Notes from Big South/ CAA Media Day

Charlotte 49er Football šŸˆ
1

With a 2-2 record against Big South teams last season, we would have finished 4th in the Big South behind CCU, Liberty, and CSU. With 3 games in 2014 against Big South teams, it is once again the closest to a conference we will get in 2014, so it makes sense to pay attention to them.

They had their media day recently and CCU was picked to finish 1st, CSU 3rd, and GWU 4th.

The Chanticleers, which became the first team in Conference history to reach the quarterfinal round of the FCS Playoffs last season, enter the 2014 campaign with 54 letterwinners returning, including 16 starters. Third-year head coach Joe Mogliaā€™s squad finished last year ranked seventh in the final Top 25 polls, went 12-3 overall and 4-1 in Conference games to receive the Big Southā€™s automatic bid to the postseason. Coastal Carolina received 14 of 18 first-place votes cast and 104 total points to win the Big South football championship this season.

Charleston Southern, last yearā€™s surprise team at 10-3 and 3-2 in Big South games in Jamey Chadwellā€™s first season, was picked to finish third in the poll with 65 points ā€“ the Buccaneersā€™ highest standing in the preseason voting since being tabbed second entering the 2006 season. Gardner-Webb and second-year head coach Carroll McCray finished fourth in the preseason ranking with 58 points. The Runninā€™ Bulldogs are coming off their most wins (seven) since the 2003 campaign.

Mentioned in another thread, our game at Gardner-Webb will be televised on ESPN3.

Pre-season all conference and players of the Year:

OFFENSE QB - Alex Ross, Coastal Carolina, R-Jr. RB - Christian Reyes, Charleston Southern, Sr. RB - Juanne Blount, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr. WR - Kenny Cook, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr. WR - Tobi Antigha, Presbyterian College, Sr. TE - Mike Estes, Gardner-Webb, R-Soph. OL - Chad Hamilton, Coastal Carolina, R-Sr. OL - Clayton Truitt, Charleston Southern, Sr.

DEFENSE
DL - O.J. Mau, Gardner-Webb, Jr.
DL - Calvin Hollenhorst, Coastal Carolina, R-Jr.
DL - Dylan Black, Charleston Southern, Sr.
LB - Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, Sr.
LB - Tanner Burch, Gardner-Webb, Sr.
LB - Chad Geter, Gardner-Webb, Jr.
DB - Richie Sampson, Coastal Carolina, Jr.
DB - Demaris Freeman, Charleston Southern, R-Sr.
DB - Denzel Rice, Coastal Carolina, Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Alex Catron, Coastal Carolina, Sr.
P - Austin Cain, Coastal Carolina, R-Sr.
KR - Devin Brown, Coastal Carolina, Soph.

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alex Ross, R-Jr., QB, CCU

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Quinn Backus, Sr., LB, CCU

Article in the Observer previews GWU and has a mention of the 49ers:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/07/24/5065414/developing-depth-a-top-goal-for.html#.U9JVD_ldUj4

The Bulldogs return 17 starters from last yearā€™s team, which finished 7-5 overall ā€“ the most wins by a Gardner-Webb team since 2003 ā€“ but only 2-3 in conference play.

Among the returnees are three preseason All-Americans ā€“ senior Kenny Cook, junior nose guard O.J. Mau and senior linebacker Tanner Burch ā€“ with both Cook and Mau on preseason watch lists for two major Football Championship Subdivision awards.

Cook, the Big Southā€™s leading receiver last season, is on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top player in FCS. Mau is being considered for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in FCS.

[b]Owls can thank 49ers:[/b] When Kennesaw Stateā€™s football team plays its first official game in 2015, it can thank Charlotteā€™s football team for its help.

According to director of athletics communications Al Barba, Owls coach Brian Bohannon and his staff spent several weeks talking with 49ers coach Brad Lambert and his staff learning the pitfalls of starting a new college team.

Kennesaw State will begin workouts in mid-August, and will practice all throughout the fall. The Owls will play their first game on Sept. 3, 2015, against East Tennessee State.

Kennesaw Stateā€™s first official Big South game will be at home on Oct. 17, 2015, against Gardner-Webb.

We also play 2 CAA schools in Elon and JMU. JMU recieved 1 first place vote and was picked to finish 8th. Elon was picked to finish 12 and in last place.

