Bryant Opens first season of DI camp on Saturday

[dgreco]

BRYANT FOOTBALL OPENS CAMP SATURDAY
Bulldogs Begin First Season Competing At Division I


http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/Polomski1.JPG?max_height=262&max_width=185 http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/JerellSmithweb1.jpg

SMITHFIELD, RI - Bryant University football players report to campus Friday, Aug. 8 to begin preparations for the 2008 season opener August 30 at Central Connecticut (5 pm). Following position meetings, lifting and team meetings, the first official practice will take place on Saturday, Aug. 9 starting at 3:15 p.m. at the team practice field located next to Bulldog Stadium.

Bryant will be making the jump to Division I this fall, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) in 2008. The Bulldogs will join the Northeast Conference (NEC) upon successful completion of the four-year transition to Division I starting in the fall of 2012. Football members of the conference include: Albany, Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Wagner, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Saint Francis (PA) and Sacred Heart; all but two (Albany and Sacred Heart) will line up with the Bulldogs this season.

A total of 112 players are expected to report to camp for fifth-year coach Marty Fine including 36 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year's squad which finished 8-3 and captured the program's second-straight conference championship and berth in the NCAA playoffs. Among those returning are running backs Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury, MA) and Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY). Gamble rushed for 941 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore while Smith helped provide Bryant with a solid one-two punch out of the backfield. The Howard University transfer had 619 yards rushing in his first season including 125 yards in the team's win over C.W. Post.

Bryant will need to replace the arm of graduated quarterback Charlie Granatell who started every game since 2004 and the owner of all of Bryant's passing records. Hofstra transfer Jay Graber (Clarksburg, NJ) was a backup last year and will open camp as the favorite to replace Granatell. He'll have competition from junior Kurt Spear (Green, NY), Nick Scardelli (Manalapan, NJ), and Jake Pates (Columbus, NJ).

Bryant will open the season on Saturday, August 30 at Central Connecticut State before returning home September 6 to host Southern Connecticut for the first of five home games this fall at Bulldog Stadium. Other home games include Merrimack (Sept. 13) for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Monmouth (Sept. 20), Robert Morris (Oct. 18), and Duquesne (Nov. 1).

Highlighting six road games this year will be an Oct. 25 trip to UMass-Amherst. A perennial CAA contender and NCAA tournament participant, the Minutemen were 10-3 last season and finished the year No. 7 in the final Sports Network poll. UMass reached the NCAA championship game in 2006.

[Bulldog Fan]

Go Bulldogs! It should be an interesting and exciting year for Bryant Football.

[dgreco]

It is going to be a tough year, I hope to make it back to Smithfield for the Monmouth game. I hope they get 4,5, or 6 wins this season ! :D

[furman94]

I wish ya'll the best of luck this season! First year in D1 can be tough!

[dgreco]

I told you before, they will win one game this year against Merrimack thats it.

I know, you have been saying that for months, but like I said before I hope they can win that many games.

[hebmskebm]

What about Marist, Iona, and the lower echelon NEC teams (St Francis, Wagner)? I dont see why those games couldnt go either way.

[Lionsrking]

BRYANT FOOTBALL OPENS CAMP SATURDAY
Bulldogs Begin First Season Competing At Division I


http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/Polomski1.JPG?max_height=262&max_width=185 http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/JerellSmithweb1.jpg

SMITHFIELD, RI - Bryant University football players report to campus Friday, Aug. 8 to begin preparations for the 2008 season opener August 30 at Central Connecticut (5 pm). Following position meetings, lifting and team meetings, the first official practice will take place on Saturday, Aug. 9 starting at 3:15 p.m. at the team practice field located next to Bulldog Stadium.

Bryant will be making the jump to Division I this fall, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) in 2008. The Bulldogs will join the Northeast Conference (NEC) upon successful completion of the four-year transition to Division I starting in the fall of 2012. Football members of the conference include: Albany, Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Wagner, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Saint Francis (PA) and Sacred Heart; all but two (Albany and Sacred Heart) will line up with the Bulldogs this season.

A total of 112 players are expected to report to camp for fifth-year coach Marty Fine including 36 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year's squad which finished 8-3 and captured the program's second-straight conference championship and berth in the NCAA playoffs. Among those returning are running backs Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury, MA) and Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY). Gamble rushed for 941 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore while Smith helped provide Bryant with a solid one-two punch out of the backfield. The Howard University transfer had 619 yards rushing in his first season including 125 yards in the team's win over C.W. Post.

