Bishop Media Sports Network
Miami Hurricanes Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The University of Miami has to be one of the greatest programs in recent history. Most traditional powerhouses like Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan or USC were dominant back in the 1930’s and 40’s. Miami won their first national championship in 1983 and won a total of five in 18 years (1983-2001).
The Hurricanes have also had their share of controversy, being placed on probation by the NCAA a few times. Most recently they were on probation for 3 years and that just ended October 2016.
The Canes defected from the Big East and joined the ACC in 2004 along with Boston College and Virginia Tech. Since joining the ACC they’ve never won a conference championship or even played in the ACC Championship game.
This could be the year for that to change. Long time Georgia head coach Mark Richt returned to his alma mater last season. He led them to a 9-4 record and a win in the Russell Athletic Bowl over No. 14 West Virginia (10-3).
They have to replace prolific quarterback Brad Kaaya, who left school early for the NFL. He wasn’t selected until the sixth round (215th overall) so he honestly should have stayed at U of M but that’s a discussion for another day.
Junior Malik Rosier is the only QB on the roster with any experience, throwing two touchdowns and three picks in 61 career pass attempts. The fan favorite is dual-threat freshman N’Kosi Perry.
The offensive line also needs to improve drastically. They struggled in pass protection last season. They are comprised of three seniors and two juniors so they have experience.
Junior running back Mark Walton should have another big year. He ran for 1,117 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2016. He finished second to Lamar Jackson in the number of votes for the All-ACC preseason team this year.
Ahmmon Richards was one of three Canes to be named a Freshman All-American. The speedy receiver led Miami last season in receiving yards and yards per catch.
Manny Diaz was hired as defensive coordinator in January after one year at Mississippi State. Miami has one of the best D-lines in the country, with a gifted front four of Chad Thomas (11 tackles for loss last season), Kendrick Norton (10 TFLs), RJ McIntosh (nine TFLs) and Joe Jackson (8.5 sacks as a freshman last year).
The defense only gave up 18.5 points per game last year, 12th-fewest in the country. A trio of freshman linebackers started last year. Two of them, Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney were named to the freshman All-American team. The secondary is where they might struggle. They were ranked 47th in passing defense.
Playing in the much weaker Coastal division means they have an easier chance at playing in the ACC Championship game. They don’t have Louisville or Clemson on the schedule.
The season opens with FCS Bethune-Cookman. The next week is at Arkansas State. This is basically the college version of preseason games, both easy blowout wins.
Things will get drastically harder week 3, which is in Tallahassee against No. 3 FSU. I think they’ll lose.
The only game after this that they may not be favored in is home against Notre Dame on November 11. The last out of conference game is against Toledo and the other Atlantic division opponent is Syracuse. Based on superior talent they should also run through Duke, Pitt, GA Tech, Virginia, VA Tech and North Carolina.
I think Miami can realistically win ten regular season games and finally compete to win the ACC.
North Carolina Tar Heels Preview
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
You’ll have to excuse North Carolina football fans if they’re simultaneously over-zealous, yet skeptical, about any decent football coach their school gets.
You see, after witnessing arguably the most successful ten year period in their program’s history during the Mack Brown era, they still vividly remember losing him to Texas after back to back 10 win seasons. It’s embedded in their psyche, really.
After the coaching carousel they went through after Brown’s departure- Carl Torbush (the Matt Doherty of Carolina football coaches); John Bunting (nice guy, bad coach); Butch Davis (NCAA investigation ring a bell)- you can understand their trepidation when it comes to current head coach, Larry Fedora.
Kennesaw State Owls Preview
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Entering its third year of existence the Kennesaw State University football program, by playing well and providing some big wins for two years, has something it didn’t have before. It has something that, usually, no third-year program has any right to have. It has expectations.
Knights Early Journey
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After two weeks, Brandon Derrick’s Knights are 1-1.
Their first game was in Montgomery, Alabama against Parklane Academy of Mississippi.
On top of first game jitters, the Knights faced extreme heat and a very big and talented Parklane team. The Knights kicked off at 230 central time. The on field temperature had to be close to 110 degrees. The Knights started off very sloppy.
