improve as a passer after gaining valuable experience during his freshman season. Unfortunately, he missed spring practices with a wrist injury, and his best vertical threat, WR Kevin Ogletree, suffered a season-ending knee injury.
If Virginia is to give in-state rival Virginia Tech a run for its money in the ACC Coastal this fall, Sewell must show better poise and accuracy as a passer, and freshman Keith Payne needs to exceed the high expectations as the Cavaliers' featured back.
The Jayhawks finished with a 6-6 record last season despite two overtime losses as well as two other losses by a combined four points. With the nucleus of that team returning to face a comparatively soft schedule, there's reason to believe coach Mark Mangino's squad could pull off up to eight wins this fall.
The offense will miss the tough running of Jon Cornish. As a whole, however, it can be even more productive this season if sophomore QB Kerry Meier continues to progress and takes advantage of a talented crop of receivers headlined by Marcus Henry and Dexton Fields. The defense should continue to be stout versus the run, and Aqib Talib, one of the nation's premier cornerbacks, should anchor a much-improved secondary.
Four September home games should help the Jayhawks get off to a fast start and propel them to their best season under Mangino's watch.
The Pitt faithful are getting restless. The Panthers have failed to reach a bowl and have a sub-.500 record the past two seasons under coach Dave Wannstedt. Meanwhile, the Big East has seen West Virginia and Louisville earn BCS bowl berths, while Rutgers, South Florida and Cincinnati have played in the postseason.
Despite losing QB Tyler Palko and ILB H.B. Blades to the NFL, as well as WR Derek Kinder to a season-ending injury, the Panthers have enough emerging talent to exceed expectations in 2007. Bill Stull shows promise as Palko's successor and will receive support from RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, WR Oderick Turner and four returning starters along the offensive line. On defense, Pitt must replace all three starting linebackers, but its recruiting classes have been strong in that department. DE Joe Clermond anchors an experienced and deep defensive line, while CB Kennard Cox is fluid enough in coverage to consistently be left alone against opponents' top receivers.
A soft early schedule will allow Stull the time he needs to get acclimated as the starter. The Panthers could win six of their first seven games, which would provide a needed confidence boost for a tough second-half stretch that includes trips to Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Coach Ron Zook's remarkable recruiting classes should finally pay dividends on the field in Year 3 of his tenure. QB Juice Williams possesses game-breaking athleticism, and he should make considerable strides as a passer this season. He headlines an offense that returns eight starters from last season. Ironically, Williams' two best weapons should be first-year starters, stud freshman WR Arrelious Benn and junior RB Rashard Mendenhall.
ILB J Leman is one of nine returning starters on a defense that showed promise at times (holding Ohio State to 17 points) but was far too inconsistent. The emergence of Derek Walker as a dominant edge rusher and Vontae Davis as a shut-down cover corner should give Zook and coordinator Vince Okruch the personnel advantages they need to load up more in what promises to be a run-heavy Big Ten.
If all this young talent matures properly, the Illini have a soft enough nonconference schedule (Missouri, Western Illinois, at Syracuse and Ball State) to go bowling for the first time since 2001.
Coach Mike Stoops made wholesale coaching changes to a unit that finished 115th nationally in total offense last season. Enter Sonny Dykes, a Mike Leach disciple, who is installing the Texas Tech spread-passing attack. The quick-hitting aerial scheme should help keep talented but oft-injured QB Willie Tuitama healthy, while also allowing him to maximize a deep crop of receivers. As a result, Arizona's offense stands to be one of the nation's most improved in 2007.
The defense is expected to take the next step towards superiority. DE Louis Holmes and CB Antoine Cason are just two of 10 starters who return from last season's group, which finished third in the Pac-10 in scoring defense. Stoops' squad must get off to a fast start in its first three games (at BYU, Northern Arizona and New Mexico) before things heat up with a conference schedule that includes trips to Cal, Oregon State, USC and Arizona State.
The nation's most talented conference had slim pickings, as only three of the 12 teams failed to reach a bowl last season. I believe Kentucky is the most underrated team in the SEC. However, sticking with the given criteria, Vanderbilt gets the nod over the two schools in Mississippi as the SEC's top sleeper candidate.
QB Chris Nickson is a dual-threat quarterback with an impressive blend of athleticism and toughness. More experience should lead to fewer mistakes, and Nickson has a better supporting cast (WR Earl Bennett, RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison and five senior starters along the offensive line) than any Vandy quarterback in the past decade.
Defensively, Vandy is strong up the middle with DT Theo Horrocks, MLB Jonathan Goff and safety Reshard Langford returning. But some of the young talent on the perimeter must step up in order to improve on last season's unit that finished 10th in the SEC in scoring defense.
By no means does Vandy stand a chance to compete for a conference title. In fact, a fourth-place finish in the SEC East would be a remarkable accomplishment. Still, the Commodores have the right blend of talent returning to emerge as a sleeper team in 2007 -- and possibly finish with a .500 or better record for the first time since 1982.
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