PSAC Western Division 2011 Preview

California (PA) Vulcans
2010 Record: 10-2
The Vulcans have been on a rather good run in recent years, and 2010 was no different. The Vulcans opened on a 7 game win streak before falling to slayer Mercyhurst, and then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Bloomsburg. CUP is looking at wrapping up some unfinished business, as they can't be happy about their stunted playoff run after a 10 win season. The Vulcans do start over at QB, as Josh Portis moves on after a 33 TD season. Lamont Smith will probably see the ball more often at RB, as he rushed for 1165 yards and 12 scores as a sophomore last fall, and he becomes the new face of the offense. Whomever the new QB is, he'll have a top flight WR in Chedrick Cherry, who posted 56-795-13. Darnell Harding returns after recording 5 sacks as a freshman last fall, and Steve Santia returns on the other side of the D line after racking up 9 TFLs, while Safety Rontez Miles collected 12 TFLs. Miles will be joined in the secondary by Shawn Anderson and Erik Harris.
Season Opener: 9/1 St. Cloud State


Clarion Golden Eagles
2010 Record: 4-7
The Golden Eagles struggled while running with freshman QB Ben Fiscus. Fiscus struggled heavily, but the Eagles are hoping that the worst struggles are behind him now. Fiscus rushed for 6 TDs, and was the second leading rusher last fall, but he loses RB Alfonso Haggard, who rushed for 1045 yards and 9 TDs. They are also looking for a receiver to step up after the loss of Jacques Robinson. Barrington Morrison led the league in sacks last fall with 10.5 and he'll be leaned on to lead this unit. Morrison also collected 16.5 TFLs on the season. Chris Wilson is the best that the secondary has to offer after defending 5 passes and picking off 3.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Fairmont State


Edinboro Scots
2010 Record: 7-4
The Scots are on the verge of turning a corner, and this could be the season if the pieces come together. It starts with sophomore Cody Harris. Harris passed for 11 TDs last fall, while limiting himself to just 5 picks. You could see the playbook get opened up a bit for him this fall. Drew Herrell was the starting Rb as a freshman as well, and he has growth potential after rushing for 682 yards and 6 TDs. David Bostic is the best returning WR, but he has a ton of work to do to become a better target, as his numbers were not stupendous last fall. Improvement by Harris should help. LB Ryan Skelton returns at LB after leading the team with 74 tackles. James Thomas and Kier Jeter return up front after combining for 26 TFLs last fall. James Jackson, another wonderful freshman find in 2010, returns to lead the secondary after defending 10 passes last fall. The Scots could be a dark horse candidate this fall.
Season Opener: 9/3 West Liberty


Gannon Golden Knights
2010 Record: 6-5
Consistency, consistency, consistency. That's the word of the day at Gannon. There were a couple of close losses that kept the Knights from winning 8 games last fall, and they have to put it together of they hope to push CUP this fall. Finding a new QB will be key to the offense, but there will be a starter at RB, too. That's a problem. They also lose their top receiver. Randy colling returns at DE after collecting 71 tackles, but the Knights lose their top 3 tacklers from a season ago. Kolling collected 8 sacks last fall, and collected 12 TFLs overall. Matt Jones returns up front as well, after he collected 10 TFLs last fall. Chris Cook will be the lone returnee in the secondary, after picking off 4 passes last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1  @ Lake Erie


Indiana (PA) Crimson Hawks
2010 Record: 6-5
The Hawks slipped back a bit last fall, and the QB position was an issue, as Bo Napoleon tossed 14 picks against just 8 TDs. They do bring back two solid backs in Harvie Tuck (229-1134-4) and Teddy Blakeman (117-502-7). With struggles at QB, there were plenty to be had at WR as well, and someone needs to take charge now. Carl Thornton returns at DE and must step it up to take the lead up front after the losses of Mike Gee at LB. Johnny Franco will return to lead the secondary after defending 8 passes and picking off 4.
Season Opener: @ East Stroudsburg


Lock Haven Bald Eagles
2010 Record; 0-11
The Eagles were the one team that could claim that they actually suck worse than Cheney. At least for one season anyway. Jarrett Kratzer struggled at QB, and never made it to 1000 yards passing last fall, and he was even on his TD to pick ratio at 7/7. The Eagles need someone...anyone...to step up at RB. Jay Hartman is actually a quality WR as he posted 52-660-6 in a terrible offense. The defense has no play makers up front, and they really are lacking any front line players in the secondary as well.
Season Opener: 9/10 Millersville


Mercyhurst Lakers
2010 Record: 10-4
The Lakers were the giant slayers in the PSAC last season, and they took their success right into the playoffs before finally falling to Shepherd in a big way, 49-14. Travis Rearick returns at QB after passing for 2063 and 23 TDs last season. If he can limit his 12 picks, the Lakers could move on deeper into the top 25 and the national consciousness. They do, however, need to find a replacement for Gerald Anderson at RB. Trevor Kennedy (75-924-11) and Terrence Coon (60-885-8) both return at WR, so if the run game develops, the offense may have an incredible season. Ian Wild returns at DB after recording 79 tackles last season, but the Lakers lose some beef up front, specifically at LB. Dan Kruper does return up front after recording 9 total sacks. Kruper recorded 17.5 total TFLs last fall. Bryant Kimball and Wild combined for 18 passes defended last fall.
Season Opener: 9/3 Notre Dame College (Ohio)


