Scouting Report: Elon

[Brad]

An assemblage of preseason information and speculation about each of the Bulls opponents, beginning with the Elon Phoenix.

 

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Elon official site:

Phoenix Tabbed Fifth in CAA Football Poll

BALTIMORE, Md. – Elon University football players Warren Messer and CJ Toogood were among the players named to the 2018 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team during the league's annual Media Day festivities at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, on Tuesday, July 25. The league also announced its preseason predicted order of finish, which placed the Phoenix fifth in the 12-team conference.

Messer, a linebacker who hails from Garner, N.C., earned All-America honors from both STATS FCS and Phil Steele following his junior campaign. He finished 10th in the voting for the 2017 Buck Buchanan Award and ended the year ranked 25th nationally with 9.5 tackles per game. Elon's first CAA Football first-team all-conference performer, Messer posted a team-best 114 total tackles, including 11.0 for a loss and 5.5 sacks. He intercepted two passes and broke up three others, while forcing two fumbles. He also posted a team-high eight quarterback hurries. Messer posted 10 or more tackles in each of Elon's first five games in 2017, including a career-best 15 tackles in a league win at No. 6 Richmond. He had seven total double-digit tackle performances a year ago. In the Phoenix's victory over William & Mary, he had eight tackles, which included a sack for a safety. His interception at Rhode Island sealed a one-point victory for Elon. In a victory at No. 13 Villanova, Messer finished with five total tackles, including 3.0 for a loss and a pair of sacks.

Toogood, a senior offensive lineman who hails from Holly Springs, N.C., helped the Phoenix run for 1,819 yards and score 13 rushing touchdowns last season. He was a second-team all-conference selection as a junior. Elon's rushing attack concluded the season ranked fourth in the conference and 56th nationally with 164.5 rushing yards per game. The offensive line group helped the Phoenix to rank fourth in the league with just 23 sacks allowed.

The league's coaches and media relations directors selected Elon to finish fifth in the conference in 2018, the highest preseason selection for the program since joining CAA Football. The Phoenix earned 168 total points and picked up one first-place vote. James Madison earned 21 first-place votes and was chosen to repeat as conference champion. New Hampshire, Delaware and Stony Brook were picked to finish between the Phoenix and Dukes.

Elon enters the 2018 campaign off of an 8-4 season in which the Phoenix made its second-ever appearance in the FCS Playoffs. Under first-year coach Curt Cignetti, Elon posted a six-game improvement from 2016 to 2017. Cignetti was named the CAA Football Coach of the Year and the team featured six all-conference players and the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Phoenix defeated four ranked opponents and made its first appearance in the national polls since the 2010 campaign. The team won eight straight games during the season, the fourth longest such streak within a season in the history of the program.

2018 Preseason All-CAA Football Team
Offense
QB – Trevor Knight, New Hampshire (Preseason Offensive Player of the Year)
RB – Kani Kane, Delaware
RB – Marcus Marshall, James Madison
FB – Cal Daniels, Stony Brook
WR – Dejon Brissett, Richmond
WR – Neil O'Connor, New Hampshire
WR – Aaron Parker, Rhode Island
TE – Charles Scarff, Delaware
OL – Mario Farinella, Delaware
OL – Ethan Greenidge, Villanova
OL – Jahee Jackson, James Madison
OL – CJ Toogood, Elon
OL – John Yarbrough, Richmond

Defense
DL – Darrious Carter, James Madison
DL – Andrew Clyde, Richmond
DL – Brandon Ginnetti, Rhode Island
DL – Kayon Whitaker, Maine
LB – Quinlen Dean, New Hampshire
LB – Shayne Lawless, Stony Brook
LB – Warren Messer, Elon
LB – Troy Reeder, Delaware
S – Nasir Adderley, Delaware
S – Rob Rolle, Villanova
CB – Jimmy Moreland, James Madison
CB – Rashad Robinson, James Madison (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year)

