Looking Forward in Reverse

This will be it for 2013.  Thanks to Sean McGlynn '01 for helping me with this write up.

With the Division III Final Four upon us it seems like as good a time as any to do a recap of the 2013 Hobart College Football season.  It’s been 10 calendar years and 11 seasons since a Liberty League team made it to the Final Four.  RPI did it in 2003 (making an incredible playoff run after losing to the Statesmen in the regular season finale, 43-25) but since then no other team, save for Hobart in 2012 advanced past the second round of the NCAA playoffs.

I believe this is helpful context in evaluating what some saw as a disappointing end the 2013 Hobart campaign.  While it was exciting to see the LL have a very successful (15-6) run in their out-of-conference games, it was apparent late in the season that the LL wasn't as strong as the initial OOC results.  Although second place SLU finished with a solid 7-3, 5-2 season, they never really challenged Hobart in their 37-7 loss in Geneva. Hobart’s usual top rivals RPI and Union also struggled this year, finishing 5-5 and 3-7 overall, respectively.  Even Springfield, picked by the LL Coaches to finish second in the league (D3football.com picked them to finish 9-1 in their preseason Kickoff preview) struggled in the LL, going 3-3 (they never got to play USMMA) while winning all their OOC games against NEFC and ECFC teams.

In fact if there was one thing that was a constant in 2013 was that you could count on the Statesmen to be winning by 21 points (or more) in the fourth quarter of all of their games this regular season, so they never really got tested until late November.  Hobart easily beat Dickinson in Week 1, then had a bye week before taking on Utica.  The final score, 34-21, is a bit deceiving.  Hobart led 21-7 at halftime and 34-13 half way through the fourth quarter.  The Statesmen offense didn't really come into its own until the WPI game.  After scoring 41 points that day, the Hobart “O” never scored less than 35 points the rest of the regular season, cracking 40+ points four times.

Big conference showdowns this season for Hobart also failed to materialize. First it was Springfield losing two straight before playing the Statesmen.  Then it was Saint Lawrence losing to the Pride 21-20 the week before playing Hobart to take some steam out of that potential undefeated LL showdown.  Union was down and that game wasn't competitive.  Then UofR committed five turnovers in a 31-21 loss to WPI the week before what would have been a winner takes all LL Championship game for Hobart and Rochester.

The Statesmen’s (lack of a tough) schedule ultimately became the sore spot after a slow and mistake filled start against Fisher in the second round of the playoffs.  The fact they allegedly “ducked” Wesley in 2011 and reportedly passed on other elite teams offers to play them made a few folks roll their eyes when the 2014 schedule came out.

Still, the old “you can only play who’s on your schedule” is true, and Hobart’s perfect 19-0 regular season and 22-2 overall record these past two years is certainly nothing to look down on.  Some people seem to forget that this year’s SR class started their careers on a 5-4 team before making this amazing run. While the Top 10 ranking they held this year may have been more to do with 2012’s team, the 2013 version certainly played like a top team in 10 games this year.  Unfortunately they didn't on the biggest stage and that loss will likely push Hobart into the 14-15 range (or lower) when the 2014 rankings come out.

What I think most critics “ding” the Statesmen’s schedule on is the lack of really strong OOC games.  While Dickinson vs. Hobart has been a competitive series overall (the Statesmen lead it 12-10-1), it has not been competitive in the last four seasons. Since losing to the Red Devils 26-3 in 2009, Hobart has outscored Dickinson 132-23 in their last four games.  The Red Devils haven’t won more the four games in a season during this same stretch.

Curry and Endicott of the NEFC join the slate in 2014.  Curry did have some strong teams back in 2006-08, but have dropped off to being around a .500 ball club in a conference that has only two NCAA wins (one being the Colonel’s 2008 26-21 Round 1 upset of Ithaca) in its history.

The Gulls have been on the rise winning 8-10 games a season since 2010, but so far haven’t been able to lock up a NCAA bid until this season, but they were shut down and out, 24-0, in Round 1 by Rowan.  That track record, plus the fact that fans have noticed how teams like Fisher have gone out of their way to go up against elite teams like Mount Union in their OOC scheduling, has brought Hobart some boo birds from the national media and other regional fan bases that expect (if not demand) the Statesmen “up their game.”  Of course what these fans forget is that scheduling football games isn't as simple as finding a mutual open date. There are institutional, financial, alumni and other considerations that factor in.

Personally I think the schedule wouldn't be as much of an issue if Dickinson hadn't dropped off like they have. Endicott is a good team and will provide a tough test.  The problem is a win over the Gulls doesn't really do much for Hobart and a loss would set off alarms (with fans anyway).  Union saw this first hand when they lost to Salve a couple of years ago, and this season, when they lost to WNEC.  What is also an issue (and should probably get more “coverage” than the OOC scheduling complaints), is that the other LL teams need to improve too.  SLU had a good year, but still lost two games they probably could / should have won.  RPI, Union, Springfield and UofR performed below expectations.  USMMA started off hot, but the government shutdown took the wind out of their sails and the Mariners were never the same after the forced three game hiatus. Given next year’s lineup and the state of the LL, the Statesmen will have a very good shot at another 10-0 regular season next fall.

