University of Delaware
Location: Newark, Del.
Nickname: Fightin’ Blue Hens
Colors: Royal Blue ‘ Gold
Home Field: Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium (22,000/grass)
Head Coach: K.C. Keeler (two years, 21-7)
2003 results: 15-1 (8-1; Tied 1st A-10) Division I-AA National Champions
Starters Returning/Lost: 16/6
2004 Predicted finish: 2nd South Division
The defending National Champions lost the reigning conference offensive and defensive Players of the Year in quarterback Andy Hall and defensive end Shawn Johnson, and K.C. Keeler’s squad has a lot of questions to answer following an opening night loss to UNH.
Nonetheless the Hens are always in the mix, and return a solid corps of talent on both sides of the ball. Missouri-transfer Sonny Riccio takes over the reigns of the offense as the new signal caller, and has a talented trio of receivers to work with in David Boler, Justin Long and Brian Ingram. The Hens will miss star offensive lineman Jason Nerys a great deal, but should have success running the football with feature back Sean Bleiler and speedster Lonnie Starks.
Defensively, leading tackler Mondoe Davis and fellow linebacker John Mulhern will anchor the front seven while electrifying all-conference cornerback Sidney Haugabrook leads the secondary.
Hofstra University
Location: Hempstead, N.Y.
Nickname: Pride
Colors: Gold, White ‘ Blue
Home Field: James M. Shuart Stadium (15,000/artificial turf)
Head Coach: Joe Gardi (15 years, 107-52-2)
2003 results: 2-10 (2-7; 10th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 14/8
2004 Predicted finish: 6th North Division
Another tough campaign may be in store for the Pride, but there’s little doubt that Joe Gardi’s team will go down passing.
Quarterback Bobby Seck returns from a broken hand suffered last season to direct the run-and-shoot offense, and has star wide receiver Marques Colston back to work with. At 6-foot-5, 225 lbs., Colston may emerge as one of the conference’s top pass-catchers this season, and will team with Issac Irby in attempting to replace all-conference dynamo Ricky Bryant. When Hofstra does run the ball, it will be sophomore Terry Crenshaw who will carry the load.
On the other side of the ball is where the question marks arise, as the Pride will employ at least six underclassmen within the unit. Le’Varr Star is a consistent defensive back and linebacker Cole Haley has become a decent player, as has defensive end Dan Garay and his 13 sacks over the last two seasons, but look for teams to move the ball on Hofstra early and often.
James Madison University
Location: Harrisonburg, Va.
Nickname: Dukes
Colors: Purple ‘ Gold
Home Field: Bridgeforth Stadium (14,000/artificial turf)
Head Coach: Mickey Matthews (five years, 27-31)
2003 results: 6-6 (4-5; 7th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 18/4
2004 Predicted finish: 4th South Division
After another sub-par season, Mickey Matthews continues to struggle in attempting to turn the Dukes around. Oft-injured quarterback Matt LeZotte is back to run the offense, and is currently among the top five in school history in four different passing categories after throwing for 1,753 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
JMU should have success running the football with four returning starters along the offensive front opening holes for the young but talented combination of Maurice Fenner and Alvin Banks, but a pair of new receivers and a new tight end may limit the offense’s overall effectiveness.
Isai Bradshaw is as good as they come in the A-10 at the linebacker position, but will likely be searching for help stopping opponents in Matthews’ nickel system. LeZotte’s younger brother Tony will join a secondary anchored by cornerback Clint Kent and safety Rodney McCarter
University of Maine
Location: Orono, Maine
Nickname: Black Bears
Colors: Blue ‘ White
Home Field: Morse Field at Harold Alfond Stadium (10,000/artificial turf)
Head Coach: Jack Cosgrove (11 years, 60-66)
2003 results: 7-5 (5-4; Tied 4th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 15/7
2004 Predicted finish: 1st North Division
The Black Bears are as talented as any team in the Atlantic 10, and will strike fear into defensive coordinators’ hearts with arguably the best collection of skill players in the conference.
A-10 Rookie of the Year Ron Whitcomb is back to lead the offense after a stellar freshman campaign in which he threw for 2,428 yards and 21 touchdowns and also set a conference freshman record with an average of 220.7 passing yards per game. He will once again have the luxury of handing off to Walter Payton Award finalist and former Amherst Regional star Marcus Williams, who ran for 1,327 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Bears’ feature back in 2003. Senior wideout Christian Pereira joined Whitcomb and Williams as all-conference honorees in 2003, and should do so again as Maine’s go-to receiver this season.
