Brad

I don't think I would call them horrible...Baseball is played on a field...with an average attendance under 1K, what do you think there should be?

Yes Grasshopper...but like a jigsaw, if you can't find the right piece you display weakness to claim it is missing.

Students Can Purchase Football and Basketball Tickets Online Now For 2005-06 Home Events  STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 3, 2005 -- Penn State students are reminded that season tickets for football and basketball home games in 2005-06 can now be purchased on-line. All returning students who were registered for at least 12 credits in the 2005 Spring semester, are registered for at least 12 credits for the 2005 Fall semester, and have an email address listed with the University, should have received an email last month advising them that they may pay for student football and basketball tickets on-line with a credit card. Orders are being processed on a first-come, first-served basis and students are encouraged to respond as early as possible. Student season football tickets sell out each year. Students will need to log onto the web address provided and use their account number and the PIN number that was included in the email. A link to a printable application will be provided for students not wishing to utilize the on-line method. Students will no longer receive a paper application at their postal address. Students that did not receive an application, but will be registered for a minimum of 12 credits in the Fall, can print an application by visiting www.GoPSUsports.com and clicking on the 'Tickets' link. All incoming freshmen will receive their account number and password in a letter mailed to their home in mid-May, provided that they were a paid accept by May 1, 2005. The Nittany Lion football team, which returns 18 starters, will play seven home games this fall, with visits by five teams that played in bowl games last season, including Big Ten rivals Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Entering his 40th season as head coach, Joe Paterno's squad returns 34 letterwinners, including nine starters on defense, eight on offense and one specialist. The Nittany Lions open the season with home games against South Florida (Sept. 3), Cincinnati (Sept. 10) and Central Michigan (Sept. 17) to close the non-conference slate. Penn State plays its Big Ten home opener versus Minnesota (Oct. 1) and then welcomes border rival Ohio State for a nationally televised primetime clash on Oct. 8. The Lions will host Purdue for Homecoming on Oct. 29 and entertain Wisconsin on Nov. 5 on Senior Day. Student football tickets will be $159 for seven home games. Men's and women's basketball student season tickets also are available when purchasing season football tickets. The efforts of Nittany Lion basketball coach Ed DeChellis and his staff have resulted in Penn State's first two Big Ten All-Freshman Team selections in Marlon Smith and, this past season, Geary Claxton. Penn State will field a more experienced team during the 2005-06 season, returning four starters and seven lettermen, in addition to a promising class of five newcomers. Lady Lion basketball coach Rene Portland returns starter Amanda Brown and will welcome transfer Kamela Gissendanner and a highly-acclaimed freshman class, several of whom will have an opportunity to contribute immediately. This past season, the Lady Lions made their 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in Portland's 25 years at Penn State. For more information on student season football or basketball tickets, please visit the FAQ at www.psu.edu/sports/tickets/Football_files/FAQ.htm, email StudentTickets@psu.edu or call the athletic ticket office at 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533. Story Link So I guess there is no student athletic fee to force the dollars into the system... Wow..pay or get left out.  USF Students do pay indirectly but the money would go somewhere else if not football. They should be ecstatic and get to the **** games.

Meyer's Deal Incentive-Laden By ANDY STAPLES astaples@tampatrib.com GAINESVILLE - Urban Meyer has spent the past month telling University of Florida football fans he plans to coach the Gators for a long time. Meyer has plenty of financial incentive to keep his word, according to the seven- year, $14 million contract signed by Meyer on April 20 and by UF president Bernie Machen on April 25. The first- year coach's contract, released Friday, calls for a total of $2.1 million in longevity bonuses if Meyer stays for the length of the contract. Before bonuses, Meyer is scheduled to make about $1.5 million his first year. He also received a $500,000 signing bonus - former coach Ron Zook received a $375,000 signing bonus - and is due perks such as $100,000 for his children's educational expenses, a $60,000 expense account and free use of a vehicle ``in the medium price range'' for Meyer and his wife. Meyer's vehicle is a Dodge Durango. Meyer is scheduled to receive a $250,000 lump sum payment following the 2006 regular season, $500,000 in 2007, $250,000 in 2008, $500,000 in 2009 and $600,000 in 2011. There was no mention of 2010. In most cases, coach's contracts are revised long before they expire. If Meyer wins, he stands to make even more. Bonuses begin at $37,500 for making - and losing - the SEC Championship Game and escalate quickly. Meyer would receive $75,000 for winning the SEC title, $100,000 for reaching a Bowl Championship Series game and $250,000 for winning the BCS national title game. Meyer's contract has no buyout if he chooses to leave. Every year, he has from Dec. 1 until the day after Florida's bowl game to decide whether he wants to take another job. Should Meyer be fired, Florida would owe him $1 million for each year remaining on his contract. And if Florida fans didn't have enough reasons to cozy up to their coach, here's a new one. Meyer's contract calls for 12 complimentary tickets - probably not nosebleed seats, either - to each home game. He also has the option to buy 40 more tickets to each game at face value. UF received a commitment Friday from Stephenville, Texas, quarterback Jevan Snead. Snead, a 6-foot-4, 205- pounder, threw for 3,025 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for 618 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He chose Florida over Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma, and he intends to graduate in December and enroll at Florida in January. Snead is Florida's second commitment for the class of 2006. Fort Myers Riverdale running back Chevon Walker committed last month. Story Link Pressure on now...it's all over the media...even the Gators in Trailers Club is likely to see this as they toss the neighborhood fishwrap at other mobiles...  Wow, I give Urbie two years now.. ;D

You think?

Gators to pay Meyer average of $2 million BY DAVID JONES FLORIDA TODAY  GAINESVILLE - It's nice to be wanted. Just ask Urban Meyer. The new Florida football figures to become very wealthy with his new seven-year contract worth about $2 million annually and signed April 20. The longer he stays, the more he will be rewarded -- capped off by a package worth $2.35 million in 2011, including a $600,000 longevity incentive. Meyer left Utah with five years left in a deal worth $500,000 per season. Meyer, who also received a $500,000 signing bonus, will make $1.985 million this year. The final season is his highest payout, but a clause could allow renegotiation after the 2007 season. His Florida contract became available Friday through the state's open-records laws and was obtained by FLORIDA TODAY. It includes: Base salaries ranging from $225,000 this year to $268,660 in 2011 -- the only state money in the deal. Payments of $500,000 a year through the school's apparel contract with Nike. Appearance fees totaling $200,000 a year through 2007, then $250,000 a year. TV and radio deals of $300,000 a year, increasing to $425,000 a year in 2008. Longevity incentives alternating between $250,000 and $500,000 from 2006-09, then $600,000 in 2011. Two "medium-priced" cars, one for Meyer and his wife, with auto insurance paid, and an expense account of $60,000 a year ($5,000 a month). Payments of $100,000 a year for the Meyer family's educational expenses. Meyer's three children range in age from 6 to 14. Meyer's contract also includes bonues such as $250,000 for winning a national title, $75,000 for winning an SEC title and $50,000 for being named the Associated Press national coach of the year (which he was in 2004 at Utah before leaving for the Gators' program). Most of the contract, also including $100,000 a year for investments, will be paid by the University Athletic Association. While UF officials did not comment, Meyer has said that even though he will be one of the nation's highest-paid college coaches, taking the job wasn't about the money. "It's the best conference in college football," Meyer said during a recent booster stop in Brevard County. "I thought that before I was involved in the SEC, and now that I'm here, there is no question. It's the best players, it's in my opinion the best coaching. It's the passion." Florida State's Bobby Bowden, Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, Texas' Mack Brown and Phil Fulmer of Tennessee also have deals averaging more than $2 million a year. Fulmer will make $2.05 million through 2011 after a recent extension. Fulmer receives $800,000 from radio-TV, $625,000 from the Vols' apparel deal and $300,000 from an appearances and endorsement agreement. Meyer's deal dwarfs the contract of predecessor Ron Zook, who made just more than $1 million per season in his three years at Florida before being fired late in the 2004 season. The new coach's appeal and expectations are obvious in his new contract. He is required to attend 20 Gator gatherings, although that number can be negotiated downward and is expected to decrease in the near future. Zook received $400,000 in his first year for the apparel part of his contract, $200,000 for TV and radio and $100,000 for appearances -- all three portions considerably less than Meyer. Similar to a clause in most of Steve Spurrier's years at Florida, Meyer's deal allows him to consider other jobs only after the regular season until Jan. 2 each year. Meyer does not have a buyout clause in his Florida deal. He had a $250,000 buyout at Utah. Longevity could provide more incentive than any buyout demands. The $100,000 investment will be deposited in a fund of Meyer's choice. If he remains at Florida until Jan. 31, 2012, he collects the entire amount plus all interest accumulated. Coupled with the $600,000 bonus in 2011, Meyer would collect a total of $2.1 million dollars in longevity bonuses if he stays the full seven years. Story Link **** Right he BETTER win NOW - which I hope he doesn't.... [smiley=FIREdevil.gif]

Bulls Charging into third place: Pitt- ROC the Panther 62% WVU- Mountaineer 10% South Florida- Bull 10% Cincinnati- Bearcat 6% Syracuse- Orange 5% Rutgers- Scarlet Knight 3% Louisville- Cardinal Bird 2% UConn- Huskie 2% TOTAL VOTES: 463 VOTE HERE What, no one ever seen a ferocious orange?

Pitt Football Earns Accolades from Athlon Sports 5/4/2005 The Panthers rank 23rd in Athlon's preseason poll, while Greg Lee is named an All-American. Coming off its first-ever Bowl Championship Series berth, the Pitt football team received both team and individual accolades in Athlon Sports’ 2005 college football annual, due out next month. The Panthers are ranked 23rd nationally and picked to finish second in the Big East by Athlon. Pitt returns 18 starters from last year’s 8-4 Fiesta Bowl squad, including nine on offense, seven on defense and two specialists. Individually, junior receiver Greg Lee (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain) was named to Athlon’s All-America Team. A second-team selection, Lee led the Big East and ranked fifth nationally with 1,297 receiving yards last year. He had 68 total receptions (19.1 avg.) and 10 TD catches. Lee also was one of seven Pitt players named first team All-Big East by the magazine. He is joined by junior quarterback Tyler Palko (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny), senior offensive lineman Charles Spencer (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling School), junior linebacker H.B. Blades (Plantation, Fla./Plantation), senior cornerback Josh Lay (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa), senior placekicker Josh Cummings (Newhall, Calif./College of the Canyons) and junior punter Adam Graessle (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman). Additionally, the Panthers’ quarterbacks and receivers are rated No. 1 in the Big East. Palko is one of the featured players on Athlon’s Eastern edition cover. The magazine includes an article on new Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt and will hit newsstands June 7. The Panthers open their 2005 season Sept. 3 at Heinz Field against Notre Dame. Pitt will play an 11-game regular-season slate this year, including six home games. Story Link

I think that is a cop out...sorry. I voice my opinion probably too much on this.  If you're worth a ____, you can win in baseball at USF.  Too much to offer.  It's a lot like football.  I'd be a lot more supportive of blaming the facilities if I saw a program that knew how to recruit and coach.  I've never seen a facility walk four consecutive batters (unintenionally ;D).  We fail miserably and have allowed nearly every single DI-A team to pass us by (and some Div II teams). It's not just the facilities...we need a full body makeover...it's just that I don't think it's that important right now.  Football and Basketball really matter.  JewBull and some of the others just haven't experienced decades of baseball futility like the rest of us.  Doesn't make it right, but it is what it is (to quote esteemed board member dabull80). When was the last time we fired a coach for a terrible win-loss record?  Quit barking 'bout the facilities...JB might have a point...

