UR and NOVA Picked to Share CAA Title

[JMU DJ]

The University of Richmond, which won last season's Football Championship Subdivision title, and Villanova were picked to share the Colonial Athletic Association overall championship in a poll released today at the league's media day in Baltimore.

2009 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

Overall champion: Richmond, Villanova

South Division (first-place votes)

1. Richmond (9)
1. Villanova (9)
3. James Madison (1)
4. Delaware
5. William and Mary
6. Towson

North Division (first-place votes)

1. New Hampshire (12)
2. Massachusetts (7)
3. Maine
4. Hofstra
5. Northeastern
6. Rhode Island

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sport ... 01/282826/

BALTIMORE, Md. (July 29, 2009) -- Richmond, which returns 18 starters off last year’s NCAA National Championship team, and Villanova, which returns 16 starters from 2008, are picked to share the overall CAA Football Championship in 2009. New Hampshire, last season’s North Division winner, was also picked to repeat in the North according to a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches and selected media. The results of the poll, along with the Preseason All-Conference squads, were announced during Wednesday’s CAA Football Media Day at the ESPNZone in Baltimore, Md.

Richmond junior linebacker Eric McBride, William and Mary senior defensive end Adrian Tracy and New Hampshire junior quarterback R.J. Toman headlined the 2009 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference squad as all three were selected as Preseason Players of the Year. McBride, who earned All-America honors as a sophomore in 2008, and Tracy, the league’s leader in sacks per game last season, shared Defensive honors while Toman picked up Offensive honors thanks a 2008 campaign which saw him rack up 3,000 yards passing and 28 touchdowns.

http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.db ... =204764877


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[wideright82]

As much as I love being an underdog going into the season. It sure is nice to see the respect given to our team.

[danefan]

I'm amazed that UMass is getting as much love as they are. I think people are really underestimating Coen's impact on that team, or perhaps overestimating his replacement.

I think Maine wil be better than UMass.

[BlueHen86]

As much as I love being an underdog going into the season. It sure is nice to see the respect given to our team.

I give Richmond the edge, but Villanova should be tough this year. I think the respect is well deserved.

[Col Hogan]

I'm amazed that UMass is getting as much love as they are. I think people are really underestimating Coen's impact on that team, or perhaps overestimating his replacement.

I think Maine wil be better than UMass.

Liam Coen was very important to the team...but there are some very strong pieces still in place...

This season might be the one where the quarterback...who ever plays the position...is asked simply not to lose the game....and is not depended on to win it as Coen did...

If they in fact don't lose it at the QB position, they just might do pretty good...

[Grizalltheway]

I'm amazed that UMass is getting as much love as they are. I think people are really underestimating Coen's impact on that team, or perhaps overestimating his replacement.

I think Maine wil be better than UMass.

Liam Coen was very important to the team...but there are some very strong pieces still in place...

This season might be the one where the quarterback...who ever plays the position...is asked simply not to lose the game....and is not depended on to win it as Coen did...

If they in fact don't lose it at the QB position, they just might do pretty good...

They'll be lucky to finish ahead of Rhody.

[wideright82]

As much as I love being an underdog going into the season. It sure is nice to see the respect given to our team.

I give Richmond the edge, but Villanova should be tough this year. I think the respect is well deserved.

Yeah it is a real toss up. They are virtually identical teams as last year, except this year they have home field advantage and we don't (head to head of course). That is going to be big this year. I honestly think we may see the same out come as last year in the CAA. One team undefeated in conference play and one team with 1 loss. Or some separation of 1 loss between the top two, being their head to head

[BDKJMU]

Preseason Defensive Players of the Year
Eric McBride - LB - UR
Adrian Tracy - DL - W&M

Preseason Defensive Team
Tim Kukucka - DL - Nova
Matt Marcorelle - DL - UD
Arthur Moats - DL - JMU
Luke Bonus - LB - Hofstra
Josh Jennings - LB - UMass
Osayi Osunde - LB - Nova
Charles Graves - S - UD
Jeromy Miles - S - UMass
Justin Rogers - CB - UR
Dino Vasso - CB - UNH
David Miller - P - W&M

