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Offense: A year ago Weber State thought it had its quarterback of the future in Alabama transfer Jimmy Barnes, but it turned out the real deal was freshman Cameron Higgins, who often dazzled after taking over as starter with the team 0-3. He threw for four TDs in his second game, and finished with 17 against nine interceptions. That and the emergence of speedster Bryant Eteuati as a big-play receiver and the continued excellence of two-time Big Sky rushing champion Trevyn Smith give the Wildcats ample firepower. There's also fullback Marcus Mailei, receiver Tim Toone and up front, center Kyle Mutcher and left tackle Paul Carpenter. Yet Higgins is the key. “I guess the last seven weeks of the year we were pretty good football team on offense,” said McBride.

Defense: Nose guard Bryce Scanlon, tackle Derek Johnson and ends Pate Moleni and Kevin Linehan give Weber State a stalwart defensive line, and the linebacker crew is led by J.D. Folsom, a 235-pound Idahoan who was second-team all-Big Sky for 2007. Moleni was all-Big Sky in 2006; Linehan led the team in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (5.5) last fall. Alongside Folsom will be a couple other seniors, Biff Swan and Ryan Galovic. Swan, a Utah State transfer, is the younger brother to Colton Swan, one of the top tacklers last year who is now the Weber State's safety coach. The Wildcats will miss leading tackler Ty Sparrow at safety, but are still stocked in the secondary with the likes of senior Scotty Goodloe. Terrell Cloud is back at cornerback as well.

Notable: Two-time all-Big Sky kick returnman Bryant Eteuati led all of the Football Championship Subdivision in all-purpose (return, receiving and rushing) yards with 207.5 per game in 2007.

Quotebook: “We probably should have made a quarterback change earlier and we didn't, because we wanted Jimmy (Barnes) to succeed. It just didn't happen.” - Coach McBride

Stud to watch: Cam Higgins. Weber started out 0-4, but was 4-3 with the 6-foot-2, 195-pound freshman QB from Hawaii at the controls. He ended up second in the league in passing efficiency behind Eastern Washington's Matt Nichols.

Pay attention to: Trevyn Smith. After two seasons the 5-9, 210-pound junior from Springville, Utah, is already No. 4 on Weber State's career rushing list with 2,443 yards. Six straight 100-yard plus games helped him end with 1,314 last fall.

Wildcat data

Forecast: Fifth by the coaches, fifth by media.

2007: 5-6, 4-4 in the Big Sky Conference.

Starters returning: 7 on offense, 6 on defense.

Coach: Ron McBride (4th year, 15-18).

Quote: “Every place I've coached, we've always had the No. 1 rushing tailback in the league. ... (but) we're probably more wide-open now than even what I'm used to. We have more weapons. It's crazy not to utilize what they can do.”

- Ron McBride

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