Superior Football Star Commits to NDSU

For a Superior football program that had fallen on hard times for the better part of a decade (or more, for that matter), this is super news.

Ever since head coach Bob DeMeyer joined the program from his previous perch at Northwestern, things have been looking up. DeMeyer has led the Spartans to back-to-back Wisconsin high school football playoff berths. This came after the disastrous Brett Vesel tenure, in which Superior never really got their footing in a passing attack.

DeMeyer re-introduced the running game, and almost immediately found success with it. As he builds the program around the kind of players he needs to run his systems, things should only improve.

A good example of this was found this week. Running back/defensive back Zach Colvin gave a commitment to Division I-AA (er, FCS) North Dakota State for 2010.

... with his quick feet and a 34-inch vertical leap, the Superior senior didn’t need much time to impress the Bison coaches. By the end of the camp earlier this summer, Colvin had a scholarship offer from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) college. He called the NDSU coaches Aug. 5 to make an oral commitment to attend the school in 2010. “He wasn’t really on their radar before that,” Superior coach Bob DeMeyer said. “[The coaches] hadn’t seen any film of him or seen him live but once he was there and they saw what an athlete he was, they liked what they saw.”

Colvin is a bit undersized, but has a ton of athletic ability, and will focus on being a defensive player for NDSU.

He was also recruited by UMD, but justifiably took the Division I offer.

The Spartans opened practice this past Monday, and open the season against Stevens Point Aug. 28 at Ole Haugsrud Field in Superior.

English Premier League Set to Kick Off Another Season

You're not going to get a ton of thoughtful analysis at this point, because this is still a new concept. However, it stands to reason that the Barclays English Premier League will be gaining some serious exposure this season.

Not only has ESPN picked up broadcasts of matches for their international arms, but they've reportedly also added games for U.S. viewers.

The collapse of Setanta Sports has led to open bidding for a package of EPL games, and ESPN is getting the rights from Fox Soccer Channel to air Saturday morning (U.S. time) games in the States.

This package launches with Chelsea vs. Hull City Saturday morning at 6:45. No word on the official ESPN2 schedule of matches just yet.

A few thoughts on this coming season:

The Big Four will remain in power. Everton, Aston Villa, and Manchester City would like to think they can crack the top four, which is long established to be (alphabetically) Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United.

They're not.

City spent like drunken sailors this winter, hoping to close the gap. They're probably the favorite to finish fifth, or crack the top four in the unlikely event Arsenal were to falter.

The Gunners are a bit younger, and could provide City that opportunity. The other three appear strong enough to stay in those positions.

Chelsea has a driven Didier Drogba, one of the top players on the planet. United are formidable even without Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now with Real Madrid. Expect Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to keep Liverpool in top form.

Chelsea really looks like the favorite. Carlo Ancelotti leads the way now, and there appears to be a different focus with this group now. They're a bit old, which is a concern in a 38-game season, especially when you add in the UEFA competition, in which the Blues will be among the favorites.

Goodbye, Portsmouth. No chance. They lost a lot of players during the summer transfer period, and there just isn't much there. They won't be Derby County bad, but they'll be bad, and they're going down.

Most likely new guy to stay up: Birmingham City. They were one-and-done in 2007-2008. Expect City to stick a little longer this time.

Read more at ESPN Soccernet and EPL Talk.

UMD Football Picked to Win NSIC

A couple days late on this, but the UMD football team -- to the surprise of no one -- was picked to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

The annual preseason poll was released Tuesday.

The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football coaches have spoken and as far as a league's top dog for 2009 is concerned, they like what they see in the University of Minnesota Duluth. In their annual preseason poll, the league coaches picked the defending NCAA Division II Bulldogs to finish first in both the North Division and in the overall standings. The NSIC is a 14-team league and for football, is broken down into two, seven-school divisions.

UMD, which finished a perfect 15-0 one year and captured the NSIC title with a 10-0 record (the first club to ever produce that many wins in league play) picked up 165 total points and garnered nine first-place votes to edge out Minnesota State University-Mankato (159 points and the remaining five first-place votes), a member of the South Division. Rounding out the top five were Augustana College (145), St. Cloud State University (129) and Wayne State College (129). Minnesota State-Mankato and Wayne State also earned a NCAA II playoff berth one year ago.

