Sports Network A10 article out

[Umass74]

The Sports Network's review of the A10 is out http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfoot2/news/AGN3974886.htm

They pick UMass second in the north.

They pick Delaware FOURTH the South Division. The sound you hear are the Hen fans dropping their wattles :)

[OL FU]

The debates over. Matt declared the A-10 the best. Let's talk about something else. :bow: :boring:

Just kidding. I am curious to hear the Hen reaction too.

[WMTribe90]

The chance of more than one team finishing 7-1 or better in the league again is slim, and with the competitiveness at the top the chance of more than three teams finishing with a playoff resume is almost as bad. Expect the Atlantic 10 to be the best conference again, but don’t expect four playoff berths.

I disagree. I see four and possibly five A10 teams finishing at 8-3 or better. Matt is right that the chance of more than one A10 team fininshing 7-1 or better is very slim (no way anybody goes 8-0). However, I see most playoff caliber A10 teasm going either 3-0 or 2-1 in their OOC schedules, which means 6-2 or even 5-3 in conference will likely get you a playoff berth at 8-3 overall. UR, URI, and NU will determine how many A10 teams make the playoffs based on how many upsets they pull over the top half of the conference. This could be the best installment of the A10 ever and the south division is just brutal.

[TigerFan17]

The guy has Tony Lumpkin as a key player and starting DB for us....wrong. Davon Telp (all-Patriot League, sat out last season from a summer car accident injury) is our starter and a pre-season 2nd team all a-10 pick. Though, the rest of his stuff is fairly accurate.

[ChickenMan]

I'm not surprised that UD was picked 4th... they had questions going into the pre-season and then lost their top WR to an ACL. Supposedly there's a lot of unproven young talent ready to step in... but who knows until they prove it on the field. The Hens could be 6-5 or 9-2 or anything in between this year... but I do like the fact that some people and hopefully some opponents may be underrating UD this season.

[charliej]

I'm not surprised that UD was picked 4th... they had questions going into the pre-season and then lost their top WR to an ACL. Supposedly there's a lot of unproven young talent ready to step in... but who knows until they prove it on the field. The Hens could be 6-5 or 9-2 or anything in between this year... but I do like the fact that some people and hopefully some opponents may be underrating UD this season.

Not underrating UD,but I do feel this could be the most challenging year Keelers had since his first with the Hens.

[Tribe4SF]

... but I do like the fact that some people and hopefully some opponents may be underrating UD this season.

Sorry, CM....Delaware doesn't get to sneak up on anybody. :nonono2:

[89Hen]

Not underrating UD,but I do feel this could be the most challenging year Keelers had since his first with the Hens.
No offense Charlie, but that's overstating the obvious (only two other years to compare). I really couldn't care less about this ranking. If anything I'm happy with it. Let everyone think UD will be down, that works in the Hens favor. They may be down, but fourth has to be worst case scenario IMO.

[MR. CHICKEN]

DON'T KNOW 'BOUT FOURTH PLACE...HOWEVERAH......D-LINE...THIN.......LINEBACKER IS OUR STRENGTH....D-BACKS.....THIN...YOUNG...INJURIES................O-LINE....KEELER TONIGHT SAID...8 LINEMAN READY AN' STARTIN' TA GEL.......QB AN' RB...MO' DAN COMFORTABLE WHIFF........TIGHTENDS..OK.........WR'S.....WENT FROM STRENGTH....TA......PROBLEM.......INGRAM LOOKIN' GREAT (PER COACH K.)...BLEYMAIER..STEADY.....CAUTHEN...NOW HAS PULLED HAMSTRING...MAY MISS ONE O' MO'...........KEELER SAYS WE HAVE HAD TWO...TOP FIVE RECRUITIN' YEARS....WE ARE YOUNG...BUT TALENTED.........JES' NEED TA ACCRUE DUH EXPERIENCE....BIG TIME TOUGH ONE AGIN' LEHIGH...(WHO WILL HAVE UH GAME UNDER DERE BELT).....UH COUPLE UH POSSIBLE BREATHERS..(WHERE OUR YOUNGIN'S CAN GAIN EXPERIENCE)....HOPIN' WE CAN MATURE QUICK........WE GOT SEVERAL W'S...LATE IN GAMES LAST SEASON....AH THINK IT COMES DOWN TA WINNIN' DA CLOSE ONES......AN' AH'M THINKIN'...MOST O' DEM WILL BE CLOSE ONES!..........HEY...IT'S DUH A-10!....MAY GRIND IT OUT ON DUH GROUND...TAKIN' ADVANTAGE O' TIGHTENDS...AS RECEIVERS....GOOD PUNTER.....PLAY FIELD POSITION.....AN' TRY TA GO MISTAKE FREE...(VERAH HARD WHEN YOUNG)....WE HAVE SEVERALAH NEW COACHES.....KEELER....FULL O' ENERGY...AN' IT WILL RUB OFF ON DUH SQUAD........IFIN' IT AIN'T IN DUH CARDS DIS SEASON.........LOOK OUT I-AA...IN YEARS TA COME!.........HEY....WE ARE DELAWARE....BEST FACILITIES...FANS......TRADITION......OUR PLAYERS..BEIN' YOUNG...BUT...BEIN' VERAH TALENTED......DEY CHOSE OUR INSTITUTION....CAUSE DEY LIKE WINNIN'!....:hurray::rotateh::hurray:...BRAWK!

