Well, the media covering the Mountain West Conference has issued its preseason football predictions and San Diego State is eighth in the nine-team league. No surprise based on last season.
However, the Aztecs should offer a new look in 2007, now that head coach Chuck Long, offensive coordinator Del Miller and defensive coordinator Bob Elliott have had a chance the past seven months to pick up the pieces from last season's 3-9 disaster.
If nothing else, they'll have a bunch of playing pieces that weren't available last year, with the return to health of QB Kevin O'Connell, a potential deep threat in WR DeMarco Sampson and TE Lance Louis, among others. There's three returning starters on the offensive line -- four depending on how you classify G Mike Schmidt. The defense was playing well by the end of last season. That gives Long some hope heading into the season.
The downside is the usual one for the Aztecs, a lack of quality depth in many areas. If the senior O'Connell goes down early in the season again, true freshman Ryan Lindley will probably be tossed into the fire. As good as he might be, you'd really like to see him be able to redshirt. An injury or two to starters along the either line could be potentially fatal for whatever bowl hopes exist. While safety appears solid, cornerback can't afford any injuries at all. Typical thin Aztecs.
If the fortunes of sports begin to even out and bestow a season of health upon the Aztecs, then they have a shot at a minor bowl game. But they need everything to work out. Bad luck, injuries, or players being counted on not measuring up, and this will be another long season.
My own thought is that SDSU is better than the two teams ranked ahead of them in the MWC poll, Colorado State and Air Force. The trouble there is that the Aztecs have to play both on the road this year (on second thought, that means that SDSU will have the advantage against some better teams by having them at home).
UNLV is a near-unanimous choice for last, not just with this week's media poll, but in the preseason magazines. I see the Rebels actually giving the Rams and Falcons a run for their money, as well. The Rams just don't appear to have much going for them, and the Falcons underwent a coaching change. Both had late changes in offensive coordinators, too. Doesn't look good for them.
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