Head coach Todd Berry led Louisiana at Monroe to a 4-8 record overall, including a 3-5 mark in the Sun Belt in his second season with the school. The record didn't tell the whole story, however, as they actually outgained their opponents in conference play by an average of 105.5 yards/game. Three of their losses came in the form of nail biters: Arkansas State (19-24), Western Kentucky in overtime (28-31) and Louisiana (35-36).
This is one of the more underrated teams in the conference and they could potentially surprise in the Sun Belt this season. The Warhawks have 13 starters returning and are now in their third year under Berry.
Offense
Junior quarterback Kolton Browning returns and he seems destined to become the school's all-time leading passer by the end of his career. After throwing for 2,552 yards and 18 touchdowns as red-shirt freshman in 2010, he regressed in 2011 as he threw for 2,438 yards and 13 touchdowns. He may not have had the kind of year the Warhawks hoped, but they are still optimistic that he can fully live up to his potential in 2012.
Browning brings a dual skill set as he is also a threat at running the football. He finished second on the team with 443 yards and five touchdowns in 2011. With the returns of starting running back Jyruss Edwards and backup Centarius Donald, ULM should have one of the better rushing attacks in the conference.
One of the big reasons Browning is likely to have a breakout year in 2012 is due to the fact that ULM has four of their best receiving threats coming back. The two players that will give opposing teams fits are senior Brent Leonard and junior Tavarese Maye. Sophomore Colby Harper is an intriguing prospect that the Warhawks are also excited about as he really impressed coaches in his eight starts to finish last season.
ULM loses 2nd Team All-Sun Belt right tackle Anthony Montgomery and starting center Ryan McCaul, but they should still be much better on the line than they were a year ago. That's because the Warhawks have some key pieces that should mature with the experience they gained last year. Among them are Joseph Treadwell, Ben Risenhoover and Josh Allen. Both Treadwell and Risenhoover had starting experience as true freshmen and Allen started eight games as a sophomore.
Defense
The Warhawks' defense caught a lot of people by surprise last year as they were quite good, especially up front on the defensive line. ULM gave up just 100 rushing yards/game last year, which was a huge improvement from 2010, when they allowed 160 yards/game on the ground. They lose 1st Team All-Sun Belt defensive end Ken Dorsey and 2nd Team All-Sun Belt defensive end Troy Evans, but they should still be pretty solid heading into the fall. That's because they will move starting nose tackle Kentarius Caldwell to defensive end, and place Missouri transfer Gerrand Johnson at the other stating spot.
The 'Hawks also lose two of their top linebackers from last year in 1st Team All-Sun Belt linebacker Darius Prelow and 2nd Team All-Sun Belt linebacker Jason Edwards. But things aren't as bad as they seem as get back a couple of senior starters in Cameron Blakes and R.J. Young. They also add a highly touted Arkansas transfer in Austin Moses.
The secondary is looking pretty good with the return of starting corner Vincent Eddie and free safety Isaiah Newsome. They also have corner Otis Peterson coming back from injury.
Sun Belt Prediction - 6th Place
This prediction was a difficult one as ULM actually showed some promise last year. However, their defense took a huge blow and their offense, though improved, cannot compensate for their deficiencies on the other side of the ball. Their schedule is also quite tough as they face some difficult opponents in Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and FIU, while also facing Arkansas, Auburn and Baylor in non-conference play.
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Tuesday, 16 October 2012
2012-13 NFL Season: The Year of the Cat
This year will showcase the talents of two feline teams. I'm talking about the Panthers and the Lions. Two teams poised to make the playoffs and have a legitimate shot at winning a Super Bowl title.
The Panthers are certainly a talented football team and last year Cam Newton had his coming out party, but he was not satisfied. You could see it on his face every down and you can hear it in every single interview the man does. Newton is about winning. Pure and simple, Cam Newton wants to win football games. He's going to have every chance to win each game this season with many offense weapons. Steve Smith has had a terrific off season according to many Carolina beat reports and he will definitely continue where he left off last year. Teams will have to cover Smith and probably focus two defenders on him on every down. This leaves room for probable WR2 Brandon LaFell who could possibly have one of the best breakout seasons at the position this season.
