SBC New Logo – Together We Wise

The spring meetings are in full swing for the Sun Belt Conference in Destin, FL, and they began the meetings in the Sun Shine State with bright colors. The Sun Belt Conference unveiled their new logo that will represent a new Sun Belt.

Sun Belt Conference New Logo 

Beginning June 1, 2013 the SBC will have a new logo as they welcome several new teams to the conference and will be made up of nearly a new look of members after the 2013 season. Georgia State, Texas State, Texas-Arlington will join in all sports on July 1^st, and South Alabama football program will add their new fledging football program to the Sun Belt Conference as a full member. Sun Belt Conference will welcome New Mexico State, Georgia Southern, Idaho and Appalachian State in 2014. 

"The unveiling of our new logo comes after months of review of how we wanted to express the 'new' Sun Belt Conference," Commissioner Karl Benson said in a press release. "It is a very exciting chance for us to display the opportunity and optimism that exists in the Sun Belt Conference as we move forward."

The Sun Belt Conference is now empowered by a new brand identity that capitalizes on 4 key principles (AMBITIOUS, AUTHENTIC, LOYAL, and ADVENTUROUS). In addition, a new identity will represent the reinvigoration of the Sun Belt Conference brand through several points of uniqueness:

1. The chosen identity highlights the sun as a powerful and iconic expression for the conference that suggests unity, strength, promise and ambition. 

2. The individual parts of the icon combine to create a unified whole and represent strength in togetherness; a foundational value at the core of the Sun Belt Conference brand. 

3. The band of blue across the diameter of the icon symbolizes the Sun “Belt” region, while dually creating the feeling of a sun breaking the horizon at the dawn of a new day.

The Sun Belt Conference as unveil their new motto: "Together We Rise" 

We all are hoping for a brighter future in the Sun Belt Conference as we move forward. As the spring meetings continue through media day Wednesday, I will continue to keep you informed and bring you all the updates. 

Trent Miles directs his first Spring Game at Georgia State

Georgia State fans got their first glimpse of the Panther football team under first-year head coach Trent Miles at the annual Blue-White Spring Scrimmage Saturday afternoon at the Georgia Dome. The Spring Game was attended by more than 1,800 fans, featured plenty of interaction and fun for Panther fans.

Georgia State held their first Spring Game as a FBS transitional member as they prepare to enter the Sun Belt Conference on July 1^st.

With a roster full of injuries and lack of depth, the team ran through a controlled scrimmage of approximately 50 plays featuring, plus special teams and one over time series. The scrimmage featured first team versus first team, and second team versus second team.

“Although you didn’t see a lot of scoring, we wanted to use this as another opportunity to get better and work on specific situations,” said Miles. “Our kids played hard, and that’s what we’re looking for as we teach them to become a physical, aggressive football team. We finished the scrimmage with no injuries today and that is also a good thing for a coach."

“Our goal this spring was to be able to evaluate our players as we install our schemes and establish our expectation level,” Miles continued.

All quarterbacks Ben McLane, Clay Chastain and Ronnie Bell all saw action in Saturday spring game in the Dome.

Chastain, the sophomore transfer from Georgia Military College, started slowly but finished his day by throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Desi Banks. He finished 4-for-9 for 82 yards. McLane, a sophomore who started nine games last fall, was 4-for-7 for 25 yards, directing an 11-play scoring drive that ended with a 35-yard field goal by Wil Lutz. Bell was 4-for-6 for 49 yards.

One of the standouts on offense was sophomore wide receiver Avery Sweeting, who has made an impression with top returnees Albert Wilson and Danny Williams injured this spring. Sweeting caught two passes and was used on kickoff returns in the special teams periods.

On defense, one of the big plays was turned in by sophomore defensive tackle Joe Lockley, who grabbed an interception on a ball that was tipped at the line of scrimmage by defensive tackle Nermin Delic. The play was very similar to one that Lockley made last fall at Tennessee, when he came up with an interception off a tip.

“Joe played hard. He does some really good things, so we’ve got to keep him out there,” Miles said of Lockley, who has battled various injuries.

Linebacker Joseph Peterson, linebacker Allen McKay, defensive lineman Nate Paxton and safety Robert Smith recorded sacks, and defensive lineman Terry Hollingshed added a tackle for loss.

Lutz, the sophomore placekicker, nailed field goals of 35 and 40 yards during the live scrimmage session. He also made five of seven during the field goal drill.

