Preseason #1

[Cocky]

Anyone ready to go on record?

[dbackjon]

Anyone ready to go on record?

Appalachian State.

[asumatt]

it should be obvious where my affiliations lie, however, losing our two best players to graduation will be tough

[eagle1]

Northern Iowa or New Hampshire

[ravens]

Someone from the SoCon. :D

[MR. CHICKEN]

IT'S DUH MOUSEKETEERS....TA LOSE!........:p........BRAWK!

[Golden Eagle]

UNI would be my early pick.

[Go...gate]

New Hampshire.

[TexasTerror]

I am going to go with New Hampshire at this point...

[Sly Fox]

Based on recent history, it should anybody but Appy. Its proving nearly impossible to repeat.

[JMU Duke Dog]

If the Dukes play up to their potential after the most disappointing season ever in JMU football history, then JMU has the right stuff to surprise all of the I-AA nation once again!

[grizfan86]

New Hampshire.

[mainejeff]

New Hampshire.

[ASU Kep]

ASU.

[rokamortis]

The top spot is ASU's to lose.

[skinny_uncle]

Where is the box for none of the above?

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Folks, you all hated our defense this year and we lose a lot of starters from this year's team! Yes, the offense returns everyone except for Williams the TE and two from the OL. Not sure that warrants the pre-season number one ranking? Won't matter because we all know that App State will be number one just like JMU was pre-season this year. That ol' champion until defeated syndrome.

[PantherMan]

ASU will be #1 until they lose. Then it will be New Hampshire. UNI will be solid, but we lose a lot of quality seniors.

[TopsInDaVille]

Ya'll can have it. The No. 1 ranking is a curse. (Watch out for Youngstown, though!)

[GannonFan]

I don't buy into that the top team from last year has to be the #1 in the next preseason - you have to look at what they lose to see if they have a chance to be the same team. I think Appalachian St loses too much to be #1 again - granted the quantity they lose isn't too overwhelming, but they lose enough of what won the NC for them this year. Besides, winning a title back to back is extremely tough - there's a reason why a lot of teams haven't done it, and those were teams that returned more than what ASU will return.

I'm going with UNH - they have a good schedule and return Santos and Ball.

[Appstate03]

I think it is a little absurd to say App should not be #1 because of recent history where you cannot win back to back. I am not saying they should be #1, but that excuse is stupid.

[PantherMan]

I think it is a little absurd to say App should not be #1 because of recent history where you cannot win back to back. I am not saying they should be #1, but that excuse is stupid.

Oh, I agree, history has little to do with this topic. If one wanted to speak of history, then they would realize it is tradition for the returning Champ to be #1 unless there is clearly a better team. I don't think ASU will be the best team next year, but I do think that the returning Champ has earned the spot until someone proves they don't belong. Losing Williams on O and Hunter on D amounts to A LOT of ASU's production, directly and indirectly though.

[crunifan]

As far as I am concerned Appalachian State should be number one. They are the best team in the nation, and until a new team proves this different, they deserve the top spot.

[*****]

Based on recent history, it should anybody but Appy. Its proving nearly impossible to repeat.Unless a Socon team wins it. The last one repeated.

[Kill'em]

And who would that be? Oh yes, next year's sleeper?

[Kill'em]

I would sat App. St. They lose what, 12 seniors? Yes they lose Richie Williams but Trey Elder showed he can be a good one. Hunter will be a big loss but App. St is to defensive end what Montana is to passer. There's probably another one waiting to take his place.

[umassfan]

Northern Iowa or New Hampshire

UNI and App St both loose too many skill players to be number 1 pre season. UNH would be a good pick though.

[Kiss My Apps]

We return 14 starters next year, 7 on offense and 7 on defense, including 4 of our 5 all-americans.

[OL FU]

New Hampshire :smiley_wi

[McNeese75]

App State until they lose :nod:

[ngineer]

Not enough info on who's got what returning. And even that don't mean much--ask JMU. Sometimes what's 'waiting in the wings' makes great improvements. Certainly, if UNH has a good core back to surround Santos they will be a force, but I'm not ready to annoint them, yet.

