FCS College Football

WHO: No. 12 Montana (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky) at No.11 Appalachian State (0-1, 0-0 SoCon)

WHEN: Sept 8, 2012, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Boone, N.C., Kidd Brewer Stadium (23,150)

Overview: Saturday's matchup between Montana and Appalachian State will be an enticing non-conference clash between two programs with a rich tradition of championship football. 

The only two matches between the two programs have been in the FCS semifinals nine years apart, and were decided by a TD or less. In 2000, Montana captured a 19-16 overtime win in Missoula, while the 2009 matchup saw the Grizzlies triumphant again in front of the home folks against the Mountaineers, with a 24-17 win, courtesy of TD catch late in the contest by Jabin Sambrano. 

The tradition of the programs cannot be overlooked, with the two schools among the winningest in FCS history, and have a combined five national titles and 10 national title game appearances. ASU of course claimed three straight national crowns from 2005-07, while Montana's title wins came six years apart, as the Grizzlies defeated heavy favorite Marshall to claim their first national crown in 1995 and stepped inside the winner's circle again in 2001 with a win over Furman. 

Whether it was Dave Dickenson's heroics in 1995 in leading the Grizzlies to the upset of Marshall in Huntington in front of a shocked Jim Donnan and a sea of Green, or that cold December night in Chattanooga six years later when the Grizzlies used a defense that featured names like "Steinau" and "Huntsberger" and a QB with a "fu-man-chu" mustache to upend Furman, the script has always remained the same for Montana, which is playing solid, winning football on both sides of the ball. 

Though it is 11 years removed since its last national title, Montana has continued in that same theme, as it has continued to played solid football through the years on both sides of the ball, and has even made the national title game three times only to finish as national runner-up on three occasions, losing in the national title game tilt in '04, '08, and '09. No team won more games than Montana from first 12 years of the new millennium, as the Grizzlies have posted 128 wins from 2000-12. ASU is second with 119 victories since the 2000 season. 

Appalachian State's FCS tradition is on equal footing, and since 2005 no FCS program has one more games (79 wins) and only one FBS program--former Big Sky member Boise State, (80 wins)--has claimed more wins than the Black and Gold. With its win in its season opener on Saturday, Montana is only one game behind ASU's win total and two behind the Broncos' total since '05.  

Unfortunately, both programs had to endure some of the negatives with being a spotlight program, as the off-season brought about some disciplinary actions for off-the-field issues at both programs, but looking at the negatives is not what this game preview is going to concentrate on.

However, there was much more fallout at Montana from the off-season troubles than there was at Appalachian State, but with a new coaching staff and plenty of new faces, Montana didn't look like it was affected all too much by the off-season troubles, posting a 35-24 win over the South Dakota Coyotes before a packed crowd at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. 

Leading the Grizzlies this season on the sidelines is part of the old guard for the Montana Grizzlies football program, in Mick Delaney. Delaney was a defensive assistant and wrestling coach at Montana back in the late 1960's (1968-69) and re-joined the Montana staff under former head coach Bobby Hauck. When Hauck left to become the head coach at UNLV, Delaney was the only holdover from that staff. He served as the associate head coach under Hauck. 

Appalachian State meanwhile, was playing toe-to-toe with Conference USA opponent East Carolina, trailing the Pirates 14-13 in the third quarter, before the sweltering heat and the Pirates size and talent began to wear down the over-matched Apps, as ASU eventually succumbed in defeat, 35-13. However, there were plenty of positives that could be taken from the season opener for ASU, including its 419 yards of total offense against a stout ECU defense.

With that said, the third meeting between the two FCS titans should be one to watch for all fans of FCS football this Saturday. Below is an in-depth preview of Saturday's matchup.

Previewing The Matchup: ASU opens its home slate in 2012 against a quality, top-notch foe at The Rock, when the Mountaineers welcome the No.12 Montana Grizzlies and their passionate followers in for a mouth-watering FCS non-conference clash.

ASU enters Saturday's matchup 60-19-2 all-time in home openers, with the last loss in a home opener coming in 2009, which was the last non-conference ranked foe to knock off the Black and Gold in the friendly confines in the regular season, as No.16 McNeese State was able to escape with a 40-35 win over the Apps. 

Appalachian State's offense looked brilliant at times in Saturday's season opener, and if anyone questioned if Jamal Jackson was the top quarterback in the Southern Conference, he certainly showed why on Saturday. 

The junior from Atlanta, GA., had a solid day under center, battling cramps and fought through pain as a result of some big hits to complete 23-of-40 passes for 300 yards and an INT. Jackson looked as if he had even gained some arm strength during the off-season, while also looking a bit more elusive, and rushed for 34 yards and a score on seven rush attempts. He scored ASU's only TD of the afternoon, with his 4-yard scamper midway through the first quarter to give ASU a 7-0 lead.

Several receivers impressed in the season opener for the Mountaineers, including true freshman Malachi Jones, who made some outstanding grabs. Jones finished the day with five catches for 69 yards and showed reliability, as he has some of the best hands in the receiving corps.

Tony Washington and Andrew Peacock did nothing to disappoint their statuses as all-conference wideouts for the Apps, as the two veterans were Jackson's top two options when he went to the air against the Pirates. Washington led the way with a career high-tying seven receptions for a career high 102 yards, while Peacock hauled in five catches for 77 yards.  

The Appalachian State running game was dealt a blow on Saturday, as Rod Chisholm broke his hand in Saturday's contest, meaning the redshirt will now likely come off of talented Asheville, N.C. product Tysean Holloway. Chisholm will be sidelined for at least a month with his injury. 

Handling the most of the rushing responsibilities last Saturday for the Mountaineers was Steven Miller, who posted a pretty solid effort on the ground for the Apps, as he finished the contest with a solid effort rushing for 47 yards on 14 attempts. 

The offensive line looked good at times on Saturday, and preseason All-SoCon left tackle Kendall Lamm is the anchor of the unit heading into the home opener against the Grizzlies. The ASU offensive line did not yield a sack on Saturday against a talented ECU front. Last season, the ASU offensive line yielded 17 sacks. 

Montana entered its home opener against South Dakota with only five starters returning on the offensive side of the ball, and a new starter under center.

The Grizzlies' offense rolled up 568 yards of total offense, including 315 rushing yards, in the 35-24 win over South Dakota at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. 

The 2012 Montana offense that is vastly different than the Grizzly and FCS fans have been used to seeing the Grizzlies in the past, with the likes of pro-style quarterbacks such as Dave Dickenson, Drew Miller and Brian Ah'Yat being pass-first, pass-second type quarterbacks of the past.

The Grizzlies saw elements of the 'tempo' offense with Jordan Johnson at the controls last season, and with the new coaching staff installed, this Montana offense is using its speed and athleticism to beat foes, rather than its power and size on the O-Line and superiority at receiver. Now, Montana's offense features more spread tendencies, and though not directly similar to ASU's spread, it will certainly look more akin to the ASU offense than it has in the previous two meetings.

Montana's starting quarterback coming into the 2012 season was Jordan Johnson, but Johnson was charged with rape back in July, opening up the quarterback job. That job is now occupied by freshman Trent McKinney.

McKinney played like a senior in Saturday's come-from-behind win over South Dakota, as he was an extremely efficient passing threat 26-of-32 for 214 yards, with a couple of TDs and an INT. McKinney's only interception in the contest proved to be costly, as it was returned 50 yards for a score to give the Coyotes a 24-16 lead, but that the last score of the day.

When McKinney goes to the air on Saturday, he will have some capable receiving targets, led by Sam Grafton and Bryce Carver. Grafton was the Grizzlies' leading receiver last fall, as he caught a team-leading 29 passes for 365 yards with a TD reception, averaging 12.6 YPR.

On Saturday against South Dakota, Grafton hauled in five passes for 42 yards and has already matched his TD receptions total last season, with a 4-yard scoring reception on Saturday. Grafton is more of the "possession receiver" of the trio of starters heading into Saturday's matchup. Grafton was an Honorable Mention All-Big Sky honoree last fall. 

Carver, a 6-1, 180-pound wideout from Dillon, MT, can stretch defenses with his speed, but also has a great pair of hands. Carver had only eight catches as in his sophomore season of 2011, but will clearly play a larger role for the Grizzlies this fall, as evidenced by his four receptions for 61 yards on Saturday and TD on Saturday.He showed that big-play ability on his 39-yard TD reception in the third quarter, which helped the Grizzlies to regain the lead for good.

Rounding out the starting trio of receivers for the Grizzlies will be sophomore Mitch Saylor, who is coming off a freshman season which saw him haul in nine passes for 103 yards. Saylor is an NFL-sized receiver for the Grizzlies coming into the matchup, at an impressive 6-5, 210 pounds. In the season opener against South Dakota, Saylor did not make a catch and was used more as a perimeter blocking presence for the Grizzlies.

Two other receiving threats to keep an eye on Saturday afternoon for Montana will be freshman Sean Haynes, who led the Grizzlies with five receptions for 53 yards last Saturday, as well as Greg Hardy at tight end. Haynes is a redshirt freshman from Los Angeles, CA, who is a big play threat with some of the best speed on the Grizzlies' roster. 

Hardy, a 6-5, 245-pound native of Fairview, MT, was the Grizzlies' fourth-leading receiver in 2011 and enters the 2012 season as one of two All-Big Sky selections on the offensive side of the football for Montana. Hardy hauled in 19 passes for 180 yards (9.5 YPR) last season, and in the season-opening win over South Dakota, Hardy caught a couple of passes for 14 yards. 

Coming into the season, the one area that Montana was in excellent shape experience-wise was at running back, and in the season-opener against South Dakota, that opinion was only enhanced. The Grizzlies had two running backs rush for over 100 yards in Saturday's win, with senior Dan Moore leading the way with 148 yards and a TD on 27 rush attempts, while classmate Peter Nguyen finished with 102 yards and a TD on 19 carries.

Nguyen entered the 2012 season as Montana's leading returning rusher, with 689 yards rushing and a TD on 120 rush attempts last season, while also proving to be an excellent receiving option coming out of the Montana backfield, with 16 catches for 210 yards and three scores.

Nguyen, a 5-8, 182-pound native of Seattle, WA., is Montana's speed threat coming out of the backfield this season and will also serve as a threat in the kick return game, where he averaged 24.8 YPR on nine attempts last season. Nguyen currently ranks sixth on the school's all-time rushing yards ledger, with 1,352 yards.

Moore finished the 2011 season as the Grizzlies' third-leading rusher, completing the campaign with 342 yards and a team-leading seven rushing scores on 97 attempts, averaging 3.5 YPC. He was Montana's clear-cut option in short-yardage situations last fall, and at 5-11, 235 pounds, he has the kind of size and power to give Montana an advantage in most of those short-yardage scenarios.

Rounding out the running backs expected to see action on Saturday is the speedy Jordan Canada, who didn't see much action in the season opener against South Dakota. The sophomore has game-breaking speed and will remind ASU fans of Steven Miller. 

One area Montana teams have have excelled over the years has been the offensive line, with past greats such as Thatcher Szalay and Dylan McFarland just two names that come to mind from that talent-laden past, and not has much has changed through the decades.

Just two starters returned for the 2012 season, but it didn't appear the Grizzlies missed much of a beat on Saturday, rushing for 315 yards in the season-opening win last week. Anchoring that unit this fall will be right tackle Danny Kistler, who was a preseason All-Big Sky selection and has successfully made the transition from right guard to right tackle with his athleticism.

The other returning starter up front for Montana coming into the season is junior left guard  Kjelby Oiland, who started 12 of 14 games last season for the Grizzlies. 

The strength for the Mountaineers coming into the 2012 season was the defense, and at times in Saturday's season opener at East Carolina, that unit certainly looked dominant at times. ASU ended up yielding 390 yards of total output to the Conference USA foe, including surrendering 242 yards through the air and 153 yards on the ground.

The ASU defense surrendered three offensive TDs, with the other two scores on the afternoon coming as a result of a fumble return for a score, as well as a kick return. However, through the first three quarters on Saturday, the ASU defense yielded just 242 yards and allowed ECU only 4.2 yards-per-play. 

ASU, which utilizes a 3-4 defensive scheme, got an outstanding performance its young trio of starters on Saturday. The starting trio up front on the defensive line expected to start on Saturday are defensive ends Davante Harris and Ronald Blair, while true freshman nose tackle Stephen Burns will draw his second start on Saturday against the Grizzlies. 

Burns turned in a solid performance in the middle of that ASU defense in his first start, contributing a couple of sacks and a pass breakup. Burns sports impressive size, at 6-2, 280 pounds. 

Both Harris and Blair are solid athletes, with Harris, like Burns, starting just his second game for the Mountaineers on Saturday. Harris has impressive size, at 6-6, 285 pounds, and he was slated to play last fall before a concussion ended his season prematurely and he was red-shirted. In Saturday's season opener at ECU, Harris performed solidly and provided pressure on ECU starting quarterback Rio Johnson on several occasions, finishing the game with three tackles and a tackle-for-loss.

Blair is the unquestioned leader of this defensive front, and though just a sophomore, he's a player that has already established himself as one of the SoCon's top defensive ends. Last season, Blair seemed to step up and make an impact in big games. One of those games was in ASU's 24-17 win over Georgia Southern, as in that contest, he contributed eight tackles, 2.0 TFL and a sack to garner SoCon Freshman of the Week accolades. 

In the season opener, Blair was didn't get the pressure on the quarterback that he was able to get in some games last season, but he did make the most of his only tackle of the day, as he had a tackle-for-loss. Blair is athletic and powerful and finished the 2011 season ranking second on the team in sacks (3.5 TFL) and sacks (11.5 TFL).

The real strength of the ASU defense is its four starters at linebackers, and there are many in the nation better than the senior tandem of Jeremy Kimbrough and Brandon Grier. Kimbrough came into the season as a member of the Buck Buchanan Award watch list and was a preseason second-team All-America selection, according to The Sports Network.

Kimbrough, who will start at inside LB on Saturday against the Grizzlies and will solidify the middle of that ASU defense, did nothing to discredit those preseason acknowledgments, leading the Apps with 13 tackles with a TFL. Kimbrough led the Apps with 105 tackles, 12.0 TFL and four sacks last fall. 

Grier, who will start at the other ILB position, has a tendency to find himself in the shadow of his classmate Kimbrough, but in many respects is equally impressive and athletic. In the season opener against ECU, Grier just missed double digits in tackles, finishing the contest with nine stops. He ranked second on the squad in tackles last season, with 97 tackles last fall, and also contributed 10.5 TFL in 2011. 

The two starters at the respective outside LB positions will be Joel Ross, who will start at the 'star' LB position, while James 'Deuce' Robinson will start at the 'bandit' linebacker position on Saturday. Robinson looked good in making the transition from his true defensive end position from last fall to OLB/hybrid defensive position in fall camp. In my opinion, Robinson is one of the keys for Appalachian State in this game because ASU must get pressure to keep Montana's balanced attack out of rhythm

In the opening-season loss at East Carolina, Robinson put in a solid effort, as he was able to rack up six tackles and 1.5 TFL, and was one of the leaders of the ASU defense in the season opener. Robinson is coming off a 2011 season, which saw him post 12 tackles and half-a-sack in eight games of action as a reserve along defensive line for the Apps last fall.

Starting at the other outside linebacker position on Saturday will be Joel Ross. Ross, a 5-10, 178-pound native of Damascus, MD, notched his first start for the Apps on Saturday, and finished the afternoon recording three tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss. Ross is athletic and is a sure tackler, with the ability to drop in coverage as well as come up and make plays against the run.

If there is a concern defensively entering the season for the Black and Gold, it has to be the secondary. That unit now is even more in the cross hairs with Doug Middleton going down with a season-ending injury in the opener.

The good news for ASU is there is star talent in veteran returning performers, in strong safety Troy Sanders and cornerback Demetrius McCray. Sanders, like Grier at LB, is one of those veterans on the defensive side of the ball that goes a bit unheralded, but he's a player that has been reliable since starting his first game for ASU back in 2010, and enters Saturday's contest against the Grizzlies having started 26-straight games for the Apps. He is the only player on the ASU roster to start every game since the start of the 2010 season and entered the campaign as an All-SoCon pick. 

Sanders was impressive Saturday, snagging an acrobatic one-handed INT in the opening quarter of Saturday's season-opening loss at ECU, setting up ASU's lone touchdown of the afternoon. Sanders also contributed 10 tackles and 1.5 TFL.

McCray, who picked off five passes to lead the Southern Conference last fall, came into the 2012 season with plenty of preseason accolades as a result of that outstanding 2011 campaign. McCray, who is part of a secondary that has picked off more passes (69 INTs) than any other SoCon team since 2008, started off his senior season against ECU by notching three stops in the 35-13 setback.

McCray is a tremendous athlete and was a highly successful quarterback as a prep. He entered the 2012 season as a part of the Buck Buchanan Award watch list.

Patrick Blalock and Aaron Krah will round out the starters in the secondary for the Mountaineers at both free safety and left cornerback, respectively. Blalock, a former walk-on, earned his way onto the depth chart a couple of years ago, with his play on special teams.

Blalock battled injuries last season, and didn't see all that much playing time last fall. Blalock started four games last season and saw action in seven contests, recording 14 tackles and blocked a kick. In last week's opener at ECU, Blalock recorded eight stops. 

Rounding out the starters on the defensive side of the football will be freshman Aaron Krah, who drew his first start for the Apps in last Saturday's opener at ECU. Krah drew the starting position at the left cornerback position, and he is an explosive athlete and he is coming off a solid performance in his first-ever start, and he had a couple of tackles. 

The Montana defense is seemingly one of the top units in the nation, year-in and year-out, and this season things will likely be just the same. However, the Grizzlies have had to basically reload their defense altogether this season, with only three starters returning.

The Grizzlies will utilize a 4-3 defensive scheme and certainly looked pretty strong in their season-opening win over South Dakota, as the Grizzlies were able to limit the Coyotes to a total of just 233 yards of total offense, including a meager 61 yards on the ground. 

Two of the three returning starters returning for the Grizzlies for the 2012 season are at linebacker, as both Jordan Tripp and John Kanongata'a are back to help stabilize the middle of that Montana defense in 2012. 

Tripp took a medical redshirt last season, and that's why he's a player that has flown under the radar coming into the season. In the season-opening win over South Dakota, Tripp led the Grizzlies in impressive fashion on the defensive side of the football, with 10 tackles to notch Big Sky co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades. In addition to his 10 stops, Tripp also had 1.5 TFL, a sack and forced a fumble to collect conference POW honors.

Two years ago, Tripp fashioned an impressive campaign which saw him record 99 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 3.5 TFL, 3 FRs, 3 PBUs and an INT. His 99 stops were second on the team, and much like Grier for Appalachian State, he played in the shadow of heralded LB Caleb McSurdy for a good portion of his career. Tripp is slated to start at the weakside LB position heading into Saturday's matchup with ASU and will be one of those players for Mountaineer fans to keep an eye on.

Completing the trio of Montana LBs will be strong-side LB John Kanongata'a and middle LB Josh Stuberg. Kanongata'a is another one of those veteran returnees on the defensive side of the football from last season's FCS semifinal squad, and Kanongata'a came into the season as the leading tackler from the 2011 squad. Last season, Kanongata'a registered 68 tackles, 8.5 TFL, two sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery. Kanongata'a finished right behind Tripp on the tackles ledger in the season opener, with eight stops, while also picking off a pass

Stuberg had some pretty big shoes to fill for Montana entering the 2012 season, having to replace All-American MLB Caleb McSurdy in the middle of the Grizzlies' defense, after McSurdy led Montana with 114 stops last fall. The senior Stuberg was solid in the opener, posting six tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss. As a reserve last season, Stuberg was solid, recording 32 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack and had a fumble recovery.

Expect Stuberg to split the action on Saturday with talented junior Brock Coyle, who completed his sophomore season with 27 stops, 4.0 TFL and 1.5 sacks.  

The Montana defensive line will of course have four new starters, but the new crop showed plenty of promise in its first start as a cohesive unit last Saturday, helping limit the Coyotes to a meager 61 rushing yards, and recorded a TFL and provided decent pressure on South Dakota quarterback Josh Vander Maten in last week's opener. 

