College Football: What Every Team Would Do If They Could Sign One More Recruit

It's rare for college football teams to be called flawless since even BCS championship contenders turn out to have a few minor flaws.

So, if every single FBS team could snag any position to help improve their squad, which one could they not pass up?

Imagine that your beloved team could go out and get any top-notch recruit—which position would help lead your program to the title or at least help improve it?

This is similar to dreaming about landing the player that perhaps you may or may never land, but during the offseason we will be talking about everything possible (this is for the 2012 season and beyond). 

Note: The order is from the following 2011 conferences—ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, C-USA, MAC, MWC, Pac-12, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC and Independents—and I did not include the four new teams (Massachusetts, UTSA, South Alabama and Texas State).

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Boston College: Wide Receiver

They were abysmal offensively speaking last season, ranking 100th in passing offense and averaging 167 yards per game. It wasn't so much the fault of the signal-caller rather the guys who could not get open.

Clemson: Offensive Tackle

Tackle, guard, center, it doesn’t matter. Clemson was 85th in the nation this past season in sacks allowed. I would choose the tackle position with Phillip Price and Landon Walker both gone.

Plus, we know the duo of Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins is one of the best pass-catch tandems in America, but they need more blocking to develop more of a status.

Florida State: Offensive Tackle

Andrew Datko went down (early during last season) and is still looking for a medical redshirt, but the line has been suspect at best compared to the rest of the positions on the team.

The defense is stacked and there are playmakers everywhere on the field.

However, if the Noles want to win the ACC and anything more, then they better be able to shore up that offensive line.

Maryland: Quarterback

The quarterback quandary was a struggle to watch and the 2-10 season was not a coincidence for the Terps.

They needed Danny O’Brien to stay committed to the program and hope that he can get back to the stellar play he once had in 2010-2011. Well, he has since transferred so the job is now up to C.J. Brown.

NC State: Offensive Line

A running back would really help out the Pack and some could argue for that, but this offensive line has been fairly brutal in recent memory.

Mike Glennon is going to be one of the top signal-callers in the ACC and he is going to need some protection on top of improvement from his running game.

Wake Forest: Offensive Line

Why is the ACC struggling compared to a few other BCS conferences?

They cannot protect the passer and it is clear as day!

Wake allowed 100 sacks this past season (100th) and it has not even allowed them to run the ball which has made their offense extremely one-dimensional.

Duke: Pass-Rusher

This is simple because the Dukies need a freak off the edge more than anybody among the BCS conferences.

They were just 94th in the nation with 17 sacks for the entire season! That better change or else they will continue to come up short of a bowl game.

Georgia Tech: Run Stuffer

The Yellow Jackets ranked 66th against the run allowing 161 yards per game, which is not respectful for a team that wants to contend for an ACC title.

A legit defensive tackle would be great, but the linebackers need to either stay healthy and/or be far more productive.

Miami FL: Quarterback

Ken Dorsey was one hell of a leader and the Canes have not been the same since he has left.

Sure, Brock Berlin did a decent job, but the Canes have been fairly miserable (for their standards) offensively for several seasons.

This team has been lacking some superstar talents, but without a leader on this team they have become just mediocre.

It is amazing how they continue to struggle since these are the Canes, but it shouldn’t come as a shocker when you realize all of the off-field and coaching issues they have had as well.

North Carolina: Cornerback

This team wasn’t missing the stars on the defensive side of the ball really, but they could have used a shutdown corner.

The Tar Heels played uninspired football down the stretch, but they have gone through a lot the past two seasons. Having a new coach should help things out a bit, but the secondary (78th in yards allowed) needs to step it up a notch.

Virginia: Quarterback

With all due respect to Michael Rocco, the Wahoos could use a mobile quarterback who is a superstar. Every team that doesn't have a superstar star would love to have one obviously, but Virginia could really use one. 

Virginia Tech: Wide Receiver

Logan Thomas will be without his star running back David Wilson, but he can find some running room on his own.

