Keeler cites CAA depth and camaraderie in interview.

[Tribe4SF]

David Teel of the Daily Press explores the unique phenomenon of every CAA team beating a playoff team this year. Non-CAA folks will see bulletin board material in this one.

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Teel even missed a few wins in his chart. W&M also defeated New Hampshire, and Rhode Island also beat Villanova.

[93henfan]

Coastal Carolina lost to Towson.

[kalm]

See? I told you guys that Delaware played nobody in the regular season. Easiest path to the finals...ever. And I think it's total bull shit that the CAA can have this much success while being comrades.

AKA a 10 team conference that gets 4 teams in.

[blukeys]

See? I told you guys that Delaware played nobody in the regular season. Easiest path to the finals...ever. And I think it's total bull **** that the CAA can have this much success while being comrades.

AKA a 10 team conference that gets 4 teams in.

Typical western hypocrisy and jealousy.

No one said a word when the then Gateway now MVFC put 4 teams in the playoffs out of a 8 team conference in 2003.

Of course no one worries about that situation because, as is typical of the teams out west, those 4 teams crapped in their pants and were gone by the second round. Your problem isn't the number of teams but the fact that a CAA team is typically in the finals.

[kalm]

See? I told you guys that Delaware played nobody in the regular season. Easiest path to the finals...ever. And I think it's total bull **** that the CAA can have this much success while being comrades.

AKA a 10 team conference that gets 4 teams in.

Typical western hypocrisy and jealousy.

No one said a word when the then Gateway now MVFC put 4 teams in the playoffs out of a 8 team conference in 2003.

Of course no one worries about that situation because, as is typical of the teams out west, those 4 teams crapped in their pants and were gone by the second round. Your problem isn't the number of teams but the fact that a CAA team is typically in the finals.

Lighten up francis, it was a joke. All hail the CAA.

[blukeys]

Typical western hypocrisy and jealousy.

No one said a word when the then Gateway now MVFC put 4 teams in the playoffs out of a 8 team conference in 2003.

Of course no one worries about that situation because, as is typical of the teams out west, those 4 teams crapped in their pants and were gone by the second round. Your problem isn't the number of teams but the fact that a CAA team is typically in the finals.

I am laughing but I did miss your avatar.

Years ago I was president of that organization. Some say I should run again.
Lighten up francis, it was a joke. All hail the CAA.

[blueballs]

Yeah, but losing UMass and picking up Georgia State is slumming at best and will weaken your conference overall.

The best analogy I could make is it will be like wearing your best shoes and stepping in a big steaming pile of shit. The shoes are still nice, function well, and are expensive but now have shit on them and stink.

[∞∞∞]

Yeah, but losing UMass and picking up Georgia State is slumming at best and will weaken your conference overall.

Isn't it a little early to make that assumption? GSU actually seems to be building a decent program down in Atlanta.

[SuperHornet]

Yeah, but losing UMass and picking up Georgia State is slumming at best and will weaken your conference overall.

Isn't it a little early to make that assumption? GSU actually seems to be building a decent program down in Atlanta.

It's way too early to make that conclusion, but there ARE indications that they're at least going in the right direction.

[blueballs]

Yeah, but losing UMass and picking up Georgia State is slumming at best and will weaken your conference overall.

Isn't it a little early to make that assumption? GSU actually seems to be building a decent program down in Atlanta.

One word: Lambuth.

[93henfan]

It'll be interesting to watch ODU in 2011 as a test case for a startup moving into the CAA at year three. I've been impressed with the way ODU has eased into it, but there'll be no more easing next September. Something tells me ODU will be just fine by their second or third year in the CAA. They seem to get it.

GSU feels slightly different to me. They seem to have less startup buzz and support. Didn't their attendance drop like a rock after the opener? It also seems like they went the route of a glamour coach and wholesale transfers, as opposed to the way ODU has built slowly with mostly direct recruits. Again, I may not have that 100% correct, but it seems like two different approaches.

Certainly, the loss of UMass is significant. I think ODU replaces them talent for talent by year three in the CAA though. They're in a talent hotbed and they have tons of support. Then, GSU only has to be an improvement over URI to make the CAA a net gainer.

[89Hen]

Isn't it a little early to make that assumption? GSU actually seems to be building a decent program down in Atlanta.

One word: Lambuth.

You have a point there. That would be like losing to a 2-9 Catawba in your first year of existence.

[∞∞∞]

It'll be interesting to watch ODU in 2011 as a test case for a startup moving into the CAA at year three. I've been impressed with the way ODU has eased into it, but there'll be no more easing next September. Something tells me ODU will be just fine by their second or third year in the CAA. They seem to get it.

GSU feels slightly different to me. They seem to have less startup buzz and support. Didn't their attendance drop like a rock after the opener? It also seems like they went the route of a glamour coach and wholesale transfers, as opposed to the way ODU has built slowly with mostly direct recruits. Again, I may not have that 100% correct, but it seems like two different approaches.

Certainly, the loss of UMass is significant. I think ODU replaces them talent for talent by year three in the CAA though. They're in a talent hotbed and they have tons of support. Then, GSU only has to be an improvement over URI to make the CAA a net gainer.

I think most ODU fans would be happy with a 5-6 season (2-6 CAA) next year and improving each season afterwards, and I have no doubt we're heading in that direction. That said, ODU fans would've been happy with a 3 win season our first year and 6 our second, and our program so far has even taken us by surprise. I think Coach Wilder and the team just might have something special up their sleeves next year...if we can accomplish an overall winning season in our first year in the CAA, I think that'd be a HUGE achievement.

Also, being a major FCS program in the Hampton Roads are (can we even call ourselves "major" yet?) is really beginning to pay off. Y'all should see the recruits we've gotten this year...they're GOOD, and I mean REALLY GOOD. Coach Wilder said that he wants to get all the top local recruits that weren't able to sign with Virginia or Virginia Tech, and this season he has gotten pretty much everyone he's wanted. We even got VA Defensive Player of the Year. All our recruits except for two so far come from the Hampton Roads area, and the other two were huge recruiting victories. One is Georgia's 5A Offensive player of the Year (QB Taylor Heinicke) who we got from Atlanta and that GSU offered. The other is a 6-8 355lb offensive lineman, by far the biggest dude we've ever gotten. It's pretty cool too 'cause we really are becoming the home team program...the one where great local players are staying.

So yeah, the area, as well as being a future CAA member really has its perks. We'll definitely be fine.

As for GSU, I really haven't followed their recruiting practices. But overall, my perception is the same as yours. But Coach Curry does seem to be building a good program down there and even though it's not the way ODU's done things, we gotta remember that there are a variety of paths a new program can be built. As for their attendance, wasn't it still Top 10 in the FCS? They definitely have the support. Maybe not as much as in Norfolk, but I think ODU's had more press, plus the fact that we don't have nearly as much sports competition in the area from other universities and franchises.

Personally, I think both programs will bring a lot to the CAA. Even with UMass leaving, I honestly believe with the addition of GSU and ODU, that in the long-run the CAA will be even more competitive.

[HenZoneNation]

I still find it odd that we have to defend the CAA at all...even with UMass leaving...what conference is better. KC is spot on here. It's a brutal conference but if you can make it to the playoffs you're in a very good position baring injuries.