Hey, purple really does make Patrick Pinkney look short.
This is one of the most interesting conferences out there. There are definitely some bad teams in the conference, some teams that are ready to shine, some great teams looking to take the conference, and one top-25 team that might be able to bust the BCS. The talent level is high for the entire conference will be stacked with talent, including the 570 Yd/G Tulsa Golden Flashes, the ECU Pirates defense, and college fantasy stud Case Keenum who is looking to lead his team to a huge bowl.
This preview will introduce you all to the East, a shaky conference with a team that has great potential. As you will learn (and if you have already than we’d love to tell you again) the East Carolina Pirates have a top-25 team that has the potential to bust the BCS. But never discount Southern Miss in the East, and look for a tough fight at the bottom between UAB, UCF, Marshall and Memphis.
But you don’t just get any old conference preview; you get one of the biggest and best conference previews out there! Very few sites out there preview the small conferences, and we here at Draft Zoo have tried to make sure that we give you all one of the best previews, even for the smaller conferences! Our blood, sweat, and tears (and a little bit of spilt alcohol from the long nights on the computer) have gone into these previews, and it was damn worth it!
6) UCF Knights
The Knights are a team that underachieved last year, and are a popular pick to finish in the middle this year. They return the majority of the offense that finished dead last in 2008, and a good deal of experienced talent on defense.
On Offense:
The team that finished last in offense last year should be better though this year. After a string of injuries to the wide outs, starting talent Rocky Ross will be back in action. The OL will hopefully be better, but still will be one of the worst in college, and the team returns Rob Calabrese at quarterback, but will likely be challenged by transfer senior Brett Hodges. The key to the season is whether or not new offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe can get the team going to a good start against good teams like Southern Miss, Buffalo, and ECU in September.
On Defense:
If the UCF team is going to bounce back into the bowl game, the defense is going to need to continue making good strides. Seems like a simple thing for the Knights as they need to fix the offense and make strides with the defense, but it is definitely nowhere close to simple. The defense does return the majority of the line that was able to record the 33rd best rush defense, including the beastly DT that will become a good NFL prospect. He is joined by Bruce Miller who returns 7 sacks from last year. The team as a whole needs to maintain the great line, but also learn to make more plays through the air. If the team can make more plays they will definitely be a bowl caliber team in 2009.
5) UAB Blazers
Joe Webb. If you already know about him then you are a great college fan, or a good C-USA fan. Webb is the duo-threat QB that has been compared in some aspects as the Robert Griffin of the Southeast. If the Blazers want to get to a bowl game the team is going to have to lean on Webb for success.
On Offense:
As mentioned Joe Webb is the key to the offense. Webb is the best returning rusher and passer for the Blazers and will likely have a chance to do so again. The blazers return almost the entire offense (10 starters but there are definite battles), including one of the deepest receiver cores in Conference USA. Webb did not throw for many touchdowns (10) in 2008, but did still achieve 2,400 aerial yards. Webb did unfortunately battle a problem with interceptions. Webb has the talent to succeed, but must play smarter football. He also ran for a grand and 10-TD’s, but will hopefully will get more help on the ground fro senior Rashaud Slaughter.
On Defense:
Even if the Blazers light it up for an extra 7-points per game, that doesn’t respond to the fact that the defense might not be able to get it done. Like the offense, there is a done of good and energetic depth on the team, but they just haven’t clicked to their fullest yet. The majority of the front seven returns, and add two transfers onto the line to create great depth. Unfortunately the backfield (which ranked in the bottom 10 in college last year) has lost three starters from the team, and will have to fix some major aspects that hurt them last year. If the defense can hold opponents to fewer points, and if the offense can get things going, look for the blazers to have a big year.
4) Marshall Thundering Herd
Coach Mark Snyder is on the hot seat, and another non-winning record might make him start looking for a good real estate agent in Huntington. Fortunately for Snyder, the Herd might be in for a good season as both sides of the trenches looked primed for a decent year. Now only if the team could get a balanced group of playmakers to push them into the success that they used to have.
On Offense:
There is no doubt to the competition that the Herd will be a rushing team in 2009. Junior RB Darius Marshall (sweet name right?) returns his nearly 5 yd/r average for his career, and 1,100 yards from last year. The team returns three starters to the line including both tackles, and good tools at receiver. But the problem with the offense is at QB. Mark Cann started 11 games in 2008, but wasn’t as effective as most would prefer. Juniors Brian Anderson and Jake Laudenslayer will compete with Cann for the starting spot, but the team will need to rely on Darius Marshall for success.
On Defense:
Just like UAB, there is both good and bad news with the defense. The good news is that the team returns a high number (7) on the team, but the bad news of course is that they sucked last year. In fact the team finished in the bottom 6th in total pass defense yardage. The team returns five to the front seven, and half of the backfield to the team, and is filled with a diversified group of young and old talent. The team did have one bright piece of info from last year, and that is that they finished better in scoring defense than the yards they allowed would suggest. If the team can maintain the good scoring defense, they should be able to build enough for the offense to succeed.
3) Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers are a small-time dark horse to win the division. The team packs a great offense that may not have the tools to strike, and a solid enough defense to keep the team in most games. While it is very unlikely that the Tigers are good enough to do what some, they should still be a bowl eligible team that can get some good things done.
On Offense:
The team has a 2,300 yard passing QB in Arkelon Hall, two great receivers including Carlos Singleton and Duke Calhoun who has a 37 game receiving streak. They also might have the best 1-2-3 punch trio of running backs in Curtis Steele, Wisconsin transfer Lance Smith, and T.J. Pitts who is coming back from injury. The one problem however is that both the right and the left side of the line will be in major trouble as four key starters must be replaced. If the Tigers can maintain a solid line, then look for the offense to explode.
On Defense:
It’s like another version of the Big-12! The team’s have great offenses and statistically all bad defenses. The Tigers are no exception, and do return seven starters to one of the East’s better defenses, including six of the back seven. For the defense to succeed, they must take what they have, and then some, to create what could be the most talented in the entire C-USA. The team is lucky enough to have two former SEC linebackers as contenders for the starting position, and FS DeRon Furr from Auburn should have an easy enough time starting. The key struggle for the team will be to replace the line that has a ton of potential and age invested in.
2) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
The Eagles are a great team that might be the second best team in the C-USA on paper. The G-Eagles return eight players on both sides of the ball, and should have good depth on almost the entire team. If the Eagles are going to try and take the conference they had better minimize dumb losses to lesser opponents, and even if they do that, it might not stop ECU from taking the East.
On Offense:
As noted, the team returns eight players to offense, including the majority of the line, two receivers, a great RB, and a more than solid QB. Sophomore QB Austin Davis is looking to improve on his 3,100 yd, 23 TD, 8 interception season that turned him into a stud. If that isn’t scary enough, the team also fields the amazing Damion Fletcher who is looking for his 4th straight 1,000 yard season. It shouldn’t be a problem as he already has averaged 1,400 yards in his other three seasons. Oh, and don’t forget sophomore receiver DeAndre Brown who brought in 1,100 yards and 12 scores last year.
On Defense:
While the Eagles have usually been known as a defensive school, they definitely might be taken as an offensive school in 2009, which is just what the defense wants. The defense returns the entire backfield, and the majority of the line, but must replace the LB’s. The team definitely has the talent to do what they did last year, and should be able to make a ton of turnovers. In fact the team itself finished 10th in college with an amazing +13 turnover ratio. If the team can make the strides that they did last year, and if the young and experienced offense can get it going, they could win the East.
1. East Carolina Pirates
Eight on offense and seven on defense. That’s what the Pirates return this season to Greenville. But the Pirates aren’t looking to just win the East, or even the entire Conference USA, the ECU Pirates will be trying to prove that they are BCS good. Last season they were able to shock Virginia Tech and West Virginia, but would end up losing games they shouldn’t have early on in the season. This season the Pirates will have to do the same stuff again as they start the first three weeks against Appalachian State, West Virginia, and UNC. They also get to face Virginia Tech at home on November 5th, which could be a make or break game for them. While they are a BCS Buster(able) team, it is unlikely that they will complete such a task because of the difficult out of conference battle. Also note that the team has one of the best and most underrated coaches in college in Skip Holtz. It’s going to be hard to keep Holtz if the team has another great year, and mark it down now that a big name school (I personally think one like Washington State) will be looking at him.
On Offense
If Super Super Senior Patrick Pinkney is going to have a breakout year, this is the one. Pinkney threw for 61%, 2,700 yards, and 13 TD’s (six picks) in 2009, and will have the tools to improve his numbers even more. The team has a ton of skill, potential, and youth at receiver, which should make for solid numbers through the air. The run game has no established player, and just about every back is facing an off the field issue. The brightest back looks to be sophomore transfer Brandon Jackson who looked good in the spring game. If junior RB’s Jonathan Williams and Norman Whitley (who had 700 yards and a 4.9 y/r average last year) can make it onto the field, the Pirates should be stacked. Oh, and the entire OL is back, and they are pretty darn good.
On Defense:
Not only does the team have a great offense, but the team has a great defense that is also stacked. Not only are they an all around great defense at stopping yards, but they make a lot of plays on the ball too that does nothing but help the offense. The biggest name on the team is by far C.J. Wilson who will likely go pretty early in the 2010 draft. He brings back 10.5 sacks to the line, and is luckily returned with a total of 5 players on the front seven. While a lot of the LB and DL stars are considered “undersized” they make up with strength and speed to make big stops. Senior safety Van Eskrige is another pro caliber player who returns a top of tackles and picks to the team. Also keep your ears open for CB Emanuel Davis who should become an ECU stud as well.
For more on ECU and the rest of the BCS Busters, check:
Hunter & Mike’s Debate over the Busters Here
And the rest of the Draft Zoo college football preview’s Here
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