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Pages 168 – 183

Mountain West Preview:

Projected MVP – QB Brian Johnson, Utah; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Aaron Brown, TCU; Defensive Player of the Yr – DE Tommy Blake, TCU; Toughest to Bring Down – RB Kyle Bell, Colorado State

1. (#15) TCU – “Markus Jackson isn’t ready to step into the QB shoes just yet; he couldn’t separate from redshirt freshman Andy Dalton in the spring, and coach Gary Patterson is keeping the competition open when fall camp begins.”

2. (#44) BYU – “For a return to BYU’s glory days, there has to be a QB battle. That’s what there was in the spring as the Cougars try to replace Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year John Beck. Coach Mendenhall, wanting to make a decision in the Spring had hinted in favor of Arizona State transfer Max Hall.”

3. (#45) Utah – “The hub of the defense – All-American defensive back Eric Weddle – is gone.”

4. (#69) Wyoming

5. (#72) New Mexico

6. (#83) Colorado State

7. (#93) Air Force

8. (#99) San Diego State

9. (#102) UNLV

WAC Preview:

Projected MVP – QB Colt Brennan, Hawaii; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Ian Johnson, Boise St; Defensive Player of the Yr – DB Dwight Lowry, San Jose St; Most Dangerous Deep Threat – WR Jason Rivers, Hawaii; Best Pass Blocker – OL Ryan Clady, Boise State

1. (#19) Hawaii – “Colt Brennan’s return for his senior season almost prompted a victory parade in the 50th state. Brennan is a statistical delight for football fanatics and mathematicians alike. The California transplant led the nation in seven categories last season, including total offense (422.5 yds/game), TD passes (58), passing yards (5,549), and passing efficiency (186.0). Those who compare him to Timmy Chang, the nation’s all-time leader in passing yards, simply haven’t seen him in action. The Warrior wideouts are key to his success, and three return. That includes receivers Davone Bess, Jason Rivers and Ryan Grice-Mullen. The trio combined for 3,168 yards and 36 TDs.”

2. (#29) Boise State – “The Broncos gained national acclaim when they used the Statue of Liberty and hook-and-ladder to subdue Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, but there is so much more here than those novelties. Those plays might have made Boise State “America’s Team,” but it is the rest of its diverse offense that has given opponents fits over the years…and will continue to do so. BSU’s main weapon is Ian Johnson, a patient, slippery runner who has a knack for finding the end zone…like 25 times last season. He’ll be busy and productive again as four starting linemen return, led by All-WAC tackle and future pro Ryan Clady.”

3. (#61) Fresno State – “Jim McElwain is Fresno State’s third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. Last year’s unit is one fans will try to forget as the Bulldogs look for the more wide-open attack favored in the David Carr era.”

4. (#63) San Jose State

5. (#84) Nevada – “Nevada has two options at QB. Sophomore Nick Graziano played sparingly while backing up Jeff Rowe last season and has an edge in experience. But 6-6 redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick has a powerful arm and is capable of executing the QB runs within the Pistol offense.”

6. (#95) New Mexico State – “The depth in coordinator Woody Widenhofer’s 3-4 defensive scheme is the best it has been in three years.”

7. (#110) Idaho

8. (#113) Louisiana Tech – “As Louisiana Tech’s new head coach, Derek Dooley, 38, will attempt to instill his own version of his father’s Bulldawg toughness into a group of Bulldogs who must learn how to run the ball and stop the run.”

9. (#117) Utah State

smart fellers in my opinion

be content in your current situation if it's a good gig

I had forgotten that Temple was in the MAC for a while.

Pages 206 – 215

Picking 1-AA

“Moore’s Appalachian State Mountaineers begin 2007 looking for an unprecedented third consecutive national championship, while Jerry Glanville starts his first collegiate head-coaching job at Portland State. The Mountaineers are loaded again, mostly because of the way Moore has built the program since his arrival in 1989. In 18 seasons, he is 154-68 at Appalachian, after stops at Texas Tech and North Texas. Prior to becoming a head coach, Moore developed under the tutelage of legendary coaches Tom Osborne and Hayden Fry.”

Southern Illinois – “Jerry Kill has built Salukis into a program with staying power.”

San Diego – “Jim Harbaugh left San Diego to become the head coach at Stanford, Before departing Harbaugh set the Pioneer Football League on its collective ear, turning the moribund Torero franchise into non-scholarship behemoths. Defensive Player of the Year – Eric Bakhtari (former 49ers LB, brother of Packers OL David Bakhtari).”

Picking Division-II

Chadron State – RB Danny Woodhead Preseason MVP

South Dakota – Wisconsin transfer RB Dion Foster preseason Newcomer of the year

Indiana (PA) – Pooh Bear McNeal most important of three transfers from Mansfield

Picking Division-III

“Mount Union – the winner of nine D-III titles since 1993 – returns the best RB-WR tandem in the country. RB Nate Kmic rushed for 2,365 yds and 26 TDs last season. WR Pierre Garcon had 1,212 yds in receptions and 17 scores. Add ‘em up…and you have 3,577 yds and 43 TDs. The 5-9, 190-pound Kmic was named first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference and the 6-1, 205-pound Garcon was an American Football Coaches Association All-American. Both are Lindy’s Preseason All-Americans.”

“Mary Hardin-Baylor looks stacked with 10 starters back on offense from a team that reached the national quarterfinals last year. Two-time runner-up Wisconsin-Whitewater has some holes including at head coach where Bob Berezowitz retired. He was Lance Leopold.”