Anchoring that Montana defensive line heading into the game against the Mountaineers will be sophomore defensive tackle Tonka Takai, who finished the 2011 campaign with only five tackles as a reserve, was pretty impressive in the season opener against South Dakota, posting three tackles, a TFL, a sack and recovered a fumble in the victory. 

Lining up alongside Takai at defensive tackle on Saturday afternoon will be Alex Bienemann. Bienemann is a 6-2, 295-pound junior from Denver, Co., is a player that is powerful and athletic and showed the ability to a real leader on this defense in his first start on Saturday. He finished Saturday's opener by recording two tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss.

The starting defensive ends for the Grizzlies on Saturday are expected to be Zach Wagenmann and Josh Harris. Wagenmann, a 6-3, 240-pound native of Missoula, MT., comes into the season off a campaign which saw him have nine tackles and a quarterback hurry in action against as a reserve.Wagenmann is a good athlete and has a chance to be Montana's top pass-rushing defensive end this fall, but was just held to a tackle in the season-opener against South Dakota.

Harris rounds out the starting four along the Grizzlies' front line. The 6-5, 251-pound native of Kalispell. MT., is coming off a season-opening performance which saw him post a couple of tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss.

Historically, Montana has always had that one playmaker in the secondary that has been able to wreck havoc by creating turnovers. Players from yesteryear that come to mind when I think of the Montana from past seasons are safeties like Colt Anderson (2005-08) and Vince Huntsberger (1998-01), and talented cornerbacks like Calvin Coleman (1998-01) and Trumaine Johnson (2008-11).

Coming into the 2012 season, however, the defensive backfield was a concern for Montana fans, and the Grizzlies had a few missed assignments in the season opener against South Dakota, which is something that the Grizzlies can't afford to do against ASU's fast, athletic receivers on Saturday. Despite some big plays, however, the Grizzlies did limit South Dakota to just 172 yards through the air last Saturday.

One of the three returning starters on the defensive side of the football for Montana resides in the secondary, and that is junior strong safety Bo Tully. The 6-2, 197-pound native of Spokane, WA., enjoyed a solid sophomore season with 44 tackles, an INT and forced two fumbles last season. In the season opener against South Dakota, Tully registered three stops.

Starting free safety Matt Hermanson is a player that could be that "breakout player" in the secondary for the Grizzlies this season. Hermanson is a big hitter in the Montana secondary, and is coming off a strong freshman campaign which saw him post 38 tackles and three tackles in action as a reserve at strong safety last fall. In the season opener against South Dakota last week, Hermanson was relatively quiet with just two tackles.

Rounding out the starters for Saturday's showdown at The Rock will be cornerbacks Nate Harris and Sean Murray. This is the position that is of most concern for the Grizzlies, especially with Harris starting, who is a freshman. In the season opener last week, Harris did not record any defensive statistics, but expect Appalachian State to test the freshman on Saturday.

Murray is a veteran, who is entering his junior season. The 6-1, 195-pound native of Corona, CA., has good speed and overall athleticism, and he recorded a tackle in the season-opening win last Saturday.

Briefly Looking At Place-Kicking: Appalachian State looked much improved in the kicking game in last week than it did coming down the stretch last season. Drew Stewart, who connected on a pair of field goals in the season opener against ECU, will compete for All-SoCon honors this fall. 

Montana's Chris Lider is a redshirt freshman, so he is more of question mark entering the matchup than ASU's Stewart, and the slight advantage in the kicking game, at least on paper, has to go to Appalachian State.

Final Prediction: Appalachian State-Montana is a matchup that makes any FCS football fan salivate when the thought of the matchup enters their mind. Saturday's matchup will feature two extremely young, but athletically talented teams and it should be a fun one to watch. I expect the opening quarter of this one to be tentative one in the opening quarter, but for the following three quarters will see a shootout break out. With a school-record crowd expected, I look for Appalachian State to notch its first win of the season in near heart-stopping fashion.

38-35 Appalachian State  

Sometimes I am struck by the disparity in television coverage between the NFL and college football. I don't mean to imply that there is more NFL than collegiate football shown on national TV; certainly, the reverse is true. I don't even mean there is less college football commentary available—shows like ESPN's "The Experts" show how low the barrel is being scraped for more college content.

No, what is really at issue is that the NFL is treated as a growth market. Tim Tebow had been promoted by the mainstream media as a cross-demographic superstar even before the Broncos' 2011 record reached .500. Tyrann Mathieu, as famous a college football figure as there is (even before his recent scandal and dismissal from LSU football), will never grace a downtown billboard in a major city unless he happens to play quarterback for the New England Patriots.

College football is treated by the mainstream media as a profitable but stale institution. ESPN and CBS know that a few million aging, out-of-shape rich people care passionately what happens to the teams from the SEC, and a few select other conferences. If you're not in one of them, good luck getting national press coverage that goes beyond the obligatory.

Worse yet to be a member of Division 1-AA, or as it is so oddly named in the BCS era, the "Football Championship Subdivision." Apart from a seemingly random lineup of weeknight games on national outlets here and there, there is not much FCS exposure to go around.

Which is too bad. The FCS is an underrated, fun and historic brand of football that, for the discerning handegg fan, helps us keep in touch with our roots. While we watch quasi-pro mercenaries from LSU and Auburn play their NFL-lite brand of sport on a prime-time broadcast, the "wheel" at bottom reminds us about the still-breathing heritage of the game. Fordham 27, Colgate 20, the scoreboard faithfully tells us, and those of us who know of the Seven Blocks of Granite as something other than a new decorative tip from the DIY channel may share a little moment.

Here are five things to know, and celebrate, about the FCS.

The kids from the subdivision can play.

Appalachian State's 2008 season-opening upset of the Michigan Wolverines has been portrayed as one of football's all-time Cinderella shockers, or an embarrassing choke job by a BCS powerhouse that has no business losing to a school named after a mountain range. Neither is close to the truth. Appalachian State was a talented, well-coached, fundamentally sound group of ballers who beat an overconfident and stale favorite. That has happened in football before, and will happen again.

In fact, every year it seems an FCS team or two surprises a highly-touted school from a BCS conference, usually early in the year when BCS conference teams attempt to load their schedules with easy wins. Last weekend, Northern Iowa came within a tipped-ball of upsetting Bret Bielema's ego-driven program at Wisconsin. In the years to come, Wisconsin will probably choose to play the dregs of the lower division as warmup games, rather than have a Rose Bowl run potentially derailed by another worthy FCS contender.

The weather

Due to the Southern-school dominated, controlled environment of late season college ball, fans are rarely treated to meaningful BCS caliber games in the true elements that make football great: snow, ice and freezing rain. The FCS, meanwhile, offers playoff venues such as New Hampshire, Villanova or the foreboding, mysterious locale of North Dakota. Winter wonderland.

The Geek's favorite FCS moment of 2011 for combined history, venue and weather was ironically played in a D1 stadium in mid-season, but you'd never have known it by the conditions. The October 29th tilt between FCS-member Fordham (of Vince Lombardi and Sleepy Jim Crowley fame) and Army (where Lombardi also coached) was contested at West Point in a blizzard of lake-effect proportions. Too bad the game itself turned out to be a dud (Black Knights 55, Rams 0), the coaches at Fordham forgetting that running a base spread-option on the North Pole is a bad business move.

The Ivy League

Harvard was once a great football power. When the Crimson lost to the Praying Colonels of Centre (Kent.) College in 1921, it had the same shocking and transformative effect on the pigskin landscape as the Jets beating the Colts in Super Bowl III decades later. These days Harvard, Yale and their Ivy brethren press on as a subdivision within a subdivision, stubbornly refusing to take part in anything so anti-honor code as the FCS playoffs. Still, if you like watching unathletic rich kids run into each other for four quarters like the U.S. Presidency depends on it, those ESPNU telecasts of the Ivy are just your thing.

The Playbooks

Because there is such a demand for NFL-hopeful prospects in BCS conferences, coaches at premier SEC or Big-12 schools tend to toe the line pretty firmly when it comes to running an NFL-style system for draft hopefuls to showcase their talents in. However, the FCS division offers a chance for innovative coaches to strut their stuff on a level playing field.

For instance, the Flexbone, a devilish modern version of the "triple option" of yesteryear, has helped Georgia Southern live large in the SOCON, possibly the toughest conference in the FCS. The Wofford Terriers, a conference rival of GSU, run an even more physical version of the Flex, with Veer option and spin-trap variations. The two schools are a combined 39-15 in the past two seasons.

The Playoffs*

This obligatory exaltation of the 1-AA playoffs comes with a caveat. Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a lot to like about the traditional bowl system in major college ball. In fact, given the paradigm of college athletics as a relatively pure, upstanding version of our favorite sports, there is an argument (albeit futile in today's landscape) that crowning a "national champion" is in itself a fallacy. There are several hundred colleges playing football and among them, many great teams. For some forgotten purists, seeing them compete—and occasionally clash in memorable struggles—is enough.

But the FCS playoffs serve an honorable purpose, allowing great 1-AA teams to strut their stuff on national television and Sportscenter reels. Try to find regular season highlights of FCS teams on YouTube, and often the only results are pointless field-level shots of players running, produced by home-team interns. Want to see TV highlights of Grambling beating Southern 67-66 in five overtimes? Sorry, that story is trumped by footage of Florida beating Vanderbilt 42-7 for the five-hundredth season in a row. But come playoff time, the big shots at Fox and ESPN are forced, kicking and screaming, to give airtime to the FCS.

So this season, if watching Ole Miss and Tennessee run one read-option play after another is giving you the good-old-boy blues, get yourself some ESPN360 or a good pay-per-view package and take in a few FCS games. The Geek (and Holy Cross) will bless thee.

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Furman at Samford (Southern Conference Game of The Week)

Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, 4:30 p.m. EST

Seibert Stadium (6,700 capacity)

Overview: It's been seven years to the day since Furman began a football season in Dixie, battling Jacksonville State on that memorable Thursday night. The second-ranked Paladins left the outcome to be decided in the waning moments by University of Florida transfer quarterback Ingle Martin, who connected with senior wideout Josh Stepp on a slant pattern as time expired to come away with a 37-35 win.

On Saturday afternoon, Furman will once again make the trip to America's Heartland to take on Samford. Furman and Samford will face off in a huge Southern Conference tilt to open the 2012 season.

It will mark the second-straight season Samford has begun a season with a Southern Conference game, while marking the first time since the 2003 campaign that the Paladins have begun a campaign with a Southern Conference game. The Paladins haven't opened a season with a road Southern Conference tilt since a 7-0 loss at VMI in 1974.

When Furman and Samford kick the season off at Seibert Stadium on Saturday afternoon, it will mark the 15th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Furman holding a narrow 8-6 series edge.

Last season, Samford was able to come to Greenville and pull off a 26-21 win at Paladin Stadium. The victory snapped a string of seven-straight wins in the series by the Paladins, dating back to the 1969 season. The 26-21 win by the Bulldogs also marked the first win by the Bulldogs over the Paladins in their fourth season as a league member.

Since Samford joined the SoCon in 2008, only one of the four meetings has been decided by more than five points, and two of the meetings have been separated by just a single point. It's becoming one of the more exciting SoCon tilts each season, with many similarities shared between the two programs.

One of the storylines heading into Saturday afternoon's contest will be the health of Samford head coach Pat Sullivan, who has been battling pneumonia this week. Sullivan took some time away from his team this week in an effort to get well for Saturday's opener.

Sullivan, who is one of the classiest coaches in all of Division I football, won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback during his playing days at Auburn. I think I speak for the entire Bleacher Report staff by wishing the coach of the Bulldogs well.

We all hope to see him on the sidelines leading Samford on Saturday afternoon against the Paladins.

Preview: The Offenses

Furman and Samford will be in similar situations when they open the 2012 season against each other on Saturday: both the Paladins and Bulldogs will be breaking in new quarterbacks.

Furman has to replace first-team All-SoCon signal-caller Chris Forcier, while Samford will be looking to replace the school's second all-time leading passer, Dustin Taliaferro.

Samford will likely employ the services of two quarterbacks, as both Memphis transfer Andy Summelin and junior Ben Neill have been unable to separate themselves during spring and preseason camps. Expect Summerlin to get the start under center, although the 6'4", 225-pound senior has only limited college game experience.

Summerlin sat out the 2011 season with an injury. In 2010 at Memphis, Summerlin completed 45-of-94 passes for 469 yards, as he saw action in five games for the Tigers. Summerlin has looked good all spring, and he has a big arm and a good understanding of the Samford offense.

Much like Summerlin, Neill has also acquitted himself well, and the 5'11", 180-pound native of Decatur, AL, might not have the size of Summerlin, but he does have a good arm and is a more mobile quarterback. Also, like Summerlin, the junior signal-caller lacks much game experience, completing 13-of-18 passes for 146 yards and a TD last season while seeing action in three games.

Plenty of experienced talent returns at the skill positions for the Bulldogs for the 2012 season, which could make this offense scary good when Summerlin gets a feel for the attack. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2011 season which saw them rank 36th nationally in total offense (391.3 YPG), 43rd in scoring offense (28.3 PPG), 45th in pass offense (225.0 YPG) and 45th in rush offense (166.3 YPG).

One area that many Samford fans thought might see more of a drop-off in last season was the ground game, which endured the loss of the school's all-time leading rusher, Chris Evans. Evans became one of only a handful of players in FCS history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons.

The Bulldogs replaced Evans' production with Fabian Truss (150 rush, 847 yds, 7 TDs, 5.6 YPC). In his first season as a full-time starter, all Truss did was garner second-team All-SoCon accolades, and earned first-team honors as a kick return specialist, which included an 82-yard return for a score against Stillman last fall.

Until a late-season injury, Truss was among the national leaders in all-purpose yards, completing the season with 1,774, which led the SoCon. In addition to his prowess as a rush and kick-return threat last season, Truss also proved he could catch the football coming out of the backfield. He hauled in 23 passes for 137 yards.

Truss had one of his best games against the Paladins, finishing the 26-21 win with 136 yards on 26 carries.

But as good as Truss is, the top threats for the Samford offense entering the 2012 season will be its wide receiving corps, which should be among the best in the SoCon and FCS this fall. The leader of this talented, experienced unit will be Kelsey Pope (86 rec, 810 yds, 6 TDs, 9.4 YPR), who will enter the season as a first-team All-SoCon selection has been a member of a couple of All-America teams entering the 2012 season.

Pope, a 6-0, 200-pound native of Sycauga, AL, has good speed and a great pair of hands, coming off a 2011 season which saw him lead the team and rank second in the SoCon with 86 receptions.

Pope enjoyed his best outing of the 2012 season against Gardner-Webb, with six catches for 125 yards and a TD. Against the Paladins, Pope hauled in eight passes for 104 yards and a score, while catching a season-high 10 balls for 82 yards in a home loss to Chattanooga. He set a school record for single-game receptions (17) in the SoCon finale win at The Citadel.

Pope was a multi-threat for Samford last fall as well—he rushed 33 times for 175 yards and four TDs, while completing 4-of-6 passes for 66 yards and a score last season. Pope played quarterback in high school, and was one of the top athletes in the state in the 2010 recruiting class. He has 114 catches for 1,044 yards (9.2 YPR) and six TDs so far in his Samford career.

The veteran of the Samford receiving corps this fall will be redshirt senior Riley Hawkins (37 rec, 472 yds, 2 TDs, 12.8 YPR). Hawkins has been a starter for the Bulldogs in each of his three active seasons, and has proven that he will be a vital part of the Samford passing attack this fall.

Hawkins has been a significant piece of the Samford passing game in his three seasons, as he has been able to haul in 96 passes for 1,576 yards and 10 TDs, averaging 16.4 YPR for his career. He had his best outing of the 2011 season against Elon, hauling in eight passes for 89 yards in the win over the Phoenix. He also had four catches for 72 yards, including a 9-yard scoring reception, against the Mountaineers of West Virginia.

Chris Cephus (25 rec, 339 yds, 4 TDs, 13.6 YPR) will complete the trio of wide receivers set to start this fall for the Bulldogs. The 6-2, 215-pound native of East Dublin, GA, combines great athleticism and power. He has above average speed, making him a downfield threat, but, with his size, also has great ability as an extra perimeter blocker for the Samford ground game.

Cephus had a solid effort against the Paladins last season, hauling in three passes for 55 yards, which included a 6-yard scoring catch in the 26-21 road win. He had his best performance of the 2011 campaign against Appalachian State, with six receptions for 89 yards, including a 32-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter of the 35-17 loss in Boone.

Rounding out the receiving options for the Bulldogs heading into the season and SoCon opener against the Paladins is redshirt sophomore tight end Sidney Jordan (1 rec, 9 yds). Jordan will be filling one of the few positional losses due to graduation from a year ago, as he will be replacing Daniel Diamond at tight end this fall for Samford.

This has been one of the focuses of the preseason for the Bulldogs, as the tight end position is one of the key elements of Samford's spread offense. Jordan did see action in all nine games for the Bulldogs last season.

One of the strengths of the Samford offense in 2012 should be the offensive line, as the Bulldogs welcome the return of four starters from a unit that proved to be one of the better O-lines in the SoCon last season.

Returning to anchor the unit this fall will be center Ryan Dudchock, who started all 11 games for the Bulldogs last fall, and was certainly one of the leaders of the unit. Jacob Kirschenbaum (RG), Branden Moore (LT) and Charlie Sanford (RT) round out the returning starters along the unit this fall.

The lone new starter in 2012 will be Kasey Morrison at left guard, who will replace Joe Collins. Sanford and Kirschenbaum, who are both experienced performers in their own right, will have a chance to garner All-SoCon recognition at season's end.

Switching gears, Furman will have a lot more question marks on the offensive side of the football entering the opening week matchup than the Bulldogs will. The Paladins return only six starters on the offensive side of the ball, including first-team All-SoCon signal-caller Chris Forcier, who was simply sensational for head coach Bruce Fowler in his first season at the helm in 2011.

Statistically speaking, Furman finished the 2011 season ranking 39th in the FCS in total offense (389.4 YPG), 48th in passing offense (222.5 YPG), 42nd in rushing offense (166.8 YPG) and 28th nationally in sacks allowed (1.36 SPG).

Taking the reins of the Furman offense in the season opener in Birmingham will be senior Dakota Derrick (8-of-17 passing, 104 yds, 1 TD, 0 INTs/10 rush att, 34 yds, 1 TD in 2011 ). The 6-4, 222-pound native of Conway, S.C., pushed Forcier for the starting job for the entirety of spring camp last season, until Forcier was finally able to win the job in the final week of competition.

Though he hasn't seen all that much action in his collegiate career, Derrick has been effective in leading the Furman offense when he has been in the lineup. He is 1-1 as a starting quarterback, with both starts coming in his sophomore season of 2010. In total, Derrick has seen action in 12 games in his previous three seasons as a Paladin QB, including six last fall.

Derrick has been effective as both a passing and a rushing threat in his Furman career. As a passer, he has completed 28-of-58 passes for 300 yards, with three TDs and an INT, while rushing for 251 yards and three scores on 40 attempts (6.3 YPC) in his career.

Though he has deceptive speed, Derrick's most effective weapon is his cannon-like arm. He is in some ways a better passer than Forcier was, and certainly has a stronger arm. The only area in which he might not measure up in comparison to his predecessor as a passer is with his accuracy. However, the difference likely won't be all that noticeable to the casual fan.

Obviously, Derrick will not offer the same type of threat on the ground as Forcier did, but he is not scared to tuck the ball and run it if the occasion calls for it.

Arguably the best weapon returning on the offensive side of the ball for the Paladins in 2012 is All-SoCon running back Jerodis Williams (199 rush att, 1,055 yds, 9 TDs, 5.3 YPC). The 5'11," 208-pound senior from Prattville, AL, became the first Paladin to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season since Hindley Brigham last accomplished the feat for the Paladins back during the 2003 season.

Williams' performance last season restored the Paladin faithful's confidence in their ability to run the football, especially in short-yardage situations, which had been lost in recent seasons. Williams enjoyed several strong rushing performances last fall, including rushing for a career-high 175 yards and a TD in a 47-21 road win at Western Carolina. It was one of five occasions in which Williams eclipsed the century mark in rushing last fall.

