The Southern Conference, the nation’s
fourth oldest, is back with goals of making waves again in 2002.
After a 2001 season marked by great accomplishments, SoCon teams
look to repeat the success of the last four years.
In 2001, Southern Conference teams Georgia Southern
University, Furman University and Appalachian State University were
all primed to make a run at the National Championship. However,
due to the tragic events of 9-11, the division I-AA playoffs were
regionalized to reduce air travel.
This change meant SoCon teams had to play each other in the quarterfinals
and semifinals. Appalachian was eliminated by Georgia Southern,
Georgia Southern by Furman, and then Furman to Montana in the championship.
This season will mark the end of the road for one SoCon team. Virginia
Military Institute is playing its last season in the conference.
VMI, the league’s current oldest member since 1924, will join
the Big South Conference on June 30, 2003. VMI will be replaced
by the Elon University Phoenix starting with the 2003 football season.
Many of the top teams from a year ago are littered with changes
for 2002. Appalachian State is not one of them.
Starting at the top, the Mountaineers have head coach Jerry Moore
calling the shots again this season. Moore is the winningest coach
in ASU history with 107 and second only to Wallace Wade of Duke
University with 110.
ASU also boasts the top passer in the SoCon with the return of senior
quarterback Joe Burchette. Burchette is rated in the top 10 passers
in yardage, attempts, completions, completion-percentage and touchdowns
in ASU history.
The Mountaineers also return senior running back Jerry Beard. After
sharing the job for the past two seasons, Beard will be the feature
back in ASU’s offensive scheme. Beard owns 1,429 career rushing
yards and will try to become the eighth
Appalachian ball carrier to eclipse 2,000 yards for a career.
On the defensive side of the ball, Appalachian is returning 11 starters
from last season. Among these is Buck Buchanan Award favorite and
2001 consensus All-American Josh Jeffries. He is ASU’s career
leader in quarterback sacks, 25.5, and pressures, 95.
Junior K.T. Stovall also returns to help bookend the defensive line.
Stovall was second on the team with 8.5 sacks and led the team with
17 tackles for loss in 2001. Stovall will try to make good on his
preseason All-SoCon selection.
The other two-playoff teams from the conference are far less stable
to start this season. Both Georgia Southern and Furman will be playing
this season with new head coaches.
New Furman head coach Bobby Lamb is taking the reins from Bobby
Johnson, who was appointed head coach at Vanderbilt University following
the 2001 season.
Georgia Southern’s new leader, Mike Sewak, also moved from
offensive coordinator to head coach this season. The position as
the Eagles head coach became vacant when Paul Johnson took the job
as head coach of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Also joining the ranks of head coach this season
is Kent Briggs. Briggs is taking over at Western Carolina for 2001
SoCon Coach of the Year Bill Bleil.
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