College Football Nation: East Carolina Pirates
The Mountain West and Conference USA have announced plans to form a new athletic association for the 2013-14 season, as a way to ensure their future survival due to heavy losses each league has suffered in realignment.
Presidents and chancellors of the 16 schools that will be a part of the group met in Dallas on Sunday to discuss the details. Those schools: Air Force, UAB, Colorado State, East Carolina, Fresno State, Hawaii, Marshall, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa and Wyoming. With the exception of Hawaii as a football-only member, the participation would involve all sports.
The Mountain West is losing Boise State and San Diego State to the Big East, while Conference USA is losing Houston, Memphis, SMU and UCF to the Big East as well. Most interesting in the announcement made Monday were these two points that will likely be included in the future structure of the new association:
- Membership of 18 to 24 universities
- Championship football game format that includes semifinal matchups
Growing from two to eight teams means the new association might have designs on absorbing the WAC, which is struggling to hang on after recent defections to the Mountain West, or possibly going after teams in the Sun Belt. Utah State and San Jose State, currently in the WAC, have been tied to the Mountain West in the past. In fact, Utah State was offered a spot in the Mountain West in 2010 but turned it down.
The championship game format, complete with semifinals, is obviously intriguing simply because that is something most folks have yearned for in college football as a whole. If the league grows to 24 teams, having four teams making it into a "championship round" would seem to increase interest. Especially if the semifinal round is on a home campus.
Now keep in mind regular-season scheduling will be contained to divisions, and those divisions are going to be set based on geography. There is a reason the news release cited this as essential to the new association: "bringing fiscal discipline into athletics and ensuring competitive fairness."
Right now, Conference USA has teams stretching from East Carolina to El Paso. So one would think that it would make more sense to have UTEP in a different division than the Pirates, just like they are now, with road games East contained to one or fewer a year, or perhaps eliminated entirely. If the league gets to 18 teams at a minimum with two nine-team divisions -- think eight regular-season football games contained to that division.
That should help alleviate some of the money that is spent on traveling alone, especially in the nonrevenue sports.
Time to take a look at recruiting needs for some selected non-AQ schools.
Boise State
Running back. With Doug Martin gone, there is no question the Broncos need some quality players at this position to not only play but add depth. This was already one that had depth issues because of injuries this season -- which is why a walk-on running back had the ball late in the game against TCU. Boise State has two commitments from quality prep players in Devan Demas and Jack Fields, both out of Texas.
Linebacker. Three of the four players on the two deep are gone, so this is a definite area where the Broncos have got to get some more players. Two of their more highly rated commitments are linebackers -- Ben Weaver and Andrew Pint.
Secondary. Another problem area for the Broncos in 2011 was in the secondary after injuries also hurt depth. They lose George Iloka, Hunter White, Travis Stanaway and Cedric Febis, plus Jamar Taylor is a rising senior. So you can see why the Broncos have commitments from four defensive backs.
BYU
Quarterback. Jake Heaps' departure all of a sudden hurts depth at the position. Riley Nelson is a senior; James Lark is a senior. There are a few other guys on the roster, but now the commitment of four-star prospect Tanner Mangum is even more important.
Linebacker. Jameson Frazier is gone, and five others on the depth chart will be either juniors or seniors -- including Uona Kaveinga, Kyle Van Noy and Brandon Ogletree. So this is probably a good time to restock the position to start building some depth.
Receiver. Cody Hoffman had a great year, but you still get this nagging feeling that the Cougars really need a game-changer at receiver who can really stretch the field. Some thought Ross Apo might do that but it didn't quite happen in 2012. So I bet BYU fans feel good about some of the receiver/athlete commitments already on board.
East Carolina
Secondary. The Pirates are losing three starters in the secondary and four key backups are juniors. It's huge for this program to get a commitment from four-star safety Lucas Thompson. He should help right away.
Offensive line. No question East Carolina has to keep adding quality players here because depth was lacking this season. Plus, the Pirates lose starter Steven Baker at left tackle, several key backups and four players on the depth chart will be juniors or seniors.
Running back. This is another area where the Pirates have to build some depth. There simply wasn't any once Reggie Bullock got hurt last season. Receiver Torrance Hunt had to fill in while Bullock was out. East Carolina has commitments from four athletes, including two with three-star ratings, so the hope is to try and convert a few of them into quality backs.
Houston
Defensive line: If there is one area that has to get better for the Cougars, it is defense. Certainly strides have been made but they were exposed in the Conference USA championship game. This team has to get better up front, which is why you see five defensive linemen commits. In fact, its best commit is four-star defensive tackle Donald Hopkins.
Offensive line: The Cougars lose starting center Chris Thompson, and seven of their offensive linemen will be juniors or seniors next season. Time to reload.
Receiver/running back: Houston has plenty of guys listed on its roster at these positions, but the Cougars are going to be in need of some athletes to take the place of Tyron Carrier, Patrick Edwards, Justin Johnson and Bryce Beall.
SMU
Offensive line. This is an area that coach June Jones has worked at to create depth, but the Mustangs have to continue to build. They lose six seniors of the 2011 team -- including all five starters.
Defensive back. Of the eight players listed on the depth chart, four seniors are gone -- including starters Chris Banjo and Richard Crawford. The other four will be juniors or seniors.
Receiver. In the offense Jones likes to run, you can't have too many athletes or receivers. Cole Beasley and Terrance Wilkerson are gone, Darius Johnson will be a senior and Jeremy Johnson and Keenan Holman will be juniors. One of the Mustangs' top commitments is athlete Daijuan Stewart.
Southern Miss
Linebacker. Starting linebackers Ronnie Thornton and Jeremy Snowden are gone from the 4-2-5 set the Golden Eagles ran last year. So is backup Tim Green. It's unclear what type of formation Southern Miss will run under its new coaching staff, but stocking up in this area is a good idea.
Defensive line. The Golden Eagles lose Cordarro Law and three other seniors from the two-deep. Of the 10 linemen remaining on the roster, only five are freshmen or sophomores.
Receiver: Three starters were seniors, including Kelvin Bolden and Ryan Balentine. There were only two freshmen on the roster last season so this should be an area that gets addressed.
Boise State
Running back. With Doug Martin gone, there is no question the Broncos need some quality players at this position to not only play but add depth. This was already one that had depth issues because of injuries this season -- which is why a walk-on running back had the ball late in the game against TCU. Boise State has two commitments from quality prep players in Devan Demas and Jack Fields, both out of Texas.
Linebacker. Three of the four players on the two deep are gone, so this is a definite area where the Broncos have got to get some more players. Two of their more highly rated commitments are linebackers -- Ben Weaver and Andrew Pint.
Secondary. Another problem area for the Broncos in 2011 was in the secondary after injuries also hurt depth. They lose George Iloka, Hunter White, Travis Stanaway and Cedric Febis, plus Jamar Taylor is a rising senior. So you can see why the Broncos have commitments from four defensive backs.
BYU
Quarterback. Jake Heaps' departure all of a sudden hurts depth at the position. Riley Nelson is a senior; James Lark is a senior. There are a few other guys on the roster, but now the commitment of four-star prospect Tanner Mangum is even more important.
Linebacker. Jameson Frazier is gone, and five others on the depth chart will be either juniors or seniors -- including Uona Kaveinga, Kyle Van Noy and Brandon Ogletree. So this is probably a good time to restock the position to start building some depth.
Receiver. Cody Hoffman had a great year, but you still get this nagging feeling that the Cougars really need a game-changer at receiver who can really stretch the field. Some thought Ross Apo might do that but it didn't quite happen in 2012. So I bet BYU fans feel good about some of the receiver/athlete commitments already on board.
East Carolina
Secondary. The Pirates are losing three starters in the secondary and four key backups are juniors. It's huge for this program to get a commitment from four-star safety Lucas Thompson. He should help right away.
Offensive line. No question East Carolina has to keep adding quality players here because depth was lacking this season. Plus, the Pirates lose starter Steven Baker at left tackle, several key backups and four players on the depth chart will be juniors or seniors.
Running back. This is another area where the Pirates have to build some depth. There simply wasn't any once Reggie Bullock got hurt last season. Receiver Torrance Hunt had to fill in while Bullock was out. East Carolina has commitments from four athletes, including two with three-star ratings, so the hope is to try and convert a few of them into quality backs.
Houston
Defensive line: If there is one area that has to get better for the Cougars, it is defense. Certainly strides have been made but they were exposed in the Conference USA championship game. This team has to get better up front, which is why you see five defensive linemen commits. In fact, its best commit is four-star defensive tackle Donald Hopkins.
Offensive line: The Cougars lose starting center Chris Thompson, and seven of their offensive linemen will be juniors or seniors next season. Time to reload.
