An early look at the WAC-Part Three

An early look at the WAC-Part Three

Football.com analyst Jeffrey Gearhart completes his early evaluation of the WAC Conference as he breaks down New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State. 

NEW MEXICO STATE- The Aggies are coming off a disappointing year, losing seven of their last eight games. At quarterback, Chase Holbrook is on a mission to lead New Mexico State to the post-season. His back up, JJ McDermott, will vie for playing time as well. In the backfield for the Aggies, Tonny Glynn is the favorite, but Seth Smith and Marquell Colston will provide stiff competition. Fullback Brandon Perez returns to the backfield, and Dylan Moss will hope for a share of the action. The receiving corps could have a battle for the number one slot between Chris Williams and AJ Harris. Based on the outcome for the number one slot, Wes Nieman, Kenneth Buckley, and Chris Buckner will solidify the depth chart for the receivers. The tight end position is an open battle between Kyle Nelson and Ryan Franzoy. Guards Chuck Taylor and Polo Gutierrez, along with center Richie Bolin, return to the line for the Aggies. Transfers Joe Suder and David Norman will compete against veterans Joseph Palmer, Patrick Blount, and Kyle Smith for the remaining slots up front.
    
With defensive end Rhyan Anderson the sole starter returning, the defensive line looks to be the biggest question. Wanting to join Anderson up front, EJ Cannon, Chris Romero, Oren Long, and JD Davis will have to be impressive to be guaranteed a starting nod. The linebacker corps returns a solid trio with La'Auli Fonoti, Jamar Cotton, and Chris Nwoko. Competing for playing time on the depth chart will be Nick Paden, Jason Scott, and Ross Conner. Safety Derrick Richardson returns for the secondary, and will most likely be mirrored by Brennan Baiamonte. The corner slots return Davon House and Chris Woods, with Vincent Butler anticipating playing time. With Kyle Hughes the favorite for place kicker, veterans Ryan Jastram and Paul Young will add to the competition. Hughes and Jastram may also battle for the punter duties. Receiver Chris Williams is the favorite to fulfill the return duties as well.

SAN JOSE STATE- The Spartans are optimistic for this season and are poised to make a run for the post-season. The offense will have to adjust with a new signal caller this year, and hope that Myles Eden or Jordan LaSecla can get the job done. Do not count out Sean Flynn or Chad Bozzo to lead the team. The running back spot will have some open competition, with James Callier Jr. the potential leader. Wanting to prove they have a shot also will be, Dominiue Hunsucker, Cameron Island, Chris Reese, and Phillip Knight. The receivers could be led by Kevin Jurovich or David Richmond, as both will make their point for the number one slot. Adding to the depth, Kyle Flynn and Jalal Beauchman will highlight their worth to the coaches. Brian Elledge could emerge as the go to guy for tight end, although Jeff Clark and Julian Harris will be looking for the opportunity to shine if Elledge falters. The offensive line has a solid front with the return of Ronnie Castillo, Fred Koloto, and Isaac Leatiota. Contributing up front will be Bradis McGriff, Nathaniel Timo, and Steve Lightsy, with all three potential starters.
    
The defense remains solid up front with the return of Justin Cole, Carl Ihenacho, Adonis Davis, and Jaron Gilbert. Looking for playing time from the depth chart will be, Ryan McHale, Jeff Schweiger, Aaron Gilbert, and Justin Willis. The linebackers will have fresh faces this season with converted running back Mohamed Marah as the potential leader. Trying to prove they can fill in, Dimitrous Chattman, Ryno Gonzalez, and Travis Jones hope to be starting in the fall. Looking to join cornerback Christopher Owens and safety Duke Ihenacho in the secondary, Austin Carter, Colin Maher, and Andrew Ryan hope to be impressive enough to gain the starting spot. With Jared Strubeck on track to pull double duty as kicker and punter, Will Johnson will do his best to lockdown one or the other. Cornerback Coye Francis is the front-runner to handle return duties.

UTAH STATE- All eyes will be focused on the quarterback position as the Aggies try to replace four-year starter Leon Jackson III. It could turn out to be a four-way competition between, Sean Setzer, Jase McCormick, Diondre Borel, and Ben Longshore. Tailback Derrvin Speight is the favorite in the backfield, but will have competition from Curtis Marsh, Derrick Cumbee, and Chris Forbes. Jacob Actkinson is the front-runner at fullback. Utah State will rely on Otis Nelson as the go to guy at receiver, but will also have Xavier Bowman, Nnamdi Gwacham, and Omar Sawyer to rely on also. Tight end Rob Myers returns after leading the nation in yards per catch average among tight ends (15.2). Patrick Scales will join him at tight end but is unlikely to oust Myers for the start. The offensive line returns three up front with Ryan Tonnemacher, Spencer Johnson, and Derek Hoke. Brennan McFadden and Ty Rogers will make a move to join the front line.
    
The defense will be nearly unchanged, returning nine of the eleven starters. Most noticeable will be up front with Alan Bishop and Ben Calderwood the familiar faces. Darby Golden, Greg Clark, Jervon Graves, and Nathan Royster look to compete for the remaining open spots. The linebackers remain solid with Jake Hutton and Paul Igboeli returning, despite losing De'von Hall who converts to the safety position this year. Providing depth on the chart will be Daryl Fields, Kyle Gallagher, and Jordan Glass. The secondary remains unchanged with one minor adjustment. Corners Josh Taylor and Marquise Charles return as does James Brindley and Caleb Taylor in the safety slots. De'von Hall moves to the safety position from linebacker and gives the secondary excellent depth. Hall could end up splitting time within the two spots. Roy Hurst and Kejon Murphy also provide reliable depth for the secondary. On special teams, placekicker Peter Caldwell may emerge as a double duty player adding the punter role. Chris Ulinksi may also come through to provide one or the other if Caldwell fails in either. Patrick Scales will handle the duty of long snapper, while an array of receivers may step in for the return function.

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