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January 4th, 2008, 02:23 AM
The CSN Way: Whew, 2007
Charles Burton, CSN Columnist
The 2007 season began -- and ended -- with historic achievements. Conference by conference, here’s a look back at the “year that was” in FCS football. The champions, the games of the year, the highest moments, the biggest disappointments, the best players and the unsung heroes, the "what if's" and the peeks forward. Whew, 2007!
Big South Conference
Champions: Liberty Flames
Game of the Year: November 3rd, Liberty 37, Coastal Carolina 24.
Rashad Jennings’ 174 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns marked the official passing of the torch for Big South supremacy to the Flames.
Highest Moment: Presbyterian 41, Coastal Carolina 34, OT.
It wasn’t a league game – yet – but the Blue Hose showed that when they join the Big South they will be right in the thick of things after they upset the Chanticleers in Conway, South Carolina. Tim Webb threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Hose.
Biggest Disappointment: VMI.
Rebuilding the Keydets was never going to be easy, but giving up more than 60 points three times this year to William & Mary (63-16), Liberty (73-34) and The Citadel (70-28)?
Player of the Year: Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston.
The senior, almost always double-teamed, still had a monster season with 74 tackles, 19 solo tackles for loss, and six sacks on the season.
Unsung Player of the Year: Charleston Southern linebacker Jada Ross.
All he did was have a “quiet” 131 tackle year, with four passes defended and three blocked kicks.
What If: Liberty had upset FBS Toledo?
Flames fans were incredulous. An illegal man downfield penalty to negate a 28 yard pass that would have set up the game-winning field goal? What if they had pulled off the upset? At 9-2, I have to believe that they would have edged out New Hampshire and gotten into the field of 16.
A Peek Towards 2008:
Liberty has a lot of players graduating, but return quarterback Brock Smith and runningback Rashad Jennings and a slew of other all-League performers. Can Gardner-Webb or Coastal Carolina challenge them?
READ MORE... http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=89669
Charles Burton, CSN Columnist
The 2007 season began -- and ended -- with historic achievements. Conference by conference, here’s a look back at the “year that was” in FCS football. The champions, the games of the year, the highest moments, the biggest disappointments, the best players and the unsung heroes, the "what if's" and the peeks forward. Whew, 2007!
Big South Conference
Champions: Liberty Flames
Game of the Year: November 3rd, Liberty 37, Coastal Carolina 24.
Rashad Jennings’ 174 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns marked the official passing of the torch for Big South supremacy to the Flames.
Highest Moment: Presbyterian 41, Coastal Carolina 34, OT.
It wasn’t a league game – yet – but the Blue Hose showed that when they join the Big South they will be right in the thick of things after they upset the Chanticleers in Conway, South Carolina. Tim Webb threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Hose.
Biggest Disappointment: VMI.
Rebuilding the Keydets was never going to be easy, but giving up more than 60 points three times this year to William & Mary (63-16), Liberty (73-34) and The Citadel (70-28)?
Player of the Year: Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston.
The senior, almost always double-teamed, still had a monster season with 74 tackles, 19 solo tackles for loss, and six sacks on the season.
Unsung Player of the Year: Charleston Southern linebacker Jada Ross.
All he did was have a “quiet” 131 tackle year, with four passes defended and three blocked kicks.
What If: Liberty had upset FBS Toledo?
Flames fans were incredulous. An illegal man downfield penalty to negate a 28 yard pass that would have set up the game-winning field goal? What if they had pulled off the upset? At 9-2, I have to believe that they would have edged out New Hampshire and gotten into the field of 16.
A Peek Towards 2008:
Liberty has a lot of players graduating, but return quarterback Brock Smith and runningback Rashad Jennings and a slew of other all-League performers. Can Gardner-Webb or Coastal Carolina challenge them?
READ MORE... http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=89669