http://www.collegesportingnews.com/blog.php?54-mhosea This is a news, opinion, and discussion service of the college football championship subdivision. en Fri, 24 May 2013 12:51:50 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.collegesportingnews.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.collegesportingnews.com/blog.php?54-mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?260-Is-What-We-ve-Expected-about-to-Happen Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:56:25 GMT By this time tomorrow, it would appear, we will know the answer as to whether Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are leaving the Southern... By this time tomorrow, it would appear, we will know the answer as to whether Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are leaving the Southern Conference, meaning those two FCS power football programs will be stepping up to FBS.

Both schools have scheduled news conferences for Wednesday regarding a "major announcement" and the "future of Eagle athletics." Multiple media reports indicate the likely announcement for both will be acceptance of an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference. It's likely that both schools will make the move in 2014 and that neither will be able to pursue the FCS crown in 2013. Such a situation - taking out two of the likely contenders for the SoCon's automatic bid - will create quite a scramble for the top spot in the league this fall.

Also, the move creates the obvious question regarding what the Southern Conference will do to replace Appalachian State and Georgia Southern long term, not just in football but in all sports. The conference already has lost College of Charleston with its move next school year to the CAA (the Cougars don't field a football team). The SoCon's deliberations will be of great interest over the coming months.

These decisions, if that's what will be announced Wednesday, are not unexpected as the college athletics landscape continues to shift. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?260-Is-What-We-ve-Expected-about-to-Happen http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?216-Bison-Earn-National-Title Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:21:44 GMT A strong defensive performance lifted North Dakota State to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Saturday afternoon. The Bison defense played... A strong defensive performance lifted North Dakota State to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Saturday afternoon.

The Bison defense played extremely well in the post-season, holding high-scoring teams Georgia Southern and Sam Houston State to a total of 13 points over the last two games.

Both defenses played a great game, but the Bearkats fell under the weight of one great drive by the Bison offense and too many second-half miscues. Credit North Dakota State for coming out and taking control from the start of the second half.

Credit both teams for a good game. Congratulations North Dakota State on your first Division I football title.

Now we turn our attention to the 2012 season. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?216-Bison-Earn-National-Title http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?213-Finally-the-FCS-Title-Game-Is-Underway Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:35:22 GMT Finally, the FCS Title Game Is Underway Perhaps the only thing bigger than a turnover in a national title game is a defense thwarting a... Finally, the FCS Title Game Is Underway

Perhaps the only thing bigger than a turnover in a national title game is a defense thwarting a 4th-and-1 INCH play to keep the opponent from using that turnover.

The Bison make the game's first big play by stuffing Sam Houston State on the 4th-down try.

Glad to see such a large turnout for the game. No matter who is playing, that's important.

The first quarter showed that we should have a very competitive game this afternoon. North Dakota State appeared to have a step on the Bearkat defense, but Sam Houston State closed that off inside the 5.

I'm interested to see which team finds the other team's weak point first and uses that to create an advantage.

Halfway through the NCAA Division I Football Championship, the two defenses are doing what they can to win a championship.

Both offenses have less that 150 yards of total offense in two quarters of play. Here are some big points that I see at this point of the game.

First, Sam Houston State seemed to gain a little bit of control of the game in the second quarter. I wonder, though, if this could be a situation of missed opportunities. The Bearkats have two takeaways ... ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?213-Finally-the-FCS-Title-Game-Is-Underway http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?207-Coastal-Carolina-Searching-for-Its-Second-Head-Football-Coach Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:45:12 GMT For the first time in its still brief football history, Coastal Carolina University is without a football coach. The university announced Dec. 9... For the first time in its still brief football history, Coastal Carolina University is without a football coach.

The university announced Dec. 9 that it had immediately relieved David Bennett – the school’s first football coach – of his head coaching duties and reassigned him within the university.

