Daily Blog •January 21, 2013

We have already been working hard on the 2013 season and today's blog is the current list for returning starters for each team in 2013 broken down by offense (including positions), defense (including positions) and special teams (kicker/punter). Below is the list I broke down teams with the most/least returning starters.

2013 Returning Starters

RK TEAM CONF TOTAL OFF QB RB/FB REC/TE OL DEF DL LB DB's K P
1 Bowling Green MAC 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
1 Indiana BIG 10 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 2 3 4 1 1
1 Miami, Fl ACC 19 10 1 1 3 5 9 3 3 3 0 0
1 Texas BIG 12 19 10 1 1 3 5 9 3 3 3 1 0
1 UTSA CUSA 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
5 Hawaii MW 18 10 1 1 3 5 8 2 3 3 1 0
5 Mississippi SEC 18 8 1 1 2 4 10 4 3 3 0 0
5 UNLV MW 18 8 1 1 3 3 10 4 2 3 1 0
8 Arizona PAC-12 17 7 0 1 3 3 10 2 4 4 0 0
8 Army INDEP 17 9 0 2 2 5 8 2 3 3 0 0
8 Colorado PAC-12 17 10 1 2 2 5 7 3 2 2 1 1
8 Middle Tennessee CUSA 17 8 1 1 2 4 9 2 3 4 0 1
8 Rice CUSA 17 7 1 1 1 4 10 3 2 5 1 1
8 South Alabama SUN BELT 17 9 1 1 4 3 8 3 2 3 0 1
8 Tulane CUSA 17 9 0 1 4 4 8 3 2 3 1 1
8 ULM SUN BELT 17 8 1 1 2 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
8 Washington PAC-12 17 10 1 2 3 4 7 2 3 2 1 1
17 Buffalo MAC 16 9 1 1 4 3 7 1 3 3 1 1
17 Colorado St MW 16 8 1 2 1 4 8 2 2 4 1 0
17 Georgia Tech ACC 16 8 0 2 2 4 8 1 4 3 1 1
17 Minnesota BIG 10 16 10 1 1 3 5 6 3 1 2 0 1
17 North Texas CUSA 16 8 1 1 2 4 8 2 2 4 1 0
17 San Diego St MW 16 7 0 1 3 3 9 3 3 3 0 1
17 Wake Forest ACC 16 8 1 1 2 4 8 3 2 3 1 1
24 Auburn SEC 15 6 1 1 0 4 9 4 1 4 1 1
24 East Carolina CUSA 15 7 1 1 2 3 8 2 3 3 0 0
24 Louisville BIG EAST 15 6 1 1 2 2 9 4 2 3 1 1
24 Marshall CUSA 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 4 1 2 1 1
24 Michigan St BIG 10 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 2 3 0 1
24 North Carolina ACC 15 6 1 0 3 2 9 3 2 4 0 1
24 Northwestern BIG 10 15 8 1 1 4 2 7 2 2 3 1 1
24 Old Dominion INDEP 15 9 1 1 3 4 6 2 2 2 1 0
24 Oregon PAC-12 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 2 3 1 0
24 Oregon St PAC-12 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 2 2 3 1 0
24 Stanford PAC-12 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 2 2 1 1 0
24 TCU BIG 12 15 6 1 0 2 3 9 3 2 4 1 1
24 Temple BIG EAST 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 3 2 0 0
24 USC PAC-12 15 8 0 2 3 4 7 3 3 1 1 0
24 Utah St MW 15 8 1 0 2 5 7 2 3 2 1 0
24 Washington St PAC-12 15 7 0 0 3 4 8 2 3 3 1 1
