The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

[dfsJunkie]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Really excited to see what Sledge brings to the table

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

If only my Red Raiders could recruit as well in real life as they can in this dynasty, my life would be complete.

Maybe their current recruiting prowess in this report will allow them to land virtual Patrick Mahomes in a few years? It's shaping up to be QBU in Lubbock, for sure!

Really excited to see what Sledge brings to the table

As am I! Think he's the possession receiver that this team desperately needs, especially with Stephen Carter's inconsistencies. He should be able to make a big impact right away.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Manning, Burton Selected on NFL Draft’s Third Day
Two of CMU's three star juniors were picked in this weekend’s NFL Draft; Undrafted Matt Johnson to sign with Tennessee

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- For the first time in 70 years, Carnegie Mellon University had its name called in the NFL Draft as the school saw two of its three star juniors selected on the third day of this weekend’s annual entry draft. Cornerback Calvin Burton was picked 185th overall (6th round) by the New Orleans Saints, and runningback Jim Manning went 209th overall (7th round) by the Chicago Bears.

The duo are the first Tartans to be selected since Merl Condit was picked by the Cleveland Rams with the 15th overall selection (2nd round) of 1940 NFL Draft. They are also the fifth and sixth CMU players to be drafted, joining Ray Carnelly (1939, 125th overall, 13th round, Brooklyn Dodgers), Condit, Jack Lee (1939, 81st overall, 10th round, Pittsburgh Pirates), and Maury Patt (1937, 47th overall, 5th round, Detroit Lions).

“We’re so happy to see Calvin (Burton) and Jim (Manning) drafted Sunday,” said Tartans fifth-year head coach John Elliott. “Both them as well as Matt (Johnson) worked their tails off over their three seasons here, and are terrific representatives of the university. I believe they all landed in terrific situations that will take advantage of their skillsets, and we’re all excited to see them compete at the next level.”

While not joining his classmates as a NFL Draft pick, Matt Johnson signed an undrafted free agent contract with the reigning Super Bowl champion Tennessee Titans and will compete for a backup outside linebacker spot in the preseason.

Burton finished as CMU’s record holder in career interceptions (17) and single-game interceptions, matching the NCAA standard in the latter with five on Sept. 27, 2008 against Buffalo. Despite his production, he was tabbed with a seventh-round projection in the months leading up to the draft, based partially on quality of competition and the amount of risks he takes instead of making the sure play.

Manning, a two-time All-American, owns the Tartans records in career rushing yards (4,623) and touchdowns (43), single-season rushing yards (1,936, 2009) and touchdowns (23, 2009), and single-game rushing yards (331; Oct. 10, 2007 vs. Villanova). A rough effort at the combine that saw him run a 4.67 40-yard dash left Manning as a projected seventh-round draft pick, and he ended up as the third-to-last runningback taken.

[dfsJunkie]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Bears got a steal! Excited to follow those guys in the pros to see what they do.

[moose141]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Manning going to run for an NFL record yardage after getting the chip on his shoulder with that late pick! Should be fun to see how their careers pan out; wish the Steelers had taken a chance on a local guy. Feel like your roster moves have seen a lot of guys leave Pittsburgh and not join!

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Bears got a steal! Excited to follow those guys in the pros to see what they do.

Agreed! I think Manning has a solid shot to really impress in Chicago, he's definitely behind Cedric Benson in the pecking order but should find himself getting some carries.

Manning going to run for an NFL record yardage after getting the chip on his shoulder with that late pick! Should be fun to see how their careers pan out; wish the Steelers had taken a chance on a local guy. Feel like your roster moves have seen a lot of guys leave Pittsburgh and not join!

