2010 Conference Stock Exchange

[B&G]

Right now there are only 4 teams left in the playoffs. That means a lot of fans are looking toward 2010. So what do you think of the competition in your conference next year? Is their stock going up or down?

For the SoCon...

ASU: DOWN - The future is unknown without Armanti. App returns A LOT of talent but losing one of the best FCS players ever will have an impact.

Chattanooga: UP - They grew by leaps and bounds in 2009 and there's no reason to think Coach Huesman can't build on the momentum.

The Citadel: UP - This was a young team in 2009. They should be able to improve in 2010. They may not win the conference or anything but they can certainly do better than 2-6.

Elon: SLIGHTLY DOWN - They will still be in the mix for the conference championship. It remains to be seen how they will replace the production of Terrell Hudgins.

Furman: SLIGHTLY UP - It's probably a good thing that Jordan Sorrells will graduate. FU seemed more dangerous with Chris Forcier at the helm.

GSU: HOLD - How soon can they make a seamless transition to the option? I would have said stock down but they get Elon, App, & Wofford at home next year.

Samford: UP - We'll call 2009 a sophomore slump. Evans and Taliaferro return next year. Plus they get Wofford, Furman and App at home.

WCU: HOLD - I'm not going to get too excited about the wins vs EKU and The Citadel.

Wofford: WAY UP - The Terriers had a challenging season. They have all summer to get healthy. 2009 was a trial by fire for a lot of younger players but they should have a lot of experience returning due to how many played as injury replacements. I look for them in the title mix for 2010.

[Redwyn]

B-South as a whole: UP - The conference only looks to get better. With SBU and Liberty on the rise and hopefully our floor going up a good deal with the autobid, look for the conference to rise in the rankings this year.

Stony Brook: UP - Hofstra transfers, strong group of redshirts, D1-A game vs. South Florida, and second year of full scholly football with a large group of returning players bodes well for the Seawolves

Liberty: UP - Group of young players one year older. Should also benefit from all the D1-A transfers their fans keep touting

Charleston Southern: HOLD - Great program, and will perform well in conference. Don't see it breaking into the SBU/Liberty fold quite yet if only due to a weak schedule. However, look for this scrappy team to hit #3 again in the conference

Coastal Carolina: UP - Down year showed a decent upturn late in the season. Coastal has a great pedigree from the 06 season and I think they'll turn it up a notch next year. Look for them to compete with Chuck South for #3

G-Webb: DOWN - Not a hit at G-Webb. The team's been decimated by graduation and I think it'll take a year for the new guys to settle in. No doubt though, this team recruits hard, plays hard, and will win if given the chance. No doubt G-Webb will make noise.

VMI: HOLD - Don't know enough about the team to make any judgement. All I do know is it comes in far harder than it finishes in the last 2 years.

Presbyterian: UP - They'd have to, right?

[txstatebobcat]

I haven't taken a good look around the conference, and probably won't till summer time as the 2010 season gets closer. However this is my first impression.

McNeese St- Down. Probably not way down, but you don't lose a 4 year starter at QB and a star RB and expect to not to affect you. With that said, if they can find a QB that doesn't make to many errors the cowboys should still be very good.

Nicholls St - Down. With a new coaching staff, things can and will get very interesting in colonel country. I just don't think this will translate into more wins than in 2009. If the new coaching staff changes the offense, then I doubt the colonels will win a game next year.

Northwestern St- Up, Way up. Lets face it even if the demons go 1-10 next year it will be a huge improvement.

Sam Houston - Up. The bearkats were a team in need of a new coach. How this will translate into number of wins in 2010, well, who knows. However the sigh of relief at Whitten being gone was palpable in bearkat country.


SLU- Up. the lions are loosing the starting QB, however they have a huge amount of starters returning. Also the back up QB did have some valuable game experience this past season.

SFA- UP, way up. Yes, the lumberjacks layed an egg at Montana. However they have enough talent returning to make a run for the national championship next year.

TxSt- Down. Again you don't loose a 4 year starter at QB and pretend that it won't affect you. At the same time, if Hawkins (next year's starting QB) can develop quickly then TxSt has a very bright future in 2010 and beyond.

UCA- Down. The bears lose a lot of starters.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Patriot League - In general, way DOWN as the PL Politicheskoe Byuro decrees, "if all teams can't go, then none will." Concurrent with its decision to disallow scholarships (and to forbid all but Rhodes candidates from playing football) is a petition to the NCAA to withdraw the league's automatic qualifier - citing a newly-researched "fairness penumbra" grafted onto Title IX by hand-wringing academicians.

Colgate - DOWN, as the the GPS-challenged institution tries to explain to newly-scheduled 1-A opponents that passports are required for all those who travel to distant, unapproachable foreign destinations such as Hamiltion, New York.

Bucknell - UP - having long languished in the westerly-prevailing waft of Happy Valley, the Bison collect an enormous influx of "medical redshirt" transfers from up the Old Turnpike Road as doctors discover that Joe Pa actually has been dead for a year and a half.

Georgetown - UP - Student protests persuade the administration not to remove seating from Multi-Sport Field to make way for a community petting zoo for underprivileged youth visiting from the rural Shenandoah Valley. Earthen berms are deemed essential to protect the SportTurf surface from flooding. Decades-old construction fencing around the unfinished stadium is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fordham - UP, as the scholarship-imbibed rogue institution receives the only at-large bid awarded to a league which, as a whole, has elected to decline participation in post-season play. Assertions of "confusion" over the applicability of the Patriot League Academic Index to incoming freshmen with suspect reading skills leads to an investigation through a committee chaired by Hofstra's Stuart Rabinowitz.

