Mike Houston due up to speak at 10:40am, FWIW.

(07-25-2017 08:05 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Ankrah, Greene and Robert Carter are Preseason All-CAA on defense.

Sure you don't mean Darius? Or RonDell? I could possibly see Robert getting some Special Teams love, but let's face it, he's a 186 pound LB.

(07-25-2017 09:39 AM)olddawg Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 08:05 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Ankrah, Greene and Robert Carter are Preseason All-CAA on defense.

Sure you don't mean Darius? Or RonDell? I could possibly see Robert getting some Special Teams love, but let's face it, he's a 186 pound LB.

Just going by what they (CAA twitter) reported earlier this morning...looks like it is special teams love...

Looks like our Dukes didn't get the dress code memo...and, I'm glad. Nice! Business trip.



Brilliant photography in action, btw. "HEY GUYS, LOOK UP HERE AT THE SUN!"

During the live feed, they showed a clip of him blocking a punt. Definitely him.

(07-25-2017 09:42 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 09:39 AM)olddawg Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 08:05 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Ankrah, Greene and Robert Carter are Preseason All-CAA on defense.

Sure you don't mean Darius? Or RonDell? I could possibly see Robert getting some Special Teams love, but let's face it, he's a 186 pound LB.

Just going by what they (CAA twitter) reported earlier this morning...looks like it is special teams love...

(07-25-2017 10:00 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Looks like our Dukes didn't get the dress code memo...and, I'm glad. Nice! Business trip.



Brilliant photography in action, btw. "HEY GUYS, LOOK UP HERE AT THE SUN!"

Our guys in jackets and ties! JMU!

(07-25-2017 10:00 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Looks like our Dukes didn't get the dress code memo...and, I'm glad. Nice! Business trip.



Brilliant photography in action, btw. "HEY GUYS, LOOK UP HERE AT THE SUN!"

The sun is behind them. You can tell from the shadows behind that they were not looking up at the sun.
They still could have chosen a better place for a group photo.

STUPID SPATTERS CAN'T EVEN WEAR MATCHING POLOS.

(07-25-2017 02:25 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  STUPID SPATTERS CAN'T EVEN WEAR MATCHING POLOS.

"Blue hair, blue collar... I thought we talked about this." [shakes head with disappointment]

(07-25-2017 02:28 PM)Madisonian Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 02:25 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  STUPID SPATTERS CAN'T EVEN WEAR MATCHING POLOS.

"Blue hair, blue collar... I thought we talked about this." [shakes head with disappointment]

Their sweater vests only come in red collars.

Bob Black is interviewing Schor and Ankrah on AM950 (Richmond right now)

2017 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
OFFENSE
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Bryan Schor, James Madison Sr. QB 6-2 215 Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley
Stacey Bedell, Stony Brook Sr. RB 5-9 195 Mastic Beach, N.Y./William Floyd
Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, UAlbany Jr. RB 5-9 199 Newark, N.J./Don Bosco
Deontez Thompson, Richmond So. RB 6-0 200 Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey
Anthony Manzo-Lewis, UAlbany Sr. FB 6-2 245 Montvale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional
DeVonte Dedmon, William & Mary Sr. WR 5-10 195 Williamsburg, Va./Warhill
Neil O’Connor, New Hampshire Jr. WR 5-11 191 Leominster, Mass./Leominster
Micah Wright, Maine Jr. WR 6-1 190 Newark, N.Y./Newark
Jonathan Kloosterman, James Madison Sr. TE 6-3 245 Strasburg, Va./Strasburg
Jamil Demby, Maine Sr. OL 6-5 310 Vineland, N.J./Vineland
Chris Durant, William & Mary Sr. OL 6-4 310 Oak Hill, Va./Oakton
Brody Kern, Delaware Sr. OL 6-2 290 York, Pa./West York
Timon Parris, Stony Brook Sr. OL 6-5 310 Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park
Aaron Stinnie, James Madison Sr. OL 6-5 310 Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne’s-Belfield

