{"id":1145,"date":"2011-11-18T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2011-11-18T16:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/?p=1145"},"modified":"2011-11-18T01:29:47","modified_gmt":"2011-11-18T07:29:47","slug":"d-ii-first-round-precaps-super-region-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/2011\/11\/18\/d-ii-first-round-precaps-super-region-two\/","title":{"rendered":"D-II: First Round Precaps, Super Region Two."},"content":{"rendered":"

Precaps for the first round games in Super Region Two, and information on the two teams that have byes, right after this friendly “read more” activation device:
\n
\n6 Albany State (8-3) at 3 North Greenville (9-2)<\/strong><\/span>
\nYounts Stadium, Tigerville SC, 12pm ET
\nAudio available via WMRZ<\/a> and WNGR<\/a>. Live Stats available via North Greenville<\/a>.
\nSeries: first meeting.<\/p>\n

Albany State Rams<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Albany GA
\nConference: Southern IAC
\nColors: Royal Blue and Old Gold
\nPlayoff appearances: 13, 3-12 (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
\nCoach: Mike White (12th year, 93-39)
\nKey games: 37-34 win over D-I FCS Savannah State on 9\/3; 49-28 win over then #23 Wingate on 9\/10; 30-27 loss to then #14 Valdosta State on 9\/17; 34-27 win over Miles on 9\/24; 26-24 loss at Lane on 10\/8; 25-15 win over Morehouse on 10\/15; 20-17 loss to Miles on 11\/12 in SIAC Championship Game.
\nOffense: 28.5 ppg, 365.5 ypg
\nDefense: 12.9 ppg, 228.5 ypg
\nPassing offense: 209.8 ypg
\nPassing defense: 161.2 ypg
\nRushing offense: 155.8 ypg
\nRushing defense: 67.2 ypg
\nTurnover margin: -3
\nKey players: QB Stan Jennings (54.9%, 2392 yds, 26 TD, 11 INT), RB Robert Welton (160-882, 73.5 ypg, 10 TD), WR Ronnie Childs (45-1005, 83.8 ypg, 12 TD), LB Jacob Hardwick (14.5 sacks, 23 TFL)
\nOther notes: It’s a pretty balanced attack. Defensively, they’re death to running things, and pretty stout against the pass as well. The only problem is that those stats have been compiled against the SIAC, in a year when one of the SIAC’s main powers couldn’t seem to find the floor if you threw them down. As you can see by the Key Games list above, they’ve bounced up and down the stairs pretty randomly all year.<\/p>\n

North Greenville Crusaders<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Tigerville SC
\nConference: independent
\nColors: Red and Black
\nPlayoff appearances: 1 (2011)
\nCoach: Jamey Chadwell (3rd year, 20-13)
\nKey games: 38-28 loss at Mars Hill on 9\/24, 35-27 win over Lenoir-Rhyne on 10\/1; 54-7 win at Wingate on 11\/5
\nOffense: 37.9 ppg, 439.2 ypg
\nDefense: 17.6 ppg, 291.2 ypg
\nPassing offense: 188.4 ypg
\nPassing defense: 169.1 ypg
\nRushing offense: 250.8 ypg
\nRushing defense: 122.1 ypg
\nTurnover margin: +6
\nKey players: QB Willy Korn (60.3%, 2017 yds, 21 TD, 8 INT), RB Teryan Rucker (127-807, 73.4 ypg, 6 TD), RB Idris Anderson (112-678, 61.6 ypg, 12 TD), WR Freddie Martino (52-816, 74.2 ypg, 5 TD)
\nOther notes: A strong one-two punch from the backfield, complemented by a solid, if not gaudy passing game. Although independent, North Greenville does pretty much play a South Atlantic Conference schedule, so the competition hasn’t been pansies.<\/p>\n

Jon’s Prediction:<\/span>
\nNorth Greenville 37, Albany State 21. I just don’t think Albany’s been tested enough to justify the assumption that they’re going to shut down NGU’s running game. There’s also the turnover discrepancy to consider, as well as the fact that the Crusaders are liable to hold Albany to a much smaller portion of their normal offensive yardage — both through the air and on the ground.<\/p>\n

5 North Alabama (8-2) at 4 West Alabama (8-3)<\/strong><\/span>
\nTiger Stadium, Livingston AL, 1pm ET
\nLive Stats available via Sidearm<\/a>.
\nSeries: North Alabama leads 47-16-1.<\/p>\n

