WAC: Looking ahead to 2009

It had five teams in bowl games and a sixth team eligible, but unfortunately, the Western Athletic Conference came up short and played to a 1-4 record in their bowls. Louisiana Tech topped Northern Illinois, 17-10, in the Independence Bowl.

That’s not to say that in their losses the WAC wasn’t entertaining.

Boise State lost to TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl, 17-16, in what has been regarded as one of the best bowl games of the season.

Nevada lost to Maryland in the Humanitarian Bowl, 42-35. Minutes into the fourth quarter Nevada tied the game at 28 apiece. Maryland then scored the next two touchdowns to take a 42-28 lead. With less than two minutes in the game, Nevada pulled the score to within seven. Nevada fell when they were unable to recover the onside kick.

Fresno State had a 28-20 lead going into the fourth quarter of the New Mexico Bowl. Colorado State outscored Fresno State in the final quarter 20-7. Unable to recover an onside kick, Fresno State lost by five.

Only Hawaii was blown out in their bowl game. Notre Dame routed the Warriors 49-21.

Where does that take the conference in the 2009 season?

To be honest, I feel like the conference takes a bit of momentum into next season.

In both 2006 and 2007, there were only four teams from the WAC that went to bowls. That is one more bowl team along with the eligible team in 2008. I see this as improvement.

The conference is perceived as weak, but with an increase in teams making it to and being eligible for bowls, I am not so sure they are quite as weak as believed. Close losses show that the conference can play with the rest of the country.

In the bottom half of the conference, New Mexico State and Utah State have brought in new coaches.

New Mexico State has hired former UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker. New Mexico State was 3-9 overall but only 1-7 in conference. Rebuilding New Mexico State will have to be done without quarterback Chase Holbrook or leading receiver Chris Williams.

Utah State has brought in Gary Andersen, former defensive coordinator at unbeaten Utah. Utah State had three conference wins last season and has not had a winning program since 1996. Quarterback Diondre Borel was the team leader in both passing and rushing and returns for his junior season.

Boise State is always favored to win the conference and has established itself in the front of the line as a BCS team every year.

In 2009 they play host to Oregon, who they beat in Autzen Stadium last season. Both teams appear as though they may start 2009 ranked in the top 15.

After that it is a matter of getting through the WAC. They have done it many times before, but I feel like the rest of the conference is improving and may soon catch up to them. Hawaii did it in 2007.

Nevada looks like they may have the best shot in 2009. They play at Boise State, but the other top teams in the WAC all must play in Nevada. Nevada returns quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick played in 10 games as a freshman and started as a sophomore. In 2008, he was second on the team in rushing with 1,130 yards.

The leader was running back Vai Taua with 1,521 yards. He ranked eighth in the nation in rushing. Taua will be back for his junior season.

Nevada does, however, lose leading receivers Marko Miller and Mike McCoy. While this will hurt, it appears that the running game is the strong side of the offense. The run will be key until some new receivers can step up.

Another team that may position itself in a place to grab the WAC title is Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs enter their third season under Derek Dooley. Dooley took a 5-7 team to an 8-5 bowl winning team in two years' time.

Louisiana Tech found a quarterback in Ross Jenkins. Jenkins established himself late in the season, going 6-1 down the stretch, including the bowl win.

Running back Daniel Porter came in and looked to played as a nice complementary back to senior Patrick Jackson. Porter quickly became the feature back and will help the Bulldogs have a well-balanced offense.

In an improving conference that is still trying to catch a team that has established itself among one of the best in the country, the rest of the WAC are taking strides to give Boise State something of a challenge.

While they have been beaten before, one season with a different champion doesn’t release the hold Boise State has on the WAC. If one of the other teams, such as a strong returning Nevada or an upstart like Louisiana Tech, can do what Hawaii did, the hold will at least loosen.