In the FCS Huddle: Coaching story lines unfold

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – The numbers are great. In fact, the wins and losses speak for themselves.

Head coaches even admit to being judged by wins and losses.

But some of the great head coaching jobs in the FCS have story lines that can be better than the numbers.

And they can be factored in when voters are considering conference coach of the year awards as well as the various candidates who land on the Eddie Robinson Award ballot for national coach of the year.

Look no further than the last two unbeaten teams in the FCS, second-ranked Coastal Carolina and 17th-ranked Harvard. Their coaches are leading young men by example.

Joe Moglia continues to validate the unusual, risky hiring that Coastal made with him nearly three years ago. The former Ameritrade CEO from 2001 to 2008 had only returned two years earlier from a 26-year coaching break while working in the business world. He was already 62 when he became a first-time college head coach.

He led Coastal to its first-ever FCS playoff win in his first season of 2012, won two more times in the postseason last year while making a run to the national quarterfinals. This year, Moglia has the Chanticleers at new heights in the rankings with a 10-0 mark as they try to win a third straight Big South title.

Tim Murphy hasn’t had to validate anything at Harvard recently because he’s won big for a long time. In fact, the Crimson at 8-0 stand only one win away from winning an Ivy League title for an eighth time in Murphy’s 21 seasons.

But the 58-year-old certainly changed as a person after he required triple- bypass surgery on Feb. 10. Having not missed a day of work in 27 years as a Division I head coach, he was sidelined for eight weeks of recovery. He’s come back stronger mentally and he hopes the same physically while getting a fresh perspective on his passion for coaching football.

There are times when an entire program needs a new perspective, not just the head coach. Broderick Fobbs has done that at his alma mater, Grambling State, where as a first-time head coach he has delivered healing as well as a perfect record within the Tigers’ Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Grambling players revolted against the administration last year, staged a six- day walkout on their season and forced the school to forfeit a game while they dealt with their dissatisfaction over the head coaching situation and conditions with training facilities.

Clint Conque did the unusual last offseason by resigning at Central Arkansas after 14 successful seasons to move across the Southland Conference and try to upgrade a rival program, Stephen F. Austin, which had fallen into last place. The Lumberjacks have posted Top 10 wins over Southeastern Louisiana and McNeese State, and are challenging for a playoff bid.

Conque even has the added dynamic of having his son, Zach, as the offensive leader at quarterback. That’s the scenario as well with Chattanooga’s Russ Huesman, who has won a second straight Southern Conference title with his son Jacob, and Jacksonville’s Kerwin Bell, who is on the verge of winning the Pioneer Football League crown with his son Kade.

Yale’s Tony Reno could catch one of his mentors, Murphy, for at least a share of the Ivy League title. In his third season at Yale, he had never even been an offensive or defensive coordinator, let alone a head coach, prior to taking the Bulldogs’ reins.

Like the Ivy League, they also pay extra attention on academic standing in the Patriot League. At Bucknell, where Joe Susan has led the Bison to their most wins (seven) in 10 years, he pays extra attention to leadership and campus involvement, mandating that his players sit in the front row of their classes and introduce themselves to the professors, take their hats off indoors and make eye contact with others when out in public.

Some coaches have provided hope this season when few outside their programs saw it coming. Albany, under first-year coach Greg Gattuso, and Indiana State, under second-year coach Mike Sanford, have both turned around 1-11 teams last year to 6-4 squads this year as they share the biggest improvement of the FCS season.

At Idaho State, coach Mike Kramer has lifted the Bengals from NCAA academic sanctions and into Big Sky Conference title contention. His team has posted a 3.0 GPA or better in five of the last six semesters. On the field, the Bengals ended a 48-game road losing streak and have turned it in two straight road wins.

Western Carolina hadn’t won more than three games in each of the last eight seasons. But Mark Speir’s third season gave the Catamounts a shot at the Southern Conference title entering November and they are a victory away from finishing with their first winning record since 2005 with a priceless trip to Alabama coming in another week.

Then there are coaches who don’t have to apologize for winning and winning and … Sean McDonnell has gotten New Hampshire to the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2006, and the Wildcats appear headed back to the playoffs for an 11th straight season, even though their coach says the best team remains North Dakota State, where the Bison have a first-year coach in Chris Klieman and are positioned to make a run at an unprecedented fourth straight FCS national title.

The list of great coaching jobs extends even further. Just remember, though: For every great thing you see on the field, there’s two or three great things off the field that you might not know about.

TRULY A VETERAN KICKER

Portland State place-kicker Kyle Loomis surely received extra attention on campus and in the locker room Tuesday and it had nothing to do with him leading the FCS in punting average. No, Veterans Day was a day to thank the likes of Loomis, who served in the U.S. Army for three years and eight months from 2007-11, in the 2-325 Airborne Infantry Regiment-82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Loomis, 27, led the FCS a year ago with a punting average of 46.5 yards. This season, he’s on top again as a senior with a 46.2-yard average.