In announcing the decision, CCU President David DeCenzo noted the drop in the program’s record over the last five years as well as slippage in attendance. DeCenzo was clear regarding expectations for the football program.

His statement included the following: “It is true that we had a winning record this season but the record shows that the competitive stature of our program has diminished significantly against peer FCS opponents. Our expenditures in football, quite frankly are not resulting in a return on our investment. Of the 125 FCS schools, our spending on football operations is easily in the top 20. With that investment, we expect to annually place in the top 20 programs, with sights set on competing consistently for the FCS playoffs and national championships. That is simply not happening.”

Bennett came to CCU in 2002 to ready the program that began playing football in 2003. They met with immediate success, not having a losing season until 2007. His teams won four Big South titles and went to the playoffs twice (until this season, the only Big South team to do so). He finished with a nine-year mark of 63-39 at the helm. Three of his former players are currently on NFL rosters.

The last five seasons haven’t been as successful despite winning a co-championship in 2010 and the league’s first automatic qualifier. The Chanticleers were either 5-6 or 6-6 from 2007 through 2010 before finishing 7-4 this season.

At least part of the reason for the downturn were the additions of Danny Rocco as Liberty’s head coach (he just left to go to Richmond) and of Stony Brook to the league’s football teams. Bennett was 4-5 against Liberty but just 2-4 head-to-head with Rocco, including losses of 45 points in 2009 and 36 in 2011. He lost all four games to Stony Brook, falling by 42 points this year. So, since 2006, the Chanticleers were 2-8 against those two teams and 17-4 against everyone else in the Big South. Bennett finished with a winning record against all of the other league teams.

Bennett has shown an ability to coach and always appeared to be strongly interested in the development of the players in his program. It will be interesting to see if he gets another shot at a head-coaching job.

As for the second coach in CCU’s history, he will have a significant challenge meeting the expectation of regular spots in the top 20 FCS programs. For the Chanticleers to make such an accomplishment, the new coach likely can afford to lose only two games per season, at most, to teams under the FBS level. That’s a tall task for any coach and program. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?207-Coastal-Carolina-Searching-for-Its-Second-Head-Football-Coach http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?204-Danny-Rocco-Leaves-Liberty-for-Richmond Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:52:28 GMT After a highly successful six-year run as the head coach of Liberty University football, Danny Rocco has been named the new head football coach of... After a highly successful six-year run as the head coach of Liberty University football, Danny Rocco has been named the new head football coach of the Richmond Spiders.

Rocco took over a Flames program that had gone 1-10 in 2005 and made it an immediate winner. He never had a losing season at Liberty, fashioning a 47-20 overall record. In addition, he guided the Flames to a 26-5 Big South record, turning out two undefeated league records and winning or sharing the league title in all four seasons from 2007 to 2010. Liberty went 5-1 in the Big South in 2011 but finished second to Stony Brook.

In those six seasons, Rocco’s team were frequent visitors to the FCS top 25 yet the FCS playoffs always proved elusive. The Big South did not land an automatic qualifier bid until the 2010 season, the season the Flames tied Stony Brook and Coastal Carolina for the league crown. The Chanticleers won the tiebreaker for the playoff spot. Liberty’s records of 8-3, 10-2, 8-3, and 8-3 from 2007 to 2010 were never quite enough to grab an at-large bid.

Still, it’s undeniable the upward trend of Liberty football under Rocco. Though he had never been a head coach prior to coming to Liberty, Rocco made an immediate impact on the program and created a consistent winner. His successor will inherit a strong FCS program.

