UPDATE | New Blog Entry: MIAA Week 1 Games

Not a whole lot has happened in the MIAA since last year.

I mean, really, as MIAA fans, we've only seen the resignation of the arguably the best coach to ever walk on to a D2 football field, the sudden death of his successor, the unexpected departure of one of the conference's proudest programs and an MIAA school turn into a tornado shelter and triage center after one of the nation's worst twisters ever. (Go to tinyurl.com/joplind2 to see how D2 fans can help Joplin)

Oh, don't forget last year's leading rusher is in jail awaiting sentencing on federal bank robbery charges.

It's obviously been a busy offseason in the MIAA, but I'm not here to look back. And plus, if you're not up to par on Tjeerdsma, Bostwick, Nebraska-Omaha, Joplin or Vershon Moore, you need to do a better job of watching our homepage and the message board to keep up with things over the year.

I'm here to talk about the 2011 season, and what a great one it should be.

Northwest Missouri comes in as the favorite again, and to no one's surprise. Their 46 game conference winning streak and (insert any other of a million incredible statistics/streaks here) are good enough to get them the preseason nod.

This year's big weapons in Maryville include senior WR Jake Soy and junior RB/KR/PR Jordan Simmons. Both have shown what they're capable of. But add to the mix UNO transfers James Franklin II at running back and Brian Miller at wide receiver and this team looks offensively as good as, if not better than, it has in years past.

Quarterback Blake Christopher replaces Blake Bolles - just 1 of a whole crew of new QBs in the conference this year. The senior has been around the program for a while, and if he can find his groove early, watch out for the Bearcats.

Washburn was right behind Northwest in both the coaches and the media polls, even gaining enough respect to earn 3 first-place votes in the coaches' poll. One vote is a given, because Northwest coach Adam Dorrel can't vote for himself, but the returning cast the Ichabods bring back is enough for two other coaches to give them the nod.

Washburn also earned 7 (including mine) of 35 first-place votes in the media poll.

The big reason for this? Senior quarterback Dane Simoneau is without question the best returning play-caller in the conference, and with a big season this year, could join UCM's Eric Czerniewski and MWSU's Drew Newhart in the top 3 all-time passers (both passed former MIAA leader Kasey Waterman in their season seasons last year).

Another big reason for the elevated hype surrounding the Ichabods this year was the return of Vershon Moore, last year's leading rusher in the conference.

But just before summer camp started this year, Moore was arrested for, and has since been charged with and pleaded guilty to, the robbery of a Topeka credit union. Moore faces up to 25 years in federal prison and will be sentenced Nov. 21.

But even when you combine Moore's absence with the transfer of star cornerback Pierre Desir, you still have to believe Washburn has what it takes to compete in this conference, though I don't know if they'd get the same love they saw in preseason polls if they were conducted again.

Central Missouri is another team that got some love in the preseason polls, at least from the media, who blessed them with 5 first-place votes.

That's just absurd.

You might remember, I was implanted firmly in the center of the Mules bandwagon last year, but that was last year.

Without All Americans Eric Czerniewski, Anthony Stewart, Jamorris Warren and DaMarco Cosby, it's going to be real tough to duplicate the success coach Jim Svoboda saw in his first year.

Don't tell Boda that though. He's confident the team's in good shape, even telling me they're "better off" this year than they were a year ago because of the amount of time their new starters, including senior QB Tommy Corwin, have had within the program.

Fair enough coach. I'm sure the Mules will be competitive this year, and luckily they're not the only ones having to replace some big names, but I don't see them making a repeat trip to the postseason.

Alright, moving on in the conference, there's Missouri Western, another playoff team from a year ago. Drew Newhart is gone, but this team is deep in receivers and might have the top running back in the conference if Michael Hill can live up to potential.

Those four teams should fight it out for the playoff spots in the conference, like they did a year ago.

Behind them, some think Pitt State is ready to return to the top of the conference, and bringing back QB Zac Dickey and RB Briceton Wilson is a good start to that goal. And it should certainly be fun to watch linebacker Nate Drelling in his sophomore campaign after such a great year in 2010.

It's the bottom half of the conference that can be most fun when it comes to prognostication. Which team will make the run into bowl (playoff?) contention?