Holy Cross - DOWN - Regular Tuesday Novenae on Mount St. James have failed (at least so far) to forestall the graduation of Dominic Randolph. He has been taking snaps for the Crusaders for so long that Tom Gilmore & Co. forgot to recruit a replacement.

Lehigh - EVEN - Rumors of Andy Coen's firing for being a parent-friendly figure and an all-around nice guy prove unfounded as AC inks a lifetime contract to stay on South Mountain in the wake of his once-in-a-century defeat of heavily-favored rival Lafayette. A proposed uniform color change inspired by the Creamsicle Orange ex- of Tampa Bay presents a serious quandry to the editors of the student newspaper - "the what and White?"

Lafayette - EVEN, as Frank Tavani's coaching staff, once again, is pillaged by the "how-the-heck-do-you-manage-to-do-that-without-scholarships" crowd at the growing number of FCS institutions wondering how the heck he manages to do that without scholarships. They are replaced by an all-star cast of former BCS and NFL recruiting geniuses who are able to persuade a score of pimply-faced eighteen-year-old behemoths that the college is worth the price of full tuition just to be able to come up and gaze out Tavani's office window at the beauty and wonder of it all.

[siuham]

MVFC: EVEN/DOWN - The top 3 of the MVFC were good most of the season, but UNI crapped the proverbial bed and made the MVFC a two bid conference yet again. A few out of conference wins, but nothing special. The shellacking SDSU put on Georgia Southern had proved to just be par for the course for GSU this year and losses to Eastern Illinois, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, and NAIA Quincy let down the rest of the conference a bit in a year that could have easily been a 3 deep conference, with each team having a legitimate shot to win in the playoffs.

SIU: UP - Beginning the season with no #1 back and no stand-out return man, to losing the starting QB to an injury for half of the season and all but a few plays in the Quarterfinal game, SIU managed to pull out huge wins @Northern Iowa and @South Dakota State.

SDSU: UP - After a big opening win against Georgia Southern, SDSU looked to be headed straight for a 3rd place finish after losing their starting QB to an injury in a loss @ Cal Poly. The Jacks turned it around, defeating UNI at home late in the season to push into the playoffs as a solid team. A disappointing letdown in the first round playoffs mars the season as a whole, though.

UNI: Down - Not making the playoffs is a definite down year for UNI. No one can deny that. Losing all 'test' games after a huge opening loss to FBS Iowa was a bit mind boggling to the Panthers. Losing at Illinois State to close the season gave the Panthers their first missed playoff year since 2006 gives the Panther fans little joy for the offseason.

Illinois State: UP - After a disappointing start with a loss @EIU, ISU turned their season around and found a great Freshman quarterback for the years to come. Closing the season with a win against conference powerhouse UNI gives the Redbirds hope for a great next year.

Missouri State: EVEN - A 4-4 finish in conference is probably all that should have been expected from the Bears this year. Hopes for playoffs ended early with the loss to South Dakota State, but the Bears can't complain.

Youngstown State: UP - After an abyssmal year last year, with 4 different quarterbacks, Youngstown pulled back to being a legitamate threat in the conference. A home loss to Missouri State ended their playoff desires, but they went in the right direction.

North Dakota State: DOWN - In their sophomore season, the Bison once again had high hopes of a Valley Football championship. Loss after Loss piled up and only Western Illinois and Indiana State saved the Bison from a winless conference year. With their only other win coming against Wagner college, and an OOC loss to a down Sam Houston State.

Indiana State: EVEN - I wanted to put up to recognize Indiana State's first win in years, but they opened their season by losing to NAIA Quincy. They were shutout 4 times and 21 was the most they scored all year. Indiana State will be on the right path in a few years - at least everyone in the MVFC hopes so.

Western Illinois: DOWN - Emphatically down. Their lone win came on opening weekend against Sam Houston State. The Leathernecks lost their coach, and it showed. This was the worst season on record for Western Illinois, and the worst since their 1-7-1 showing in 1966.

[OL FU]

Furman: SLIGHTLY UP - It's probably a good thing that Jordan Sorrells will graduate. FU seemed more dangerous with Chris Forcier at the helm.

.

First very cool idea on approaching this.

I will give you my take on FU. The most common thread of Lamb comments on Forcier was decision making. That is not surprising since he missed spring practice. He does however give us an explosiveness and a variety of approaches on offense that we didn't have with Sorrells. Assuming the decision making on the field is up to par and considering the offensive players who are returning, we should be even better offensively (perhaps excellent).


The key is obviously defense. If the defense operates like 2009 we are a hold. Personally, I think we will improve with experience and will be better. So I would rate us a "buy". If the defense improves a little we are certainly up slightly. If the defense improves significantly (even not up to par with past FU defenses that were considered very good), we are way up. OOC is USC (That's South Carolina for all of you who don't live in South Carolina), PC and Cogate at home. Preliminary assessment 8-3. xthumbsupx


And I have been very conservative in my past picks (7-5 20008 and 6-5 2009, in other words right on the money)

[DSUrocks07]

MEAC: UP - Another year and it seems that the MEAC is on its way back to respectability. As long we still retain our AQ, even with the return of a Heritage Bowl, we should be on our way. But of course, our nonconference schedules will be the difference between a single bid or multiple potential bids.

