FCS Now

Greg Trippiedi thinks Delaware QB Pat Devlin is a better pure passer than former Hen transfer Joe Flacco and might be first-round talent.  Flacco had more help around him while at UD, but Devlin is already considered one of the top senior signal-callers for this coming season.

Terry Vandrovec of the Argus Leader monitors South Dakota State's D-I trek, including an impressive 2009 FCS football campaign that was capped by a dissapointing playoff loss to Montana.

With all the talk about conference expansion, including the Big 10, Pac 10, WAC and MWC, George Giese of the Great Falls Tribune considers the ripple effect this could have on the FCS' Big Sky Conference.  The many possibilities include the Big Sky losing programs like Portland State and Sacramento State to the WAC or adding new schools such as Cal Poly, UC Davis, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough expects to improve on last two years' successes despite personnel losses.  Pough thinks the program has built a solid, competitive foundation and that the team is beyond the point of rebuilding from year to year, instead expecting to reload the RB and WR positions to support a talented QB and offensive line corps.

Villanova's all-purpose performer Matt Szczur may leave the Wildcats for Major League Baseball.  Szczur, who led Villanova to the school's first FCS football championship last season, led the Big East with a .443 batting average and could be selected in the upcoming MLB draft.


Villanova's Matt Szczur

UC-Davis' Greg Denham's recent announcement that he will be leaving the team came as a shocker.  The two-time all-conference quarterback will be foregoing his final year of eligibility with the Aggies to pursue a career in the ministry.

 

The initial reaction to the decision from a football perspective is undoubtedly surprise and disappointment, since Denham was among the country's most consistent performers at the quarterback position the past two seasons and seemed poised for another standout year.  Denham's impact on the field makes his departure sad for Aggies fans and all FCS followers.

 

But from a personal perspective, Denham made a courageous and impassioned decision, for which he should definitely be applauded.  Denham made the right choice for him, even if it wasn't popular with those around him.

 

UC-Davis will now have to move on to life without their leader, including finding a starting quarterback.

 

Coach Bob Biggs hopes junior Sean Maraz, or sophomores Austin Heyworth and Randy Wright will be able to pick up where Denham left off, stating, "We are fortunate that we have three outstanding quarterbacks who will see this as an opportunity to show their mark as quarterbacks in the UC-Davis tradition."
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UC-Davis QB Greg Denham will be leaving his team to follow his faith.
Photo courtesy of UCDavisAggies.com

Randy Stevens of the San Marcos Daily Record compared the contrasting styles of efforts by Texas State and UT-San Antonio to move up to FBS-level football.  Texas State's football program currently participates at the FCS level in the Southland Conference, while UT-SA will join the FCS ranks in 2011 as an independent.

 

Stevens writes that TXST is in the slow lane when it comes to move-up activites, while UT-SA got a big-name hire for its first head coach (former national championship coach at Miami, Larry Coker) and has announced high-profile contests with the likes of Colorado State, Arizona, Arizona State, Houston and Baylor, including several home games (which is unheard of with FBS-FCS matchups).

 

Stevens must have taken some slack from his Bobcat readership, later clarifying that Texas State's apparent complacency may simply be due to the school's tight-lipped approach, in contrast to the Roadrunners' aggressive marketing campaign.  TXST has not yet officially released its 2011 and 2012 schedules.

 

Texas State's efforts have not gone unnoticed, however, with recent updates to the football stadium, as well as a new baseball, softball and soccer complex.  Also, UT-SA's independent status may in fact hinder the school when it comes times FBS conference suitors.

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Georgia State, which kicks off its new football program in 2010, has landed several FBS transfers which should help minimize growing pains.

 

The Panthers will compete at the FCS level as an independent during the 2010 and 2011 seasons before joining the Colonial Athletic Association in 2012.

 

Former Alabama backup quarterback Star Jackson announced last week he will transfer to Georgia State, where he will compete with Drew Little and Kelton Hill for the starting position.

 

Then just days ago, two Georgia Tech offensive lineman jumped ship to join Georgia State as well.  Joseph Gilbert started 26 games at right guard for the Yellow Jackets, while Clyde Yandell saw limited action at tackle.

 

The Panthers also lured former Auburn tight end Bailey Woods to join the upstart program.

