I have not talked with Coach Harper since he was named head coach. I am hopeful to talk with him in the near future, but he is likely on the road recruiting. With recruiting being on the front burner in every coaches mind, I am trying to figure what direction Ferrum will go with their approach to recruiting, and their approach to the 2011 season.
I feel that the priorities will be size and strength along the line of scrimmage, especially the defensive side. While there are players who are returning with really good size, I am looking for Ferrum to refocus not only on having size and strength, but also on desire. Look for the Panthers to not only emphasize technique, but to also focus the players on becoming a cohesive unit with an all for one, and one for all mentality.
The old saying is "Defense wins championships" and this is where the emphasis needs to be. From front to back. From the line to the safeties. Not necessarily to replace those returning, but to work on technique and strength as well as speed and mental approach. The offense should be fairly consistent, but there is need to also beef up the line when possible. Again, strength and speed will be the focus, along with understanding assignments, and technique.
Scheduling is an area that I have mentioned before, and, at the risk of being repetitive, I will bring it up again. As the schedule stands now, there are three non conference games that Ferrum plays. For the past several years, Ferrum has played Southern Virginia University. I would like to see this game replaced with another game with an NCAA team, that is in the same region as Ferrum. SVU is an NAIA team, and therefore this game does not lend any assistance to Ferrum when it comes to the Regional rankings. Regional rankings have several criteria, but games against teams in your own region would likely influence your ranking. So who could they play? I would suggest that they try to pick up at the least, a game against a contending ODAC team. If that could not be arranged, I would look for a game against a nationally contending program like Wesley (DE). The better your competition, the better you can become. If that could not be arranged, Ferrum could consider scheduling a DII school like Chowan, or any CIAA school.
Finally, I would like to see a Re- Branding of Ferrum football. This is something that would be like a marketing campaign, and should be approached from many levels. Alumni involvement, re-focusing the local community toward Ferrum football, and efforts to bring more attention to the program through local media.
I look forward to Coach Harper's reign as head coach- I am confident that he will steer Ferrum football back to a level of excellence, back to being thought of as a contender....for the conference and beyond.
Rabu, 15 Desember 2010
Minggu, 12 Desember 2010
Regions, Conferences, Teams,..... A little more information
The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is the governing body over most intercollegiate athletics. (The NAIA, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) is another governing body on a far smaller scale.
The NCAA divides Football up into three classifications.
Division I
Division II and
Division III
Division I
DI is further divided into the FBS, and the FCS (Football Bowl Subdivision, and the Football Championship Subdivision) The main distinction between these two areas of DI are the available scholarships, and their championship format. The FBS uses the Bowl system to determine a champion, and the FCS utilizes a playoff format.
There are a total of 325 DI institutions in the country, and of these 238 have football programs. 97 do not sponsor football as a sport.
66% of DI institutions are public, and 34% are private
Division II
There are 288 DII institutions, and 152 that offer football as a sport. These schools have fewer scholarships that a DI school, but do utilize a playoff format to determine their champion.
Of these institutions, 53% are public, and 47% are private.
Division III
There are 447 member institutions. Of these, 238 offer football as a sport. Division III does not offer scholarships of any kind. This division is truly made up of players that play for the love of the game. While it does occasionally happen, it is rare that a D3 player will make it to the professional ranks in football.
Of the 447 institutions, 20% are public, and 80% are private.
D3 Regions
Division III football is primarily concentrated on the in the Midwest, South and East, but there are teams located as far as California. The D3 football landscape is divided into four regions. North, South, East and West. These regions are each made up of conferences that fall within a specific region. These conferences are made up of member institutions that are relatively close geographically.
Link to a map of D3 schools. (Christopher Newport University is not listed on the Map)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/NCAA_Division_3_football_map.gif
The NCAA divides Football up into three classifications.
Division I
Division II and
Division III
Division I
DI is further divided into the FBS, and the FCS (Football Bowl Subdivision, and the Football Championship Subdivision) The main distinction between these two areas of DI are the available scholarships, and their championship format. The FBS uses the Bowl system to determine a champion, and the FCS utilizes a playoff format.
There are a total of 325 DI institutions in the country, and of these 238 have football programs. 97 do not sponsor football as a sport.
66% of DI institutions are public, and 34% are private
Division II
There are 288 DII institutions, and 152 that offer football as a sport. These schools have fewer scholarships that a DI school, but do utilize a playoff format to determine their champion.
Of these institutions, 53% are public, and 47% are private.
Division III
There are 447 member institutions. Of these, 238 offer football as a sport. Division III does not offer scholarships of any kind. This division is truly made up of players that play for the love of the game. While it does occasionally happen, it is rare that a D3 player will make it to the professional ranks in football.
Of the 447 institutions, 20% are public, and 80% are private.
