What They're Saying

What They're Saying Athlon Sports
College Football 2005

Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) Southern Miss
2) UAB
3) Memphis
4) Marshall
5) East Carolina
6) Central Florida

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulane
4) Tulsa
5) Rice
6) SMU

All-Conference
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
OL Blake Butler, Memphis
DL Marcus West, Memphis
DB Wesley Smith, Memphis
PK Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

Big Shoes to Fill
Will Hudgens and Patrick Byrne, Memphis, QBs
The first-year Memphis quarterbacks will attempt to step in for Danny Wimprine, who left behind a standard of success. Wimprine directed the Tigers to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history and shattered most of the school's passing records.

All-America Team
Second Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
Third Team
K Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

Recruiting Report
Conference USA Ranking:
1. Tulsa
2. UAB
3. UCF
4. Marshall
5. Southern Miss
6. SMU
7. Memphis
8. Houston
9. UTEP
10. Rice
11. Tulane
12. East Carolina

Recruiting Report Conference Player Ranking
4. T.J. Pitts, RB, 5'10", 190, Gainesville, GA, Memphis
8. Stacy Jones, TE/FB, 6'2", 235, Columbus, MS, Memphis

National Ranking:
59. Memphis

Memphis
There's little doubt that Memphis coach Tommy West's best recruiting job was convincing All-America running back DeAngelo Williams to stick around for his senior season instead of opting for the NFL Draft. Williams rushed for 1,948 yards as a junior to lead the Tigers to their second straight bowl game. Scouts predicted that Williams would have been a late first-round pick . . . The strength of the secondary is at free safety, where first-team all-conference pick Wesley Smith returns. A hard hitter who can go sideline to sideline, Smith has the ideal build (6'3", 194) and mentality to prosper at the next level.

Final Analysis
Many observers thought a third straight bowl trip for the program was clinched in January when Williams announced he'd be returning for his senior sason. But for the UofM to be back in the postseason, it must have one of its inexperienced quarterbacks emerge. If not, Williams will be a marked man.
Also, a Tiger defense that struggled mightily a year ago, particularly against the pass, must step up and embrace (defensive coordinator Joe Lee) Dunn's attacking, blitzing philosophy.

CBS SportsLine.com
2005 College Football Season Preview

Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) UAB
2) Memphis
3) Southern Miss
4) Marshall
5) East Carolina
6) Central Florida

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulane
4) SMU
5) Tulsa
6) Rice

All-Conference First Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
OL Andrew Handy, Memphis
DL Marcus West, Memphis
DB Wesley Smith, Memphis
PK Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

All-Conference Second Team
LB Quinton McCrary, Memphis

Preseason Awards
Offensive MVP:
DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Conference USA
. . . Louisville is gone, but Heisman Trophy candidate RB DeAngelo Williams from Memphis will keep the conference in the national spotlight.

Memphis
The Tigers are working the media to hype RB DeAngelo Williams for the Heisman. Defensive back Wesley Smith and DL Marcus West are legitimate stars in their own right and will help the Tigers in their challenge to unseat the Blazers for the top spot.

Key Arrivals:
RB T.J. Pitts
LB Jeremy Rockette
DE Greg Terrell
OL Kenneth Turner

Heisman Watch
Handicapping the field
DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
Mid-major players aren't favored to win the Heisman, but Williams could be this year's dark horse.

All-America Team
First Team:
RB, DeAngelo Williams, Sr., Memphis

Bowl Predictions:
Dec. 20: New Orleans Bowl, New Orleans, La., ESPN, Sun Belt #1 vs. C-USA
North Texas vs. Memphis

National Ranking: 45

Lindy's
2005 College Football

Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) Southern Miss
2) UAB
3) Memphis
4) Marshall
5) Central Florida
6) East Carolina

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulane
4) Rice
5) Tulsa
6) SMU

Good News:
DeAngelo Williams one of nation's top RBs; seven starters back on defense.
Bad News:
Defense still has a lot to prove; quarterbacks all lack experience.
Our Call:
Williams could make most C-USA teams contenders, but he can't pass or play defense.

