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5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - RamblinRedWolf44 - 07-26-2014 07:22 PM
http://theadvocate.com/sports/9781907-32/sun-belt-media-day-preview
Q: Can the Cajuns win the league outright?
The league’s coaches and the major preseason magazines were unanimous that UL-Lafayette is the class of the league.
The Cajuns have their main offensive weapons returning in quarterback Terrance Broadway and running backs Alonzo Harris and Elijah McGuire. The defense was improved last season and enters a second year under coordinator James Willis.
The schedule helps, too: The Cajuns host the teams perceived as their top challengers: Arkansas State and South Alabama.
Q: If the Cajuns don’t win it, who will?
Don’t count out Arkansas State, which won outright titles two straight years before sharing with UL-Lafayette last season despite having different coaches each year. The Red Wolves will be on their third quarterback in three years, but QB Fredi Knighten was recruited to run a fast-paced offense.
South Alabama was a late-season surprise last year, winning three in a row to reach bowl eligibility. That included a 30-8 thumping of UL-Lafayette in the season finale, but the Cajuns didn’t have Broadway for that one.
Q: Will the new teams be a factor in the league race?
Georgia Southern and Appalachian State had a reputation for upsetting FBS members during their run in the Southern Conference. GSU stunned Florida 26-20 last season while going 7-4, but the Eagles lost to 4-8 App State. Neither was picked to finish in the Sun Belt’s top six this season by the coaches.
The other new teams — not totally new since New Mexico State and Idaho were members from 2001-04 — combined for a 3-21 record last season and don’t figure to be much better.
Q: Will anyone recognize Arkansas State’s coach?
Blake Anderson, hired in December, is the fifth Arkansas State coach in less than 38 months — following Steve Roberts and one-year wonders Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin. Freeze moved to Ole Miss, Malzahn returned to Auburn and Harsin went home to Boise State before Arkansas State’s GoDaddy Bowl win over Kent State.
A-State officials are determined to end this one-and-done stretch: Anderson’s contract has a $3 million buyout in its first two years.
Q: What’s at the end of the season?
Barring an unbeaten Sun Belt team somehow getting into the College Football Playoff conversation, the championship likely won’t be decided until the final week of the season.
After eight years of just one bowl tie-in with the New Orleans Bowl, the Sun Belt tied in with the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in 2009. This year, the league adds a third affiliation with the inaugural Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, and will have a tie-in with the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida, starting in 2015.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - AppState - 07-26-2014 09:56 PM
Anybody can be beaten.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - SOT1977 - 07-27-2014 03:20 PM
Or better known as The Baton Rouge Advocate.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - GoApps70 - 07-27-2014 03:38 PM
Young teams can grow a lot during a long football season.
Hard to predict what will happen this year with so many changes.
Going to be interesting.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - swampbear - 07-28-2014 05:56 AM
(07-27-2014 03:20 PM)SOT1977 Wrote: Or better known as The Baton Rouge Advocate.
Actually now known as the "Acadiana Advocate" in our neck of the woods and the "New Orleans" Advocate in N O
Re: RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - BamaCajun - 07-28-2014 09:27 AM
(07-27-2014 03:20 PM)SOT1977 Wrote: Or better known as The Baton Rouge Advocate.
I believe RedWolf was giving credit to "The Advocate" (it's actual name) for covering the Louisiana football team
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - Cat79 - 07-29-2014 11:42 AM
Nobody is giving Texas State a chance. I like being picked low. Ark State and Louisiana have to win in San Marcos this year. One of the two is going to lose in San Marcos.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - Arrowhead - 07-29-2014 11:47 AM
(07-29-2014 11:42 AM)Cat79 Wrote: Nobody is giving Texas State a chance. I like being picked low. Ark State and Louisiana have to win in San Marcos this year. One of the two is going to lose in San Marcos.
Magazine's, etc., have ULM in the running and in bowls, but not people on this board. My guess is that ULM is considered the dark horse every year to win the league, but never comes through except in 2005 and a very good 2012 year.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - Cat79 - 07-29-2014 11:52 AM
(07-29-2014 11:47 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:(07-29-2014 11:42 AM)Cat79 Wrote: Nobody is giving Texas State a chance. I like being picked low. Ark State and Louisiana have to win in San Marcos this year. One of the two is going to lose in San Marcos.
Magazine's, etc., have ULM in the running and in bowls, but not people on this board. My guess is that ULM is considered the dark horse every year to win the league, but never comes through except in 2005 and a very good 2012 year.
You guys have a good solid team. The key is getting good QB play out of your new QB.
Our true freshman QB had spotted you guys two TD's last season and hopefully he will not be as gracious to you guys this season.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - Arrowhead - 07-29-2014 12:12 PM
(07-29-2014 11:52 AM)Cat79 Wrote:(07-29-2014 11:47 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:(07-29-2014 11:42 AM)Cat79 Wrote: Nobody is giving Texas State a chance. I like being picked low. Ark State and Louisiana have to win in San Marcos this year. One of the two is going to lose in San Marcos.
Magazine's, etc., have ULM in the running and in bowls, but not people on this board. My guess is that ULM is considered the dark horse every year to win the league, but never comes through except in 2005 and a very good 2012 year.
You guys have a good solid team. The key is getting good QB play out of your new QB.
Our true freshman QB had spotted you guys two TD's last season and hopefully he will not be as gracious to you guys this season.
I agree our biggest unknown is QB. I'm hearing good things about Pete Thomas, so we'll see. If he doesn't pan out we're in trouble.
RE: 5 Questions and Answers-Louisiana Advocate - JoeJag - 07-29-2014 04:29 PM
(07-29-2014 11:42 AM)Cat79 Wrote: Nobody is giving Texas State a chance. I like being picked low. Ark State and Louisiana have to win in San Marcos this year. One of the two is going to lose in San Marcos.
TXST is coming on, but a year away. I pick y'all to go 5-3 in the league with losses to ULL, Ark. State and USA.