By Pete Fiutak The standards are set just a wee bit higher at "The U." Nine win seasons and Peach Bowl victories are nice for some, but this place has a different attitude: win a championship or the season is a failure. Not only did Miami blow a chance to win the ACC title at home in the stunning 16-10 loss to Virginia Tech, it has now seen the honor of being "the nation's best program" handed over to USC. How bad have things gotten for Miami? It's now a fringe top-ten team in the eyes of some. That's right; underestimate the Canes. This is one of the nation's best defenses with a back seven to die for. The offense has the potential to be more explosive than it was last year if Kyle Wright becomes the quarterback everyone has expected him to be. In other words, Miami should be slightly better than it was last year. A slightly better Miami wins the ACC title. So with the expectations as high as always from the demanding Cane fans, that makes this sort of a make or break season. Once again, nine-win seasons are no reason to get into a panic, but another year without a conference title might send the program screaming that something has to be done to get back to a national title level. That might be unrealistic in most places, but not for Miami and not for a team that has at least ten future NFL starters. In other words, it's BCS or bust. The Schedule: It's a fascinating schedule of ebbs and flows. The beginning is a killer at Florida State, at Clemson and Colorado. If the Canes come out of that 3-0, they'll get through the squishy midsection and be 6-0 before a defensive slugfest against Georgia Tech. A win there means an 8-0 start before a battle at Virginia Tech. As good as Miami is, there's no reason to shoot for anything less than 10-1. Best Offensive Player: Senior OT Eric Winston. A blown out knee shortened Winston's 2004 and kept him from leaving early to be a top 15 draft pick. Now he's back and has to prove his knee is 100%. If he's back to normal, he'll be everyone's All-American. Best Defensive Players: Senior DT Orien Harris. At least it has to be. There are several other players who could end up being the defensive star on a given day, but Harris has to be tremendous for the run defense to be better and for the the rest of the line to shine. Key player to a successful season: Sophomore QB Kyle Wright and/or redshirt freshman QB Kirby Freeman. Brock Berlin wasn't out-of-this-world, but he had a good two years and was clutch when he had to be. Wright and Freeman have to crank the offense up another level. The season will be a success if ... Miami wins the ACC title. A loss in the mix is acceptable, but the team is too good not to win the league title and get back to the BCS. Key game: November 5th at Virginia Tech. Of course the season opener at Florida State is big, but the Canes can lose and still win the ACC title and can still be in the mix for the Rose Bowl by running the table. A loss at Virginia Tech probably means they don't win the Coastal Division. 2004 Fun Stats: - First quarter scoring: Miami 118 - Opponents 33 - Average yards per carry: Opponents 3.8 - Miami 3.7 - Penalties: Miami 95 for 736 yards - Opponents 69 for 584 yards Basically ... The Cane offense is long on great prospects, but short on proven production. Unlike last year when the attack relied on experience over potential, players like QB Kyle Wright, RB Tyrone Moss and WR Lance Leggett have more excitement around them and have more NFL potential than their predecessors. Moss and Leggett have given a glimpse of what they can do, but Wright, or Kirby Freeman, has to show the maturity and poise to handle one of college football's most glamorous and highly scrutinized positions. The offensive line will be more than solid, but it needs Eric Winston and Tyler McMeans to return to pre-injury form. Star of the offense: Senior OT Eric Winston Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore QB Kyle Wright or Redshirt freshman QB Kirby Freeman Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR Lance Leggett Best pro prospect: Winston Top three all-star candidates: 1) Winston, 2) Leggett, 3) RB Tyrone Moss Strength of the offense: Receiver, all-around athleticism Weakness of the offense: Quarterback experience Quarterbacks Only at Miami could a quarterback who was a win against Virginia Tech away from being the ACC Player of the Year be replaced by someone with twice as much talent. The Kyle Wright-Kirby Freeman battle for the starting spot is a non-issue if Wright plays lights out this off-season. Freeman has the talent to be the starter, but Wright has something special to be a first-pick-in-the-draft type of player. Miami's offense will move with either one. All that's missing is experience. Player to keep an eye on: Kirby Freeman, RFr. ... Quarterback Rating: 7.5 Projected Starter - Kyle Wright, Soph. - 2003's top recruit is ready to become the next, great Miami quarterback. Many Cane fans were calling for Wright to replace Brock Berlin the last two years, but the 6-5 star-in-waiting had to spend his time as the number three man. He saw a little bit of action competing five of nine passes for 30 yards against Louisiana Tech and Georgia Tech, but then sat out the rest of the season with a sprained ankle. He has the arm, the size and the talent, but he also has a ton of hype and plenty of expectations to deal with. Top Backups - Kirby Freeman, RFr. - It takes a certain attitude to not be afraid of going to a place that has one of the nation's top recruits waiting in the wings to take over. Freeman is a big passer who tore up the scout team last year. He has the skills to take over the starting job if Kyle Wright is anything less than perfect. - Trey Burklin, RFr. - Strictly a scout team quarterback, Burklin is the number three man in the mix unless absolute disaster strikes. He'll get his chance in practice, but the 6-3, 209-pound walk-on doesn't have a chance at the number two job. Running Backs Frank Gore was fine last year, but he wasn't the same back after the knee injuries. Tyrone Moss adds some excitement to the running game with the speed and quickness to be a big factor from day one. The fullbacks are outstanding with veteran Quadtrine Hill and big blocking James Bryant leading the way. There's a bit of a concern over the reserves and their experience with Charlie Jones and Derron Thomas needing to prove they can handle the workload when Moss needs a break. Player to keep an eye on: FB James Bryant, Soph. ... Running back rating: 7.5 Projected Starters - Tyrone Moss, Jr. - At 221 pounds, Moss has the size to be a workhorse and the pop that's been missing from the Miami running game since Willis McGahee left for the NFL. He's a shifty runner with tremendous breakaway speed rushing for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns in his short career. What he hasn't done yet is hit the home run with his longest run only 37 yards. Now that the starting job is his, expect a 1,200-yard, ten touchdown season. - Fullback Quadtrine Hill, Sr. - Hill lost his starting job last year, but he still made an impact on third downs and as a powerful change-of-pace back finishing third on the team with 111 yards averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He's an excellent receiver out of the backfield and is one of the fastest fullbacks in college football. Most importantly in this offense, he can pass block. Top Backups - Charlie Jones, Soph. - Jones got on the field as a true freshman and ran for 25 yards and a touchdown, but he spent most of his time on special teams. He's a good cutback runner with quick moves through the hole. He won't push Tyrone Moss for the starting job, but he'll be a solid number two back. - Derron Thomas, RFr. - At 5-9 and 185 pounds, it's all about speed and quickness, but Thomas can still run with a little bit of power. He has the potential to be a dangerous third down back if he can prove he can be a reliable receiver. - Fullback James Bryant, Soph. - At 6-3 and 235 pounds, Bryant adds more size than Quadtrine Hill at fullback. He's expected to play a big role this year in the offense after spending his freshman season as a standout special teamer. He has all the makings of a devastating run blocker. Receivers The loss of Roscoe Parrish to the NFL hurts, but it won't be that painful if sophomore Lance Leggett has the breakout season expected of him and Ryan Moore plays like he did this spring coming off a foot problem. Leggett has all the skills and athleticism to blossom into a superstar, and Moore has the look of the number one target by the start of the season. Speedy Sinorice Moss is a fantastic weapon to have in the mix, while Darnell Jenkins and Akeem Jolla have enough experience to make bigger impacts this year. The key will be for someone to pick up Parrish's scoring slack as he scored eight touchdowns last year. Greg Olsen is a great tight end prospect; Buck Ortega isn't a bad backup. Player to keep an eye on: Khalil Jones, RFr. ... Receiver rating: 8.5 Projected Starters - Lance Leggett, Soph. - The tall, fast sophomore started in seven games as a true freshman averaging a whopping 20.5 yards per catch. The sky is the limit after showing the deep speed to be a dangerous touchdown maker and the athleticism to be deadly around the goal line. He only caught 17 passes, but he scored four touchdowns. - Sinorice Moss, Sr. - While Sinorice isn't as good as his brother Santana, he's a game-breaker with tremendous speed. He's a flash when he gets the ball on the move averaging 17.5 yards per catch last year with three touchdowns on 20 catches. He's also a top special teams performer. - Tight end Greg Olsen, Soph. - Olsen has all the makings of being yet another superstar Miami tight end. At 6-6 and 247 pounds, the Notre Dame transfer and long snapper has excellent hands and speed averaging 17.2 yards per catch last year as a backup. He had a few problems with a wrist injury late last year causing him to miss spring ball, but he'll be ready by the start of the season. There are no problems whatsoever with his route running as he was always open when he got a chance to practice. Top Backups - Ryan Moore, Jr. - Consider Moore a starter after putting on a show this spring catching everything in sight looking like an All-American. He started in 2003 and was all set to make last year his breakout season before having problems with a foot injury. Limited to six games of action, Moore made nine catches for 85 yards with two touchdowns. He's 6-3 with decent speed and great hands. - Darnell Jenkins, Jr. - A backup for most of last year, Jenkins caught 21 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. He also returned kickoffs, but struggled only averaging 13.6 yards per return. He has great speed and is experienced enough to be more of a factor this year playing behind Sinorice Moss - Akeem Jolla, Jr. - Yet another tall Miami split end, the 6-4 junior caught 14 passes for 123 yards and a touchdowns last year. He'll be the fifth man in the receiver rotation. - Tight end Buck Ortega, Sr. - The former quarterback has spent most of his time on special teams and waiting his turn in the tight end rotation. At 6-5 and 224 pounds, he's big enough to be a physical blocker in the running game and has wide receiver-like hands catching eight passes for 82 yards last year. Offensive Line Injuries hurt the overall production of the line with the loss of Eric Winston to a knee injury the biggest blow. He's back along with four other players with significant starting experience to make this one of the ACC's better lines if it plays better than it did in spring ball when it was unable to keep the quarterbacks from getting popped. Rashad Butler and Winston form an outstanding tackle due, while Tyler McMeans has All-ACC written all over him if he can return from the knee injury that sidelined him last year. The backups are good, but a little green. Player to keep an eye on: Cyrim Wimbs, Soph. ... Offensive line rating: 8 Projected Starters - Tackle Eric Winston, Sr. - The good: Miami gets Winston back another year before he makes NFL millions. The bad: Miami only gets Winston back because he tore up his left knee early last year. He was on his way to becoming a sure first round draft pick with tremendous feet and strength in a 6-7, 310-pound frame before his injury. The former tight end sat out spring ball to get healthy and should be back at 100% by the start of the season. - Guard Tony Tella, Sr. - Tella manned the left guard last year starting every game after projecting to be nothing more than a decent backup. He worked his way into a good blocker with surprising athleticism for a 6-5, 298-pound guard. - Center Tyrone Byrd, RFr. - Versatile enough to play tackle or center, Byrd spent time this spring working in Eric Winston's spot and emerged as the rising star in the middle with no one else stepping up and taking over the job. - Guard Tyler McMeans, Sr. - At 6-5 and 337 pounds, McMeans is the biggest player on the Hurricane line. The JUCO transfer and Marine grabbed the starting job last year and turned into a dominant run blocker before getting knocked out for the year with a knee injury. - Tackle Rashad Butler, Sr. - Butler has been an invaluable fill-in stepping in for Eric Winston on the left side last year after missing the first few games with an ankle problem. He'll move over to the right side this year where he'll be one of the line's better pass protectors. Top Backups - G Derrick Morse, Soph. - Morse with thrown into the mix last year when injuries struck the line. He ended up starting six games and got better and better as the year went on turning into a punishing blocker. He'll push for time as a starting guard, but he'll likely be the first player in the rotation. - C Alex Pou, Jr. - A decent backup guard so far, Pou will move to the middle and challenge for the starting center job. He has shown promise, but he doesn't have a lot of experience. - T Cyrim Wimbs, Soph. - A big-time tackle prospect, the 6-5, 325-pound Wimbs will spend this year as the understudy behind Rashad Butler at right tackle. He has all the makings of a big-time player. - C Anthony Wollschlager, Jr. - The career reserve will battle with Alex Pou for the backup center job after Tyrone Byrd took over. Wollschlager is a bit bigger and a better run blocker, but the problem is his health having problems with injuries last year. He is hardly a lock playing time after struggling this spring. Basically ... This will be one of the best defenses in the country, if not the best. The only concern is with a run defense that was surprisingly soft last year allowing 155 yards per game. If that's tightened up, which it should be with one of Miami's best linebacking corps ever, this will be a killer with 11 players returning who started six or more games last year. That doesn't include superstar Devin Hester likely taking over the full-time job at one of the corners. Star of the defense: Senior DT Orien Harris Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior DT Baraka Atkins (moving from end to tackle) Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore FS Anthony Reddick Best pro prospect: Junior CB/KR Devin Hester Top three all-star candidates: 1) Harris, 2) Hester, 3) LB Rocky McIntosh Strength of the defense: Returning experience, depth, the entire back seven. Weakness of the defense: Proven run defense Defensive Line This will be one of the best lines in America thanks to Orien Harris in the middle. The NFL talent is the star the rest of the line revolves around, but there are other great players as well and all can get to the quarterback. Bryan Pata has the potential to be the line's breakout superstar at one end with offenses concentrating on Thomas Carroll on the other side. Baraka Atkins will be a devastating interior pass rusher now that he'll be a full-time tackle moved over from end. The backups are experienced and talented. Player to keep an eye on: DT Teraz McCray, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 9 Projected Starters - DE Bryan Pata, Jr. - 19 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss ...One of the potential stars of the Miami defense, the 267-pound Pata is a pass rushing menace when his motor is going full-tilt. He has excellent strength and quickness, but he has to be more consistent. He came on at the end of last year making five stops and a sack in the Peach Bowl win over Florida. - DT Baraka Atkins, Jr. - 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss ... Atkins is a big end and a small tackle. At 263 pounds, he was too much for most tackles as a pass rusher and too quick for most guard when he moved to tackle for four games. He's not going to be a dominant force against the run, but he'll be a game-changer when he gets into the backfield. - DT Orien Harris, Sr. - 55 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss ... Get the All-America campaign rolling. Harris had a huge season as a run stuffer making 39 unassisted tackles, but he's also a devastating interior pass rusher with 46 career quarterback hurries. Most importantly, the 300-pound senior is the epitome of an anchor allowing the rest of the line to go all out into the backfield. He suffered a bit of a shoulder injury this off-season, but it's nothing serious. - DE Thomas Carroll, Sr. - 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss ... The 6-5, 235-pound senior is a rangy player with tremendous quickness off the ball. He has been a dominant pass rushing force over the last two years with 11.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback hurries. He saw starting time on both the left and right sides last year and will start on the right this season. Top Backups - DE Javon Nanton, Sr. - 24 tackles, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss ... The 240-pound senior is a pure pass rusher with the best speed on the line. The former walk-on is used in passing situations and has responded with 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and 21 quarterback hurries over the last two seasons. - DT Kareem Brown, Jr. - 28 tackles, 1 sack, 6 tackles for loss ... At 6-5 and 301 pounds, Brown is a valuable reserve in the middle of the line used primarily as a run stopper. He'll start off behind Orien Harris on the right side, but he'll see a little bit of work on the left side in place of Baraka Atkins when more beef is needed in the middle. - DT Teraz McCray, Soph. - 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss ... McCray isn't all that tall, but he has great leverage used as a very strong rock in short yardage situations. He'll play behind Baraka Atkins on the left side and will be groomed for a starting spot next year. Linebackers If Willie Williams is fully healthy, there have been some whispers that this could be among the deepest and most talented linebacking corps Miami has ever had. Yikes. Leon Williams and Rocky McIntosh are experienced playmakers who can see time anywhere in the corps. Tavares Gooden was third on the team in tackles and will likely start out the year as a backup. Jon Beason was one of the surprises of spring ball working his way into a starting role. Player to keep an eye on: Willie Williams, RFr. ... Linebacker rating: 10 Projected Starters - Rocky McIntosh, Sr. - 111 tackles, 4 sacks, 13 tackles for loss ... It doesn't matter where McIntosh plays in the linebacking corps; he'll always make tackles. He's a big play veteran seeing time in the middle before settling in on the strongside. He had a little bit of a problem with a shoulder injury missing one game, but he still finished second on the team in tackles. - Leon Williams, Sr. - 56 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss ... Williams had a big year taking over for Jonathan Vilma in the middle even though was slightly overrated earning a Butkus Award finalist nod. He has decent size, 121 tackles of experience, and tremendous instincts, but he's simply holding down the fort until Willie Williams is ready to take over. - Jon Beason, Soph. - 29 tackles, 4 tackles for loss ... It'll be interesting to see if Beason maintains the momentum from spring ball when he was moved up to the first team on the depth chart on the outside. He can play any linebacking with his tenacity and speed. Top Backups - Romeo Davis, Soph. - 15 tackles, 3 tackles for loss ... Davis is only 208 pounds, but he's very fast and showed that he can be something special after getting the starting spot on the weakside late in his true freshman season. He's great in space able to chase down plays. Now he has to prove he can be an consistent force against the run. - Willie Williams, RFr. - Putting aside all the past legal issues and controversies, Williams really is a very, very good linebacker who'll be playing in the NFL some day very soon. His first year wasn't a good one breaking a finger and tearing up a knee, but he'll be back for what should be a big year after shining this spring on the outside. He'll play on the weakside, but he can see time in the middle if needed. If his knee is 100%, look for this to be an interesting battle for the starting spot all year long. - Tavares Gooden, Jr. - 83 tackles, 10 tackles for loss ... Gooden started on the weakside before a shoulder injury knocked him out late in the year. He isn't all that big, but he can flat out fly with sideline-to-sideline range. Think of him as a 6-1, 220-pound safety. - Glenn Cook, Soph. - 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss ... Cook is a versatile reserve seeing time in the middle and on the strong side. He mostly made plays on special teams last year, but he'll be a bigger option behind Romeo Davis on the weakside if he doesn't have problems with fainting spells that he suffered this spring. Defensive Backs Miami was ninth in the nation in pass defense last year allowing only 173 yards per game. Expect the secondary to be even better with Devin Hester a full-time cornerback and everyone else returning. It should say something that 2004's leading tackler, Greg Threat, is likely to start the year as a reserve. There's speed, depth, and a whole bunch of talent. It'll be a stunner if this isn't another top ten pass defense. Player to keep an eye on: FS Anthony Reddick, Soph. ... Secondary rating: 10 Projected Starters - CB Kelly Jennings, Sr. - 40 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... A steady producer in the secondary for the last three seasons, Jennings is a smooth corner who can handle most number one receivers without much of a problem. He has decent size and is a good open-field tackler. - FS Anthony Reddick, Soph. - 73 tackles, 3 tackles for loss ... Reddick earned just about every All-Freshman honor possible after stepping in and taking over the starting role halfway through the season. Even though he only started in six games, he still finished fourth on the team in tackles and showed flashes of potential to suggest that he's the next great Miami safety. - SS Brandon Meriweather, Jr. - 62 tackles, 2 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... Meriweather spent most of last year at free safety and will spend this season at strong safety. He has tremendous speed and is good in pass coverage, but his real talent is in providing the big hit. A shoulder injury limited him last year. Now he's all healed and ready to be one of the team's top tacklers. - CB Devin Hester, Jr. - 20 tackles, 4 interceptions, 5 broken up passes ... One of the most electrifying players in college football, Hester has been begged to see more time at receiver to go along with being the best kick returner in college football. But from day one he said he wanted to be a big-time cornerback and will quickly be one of the most feared corners in the game if he can hold down a starting spot. Consistency has been his problem early on and he needs a lot of work. The lightning fast junior picked off four passes last year despite playing half the time in the secondary. Top Backups - SS Greg Threat, Sr. - 139 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... While Threat will technically start out the year as a backup behind Brandon Meriweather, he'll find a place somewhere on the field at either strong or free safety. He's the biggest safety in the mix and the best tackling defensive back leading the team with 139 stops last season. - CB Glenn Sharpe, Jr. - 4 tackles ... Sharpe was limited last year trying to recover from a bad knee injury suffered in 2003. When healthy, he's a great corner reserve who was on the verge of big things before the injury. He'll play behind Devin Hester on the right side. - CB Marcus Maxey, Sr. - 21 tackles, 3 broken up passes ... A huge corner at 6-3 and 200 pounds, Maxey is a key player in nickel situations and a good hitter. He has mostly spent time on special teams, but he'll play more defensive back behind Kelly Jennings on the right side. Special Teams Miami should enjoy the nation's best special teams. Jon Peattie was hurt last year contributing to a rocky season, but he's healthy now and should be among the best placekickers in the nation. Brian Monroe fought through a bad freshman year to come up with a strong season. Now he's expected to be a weapon. Devin Hester is the best return man in college football averaging 17.2 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards on kickoff returns. Special Teams rating: 9 - Placekicker Jon Peattie, Jr. - 15-24 FGs, 45-45 extra points ... Peattie is one of the best kickers in college football and is also clutch. Don't let the 15-of-24 field goal season fool you. He had a groin problem for most of the year and missed three of his kicks from beyond 50 yards. Five of his nine misses came from beyond 40. - Punter Brian Monroe, Jr. - Monroe has had a shaky career so far, but he settled down last year to finish with a 41.2 yard average putting 20 inside the 20. With two years of starting experience under his belt, he's expected to have a big junior year. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – Okay, Let’s Get It Over With – You’ve got the question right on the tip of your tongue. It’s so obvious. And, it’s a good bet that it’s the most asked question of Miami head coach Larry Coker in the off-season. And, it definitely isn’t “How’s the weather?” Say it with me - Who is going to be the quarterback? The Brock Berlin years have come and gone and there are many of you out there, especially Hurricane fans, that file those two years right along side the Frank Costa years, although Costa did have them in the Orange Bowl following the 1994 season. So, now, offensive coordinator Dan Werner has a clean slate to work with, and two young studs to choose from – the Californian Kyle Wright and the Texan Kirby Freeman. The sophomore Wright has the classic look for a Miami quarterback – 6’4” 210 pounds, above average arm, but he also has the quickness to elude defenders and get out of the pocket when he must. Freeman is a tad smaller than Wright, but that’s the only perceived weakness in his game. The Canes have had their quarterback controversies in the past, but this one can’t tear this team apart. The offense, as usual, has some explosive talent (Tyrone Moss, an improved Ryan Moore and TE Greg Olsen come to mind); thus, someone has to be able to handle the team at the line of scrimmage and get the ball to the people that need to have the ball. So, in essence, the decision is very simple – whoever can get this team in the end zone on a more consistent basis should start. How they do it and what they have to do to get it done doesn’t and shouldn’t matter. Well, Coach, who’s it going to be? 2nd and Seven – The Neanderthal is back! – Former Midland (TX) Lee grad and stud offensive tackle Eric Winston should return in the fall to the lineup after tearing his ACL during the 2004 season. The loss of Winston hurt the running game immensely and made pass protection that much more difficult. He was such a physical marvel before his injury – his quickness and ferocity were trademarks that made him an All-American, but how much of that quickness he’s lost due to the knee injury remains to be seen. Regardless, even if Winston is 90% of his former self, that’s a lot better than most guys at 100% 3rd and Three – ROB – A coach once had this acronym on his defensive play sheet, and when he was asked what it meant, he responded “Roll Out Ball”. When pushed as to why it was on his play sheet, he said “I just roll out the ball, get out of the way and let my players play.” Exactly. With the returning talent on defense for this year, the Canes’ DC Randy Shannon might be better served to roll out the balls and let his ‘D’ play. Six of the front seven starters return, and although All-American Antrel Rolle is soon to be a rich man, the secondary has three of four starters returning, including future star in the making FS Anthony Reddick. If this group can stay healthy, the speed, quickness and aggressiveness are there to de dominant in 2005. Perhaps, it’s time to just ROB. 4th and One – 4 to the Floor – A preview on Miami football wouldn’t be complete without mention of the most exciting player east of the Mississippi – Mr. Devin Hester. The term game breaker doesn’t even begin to describe how incredible this kid is on a football field. But, the Canes’ coaching staff has to find a way to get the ball in Hester’s hands at least ten times a game. So, if he plays CB, that’s fine, Deion Sanders it’s going to be. You want to help that youngster at QB, give him 4.3 speed on an outside go route this fall. Teams won’t (and/or shouldn’t) kick to him, so the staff has to be creative with ways to get him the ball. Then, just watch him roll. LINK (with Depth Chart)