In addition, Bulldog junior inside linebacker Robbie Aurich was chosen the North Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while junior running back Isaac Odim landed the North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honor. Aurich, a native of Spring Lake Park, Mich., made the most of his first season of starting activity last fall by topping the Bulldogs in tackles with 101 stops, including a team-leading 57 solos. The 2008 All-NSIC second team pick averaged 10.0 tackles during the Bulldogs' four-game NCAA II playoff turn and was credited with 13 stops (a 2008 Bulldog single-game best) in the national championship clash with Northwest Missouri State. Odim made his Bulldog debut last fall after transferring from Rochester Community College and wound up setting club marks for rushing yards (1,638), rushing touchdowns (26), average yards per carry (7.3 yards), total touchdowns (30) and scoring (180) while equaling marks for 100-yard rushing games (nine) and consecutive 100-yard rushing games (seven). For his efforts, the Rochester, Minn. native earned a spot on both the d2football.com (honorable mention) and Don Hansen's Football Gazette (third team) All-American teams in addition to the All-NSIC first team.

The Bulldogs, who have been chosen as the NSIC preseason favorite during each of their last three years of league memberships (2009, 2008 and 2003), return some 49 letterwinners from a year ago, including six starters on offense and five on defense. They'll open their 77th season of intercollegiate football on Aug. 29 with a home NSIC matchup against Concordia University-St. Paul.

The overall vote totals might surprise some, but remember that UMD has to replace a four-year starting quarterback, along with some serious talent on defense. Here is the full poll from the Northern Sun release.

1. Minnesota Duluth (9) .................... 165
2. Minnesota State (5) .......................159
3. Augustana ......................................135
4. St. Cloud State ............................... 129
Wayne State ...................................129
6. Winona State ................................. 114
7. Southwest Minnesota State ............ 86
8. University of Mary ......................... 79
9. Bemidji State .................................. 77
10. Concordia-St. Paul........................71
11. Northern State............................... 43
12. MSU Moorhead ............................ 37
13. Upper Iowa ................................... 36
14. Minnesota, Crookston .................. 14
first place votes in ( )

Unfortunately, the bloated NSIC lineup means UMD and Minnesota State don't meet head-to-head this season.

Follow this link to get all 14 NSIC team schedules, and check back throughout the season for weekly updates.

Team USA Does It Again

24 times, the United States Men's National Team has entered Estadio Azteca (or other facilities in Mexico) for a match against Mexico.

24 times, the Americans -- or, if you are from south of the border and prefer, "gringos" -- have left Estadio Azteca without a victory.

Every time, fans are left with reason to believe the team can recover and win the next time. Four years later, that next time comes, and the U.S. fails again.

The latest "next time" was Wednesday, as the United States waltzed into Mexico City with some confidence, thanks to a stirring performance in the Confederations Cup. Mexico, meanwhile, had all the pressure. There was talk of another coaching change, which would have been something like the ninth of their World Cup qualifying effort. A loss, and the Tri Colores would have been in serious danger of missing the World Cup next year in South Africa.

A Charlie Davies goal in the tenth minute gave the Americans a 1-0 lead. Bob Bradley's bunch then proceeded to fall into the same trap they fell into against Brazil in that Confederations Cup final.

In the altitude of Mexico City (over 7,000 feet), it was apparently too much to ask the Americans to play well for more than ten minutes, and that won't be enough against a highly-motivated team that absolutely needs to win.

(More on the altitude excuse in a moment, because it's sad how many people are falling for that line of crap.)

Mexico dominated possession for the last 80 minutes, tied it just more than ten minutes after Davies' awesome goal, and won it in the final eight minutes as Miguel Sabah stood in the box and lined up a shot while a bunch of Americans stood and watched him.

There are plenty of people to call out for this one, namely Bradley, but we'll start with others.

Carlos Bocanegra. Simply a poor effort on the first Mexico goal, as he allowed Israel Castro to line up a long shot that beat Tim Howard high. Even from a 30-yard distance, an unmarked opponent is very dangerous.

Landon Donovan. Absolutely disappeared after setting up Davies for the first goal. This might have been Donovan's worst national team performance since the 2006 World Cup. High up on the list of American players who need to train a lot more diligently before next summer.

Brian Ching. Did virtually everything but score an own goal for Mexico. Not effective with the ball, worse without. Never should have started the second half, and it can be argued he never should have made the trip.

