1)Exeter will run the ball more than it passes it.

2) The New Hampshire high school football community will realize how foolish the New Hampshire Index Plan is as it relates to football.

For those unaware, playoff teams will not be determined by a team's record within its division this season. Instead, points will be awarded for each victory. At the end of the season a team's point total will be divided by the number of games played (excluding non-league games). The four teams with the highest rating in each division will qualify for the playoffs.

That's the New Hampshire Index Plan.

Here's the problem: More points are awarded for a victory on the road (five) than for a victory at home (four). Simply put, it's more helpful to beat the worst team in your league on the road than it is to beat the best team at home.

"I don't like it," Salem coach Jack Gati said. "You kind of get penalized for winning at home. If you win a game you win a game. You could be playing a strong opponent at home, and someone else could be playing a weak opponent away and they get more points for winning."

That situation could unfold this year because Pinkerton is scheduled to play Central in Manchester.  A similar situation could occur between two teams battling for fourth place. The teams could finish with identical records, but the team that lost the regular-season matchup could be the one that makes the playoffs.

The New Hampshire Index Plan may stir extra debate in Divisions IV, V and VI, where teams play a nine-game regular-season schedule and don't have an equal number of home games. 

"I don't know why they changed it − what the reason was," Gati said. "We all played each other. I liked it the way it was."

At any rate, with the utmost confidence ... this week's selections:

Goffstown 21
Concord 13

There was a time when a Division III team wasn't allowed to play a team from Division I. That time was last year.

Exeter 21
Dover 7

The Blue Hawks better win some games before it gets cold. Here's the second half of Exeter's schedule:  at Pinkerton, at Salem, Manchester Central, Nashua South at Nashua North.

Souhegan 21
Londonderry 20

Chalk up another win for Division III.

Manchester Central 27
Alvirne 7

Central is going to be better than a lot of people expect. Much better.

Memorial 14
Milford 13

Division III can't win them all.

Winnacunnet 28
Nashua North  27

Salem-BG will get the most attention, but this might be the best matchup on the Week 1 menu.

Nashua South 17
Portsmouth 14

South wins on a field goal in overtime.

Pinkerton 35
Timberlane 6

This is not last year's Pinkerton team.

Salem 21
Bishop Guertin 14

The mud will help Salem more than it will help BG. (Note: This game has been moved to Saturday at 2 p.m.).

Keene 21
Con-Val 20

This wouldn't be a bad Thanksgiving Day matchup.

Bedford 20
Manchester West 14

Imagine if these two schools fielded one team.

Merrimack 28
Hollis-Brookline 14

Exeter's departure from Division II should open up a playoff spot for Merrimack.

Spaulding 14
Pembroke Academy 13

Red Raiders win one for their new coach.

Hanover 20
Laconia 13

Have to go with the team that has the best player on the field. That player is Sam Carney.

John Stark 13
Kingswood 12

Generals win one for their new coach.

Lebanon 21
Kennett 12

Expect Lebanon to take a step forward in Division IV.

Trinity 28
Merrimack Valley 13

Have to admit that adding Trinity has made this division a lot more interesting.

Plymouth 14
Monadnock 13

Bobcats could get a scare this weekend.

Bishop Brady 36
Fall Mountain 12

Just so we're all clear, Brady is at home and will earn four points for a victory.

Somersworth 20
Bow 18

Tough call, so we'll go with the home team.

St. Thomas 26
Campbell 13

Looking for a bounce-back year from the Saints.

Kearsarge 19
Stevens 14

Plenty of experience in the Kearsarge offensive backfield.

Windham 14
Sanborn 8

Windham picks up its first victory right away.

Newport 30
Epping-Newmarket 16

Newport will play six of its next eight games at home.

Gilford 36
Farmington 6

Defense wins in Division VI, and Gilford can play defense.

Franklin 14
Mascoma Valley 12

Never underestimate the importance of a two-point conversion.

Inter-Lakes 20
Raymond 14

The Lakers won't sneak up on anyone this season.

Newfound 13
Winnisquam 6

This is clearly the most intriguing game in Division VI this weekend.