This will be the biggest test for the Panthers this fall as they transitions to the FBS and Sun Belt Conference a step up from where they came. Playing tougher schedule this fall will require them to only get better this offseason, in order to avoid a repeat of last season. 

Panthers Spring Game in the Dome

If you are a Georgia State fans you are invited to get your first look at the 2013 football team under head coach Trent Miles on Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. at the Georgia Dome and admission is free.

Georgia State will offer a pregame community event in conjunction with Team Tiger and a postgame autograph session on the field with the entire team and coaching staff. Fans will be invited on the field to participate in a team photo immediately after the scrimmage, and free schedule posters will be distributed.

The scrimmage represents the 15th and final session of spring practice for Miles and the Panthers as they prepare for the program’s move to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference beginning July 1^st, 2013.

The team will go through position drills, group work and special teams’ drills, followed by a controlled scrimmage session with the first-team offense going against the first-team defense, and the second-team offense battling the second-team defense. Quarterbacks Ben McLane, Clay Chastain and Ronnie Bell will rotate with the units.

The team will go through warm-ups beginning at 12:20 p.m., return to the locker room and then take the field at 1 p.m. Special teams sessions and position drills will alternate with controlled scrimmage sessions.

Georgia State has begun 2013 spring practice with a bang and with a new coaching staff

On Wednesday the Panthers of Georgia State went to the practice field with one goal in mind, and that was to focus on improvements for the 2013 season.

It may have been cold but the players was hot and ready, knowing they have work to do and to compete for those starting spots this fall when their team compete for the first time on the FBS level; with a full Sun Belt Conference schedule. The Panthers will also face non-conference action against two powerhouses West Virginia and national champion Alabama. Improving their team this spring will help in areas.

“We are pretty intense,” head coach Miles said. “We have to establish more competition, teach them our schemes and practice and play the way we expect them to and get them to raise their expectation level.”

The Panthers will hold their first full scrimmage on April 6^th. 

Sun Belt Conference releases their 2013 Football Schedule

With spring practices under the way or beginning soon for many Sun Belt schools, they have now learned their complete 2013 Sun Belt Football schedule.

For the first time the Sun Belt Schedule will include two new members in Georgia State and Texas State. All Sun Belt schools will play seven games in the conference and five non conference games. Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Texas and Middle Tennessee have all left for Conference USA. With those departures the Sun Belt Conference schedule still looks appealing.  

Here is a look at some of the notable non-conference games and conference games for the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.

Notable Non- Conference Games:

South Alabama at Tennessee
Texas State at Texas State

Arkansas State at Auburn

UL-Monroe at Oklahoma

Troy at Ole Miss

UL-Lafayette at Arkansas

Western Kentucky at Kentucky

Georgia State at Alabama

Notable Conference Games:

Arkansas State at Western Kentucky

South Alabama at Troy

Troy at Arkansas State

UL-Monroe at Louisiana – Lafayette

South Alabama at Georgia State

Troy at Western Kentucky

Texas State at UL-Lafayette

I will bring you more coverage during spring practices and later in the year. 

A look around the Sun Belt Conference on Signing Day 2013

The Sun Belt Conference programs, coaches and staff recruited big this 2013 signing class, I love the talent they have brought in all SBC programs, especially the size of the players. I think the SBC programs can now put together a rooster for this fall that will be very competitive with other FBS schools.

Trent Miles signs his first class at Georgia State

Two three star recruits in OLB Knight Dallas and DT Jalen Lawrence both of Georgia leads the 2013 signing class for the Georgia State Panthers.  Dallas is a 6’1 220lbs OLB from Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain and Lawrence is a 6’0 265lb Defensive tackle from Westside High School in Macon, Ga, both of these recruits should get immediate reps and make an immediate impact on the team.

Texas State goes big with it’s 2013 signing class

The Bobcats brings in (2) four star recruits in running back Jamel James 5’11 220lbs of Katy, TX and Brice Gunter 6’3 190lbs a wide receiver from Stephenville, Texas. The Bobcats 2013 recruiting talent continues with (4) three star recruits in Dila Rosemond 5’10 166lbs of Cypress, TX,  JUCO Marcus Dallas a 6’4 245lbs from Reedly, CA, Demun Mercer 6’2 180lbs of La Marque, Texas and offensive guard Jackson Hoskins 6’5 290lbs from Drippings Springs, Texas.