Bryant will need to replace the arm of graduated quarterback Charlie Granatell who started every game since 2004 and the owner of all of Bryant's passing records. Hofstra transfer Jay Graber (Clarksburg, NJ) was a backup last year and will open camp as the favorite to replace Granatell. He'll have competition from junior Kurt Spear (Green, NY), Nick Scardelli (Manalapan, NJ), and Jake Pates (Columbus, NJ).

Bryant will open the season on Saturday, August 30 at Central Connecticut State before returning home September 6 to host Southern Connecticut for the first of five home games this fall at Bulldog Stadium. Other home games include Merrimack (Sept. 13) for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Monmouth (Sept. 20), Robert Morris (Oct. 18), and Duquesne (Nov. 1).

Highlighting six road games this year will be an Oct. 25 trip to UMass-Amherst. A perennial CAA contender and NCAA tournament participant, the Minutemen were 10-3 last season and finished the year No. 7 in the final Sports Network poll. UMass reached the NCAA championship game in 2006.

I guess I could look it up but where is Bryant located?

[Lionsrking]

BRYANT FOOTBALL OPENS CAMP SATURDAY
Bulldogs Begin First Season Competing At Division I


http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/Polomski1.JPG?max_height=262&max_width=185 http://bryantbulldogs.com/images/fball/Action07/JerellSmithweb1.jpg

SMITHFIELD, RI - Bryant University football players report to campus Friday, Aug. 8 to begin preparations for the 2008 season opener August 30 at Central Connecticut (5 pm). Following position meetings, lifting and team meetings, the first official practice will take place on Saturday, Aug. 9 starting at 3:15 p.m. at the team practice field located next to Bulldog Stadium.

Bryant will be making the jump to Division I this fall, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) in 2008. The Bulldogs will join the Northeast Conference (NEC) upon successful completion of the four-year transition to Division I starting in the fall of 2012. Football members of the conference include: Albany, Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Wagner, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Saint Francis (PA) and Sacred Heart; all but two (Albany and Sacred Heart) will line up with the Bulldogs this season.

A total of 112 players are expected to report to camp for fifth-year coach Marty Fine including 36 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year's squad which finished 8-3 and captured the program's second-straight conference championship and berth in the NCAA playoffs. Among those returning are running backs Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury, MA) and Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY). Gamble rushed for 941 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore while Smith helped provide Bryant with a solid one-two punch out of the backfield. The Howard University transfer had 619 yards rushing in his first season including 125 yards in the team's win over C.W. Post.

Bryant will need to replace the arm of graduated quarterback Charlie Granatell who started every game since 2004 and the owner of all of Bryant's passing records. Hofstra transfer Jay Graber (Clarksburg, NJ) was a backup last year and will open camp as the favorite to replace Granatell. He'll have competition from junior Kurt Spear (Green, NY), Nick Scardelli (Manalapan, NJ), and Jake Pates (Columbus, NJ).

Bryant will open the season on Saturday, August 30 at Central Connecticut State before returning home September 6 to host Southern Connecticut for the first of five home games this fall at Bulldog Stadium. Other home games include Merrimack (Sept. 13) for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Monmouth (Sept. 20), Robert Morris (Oct. 18), and Duquesne (Nov. 1).

Highlighting six road games this year will be an Oct. 25 trip to UMass-Amherst. A perennial CAA contender and NCAA tournament participant, the Minutemen were 10-3 last season and finished the year No. 7 in the final Sports Network poll. UMass reached the NCAA championship game in 2006.

I guess I could look it up but where is Bryant located? Edit..nevermind, I see it's Smithfield, RI.

[dgreco]

What about Marist, Iona, and the lower echelon NEC teams (St Francis, Wagner)? I dont see why those games couldnt go either way.

When I look at the schedule I see

S. Connecticut (usually bad early season we are there 1st or 2nd game) so that is a possible W.

Merrimack is a win

Wagner, Marist, Robert Morris (we are home), Iona and St. Francis are all possible games.

I think the only definite losses are C. Connecticut, UMass, Monmouth, and Duquesne.

[dgreco]

I guess I could look it up but where is Bryant located? Edit..nevermind, I see it's Smithfield, RI.