Slippery Rock Rockets
2010 Record: 6-5
The Rock lost 4 of their final 5 games last fall, so they are trying to work to get their mojo back after falling apart while closing out last fall. They lost their final 3 games by a grand total of 12 points, which is just painful. Ryan Sabo returns at QB, but he was a mess as he tossed 11 picks to just 5 TD passes last fall. Akeem Satterfield is one of the best RBs in D2, as he rushed for 1352 yards and 20 TDs. He will be the focal point of the offense, but Sabo must get his passing game cranking to take heat off of him. If Sabo improves, Satterfield could actually improve as well, which could be scary. The loss of Dan Goda at WR could be a major problem. LB Zack Sheridan collected 102 tackles last fall, and he will be back to lead the defense. What the Rockets need, is some pressure up front, which is lacking. Andre Freeman was solid in the secondary, as he defended 8 passes.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ Seton Hill

Matt Chandik's Heisman Predictions...No.4

The SEC prides itself on being the top college football conference in the land (so much so that rival fanbases routinely take credit for other teams’ national titles. See: every SEC team’s fans chanting “S-E-C S-E-C S-E-C” whenever one of its teams wins the national title, though that could be partly attributed to everyone in the South being related to one another), but it might be best known in 2011 as the conference where elite running backs live.


Alabama’s Trent Richardson, Auburn’s Mike Dyer, Arkansas’ Knile Davis and my No. 4 pick for this year’s Heisman, South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore, make up as good a foursome of running backs as you can find anywhere in the country. One of those three previously mentioned running backs will appear later in this countdown, but the No. 4 spot belongs to Lattimore.

Lattimore was the most sought-after running back in the nation as a high school senior in 2010. He was a consensus five-star recruit and was labeled the No. 1 back in the nation by both Rivals.com and Scout.com. While the fact that he played at nearby Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., certainly helped South Carolina’s recruiting efforts, it the Gamecocks still had to fend off, well, everyone for Lattimore.

Once he stepped on campus, though, Lattimore backed up the hype. He scored a pair of touchdowns in the season opening win against Southern Mississippi and then announced his arrival to the college football world the week after with an utter demolition of SEC rival Georgia. Lattimore trampled over the Bulldog defense with 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 37 carries. He would also add highlight-reel games against Tennessee (29-184-1) and Florida (40-212-3).

The two main gripes on Lattimore’s game is that he might lack some explosiveness after averaging less than five yards per carry and that he doesn’t do well against the best teams on South Carolina’s schedule. His yards per carry should go up as the Gamecocks’ offense returns quarterback Stephen Garcia (yes, even after his 92nd stay in Steve Spurrier’s doghouse) and one of the nation’s most talented wideouts in Alshon Jeffery, thus opening up more lanes for Lattimore. Jeffery established himself as one of the nation’s most imposing targets last year when he racked up an absurd 88-1,517-9 line. Jeffery is so tough to defend because he’s so big (6-4, 235 pounds) and fast (17.24 yards per catch last season) and teams will have to roll a safety to his size, limiting how often that safety can creep down in the box to stop Lattimore.

Lattimore will need to perform better against top competition, though. He faced eventual national champion Auburn (well, we’ll see how long that lasts) twice and managed a combined 117 yards on 30 carries and only scored once in those two games. He put up 93 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama, but needed 23 carries to do it. He averaged less than three yards per carry against Arkansas and barely scraped out two yards per carry against archrival Clemson. That needs to change.

One of the biggest reasons, however, that Lattimore is so highly regarded is because of how well he catches the football, especially for a power back. He led all SEC running backs in receiving yards with 412 and added two touchdowns, including a four-catch, 133-yard, one-touchdown performance against Kentucky.

Considering how Lattimore was able to put up more than 1,600 total yards of offense and 19 touchdowns while missing the Vanderbilt game and the bulk of the bowl game against Florida State (he was held to one carry before leaving the game), it’s not unrealistic to expect more than 2,000 total yards of offense from him. I’d venture to say that he’ll likely end up with about 1,500 rushing yards, 500 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns, setting him up for a great chance to win the 2012 Heisman. Until then, though, he’ll have to settle for the No. 4 spot in this talented Heisman pool.

Look for Matt Chandik’s No. 3 pick for the Heisman Trophy later this week. He can be reached at matt.chandik@gmail.com.

Power Rated Sports

http://www.powerratedsports.com/ is on target to lauch on August 20th. Lot's of fantastic new features, our Power Rating Index, Ask the Professors, and an all new series, Seven Points, will be moving to the new site when we launch.
Catch a sneak peak of our new "Seven Points" series on Monday right here at the Bilo College Football Report, as we are joined by Andrew Bucholtz, lead CFL writer for Yahoo Canada, and author of the "55 Yard Line" blog, as Andrew gives us his Seven Points on the CFL. Other guests to be announced Monday.
"Ask the Professors" is coming back soon as well, as we have a whole new, and bigger cast joining the panel. The list is absolutely incredible, as we have brought in some big guns as part of the group this season. Join me on Monday, as I unleash the list of names.

Thanks for reading!!!

More Radio Appearances for Bilo Football

Check out my appearance tonight on "Tha SportsKrib" radio show on Blogtalk Radio. Follow the link below to listen to the show.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wcsteelerfan


I will also be appearing for the 3rd time on the GlobalCFFL Live show on Blogtalk Radio in the very near future, and I will post more info on that appearance very soon!

