Is The CAA Becoming A Tailback League?

 BALTIMORE – For the first time in nearly a decade, the Colonial Athletic Association football season will start with the highest expectations falling on the broad shoulders of the league’s running backs, not its quarterbacks.

“We talked a lot about the quarterbacks last year,” Delaware sophomore tailback Andrew Pierce said last week. “I guess it’s time to talk about the running backs this year.”

Pierce and William & Mary senior Jonathan Grimes highlight a class of talented and experienced running backs. The pair shared preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors at the league’s annual media day in Baltimore last week.

A quarterback has won or shared the postseason version of that award in eight of the last 10 seasons.

The last running back honored was Massachusetts’ Steve Baylark, who shared the award with New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos in 2006.

But with Grimes, Pierce, Massachusetts’ Jonathan Hernandez, Maine’s Pushaun Brown, New Hampshire’s Dontra Peters and Old Dominion’s Mario Crawford all carrying the ball for CAA teams this year, that could change.

“Offensively, this will be a year that this league will be dominated by the running backs,” ODU coach Bobby Wilder said. “There are just some kids that are off the charts.”

Pierce was the Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, leading the league in rushing with 1,655 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the only back to average more than 100 yards per game, going for 110.3 per outing. Hernandez was second, rushing for 938 yards and nine touchdowns (85.3 yards per game) despite splitting time with senior John Griffin, who finished third in rushing at 76.6 ypg.

Grimes, the 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year, finished fourth (887 yards, 8 touchdowns, 73.8 ypg) and led the CAA in all-purpose yardage (135 ypg).

“I still can’t believe we didn’t offer him a scholarship,” New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell said of Grimes, a New Jersey native, like Pierce. “I don’t know what we were looking at. He’s probably in my 12 years one of the most versatile all-around backs that has played in [this league]. He can run, he can catch. He threw last year. He can return kicks. He’s a big kid, he can block.”

The Tribe figures to take advantage of all those skills this year.

“Get the ball to Grimes,” said Jimmye Laycock, coach of preseason favorite William & Mary. “That’s what we’re going to have to do, whether we hand it to him or pitch it to him, throw it to him. Whatever. We have to find ways to get John’s hands on the ball.”

For his part, Grimes said people should respect the Tribe’s running game less because of his abilities and more because of the stout front five he’ll have blocking for him.

“I think it should be ‘o-line, o-line, o-line’ too, if you’re going to talk about the running backs,” Grimes said. “I definitely see a change. A lot of teams are going back to the running game, kind of old-school football. A lot of teams are getting better at running the football.”

The glut of tailback talent comes in a year when the league’s quarterbacks are a bit questionable.

Just four of the CAA’s 11 teams return their starting quarterback from last season. But at tailback, there’s a wealth of experience. Eight teams return their most productive back from a year ago.

Delaware, William & Mary and Maine will rely on strong tailback play to take the heat off their quarterbacks. Delaware is replacing Pat Devlin – most likely with sophomore Trevor Sasek — and W&M will plug in former North Carolina transfer Mike Paulus for Mike Callahan.

Maine’s two returning quarterbacks – Warren Smith and Chris Treister – struggled with turnovers last year.

And then there’s James Madison. With a potentially improved offensive line, a play-caller with a history of wanting to keep the ball on the ground, and a new starting quarterback, the Dukes should be a team planning to lean on their running game.

The question is, who will be carrying the ball?

Jamal Sullivan and Griff Yancey were seniors last year and Scott Noble was booted off the team in the offseason for off-field issues.

Madison brought in Penn State transfer Hykeem Brodie and returns promising young backs Jordan Anderson and Dejor Simmons. Anderson missed spring practice because of shoulder surgery, and the blazingly fast Simmons redshirted last season.

Coach Mickey Matthews will call the offensive plays this season and the Dukes are expected to boast one of the league’s best defenses.

Ones To Watch

BALTIMORE -- With a ton of top-flight talent returning in the Colonial Athletic Association, it might be easy to overlook some of these players, who are poised for breakout years.

QUARTERBACK: Two guys are taking over under center at places that always have success with their quarterbacks. New Hampshire's Kevin Decker has shown he can handle the position in his fill-in appearances. Will Decker be the next stud in the line that includes Ricky Santos and R.J. Toman? He certainly has history on his side.

At William & Mary, Mike Paulus is set to show his I-A ability (he transferred from North Carolina) for the Tribe. And he'll do it playing behind one of the league's best offensive lines and with perhaps its best tailback and tight end. The problem for Paulus could be an inexperienced receiving corps.

