Projected defensive starter; countdown to Rutgers

PROJECTED DEFENSIVE STARTERS

LB: The Golden Panthers have a talented core of linebackers ready to play against the Scarlett Knights on Saturday. Expect senior Toronto Smith, sophomore Winston Fraser and junior Aaron Davis to start the game (depending on defensive package of course). Smith and Fraser have lined up mostly with the first-team all fall camp. Davis has seen more playing time with the second-team.

DB: Sophomore Emmanuel Souarin and Anthony Gaitor (right) as the two starting corner backs. Ash Parker and Jonathan Cyprien will be the two starting safeties. Possible second-team guys could be CB Jose Cheeseborough and S Marquis Rolle. Rolle saw a good amount of playing time with the second-team defense during FIU's resent scrimmages. Cheeseborough has seen some first-team playing time, but I do not expect him to start against Rutgers. I think Souarin has definitely taken the lead in practice.

DL:  Defensive ends, sophomore Tourek Williams (left) and junior James Jones. As for the starting defensive tackles, Andrew Mattox and sophomore Joshua Forney have really stood out during camp. Cristobal seems really pleased with the effort Forney has shown so far. "I think all those guys are working hard. Tourek [Williams] continues to get better. Josh Forney had a great camp. I expect some pretty good things from Josh. The rest of the guys are hard working, blue collar guys," Cristobal said.

Tuesday's practice

I am at FIU right now waiting to talk to coach Cristobal after practice. Check back later tonight for my interview with Cristobal, season projections and a preview of the Rutgers game.

Justin Azpiazu

Comments

[kjharris02]

Can someone tell me what channels the Rutgers game is on ?? Is it only ESPN Gameplan?? thanks and GO Golden Panthers #86

[kjharris02]

Can someone tell me what channels the Rutgers game is on ?? Is it only ESPN Gameplan?? thanks and GO Golden Panthers #86

[CJ]

its on ESPN 360 i beleive KJharris02

[FIUfantastic]

www.espn3.com

[chiaPanther]

The channel is called,

THE CAGE!!! Be there... TV... no TV or Web-broadcast... BE THERE LIVE...

Watch it happen. FIU's first step towards Bowl qualification.

NO one reading this board should be asking about tv channels and where to watch...
SOrry KJHarris, there's only one place and that's live.

[kjharris02]

chiaPanther! I will be there Saturday to watch the game and to cheer on my son #86 Harris!!! I was just wondering cause i have had people ask me from where we live if its on TV....

[Gooch7]

Im hoping to see the second SOLD OUT stadium in school history.. I think we will hit the 15K mark but I don't know if there will be enough support to bring in the 20K we need to have a SOLD OUT stadium.. Regardless make sure you are on your seats early to see the Fly over and the memorial for KB..

Go FIU!

[TNGoldenPanther]

Fill up that stadium, damnit! This is our moment to stun a Big East opponent. I can feel it! Make it a memorable night, beat Rutgers! GO FIU!

[FIUfantastic]

FIU makes a big mistake by not selling $10 dollar tickets to this game. By forcing everyone to buy the $40 season tickets, thousands of people wont show up. They made the same mistake with the USF game which is why we didnt have a sell out crowd. I think there's still time to fill up the stadium if they allow students to bring a guest or sell 10 dollar tickets for the opening game. I understand they want to sell those season tickets, but it ends up hurting you for the first crucial game where you need the excitement. What do you guys think?

[pikedanny]

I don't know about them missing out on "thousands of people" by charging $40 per ticket. You have to remember that we need to fulfill our obligation of averaging 15K per season. If everyone only comes out to the Rutger's game, our average takes a HUGE hit. So, to compensate, the administration is giving away tickets to the remaining games when you purchase a ticket to the Rutgers game. In doing so, they ensure that the attendance from the Rutgers can be used for all other games if the actual attendance is below the 15K required.

Make sense?

[Reality]

The FIU administration is trying to hit the season average of 15,000 in the first game by charging $40 for Rutgers which will give you season tickets for all home games. Its a gimmick that will backfire again like last year... the AD and crew will once again claim it met its average, when everyone knows 15,000 per game has never happened at FIU..what a turn off.

[FIUloyal]

Gimmick? FAU, Troy, even teams like Boise, UNT, Marshall and TCU that have had or currently have success have had to use the "tickets sold" formula, and the NCAA allows you to do so. Let me break it down to you guys so we can stop the bitching and complaining:

Reality is, we need to reach 15,000 (average attendance) this year per NCAA rules in order to stay D-1. How do you do that? By # of tickets sold. The NCAA lets you count 1 of 2 things: either A) butts in seats, or B) # of tickets sold. For us, we have to go with option B.

So you take your big name game (Rutgers) and you make it a season ticket. Not only do you increase the possibility of fans coming to the other games, but in essence all the Rutgers fans that will be here next week buy the $40 seat and also become season ticket holders... voila, there's your 15K for the NCAA. BTW, $40 away game tickets is the norm in D-1, that's why you haven't heard a peep from Rutgers fans.