Speaking of next fall, here’s a quick positional look at 2014 based on who could be coming back.  We’ll start with the offense first:

QB:  The Statesmen should have all five signal callers back in camp for another season with Patrick Conlan and Kyle Bayly leading the way.  Conlan finished the season with decent numbers going 102 of 191 (53.4% completion rate) for 1,440 yards with 16 passing TDs compared to seven interceptions (two of which came in the NCAA game vs. SJFC). Although 1,440 yards is the lowest in total passing yardage for a Hobart starting QB in over a decade, keep in mind that this year’s team ran the ball 471 out of 684 plays (or 69% of time).  I was hoping Conlan would get more confident over the season, and he definitely had his moments.  He showed he has the arm strength, but his decision making during the Fisher game was not what you’d expect for a player with 10 starts under his belt. To be fair a 30 mph wind will make the ball go places you don’t intend (like to opposing defenders). Conlan's completion percentage would also have been several points higher if his receivers didn't have so many drops, especially earlier in the season.  While time will tell, I do see passing attempts and yardage increasing in 2014 given the graduation of Steven Webb.  Webb had 1,443 of Hobart’s 2,620 total rushing yards (55%) and he scored a record 20 of the Statesmen’s 31 rushing TDs (64.5%).  Also, the Statesmen return of pretty much the entire receiving corps. Speaking of the WRs…

WR:  This position will need to step up in 2014 but the Statesmen are lucky that a literal 1-2-3 of Troy Robinson (team high 366 receiving yards, four TDs), John Fasano (358 receiving yards and two TDs) and Elvin Souffrant (347 receiving yards and four TDs) should all be back. Beyond the top three, I think we could see a more from Cooper Merrill and Sean Cunningham.  Also I wouldn't be surprised to see a few others get a chance as Hobart could benefit from a 6’2” – 6’3” target, and there are some rising SOs on the roster that fit that mold.

RB:  Connor Hartigan will be coming back from injury for the second time in his Hobart career.  He could be an excellent starter, but whether he can make it through an entire season without getting sidelined due to injury remains to be seen.  He has excellent speed and averaged 5.8 YPC.  His 89 yard run against Springfield was the longest run from scrimmage for any Statesman in 2013.  Also returning is Brad Burns who played in 10 games this season, gaining 230 yards and scoring two TDs. Burns is a stocky ball carrier who's probably always good for 3-4 yards a carry, but break away speed wasn't something we got to see in 2013. If that's the case we could see Justin Burke and/or Sean Bright getting more time depending on how this position develops over 2014.

FB:  This position is pretty much all set with Dominique Ellis and Christopher Holoman back.  I could see Ellis getting 10+ carries a game next year given his experience and the fact that most of the other RBs are still learning the college game.  In 2013 Ellis ran for 309 yards on 50 carries (6.2 YPC average), scoring four TDs.

OL:  Hobart will lose three starters, but bring back Ali Marpet and DeAndre' Smith.   Fortunately the Statesmen have several rising SO and JR players who gained valuable time this season and should be ready to compete for starting roles.

TE:  All of this season’s TEs should be back.  Mike Berkowitz was less of a passing target than I thought he'd be in 2013 only hauling in 10 catches this season.  Still, six of those catches were for TDs which led the team. All the Hobart TEs have tantalizing size and speed but I can see this position remaining one that stays in primarily for blocking purposes, especially if Coach DeWall decides he wants to spread the field and “air it out” to the Hobart WRs more in 2014.

Now for the defense:

DT:  Troy Johnson and Tucker Gumkowski had really nice years and if they improve will truly be dominant in the middle in 2014.  While it’s probably safe to pencil these guys in as starters, there could be some tough competition in camp for playing time on the DL.  Jake Russell rotated in a bit this season and I’d like to see Zackary Robak see the field given his size (300 lbs).

DE:  By far the Statesmen’s best and deepest position on the field with Tyre Coleman and Mark Guarino-Hyde. With about six other returning players all also in consideration and competing for playing time, Hobart has backups here that could probably start on most every other LL team and perhaps a good chunk of the East Region.

OLB:  The graduation of Devin Worthington is a big loss, but Nolan Toran has quietly become a star in his own right and could really have a breakthrough season in 2014. Jacob Stanley or Matt McGriff will compete for a starting nod and Marcus Jemison could start at Rover/SS or DB.  While Hobart will lose some depth here, if the top three or four players are healthy, the Statesmen will be in great shape.  You can also pretty much guarantee the coaching staff can recruit quality FY at these positions, so I am not very concerned about this squad.

ILB:  Also a source of strength, and has been on an annual basis for quite some time.  Trayvon Toney is a star waiting to happen and Jacob Price brings a lot of experience and leadership to the table. Zach Thornton and Mark Marino will compete for time as well.  Given the size and strength of this and the DL, teams will continue to struggle to run in the middle of the field given the front four and these ILBs. Depth is a slight concern here, but you could move a 215-225 lbs DE over potentially and/or back fill with incoming FY players.

DB:  Fajri Jackson earned D3football East Region and LL first team honors but was also readily picked on by opposing QBs with bigger receivers (see UofR and Fisher). Gabriel Smith (also a D3FB 1st team All Region and LL player on ST) returns and could compete for Connor Garrett’s former job.  It will be interesting to see if Jemison, who backed up Jackson in 2012, starts in one of those slots. At FS, you can pencil in Michael Harper who backed up Jolyon Davis all season and made some good plays, including an interception in the first round of the playoffs against Gallaudet.  Harper has good size and attended a top HS program (Bergen Catholic in NJ) and should be ready. Austin Gallegos is the only other returning FS so depth here could be a concern and will probably be addressed via roster moves and/or incoming FY recruits.