By Pete Fiutak Every once in a while a program needs a breath of fresh air. Former head coach Paul Pasqualoni never received enough credit for helping to keep Syracuse football solid, but the program became stagnant and maxed out under his watch. There needed to be a new infusion of ideas, some more excitement, and above all else, better players. There was a time when Syracuse was loaded year-in-and-year-out with great athletes and top-notch NFL prospects. While the Orangemen, as they were called way back when, almost never got the elite of the elite recruits, they got enough to become a part-time powerhouse and yearly Big East threat. To get the talent back to Syracuse, there needed to be a coaching change and a new direction. In comes Greg Robinson to take over after helping to craft the sliding Texas defense into a brick wall and full of the enthusiasm that only a first time head coach can bring. The offense will become more flashy with more passing, and the defense will get an instant upgrade with the good coaches coming in. There isn't enough overall talent in place to win the average Big East, but the Orange can come close with enough experience on both sides of the ball to come up with a bounceback season and provide hope for next year. The Schedule: It's sneaky tough early with an interesting opener to the Robinson era, and the Big East season, against West Virginia in the Dome. If Syracuse wants to be a player, it has to find a way to beat Virginia before going to Florida State. There's little margin for error at home with the road games over the second half of the season at Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Louisville. Best Offensive Player: Senior RB Damien Rhodes. After splitting time with Walter Reyes, the rushing duties belong to the big, quick senior. Rhodes has to prove he can be an every game workhorse, but he'll be a sure All-Big East performer, and possible All-American, if he can handle rushing 25 times a game, every game. He can catch as well. Best Defensive Player: Senior FS Anthony Smith. Overshadowed by Diamond Ferri last season, now Smith is the leader of the Orange secondary. He has corner speed in the big-hitting body of a safety. Key player to a successful season: QBs Perry Patterson and Joe Fields. The receiving corps was average, but the quarterbacks didn't help the problem with their inconsistent play. Now one has to emerge as the clear-cut starter and leader of the offense to improve on the nation's 100th ranked passing attack. The season will be a success if ... Syracuse wins seven games and goes back to a bowl while making strides towards being a power again. The road slate is way too tough to win the Big East, so the key will be for Robinson to point things in the right direction with a couple of upset wins mixed in with some competitive losses as an underdog. Just as important, there can't be any losses like the one to Temple last year. Key game: September 3 vs. West Virginia. The Orange have to get off to a big start at home to win the fans back and avoid a rocky first month. There schedule is too tough late to afford a loss to the Mountaineers right off the bat. 2004 Fun Stats: - Passing touchdowns: Opponents 23 - Syracuse 8 - Syracuse lost its first game of last year (Purdue) and last game (Georgia Tech) by a combined score of 102-14. - Field goals: Syracuse 14 of 25 - Opponents 12 of 24 Basically ... The offense struggled way too much failing to get anything going in the passing game and finishing 100th in the nation in passing. Quarterbacks Perry Patterson and Joe Fields have to be more consistent, but they also need help with a young receiving corps that could struggle early on. The attack is being changed up a bit to throw it more in a West Coast attack, so the opportunities will be there. The offensive line is decent, but non-descript. Star of the offense: Senior RB Damien Rhodes Player that has to step up and become a star: Quarterbacks Perry Patterson and Joe Fields Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman OG Ryan Durand Best pro prospect: Rhodes Top three all-star candidates: 1) Rhodes, 2) C Steve Franklin, 3) G Jason Greene Strength of the offense: Running back Weakness of the offense: Experienced receiver Quarterbacks Texas legend Major Applewhite directs the talented, but erratic group of quarterbacks and should find a way to get more production in the new West Coast offense. Perry Patterson has the best combination of skills with his size, mobility and arm, but he has to be more consistent. The switch to a more passer-friendly offense should help get him in more of a rhythm. Joe Fields isn't out of the race for the starting spot by a long shot and it he shows he can improve on his 45% completion percentage, he could be the opening day starter for the second straight season. Player to keep an eye on: Matt Hale, Soph. ... Quarterback Rating: 7 Projected Starter - Perry Patterson, Jr. - Patterson has shown flashes of being a big-time passer and leader, but he has to put it together for a full season. He's a huge 6-4, 242-pounder with a good arm and great mobility rushing for 143 yards and three touchdowns while throwing for 1,851 yard and seven touchdowns completing 58% of his passes. The problem has been interceptions with ten last season and at least one in each of the final four games. Granted, he hasn't had the greatest of receiving corps to work with, but he has to make his pass catchers look good too. Top Backups - Joe Fields, Soph. - Fields saw a little bit of starting work getting the nod in the opening three games throwing for 192 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. While mobile, he's not the rushing threat Patterson is, but he's a smart player who was thrown to the wolves too early. He'll get every shot to win back the starting spot this fall. - Matt Hale, Soph. - At 6-5 and 235 pounds, Hale is a big, athletic passer who has the arm, but appears to be the clear number three in the mix. Running Backs The running game got used to not having Walter Reyes last year as the star was never quite healthy. Now he's gone meaning Damien Rhodes gets to be the full-time back and should shine with an increased workload. If he can handle running the ball around 225 times, he should flirt with 1,500 yards and catch around 25 passes. The backups are a bit iffy with Jeremy Sellers an unproven number two and Tim Washington needing to be over his concussion problems to add his speed to the mix. 2004 top recruit Kareem Jones needs to be a factor to add more talent to the reserves. Breyone Evans is a good-looking young fullback. Player to keep an eye on: Jeremy Sellers, Soph. ... Running back rating: 7.5 Projected Starters - Damien Rhodes, Sr. - The 6-0, 217-pound senior is an experienced home-run hitter leading the team with 870 yards and ten touchdowns with a 5.7 yard-per-carry average and serving as a kickoff returner. He's a solid receiver with 18 catches for 246 yards and a touchdown and will be the centerpiece of the attack until the passing game comes around. - Fullback Breyone Evans, Soph. - The starter for most of last year, the 234-pound Evans should be used more as a rusher than just a pure blocking back after rushing for 50 yards and a score and catching seven passes for 46 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. Top Backups - Jeremy Sellers, Soph. - After having a cup of coffee at receiver and safety, Sellers will be the number two back behind Damien Rhodes rushing for 31 yards. He has been a special teamer as well, but he'll spend most of his time as a backup back. - Tim Washington, Jr. - Hurt for most of last year with a concussion problem, Washington is a quick back who ran for 168 yards and a score in 2003. He'll push for backup time adding more speed to the backfield. - Kareem Jones, RFr. - A top recruit last year, Jones ran for 2,596 yards and 43 touchdowns in his senior season with good size and big time speed. - Fullback Stephen McDonald, Jr. - Hurt for all of last year with a broken leg, the 242-pound McDonald will combine with Tony Fiametta for the backup fullback job behind Breyone Evans. He hasn't had much luck so far in his career, but he's big and should be a decent blocker. Receivers The top two receivers, Jared Jones is gone and Steve Gregory moved to defensive back, but they're replaceable. This is an extremely young corps that got a little bit of playing time last year as freshmen. Now-sophomores Rice Moss, Quinton Brown and Landel Bembo have to form the nucleus of the new passing attack. Tim Lane is a big receiver who'll likely get the opening day call at the Z, but there are more talented players behind him. Incoming freshman Lavar Lobdell is the type of talent the program has been starving for over the last few years. The tight end situation is interesting with some massive players who have to turn into more dangerous receiving threats. Player to keep an eye on: Rice Moss, Soph. ... Receiver rating: 6.5 Projected Starters - Tim Lane, Jr. - Lane was mostly a special teamer last year, but now the 6-2, 212-pound junior will have to be one of the top go-to receivers on the X. He has good hands and is physical, but he has to prove he can be a dangerous and consistent target. - Rice Moss, Soph. - Slowed down by a thumb injury, Moss didn't have quite the first season he could've catching four passes for 40 yards in only six games of action. He showed enough flashes in practice to earn one start and will get the nod on the outside at the X position. At 6-2 and 185 pounds, he's a good-size receiver with good deep speed. - Tight end Joe Kowalewski, Sr. - The 6-4, 262-pound senior is now a full blown tight end after starting out his career as a defensive end and linebacker. He was out this spring with a shoulder injury, but he's a big blocker and a decent receiver with 14 catches for 181 yards. Now he'll be more of a factor in the passing game with more of an emphasis on getting the ball to the tight end. Top Backups - Quinton Brown, Soph. - Brown became a factor as a true freshman and caught five passes, but somehow only gained -1 yard with a long catch of two yards. He's going to get every opportunity to win the starting job on the Z combining with Tim Lane for the job. He could be used on kick returns as well. - Landel Bembo, Soph. - Small but very, very quick, the 5-8, 168-pound sophomore was a decent reserve as a redshirt freshman catching 14 passes for 115 yards. He'll be used on the outside as a deep threat on the X. - Larar Lobdell, Fr. - Lobdell was a major coup for the new coaching staff snagging him away from Miami at the last season. When he arrives this fall, he has the potential to be an instant impact player with good size and tremendous speed. - Tight end Alex Shor, Sr. - At 6-8 and 277 pounds, Shor is a huge tight end with decent athleticism and good strength. He caught one pass last year and will be used almost like a third tackle. Offensive Line The line doesn't have any sure-fire stars with the loss of Matt Tarullo and Adam Terry, but there's enough experience to hope for a solid season with three returning starters and some big reserves waiting in the wings. The group needs to be a bit better in pass protection after allowing 24 sacks, but it was decent at opening up holes for the running game. Expect more of the same. Player to keep an eye on: G Ryan Durand, RFr. ... Offensive line rating: 6 Projected Starters - Tackle Kurt Falke, Sr. - A smart, athletic tackle, the 6-6, 287-pound senior has been used a bit as a blocking tight end and saw a little bit of time at tackle. Now the former JUCO transfer will get the starting nod on the left side. - Guard Jason Greene, Sr. - Greene started every game last season and became one of the team's better run blockers. He's 6-6 and 300 pounds and with enough experience to be counted on as one of the anchors on the left side. - Center Steve Franklin, Sr. - The former guard started almost every game over the last two seasons and will now take over in the middle. He's a smart player as a two-time member of the Big East All-Academic team and should be able to handle the responsibility of making the calls on the line. At 6-5 and 321 pounds, he's a big, pounding blocker. - Guard Ryan Durand, RFr. - It'll be Durand's time to shine at right guard combining with Mike Sklarosky for the job. At 6-5 and 320 pounds, Durand is a bigger prospect with big credentials coming out of high school. - Tackle Quinn Ojinnaka, Sr. - The senior started every game last season showing good athleticism and decent run blocking skills. He'll start at right tackle and be expected to become one of the team's best pass protectors. Top Backups - G Mike Sklarosky, Jr. - The former JUCO All-American will battle with Ryan Durand for the starting left guard spot. He didn't get off the bench last season, but he has the practice time, and the time at Lackawanna JC, to hope for a reliable season as, at least, a backup. - G Carroll Madison, Soph. - The backup at left guard behind Jason Greene, the 322-pound Madison provides a bigger option with great upside. - C Marvin McCall, Soph. - McCall worked out as a guard last season playing in three games, but now he'll push for time in the middle along with sophomore Justin Outten. Basically ... The hiring of Greg Robinson as head coach should do nothing but help a defense that slipped into the abyss finishing 101st in the nation. There was little production against the run, nothing happening against the pass, and few clutch stops. There should be an improvement with a ton of returning experience led by a good-looking front seven. The corner is in the secondary where the corners have to make more plays after getting repeatedly torched last season. Star of the defense: Senior FS Anthony Smith Player that has to step up and become a star: Senior CB DeAndre LaCaille Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore DE Ryan LaCasse Best pro prospect: Smith Top three all-star candidates: 1) Smith, 2) DE James Wyche 3) LB Kellen Pruitt Strength of the defense: Defensive line, linebacker depth Weakness of the defense: Cornerback, pass defense Defensive Line Expect head coach/defensive coordinator Greg Robinson to use his talents to get make this one of the team's bigger upgrades with three returning starters and a newcomer to the starting mix, DE Ryan LaCasse, who has serious all-star potential. There's size inside and promising reserves, but the group has to be far, far better against the run after being shoved around for 187 yards per game. LaCasse and James Wyche should be terrors at getting to the quarterback, but they could use some help with more of an interior pass rush. Player to keep an eye on: DE Ryan LaCasse, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 7 Projected Starters - DE James Wyche, Sr. - 68 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hurries ... An All-Big East selection, the 6-6, 267-pound left end is an intimidating presence with a great step getting to the quarterback. He was camped out in the backfield last season and should be even better being turned loose in Greg Robinson's defense. - NT Tony Jenkins, Soph. - 49 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 4 broken up passes ... A slightly smaller man in the middle than the 313-pound Chris Thorner, the 293-pound Jenkins had a big freshman season earning Freshman All-America honors. He's good at getting into the backfield and bats down passes. - DT Kader Drame, Sr. - 31 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 4 broken up passes ... Drame started every game looking like a pure tackle after starting his career on the offensive side. He's a decent run stopper and good at getting into the backfield, but he has to use his experience to be more of a presence. - DE Ryan LaCasse, Sr. - 32 tackles, 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hurries ... A reserve all of last year, LaCasse was a great situational pass rusher and was solid against the run. At 255 pounds, he has good size and All-Big East potential now that he's in a full-time role. Top Backups - DT Chris Thorner, Jr. - 23 tackles, 1 tackle for loss ... The former offensive lineman turned into a decent tackle as one of the team's better run stoppers, At 6-4 and 313 pounds, he should be in for a huge season now that he knows what he's doing. - DE Lee Williams, Soph. - A special teamer so far, the 256-pound sophomore is a good-sized backup on the right side behind Ryan LaCasse. - DT Eugene Brown, Sr. -  Brown needs to be a factor behind Kader Drame after not doing much of anything so far. He has the size at 6-3 and 295 pounds to be effective against the run, but has actually has to produce. Linebackers The might be a dizzying array of linebacker prospects to work with, but Greg Robinson's philosophy is to find three starting linebackers and stick with them. That's why the competition is so fierce despite the return of starters Kellen Pruitt, Jerry Mackey and Kelvin Smith. Mackey was sidelined this spring recovering from shoulder surgery making the puzzle even tougher to put together. With so many prospects, it's clear the best three will play to get more production than there was last year. Seniority doesn't mean much. Player to keep an eye on: Tommy Harris, Sr. ... Linebacker rating: 8 Projected Starters - Kellen Pruitt, Sr. - 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 4 broken up passes ... Pruitt is starting his third year in the corps moving from the weakside to the strong, at least for a little while. He has 201 career tackles and 14 tackles for loss, and he has been strong in pass coverage. Now he'll be asked to do more against the run. - Jerry Mackey, Jr. - 106 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks ... The team's leading tackler last year was sidelined all spring recovering from shoulder surgery. While he's not a lock to get his starting spot back under the new regime, he'll get every chance to earn it again this fall. At 241 pounds, he's a good-size run stuffer inside with decent range. - Kelvin Smith, Jr. - 53 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions ... Smith moved from the weakside to the middle this spring while Jerry Mackey was out, but he projects to move back once Mackey is healthy. Smith is likely getting reps in case Mackey goes down this fall as he's needed more for his pass coverage skills outside. Top Backups - Tommy Harris, Sr. - 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss ... After starting out at defensive end, the 238-pound senior will stick at linebacker where he'll be a challenger for the starting weakside job after working extensively with the first team this spring. He's a good, versatile hitter who can also play in the middle. - Jamar Atkinson, Jr. - The transfer redshirted last year and is being given a hard look on the strongside. He's battling with Vincenzo Giruzzi for the number two job behind Kellen Pruitt, but the coaching staff has made it clear that the job is there for the taking. - Jameel McClain, Soph. - 11 tackles ... At 250 pounds, McClain is the biggest of the linebacker prospects and will start out pushing for time in the middle. - Luke Cain, Jr. - 24 tackles ... A part-time starter, Cain is vying for the weakside job after a good season as a reserve. He didn't get the reps Tommy Harris had this spring, but he's still considered a contender for the starting job. - Vincenzo Giruzzi, Soph. - The fastest player in the corps, the 6-2, 230-pound sophomore is being given every shot to win the strongside job after spending last year nursing a leg injury. Defensive Backs The secondary was abysmal last season finishing 90th in the nation allowing 240 yards per game and 23 touchdown passes. Anthony Smith is a sure-thing at free safety and Tanard Jackson has a line on one of the corner jobs, but that's all that's set with wide open races for the other two spots. There's experience for the other cornerback slot with receiver Steve Gregory moving back to corner and DeAndre LaCaille the returning starter. Sophomores Reggie McCoy and Dowayne Davis will combine at strong safety. Player to keep an eye on: SS Reggie McCoy, Soph. ... Secondary rating: 6 Projected Starters - CB Tanard Jackson, Jr. - 56 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 broken up passes ... Jackson started every game last year and was good, but not great. He has decent size and has to be the clear-cut shutdown corner on the left side being asked to take on everyone's number one receiver. - FS Anthony Smith, Sr. - 85 tackles, 3 interceptions, 4 broken up passes ... Smith is one of the Big East's best defensive backs and most intimidating hitters. He's a good ball-hawker and great at helping out in pass coverage. He can be a physical corner if needed. - SS Reggie McCoy, Soph. - 1 tackle ... McCoy will combine with Dowayne Davis for the strong safety job. While not assured the job, he logged the most reps with the first team this spring and appears to have a lead in the race. - CB DeAndre LaCaille, Sr. - 34 tackles, 3 broken up passes ... LaCaille started eight games and became a bit of a playmaker, but the starting job is hardly his. At 6-0 and 210 pounds, he's physical and a sure tackler. Now he needs to prove he can be a difference maker when the ball is in the air. Top Backups - SS Dowayne Davis, Soph. - 7 tackles ... Almost neck-and-neck with Reggie McCoy for the strong safety job, Davis has cornerback speed with safety size. At the very least he'll be a regular special teamer. - CB Steve Gregory, Sr. - 4 tackles ... Gregory moved from corner to receiver and back to corner again. Technically he's the team's leading returning receiver, but now he'll try to win the starting corner job on the right side. - CB Thomas Whitfield, Sr. - 18 tackles, 1 broken up pass ... Whitfield will get a little bit of a shot at the right corner job, but will more likely push for playing time behind Tanard Jackson. While not a star corner, he's a decent reserve. Special Teams Brendan Carney is a solid punter but likely won't be the answer kicking field goals. The hope is for Ricky Krautman to take over so Carney can go on to be an All-Big East punter. There has to be more pop to the punt return game after averaging a paltry 6.5 yards per return. The coverage units were average and could use a little work. Special Teams rating: 6 - Placekicker/Punter Brendan Carney, Jr. - 0-2 FGs, 7-7 extra points ... Carney has been an all-star punter averaging 42.8 yards per kick getting to work inside the Dome. Now he'll get the first look at placekicker, but will likely give way to sophomore Ricky Krautman as the year goes on. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – Guys.  Guys!  Wake up, it’s over – Even though the Orange won six games and made another bowl trip, the 2004 season wasn’t one of those Cinderella story years that you end up logging in the mental Rolodex.  In its long and storied history, last season was one of the more surreal seasons for the Orange, which started with a 51 point blow out against Kyle Orton and Purdue, and finished in the Champs Bowl where the defense gave up, well, another 51 points.  Okay, so outside of the bookend 51 point outbursts by their opponents, there were strange and unusual moments; so much so that at any one point in the season, the Orange was going to be home for the holidays, then they were possibly headed to a BCS bowl, then no bowl again, then finally they were on their way to Orlando.  Along the way, they lost to Temple (TEMPLE?!?), giving up a million yards to the Owls’ versatile signal caller Walter Washington.  They beat conference champion Pittsburgh in double overtime, but needed 21 points in the fourth quarter to save the Rutgers game at home.  They got smashed by West Virginia, but went to Chestnut Hill and blew out Boston College, who had just hammered WVU the week prior.  They played hard throughout the season, but the up and down nature of the season took its toll on the Orange when they flew to Orlando to take on Georgia Tech.  Tech brought the hammer down on Syracuse and former coach Paul Pasqualoni on national television.  But, with rain often comes a rainbow, and with the emergence of former NFL and University of Texas defensive coordinator Greg Robinson as head coach, the Orange will be moving in the right direction for a good long while.  Regardless as to what happened last year, Robinson’s intense but caring demeanor should provide the Orange fans and alums with a more consistent on the field product to root for, and a team that will never, never give up 51 points in a game again. 2nd and Seven – All Rhodes lead to Damien – Although he had to share carries and playing time with Walter Reyes, Damien Rhodes flourished last season, and with the ball all to himself in 2005, he’s primed for a big year.  Rhodes’ slashing style helped him put up 870 yards on only 153 carries last season, which amounted to about 12 or 13 carries per game.  This year, he’s got to be the horse that gets 22 to 25 carries per game and dominates the ball and the clock.  Rhodes’ ability to control the football is the best defense the Orange could have, and don’t think that a defensive minded coach like Robinson doesn’t value having a guy like Rhodes on defense, err, offense.  3rd and Three – A Wyche Guy – Although comparisons to former Orange DE star Dwight Freeney are a bit premature at this point, current DE James Wyche is moving in that direction.  The senior was a disrupting force off of the edge in 2004, registering 14.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks.  However, this defense is going to need more of that effort in 2005 to help avoid those 51 point offensive outputs.  Robinson knows how to utilize big time defensive talent, so keep an eye on how he and the defensive staff utilize #90 this fall in their various defensive schemes. 4th and One – The Apple of Their Eye – The name Major Applewhite is known throughout most college football circles for his exploits at the University of Texas, but the man has his work cut out for him as the new quarterback’s coach at SU. QBs Perry Patterson and Joe Fields have been more of a detriment than an asset, but with the help of their new QB coach, expect more improvement and consistency from this position in 2005.  Just remember, an Apple a day, keeps the Orange offense in play. LINK (with depth charts)