In fact, his 175-yard rushing effort against Western Carolina last fall were the most yards gained on the ground by a Furman running back since Louis Ivory went for 176 yards in a 47-28 Paladin win over PC in the 2001 regular-season finale. Samford's defense had the ancedote against Williams last season, limiting the All-SoCon running back to season-low 25 yards on 10 rush attempts in the Bulldogs' five-point road triumph last October.

Williams is also an effective receiving threat out of the backfield, catching nine passes for 60 yards last fall. He needs just 73 yards to eclipse the 2,000-yard plateau for his Paladin career.

Teaming with Williams to give Furman one of the top one-two punches in the offensive backfield in the SoCon entering the 2012 campaign will be sophomore Hank McCloud (58 rush att, 241 yds, 1 TD). McCloud has good size and deceptive power for a somewhat diminutive running back. McCloud turned in his best effort of the 2011 season in the 47-21 win at Western Carolina, as he posted 61 yards on 12 carries. He also posted three receptions for 37 yards in 2011.

One of the positions hardest hit by graduation on the offensive side of the football for the Paladins was wide receiver, with the loss due to graduation of two of the Paladins' top four pass-catchers from a year ago—Sederrik Cunningham and Tyler Maples. Maples and Cunningham combined to haul in 55 passes for 923 yards and seven TDs last season.

The good news is Furman returns a preseason first-team All-American to its ledger of receiving threats this fall, senior tight end Colin Anderson (40 rec, 696 yds, 7 TDs, 17.4 YPR).

No doubt Anderson was a key cog in the Paladin offense last season, and the former high school quarterback will again be one of the key pieces to the Furman offensive puzzle this fall.

Anderson is not only a reliable, big target, he is also extremely athletic. He is the first tight end to lead the Paladins in overall receiving since 1996, when Luther Broughton was the Paladins' main threat in the passing game. In his previous three seasons combined, the former high school quarterback from Dallas, Texas, has hauled in 60 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 TDs.

Anderson's 11 TD receptions in three seasons are the most ever by a Furman tight end, surpassing former great Brette Simmons' 10-career TD catches from 1974-78. Anderson is also within striking distance of Furman's all-time receiving yards mark for a Furman tight end, which is also currently held by Broughton, who finished his four years in the Purple and White with 1,565 yards receiving.

Anderson needs 523 yards receiving this fall to set a new all-time mark. His seven TD grabs in a single season last fall tied for sixth all-time for TD grabs in a single-season by a receiver.

Anderson also threw a TD pass on a double-pass in the season finale loss at Florida. His TD pass was a 47-yard strike to a wide-open Cunningham, who had gotten behind the Florida secondary for the easy score.

Anderson turned in a solid performance against Samford last fall, as he led the Paladins' receiving efforts with nine catches for 110 yards and a TD in the 26-21 setback.

When Furman is not looking to Anderson, the Paladins will no doubt be looking to Ryan Culbreath (18 rec, 265 yds, 2 TDs, 14.7 YPR) and Will King (3 rec, 36 yds, 1 TD, 12.0 YPR). Culbreath brings NFL size to the Furman receiving corps. He will enter his second season as the starter at split end for the Paladins.

Culbreath served as a great blocking presence on the perimeter for the Paladins last season, and he also proved what a valuable asset he could be as a wide receiver, hauling in four passes for 62 yards and a TD in his signature performance of the season, which was a 41-34 loss to Elon.

One of the real surprises during the final portion of the 2011 season was walk-on Will King, who has now worked his way into the starting lineup for the Paladins this fall. The 6-0, 180-pound senior from Rock Hill, S.C., is a good athlete and is blessed with some of the best hands in the wide receiving corps.

Like Anderson, King spent his prep career under center as a quarterback and now has become one of the most reliable pass-catchers and blockers in the Furman receiving corps. He will start at flanker for the Paladins in the season opener against Samford.

Rounding out the starters at wide receiver for the Paladins will either be senior Daniel McFadden (8 rec, 180 yds, 2 TDs, 22.5 YPR) or freshman Jordan Snellings, as both are vying for the right to start at slot receiver for the Paladins in 2012.

McFadden, a 6-2, 198-pound native of Daytona, FL, sports tremendous speed and has shown the potential to be an explosive big-play threat at times throughout his career. Both of his scoring catches came in the 62-21 win over Presbyterian, covering 39 and 20 yards, respectively. He had a season-long 61-yard reception in the 41-34 loss to Elon.

Snellings, a 6-2, 185-pound redshirt freshman from the Marist School in Atlanta, GA, has proven to be one of the most impressive receivers on the Paladin roster since his arrival on campus last fall. Snellings garnered all-conference honors in his senior season, hauling in 24 passes for 337 yards and three TDs in 2010.

The offensive line returns three starters for the 2012 season, but the losses were substantial along the offensive line, with the graduation of left guard Ryan Lee and a four-year starter at center in Daniel Spisak. Depth is a huge question mark entering the 2012 season, and the two starters that must be replaced along the offensive front could be former walk-ons.

Furman left tackle Dakota Dozier was a Second-Team All-Southern Conference selection last season. The current coaching staff has said that he has the potential to be one of the best to ever suit up along the offensive line for Furman. The 6-4, 291-pound product of West Columbia, S.C., started all 11 games for the Paladins last season, and has great feet and overall athleticism.

Joining Dozier in all-conference recognition last season was redshirt freshman Charles Emert, who garnered SoCon All-Freshman team accolades after starting at various positions along the offensive front last season, the majority of those starting assignments coming in four starts at left guard. The Statesboro, Ga., native showed his versatility by also logging starts at right tackle last fall.

Rounding out the returning starters along the offensive line for the Paladins heading into the 2012 season will be Ryan Storms, who will likely enter preseason camp as the starter at right guard entering fall camp. Storms has garnered starts in 12 games out of the 16 he has played in his career.

Penciled as the two starters at left guard and center heading into the season opener are former walk-ons Eric Thoni at center and Tank Phillips at left guard. Both have had solid spring and fall camps, and will be relied upon to fill some pretty big roles along the Paladin offensive front this season, especially Thoni, who will be stepping into a position that has been occupied each of the three previous seasons by a polished veteran in Spisak.

Preview: The Defenses

The Samford defense welcomes the return of six starters from a unit that completed the 2011 season ranked 65th nationally in total defense (356.5 YPG), 101st in rush defense (193.5 YPG), 13th in pass defense (172.1 YPG), 97th in sacks (16.0 sacks, 1.45 SPG) and scoring defense (24.8 PPG).

The biggest strength of this Samford defense heading into the 2012 season appears to be linebacker play, as the unit returns two veterans from a year ago in Keith Shoulders (61 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT) and Darion Sutton (56 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2 INTs).

Shoulders, a 6-1, 236-pound senior from Tanner, AL, will find himself starting at middle linebacker this fall. He is coming off a campaign in which he started all 11 games for the Bulldogs last fall. Shoulders enjoyed his best game of the season against Appalachian State, recording a season-high eight stops in a 35-17 setback. Shoulders also recorded seven tackles in wins over Furman and Gardner-Webb.

Sutton will be set to start at the weakside linebacker position for the Bulldogs heading into the 2012 season. The 6-2, 235-pound senior from Columbiana, AL, joined his mate Shoulders in starting all 11 games for the Bulldogs last season. One of Sutton's best performances came in a win over Elon, recording six solo tackles and one of his two INTs on the season. In the SoCon finale at The Citadel, Sutton recorded a season-high eight stops and a key fumble recovery in the 14-10 road win.

Rounding out the trio of expected starters at linebacker heading into the 2012 season for the Bulldogs will be strong side linebacker Durrell Hill (49 tackles, 4 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, 1 FF).

Hill, a 6-2, 238-pound senior from Oxford, AL, is another experienced, big and powerful linebacker returning for Pat Sullivan's Bulldogs this fall. Last season, Hill saw action in all 11 games, including nine starts. Hill enjoyed his top performance of last season in the season opener against Georgia Southern. He recorded seven tackles, including six of the solo variety, along with a tackle-for-loss in the 35-17 loss.

A few weeks later, in a 38-23 road loss at Wofford, Hill equaled that total of seven tackles and a TFL. He also registered a season-high seven stops in the regular-season finale, a loss at Auburn.

Another strength of this Samford defense in 2012 should be its secondary, which returns two of four starters from a unit that helped the Bulldogs boast one of the nation's top aerial defenses a year ago, helping the Bulldogs rank 13th nationally in pass defense. The biggest question mark is obviously at cornerback, where the Bulldogs must replace Corey White—a fifth-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints this fall.

The top player in the secondary for Samford this fall will be Alvin Hines II (66 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 9 PBUs, 3 INTs) at strong safety. The 6-1, 217-pound junior is one of the top safeties in the FCS and he enters the campaign as a First-Team All-SoCon selection. He was able to lead the Bulldogs in tackles last fall with 66.

Hines II came up big in several games last fall for the Bulldogs last season, including the big 26-21 win at Furman. In that contest, Hines II recorded nine tackles and a crucial INT. Hines II also posted a season-high 10-tackle performance—alll solo—in the 35-17 road loss at Appalachian State. He also started all 11 games in the secondary for the Bulldogs last season.

Teaming with Hines II at safety in 2012 will be free safety Jaquiski Tartt (23 tackles). Tartt will be in his first season as a starter in the Samford secondary. The redshirt selection saw action in 10 contests for the Bulldogs last season. In those 10 contests, he tallied 23 tackles, including 20 solo stops.

Set to man the two cornerback positions for the Bulldogs in 2012 will be a veteran tandem in Justin Sly (7 tackles, 2 PBUs) and Tae Lewis (20 tackles, 2 PBUs).

Sly, a 5'11", 195-pound senior from Hoover, AL, will be asked to fill some incredibly large shoes, replacing Corey White at the right cornerback position this fall. All White did was establish himself as one of the premier cover corners in the FCS last season, completing the 2011 season with 58 tackles and finishing second in the SoCon with four INTs last fall.

Sly has good speed, strength and will, and has shown the ability to hold his own against the experienced, talented Samford wideouts during spring and fall camp.

Lewis will start at the other cornerback position. The 5'11", 194-pound native of Columbiana, AL, logged action in all 11 games last fall, which included six starts. He turned in one of his top performances of the season and of his career against Furman, registering a season-high six tackles, including four solo stops, in the win over the Paladins. He brings good speed and physical skills to the position, and he is probably one of the more underrated players on this Samford defense heading into the 2012 season.

The area that looks to be most like a concern heading into the 2012 season on the defensive side of the football for the Bulldogs is the defensive line. Gone are three of four starters from a year ago, including the anchor of that unit, Austin Hayes, who garnered All-SoCon accolades after leading the Bulldogs with 12.0 TFLs and five sacks last fall.

The lone returning starter along the defensive front from a year ago will be Nicholas Williams (23 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks), who at 6'4", 310 pounds, will present quite a formidable force on the interior of the Samford defense.

Williams started all 11 games for the Bulldogs along the defensive front last fall. He enjoyed his top performance of the season against both Georgia Southern and Western Carolina, recording four tackles apiece in each of those respective contests.

Lining up alongside Williams at nose guard will be sophomore Jerry Mathis (18 tackles). Mathis will be in his first season as a starter along the defensive front for the Bulldogs, and like his teammate on the interior Williams, Mathis brings good size and strength to the position, at 6'3," 292 pounds.

Mathis did see action in all 11 games as a reserve along the Samford defensive front last season, enjoying his top performance of the season in the SoCon finale win over The Citadel, with four tackles.

Set to man the defensive end positions for Samford heading into the season opener against the Paladins will be Aaron Bethune (21 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FR) and Brandon Wilkinson (7 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FR).

Bethune completed the 2011 season tied for second on the team in both sacks and tackles-for-loss. The 6-3, 260-pound product of Opeilika, AL, will be the player looked to pick up most of the pass-rushing slack after the graduation of Hayes.

Bethune saw action in all 11 games for Samford last fall, which included one start. He registered his top performance of the campaign against Gardner-Webb, recording seven tackles, including six solo stops.

Wilkinson is the least experienced Bulldog among the starting quartet slated to take the field against Paladins on Saturday. The 6'3", 212-pound redshirt sophomore from Venice, FL, did manage to log action in nine contests as a reserve last season for Samford. He had a couple of tackles and a fumble recovery in the regular-season finale, a 35-17 loss at Auburn.

There is much expectation surrounding Wilkinson's presence as a starter along the defensive front, as he was rated the No. 54 defensive end in the country according to Scout.com's 2010 rankings.

Overall, the Samford defense should be one that develops as the season progresses. This unit will have to rely on a strong linebacking corps and safety tandem, as the Bulldogs get their footing under them early in the season along the defensive line and at cornerback.

With some younger players developing experience and role responsibilities along the way, this Bulldog defense might be one of the surprises in the SoCon by season's end.

For Furman, the 2012 season presents an opportunity to get even closer to the tradition-rich roots they have established as one of the top defensive clubs in the SoCon and FCS.

Prior to Fowler's arrival last fall, Furman was struggling to regain that footing as a major force on the defensive side in the SoCon, a position that they had enjoyed so many times in the past under former coaching legends Bobby Johnson, Jimmy Satterfield and Dick Sheridan.

But Fowler—Johnson's defensive coordinator at both Furman and Vanderbilt-—has begin to once again lay a foundation that should ensure Furman's defensive success in the very near future, if not the 2012 season. The seeds of that turnaround were planted last season, as the Paladins did several things well, including leading the SoCon in turnover margin (+0.82), and ranking fourth in the league in sacks (1.82 SPG).

That Paladins nearly tripled their meager eight sack total from the previous campaign, completing the 2011 season with 21 sacks in 2012.

In total, the Paladins completed the 2011 season ranking 74th nationally in total defense (374.4 YPG), 33rd in pass defense (193.6 YPG), 93rd in rush defense (180.8 YPG), 57th in scoring defense (26.0 PPG) and 20th in turnover margin (+0.82).

While eight starters return on the defensive side of the ball for the Paladins, there's no dancing around the fact that the Paladins must replace its two top defensive players from last fall, with the graduation of All-American cornerback Ryan Steed and All-SoCon LB Kadarron Anderson.

Many feel the strength of this Furman defense this fall will be its defensive line, and the Paladins may very well have one of the top defensive end tandems in the Southern Conference returning for the 2012 season in senior all-league performer Josh Lynn (49 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 5.0 sacks) and talented junior bookend Shawn Boone (27 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, 1 PBU).

Lynn, a 6'4", 264-pound native of Fort Lawn, S.C., completed the 2011 season garnering second team All-Southern Conference honors, and he was instrumental in his role of helping the Paladins improve its pass-rush last fall. Lynn had one of his best performances of the 2011 season against Western Carolina, posting five stops, including two sacks in the 47-21 road win by the Paladins.

While Lynn gets most of the hype, it might be Shawn Boone that actually ends up having the bigger season, with Lynn drawing so much attention. The 6'2", 233-pound native of Lithia, FL, is one of the best athletes on the defensive side of the football for the Paladins. He started all 11 games for the Paladins last fall, recording his top performance in the season opener, as he registered six tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in the 30-23 road loss.

Lining up to start on the defensive interior for the Paladins this fall will be Neal Rodgers (21 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) and Colton Keig (32 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1 FR). Rodgers and Keig are two veterans that are poised to be difference-makers on the defensive interior for the Paladins this fall.

Both are a bit undersized, but both provide veteran leadership along the defensive front for Furman.

The Paladins must fill an enormous hole at middle linebacker, with the graduation of Kadarron Anderson, and also must replace a solid, talented weakside linebacker, Chris Wiley.

However, there is plenty of optimism for what returns to the unit this fall, as All-SoCon strongside linebacker Mitch McGrath (87 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, 4 INTs, 3 FFs, 1 FR) returns as one of the key pillars of the Furman defense this fall. McGrath was arguably Furman's defensive MVP last season, despite playing somewhat in the shadows of his more heralded teammates, Steed and Anderson.

McGrath's athleticism and physicality on the defensive side of the football last season was part of the defensive attitude that Furman exhibited throughout the Bobby Johnson era and in the first few seasons of the Bobby Lamb era.

His bone-jarring hits were a constant reminder of the attempt at regaining respect. McGrath will no doubt enter the campaign as an all-conference selection and potential All-America candidate.

It was McGrath's performance in a 14-7 win at Chattanooga that nearly single-handedly won the tough road contest and earned him Sports Network National Player of the Week plaudits. All McGrath did was tally nine tackles, four sacks, an INT, force a fumble and recover a fumble in the seven point road win.

Matt Solomon (22 tackles, 1.5 TFLs) has been strong during the spring and preseason, and has had maybe the best preseason camp of any Paladin defender. A solid reserve for three seasons behind Anderson and former Paladin standout middle linebacker Andrew Jones, Solomon will finally get his chance to make a name for himself in the middle of the Furman defense.

In his only start last season against Florida in the regular-season finale, Solomon had a career afternoon, registering a career-best 10 tackles , 2.0 TFL, and forcing a fumble in the outstanding performance.

Talented sophomore Gary Wilkins (46 tackles, 0.5 TFLs, 1 BLK), will round out the front seven for the Paladins, replacing Chris Wiley at the weakside LB position. Many think Wilkins is one of the best athletes on the defensive side of the ball for the Paladins.

Wilkins saw significant action in his redshirt freshman campaign for the Paladins, and was a significant role player on special teams as well, using his leaping ability to affect punts, and even recording a partially blocked punt in the season-opener against Coastal Carolina. His 46 tackles were good enough to rank Wilkins sixth on the tackles ledger last season.

No doubt the secondary was a strength for the Paladins last season, but they must replace the headliner of that unit from a year ago, having to fill the enormous void left by the graduation of one of the top corners in school history, Ryan Steed.

While the Paladins lose Steed, they welcome back a pair of all-conference safeties, which might also be one of the top tandems in all of FCS football heading into the 2012 season. Free safety Nathan Wade (75 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, 1 FR, 3 PBUs) and strong safety Greg Worthy (80 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 3 INTs, 3 PBUs) made life scary for Samford wide receivers last fall, as Samford fans know all-too-well.

Few will forget the vicious blows dished out by Wade and Worthy in that game, with Worthy's hit on Jauan Davis and Wade's nasty hit on Hawkins, which ended his afternoon prematurely.

Rounding out the starters on the Furman defense heading into the season opener will be senior speedster Cortez Johnson (11 tackles, 1 FR) at one cornerback position, while Derrick Murray (23 tackles, 1 INT) will start at the other CB position.

Johnson replaces Steed at CB, and while he might not come into the season with the overall talent of his predecessor, he will have one thing on Steed—speed.

Johnson can flat out fly. He is possibly the fastest player on the roster, and a player that has recorded a 4.30 time in the 40-yard dash.

A Potential Key

If this game comes down to a field goal, which it very well might, the advantage would have to go to Samford, who brings back the best place-kicker in the SoCon, and one of the best in the country, in senior Cameron Yaw (23-of-28 on FGs, 32-of-33 PAT). While Yaw is a great kicker, Fabian Truss was oftentimes able to put the Bulldogs in outstanding position with his league-leading 29.3 yards per kick return last season.

Furman counters with place-kicker Ray Early (2-of-6 FGs, 14-of-19 PATs), who after an outstanding true freshman campaign in 2010, which included a career-long 52-yard field goal in Furman's 27-10 win in its last trip to Samford, struggled to maintain his starting job last season due to lack of consistency. However, strong spring and preseason camps have the junior focused on reclaiming his All-SoCon status this fall, as he is now firmly established as the FU starter.

