Big South team by team breakdown

[elcid83]

Come on 94....be confident!!! I think, with the new OL and DL coaches, things are turning around at GW. It's the start of a new era!!! The class we just signed are full of kids used to winning and we have some real talent coming back!!! Have faith dude!!!

Big Dawg,

94 is a negative nelly and you are not going to change him. I am very excited about our last few recruiting classes and I am looking forward to the 2010 season. To continue the discussion about the other Big South teams, Liberty will have to find a replacement for Tommy Beecher who turned out to be a very fine Div I-AA QB after being a failure as an SEC QB at Carolina [ ; ) to my UNC buds]. It will be interesting to see VMI abandon the triple option and see PC take it up. Coastal Carolina and Stony Brook will continue to improve. Charleston Southern should be getting better as well. I like GW's chance to beat a D-I school at Akron, but playing SB and Liberty on the road will make our schedule tough. In any event, we are only 3 months away from football season.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[EagleDawg]

Not that GWebb94 needs any defending but other than voicing consistent frustration with the program's W-L record rut of 6-5 or 5-6 the last few years I do believe he wants the team to succeed. He has consistently stated that a 6-5 record this year with the schedule and graduation losses would be a success and one of Coach Patton's better coaching jobs. I know that many of us Bulldog Player Parents pull for our Dawgs with our entire being as we should but given the very few Bulldog posters that we have I welcome if not always agree with all of our GWU friends. As I have often stated, I do believe the program is getting better but it can be hard to gauge if you look at just the W-L record as all of the other Big South programs are improving too. Until Liberty is knocked off their perch, they have to be the favorite again, SBU showed that are a force within the conference by ending Liberty's conference win streak, CSU finishing 3rd last year was a bit surprising but will be hard to duplicate, GWU has to find a way to win 3 of 4 at least against Liberty, Stony Brook, CSU and CCU to move up into the top tier and is something that has proven difficult the last 4/5 years, CCU probably won't finish in the bottom half of the league this season and VMI and Presby will show new looks on offense but the same look in the standings.

Liberty 10-1
SBU 8-3
CCU 7-4
GWU 6-5
CSU 5-6
VMI 3-8
PC 3-8

GWU's success or lack thereof in 2010 will likely be decided when the Runnin Bulldogs return from Norfolk. We'll need to be 4-1 or no worse than 3-2 at that point with tough road games against LU, SBU, CSU and a home game against GWU nemesis CCU to follow. I'm thinking we gotta have wins against Brevard, Western Carolina, ODU, PC and VMI which gets would get us to 5 W's, toss up games at CSU and SHSU, a mental hurdle game against CCU and then high hurdle games on the road at Arkon, Liberty and SBU. Just early June thoughts, I'm sure after catching a couple of practices in August I will get all jazzed up and dreaming big about our Dawgs but for now this is what I'm working with.

[DKHardee]

We put up 10pts on Penn State, 0 on Kent State, and 3 on Clemson. Im hoping to get 14 on West Virginia.

[jcmanson]

Liberty will have to find a replacement for Tommy Beecher who turned out to be a very fine Div I-AA QB after being a failure as an SEC QB at Carolina

We already have. You may have heard of him - Mike Brown - last year's Big South Offensive MVP as a Sophomore.

[DKHardee]

Liberty will have to find a replacement for Tommy Beecher who turned out to be a very fine Div I-AA QB after being a failure as an SEC QB at Carolina

I don't think it was him being a failure... I just think Spurrier is a little too hard on his QB's. Stephen Garcia is an excellent QB but can't reach his potential because Spurrier is always talking sh!t and pissed with him.

[Pwns]

Liberty has a better chance against Ball State than they do JMU. I'd personally mark BSU down as a win and JMU a loss.

