FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[SU97]

CNU always seems to put it together.  Too count them out is just plain maddness.

Not counting the captains out - just saying it could be a tight race to the finish.   

[Bomb8]

I agree the ? will be the defense since they lost All-American DB and also other good defensive players, but the thing with CNU is last yr they allowed a lot of players who were backups to get significant playing time and they are the one's who are returning so they are battle tested. Also the d-line are vets since they have been playing for the last 2 yrs, linebackers have experience but will need a few players to step up, and the secondary has a returner in Harper, while someone will have to emerge and take over the other corner spot. Also at safety Anderson who played as a freshman returns, and also Long younger brother to Justin Long who started at safety for 3 yrs. And the offense is mostly the same with only two or three changes, so CNU looks better on paper than NCW since they did win the conference last yr and they have lots of experience and talent returning.

    Cant wait for the season to start its right around the corner.

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

I agree the ? will be the defense since they lost All-American DB and also other good defensive players, but the thing with CNU is last yr they allowed a lot of players who were backups to get significant playing time and they are the one's who are returning so they are battle tested. Also the d-line are vets since they have been playing for the last 2 yrs, linebackers have experience but will need a few players to step up, and the secondary has a returner in Harper, while someone will have to emerge and take over the other corner spot. Also at safety Anderson who played as a freshman returns, and also Long younger brother to Justin Long who started at safety for 3 yrs. And the offense is mostly the same with only two or three changes, so CNU looks better on paper than NCW since they did win the conference last yr and they have lots of experience and talent returning.

    Cant wait for the season to start its right around the corner.

I am not too sure about the question mark being the defense.  Yeah they do lose All-American DB Rob, but the defense has always been a strong point for them.  Every year in thier exsistence the scoring defense and total defense has been in the top two (There might have been a top 3 in there.)

I think the ? is with the offense.  It has been ok the past couple of years finishing around the middle of the conference but they lose thier top WR and top two rushers. (1 is the #3 WR)

They have their QB coming back, and hopefully for CNU's sake that he doesn't throw more INT's then TD's.  (The #2 QB had a better efficiency but he was a senior.) 

remeber they were in the middle of the conference for offense and they are losing that many key players.  I still have them to win it all, despite that.  They lost some players on defense last year and they finished at the top.

[narch]

USASouth from last year.
Power Rankings (rounded to the hundreths) (Regular Season)

CNU 37.37
AU 36.05
NCWC 22.68
M'Ville 18.18
MU 17.03
FC 15.54
SU 15.24
GC 13.02

What is everyone's thoughts on this one?

hmm...looks a lot like this:

Chris. Newport 6 1   8 3
Averett 6 1   7 3
N.C. Wesleyan 5 2   6 4
Maryville (Tenn.) 4 3   5 5
Methodist 2 5   4 6
Greensboro 2 5   3 7
Ferrum 2 5   2 7
Shenandoah 1 6   2 8

so you've possibly created a formula which can replicate season standings after it's been played and managed to mangle the english language in the process...congrats!

[CNU85]

So I wouldnt think twice about CNU not being the first outright champion this conference has seen and I just dont see NCW being that good as everyone thinks they will be.

can someone who is good with double negatives help me out...should i or shouldn't i think that cnu will win an outright title this year?

while i think that ncwc has the returning talent to win the title on paper, they have not had a fantastic record of returning key players in their short history...cnu DOES have a pretty good record of simply reloading with players that step up and fill shoes...hence, my selection of cnu over ncwc (and everyone else)...any prognostication in june must take into account these unknown variables

I think it was a triple negative

[CNU85]

I agree the ? will be the defense since they lost All-American DB and also other good defensive players, but the thing with CNU is last yr they allowed a lot of players who were backups to get significant playing time and they are the one's who are returning so they are battle tested. Also the d-line are vets since they have been playing for the last 2 yrs, linebackers have experience but will need a few players to step up, and the secondary has a returner in Harper, while someone will have to emerge and take over the other corner spot. Also at safety Anderson who played as a freshman returns, and also Long younger brother to Justin Long who started at safety for 3 yrs. And the offense is mostly the same with only two or three changes, so CNU looks better on paper than NCW since they did win the conference last yr and they have lots of experience and talent returning.

    Cant wait for the season to start its right around the corner.

That's what I love about Kelchner and CNU.....the year they lost the All-American LB Wood and the other 2 1st team All-conference LBs...I thought ..."oh no"......but then last year they improved their record.....never discount who is in the wings at CNU.....and that younger Long DB....he can outright nail people...he's small, but I would need someone to help remind me of anyone who hits people as hard. And Harper...wow...didn't he and Jones just finish 5th in the nation as a part of a relay team at the d3 NCAA track championships in Wisconsin??

