Around the Dog Park: Matt Viator is Getting ULM Back on Track

Around the Dog Park is our daily round up of G5 football news around the internet. Feel free to submit any news we may have missed in the comments section.

General G5 Football

• Austin Peay managed to bring in the top recruiting class in the FCS despite turning in a 1-45 record over the past four seasons. This article on their prized quarterback signee Jeremiah Oatsvall helps explain how they pulled it off.
• The battle over cost of attendance stipends for college athletes continues in the courts. The NCAA has reached an agreement to settle a class action lawsuit arguing that the NCAA and its members conspired to deny student-athletes the full cost of attendance by collaborating on a maximum amount of aid available to athletes. This tentative agreement needs to be approved by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken before the case is officially settled.

Sun Belt

• Matt Viator just inked ULM’s best recruiting class in decades, if not ever. Here’s an extensive look at how Viator and his staff managed to attract one of the conference’s top recruiting classes by reestablishing pipelines in talent-rich northern Louisiana. The optics of moving ULM’s signing day event from the campus library to its coliseum is a great symbol for the new energy and direction Viator is bringing to the program.
• Idaho kicker/punter Austin Rehkow was labeled as “the best dual-threat specialist in the country” by NFL Mocks of the Fansided network.
• App State kicks off spring practice today with a 5:30 pm practice. This is much earlier than most programs. The Mountaineers will also forego the traditional spring game, concluding spring practice on Saturday, March 4th.

Conference USA

• Here’s a great interview with MTSU’s new defensive coordinator Scott Shafer. The Blue Raiders will run an aggressive 4-3 defense but will seek to maintain flexibility against the spread offenses in the league by also utilizing a 3-4 defense.
• Ever wonder how so many Australian kickers end up playing college football in America? This story on Louisiana Tech punter Davan Dyer helps shed some insight.
• The Charlotte 49er’s season opener against Eastern Michigan has been moved to Friday, Sept. 1st. Keep an eye out for an announcement for potential national TV coverage.
• Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi has been one of most underrated players in CUSA over the past two seasons but his draft stock is rising after an impressive Senior Bowl performance.
• WKU got some love from Super Bowl champion and dark arts magician Bill Belichick following the Patriots’ come-from-behind win in the Super Bowl.

American

• Stop me if you’ve heard this one before but rumors of UCONN making conference alignment changes are circling yet again.
• Here’s an extremely thorough break down of the offensive players ECU signed on National Signing Day.