However, he loses a few of his receivers and could use that NFL star to stretch the field for him. It was evident that the Hokies receivers were not great enough to bail them out when need be (still should have been TD in OT). The receiver corps may get worse, though Thomas' improvement could go a long way.

Cincinnati: Linebacker

The Bearcats and Butch Jones were sensational this past season in the Big East, but they could use a stud linebacker. If their defense gets any better, they could be on their way to another conference championship.

UCONN: Quarterback

No offense to any of the Huskies current quarterbacks, but similar to Virginia they could use that NFL star to put them into contention for a conference crown.

They have been limited a bit in their passing game and while some is due to the lack of guys who can stretch the field, a signal-caller who can put the ball on the money would be appreciated.

Louisville: Running Back

Teddy Bridgewater is ready to become a star, but he needs some help along the way. If the ‘Ville want to become a BCS contender they need to avoid finishing 93rd in America for rushing yards per game (121 YPG).

Pittsburgh: Offensive Lineman

Quick, which team was dead last in sacks allowed in 2011? Yes, the Panthers were last and allowed 64 of them (next closest was 47).

Rutgers: Offensive Lineman

The recruits are coming and some could argue a receiver is more glaring, but I am a firm believer in building great teams from the inside-out.

If they expect to be able to run the ball with ease, it starts up front and a stud tackle similar to Anthony Davis a few years ago would fit the bill.

South Florida: Defensive Back

I love some safeties who can lay the wood behind the line of scrimmage, but they have not had productive corners as of late.

Though West Virginia is off to the Big 12, it helps to have a capable corner who can be asked in bump-and-run coverage or zone, as well as make plays behind the line.

Syracuse: Offensive Lineman

Yes, another struggling team needs an offensive lineman badly. Their entire offense is based off on the offensive line and Ryan Nassib (now graduated) struggled because of it.

West Virginia: Cornerback

Moving to the Big 12 will not be a walk in the park for the Mountaineers, and they best have a few reliable corners if they do not want to get lit up by the likes of Oklahoma or TCU.

These teams can sling it with the best of them, and if the pass defense (35th) can become half as productive as their passing offense, they should be fine.

Illinois: Wide Receiver

They need some guys who can stretch the field because A.J. Jenkins is gone and the talent starts to dip a bit after his departure.

Who is ready to become that next Illini star in the passing offense? Sure, a solid group that develops collectively won’t hurt, but they need a few leaders without Jenkins back.

Indiana: Offensive Tackle

Where should we start? A quarterback would help among several key defensive players, but the offensive line is killing this team.

They continue to get obliterated off the edge and the Big Ten is only improving up front. Michigan State, Ohio State and Iowa may put a beating on the poor Hoosiers line if it does not improve. 

Ohio State: Running Back

This isn't a slap in the face, but with the departure of Carlos Hyde among several former NFL backs in recent years, Ohio State University could use a horse to tote the rock. Braxton Miller can only do so much right now and he needs a bit more help.

Penn State: Quarterback

We could choose a few different positions on offense for the Nittany Lions and certainly the loss of Devon Still at defensive tackle will be tough. However, watching the PSU offense was dreadful for most of the season.

Even going against the Houston Cougars decent defense made it as if they were playing the New York Superbowl Giants defense.

They cannot afford just a game manager—though that would be an upgrade—but an All-Big Ten performer could get this team to a possible Big Ten title game.

Purdue: Linebacker

Mr. Short is a stud up front for Purdue, but they could use a star linebacker to make their defense one of the better ones in the Big Ten. 

Wisconsin: Quarterback

Russell Wilson was a star for the Badgers this past season and they will certainly miss him next season. If they were to land a star signal-caller then they would likely be a national title contender.

Sure, they found a way to lose three games (including Rose Bowl), but the defense should be improved arguably and we know Montee Ball is a superstar to begin with.

Iowa: Running Back/Wide Receiver

I cannot pick my poison here because the loss of Marvin McNutt is nothing the Hawkeyes want to think of, but Marcus Coker was a beast for them.

He toted the rock with the best of them in the Big Ten and his departure will also be missed.

