SoCon Football Media Day - (7-27-16)

[The Cats]

Time: 1:00 pm

Preseason polls by league head coaches and media will also be released.

Fans can follow the day's events and receive breaking news through the SoCon Digital Network, Western Carolina's official web site, and official twitter feeds.

Watch on SoCon Digital Network - www.socondigitalnetwork.com/socon/game/2016-socon-football-media-day (http://www.socondigitalnetwork.com/socon/game/2016-socon-football-media-day)


http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2016-17/photos/0002/SoCon_FB_Media_Day.png?max_width=360&max_height=480

[catamount man]

One year I'm gonna take the day off and go over there. I guess fans are allowed to attend?

[kdinva]

2016 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes) Points
1. Chattanooga (7) 63
2. The Citadel (1) 52
3. Samford (1) 50
4. Western Carolina 41
5. Mercer 38
6. Wofford 33
7. Furman 24
8. VMI 14
9. ETSU 9


2016 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
School (First-place votes) Points
1. Chattanooga (26) 250
2. The Citadel (2) 208
3. Western Carolina 179
4. Mercer 148
5. Samford 147
6. Wofford 136
7. Furman 102
8. VMI 62
9. ETSU 28

[kdinva]

2016 Southern Conference Football: Preseason All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Detrez Newsome, Jr., RB, Western Carolina
Defensive Players of the Year: Keionta Davis, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
First Team Offense
QB Al Cobb, Jr., VMI
RB Derrick Craine, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Detrez Newsome, Jr., Western Carolina
OL Isaiah Pinson, Jr. The Citadel
OL Brett Niederreither, Sr., Mercer
OL Armando Bonheur, Sr., Samford
OL Corey Levin, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Jacob Revis, Jr., Chattanooga
(tie) OL Anton Wahrby, Sr., Wofford
TE Tyler Sexton, Sr., Western Carolina
WR Karel Hamilton, Sr., Samford
WR Aaron Sanders, Sr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Joe Crochet, Sr., The Citadel
DL Ahmad Gooden, So., Samford
DL Keionta Davis, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, So., Wofford
LB Tevin Floyd, Sr., The Citadel
LB Nakevion Leslie, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Tyson Dickson, Sr., Western Carolina
(tie) LB Daniel Riddle, Jr., Western Carolina
DB Dee Delaney, Jr., The Citadel
DB Trey Robinson, Sr., Furman
DB Jamerson Blount, Sr., Samford
DB Lucas Webb, Jr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK Henrique Ribeiro, Sr., Chattanooga
P Ian Berryman, So., Western Carolina
RS Dane Forlines, Sr., VMI
Second Team Offense
QB Devlin Hodges, So., Samford
RB Tyler Renew, Sr., The Citadel
RB Lorenzo Long, Sr., Wofford
OL Ryan Bednar, Sr., The Citadel
OL Josh Cardiello, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Andrew Lewis, Sr., VMI
OL Nathan Dalton, So., Western Carolina
OL Dequan Miller, Sr., Wofford
TE Sam Walker, So., Mercer
WR Kelvin McKnight, So., Samford
WR Spearman Robinson, Sr., Western Carolina
Second Team Defense
DL Tosin Aguebor, Sr., Mercer
DL Isaiah Buehler, So., Mercer
DL Xavier Forrest, Jr., Samford
DL Vantrel McMillan, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Carl Rider, Sr., Furman
LB Ryan Francis, Jr., VMI (Keydet Alan Cratsenberg should have been on this list, too)
LB Dylan Weigel, So., ETSU
DB Cedric Nettles, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Fred Payne, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Malik Diggs, Sr., The Citadel
DB Trey Morgan, Sr., Western Carolina
Second Team Specialists
PK Logan Howard, So., Western Carolina
P Austin Barnard, Jr., Samford
RS Chandler Curtis, Jr., Mercer

[catamount man]

I can live with Western's preseason place and just hope we are able to take the next step. Whew, we've come a long way. Thanks to Chancellor David Belcher, AD Randy Eaton and head football coach Mark Speir. GO CATS!!!

[SU DOG]

Media poll with Samford 5th - uh NO, not that low IMO.

