The preseason Offensive Player of the Year — Hawai'i quarterback Tim Chang — did not start the final two games of the 2003 season. Then again, six of the 10 schools have not picked their starting quarterbacks for this season.

The long-awaited television contract with ESPN does not guarantee any Saturday games. All of the WAC teams in the Central time zone have refused requests to host Friday games.

San Jose State turned down a chance to schedule an extra home game.

Only Boise State and Louisiana Tech have won outright WAC football titles.

And the WAC continues to fight for respect.

"It bothers me, at times, when people talk about WAC football not being at the level as it is," Fresno State coach Pat Hill said. "Our conference is very, very strong."

Here's a look:

BOISE STATE

2003 record: 13-1, 8-0 WAC

Head coach: Dan Hawkins

Short version: Don't be fooled by Hawkins' okie-and-dokie demeanor. During the recent WAC Football Media Preview, he did not play golf or casino games, spending his free time planning his upcoming training camp. "I've been ready emotionally for the season," Hawkins said. Despite losing eight starters on offense, including the league's best quarterback, Ryan Dinwiddie, Hawkins' system — short pass routes off play-action and rollback passes; shifting formations to create overloads on running plays — remains in place. When Dinwiddie was sidelined in 2002, his replacement led the nation in pass efficiency. "It's the system," Hawai'i assistant coach Rich Miano said. "As long as the system doesn't change, they'll be good." While the Broncos would like sophomore Jared Zabransky to emerge as the starter, look for senior Michael Sanford, who threw 11 passes last season, to seize the position.

Quote: "If it doesn't count, why don't you give us the trophy already so we don't have to practice," said Hawkins, referring to critics' complaints of the Broncos' past success in hosting bowl games. Last year, Boise State defeated host Texas Christian in the inaugural Plains Capital Fort Worth Bowl.

FRESNO STATE

2003 record: 9-5, 6-2 WAC

Head coach: Pat Hill

Short version: Of all of the departures, football secretary Jan Cummings' retirement has left Hill the most shaken. "That was a loss," said Hill, who will have to find someone to book the Bulldogs' expected sixth consecutive bowl appearance. The Bulldogs return quarterback Paul Pinegar, sack specialists Brian Morris (10) and Garrett McIntyre (7.5), and an experienced defensive secondary. Although the Bulldogs have had non-conference success — 17-15 against Pac-10 opponents since 1980 — they have never won an outright WAC title. "That's the goal," Pinegar said. "It's great to play those high-echelon teams, to show what we've got and what we can prove. It puts us in the spotlight. But we've been in the spotlight before, and we didn't get it done in the WAC. We definitely have to finish up hard in the WAC and win."

Quote: "I'd also like to play at the $100 table with $5 chips," Hill said, referring to the difficulty in achieving national respect. "If you want to play at the $100 table, you've got to play with $100 chips."

HAWAI'I

2003 record: 9-5, 5-3 WAC

Head coach: June Jones

Short version: Jones has one eye cast on Tim Chang, who is poised to break the NCAA career record for passing yards, and another set on the three incoming freshman quarterbacks. Tyler Graunke, who arrived in town last week, has wowed his new teammates during unsupervised workouts. Another freshman, Andrew Pearman, also has drawn attention with his quickness and precise routes. "I watch him run with some of our faster guys — Kenny Patton, Leonard Peters, Ian Sample, Patrick Jenkins — and he's ahead of the pack by a stride," UH conditioning coach Mel deLaura said. "He can fly." Of the three returning starters on defense, two are playing different positions. Cornerback Abraham Elimimian has moved to the left side, where he will face an offense's fastest receiver, and linebacker Ikaika Curnan has shifted to the middle.

Quote: "I don't mind playing in Moscow, Idaho, next year," Jones said of a scheduled road game at Idaho. "That's close to my old home (in Oregon). But, hey, I would go to Moscow, Russia, if they had a (quarterback prospect) who could throw it. I would definitely go."

LOUISIANA TECH

2003 record: 5-7, 3-5 WAC

Head coach: Jack Bicknell

Short version: There are so many circled dates that the Bulldogs' schedule resembles a one-player game of tic-tac-toe. The Bulldogs open against WAC opponent Nevada, then later play a murderer's row of Miami, Tennessee, Fresno State and Auburn. "If I survive that, we'll see what happens in the second half," Bicknell said. The Bulldogs had built a reputation as passing team. But the combination of quarterback Luke McCown's departure and running back Ryan Moats' emergence has Bicknell rewriting the playbook. "We'll feature Ryan Moats, no question about that," Bicknell said. Moats broke out for 267 yards and two touchdowns against UH last October, finishing the season with 1,300 yards, second most in school history. On defense, the Bulldogs will shift to a three-man front, anchored by nose tackle Chris Van Hoy. The scheme was borrowed from Tulsa, which defeated the Bulldogs, 48-18, last season.

Quote: "I get so depressed reading these little books. Everybody looks so good," Bicknell said after going through the media guides at last week's WAC Football Media Preview.