2014 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

DEFENSE
Safety Dean Marlowe Senior 6-2 205 James Madison

Also of note, our game at Elon will be televised on ASN and the game time has moved to 7:00.
http://caasports.com/news/2014/7/18/FB_0718141241.aspx

Elon hopes to prove CAA football predictions wrong

http://www.thetimesnews.com/sports/elon-sports/elon-hopes-to-prove-caa-football-predictions-wrong-1.350373

2

CIAA Media Day

JCSU picked to finish 7th

2014 Preseason All-CIAA Team

DEFENSIVE TEAM
LINEMEN
33 Jovantey Williams JCSU SR Stone Mountain, Georgia

PUNTER
17 Matias Lambrecht JCSU SO Venice, Florida

3

SoCon Media Day

The Citadel picked 6th by media and Coaches:

Mike Houston enters his first season as head coach of The Citadel after a successful three-year stint at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bulldogs (22) were picked sixth by the leagueā€™s coaches.

[font=arial][size=small]2014 Southern Conference Football[/size][/font]
[font=arial][size=small]Preseason All-Conference Teams
[/size][/font]
[font=arial][size=small]First Team Defense
[/size][/font][font=arial][size=small]DL Justin Oxendine, Sr., The Citade[/size][/font]
[font=arial][size=small]LB Carl Robinson, Sr., The Citadel
[/size][/font]
[font=arial][size=1em]http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21895&SPID=1781&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=209600113&DB_OEM_ID=4000[/size][/font]

4

The honest truth is we all know a lot more about our opponents then we do about ourselves. It would be a lot easier to make win/loss predictions if we knew what team WE would be putting on the field this year.

5

Campbell was picked to finish 7th and Morehead State was picked to finish 8th in the Pioneer League.

http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2014/961/san-diego-gets-coaches-nod-to-win-2014-pioneer-football-league-race/

Campbell enters 2014 with most of its questions on offense after posting a 2-6 mark last season. Second-year head coach Mike Minter lost his top two leaders in rushing, passing and receiving at the end of 2013. In their place, the Camels return their third-leading rusher ā€“ DeShawn Jones (62 carries, 517 yards) ā€“ and third-leading receiver ā€“ Ben Bolling (31 receptions, 489 yards, 5 TDs). Defensively, Campbell will have fewer concerns with each of its top five tacklers returning, including lineman Ugonna Awuruonye (44 tackles, 14 TFL) and linebacker Matt Farris (77 tackles, 4Ā½ TFL), who were each honorable mention All-PFL picks last season.

Morehead State, battled to a 3-5 mark in 2013 as rookie quarterback Austin Gahafer (2,430 yards passing, 13 TDs) learned the ropes. Rob Tenyer will return the bulk of his offensive unit for his second campaign leading the Eagles. Gahafer returns as does Morehead Stateā€™s leading rusher Rees Macshara (131 carries, 534 yards) and leading receiver Jake Raymond (56 receptions, 644 yards). The Eagles final standing in 2014 may well lie in the development of a defensive unit that sees just three of its top six tacklers returning and will be led by safety Michael Jackson (72 tackles, 10 passes defensed).

6

[quote=ā€œMr. Bojangles, post:3, topic:28907ā€]SoCon Media Day

The Citadel picked 6th by media and Coaches:

Mike Houston enters his first season as head coach of The Citadel after a successful three-year stint at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bulldogs (22) were picked sixth by the leagueā€™s coaches.
[/quote] This was following LR's loss in the championship game and he went to the Citadel. Houston would go on to finish 5th that year. Then finish 1st the following year.

Heā€™s now headed to the FCS championship game with JMU after defeating NDSU.

THe offense that JMU ran yesterday was VERY different than what I saw and LR or Citadel. Some guys just know how to coach and win. Heā€™s mid 40s. Iā€™d like to see him on our sidelines.

(no relation)

7

Very, very impressive what Houston has doneā€¦I doubt though that heā€™s looking to make the jump to a mid-major when he could likely land a P5 jobā€¦if the timing is right I could see him at NCState after Doren gets fired in two yearsā€¦

8

[quote=ā€œrtown49er, post:7, topic:28907ā€]Very, very impressive what Houston has doneā€¦I doubt though that heā€™s looking to make the jump to a mid-major when he could likely land a P5 jobā€¦if the timing is right I could see him at NCState after Doren gets fired in two yearsā€¦[/quote]seems unlikely an FCS coach would jump straight to a P5 school, unless you meant as a coordinator, which would probably pay more than we pay Lambert anyway.

9

They had good success at State with the hiring of Dick Sheridan from 1-AA Furmanā€¦also more recently Mike London won the FCS national championship at Richmond and landed at UVA a couple of seasons subsequent (maybe bad example I know)ā€¦it may not be the absolute norm but Iā€™m sure there are other examplesā€¦