Athlon Preseason Poll

[Grizalltheway]

All you really need to know about preseason polls:

Athlon's 2010 Preseason Top 5 with (TSN Final Poll in parentheses)
1 Villanova (3rd)
2 Appalachian State (4th)
3 Richmond (unranked)
4 Montana (20th)
5 William & Mary (10th)

If that's not ECB, I don't know what is! (putting last year's defending champs preseason #1, but not this year's)

If TJ were coming back, I'm fairly certain they'd be nummer eins.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

If that's not ECB, I don't know what is! (putting last year's defending champs preseason #1, but not this year's)

If TJ were coming back, I'm fairly certain they'd be nummer eins.

Except that we beat Nova and UD without him.

[kalm]

Your happiness depends on your level of expectation, therefore I am extremely happy about not being considered #1 heading into next season. In fact, I see a slough of injuries, poor officiating, and bad weather finding us barely sneaking into the playoffs.

As for TJ, our offense and specifically BLM were better without him. I'm looking for us to return a bit to being a finesse team with Brown, Beaumonte, and Bronson perhaps showing less productivity over all, but a significant impact none the less.

[bpcats]

What does Georgia Southern have coming back that has everybody excited? I know they were making a comeback of sorts to when they were a powerhouse.

EWU should be ranked #1 going into next season. They return playmakers at all positions including their offensive and defensive lines. Renard Williams has already proven that he can't be blocked when he wants to turn it on. They run a very balanced attacked so defensives can't focus on just stopping the run.

[kalm]

What does Georgia Southern have coming back that has everybody excited? I know they were making a comeback of sorts to when they were a powerhouse.

EWU should be ranked #1 going into next season. They return playmakers at all positions including their offensive and defensive lines. Renard Williams has already proven that he can't be blocked when he wants to turn it on. They run a very balanced attacked so defensives can't focus on just stopping the run.

Ssssshhhh.

[SeattleGriz]

Saw on Twitter this morning the top 5:

1- GSU
2- Wm & Mary
3- EWU
4- Montana St
5- App St

Even after winning a NC and returning almost everyone, we still get dismissed/slighted.

This poll is WITHOUT cow bell. Cry baby.

[∞∞∞]

The remaining CAA teams are ranked 6-14.

So if we beat our first three opponents (Campbell, GSU, Hampton) and head into conference play 3-0, do we automatically get ranked because we're a CAA team? Is that how it works for our conference?

[Grizalltheway]

What does Georgia Southern have coming back that has everybody excited? I know they were making a comeback of sorts to when they were a powerhouse.

EWU should be ranked #1 going into next season. They return playmakers at all positions including their offensive and defensive lines. Renard Williams has already proven that he can't be blocked when he wants to turn it on. They run a very balanced attacked so defensives can't focus on just stopping the run.

I think it's more the fact they had a VERY good team with hardly any upperclassmen last season.

[Baldy]

What does Georgia Southern have coming back that has everybody excited? I know they were making a comeback of sorts to when they were a powerhouse.

EWU should be ranked #1 going into next season. They return playmakers at all positions including their offensive and defensive lines. Renard Williams has already proven that he can't be blocked when he wants to turn it on. They run a very balanced attacked so defensives can't focus on just stopping the run.

20 of 22 starters.

[clenz]

Am I missing the rest of the poll somewhere? I don't see it on the site?

[houndawg]

Saw on Twitter this morning the top 5:

1- GSU
2- Wm & Mary
3- EWU
4- Montana St
5- App St

Even after winning a NC and returning almost everyone, we still get dismissed/slighted.

Bill Fette doesn't get a vote in this poll, bitch.

[slycat]

I never expected Georgia St to get so good so fast. Playing sub DI schools has paid off.....

[bandl]

The remaining CAA teams are ranked 6-14.

So if we beat our first three opponents (Campbell, GSU, Hampton) and head into conference play 3-0, do we automatically get ranked because we're a CAA team? Is that how it works for our conference?

No. You haven't done a damn thing in-conference yet.

[93henfan]

So if we beat our first three opponents (Campbell, GSU, Hampton) and head into conference play 3-0, do we automatically get ranked because we're a CAA team? Is that how it works for our conference?

No. You haven't done a damn thing in-conference yet.

Yeah, I was going to say, if you go 3-0 against those three scrubs and then come up to Newark and beat Delaware, you should be ranked.

[Appaholic]

Yes and no.

Offensive Starters Lost (3) –Taiwan Jones, RB; Matt Martin, TE; Nikolai Myers, OL.
Defensive Starters Lost (4) – Dante Calcote, DB; Jesse Hoffman, DB; Tyler Jolley, DL; J.C. Sherritt, LB.

The biggest losses are of course TJ and JC. But Mario showed he could hold his own against Nova's top 10 run D, we've upgraded at DT with UW transfer Andru Pulu, and the young guys at CB will be an upgrade over Calcote and Hoffman, not including Hoffman's return ability.

Just saying returning 15 of 22 starters is more than avg, but it isn't "almost everyone".

"Starters" was an inaccurate term. They return players who received a shitload of playing time and gained valuable experience deep in the playoffs with come from behind victories against formidable opponents and won their conference as well as national championship regardless of whether they played the first play of the game of their respective offensive or defensive squad or not in a lot of key positions.

[tampajag]

The remaining CAA teams are ranked 6-13, 221.

FIFY

I have #221 on lockdown.

[tampajag]

I never expected Georgia St to get so good so fast. Playing sub DI schools has paid off.....

playing Lambuth is like playing an NFL team

[blueballs]

What does Georgia Southern have coming back that has everybody excited? I know they were making a comeback of sorts to when they were a powerhouse.

