C-USA Eastern Division

This is one conference that had some teams play well above their potential (Rice, ECU, Tulsa) and others that fell far below expectations (SMU, Houston, Southern Miss). Now, in 2009, there really is no clear-cut favorite because a lot of the big guns left school early as did their QBs, but other key components return for certain programs. Anyhow, without a dominant recent program like Troy in the Sun Belt and Boise St. in the WAC, this year's title race is wide open.

East Carolina- The defense is the main place to start here with superstar FS Van Eskridge and with a little help from CBs Dekota Marshall and Travis Simmons, this could be one of the country's best secondaries. Nick Simmons and Jeremy Chambliss are also quality LBs and with an experienced DL returning, ECU will have an outstanding defense. DL Jay Ross and CJ Wilson will probably make All C-USA if they stay healthy and the rest will be up to the offense. The offense needs to stay on track with a challenging schedule that includes at WV, UNC and home to VA Tech. While they could obviously win all three games, two wins there is more reasonable. Patrick Pinkney is an experienced QB who should do very well, especially with Darryl Freeney, Jamar Bryant and Dwayne Harris all quality WRs. If RB Norman Whitley remains suspended it may not matter thanks to Dominique Lindsay and Brandon Jackson, a very talented transfer frm Kentucky. The OL returns intact which means ECU could start well and gain momentum early. ECU could get to 9 or 10 wins by the end of the season, but I see a C-USA that is far too challenging colliding with a brutal non-conference schedule as well. I'll go with 8 wins.

Marshall- The Thundering Herd barely lost three games last year and could have easily been bowl-eligible, but they will only go as far as their QBs take them. Whether it's Brian Anderson or Mark Cann, whoever wins the job will have All-American candidate Cody Slate at TE to throw to. Darius Marshall will need to continue his productivity at TB and if he can, the offense should be ok. However, the Herd will need someone to take the pressure off of Slate and that man could be WR Bryant Milligan. If not Milligan, then JUCO transfer Charles Walker or Courtney Edmondson will need to step up their game. Mario Harvey and Brandon Burns should be the leaders of the defense at LB, but the efficiency of the defense will depend upon starting CBs DeQuan Bembry and TJ Drakeford. Each player had 1 INT apiece and that just will not do in C-USA. Only 2 picks from your starting CBs is awful. The DEs are also outstanding so the Herd should be an improving team and will only be helped by having very dependable players at K and P also returning. The non-conference schedule isn't too brutal, but home games with SMU and UAB will determine whether they go past the break even point. I'll call for 6 wins.

Memphis- This must have been the hot city to go to two years ago because the Tigers are acquiring a lot of depth at already strong positions thanks to transfers. Miami (FL) transfers Jermaine McKenzie (WR) and DajLeon Farr (TE) will arrive to help out the fantastic duo of Duke Calhoun and Carlos Singleton. Singleton has the potential to be a dominant wideout ala Jarrett Dillard at Rice, but he hasn't had that one magical season yet. He may have that in 2009 thanks to Arkelon Hall returning, who had ok numbers, but will need to do much better with a talented receiving duo. This may be hard because only one OL returns and not just Hall will be affected, but Curtis Steele, who had a 1,000 yard season last year. If the running game can't produce, a very talented offense may go in a tailspin. The Tigers will get help in the secondary from Auburn transfer DeRon Furr and they may need it because CBs DA Griffin and Deante Lamar had less productivity than Marshall's starting CBs (just one INT here total). The good news is all of the LBs return and Derrick Odom comes in from LSU to help bolster the group. Memphis is yet another team I see going 2-2 in non-conference play from this division, but the road game at Middle Tennessee is not a given. The best Memphis can hope for is 5 wins, maybe 6, if they pull off a road upset. However, I see 4 most realistic, 3 if they can't get by MT.