Finally, here’s a quick look at special teams:

Hobart brought in two kickers in 2013 and it was Sean Kirsche who emerged as the starter, eventually earning first team LL awards.  The Statesmen will have to find another punter with the graduation of Yosh Karbowniczak.  Elvin Souffrant punted in the 2012 season with good results.  Kirsche attempted four punts this season with mixed results (26.75 net average).

Overall forecast for 2014 is looking good:

I see an experienced offense coming back, but replacing Hobart’s best RB (arguably ever) will be tough. The Statesmen will need to be more of a passing team and Ellis, Hartigan and a few others will need to help keep Hobart’s offense more balanced than it was in 2013. QB and WR play will have to improve and pass blocking by a restocked OL will be at premium.  The defense should be as solid as the past few years with the middle of the field being stronger than the edge.  That said I don’t think we've ever had two DE’s like Coleman and Guarino-Hyde which is a major advantage.  ILBs and DT’s will be very strong and Toran will be strong as well.  The question marks are who fills in the other OLB and secondary openings due to graduation of guys like Worthington and Garrett?

Recruiting wise I expect Hobart to look to add depth at ILB, OLB and FS/DB while looking for the next Webb and Worthington type of players. While I doubt the Statesmen would recruit a punter, I suspect either current or incoming players will be looked at to bolster this important field position and ST role. I’ll see what I can dig up during the off-season on incoming recruits and post it to the site over the spring and into the summer months.

Thanks for reading the blog this year, Happy Holidays, New Year and go ‘Bart!

Endicott and Curry added to 2014 Slate

The Hobart Statesmen have completed their 2014 schedule and it is as follows:

9/6 Dickinson
9/13 @ Endicott
9/20 @ Curry
9/27 USMMA
10/4 @ WPI
10/11 Springfield
Bye week
10/25 @ RPI
11/1 Union
11/8 @ SLU
11/15 UofR

Neither Dickinson nor Curry have been that competitive of late, but have strong traditions.  Endicott is interesting opponent in that they have won 8-10 games the past several seasons.  In 2013 they came up short against eventual NEFC Champion Framingham State who almost beat Ithaca at home in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.

One thing is for sure, MA area and New England alumni will see a lot of the Statesmen in 2014.

Hobart Flattened by Fisher, 27-6

The eighth ranked Hobart Statesmen hosted a familiar foe Saturday when they took on the Saint John Fisher College Cardinals in a second round NCAA playoff game.  Although Hobart was the home team and higher seed, the Cardinals were far from an underdog.  The Statesmen got off to an auspicious start when JR FB Dominique Ellis fumbled the ball on the opening series of the game.

The turnover set up Fisher near midfield but a personal foul penalty on JR OL Ali Marpet improved the Cardinals field position.  With only 36 yards to go, Fisher quickly found the end zone and a three yard Cody Miller touchdown got the visitors on the board 7-0 just over five minutes into the game.

Hobart would add fuel to the fire after a nine yard SR / P Yosh Karbowniczak punt was fielded by Fisher at the Statesmen 15 yard line.  Hobart would dodge the bullet however as the defense made a stand and forced a 33 yard Brendan Carey field goal.  The kick was wide left and the Statesmen would try and capitalize on the second chance.  JR QB Patrick Conlan led the team down the field, eventually driving to the Fisher 18 yard line.  The Cardinals defense stiffened and Hobart was unable to convert on fourth and eight, although Conlan could have gained the first down if he held onto the ball, he opted for a shovel pass to Karbowniczak but he wasn't able to collect the pass and the Statesmen turned the ball over on downs.

Fisher’s more sure handed receivers would take charge, but it really was a holding penalty on SR CB Connor Garrett that kept the Cardinals in business on the ensuing drive.  SR QB Tyler Fenti would take advantage of the call and find SR WR Kevin Francis for 37 yards to get into the Hobart red zone.  Two plays later, Fenti connected with JR WR Nathan Nigolian for 17 yards and a second Fisher TD.  The Carey point after was good and with 7:31 to go in the first half, the Cardinals had a 14-0 lead.

The Statesmen attempted a few trick plays with SO WR Connor Merrill at quarterback but to no avail. At the half Fisher continued their 14-0 advantage and would receive the kickoff in the second half.  The Cardinals Brandon Fuentes would take the kick 51 yards setting up Fisher with yet another short field. Although the Hobart defense held, Carey came away with a 27 yard field goal and the Cardinals lead was up to 17-0 only three and a half minutes into the third quarter.

Hobart would attempt to rally but once again made a mistake when Conlan was intercepted by FS Mike Guinta.  On the very next play Fenti would effectively ice the game on a 32 yard TD pass to Francis.

Although Hobart would avoid the shutout due to a four yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz receiving touchdown, the Statesmen were otherwise too little, too late Saturday and fell by a score of 27-6.  Fenti led the Cardinals with 244 passing yards and two touchdowns.  Defensively Fisher dominated the Statesmen, holding Hobart to 241 total yards and six of 14 on third down.  The Cardinals’ Ryan Seymour led the Fisher defense with nine tackles.  The Statesmen defense was led by SR LB Cory Davis with a game high 10 stops.  On offense Hobart was led by Conlan with 120 passing and 27 rushing yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The loss drops Hobart to 10-1 on the season and broke a 12 game home field winning streak by the Statesmen at Boswell Field.  The win improves Fisher to 10-2 overall and advanced them into the National Quarterfinals for the second time in three years.  The Cardinals, the final remaining East Region team in the tournament, will face off against third ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor next Saturday in Belton, Texas.

