Source: USA TODAY

Former Texas-El Paso coach Mike Price’s lasting legacy isn’t that he won four or five games in five of last seven seasons with the Miners, but that he made winning four or five games a disappointment. Stick with me here.

UTEP played football before Price arrived, did so for the better part of a century, yet never — OK, almost never — did it well. How many times did the Miners win four or more games from 1975 through 2003, the year prior to Price’s arrival? Six times.

So Price’s run ended on a low note, especially given how well the Miners opened under his watch — at least eight wins each season in 2004 and ’05 — but in the long run, Price changed the way UTEP views itself. That’s some legacy, right?

LAST YEAR’S PREDICTION

In short, UTEP needs quite a bit to go its way in order to crack through the ceiling and reach bowl eligibility. The year could get out of control before it begins, thanks to a tough early stretch, and the Miners also get Houston and Southern Mississippi on the road over the final four games. If UTEP wins three or four games, does the program make a coaching change? If the school wants to snap out of this funk, it might have no choice.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Price’s run with UTEP ended poorly, at 3-9, though the Miners can take some solace in the fact that six of those nine losses were by 11 points or fewer. A seventh loss came to Oklahoma, 24-7, and an eighth to Mississippi. On the other hand, the three wins came against New Mexico State, Tulane and Southern Mississippi — nothing to write home about, in short. So this wasn’t a great team by any means; nor was it a terrible team, and certainly not one that should have lost nine games during the regular season. Eight, maybe. Seven. Not nine.

— High point: A 34-33 win over Southern Mississippi in November. UTEP could exhale: USM was winless, and no one wants to lose to a winless team in November.

— Low point: The offense was missing in action most of last season, but never more so than Oct. 6 in a 17-0 loss to SMU. The shutout was the second of Price’s career, joining a 48-0 loss to Montana State as the coach at Weber State in 1984.

— Tidbit: UTEP has only two winning streaks of more than six games in program history: 2004 (under Price) and 2000 (under Gary Nord). The Miners have only one 10-win season, the fewest of any FBS program in the state of Texas with the exception of Texas-San Antonio, which only christened its program in 2011.

— Tidbit (turnovers edition): UTEP is 10-6 the past six seasons when not committing a turnover. As that total suggests, it’s not an overly common occurrence. Twice in this span, in 2011 and 2007, UTEP had at least one giveaway in every game.

FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL

— 10: WR Kris Adams (New York Giants), G Eloy Atkinson (Tennessee), RB Joe Banyard (Minnesota), S Antwon Blake (Jacksonville), CB Cornelius Brown (San Diego), OT Oniel Cousins (Cleveland), S Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith (Pittsburgh), WR Donavon Kemp (Dallas), CB Drew Thomas (St. Louis), CB Darren Woodard (St. Louis).

ARBITRARY TOP FIVE LIST

— Alabama coaches, 1997-2007

1. Dennis Franchione (18-8, 2001-02).
2. Mike Price (0-0, 2003).
3. Mike Shula (26-23, 2003-06).
4. Joe Kines (0-1, 2006).
5. Mike DuBose (24-23, 1997-2000).

COACHING

— Sean Kugler (UTEP ’89), entering his first season. Kugler played at UTEP and later spent eight seasons as an assistant, the last six with the offensive line, making him an attractive candidate for the university following Price’s retirement after last season. “We’re so pleased to get Sean back at UTEP,” UTEP athletics director Bob Stull said when Kugler was hired, and the feeling is mutual. After spending a dozen years away, one on the FBS level and 11 in the NFL, Kugler is back at his alma mater.

Kugler was an offensive lineman for the Miners — playing for position coach Andy Reid, now of the Kansas City Chiefs — from 1984-88, helping UTEP to its lone 10-win season in 1988. All but one season of his college coaching career has taken place in El Paso, beginning as a graduate assistant from 1993-94 before taking over with the line from 1995-2000. His final season, in 2000, saw the Miners finish 8-4 and earn a bid to the Humanitarian Bowl, where UTEP suffered a 38-23 loss to Boise State. Then his career took off.

Kugler went from coaching the offensive line at UTEP to coaching the tight ends for the Detroit Lions, a fairly major leap for any college coach — and doubly so for a position coach at UTEP, one could say. This is a theme with Kugler: Though he’s far from a household name, his name carries significant cachet in coaching circles. After three seasons with the tight ends, Kugler shifted back to the line, leading the Lions’ front from 2004-05. In 2006, Kugler spent a season at Boise State as Chris Petersen’s assistant head coach, helping the Broncos finish 13-0, before going back to the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. Three years with the Bills, three years with the Steelers, and here we are. Oh, one more thing: Petersen calls Kugler “the best football coach” he’s ever been around. And that’s with “no question.” That’s good enough for me.

— Tidbit (coaching edition): Kugler reached into his coaching past to fill out his staff, beginning with new offensive coordinator Patrick Higgins, the former Purdue receivers coach — and interim coach for last season’s bowl game — who coached alongside Kugler at UTEP from 1998-2000. New defensive line coach Andrew Browning was a defensive lineman on Boise State’s team in 2006, Kugler’s lone season with the program. Kugler also added some assistants with prior head coaching experience in receivers coach Todd Whitten and defensive coordinator Scott Stoker. My only question with Stoker: Why did it take this long for him to get an FBS coordinator job? Stoker replaced former Boise State linebacker coach Jeff Choate, who left after three months for an assistant position under Will Muschamp at Florida.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: Kugler has already announced sophomore Blaire Sullivan as UTEP’s starting quarterback, saying Sullivan had separated himself from senior Carson Meger and redshirt freshman Garrett Simpson over the latter stages of spring ball, so that settles that. No, not really. Yes, Sullivan was UTEP’s best option under center during the spring — this is true. Having said that, it would be a surprise to end all surprises if Sullivan did not join Meger and Simpson in watching from the sidelines come August, when Texas A&M transfer Jameill Showers takes full and firm control as the star of this offense and the face of Kugler’s first team as UTEP’s new coach.

You don’t know Showers, perhaps, but you all know Johnny Manziel, the Heisman winner who outdueled Showers last spring and summer to nab the starting role at Texas A&M. That spelled the end of Showers’ run in College Station after one season and garbage snaps, sending him gift-wrapped with a bow to Kugler and the Miners. Hey, there’s no shame in losing a competition to a player such as Manziel, as did Showers, and that loss gave UTEP a superbly athletic, strong-armed underclassman with immense potential. He’ll have moments of brilliance, moments of youth, but Showers is the sort of quarterback talent rarely seen with this program.