No Sam Daniels? Pre season 1st team AA pick at DT by the Sports Network. Steele had Daniels on his preseason All CAA team. That Pre season team has 4 defensive ends and no defensive tackles. That makes no sense. Its the same thing as last year's All CAA 1st and 2nd team: 8 defensive ends and no defensive tackles. That makes no sense. 1st team (along with any 2nd & 3rd team) should be 2 defensive ends and 2 DTs, or AT LEAST 1 defensive tackle (as every team, even those in a 3-4, start at least one DT/NT. Same goes with any 2nd team and 3rd team. Having no defensive tackles on there would be like having no center or no offensive guards on offesne.

[BDKJMU]

CAA South last 5 seasons:
04' UD picked 1st, (pre season #1), finished 3rd, lost quarterfinals to W&M. Nova picked 2nd (pre season #5), missed playoffs. W&M picked 3rd, wins South, loses to JMU in semis. JMU picked 4th, finishes 2nd, wins NC.
-05' JMU picked 1st, missed playoffs. UR picked 5th, wins South/playoffs.
-06' UR picked 1st, missed playoffs. JMU picked 2nd, wins South/playoffs.
-07’. JMU picked 1st, finishes 2nd, makes playoffs. UR picked 4th, wins South, playoffs.
-08’ UR picked 1st, finishes 3rd, makes playoffs, wins NC. JMU picked 2nd, wins South, loses in semis.

Thats right, the last 5 years the team picked to finish 1st hasn't, and 3 of those 5 hasn't even made the playoffs. Getting picked 1st is like the kiss of death. Kind of like Coulson picking your team to win in a big game.

So in the last 5 seasons the team who ended up winning the South was picked preseason 3rd, 5th, 2nd, 4th, 2nd.

Basically this just demonstrates that the last 5 seasons when picking the CAA South you could have probably just picked out of a hat or thrown darts for the pre season prediction and done just as well.

[BDKJMU]

Being a little technical here, but I count UR having lost 5 starters from the Nat Championship Team:
-Lehner at guard (he came in against JMU when Silver went down and I believe started the 2nd half of the season),
-Sidbury
-Logan
-Crone at fullback
-Vaughn at tailback.

If you look at UR's NC game notes, that is the case. That would leave 17 of 22 starters returning, not 18 as the CAASports.com article says.

[JMUpurplehazed]

JMU will be issueing a beatdown on Richmond and 'Nova on back to back weekends which happen to be parent's weekend and homecoming Both sold out...I can't wait for THE STADIUM.

What are the chances that both UR and VU come to JMU ranked #1...has any FCS team played back to back #1 at home, gotta be rare, even back to back top 5 is rare I bet...

The CAA South makes for good football every week.

[BDKJMU]

What are the chances that both UR and VU come to JMU ranked #1...has any FCS team played back to back #1 at home, gotta be rare, even back to back top 5 is rare I bet...

Slim to none. Neither of the "major" polls, the Sports Network and the Coaches' (major in that they are usually the ones cited by schools and the media) are out yet. Of the 4 other polls I've seen out so far, they have
-UR & ASU taking the top 2 spots
-UNI (ranked from 3-5)
-Montana (ranked from 3-5)
-Nova (ranked from 3-5)

Who knows what the Sports Network and Coaches' will have Nova. Will likely be from #3-#5.

