SLC, SWAC -- Wide Open Races

[TexasTerror]

The SLC and the SWAC are probably the two conferences that I follow most. SHSU is the reasoning behind the SLC and of course, the SWAC is in our same regional footprint, work with people from SWAC schools and more.

Anyhow, reading the fan message boards -- it just seems that everyone believes both leagues are going to be competitive from top to bottom, more so than they have in recent years.

In the Southland, you have UCA and McNeese who both seem to be clear choices for the top. SHSU is making waves behind our deep RB corps and of course, a RB at QB -- Rhett Bomar. NWST feels they have an argument and their fan base is optimistic for a 9-3 season.

Nicholls, forever the tough team -- that option makes it tough to go against them. TXST believes that they are in the mix and well, even when they've finished in the cellar, always thought they had a shot. It's a big year for the Bobcats as far as FBS aspirations goes.

The only teams who are not openly with fans that talk aspirations are Southeastern La. and SFA. SFA coming off an 0-11 season and SLU, always the darkhose -- just never have gotten over the hump fully.

The SWAC is a bit interesting. Alabama St is in a world of a mess, but other than that -- the league is going to be fun to watch.

In the SWAC West -- we're used to Grambling and Southern. What else is new? They need to turn around and look behind them as HF3 has PVA&M making their move. Texas Southern has 60+ newcomers and the Cole brothers, who if they can keep the Tigers out of off the field problems and Bobby Reid feels comfortable with his supporting cast, may pull off a surprise. And UAPB fans feel pretty comfortable with their squad.

Out East, Comegy has brought Jackson State to the forefront. Alabama A&M always seems to get in the way in the division. Alcorn and Valley don't pose much a threat, but it is the SWAC and sWACKY things are bound to occur...bottom team could knock off the top, just like the SLC...

Is it football season yet?

[Mr. Tiger]

The SWAC West should be VERY interesting. It will probably come down to Grambling, Southern, and PV, but UAPB is also dangerous. As for the Southland, Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State, and McNeese State. Note: Central Arkansas will have MOST of its big matchups at home.

[TxState_GO_CATS!]

SLC--UCA, McNeese, then the rest. I don't even really think it's close...

having said that, i do believe that there are some VERY talented teams other than UCA and McNeese. As TT mentioned, SHS has a deep RB corp + Bomar but has to replace some OLs; TxSt. has a very deep RB corp and offense, but is young/improving on defense; SFA has...the color purple. NW St. always has a good defense, Nicholls has the 3option that always keeps them in games, and SELA is seemingly everyone's yearly darkhorse and have a HOSS at RB (Lucas).

I just feel that UCA and McNeese are COMPLETE teams...right now they have no/very little question areas and have all their great pieces returning from a 1,2 finish last year.

Then again, that's why they play the games.

[patssle]

Every team does have a legit shot at the championship, except for SFA. So many games were close last year for many teams, several could of gone the other way.

[813Jag]

UAPB is always the team to worry about, with their running game, you never know what to expect. They beat SU and PV last year and nearly beat Grambling after a horrible start. Valley and Alcorn will fight for the cellar, but for Southern, Alcorn is always a dangerous game.

[BEAR]

I think if McNeese is the typical McNeese, they should be at the top. UCA has a much much better defense this year and the offense...well, I don't need to explain. Nicholls and SHSU really came on strong at the end and I believe Nicholls shoud be up there with UCA. SHSU will be in the mix right at the top too. UCA was one field goal away from only losing 1 game last year. But being the first full year in the conference, not a bad showing for the Bears. The end of the year might be one of the most exciting I have seen in a few years! If it does come down to UCA v. McNeese, I hope Conque can find a way to stop that Cowboy offense, because they sure won't stop that defense! xlolx

[Lionsrking]

Not ready to say we'll contend for the title but we'll be a much improved football team on both sides of the ball. I think we have a chance to be at or near the top of the league in defense and we'll be a lot more explosive offensively. We were two plays away from 2nd place last year and had a chance to win every conference game but one. We won't flip all of the close games but I predict we'll win more than two and finish higher than seventh place.

[TexasTerror]

Not ready to say we'll contend for the title but we'll be a much improved football team on both sides of the ball. I think we have a chance to be at or near the top of the league in defense and we'll be a lot more explosive offensively. We were two plays away from 2nd place last year and had a chance to win every conference game but one. We won't flip all of the close games but I predict we'll win more than two and finish higher than seventh place.