[charliej]

... They may be down, but fourth has to be worst case scenario IMO.

Agreed

[JMU Duke Dog]

JMU was picked to finish fourth in the A10's south division in 2004 by most predictors and ended up winning the national championship, so maybe that spot will bring Delaware good luck in 2005.

[MR. CHICKEN]

THANKY...DAWG!...............AWK!

[ngineer]

You can throw a blanket over the top four in the Southern Division. I wouldn't be surprised to see either JMU, W&M, 'nova, or UD come out on top; and Richmond could well bite someone's butt (spiders do bite, I learned in the woods this week) if they're not ready.

[bluehenbillk]

I'm not upset about it, it could happen, but to be honest with you I never put a lot of respect towards Matt Dougherty, who could count the UD games he's seen in his lifetime probably on his 2 hands.

JMU has to be the favorite in the South, & W&M, UD & VU all have big question marks. I personally think VU will finish 4th, but that's why they play the games right?

[89Hen]

I wouldn't be surprised to see... 'nova... come out on top
I would.

[WMTribe90]

For what its worth, here is my updated predicted order of finish in the A10.

North

1) UMass* 8-3 (6-2) Win the north with win over UNH at home
2) UNH* 8-3 (5-3)
3) Hofstra 5-3 (7-4)
4) Maine 6-5 (4-4)
5) NU 3-8 (2-6) Brutal schedule with several close losses
6) URI 4-7 (2-6) Pull at least one A10 upset

South

1) JMU* 9-2 (6-2) Favorable OOC, win the south
2) WM* 8-3 (6-2)
3) UD 7-4 (5-3) A "rebuilding" year for the banged up hens
4) VU 7-4 (4-4) Wildcats are the biggest enigma IMO
5) UR 4-7 (3-5) A10 spoilers
6) TU 2-9 (0-8) Moral victories and close losses for improved TU

* playoff team

[TigerFan17]

For what its worth, here is my updated predicted order of finish in the A10.

North

1) UMass* 8-3 (6-2) Win the north with win over UNH at home
2) UNH* 8-3 (5-3)
3) Hofstra 5-3 (7-4)
4) Maine 6-5 (4-4)
5) NU 3-8 (2-6) Brutal schedule with several close losses
6) URI 4-7 (2-6) Pull at least one A10 upset

South

1) JMU* 9-2 (6-2) Favorable OOC, win the south
2) WM* 8-3 (6-2)
3) UD 7-4 (5-3) A "rebuilding" year for the banged up hens
4) VU 7-4 (4-4) Wildcats are the biggest enigma IMO
5) UR 4-7 (3-5) A10 spoilers
6) TU 2-9 (0-8) Moral victories and close losses for improved TU

* playoff team


Which OOC game do you suspect we lose???

[WMTribe90]

@ Liberty

Its away and Liberty has a decent run game and TU struggled against the run last year (same reason I have you losing to NU and URI). I'd would have given you the nod at home and I will route for Towson to win, as I route for every A10 school OOC.

[TigerFan17]

@ Liberty

Its away and Liberty has a decent run game and TU struggled against the run last year (same reason I have you losing to NU and URI). I'd would have given you the nod at home and I will route for Towson to win, as I route for every A10 school OOC.

Yes, but our run defense will be better this year. You also have to understand that its hard to win games when you don't score, and we didn't score that much. We only graduated one player on offense. We will score a lot more. Most of our games, win or lose, I expect to have a much higher total score than last year. Goldbeck looks promising. I'd say Towson 28-21 over Liberty.

Whereas URI's running game was enough to beat a team with last year, I don't think Liberty is in the same league in terms of being able to rely entirely on the run game to beat us. Lord knows it'll be tougher than hell to pass on us.

After all, they are expected to finish 4th in the big south...just above VMI...

[charliej]

JMU was picked to finish fourth in the A10's south division in 2004 by most predictors and ended up winning the national championship.

Hmmm.... JMU picked fourth,finished in first. Nova picked first, finished in fourth. :dizzy:

[Sam Adams]

UMass won the National Championship the year we were the pre-season pick to be the A10 doormat. Nobody has a clue as to who will actually be the best team in the A10 when the dust clears. UD will likely finish higher than fourth despite having some challenges - hell they will likely win the A10 as far as I'm concerned. I hope I'm wrong.