Central Connecticut State Blue Devils
Overall Rank: #33
#1 Northeast
Central Connecticut State Team Page
2010 Record: (8-3, 7-1)
2010 Postseason: none
Coach: Jeff McInerney (38-18 at Central Connecticut State, 38-18 overall)
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Gunnar Jespersen, QB, 495 yards
Passing: Gunnar Jespersen, QB, 1,918 yards
Receiving: Deven Baker, WR, 215 yards
Tackles: Lorenzo Baker, LB, 78
Sacks: Charles Williams, DE, 6.0
Interceptions: Chris Linares, DB, 2
Yet again Central Connecticut State tied for the Northeast Conference title. They did not receive the automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs due to their head-to-head loss to Robert Morris, but the Blue Devils are the obvious favorite to win the conference outright this season. While teams like Robert Morris, Albany and Duquesne may make some noise, Coach Jeff McInerney returns more talent than the rest of the competitors and that should lead to a playoff berth for CCSU.
Strengths:
It will be the offense that leads the way again in 2011. Quarterback Gunnar Jespersen is a nice dual-threat quarterback who can make plays with his arm and his legs. His senior season should be his best yet and Jespersen should garner some conference accolades when his collegiate career comes to a close. Some of Jespersen’s favorite targets are gone, but there are others who are ready to step up. Deven Baker is the receiver to keep an eye on this year. He caught 19 passes for 215 yards in limited action as a sophomore. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, he is a big target who should be the recipient of many Jespersen’s pass attempts. The passing attack will be fine, but it is on the ground where CCSU does most of its damage. On paper the departure of Everette Benjamin is huge. He carried the ball 250 times for 1,277 yards and ten touchdowns. That is a lot of production to replace. However, Brian Fowler is back after missing the 2010 campaign and he should be able to pick up right where Benjamin left off.
Weaknesses:
Most opponents were able to run right though the Central Connecticut State defense. They gave up nearly 200 yards per game on the ground. The loss of Jeff Marino, who led the team with 105 tackles, will not help matters, but Lorenzo Baker is a fine linebacker who is ready to take over the defense. Senior Isaiah Boddie will be asked to help out more in the middle and Lawton Arnold is a great rush linebacker. Yet, the front four needs to do more to stop the run. Last season the line did a good job of getting to the quarterback, led by Charles Williams’ 6.0 sacks and Dominic Giampietro’s 4.5 sacks. However, they need to find some bigger bodies in the middle to stop the opposition from simply running up the gut. The secondary was not tested too often, but the unit should be in good shape led by Jeremy Crayton.
The Bottom Line:
Turnovers could be the difference for Central Connecticut State. The defense created 11 turnovers, which is not horrible, but the defense generally failed to make the big play. The offense, which committed too many turnovers, was often forced to outscore the opposition and the running game had to grind out long drives because of the defense’s inability to make big plays. That may not stop CCSU from winning the conference, but it will stop them from making a run in the playoffs.
Projected Postseason: FCS Playoffs
2010 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 212.45 (14th in nation, 1st in conference)
Passing Offense: 187.00 (70, 5)
Total Offense: 399.45 (20, 1)
Scoring Offense: 30.18 (26, 1)
Rushing Defense: 194.27 (99, 8)
Pass Defense: 157.64 (10, 1)
Total Defense: 351.91 (56, 7)
Scoring Defense: 29.73 (88, 7)
Turnover Margin: -.45 (87, 8)
Sacks: 2.36 (26, 1)
Sacks Allowed: .91 (12, 1)
