Panther Profile-Steven Harris RB

This Junior from Crewe Virginia (Nottoway HS) is entering his third season at running back for the Panthers. Harris was the second leading rusher in 2009 with 648 yards, and owned the highest yards per carry average at 8.1 ypc. Look for Steven to be the workhorse for the Panthers this year in the option attack. Harris was named All Conference honorable mention and was also recognized in 2009 for his accomplishments in the classroom by being named to the USA South Academic All Conference team.
A solid running back, Harris combines his strength and speed along with excellent field vision to elude defenders, and find the end zone.

Marcus Mayo returns to the Ferrum Panthers football program

Please click the link below to watch the WDBJ Channel 7 report:

http://www.wdbj7.com/sports/wdbj7-story-ferrum-panthers-082810,0,5912211.story

The importance of a good start

Ferrum is about to begin its 56th year of football. This year, like in recent years, Ferrum will open up against Emory and Henry. The Wasps will come into the contest favored to win, but this is not a surprise. With All American Running Back Caleb Jennings, Emory and Henry will be plenty potent on offense.

In looking back over the stats of last years game, there really is not one clear indicator as to why things went as they did. Ferrum had the lead with :14 left, when E&H quarterback Drew Piscopo hit Jennings with an 11 yard pass for the game winning touchdown. One thing is clear, the Wasps can put points on the board. They had 9 more first downs that the Panthers, but only had possession for a little more than three mins. This tells me that the Ferrum defense needs to be solid, and shut the Wasps down right away.

While this is not a conference game, it is important to set the tone. If Ferrum can take this win, it will allow a huge amount of confidence for the players, and the Panther fans. It will also get the attention of the rest of the USA South. To defeat the Wasps will end a streak of losses to Emory and Henry dating back to 2007. No player on this Panthers team has ever defeated them. ( To be fair, the 2007 50-7 win by Emory and Henry was later forfeited, as were all of their wins due to an ineligible player).

It's easy to see that E&H can score. This team had the 35th best rushing offense in the country last year, and the list of awards that Caleb Jennings has received in his college career reads like he should be up for the Heisman. Jennings is not only a threat to run, he was used often as a receiver out of the backfield, and was very effective on punt and kickoff returns. QB Drew Piscopo can run as well as accurately pass, and adds another threat in their offensive arsenal.

Ferrum is no slouch on offense either. Last year, Ferrum's rushing offense was ranked eighth nationally, and gave opponents fits as they consistently racked up the rushing yards. Gone are Dobson, and Vann, but if ever Ferrum could get back on the field without missing a beat, this could be the year. Thomas Porter returns to the backfield, as does Quintel Banks. These two backs will fill in nicely as the Panthers are plenty deep at running back. On the offensive line, it appears that Ferrum has also brought along a nice crop of replacements to fill in for Hollingsworth, Hinds, and Kessler who all graduated. Lastly, the crop of quarterbacks to replace Dobson is solid, but to my knowledge, a starter has not been named yet.

The difference will lie on the defensive side of the ball. Which ever team can execute better on defense will have the upper hand. This could be a shootout, but turnovers, and special teams may well decide the outcome. I look for this to come down to the wire. Stop Jennings, pressure the QB, and create turnovers. This may be the recipe for a Ferrum victory.

New Opportunity-New Audience

This year will make my third season of publishing the Ferrum College Football Report. It has really been a source of pleasure to follow Ferrum football, and read the feedback to the articles I've written.
While I will continue the FCFR, I have been offered the chance to contribute articles to the William and Mary sports blog, Tribal Fever. Although I will not have the direct connection to William and Mary that I do to Ferrum, living in Williamsburg will make it easier to go to some of the different games.

This will not impact my coverage of Ferrum football, but will hopefully allow me to get exposure to the William and Mary faithful, while continuing to reach the growing base of Panther fans.

My first article was posted Saturday. The link is :

The Tribal Fever

Thanks for continuing to follow the blog-

Go Panthers!

Just a quick note about posting comments-

At the bottom of each article is a "comment" link. This allows you to post your feedback, or opinion about an article, or video on the blog. If you post a comment, and it does not appear on the blog right away, it is because I have to review the comment before it goes public. This could take a day or so, but I try to review comments as regularly as possible.