Receiver/running back: Houston has plenty of guys listed on its roster at these positions, but the Cougars are going to be in need of some athletes to take the place of Tyron Carrier, Patrick Edwards, Justin Johnson and Bryce Beall.
SMU
Offensive line. This is an area that coach June Jones has worked at to create depth, but the Mustangs have to continue to build. They lose six seniors of the 2011 team -- including all five starters.
Defensive back. Of the eight players listed on the depth chart, four seniors are gone -- including starters Chris Banjo and Richard Crawford. The other four will be juniors or seniors.
Receiver. In the offense Jones likes to run, you can't have too many athletes or receivers. Cole Beasley and Terrance Wilkerson are gone, Darius Johnson will be a senior and Jeremy Johnson and Keenan Holman will be juniors. One of the Mustangs' top commitments is athlete Daijuan Stewart.
Southern Miss
Linebacker. Starting linebackers Ronnie Thornton and Jeremy Snowden are gone from the 4-2-5 set the Golden Eagles ran last year. So is backup Tim Green. It's unclear what type of formation Southern Miss will run under its new coaching staff, but stocking up in this area is a good idea.
Defensive line. The Golden Eagles lose Cordarro Law and three other seniors from the two-deep. Of the 10 linemen remaining on the roster, only five are freshmen or sophomores.
Receiver: Three starters were seniors, including Kelvin Bolden and Ryan Balentine. There were only two freshmen on the roster last season so this should be an area that gets addressed.
BYU and East Carolina have agreed to a two-game series in 2017 and 2018, the schools announced Wednesday.
The Cougars will travel to Greenville, N.C., in 2017 and will then host the Pirates in Provo in 2018.
“We’re excited about this series with East Carolina. It allows both schools to have a unique travel experience and play very good competition,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. “Our football team has never played in North Carolina, so I’m excited that BYU fans in that part of the country will have an opportunity to see our team play in person.”
Added East Carolina athletic director Terry Holland in a statement: “BYU’s national athletic profile and the beauty of the campus and surrounding area make both of these games ones that every Pirate will want to see — here in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium as well as at LaVell Edwards Stadium. This series will provide first-class football and terrific sportsmanship for all Pirate and Cougar fans. This is a relationship that we would like to continue in the future, possibly with competitions in other sports.”
The Cougars will travel to Greenville, N.C., in 2017 and will then host the Pirates in Provo in 2018.
“We’re excited about this series with East Carolina. It allows both schools to have a unique travel experience and play very good competition,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. “Our football team has never played in North Carolina, so I’m excited that BYU fans in that part of the country will have an opportunity to see our team play in person.”
Added East Carolina athletic director Terry Holland in a statement: “BYU’s national athletic profile and the beauty of the campus and surrounding area make both of these games ones that every Pirate will want to see — here in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium as well as at LaVell Edwards Stadium. This series will provide first-class football and terrific sportsmanship for all Pirate and Cougar fans. This is a relationship that we would like to continue in the future, possibly with competitions in other sports.”
Houston coach Kevin Sumlin picked up Conference USA coach of the year honors Wednesday, while quarterback Case Keenum was selected as the league's most valuable player.
Sumlin guided the Cougars to a 12-1 record, a West Division title an No. 6 national ranking before they lost to Southern Miss in the Conference USA championship game.
Keenum became the first two-time winner of the MVP award after breaking NCAA records for career passing yardage (18,685), total offense (19,572), touchdown passes (152), total touchdowns (175), completions (1,501) and 300-yard games (38).
The other award winners:
Offensive Player of the Year: Houston WR Patrick Edwards
Defensive Player of the Year: Marshall DE Vinny Curry
Special Teams Player of the Year: Houston KR Tyron Carrier
Freshman of the Year: East Carolina LB Jeremy Grove
Newcomer of the Year: Houston DB D.J. Hayden
Sumlin guided the Cougars to a 12-1 record, a West Division title an No. 6 national ranking before they lost to Southern Miss in the Conference USA championship game.
Keenum became the first two-time winner of the MVP award after breaking NCAA records for career passing yardage (18,685), total offense (19,572), touchdown passes (152), total touchdowns (175), completions (1,501) and 300-yard games (38).
The other award winners:
Offensive Player of the Year: Houston WR Patrick Edwards
Defensive Player of the Year: Marshall DE Vinny Curry
Special Teams Player of the Year: Houston KR Tyron Carrier
Freshman of the Year: East Carolina LB Jeremy Grove
Newcomer of the Year: Houston DB D.J. Hayden
Let's take a look back at Week 10 in the non-AQs.
Records fall. As expected, Kellen Moore and Case Keenum set major NCAA records in victories this weekend. Moore helped the Broncos beat UNLV 48-21 for his 46th career win, breaking the record set by Colt McCoy for most career wins. Meanwhile, Keenum threw for 407 yards in a 56-13 win against UAB to become the most prolific passer in NCAA history. Keenum passed the mark held by Timmy Chang and now has 17,212 career passing yards. He is averaging 402.9 yards a game, putting him on pace to potentially get another 2,000 yards this season should the Cougars play in the Conference USA championship game.
Bowl eligibility. Ohio, Northern Illinois, Tulsa, SMU and Ball State all became bowl eligible this weekend. It has been a nice turnaround season for Ball State under first-year coach Pete Lembo, getting the Cardinals to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008. Teams that have a chance to become bowl eligible this week:
FIU (5-4) vs. FAU
Western Kentucky (5-4) at LSU
Louisiana Tech (5-4) at Ole Miss
Nevada (5-3) vs. Hawaii
Game of the week. Louisiana-Lafayette 36, Louisiana-Monroe 35. The Ragin' Cajuns overcame an 11-point deficit with 3:08 left, scoring two touchdowns in the span of two minutes to complete the incredible comeback. Blaine Gautier threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Surgent with 2:05 left to close the gap to 35-30. They failed to make the 2-point conversion but did recover the onside kick. Alonzo Harris scored on a run from 3 yards with 1:06 remaining.
Greatest turnarounds. Speaking of the Sun Belt, Louisiana-Lafayette has the best turnaround in the country from last season, winning five more games than 2010. That league has three teams with some of the best turnarounds among the non-AQs.
2010, 2011
ULL 3-9, 8-2
Houston 9-0, 5-7
Ark. St 4-8, 7-2
WKU 2-10, 5-4
E. Mich 2-10, 5-4
Conference race update. Let us check in with all the non-AQ conferences to see who is leading in the race for a championship.
C-USA. Southern Miss is in control of the East Division after a convincing 48-28 win against East Carolina. The Golden Eagles host defending East Division champs Central Florida on Saturday. They have a one-game lead over the Pirates and Marshall, though their only loss this season came to the Thundering Herd. In the West, Houston and Tulsa are undefeated in league play at 5-0, setting up a huge showdown in the season finale Nov. 25 at Tulsa. Houston has Tulane and SMU before then; Tulsa has Marshall and UTEP. Both teams will be favored to be 7-0 in league play headed into their game.
MAC. Ohio dealt a huge blow to Temple's chances of winning the East with a 35-31 win in Week 2. The Bobcats and defending East champ Miami (Ohio) are 3-2 in league play. They end the season against each other Nov. 22 at Ohio. In the West, Northern Illinois and Toledo each are 4-1 but the Huskies have a huge head-to-head win against Toledo, 63-60 in a wild game in Week 10. If they both win out, Northern Illinois goes to get another MAC title game.
Mountain West. As expected, TCU and Boise State are undefeated in league play headed into their huge game Saturday in Boise. The winner will be in the driver's seat to win the conference. Remember, this game was initially set for Forth Worth, but moved to Boise after TCU announced it was leaving the conference.
Sun Belt. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-2, 6-1) has a huge game at Arkansas State (7-2, 5-0). If Louisiana-Lafayette wins, it would create a three-way tie with Western Kentucky (5-4, 5-1) atop the Sun Belt standings. If all three then win out, they would each be considered co-champs. If Arkansas State wins, then the Red Wolves would remain undefeated in the Sun Belt and control their destiny.
WAC. Nevada is the only undefeated team in league play at 3-0 and controls its hopes for a second straight league title. Louisiana Tech at 4-1 is in second place. The teams play in Reno on Nov. 19.
Helmet stickers
Ryan Aplin, QB, Arkansas State. Aplin had five touchdowns in a 39-21 victory at FAU, rushing for 49 yards and four touchdowns and completing 24-of-37 passes for 244 yards and another score. His four rushing touchdowns are the most for any player in the Sun Belt this season, and his five overall touchdowns are tied for the most.
