Alabama State

Alabama State (3-8, 2-5) Key returning players: QB Brandon Dowdell; RB Rahmod Traylor. Outlook: The Hornets are trying to avoid their fourth consecutive losing season. A softer schedule that includes Concordia, Edward Waters and Savannah State should help. But improving on offense after finishing last in scoring (14.0 points) and total offense (28.9 yards) in 2008 and ninth in rushing (80.5 yards) would be even more beneficial. It’s up to new offensive coordinator Richard Moncrief to rev up the Hornets attack. The Hornets will try to get the ball down the field through the air more effectively, and they also want to have Traylor more involved in the offense. The senior was their leading rusher with 552 yards, but he only carried the ball 128 times. Dowdell should bring stability at quarterback after leading Alabama State to a season-ending victory against arch-rival Tuskegee. First-year defensive coordinator Joseph Nixon has installed a 4-3 alignment after finishing last in fumbles recovered (7), passes intercepted (5), total turnovers (12) and quarterback sacks (20). What they’re saying: “We’ve turned the page on it (beating Tuskegee). Our focus is getting ready for our first opponent. Our focus is on us, team commitment, not letting the other guy down, hard work, discipline – all that good stuff. It did help on a positive note going into the off-season conditioning program. Guys were committed to working hard.’’ – Coach Reggie Barlow Finish: 3rd in East Reggie Barlow Listen To The Interview

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Grambling State

Grambling State (11-2, 7-0) Key returning players: QB Greg Dillon; DE Christian Anthony. Outlook: Coach Rod Broadway has a simple analysis of what’s needed for the G-Men to successfully defend their SWAC championship: Winning enough ballgames. With 22 starters and 49 lettermen returning, it seems that they have the experience and depth to do just that. The truth be known, Grambling probably has more good players than anybody else in the conference. Defense again will be the key to whatever success the Tigers have. The G-Men are strong up front. Anthony (55 tackles, 17 TFL, 8 sacks), the SWAC Pre-season Defensive Player of the Year and a 2008 Boxtorow.com/BASN All-American, gets all the headlines. However, junior end Kendall Robinson is a two-year starter and just as solid. The secondary may be one of the best in the country, led by pre-season All-SWAC selection Kenneth Anio. Offensively, Dillon (2,063 yards total offense) is an efficient quarterback who gets the job done with few frills. He operates behind a line that is the unit’s strong suit and enabled the Tigers to rank third in the conference in scoring (26.8 points) and second in rushing (157.2 ypg). Junior RBs Cornelius Walker (719 yards) and Frank Walker (546) give Grambling the most prolific 1-2 rushing tandem in the conference. What they’re saying: “We don’t get caught up in repeating. Our goal is to get better weekly. When improvement weekly is your goal, you don’t get too far ahead of yourself, and it gives you a chance to repeat.’’ – Grambling State coach Rod Broadway Finish: 1st in West; SWAC Champions Rod Broadway Listen To The Interview

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Texas Southern

Texas Southern (4-8, 1-6) Key returning players: WR/PR William Osbourne (2008 All-WAC); DB DeMarkus Washington (2008 SWAC Freshman of the Year). Outlook: The Tigers made a quantum leap in 2008 after a winless season the year before. Coach Johnnie Cole lived up to his reputation as an offensive wizard in his first season at his alma mater as the Tigers were second in the conference in scoring despite inconsistency at quarterback. JUCO transfer Arvel Nevel led Fort Scott to the 2008 national championship and has raised expectations. At 5-8, 165, Osbourne is Texas Southern’s smallest player, but he is the big man in their offense. He was second in the FCS in all-purpose yards (2,308 yards). He led SWAC with 82 catches, and his 1,092 receiving yards were No. 3 in the conference. Defense is another story for the Tigers, who were at or near the bottom of the conference in nearly every defensive category. New coordinator Kevin Ramsey has installed a 4-3 scheme. Junior LB Dejuan Fulgham was at the top in the conference in tackles in 2008. Transfers Justin Coleman (6-2, 290) and Fred Gaines (6-3, 340) and freshman DT Edward Collins (6-5, 310) will give the Tigers a bigger and stronger front. What they’re saying: “I wasn’t disappointed with the (2008) season. But I wasn’t happy either. We played good offensively. We came from the bottom of the conference to third. But we’ve got to improve our defense. You can’t give up 400 points and expect to win.’’ – Coach Johnnie Cole Finish: 4th in West Johnnie Cole Listen To The Interview