Haha I'm sure he feels slighted going that late! I expected him to go in the later rounds due to his NCAA ratings, and really was just happy that he and Burton made the exported draft class. (Johnson didn't, hence why I had to create him as a UDFA.) It would be nice for Pittsburgh to take a chance on my guys, and they'll certainly have more opportunities to do so in the near future (Todd Andriano is a lock for one of the next two draft classes, and I think Matt Fitch and/or Justin Keyes could find themselves as projected late rounders in the 2011 class), but I like to leave it up to chance and not have a say in where they go once in the game. I think I will take control of Chicago at least and try to boost Manning up through training camp drills so that he can have a shot at a long and successful career, and probably will do the same with New Orleans and Tennessee - we'll just have to see!

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Raiders Select Sapp with NFL Draft Top Pick
Ricky Sapp is the second Clemson defensive end to go first overall in four seasons, joining Gaines Adams

NEW YORK, N.Y. (AP) -- For the second time in four seasons, a Clemson defensive end topped the NFL Draft board.

Three years after Gaines Adams’ number one overall selection by the Kansas City Chiefs, his former teammate Ricky Sapp was picked by the Oakland Raiders with the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Sapp becomes the 12th defensive end to go first overall, and the third since 2006 (Mario Williams).

Sapp was one of two pass rushers to be selected in the top four, with Willie Young of North Carolina State going fourth overall to the Buffalo Bills. Biletnikoff winner Dominique Douglas of Iowa was the first offensive weapon off the board, going third to the Cleveland Browns, while Miami (Fla.) signal-caller Cameron Newton was snagged with the fifth overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys, who traded with their NFC East rivals in the New York Giants.

Newton was one of three quarterbacks to be selected in the first round, alongside Texas’ Colt McCoy (sixth overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton (14th overall, Kansas City Chiefs). A total of four runningbacks were picked within the first 32 selections in USC’s Stafon Johnson (10th overall, Oakland Raiders via Detroit Lions), LSU’s Charles Scott (18th overall, Atlanta Falcons), Texas A&M’s Mike Goodson (20th overall, Cincinnati Bengals), and Notre Dame’s James Aldridge (29th overall, Washington Redskins).

A full breakdown of the draft’s first round and other notable picks can be found below.

NFL Draft First Round
R1, P1 | OAK | Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson
R1, P2 | ARZ | Andrew Gonnella, OT, Maryland
R1, P3 | CLE | Dominique Douglas, WR, Iowa
R1, P4 | BUF | Willie Young, DE, North Carolina State
R1, P5 | DAL (via NYG) | Cameron Newton, QB, Miami (Fla.)
R1, P6 | TB | Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
R1, P7 | MIN | Aaron Ware, FS, UCLA
R1, P8 | MIA (via SD) | Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
R1, P9 | HOU | Perry Riley, OLB, LSU
R1, P10 | OAK (via DET) | Stafon Johnson, HB, USC
R1, P11 | SF | Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
R1, P12 | JAX | Riley Cooper, WR, Florida
R1, P13 | NYG (via DAL) | Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
R1, P14 | KC | Jonathan Crompton, QB, Tennessee
R1, P15 | SD (via MIA) | Brandon Spikes, MLB, Florida
R1, P16 | CAR | Derrick Jones, WR, Oregon
R1, P17 | CHI | Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
R1, P18 | ATL | Charles Scott, HB, LSU
R1, P19 | NYJ | Jermichael Finley, TE, Texas
R1, P20 | CIN | Mike Goodson, HB, Texas A&M
R1, P21 | BUF (via GB) | Ryan Reynolds, OLB, Oklahoma
R1, P22 | PIT | Sam Young, OT, Notre Dame
R1, P23 | PHI | Brandon Graham, MLB, Michigan
R1, P24 | IND | Prince Hall, MLB, Alabama
R1, P25 | NO | Justin Boren, C, Michigan
R1, P26 | BAL | Myron Rolle, SS, Florida State
R1, P27 | SEA | Nick Alletto, G, BYU
R1, P28 | DEN | Rafael Eubanks, C, Iowa
R1, P29 | WAS | James Aldridge, HB, Notre Dame
R1, P30 | NE | Brandon Walker, G, Oklahoma
R1, P31 | STL | Braxton Amy, SS, UTEP
R1, P32 | TEN | Konrad Reuland, TE, Notre Dame