PSAC Eastern Division 2011 Preview

Bloomsburg Huskies
2010 Record: 10-3
One of the power players in the PSAC, the Huskies were cruising before falling to Mercyhurst twice in 3 weeks, including in the playoffs. The Huskies are playing a season based on unfinished business. Pat Carey returns as a senior at QB after tossing 24 TD passes last fall. He lacks efficiency at times, only having completed 53% of his passes last fall. Franklin Quiteh is a super star RB, as he was the only player on any level of college football to rush for over 2000 yards last season (2015 yards and 22 TDs). By the way, he was a freshman. Can you say Super freak? The Huskies will need to find a consistent threat at WR, which they seem to currently lack.DE John Pettine returns after recording 7.5 sacks last season, and DB Oscar Rivera comes back after a major effort of having defended 16 passes to lead the conference last fall. Vincent Browning returns in the secondary as well after picking off 4 passes. Dan Fisher returns after nailing 20 FGs as a freshman as well. Super freshman class last fall. If the passing game sorts out, the Huskies can take this conference title.
Season Opener: 9/1 Ashland


Cheyney Wolves
2010 Record: 1-10
The Wolves are about as bad as they can be, and have been terrible for more years than I can remember. By far the worst program in the PSAC. Whatever you know or don't know about this team, you can take it to the bank that they will be a bottom feeder once again in 2011. Tim Hume did record 9.5 sacks last season, so see, I can say something positive every now and then.
Season Opener: Lincoln


CW Post Pioneers
2010 Record: 7-4
The Pioneers are looking to push forward this season, after scoring 30 or more points 6 times in 2010. Improvement on the defense will be key, after the offense put on a display last fall. Grayson Laurino attempted only one pass last fall, but he looks to be the lead to win the QB job. Anthony Brunetti and Thomas Beverly will both return at RB after combining to rush for 15 TDs last fall. Losing Darnell Williams and his 12 TDs at WR will be tough, but Joe Botti looks to step up after a solid freshman season. Billy O'connor and Ronnie Modik both return at LB this fall, and they combined for 229 tackles last fall. O'Conner finished 5th in the country with an average of 11.36 per game. Modik added 5 picks to his game.
Season Opener: 9/3 American International


East Stroudsburg Warriors
2010 Record: 3-8
After the Warriors decimated Pace 57-0 in the 2010 opener, who would have thought that the Warriors would only win two more games? They are starting over after QB Matt Marshall moves on. Kendrick Williams rushed for 9 TDs last fall, and becomes a focus point on offense in 2011. The Warriors will be looking for athletes to step up at receiver, but got very little production there last fall. Herschel Thornton elevates to top tackler status with the loss of Matt Feed, who finished 9th in the country last fall with a 1091 tackle per game average. Brett Moss will lead up front after recording 12 TFLs last fall.The loss of David Castillo in the secondary is offset by the return of Shawnte Carroll, Thornton, and D'Jon Tillman.Taylor Groff was a solid freshman PK, having hit on 16 of his 21 FG attempts last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1 Pace


Kutztown Golden Bears
2010 Record: 10-2
The Bears won their first 9 games before falling to Bloomsburg last fall in what turned into a rout. The Bears then stumbled and fell in their 1st round playoff loss to Shepherd, falling by a TD in a 41-34 letdown. Kevin Morton, the leagues leading passer, returns for another go in 2011. Morton passed for 3633 yards and 38 TDs last fall, and is a leading candidate to win the 2011 Harlen Hill Trophy. John Mastromatto takes over as the lead RB after rushing for 8 scores off of the bench. The top 3 receivers return in Laquan Frazier, Josh Smith, and Chris McCormack, who combined for 27 TDs. The Bears are rebuilding on defense, so they may be depending on putting up a light show on offense to keep the wins coming.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ St. Anselm


Millersville Marauders
2010 Record: 2-9
The Marauders stumbled early, and then continued to face plant during an 8 game losing streak to close the season. They are starting over at QB and RB, and they lose their top WR. Matt Egenreider does return at WR to become the teams most notable offensive player, but only caught 39 passes last fall. Scary thought. The defense loses all of its top play makers from last season, so major rebuilding is in the offing. More of the same, I'm afraid.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ West Virginia Wesleyan


Shippensburg Red Raiders
2010 Record: 5-6
After a horrible early start to the season, the Raiders came back strong with a 4 game win streak to close out. It didn't prevent a losing record, but it was a building block. Steven Adams returns at QB, and you should see a major improvement off of his 15 picks last season, He did toss 17 TDs. Kevin Herod will likely be the primary back after sharing carries as a sophomore last fall. Both top receiver will return this fall, but they will need to be more diverse and consistent if Adams is to shake off the turnovers. Vinnie Ranauto returns at LB after recording 65 tackles last fall, but that led the team, more play makers are needed. More plays need to be made. Marcellus Sammons knocked away 6 passes, and will lead the back four.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ Shepherd


West Chester Golden Rams
2010 Record: 4-7
The Rams gave up 30 or more points 8 times last fall, and that was far to much for the offense to keep pace with. Mike Mattei will have to reverse course in 2011, as he tossed more picks (13) than TD passes (12) last fall. Jackson Fagin takes over at RB full time, but was unimpressive for the most part last fall. Fagan will also be the leading returning receiver after the loss of Dan DePalma, which could hurt badly. The defense was pure cannon fodder, and is in complete rebuild mode.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ New Haven

Matt Chandik's Heisman Predictions...No.5

We're getting closer and closer to the 2011 college football season, and the buzz entering this season is reaching a fever pitch. College football was the benefactor of the NFL lockout as more than a few players decided to skip the uncertainty of the NFL labor situation in favor of another year in college. That means that it's going to be a loaded field for the Heisman Trophy, so there are going to be some pretty damn impressive players that don't get it. With that being said, here's how I think the top five will unfold at the end of the year, not necessarily how it should be. We can all look back on this and laugh at me for being an idiot. Here's No. 5.


5. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Blackmon was a revelation last season for the Cowboys. He took over for Dez Bryant, who alternated between pissing off his new NFL teammates and getting in trouble for letting his ass hang out of his pants, and Blackmon was terrific. After a 20-catch freshman season, no one really expected Blackmon to go ballistic on Big XII “defenses”- and I do use that term very loosely- but that's exactly what he did. He snared 111 passes for 1,782 yards (16.05 ypc) and 20 (!) touchdowns. His worst game was against archrival Oklahoma where he managed a pedestrian eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. SERIOUSLY? This guy's worst game was one that would be a career highlight for 90 percent of Division I receivers. He's good. He's got terrific size at 6-1, 210 pounds to outmuscle defensive backs and he can run very well, too.