LaFell has a boatload of talent and was one of the top receivers in the 2010 draft class when the Panthers selected him 78th. If LaFell can put together a solid season, he could easily be a top 20 receiver. Now if these receivers are firing on all cylinders all year then it's going to make it very hard for defenses to stop Newton's legs. Quarterback rushing yards are the most consistent statistic in NFL football and while Newton might not be able to replicate his stellar rookie campaign, the fall off will not be very dramatic. The Panthers also got a solid WR3 in Louis Murphy and from this late off-season move, we can tell their intentions: light the ball up through the air and make way for Cam's legs. Carolina's offense will be giving defensive coordinators head aches each week. The Panthers also acquired running back Mike Tolbert to solidify a glaring weakness in their traditional running game. Along with the offensive moves, the Panthers made some decent acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball. This is something that needed to be done as the Panther D couldn't stop anything last season. The Panthers brought in two safety's in Reggie Smith and Haruki Nakamura. These moves should help a deficient secondary. The Panthers draft also helped their D, taking Luke Kuechly from Boston College with the 8th overall pick, he's a linebacker with great potential. The biggest pointer for me about the Panthers was when I heard Panther's linebacker Thomas Davis waive an 8 million dollar bonus in order to stay with the team and avoid being released. That's team commitment, loyalty and most of all that's buy in. The Panther's players are buying into the system, management and they're buying into Cam Newton. Expect big things this season from the Carolina Panthers as a 35-1 long shot to win the Super Bowl.
It's no secret that the Detroit Lions are loaded on both sides of the football. We took advantage of this last season and piled on the units when the Lions were undervalued. They will not and should not be underestimated in the 2012-2013 season. Matthew Stafford played out of his mind last year and Calvin Johnson cemented himself as the elite wide receiver in the NFL. Johnson's greatness made way for huge success by secondary wide receivers Titus Young and Nate Burleson. Both of these guys have enough talent to give defenses trouble all year. There is just too much talent through the air on this Detroit team. Cover all those receivers and Stafford still has TE Pettigrew who is easily top 5 at his position. Cover the TE and the Lions toss the ball to Javhid Best or Mikel LeShoure. There's not many teams who can match this explosive offense. Match that with a defensive unit which will probably end up in the top 5 or at least the top 10 and you've got a legitimate Super Bowl threat. The Lion's picked up safety Sean Jones in the off-season and he is a great addition to a questionable secondary.
Like the Panther's above, the Lion's took some major salary cuts to make all of the off season moves. But not just one guy and not a mediocre, expendable player. The guys that took the hits included Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh, and Nate Burleson. These guys are taking hits for the good of the team. That is the mark off all great teams and they are totally buying into this Detroit system. Another big factor for the Lions heading into the season is the re-signing of Jim "Don't shake my hand too hard" Schwartz. Jim is a fantastic coach and turned an 0-16 team around in just 3 years. Schwartz is the glue that holds this team together and the one who lights a fire under them. At 20 to 1 to win the Super Bowl, the Lions offer significant value.
Take a shot on the Panthers and the Lions as long shots to win the Super Bowl with incredible value. StumptheSpread.com has profited over 233 units in the past 3 NFL seasons.
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The Panthers are certainly a talented football team and last year Cam Newton had his coming out party, but he was not satisfied. You could see it on his face every down and you can hear it in every single interview the man does. Newton is about winning. Pure and simple, Cam Newton wants to win football games. He's going to have every chance to win each game this season with many offense weapons. Steve Smith has had a terrific off season according to many Carolina beat reports and he will definitely continue where he left off last year. Teams will have to cover Smith and probably focus two defenders on him on every down. This leaves room for probable WR2 Brandon LaFell who could possibly have one of the best breakout seasons at the position this season.
LaFell has a boatload of talent and was one of the top receivers in the 2010 draft class when the Panthers selected him 78th. If LaFell can put together a solid season, he could easily be a top 20 receiver. Now if these receivers are firing on all cylinders all year then it's going to make it very hard for defenses to stop Newton's legs. Quarterback rushing yards are the most consistent statistic in NFL football and while Newton might not be able to replicate his stellar rookie campaign, the fall off will not be very dramatic. The Panthers also got a solid WR3 in Louis Murphy and from this late off-season move, we can tell their intentions: light the ball up through the air and make way for Cam's legs. Carolina's offense will be giving defensive coordinators head aches each week. The Panthers also acquired running back Mike Tolbert to solidify a glaring weakness in their traditional running game. Along with the offensive moves, the Panthers made some decent acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball. This is something that needed to be done as the Panther D couldn't stop anything last season. The Panthers brought in two safety's in Reggie Smith and Haruki Nakamura. These moves should help a deficient secondary. The Panthers draft also helped their D, taking Luke Kuechly from Boston College with the 8th overall pick, he's a linebacker with great potential. The biggest pointer for me about the Panthers was when I heard Panther's linebacker Thomas Davis waive an 8 million dollar bonus in order to stay with the team and avoid being released. That's team commitment, loyalty and most of all that's buy in. The Panther's players are buying into the system, management and they're buying into Cam Newton. Expect big things this season from the Carolina Panthers as a 35-1 long shot to win the Super Bowl.