As for the next coach, Liberty athletic director Jeff Barber said on the school’s athletics website that Carr Sports Associates will assist in the search for the next Flames coach. He said their focus will be as it has been in previous coaching searches – look for someone with “high Division 1 experience.” As for now, Barber said the “go-to guys” for the football program with be associate head coach/running backs coach Pete Sundheim and recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach Charlie Skalaski. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?204-Danny-Rocco-Leaves-Liberty-for-Richmond http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?189-Wofford-Retires-Jersey-Number-of-Jerry-Richardson Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:19:00 GMT In the long history of Wofford College football, just one player has gone on to play successfully in the NFL. That one player, who came to Wofford... In the long history of Wofford College football, just one player has gone on to play successfully in the NFL. That one player, who came to Wofford on a $250 football scholarship in the 1950s, wore the Baltimore Colts uniform two years before deciding to return to Spartanburg and create a business.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The man is Jerry Richardson – Wofford football player and alumnus, successful businessman, and founder and owner of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. On Oct. 29, during halftime of the Terriers’ game with Elon, Wofford College retired the number 51 Richardson wore while playing football at the Spartanburg, SC, school.

Richardson’s number is only the second retired by the school. Former quarterback Shawn Graves’ number 1 is enshrined next to the Gibbs Stadium scoreboard as Richardson’s is now.

The honor given Richardson reflects more than one aspect of his life.

Richardson excelled in football, twice being named an All-American. He still holds Wofford records for most touchdown receptions in a season (nine), most touchdown receptions in a career (21), and most receiving yards in a single game (241). His exploits with the NFL’s Colts, though brief, included catching a touchdown pass in Baltimore’s championship game win in 1959.

Using the bonus earned in that championship game win, Richardson passed up on continuing a pro football career to try his hand at business. Along with Charlie Bradshaw, the Terrier quarterback who threw passes to Richardson in college, he created a food service business that at one point included 110,000 employees and landed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Richardson’s business success enabled another venture for him and his investors. Richardson led the effort to bring the NFL to the Carolinas as the Panthers became the 29th franchise in the league in the mid-1990s. When the Carolina Panthers became a reality, Richardson once again returned to Spartanburg, choosing Wofford as the location for the team’s annual summer training camp. That move meant significant improvements for the Terrier football program and a spark to the Spartanburg economy every July and August.

Wofford coach Mike Ayers said he had an opportunity to speak to Richardson before the game and to thank him for “all that he means to Wofford. He’s been one of those guys you can’t say enough about. Just the way that he has helped us is just phenomenal.” ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?189-Wofford-Retires-Jersey-Number-of-Jerry-Richardson http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?150-Catamounts-Get-Us-Started Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:20:38 GMT Let's see. New offense. New unis. Renewed hope.

Western Carolina brings all three to downtown Atlanta Sept. 1 as the first team in the So South region - the Southern and Big South conferences - to take the field in the 2011 season. They'll look good in the new uniforms and will seek to look good in the new Pistol offense. Head coach Dennis Wagner and staff installed the Pistol after visiting and researching the offense at a few FBS schools. Of course, like all the other schools, the Catamounts take the field with hope for a special season, something not seen in Cullowhee in some time.

Starting well will be a challenge against Georgia Tech, which is under the direction of former Georgia Southern coach Paul Johnson. The Yellow Jackets have some issues of their own, coming off a disappointing 2010 and not exactly getting consistent love from the prognosticators.

Getting first shot at running the Pistol will be sophomore quarterback Brandon Pechloff, a tall lefty who played a good bit last year but struggled with the college game. The Catamounts are turning to a new set of running backs since last year's leading rusher, Michael Johnson, is nicked up and being held out. Junior college transfer Michael Vaughn gets the starting nod. He'll be backed by a pair of freshmen, Shaun Warren and Petey Boone.

Western Carolina had its difficulties stopping others in 2010. They'll be up against Georgia Tech's option offense that at least looks familiar, given that three SoCon teams run similar sets and plays. Whether that will help the Catamounts make enough key stops remains to be seen.

The important thing, though, about the Catamounts and Yellow Jackets meeting at Grant Field is that it starts the season. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?150-Catamounts-Get-Us-Started http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?133-Watching-Villanova-Eastern-Washington Sat, 18 Dec 2010 02:47:28 GMT The first half of the first semifinal game has been a good one.

