Back on sideline
Returns of Butch Davis and Lane Kiffin give Conference USA needed attention
Leading up to the start of the season, USA TODAY Sports is publishing a preview of one Football Bowl Subdivision conference daily. Today, Conference USA.
Your level of interest in Conference USA football probably is proportional to your level of interest in college football, period. Love this sport? Then you likely enjoy Conference USA and probably even know where to find beIN Sports on your cable package. And if you don’t … well, Southeastern Conference games are on Saturday afternoons on CBS.
I’m not judging. The league has an obvious identity issue: Conference USA doesn’t have any single program counted among the best of the Group of Five, lacks the sort of depth needed to match the Mountain West and American Athletic and has had only the slightest impact on the New Year’s Six bowl chase during the College Football Playoff era.
This season will seem familiar. The conference has a clear upper crust — Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech, followed closely by Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State, Old Dominion and Texas-San Antonio. Then comes mediocrity. Then come a few of the worst teams in the FBS.
It’s a telling statement about Conference USA’s standing that the league’s biggest preseason story lines center on teams far outside the championship picture.
UAB makes its return to college football in the West Division, where the Blazers begin a laborious climb back into bowl contention — though the climb won’t take nearly as long as some have anticipated.
Butch Davis also makes his return to the sideline as head coach at Florida International. Davis’ record suggests a turnaround, though it remains to be seen if the former Miami (Fla.) and North Carolina coach will see the rebuilding project to its completion.
Then there’s Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic. The owner of coaching ’s top Twitter account inherits one of college football’s most experienced teams, meaning the Owls might back up the attention almost certainly headed their way in Kiffin’s first season. But win or lose — and there’ll be more losses than wins — FAU and Kiffin will receive more national focus than the league champion, for example. That’s Conference USA for you. BEST UNITS
Quarterback: Western Kentucky. Mike White gets the nod over Middle Tennessee State’s Brent Stockstill, but not by much.
Running back: Old Dominion. The Monarchs tout the league’s best back in Ray Lawry and the best depth.
Wide receivers and tight ends: Middle Tennessee State. Any group headlined by Richie James deserves recognition.
Offensive line: Texas-El Paso. It’s a shame the Miners have shown an inability to do anything right on either side of the ball, since this line is easily Conference USA’s most impressive.
Defensive line: Louisiana Tech. Three of four starters and seven of last season’s top eight contributors are back in the fold.
Linebacker: UT-San Antonio. It’s likely that only Josiah Tauaefa will earn all-conference honors, but the Roadrunners’ second level is talented enough to set the tone for the entire defense.
Secondary: Western Kentucky. Marshall’s secondary also is worthy of recognition, but the Hilltoppers’ unit touts depth, experience and a heavy dose of proven production.
Special teams: Western Kentucky. WKU has the conference’s top punter in Jake Collins and an electric returner in Kylen Towner.
RANKING THE STARTING QBS
1. Mike White, Western Kentucky. Meet the latest WKU quarterback set to unleash yards in bunches inside and out of conference play.
2. Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee State. If White’s the league’s best — and it’s a tight race — Stockstill is only a hair behind.
3. De’Andre Johnson, Florida Atlantic. The Florida State transfer has the talent to flourish under Kiffin’s direction.
4. J’Mar Smith, Louisiana Tech. He has big shoes to fill in replacing Ryan Higgins, but Smith’s skill set and athleticism make him the most intriguing new starter in the conference.
5. Chase Litton, Marshall. Litton’s numbers have been solid if unspectacular through his two seasons as the starter, but he might need to look over his shoulder at redshirt freshman Xavier Gaines.
6. Dalton Sturm, UT- San
Antonio. The senior needs to put together a complete season — he tailed off dramatically down the stretch last fall — for the Roadrunners to move to the top of the West Division.
7. Hasaan Klugh, Charlotte. Klugh’s solid, fairly error-free showing during the final seven games of last season is a good omen for how he’ll fare as the permanent starter.
8. Ryan Metz, UTEP. The Miners offensive line and Metz’s ability to avoid turnovers — should he keep that up — provide this offense with a nice combination.
9. Mason Fine, North Texas. Last season’s experience and another year in Seth Littrell’s system will lead to a nice statistical uptick across the board.
10. Blake LaRussa, Old Dominion. The sophomore might have a slight edge, but Bobby Wilder has options at his disposal: Jordan Hoy, a junior college transfer, redshirt freshman Drayton Arnold and freshman Steven Williams.
11. Alex McGough, Florida International. You’ll know by the end of September whether McGough’s 2016 dip in production was an aberration or a sign of things to come in his senior year.
12. A.J. Erdely, UAB. Erdely has been the projected starter since first stepping on campus in 2016.
13. Kwadra Griggs, Southern Miss. I’m anointing Griggs, a former JUCO addition who wore a redshirt last fall, but the Golden Eagles could turn to sophomore Keon Howard, last year’s backup.
14. Jackson Tyner, Rice. The 6-5 sophomore topped the Owls’ preseason two-deep, but as with the team’s other two options, a lack of experience is a major concern.
GAMES OF THE YEAR
Navy at Florida Atlantic, Sept. 1. The first game of the Kiffin era will result in Navy chewing FAU apart for 60 minutes.
Vanderbilt at Middle Tennessee State, Sept. 2. The first of three Power Five dates to kick off the Blue Raiders’ season, preceding Syracuse and Minnesota, and the only one to come at home. Western Kentucky at Illinois, Sept. 9. This game in Big Ten country is a must-win should WKU hope to factor into the access-bowl hunt.
Louisiana Tech at Western Kentucky, Sept. 16. A potential title-game preview.
North Carolina at Old Dominion, Sept. 16. The Monarchs have had this game circled since the final whistle of an 80-20 loss to UNC in 2013.
Western Kentucky at Old Dominion, Oct. 20. One of several games involving the Hilltoppers that will decide a competitive East Division.
Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech, Oct. 21. A key head-tohead tiebreaker in the West Division will be on the line.
Western Kentucky at Marshall, Nov. 11. It will be interesting to see if Marshall’s steady defense can slow WKU’s attack.
Middle Tennessee State at Western Kentucky, Nov. 17.
Even if the Hilltoppers are the division’s best, it’s almost certain that MTSU will be in the hunt when these rivals meet in November. UT- San Antonio at Louisi
ana Tech, Nov. 25. Don’t sleep on UTSA being within a game of the Bulldogs — or the top of the division, generally speaking — when the two teams meet to cap the regular season.