The contents of this thread have been moved [link=http://www.thebullspen.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=BigEast;action=display;num=1115441162]HERE[/link] by Bulliever.

By Pete Fiutak Well that was certainly interesting. Louisville came up with its best season ever crushing and killing everything in its path with an 11-win campaign leading the nation in offense and finishing 15th in total defense. Even after losing QB Stefan LeFors, RB Eric Shelton, leading receiver J.R. Russell and top defensive player Robert McCune, the team has the potential to be every bit as good. Can there be the same results? Absolutely, and it's because the schedule is nice and squishy with the toughest game coming against Pittsburgh. Oh sure, Louisville pushed Miami to the wall, but it didn't come away with a win. There was the classic Liberty Bowl victory over Boise State, but that's not like beating a Tennessee or Michigan. The fact of the matter is that Louisville beat the living sneeze out of a horrible Conference USA. Of course, there was also a dominant 34-0 win over a North Carolina team that beat Miami. Forgetting about schedules, Louisville should have one of the nation's most fun teams and will certainly be considered among the favorites for the Big East title thanks to as talented an offense as the league has seen since Miami was ruling the world. The defense has several replacements, but it shouldn't suffer a major drop-off. In other words, get ready for another fantastic run. The Schedule: There's not a game on the schedule that, as it looks in the preseason, Louisville shouldn't be the favorite. The toughest road game is at West Virginia and the season closes out with a good battle at UConn. The other nasty battles? Oregon State, Pittsburgh and ... Syracuse? North Carolina? Demand 11-0 Louisville fans, but expect 9-2. Best Offensive Player: Senior OT Travis Leffew. QB Brian Brohm is going to be the superstar and RB Michael Bush will be one of the most productive scorers in college football, but they need a good front wall to operate behind. Travis Leffew has been a long time starter for the Cardinals and will be one of the best tackles in the country. Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Elvis Dumervil. He's small, powerful and very, very quick as a tremendous pass rusher who'll be the leader on the line. The tackles are good enough to occupy blockers so Dumervil can be a double-digit sack artist. Key player to a successful season: QB Brian Brohm. The much-heralded recruit got his feet wet as well as he possibly could've last year coming through with some big throws in vital moments. Departed starter Stefan LeFors was an underrated producer and Brohm would be successful to be just as good. He must stay healthy because the machine will break down if the inexperienced backups have to start. The season will be a success if ... Louisville wins the Big East title and is off to the BCS. A ten-win season is a must for a team this talented. The bar was set high last year, and there's no reason to expect anything less in a Big East that's not all that fantastic. Key game: October 15th at West Virginia. With the main contender, Pittsburgh, coming to Papa John's, Louisville's trip to West Virginia becomes the biggest obstacle. The Mountaineers aren't quite as talented as last year, but they're still going to be tough at home. 2004 Fun Stats: - Rushing touchdowns: Louisville 47 - Opponents 10 - Average yards per play: Louisville 7.2 - Opponents 4.6 - Third down conversions: Louisville 82-158 (52%) - Opponents 56-176 (32%) - Points per game: Louisville 49.8 - Opponents 19.7 Basically ... Talk about reloading. Louisville loses all-star quarterback Stefan LeFors, NFL-caliber, 20-touchdown running back Eric Shelton, and 73-catch receiver J.R. Russell, but should be just as strong as the offense that was the nation's best last year. There's plenty of talent returning and several great options among the reserves to keep the party rolling. QB Brian Brohm will instantly become one of the nation's top quarterbacks now that he's the full-time starter. The Cards are loaded with talented running backs and receivers and blessed with one of the nation's deepest and most athletic lines. However, the party could crash if Brohm gets hurt with no experience behind him. Star of the offense: Sophomore QB Brian Brohm Player that has to step up and become a star: Brohm Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore TE Gary Barnidge Best pro prospect: Brohm Top three all-star candidates: 1) OT Travis Leffew, 2) Brohm, 3) RB Michael Bush Strength of the offense: Talent, depth, and balance Weakness of the offense: Backup quarterback Quarterbacks The Louisville coaching staff handled the quarterback situation almost perfectly last year getting Brian Brohm enough quality reps to make sure that he'd be able to hit the ground running this season. He has all the tools to be a superstar from mobility to poise to size to a cannon for an arm. His health is the key to the Cardinal season with nothing to rely on among the backups. Freshman Davis Manning was a top recruit with the skills to soon be a player, but he chose to leave with Brohm and Hunter Cantwell the main men for the next few years. The ranking would be higher if there was just the slightest bit of experience among the reserves. Player to keep an eye on: Hunter Cantwell, RFr. ... Quarterback Rating: 7.5 Projected Starter - Brian Brohm, Soph. - 2004's superstar recruit is ready to become one of college football's new stars. He got to ease his way into D-I life used in planned situations in relief of Stefan LeFors. Not just seeing mop up time, Brohm was left in to face several tight situations and came though like a star throwing six touchdown passes and only two interceptions. He's a huge, 6-4, 224-pound bomber, but he's hardly a statue with excellent mobility. Top Backups - Hunter Cantwell, RFr. - Yet another big Cardinal passer, the 6-4, 230-pound walk-on has had a year to learn the system. He was great in spring ball and is the likely number two going into the season. - Davis Manning, Fr. - Manning is a big thrower who graduated high school early and appeared to be ready to handle the workload, but he chose to leave the team with Brian Brohm and Hunter Cantwell sure to get all the playing time over the next few years. Running Backs It's asking a lot to match the 3,005 yards and 47 touchdown runs the Cardinals cranked out last year, but the backs will be every bit as dangerous. The early departure to Eric Shelton to the NFL hurts a little bit, but Michael Bush is more than ready to handle more of the workload. Kolby Smith is an exciting second option finally getting his chance to shine after being the fourth man in the mix last year. There are good backs to provide even more options with tremendous speed. Reggie Bradshaw can flat-out fly and George Stripling should be the runner of the future. Player to keep an eye on: Kolby Smith, Jr. ... Running back rating: 8.5 Projected Starters - Michael Bush, Jr. - Bush is one of college football's more interesting players. One of Kentucky's top high school quarterbacks of all-time, Bush has become a jack-of-all-trades and bulked up to become a bruising running back. He's now up to 250 pounds on a 6-3 frame and ready to handle the full-time running back job. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry with seven touchdowns as Eric Shelton's backup and should approach the 1,200-yard, 20 touchdown mark. Also look for him out of the backfield as top safety valve receiver for Brian Brohm. - Fullback Deriontae Taylor, Soph. - Only 5-8 but a strong 219 pounds, Taylor is used only as a blocker. He got a touchdown on two carries last year. Top Backups - Kolby Smith, Jr. - The fourth back in the rotation last year, Smith ran for 347 yards and four touchdowns as the team's top home-run hitter. Even though he was mostly used as a fullback, the 215-pound junior averaged 0.4 yards per carry and caught nine passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. - George Stripling, RFr. - Stripling ripped it up as a scout teamer last year with fantastic speeds and moves. He has excellent quickness and should be used often on third downs. - Reggie Bradshaw, Soph. - Bradshaw has seen a few carries rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown, but he's the odd man out in the running back rotation and will mostly be used on special teams. He's the fastest of the backs with good size. - Fullback James Jackson, Soph. - The 6-1, 238-pound junior is a bigger blocker than projected starter Deriontae Taylor, but he'll likely move to tight end to use his all-around talents. Receivers J.R. Russell and his 73 catches, 968 yards and seven touchdowns are gone, but Louisville has three receivers with enough talent to replace the production. Joshua Tinch, Montrell Jones and Broderick Clark form an experienced and explosive trio that will be among the best in the nation. The top reserves (Harry Douglas and Marin Urruttia) have as much talent as anyone on the roster. The tight ends will once again be a strength with Gary Barnidge about to blossom into a star. Player to keep an eye on: TE Gary Barnidge, Soph. ... Receiver rating: 9 Projected Starters - Montrell Jones, Sr. - Jones finished last year as the team's number two receiver with 37 catches for 564 yards and three touchdowns and was a big-time deep threat. The former Tennessee transfer isn't just fast, he's physical and can handle going across the middle. - Joshua Tinch, Sr. - The 6-3, 233-pound senior has been a reliable target since day one with 95 career catches for 1,340 yards and six touchdowns. While not a speedster, he can make the big play highlighted by a 74-yard touchdown play against Houston. He's big enough to line up at tight end, and experienced enough to be the go-to receiver. - Broderick Clark, Sr. - Clark is one of the nation's most dynamic kick returners along with being an exciting receiver coming off a 27-catch, 441-yard, four touchdown season averaging 16.3 yards per catch. He had problems with an ankle injury keeping him from having a huge season, but he's expected to shine this year now that he's 100%. - Tight end Gary Barnidge, Soph. - Louisville tight ends are always among the nation's best, so the hope is for the 6-6, 230-pound sophomore to be able to fill in for Adam McCauley. Barnidge made his limited time count with four touchdowns on seven catches. He has all the skills to be another great one. Top Backups - Harry Douglas, Soph. - Douglas has mostly been used on special teams so far, but this year he'll take his tremendous speed and be more of a factor in the passing attack. He only made one catch last year, but it was a big one going 65 yards for a touchdown against Boise State. - Mario Urruttia, RFr. - One of the team's most intriguing receivers, the 6-6, 220-pound redshirt freshman is expected to make a big impact. Despite putting up great high school numbers, he was a little raw when he first joined the team. Now he's ready. - Tight end Scott Kuhn, Soph. - At 255 pounds, the hope is for Kuhn to grow into more of a blocking role. He has nice hands and will be used as a receiver in two tight end sets, but his real worth will hopefully be in the running game. Offensive Line Lost in the ridiculousness of the big numbers put up by the Louisville offense was a great year from the line. This is one of the most experienced and athletic lines in America led by tackle Travis Leffew and guard-turned-center Jason Spitz. Versatility is the key among the backups with several options to play around with as the season goes on. JUCO transfer Marcus Gordon should quickly grow into one of the Big East's best guards. Player to keep an eye on: Marcus Gordon, Soph. ... Offensive line rating: 9 Projected Starters - Tackle Travis Leffew, Sr. - Leffew is one of the nation's most experienced, and most talented, tackles with 38 straight starts and a host of All-Conference USA and All-American honors. The 301-pound senior is a next level pass blocker on the weak side and has grown into a dominant run blocker. - Guard Marcus Gordon, Jr. - Pencil Gordon in as the line's new star. The 6-6, 320-pound JUCO transfer can play guard or tackle and will be a perfect fit on the weak side next to Travis Leffew. - Center Jason Spitz, Sr. - A steady and reliable blocker, the 308-pound Spitz has started 25 straight games and was an All-Conference performer at guard. He'll move to center this season where he'll be a top candidate for the Rimington Award. He's among the league's best run blockers. - Guard Kurt Quarterman, Jr. - Quarterman is a solid 6-5, 348-pound junior and looks like he can handle even more weight. Don't look for him to get too much bigger as his strength is his quickness and athleticism. There are few guards with his speed. - Tackle Jeremy Darveau, Sr. - Darveau quickly became one of the line's most valuable players stepping into the starting lineup when injuries struck and played like a long-time veteran. The 6-7, 321-pound former JUCO transfer has good feet to go along with his size. Top Backups - T Renardo Foster, Jr. - Foster was an All-Conference caliber tackle before tearing his ACL midway through last year. He still has to get healthy, but the hope is for him to at least be a reliable reserve behind Jeremy Darveau at some point this year. - G/C Eric Wood, RFr. - One of the line's most versatile players, the 6-4, 290-pound redshirt freshman was groomed as a tackle but will be the top backup at both weak guard and center. - T Michael Sturgeon, Jr. - Technically a tackle, Sturgeon will see time as the main backup for several spots on the line. He'll start out backing up Jeremy Darveau on the strong side until Renardo Foster gets healthy. - T Brent Giacomini, Soph. - The former tight end is a very big, very athletic 6-7, 280-pound understudy to Travis Leffew on the weak side. The hope is for Giacomini to get his feet wet to be ready to start next year. Basically ... The Louisville defense was overlooked last year due to the brilliance of the offense. The Cardinal D ranked number one in Conference USA in almost every category and finished second in pass defense. It won't be quite as strong this year replacing three starters in the secondary, some stars on the line and leader and top tackler Robert McCune. Even so, it's a very fast, very athletic defense that should rank near the top of most Big East categories. Star of the defense: Senior DE Elvis Dumervil Player that has to step up and become a star: Safeties Antoine and Brandon Sharp Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore LB Matt Sanders Best pro prospect: Havner Top three all-star candidates: 1) Dumervil, 2) LB Brandon Johnson 3) CB William Gay Strength of the defense: Athleticism, outside linebacker Weakness of the defense: Depth, experienced second cornerback Defensive Line The line loses two top producers in Marcus Jones and Bobby Leffew, but should be fine as long as there aren't any major injuries. Elvis Dumervil is a tremendous pass rushing threat who needs a few other players on the line to take the heat off. The tackles are big with Montavious Stanley good enough to potentially be a strong pro prospect. The problem is depth as there isn't much for any spot. Will this group be against the run as last year's line? No, but that doesn't mean it won't be good. Player to keep an eye on: DE Brandon Cox, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 6.5 Projected Starters - DE Elvis Dumervil, Sr. - 52 tackles, 10 sacks, 11 tackles for loss ... Was Dumervil a tremendous pass rusher because teams spent time dealing with Marcus Jones, or was he just that good? At barely 6-0 and a strong 256 pounds, Dumervil is great at scooting around tackles and has a non-stop motor at getting into the backfield. He's also strong against the run. - DT Montavious Stanley, Sr. - 30 tackles, 4 sacks ... The rock in the middle, the 321-pound Stanley is the team's top run stuffer and got better last season at getting into the backfield. He's tremendously quick for a player of his size athletic enough to play end if needed. - DT Amobi Okoye, Jr. - 26 tackles, 1 sack ... In one of the strangest situations in college football, the 6-1, 317-pound junior just turned 17 after playing last season as a 16-year-old. He was more than good enough to be a contributor even though he had problems with a shoulder. - DE Brandon Cox, Soph. - 3 tackles ... The hope is for the young talent to be the next, great Cardinal defensive end. He's 255 pounds, but he has room on his frame to get bigger. Mostly a special teamer last year, he has excellent speed and will have to shine with all the attention paid to Elvin Dumervil on the other side. Top Backups - DE Chad Rimpsey, Sr. - 19 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles ... Rimpsey has been a solid reserve over the last three years and will push Cox for one of the starting end spots. He's a strong athlete, but he's average against the run. He'll be a strong spot pass rusher. - DT Adrian Grady, RFr. - Very big but very raw, the 291-pound Grady will be in the rotation playing behind Amobi Okoye at tackle. - DE Zach Anderson, Jr. - At 6-4 and 270 pounds, Anderson has the size. The JUCO transfer is also a ridiculous all-around athlete with speed and strength. He was a two-year starter at East Mississippi Community College making 85 tackles and ten sacks as a junior college freshman. - DE Maurice Mitchell, RFr. - Mitchell is one of the team's faster defensive ends and needs to quickly develop to add some depth behind Elvis Dumervil. He was a originally supposed to be a linebacker and was a receiver in high school. Linebackers Robert McCune got all the attention last year, and deservedly so, but the rest of the corps more than held up its end. Abe Brown and Brandon Johnson are talented on the outside and should combine for around 150 tackles. Matt Sanders is a good looking young prospect on the inside to replace McCune. The depth is very, very raw needing at least half the season to develop. Player to keep an eye on: Matt Sanders, Soph. ... Linebacker rating: 6.5 Projected Starters - Abe Brown, Jr. - 55 tackles, 6 sacks ... Brown is a tall, thin, fast, 6-4, 230-pound playmaker on the strong side always seeming to come up with the really big play. His biggest highlight was an interception to seal the win over Memphis. He came up with six sacks as a good pass rusher when sent into the backfield. - Matt Sanders, Soph. - 26 tackles, 1 tackle for loss ... Sanders has the unenviable task of trying to replace 115 tackles left by Robert McCune. He was mostly used on special teams last year and started to come on at the end as a good reserve against the run. While not McCune, he should be faster from sideline to sideline. - Brandon Johnson, Sr. - 84 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 7.5 tackles for loss ... Johnson is only 218 pounds, but he can move and is strong against the run. At 6-5, can hit even though he doesn't look the part of a strong linebacker. He finished second on the team in tackles. Top Backups - Malik Jackson, Soph. - 8 tackles ... At 6-2 and 230 pounds, Jackson is a good sized backup on the strong side behind Abe Brown. He isn't as fast as Brown, but he's a bigger hitter. - Johnnie Burns, RFr. - While not the player Matt Sanders is supposed to be, Burns has the potential to be a great backup in the middle as the year goes on. - Nate Harris, Jr. - The JUCO transfer is a sure tackler and a top recruit ready to come in and shine right away. At the very least, he provides some quality depth. Defensive Backs Three starters are gone along with some of the backups. William Gay suddenly goes from being a critically acclaimed unknown to the leader and top cornerback. He's due for a huge year even though it won't show up on the stat sheet. There's speed to burn at safety as the Sharp brothers, Brandon and Antoine, will take over. Rod Council will be the one to watch at corner as teams will test him early to stay away from Gay. The reserves have potential, but little experience outside of the big hitting Terrance Butler. The pass defense benefited from a tremendous pass rush last year, but that might not be as much of a luxury this season. Player to keep an eye on: CB Rod Council, RFr. ... Secondary rating: 6 Projected Starters - CB Rod Council, RFr. - A tremendous prospect, the speedy Council could end up being a valuable kick returner as his career goes on along with his duties at corner. He earned raves from the coaching staff for his play on the scout team last year and is expected to quickly become a shutdown corner. - FS Brandon Sharp, Jr. - 11 tackles, 1 broken up pass ... Sharp might be the key to the defense. The 190-pound junior has to replace All-Conference star Kerry Rhodes and his 57 tackles. Mostly a special teamer so far, Sharp is one of the secondary's fastest players. - SS Antoine Sharp, Jr. - 29 tackles, 1 interception, 3 broken up passes ... Sharp has mostly seen time in nickel situations and has to prove he can handle the full-time strong safety job after spending most of his time at corner since coming to Louisville. Sharp started his career as a receiver at Florida. - CB William Gay, Jr. - 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 4 broken up passes ... The lone returning starter to the secondary, Gay had a tremendous season as opposing receivers were very quiet when going against him. He has legitimate 4.4 speed and is great at erasing receivers from the gameplan. Now he has to make more plays when the ball is in the air. That might be hard since everyone will test the other side. Top Backups - CB Deon Palmer, RFr. - The walk-on will get every shot at the starting corner job on the other side of William Gay. At 200 pounds, he's a bit bigger than Rod Council, but not as fast and without the upside. - SS Terrance Butler, Soph. - 16 tackles ... The 6.3, 217-pound Butler is a guided missile and a fantastic insurance policy to have at either safety position. He'll mostly spend time on special teams, but he'll be in the mix right away behind Antoine Sharp. - CB Marcus Folmar, RFr. - Consider Folmar one of the cornerbacks of the future. He's expected to be one of the team's better tackling corners with tremendous all-around athleticism. Special Teams The kicking game should be among the best in the country if the left-footed Arthur Carmody can do what he did last year. As accurate as he was, he needs to prove he can hit from longer distances. Todd Flannery is the new punter and shouldn't have a problem blasting it; accuracy is his concern. The return game has explosion and should be tremendous with Montrell Jones returning punts again after averaging 10.4 yards per kick last year, and Broderick Clark handling kickoff returns averaging 21.5 yards last year. Special Teams rating: 9 - Placekicker Arthur Carmody, Soph. - 12-15 FGs, 77-77 extra points ... Carmody turned out to be fantastic in his freshman season nailing all 77 of his extra points and was consistent from mid-range on his field goal attempts. Two of his three misses were blocks. He still has to prove he can boom it with his longest kick coming from 42 yards out. - Punter Todd Flannery, Soph. - Brett Moody had a decent year averaging 40.8 yards per kick putting five inside the 20. He transferred to Florida State making Flannery the likely replacement. He has a monster leg and is used on kickoffs. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – Are you with us or against us? – There may not be a better offensive coach in America than Louisville’s Bobby Petrino. If you’re a heavy film watcher, you know that is absolutely 100% fact. Petrino and his offensive staff know how to find and exploit a mismatch and put their offense in an advantageous situation in almost every offensive formation, down and distance, hashmark location and defensive setup. It’s pretty obvious when scoring over 40 points in a bowl game against a top ten team is considered a so-so day. But, with success comes interest, and Petrino’s flirting with other programs has raised the ire of the local proletariat. Petrino has been considered as a potential candidate for every BCS job that opened up over the past two years. Shoot, pick your SEC West school and Petrino’s name has been bandied about. So, what happens in 2005 when Petrino and the Cards rule the Big East? And, don’t think that can’t happen. Is his name going to be thrown out again as a potential candidate? At some point, enough is going to be enough. Louisville put up with the Auburn debacle. Louisville put up with the timing of the LSU decision. One more time might be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. Do players lose trust in Petrino? Do the alums and fans grow weary of the season-ending Petrino watch? Perhaps, but, folks, this guy is a good coach, bordering on being one of the great active coaches in the nation. This doesn’t mean that Louisville followers should revel in seeing their coach flirting with other girls, err, schools, but understand this is only the beginning. If he puts Louisville in a BCS game, it’s only going to get more intense. But, then again, BCS bowl games and shots at a national championship can happen in the Big East. 2nd and Seven – Pepe Leffew – No, Travis Leffew, the Cardinals big-time offensive tackle, does not stink like Pepe LaPew, in fact, that’s the farthest thing from the truth. The Cardinal senior is one of the nation’s best linemen and is the leader of one of the best offensive lines in the nation, if not the best. Leffew has tremendously quick feet and has been a rock at the weak tackle position (open side – typically the side without a tight end). With the loss of QB Stefan LeFors, the return of all five linemen is key to keeping the offensive machine on track. Leffew will ensure that QB Brian Brohm is protected and that the RBs have room to run. Take a look at #78, he’ll have an April 2006 date with some guy named Tagliabue. 3rd and Three – Jack of all Trades – It’d wouldn’t take much to convince this writer that junior stud RB Michael Bush (and former hotshot quarterback recruit out of Male HS) could take over at the QB position in an emergency and become a poor man’s Vince Young. But, in his present position, Bush is one of the most impressive ‘slash’ football players in the nation. He doesn’t have the whippet quickness that Ted Ginn and Reggie Bush possess. He doesn’t have 10.8 sprinter’s speed like Adrian Peterson. But, put the ball in his hands and there’s not a player in America that can make the type of plays that #19 can make. The run he makes in the Liberty Bowl against Boise State on the designed option pass showcased his entire package – ability to make people miss, power and speed. He’ll have to carry the ball a little more. He’ll have to catch a few more passes. Heck, he may even have to throw a few more balls. Man, that’s just bad news for the Big East. 4th and One – Sharp Dressed Men – The Louisville secondary has arguably taken the biggest graduation hit, especially with the loss of all-Conference USA safety Kerry Rhodes. However, the Sharp Brothers, Brandon and Antoine, are ready for their shot at the big time. They have huge shoes to fill, considering what a big-time playmaker Rhodes was in last year’s secondary. The Jacksonville products (what a pipeline that city is to the Louisville program) are athletic and rangy as Rhodes was, so with continued experience, this position could turn into a strength by mid-season. LINK (and depth chart)

