West teams in 2016 as it was in 2015.
Also, pay attention to what's being said about UAB and USM. Doc better get the recruiting effort in full swing or or he's going to have a class ranked in the middle of the pack.
ODU report
ODU will play same Conference USA teams in 2016 that Monarchs played in 2015
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NORFOLK | Conference USA football teams will play the same opponents in 2016 that they played this season, with the sites reversed, assistant C-USA commissioner Russ Anderson said.
“That’s the plan,” Anderson said, though adding that scheduling decision isn’t final.
If the plan is ratified by athletic directors, as seems likely, Old Dominion would host the four teams it met on the road this fall: Florida International, Texas-San Antonio, Marshall and Southern Mississippi. It would play at UTEP, UNC Charlotte, Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky.
ODU athletic director Wood Selig said he was unaware of the scheduling decision, but said it would present concerns.
For one, the Monarchs would play UTEP for the third season in a row and for the second year in a row would not play Middle Tennessee State, even though both ODU and Middle Tennessee are in the East Division.
“And we’ve never played North Texas,” Selig said.
When UAB dropped football last December, the league was forced into odd-sized divisions – seven teams in the East, six in the West. That made it impossible to create a round-robin schedule among East Division teams.
UAB reversed itself and will return to the conference in 2017, so officials decided to put off a n overhaul of the schedule until then.
ODU appears likely to play three times in North Carolina: at Appalachian State on Sept. 10 and North Carolina State on Sept. 17, in addition to Charlotte.
The Monarchs will open at home against Hampton on Sept. 3 and will host the University of Massachusetts of the Mid-American Conference on Oct. 1.
so far, so good for UAB recruiting
UAB is off to a strong recruiting start as the Blazers gear up to restart their program in 2017. Their 23-player recruiting class is ranked 44th nationally by 247Sports. That’s by far the highest ranking for a Conference USA team – Southern Miss is the next at 70th.
UAB’s class is ranked ahead of those for Virginia, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas and Mississippi State. The Blazers have commitments from 15 recruits rated 3 stars or higher and 18 junior college transfers. All will redshirt next season.
Alabama state officials have approved spending $15 million for a new football training facility, and Jefferson County officials are discussing how to fund a stadium to replace the aging Legion Field.
UAB coach Bill Clark led the Blazers to a 6-6 record in 2014 before the school announced it would shutter its team .
He stayed on at UAB in hopes the school would reverse the decision. After an outcry from outraged fans, students, faculty and alumni, officials indeed reversed the decision last spring.
Clark said UAB will sign about 15 players in December, and another 30 in February. UAB already has 30 players on campus, most of whom are walk-ons. Clark said he hopes to open camp in August with 105 players.
Clark said the decision to build a football training center has helped recruiting.
“Guys need to see a commitment,” Clark told al.com. “What you’re saying with this commitment is that football is important.”
quarterback’s father returns to S.C.
The family of ODU quarterback Shuler Bentley won’t have as far to drive next season to come watch him play.
Bobby Bentley is returning to his home state to coach running backs for new coach Will Muschamp at South Carolina.
One of the most successful high school coaches ever in South Carolina, Bentley spent the last two seasons at Auburn, where he was an offensive analyst, and thus not allowed to coach players on the field.
Bentley was 119-54 in two stints as the head coach at Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C. Byrnes won four consecutive state championships under Bentley.
The Bentley family – minus Bobby Bentley – attended every ODU home game.
Southern Miss’ Monken Coach of the Year
Todd Monken was named Conference USA Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Eagles to the West Division championship just three seasons after they were 0-12.
Monken was 1-11 in 2013 in his first season and 3-9 last season, but led Southern Miss to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Washington.
Western Kentucky quarterback Brandon Doughty, who led the Hilltoppers to the league championship, was named the Conference USA MVP for the second straight year.
Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens was named the top offensive player, Marshall linebacker Even McKelvey the top defensive player and Marshall ’s Deandre Reaves the top special teams player.
Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stocksill was Freshman of the Year and Louisiana Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel Newcomer of the Year.
Voting was done by the 13 league coaches.
– Harry Minium, The Pilot
Harry Minium, 757-446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com Twitter: @Harry_MiniumVP
Also, pay attention to what's being said about UAB and USM. Doc better get the recruiting effort in full swing or or he's going to have a class ranked in the middle of the pack.