I believe SLU is in the group with SFA as it relates to the conference title. I'm not sold on Lucas as a guy who will win the game for you when it counts and having four SLC road games does not bold too well for the Lions this year...the league has improved a great deal heading into this year and has SLU kept up? Not sure I can say that. They'll get a chance to prove me wrong though...

[TexasTerror]

The always entertaining Kevin Gore answers questions regarding the Southland this year...

http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/08/10/southland_column.html

[Lionsrking]

I believe SLU is in the group with SFA as it relates to the conference title. I'm not sold on Lucas as a guy who will win the game for you when it counts and having four SLC road games does not bold too well for the Lions this year...the league has improved a great deal heading into this year and has SLU kept up? Not sure I can say that. They'll get a chance to prove me wrong though...

Never said we would contend for the title but we'll be every bit as improved, if not more so, than the rest of the SLC. We'll make headway, regardless of the four road games, and one of the road games I think we'll win is at Sam Houston who is the most overrated team in the league in my opinion.

[TexasTerror]

Never said we would contend for the title but we'll be every bit as improved, if not more so, than the rest of the SLC. We'll make headway, regardless of the four road games, and one of the road games I think we'll win is at Sam Houston who is the most overrated team in the league in my opinion.

Most overrated? Really? I disagree...

SHSU lost two SLC games last year -- UCA and McNeese. Our head coach has never beaten the two. Until we even beat one, if not both of them, we have no business to be considered a title contender. We're as good a #3 team as you can come across in the SLC behind those two...

Our perceived weakness is our OLine. Anyone who has followed our program knows that we tend to reload there. Our All-SLC OL that got hurt just got replaced by a senior (who originally transferred from Missouri a few years ago).

Our other weakness is our WR and apparently, that is looking good with the new 6'5" WR from the JUCO ranks (Jason Madkins). We've always seemed to have a play-making WR and Madkins may be the next to follow the line of Jonathan Cooper (who just came back as our WR coach), Jason Mathenia, Jarrod Fuller, etc...

Defense -- should be very strong, especially our front seven. All-SLC Chris Brown on the line is supported by one of the best LB corps we've had.

We are not title contenders. We are the #3 team and until we beat UCA or McNeese, which happen to be our first two SLC games, we should be viewed as such.

I like SLU, I really do -- but I and everyone else been calling you guys the darkhorse forever. When are you going to step up to the forefront?

[JohnStOnge]

McNeese has LOTS of questions. They are thin and small at running back. How they adjust to not having Brian Smith at defensive end remains to be seen. They lost both of last year's starting corners. I hope they do well but they definitely have players in key positions who will have to prove they can do the job in order for that to happen.

[Lionsrking]

Most overrated? Really? I disagree...



Yes...overrated, considering the coaches picked you to finish 2nd which I don't think will happen. You have to rebuild your entire offensive line, have to replace a 1,000 yard rusher, have a QB coming off major knee surgery and are pretty mediocre defensively. You won some close games down the stretch last year, which you deserve credit for, but could have easily finished near the bottom where we were.

[JohnStOnge]

The always entertaining Kevin Gore answers questions regarding the Southland this year...

http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/08/10/southland_column.html

I must admit that I am perplexed at the lack of respect McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux gets. He was 10th in FCS and 1st in the Southland among starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency last year. He rushed for more yards (550 to 406) and averaged more yards per carry (4.8 to 4.7) than Bomar did (Brown too...but Brown wasn't much of a running threat so I didn't put the specifics).

Yet when people talk about Southland quarterbacks, the conversation is usually about Brown and Bomar with Fourroux left out of the conversation. Is it because he's not as "pretty" while he's being more efficient passing the football and more productive running the football than the other two?

[BEAR]

I must admit that I am perplexed at the lack of respect McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux gets. He was 10th in FCS and 1st in the Southland among starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency last year. He rushed for more yards (550 to 406) and averaged more yards per carry (4.8 to 4.7) than Bomar did (Brown too...but Brown wasn't much of a running threat so I didn't put the specifics).

Yet when people talk about Southland quarterbacks, the conversation is usually about Brown and Bomar with Fourroux left out of the conversation. Is it because he's not as "pretty" while he's being more efficient passing the football and more productive running the football than the other two?


This conference is packed with great QBs. I give Fourroux big credit. He's got some really good players to help him out and that shows in their record. Brown is a part of a transitioning division II squad(technically until 2010) but has a little talent on his side with a pretty good Oline. Bomar just has trouble all around him. He's not backed by much of a defense or helped by his line much (as of last year). But individually they are super talents and with the right personnel I think they can be interchangable. Can you imagine a QB with Browns arm, Fourroux's run, and Bomars field presence? Wow! xlolx

[Purple Pride]

SWAC????

