William & Mary is CAA Coaches Preseason Favorite

[superman7515]

William and Mary Lands Role Of CAA Football Favorite In 2011 (http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48484&SPID=4660&ATCLID=205185495&DB_OEM_ID=8500)


BALTIMORE, Md. (July 27, 2011) -- William and Mary, which earned a share of the CAA Football crown a year ago, is favored to win the CAA Football Championship in 2011 according to a vote of the league's 11 head coaches and media relations personnel. The results of the poll, along with the Preseason All-CAA Football squad, were officially announced during Wednesday's CAA Football Media Day at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.

2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Position Name Year Height Weight School
Running Back Jonathan Grimes Senior 5-10 201 William and Mary
Running Back Andrew Pierce Sophomore 5-11 200 Delaware

2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Position Name Year Height Weight School
Linebacker Tyler Holmes Senior 6-0 220 Massachusetts

2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OFFENSE
Position Name Year Height Weight School
Quarterback Steve Probst Senior 6-4 227 Rhode Island
Running Back Jonathan Grimes Senior 5-10 201 William and Mary
Running Back Andrew Pierce Sophomore 5-11 200 Delaware
Fullback Kendall Gaskins Junior 6-1 228 Richmond
Wide Receiver Tre Gray Senior 5-10 175 Richmond
Wide Receiver Julian Talley Senior 6-1 185 Massachusetts
Wide Receiver Norman White Senior 6-3 215 Villanova
Tight End Alex Gottlieb Senior 6-4 255 William and Mary
Offensive Line Roane Babington Senior 6-2 275 James Madison
Offensive Line Gino Gradkowski Senior 6-4 294 Delaware
Offensive Line Rob McDowell Senior 6-3 276 Delaware
Offensive Line James Pagliaro Senior 6-3 284 William and Mary
Offensive Line Dan Shirey Junior 6-2 290 Villanova

DEFENSE
Position Name Year Height Weight School
Defensive Line Michael Atunrase Senior 6-2 261 Delaware
Defensive Line Frank Beltre Junior 6-2 225 Towson
Defensive Line Marcus Hyde Senior 6-3 242 William and Mary
Defensive Line Antoine Lewis Sophomore 6-3 270 Villanova
Defensive Line Brian McNally Senior 6-3 266 New Hampshire
Linebacker Dante Cook Junior 5-11 213 William and Mary
Linebacker Matt Evans Junior 6-0 233 New Hampshire
Linebacker Tyler Holmes Senior 6-0 220 Massachusetts
Linebacker Stephon Robertson Sophomore 5-11 210 James Madison
Linebacker Paul Worrilow Junior 6-0 230 Delaware
Safety Jerron McMillian Senior 5-11 215 Maine
Safety Vidal Nelson Senior 5-11 205 James Madison
Cornerback James Pitts Senior 6-0 185 Villanova
Cornerback B.W. Webb Junior 5-11 175 William and Mary

SPECIAL TEAMS
Position Name Year Height Weight School
Return Specialist Travis Hurd Sophomore 5-8 180 Rhode Island
Placekicker Wil Kamin Junior 5-9 175 Richmond
Punter David Skahn Junior 6-2 175 James Madison

2011 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (first-place votes)
1. William and Mary (12)
2. James Madison (4)
3. Delaware (2)
4. New Hampshire (2)
5. Massachusetts (1)
6. Richmond
7. Villanova
8. Rhode Island (1)
9. Maine
10. Old Dominion
11. Towson

[JmuSkinsfan]

This is almost exactly what I was saying would happen a couple weeks ago ... except switch Rhode Island and Villanova. Behind WM, UD/JMU are basically 2a and 2b in my book. Too bad we don't play this year! It could be a cat fight at the top, though. I could see UD/JMU/WM competing until the final week of the season ...