ODU report
ODU will play same Conference USA teams in 2016 that Monarchs played in 2015
- Harry Minium Jr.
- 18 hrs ago
Buy Now
- Virginian-Pilot file photo
NORFOLK | Conference USA football teams will play the same opponents in 2016 that they played this season, with the sites reversed, assistant C-USA commissioner Russ Anderson said.
“That’s the plan,” Anderson said, though adding that scheduling decision isn’t final.
If the plan is ratified by athletic directors, as seems likely, Old Dominion would host the four teams it met on the road this fall: Florida International, Texas-San Antonio, Marshall and Southern Mississippi. It would play at UTEP, UNC Charlotte, Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky.
ODU athletic director Wood Selig said he was unaware of the scheduling decision, but said it would present concerns.
For one, the Monarchs would play UTEP for the third season in a row and for the second year in a row would not play Middle Tennessee State, even though both ODU and Middle Tennessee are in the East Division.
“And we’ve never played North Texas,” Selig said.
When UAB dropped football last December, the league was forced into odd-sized divisions – seven teams in the East, six in the West. That made it impossible to create a round-robin schedule among East Division teams.
UAB reversed itself and will return to the conference in 2017, so officials decided to put off a n overhaul of the schedule until then.
ODU appears likely to play three times in North Carolina: at Appalachian State on Sept. 10 and North Carolina State on Sept. 17, in addition to Charlotte.
The Monarchs will open at home against Hampton on Sept. 3 and will host the University of Massachusetts of the Mid-American Conference on Oct. 1.
so far, so good for UAB recruiting
UAB is off to a strong recruiting start as the Blazers gear up to restart their program in 2017. Their 23-player recruiting class is ranked 44th nationally by 247Sports. That’s by far the highest ranking for a Conference USA team – Southern Miss is the next at 70th.
UAB’s class is ranked ahead of those for Virginia, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas and Mississippi State. The Blazers have commitments from 15 recruits rated 3 stars or higher and 18 junior college transfers. All will redshirt next season.
Alabama state officials have approved spending $15 million for a new football training facility, and Jefferson County officials are discussing how to fund a stadium to replace the aging Legion Field.
UAB coach Bill Clark led the Blazers to a 6-6 record in 2014 before the school announced it would shutter its team .
He stayed on at UAB in hopes the school would reverse the decision. After an outcry from outraged fans, students, faculty and alumni, officials indeed reversed the decision last spring.
Clark said UAB will sign about 15 players in December, and another 30 in February. UAB already has 30 players on campus, most of whom are walk-ons. Clark said he hopes to open camp in August with 105 players.
Clark said the decision to build a football training center has helped recruiting.
“Guys need to see a commitment,” Clark told al.com. “What you’re saying with this commitment is that football is important.”
quarterback’s father returns to S.C.
The family of ODU quarterback Shuler Bentley won’t have as far to drive next season to come watch him play.
Bobby Bentley is returning to his home state to coach running backs for new coach Will Muschamp at South Carolina.
One of the most successful high school coaches ever in South Carolina, Bentley spent the last two seasons at Auburn, where he was an offensive analyst, and thus not allowed to coach players on the field.
Bentley was 119-54 in two stints as the head coach at Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C. Byrnes won four consecutive state championships under Bentley.
The Bentley family – minus Bobby Bentley – attended every ODU home game.
Southern Miss’ Monken Coach of the Year
Todd Monken was named Conference USA Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Eagles to the West Division championship just three seasons after they were 0-12.
Monken was 1-11 in 2013 in his first season and 3-9 last season, but led Southern Miss to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Washington.
Western Kentucky quarterback Brandon Doughty, who led the Hilltoppers to the league championship, was named the Conference USA MVP for the second straight year.
Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens was named the top offensive player, Marshall linebacker Even McKelvey the top defensive player and Marshall ’s Deandre Reaves the top special teams player.
Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stocksill was Freshman of the Year and Louisiana Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel Newcomer of the Year.
Voting was done by the 13 league coaches.
– Harry Minium, The Pilot
Harry Minium, 757-446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com Twitter: @Harry_MiniumVP