It's no secret that the Detroit Lions are loaded on both sides of the football. We took advantage of this last season and piled on the units when the Lions were undervalued. They will not and should not be underestimated in the 2012-2013 season. Matthew Stafford played out of his mind last year and Calvin Johnson cemented himself as the elite wide receiver in the NFL. Johnson's greatness made way for huge success by secondary wide receivers Titus Young and Nate Burleson. Both of these guys have enough talent to give defenses trouble all year. There is just too much talent through the air on this Detroit team. Cover all those receivers and Stafford still has TE Pettigrew who is easily top 5 at his position. Cover the TE and the Lions toss the ball to Javhid Best or Mikel LeShoure. There's not many teams who can match this explosive offense. Match that with a defensive unit which will probably end up in the top 5 or at least the top 10 and you've got a legitimate Super Bowl threat. The Lion's picked up safety Sean Jones in the off-season and he is a great addition to a questionable secondary.
Like the Panther's above, the Lion's took some major salary cuts to make all of the off season moves. But not just one guy and not a mediocre, expendable player. The guys that took the hits included Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh, and Nate Burleson. These guys are taking hits for the good of the team. That is the mark off all great teams and they are totally buying into this Detroit system. Another big factor for the Lions heading into the season is the re-signing of Jim "Don't shake my hand too hard" Schwartz. Jim is a fantastic coach and turned an 0-16 team around in just 3 years. Schwartz is the glue that holds this team together and the one who lights a fire under them. At 20 to 1 to win the Super Bowl, the Lions offer significant value.
Take a shot on the Panthers and the Lions as long shots to win the Super Bowl with incredible value. StumptheSpread.com has profited over 233 units in the past 3 NFL seasons.
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5 Movies to Get You In the Mood for Football Season
Football season is right around the corner. In fact, the pre-season is already underway. Get in the mood for the excitement of football season with these movies.
Little Giants
Football isn't just about professional players, it's also about the little ones just starting out and playing pee-wee football. A pair of brothers take their sibling rivalry onto the football field in this movie. The town's existing team, the Cowboys, battles it out with the newly formed Little Giants. Both teams learn that football is about more than winning; it is also about friendship and teamwork.
The Blind Side
In the Blind side, Michael Oher touches us with his kindness and his ability to rise above his difficult childhood with the help of a loving new family and his abilities on the football field. The Blind Side is based partially on the true story of offensive lineman, Michael Oher.
We Are Marshall
We are Marshall is based on the tragic true story of the plane crash that took the lives of most of the Marshall University football players and coaching staff in 1970. The movie is full of sadness and grief, but also a beautiful display of courage as a new team is formed with the few remaining players along with some new inexperienced players. Amazingly, after a crushing loss at the first game, this team wins at its first home game of the season. This movie is a wonderful example of the way football can bring people together, even following a terrible tragedy.
The Waterboy
The Waterboy will make you laugh, but you will also cheer for Bobby Boucher as he finally stands up for himself and finds success in college and on the football field. Bobby starts out as a water boy who dropped out of high school, but ends up earning his GED, starting college, and playing football after he is encouraged by the coach. He even finds the strength to stand up to his overprotective but well-intentioned mother.
Any Given Sunday
Anything can happen in football. As the name of the movie suggests, something miraculous can happen "any given Sunday". In this movie a team that is part of the Associated Football Franchises of America is struggling. Willie Beamen, the third string quarterback, is forced to play after injuries are sustained by both the starting and back-up quarterbacks. Beamen ends up surprising the team with his abilities, but his selfish attitude does not impress his coach or his teammates. Beamen is given the chance to prove himself again at the end of the movie, and he changes his selfish ways. This movie reminds us that the unexpected is always possible in football; watch it and get excited for the surprises to come this football season.
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Little Giants
Football isn't just about professional players, it's also about the little ones just starting out and playing pee-wee football. A pair of brothers take their sibling rivalry onto the football field in this movie. The town's existing team, the Cowboys, battles it out with the newly formed Little Giants. Both teams learn that football is about more than winning; it is also about friendship and teamwork.
The Blind Side
In the Blind side, Michael Oher touches us with his kindness and his ability to rise above his difficult childhood with the help of a loving new family and his abilities on the football field. The Blind Side is based partially on the true story of offensive lineman, Michael Oher.