While I do have the final say as to what does and does not appear, there are only a few things that will not be allowed.
I will not allow comments with profanity, or that are personally derogatory to anyone. I will not publish any comments that are not on topic, or that are rude. I will also not allow solicitations. To date, there has only been one comment that I have not published, and that was a solicitation.

I appreciate your following the blog, and look forward to your participation. Please feel free to make any suggestions that you think will make this a better forum.

Allen

Ferrum shows well in scrimmage against N.C.Tech

While I do not know a lot of details, I am happy to report that Ferrum looked strong against a usually strong N.C.Tech team in a scrimmage at Ferrum. Final: Ferrum 27- NC Tech 14. According to information I have received, Ferrum was up 24-0 at one point.

N.C. Tech is a preparatory school utilized by DI college programs to send recruits to get them prepared academically, and physically. They are never short of talent, and usually dominate the teams they play. Ferrum scrimmaged them last year and lost 41-10. This is a good sign for the Panthers!

Next up- E&H

NFL Power Rankings

Each NFL season seems to bring a lot of turnover among the best teams in the NFL, as free agency and the draft can cause a lot of attrition in the League. However, it's always fun to try and predict which teams will be at the top of the heap once the season ends.

At the top of any power rankings should be the New Orleans Saints, simply because they are the defending Super Bowl champions. They did not experience a whole lot of roster turnover, and so there will be a lot of the same faces. The offense should again be very explosive, as they will be quarterbacked by Drew Brees, the MVP of the League. Sean Payton is also in place, as he makes all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. If Gregg Williams can captain the defense to be as opportunistic as they were last season, the Saints will be strong contenders for the Super Bowl once again.

The Indianapolis Colts will be one of the best teams in the NFL as long as they still have Peyton Manning. He is one of the best QBs in the history of the game, and always seems to be make everyone around him perform at a higher level. They had two rookie WRs last year and an inconsistent running game, and still they were among the best teams in the NFL and almost won the Super Bowl. With the continuity that he provides for the offense, the Colts will be a great team once again.

Now that Brett Favre has returned from retirement, the Minnesota Vikings should again be among the top teams in the NFL. They have a lot of playmakers on offense, which will make them very difficult to gameplan against. If the Offensive Line can adequately protect Favre, they will put up a ton of points. The defense is getting older, but they are still among the best units in the League. They will be very hungry to get over the hump after just falling short last season.

It is shaping up to be a great NFL season, as there are a lot of great teams. The Saints, Colts, and Vikings were three of the best last season, and they look like three of the best heading into this season. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the best teams this year.

Video- Ferrum Boys of FallVideo created by Sandy Wolfe, Photos by Tammi Armstrong

The Search for a New Head Football Coach

When coach Dave Davis announced that he would be stepping down as the head football coach at Ferrum College, a chain reaction of emotions and questions began. Coach Davis, the fifth head coach in the 55 year history of Ferrum football, has reached the point that everyone looks forward to...retirement. A time for hanging up the clipboard, closing the playbook, and opening the next chapter in his life. Coach Davis has had a successful career, and has provided many young men inspiration, and leadership. His selection as the successor to Hank Norton, speaks volumes, and he has maintained the standard that Norton and the coaches before him set. There is no question that Ferrum College is a better place because of the dedication and devotion that coach Davis has exhibited.
While this announcement signaled the end of a wonderful career, it has also signaled the beginning of the questions as to who will be the sixth head coach. While it is easy to offer opinions as to who one thinks should be the next head coach, I will refrain from doing that, and rather offer a little insight as to the process for the selection of the next head coach.
In a letter dated August 16 from Dr. Jennifer Braaten, President of Ferrum College, and Kim Blair, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, it was revealed that the College would be forming a search committee in the next few months. This committee will be tasked with the selection of a new head coach.
How will this work? This is pure speculation on my part, but I see it working something like this: First, there will have to be criteria that the new coach must meet.

Experience- The candidate should have already been a head coach with a successful record, or an assistant coach in college. As this is a Division III program, it is not likely that there will be much interest from DI schools, but it is quite possible that assistant coaches at the DII and DIII levels will be interested.

Philosophy- Is this coach understanding that the student athlete is a student first and an athlete second? Winning, while important, cannot take the place of the academic challenges that players will face.