We'll discuss yesterday's game tonight at 7:30 PM on "In The HuddLLe" www.inthehuddlle.com.  I'll also write up a season retrospective later this week.

NCAA Rd 2 / SJFC Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen (10-0) will host a familiar foe in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament this Saturday at Boswell Field. The Saint John Fisher College Cardinals (SJFC) will make the short trip from Rochester, NY down the NYS Thruway to Geneva. The Cardinals (9-2) upset the ninth ranked John Carroll University Blue Streaks (9-2) in Cleveland, OH last weekend thanks to causing six turnovers, including four interceptions (INTs), to earn a 25-16 first round upset on a cold and snowy day.

Hobart defeated the Cardinals soundly, 56-20, back in the 2011 season but SJFC won the last time they faced off at the “Boz” spoiling the 2010 Homecoming game I attended in person, 34-14. The Cardinals and Statesmen last met in the NCAA playoffs back in 2007, which was a convincing 24-7 win by Fisher.

Scouting the Cardinals:

This season the Cardinals are scoring 32.7 PPG while allowing 20.4 PPG on defense. Their offense is weighted towards the pass, having gained 2,912 yards this season via the air. SJFC averages 412.6 YPG on offense and have scored exactly 23 rushing and passing TDs each.

Leading the Fisher offense is SR QB Tyler Fenti. A dual threat, he’s gone 204 of 311 (~66% completion rate) for 2,560 yards and 21 passing TDs compared to eight INTs. Fenti has added 370 rushing yards and five TDs on the ground as well. SR RB Cody Miller is the Cardinals’ feature back and he has gained 1,006 yards on the season, scoring 15 rushing TDs.  Fenti’s top targets are SR WR Kevin Francis (54 receptions for 851 yards and 8 TDs) and JR WR Nathan Nigolian (50 catches for 738 yards and seven TDs).

The SJFC defense is led by a talented LB corp, headed by JR LB Sean Preish with a team high 110 tackles including 14 TFL, seven sacks and an INT. SR LB Mike Donitzen has 64 tackles, 11 TFL, three sacks and two INTs. SR DB Mike Guinta has added 57 tackles, three TFL and a team high six INTs.

The Cardinals special teams unit is led by SR PK Brendan Carey. Carey has converted four of eight FGs with a long of 39 yards. JR WR / P Ryan Sweet handles punting duties and has kicked 41 punts for a 38.3 YPP average.

Keys to the game:

1. Time of Possession – In both of Fisher’s losses this season, the Cardinals only held the ball for 25 and 22 minutes, respectively. Effectively the best defense for the SJFC offense is to keep them on the sidelines. Hobart can take a page from the Salisbury (6-4) game where the Gulls racked up an amazing 451 rushing yards en route to a 42-35 win that wasn't as close as that final score appears. A heavy dose of running plays can wear down the Cardinals “D” and avoid TFL and/or sacks and INTs which are their bread and butter. SJFC has racked up 33 sacks on defense this season (three per game on average) and they will bring a great deal of pressure.

2. Win the Second and Fourth Quarters – Going into halftime with momentum will be critical in this game. Fisher has outscored opponents 145-40 in this frame during the season.  Likewise, the Cardinals have been strong closers, outscoring their opposition 107-59 in the fourth.  If the Statesmen can set the tone of the game in the first and third quarters, and force the Cardinals to play from behind, Hobart has a good chance to win and advance to the Quarterfinals.
 
3. Play Smart - These programs have arguably two of the best in the East Region for about a decade. Given the profile and proximity of the schools there's a natural local rivalry. Fisher can be chippy at times and were called for several (11 for -111 yards in) penalties in their game against JCU. Hobart has seen this with other opponents and will have to avoid any extra cirricular activity after the whistle. The Cardinals are an experienced team, so they'll pick their spots and take calculated risks. I don't see much rattling them, so Hobart will need to be equally firm in this game.

4. Forget Total Yardage, Focus on the Final Score - It's possible Fisher may out-gain the Statesmen. Their passing offense is very strong and will likely eat up a lot of yardage on Saturday, especially given the size and speed of their WRs. Ithaca and Salisbury had success in limiting the Cardinals running game, forcing Fisher to beat them with the pass. In the game against Ithaca (9-2), that lead to two Cardinal INTs.

5. Red Zone Defense - Points will be at a premium in this contest so any trips to the red zone that don't produce a TD are wins for the defense.  Against Ithaca, for example, Fisher went three of five in the red zone (60%) and ended up losing that game by three points (25-22).

Prediction:

The weather for Saturday is a high of 32, mostly cloudy with 0% chance of rain/snow, and light wind 8 mph. This forecast is actually pretty nice for Upstate NY in late November. I don't suspect the conditions to really affect the game that much and look for Hobart to try and establish their running game while taking a few shots downfield when the right matchups present themselves, like they have all season.

The Cardinals defense is aggressive so the Statesmen OL will need to do their best to open up running lanes and give JR QB Patrick Conlan or Kyle Bayly time in the pocket. Conlan should be able to play, but either way, I see Hobart sticking to what got them this far - a strong rushing attack, tough defense and opportunistic special teams.

