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WAC by Brian Szabelski
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Boise State
Coach: Chris Petersen
2007: 10-3 overall, 7-1 in conference (2nd)
Head of the Class: Ian Johnson returns to the Boise State backfield, a move that will only add to the explosive offense we've come to know from the Broncos. A loaded linebacker corps makes up the heart of the Boise State defense and could shut down the middle of the field in both the pass and run games.
Underachievers: Boise State has three strong candidates for the starting quarterback job, but they haven't figured out just who will slide into that role yet. The secondary also needs time to develop, and in the offensive-heavy WAC, that could be a major liability.
Academic Suspension: East Carolina smacked this defense around for 322 yards in the Hawaii Bowl, and if they can't consistently stop the run this year, they are in deep trouble. Add in a tough non-conference schedule that includes Bowling Green, Oregon, and Southern Mississippi, and the road back to the BCS looks very rocky this year.
Fresno State
Coach: Pat Hill
2007: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in conference (3rd)
Head of the Class: With the deepest running back core in the WAC, Fresno State looks to capitalize on their run game success from last year. Tom Brandstater leads a highly-tuned offense into battle, perhaps becoming the next great WAC quarterback in the process.
Underachievers: Fresno State does not have an especially strong defense. They finished third from the bottom in turnovers last season and gave up 27 points per game. The Bulldogs will need to pick it up a bit, especially in the high-scoring WAC. They'll also need defense for their four out-of-conference games, but if they win all four, there may be no stopping them.
Academic Suspension: The Bulldogs are weak on the offensive line, especially at center, and lost offensive coordinator Jim McElwain to Alabama. Whether this will impact the Bulldogs' offense or not has yet to be seen, but such transitions are not always smooth. Issues at center, though, could be a crippling blow to the Fresno State running attack.
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