Bob Bradley. It can't be said any differently: Bradley is just another Bruce Arena. He might be worse. Besides the unconscionable decision to leave Ching in the match as long as he did, dynamic youngster Jozy Altidore played all of 15 minutes. It wouldn't be totally wrong to say that Altidore deserved to start the match, but it was practically a crime to only let him play 15 minutes when no one was generating anything positive up front outside of Davies.

Moreover, Bradley's strange substitution decisions could make you think he started the second half playing for a 1-1 draw. It was bad enough that the Americans didn't play with the same energy after taking the lead, but for them to try to draw out the last 45 minutes of an intense road match against a rival team that absolutely needed to win ...

Words don't even describe the stupidity of this.

U.S. Soccer. Even the well-respected Grant Wahl fell into the trap.

The altitude did affect the U.S.'s strategy. Mexico dominated possession, and the U.S. midfielders stayed farther back than usual, as though they were entirely willing to let the Mexicans come to them. I don't think that would have happened if the U.S. had been able to train at altitude for any period of time before this game.

Why, exactly, did this team not train in the high elevation of Colorado? Denver is known as the Mile High City, and Colorado Springs sits at over 6,000 feet.

Instead, the final training took place in the rolling hills of Miami.

Yes, this team had heat to potentially worry about, but heat comes and goes. Mexico City's elevation will never change. It's absolutely pointless to blow off the possible effects of the high altitude, only to use it as an excuse when you lose.

At the end of the day, Team USA is still going to make the World Cup. They'll still have a reasonable chance for success there. However, a golden opportunity was lost on Wednesday, and it's another backwards step for the national team program in this country.

Bob Bradley: You're an Idiot

Mexico 2:1 United States.

0-23-1.

More later.

Enough is Enough: Brewers Clean House

To say the Milwaukee Brewers are slumping would be an understatement. On its surface, a 4-5 road trip that took them to San Diego, Los Angeles, and Houston isn't terrible. However, the club's pitching has failed them drastically throughout the last two months.

In the case of shortstop J.J. Hardy and third baseman/outfielder Bill Hall, the failures have been season-long.

Wednesday, general manager Doug Melvin either 1) decided he's had enough of watching his team mercilessly suck in front of him, or 2) finally pushed the panic button because the other ones weren't working.

The club fired pitching coach Bill Castro, demoted Hardy to Triple-A Nashville, and designated Hall for assignment.

The Brewers have ten days to get Hall to accept a minor-league assignment, release him outright, or trade him (good luck with that contract). Hardy doesn't get this luxury, as he doesn't have enough major-league service time to reject a trip to the minors.

In Hardy's place will come prospect shortstop Alcides Escobar, who likely takes over as the Brewers' starter immediately.

And why not? Nothing else was working.

Melvin tried to shore up the bullpen with guys like Jesus Colome and David Weathers, but neither were going to help a rotation that can't get out of its own way.

Yovani Gallardo has slumped lately, but has generally been ace-quality, and had a legitimate argument for All-Star selection. It's been "pray for rain!" after that for some time. Dave Bush is on the shelf, as is Jeff Suppan, but it's not like Suppan is any good when he's available. Braden Looper was signed cheap as a fifth starter, and he's pitched like one for much of the season. Manny Parra looked like a potential young stud, but he's been awful, to the point that he got sent to the minors and has only improved a bit since returning. Guys like Mike Burns and Carlos Villanueva were asked to shore up the bottom of the rotation because of injuries, and they have largely failed.

Someone had to pay for all of this, and since Melvin is the one pulling this trigger, he sure as hell wasn't going to be the guy. Frankly, he probably shouldn't be, as his positives still outweigh his negatives.

As for Hall and Hardy, good riddance.

Hardy has been given too many chances to be an absolute failure like this. He's had some rotten luck, and now seems to have no confidence, along with still having rotten luck. To make matters worse, his defense hasn't been as good, leading some to think he has started taking crappy at-bats into the field.

He needs to find himself again in the minors, or he'll end up never playing another game with the Brewers. When it was predicted in this space that Hardy would hit .300 in the second half of the season, it didn't even seem possible that he would fall off the map like this.

As for Hall, this is the right move. He's been given more than his fair share of opportunities, even getting called back up to the majors a few days after voluntarily accepting a minor-league assignment. When Corey Hart had an appendectomy, the Brewers brought Hall back instead of going with a younger player.