Showers’ favorite target will be junior receiver Jordan Leslie (51 receptions for 973 yards), an all-conference talent, but the Miners are short on overall ability in the passing game. Can Leslie do it alone? He’s good enough to put up similar numbers with Showers delivering the football, but as last season proved, UTEP needs additional assistance at the skill positions. At least the Miners return receivers with game experience, such as juniors Jim Jones and Devin Patterson (11 for 126) and sophomore Cole Freytag, but the group as a whole needs a boost from an as-yet-unproven second line. Watching these receivers a season ago, one couldn’t help but be struck by the group’s ability to get over the top (Leslie in particular) and inability to make even the simplest plays with regularity.

Showers might end up being the star of this offense — or its most recognizable name, at least. Yet the engine behind what the Miners want to achieve offensively will remain junior Nathan Jeffery (897 yards, 4.88 yards a carry), last season’s leading rusher despite a nagging groin injury that limited his effectiveness for much of the first two months. Jeffery can produce when healthy, as evidenced by his breakout game against Oklahoma in the opener and his solid close; he averaged 120.25 yards a game over the Miners’ last four. The running game as a whole is intriguing, in fact: Jeffery can churn out yards, for one, but UTEP should add another running aspect from the quarterback position.

— Defense: A schedule largely devoid of elite offenses — outside of that team in College Station — should keep UTEP’s defense out of the bottom 10 nationally in most major categories in 2013. Not that the Miners shouldn’t deserve to be there: Stoker is a very nice hire for this program for several reasons, one being that his scheme fits well with what the program has done in recent years. But on paper, this defense looks as weak as any in college football. They play the games for a reason, of course, but the Miners and this new staff have a difficult path to follow before the defense is put in order.

The strongest slice is the secondary, especially after the NCAA granted safety Richard Spencer a sixth season of eligibility. Spencer was on his way to an all-conference 2012 before suffering a knee injury four games into the year. His return gives UTEP an unquestioned leader not just in the backfield, not just on defense but on the entire roster; such leadership is in high demand, and returning Spencer gives the Miners an enormous boost.

But he’s the only returning defensive back with extensive starting experience. He’s also one of only two returning contributors along the back seven: UTEP loses four starters in the secondary — one, sophomore Shane Huhn, transferred to Texas A&M — and two at linebacker, so this is a concern. So the Miners’ secondary rebuilds around Spencer. What are the options? Pencil senior C.J. Haley in at one cornerback. Junior Wesley Miller will have a huge role at safety, whether strong or free. UTEP added five defensive backs, two off the JUCO level, in February’s recruiting class. Someone needs to step up.

Senior A.J. Ropati (58 tackles) returns at middle linebacker, so he’s the building block on the second level. UTEP shouldn’t have to look too far to find a replacement on the weak side, as junior Anthony Puente seems poised to move up to starting role, but losing would-be sophomore Gage Sharp robs the Miners of a likely starter on the strong side. As in the secondary, UTEP has at least three redshirt freshmen at its disposal at linebacker. Nevertheless, that the Miners have only two returning starters along the back seven — and that one is coming off a pretty significant injury — is concerning. That the back seven is still in better shape than the defensive line is of even greater concern.

Here’s the biggest issue: Outside of senior nose tackle Marcus Bagley (32 tackles), UTEP doesn’t have one defensive lineman heavier than 280 pounds. That would help explain why few teams were so worthless at the point of attack a season ago. What the Miners do have is some quickness off the edge in senior ends Horace Miller (31 tackles, 6.0 sacks) and James Davidson (36 tackles, 6.5 for loss), followed by sophomore Roy Robertson (17 tackles), so the line could be effective on clear passing downs. Of course, UTEP needs to stop the run to get to that point. The interior gets a boost from JUCO transfer Peter Nonu and redshirt freshman Devonte Richardson to Bagley and fellow seniors Adam Ayala and Germard Reed (38 tackles, 7.0 for loss), but the line as a whole is not in good shape.

— Special teams: Sophomore running back Autrey Golden scored twice on kickoff returns last fall, against East Carolina and Southern Mississippi; while still young, Golden has already accounted for two of the program’s four return touchdowns over the last six seasons. Meanwhile, another run continued: UTEP has allowed at least one touchdown on kickoff returns in each of the last five years. In the kicking game, the Miners lost punter Ian Campbell to graduation while kicker Steven Valadez was dismissed from the program in late April. Campbell was a big asset for this defense. That leaves UTEP without a kicker or punter on scholarship heading into August.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Offensive line: If given time, I have little doubt that Kugler will eventually work out the kinks with UTEP’s offensive front. Unfortunately, he has less than 110 days until the start of the 2013 season. Don’t expect any miracles, basically, even if Kugler’s touch will yield greater technique, increased stability and slightly improved line play in 2013. The Miners need to hit the recruiting trail hard for two kinds of linemen: one, the sort of under-the-radar, room-for-growth two-star prospect, and two, the JUCO transfer who can bridge the gap right from the start. Though the top five is workable, a lack of depth up front could cripple the Miners’ offense.

The star is senior left tackle Brander Craighead, a 23-game starter over his career, followed by junior left guard Jerel Watkins, who carries 21 career starts into 2013. At least Showers can feel secure in what UTEP has protecting his blindside. A second junior, Kyle Brown, returns at right guard. When it comes to filling open spots at center and right tackle, UTEP could promote last season’s understudies — Paulo Melendez and Mike Amdall — or open the competition up to three or four linemen coming off redshirt seasons or fresh off the JUCO ranks. One addition, Chris Thomas, has something the rest of the line lacks: size. A lack of beef is a major concern; so is an overall lack of depth.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Texas-San Antonio: UTEP begins with three very winnable games, leaving the Miners with a chance to kick off the Kugler era on a high note. First comes New Mexico, followed by New Mexico State, followed by UTSA, followed by Colorado State — so three wins in September is a very real possibility. It gets more difficult from there, but there’s no question that UTEP’s schedule is conducive to a nice debut. Oh, and before I forget: UTEP at Texas A&M on Nov. 2.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: Very quickly, a few reasons for pessimism heading into 2013: inexperience at quarterback, lack of reliability at receiver, zero depth along the offensive line, an extremely troubling defensive front, almost zero experience along the back seven, little depth anywhere on defense, the coaching change. While the schedule is easy enough to expect three or four wins, UTEP does not enter 2013 in a great place.

Let’s get that out of the way. While waiting for Kugler to implement his system, restock the cupboard and remake UTEP’s personality, the Miners can focus on a few returning starters worthy of some level of excitement — with that level of excitement solely up to your discretion. How about Showers? Getting a quarterback with this level of athleticism and ability doesn’t happen often in El Paso. Leslie and Jeffery? Along with the Showers, that’s a pretty nice building-block trio for this offense. Getting another season out of Spencer can’t be overstated: UTEP needed a leader, and Spencer is back to lead by example. Craighead is a potential all-conference pick at left tackle.