The reason why Iowa may fall short of becoming a national dark horse is because they are a team that relies heavily on the running game and they may not be able to reach full potential (at least right off the bat) with the current youngsters they have.

Michigan: Defensive Tackle

This is a simple one to me because Mike Martin was a bad man for the Wolverines. He dominated the trenches and there is no chance the Maize and Blue will be able to win the Big Ten without him—unless of course the production is nearly matched (easier said than done).

Michigan State: Wide Receiver

Kirk Cousins can be looked at as a loss or as an addition for the Spartans. Some could not stand him, but he was an inspirational leader and was the guy who led them to consecutive 11-win seasons.

The kid deserves his due since he meant so much for the program, so I would really like to say that the quarterback position is a need, but it isn’t the biggest.

The entire receiving corps is nearly gone and needs to fill the shoes of B.J. Cunningham (all-time reception leader in MSU history) and Keshawn Martin.

Minnesota: Defensive End

The Gophers were just 86th in the nation in total sacks for the 2011 season (19). A ferocious pass-rusher would strike some fear into opposing offenses instead of having them lick their chops.

Nebraska: Wide Receiver

Are you kidding me? Some may argue they need a quarterback to be able to throw the ball, but Taylor Martinez was just a sophomore this past season.

This is a vital season for his collegiate career, but I am not sure Joe Montana would be a star with the Huskers receivers.

Thank goodness high school senior Jordan Westerkamp is coming to town to help out. The receivers were way too young and had the case of the dropsies on top of failing to get open for most of the season.

Northwestern: Running Back

The Cats have not had a bell cow type of runner for at least a couple of seasons and it has bit them in the behind.

Dan Persa and Kain Colter were not too shabby last season, but they couldn’t run it entirely by themselves. Somebody has to emerge or else they will continue to struggle with 6-6 and 7-5 seasons.

Baylor: Defensive Back

The Bears could desperately use a defensive back who could avoid getting burnt to a crisp. A safety wouldn’t hurt either since they need to wreak havoc behind the line of scrimmage. Even without RGIII, the offense should be fine.

Iowa State: Wide Receiver

The Cyclones seemed to drop a billion passes against Oklahoma State despite pulling off the upset, but that was the case all season.

The struggles were never ending and they need a stud to step up or else their magical 2011 season may be as high of a ceiling as it ever gets in Ames.

Kansas: Running Back

All of these BCS squads always seem to have a stud running back, but when was the last time the Jayhawks had anybody good?

No disrespect intended, but they have really struggled to run the ball due to a developing offensive line, but every Big 12 team has a stud back except for KU so it seems.

Kansas State: Wide Receiver

Being at 108th for passing offense is not good when you consider yourself a top 20 team. They gave Arkansas a good game for three quarters, but eventually their inability to stretch the field was eye-popping.

Missouri: Cornerback

Going to the SEC will of course be about the trenches, but their secondary has been mediocre at best in the Gary Pinkel era.

They were just 94th against the pass in the Big 12, but don’t think the SEC can do damage to a Tigers bunch that desperately needs a shutdown corner.

Oklahoma: Defensive End

Losing Frank Alexander and Ronnell Lewis would be impossible to overcome in any other program, but the Sooners should be fine at the end of the day.

However, the Sooners always seem to reload beast off the edge since they have ranked among the elite as far as getting after the passer, though both of the 2011 starters will be drafted in the NFL. 

Oklahoma State: Defensive End

There must be an echo, but this really is the weakness for the current Pokes roster. They struggled to harass the passer and instead just became a turnover machine thanks to their athletic linebackers and secondary. 

Texas: Quarterback

I am pretty sure Mack Brown and the Longhorn nation will have confidence in David Ash, but this Longhorn offense could have used a star this past season.

The passing offense was atrocious until they started to look better in the Holiday Bowl against Cal. Not saying they will struggle mightily in 2012, but it will still fall short of the Vince Young and Colt McCoy days (duh!).