SC State: EVEN - Pough will have his team in the running for a third straight MEAC title
FAMU: UP - The Rattlers will try to forget this "lost season"
Norfolk State: UP - ComPETEing for the MEAC title, will have a target on their backs all year.
NC A&T: UP - The Aggies are back
Morgan: EVEN - It seems like the Bears are always right on the brink of winning it all.
NCCU: EVEN - NCCU will have a full MEAC conference slate.
DSU: EVEN - the seat's starting to warm up down in Dover
BCU: DOWN - replacing Wyatt
Hampton: DOWN - still trying to replace Joe Taylor
Howard: DOWN - The laissez-faire attitude towards its football program will have the Bison bringing up the rear.

[GannonFan]

I'll take a stab at the CAA:

On the whole, I'd say a little down versus this year, but that's almost expected considering how well the top of the conference was - 4 teams in the quarters and those 4 were in the top 10 all year, and often the top 5. Hard to repeat that kind of year.

Richmond: DOWN - 15 starters lost, plus both kicker and punter, and a head coach. No team anywhere is losing as much heading into 2010 as Richmond is. Even if London's recruits are as good as advertised, it will be hard to win a lot with them next year.

William and Mary - DOWN, although slightly - Tracey and Archer are gone, so that's your best defensive and best offensive players so there's going to be some dropoff. But there's plenty returning as well to make it a gentle comedown from a great '09 season.

Delaware - UP - greatest number of starters returning in the CAA from a mixed '09 campaign. Greatest asset coming back is Devlin, and there's a track record of UD QB's under Keeler significantly picking up the production in year 2 in the system. If UD doesn't end up UP, it could spell trouble for KC, but the schedule, the amount returning, and the relative dropoff of some of the rest of the conference should help avoid that.

Towson - EVEN - Couldn't really get much worse, so down's not an option. Hard to see much improvement coming by next year. Tough time to be a Towson fan.

JMU - EVEN - The amount of guys graduating isn't a lot, it's quite small actually, but the quality of the people leaving can't be denied. Gone are the two studs on the d-line, the part of the team that saved a winning season this year, McGee, McCarter, Caussin, and two OL. Couple that with uncertainty around the QB spot, and there's enough minuses to equal the plusses.

nova - EVEN - As far as nova's going this year, they could do the same next year with the cast of characters returning. There are big holes on the d-line that will need to be filled, but Whitney and much of the offense returns and that will mean plenty of players with 2 straight years of playoff experience returning. Clearly the pre-season faves for the CAA and a top 5 team, at least, in the preseason next year.

Maine - UP - very young team this year that actually wasn't too bad. Bringing back loads for next year and with the level of most everyone else going down a tick, that could spell well for the Black Bears.

UNH - EVEN - I know they're losing some real key players in Kackert and Sicko and some of the defense, but I have a hard time imagining UNH not at the level where they are - they aren't great, but they're consistently good year in and year out. Toman's back for this senior year and there's no reason to think '10 won't be another playoff year for UNH.

UMass - DOWN - UMass almost loses as much to graduation as Richmond does - problem is, UMass in '09 wasn't anywhere near as good as Richmond in '09. Inconsistent play at the QB position didn't help this year and not certain if they can expect better next year. Plus, Northeastern isn't around to kick around anymore.

URI - EVEN - Kinda like Towson, hard to go down much and hard to see any signs of improvement.

Hofstra and Northeastern - DOWN AND OUT - sad to see them go, especially the Flyin' Dutchmen.

[Seawolf97]

Patriot League - In general, way DOWN as the PL Politicheskoe Byuro decrees, "if all teams can't go, then none will." Concurrent with its decision to disallow scholarships (and to forbid all but Rhodes candidates from playing football) is a petition to the NCAA to withdraw the league's automatic qualifier - citing a newly-researched "fairness penumbra" grafted onto Title IX by hand-wringing academicians.

Colgate - DOWN, as the the GPS-challenged institution tries to explain to newly-scheduled 1-A opponents that passports are required for all those who travel to distant, unapproachable foreign destinations such as Hamiltion, New York.

Bucknell - UP - having long languished in the westerly-prevailing waft of Happy Valley, the Bison collect an enormous influx of "medical redshirt" transfers from up the Old Turnpike Road as doctors discover that Joe Pa actually has been dead for a year and a half.

Georgetown - UP - Student protests persuade the administration not to remove seating from Multi-Sport Field to make way for a community petting zoo for underprivileged youth visiting from the rural Shenandoah Valley. Earthen berms are deemed essential to protect the SportTurf surface from flooding. Decades-old construction fencing around the unfinished stadium is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fordham - UP, as the scholarship-imbibed rogue institution receives the only at-large bid awarded to a league which, as a whole, has elected to decline participation in post-season play. Assertions of "confusion" over the applicability of the Patriot League Academic Index to incoming freshmen with suspect reading skills leads to an investigation through a committee chaired by Hofstra's Stuart Rabinowitz.

Holy Cross - DOWN - Regular Tuesday Novenae on Mount St. James have failed (at least so far) to forestall the graduation of Dominic Randolph. He has been taking snaps for the Crusaders for so long that Tom Gilmore & Co. forgot to recruit a replacement.

