Griz add structure to scrimmage plans (Missoulian).
Grizzlies prep for Bears in final scrimmage (Missoulian).
Maine Completes Final Preseason Scrimmage (UMaine).
---
Cornwall replaces Porter in UM athletic department (Missoulian).
Lingering injury keeps Dickenson champing at bit (Great Falls Tribune).
Griz and Bobcat TV (Great Falls Tribune).
---
Extra Point: Peering Into the Crystal Ball (Dougherty, TSN).
I-AA West Previews (Schmidt, I-AA.org).
The I-AA Way: Responsibility or Political Correctness? (Coulson, I-AA.org).
A Little Information, a Little Entertainment, a Little Speculation (Garner,
I-AA.org).
The I-AA College Football Weekly Preview (Eric Gemunder).

***


Several starters to see action as UM prepares for Maine

By JON KASPER of the Missoulian, August 26

Preseason camp is about to end for the Montana Grizzlies.

The third-ranked Griz will hold their second and final preseason scrimmage
Thursday at 9:15 a.m. at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, but it won't look a lot
like last week's first scrimmage.

The Grizzly No. 1 and No. 2 offenses will work against a unit simulating
Maine's defense. The Grizzly starting defense will work against an offense
running the Black Bears' scheme.

Montana and Maine meet in the "Battle of the Bears II" next Saturday at
Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m.

"It's time for us to get on,'' said Montana coach Bobby Hauck. "The benefit
we have in our first game is we have extra days to work on the opponent and
it would be silly not too.''

Hauck said the scrimmage, which is expected to last roughly 50 plays not
including special teams, will be controlled.

"Our offense is different as far as our experience is concerned,'' Hauck
said. "The defense is going to play a little more. The offense is going to
be really controlled.''

Hauck said several starters who didn't take reps in last week's scrimmage
will play Thursday. Senior quarterback Craig Ochs, however, might watch from
the sideline. Ochs has been nursing an injury to his right thumb and hasn't
thrown much this week.

"We'll see,'' Hauck said. "Craig is ready to go. The goal is we've got to
get him to the first game and we need to make sure he's healthy for that.''

The kicking battle will once again take center stage. Sophomore Paul Cahill
made three of his four field goals last week, while true freshmen Dan
Carpenter made just one of four. Hauck said a decision on who will start the
opener against Maine could be made Friday.

Montana's first scrimmage was ragged. Hauck wasn't pleased with the play of
the offensive line, or the defense. He also felt there were too many
penalties and turnovers. He still feels like his team is far from ready for
the opener next Saturday.

"I said it (Wednesday) morning after our first practice to our coaching
staff,'' Hauck said. "I'm glad we have 10 more days.''

The Grizzlies, who will be at Caras Park Thursday night for the Great Griz
Encounter, will practice once on Friday, either in the stadium or at
Riverbowl. They've held the first two weeks of drills at South Campus Field.

Saturday, UM will hold a "mock game" in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The team
will go through situational things, as well as their pre-game routine. It
won't include a scrimmage.

"It's a necessary practice,'' Hauck said. "It is stuff we need to do. We
need to handle situations that arise in games and that you don't spend much
time on working in practice because you're learning how to block and
tackle.''

After experiencing temperatures in the high 90s when camp started, the team
has enjoyed cool and wet conditions this week. Hauck said the weather has
been a double-edged sword.

"We can work harder and longer in this weather, so it's great in that
regard,'' Hauck said. "You worry about not being used to it. It could be 90
degrees here next Saturday. I worry about us a little bit next Saturday if
we have the heat. We'll address that.''

As many as a dozen true freshmen could see action this season, Hauck said.

Carpenter, wide receiver Ryan Bagley, cornerback Jimmy Wilson, safety Torrey
Thomas, linebackers Tyler Joyce and Kroy Biermann, and defensive end Michael
Stadnyk appear the most likely to see immediate action.

Offensive linemen Dan Cater, Cody Balogh and Colin Dow could also be in the
mix, as well as cornerback Tim Parks, who is recovering from shoulder
surgery he underwent in the spring.

Third-string quarterback Cole Bergquist will also likely suit up and travel
with the Griz in case of an emergency. Last season UM used four different
quarterbacks because of injuries to Ochs and Jeff Disney.

"You can see most of those guys are on defense,'' Hauck said. "Shoot, I'd
like to redshirt them all, but that's not where we are.''

Garth Enger, expected to battle for a starting job on the offensive line, is
lost for the season because of a severe knee injury.

The 6-foot-4 senior from Bothell, Wash., sustained the injury late in the
Grizzlies' second spring scrimmage. He jumped over a player and twisted the
knee. It was recently discovered he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament
injury.

"Garth is looking at needing another surgery,'' Hauck said. "He's thinking
about what his future holds. He's a great guy who has had a run of bad
luck."

Enger, who was pressed into action as a true freshman in 2001, saw very
limited reps last season after undergoing offseason neck surgery.

Enger never redshirted, so he could petition the NCAA for another season of
eligibility.

Around the Big Sky: Sac State, a club decimated by injuries in 2003, will be
without starting center Dustin Nicolodi for four to six weeks. The
Sacramento Bee reported Nicolodi, an honorable mention all-conference
selection last season, broke his right leg last week.

Montana State will open next season at Oklahoma State. The Bobcats will
receive a $250,000 guarantee to play the Big 12 Cowboys.

"We're girding ourselves for a pretty strong run at a high level of football
here,'' Montana State coach Mike Kramer told the Great Falls Tribune. "The
opportunity to play at that level is fun, but also the necessity to play at
that level is pretty darn present in a stagnant economy.''

The game is slated for Sept. 3, 2005.

***


Grizzlies prep for Bears

Disney tosses two TDs in final scrimmage before season opener with Maine

By JON KASPER of the Missoulian

Jeff Disney beat Maine once. The Montana Grizzly senior quarterback is
preparing to do it again next Saturday.

Disney guided the No. 1 offense at Thursday morning's final preseason
scrimmage at a soggy and cool Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Senior quarterback
Craig Ochs, who is nursing a right thumb injury, watched from the sideline
as Disney completed 8-of-13 passes for 116 yards and fired a pair of scoring
strikes of 36 and 14 yards to senior Levander Segars. Disney and the offense
ran roughly 20 plays against a defense simulating Maine's scheme.

With Ochs out with an ankle injury, Disney guided UM to a 30-20 victory over
Maine in last year's season opener. Ochs is expected to start next
Saturday's opener against the Black Bears, but Disney will be ready just in
case.

"I can just prepare myself the way I know how and to do and that's like I'm
starting,'' Disney said. "It's Craig's job and I'm here to help the team any
way I can.''

Thursday's scrimmage was a bit crisper than the one held last Saturday. The
offense scored four touchdowns, and the defense found the end zone when true
freshman cornerback Jimmy Wilson returned at interception 36 yards for a
touchdown.

"I still think we're a ways away,'' said Montana coach Bobby Hauck. "We need
our practice days over the next eight or nine days to be ready. A scrimmage
like that is a huge benefit because we get to kind of review our game
against Maine before we play. We went against their looks and we can make
some corrections. The tape will be really valuable for us.''