We'll put an end to one of their "pipe dreams" on 9/13.xthumbsupx

[Purple Pride]

I must admit that I am perplexed at the lack of respect McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux gets. He was 10th in FCS and 1st in the Southland among starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency last year. He rushed for more yards (550 to 406) and averaged more yards per carry (4.8 to 4.7) than Bomar did (Brown too...but Brown wasn't much of a running threat so I didn't put the specifics).

Yet when people talk about Southland quarterbacks, the conversation is usually about Brown and Bomar with Fourroux left out of the conversation. Is it because he's not as "pretty" while he's being more efficient passing the football and more productive running the football than the other two?He doesn't have to run.xthumbsupx

[JohnStOnge]

He doesn't have to run.xthumbsupx

He had 61 rushes for 121 yards. I watched him play. He's a very good quarterback. But he is not a "dual threat."

[Lionsrking]

I must admit that I am perplexed at the lack of respect McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux gets. He was 10th in FCS and 1st in the Southland among starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency last year. He rushed for more yards (550 to 406) and averaged more yards per carry (4.8 to 4.7) than Bomar did (Brown too...but Brown wasn't much of a running threat so I didn't put the specifics).

Yet when people talk about Southland quarterbacks, the conversation is usually about Brown and Bomar with Fourroux left out of the conversation. Is it because he's not as "pretty" while he's being more efficient passing the football and more productive running the football than the other two?

I think Forroux is a solid QB and I love his physical and mental toughness...he's a throwback type who's not afraid to mix it up and I'm sure that mentality rubs off on his teammates. But I think the perception, rightly or wrongly, is that he's a game manager with a boat load of skill talent around him and not a guy who's going to put a team on his back and win a game. I know in our game this past year, it was backup, Fontenot, who had the major impact of the two and in my opinion is the much better passer from what we've seen over the last couple of years.

[Lionsrking]

He had 61 rushes for 121 yards. I watched him play. He's a very good quarterback. But he is not a "dual threat."

Nathan Brown is definitely a dual threat...not so much in terms of designed QB runs, but his pocket awareness, mobility and ability to make things happen outside the pocket is as good as we've faced since we've brought football back, including the FBS schools. Forroux is run threat by design which can be game-planned for...what Brown does cannot.

[McTailGator]

I must admit that I am perplexed at the lack of respect McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux gets. He was 10th in FCS and 1st in the Southland among starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency last year. He rushed for more yards (550 to 406) and averaged more yards per carry (4.8 to 4.7) than Bomar did (Brown too...but Brown wasn't much of a running threat so I didn't put the specifics).

Yet when people talk about Southland quarterbacks, the conversation is usually about Brown and Bomar with Fourroux left out of the conversation. Is it because he's not as "pretty" while he's being more efficient passing the football and more productive running the football than the other two?

I think DF gets plenty of respect from those that count, the other coaches he goes up against.

There are just so many good QB's in the SLC, it's hard to get all the press.

Bomar, George, and Brown will be gone after this year.

DF will be left all alone for his senior season in 09. He should have plenty of press then.

[JohnStOnge]

Nathan Brown is definitely a dual threat...not so much in terms of designed QB runs, but his pocket awareness, mobility and ability to make things happen outside the pocket is as good as we've faced since we've brought football back, including the FBS schools. Forroux is run threat by design which can be game-planned for...what Brown does cannot.

Fourroux has made a lot of "ad lib" plays. I'm talking both about designed passes that he ended up making yards on by pulling it down and running as well as pass plays where he escapes the pocket then pulls up and throws it downfield.

I can understand why you're impressed with Fontenot because he hit 15 of 16 passes against Southeastern while Fourroux had a bad game throwing the football at 5 of 12. And Fontenot probably is the better pure passer. He finished 2007 hitting 77.6 percent of his passes, 6 TDs to 1 interception, and a 196.5 QB rating. But he doesn't give McNeese the "dual threat." He averaged -3.1 yards per carry.

And Fourroux did finish ahead of Brown in passing efficiency. I suppose it's valid to say he had better skill people to throw to than Brown did but he's MUCH more of a threat to hurt teams running the ball...whether it's by design or ad lib...than Brown is.

[MaximumBobcat]

I think DF gets plenty of respect from those that count, the other coaches he goes up against.

