Arkansas Sports 360.com - July 2008 - (Page 32) ConferenCe Gulf South Preseason rePort VALDOSTA THE CHOICE The Deep South-based Lindy’s preseason football magazine tabbed Valdosta State as the team to beat: not in the Gulf South Conference, but in the nation. That would be “again,” of course, since the Blazers won the Division II national championship last year. Here’s a look at Lindy’s national preseason D-II Top 25 with Gulf South teams in bold: 1. Valdosta State 2. Northwest Missouri State 3. Grand Valley State 4. North Dakota 5. Central Washington 6. California (PA) 7. North Alabama 8. Nebraska-Omaha 9. Delta State 10. West Texas A&M 11. Chadron State 12. Abilene Christian 13. Carson-Newman 14. Southern Conn. State 15. Catawba 16. Tuskegee 17. Indiana (PA) 18. Shepherd 19. West Chester 20. Newberry 21. Ashland 22. Mesa State 23. Washburn 24. Pittsburg State 25. Winona State While none of the Arkansas-based Gulf South teams cracked the top 25, several members of state teams made the preseason national All-Division II team: Punter Michael Podobnik of Arkansas Tech, first team; and offensive lineman Ross Conn of Harding, athlete and wide receiver Zac Ross of Harding and defensive back Rodney Anthony of Southern Arkansas on the second team. UniveRSity of ARkAnSAS At MontiCeLLo GRoWinG UP FaST: UAM quarterback Scott Buisson scrambled his way to the league’s 2007 freshman of the year honor. State Schools Aim for Playoffs Maxfield, Henderson Hope to Avoid Heartbreakers This Time crushing 21-20 loss at home gone 8-0 in conference play, to Arkansas Tech. If just followed by North Alabama a couple of kicking-game and Valdosta State at 7-1. plays had gone the other Unfortunately for the six former members way, Henderson would have of the Arkansas Interbeen the GSC champion at 8-0. The Reddies had two collegiate Conference that field-goal attempts of less than play in the GSC, there Predicted 30 yards blocked at Delta were no postseason berths order of finish State in the fourth quarter. in 2007. Coming into this 1. North Alabama Arkansas Tech blocked two season, Lindy’s College Football 2. Valdosta State punts for touchdowns against Magazine has Valdosta State 3. Henderson State Henderson. The Reddies’ ranked No. 1 in Division 4. Delta State last four GSC losses have II, North Alabama at No. 5. Harding been by a combined total of 7 and Delta State at No. 9. 6. Arkansas Tech 10 points. None of the six Arkansas 7. Ouachita Baptist No one can deny that schools made the magazine’s 8. UAM 9. West Alabama Maxfield has completely preseason Top 25. The Reddies of Henderson 10. Southern Arkansas turned the Henderson State came the closest among 11. West Georgia program around since the Arkansas schools to becoming head coach in making the playoffs last fall, finishing 2005. Maxfield, who had success in the junior college ranks in Texas, inherited the 2007 season with records of 6-2 in a program that had experienced nine conference and 7-3 overall. For coach consecutive losing seasons with a record Scott Maxfield’s Reddies, it was a case of of 26-71. His three teams at Henderson what might have been. Henderson lost 9-7 have gone 3-8, 8-3 and 7-3. It’s the first time to Delta State on the road and then had a By rex nelson FoR THoSE SoUTHERNERS WHo regularly and loudly claim that the Gulf South Conference is the toughest football conference in NCAA Division II — the Southeastern Conference of D-II, if you will — the 2007 season bolstered the argument. Three Gulf South teams — Valdosta State from Georgia, Delta State from Mississippi and North Alabama — made the Division II playoffs. It was the fifth consecutive season for multiple GSC teams to be involved in postseason play. North Alabama and Valdosta both received first-round playoff byes. Delta State defeated Shaw in the first round before falling to North Alabama, 20-17, in the second round. Valdosta State, meanwhile, took care of Catawba in the second round and then beat North Alabama 37-23 in a quarterfinal game. The Blazers went on to win two more games, earning their second national championship in four seasons and becoming the first GSC team to win a national title without having first won the league crown. Delta State had July 2008 32 ArkansasSports360.com http://ArkansasSports360.com
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