Lehigh - EVEN - Rumors of Andy Coen's firing for being a parent-friendly figure and an all-around nice guy prove unfounded as AC inks a lifetime contract to stay on South Mountain in the wake of his once-in-a-century defeat of heavily-favored rival Lafayette. A proposed uniform color change inspired by the Creamsicle Orange ex- of Tampa Bay presents a serious quandry to the editors of the student newspaper - "the what and White?"

Lafayette - EVEN, as Frank Tavani's coaching staff, once again, is pillaged by the "how-the-heck-do-you-manage-to-do-that-without-scholarships" crowd at the growing number of FCS institutions wondering how the heck he manages to do that without scholarships. They are replaced by an all-star cast of former BCS and NFL recruiting geniuses who are able to persuade a score of pimply-faced eighteen-year-old behemoths that the college is worth the price of full tuition just to be able to come up and gaze out Tavani's office window at the beauty and wonder of it all.

That was funny xlolx

[JMUNJ08]

I'll take a stab at the CAA:

On the whole, I'd say a little down versus this year, but that's almost expected considering how well the top of the conference was - 4 teams in the quarters and those 4 were in the top 10 all year, and often the top 5. Hard to repeat that kind of year.

Richmond: DOWN - 15 starters lost, plus both kicker and punter, and a head coach. No team anywhere is losing as much heading into 2010 as Richmond is. Even if London's recruits are as good as advertised, it will be hard to win a lot with them next year.

William and Mary - DOWN, although slightly - Tracey and Archer are gone, so that's your best defensive and best offensive players so there's going to be some dropoff. But there's plenty returning as well to make it a gentle comedown from a great '09 season.

Delaware - UP - greatest number of starters returning in the CAA from a mixed '09 campaign. Greatest asset coming back is Devlin, and there's a track record of UD QB's under Keeler significantly picking up the production in year 2 in the system. If UD doesn't end up UP, it could spell trouble for KC, but the schedule, the amount returning, and the relative dropoff of some of the rest of the conference should help avoid that.

Towson - EVEN - Couldn't really get much worse, so down's not an option. Hard to see much improvement coming by next year. Tough time to be a Towson fan.

JMU - EVEN - The amount of guys graduating isn't a lot, it's quite small actually, but the quality of the people leaving can't be denied. Gone are the two studs on the d-line, the part of the team that saved a winning season this year, McGee, McCarter, Caussin, and two OL. Couple that with uncertainty around the QB spot, and there's enough minuses to equal the plusses.

nova - EVEN - As far as nova's going this year, they could do the same next year with the cast of characters returning. There are big holes on the d-line that will need to be filled, but Whitney and much of the offense returns and that will mean plenty of players with 2 straight years of playoff experience returning. Clearly the pre-season faves for the CAA and a top 5 team, at least, in the preseason next year.

Maine - UP - very young team this year that actually wasn't too bad. Bringing back loads for next year and with the level of most everyone else going down a tick, that could spell well for the Black Bears.

UNH - EVEN - I know they're losing some real key players in Kackert and Sicko and some of the defense, but I have a hard time imagining UNH not at the level where they are - they aren't great, but they're consistently good year in and year out. Toman's back for this senior year and there's no reason to think '10 won't be another playoff year for UNH.

UMass - DOWN - UMass almost loses as much to graduation as Richmond does - problem is, UMass in '09 wasn't anywhere near as good as Richmond in '09. Inconsistent play at the QB position didn't help this year and not certain if they can expect better next year. Plus, Northeastern isn't around to kick around anymore.

URI - EVEN - Kinda like Towson, hard to go down much and hard to see any signs of improvement.

Hofstra and Northeastern - DOWN AND OUT - sad to see them go, especially the Flyin' Dutchmen.

2010 Predictions - Kind of hard from 2-8. Looking at the teams someone has to be near the bottom...2-5 are interchangeable IMO

1. Nova
2. W&M
3. UD
4. JMU
5. UNH
6. Maine
7. UR
8. UMass
9. Towson
10. URI

[jlcharles]

I'll take a stab at the CAA:

On the whole, I'd say a little down versus this year, but that's almost expected considering how well the top of the conference was - 4 teams in the quarters and those 4 were in the top 10 all year, and often the top 5. Hard to repeat that kind of year.

Richmond: DOWN - 15 starters lost, plus both kicker and punter, and a head coach. No team anywhere is losing as much heading into 2010 as Richmond is. Even if London's recruits are as good as advertised, it will be hard to win a lot with them next year.

William and Mary - DOWN, although slightly - Tracey and Archer are gone, so that's your best defensive and best offensive players so there's going to be some dropoff. But there's plenty returning as well to make it a gentle comedown from a great '09 season.

Delaware - UP - greatest number of starters returning in the CAA from a mixed '09 campaign. Greatest asset coming back is Devlin, and there's a track record of UD QB's under Keeler significantly picking up the production in year 2 in the system. If UD doesn't end up UP, it could spell trouble for KC, but the schedule, the amount returning, and the relative dropoff of some of the rest of the conference should help avoid that.

Towson - EVEN - Couldn't really get much worse, so down's not an option. Hard to see much improvement coming by next year. Tough time to be a Towson fan.