Maine ranked No. 20 nationally in total defense last year, but must account for six new faces within the unit. Defensive tackle Pat P’au looks to pick up where Dennis Dottin-Carter left off along the front, and Manauris Arias will look to help hold together an almost entirely new secondary.
University of New Hampshire
Location: Durham, N.H.
Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: Blue ‘ White
Home Field: Cowell Stadium (6,5000/grass)
Head Coach: Sean McDonnell (five years, 23-33)
2003 results: 5-7 (3-6; Tied 8th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 18/4
2004 Predicted finish: 4th North Division
The Wildcats have had a tremendous start to 2004, knocking off both Delaware and Division I-A Rutgers on the road despite losing starting quarterback Mike Granieri for the season.
Freshman Ricky Santos has stepped in admirably under center for UNH and has put up amazing numbers in being named USA Today’s Freshman Player of the Week on Monday and moving the Wildcats into the Top 10. The Bellingham native has completed 40-of-51 passes for 531 yards and six touchdowns to give him an unheard of passer rating of 200.79, and joins tailback R.J. Harvey in giving the ‘Cats a pair of playmakers in the backfield.
As is the case on offense as well, nine starters return to give UNH an experienced defensive group led by free safety Aaron Thomas and defensive end George Peterson. A big question for the coaching staff will be in the middle, where sophomore Tim Beckett looks to fill the hole at nose tackle and backup punter Mark Rutberg moves in to play linebacker. After stopping no one in 2003, the defensive front seven is undersized and will have a lot to prove this year.
Northeastern University
Location: Brookline, Mass.
Nickname: Huskies
Colors: Red ‘ Black
Home Field: Parsons Field (7,000/artificial turf)
Head Coach: R.E. “Rocky” Hager (first year)
2003 results: 8-4 (6-3; 3rd A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 14/8
2004 Predicted finish: 2nd in North Division
Former Temple coach Rocky Hager takes over for his first year with the Huskies, and has the pieces in place for a solid squad in 2004.
Senior quarterback Shawn Brady is back for his fourth and final year, and has an impressive record of 21-9 as a starter to go along with 17 touchdown passes and a 139.4 efficiency rating in 2003. Gone is bruising tailback Tim Gale, but the shifty Anthony Riley gives NU a great deal of speed at the position and should be a nice fit. Wide receiver Cory Parks has caught a conference-best 16 touchdown passes over the last two seasons, and returns with Quintin Mitchell as targets for Brady.
On defense, everything revolves around All-American linebacker Liam Ezekiel. One of the elite defensive players in the nation, Ezekiel led the A-10 in tackles in 2002 with 145 and posted 140 more last season in moving to t
he top of the program’s career lists in that category. Defensive end James Abosi is a solid run-stopper up front and will have to team with Ezekiel in compensating for the loss of five starters.
University of Rhode Island
Location: Kingston, R.I.
Nickname: Rams
Colors: Light Blue, Dark Blue ‘ White
Home Field: Meade Stadium (7,460/grass)
Head Coach: Tim Stowers (four years, 18-28)
2003 results: 4-7 (3-6; Tied 8th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 14/8
2004 Predicted finish: 5th in North Division
Former Georgia Southern coach Tim Stowers continues to struggle with both sides of the ball at URI.
Multi-talented quarterback Jayson Davis is back to run the team’s flexbone offense, but has lost a plethora of talent around him, including Wendel Williams. Halfback Jason Ham will look to carry the load for the Rams after finishing third in the A-10 with 1,119 rushing yards in 2003, but the run-first offense is designed to have the ball spread around. Either slightly built sophomore Jerell Jones or junior Calvin Poole must pick up some of the slack. One positive for Stowers on offense is the return of four starters along the offensive line, namely senior Dustin Bayer.
After finishing 114th out of 121 nationally in total defense last season, Stowers revamped his coaching staff and shifted to a 4-3 alignment in hopes of having URI on the upswing. Only four players return from last year’s group, and big question marks abound with a completely new defensive front and a pair of new cornerbacks.
University of Richmond
Location: Richmond, Va.