The Advantages

Furman O-Line vs. Samford D-Line (Advantage Samford)

Samford O-Line vs. Furman D-Line (Advantage Furman)

Samford WRs vs. Furman DBs (Slight Advantage Samford)

Furman WRs vs. Samford DBs (Slight Advantage Furman)

Furman LBs or Samford LBs (Push) 

Individual Advantages

RB Jerodis Williams or RB Fabian Truss (Slight Advantage Williams)

QB Andy Summerlin or QB Dakota Derrick (Push)

PK Cameron Yaw or PK Ray Early (Slight Advantage Yaw)

Final Prediction

On paper, this one shapes up to be a great game. Three of the last four games between the two have been decided by five points or less. After Saturday's game, it will be four of the past five. This game will come down to who makes less mistakes, plain and simple. The reason Furman wins this one is it proved it could make those jarring hits and key INTs when it needed to last season, on most occasions. Furman wins a close one, and look for part of that opportunistic safety tandem of Worthy and Wade to have something to say about forcing that key turnover at a critical moment on Saturday.

28-24 Paladins

WHO: Mars Hill at Western Carolina, Cullowhee, N.C. (E.J. Whitmire Stadium)

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, 8:00 p.m.

OVERVIEW: Western Carolina will officially open the 2012 Southern Conference football season as the Catamounts host the Mars Hill Lions in a key non-conference game for both clubs entering the season. 

For Western Carolina, it's the beginning of a new era. Mark Speir took over as head coach of the Catamounts' program, which has been mired in a slump since its last break-even season in 2005. In fact, the Catamounts have posted an 11-56 overall record and a paltry 3-43 Southern Conference mark since then.

Catamount fans hope the new coaching staff—former Appalachian State coaches—and players will be enough to see the return of a winning mentality in the Catamount Gap in the very near future.

Mars Hill comes into the contest looking to knock off its Western North Carolina mountain rival for the first time since the 1945 campaign, which saw the Lions pick up a 25-0 win in Cullowhee. 

The Catamounts come into the matchup against the Lions having won 13-consecutive games dating back to that meeting in '45. It will mark the 20th meeting between the two, with WCU holding a 13-5-1 overall series edge. 

Mars Hill enters the matchup coming off a solid 2011 campaign. Veteran head coach Tim Clifton's Lions produced an 8-3 overall mark, including a 6-1 mark in the South Atlantic Conference and a Division II playoff appearance. The Lions, who tied for the SAC title last season, bring a team of veterans to Cullowhee capable of pulling off the unthinkable.

Meanwhile, Western Carolina is coming off a 1-10 campaign with the Catamounts' only win being a 52-31 victory over these same Lions in the 2011 home opener at Whitmire Stadium. The Catamounts, of course, failed to win a Southern Conference contest in 2011.

Mars Hill was picked to finish second in the SAC by coaches and media at the preseason media day, while Speir's Catamounts were not surprisingly picked to finish last at the 2012 Southern Conference media last month.

GAME PREVIEW

The Offenses

Western Carolina is coming off a 2011 season that saw it perform inconsistently on the offensive side of the football. 

Under the direction of Speir, the Catamounts will utilize a spread offense much akin to the one Speir and most of his offensive staff were familiar with during their days at Appalachian State. 
The Catamounts welcome the return of eight starters from an offense that ranked ninth in the SoCon in scoring offense (22.0 PPG), eighth in rushing offense (115.9 YPG), third in passing offense (227.7 YPG) and seventh in total offense (343.6 YPG).

Set to step in and lead the new, the revamped WCU spread offense will feature true freshman Troy Mitchell, who has been impressive in the short time that he has been running the Catamount offense. He has already unseated Marshall transfer Eddie Sullivan for the starting job, although Sullivan could and likely will see action Thursday night.  

Mitchell and Sullivan will have one of the top receiving corps to throw to in the Southern Conference this season, led by the return of last year's three top pass-catchers: Jacoby Mitchell (39 rec, 441 yds, 5 TDs, 11.3 YPR), Deja Alexander (35 rec, 459 yds, 1 TD, 13.1 YPR) and Gary Green (29 rec, 345 yds, 3 TDs, 11.9 YPR).

The leaders of the unit will be Alexander and Mitchell, who have the best opportunity to garner All-SoCon accolades for the Catamounts on the offensive side of the football. Alexander hauled in a season-high eight passes for 143 yards in a road loss to top-ranked Georgia Southern.
Mitchell has plenty of speed and will be the deep threat for the Catamounts.

The senior had one of his best performances against Mars Hill last season and the Lions saw first-hand the kind of speed that Mitchell possessed. He had three TD catches, including a career-long 75-yard scoring reception, and 103 total yards receiving on three catches in the 52-31 win. He had his top performance of the season against Wofford, hauling in seven passes for 144 yards in a home loss to the Terriers.

One area in which the Catamounts have struggled over the past few seasons has been the ground game, but there will be no shortage of talent in Speir's backfield. Returning veterans include Michael Johnson (88 rush att, 274 yds, 2 TDs, 3.1 YPC), Michael Vaughn (96 rush att, 317 yds, 2 TDs, 3.3 YPC) and Shaun Warren (91 rush att, 454 yds, 5 TDs, 5.0 YPC) all returning to the Catamount backfield. 

Johnson, who was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in 2009, has battled injuries throughout his career, but will likely find himself getting the lion's share of the carries. Vaughn and Warren, however, should get their fair share of carries, as all three backs are talented. 

Johnson enters this season having rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 TDs in his career, and he hopes to become WCU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Darius Fudge in 2006.

The key to the effectiveness of this offense is the ability of the offensive line to be on the same page, and to dictate the rhythm and cadence of the game with its ability to tire defenses with its athleticism.

The offensive line hasn't been a strength for the Catamounts for several years. However, the good news is that WCU returns four players with starting experience along its front. As well, Teddy Rhoney, who went down with a knee injury last season, should return right guard. 

The key to the offensive front might be center Quevalas Murray and left tackle Wes Cook, who started 11 and 10 games, respectively. That duo, along with Rhoney, will be counted on for experience in 2012.

Mars Hill enters the season opener against the Catamounts returning six starters from an offense that ranked tops in the SAC in total offense (450.9 YPG), second in scoring offense (31.2 PPG), third in pass offense (211.9 YPG) and fourth in rushing offense (257.9 YPG).

Clifton's offense will be led once again by University of Georgia head coach Mark Richt's son, Jon Richt (157-of-290 passing, 1,899 yds, 18 TDs, 9 INTs, ). Richt turned in an outstanding 2011 season, which saw him garner First-Team All-SAC honors last season. 

Richt had his top performance of the 2011 season in a 42-35 win over Wingate, as he finished the contest by completing 28-of-38 passes for 339 yds and four TDs, without throwing a pick. Against the Catamounts last fall, Richt connected on 11-of-33 passes for 105 yards in the 21-point loss. 

Richt will have solid weapons at his disposal this fall at the skill positions, led by the return of his top two receiving threats. Leading the returnees will be All-SAC performer Dimitri Holmes (65 rec, 861 yds, 9 TDs, 13.2 YPR ), who was simply sensational in his freshman campaign.  

Holmes has the kind of speed that allows him to get behind opposing defenses with ease at times, and great hands. He had his best performance of the season against Brevard in a 30-14 win, hauling in 11 passes for 148 yards and a TD. Against the Catamounts in 2011, he led the Lions in receiving with four catches for 54 yards.

Richt's other weapon at wide receiver heading into the opener against Western Carolina will be Josh Young (47 rec, 653 yds, 5 TDs, 13.9 YPR), who was the Lions' second-leading pass-catcher last season. Young is another sure-handed weapon in the passing attack for the Lions.

The ground attack for the Mars Hill will no longer be led by Jonas Randolph, last season's Harlon Hill Trophy winner, given to the top performer in Division II. Randolph rushed for an astounding 2,170 yards last season.

Set to take over the rushing responsibilities for the Lions is Shakiel Davis (44 rush att, 374 yds, 2 TDs, 8.5 YPC), who is set to take the responsibilities as the feature running back for the Lions. 
The Lions will be good up front once again, returning Neal Dwyer to anchor the unit at right guard, as he enters the campaign as the veteran leader of the unit. 

The Defenses

One area of concern when Speir took over in Cullowhee was the defense, with the Catamounts coming off one of the worst seasons defensively in program history.

Last fall, WCU ranked 119th out of 120 FCS teams in total defense (509.6 YPG), 120th in scoring defense (45.6 PPG), 120th in rushing defense (334.1 YPG) and 15th against the pass (175.5 YPG). 

Six starters return on the defensive side of the football. Thus, the Catamounts, who will utilize a 4-2-5 defense this season, might find their strength in the defensive line.

Anchoring WCU's cast of four down linemen heading into the Thursday night opener will be junior defensive end Brian Johnson (29 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks), who could compete for postseason All-SoCon accolades.  Johnson has good speed and power on the outside at the rush end. 

The Catamounts also have one of the outstanding linebackers in the Southern Conference, returning Rock Williams (115 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR), who finished third in the SoCon in total tackles last fall. 

Williams, a player who will compete for All-America honors, will team with another veteran in junior Courtland Carson (62 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2 FRs). Carson—one of the better athletes on the defensive side—will start at the weakside LB on Thursday night.

The secondary is talented and it is the unit that carried the WCU defense last season. The Catamounts finished the season ranked No. 15 nationally in pass defense.

The leaders of the WCU defensive backfield will be spur safety Ace Clark (90 tackles, 1 FR), who will look to help a relatively young unit pick up where it left off last year. Keep an eye on true freshman Jaleel Lorquet at boundary CB, as he is one of the players touted to be a future star in the SoCon. 

Mars Hill brings back nine starters on the defensive side of the football from a unit that completed the 2011 season ranking sixth in the SAC in total defense (390.8 YPG), sixth in scoring defense (31.5 PPG), third in pass defense (176.1 YPG) and seventh in rush defense (209.8 YPG). 
Although the numbers weren't all that impressive on the defensive side of the football for the Lions, they did manage to top the league's season ledger in sacks, taking down opposing QBs on 25 occasions last season. 

The Lions do, however, return some well-decorated performers on the defensive side of the football, including preseason All-America selections Troy Harris (87 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 9 sacks) at one defensive end and middle linebacker Rudy Cabral (106 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks), who led the team in tackles last fall. 

In last year's matchup against WCU, the Lions allowed several big plays to what was an explosive WCU offense, and yielded 663 yards to WCU last fall. Those 663 yards by the WCU offense were easily the most on the 2011 campaign, and also the most in the history of the WCU football program.

Final Prediction

There will no doubt be some nerves for Speir and the nine true freshmen expected to log action on Thursday night. But in the end, the Catamounts will settle down and utilize their superior speed at the skill positions to get the win going away.

42-24 Catamounts

With eight starters returning on the defensive side of the football, Appalachian State has a chance to field one of its best outfits in school history, and likely the best unit since that vaunted 2006 ASU unit that featured a couple of Buck Buchanan Award candidates heading into the season.

Much like that '06 unit, the 2012 defense will also enter the campaign with a couple of Buck Buchanan Award candidates, and will be entering the second season utilizing the 3-4 defensive scheme.

Against Chattanooga in the Southern Conference opener last season, one could've been mistaken for thinking they were watching the 1994 ASU defense rather than the 2012 unit, as the Mountaineers did not score an offensive TD in a 14-12 win over the Mocs. 

ASU is coming off a 2011 season which saw the Black and Gold rank 53rd in the nation in total defense (353.3 YPG) last fall, 56th in rush defense (149.4 YPG), 41st in scoring defense (23.8 PPG), and 54th in pass defense (203.9 YPG).

The Mountaineers ranked third in the Southern Conference in sacks last season, with 24 quarterbacks take-downs on the campaign.

The strength of this Mountaineer defense heading into the 2012 season will be the line-backing unit, and that is despite losing OLB John Rizor, who was dismissed from the team just prior to fall camp. 

There are a couple of reasons why this ASU unit of LBs figures to be among the elite corps' in the FCS this fall, and that is thanks in large part to the return of seniors Jeremy Kimbrough  a (105 tackles, 12.0 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1TD) and Brandon Grier (97 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR).

Kimbrough, a 5-11, 240-pound native of Decatur, GA, will patrol the middle of the ASU defense, occupying one of the two inside LB spots this fall. Kimbrough is coming off a huge 2011 season, which saw him garner second-team All-America (The Sports Network) honors after becoming the leader of the Mountaineer defense last fall.

One of the reasons that Kimbrough enters the campaign as a Buck Buchanan Award candidate is because he is the type of defensive player that can be a game-changer for ASU, much like past greats K.T. Stovall, Josh Jeffries and the great Dexter Coakley once were.

His 46-yard INT return for a score in the 14-12 win over Chattanooga, helped will ASU to a two-point win in its SoCon opener last season. In that win over the Mocs, he also registered 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss to garner Sports Network National Player of the Week honors. Kimbrough completed the 2011 season by totaling five double-digit tackle performances on the campaign.

The other part of the all-conference duo returning for the 2012 campaign is senior inside linebacker Brandon Grier. The 6-2, 232-pound native of Charlotte,N.C., is coming off a solid 2011 season, and he will enter the season as a preseason Second-Team All-SoCon selection. He had four double-digit tackle performances last season, recording a season-best 13 stops in the season finale against Maine. 

Grier and Kimbrough will form the core of this Appalachian State defense this fall, and with their combined leadership and experience, it will be extremely tough for foes to find any daylight running the ball at the teeth of the ASU defense in 2012.

The two starters at outside linebacker will be James "Deuce" Robinson (16 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 FF) and Joel Ross. Robinson will assume the 'bandit' linebacker position, as he will transition from the defensive line as a result of the loss of Rizor, while Middleton will occupy the 'star' position, which is a hybrid linebacker/defensive back. 

Robinson seems to adjusted nicely to his new position through the first couple of weeks of fall camp. The 6-5, 246-pound native of Blythewood, S.C., turned in an outstanding freshman season as a defensive end, and though he had limited reps as a reserve, he showed his future potential as a pass-rusher on the perimeter. He brings excellent overall athleticism and power to the perimeter of the ASU defense, and enjoyed his top performance of his true freshman season against Savannah State, registering four tackles, 2.5 TFL and a pair of sacks. 

Rounding out the starters at LB for ASU heading into the 2012 season will be 'star' linebacker Joel Ross. The 5-10, 178-pound sophomore has had a strong spring and fall, and is one of the more underrated players on the ASU defense heading into the season. Ross is a physical presence on the ASU defense, and could be one of those playmakers those unheralded players that blossoms into a star talent on the defensive side of the football for the Mountaineers this fall. He saw action in eight games last season, with nearly all of his work logged as a part of the special teams unit.

With the loss of John Rizor, there has been some re-shuffling along the defensive line, as a result of Robinson's to OLB, there will be a new starter at one of the defensive end positions this fall, and ASU will have two new starters on the defensive front in total as a result of the graduation of Dan Wylie. 

The two new starters along the defensive front for the Apps this fall will be a pair of redshirt freshmen, in Davante Harris at defensive end and Thomas Bronson at nose tackle.

Harris, a 6-6, 285-pound redshirt freshman from Blythewood, S.C., would have factored in more last season if it hadn't been for a head injury in the home opener against North Carolina A&T, which cost him the remainder of his true freshman campaign. Harris is powerful and has excellent size and athleticisim, which he will bring to the bookend position.

Bronson, a 6-3, 275-pound native of Brookesville, FL, and has been impressive since his arrival on campus for the Apps. He will have some rather large shoes to fill this season, having to replace a talented nose tackle from a year ago for the Apps, with the graduation of Wylie. Bronson was one of the main recruiting targets for the ASU staff a couple of years ago, and they have been staff with his rapid development to this point. 

The veteran of what is a young starting trio along the defensive front entering the 2012 season will be Ronald Blair (40 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF), who was a SoCon All-Freshman performer last season, and will likely be ASU's top pass-rush threat this fall.

The 6-4, 271-pound native of Greensboro, GA, will team with Harris as the starting defensive ends for the Mountaineers heading into the 2012 season. Blair had several strong performances for the Mountaineers last season, and he is a powerful defensive end, which in many ways mirrors former ASU great K.T. Stovall (1999-2003).

His top performance of his true freshman campaign came in the win over top-ranked Georgia Southern, posting eight tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack, helping Blair garner SoCon Freshman of the Week accolades.

The defensive line has good size and athleticism, but lacks experience. It is definitely an element to keep an eye on, especially early on in the campaign, as the young talent adjusts to the college game; however, at this point, it wouldn't seem to be a big concern.

Plenty of excitement surrounds the ASU secondary heading into the 2012 campaign, and much of that excitement has to do with a player expected to challenge for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award, with the return of Demetrius McCray (48 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 9 PBUs, 5 INTs) at the right cornerback position. McCray is a tremendous athlete, and really took the league by storm last season.

McCray actually played quarterback as a prep, and he has tremendous speed and overall coverage skills. His five INTs last season led the Southern Conference. Like Blair, McCray enjoyed one of his top outings against Georgia Southern, picking off a pair of Jaybo Shaw passes. In fact, in ASU's four games in October, McCray picked off four passes, with all four coming against traditional triple-option ground attacks. 

Teaming with McCray as a starter at cornerback for the Apps this fall will be sophomore Doug Middleton (23 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs, 0.5 sacks), who is coming off a strong freshman campaign for the Mountaineers. Middleton is coming off a season which saw him start a pair of games and log action in all 12 contests as a free safety in his freshman season a year ago. 

Middleton, a 6-1, 198-pound native of Winston-Salem, N.C., and he made some significant contributions on special teams and on defense as a playmaker, with his electrifying speed and opportunistic instincts last season. One of the plays that personified Middleton's game-breaking speed came in the home opener against North Carolina A&T, as he returned an INT 97 yards for a score in ASU's 58-6 throttling of the Aggies. 

Rounding out the starters in the secondary for the Apps will be safeties Troy Sanders a (79 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 2 INTs, 1 FR) and Jamil Lott (13 tackles). 

Sanders will obviously provide the veteran leadership in the secondary along with McCray, as he heads into his third season as a full-time starter at strong safety. The 6-0, 214-pound product of Chester, S.C., is one of the more versatile players on the ASU defense, possessing the ability to play either linebacker or defensive back. In many ways, Sanders is a player that is somewhat overshadowed by the other star performers of this defense, such as Kimbrough and McCray. 

He enters the season having started 25-consecutive games for the Apps, and is coming off a season which saw him garner All-SoCon accolades at the strong safety position. He enjoyed his top outing of the 2011 season in the season opener against Virginia Tech, posting 10 stops, while also posting nine stops in back-to-back weeks in wins over Samford and Georgia Southern. 

Lott enters the 2012 season coming off a campaign in which he saw action in all 12 games, logging three starts. Lott is a versatile athlete, having played on both sides of the football during his ASU career, bouncing back and forth between wide receiver and defensive back. He made his first start on the defensive side of the ball as the ASU nickel back in regular-season finale against Western Carolina, and recorded 13 tackles over the final three games of the campaign.

Special Teams:

Last season, there were some question marks surrounding the ASU kicking game, however, those issues appeared to have been ironed out during the spring and in preseason camp. 

Set to handle the place-kicking responsibilities for the Apps will be Marshall transfer Drew Stewart (8-of-10 FGs, 17-of-19 PATs. Stewart split time with punter Sam Martin (40.9 YPP, 16 punts inside 20, 7 TBs) at the position last fall, but the job will be Stewart's alone this fall.

Stewart has been extremely accurate on field goals of 40 yards and closer. Field goals of 45+ yards could be handled by either Martin or Mark Powell, who both have strong legs and have proven to be accurate from long range. Stewart was an impressive 6-for-6 on field goals in ASU's 46-14 triumph over Western Carolina, and that included hitting a season-long 44-yqard field goal. 

Martin will handle the punting and kickoff responsibilities for the Apps this fall, and he will have a chance to compete for All-SoCon honors. He suffered through some nagging injuries throughout the 2011 season and early spring of this year, but appears to be 100-percent for the first time in a while, which is great news for head coach Jerry Moore.

Expect speedsters Tacoi Sumler and Doug Middleton to tag-team the kickoff and punt return duties this fall.

Predicting 2012 Schedule:

*-Denotes Southern Conference Game

Sept. 1 at East Carolina--Appalachian State and ECU will be meeting for the 31st time in series history, with ASU holding a 19-11 all-time series edge. A lot of sideline ties in this one, with two former members of ASU's 1995, 12-1 staff now significant members of the ECU staff, in Pirates head coach Ruffin McNeil and associate head coach John Wiley, making for some interesting storylines heading into the opener. ECU won 29-24 in '09, and had to hold on to be an Armanti Edwards-less ASU club on that afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. I expect this one to be relatively close again, with ECU being able to overcome ASU late in this one and post a win.