First Tier (Playoffs): WM, JMU, UD
Second Tier (On bubble): UNH, UMass
Third Tier (around .500, no playoffs): Villanova, Maine, Rhode Island, Richmond
Bottom Tier (Bad): ODU, Towson

[superman7515]

Wonder who gave Rhode Island the first place vote? Not knocking them, but to get a first place vote and still finish 8th in the poll is strange.

[bluehenbillk]

Don't sleep on URI - they took UD down to the last 2 minutes in Newark last year & played W&M tough in W'Burg. They'll beat some top teams this year as long as their D holds up.

[JmuSkinsfan]

Don't sleep on URI - they took UD down to the last 2 minutes in Newark last year & played W&M tough in W'Burg. They'll beat some top teams this year as long as their D holds up.

Yeah. I thought they'd be in the Umass/UNH range ... so I'm surprised they're being picked 8th ... even with a 1st place vote ... meaning they're probably around 9/10 which I just don't see. Maybe the coaches know something we don't

[Wildcat80]

"...on any given saturday....". UNH gets to take care of business since we face wm & jmu.....and get nova at home too. IMO a big team goal needs to beat wm this year.

[WrenFGun]

Just ... don't ... get ... Delaware over UNH or Richmond. Having an established QB>not.

I think people are sleeping BIGTIME on Richmond. If I had to pick a sleeper CAA champion they'd be it.

[bluehenbillk]

Well UD is basically loaded on offense everywhere except the QB position. Other than VU, I'd say UR lost more than anyone in the league from last season. Decker is what I'd call a semi-established QB, if he was established we would've saw him under center in Newark last December, he was a backup that got PT.

[bleedblue]

I think we lost more than UR but I still think our schedule is more favorable compared to JMU, UNH and UR, which is why I think we end up with a better record.

[UNH Fanboi]

4 first place votes for JMU? Are they going to have an offense lthis year?

[superman7515]

4 first place votes for JMU? Are they going to have an offense lthis year?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n5zDmiZ9I4k/StaxLxHYIAI/AAAAAAAAAU8/fLj2Fcv54oQ/s320/magic_8ball_outlook_not_so_good.jpg

[NHwildEcat]

I don't personally like to make predictions, especially in the college game where I can honestly say I don't know the glaring differences between certain teams and or players...but UNH bring picked 4th makes about the usual sense. As always (and in the case of all CAA programs- except umASS this year) we control our own destiny...we beat the teams on the field that our schedule is made of and we will win the CAA. Its simple a formula as that!

GO CATS!

And good luck to the other programs...its always a dogfight in the best conference in FCS!

[Dukie95]

4 first place votes for JMU? Are they going to have an offense lthis year?

Should be improved. When you're starting from rock bottom, there's no where to go but up.

[andy7171]

Should be improved. When you're starting from rock bottom, there's no where to go but up.

You haven't hit rock bottom yet, trust me. :(

[Dukie95]

You haven't hit rock bottom yet, trust me. :(

Even Towson had a better offense than JMU did last year.

[molly]

According to the Daily Press, Mickey is going to take on play calling responsibilities and coaching the QBs. Is this a major change for JMU's offense?

"As a result, Matthews shifted some duties within the offensive staff. He will call plays on game days and coach quarterbacks. Offensive coordinator Jeff Durden still has substantial input in game planning and strategy, and some say in play calling, but the final calls will be Matthews'."

http://weblogs.dailypress.com/sports/etcblog/2011/07/post.html

[TwoFeathers]

Don't sleep on URI - they took UD down to the last 2 minutes in Newark last year & played W&M tough in W'Burg. They'll beat some top teams this year as long as their D holds up.

??? Tribe won 26-7.

[TwoFeathers]

4 first place votes for JMU? Are they going to have an offense lthis year?

I'm betting JMU surprises alot of folks. They always scare me, last year was a perfect example...

[Tribe4SF]

??? Tribe won 26-7.

Score doesn't tell the story of how URI played that day. Different level of intensity, and focus than I've seen from them in a long time. Tribe played well, and the game was 13-7 through three quarters.