This will be the toughest opponent the Statesmen will have faced to date, but Fisher has some chinks in their armor. To their credit, they've played a tougher schedule and beaten better teams than Hobart has this season. Still, the IC and SU losses point to their weaknesses and that will help the Statesmen coaching staff with their game plans.

I'll take Hobart to eke out a hard fought 32-21 victory Saturday that won't be decided until the fourth quarter - something that hasn't happened all year.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Hobart Beats Bison, 34-7, & Lots of Other Headlines....

The eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champions, the Gallaudet University Bison at Boswell Field in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament.

The Bison, being the only University in the country that specifically serves deaf and hard of hearing students, had a mountain of press this week including a feature on ESPN.  The attention is well deserved, especially given their first ever run to the NCAA tournament.

The Statesmen however have been there and done that and were ready to show it.  After a defensive stop, Hobart would score on it's initial offensive possession.  A 14 play drive that featured a balanced attack of passes and runs ended with a two yard SR RB Steven Webb TD with 6:26 to go in the first quarter.

After both teams turned the ball over on downs, Gallaudet looked to make something happen with their first possession of the second quarter.  JR DE Tyre Coleman had other plans, causing a fumble which was scooped up by SR OLB Devin Worthington and returned 48 yards for the score.  Tonight at 7:30 PM ET we'll have Devin on In The HuddLLe (www.inthehuddlle.com).  Tune in or catch the interview on our podcast.

Although the point after failed, Hobart enjoyed an early 13-0 advantage.  Bison Head Coach Chuck Goldstein decided to try another fourth down conversion, but SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde snuffed out the play.  Three Webb runs later and he had his second TD, pushing Statesmen's lead to 20-0 after the FY PK Sean Kirsche kick was good.

You could say everything was going the Statesmen's way, which was true, until a fateful tackle behind the line of scrimmage hobbled JR QB Patrick Conlan.  Conlan had to be carried off the field and was unable to put any weight on his injured leg.  JR QB Kyle Bayly came in and led the offense to another score, a one yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz TD pass to push Hobart's lead to 27-0 just before halftime.  We probably won't know Conlan's status until Saturday's game.

The offensive fireworks would resume on the first play of the third quarter.  Webb took the first hand off from scrimmage and streaked 58 yards to the end zone for this third, and 20th rushing, TD.  The latter broke a long standing Statesmen record (hopefully someone in Geneva has nominated Webb for the Gagliardi Trophy by now).

Up 34-0 Head Coach Mike Cragg emptied the benches and although the reserves did allow a one yard BJ Flores TD, they held the Bison out of the end zone as time expired for a 34-7 victory.

Webb led Hobart with 161 rushing yards and three scores.  The defense was led by Coleman with a game high 10 tackles and three and a half for a loss.

Flores led all rushers with 176 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half.  Three Bison defenders tallied nine stops a piece.

The loss drops Gallaudet to 9-2 and ends what was otherwise a remarkable and historic season.  The win improves Hobart to 10-0 overall and the Statesmen will host 9-2 Saint John Fisher College, who upset OAC runner up John Carroll University 25-16, in the Second Round of the NCAAs next Saturday in Geneva.  Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

NCAA RD 1 Gallaudet Game Preview

It’s playoff time and for the third year in a row, the Hobart College Statesmen have made it into the field of 32 teams vying for the National Championship.  Based on Sunday night’s NCAA Selections, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) landed the second seed in the bracket headed by third ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor (10-0, 6-0).  UMHB is a rising powerhouse program out of Belton, TX (about an hour away from Austin).  In order to punch a ticket to Belton, Hobart needs first to defeat the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champion Gallaudet University Bison. 

Gallaudet (GU), out of Washington, DC, is another triple option team but is unique to collegiate sports in that GU is a school for the deaf / hard of hearing.  The Bison (9-1, 6-1) came up short in their bid to have an undefeated season after losing 7-6 to ECFC rival SUNY-Maritime (5-5, 5-2).  Although GU did defeat the University of Rochester (5-4, 3-3) by a similar margin (three TDs) of victory as the Statesmen, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) is considered a heavy favorite in this game. 

Scouting the Bison:

GU averages 366.5 YPG with 316.7 YPG rushing given their triple option offense.  The Bison has averages 27.8 PPG.  The key players for GU on offense include SO QB Todd Bonheyo who leads the Bison with 387 passing yards, two passing TDs to go with five INTs.  Bonheyo has rushed for 583 yards and seven scores.  Bonheyo was knocked out of the game in the second to final series against SUNY-Maritime (which was the primary reason the Bison went for two and the win), so it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to suit up vs. the Statesmen or not.  If he can’t go, either FY QB Chris Papacek or SO QB Quentin Williams will get the start.

The Bison feature a trio of rushers including SO FB BJ Flores (1051 rushing yards and four TDs), SR RB Ryan Bonheyo (Todd’s older brother who’s rushed for 497 rushing yards and nine TDs and 152 receiving yards with two TD catches) and SO RB Braxton Baker (241 rushing yards and six TDs).

Defensively GU has allowed 260.5 YPG and is tough against the run only allowing 100.5 rush YPG.  Their points allowed are a respectable 14.8 PPG.  The Bison are led on defense by a pair of JR LB’s including Gregg McConville and Jaris Alleyne.  This duo has tallied 85 tackles, three sacks, 11.5 TFL and 84 tackles, three sacks, eight and a half TFL, respectively.