The offense didn't try to sustain a drive, instead working on certain
down-and-distance situations. The first score came when Disney scrambled out
of the pocket and hit Segars in stride at roughly the 20-yard line. Segars
juked a defender and raced into the end zone.

"It's just a little run-check and they gave us a little pressure off the
edges,'' Disney said. "I checked to pass and got a little pressure. I
sprinted out a little bit and hit him in stride. When you hit a guy like him
in stride, it's pretty big time because he can make some guys miss.''

A few plays later, with the ball placed at the opponent's 14-yard line,
Disney threw a pretty ball in the back corner of the end zone to Segars.

"They (Maine) likes to do a little bit of man coverage,'' said Segars, who
failed to find the end zone on a reception last season. "I ran a seam and
headed to the corner. Dis threw a perfect ball. All I had to do was stick my
arms up.''

JR Waller scored on a 3-yard run, while Brady Green scored from 1-yard out.

The second half of the scrimmage featured the first and second-team defenses
working against a simulated Maine offense.

Junior defensive end Lance Spencer made an immediate impact in his first
live action since sustaining a severe knee injury last October against Weber
State. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder from Malta batted down a pass on the third
play. Two plays later, Spencer sacked quarterback Cole Bergquist.

"It was good to see him get a few plays,'' Hauck said. "We we're working his
way into it. That's going to continue and we'll have to see how far he can
come in a week and a couple of days.''

Montana's defense gave up a couple of long running plays. Brady Green
rambled 11 yards on a draw, and also caught a 13-yard pass against the
second-team defense. True freshman Rob Shulte picked up 15 yards on an
isolation run.

"That's a huge concern,'' Hauck said. "I was excited to see Rob Shulte. He
looked like the real deal on the runs. We can't have that happening, and
again that's youth. That's guys getting out of gaps and not playing their
responsibility. Those are inexperienced errors and we can't afford that to
happen down the road.''

Wilson, a 5-11, 175-pounder from San Diego, will likely see plenty of action
this season, especially if he keeps making plays like he's done the last two
weeks. Wilson stepped in front of a Bergquist pass and raced 36 yards into
the end zone. Wilson was also called for a pass interference penalty later
in the scrimmage.

"There were a lot of good things we can build on,'' Hauck said. "The defense
looked good at times and porous at others. We need to make sure that is a
consistent thing for us.''

True freshman kicker Dan Carpenter made a 28-yard field goal and booted his
first kickoff of the scrimmage to the 1-yard line. Carpenter, from Helena
High, missed three of his four field goals in last week's scrimmage.

Paul Cahill, who is battling Carpenter for the kicking spot, missed wide
left from 28 yards out. Cahill's first kickoff was fielded at the 14-yard
line.

"Dan's got a strong leg,'' Hauck said. "He hit the ball real well today, and
again Paul's been kicking the ball well. After tomorrow I'll have to compile
the results and were going to have to come to a decision.''

Quick hits: True freshman Cody Balogh started at left guard in place of
junior Chris Orwig. "There was some disciplinary action going on there,''
Hauck said. Š The return game looked solid for a second straight week.
Jefferson Heidelberger returned a kick 32 yards, while Waller had a 19-yard
return. Segars broke off a 31-yard punt return. True freshman Matt Troxel
also had a nifty return. Š Punter Tyson Johnson blasted his first kick 48
yards.

Around the Big Sky: Quarterback Erik Meyer completed 4-of-5 passes for 51
yards in Eastern Washington's final preseason scrimmage Wednesday. Meyer
fired a 20-yard touchdown pass to Richmond Sanders. The Eagle offense rolled
up 191 yards in 31 plays and scored two touchdowns.

"All the groups moved the ball well, which was good to see for our '' said
Eastern Washington coach Paul Wulff. "I said last week the defense was way
ahead of the offense, but the offense was going to catch up. The offense has
definitely made some big strides since the last scrimmage."

Of interest: When Hofstra travels to Montana on Sept. 11, the Pride will be
without senior wide receiver Marques Colston, who will undergo shoulder
surgery and miss the season.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Colston hauled in 51 catches for 910 yards last
season. Against Liberty, he set a school record with 267 receiving yards.

Colston underwent shoulder surgery following the 2003 season, forcing him to
miss spring drills. He re-injured the shoulder last week. Colston caught
five passes for 53 yards in the Pride's 21-0 loss to Montana in 2002.

***


Maine Completes Final Preseason Scrimmage

Black Bears close preseason practice with final of five scheduled two-a-days

UMaine, Aug. 26, 2004

ORONO, Maine- The University of Maine football team completed its final
scrimmage of preseason practices as the Black Bears ran around 40 plays
during the session. Thursday also marked the team's final two-a-day session
in preparation for the season opener at Montana on Sept. 4.

During the scrimmage, the first team offensive and defensive units focused
on execution and situations while the second team groups played at
full-speed. With the reserves participating in full contact action, the pace
of the scrimmage increased. Many second teamers are working towards securing
playing time.

"Those guys (reserves) are working hard out there," said head coach Jack
Cosgrove. "We need to develop depth all the time. If you do not have depth,
you have problems."

The second team offense gained momentum behind freshman tailback Keien
Williams (Eden, N.Y.). Williams broke away for several solid runs, including
a 14-yard scamper to highlight the reserves' second possession. During the
same drive, freshman quarterback Anthony Cotrone (Valley Stream, N.Y.)
connected with sophomore wide receiver Steve Williams (Scotch Plains, N.Y.)
for a 10-yard gain.

Defensive standouts included junior linebacker Justin Knox (Rome, Maine),
who recorded one sack, and sophomore defensive back Alex Goyins (Berlin,
N.Y.), who tallied two hard hits. The efforts of the reserves caught the
attention of the coaching staff.

"I thought that both of those groups played real well," said Cosgrove. "We
saw real good play at running back on the offensive side and did some nice
things up front; protecting the quarterback and running the football. I
thought that we had some guys on defense who showed that they are going to
hit somebody and that they have the ability to help us be successful on that
side of the ball."

Sophomore quarterback Ron Whitcomb (East Rochester, N.Y.) guided the first
team offense, hitting freshman tight end Mike Moran (Lancaster, N.Y.) for a
pair of short completions. Senior placekicker Mike Mellow (Stonington,
Conn.) capped two first team drives with field goals.

During the morning practice session, the squad focused on personnel and
situations.

Maine begins the season on Sept. 4 at Montana, with the home opener on Sept.
11 against Northern Colorado.

***


Cornwall replaces Porter in UM athletic department

By JON KASPER of the Missoulian

Jean Cornwall is following a familiar path.

Cornwall was named the new University of Montana associate athletic director
Thursday, replacing Marie Porter who resigned earlier this summer to spend
more time with her family.

Cornwall was the assistant athletic director for compliance and academic
services in the fall of 2003. Prior to that, she served almost five years as
the coordinator for athletic academic services. Porter was UM's first
coordinator of academic services, serving in that roll from 1992-96.

"I haven't had time to enjoy it yet,'' Cornwall said. "I'm still in my old
position and trying to get all the kids ready to go for school. I'm so
thrilled to be a part of this at this time in athletics. It's pretty
exciting. I'm following in (Marie's) footsteps.''