[UNH_ORACLE]

Who Cares?? :xmas:

[OL FU]

Who Cares?? :xmas:

Me, I had you guys number one for most of the year.
I hate to be proven wrong :D

[blukeys]

It'S APP but that's because I don't know much about the losses of the other key contenders. I know UNH loses a lot off of Defense and UNI loses key players as well. Furman loses Martin but keeps Felton. App is as good a choice as any until the season unfolds.

[Granite]

Its early, and at this point, I think its fair to say that App State probably starts the year at #1.

As far as UNH is concerned, from my count we return 14 on the 2 deep on defense (notable returners are Corey Graham and Matt Parent who did a nice job filling in for Tallman when he went down with his injury) and 18 on the 2 deep on offense including Ball & Santos. We'll be experienced on the o-line and we should be able to replace McCoy at RB with Ward and O'Brien. We lose a damn good tight end in Jonathan Williams. So yes, we do lose some key players on both sides of the ball, but we have a pretty good stable of players who saw significant playing time this year (due to all of the blowout games during the season) returning. That tempers some of the player losses, IMO, although the schedule gets tougher next season.

No #1 preseason ranking for the Wildcats, thanks. But I do think that UNH should be ranked in the top 10 and will be a contender as the post-season rolls around next year.

[AppGuy04]

I think App will be #1, but UNH is probably the overall concensus best team, especially with their 2 stars on offense back

[Saint3333]

ASU loses their starting QB, WR, 1 OL, 2 DL, 2 LB. We do lose 3 WRs, but fortunately that's our deepest position. We also have 2 great LBs that already get a lot of playing time. ASU has a lot of sophomores and will be fine. We are #1 until someone beats us. :xmas: Merry Christmas to all Mountaineer fans.

[rcny46]

Its early, and at this point, I think its fair to say that App State probably starts the year at #1.

As far as UNH is concerned, from my count we return 14 on the 2 deep on defense (notable returners are Corey Graham and Matt Parent who did a nice job filling in for Tallman when he went down with his injury) and 18 on the 2 deep on offense including Ball & Santos. We'll be experienced on the o-line and we should be able to replace McCoy at RB with Ward and O'Brien. We lose a damn good tight end in Jonathan Williams. So yes, we do lose some key players on both sides of the ball, but we have a pretty good stable of players who saw significant playing time this year (due to all of the blowout games during the season) returning. That tempers some of the player losses, IMO, although the schedule gets tougher next season.

No #1 preseason ranking for the Wildcats, thanks. But I do think that UNH should be ranked in the top 10 and will be a contender as the post-season rolls around next year.

Speaking of the RB position,they also have Kaysonne Anderson coming back.He was injured just prior to the season,didn't play at all,but looked great in the spring game.They also have Robert Simpson and a guy from Cal.who was recruited last year and will be coming in for the second semester by the name of Chad Kackert.He had 56 TD's and 3,450 yds.rushing during his senior year in high school.

[blackfordpu]

UNI right now is my pick.

[eagleskins]

GSU. We have basically our whole offense back, with a defensive head coach.

[UNH 40]

Speaking of the RB position,they also have Kaysonne Anderson coming back.He was injured just prior to the season,didn't play at all,but looked great in the spring game.They also have Robert Simpson and a guy from Cal.who was recruited last year and will be coming in for the second semester by the name of Chad Kackert.He had 56 TD's and 3,450 yds.rushing during his senior year in high school.

Great Post!!! All three of these backs have 4.4 speed. Watch out for Kaysonne Anderson He will be a junior next year. He chose UNH over several I-A schools, they will have many backs to choose from.

APP. St. should be preseason #1 they are the champion until knocked off, they better keep one eye on the rear view mirror for #2 UNH.

GO Cats!!!!

[windwalker]

I agree that App State is #1 until someone beats them.

[bandl]

I agree that App State is #1 until someone beats them.

Yep yep. I fail to see any other argument. IMO, it goes hand in hand with winning the national championship. They definitely earned it, and nothing should be taken away from them until they lose.

