FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[Swish3]

It's good to see the conference getting some love in the first poll....N.C. Wesleyan and CNU at 28th and 32nd respectively.  I think Wesleyan lost too good of a playmaker at qb to sustain their success from last year.  CNU needs a qb themselves, from what I hear....Eric Nixon, a freshman from Poquoson, has a good chance to start, but I don't think he's ready yet.  The first two games are going to be brutal for CNU....they'll probably be fortunate to keep it close in those two....don't know much about Wilkes.  I guess we'll see what we see....

GO CAPS!

[kickerdad]

It's good to see the conference getting some love in the first poll....N.C. Wesleyan and CNU at 28th and 32nd respectively.  I think Wesleyan lost too good of a playmaker at qb to sustain their success from last year.  CNU needs a qb themselves, from what I hear....Eric Nixon, a freshman from Poquoson, has a good chance to start, but I don't think he's ready yet.  The first two games are going to be brutal for CNU....they'll probably be fortunate to keep it close in those two....don't know much about Wilkes.  I guess we'll see what we see....

GO CAPS!

I thought I read in the CNU Media Guide that the QB from last year (Faison) was a Jr. Did he graduate early or what?

[kickerdad]

It's good to see the conference getting some love in the first poll....N.C. Wesleyan and CNU at 28th and 32nd respectively.  I think Wesleyan lost too good of a playmaker at qb to sustain their success from last year.  CNU needs a qb themselves, from what I hear....Eric Nixon, a freshman from Poquoson, has a good chance to start, but I don't think he's ready yet.  The first two games are going to be brutal for CNU....they'll probably be fortunate to keep it close in those two....don't know much about Wilkes.  I guess we'll see what we see....

GO CAPS!

I saw in the newspaper article that NCWC lost twenty plus seniors from last years team in addition to the coach. Averett lost 25 seniors year before last and you saw where they went. Is NCWC that loaded with talent? Averett had some talent but no experience.

[Swish3]

kickerdad,

Faison was a senior last year....

As far as Wesleyan goes, I think they were getting some love based on last year.  They probably won't be nearly as good, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Wesleyan and CNU receiving no votes after the first two weeks.  I hope that won't be the case....

GO CAPS!

[Ryan Tipps]

I expect Wesley will run over CNU pretty heavily, though the Captains' defense seems to be stacked, so that could keep them somewhat in the game.

However, swish, I think you're overestimating Wilkes, perhaps giving them "some love based on past years."  The Colonels will likely end up a middle of the pack MAC team this season and not nearly as formitable as they were in 2006 and before. CNU has an excellent chance of winning that game.

After Game 2, I'd expect CNU to be no worse in the poll than they are now -- and hopefully better.

[Swish3]

Wesley will definitely be a tough one, but so will game 2 at Salisbury, which are the games I was referring to.  CNU will be licking their wounds against Wilkes, so perhaps that game will be just what the doctor ordered.

GO CAPS!

[Ryan Tipps]

Ah, my bad swish.   

I hadn't double-checked the schedule and thought I remembered Wilkes being No. 2 on CNU's list. Sorry about that.

Salisbury will present a level of competition that should be weaker than Wesley but tougher than Wilkes. In fact, the Salisbury game might be the best measure of the season as to where CNU fits in on the national scale. It's a very winnable game, especially if CNU's run defense digs in its heels, but it also could be one that winds up biting the Captains on their keisters.

[Swish3]

Agreed, Ryan....CNU better have an answer for Salisbury's running game, 'cause they sure didn't last year.

[narch]

Maryville No. 3 -- finally getting some respect from the other coaches.

you know, for all the talk last year about lack of respect, the coaches were pretty darn close...they predicted that m'ville would finish 5th (and the margin between 3rd and 5th was pretty tight) and m'ville finished in a 3 way tie for 3rd...maybe we should respect the coaches for having pretty solid foresight...they really only missed badly on averett and ferrum

2007 USA South Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st place Votes) Pts.
1. N.C. Wesleyan (6) 48
2. Christopher Newport (2) 44
3. Methodist 33
4. Averett 31
5. Maryville 27
6. Ferrum 17
7. Greensboro 15
8. Shenandoah 9

i can't wait to see what it looks like when a lion attacks a camel

[Ryan Tipps]

I will certainly applaud the USAC coaches for having the vision last year to recognize that NCW was going to come off a 6-4 saeason and field a great team, and even more significantly, to see that this year the Bishops aren't.

That's something I wish were better reflected in the national poll. NCW is a too high up the ladder for my tastes. Give it a week or two to right itself, though.

Anyway, it seems to me that maybe, in these last two seasons, the coaches are getting better (or more serious) about their poll.

[CNU85]

I expect Wesley will run over CNU pretty heavily, though the Captains' defense seems to be stacked, so that could keep them somewhat in the game.

However, swish, I think you're overestimating Wilkes, perhaps giving them "some love based on past years."  The Colonels will likely end up a middle of the pack MAC team this season and not nearly as formitable as they were in 2006 and before. CNU has an excellent chance of winning that game.

After Game 2, I'd expect CNU to be no worse in the poll than they are now -- and hopefully better.

Agreed! The CNU D will keep it a tough game, up to some point in the third quarter. Then they will be tired from being on the field for so long. CNU has figure out the QB situation. I'm not so sure the move of Long from the D to QB is a good move. He's the leader on the defense....so you not only lose that, but then you put a guy in at a key offensive position in which he hasn't played competitively since High School. Top that with top receiver Bradshaw being dilusional in thinking he's going to get any significant playing time at I-AA ODU after sitting out of competition for a year. I like the guy and hope he does well. I just don't see it happening at that level, under those circumstances.

Not sure about the O-line at CNU. I have to check the roster again and see who is back. But I seem to recall that there was going to be a few new faces.

Defense will be the usual CNU signature. But if CNU doesn't figure out an offensive scheme that is effective, the boys on D had better be in the best shape of their lives.

AHHH...but I fogrot about the Kelchner factor. He's got 60 new guys coming in. Wanna bet 2 or 3 of them make an immediate impact?

Also - I think it was Swish who mentioned a qb from Poquoson. I also hear there is a new kid from Northern Va that has the credentials on paper. Let's hope he can bring that onto the field and let Matt Long go back on D and smack the crap outta some people.

[Swish3]

Bradshaw won't be back?!?!  Now that sucks....

[CNU85]

yes it does....big time....

huge loss for the CNU offense.

Gotta move on.....maybe one of the new 60 guys is a speedster!

[cnusfinest54]

Football football football.... Lets go CNU the season is near!!! Hello to all and hope you all had a good off season.

[kickerdad]

Training camp starts this week. Finally!!!!!!!!!!

Now lets hope the weather cools down and the next 4 weeks go by real fast. It has been a long "Off Season".