Kama Bailey, RB, Idaho. Bailey ran for a career-high 163 yards on 19 carries and had two scores as Idaho came back to beat San Jose State 32-29.
Jon Davis, DB, Air Force. Davis had a game-high 12 tackles and recorded one interception as Air Force retained the Commander-In-Chief’s trophy with a 24-21 win against Army. Davis also forced and recovered a fumble.
Nick Fanuzzi, QB, Rice. Fanuzzi completed 30-of-43 for 405 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 41-37 win against UTEP. It was his first start of the season, and he is just the third player in school history to pass for more than 400 yards.
Donte Harden, RB, Ohio. Harden finished with a school-record 322 all-purpose yards (184 rushing, 75 receiving and 63 return yards) and scored a pair of touchdowns in a 35-31 win against Temple.
Records fall. As expected, Kellen Moore and Case Keenum set major NCAA records in victories this weekend. Moore helped the Broncos beat UNLV 48-21 for his 46th career win, breaking the record set by Colt McCoy for most career wins. Meanwhile, Keenum threw for 407 yards in a 56-13 win against UAB to become the most prolific passer in NCAA history. Keenum passed the mark held by Timmy Chang and now has 17,212 career passing yards. He is averaging 402.9 yards a game, putting him on pace to potentially get another 2,000 yards this season should the Cougars play in the Conference USA championship game.
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Michael Hickey/US PresswireCoach Pete Lembo has Ball State eligible for a bowl for the first time since 2008.
Michael Hickey/US PresswireCoach Pete Lembo has Ball State eligible for a bowl for the first time since 2008.FIU (5-4) vs. FAU
Western Kentucky (5-4) at LSU
Louisiana Tech (5-4) at Ole Miss
Nevada (5-3) vs. Hawaii
Game of the week. Louisiana-Lafayette 36, Louisiana-Monroe 35. The Ragin' Cajuns overcame an 11-point deficit with 3:08 left, scoring two touchdowns in the span of two minutes to complete the incredible comeback. Blaine Gautier threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Surgent with 2:05 left to close the gap to 35-30. They failed to make the 2-point conversion but did recover the onside kick. Alonzo Harris scored on a run from 3 yards with 1:06 remaining.
Greatest turnarounds. Speaking of the Sun Belt, Louisiana-Lafayette has the best turnaround in the country from last season, winning five more games than 2010. That league has three teams with some of the best turnarounds among the non-AQs.
2010, 2011
ULL 3-9, 8-2
Houston 9-0, 5-7
Ark. St 4-8, 7-2
WKU 2-10, 5-4
E. Mich 2-10, 5-4
Conference race update. Let us check in with all the non-AQ conferences to see who is leading in the race for a championship.
C-USA. Southern Miss is in control of the East Division after a convincing 48-28 win against East Carolina. The Golden Eagles host defending East Division champs Central Florida on Saturday. They have a one-game lead over the Pirates and Marshall, though their only loss this season came to the Thundering Herd. In the West, Houston and Tulsa are undefeated in league play at 5-0, setting up a huge showdown in the season finale Nov. 25 at Tulsa. Houston has Tulane and SMU before then; Tulsa has Marshall and UTEP. Both teams will be favored to be 7-0 in league play headed into their game.
MAC. Ohio dealt a huge blow to Temple's chances of winning the East with a 35-31 win in Week 2. The Bobcats and defending East champ Miami (Ohio) are 3-2 in league play. They end the season against each other Nov. 22 at Ohio. In the West, Northern Illinois and Toledo each are 4-1 but the Huskies have a huge head-to-head win against Toledo, 63-60 in a wild game in Week 10. If they both win out, Northern Illinois goes to get another MAC title game.
Mountain West. As expected, TCU and Boise State are undefeated in league play headed into their huge game Saturday in Boise. The winner will be in the driver's seat to win the conference. Remember, this game was initially set for Forth Worth, but moved to Boise after TCU announced it was leaving the conference.
Sun Belt. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-2, 6-1) has a huge game at Arkansas State (7-2, 5-0). If Louisiana-Lafayette wins, it would create a three-way tie with Western Kentucky (5-4, 5-1) atop the Sun Belt standings. If all three then win out, they would each be considered co-champs. If Arkansas State wins, then the Red Wolves would remain undefeated in the Sun Belt and control their destiny.
WAC. Nevada is the only undefeated team in league play at 3-0 and controls its hopes for a second straight league title. Louisiana Tech at 4-1 is in second place. The teams play in Reno on Nov. 19.
Helmet stickers
Ryan Aplin, QB, Arkansas State. Aplin had five touchdowns in a 39-21 victory at FAU, rushing for 49 yards and four touchdowns and completing 24-of-37 passes for 244 yards and another score. His four rushing touchdowns are the most for any player in the Sun Belt this season, and his five overall touchdowns are tied for the most.
Kama Bailey, RB, Idaho. Bailey ran for a career-high 163 yards on 19 carries and had two scores as Idaho came back to beat San Jose State 32-29.
Jon Davis, DB, Air Force. Davis had a game-high 12 tackles and recorded one interception as Air Force retained the Commander-In-Chief’s trophy with a 24-21 win against Army. Davis also forced and recovered a fumble.
Nick Fanuzzi, QB, Rice. Fanuzzi completed 30-of-43 for 405 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 41-37 win against UTEP. It was his first start of the season, and he is just the third player in school history to pass for more than 400 yards.
Donte Harden, RB, Ohio. Harden finished with a school-record 322 all-purpose yards (184 rushing, 75 receiving and 63 return yards) and scored a pair of touchdowns in a 35-31 win against Temple.
Keep an eye out for the following this Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium:
- More music?: OK, maybe this should be what to hear. Still, I'm interested to see how much music is played again. Some of it was a pleasant surprise (Dropkick Murphys for opening kick) and some of it was a tad annoying (Ozzy, anyone?), but the game-day atmosphere has generated plenty of talk throughout the past week. I'm curious to see if there are any new -- or as many -- tricks rolled out for an afternoon game against Navy as there were for a night game against USC.
- Michael Floyd returning punts: He has to at some point, right? Granted, there weren't too many punts the last time Notre Dame played a team that likes to run the option, in Week 6 against Air Force, but at some point a situation must arise in which we get to see what the dynamic wide receiver can do on special teams. The long wait has many anxious, and the Irish could certainly use the boost back there.
- How Trey Miller responds: Navy's sophomore quarterback is making his first career start, and it is coming at one of the game's most legendary venues. He led a valiant second-half comeback attempt last week against East Carolina, but he also misfired on a potential game-winning touchdown pass on the final drive. How he responds in a vastly different environment against an Irish defense looking to bounce back from last week's showing at USC is anyone's guess.
Notre Dame Prediction: Week 9 vs. Navy
October, 27, 2011
10/27/11
9:00
AM ET
By
Matt Fortuna | ESPN.com
With three losses in its past four games against Navy, Notre Dame has to be wary of the Midshipmen. Even with Navy at 2-5.
This isn't one of those "throw the records out the door" rivalries, but Notre Dame has to look past the fact Navy has a five-game losing streak and see what has caused Navy's bowl hopes to be in jeopardy with five games left in the season.
A missed field goal against East Carolina after a controversial no-touchdown call. A blocked field goal at Rutgers. Another missed field goal in overtime against Air Force.
Navy's triple option ran all over Notre Dame last year, and it will provide a stiff test for a depleted Irish defensive line. Still, the Notre Dame starters played fairly well against a much more versatile offense in Air Force's, and that was without Ethan Johnson, who will likely see some action for the first time since suffering a sprained right ankle suffered Oct. 1. Now it is Kapron Lewis-Moore who is out as the Irish look to avoid their second losing streak of the season.
Throw in the fact Navy has a quarterback who will be making his first career start, and the recent history between these two teams, and it's tough to see the Irish not taking out their frustrations from last week on their struggling guests.
I wouldn't expect any Air Force-esque numbers, but it should be an interesting one.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Navy 17
This isn't one of those "throw the records out the door" rivalries, but Notre Dame has to look past the fact Navy has a five-game losing streak and see what has caused Navy's bowl hopes to be in jeopardy with five games left in the season.
A missed field goal against East Carolina after a controversial no-touchdown call. A blocked field goal at Rutgers. Another missed field goal in overtime against Air Force.
Navy's triple option ran all over Notre Dame last year, and it will provide a stiff test for a depleted Irish defensive line. Still, the Notre Dame starters played fairly well against a much more versatile offense in Air Force's, and that was without Ethan Johnson, who will likely see some action for the first time since suffering a sprained right ankle suffered Oct. 1. Now it is Kapron Lewis-Moore who is out as the Irish look to avoid their second losing streak of the season.