[Seawolf97]

Not that GWebb94 needs any defending but other than voicing consistent frustration with the program's W-L record rut of 6-5 or 5-6 the last few years I do believe he wants the team to succeed. He has consistently stated that a 6-5 record this year with the schedule and graduation losses would be a success and one of Coach Patton's better coaching jobs. I know that many of us Bulldog Player Parents pull for our Dawgs with our entire being as we should but given the very few Bulldog posters that we have I welcome if not always agree with all of our GWU friends. As I have often stated, I do believe the program is getting better but it can be hard to gauge if you look at just the W-L record as all of the other Big South programs are improving too. Until Liberty is knocked off their perch, they have to be the favorite again, SBU showed that are a force within the conference by ending Liberty's conference win streak, CSU finishing 3rd last year was a bit surprising but will be hard to duplicate, GWU has to find a way to win 3 of 4 at least against Liberty, Stony Brook, CSU and CCU to move up into the top tier and is something that has proven difficult the last 4/5 years, CCU probably won't finish in the bottom half of the league this season and VMI and Presby will show new looks on offense but the same look in the standings.

Liberty 10-1
SBU 8-3
CCU 7-4
GWU 6-5
CSU 5-6
VMI 3-8
PC 3-8

GWU's success or lack thereof in 2010 will likely be decided when the Runnin Bulldogs return from Norfolk. We'll need to be 4-1 or no worse than 3-2 at that point with tough road games against LU, SBU, CSU and a home game against GWU nemesis CCU to follow. I'm thinking we gotta have wins against Brevard, Western Carolina, ODU, PC and VMI which gets would get us to 5 W's, toss up games at CSU and SHSU, a mental hurdle game against CCU and then high hurdle games on the road at Arkon, Liberty and SBU. Just early June thoughts, I'm sure after catching a couple of practices in August I will get all jazzed up and dreaming big about our Dawgs but for now this is what I'm working with.

Just looking forward to the season getting underway. And keep up your great work with the camera1 Thats Sports Illustraded work you do

[gobluehose]

Come on 94....be confident!!! I think, with the new OL and DL coaches, things are turning around at GW. It's the start of a new era!!! The class we just signed are full of kids used to winning and we have some real talent coming back!!! Have faith dude!!!

Big Dawg,

94 is a negative nelly and you are not going to change him. I am very excited about our last few recruiting classes and I am looking forward to the 2010 season. To continue the discussion about the other Big South teams, Liberty will have to find a replacement for Tommy Beecher who turned out to be a very fine Div I-AA QB after being a failure as an SEC QB at Carolina [ ; ) to my UNC buds]. It will be interesting to see VMI abandon the triple option and see PC take it up. Coastal Carolina and Stony Brook will continue to improve. Charleston Southern should be getting better as well. I like GW's chance to beat a D-I school at Akron, but playing SB and Liberty on the road will make our schedule tough. In any event, we are only 3 months away from football season.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

where has the assumption come from that PC has "taken up" the triple option. We may be moving towards a run first mentality, but I don't think you'll see a VMI/Navy/Army/Air Force/Ga. Tech-like triple option in Clinton. We have two very talented running backs but I don't see them as TO backs. Not to mention, our QB sucks at running the TO; 4th and inches against Coastal last year on the potential game winning drive late in the 4th....we run the option....QB pitches too early....don't get first down....we lose.....coastal saves face. The freshman QB coming in that is so highly touted is not a TO QB either.

If you've got some inside info. do share, but I think you are mistaken.

[bjtheflamesfan]

thanks for the insight gobluehose. I guess initially I had heard back when the new coach was coming in that more of an option style attack would be used down in Clinton...my apologies. I do still think that itll be VMI and you guys fighting to stay out of the conference basement in 2010 (course that is merely my opinion)

[gobluehose]

thanks for the insight gobluehose. I guess initially I had heard back when the new coach was coming in that more of an option style attack would be used down in Clinton...my apologies. I do still think that itll be VMI and you guys fighting to stay out of the conference basement in 2010 (course that is merely my opinion)

I can respect that prediction.....we went 0fer last year for cryin out loud. I think, however, that we'll finish .500 in conference. We lost 1 starter from last year including both offense and defense....we've got two very good RBs....Byrd was freshman POY 3 or 4 times including a 300+ yard rushing performance against CSU and Dendy rushed for nearly 700 yards in 6 games....not to mention a full year of everyone in the system...and almost 2 full years with no coaching turnover

Here's how I see the conference:
1. Liberty - even though they always seem to have a dumb loss; they still get the auto-bid and have to play a CAA team.

