FCS Players Tabbed to USA Football Team

[TexasTerror]

Several FCS players named to the USA Football Team, who will be coached by former Arizona and Texas head coach John Macovic and competing in the 2007 World Championship of American Football in Japan, the first time the US has competed in this world championship.

Congrats to these guys!
----------------------
2007 United States National Team

Wide Receiver: Greg Aker, Minnesota-Duluth; Bobby Awrey, Saginaw Valley State; Jon Drenckhahn, Williams; Austin Flynn, Iowa State; Steve Odom, Toledo

Tight End: D’Monn Baker, California (Pa.); Brian Thompson, Michigan

Offensive Line: Alex Atkins, Tennessee-Martin; Marcel Burrough, San Jose State; Rick Drushal, Wooster; Darrin Johnson, SMU; Kris King, Gardner-Webb; David Livengood, Indiana (Pa.); Chris Lundin, Adams State; Matt Padron; Texas State; Brad Poston, Coastal Carolina

Runningback: Doug Blakowski, Hobart; Cody Childs, Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Taylor Craig, Yale; Kyle Kasperbauer, Nebraska-Omaha; Wendell Johnson, Fairmont State

Quarterback: Adam Austin, Arizona; Jeff Ballard, TCU; Rocky Pentello, Capital

Defensive Line: Michael Cobbins, Missouri Western; Dustin Dlouhy, Montana; Ryan Kleppe, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Matt Ludeman, Western Michigan; Shawn Moorehead, Iowa State; Chris Thorner, Syracuse; Jeremy Van Alstyne, Michigan

Linebacker: Dan Adams, Holy Cross; Demetrius Eaton, Northwestern; Adam Paulson, Sioux Falls; Ryan Tully, Harvard; Brig Walker, Princeton

Secondary: Manauris Arias, Maine; Diezeas Calbert, Northwest Missouri State; Kenny Chicoine, Cal Poly; Jason Hoffschneider, North Dakota; Josh Kubiak, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Rob Rodriguez, Christopher Newport; Steve Teeples, Wisconsin-La Crosse; Cary Wade, Virginia Tech

Kicker: Craig Coffin, Southern Illinois


Team USA Breakdown By Division

I-A- 13; FCS- 12; Division II- 10; Division III- 9; NAIA- 1

By Conference

Thirty-two NCAA and NAIA conferences are represented.

3- Big 10, Ivy League, North Central, Wisconsin Intercollegiate

2- Big South, Big 12, MAC, MIAA, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

1- American Southwest, Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Big East, Big Sky, Conference USA, Gateway, Great Lakes Intercollegiate, Great Plains Athletic, Great West, Liberty League, Mountain West, NESCAC, North Coast, Ohio Athletic Conference, Ohio Valley, Pac-10, Patriot League, Rocky Mountain, Southland, USA South, WAC, West Virginia Intercollegiate

http://www.usafootball.com/articles/19-press-box/95-featured-articles/495-rosterannouncedforfirsteverappearanceinworldchampi onshipofamericanfootball.php

[PantherRob82]

very cool

[douglasdmb]

I don't mean to sound demeaning, but is it even worth having an international American football competition? What other countries even play American football?

[PantherRob82]

I don't mean to sound demeaning, but is it even worth having an international American football competition? What other countries even play American football?

that's a great question. will be interesting to see what happens.

[TexasTerror]

I don't mean to sound demeaning, but is it even worth having an international American football competition? What other countries even play American football?

Apparently, we have to knock off two-time defending champion Japan...

"Team USA will face Germany and Korea in pool play. The other pool will consist of host and two-time defending champion Japan along with Sweden and France."

[UNHWildCats]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Football_World_Cup

[rokamortis]

That's pretty cool.

[patssle]

wait, its named after us and we arn't even 1st in our very own sport?

wtf? xlolx

[PantherRob82]

Apparently, we have to knock off two-time defending champion Japan...

"Team USA will face Germany and Korea in pool play. The other pool will consist of host and two-time defending champion Japan along with Sweden and France."

But it is our first time playing. I'm sure we'll walk through. You don't see many foreign players in the NFL.

[catbob]

I like how they address FBS football as I-A, but got the FCS part right.

[PantherRob82]

I like how they address FBS football as I-A, but got the FCS part right.

that i pretty amusing.

[BrevardMountaineer03]

I can't wait. It's fitting Japan is a two time champion. The NFL PreSeason American Bowl was always played in Tokyo (I think) for the longest time. I believe we had a huge following there.

[PantherRob82]

I can't wait. It's fitting Japan is a two time champion. The NFL PreSeason American Bowl was always played in Tokyo (I think) for the longest time. I believe we had a huge following there.

That's a great point.

[Col Hogan]

Several FCS players named to the USA Football Team, who will be coached by former Arizona and Texas head coach John Macovic and competing in the 2007 World Championship of American Football in Japan, the first time the US has competed in this world championship.

