Over the next few weeks, icedjamb.com will take a look at the top 100 returning football players in the Western Athletic Conference for the 2011 season.
This installment takes a look at numbers 100-91 . . .
100: FUNAKI ASISI, Utah State guard: Asisi started 12 games in 2010, his first year as a full-time starter for the Aggies. The 6-foot-2, 295-pounder from Provo, Utah is a senior this year. He played in three games as a sophomore in 2009 and 11 as a freshman in 2008.
99: DAVID QUESSENBERRY, San Jose State offensive tackle: The 6-foot-6, 295-pounder started 13 games in 2010 in also his first year as a starter. The Carlsbad, Calif., native redshirted will just be a junior in 2010. He sat out as a red-shirt in 2008 and played in 12 games in 2009 as a backup tackle and tight end.
98: TYRONE NOVIKOFF, Idaho offensive tackle: The senior is a big, strong tackle at 6-7, 315 pounds. Novikoff started 13 games at left takle in 2010. He played in 12 games as a backup in 2009 after recovering from shoulder surgery the year before when he played nine games and started five.
97: KEVIN SAIA, Louisiana Tech offensive tackle: Just a junior this year, Saia started 12 games as a sophomore in 2010. The 6-2, 3-5-pounder played in six games as a freshman in 2009, starting the last three games of the season.
96: STEPHEN WARNER, Louisiana Tech center: Saia’s teammate is a 6-foot, 315-pounder. Warner, also just a junior this year, started 12 games in 2010. He played in eight games games as freshman and, like Saia, started the final three. Warner is from Ruston, La.
95: KHALID WOOTEN, Nevada defensive back: The 6-foot, 195-pound backup played in 14 games as a sophomore last year. Wooten had 16 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defensed but it was the big play that made him stand out. He returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown against New Mexico State, intercepted a pass against Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, forced a fumble against Idaho and knocked away a pass against Cal.
94: JEFF NADY, Nevada offensive tackle: Nady stepped right in a month into the season when one of his teammates went down with an injury and the Pack offense didn’t mss a beat. The 6-7, 290-pound Nady played in 13 games last year and started 10 of the last 11 games of the year at left tackle protecting quarterback Colin Kapernick.
93: KENNY PATTEN, Idaho cornerback: Patten, a senior in 2011, had 47 tackles in 13 games (11 starts) in 2010. The 5-9, 195-pounder had one tackle for a loss and recovered one fumble. He had his best game against Nevada with 11 tackles, one for a loss.
92: AUSTIN HANSEN, Hawaii offensive tackle: Hansen played in 13 games last year as a junior and started 12. The Yorba Linda, Calif., product played in 10 games as a sophomore with eight starts in 2009. He played special teams as a freshman in 2008. At 6-4, 205-pounds, Hansen anchors a Hawaii offense that passed for 394 yards and rushed for 106 a game last year.
91: AUNDRE McGASKEY, New Mexico State offensive tackle: The Aggies’ senior is one of the most physical lineman in the WAC. The 6-6, 295-pound McGaskey, who played 11 games for the University of Texas in 2008 as a freshman, started 12 games in his first year at New Mexico State in 2010. He had 75 knockdowns, and committed just one penalty all season.