Throw in the fact Navy has a quarterback who will be making his first career start, and the recent history between these two teams, and it's tough to see the Irish not taking out their frustrations from last week on their struggling guests.
I wouldn't expect any Air Force-esque numbers, but it should be an interesting one.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Navy 17
Time to take a look back at Week 8 for the non-AQs:
Quarterbacks rule. In case you missed it, three quarterbacks had pretty awesome days on Saturday. Dominique Davis of East Carolina completed 26 straight passes. Kellen Moore of Boise State tied the NCAA record for career wins with 45. Case Keenum of Houston became the NCAA career leader for total offense, with the NCAA career passing mark and NCAA career touchdown passing mark in his sights. You can read more about their days here.
Southern Miss streaking. The Golden Eagles are off to their best start since 2000 after an impressive 27-3 win over SMU. They are ranked No. 25 in the coaches' poll, their first ranking since 2004, and have won five straight. Austin Davis has been impressive but so has the defense, which has made big-time improvements this season and has been a major reason this team is now the favorite to win the East Division in Conference USA. SMU came into the game with its high-powered passing offense, but Southern Miss totally shut down the Mustangs, who had season lows for points and passing yards (173). Southern Miss had two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. After it plays UTEP (4-3) Saturday, Southern Miss does not have a team left on the schedule with a winning record, making it conceivable the Golden Eagles could win out. Who would they face in the C-USA title game? The West is still wide open between Houston (7-0, 3-0), Tulsa (4-3, 3-0) and SMU (5-2, 3-1), but the No. 17 Cougars would have to be the favorite if they keep rolling. They get Rice this Thursday, but close the season with back-to-back games against the Mustangs at home, then at Tulsa on Nov. 26.
Bowl bound: Southern Miss and Houston are two of five non-AQs already bowl eligible (Boise State, ULL, BYU).
Next up on deck, with games this weekend:
Arkansas State (5-2) vs. North Texas
Toledo (5-3) vs. Northern Illinois (Nov. 1)
Ball State (5-3) at Western Michigan
Northern Illinois (5-3) at Toledo (Nov. 1)
Temple (5-3) vs. Ohio (Nov. 2)
Ohio (5-3) vs. Temple (Nov. 2)
TCU (5-2) vs. BYU (Arlington, Friday)
SMU (5-2) at Tulsa
* Eastern Michigan is 5-3 but the Golden Eagles need to get to seven wins because they have two wins over FCS opponents.
Disappointments: This has been a popular question during my weekly chats: Which team(s) have been the biggest disappointment. There are three on my list today: Fresno State, UCF and Colorado State. The Bulldogs had WAC nemesis Boise State out of the way this season, the perfect opportunity to win a league championship before moving on to the Mountain West. Instead, they have sputtered to a 3-5 start and just lost to Nevada. Fresno State needs to win three games to become bowl eligible. It should be able to get there, but nothing is a given with the improved play of Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and San Jose State. Meanwhile, there were those who thought Colorado State had everything it needed to get back to a bowl game, with a young quarterback in Pete Thomas and 14 starters returning. But injuries have completed decimated this team, and the Rams are 3-4 and are going to need to pull an upset or two to get to six wins with UNLV, San Diego State, TCU, Air Force and Wyoming left.
Perhaps most disappointing of all, though, has been UCF. Here you have a program coming off the first Top 25 season in school history and a win over Georgia in the bowl game. Many thought that would give this program much-needed momentum and a building block for the future. Instead, the Knights dropped to 3-4 and 1-2 in conference last week after a loss to previously winless UAB, losing to a team that played its backup quarterback and backup running back. Starting quarterback Jeff Godfrey was benched in favor of Blake Bortles, who nearly led the Knights to a win. Now UCF might have a quarterback controversy on its hands, as coach George O'Leary has declined to say who would start Saturday against Memphis. The Knights have some tough games left and are going to need help to make it back to the C-USA title game.
The heartbreak: You have got to feel for Navy, one of the most snake-bitten teams in college football. Navy has lost four games this year by a total of eight points. The Midshipmen, Utah State and Indiana are the only three teams in the country to lose four games by eight points or fewer. The heartbreak continued Saturday in a 38-35 loss to East Carolina. The Midshipmen hung tough after losing starting quarterback Kriss Proctor (elbow) and had a chance to win in the closing minute. An apparent touchdown pass from Trey Miller to Matt Aiken was ruled incomplete, and then Navy missed yet another field goal. Aiken appeared to cross the plane after catching the ball at the 2, but the ball came loose as he hit the ground. Replay officials ruled Aiken did not maintain control as the reason for the ruling of an incomplete pass. Navy dropped to 2-5 and is in danger of breaking its eight-year bowl streak.
Helmet stickers
Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball had a career-high 198 yards rushing and a touchdown on 26 carries in a 45-38 win over Fresno State. He had rushes of 35 and 41 yards, the two longest runs by any Nevada player this year.
Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Had a career-high 18 tackles in a 37-26 win over Air Force. His tackle total is the most by a Broncos player since Korey Hall had 15 against New Mexico State in 2006.
Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for both touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Bobby McCain, DB, Memphis. McCain had a 79-yard interception for a touchdown in a 33-17 win over Tulane. The interception gave the Tigers the lead for good in their first conference win since beating UTEP 35-20 Oct. 10, 2009.
Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey ran for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. Rainey moved into fourth place on the WKU career rushing list with his performance -- the second 200-yard rushing game of his career.
Quarterbacks rule. In case you missed it, three quarterbacks had pretty awesome days on Saturday. Dominique Davis of East Carolina completed 26 straight passes. Kellen Moore of Boise State tied the NCAA record for career wins with 45. Case Keenum of Houston became the NCAA career leader for total offense, with the NCAA career passing mark and NCAA career touchdown passing mark in his sights. You can read more about their days here.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Gail BurtonDominique Davis misfired on only five of his 45 pass attempts in East Carolina's win over Navy.
AP Photo/Gail BurtonDominique Davis misfired on only five of his 45 pass attempts in East Carolina's win over Navy.Bowl bound: Southern Miss and Houston are two of five non-AQs already bowl eligible (Boise State, ULL, BYU).
Next up on deck, with games this weekend:
Arkansas State (5-2) vs. North Texas
Toledo (5-3) vs. Northern Illinois (Nov. 1)
Ball State (5-3) at Western Michigan
Northern Illinois (5-3) at Toledo (Nov. 1)
Temple (5-3) vs. Ohio (Nov. 2)
Ohio (5-3) vs. Temple (Nov. 2)
TCU (5-2) vs. BYU (Arlington, Friday)
SMU (5-2) at Tulsa
* Eastern Michigan is 5-3 but the Golden Eagles need to get to seven wins because they have two wins over FCS opponents.
Disappointments: This has been a popular question during my weekly chats: Which team(s) have been the biggest disappointment. There are three on my list today: Fresno State, UCF and Colorado State. The Bulldogs had WAC nemesis Boise State out of the way this season, the perfect opportunity to win a league championship before moving on to the Mountain West. Instead, they have sputtered to a 3-5 start and just lost to Nevada. Fresno State needs to win three games to become bowl eligible. It should be able to get there, but nothing is a given with the improved play of Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and San Jose State. Meanwhile, there were those who thought Colorado State had everything it needed to get back to a bowl game, with a young quarterback in Pete Thomas and 14 starters returning. But injuries have completed decimated this team, and the Rams are 3-4 and are going to need to pull an upset or two to get to six wins with UNLV, San Diego State, TCU, Air Force and Wyoming left.
Perhaps most disappointing of all, though, has been UCF. Here you have a program coming off the first Top 25 season in school history and a win over Georgia in the bowl game. Many thought that would give this program much-needed momentum and a building block for the future. Instead, the Knights dropped to 3-4 and 1-2 in conference last week after a loss to previously winless UAB, losing to a team that played its backup quarterback and backup running back. Starting quarterback Jeff Godfrey was benched in favor of Blake Bortles, who nearly led the Knights to a win. Now UCF might have a quarterback controversy on its hands, as coach George O'Leary has declined to say who would start Saturday against Memphis. The Knights have some tough games left and are going to need help to make it back to the C-USA title game.
The heartbreak: You have got to feel for Navy, one of the most snake-bitten teams in college football. Navy has lost four games this year by a total of eight points. The Midshipmen, Utah State and Indiana are the only three teams in the country to lose four games by eight points or fewer. The heartbreak continued Saturday in a 38-35 loss to East Carolina. The Midshipmen hung tough after losing starting quarterback Kriss Proctor (elbow) and had a chance to win in the closing minute. An apparent touchdown pass from Trey Miller to Matt Aiken was ruled incomplete, and then Navy missed yet another field goal. Aiken appeared to cross the plane after catching the ball at the 2, but the ball came loose as he hit the ground. Replay officials ruled Aiken did not maintain control as the reason for the ruling of an incomplete pass. Navy dropped to 2-5 and is in danger of breaking its eight-year bowl streak.