I'm looking forward to the surprises in store for us this year.....will CNU have another All-American to make it 4 years in a row? If so, who is the pre-season favorite?

[hasanova]

So I wouldnt think twice about CNU not being the first outright champion this conference has seen and I just dont see NCW being that good as everyone thinks they will be.

can someone who is good with double negatives help me out...should i or shouldn't i think that cnu will win an outright title this year?

while i think that ncwc has the returning talent to win the title on paper, they have not had a fantastic record of returning key players in their short history...cnu DOES have a pretty good record of simply reloading with players that step up and fill shoes...hence, my selection of cnu over ncwc (and everyone else)...any prognostication in june must take into account these unknown variables

I think it was a triple negative

You're right, the entire sentence was a triple negative, but the portion I quoted was "only" a double.  lol

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

I thought seing GC in last place would have made you happy. I guess not. 

Funny thing is 7-3 for CNU was better than AU 7-3 even though AU had played better teams all year.

Thanks for the obvious. It should look something that. It wouldn't make much sense to have MU to be at the top because they were 4-6 (actually 3-6 by these standards.)

Here is the reason why GC was at the bottom.

FC for example finished 2-7
GC finished 2-6 (loss and win were taken away because they were not d3 opponents)

FC OPP Rec 46-40
GC Opp Rec 38-39

FC Opp-Opp Rec 371-376
GC Opp-Opp Rec 349-363

FC finishes above GC despite GC having a better winning percentage which makes up 50% of the SOS.

These are the stats you wished I would have had with the basketball, and now you are complaining.

I haven't done Wesley College from last year who was also 10-0 in regular season and I'd bet that thier 10-0 wasn't as good as Mount Union's 10-0.  Just as the pollsters believed.  I'll even have to do UW-Whitewater to see if they were again right.

[Bomb8]

I agree the ? will be the defense since they lost All-American DB and also other good defensive players, but the thing with CNU is last yr they allowed a lot of players who were backups to get significant playing time and they are the one's who are returning so they are battle tested. Also the d-line are vets since they have been playing for the last 2 yrs, linebackers have experience but will need a few players to step up, and the secondary has a returner in Harper, while someone will have to emerge and take over the other corner spot. Also at safety Anderson who played as a freshman returns, and also Long younger brother to Justin Long who started at safety for 3 yrs. And the offense is mostly the same with only two or three changes, so CNU looks better on paper than NCW since they did win the conference last yr and they have lots of experience and talent returning.

    Cant wait for the season to start its right around the corner.

I am not too sure about the question mark being the defense.  Yeah they do lose All-American DB Rob, but the defense has always been a strong point for them.  Every year in thier exsistence the scoring defense and total defense has been in the top two (There might have been a top 3 in there.)

I think the ? is with the offense.  It has been ok the past couple of years finishing around the middle of the conference but they lose thier top WR and top two rushers. (1 is the #3 WR)

They have their QB coming back, and hopefully for CNU's sake that he doesn't throw more INT's then TD's.  (The #2 QB had a better efficiency but he was a senior.) 

remeber they were in the middle of the conference for offense and they are losing that many key players.  I still have them to win it all, despite that.  They lost some players on defense last year and they finished at the top.

So you think the ? is the offense well i disagree yea they lost Jones and he was a great player for the captains but experienced wideouts are returning who contributed while Jones was there, so all this means is that they have to do more than what they were asked before and personally I know they can, a perfect example is for two consecutive yrs straight Jones was injured to finish the season and other wideouts had good games in his absence most recently was the W&J playoff game which Hightower, Speight, and Burke came up big in so they can exist without Jones all this does is give the guys who are hungry more reps to do big things. Also about their QB Faison has a good arm but you have to take in account this was his 1st yr as the starter and every good QB has to go through growing pains so I see this yr as his yr where he does so, and about losing their running back they have two guys returning who played last yr in Taylor and Baylor and both have speed and great vision to replace the yards they are losing. So if history repeats itself with the Captains they will do better than what they did the previous yr after losing an All-American and finally get out of the 1st round of the NCAA playoffs.

And about the triple negative about counting CNU out for being outright champs, I can clarify it for anyone who misunderstood the Captains will be USA South champions in 2007!

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

Bomb8-

I just pointing out that they have never had a bad defense.  I still don't understand why the defense would be such ?.  I know that you are losing Rob, but considering what you are losing on offense should raise the question marks.