Cornwall, from Lewistown, received a bachelor's degree in psychology from UM
in 1995 and needs to finish her final project to earn her master's degree in
public administration.

Cornwall has worked at Montana since 1991. She was UM's coordinator of the
Four Bear four-year graduation project from 1995-1999.

"She is very popular among our coaches and our athletes,'' Montana athletic
director Don Read said. "She brings experience in the areas of compliance
and academics, which are two very important areas to us. She is a Montana
girl, born and raised, and of course attended the University of Montana, and
we are very, very happy about her being here.''

As associate athletic director, Cornwall will oversee the Olympic and all
women's sports, as well as academics and rules compliance. Cornwall believes
the transition will be smooth.

"I'm going to have some challenges and new stuff to learn, but I really
tried to learn a bunch of different things in athletics,'' Cornwall said.
"That's why I took over compliance, to try and challenge myself. I'm a
fairly quick study and I think I'll pick it up rather quickly.''

Montana's athletic department has endured a turbulent 2004. Long-time
athletic director Wayne Hogan resigned in March in the midst of the
department's $1 million deficit.

Read was hired to replace Hogan in late May. Porter served as UM's interim
athletic director while the UM Athletics Inquiry Panel investigated the
budget problems.

"We need to get past the whole panel investigation and move forward with
what we've been charged with by the panel and the president in terms of
meeting goals,'' Cornwall said. "We've been charged with putting together a
five-year plan and getting the budget in line. We've got such and incredible
start with that. I feel great about what we're doing with that. That's the
biggest challenge.''

***


Lingering injury keeps Dickenson champing at bit

By GEORGE GEISE, Great Falls Tribune

Dave Dickenson isn't close to being able to play professional football
again, and the British Columbia Lions quarterback isn't a bit happy about
that.

"I've still got pain when I run, and there's some weakness in the knee,"
Dickenson said Wednesday from his home in Vancouver, B.C. "I had hoped to be
playing again, or close to it, by now. But I really don't know what the
timetable is going to be."

Dickenson, the Great Falls native who led the University of Montana to an
NCAA Division I-AA title in 1995, underwent knee surgery in early July --
his third surgical procedure in the past nine months. At the time, he said
he hoped to be back in the lineup by late August, but that's not the case.

"I've done some drills on my own. I can throw all the routes, but if I had
to scramble out I don't know if I could do it," he said in a telephone
interview.

"It's a little frustrating and discouraging, but I've been through it
before."

Dickenson would feel even worse if the team were struggling, but the Lions
have played well lately. They had a 1-2 record when Dickenson went down, but
they currently are 6-3 and leading the Canadina Football's League's Western
Conference heading into a game at home Friday night against Toronto (6-3).

"The other kid (Casey Printers) has played dang well," said Dickenson. "In
one sense, that's good, because the team is going well. In another sense, I
want to get back in there and keep my position."

Dickenson isn't quite sure about his medical condition because the doctor
who performed his latest surgery has been in Greece with the Canadian
Olympic team.

Before he was hurt, Dickenson completed 28 of 46 passes for 503 yards and
four TDs, with no interceptions. Last season, he was among the top passers
in the Canadian Football League with 5,496 yards and 36 touchdowns, with 12
interceptions.

The Lions have another bye week and Dickenson said he's optimistic his knee
is strong enough so that he could be activated for the Sept. 11 game at
Ottawa.

***


All Griz games to be televised

Omega to televise seven Cats' games

Great Falls Tribune


All 11 games for the University of Montana will be televised this fall, at
least eight of them by Missoula station KPAX.

KPAX Broadcasts
Oct. 2 Montana at Weber St
Oct. 9 Idaho St at Montana (also CSTV)
Oct. 16 Montana at Eastern Washington
Oct. 30 Montana at Portland St
Nov. 6 NAU at Montana
Nov. 13 Sacramento St at Montana
Nov. 20 Montana St at Montana (also CSTV at 6:30 PM)

Omega TV Productions, an independent production company led by Steve Dee,
plans to televise 27 events this fall, including at least seven Montana
State Bobcat football games, seven Frontier Conference games featuring
Carroll, and selected high school gridiron games. The schedule begins
Saturday with the Carroll College-Central Washington game in Helena.

Omega, through an agreement with Bresnan Communications, will televise via
cable TV throughout Montana. Satellite dish owners who wish to receive the
Omega games should contact Kelly Connole at 560-7266.

Sept. 11 MSU vs. Adams St
Sept. 18 MSU vs. Cal Poly
Oct. 2 MSU at Idaho St
Oct. 9 MSU vs. Weber St (Altitude Sports)
Oct. 16 MSU vs. Portland St
Oct. 30 MSU at Northern Arizona
Nov. 6 MSU at Sacramento St
Nov. 13 MSU vs. Eastern Washington

"Omega has been very active for several years in televising Bobcat football
games, and I'm glad that Steve Dee has chosen to continue that tradition
this year," Fields said. "Omega is bringing the Bobcats to football fans
throughout Montana."

In addition to the telecasts, Omega will produce a live pregame program
hosted by personality Joe McClafferty and featuring Greg Walter, Big Sky
Athletic Journal publisher.

"We have dedicated professionals who know sports, know our communities and
prepare extensively for their television assignments," McClafferty said in a
press release.

Also, Omega plans to carry weekly coaches' shows for both Montana State and
Carroll College that will be available on Bresnan's "Big Sky" channel, which
is 43 on Great Falls cable. The football games will be available in Great
Falls on cable channel 70.

Omega's on-air personalities include Carroll College Athletic Director Bruce
Parker, recently recognized as Frontier AD of the Year. Parker will lead the
network's high school coverage.

Omega veteran Ron Davis of Butte will focus on Carroll College, while Dean
Alexander, the longtime radio voice of the Bobcats who retired from
broadcasting over a year ago, will return to the booth for Omega in a
play-by-play capacity.


*** ***



Extra Point: Peering Into the Crystal Ball

By Matt Dougherty, The Sports Network

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The I-AA season is just days away!

Well, sort of. This weekend’s slate of games is more like the preview for a
movie or the girl you buy drinks for at a bar. It’s just a tease.

To call the four contests involving five I-AA teams the full out start to
the season just seems wrong. But while fans from 115 I-AA schools wait at
least another week for their season to kick off, at least this small sample
of action gets the juices flowing.

Honestly, there is not much left of the summer sports scene anyway. Baseball
is winding to a close, the Olympics are in the final week, and since I am
from a city in the Northeast I do not and probably never will understand the
appeal of NASCAR.

There is still some time remaining before all preseason predictions are
shredded to pieces and the phrase "on paper" finally becomes irrelevant.
With that in mind, why not throw out some more prognostications to be torn
apart by the end of the season.

What follows is a ranking of each conference (at a scholarship or quasi-
scholarship level) for the 2004 season and a round-by-round prediction
(probably more aptly called a guess) of the 2004 playoffs. So read, clip and
save. I’m sure to be hearing about these picks in the next few months.