We Are Marshall
We are Marshall is based on the tragic true story of the plane crash that took the lives of most of the Marshall University football players and coaching staff in 1970. The movie is full of sadness and grief, but also a beautiful display of courage as a new team is formed with the few remaining players along with some new inexperienced players. Amazingly, after a crushing loss at the first game, this team wins at its first home game of the season. This movie is a wonderful example of the way football can bring people together, even following a terrible tragedy.
The Waterboy
The Waterboy will make you laugh, but you will also cheer for Bobby Boucher as he finally stands up for himself and finds success in college and on the football field. Bobby starts out as a water boy who dropped out of high school, but ends up earning his GED, starting college, and playing football after he is encouraged by the coach. He even finds the strength to stand up to his overprotective but well-intentioned mother.
Any Given Sunday
Anything can happen in football. As the name of the movie suggests, something miraculous can happen "any given Sunday". In this movie a team that is part of the Associated Football Franchises of America is struggling. Willie Beamen, the third string quarterback, is forced to play after injuries are sustained by both the starting and back-up quarterbacks. Beamen ends up surprising the team with his abilities, but his selfish attitude does not impress his coach or his teammates. Beamen is given the chance to prove himself again at the end of the movie, and he changes his selfish ways. This movie reminds us that the unexpected is always possible in football; watch it and get excited for the surprises to come this football season.
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2012 North Texas Football Season Predictions
Head coach Dan McCarney had a pretty successful first season at North Texas. He led the Mean Green to a 5-7 record, just one win away from bowl eligibility. They actually had a brutal non-conference schedule featuring the likes of Alabama, Houston, Tulsa and they even beat Big Ten opponent Indiana at home. Their 4-4 Sun Belt record emphatically exceeded almost everyone's expectations.
North Texas is once again flying under the radar and that's just where McCarney wants it. He has a reputation of getting the most out of his players and he's once again doing that here in Denton. The Mean Green has 14 starters returning from both sides of the ball.
Offense
The offense performed well enough last season, averaging 24.8 points and 342 total yards/game. They have nine starters returning and almost all of them are key players who had contributions last year. The Mean Green should have one of the best offenses in the entire conference in 2012.
Junior QB Derek Thompson should be able to use his 2011 campaign as a building block to an even bigger year in 2012. He completed 57.7% of his passes for 1,759 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. He also rushed for 113 yards and three scores.
The Mean Green loses their all-time leading rusher Lance Dunbar, who had 4,224 career yards. The unit will certainly take a hit, but McCarney has some candidates in redshirt freshman Antoinne Jimmerson and junior Brandin Byrd. Jimmerson should get the starting nod, but look for Byrd to get a fair share of the carries as well.
The receiving corps will be strong as they return their top three pass-catchers from last season. They are junior WR Brelan Chancellor, senior WR Chris Bynes and senior WR Ivan Delgado. They also welcome back senior TE Andrew Power as well.
The offensive line loses first-team All-Sun Belt right tackle Matt Tomlinson, but they do return four starters and 67 career starts. Those starters are senior center Aaron Fortenberry, sophomores right guard Cyril Lemon, left guard Mason Y'Barbo and left tackle Antonio Johnson. McCarney also add talented Arkansas transfer Cam Feldt to take Tomlinson's place on the right end of the line. That gives them four talented sophomores and a bright future ahead.
Defense
The Mean Green defense allowed 30.7 points and 429 total yards per game last season. The inflated numbers were due to 48 points scored by Houston, 47 by Alabama and 41 by Tulsa. Otherwise, they actually posted solid numbers. The stop unit does have some questions heading into 2012 as they only return five starters and lose seven of their top ten tacklers from last year.
The defensive line loses second-team All-Sun Belt end Brandon Akpunku, but brings back seven of its top eight up front. This unit will be the strength of the defense with three starters back in senior tackle Tevinn Cantly, junior tackle Ryan Boutwell and junior defensive end Brandon McCoy. Senior end K.C. Obi will take Akpunku's place in the lineup.
The Mean Green linebackers looks strong as well as they return their #1, #5 and #10 tacklers. Junior middle linebacker Zachary Orr and sophomore outside linebacker Michael Stojkovic lead the way. Senior OLB Jeremy7 Phillips started the first two games before a devastating knee injury prematurely ended his 2011 campaign. He returns healthy, giving the Mean Green virtually three starters back at linebacker.
