1) Senior WR Aldrick Robinson. In just over two seasons, Robinson has caught 116 passes for 2,013 yards and 16 touchdowns, all that even while sharing the field with current Steeler Emmanuel Sanders. He’s now the star in a pass-happy attack mode, and there’s no telling what he might do. He’s an explosive playmaker who will prove too often that he’s way too athletic for Conference USA defensive backs to contain.

2) The unchallenged star of the offensive line is 6’3″, 298-pound junior Kelvin Beachum, entering his third season as the starting left tackle. A pass protection fiend, he has the balance, footwork and work ethic to some day take his game to the NFL.

3) The shift to the 3-4 takes some pressure off of the need for huge bodies up front. It also helped junior Taylor Thompson took his next big step toward becoming one of C-USA’s breakout defensive ends. With his size and the burst and acceleration of a pass rusher, he’s beginning to look as if his playing days won’t stop on the Hilltop. Showing even more intensity than in his debut, he had 40 tackles, six tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and four batted balls in 2009.