DEFENSE
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Andrew Ankrah, James Madison Sr. DL 6-4 240 Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard
Malachi Hoskins, UAlbany Sr. DL 6-3 230 Queens, N.Y./Loomis Chaffee
Bilal Nichols, Delaware Sr. DL 6-5 300 Newark, Del./Hodgson Vo-Tech
Brandon Waller, Richmond Sr. DL 6-4 265 Ardmore, Pa./Haverford
Charles Bell, Delaware Sr. LB 6-1 230 Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor
Shayne Lawless, Stony Brook Jr. LB 6-1 220 Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown
Sterling Sheffield, Maine Jr. LB 6-2 237 Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview Region
Ed Shockley, Villanova Sr. LB 5-11 225 Millville, N.J./Millville
Raven Greene, James Madison Sr. S 6-0 200 Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial
Rob Rolle, Villanova Sr. S 6-0 190 Newfield, N.J./Delsea
Najee Goode, Maine Sr. CB 5-10 170 Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter
Prince Smith, Jr., New Hampshire So. CB 5-10 181 Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter

SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Shane Simpson, Towson So. RET 5-9 185 Easton, Pa./Easton
Griffin Trau, Richmond Jr. PK 5-8 180 Culver, Ind./Western Reserve Acad.
John Hinchen, Villanova Sr. P 5-11 185 Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands
Robert Carter, James Madison Jr. SPEC 6-0 185 Baltimore, Md./Long Reach

2017 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches and Media Relations Directors)
James Madison (21 first-place votes) - 241
Richmond (3 first-place votes) - 210
Villanova - 209
New Hampshire -169
Delaware -133
UAlbany - 129
William & Mary - 124
Stony Brook -118
Maine - 100
Towson - 84
Elon - 36
Rhode Island - 31
http://www.caasports.com/news/2017/7/23/...title.aspx

I'd like to know what idiots picked the spatters first

(07-25-2017 05:40 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  I'd like to know what idiots picked the spatters first

Was wondering the same thing.


They may finish first, but at this point no way would it be the likely first place team.

(07-25-2017 06:15 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 05:40 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  I'd like to know what idiots picked the spatters first

Was wondering the same thing.


They may finish first, but at this point no way would it be the likely first place team.

Yeah, going by the game notes from their last game:
-9 of 24 starters & 6 of 11 all CAA were seniors.
-Lost Consensus All American WR Brian Brown & a couple of All Americans on defense. 4 UDFA to the NFL.
-Lost Rocco to UD, new HC in Huesman
-Brutal 5 week stretch mid Oct-mid Nov with 4 of 5 on road. Including @ UD/Rocco, @ VU, @ JMU.

Biggest thing they have going for them is they returned Lauletta..

Don't know exactly how many starters each team returns because 2017 CAA preview not out yet, because sometimes teams have offseason losses of underclassmen, but going by last game notes & 2016 All CAA:
2. RU (see above) (Last season 10-4/5-3, lost in quarterfinals).

3. VU (Last season 9-4/6-2, lost quarterfinals).
-6 of 22 starters & 4 of 9 all CAA were seniors.
-New HC who been a long time assistant.
-Lost 2 best players from #1 defense in the country, 2nd round draft pick, CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Consensus All American DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, the 1st I-AA player drafted. Also 7th rd draft pick OL.

4. UNH (Last season 8-5/6-2).
-10 of 22 starters & 6 of 8 all CAA were seniors.
-1 at at least 3 CAA teams to lose their starting QB.

5. UD (Last season 4-7/2-6).
-3 of 22 starters, 1 of 6 all CAA were seniors.
-New HC in Rocco.
-Returning 2 year starting QB has been terrible, but they have a transfer, abbeit the 3rd/4th string from App State.
-Penn State OL transfer (will be a rJr) (PSU 2 deep 2015, slated to start 2016 before being suspended for the season)
-NFL caliber RB who is injury prone.

