2013-06-23

With the hiring and firing of coaches, plus the charade that is National Signing Day, behind us, the never-ending world of college football moves to its next stage – training camp! Yes, with spring been and gone, a new fervor settles over each school as the hope that comes with a new year settles in. The seniors are gone, but a new batch of starters are ready to step in and prove their worth. Or not, whatever the case may be. So read on and find out where each team stands.

 



Kendrick Rhodes

 

2012 Record: 3-9, 2-6 Sun Belt

Offensive MVP: QB Jake Medlock – Passing 263-152-2127-13-2, Rushing 87-236-3.

Defensive MVP: DE Tourek Williams – 44 Tackles, 13.5 for loss, 6.5 Sacks, 2 PBUs, 2 Forced Fumbles, 2 Fumbles Recovered, 3 QBHs.

 

 

Season Recap:

 

This was meant to be the Panthers year. They were loaded on both sides of the ball, and were expected to dominate the Sun Belt, while hot-ticket HC Mario Cristobal was going to earn a high profile job elsewhere. The final bit actually turned out to be correct, but not quite what people had in mind. The Panthers’ talented, experienced defense fell flat on its face, dooming the team to a 3-9 record and leading to Cristobal’s firing. That weird twist I mentioned? Cristobal is now Alabama’s O-line coach.

 

The FIU offense was pretty good, mostly thanks to Medlock. A fleet receiving corps led by Willis Wright forced opponents to cover the field, keeping the underneath open for possession-threat Wayne Times (66-602-2). The running game was hampered by injuries most of the season. Even so, Kedrick Rhodes ran for 699 yards and 3 scores despite missing three games and being slowed in others. The big issue on offense was the line, Cristobal’s specialty. The unit allowed 37 sacks, and the talented runners managed just 3.56 per carry combined.

 

What the hell happened to that defense? They couldn’t stop the run or pass, and managed just 14 turnovers despite a ton of supposed all-conference talent. Williams led the defensive line, while fellow end Greg Hickman was no slouch with 9 TFLs, but the rest of the unit left much to be desired. The linebackers were okay, with Winston Fraser and Jordan Hunt making some plays, but more were needed to compensate for the struggles elsewhere. The secondary struggled to stop passing attacks, despite the presence of Jonathan Cyprien at SS, and was the biggest culprit in FIU’s paltry three-win season.

 

Jack Griffin was something of an adventure, hitting just 9 of 16, and affecting at least a couple of games. He started out at punter too, but Josh Brisk got his job back and was a much more reliable option, despite posting a similar gross. Richard Leonard was a fine returner, scoring on both kick and punts, but punt returning as a whole was a problem. Kick coverage was good, as was punt coverage once Brisk was back.

 

What to Expect in 2013:

 

Is this really a rebuilding year for the Panthers? New HC Ron Turner has plenty of experience at both college and pro levels, and has some talent to work with. Is it a young team? Yes – 30 seniors have graduated, but some key guys are back, including Medlock. He will miss his security blanket Times, but Wright looks ready to build on a 25-633-5 season, and is joined by a bunch of speedy options. If training camp is anything to go by, expect Medlock to take more shots down the field this season. Of course, that’s assuming he has the time, with an offensive line that will see five new starters. This isn’t entirely true, as three guys who started at RG last season return, including new C Donald Senat. In an effort to add bodies, DT Dieugot Joseph has been switched to LT. The line struggled in spring, but position coach Steve Shankweiler has nearly 40 years of experience and may yet turn the unit around. The RBs certainly hope so, as they’re a talented bunch who deserve better service. Rhodes will lead the way, but expect to see plenty of Jeremiah Harden, who earned praise for his effort in the spring game.

 

The Panthers could have an even bigger problem on the other side of the ball, as they need to replace seven starters, including their stars. Hickman is moving from end to tackle this season, which may suit him better. Fadol Brown will likely start beside him – he started three games last season. Junior Giovani Francois will start at one end, with Paul Crawford, another part-time starter, opposite him. FIU will use three LBs this season, but they’ll be three essentially new guys. Luis Rosado, Patrick Jean and Davison Colimon all worked with the first team defense in spring, but lack any real experience. The hope is their athleticism can go someway to offsetting this. Richard Leonard and Sam Miller have been regulars at corner for the last couple of seasons, and are locks to start. Leonard in particular has the makings of a star, and this should be one of the strongest positions on the team. Justin Halley’s experience should give him the edge over Antwoine Bell at FS, while DeMarcus Perkins is the frontrunner at SS, although his job is hardly set in stone.

 

The Panthers are auditioning for new specialists, with both Griffin and Brisk gone. Sergio Sroka and Chris Ayers look to be the kicker and punter respectively, as there is no one else on the roster currently. Leonard should maintain the return job, which means it’ll be a strength. This could be a good unit if the specialists come through.

 

I’m hearing a lot of doom and gloom about this team for the coming year, and I’m not so sure things are as bleak as they may seem. I usually try to be as optimistic when previewing teams, and I can see plenty of positives for the Panthers. They have a ton of talent, and experience in some key places – QB, CB, even DL. The biggest concerns are O-line and LB, but those problems are more experience than ability. The schedule is still tough, especially the OOC, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pull off four or five wins, a decent return for a “rebuilding” team in a new conference.

 

Preview:

 

The State of Play – Big East/American Athletic Conference Preview 

The State of Play – Big Ten: Illinois

The State of Play – Big Ten: Indiana

The State of Play: Big Ten: Iowa

The State of Play – Big Ten: Michigan

The State of Play – Big Ten: Michigan State

The State of Play – Big Ten: Minnesota

The State of Play – Big Ten: Nebraska

The State of Play – Big Ten: Northwestern

The State of Play – Big Ten: Ohio State

The State of Play – Big Ten: Purdue

The State of Play – Big Ten: Wisconsin

The State of Play – Big Twelve: Oklahoma

The State of Play – Big Twelve: Texas

The State of Play – Big Twelve: Texas Christian

The State of Play – Big Twelve: Texas Tech

The State of Play – Big Twelve: West Virginia

The State of Play – Conference USA: East Carolina

The State of Play – Conference USA: Florida Atlantic

 

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