Recruiting experience- Has this person been actively involved in recruiting, and can they represent the College in a positive, and honest manner while following NCAA recruiting guidelines? Can this person implement recruiting strategies that will bring a high quality student athlete to Ferrum?

Budgeting and Expense Management- The candidate must realize that while this program has a history of success, it is a Division III private college. It is not blessed with an endless cash flow from donors and alumni. The person will have to assess the condition of equipment, and facilities, and make the best purchases to support the success of the program within budgetary guidelines.

These are some of the areas that the search committee may consider in the selection process. It is also important to understand that DIII coaches do not usually garner a huge salary. They pretty much do their job for the love of the game, and to foster a program that the student athlete will be proud to participate in. The likely salary limitations will limit the applicant pool. I am not expecting Joe Paterno to suddenly leave Penn State to come to Ferrum, or for Bobby Bowden to come out of retirement for the job. No it will probably attract applicants looking to take their first college head coaching job.

It will be a challenge for the selection committee. There will possibly be a nationwide recruiting campaign for a coach, and the field of interested applicants will be culled down to a select few for interviews. from there a round of second interviews will likely be the final step to the selection process. I would expect that this process will begin shortly after the end of the season, and that an announcement will be made in the early spring of 2011. It is an important process that will be dealt with hoping to achieve the best result for Ferrum College football.

Coach Dave Davis announces retirement at the end of this season

Coach Dave Davis, Ferrum's head football coach announced in a team meeting that this will be his last season at the helm of the Ferrum football program.

Click Link Below:


Davis Announces Retirement

USA South Coaches Poll: Ferrum to finish fourth. NCW to take conference championship

At the USA South Media day at Maryville College, the annual coaches poll was released, and breaks down as follows:

1. North Carolina Wesleyan 45 points- 5 first place votes

2. Averett 41 points- 2 first place votes

3. Christopher Newport 40 points 1 first place vote

4. Ferrum 28 points

T5. Greensboro 21 points
Maryville 21 points

7. Shenandoah 20 points

8. Methodist 8 points


In the coaches poll, points are awarded, and first place votes are tallied. Comparing this to my predictions, its pretty clear that the Coaches poll, has the group divided into three teams that are head and shoulders above the rest, and the remaining five that are less likely to be in the mix as conference champion. I have the same three teams predicted in the top three, with Averett and CNU swapped. The largest difference comes by my selecting Shenandoah fourth, and the coaches having them seventh. The coaches have Ferrum fourth, and I have to say I hope they are correct, but I really look for the Hornets to surprise some people this year. We both have Greensboro fifth, but they have the Pride, and Maryville tied for that spot. I have the Panthers finishing sixth, and Maryville 7th. Both have Methodist in the basement.

So it has already been asked how I concluded that Ferrum would finish so low. First, let me say that I am looking for a season that has more parity this year than any other. My outlook for Ferrum was based mostly on them losing several key players. Dobson, Lucas, Goode, Hardy, Keesler, Hollingsworth, and Hinds among them. This coupled with Zach Lewis and Makaya Jackson not returning necessitates a lot of line up changes. I recognize that the Panthers do have their entire D-line returning. This is a boost to the team as they will bring back talent and experience. While I am sure that the Panthers will be competitive in all of their games, I think with the extensive holes to fill, they may struggle. I hope I am wrong. The first few games may tell the story. The Ferrum offensive backfield will again be solid, but I wait nervously to see who will take over at QB. The likely candidate is Tyler Brubaker. This rising sophomore is a local Franklin County product, and led the Eagles at quarterback while there. While he has no playing experience from last year, sources say he looks strong. I am looking for the holes on the O-line to be filled without much of a problem.

The saying is "defense wins championships" and this will be the challenge for Ferrum....especially as it relates to the secondary. Last year, Ferrum ranked 8th in the conference for pass defense, and 151st in the nation. You have to look no further than the Greensboro and Methodist games to see that the Panthers were susceptible through the air. If this area of the defense is blessed with more speed this year, and the young linebackers are effective early, then Ferrum will surprise a lot of teams. There are a lot of holes to fill, but Ferrum can compete if the pieces fall into place. Like last year, I think they will improve as the season goes on. I hope they hit the ground running, and prove me and the USA South coaches poll wrong.

