Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sewanee, Tenn., NCAA Div. III
2010 record: 1-9, Southern Collegiate
Biggest names: New coach Tommy Laurendine came from The Citadel, where he was the offensive coordinator and coached quarterbacks and fullbacks, and he is expecting a big year from senior fullback Zeke Wilson. Lee Schurlknight, who was the Tigers' main quarterback as a freshman, and fellow sophomore Curtis Johnson are competing at the position, and left guard Max Jones and defensive convert Jake Fortic at left tackle are strengths in the offensive line. All-SCAC senior Alfonza Knight is back to lead the secondary, and classmates Zac Atkins and Andrew Walters at linebacker and Will Law at end are other defensive stalwarts, along with junior defensive back John Phillip Bordeaux.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 3 Earlham, 2 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Washington & Lee, 1 p.m.
Sept. 17 at Puget Sound, TBA
++Sept. 24 Birmingham-Southern, 2 p.m.
++Oct. 1 Millsaps, 2 p.m
++Oct. 8 at Trinity, 2:30 p.m.
++Oct. 15 DePauw, 2 p.m.
++Oct. 22 at Centre, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 29 at Rhodes, 2 p.m.
++Nov. 5 Austin, 2 p.m.
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Maryville, Tenn., NCAA Div. III
2010 record: 4-6, 3-4 USA South
Biggest names: Senior captain Wesley Idlette from Chattanooga and Baylor School is a three-time all-conference receiver and preseason All-American, along with senior defensive tackle Blake Barnes, and fifth-year defensive back Bud Christy from Sequatchie County received All-America honorable mention and is two interceptions from a school career record. Ninth-year coach Tony Ierulli has two previous All-USAS quarterbacks, Tim Conner and Dustin Williams, working behind a line featuring senior center Brad Eich, and Andrew Noboa is a first-time All-USAS place-kicker.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 3 Huntingdon, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 8 at Tennessee Tech, 8 p.m.
Sept. 17 at LaGrange, 1 p.m.
++Oct. 1 Ferrum, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 8 Methodist, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 15 at Shenandoah, 4 p.m.
++Oct. 22 Averett, 2 p.m.
++Oct. 29 at N.C. Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
++Nov. 5 Greensboro, 1:30 p.m
++Nov. 12 at Christopher Newport, 4 p.m.
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Jefferson City, Tenn., NCAA Div. II
2010 record: 7-4, 5-2 South Atlantic
Biggest names: Hall of Fame coach Ken Sparks takes a 294-74-2 record into his 32nd season with the Eagles, and he has six first-team All-SAC selections, including center Kevin Day from Soddy-Daisy, and tight end Matt Cox from Riceville among five second-teamers. Headed by Nate Inman, the Eagles have their top three running backs returning for their trademark split-back-veer option offense but must go with a new sophomore or freshman quarterback. Lineman Zeke Andrews and back Tarvin Jones are the returning defensive leaders.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 1 at Glenville State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 8 Fayetteville State, 7 p.m.
++Sept. 17 at Lenoir-Rhyne, 7 p.m.
++Sept. 24 Newberry, 1 p.m.
++Oct. 1 at Wingate, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 8 Catawba, 1 p.m.
Oct. 15 at North Greenville, 2 p.m.
Oct. 22 UNC Pembroke, 3 p.m.
++Oct. 29 Brevard, 1 p.m.
++Nov. 5 Tusculum, 1 p.m.
++Nov. 12 at Mars Hill, 1 p.m.
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Greeneville, Tenn., NCAA Div. II
2010 record: 6-5, 2-5 South Atlantic
Biggest names: All-American Bo Cordell returns at quarterback after being the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's college player of the year in 2010, and receivers Deonte' Gist and Rashaad Carter received preseason All-America honorable mention. That trio, tight end Michael Rodriguez and long-snapper Skylar West were first-team All-SAC preseason choices, but the Pioneers have no defensive first-teamers going into Frankie DeBusk's 14th season as coach. Junior defensive end Terrence Smith was a second-team pick. Chattanooga's Logan Cornelius is one of the candidates to replace an All-America kicker.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 3 West Georgia, 1 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Georgia Southern, 6 p.m.
Sept. 17 at North Greenville, 7 p.m.
++Sept. 24 Catawba, 2 p.m.
++Oct. 1 at Brevard, 6 p.m
Oct. 8 at UNC Pembroke, 2 p.m.
++Oct. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne, 2:30 p.m.
++Oct. 22 at Newberry, 4 p.m.
++Oct. 29 Mars Hill, 1:30 p.m.
++Nov. 5 at Carson-Newman, 1 p.m.
++Nov. 12 Wingate, 1:30 p.m.
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Lebanon, Tenn., NAIA
2010 record: 8-3, 4-2 Mid-South West
Biggest names: The Bulldogs' Dewayne Alexander was the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's college football coach of the year in 2010, when Cumberland won eight games for the first time since reviving the program in 1990, and it is ranked 19th nationally in the preseason with almost the entire offensive line back along with running back Lemeco Miller. He had 1,291 all-purpose yards last year. Redshirt freshman Reed Gurchiek, who was hurt in the 2010 season opener at Austin Peay, is the expected starting quarterback, and linebackers Stephon Ransom and Ben Miller and cornerbacks Allante McLemore and Chris Simpson are all-conference returners to the defense that returns six starters and seven others with significant playing experience.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 3 at Lindsey Wilson, 8 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Campbellsville, 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 Kentucky Christian, 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 24 at West Va. Tech, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 8 at Shorter, 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 15 Faulkner, 2:30 p.m.
++Oct. 22 Bethel, Tenn., 2:30 p.m.
++Oct. 29 at Union, Ky., noon
++Nov. 5 at Belhaven, 2:30 p.m.
++Nov. 12 Cumberlands, Ky., 1 p.m.
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Rome, Ga., NAIA
2010 record: 5-6, 2-4 Mid-South West
Biggest names: Seventh-year coach Phil Jones has 18 starters back from last year's team and also has a highly regarded set of recruits. The top returners are all-conference offensive lineman Nick Newborn, who helped Shorter rack up the NAIA's top rushing averages in 2008 and '09 and the No. 2 average last year, and outside linebacker Daniel Hazard, who made 49 total tackes in nine games last year. Another proven veteran is fullback Kenny Foster, the team's leading returning rusher with 671 yards and eight touchdowns in 2010. Inside linebacker Demery Hawkins made 71 tackles, including 13.5 for lost yards, last year at Georgia Military, and 245-pound defensive end Jermel Bennett is a transfer from Georgia Southern.
SCHEDULE
++conference game
Sept. 10 at Webber International, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 17 Pikeville, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 24 at Georgetown, Ky., 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 1 at Faulkner, 2:30 p.m.
++Oct. 8 Cumberland, Tenn., 1:30 p.m.
++Oct. 15 Belhaven, 3:30 p.m.
++Oct. 22 at Cumberlands, Ky., 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Edward Waters, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 5 at Union, Ky., noon
Nov. 12 Bethel, Tenn., 1:30 p.m.