Daily Blog • August 26, 2012

Schools have a lot of different methods in determining returning starters. I personally look at the individual starters for all 124 FBS teams. I determine only 11 starters from the previous year. Some schools have the criteria of 5 or more starts and therefore list 14 starters returning (as an example: 9 starters returning, 5 starters lost). I look at each position and determine my starters. Sometimes my criteria is not just 6 or more starts. As an example: at Nebraska a couple years ago year RB Marlon Lucky had 11 starts at the I-back position. His “backup” Roy Helu had 2 starts and Quentin Castille had 1. Determining the Nebraska RB position on the start basis would have a starter lost from the RB position. I look at the fact that Helu led the team in '08 with 803 yds rush while Lucky was a distant second at 517. Castille almost topped Lucky’s numbers with 467. Each of the 3 had almost identical carries. With the top rusher back and 1,373 of the teams 1,910 RB yds (72%) I graded that unit as a starter returning.

In the magazine I list what I feel is the most accurate starters returning chart in the country on each team’s right page. Since the magazine was published in May there have been some teams which have lost some returning starters for different reasons. Here on my Sunday blog I am providing you with a single chart that lists all 124 teams so you can see the starters returning at a glance and in RED I list the teams who have lost starters since May. If you’re wondering who was lost, check out my complete list of injuries on the front page of PhilSteele.com which we update daily.

An * means the QB is returning (note: Akron is the only tm that has lost its returning st'r at QB).