Other Notable NFL Draft Selections
R2, P35 | CLE | Will Harris, SS, USC
R2, P38 | TB | Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
R2, P44 | JAX | LaMarcus Coker, HB, Tennessee
R2, P46 | KC | Tray Blackmon, OLB, Auburn
R2, P50 | ATL | Jarrett Brown, QB, West Virginia
R2, P56 | IND | Phillip Taylor, DE, Penn State
R2, P59 | SD | Matt Grothe, QB, South Florida
R2, P62 | NE | Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
R2, P63 | STL | Dana Brown, HB, Iowa
R2, P64 | TEN | C.J. Spiller, HB, Clemson
R3, P66 | ARZ | Lamarr Houston, DE, Texas
R3, P68 | BUF | Jeremiha Hunter, OLB, Iowa
R3, P69 | NYG | P.J. Hill, HB, Wisconsin
R3, P70 | TB | Jamere Holland, WR, USC
R3, P72 | SD | Daryll Clark, QB, Penn State
R3, P73 | HOU | Andrew Quarless, TE, Penn State
R3, P88 | IND | Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State
R3, P89 | NO | A.J. Jimmerson, HB, Michigan State
R3, P90 | BAL | Nate Davis, QB, Ball State
R3, P91 | SD | Montario Hardesty, HB, Louisville
R4, P100 | GB | Marcus Jackson, QB, TCU
R4, P101 | NYG | Dez Bryant, WR, Miami (Fla.)
R4, P102 | TB | James Cleveland, WR, Iowa
R4, P103 | IND | Riley Skinner, QB, Wake Forest
R4, P112 | CAR | Trindon Holliday, WR, LSU
R4, P113 | WAS | Evan Sharpley, QB, Notre Dame
R4, P114 | ATL | Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh
R4, P118 | PIT | Juice Williams, QB, Illinois
R5, P133 | NYG | Ike Whitaker, QB, Virginia Tech
R5, P134 | TB | Chris Bell, WR, Penn State
R5, P135 | MIN | Edward Britton, WR, Texas Tech
R5, P141 | DAL | Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
R5, P144 | CAR | David Ausberry, WR, USC
R5, P151 | PHI | Karsten Sween, QB, Wyoming
R6, P171 | SF | Damion Fletcher, HB, Southern Miss
R6, P185 | NO | Calvin Burton, CB, Carnegie Mellon
R7, P209 | CHI | Jim Manning, HB, Carnegie Mellon
R7, P212 | CIN | Munir Prince, HB, Notre Dame
R7, P214 | PIT | Brandon James, HB, Florida
R7, P219 | SEA | Arvell Nelson, QB, Iowa
R7, P221 | WAS | Michael Smith, HB, Arkansas

[young22]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Manning is gonna make everyone pay for passing on him! Fits with the Bears, that old-school name with an old-school team.

Also, Cam in Dallas is something I never knew I needed to see until now. Perfect personality for them, Skip Bayless might have an aneurysm with his up and down play though, haha.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Manning is gonna make everyone pay for passing on him! Fits with the Bears, that old-school name with an old-school team.

Also, Cam in Dallas is something I never knew I needed to see until now. Perfect personality for them, Skip Bayless might have an aneurysm with his up and down play though, haha.

Definitely love the fit in Chicago for Jim! He should be the #2 right away there I think, and hopefully I can build him up to a point where it would be realistic for the Bears to give him the starting job by letting Cedric Benson walk.

And in this universe, virtual First Take would be must-see television with Cam in Dallas.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Reggie Wayne Joins New England
The longtime Indianapolis Colts wide receiver was let go after the NFL Draft due to salary cap concerns

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The rivalry between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady has seemed to lose a little luster over the last few seasons, but the biggest move of the post-draft free agency period might have sparked it back up.

