The 2013 Big South Conference Football Championship race will have a much different look than in recent years. Stony Brook will no longer be in the conference as they move to the CAA. That means there will only be 6 teams in the conference – Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb, Liberty, Presbyterian, and VMI. Here’s a quick preview of each team and their 2013 football teams:

Charleston Southern

The Buccaneers are coming off a 5-6 overall and 3-3 Big South season in 2012. Charleston Southern had an extremely young team in 2012, and returns plenty of playmakers in 2013. The Buccaneers will have to replace Senior leader DB Charles James. James was 1st team all-conference in 2012, and could get drafted in the upcoming NFL Draft.

CSU QB #15 Malcolm Dixon

Most notably, CSU will return their top passer (QB Malcolm Dixon), top rusher (RB Teddy Allen), and top receiver (Larry Jones, III). Dixon accounted for 43% of CSU’s total offense including 462 yards rushing and 16 total touchdowns. Allen rushed for 576 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Jones had 431 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Jones was named 2nd team all-conference. RB Gabriel Johnson also returns. Johnson accounted for 292 yards of total offense, 3rd behind Dixon and Allen. The Buccaneers will have to replace 2nd leading receiver and return man WR Chase Jones.

On defense, the Buccaneers return their top 3 leading tacklers from 2012 – DB Elijah Lee (2nd team all-conference), LB Zack Johnson, and DB Zac Johnston (no, that’s not a misprint). CSU does lose DE Cornelius Sterling, who was 4th on the team in tackles, and the aforementioned Charles James.

Coastal Carolina

The Chanticleers are coming off a share of the conference championship, and the program’s 3rd trip to the FCS Playoffs. Big South Coach of the Year Joe Moglia will guide his troops for his 2nd season.

LB Quinn Backus

Coastal will  have to replace 1st team all-conference Quarterback Aramis Hillary. Hillary was dynamic this past season for the Chanticleers passing for 2,665 yards while rushing for 567 yards. Hillary had 25 total touchdowns. The Chanticleers will likely look to either Alex Ross or Austin Cain to replace Hillary. Coastal will lose its top 3 rushers, Jeremy Height, Aramis Hillary, and Marcus Whitener, from the 2012 season. Lorenzo Taliaferro will look to pick up the slack in the backfield. Coastal will return 4 starters on the offensive line, only losing 1st team all-conference selection Pat Williams. The Chanticleers’ top 4 receivers all return including 1st team all-conference selection Matt Hazel and Niccolo Mastromatteo.

Coastal Carolina’s defense will return 8 starters from the 2012 campaign including the Big South Defensive Player of the Year Sophomore Linebacker Quinn Backus. Backus posted 139 tackles in 2012, and will lead a talented linebacker-corp alongside Mike McClure. 1st team all-conference selection Dontavais Johnson must be replaced in the secondary.

Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb will look to improve off a 3-8, 2-4 (Big South), mark from 2012. The Runnin’ Bulldogs return most of their playmakers as they look to move up the conference standings.

LB Tanner Burch

QB Lucas Beatty will return off a season that he threw for 2,483 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Looking to replace 2nd team all-conference running back selection Kenny Little will be Juanne Blount. Blount rushed for 489 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2012. GWU returns their top 3 leading receivers in Kenny Cook and Deonte Swinton, and 1st team all-conference TE Seth Cranfill. 1st team all-conference selection OL Steve Demilio will need to be replaced up-front.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs defense will again be spearheaded by their linebackers. Linebackers Tanner Burch, Brian Wittenberger, and Bradle Taylor all return. All 3 were the top 3 leading tacklers on the team in 2012. Burch was named to the 1st team all-conference team. DB Gianni Olivas and DE Preston Pemasa are other notable returners. 1st team all-conference Punter Bo Lindsey will also need to be replaced.

Liberty

Refer to our first 2 parts of our 2013 Football Look Ahead where we previewed Liberty’s Offense, Defense & Special Teams, as the Flames enter their 2nd season under Head Coach Turner Gill.

Presbyterian

Following a disapointing 0-6 Big South Conference record in Presby’s first season as a full DI member, Defensive Coordinator Drew Watson and Defensive Backs Coach & Recruiting Coordinator Andrew Ford resigned. Head Coach Harold Nichols will look to improve from just 2 total wins in 2012.

PC QB Tamyn Garrick

The Blue Hose will be without their leading rusher RB Lance Byrd, and without 1st team all-conference kick returner and wide receiver Michael Ruff. Rising Redshirt-Sophomore Quartebacks Kaleb Griffin and Tamyn Garrick are both slated to return. Each QB started 5 games in 2012. Griffin was 117/200 for 1,074 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Garrick was 70/138 for 778 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Presby will also have to replace leading receiver Anderico Bailey who had 45 receptions for 374 yards. WR Arthur Williams will look to step up into Bailey’s void. RB Demarcus Rouse, who had 427 yards and 9 touchdowns, will likely be the top running back on the depth chart.

On defense, the Blue Hose return 2 2nd team all-conference linebackers in Donelle Williams and LJ Perry. Williams and Perry were the team’s 2 leading tacklers in 2012. LB Isaiah Lynn who recorded 5.5 tackles for loss will also be back. Safety Cedric Byrd highlights the returnees in the secondary.

VMI

The Keydets finished the 2012 season 2-9 and 1-5 in Big South Play.

QB Eric Kordenbrock

VMI returns starting QB Eric Kordenbrock who came into his own in 2012 finishing 193/344 for 2,008 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. The Keydets top 2 rushers, Jabari Turner and Derrick Ziglar, will both return in 2013 as well. Leading receiver James Rogers will look to improve upon his 320 yards and 32 receptions he had in 2012. VMI will lose their 3rd leading receiver in Aaron Lewis.

Defensively, the Keydets will have to replace 2 starters on the defensive line in Charlie Jones and Shawn Champman. Jones was a 1st team all-conference selection in 2012 as he had 11 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Chapman added 2.5 sacks as well. Linebackers Weston Reber and Logan Staib return. Reber was VMI’s leading tackler in 2012 with 87, and Staib had 7.5 tackles for loss. In the secondary James Fruehan and Adam Morgan both return. Morgan should see significant improvement as he will be entering his 1st full offseason as a defensive back after originally being recruited as a quarterback.

Prediction:

The race for the 2013 Trophy is on

Every year since 2004, either Liberty, Coastal Carolina, or Stony Brook has won or claimed a share of the Big South Football Championship. With Stony Brook out of the picture, Liberty and Coastal Carolina return as the teams to beat. The 2013 Big South Champion will likely be the winner of the Liberty/Coastal contest. The game will be played in Lynchburg. With that said, Liberty University should win the 2013 Big South Football Championship outright and advance to the program’s first ever FCS Playoff.

(Very Early) Projected conference standings:
1. Liberty
2. Coastal Carolina
3. Charleston Southern
4. VMI
5. Gardner-Webb
6. Presbyterian