The formula only works if your cheapest ticket for the 1st game is also a "season ticket", and you can't sell individual tickets for the 1st game because then you would have to sell that individual ticket to Rutgers 3,000 fans, thus eliminating the extra "3,000 season tickets sold" for the remainder of the season. For every other game, so you have $8 endzone ticket available for sale.

It's simple math, but unfortunately it's a move the Athletic Department HAS TO MAKE in order to reach our 15K per NCAA rules.

Don't blame the AD or the Department, blame the FIU alumni, fanbase and the city for not supporting the program..... yet. Miami is a bandwagon town, thats the reality of it. UM played Clemson last year, both teams in the top-15 with ACC Championship implications, and there were only 20,000 people there at kick-off. I was there, the place was a monastery. That's the City of Miami for you.

Regardless, this is a temporary reality until A) The Team improves B) PG's schedule kicks in (next year) with 2 good BCS teams visiting the cage for year.

Hopefully that helped clear the air...

[Reality]

FIUloyal..

I agree when you say Miami is a bandwagon town, thats the reality of it. UM played Clemson last year, both teams in the top-15 with ACC Championship implications, and there were only 20,000 people there at kick-off. I was there, the place was a monastery. That's the City of Miami for you.

bottom line..its a gimmick..FIU spends too much time pointing out it has 120k alumni. These people don't support. FIU should cater to it's Freshman and Sophmore students allow them 2 guest each and start you loyal Alumi base from there. Stop wasn't time reaching out to graduates from yester-year and take care of the student that are there now.

[FIUfantastic]

Thanks FIUloyal. That makes a lot of sense now. I guess if they have no choice, then be it.

Reality: FIU is a super young program, born in 2002. We can't expect in a few short years to have the support of all the alumni.

[fiuloyal]

Reality:

If you give those student tickets away, you cannot count them as tickets sold. Students count as "tickets sold" because they pay an athletics fee. If you make an $8 student guest pass your lowest ticket for Rutgers, then you have to give that lowest price to Rutgers fans as well, eliminating the 3,000 extra "season tickets" which will KILL your season average.

It'll make the students happy, but it will make FIU ineligible for D-1. Which one do you prefer? Your a smart guy, it's simple math, FIU MUST average 15,000 PAID people per game this season, and this is THE ONLY way to get it done.

BTW, the kids on campus are PUMPED for this game, I would not be surprised if we get 7,000 kids and have to open student overflow seating. I think this will be the biggest crowd in the short history of FIU Stadium.... even larger than the Gold Cup soccer crowd.

[Reality]

FIUfantastic..

that's why I think FIU should stop chasing the 120k(Miami Bandgon lifer's) alumni like it has been since 2002 and concentrate on those who are there now...circle the wagons around the campuses and make the student experience the best in the country..if you do this from here on..think about how easy it would be to sell out an opener in 3 years..

[alt7787]

The future of FIU is with the current students and recent graduates. The FIU alumni of the 80's 90's and early 2000's are obviously not on board with us. If they were we wouldnt have funding problems, we wouldnt have 2000 show up to our games and we wouldnt talk about the "Miami Herald Bias".

Focus on the current students. Instill FIU pride into these kids. Forget the old alumni. Those ungrateful people can continue to support UM and they can come on board when FIU starts winning.

[HGH4salecanes]

UM baseball player charged with selling weed and HGH.

UM baby !!! GO canes... pass the HGH we need more to beat FIU.

[FIUloyal]

alt, thats all well and good, but you gotta pay the bills, and student fees alone will not pay for tickets, constructions, scholarships, etc.

FIU needs (and has been for the last couple of years) to shift to a more student-centric experience. But the University and specifically the athletic department must also continue to reach out to alumni, local corporations and community leaders in order to grow the program and pay the bill.

There's not a "magical solution" to making FIU a great D-1 program. It is a long process with its ups (the opening of the Stadium, 5-7 season, TY Hilton, Garrett Wittels streak, hiring of Isiah) and downs (losing to FAU AT ANYTHING, probation a couple of years ago, the Strock regime).

What I see is a program and a university that is taking the correct steps in getting to the next level. All I can do is support it as a Season Ticket Holder, Panther Club Member, and also spread the gospel to my circle of influence.

[chiaPanther]

Loyal, you make a great point...
I tryed posting a rant much longer and in malicious spirit for FIU trying to bully the purchase of Season tix... More like a tyrade, but the post was too long for this locale and Pete sensored me....LOL..
And Although still not happy about it, I can now make peace and move forward! Thanks.

Bring on Rutgers!!!!!!!

[alt7787]

I dont mind the $40 ticket stuff. $40 is nothing. I think all the whining going on here about that is ridiculous. $40 is much less than what you would pay to see any NFL team play. Also less than what you would pay to see UM play at Sun Life. $40 is nothing and its a good way to help out the school.

Im excited for tomorrow! I cant wait! Ive convinced 4 students to go to the game and Im hoping our team doesnt disappoint.

I love FIU, but my prediction is Rutgers 34 FIU 26.