[catamount man]

Media poll with Samford 5th - uh NO, not that low IMO. I expect you guys to bounce back. Hoping to get to Samford Oct 22. Haven't been there yet since you guys joined the SoCon. GO CATS!

[SU DOG]

I expect you guys to bounce back. Hoping to get to Samford Oct 22. Haven't been there yet since you guys joined the SoCon. GO CATS!
Hope you can make it. I've been to Whitmire several times, and that is also a beautiful setting. FYI, however, the game at Seibert this season is set for a 6 PM Central Time kick off. I think that is because of a TV deal. Hope that info doesn't change your plans.

[catamount man]

Hope you can make it. I've been to Whitmire several times, and that is also a beautiful setting. FYI, however, the game at Seibert this season is set for a 6 PM Central Time kick off. I think that is because of a TV deal. Hope that info doesn't change your plans.

I may have to rethink that one then. I was only gonna be able to split either y'all or Mercer. Mercer may be in the cards now. Good to know that'll be on tv though. I noticed the tv/internet tv schedule was not released today though. Hopefully soon. GO CATS!!!

[FUBeAR]

I may have to rethink that one then. I was only gonna be able to split either y'all or Mercer. Mercer may be in the cards now. Good to know that'll be on tv though. I noticed the tv/internet tv schedule was not released today though. Hopefully soon. GO CATS!!!

TV Schedule is in the SoCon Football Media Guide https://issuu.com/soconsports/docs/2016_socon_fb_guide-for_web/4

[catamount man]

TV Schedule is in the SoCon Football Media Guide https://issuu.com/soconsports/docs/2016_socon_fb_guide-for_web/4 Thanks FUBeAR. GO CATS!

[catamount man]

Glad to see Fox Sports SE back on the SoCon providers but hate WCU not on there. Oh well. ASN vs Wofford at home and at Samford will be nice. Game at SC will be SEC Network most assured. GO CATS!!!

[PaladinFan]

Probably a good time to note that the Media and Coaches both picked the Citadel to finish 7th of 8 teams last season.

[Toby]

TV Schedule is in the SoCon Football Media Guide https://issuu.com/soconsports/docs/2016_socon_fb_guide-for_web/4

Nice to see that the Citadel @ Mercer game is on Fox Sports Southeast on opening day. I'll be there in person, but will get to record it.

Did Mercer sign a deal with Fox Sports Southeast? 3 of their four SoCon games are with Mercer.

[Toby]

Nice to see that the Citadel @ Mercer game is on Fox Sports Southeast on opening day. I'll be there in person, but will get to record it.

Did Mercer sign a deal with Fox Sports Southeast? 3 of their four SoCon games are with Mercer.


Or or maybe it is due to Mercer having its own broadcasting studio that FSSE will piggyback on?

[FUBeAR]

Nice to see that the Citadel @ Mercer game is on Fox Sports Southeast on opening day. I'll be there in person, but will get to record it.

Did Mercer sign a deal with Fox Sports Southeast? 3 of their four SoCon games are with Mercer.


Or or maybe it is due to Mercer having its own broadcasting studio that FSSE will piggyback on?

You're talking to yourself now Toby. I know you are excited about the season starting; but if you keep doing that, people are going to talk. xsmiley_wix

[SU DOG]

Just an observation, and others may have a different perspective, but IMO, the SoCon could do a better job with this production. I've watched other FCS Media Day streaming, and they were much more fluid, interesting, and FAR less dead time. I will say, however, that the guy asking questions was good and on-point.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

I still can't figure out what happened to Furman football

[catamount man]

Just an observation, and others may have a different perspective, but IMO, the SoCon could do a better job with this production. I've watched other FCS Media Day streaming, and they were much more fluid, interesting, and FAR less dead time. I will say, however, that the guy asking questions was good and on-point.

Pete Yanity, longtime sports director for WSPA CBS out of Spartanburg and was the voice of the Clemson Tigers football and men's basketball from 2003-2013. Yeah, Pete's a good one. GO CATS!

[PaladinFan]

I still can't figure out what happened to Furman football

It's a long story.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I still can't figure out what happened to Furman football

..and Wofford.