_____

Last year: 226-57

Roger Brown covers college and high school football in the Northeast for ESPN/Scouts Inc. His column, The State of Football, appears each Friday throughout the season.

The League: Epping-Newmarket (603), Gilford (571), Winnisquam (538), Newfound (464), Raymond (459), Farmington (443), Franklin (437), Mascoma (436), Newport (409), Inter-Lakes (388).

Defending Champion: Inter-Lakes beat Winnisquam, 6-0, in last year's Division VI championship game.

Top Story Line: Who's No. 1? This league appears to have at least six teams capable of winning the state title.

Player to Watch: Newfound defensive back Shawn Downes was a First Team All-State selection last season. Teams win with defense in this division more than any other. The losing team hasn't scored a point in either of the last two Division VI championship games.

Game to Watch: Newfound at Inter-Lakes (Oct. 23). The matchup should feature two of the top teams in the divison.

Noteworthy: One of the biggest questions in Division VI is this: Can Inter-Lakes recover from the loss of running back Kevin Brady? Brady gained 2,213 yards last season. ... Campbell and Fall Mountain each moved up to Division V in the offseason. ... Newfound may be able to take another step forward after qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in the program's history last season, but the Bears will play all but one game on the road. Franklin, Gilford, Inter-Lakes, Newport, Raymond and Winnisquam all look like possible playoff teams. ...  Winnisquam noseguard Jordan Riberdy will be among the top defensive players in the division. ... Epping-Newmarket and Farmington will each play six of their nine games at home ... Newport will play a Thanksgiving Day game at Stevens.

                                                                                                            -- Roger Brown.

The game will be played Saturday (2 p.m.) in Salem. 

The League: Sanborn (755), Windham (734), St. Thomas (676), Kearsarge (640), Stevens (635), Fall Mountain (632), Bow (613), Somersworth (588), Campbell (550), Bishop Brady (369).

Defending Champion: Trinity beat Bishop Brady, 41-7, in last year's state championship game.

Top Story Line: Intrductions please. There are four teams in Division V that weren't there a year ago.

Player to Watch: St. Thomas junior Jack MacNevin is in his third season as the team's starting quarterback. He's battled the injury bug in each of the last two seasons. When healthy, he's among the top QBs in the state.

Game to Watch: St. Thomas at Kearsarge (Oct. 29). Two of the top teams in the division will meet during the regular season's final weekend. The outcome will likely determine playoff seeding, or possibly playoff teams.  

Noteworthy: Campbell, Fall Mountain, Sanborn and Windham are the new teams in Division V. Campbell and Fall Mountain have each moved up from Division VI, Sanborn dropped from Division IV and Windham is a first-year varsity program. Bill Raycraft, who was formerly the head coach at John Stark, is the head coach and athletic director at Windham. ... Pelham, which won two of the last three Division V championships, has moved up to Division II, and Trinity, last year's Division V champion, is now in Division IV. ... St. Thomas coach Rod Wotton enters the season with a 333-77-3 career record. No New England high school football coach has won more games. Wotton will build his offense around MacNevin, a run/pass threat who completed 59 of 155 pass attempts for 831 yards and eight TDs last season. Both of those numbers were down from 2008, when MacNevin threw for 896 yards and 10 TDs. ... Dan Hodsdon is in his first season as Somersworth's head coach. Hodsdon replaced Kevin Hebert, who left to become the athletic director at Spaulding High School.

Coming Thursday: Division VI preview.

                                                                                                          -- Roger Brown

High School: Cronan set for strong senior season >> Portsmouth Herald

College: CAA looks tougher than ever >> Foster's Daily Democrat

The League: Merrimack Valley (910), Kingswood (872), Kennett (853)
John Stark (838), Laconia (782), Plymouth (748), Hanover (740), Lebanon (698), Monadnock (649), Trinity (409).

Defending Champion: Plymouth beat Laconia, 38-0, in last year's championship game.

Top Story Line: Can anyone derail Plymouth? The Bobcats will enter the season with a 55-game winning streak, which is the longest active winning streak in the nation.