2004 Conference Rankings:

1. Gateway

Good News: Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa both have enough talent to
compete for the national championship. Western Illinois and Western Kentucky
should be in the playoff mix again, and Illinois State and Youngstown State
could make some noise as well. Four teams are ranked in the preseason top 13
and two others received votes in the poll. The bottom two teams have both
improved with transfers.

Bad News: Though four teams made the playoffs in 2003, no one advanced to
the semifinals. Western Illinois and Western Kentucky aren’t quite at the
same level of a season ago.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/18: Stephen F. Austin at Northern Iowa;
9/18: Western Illinois at Hampton; 9/18 Western Kentucky at Eastern
Kentucky; 9/18: Youngstown State at McNeese State; 11/20:Northern Iowa at
Northern Arizona.

In the End: There is no break in the schedule during conference play.
Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa will be playoff tested by the end of the
season because the conference is so tough. With national title contenders
and strong balance, the Gateway will be the best conference in the country.

2. Atlantic 10

Good News: Three Atlantic 10 teams (Delaware, Maine and Villanova) have the
potential to finish in the top 10 and make a deep playoff run. Two others,
Northeastern and Massachusetts, should be in the playoff mix. New Hampshire
looks to make huge strides as a sleeper team.

Bad News: Anytime 12 teams are in the league, there are bound to be some
stragglers. Towson, Richmond, Rhode Island and Hofstra certainly bring the
conference’s ranking down a notch.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/4: Maine at Montana; 9/11: Villanova at
Lehigh; 9/11: Colgate at Massachusetts; 9/25: Villanova at Penn;
10/16:Northeastern at Harvard.

In the End: Five teams earned a preseason top 25 ranking and two others at
least received a vote. The A-10 has more good teams than any conference in
the country, and the top three is as strong as any other league. Only the
bottom feeders keep the A-10 from the top spot.

3. Big Sky

Good News: As usual, the Big Sky (along with the Gateway) will have fewer
bad teams than any other league. Montana has the potential for a deep
playoff run, and a handful of other teams appear capable of at least posting
a winning season.

Bad News: Outside of Montana, the Big Sky lacks teams that have the
potential to compete for the national title. Northern Arizona, Eastern
Washington and Montana State are all fringe playoff contenders but not
serious threats for a playoff run. Idaho State and Weber State are down some
from 2003.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/4: Maine at Montana; 9/11: Northern Arizona
at Stephen F. Austin; 9/18: Idaho State at Northern Colorado; 9/18: Cal Poly
at Montana State; 11/20:Northern Iowa at Northern Arizona.

In the End: Montana will put an end to the trend of tri-champions because
they are clearly the class of the league. No one will be downright awful,
but two through six is not as strong as usual in the Big Sky. Expect a group
of two or three teams to place a few games over .500 and land on the playoff
bubble late in the season.

4. Southern

Good News: There are three teams ranked in the preseason top 10, and all of
them figure to be around that ranking in the end. Furman, Wofford and
Georgia Southern all have the look of title contenders. Appalachian State
will provide fits for the top three and be in the playoff chase at the end.

Bad News: In an eight-team league, it’s never good to have the same group at
the bottom almost every year. The bottom four teams in the Southern (Western
Carolina, Chattanooga, The Citadel and Elon) are clearly far inferior to the
top group of competitors.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/11: Eastern Kentucky at Appalachian State;
9/11: Furman at Samford; 9/11: Wofford at South Carolina State; 9/25:
Appalachian State at Northwestern State.

In the End: The Southern Conference will have to prove itself in the
playoffs after just one team made the postseason in 2003. At least one of
the top teams will make a playoff run. The top-half of the league is as good
as any in the country, but the bottom four brings down the overall rating
for the conference.

5. Southland

Good News: Northwestern State, Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State are all
ranked in the top 25 in the nation in the preseason, and any one of the
three could easily win the league and take a round or two in the playoffs.
Sam Houston State figures to be drastically better than last season’s 2-9
record.

Bad News: The group at the top is solid, but the conference no longer has an
elite team on the national scene with McNeese State’s losses to graduation.
Nicholls State has to overcome a late coaching change and numerous losses in
talent, and Texas State won’t play much of a role in the race.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/4: McNeese State at Southern; 9/11: Northern
Arizona at Stephen F. Austin; 9/18: Stephen F. Austin at Northern Iowa;
9/18: Montana at Sam Houston State; 9/25: Appalachian State at Northwestern
State.

In the End: With only five conference games, Southland teams will have
plenty of chances to prove themselves against the other conferences. The top
three are all playoff-caliber teams but none appear to be threats for the
national championship. If any of the bottom three teams can compete, the
conference could move up a notch. But until that happens, there just isn’t
enough to justify a higher ranking.

6. Ohio Valley

Good News: The league should be balanced and competitive. Eastern Kentucky,
Jacksonville State and Samford will battle it out for the conference title,
and four other teams have the potential to play the spoiler role. Only two
teams are certain to be destined for the bottom of the league.

Bad News: In many ways, the good news can also be bad news. Sure the
conference is competitive and up for grabs, but part of the reason for that
is the lack of a superior team. The Ohio Valley went winless in eight games
against Gateway teams a year ago, and Jacksonville State was blown out in
the playoffs. There are a lot of teams just outside top 25 contention (four
receiving votes), but no playoff threats.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/2: Southeast Missouri at Southern Illinois;
9/11: Eastern Kentucky at Appalachian State; 9/11: Furman at Samford; 9/18:
Eastern Illinois at Illinois State; 9/18: Western Kentucky at Eastern
Kentucky.

In the End: The Ohio Valley will have good competition within conference,
but will be a one-bid league come playoff time. However, the league should
have a better showing against Gateway teams and an overall better effort
outside the conference.

7. Great West

Good News: The top five teams in the conference match up well, and since
there is no record to go on it’s hard to say which will emerge as the cream
of the crop. All the teams have already proven to be competitive against
some top I-AA competition and get their chance again this season.

Bad News: There isn’t a standout top 25 team in the bunch. Northern Colorado
and Cal Poly are the closest to the poll, but they aren’t quite there yet.
Other programs are in a transitional phase and aren’t quite as good now as
they will be in the future.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/11: Northern Colorado at Maine; 9/18: Cal
Poly at Montana State; 9/25: Northern Colorado at Montana; 10/16:Stephen F.
Austin at UC-Davis; 10/30:Northwestern State at North Dakota State.

In the End: The conference will pull off a few upsets in its first year. All
six teams have numerous games against the Big Sky, and expect at least a few
teams to post a win or two against the higher ranked squads in that league.
The Great West is not a power conference, but in its inaugural season is
already better than a number of established leagues.

8. MEAC

Good News: Much like the Ohio Valley, the top six teams all have a good shot
at the title. There is a great balance between everyone except Norfolk State
and Delaware State, and any one of the top six could easily emerge from the
group.

Bad News: Also much like the OVC, there isn’t any team that scares you.
Basically the top teams are a group that should finish a little above .500.
Norfolk State and Delaware State will struggle to pull their weight.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/11: Wofford at South Carolina State; 9/18:
Grambling vs Bethune-Cookman; 9/18: Western Illinois at Hampton.

