Springfield Game Preview

To start off today's post I'd like to wish my now six year old son, Declan, a very happy birthday!  Now onto Hobart business.....

The #12 ranked Hobart Statesmen (5-0, 2-0) will host Liberty League (LL) new comer Springfield College (3-2, 1-1) on Saturday at Boswell Field. The Pride is coming off a 49-21 defeat at the hands of Union College (2-3, 2-0) last Saturday in Schenectady. This will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.

The Pride runs the same triple option offense as the USMMA (3-2, 1-1) and leads the LL with 321 rushing YPG. Springfield rarely passes the ball and has only completed 13 of 33 attempts on the season. Still, those 13 completions have been for big plays, including five touchdowns (TDs).

Although the Pride has suffered some injuries at QB, FY Jon Marrero looks like the starter at the moment. He ran for 119 and passed for 118 yards against Union last Saturday, scoring a rushing TD and throwing one interception (INT). The key players in the Pride offense however are a pair of SR RB’s Joel Altavesta (71 carries for 427 yards and six TDs) and SR RB Mike Davis (31 carries for 363 yards and six TDs).

Defensively the Pride is lead by a trio of SO LB’s including Mike Dublin (40 tackles), Corey Kaiser (30 tackles) and Danny Macalena (37 tackles). SR LB Kevin Shields has 36 tackles as well. Springfield’s pass rush is lead by SO DE Max Nacewicz with 9.5 TFL and eight sacks for -70 yards. The Pride are just behind Hobart in sacks with 20 on the season.

On special teams Springfield has a somewhat reliable kicker in SR PK Ricky Peacock. He’s connected on three of six FG attempts with a long of 29 yards. He’s also converted 20 of 23 PATs. JR WR James Poggio is tied for the LL lead in punting with 40.4 YPP and has booted a long of 55 on the season.

Keys to the Game:

1. Get ahead – The Union game gave Hobart the perfect script on how to beat the Pride as they are not a team built to come back once behind. If the Statesmen can get on the board early and force Springfield to play catch up, the Hobart defense will have a field day. FY DE Mark Guarino-Hyde struggled with keeping containment in the first half of the USMMA game early but should be more prepared this time around for the option. Still, the Pride is a bigger, faster and more physical version of the Mariners so the initial possessions will set the tone of the game.

2. TOP – Hobart leads the LL in time of possession (34:59) and should attack Springfield by testing its somewhat weak rush defense and control the clock. The Pride is giving up a league worst 208.2 rushing YPG and was ground to a pulp by Union to the tune of 353 yards last weekend. Union possessed the ball for an astounding 41:25 compared to Springfield’s 18:35. By contrast, when Springfield blew out Rochester (2-2, 1-1), 44-14 in Week 4, the Pride offense was on the field for 29 minutes. By contrast Springfield’s pass defense is fairly stout, second to Hobart in the LL allowing 161.6 YPG. That said the ECFC’s Mount Ida College (3-1, 1-0) SR QB Scott Drosendahl threw for 280 yards and five TDs against the Pride in Week 3. He was unfortunately undone by two INTs however (and the fact the Mustang defense couldn’t stop Davis who ran for 184 yards and four TDs) in a 49-42 Springfield win.

3. Flummox the Freshman – The Statesmen’s defensive front can make a statement early in this one by setting Davis and Altavesta back for losses and/or force Marrero into passing situations which is not a triple option QB’s forte. Hobart only has three picks on the season but they do lead the LL in sacks with 21.

Prediction:

Perhaps the Union loss is throwing me off a bit, but my concern around Hobart taking on the Pride has dropped significantly from earlier in the season. Unfortunately this game is during Hobart’s fall recess so it’s likely only family and friends will be in attendance, thus not really giving the Statesmen much of a home field advantage (especially compared to homecoming when there were nearly 3,000 people cheering them on).

In spite of the unfamiliarity and lack of a home crowd, I think Hobart will win this one comfortably. I’ll take the Statesmen 49-21.  Kickoff is at noon and on the call will be WEOS (www.weos.org) PBP man Ted Baker.