There are bright spots, with perhaps none bigger than Kugler. But the holes and voids are immense and unavoidable, beginning on both lines and extending outwards. Here’s where Kugler comes into play: he’s a line coach first and foremost, which is a tremendous asset, but his work with schemes and technique is secondary to his work reworking UTEP into a more physical team at the line of scrimmage.

— Dream season: The Miners start strong, hit a midseason road bump and close strong, winning two in a row in November to end 7-5.

— Nightmare season: UTEP goes only 1-3 in September, setting a poor tone for a season that quickly unravels over the final two months.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

— Where UTEP fans hang out: For recruiting news, check out Miner Digs and Miner Report. For more coverage, Joe Muench of the El Paso Times talks UTEP sports on his blog, while Miner Rush is the newest addition to UTEP’s blog footprint.

— All-name team nominee: DE Eddie Custard.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 111? This school’s director of new media graduated from the same university as a former midfielder for the San Jose Earthquakes.

2013 TEAM OVERVIEW

— Conference: Conference USA, West

— Location: El Paso

— Nickname: Miners

— Returning starters: 11 (6 offense, 5 defense)

— Last year’s ranking: No. 108

— 2012 record: 3-9 (2-6)

— Last year’s re-ranking: No. 102

— 2013 schedule:

Sept. 7 New Mexico
Sept. 14 at New Mexico State
Sept. 21 Texas-San Antonio
Sept. 28 at Colorado State
Oct. 5 Louisiana Tech
Oct. 12 Tulsa
Oct. 26 at Rice
Nov. 2 at Texas A&M
Nov. 9 at North Texas
Nov. 16 Florida International
Nov. 23 at Tulane
Nov. 30 at Middle Tennessee State

Paul Myerberg is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

North Texas has its new stadium, which is lovely, and a new home in Conference USA, a decided upgrade over the Sun Belt Conference. Now that these factors are settled, what UNT needs desperately is its Seneca Wallace.

You remember Wallace – if not from his turn at Iowa State, at least from his near-decade as a do-everything skill player in the NFL. It was Wallace who gave coach Dan McCarney’s team that extra jolt in the early 2000s, lending a well-coached team the sort of limitless, ankle-breaking talent it needed to finally get over the hump against its Big 12 bullies.

More than a decade later, McCarney is searching for a Wallace in Denton. North Texas is technically sound, more often than not; what’s missing is some greased lightning, and the dearth of playmakers is again a concern as the Mean Green prepare for a raised level of competition in Conference USA.

LAST YEAR’S PREDICTION

Now, consider two big-picture factors. The first: North Texas is certainly getting better under McCarney, but it’s too soon to think of this team as bowl-worthy, or as a Sun Belt leader. This team’s goal should be further improvement while the program as a whole prepares for the upcoming conference swap. Secondly: Arkansas State – despite the coaching change – Louisiana-Lafayette, Florida International and Western Kentucky are farther along in the process. UNT doesn’t quite match up with that group both in personnel and scheme – meaning the Mean Green aren’t as well-versed in this new system as those conference rivals are in theirs. While it would be nice for North Texas to end its Sun Belt run atop the league, I doubt that comes to pass.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: North Texas had only one win of consequence, a 30-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on national television, and can only make a case for two wins that got away, a 14-7 defeat to Troy and a 25-24 decision to Western Kentucky in the season finale. It was a bit of a bore, this team, with so little explosiveness and such little flavor, and the Mean Green need a spark before taking the field against Idaho to begin the 2013 season. The Mean Green also could use an offense: UNT finished 105th nationally in scoring, primarily as a result of a weak passing game. Defense would also help: UNT has improved, especially since the Todd Dodge days, but there’s a tremendous amount of room for further progression.

— High point: The win over Louisiana-Lafayette. The Mean Green outlasted Mark Hudspeth’s Ragin’ Cajuns, pulling away late in a game televised nationally by ESPN.

— Low point: The close losses hurt, but UNT was often on the sour end of a double-digit defeat. Six losses came by two or more touchdowns: LSU (41-14), Kansas State (35-21), Houston (44-21), Middle Tennessee State (38-21), Arkansas State (37-19) and Louisiana-Monroe (42-16).

— Tidbit: UNT has only four winning seasons the past two decades. Three came in a row, from 2002-4, when the Mean Green put a stranglehold on the Sun Belt behind coach Darrell Dickey. The other came in 1994, under first-year coach Matt Simon, when UNT finished 7-4-1. Since firing Dickey following the 2006 season – he’s now the offensive coordinator at Memphis – the Mean Green have gone 17-55.

— Tidbit (magic number edition): UNT’s magic number is 100 – as in rushing yards by one player in a single game. Since McCarney took over in 2011, UNT is 7-2 when it has a 100-yard rusher and 2-13 when not. The exceptions are a 41-24 loss to Tulsa in 2011 and last season’s loss to Western Kentucky.

— Tidbit (home sweet home edition): UNT has made itself a home at Apogee Stadium, going 7-4 at home since christening the new facility for the 2011 season. In comparison, the Mean Green won only five games at home over the previous six seasons.

FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL

— 3: RB Lance Dunbar (Dallas), FB Jamize Olawale (Oakland), LB Craig Robertson (Cleveland).

ARBITRARY TOP FIVE LIST

— College coaches, first name Dan (or Daniel, Danny, etc.)

1. Dan Devine (173-56-9, 1955-80).
2. Danny Ford (122-59-5, 1978-97).
3. Danny Hale (173-56-1, 1973-present).
4. Dan Boisture (45-20-3, 1967-73).
5. Dan McCarney (65-100, 1995-present).

COACHING

— Dan McCarney (Iowa ’75), 9-15 after two seasons with North Texas. McCarney went 5-7 in 2011 and 4-8 a year ago, ending UNT’s Sun Belt existence on a bit of a low note, but he’s also helped oversee the program’s growth as it moves into Conference USA and becomes more comfortable in its new facilities at Apogee Stadium. Though he’s had some health issues over the last two years, McCarney seems perpetually energized by the process of rebuilding UNT, something he’s become familiar with during his decades as a college coach.

It was about time that McCarney got a second shot at running his own program, as he achieved enough in 12 seasons at Iowa State to more than deserve another opportunity. As was the case in Denton over the last two seasons – and will continue to be the case, one would think – the odds were stacked against McCarney and the Cyclones; nevertheless, McCarney left in 2006 as the program’s all-time leader in wins (56) and bowl appearances (five), making a pretty easy claim to being the finest coach in ISU history. Among his other highlights in Ames: 2004 Big 12 Coach of the Year; five of the program’s 17 seven-win seasons; the first nine-win season in 94 years in 2000; and, that same year, the program’s first bowl win.