Their secondary looks to be the weakest link on the entire team. They lose four starters, including third-team All-Sun Belt corner Royce Hill. Seven of the top eight from last year's two-deep are gone as well, and only 48 tackles from last year return in the defensive backfield. Oklahoma transfer Marcus Trice is expected to start right away at strong safety and he will be the presumed leader of the secondary.
Sun Belt Prediction - 8th Place
It will be very intriguing to see where the Mean Green is headed in 2012. Right now they are projected this low because of all the pieces they lose, but coach McCarney usually exceeds expectations, so the new season could get interesting. Their tough games will come at home against the likes of Troy, Louisiana and Arkansas State, and there could be an upset or two in there. Most of their winnable games will be on the road against FAU, ULM, WKU and Middle Tennessee. If they can split those road games, then another 4-4 Sun Belt campaign is possible.
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North Texas is once again flying under the radar and that's just where McCarney wants it. He has a reputation of getting the most out of his players and he's once again doing that here in Denton. The Mean Green has 14 starters returning from both sides of the ball.
Offense
The offense performed well enough last season, averaging 24.8 points and 342 total yards/game. They have nine starters returning and almost all of them are key players who had contributions last year. The Mean Green should have one of the best offenses in the entire conference in 2012.
Junior QB Derek Thompson should be able to use his 2011 campaign as a building block to an even bigger year in 2012. He completed 57.7% of his passes for 1,759 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. He also rushed for 113 yards and three scores.
The Mean Green loses their all-time leading rusher Lance Dunbar, who had 4,224 career yards. The unit will certainly take a hit, but McCarney has some candidates in redshirt freshman Antoinne Jimmerson and junior Brandin Byrd. Jimmerson should get the starting nod, but look for Byrd to get a fair share of the carries as well.
The receiving corps will be strong as they return their top three pass-catchers from last season. They are junior WR Brelan Chancellor, senior WR Chris Bynes and senior WR Ivan Delgado. They also welcome back senior TE Andrew Power as well.
The offensive line loses first-team All-Sun Belt right tackle Matt Tomlinson, but they do return four starters and 67 career starts. Those starters are senior center Aaron Fortenberry, sophomores right guard Cyril Lemon, left guard Mason Y'Barbo and left tackle Antonio Johnson. McCarney also add talented Arkansas transfer Cam Feldt to take Tomlinson's place on the right end of the line. That gives them four talented sophomores and a bright future ahead.
Defense
The Mean Green defense allowed 30.7 points and 429 total yards per game last season. The inflated numbers were due to 48 points scored by Houston, 47 by Alabama and 41 by Tulsa. Otherwise, they actually posted solid numbers. The stop unit does have some questions heading into 2012 as they only return five starters and lose seven of their top ten tacklers from last year.
The defensive line loses second-team All-Sun Belt end Brandon Akpunku, but brings back seven of its top eight up front. This unit will be the strength of the defense with three starters back in senior tackle Tevinn Cantly, junior tackle Ryan Boutwell and junior defensive end Brandon McCoy. Senior end K.C. Obi will take Akpunku's place in the lineup.
The Mean Green linebackers looks strong as well as they return their #1, #5 and #10 tacklers. Junior middle linebacker Zachary Orr and sophomore outside linebacker Michael Stojkovic lead the way. Senior OLB Jeremy7 Phillips started the first two games before a devastating knee injury prematurely ended his 2011 campaign. He returns healthy, giving the Mean Green virtually three starters back at linebacker.
Their secondary looks to be the weakest link on the entire team. They lose four starters, including third-team All-Sun Belt corner Royce Hill. Seven of the top eight from last year's two-deep are gone as well, and only 48 tackles from last year return in the defensive backfield. Oklahoma transfer Marcus Trice is expected to start right away at strong safety and he will be the presumed leader of the secondary.
Sun Belt Prediction - 8th Place
It will be very intriguing to see where the Mean Green is headed in 2012. Right now they are projected this low because of all the pieces they lose, but coach McCarney usually exceeds expectations, so the new season could get interesting. Their tough games will come at home against the likes of Troy, Louisiana and Arkansas State, and there could be an upset or two in there. Most of their winnable games will be on the road against FAU, ULM, WKU and Middle Tennessee. If they can split those road games, then another 4-4 Sun Belt campaign is possible.
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2012 Middle Tennessee Football Season Preview
Middle Tennessee had a devastating collapse last year after winning a combined 16 games in 2009 and 2010. The Blue Raiders went just 2-10 last year in the worst season of Rick Stockstill's six years on the job. Last year was filled with terrible luck, however, and they should be much improved in 2012.
Stockstill enters his seventh year on the job, and he has a compiled 35-40 record in that span. He has 13 starters and 41 lettermen returning, so he has some talent and experience returning in 2012.