In the End: Only one team will make the playoffs, and that team probably
won’t get past the first round. The MEAC should be able to have a strong
performance in the games against the SWAC, and would benefit from playing
well in the handful of games against other top conferences. The balance is
there, but it’s a group of mediocre, not great, teams.

9. Patriot

Good News: Colgate boosted the reputation of the league with its run to the
national title game and has the makings of a contender again. Lehigh will be
on the playoff bubble and Bucknell has made great strides the past few
seasons.

Bad News: Fordham and Lafayette both took major hits to graduation and might
fall off the pace. Georgetown and Holy Cross will toil in the depths of I-AA
again.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/2: Bucknell at Villanova; 9/11: Villanova at
Lehigh; 9/11: Colgate at Massachusetts; 10/2: Colgate at Yale; 10/16:Lehigh
at Yale.

In the End: The league can be tough to gauge because of so many games
against Ivy League and other Northeast competition. Still, Colgate’s run
should help the conference gain some respectability and Lehigh may be able
to do enough to earn a second berth. The problem is the rest of the
conference, where three teams will be very bad and two others will be a far
cry from any playoff contention.

10. Ivy

Good News: With Penn, Harvard and Yale all among the top 40 teams in I-AA,
the top of the league will be better than usual. Either the Crimson or
Bulldogs can end Penn’s 15-game Ivy winning streak. The Quakers, though, are
still strong and own a 16-game winning streak overall.

Bad News: The rest of the league will be a cut below the top three, and
probably in the bottom half of I-AA overall. Brown, Dartmouth and Princeton
have some potential to move up a bit, but Cornell and Columbia will
struggle.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/25: Villanova at Penn; 10/2: Colgate at
Yale; 10/16:Lehigh at Yale; 10/16:Northeastern at Harvard.

In the End: Without participating in the playoffs, the Ivy League will
always be tough to judge. But they do play plenty of games with the Patriot
League teams, and Patriot teams have certainly proven to be better overall
through the years. The top three in the league will be good, but after that
it’s anyone’s guess.

11. SWAC

Good News: The Grambling State/Southern rivalry is always strong and both
have a good nucleus returning. Alcorn State, Alabama State and Alabama A & M
will battle it out in the East.

Bad News: Five teams in the league are in the bottom 20 of I-AA. Even Alcorn
and the Alabama teams are only middle of the pack squads. While Southern and
Grambling State are the best in the conference, don’t expect either of them
to land in the top 10 or even top 15 at the end of the season.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/4: McNeese State at Southern; 9/11: Alcorn
State vs North Carolina A & T; 9/18: Grambling State vs Bethune-Cookman.

In the End: Grambling will generate interest with Bruce Eugene, and the
Bayou Classic will always be a big game. But, as a whole, the conference is
weak. Too many teams are struggling with establishing the program and no one
has emerged as a consistent competitor for the top two.

12. Big South

Good News: Gardner-Webb has received top 25 consideration in the past, and
has received votes in the preseason. VMI, Liberty and Coastal Carolina all
show signs of life and potential for improvement.

Bad News: The performances against the top conferences have been atrocious.
While most teams are getting better, everyone has a long way to go before
the conference can be considered a serious contender nationally.

Top Games Against I-AA Teams: 9/11: Gardner-Webb at Morgan State; 9/18:
Furman at Gardner-Webb; 9/18: Lehigh at Liberty; 10/9: Gardner-Webb at
Hampton; 11/20:Wofford at VMI.

In the End: Entering its third season, the Big South has a long way to go to
earn respectability. Gardner-Webb has won some games against major
conferences, but also got blown out against the better teams in the country.
The other four teams have yet to show much of anything against the rest of
I-AA.

The Picks

It’s not fair to pad the early season record with four games that seem easy
to forecast. I won’t go into any great depths about why Samford and Murray
State win in blowouts, Indiana State loses big, and North Dakota State beats
Valparaiso by a few touchdowns.

So, with the season still a little over a week away for everyone else, I’ll
take a final look into the crystal ball for playoff and championship
predictions (once again, subject to change and ridicule throughout the
season).

Automatic Bids

Delaware (A-10); Montana (Big Sky); Southern Illinois (Gateway); Hampton
(MEAC); Eastern Kentucky (OVC); Colgate (Patriot); Furman (Southern);
Northwestern State (Southland).

At-Large Bids: Villanova (A-10); Maine (A-10); Montana State (Big Sky);
Northern Iowa (Gateway); Lehigh (Patriot); Wofford (Southern); Georgia
Southern (Southern); Stephen F. Austin (Southland).

Top Four Seeds: Delaware, Southern Illinois, Furman, Montana

First Round: Delaware over Lehigh; Southern Illinois over Montana State;
Maine over Colgate; Montana over Stephen F. Austin; Furman over Hampton;
Wofford over Northwestern State; Villanova over Eastern Kentucky; Northern
Iowa over Georgia Southern.

Quarterfinals: Southern Illinois over Maine; Furman over Villanova; Montana
over Northern Iowa; Delaware over Wofford.

Semifinals: Southern Illinois over Montana; Furman over Delaware.

Championship game: Southern Illinois over Furman

There you have it. The Southern Illinois Salukis will be crowned the 2004
I-AA Football Champions! The party will be on in Carbondale!

Thankfully, not much longer before any "paper champion" has to go prove
their might on the field and I am taking in a two-game weekend at Villanova
and Montana.

***


I-AA West Previews

Kent Schmidt, I-AA Western Columnist, I-AA.org

As most fans know, the I-AA West is the largest region in I-AA football in
terms of geographical area. The region goes from North Dakota to Louisiana
and from the Mississippi river to the Pacific Ocean. However, there are only
three conferences—the Big Sky, Southland, and the new upstart Great West
Football Conferences—that compose the I-AA West. Independent Southeastern
Louisiana and San Diego from the Pioneer League are classified in the West
as well.

In the past this region has boasted I-AA success with Montana winning two
national titles (1995 & 2001), Montana State winning one (1984), and Idaho
State winning one (1981). Boise State (1980) and Louisiana-Monroe (1987) are
former West region members that have won the title but have since moved up
to the I-A ranks.

The West not only has championship success but Montana has an eleven year
playoff streak still in tact and McNeese State has missed the playoffs just
twice since 1991 (1996, 1999). These two names are synonymous with today’s
I-AA and are two teams that will always be a threat for the post-season.

The 2004 season likely will bring some of the same and likely some things
that are new. Questions abound and here is a preview to answer some of the
things we will likely see in this year’s season.

How do the three conference races look?

Previews of the Big Sky, Great West, and Southland Conferences as well as
rankings, where I believe the teams will finish are included in these links
(Adobe .pdf files, get the free browser plugin here).


Big Sky Conference Preview

Great West Football Conference Preview

Southland Conference Preview

What teams look to be playing in the post season from the West?

Four teams from the West made the playoffs last year, including three from
the Big Sky Conference. The three from the Big Sky included Montana, Montana
State, and Northern Arizona. The lone non-‘Sky team that made it was McNeese
State as the one Southland representative. To note, the Big Sky and
Southland are conferences that have automatic bids to the playoffs so each
will have at least one team that makes it to the playoffs. The Great West
Football Conference does not have an automatic bid.

