2021 Sun Belt Rankings: Pre-Spring
Sun Belt: West
1. Lousiana Ragin’ Cajuns
Why To Be Happy: Well let’s just do this one more time. QB Levi Lewis is expected to return which means there’s a shot to get back almost all 11 starters on offense. It stinks to potentially lose LB Joe Dillon – he’s in the transfer portal – but just about everyone else is back on D. Best of all, Billy Napier isn’t the head coach at a Power Five program yet.
What To Work On: With all of that experience returning, now the Ragin’ Cajuns have to do what they do, only a whole lot better. There’s not a lot to complain about after losing just once, but there were a few too many close battles and fights. Now it’s time to dominate.
Bottom Line: Be really, really shocked if this isn’t another Sun Belt West championship season. Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina should be a wee bit better, but at the very least, Louisiana is in the top three and on the short list to win the Sun Belt.
2. Arkansas State Red Wolves
Why To Be Happy: Blake Anderson might have left to become Utah State’s head coach, but shhhhhhhhhhhh. Very, very quietly, Arkansas State probably just upgraded large by landing Butch Jones as the new head man. What does getting the former Tennessee head man bring? Recruiting, and it starts by landing QB James Blackman from Florida State, a few new receivers and linebackers, and it helps to keep around almost everyone on both sides of the ball.
What To Work On: The pass defense needs to be a whole lot better, the defense needs to be a whole lot better, and the team needs to learn how to win close games again.
Bottom Line: Watch out for a quick turnaround into a winning program again. Things started to slip away late in the season, but Jones coming in and the experience returning will stop the slide.
3. South Alabama Jaguars
Why To Be Happy: USA has a nice coaching staff to reboot with. Former Indiana defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was a good start as the head man, and Major Applewhite as the offensive coordinator should be interesting. In comes QB Jake Bentley from Utah – after leaving South Carolina – and almost everyone else is bay on both sides of the ball with roughly ten starters expected back on O and nine on D.
What To Work On: The lines have to be a whole lot better. The defensive front has to be able to get into the backfield, and the offensive line that couldn’t generate anything for the ground game and couldn’t pass block needs some major tweaks.
Bottom Line: Be careful – this might just be the surprise team in the Sun Belt. There are good parts in place, more are coming in, and the coaching staff should be good enough to make a big difference.
4. Texas State Bobcats
Why To Be Happy: The Bobcats went 2-10, but the team was a lot more interesting and a lot more competitive. Now there’s a bunch of interesting parts coming in from the transfer portal for the secondary, the defensive front is getting a possible anchor in Nick McCann from Texas Tech, and the O is bringing in reinforcements including NC State QB Ty Evans.
What To Work On: The defensive line has to start doing something come up with a stop. It was the statistically worst D in the Sun Belt, there wasn’t any pass rush, and it couldn’t hold serve in shootouts.
Bottom Line: This is going to be one of those X factor teams under Jake Spavital. All the new parts are coming in to go along with a team loaded with young parts. The Bobcats went through the growing pains, but a more experienced team should win the closer games.
5. ULM Warhawks
Why To Be Happy: All of a sudden, ULM’s coaching staff ramped up in a big, big way. Nothing against Matt Viator, but Terry Bowden wasn’t bad at Akron – and other spots – before being fired in 2018, and … really? Rich Rodriguez as the offensive coordinator? The O is going to work.
What To Work On: Can the new coaching staff keep everyone around? It was a miserable rebuilding season that went nowhere, and now a whole lot of parts are in the transfer portal. With the hiring of Bowden several players are sticking around.
Bottom Line: The Sun Belt is beyond loaded with experienced teams and others on the ascension. It might be a bit for the Warhawks to be any sort of a player, but with this coaching staff this will be one dangerous team.