Player to Watch: Monadnock running back Blake Bolewski may be the best player New Hampshire fans haven't heard of. Bolewski was a First-Team All-State selection last season and could help make Monadnock the surprise team in the division this year.

Game to Watch: Plymouth at Trinity (Sept. 24). This could be where the streak comes to an end.

Noteworthy: Chuck Lenahan is in his 39th season at Plymouth's head coach. He has a career record of 320-63-1 and has guided the Bobcats to 18 state championships. Plymouth has won 11 titles in the last 13 years. ... Trinity moved up to Division IV after it won the Division V championship last seeason. ... The best player in Division IV may be Hanover quarterback Sam Carney, a senior who has been a starter since his freshman season. ... Kingswood's Tate Jozokos, who was an All-State QB as a freshman last season, has transferred to Governor's Academy in Byfield, Mass. Matt Jozokos, Tate's father, is still Kingswood's head coach. ...Jim O'Rourke is in his first season as John Stark's head coach. Mike Holderman (Kennett) and Eric Anderson (Merrimack Valley) are the ther first-year coaches in the division. Anderson guided Spaulding High School in Barre, Vt. to the Division II championship in 2008. .... At least seven teams in this division appear capable of making the playoffs.

Coming Thursday: Division V and Division VI previews.

                                                                                                                 -- Roger Brown

The League: Goffstown (1,235 enrollment), Bedford (1,223), Portsmouth (1,048), Con-Val (1,011), Milford (959), Pembroke Academy (946), Hollis-Brookline (903), Souhegan (884), Pelham (690).

Defending Champion: Souhegan beat Portsmouth, 49-29, in the championship game.

Top Story Line: Can any team supplant Souhegan? The Sabers have been the dominant team in Division III the last two years and are seeking their third state title in as many seasons.

Player to Watch: Quarterback Jon Queen is one of 21 seniors on the Con-Val roster. A strong season from Queen means the Cougars will likely be back in the playoffs.

Game to Watch: Goffstown at Souhegan (Sept. 17). Goffstown has become the trendy pick to win the Division III titile. This game will tell us if the Grizzlies are true title contenders.

Noteworthy: Souhegan has beaten Portsmouth in each of the past two Division III championship games. Each team must replace some high-profile players, but expect both offenses to be strong again this season. ... Goffstown returned all but six starters from last season and was impressive against Salem in the Queen City Jamboree. ... Souhegan will have plenty of new faces in its offensive line, but should have one of the top quarterbacks (Mike Luks) and receiving corps in the division. The Sabers are one of the few New Hampshire teams that participate in multiple 7-on-7 camps during the offseason. ... Bedford is a program that many believe will take a huge step forward this season. The Bulldogs have young, but talented offensive backfield that includes junior running back Jordan Garron and sophomore quarterback James Caparell. ... Pembroke has 10 starters back on defense and nine returning on offense. ... Quinn McCann, who was forced into action last season, will replace Nate Jones as Portsmouth's starting QB. Portsmouth's Billy Lane will be one of the top big-play threats in the division.  ... Pelham, a Division V team last season, is the new face in Division III. The Pythons replaced John Stark, which dropped to Division IV.

Coming Thursday: Division V and Division VI previews.

                                                                                                               -- Roger Brown

High School: NHIAA Football Preview >> New Hampshire Notebook

The League: Pinkerton Academy (3,325 enrollment), Nashua South (2,226), Manchester Central (2,220), Manchester Memorial (2,092), Nashua North (2,003), Concord (1,878), Salem (1,850), Londonderry (1,765), Exeter (1,701).

Defending Champion: Salem. The Blue Devils defeated Nashua North, 28-21, in last year's championship game.

Top Story Line: Can anyone catch Salem? Specifically, can anyone catch Salem running back Max Jacques? Jacques rushed for 1,848 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.

Player to Watch: Nashua South quarterback Keith Farkas, who guided South to the Division I championship as a sophomore. He's among the reasons South will have a chance to win another title this year.

Game to Watch: Nashua North at Salem (Oct. 2). The best teams in Division I last year may be the best team in Division I this season as well.