All four of these teams will again be favorites to reach the playoffs. But
any other team could supplant them. Eastern Washington out of the Big Sky,
Northwestern State or Stephen F. Austin out of the Southland, or even Cal
Poly out of the Great West seem to have teams that may make conference
championship runs or even playoff position runs.

And we never know what the season holds. There could be several surprises
along the way and a long shot could make it to the post season.

Speaking of surprises, what teams might do better then most prognosticators
(including myself) predict?

One team that never seems to live up to the talent level that they possess
is Sacramento State. The Hornets again have talent led by WR/KR Fred Amey.
Coach Steve Mooshagian has 14 starters back from what has to be classified
as an underachieving team from 2003. The Hornets finished just 2-9 in 2003.

Weber State is another team that most people are predicting in the lower
half of the Big Sky Conference that may continue to surprise people. The
lower predictions are despite the fact the Wildcats finished 8-4 in 2003.
Weber State has All-Big Sky performers RB Nick Chournos and DE Brady Fosmark
back to lead their respective sides of the ball. But losses on the offensive
line may hurt the Wildcats.

Southern Utah is another team that has to be scary to any opponent. The
Thunderbirds finished just 4-7 in 2003 but boast a strong defense with
returning All-American LB Nick DiPadova and now I-A Colorado transfer
Marques Harris, who was an All-Big 12 performer a season ago. Look for low
scoring games when teams play SUU.

What team from the West has the best chance of defeating a I-A opponent?

Listed to the right are the eleven games that match a I-AA West team against
a I-A opponent. Actually, only nine games pit a I-AA team against
established I-A teams. Florida Atlantic and Florida International are in
their first transition year of moving up from I-AA.

Those two transitioning I-A Florida teams will have tough opponents (Florida
Atlantic visits Northern Colorado and Florida International hosts McNeese
State) and both games likely will be I-AA victories.

Aside from those two games, Northwestern State probably has the best chance
of beating an established I-A team. A year ago, the Demons narrowly lost to
I-A Tulane in overtime and defeated the Sun Belt’s Louisiana-Monroe. This
year the Demons play at another Sun Belt team and former Southland member,
Louisiana-Lafayette. ULL was just 4-8 in 2003 and the Cajuns ranked last in
defense and offense in the Sun Belt Conference.

Northern Arizona may also pose a threat to pull off an upset to in-state
rival Arizona. Arizona was just 2-10 last year with just one PAC-10 win,
which left the Wildcats in the cellar of the PAC-10. After not playing in 57
years, NAU will face the Wildcats for the second time in three seasons. The
previous meeting in 2002 saw Arizona winning 37-3 over the Lumberjacks, also
in Tucson.

Who from the West are candidates for individual awards?

The West has some of the best talent in the country and will likely have
several candidates to win the Walter Payton (Top I-AA Offensive Player) and
Buck Buchanan (Top Defensive Player) awards. Last year’s winner of the
Payton Award was running back Jamaal Branch from Colgate, who will be back
for his senior season in 2004. Idaho State’s defensive end Jared Allen, who
graduated and was a draft pick this past spring for the Kansas City Chiefs,
was the 2003 Buck Buchanan winner. Here is a list of players to watch from
the West:

Water Payton Hopefuls from the West (2003 Statistics):
-Jason Murrietta, QB, SOPH, Northern Arizona (243 of 412, 3472 yards, 29
TDs, 13 INTs)
-Craig Ochs, QB, SR, Montana (121 of 204, 1612 yards, 9 TDs, 8 INTs)
-Eric Meyer, QB, JR, Eastern Washington (176 of 281, 2301 yards, 20 TDs, 3
INTs)
-Martin Hankins, QB, SOPH, Southeastern Louisiana (353 of 592, 3537 yards,
30 TDs, 19 INTs)
-Travis Lulay, QB, JR, Montana State (238 of 406, 2568 yards, 12 TDs, 11
INTs)
-Michael Williams, QB, SR, Stephen F. Austin (70 of 113, 1106 yards, 11 TDs,
6 INTs)
-Scott Pendarvis, QB, SR, McNeese State (142 of 244, 2186 yards, 18 TDs, 6
INTs)
-Mark Hetherington, QB, SR, Idaho State (198 of 338, 2526 yards, 23 TDs, 10
INTs)
-Nick Chournos, RB, SR, Weber State (1649 yards, 297 attempts, 13 TDs)
-Justin Green, RB, SR, Montana (1146 rushing yards, 252 attempts, 14 TDs)
-Derrick Johnese, RB, SR, Northwestern State (923 rushing yards, 158
attempts, 11 TDs)
-Roger Robinson, RB, SR, Northern Arizona (1170 rushing yards, 276 attempts,
7 TDs)
-Derek Farmer, RB, SR, Stephen F. Austin—Transfer from Texas A&M
-Vincent Jackson, WR, SR, Northern Colorado (1462 receiving yards, 66
receptions, 21 TDs)
-Fred Amey, WR, SR, Sacramento State (989 receiving yards, 56 receptions, 5
TDs)
-Darrell Jones, WR, SR, Cal Poly (598 receiving yards, 49 receptions, 7 TDs)
-Sale’ Key, WR, SR, Idaho State (882 receiving yards, 58 receptions, 8 TDs)
-Andy Bertard, WR, SR, McNeese State—Transfer from North Carolina State

Buck Buchanan Hopefuls from the West (2003 Statistics)
-Brady Fosmark, DE, JR, Weber State (66 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 1 INT)
-Ryan Smith, DE, JR, Stephen F. Austin (37 tackles, 7.0 sacks, 1 Fumble
recovery)
-John Paul Jones, DT, SR, McNeese State (67 tackles, 1.0 sack)
-Ray Sebestyen, DT, SR, Montana State (55 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced
fumbles)
-Quintene Newhouse, DT, SR, Northwestern State (53 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1
forced fumble)
-Nick DiPadova, LB, SR, Southern Utah (133 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 3
forced fumbles)
-Jordan Beck, LB, SR, Cal Poly (128 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)
-Roger Cooper, LB, SR, Montana State (96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 forced
fumble)
-Marques Harris, LB, SR, Southern Utah—Transfer from Colorado
-Jamall Johnson, LB, SR, Northwestern State (119 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 4
forced fumbles)
-Joey King, LB, JR, Portland State (93 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 fumble
recovery)
-Bruce Branch, LB, SR, Northern Arizona (82 tackles, 2.5 sacks)
-Isaiah Trufant, CB, JR, Eastern Washington (41 tackles, 4 INTs)
-David Pittman, CB, JR, Northwestern State (55 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 forced
fumble)
-Ernie James, S, SR, Idaho State (79 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble)

- - -

I-AA West Game of the Week

Valparaiso @ North Dakota State, Saturday, August 28, 6:00 Central
This opening week of the season is really not the opening weekend because
just a total of six Division I (both I-A and I-AA) games will be played.
This Valpo/NDSU game is the only game this week that has a I-AA West team
and the only game that matches two I-AA teams. The Bison will host the
Crusaders in what is expected to be a near sellout in the Fargodome (18,700
capacity). This is the first game ever as a I-AA team for NDSU.

