 |
|
| Monday, August 13 Updated: August 14, 10:11 AM ET Indians welcome move to Sun Belt Conference By Adam Rittenberg Special to ESPN.com |
||||||||||
|
Louisiana-Monroe Indians 2000 record: 1-10. Coach: Bobby Keasler (3rd year, 6-16). Starters returning: 7 offense, 8 defense, 2 kickers. Outlook: Much like their rivals in Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe understands the hardship of competing as an independent. In seven seasons sans conference, the Indians hosted only 12 Division I-A teams at Malone Stadium. After scoring less than 10 points in eight games last season, coach Bobby Keasler looked for a change and promoted quarterbacks coach -- and former San Diego Chargers signal caller -- Stan Humphries to offensive coordinator. Louisiana-Monroe's attack will rely on QB Andy Chance and WR transfer John Floyd. Chance ranks tenth on the school's all-time passing list and Floyd, a junior who will play his first season at Louisiana-Monroe, was named Player of the Game in the 1999 Liberty Bowl while playing for Southern Mississippi. The Chance-Floyd connection should help a Indians defense that ranked first in total defense but last in points allowed among current Sun Belt teams last year. Led by converted FS Dedrick Buckles, Louisiana-Monroe allowed only 353 yards per game in 2000. Keep an eye on: WR H.J. Adams. With the Indians' offense sputtering, Adams was thrown into the mix as a true freshman, hauling in 18 passes and setting a new school record with 860 kickoff return yards. Adams will start this year after a tremendous offseason in which he shattered school wideout weightlifting records for squat (485 pounds) and power clean (330 pounds). Key game: The Indians will round out the season at Arkansas State in a matchup between the league's worst offense and its worst defense. If Chance finds a rhythm with his receivers, Louisiana-Monroe could dominate both sides of the ball and cap its first Sun Belt season with a win. It's a good year if... Humphries jump starts the offense. After putting up a mere 8.72 points per game last year, Louisiana-Monroe has to find some semblance of a scoring offense to avoid another 1-10 disaster. Under Humphries, the Indians have the experience and talent to reach paydirt in a league with few strong defenses. Three or four wins would appease a team that lost its games by an average of 32.5 points one year ago. |
| |||||||||