One of Manning’s top targets, 10th-year wide receiver Reggie Wayne, has signed a contract with the New England Patriots after being released earlier in the week as a salary cap causality. Wayne, who spent his first nine seasons as a member of the Colts, finished the 2009 season with 72 catches, 919 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.

The Patriots also signed veteran defensive end Jevon Kearse after he was released by the Dallas Cowboys. New England lost Brady’s backup, Drew Weatherford, in the post-draft free agency period after he inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers.

Notable NFL Free Agency Moves
Drew Weatherford, QB, NE to CAR
Matt Flynn, QB, CIN to TEN
Thomas Jones, HB, NYJ to IND
Domanick Williams, HB, NO to TB
Lendale White, HB, CIN to OAK
Reggie Wayne, WR, IND to NE
Dwayne Bowe, WR, CIN to SD
Jevon Kearse, DE, DAL to NE
Joey Porter, OLB, MIA to GB
Derek Smith, MLB, SD to CHI
Patrick Surtain, CB, NYJ to MIA
Darren Sharper, SS, STL to CHI

[dfsJunkie]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Wow Dwayne Bowe and Jevon Kearse... those are some throwbacks!

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Tartans picked fourth in MAC, second in MAC East

In the annual preseason poll of MAC coaches, Carnegie Mellon was selected to finish second in the MAC East division and fourth overall. Toledo, the reigning champion, was picked as the preseason favorite, followed by Central Michigan, Akron, and the Tartans.

The Zips, who came ahead of CMU in the MAC East projections, finished last season at 5-7 overall and a 5-3 league record. The two teams did not play despite being in the same division.

CMU sees 10 earn Preseason All-MAC recognition

Carnegie Mellon placed 10 of its players on Preseason All-MAC teams, a large step forward from how the program was perceived entering the 2009 season.

On the first team was senior quarterback Justin Keyes (126.5 QB rtg., 183-301, 2,202 yards, 16 TD, 20 INT; 142 carries, 596 yards, 8 TD), senior guard Eric Fraser, sophomore defensive tackle Matt Burnsides (49 tackles, 8 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR), junior linebacker Mark Toth (82 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 INT, 6 FF, 1 FR), senior cornerback Hayden Temple (41 tackles, 5 INT, 1 FR), junior free safety Todd Andriano (49 tackles, 7 INT, 1 FF), and redshirt sophomore return specialist Jon Crowell (31 kick returns, 675 yards; 14 punt returns, 150 yards, 1 TD).

The second team included junior tight end David Young (16 catches, 203 yards, 3 TD), junior offensive tackle Jason Baker, and senior guard Matt Fitch.

10 Tartan newcomers set to redshirt

Following fall camp, CMU fifth-year head coach John Elliott has announced that 10 freshmen will be redshirted to preserve their four years of eligibility.

The Tartans will sit quarterbacks Gerald Culver and Albert Williams, runningbacks Brandon Handy, Kyle Holland, and Dante Joseph, defensive end Gavin Walker, linebacker Jordan Gibson, safeties Jabari London and Graham Taylor, and punter R.J. Lovelady. Culver will serve as the emergency third quarterback should CMU need one.

Among the new freshmen that have landed in the two-deep depth chart include: runningback Lawrence McIntire, wide receivers Travis Sledge, Kelvin Butler, and Bo Robinson, linebacker Brandon Williams, and cornerback Rob Jones.

Keyes, Temple named team captains

Carnegie Mellon announced its team captains on Wednesday, and as expected seniors Justin Keyes and Hayden Temple were picked by their peers to lead the 2010 team.

Keyes, entering his fourth year as the starting signal-caller, had a breakout 2009 season that was highlighted by his performance in the MAC Championship Game against #16 Toledo. The Montgomery, Ohio native accumulated 2,798 yards (2,202 passing, 596 rushing) and 24 touchdowns (16 passing, 8 rush) as a junior, and posted a quarterback rating of 126.5.

