Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images It's the start of another season of Husky football, and with that, it means the return of the opponent Q&A! This is one of my favorite posts to bring you every week and I'm delighted to come back to it! Brett Hein, the Weber State beat writer for the Ogden, Utah based Standard Examiner was kind enough to answer a few of my questions, so let's get to it!Mark Schafer: For those who don't follow FCS college football, tell us about Weber State's program and where they fit in the hierarchy of the Big Sky conference.Brett Hein: Since 2016, Weber State fits into the top third of the Big Sky. They've made the playoffs in six of the last eight seasons and won Big Sky championships in four of those. Those came in four straight seasons (2017 through spring 2021) but since then, Montana State has shot back into power, Montana as well, and Sacramento State has been near or at the top for the last five seasons. The Big Sky and the Missouri Valley are the top conferences in FCS. The six playoff appearances since 2016 represent more than half of WSU's program's playoff history; prior to that, WSU had made the FCS playoffs only four times. The football program was nearly disbanded in the 1990s, so recent success is no small feat.MS: These Wildcats are coached by second year man Mickey Mental, who also runs the offense. He got the job after Jay Hill, the winningest football coach in Wildcats history, left for the defensive coordinator job at BYU. How has he fared at the helm?BH: The jury's still out. Weber State missed the playoffs in 2021 but went 10-3 in 2022, with an FBS win, in Mental's first year at WSU as the offensive coordinator. Then 2023 was his first as head coach, one that saw a lot of experienced players leave to follow Hill and/or chase newly available NIL money. It's a new normal with a lot of factors Hill didn't have to deal with, so this season will go a long way in seeing where Mental has the program going (with only seven seniors on the roster).MS: Offensively, the Wildcats are led by quarterback Richie Munoz, running backs Damon Bankston and Adrian Cormier, and receivers such as Jacob Sharp. What is the identity of this team on the offensive side of the ball, and what do the Huskies need to worry about from the Wildcats' offensive scheme?BH: The identity is to be fast and snowball first downs on defenses.  https://www.gamedaywashington.com  Mental's best offenses have been a 50/50 balance, and Bankston's return from injury will have a great impact on that. The offensive line is almost entirely new, in terms of game experience, from last season outside of left tackle and the center, the latter of which is a transfer. Success depends on how this O-line performs together.MS: Defensively, tell us about your playmakers and the identity of the defense. What must the Wildcats do defensively to make life difficult for the Huskies?BH: Defense is where the post-2016 success has been anchored. It's good news for Weber State that its strongest group on the entire team (with running backs also making a claim for it) is the defensive line. Tackles Zeke Birch, Steven Bryant and Matt Herron will cause problems for a lot of teams, but it's not clear if that will apply to playing a Big Ten team that played for the FBS national championship last season. On the ends, Brayden Wilson led the Big Sky in tackles for loss last season and WSU has added FBS transfer senior Kemari Bailey, who will be a problem against FCS teams.MS: What does the rest of the season look like for the Wildcats and how do you think the team will fare the rest of the way after this game?BH: The season sets up for Weber State to have a chance to get out to a strong start and set itself up for a playoff bid. The four games after playing Washington are very much winnable and WSU will be in good shape if it holds serve on its home field. Its toughest games are all on the road, but the opportunity is there for a return to the playoffs.Thank you Brett, and good luck to the Wildcats this season! It's great to be back!