Hall is owed some $8 million next season, plus a club option for 2011, and the team is eating money to make this move.

The sad thing is that Hall could never play baseball again, and still get that serious coin. He showed up for one season, got his big contract, and basically disappeared. It's a message to general managers everywhere to be very, very careful about the players you decide to lock up long-term.

Castro's firing is nothing but a rearrangement of the proverbial deck chairs. Triple-A pitching coach and former Brewer Chris Bosio isn't going to solve anything, and guys like Looper and Suppan (if he ever comes back) won't just start pitching consistently well because they have a different voice talking to them now.

It's a sad day for a once-promising first-place Brewer team, one that is now going to need some real good luck to just finish .500.

Around the Dial: Huntsville Rejected

Tuesday was not a stirring day for college hockey. With the news that Alabama-Huntsville's application for membership to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association had been rejected, fans were left wondering why, as well as wondering what will happen to the Huntsville program.

For sure, it's a controversial decision. It's one that is possibly made worse by the CCHA's incomprehensible decision to hide the vote count, thus denying fans and media a chance to find out (and question) the schools who came out against UAH.

(To be fair, CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos did cite facilities and transportation concerns. Of course, this is the same conference that willingly accepted Alaska-Fairbanks as a member to a league that (at the time) sported Nebraska-Omaha as its westernmost team. It's hard to imagine transportation could be a serious problem. And it's also difficult to vision Huntsville's near-7,000 seat rink as being hugely inferior to facilities at Bowling Green, Western Michigan, and Ferris State, among others.)

Anyway, let's go around the dial, searching for takes and thoughts on the CCHA's decision and UAH's future.

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

Trying to exist as an independent is like living off nuts and berries in the woods. It means a travel-heavy schedule and recruiting difficulties.

OK, maybe it didn't make sense that a Southern university would have an ice hockey team anyway. In a time of tight budgets in education, it doesn't seem to make fiscal sense, considering the travel and the equipment expenses.

But why does everything have to make sense?

Hockey has been something truly unique for UAH, and for our city. It's been another valuable entertainment alternative, a source of pride for the school, it's launched some players to the National Hockey League and an integral part of a vibrant hockey community.

Chris Dilks, Western College Hockey

I honestly can't understand why they would do that. The move effectively kills hockey at Huntsville and leaves the CCHA at an uneven 11 teams--unless the CCHA has a feeling they'll be losing another team soon. Even still, with college hockey struggling to expand, it seems awfully foolish to let an existing program just fade away. Hopefully there is more to this story and it has a better ending.

Danny Martin, Daily News-Miner (Fairbanks, Alaska)

(Alaska Fairbanks AD Forrest) Karr said a lot of criteria were discussed Tuesday about Alabama-Huntsville’s application. He and other council members visited Huntsville earlier this summer, particularly the UAH campus and the Chargers’ home arena.

“Some people had concerns about a lack of commitment, a firm agreement with the facility down there and low attendance in recent years,” Karr said by cell phone during a layover at Detroit Metro Airport. The council meeting took place in nearby Dearborn, Mich.

Alabama-Huntsville averaged 2,688 fans in 10 home games last season in the Von Braun Center, which seats 6,602 for hockey.

The other concerns, Karr said, included “the institution not being in a major recruiting market, the general economic climate across the country and the student-athlete welfare (of other CCHA schools) because of missed class time due to long bus trips.”

He also said, “I hope this is not a death sentence for them, and I hope this is not the end of their program. The last thing anyone wants to see is the loss of any Division I college hockey program.”

Budd McLaughlin, Huntsville Times

"We are certainly disappointed in the decision and feel like our program has a lot to offer to any league," said UAH director of athletics Jim Harris. "We are going to look at other options that are available to us and then move forward."

Harris said the decision will not affect the upcoming season, which is the team's 25th year as a varsity sport. It will also be the final year of College Hockey America, which UAH helped found in 1999. Three other remaining members of the CHA - Bemidji State, Niagara and Robert Morris - have all been admitted to other conferences.

"Many people have put a lot of work into trying to make this happen; from all of the Chargers past and present through to Dr. Williams and the leaders in the city of Huntsville," said head coach Danton Cole, who is in Slovakia as an assistant coach with the U.S. Under 18 Select Team. "I do not know what the future holds for the program, but we will be looking at our options and move forward in the best interest of the University."