USA South Media Day to be Streamed Live

August 3rd is the USA South Media Day, and the entire event can be watched live at the link below. Look for the coverage to begin at 11:00 a.m., and wrap up at 1:00 p.m.

Watch for the pre-season poll to be announced in the afternoon.

To watch the Media Day Event, click the link below:


Media Day

2010 USA South Predictions

With kickoff just over the horizon, and the USA South Media Day tomorrow, I thought I would go ahead and post what I believe will be the finishing order to the USA South for this season. With concerns over several positions, I look for the Panthers to be in rebuilding mode. Media Day participants will reveal their predictions at tomorrow's event. Thought I would get mine out just ahead of them.

Ferrum College Football Report
USA South
Predicted Order of Finish
2010

8th place- Methodist University- The Monarchs are coming off of another disappointing season, and have lost a good number of starters from the '09 team. A team in transition, Methodist is preparing to begin the final season of Head Coach Jim Sypult's 18 year career. He has announced his resignation after the 2010 season. While they showed a lot of ability in 2009, I look for this to be a season with similar results.

Prediction -1-9 (0-7 conference)


7th place- Maryville College- Last year was a season of streaks for the Scots. After having lost their first two games, Maryville reeled off three straight wins, only to follow that up with three straight losses. The season's highlight came as the Scots upset Christopher Newport 21-14 on the road.
I look for Maryville to improve as the season goes on, but expect that they will struggle early. Having lost many of their key personnel to graduation look for Maryville again to be a force, but possibly too late to contend for the conference crown.

Prediction- 2-8 (1-6 conference)



6th place- Ferrum College- Many question marks dominate the ledger going into the 2010 season. Ferrum's quarterback position will be filled by someone with no playing time from last year, and there will be three major losses on the offensive line. No returning linebackers, (Stinson did see a good amount of playing time, and will return) and an unproven defensive secondary. While I understand that there has been success in recruiting, and I look for this to be a re-building year, I do not see all things as gloom and doom. The Panthers will have, as usual, a strong corps of running backs, and are looking forward to having their entire defensive line back. Special teams should also be strong for Ferrum.
If things gel early, and the quarterback is able to command the offense, Ferrum can contend.
Pass defense will be a key. The early games will be strong indicators as Ferrum has a tough road in it's first four games.

Prediction- 4-6 (3-4 conference)




5th place- Greensboro College-The Pride was, to me the surprise of the conference last season. Finishing with a 6-4 record, they showed huge improvement over years past. With victories over Washington and Lee, Maryville, and Ferrum, the Pride turned a lot of heads. Look for less success this year as graduation hit them hard. I do expect them to be fundamentally sound, and with an upset or two, they could be in the mix at the end.

Prediction- 4-6 (3-4 conference)





4th place- Shenandoah University- This prediction may surprise many, but I see this team as this years dark horse. With a 1-9 record from last year, the Hornets have nowhere to go but up. Look for them to pick up some key wins and build on an '09 season that saw their average margin of defeat at a low 3.6 points. They were far better than a 1-9 team. Their successful off season recruiting campaign will only add to this teams viability.

Prediction- 5-5 (4-3 conference)





3rd place- Averett University- The Cougars were another surprise last season. Predicted to finish fifth last year, Averett really was a solid team that caught me and a lot of others off guard. Look for graduation to leave some holes to fill, and while they should contend, I expect them to finish just out of the running.

Prediction-7-3 (4-3 conference)





2nd place- Christopher Newport University-While this team is a usual favorite, this year may be a little different as they no longer have the services of running back Tunde Ogun. Ogun was the workhorse for the Captains, and his shoes will likely be filled by Corey Legister. Look for a slow start, and a strong finish for CNU. Injuries, that took a toll on their team last year, must be avoided for the Captains to win it all.

Prediction- 6-4 (5-2 conference)





1st place- North Carolina Wesleyan College- The defending USA South Champions took the conference title handily last year, and while they have suffered sizable losses due to graduation, they are well equipped to fill the voids. This team is stacked with talent, and should do well against both conference and non conference opponents. I expect the Bishops to again represent the USA South in the NCAA playoffs.

Prediction- 8-2 (7-0 conference)