FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[kickerdad]

If all three teams (CNU, NCWC and Averett) win this weekend and CNU wins it final and Averett wins over NCWC.........who goes to the playoff's?

Keeping in mind, the following

CNU beat Averett
NCWC beat CNU

If Averett beats NCWC then what?

Averett and NCWC would still have the better overall records with just 1 conference loss and 2 over all loses.

Still alot can happen ...... SU could finally get one at home at NCWC if they get caught looking ahead and Averett still has to get past Ferrum which they haven't been able to win at Ferrum in how many years?

[musupporter]

If anyone intends to beat NCW, they better come out throwing the ball.  I only watched them play MU but from what I saw, and it almost worked, throwing the ball is the only way you can soften up that run defense.  Their front 4 is very big and very athletic. Defensively you are gonna have to pressure their QB.  He tended to make some poor judgments when under pressure.  Resulted in a couple turnovers. I also think a little luck will help out.

Hey, but what do I know.  Just play hard guys.  I wish every young man strapping on the pads for the next 2 weeks all the luck in the world.  Whoever comes out on top deserves it.

[musupporter]

Narch, were you at the game Saturday?

[musupporter]

Narch,

  I remember one of those.  maybe two..hits to the head are catching up to me. .. Im willing to bet methodist will catch the loss this week though.  Greensboro is playing defense and offense TOGETHER!!!  Im not sure if that has ever happened before.

Proud to see the Pride playing well!

Going to be interesting to say the least.  New  GC offensive coordinator is the father of the MU qb.  I am glad to see their program moving forward.  I just hope their foot slips off the clutch and they ram it in reverse this weekend.

[narch]

Narch, were you at the game Saturday?

no...family obligations - in fact, i'm not sure if i'll be at the cnu game, either

...nobody is talking about the championship race right now 'cause it's pretty simple...the road to the usasac champiohship goes through rocky mount, nc (via danville, technically) - if ncwc wins over averett on november 14, they are the conference champ...regardless of what they do vs. shenandoah this weekend - ncwc is the only team that controls their own destiny right now

if the monarchs win the turnover battle this weekend, they will beat the pride for the 11th time in 13 meetings...if not, the pride might get win #3 vs. the monarchs

[CNUALUM9]

Glad to see prior comments generated some feedback.  To the CNU supporter - interesting view.  Was that the reason that they barely escaped Greensboro?

I didn't know football was all of a sudden horseshoes or hand grenades.  A win is a win.  cnusfinest54 was referring to how CNU football was when he played.  When we stepped on the field we had a swagger and it's something that has been lost at CNU.    I personally never lost a conference game at home in my 4 years at CNU.  He is absolutely right when he says making the playoffs was not an accomplishment, but expected.  As alum, we expected CNU to build on the foundation we built and continue to excel and to be in national contention year in and year out.  CNU has a strong following and coming in 2nd in not acceptable.  Any player, coach, alum, or fan knows this and I fully expect CNU to continue to get better and back where we belong.       

[WFU34]

CNUAlUM9 - interesting comment about national contention year in and year out. 

Correct me if I'm wrong but since 2000, although CNU has gotten to the play-offs 6 times and should be congratulated for that - the overall NCAA performance is 2 - 6, getting to the second round just twice (never getting past that).  Not necessarily what one would consider threatening for a national championship year in and year out.

CNU's recent record in conference play has been outstanding with only 9 losses in 9 years (counting this season), but that might be changing going forward.  First there were fewer teams in the conference and the play has been improving.  If you review the record, several of those years that the CNU made the playoffs they had 3 losses - an indication that they were able to beat up on the "little sisters of the poor" in the conference to get to the playoffs but also the opportunity to improve against competition outside the USA South.  (Compare your coach's overall record at CNU to just the in conference record which is 44 - 8 and that bears it out).

I'm not bashing CNU's program, just point out what it is.  It's had a number of accomplishments that other programs in the USA South would like to have achieved.  It's a good program in a middle of the pack conference, but has a way to go to be considered a contender for a national title year in and year out.  Are the alumni now restless with the coach since CNU has already lost 3 games this year?

