SMU preview

The 2006 season showcased a bright future for SMU Football. The Mustangs upped their win total for the third straight season, posted their highest win total in a decade and reached bowl-eligibility all while featuring a slew of talented young players.

SMU student-athletes filled a Conference USA-high six spots on the All-Freshman team and also took two spots on The Sporting News' Freshman All-America squad. Quarterback Justin Willis and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders each set new school records in various categories and Willis was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year by numerous outlets. Willis and Sanders combine with 2005 honorees DeMyron Martin and Jessie Henderson to give SMU four former frosh All-Americans on its 2007 roster.

SMU continues to win off the field as well, as the Mustangs received the American Football Coaches Association's 2006 Academic Achievement Award after the school recorded a 100 percent graduation rate.

As the 2007 season draws near, SMU coaches, players and fans alike are filled with anticipation and hopes of a Conference USA championship and the Mustangs' first bowl berth in 23 years.

Complete preview

Southern Miss preview

Prior to the 2006 season, there were a number of questions that the Southern Miss Golden Eagles needed to answer.

On offense, there were some personnel concerns after losing some key players in the skill positions, primarily the loss of three-year starting quarterback, Dustin Almond.

The losses were even greater on the defensive side of the ball, as the team needed to fill key spots vacated by the departed seniors, including Conference USA player of the Year, Kevis Coley, and twin brother, Trevis, and standout defensive back, John Eubanks.

With that in mind, it was most likely wishful thinking to imagine that the Golden Eagles would finish as the East Division champions in Conference USA.

And after a luke-warm 4-4 start, the likelihood of Southern Miss continuing the streak of 13-straight winning seasons and another postseason appearance seemed to be slipping.

But the Golden Eagles turned things around at the right time, winning the final four regular season games to earn a spot in the title game. After losing the championship to Houston, Southern Miss responded with a decisive 28-7 victory over Ohio in the GMAC Bowl.

When it was all said and done, the team finished with a 9-5 record and won its third-straight bowl game, extending the respective streaks in the process. For the team to finish the way it did, after the start that it had, there is a lot to build on entering the 2007 campaign.

Complete preview

Rice preview

The Rice Owls soared to heights, both individually and collectively, in 2006 that no one dared to predict as they entered the season.

Led by the individual heroics of wide receiver Jarett Dillard, who vaulted from unknown to All-American thanks to leading the nation with 21 touchdown catches, Rice won its final six games, three on the final offensive play of the game, to finish second in the C-USA West and earn a date to play Troy in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

The Owls head into the 2007 season faced not only with the task of building on the momentum created last season, but also with the challenge of meshing with a new coaching staff and a change in defensive scheme, as David Bailiff takes over the reigns and brings with him the change to a 4-2-5 defensive alignment.

Normally, such challenges would have been substantially addressed during Spring Practice, but Bailiff's staff never got the chance to fully evaluate all the returning talent, since a number missed the spring period recuperating from injuries. Only 53 of the 65 players were able to participate in the bulk of drills, leaving the depth chart assignments heading into the fall up for major renovations, thanks to a fully healed returning squad and a talented 23-man freshman class that will likely be asked to step up into several key roles.

Complete preview

Memphis preview

Optimism fills the air as the Tigers are gearing up for the 2007 season. That optimism is fueled by the way head coach Tommy West's squad emerged in the final three games of the 2006 season as well as by the tremendous energy and enthusiasm that was clearly noticeable during the spring.

"I made some decisions last year that set this football team back," said West. "I made those decisions so that we can ultimately get to where we want to get to. This team never blinked an eye and never questioned the decision. They have bought in, 100 percent.

"I was really impressed at how our football team responded through a difficult year," added West. "They continued to improve each week, to the point that I thought they were a good team at the end of the year. We fought through a tough situation and became a good team out of it."

The 2007 season will feature six new coaches which West often cited during spring practice for their energy and enthusiasm on the field. He is quick to call this staff the best recruiting staff that he has ever had at Memphis and feels this program is clearly "headed in the right direction from a recruiting and coaching standpoint."

"I thought this team had a great attitude this spring," West said. "I think this team has a little bit of a chip on their shoulder because of what they went through, and I believe we all will be better because of it."

Complete preview

Marshall preview

Marshall University has shown signs of improvement in each of the last two seasons under head coach Mark Snyder and 2007 offers the potential for further growth as the Thundering Herd welcomes back a solid corps of veterans from last season's 5-7 squad that won four of its last six games.

Marshall's offense features plenty of veterans and talent despite the early departure of NFL draft pick Ahmad Bradshaw. Last season, the Herd relied heavily on the talented junior running back who rushed for 1,523 yards and 21 touchdowns en route to earning first-team All-Conference USA honors.

The Thundering Herd offense returns eight starters including one of the nation's top centers in senior Doug Legursky, an explosive tight end in sophomore Cody Slate, a senior quarterback in Bernard Morris and a veteran corps of wide receivers. With these fixtures in place, Marshall's offense has the potential to be a force in 2007.

Complete preview

Houston preview

Can history repeat itself in 2007?

University of Houston head football coach Art Briles sure hopes so.

Now entering his fifth season at the helm of the Cougar program and coming off an epic 2006 campaign, Briles looks to guide Houston to another Conference USA title and make history in the process. The Cougars have won back-to-back league titles only twice - the 1956-57 Missouri Valley Conference and the 1978-79 Southwest Conference crowns - so bringing home the C-USA hardware again in 2007 is history-making in itself. Plus, no C-USA team has repeated as league champs since Louisville won consecutive titles in 2000-01.

Complete preview

East Carolina preview

After a return to the postseason in his second year at East Carolina, head coach Skip Holtz has his aim set on building the Pirates' program, not just another winning team.

A challenging schedule will be the primary roadblock between ECU and a second consecutive postseason appearance, but Holtz has said since his arrival he would feel more comfortable when the team began featuring products of his own recruiting efforts.

The time is now, starting at quarterback, where Holtz signee Rob Kass will shoulder the responsibility of replacing program mainstay James Pinkney.

ECU's attempt at a second straight winning season -- the Pirates finished 7-6 in 2006 after a loss to South Florida in the Papajohns.com Bowl -- will begin with a daunting trip to Virginia Tech and also includes a non-conference tilt at West Virginia and a pair of home contests against in-state rivals North Carolina and NC State.

Complete preview