Eastern Washington did a good job bouncing back from Villanova's touchdown on the game's opening kickoff. And the Wildcats are hanging in despite the turnovers and the field position issues.

To me, this game looks like one of those contests in which Eastern Washington may regret not getting in the end zone more with all of those trips into the red (literally, red) zone. The defending champions have to feel good about going into halftime within a touchdown.

Looking forward to an exciting finish. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?133-Watching-Villanova-Eastern-Washington http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?112-Big-South-Has-Plans-for-the-Three-Team-Tie Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:26:00 GMT Just a week away from the Big South Conference sending its first automatic qualifier to the FCS playoffs, the league is preparing for the possibility... Just a week away from the Big South Conference sending its first automatic qualifier to the FCS playoffs, the league is preparing for the possibility of three teams tying for the top spot.

Coastal Carolina's victory over Liberty last Saturday raised the question of how the Big South would pick one team out of three if there's no clear head-to-head advantage. If Liberty beats Stony Brook this Saturday and Coastal Carolina downs Charleston Southern, the Flames, Seawolves, and Chanticleers will all be 5-1. Coastal will own a win over Liberty, Liberty over Stony Brook, and Stony Brook over Coastal.

Mark Simpson, the Big South's assistant commissioner for Public Relations, released the scenarios for each of the three leaders and how the matter will be settled. Basically, the league has to go to its fourth level of tiebreakers. So if those three teams finished tied for first, the team that has allowed the fewest points in conference games gets the automatic qualifier spot. Right now, that favors Stony Brook, which has surrendered just 68 points while building a 5-0 Big South record. Coastal has given up 106 and Liberty 110. So Stony Brook could lose to Liberty and still get the nod even if Coastal Carolina wins. The Seawolves would have to give up 39 points while Coastal pitches a shutout for that to change (or some similar numbers). It's possible, but is it likely?

So, with the information from Simpson, here's how it looks for the big three:

Stony Brook (5-0 in the Big South, 68 points allowed in league games)
The Seawolves win the title outright with a victory at Liberty. As stated, if Stony Brooks loses and Coastal Carolina wins, the Seawolves still get the AQ if they maintain their lead in points allowed.

Coastal Carolina (4-1, 106)
The Chanticleers need to beat Charleston Southern and Liberty to beat Stony Brook and finish with the fewest points allowed. Coastal Carolina will be hoping for the Flames to have a really, really great offensive scoring burst Saturday.

Liberty (4-1, 110)
If the Flames beat Stony Brook and Coastal Carolina loses, the Flames will get the AQ because it will be a two-way tie and they will have the head-to-head advantage. Should Liberty and Coastal Carolina both win Saturday, the Flames will need to give up at least five points fewer than the Chanticleers do on Saturday.

For its first year with an automatic bid to the playoffs, going to the last regular-season Saturday with three teams still alive is about as good as it gets. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?112-Big-South-Has-Plans-for-the-Three-Team-Tie http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?68-Paladins-Honor-the-Past-at-Spring-Game Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:58:26 GMT Furman’s current head coach, Bobby Lamb, dipped into the history of the school’s football program to add a nice touch to the routine by asking former... Furman’s current head coach, Bobby Lamb, dipped into the history of the school’s football program to add a nice touch to the routine by asking former head coaches Art Baker and Dick Sheridan to lead the teams in the spring game on April 17.

It’s been a while since the Paladins ran mostly a game format in its spring game, but Lamb chose to do that this year. It worked well, enabling not only the return of two coaches that meant so much to Furman football but also facilitating the continued quarterback competition for the player to replace record-setting Jordan Sorrells at the position.

“You talk about great weekend,” Lamb said after the game. “We had 150 former players come back. This morning, we had a breakfast with our players. All our former players came over and sat down for an hour and talked with our players on a one-on-one basis. Coach Baker and Coach Sheridan addressed our players this morning. It’s the best thing we’ve done since I’ve been at Furman, and we’re going to continue it. We’re going to get two more honorary coaches next year.