Helmet stickers
Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball had a career-high 198 yards rushing and a touchdown on 26 carries in a 45-38 win over Fresno State. He had rushes of 35 and 41 yards, the two longest runs by any Nevada player this year.
Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Had a career-high 18 tackles in a 37-26 win over Air Force. His tackle total is the most by a Broncos player since Korey Hall had 15 against New Mexico State in 2006.
Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for both touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Bobby McCain, DB, Memphis. McCain had a 79-yard interception for a touchdown in a 33-17 win over Tulane. The interception gave the Tigers the lead for good in their first conference win since beating UTEP 35-20 Oct. 10, 2009.
Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey ran for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. Rainey moved into fourth place on the WKU career rushing list with his performance -- the second 200-yard rushing game of his career.
It's time to take a look back at the weekend that was in Notre Dame football, as the 83rd meeting with rival USC ended with a 31-17 loss.
The Good: There wasn't a whole lot to point to on the field, but the recruiting implications from the first home night game in 21 years could be big. Brian Kelly said Sunday he received positive reactions from the recruits in attendance, with most of the comments centering around the atmosphere and home-field advantage Notre Dame helped to create. Said Kelly: "I think maybe for the first time since I've been here we clearly had that."
The Bad: Notre Dame rushed for just 41 yards, averaging 2.9 yards per rush. Starter Cierre Wood netted just 5 yards on five carries. On the other side, USC's ground game had its best performance of the season, rushing for 219 yards and averaging 5 yards per carry in what to many was a surprisingly impressive performance.
The Ugly: The yips returned again, with the Irish turning the ball over three times in the second half and killing any chance of completing a comeback from their early 17-0 deficit. The turnovers were particularly frustrating for Notre Dame given the Irish's consecutive no-turnover performances in their previous two games before Saturday's.
Turning point: The Irish faced a third-and-goal from the 1 and were about to tie the game. But Dayne Crist fumbled the snap from Braxston Cave and USC's Jawanza Starling took it back 80 yards for a Trojans touchdown and a 14-point turnaround.
Call of the day: This will anger and surprise many, but USC coach Lane Kiffin deserves a lot of credit for getting his team to focus on the field. Kiffin often referred to Saturday as an event for Notre Dame, and he was able to get his players to block out all of the extracurriculars and play their best game of the year.
Next up: Notre Dame hosts a Navy team coming off a 38-35 loss to East Carolina, its fifth consecutive defeat after a 2-0 start. Nonetheless, the Irish cannot overlook the Midshipmen, having dropped three of the last four meetings between the two. Navy also boasts the No. 3 rushing game in the nation.
The Good: There wasn't a whole lot to point to on the field, but the recruiting implications from the first home night game in 21 years could be big. Brian Kelly said Sunday he received positive reactions from the recruits in attendance, with most of the comments centering around the atmosphere and home-field advantage Notre Dame helped to create. Said Kelly: "I think maybe for the first time since I've been here we clearly had that."
The Bad: Notre Dame rushed for just 41 yards, averaging 2.9 yards per rush. Starter Cierre Wood netted just 5 yards on five carries. On the other side, USC's ground game had its best performance of the season, rushing for 219 yards and averaging 5 yards per carry in what to many was a surprisingly impressive performance.
The Ugly: The yips returned again, with the Irish turning the ball over three times in the second half and killing any chance of completing a comeback from their early 17-0 deficit. The turnovers were particularly frustrating for Notre Dame given the Irish's consecutive no-turnover performances in their previous two games before Saturday's.
Turning point: The Irish faced a third-and-goal from the 1 and were about to tie the game. But Dayne Crist fumbled the snap from Braxston Cave and USC's Jawanza Starling took it back 80 yards for a Trojans touchdown and a 14-point turnaround.
Call of the day: This will anger and surprise many, but USC coach Lane Kiffin deserves a lot of credit for getting his team to focus on the field. Kiffin often referred to Saturday as an event for Notre Dame, and he was able to get his players to block out all of the extracurriculars and play their best game of the year.
Next up: Notre Dame hosts a Navy team coming off a 38-35 loss to East Carolina, its fifth consecutive defeat after a 2-0 start. Nonetheless, the Irish cannot overlook the Midshipmen, having dropped three of the last four meetings between the two. Navy also boasts the No. 3 rushing game in the nation.
Here are the non-AQ players of the week as selected by each conference. The independent players are selected by a nationwide media panel.
Conference USA
Offense: Reggie Bullock, RB, East Carolina. Bullock rushed for a personal-best 169 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries to help East Carolina beat UAB 28-23.
Defense: Jamie Bender, S, UAB. Had 11 tackles and returned one interception 35 yards for a touchdown in a loss to East Carolina. That was the first defensive score for the Blazers since 2009.
Special teams: Danny Hrapmann, K, Southern Miss. Made three of four field goals (43, 35 and 27 yards), including two in the final quarter of a 30-24 victory over Virginia. He also converted a fake punt deep in the Golden Eagles' end zone and ran 31 yards for a first down.
Independent
Offense: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame. Eifert set a career-high with eight receptions for a game-high 75 yards and a touchdown in a 15-12 win at Pittsburgh.
Defense: Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Had eight tackles and a sack in a win over UCF.
Special teams: Cody Hoffman, WR/KR, BYU. Had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 24-17 win over UCF. That was BYU's first kickoff return touchdown since Oct. 17, 1998 -- a span of 161 games.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Ran for a school record and MAC record-tying five touchdowns in a 38-7 win at Maryland. Pierce eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing for the 12th time in his career and third time this season. He finished with 149 yards on 32 carries for five touchdowns.
Defense: Luke Wollet, S, Kent State. Had two interceptions while matching his season-high with eight tackles in a 33-25 win over South Alabama.
Special teams: Ray Hutson, WR, Bowling Green. Blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on a kickoff return in the Falcons’ 37-23 win at Miami (Ohio).
West Division
Co-Offense: Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan. Eric Page, WR, Toledo. White set his career record with 14 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 23-30 loss at No. 24 Illinois. White became the fourth Bronco to have over 200 career catches and recorded his 14th 100-yard receiving game.
Page had a season-high 13 receptions and career-high 158 receiving yards in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. Page had 279 all-purpose yards, including 114 yards in kickoff returns.
Defense: Sean Baker, S, Ball State. Had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one interception in a 48-21 victory over Army. He was a part of a Ball State defense that tied an NCAA single game record by not allowing Army to complete a pass in the game.
Special Teams: Jeremiah Detmer, K, Toledo. Kicked a 52-yard field goal in his first career attempt in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. The 52-yarder was the second-longest field goal in Toledo history.
Mountain West
Co-Offense: Chris Nwoke, RB, Colorado State, Deon Long, RB, New Mexico. Had 102 yards of total offense (85 rushing, 17 receiving) and scored two touchdowns in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime victory at Utah State. Nwoke tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left in regulation, then provided the game-winner with a 2-yard run on CSU’s second possession in overtime.
Long broke the school and Mountain West single-game record with 378 all-purpose yards in New Mexico’s overtime loss to Sam Houston State. Offensively, Long caught nine passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
Defense: Shaquil Barrett, LB, Colorado State. Had a team-high 14 tackles in a 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State. He also added his first career fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Special teams: Tanner Hedstrom, LS, Colorado State. Hedstrom recovered two fumbles on muffed punts, including a critical takeaway to set up the game-tying score in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State.
Sun Belt
Offense: Blaine Gautier, QB, Louisiana. In just his fourth career start, Gautier totaled 307 yards (221 passing/86 rushing) and tossed three touchdown passes to lead the offense in a 36-31 upset over FIU.
Defense: Chris Pickett, DB, Troy. Recovered a fumble and returned it for a 63-yard touchdown in a win over Middle Tennessee. Pickett finished the game with seven total tackles, including one for loss, and also broke up a pass.
Special Teams: Brian David, K, Arkansas State. Set a new Sun Belt and school record when he made six field goals in a 53-24 win over Central Arkansas. His 23 points scored in the game also set a league and school record for points scored in a single game by a kicker.
WAC
Offense: Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii. Set a new school record and tied an NCAA record with seven touchdown passes in the first half of a 56-14 win over UC Davis. Moniz also set a new school record with 424 passing yards in a half. He was 30-of-40, and did not play in the second half.