CFN PREVIEWS ARE OUT for the lower tier teams in Florida (UCF, FIU, FAU)...they are posted on the State of Florida Board. CFN had this section preceding the offensive and defensive previews (some are a little redundant)...With USF yet to come out, who/what do you think they should select for the following? Offense: Star of the offense: Player that has to step up and become a star: Unsung star on the rise: Best pro prospect: Top three all-star candidates: Strength of the offense (positions, intangibles): Weakness of the offense (positions, intangibles): Defense: Star of the defense: Player that has to step up and become a star: Unsung star on the rise: Best pro prospect: Top three all-star candidates: Strength of the defense (positions, intangibles): Weakness of the defense (positions, intangibles): ÂÂ

By Pete FIUtak Any and all journalistic integrity is thrown out here. Having been called Fiu since I was around three, I'm ecstatic to have FIU join the D-I ranks. I have my FIU Football visor on and have a foam No. 1 finger saying GO FIU up in my office. I'd be lying if I said I didn't e-mail all my friends with a picture of the cheerleaders with FIU on their chests. For my own piece of mind, FIU can't stink. Unfortunately, this will be a rocky first season in the D-I world as a full-time member of the Sun Belt conference coming off a 3-7 season with one of the worst defenses in DI-AA. Head coach Don Strock is still building the young program, and it needs more time to get on more solid ground. Yes, FIU went 0-4 against D-I teams last year and got obliterated by teams like Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky, but there were occasional signs that this might be a decent Sun Belt program in time. There's some pop to the passing game, one of the Sun Belt's best offensive lines, and a ton of returning experience to expect a bit of a first year splash. This won't be a winning season, but there will be some good moments and an upset or two along the way to get Golden Panther fans excited. The Schedule: The D-I world won't be kind early going on the road to face Kansas State and Texas Tech before the Sun Belt opener at Arkansas State. There are only four home games with one coming against North Texas, so there can't be any hiccups along the way before the season finale against new arch-rival Florida Atlantic. Best Offensive Player: Junior TE Samuel Smith. WR Cory McKinney is a close number two, but Smith is a better player with better pro upside. He's a strong, 253-pound blocker with excellent hands. If helps that former Miami Dolphin Bruce Hardy is an assistant coach. Best Defensive Player: Senior CB/FS Nick Turnbull. The 6-3, 211-pound senior is making the transition from safety to corner to help out the struggling pass defense. Pen him in as an All-Sun Belt performer as one of the league's best all-around defensive backs. Key player to a successful season: CB Matt Castillo. No one will want to throw at Nick Turnbull, so Castillo has to turn into more of a ball-hawk on the other side. FIU's pass defense was 115th in DI-AA last year for a reason. The season will be a success if ... FIU wins five games. That's asking a lot considering how far the program still has to go, but it's a good goal to shoot for with a team that returns 47 lettermen. Key game: Nov. 19 vs. Florida Atlantic. This will be the measuring stick for the two D-I Sun Belt newcomers. There is a mini-recruiting war between the two young programs, so the winner of this game should have a big edge. 2004 Fun Stats: - Fourth quarter scoring: Opponents 108 - FIU 44 - Sacks: FIU 18 for 97 yards - Opponents 9 for 76 - Lost fumbles: Opponents 6 - FIU 4 Basically ... The offense gets enough veterans back to hope for an overall improvement after averaging 379 yards and 26 points per game. The line gets everyone back after only allowing nine sacks, and QB Josh Padrick should grow into a steady leader in his third starting season. The key will be to find a steady runner to replace the 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns of Rashod Smith with Julian Reams getting the early look. Star of the offense: Senior WR Cory McKinney Player that has to step up and become a star: Redshirt freshman RB Julian Reams Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman QB Tavares Kendrick Best pro prospect: Junior TE Samuel Smith Top three all-star candidates: 1) Smith, 2) McKinney, 3) C Victor Cernius Strength of the offense: Experience, offensive line Weakness of the offense: Experienced running backs Quarterbacks Josh Padrick has two years of starting experience and looks to put it all together now that he knows the system backwards and forwards. David Tabor proved last year that he can provide a spark off the bench when needed, but he's the clear number two. All eyes are on redshirt freshman Tavares Kendrick as he has the size and talent to eventually be the team's star. Player to keep an eye on: Tavares Kendrick, RFr. ... Quarterback Rating: 4.5 Projected Starter - Josh Padrick, Jr. - Padrick is a veteran who showed signs of becoming a good passer throwing for 2.269 yards and 12 touchdowns, but he also pitched 13 interceptions. While not a runner, he's mobile and won't take too many sacks with his quick release. Top Backups - David Tabor, Sr. - The first ever FIU recruit, he's a decent reserve able to come through with a comeback win over Youngstown State. He finished the season completing 17 of 28 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions. While not the passer Josh Padrick is, he's more of a scrambler. - Tavares Kendrick, RFr. - A tremendous athlete, the 6-3, 237-pound young passer is the future of the program. He'll spend another year learning under head coach Don Strock and will push Josh Padrick for the job next year. Running Backs It's asking a lot to replace what Rashod Smith provided last year as he was the offense at times. Julian Reams needs to establish himself early on as the same type of workhorse, while Adam Gorman has to heal up his hamstring and play like he did in 2003. The fullback situation is solid with three good prospects. Player to keep an eye on: Julian Reams, RFr. ... Running back rating: 3.5 Projected Starters - Julian Reams, RFr. - The 5-11, 195-pound Reams has good size and excellent speed looking to fill the void left by Rashod Smith and his 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns. Expect him to be a factor as a receiver as well. He was a track star in high school as a sprinter and triple jumper, while he has the power to get the hard yards. - Fullback Aston Wilson, Sr. - Wilson can do a little of everything with his real talent as a pass blocker. The 224-pound veteran will get a couple of carries and caught seven passes for 60 yards, but he'll be used mostly as a blocker. Top Backups - Adam Gorman, Sr. - The 211-pound senior is a good power back with a nose for the goal line rushing for 736 yards and eight touchdowns including a 73-yard dash in 2003. He also caught 22 passes for 234 yards and a score. Hamstring problems limited him last year to only 15 carries for 56 yards, but he's expected to play a big role again this season. - Ben West, Soph. - West only was able to play in three games, but he still finished as the team's second leading rusher with 137 yards and a 6.2 yard-per-carry average. He's extremely fast and can be used as a kick returner. He was ineligible this spring, and is iffy to return this fall. - Fullback Marcus Jones II, Jr. - Mostly a special teamer, Jones will spend more time in the backfield as a blocker behind Aston Wilson. Receivers This should be a major positive as the year goes on. Cory McKinney and Andre Rollins are huge targets, while Chandler Williams and Julius Eppinger are good speedsters. The tight ends are excellent with Samuel Smith sure to get a few All-Sun Belt honors and James Williams a starter for just about any other league team. Player to keep an eye on: Lloyd Moss, RFr. ... Receiver rating: 4.5 Projected Starters - Cory McKinney, Sr. - The 6-3, 217-pound McKinney is a physical receiver with good deep speed leading the the team with 58 catches for 675 yards and four touchdowns. Easily the greatest receiver in FIU's young history, he has a catch in 33 straight games and will once again be Josh Padrick's prime target. He's a good mid-range receiver and dangerous at producing yards after the catch. - Chandler Williams, Jr. - A solid reserve the last two years, Williams finished second on the team with 46 catches for 525 yards and three touchdowns. He's expected to do more now that he has the full-time flanker role able to be the go-to target if needed. - Tight end Samuel Smith, Jr. - At 6-3 and 253 pounds, Smith will be one of the Sun Belt's best blocking tight ends. He's also a valuable receiver finishing third on the team with 42 grabs for 510 yards and three touchdowns. He's great at exploiting openings in the middle of the field. Top Backups - Andre Rollins, Sr. - A tight end sized receiver, the 6-4, 225-pound senior led the team with a 16.2 yard-per-catch average, but he only made four grabs for 65 yards missing half of last year. He has had problems with a shoulder injury, but he'll be expected to be a strong backup behind Cory McKinney. - Julius Eppinger, Sr. - One of the team's quickest receivers, Eppinger has been used more on kick returns than as a receiver. He'll be the number two flanker behind Chandler Williams. - Lloyd Moss, RFr. - The brother of Miami Hurricanes Santana and Sinorice, Lloyd is bigger at 6-1 and 214 pounds, but has a little bit of the same speed. - Tight end James Williams, Jr. - Expect to see plenty of Williams as FIU goes to several two tight-end sets. He's a good receiver who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against Youngstown State, but he's not the blocker Samuel Smith is. Offensive Line One of the team's strengths, five starters return up front to a group that allowed a mere nine sacks and was decent at opening holes for the running game. It's a big line, but there aren't any stars outside of center Victor Cernius with several good, solid veterans. There is decent depth and even more size waiting in the wings. Player to keep an eye on: G Roland Clarke, Soph. ... Offensive line rating: 5.5 Projected Starters - Tackle John Shanahan, Sr. - A two-year starter on the left side, the 6-6, 315-pound Shanahan's emergence as a pass blocker was one of the keys to last year's passing attacks. - Guard Ed Wenger, Sr. - He's not big at only 6-1 and 268 pounds, but he's strong and smart. He's one of the team's leaders and most experienced players. He'll be a steady performer on the left side. - Center Victor Cernius, Sr. - The best player on the line, the 6-4, 317-pound senior has been a rock starting a tackle and guard before settling into the center job. He isn't just big and versatile, he's a powerful run blocker. - Guard Ronny Silva, Jr. - At 6-2 and 340 pounds, Silva is one of the team's biggest linemen and has grown into a good blocker after moving over from the defensive side. - Tackle Tim Dierks, Sr. - It has taken a while, but Dierks has grown into a good player using his quickness on the right side. He's a lanky 6-4 and 263 pounds, but he's a strong pass protector. Top Backups - T Patrick Mullen, Sr. - A massive player at 6-8 and 345 pounds, Mullen has seen a little bit of time and will push John Shanahan at left tackle. He can start if needed. - G Roland Clarke, Soph. - The 307-pound South Florida transfer is ready to step in as a bigger option at left guard than Ed Wenger. - T Johnathan Taylor, Soph. - The 325-pound senior was a starter a few years ago, but has been out trying to get back from a knee injury. Basically ... This could be a big problem with the transfer into full-time D-I world after allowing 479 yards and 32.5 points per game despite only playing four D-I teams. Pass defense is the biggest concern moving star safety Nick Turnbull over to corner, and needing a steady pass rush to help out the cause. The run defense isn't a prize, but the front four is big and the linebacking corps should be decent. Star of the defense: Senior CB Nick Turnbull Player that has to step up and become a star: Senior CB Matt Castillo Unsung star on the rise: Junior LB Keyonvis Bouie Best pro prospect: Turnbull Top three all-star candidates: 1) Turnbull, 2) LB Lance Preston, 3) SS John Haritan (if healthy) Strength of the defense: Linebacker, experience Weakness of the defense: Pass defense, proven pass rushers Defensive Line The run defense didn't do much of anything getting steamrolled for 203 yards per game, but there's hope for improvement with some 300+ pound tackles and good sized ends. There isn't much in the way of sure-thing pass rushers needing Myron Acoff to grow into the role on the left side. There's decent depth with the return of Mike Sherrill and Terrance Allen. Player to keep an eye on: DE Myron Acoff, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 4 Projected Starters - DE Myron Acoff, Soph. - 24 tackles, 2 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss ... Acoff turned into a key starter starting the second half of the year. At 250 pounds, he's decent against the run and has a little bit of speed getting around the end. - DT Brandon Higdon, Sr. - 20 tackles, 2 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss ... The 303-pound senior isn't the biggest player on the line, but he's the most productive and the key to the run defense. He's also a decent interior pass rusher. - NT Pedro Farias, Sr. - 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss ... A reserve so far, the 311-pound Farias has to be an anchor on the nose using his size and experience to be an immediate factor. He isn't quick, but he can get into the backfield. - DE Shaun Dudney, Sr. - 29 tackles, 2 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss ... Dudney started every game growing into the defensive end role after splitting time at linebacker earlier in his career. He has the strength to be more of a run stopper, but he's needed most as a pass rusher. Top Backups - NT Nick Carreno, Sr. - 5 tackles ... A steady producer his first two seasons with 68 tackles and eight tackles for loss, Carreno looks to get back to form after a down 2004 pushing for time behind Pedro Farias on the nose. - DE Mike Sherill, Jr. - Sherill was a star in 2003 as both a linebacker and an end making 84 tackles, but he didn't play last year and is now looking to regain a spot on the right side behind Shaun Dudney. - DE Terrance Allen, Sr. - A steady backup in 2002 and 2003, the 267-pound Allen will try to get back in the rotation big backup on the left side behind Myron Acoff. Linebackers This is an interesting group with two of the most productive returning players, Antwon Barnes and Alexander Bostic III, playing backup roles. Lance Preston is the star of the bunch able to play anywhere needed, while Keynovis Bouie is a good-looking prospect in the middle. Former Miami star linebacker and FIU defensive coordinator Bernard Clark should do some good things with this corps. Player to keep an eye on: Keynovis Bouie, Soph. ... Linebacker rating: 4.5 Projected Starters - Lance Preston, Sr. - 82 tackles, 1 interception, 4 tackles for loss ... The star in the middle last year finishing second on the team in tackles, Preston, a former JUCO star, will move to the strongside providing more bulk at 232 pounds than the 212-pound Gerrod Bodie. - Keynovis Bouie, Jr. - 35 tackles ... The 217-pound junior was never 100% healthy last year, but he made an impact when he got his chance as both a linebacker and on special teams. He has the speed and hard-hitting ability to be a top producer in the middle, and he could play on the weakside if needed. - Gerrod Bodie, Sr. - 34 tackles, 2 tackles for loss ... Bodie moves over from the strongside to the weakside to better utilize his speed and quickness. He's only 212 pounds, but he's tough and will be more of a threat to get into the backfield. Top Backups - Antwon Barnes, Jr. - 53 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 tackles for loss ... One of team's best linebackers, the 227-pound Barnes is a big-hitter who is always around the ball and makes big plays with the speed of a defensive back. He finished fifth on the team in tackles. - Alexander Bostic III, Jr. - 70 tackles, 5 tackles for loss ... Bostic was a good producer on the weakside finishing fourth on the team in tackles, but will play a backup role behind Gerrod Bodie. He's a smart player with good speed and athleticism. Defensive Backs The FIU pass defense was abysmal allowing 276 yards per game, and that was against DI-AA teams. Safety Nick Turnbull will move to corner to try to ease the pressure, but a good number two cover-corner needs to emerge. The safeties can hit, but there will be a big problem is John Haritan isn't back from a neck injury. Player to keep an eye on: SS Chris Williams, RFr. ... Secondary rating: 3.5 Projected Starters - CB Nick Turnbull, Sr. - 74 tackles, 5 interceptions, 4 broken up passes ... The star safety will move to corner to serve as a top cover-corner on what was a horrible pass defense. The team's third leading tackler and, by far, the best pass defender, the 6-3, 211-pound Turnbull has 210 career tackles, 14 interceptions and 20 broken up passes. - FS Marshall McDuffie, Soph. - 40 tackles, 2 broken up passes ... The 6-2, 201-pound McDuffie saw extensive time as a backup and turned in a decent season. He provides a solid pop and is one of the team's faster defensive backs. - SS John Haritan, Sr. - 92 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 broken up passes ... A tackling machine, Haritan has 295 career stops and 21 tackles for loss. However, he's questionable for this season with a neck injury that might force him to redshirt. Even though he missed the final two games of the year, he still led the team in tackles for a third straight season. - CB Matt Castillo, Sr. - 40 tackles, 2 broken up passes ... While a bit limited, Castillo is a good-sized corner with good tackling skills. A good athlete, he needs to use his experience to make more plays when the ball is in the air. Top Backups - SS Chris Williams, RFr. - With John Haritan's season in question due to a neck injury, Williams will become more of a factor. He's fast enough to be a major player against the pass, and big enough to fill a little bit of the void against the run. - CB Zach Davis, Jr. - 4 tackles ... A decent kick returner and good tackler, Davis will see more action as the number three corner in the mix playing behind Nick Turnbull on the left side. Special Teams The kicking game will be fine if Adam Moss can fine tune his big leg. The return game should be fine with Julius Eppinger handling all the duties with Chandler Williams helping out. Special Teams rating: 6 - Placekicker Adam Moss, Sr. - 13-19 FGs, 27-29 extra points ... Moss has been an interesting field goal kicker hitting 11 straight and going 9-of-9 from beyond 40 yards, but was 4-of-10 inside 40. He has a good leg, now he has to be more consistent - Punter Chris Patullo, Jr. - Patullo will replace Doug Jones, but that won't be hard. Jones averaged a mere 37.9 yards per kick meaning Patullo or high school hotshot Dustin Rivest will be able to quickly do more. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – You Got Mail, who’s going to carry it? – Ask a football coach who is more difficult to replace – a big time running back or a quality quarterback? Most will tell you the one they just lost from the previous season, and for head coach Don Strock at Florida International that would be the running back position. Rashod Smith was the foundation of the Golden Panther offense last year, rushing for over 1,100 yards on 230 carries. He was the running game, so much so, that no other Golden Panther running back had more than 22 carries on the season. But, with Smith’s eligibility now exhausted, the Golden Panther running game is in for a retooling of enormous proportions. QB Josh Padrick is back to lead the offense, but a running game must emerge to assist him, and a runner must be found. The candidates are plentiful, but are they capable? Ben West seems as though he might be the best option – a combination of strength and speed, but he only played in three games last year. Adam Gorman, the former St. Pete Catholic star, is more about power at 212 pounds, but, unfortunately, didn’t contribute much to the offense after a solid 2003 season. Strock and his staff went out and got three running back recruits in case the dynamic duo doesn’t pan out accordingly. Although a running back and a running game are not a guarantee for a successful season, the lack of each could be the guarantee for a tough season, the Golden Panthers’ first in the Sun Belt Conference. 2nd and Seven – Turn for the Better – Having a play maker on defense is a luxury these days in college football, so color the Golden Panthers lucky for having one in Nick Turnbull. The 6’3” 212 pound senior is the all-time leading interception leader in FIU’s short football history, but he now moves to corner after playing safety last year (although he did audition for his corner appointment in the last two games of the year). Turnbull had a strong season with five picks last year, but adjusting to playing corner for a full season is tougher than it sounds. Regardless, Turnbull has the athletic ability and size to be a top notch corner in the Sun Belt. 3rd and Three – Just Throw them the **** Ball – Although the running back position has a little to be desired at this point, the pass catchers don’t. Cory McKinney rolled up 58 receptions last season as the team’s go-to receiver, and Chandler Williams gathered in 46 balls. TE Samuel Smith was third on the team with 42 grabs, and gives QB Padrick a threat in the middle of the field to take some heat off of the perimeter blazers. With this trio of hands returning this fall, don’t be surprised to see the Air Strock offense in Miami. 4th and One – Run Stoppers? – The answer? 203. The question? What’s the area code in Connecticut? No. Okay, well, yes, that is true, but more importantly, it’s the rushing yardage that the Golden Panthers gave up per game in 2004. A staggering number, yes, but considering that they now have to stop some of the best runners in the nation, especially Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas, it takes on a whole new meaning (well, they’ll get a break when they play Texas Tech). Either way to win this conference, shoot, to be competitive in this conference, that 203 must decrease to 145 or lower. LINK

Steady Eddie...