NEVADA

2003 record: 6-6, 4-4 WAC

Head coach: Chris Ault

Short version: In the search for the next head coach, the Wolf Pack turned to its past, coaxing Ault to return to the sidelines. Ault won 72 percent of his games as Nevada's coach before becoming the full-time athletic director in 1995. "Our No. 1 goal is to re-establish a winning tradition ... to take back Mackay Stadium," Ault said. Nevada will expand its passing attack, with three quarterbacks competing for the starting job. The new defensive plan calls for the inside defensive backs to be more involved in stopping the run. Progress won't be rapid. The Wolf Pack lost its top pass-rushers and Shaun Tagatauli is the only experienced linebacker.

Quote: "I feel like a three-pound chicken trying to lay a four-pound egg. We've got some challenges," Ault said.

RICE

2003 record: 5-7, 5-3 WAC

Head coach: Ken Hatfield

Short version: Only Hatfield collects more quarterbacks than UH's June Jones, using three to steer the triple-option running attack and relocating the others to receiver, running back or defense. This year's keepers are Greg Henderson, who can bench-press more than 350 pounds, and is listed as the starting quarterback, and second-year freshman Joel Armstrong, who played well in the spring. Terry Holley, a former quarterback, plays rover, the featured position in the Owls' 4-4 defensive alignment.

Quote: "He threw an end-over-end pass. I said, 'That's it. You go over there (with the defensive backs),'" said Hatfield, explaining how he turned another quarterback prospect — former Arkansas player Steve Atwater — into an All-Pro safety.

SAN JOSE STATE

2003 record: 3-8, 2-6 WAC

Head coach: Fitz Hill

Short version: The defense should get a jolt from new coordinator Keith Burns, who once admitted to a 12-can-a-day Dr Pepper addiction. Burns is familiar with the league (he was Tulsa's head coach for three years) and with Hill (both were Arkansas assistants). Soon after accepting the job, Burns spent two days at Hill's home, evaluating the defensive system. The suggested remedy is a more aggressive scheme revolving around hard-hitting safety Josh Powell, who missed all but three games last season because of an ankle injury. Scott Rislov's precise passing helped the Spartans set a school record of 16 turnovers. Rislov completed his eligibility, and the Spartans now will try to control the clock with their running attack. Dale Rogers, the punt protector last season, is considered to be the best of the five quarterbacks. At 239 pounds, he is heavier than every Spartan linebacker.

Quote: "My kids know about going to Wal-Mart, getting the popcorn, putting it in (the microwave) for three minutes and then watching a movie. They don't know about 15, 20 minutes (to make) popcorn," Hill said, referring to the difficulty in learning patience in today's society.

SOUTHERN METHODIST

2003 record: 0-12, 0-8 WAC

Head coach: Phil Bennett

Short version: The Mustangs' offense never recovered after its top two quarterbacks quit to join a rock band and accounting firm, respectively, in the spring of 2003. The first two replacements were a bust, and Chris Phillips, who started the final five games, enters as the top quarterback. Foy Munlin — a tailback in one formation, a fullback in another — was voted team captain despite redshirting last season after transferring from Texas Tech. Rainbow Wahine basketball player Jade Abele's scoring average (14.2) was higher than the Mustangs' (11.2) last season.

Quote: "Instead of a freshman team, we're going to be a JV team," said Bennett, referring to the 44 freshmen on last year's roster.

TEXAS-EL PASO

2003 record: 2-11, 1-7 WAC

Head coach: Mike Price

Short version: "You know how it goes," said Price, the former Washington State head coach, "when the new guy comes into town, he gets what the old guy didn't get." The previous staff earned a combined $600,000; Price, hired in December, can bump his base pay of $200,000 up to $1 million if he reaches incentives. He also was allowed to reshape the roster. Ten scholarship players departed. Among their replacements are six towering offensive linemen and Oregon State wideout Jayson Boyd. Price implemented a spread-'em-wide, run-'em-deep offense, which will mature once he settles on a quarterback. Until the offense synchronizes, Price will rely heavily on 5-9, 160-pound tailback Howard Jackson — and a lightened atmosphere. "They haven't had a lot of fun (in the past two years)," Price said. "We want to make football fun."

Quote: "El Paso is an island without the ocean," linebacker Robert Rodriguez.

TULSA

2003 record: 8-5, 6-2

Head coach: Steve Kragthorpe

Short version: Hurricane II is one of the summer's most anticipated sequels. Last season, Kragthorpe's first at Tulsa, the Hurricane surpassed its 2002 victory total by seven. "That was easy," he cautioned. "The bull's-eye is now somewhat on our chest. ... We can't play the element-of-surprise card this year like we did last year." The biggest surprise was James Kilian, who threw for 22 touchdowns and ran for seven. Kilian uses his craftiness and spunk to compensate for a lack of quickness. "He runs five (seconds) flat (over 40 yards) with a good Oklahoma breeze at his back," Kragthorpe said. "He's got 'oh-crap speed.' When somebody's chasing him, he's a lot faster." The Hurricane returns four starting offensive linemen and added depth — and girth — on the defensive line.