Defense: Travis Brown, LB, Fresno State. Made a career-high 11 tackles in Fresno State’s 48-24 win at Idaho. Brown led the Bulldog defense that allowed just 55 yards of total offense in the second half and 44 yards rushing for the whole game.
Special teams: Kevin Goessling, K, Fresno State. Made all six of his extra point attempts and both field goal attempts from 48 yards in the win at Idaho.
Conference USA
Offense: Reggie Bullock, RB, East Carolina. Bullock rushed for a personal-best 169 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries to help East Carolina beat UAB 28-23.
Defense: Jamie Bender, S, UAB. Had 11 tackles and returned one interception 35 yards for a touchdown in a loss to East Carolina. That was the first defensive score for the Blazers since 2009.
Special teams: Danny Hrapmann, K, Southern Miss. Made three of four field goals (43, 35 and 27 yards), including two in the final quarter of a 30-24 victory over Virginia. He also converted a fake punt deep in the Golden Eagles' end zone and ran 31 yards for a first down.
Independent
Offense: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame. Eifert set a career-high with eight receptions for a game-high 75 yards and a touchdown in a 15-12 win at Pittsburgh.
Defense: Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Had eight tackles and a sack in a win over UCF.
Special teams: Cody Hoffman, WR/KR, BYU. Had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 24-17 win over UCF. That was BYU's first kickoff return touchdown since Oct. 17, 1998 -- a span of 161 games.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Ran for a school record and MAC record-tying five touchdowns in a 38-7 win at Maryland. Pierce eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing for the 12th time in his career and third time this season. He finished with 149 yards on 32 carries for five touchdowns.
Defense: Luke Wollet, S, Kent State. Had two interceptions while matching his season-high with eight tackles in a 33-25 win over South Alabama.
Special teams: Ray Hutson, WR, Bowling Green. Blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on a kickoff return in the Falcons’ 37-23 win at Miami (Ohio).
West Division
Co-Offense: Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan. Eric Page, WR, Toledo. White set his career record with 14 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 23-30 loss at No. 24 Illinois. White became the fourth Bronco to have over 200 career catches and recorded his 14th 100-yard receiving game.
Page had a season-high 13 receptions and career-high 158 receiving yards in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. Page had 279 all-purpose yards, including 114 yards in kickoff returns.
Defense: Sean Baker, S, Ball State. Had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one interception in a 48-21 victory over Army. He was a part of a Ball State defense that tied an NCAA single game record by not allowing Army to complete a pass in the game.
Special Teams: Jeremiah Detmer, K, Toledo. Kicked a 52-yard field goal in his first career attempt in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. The 52-yarder was the second-longest field goal in Toledo history.
Mountain West
Co-Offense: Chris Nwoke, RB, Colorado State, Deon Long, RB, New Mexico. Had 102 yards of total offense (85 rushing, 17 receiving) and scored two touchdowns in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime victory at Utah State. Nwoke tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left in regulation, then provided the game-winner with a 2-yard run on CSU’s second possession in overtime.
Long broke the school and Mountain West single-game record with 378 all-purpose yards in New Mexico’s overtime loss to Sam Houston State. Offensively, Long caught nine passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
Defense: Shaquil Barrett, LB, Colorado State. Had a team-high 14 tackles in a 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State. He also added his first career fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Special teams: Tanner Hedstrom, LS, Colorado State. Hedstrom recovered two fumbles on muffed punts, including a critical takeaway to set up the game-tying score in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State.
Sun Belt
Offense: Blaine Gautier, QB, Louisiana. In just his fourth career start, Gautier totaled 307 yards (221 passing/86 rushing) and tossed three touchdown passes to lead the offense in a 36-31 upset over FIU.
Defense: Chris Pickett, DB, Troy. Recovered a fumble and returned it for a 63-yard touchdown in a win over Middle Tennessee. Pickett finished the game with seven total tackles, including one for loss, and also broke up a pass.
Special Teams: Brian David, K, Arkansas State. Set a new Sun Belt and school record when he made six field goals in a 53-24 win over Central Arkansas. His 23 points scored in the game also set a league and school record for points scored in a single game by a kicker.
WAC
Offense: Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii. Set a new school record and tied an NCAA record with seven touchdown passes in the first half of a 56-14 win over UC Davis. Moniz also set a new school record with 424 passing yards in a half. He was 30-of-40, and did not play in the second half.
Defense: Travis Brown, LB, Fresno State. Made a career-high 11 tackles in Fresno State’s 48-24 win at Idaho. Brown led the Bulldog defense that allowed just 55 yards of total offense in the second half and 44 yards rushing for the whole game.
Special teams: Kevin Goessling, K, Fresno State. Made all six of his extra point attempts and both field goal attempts from 48 yards in the win at Idaho.
3-point stance: James Rodgers returns
September, 22, 2011
9/22/11
5:00
AM ET
By
Ivan Maisel | ESPN.com
1. Before the season began, Oregon State coach Mike Riley worried aloud that flanker James Rodgers, recovering from a severe knee injury, might be better off if he redshirted and applied for a sixth season of eligibility. Rodgers is healthy enough that doctors have cleared him to play Saturday against UCLA. How much -- and how quickly -- he will resemble the James Rodgers of 2008-10 is a coldhearted question given the long rehabilitation. It will be interesting to see Rodgers answer it nonetheless.
2. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith has adapted well to head coach Dana Holgorsen’s spread offense. In three games, Smith has completed 17 passes of 20 yards or more, nearly half the number (35) that the Mountaineers completed in all of 2010 (thanks, ESPN Stats & Info). However, No. 2 LSU, which visits Morgantown on Saturday night, has allowed but two completions of more than 20 yards this season. Big plays, moreso than usual, will tell the tale at Milan Puskar Stadium.
3. East Carolina has posted a web page describing the breadth of its fan support just in case anyone from, oh, an AQ conference wanders by (thanks, Big East blogger Andrea Adelson). The Pirates’ average attendance in 2010, 49,665, would have ranked fourth in the Big East. Their games drew more in-state viewers than did North Carolina State. East Carolina’s in-state popularity has never been as much of an issue as its lack of a profile outside North Carolina. Establishing that is the rub.
2. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith has adapted well to head coach Dana Holgorsen’s spread offense. In three games, Smith has completed 17 passes of 20 yards or more, nearly half the number (35) that the Mountaineers completed in all of 2010 (thanks, ESPN Stats & Info). However, No. 2 LSU, which visits Morgantown on Saturday night, has allowed but two completions of more than 20 yards this season. Big plays, moreso than usual, will tell the tale at Milan Puskar Stadium.
3. East Carolina has posted a web page describing the breadth of its fan support just in case anyone from, oh, an AQ conference wanders by (thanks, Big East blogger Andrea Adelson). The Pirates’ average attendance in 2010, 49,665, would have ranked fourth in the Big East. Their games drew more in-state viewers than did North Carolina State. East Carolina’s in-state popularity has never been as much of an issue as its lack of a profile outside North Carolina. Establishing that is the rub.
East Carolina already has submitted its application to the Big East, which is now looking to add members with the departures of Pitt and Syracuse.
The Pirates already have a Web pitch for why they should be in an automatic qualifying conference, making their intentions well known.
I had a chance to catch up with Pirates athletic director Terry Holland today via email, and here is a little of what he had to say about his program, what it brings to the table and why it would make a good fit in the Big East.
What have you heard from the Big East about future membership opportunities? How quickly do they want to add teams? How many do they want to add?
Terry Holland:I am not aware of any timeline or the targeted number of new members. It would seem to me that with all the talk about 16 team "super" conferences that there could be some safety in numbers by increasing membership to 12 or even 16 in order for all conferences to preserve their qualification status.
Are there assurances that the Big East will be able to retain its AQ status moving forward? If not, why is the Big East a better landing spot than Conference USA?
TH: Clearly, we are currently in a fluid, ever-changing environment and nothing can be guaranteed or assured. We love everyone in C-USA and appreciate the opportunities that it affords but if we can move to a conference with all teams in the Eastern time zone, we would have to seriously consider such a move for the welfare of our student-athletes.
We have asked C-USA to consider creative scheduling alternatives that would mitigate the current wear and tear as well as the missed class time for our student-athletes, but the membership has not been able to agree on alternative scheduling concepts, even when we have offered to be the "guinea pig."
What have you done to be proactive in getting ECU onto a more national stage?
TH: ECU and the members of the Pirate Nation have created one of the best game-day environments in college football as well as a welcoming and hospitable atmosphere that can be intimidating just from the noise level.
ECU has worked diligently to "control the things we can control." For example, our nonconference schedule is as good as any in the country, our facilities have been improved for most of our sports and the football stadium has been expanded to seat 50,000 to meet the ticket demand for a program that has captured two of the last three Conference USA titles and advanced to five straight bowl games.
