CAA Today CAA 2008 Preview by Bruce Dowd

[BDKJMU]

He picks JMU to win the South and the NC. He's a UD grad, but he picks JMU, Nova, UR & UMass to make playoffs.

*Small note on JMU- the bye game is after week 7, not week 2.

http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/media/blogs/CSN/CAA%202008%20Preview.pdf

[89Hen]

He's a UD grad, but he picks JMU, Nova, UR & UMass to make playoffs.
He may have graduated from UD, but he has a degree in sandbagging from McNeese. xsmiley_wix

[mcveyrl]

He picks JMU to win the South and the NC. He's a UD grad, but he picks JMU, Nova, UR & UMass to make playoffs.

*Small note on JMU- the bye game is after week six, not week 2.
http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/media/blogs/CSN/CAA%202008%20Preview.pdf

To me, that's a pretty important point to miss.

I wonder if that would change his prognosis??

[HensRock]

He may have graduated from UD, but he has a degree in sandbagging from McNeese. xsmiley_wix


HA HA HA HA xlmaox

[89Hen]

In all seriousness, when he said UD would be hard pressed to be above .500, that unfortunately is a good expectation. HOWEVER, Hall's first year (6-6), Flacco's first year (5-6)... both led the Hens to the NC game the following year. Everyone better hope the Hens are better than 6-6 this year. xsmiley_wix

[Tribe4SF]

Glad to see Bruce still on our beat. Always informed, and writes well.

[BDKJMU]

To me, that's a pretty important point to miss.

I wonder if that would change his prognosis??

Obviously I can't count.:) I said the 1st bye week was after week 6. Its after week 7, after 7 straight games, Oct 18. I fixed it.

[KAUMASS]

I can see a whole bunch of CAA teams at the end of this year @ 8-4 overall records and 2-3 conference losses. JMU, Richmond, Delaware, UMass & Villanova look like the runners and it could be another coin flip. Hofstra & New Hampshire could surprise some people this year. Northeastern is always unpredicable on a week to week basis. Villanova is my darkhorse this year. Hofstra had a bunch of transfers come in this year. We'll see what some of these teams have this week and next week as they play FBS schools, except for UMass. UMass has Texas Tech in week 4. Hofstra has UConn tonight!!

I enjoy reading most of Dowd's articles, everyonce in a while he throws some hipjerks out. C'est la vie, he is trying his best.

[89Hen]

I'm not sure anyone can classify Villanova as a darkhorse this year... at least not at AGS. I think it would be more of a darkhorse to pick them to NOT perform that well and perhaps go 6-5. xeyebrowx

[BluehenJK]

I would have to agree with most of his picks and analysis.... I do believe that Schoenhoft and Ritacco have improved some since the Spring but not enough to win games by themselves. And this years schedule is brutal especially for a young team. It could be a rebuilding year for the Hens.... I think JMU and Richmond will battle for th ch'ship w/ UMASS. I would put 'Nova or Hofstra as the other playoff team.

[KAUMASS]

I have 'Nova in the playoffs this year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them tie or win the CAA South. It is understandable that UD fans will remember them from last year as they put you on the bubble for playoff consideration. They should have beaten UMass last year. We were lucky to win that game. 'Nova has a ton of starters returning. We will find out what they have against W. Virginia. This game will be closer than people think.

AGS has them at #17 pre-season. With just about everyone back except their TE, and beating the national runner ups the week before the playoffs, they should have been a little higher. xsmiley_wix

[BDKJMU]

I would have to agree with most of his picks and analysis.... I do believe that Schoenhoft and Ritacco have improved some since the Spring but not enough to win games by themselves. And this years schedule is brutal especially for a young team. It could be a rebuilding year for the Hens.... I think JMU and Richmond will battle for th ch'ship w/ UMASS. I would put 'Nova or Hofstra as the other playoff team.

I have Nova in the playoffs. With all due respect to Hofstra, they won't get in. Even though the Coaches and Dowd have them picked to finish 3rd in the North, they:
-have only 10 starters listed returning
-No Huggins on offense
-Only 3 starters returning on defense and no Villante (they were #2 in total defense in the CAA last year).
-most of all, they have to play the tough half (UR, @JMU, UD) of the CAA South
I wouldn't be surprised to see Northeastern and/or Maine, both who have a lot more coming back, finish 3rd and 4th in the North.

Yes, I know they have a bunch of I-A transfers. But until those transfers prove themselves. As you'all know, some hyped transfers live up to the hype, some don't.

[KAUMASS]

I have Nova in the playoffs. With all due respect to Hofstra, they won't get in. Even though the Coaches and Dowd have them picked to finish 3rd in the North, they:
-have only 10 starters listed returning
-No Huggins on offense
-Only 3 starters returning on defense and no Villante (they were #2 in total defense in the CAA last year
-most of all, they have to play the brutal half (@UR, @JMU, Nova) of the CAA South
I wouldn't be surprised to see Northeastern and/or Maine, both who have a lot more coming back, finish 3rd and 4th in the North.


Hofstra could go either way...They picked up 3-4 FBS transfers that are starting for them tonight...a couple on defense. Can't rule them out, we'll see what they have tonight against UConn..

[89Hen]

-most of all, they have to play the brutal half (@UR, @JMU, Nova) of the CAA South
Actually UD, not Nova as the third game. xpeacex

[BDKJMU]

Actually UD, not Nova as the third game. xpeacex

As soon as I posted it I caught the mistake and fixed it.

[WrenFGun]

I'd be surprised to see 'Nova, JMU and Richmond not in the playoffs, or at least not knocking on the door. The North is a crapshoot, as UMass is the best team with a real tough schedule.

[GannonFan]

I have 'Nova in the playoffs this year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them tie or win the CAA South. It is understandable that UD fans will remember them from last year as they put you on the bubble for playoff consideration. They should have beaten UMass last year. We were lucky to win that game. 'Nova has a ton of starters returning. We will find out what they have against W. Virginia. This game will be closer than people think.

AGS has them at #17 pre-season. With just about everyone back except their TE, and beating the national runner ups the week before the playoffs, they should have been a little higher. xsmiley_wix

Psst, even the guy on the committee (I thought he was a UMass guy) said publically after the selection that UD was in after the loss to Richmond the week before. UD was the 3rd team from the CAA in last year (in before JMU and UNH). There was no bubble.