L-21-14

Sept. 8 Montana--ASU opens the Kidd Brewer Stadium gates with an intriguing matchup that has FCS football fans salivating, as the Montana Grizzlies make the trip from Missoula to Boone for the rare night game at The Rock. The two programs have of course met twice before in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs, with Montana claiming both of those wins nine years apart, with the latest being a 24-17 contest in the electrifying atmosphere of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. If the combined five national titles aren't reason enough to watch, then maybe the fact that the only two previous meetings haven't decided until late in the fourth quarter, and in the case of the 2000 meeting, not until overtime,should be enough to keep any FCS fan glued to coverage. While Montana brings pedigree and talent, it also brings plenty of question marks to Boone, including a new man under center and on the sidelines after a tumultuous off-season. For that reason, I think the Mountaineers complete the sweep of the Big Sky State--ASU defeated Montana State 31-14 in the '06 FCS Quarterfinals--with a close win over the Grizzlies.

W-20-17

Sept. 15 The Citadel*--September 15th brings about the Southern Conference opener for the Mountaineers, and ASU will open up its league slate against a Citadel team it has won eight-straight games against on the gridiron, dating back to a 24-21 loss in 2003. ASU has 17 of the last 18 games dating back to a 27-14 loss to the Bulldogs in Charleston in 1993. ASU claimed a wild 49-42 win last season in Charleston in what proved to the starting debut for Jamal Jackson, who completed his first 15 passes before throwing an incompletion in the seven-point road win. The Bulldogs return the league's most starters, with 18 regulars returning for the 2012 season. Eighth-year head coach welcomes the return of both quarterbacks, Aaron Miller and Ben Dupree, and will have one of the top defensive lines in the SoCon, anchored by the bookend tandem of Chris Billinslea and Derek Douglas. ASU has traditionally played exceptionally well inside the friendly confines against the Bulldogs, with the Mountaineers having not lost to the Bulldogs in Boone since a 25-0 setback in 1992 and are 17-3 against the Bulldogs in Boone all-time. In the 40 meetings all-time between the two schools, ASU hold a commanding 29-11 series lead. ASU might struggle to move the ball early against a stout Citadel defense, but look for the floodgates to open in the second half and for the Mountaineers to claim a win by 14-21 points.

W-38-17 

Sept. 22 at Chattanooga*--There's no question the recent history of this rivalry has been exciting, as the past two meetings have been won by ASU by a combined three points. Last season, the Mountaineers didn't need an offensive TD en route to taking down the potent QB-WR connection of B.J Coleman and Joel Bradford, as ASU took down the Mocs by a score of 14-12. The last time the two played in the Scenic City, the season-opening SoCon clash produced a classic that will not soon be forgotten, with ASU eventually rebounding from a 21-point second half deficit to get a 42-41 win in a thrilling offensive display. Chattanooga is for many, the darkhorse to claim the Southern Conference title this season, and with 17 starters returning from a team that lost five games by a combined 12 points last season, including eight from one of the nation's top defensive units, this contest has the makings of another defensive classic. The Mocs will utilize the spread offense this fall, with either Terrell Robinson or Jacob Huesman slated to step under center. ASU holds a commanding 25-10 series edge, and the Mountaineers have won 24 of the last 27 meetings. ASU has won its last three games in Chattanooga, dating back to loss in the highest scoring game in Southern Conference history in 2004, with UTC claiming a wild 59-56 back in 2004. This should be a close, defensive affair with Chattanooga getting a late field goal to claim the win.

L-17-14

Sept. 29 Coastal Carolina--It will mark the third all-time meeting between ASU and Coastal Carolina, but will mark the first meeting between the two in nearly six years, with the last being a 45-28 win in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs. The Chanticleers are coming off their best season since that '06 season, as CCU posted a 7-4 mark, including a pair of wins over SoCon foes, beating both Furman and Western Carolina to bookend the season. It will mark the third all-time meeting between the Apps and Chants, with ASU having claimed both previous wins in convincing fashion, and both of those triumphs came on the KBS turf. A new man will be in charge of the Chanticleers football program, in former TD Ameritrade Joe Moglia, who became one of the most intriguing stories of the FCS off-season when he was hired to replace the coach David Bennett, who became the inaugural coach of the program when he was hired back in 2003. The Chanticleers welcome the return of 16 starters from a team that won seven games a year ago, including second-year starter Aramis Hillary under center. Hillary, who is the younger brother of former ASU wideout CoCo Hillary, brings experience and a dual threat to the QB position for the Chants this fall. ASU marks one of two SoCon foes the Chants will face this fall, as Moglia and CCU travel to Furman on Sept.8 to take on the Paladins in their home opener. The Chants were picked to finish third in the preseason Big South coaches and media poll. ASU last lost a regular-season non-conference game early in the 2009 season, when it dropped a 40-35 decision to No. 16 McNeese State. Don't expect the same result here, as ASU rolls to a third-straight win over CCU in convincing fashion.

W-35-14

Oct. 6 Elon (HC)*--Elon has become the program that Appalachian State fans have enjoyed beating about as much as anyone in the league. That enjoyment has to do mostly with the status on the FCS totem poll in the Old North State, with ASU occupying the imaginary top rung, while Elon remains a distant second. But Elon is tightening the gap, as evidenced by its narrow 28-24 setback to ASU last season in the regular-season finale--a game which ASU had to overcome a 21-0 deficit on the road to win. Elon is one of the two SoCon opponents have yet to lose to, and it's also the program that holds the distinction of most consecutive losses to ASU of the eight SoCon opponents, as the Mountaineers have won 16-straight against the Phoenix dating back to their days as NAIA rivals in 1965. Elon is a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde team heading into the 2012 season, but Elon does welcome the return of 17 starters, including the top pass-catch combo in the SoCon, in quarterback Thomas Wilson and Walter Payton Award candidate Aaron Mellette, who torched the ASU secondary for 236 yards on 14 receptions and a TD. It will mark the 41st all-time meeting between the two programs, with ASU holding a commanding 30-9-1 all-time series edge. Elon has been the league's passing champion each of the last seven seasons, and that should play into ASU's hands, assuming the Phoenix will again be a pass-heavy offense. However, Elon does play well in Boone, as evidenced by its last two trips to The Rock, but had the SoCon's all-time leading passer in each of those nip-and-tuck battles. Expect ASU to claim a win by 10-13 points in the homecoming clash.

W-38-28

Oct. 13 at Samford*--Like Elon, Samford is hasn't beaten the Mountaineers in a long time--42 years to be exact, and the Apps are 4-0 against the Bulldogs since Samford joined the SoCon in 2008. ASU remains the only team that the Bulldogs have not defeated since joining the league in 2008. The Mountaineers have won all four meetings as league foes by double digits, including a 35-17 win at The Rock last season. It will mark only the seventh all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Mountaineers, with ASU leading the all-time series 5-1. Samford's lone victory actually came in Boone, posting a 42-35 win over ASU at Conrad Stadium in November of 1970. ASU is 3-0 all-time in Birmingham, including a 35-17 win in the Magic City the last time the Apps made the seven-hour trek from the High Country. Samford, under the direction of former Auburn Heisman Trophy member Pat Sullivan, expects to have its most talented squad since joining the league in '08, and Sullivan has publicly said it might be his best team since taking over the reins of the program in 2007. Sixteen starters return for the Bulldogs for the 2012 season, including four starters along the offensive line, a potential All-America wide receiver, Kelsey Pope, and one of the nation's top all-purpose burners, Fabian Truss. The question mark on offense is how do you replace the school's second all-time leading passer, Dustin Taliaferro. That answer will either be Memphis transfer Andy Summerlin or junior Ben Neill.The defense also returns eight starters, anchored by Alvin Hines II, who enters the 2012 season as one of the league's top safeties. I think this game is crucial for ASU and one of the most important on the schedule. The result of this tough road contest determines whether ASU establishes itself as a team solidly qualified for the playoffs for the remainder of the season, or a team that has to play its way in from the fringes of the playoff bubble. For that reason, I think ASU finds a way to get a very scary win on the road and remain unbeaten against the Bulldogs as SoCon foes.

W-28-27

Oct. 20 Wofford*--ASU's SoCon stretch run in the SoCon begins with Wofford--a team that has been able to hold its own against ASU in Spartanburg, as evidenced by the 28-14 Terrier triumph at Gibbs Stadium last season, but the Terriers are also a team that have seemed to be in the Twilight Zone when playing at The Rock in recent memory. The Mountaineers have won four-straight home games against the Terriers, winning by an average of score of 41-15. Wofford, who was the picked to finish second in the SoCon in the league's media poll, welcomes the return of 15 starters, led by the return of the 2012 preseason SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and High Country product Eric Breitenstein, who rushed for 173 yards on 33 carries in the Terriers' win over the Apps last season. Wofford will be breaking in a new quarterback under center, in Brian Kass, who has some rather large shoes to fill with the departure of Mitch Woods as a result of graduation. The Terriers ranked second in the SoCon in total defense last fall, and seven starters are back from that unit of a year ago, including one of the league's top linebackers, Alvin Scioneaux. No doubt there's some great history between these two programs, with the main link being Jim Brakefield--a legendary coach at both institutions at different time, and he was the benefactor of the wishbone offense in its arrival at Wofford. Of course, under Mike Ayers, the Terriers will utilize the spread-bone attack once again this fall. The Oct. 20 meeting between the Mountaineers and Terriers will mark the 29th all-time meeting between the programs, with ASU holding a 17-11 all-time series edge. ASU claimed a 43-13 win in the meeting between the two back in 2010, which was a game that was the de facto Southern Conference title game. This one will likely once again be a game that goes a long way in deciding the SoCon race, and I expect Wofford to play its best game in Boone since 2006, but it will only result in a close loss, as ASU gets a big win over what could be a Top 10 FCS foe.

W--22-20

Oct. 27 at Western Carolina*--It will be another relatively early meeting for the "Battle For The Old Mountain Jug" and this will be an intriguing matchup this fall, as four former ASU coaches or players will be on the sidelines for the Catamounts this fall, including head coach Mark Speir, who has been selected to try and resurrect the WCU football program back to its winning ways of the early 1980's. Speir was instrumental to the success of ASU, coaching the running backs, defensive line and serving as the recruiting coordinator during his nine seasons on the mountain. Speir will be charged in rejuvenating a program that is just 11-56 overall and just 3-43 in Southern Conference play since the start of the 2006 campaign. The Catamounts welcome the return of 14 starters for the 2012 season, with eight returning on the offensive side of the ball and six on the defensive side of the football. Eddie Sullivan, a Marshall transfer, will be charged with leading Speir's spread-option attack in Cullowhee this fall, and will will have capable offensive weapons at his disposable, such as receivers Jacoby Mitchell and Deja Alexander and running back Michael Johnson. Most of the rebuilding project for the Catamounts resides on the defensive side of the ball, as WCU fielded one of the worst defenses in school history last season. There are some playmakers returning on the defensive side of the ball, including Rock Williams at LB, who finished third in the SoCon in tackles last season with 115 stops. ASU has won 25 of the last 27 matchups between the two programs, including three-straight at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee. ASU last tasted defeat in the series in 2004, as WCU quarterback Justin Clarke, combined with some late-game miscues by the Black and Gold, helped lead a dramatic come-from-behind 30-27 win for WCU to claim the Jug. Since, the series has only really seen one close contest, which was the 2009 meeting, which saw ASU claim a 19-14 win in Boone without the services of Armanti Edwards. The Oct. 27th meeting will mark the 77th all-time meeting between the two programs, with ASU fashioning a commanding 57-18-1 series edge. This one will once again go the way of the Mountaineers, but I expect this rivalry to get very interesting in the near future, as WCU improves under Speir and staff.

W--38-10

Nov. 3 at Georgia Southern*--When it comes to Southern Conference and FCS Football, it just doesn't get any better than the Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State rivalry. Each of the past two seasons has seen one or the other enter the matchup ranked No. 1 in the nation on both occasions, and on each occasion, the No. 1 team was upset. It's must see game and a game that could very well decide the Southern Conference title this fall. Last season, it was Appalachian State that posted a 24-17 win over the top-ranked Eagles, but it was Georgia Southern that ultimately ended up lifting the Southern Conference football crown, ending ASU's streak of six-straight league crowns. It's a matchup between two schools that have a combined nine national championships (GSU 6, ASU 3) and 20 Southern Conference crowns (ASU-11, GSU 9). The Mountaineers and Eagles have two of the best football heritages in not only FCS football, but also Division I football as a whole.The Appalachian State-Georgia Southern matchup is comparable to the Oklahoma-Texas matchup, or the Alabama-LSU matchups of the FBS college football world.  It will mark the 28th all-time meeting between the two schools, with ASU holding a slim 14-12-1 edge in the series.This matchup has seen some great games, sans the 2004 and 2009 meetings between the two. In '04, the second-ranked Eagles walloped the Black and Gold in Statesboro, handing Appalachian State its worst loss in Statesboro in series history, as GSU posted a 54-7 win on that particular afternoon.ASU, however, would return the favor in 2009, rolling up 702 yards of total offense en route to a 52-16 win over the visiting Eagles before a sellout crowd at "The Rock" in the previous Black Saturday showdown between the two.Those two games, however, have been an exception to the rule as a whole in the 27 previous meetings. Six of the last nine meetings between the two have been classics, including four of the past five, with two needing overtime to decide things.Georgia Southern Took Down No.1, Undefeated Appalachian State, 21-14, In Overtime At Paulson Stadium In 2010.Last season's meeting between two Top five ranked foes was the first since 2001 when the Eagles took a 27-18 win against Appalachian. Interestingly enough, the last top-ranked team to visit The Rock was Georgia Southern in 1999, which is also the last time ASU defeated a national No. 1-ranked team. Heading into the 2011 matchup, the Eagles were ranked No.1 in the country, while the Mountaineers came in ranked No. 5.Last season's contest saw the Apps hold the Eagles to just 135 yards rushing, and a mere 201 yards of total offense. Coming into the contest, Georgia Southern was the NCAA Division I FCS leader in scoring (44.6 PPG) and rushing offense (369.7 YPG). ASU also held the Eagles to just 10 offensive points, and held the Eagles to 286 yards below their 487 yards of total offense average per game coming in. The full display of the best athleticism in the SoCon and FCS will be in action on Nov. 3 at Paulson Stadium. Some of the top defensive players in the nation will be in this matchup, including ASU's Demetrius McCray and LB Jeremy Kimbrough, and GSU's NG Brent Russell and LB Josh Rowe. Three of the four aforementioned players enter the season as preseason Buck Buchanan Award favorites. This game again has the makings of a great one, but after having won close contests in Statesboro in 2006 and '08, the Eagles might have turned the tide back in its favor against ASU in Paulson Stadium with its 21-14 overtime win in '10. It could be argued that it was that game that helped wake the sleeping giant that GSU has become. Since that win over a top-ranked ASU team in 2010, the Eagles have a 17-4 record. GSU gets a close win in Statesboro.

L--20-17

Nov. 10 Furman*(Black Saturday)--This is a rivalry that has stood the test of time in Southern Conference football over the years, although it has certainly been threatened to go the way of the dinosaur in recent seasons, with ASU posting six-straight wins from 2005-10. However, that was until last season when Furman infused some friction back into the once bitter rivalry by handing the No. 3-ranked Mountaineers a 20-10 at Furman's Paladin Stadium last fall. Since joining the Southern Conference in 1972, Appalachian State has never closed out a season or even Southern Conference play against Furman, which will be the case when the Paladins make a trip to what should be a chilly Kidd Brewer Stadium on Nov. 10. The two teams will be squaring off for the 42nd time in series history this season, with Appalachian, who trailed the series by a significant margin in the series at one point, has cut Furman's lead to 22-17-2. Appalachian State has won nine of the past 11 meetings between the two programs. Furman has not won in Boone since a 20-14 win on Oct. 12, 1996. The matchup is also one that pits the two schools that have won the most Southern Conference football titles, with the Paladins and Mountaineers having combined to have won 23 Southern Conference football crowns (Furman-12, Appalachian State-11).Interestingly enough, the two teams were pretty comparable offensively last season in terms of the national rankings. ASU ranked 38th nationally in total offense (390.2 YPG), while the Paladins ranked 39th nationally (389.3 YPG). In scoring offense, Appalachian State ranked 38th nationally (28.67 PPG) and Furman ranks 39th in scoring offense (28.64 PPG).In the 2011 meeting, Furman used an opportunistic defensive performance, causing four ASU turnovers en route to a 10-point win. The Paladins jumped out to a 21-0 lead on the strength of taking advantage of a couple of those afforded opportunities and a big pass play, which saw First-Team All-SoCon quarterback Chris Forcier connect with wideout Sederrik Cunningham for a 79-yard scoring connection about five minutes prior to the half.ASU did get back into the game in the second half, and did hold a 399-365 advantage in total yards, but many times in the Furman red zone squandered opportunities against a "bend-but-don't-break" Furman defense.In the Paladins' last trip to the High Country, it was "Black Saturday" --a game that hasn't been kind to the Paladins in recent history--and Furman went back to Greenville saddled with a 37-26 loss to the top-ranked, unbeaten Mountaineers. In that game, it was a big afternoon for ASU running back Travaris Cadet, who rushed for 108 yards and a career-best three TDs en route to helping the Mountaineers to the 11-point win.The fact remains that the Paladins haven't won on ASU's turf since it had that Marshall Green hue to it, and though the Paladins have played ASU well in Boone in the past, the crowd has more often than not been enough to give ASU that extra edge when it needed. Despite Furman's struggles against ASU of late--it's still ASU-Furman and it's still one of the best rivalries in the SoCon. Circle this one on the old calendar. While Furman will and usually does play well in Boone, it's not ready to entertain visions of 1996 just yet, and ASU solidifies its place in the postseason with a win in this one. 

W--30-20

Predicted Final Regular Season Record: 8-3 overall, 6-2 SoCon

Appalachian State is coming off a 2011 season which saw it struggle more than any other since the inaugural season of the spread offense back in 2004. For the first time in seven seasons, Appalachian ended a campaign averaging less than 400 yards of total offense per game (390.2 YPG/38th in FCS) and less than 30 points per game (28.6 PPG/38th in FCS). 

The real missing piece to the Appalachian offensive puzzle is easy to pin-point—generating a ground game. Nowhere were the struggles more evident than running the football in-between the tackles, as the Mountaineers ended the season averaging just 155.8 YPG (55th in FCS, 6th in SoCon); the lowest rushing total since the initial season the spread offense was adopted back in '04. In that season, ASU experienced one of its worst in school history moving the football on the ground, averaging a mere 102.9 YPG.

The one thing the Apps did do impressively on offense last fall was throwing the football. ASU completed the 2011 season averaging 233.6 YPG (37th in FCS/2nd in SoCon). The 233.6 YPG average is the best mark since the Apps averaged 258.6 YPG through the air back in '09.

Several key factors will benefit the Mountaineer offense this season, and those elements will be reasons why many believe the offense will find its rhythm once again in 2012. One of the major reasons we have already highlighted back in Part I of the 2012 preview, and that is the return of offensive coordinator Scott Satterfield. 

With Satterfield at the helm of the offense, ASU was nearly unstoppable offensively from 2004-08. He now will add the experiences he has gleaned in his three seasons away from the High Country under some up-and-coming coaches in FBS football, such as Florida International's Mario Cristobal. In all, Satterfield's offense returns six regulars from a year ago, with most of the question marks centering around the offensive line and lack of experience in the backfield heading into the 2012 season. 

Maybe even a bigger reason the Mountaineers will see their numbers drastically improve on the offensive side of the football this fall is the return of the league's top signal-caller, in junior Jamal Jackson (161-of-262 passing, 2,001 yds, 15 TDs, 8 INTs, 200.1 YPG).

Jackson took over in the fifth game of the regular season, starting against The Citadel for an injured DeAndre Presley. Jackson would never look back, and would turn in his best game of the season in the first start of his career. In the win over the Bulldogs, Jackson connected on 21-of-27 passes for 234 yards and three TDs. 

