Independents:
Meet Daunte
Culpepperby Brian Hamilton,
CNN/SI
Posted: Fri Aug 28, 1998
Notre Dame senior tailback Autry Denson quietly scored 12 TDs and rushed for 1,268 yards. (Peter Read Miller) | |
Projected Order
of
Finish
|
1.
Notre
Dame
2.
Central
Florida
3. Louisiana
Tech
4.
Alabama-Birmingham
5. NE Louisiana
6.
Navy
7.
Arkansas
State
8.
SW
Louisiana
|
|
| |
|
|
Offensive Player of the
Year
|
|
Daunte
Culpepper, QB, Sr., Central
Florida
| | Look out! The best signal-caller in the nation returns all
his favorite targets, and his new head coach is the former
offensive
coordinator.
| |
|
Defensive Player of the
Year
|
|
Grant
Irons, LB, Soph., Notre
Dame
| | It could also be 'backer-mate Kory Minor, but we'll go with
the superstar-in-waiting who's free to wreak havoc with a
move to the
outside.
| |
|
Newcomer of the
Year
|
|
Jonathan
Adams, RB, Jr., Arkansas State
| | The JC transfer will be spectacular on the field now that he's academically qualified. Speaking of JC transfers,
new Lousiana Tech kicker Kevin
Pond may mean the difference between a bowl invitation and staying home, as the Bulldogs did in '97 despite a 9-2 record.
| |
|
Coach on the Hot
Seat
|
|
Nelson
Stokley, Southwest Louisiana ('97
record: 1-10)
| | It's one of those improve-now-or-hit-the-road
deals.
| |
|
Conference
Game-Breaker
|
|
Troy
Edwards, WR, Sr., Louisiana Tech (102 rec., 1707 yds., 13
TDs)
| | Provides the exclamation point on the Bulldogs' gaudy
passing game. The nation's leader in receiving yards per
game (155.2) last
season.
| |
|
Most Underrated
Player
|
|
Tim
Rattay, QB, Jr., Louisiana Tech (34 TD
passes)
| | Overshadowed by Culpepper, even though he was the nation's
total offense leader in '97 with 3,963
yards.
| |
|
Best
Name
|
|
Bartholomew
Butcher, NT, Soph.,
NE Louisiana
| | Runner-up:
Kostas
Hatzsidakis, C, Jr.,
Navy
| |
|
Toughest
Schedule
|
|
Notre
Dame will try to prove its competitiveness by starting with
Michigan, Michigan State,
Purdue, Stanford and Arizona State. The first four all beat the
Irish last
year.
| |
|
Creampuff
Schedule
|
|
Central
Florida
will try to prove its respectability against the likes of
Bowling Green, Youngstown State and Southwest Louisiana?
Truly respectable matchups loom at Purdue and at Auburn,
though.
| |
|
Red-Letter
Games
|
| Michigan at Notre
Dame, Sept.
5 | | Irish senior QB Jarious Jackson and Wolverines junior QB
Tom Brady take over for the graduated Ron Pawlus and Brian
Griese. Jackson is key to a reconstructed Notre Dame ground
attack; UM asks nothing more of Brady than to stay the
championship
course.
|
|
Central Florida at
Purdue, Sept.
19 | | The first real test of the Golden Knights' progress will
come in West Lafayette, Ind., against the retooled
Boilermakers.
|
| Alabama-Birmingham at
Nebraska, Sept. 5; or
NE Louisiana at Florida,
Sept.
12 | | Any takers on these colossal
mismatches?
| |
|
Drop This Name to Make Yourself Sound Smarter at the Water
Cooler
|
|
Brian
Smith, LB, Jr.,
Alabama-Birmingham
| | Smith will really shine when UAB moves to Conference USA
next season—that is, unless the 6'3", 252-pound
inside linebacker gets an early start on his inevitable pro
career.
| |
|
Going
Bowling
|
Locks: Notre
Dame
Maybes:
Central Florida, Louisiana
Tech
No
Way: NE Louisiana, Alabama-Birmingham, Navy,
Arkansas State, Southwest
Louisiana
| |
|
Top Three
Storylines
|
|
Un-Daunted?
| |
Central Florida's Golden Knights will go as far as
Culpepper's arm takes
them.
|
| Irish Eyes are ...
Smiling?
| |
A tumultuous offseason leads into a murderous first half.
The Irish won't have an easy time bettering last year's 1-4
start.
|
| Two If By
Air
| |
Louisiana Tech's Rattay and Edwards present a potent air
attack. How many records will
fall?
| |
|