National ranking:
61st: Return of RB DeAngelo Williams means a third straight bowl trip.

All-America Team
Second Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Rating top running backs in the nation:
3. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Rating top kickers in the nation:
5. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

Top Awards Candidates
Doak Walker Award
Running back
GTE/SMU Athletic Forum, Dallas
3. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Sneak Peak
Here is our annual look at the future . . . 2005 college players with the brightest prospects in the 2006 NFL draft. This year, with guidance from NFLdraftscout.com, Lindy's foresee . . .
16. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

All-C-USA Team
First Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
PK Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis
DL Marcus West, Memphis
DB Wesley Smith, Memphis

Second Team
C Blake Butler, Memphis
LB Quinton McCrary, Memphis

Most Valuable Player
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis

C-USA Top 10 NFL Talent:
1. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis, Sr., Passed up NFL for one more season in college.

C-USA Honor Roll:
Toughest to bring down: DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis

The BIG Ones:
Sept. 5: Ole Miss at Memphis
Oct. 1: UTEP at Memphis
Nov. 1: UAB at Memphis
Nov. 12: Memphis at Tennessee
Nov. 19: Memphis at Southern Miss

Overview:Coach Tommy West convinced DeAngelo Williams to stay for his senior season, giving the program a chance to earn three straight bowl trips. There are too many personnel losses, however, for the Tigers to challenge for a title in a new-look Conference USA.

Phil Steele's
College 2005 Football Preview Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) UAB
2) Southern Miss
3) Memphis
4) Central Florida
5) East Carolina
6) Marshall

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulane
4) Tulsa
5) Rice
6) SMU

All-American Team
First Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Third Team
FS Wesley Smith, Memphis

Phil's Top 62 Running Backs
1. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis, Sr., 5-10, 217

Phil's Top 66 Wide Receivers
41. Maurice Avery, Memphis, Sr., 6-1, 216

Phil's Top 40 Centers
33. Blake Butler, Memphis, Jr., 6-3, 280

Phil's Top 19 Kickers
7. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis, Sr., 6-2, 200

Phil's Top 76 Outside Linebackers
66. Carlton Baker, Memphis, Sr., 6-2, 232

Phil's Top 42 Free Safeties
3. Wesley Smith, Memphis, Sr., 6-3, 194

2005's Top Running Back Units
5. Memphis DeAngelo Williams is 217 lbs. with 4.24 speed and has rushed for 1,430 yards (5.9) and 1,948 (6.2) the last 2 years. He will be running behind an inexperienced line and teams can key on him more with a new QB. He is one of the top backs this year but the Tigers' depth is not as good as the teams listed above (1. USC, 2. Oklahoma, 3. LSU, 4. Georgia).

Which Is The Toughest Conference?
2004 Final Conference Rankings
1. Pac 10
2. Big 12
3. SEC
4. ACC
5. Big 10
6. Mt. West
7. CUSA
8. Big East

Toughest Conferences For 2005
1. SEC (tie)
1. Big 10 (tie)
3. ACC
4. Big 12 (tie)
4. Pac 10 (tie)
6. Big East
7. Mt. West
8. CUSA

Phil Steele's 2005 CUSA Team
First Team
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
WR Maurice Avery, Memphis
FS Wesley Smith, Memphis
K Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

Second Team
C Blake Butler, Memphis
DL Marcus West, Memphis
LB Carlton Baker, Memphis

Third Team
LB Tim Goodwell, Memphis
LB Greg Hinds, Memphis

Fourth Teams
WR Mario Pratcher, Memphis
CB Dustin Lopez, Memphis
Memphis - When I look at the East, I see three bowl caliber teams in the rebuilding mode. My main concern with Memphis is having to replace QB Danny Wimprine and the entire 0-line. Their defense will be much sronger under Joe Lee Dunn this year and they have perhaps the best RB in the country in DeAngelo Williams. This team is a clear-cut contender in the East but despite being less experienced than the 2004 version, I look for the Tigers to achieve their 3rd consecutive winning season.