The GU special teams unit is led by SO PK Chase Magsig who’s connected on five of eight FGs, including a long of 38 yards.  Magsig has converted 31 of 35 PATs and is also the punter, averaging 33.9 YPP with a long of 66 yards.

Keys to the Game:

1. Early and Often – Hobart’s had a couple of weeks of slow starts on offense.  Against Saint Lawrence (7-3, 5-2) the Statesmen’s first TD came at 3:23 to go in the first quarter.  Against Rochester it took even longer, at 13:52 to go in the second quarter. I’d like to see the Statesmen put the Bison on their heels early in the game as triple option offenses aren't that effective playing from behind.
2. Third Down – A key in their loss to SUNY-Maritime last weekend were the Bison’s struggles converting on third down.  The Privateer defense only allowed five out of 14 conversions and kept GU under 200 yards rushing.  Hobart’s rushing defense is considerably better, and given their familiarity defending against the option, should be able to pin down the Bison.
3. Wet and Wild – The forecast for Saturday’s game is a high of 39 degrees and 60% chance of rain.  That’s playoff weather, and the Statesmen need to avoid fumbles on offense while looking to create them on defense.

Prediction:

Occasionally first round playoff match ups feature blowouts.  In spite of all the national media love shown to GU, and deservedly so, I think the Bison's Cinderella run hits midnight at noon this Saturday.  Although Hobart will have its hands full in the second round, I think the Bison is a relatively easy out for the eighth ranked team in the country.  I’ll take Hobart to win this game 42-14 and advance to Sweet 16. 

Follow me on twitter @ITHuddLLe for score updates on Saturday and tune in Sunday night to www.inthehuddlle.com to hear about this game and the rest of the playoffs, at 7:30 PM ET.

Thanks for reading and go Bart!

20 Statesmen and Coaches Garner All League Recognition

Yesterday the Liberty League (LL) published their annual Football awards and the eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) were well represented.  A link to the release can be found here.

Coach Cragg and his staff won the Coaches' Award and SR RB Steven Webb was an unanimous selection as Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY).  JR DE Tyre Coleman won a second Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award as well.

Overall, 20 players were recognized, earning 21 All LL team spots.  Here they are:

First Team Offense:
RB Steven Webb
RB Dominique Ellis
OL Michael Green
OL Ali Marpet

First Team Defense:
DL Tyre Coleman
DL Mark Guarino-Hyde
LB Trayvon Toney
LB Devin Worthington
DB Fajri Jackson

First Team Specialists:
RS Troy Robinson

Second Team Offense:
WR Troy Robinson
OL DeAndre Smith
OL Alex Bush

Second Team Defense:
DL Troy Johnson
DB Jolyon Davis

Second Team Specialists:
K Sean Kirsche

Honorable Mention Offense: 
TE Mike Berkowitz 
QB Patrick Conlan
OL Trevor Schutte 

Honorable Mention Defense: 
LB Nolan Toran 

Honorable Mention Specialists: 
P Yosh Karbowniczak

Congratulations to all these great Statesmen!

Tomorrow I'll publish my NCAA Game Preview.  Go 'Bart!

Hobart Out-Gained, But Still Win Big, 42-21

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen finished their second consecutive unbeaten regular season with a hard fought 42-21 victory over their oldest rivals, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets Saturday at Fauver Stadium.  It was the 106th meeting between the two programs, Hobart now owning a 51-48-7 overall lead in the series.  Apparently the Statesmen and Jackets got a shout out on ESPN's College Game Day this morning given the age of this series.

The Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) needed a big second half and an opportunistic defense to put away a pesky Rochester (5-4, 3-3) team.  The Yellow Jackets racked up 504 yards on 95 plays compared to Hobart's 376 on 47.

After a scoreless first quarter that featured punts and field position, the Statesmen finally got on the board thanks to JR FB Dominique Ellis scoring from 11 yards out with 13:52 to go in the second quarter.

Rochester would respond on the next drive, when SR QB Dean Kennedy slipped past several would be Hobart tacklers from six yards out to tie it up 7-7 with 8:26 to go in the half.

JR QB Patrick Conlan would air it out twice finding classmates JR WR Elvin Souffrant and John Fasano for 45 and 16 yards, respectively.  Conlan would finish the drive with a 17 yard TD pass to JR TE Mike Berkowitz to give the Statesmen the 14-7 lead with 5:33 remaining in the second quarter.  Although Kennedy got the Yellow Jackets into the Hobart two yard line, SR FS Jolyon Davis intercepted a last ditch effort as time expired so Hobart could hang on to a 14-7 lead at the half.

Rochester came out stinging in the third quarter however, taking a play from the Statesmen special teams book.  SO OLB Chris Merenich blocked a SR WR Yosh Karbowniczak punt which was recovered by Yellow Jacket FY ILB David Wolff.  The block gave Kennedy and the Rochester offense the ball at the Hobart 33 yard line.  Three plays later Kennedy would find SR WR Thomas Hayes open for a 29 yard TD and tied the game 14-14 with 11:32 to go in the third quarter.

The Statesmen would blow the doors off on three big plays including a 43 yard TD run by Ellis, a pick six by Davis and a 64 yard Fasano TD catch and run to push the Hobart lead to 35-14 going into the fourth quarter.  The lead expanded to 42-14 after a 48 yard SR RB Steven Webb TD run.

Although the Jackets would score another TD, a play in which SR LB Tony Ortega came in as a RB/TE, the Statesmen would win the game by a final score of 42-21.