Southern Miss- The Golden Eagles have a very healthy offense returning, but they do lose one key starter in TE Shawn Nelson. That could be a key loss if DeAndre Brown isn't healthy after his horrific bowl injury. However, Brown should be fine, and with Nelson gone, WRs Freddie Parham and Gerald Baptiste should produce good numbers, especially with Brown drawing double-coverage from other teams. With the entire OL returning, QB Austin Davis should keep his impressive numbers and stud RB Damion Fletcher could easily top 1500-1700 yards and have good receiving numbers. The Eagles have a very good defense returning, and may want to consider adding a Rover position instead of a 3rd LB to get Justin Wilson into the lineup more since he had 4 INTs with limited amount of starts. Wilson could be backing up Chico Hunter and besides those two, the secondary is outstanding thanks to CBs CJ Bailey and Andre Watson. That will help a lot in the pass-happy, high-octane C-USA. The DL is deep and talented, but two new starting LBs will have to produce for the Eagles to improve on their 7 wins from last year. A road game at Houston and the finale at ECU will go a long way in determining the conference champ, but I see ECU coming through in that game. However, if Souther Miss takes care of business in their other conference games, they may still come away as Eastern Division champs. UVa, Kansas and Louisville are not easy non-conference games, but the Eagles could come away 3-0, the biggie will be Kansas. However, I call for a slip up or two and for ECU to win the East division, which means 8 wins for Southern Miss.

UAB- I haven't seen a team that relies on one player this much since Ramon Flanigan was playing at SMU in the early-to-mid 90s. QB Joe Webb has one last shot at leading his Blazers to a bowl game and this may be his best shot with a deep, but not spectacular group of receivers coming back and potential 1,000 yard rusher Rashaud Slaughter. The key for Webb will be making plays with his feet and getting the ball to do-it-all WR Frantrell Forrest who could surpass 1500 yards all purpose with his KRs added in. Since the entire offense returns, all 11 starters, the entire unit can only get better. The Blazers have some solid players on defense, but no one returning who will scare opposing offenses. The DL returns intact, but that area needs a lot of improvement for this team to be successful. Terrell Springs was underwhelming at CB last year, but Brandon Carlisle did well in limited action, so if the pass D can hold up in a few games, UAB may pull an upset. The LBs are also hit-or-miss but I like this team's potential. Webb can only improve on a 10-to-16 TD-to-INT ratio and Rice and SMU are winnable home games to start the season. If they can beat Troy or Texas A&M on the road in the next two, then a .500 season is not too far-fetched. While they will probably get 4 wins, 5 at most, I see a bowl-eligibility season coming if the team gels quickly.

UCF- With the Knights losing QB Michael Greco due to his move to DB, the offense may be in good shape since incumbent Rob Calabrese won't have to worry about being pulled for a more experienced player. Calabrese will need WR Brian Watters or Kamar Aiken to step up to be really efficient through the air. This is even more important because the RBs are ok, but not necessarily reliable. Brynn Harvey and Ronnie Weaver are the RBs right now, but one needs to emerge as a feature back. UCF doesn't need another Kevin Smith, although that certainly wouldn't hurt matters, but just one player who can take the bulk of the carries and gain 1,000 yards would work wonders. Having a patchwork OL with two possible freshman starting won't help. DEs Jarvig Geathers and Bruce Miller are outstanding DEs and they will need to keep up their impressive sack totals because UCF loses a lot of experience in the secondary. While FS Derrick Hallman may be a possible all-conference performer, he can't patrol the whole secondary. Lawrence Young and Chance Henderson are two dominant LBs, so the bulk of the Knights' success will depend on their front seven. Losing a great KR in Joe Burnett will also hurt UCF. Unless UCF pulls an upset against Miami (FL) they may have five certain losses because road games at Southern Miss, ECU and Texas and a homecoming date with Houston are very tough tasks. I hate to be negative because George O'Leary has been successful here, but I see 3-4 wins max. Hey, every conference has to have a bottom-feeder.

Hopefully in a few hours I will get to the west division, where the real meat-and-potatoes lies. That's where all the high-powered offenses really come into play and a ton of exciting games await anyone who has CSTV where their games are usually featured.