FCS TOP 25 AND AWARDS

The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found at http://tinyurl.com/88q2k7t.

The FCS Awards package can be found at http://tinyurl.com/n5ysh8x.

WEEK 12 PREDICTIONS

Last Week’s Record: 48-12 (.800)

This Season’s Record: 544-150 (.784)

X-Predicted Winner

Top 25

From a realistic perspective, about 38 teams have hope for a combined 24 automatic and at-large playoff bids. Week 12 figures to pare that number down by more than a half dozen.

Thursday, Nov. 13

X-No. 20 Bethune-Cookman (8-2, 5-1 MEAC) at Hampton (2-8, 1-5), 7:30 p.m. Who’s playing quarterback is always a question with the visiting Wildcats. But there’s no doubting linebackers Tavarus Dantzler and Ralph Williams will have the defense fired up with at least a share of another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title in sight.

Saturday, Nov. 15

X-No. 21 Bryant (8-1, 4-0 Northeast) at Sacred Heart (8-2, 4-1), noon. Sacred Heart will clinch the NEC’s automatic playoff bid with a win, but front-running Bryant won’t clinch with a win unless Wagner also loses Saturday. Bryant has its running game going behind Paul Canevari (818 yards) and Ricardo McCray (784 yards, nine touchdowns). Sacred Heart needs a bigger effort out of slumping Keshaudas Spence (33 carries for 48 yards over the last two games).

No. 25 James Madison (7-3, 4-2 CAA) at X-No. 14 Richmond (7-3, 4-2), 12:30 p.m. This game has a playoff feel to it, although the loser could still earn an at- large bid. JMU quarterback Vad Lee has breathed life into a Dukes season that began with a 2-3 record. Richmond is minus-12 in turnover margin in its three losses. But fifth-year senior quarterback Michael Strauss will “most likely” return from injury, coach Danny Rocco says.

Delaware (6-4, 4-2 CAA) at X-No. 1 New Hampshire (8-1, 6-0), 1 p.m. The pressure of being No. 1 will be felt by the Wildcats if Delaware (which owns a 20-11 series lead) plays like a team with nothing to lose. Come to think of it, if the Blue Hens beat UNH and No. 6 Villanova to close the regular season, they’re going to have a playoff-type resume to submit to the NCAA selection committee.

X-No. 17 Harvard (8-0, 5-0 Ivy) at Penn (1-7, 1-4), 1 p.m. Speaking of teams with nothing to lose, Penn would sure love to give retiring coach Al Bagnoli a big sendoff in his final home game. Harvard, whose 12-game winning streak is the longest in the FCS, would clinch at least a share of its eighth Ivy title under coach Murphy, and 16th overall, with a victory.

Georgetown (2-7, 0-4 Patriot) at X-No. 7 Fordham (9-1, 5-0), 1 p.m. One week after beating Bucknell for the Patriot League’s automatic playoff bid and one week before traveling to Army, the host Rams have a trap game on their hands. It’s a good thing for them scholarship-less Georgetown is slipping away from the rest of the Patriot League. Following the game, the Rams will receive their league championship trophy.

X-No. 22 Northern Arizona (7-3, 5-1 Big Sky) at North Dakota (3-7, 1-5), 1 p.m. All eight of Northern Arizona’s FCS games have been decided by seven points or less. UND, now behind true freshman quarterback Keaton Studsrud, has only topped the 20-point mark once this season, so it would need an inspired defensive effort to pull an upset.

Murray State (3-7, 1-5 OVC) at X-No. 18 Eastern Kentucky (8-2, 5-2), 1 p.m. Coming off a loss and facing a trip to Florida next week, EKU needs a win here to basically clinch an at-large playoff bid. The Colonels have never had nine wins in a season under seventh-year coach Dean Hood. Murray State won last year’s rivalry game, 34-27, in overtime.

X-No. 8 Illinois State (8-1, 5-1 Missouri Valley) at South Dakota (2-8, 0-6), 2 p.m. With nine straight 100-yard games to open the season, Illinois State junior Marshaun Coprich has taken over the Missouri Valley rushing lead at 144.7 yards per game. USD’s Mr. Perfect, Miles Bergner, is 16-for-16 on field goal attempts this season, converting 18 straight since last season.

No. 23 Indiana State (6-4, 3-3 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 15 Youngstown State (7-3, 4-2), 2 p.m. Youngstown State sophomore Derek Rivers has 12 sacks, including 11 solos, and will take aim on Indiana State QB Mike Perish because the Sycamores have allowed 27 sacks this season. In the last three weeks, Penguins wideout Andrew Williams has had career-high receiving totals of 139, 140 and 158 yards.

