In September 2001, Florida Atlantic played its first football game, a 40-7 loss to Slippery Rock.
The Owls have indeed had a slippery slope to climb, going from starting from the ground up as a I-AA school to succeeding in I-A in a relatively short time.
Having one 1,000 yard rusher is pretty good. Now, if you have two, you’re in pretty elite company.
Last season, UL-Lafayette had a duo of 1,000 yard rushers in QB Michael Desormeaux, who ran for 1,141 yards and seven touchdowns, and RB Tyrell Fenroy, who had his third straight 1,000 yard season,
Losing a 1,400 yard rusher is never easy, no matter how you shake it.
But the ULM Warhawks are in a pretty good position to challenge for the Sun Belt title this season, even without Calvin Dawson.
Troy and Arkansas St. had the honor of having defensive standouts drafted on the first day of the recent NFL draft, as Trojans cornerback Leodis McKelvin was the first corner taken, going #11 overall to the Buffalo Bills, which ASU safety Tyrell Johnson was taken in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings.
I’m of the opinion that it’s a lot better to have a surplus than to not have enough of something.
That’s the situation facing Middle Tennessee St. coach Rick Stockstill heading into the 2008 season, as he has not one, but two, proven, talented quarterbacks who are both worthy of starting.
Rebuilding is never an easy job, and along the way, there are going to be a lot of lumps and bumps.
A few days ago, I posted the first part of the 2008 Sun Belt preview, which you can see here.
In the second half of the preview, I give my take on 2008’s key games, impact newcomers, and all-conference performers.
Three of the last four seasons, the BCS party has been crashed by an ambitious team from one of the ‘Group of Five,’ or in other words, the non-BCS conferences.