There are just so many good QB's in the SLC, it's hard to get all the press.

Bomar, George, and Brown will be gone after this year.

DF will be left all alone for his senior season in 09. He should have plenty of press then.

If you're talking about Bradley George, then he is only a Junior this season. xrulesx

[BEAR]

This is a great debate. So here's a question for all the SLC fans.


If you could have just one QB lead your team in the FCS championship game, who would it be?

Bomar?
Brown?
Fourroux?
Fontenot?
Other?

Of course I would choose Brown, but Fourroux would also be tough to pass up on. Very close. Very very close. xconfusedx

[msupokes1]

I would have to go with Fouroux. I disagree with Fouroux not being a quarterback than can carry a team on his back. I think he has done exactly that. I think he runs alot because the last to years McNeese has not had that go to running back. I also think that he is very smart when it comes to the run as he does it only as a second option except on designed runs. He is not to quick to give up on the pass. With that being said I think I would take Fontenot as my backup because he is a complete passer. The reason I chose these guys over Brown and Bomar is simply becasue the only time I have seen those two play was against McNeese and neither had there best game, so I have no other knowledge of the two.

[McTailGator]

If you're talking about Bradley George, then he is only a Junior this season. xrulesx

Ah, well ole George will get a little pub after this season too.

[McTailGator]

This is a great debate. So here's a question for all the SLC fans.


If you could have just one QB lead your team in the FCS championship game, who would it be?

Bomar?
Brown?
Fourroux?
Fontenot?
Other?

Of course I would choose Brown, but Fourroux would also be tough to pass up on. Very close. Very very close. xconfusedx

Foureaux might not be glamourous, but all he does is win.

Good enough for me.

I'll take the win over the stats anyday.

Off course fourroux also had some pretty damn good stats too.

[Lionsrking]

Fourroux has made a lot of "ad lib" plays. I'm talking both about designed passes that he ended up making yards on by pulling it down and running as well as pass plays where he escapes the pocket then pulls up and throws it downfield.

I can understand why you're impressed with Fontenot because he hit 15 of 16 passes against Southeastern while Fourroux had a bad game throwing the football at 5 of 12. And Fontenot probably is the better pure passer. He finished 2007 hitting 77.6 percent of his passes, 6 TDs to 1 interception, and a 196.5 QB rating. But he doesn't give McNeese the "dual threat." He averaged -3.1 yards per carry.

And Fourroux did finish ahead of Brown in passing efficiency. I suppose it's valid to say he had better skill people to throw to than Brown did but he's MUCH more of a threat to hurt teams running the ball...whether it's by design or ad lib...than Brown is.

I'm not saying Fourroux isn't a threat to run when the pocket breaks down, it's just that a lot of his rushing yardage comes on designed QB keeps or plays where he reads the end and keeps. I'm sure Nathan Brown could do the same thing if they asked him to, but they don't. But to me, Brown has the edge in pocket awareness and mobility, and overall ability to extend a play. That's no knock on Fourroux, just a big compliment to Brown who I think is the best pure QB we've faced since we've brought football back, including Todd Reesing at Kansas, and Graham Harrell at Texas Tech. We owned the line of scrimmage against UCA and were clearly the more physical football team that night, but were literally beaten by one guy...well actually two...the DB/punt returner #2 killed us also. Any other QB on the field that night for UCA and we probably win by a couple of TDs, if not more.

As I said before, I LOVE the way Fourroux plays, and if I'm McNeese, I'd take 100 more just like him. He's obviously a great leader and that counts as much, if not more, than raw ability.

[BEAR]

...well actually two...the DB/punt returner #2 killed us also.

If you want to read what the #2 is doing now, check out this thread on UCA's fan page.. http://www.ucafans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3199

He had a bad game the other night, as did the rest of the team, but he is lighting up the CFL on a regular basis. We sure miss him at Estes Stadium! xthumbsupx xlolx

http://www.edmontonsun.com/FrontPage/2008/07/11/edmsuncoverlargenew.jpg

[patssle]

If you could have just one QB lead your team in the FCS championship game, who would it be?

Bomar?
Brown?
Fourroux?
Fontenot?
Other?



With the playbook opened up versus a top 5 program in the country, Bomar was easily the best QB I've ever seen in the SLC. Brown would also be on my list, but he just isn't a dual threat. Sooner or later you come upon a team that finally shuts you down when your not a dual threat, like Montana did to Dustin Long in 2004 in the semis.