The Villanova football team enters the season as the No. 1 contender in the CAA preseason poll after winning the National Championship last season.
Villanova will return 15 players from last year’s starters including seven selections to the pre-season All-CAA team.
Seniors Matt Szcuzur and Terence Thomas racked up preseason accolades as CAA Offensive Player of the Year and CAA Defensive Player of the Year respectively.
Returning this season will be versatile quarterback Chris Whitney who not only leads the team through the air, but also on the ground, leading the team in rushing last season with 987 yards on 203 carries.
Whitney returns with a 25-5 record over his career for Villanova including two appearances in the NCAA playoffs.
Villanova ended last season in the National Championship game at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., against the previously undefeated Montana. The Wildcats tarnished Montana’s previously clean record with a rousing 23-21 victory.
The Wildcats’ ended last season with a 14-1 record, 7-1 in the CAA. Their single loss last season was against New Hampshire on the road.
Villanova began their season on Sept. 3, losing 31-24 to cross-city rival Temple at Lincoln Financial Field.
Tribe populates All-CAA team
William & Mary will return to the field this season ranked second on the CAA preseason poll while boasting four stars on the preseason All-CAA team.
The Tribe is hoping running back Jonathan Grimes, offensive lineman Keith Hill Jr., linebacker Jake Trantin and punter David Miller can live up to their preseason accolades and bring their team another winning season.
Junior running back Jonathon Grimes figures to play a larger roll on the offense this season after averaging five yards per carry his last two seasons. The running game should have a more important role after the loss of quarterback R.J. Archer.
The heated battle for the quarterback position seems to be between Junior Michael Paulus and redshirt freshman Brent Caprio among a field of at least five to earn the position.
Despite the QB battle, the obvious strength last season and entering this season is on defense. The Tribe bring back three strong All-Conference linebackers in Trantin, West Steinman and Evan Francks
W&M finished last season with an 11-3 record, 6-2 in the CAA. Those 11 wins tied a school record for number of wins in a single season and were part of a semifinals appearance.
The Tribe opened their season with a loss against Massachusetts at McGuirk Stadium on Sept. 4.
Richmond returns after 2009 CAA Football title
Richmond will enter this season with seven All-CAA Football selections and new coach Latrell Scott.
Scott, the youngest head football coach in Division I at the time of his signing, is a Richmond native and former assistant coach for the team. He spent 2008 as the wide receivers coach at Virginia and 2009 at Tennessee. Scott also coached the receiving corps at Richmond from 2005-07.
The Spiders won the National Championship two seasons ago in 2008 and have made postseason play for three consecutive seasons.
One of Richmond’s strengths this season will be at the receiver position as two of its three receivers earned Preseason All-CAA honors. Senior Kevin Grayson has racked up 2,368 yards and 12 touchdowns over three seasons.
Entering this 2010 season, the Spiders will carry a 12-game road winning streak which is currently the longest such streak in the FCS. The streak also ties Boise State for the longest streak in Division I.
With an 11-2 record, 7-1 in the CAA, the Spiders played strong enough in 2009 to claim a CAA football title last season, reach the NCAA Quarterfinals and tie a school record for fewest losses in a season
Richmond will be opening Robins Stadium on Sept. 18 after playing the last eight decades off campus.
The season began for the Spiders at the home of the Virginia Cavaliers on Sept. 4, where they suffered a 34-13 defeat.
Robert Hanlon can be reached at [email protected].