Hobart was led by Conlan with 185 passing yards and two TDs.  The combo of Ellis and Webb rushed for a combined 160 yards and three scores.  Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO LB Trayvon Toney with a game high 14 tackles.

Rochester was led by Kennedy with a game high 325 passing yards and two scores (but three interceptions, SR CB Connor Garrett collected the third).  The Yellow Jacket defense was led by Ortega and SR LB Zach Cicero, with nine stops a piece.

The win improves Hobart to 9-0, their second consecutive undefeated regular season.   The Statesmen have now run the LL table in back to back seasons as well.  Hobart will await word this Sunday night at 6pm ET when the Division III Football Championship Bracket is released by the NCAA.

We are interviewing the Committee Chair Duey Naatz on www.inthehuddlle.com at 7:55 PM ET.

Thanks for reading and go Bart!

UofR / Centennial Cup Game Preview

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen locked up their third consecutive Liberty League (LL) championship last Saturday at Boswell Field. The Statesmen’s (8-0, 6-0) goal this weekend is to finish their second consecutive undefeated regular season (and only the third unbeaten regular season in last the 57 years). Standing in Hobart’s way are their oldest rivals, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets. 

Rochester (5-3, 3-2) was tripped up last weekend in a 31-21 loss to WPI (3-6, 2-3) so instead of this game being for the LL title, it’s really for pride and the Centennial Cup trophy. For the Statesmen, however, this game is more than about a trophy. 

Last season the Statesmen beat Rochester in Geneva on Senior Day, 43-24, to clinch their first 10-0 regular season in team history. Although Hobart limited the Yellow Jackets to only 45 rushing yards, then JR QB Dean Kennedy passed for 220 yards and three TDs to keep Rochester (it was only 29-24 Hobart with 9:33 in the fourth quarter) in the game.

This year the Yellow Jackets bring a high octane offense and hard hitting defense to the table. Now SR QB Dean Kennedy leads the LL with 1,596 passing yards (good for basically 200 YPG) and has tossed 11 passing TDs. Kennedy is a mobile QB and is fifth in the LL with around 71 rushing YPG and five rushing TDs. This combination makes Kennedy number one in total offense with 270.2 YPG average.

Kennedy’s top targets are SR WR Thomas Hayes who leads the LL with six RPG. Hayes has caught 42 passes for 435 yards and four scores on the season. SO WR Derek Wager is another receiving threat with 29 receptions for 477 yards and five scores. RBs Myles Austin and Nick Perpignan have gained 409 and 213 rushing yards, including seven and three rushing TDs, respectively.

Rochester’s defense boasts arguably three of the best LB’s in the entire LL. SR LB Tony Ortega leads the LL with a 10.4 TPG average and leads the LL with 83 total tackles. SR LB Zach Cicero and SO LB Thomas Marone have 53 tackles a piece. JR DE J. Barrett has 50 tackles and seven sacks on the season.

SR PK Mark Torosian is a decent kicker, connecting on 16 of 20 PATs but only converting two of five FG’s. FY Mason Parmalee has a 35.2 YPP average with a long of 56 yards.

Keys to the Game: 

1. Key on Kennedy – Kennedy’s passing and rushing stats clearly show he’s the key to the Rochester offense. Last week Kennedy put up a lot of yards (over 300 yards of total offense and two TDs) but he was also responsible for four turnovers (two INTs and two fumbles). Look for the Hobart defense (currently second in the LL with a +7 TOM) to try and strip the ball if and when Kennedy drops back or takes off running.

2. Run on Rochester - In spite of the excellent LB corp, the UofR defense allows a nearly LL worst 193.2 rushing YPG and 17 rushing TDs. The Jackets are last in the LL in opponent third down conversions with a 41.4% rate (53 of 128). I expect to see a lot of running plays given Rochester defends the pass well, good for second in the LL with only 135.5 YPG allowed and third in defensive pass efficiency with a 105.9 rating (51.5% opponent completions for 1084 yards and eight TDs compared to six INTs).

3. The Need for Seed – A 9-0 season will pretty much guarantee Hobart at least a number two seed and potentially two home games in the NCAA playoffs. The importance of home field can’t be understated given the Statesmen haven’t lost at the “Boz” in two years. While a loss wouldn’t knock Hobart out of the NCAA bracket (they’re in regardless thanks to the “Pool A”, i.e., automatic qualifier via winning the LL), but an 8-1 record could mean the difference between hosting first (and potentially other) round games and having to be a road team for the playoffs.

Prediction:

Rochester has certainly improved from prior seasons, but their weaknesses were exposed last week. They have lost to other strong running teams (like 9-0 Gallaudet who gained nearly 300 yards on the Jackets) and can be susceptible to turnovers. Given the above, I’ll take the Statesmen in a hard fought 37-20 win.

I hope that the game will be in hand by the third quarter and the team stays healthy throughout. I also hope you will join me Sunday night at 7:30 PM when Frank Rossi and I interview UW-Stout AD and NCAA D3 Football Tournament Chair, Duey Naatz, on the process and outcome of the 2013 NCAA D3 Football Championship Bracket.

The selection will be made public around 6 PM ET. We’ll be live on www.inthehuddlle.com 90 minutes later to discuss the bracket with Coach Cragg among other guests.  

Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!

Davis Appears on Last Sunday's ITH

SR FS and Co-Captain Joylon Davis was interviewed on last Sunday night's "In The HuddLLe" Division III Football and Liberty League (LL) talk show.