-IF JMU were to upset UR, ASU would likely be the new #1, as their only loss to that point should be to ECU (and heck, they could knock off ECU and be undefeated). Regardless, probably a 90% chance IF JMU knocks off a #1 UR then ASU would be #1 the following week when JMU hosts Nova (and ASU could very well move ahead of UR into the #1 spot even before JMU plays UR).
-UNI will likely come into their big annual showdown against SIU at home Oct 17 (the JMU-Nova weekend) 5-1, having only lost to Iowa (the biggest other threat would be on 10/10 with @NDSU (unranked in all the pre season polls))
-Montana if they can beat Cal Poly at home will likely come into Oct 17 5-0 since they don't play a I-A.
-Nova has Temple on (Thur) 9/3. If they lose to them (Temple should have a winning record in the MAC this season). Nova would then have to win their next 5, including W&M at home and then @ UNH, to have a chance to maintain their position in the polls. Or if they knocked off Temple but dropped either to UNH or W&M, same thing. Nova would have to be 5-1 coming into the JMU game to be #3-#5 in the polls, (if UR beat JMU the week before) and #2-#4 (if JMU did upset UR the week before). Now if Nova was 5-0 coming into Oct 10 (UR @ JMU) then Nova could very well be #1 at that point, with UR and ASU, if they both lose to Duke and ECU, respectively, at #2 and #3, thereby denying JMU a chance to host a #1 UR.

Follow? Bottom line it is almost impossible for JMU to host a #1 UR Oct 10 and a #1 Nova Oct 17th. What is more likely is JMU will host a #1-#2 UR Oct 10, and a #2-5 Nova Oct 17th.

Bottom line is, who cares what these polls say when JMU plays UR and Nova? We just want to see JMU knock off our in state rivals & defending national champs and a very good Nova team that like JMU could be coming into that game undefeated in CAA and I-AA play.

[BlackFalkin]

those videos are excellent! this is how you take pride in FCS football.

[BDKJMU]

I give Richmond the edge, but Villanova should be tough this year. I think the respect is well deserved.

Yeah it is a real toss up. They are virtually identical teams as last year, except this year they have home field advantage and we don't (head to head of course). That is going to be big this year. I honestly think we may see the same out come as last year in the CAA. One team undefeated in conference play and one team with 1 loss. Or some separation of 1 loss between the top two, being their head to head

UR and Nova having a home field advantage? Thats a 1st! Those are some intimidating fans in those half full stadiums that often have as many if not more fans from the other team.

[AZGrizFan]

Being a little technical here, but I count UR having lost 5 starters from the Nat Championship Team:
-Lehner at guard (he came in against JMU when Silver went down and I believe started the 2nd half of the season),
-Sidbury
-Logan
-Crone at fullback
-Vaughn at tailback.

If you look at UR's NC game notes, that is the case. That would leave 17 of 22 starters returning, not 18 as the CAASports.com article says.

Case closed. UR does NOT repeat.

[wideright82]

Yeah it is a real toss up. They are virtually identical teams as last year, except this year they have home field advantage and we don't (head to head of course). That is going to be big this year. I honestly think we may see the same out come as last year in the CAA. One team undefeated in conference play and one team with 1 loss. Or some separation of 1 loss between the top two, being their head to head

UR and Nova having a home field advantage? Thats a 1st! Those are some intimidating fans in those half full stadiums that often have as many if not more fans from the other team.

I see your point, but it would be wise to note that nova hasn't lost at home but once, and it was to you fuckers on a fluke, in the last 2-3 seasons.

[JMU DJ]

I see your point, but it would be wise to note that nova hasn't lost at home but once, and it was to you fuckers on a fluke, in the last 2-3 seasons.

BDK put up these vids on the Zone... Interviews with the CAA coaches and select players from the CAA schools: Arthur Moats, Scotty McGee, Luke Bonus, Charles Graves, Scott Sicko, Matt McCracken, etc.

Link to Mickey's interview, contains all the CAA Media Day videos and interviews on the right panel... to many vids to post here or it would be a mile long post.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CAAFootball ... MI4cqM_qI0

[JMU DJ]

Augusta Free Press interview with Mickey Matthews. Talks about the quarterback issue, defensive issues, expectations of the fans and the football team, this years schedule, etc.

http://augustafreepress.com/2009/08/03/ ... -football/

[BlackFalkin]

anyone know who made those vids? or if anyone makes them for the Big Sky? Those make the CAA look legit.