Valparaiso (from the non-scholarship Pioneer League) brings in two stars in
WR senior Rob Giancola and senior cornerback Chris Daniels. Both players
have been named to many I-AA Mid-Major Preseason teams and should be the
leaders on their respective sides of the ball. Coach Tom Horne’s team was
the 2003 Pioneer League champions and finished with an 8-4 record.

NDSU brings in a team that finished 8-3 in their last season in Division II
play and a team that just missed out on the DII playoffs. NDSU brings back
six starters on offense and seven on defense for second year for Coach Craig
Bohl. The offense is led by senior Tony Stauss. Stauss was a transfer a year
ago from I-A Northwestern and completed a school single-season record 220 of
325 passes for 67.7 percent including 15 touchdowns in his first with the
Bison.

In predicting the game, most will agree that a win is likely to go to the
Bison. Overall, NDSU has more talent and depth on both sides of the ball.
Since this is the first I-AA game for the Bison, motivation to win will be
at an all time high. NDSU rarely loses their home openers. After moving into
the Fargodome in 1993, the Bison have lost just once (1998 to D-II Emporia
(KS) State) in their first game at home.

- - -

I-AA West News and Notes

--Nicholls State officials terminated Head Coach Daryl Daye for reasons of
academic fraud that involved an assistant football coach who was working
with a group of student-athletes. While Daye himself was not implicated in
academic fraud, as head football coach Nicholls officials believed he failed
to maintain proper controls of his assistant coach.

--Scott Barnes, who has been Eastern Washington University’s athletic
director for the past five years, will remain at Eastern under the terms of
a newly renegotiated contract. Barnes announced today he is withdrawing as a
finalist for the position of athletic director at Northern Illinois
University, where he has been one of three people under consideration for
the position there.

--Both Altitude (based out of Denver) and SportsWest (based out of Salt Lake
City) Sports Networks announced that they will cover Big Sky Conference
events starting this fall with football. Schedules for Big Sky games from
either network were not available yet.

--The Altitude Network also has announced that two Northern Colorado games
(Idaho State University at UNC, September 18 and Southern Utah University at
UNC, November 6) will be televised. The new network will begin broadcasting
September 4th.

--The Southland Conference announced that eight games involving at least one
conference member will be televised combined on Fox Sports Southwest, CSTV,
and Cox Sports Television.


***


A Little Information, a Little Entertainment, a Little Speculation

Scott Garner, Cult of I-AA columnist, I-AA.org

When I was a kid, the wait for Christmas had landmarks I could clearly see
leading towards the promised hour when the presents started getting opened.
First, there was “Rudolph,” the puppet-animated special featuring Herbie the
Dentist-elf and the Abominable “Bumble” Snowman. When CBS aired that puppy,
Christmas anticipation began. Then vacation from school took the waiting to
a new level. You could just sit and stare at the presents all day if you
wanted.

By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, any kid worth his weight in tinsel
was a quivering mass of paper-rending fury ready to be unleashed on the
stash of loot waiting under the tree.

As an adult, waiting for football season has the same effect on me.

The main road signs that football season is on the way are the obligatory
preseason polls. They start with sometimes haphazardly-researched magazine
polls in college football magazines (usually relegated to the last two pages
of the 300-page opuses) and culminate with two biggies. The Big Two begin
with the coaches’ poll, followed by the Sports Network I-AA poll, the
official ranking of the Cult by the Sorting Hat--media members.

Medium (n.)--A person with psychic abilities; a fortune-teller

That’s where guys like Your's Truly come in. Actually, I’m just a medium,
one branch of “the media,” an ominous group that gets blamed for botched
presidential elections, Ruben Patterson’s imprisonment, reality television
and the BCS. Some poor soul, reading the wrong definition for “medium” in
his or her Webster’s Dictionary reckoned having such resourceful folks pick
the preseason Top 25 might be a good idea.

The coaches are responsible for the USA Today/ESPN poll, but what do they
know? Are they mediums? If you must see what the coaches thought, go to
http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=58926 and check out the preseason
I-AA poll done by the coaches, but remember, it’s not endorsed by the
writers or the National Organization of Gypsies, Palm-Readers and
Soothsayers.

On to confession time: I am one of the voters for the Sports Network poll as
are many of the names you see bylined on stories both local and national
about I-AA. If you think the fans of I-AA are a Cult, then the journalists
who cover the great sport are as rare as character witnesses at the Kobe
Bryant trial. The Sports Network rounds us up by looking in the usual
locations--bars, seedy motels, fantasy football conventions, the Mos Eisley
cantina and, oh yeah, preseason media events. Then they charge us with
figuring out who the initial top 25 teams in I-AA football are. We put on
turbans, burn incense, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Gathering up information on the cult is matter of reading tea leaves,
looking in a crystal ball, making some phone calls and scanning the
Internet. Once the information is gathered, most writers weigh the value of
returning starters, transfers, coaches, last season’s results, players lost
to graduation/draft/social improprieties and who has the coolest mascot,
thus forming a pseudo-scientific formula for ranking the teams. Asking a
voting media member to explain their personal formula is like asking the
Missouri Barbeque Champion what’s in the secret sauce. It’s like asking
Republicans to explain deficit spending or Democrats why they haven’t locked
Hillary in a Panic Room yet. Yer not getting an answer.

But in the spirit of the Discovery Channel and UN weapons inspections, I
will share my personal Top 25, along with a brief explanation about how I
arrived at my conclusion. One quick caveat: most beat writers who follow a
single team all year will either pick the team they cover too high (perhaps
out of fear of defensive linemen--you boys know who you are) or too low
because they don’t want the other guys in the sports writers’ club to call
them “homers.” I spend all year with Georgia Southern. You decide which side
I fell on.

1. Delaware: It’s good to be da King. It would be better if the backfield
wasn’t being replaced.
2. Montana: The last time the Grizzlies were outside of the preseason Top
10, MTV still played music videos.
3. Furman: One of the Cult’s best defenses is now join by a top offense
directed by Florida transfer Ingle Martin.
4. Southern Illinois: May be the best chance the Gateway has at a national
title, and that is always saying something.
5. Wofford: A weak schedule makes games against Georgia Southern,
Appalachian State and Furman key. But the Terriers won those games last
year.
6. Colgate: Two words: Jamaal Branch. ‘Nuff said.
7. Villanova: Rank the Wildcats as the Best Cult Member Never to Win a I-AA
Title.
8. McNeese State: The schedule again favors this traditional power advancing
to the playoffs if they can avoid slips in an improving Southland
Conference, but the Best Tailgate trophy is probably still safe in Lake
Charles.
9. Northern Iowa: The Gateway has a knack of producing more than one
powerhouse a year. Northern Iowa has enough pieces coming back this year to
be potent.
10. Northwestern State: If defenses win championships, then the Demons have
a shot.
11. Northern Arizona: I KNOW they lost a lot of players, but the defense is
relatively intact and the two best offensive players are back. This is my
weird-gut-instinct pick. Sue me.
12. Georgia Southern: No one will really know about the Eagles until week
three (when they face Wofford in Statesboro).
13. Western Illinois: What do they feed these kids in the Gateway?
14. Maine: The Bears could be a very good team and still lose their first
four games. No, really. Look at the schedule.
15. Montana State: It’s not considered “backing into the playoffs” when the
Bobcats have beaten Montana two straight years. It’s “backing into the
playoffs with style.”
16. Grambling: I hate putting non-playoff participants in the Top 25, and
always have, but you have to give props to Bruce Eugene, yo.
17. Appalachian State: A plausible week one upset of a I-A (Wyoming) would
vault App up Casey’s Top 40, er, 25.
18. Lehigh: Remember what Wofford did last year after getting passed up on a
playoff bid they should have had in 2002? I’ll bet Lehigh does.
19. Eastern Kentucky: The top team in an improving league, EKU will have to
survive the first two games (at Appalachian, vs. Western Kentucky) before
taking on Ohio Valley foes.
20. Western Kentucky: Two years removed from a national title, can WKU stay
a viable player in the championship race?
21. Jacksonville State: The surprise of 2003, JSU will need to control games
with defense while an inexperienced offense gets its bearings.
22. Northern Colorado: The question will be whether the former DII
powerhouse can start pushing around I-AA teams.
23. Penn: Another non-playoff team, Penn was perfect last year at 10-0. If I
were paying over 30 grand a year in tuition, I’d want to go to the playoffs.
That’s just me.
24. North Carolina A&T: Somebody’s going to win the MEAC, and it won’t be
Florida A&M.
25. Idaho State: Just because.