The 6'3", 205-pound junior from Atlanta, GA., has an excellent, accurate arm. He also has good pocket presence and awareness, and though he lacks the speed of his predecessor, he can get yards on the ground if called upon to do so. Jackson has drawn comparisons by some to former Appalachian State signal-caller Richie Williams (2002-05).

Jackson became the first quarterback in the history of Appalachian State football to pass for 200 or more yards in seven-straight starts. He took over as ASU's full-time starter under center in the sixth game of the season against The Citadel, and he would never relinquish that starting post, garnering starts in the final seven games of the 2012 season. 

Jackson also rushed for rushed for 296 yards and seven TDs, making him a quarterback opponents can't take for granted as just a passing threat. In total, Jackson was responsible for 2,297 yards of total offense and 22 TDs last fall. His 2,001 passing yards as a sophomore last fall were the most by any sophomore QB in the rich tradition of the Mountaineer football program.  

While Jackson will start, the Mountaineers will also have solid depth under center this fall. Logan Hallock and Kameron Bryant are two solid talents waiting in the wings if called upon. Barnes is more akin to Armanti Edwards, while Hallock brings a savvy and poise to the position.

The 5'11", 185-pound sophomore, Hallock served as the Mountaineers' holder last season, and he has been impressive throughout preseason camp to this point. To give you an idea of Hallock's athleticism, if he doesn't end up finding the field as a backup quarterback this fall, he will likely find his way on to the field as a wide receiver for the Black and Gold. 

During his senior season as a prep at West Wilkes High School, Hallock was named Wilkes County Offensive Player of the Year after totaling 3,079 yards of total offense and 30 TD responsibilities. He scored the only TD of his career by recovering a teammate's fumble in the 46-14 win over Western Carolina last fall. 

Bryant, a 6'2",195-pound redshirt freshman signal-caller, completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,530 yards and 26 TDs, with eight INTs. He also rushed for over 400 yards as a senior. 

With Jackson, Bryant and Hallock filling out the depth chart under center this fall, Appalachian State should once again be in great shape under center this fall. All three quarterbacks have the unique respective skill sets that will make this offense a success once again in 2012. 

One of the biggest question marks entering the 2012 season is at running back, where the Mountaineers must find a replacement for 2011 starter Travaris Cadet, who has graduated. Originally, Quarterrio Morgan was slated to line up behind Jackson this fall, however, Morgan did not qualify academically after transferring into ASU from Western Kentucky. 

Appalachian State hasn’t had a running back rush for over 1,000 yards since 2007, when Kevin Richardson completed his standout career in the Black and Gold by rushing for 1,348 yards as a senior. 

The hopes of the ASU running game will be pinned on the shoulders of Steven Miller (76 rush att, 380 yds, 3 TDs, 5.0 YPC) this fall, who will be entering his second season in the ASU Black and Gold after transferring in from Nassau Community College in Piscataway, N.J. 

Miller has the kind of big-play potential that can change a game, as his biggest asset coming out of the ASU backfield is his tremendous speed. Miller turned in his top performance of the 2011 season in the 49-42 win at The Citadel, finishing that contest with 102 yards and a pair of scores on just 18 carries.

Competing alongside Miller for the starting position throughout fall camp thus far has been senior Rod Chisholm (27 rush att, 111 yds, 1 TD in 2010). Chisholm is a player that has had a number of bad breaks in his Mountaineer career, as a result of injuries and academic issues, but now is finally ready to be a big contributor for the ASU offense this fall.

At 5'9", 201 pounds, Chisholm has the kind of size and power that can wear on tiring defenses late in games. He gives the Mountaineers a true between-the-tackles runner with the ability to stretch out a drive in increments, but more importantly, he is the kind of running back that will help the Mountaineers take precious minutes off the clock from teams in the league that sport potent offenses, such as Georgia Southern. For his career, Chisholm has rushed for 244 yards and a TD on 44 carries (4.1 YPC).

Michael Frazier and Tysean Holloway are a couple of players that should also have a real chance to see time in the ASU offense this fall. Frazier, who moved from defensive back to the offensive backfield in the spring of 2011, is much like Chisholm in that he is a bruising, power-type back. Frazier redshirted the 2011 season after moving over from the defensive side of the ball. 

Holloway is a talented, true-freshman back this season that ASU will likely try and redshirt, but overall lack of depth coupled with his tremendous attributes might prevent that from happening.

The 6'1", 193-pound true freshman from Asheville, N.C., has been on the ASU campus since January and went through spring drills with the team. He graduated early from Asheville High School just to get the opportunity to push for the starting running back job this fall, which he is doing. 

During his prep career at Asheville High School, he rushed for 4,844 yards and 77 TDs during his prep career and was ranked a 2-star recruit by Rivals.com. He was named the 2011 Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,405 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior. 

Overall, the ground game will be versatile and getting this unit the ball in creative ways will be one of the ways this unit could potentially be explosive once again this fall after going stagnate the past couple of seasons. 

Despite losing two of the greatest pass-catchers in program history with the graduation of Brian Quick and tight end Ben Jorden. Quick, of course, finished his career as the program's all-time leading receiver in four major categories before becoming the highest draft selection in the history of the program. He was the first pick (33rd overall) of the second round by the St. Louis Rams. ASU's strongest offensive position once again will be wide receiver. 

The Apps will have a great mix of veterans and youth and have one very big surprise with a BCS-conference transfer that could make an immediate impact this fall. 

The veterans that will be looked to this fall to lead this unit are Andrew Peacock (48 rec, 564 yds, 3 TDs, 11.3 YPR) and Tony Washington (32 rec, 355 yds, 2 TDs, 11.1 YPR). They will be the headliners of the talented unit. Both Washington and Peacock were second-team All-SoCon selections in the preseason by the league's media. The talented duo are the only ones to have recorded all but one of the receptions on the current ASU roster.

Peacock is the leading returning wideout for the Apps and he will likely open the season as the starter at the 'M' wide receiver position, which he occupied last fall. Peacock, a 5'10", 193-pound junior, put together a solid sophomore season, turning in a three-week period which saw him haul in 16 passes for 185 yards and a TD.  

Peacock opened the scoring in ASU's win over Georgia Southern, hauling in a 25-yard pass for a score in ASU's 24-17 upset win over top-ranked Georgia Southern. He had his top receiving performance of the season a week later in a 20-10 loss at Furman, hauling in eight passes for 79 yards. Peacock's speed and route-running ability will make him one of the league's top wideouts this fall.

Washington, a 5'10", 200-pound junior from High Point, N.C., will be more of a possession-type receiver for ASU as the starter at the 'Z' wideout position this fall, although he has the speed to be a big-play threat. Like Peacock, Washington definitely benefited from playing in the same receiving corps with Quick last season, and he will likely not see as much freedom this fall.

Washington had some solid performances last season, with his top-two games of the campaign coming against Samford and Furman. In the 35-17 win over Samford, Washington hauled in six passes for 78 yards, including a 41-yard TD. In the 20-10 loss at Furman, Washington hauled in a career-high seven passes for 59 yards. 

Rounding out the expected starting trio at the 'X' wide receiver this fall for ASU will be talented redshirt freshman Sean Price (1 rec, 6 yds), who has been touted by some as the next Brian Quick. Price is certainly comparable in height, coming into camp at 6'5", 210 pounds. 

The redshirt freshman from Reston Lakes, VA, probably has slightly better speed than his predecessor Quick. Price was a standout performer as a prep during his time at South Lakes High School, where he was able to haul in 49 passes for 820 yards and eight TDs, while running 14 times for 275 yards and four scores. His speed and ability to go up and haul in the ball at its highest point are two strengths, but his greatest asset that he will bring the ASU receiving corps this fall is his tremendous hands. He might have the best set of hands on the ASU roster. 

While ASU is certainly pleased with the trio slated to start the opener against East Carolina in a couple of weeks, much of the talk surrounding the receiving corps and the offense as a whole in the second week of camp was the addition of a very high-profile transfer. 

That high profile arrival is Tacoi Sumler, who arrived on the ASU campus at the beginning of the second week of camp from defending Rose Bowl champion and PAC-12 member Oregon. Sumler was a highly sought after recruit as a prep, and was rated a 4-star recruit by Rivals.com and was a member of the prestigious "ESPN 150" coming in ranked as the No. 62 ranked player in the country. 

Sumler, a player also sought after by local regional FBS powers Clemson and South Carolina, transferred to ASU hoping to get a chance to get on the field sooner, as well as having the ability to get back on the same side of the country as his hometown, which is Miami, FL.

If speed is any indicator, Sumler should see the gridiron plenty in 2012 for Jerry Moore's Mountaineers. With the transition back to a faster-paced offense, which will likely once again feature three cadences, Sumler's astounding 4.24 speed in the 40-yard dash should come in handy. His 40-time was the fastest of any freshman recruit in the nation in 2011. 

The 5'9", 173-pound redshirt freshman did catch three passes for 15 yards in the Oregon spring game. As a prep at Christopher Columbus High School, Sumler was a two-time National Underclassmen Combine MVP and caught 116 passes for 1,984 yards and 26 touchdowns over his final three seasons.

He should be figured into the plans as an H-Back and slot receiver option for the Apps this fall. He will likely find himself used both equally as a receiving and run threat this fall, and could also factor into the kick-return game with his electrifying speed. 

Other wideouts that figure to contribute to the ASU cause this fall are Bobo Beathard and Simms McElfresh. Both Beathard and McElfresh could be significant factors in the passing game this fall for the Apps. 

Beathard, a talented redshirt freshman, is coming off a true freshman campaign which saw him suffer from a head injury. The 5'10", 181-pound native of Haymarket, VA, saw action in the first three games of the campaign before his season came to an end abruptly as the result of a head injury. Beathard will likely see time behind Price at the 'X' receiver position for the Apps this fall.

McElfresh, a 5'10", 183-pound freshman from Charlotte, N.C., was especially impressive during spring drills, working his way into the plans of the ASU coaching staff for the upcoming season. McElfresh's hard work, savvy and his set of hands will serve him well in the ASU lineup as a reserve, likely behind Peacock at the 'M' wide receiver position for the Apps this fall.

ASU must also find a way to replace Ben Jorden, who meant as much to the Mountaineer offense as any player that graduated last fall. Jorden was a four-time All-SoCon honoree and is not only one of the best tight ends in school history, but also is one of the top receivers in the history of Appalachian State football. His 14-career TD receptions ranked him sixth all-time on the school's all-time ledger. 

The tight end position will be occupied by Drew Bailey and Zac Baker, and even though both will likely tag-team the duties this fall, expect Bailey to be the starter. The 6'4", 250-pound sophomore native of Spartanburg, S.C., entered camp as the favorite to garner the starting nod, and has done nothing to dismiss those prognostications as of yet. Unlike Jorden, Bailey is more of a blocking tight end as opposed to being a proficient pass-catcher, as Jorden was. 

Baker, a 6'2", 238-pound junior from Tunnel Hill, GA, has been learning a new position, having switched sides of the football. Baker spent three seasons plying his trade as a defensive line-linebacker hybrid type player, possessing enough athleticism to play either position, making the transition to the offensive side of the ball a possibility. Baker's versatility and athleticism could make him a significant contributor at a position where the Mountaineers lack experienced depth.

While there's no Brian Quick in this season's wide receiver corps, the good news is that the Apps appear to have plenty of young, talented athletes set to join the experienced Washington and Peacock for the pass-catching responsibilities this fall. I would put ASU's starting trio of wideouts up against any other starting trio in the league going into the 2012 season.

The one known question mark coming into the 2012 season for the ASU coaching staff was the offensive line.

One of the reasons many have concerns about the ASU offensive front this fall is the final two players from the "old guard"—Orry Frye and Matt Ruff—have graduated. The most experienced returnee along the ASU offensive front heading into the 2012 season is sophomore center Alex Acey.

Acey, a former walk-on, is the type player that ASU has built its championship success during the Jerry Moore era, especially when you look at recent history and the center position. Acey has the potential to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest centers to ever suit up for the Black and Gold, in Scott Suttle (2004-07), who like Acey, began his career as a walk-on for the Mountaineers. 

The 5'10", 268-pound sophomore from Clay, AL, started all 12 games he saw action in last season, garnering SoCon All-Freshman honors in his first season on the mountain. He recorded a season best 86 percent grade in the game at Furman last season. 

The only other returning starter along the offensive line heading into the 2012 season is left tackle Kendall Lamm. The 6'6", 280-pound sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., started the first seven games of the 2011 season before sitting out for much of the remainder of the season due to injury and disciplinary issues. 

Lamm has all the tools to be an all-conference player at the left tackle position for the Mountaineers, and he brings great athleticism and footwork to the ASU offensive front. Lamm, a more mature player, could be a difference-maker this season, and sometimes it takes a season of being thrown into the cauldron to develop that "mean streak" that every offensive lineman must find. He had his best performance of the season against The Citadel, recording four knockdown blocks in the 49-42 road win.

The offensive guard positions will likely be occupied by Graham Fisher at right guard, while impressive freshman Shaq Counts has a solid hold on the starting left guard position. Fisher, a 6'2", 285-pound sophomore, has five-career starts and is an extremely intelligent, savvy offensive lineman. He has taken on the role of mentor to his younger OL mates in his third season in the program. 

Look for 6'4", 277-pound Ian Barnard to see a fair amount of action at right guard, and could still win the position before the close of preseason camp. 

Rounding out the starters along the offensive line heading into the season opener at East Carolina is right tackle Regan Dufort. Dufort, a 6'6", 315-pound native of Fredericksburg, VA, is the biggest player on the ASU offensive front and a player that is ready to shed the tag of having "big potential" and transition that into "talented and reliable."

Dufort could be ready to realize that talent this season, as the junior has come into his own during spring and fall camp. Now, all that needs to be done is converting that effort and work ethic into 11 or more Saturday afternoons. 

The obvious question with this unit is experienced depth and the example of Dufort can be said of all the ASU offensive linemen. No one questions the potential of what are some of the most accomplished ASU O-Line recruits in the history of the program, but there has been a failure to position that talent to go from "potential" to "talented and reliable." With Ledford at the helm of the unit, expect a little more positive reinforcement for his green unit, which will produce a substantial improvement along the front this season. ASU's offensive line will be one of the most-improved and productive in the SoCon in 2012.

If things go well, this offense has a chance to be really good. The offensive line and running game are the biggest question marks, but I think there are plenty more positives than negatives with both units heading into the season. Part of any college football team's success is how they are coached off the field far away from gridiron glory on Saturday afternoons.

ASU wasn't as far away from a big season on offense in 2011 as many would think; it was just an unseasoned outfit. With a new energy infused by offensive coaches, who are not too far removed from being players themselves, this unit could return to the ASU offenses most of us who follow the SoCon are so accustomed to in the spread era—which is an offense with big-play potential and versatility. 

Coming up next week, stay tuned for Part III of the preview, as I take a look at what should be a vaunted Appalachian State defense that returns eight starters, and I will also take a look at the 2012 schedule.

When Appalachian State takes to the field for its season opener against East Carolina in a little less than three weeks time, it will have hoped to have found its way out of the doldrums the team was mired in at season's end.

The final stretch of the 2011 season saw the Mountaineers struggle in two of their final three games of the campaign, which included losses down the stretch at Furman (20-10) and the shocking 34-12 defeat the Black and Gold endured at the hands of the Maine Black Bears in the second round of the FCS playoffs—bringing an abrupt end to the 2011 campaign.

The offseason would see plenty of change, yet in that change, some of the old order was restored. By season's end in 2011, Jerry Moore's Mountaineers had seemingly lost their way and too much success can sometimes be too much of a good thing.

When Mark Speir—one of ASU's top and most-well respected assistant coaches—left to become the head coach at Western Carolina, it set in motion the seeds of change. It was a program-changing defeat to those same Catamounts in 2004 that set in motion the changes needed to be made to catapult the Black and Gold into their unprecedented run towards three national titles.

Speir would take three assistants with him to Cullowhee for the 2012 season, while offensive line coach Bob McClain was relieved of his duties. With five changes needing to be made, ASU made its best possible decision with its first one—bringing back Scott Satterfield to be the offensive coordinator and associate head coach for the 2012 season.

Satterfield was the main influence—though not officially titled offensive coordinator—that helped ASU post one of the nation's most dynamic offensive units for three-straight seasons prior to moving on to try his wares as an offensive coordinator at Toledo and Florida International before returning to Boone.

He helped fashion one the greatest offensive juggernauts in FCS history during the 2011 season, as the ASU offense set single-season marks for points scored (641), rushing yards (4,311) and total offensive yards (7,324).

The good news is, Satterfield will inherit an experienced quarterback, who showed a rifle arm and the ability to lead the ASU potent attack much in the same fashion his predecessors Armanti Edwards and Richie Williams once did.

Satterfield had a knack for making a good quarterback a great one, and no doubt Jamal Jackson brings many of the same traits as a signal-caller to the table as Williams did when he led the Mountaineers to the first of three national title runs in his senior campaign back in 2005.

Satterfield himself was of course a former ASU quarterback, leading the program to its only undefeated regular season in school history back in 1995. He helped the Mountaineers run the gauntlet to a Southern Conference title with a perfect 11-0 regular season, including an 8-0 league mark.

In all, Satterfield spent 15 seasons as both a player and a coach on the ASU sidelines before leaving for Toledo prior to the 2009 season. 

Also coming into to help out on the offensive side of the ball this fall all three more new faces, including running backs coach Chris Foster, wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford.

Foster comes to ASU from Gardner-Webb, where he served eight seasons—most of which came under the highly successful Steve Patten. Foster coached All-Big South selections in four of his eight seasons in Boiling Springs, N.C.—including Kenny Little last fall, who became the first GWU running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in 11 seasons.

Foster will be charged with improving a unit that ranked its lowest in ground production (6th in SoCon/156.0 YPG) in seven seasons, dating back to the first season of utilizing the spread offense in 2004. 

Stepp is no stranger to the Kidd Brewer Stadium turf, as he was a star wideout for SoCon rival Furman from 2003-06—earning All-SoCon honors twice—and is currently ranked fourth all-time on the school's all-time receptions ledger.

Stepp will have the luxury of coaching one of the fastest WRs to ever take the field at the KBS, as he will welcome in the newest Mountaineer—Oregon transfer Tacoi Sumler. Sumler recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time on the Oregon roster, clocking a 4.24.

ASU's newest WR coach probably knows a little something about speed, too, as Stepp served as an assistant on the Clemson Tiger offensive staff last season, with the likes of young speed merchants Sammy Watkins and Charone Peake helping lead the Tigers to their first ACC crown since 1991. 

Ledford's job will be to begin to build depth along an ASU offensive front that was thin in many areas last season. He will also have to replace two of the final holdovers from that championship-laden era, with the graduation of Matt Ruff (RG) and Orry Frye (LT).

Like Foster, Ledford also comes to ASU from GWU, where he spent the 2011 season. Prior to that, Ledford also served as a member of the Tennessee State staff in 2010, helping the Tigers rank among the best in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, yielding only 13.

Ledford played college football as a standout defensive lineman at ECU before moving onto the NFL, where he played seven seasons.

ASU will also have two new assistants on the defensive side of the football for the 2012 season; welcoming in ASU alum Mark Ivey (1995) to coach the outside LBs, while Bryan Brown is set to coach the CBs. 

Like Satterfield, Ivey knows a little something about winning football games, as he was ASU's newest offensive coordinator's teammate on that '95 squad that went through the regular season unblemished en route to a SoCon title. Ivey started 12 of 13 games for ASU at defensive tackle during his senior season.

For the past 16 seasons, Ivey has been a standout high school coach in the Sunshine State of Florida, serving as the head coach at Cypress Lake High School and Barron Collier High School. Ivey has had to do a little crisis management as of late, as he has had to find a replacement for seasoned starter John Rizor, who was kicked off the team a couple of weeks ago for assault incident involving another ASU student-athlete.

