ORDER
OF FINISH
1.
New Mexico State 7-5 (6-1)
2.
North Texas 8-4 (6-1)
3.
Middle Tennessee State 6-6 (4-2)
4.
Louisiana- Monroe 5-7 (3-3)
5.
Idaho 5-7 (3-4)
6.
Utah State 3-9 (2-4)
7.
Arkansas State 3-9 (1-5)
8.
Louisiana- Lafayette 1-11 (0-5)
Team
most likely to surprise – UL Monroe… The Indians
bring back 17 starters plus their kicker and have
a favorable schedule. Stephen Jyles should step up
as one of the Sun Belt’s better QBs this season, having
some great targets at which to throw. The key will
be on defense, where ULM must get better against the
pass and, appropriately, rushing the passer. If LB
Maurice Sonnier can stay healthy, look for the Indians
to be a dark horse candidate for the Sun Belt Conference
title.
Team
most likely to disappoint – Arkansas State…
I have seen Arkansas State as high as third in the
Sun Belt, and I do not agree. The offense will be
breaking in a new offensive line, which is not good
news for an already shoddy passing attack. The defense
will be respectable, but should be on the field more
often than they would like to be. This will wear them down, thus succumbing them
to defeat. They also play a tough schedule, which
is never good on a “tweener” team.
UNIT RANKINGS
OFFENSE
1.
New Mexico State
2.
Middle Tennessee State
3.
Louisiana- Monroe
4.
Idaho
5.
North Texas
DEFENSE
1.
North Texas
2.
Arkansas State
3.
New Mexico State
4.
Middle Tennessee State
5.
Idaho
OFF
BACKFIELD: New Mexico State
(QB Dombrowski, IB Higgins, FB Dixon… backups- IB
Bostic, IB Mouton, QB Pierce, FB Fiaseu)
RECEIVERS:
UL Monroe (WR Vincent, WR Quillen,
TE Ebersole… backups- WR V.Mitchell, WR F.Smith, WR
Estes, WR Deml, WR Adams, TE Hammock)
O-LINE:
Utah State (OT Penn, OG Vandermade, C Galliano,
OG Hutton, OT Tupea… backups- OT Burningham, OG Gunstream,
C Rawlins, OG Cin, OT Calverley)
D-LINE:
North Texas (DE Conder, DT Kennedy, DT Pruitt,
DE Awasom… backups- DT Cardwell, DE T.Harrison, DT
C.Miller, DE Hutchinson)
LINEBACKERS:
North Texas (OLB Casey, MLB Spencer,
OLB Hurd… backups- MLB Wyatt, OLB Parks, OLB McNac,
LB Graves)
DEFENSIVE
BACKS: North Texas (CB
Pearl, CB Priestly, SS C.Jones, FS Buckles… backups-
CB Mackey, CB/FS Knowlton, SS Early, CB Hollis)
SPECIAL
TEAMS: Middle Tennessee State
(PK Kelly, P Billings, KR German, KR K.Davis, PR Wright)
Chappy’s
2003 All- Sun Belt Team
OFFENSE
QB
Steven Jyles (so)- UL MONROE
RB
Eric Higgins (sr)- NEW MEXICO ST
RB
Patrick Cobbs (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
FB
Marcus Dixon (sr)- NEW MEXICO ST
WR
Mack Vincent (sr)- UL MONROE
WR
Fred Stamps (sr)- UL LAFAYETTE
TE
Chris Cooley (sr)- UTAH ST
OT
Jake Scott (sr)- IDAHO
OG
Trevor Hutton (sr)- UTAH ST
C
Andy Brewster (jr)- NORTH TEXAS
OG
Nick Zuniga (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
OT
Kimani Jones (sr)- ARKANSAS ST
DEFENSE
DE
Brandon Kania (jr)- IDAHO
DT
Jon Bradley (sr)- ARKANSAS ST
DT
Brandon Kennedy (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
DE
Adrian Awasom (jr)- NORTH TEXAS
OLB
Taylor Casey (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
ILB
Cody Spencer (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
ILB
Jimmy Cottrell (so)- NEW MEXICO ST
OLB
Chris Hurd (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
CB
Muhammed Rashada (sr)- MTSU
CB
Jonathan Burke (sr)- ARKANSAS ST
FS
Chris Harris (jr)- UL MONROE
SS
Craig Jones (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
SPECIAL
TEAMS
KO
Brad Kadlubar (so)- NORTH TEXAS
PK
Dario Aguiniga (sr)- NEW MEXICO ST
P
Ryan Downes (sr) - IDAHO
KR
J.R. Ruffin (jr)- IDAHO
PR
Ja’Mel Branch (jr)- NORTH TEXAS
OFFENSIVE
MVP: RB Eric Higgins (sr)- NEW MEXICO ST
DEFENSIVE
MVP: DT Brandon Kennedy (sr)- NORTH TEXAS
SPECIAL
TEAMS MVP: RS Ja’Mel Branch (jr)- NORTH TEXAS
OFF.
