2015-16 College Football Preview: American Athletic (West Division)

The 2015-16 Ultimate Sports Blog's College Football Preview continues to roll along with a look at the teams playing in the AAC's West Division. A bunch of you are asking when we are going to get to the teams that "really matter"? My response to that?

Just have some patience grasshopper. That starts next week.

In the meantime though.......

The Ultimate Sports Blog's

2015-16 College Football Preview

American Athletic Conference

West Division

1. Memphis Tigers

2014 Record: 10-3 (7-1)


Head Coach: Justin Fuente (17-20 all-time)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 57 (236.6 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 40 (190.5 ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 22 (36.2 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 11 (19.5 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Paxton Lynch (3,031 passing yards, 62.7% completions, 22 TD's, 9 INT's)

Rushing - Brandon Hayes (196 carries, 949 rushing yards, 5 TD's)

Receiving - Kelwone Malone (45 receptions, 555 receiving yards, 4 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Paxton Lynch (QB), Tevin Jones (WR), Mose Frazier (WR), Alan Cross (TE), Gabe Kuhn (C), Zach Collins (RG), Tyler Uselton (LG), Taylor Fallin (LT), Ernest Suttles (DE), Jackson Dillon (LB), Reggie Ball (FS), Jake Elliott (K), Spencer Smith (P)


Top Incoming Players: Brady Davis (QB), Marcus Childers (QB), Jamarius Henderson (RB), Jae'Lon Oglesby (WR), Michael Edwards (DL), Joseph Prevost (LB), Arthur Maulet (DB)


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Missouri State
vs. @ Kansas
vs. @ Bowling Green
vs. Cincinnati
vs. @ USF
BYE WEEK
vs. Ole Miss
vs. @ Tulsa
vs. Tulane
vs. Navy
vs. @ Houston
vs. @ Temple
vs. SMU
BYE WEEK


Early Prediction: 10-2 (7-1)

2. Houston Cougars

2014 Record: 8-5 (5-3)


Head Coach: Tom Herman (0-0 all-time overall)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 65 (230.2 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 44 (183.8 ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 60 (29.8 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 15 (20.6 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Greg Ward (2,010 passing yards, 67.3% completions, 12 TD's, 7 INT's)

Rushing - Kenneth Farrow (186 carries, 1,037 rushing yards, 14 TD's)

Receiving - Deontay Greenberry (72 receptions, 841 receiving yards, 6 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Greg Ward (QB), Kenneth Farrow (RB), Demarcus Ayers (WR), Ben Dew (LG), Alex Cooper (RT), B.J. Singleton (DE), Steven Taylor (LB), Lee Hightower (CB), William Jackson (CB), Adrian McDonald (SS), Trevon Stewart (FS), Kyle Bullard (K), Logan Piper (P)


Top Incoming Players: Tyreik Gray (RB), Terry Mark (WR), Josh Jones (OL), Kameron Eloph (OL), Tyrell Thompson (DL), Leroy Godfrey (LB)


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Tennessee Tech
vs. @ Louisville
BYE WEEK
vs. Texas State
vs. @ Tulsa
vs. SMU
vs. @ Tulane
vs. @ UCF
vs. Vanderbilt
vs. Cincinnati
vs. Memphis
vs. @ UConn
vs. Navy
BYE WEEK


Early Prediction: 9-3 (7-1)

3. Navy Midshipmen

2014 Record: 8-5


Head Coach: Ken Niumatalolo (57-35 all-time)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 127 (81.4 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 3 (338.1) ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 46 (31.8 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 71 (27.3 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Keenan Reynolds (843 passing yards, 46.8% completions, 6 TD's, 3 INT's)

Rushing - Keenan Reynolds (250 carries, 1,191 rushing yards, 23 TD's)

Receiving - Jamir Tillman (20 receptions, 386 receiving yards, 3 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Keenan Reynolds (QB), Jamir Tillman (WR), E.K. Binns (LG), Joey Gaston (RT), Will Anthony (DE), Bernard Sarra (DT), Daniel Gonzales (LB), Quincy Adams (CB), Brendon Clements (CB), Kwazel Bertrand (DB), Austin Grebe (K)


Top Incoming Players: Incoming Navy recruits weren't available as of press time due to U.S. Military Academy rules


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Colgate
BYE WEEK
vs. East Carolina
vs. @ UConn
vs. Air Force
vs. @ Notre Dame
BYE WEEK
vs. Tulane
vs. USF
vs. @ Memphis
vs. SMU
vs. @ Tulsa
vs. @ Houston
vs. Army West Point


Early Prediction: 7-5 (4-4)

4. SMU Mustangs

2014 Record: 1-11 (1-7)


Head Coach: Chad Morris (0-0 all-time)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 114 (168.7 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 121 (100.3 ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 128 (11.1 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 127 (41.3 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Garrett Krstich (855 passing yards, 54.7% completions, 2 TD's, 7 INT's)