2012 Starters Adjusted

Team   Mag QB Lost Adjust Team   Mag QB Lost Adjust
Air Force Off 3   0 3 NC State Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 3   0 3   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Akron Off 8 * 2 6 Nebraska Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 5   0 5   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Alabama Off 6 * 0 6 Nevada Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 5   0 5   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Arizona Off 6   0 6 New Mexico Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 6   1 5   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Arizona St Off 4   0 4 New Mexico St Off 4   0 4
  Def 4   0 4   Def 3   0 3
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Arkansas Off 7 * 0 7 North Carolina Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 6   0 6   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Arkansas St Off 6 * 0 6 North Texas Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 4   0 4   Def 5   1 4
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Army Off 7 * 0 7 Northern Illinois Off 4   0 4
  Def 8   1 7   Def 8   0 8
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Auburn Off 6   0 6 Northwestern Off 5   0 5
  Def 9   0 9   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Ball St Off 8 * 0 8 Notre Dame Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 5   0 5   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Baylor Off 6   0 6 Ohio Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 8   0 8   Def 8   1 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Boise St Off 5   1 4 Ohio St Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 2   0 2   Def 9   2 7
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 2   0 2
Boston College Off 10 * 0 10 Oklahoma Off 8 * 2 6
  Def 7   0 7   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Bowling Green Off 7 * 0 7 Oklahoma St Off 4   0 4
  Def 10   0 10   Def 8   0 8
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Buffalo Off 7   0 7 Oregon Off 5   0 5
  Def 8   1 7   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
BYU Off 7 * 0 7 Oregon St Off 7 * 1 6
  Def 7   0 7   Def 8   0 8
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
California Off 6 * 0 6 Penn St Off 5 * 3 2
  Def 5   0 5   Def 4   0 4
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 2   2 0
Central Michigan Off 8 * 0 8 Pittsburgh Off 9 * 1 8
  Def 8   1 7   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Cincinnati Off 4   0 4 Purdue Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 7   0 7   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Clemson Off 7 * 0 7 Rice Off 5 * 0 5
  Def 7   1 6   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Colorado Off 3   0 3 Rutgers Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 6   0 6   Def 8   0 8
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Colorado St Off 7   0 7 San Diego St Off 6   0 6
  Def 8   1 7   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 0   0 0
Connecticut Off 6 * 0 6 San Jose St Off 6   0 6
  Def 8   0 8   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Duke Off 8 * 0 8 SMU Off 3   0 3
  Def 9   0 9   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 1   0 1
East Carolina Off 8   0 8 South Alabama Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 7   0 7   Def 9   0 9
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 1   0 1
Eastern Michigan Off 9 * 0 9 South Carolina Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 5   0 5   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
FIU Off 7   0 7 Southern Miss Off 6   0 6
  Def 10   0 10   Def 4   0 4
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Florida Off 7   0 7 Stanford Off 6   0 6
  Def 10   0 10   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Florida Atlantic Off 7 * 0 7 Syracuse Off 5 * 0 5
  Def 8   1 7   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Florida St Off 8 * 0 8 TCU Off 6 * 1 5
  Def 9   1 8   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 0   0 0
Fresno St Off 7 * 0 7 Temple Off 3 * 0 3
  Def 7   1 6   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Georgia Off 7 * 1 6 Tennessee Off 10 * 1 9
  Def 9   0 9   Def 9   0 9
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 2   0 2
Georgia Tech Off 7 * 0 7 Texas Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 6   0 6   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
Hawaii Off 6   1 5 Texas A&M Off 7   0 7
  Def 4   0 4   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Houston Off 5   0 5 Texas St Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 7   0 7   Def 9   0 9
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Idaho Off 5   0 5 Texas Tech Off 8 * 1 7
  Def 5   0 5   Def 9   1 8
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 1   0 1
Illinois Off 7 * 0 7 Toledo Off 4 * 0 4
  Def 7   0 7   Def 4   0 4
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Indiana Off 8 * 0 8 Troy Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 7   0 7   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 0   0 0
Iowa Off 6 * 0 6 Tulane Off 7 * 1 6
  Def 5   0 5   Def 7   1 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 2   0 2
Iowa St Off 7 * 0 7 Tulsa Off 6   0 6
  Def 5   1 4   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Kansas Off 7   0 7 UAB Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 7   0 7   Def 4   0 4
  K/P 2   1 1   K/P 1   0 1
Kansas St Off 8 * 0 8 UCF Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 6   0 6   Def 8   0 8
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
Kent St Off 8 * 0 8 UCLA Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 8   0 8   Def 9   1 8
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Kentucky Off 6 * 0 6 ULM Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 5   0 5   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Louisiana Off 9 * 0 9 UNLV Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 4   0 4   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Louisiana Tech Off 8 * 0 8 USC Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 5   0 5   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Louisville Off 7 * 1 6 USF Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 8   0 8   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 2   0 2
LSU Off 7   0 7 Utah Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 6   1 5   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Marshall Off 8 * 0 8 Utah St Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 5   0 5   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 2   0 2
Maryland Off 6   0 6 UTEP Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 9   0 9   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Massachusetts Off 5 * 0 5 UTSA Off 11 * 1 10
  Def 9   0 9   Def 10   1 9
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Memphis Off 7   0 7 Vanderbilt Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 7   1 6   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Miami, Fl Off 4   0 4 Virginia Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 6   0 6   Def 5   0 5
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
Miami, Oh Off 9 * 0 9 Virginia Tech Off 3 * 0 3
  Def 7   0 7   Def 9   0 9
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Michigan Off 6 * 0 6 Wake Forest Off 4 * 0 4
  Def 7   0 7   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Michigan St Off 5   0 5 Washington Off 6 * 0 6
  Def 8   0 8   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
Middle Tennessee Off 6 * 1 5 Washington St Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 7   0 7   Def 7   1 6
  K/P 0   0 0   K/P 1   0 1
Minnesota Off 6 * 1 5 West Virginia Off 8 * 0 8
  Def 6   0 6   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 2   0 2
Mississippi Off 8 * 1 7 Western Michigan Off 7 * 0 7
  Def 8   0 8   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 2   0 2   K/P 0   0 0
Mississippi St Off 5   0 5 Wisconsin Off 5   0 5
  Def 7   0 7   Def 6   0 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 0   0 0
Missouri Off 6 * 0 6 WKU Off 9 * 0 9
  Def 6   0 6   Def 7   0 7
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1
Navy Off 6   0 6 Wyoming Off 5 * 0 5
  Def 7   1 6   Def 7   1 6
  K/P 1   0 1   K/P 1   0 1

Only 4 Days Until the First College Football Game!!