Noteworthy: Salem is the clear-cut favorite in what may be the deepest division in the state. In addition to Jacques, the Blue Devils return junior running back Jerickson Fedrick and senior quarterback Matt Cannone. Fedrick rushed for 1,186 yards and 18 TDs last fall. Cannone is in his third season as the team's starting QB. ... The addition of Exeter, which moved up from Division II, has made the division even tougher. Exeter replaced Manchester West, which dropped to Division II because of declining enrollment. ... "I think Division I was down last year," Pinkerton coach Brian O'Reilly said. "It happens. It'll be a strong division this year. We're better. South is better. Salem is the same. It's Division I." ... Nashua North, which is coming off the program's first playoff appearance, returned eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters. The returnees include quarterback Brandon Karkhanis and running back Andre Williams. Karkhanis split time with QB Dylan Brodeur last season. ... Exeter has two of the best offensive linemen in the state in junior center Brad Tiernan and junior tackle Adam Morin.  ...Nashua South, Salem and Pinkerton will all play non-league games against Massachusetts opponents this season. Nashua South will play Lowell, Salem will face Lawrence (Thanksgiving) and Pinkerton will play a Brockton team that was ranked No. 1 in New England by ESPN Boston. ... Central is another team to keep an eye on this season. The Little Green lost do-everything running back/defensive back Mike Cavanaugh, but have some of the best skill-position players in Division I.

Coming Wednesday: Division III and Division IV previews.

                                                                                                              -- Roger Brown

The League: Keene (1,654 enrollment), Dover (1,563), Spaulding (1,550), Merrimack (1,514), Timberlane (1,477), Alvirne (1,463), Manchester West (1,383), Winnacunnet (1,265), Bishop Guertin (886).

Defending Champion: Bishop Guertin beat Winnacunnet, 31-0, in the 2009 Division II championship game.

Top Story Line: Will it be BG again? The Cardinals have won the Division II championship in five of the last six years.

Player to Watch: BG's Mike Kelly, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound running back, may be the state's most dangerous offensive player. Kelly, who is an exceptional kick returner, has run the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.

Game to Watch: BG at Winnacunnet (Oct. 22). The Cardinals and Warriors appear to be a notch above everyone else in the division. It will come as no surprise if this game determine's the division's No. 1 seed.

Noteworthy: Division II was once the deepest league in the state, but that isn't the case anymore. The league lost one of its strongest programs in the offseason, when Exeter moved to Division I. Manchester West dropped from Division I to Division II. ... BG lost 34 seniors from its unbeaten 2009 team. The Cardinals shut out their last four opponents en route to last year's title. ... If Kelly isn't the best player in Division II, then Winnacunnet quarterback Steve Cronan is. Cronan has drawn Division I interest. Running backs Mike Trainor and Brett Taylor are other experienced players who will line up in Winnacunnet's backfield. ... Alvirne, Dover and Merrimack appear to have legitimate playoff hopes. Alvirne has 21 players in its senior class, Dover returned eight defensive starters and Merrimack has eight returning offensive starters and nine returning on defense. ... Joe Benham has replaced Jim Keays as Spaulding's head coach. .. BG will open its season with a non-league game against Salem, which won last year's Division I championship. Winnacunnet will open with Nashua North, which lost to Salem in last year's Division I title game. ... Lights have been installed at Keene's Alumni Field, which will allow the Blackbirds to play their home games on Friday nights.  

Coming Tuesday: Division I preview.

                                                                                                                -- Roger Brown 

CCSU coach Jeff McInerney told the Courant that Paul was suspended for a violation of team and athletic department rules and will not be eligible to play until Oct. 9, when CCSU is scheduled to play its sixth game.

Paul had 55 receptions and five receiving touchdowns last season.

CCSU was 9-3 and won the outright NEC title last year. UNH is coming off a 10-3 season and its sixth consecutive NCAA playoff appearance.

Saturday's game will be played in Durham and is scheduled to start at noon.