RUNNING BACK: Pushaun Brown has been waiting in the wings at Maine for a few years now. This should be the season he emerges as one of the league's top rushers. The Black Bears should have a decent enough offensive line, but they'll need some consistent quarterback play or defenses will be able to stack the box and make it hard for him to run.

At New Hampshire, the Wildcats will be counting on Dontra Peters to take some of the pressure off Decker. He has the talent to do it. UNH could have its best running game in years.

WIDE RECEIVER: Quarterback Steve Propst is leading an offense at Rhode Island that puts the ball in the air, a far cry from the Rams' attacks of old. Anthony Baskerville could be up for a hugely productive season.

OFFENSIVE LINE: James Madison was forced to play linemen like Scott Jones, Earl Watford, Matt Krout, Matt Williams and Matt Cunningham before their time. The good news? Now, those players should give the Dukes a deep and experienced line. JMU's front will be anchored by center Roane Babington, one of the best in the league, and could get a boost from Marshall transfer A.J. Scott if he is cleared academically to play.

DEFENSIVE LINE: JMU has a defense full of excellent players and singling individuals out is difficult. But D.J. Bryant showed at times last year he has the ability to be a game-changer from his defensive end spot. He faded some down the stretch last year, but if Bryant puts together 11 consistent games, he should end up as one of the league's top pass rushers.

LINEBACKER: With Jake Trantin back at middle linebacker for William & Mary, Dante Cook can move to his more natural outside spot. Cook is already an all-conference level player. Trantin's presence will only make him better.

DEFENSIVE BACK: Delaware graduated four exceptional starters from its secondary. But the Blue Hens have some talented juniors ready to step in, led by cornerback Marcus Burley. Burley played in all 15 games last season, starting five and picking off a pair of passes.

2011 Preseason All-CAA Team

BALTIMORE – Just like most preseason all-conference teams, this listing is mostly chalk. There are too many returning stars in the Colonial Athletic Association to throw many reaches on a preseason team.

So, let’s breeze through those picks and get to a second listing – Ones To Watch. Those are guys who have the talent – and are in the right situations – to have huge seasons and end up unseating the usual suspects by the time the postseason honors come out. That will come out later this afternoon.

But first, the guys who have been there, done that and deserve preseason recognition. Starting on defense.

DEFENSIVE LINE: It all starts with New Hampshire defensive end Brian McNally, who could be inline for a dominant season. He is joined up front by William & Mary’s Marcus Hyde, Delaware’s Michael Atunrase and Towson’s Frank Beltre.

LINEBACKER: This is perhaps the most talented group of linebackers that have played in the CAA in years. UMass’s Tyler Holmes should rival McNally for Defensive Player of the Year honors. But the next three guys shouldn’t be far behind: William & Mary’s Jake Trantin, New Hampshire’s Matt Evans and James Madison’s Stephon Robertson.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Around the CAA, many of the top secondary players were seniors last year. But not William & Mary cornerback B.W. Webb. He is joined by JMU safety Vidal Nelson, Maine’s Jerron McMillian and Villanova cornerback James Pitts.

And now, to the offense. It’s such a deep year at running back, maybe we should just put 11 of them on the team? Of course, the teams that have gone on to succeed in the postseason have invariably had strong quarterback play.

QUARTERBACK: Rhode Island’s Steve Propst and Old Dominion’s Thomas DeMarco are the most experienced quarterbacks in the CAA and both can move teams with their arms and their legs. But we didn’t get to fully see what Aaron Corp is capable of at Richmond after an injury cut his season short. Corp was talented enough to play at USC and – with Tre Gray at wide receiver – should have a big season for the Spiders. Corp is the pick here.

RUNNING BACK: What a group. UMass’s Jonathan Hernandez and Andrew Pierce are absolute studs and their teams will lean on them heavily this season. But no one can do more things to help his team win than William & Mary’s Jonathan Grimes. Throw in a great offensive line and a talented – though unproven – quarterback, and Grimes should be the Offensive Player of the Year.

FULLBACK: Every year you hear that true fullbacks are headed toward extinction, but the CAA has three or four throwback bruisers to play the spot. None is better than Richmond’s Kendall Gaskins.

WIDE RECEIVER: If Corp is going to have the kind of big year we’re predicting, that means Tre Gray will too. He is the Spiders’ top target, has a ton of football under his belt and might be up for his best season yet. If UMass gets even decent play from its new quarterback, Julian Talley should be a major factor as well.

TIGHT END: William & Mary’s Alex Gotleib is the best of the bunch and should help take pressure off quarterback Mike Paulus.

