Thu Sep 20 21:06:01 2007

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Around FCS: Remembering 1993

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Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Rummaging through some boxes of archives in my office recently, I stumbled across an interesting, old magazine. A picture of Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier was staring at me from the cover.

It was the 1993 NCAA football preview and it included 23 pages of material on I-AA players, conferences and teams in addition to its coverage of Division I- A, Division II and Division III. It also included schedules of every NCAA football team.

This trip into the world of nostalgia was interesting to me for several reasons, not the least of which was that in 1993, I was beginning my first year covering I-AA football. It also sits at pretty much of the middle of the subdivision's rich history.

There was a two-page article discussing the Heisman Trophy hopes of a junior quarterback from Alcorn State named Steve McNair. The overall Top 20 preview article was written by a reporter from the Savannah Morning News named Don Heath.

I had yet to meet Don Heath in the summer of 1993, but it was interesting to find a story penned by someone I now consider one of my closest friends in the business of sports writing.

The storylines for the 1993 season were intriguing.

Coming off its first national championship in 1992, Marshall was ranked No. 1 in a preseason coaches' poll, with Youngstown State ranked No. 2. Those two teams had split title appearances with each other the previous two years and would meet again in 1993, with Youngstown State beating Marshall, 17-5, for what would become part of the Penguins' three championships in four years.

Marshall would miss the title game in 1994, being upset by Boise State in the semifinals, but would return for two more final appearances in 1995 and '96, losing in 1995 but winning in 1996 in a pair of memorable clashes with Montana.

Of course, all these years later, Marshall - now an FBS school - is dealing with the sting of its 48-35 loss to New Hampshire.

Youngstown State has remade itself into one of the top teams in FCS, reaching the playoffs for the first time in years in 2006 and advancing to the semifinals. This year, the Penguins are again ranked among the top teams in FCS at No. 8.

Several of the teams in the top 20, like Marshall, have moved on to what they thought were going to be the greener pastures of I-A. But schools like Middle Tennessee State (ranked No. 5 in 1993), Idaho (No. 7), Northeast Louisiana (No. 9) and Troy State (No. 19) have found what is now FBS to be a rather mixed bag.

Other teams listed in the top 20 included Northern Iowa (No. 3), Delaware (No. 4), The Citadel (No. 6), Eastern Kentucky (No. 8), McNeese State (No. 10), Georgia Southern (No. 11), Villanova (No. 12), Samford (No. 13), Appalachian State (No. 14), William & Mary (No. 15), Eastern Washington and Western Carolina (tied for No. 16), Florida A&M (No. 18) and Furman (No. 20).

Some 15 years later, Northern Iowa is fourth in this week's Sports Network Top 25, with McNeese State at No. 6, Youngstown State at No. 9, Delaware at No. 11 and Furman at No. 16.

Coming off back-to-back national championships, Appalachian State is now No. 1, though the Mountaineers have the same coach in Jerry Moore. In the Southern Conference preview in 1993, it talked about a battle for quarterback that included Scott Satterfield, now the quarterbacks coach at ASU.

There was a picture of Western Carolina quarterback Lonnie Galloway, who was expected to lead the Catamounts into the playoffs. A decade later, Galloway has traded his Catamount purple and gold for the black and gold of his alma mater's biggest rival as the receivers coach for Appalachian State.

One of the articles talked about The Citadel, under Charlie Taaffe, coming off the best season in school history. That 1992 campaign had included the Bulldogs' first Southern Conference championship in 31 years and a No. 1 ranking in the regular-season polls.

The same article proclaimed the SoCon as the best league in I-AA and stated that it would be even stronger with the addition of Georgia Southern.

Georgia Southern coach Tim Stowers, now at Rhode Island, said it might be tougher to win a SoCon championship than a national title. The Eagles went on to take the SoCon crown, but failed to win a national championship.

A two-page spread highlighted one of the biggest changes between then and now in FCS. The section on I-AA independents included write-ups on 21 teams. Now the only independents in FCA are Stony Brook, North Carolina Central, Presbyterian and Savannah State - with only Savannah State unsure about a long-term conference home.

The biggest name among the independents in 1993 was Youngstown State. The Penguins eventually sought out membership in the Mid-American Conference and a move to I-A, but when they were rebuffed (the MAC chose Marshall and Buffalo, of all schools, for membership in the spring of 1996), YSU was accepted into the Gateway Conference in 1997.