So you can understand why the masses were left shaking their heads when Iowa State opted to dismiss McCarney in late 2006, when his Cyclones slipped to 4-8 after back-to-back bowl berths. He was snatched up quickly: McCarney spent one year at South Florida as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach before spending the next three seasons at Florida in the same capacity. The Gators won the national championship in 2008, McCarney’s debut season in Gainesville, and returned to the BCS a year later. But it’s not the national title and BCS experience that made McCarney so attractive to UNT; it helps, but it’s far from his defining characteristic.

What defines McCarney is what he achieved with the Cyclones, as well as his work as a Hayden Fry assistant at Iowa from 1977-89 and under Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin from 1990-94. It’s about his experience winning when others said he couldn’t, whether at Iowa, Wisconsin or Iowa State. If he can win there, he can win in Denton, though it would be nice if he would do so sooner rather than later.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: North Texas has acclimated itself to McCarney and offensive coordinator Mike Canales’ run game, taking a very nice step forward on the ground a season ago after some middling results in 2011. Here’s a good sign: UNT had three 500-yard rushers last fall, a program-first since 1952. Who needs a clear lead back? The Mean Green prefer to spread it around, in fact, and although one cog in last season’s three-man rotation departs, UNT is confident a Big Ten transfer can pick up the slack.

The one loss is Jeremy Brown, last year’s third-leading rusher. Leading contributors Brandin Byrd (875 yards) and Antoinne Jimmerson (544 yards) are a very nice pair: Byrd is a bruiser, Jimmerson the burner, and one plays very well off the other. UNT likes Reggie Pegram, a transfer from Purdue with a skill set to be the total package. There are other options, like redshirt freshman Mark Lewis, but look for this trio to lead the way. What a difference two years makes: UNT once loaded up with Lance Dunbar, but now the offense has embraced a by-committee approach.

An offensive line that protected superbly and did a solid – but still not terrific – job in the running game returns all but one starter, center Aaron Fortenberry, so hope is high that the group continues to move forward in 2013. One thing that concerns me: UNT remained very healthy up front last fall, so even if the staff is happy with the starting five there is not much proven depth on the second level. The lone senior starter up front is right tackle LaChris Anyiam, who won’t have to worry about Coleman Feeley breathing down his back; the rest are juniors, from left tackle Antonio Johnson to left guard Mason Y’Barbo to right guard Cyril Lemon. Look for some serious competition in the middle between JUCO transfer Shawn McKinney – 6-4 and 365 pounds – and redshirt freshmen Kaydon Kirby and Boone Feldt, but the rest of the starting lineup is secure. Again, depth is the biggest concern. But last season’s results were extremely promising.

This offense won’t go anywhere – and, by extension, UNT won’t go anywhere – until it can find greater explosiveness in the passing game. Some of this fault lies on the back of quarterback play; more blame can be shared with an underwhelming and pedestrian receiver corps, one that put together only three receptions of 50 or more yards in 2012. Is senior Brelan Chancellor (25 receptions for 450 yards) the missing link? Well, Chancellor – who missed three games last fall – is the only receiver with the ability to give defenses weak knees, so he’ll be front and center for UNT’s passing game. Outside of Chancellor, the Mean Green is banking on sophomore Carlos Harris (19 for 253), who played well in Chancellor’s stead down the stretch; former walk-on Darnell Smith (28 for 379), the most pleasant surprise among last season’s offensive skill players; and Texas transfer Darius Terrell, who will move from tight end to receiver. Although UNT has nice depth at tight end, led by Drew Miller (18 for 136), the focus is on the receiver corps.

— Defense: Let’s begin with the good news, which is UNT’s very commendable level of returning talent and experience along the back seven. The star is senior middle linebacker Zach Orr (108 tackles, 2 interceptions), a two-time All-Sun Belt pick who will very rapidly prove himself as one of the best at his position in Conference USA – if not the best, period, and one could make a very good case for Orr as the league’s defensive player of the year should UNT exceed expectations and make a run toward bowl eligibility. Another commendation: Orr is very easily one of the best linebackers in program history. He’s a good one.

And he’s one of two returning starters at linebacker, joined by junior Derek Akunne (90 tackles, 7.5 for loss) at one of the two outside spots. UNT has to feel very secure about what this duo brings to the table, and also about what sort of production junior Robert Lewis and sophomores LaJaylin Smith and Jamal Marshall could provide if given the opportunity. The lone new face in the starting lineup is senior Will Wright, who has worked very hard to finally get his shot at a major role.

The pass defense played fairly well last season despite the number of new faces on the two-deep – tons of freshmen, for one. Nevertheless, the staff will be the first to admit that the secondary’s bouts with unpredictably hampered its overall effectiveness. What can change? Just experience, and added experience will greatly improve UNT’s overall bottom line heading into 2013 and beyond. One face to know is sophomore Zac Whitfield (60 tackles, 3 interceptions), a converted running back who earned all-conference honors during his first season at the new position – a rare position move that paid off right from the start. Whitfield has serious potential.

He’s joined in the secondary by three defensive backs with starting experience. UNT will team Whitfield with senior Hilbert Jackson (84 tackles), who fended off any competition for the starting job during spring drills. Safety will be held down by former Oklahoma transfer Marcus Trice (63 tackles, 6.5 for loss), a senior, and junior Laramie Lee (72 tackles). While Trice and Lee are effective against the run, both are liabilities at times in coverage – with Trice one offender who must turn in a complete game to prevent explosive plays in the passing game. One new addition to watch is Louisville transfer Zed Evans, a challenger to Lee at strong safety.

UNT has some major problems along the defensive line. One immediate issue is the availability of senior Richard Abbe, who was suspended indefinitely this month for a violation of team rules. Abbe’s value is immense: UNT has only two 300-pounders, Abbe being one, and the potential is there for this run defense to collapse without a big body in the middle. In the meantime, UNT needs redshirt freshman Sir Calvin Wallace to hold down the fort – and his conditioning has been and continues to be a concern. Without Abbe, the Mean Green will be quick inside with Ryan Boutwell, Alexander Lincoln and Austin Orr but not nearly strong enough to win the battle at the point of attack. That is an absolutely enormous concern.

As is the pass rush. UNT suffered a tough blow when JUCO transfer Quenton Brown suffered an ACL injury, likely limiting his availability for 2013 (if not ending his season altogether) and robbing this defense of a projected starter at end. That loss, along with the graduation of K.C. Obi, last year’s leader in sacks, leaves UNT with only two viable, proven options at end: Brandon McCoy (22 tackles, 3.5 for loss) and Aaron Bellazin (32 tackles, 5.0 sacks). Depth woes led UNT to transition backup linebacker Chad Polk down to the position.