By Pete Fiutak Forget about year one of the George O'Leary era. While we're at it, we might as well forget about the whole MAC experience that was less than impressive for a program that was supposed to take the league by storm. Now, 2004's worst team makes a jump up into the Conference USA world looking to turn things around in a hurry. The big problem was youth and inexperience with an offensive line that started three true freshmen and two sophomores, a secondary that was hit so hard by injuries that two receivers had to switch positions, and erratic play from everyone else. To make things worse, the team couldn't come up with a key play in close games. There was the two point loss to Buffalo followed up by a two point loss to Northern Illinois. There was an overtime loss to Ohio on a missed extra point, and there was a four point loss to Ball State along with a five point loss to Akron. With a few better bounces and some production from the offense that did next to nothing last year, this could be a four-win season. But don't get too excited until next season when this team will have the experience and depth to start making some noise again. The Schedule: If UCF can improve a little bit in every area, this will be a manageable schedule with winnable games against UL Lafayette, East Carolina and Rice. Unfortunately, those three games are on the road. There are only four home games without two in a row. Outside of opener at South Carolina there isn't an absolute, 100% guaranteed loss, but there aren't any sure wins either. Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Mike Walker. The team's best deep threat is also the team's top cornerback. He should flourish now that he'll spend all his time on offense. Best Defensive Player: Sophomore DT Keith Shologan. Call this a projection as Shologan should grow into the team's best lineman. There aren't any stars on the UCF D, but there are several young prospects that should shine as the year goes on. Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Steven Moffett or sophomore QB Kyle Israel. The line will be better and the receiving corps won't be bad, so one of the quarterbacks has to emerge as a steady leader of the attack. It'll likely have to Moffett with Istael recovering from a broken leg. The season will be a success if ... UCF wins four games. There aren't any gimmes on the schedule, but a little bit of luck and a good year from the coaching staff should mean a few victories. The key will be to win right away to bust the 15-game losing streak and get some sort of positive vibe around the program. Key game: September 17 at South Florida. There will be an annual recruiting battle between the two Florida schools for Florida talent. The winner will have a huge leg up and UCF can have a fantastic start to its world in the new league. 2004 Fun Stats: - Second quarter scoring: Opponents 117 - UCF 29 - Sacks: Opponents 44 for 313 yards - UCF 12 for 63 yards - Road game at Penn State attendance: 101,715 - Road game at Ball State attendance: 5,309 UCF offense Basically ... UCF was 114th in the nation in total offense and 113th in scoring struggling all season to get anything going. The main problem was the offensive line that started three true freshmen and two sophomores, but the positive is that they're all back with a year of experience. There has to be some consistency at quarterback with Steven Moffett needing to be a bigger playmaker. The top running back (Alex Haynes) and top two receivers (Luther Huggins and Tavaris Capers) are gone, but they'll be easily replaced. Star of the offense: Junior WR Mike Walker Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior QB Steven Moffett Unsung star on the rise: Junior RB Jason Peters Best pro prospect: Senior TE Darcy Johnson Top three all-star candidates: 1) Walker, 2) Johnson, 3) OT Dominic Ignelzi Strength of the offense: Receivers, experience on the offensive line Weakness of the offense: Offensive line depth, overall production Quarterbacks The quarterbacks couldn't come up with enough big plays last year and struggled at producing points, but they weren't the team's main problem. Steven Moffett showed signs that he can become a big-time player, and sophomore Kyle Israel is a big bomber who needs a little more time to heal a broken leg before he becomes a factor. These two won't be stars, but they'll be more than competent if the rest of the offense improves and if they get time from the line that allowed 44 sacks last year. Player to keep an eye on: Kyle Israel, Soph. ... Quarterback Rating: 5 Projected Starter - Steven Moffett, Jr. - Moffett is a good-sized player with a huge arm and good mobility, but consistency is a major issue and turnovers was a big problem throwing ten interceptions with nine touchdown passes. He has the skills to grow into a good passer and was accurate completing 64% of his throws, but he has to prove he can lead the offense to points and has to start showing he can win. Top Backups - Kyle Israel, Soph. - Israel doesn't have the skills of Steven Moffett, but he's bigger with a live arm and will get every shot at the starting job. He missed most of last year with a leg injury after only throwing for 129 yards with an interception in three games of action. He's more of a pure pocket passer than Moffett, but he's not immobile. Unfortunately, he reinjured the leg this preseason and underwent surgery with a rod inserted. Running Backs Alex Haynes was a great player stuck on a horrible offense. He only averaged four yards per carry rushing for 854 yards and five touchdowns, but he'll still be missed. Dontavius Wilcox will get the first look at the number one job, but Curtis Francis adds a bit more flash and JUCO transfer Jason Peters is the whole package. Player to keep an eye on: Jason Peters, Jr. ... Running back rating: 5.5 Projected Starters - Dontavius Wilcox, Jr. - Wilcox is a 220-pound runner with tremendous quickness and good upside. He spent last year playing behind Alex Haynes rushing for 215 yards and touchdowns. He hasn't had much of a chance to be a workhorse, but he should shine once he get his shot and should break off several big runs. - Fullback Goodson Ohaegbulam, Jr. - The former linebacker had a decent first year learning the ropes in the backfield. He's a 250-pound physical blocker who won't see much work as a ball-carrier. Top Backups - Curtis Francis, Soph. - Mostly a special teamer last year, Francis the fastest of the UCF backs and will get every chance to take over the starting role. He was third on the team with 30 rushing yards on seven carries. - Jason Peters, Jr. - The JUCO transfer is the potential star of the offense. He's 6-2, 230 pounds and ripped off 1,679 yards as a freshman at Butte Junior College. He has the moves and the power to be the team's number one rushing option. Receivers The top two wide receivers, Luther Huggins and Tavaris Capers, are gone, but there might be an overall improvement in production with Mike Walker and Brandon Marshall able to fully concentrate on playing offense this year. The two spent last season on defense after the secondary was hit by injuries, and now they'll shine in a full-time receiver role. Darcy Johnson is a talented tight end who needs to be used more in the passing attack. Player to keep an eye on: Brooks Turner, Jr. ... Receiver rating: 5.5 Projected Starters - Mike Walker, Jr. - Walker did a little of everything last year catching nine passes for 191 yards and a touchdown for a team-leading 21.2-yard average, and he was the team's top corner with a team-leading three interceptions, 29 tackles and three broken up passes. At 6-2 and 195 pounds, he's a big-time target and great deep threat. He'll spend his time on offense this year. - Brandon Marshall, Sr. - Marshall spent most of last year at safety making 51 tackles and an interception a year after catching 28 passes for 377 yards and two touchdowns. Now he'll play offense using his 6-4, 230-pound size as a big target on the outside. - Tight end Darcy Johnson, Sr. - Johnson will be one of the most talented tight ends in Conference USA, but he needs more work and has to be a better blocker. There's no questioning his hands or his receiving skills catching 30 passes for 244 yards last year with good speed in a 6-5, 255-pound frame. Top Backups - Brooks Turner, Jr. - The third receiver in the mix, Turner came through with 16 catches for 126 yards as a short-range threat when Mike Walker and Brandon Marshall moved to the secondary last year. He's one of the team's fastest receivers and will be used on kickoff returns. - Sergiori Joachim, Soph. - At 6-5 and 200 pounds, Joachim provides another huge Golden Knight target to the mix. He'll battle with Andre Sumpter and Chris Narsesian for the number four spot. - Tight end Antonio Eldemire, Sr. - The former JUCO transfer was a solid number two tight end last year behind Darcy Johnson catching six passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. He's good at getting open, but his playing time will only increase if he plays a big role as a blocker in the running game. Offensive Line If you're looking for the problem with the 2004 UCF offense, this was it. UCF was forced to star three true freshmen and two sophomores. On the positive side, there's a ton of returning experience with the line about a year away from being a killer group. The front five is big, but it needs more time in the weight room and needs to find the right players for the right spots with some shuffling being done this spring. There's not much depth to speak of. Player to keep an eye on: L.J. Anderson, RFr. ... Offensive line rating: 5 Projected Starters - Tackle Dominic Iguelzi, Soph. - It was trial by fire as a true freshman starting every game at left guard. The 6-4, 300-pounder is one of the team's up-and-coming blockers and will make the move to left tackle to use his athleticism and toughness. - Guard Dan Veenstra, Jr. - The 6-5, 300-pound junior will move from tackle to left guard. He spent last year at left tackle with mixed results, and should be better on the inside where he'll be more of a pounding run blocker. - Center Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, Jr. - The anchor of the line, Gagne-Marcoux is back for his third year as the starter. He has enough experience to hope for a big year, but he has to be more consistent. - Guard Kyle Smith, Soph. - Versatile enough to play guard or center, the 6-3, 280-pound Smith will get back his starting spot at right guard after taking over midway through last year. - Tackle Josh Sitton, Soph. - At 6-5 and 310 pounds, the sophomore is the biggest of the UCF linemen. He'll move from guard to tackle after spending most of last season at right guard. He could end up playing center if needed. Top Backups - T L.J. Anderson, RFr. - Anderson saw plenty of practice time last year and is being groomed for a starting spot on the right side. He needs a little more time in the weight room and a little more work. - T Kyle Storey, RFr. - At 6-5 and 285 pounds, Storey is a good-looking young prospect on the left side. He'll play a big role this year behind Dominic Ignelzi. Basically ... The defense didn't get any sort of pass rush and was crushed by injuries in the secondary. Now the issue is a very, very raw linebacking corps. The line should be the strength with experience, size and depth. A shutdown corner has to emerge and the young safeties have to make plays right away. Someone has to get to the quarterback after only generating 14 sacks. Star of the defense: Sophomore DT Keith Shologan Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore DE Dennis King Unsung star on the rise: Junior DE Kareem Reid Best pro prospect: Shologan Top three all-star candidates: 1) Shologan, 2) DE Glenroy Watkins, 3) CB Ron Ellis Strength of the defense: Defensive line Weakness of the defense: Linebackers Defensive Line The line didn't generate any pass rush last year and had way too many problems against the run. Expect that to change this year with plenty of returning experience and good depth helped by the addition of Kareem Reid from Kentucky. This is a big line with large ends and true tackles. Now it has to produce. Player to keep an eye on: DE Kareem Reid, Jr. ... Defensive Line rating: 6 Projected Starters - DE Glenroy Watkins, Sr. - 23 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss ... The 240-pound Watkins saw a little bit of starting time and was a decent producer, but he wasn't anything spectacular. He has good speed and has good potential to become a star pass rusher. Now he has to shine on the left side. - DT Keith Shologan, Soph. - 30 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss ... The rising young star of the ling, the 280-pound true sophomore started every game and had a good season. Now he should be better after getting stronger over the off-season. - DT Emeka Okammor, Soph. - 14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss ... Okammor started eight times as a true freshman and will keep the job on the right side. At 270 pounds, he has good size and is growing into a good run stopper. - DE Dennis King, Soph. - 5 tackles ... King played a little bit of tackle and some end as a freshman. Now he'll be a big, 260-pound left end more of a run stuffer than a pass rusher. Top Backups - DE Paul Carrington, Sr. - 30 tackles, 4 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss ... Carrington's role decreased a little bit from his breakout 2003 campaign, but he was a better pass rusher and got better as the season went on. At 6-7, he's hard to throw over as he's great at batting down passes. He'll see time on the left side along with Glenroy Watkins. - DE Kareem Reid, Jr. - The Kentucky transfer is 270 pounds and can play either end or tackle, but he'll likely start out as a big end on the right side. - DT Frisner Nelson, Sr. - 17 tackles, 1 sack .. He had a few problems with an ankle injury, but he still came through with a good season as a reserve. The 290-pound senior will play behind Emeka Okammor on the right side. Linebackers This could be a major concern with almost no experienced depth and only one true returning linebacker, James Cook. The coaching staff is relying on true freshman Clarence Howard in the middle and Jordan Richards on the outside; that's not a positive. This is a speedy crew that'll take a while to come together. It could be a long while. Player to keep an eye on: Clarence Howard, Fr. ... Linebacker rating: 3.5 Projected Starters - James Cook, Sr. - 32 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss ... The 220-pound Cook will have to be the leader of the linebackers with the most experience and as the only senior. He's a good tackler on the weakside and can get into the backfield. - Clarence Howard, Fr. - The 260-pound true freshman is big enough to play defensive end and athletic enough to play tight end, but he'll get the first look in the middle using his all-around talents right away. - Chris Welsh, Jr. - 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss ... The 235-pound junior will move from defensive end to strongside linebacker to use his strength and quickness in space. He's a tremendous worker who goes non-stop. Top Backups - Jordan Richards, Fr. - The 215-pound true freshman can fly and should be a big-time contributor right off the bat on the weakside. He'll be groomed behind James Cook to be the 2006 starter. - Ronnell Sandy, Jr. - 4 tackles ... Sandy saw a little bit of time last year mostly on special teams. Now he'll be a backup in the middle behind Clarence Howard in the middle. - Randy Dozier, Soph. - 5 tackles, 2 sacks ... Dozier got a little bit of mopup work last year and came up with two sacks. The 210-pound sophomore will work on the strongside behind Chris Welsh. Defensive Backs On paper, the secondary struggled giving up 217 yards per game 21 touchdown passes, but it was a stellar effort considering there was no pass rush to help it out and there was a plague of injuries. Wide receivers Mike Walker and Brandon Marshall had to come over to help out, and are still the team's best defensive backs. Now there needs to be some steady play from some young players and the corners need to become tighter. Player to keep an eye on: FS Sha'reff Rashad, RFr. ... Secondary rating: 4 Projected Starters - CB Travis Holmes, Jr. - 15 tackles, 2 broken up passes ... Holmes isn't all that big, but the walk-on turned into a steady player at the end of last year proving to be a decent tackler. He's not bad on bigger receivers and will take over the starting spot on the left side. - FS Sha'reff Rashad, RFr. - It'll be up to Rashad to be a major factor at free safety with his good size and decent speed. He earned the starting spot early in his true freshman year, but he broke his hand on the first play of the game and missed the rest of the season. - SS Renford Parkes, Soph. - 42 tackles, 1 interception ... Parkes stepped up when the UCF safeties got hurt and started five games finishing sixth on the team in tackles. He should be far better this year now that he has a year of experience. - CB Ron Ellis, Jr. - 45 tackles ... Ellis is going to be one of the best tackling corners in Conference USA. Now he has to be a strong cover-corner and make more plays when the ball is in the air. He has the experience and great quickness, and now he has to establish himself as the shutdown man. Top Backups - CB Johnell Neal, RFr. - Speed isn't a problem for Neal, but strength and size is. He got bigger in the last year bulking up to 180 pounds and he should be a factor on the right side behind Ron Ellis. - SS Rashad Mays, Sr. - 15 tackles, 1 interception, 2 broken up passes ... The walk-on got a crash course in playing time after injuries hit the secondary. He's more of a corner playing safety, but he has the experience to step in this year if needed. Special Teams PK Matt Prater is way too good to have another bad season. P Aaron Horne got better as last year went on and should be more consistent this year. The return game was average and should be decent again. Special Teams rating: 7 - Placekicker Matt Prater, Sr. - 9-14 FGs, 12-14 extra points ... Prater is in his fourth year as a starter and has a huge leg, but now he has to regain his consistency after fighting through a leg injury last year. He struggled from mid-range missing four of his seven kicks from 30-39 yards, but he was able to nail a 51-yarder. Expect him to regain his high level this year. - Punter Aaron Horne, Sr. - The FIU transfer averaged 38.7 yards per kick last year putting 18 inside the 20 and forcing 13 fair catches. He could use more blast on his kicks, but direction isn't an issue. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – Here you take it. No, you take it. No, I insist, you take it – It may not be the revolving door like it was at Kansas State, but if the Golden Knights are going to start making some headway in Conference USA, a quarterback has to step up and ‘own’ the position. Steven Moffett and Kyle Israel entered spring practice as co-number ones, but one of them must step forward to be THE number one. Moffett started eight games last year, completing 64% of his passes, but had a 9 to 10, TD to interception ratio. Israel played in three games last year, starting one, but his passing stats were poor. The junior Moffett has a strong arm and tremendously quick feet, but he has to improve his decision making prowess, especially so for a team coached by George O’Leary. Israel doesn’t move as well as Moffett can, as he’s more of a classic pocket passer with a modicum of mobility. However, one thing that you shouldn’t expect to see in Orlando is a rotating quarterback system. Last year’s yo-yo was roller coaster enough, and the only way this team is going to get the bagel out of the win column is to establish a consistent starter at this position. Pick your poison – run then pass or pass then run? Moffett or Israel? 2nd and Seven – I thought Atari was extinct in the 1980s? – Although he was injured last year and didn’t play as well as he had earlier in his career, strong safety Atari Bigby was an experienced, productive leader. Consequently, he’s now gone; so, there’s going to be a spotlight on the safety positions to play well. Former Episcopal High standout Sha’reff Rashad should lock down the free safety spot, while Renford Parkes should take over full time at strong safety. Parkes started while Bigby was out last year, so he’s got some experience. But, now it’s going to be their show this year, and in this conference, it can be tough going solo. 3rd and Three – The Golden Line – This year’s offensive line is perhaps the most experienced unit on this team, and with the uncertainty at quarterback, that’s good news for Coach O’Leary and the Golden Knights. Being able to give Moffett and/or Israel the time to throw or the lanes to make plays with their legs will go a long way in determining how well this offense fares this year. O’Leary wants to have a strong, quick moving unit up front, and this line has the potential to give him just that. Whether they reach their potential is a different question altogether, but don’t think that O’Leary will let them rest until they do. 4th and One – Don’t be Misled – As a head coach, George O’Leary had never had a worst season, record wise. But, don’t be lulled into thinking that this team didn’t make strides last year, under difficult circumstances. The aforementioned offensive line was one of the youngest in the nation. There was a sophomore and a freshman at the quarterback position. Experienced seniors were injured at key points in the year. Freshmen saw the field perhaps more than O’Leary wanted. O’Leary knew this rebuilding job wasn’t going to be easy, but he’s molding his players the way he wants and that’s worked very well in the past. 0 and 11 won’t happen ever again in Orlando under this man. LINK

