Jarrett Carter, Sr. writes about HBCU football at HBCU digest. Follow him on Twitter here.
↵The Fort Valley State University Wildcats finished below expectations in 2009, but have the personnel, the coaching and the experience to challenge for the SIAC conference title in 2010. Anything outside of a top two finish for FVSU would be a surprise for this veteran group.
↵2009
↵Two early season losses did not make for a trend throughout the season, as the Wildcats won six of their last eight games to end the season. Save for a mid-season out-of-conference loss to Southern University, FVSU may have easily finished in second place in the conference.
↵The Good
↵Wildcat senior receive An’Thon Harris (566 yards, 37 rec., seven TDs in 09’) leads an FVSU team that was best in the SIAC in scoring, passing, and total offense.
↵Defensively, the Wildcats’ secondary will look to improve upon a sixth-ranked pass defense that recorded 15 interceptions in 2009. Senior Ricky Johnson, sophomore Dajaun Williams and Darnell Burks are all-SIAC selections that will look to take advantage of teams that will have first- time starters at QB throughout the conference this season.
↵The Bad
↵Fort Valley State will look to maintain its air attack without departed all-SIAC quarterback Nathaniel Samas, who led the conference in passing efficiency and was second in touchdowns and yards per game in 2009. FVSU will have to improve its offensive line play, which produced the eighth-ranked rushing unit in the SIAC, and yielded 24 sacks in 2009.