ECU currently ranks 44th in NCAA attendance statistics, which puts us close to the top one-third nationally among all FBS programs. We have led Conference USA in average attendance for the last three consecutive years and also currently lead all non-AQ conference members nationally.
ECU draws television "eyeballs" throughout the Mid-Atlantic region with rankings comparable to those of regional institutions in conferences with automatic qualification to BCS bowl games. A more regional conference schedule in a conference with automatic qualification would allow us to build on that base, just as Virginia Tech was able to do back in the early '90s when they were invited into the Big East.
What does ECU add to the national conversation?
TH: Our game-day atmosphere and passionate fan base has often been compared to SEC environments and those at other nationally recognized programs. We are also labeled a football school in a basketball-dominated state, which makes us unique.
Is the notion of super-conferences good for college football? What direction do you see college football headed?
TH: I believe the 16-team conference format is better and will soon be more popular than the 12-team format currently favored in most conferences. However, I do not support the idea of fewer opportunities for football student-athletes by limiting those to only four conferences.
Why is the 16-team model better?
TH: The 12-team format allows the divisional championship to be determined by what can be unequal schedule strength for games played against the other division. In other words, ECU could go 5-0 vs. its East Division opponents and then go 0-3 against the toughest teams in the West Division (5-3 overall) while one of the teams we defeated goes 3-2 against the East teams but 3-0 against easiest West teams (6-2 overall) and wins the East Division, taking our place in the championship game.
In a 16-team format in the Big 12 (just for example), every team would play seven full round-robin games against their divisional opponents and one game against a team from the other division. The game against the other division would not count toward the divisional championship.
Let's say that Texas is 6-1 in their division and Oklahoma is 6-1 in the West division. OU and UT then play each other even though in different divisions (Can be a permanent "crossover game" -- same team every year if Texas and Oklahoma need to play each other or it can be a rotating "crossover game" -- against a different opponent every year). Even if Texas loses, they would still be the divisional champion and the two teams would play each other for the conference championship.
This provides seven annual permanent games that can be developed into excellent rivalries and the eighth game can be a permanent crossover game so that it can also be developed into a good rivalry game. In a 12-team conference there are only the five divisional games that are played every year so it's harder to develop rivalries when your fans only see the six west teams once every four years (three teams each year).
Here is the official joint statement from ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard and Holland confirming the Big East application:
“East Carolina University will always maintain a proactive approach in regards to positioning itself for future success, and the fluidity of current conference realignment possibilities is no exception. While we have formalized our interest in Big East Conference membership as a viable option, ECU will remain focused on competing at the highest level through the efforts of Conference USA.”
The Pirates already have a Web pitch for why they should be in an automatic qualifying conference, making their intentions well known.
I had a chance to catch up with Pirates athletic director Terry Holland today via email, and here is a little of what he had to say about his program, what it brings to the table and why it would make a good fit in the Big East.
What have you heard from the Big East about future membership opportunities? How quickly do they want to add teams? How many do they want to add?
Terry Holland:I am not aware of any timeline or the targeted number of new members. It would seem to me that with all the talk about 16 team "super" conferences that there could be some safety in numbers by increasing membership to 12 or even 16 in order for all conferences to preserve their qualification status.
Are there assurances that the Big East will be able to retain its AQ status moving forward? If not, why is the Big East a better landing spot than Conference USA?
TH: Clearly, we are currently in a fluid, ever-changing environment and nothing can be guaranteed or assured. We love everyone in C-USA and appreciate the opportunities that it affords but if we can move to a conference with all teams in the Eastern time zone, we would have to seriously consider such a move for the welfare of our student-athletes.
We have asked C-USA to consider creative scheduling alternatives that would mitigate the current wear and tear as well as the missed class time for our student-athletes, but the membership has not been able to agree on alternative scheduling concepts, even when we have offered to be the "guinea pig."
What have you done to be proactive in getting ECU onto a more national stage?
TH: ECU and the members of the Pirate Nation have created one of the best game-day environments in college football as well as a welcoming and hospitable atmosphere that can be intimidating just from the noise level.
ECU has worked diligently to "control the things we can control." For example, our nonconference schedule is as good as any in the country, our facilities have been improved for most of our sports and the football stadium has been expanded to seat 50,000 to meet the ticket demand for a program that has captured two of the last three Conference USA titles and advanced to five straight bowl games.
ECU currently ranks 44th in NCAA attendance statistics, which puts us close to the top one-third nationally among all FBS programs. We have led Conference USA in average attendance for the last three consecutive years and also currently lead all non-AQ conference members nationally.
ECU draws television "eyeballs" throughout the Mid-Atlantic region with rankings comparable to those of regional institutions in conferences with automatic qualification to BCS bowl games. A more regional conference schedule in a conference with automatic qualification would allow us to build on that base, just as Virginia Tech was able to do back in the early '90s when they were invited into the Big East.
What does ECU add to the national conversation?
TH: Our game-day atmosphere and passionate fan base has often been compared to SEC environments and those at other nationally recognized programs. We are also labeled a football school in a basketball-dominated state, which makes us unique.
Is the notion of super-conferences good for college football? What direction do you see college football headed?
TH: I believe the 16-team conference format is better and will soon be more popular than the 12-team format currently favored in most conferences. However, I do not support the idea of fewer opportunities for football student-athletes by limiting those to only four conferences.
Why is the 16-team model better?
TH: The 12-team format allows the divisional championship to be determined by what can be unequal schedule strength for games played against the other division. In other words, ECU could go 5-0 vs. its East Division opponents and then go 0-3 against the toughest teams in the West Division (5-3 overall) while one of the teams we defeated goes 3-2 against the East teams but 3-0 against easiest West teams (6-2 overall) and wins the East Division, taking our place in the championship game.
In a 16-team format in the Big 12 (just for example), every team would play seven full round-robin games against their divisional opponents and one game against a team from the other division. The game against the other division would not count toward the divisional championship.
Let's say that Texas is 6-1 in their division and Oklahoma is 6-1 in the West division. OU and UT then play each other even though in different divisions (Can be a permanent "crossover game" -- same team every year if Texas and Oklahoma need to play each other or it can be a rotating "crossover game" -- against a different opponent every year). Even if Texas loses, they would still be the divisional champion and the two teams would play each other for the conference championship.
This provides seven annual permanent games that can be developed into excellent rivalries and the eighth game can be a permanent crossover game so that it can also be developed into a good rivalry game. In a 12-team conference there are only the five divisional games that are played every year so it's harder to develop rivalries when your fans only see the six west teams once every four years (three teams each year).
Here is the official joint statement from ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard and Holland confirming the Big East application:
“East Carolina University will always maintain a proactive approach in regards to positioning itself for future success, and the fluidity of current conference realignment possibilities is no exception. While we have formalized our interest in Big East Conference membership as a viable option, ECU will remain focused on competing at the highest level through the efforts of Conference USA.”
The Big East finds itself looking for new members. So where will it turn? The same old names have popped up once again, names that were widely discussed after TCU agreed to join the conference last year. Only this time, the Big East has got to add teams to make up for the loss of Pitt and Syracuse -- exiting in June 2014.
At least two must be added to make up for the recent defections. What remains unclear is whether the Big East will add five to get to a conference championship game in football. Here is a quick look at the candidates. Now, let us all remember this is dependent on the Big East hanging onto all seven of its football-playing schools. That is no sure thing.
In this climate, who knows what can happen.
Air Force. The Falcons would deliver TV markets in Denver, and they also have proved they can compete in a conference, having gone to four straight bowl games under coach Troy Calhoun. They also have a familiarity with TCU, a conference partner in the Mountain West.
Army. The Black Knights would be a football-only candidate. They add a broad appeal as a national school, and plenty of tradition. They are in the Northeast footprint as well, and would be a valuable addition to a media rights deal. But this is a program that has been in a conference before with shaky results. The program is turning a corner now under coach Rich Ellerson, who took Army to a bowl game last season for the first time since 1996.
East Carolina. The Pirates have made it no secret that they want to be members of an AQ conference and fast. They have a website dedicated to the quest called "Undaunted" in which it extols all its virtues. The Pirates have made five straight bowl appearances, won league titles in 2008 and 2009 under then-coach Skip Holtz, and have beaten 16 AQ opponents since 1997. They would also deliver North Carolina TV markets, and have one of the most passionate fan bases among all non-AQ schools.
Houston.The TV market is No. 10 in the nation, so that is a huge plus, and the program has been solid on the field. They would also be a travel partner for TCU, should the Horned Frogs remain in the Big East.