Rushing - Matt Davis (108 carries, 613 rushing yards, 4 TD's)

Receiving - Der'rikk Thompson (31 receptions, 512 receiving yards, 1 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Matt Davis (QB), Prescott Lane (RB), Deion Sanders (WR), Taylor Lasecki (C), Seaver Myers (RG), Daniel McCarty (LG), Kris Weeks (RT), Chauncey Briggs (LT), Zach Wood (DE), Robert Seals (DE), Mason Gentry (DT), Jonathan Venga (LB), Jesse Montgomery (CB), Horace Richardson (CB), Darrion Richardson (FS), Jackson Koonce (P)


Top Incoming Players: Ben Hicks (QB), Kevin Thomas (WR), James Proche (WR), Hunter Herndon (TE), Austin Corbett (LB)


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Baylor
vs. North Texas
vs. @ TCU
vs. James Madison
vs. East Carolina
vs. @ Houston
BYE WEEK
vs. @ USF
vs. Tulsa
vs. Temple
vs. @ Navy
vs. Tulane
vs. @ Memphis
BYE WEEK


Early Prediction: 4-8 (2-6)

5. Tulane Green Wave

2014 Record: 3-9 (2-6)


Head Coach: Curtis Johnson (12-25 all-time)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 87 (201.3 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 94 (145.5 ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 124 (16 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 81 (28.4 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Tanner Lee (1,962 passing yards, 55.1% completions, 12 TD's, 14 INT's)

Rushing - Sherman Badie (121 carries, 688 rushing yards, 3 TD's)

Receiving - Justyn Shackleford (36 receptions, 465 receiving yards, 2 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Tanner Lee (QB), Sherman Badie (RB), Terren Encalade (WR), Niguel Veal (WR), Charles Jones (TE), Nathan Shienle (C), Chris Taylor (RG), Colton Hanson (LG), Arturo Uzdavinis (LT), Royce LeFrance (DE), Tanzel Smart (DT), Sean Wilson (DT), Nico Marley (LB), Eric Thomas (LB), Parry Nickerson (CB), Darion Monroe (FS), Trevor Simms (K), Peter Picerelli (P)


Top Incoming Players: Andrew Hicks (QB), Nigel Anderson (RB), Rickey Preston (WR), Leeward Brown (OL), John Washington (DL), Darius Black (DB)


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Duke
vs. @ Georgia Tech
vs. Maine
BYE WEEK
vs. UCF
vs. @ Temple
vs. Houston
vs. @ Navy
vs. @ Memphis
vs. UConn
vs. @ Army West Point
vs. @ SMU
vs. Tulsa
BYE WEEK


Early Prediction: 3-9 (2-6)

6. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

2014 Record: 2-10 (2-6)


Head Coach: Philip Montgomery (0-0 all-time)


2014 Overall Passing Yards Ranking: 37 (264.7 ypg)

2014 Overall Rushing Yards Ranking: 90 (147.8 ypg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Ranking: 94 (24.7 ppg)

2014 Overall Points Scored Against Ranking: 122 (39.3 ppg)

2014-15 Team Offensive Stat Leaders:

Passing - Dane Evans (3,102 passing yards, 55.4% completions, 23 TD's, 17 INT's)

Rushing - Zack Langer (196 carries, 801 rushing yards, 4 TD's)

Receiving - Keevan Lucas (101 receptions, 1,219 receiving yards, 11 TD's)


Top Returning Players: Dane Evans (QB), Zack Langer (RB), Keevan Lucas (WR), Keyarris Garrett (WR), Josh Atkinson (WR), Mandel Dixon (TE), Dylan Foxworth (C), Chris Wallace (RG), Garrett Stafford (LG), Blake Belcher (RT), Derrick Luetjen (DT), Jerry Uwaezoke (DT), Derrick Alexander (DE), Craig Suits (LB), Trent Martin (LB), Michael Mudoh (S), Dalton Sparks (P)


Top Incoming Players: Chad President (QB), Javon Thomas (RB), Chris Minter (TE)


2015-16 Schedule:

vs. Florida Atlantic
vs. @ New Mexico
vs. @ Oklahoma
BYE WEEK
vs. Houston
vs. ULM
vs. @ East Carolina
vs. Memphis
vs. @ SMU
vs. UCF
vs. @ Cincinnati
vs. Navy
vs. @ Tulane
BYE WEEK


Early Prediction: 0-12 (0-8)

AAC West Division's Potential NFL Talent:

(These are guys playing in the conference this year who are already on NFL team's radars)

Paxton Lynch - QB (Memphis)

Keevan Lucas - WR (Tulsa)

Alan Cross - TE (Memphis)

Chris Taylor - OG (Tulane)

Arturo Uzdavinis - OT (Tulane)

William Jackson - CB (Houston)

Trevon Stewart - S (Houston)