D3 Regions
Division III football is primarily concentrated on the in the Midwest, South and East, but there are teams located as far as California. The D3 football landscape is divided into four regions. North, South, East and West. These regions are each made up of conferences that fall within a specific region. These conferences are made up of member institutions that are relatively close geographically.
Link to a map of D3 schools. (Christopher Newport University is not listed on the Map)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/NCAA_Division_3_football_map.gif
Three Panthers named to All Region team
Ferrum was well represented on this years D3.com All Region team. This is a team that is made up out of the best players in a colleges respective region. Players are categorized as "First Team", "Second Team" and "Honorable Mention". Ferrum is in the South region with 59 other teams, and this year placed three players on the all region team.
First Team
Punter- T. J. Grzseikowski
Second Team
Tight End- Vince Munch
Defensive Tackle- Willie Taylor
Congratulations to these three Panther Seniors!
First Team
Punter- T. J. Grzseikowski
Second Team
Tight End- Vince Munch
Defensive Tackle- Willie Taylor
Congratulations to these three Panther Seniors!
Kamis, 09 Desember 2010
Harper named the 6th head football coach at Ferrum College
Today, it was announced that Associate Head Coach David Harper has been promoted to Head football coach at Ferrum College. Coach Harper assumes the duties after the retirement of Dave Davis. Davis retired at the end of this past season... His 17th as a head coach, and 27th overall. Davis announced his intention to retire just prior to the beginning of this season.
Harper joined the Panther coaching staff in 1991, after having coached at Davidson College for two years. In 1993, Harper was named defensive coordinator, and stayed in that position until 1999 when he was named offensive coordinator. In both positions Harper's offensive and defensive units have shown consistent success.
The move to head coach will make Harper the sixth head coach in the history of the 56 year old football program. Ferrum first fielded a team in 1955 under head coach Sam Webb. Webb was in that position for two seasons before leaving after the 1956 campaign. Webb was replaced by Carson Barnes, who also coached for two years, and left after the 1958 season. Barnes was replaced by Lewis Lane, who was the head coach for the 1959 season. In 1960, Hank Norton was hired as head coach, and stayed in that position for 34 seasons, retiring in 1993. Norton ended with a career record of 244-77-11, and four Junior College National Championships. Norton was replaced by Davis, and Davis finished with a record of 87-79.
Ferrum has a tradition of being a tough opponent, and a winner on the gridiron, although the success has been more mediocre in recent years. While I fully expect Ferrum football under Harper to once again be viewed at as a top flight program, it will not happen overnight. Harper like most new coaches, will need time to build the program. It will be a process. I expect a build up of the program in many aspects. I would look for a new and stronger emphasis on recruiting, and also a major emphasis on player retention. Look for a more aggressive physical training program, all in an effort to return Ferrum to being a top flight program. I expect to see great things from the Ferrum program, but not overnight. I hope to interview Coach Harper soon.
Harper joined the Panther coaching staff in 1991, after having coached at Davidson College for two years. In 1993, Harper was named defensive coordinator, and stayed in that position until 1999 when he was named offensive coordinator. In both positions Harper's offensive and defensive units have shown consistent success.
The move to head coach will make Harper the sixth head coach in the history of the 56 year old football program. Ferrum first fielded a team in 1955 under head coach Sam Webb. Webb was in that position for two seasons before leaving after the 1956 campaign. Webb was replaced by Carson Barnes, who also coached for two years, and left after the 1958 season. Barnes was replaced by Lewis Lane, who was the head coach for the 1959 season. In 1960, Hank Norton was hired as head coach, and stayed in that position for 34 seasons, retiring in 1993. Norton ended with a career record of 244-77-11, and four Junior College National Championships. Norton was replaced by Davis, and Davis finished with a record of 87-79.
Ferrum has a tradition of being a tough opponent, and a winner on the gridiron, although the success has been more mediocre in recent years. While I fully expect Ferrum football under Harper to once again be viewed at as a top flight program, it will not happen overnight. Harper like most new coaches, will need time to build the program. It will be a process. I expect a build up of the program in many aspects. I would look for a new and stronger emphasis on recruiting, and also a major emphasis on player retention. Look for a more aggressive physical training program, all in an effort to return Ferrum to being a top flight program. I expect to see great things from the Ferrum program, but not overnight. I hope to interview Coach Harper soon.
Selasa, 07 Desember 2010
Kenneth Faried the best big man in college basketball?
This was originally posted over at Veteran Leadership.
If I had to choose one big man for my college basketball team this season, I would take Kenneth Faried of Morehead St. He is not the most well-known player (how many people even know where Morehead St. is?), and he's not the guy with the most pro potential, but he just so happens to be the best big man in college basketball.
