ODU over/under

[93henfan]

I would not underestimate URI, folks. I haven't studied who they lost yet (I will before the next poll), but they gave UD a hell of an effort last year. They seemed to be headed upward rather than maintaining the same old URI level we had become accustomed to.

Here's what URI did against us last year, on our field. Not a cakewalk: http://www.bluehens.com/sportsinfo/foot ... fb10-7.htm

[89Hen]

I would not underestimate URI, folks. I haven't studied who they lost yet (I will before the next poll), but they gave UD a hell of an effort last year. They seemed to be headed upward rather than maintaining the same old URI level we had become accustomed to.

Did they reduce schollies this year, or were they still running with a lower amount they had been the last several? I seem to recall that they increased the last couple years, but obviously have to get them back to NEC limits.

[State Line Liquors]

I voted 3 W's.

RE: URI-----Rhode Island was last in the conference in total defense, 7th in scoring defense, last in pass defense. They were basically last in the league in Opponents 3rd down conversion ratio. They allowed more first downs than anyone else in the league besides a National Runner Up and a National Semi-Finalist, who play 3 and 4 more games than URI. They lost their leading tackler, their leading TFL'er (aka their two best defensive players) to graduation, AND their defensive line coach to Stony Brook.

They scored less than 20 points per game. Their QB was near the bottom in pasing efficiency and completion percentage, and was worst in the league with 12 picks thrown. Their leading rusher, the quarterback, was averaging less than 4 yards a carry.

Does anyone have any actual reason to believe URI is going to contend for the top 3rd of the league besides the 'they played us tough last year' ideology? Can anyone put together an advertisement on why I should be worried about URI doing anything to anyone this year, based upon actual team merit, history, returning talent, etc? I can be convinced, I just need someone to do the convincing.

[CAA Flagship]

Yup. I screwed it up too and voted 5+ when I meant to say 2 or 3 CAA wins.

I'll say this. If we lose our QB (DeMarco) to injury, we won't win a game. Our offense is wide open, but very QB dependent. We struggle holding leads because of the lack of a power offense (although, some of that has to do with the fact that we were young).

Meh, these tea leaves are too difficult to read. We were young and inexperienced and played against cupcakes compared to CAA squads. I'm having a hard enough time planning the tailgate menus.

[ODUalum11]

Not to sound like a pessimist but if the O/U is 2.5, I'll go under. I think we'll get two wins. Yeah, we proved we could be competitive but that was one game, early in the season when I thought it was pretty clear that WM took us lightly and they made some costly mistakes with turnovers in the redzone and missed easy FG's. We have to wait and see what ODU can do against a full CAA schedule for 8 straight weeks. Like Flagship said, if Demarco goes down we are in some serious trouble on offense and it showed last year when Manley had to take over for him in the NC Central game and the SSU game. I respect the CAA too much to just think we can beat that team or whoever. I think if any other CAA team had the same schedule the last two years they would have had the same record (17-5) or better.

[89Hen]

Not to sound like a pessimist but if the O/U is 2.5, I'll go under. I think we'll get two wins. Yeah, we proved we could be competitive but that was one game, early in the season when I thought it was pretty clear that WM took us lightly and they made some costly mistakes with turnovers in the redzone and missed easy FG's. We have to wait and see what ODU can do against a full CAA schedule for 8 straight weeks. Like Flagship said, if Demarco goes down we are in some serious trouble on offense and it showed last year when Manley had to take over for him in the NC Central game and the SSU game. I respect the CAA too much to just think we can beat that team or whoever. I think if any other CAA team had the same schedule the last two years they would have had the same record (17-5) or better.

Brand new to the CAA but has already learned the art of sandbagging.

[ODUalum11]

Not to sound like a pessimist but if the O/U is 2.5, I'll go under. I think we'll get two wins. Yeah, we proved we could be competitive but that was one game, early in the season when I thought it was pretty clear that WM took us lightly and they made some costly mistakes with turnovers in the redzone and missed easy FG's. We have to wait and see what ODU can do against a full CAA schedule for 8 straight weeks. Like Flagship said, if Demarco goes down we are in some serious trouble on offense and it showed last year when Manley had to take over for him in the NC Central game and the SSU game. I respect the CAA too much to just think we can beat that team or whoever. I think if any other CAA team had the same schedule the last two years they would have had the same record (17-5) or better.

Brand new to the CAA but has already learned the art of sandbagging.

I may or may not be sandbagging but its hard to say how good we'll be when we really haven't play anybody except WM the first two years. We almost lost to a pretty lousy Gardner-Webb team at home and lost to Jacksonville who eventually got manhandled by App. State a couple weeks later. In other words, I'm staying cautiously optimistic. Heck even Georgia State and Hampton concern me. The only game I feel really confident about and think we'll just annihilate them is Campbell. They don't have a chance. Campbell players and coaches can use that as bulletin board material...it still won't matter.