JMU - EVEN - The amount of guys graduating isn't a lot, it's quite small actually, but the quality of the people leaving can't be denied. Gone are the two studs on the d-line, the part of the team that saved a winning season this year, McGee, McCarter, Caussin, and two OL. Couple that with uncertainty around the QB spot, and there's enough minuses to equal the plusses.

nova - EVEN - As far as nova's going this year, they could do the same next year with the cast of characters returning. There are big holes on the d-line that will need to be filled, but Whitney and much of the offense returns and that will mean plenty of players with 2 straight years of playoff experience returning. Clearly the pre-season faves for the CAA and a top 5 team, at least, in the preseason next year.

Maine - UP - very young team this year that actually wasn't too bad. Bringing back loads for next year and with the level of most everyone else going down a tick, that could spell well for the Black Bears.

UNH - EVEN - I know they're losing some real key players in Kackert and Sicko and some of the defense, but I have a hard time imagining UNH not at the level where they are - they aren't great, but they're consistently good year in and year out. Toman's back for this senior year and there's no reason to think '10 won't be another playoff year for UNH.

UMass - DOWN - UMass almost loses as much to graduation as Richmond does - problem is, UMass in '09 wasn't anywhere near as good as Richmond in '09. Inconsistent play at the QB position didn't help this year and not certain if they can expect better next year. Plus, Northeastern isn't around to kick around anymore.

URI - EVEN - Kinda like Towson, hard to go down much and hard to see any signs of improvement.

Hofstra and Northeastern - DOWN AND OUT - sad to see them go, especially the Flyin' Dutchmen.

With regards to UNH, they've had an impressive run of trips to the playoffs, but next year they lose Hofstra and Northeastern from their schedule. Depending on how their schedule shakes out, they may have a much tougher time getting to the postseason. Losing Sicko hurts massively too. I'm not saying they won't get to the playoffs, but I think it's much less of a lock than it would have been.

[GannonFan]

With regards to UNH, they've had an impressive run of trips to the playoffs, but next year they lose Hofstra and Northeastern from their schedule. Depending on how their schedule shakes out, they may have a much tougher time getting to the postseason. Losing Sicko hurts massively too. I'm not saying they won't get to the playoffs, but I think it's much less of a lock than it would have been.

The thing is, I don't think they've been the beneficiary of an easy schedule as you're implying. Many of these playoff years they had the harder part of the CAA South and still made the playoffs. And this year they had to play W&M and nova and yet they still made the playoffs with that. What's gotten them into the playoffs year after year is the ability to fill the holes being left from graduation. Sure they lose Sicko this year, but they've lost the likes of Santos and Ball before and they still made the playoffs after those guys left. Gotta give credit to them - they're schedules have not been the reason for all the playoff runs.

[JMUNJ08]

The thing is, I don't think they've been the beneficiary of an easy schedule as you're implying. Many of these playoff years they had the harder part of the CAA South and still made the playoffs. And this year they had to play W&M and nova and yet they still made the playoffs with that. What's gotten them into the playoffs year after year is the ability to fill the holes being left from graduation. Sure they lose Sicko this year, but they've lost the likes of Santos and Ball before and they still made the playoffs after those guys left. Gotta give credit to them - they're schedules have not been the reason for all the playoff runs.

And winning all those FBS games hasn't hurt either...

[jstclmet]

2010 Predictions - Kind of hard from 2-8. Looking at the teams someone has to be near the bottom...2-5 are interchangeable IMO

1. Nova
2. W&M
3. UD
4. JMU
5. UNH
6. Maine
7. UR
8. UMass
9. Towson
10. URI

The Tribe loses more than GF posted, Caldwell and I think at least 1 OL is gone too, and maybe another DL. It will be interesting to see which of the Va schools emerge from those 3. Not so sure UR will drop as far as 7. However with 1 Div, it may prove difficult to get 4 teams in again next year. 2 - 8 could all very well end up 6 - 5 or some derivative of 7-4/6-5.

Nova could very well end up 8 - 3 and win the conference whereas the 2nd & 3rd place teams could be 7 - 4 and on the bubble. With the playoffs expanding to 20 teams, the CAA Brand will get them in. If a CAA 6 - 5 squad makes it in, watch for these boards to explode.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

And winning all those FBS games hasn't hurt either...

At least one year, it was the deciding factor in getting a bid IMHO.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

The Tribe loses more than GF posted, Caldwell and I think at least 1 OL is gone too, and maybe another DL. It will be interesting to see which of the Va schools emerge from those 3. Not so sure UR will drop as far as 7. However with 1 Div, it may prove difficult to get 4 teams in again next year. 2 - 8 could all very well end up 6 - 5 or some derivative of 7-4/6-5.

Nova could very well end up 8 - 3 and win the conference whereas the 2nd & 3rd place teams could be 7 - 4 and on the bubble. With the playoffs expanding to 20 teams, the CAA Brand will get them in. If a CAA 6 - 5 squad makes it in, watch for these boards to explode.

With the current seven D-I win "guideline" as good as etched in stone, I don't think we'll see any 6-5 teams in the expanded playoffs initially. After a couple of years of expanded playoffs, the seven win guideline might be softened. Who knows. I fully expect a 7-4 CAA team to make the playoffs next year because the schedule will be so difficult and there are two more at large berths available.

[soccerguy315]

The Tribe is graduating...
#1 WR, should fill in with no trouble though.
#1 TE, adequate replacement with a slight drop here I think.
QB... will be a battle in spring ball for the spot, which might be won by a RF (true fr this year)
center

Tracy, Lissemore and Herbert on the DL (we have been rotating a lot on the DL this year, but Tracy and Lissemore are hard to replace)
Caldwell and Livingston at SS and FS

Tribe returns...
4/5 of the OL, all ball carriers including Grimes and Marriner, 2 of the 3 top WRs
DL depth (and one starter) that should have lots of talent and game experience, all starting LBs, both starting CBs

... biggest question mark for 2010 will be the QB. Should be able to run to take away some pressure though.

