Preseason polls have ‘Cats fourth

The Big Sky preseason football media and coaches’ polls, as well as the preseason all-conference team, have been released, and for Weber State University it is all about the number four.

In the media and coaches’ poll, WSU is slated to finish fourth in the Big Sky Conference. Last season, the preseason polls predicted the WSU Football Team to finish second.

The coaches and media had all nine teams finishing in the same order. The University of Montana, despite a change of head coach, topped both lists. Montana was the unanimous selection in the coaches’ poll, and 40 of 42 media poll voters penciled Montana into the top spot as well. Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona University were the other two teams given a first-place vote.

Montana’s overwhelming amount of votes came as no surprise to WSU Head Coach Ron McBride.

“Montana has earned that respect over a long period of time,” McBride said. “They have been the flag-bearer of the conference for the last last 17 years or so. They have always been a top-one or two team in the conference. They’ve earned the respect and the right to be in that spot.”

Montana went 14-1 last season before losing in the Division I National Championship game against Villanova University.

Eastern Washington and Montana were the other two teams picked to finish ahead of WSU.

With WSU in the fourth spot, McBride said the poll shows the depth and talent of teams in the Big Sky Conference.

“The conference is good,” he said. “I think this is the best 1AA conference in the country. There is not much difference between the top team and the bottom team. ”

WSU players were not disappointed with the results of the poll. In fact, many said they were excited with how the poll played out.

“I am kind of happy we were picked to finish fourth,” said Cameron Higgins, WSU quarterback. “It reminds me of two years when we weren’t voted to finish in the top couple teams. It’s just more incentive to work harder and prove people wrong.”

The 2008 season was when WSU finished with a 7-1 conference record and took home a share of the Big Sky Conference championship. The team made it to the second round of the playoffs, where they were defeated by Montana, 24-13.

For Higgins, preseason polls are just what they claim to be: preseason predictions that have no relevance when the season starts.

“We don’t really care about where we place at the start of the season,” Higgins said. “We care about where we finish and the end of it.”

Some players, however, said they were frustrated with the polls and felt they could only see paper rosters and last season’s statistics.

“These polls don’t see things that we’ve been doing, like our summer workouts,” said linebacker Nick Webb. “Usually there are about 30 guys that hang around and work out during the summer. This summer we have had about 70-75 guys consistently here and working hard.”

WSU finished with a 6-2 conference record last season, placing the team in a tie for second place in the Big Sky Conference with Eastern Washington. WSU will begin conference in Ogden on September 11 against Northern Colorado University.

Last Monday, the preseason all-conference team was also released and four WSU players were selected to the team. Zac Eldridge (fullback), J.C. Oram (offensive line) and Mike Phillips (wide receiver) were the three offensive picks. WSU’s sole defensive player named to the team was Taylor Sedillo.

One notable name left off the team was Higgins, who McBride said deserved to be placed on the team.

“He should be on the list,” McBride said. “There are some pretty good quarterbacks in this league. The kid from Northern Arizona had some pretty huge stats but that’s all right; the proof is in the pudding.”

Higgins was named to the team last season as a junior and was surprised to learn he was not selected on this year’s team.