The #24 ranked Hobart Statesmen (6-0, 4-0) will look to clinch the 2011 Liberty League Championship this Saturday at Senior Day in Geneva against the RPI Engineers (3-4, 2-2). The following seniors will play their final (regular season) home game at Boswell Field:
#1 CB Drake Woodard (team co-captain)
#11 LB Reggie Robinson
#15 QB Will Connery
#20 TE Greg Clifford (team co-captain)
#32 CB Jeff Hummel
#42 LB Bobby Marraffa
#51 DE Kevin Ryan
#54 OL Kyle Sandy
#59 OLB Gerard Tully
#62 OL Jarrid Blades
#64 OL Kelvin Cruz
#65 OL Brendan Hatlee
#74 OL Anthony Coletta
#75 DE Dane Wilcoxen
#80 WR Garth Muratori (team co-captain)
#87 TE Matt Marsh
#92 DL Gianni Contro
Last season RPI edged Hobart on a 34 yard field goal to claim a 24-21 victory in Troy, NY. The Engineers hold a one game advantage (27-26-1) in the all time series which dates all the way back to 1910.
RPI is lead by their JR QB Mike Hermann who leads the LL in total offense, averaging 290.1 YPG, and scoring (10.6 PPG average). Hermann is a big (6’ 6” 240 lb) guy who has passed for 1525 yards and 11 TDs compared to eight INTs. Overall the JR QB is averaging 217.9 YPG which ranks second in the LL. The South Carolina native is also a threat to run and has accounted for 506 rushing yards (good for fifth in the LL with a 72.3 YPG average) and has scored the most rushing TDs (12) of any player in the conference.
Hermann’s top targets are JR WR Austin Caswell (37 receptions for 521 yards and five TDs), JR WR Steven Burpoe (20 catches for 248 yards) and JR WR Nick Weber (23 receptions for 286 yards and one TD). Complimenting Hermann in the rushing game is SR RB T.J. Strunk who has rushed 68 times for 310 yards and two TDs.
On defense the Engineers are undersized up front, but have four of the top 20 tacklers in the league with JR LB Matthew Day (56 total tackles), SO LB Zac Borrelli (45), SR DB Zach Scruggs (51) and SR OLB Ray Pasco (43). Still, this unit ranks sixth in scoring and total defense, giving up 30 points per game on average and 397.7 YPG, respectively. RPI also has the league’s worst red zone defense, having allowed 23 of 27 tries, including 20 TDs and three FGs.
Keys to the Game:
1. Contain Hermann – Last season Hermann passed for 181 yards and one TD against the Statesmen defense but really won the game on the final possession, driving RPI to the Hobart 16 yard line to set up the game winning FG in the final minute. To say the Engineer offense revolves around the JR QB is an understatement and the Statesmen defense will need to assign a spy on him at all times given his ability to run. I expect Coach Yoder to bring a lot of pressure to disrupt Hermann’s rhythm. I imagine both FY DE Tyre Coleman – who won his fourth LL Rookie of the Week award (and pretty much seems to have the Rookie of the Year locked up) and SO OLB Devin Worthington (last year's LL ROY) will be rushing and adding to their QB sack totals in this game.
2. Go airborne – RPI has the sixth rated pass defense, giving up 219.4 YPG. They were torched last weekend by Union to the tune of 335 yards and five TDs. Although JR QB Nick Strang endured his worst career passing game last week in the snow against WPI, I look for him to rebound at home and attack the RPI secondary with relish. One milestone that should occur on Saturday is SR WR Garth Muratori moving up in the all-time receptions (needs two more catches to move past #9 Luke Gutelius ’98), receiving yards (needs 14 more yards to pass #6 Nico Karagosian ’97) and TDs (needs one more TD to tie #5 Nate Waye ‘95 with 17).
3. Special teams – Although Hobart has enjoyed the luxury of winning their games by over 20 points, it would serve them well to improve their kicking game as the playoffs approach. The Statesmen rank sixth in the conference in punting (29.2 YPP net), FGs (one of two made) and PATs (.844). One way to slow down Hermann is to pin him and the RPI offense deep onto their side of the field. While the Hobart defense is formidable enough to force its fair share of three and outs, if the offense sputters like they did last week against WPI in the second half, this unit needs to be called out and asked to step up.
Prediction:
I think Hobart’s OL has a clear advantage (not to mention it's virtually an all SR group playing their final home game at the Boz - well, hopefully not given the playoff possibilities) over the RPI DL and will exploit it early and often in this game. Strang should bounce back from a bad game last week but worse case, we may see more carries given to the running and full backs like we did against WPI
That said I’ll take Hobart to win on Senior Day by a score of 35-14. Kickoff is at noon (ET). Go 'Bart!
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