“Those two right there (pointing to Baker and Sheridan) are responsible for building this place. Coach Sheridan was the coach when that happened (Paladin Stadium opened). Coach Baker came here in 1973 when Furman was almost ready to do away with football and got it turned in the right direction. They deserve all the credit. I told the team today, the foundation was set by Coach Baker and his staff and then, Coach Sheridan. The ideas and principles they set forth, we use today, and we’ll carry that on for the rest of the time I’m here.”

For the game, the Baker squad edged the Sheridan team 12-7 in a remarkably even game dominated by the defense. Sheridan led primarily the first-team offense and second-team defense while Baker coached the first-team defense and second-team offense. The two leading candidates for quarterback – senior Cody Worley and junior Chris Forcier – spent time directing each squad in the first half. Dakota Derrick and John Hollingsworth played quarterback in a second half that featured two eight-minute quarters and a non-stop clock.

The first-team offense generated 141 yards on 43 plays. The second-team offense posted 163 yards on 38 plays. During his time with the Baker squad, Forcier threw a nice, 32-yard touchdown pass to sophomore split end Daniel McFadden as he broke open in the end zone. Earlier, he had been tagged in the end zone for a safety while quarterbacking the first team. That play came courtesy of Brandon Boykin, who had recently moved from linebacker to defensive end and who made several plays in the spring game.

For the day, Forcier completed nine of 13 passes for 106 yards, one interception, and one touchdown. Worley finished six of 14 for 40 yards with no picks and no touchdowns. Derrick completed just two of three passes, but one covered 16 yards over the middle to Adam Mims for the Sheridan team’s only score.

Lamb said the non-contact limitations of the spring game hindered his quarterbacks a bit. “Today is the first day we’ve had the yellow jerseys on, and Forcier and Worley are not quite as effective with the yellow jerseys. I doubt we’d have had a safety because Forcier can slip a lot of people. They made some good plays. We were inconsistent across the board. We’re going to continue to battle and take it on into August camp and see what happens.”

Furman should boast a strong running game in the fall with three experienced runners – senior Mike Brown, junior Tersoo Uhaa, and sophomore Jerry Williams – returning. Williams led all rushers in the spring game with 76 yards on eight carries, including a 42-yard run, the longest play from scrimmage of the day.

“Our offense really got the best of our defense for the first half (of spring practice), and the last week here, the defense stepped up and has really done well. (Linebacker) Kadarron Anderson was all over the place. He was a good player last year, but he looks like he’s improved even more. (Cornerback) Ryan Steed made some big plays. (Linebacker) Matthew Solomon had a big hit on fourth down, and Tersoo’s hard to stop. There were a lot of positives out there. The thing that we’ve talked about the most is we want to be a tough team, we want to give great effort, and we want to have discipline, and we showed that out there today.

The Paladins will start their season September 11 at home against Colgate. Furman’s other non-conference games are at South Carolina and versus Howard at home. Lamb will lead the Paladins on the road in the conference against Wofford, Samford, Appalachian State, and Elon. Home SoCon games include The Citadel, Chattanooga, Western Carolina, and Georgia Southern.

For now, though, Lamb has a positive outlook about the Furman football team. “I’m extremely pleased with where we are after 14 days. We’ve had a very positive experience since January 11 when we had that first team meeting.” ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?68-Paladins-Honor-the-Past-at-Spring-Game http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?66-Spring-Game-Provides-Needed-Shot-of-Football Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:53:24 GMT Kind of out of nowhere, my wife asked me a couple of weeks ago if I missed football. Well, yeah. Some of that thirst for football was slated... Kind of out of nowhere, my wife asked me a couple of weeks ago if I missed football.

Well, yeah.