24 Wisconsin BIG 10 15 8 1 1 3 3 7 4 2 1 1 1
41 Akron MAC 14 7 0 1 3 3 7 3 1 3 1 1
41 Arizona St PAC-12 14 6 1 0 2 3 8 4 2 2 1 0
41 Ball St MAC 14 7 1 1 4 1 7 2 2 3 1 1
41 Boston College ACC 14 7 1 1 2 3 7 2 2 3 1 1
41 BYU INDEP 14 9 0 2 3 4 5 0 2 3 1 0
41 Cent Michigan MAC 14 7 0 1 4 2 7 2 3 2 1 1
41 Cincinnati BIG EAST 14 8 1 0 2 5 6 2 2 2 1 1
41 Duke ACC 14 7 0 1 2 4 7 4 1 2 1 1
41 Georgia St SUN BELT 14 7 1 0 2 4 7 3 2 2 1 1
41 Houston BIG EAST 14 9 1 1 3 4 5 1 1 3 0 1
41 Iowa BIG 10 14 7 0 2 2 3 7 2 3 2 1 1
41 New Mexico St INDEP 14 8 1 1 2 4 6 1 2 3 0 1
41 Notre Dame INDEP 14 6 1 0 2 3 8 2 3 3 1 0
41 Oklahoma St BIG 12 14 7 1 0 3 2 7 2 2 3 0 0
41 Pittsburgh ACC 14 5 0 0 2 3 9 3 3 3 0 1
41 Virginia ACC 14 7 0 0 3 4 7 2 1 4 1 1
41 Wyoming MW 14 7 1 1 3 2 7 2 2 3 1 1
58 Alabama SEC 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 1 4 2 0 1
58 Baylor BIG 12 13 6 0 1 2 3 7 2 3 2 1 1
58 Boise St MW 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 3 2 2 0 1
58 Clemson ACC 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 3 2 1 1 0
58 Connecticut BIG EAST 13 8 1 2 1 4 5 2 1 2 1 1
58 Eastern Michigan MAC 13 8 1 2 3 2 5 3 0 2 1 0
58 Fresno st MW 13 7 1 0 3 3 6 1 2 3 0 1
58 Georgia SEC 13 10 1 2 2 5 3 0 2 1 1 1
58 Kentucky SEC 13 6 1 1 1 3 7 2 3 2 0 1
58 LSU SEC 13 8 1 0 2 4 5 1 2 2 0 0
58 Memphis BIG EAST 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 3 1 2 0 1
58 Miami, Oh MAC 13 8 0 1 3 4 5 2 1 2 1 1
58 Mississippi St SEC 13 7 1 1 1 4 6 2 2 2 0 1
58 Nebraska BIG 10 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 1 1 2 0 0
58 Ohio St BIG 10 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 0 1 3 1 0
58 Penn St BIG 10 13 8 0 1 4 3 5 1 1 3 1 1
58 Purdue BIG 10 13 5 0 0 2 3 8 3 2 3 1 1
58 San Jose St MW 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 2 3 1 1 1
58 Southern Miss CUSA 13 5 1 0 2 2 8 3 3 2 0 0
58 Syracuse ACC 13 6 0 1 2 3 7 2 2 3 1 1
58 Tennessee SEC 13 5 0 1 0 4 8 2 3 3 1 1
58 Texas St SUN BELT 13 6 0 0 3 3 7 3 1 3 1 1
58 Texas Tech BIG 12 13 5 0 1 2 2 8 4 2 2 1 1
58 Toledo MAC 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 2 1 1 1 1
58 UCLA PAC-12 13 7 1 1 1 4 6 2 3 1 1 0
58 UL Lafayette SUN BELT 13 7 1 1 2 3 6 3 2 1 0 0
58 Utah PAC-12 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 2 3 2 0 0
58 Vanderbilt SEC 13 7 0 1 3 3 6 1 2 3 1 0
58 Virginia Tech ACC 13 4 1 1 0 2 9 4 1 4 1 1
58 WKU SUN BELT 13 6 0 2 1 3 7 0 2 5 1 1
88 Air Force MW 12 6 0 0 3 3 6 2 1 3 0 1
88 Arkansas St SUN BELT 12 6 0 1 1 4 6 2 1 3 1 0
88 Florida Atlantic CUSA 12 5 0 1 2 2 7 3 1 4 1 1