— Special teams: No team in college has been as impotent on punt returns as UNT, going back not just to 2012 but more than a half-decade. This is now a trend, in other words. At least Chancellor gives UNT some juice on kickoffs, though he hasn’t scored since returning two kicks for six as a freshman in 2010. There’s a big hole at punter, where two-time All-Sun Belt pick Will Atterberry must be replaced, and UNT can either hand double-duties to kicker Zach Olen or hand the job over to redshirt freshman Blake Macek.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Quarterback: Something is missing from UNT’s passing game, paced the past two seasons by senior quarterback Derek Thompson (2,629 yards and 14 touchdowns, .575 completion percentage), and it’s hard to imagine this offense taking the step it needs without a pretty meaningful level of improvement – either from the scheme, the receivers or the quarterback himself, and Thompson is feeling this heat as he heads into what could be his third season as UNT’s starter. How rare would Thompson’s three-year turn be for this program? UNT started a different quarterback in the opener from every season between 2002-11 before Thompson reclaimed the job last season.

It’s not a matter of protection: UNT protected the quarterback better than any team in college football in 2012, giving up only 5.0 sacks during the 12-game season. Don’t blame happy feet, in other words. The big problem with Thompson is inconsistency; he hasn’t turned the corner, basically, and even if UNT sticks with its starter the staff must be ready to make a quick change if Thompson’s mediocrity continues.

Unlike during last season, UNT will have other options. One is sophomore Andrew McNulty, who started a game in 2011 but missed last season due to injury. The second is former Kansas transfer Brock Berglund, who left KU amid some kerfuffle with coach Charlie Weis. The Jayhawks’ loss is UNT’s gain: Berglund might be third on the depth chart heading into August, but that’s more a result of his inexperience in the system. His physical gifts make Berglund a very strong candidate to leapfrog up the two-deep over the next six months.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Idaho: UNT must beat a down Idaho team to open the year on the right foot, especially with that game followed by meetings with Ohio, Ball State and Georgia. The Mean Green’s Conference USA debut comes at Tulane, against a definitely improved Green Wave team, before a return home against former Sun Belt rival Middle Tennessee State. While the new league schedule isn’t easy, UNT does have the good fortune of meeting UTEP and UTSA at home over back-to-back weeks in November.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: It would be really, really great for this program – and this staff, now in its third season – to open life in Conference USA on the right note. What does that mean? North Texas doesn’t necessarily need to win eight games, pushing Tulsa in the West Division, but it must prove itself against a slightly more difficult level of competition while avoiding the sort of pratfalls that have led to back-to-back losing seasons since McCarney’s arrival in 2011.

There are two reasons, in my mind, why UNT won’t make noise in 2013. One is this offense, and the vanilla passing game in particular. What good is an offensive line that protects as well as anyone if the quarterback – whether it’s Thompson, Berglund or McNulty – can’t find open receivers downfield? What good is a quarterback who can deliver downfield if the Mean Green have no pass-catchers able to break through against one-on-one coverage? The running game can’t do it alone, as promising as it is. The second concern is the defensive line, which lacks size inside and speed off the edge.

What’s the best-case scenario? Either Thompson turns the corner of Berglund learns the offense; moving the latter into the lineup gives UNT a very promising sophomore to put at the center of its offense the next three seasons. The defensive line offsets a lack of size and speed with technique and help from the secondary, which does a nice job bottling up the pass, allowing UNT to lend additional assets to stop the run. This is possible, just not likely.

What seems likely is that UNT starts slow, losing three games in non-conference play and suffering a few road losses to open Conference USA action before finding some success in November. What’s the final number? As always, somewhere between three and five wins. There’s not enough here to safely predict any sort of breakthrough.

— Dream season: North Texas is the story of the new-look Conference USA, winning six games in league play and finishing second to Tulsa in the West.

— Nightmare season: The Mean Green’s opening-season loss to Idaho begins a spiral, sending the program to its first 10-loss season since 2009.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

— Where North Texas fans hang out: Begin your search with Go Mean Green, the best of the bunch, continue with Inside North Texas and finish with Brett Vito’s blog for the Denton Record Chronicle. Go in any order you’d like, actually.

— All-name team nominee: RB Konockus Sashington.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 112? This team’s coach served as an assistant on teams that reached a BCS bowl and the Super Bowl.

2013 TEAM OVERVIEW

— Conference: Conference USA, West

— Location: Denton, Tex.

— Nickname: Mean Green

— Returning starters: 16 (8 offense, 8 defense)

— Last year’s ranking: No. 102

— 2012 record: 4-8 (3-5)

— Last year’s re-ranking: No. 97

— 2013 schedule:

Aug. 31 Idaho
Sept. 7 at Ohio
Sept. 14 Ball State
Sept. 21 at Georgia
Oct. 5 at Tulane
Oct. 12 Middle Tennessee State
Oct. 19 at Louisiana Tech
Oct. 26 at Southern Mississippi
Oct. 31 Rice
Nov. 9 UTEP
Nov. 23 UTSA
Nov. 30 at Tulsa

Paul Myerberg is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg. Access the full countdown here.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

It can’t get worse than this. Really, it can’t: Colorado can’t possibly be any worse than it was a season ago, when the Buffaloes turned in one of the worst seasons by a major college football program in the history of the sport. Don’t call that an overstatement; I saw it, you saw it, we all saw it, and CU’s performance in 2012 – the USC game, the Oregon game, the Fresno State game – will forever linger in the memories of those unfortunate enough to have witnessed it.

Phrases like “multiple-year rebuilding project” come to mind. Most of the Pac-12 is moving forward at warp speed, with the exceptions of Colorado, of course, and perhaps Utah and California. CU has fallen so far back of the pack that it will take more than one year and 12 games to clean up this mess.

The bright spot comes in the Buffaloes’ new hire, former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre, a man with a clear plan and the experience to see it through to fruition. He’s been in similar spots before, as an assistant at Duke and the coach at SJSU, and his three-year turn with the Spartans highlighted his deft touch at slowly but surely remaking a weak and broken foundation.

But SJSU was a different animal. The Spartans were one year removed from a six-win finish when MacIntyre stepped up in 2009, not to mention had the good fortune of playing in the Western Athletic Conference; Colorado hasn’t won six games since 2007, hasn’t finished above .500 since 2005, has lost 24 games in the past two seasons and must deal with one of the nation’s deepest and most explosive conferences.

