PREVIEW: POSITION ANALYSIS Depth developed during past few years could give Tech a chance at OVC title Head Coach Watson Brown has been patient in developing skill levels throughout Golden Eagle roster
Dontey Gay
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The age-old practice of predicting college football success rambled through another talkative summer with lots of discussions about team strengths and weaknesses, schedules, promising signees and quality returnees. Tennessee Tech is right in the middle of the talk when it comes to picking the favorite teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Golden Eagles are picked fourth in the league, and all three teams ahead of Tech must visit Tucker Stadium. In the preseason Top 25 of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly I-AA), the Golden Eagles received nine votes and are listed among “others receiving votes.” What does it all mean? On paper, the Golden Eagles appear to be a solid squad in 2010. Coach Watson Brown and his staff are trying to mold a team that featured lots and lots of freshmen the past two years into a championship contender. In a breakdown by position, Tech has the potential to challenge for a title and a spot in the Top 25. The outlook can be boiled down to one word: Depth. If Tech’s depth is as good as Brown believes it to be, then season tickets in Tucker Stadium could be the bargain of the year, especially with late-season visits from Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State. “We need to play well on the road early in the year to have a chance to win the OVC championship,” Brown said. “If we do that, then we’ll be in the hunt when we host those games later in the year. It could make for a really exciting season for our fans.” Tech has plenty of depth on the defensive side of scrimmage, particularly in the line where Brown thinks his squad can be three-deep at every position. On the other side of the ball, Tech’s strength is in the skill positions where an abundance of talent lines up in the backfield and receiver. Up front, Tech boasts some of its most talented players in the offensive line, but Brown’s concern is whether there’s enough depth to keep the ball moving. Six of Tech’s linemen have not seen a collegiate snap, and there’s not much experience behind the starters in the interior spots. Specials teams should live up to its name – special – with kickers, punters and breakaway returners galore. “We’re as good as any team in the Ohio Valley Conference, but we’re no better than any team in the OVC,” Brown says evenly. “We need to play our best every week to have a chance to win, but if we do that we can win every game.” TENNESSEE TECH FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE F 2010