88 Illinois BIG 10 12 9 1 1 4 3 3 1 1 1 1 1
88 Maryland ACC 12 7 1 1 2 3 5 1 1 3 1 1
88 Michigan BIG 10 12 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 2 2 1 1
88 Missouri SEC 12 6 1 0 3 2 6 3 1 2 0 0
88 Northern Illinois MAC 12 8 1 1 2 4 4 1 1 2 1 0
88 South Carolina SEC 12 7 1 0 2 4 5 2 0 3 0 1
88 UAB CUSA 12 5 1 1 2 1 7 4 1 2 1 1
98 Arkansas SEC 11 4 0 0 2 2 7 3 1 3 1 0
98 Florida SEC 11 6 1 1 1 3 5 1 2 2 0 1
98 Idaho INDEP 11 7 0 0 3 4 4 3 0 1 0 0
98 Kansas BIG 12 11 5 0 2 1 2 6 3 3 0 1 1
98 Kent St MAC 11 6 0 1 3 2 5 3 1 1 0 1
98 Navy INDEP 11 5 1 1 1 2 6 1 2 3 1 1
98 Nevada MW 11 7 1 1 3 2 4 4 0 0 0 0
98 New Mexico MW 11 7 0 1 2 4 4 1 2 1 1 1
98 NC State ACC 11 5 0 1 2 2 6 3 2 1 1 1
98 Ohio MAC 11 6 1 1 2 2 5 1 1 3 0 1
98 Oklahoma BIG 12 11 7 0 2 1 4 4 1 2 1 1 0
98 UCF BIG EAST 11 6 1 0 2 3 5 2 1 2 1 0
98 UTEP CUSA 11 6 0 1 3 2 5 3 1 1 0 0
112 Florida St ACC 10 6 0 0 2 4 4 0 1 3 0 0
112 Rutgers BIG EAST 10 6 1 0 1 4 4 2 1 1 1 0
112 Texas A&M SEC 10 6 1 1 1 3 4 2 0 2 1 1
112 Tulsa CUSA 10 7 1 1 3 2 3 0 2 1 1 1
112 USF BIG EAST 10 4 0 0 2 2 6 3 2 1 0 0
112 Western Mich MAC 10 2 0 0 1 1 8 1 3 4 1 1
117 California PAC-12 9 4 0 0 2 2 5 1 3 1 0 1
117 Iowa St BIG 12 9 5 0 1 1 3 4 1 1 2 1 1
117 Massachusetts MAC 9 4 1 0 3 0 5 2 1 2 1 1
117 SMU BIG EAST 9 6 1 0 3 2 3 0 0 3 1 1
117 West Virginia BIG 12 9 3 0 0 1 2 6 1 2 3 0 0
122 FIU CUSA 8 5 1 1 2 1 3 2 0 1 0 0
122 Kansas St BIG 12 8 7 0 1 1 5 1 0 0 1 0 0
124 Troy SUN BELT 7 3 1 0 1 1 4 2 1 1 1 1
125 Louisiana Tech CUSA 6 2 0 0 1 1 4 3 0 1 0 0

The amount of returning starters does not always equate to success or failure for the upcoming season but it is a great tool to at least get a basis on what your favorite team has coming back next year as far as experience goes and you can compare it to the rest of the country.

Last year in this blog I talked about several teams that were the most experienced in the country and a couple of them went on to pretty good seasons including Texas Tech who went from 5 wins in 2011, then returned 19 starters and went on to win 8 games this past year. UTSA, which led the country with 21 returning starters last year, had a solid 8-4 season in their first season of FBS. 

On the opposite end, last year of the four bottom teams in terms of least experience (Boise St, Air Force, Toledo and Temple) three of them saw their record get weaker from the year before. In 2011, defending national champion Auburn who returned only 7 starters, which was an incredible 3 fewer than any other team would go from 14-0 to 8-5.