Temple, a two-year starter at cornerback, tallied 41 tackles, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery last season. The Southwood Acres, Conn. product is a Preseason All-MAC selection and will be looked upon to cover the opponent’s top receiver, after passing those duties off to former classmate Calvin Burton in the previous three seasons.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Charlie Williams, OT, *** (6’6”, 290 lbs.; Barberton, Ohio / Barberton)
Lionel Wiley, MLB, *** (5’11”, 234 lbs.; McCandless, Pa. / Avonworth)
Jeff Gilmore, HB, *** (5’8”, 200 lbs.; Winnipeg, Manitoba / Portage Collegiate)
James Williamson, DE, *** (6’1”, 252 lbs.; Edmonton, Alberta / W.R. Myers)
Morgan Cook, TE, *** (6’5”, 255 lbs.; Takoma Park, Md. / Don Bosco Cristo Rey)
Jason Crossley, DT, *** (6’3”, 315 lbs.; Bartlett, Ill. / Bartlett)
David Jenkins, DT, *** (6’0”, 315 lbs.; Bartlett, Tenn. / Bartlett)
Harry Hand, C, *** (6’4”, 291 lbs.; Philadelphia, Pa. / St. Joseph’s Prep)
Bryan Ward, QB, *** (6’3”, 215 lbs.; Monessen, Pa. / Monessen)
Dusty Hayward, OT, *** (6’4”, 300 lbs.; Jefferson, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson)
Kevin Doucette, G, *** (6’3”, 282 lbs.; Elizabethtown, Pa. / Elizabethtown)
Andrew Davis, CB, *** (5’11”, 185 lbs.; Philadelphia, Pa. / St. Joseph’s Prep)
Shannon Green, G, *** (6’5”, 335 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding)
Tom Cook, OLB, *** (6’4”, 213 lbs.; Pittsburgh, Pa. / Woodland Hills)
Mike Bush, OT, *** (6’6”, 304 lbs.; Fostoria, Ohio / Fostoria)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

New Leaders Set to Emerge for Tartans in Potentially Special 2010
Coming off a MAC East division title and bowl appearance, Carnegie Mellon has higher expectations in its fifth Division I season

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Going .500 isn’t usually something to be proud about.

But for Carnegie Mellon in 2009, the 7-7 mark doesn’t nearly tell the story of the season on its surface. Year four of an unprecedented transition from NCAA Division III to Division I competition had brought legitimacy to the 7-7 record by itself, and that goes without even mentioning the late-season surge that turned a 2-4 start into a Mid-American Conference (MAC) East division championship. No one expected that outcome after the Tartans’ 42-14 drubbing at Ball State to open the MAC slate, and yet they came a quarter away from a historic upset in the MAC Championship Game against what was possibly the league’s best team ever in undefeated Toledo.

Of course, CMU’s success was buoyed its impressive then-junior class, highlighted by the trio of runningback Jim Manning, outside linebacker Matt Johnson, and cornerback Calvin Burton – all of which have taken their talents to the National Football League. Manning, in particular, shouldered a heavy burden for the Tartans all year, breaking single-season program records in rushing yards (1,936), rushing touchdowns (23), and total touchdowns (27), while earning Associated Press All-America First Team honors in the process.

The large shadow of Manning (and smaller ones of Johnson and Burton) will most likely loom over the Tartans for 2010, but despite the three notable departures, there’s a sense of belief that 2009 was just the prequel for what could be an even more special sequel.

“Obviously losing (Jim Manning, Matt Johnson, Calvin Burton) is huge and not something that will be immediately replaced,” said fifth-year CMU head coach John Elliott. “But I really think we have a chance to be even better this season, and I honestly expect us to be. We now have a full team of our recruiting classes, a fourth-year starting quarterback and the entire offensive line back as starters, and nine starters on defense back. Getting to a bowl again is the expectation, but taking the next step by winning the MAC is our absolute goal.”

