July 27, 2010
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Ugo Uzodinma didn’t transfer from Illinois of the Big Ten to finish last in the Mountain West Conference at New Mexico. He says the MWC poll that picks the Lobos to finish last/ninth in the 2010 race is “motivation.”
“We have to go out and prove the naysayers wrong and prove that we are a program that is getting better,” said Uzodinma, a 6-foot-4 260-pound defensive tackle. “We have only one way to go and that’s up from the bottom.
“That’s fine. The only real pressure on us is to keep working hard to get better. I don’t think it matters much if you are picked to finish first or last. We all have to go out there and play every game one-by-one just like everyone else. We’re excited to play. We’re energized.”
No surprise – the loaded TCU Horned Frogs, the league’s defending champions, were picked to race to the 2010 title. The Horned Frogs have a highly efficient offense behind senior quarterback Andy Dalton and one of the top defenses in the nation led by junior linebacker Tank Carder.
Dalton was named the MWC preseason Offensive Player of The Year and Carder was tabbed as the predicted Defensive Player of The Year. The Lobos got a dab of respect with linebacker Carmen Messina, the nation’s leading tackler in 2009, and defensive end Johnathan Rainey named to the preseason All-MWC lineup.
Rainey and Uzodinma are two reasons the Lobos might surprise a few people this season and finish above that last-place pick. UNM’s defensive line has the depth, the size and the quickness to be one of the top lines in the MWC.
“Preseason polls are indicative of how you did last year,” said Lobo Coach Michael Locksley. “We’ll be a different team this year than we were last year. I think the people who picked us last were maybe giving us a little (motivational) edge.”
Still, based on UNM’s 1-11 mark of 2009, it probably doesn’t shock any Lobo fans that the Lobos were placed at the bottom. The Lobos have much to prove.
“I think we’ll surprise some people,” said J.J. Hugine, another member of the UNM D-line. “We have a team that believes and I’m pretty sure we will win enough games to go to a bowl game this season.
“I came from a high school that was considered the underdog most of the time, so I’m used to it. You use it as motivation.”
“Said tight end Lucas Reed: “I think (the poll) will be motivation for us. Other than that, I don’t really have a comment.”
The top spots in the preseason poll were obvious enough. TCU returns 19 starters from a squad that rolled out a perfect 8-0 MWC mark last season and finished 12-1 with a bowl loss to Boise State.
TCU returns seven starters from a defensive until that led the nation in total defense for the second straight year. QB Dalton and eight other Frog starters return on offense. TCU was ranked in the top five nationally in scoring and rushing offense a season ago.
The fans of Frogs already are talking about another undefeated season and a better postseason ending. It’s not an unrealistic vision. The Frogs are loaded, confident and cocky. TCU was a unanimous pick to grab the 2010 MWC crown and should enter the season in the Top Ten.
The MWC Media Day is being held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. Utah, poised to bolt from the MWC into the Pac-10, was picked No. 2 in the poll, just ahead of No. 3 Brigham Young and No. 4 Air Force. Utah was 10-3 in 2009, beating California in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego.
BYU was hit harder by graduation than TCU or Utah, but are coming off a 11-2 campaign in 2009.
It’s reasonable to throw those four teams at the top of the poll, but the next five spots probably will see a lot of shuffling once the 2010 season rolls onto the turf.
Wyoming, coming off a bowl win, was picked fifth followed by San Diego State, Colorado State, UNLV and the Lobos. UNM’s lone MWC win in 2009 was a 29-27 nailbiter over CSU in University Stadium.
CSU grabbed 96 points in the poll to finish 30 points above UNLV (56). UNM earned 45 points. The Rebels finished 5-7 and 3-5 (MWC) last year and are looking at a first-year coaching staff.
2010 Mountain West Conference Football Preseason PollRk. Team (first place votes) Points1.TCU (31)2792.Utah2423.BYU2074.Air Force1955.Wyoming1476.San Diego State1287.Colorado State968.UNLV569.New Mexico452010 Preseason All-Mountain West Football TeamOffenseQBAndy Dalton#*Sr.TCUWRVincent Brown**Sr.San Diego StateWRPhillip PayneJr.UNLV RBEddie Wide*Sr.UtahRBJared Tew**Sr.Air ForceOLMatt Reynolds#*Jr.BYUOLJake Kirkpatrick**Sr.TCUOLCaleb Schlauderaff**Sr.UtahOLMarcus Cannon*Sr.TCUOLZane Taylor**Sr.UtahTEAlston UmuoloSr.San Diego StateDefenseDLJohnathan Rainey**Jr.New MexicoDLWayne Daniels**Sr.TCUDLCory Grant**Sr.TCULBCarmen Messina*Jr.New MexicoLBTank Carder**Jr.TCULBBrian Hendricks**Jr.WyomingLBMychal Sisson**Jr.Colorado StateDBBrandon BurtonJr.UtahDBReggie Rembert*Sr.Air ForceDBAnthony Wright**Jr.Air ForceDBAndrew Rich**Sr.BYUDBChris Prosinski**Sr.WyomingNote: Five defensive backs were selected due to a tie in the voting.SpecialistsPBrian Stahovich**Jr.San Diego StatePKRoss Evans*Jr.TCURet.Jeremy Kerley#*Sr.TCUOffensive Player of the Year:
Andy Dalton, Sr., QB, TCUDefensive Player of the Year:
Tank Carder, Jr., LB, TCUSpecial Teams Player of the Year:
Jeremy Kerley, Sr., KR/PR TCU# – unanimous 2010 preseason selection.
* – member of the 2009 All-Mountain West Conference first-team.
** – member of the 2009 All-Mountain West Conference second-team.