Quote:Conference USA enters 2014 with more changes in its league roster, adding Western Kentucky and Old Dominion to replace East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa to have a 13-team format for one season. UNC Charlotte will join the league in 2015 to give Conference USA 14 teams and seven teams in each division.While the future of the league appears to be stable, could 2014 be a special season for Marshall? The Thundering Herd will be favored in every game and return dynamic senior quarterback Rakeem Cato. With 13 overall starters returning and MTSU, FAU and Rice visiting Huntington, Marshall has a good shot at an unbeaten record, as well as the opportunity to be the No. 1 team from outside of the five power conferences. If the Thundering Herd finishes 2014 unbeaten and rank as the top team from outside of the power leagues, Marshall would play in one of college football’s top bowl games. - See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football...Yl0ec.dpuf

Let's hope they're right. I'm rooting for you Marshall.

I think UTSA is more likely in the west.

Quote:Rice might have the most favorable schedule in the West, as North Texas and UTSA play at Rice Stadium in 2014. Of course, the Owls also have to play at Marshall in crossover play. If new quarterback Driphus Jackson picks up where he left off in a reserve role in 2012, Rice could push Marshall for the No. 1 spot in the conference. - See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football...tb0PV.dpuf

Aside a few questions on both offensive and defensive line, Athlon got the heart of the matter right for us. We could potentially win it all or back our way into a bowl game. And you could say the same for UTSA/UNT, except on paper they have more starters returning at each position so they are surer bets.

Based on returning starters, on paper UTSA has to be the favorite in the West. But we are pretty darn plucky and have UTSA and UNT at home.

UTSA is probably going to be a little better than Rice, but like you said, we get them at home. It would take some incredible coaching for UNT to win the West. They lost a lot of good players.

I hope I'm wrong, but Marshall will lose a road game.

Whats the argument for UNT over UTSA?

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

(06-06-2014 02:28 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I hope I'm wrong, but Marshall will lose a road game.

Our Road schedule:

Miami OH
Akron
ODU
FIU
USM
UAB

The only game I would even be a lil scared of would be UAB. In 2012 we went down to UAB (2-7) and came out flat and lost 38-31.

The only game Im worried about is Rice at home. Bailiff and his staff had a great game plan against Marshall and perfected it on the field in the CUSA Championship Game.

Seems like a well thought out and thoroughly researched article. Can't find any issues with the author's point of view...

(06-06-2014 02:59 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(06-06-2014 02:28 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I hope I'm wrong, but Marshall will lose a road game.

Our Road schedule:

Miami OH
Akron
ODU
FIU
USM
UAB

The only game I would even be a lil scared of would be UAB. In 2012 we went down to UAB (2-7) and came out flat and lost 38-31.

The only game Im worried about is Rice at home. Bailiff and his staff had a great game plan against Marshall and perfected it on the field in the CUSA Championship Game.

So your most difficult road game is UAB? Wow I hate yall already. LOL

(06-07-2014 01:20 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  

(06-06-2014 02:59 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(06-06-2014 02:28 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I hope I'm wrong, but Marshall will lose a road game.

Our Road schedule:

Miami OH
Akron
ODU
FIU
USM
UAB

The only game I would even be a lil scared of would be UAB. In 2012 we went down to UAB (2-7) and came out flat and lost 38-31.

The only game Im worried about is Rice at home. Bailiff and his staff had a great game plan against Marshall and perfected it on the field in the CUSA Championship Game.

So your most difficult road game is UAB? Wow I hate yall already. LOL

UAB has history of picking the dominant flavor of the month and kicking the crap out of them. They did it to USM for years, when they had no business beating them. If you sleep on any team in CUSA you will regret that decision tenfold.

(06-07-2014 01:20 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  So your most difficult road game is UAB? Wow I hate yall already. LOL

Most difficult, I don't know. The game Im most worried about because of what happened in 2012, yes.

We do have a better DC that puts players in the right position to succeed that we didn't have in 2012. Which was evident last year.

(06-06-2014 02:44 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  Whats the argument for UNT over UTSA?

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

That's a good question.

From the article:
"There’s not much separating the top three teams in the West. North Texas, Rice and UTSA are all contenders for the division title, with the Mean Green checking in as Athlon’s pick to win the West.

North Texas has plenty of personnel losses on offense, but the line will be a strength with four starters back. And even though the Mean Green return only four starters on defense, there’s plenty of optimism this unit will remain near the top of the conference."

- See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football...CpXp3.dpuf

I certainly think it's debatable who's going to win the west and with so many unknowns defensively I wouldn't be ready to say North Texas is the favorite. But, as far as line play goes, NT might have the best.