In the Division II write-up, Rocky Hager-coached North Dakota State was picked as the favorite, with Portland State (No. 6), Hampton (No.11), North Dakota (No. 18) and Gardner-Webb (No. 19) all among the top 20. Four of those teams have now joined the FCS ranks, with North Dakota in its transition year towards FCS.

There was a recap of the Division II championship game, which Jacksonville State won 17-13 over Pittsburgh State before moving on to the FCS ranks.

The Big Sky predicted order of finish had Montana picked to finish not first, but sixth, and included two teams at the top, Idaho and Boise State, that are no longer FCS schools.

Another prediction that would seem odd to an FCS fan today included Southwest Missouri State on top and Southern Illinois on the bottom of the Gateway. Indiana State was lauded as the most improved team in the league and a potential title threat.

Missouri State has now dropped the Southwest from its name and is rebuilding its program under Terry Allen, the coach at Northern Iowa at that time. Southern Illinois is no longer a doormat and has become one of the perennial teams in the top 25.

Other predictions that show how much the FCS landscape has changed had Dartmouth favored in the Ivy League, North Carolina A&T and Howard on top in the MEAC, Middle Tennessee State leading the way in the Ohio Valley Conference and Butler picked to win the Pioneer Football League.

Northeastern Louisiana was the favorite in the Southland. Now as Louisiana- Monroe, this is a program that hasn't been favored for anything since moving to FBS.

Richmond was considered the team to beat in the Yankee Conference, with William & Mary and Delaware considered the biggest competition. Jimmye Laycock was the coach at William & Mary, as he is now, while Delaware still had the legendary Tubby Raymond working his way towards 300 career wins.

Another team to contend with in a league that predated the Atlantic 10 was Connecticut, now an FBS squad. Boston University was still playing football at Nickerson Field - the former home of the Boston Braves baseball team. Jack Cosgrove was moving from offensive coordinator to head coach at Maine

Eddie Robinson was still coaching at Grambling and was expected to have his Tigers ready to challenge McNair and Alcorn State for the SWAC championship. The winner of that league had the Heritage Bowl, against the champion of the MEAC, to look forward to.

It makes you stop and wonder what we will be writing about FCS another 15 years down the road?

WHERE'S DAVE

I will be doing an eastern Pennsylvania triple-header this weekend. I'll start with College of New Jersey at La Salle on Friday night and then continue on Saturday afternoon with VMI at Lehigh, before ending up with Penn at Villanova on Saturday night.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Morgan State (1-2) at No. 12 Hampton (2-0)

Normally this wouldn't be a MEAC game that would grab much attention, but the 2007 version of Morgan State has shown tremendous improvement. Don't be misled by the 1-2 record, which includes a seven-point loss to Towson and a two-point defeat to Winston-Salem State. Chad Simpson already has 558 yards and a 6.0 average per carry in just three games, though the Bears need improvement from quarterback Mario Melton, who has completed just 45 percent of his passes. Hampton found a potential successor to Alonzo Coleman when Van Morgan rushed for 154 yards and two scores in a 59-14 victory over North Carolina A&T. With this game being televised by ESPNU, the pitch of this game will be even higher. But look for Hampton's defense, led by Buchanan Award candidate Kendall Langford, to come up with the big plays.

Hampton 28, Morgan State 17

Murray State (1-2) at Tennessee Tech (2-1)

Tennessee Tech has fattened up on a pair of sub-Division-I teams since being clubbed by Eastern Illinois 45-24 in the season opener. The Golden Eagles have been as strong as expected on offense, with Derek White rushing for 475 yards, six TDs and a 7.5 average per carry and sophomore Lee Sweeney throwing at a 62 percent clip. But TTU has allowed too much on the defensive side of the ball to be effective against OVC teams. Murray State has struggled, losing to Louisville and Illinois State, teams ranked in FBS and FCS, respectively, before beating up on Lambuth, 48-13. The suspect Racer defense, allowing 42 points per game, should find it hard to slow down a good Tennessee Tech attack

Tennessee Tech 42, Murray State 28

FRIDAY NIGHT

College of New Jersey at La Salle (0-2)

La Salle looks to win its first game after being scorched for 82 points in losses to Ursinus and Sacred Heart in its first two games. The Explorers should be able to get into the win column against a College of New Jersey team that suffered a shutout in one game and scored 53 points in a win last week. Quarterback Chris Hansen has thrown for 179 yards to key the La Salle offense, but the Explorers need to improve their rushing attack, which has just 160 yards in two games

La Salle 24, College of New Jersey 10

RANKED TEAMS

Albany (1-2) at No. 2 Montana (2-0)