Texas A&M: Quarterback

The Aggie secondary was torched in the pass-happy Big 12, ranking 109th (276 YPG)—but that was almost expected in my eyes. 

We are officially about to find out if Ryan Tannehill meant everything to the Aggies or if the criticism he drew was often fair.

Texas Tech: Run Stuffer

This could go several ways, and I mean either defensive tackle and or middle linebacker. The Red Raiders were dead-last in America for rushing yards allowed per game (258).

They would love to stop the bleeding eventually.

East Carolina: Running Back

The Pirates have been without Chris Johnson since 2008, but last year they struggled miserably to run the ball effectively. The Pirates were 105th and totaled only 109 yards a game.

Marshall: Running Back

They were brutal in attempting to run the ball as well, ranking 96th in the nation. 

Memphis: Running Back

There are other concerns that the basement teams in C-USA have, but their inability to run the ball just destroys everything. When teams cannot run the ball at age level, things slowly fall apart.

Southern Miss: Quarterback

Austin Davis is gone and he was a gamer for Golden Eagles. The eventual replacement (likely Arsenio Favor) needs to not worry about replacing such a stud, but rather work on simply managing the game well.

UAB: Safety

Can we choose any type of defensive player?

The Blazers bring in a new coaching staff and thank the Lord because they needed some sort of change.

Tackling was optional and there needs to be major improvement if they want to avoid the bottom of the conference.

UCF: Defensive End

The Knights defense was not even half as good as it was two seasons ago when they were 37th in sacks per game (2.29, 32 total).

This past season they were 100th, averaging 1.33 per game (16 total). Whenever your production gets cut in half, there are issues that need to be dealt with.

Houston: Quarterback/Linebacker

Case Keenum, Marcus McGraw and Sammy Brown will also be dearly missed. But Mr. Keenum holds nearly every record in the book after staying for six seasons and the Cougars offense won’t be nearly as potent without him.

Rice: Defensive Player

Similar to UAB, the Owls defense was absurd—and by that I mean awful. They were 111th in total defense and that is not the number one should ever see in regards to their defense.

SMU: Offensive Lineman

Any lineman would help June Jones and the Mustangs out since they are a passing attack-caliber team. SMU is actually one of my favorite dark horses to win double digits next season, but they won’t have a shot if the line does not improve.

Tulane: Cornerback

Their pass defense was soft, allowing 245 yards per game (87th), so they certainly could use an NFL-caliber defensive back.

The Green Wave would gladly just take some sort of improvement instead of allowing 400 yards passing a few times every season.

Tulsa: Cornerback

The offense was sensational at times for Tulsa in 2011, but the pass defense was abysmal. They ranked 117th by allowing 286 yards a game and they will have no shot of contending without the secondary stepping up.

UTEP: Defensive Player

It shouldn't be breaking news that Conference USA has had their struggles on the defensive side of the ball.

The Miners have dug themselves into quite the hole the past several seasons and fans really need to understand that defense at the end of the day (more times than not) decides your fate.

Akron: Defensive End

The Zips were 108th against the run, allowing 219 yards per game and they were even worse in terms of sacks. They sadly were 116th with a total of 10 sacks for the entire season! There were some teams that had that many in the first month of the season.

Bowling Green: Linebacker

The linebackers need a makeover since the production has been brutal. They were trucked for 203 yards per game, which was 104th in America.

Plus, the Falcons could use an improved defense since the MAC has not been known for shutting offenses down as of late.

Buffalo: Defensive End

The Bulls were dreadful as far as harassing the quarterback as their sack totals show just how putrid they are. Sixteen sacks ranked only 100th in the nation—and that really is bad as it sounds.

Kent State: Offensive Skill Player

Can the Golden Flashers get anybody to move the ball? The offensive line isn’t that bad, but the skill players really are.

The total offense ranks second to last in America, averaging 253 yards per game. Another bad number when realizing the MAC overall does not struggle to put points on the board.

Miami (Ohio): Offensive Line

Any lineman will do on account that the RedHawks allowed the second-most sacks in the country. Try allowing 47 sacks in 12 games (3.92 per) and not having your offense look completely lackluster (RedHawks went 4-8).