I don't think there's many question marks on the offensive side of the ball for NT. Just the QB at this point.

Whichever new QB for UNT/UTSA/Rice steps ups the best, that team wins the West. However, if our starter does not perform well in the OOC, we have 3 back ups who could step in and become "the guy" who carries the team.

(06-07-2014 11:59 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Whichever new QB for UNT/UTSA/Rice steps ups the best, that team wins the West. However, if our starter does not perform well in the OOC, we have 3 back ups who could step in and become "the guy" who carries the team.

Maybe, but I think all three of us can find a QB to manage the offense. I think defense is going to be the biggest factor.

I believe the person that wrote the article understands the situation surrounding UNT's loses on defense. North Texas lost several starters from the front seven, but there are players with quality playing time stepping into many of those starting positions. He could also be giving coach Mac the benefit of the doubt, when it comes to his ability to maintain the success of a program.

No one who follows UNT football expects the defense to play like they did last season, but our coaches don't seem to expect a great drop off either. If we field one of the better defenses in C-USA West, then North Texas should be viewed as a contender, considering our schedule. I wouldn't go so far as to place us in the Championship Game against Marshall, but by the end of the OOC schedule, we will certainly have a good idea as to which teams should be in the hunt.

(06-06-2014 02:59 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(06-06-2014 02:28 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I hope I'm wrong, but Marshall will lose a road game.

Our Road schedule:

Miami OH
Akron
ODU
FIU
USM
UAB

The only game I would even be a lil scared of would be UAB. In 2012 we went down to UAB (2-7) and came out flat and lost 38-31.

The only game Im worried about is Rice at home. Bailiff and his staff had a great game plan against Marshall and perfected it on the field in the CUSA Championship Game.

It's an embarassingly easy schedule, but you guys will take the wrong team lightly or just come out flat against someone. As for the Rice game, you guys should beat us at home. Revenge.

(06-07-2014 03:50 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  It's an embarassingly easy schedule, but you guys will take the wrong team lightly or just come out flat against someone. As for the Rice game, you guys should beat us at home. Revenge.

I like the attitude our players have right now. They aren't talking to the media about this up and coming season. As Rakeem Coto told one of the reporters here when ask about going 14-0, Cato said: "Having expectations like that is the reason I trusted Shuler and Doc and changed my commitment to Marshall, but the games are played on the field in the fall and that's a long way aways. Today me and the team are only worried about getting better off the field".

And again if Louisville hadn't backed out this year our schedule wouldn't look so bad. I guess if I had to choose between Marshall, FIU Murrary State or Kentucky (which wasn't an option), I would nix the Marshall game to. Murrary and FIU are wins. Louisville hasn't beat Marshall since 1981.

(06-07-2014 07:35 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(06-07-2014 03:50 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  It's an embarassingly easy schedule, but you guys will take the wrong team lightly or just come out flat against someone. As for the Rice game, you guys should beat us at home. Revenge.

I like the attitude our players have right now. They aren't talking to the media about this up and coming season. As Rakeem Coto told one of the reporters here when ask about going 14-0, Cato said: "Having expectations like that is the reason I trusted Shuler and Doc and changed my commitment to Marshall, but the games are played on the field in the fall and that's a long way aways. Today me and the team are only worried about getting better off the field".

And again if Louisville hadn't backed out this year our schedule wouldn't look so bad. I guess if I had to choose between Marshall, FIU Murrary State or Kentucky (which wasn't an option), I would nix the Marshall game to. Murrary and FIU are wins. Louisville hasn't beat Marshall since 1981.

Point of clarification:

The game was not nixed, just postponed until 2016. We also got a basketball game out of the move...

(06-07-2014 07:35 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(06-07-2014 03:50 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  It's an embarassingly easy schedule, but you guys will take the wrong team lightly or just come out flat against someone. As for the Rice game, you guys should beat us at home. Revenge.

I like the attitude our players have right now. They aren't talking to the media about this up and coming season. As Rakeem Coto told one of the reporters here when ask about going 14-0, Cato said: "Having expectations like that is the reason I trusted Shuler and Doc and changed my commitment to Marshall, but the games are played on the field in the fall and that's a long way aways. Today me and the team are only worried about getting better off the field".

And again if Louisville hadn't backed out this year our schedule wouldn't look so bad. I guess if I had to choose between Marshall, FIU Murrary State or Kentucky (which wasn't an option), I would nix the Marshall game to. Murrary and FIU are wins. Louisville hasn't beat Marshall since 1981.

Which school on your schedule replaced Louisville?

Rhode Island, the FCS team, replaced Louisville. Louisville was scheduled as a home game. If we ran the table with Louisville instead of RI, the take on our season would be much different.