In 2013, five teams sit at the top as of now with 19 returning starters back on offense and defense combined. Two of them are coming off bowl seasons and two others would have been bowl eligible in normal circumstances. It is quite clear from the outset that expectations will be high in Austin this year with 19 returning starters back from a 9-4 team. The Hurricanes provided they are not hampered with any sanctions look like a team that can compete for an ACC title while Indiana might be a surprise pick to make it to a bowl after making strides last year under 2nd-year HC Wilson. Finally, Bowling Green off a 8-5 season looks like one of the clear favorites in the MAC.

At the bottom of the rankings comes Louisiana Tech fresh off a 9-win season as not only did they lose the most starters in the country, they also lost their head coach as new coach Skip Holtz will have his work cut out for him. Three teams in the Big 12 also come in at the bottom of the list and it will be interesting to see if Bill Snyder can continue to work his magic with such an inexperienced group coming back.

By Conference

RK TEAM CONF TOTAL OFF QB RB/FB REC/TE OL DEF DL LB DB's K P
1 Miami, Fl ACC 19 10 1 1 3 5 9 3 3 3 0 0
17 Georgia Tech ACC 16 8 0 2 2 4 8 1 4 3 1 1
17 Wake Forest ACC 16 8 1 1 2 4 8 3 2 3 1 1
24 North Carolina ACC 15 6 1 0 3 2 9 3 2 4 0 1
41 Boston College ACC 14 7 1 1 2 3 7 2 2 3 1 1
41 Duke ACC 14 7 0 1 2 4 7 4 1 2 1 1
41 Pittsburgh ACC 14 5 0 0 2 3 9 3 3 3 0 1
41 Virginia ACC 14 7 0 0 3 4 7 2 1 4 1 1
58 Clemson ACC 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 3 2 1 1 0
58 Syracuse ACC 13 6 0 1 2 3 7 2 2 3 1 1
58 Virginia Tech ACC 13 4 1 1 0 2 9 4 1 4 1 1
88 Maryland ACC 12 7 1 1 2 3 5 1 1 3 1 1
98 NC State ACC 11 5 0 1 2 2 6 3 2 1 1 1
112 Florida St ACC 10 6 0 0 2 4 4 0 1 3 0 0
1 Indiana BIG 10 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 2 3 4 1 1
17 Minnesota BIG 10 16 10 1 1 3 5 6 3 1 2 0 1
24 Michigan St BIG 10 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 2 3 0 1
24 Northwestern BIG 10 15 8 1 1 4 2 7 2 2 3 1 1
24 Wisconsin BIG 10 15 8 1 1 3 3 7 4 2 1 1 1
41 Iowa BIG 10 14 7 0 2 2 3 7 2 3 2 1 1
58 Nebraska BIG 10 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 1 1 2 0 0
58 Ohio St BIG 10 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 0 1 3 1 0
58 Penn St BIG 10 13 8 0 1 4 3 5 1 1 3 1 1