Sporting News
College Football Preview 2005

Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) UAB
2) Southern Miss
3) Memphis
4) Marshall
5) East Carolina
6) Central Florida

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulane
4) Rice
5) Tulsa
6) SMU

Descending
Memphis
The Tigers lost quarterback Danny Wimprine, some of their best receivers and nose tackle Albert Means from an 8-4 bowl team. Need we say more?

Biggest shoes to fill
Danny Wimprine, QB, Memphis
He had more than 10,000 career passing yards and 81 touchdown tosses. Redshirt freshman Will Hudgens steps into that void. If he fails to make foes heed the pass, star runner DeAngelo Willias will struggle.
Newcomers to watch:
Will Hudgens, QB, Memphis.
After redshirting last year while recovering from a torn ACL, Hudgens learned the system. Now, he has to replace Wimprine.

Bowl-Bound If Memphis can patch up the defense, it'll be just fine because star running back DeAngelo Williams - a two-time C-USA Player of the Year who considered turning pro - will carry the offense early.

Preseason All-Conference Team
OG Willie Henderson, Memphis, 6-, 328, Jr.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis, 5-10, 217, Sr.
DE Marcus West, Memphis, 6-4, 260, Sr.
S Wesley Smith, Memphis, 6-3, 194, Sr.
K Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis, 6-2, 200, Sr.

Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis

Recruiting
Ranking the Teams:
1. Tulsa
2. UAB
3. UCF
4. Marshall
5. Southern Miss
6. SMU
7. UTEP
8. Memphis. RB T.J. Pitts, who had offers from Virginia and Mississippi State, was a steal for the Tigers.
9. Houston
10. Rice
11. Tulane
12. East Carolina

Schedule:
Best chance to be upset - Oct. 15 at Houston
Must win - Nov. 1 at home against UAB
Toughest game - Nov. 12 at Tennessee

National Ranking
46. Memphis

Player National Ranking
Running backs
7. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Offensive Guards
19. Willie Henderson, Memphis

Kickers
6. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis

Bottom Line
As long as Williams is healthy, the Tigers are capable of beating anyone. But there are too many questions to project Memphis as a conference champion. The Tigers are good enough, however, to continue their winning ways and land another bowl invitation.
Street & Smith's
2005 College Football Yearbook

Conference USA Predicted Order of Finish:
East Division
1) Southern Miss
2) Memphis
3) UAB
4) Marshall
5) East Carolina
6) Central Florida

West Division
1) UTEP
2) Houston
3) Tulsa
4) Tulane
5) Rice
6) SMU

Conference USA
Rating the player:
Most elusive running back: DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Top NFL prospect: DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

Top impact freshman: Carlton Robinzine, WR, Memphis

Rating the recruits:
1) Tulsa
2) UAB
3) UCF
4) Marshall
5) Southern Miss
6) SMU
7) UTEP
8) Houston
9) Memphis: Tailback T.J. Pitts serving apprenticeship under DeAngelo Williams.
10) Rice
11) Tulane
12) East Carolina

All-Conference
RB DeAngelo Williams, Sr., Memphis
OL Blake Butler, Jr., Memphis
PK Stephen Gostkowski, Sr., Memphis
DL Marcus West, Sr., Memphis
DB Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis

Games to watch:
Memphis at Southern Miss
Nov. 19
Could be for East Division title.

UTEP at Memphis
Oct. 1
Miners play only two C-USA games at non-Texas sites.

All-Americans
Second Team:
RB DeAngelo Williams, Sr., Memphis
Honorable Mention
PK Stephen Gostkowski, Sr., Memphis
DL Marcus West, Sr., Memphis
DB, Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis

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