 

Georgia State will open its inaugural season hosting Shorter University and will close out the 2010 regular season at Jackson's former school, Alabama, in Tuscaloosa.

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Someone in the Jaguars front office must have watched some FCS football last season.

That's a logical conclusion after the 2010 NFL Draft wrapped up and the Jags had nabbed a who's-who of FCS all-stars to dot their lineup.  Jacksonville selected AP All-Americans Larry Hart (OLB, Cent. Ark.) and Austen Lane (DE, Murray St.) in the fifth round, along with Walter Payton Award finalist Deji Karim (RB, So. Ill.) and electrifying Scotty McGee (CB/KR, James Madison) in the sixth.

Four out of Jacksonville's six draft picks were from the Football Championship Subdivision.

Larry Hart, photo courtesy of UCASports.com

Jacksonville wasn't the only NFL team to cherry-pick the FCS' finest.  The NY Jets chose UMass offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse in the second round with the 61st overall pick, making him the first FCS player chosen in the 2010 draft.

 

Other highlights included Andre Roberts of The Citadel being selected 88th overall by Arizona, giving the Cardinals some needed receiver depth after Anquan Boldin's departure.  Walter Payton Award winner Armanti Edwards was among three quarterbacks chosen by the in-state Carolina Panthers, although Edwards will likely transition to WR and/or KR in the pros, due to his strong athleticism and open-field abilities.


Andre Roberts, photo courtesy of CitadelSports.com

The University of Montana, William & Mary, and James Madison each had two players chosen among the 255 picks of the draft, tying for most among FCS schools.

Weber State wide receiver Tim Toone was taken by Detroit as the final pick in the draft, granting Toone the tranditional "Mr. Irrelevant" moniker.

Here's the full list of FCS players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, with round number and overall pick in parenthesis:

Vladimir Ducasse, UMass, OT – NY Jets (2, 61)
Andre Roberts, The Citadel, WR – Arizona (3, 88)
Armanti Edwards, App. St., WR/QB – Carolina (3, 89)
Clayton Harbor, Missouri St., TE – Philadelphia (4, 125)
Larry Hart, Central Arkansas, OLB – Jacksonville (5, 143)
Otis Hudson, Eastern Illinois, OT – Cincinnati (5, 152)
Austen Lane, Murray St., DE – Jacksonville (5, 153)
John Skelton, Fordham, QB – Arizona (5, 155)
Shann Shillinger, Montana, FS – Atlanta (6, 171)
Arthur Moats, James Madison, OLB – Buffalo (6, 178)
Deji Karim, Southern Illinois, RB – Jacksonville (6, 180)
Adrian Tracy, William & Mary, OLB – NY Giants (6, 184)
Danny Batten, South Dakota St., DE – Buffalo (6, 192)
Scotty McGee, James Madison, CB/KR – Jacksonville (6, 203)
Marc Mariani, Montana, WR – Tennessee (7, 222)
Phillip Adams, South Carolina St., CB – San Francisco (7, 224)
Sean Lissemore, William & Mary, DT – Dallas (7, 234)
David Howard, Brown, DT – Tennessee (7, 241)
Tim Toone, Weber State, WR – Detroit (7, 255)
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NFLdraftscout analyst Rob Rang scours the under-the-radar NFL draft hopefuls for hidden gems.  Among the diamonds are a multitude of FCS stars waiting to break through at the next level, including:

QB Armanti Edwards, App. State: 5-11, 187, 4.52

QB John Skelton, Fordam: 6-5, 243, 4.93
RB Deji Karim, Southern Illinois: 5-09, 209, 4.40
WR Marc Mariani, Montana: 6-1, 189, 4.48
WR Andre Roberts, Citadel: 5-11, 195, 4.46
TE Clay Harbor, Missouri State: 6-3, 252, 4.70
OT Casey Knips, South Dakota State: 6-7, 308, 5.21
DE Austen Lane, Murray State: 6-6, 276, 4.84
CB Patrick Stoudamire, Western Illinois: 5-10, 207, 4.49