LAST YEAR’S PREDICTION

It won’t take a miracle, merely more hard work and even more patience. Colorado’s already getting better. Is this a particularly good team? Nope. Is this a better team? Absolutely. And you’ll see that improvement manifested in the win column, if only with one extra win in one fewer regular season game. CU still looks like the weakest team in the Pac-12, but a good portion of the gap between the Buffaloes and the rest of the league has been closed. CU needs to remain patient.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Did you see Colorado’s projected improvement manifest itself in the win column? Nope. Did Colorado get better? Nope. Was CU still the weakest team in the Pac-12? Yep. Was a good portion of the gap between the Buffaloes and the rest of the league closed? Nope. Did CU remain patient? Nope. Was this one of the worst automatic-qualifying conference teams most of us have ever seen? Yep. Is Jon Embree still the coach? Nope. Are better days ahead? Yep. But can things get any worse? Nope.

— High point: A 35-34 win over Washington State on Sept. 22 moved Colorado to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in the Pac-12, erasing some of lingering foul taste of a horrific non-conference slate and giving CU some hope heading into the remainder of the Pac-12 season.

— Low point: I’m going with a five-way tie. CU lost to in-state rival Colorado State (22-17), lost at home to Sacramento State (30-28), was whipped by Fresno State (69-14), embarrassed by USC (50-6) and just trounced by Oregon (70-14).

— Tidbit: Colorado has many talented players on its roster – just not as many talented players as the next Pac-12 team, which, along with some spotty coaching and development, is a primary reason behind the Buffaloes’ sad swoon over two seasons in the Pac-12. There’s this thing called recruiting, and Colorado needs to find a book and study the topic in order to catch up. CU’s past three classes – on signing day in 2011, 2012 and 2013 – have ranked No. 12, No. 8 and No. 12, respectively, in the Pac-12, according to the good folks at Rivals.com.

— Tidbit (hiring edition): MacIntyre did not retain any members of Embree’s staff, as one might expect. Although CU has undergone six permanent coaching changes over the last three decades, this season marks the first time since 1979, when the Buffaloes hired Chuck Fairbanks, that CU’s staff will feature 10 new coaches (MacIntyre and his nine assistants). Former linebackers coach Brian Cabral, who coached at CU for 24 years, is now the defensive coordinator at Indiana State.

FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL

— 14: OT David Bakhtiari (Green Bay), CB Jalil Brown (Kansas City), WR Toney Clemons (Jacksonville), K Mason Crosby (Green Bay), LS Justin Drescher (New Orleans), LB Brad Jones (Green Bay), TE Nick Kasa (Oakland), OG Ryan Miller (Cleveland), DT Will Pericak (Baltimore), S Ray Polk (Seattle), OT Tyler Polumbus (Washington), CB Jimmy Smith (Baltimore), OT Nate Solder (New England), FB Lawrence Vickers (Dallas).

ARBITRARY TOP FIVE LIST

— Pitchers born in Colorado

1. Roy Halladay (Denver).
2. Goose Gossage (Colorado Springs).
3. Tippy Martinez (La Junta).
4. Dave LaRoche (Colorado Springs).
5. Gene Packard (Colorado Springs).

COACHING

— Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech ’89), entering his first season with the Buffaloes. MacIntyre comes over from San Jose State, where his three-year turn began inauspiciously before ending with one of the finest seasons in school history. He started slowly: SJSU went 1-12 in 2010, though the record is not indicative of how competitive the Spartans remained during the second half of the year. MacIntyre’s team took a big step forward in 2011, winning five games, and then stormed into another stratosphere by going 11-2 last fall, finishing No. 21 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll.

San Jose State’s rapid rise validated the faith the university showed in hiring MacIntyre following the 2009 season. MacIntyre was the 2009 American Football Coaches Association FBS Assistant Coach of the Year for his work as the defensive coordinator at Duke. He spent two seasons as David Cutcliffe’s coordinator with the Blue Devils, helping the program put together some of its finest defensive statistics in the past 20 years: Duke allowed 356.9 yards per game in 2008, his first season with the program, 67.4 fewer yards than in the season before; the Blue Devils also gave up only 23.4 points per game, nearly 10 points less than in Ted Roof’s final season. In 2009, Duke set a new program high by placing a trio of defenders on the ACC’s all-conference team.

MacIntyre joined Duke after spending five seasons in the NFL, coaching the defensive backs with the Dallas Cowboys (2003-6) and the New York Jets (2007). As a college assistant, MacIntyre spent four years at Mississippi (1999-2002), where he coached the wide receivers – and played an important role in recruiting – and another two years at Temple (1997-98). Perhaps, seeing the importance MacIntyre has placed upon forming a tougher, more run-oriented SJSU team, it is not surprising to see that he spent four seasons under Bill Parcells with the Cowboys.

What MacIntyre brings to Boulder is not just merely college experience, something his predecessor largely lacked, nor experience as a head coach, something his predecessor never touched, but the experience of what it takes to win in unique circumstances. Now, this rebuilding job dwarfs the task MacIntyre faced at SJSU; nevertheless, you can see the similarities between the two positions. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be fun, it’s going to get dirty and it’s going to be ugly. It’s time for MacIntyre to roll up his sleeves and get to work.

— Tidbit (coaching edition): As noted, MacIntyre’s staff does not have any holdovers from the Embree era. Instead, seven of his former assistants at SJSU came along for the ride: defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kent Baer, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren, running backs and tight ends coach Klayton Adams, offensive line coach Gary Bernardi, co-defensive backs and safeties coach Charles Clark, defensive line coach Jim Jeffcoat and co-defensive backs and cornerbacks coach Andy LaRussa.

That leaves only two truly new hires, wide receivers coach Troy Walters (from N.C. State) and special teams coordinator Toby Neinas (from Montana State). I love this: MacIntyre is obviously sticking with the same gang that helped him get to this point, which is great, but these hires grant some continuity to a program and team desperate for a sense of direction. Although the jury might remain out on this group’s ability to recruit at a high level, there’s no doubting the coaching acumen on MacIntyre’s staff.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: Colorado’s quarterback competition quickly resolved itself with a series of on- and off-field decisions, beginning with Jordan Webb’s knee injury – and recent arrest on charges of second-degree assault – and continuing with post-spring co-starter Nick Hirschman’s decision to transfer to Akron. Who’s left standing? Former Texas transfer Connor Wood, of course, who completed about half of his 41 attempts for 265 yards and four interceptions during garbage time in four of Colorado’s lopsided Pac-12 defeats a season ago. It’s by default, perhaps, but Wood is the man under center for the Buffaloes in 2013. Now he needs to bless his good fortune, hit the film room, develop a rapport with CU’s receiver corps and be the leader this offense and team otherwise lacks.

Colorado returns its top three wide receivers from a season ago, but the big story is the receiver who didn’t play a down: Paul Richardson, one of the Buffaloes’ leading pass-catchers in 2011 (39 receptions for 555 yards), is back at full strength after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Sometimes, and for skill players in particular, a season off the field can pay enormous dividends. CU obviously hopes that’s the case with Richardson, whose big-play ability – and big-game ability, as evidenced by his performance against California in 2011 – is sorely missing elsewhere in the passing game.

