| Their were a total of 23 schools which entered | | | | which went 0-11 last year and will bring a 12-game |
| the 2005 season with new head coaches last | | | | losing streak into the game and Ohio is coached |
| year (see Wednesday's Notes in the archives on | | | | by Frank Solich. Solich is a former Nebraska |
| how they fared). There were only 10 new hires | | | | player and long-time assistant plus was the team's |
| this year but then with the tragic death of | | | | head coach from 1998 through 2003 and Gill |
| Northwestern's Randy Walker over the summer, | | | | worked as one of his assistants during that time. |
| this year's "coaching carousel" grew to 11. In a | | | | Colorado (Dan Hawkins): Hawkins spent the last |
| special weekend edition of Ness Notes, I'll preview | | | | five years at Boise State compiling an impressive |
| all 11 schools and coaches. | | | | 53-10 mark. His .841 winning percentage is No. 1 |
| The 23 coaching changes of last year broke down | | | | among active coaches and his 53 wins are |
| like this. There were 10 schools bringing in coaches | | | | fourth-most ever by a coach in his first five |
| with previous experience and 13 schools which | | | | seasons at a major school. He dominated the |
| were giving their 'guys' their first head coaching | | | | WAC while at Boise, going 37-3 and winning four |
| job at the Division I-A level. Among this year's | | | | league titles. |
| group of 11 changes, just two schools have hired | | | | He takes over a Colorado team which has won |
| guys with previous head coaching experience. | | | | three Big-12 North titles in the last four seasons |
| The short list includes Dan Hawkins, who left | | | | but one which has nowhere near the talent of |
| Boise State to take the Colorado job and Dennis | | | | Big-12 South powers Texas and Oklahoma. |
| Erickson, who's had numerous college and NFL | | | | Hawkins is a great hire but he has just five |
| jobs (most recently as the 49ers head coach) | | | | returning starters on offense and anywhere from |
| and this year makes a return visit to Idaho | | | | six to eight on defense. The Buffs open with |
| (coached there from 1982-85). What follows is | | | | Montana State but then face Colorado State on |
| this year coaching changes, listed alphabetically by | | | | September 9. |
| school. | | | | The favorite in this game is just 1-9 ATS the last |
| Boise State (Chris Peterson): Peterson has been | | | | 10 years and it's back at a neutral site (Invesco |
| Boise's OC the last five years and he's been an | | | | Field) after two consecutive years of playing in |
| integral part of a team that's averaged 41.3 PPG | | | | Boulder (Colorado won both games by three |
| during that span, including an impressive 48.9 PPG | | | | points in non-covers). Colorado visits Georgia on |
| in 2004. While the school's best-known as a | | | | September 23 (Hawkins took Boise there last |
| passing team, it should be noted that the Broncos | | | | year and lost 48-13!) plus plays in Norman on |
| have ranked in the top-25 nationally in rushing | | | | October 21 and Lincoln on November 24. |
| yards for three of the last four years. Boise saw | | | | Idaho (Dennis Erickson): Erickson is just 40-56 in |
| two 31-game winning streaks end in last year's | | | | six seasons as an NFL head coach (four years |
| 9-4 (6-5-1) season. | | | | with the Seahawks and two with the 49ers). |
| It's 31-game WAC winning streak ended on | | | | However, he's 145-56-1 in the college ranks with |
| November 12 at Fresno State (27-7) and the | | | | stops in Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami |
| school's 31-game home winning streak ended in | | | | and Oregon State. He won two national titles in |
| the MPC Bowl, when Boston College held on the | | | | Miami and led Oregon State to an 11-1 season and |
| beat the Broncos on their famed "Blue Turf", | | | | BCS Bowl (41-9 Fiesta Bowl win over Notre |
| 27-21. Since 1999, the Broncos are 45-2 SU at | | | | Dame) in 2000. |
| home and 30-11 ATS. Looking ahead to this year's | | | | In his second tour of duty at Idaho, he takes |
| schedule, Boise opens at home on a Thursday | | | | over a team that's gone 11-47 these last five |
| night with Oregon State (note: Boise is 1-10 SU | | | | years and 23-29-2 ATS. Erickson has wanted to |
| and 2-6-1 ATS all-time vs Pac-10 schools). | | | | get back in the college ranks since being fired by |
| Other tough spots will be at Utah on 9/30, a | | | | the 49ers in 2004 but many schools shied away |
| home rematch with Fresno State on November 1 | | | | because of his past problems with the NCAA. |
| (prior to LY's loss, Boise was 4-0 SU and ATS vs | | | | However, this was a "no-brainer" for Idaho, which |
| Fresno since 2001, outscoring them 166-84)and at | | | | brings in a "big-name" coach. Erickson will take his |
| Nevada on November 21 (Wolf Pack tied with | | | | Vandals to Pullman on September 9 to face |
| Boise for last year's WAC title at 7-1 and have | | | | Washington State (he coached there from |
| gone 10-2 SU at home in 2004 and 2005). There's | | | | 1987-88) and to Corvallis on September 23 to |
| little reason to believe that the Broncos will miss a | | | | play Oregon State (1999-2002). |
| beat with Peterson in charge. | | | | Middle Tennessee State (Rick Stockstill): Stockstill |
| Buffalo (Turner Gill): Gill spent 17 years at | | | | has been a 17-year assistant at the Division I-A |
| Nebraska as its QB (three years) and then in | | | | level, 14 years at Clemson (under Danny Ford, |
| various roles as an assistant. The Cornhuskers | | | | Ken Hatfield, Tommy West and Tommy |
| record during that time was 176-38. So Buffalo will | | | | Bowden). He's spent the last two years at South |
| certainly be a "shock to the system." The Bison | | | | Carolina, under Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier. He |
| joined Division I-A in 1999 and have won a total | | | | takes over a team that many felt was as |
| of just 10 games, never winning more than two | | | | talented as any team in the SBC last year but |
| MAC games in any year. After an 0-11 1999 | | | | the Blue Raiders went just 4-7. In fact, the team |
| season, the team won twice in 2000 and three | | | | is just 17-29 (21-23) the last four years. |
| time in 2002 before going a combined 5-41 | | | | The team hung tough at both Alabama and North |
| (18-25-1) these last four seasons. | | | | Carolina State last year and went into Vanderbilt |
| Last year's 1-10 team (6-5 ATS) averaged a | | | | and beat the Commodores 17-15, a loss that kept |
| meager 10 PPG while allowing 29.7 PPG. However | | | | Vandy from its first bowl bid since 1982. Nine |
| that total was down from the three previous | | | | offensive starters return and I wouldn't be |
| seasons, in which the defense allowed 31.9, 37.1 | | | | surprised if the Blue Raiders posted their first |
| and 34.7 PPG. Turner will be installing new | | | | winning record since going 8-3 in 2001. However, |
| schemes on both sides of the ball this year and | | | | the Blue Raiders may have to pull off an upset in |
| has the second-fewest returning starters of any | | | | one of these games to pull that off. They are at |
| MAC team, so don't expect too much more from | | | | Maryland (9/9), at Oklahoma (9/23), in Nashville to |
| Buffalo this year. | | | | meet Louisville (10/6) and at South Carolina (11 |
| Two games of note are the team's opener on | | | | 18). |
| August 31 at home vs Temple and an October 21 | | | | Part 2 will follow on Sunday. |
| visit to Ohio U. In Temple, the Bison face a team | | | | |