This time of year is a source of boundless optimism for teams. Nobody has lost a game and injuries have not yet accumulated.
Regardless, fans of the following programs would be advised to be prepared to temper pre-season hopes:
WASHINGTON STATE
What has happened on the Paloose is beyond tragic. Overcoming a suicide is emotionally difficult on any level.When it happens to your starting QB, the ramifications are even deeper. One of last year’s major surprises was the improvement of the Cougar D. Yet more abandonment as their defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch, left for Ohio State.
Mike Leach would also have been happy to bolt to Tennessee in the Vols’ crazy job search. When you add in the negative momentum created by 2 season-ending blowout losses, WSU will not come close to replicating their 9-4 record. They will not have a winning season in 2018.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Senior QB Ryan Finley will be one of the first QB’s selected in the 2019 draft. A talented QB usually triggers boundless optimism. However, NC State’s incredibly talented defensive line has entirely disappeared (all four starters were drafted in the first four rounds of the NFL draft).
The non-conference schedule is difficult. To the casual fan, the James Madison opener is a yawner. But JMU is an FCS power, coming off a 14-1 season. Marshall will be solid and that trap game is on the road. West Virginia is a borderline Top 10 team. We predict that NC State will not be above .500 going into ACC play.
NC State will come nowhere near last year’s 9-4 mark. Put them down for 7-5 or 6-6 in the regular season.
LSU
The Ed Orgeron experiment continues. While nobody ever questions the Bayou Bengals on defense, the offense remains a question mark. How an offense could have ever been a question mark when you had running backs like Derrius Guice and Leonard Fournette remains an excellent question. Perhaps Ohio State transfer, Joe Burrow, will help. There has been so many changes in the offensive coordinator roles, the offense has suffered from a lack of continuity.
In addition to the SEC West gauntlet, LSU opens with Miami. Their crossover games with the SEC East: Only Georgia and Florida. OUCH!! Even if this Tiger team surprises and is excellent, the schedule could still translate to 7-5.
NEBRASKA
God is alive and well in Lincoln, Nebraska. The miracle worker’s name: Scott Frost. He has come home from a smash two-year run in Orlando.
However, miracles sometimes are not instant. Frost has his highly touted freshman recruit QB, Adrian Martinez, ready to start. Alas, Martinez does not play defense. Nebraska’s last three opponents in 2017 scored at least 54 points!!
Look where the Freshman will travel for the Huskers’ 5 Big 10 road games:
Michigan
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Ohio State
Iowa.
!!!!! Toss in a home date against an excellent Michigan State team. Husker fans should gear their hopes toward 2019.
HAWAII
When Nick Rolovich was hired before the 2016 season, I thought the Rainbow Warriors had made a perfect selection. Rolovich was a former star QB and assistant coach for Hawaii. Now I wonder.
Back sliding from a 7-7 mark to a 3-9 record is one thing. But when 2 of your most productive offensive players transfer, one notices. Starting QB Dru Brown transferred to Oklahoma State. Wide receiver, Dylan Collie, transferred to BYU. Couple these defections with the graduation of 2nd team MWC running back, Diocemy Saint Juste (1,510 yards last year) and the offensive exodus is disturbing.