10 minutes from Brown, about 30 minutes from URI

[dgreco]

This is true, I still go back to last years game against Stony Brook, they just could not hang .

they SB game was tough, because in the first quarter it looked like it could of been a game, but after that it was just no match. SB was almost a full scholarship team at the time also though. We will see though.

[Go...gate]

Hey, it's a whole new world up here. Welcome. If you get a few wins the first time around, that is great. You guys sound a lot more serious about things than LaSalle or Iona, for example, so the future certainly bodes well for Bryant, whatever happens in 2008.

[Bulldog Fan]

Bryant is going to suprise some teams this year. I expect them to win 4 or 5 games but they will be competitive in all of them. Head Coach Marty Fine will make sure the team is prepared and ready for the competition.
The offense is a question mark. They have a couple of good running backs, a good OL, but no experience at quarterback.
The defense should be solid because all of their experienced, starting LB's are returning along with their two CB captains. The DL has a couple of returning starters.
I do think Bryant learned a lot from the Stony Brook game last year. Bryant was a step behind most of the game because they were not used to playing against the speed and talent of a team like SB.

[Seawolf97]

I think Bryant will do great. They have a good coaching staff and alot of backing. This first year could be a little rocky but they will improve . Good Luck in 2008!xthumbsupx

[dgreco]

averaging between 4-5,000 every home game over the last two seasons I hope that continues to improve and a few mediocre seasons of DI do not effect that. I would love for some perminent visitor bleachers, and maybe a student endzone section. They have the room and hopefully attendance will grow. 4-5,000 for a DII NE team is great so I hope it translates.

[dgreco]

I was talking to Rory Wipple last month and he put out the question " How is Bryant going to hide these athletes that can't hold the acidemic standards at Bryant, he was working at Fla. State and said if the athletes at FS can chew gum there in, it's not going to work that way at Bryant, It's a business school?

The PL and Ivy do it, so I am sure we can recruit smart enough kids or find a way. I would assume most go into a lot of the new liberal arts majors (sociology, psychology, history etc...) those professors are more laid back and open about options. Plus it comes down to writing papers and doing more proejcts in the community rather than learning formulas.

[redflash2]

Bryant will not be Saint Francis this year.... sorry xsmhx

[danefan]

Saint Francis sucks!

They have some talent, but have just never been able to put it together.

Tough recruiting to that school. Small school in the middle of nowhere.

They do get some good talent though. Anthony Doria was the best QB to play in the NEC in some time.

[DetroitFlyer]

Saint Francis sucks!

Wow, way off base. SFUP is an improving program, capable of surprising almost anyone on any given Saturday. One of these years, they will put it all together and compete for a NEC title. There have been some darn good players come through SFUP and I expect we will see more. Scholarships probably help SFUP more than any NEC school. VERY tough to recruit with Robert Morris, Duquesne, Pitt, Penn State and a host of Division II, (IUP), and III schools in your back yard.... With athletic scholarships, SFUP can land some good players and can serve as a transfer site if a kid does not like Happy Valley or "Under the Arm".... Pitt! (Just kidding about Pitt, I like that school and program ). SFUP could very well follow in the footsteps of Furman or Wofford once the NEC gets closer to 63 schollies. Very impressive when such small schools field Division I football programs. I sure wish there were more....

[roadwarrior]

Good luck to Bryant in DI!

[redflash2]

Wow, way off base. SFUP is an improving program, capable of surprising almost anyone on any given Saturday. One of these years, they will put it all together and compete for a NEC title. There have been some darn good players come through SFUP and I expect we will see more. Scholarships probably help SFUP more than any NEC school. VERY tough to recruit with Robert Morris, Duquesne, Pitt, Penn State and a host of Division II, (IUP), and III schools in your back yard.... With athletic scholarships, SFUP can land some good players and can serve as a transfer site if a kid does not like Happy Valley or "Under the Arm".... Pitt! (Just kidding about Pitt, I like that school and program ). SFUP could very well follow in the footsteps of Furman or Wofford once the NEC gets closer to 63 schollies. Very impressive when such small schools field Division I football programs. I sure wish there were more....

very very true words my friend. FYI they landed a transfer this year from a big 12 school, ill keep the name, the position, and the school under wrap. I'm telling you watch out!!!!