Glynn Academy’s Season Opener
By: Christian Goeckel
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The football season in Glynn County began with a resounding thud, as Glynn Academy fell to Benedictine 33-8.
What was expected to be a heavyweight fight became more of a “Who can put the ball on the ground more?”.
Jason Bishop Show August 19
SSE Minute August 19
SSE Minute August 18
Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Richmond Hill’s own Nick Fitzgerald is back for his junior season in Starkville, Mississippi as he leads his Mississippi State Bulldogs into SEC play.
When Fitzgerald played for Richmond Hill he ran the triple option system and dominated Coastal Georgia during his time as the Wildcats starting quarterback. He was rated a three star QB when he signed with the Bulldogs in 2014. Fitzgerald redshirted in 2014 and served as Dak Prescott’s back-up in 2015.
Fitzgerald got his chance in 2016 to be the face of Bulldog football and did not disappoint. Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs to an upset win over No. 4 Texas A&M, recording 391 yards of total offense and scoring 4 total touchdowns, including a 74-yard touchdown run on the Bulldogs’ first offensive play.
In the Egg Bowl, the Bulldogs’ annual season finale against in state rival Ole Miss, Fitzgerald led Mississippi State to a 55-20 victory and accounted for 5 total touchdowns (3 passing 2 rushing) while setting a Mississippi State single game rushing record with 258 yards.
Here is a mind blowing stat; Fitzgerald, who plays QB, was the second leading rusher in the SEC in 2016 with 1375 yards and a 7.1 YPC average.
Derrius Guice of LSU led the SEC with 1387 yards rushing. Fitzgerald had more rushing yards in 2016 than Leonard Fournette, Nick Chubb, and Kamryn Pettway. That is saying a lot folks.
Fitzgerald also passed for 2400 yards. He accounted for 37 TD’s in 2016 (21 passing and 16 rushing) and accounted for 3,800 yards of total offense. Fitzgerald has the perfect skill set to run Dan Mullen’s spread attack in Starkville. Fitzgerald is a developing passer who must improve on his completion percentage. It was 54.3% in 2016.
Offensive line is a huge question mark for the Bulldogs. Donald Gray and Keith Mixon lead the WR group. Farrod Green and Justin Johnson are good TE’s and could be good options as well in the passing game.
Aeris Williams is a solid RB who had 720 yards in 2016 and could take on a bigger role in running game and could take some of the rushing load off Fitzgerald.
Former UGA DC Todd Grantham takes over the MSU defense in 2017. Grantham is the 4th DC in 4 years in Starkville. Grantham has an attacking style and has some players in place to make a difference.
Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, a former five-star recruit, and linebacker Leo Lewis are both top tier talents in the SEC. Chauncey Rivers road to Starkville was chronicled in Last Chance U and he will provide a spark on defense. Johnathan Abram a UGA transfer will help in the secondary.
The Schedule/Predicted win/loss: The Bulldogs will beat Charleston Southern, Louisiana Tech, UMass, BYU, and Ole Miss who will be beaten to a pulp by the NCAA. That is five sure wins I see.
Losses: I don’t see the Bulldogs beating UGA and Auburn on the road. They will not beat Alabama at home.
So the Bulldogs are sitting at 5-3. Let’s take a look at the toss-up games I see on the MSU schedule:
September 16th LSU in Starkville. I’m not sold on LSU in 2017 yet. Especially at the QB position. I think the Bulldogs get Davis Wade Stadium rocking and pull the upset.
October 21st: Kentucky comes to Starkville in an evenly matched game. Nick Fitzgerald will be the difference and MSU wins.
October 28th @ Texas A&M: MSU upset the Aggies in 2016. That won’t happen in 2017 in College Station.
November 18th @ Arkansas: Tough game for the Bulldogs. I think they find a way to beat Arkansas on the road.
Season Record: 8-4 and 4-4 in the SEC with a Liberty Bowl berth in Memphis.
Brandon Derrick Show Aug 16
