SEVERAL FACTS/OBSERVATIONS BEFORE THE TIGERS OPEN CONFERENCE USA PLAY SATURDAY AT EAST CAROLINA:

1) Last year it was the quarterback position that was ravaged by injury. This year’s early candidate for Snakebit Position of the Year . . . . . how about linebacker. Rather than risk serious, possibly devastating injury, senior Mike Snyder was forced to end his playing career after the Ole Miss game. Redshirt freshman Jeremy Rockette has been out since the preseason with a foot injury. TiQuintin Morrell, a sophomore, is out with a knee injury. Even transfer Dontae Reed, the former Ole Miss player, is unable to practice because of an injury suffered in practice.

2) Here’s an interesting note. Despite drawing heavy criticism through two games, the Tiger defense ranks second in Conference USA, allowing 293 yards per game. It should be noted the Tigers haven’t played a top 25 team like most of their fellow C-USA schools. And the Tigers rank 10th in rush defense, a category in which they led the league a year ago.

3) Here’s some encouraging stats for the Tiger offense. Through two games, the Tigers lead the C-USA in:
* First Downs (46)
* Third-down Conversions (56 percent)
* Fourth-down Conversions (100 percent)
* Trick-play Conversions (2-of-2)

Week 1’s just barely in the books, and already, I’m pulling my hair out over my fantasy team, which lost, 40-31, last week to a guy who didn’t even bother to show up on draft day, yet still somehow managed to come out with a team better than mine.

Damn that Nick Saban.

If the guy gets his replay flag out last Thursday in the loss to Pittsburgh, Heath Miller, the REAL REASON I lost last week, catches for 99 yards and no touchdowns rather than 101 yards and one touchdown.

Saban’s sissy throw cost me 16 points (10 for the 100-yard game and 6 for the TD), meaning I would’ve won, 31-24, had the play gone to instant replay as it should’ve.

Instead, I’m stuck at 0-1, like I have been the last three years.

Maybe I should just give up and concentrate on rooting for my Chicago Bears. I’d certainly cuss a lot less, and probably save some much-needed hair in the process.

And then, when my Bears take on Saban’s Dolphins later this season, we punish Saban for what he’s done to me.