Offense
The Blue Raiders put up 22.3 points and 401 total yards per game last season offensively. They averaged a really high numbers of 18.0 yards/point. The reason for that was their poor red zone execution and -8 turnover differential. They should put up much better numbers in 2012 as they have six starters and a lot of talent returning.
Junior QB Logan Kilgore returns after completing 58.6 percent of his passes for 2,231 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. Redshirt freshman Shaun White and senior Jeff Murphy are the designated backups. Murphy tore his ACL in the spring, but he may still try to play this fall.
Middle Tennessee has a lot of talent coming back at running back with talented LSU transfer Drayton Calhoun leading the way. Their top two rushers from last year in junior William Pratcher and senior Benny Cunningham both return. This will undoubtedly be one of the best backfields in the Sun Belt.
The receiving corps returns two of its top three in junior WR Kyle Griswould and senior WR Tavarres Jefferson. Seniors Anthony Amos and Jamal Gray are expected to take the two other spots. This unit should also show some improvement.
The biggest concern on offense is the loss of three starters along the offensive line, including first-team All-Sun Belt center Colin Boss and second-team All-Sun Belt guard Brandon McLeroy. This unit allowed just eight sacks last year and they return just two players with starting experience in senior Alex Stuart and junior Josh Walker.
Defense
The Blue Raiders' defense was abysmal last year allowing 38.8 points and 441 total yards/game. They should show much improvement in 2012 as they return seven starters, but they do lose their top four tacklers from a year ago, so a collective effort is needed to do so.
The biggest improvements will be made up front as MTSU gave up 230 rushing yards per game and 4.7/carry. The defensive line returns four starters in senior DE Omar McLendon, senior DT Kendall Dangerfield, junior DT Jimmy Staten and sophomore DE Jiajuan Fennell.
The linebacking corps loses its top two players in third-team All-Sun Belt selection Darin Davis and Gorby Loreus. They do bring back five linebackers with starting experience, including junior Craig Allen, junior Roderic Blunt and sophomore Christian Henry.
The secondary is in a very rough spot after losing 39 starts and a plethora of key pieces from the 2011 team. They have three new starters in the defensive backfield, but the talented Florida State transfer Jajuan Harley will be a welcome addition at strong safety. The one returning starter on this unit is junior corner Kenneth Gilstrap.
Sun Belt Prediction - 7th Place
Their offense should show considerable improvement, but they have some major concern on the offensive line as they lose three starters, including their top two linemen. The defense should definitely improve as they were atrocious last year, and they should be a lot stronger at the point of attack. The Blue Raiders will benefit from a relatively easy home schedule where they face Florida Atlantic, North Texas and Louisiana-Monroe. They also face South Alabama on the road for another winnable game. This team will likely be the most improved in the Sun Belt and they should compete for a bowl game.
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Stockstill enters his seventh year on the job, and he has a compiled 35-40 record in that span. He has 13 starters and 41 lettermen returning, so he has some talent and experience returning in 2012.
Offense
The Blue Raiders put up 22.3 points and 401 total yards per game last season offensively. They averaged a really high numbers of 18.0 yards/point. The reason for that was their poor red zone execution and -8 turnover differential. They should put up much better numbers in 2012 as they have six starters and a lot of talent returning.
Junior QB Logan Kilgore returns after completing 58.6 percent of his passes for 2,231 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. Redshirt freshman Shaun White and senior Jeff Murphy are the designated backups. Murphy tore his ACL in the spring, but he may still try to play this fall.
Middle Tennessee has a lot of talent coming back at running back with talented LSU transfer Drayton Calhoun leading the way. Their top two rushers from last year in junior William Pratcher and senior Benny Cunningham both return. This will undoubtedly be one of the best backfields in the Sun Belt.
The receiving corps returns two of its top three in junior WR Kyle Griswould and senior WR Tavarres Jefferson. Seniors Anthony Amos and Jamal Gray are expected to take the two other spots. This unit should also show some improvement.
The biggest concern on offense is the loss of three starters along the offensive line, including first-team All-Sun Belt center Colin Boss and second-team All-Sun Belt guard Brandon McLeroy. This unit allowed just eight sacks last year and they return just two players with starting experience in senior Alex Stuart and junior Josh Walker.
Defense
The Blue Raiders' defense was abysmal last year allowing 38.8 points and 441 total yards/game. They should show much improvement in 2012 as they return seven starters, but they do lose their top four tacklers from a year ago, so a collective effort is needed to do so.