OFFENSIVE LINE: You get just take Delaware’s starting five. Or William & Mary’s group. The CAA has a ton of veteran linemen back. But when running backs sleep at night, they dream of running behind a unit like this: Delaware’s Gino Gradkowski and Rob McDowell, William & Mary’s James Pagliaro, Rhode Island’s Kyle Bogumil and JMU’s Roane Babington.

CAA Pushes Five-Year Plan

BALTIMORE — Normally, college football coaches don’t like to look too far ahead. But at the Colonial Athletic Association media day this week, the league’s coaches were quick to talk about a change they hope is coming in 2012.

The CAA has proposed legislation to the NCAA that would allow Division I-AA football players to play five seasons, eliminating redshirting.

Simply put, the rule would allow freshmen in college to play in games as needed by their teams, gain experience and still retain a full four years of eligibility after their first season.

“I think if they can pass that for I-AA football, it’d be one of the best pieces of legislation they put through,” New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell said this week.

The league’s proposal is currently being reviewed by various NCAA committees. If they push it along, it could be voted on by presidents of I-AA football schools in January and go into effect for the 2012 year.

“I would be shocked, I really would be shocked, if we don’t get a lot of support on a national level,” JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said Thursday.

While some players would become five-year starters, most, the coaches said, would just get limited action during their rookie year.

CAA commissioner Tom Yeager said the rule his league has proposed applies only to I-AA football. In I-AA, teams have 63 scholarships, while I-A teams have 85. (I-AA teams can break up those scholarships into partial grants, which I-A teams cannot.)

By allowing athletes to play five years, coaches said they’d be able to use younger players for limited action, resting their starters on special teams and in lopsided games. That would give young players a chance to get experience and would cut down on injuries to starters.

“With a redshirt class and with injuries, towards the tail end of the season you may in effect be traveling with 48 [players],” Yeager said. “You have starters that are on special teams that don’t need to be. You have kids that are playing later in the game because there are no backups.”

Under the current system, college players are allowed to play four years within a five-year time frame. That means many freshmen are permitted to practice with their teams but not permitted to play in games – a system known as redshirting.

Coaches, including James Madison’s Mickey Matthews, like to redshirt freshmen to give them a chance to develop physically and get acclimated to college life. Sometimes, though, these young players are pressed into service late in the season because of injuries to veterans, costing them an entire season of eligibility.

Under the new rule, the players could get in-game experience throughout the year and still have another four years left to play.

 “I’ve been a big supporter of it since Day 1,” Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. “I think there’s a lot of people with PhDs that make decisions on college football on college campuses but not a lot with CS. Common sense. This one makes sense.”

Coaches said the change would also help improve academic performance by freshmen, something they said can be sub-par when players don’t have the chance to get on the field.

“The thing I think it does, it keeps them competing,” Cosgrove said. “When you’re told you’re redshirting, everyone’s got a human shutdown mechanism.”

Yeager agreed.

“The redshirt guys, because they know they’re not playing, they’re not 100 percent engaged in everything that’s going on on the field and in the classroom,” he said.

Since the league proposed the change, Yeager and the coaches have heard people wonder if I-A schools should push for a similar measure. But with more scholarship players available at that level, McDonnell said this policy change is unique to I-AA.

“I-A doesn’t need it,” McDonnell said.

Another potential criticism of the proposal is that it only helps football, not all the other NCAA sports.

Yeager said that shouldn’t be a factor in deciding whether to implement the league’s proposal.

“One of the questions is, what about all the other sports?” Yeager said. “Fine, somebody else put it in. We’re putting it in for football.”

So what about the league’s record books? Players with five years of eligibility would certainly have the chance to accrue greater career totals.

“We’ll figure it out,” Yeager said. “Remember, up until the ’70s, freshmen couldn’t play. Major league baseball used to play 148 games not 162.”

2011 CAA Football Preview

The top of the heap

William & Mary: Predicted record, 9-2

His father played quarterback at Morgan State, but Jonathan Grimes has made his name carrying the football, not throwing it, at William & Mary.

In a league full of gifted tailbacks, Grimes is one of the best all-around players at the position. Last year, he led the CAA in all-purpose yardage, averaging 135 yards per game as a rusher, receiver and return man. Oh, and he can sing and play the piano too.

Grimes will be running behind one of the league’s strongest offensive lines and that should offset the major question marks in the passing game. The Tribe doesn’t have a truly established wide receiver to replace the injured Ryan Moody, and quarterback Mike Paulus – while as talented as any Jimmye Laycock quarterback – hasn’t really proved himself on the field yet either.