Ohio: Defensive End

The Bobcats nearly won the MAC without a ferocious or relentless defensive front. That is hard to come by these days, so it is amazing when you realize Ohio went 10-4 overall.

Still, ranking 89th with an average of only 1.57 sacks per game (22 total) flat out needs to improve if Solich and the boys expect another crack at the MAC title.

Temple: Wide Receiver

The Owls would love to have a game-breaking receiver since the production was brutal with a capital B this past season. Even the elite MAC squads have glaring weaknesses, though Temple wasn’t a passing team by any means.

In fact, Temple attempted the third fewest in the country, but they would be that much better of a team if they could get more than 126 yards per game in the passing game.

Ball State: Defensive End

Why is the SEC so darn good? Well, their pass-rushers go bonkers on every series and the MAC (mid to low-tier teams) can barely go off at any point of a game.

No disrespect intended, but their defensive lines are among the worst in the country for a reason. They never get enough pass rush and the Cardinals were 100th in the nation in sacks (1.3 per game, 16 sacks total).

Central Michigan: Defensive End

Yes, there is an echo and it is called the defensive lines of the MAC. Central is 110th in sacks per game (1.08) as they totaled for just 13 per game.

Some of these numbers are skewed due to the majority of the teams throwing the ball so much, but good defenses find ways to get a few sacks every game—and the Chips couldn’t say that for the entire season.

Eastern Michigan: Wide Receiver

The Eagles could not find any consistency in their passing game as they had the fourth-worst passing offense in the nation (126 YPG).

Northern Illinois: Cornerback

The Huskies were beat deep quite a bit this past season as they allowed 247 yards per game via the air, ranking 89th in the nation.

This squad won 11 games, which just tells you outside of the secondary always playing ahead, there weren't many holes or yards to be given up.

Toledo: Cornerback

Boise State and Kellen Moore absolutely torched the Rockets (455 yards, five TD), but he wasn’t the only one. Toledo gave up 268 yards a game, which ranked 105th.

Western Michigan: Linebacker

They were slashed, dashed and gashed by the Boilermakers in their bowl game, allowing 265 yards. If they had just one stud linebacker, most of those issues would be in the rear-view mirror.

Air Force: Quarterback/Defensive Tackle

Tim Jefferson was Mr. Everything for the Falcons and his loss will be tough, but they could also use a defensive tackle. Air Force is never big up front, but let us dream big and throw in a big hog molly up front. 

Boise State: Quarterback

Replacing Kellen Moore will be tough, though it is possible the Broncos remain among the top teams in college football in terms of putting up points (they have entire DL to replace too).

Still, they were one of the elites in the game and losing the winning-est guy in the history of the sport has to take some sort of a toll.

Colorado State: Linebacker

The Rams really could use a stud linebacker for next season, especially after losing Mychal Sisson. Against the run, the Rams were 116th in America allowing 233 yards per game. 

New Mexico: Running Back

Remember when the Lobos were able to own the Mountain West by running the ball whenever they pleased to?

Well, it has been a struggle since Rocky Long left, and averaging 113 yards per game (103rd) makes sense in terms of the Lobos going 1-11.

San Diego State: Quarterback

The loss of Ronnie Hillman will be tough, though Walter Kazee should be a solid replacement. However, the loss of Ryan Lindley at quarterback may be too tough for the Aztecs to get back in the postseason.

TCU: Offensive Tackle

We are about to find out how much better the Big 12 is compared to the Mountain West as well as how much improved (and damn good) the Horned Frogs really are.

Plus, they would love to have an NFL tackle protecting the blind side of Casey Pachall.

UNLV: Defensive End

A pass-rusher is something only the elite teams in college football have—and clearly Vegas is lacking that. They were 108th in the nation, totaling just 14 sacks! Can a brother get a freak off the edge?

Wyoming: Defensive End

Stopping the run has been impossible for the Cowboys against any BCS-caliber teams—even in terms of talent—and the loss their star end Gabe Knapton sure won’t help.