[JMUNJ08]

The Tribe is graduating...
#1 WR, should fill in with no trouble though.
#1 TE, adequate replacement with a slight drop here I think.
QB... will be a battle in spring ball for the spot, which might be won by a RF (true fr this year)
center

Tracy, Lissemore and Herbert on the DL (we have been rotating a lot on the DL this year, but Tracy and Lissemore are hard to replace)
Caldwell and Livingston at SS and FS

Tribe returns...
4/5 of the OL, all ball carriers including Grimes and Marriner, 2 of the 3 top WRs
DL depth (and one starter) that should have lots of talent and game experience, all starting LBs, both starting CBs

... biggest question mark for 2010 will be the QB. Should be able to run to take away some pressure though.

Didn't know the specifics but I did expect W&M to be good next year too with Grimes & others returning minus a few key players xthumbsupx

[soccerguy315]

Didn't know the specifics but I did expect W&M to be good next year too with Grimes & others returning minus a few key players xthumbsupx

I think W&M should be in the playoff hunt next year again, but as you guys know up in hburg... the QB play is crucial.

Also, sometimes I like to have lower expectations... keeps me from getting too angry, lol (see: 2009 redskins)

[phoenix3]

Right now there are only 4 teams left in the playoffs. That means a lot of fans are looking toward 2010. So what do you think of the competition in your conference next year? Is their stock going up or down?

For the SoCon...

ASU: DOWN - The future is unknown without Armanti. App returns A LOT of talent but losing one of the best FCS players ever will have an impact.

Chattanooga: UP - They grew by leaps and bounds in 2009 and there's no reason to think Coach Huesman can't build on the momentum.

The Citadel: UP - This was a young team in 2009. They should be able to improve in 2010. They may not win the conference or anything but they can certainly do better than 2-6.

Elon: SLIGHTLY DOWN - They will still be in the mix for the conference championship. It remains to be seen how they will replace the production of Terrell Hudgins.

Furman: SLIGHTLY UP - It's probably a good thing that Jordan Sorrells will graduate. FU seemed more dangerous with Chris Forcier at the helm.

GSU: HOLD - How soon can they make a seamless transition to the option? I would have said stock down but they get Elon, App, & Wofford at home next year.

Samford: UP - We'll call 2009 a sophomore slump. Evans and Taliaferro return next year. Plus they get Wofford, Furman and App at home.

WCU: HOLD - I'm not going to get too excited about the wins vs EKU and The Citadel.

Wofford: WAY UP - The Terriers had a challenging season. They have all summer to get healthy. 2009 was a trial by fire for a lot of younger players but they should have a lot of experience returning due to how many played as injury replacements. I look for them in the title mix for 2010.

I see the SoCon as being more competitive at the top in 2010 than 2009. Partly because of ASU and Elon being slightly down, but mostly because of vast improvements in WOCO, Chatty & El Cit. I have a better feeling about WCU than you, I would give them a "up" rating. I'm not so sure about Samford. I'm sure their D will stay strong but the O loses Evans and some of their line. I pretty much agree with the Furman assessment. They have good talent but they sorely need an injection of enthusiasm.

I see the SoCon overall as a solid UP for next year.

[19Duke97]

I'll take a stab at the CAA:

On the whole, I'd say a little down versus this year, but that's almost expected considering how well the top of the conference was - 4 teams in the quarters and those 4 were in the top 10 all year, and often the top 5. Hard to repeat that kind of year.

Richmond: DOWN - 15 starters lost, plus both kicker and punter, and a head coach. No team anywhere is losing as much heading into 2010 as Richmond is. Even if London's recruits are as good as advertised, it will be hard to win a lot with them next year.

William and Mary - DOWN, although slightly - Tracey and Archer are gone, so that's your best defensive and best offensive players so there's going to be some dropoff. But there's plenty returning as well to make it a gentle comedown from a great '09 season.

Delaware - UP - greatest number of starters returning in the CAA from a mixed '09 campaign. Greatest asset coming back is Devlin, and there's a track record of UD QB's under Keeler significantly picking up the production in year 2 in the system. If UD doesn't end up UP, it could spell trouble for KC, but the schedule, the amount returning, and the relative drop off of some of the rest of the conference should help avoid that.

Towson - EVEN - Couldn't really get much worse, so down's not an option. Hard to see much improvement coming by next year. Tough time to be a Towson fan.

JMU - EVEN - The amount of guys graduating isn't a lot, it's quite small actually, but the quality of the people leaving can't be denied. Gone are the two studs on the d-line, the part of the team that saved a winning season this year, McGee, McCarter, Caussin, and two OL. Couple that with uncertainty around the QB spot, and there's enough minuses to equal the plusses.

nova - EVEN - As far as nova's going this year, they could do the same next year with the cast of characters returning. There are big holes on the d-line that will need to be filled, but Whitney and much of the offense returns and that will mean plenty of players with 2 straight years of playoff experience returning. Clearly the pre-season faves for the CAA and a top 5 team, at least, in the preseason next year.