58 Purdue BIG 10 13 5 0 0 2 3 8 3 2 3 1 1
88 Illinois BIG 10 12 9 1 1 4 3 3 1 1 1 1 1
88 Michigan BIG 10 12 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 2 2 1 1
1 Texas BIG 12 19 10 1 1 3 5 9 3 3 3 1 0
24 TCU BIG 12 15 6 1 0 2 3 9 3 2 4 1 1
41 Oklahoma St BIG 12 14 7 1 0 3 2 7 2 2 3 0 0
58 Baylor BIG 12 13 6 0 1 2 3 7 2 3 2 1 1
58 Texas Tech BIG 12 13 5 0 1 2 2 8 4 2 2 1 1
98 Kansas BIG 12 11 5 0 2 1 2 6 3 3 0 1 1
98 Oklahoma BIG 12 11 7 0 2 1 4 4 1 2 1 1 0
117 Iowa St BIG 12 9 5 0 1 1 3 4 1 1 2 1 1
117 West Virginia BIG 12 9 3 0 0 1 2 6 1 2 3 0 0
122 Kansas St BIG 12 8 7 0 1 1 5 1 0 0 1 0 0
24 Louisville BIG EAST 15 6 1 1 2 2 9 4 2 3 1 1
24 Temple BIG EAST 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 3 2 0 0
41 Cincinnati BIG EAST 14 8 1 0 2 5 6 2 2 2 1 1
41 Houston BIG EAST 14 9 1 1 3 4 5 1 1 3 0 1
58 Connecticut BIG EAST 13 8 1 2 1 4 5 2 1 2 1 1
58 Memphis BIG EAST 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 3 1 2 0 1
98 UCF BIG EAST 11 6 1 0 2 3 5 2 1 2 1 0
112 Rutgers BIG EAST 10 6 1 0 1 4 4 2 1 1 1 0
112 USF BIG EAST 10 4 0 0 2 2 6 3 2 1 0 0
117 SMU BIG EAST 9 6 1 0 3 2 3 0 0 3 1 1
1 UTSA CUSA 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
8 Middle Tennessee CUSA 17 8 1 1 2 4 9 2 3 4 0 1
8 Rice CUSA 17 7 1 1 1 4 10 3 2 5 1 1
8 Tulane CUSA 17 9 0 1 4 4 8 3 2 3 1 1
17 North Texas CUSA 16 8 1 1 2 4 8 2 2 4 1 0
24 East Carolina CUSA 15 7 1 1 2 3 8 2 3 3 0 0
24 Marshall CUSA 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 4 1 2 1 1
58 Southern Miss CUSA 13 5 1 0 2 2 8 3 3 2 0 0
88 Florida Atlantic CUSA 12 5 0 1 2 2 7 3 1 4 1 1
88 UAB CUSA 12 5 1 1 2 1 7 4 1 2 1 1
98 UTEP CUSA 11 6 0 1 3 2 5 3 1 1 0 0
112 Tulsa CUSA 10 7 1 1 3 2 3 0 2 1 1 1
122 FIU CUSA 8 5 1 1 2 1 3 2 0 1 0 0
125 Louisiana Tech CUSA 6 2 0 0 1 1 4 3 0 1 0 0
8 Army INDEP 17 9 0 2 2 5 8 2 3 3 0 0
24 Old Dominion INDEP 15 9 1 1 3 4 6 2 2 2 1 0
41 BYU INDEP 14 9 0 2 3 4 5 0 2 3 1 0
41 New Mexico St INDEP 14 8 1 1 2 4 6 1 2 3 0 1
41 Notre Dame INDEP 14 6 1 0 2 3 8 2 3 3 1 0
98 Idaho INDEP 11 7 0 0 3 4 4 3 0 1 0 0
98 Navy INDEP 11 5 1 1 1 2 6 1 2 3 1 1
1 Bowling Green MAC 19 10 1 1 4 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
17 Buffalo MAC 16 9 1 1 4 3 7 1 3 3 1 1
41 Akron MAC 14 7 0 1 3 3 7 3 1 3 1 1
41 Ball St MAC 14 7 1 1 4 1 7 2 2 3 1 1
41 Cent Michigan MAC 14 7 0 1 4 2 7 2 3 2 1 1
58 Eastern Michigan MAC 13 8 1 2 3 2 5 3 0 2 1 0