"We have some positions where we have key returnees and a lot of experience," Castonia said. "And we have areas where we lost a lot to graduation and will be very young. Our success will (depend) on our returning players getting better at what they do and finding young people to fill in the other spots."

PSU earned its success last season with a strong running attack, ranking 11th in the nation in rushing offense, an effective passing game, ranking fourth in the country in pass efficiency, and a strong, all-around defense, ranking 46th overall in team defense.

Castonia welcomes back 15 starters this season, seven on offense and eight on the other side of the ball. The linebackers and defensive backs are experienced groups and will backbone the defense while several veterans return at the skill positions on offense. The Panthers will have to rebuild the offensive and defensive interior lines.

"How the offensive line performs may dictate how our offense goes," Castonia said. "We've had a veteran line the last couple of years and had success running the ball. We'll have to see how this year's line comes together to see where our strength on offense lies."

The Panthers have ranked in the top 11 in the nation in rushing offense the past three years,handing off the football more than 80 percent of the time.  PSU lost three starters from its offensive line, and will look to its two returnees, senior center Nick Fuccillo (East Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth) and sophomore guard Xander Fuccillo (East Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth) to lead this year's unit. Castonia said two or three returning guys or a couple newcomers could step in.

"Nick Fuccillo is a two-year starter and Xander jumped right into a starting role as a freshman last year," Castonia said. "We'll rely on those two to help rebuild the line. Some young guys who haven't played a lot of snaps had a good spring, so hopefully that improvement will continue."

The offense will be spearheaded by senior quarterback J.J. Brooks (Seabrook, N.H./Winnacunnet), who was Second Team All-Conference last year. He rushed for 761 yards (4.1 average) and 12 touchdowns while completing 64-of-120 passes (53.5 percent) for 1,243 yards and 16 touchdowns (six interceptions).

"There's no substitute for experience and the experience J.J. got as a starter last year was extremely beneficial," Castonia said. "We'll build on all the things he did well and learn from the mistakes."

Sophomore Ty Long (Dover, N.H./Dover) and senior Chris Francher (Weare, N.H./John Stark) will likely get the bulk of carries out of the Panther backfield. Long was the NEFC Boyd Division Rookie of the Year in 2009 after rushing for a team-leading 764 yards (5.8 avg.) and five touchdowns. Francher rushed for 488 yards (4.1 avg.) and four scores.

"Ty came in and took advantage of an opportunity and we're hoping he can build on that," Castonia said. "Chris has continued to improve every year, and he's become a big part of our offense."

One of Brooks' top receivers is back in senior wideout John Creamer (Hanover, Mass./Abington), who caught a team-high 27 passes last season for 434 yards and seven touchdowns.  Senior tight end Aaron Getz (Palmerton, Pa./Palmerton Area) is also back, and junior Christian Mulcahy (Norwich, Conn./St. Bernards), who has been impressive as a kick returner, had a solid spring after moving over from defensive back.

"We've got some talent returning in that area, but we'll also be looking to see if any of the young guys can step up.," Castonia said.

DEFENSE

PSU has the luxury of having four returning senior linebackers who all have starting experience, and Castonia plans to take advantage of that. Those four are Brian Castellucci (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy), Harry Fallon (Hampton Falls, N.H./Winnacunnet), Mike Bruning (Abington, Mass.) and Steve Campbell (Northborough, N.H./Algonquin).

Castellucci was a First Team All-Conference selection last year, and Fallon was a Second Team pick. 

"All four of those guys have taken a lot of snaps and we'll use all four of them a lot this year," Castonia said. "We'll be able to use some of those guys on special teams as well, giving us more experience on those units. There's no doubt they'll be the backbone of our team."

The Panthers also have three key returning veterans in the backfield. Senior safety Zach Parsons (Florence, Mass./Northampton) and senior cornerback Kevin Whalen (Wallingford, Conn./Sheehan) are both two-time All-Conference selections, and senior safety Dan Kelly (Londonderry, N.H.) is a three-year starter. Having those three returning veterans allowed Castonia to move the other starter, Christian Mulcahy, to wide receiver.