The CCHA's stance just doesn't make sense. The 2,688 fans per game UAH averaged in ten dates equals more than four of the 12 teams currently in the CCHA. While schools like Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Lake Superior State, and Ferris State have the inherent advantage of being able to host the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame virtually every season, UAH drew more per game with home dates against Bemidji State (2), Niagara (4), and Robert Morris (4). The Chargers drew 2,795 for an exhibition game against Tennessee's club team.

But, yeah, they can't draw flies down there.

It's fantastic that Karr cited long bus trips. Yeah, because CCHA teams take the bus to Fairbanks. WCHA teams usually take at least two plane trips per season, and it doesn't seem to kill anyone. It's not like Huntsville is a seven-hour flight away. Instead, Huntsville's airport can be reached quite easily, with nonstop flights going there from both Detroit and Chicago daily.

Quite simply, the CCHA took the easy way out. For college hockey fans, it's a horrible disappointment.

CCHA Spurns Huntsville

Barring a miracle, the ranks of NCAA Division I hockey will shrink in 2009-2010. It is then that the league known as College Hockey America, which never really got off the ground, will officially disband.

Of the four teams remaining in that conference, three have found new homes. Bemidji State will move to the WCHA starting in 2010, while Robert Morris and Niagara go to Atlantic Hockey.

Because Bemidji is bringing Nebraska-Omaha to the WCHA with them, conventional wisdom had it that the CCHA, Omaha's old league, would be looking to expand back to 12 teams. An 11-team conference creates some scheduling issues, and the tournament bracket (six teams play in first-round matchups, while five get first-round byes) can be cumbersome to explain to the casual fan.

A marriage between Alabama-Huntsville and the CCHA seemed like a possibility. While it would create some geographic nightmares, they couldn't possibly be worse than seven CCHA teams heading to Fairbanks every year, right?

Wrong.

Seems that the CCHA would rather have 11 teams than take Huntsville as a new member.

"The league completed its due diligence of the application for membership submitted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville with careful consideration and discussion of various issues," stated CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos.

"At this time we have chosen to maintain our membership at its current level." "The CCHA will remain focused on maintaining and strengthening our existing members to ensure the conference's continued success and long-term viability," Anastos added.

In other words, UAH isn't good enough for a league that should be actively seeking another team.

It's probably curtains for the UAH program very soon. There's little chance of a Division I team being able to sustain itself as the only independent in the land. They'd have to rely on bye weeks to get non-conference dates, and good luck getting anyone willing to play in Huntsville.

The program would be doomed to have no real shot at ever making the NCAA Tournament, and without that carrot to dangle in front of recruits, it would become almost impossible to get Division I-quality athletes to attend there.

This is not a good day for college hockey. There are only 58 programs currently up and running, so the loss of one should never be regarded as insignificant.

Only another league taking UAH, or the Chargers deciding they can make it as an independent, will save this from being a bad moment for the sport.

The other side of this story is that the CCHA has done something strictly for their own good. After years of the WCHA being ripped by select fans for only doing what was in its own best interests, it's nice to think that Bruce McLeod won't be thought of as the bad guy anymore.

It remains to be seen if the CCHA will try to find a 12th team, or if they're truly content to stay at 11.

College Football 2009: MAC

EAST DIVISION
1. Temple
2. Ohio
3. Bowling Green
4. Buffalo
5. Akron
6. Kent State
7. Miami (Ohio)

WEST DIVISION
1. Central Michigan
2. Western Michigan
3. Toledo
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Ball State

Fab Four: Top Storylines in MAC

Temple's time. In 2005, Temple went 0-11 and got rid of head coach Bobby Wallace. The Owls hired Al Golden from Virginia, hoping a young coach who was known for his recruiting acumen could lead Temple to the postseason for the first time since 1979. While Golden has fallen short of those hopes in his three years on the job, he has brought the program to the point that it is a serious bowl contender. After a 4-8 season in 2007, many thought Temple had the goods to go bowling last year. However, senior quarterback Adam DiMichele missed three games, the running game never got going, and an improved defense wasn't good enough to get Temple over .500. Heartbreaking losses to Connecticut, Buffalo, Western Michigan, Navy, and Kent State relegated Temple to another losing campaign. Nine starters -- including senior end Junior Galette (pictured) -- return on a defense that should be among the elite in the MAC. Syracuse transfer Lamar McPherson and sophomore Kee-ayre Griffin need to step up in the backfield in support of junior quarterback Vaughn Charlton. Thanks to that defense, the new faces on offense shouldn't have to do much for the Owls to contend in the East.