Physically, he is like a man among boys in the post. This is obviously especially true against mid and low-majors, but he has also been excellent against some of the top teams in college basketball. He is very strong, and very quick for a man of his size. He just looks bigger.
He is the best rebounder in college basketball (he is tied for the rebounding lead right now with over 14 per game, he was second in the NCAA last year with 13 per game, and third 2 years ago with 13). He is very, very good at using his body to seal the defender to get into position, and he certainly has a nose for the ball. Also, it doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but he is great at tipping the ball to keep it alive for his team. He certainly projects, in my mind, to be an elite rebounder at the pro level.
As of today he is 6th in offensive rebounding percentage and 2nd in defensive rebounding percentage in the country.
He is also very good defensively, using that quickness and athleticism to erase shots at the rim. He is the reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year (and Player of the Year, for that matter) and he looks poised to defend his crown. The Eagles often use him as the base man in a 2-3 zone, and he really takes away a lot of opportunities for driving to the hoop and finishing at the rim. I have noticed that sometimes he relies a little too much on his athleticism, and does not get into proper position because he thinks he can recover, but overall, there is very little to complain about defensively. So far this year he is averaging over 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. That is Hakeem Olajuwon-esque.
On the offensive side of the ball, he certainly does not project to be a dominant low-post scorer in the NBA, but he is not without skill. He is surprisingly adept with his left and right hand, and is a solid ballhandler for a true post man. He is also a solid passer, and finds the open guys on the perimeter. Putbacks are a big part of the game, as it is perfect for his elite rebounding skills, and his ability to finish with power at the rim. Free throw shooting is a definite chink in his armor, but on the college level he can simply overpower a lot of guys.
Kenneth Faried is not a perfect player, and he will not be the top pick in the NBA Draft come next June... but for my money, I'd take him as the best big man in college basketball right now. He is one of the top rebounders and defenders down low in the land, and he's more than capable of putting 20 points per night on the board. You can't ask for too much more than that from your big man. He averaged 17 PPG last year on 56% shooting, and both of those numbers have improved this year.
What are your thoughts? Would you rather have another big man instead of Faried?
If I had to choose one big man for my college basketball team this season, I would take Kenneth Faried of Morehead St. He is not the most well-known player (how many people even know where Morehead St. is?), and he's not the guy with the most pro potential, but he just so happens to be the best big man in college basketball.
Physically, he is like a man among boys in the post. This is obviously especially true against mid and low-majors, but he has also been excellent against some of the top teams in college basketball. He is very strong, and very quick for a man of his size. He just looks bigger.
He is the best rebounder in college basketball (he is tied for the rebounding lead right now with over 14 per game, he was second in the NCAA last year with 13 per game, and third 2 years ago with 13). He is very, very good at using his body to seal the defender to get into position, and he certainly has a nose for the ball. Also, it doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but he is great at tipping the ball to keep it alive for his team. He certainly projects, in my mind, to be an elite rebounder at the pro level.
As of today he is 6th in offensive rebounding percentage and 2nd in defensive rebounding percentage in the country.
He is also very good defensively, using that quickness and athleticism to erase shots at the rim. He is the reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year (and Player of the Year, for that matter) and he looks poised to defend his crown. The Eagles often use him as the base man in a 2-3 zone, and he really takes away a lot of opportunities for driving to the hoop and finishing at the rim. I have noticed that sometimes he relies a little too much on his athleticism, and does not get into proper position because he thinks he can recover, but overall, there is very little to complain about defensively. So far this year he is averaging over 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. That is Hakeem Olajuwon-esque.
On the offensive side of the ball, he certainly does not project to be a dominant low-post scorer in the NBA, but he is not without skill. He is surprisingly adept with his left and right hand, and is a solid ballhandler for a true post man. He is also a solid passer, and finds the open guys on the perimeter. Putbacks are a big part of the game, as it is perfect for his elite rebounding skills, and his ability to finish with power at the rim. Free throw shooting is a definite chink in his armor, but on the college level he can simply overpower a lot of guys.
Kenneth Faried is not a perfect player, and he will not be the top pick in the NBA Draft come next June... but for my money, I'd take him as the best big man in college basketball right now. He is one of the top rebounders and defenders down low in the land, and he's more than capable of putting 20 points per night on the board. You can't ask for too much more than that from your big man. He averaged 17 PPG last year on 56% shooting, and both of those numbers have improved this year.
What are your thoughts? Would you rather have another big man instead of Faried?
Senin, 06 Desember 2010
Hard to Ignore this!
Ferrum's Men's basketball team has started the season 6-0 with their most recent win coming over Washington and Lee.66-64. The Panthers have received votes in the pre season and Week 1 D3hoops.com polls, but have not yet been ranked. If this trend continues, they will likely break into the top 25 soon.
Go Panthers!
Go Panthers!
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