North Alabama Lions<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Florence AL
\nConference: Gulf South
\nColors: Purple and Gold
\nPlayoff appearances: 17, 28-13, 3 titles (1980, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995<\/strong>, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
\nCoach: Terry Bowden (3rd year, 28-8; 139-61-2 overall including stints at Salem, Samford, and Auburn)
\nKey games: 48-21 win over Glenville State on 9\/10; 23-17 win over then #3 Abilene Christian on 9\/17; 24-30 loss to then #2 Delta State on 10\/13; 26-31 loss at then #23 West Alabama on 10\/27; 30-23 win over Valdosta State on 11\/12
\nOffense: 32.4 ppg, 431.6 ypg
\nDefense: 17.9 ppg, 366.7 ypg
\nPassing offense: 297.2 ypg
\nPassing defense: 210.5 ypg
\nRushing offense: 134.4 ypg
\nRushing defense: 156.2 ypg
\nTurnover margin: +3
\nKey players: QB Lee Chapple (64.8%, 2764 yds, 21 TD, 12 INT), RB Wes Holland (107-516, 51.6 ypg, 1 TD), WR Mo Miliam (64-794, 88.2 ypg, 5 TD), WR T.J. Purifoy (43-690, 69.0 ypg, 7 TD), PR Janoris Jenkins (15-294, 2 TD)
\nOther notes: The Lions have had 320 consecutive carries without a fumble. The offense is geared toward the pass, but Chapple is prone to throw picks; hence the low turnover margin despite only four lost fumbles all year. The team has been maddeningly inconsistent this year.<\/p>\n

West Alabama Tigers<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Livingston AL
\nConference: Gulf South
\nColors: Red and White
\nPlayoff appearances:
\nCoach: Will Hall (1st year, 8-3)
\nKey games: 31-26 win over then #5 North Alabama on 10\/27; 34-36 loss at then #1 Delta State on 11\/5
\nOffense: 30.4 ppg, 395.9 ypg
\nDefense: 21.0 ppg, 362.1 ypg
\nPassing offense: 169.2 ypg
\nPassing defense: 224.6 ypg
\nRushing offense: 226.7 ypg
\nRushing defense: 137.5 ypg
\nTurnover margin: +11
\nKey players: QB Kyle Caldwell (55.8%, 1311 yds, 12 TD, 8 INT, 353 rushing yards), RB Matthew Willis (266-1408, 131.8 ypg, 15 TD), K Ryne Smith (9-11, 2-2 outside 40)
\nOther notes: West Alabama can pound you on the ground, but the passing game will keep you honest. It’s been a great season under first year coach Will Hall, although only a couple of games stand out.<\/p>\n

Jon’s Prediction:<\/span>
\nWest Alabama 23, North Alabama 21. Not much different from their first meeting, really, but the offenses for both teams have slowed a little since then.<\/p>\n

The byes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

2 Mars Hill (8-2)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mars Hill Lions<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Mars Hill NC
\nConference: South Atlantic
\nColors: Royal Blue and Gold
\nPlayoff appearances: 1 (2011; last post-season action was in 1980 as a member of the NAIA)
\nCoach: Tim Clifton (19th year, 95-83)
\nKey games: 39-28 win over North Greenville on 9\/24; 51-21 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne on 10\/22;
\nOffense: 31.1 ppg, 450.9 ypg
\nDefense: 28.9 ppg, 383.1 ypg
\nPassing offense: 208.1 ypg
\nPassing defense: 181.9 ypg
\nRushing offense: 242.8 ypg
\nRushing defense: 201.2 ypg
\nTurnover margin: -3
\nKey players: QB Jon Richt (54.0%, 1738 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT), RB Jonas Randolph (328-1970, 197.0 ypg, 17 TD), DL Troy Harris (7.5 sacks, 10.5 TFL)
\nOther notes: Smoke and mirrors… and Jonas Randolph. They can probably get out of the second round, but getting past whichever Gulf South team emerges from the other half of the bracket will be tricky.<\/p>\n

1 Delta State (9-2)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Delta State Statesmen<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nLocation: Cleveland MS
\nConference: Gulf South
\nColors: Forest Green and White
\nPlayoff appearances: 7, 12-5, 1 title (1998, 2000<\/strong>, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)
\nCoach: Ron Roberts (5th year, 45-15)
\nKey games: 28-21 win in OT over Elizabeth City State on 8\/27; 24-23 loss to D-I FCS Northwestern State on 9\/1; 45-14 win over then #25 Ouachita Baptist on 10\/1; 30-24 win at then #1 North Alabama on 10\/13; 36-33 win over then #10 Valdosta State on 10\/22; 36-34 win over then #18 West Alabama on 11\/5; 39-35 loss at West Georgia on 11\/12
\nOffense: 34.1 ppg, 471.7 ypg
\nDefense: 25.4 ppg, 330.7 ypg
\nPassing offense: 283.7 ypg
\nPassing defense: 198.6 ypg
\nRushing offense: 188.0 ypg
\nRushing defense: 132.1 ypg
\nTurnover margin: -3
\nKey players: QB Micah Davis (61.3%, 2993 yds, 19 TD, 16 INT, 11 rushing TD), RB Brandon Lucas (99-592, 59.2 ypg, 4 TD)
\nOther notes: They spent four weeks at #1 before stumbling at West Georgia last week. They’re not winning pretty; their three conference wins were by an average of less than four points, and their other signature win was in overtime. They’re vulnerable, but the rest of the Super Region is sort of weak, so they may get through.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Precaps for the first round games in Super Region Two, and information on the two teams that have byes, right after this friendly “read more” activation device:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,7],"tags":[9],"class_list":["post-1145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-division-ii","category-division-news-and-notes","tag-d2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p185sV-it","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1145"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1145\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1147,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1145\/revisions\/1147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jonfmorse.com\/tog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}