Wyoming was 115th against the run allowing 232 yards a game and any sort of stud defensive lineman would help turn this program into an eight-win squad nearly every year.

California: Left Tackle

Zach Maynard would love to have a stud left tackle protecting him (right tackle is blind side) since they were abused by the Texas Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl. Maynard could use better footwork and/or a better overall feel, but a stud tackle is a signal-callers best friend. 

Oregon: Cornerback

They have only a few holes if any at all, but if the Ducks had a shutdown corner, they may as well never lose a game. Oregon has one of the quicker defenses in the nation and next season may be even better with six coming back.

Oregon State: Quarterback/Running Back

They miss Derek Anderson a lot and we all thought Ryan Katz was the answer, but he was ineffective and eventually transferred.

Now they really are in a tough spot (have been for quite some time) and would love to get some help for an offense that was just 100th in scoring offense (21 PPG). A stud runner wouldn’t hurt either, but really, you can pick your poison. 

Stanford: Quarterback

Can they get back Andrew Luck?

Well, another star quarterback would make this team as legit as any in the nation.

They are improving their talent at the skill positions and the defense is only improving. It will be interesting to see how much of a drop the offensive points per game (43 PPG, seventh) dips with Luck though.

Washington: Defensive Tackle

Losing a few studs up front hurts almost any team, but the Huskies need to reload quickly if they want to finish in the top three of the Pac-12. The Ducks and Trojans will be nearly unstoppable next season, but a team like Stanford is possible to get after assuming the offense stays hot.

Washington State: Defensive Back

The Cougars are returning quite a bit in the secondary, but that might not be a good thing. They were 93rd in the country in passing yards allowed (252 YPG) and they would love an NFL stud back there daring you to throw it at him.

Arizona: Defensive Back

Ranking 119th in the country is pitiful and hopefully Richy Rod can get his boys to be more wary of the pass in the Pac-12. 

Arizona State: Quarterback

Big Brock is gone at quarterback and though they could use a talented replacement for Vontaze Burfict (though some say he hurt them a lot more in his senior year), the quarterback is the guy who will be owning the team under Todd Graham.

Colorado: Defensive Back

The Buffs were just 97th against the pass and the lack of stars in the secondary will kill them unless something magically gets fixed. 

Southern California: Defensive Tackle

Sure, a stud replacement for Matt Kalil would help, but I am looking up front. If USC wants to play in the BCS title they will need to be stout on defense.

They have one of the better linebacker corps in America as well as a very good secondary. Still, they need a hog molly up front (Antwaun Woods or George Uko are young) who can take over a game—though this may be the only chink in the Trojans armor right now. 

UCLA: Wide Receiver

A healthy quarterback might be good, but a guy who can stretch the field would clearly be more important.

The Bruins offense struggled all season and it was due to the mediocre passing attack, putting it kindly. UCLA was 81st in passing offense, averaging just 198 yards a game and their lack of so called game-breakers was their demise towards an eight-loss season.  

Utah: Wide Receiver

Jordan Wynn is expected to be fully healthy by then, but the Utes need somebody other than DeVonte Christopher to stretch the field. The Utes were among the worst in the Pac-12 and in the country with an average of just 173 yards per game.

Florida: Running Back

There is no reason the Gators should be ranked 73rd in rushing offense. Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey could not find much running room, and the production from Mr. Tebow was a lot more than some realized. 

Georgia: Offensive Lineman

The loss of Cordy Glenn at tackle and Ben Jones at center will be the toughest losses for the Dawgs to replace.

It isn't just their talent that will be missed on Saturdays, but more so their leadership in and out of the huddle. Luckily, Aaron Murray should be ready to take on that role next season.

Kentucky: Quarterback/Offensive Lineman

These two have to be together because of the brutal struggles the Cats have had recently.

UK was 114th in passing offense thanks to an ineffective offensive line and the quarterback position was inconsistent. That line also was 106th by allowing 35 sacks on the season (2.92 per game).

