Many coaches don't like preseason polls because they're no more than educated guesses. Utah State football Coach Chuck Shelton, however, views the 1990 Big West Conference polls by the coaches and the media as a tool.
Shelton's Aggies, probably his best team going into his fifth season at Utah State, were selected a solid third on both the coaches' and media polls conducted Thursday at the Big West media day in Los Angeles.Fresno State and San Jose State - big surprise - finished one-two.
Shelton finds the assessment of the Aggies comfortable. "Right now, it's a fair place to put us," he says, careful to note that could change as early as opening day, Sept. 1.
Shelton also pretty much agreed with the rest of the polls, which both had last year's runner-up, Cal-Fullerton, in fourth and flip-flopped Nevada-Las Vegas and Long Beach State in fifth and sixth with Pacific seventh and New Mexico State last on both.
He admits the polls will have "some kind of impact with the kids.
"It's an attitudinal image thing," Shelton says. "You've got to be picked in the top half to feel like you are a contender."
The Aggies do seem to have that feel.
So, of course, do defending-champion Fresno and perennial contender San Jose, who dominated the voting.
Fresno, 7-0 in the Big West and 11-1 last year, graduated eight players who are still in NFL camps. "The losses are not irreparable," says Coach Jim Sweeney. His team received five coaches' first-place votes, 49 first-place votes from the media assembled at the Hyatt Hotel near Los Angeles International Airport.
Despite the fact that new coach Terry Shea didn't meet his team until there were just three days left in spring practice, San Jose received 10 first-place votes from the media and three first-place votes from the coaches.
That included Shelton's first-place vote, and the reason he gives is simple: experience. "On paper, the best team coming back is San Jose."
Sweeney agreed. "San Jose was hurt less by graduation than anybody. They're geared to play well," the Fresno coach said.
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POLL
1990 Big West Conference
Coaches Poll
Team Points 1st-place votes
1. Fresno State 61 5
2. San Jose State 59 3
3. Utah State 43 -
4. CalState-Fullerton 37 -
5. Long Beach State 27 -
6. Nevada-Las Vegas 25 -
7. Pacific 19 -
8. New Mexico State 17 -
MEDIA POLL
1. Fresno State 467 49
2. San Jose State 425 10
3. Utah State 315 -
4. Cal State-Fullerton 257 -
5. Nevada-Las Vegas 247 -
6. Long Beach State 224 1
7. Pacific 141 -
8. New Mexico State 84 -