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Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-9, 2-5) Key returning players: RB Mickey Dean (Preseason All-SWAC); DB Kevin Thornton (2008 All-SWAC). Outlook: The Golden Lions are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2008 season that basically went down the tubes in the first game when QB Jonathan Moore broke the thumb his passing hand. They were forced to turn to red-shirt freshman Gvona Turner for a portion of the season, and the off the season and never got on track offensively. They will be young at quarterback again this season as Rontrell Bailey entered preseason practice as No.1 quarterback after looking sharp in spring drills. Bailey will operate behind a young and inexperienced line, which doesn’t bode well for the Lions’ chances of improving on their conference-high 37 turnovers. Dean (150-632-5) is a four-year starter and will take the pressure off the QB position. Defense is a bright spot for the Lions. Thornton and Michael Witherspoon are solid in the secondary, and DE Jared Dorn was fifth in the conference among linemen in tackles in 2008. However, it will take an unworldly performance defensively for the Lions to contend for the division crown given the question marks hovering over their offense. What they’re saying: “The most disappointing aspect (about last season) was our offensive production. I thought we were a little better than we were. We have to produce more points. We’ve done a lot of things this offseason to make sure we’re a better football team.’’ – Coach Monte Coleman Finish: 5th in West Monte Coleman Listen To The Interview

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Alcorn State

Alcorn State (2-10, 1-6) Key returning players: QB Tim Buckley; DT Malcolm Taylor (2nd team preseason All-SWAC). Outlook: Unrest is rampant on the Reservation as the Braves suffered through their second consecutive two-win season and Earnest Collins is their third coach in three years. The Braves’ schedule isn’t conducive to them changing their losing ways. Their first four games are all on the road, and include contests against Football Bowl Subdivision members Southern Mississippi and Central Michigan before playing at SWAC West rivals Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The 2008 record belied their competitiveness. Six of their losses were by seven points or less. The Braves’ offense should be exciting with Buckley and WR Edward Johnson (56 catches, 578 yards, 3 TDs), their leading pass catcher, returning. But that’s not likely to be enough to make them championship contenders. What they’re saying: “Our goal is to change the mindset of these young men, to get them to understand they can win football games. You don’t have get close and stop there. You can win. If you change the mindset, the rest will come. They have the athletic ability.’’ – Coach Ernest Collins Finish: 5th in East Earnest Collins, Jr. Listen To The Interview

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Jackson State

Jackson State (7-5, 6-1) Key returning players: QB Trae Rutland; DT Sam Washington Outlook: The Tigers are picked by the coaches to win their consecutive SWAC East title and hope to capture their second conference championship in three seasons. Jackson State’s much-maligned offense returns 10 starters. That unit was seventh in the 10-team conference in total offense (297.8 yards) and scoring (21.1 points) and eighth in passing yards (155.7). The running game produced 142 yards a game, fourth-best in the conference but not an imposing number. Significant improvement is needed for a return to the championship game. Seniors Eric Jones (6-3, 300), All-SWAC first team last season, and Mikael Harshaw (6-4, 310), All-SWAC second team, anchor a big offensive line should allow the Tigers to move the ball more effectively than they have. If that isn’t the case, they can rely on the foot of Eric Perri, one of the most accurate place-kickers in the conference. He was 13-for-16 on field goals in 2008. Look for Jackson State to hang its hat on defense again this year with end Sam Washington (57 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks) and defensive back Malcolm Palmer (47 tackles, 11 passes defended), a pair of preseason All-SWAC selections, leading the charge. What they’re saying: “We’re focusing on what we have to do. We’re not focusing on what’s happening on the outside. We know teams are getting better. We know coaching is getting better. We know each time we step out, it’s not going to be an easy game.’’ – Coach Rick Comegy Finish: 2nd in East Rick Comegy Listen To The Interview

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Prairie View A&M

Prairie View (9-1, 6-1) Key returning players: RB Donald Babers; DE Quinton Spears. Outlook: The Panthers proved their turnaround was real last season as they posted back-to-back winning records for the first time since 1966-67. With 60 lettermen and 12 starters returning, they should again contend for the SWAC West title. Their ability to get past Grambling and Southern, their most formidable division opponents, depends largely their ability to adequately replace QB Mark Spivey and LB Zach East. Fifth-year senior Jay Bluford and K.J. Black, a transfer from Western Kentucky, are the leading candidates to replace Spivey. A veteran offensive, and Babers (1,085 yards, All-SWAC) carrying the ball, will make life easier for whomever is the starting quarterback. The Panthers were third in the nation in rushing defense in 2008 and should be strong in that area again with the entire starting line returning. That is critical since the entire linebacking corps will be new and S Anthony Beck, four-year starter is the only first-string defender returning. What they’re saying: “The goal is real simple – win a championship. That’s been our goal the last two years. We’ve come up a little short. But we like to think we’ve built a program that’s going to be in the hunt year in and year out. – Coach Henry Frazier Finish: 2nd in West Henry Frazier Listen To The Interview