Even thought the conference is not a national power, if the teams are competitive with each other, we can enjoy the games and the run to a conference championship.  That's what's its all about.

[WFU34]

CNUAlUM9 - just thought I'd check your web site.  CNU's overall record since 2000 (prior to 2009) is 57 - 27 or a .679 winning percentage.  The in conference record over that period is 44 - 8 or a .846.  That means the out of conference record is 13 - 19 or a .406 winning percentage. 

Add this year's YTD record and it goes to 62 - 30 overall or a .674 winning percentage, which is very good.  Conference record is now 48 - 9 or a .830 winning percentage.  Out of conference is now 14 - 21 or .400 winning percentage and there aren't any Mt. Unions on that schedule.  Just simply proves out that CNU has dominated an average conference but has not faired well against outside competition.  Similar to the Atlanta Braves winning all those division titles and rarely getting to the World Series.

Enjoy what you are.

[narch]

Enjoy what you are.

every gradute and fan of every team in this conference would love to enjoy what cnu is...

[NaturalSelection]

CNU out of conference record is not the best but what needs to be taken into consideration is what their out of conference opponents are compared to the rest of the USA south teams non conference opponents. granted emory and henry cleaned up usa south this year but has yet to do anything in their conference. my opinion is outside conference games should be hard or someone you match up close to but i do not believe there should be any gimme games. i think the harder outside conference teams you play the better your team grows and sees what it takes to be the best.

[CNU85]

I don't have the exact figures.....but I think I'm close......in CNU's 36 non conference games (14-21) I think somewhere around 25 of those games were against ranked teams. CNU continually plays one of the toughest non conference schedule in the nation. CNU would love to play Mt Union...schedules just don't work. But I must admit, until CNU starts playing, and winning, games after Thanksgiving, they are not national title contenders.

[Ryan Tipps]

There's no doubt in my mind that the teams CNU has scheduled in nonconference play over its short history has helped put that program on the national map.

Sure, the overall nonconference mark may not be stellar, but there are enough really good wins in there that make that kind of schedule worthwhile. Plus, CNU was brand spankin' new in 2001. Any reasonable person should allow at least 2 or 3 or 4 years for that program to build momentum and a recruitment base. Sure enough, it was around that time when the team became more competitive against the Bridgewaters, Salisburys and, at times, the Rowans out there. All of those opponents were consistent playoff-caliber squads at that time.

And let me not forget the win over UMHB in 2006 -- which to this day ranks among the top 3 football games I have ever seen.

With this kind of history, I'm willing to forgive a CNU team (suffering injuries to its starting quarterback, tailback and fullback) for having a somewhat "down" year. 

[AUPOP]

Allen C., is there an address for the stadium at Ferrum that I can plug into the GPS? Looked on Ferrums web site but didn't seem to find it.

Thanks

[Allen C]

The way I look at this, CNU has been the class of the conference in many respects. They run a high quality program, have huge alumni support,excellent facilities, and a very consistent team. Again they were predicted to finish first this year, and they may...but it will not be easy at this point.
What was not predicted was the large amount of injuries to their team, An NCW team that would be this dominant, teams having to rebuild because players that were expected to return did not, and a Greensboro team that has really made a statement on the field when just a few months ago, it looked like the entire school would be closed.....
This has been a pretty fun year as for the first time in a while, its a real race. Ferrum will not contend, but there is still a race.
Lastly, I do agree with Natural Selection that the harder non conference competition you have, the more likely you are to enhance your own teams ability...There are teams that have done this consistently Like the top 3 teams, and teams that have not. Difficult scheduling will help, but you have to be able to recruit high quality  athletes. Some schools in this conference have more difficulty with this than others. When tough non conference games are being won by the USA South teams, them we may see a USA South team in the 2nd, or even third rounds.

So what about recruiting strategies in the conference? Is there not a HUGE gap between the schools of the conference as far as recruiting goes?

[Allen C]

Here is the address-

435 Ferrum Mountain Road
Ferrum, VA  24088

That will get you to the campus...from there is should not be difficult!  I am hoping to go, but not sure yet.