OGDEN — Preseason polls don't predict much success for Weber State's football team this season.
The Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky Conference by the league's media members. The coaches liked the Wildcats' chances even less, forecasting just a sixth-place showing in the 'Sky.
But Weber State head coach Ron McBride realizes that preseason predictions are about as meaningful as a politician's promises. And as he begins his seventh season at the WSU helm, the veteran coach seems to like this year's young team — featuring 13 returning starters, but just 11 seniors — more and more all the time.
"I'm excited about this team," said McBride. "If I thought we were a middle-of-the-road team, I wouldn't be standing here. But you've still got to prove yourself.
"I like the way these guys go about their business. They're hungry to succeed and it's important to them."
With a new starting quarterback, a new synthetic surface on their home field at Stewart Stadium, and a new flagship station for its radio broadcasts — 1280 KZNS-AM "The Zone" — there are plenty of changes in store for a Weber State program that went 6-5 last year, including a 5-3 mark in Big Sky.
One thing that hasn't changed, however, is McBride's amazing enthusiasm for the game of football. Though he'll turn 72 years old on Oct. 14 — he's one of only six NCAA Division I head coaches in the country who are over age 70 — the longtime coach can't think of anything he'd rather be doing than coaching college football.
"Everybody always asks me when I'm retiring. ... I say it's not my time yet," he said. "As long as you've got a passion for what you're doing, then why not do it??And I feel good."
Coach Mac will feel even better if things fall into place for his football team this season. He'll be counting on junior quarterback Mike Hoke to step into the void left behind by four-year starter Cameron Higgins, who set all sorts of records at the controls of the Wildcats' offense. Higgins left as the school's career leader in passing yards (12,274), touchdown passes (98, a Big Sky record), total touchdowns (105), pass completions (935) and passing efficiency rating (144.5).
Hoke isn't a total novice at this collegiate quarterback thing, though. He's been in the WSU program for three years, appeared in 16 games over the past two seasons with the Wildcats, and has thrown for 419 yards and three touchdowns as Higgins' backup.
"Mike has done everything the right way since he has been here," WSU quarterbacks coach Jason Beck said. "He works hard every day and is always ready to play. Because of that, he is ready for this season and ready to be the leader.
"He makes great decisions and takes care of the football. He adds a running ability and athleticism that gives us another strength at quarterback."
Hoke will have a strong,?experienced offensive line in front of him, anchored by 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior guard J.C. Oram and 6-4, 285-pound senior tackle Caleb Turner. Both of them earned first team All-Big Sky honors last season, and Oram was a second team All-American selection.
At running back, Hoke will have plenty of options with sophomore Josh Booker, who had 550 yards rushing last season,?juniors Kris Parham and C.J. Tuckett, and freshmen Barrinton Collins and Tanner Hinds each enjoying some strong?performances during fall camp scrimmages.
"We've got some very exciting tailbacks on this team," McBride said. "There's five or six of them that are all good, quality players.
"But probably the most exciting guy is the fullback (freshman Tevia Tolutau). He is a tough S.O.B. and he understands how to knock people out of the hole. He was a guy who was kind of a surprise because we didn't quite know what we were getting with him, but he's a very good player."
Other returning starters on offense include sophomore center Tyson Tiatia (6-2, 270), junior tackle Tytan Timoteo (6-1, 310) and sophomore guard Jiniki Timoteo (6-3, 310) along with junior tight end Brian Jankowski (6-4, 255).
The team's top receiving targets thus far in fall camp have been freshmen Darchon Taggart and Eric Shufford, sophomores Shaydon Kehano, Jordan Clemente and Chase Nakamura, and seniors Tyler Francisco and Austin Raught. Sophomore Erik Walker has also moved atop the depth chart at a wide receiver spot.
Defensively, senior linebacker Nick Webb (6-4, 245) leads a unit which has seven returning starters. Webb, a three-year starter, ranked among the leading tacklers in the Big Sky last season and is a preseason All-American this year.
Along with Webb, the other returning starters on defense include junior?end Trevor Pletcher (6-2, 245), senior?end Gabe Bowers (6-3, 265), junior tackle Adam Sagapolutele-White (5-11, 290), senior linebacker Mo Neal (6-2, 240), junior cornerback David James and senior safety Blake Keller.?
Junior defensive tackle Ryan Eastman (6-0, 285) and a trio of players from Oklahoma — middle linebacker Anthony Morales (6-0, 230), sophomore cornerback Robbie Diamond and sophomore safety Willie Okwuonu also look like they've cracked the starting lineup?at this juncture.
Also returning are two other starters, sophomore placekicker Shaun McClain and sophomore punter Josh Kealamakia.
The Wildcats also have solid depth on their D-line, and the cornerbacks — a question mark when fall camp got under way — have been a pleasant surprise.
"At defensive line, we've added a lot of players to that group and we want to see them step up and be more physical," McBride said. "The biggest improvement on the defense has come at the corner position. They're all doing very well."
Defensive ends Mike Baker,?Josh Tenove and Pletcher, linebacker Roman Valenzuela and cornerback Kela Marciel have each come up with some big plays during fall camp scrimmages.
The Wildcats' schedule starts out with back-to-back road games against a pair of Football Bowl Subdivision schools — Wyoming and Utah State — followed by?their home and Big Sky opener?on Sept. 17 against Sacramento State. Conference road games at Northern Colorado and defending Football Championship Subdivision national champion Eastern Washington
follow, giving Weber State four of its first five games on the road.
But the 'Cats will play four of their next five games at home before closing out their regular season on Nov. 19 at Portland State.
Facing both EWU and Montana on the road doesn't enhance the Wildcats' postseason chances, but McBride won't concede anything and certainly isn't expecting his team to finish fifth or sixth like the preseason polls have predicted.
"The conference is really good," he said. "There's a lot of good players and, from top to bottom, there's a lot of proven teams and proven players. ... There's going to be a lot of really good teams coming out of this conference."
And McBride is hoping that, when it's all said and done, his Wildcats will be one of them.
2011 Wildcats schedule
Sept. 3: at Wyoming,7 p.m.
Sept. 10: at Utah State, 6 p.m.
Sept. 17: Sac. State, 6 p.m.
Sept. 24: at N. Colorado,1:30 p.m.
Oct. 1: at E. Washington, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: Idaho St.* 4 p.m.
Oct. 22: Southern Utah, 4 p.m.
Oct. 29: at Montana, 1 p.m.
Nov. 5: Montana St., 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 12: N.Arizona, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 19: at Portland St., 2 p.m.
* Homecoming
email: rhollis@desnews.com