Memphis. The football program is down-and-out now, but has had past success, having gone to five straight bowl games from 2003-08. The TV market is not as big here, but this addition could help appease some basketball members who may have concerns after losing Syracuse and Pitt.
Navy. The Midshipmen have been a rock-solid independent, and have proved they can compete against anybody. They are a national brand and travel extremely well. The TV footprint is solid, too. Football-only member consideration here. Athletic director Chet Gladchuk had some interesting points in this interview.
Temple. The Owls used to be a part of the Big East until they were voted out because they simply were not competitive in the league. But the program has been rejuvenated and is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 1970s. They would deliver the Philadelphia market, but would the Big East go back to a team it already had in the fold?
UCF. The Knights are an up-and-coming program that might be short on history and tradition but would add another Florida market. The facilities have been expanded and they have an on-campus stadium. UCF was ranked for the first time in school history last year. There are a few questions here: Would USF be in favor of adding UCF? Fan support needs to be better.
At least two must be added to make up for the recent defections. What remains unclear is whether the Big East will add five to get to a conference championship game in football. Here is a quick look at the candidates. Now, let us all remember this is dependent on the Big East hanging onto all seven of its football-playing schools. That is no sure thing.
In this climate, who knows what can happen.
Air Force. The Falcons would deliver TV markets in Denver, and they also have proved they can compete in a conference, having gone to four straight bowl games under coach Troy Calhoun. They also have a familiarity with TCU, a conference partner in the Mountain West.
Army. The Black Knights would be a football-only candidate. They add a broad appeal as a national school, and plenty of tradition. They are in the Northeast footprint as well, and would be a valuable addition to a media rights deal. But this is a program that has been in a conference before with shaky results. The program is turning a corner now under coach Rich Ellerson, who took Army to a bowl game last season for the first time since 1996.
East Carolina. The Pirates have made it no secret that they want to be members of an AQ conference and fast. They have a website dedicated to the quest called "Undaunted" in which it extols all its virtues. The Pirates have made five straight bowl appearances, won league titles in 2008 and 2009 under then-coach Skip Holtz, and have beaten 16 AQ opponents since 1997. They would also deliver North Carolina TV markets, and have one of the most passionate fan bases among all non-AQ schools.
Houston.The TV market is No. 10 in the nation, so that is a huge plus, and the program has been solid on the field. They would also be a travel partner for TCU, should the Horned Frogs remain in the Big East.
Memphis. The football program is down-and-out now, but has had past success, having gone to five straight bowl games from 2003-08. The TV market is not as big here, but this addition could help appease some basketball members who may have concerns after losing Syracuse and Pitt.
Navy. The Midshipmen have been a rock-solid independent, and have proved they can compete against anybody. They are a national brand and travel extremely well. The TV footprint is solid, too. Football-only member consideration here. Athletic director Chet Gladchuk had some interesting points in this interview.
Temple. The Owls used to be a part of the Big East until they were voted out because they simply were not competitive in the league. But the program has been rejuvenated and is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 1970s. They would deliver the Philadelphia market, but would the Big East go back to a team it already had in the fold?
UCF. The Knights are an up-and-coming program that might be short on history and tradition but would add another Florida market. The facilities have been expanded and they have an on-campus stadium. UCF was ranked for the first time in school history last year. There are a few questions here: Would USF be in favor of adding UCF? Fan support needs to be better.
Schools pledge to stay in Big East
September, 21, 2011
9/21/11
8:30
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
The remaining Big East schools have vowed to stay together to help rebuild the conference following the stunning defections of Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC. At least that is what commissioner John Marinatto says.
Marinatto told ESPN's Joe Schad that he plans to be aggressive in rebuilding the conference, though where that takes the league remains unclear. Representatives from all seven remaining football-playing schools met in New York on Tuesday night to discuss the future, and Marinatto said everybody pledged a commitment to stay despite speculation that a few have their eye on the door.
A merger with the Big 12 now seems unlikely with the news that the Pac-12 will not expand. That means Oklahoma and Texas have no choice but to remain in the Big 12 and hold it together, with at least one new school to replace outgoing Texas A&M.
That leaves the Big East potentially looking at Navy, Army, Air Force, Central Florida and East Carolina as options for expansion. But there are major questions that remain:
Marinatto told ESPN's Joe Schad that he plans to be aggressive in rebuilding the conference, though where that takes the league remains unclear. Representatives from all seven remaining football-playing schools met in New York on Tuesday night to discuss the future, and Marinatto said everybody pledged a commitment to stay despite speculation that a few have their eye on the door.
A merger with the Big 12 now seems unlikely with the news that the Pac-12 will not expand. That means Oklahoma and Texas have no choice but to remain in the Big 12 and hold it together, with at least one new school to replace outgoing Texas A&M.
That leaves the Big East potentially looking at Navy, Army, Air Force, Central Florida and East Carolina as options for expansion. But there are major questions that remain:
- Can each remaining Big East football school be held at their word? Reports have surfaced that Rutgers and UConn have made overtures to the ACC. Andy Katz of ESPN.com reports that UConn still is actively pursuing membership into that conference. Syracuse and Pitt blindsided the Big East with their departures. Meanwhile, the Big 12 could have interest in adding Louisville. The Mountain West has reached out to TCU to gauge any interest in re-joining the league. Would it be so surprising if one of these remaining league teams broke its word and moved on in the interest of self-preservation?
- Can the Big East retain AQ status? The potential candidates would do nothing to enhance the quest to remain an automatic qualifier when considerations are made following this cycle, which ends after the 2013 season. Granted, Pitt has made one BCS game and Syracuse made one back in 1998. Navy, Air Force, UCF and East Carolina have had a run of recent success but how do they enhance the Big East?
- What happens with a future media-rights deal? Certainly the service academies bring viewers -- both Army and Navy have their own television deals as independents -- UCF brings another market in Orlando and East Carolina has the Raleigh area and a committed, rabid fan base. How does all this go into calculating a new deal with Syracuse and Pitt out of the picture?
- Would Army and Navy be willing to give up independent status to be football-only members of the Big East? This still is a huge question for me. Navy always has been independent. Army was a member of Conference USA from 1998-2004 with disastrous results, going 13-67. The service academies are in a unique spot because they recruit nationally and they like to play national games. Their players also are vastly different to those that play in bigger conferences. Air Force has made conference affiliation work, so it can be done. This move may be more about finding a place for future survival.
3-point stance: Kent State hopes to surprise
August, 30, 2011
8/30/11
5:00
AM ET
By
Ivan Maisel | ESPN.com
1. Kent State first-year coach Darrell Hazell spent the past seven seasons as an Ohio State assistant. He recalls how the Buckeyes struggled with Ohio in 2008 and Navy in 2009, and hopes that No. 2 Alabama will take the Golden Flashes for granted Saturday. “It’s hard to get up every week,” Hazell said. “But you’ve got to tell your team you have to get up and play. Sometimes you can tell ‘em and tell ‘em as much as you want, but if they don’t do it, that’s when you get yourself in a dogfight in the latter part of the game.”
2. The spotlight on new offensive coordinators hired to perform an extreme makeover has been focused on Steve Kragthorpe of LSU, Charlie Weis of Florida and Bryan Harsin of Texas. But the coach who may get the best results is Kevin Rogers at Boston College. Sophomore Chase Rettig started last season and struggled for the Eagles. Under Rogers’ tutelage, Rettig is displaying new confidence. And Rettig also will have one of the best tailbacks in the nation, senior Montel Harris, to draw defensive attention.
3. East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill said Monday that his team had weathered Hurricane Irene well over the weekend. McNeill had a tree fall and land on his house, but he and the rest of the Pirates escaped injury. He seized the opportunity to show his players video about the travails ECU suffered in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd savaged the campus. “At the end,” McNeill said in his news conference Monday, “I told the team that it was not a made-up movie. It did not have directors or actors. These were Pirates like you.”
2. The spotlight on new offensive coordinators hired to perform an extreme makeover has been focused on Steve Kragthorpe of LSU, Charlie Weis of Florida and Bryan Harsin of Texas. But the coach who may get the best results is Kevin Rogers at Boston College. Sophomore Chase Rettig started last season and struggled for the Eagles. Under Rogers’ tutelage, Rettig is displaying new confidence. And Rettig also will have one of the best tailbacks in the nation, senior Montel Harris, to draw defensive attention.
3. East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill said Monday that his team had weathered Hurricane Irene well over the weekend. McNeill had a tree fall and land on his house, but he and the rest of the Pirates escaped injury. He seized the opportunity to show his players video about the travails ECU suffered in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd savaged the campus. “At the end,” McNeill said in his news conference Monday, “I told the team that it was not a made-up movie. It did not have directors or actors. These were Pirates like you.”
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