It's another rare cross-country matchup as Albany travels to Washington- Grizzly Stadium. Albany has played a challenging schedule, losing to Colgate and Hofstra while beating Fordham. But the trip to Missoula will be unlike anything the Great Danes have experienced before. Albany will need a big game out of Buchanan Award candidate Colin Disch to help contain Montana's Payton Award candidate runner Lex Hilliard (194 yards, 5.4 average). Both the Great Danes' offense and defense have been good, but not great thus far. At least Albany's attack has been balanced, with the Danes running for 488 yards and passing for 458. Montana should have too many weapons for Albany. Besides Hilliard, the Grizzlies feature Cole Bergquist at quarterback, a strong offensive line and a quality receiving crew, led by Ryan Bagley. On defense, Buchanan candidate Kroy Biermann heads a cast that will be hard to score upon.

Montana 35, Albany 7

No. 3 Massachusetts (3-0, 1-0) at Maine (1-2, 0-1)

Coming off a solid home win against then-No. 23 Towson, UMass ventures out to one of the tougher road venues in the Colonial Athletic Association. Maine also features a defense that should keep the pressure on the Minuteman offense. But that will be tough if Liam Coen is at full strength from a knee injury he suffered last week against Towson. The Minutemen are off to the best offensive start in school history, scoring 35 or more points in each of their first three games. Defensively, UMass is allowing only 53 yards rushing per game and has compiled 4.3 sacks per contest. That doesn't bode well for a Black Bear squad that has relied almost solely on the run this season.

Massachusetts 24, Maine 14

No. 4 Northern Iowa (3-0) at Drake (3-0)

This could be viewed as the battle for the state of Iowa after Northern Iowa's 23-13 thrashing of Iowa State two weeks ago and Iowa State's win over Iowa last week. Drake, the top-ranked team in The Sports Network Mid-Major poll, made some thunder itself with a 27-24 victory over the then-No. 7 FCS squad, Illinois State, on the opening night of the season. Scott Phaydavong, the career rushing leader in FCS, has already run for 432 yards and a 6.0 average per carry. And Cole Ingle has been a consistent threat at quarterback. The Bulldogs might have a tougher time on defense against a talented UNI attack. Eric Sanders has completed better than 80 percent of his passes and Corey Lewis has rushed for 334 yards, a 6.4 average and five TD's. Like it did against Illinois State, Drake must keep the score close and hope for some big plays at the end to have a shot.

Northern Iowa 45, Drake 21

No. 5 North Dakota State (2-0) at Central Michigan (1-2)

North Dakota State gave fits to FBS teams last season, beating Ball State and only losing to Minnesota because of breakdowns in the kicking game. The Bison should be able to score points against Central Michigan with running back Tyler Roehl and quarterback Steve Walker coming up big thus far. But the Bison defense hasn't proven to be as tough this season, and that could be a concern against the Chippewas. Antonio Brown keys the attack for CMU as an all-purpose runner. The Chippewas have also thrown for 263 yards per game.

Central Michigan 35, North Dakota State 24

No. 6 McNeese State (2-0) at Southern Utah (0-3)

McNeese State will need to avoid a letdown against a Southern Utah team that has already played some tough opponents. The Cowboys beat a longtime in-state rival in Louisiana-Lafayette last week and must find some focus against an SUU team that is better than its 0-3 record. Defensive end Bryan Smith has been a force for the Cowboy defense, while the offense has been balanced between the running of Jamie Leonard and Kris Bush and the passing of Derrick Fourroux. Quarterback Wes Marshall is not just the leading passer for the Thunderbirds, but is also their top rusher.

McNeese State 41, Southern Utah 17

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-2) at No. 7 Southern Illinois (3-0)

Another intriguing matchup is this one, where teams from the MEAC and the Gateway face off. It could be a long game for an APBU club that has struggled offensively in losing two of three. Chris Wallace has completed less than 50 percent of his passes and no runner has more than 129 yards for the Golden Lions. Nick Hill has turned into a big-time playmaker for SIU. He has nine touchdown passes and an efficiency rating of 183.1 in three games for an offense averaging 45 points per game.