[∞∞∞]

Where's the National Championship option?

[dbackjon]

ODU/Trip = Under 4

[Tribe4SF]

Does anyone have any actual reason to believe URI is going to contend for the top 3rd of the league besides the 'they played us tough last year' ideology? Can anyone put together an advertisement on why I should be worried about URI doing anything to anyone this year, based upon actual team merit, history, returning talent, etc? I can be convinced, I just need someone to do the convincing.

I don't see them in the top 3, but I'm sure you watched how they played in Newark, and we saw sismilar effort in Williamsburg. As far as stats go, here's three key ones.

URI 28 UNH 25
URI 17 Villanova 14
URI 37 UMass 34

[BDKJMU]

@Delaware
UMass
@URI
Towson
@Villanova
JMU
Richmond
@W&M

I voted 2, went with UMass, ODU's 2nd CAA game, 1st ever CAA home game. Also Towson at home. Think there is an equal chance ODU could get 3 CAA wins, so I would have voted the 2.5 over/under if that was an option. If they get a 3rd I think it will be either URI or Nova on the road.

People, don't forget, ODU has NO BYE WEEK. Their last game is on Nov 12. Everyone else's last game is on Nov 19. I think that's going to start to affect them for their last 2-3 games. JMU will have advantage for their game @ ODU in that JMU will have a bye week the week before and ODU will be playing for the 9th straight week. Even that I think JMU escapes with a close win.

I think for ODU's UR and @ W&M game the no bye is really going to start to take effect. I would say it will make the difference in one less CAA game won. Another thing, isn't ODU only at 50 some full schollies, not at the full 63? If they had a bye like everybody else I would go with a 3.5 over/under.

I think they'll be competitive in every game and don't see them getting blown out by anyone unless they simply don't show up one game or have an inordinate amount of injuries.

[∞∞∞]

ODU/Trip = Under 4

[BDKJMU]

I voted 3 W's.

RE: URI-----Rhode Island was last in the conference in total defense, 7th in scoring defense, last in pass defense. They were basically last in the league in Opponents 3rd down conversion ratio. They allowed more first downs than anyone else in the league besides a National Runner Up and a National Semi-Finalist, who play 3 and 4 more games than URI. They lost their leading tackler, their leading TFL'er (aka their two best defensive players) to graduation, AND their defensive line coach to Stony Brook.

They scored less than 20 points per game. Their QB was near the bottom in pasing efficiency and completion percentage, and was worst in the league with 12 picks thrown. Their leading rusher, the quarterback, was averaging less than 4 yards a carry.

Does anyone have any actual reason to believe URI is going to contend for the top 3rd of the league besides the 'they played us tough last year' ideology? Can anyone put together an advertisement on why I should be worried about URI doing anything to anyone this year, based upon actual team merit, history, returning talent, etc? I can be convinced, I just need someone to do the convincing.

Well, they did lose @ Fordham last yr and at home to Brown.

I didn't think they were at 63 before, and if they are going to be eligible for the NEC title in 2013 they would have already had to start to trim schollies, since they'd have to be down to 39 or 40 for the NEC.

Anyway, I know URI shows 16 returning starters according to the CAA Preview and has the potential to beat anyone they play at home, but might not win a CAA road game. My prediction for them:

9/10: @ Syracuse: L
9/17: @ UMass: L: These 2 faced off @ URI last week of last season, a 37-34 URI victory.
9/24: Fordham: W (know nothing about Forham except URI lost to them last yr on road).
10/1: @ Brown: W (know nothing about Forham except URI lost to them last yr at home).
10/8: ODU: W (leaning)
10/15: @ Maine: L (leaning): Maine beat URI @ URI last season & according to the Preview both return 16 starters.
10/22: UD: L (leaning). Only leaning because its @ URI.
10:29: @ UNH: L: did beat UNH last season and return a lot more, but that was @ URI.
11/5: W&M: L (leaning). Only leaning because its @ URI.
11/12: @ JMU: L: If this was @ URI I'd be real worried as a JMU fan, but not at home on Senior Day.
11/19: Towson: W

They might win one of those 3 I have leaning L. So I'll go with 4-7/2-6 to 5-6/3-5.

[BDKJMU]

Does anyone have any actual reason to believe URI is going to contend for the top 3rd of the league besides the 'they played us tough last year' ideology? Can anyone put together an advertisement on why I should be worried about URI doing anything to anyone this year, based upon actual team merit, history, returning talent, etc? I can be convinced, I just need someone to do the convincing.

I don't see them in the top 3, but I'm sure you watched how they played in Newark, and we saw sismilar effort in Williamsburg. As far as stats go, here's three key ones.