EWU should be ranked #1 going into next season. They return playmakers at all positions including their offensive and defensive lines. Renard Williams has already proven that he can't be blocked when he wants to turn it on. They run a very balanced attacked so defensives can't focus on just stopping the run.

Baldy nailed it. 20 out of 22 starters return but and 40 out of the 44 on the two deep plus all specialists. Also, Jonathan Bryant was a starter at slot back but was lost in the first game and Dion DuBose was a starter at DE and was lost about 3/4 into the season. Both those guys should be back for fall camp and neither of those count in the totals returning above.

Even with all that I would tab EWU pre-season #1 too. I also think Delaware and Wofford are both undervalued.

[89Hen]

I also think Delaware and Wofford are both undervalued.

Too many question marks at UD. They very well could end up in the top 10, but they could also be out of the top 25.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Just saying returning 15 of 22 starters is more than avg, but it isn't "almost everyone".

"Starters" was an inaccurate term. They return players who received a shitload of playing time and gained valuable experience deep in the playoffs with come from behind victories against formidable opponents and won their conference as well as national championship regardless of whether they played the first play of the game of their respective offensive or defensive squad or not in a lot of key positions.

This. The value of that extra month of practice for the young guys that will be taking over starting jobs can not be overstated. That's why I'm not too worried about our CBs (we lost both starters), because the guys taking over looked lights out in spring. 3 INTs, two of 'em pick 6's, and many more tipped passes during the spring game.

[JmuSkinsfan]

JMU isn't ranked #1 and we are returning 20/22 starters as well (per the CAA media guide). So that argument for GSU just isn't good enough for me.

That being said, JMU should be an interesting team to watch this year. I know that no one is sleeping on JMU by any means, but after two straight "down" (6-5) years, they should make a big rebound this year. The defense is going to be absolutely stacked ... improving on being very good last year, and the offense returns most of its playmakers, plus hopefully a consistent QB will emerge. I think at this point Justin Thorpe is the favorite to win the job. By all accounts he has greatly matured since his freshman year (when he won CAA rookie of the year and lead the Dukes to 4-straight CAA wins to end the season) ... and comparisons to Rodney Landers are not inaccurate, IMO, since Landers didn't see the field much until his Jr. year and Thorpe, even as a freshman, really opened some eyes. I think JMU has the potential to be very, very good and scary this year, mainly because of the defense, but even scarier if the QB situation is resolved (between Thorpe and KSU transfer Billy Cosh, I think this will be a huge upgrade this year).

[FCS Go!]

JMU as a preseason top-10 is not a stretch by any means. I expect them to finish in the top-5 after the Griz knock off EWU and the kittens...

[BDKJMU]

The remaining CAA teams are ranked 6-14.

So if we beat our first three opponents (Campbell, GSU, Hampton) and head into conference play 3-0, do we automatically get ranked because we're a CAA team? Is that how it works for our conference?

ODU is playing GSU? In Norfolk or Statesboro? Didn't know that. Yeah, if ODU beat a top 3 GSU + 2 cupcakes and were 3-0, yeah they would be ranked, if not top 10, definitely top 15.

[bandl]

So if we beat our first three opponents (Campbell, GSU, Hampton) and head into conference play 3-0, do we automatically get ranked because we're a CAA team? Is that how it works for our conference?

ODU is playing GSU? In Norfolk or Statesboro? Didn't know that. Yeah, if ODU beat a top 3 GSU + 2 cupcakes and were 3-0, yeah they would be ranked, if not top 10, definitely top 15.

Georgia State

[BDKJMU]

JMU isn't ranked #1 and we are returning 20/22 starters as well (per the CAA media guide). So that argument for GSU just isn't good enough for me.

That being said, JMU should be an interesting team to watch this year. I know that no one is sleeping on JMU by any means, but after two straight "down" (6-5) years, they should make a big rebound this year. The defense is going to be absolutely stacked ... improving on being very good last year, and the offense returns most of its playmakers, plus hopefully a consistent QB will emerge. I think at this point Justin Thorpe is the favorite to win the job. By all accounts he has greatly matured since his freshman year (when he won CAA rookie of the year and lead the Dukes to 4-straight CAA wins to end the season) ... and comparisons to Rodney Landers are not inaccurate, IMO, since Landers didn't see the field much until his Jr. year and Thorpe, even as a freshman, really opened some eyes. I think JMU has the potential to be very, very good and scary this year, mainly because of the defense, but even scarier if the QB situation is resolved (between Thorpe and KSU transfer Billy Cosh, I think this will be a huge upgrade this year).

I haven't seen the CAA media guide, but JMU loses:
Lose Offense:
QB Dudzik
TB Sullivan (and # 2 Noble who started a couple of games when Sullivan was injured)
OT Sherman

Lose Defense:
DT Ronnell Brown
WS Jon Williams (legal)

17 starters from 10' back by my count. Now maybe they are also including 7th? year Army transfer Nick Emmons, starting DT 1st 2 games who went down vs VT who got a med redshirt, and Jamie Veney who started at LB 08' as a true Fr (after a PG yr at FUMA) and 09' before having to take a redshirt last season due to calcium deposits in his leg. Thats 19. Now there's several more who started 1-2 games due to all the injuries.

-I'm not counting as a lost starter graduating FB Donnel Brown, as although technically he was listed as a starter, he played an avg of less than 10 snaps per game.

-Of the 4 who were arrested in Dec & charged with the felonies, Jon Williams was the only returning starter, and he's already gone, so won't lose anymore starters to the offseason legal issue.