Western Kentucky signs 33 in 2013

Head coach Bobby Petrino's first Western Kentucky recruiting class includes 33 players and some talented players that will help WKU to have a winning program. All Twenty-five prospects signed on Wednesday and the other eight are mid-year enrollees eligible to participate in the Hilltoppers' spring practices.

One four star recruit in Offensive tackle Joe Fennell 6’5 310lbs of South Ft. Myers, FL, and (3) three star offensive linemen stand outs on signing day in JUCO Connor Popeck 6’3 280lbs of Itawamba CC, Olive Branch, MS, Issac Turner 6’0 201lbs of Tampa, FL and Donald Rocker 6’4 301lbs of Sandalwood High, Jacksonville, Fla.

Arkansas State head football coach Bryan Harsin first signing class looking good

Coach Harsin brought in some talent in the Red Wolves 2013 signing class in Offensive line backer Xavier Woodson 6’1 210lbs of Eufaula, Alabama,Carl Lee a 6’3 188lbs wide receiver from Mobile, Alabama,Wide receiver Marquez Lanton 6’1 170lbs from Memphis, TN and  Logan Cart a 6’3 300lbs defensive tackle from Owensboro, Kentucky.

All of these guys plus many other talented players should get immediate reps and playing time with the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

ULL head coach Mark Hudspeth calls his class the most talented in school history

The UL-Lafayette class consists of 22 players, including 18 from high school and four junior college players.

ULL signing day stand outs includes JUCO Cedrick Tillman a 5’9 190lbs corner back from Grenada, MS and JUCO Corey Trim a 5’11 180lbs corner back from Baton Rouge, LA and both are rated at three stars.  Also signing with the Ragin Cajuns on signing day were three start wide receiver Scott Austin 6’3 180lbs of Biloxi, MS, three star offensive line backer James Clark 6’2 205lbs from Sebastian, FL, and Simeon Thomas a 6’3 172lb three star safety from Miami, FL.

UL-Monroe signs talent on Signing Day

Coach Todd Berry brought in a decent class in during the 2013 National Signing Day period. Coach Berry and his staff worked hard this off season in recruiting to land two big recruits in Tevin Horton and Chase Regian and also picking up Bivins Caraway in the process.

(1)    Tevin Horton is a three star RB from River Ridge, LA and stands at 5’10 190lbs.

(2)    Chase Regian is a three star offensive guard from Heath, TX and he stands at 6’3 276lbs.

(3)    Bivins Caraway is a talented QB/DT from Longview, TX and he stands at 5’11 210lbs.

All of these recruits among several others should make an immediate impact on the Warhawks squad in 2013. 

Georgia State adds four for spring semester

Georgia State is on a roll in bringing in new players to their football program. 

The Georgia State Panthers welcome a pair of mid-year junior college signees in quarterback Clay Chastain, a 6-4, 211-pound sophomore from Georgia Military College and Powder Springs, Ga. (Harrison High School), and defensive lineman George Rogers, a 6-2, 296-pound junior from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Stillwater, Okla. (Stillwater High School).

Georgia State also added Tarris Batiste, a transfer from Indiana State. The 6-1, 205-pound defensive back played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2012 and collected 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one forced fumble. He hails from Irvine, Calif., but moved to Cartersville, Ga., where he attended Cass High School. Batiste will sit out the 2013 season and then have two years of eligibility beginning in 2014.

Also enrolling at Georgia State is freshman running back Jonathan Jean-Bart of McDonough, Ga., who graduated from Henry County High in 2012 but sat out the fall after sustaining a knee injury during his senior season. He rushed for 536 yards in the first five games of 2011.

Georgia State is building a great so far.

Coach Thomas Brown headed to Georgia State

Coach Thomas Brown

Trent Miles the new head coach at Georgia State has officially hired Thomas Brown from Tennessee-Chattanooga. Thomas Brown was at UTC for only one season and now he is headed to Georgia State to take on position in an FBS program.

Brown is no stranger to the Atlanta area, he is a native of the Atlanta suburb of Tucker and was Georgia assistant strength and conditioning coach, when he was hired at UTC last February.

Not sure just yet on what position he will be holding at the Panthers.

Tennessee Chattanooga will visit Georgia State this fall in the Georgia Dome on September 7, 2013. 

Trent Miles headed to Georgia State as their new head coach

New Head Coach Trent Miles

Georgia State has hired Trent Miles the current head coach of Indiana State to be the next head coach of their growing football program as they prepare to enter into the Sun Belt Conference next year.