2. Stony Brook - I hope it's 90 degrees and humid when they come to Clinton

3. CSU - this pains me

4. PC - yes I'm a homer but this really wouldn't surprise me

5. Coastal - all that talent; no idea what to do with it

6. GW - they'll lose their last 3 like always

7. VMI - will actually have to worry about protecting the QB now

[elcid83]

Liberty will have to find a replacement for Tommy Beecher who turned out to be a very fine Div I-AA QB after being a failure as an SEC QB at Carolina

We already have. You may have heard of him - Mike Brown - last year's Big South Offensive MVP as a Sophomore.

Mike Brown at Liberty reminds me alot of CJ Spiller at Clemson. What I mean is if Liberty could get Brown in open space and one on one against a defender, he was a game changing player. Brown could not get this advantage while he was playing QB. I believe he is a much better WR than a QB and I believe Liberty is a much better team with him at WR than QB. I stand by my original statement.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[jcmanson]

We already have. You may have heard of him - Mike Brown - last year's Big South Offensive MVP as a Sophomore.

Mike Brown at Liberty reminds me alot of CJ Spiller at Clemson. What I mean is if Liberty could get Brown in open space and one on one against a defender, he was a game changing player. Brown could not get this advantage while he was playing QB. I believe he is a much better WR than a QB and I believe Liberty is a much better team with him at WR than QB. I stand by my original statement.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

Passing stats from 09:
Passing gp effic comp-att-int pct yds td lg avg/g
BEECHER, Tommy 10 139.43 154-227-5 67.8 1700 9 80 170.0
BROWN, Mike 11 142.75 48-68-0 70.6 427 4 47 38.8

Technically, MB had better stats than TB at QB last year. Not too mention his running ability.

MB started one game at QB for us last year - @ Lafayette. LU won 19-13.
Mike was 29/36 for 242 yds, 20 carries for 88 yards in that game.

I'd have to disagree with you, and side with the stats we have thus far and Danny Rocco who has called MB our quarterback of the future since he arrived on campus. He only played WR the last 2 years because he was too good to not be on the field, and we had more than capable men manning the QB position.

[bjtheflamesfan]

Mike Brown (who?) has a chance to be one of the top players in the country, at the controls of one of the top offenses in the country. now that he has a chance to be THE guy at QB, if he puts together 11 games like he did against Lafayette, he will be right up in the Payton Award discussions

[g-webb1994]

Not that GWebb94 needs any defending but other than voicing consistent frustration with the program's W-L record rut of 6-5 or 5-6 the last few years I do believe he wants the team to succeed. He has consistently stated that a 6-5 record this year with the schedule and graduation losses would be a success and one of Coach Patton's better coaching jobs. I know that many of us Bulldog Player Parents pull for our Dawgs with our entire being as we should but given the very few Bulldog posters that we have I welcome if not always agree with all of our GWU friends. As I have often stated, I do believe the program is getting better but it can be hard to gauge if you look at just the W-L record as all of the other Big South programs are improving too. Until Liberty is knocked off their perch, they have to be the favorite again, SBU showed that are a force within the conference by ending Liberty's conference win streak, CSU finishing 3rd last year was a bit surprising but will be hard to duplicate, GWU has to find a way to win 3 of 4 at least against Liberty, Stony Brook, CSU and CCU to move up into the top tier and is something that has proven difficult the last 4/5 years, CCU probably won't finish in the bottom half of the league this season and VMI and Presby will show new looks on offense but the same look in the standings.