58 Miami, Oh MAC 13 8 0 1 3 4 5 2 1 2 1 1
58 Toledo MAC 13 9 1 1 3 4 4 2 1 1 1 1
88 Northern Illinois MAC 12 8 1 1 2 4 4 1 1 2 1 0
98 Kent St MAC 11 6 0 1 3 2 5 3 1 1 0 1
98 Ohio MAC 11 6 1 1 2 2 5 1 1 3 0 1
112 Western Mich MAC 10 2 0 0 1 1 8 1 3 4 1 1
117 Massachusetts MAC 9 4 1 0 3 0 5 2 1 2 1 1
5 Hawaii MW 18 10 1 1 3 5 8 2 3 3 1 0
5 UNLV MW 18 8 1 1 3 3 10 4 2 3 1 0
17 Colorado St MW 16 8 1 2 1 4 8 2 2 4 1 0
17 San Diego St MW 16 7 0 1 3 3 9 3 3 3 0 1
24 Utah St MW 15 8 1 0 2 5 7 2 3 2 1 0
41 Wyoming MW 14 7 1 1 3 2 7 2 2 3 1 1
58 Boise St MW 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 3 2 2 0 1
58 Fresno st MW 13 7 1 0 3 3 6 1 2 3 0 1
58 San Jose St MW 13 7 1 0 2 4 6 2 3 1 1 1
88 Air Force MW 12 6 0 0 3 3 6 2 1 3 0 1
98 Nevada MW 11 7 1 1 3 2 4 4 0 0 0 0
98 New Mexico MW 11 7 0 1 2 4 4 1 2 1 1 1
8 Arizona PAC-12 17 7 0 1 3 3 10 2 4 4 0 0
8 Colorado PAC-12 17 10 1 2 2 5 7 3 2 2 1 1
8 Washington PAC-12 17 10 1 2 3 4 7 2 3 2 1 1
24 Oregon PAC-12 15 8 1 0 3 4 7 2 2 3 1 0
24 Oregon St PAC-12 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 2 2 3 1 0
24 Stanford PAC-12 15 8 1 1 2 4 7 2 2 1 1 0
24 USC PAC-12 15 8 0 2 3 4 7 3 3 1 1 0
24 Washington St PAC-12 15 7 0 0 3 4 8 2 3 3 1 1
41 Arizona St PAC-12 14 6 1 0 2 3 8 4 2 2 1 0
58 UCLA PAC-12 13 7 1 1 1 4 6 2 3 1 1 0
58 Utah PAC-12 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 2 3 2 0 0
117 California PAC-12 9 4 0 0 2 2 5 1 3 1 0 1
5 Mississippi SEC 18 8 1 1 2 4 10 4 3 3 0 0
24 Auburn SEC 15 6 1 1 0 4 9 4 1 4 1 1
58 Alabama SEC 13 6 1 0 3 2 7 1 4 2 0 1
58 Georgia SEC 13 10 1 2 2 5 3 0 2 1 1 1
58 Kentucky SEC 13 6 1 1 1 3 7 2 3 2 0 1
58 LSU SEC 13 8 1 0 2 4 5 1 2 2 0 0
58 Mississippi St SEC 13 7 1 1 1 4 6 2 2 2 0 1
58 Tennessee SEC 13 5 0 1 0 4 8 2 3 3 1 1
58 Vanderbilt SEC 13 7 0 1 3 3 6 1 2 3 1 0
88 Missouri SEC 12 6 1 0 3 2 6 3 1 2 0 0
88 South Carolina SEC 12 7 1 0 2 4 5 2 0 3 0 1
98 Arkansas SEC 11 4 0 0 2 2 7 3 1 3 1 0
98 Florida SEC 11 6 1 1 1 3 5 1 2 2 0 1
112 Texas A&M SEC 10 6 1 1 1 3 4 2 0 2 1 1
8 South Alabama SUN BELT 17 9 1 1 4 3 8 3 2 3 0 1
8 ULM SUN BELT 17 8 1 1 2 4 9 3 2 4 1 1
41 Georgia St SUN BELT 14 7 1 0 2 4 7 3 2 2 1 1
58 Texas St SUN BELT 13 6 0 0 3 3 7 3 1 3 1 1
58 UL Lafayette SUN BELT 13 7 1 1 2 3 6 3 2 1 0 0
58 WKU SUN BELT 13 6 0 2 1 3 7 0 2 5 1 1
88 Arkansas St SUN BELT 12 6 0 1 1 4 6 2 1 3 1 0
124 Troy SUN BELT 7 3 1 0 1 1 4 2 1 1 1 1