I honestly thought when GSU and App State left it would be Furman's and Wofford's league on a yearly basis.

[PaladinFan]

..and Wofford.

I honestly thought when GSU and App State left it would be Furman's and Wofford's league on a yearly basis.

Every program goes through peaks and valleys. I cannot speak for Wofford, but Furman's decline had a lot to do with a lot of factors. I'd like to think that with administration changes, staff changes, facilities improvements, and increased recruiting, we are poised to start heading upwards again.

I have often said that if you watch Furman play, we aren't getting out-talented out there. I don't look at our competition and say "man, if we only had players like THOSE guys." We've got good players, I think. We beat an FBS team last season. We are making a ton of unforced errors and it is costing us close football games.

On the field, we changed both our offensive and defensive systems last year. That comes with a learning curve. I think we have the pieces in place to be a strong team. We seem to be recruiting well, but just have not put it together on the field. I imagine the coaching staff is feeling some pressure to really show marked improvement in 2016. Like most recent seasons, we are still an enigma.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I can live with Western's preseason place and just hope we are able to take the next step. Whew, we've come a long way. Thanks to Chancellor David Belcher, AD Randy Eaton and head football coach Mark Speir. GO CATS!!!

Not trying to rain on the parade because it is certainly good to see schools who were usually at the bottom of the polls to rise but isn't most of the rise just automatic due to schools leaving? You guys use to be ahead of VMI and go back and forth with The Citadel, correct? When Marshall, App, and GSU left that means the old guard teams should move up at least 3 spots. UTC did that, you guys have moved up a little more than that but on the other hand you see Wofford and Furman both falling instead of taking over at the top like you would expect. The expected new Big 3 was going to be Furman, Wofford, and Chattanooga but it is good to see teams who have joined since the early 2000s move into that top half.

[Cat-in-GA]

Not trying to rain on the parade because it is certainly good to see schools who were usually at the bottom of the polls to rise but isn't most of the rise just automatic due to schools leaving? You guys use to be ahead of VMI and go back and forth with The Citadel, correct? When Marshall, App, and GSU left that means the old guard teams should move up at least 3 spots. UTC did that, you guys have moved up a little more than that but on the other hand you see Wofford and Furman both falling instead of taking over at the top like you would expect. The expected new Big 3 was going to be Furman, Wofford, and Chattanooga but it is good to see teams who have joined since the early 2000s move into that top half.

What Catamount Man is saying, and he is right, is that there has been a culture change at WCU. The rise is due to good leadership and a lot of effort being put into building a successful program.

[Sandlapper Spike]

Just an observation, and others may have a different perspective, but IMO, the SoCon could do a better job with this production. I've watched other FCS Media Day streaming, and they were much more fluid, interesting, and FAR less dead time. I will say, however, that the guy asking questions was good and on-point.

The production had major sound problems, too.

[The Cats]

The production had major sound problems, too.

I had major sound problems at the first of the video stream, but I logged out, then restarted the streaming video and the sound was then 95% better. I was going to send in a trouble ticket, but the reboot fixed my problem.

[catamount man]

What Catamount Man is saying, and he is right, is that there has been a culture change at WCU. The rise is due to good leadership and a lot of effort being put into building a successful program.

Indeed. The entire vibe of the whole university seems to have changed for the positive. Looking forward to 2016.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Ive been to Cullowhee many times and was always amazed to see people hitting concessions in the 2nd quarter so they wouldn't miss the band at halftime. I saw the fans into the game in Hatcher era when we scored 400 points in the last 11 min to win. That's great news if the culture has changed.

[catamount man]

Ive been to Cullowhee many times and was always amazed to see people hitting concessions in the 2nd quarter so they wouldn't miss the band at halftime. I saw the fans into the game in Hatcher era when we scored 400 points in the last 11 min to win. That's great news if the culture has changed.

Oct 25, 2008. That game still makes me moody. LOL!

[tenNesseeCat]

Ive been to Cullowhee many times and was always amazed to see people hitting concessions in the 2nd quarter so they wouldn't miss the band at halftime. I saw the fans into the game in Hatcher era when we scored 400 points in the last 11 min to win. That's great news if the culture has changed.