Page 214: 2006 NCAA Statistical Leaders

215: Full page ad for Lindy’s annual editions featuring various regional covers – Florida, LA, Oklahoma, Alabama

Last Page 216 & Back Covers

A 2007 Look Back:

5 Years Ago (2002) – “This season wasn’t so much about the games that were played – but the one that went unplayed. Ohio State and Iowa matched victories all through the Big Ten season, but Iowa’s 36-31 loss to Iowa State helped to settle things. OSU was unbeaten, so the second-ranked Buckeyes and precocious freshman RB Maurice Clarett advanced to the BCS Championship Game in the Fiesta Bowl. There, they met heavily favored Miami, which had gone 12-0, thanks in part to a “wide left” in a 28-27 win over Florida State. Ohio State (14-0) shocked top-ranked Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, winning 31-24 in double overtime after getting a controversial pass interference penalty to go its way at the end of the first overtime.”

Heisman Trophy: QB Carson Palmer, USC

Preseason #1: Miami

10 Years Ago (1997) – “Before the various incarnations that led to the BCS, No. 1 wasn’t often decided on the field. Michigan used a sensational defense, led by do-everything Charles Woodson and a whatever-it-takes offense directed by unheralded senior QB Brian Griese, to go undefeated. Meanwhile, Nebraska was perfect, too, walloping South champion Texas A&M in the Big 12 title game, 52-15. The Huskers were so convincing in an Orange Bowl rout of third-ranked Tennessee, voters in the coaches poll moved them from No. 2 past Michigan to share the national title. Michigan (12-0, AP Poll) beat Washington State in the Rose Bowl, 21-16. Nebraska (13-0 coaches poll) beat Tennessee in the Orange, 42-17.”

Heisman Trophy: CB Charles Woodson, Michigan

Preseason #1: Penn State. The Nittany Lions went 9-3, ending at #16.

15 Years Ago (1992) – “The Crimson Tide of coach Gene Stallings had been wholly overlooked all season in favor of 1991 national co-champions Washington and Miami. But all Alabama did was win. And once the Tide faced Florida in the first SEC Championship Game, it didn’t miss a trick. Alabama was even better in the national championship showdown with #1 Miami in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama did it mostly with defense, with bookend defensive ends John Copeland and Eric Curry, and a secondary stocked with stars like Antonio Langham, Sam Shade and George Teague.”

Heisman Trophy: QB Gino Torretta, Miami

Preseason #1: Miami

20 Years Ago (1987) – “The Big Eight race was decided when #2 Oklahoma scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to upend #1 Nebraska, 17-7, in Lincoln in the regular-season finale. Earlier in the season, Miami and Florida State played an epic game in Tallahassee. Miami, with lots of help from Michael Irvin, had roared back from a 19-3 deficit to take a 26-19 lead, but the Seminoles scored with less than a minute left, leaving Bobby Bowden with the decision: Go for the win or the tie. Players helped convince him to go for it…no good. Miami won 26-25. #2 Miami went on to beat #1 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, as Jimmy Johnson beat Barry Switzer.”

Heisman Trophy: WR Tim Brown, Notre Dame

Preseason #1: Oklahoma

25 Years Ago (1982) – “The Georgia Bulldogs had everything in ’82, and appeared on their way to their second national championship in three years. Just as in 1980, Vince Dooley’s squad was led by the great Herschel Walker. Georgia took over the top spot of the polls in the first week of November and swept through the rest of the regular season. This time, however, the Sugar Bowl showdown wen the wrong way as the Dawgs ran into Todd Blackledge and Penn State, which has recovered from an October loss to Alabama in Birmingham. #2 Penn State upended top-ranked Georgia, 27-23, in the Sugar Bowl.”

Heisman Trophy: RB Herschel Walker, Georgia

Preseason #1: Pittsburgh. The Dan Marino-led Panthers went 9-3.

30 Years Ago (1977) – “In the second game of the season, Nebraska bumped off Alabama, which eventually cost the Tide the national title. It was a bitter defeat for Alabama, which would then rattle off 11 consecutive victories and thrash Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl – a long-awaited Bear Bryant vs. Woody Hayes matchup. The Tide won 35-6, leaving Hayes to say, “If Alabama isn’t #1, then nobody ever has been” …except that Notre Dame and Joe Montana impressively won their bowl, finished with the same 11-1 record – and got the votes. In a wild finish to the season #5 Notre Dame beat #1 and unbeaten Texas in the Cotton Bowl, and #2 Oklahoma and #4 Michigan lost. The Irish leapfrogged #3 Alabama, which had beaten #8 Ohio State in the Sugar.”

Heisman Trophy: RB Earl Campbell, Texas

Preseason #1: Oklahoma. The Sooners went 10-2 and finished #7.

Inside Back Cover: Full page Hibbett sports ad for Schutt brand football helmets

Outside Back Cover: Ad for Cabot exterior wood stain and wood finish products

unfortunately Frank Solich didn't get Woodhead

Was Danny Woodhead on any large radars coming out of high school? From what I know of Woodhead's story, he's an undersized player who was cutting his teeth out in Western Nebraska (North Platte), where, though High School football forms many a town identities, the population is too sparse to contribute much talent to the FBS levels of competition. For those not in the know, Western Nebraska is immensely uninhabited with its few northwestern towns large enough for a McDonald's (Chadron, Alliance, Valentine) almost Alaskan in their isolation. I'm assuming nobody realized how talented Woodhead was until he started churning out high numbers at Chadron St.

I think Ol' Hayden had the best eye for coaching talent. So many good/great ones came out of Iowa.

You can add Lincoln Riley to the Bob Stoops Subclade and to the Hal Mumme Coaching Tree by way of Mike Leach.