NEWCOMER: RB Michael Ruff (rsf)- NTU and RB Kevin Davis (rsf)- MTSU
DEFENSIVE
NEWCOMER: SAF LeUndo Adams (jr)- ARKANSAS ST
HONOR
ROLL
TOUGHEST
SCHEDULE: North Texas… The Mean Green are looking
to move up in the college football world and the only
way to do so is to play the big boys.
They do just that this season. They
are one of only two Sun Belt teams who don’t
play a I-AA team and get Oklahoma, Air Force and Arkansas
out of conference. The biggest game slated, though,
should be the season finale at New Mexico State, a
game that will most likely crown the conference champion.
WEAKEST
SCHEDULE: Louisiana- Monroe… The Indians do
have to play at LSU and Ole Miss, but have surrounding
home games against I-AA teams Stephen F. Austin and
Northwestern St that will even out that stretch. ULM
also brings New Mexico St and North Texas to Monroe
and they miss MTSU this year. Times should be just
a little better in northeastern Louisiana this year.
BEST
COACHING STAFF: North Texas… The Mean Green faithful love
Darrel Dickey almost as much as they love their team.
The man has led the ‘Green to eleven straight conference
victories, back-to-back conference championships and
a bowl victory. DC Kenny Evans’ work speaks for itself.
He’s led one of the country’s top defenses the last
couple years and they only seem to be getting better.
OC Ramon Flanigan is starting to develop a worthy
group as well. Said alone, these guys win.
MOST
TO PROVE: UL Monroe QB Stephen Jyles. Jyles
had a sensational freshman year, finishing with 2318
yards and 17 TDs. The knock against him, though, is
his 49% completion rate- that must improve.
Freshman year is over now, and beginner’s mistakes
will not be tolerated. If the Indians have any hopes
of a winning season (and expectations are a
bit higher this year), Jyles’ play must rise above
the standard he set a year ago. With seven returning
starters around him on offense, there’s no excuse
for inconsistent execution.
MOST
TO GAIN: North Texas MLB Cody Spencer. North
Texas has one of the best front seven units in the
country; I’m NOT exaggerating. With Kennedy and Awasom,
plus two hot JUCO transfers up front, Hurd and Taylor
on his wings, Spencer should have no problem getting
to the line of scrimmage and collapsing the point
of attack. He’s a strong-minded, physical player and
should have a big year.
OVERRATED:
Middle Tennessee State FS Will Martin. Martin
originally signed with Kansas State before transferring
to MTSU, and big things were expected of him. Not
that he has (overly) disappointed, but the criticism
lies in his pass defense. He was the third leading
tackler last year with only 78 stops and just two
PassBreakUps and two INTs. In this day and age, free
safeties are expected to do a little more and folks
will be expecting that from him in 2003. He should
come through and have a solid senior season, but eyes
are going to be squarely on him to do so.
UNDERRATED:
North Texas C Andy Brewster. People
often overlook Brewster because of his unusual size
for a lineman (only 247 lbs.). However, this young
man has started every game since his freshman year
for the Mean Green and has been an instrumental part
in RB Kevin Galbreath producing back-to-back 1,000-yard
seasons. He is an anchor up front and possesses a
great knowledge of blocking schemes and how to work
against a defensive front. He may be the most important
member of that stout offensive front.
BEST
PLAYER NOBODY KNOWS: North Texas MLB Koryee Wyatt. Wyatt
doesn’t even start on that famed defense, but could
very well be an all-Sun Belt selection with most other
schools. He finished sixth on the team with 60 tackles
and is a remarkable athlete. Mark down #51 on your
scout sheets.
TOP
GAMES OF THE YEAR:
Nov.
25th
North Texas at NEW MEXICO ST
Oct.
11th
New Mexico St at MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST
Oct
25th
NORTH TEXAS at Middle Tennessee State
Oct.
4th
UL MONROE at Arkansas St
Nov.
15th
Idaho at UL MONROE
(team
in ITAL-CAPS is Chappy’s pick to win)