Tight end Alex Gotlieb may be the best in the league at that position. The Tribe will need to take some pressure off of Grimes with a passing game but between Laycock and Paulus, the smart money says they’ll find a way to do it.

The Tribe is stout in their front four, led by senior defensive end Marcus Hyde and that’s where defensive success starts. Its linebacking corps is one of the best in the league. Jake Trantin is back at linebacker, allowing Dante Cook to move back to his natural outside backer spot.

W&M also brings back three of four starters in the secondary too, including cornerback B.W. Webb.

William & Mary’s biggest issue could be a lack of depth. A rash of injuries – especially on the defensive side of the ball – could force the Tribe to plummet in the standings. But for now, assuming the team is healthy, they have a chance to make a run at a national title.

Delaware: 9-2

Coming out of Cumberland Regional High School in Bridgeton, N.J., Andrew Pierce had zero scholarship offers. Delaware coach K.C. Keeler suggested he go to a community college for classes in the fall of 2009, then try to walk on with the Blue Hens in the spring.

Humble beginnings for a player being touted as one of the best in I-AA football this year. Pierce led the CAA in rushing last year, going for 1,655 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 110.3 yards per game. Pierce will be running behind a veteran offensive line that returns four starters, led by Gino Gradkowski, the Hens’ 6-4, 294-pound All-CAA guard. He’ll also have the chance to catch his breath with talented backup David Hayes available to spell him.

That group may determine how far Delaware goes, since quarterback Pat Devlin was a senior last year.

James Madison fans got a good glimpse of new Delaware quarterback Trevor Sasek last season, when the Dukes knocked Devlin out of the team’s game. Sasek confidently led the Blue Hens on a pair of fourth quarter field goals drives in a 13-10 win over JMU. He doesn’t have the pomp and circumstance of the long line of Delaware I-A transfer QBs, but he can play.

Defensively, the Blue Hens must totally rebuild, as they lose eight starters. The unit will be built around an incredibly strong linebacking corps led by Paul Worrilow and Andrew Harrison. Delaware added Auburn transfer Jessel Curry to that group.

The schedule, however, should help Delaware to the top third of the league. It has most of its tough league games at home in Newark and doesn’t have James Madison on the schedule this year. The Blue Hens are positioned for at least eight wins if that defense comes together.

James Madison: 8-3

A four-game losing streak sunk a promising season last year, one that began with a 3-0 start that included the stunning 21-16 win at Virginia Tech.

The biggest change in the offseason came with the coaching staff. Mickey Matthews, feeling the heat after two non-playoff seasons done in by sub-par play offense, will take over as the Dukes’ play-caller this year. Who will those plays be signaled in to? Former CAA-Rookie of the Year Justin Thorpe is back and healthy after missing last year with a bruised knee and JMU brought in Kansas State transfer Billy Cosh, more of a pocket passer. The smart money is on the Dukes turning to Thorpe to run the show with Cosh possibly seeing action in passing situations.

Overall, JMU brings back eight starters on offense and 10 on a defense that was one of the league’s toughest last year. Defensive end D.J. Bryant, linebacker Stephon Robertson and safety Vidal Nelson are All-America candidates and their supporting cast isn’t far behind. The defense is fast, aggressive, athletic and experienced.

If Matthews can develop a ball-control offense that puts up enough points to get by, the defense should carry the Dukes back to the playoffs.

The middle of the pack

UNH: 8-3

The offensive juggernaut that has been Wildcats football may be relying more heavily on its defense this year. The unit has two of the league’s top players in linebacker Matt Evans and defensive tackle Brian McNally.

Offensively, UNH will be breaking in a new quarterback as Kevin Decker takes over for R.J. Toman, though that hasn’t caused the ’Cats to miss a beat in recent years thanks to coach Sean McDonnell. But it will also be replacing two of its top receivers and tailback  Sean Jellison.

If junior Dontra Peters emerges as a ball carrier, the Wildcats could become a more ground-based attack this year. They do bring back four starters on the offensive line.

Back-to-back games against UMass (at Foxborough Stadium on Oct. 22) and Rhode Island (in Durham, N.C.) could represent the pivotal stretch in the season for UNH.

UMass: 7-4

The Minutemen won’t go to the playoffs this year. They aren’t eligible as they prepare to make the move to Division I-A and the MAC conference.

But if they find a replacement for quarterback Kyle Havens -- Bowling Green transfer Kellen Pagel could be the man – they might be good enough to be there.