Maine - UP - very young team this year that actually wasn't too bad. Bringing back loads for next year and with the level of most everyone else going down a tick, that could spell well for the Black Bears.

UNH - EVEN - I know they're losing some real key players in Kackert and Sicko and some of the defense, but I have a hard time imagining UNH not at the level where they are - they aren't great, but they're consistently good year in and year out. Toman's back for this senior year and there's no reason to think '10 won't be another playoff year for UNH.

UMass - DOWN - UMass almost loses as much to graduation as Richmond does - problem is, UMass in '09 wasn't anywhere near as good as Richmond in '09. Inconsistent play at the QB position didn't help this year and not certain if they can expect better next year. Plus, Northeastern isn't around to kick around anymore.

URI - EVEN - Kinda like Towson, hard to go down much and hard to see any signs of improvement.

Hofstra and Northeastern - DOWN AND OUT - sad to see them go, especially the Flyin' Dutchmen.

After the off season we had last year, I have no idea if we will be better/worse next year. In theory, our offense should be better, but Defense will take a hit on the line. It just remains TBD until we see if a transfer we got from Syracuse pans out or not, and if some of the young guys step up to fill holes.

Offense (should) return 7 starters, including most skill positions, and our losses at skills positions are at WR, and god knows they have not seen a ton of action at JMU. it will all hinge on QB play, and filling a few gaps on O line, though most of the line returns.
Defense (should) return 7 starters. Filling Moats and Daniels shoes will be hard. LB's and backfield mostly returns, so we have something to look forward there. Would not be surprised to see us run a 3-4-4 defense if line has to many holes since we have so many linebackers returning.

[GunsAndGuitars]

I see the SoCon as being more competitive at the top in 2010 than 2009. Partly because of ASU and Elon being slightly down, but mostly because of vast improvements in WOCO, Chatty & El Cit. I have a better feeling about WCU than you, I would give them a "up" rating. I'm not so sure about Samford. I'm sure their D will stay strong but the O loses Evans and some of their line. I pretty much agree with the Furman assessment. They have good talent but they sorely need an injection of enthusiasm.

I see the SoCon overall as a solid UP for next year.

WCU played a lot of close games this year. So did Chatty.

[Go...gate]

Patriot League - In general, way DOWN as the PL Politicheskoe Byuro decrees, "if all teams can't go, then none will." Concurrent with its decision to disallow scholarships (and to forbid all but Rhodes candidates from playing football) is a petition to the NCAA to withdraw the league's automatic qualifier - citing a newly-researched "fairness penumbra" grafted onto Title IX by hand-wringing academicians.

Colgate - DOWN, as the GPS-challenged institution tries to explain to newly-scheduled 1-A opponents that passports are required for all those who travel to distant, unapproachable foreign destinations such as Hamiltion, New York.

Bucknell - UP - having long languished in the westerly-prevailing waft of Happy Valley, the Bison collect an enormous influx of "medical redshirt" transfers from up the Old Turnpike Road as doctors discover that Joe Pa actually has been dead for a year and a half.

Georgetown - UP - Student protests persuade the administration not to remove seating from Multi-Sport Field to make way for a community petting zoo for underprivileged youth visiting from the rural Shenandoah Valley. Earthen berms are deemed essential to protect the SportTurf surface from flooding. Decades-old construction fencing around the unfinished stadium is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fordham - UP, as the scholarship-imbibed rogue institution receives the only at-large bid awarded to a league which, as a whole, has elected to decline participation in post-season play. Assertions of "confusion" over the applicability of the Patriot League Academic Index to incoming freshmen with suspect reading skills leads to an investigation through a committee chaired by Hofstra's Stuart Rabinowitz.

Holy Cross - DOWN - Regular Tuesday Novenae on Mount St. James have failed (at least so far) to forestall the graduation of Dominic Randolph. He has been taking snaps for the Crusaders for so long that Tom Gilmore & Co. forgot to recruit a replacement.

Lehigh - EVEN - Rumors of Andy Coen's firing for being a parent-friendly figure and an all-around nice guy prove unfounded as AC inks a lifetime contract to stay on South Mountain in the wake of his once-in-a-century defeat of heavily-favored rival Lafayette. A proposed uniform color change inspired by the Creamsicle Orange ex- of Tampa Bay presents a serious quandry to the editors of the student newspaper - "the what and White?"

Lafayette - EVEN, as Frank Tavani's coaching staff, once again, is pillaged by the "how-the-heck-do-you-manage-to-do-that-without-scholarships" crowd at the growing number of FCS institutions wondering how the heck he manages to do that without scholarships. They are replaced by an all-star cast of former BCS and NFL recruiting geniuses who are able to persuade a score of pimply-faced eighteen-year-old behemoths that the college is worth the price of full tuition just to be able to come up and gaze out Tavani's office window at the beauty and wonder of it all.

xlolx

[JMUNJ08]

After the off season we had last year, I have no idea if we will be better/worse next year. In theory, our offense should be better, but Defense will take a hit on the line. It just remains TBD until we see if a transfer we got from Syracuse pans out or not, and if some of the young guys step up to fill holes.

Offense (should) return 7 starters, including most skill positions, and our losses at skills positions are at WR, and god knows they have not seen a ton of action at JMU. it will all hinge on QB play, and filling a few gaps on O line, though most of the line returns.
Defense (should) return 7 starters. Filling Moats and Daniels shoes will be hard. LB's and backfield mostly returns, so we have something to look forward there. Would not be surprised to see us run a 3-5-5 defense if line has to many holes since we have so many linebackers returning.