Southern Illinois 52, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 14

Coastal Carolina (1-2) at No. 8 James Madison (2-1)

Coming off a national championship in 2004, James Madison was stunned in 2005 when it lost to Coastal Carolina, 31-17, in Conway, S.C. - a loss that may have cost the Dukes a chance to defend their title in the playoffs. It has taken a couple of years, but the Dukes finally get their rematch on Saturday. JMU has been sharp offensively in wins over New Hampshire and VMI, as quarterback Rodney Landers has come on as a runner and a passer. The Dukes have also been tough defensively with the development of linebacker Justin Barnes. CCU is rebuilding after losing 36 seniors and was bowled over by the running game of Georgia Southern in a loss last week, giving up 570 yards of total offense - 512 on the ground. The Chanticleers have one of the top receivers in the country in Jerome Simpson, but have struggled to get the ball to him.

James Madison 42, Coastal Carolina 21

Lock Haven (0-3) at No. 9 Youngstown State (2-1)

After some big challenges early, YSU should get an easy win and a chance to give its backups plenty of playing time in this game against a local rival. Lock Haven is 0-3, having already lost 20-0 to FCS opponent VMI. Tom Zetts is one of the most heady quarterbacks in FCS, while the Penguins seem to have found a nice replacement to Marcus Mason in running back Jabari Scott (214 yards, 4.9 average).

Youngstown State 59, Lock Haven 7

Dartmouth (0-1) at No. 10 New Hampshire (1-1)

It will be the battle for New Hampshire as these two teams battle in Durham. Both teams will be battling with emotions. New Hampshire must avoid a letdown after its 48-35 win at Marshall, while Dartmouth must pull itself up after blowing a 28-0 lead and losing in overtime to Colgate in its season opener. Dartmouth must find a way to play ball control and force turnovers if it is going to keep this game close. UNH should have far too many offensive weapons for Dartmouth. Ricky Santos was back on track in the win and was helped by 99 yards rushing from Chris Ward in the win over Marshall. Milan Williams rushed for 179 yards for Dartmouth in its loss.

New Hampshire 49, Dartmouth 21

No. 11 Delaware (3-0, 1-0) at Towson (2-1, 0-1)

It could be make or break time already for Towson's CAA hopes after a loss to Massachusetts last week. The Tigers got off to a 10-3 start on their first two possessions, but didn't score again. Sean Schaefer had a rare bad game with three interceptions. He is likely to find Delaware's defense much more to his liking. The Blue Hens have struggled in coverage and with pass rushing, but have been solid against the run. On offense, quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Omar Cuff are big producers, but the Hens have had trouble with receivers dropping passes. A year ago, this matchup provided one of the most entertaining games of the season, with Towson finally winning 49-35. Saturday's game could have similar fireworks.

Delaware 49, Towson 42

No. 15 Hofstra (2-0, 0-0) at Rhode Island (0-3, 0-1)

When you have a team that has a great run defense going up against one that lives and dies with the option, you have the recipe for a potentially tough game for a team like Rhode Island. The Rams were snakebit in losses to Fordham and Army before they were thoroughly dominated in last week's 38-9 loss at Delaware. Joe Casey has pounded out 204 yards on the ground, but the Rams have had little else to rely on offensively. Hofstra has given up just 30 points in wins over two quality opponents. Bryan Savage has thrown for 547 yards, with Charles Sullivan (18 catches, 272 yards) as his best target.

Hofstra 35, Rhode Island 14

No. 18 Montana State (1-1) at Weber State (0-2)

It's hard to know just what to make of a Montana State team that has lost to Texas A&M and beaten Dixie State. We'll know more after the Bobcats open Big Sky play on the road. Jack Rolovich has 488 yards passing in two games, while Demetrius Crawford has been a force on the ground with 175 yards and a 7.3 average. The Wildcats have been brutal defensively in two losses, and this could be the most important game of the season for a team that needs a win to pick its hopes up. Highly touted-Alabama transfer Jimmy Barnes has just 296 yards passing in two games for WSU.

No. 19 Western Illinois (2-1) at Stephen F. Austin (0-2)

The jury is still out on Western Illinois, despite wins over South Dakota State and St. Francis (Ill.). The Leathernecks have the potential for a solid attack with Herb Donaldson running the ball (304 yards) and quarterback Matt Barr as a dual run-pass threat. But a win at a tough road venue like Stephen F. Austin could be a great tuneup for WIU before Gateway Conference play begins. SFA has suffered through two tough losses, falling in overtime to Division II Tarleton State and on the road to North Dakota State. Quarterback Danny Southall is leading the Lumberjacks in passing and rushing, averaging 192 yards in total offense. But SFA needs to develop other options on offense and needs to show it can make clutch defensive stops.