Blackmon also has a good quarterback feeding him the ball in 94-year-old Brandon Weeden. Weeden should be a darkhorse contender for the Heisman after throwing for more than 4,200 yards, a 66.9 completion percentage and 34 touchdowns. Realistically, though, Blackmon makes the offense go. He scored a touchdown in every game that he played in last year and should again be the most productive Division I receiver.

While I really like Blackmon's game, though, the odds are stacked against him to win the Heisman. Notre Dame's Tim Brown and Michigan's Desmond Howard are the only two receivers to win the coveted award, but both were more than pure receivers. Brown had 1,937 all-purpose yards (846 receiving yards, 401 punt return yards, 144 rushing yards and 456 kick return yards to go with eight touchdowns), played for arguably the most popular team in the country and benefited from a fairly pedestrian field. Howard won the award in a landslide, but he was also a multi-threat wideout. He grabbed 61 passes for 950 yards and 19 touchdowns, had 165 rushing yards on 12 carries and scored twice, averaged 31.1 yards per kick return on 12 returns and scored once and also averaged a sickening 17.4 yards per punt return. His lone punt return for a touchdown is one of the most famous punt returns in college football- here's a video in case you need a reminder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxpoqP9PkqM

Right, suck on that, Ohio State.

Howard also added a gorgeous catch against Notre Dame as one of his signature moments, but the biggest thing for Brown and Howard is that they were both multi-purpose threats and played for monstrously hyped programs. Blackmon doesn't return punts or kicks and only had four carries last year (though he did get 77 yards and a touchdown on them) and plays for the state of Oklahoma's junior varsity team, so it's going to be hard to see him win the Heisman unless he does a little bit of everything, especially in a loaded field like this one. I expect Blackmon, the Big XII's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, to win his second consecutive Biletnikoff Award and be an All-American before bolting for the NFL, but a Heisman might be a bit out of hand.

Look for Matt Chandik's No. 4 pick for the Heisman Trophy later this week. He can be reached at matt.chandik@gmail.com

Matt Chandik's Wisconsin Player to Watch

Wisconsin had a great year last season, winning what was a third of the Big 10 title and then became a half, beating Ohio State and clinching a berth in the Rose Bowl before falling to TCU. A big part of that was a strong defense led by All-America and Houston Texans first-round pick J.J. Watt. With Watt off to pursue NFL quarterbacks with a hefty chunk of change in his bank account, the Badgers will need someone to step up on the defensive line.


Enter Jordan Kohout. The 6-3, 285-pound defensive tackle played quite a bit as a redshirt freshman and racked up 22 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack. He’ll be asked to expand on his role as Bret Bielema searches for talent on the defensive line. He’ll be tasked with freeing things up for linebackers like Chris Borland and Mike Taylor.

Wisconsin rotates its defensive linemen quite a bit and Kohout is a defensive tackle, so I don’t expect him to put up eye-popping stats. With that being said, it’s hard to envision a scenario where he doesn’t have an impact for the Badgers’ defensive line. The UW defense is experienced, even with the loss of standouts like Watt, safety Jay Valai and linebackers Blake Sorensen and Culmer St. Jean, and that should help Kohout out immensely. He should be able to make an impact without having to worry about the pressure of being the lone standout on a poor defense. Instead, he gets to be a part of a strong defense that, coupled with UW’s potent running game and the addition of Russell Wilson, should have the Badgers contending for the Big 10 title yet again.

Ultimately, I’ll say Kohout ends up with 40 tackles, five of them for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He’s probably a year away from being an elite player in the Big 10, but he should be a consistent force this year.

Northern Sun 2011 Preview

Bemidji State Beavers
2010 Record: 7-4
The Beavers were decent last fall, but they are looking to hit the next level and push for a playoff birth, Good luck with UM-Duluth in your division. Even worse is that the Beavers are starting over again at QB. Dustin Kroeplin will be back at RB after the junior rushed for 802 yards and 9 scores last fall. TE Brian Leonhardt is the leading returning receiver, so depth is an issue in the receiver corps. LB Cory Crosby collected 92 tackles last fall, and returns to run the defense as a junior. Losing DE Rob Willis up front is damaging. Charles Hrdlicka returns in the secondary after defending 6 passes last fall, but he is the only real play maker in the secondary. Too many questions this fall, and Bemidji may be lucky to repeat 7 wins.
Season Opener: 8/25 @ Minot State


Mary Marauders
2010 Record: 4-7
Mary is still adjusting to D2 football after coming over from the NAIA ranks, but they finished with a 3 game winning streak in 2010. Craig Bagnall was never really lost as a freshman starting at QB for the Marauders last fall, and is an emerging star caliber player. Mary is lacking in the backfield, however, and has no real experience or depth at RB. Tyler Steffan returns after posting 43-660-4 at WR last fall, but they lose Terry Newsome, who caught 49 passes last fall. Senior LB Marcus Broome returns after leading the team with 88 tackles last fall. Xavaiar Cleveland and Buddy Wallace will be difficult to replace up front. Arthur Pittman returns in the secondary after defending 7 passes last fall. Pittman and Broome both picked off 3 passes to lead the team in 2010. Improvement may be on the horizon, but don't expect too much.
2010 Opener: TBA (Not available at post time)


Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles
2010 Record: 1-10
By far one of the worst teams in the conference. Josh Perea was picked off 12 times to just 3 TD passes last fall, but was only a freshman. That being said, I'd be worried. Keith McBride returns at RB after rushing for 696 yards and 6 scores, but unless Perea gets better, teams will stack up on him in the box. The receivers are completely lacking. DB Cecil Brown led the Eagles with 91 tackles last fall, but that's not a good thing, as the front 7 were allowing far too many ball carriers into the secondary in the first place. Cody Hendrickson led the team with 4 picks, and returns as well.
Season Opener: 9/2 Mayville State


Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
2010 Record: 15-0
The Bulldogs have now won back to back titles and have established themselves as one of the dominant football forces in D2 football. Chase Vogler is highly efficient at QB, having only tossed 3 picks all season. He passed for 1913 yards and 17 TDs. Vogler also rushed for 905 yards and 7 more scores. Brad Foss has to be replaced at RB after rushing for 1151 yards and 12 scores last fall. DJ Winfield returns at WR after finishing 2nd in the conference with a line of 45-990-8. UMD loses their top tackler from last season, but Rob Huberty returns after recording 7.5 sacks last season at LB. Huberty finished with 12 total TFLs last fall. Cameron Harper returns in the secondary after picking off 5 passes. Most of the pieces are in place for the Bulldogs to make another run, and they should certainly control the scene in the Northern Sun once again.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ Augustana


Minnesota State-Moorhead Dragons
2010 Record: 2-9
Kevin Koch returns at QB after a not so great season that saw him get picked 13 times, while only passing for 10 scores. Eboni Lucious-West returns at RB, but only averaged 50.64 yards per game. Obvious improvements are needed by these two players just off the top. Brandon Thompson returns at WR, but struggled to average near 10 yards per catch. Losing Jake Larson and Joey Dawson on defense is a real bummer, as Larson led the conference in tackles, and Dawson was one of the only players producing pressure up front. Bailey Kwame defended 8 passes as a freshman last season and will be the key piece to the secondary, but he needs some help from his friends. Could be another rough season, and likely will be.
Season Opener: 9/3 Robert Morris (Illinois)


Northern State Wolves
2010 Record: 2-9
Just another warm body for UMD to beat up on. The Wolves played two QBs last fall, and they lose them both. The Wolves also have no dependable players back at RB, and are at square one. WR Trevor Mau is the only key player back on offense, and that spells major trouble. If all of that was not bad enough, the Wolves posted not one defender in the top 25 tacklers in the conference last fall, and Adam Carvajal, their best player in the secondary, has departed. 2 wins would seem like a major accomplishment this season.
Season Opener: 9/1 SW Minnesota


St. Cloud State Huskies
2010 Record: 10-3
The Huskies had a fantastic run in 2010, and boasted a 7 game win streak during the middle of the season. They lost to UMD by a FG in the 2nd round. Phillip Klaphake was very good as a freshman, as he passed for 2918 yards and 24 TDs. Even Better was that he also led the team in rushing with 798 yards and 11 scores. Tyler Allery will be stepping from a complimentary receiver role into the main act, as the Huskies lose Fred Williams, who was phenomenal last season (95-1616-17). Tony Kubes returns as the leading tackler at DB, and Marvin Matthews defended 8 passes last fall. Eric Poppenburgh returns as well with 6 passes defended.
Season Opener: @ California, PA


Augustana Vikings
2010 Record: 11-2
The Vikings rolled through another fantastic run in 2010, but they too ran into UMD in the playoffs, cutting their title run short. Josh Hanson passed for 2295 yards and 23 TDs last fall, and was just a sophomore. Hanson added another 518 on the ground, but the Vikings lose RB Joe Clark and his 1060 yards and 10 scores. Sam Holsen is in line to start at WR, but the Vikings lost their top two receivers from 2010. The Vikings lose their top 3 tacklers from last season, and they lose their top two producers in TFLs. Zac Kellas returns in the secondary after defending 6 passes. Kellas and Dan O'Keefe combined for 14 picks last fall, and they will anchor the defense from the secondary. The opener will be a war.
Season Opener: 9/3 Minnesota-Duluth


Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears
2010 Record: 8-4
The Bears are a player in the Southern Division, but they didn't have enough to push through. Spencer Ohm returns after a nice year, and he passed for 2231 yards and 22 TDs. Sam Campbell returns at RB as well after rushing for 939 yards and 7 scores. Charles Gilbert (43-873-11) returns as the top receiver. LB Al Quaye returns after leading the team with 106 tackles last fall. Zach Moore is on the watch list, as he recorded 9 sacks last season as a sophomore, and he recorded 12 TFLs. The Bears do lose their top two producers in the secondary, however. A very good season could still be in the mix.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ Minot State


Mankato State Mavericks
2010 Record: 6-5
The Mavs had some rough spots last season, and were lucky to manage their way into 6 wins. Will Brogan returns at QB, but he has work to do, as he only passed for 11 TDs while tossing 9 picks. Taylor Brookins returns at RB, after rushing for 751 yards and 7 scores. Adam Thielen, Dennis Carter, and Cody Rose all return at WR, giving Brogan a solid group of targets. Chris Schaudt led the team with 7.5 sacks on the season and returns to man the front, and he recorded 13.5 TFLs last fall. Jesse Hamilton comes back in the secondary after picking off 3 passes last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1 Northern Michigan


Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs
2010 Record: 4-7
The Mustangs start over again at QB after the loss of Ryan Ratekin, who led the league in passing. Warren Matthews will be the starting RB, but he never made it to 100 carries last fall. The Mustangs also lose their top receiver. John Kersbergen led the team with 86 tackles, while DB Joe Stupka recorded 79 tackles. Kyle Wagner defended 8 passes last fall, and returns to the secondary to join Stupka.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Northern State