6. Albany (Last season 7-4/4-4).
-8 of 23 starters, 2 of 6 All CAA were seniors.
-Got a 2 deep Penn State DL transfer
-Return Ibitokun-Hanks (1388 yds) & 1st team All CAA FB, but lost 4 of 5 starting OL & starting TE. Ibitokun-Hanks tore ACL season final, mid Dec surgery, missed Spring practice.
-Both starting QBs return, but passing game sucked (48%)

7. W&M (Last season 5-6/3-5).
-11 of 22 starters and 3 of 7 All CAA were seniors.
-1 of at least 3 CAA teams that must break in a new starting QB, lost All CAA RB Kendall Anderson (UDFA Falcons) & a 1st team All CAA OL (UDFA Colts)

8. SBU (Last season 5-6/4-4).
-3 of 22 starters, 1 of 8 All CAA were seniors.

9. Maine (Last season 6-5/5-3).
-6 of 22 starters & 4 of 9 all CAA were seniors.
-1 of at least 3 CAA teams that must must break in a new starting QB. 3 star JUCO & former Florida QB transfer (will be a rSr).
-Lost 2 best players on defense, both 1st team All CAA, one an All American DL (UDFA Ravens).
-2 I-A games as usual
-Start the season with 4 of 1st 5 on the road, including brutal 3 week stretch @ JMU, @ UCF, @ VU

10. TU (Last year 4-7/3-5).
-12 of 22 starters, 3 of 6 All CAA were seniors (2 of the 3 returning were special teams).

11. Elon (Last season 2-9/1-7).
-4 of 22 starters, both All CAA were seniors.

12. URI (Last season 2-9/1-7).
-1 of 22 starters, 0 of 2 All CAA were seniors.

Going by the CAA predictions IMHOP:

VU: might be too high. Their defense won't be as good (certainly not #1 in the country like last year) and their offense might not be much better than it was last year, which was anemic against any decent teams.

UNH: might be too high. From a team that barely made the playoffs each of the last 2 seasons, don’t return a whole lot. Although its probably dumb to bet against UNH not making the playoffs, the 14 year streak has to end sometime.

Albany: Too high. Their All American RB had surgery in Dec for torn ACL, they lost 4 of 5 starting OL & starting TE, and their QB play was terrible. Maybe have a solid defense, but don't see them finishing in the top half.

W&M: might be too high. Don't think they'll be any better than last year, which was tied for 8th with TU.

Too Low:
SBU: Only started 3 seniors last year, should return more All CAA players (7) than anyone else in the CAA (JMU & RU 6 each). Solid defense and running game. Passing game is a ?? mark. My dark horse pick to make the playoffs.

Maine: If their QB transfer turns out to be any good. We'll find out a lot Thur, 8/31 when Maine is @ UNH.

It pains me to say it but Delaware might be a dark horse as well. Only lost 3 of 22 starters and 1 All-CAA. Though he is a new coach, Rocco is an instant upgrade and will quickly iron out some of the wrinkles. UD has been solid defensively even in these bad years, so a solid base to build back their team.

I think their final game @Villanova will be for CAA runner-up.

NBC29-Charlottesville Sports Director was at Media Day and has a video report including interviews with Houston, Schor and Ankrah... http://www.nbc29.com/clip/13526048/jmu-p...er-of-year

(07-25-2017 06:15 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(07-25-2017 05:40 PM)#YEEHAWDUKES Wrote:  I'd like to know what idiots picked the spatters first

Was wondering the same thing.


They may finish first, but at this point no way would it be the likely first place team.

I think it's very obvious (if every coach has a vote) that Rocco voted for the Spiders. He loved his team. He just had beef with administrators for various reasons. To his credit, they were pretty decent under him. I'm not a betting man at all, but I would bet multiple thousands of dollars Rocco is one of the 3 Richmond 1st place votes.