Pulling the strings is the aforementioned fourth-year signal-caller Justin Keyes, who at this point last year had retained his starting job following a strong fall camp. Keyes’ ascent from a raw and unpolished freshman immediately thrust into the starting role out of necessity, to team captain and Preseason All-MAC First Team selection is something even his biggest fans couldn’t imagine. And while there is still plenty of room for Keyes to grow – particularly with his passing touchdown-to-interception ratio of 16:20 – having the senior leader direct second-year offensive coordinator Jules Nottingham’s attack with a bevy of new offensive weapons is the ultimate luxury.

Keyes and the Tartans will also benefit from the entire starting offensive line returning in junior tackles Anthony Tremblay and Jason Baker, senior guards Matt Fitch and Eric Fraser, and sophomore center Joey Muhammad. The five should provide Keyes plenty of time in the pocket to scan opposing defenses, and their unity will also hopefully help a green rushing attack led by the duo of junior Nate Satele and true freshman Lawrence McIntire. McIntire, in particular, is an exciting prospect who does a little bit of everything and will challenge Manning’s successor Satele, who struggled with fumbles as a sophomore.

The receiving corps also suffered a huge loss with the graduation of former Penn State transfer Kevin Cousins, but Elliott and Nottingham both agree that they’re far more talented at that position in 2010. Junior Stephen Carter is the key holdover of the group, and will be flanked by redshirt freshman Eddie Williams and three-star talent Travis Sledge. Williams is someone the staff is very excited about, as his size (6’3”, 200) and skillset will allow him to fill Cousins’ role seamlessly, and Nottingham hopes to expand the offense with both him and true freshman Kelvin Butler carrying the ball with options and jet sweeps.

On the other side of the ball, Burton and Johnson’s departures are the only ones from what should be a very strong CMU defense. Sophomore defensive tackle Matt Burnsides gave the Tartans their second MAC Freshman of the Year in as many seasons, joining junior middle linebacker Mark Toth in that front. However, neither of those two are the team’s best defensive player, which is an honor that goes to third-year free safety Todd Andriano, who is projected to be a mid-round selection in the NFL Draft should he depart early.

Alongside Burnsides, the defensive line has all of its starters returning. Junior David Brown is a two-year starter after converting from linebacker in fall camp, and possesses the speed and athleticism to make him a threat for the team’s sack lead. Sophomore Zac Hood is a nice counter to Brown, possessing a strong work ethic and endless motor that allows him to beat more talented players. His classmate, P.J. Ryan, is the clear weak spot in the front four, but he can hold his own usually with Burnsides beside him.

Toth, who would likely be the best defensive player on multiple MAC teams, is flanked at the three linebacker positions by senior Aaron Crosby and junior Charlie Cohen. Crosby is experienced, having started the previous three years, though he saw his role diminish last season after the Tartans started running more 3-2-6 packages. Cohen, as well as classmate Chris Hill, have produced when called upon in reserve roles over their careers, but will have to take their games to the next level in order to replace Johnson.

Burton’s departure leaves a big hole in the secondary, though senior team captain Hayden Temple will try to fill it. Temple has been susceptible to giving up the big play over his career, but also has a nose for the ball with five interceptions and a fumble recovery last season. Redshirt sophomore Jon Crowell also impressed in an injury-shortened 2009, netting three interceptions from the slot cornerback spot. With the aforementioned Andriano, classmate Elvis Washington, and redshirt sophomore Bobby Magnum, the safety position might be the team’s deepest position group.

The special teams unit should be rock solid as well, headlined by Crowell – an Associated Press Freshman All-American – at kick returner. He will be joined by Butler to give the unit its two fastest players returning kicks, while junior kicker Jon Foster made 66.7 percent of his field goals last season.

Schedule-wise, the Tartans open with three consecutive road games against BCS-conference foes, highlighted by the back-to-back bouts with rival Pitt and reigning national champion Penn State. The back half of the slate should provide CMU a chance to make a run, with home games against Western Michigan, bowl-banned Army, and Miami (Ohio), as well as road tilts at Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and Buffalo.