Liberty 10-1
SBU 8-3
CCU 7-4
GWU 6-5
CSU 5-6
VMI 3-8
PC 3-8

GWU's success or lack thereof in 2010 will likely be decided when the Runnin Bulldogs return from Norfolk. We'll need to be 4-1 or no worse than 3-2 at that point with tough road games against LU, SBU, CSU and a home game against GWU nemesis CCU to follow. I'm thinking we gotta have wins against Brevard, Western Carolina, ODU, PC and VMI which gets would get us to 5 W's, toss up games at CSU and SHSU, a mental hurdle game against CCU and then high hurdle games on the road at Arkon, Liberty and SBU. Just early June thoughts, I'm sure after catching a couple of practices in August I will get all jazzed up and dreaming big about our Dawgs but for now this is what I'm working with.

Thanks for your defense EagleDawg.

One nice stat I found out is that the general fund at G-W will be getting nearly a $280,000 boost from our game with Akron this fall, and we'll get a nice boost of nearly $480,000 in 2011 with our road games at Ohio and at Wake Forest.

Add in slated mens hoops games next year on the road at Oklahoma, Arizona State, Florida State, and Louisville, each at around $85,000 each, that will be another $340,000 or so boost for the general fund as well.

[ladyflame]

The game I'm looking forward to most is Stony Brook at Liberty! Both schools have great talent but Liberty has the home field advantage again. I think Liberty will win by maybe 10 points. That's my prediction . Liberty should be the first school in Big South history to make the playoffs. I just hope next year they have a schedule strong enough that shows they DESERVE to be in the playoffs. I don't think games against JMU and Ball State is enough even if they won them. I'd like to see 3 Top 25 FCS teams on the schedule. Liberty isn't good enough (yet) to be recognized as a very strong program but not good enough for better teams to lose to. For now there stuck between a rock and a hard place IMO.

[kuntryboimike]

The game I'm looking forward to most is Stony Brook at Liberty! Both schools have great talent but Liberty has the home field advantage again. I think Liberty will win by maybe 10 points. That's my prediction . Liberty should be the first school in Big South history to make the playoffs. I just hope next year they have a schedule strong enough that shows they DESERVE to be in the playoffs. I don't think games against JMU and Ball State is enough even if they won them. I'd like to see 3 Top 25 FCS teams on the schedule. Liberty isn't good enough (yet) to be recognized as a very strong program but not good enough for better teams to lose to. For now there stuck between a rock and a hard place IMO.

+1

[dbackjon]

The game I'm looking forward to most is Stony Brook at Liberty! Both schools have great talent but Liberty has the home field advantage again. I think Liberty will win by maybe 10 points. That's my prediction . Liberty should be the first school in Big South history to make the playoffs. I just hope next year they have a schedule strong enough that shows they DESERVE to be in the playoffs. I don't think games against JMU and Ball State is enough even if they won them. I'd like to see 3 Top 25 FCS teams on the schedule. Liberty isn't good enough (yet) to be recognized as a very strong program but not good enough for better teams to lose to. For now there stuck between a rock and a hard place IMO.

Welcome!!

[Libertine]

The game I'm looking forward to most is Stony Brook at Liberty! Both schools have great talent but Liberty has the home field advantage again. I think Liberty will win by maybe 10 points. That's my prediction . Liberty should be the first school in Big South history to make the playoffs. I just hope next year they have a schedule strong enough that shows they DESERVE to be in the playoffs. I don't think games against JMU and Ball State is enough even if they won them. I'd like to see 3 Top 25 FCS teams on the schedule. Liberty isn't good enough (yet) to be recognized as a very strong program but not good enough for better teams to lose to. For now there stuck between a rock and a hard place IMO.

-100

I smell a ringer. Anyone who has followed the Big South at all would know that Coastal made the playoffs in '06. Secondly, with the advent of the auto-bid, any question of "deserving to be in the playoffs" is irrelevant. This isn't D2 or the BCS. You win the conference, you're in. That's the way it should be and that's deserving enough by any standard. If it's good enough for the MEAC, the Patriot and the NEC -- three autobid conferences rated lower than the Big South -- it's good enough period. Thirdly, Liberty has finished the last two seasons ranked inside the top 20 and the last three inside the top 25. That's recognition of a strong program. At this point, we are a hard place.