2005 PREVIEW: Florida Atlantic Owls Pete Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews.com It's all about the new with Florida Atlantic. A new status, a new place in the Sun Belt, and an almost brand new team. The Owls have made the move to D-I and are looking to instantly be a player in the Sun Belt race, but it's going to be a much, much harder road than it would've been last year. The 2004 Owls were full of veterans able to shock the D-I world early on with wins over Hawaii, North Texas and Middle Tennessee State on the way to a 5-0 record before losing to UL Monroe. Not only does this year's team need to replace almost everyone, most of the new starters don't have a lick of experience. Even so, that doesn't mean this can't be a good first year in the D-I ranks. The secondary is strong and the corners are fantastic leading what should be a decent defense. The offense is a concern with a small line and almost no proven playmakers among the skill positions. Making things worse is the schedule that doesn't have an Edward Waters, Northern Colorado or Illinois State on it. Don't expect miracles in the first season in D-I, but look for Howard Schnellenberger's team to make some serious Sun Belt noise if all the new young players come together early. The Schedule: Welcome to D-I. FAU will get blasted by Kansas, Oklahoma State and Minnesota in the first three games before getting UL Monroe in the Sun Belt opener. The key has to be to get the young team some experience before facing the Indians. Making Sun Belt life easier are the next two conference games, UL Lafayette and MTSU, at home, as well as the North Texas game late, but three of the final four games are on the road. Best Offensive Player: Senior FB Aaron Sanchez. Sort of by default, the do-it-all Sanchez is the best offensive player going into the season as a great run blocker, the team's best power runner, and a strong receiver. Best Defensive Players: Senior CB Willie Hughley and senior LB Shomari Earls. The two have to be considered best defensive player No. 1 and No. 1A, and they'll be crucial to leading the defense through the early part of the year as two of the only returning starters with any experience and proven talent. Key player to a successful season: QB Danny Embick. With so much youth and inexperience on offense, the longtime backup has to be a steady force for the attack. If Embick struggles, this will be a brutal season as the rest of the offense won't be able to pick him up. The season will be a success if ... FAU finishes in the top four in the Sun Belt. That's asking a lot considering all the issues and problems with experience, but there's no reason the Owls can't win most of the conference home games and beat a FIU or Arkansas State on the road. Key game: Sept. 24 vs. UL Monroe. After getting blasted at Kansas, Oklahoma State and at Minnesota and with at Louisville coming up, the Owls are going to desperately need something positive. A win over a decent UL Monroe team would do wonders for a 1-0 Sun Belt start to provide hope for the second half of the year. 2004 Fun Stats: - Third quarter scoring: Florida Atlantic 106 - Opponents 45 - Penalties: FAU 113 for 1,017 yards - Opponents 75 for 680 yards - Third down conversion percentage: FAU 41% - Opponents 27% Basically ... It could be a long start to the season with almost no experience to rely on anywhere, and even less developed depth. New offensive coordinator, former UTEP head coach Gary Nord, has his work cut out for him. The hope is for a balanced offense needing the super-small line to use its quickness to open up holes for the running game. The receiving corps has some speedy potential and there's some flash in the backfield, but they're going to need a while to get their feet wet. New starting quarterback Danny Embick has been around long enough to be a steady influence. Star of the offense: Senior FB Aaron Sanchez Player that has to step up and become a star: Senior QB Danny Embick Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman WR Frantz Simeon Best pro prospect: Junior OG Stetson Wilson Top three all-star candidates: 1) Sanchez, 2) TE Dantson Dareus, 3) Wilson Strength of the offense: Speed and quickness Weakness of the offense: Experience Quarterbacks Danny Embick has waited forever to become a starter, and now he gets his chance with enough practice and backup experience to hit the ground running. Backup McKinson Souverain needs time to develop, but he's an exciting option with 4.4 speed. The key to the FAU passing game is efficiency; the fewer mistakes, the better. Player to keep an eye on: McKinson Souverain, RFr. ... Quarterback Rating: 4.5 Projected Starter - Danny Embick, Sr. - The former West Virginia transfer saw plenty of action last year in a reserve role throwing four touchdown passes and 641 yards last year, but he also pitched five interceptions. He isn't all that big, but he's a more mobile option than former starter Jared Allen and has been around long enough to be considered a veteran even though he doesn't have much in the way of starting experience. Top Backups- McKinson Souverain, RFr. - Groomed for the 2006 starting job, the lightning fast Souverain is more than just a good runner, he has decent passing skills that need time to develop. If Danny Embick struggles at all, Souverain will be a bolt of excitement when he comes in. Running Backs Doug Parker was the offense at times last year, and he certainly was the running game with 227 of the team's 471 carries. The other top tailbacks are gone meaning young, but fast backs like B.J. Manley and Charles Pierre should be able to pick up the slack. Durability will be the main question. Fullback Aaron Sanchez is good enough to be a workhorse and will power the way for the two speedsters. Player to keep an eye on: B.J. Manley, Soph. ... Running back rating: 4 Projected Starters - B.J. Manley, Soph. - Manley spent most of his time last year on special teams, but he saw a little bit of work rushing for 83 yards averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He's a quick back who has to prove he can be a workhorse to replace what former starter Doug Parker provided. - Fullback Aaron Sanchez, Sr. - The 220-pound returning starter to the backfield was a strong blocker and has become the team's best short yardage runner finishing second on the team with 173 yards and three touchdowns. He's a fantastic safety-valve receiver as well with 24 catches for 200 yards and two scores. Top Backups - Charles Pierre, RFr. - Pierre spent last year getting used to college life seeing practice time, but he'll be a big factor this season with his speed and home-run hitting ability. Even though he's only 5-9 and 195 pounds, he's extremely strong. He averaged 10.1 yards per carry as a high school senior. - Fullback Dominick Walker, Soph. - At only 203 pounds, Walker isn't going to be the blocker or the powerback starter Aaron Sanchez is. However, he's fast and could be used in two back sets to use his athleticism. He'll also be used some as a kick returner. Receivers This could be the team's biggest weakness early on with the top returning wide receiver finishing eighth on the team in catches. No one else has caught a pass yet. There's good speed and some great potential in Frantz Simeon and Casey McGahee, but they're not very big. Tight end Danston Dareus will have to be a major contributor early as a receiver. Player to keep an eye on: Frantz Simeon, RFr. ... Receiver rating: 4 Projected Starters - Tito Pollice, Jr. - The 6-3 Pollice has to be a steady starter after spending the last two years primarily on special teams. He has a little bit of starting experience, but he has yet to make a catch. - Thomas Parker, Sr. - Parker missed all of 2003 after getting hit in a car accident. He returned last year to make an impact catching 14 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown regaining his status as a deep threat. Now he'll need to lead the young group of receivers and be the go-to guy from the start. - Tight end Dantson Dareus, Sr. - Dareus overcame a knee injury to be a tough all-around factor making 23 catches for 306 yards averaging 13.3 yards per grab. At 6-5 and 238 pounds, he's a solid blocker as well as a physical receiver. Top Backups - Frantz Simeon, RFr. - A good all-around receiver, the 5-9 Simeon has the potential to be the star of the receiving corps in a hurry. He's a must-watch, home-run hitter every time he touches the ball. - Casey McGahee, Jr. - Used as a kick returner and defensive back, the 155-pound McGahee is a speedy player who could turn out to be a factor as a deep threat now that he moved over to the offensive side. He adds a much needed dose of flash to the receiving corps. - Tight end Darrion Porter-Isom, Sr. - More of a big wide receiver than a tight end, the 6-2, 193-pound senior will be used as a big target more than a blocker in the running game. Offensive Line This will be an issue. FAU lacks size and has no experienced depth whatsoever, but it's an athletic line that hustles. The right side has the bulk, while the left side has the small, quicker players. A rash of injuries would be devastating without any numbers to fall back on. If Stetson Wilson and/or Antes Perkins get hurt, there will be big, big problems. Player to keep an eye on: Stetson Wilson. ... Offensive line rating: 3.5 Projected Starters - Tackle Jarrid Smith, Soph. - One of two returning starters to the line, the 6-2, 258-pound Smith has played center and guars. Because of his size, or lack thereof, he's better suited to the outside where he can use his quickness. He's a good competitor and a nice pass blocker. - Guard Brandon Jackson, Soph. - The former defensive end will move over to guard to use his strength and tenacity. The problem is his size at only 245 pounds. He's not going to be a bulldozing run blocker. - Center Nello Faulk, Jr. - The former guard took over in the middle and came through with a strong season. He's only 245 pounds, but at 6-6 is able to use his frame and long arms to be an effective pass blocker. - Guard Stetson Wilson, Jr. - At 310 pounds, Wilson adds some desperately needed size to the line and is going to be the team's top run blocker. He spent most of his time on defense, but he's needed more in a full-time role at right guard. - Tackle Antes Perkins, Jr. - Perkins went from 265 to 285 pounds and should be a more powerful all-around blocker at right tackle. He has good feet and should blossom into a consistent starter. Top Backups - T Jarrett McDonald, RFr. - At 287 pounds, McDonald is a bigger option on the left side than Jarrid Smith. He's a technically strong blocker who'll quickly make his way into the lineup. - G Zachary Wichner, RFr. - Able to play tackle or guard, the 260-pound Wichner will be the team's most valuable reserve early on. He'll start out pushing for time behind Stetson Wilson on the right side. - G Peter Pantelakos, Soph. - While only 235 pounds, the sophomore will need to be a contributor in the guard rotation on the left side behind Brandon Jackson. Basically ... The defense doesn't have much experience, but it should be good as the year goes on led by a strong secondary with tremendous corners. The front seven has several good young players, but the leader is senior MLB Shomari Earls who'll be a near lock for All-Sun Belt honors. The key early will be to find steady pass rushing threats among the ends. Star of the defense: Senior LB Shomari Earls Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior DE Josh Jenkins Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore DT Jason Flemming Best pro prospect: Senior CB Willie Hughley Top three all-star candidates: 1) Hughley, 2) Earls, 3) CB Lawrence Gordon Strength of the defense: Cornerback Weakness of the defense: Proven pass rushers Defensive Line Experience is a problem without anyone to rely on at any spot, but there should be a decent rotation of players with several good prospects. There's decent size in the middle and good speed on the outside, so the question is time. How long will it take for this group to come together? Last year's line was strong against the run and better at getting into the backfield. This year's front four will need a while to get to that level. Player to keep an eye on: DT Jason Flemming, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 3.5 Projected Starters - DE Josh Pinnick, Soph. - 14 tackles, 1 sack ... Pinnick turned into a starter early last year, but he got lost in the shuffle at times and wasn't much of a pass rusher. After a year of experience, the 235-pound sophomore needs to grow into a regular in opposing backfields. - DT Jason Pugh, Sr. - 11 tackles, 1 sack ... Still recovering from a 2003 knee injury, Pugh wasn't quite 100% all of last year and didn't make the impact expected. At 265 pounds, he needs his quickness to make plays. - DT Jason Flemming, Soph. - 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss ... Knocked out in the first game, Flemming missed the entire season. Now the 292-pound sophomore is ready to roll and should be one of the Sun Belt's best all-around tackles with good strength to go along with his size. - DE Josh Jenkins, Soph. - 6 tackles ... The 210-pound sophomore has to use his speed to be a pass rusher. He has the speed and athleticism to become a top playmaker, and he has a little bit of experience seeing time in three games. Top Backups - DT Jervonte Johnson, RFr. - At 280 pounds, Johnson provides more size than Jason Pugh at one of the tackle spots. He's a strong interior pass rusher who'll quickly find his way as a factor in the rotation. - DT Mark Chase, Sr. - Chase lost over 20 pounds due to a bout of mono and missed all of last year. He's back in the mix now and should finally be due for some good luck after a rough start to his career. - DE Vinny Henderson, RFr. -  The 252-pound redshirt freshman will move around from end to tackle playing wherever needed. He'll start out as a bigger option at one end spot behind Josh Jenkins. Linebackers The linebacking corps was one of the team's strengths, and it should be decent in time revolving around Shomari Earls in the middle. There's a little bit of returning experience and some decent looking backups, but it all has to funnel through Earls. Kinyumba Mutakabbir and Cergile SIncere will quickly become top tacklers on the outside. Player to keep an eye on: Cergile Sincere, Soph. ... Linebacker rating: 4.5 Projected Starters - Kinyumba Mutakabbir, Sr. - 12 tackles, 1 sack ... Mutakabbir spent two years trying to come back from an Achilles tendon tear and was a solid backup. He's a great athlete who finally appears to be 100% ready to be a strong all-around player on the strongside. He'll be a good factor in pass coverage. - Shomari Earls, Sr. - 81 tackles, 4 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 4 broken up pass ... One of the team's only returning players with any proven production, Earls led the team in tackles and was a strong defender in pass coverage. He's big enough to be a regular factor against the run, and quick enough to get into the backfield. - Cergile Sincere, Soph. - 6 tackles, 1 sack ... Mostly a special teams performer, Sincere will use his speed and big hitting ability on the weakside. He's a safety playing linebacker, and runs like it. Top Backups - Erik Benson, Sr. - 10 tackles, 1 sack ... A decent backup middle linebacker last year and even better special teamer, Benson provides some