People still want to see the POTM, that won't change. I would say the culture as been augmented to include positive expectations now. It's still not where everyone wants it to be, but it's come a long way. Everything thing with football in Cullowhee is on an upward trend, donations, attendance, wins, expectations, planning for new facilities. It's a great, and much easier time to be a Catamount!

[Toby]

Ive been to Cullowhee many times and was always amazed to see people hitting concessions in the 2nd quarter so they wouldn't miss the band at halftime. I saw the fans into the game in Hatcher era when we scored 400 points in the last 11 min to win. That's great news if the culture has changed.

I went to my first WCU game last year and met a former high school friend whose husband now works for WCU. She came over in the second quarter and we watched the great band performance together. After halftime she got up to go home and I asked why. She said it used to be that most people left after the band but now some still stay and watch the second half since the team is so much better. But she didn't get the whole football thing.....

[kdinva]

http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/vmis-new-confidence/

[The Cats]

FIND A WAY (https://medium.com/@SoConJohn22/find-a-way-e0af5099e1d0#.pf9yck0i8)


by SoCon John Hooper

[tenNesseeCat]

In the southernpigskin.com link posted by kdinva, "Coach Wachenheim added, “I don’t know if there are any pair of linebackers coming back that have 200 tackles between them anywhere in the country.”

WCU's Daniel Riddle had 129 and Tyson Dickson had 96, for a grand total of 225. You could throw in A.J. Newman who had 68. That would be almost 300 tackles from 3 players.

[kdinva]

http://herosports.com/news/ncaa-fcs-mens-football/southern-conference-football-2016-preview

[Toby]

http://herosports.com/news/ncaa-fcs-mens-football/southern-conference-football-2016-preview

Seems like he has a different "Dark Horse".

[FUBeAR]

Seems like he has a different "Dark Horse".

https://inhermajestysname.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/sc3.jpg

[Toby]

https://inhermajestysname.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/sc3.jpg

I think we call that a Dark Bear....

[catamount man]

FWIW, I fully expect a dog fight in Macon in mid-October. Or would that be a cat fight? a bear fight? LOL! Good luck until then. GO CATS!

[Toby]

FWIW, I fully expect a dog fight in Macon in mid-October. Or would that be a cat fight? a bear fight? LOL! Good luck until then. GO CATS!

A Bearcat fest

[FUBeAR]

FWIW, I fully expect a dog fight in Macon in mid-October. Or would that be a cat fight? a bear fight? LOL! Good luck until then. GO CATS!

Dang, with that menagerie you're cooking up, we might see something like this!

http://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/6075429_700b.jpg

[walliver]

https://inhermajestysname.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/sc3.jpg

Looks an awful lot like a Paladin riding that bear.

[FUBeAR]

Looks an awful lot like a Paladin riding that bear.....

Hmmm.....you just gave me an idea - THANKS WALLIVER! +1

[The Eagle's Cliff]

OT - What was done about that Jug you guys and App played for? I know the game became lopsided, but it was important, right?

[Smitty]

OT - What was done about that Jug you guys and App played for? I know the game became lopsided, but it was important, right?

App probably stored it in some dusty attic, never to be seen again...

[Thumper 76]

App probably stored it in some dusty attic, never to be seen again...

It's such a shame to let jugs get dusty. They should be let out in the open once in a while.

[Toby]

OT

Oh, were we on topic?

[kdinva]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colleges/vmi-optimistic-for-first-winning-season-since/article_f4c381a1-b8bc-5bca-8e16-b6f81eb8e783.html

[tenNesseeCat]

http://www.citizen-times.com/story/sports/2016/08/27/ball-carriers-cant-avoid-wcus-dickson-and-riddle/89413612/

[PaladinFan]

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/furman/2016/08/28/furmans-annual-football-fan-day-held-fluor-field/89511232/

Of note, Furman's Reese Hannon was elected captain for the fourth time. Not sure if that is a record in college football, but I'm quite certain it hasn't happened often.

Incidentally, he's still not been named the starter. Would be sort of unique having a 4 time captain who was not the starter.