[OL FU]

I will give a different view point. Nothing can take away ASU as the national champs or defending champs, etc. But the purpose of a poll is to rank the 2006 teams. Winning the NC does not entitle a team to the number one ranking.

Why should the defending champ care? They are the defending champs and fortunatly in I-AA will get to defend it on the field.

[colgate13]

I'm in the "you don't get #1 automatically" camp...

My head says UNH. But then again, my 'outside of the box' portion says... Why not Cal Poly?

[GannonFan]

Heaping on top of the "don't get why last year's NC has to be next year's #1" bandwagon. Most other sports at all other levels commonly have a different team be #1 rather than the defending champ, unless the defending champ is bringing back so much that they are a heavy favorite to repeat. The Appy St team that won the NC won't play next year - there'll be a different team out there. Everything's a clean slate in 2006 so just because a portion of a NC team returns doesn't tip the scale for me.

[AppFootballAlum]

Couldn't care less either way because it does not really matter where App or anyone else is ranked to start the year - win enough to make it into the playoffs and take care of business when you get there and the pre-season rankings have no meaning whatsoever. The coaches and players really don't care.

[TxState_GO_CATS!]

How about...someone west of Iowa? LOL

[Cap'n Cat]

App State. When they lose, UNI.

[youwouldno]

I don't think winning the NC makes a team #1 for the next year, unless they returned 100% of their team (and maybe not even then). App was the best in 2005. 2006 is a different season.

Polls are not the most meaningful things in the world, but they should be an honest attempt to survey the landscape. This year, the AGS poll was, surprise, the best, and I'd like to see that continue.

Personally, I have no idea who my #1 will be. No one from the SoCon, which I am most familiar with. UNH is tough to argue against but I don't know enough yet to make a decision.

[TypicalTribe]

I'm not a big believer in the NC being the automatic preseason #1 the following year, just like I don't believe in the idea that the four semifinalists in the playoffs should automatically be the top 4 teams in the final poll. Nor do I believe that the 16 playoff teams necessarily need to be ranked in the final poll. Often times, an objective opinion can lead you to another conclusion.

Given what ASU loses, I'm not sure I'll have them in the Top 5, let alone #1. However, there's a long time between then and now to make that decision.

[DinoDex200]

App State, of course!!

Trey will be fine at QB, we return K. Richardson, several stellar WR's, and almost our whole OL.

LB's will be much stronger next year, as will the secondary. The biggest ? is, of course Hunter's replacement, but I think we'll manage to find someone to partially account for his loss...

Of course, it might matter only briefly since we open the season at NC State...but man would it be nice to thump them one good time!!

[AppGuy04]

App State, of course!!

Trey will be fine at QB, we return K. Richardson, several stellar WR's, and almost our whole OL.

LB's will be much stronger next year, as will the secondary. The biggest ? is, of course Hunter's replacement, but I think we'll manage to find someone to partially account for his loss...

Of course, it might matter only briefly since we open the season at NC State...but man would it be nice to thump them one good time!!

I'm torn for that game, I graduated from both schools, guess I should probably pull for the underdog

[OL FU]

I'm torn for that game, I graduated from both schools, guess I should probably pull for the underdog


You pulling for the wolfpack? :D

[*****]

... The coaches and players really don't care.That is mostly false. What they say publicly is not always what they think. Coaches and players certainly care.

As for the previous year's Champ being the auto #1... no. They have to earn it by presenting the best team. We'll know for sure who is looking to be the best come June.

[Granite]

As for the previous year's Champ being the auto #1... no. They have to earn it by presenting the best team. We'll know for sure who is looking to be the best come June.

I would probably pick App State #1 right now because it is so early, and not having had any time to really think about next year yet, it seems as logical a choice as any. But I agree, we probably all need more time to really look at who is returning, reports from Spring practices, recruiting, etc. before we have an educated guess at a realistic pre-season #1 for 2006.

[GoGSU]

GSU preseason #1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

seriously....I would say UNH.