Upper Iowa Peacocks
2010 Record: 2-9
UIU had a really bad time of it last season, and the defense was decimated in all but two games. They gave up 40 or more points 6 times last fall, and now it's time to build something out of the ashes. Drew Kaluzny will be the leading candidate to start at QB, but has limited experience. RB Jordan Otdoerfer returns to step into the primary spot, and carried 97 times off of the bench last fall. Jesse Hubbard returns at WR, but is not a deep threat. The Peacocks lose their top two tacklers on defense, and they also lose all of their top producers up front. Play makers are limited in the secondary. There isn't much to work with, so expect more losses in 2011.
Season Opener: 9/3 Texas A&M-Commerce


Wayne State (Nebraska) Wildcats
2010 Record: 6-5
The Wildcats lost 4 of 5 to finish out the season with a thud after they looked as if they would challenge for a playoff bid early. Evan Johnson returns at QB, but only tossed 9 TD passes last fall. Nick Pulscher returns at RB, but rushed for only 463 yards and 3 scores, so obvious improvement will be needed here. Kevin Paulson will be the top WR, but is very average in only picking up just over 10 yards per reception. LB Ben Perry returns after recording 83 tackles last fall and DE Richard Daniel recorded 9.5 sacks on the season. Daniel led the conference with 17.5 TFLs on the season, and is a leading candidate for Defensive MVP this season. Play makers are on short supply in the secondary.
Season Opener: 9/1 Nebraska-Kearney


Winona State Warriors
2010 Record: 7-4
The Warriors were just 2 points away from 8 wins instead of 7, and were 7 points away from having 9 wins last fall. Very close. Evan Aber is developing nicely at QB, passing for 15 TDs to just 4 picks last fall. RB Rayon Simmons is a star, as he rushed for 1252 yards and 9 scores as a sophomore last season. Derrick Engel returns as the top WR, and he too is developing into his potential. Aber and Engel could have huge breakout seasons. On defense, it may be a different story, as the Warriors had very few consistent tacklers, and were not good at applying pressure. Chris Norgaard returns in the secondary after defending 6 passes.
Season Opener: 9/3 Michigan Tech

Northeast 10 2011 Preview

American International Yellow Jackets
2010 Record: 6-4
After a bumpy start to the season, AIC finished off strong by winning 5 of their last 6 games last fall, and they averaged 41.4 points per game in those 5 wins. The Jackets are starting over at QB, after they lose Rob Parent and his 25 TDs passing. Mike Mayo returns as the starting RB, but only rushed for 480 yards and 3 scores, and he shared time with Terrel Williams and Courtney Stephenson, while converted DB Bryan Fitzgerald pushed for time as well. Andre Samuels was good for 10 TDs last fall, and returns to lead the receivers. Markell Rice will be the new defensive leader, as he collected 66 tackles after converting to defense from WR. AIC does lose their two top tacklers from last season. Justin Tervo led the Jackets in both sacks and TFLs (8) last fall, and Rice led the team by defending 7 passes last season.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ CW Post


Assumption Greyhounds
2010 Record: 6-5
The Hounds were on the right path, and then they stumbled out of contention by dropping their final 3 games last season. Andrew Kupec, the leagues leading passer, has moved on, leaving a huge hole at QB. Uly Gibson moves to the top spot at RB after the loss of Herb Woodard, who finished 3rd in the league in rushing last fall. Gibson rushed for only 384 as the primary backup. The top 3 receivers from last fall, including David Canney (1st in the NE10, 86-1036-5) are gone. The defense is thin, as the Hounds return nobody from the top 25 tacklers in the conference, and they lacked pressure up front. Dan Conrad returns after defending 6 passes in the secondary. Play makers are seriously lacking. 6 wins may be asking a lot this fall.
Season Opener: 9/3 Bowie State


Bentley Falcons
2010 Record: 5-4
The Falcons played a short schedule last fall, and had to win 4 straight to close out the season to get over .500. The Falcons Also lose their starting QB, Bryant Johnson, and are looking to rebuild. Bobby Tarr returns after rushing for 590 yards and 3 scores last fall. He needs to carry more of the load, as he averaged over 6 yards per carry last season. The Falcons lose their top 3 receivers, so the passing game could be a nightmare. Steve Hopkins returns after collecting 68 tackles last fall, but the Falcons lose their top two tacklers. More pressure is needed up front, but that seems to be a common theme in this conference. Don Hopkins finished 5th in the nation with 6 picks last fall.
Season Opener: 9/2 Maritime (NY)


Merrimack Warriors
2010 Record: 4-6
The Warriors had serious struggles with consistency on both sides of the football, and it was their impending doom. James Suozzo returns at QB, giving the Warriors an edge in a league where there was so much turnover. Suozzo was they poster child for consistency issues at times, as he passed for 17 scores but was also picked 13 times in 10 games. The Warriors need increased output from RB Anthony Smalls, who rushed for 439 yards and 7 scores. Isaiah Voegeli will be the top receiver after finishing 4th in the league with 803 yards receiving last fall. Omari Mobley moves into the second WR spot. LB Shawn Loiseau finished 2nd nationally with 133 tackles, averaging 13.3 per game. His return is huge. Tony Johnson will return to apply pressure up front after recording 7 total sacks last fall to lead the league. Johnson recorded 14.5 TFLs last season, which also led the league and was good for 28th nationally. Ryan McCarthy and Artis Holt will try to nail down the deficiencies in the pass defense, as they combined for 19 passes defended in 2010. They finished 1 and 2 in the league. Justin Marsan led the team with 3 picks, and also returns.
Season Opener: 9/3 WPI


