Cory Diaz/The News-Star
While the presence of Lane Kiffin and Butch Davis made the big waves at Thursday's Conference USA Media Days, which focused on the Eastern Division of the league, it was 35-year-old head coach rookie Mike Stanford at Western Kentucky who has the team picked to finish first.
The Hilltoppers are the two-time defending champions, and the engine of that success, quarterback Mike White, is back.
Stanford was the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame the previous two years and takes over for Jeff Brohm, who is now leading Purdue.