FCS poll ranks WSU in top 10

After a disappointing loss in the Division I Football College Subdivision (FCS) Quarterfinals to the University of Montana last year, the Weber State University Wildcats look to bounce back this season. The FCS Now Pre-season Poll ranked the Wildcats No. 7 in the nation. The 'Cats even garnered one first place vote. WSU Head Coach Ron McBride said it was an honor to be ranked No. 7. It is, in fact, an honor that WSU has never earned before. This is the highest ranking that WSU has ever achieved in the pre-season. Senior tight end Cody Nakamura was not impressed with the ranking. "I don't really care about it," Nakamura said. "Its just the pre-season ranking. It doesn't mean anything until you start playing." Appalachian State University is ranked No. 1 and University of Richmond, last season's FCS Champions, is ranked No. 2. Villanova University, The University of Northern Iowa, and U of M filled out the rest of the top five. The Wildcats improved from a record of 5-6 in 2007 to a 10-4 record in 2008, and look to improve even further next year. "We have high expectations," McBride said. "We have one of the toughest schedules in the [FCS] so the schedule is very competitive for us. We got a big job to do." Nakamura reinforced just how high those expectations are. "I have no individual goals; I just want to win the Big Sky [Conference] and go on to win the national championship," Nakamura said. "That's been our goal since the end of last season." WSU will have stiff competition next year; five teams from the Big Sky Conference were voted in to the Top 25. They include U of M, WSU, Eastern Washington (ranked No. 15), and Montana State University (No. 25). The 'Cats will begin the 2009 season on Sept. 5 in Laramie, WY where they will play the University of Wyoming Cowboys. The Wildcats' first home game will be on Sept. 19 against Idaho State University.McBride said that there are a few new recruits that will be able to contribute as early as this year. "We recruited largely on the defensive side of the ball so a lot of those young players will have an opportunity to have a role," Mc Bride said. "So we'll have some players that will have a role on both sides of the ball." McBride was also pleased with the teams' effort so far in the off-season. "We're excited for the season and the players are having a great summer. They're working hard and they've been back since Jun. 1," McBride said. "The biggest thing is the coaches can't monitor the player; they have to monitor themselves. They've done a good job from what I've seen of doing that."