"We feel good about the returners we have back there," Castonia said. "They've got good experience and have been all-conference performers. Their experience and skill will help is develop other areas of the defense."

Senior end Matt MacLean (Abington, Mass.) is the only returning starter on the defensive line, so Castonia will be looking for new players who can step in. Junior Pat Sullivan (Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet), senior Jim Buckley (Burlington, Mass.) and sophomore Matt Fiore (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) are candidates to fill the roles, along with some newcomers.

SPECIAL TEAMS

"We were inconsistent on special teams last year," Castonia said. "We did some good things in some games, and we hurt ourselves in some others. We need to get better. The bigger the game, the more important this becomes."

Sophomore punter Nick Provost (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) averaged 42.6 yards a kick last year, and was named First Team All-Conference. His average would have ranked fourth in the nation but he lacked enough attempts to qualify. As a team, PSU ranked 11th in the nation in net punting (35.1 yds.).

Mulcahy kicker/returner is back in several areas on Panther special teams. He averaged 22.3 yards in kickoff returns with one touchdown last year, earning All-Conference honors as a return specialist, and he was 7-for-11 in field goal tries and 34-of-40 on extra point kick attempts.  He can also kickoff and punt if needed.

Long took over as a solid punt returner last season, averaging more than 13 yards a boot.  Castonia says Long or someone else could end up carrying the load.

OUTLOOK

Curry recaptured the NEFC Boyd Division title last season after PSU had wrestled it away in 2008. Castonia says this year's champion will likely again have to go through Curry.

"We know Curry will be a big obstacle for us, but there are other teams on our schedule that will be tough," Castonia said. "Endicott should be one of the top teams this year, and Western New England has gotten a lot better. Curry is not our only tough opponent.

"Our first three games will be challenging. Mount Ida has an All-American running back; Castleton is a second-year program that would love to knock us off; and Bridgewater State is one of the top teams in the other division of the NEFC. We'll have our hands full every week."

NEFC PRE-SEASON POLL: The Panthers were picked to finish second in the Boyd Division in the 2010 NEFC preseason coaches' poll. Curry topped the poll with six first-place votes, while PSU was second with one top vote.  Endicott got the other top vote and was ranked third, followed by Western New England, Nichols, Salve Regina, MIT and UMass Dartmouth. Defending NEFC champion Maine Maritime received five first place votes to lead the Bogan Division polling, with Bridgewater State runner-up with the other three top votes.  Curry was picked to win the overall NEFC title with 11 of the 16 votes, with PSU and Maine Maritime getting two votes and Bridgewater one.

PANTHER CAPTAINS:  After having only one captain last year, the Panthers have five co-captains this season, all seniors.  They are quarterback J.J. Brooks (Seabrook, N.H./Winnacunnet), linebackers Brian Castellucci (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) and Harry Fallon (Hampton Falls, N.H./Winnacunnet), and defensive backs Zach Parsons (Florence, Mass./Northampton) and Kevin Whalen (Wallingford, Conn./Sheehan).

COACHING STAFF:  Head coach Paul Castonia (Trinity '86) is in his eighth season in charge of the Panthers, with a PSU record of 36-35.  He has five assistants returning from last year - Devin Zeman (Associate Head Coach/Def. Coordinator/Def. Backs), Lou Desloges (Running Backs), Tom Pabst (Offensive Line), Brandon Clough (Receivers), and Ryan Harrington (Defensive Line).   The new members of the staff are Eric McCarthy (Linebackers) and Zac Duval (Student Asst.).

2010 PSU Football Schedule
 
September
Sat., 4      at Castleton, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 11     MOUNT IDA, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 18     at Bridgewater State, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 25     at UMass Dartmouth*, 12:00 p.m.
October
Sat., 2      NICHOLS*, 2:00 p.m.
Sat., 9      at MIT*, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 16    ENDICOTT*, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 23    WESTERN NEW ENGLAND*, 1:00 p.m.
Sat., 30    at Salve Regina*, 12:00 p.m.
November
Sat., 6     CURRY*, 12:00 p.m.
Sat., 13    NEFC Championship game, TBA
 
* - NEFC Boyd Division game