Congrats to these guys!
----------------------
2007 United States National Team

Wide Receiver: Greg Aker, Minnesota-Duluth; Bobby Awrey, Saginaw Valley State; Jon Drenckhahn, Williams; Austin Flynn, Iowa State; Steve Odom, Toledo

Tight End: D’Monn Baker, California (Pa.); Brian Thompson, Michigan

Offensive Line: Alex Atkins, Tennessee-Martin; Marcel Burrough, San Jose State; Rick Drushal, Wooster; Darrin Johnson, SMU; Kris King, Gardner-Webb; David Livengood, Indiana (Pa.); Chris Lundin, Adams State; Matt Padron; Texas State; Brad Poston, Coastal Carolina

Runningback: Doug Blakowski, Hobart; Cody Childs, Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Taylor Craig, Yale; Kyle Kasperbauer, Nebraska-Omaha; Wendell Johnson, Fairmont State

Quarterback: Adam Austin, Arizona; Jeff Ballard, TCU; Rocky Pentello, Capital

Defensive Line: Michael Cobbins, Missouri Western; Dustin Dlouhy, Montana; Ryan Kleppe, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Matt Ludeman, Western Michigan; Shawn Moorehead, Iowa State; Chris Thorner, Syracuse; Jeremy Van Alstyne, Michigan

Linebacker: Dan Adams, Holy Cross; Demetrius Eaton, Northwestern; Adam Paulson, Sioux Falls; Ryan Tully, Harvard; Brig Walker, Princeton

Secondary: Manauris Arias, Maine; Diezeas Calbert, Northwest Missouri State; Kenny Chicoine, Cal Poly; Jason Hoffschneider, North Dakota; Josh Kubiak, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Rob Rodriguez, Christopher Newport; Steve Teeples, Wisconsin-La Crosse; Cary Wade, Virginia Tech

Kicker: Craig Coffin, Southern Illinois


Team USA Breakdown By Division

I-A- 13; FCS- 12; Division II- 10; Division III- 9; NAIA- 1

By Conference

Thirty-two NCAA and NAIA conferences are represented.

3- Big 10, Ivy League, North Central, Wisconsin Intercollegiate

2- Big South, Big 12, MAC, MIAA, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

1- American Southwest, Atlantic Coast, CAA, Big East, Big Sky, Conference USA, Gateway, Great Lakes Intercollegiate, Great Plains Athletic, Great West, Liberty League, Mountain West, NESCAC, North Coast, Ohio Athletic Conference, Ohio Valley, Pac-10, Patriot League, Rocky Mountain, Southland, USA South, WAC, West Virginia Intercollegiate

http://www.usafootball.com/articles/19-press-box/95-featured-articles/495-rosterannouncedforfirsteverappearanceinworldchampi onshipofamericanfootball.php

Fixed it for you.....

[The Gadfly]

It says that the Big South has 2 players . . . where? xconfusedx

[TexasTerror]

It says that the Big South has 2 players . . . where? xconfusedx

Two Big South players... :)

Kris King, Gardner-Webb
Brad Poston, Coastal Carolina

[PSUVikings]

Interesting. What countries play?

[TexasTerror]

Interesting. What countries play?

Per an earlier post in this thread...


Apparently, we have to knock off two-time defending champion Japan...

"Team USA will face Germany and Korea in pool play. The other pool will consist of host and two-time defending champion Japan along with Sweden and France."

[mcveyrl]

I know that Mexico has college football. I saw an out and out brawl on SportsCenter that was from Mexican college football.

Do we know if any of these other countries have professional leagues?

[BeauFoster]

Here are a couple of links to what is going on with this. Sounds like it would be one helluva road trip to see some good football...

From Wikipedia, a history of the event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Football_World_Cup


Link to the governing body:
http://www.ifaf.info/

[BeauFoster]

My thoughts - I really think that it is cool that the US included players from all different levels of college competition, but I wonder why this wasn't a true "all-star" team. I am sure that many of the players named to the team are superb football players, but I bet that a real "dream team" could have been compiled that would have absolutely destroyed the competition. Either way, we invented the game, we better kick some serious butt!

[PantherRob82]

My thoughts - I really think that it is cool that the US included players from all different levels of college competition, but I wonder why this wasn't a true "all-star" team. I am sure that many of the players named to the team are superb football players, but I bet that a real "dream team" could have been compiled that would have absolutely destroyed the competition. Either way, we invented the game, we better kick some serious butt!

None of those players want to risk injury and the loss of their NFL contract $$$.

[JaxSinfonian]

Wow ... looking at the Wikipedia entry, most of the teams will have to play two games in three days at the group level. Then the finals start a couple days later. Ouch. Germany is the lucky team in our group, getting two games in five days.

I know it would be impractical to stretch the tourney out so teams play one game a week, but still. Imagine if the NCAA tournament had teams playing games with just a couple days off. We could expand the playoff to 64 teams and still crown a champion in a couple weeks. xsmiley_wix

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

My thoughts - I really think that it is cool that the US included players from all different levels of college competition, but I wonder why this wasn't a true "all-star" team. I am sure that many of the players named to the team are superb football players, but I bet that a real "dream team" could have been compiled that would have absolutely destroyed the competition. Either way, we invented the game, we better kick some serious butt!

I still find it hard to believe that we don't at least place in the top 3 in this thing xnonono2x

[BeauFoster]

I still find it hard to believe that we don't at least place in the top 3 in this thing xnonono2x



I think this is the first year in which the US has fielded a team. We didn't even have a governing body until 2002. As long as this doesn't turn into somethink like USA basketball has become, I am all for it.