The CAA, FCS, and the NFL's final four.

Hurray for the CAA and FCS (Division 1-AA)!  They are all over this year’s NFL final four.

Quick Aside:

I am a die-hard James Madison University (JMU) fan.  My wife and I both attended JMU.  She graduated.  I had a great time for a number of years.  Growing up I was not a fan of any major college team.  I did not become dedicated to one until I started attending a mid-sized Division 1-AA school (screw the NCAA FCS new-speak) in central Virginia.  So because of all that I follow JMU and their conference, the CAA. 

Brief history of JMU football:  JMU starts playing in the early seventies.  They do nothing of note for nearly 30 years except for being the college home of Gary Clark, Charles Haley, and Scott Norwood (better known as the Buffalo Bills kicker who went wide right in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXV.)

They make the 1-AA playoffs in 1999 on the legs of Curtis Keaton and Delvin Joyce, who combined have one good season in the NFL.   It belonged to Keaton when he spent a year backing up Duece McAllister in New Orleans before some guy named Bush showed up.

Enter Coach Mickey Matthews.  He starts putting together a great program.  They win the 2004 1-AA national title.  (Quick note:  JMU got lucky the no. 1 seed that year, Southern Illinois, was upset in the first round.  So. Ill. had a running back that JMU, and most other college teams, couldn’t stop.  An Auburn transfer named Jacobs who now plays in New York on Sundays.)  Matthews continues to win, continues to make the playoffs, signs a million dollar contract, and guarantees he will never again have to pay for a drink in Harrisonburg. 

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog:  The CAA, FCS, and the NFL

Most CAA schools have a story similar to JMU’s.  They don’t do much of note except for putting a few average players, and every now and then a great player, into the NFL.

This year though, three young NFL players from CAA schools are making contributions to their teams. 

Akeem Jordan, JMU.  Jordan starts at linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles.  He made one start last year as a rookie and led the team in tackles that game.  He has now moved his way to starter on the fastest and most blitz happy defense in football. 

Tim Hightower, Richmond.  Hightower’s transition from 1-AA quarterback to running back in the NFL has been amazing.  Not only did he make the transition but he also took future Hall of Famer Edgerin James’ starting spot.  Arizona’s calling card on offense is their passing game, but Hightower runs with enough effectiveness to open up that prolific passing attack.

Joe Flacco, Delaware.  Do I really need to go into it?  Everyone knows that this guy has done.  Only rookie to win two playoff games, and he has done it on the road.  I know most of the credit for the Ravens success should and does go to their defense.  But Flacco doesn’t make mistakes.  He runs the offense efficiently and consistently which is more than can be said for most rookie QB’s.  Also, according to his teammates he is very even keeled in the huddle.  He is cool and does not let things rattle him.  It usually takes QB’s three years to get that way, if they get that way at all.

Oh yeah, and Brian Westbrook went to Villanova, whose football team competes on the 1-AA level.

Big ups to the smaller schools!