Richmond Spiders: JMUSB CAA Preview #9
The Disappoint of the 2009 Season: Richmond won the National Championship in 2008, yet some fans would probably tell you last year’s team was even better. They might be right. The Spiders rattled off 8 straight wins to start the 2009 season, before narrowly losing to eventual National Champ, Villanova 21-20 for their only loss of the regular season. Even with the loss Richmond entered the playoffs as a legit contender to repeat. However, Richmond’s dreams of repeating ended abruptly on December 5 when App State knocked them out of the playoffs with a 35-31 win.
The Devastation of the Offseason: With the loss to App State coming on a Saturday, Richmond fans had all day Sunday to cry in their sweater vests and begin the grieving process. Just when they started to feel better, they woke up on Monday, December 7 and had to face the fact that Head Coach Mike London was shuffling down Rt 64 to Coach the Cavaliers. It was almost enough to make even the most ardent Richmond hater feel bad for the fans. Almost.
The Savior Arrives: Richmond moved on. Fan opinion was divided over the hiring of Latrell Scott to succeed London however. Some fans liked Richmond hiring a young guy who’d embrace his first head coaching job with enthusiasm (like London did), while others saw the move as a sign of the program’s return to mediocrity. But then from the West came a real, honest to goodness, blue-chip QB ready to take the reigns of the Spider offense. The one and only Aaron Corp announced he was transferring from USC to Richmond. Spider fans rejoiced.
Whoa! Who the %^@# Leaves USC for Richmond? Apparently Aaron Corp does. I don’t get it either. One minute you’re one of the top high school recruits in the nation signing on to play with the mighty Trojans and then in the blink of an eye you’re moving 3,000 miles away to play for a first year head coach at Richmond. I guess it wasn’t really in the blink of an eye. It was more like 2 years of not being able to ascend to the top of the depth chart or even solidify yourself as the back-up. Still though, it’s kind of crazy. I mean USC players get houses and stuff.
So What Does This Mean? Look, I have no clue if this kid with the terrible website and the golden arm will be any good at all. I know he was one of the top recruits in the country a few years ago, but he really looks more like a QB from a bad teen angst movie than, you know, a real college QB. Seriously. Check out these pictures. He’s legitimately talented, but the CAA is no cakewalk and blue-chip BCS QB transfers don’t always equate to team success. Just ask Delaware.
The Skinny: The loss of London is tough, but we don’t know what Latrell Scott can do. London was only there 2 years, so it’s not as if Scott is following Joe Paterno. The more pressing concern for the Spiders might be the fact that they’re losing 7 starters on offense and 7 starters on defense from last year’s team. And the brunt of those losses will be on the lines, with 4 O-lineman and 3 D-Lineman graduating. That’s tough. On the plus side, the hyper-talented WR Kevin Grayson returns for his senior year and is no doubt eager to take the field with the California QB. Plus this Satchmo guy says that “there is nothing like an angry Spider underdog.” So they got that going for them.
JMUSB Prediction: If the Spiders get solid play in the trenches, they really could be dangerous. That’s a huge if though. I think they’ll be competitive, but don’t see them challenging for the CAA title. I’m saying the Spiders finish .500 plus or minus one game.
