Sun Belt teams getting better but getting little attention

By MARY FOSTER, AP Sports Writer

August 19, 2005

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- North Texas has won the Sun Belt Conference title the past four years and gone undefeated in the league the last three.

That's the longest active conference championship streak in the nation -- so why do so few people seem to know about it?

``It's not just us, it's all the teams in this conference,'' North Texas coach Darrell Dickey said. ``We all know this league is getting better and the quality of the teams in the conference is better. But the average fan around the country doesn't know us.''

Changing that is the next priority for the league, which was formed 30 years ago as a basketball conference.

``The biggest problem we've got is perception,'' conference commissioner Wright Waters said. ``People don't realize how good our teams are. What we need is more high-profile wins.''

The Sun Belt began working to become a better football league when Waters took over as commissioner in 1999. It began sponsoring Division I-A football in 2001. Since then it has made some strides, including signing deals for television coverage with ESPN.

The Sun Belt produced the nation's past two rushing leaders, both from North Texas. Jamario Thomas did it last season as a freshman after stepping in for Patrick Cobbs, the 2003 rushing leader who went out with a knee injury last season.

The Sun Belt had two teams receive bowl bids for the first time in 2004 with Troy at the Silicon Valley Classic and North Texas getting the league's automatic bid to the New Orleans Bowl.

``This league has improved every year we've been here,'' Dickey said. ``Many of the teams were I-AA for a while or independents with nothing to play for, no bowl possibility. Now teams have moved up and the conference has helped everyone get more talent.''

The Sun Belt roster looks different this season with Utah State, Idaho and New Mexico State now in the Western Athletic Conference.

Fledgling Division I-A programs Florida Atlantic and Florida International join Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas and Troy.

Under Howard Schnellenberger, who took Miami to a national title in 1983, Florida Atlantic went 9-3 last season.

``We started without any money, any place to play and without any coaches,'' Schnellenberger said. ``Our goal was to go to Division I as soon as we could. In the last two years we won 20 games and lost six. The only other team in the state of Florida to do that was Miami.''

Schnellenberger agrees with Waters that the key to success is what happens to teams outside the conference. Florida Atlantic has Kansas, Oklahoma State and Minnesota on the schedule this year, South Carolina, Clemson, Oklahoma State and Kansas State in 2006, and Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Kentucky and Florida lined up for 2007.

``We've got 14 opponents to upset in the next few years,'' Schnellenberger said. ``To win we have to play these guys. To get the recognition we want we have to beat them. We're on a collision course with a national championship. That's our goal and it's not a long-term one.''

A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish:

NORTH TEXAS -- Thomas ran for 1,872 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 10 games as , the conference player of the year last year. Cobbs ran for 1,680 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2003 with four 200-yard games. His 152.7 yards rushing and 11.5 points per game led the nation.

TROY -- Coach Larry Blakeney enters his 14th season with only seven returning starters -- three offense, four defense. ... The Trojans were eight in the nation in total defense last year, but 115th in total offense.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE -- The Blue Raiders have 18 returning starters ... QB Clint Marks led the league in with 2,749 yards passing and completion percentage at 70.4.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE -- The Ragin' Cajuns have improved each of the last four years, but are still coming off a 4-7 record ... QB Jerry Babb completed 57.9 percent and led the team in rushing with 498 yards.

LOUISIANA-MONROE -- Coach Charlie Weatherbie, entering his third season, has 19 returning starters. ... The Indians won five of their last seven.

ARKANSAS STATE -- RB Antonio Warren is coming off a 1,000-yard season. ... QB Nick Noce is back to lead an offense that didn't do much through the air. The Indians were second-to-last in points per game (19.4) and passing offense (160.7 yards) in '04.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC -- Florida Atlantic beat North Texas 20-13 last season in a nonconference game. ... The Owls' challenging schedule includes Kansas, Oklahoma State, Minnesota and Louisville.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL -- The Golden Panthers hope to rebound from a 3-7 record. ... QB Josh Padrick returns. So does his favorite target Cory McKinney ... Kansas State and Texas Tech are on the schedule.