Coach Bill Curry announced his retirement this past summer. Curry is the first head coach of the Georgia State Panthers; he has also coached at Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia Tech.

Miles, a former assistant at Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington, led Indiana State to a 7-4 record this year, his third consecutive winning season at the school.

Georgia State athletic director Cheryl Levick says Miles is a "program builder." The announcement is suppose to come on Monday with a press conference. The pay and contract has not been released, but is expected to be around $400-$500,000. 

Could Conference Expansion Be In The Plans For The Sun Belt Conference? It would help!

With the 2012 college football season almost over, the Sun Belt Conference will be preparing for a new slate of members in 2013. After 2013 will the SBC remain at 10 football members or will it improve its conference to 12 football members and improve it conference for the new playoff system.

North Texas and Florida International will be departing for the C-USA and the Sun Belt Conference will be welcoming in its two newest members Texas State and Georgia State.  Both programs are moving up from the FCS, along with new member South Alabama that made the jump this season in 2012. 

Texas State will keep the Sun Belt Conference in the long star state territory and the conference will expand into the Peach State of Georgia with Georgia State.  However Texas State will not be along in Texas, they will have a new rivalry with UT-Arlington in basketball and all other sports except football. UT-Arlington will be joining the Sun Belt as a non-football member in 2013.

But is expansion still on the table for the Sun Belt to reach that 12 team football conference for a conference championship game.  Maybe so, we will see what’s ahead come the spring of 2013.

If the Sun Belt Conference does decide to expand to 12 teams in football who would it be to join the   new Sun Belt Conference? Let me share my take on possible candidates for membership in the SBC.

It’s no known secret that Georgia Southern wants to move up to FBS. This would be a great addition for the east division in the Sun Belt and a great mileage game for many schools in the Sun Belt Conference that would fall in the new east division, especially for lonely Florida Atlantic and also in-state member Georgia State, it also help the travel of Troy, South Alabama and Middle Tennessee.

Adding Lamar of Texas or McNeese State of Louisiana would be great for a west division, to help the travel of several possible western division members of Texas State, Arkansas State, ULM, ULL, Arkansas-Little Rock and Western Kentucky. But I would think they would have brought back New Mexico State as a established FBS program and can jump in immediately to help set up a western division.

The Sun Belt Conference needs to act quickly on conference expansion, with Florida Atlantic sitting in the Sun Shine state all along now. Commissioner Benson made it known to the WKU Herald, which it is possible that a school with the state of Florida maybe sought.  Just who would that may be? Nobody really knows yet but those on the inside of the conference administrations.

I do believe they should extend conference invitations to several FCS schools at the end of this season, and prepare for 2014. It’s time for us to look at the brighter days now in a big way. Hosting at Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game in 2014 season would be awesome and it would help the conference in so many ways moving forward.  I believe that’s what the player’s want, a division to play in and win and face off in a championship and move on to bowl games. I believe many coaches would desire the same as well as AD’s and Presidents.  A Football Championship Game will also bring in more generated revenue to support teams and the conference overall and more quality players.

Commissioner had this to say to WKU Herald back in May, “The additions of Georgia State and Texas State is part of a plan and a strategy the Sun Belt has in place to bring in quality universities to not only allow the Sun Belt to get bigger, but to get better,” Benson said. “We believe strongly that the additions of Georgia State and now Texas State have made the Sun Belt a better conference for the future.”

The Commissioner did not stop there with his comments and ideas about conference expansion. “If we were to lose two current members replaced by Georgia State and Texas State, that gets us back to 10 football universities,” he said. “Our goal would be to get to 12 members to be able to divide into divisions and to create some geographic efficiency with the membership in the west versus the membership in the east.”

Appalachian State is a known FCS school waiting on an invitation to move up, along with Jacksonville State. It will be surprising to see any action come this may during the spring meeting of the conference on expansion. Will they get it done in 2013 for 2014? We will be watching and waiting to see what comes next for the Sun Belt Conference.

Sun Belt Conference has just two weeks remaining, who will it be?

Sun Belt Conference football season is coming to an end with just two weeks left, who will carry the crown of conference champs back home with them?

New comer South Alabama came in with a bang, surprising many that they too can hang on to the big boys and their conference members.  The Jaguars also have given their conference foes a tough time on the field with no easy wins. They had to earn it.