LeFevour's swan song. For a conference that has produced guys like Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger, there's some high praise coming for Central Michigan senior Dan LeFevour. Already CMU's all-time career passing leader, now LeFevour has a chance to take the Chippewas to a fourth straight bowl game and cement his status as a high NFL draft pick with another strong season. LeFevour has all the physical tools, and the big question will be how little he gets to play against top competition. Of course, similar fears didn't stop Leftwich or Roethlisberger from being top ten picks. The Chippewas have a very tough schedule, but a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. LeFevour has top receivers Antonio Brown, Bryan Anderson, and Kito Poblah available, and the defense returns ten starters. Among the leaders there are middle linebacker Nick Bellore and defensive end Frank Zombo. If the Chippewas can survive road trips to Arizona, Michigan State, and Boston College in non-conference play, they're a serious threat in the MAC.

Time of transition at Ball State. Brady Hoke came out of nowhere to become a coaching star. Ball State went from 2-9 in 2004 to steady improvement through 2007, then a meteoric rise in 2008. Quarterback Nate Davis and running back MiQuale Lewis led the Cardinals to an amazing 12-2 season, one that was capped by disappointment, both in the MAC title game against Buffalo and the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa. Those two losses, by a combined 87-37, put the brakes on an unbeaten run, and may have signaled the start of a fall. Hoke is gone, having escaped Muncie for the sunnier weather at San Diego State, and coaching veteran Stan Parrish (2-31-1 in his career as a head coach, thanks to a disastrous stint at Kansas State before Bill Snyder revived the program) takes over. Davis is gone, but Lewis remains. However, a defense that was strong against the pass for most of the season is missing nearly their top cornerbacks, and it appears the Cardinals may be starting a redshirt freshman (Kelly Page) in place of Davis. The schedule is easy early on, but Ball State draws Temple, Bowling Green, and Ohio for non-divisional play.

Buffalo tries to follow up on the magic. Turner Gill joins Golden as the up-and-coming stars of the MAC coaching ranks. Gill was a finalist for the Nebraska job in 2007, then Auburn last year. Last year, the Bulls started 2-4, but won six of their last seven games, including the MAC title game over Ball State, to earn a trip to the International Bowl in Toronto. Included in those were three overtime wins -- Army, then Akron in four OTs, and Bowling Green. Donald Brown and Connecticut waxed Buffalo in the bowl game, but UB has some solid players returning. Replacing quarterback Drew Willy is a huge challenge, but the Bulls should still be able to play defense. Linebacker Justin Winters and safeties Davonte Shannon and Mike Newton lead the defense, which does need to get after the quarterback more effectively. If running back James Starks can become the unquestioned leader of the offense, Buffalo should find itself back in the postseason.

Best of the rest

Can Frank Solich lead Ohio back to a bowl game? The Bobcats have 14 starters back, including a two-headed monster at quarterback. Expect Theo Scott and Boo Jackson to share time at the position, with Jackson having gained some real experience last season. They need a big year from the ground game to solidify the offense. ... Bowling Green replaced Gregg Brandon with former Tennessee assistant and Richmond head man Dave Clawson. If he can keep the offense going with senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan, it should buy him some time to renovate a defense decimated by graduation. ... Quarterback Chris Jacquemain (photo) has established himself as the top guy at Akron. Coach J.D. Brookhart now has to find someone to run the ball. Dennis Kennedy departs after a 1,300-yard season, leaving the reins to freshman DeVoe Torrence. The Zips have to plug some leaks on defense, but Jacquemain could lead them to surprise contention in the East. ... For Kent State, losing Julian Edelman could be disastrous. Or maybe it won't be. It could be argued that the Golden Flashes relied too much on their quarterback, and didn't get the ball in the hands of diminutive playmaker Eugene Jarvis nearly enough when he was healthy. That should change now that Edelman is gone, and coach Doug Martin hopes to develop a multi-faceted offense. ... Former Notre Dame assistant Mike Haywood takes over at Miami after a 2-10 season, the RedHawks' second such finish in three years. To avoid a repeat, Haywood has to find a quarterback and clean house on defense, where Miami was awful a year ago. ... A blowout loss in the Texas Bowl didn't destroy the season for Western Michigan, but it was a bad way to end things. The defense that Rice shredded will look completely different this fall, thanks to at least eight new starters. Luckily for the Broncos, quarterback Tim Hiller and running back Brandon West return on the other side of the ball. ... Tom Amstutz is done at Toledo after 30 years with the program, and former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman takes over. There is some talent to work with after a tough 3-9 season, but nothing will matter if the Rockets can get that defense going. Beckman will play a huge role in this. ... Ron English moves from Ann Arbor to nearby Ypsilanti, as he is the new head man at Eastern Michigan. Quarterback Andy Schmitt and eight other starters are back on offense, and English -- a defensive coordinator by trade -- gets to try to rebuild a defense that has been simply awful for many years. ... Youth ruled at Northern Illinois, as freshman quarterback Chandler Harnish and freshman running back Me'co Brown helped the Huskies go bowling. The defense was stellar, allowing just 18 points per game, but they have to replace seven starters.