Stephen F. Austin 28, Western Illinois 24

Cornell (1-0) at No. 21 Yale (1-0)

Cornell has developed into one of the top defenses in the Ivy League, but the Big Red will get a huge challenge to open league play on Saturday against Yale. Mike McLeod is one of the top backs in FCS. He had 157 yards and four touchdowns against Georgetown as the Bulldogs piled up 398 yards. Cornell put the brakes to Bucknell's option game and got a strong game from quarterback Nathan Ford with 288 yards passing.

Yale 21, Cornell 14

Princeton (0-1) at No. 22 Lafayette (3-0)

Princeton couldn't have gotten off to a much worse start to the season than it did with five first-half turnovers against Lehigh. The Tigers trailed 23-0 and ended up losing 32-21. Princeton also received erratic quarterback play. The Tigers will need a much better performance to have a shot on the road against an opportunistic Lafayette squad. Lafayette is 3-0 and is receiving solid play from its defense and running back Maurice White, who has 249 yards rushing and five TD's. The Leopards found a away to win, 8-7, after generating almost no offense against Penn. Princeton should play better, but it will be difficult to beat Lafayette at home

Lafayette 21, Princeton 17

No. 23 Alabama A&M (3-0, 1-0) at Grambling (1-1, 1-0)

It may be early in SWAC play, but this could prove to be one of the most important games of the league season. Alabama A&M has scored no less than 41 points in three wins and has shown a balanced attack behind quarterback Kelcy Luke and running backs Ulysses Banks (342 yards, 9.2 average) and Anthony Green (169 yards). The defense has allowed less than 16 points per game. But the Bulldog defense will get challenged by a Grambling offense that can run and pass. Brandon Landers has 458 yards in two games, while Reginald Jackson and Clyde Edwards are top-flight targets. Grambling allowed just 10 points against Alcorn State, but 31 against Pittsburgh. The Tigers will need another Alcorn State-type defensive performance in this one.

Alabama A&M 31, Grambling 28

Western Oregon (3-0) at No. 24 Cal Poly (1-2)

After struggling with tough losses to Texas State and Idaho, Cal Poly finally got into the win column by thrashing Weber State, 47-19. The Mustangs finally showed the type of offensive production they have been awaiting for years as JC transfer quarterback Jonathan Dally finally began to click with his receivers. Ramses Barden is showing why he is one of the top receivers in FCS with 21 catches for six TDs and a 22.5 average per catch. The Mustang defense is still a work in progress, but it shouldn't matter against a Western Oregon squad that is undefeated, but hasn't gone up against the talent it will see on Saturday.

Cal Poly 45, Western Oregon 17

Other Games of Interest

Penn (0-1) at Villanova (2-1)

It will be the battle of Philadelphia on Saturday night, as these two old rivals put on what is usually a great show. Villanova has been somewhat of a surprise, with wins over Lehigh and Maine in the last two weeks and a stronger than expected showing against Maryland in a 31-14 loss. Antwon Young has been a dynamic offensive performer for the Wildcats with 693 yards of total offense and six TD passes already. Penn played strong defensively against Lafayette, but was disappointed when the Leopards pulled out the game in the final seconds. The Quakers were also hurt when they lost leading rusher Joe Sandberg to an injury. Penn generated just 224 yards last week and will need much more offense to stay in the game with a potentially lethal Villanova attack.

Villanova 28, Penn 14

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 1 Appalachian State (3-0) at No. 13 Wofford (2-1)

The biggest question heading into a game many think could be for all the marbles in the Southern Conference is whether or not ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards will play. Edwards was rested the past two weeks with what was described as a sore shoulder, but the shoulder wasn't so sore that it prevented the sophomore from completing that 34-32 victory over Michigan in the season opener. Whether it is Edwards or Trey Elder that starts, the Mountaineers should be able to put up points against a Terrier defense that historically struggles against the pass. The Terriers also gave up 217 yards rushing last week to North Carolina State, something that doesn't bode well for matching up with that ASU zone play. Wofford will need to have its offense at its ball-control best to stay in this game. But the Terriers gave up three turnovers last week in that 35-17 loss. Halfback Kevious Johnson and fullback Michael Hobbs will need strong games for the Terriers to maintain the possession they need in this one. Appalachian State's defense appeared to be rounding into shape in the 34-21 victory over Northern Arizona, coming up big in the red zone. Running back Kevin Richardson has yet to break loose for a big game, with just 167 yards, but this could be his week. Dexter Jackson has caught five passes for four touchdowns to give the Mountaineers a game- breaking receiver.

Appalachian State 38, Wofford 17