How will the UMass seniors approach the year? Since there will be no postseason, they’re likely to be extra motivated for their regular-season games.

In tailback Jonathan Hernandez, UMass returns one of the league’s top offensive players and he’ll be running behind an offensive line with four returning starters. It also brought in Pittsburgh transfer Chris Burns to shoulder some of the load.

Defensively, nine starters are back including All-American linebacker Tyler Holmes.

Rhode Island: 6-5

The Rams are the trendy pick to make some noise in the CAA this year after going 4-4 in the league last season. Joe Trainer has brought the once-moribund program back to life as it prepares to transition to the much less competitive NEC, where URI should compete for league titles. That’s not until 2013. For now, Trainer would like to inch up further in the CAA standings.

But the schedule does them few favors. Their bye week – if you can call it that – comes in the first week, and they play a key game at Massachusetts the week after playing at Syracuse.

Still, URI has 10 starters back on offense, including senior quarterback Steve Probst, a two-year starter at Hofstra before the Pride dumped its football program.

The Rams do lose five starters on defense but that’s Trainer’s area of expertise, so he should be able to come up with some answers on that side of the ball.

Richmond: 6-5

The Spiders lose eight starters off an offense that was hard to watch last year, but with USC transfer quarterback Aaron Corp healthy – he missed 2010 with a knee injury – they should look very different on that side of the ball. He’ll have one of the league’s best wide receivers – Tre Gray – to throw to.

Richmond loses a ton from a defense that kept them in games last year. Linebackers Eric McBride and Patrick Wheldon are gone, leaving Darius McMillan as the likely anchor the unit. Speedy defensive back Tremayne Graham is a play maker in the secondary.

The bottom of the barrel:

Tough to put any team – well, maybe Towson in recent years – in this league in this category. The bottom of the CAA could contend for conference titles in many other conferences around the country. But the CAA is an unforgiving place to be when you’re down. And these four teams are a bit down this year when compared to their league peers.

ODU: 5-6

Bobby Wilder said he picked his team last in the league’s preseason rankings because they have yet to prove themselves in the nation’s toughest I-AA conference. He’s right that the Monarchs are likely to struggle with the week-in, week-out strength of the CAA, but ODU has enough talent and speed that it should surprise some people this year. It gave William & Mary fits last year and should be even tougher with the added year of experience.

Senior quarterback Thomas DeMarco has started 22 games for the Monarchs and has accounted for 69 toouchdowns in that span (throwing for 44 and rushing for 25).

The Monarchs get JMU and Richmond in Norfolk for their first-ever meetings.

Maine: 4-7

Maine should be scrappy and gritty again this year, a season after playing nearly everyone on their schedule tough. The team has experience – nine starters are back on offense and six on defense – but they just don’t have the weapons to scare anyone.

Warren Smith and Chris Treister are both back again at quarterback, but Maine would be wise to pick one as the starter, and the sooner the better. Derek Session and Pushaun Brown return in the backfield to carry the load. Brown could be an emerging star in this tailback-deep league. Maine has four starters back on the offensive line and should be able to control games with a power, ball-control attack. But if they fall behind – and they will – they lack the firepower to get back in games.

A stretch of five straight games from Oct. 15 through Nov. 12 – against Rhode Island, Richmond, Villanova, Towson and UMass – will be the Black Bears’ big chance to make something of this season.

Villanova: 4-7

Offensive studs Matt Szczur, Chris Whitney, Aaron Ball and Ben Ijalana are gone. So is most of last year’s defense. And those recruits whose interests were piqued by all that Big East talk? Well, they won’t be ready to contribute for another year or two. It could be a long fall in suburban Philadelphia. The Wildcats have had just one losing season in the last 10 years. Andy Talley will have to do one of his best coaching jobs ever to avoid that fate in 2011.

The biggest question is, who will take over for Whitney at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Dustin Thompson, the team's backup last year, will have to ward off competition from two true freshmen. Whoever is under center, Villanova will be inexperienced at a vital position.

Towson: 2-9

The Tigers went winless in the CAA last year and a number of those losses were routs. But Towson showed signs it was learning how to hang tough at times, too. The good news for Towson is that many of its better players were young and the extra year of experience should make the team more competitive this year. Eight starters are back on defense, including defensive end Frank Beltre. Junior linebacker Danzel White has returned to the team after sitting out last year and could have a big impact.

Offensively, Peter Athens opened eyes as a promising quarterback as a freshman in 2009 before a knee injury sidelined him until this year. He and the more-experienced Brian Potts are both back and transfer Timmy Enders is also in the mix to play under center.

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