I will continue to post my top 25 each week (without snappy remarks) so that
fans of every school in the Cult can hurl insults or adulation my way. And
when I really screw something up, I’ll admit it. Maybe.

I-AA player to watch in the NFL

Tony Romo, a Walter Payton winner when he was with Eastern Illinois, should
get a chance to show his wares with Quincy Carter now gone in Dallas. Say
what you will about Jerry Jones, but he knows that I-AA talent is real
talent. Former Appalachian State standout Dexter Coakley (a two-time Buck
Buchanan winner) has made the Pro Bowl from Big D, and with the Tuna in
charge, Romo should get great guidance.

Note: I bow down before Parcells not because he coaches teams I love
(long-suffering Falcons fan alert!!). I love Parcells because he coaches
games the way I love to see football coached--with power and clock
management and defense and a rushing attack. I rank Parcells among
football’s pure geniuses. And Parcells loved a I-AA guy, Dave Meggett, and
gave the 1988 Payton Winner a home in the NFL. If only he could have given
Dave a little sage advice on avoiding off-the-field trouble.

My dad liked Dave Meggett because he was small.

From here on out, when a coach does something smart, we’ll give him a
Parcells. Example: Jim Tressell coaching Youngstown State to the I-AA title
in 1991 as the 11th seed in the playoffs is worth three Parcells (or is it
Parcellses?).

Greatest I-AA of all time

I’m still taking suggestions for I-AA’s top team. I’ve advanced the theory
that Marshall’s 1996 squad should have points deducted because the Herd was
basically already a I-A team and had no playoff-ineligible transition period
from the Cult. I’m sure when the folks at Marshall get wind of this my Inbox
will be flooded, but so be it.

Weigh in on that topic, the topic of best I-AAs of all time and the
plurality of “Parcells” by emailing me at: garner@iaa.org.

So far, the frontrunners are (in no particular order): Marshall 1996,
Delaware 2003, Montana 1995, Youngstown State 1994, Georgia Southern 1989 &
1999.

Cult Count (with apologies to Maxim)

-Teams in my Top 25 with at least one I-AA title: Nine. Can you name them?
-Teams with I-AA titles not in my Top 25: Six. Again, names?
-Number of titles held by Youngstown State (not in my Top 25): Four.
-References to my dad (cumulative, including last week): Two. And most
people say “hi, mom.”
-References to Bob Dylan songs: One. In a roundabout way.
-Suppressed urges to refer to Marshall as “the Blundering Nerd” leftover
from college days when they regularly kicked my school’s butt: Lost count.
-Obscure references that make me look like a geek: Lost count at “Mos Eisley
Cantina.”
-Days until next column: Seven.

Until then, don’t share the secret handshake.

***


The I-AA Way: Responsibility or Political Correctness?

David Coulson, Senior Columnist, I-AA.org

That is the question I have pondered since I heard on Aug. 17 about the
firing of Nicholls State head football coach Daryl Daye.

No two words scare a university president more than academic fraud, which is
the charge being leveled by Nicholls State officials against one of Daye's
unnamed assistants, who was also fired.

But university officials were just as quick to note that Daye had nothing to
do with this fraud.

"While Daye himself was not implicated in academic fraud, as head football
coach he failed to maintain proper controls of his assistant coach,"
Nicholls State stated in its official release, announcing his firing.

Responsibility or Political Correctness?

From the time he was hired, Daye had been on a mission to improve the
Colonels' football program, athletically and academically. And until the
past two weeks, most observers would say he had succeeded brilliantly on
both counts.

Daye took over a Nicholls State program in 1999 that was noted for neither.
It was arguably the worst team in the Southland Conference.

A recent column by Ranch West on the GeauxCowboys website -- the fan site of
arch-rival McNeese State -- told a story that illustrated just how bad the
situation was in Thibodaux, La.

"The first time I met Coach Daye, when he was in his first season at
Nicholls, it was at the Southland Conference media days. Daryl was stuffing
his brief case full of free ink pens, explaining he had no budget for such
items. It might seem ludicrous, but this was the environment Daye had
inherited at Nicholls."

Still, Daye found ways to turn this woeful program around. He installed a
new offense, Erk Russell's Georgia Southern spread option.

He ran plenty of bad apples out of the program as he emphasized academic
excellence in the classroom and discipline on the playing field.

Nicholls State won just five games and lost 28 during Daye's first three
years, but after two seasons of 1-10 results, a 3-8 record showed that the
Colonels were making progress.

One of those three wins was a shocking victory over I-A opponent Arkansas
State.

Finally in 2002, Nicholls State turned the corner with a 7-4 campaign,
finishing ranked 23rd in the country and coming within a game of making the
I-AA playoffs.

But while the improvements on the field were suddenly dramatic, Daye was
just as proud of what was happening.

"In the classroom, Daye has spearheaded a resurgence, as 43 NSU players
achieved semester grade point averages of 2.5 or better during the spring of
2003, while players posted over a 3.0," the Southland Conference media guide
trumpeted in 2003.

Humble results yes, but exciting when you consider just how bad the Nicholls
State program had been in the 1990s. This is a team that had raised its
average GPA from 1.79 in 1998 to 2.5 in five years.

In 2003, Daye had his junior-oriented team in the conference title hunt and
playoff mix until the final weekend of the season.

A loss to McNeese State, the top-ranked team in the country, ended the
Colonels' season with a disappointing 5-6 record, but Daye had high hopes
that NSU would contend for the Southland title again in 2004.

Responsibility or Political Correctness?

The Colonels had already begun practice for its Sept. 2 season opener
against Eastern Washington when a joint investigation by NSU and the
Southland Conference uncovered an Internet summer coursework scam that
allegedly had been put in place by one of Daye's assistants.

"The university administration is responsible for protecting the integrity
of the institution, in this specific instance, that of the football