Some numbers

Offense CNU is losing 2773 yards out of 3526.  That is 78.6% of the total yards lost.

TD #'s 31/41 will be lost that is 75%

Now on the defensive side you are losing 158 tackles / 732 thats only 21%

INT's 4/8.  50%

Sacks 2.5/20. 12.5%

All these numbers could be a little higher.  I only took the numbers from the big core group. (But for CNU's sake lets hope not)


I am just not sure if the defense is the big worry for next year.

[SU97]

so you've possibly created a formula which can replicate season standings after it's been played and managed to mangle the english language in the process...congrats!

Ahhh, it's been a while since I've read some quality greensboroese.  Outstanding.

Narch - hope the quality control is working out for you.  May is always a tough month, enjoy your summer.

[Big Scream]

Beware the white jerseys!!!  You need to recalculate your power rankings due to the awesome force of the white jerseys at home for GC!

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

Here's how it will go down...
Sept. 8   @ UNC Pembroke     Win over a new program
Sept. 15  @ Gallaudet University Win over a "new" program                 
Sept. 22   @ Maryville College, TN * Loss, tough one on the road
Sept. 29  Guilford College  Big win over a rival
Oct. 6  Christopher Newport University *  Tight loss to a good program
Oct. 13  Shenandoah University  Big bounceback win
Oct. 20  Averett University #  Courgars not king of the jungle
Oct. 27  @ Ferrum College *   Win, O outscores the option
November
Nov. 3  Methodist College *  Win
Nov. 10 North Carolina Wesleyan College * Win

8-2, USAC Champs

Big Scream I want to talk about one game in particular the Gallaudet game.

I think we could beat them. Could.  I think it could be a really close game. You do understand that Gallaudet is a university of deaf and hard of hearing students.

Now here is the point I am trying to make, do you know where they will probably get alot of thier players?

Maryland School for the Deaf

They are becoming the Mount Union of the National Deaf Prep Schools.  They have won 5 National Championships in the last 6 years.

Not many of us USASouther's have seen Gallaudet play before in any sport. I have and it is truly an extraordinary thing to watch. I only saw a basketball game and I can't imagine how hard it is for a coach to coach a team that is even bigger than a basketball team.

I hope nobody thinks they are a pushover.

FYI about MD School of the deaf according to the massey ratings of MD HS Football they rank higher than 81 high schools.  There are only 213 in MD.  They could probably compete well with the rest of the high schools in MD I know they could beat my alma mater, but I think because of thier situation they can't schedule as many regular high schools. They outscored thier opponents last 445 to 41 last year.

I wish Gallaudet the best of luck next year!!!

[allsky7]

I agree the ? will be the defense since they lost All-American DB and also other good defensive players, but the thing with CNU is last yr they allowed a lot of players who were backups to get significant playing time and they are the one's who are returning so they are battle tested. Also the d-line are vets since they have been playing for the last 2 yrs, linebackers have experience but will need a few players to step up, and the secondary has a returner in Harper, while someone will have to emerge and take over the other corner spot. Also at safety Anderson who played as a freshman returns, and also Long younger brother to Justin Long who started at safety for 3 yrs. And the offense is mostly the same with only two or three changes, so CNU looks better on paper than NCW since they did win the conference last yr and they have lots of experience and talent returning.

    Cant wait for the season to start its right around the corner.

That's what I love about Kelchner and CNU.....the year they lost the All-American LB Wood and the other 2 1st team All-conference LBs...I thought ..."oh no"......but then last year they improved their record.....never discount who is in the wings at CNU.....and that younger Long DB....he can outright nail people...he's small, but I would need someone to help remind me of anyone who hits people as hard. And Harper...wow...didn't he and Jones just finish 5th in the nation as a part of a relay team at the d3 NCAA track championships in Wisconsin??

I'm looking forward to the surprises in store for us this year.....will CNU have another All-American to make it 4 years in a row? If so, who is the pre-season favorite?

      This was before the USA South and goes WAY back but Robbie Stanley is pound for pound, the hardest hitter I have ever seen. Probably 150lbs soaking wet, he had small DB size playing LB. He wreaked havoc at Ferrum and then later Randolph-Macon.  As an impressionable freshman and he a senior in HS, I remember cruising in his Nova to get a drink before practice listening to Skynyrd on the 8 track. 

[hasanova]

Gallaudet is a national university that attracts students - and student athletes - from all over the country and, for that matter, all over the world.