[Dane96]

Wow, way off base. SFUP is an improving program, capable of surprising almost anyone on any given Saturday. One of these years, they will put it all together and compete for a NEC title. There have been some darn good players come through SFUP and I expect we will see more. Scholarships probably help SFUP more than any NEC school. VERY tough to recruit with Robert Morris, Duquesne, Pitt, Penn State and a host of Division II, (IUP), and III schools in your back yard.... With athletic scholarships, SFUP can land some good players and can serve as a transfer site if a kid does not like Happy Valley or "Under the Arm".... Pitt! (Just kidding about Pitt, I like that school and program ). SFUP could very well follow in the footsteps of Furman or Wofford once the NEC gets closer to 63 schollies. Very impressive when such small schools field Division I football programs. I sure wish there were more....

WTF are you smoking.

[dgreco]

WTF are you smoking.

lolxlolx

[Seawolf97]

Thought it was just mexlolx xlolx

[redflash2]

I just looked at my calender and it's year 2008 not 2007, so you do the math xlolx

[danefan]

I just looked at my calender and it's year 2008 not 2007, so you do the math xlolx


One year will not make a difference.


It could make a difference, but forgive us, Redflash2, if we are skeptical. We've been hearing the same hype from St. Francis fans for years, yet nothing has ever emerged, even with Doria (by far the best QB in the league).

[downbythebeach]

I'm optimisticxthumbsupx

I was just looking back though the standings.........back in 2005 we beat Monmouth, Central Conn, and RMU all in one year.....that was crazy

Hell, we haven't been dead last in the NEC in a few years now......

that's good for usxnodx

[Seawolf97]

I still expect the Big 3 to dominate again -Albany, Monmouth and CCSU. Im hopefull RMU bounces back and gets in the running. The rest of the NEC -is well the rest of the NEC. I dont see Wagner, St Francis of Sacred Heart being a threat. But we will see in a few weeks.

[dgreco]

I still expect the Big 3 to dominate again -Albany, Monmouth and CCSU. Im hopefull RMU bounces back and gets in the running. The rest of the NEC -is well the rest of the NEC. I dont see Wagner, St Francis of Sacred Heart being a threat. But we will see in a few weeks.

I agree and I do not see how anyone else can consider the rest contenders for the conference championship. There seems to be a divide, Wagner broke through last year, but I am not even sure if they can sustain that. I think really in the end if comes down to Albany & CCSU.

[danefan]

Don't forget Duquense. They will be in the top I think. Recruiting hotbed out there and what appears to be an institutional commitment to scholarship football.

[Seawolf97]

Don't forget Duquense. They will be in the top I think. Recruiting hotbed out there and what appears to be an institutional commitment to scholarship football.

The Dukes are going to strengthen the conference for sure. You are right
Western Pa. has some great talent and if they can pick up on that they could be force to reckon with.

[downbythebeach]

I don't know about the Dukes
That new stadium they are putting in is garbage and according to Dukes fans, a half-assed job, not much of an upgrade, and not worth the money.
Also, I kinda get the feeling that Schmidt is only riding the momentum that his predecessor made.

Last year they didn't even win the MAAC.....the dukes are still pretty good and I expect them to perform well next year, but don't be surprised if in a few years they may be hurting.

[dgreco]

Even though the Dukes may be good I still think it is really a two team race.

[Seawolf97]

Even though the Dukes may be good I still think it is really a two team race.

Im looking for you guys to scrape out 4 wins or so . Im sure you coach will have you in contention before 2012. Maybe we can get another game this time in Rhode Island with the Bulldogs .xthumbsupx

[dgreco]

Im looking for you guys to scrape out 4 wins or so . Im sure you coach will have you in contention before 2012. Maybe we can get another game this time in Rhode Island with the Bulldogs .xthumbsupx

Listening to Coach Fine, he played that we are going to have to work hard to get a win game, but seemed really confident. I think he knows he can build a great team in Smithfield. Like he said in the interviews they could of been one of the more successful programs in DII if they stayed. they had a good recruiting system and a good program and they were all set.

I think once they get into the 40 scholarship area they will constantly be at the top. He said they are at single digits right now and look to expand as they find the worthy kids that fit their needs. I am excited for the future.


I hope that SB returns a game in a few years. I know you are booked up with Brown for a while, so hopefully a year when Brown travels to the Island they can come to Smithfield for a game.