Some of that thirst for football was slated April 10 when I attended Coastal Carolina’s spring game in Conway, SC, just outside of Myrtle Beach. Under bright sun and pleasant temperatures, a nice crowd turned out for festivities that – in addition to football – included a home game for the Chanticleer’s nationally ranked baseball team and an attempt at creating a record-sized sushi roll. The football crowd also got to see a brief, half-field touch football game featuring former CCU players.

As for the spring football game, the Chanticleer offense demonstrated progress, but a long road remains. Coach David Bennett clearly stated after the game that CCU has to improve in both the mental and physical aspects of the game.

“We’ve got a chance to be as good as we want to be,” he said. “We’ve got to get in better physical shape, number one. Then mentally, we’ve got to realize that it takes a lot of work to be a champion. I got a text message from Bill Stewart (Bennett’s counterpart on September 4 when Coastal Carolina plays at West Virginia) the other day, and it said, ‘You want to win championships? You’ve got to win everyday.’ There’s a lot of truth to that.”

The Chants face a difficult schedule in 2010, opening on the road at West Virginia. They visit a pair of CAA teams, Towson and Richmond, while hosting Georgia Southern and Delaware State.

Senior quarterback Zach MacDowall leaves spring practice at the starter. He completed 11 of 24 passes in the spring game for 146 yards with one interception.

Junior quarterback Jamie Childers (8 of 16 for 110 yards and two picks) led the only touchdown-producing drive of the day. He hit tight end Myron Rogers on a four-yard touchdown pass after Andrew Stephens’ interception put the Black squad on the Teal 13. The scoring pass gave the Black its 9-3 win in the game.

If Childers doesn’t overcome MacDowall in the quarterback race, expect to see the 6-5, 240 player on the field in another role. “Jamie’s a very talented guy,” Bennett said. “Big, fast, strong. I told our coaches we’re not a very good coaching staff if we’ve got him standing on the sidelines. If he’s not our starting quarterback, you will see him on the football field an awfully lot this fall.”

University of South Carolina transfer Aramis Hillary is expected to be in the quarterback mix come August as well.

To me, Coastal’s offense needs playmakers and consistency. The offense could also use a boost from its running game, once a strength of this team. In the spring game, the running attack generated little yardage.

The defense remains the strongest part of this team for now. Cornerback Josh Norman and safety Dominique Davenport lead a solid secondary. Norman forced a Teal fumble at the Black one-yard line in the first half of the game. The Black then drove for a field goal to tie the game at 3-3.

Coastal is hoping that players such as defensive linemen B. J. Jenkins and Johnny Hartsfield and linebacker Brian Harrison will step up as defensive playmakers. “That was a big-time play,” Bennett said of Harrison’s interception for the Black squad in the second half. “He ran with the running back and dove right in front of him and made a phenomenal pick. Hopefully, he’ll make a lot more plays like that in the fall.”

In summary, Bennett said his team has much more work to do. “We’ve got to be a lot better football team in the fall than we are right now. We’ve got to be in better shape in the fall than we are right now. But, we’re making steps. We’re heading in the right direction.”

The touch football game wasn’t the only place to see former Chanticleer players. In the press box, I had the opportunity to meet Josh Hoke, the placekicker for Coastal Carolina in the early years of the program. Hoke is now a sportswriter covering the Chanticleers for The Myrtle Beach Sun-News. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?66-Spring-Game-Provides-Needed-Shot-of-Football http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?57-Changes-Coming Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:01:18 GMT There’s been news around the Southern Conference involving quarterbacks, not all of it good. Miguel Starks, one of three quarterbacks who made an... There’s been news around the Southern Conference involving quarterbacks, not all of it good.

Miguel Starks, one of three quarterbacks who made an impression calling signals last fall for The Citadel, has been charged in a robbery in Charleston that allegedly occurred over the weekend. Starks generated 327 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 38-28 upset of Furman in 2009. He rushed for 408 yards and five touchdowns and threw for 435 yards and two more scores.