Finally, Brown comes to ASU from SEC West member Ole Miss, where he spent last season serving as a graduate assistant for the Rebels. Brown was a two-sport athlete at Ole Miss from 2003-06, serving the Rebels' football team as a four-year letterwinner. He inherits one of the best CBs in the nation to coach this fall, as Buck Buchanan Award candidate Demetrius McCray led the SoCon with five INTs last season.

This is only the first of the three-part preview heading into the 2012 season for Appalachian State. Please stayed tuned to Bleacher Report, where we will take a detailed look at the ASU offense in the coming days in Part 2 of the 2012 season preview. 

Last week, after Jim Delany talked about the NCAA possessing the moral authority to act against Penn State, we hit on the situation at Montana.

Well, as the New York Daily News reported yesterday, things have escalated, as quarterback Jordan Johnson was charged with rape. Johnson becomes the second Grizzly to be charged with rape in 2012 as the program battles a mounting sexual assault scandal.

And the NCAA sits and waits.

In March, head coach Robin Pflugrad was fired, as was athletic director Jim O'Day, resulting from allegations that the two had worked to minimize and cover up football players being implicated in a sexual assault scandal.

And the NCAA sits and waits.

Montana commissioned former state Supreme Court Justice Diane Barz to do the same thing Louis Freeh did for Penn State: gather information and evidence with respect to the alleged issues. She filed her report in February.

And the NCAA sits and waits.

The NCAA is reportedly investigating the Montana situation. They apparently have been "looking into things" since May 31st. That's a full two months more "investigating" than they did, or had to do, in the case of Penn State. It also comes after Barz filed Montana's own "Freeh Report" in February.

And the NCAA sits and waits.

Waits for what?

Waits for something else to go wrong at the school? Waits until people forget all about it because it is Montana, a school that's not exactly one of the bell cows of the college sports landscape?

Waits for the fervor following their moral obligation to discipline Penn State to die down and then do what they normally do in situations like this—nothing?

While I was against the NCAA intervening in the Penn State situation, I understand that that is the road they elected to travel down. With that move being made, they now have to continue down that path. They don't get to tell folks that "only Penn State's cover-up mattered."

There was a gap in reporting by head coach Robin Pflugrad, and athletic director Jim O'Day worked to minimize the information being revealed, electing, as the Missoulian reported, to discount the student-athlete ties.

The NCAA is not equipped to handle this. The penalties of vacated games and postseason bans are not adequate responses to rape cover-up. However, that's the hand they've dealt themselves in their rush to capitalize on the public outcry against Penn State.

Time for them to step up to the plate. If they don't, we'll know just how opportunistic they were with the Nittany Lions. 

With the Southern Conference media getting together in Spartanburg, S.C., for the league's preseason media day today, I went ahead and made my 2012 predictions.

This will be part one of my preview articles. In part two, I will include my second-team all-conference, predicted "upset of the year" in non-conference and conference play, along with finishing out my "mark your calendar" segment of the article.

Once again, the 2012 season should be one that sees the Southern Conference among the strongest league's in the FCS. In the coming weeks, I will have team-by-team previews of the nine teams, while also continuing to take on the positional rankings heading right up to the opening week of the 2012 campaign. 

Southern Conference Forecast 2012

1. Georgia Southern

Eagles looking to win two straight SoCon crowns since winning back-to-back crowns in 2000 and '01.

2. Appalachian State

Appalachian State looks to transition roles from being "the hunted" to "the hunters" in 2012.

3. Chattanooga

Mocs return 17 starters from a team that lost five league games by a combined 12 points last fall.

4. Wofford

Terriers hope another big year from Walter Payton Award candidate Eric Breitenstein will be enough to keep the Terriers in the SoCon title conversations.

5. Furman

After seeing its string of 12 straight winning seasons ended in '10, Furman returned to its winning ways in Bruce Fowler's first season, finishing 6-5. Now the Paladins go in search of their first postseason invite since 2006.

6. The Citadel

Kevin Higgins' Bulldogs return a league-standard 19 starters and will be a dark-horse candidate for a playoff spot this season.

7. Samford

Replacing the school's second all-time leading passer won't be easy, but Samford has some of the top skill-position players in the SoCon returning this fall in running back Fabian Truss and wideout Kelsey Pope.

8. Elon

The Phoenix were good at playing the role of "spoilers" in 2011, but head coach Jason Swepson hopes his second season at the helm will see Elon become a factor for a playoff spot or a league title in November.

9. Western Carolina

A new era is set to begin in Cullowhee, with the arrival of former Appalachian State defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Mark Speir, who brings three reinforcements to the other side of the Mountain Jug battle.

Introducing 2012

With the offseason dominated by talks of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern leaving for the FBS (from FOX News), along with rumors of teams leaving for the CAA (from the Daily Press), it's nice to finally get down to pure football talk and predictions for the upcoming season.

For the first time since 2005, Appalachian State enters a season without having to defend a title, and Georgia Southern will be defending a regular season league crown for the first time since entering '03. If GSU is able to claim a second straight title this fall, it will mark the first time the Eagles have accomplished the feat since the tail end of their six straight title runs in 2000 and '01.

Chattanooga lost a total of five games by 12 points last season—and it was a heartbreaker all the way around for the Mocs. But with 17 starters returning this fall, and with Terrell Robinson already having gained some valuable experience under center last fall, winning SoCon freshman of the year plaudits, the Mocs should be able to cope with the loss of B.J. Coleman to graduation.

Chattanooga's defense ranked best in the league and 13th in the FCS (311.8 YPG) last fall, and the unit returns eight starters.

With so much talent returning at running back in the SoCon, it is Wofford that returns the best ground threat in Eric Breitenstein.

The Terriers mail-carrier is just 151 yards from becoming the school's second all-time leading rusher, having already rushed for 3,695 yards in his career. The Terriers must replace quarterback Mitch Allen, who finished his career third all-time in school history in total offensive yards (4,958 yards). Seven starters return from a defense that ranked second in the SoCon in total defense (364.6 YPG) last fall.

Bruce Fowler got Furman back on track in his first season as the head coach of the Paladin football program, helping the Paladins to a 6-5 overall mark and wins over a pair of top five foes in No. 4 Wofford (26-21) and No. 3 Appalachian State (20-10).

Furman must replace its top players on both sides of the ball, with the graduation of First Team All-SoCon quarterback Chris Forcier and All-American CB Ryan Steed. The Paladins do return one of the league's top running backs, Jerodis Williams (1,055 rushing yards) who became the Paladins' first 1,000-yard rusher since '03 last fall.

The Citadel enters its third season with visions of becoming a major factor in the Southern Conference race, and with the return of a league-high 19 starters for the 2012 season, the Bulldogs expect to be a dark horse in the SoCon this fall.

The Bulldogs return one of the league's top up-and-coming running backs from a year ago, in Darien Robinson (862 yards rushing, nine TDs). Robinson is a rugged back who can be a difference-maker for the Bulldogs this fall.

The Bulldogs always have one of the top defensive units in the SoCon, but question marks remain at linebacker entering the 2012 season. They suffered a significant loss at defensive end during the spring, as Derek Douglas (14.5 tackles for loss) went down with a torn ACL. The good news is that Douglas will likely return to the team by midseason.

Another team to watch will be the Samford Bulldogs, who are coming off a 6-5 season and return some solid talent at the skill positions, including all-league performers in running back Fabian Truss (150 rushing attempts, 847 rush yards, seven TDs) and wide receiver Kelsey Pope (86 rec, 810 yds, six TDs).

The big question to be answered on the offensive side of the ball for the Bulldogs is at quarterback, where they must replace the program's second all-time leading passer Dustin Taliaferro.

The strength of the Samford offense will be its offensive line, which welcomes the return of four out of five starters. The defense, which brings back six regulars, will be strong at linebacker and safety. Alvin Hines II (66 tackles, three INTs) returns at safety, where he will be one of the top DBs in the SoCon.

Elon finished 5-6 last fall, and second-year head coach Jason Swepson will be keen on seeing the Phoenix restore order by challenging for a playoff spot this fall. One of the biggest problems on the offensive side of the football last season was the inability to take care of the football.

That was especially true for quarterback Thomas Wilson, who tossed 19 INTs last season to lead the league. He struggled trying to fill the void left by Scott Riddle under center, but he still managed to help the Phoenix lead the SoCon in passing offense (284.0 YPG) yet again in 2011.

With the Aaron Mellette (113 rec, 1,639 yds, 12 TDs, 14.5 YPR) returning as the top wideout in the FCS this fall, the Phoenix will be the odds-on favorites to capture the league's passing crown once again in 2012.

Elon was solid on the defensive side of the football in 2011, finishing the campaign ranking fourth in the SoCon in total defense (344.9 YPG). The Phoenix did lose their top defensive player—linebacker Joshua Jones—to graduation.

Western Carolina has new enthusiasm about its program, due in large part to the hiring of athletic director Randy Eaton and new head football coach Mark Speir. But the Catamounts have much work to do to get out of the league's cellar, which will be difficult.

Still, I expect the Catamounts to be competitive and I expect them to surprise someone in the league.

Mark Your Calendar (Non-Conference)

September 1

Chattanooga at South Florida

There are several non-conference games worth circling on the calendar for the upcoming season, starting with the opening week.

One of the most intriguing non-league matchups of Week 1 is between Chattanooga and South Florida. The Mocs are anxious to rebound from a 2011 season which saw them lose several games in heartbreaking fashion.

The Mocs opened up 2011 by heading to Lincoln, Nebraska, to take on the Cornhuskers. Though the Mocs lost 40-7, they did manage to put forth a solid effort in the 33 point loss against the 10th-ranked Cornhuskers.

The season opener with the Bulls will mark the first meeting between the two programs, and marks a game between a couple of schools that didn't meet expectations a year ago.

It will also be a matchup that will feature two exciting, dual-threat quarterbacks—South Florida's B.J. Daniels and Chattanooga's Terrell Robinson.

Despite the 5-7 finish last season, the Bulls had an explosive offense that averaged 250 yards through the air and 183 yards on the ground last fall. With nine starters back, the Mocs will field one of FCS' top defenses this fall.

This should certainly be an interesting encounter.

Appalachian State at East Carolina

Meanwhile, Appalachian State heads to Greenville, N.C., to take on East Carolina for the season opener. It will be the first meeting between the two since the Mountaineers dropped a heartbreaking 29-24 decision to the Pirates to open the '09 season.

That was a game the Mountaineers played without reigning Walter Payton Award winner Armanti Edwards, who was sidelined with an injury.

The Apps found themselves trailing 24-0, less than 17 minutes into the game, and 29-7 going into the fourth quarter, before charging back within five points.

At one point, they even put themselves in position to win the game.

The rivalry between the Apps and Pirates has been a good one over the years, with ASU holding a 19-11 all-time series edge. There will also be a touch of familiarity when the two teams square off in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Sept. 1, with former ASU coaches Ruffin McNeil and John Wiley now members of the ECU staff, serving as head and assistant head coach, respectively.

The Pirates will have to find a way to replace superstar quarterback Dominic Davis, who has graduated, while ASU will counter with Jamal Jackson—a quarterback who will really come into his own this season under the direction of offensive coordinator Scott Satterfield.

ASU could have one of the top defenses in the nation this fall, with Jeremy Kimbrough and Brandon Grier leading one of the nation's top corps of linebackers. The black and gold could make things very frustrating for the Pirates offense in the post-Dominic Davis era during the season opener. 

September 8

Montana at Appalachian State

The non-conference game everyone seems to be looking forward to is the one between Appalachian State and Montana.

The two programs have been the standards be compared to in FCS football since 2005, boasting the most victories by any of the FCS programs in the past seven seasons, with ASU posting an FCS best 79 wins and Montana right behind with 77 victories. 

Montana has had much turmoil to deal with during the offseason, and will have only nine starters, including just two on defense, from a team that finished with 11 wins and just one game short of the FCS title game last fall.

Montana will be welcoming in head coach Mick Delaney, who takes over for Robin Pflugrad, who was fired in late March after numerous allegations of sexual misconduct involving several Montana players. 

ASU has never defeated the Grizzlies, ironically, with both previous meetings coming in Missoula in the FCS semifinals. In 2009, the Mountaineers dropped a 24-17 decision on a late TD pass from quarterback Andrew Selle to wideout Jabin Sambrano.

In 2000, the Apps were again on the wrong side of heartbreak, dropping a 19-16 contest to the Grizzlies on a game-winning scoring connection between quarterback Drew Miller and Grizzlies legendary wideout Jimmy Farris, in overtime. The Sept. 8 meeting will mark the first meeting between the two teams in Boone. 

ASU and Montana have won a combined five national titles, with ASU claiming FCS crowns in 2005, '06 and '07, while the Grizzlies climbed to the top of the FCS mountain in 1995 and '01.

Both of the Grizzlies' national title wins came against Southern Conference opponents, as Dave Dickinson led Montana to a 22-20 win at Marshall in 1995, while Yohance Humphrey and the Griz rushed past Furman, 13-6, in 2001 in Chattanooga. 

Coastal Carolina at Furman

Also on Sept. 8, Furman will open its home slate against Coastal Carolina in a key non-league tilt for the Paladins, who will be looking to avenge a 30-23 loss in Conway.

The meeting between the Chanticleers and Paladins will mark the fourth contest between the two programs, with Coastal Carolina now holding a 2-1 all-time series edge. The Chanticleers collected wins in Conway in 2006 and 2011, while Furman's lone win against its Palmetto State rival came in 2007 at Paladin Stadium.

Furman enters the 2012 matchup with the Chanticleers with more question marks as a team than it did in the 2011 season opener. The biggest question mark is, obviously, at quarterback, where the Paladins must replace First Team all-league quarterback Chris Forcier.

Coastal Carolina will have 15 starters returning, including dual-threat signal-caller Aramis Hillary, who was strong against Furman in the seven-point win for CCU in the season-opener last season. He amassed 191 yards of total offense (131 passing, 61 rushing) and a pair of rushing scores, including the game-winning score on a three-yard scamper with 1:32 to play to lead CCU to the seven-point win. 

Other Non-Conference Games To Keep An Eye On

Chattanooga at Jacksonville State (Sept. 8)

A rivalry that has gotten more intense in recent seasons.

Western Carolina at Marshall (Sept. 8)

This is the first matchup between the two since they were both SoCon members in 1996.

No. 1 Marshall claimed a 56-21 win over the Catamounts in Huntington, West Virginia,  in the last meeting. WCU recorded one of its top wins in program history against the Thundering Herd in 1992, with a 38-30 win over the second-ranked Herd in 1992. 

Furman at Presbyterian (Sept. 15)

Furman makes its first trip to Clinton since 1975. The Paladins have not lost to the Blue Hose since 1979. Furman claimed a resounding 62-21 win over the Blue Hose last season, which was the most points it has scored against a Division I foe since the 65 against VMI in 2001.

The Paladins hold a 41-11-1 all-time series lead against the Blue Hose, including having won 13 straight against their Palmetto State rival. 

The Citadel at North Carolina State (Sept. 22)

Can the Bulldogs' flexbone offense give Tom O'Brien's Wolfpack defense problems for a half, maybe three quarters?

We will see. It will mark the first meeting between the two programs since 1983.

Samford at Kentucky (Nov. 17)

It will mark the first meeting between the Wildcats and Bulldogs, and with Samford's strong performance at Jordan-Hare Stadium last season in a 35-16 loss to defending FBS national champion Auburn, the game should be a good one.

The Wildcats won't have quite the intimidation factor the Tigers did, coming off a 5-7 season under the direction of third-year head coach Joker Phillips. 

Wofford at South Carolina (Nov. 17)

We know the struggles that South Carolina has had defending the spread-option in the past, including last season's contest against The Citadel (41-20) and the narrow escape for Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks in 2006, with a 27-20 win.

In 2008, the Gamecocks posted another too-close-for-comfort 23-13 win. Wofford held the lead against Clemson in the third quarter last season before losing 37-28. South Carolina holds a commanding 18-4 series edge.

Georgia Southern at Georgia (Nov.17)

Normally, in-state FBS teams don't hate their in-state FCS little brother, and the fans hold cordial, friendly tailgates at such places. Much like Clemson when it plays Furman or Wofford, or when Elon plays Wake Forest, etc. However, that same friendship isn't shared between Georgia and Georgia Southern fans.

And with Georgia Southern's respectable performance against eventual BCS national champion Alabama last season, don't expect there to be many friendly tailgates shared in this late October clash.

It will mark the fifth all-time meeting between the Eagles and Bulldogs, with Georgia winning all five previous meetings, including a 45-21 by the top-ranked Bulldogs in '08.

Mark Your Calendar (Conference)

September 1

Furman at Samford

For the first time since 1974, Furman will begin a season with a conference road contest, as the Paladins travel to Birmingham to take on the Samford Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, it will be the second straight season in which the Bulldogs have opened against a league foe in the friendly confines of Seibert Stadium, dropping a 31-17 decision to No. 2 Georgia Southern in 2011. 

The last time Furman opened the campaign with a Southern Conference test was in 2003, as the Paladins claimed a 24-7 win over Elon, however, that game was at Furman. 

This game is monumental for both teams hoping to break out of the middle of the pack in the SoCon and join the upper echelon of the league this fall.

Both teams enter the season in similar predicaments, having to replace experienced, talented signal-callers. Furman has to replace First Team All-SoCon quarterback Chris Forcier, while Samford must replace the school's second all-time leading passer, Dustin Taliaferro.

Since joining the SoCon in 2008, Furman and Samford have played some of the most exciting games in the Southern Conference. Last season, Samford was able to claim a win over the Paladins, with a 26-21 triumph in Greenville, which marked its first win over Furman since 1969.

The 2012 meeting between the Paladins and Bulldogs will mark the 15th all-time meeting, with Furman holding an 8-6 all-time series edge.

The matchup will feature two of the league's more explosive running backs, as Furman's Jerodis Williams, who became the Paladins' first 1,000 yard rusher since 2003 last fall, will lead the Furman ground game, while sophomore sensation Fabian Truss, who rushed for 136 yards on 26 attempts last season for the Bulldogs in the five-point win in Greenville, leads the way for Samford.

September 8

Georgia Southern at The Citadel

Georgia Southern and The Citadel always seem to play tight games against each other, and last season was no different, as the Eagles barely survived a gritty effort by the Cadets, getting a 14-12 win in Statesboro.

The Eagles come into the Sept. 8 league opener having claimed the past five meetings between the two programs, and hold a commanding 17-4 all-time series edge.

In the 21 previous encounters, seven of those matchups have been decided by a TD or less. In fact, the series has seen some really good games as of late, as five of the last six meetings between the two programs have been decided by that margin.

The Citadel's last win over the Eagles came in 2006, when the Bulldogs claimed a 24-21 win in Charleston.

Despite 10 turnovers in the last meeting in Charleston, The Citadel defense stepped up and made a statement despite the 20-0 loss, as the Eagles held nearly a 15-minute advantage in time of possession, setting up camp in the Bulldogs' territory for much of the game.

The Bulldogs missed a pair of PATs and a 37-yard field goal that sailed wide right with 13 seconds remaining that would have given the Bulldogs a 15-14 lead, and quite possibly just their second win all time in Statesboro.

Both teams utilize the same triple-option/flexbone offense, although Georgia Southern's attack will feature some spread option mixed in as well, similar to Wofford's spread bone.

The matchup will feature two of the league's top running backs, in Georgia Southern's Dominique Swope and The Citadel's Darien Robinson. Both teams also have two of the league's top defensive lines, with GSU's line anchored by reigning league defensive player of the year Brent Russell, while The Citadel's defensive line will feature veteran All-SoCon defensive end Chris Billingslea.

This game is a dangerous one for Georgia Southern and this might offer The Citadel its best chance at getting an upset against the Eagles this fall. It will be hot and the crowd should be rowdy. This will be one of the tougher road environments GSU will face this fall.

This is definitely one to watch!

September 15

Western Carolina at Wofford

It might not be the game you would think of as one worth marking your calendar for, but I look for Western Carolina to offer an exciting tenacity this fall despite being less talented than many of the teams in the league.

It will be Mark Speir's first Southern Conference game as a head coach, and he enjoyed plenty of success scheming against Mike Ayers' Terriers during his time as a defensive line coach at Appalachian State.