X-No. 9 Chattanooga (7-3) at Tennessee Tech (4-6), 2:30 p.m. Intrastate rivals renew a series that Chattanooga leads 28-10 but hasn’t been contested since 2006. Although they have clinched a playoff bid for the first time since 1984, coach Russ Huesman’s Mocs aren’t on cruise control because they are playing for a possible seed and first-round bye.

Western Illinois (4-6, 2-4 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 19 South Dakota State (6-4, 3-3), 3 p.m. WIU made a winning trip to the Mount Rushmore State last weekend, topping South Dakota, 44-29. Red-hot SDSU wide receiver Jake Wieneke needs 18 receiving yards to become the first freshman in Missouri Valley history to reach 1,000 in a season (21 others players have done it). Jackrabbits senior Zach Zenner is 45 yards shy of becoming the fourth back in FCS history to reach 6,000 in his career.

X-No. 4 North Dakota State (9-1, 5-1 Missouri Valley) at Missouri State (4-6, 1-5), 3 p.m. The Bison are in an angry mood after their FCS-record 33-game winning streak was snapped at Northern Iowa. They haven’t lost consecutive games since the 2009 season. For Missouri State, it’s NDSU this week and a trip to Northern Iowa next week.

Monmouth (5-4, 0-3 Big South) at X-No. 2 Coastal Carolina (10-0, 3-0), 3 p.m. Coastal has 24 scoring drives of 90 or more yards in its history, and redshirt junior quarterback Alex Ross has directed 10 of them. Monmouth has never beaten a nationally ranked opponent. Senior wide receiver Neal Sterling, an NFL prospect, needs four receptions to tie the Hawks’ career record (Adam San Miguel, 194).

X-No. 11 Northern Iowa (6-4, 4-2 Missouri Valley) at Southern Illinois (6-4, 3-3), 3 p.m. This might be a playoff-elimination matchup. UNI’s big-game hunters can’t let up after handing Missouri Valley co-leaders Illinois State and North Dakota State their only losses this season. After a three-game losing streak, SIU has the chance to finish with three straight wins and surge into the playoffs.

No. 24 William & Mary (6-4, 3-3 CAA) at X-Towson (4-6, 2-4), 3 p.m. The CAA’s top-ranked running backs square off: William & Mary junior Mikal Abdul-Saboor (113.3 ypg) versus Towson sophomore Darius Victor (111.5 ypg). The visiting Tribe are playing for a playoff bid, while Towson can still get back to .500 a season after going to the national championship game.

X-No. 16 Montana (6-4, 4-2 Big Sky) at Southern Utah (2-8, 2-4), 3:05 p.m. The Griz’s six turnovers are tied for the fewest in the FCS even after QB Jordan Johnson threw for a pair of interceptions in an otherwise strong performance against Eastern Washington. They need to close out with wins over SUU and Montana State, and then hope the Big Sky scenarios fall their way (like a loss by at least Idaho State, Cal Poly or Northern Arizona this week).

Idaho State (7-3, 5-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 12 Montana State (7-3, 5-1), 3:40 p.m. Idaho State’s offense is surging and Montana State isn’t. But the climate- controlled temperatures of Holt Arena won’t help the visiting Bengals when it’s 10-15 degrees in Bozeman, Montana. Advantage, Bobcats.

No. 13 McNeese State (6-3, 4-2 Southland) at X-No. 10 Southeastern Louisiana (7-3, 5-1), 4 p.m. Here’s an opportunity for both of these Southland teams to get their signature win of the season. Southeastern is 5-0 at Strawberry Stadium and QB Bryan Bennett (26 total TDs) is expected to play after leaving last week’s game early with a foot injury. To keep the ball out of Bennett’s hands, McNeese’s injury-riddled team must control the ball behind Antoine Everett and a veteran offensive line.

FCS Game of the Week: Eastern Illinois (5-5, 5-1 OVC) at X-No. 3 Jacksonville State (8-1, 6-0), 4 p.m. First-year coaches square off between EIU’s Kim Dameron and JSU’s John Grass. Despite being 0-4 out of conference, EIU, the two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion, would clinch the automatic bid by winning its final two games. Kentucky transfer Jalen Whitlow has taken the Panthers’ QB job and run with it (714 yards, 11 TDs). But Jacksonville State’s defense has gone 13 straight quarters without allowing a touchdown. With a win, the Gamecocks will clinch the OVC’s auto bid.

Albany (6-4, 2-4 CAA) at X-No. 6 Villanova (8-2, 5-1), 7 p.m. Albany is No. 1 in the FCS in turnover margin at plus-14, so Villanova QB John Robertson might have to work a little harder for his usual gaudy statistics (he’s No. 1 nationally in points responsible for at 210). Villanova’s two losses were both one-point margins.