South Carolina: Wide Receiver

The Gamecocks have a very good defense, but the offense will be on the shoulders of Marcus Lattimore and quarterback Connor Shaw. However, the loss of star wideout Alshon Jeffery may not be an easy one at first.

Tennessee: Running Back/Offensive Line

The Volunteers were once a national powerhouse, yet they have failed to win eight or more games since 2007.

The reason being the lack of a running game since the SEC has absolutely tee’d off on their offensive line. The lack of a superstar in the backfield is another major issue that they will hopefully answer in the near future.

Vanderbilt: Defensive Lineman

The Commodores were 47th in the country with 27 sacks and they will be losing All-SEC Honorable Mention defensive end Tim Fugger as well as T.J. Greenstone at tackle.

Vandy had a legit front four for SEC standards and you can only hope the replacements can step right in with no drop-off.

Alabama: Cornerback

Maybe the defense will not decrease much (if at all), but Dre Kirkpatrick was arguably the second-best corner in the nation last season.

Will they have anybody like him for next season?

Dee Milliner will start, but he will need some help along the way in the secondary (Lester, Lowery and Sunseri at safety/nickel).

Arkansas: Linebacker

The depth isn't a concern as much as losing a few stud performers in Jerico Nelson and Jerry Franklin.

The Pig Sooie defense should be improved with an underrated secondary and a solid defensive line, but what about the linebackers?

If they could get a freak tackling machine, they might not lose a game.

Auburn: Offensive Tackle

The Tigers will not have too many holes next season with everybody back on defense, but if they want to have an unstoppable type of offense, they better hope their young tacklers can develop quickly and protect their likely starting quarterback (Kiehl Frazier).

LSU: Linebacker

The Tigers defense was arguably the best in college football until they ran into Alabama, but the biggest (and only) weak link they had was their linebackers.

If they were able to trade one of their stud linemen in for an All-American linebacker, then certainly we would have seen a different outcome in that BCS title. 

Ole Miss: Offensive Lineman

We all thought that Ole Miss was going to have a decent defensive line in college football last season, but that is why they play the games. Instead, the Rebels were able to come after the passer and take him down only 13 times.  

Mississippi State: Quarterback/Running Back

If the Bulldogs had the quarterback to run Dan Mullen’s system, this offense would be a mirror of the one that he had during the Gators two title runs.

We though Chris Relf was the guy, but high ceiling wasn’t quite as high as some of us thought and it didn’t help he lost a few of his linemen during the season.

However, the loss of Vick Ballard will be as tough as it gets since the team often just let him do most of the work when the offense was struggling. Now what will they do?

Arkansas State: Running Back

Waiting an extra season for Michael Dyer will be tough since the squad struggled to run the ball against the solid competition. The squad ranked 64th, averaging only 154 yards per game.

Florida Atlantic: Any Offensive Player

The Owls stunk up the joint in every category and area on offense. They were 108th in rushing offense (105 YPG), 111th in passing offense (143 YPG),120th in total offense (248 YPG) and 119th in scoring offense (12.9 PPG). Hopefully that answers all of your questions as to how bad the offense really was.

Florida International: Quarterback

It was abysmal to watch the FIU-Marshall Beef 'O’ Brady’s Bowl mainly because Wesley Carroll could never get it going. FIU (who was favored) put together arguably the worst offensive performance of the postseason and they could use improvement with whoever turns out to be their next signal-caller.  

Louisiana-Lafayette: Cornerback

The loss of Dwight Bentley will be tough for the Ragin’ Cajuns and it was not as if they were good against the pass to begin with. They were 100th allowing 261 yards per game, so another stud corner could help put them near the top of the Sun Belt standings once again.

Louisiana-Monroe: Offensive Lineman

Playing TCU, Iowa and Florida State would crush any non-AQ team for the most part, but the Warhawks really struggled to protect their quarterback. They allowed 34 sacks and 2.83 per game, which ranks 104th in the nation.

Middle Tennessee: Linebacker

The Blue Raiders were 114th against the run and they never seemed to make an impact in the Sun Belt conference because of it (2-10).

