Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

No need to complicate things.  I'll just stick to my nice, simple explanation: "CD says it's easy to win 8 games if you're a slightly-better-than-mediocre team in the SEC West."  

OK, then.  "Easier still to get bowl-eligible in the SEC East."

Got it.

What is this "Pac" you mention?  Do its own fans know it exists?  

Gonna be very bad.

#55 San Diego State Aztecs

#3 in Mountain West

Continuing on our past discussion of coaches on the downside of their career cycling back to programs they had previously used as stepping stones on the way up, we have Brady Hoke returning to San Diego State, where he was at prior to taking the Michigan job.  Hoke sort of launched the Rocky Long era, which was clearly the most successful tenure in Aztec football history.  But it was Hoke’s 9-4 season in 2010, which got him the Michigan job, and launched that.  It was the program’s first bowl game in 12 years, and the most wins in a season since 1977.  Since then, San Diego State has gone to ten consecutive bowl games, and their #25 final ranking in 2016, was their first in the AP Poll since that same 1977 season.  In other words, Brady Hoke is stepping into very different expectations than he was in 2009.  But for a former defensive line coach, he has to like what he’s got in the trenches.  Even with center Keith Ismael leaving early for the NFL, the offensive line looks to be strong, with three returning starters, led by breakout freshman William Dunkle.  The defensive line could be even better, thanks to a freshman interior lineman of their own, in nose tackle Cameron Thomas.  He’s back, along with Keshawn Banks, an All-Conference end to his right; the base for a line that ranked #1 in the country in overall line yard push.  They were one of just three defensive lines (along with Michigan State and UAB) to allow below 2 yards; and were top 4 nationally in four other line metrics.  The problem is who is going to support what should be elite line play, on both sides?  An offense, the Aztecs have to replace their starting quarterback, running back, and tight end/H-Back/fullback, do everything, Parker Houston.  Carson Baker saw limited action at quarterback in two games as a redshirt freshman last year, but San Diego State also brought in a grad transfer from Georgia Tech, in Lucas Johnson, who originally committed to San Diego State as a high school recruit, but flipped to Georgia Tech.  He only appeared in five games in his Yellow Jacket career, attempting just 37 career passes, so he’s far from a sure thing himself.  This isn’t a quarterback school, it’s a running school; so for this line to prove its worth, the run game has to get back on track.  The Aztecs produced a top 15 rusher nationally in every year from 2010 until 2017, save one, with a pair of national leaders in the mix.  But after finishing as the 6th best rushing team in ypa in 2016, and 9th in 2017; that fell to #82 in 2018 and #118 in 2019.  Chance Bell and Chase Jasmin, who both got plenty of carries last year when Juwan Washington missed four games with injuries, are the obvious choices to step up; but Greg Bell, a Nebraska transfer who sat out nearly all of 2018 to preserve his redshirt year, then missed all of 2019 with a summer injury, is probably the most talented back on the roster.  The defense has a similar problem at linebacker, with three graduating.  Considering the imbalance between the line and the backers, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 3-3-5 of Rocky Long be replaced by a 4-2-5.  There’s not a ton of track record to look at, but it appears that new defensive coordinator Kurt Mattix’s defenses at Eastern Kentucky, were high risk-high reward; relying primarily on generating sacks and turnovers, willing to risk allowing the big play.

	KEY PLAYERS
WR	Kobe Smith, Junior
G	William Dunkle, Sophomore
K	Matt Araiza, Sophomore
	.
DE	Keshawn Banks, Junior
DT	Cameron Thomas, Sophomore
S	Tariq Thompson, Senior

Ya that did seem strange given his supposed prowess and their place in the pecking order.Hell even blue bloods wouldn't be raisng eyebrows after just 2 seasons and being shackled like that.Gotta be more to the story

#54 Miami Hurricanes

#9 in ACC

The only constant in Coral Gables recently, has been inconsistency.  The offense should have a totally new look after a disastrous close to 2019, getting shut out in the Independence Bowl by Louisiana Tech.  So out after just one year is offensive coordinator Dan Enos, and freshman quarterback Jarren Williams, who transferred out.  For those keeping score at home, the Enos/Williams combination replaced the OC/freshman quarterback combination from 2018, of Thomas Brown and N’Kosi Perry.  While Williams left, Perry remains on the roster, as does Ohio State transfer Tate Martell, the presumptive starter going into 2019, before being passed over by Williams.  D’Eriq King, arguably the top transfer quarterback on the market, joins the team, and while seeing Martell transfer only to not win the job last year was surprising, for it not to be King this year would be a total shock.  Pulling the strings is Rhett Lashlee, a Gus Malzahn disciple, who coordinated SMU’s offense a year ago, and played at the third fastest pace in the FBS.  This is not Lashlee’s first crack at the Power Five level.  He was Malzahn’s quarterback coach back at Springdale High School, and followed him to Arkansas, Auburn, Arkansas State, and eventually back to Auburn.  From 2004-2016, they were only apart for one year.  However, by 2016 Malzahn had taken control of the offense back from Lashlee, who left for UConn.  King, likewise has had a ton of success...but at the AAC level.  In his last full season, 2018, he finished 4th in the nation in Total QBR, behind only Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jake Fromm; ahead of Dwayne Haskins, Trevor Lawrence, and Will Grier.  Not that Oklahoma or Washington State are known for their defensive prowess, but King acquitted himself decently against them last year, albeit relying more on his legs, than his arm.  He’s not going to survive the season running the ball 15 plus times a game this year.  That said, his ability to run, may help ease what was the biggest problem with the Hurricane offense, a dismal pass blocking line.  Miami opened the season by allowing 10 sacks against Florida, and wound up allowing the fourth most sacks per game in the FBS.  So while the Hurricanes averaged just 3.7 ypc, third worst in the ACC; you take away the quarterback sacks, it jumps to 2nd.  That inability to pass block just trickled down.  They were the worst third down conversion team in the nation, because once you knew they had to pass it, they were particularly awful.  And even when they got into short yardage situations, an offensive line, which was generally at least mediocre in run blocking, couldn’t get it done.  Their 48% short down conversion percentage was also the worst in the nation.  They started three freshmen and two sophomores, all of whom return, so you have to hope there was some growth.  But for as bad as the line was at keeping their quarterbacks upright, the defensive line was equally good, generating the fourth highest sack rate in the nation, led by Gregory Rousseau.  The defensive line was top 11 nationally in six of the eight metrics tracked by Football Outsiders, and Rousseau finished second, behind only Chase Young, with 15.5 sacks.  There were no other freshmen in the top 25.  Rousseau redshirted in 2018 after suffering a season ending injury in the second game, so he’ll be draft eligible after this sophomore season.  I wouldn’t put money on getting him back.  Aside from Rousseau the defense could take a major step back, after 6 starters graduated, and another two left early for the draft.  Rousseau is the only starter back from that front seven.

	KEY PLAYERS
QB	D'Eriq King, Senior
RB	Cam'Ron Harris, Junior
TE	Brevin Jordan, Junior
	.
DE	Gregory Rousseau, Sophomore
CB	D.J. Ivey, Junior
S	Gurvan Hall Jr., Junior