The biggest improvements will be made up front as MTSU gave up 230 rushing yards per game and 4.7/carry. The defensive line returns four starters in senior DE Omar McLendon, senior DT Kendall Dangerfield, junior DT Jimmy Staten and sophomore DE Jiajuan Fennell.
The linebacking corps loses its top two players in third-team All-Sun Belt selection Darin Davis and Gorby Loreus. They do bring back five linebackers with starting experience, including junior Craig Allen, junior Roderic Blunt and sophomore Christian Henry.
The secondary is in a very rough spot after losing 39 starts and a plethora of key pieces from the 2011 team. They have three new starters in the defensive backfield, but the talented Florida State transfer Jajuan Harley will be a welcome addition at strong safety. The one returning starter on this unit is junior corner Kenneth Gilstrap.
Sun Belt Prediction - 7th Place
Their offense should show considerable improvement, but they have some major concern on the offensive line as they lose three starters, including their top two linemen. The defense should definitely improve as they were atrocious last year, and they should be a lot stronger at the point of attack. The Blue Raiders will benefit from a relatively easy home schedule where they face Florida Atlantic, North Texas and Louisiana-Monroe. They also face South Alabama on the road for another winnable game. This team will likely be the most improved in the Sun Belt and they should compete for a bowl game.
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Monday, 15 October 2012
Are the Glazers Playing Fantasy Football With Manchester United?
Each day more and more revelations about the proposed flotation are being disclosed and it seems that the biggest beneficiaries of the flotation will once again be the Glazers, and some high end executives, which could include Sir Alex Ferguson.
At first it seemed as though the flotation was good for the club and was initially welcomed by fans, then as details emerged, it became more apparent that this was not the beginning of the end of the Glazers control.
The worst thing about this issue is that there are no dividends on the shares for at least five years, and that the shares carry virtually no voting rights, as the Glazers personal folio is worth 10 votes to 1.
So what is there to actually attract a large investor to buy a lump in the club, to literally give the club an interest free loan for five years.
The answer to that is there is nothing, nothing whatsoever to attract even a small investor.
There is now news that the issue contains an Employee share incentive scheme,worth $204m, at the lower end that would leave only? $80m to reduce the clubs debt, not that significant an amount, either for the reduction of interest, or capital debt.
Nils Pratley of The Guardian sums it up like this:
From an investment point of view, the only reason to take a punt on Man United at the proposed price is the hope that one day a zillionaire will make the Glazers an offer they can't refuse. The trophy asset argument, in other words. But it rests on wishful thinking, rather than sound investment logic.
He also indicates that the more the Glazers milk this club of millions of pounds the less likely we are ever going to find a super rich buyer to get us out of this mess.
Since the Glazers took over the club in a leveraged buyot in 2005, their tenure on the club has been one of continually taking profit from the club, including loans at reduced interest rates, the debts of the initial purchase were loaded onto the club almost the day after Manchester United PLC was de-listed on the London stock exchange.
Since that time there has been strong supporter backlash, and a long running anit-Glazer campaign.
What is even sorrier is that the most respected Manager United have had since Sir Matt, is tarnishing his legacy and reputation by turning on the fans and publicly backing everything these leeches are doing, just to continue lining his own pockets.
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At first it seemed as though the flotation was good for the club and was initially welcomed by fans, then as details emerged, it became more apparent that this was not the beginning of the end of the Glazers control.
The worst thing about this issue is that there are no dividends on the shares for at least five years, and that the shares carry virtually no voting rights, as the Glazers personal folio is worth 10 votes to 1.
So what is there to actually attract a large investor to buy a lump in the club, to literally give the club an interest free loan for five years.
The answer to that is there is nothing, nothing whatsoever to attract even a small investor.
There is now news that the issue contains an Employee share incentive scheme,worth $204m, at the lower end that would leave only? $80m to reduce the clubs debt, not that significant an amount, either for the reduction of interest, or capital debt.
Nils Pratley of The Guardian sums it up like this:
From an investment point of view, the only reason to take a punt on Man United at the proposed price is the hope that one day a zillionaire will make the Glazers an offer they can't refuse. The trophy asset argument, in other words. But it rests on wishful thinking, rather than sound investment logic.
He also indicates that the more the Glazers milk this club of millions of pounds the less likely we are ever going to find a super rich buyer to get us out of this mess.
Since the Glazers took over the club in a leveraged buyot in 2005, their tenure on the club has been one of continually taking profit from the club, including loans at reduced interest rates, the debts of the initial purchase were loaded onto the club almost the day after Manchester United PLC was de-listed on the London stock exchange.