CU’s starters coming out of spring ball were Richardson and sophomore Nelson Spruce (44 receptions for 446 yards), last year’s leading receiver. Just behind Spruce is junior Tyler McCulloch (34 for 436), followed by freshman Jeff Thomas, sophomore Gerald Thomas (18 for 171) and juniors Keenan Canty and D.D. Goodson, the latter a converted running back. The tight end will play an enormous role in this offense, so look for junior Kyle Slavin (14 for 109), sophomore Vincent Hobbs (17 for 152) and at least two others to earn significant playing time in 2013. A healthy and equally athletic Richardson could make a nice difference.

CU believes it has found a keeper in sophomore running back Christian Powell (691 yards, 7 touchdowns), a wide-body ball-carrier in a league full of slender, lithe, 4.4 40-running backs. That’s not Powell: he’s 6-0, a healthy 235, and a potential bell-cow for a physical running game. He’ll get a workout in 2013. Behind Powell lies junior Tony Jones (320 yards), sophomore Donta Abron (251 yards) and senior Josh Ford (127 yards), giving CU the same backfield as a season ago. Can the offensive line create running lanes?

— Defense: A few numbers to peruse at your leisure. Colorado allowed 7.11 yards per play last fall, the most of any team in the FBS and the fourth-most by any FBS team since 2007. The Buffaloes allowed 46.0 points per game, the most in the FBS and the second-most by any team since 2007. CU gave up 8.6 yards per attempt through the air, the fifth-worst average in the nation, 39 passing touchdowns, the most in the FBS, and had a quarterback efficiency defense of 173.58, last in the country. The Buffaloes intercepted only three passes, tied for the fewest in the program’s known history, and didn’t pick off one pass over the season’s last eight games. One more: Colorado allowed 3,150 yards through the air despite the fact that opponents attempted only 67 passes in the fourth quarter – less than six attempts per game. Now close your eyes, forget what you’ve read and think only good, positive thoughts.

It’s all about two things, a pass rush and the secondary, and they’re always intertwined. The good news is that CU brings back the majority of last year’s defensive backfield, losing only free safety Ray Polk, and the new staff seems to have already identified a rotation at cornerback heading out of spring drills. Sophomore Kenneth Crawley (58 tackles) and junior Greg Henderson (47 tackles) are back at the position, where they started most games a year ago; better days are ahead for this pair, but both are still learning how to handle the position against Pac-12 competition. Depth comes from sophomore Yuri Wright, junior Josh Moten and redshirt freshman John Walker. Everything hinges on how rapidly Henderson and Crawley continue to develop. The talent is there.

The situation is a bit more muddled at safety, though that CU is still tinkering with a two-deep does speak to the options at the Buffaloes’ disposal. The most experienced options are senior Parker Orms (52 tackles), sophomore Marques Mosley and senior Terrell Smith (70 tackles), each of whom made at least four starts last fall, but only Orms held a starting role after the spring – Orms has the nod at strong safety while Mosley sits behind junior Jered Bell at free. I expect Mosley and Smith, the current backup at strong safety, to play a very significant amount despite their current reserve status.

CU made 19.0 sacks as a team last fall, with a heavy portion of that total coming from senior end Chidera Uzo-Diribe (43 tackles, 7.0 sacks). Hey, can Chidera get a hand here? The situation at end is in flux while juniors Juda Parker and Andre Nichols rebound from injuries, but the rotation should eventually circle between Udo-Diribe (the unquestioned star), Parker, Nichols, Samson Kofavalu and Kirk Poston. Inside, the Buffaloes hope to settle last season’s revolving door by sticking with the quartet of senior Nate Bonsu (24 tackles) and sophomores Josh Tupou (37 tackles), Tyler Hennington and Justin Solis. Basically, what CU needs is to duplicate Udo-Diribe and triplicate Tupou. They can’t do it alone. It’s not a good situation.

The only full-time returning starter at linebacker is senior Derrick Webb (team-best 88 tackles), who will occupy the weak side while CU auditions options at the two remaining spots. The starter in the middle might be a nice (if admittedly a little troubling) surprise. Addison Gillam, a true freshman, initially joined SJSU in 2012 over interest from programs like UC Davis and Sacramento State. After delaying his enrollment at SJSU following shoulder surgery, Gillam followed MacIntyre and friends to CU – where he might become only the second true freshman to start the second opener at middle linebacker in school history, after former great Jordan Dizon. Senior Paul Vigo and junior Woodson Greer are the favorites on the strong side.

It will take time – a lot of time – for Baer and the staff to rework this defense. Step one might be boosting this group’s confidence, as you know last season’s disgraceful performance took wind out of CU’s sails. Step two will be finding the right mindset, ratcheting up the Buffaloes’ aggressiveness while preaching the sort of consistency of technique needed to bottle up teams like Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA. Rome wasn’t built in a day, someone once said. (Bill McCartney, I think.)

— Special teams: Junior Darragh O’Neill has punted 150 times over the last two seasons, often beautifully, so he’s the closest to a sure thing as you’ll find on this roster. Don’t be surprised if O’Neill gains heavy consideration for conference and national accolades in 2013. That junior kicker Will Oliver is an unknown on longer field-goal tries might be why he’s entrenched in a position battle with senior Justin Castor, one of two Buffaloes to share kickoff duties in 2012. While CU has yet to decide on its primary returners, Crawley and Mosley handled these duties a year ago; Mosley averaged 26.29 yards per kick return, scoring once.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Offensive line: Two significant departures since the end of last season have dealt CU a tough blow up front. One is left tackle David Bakhtiari, an all-conference selection who opted to forego his final season of eligibility. Another is would-be junior Alex Lewis, who announced his intent to transfer to Nebraska early this month. (And was involved, with Webb, in last week’s off-field altercation, clouding for the moment his FBS future.) Why Lewis’ loss stings is because he was a burgeoning leader up front; he was experienced, for one, but also viewed as a potential answer on the blind side following Bakhtiari’s bolt for the NFL.

So the left side of the line needs work. CU will rebuild around senior center Gus Handler, who has proven he can play at an all-league level when healthy. Staying healthy has been an issue, however, as Handler started the first two games of 2012, missed three, started a pair and then missed all or most of the season’s final five. For the good of this line and the offense as a whole, Handler must remain on the field. Another lineman, junior Daniel Munyer, is likewise battling injuries; when back at full health, Munyer will slide in at right guard and junior Kaiwi Crabb on the left.