The Citadel reportedly is making the switch to a triple option offense this spring.

__________


On a more positive note, new Georgia Southern head coach Jeff Monken will welcome a familiar face to the quarterback battle in Statesboro in August. Jaybo Shaw, the number two quarterback at Georgia Tech the past two seasons, is transferring to Georgia Southern. Monken, of course, coached at Georgia Tech in 2008 and 2009 before returning to Statesboro to take over the Eagles football program.

Injuries and the play of starter John Nesbitt limited Shaw’s playing time in 2009, but in 2008 he rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns and added 321 yards passing in a backup role. He will have two years of eligibility at Georgia Southern.

__________


I’m looking forward to seeing the Furman spring football game on April 17. The Paladins will draw on their football history to add some flavor to the game by inviting former head coaches Art Baker and Dick Sheridan to lead the teams that day. Baker compiled a 27-24-4 record in five seasons (1973-1977) at the helm of Furman football. Sheridan (1978-1985) succeeded Baker and finished 69-23-2 in eight seasons.

It’s of interest to me since – as high school football player in the 70s – I attended Baker’s summer football camp that included Sheridan as one of the coaches on the camp staff – not that either of them would remember me being there.

__________

Can’t say I’m thrilled about the FCS title game moving to Frisco, Texas. Chattanooga was one of my favorite cities to visit before I joined CSN and had the opportunity to cover Appalachian State’s victory in the 2007 championship game there. Few things last forever, of course, so the decision came as no real surprise. I do hope that Chattanooga will have the opportunity to host the game again. Who knows, maybe I’ll make the trip to Frisco and like what I see. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?57-Changes-Coming http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?36-News-on-New-and-Former-Players Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:52:41 GMT The big news of the week around the Southern and Big South Conferences, of course, has been the results of Signing Day 2010. All 16 schools have... The big news of the week around the Southern and Big South Conferences, of course, has been the results of Signing Day 2010. All 16 schools have signed a new set of players intended to fill gaps on the squad and provide depth. Here are a couple of quick thoughts about the signing day results.

From a quantity standpoint, the number of players signed covered a fairly wide range. The lists go from 12 players at VMI and 14 at both Elon and Furman to 26 at Samford and 24 at The Citadel. The new coach in the region – Jeff Monken at Georgia Southern – added 23 players to an already young roster.

In addition, there were the usual transfers here and there and early enrollees. Stony Brook followed up its Big South title with 19 recruits, including eight already on campus. And I noticed a smattering of former Hofstra players among the signing lists.

Next Level
Recruiting is the process that keeps teams stocked and generates hope among college football programs. We’re also in the time of year when NFL teams are seeking the players to restock their lineups. That means the post-season college all-star games and the NFL Combine.

Did you catch the Senior Bowl game last week? If so, you saw Citadel wide receiver Andre Roberts. Roberts caught two passes in the game, and he drew plenty of accolades throughout the week of practice. Prior to and during the 2009 football season, the multi-purpose football player – he starred as a receiver and a returner for the Bulldogs – caught the eye of a number of scouts and media observers. According to what I read, Roberts has a real opportunity of being drafted and making an NFL roster.

Also, Roberts is one of two Southern Conference players invited to the NFL Combine. Appalachian State quarterback and two-time Walter Payton Award winner Armanti Edwards is the other.

Chattanooga Improvements
Kudos to the Chattanooga Mocs for improving their academic situation. Poor results in the Academic Progress Rate (APR) had made the Mocs football program ineligible for the postseason last season. Improved academics mean Chattanooga is postseason eligible in 2010 though the Mocs still have some scholarship and practice time restrictions.

According to the school, 36 players made a 3.0 grade point average or better in the fall with 21 making the Dean’s List. The 10 Mocs players on the 2009 Academic All-SoCon team is a school record. ]]> mhosea http://www.collegesportingnews.com/entry.php?36-News-on-New-and-Former-Players