Last year, I picked Fort Hays State. We all saw how that worked out. Let's hope this year's pick for dark horse goes a little better for me.

My pick for dark horse this year? Emporia State.

The Hornets were a fourth-quarter collapse away from a winning record last year, and had they hung on to beat Truman State, they would have been playing in the Mineral Water Bowl.

The Hornets, fourth in the MIAA in rushing a year ago, return an experienced offensive line and a group of capable running backs.

Dasor Horton and Adrian Abner come back after notching carries in all 11 games in 2010, plus Emporia brings back La'Darrian Page. MIAA fans might remember that name. Page rushed for more than 1,200 yards as a freshman a few years back at Missouri Western, but has fought eligibility issues ever since.

If the three backs can stay on the field, it could be a big year of rushing the football for ESU. But for my prediction to come true, senior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode needs to stop up his game. The Hornets were 5-3 in games he started and completed last year, but his season high was a mere 207 yards, and that was in a loss to Northwest Missouri.

That ain't gonna cut it if Emporia wants to play with the big boys. This conference is about the air game, and if your quarterback isn't putting up numbers, it doesn't matter what you do on the ground.

Eckenrode knows the season rides in large part on his shoulders, and he's okay with that. He told me at MIAA Media Day earlier this month he's ready to carry the team to the next level and he feels the, and is okay with, the pressure that comes with being one of the conference's top returning quaterbacks.

I'm not saying he needs to put up Eric Czerniewski-like numbers, but if Eckenrode can bring his game up to the next level, look for the Hornets to be a major competitor in the conference this year.

After Emporia, you've got Missouri Southern, who brings back another under-performing quarterback. But unlike Eckenrode, who doesn't throw many INTs, Lions gunslinger Collin Howard had more picks than touchdowns a year ago.

Southern also loses their top rusher, Cornell Gedward, to eligibility, but does bring back preseason All American Brandon Williams on the defensive side of the ball.

And the defense is where Southern excelled last year. The Lions led the conference in total defense, but were at the middle or bottom of all offensive categories.

If their D can remain stingy, Howard improves his turnover-to-touchdown ratio and they can find a replacement for Gedward, Southern could make some noise in the conference.

Truman State is another team that was (you can't see my fingers) 'this' close to making a bowl game last year. They lost their final two games by a total of four points, with both deciding scores coming in the final minutes.

The Bulldogs bring in a new quarterback, senior transfer JB Clark, who comes from FCS Lehigh (Pa.).

Truman's last two losses were close games, but their other five were by an average of more than 27 points. The Bulldogs will need to find some more consistency if they want to step up in this conference.

Ah Fort Hays. I would have bet it all on you last year, coming off a somewhat-successful 2009 campaign with all your weapons coming back.

But a dismal 2010 season, added with the graduation of all your best players, doesn't leave me with high hopes for this year.

Senior Blake McAhren steps in at quarterback after serving two years behind Mike Garrison and first-year coach Chris Brown brings a new Pro Style offense and a 4-2-5 defense, but it might be tough to make the leap into contention with so many unanswered questions.

And last, and unfortunately probably least, is the newcomer to the conference. Lincoln University joins the MIAA after winning just 24 games in the 11 seasons since they've brought back their football program.

The Blue Tigers lost by a combined score of 119-31 to MIAA opponents Missouri Western and Missouri Southern a year ago.

Another first-year coach leads Lincoln onto the field, but Mike Jones comes with a bit more notoriety that other first-year D2 coaches.

You might remember Jones as the player who made "The Tackle" in the 2000 Super Bowl for the St. Louis Rams. He stopped Titans receiver Kevin Dyson one yard short of the end zone on the final play of the game, resulting in a 23-16 victory for the Rams.

If Lincoln wins an MIAA game this year, I'll be shocked. Their best hopes for wins will come week 1 against NAIA Avila or the final week of the season against D2 independent Urbana.

Alright, there's a look at the season ahead. Agree? Disagree? Good, now tell me why. Leave a comment below, e-mail me at [email protected], @ me on twitter @miAARONd2 or message me at Facebook.com/apheintz.

Looking for Week 1 game previews? Don't worry. They're coming. I'll have them up before games kick off on Thursday night, I promise.