Non-Ranked Conference

The Jacksonville Dolphins are thrilled to be back at Milne Field after playing five straight road games. Coach Kerwin Bell’s squad will earn the Pioneer Football League’s automatic playoff bid with a win over Campbell.

Saturday, Nov. 15

X-Dayton (6-3, 4-2 Pioneer) at Butler (4-6, 2-5), 11 a.m.

X-Presbyterian (5-5, 2-2 Big South) at Gardner-Webb (4-6, 0-3), noon

Davidson (1-9, 0-6 Pioneer) at X-Marist (3-7, 3-4), noon

Brown (4-4, 2-3 Ivy) at X-Dartmouth (6-2, 4-1), noon

X-Wofford (5-4, 3-2 Southern) at Furman (2-8, 1-4), noon

X-Duquesne (5-5, 1-3 Northeast) at Wagner (5-4, 3-1), noon

X-Saint Francis (4-5, 2-2 Northeast) at Robert Morris (1-8, 1-3), noon

Princeton (5-3, 4-1 Ivy) at X-Yale (7-1, 4-1), 12:30 p.m.

X-Cornell (0-8, 0-5 Ivy) at Columbia (0-8, 0-5), 12:30 p.m.

Colgate (4-6, 2-2 Patriot) at X-Lehigh (2-7, 1-3), 12:30 p.m.

X-Bucknell (7-2, 3-1 Patriot) at Holy Cross (4-6, 2-2), 12:30 p.m.

X-Stetson (5-5, 3-3 Pioneer) at Morehead State (3-7, 2-5), 1 p.m.

Campbell (5-5, 4-2 Pioneer) at X-Jacksonville (8-2, 6-1), 1 p.m.

Samford (6-3, 4-2 Southern) at X-The Citadel (4-6, 2-3), 1 p.m.

Rhode Island (0-10, 0-6 CAA) at X-Stony Brook (4-6, 3-3), 1 p.m.

X-South Carolina State (7-3, 5-1 MEAC) at Morgan State (5-5, 4-2), 1 p.m.

Austin Peay (1-9, 1-5 OVC) at X-Southeast Missouri State (4-6, 2-4), 2 p.m.

X-Florida A&M (2-8, 2-4 MEAC) at Delaware State (2-8, 2-4), 2 p.m.

X-North Carolina Central (5-5, 4-2 MEAC) at Norfolk State (4-6, 4-2), 2 p.m.

Incarnate Word (2-8, 2-5 Southland) at X-Lamar (6-4, 3-3), 2 p.m.

X-Prairie View A&M (4-5, 4-4 SWAC) at Alabama A&M (4-6, 3-4), 2 p.m.

X-North Carolina A&T (8-2, 5-1 MEAC) at Savannah State (0-10, 0-7), 2 p.m.

VMI (2-8, 1-4 Southern) at X-Western Carolina (6-4, 4-2), 2 p.m.

Northern Colorado (3-6, 2-4 Big Sky) at X-Weber State (1-9, 1-5), 3 p.m.

Alabama State (5-5, 4-4 SWAC) at X-Grambling State (7-3, 7-0), 3 p.m.

X-Maine (4-5, 3-3 CAA) at Elon (1-9, 0-6), 3 p.m.

Charleston Southern (7-3, 2-2 Big South) at X-Liberty (7-3, 3-0), 3:30 p.m.

Valparaiso (3-7, 1-5 Pioneer) at X-San Diego (8-1, 6-1), 4 p.m.

X-Sam Houston State (6-4, 5-1 Southland) at Houston Baptist (2-8, 1-6), 4 p.m.

Abilene Christian (5-6, 3-4 Southland) at X-Stephen F. Austin (7-3, 4-2), 4 p.m.

Portland State (3-7, 2-4 Big Sky) at X-Sacramento State (5-5, 2-4), 5 p.m.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-6, 2-5 SWAC) at X-Alcorn State (8-2, 6-1), 5 p.m.

Jackson State (3-7, 1-6 SWAC) at X-Texas Southern (5-5, 3-5), 6:30 p.m.

Nicholls (0-10, 0-6 Southland) at X-Northwestern State (5-5, 3-3), 7 p.m.

Mississippi Valley State (2-8, 1-7 SWAC) at X-Southern (7-3, 6-1), 7 p.m.

UC Davis (1-8, 0-6 SWAC) at X-Cal Poly (6-4, 5-2), 9:05 p.m.

Non-Ranked Non-Conference

From the just-wondering department: Couldn’t Charlotte and Mercer have scheduled each other for a mid-November game instead of sub-Division I opponents?

Saturday, Nov. 15

Wesley (9-0) at X-Charlotte (3-6), noon

Howard (3-7) at X-Central Connecticut State (2-8), 1 p.m.

Warner (5-4) at X-Mercer (5-5), 2 p.m.

Categorized in: NCAA Football