Since that time there has been strong supporter backlash, and a long running anit-Glazer campaign.
What is even sorrier is that the most respected Manager United have had since Sir Matt, is tarnishing his legacy and reputation by turning on the fans and publicly backing everything these leeches are doing, just to continue lining his own pockets.
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Sunday, 14 October 2012
About Football Player Kyle Moore
The Buffalo Bills plucked Kyle Moore from the Detroit Lions Practice squad last year. It was not surprising, since Buddy Nix said in an interview, "As an outside backer in a 3-4 you want a guy 6'4" or 6'5" 255 or 260. In a 4-3 those guys are defensive ends. If he's that size and he can rush the passer he can play in either one", Moore's height and weight seems tailor made to answer the call.
You are not likely to find very much online or in the news about Kyle now. He was, at best a disappointment to Tampa Bay and has bounced around quite a bit over the last year. While the new season has yet to get underway we will all be watching to see if he gets the opportunity to redeem himself. He was drafted late in 4th round in 2009 based on his college performance record. At Duke he was not a Superstar but clearly had very respectable stats. He finished his four years with the flowing stats at the position of Wide Receiver:
Career Receiving: 40 Rec, 510 Yds, 12.8 Avg, 4 TD
Career Kick Returns: 25 Ret, 586 Yds, 23.4 Avg, 0 TD
Career Scoring: 4 TD, 24 Pts
With stats like these it was reasonable of Tampa to expect more from Moore. Now that the 2012 preseason is upon us I will be very interested in seeing how it plays out. It seems that Moore has to compete for his position not only against the veteran Buffalo player but also against Alex Carrington and Kellen Heard. Do any of these young hopefuls have what it takes to unseat the veterans ahead of them? This is where the focus will be in the preseason. Will the Bills keep Moore on the bench or will he get playing time?
I don't know about the rest of you but I will wait to see how this mystery unfolds. The bills were 6-10 last season after starting out so promising at 3-0. They lost to their preseason opener to the Washington Redskins 7-6, although they made a great showing, they ultimately lost to the Redskins in their own house.
When interviewed about the loss after the practice session the team held after their defeat the coach had this to say when asked if he felt Kyle Moore would have an impact this season, "He has done a good job. He has to learn to play every aspect of the game. That is his thing right now. Kyle Moore can rush the passer. We have to make sure everything else is in sync with our football team."
Well that is my take on Kyle Moore. I look forward to keeping my readers up to date on the players and their clubs. I am an avid sports fan that happens to be able to write about what I love. Read more about Kyle Moore at http://www.allsportspeople.com/football/people/Kyle_Moore. This article is an Anita Kearney original.
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You are not likely to find very much online or in the news about Kyle now. He was, at best a disappointment to Tampa Bay and has bounced around quite a bit over the last year. While the new season has yet to get underway we will all be watching to see if he gets the opportunity to redeem himself. He was drafted late in 4th round in 2009 based on his college performance record. At Duke he was not a Superstar but clearly had very respectable stats. He finished his four years with the flowing stats at the position of Wide Receiver:
Career Receiving: 40 Rec, 510 Yds, 12.8 Avg, 4 TD
Career Kick Returns: 25 Ret, 586 Yds, 23.4 Avg, 0 TD
Career Scoring: 4 TD, 24 Pts
With stats like these it was reasonable of Tampa to expect more from Moore. Now that the 2012 preseason is upon us I will be very interested in seeing how it plays out. It seems that Moore has to compete for his position not only against the veteran Buffalo player but also against Alex Carrington and Kellen Heard. Do any of these young hopefuls have what it takes to unseat the veterans ahead of them? This is where the focus will be in the preseason. Will the Bills keep Moore on the bench or will he get playing time?
I don't know about the rest of you but I will wait to see how this mystery unfolds. The bills were 6-10 last season after starting out so promising at 3-0. They lost to their preseason opener to the Washington Redskins 7-6, although they made a great showing, they ultimately lost to the Redskins in their own house.
When interviewed about the loss after the practice session the team held after their defeat the coach had this to say when asked if he felt Kyle Moore would have an impact this season, "He has done a good job. He has to learn to play every aspect of the game. That is his thing right now. Kyle Moore can rush the passer. We have to make sure everything else is in sync with our football team."
Well that is my take on Kyle Moore. I look forward to keeping my readers up to date on the players and their clubs. I am an avid sports fan that happens to be able to write about what I love. Read more about Kyle Moore at http://www.allsportspeople.com/football/people/Kyle_Moore. This article is an Anita Kearney original.
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