URI 28 UNH 25
URI 17 Villanova 14
URI 37 UMass 34

And here's 3 more:
Fordham 27, URI 25
Brown 27, URI 24
Maine 28, URI 23

[State Line Liquors]

Does anyone have any actual reason to believe URI is going to contend for the top 3rd of the league besides the 'they played us tough last year' ideology? Can anyone put together an advertisement on why I should be worried about URI doing anything to anyone this year, based upon actual team merit, history, returning talent, etc? I can be convinced, I just need someone to do the convincing.

I don't see them in the top 3, but I'm sure you watched how they played in Newark, and we saw sismilar effort in Williamsburg. As far as stats go, here's three key ones.

URI 28 UNH 25
URI 17 Villanova 14
URI 37 UMass 34

BDK has it right.

UMass wasn't anything particularly impressive last year either at 6-5. Every team in the CAA needs to be respected. Some are getting more respect than they deserve. URI is one of them.

[Tribal]

#1: The way you guys vote on here, it's no wonder we've voted certain people President of the United States. Geesh.

#2: ODU will upset one of the top-tier CAA teams this season. UD, W&M, JMU, UR, or Nova are going to fall. UD is a far better team, but playing ODU early (while they're still fired up) will make the game closer than it should be. If I had to pick, I would lean towards upsetting JMU or W&M.

[93henfan]

#1: The way you guys vote on here, it's no wonder we've voted certain people President of the United States. Geesh.

Aren't you the one saying the inexperienced community organizers are better than the naysayers are implying?

[Tribal]

My comment referred to the fact that several posters voted without knowing for what they were voting.

[BDKJMU]

#1: The way you guys vote on here, it's no wonder we've voted certain people President of the United States. Geesh.

#2: ODU will upset one of the top-tier CAA teams this season. UD, W&M, JMU, UR, or Nova are going to fall. UD is a far better team, but playing ODU early (while they're still fired up) will make the game closer than it should be. If I had to pick, I would lean towards upsetting JMU or W&M.

Obviously you didn't pay attention to the part about no bye week.

[93henfan]

Your point about the bye week is valid. I'll stick with the under on the 2.5.

[CAA Flagship]

My comment referred to the fact that several posters voted without knowing for what they were voting.

Yes, some of us botched it. But at least I didn't vote Obama, Reid, and Pelosi.

[Tribe4SF]

I don't see them in the top 3, but I'm sure you watched how they played in Newark, and we saw sismilar effort in Williamsburg. As far as stats go, here's three key ones.

URI 28 UNH 25
URI 17 Villanova 14
URI 37 UMass 34

And here's 3 more:
Fordham 27, URI 25
Brown 27, URI 24
Maine 28, URI 23

URI beat Brown 27-24. No one is claiming they should be a CAA favorite, but they look to improve on a 4-4 CAA record last year. Take them for granted if you want, but they were a dangerous team last year, and will be again.

[State Line Liquors]

No one is claiming they should be a CAA favorite, but they look to improve on a 4-4 CAA record last year. Take them for granted if you want, but they were a dangerous team last year, and will be again.

They can look to do whatever they want, but they won't end up getting it done. Based on the fundamentals of what they had, what they have, and what's going on with their program, I won't rate URI as a 'buy' at this point.

I think they made a very poor choice with their bye week as well. That stretch of 4 games between Delaware and JMU is a just brutal.

Sept. 3 OPEN
Sept. 10 at Syracuse Syracuse, N.Y. L
Sept. 17 *at Massachusetts L
Sept. 24 FORDHAM Kingston, R.I. W
Oct. 1 at Brown Providence, R.I. W
Oct. 8 *OLD DOMINION Kingston, R.I. L
Oct. 15 *at Maine Orono, Maine W
Oct. 22 *DELAWARE Kingston, R.I. L
Oct. 29 *at New Hampshire Durham, N.H. L
Nov. 5 *WILLIAM AND MARY Kingston, R.I. L
Nov. 12 *at James Madison Harrisonburg, Va. L
Nov. 19 *TOWSON Kingston, R.I. W

[Tribal]

#1: The way you guys vote on here, it's no wonder we've voted certain people President of the United States. Geesh.

#2: ODU will upset one of the top-tier CAA teams this season. UD, W&M, JMU, UR, or Nova are going to fall. UD is a far better team, but playing ODU early (while they're still fired up) will make the game closer than it should be. If I had to pick, I would lean towards upsetting JMU or W&M.

Obviously you didn't pay attention to the part about no bye week.

No bye week? What?!?! I had no idea.

[ODUalum11]

Obviously you didn't pay attention to the part about no bye week.

No bye week? What?!?! I had no idea.

If Georgia State isn't the one team without a bye week in the CAA next season I'll be pretty upset. My understanding is that in the CAA with the schedule format there is always one team who doesn't recieve a week off.