Photo courtesy of CitadelSports.com

Anyone getting pumped for the NFL draft??  Who's going to be this year's Jared Allen or Terrell Owens, to fly under the radar from the FCS ranks and take the NFL by storm?  TFYDraft.com's Tony Pauline recently analyzed his picks for major sleepers of the 2010 NFL draft, which includes quite a few notable FCS stars.  Here are the highlights:

 

Matt Nichols/QB/Eastern Washington: Nichols, a four-year starter at Eastern Washington, threw for more than 12,600 yards and had 95 career touchdowns. He's patient and has an excellent feel for the game and command of the offense. Nichols, who has already visited with a half-dozen NFL teams, possesses the size and skill to back up at the next level.
Teams with interest: Chargers

Deji Karim/RB/Southern Illinois: Karim is not only one of the hottest small school running back prospects in the draft, but also one of the fastest risers at the position. The junior college transfer set the FBS world on fire last season, rushing for 1,693 yards while averaging 31 yards on kick returns. Scouts think Karim could be selected as early as the fourth round
Teams with interest: Lions

Terrell Hudgins/WR/Elon: Hudgins amassed 394 receptions, 5,200 receiving yards and 51 touchdowns at Elon. During his pro-day workout, the 229-pound receiver surprised scouts by running the 40 in the mid-4.5 range. He's a sure-handed possession wideout with a nose for the end zone.
Teams with interest: Colts, Broncos, Packers

Marc Mariani/WR/Montana: Mariani elevated his game the past two seasons and is a terrific combination of reliability and toughness. He could easily be a fifth receiver at the next level; the ability to return punts is added value.
Teams with interest: Falcons, Texans, Colts

Scott Sicko/TE/New Hampshire: Sicko is a terrific pass-catching tight end who has averaged 52 receptions over the past three seasons. He shocked scouts last month by running the 40 under 4.55 seconds at his pro-day. Sicko has moved into the late rounds of the draft
Teams with interest: Patriots

Chris Campbell/OT/Eastern Illinois: Campbell could be the best kept secret in this year's draft. He's already visited three while six offensive line coaches have privately met with Campbell. He's an athletic left tackle prospect with terrific size (6-foot-6, 328 pounds) as well as growth potential. Just a one-year starter in college, Campbell's best football is ahead of him.
Teams with interest: Lions, Seahawks

David Howard/DT/Brown: Howard has been a fast riser recently as a number of NFL teams have become enamored with his athleticism. His quickness and burst help him consistently beat opponents off the snap.
Teams with interest: Raiders, Panthers

Danny Batten/DE-OLB/South Dakota State: Batten has been flying up draft boards after a dozen private workouts and visits the past month. The intense defender plays with a non-stop motor and could be a surprise middle-round pick on Saturday.
Teams with interest: Saints, Bengals

Tim Knicky/OLB/Stephen F. Austin: Like Batten, Knicky plays with a warrior mentality and is consistently disrupting the action behind the line of scrimmage. He totaled 24.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss the past two years. His 6-4, 240-pound frame is better suited for outside linebacker than the defensive end position he played in college. Knicky's speed, 4.60 in the 40, should make for a smooth transition. He could end up as a late-round pick.
Teams with interest: Packers, Patriots

Josh Morris/CB/Weber State: Morris possesses prototypical cornerback measurables at 5-11, 180, which nicely compliments his speed (4.45 in the 40). He improved week-to-week since transferring to Weber State three years ago and was one of the best small-school cornerbacks by the end of 2009. Franchises across the league have been receiving rave reviews on his skills from Andre Dyson, a six-year NFL veteran and presently the cornerbacks coach at Weber State.
Teams with interest: Dolphins, Cardinals

In a down year for elite college quarterbacks entering the 2010 NFL draft, FCS quarterbacks are garnering some heavy attention. 

Among the draftees will likely be the big names from the FBS, including Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Dan LeFevour, Tony Pike, Jimmy Clausen, and Tim Tebow. 

 

However, many scouts are considering some talented FCS quarterbacks among the top ten quarterbacks in this year's draft, including Fordham's John Skelton, Jacksonville State's Ryan Perrilloux, and Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph.

Other FCS quarterbacks also gathering some draft buzz are Appalachian State's Armanti Edwards, Eastern Washington's Matt Nichols, Richmond's Eric Ward, Northern Iowa's Pat Grace, and South Dakota's Noah Shepard.