Strengths · Hawaii’s Colt Brennan isn’t the only legitimate contender for the Heisman Trophy in the WAC. Boise State running back Ian Johnson has a chance to etch his name on the trophy as well.

Johnson will be forever remembered as the man who ran in the 2-point conversion off the old Statue of Liberty play to beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

He is one of five returning starters on offense. The other four all start up front, giving Johnson a familiar blocking wall. He rushed for 1,714 yards and 25 touch-downs last season. He and Brennan are the class acts of the league.

Defensively, the Broncos are led by senior safety Marty Tadman, who has a dozen career interceptions.

WEAKNESS · The Broncos lost several key components on this football team, including quarterback Jared Zabransky, linebacker Korey Hall and safety Gerald Alexander. Quality players like those three make everyone around them that much better. Take them away and suddenly your team is dead average.

Second-year coach Chris Petersen couldn’t have done it any better last season, running the table and finishing fifth in the nation. That’s not likely to happen again, although the schedule is favorable. The three toughest tests are in September at Washington, in October at Fresno and in November at Hawaii.