The FCS Daily Dose is a blog-style article series featuring an assortment of news, rumblings, quick hitters, and commentary on various topics.
A new Daily Dose will be published multiple times a week to keep the FCS discussion going throughout the offseason.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
Can UAlbany And Furman Sustain Success?
We’ve seen teams rise and fall rapidly in the FCS.
While the usual suspects from the midwest are represented in the semifinals and the national title game in recent memory, one team typically rises to challenge those squads in the semis or the quarterfinals.
But sustaining that success has been difficult for these teams. And for a multitude of reasons: Could be due to lack of program tradition and resources, the transfer portal, coaching change, and/or losing a huge senior class.
In 2022, it was UIW that rose up to be the fourth team in the semifinals. Last season, it was UAlbany, going from 3-8 in 2022 to 11-4 (11-2 vs. the FCS).
Getting back to that spot has proven to be a challenge.
UIW didn’t make the playoffs in 2023 after its first-ever FCS semifinal appearance in 2022.
William & Mary, Holy Cross, and Samford also weren’t in the 2023 bracket after making rare quarterfinal appearances in 2022.
ETSU hasn’t been back in the playoffs since it ascended quickly to the 2021 quarterfinals.
Maine hasn’t been a playoff team since its 2018 semifinal appearance that came out of nowhere.
UAlbany’s rise was rapid last season. It wasn’t so much of a rapid rise for Furman in its quarterfinal run and near victory at Montana, but more of a culmination of a senior class that stuck together. After a second-round appearance and near win vs. eventual semifinalist UIW in the 2022 playoffs, the Paladins returned 18 starters in 2023. Their playoff push wasn’t too much of a surprise.
In a subdivision looking for more contenders in the east and south, we now wonder if Furman can be that team consistently competing deep in the playoffs. Just like we wondered if UIW could be that team. Just like we wondered if ETSU could be that team.
Furman looks to buck the trend of new arrivals deep in the bracket falling off the next year. It will have to reload to do so.
Furman loses eight starters on defense. It does have a strong three to build around in All-SoCon bandit Luke Clark, nose guard Xavier Stephens, and linebacker Evan DiMaggio.
Offensively, the Paladins have to replace quarterback Tyler Huff and running back Dominic Roberto, two All-SoCon performers. The offensive line returns one starter in Luke Petit, while Blake Hundley and E.J. Wilson both have some starting experience.
UAlbany has plenty to replace as well, including nine defensive starters, its standout quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, and top two receivers. The Great Danes will have an experienced o-line with five players that started games, plus Griffin Woodell at running back after rushing for 892 yards and eight TDs.
On paper, it seems Furman will take a step back based on the roster losses. But a reason to be optimistic that it can instead sustain success is that Furman’s rise wasn’t due to striking gold with several transfers. It is a developmental program, one with a good history of FCS success, through high school recruits. That development will be put to the test this fall.
For UAlbany, it has leveraged the transfer portal positively. Yes, it lost some elite talent to the portal this offseason. But many of its 2023 standouts also came in via the portal. Aamir Hall arrived from Richmond. Marqeese Dietz and Reese Poffenbarger came from ODU. Anton Juncaj from Nassau Community College. AJ Simon from Bloomsburg University. Brevin Easton from Assumption University. Ori Jean-Charles from Maine. Scott Houseman from Lackawanna College.
The Great Danes have brought in nearly 15 transfers this offseason ranging from the Power Five to JuCo.
Villanova Gets Commitment From NC Central All-MEAC WR Devin Smith
Villanova, a 2023 quarterfinalist, received a good transfer portal commitment yesterday.
Devin Smith, a two-time All-MEAC wide receiver for a solid North Carolina Central team, committed to the Wildcats. He had 1,518 career receiving yards and 15 touchdowns at NC Central.
Smith joins an offense that brings back quarterback Connor Watkins after he threw for 2,681 yards and 20 TDs in 2023.
Villanova gave eventual national champs South Dakota State its toughest game in the 2023 bracket. The Wildcats return six starters on offense and six starters on defense. They will likely be preseason ranked somewhere in the Top 8.
Other Daily Doses
Montana State’s OL Should Remain Top Tier Despite Transfer Losses, FCS Players In 5-Round Mock Draft … READ MORE
Future Of FCS vs. FBS Games, FCS Teams Playing 2 FBS Opponents In 2024, FCS Teams Playing 0 FBS Opponents In 2024 … READ MORE
Clifton McDowell Back In The Transfer Portal, Could A Montana Return Happen? … READ MORE