much needed experience in a backup role behind Shomari Earls. - Andre Clark, RFr. - Clark was a tackling machine in high school making 173 stops as a senior. He's a strong player with good athleticism at a 205-pounder on the weakside. Defensive Backs The secondary will be the team's strength with two All-Sun Belt caliber corners and a star in Willie Hughley. The safeties were good reserves in the past and should be good starters. There's good depth at corner, one of the few areas on the team with some quality backups, and enough speed and skill to grow into the Sun Belt's best secondary if there's a bit of a pass rush to provide some health. Player to keep an eye on: FS Taheem Acevedo, Jr. ... Secondary rating: 5.5 Projected Starters - CB Lawrence Gordon, Sr. - 63 tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 7 broken up passes ... A strong tackling and experienced corner, Gordon was third on the team in tackles. He'll be tested a bit with Willie Hughley on the other side and he must make more plays when the ball is in the air. - FS Taheem Acevedo, Jr. - 24 tackles, 2 broken up passes ... Acevedo got the starting nod early in the year, but he couldn't stay healthy and ended up as a strong reserve. He's always all over the field and is a good tackler in run support. - SS Christian Amaya, Sr. - 16 tackles ... Amaya overcame a torn ACL in 2003 to become a strong reserve as last year went on. While not all that big, the former South Florida transfer has enough experience in the system to be a dependable performer. - CB Willie Hughley, Sr. - 43 tackles, 6 interceptions, 11 broken up passes ... The star of the secondary, Hughley will be one of the best all-around corners in the Sun Belt with good size and unbelievable athleticism. He's a shut-down corner who'll need to be a steady leader all season long. Top Backups - CB Quincy Skinner, Sr. - 29 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 9 broken up passes ... A strong backup and special teamer, Skinner is a great third corner to have in the mix and a quality defender when the ball is in the air. He'll play behind Lawrence Gordon, but will see plenty of action in nickel and dime packages. - CB Rickey Bethel, Sr. - 3 tackles ... The JUCO transfer saw a little bit of time last year, and will be a quality backup behind Willie Hughley. He's a quick defender who'll be a top special teamer. - FS David McDowell, Jr. - 3 tackles ... McDowell has battled injuries throughout his career to be a key special teamer. He'll need to be a steady backup behind Taheem Acevedo at free safety. Special Teams The kicking game should be decent if Daniel Kenard can come through as a consistent kicker from midrange. Mike Brown should grow into one of the nation's best punters. The return and coverage units need more production. Special Teams rating: 6.5 - Placekicker Daniel Kenard, Soph. - Kenard is a good-sized kicker with a big leg, but he has some big shoes to fill needing to replace Mark Myers who hit 20 of 28 field goals last year with four getting blocked. - Punter Mike Brown, Sr. - Brown will be one of the Sun Belt's best punters coming off a big season averaging 41.9 yards per kick putting 16 inside the 20. With a fresh set of downs… 1st and Ten – One Giant Step for Man, One Giant Leap for the Owls – For many decades, the only college football in the state of Florida was at the supposed ‘Big Three’ – Miami, FSU and Florida.  UCF came into existence in the early 1980s, but didn’t make a splash until some QB named Culpepper arrived in Orlando.  But, that’s only four programs in a state that produces close to 300 Division 1A football players on an annual basis.  Why is this important, and even more so for a school like FAU?  Well, when top notch Florida high school players weren’t recruited by the Big Three or other major ACC or SEC schools, those players ended up going North.  Big Ten schools.  Louisville reaped the benefits (and still does to a degree).  But, the option of going to a viable program within their home state is huge for kids from South Florida, in particular, who now don’t have to go to out of state.  And, don’t think that Howard Schnellenberger isn’t reaping the benefits down in Boca Raton (okay, so is it fair to be going to school and playing college football in that town?).  Having those kids stay home becomes even more important as the Owls venture into Division 1 conference football in 2005.  The rise to success has been a rapid one – a rise that was thought to be reasonable, but, perhaps, not to this degree.  2003 – D1AA semifinals.  2004 – 9 and 3 record, including three straight wins on the road to open the season.  Moving into the Sun Belt conference, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Owls make some major noise this year.  They beat four time Sun Belt champion North Texas in Denton, so what or who’s to say that this team isn’t ready for a bowl game in its first year?  Imagine that, this youthful infant of a football program heading to a bowl game (they started play in 2001)?  That’s one giant leap for the Owls.  2nd and Seven – The Natural – When QB Danny Embick was a senior at Dwyer High School, word of his exploits traveled throughout the state.  Everyone in the state knew who this kid was and the natural ability he possessed.  He finally gets his opportunity to take the QB reins, as record setting QB Jared Allen has graduated.  Embick is a much better pass/run dual threat, but he doesn’t have the touch and accuracy that Allen displayed throughout his career.  Regardless, the Natural gets one final shot at collegiate greatness. 3rd and Three – Fire and Ice – The Owls may possess the best duo of CBs in the Sun Belt, and, perhaps, in the entire state.  Returning starters Lawrence Gordon and Willie Hughley don’t leave opponents feeling good when they attack the perimeter.  Gordon is the Fire, the physical star, third on the team with tackles last year, while Hughley is the Ice, the cool corner, picking 14 passes over the last three years.  This diverse duo is more than ready for the best the Sun Belt has to offer through the air, and/or on the ground.    4th and One – Rush to Judgment – The Owl running game didn’t strike fear into many last year, as they only registered 127 yards per game.  But, this year could be that much worse if the Owls don’t find a replacement for Doug Parker.  The former starter was the running game for FAU, and finding an able bodied replacement is task number one for new offensive coordinator Gary Nord. 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FOOTBALL: The Colonial Athletic Association will begin sponsoring football in 2007 when all 12 members of the Atlantic 10 football conference switch leagues, CAA officials said. CAA TO BEGIN SPONSORING DIVISION I-AA FOOTBALL IN 2007 5/4/2005 Commissioner Tom Yeager announces the start of CAA Football. RICHMOND, Va. (May 4, 2005) – Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner Thomas E. Yeager announced today that the conference will sponsor football beginning with the 2007 season. “We are pleased to announce the addition of football to the CAA,” Yeager said. “College football, with all of its tradition, pageantry, and rivalries, creates an interest and excitement on campus and across communities that is unmatched. We look forward to having the CAA name attached to such a distinguished group of institutions and building on the successes that those members have had in the past.” Members of the CAA’s Division I-AA football conference will be the University of Delaware, Hofstra University, James Madison University, the University of Maine, the University of Massachusetts, the University of New Hampshire, Northeastern University, the University of Rhode Island, the University of Richmond, Towson University, Villanova University and the College of William & Mary. All 12 teams are currently members of the Atlantic 10 Football Conference and will continue that affiliation through the 2006 season. “The addition of Northeastern as a full CAA member and the sixth football-playing institution qualified the CAA for football conference recognition by the NCAA,” Yeager said. “With the commitment to begin conference competition, invitations were sent to the other six institutions and we are thrilled that the long, competitive history of this league will be preserved.” The conference is already considered one of the finest in Division I-AA football, having produced the past two national champions in Delaware (2003) and James Madison (2004) and three of the last seven with Massachusetts claiming the title in 1998. Ten of the 12 teams have reached the Division I-AA playoffs at least once in the past five years. Four teams (Delaware, James Madison, New Hampshire and William & Mary) earned I-AA playoff berths a year ago and all of them advanced to the quarterfinals, marking the first time in the 27-year history of I-AA football that a conference had achieved that feat. Eight of the 12 conference members were ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll at the same time last October. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2004-05, the CAA has established itself as one of the nation’s top collegiate conferences. Along with Delaware, Hofstra, James Madison, Towson and William & Mary, other full members include Drexel University, George Mason University, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University. Georgia State University and Northeastern will increase the CAA’s full membership to 12 when they join the conference on July 1, 2005. “I am very pleased that the CAA has seen two major events this year,” said Dr. Eugene P. Trani, President of Virginia Commonwealth University and chair of the CAA Council of Presidents. “First, the addition of Northeastern and Georgia State bringing the conference to 12 full-time members with six Division I-AA football programs and schools in five of the nation’s nine largest media markets. Second, I am delighted that Villanova, Maine, New Hampshire, Richmond, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are now all part of Colonial football. The CAA universities could not be more pleased with the increased recognition that the CAA is a major league on the national scene.” Football will become the 22nd sport to be sponsored by the CAA. The conference has produced 16 national team champions in five different sports, 33 individual national champions, 11 national players of the year, 11 national coaches of the year and 12 Honda Award winners. Story Link

Louisiana Hoops Hall Of Fame Honors Paschal By JOEY JOHNSTON jjohnston@tampatrib.com Around the Tampa Bay area, former University of South Florida men's basketball coach Bobby Paschal is best known as the man who guided the Bulls to their only two NCAA Tournament bids. But in Louisiana, Paschal will always be known as the coach who helped bring back the program at Southwestern Louisiana, leading the Ragin' Cajuns to five postseason appearances in eight years. That was two decades ago. But Paschal's accomplishments are still remembered fondly. Tonight in Baton Rouge, La., he will be inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame, along with former LSU coach Dale Brown and former LSU All- American **** Maile. The Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame, formed in 1976, has its exhibit at LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Past inductees include Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, Willis Reed, Pete Maravich and Andrew Toney. ``It's a very rewarding thing for our whole family,'' said Paschal, who will be joined at the induction ceremony by his wife, Shirley, and their children, Brent, Cindy and Marsha. ``At the same time, it's not something you can accept alone. Without my family, our players, our coaching staff, the school administration and the great support we received from the fans back then, we wouldn't have enjoyed the success that we did.'' Paschal, 63, coached for 10 seasons at USF, then worked eight years as assistant athletic director before retiring last year. Accepting the job at USF and leaving USL (now known as Louisiana-Lafayette) was a difficult decision because of the ties Paschal had in Lafayette, La. He helped build the Cajuns' program from the ground up - literally. Paschal was the chief assistant to Jim Hatfield in 1975 when USL brought back basketball after the program had been shut down for two years because of NCAA infractions. Paschal recruited key players such as Toney, the Alabama player of the year and an eventual star with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Florida player of the year Dion Raney. When Hatfield left for Mississippi State in 1978, Paschal became head coach, leading the Cajuns to a 153-85 mark, including two NCAA Tournament appearances and three trips to the NIT. The 1981-82 season was particularly memorable. After causing Paschal concern with an exhibition game loss to Marathon Oil, the Cajuns opened the Great Alaska Shootout with an upset of No. 1- ranked Georgetown and freshman Patrick Ewing. The Cajuns then defeated Washington State and Marquette to win the tournament and vault into the top 25 rankings. They finished 24-8 with a Southland Conference title and an NCAA bid. After another NCAA bid, the Cajuns made the NIT in 1983-84, getting all the way to its final four at New York's Madison Square Garden. ``It was Virginia Tech, Michigan, Notre Dame and us,'' Paschal said. ``Quite a thrill.'' All along, Paschal continued to pluck recruits from the state of Florida, including Alonza Allen (Lakeland) and George Almones (Kathleen). That quality was a major reason why then-Athletic Director Paul Griffin selected Paschal for USF in 1986. ``I still like the fact that they [Cajuns] are doing well,'' Paschal said. ``To be remembered for having a role in shaping that program, to receive an honor like this, it's very special. That time will always be special to me.'' Local Notes: Oklahoma State baseball outfielder Corey Brown (Plant) continues to bid for freshman All-America consideration. He's third in the Big 12 Conference batting race (.382), while leading all conference freshmen with 11 home runs. Georgia State senior men's golfer Ty Harris (Berkeley Prep) was named second-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference for the second straight season. Harris, selected first-team all-conference in 2003, helped the Panthers to the A-Sun Tournament title by finishing in a two-way tie for ninth place. Georgia State will compete in the NCAA Regionals on May 19-21. Tampa's Ron Deckard won the men's title, Apollo Beach's Verdell Woolard won the women's title and Tarpon Springs' Robert Zumbahlen won the elder's title at the recent State Championship Horseshoe Pitching Tournament at the Clearwater Horseshoe Club. To report local sports news, milestones or happenings, call Joey Johnston at (813) 259-7353 or send an e-mail. Story Link

I thought Syracuse was scared away from Orangemen - aren't they just the "Orange"? And, we all know that the "Red Storm" were previously not a hued weather event.

I hope Coach MCullum sent him an autographed picture!

Thanks for the info Source.. What's the real deal on the QB position there? Is the job open or simply Sexton's to lose? How do they rank out right now?

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I just hope ESPN captitalizes on it and schedules some 9 a.m. TV games for you and pre-empts our penchant for 11 a.m. kickoffs....