Preseason Mid-American Conference Honors and Notables
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bellore, LB, Central Michigan
Coach of the Year: Al Golden, Temple
Coach on the Hot Seat: Doug Martin, Kent State
Best non-conference game: Colorado at Toledo, September 11
Worst non-conference game: Alcorn State at Central Michigan, September 19

College Football 2009: Conference USA

This year's College Football Preview uses information gathered from many sources. As usual, my full endorsement goes to Phil Steele and his College Football Preview, which is the most comprehensive publication of its kind available. I also used The Sporting News College Football Preview, along with school websites and local newspapers, in my research for these preview posts. Please contact me ASAP if you have updated information that can be used to make this work more accurate.

EAST DIVISION
1. Southern Mississippi
2. East Carolina
3. Memphis
4. Marshall
5. Central Florida
6. UAB

WEST DIVISION
1. Houston
2. UTEP
3. Tulsa
4. SMU
5. Rice
6. Tulane

The Fab Four: Top Storylines in Conference USA

Southern Mississippi's no-huddle machine. When USM fired Jeff Bower after 17 loyal and generally productive seasons, many -- including your humble correspondent -- wondered what the hell they were thinking. Larry Fedora brought a wide-open offense to Hattiesburg, which seemed to run a bit in contrast to their talent. No worries, though, because Fedora simply started a freshmen at quarterback (Austin Davis) and wide receiver (DeAndre Brown). Obviously, Brown's gruesome leg injury and his long recovery are huge storylines, but Fedora has a year's worth of recruits now, and this offense is only going to get stronger as Davis gains more experience running it. As a freshman, he threw eight picks in 454 passes, so he's certainly got a strong foundation to build from. With two-time All-Conference USA First Team running back Damion Fletcher beside Davis, the Golden Eagles possess one of the strongest backfields in the league. If Brown is healthy and able to play, the offense is going to be insane. Without him, they should still be able to improve on the 30.6 points per game they averaged in 2006.

Can UTEP play defense? It's the $64,000 question for this year's Miners. In 2005, UTEP made it to the GMAC bowl after an eight-win season in which they allowed around 26 points per game. While the offense has been pretty steady, save for a bit of a lapse in 2006, the defense has been absolutely awful since. They have allowed 37 points per game over the last two seasons, posing a 9-15 record, and until things get better on that side of the ball, Mike Price won't take this program anywhere. Trevor Vittatoe is back to throw to the likes of Kris Adams and Jeff Moturi, and an improved running game should make for a very strong offense again this season. The defense returns seven starters, and if they can find a way to improve their front seven, things are looking up. Allowing opposing rushing attacks to gain five yards per carry won't get you to the top of the league, nor will it get you a postseason bid. New defensive coordinator Rocky Long shouldn't have to do much to field an improved unit from last year.