North Texas: Defensive Back

Any player who can cover a receiver would help this squad out after ranking 104th against the pass (265 YPG).

Troy: Any Defensive Player

The Trojans really could use any type of defender since they failed miserably in doing so this past season.

A defensive lineman is always the easy choice, but Troy was 105th against the run (203 YPG), 101st against the pass (261 YPG), 113th in total defense (465 YPG), 86th in sacks (1.58 per game, 19 total) and 101st in scoring defense (33.6 PPG).

Western Kentucky: Running Back

The loss of Bobby Rainey cannot be considered an easy thing to do since he carried this offense for the past few seasons.

He was the second-leading rusher in the country in 2011 as he averaged 141 yards per game. He was also third in rushing during the 2010 season, averaging 137 yards per game.

Fresno State: Defensive Back

The Bulldogs were horrid in defending the pass against WAC competition (or against any for that matter) as they were 106th in the nation. They were torched for 269 yards per game and it was the biggest reason why they failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Hawaii: Running Back

The Warriors lack of a running game made it easy for opponents to defend their high-octane passing attack. Hawaii was just 113th in rushing offense as it was their fifth-straight season of rankings in the 100s. 

Idaho: Defensive Back

The Vandals were dreadful against the pass, ranking 111th (278 YPG). Some had them bowling this past season, but there is no way they took that secondary into account.

Louisiana Tech: Running Back

Despite being a passing attack, the Bulldogs would love to have a stud back toting the rock to open things up. They were not awful, but were certainly not respectable ranking 70th in rushing offense (146 YPG).

Nevada: Edge-Rusher

The Pack could use an elite and NFL edge rusher since last season they lost their best defensive player in Dontay Moch. They weren’t bad without him, but they can use an improvement after notching only 24 sacks for the entire season.

New Mexico State: Defensive End

The Aggies have been miserable on the defensive side of the ball and the rankings back it up. They were 98th in sacks per game (1.38) as they totaled 18 for the season. Plus, they couldn’t stop the run worth jack as they were gashed for 218 per game (107th).

San Jose State: Defensive End

No wonder these teams always fall behind and never amount a rally. They fail to get after it on defense, though they do not exactly have the Jimmys and Joes to do so.

Ranked 100th last season for sacks per game (1.33, 16 total) is atrocious and the run defense does not do enough justice either (106th, 204 YPG). 

Utah State: Wide Receiver

The Aggies had a respectable team last season although they could not win the close games (5-5 in games decides by 10 points or less).

The rushing attack was just fine, but the passing game was tough to watch. They ranked 97th with just 174 passing yards per game, and those numbers better improve with a talented quarterback (Chuckie Keeton) back for his sophomore campaign.

Army: Wide Receiver

Trent Steelman is a fine quarterback, but the receivers need to help him out. That is why a stud target stretching the field would make them a dangerous and possible top 25 team.

Instead, they will have to settle for a bowl game—assuming they can finish higher than dead-last (50 YPG) in passing yards per game (or at least improve in other areas). 

Brigham Young: Defensive End

The Cougars struggled to get after the passer and they should hope to significantly improve upon that if they expect to have another double-digit win season. BYU was 68th in sacks per game (1.85), totaling 24 for the whole year. 

Navy: Quarterback/Wide Receiver

Similar to Army, they attempt the fewest passes in the country, but the Midshipmen will need to find a new quarterback.

Replacing Kriss Proctor is probably going to be more vital for Navy to find this offseason as opposed to finding a wide receiver. Their system is still to run the option since it is so difficult to stop in one week of preparation. 

Notre Dame: Pass Rusher/Linebacker

They could certainly use another horse off the edge to help out Aaron Lynch, but another ace of a linebacker wouldn't hurt either.

Manti Te’o could use a banner season from Prince Shembo, and the Irish would love to see Kapron Lewis-Moore develop into a factor as well.

If this Irish defense can take it up a notch up front, the losses of their defensive backs may go unnoticed if they obliterate teams up front.

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