The Catamounts will also have the athletes on offense to challenge one of the league's better defenses. Eddie Sullivan takes over under center, and the Catamounts have a glut of running backs who are talented—including Michael Vaughn and Michael Johnson—while Deja Alexander is one of the best wide receivers in the SoCon.

Offense, however, hasn't been a problem for WCU in the past, it has been the defense, particularly against the run. The Catamounts ranked dead last in the nation in rushing defense last season, yielding 334 yards per game on the ground.

That doesn't bode well when facing the reigning SoCon offensive player of the year and Wofford's third all-time leading rusher Eric Breitenstein.

Coming into the 2012 meeting, the Terriers hold a commanding 22-12 all-time series edge, including holding a 13-3 advantage in Spartanburg. WCU has lost six straight to Wofford dating back to a 24-0 win over the Terriers in Cullowhee in '05.

Western Carolina hasn't won in Spartanburg since 1981, when the Catamounts claimed a 37-30 win.

I don't think WCU goes to Wofford and wins, however, the trend of success that Wofford has enjoyed against WCU won't continue. WCU is going to be back as a regular competitor among the SoCon elite a lot quicker than some think. Mark Speir can flat-out coach, but it will take him about three years to turn the ship in the right direction and have the Catamounts competing regularly as a SoCon power.

My 2012 All-SoCon Teams

First Team Offense

QB—Jamal Jackson (Appalachian State)

RB—Eric Breitenstein (Wofford)

RB—Jerodis Williams (Furman)

OT—Calvin Cantrell (Wofford)

OT—Dorian Byrd (Georgia Southern)

C—Mike Sellers (The Citadel)

OG—Blake DeBartola (Georgia Southern)

OG—Tymeco Gregory (Wofford)

TE—Colin Anderson (Furman)

WR—Kelsey Pope (Samford)

WR—Aaron Mellette (Elon)

First Team Defense

DE—Josh Lynn (Furman)

DT—Brent Russell (Georgia Southern)

DT/DE—Ronald Blair (Appalachian State)

DE—Josh Williams (Chattanooga)

LB—Jeremy Kimbrough (Appalachian State)

LB—Wes Dothard (Chattanooga)

LB—Alvin Scioneaux (Wofford)

DB—Nathan Wade (Furman)

DB—Kadeem Wise (Chattanooga)

DB—Demetrius McCray (Appalachian State)

DB—Deion Stanley (Georgia Southern)

First Team Specialists

PK—Cameron Yaw (Samford)

P—Cass Couey (The Citadel)

RS—Fabian Truss (Samford)

*Second team will be included in part two of this season preview article.

Some of the best players on the defensive side of the football in the SoCon this fall will be defensive linemen, and the SoCon has a good tradition of such players, although it may not be as extensive as that of the running-back position. 

The past three winners of the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Award have been defensive linemen, showing the real strength at this position in recent history.

Over the years there have been plenty of great defensive linemen to come through the conference.

The league's reigning defensive player of the year is a nose tackle, Georgia Southern's Brent Russell. Russell put his name alongside some of the greats to play nose tackle in league history, such as Alex Mash (Georgia Southern) and Allen Edwards (Furman).

Few SoCon fans will forget some of the greats from former league schools Marshall and East Tennessee State, as well, which produced defensive tackle Billy Lyons (Marshall) and defensive end James Russell (ETSU).

Appalachian State has had a plethora of talent along the defensive line over the years, producing some of the league’s most feared defensive-end tandems, including Josh Jeffries and K.T. Stovall in the late '90s and early 2000s, while bookends Marques Murrell and Jason Hunter helped the Apps to their first national title, in 2005. 

In this article I will attempt to rank the top nine defensive lines in the Southern Conference as cohesive units.

The top three in my list have veteran returnees that are poised to anchor their respective defensive units this fall. 

1. Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Mocs return nine starters from a defensive that led the league and ranked 13th in the FCS in total defense last fall.

The strength of that defense, last fall, as it should once again be this season, was the defensive line.

The Mocs welcome the return of all four starters along the defensive front from a year ago, and three of those starters garnered All-SoCon honors of some sort.

The unquestioned leader of the unit heading into the campaign will be left defensive end Joshua Williams (42 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 7 QBHs), who has already broken the school’s all-time sacks record in just three seasons as a starter along the defensive front. 

He has 21.5 career quarterback takedowns, including a league-leading 9.5 sacks last season, which earned him first-team All-SoCon praise.

Williams enjoyed his best game of the 2011 season and arguably the best game of his career in UTC’s win over Samford, recording seven tackles and a career-high three sacks, capturing SoCon player-of-the-week accolades in the process. 

Williams’ partner in crime at defensive end this fall will be talented sophomore Davis Tull (30 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 1 FF). Tull was an instrumental piece on the UTC defensive line last fall, which lost incumbent starter and All-SoCon defensive end Chris Donald to wrist problems that ended his career prematurely.

Tull was thrust into the starting rotation, and he made an immediate impact, garnering SoCon All-Freshman praise for his performance last season. 

Tull enjoyed the top game of his 2011 campaign against Furman, recording eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in the 14-7 loss to the Paladins. 

Set to anchor the interior of the UTC defensive line this fall will be Toyvian Brand (15 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 FR) and nose tackle Josh Freeman (23 tackles, 2 FRs). Freeman earned SoCon all-freshman praise last fall, while Brand started five of nine games for the Mocs and is poised to be a star of the future along the front. 

2. Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern is expected to be a national-title contender once again this fall, and one of the main reasons is that the Eagles return the top defensive player in the Southern Conference, and perhaps the entire FCS, with the return of senior nose tackle Brent Russell (67 tackles, 16.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks).

Russell enters the campaign as a leading candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, and his presence in the middle of the GSU defense makes offensive lines around the league have to overcompensate.

Certainly Russell has already established himself among the pantheon of great SoCon defensive linemen in his three seasons of service so far. Russell also continues to ascend the GSU all-time sacks ledger, as he enters the season ranking fifth on the school’s all-time scroll, with 19.5 sacks.

It could be argued that Russell is the best nose tackle ever to suit up for a SoCon team.

It’s not just what he does for the GSU defense but also how he forces opposing offensive coordinators to scheme their offensive game plans around his presence in the middle. 

Last season Russell had his top performance of the campaign against Furman, recording 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in the 24-17 loss at No. 5 Appalachian State. 

Joining the Buchanan Award candidate at defensive tackle this fall will be junior Blake Riley (24 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 FR), who was solid in his first season as a full-time starter along the GSU defensive line. 

Riley didn’t put up huge numbers last fall, but he did well supporting Russell in the middle of the GSU line and making the Eagles a tough unit to run the football against last fall.

In fact the Eagles completed the 2011 season ranking third in the league against the run (149.8 YPG) last fall. 

Slated to start at the respective defensive end positions for the Eagles heading into the 2012 season will be returning veterans Josh Gebhardt (22 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 2.0 sack, 1 blocked kick) and Javon Mention (30 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks). 

Both Mention and Gebhardt aren’t what I would necessarily refer to as great edge-rushing defensive ends, but they are solid, and Mention is one of the top athletes on the GSU defense, beginning his career as an outside linebacker. 

While the only standout is Russell on this defensive front, it’s still a defensive line worth taking note of in 2012 and will be the anchor of what should be one of the strongest defenses in the SoCon this fall. 

3. Appalachian State

For the most part, folks would agree that Appalachian State’s transition to the 3-4 defensive alignment last season was a big success, and that was due in large part to a strong but youthful defensive front. 

The defensive ends for the Mountaineers will both be sophomores this fall; however, both are extremely talented performers. Those two performers expected to step to the forefront this fall are Ronald Blair (40 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and James “Deuce” Robinson (16 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks).
Both Robinson and Blair were young last season, but both proved to be solid all year when thrust into the lineup for the Apps. 

ASU must replace its nose tackle from a year ago, Dan Wylie, and Wylie was one of the better, more-experienced defensive linemen in the SoCon last season.  

Set to replace Wylie along the defensive front at nose tackle this fall will be redshirt freshman Thomas Bronson, who is coming off a strong spring and has now gained 40 lbs since arriving on campus last season.

4. The Citadel

Had Derek Douglas (43 tackles, 14.5 TFL) not gone down with a knee injury in the spring, I would likely have the Bulldogs third instead of fourth in this ranking. One thing that is certain is that The Citadel seems to turn out talent along the defensive line each season.

Douglas, an all-league selection last fall, is expected to be back by the middle of the season. 

Chris Billingslea (53 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 3 FRs) will be asked to pick up much of the slack in the absence of Douglas this fall. Billingslea was voted second-team All-SoCon by the league’s coaches and media last fall. 

Billingslea will become the centerpiece of the defensive front with the injury sustained by Douglas in spring drills. 

Last season Billingslea was a workhorse along the defensive line for the Bulldogs, even picking up a blocked punt and returning it 19 yards for a score in a win over VMI. 

Billingslea had a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss in a win over Western Carolina and recorded seven tackles apiece in losses to Appalachian State and Furman. 

The fifth-year senior heads into the campaign having started 28 straight games along The Citadel's defensive front. Once again this fall, Billingslea is slated to start at the left defensive-end position.

Like Appalachian State, The Citadel plays more of a 3-4 defensive scheme, with the Bulldogs being a little more multiple with their respective schemes.

The Bulldogs like to walk up a linebacker or safety as an extra rush end, and on some occasions, to use LBs and safeties to overload one side.

With the absence of Derek Douglas to start the season and with the graduation of Quintin Turner, the Bulldogs will have two new starters at DT this fall. 

Sophomore Sammy Ojjeh (4 tackles) and junior Bay Amrhein (11 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) will be asked to pick up the slack at least for the early part of the campaign, until Douglas returns. Both were impressive in their own rights last fall and have good quickness off the line of scrimmage. Both are also coming off solid performances in the spring.   

5. Furman

Historically, the defensive line has not been a strength of the Furman defense, but the Paladins should be able to more than hold their own this season, with one of the best bookend tandems in the league, returning both Josh Lynn (49 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 1 FR) and Shawn Boone (27 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks) at their respective positions. 

Lynn has a chance to finish out his career in strong fashion after being made a consensus second-team All-SoCon selection by the league’s coaches and media last fall.

Lynn has been one of the building blocks that has seen a resurgence of the Furman defensive line from what it had been in the recent past. 

His emergence as defensive leader for the Paladins last season—when he led the team in sacks, recording five quarterback takedowns—helped the Paladins defense record more sacks (21) last season than they had the previous two seasons combined (17).

Lynn enters his senior season with plenty of momentum and already having fashioned a strong career on the gridiron for the Paladins. He has posted a total of seven sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in his strong career for the Paladins at bookend. 

He enjoyed his top game of the 2011 campaign against Elon, tying a career-high 11 tackles, and recorded a pair of sacks in the 47-21 win at Western Carolina.

Shawn Boone (27 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks) will join Lynn at defensive end this fall, and the pair will form a reputable duo. 

Boone burst onto the scene by earning All-SoCon freshman honors in 2010, and most remember him for his acrobatic interception which he tipped to himself for a TD against South Carolina that year.

He is a player that I think will have a breakout season on the defensive side of the ball for the Paladins this season, and he might bring the best athletic attributes to the Furman defensive line. 

The junior DE had some solid performances for the Paladins last fall, with his strongest effort coming in the season-opening loss at Coastal Carolina, in which he posted six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

Furman’s weakness over the years on its defensive line hasn’t necessarily been at defensive end but rather at defensive tackle, due in large part to being a bit undersized at the position.

However, the Paladins made big strides in their physicality along the defensive front last fall.

Slated at the two defensive interior positions this fall will be veterans Colton Keig (32 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FR) and Neal Rogers (21 tackles, 1.0 TFL). Tyreek Phillips (23 tackles, 1.5 TFL) has also made strides at defensive tackle, after coming to Furman as a raw athlete with undeveloped skills. Phillips is coming off a strong spring and could challenge for a starting job this fall. 

New defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey has hit the ground running, and he will now look to do at Furman what he did last season under Russell Huesman at UTC, which is help the team get to the top of the defensive-line rankings in the very near future. 

6. Wofford

Like Appalachian State, Wofford is a team that utilizes the 3-4 defensive alignment, and Mike Ayers has seemingly been able to generate pressure with just three down linemen, year in and year out. 

Ayers and his defensive staff have some work to do this fall, having to replace all three defensive linemen, with all three garnering first- or second-team All-SoCon honors last season, and Ameet Pall finished his career as one of the greats to ever suit up in the Old Gold and Black, earning the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2010. 

The leader of the unit this fall will be defensive end Zach Bobb (13 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 TFL), who backed up All-SoCon defensive end Alex Goultry last season, is coming off a strong spring and is now poised to take the leadership role along the defensive front in 2012. 

Bobb saw only limited action, but as is the case with the Wofford offensive line, it is uncanny at how well the Wofford coaches develop talent in the defensive trenches time and time again.

One thing is for sure: You can bet the unit will be physical. 

The other two players penciled in as starters heading into fall camp will be Tarek Odom (15 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sack) and Allen Smith (8 tackles, 0.5 TFL). Odom served as All-SoCon defensive tackle Eric Eberhardt’s understudy last fall, and like Bobb, will have some big shoes to fill in 2012. 

The good thing about Odom is he has the size and strength to play the nose tackle position and the athleticism and agility to line up on the end.

Odom could be a breakout player for the Terriers this fall, and he has played both positions in his career for Wofford. 

7. Elon

In 2009 Elon had one of the top defensive lines in all of the FCS, led by All-Americans Eric Ludwig and Andre Campbell. The Phoenix set a school record for sacks, with 34, in the process.

However, since that successful season along the defensive front, the Phoenix defensive line has seen somewhat of a downgrade, and the defensive numbers have, as a result, also suffered the consequences. Elon hasn’t been able to generate a great pass rush with its front four since that ‘09 campaign.

Elon is coming off a season which saw it finish ranked tied for seventh in the league in sacks with Samford, completing the campaign with 17 quarterback takedowns. 

In Elon’s defense it hasn’t had the type of experience that it enjoyed in ‘09 with Campbell and Ludwig.

However, I believe this season that Elon will begin to see a resurgence along its defensive front, and with all four starters returning, the line will certainly be a more seasoned group than the green unit that took the field for the Phoenix in 2011.

Three juniors and one senior return along the defensive front for the Phoenix this fall, led by Olufemi Lamikanra (32 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 FR). Lamikanra is the lone senior returning along the front for the Phoenix, and he will enter the campaign as one of the top defensive tackles in the SoCon.

Lamikanra enjoyed his best game of his season against Furman, registering seven tackles, a tackle for loss and half a sack. Lamikanra is really undersized to be playing on the defensive interior, at just 230 lbs; however, his athleticism helps compensate for his lack of size.

Set to line up alongside Lamikanra this fall for the Phoenix will be junior nose tackle Tony Thompson (24 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 FR). Thompson’s seven tackles for loss last fall led all Elon defensive linemen. 

Thompson really came into his own in his first season as a full-time starter and nose guard, and he enjoyed the top performance of his sophomore campaign against Furman, posting five tackles, a tackle for loss and half a sack.

The Phoenix also have emerging talents at the respective bookend positions, returning junior starters Jay Brown (30 tackles, 5.0 TFL) and Jordan Jones (30 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 3 PBUs).

I look for Jones to be the breakout player along the defensive front this fall. He really played well down the stretch for the Phoenix in 2011; he recorded solo sacks in games against North Carolina Central and Samford, while recording half a sack in the regular-season finale, against Appalachian State. Jones also enjoyed his best game in terms of tackles in the 28-24 loss to the Mountaineers, including three solo stops. 

I look at the Elon defensive line as one of the units that is ascending, and it could become a top-tier unit before season’s end. If the Phoenix see a big improvement along their defensive front, the unit has a chance to give Elon one of the top defenses in the SoCon in 2012.

The Phoenix finished ranking fourth in the SoCon in total defense (344.9 YPG) last fall. 

8. Samford

Samford is one of the teams in the league that was most decimated by graduation, losing three of four starters from last season. 

The top returnee along the Samford defensive front this fall will be senior defensive end Nicholas Williams (23 tackles, 3.0 TFLs). Williams is the lone holdover from last year’s unit and will be the player around whom Pat Sullivan will look to build his young Samford defensive front this fall. 

Williams, a 310-pound native of Birmingham, Ala., is a massive presence at bookend. In 2011 Williams started all 11 games on the defensive front for Samford, and he will be making the move from defensive tackle to defensive end with the graduation of both Alex Davis and Austin Hayes. 

Williams proved to be a solid force in the middle last fall and was effective at closing down the running lanes in the middle of the Bulldogs defense last season. Seventeen of his 23 tackles were solo stops. 

The three new starters along the defensive line could be any combination of the following five players: Jeremy Towns (DNP in 2011 because of injury), Caleb Hullett (17 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), Jerry Mathis (18 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 FR), Brinson Porter (3 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) and Aaron Bethune (21 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 FR). All four of the aforementioned DL reserves saw some quality action in 2011.

Porter, Mathis and Hullett will all be entering their sophomore campaigns, while Bethune and Towns will be seniors, joining Williams as the most experienced returnees along the defensive front. 

Bethune and Porter should both see action at defensive end, but I expect the starters to be Bethune and Williams this fall.

Towns, a player who has courageously battled back from a career-threatening injury, will likely start at one of the defensive-tackle positions and will likely be joined inside by Mathis in the starting rotation. 

This is a defensive line on the upswing and a unit that should get plenty of experienced leadership from its returnees this fall.

Bethune is a player that could be a real breakout performer for the Bulldogs this fall, and having Towns’ experience and savvy back will certainly serve Bill D’Ottavio’s defense well.

Still, this unit lacks the kind of pass rush and athleticism that some of the other units around the league possess.

9. Western Carolina

The good news for Western Carolina football fans and for the Catamount defensive linemen is that new head coach Mark Speir is no stranger to developing defensive-line talent.

He helped develop some of the the league’s top defensive ends during his time at Appalachian State, coaching Jason Hunter, Marques Murrell, Anthony Williams and Gary Tharrington to All-SoCon and All-America honors during his tenure as D-line coach. 

Now he will be asked to take a Western Carolina defensive line that caught a lot of the blame for the Catamounts’ inability to stop the run at the point of attack last fall, ranking dead last in the FCS in rushing defense in 2011 (334.1 YPG/120th in FCS).

The good news is that he does have some decent talent and experience returning to work with this fall, as three starters return along the defensive front for the 2012 season. 

Speir might need a translator, but two of his most talented returnees along the defensive front this fall will be from Russia and American Samoa, with the return of Andre Shishkin (51 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 blocked kick) and Rainey Ala (17 tackles, 2 FR, 1 blocked kick). 

Shiskin and Ala will give the Catamounts one of the most athletic defensive-tackle tandems in the league this fall, and it is also an area in which the Catamounts figure to have quality depth, also returning a pair of experienced seniors, in Eric Banford (25 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) and Bevans Robbs (3 tackles).

Seniors Nick Woodward and Brian Johnson (29 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) came out of the spring penciled in as the starters at the respective defensive end positions. Johnson has a chance to emerge as an all-conference type of performer this fall. 

Johnson is a hard worker, and I expect that under the watchful eye of the new staff, especially Speir, Johnson will have his best season yet as a Catamount. 

Ranking The Defensive Linemen

Top 10 Defensive Tackles

1. Brent Russell—Georgia Southern

2. Olufemi Lamakanra—Elon

3. Joshua Freeman—Chattanooga

4. Andre Shishkin—Western Carolina

5. Tony Thompson—Elon

6. Colton Keig—Furman

7. Blake Riley—Georgia Southern

8. Jerry Mathis—Samford    

9. Toyvian Brand—Chattanooga

10. Sammy Ojjeh—The Citadel

Top 10 Defensive Ends

1. Josh Williams—Chattanooga

2. Derek Douglas—The Citadel

3. Josh Lynn—Furman

4. Chris Billingslea—The Citadel

5. Davis Tull—Chattanooga

6. Ronald Blair—Appalachian State

7. Javon Mention—Georgia Southern

8. James “Deuce” Robinson—Appalachian State

9. Shawn Boone—Furman

10. Zach Bobb—Wofford