Year 2 better than Year 1? For SMU and June Jones, it wouldn't take much. The Mustangs were miserable in 2008, but the 1-11 finish wasn't a complete throwaway for Jones, who took a lucrative offer to move to the mainland from Hawai'i. SMU still has some serious problems on defense, but they were able to find the triggerman for Jones' run-and-shoot attack. While Bo Levi Mitchell did throw a nation-leading 23 interceptions, he also took command of a offense tough to execute without experience. Jones will cut Mitchell's interceptions and bad throws down significantly. A full offseason to work with a group of receivers that returns intact from 2008 will help, as will the increased confidence that is undoubtedly coming as Mitchell spends more time in the offense. The Mustangs averaged a non-existent 41 yards per game rushing last year, topped 100 exactly once (against Tulsa), and won't go anywhere until they get better blocking and better running. Put it all together, and Jones can find a way to keep his beleagured defense off the field. That unit allowed at least 200 yards rushing in seven of 12 games, and they got torched for over 250 passing yards six times. Ouch.

Tulsa reloads again. Paul Smith left, but the Golden Hurricane didn't miss a beat. David Johnson stepped in as a senior, tossing for over 4,000 yards and 46 touchdowns. While leading receiver Brennan Marion and Johnson are both gone, as is star back Tarrion Adams, Tulsa expects to be able to field a potent offense again this year. Junior Jacob Bower heads a three-way battle for the starting job under center, but whoever wins the job will be under the gun right away. Tulsa opens with three straight road games and four out of five. While one of those is against beatable Tulane, the others are against New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Rice, and it isn't inconceivable that the Hurricane will start 3-2 or 2-3. The good news? Tulsa has just two road games after that. Bad? Those are against UTEP and Southern Mississippi.

Best of the rest

A loaded West Division looks like a wide-open race, but Houston should be considered a serious favorite. The Cougars have all the pieces for a dominant offense, thanks to quarterback Case Keenum, sophomore running back Bryce Beall, and receivers like L.J. Castile, Tyron Carrier, and Patrick Edwards. The three receivers (two of whom are sophomores) combined for over 150 receptions and more than 2,000 yards in 2008. ... Rice won a school-record ten games last year, but will fall off notably this season. Starting quarterback Chase Clement and top receivers Jarrett Dillard and James Casey (combined 198 catches for over 2,600 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2008) are all gone. While nine starters are back on defense, the Owls will need to allow a lot less than 33 points per game if they are to post another winning season. ... Bob Toledo is just spinning his wheels at Tulane. A 6-18 record over two years highlights virtually no on-field progress. The Green Wave continue to struggle on both sides of the ball, and while there is some nice young talent, Toledo appears to still be a year or two from leading the Green Wave to bowl contention. ... Off a nine-win season, East Carolina is in position for bigger and better things. What should be a season-long battle with USM for the East Division title could come down to a Nov. 28 meeting in Greenville. Roadies to West Virginia, North Carolina, Memphis, and Tulsa will test ECU before that big game. Senior quarterback Patrick Pinkney will look for a big season to close out his career with the Pirates. ... Just 16-31 in four years, Mark Snyder is in a bit of trouble at Marshall. Thundering Herd fans have come to expect more out of this program, which hasn't been to a bowl since 2004. He has to solve his team's quarterback problem before that will happen. The Herd were not good there in 2008, and we'll see if junior Brian Anderson can win the job and play well this season. ... If they can survive the always-tough non-conference schedule and an insane Conference USA schedule rotation, Memphis could be a surprise contender. Expect the Tigers to field one of the better secondaries in the league, led by senior safety Alton Starr and free safety DeRon Furr, an Auburn transfer. Not only does Memphis get Mississippi and Tennessee in non-conference play, but they also have to deal with Houston, Tulsa, and UTEP from the CUSA West Division. ... Central Florida's defense wasn't the problem last year. An offense that averaged 230 total yards and just 16.6 points per game was. Finding some sort of way to score points will be huge for UCF. They lose some talented guys from the defense, including cornerback Joe Burnett, but they do have nine starters back on offense, including all the skill-position talent. ... UAB fans should be treated to a better product this season, even if it doesn't translate to a lot of wins. Neil Callaway is in his third year, and now has a ton of his own talent to work with. Quarterback Joe Webb has to cut down on his mistakes, and it would help if they found more ways to get running back Rashaud Slaughter the ball.

Conference USA Preseason Honors and Notables
Offensive Player of the Year: Case Keenum, QB, Houston
Defensive Player of the Year: Eddie Hicks, S, Southern Mississippi
Coach of the Year: Mike Price, UTEP
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mark Snyder, Marshall
Best non-conference game: Texas Tech at Houston, September 26
Worst non-conference game: Sam Houston State at Tulsa, September 26