Nickname: Spiders
Colors: Red ‘ Blue
Home Field: UR Stadium (21,319/grass)
Head Coach: Dave Clawson (first year)
2003 results: 2-9 (1-8; 11th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 12/10
2004 Predicted finish: 5th in South Division
The Dave Clawson era begins in Richmond after former coach Jim Reid left in the off-season, and despite some talented players in the mix it appears to be an uphill climb.
Ultra-talented quarterback Stacey Tutt is back as a full-time starter after taking over for Bryson Spinner late last year. Tutt, a former receiver who also plays basketball, will have a solid wideout in senior Jake Schools to work with, but must compensate for the loss of four of the team’s top five rushers from a year ago. Taking over as the main back will be junior David Freeman, who will be running behind an offensive line that returns only senior Mike Rogers.
Defensively the Spiders will once again look to defensive tackle Clifton Coker to lead the charge, along with linemate Brian Burnette. Eight of the team’s top ten tacklers are back from a year ago, including senior free safety Antoine Newsome, but the Spiders will have to prove that the group can play solidly together this season.
Towson University
Location: Towson, Md.
Nickname: Tigers
Colors: Black, White ‘ Gold
Home Field: Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas Stadium (11,198/artificial turf)
Head Coach: Gordy Combs (13 years, 70-56)
2003 results: 6-6
Starters Returning/Lost: 11/11
2004 Predicted finish: 6th in South Division
The Tigers have a lot to prove in their first season as a member of the Atlantic 10 – mainly whether or not they have the talent to compete in one of the nation’s elite I-AA leagues. Towson is 17-29-1 all-time versus A-10 opponents, and are expected to struggle mightily in league play this season.
Junior quarterback Anthony Melzi returns after throwing for 1,589 and nine touchdowns, and will be handing the ball off to a first-year starter in sophomore Kerry Milles. Also new on offense are split end James Byroads, tight end Ryan Collins and the entire right side of the line, including the league’s longest name in center Konstantinos Kosmakos.
On defense, Towson is led by leading returning tacklet Bryan Fitzpatrick and senior P.D. Moore, who has a reputation as a solid playmaker. Holding down the front seven will be senior tackle Mike Collier, along with nose guard Rich Stallone.
Villanova University
Location: Villanova, Penn.
Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: Blue ‘ White
Home Field: Villanova Stadium (12,000/artificial turf)
Head Coach: Andy Talley (19 years, 132-77-1)
2003 results: 7-4 (5-4; 4th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 16/6
2004 Predicted finish: 1st in South Division
There is a great deal of talent returning on the Main Line, where veteran coach Andy Talley has the Wildcats geared up for a run at rival Delaware for the South Division title.
Marvin Burroughs has supplanted Joe Casamento as the starter for now, and his mobility and big-time arm will compliment the talent around him well. Multi-faceted tailback Terry Butler is back, along with receivers Noble Champen, Phil DiGiacomo, J.J. Outlaw and John Dieser to give VU an offensive potentially un-matched in the conference outside of Orono.
Defensively ‘Nova may be even stronger. Middle linebacker Brian Hulea was second in the A-10 in tackles last season, and returns alongside Allyn Bacchus and Bryan Adams. Up front, star defensive end Jamil Butler joins Darrell Adams to move bodies while free safety Raymond Ventrone is the best defensive back in the conference who doesn’t call Amherst home.
College of William ‘ Mary
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
Nickname: Tribe
Colors: Green, Gold ‘ Silver
Home Field: Walter J. Zable Stadium at Cary Field (13,279/grass)
Head Coach: Jimmye Laycock (24 years, 159-110-2)
2003 results: 5-5 (4-4; 6th A-10)
Starters Returning/Lost: 16/6
2004 Predicted finish: 3rd in South Division
William ‘ Mary will likely go as far as Lang Campbell will carry them. One of the league’s best quarterbacks, Campbell took over for departed legend Dave Corley Jr. and completed 182-of-285 for 2,296 yards and 22 touchdowns, along with just seven interceptions. He finished second in the A-10 in total offense while leading the league in passing yards per game and passing efficiency and winding up second on the team in rushing.
Jon Smith is back to carry most of the load at tailback, but it will be up to Dominique Thompson and John Pitts to make up for the loss of one of the conference’s all-time greats in the graduated Rich Musinski.
Junior linebacker Travis McLaurin is a solid tackler for the Tribe, as is junior free safety James Miller. Coach Jimmye Laycock hopes that five returning starters among the front seven and just one in the secondary will translate into success stopping opponents on defense.