One storyline that may hover over the season: the future of Elliott. The fifth-year head coach turns 68 on Tuesday and is entering the final year of his contract.

“I’ve been coaching for over 30 years now and still feel like I have a lot to give to this game,” said Elliott. “(Athletic Director) Daniel (Corrigan) and I have a great relationship, and I have no doubt in my mind we’ll figure something out.”

2010 Schedule
(Home games in ALL CAPS; * denotes MAC contest)
09/04: at Duke (3:30 PM)
09/11: at Pittsburgh (12:30 PM) – Steel City Showdown
09/18: at Penn State (6:00 PM)
09/25: BALL STATE * (12:30 PM)
10/02: at Bowling Green * (12:30 PM)
10/09: TOLEDO * (6:00 PM) – Homecoming
10/16: WESTERN MICHIGAN * (8:00 PM)
10/23: ARMY (1:00 PM) – Alumni Day
10/30: at Eastern Michigan * (12:30 PM)
11/06: MIAMI (OHIO) * (3:30 PM) – Senior Day
11/20: at Kent State * (12:30 PM)
11/27: at Buffalo * (12:30 PM)

Two-Deep Depth Chart
QB: #3 Justin Keyes (Sr.), #12 Kevin Wilson (So.)
HB: #20 Nate Satele (Jr.), #22 Lawrence McIntire (Fr.)
WR: #15 Eddie Williams (R-Fr.), #85 Issac Schroeder (So.)
WR: #81 Stephen Carter (Jr.), #11 Kelvin Butler (Fr.)
WR: #88 Travis Sledge (Fr.), #87 Bo Robinson (Fr.)
TE: #48 David Young (Jr.), #84 Scott Sanders (R-Sr.)
LT: #71 Anthony Tremblay (Jr.), #59 Kris White (R-Sr.)
LG: #75 Matt Fitch (Sr.), #74 Craig Clark (So.)
C: #65 Joey Muhammad (So.), #61 Jared Yates (R-Sr.)
RG: #78 Eric Fraser (Sr.), #70 Ricky Fields (So.)
RT: #72 Jason Baker (Jr.), #76 Phil Patrick (Sr.)
LE: #99 David Brown (Jr.), #95 Nathan Ford (Jr.)
RE: #98 Zac Hood (So.), #94 Andrew Miller (Sr.)
DT: #29 Matt Burnsides (So.), #40 Travis Silva (R-Fr.)
DT: #97 P.J. Ryan (So.), #40 Travis Silva (R-Fr.)
LOLB: #55 Charlie Cohen (Jr.), #21 Brandon Williams (Fr.)
MLB: #46 Mark Toth (Jr.), #41 Chris Hill (Jr.)
ROLB: #57 Aaron Crosby (Sr.), #41 Chris Hill (Jr.)
CB: #1 Hayden Temple (Sr.), #34 Rob Jones (Fr.)
CB: #32 Jon Crowell (R-So.), #2 Erik Sellers (Jr.)
FS: #16 Todd Andriano (Jr.), #23 Jason Ervin (So.)
SS: #28 Elvis Washington (Jr.), #9 Bobby Magnum (R-So.)
K: #38 Jon Foster (Jr.)
P: #49 Andy Fitzhugh (So.)
KR: #32 Jon Crowell (R-So.), #11 Kelvin Butler (Fr.)
PR: #32 Jon Crowell (R-So.), #11 Kelvin Butler (Fr.)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Apologies for the lack of updates lately, I've been swamped with work the last few weeks and haven't really had time to devote to writing the above season preview and the rest of the preseason dump posts. Hope to have all of that stuff up by sometime next week, with the season officially kicking off shortly after.

Thanks, as always, to everyone who follows this!

[Deuce2223]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Didn't realize Elliott was 68. If he retires, do you just plan on creating a new coach to continue to run the Tartans