North Texas and FIU didn't do any better than the last season, in fact FIU panthers did worse to be the pre-season favorite to win the conference after they are schedule to depart the conference along with North Texas to C-USA.  It wasn’t what the Golden Panthers was looking for this season, and the Mean Green of North Texas was looking for a bowl season this year.

Western Kentucky started the season on a positive note and a scared one for other conference foes as if they were the team to beat early on. Now that the Hilltoppers have lost their last two games, their  title hopes have faded and now they have to try and get a bowl bid, something they was overlooked for last season. With another winning season Coach Willie Taggert and his team have nothing to hold their heads down for?  The Hilltoppers defeated (SEC) Kentucky and gave No. 1 (SEC) Alabama some problems on the field.

UL-Monroe falls on my #1 Most Improved Sun Belt Conference team, coming from seasons of losing records to a season of top ten defeats and conference title run. Coach Berry and his staff have really turned some heads with the work in his program. This team is a team to be proud of.  They knocked off No. 6 (SEC) Arkansas in their first game of the season, and then turn around and nearly defeated (SEC) Auburn in overtime. When they came back home to face (BIG 12) Baylor, they nearly defeated them as well in a close game. QB Browning really has showed his ability and talent with the help of his team mates to turn that program around.

FAU has gotten them two conference wins so far this season to put them at (3) wins thus far, and with a new staff and head coach Carl Pelini, the OWLS are making some noise. They may not be bowl eligible or have a winning season, but the OWL S have fought hard this season, and I expect them to improve in the near future and come back to the top and be bowl eligible in the future.

UL-Lafayette is another great program and has come off to a great start in hopes of doing better or repeating the season of last year. They have fallen short of couple games but still have some favor of making it to bowl eligibility. The Ragin Cajuns nearly defeated (SEC) No. 6 Florida a couple weeks ago.

Troy improved their second from last year, they showed their conference new comer South Alabama, which will be their new in-state conference rival that they are strong and some to be deal with. The Trojans went to (SEC) Tennessee and almost upset them, and defeated soon to be (BIG EAST) member Navy.  They too still have a chance to get to six wins to make it to bowl eligibility.

Arkansas State and their new head coach Gus Malzahn have really held on to what they have and be to in the running for the conference title once again for the second straight year. Many thought it would have been tough for Coach Malzahn in his first year as head coach, but he has proven many to be wrong.

Middle Tennessee has stepped back into the title hunt; they have been running the table on their conference foes.  It is my projection that Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Arkansas State Red Wolves contend for the conference title, if these two teams don’t lose in the two final games. Middle Tennessee also defeated a BCS member Georgia Tech.

This has been an impressive season for the Sun Belt Conference and their members.  Many teams have improved and it has translated on the field with big wins and being tough players.  This is the conference that I envision for the South, a conference that is second to the SEC with tough games and tough players. This season the Sun Belt Conference has really shown that they are moving on up and if you are on their schedule in the near future, then you need to be ready for a tough battle.

Texas State is preparing to enter the Sun Belt Conference they too are a solid program with a great coach. This team with three wins for the season so far has defeated in-state foe Houston, and there goes Georgia Sate in Atlanta. This team has built a great program under the legendary Coach Bill Curry who has retired from the Panthers. Now that the Panthers is searching for a new coach, we all hope that it will be someone to carry on the momentum of this new football program as we welcome them into the Sun Belt Conference.  

Week 11 Scores:

On Friday FIU travel up to FAU and defeated the OWLS to get their second conference win of the season, and stack up on their already poor season that so many had hoped to be a positive one.  Now that the season is over, Florida International have no chance of winning the conference crown before they depart for C-USA.  FIU 34 FAU 24

Middle Tennessee one of the conference crown contenders traveled to Mobile, Alabama to take on the Sun Belt Conference new comer in football South Alabama. The Blue Raiders held off the Jaguars in a close game to remain in the crown hunt.  

Middle Tennessee 20- South Ala 12

Arkansas State is that team that keeps on running. The Red Wolves defeated the Troy Trojans in Troy. Arkansas State is also in the hunt for the conference title for the second time in a row. 

Arkansas State 41 – Troy 34

North Texas just can’t get to games to reach it to a bowl. UL-Monroe improved their record for the season to get to a bowl for the first time. They held on the Mean Green of North Texas. 

North Texas 16 – ULM 42

Western Kentucky let another game go on the road this time to UL-Lafayette. The Ragin Cajuns held here grown at home to defeat the Hilltoppers. West Kentucky 27 – ULL 31