While Lewis was an option, CU will hand left tackle over to senior Jack Harris, who split time at right tackle a year ago – with his former co-starter, sophomore Stephane Nembot, taking over for good on the strong side. Nembot must improve, but Harris has the experience to do an adequate job protecting Wood’s blind side. Altogether, sadly, the line does not inspire confidence.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Fresno State: One thing to like about Colorado’s schedule is that it features a bye week before the start of Pac-12 play and another bye week between league games in October. Having two early bye weeks is just what a young, unconfident and rebuilding team needs in the first half of 2013. On a negative side, CU draws Oregon, Oregon State and Washington – three clear bowl teams, obviously, and one title contender – out of the Pac-12 North. Avoiding another slow start is vital, as is getting some revenge against teams like Colorado State and Fresno State.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: It won’t get worse before it gets better, if only because it cannot – there’s no way, really – get any worse than it was a season ago. But it can be just as bad, if only slightly better, while MacIntyre and this staff tear everything down, reapply the spackle, make the proper measurements and start pouring the truckload of concrete needed to remake the supremely broken and ill-made foundation of Colorado football. Again, this is a multiple-year rebuilding project.

I’m not even going to discuss wins and losses. If nothing else, CU is not talented enough to beat the Pac-12 opponents on this schedule, with a team like California at home perhaps the Buffaloes’ best chance at a victory. A rivalry game with Colorado State (even if the Rams are no juggernaut) is a toss-up, especially because it’s the opener; even if the Bulldogs come to Boulder, and even if CU has a chip on its shoulder from last season, it’s going to be tough to knock off Fresno State. Ugliness will ensue, but it’ll be ugliness with a silver lining.

I remember very well the first end-of-spring scrimmage MacIntyre held at SJSU. He ran once, and twice, and again and again, regardless of its effectiveness, in an effort to instill the proper mindset with his new team – we’re going to be physical, darn it, and you better get on board. It didn’t lead to a miracle in 2010, no. It did lay the framework for 2011 and 2012, however, and there’s something to be said of a coach who knows what it takes to create a winning environment out of lowered expectations.

Better days are ahead. They’re not coming in the win column in 2013, but victories will eventually come with time and patience. Colorado will take more lumps this fall, suffer more ugly losses and end up last in the Pac-12 South, but the program has started the process of reversing course and moving in the correct direction.

— Dream season: Colorado beats Colorado State and Fresno State in September, California and Utah in November and doesn’t lose any game by more than 21 points.

— Nightmare season: The Buffaloes lose to everyone, failing even to match last season’s one-win output.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

— Where Colorado fans hang out: Colorado has a number of football-oriented independent sites, which is always good to see. If you’re interested, take a look at Net Buffs, Buff Backers and All Buffs. For recruiting coverage, check out Buff Stampede and Buff Playbook. And do yourself a favor and visit Ralphie Report, the clear and undisputed leader of Colorado blogs. There’s more to be found at Buff Scoop, which also touches on Colorado’s recruiting.

— All-name team nominee: LB Thor Eaton.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 114? The last forward from this university to be taken among the top 10 picks in the NBA draft went on to become a four-time All-Star, which bodes well for a prospect set to be taken very high on June 27.

2013 TEAM OVERVIEW

— Conference: Pac-12, South

— Location: Boulder, Colo.

— Nickname: Buffaloes

— Returning starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense)

— Last year’s ranking: No. 89

— 2012 record: 1-11 (1-8)

— Last year’s re-ranking: No. 115

— 2013 schedule:

Sept. 1 vs. Colorado State (in Denver)
Sept. 7 Central Arkansas
Sept. 14 Fresno State
Sept. 28 at Oregon State
Oct. 5 Oregon
Oct. 12 at Arizona State
Oct. 26 Arizona
Nov. 2 at UCLA
Nov. 9 at Washington
Nov. 16 California
Nov. 23 USC
Nov. 30 at Utah

Paul Myerberg is on Twitter @Paul Myerberg. See his full countdown here.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

The NFL’s draft festivities have become an annual three-day infomercial for the Southeastern Conference, which continued its run of dominance with 33 players among the first 99 taken. The SEC accounted for one-third of the players taken in the first three rounds and one-fourth of the annual event’s 254 total picks. Its 63 players drafted bested by eight the previous single-year draft record for a conference set in 1983 by the Pac-10.

Even against the backdrop of SEC dominance, however, Alabama’s ability to consistently produce upper-tier NFL prospects highlights the program’s nearly unprecedented ability to win on the field — and win big — and then reap the benefits during the draft.

Three former Alabama stars had their turn on the dais Thursday, back-to-back-to-back from picks No. 9 through No. 11, with cornerback Dee Milliner going to the New York Jets, guard Chance Warmack to the Tennessee Titans and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker to the San Diego Chargers.

“I think we are really proud of our players, first of all,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “We are very happy for them and their families. We had three first-round picks this year and we have had three or four every year for the last few years. We had a school record (modern draft era) nine players drafted this year and eight a year ago. It is great to be able to watch our player’s dreams come true in the draft. Most of the guys who worked hard to earn a role on our team have gotten a chance to make a roster at the next level either as draft picks or free agents.”

The first-round trio gave Alabama 12 first-round picks in the last three seasons, with six among the top 10.

“I certainly don’t recall any team being nearly as productive in terms of NFL draft prospects as Alabama,” said Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. “At least if we go back to the University of Miami,” which had 13 players go in the first round from 2001-03.

Alabama’s recent success gives Saban 22 first-round selections in his last 12 seasons as a college coach, dating to his time as coach at SEC rival LSU. Nine Alabama players were selected in this weekend’s seven-round draft.

“The fact that he has been as productive and consistent in terms of churning out those prospects is a testament to the talent evaluation that he and his staff go through,” Rang said.

Many of Alabama’s recent first-round picks come from two recruiting classes, Saban’s first full class in 2008 and his second in 2009. Sixty players committed to the Crimson Tide those two years, though several ended up not enrolling because of academic issues or the Major League Baseball draft.

Of those 60 signees, 10 have become NFL draft first-rounders — one-sixth of the classes, an absolutely staggering number in an age of greater talent parity where a once-unheralded offensive tackle from Central Michigan, Eric Fisher, can be the first overall pick.

What draws the NFL to Alabama is Saban’s NFL-style program, in terms of the on-field product — Alabama uses NFL systems on offense and defense — and the physical nature of the Crimson Tide’s practices.

“Nick Saban runs his team like an NFL franchise,” Rang said. “Alabama is just known as the most physical football team in the country. Everybody talks about the jump in speed and physicality that prospects face when they get to the NFL. There’s not necessarily that big jump when you’re coming from the University of Alabama.”

Follow Paul Myerberg on Twitter: @PaulMyerberg.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.