New Haven Chargers
2010 Season: 8-2
The Chargers are back, and after a brief period of time where they dropped football, they appear to be crawling back onto the landscape. Ryan Osieski returns at QB, and he passed for 1861 yards and 16 TDs last fall. HE could be a major breakout player as a senior this fall. Victor Jones missed a game at RB, but still rushed for 1021 yards and 11 scores, and led the conference with a 113.44 yard average per game, good for 18th nationally. The top two receivers in Demetrius Washington-Elli and Sharieff Hall both return. Charlie Hatchett returns after leading the team with 83 tackles last fall at LB, and DB Desmond Anderson returns as the leading tackler in the secondary with 53. LB Robert Hill also returns at LB after collecting 9 TFLs last season. JD Chalifoux led the team with 6 passes defended, and also returns. Anderson led the league with 7 picks last fall. All of this returning strength makes the Chargers the team to beat in the Northeast 10.
Season Opener: 9/3 West Chester


Pace Setters
2010 Record: 0-9
Abysmal. That's the only word that can describe the train wreck that was 2010 for the Setters. The Setters gave up 46.4 points per game last fall, and their average margin of loss was 30.4 points per game. It gets no worse than that. Jordan Raynor returns as the leading candidate to start at QB, but he did absolutely nothing as a freshman. The Setters lost their only weapon in Jason Washington at RB, and they have no depth there. They also lose Eric Ortega, their leading receiver. David Lopez returns after racking up 79 tackles at DB last fall, but they lost Patrick Finnigan, who was their one source of pressure up front. The secondary was a black hole last fall, and it looks no better now.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ East Stroudsburg


St. Anselm Hawks
2010 Record: 2-8
The Hawks were not the worst disaster in the conference, but they were certainly a disaster. They allowed 41.5 points per game, and 5 of their final 6 games. Improvement starts with junior QB Mike Pierce, who tossed 15 TDs, but also tossed 12 picks. The Hawks need to find a RB to support the passing game, or else they will continue to spin their wheels, and Pierce will continue to be forced into mistakes by overloading him. He will also have to find new receivers, as the top two have departed. Chris Bent and Shane O'Donnell return at LB to anchor the defense, but they have a ton of work to do to keep people from scoring at will. O'Donnell did collect 9 TFLs last fall. The Hawks were fairly young in the secondary last fall, so more experience will definitely help.Still a ton of work to do here.
Season Opener: 9/3 Kutztown


Southern Connecticut State Owls
2010 Record: 6-4
The Owls finished strong by winning their final 3 games in 2010 after a very rough start to the season. Kevin Lynch may be the best returning QB in the league after he passed for 2468 yards and 24 TDs last fall. Rashaad Slowley returns as the primary back after rushing for 871 yards and 10 TDs last fall, and the job is all his after sharing time last fall. Willie Epps and Andre Privott return as the top 2 receivers after combining for 71 receptions last fall. Epps is especially dangerous up field, after averaging nearly 27 yards per reception last fall. LB Sam Johnson returns at LB after recording 76 tackles last season, but he needs some play making support around him. Kamal Magaresh returns in the secondary after defending 7 passes last fall, but they lose play making machine Richard Kirkland from the secondary. SCSU could push New Haven and Merrimack for league supremacy this fall, but the opener is a meat grinder.
Season Opener: 9/3 @ Central Connecticut State


Stonehill Skyhawks
2010 Record: 5-5
The Hawks were just 5 points away from a 7 win season last fall, so they have yet to get over the hump to being a consistent player in this conference. They have issues at QB and RB this fall, as they have voids at both spots. Whomever wins the QB job will have a quality wide out to get the ball to in junior John Gomes, who had 50 receptions last fall. Junior LB Jonathon Poth finished 15th in the nation last fall with 99 tackles, and he will lead the defense, which was inconsistent last season. Jareed Gaines finished second in the conference with 14.5 TFLs last season. DB Stephan Neville returns after having defended 9 passes in 2010. The defense may have to carry a heavy burden as the offense tries to put themselves together.
Season Opener: 9/2 Curry

MIAA 2011 Preview

Central Missouri Mules
2010 Record: 11-3
Eric Czerniewski won the Harlen Hill Trophy last fall after passing for 5207 yards and 46 TDs. That being said, he has now moved on, and now the Mules have to find a replacement. Lucky for them, head coach Jim Svoboda is an offensive guru, and he can certainly develop a QB. The Mules also lose leading rusher Anthony Stewart, who rushed for 1084 yards and 15 TDs. The Mules also lose their top 4 receivers from last fall. It's going to be interesting to find out how they plan to recover from so much loss. Defense was not a strong suit last fall, and they lose their top tackler in Deonte Bell  Deonte McDonald returns up front to apply pressure to the opposition, as he collected 11.5 TFLs. Marlon Douglas defended 11 passes last fall, and he will be the leader in the secondary, and he picked off 4 passes.
Season Opener: 9/1 Missouri Southern


Emporia State Hornets
2010 Record: 5-6
The Hornets fell apart down the stretch last fall, as they lost their final 4 games to fall under .500 at season's end. Tyler Eckenrode returns to run the offense, but he was not a big time passer, and that cost the Hornets when they got behind in games. He tossed 12 TDs, but also tossed 8 picks. Not a great ratio. Someone needs to step up at RB if this offense is going to work. Shjaun Richardson returns as the top WR from last fall after posting 28-558-5, and can become a big time vertical threat if the QBs can get the ball to him. LB Michael Luthi is the leading returning tackler, but is only a sophomore. Time to grow up quick for the youngster, because he is now the lynch pin of this defense. With the loss of the one man force in Daniel Webb, the Hornets need to find someone to step up on the front line and get themselves into the backfield. Derek Lohman defended 7 passes last fall, and now is the man leading the action in the back 4.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Fort Hayes State