Special Teams
KR – Earnest Edwards, Maine
PR – Donovan McDonald, Albany
PK – Griffin Trau, Richmond
P – Harry O'Kelly, James Madison
SPEC – Mazai Nelson, Maine

2018 Preseason Poll
1. James Madison (21 first-place votes) – 241 points
2. New Hampshire (2) – 206
3. Delaware – 182
4. Stony Brook – 169
5. Elon (1) – 168
6. Villanova – 164
7. Richmond – 127
8. Maine – 81
9. Albany – 78
10. Towson – 74
11. William & Mary – 55
12. Rhode Island – 39

[BrassBulls12]

The name of their QB made me go to google to make sure it wasn’t that QB for OU and TEX-AM from a few years back. Couldn’t figure how he was eligible.  

[charsibb]

Why is a Carolina team in a league full of New England teams?

[Apis Bull]

15 minutes ago, charsibb said:

Why is a Carolina team in a league full of New England teams?

Why is West Virginia in a league full of Texas and Oklahoma teams?

[charsibb]

6 minutes ago, Apis Bull said:

21 minutes ago, charsibb said:

Why is a Carolina team in a league full of New England teams?

Why is West Virginia in a league full of Texas and Oklahoma teams?

LOL

Apples and kumquats!

 

[Apis Bull]

2 minutes ago, charsibb said:

LOL

Apples and kumquats!

 

Yep, Elon is closer to New England than West Virginia is to Texas

[Rocky Style]

Well Carolina is close to William & Mary and Richmond.

[NewEnglandBull]

4 hours ago, charsibb said:

Why is a Carolina team in a league full of New England teams?

It was because the 1aa teams either went to D2 or moved up to 1A. There simply is not as many. Elon is in the same league as my employer the University of New Hampshire and last year UNH went down there. Another reason this league was put together is that it is arguably the best in 1aa. USF better have its head on right against Elon. 

[IotaBull]

Half of those teams are South of Philly (3 in VA alone), not exactly an all NE conference. 

[Brad]

New face, experienced place

By Adam Smith 
Times-News 

ELON — Cooper Cromer’s transition from a background role to a forefront position on the Elon football team’s offensive line has proceeded with its share of growing pains to grind through and mental hurdles to clear.

And while there will be more that must be overcome, that’s part of the process for the redshirt freshman as he plugs in alongside experienced company as the Phoenix’s projected starter at left tackle, the new kid on an accomplished block.

“They’ve definitely huddled around me, pushed me,” Cromer said of his older line mates. “They get on me every day, but it’s always good encouragement, it’s nothing ever bad, and I’m glad they’re putting faith into me.

“I hope I can fulfill that, because I look to my right every day and I see those guys, all of that experience, and I know the pressure’s on me to fill those shoes, to make their final season good.”

Cromer’s first game in college figures to be Elon’s season opener, Sept. 1 at South Florida.

He has joined a tight-knit group, an offensive line unit stocked with veterans — seniors Alex Higgins, CJ Toogood and Oli Udoh are entering their fourth years as starters — that has worked together under the direction of Damian Wroblewski, Elon’s longest-tenured assistant, coach Curt Cignetti’s only holdover from former coach Rich Skrosky’s staff.

He also is replacing a four-year starter at left tackle in Ikenna Nwokeji, an all-conference performer last season during Elon’s breakthrough campaign in the Colonial Athletic Association, while being charged with protecting quarterback Davis Cheek’s blind side and helping to pave the path for the Phoenix’s trio of proven running backs.

Those layers make up the challenge on the whole that’s facing Cromer, who created a positive impression during spring practices and has earned a promising reputation.

“He’s a smart guy and he learns quickly and he’s improved every day,” Cignetti said. “He’s got a good future.He’s got to continue to improve.”

Cheek said Cromer has “been working his butt off.” Higgins marvels at the ways in which Cromer, at 6-foot-6 and 298 pounds, can use his size, while gladly becoming a motivating voice to aid the redshirt freshman’s development.

Link/Rest of story