Agree but FYI, (we can't play 13 on D). Maybe a 3-4-4 you mean?

Alot really hinges on our carosel at QB. Does Thorpe get the reigns again or does Dudzik take some snaps like early last season? If the team can get behind 1 guy it will unify the team quicker than week 8...

[ASU_Fanatic]

I still think were gonna be really good next year.

[Walkon79]

I'll say it before you guys get to it

Big Sky:

Montana - Even
Everybody else is going to SUCK....Again!

[Grrrrriz]

I'll say it before you guys get to it

Big Sky:

Montana - Even
Everybody else is going to SUCK....Again!

Hahaha. I don't think that will be the case. I expect the BSC to be much more competitive next year.

MSU, WSU, EWU, could all be competitive with UM for the conference title. I expect MSU to be the front runner as MSU will be pretty much the same team, especially on offense and with this year under their belt, they should perform better.

Sac and maybe UNC will be Dark Horses.

PSU I will be real interested to see how their new coach does, I am guessing that he might have a down year, but maybe not. Anything is a improvement over elvis.

ISU will win more games than they did this year. Will it be 1 more, or 3 more? who knows

[19Duke97]

Agree but FYI, (we can't play 13 on D). Maybe a 3-4-4 you mean?

Alot really hinges on our carosel at QB. Does Thorpe get the reigns again or does Dudzik take some snaps like early last season? If the team can get behind 1 guy it will unify the team quicker than week 8...

oops :o yes 3-4-4 defense. and FYI Thorpe will be the QB, I can almost guarantee it. Unfor. Dudczik will have to win it away from JT.

[Silenoz]

I expect Montana State to be very good next year

Then again, who can know what to expect from them

[siuham]

I just realized this is a preview thread, not a review thread.

Fail.

[Silenoz]

I just realized this is a preview thread, not a review thread.

Fail.
I was gonna say xlolx

Looks like people followed your lead though

[JMUNJ08]

I just realized this is a preview thread, not a review thread.

Fail.

I was trying to be a good CAA/JMU poster and not harp on you for it...xrotatehx

[kirkblitz]

B-South as a whole: UP - The conference only looks to get better. With SBU and Liberty on the rise and hopefully our floor going up a good deal with the autobid, look for the conference to rise in the rankings this year.

Stony Brook: UP - Hofstra transfers, strong group of redshirts, D1-A game vs. South Florida, and second year of full scholly football with a large group of returning players bodes well for the Seawolves

Liberty: UP - Group of young players one year older. Should also benefit from all the D1-A transfers their fans keep touting

Charleston Southern: HOLD - Great program, and will perform well in conference. Don't see it breaking into the SBU/Liberty fold quite yet if only due to a weak schedule. However, look for this scrappy team to hit #3 again in the conference

Coastal Carolina: UP - Down year showed a decent upturn late in the season. Coastal has a great pedigree from the 06 season and I think they'll turn it up a notch next year. Look for them to compete with Chuck South for #3

G-Webb: DOWN - Not a hit at G-Webb. The team's been decimated by graduation and I think it'll take a year for the new guys to settle in. No doubt though, this team recruits hard, plays hard, and will win if given the chance. No doubt G-Webb will make noise.

VMI: HOLD - Don't know enough about the team to make any judgement. All I do know is it comes in far harder than it finishes in the last 2 years.

Presbyterian: UP - They'd have to, right?

actually CCU should be only above vmi. we barely beat winless presby at home. WE are the JOKE of the big south

[JWASU10]

I still think were gonna be really good next year.

I agree. What I think a lot of people are overlooking is the fact that our young defense got a lot of looks this year and last due to injury. We finally started playing great defense towards the end of the year. Of course we lose AE, Roman, and Finnerty as our main starters, however we still have several weapons to reload. App recruiting has gotten pretty good and a couple of commits are looking to have an early and big impact, but we'll just have to wait and see. Remember, we have Devon Moore and a loaded RB squad returning next year. Don't count out ASU already...we'll have another SoCon title.

[B&G]

Who counted ASU out? Certainly not me. We have a lot of talent coming back. But seriously, losing AE alone is enough to give pause. No doubt App is still a playoff team though.

By the way, thanks for the thread participation. It has been a good read seeing how you guys feel about your conferences next year. Hey if someone wants to take a stab at a MVFC preview that would be cool... not that the review wasn't of course.

[Reign of Terrier]

App should still be a top team in the Socon and in the conference, the problem will be finding a replacement for Armanti that can perform decently.

Seriously, how many times have we heard that App would be fine when Pressley or Cadet replaced him when he was injured and they performed sub-par and the comments changed from "he can do everything like Armanti but this" to "He is not a good QB". I honestly don't trust any assessment by an App fan in the category of evaluating the performance of their second string QBs.

[Saint3333]

We also heard when Richie left they he couldn't be replaced. ASU has recruited very well in the trenches in the early period and had IMO the best recruiting class ever at the skill positions last year. Lots of excellent freshman were redshirted or only played special teams in 2009. I'd look for Moore to have 1500 yards next year, if we can find some DTs and one of the freshman or Cadet step up ASU will be fine.

I think Wofford, UTC, and Furman will be some of the teams to beat. Elon will be down due to the lose of Hudgins and 4 o-lineman. Overall I think the SoCon improves with Citadel and WCU getting better as well.