Fort Hayes State Tigers
2010 Record: 3-8
The Tigers started out 3-0 last fall before everything came apart and they burned out, losing their final 8 games. The Tigers have bad news, as Mike Garrison and his 25 TD passes is now gone. James Walker and his 9 rushing TDs...gone, and Garrison was the second leading rusher. OJ Murdock and his 60-1290-12 line at WR? Gone again. Cordoral Scales moves up to the top spot there, but the Tigers lost their third best receiver as well, so he is on an island. Alex Whitehill returns at LB, and that is huge, as he ranked 10th nationally with 10.73 tackles per game. Nick Dreitz returns to support him after rolling up 63 tackles last fall, but he will need to step it up a bit. Jacob Crossman's 19 TFLs last fall? Gone. Passing against this team was like shooting fish in a barrel last fall, and it may not be any better. This could get bad.
Season Opener: Emporia State


Lincoln (MO) Blue Tigers
2010 Record: 2-9
The Tigers barely belong i this conference, and gave up 58 or more points 4 times, including 81 in a loss to Missouri Western. It's just not a good fit, and they are outclassed across the board. If you expect anymore than their 2 wins from last fall, than I must say that you may be delusional.
Season Opener: 9/3 Avila


Missouri Southern State Lions
2010 Record: 4-7
Collin Howard returns at QB, but he struggled badly last fall as he tossed 14 picks to just 11 TDs. The pressure is on RB Cornell Gedward, who rushed for 849 yards and 3 scores last fall as a sophomore. If he succeeds, it takes pressure off of the passing game. Ne'Ronte Threat and Landon Zerkel both return at the top of the receiving corps, and that's great news. They combined for 111 receptions last fall. There was very little productivity on defense last fall, as nobody ranked in the top 30 in tackles. Brandon Williams was solid up front, as he collected 9 sacks on the season amongst his 17 TFLs. That is a huge bonus getting him back into the fold. Maurlon Bembry takes over the leadership role in the secondary after defending 7 passes as a junior last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Central Missouri


Missouri Western State Griffons
2010 Record: 8-4
The Griffons snuck into the playoffs last fall, but fell to conference rival Northwest Missouri 28-24 in the first round. It was a gallant effort, considering that the Griffons had lost to the Bearkats 42-0 during the regular season. Drew Newhart and his 25 TD passes have moved on, so it's starting over time. Michael Hill rushed for 704 yards and now must be a bigger piece in the offense to help break in a new QB. Terrell Downing moves to the top receiver spot, and TJ Fannin should join him in the starting lineup. DB Jake Long led the team with 75 tackles last fall, but was not much helpo in pass coverage. David Bass led the team with 7 sacks, and he returns to run the front seven. He collected 10.5 TFLs for the season last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1 Pittsburg State


Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
2010 Record: 12-2
The Cats made a major run in the final season for legendary head coach Mel Tjeerdsma. Tjeerdsma retired after the season ended, and Scott Bostwick was promoted to replace him as the 18th coach in school history. Tragedy struck as Bostwick died suddenly of a heart attack last spring before ever coaching in his first collegiate game. Adam Dorrel was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Bostwick, and now the Cats are trying to move forward from the sadness that has rocked this campus. The incredible Blake Bolles has moved on at QB, and it looks like sophomore Trevor Adams has the leading shot at taking over. Jordan Simmons returns at RB after rushing for 739 yards last fall. Jake Soy will prove to be an incredible target at WR after posting 83-1311-12 last fall. Tyler Shaw lines up opposite. B Chad Kilgore returns after collecting 120 tackles last fall. Josh Lorensen will provide pressure up front, as he collected 10.5 TFLs last fall, but Ryan Jones will be missed in the secondary.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Truman State


Pittsburg State Gorillas
2010 Record: 6-6
It was a down year for the Gorillas, who have been known to torment this conference in the past. Zac Dickey returns to run the ground based offense. His passing skills are a bit suspect. He did rush for 901 yards last fall, and will be the returning leading rusher. Briceton Wilson steps into the starting RB job after the departure of Terrance Isaac, who rushed for 1008 yards and 11 scores last fall. Nate Dreiling was a huge surprise last fall, as he led the conference with 160 tackles as a freshman, which was good enough for 1st in the nation. Dreiling finished 11th nationally with 20.5 TFLs as well, and will be a candidate for defensive player of the year for a second season. Paul Robinson will lead the secondary after defending 7 passes last fall.
Season Opener: 9/1 @ Missouri Western State


Truman State Bulldogs
2010 Record: 4-7
The Bulldogs fell in their final 3 games last fall, including a 62-61 shootout against Nebraska-Omaha, in what proved to be the final game for the Mavericks, ever. The Bulldogs must start over at QB after losing Phillip Davis. Davis was also the leading rusher with 831 yards last fall, so it's twice as devastating a loss. Dallas Grier had some solid moments as a freshman WR last fall, and he is the leader on offense now. Michael Elliot racked up 91 tackles last fall, and will run the defense from the secondary. Adam Reynolds collected 9.5 TFLs last fall from his LB spot, but he'll need more help up front. Terrence Byrd deflected 9 passes last season and picked off 4 passes while he was at it.
Season Opener: 9/1 Northwest Missouri State


Washburn Ichabods
2010 Record: 8-4
The Ichabods had a solid run last fall, and still managed to fall short of a playoff bid. They played a postseason game against Midwestern State, and did manage to win their "bowl game" 45-14. Dane Simoneau will return at QB, and is a player to watch after passing for 3459 yards and 33 TDs. Vershon Moore will also be highly entertaining, as he led the league with 100.7 yards rushing per game last fall. he also scored 11 TDs while averaging over 5.5 yards per carry. DaJuan Beard comes back as a sophomore to lead the receivers, but he is a far cry from the departed Joe Hastings (87-1546-15). LB Jahmil Taylor recorded 91 tackles last fall and returns to run the show in the front seven. Taylor also defended 8 passes last fall. The season opener is dangerous.
Season Opener: @ Sioux Falls