A link to the podcast is below:

www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2013/11/11/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show

We'll have a preview of the Centennial Cup / UofR game later this week.

Go 'Bart!

Hobart Sacks Saints, 37-7, and Gets Help from WPI to Win Another LL Crown

The Saint Lawrence University Saints looked to keep their turnaround 2013 season going with a victory over the seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen Saturday at Boswell Field in Geneva, New York.

The Statesmen defense made an early statement when SR OLB Devin Worthington stripped SR QB Zane Fish and SR OLB Taylor Delperuto recovered at the Saint 9 yard line just over a minute into the contest.

Although given a short field, the Hobart drive stalled and FY PK Sean Kirsche was called in to kick a 24 yard  field goal, which was good.  The kick gave the Statesmen a 3-0 lead with 12:40 to go in the first quarter.

Another Saint Lawrence fumble, this one forced by FY DB Gabriel Smith and recovered by classmate FY DB Matt Cragg, gave Hobart a short field again.  Five plays later, SR RB Steven Webb scored from 17 yards out and rewrote the Statesmen record books (more on that in a minute).

The Kirsche point after pushed Hobart's lead to 10-0 with 3:23 to go in the first.  Although the Statesmen offense would continue to sputter, the Hobart special teams unit blocked a Saint Lawrence punt and SR CB Connor Garrett ran it back for a touchdown.  JR QB Patrick Conlan would overcome an 0-8-1 start to connect on three passes, the final being a TD to JR WR Elvin Souffrant (who otherwise had a case of drops most of the game).

The Kirsche point after was good and Hobart had a commanding 24-0 lead with 7:16 to go in the first half. Although Fish would break the shutout on a pass to RB/TE Mitch Gallagher for 6 yards with 38 seconds remaining in the first half, the Statesmen would add two more TDs (another by Webb and a JR WR Troy Robinson score) in the second and win going away, 37-7.

Hobart was led by Conlan with 140 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.  Webb would add 90 yards on 18 carries and score two touchdowns, the first being his 48th career rushing and 52nd career total touchdowns to go with raising his career point total to 312, all three marks being Hobart records (previously held by HOFer Rich Kowalski '76).

Saint Lawrence, which was held to only 29 rush yards, was led by Fish with 96 passing yards. Defensively the Saints were led by FY LB Alex Dietsch with eight tackles.  Hobart was led by SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde with a game high nine stops.

With the win Hobart improves to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League.  Given a 31-21 loss by Rochester to WPI, the Statesmen claimed their third consecutive Liberty League title and the accompanying NCAA automatic qualifier.  The loss dropped the Saints to 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the league.

The Statesmen will travel to Rochester next Saturday to play for the Centennial Cup (and more importantly a likely / potential number two seed in the NCAA brackets due out on November 17).

Saint Lawrence / Senior Day Game Preview

The Saint Lawrence University Saints will come marching into Geneva Saturday to take on the seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen on Senior Day. The Saints have made an incredible turnaround from last season’s 0-10 record with a 6-2 overall and 4-1 mark in the Liberty League (LL) in 2013. Saint Lawrence’s improvement has made this game a “LL Championship, Part One” and should be a physical one based on the Saints line play and pass rush.

Last season Hobart struggled to dispatch the Saints until pulling away in the second half thanks to a nearly perfect passing day from QB Nick Strang ’13 (who went 15 of 18 for 233 yards, including three passing TDs and one INT). The Statesmen ultimately won the game 34-14, but it was 7-7 at the half.

This season the difference for the Saints has been their offensive and defensive line play. Saint Lawrence has sacked opposing QB’s 24 times for -154 yards while only allowing one sack for -5 on the season. Another huge improvement by SLU has been in turnover margin. In 2012 they finished seventh in the LL with a -7 mark. This year they lead the LL with an impressive +17. The Saints ball hawk defense has picked off opposing QBs 14 times and their tough LB and DL have caused 13 fumbles!

JR QB Mike Lefflbine has had a great season for Saint Lawrence, throwing for 1,062 yards and nine TDs until he was hobbled by an injury in the Springfield game. If he’s unable to go, SR QB Zane Fish is the likely starter. Fish has thrown for 391 yards, and is coming off a career best four TD pass game against WPI where he led the Saints to a 32-18 victory.

The small (5’5”) but speedy SO RB Maurice Irby leads the Saint Lawrence rushing attack. Irby has 548 yards on 139 carries this season (68.5 YPG) and has scored five rushing TDs. FY RB Mitch Gallagher is the thunder (6’2” 225) to Irby’s lightning. Gallagher doesn't carry the ball much (only three rushes for eight yards), but he’s a strong blocker and has good hands, especially near the goal line (10 catches for 62 yards and three TDs).

The Saints are really a passing team however, and they’ll test the Statesmen secondary with their four receiver sets. SR WR Mike Tateosian leads the Saints with 573 receiving yards and seven TDs. Tateosian’s 71.6 YPG average leads the LL and he’s second in the LL with 5.4 receptions per game. His seven receiving TDs are also a league best. Other Saint Lawrence receiving threats include JR WR Colby Johnson (374 yards, two TDs), big (6’3” 220) JR TE Maxwell Johnson (212 yards, two TDs) and SR WR Evan Shifley (122 yards and one score).

Saint Lawrence’s defense is led by FY LB Alec Dietsch with 68 total tackles and three INTs. FY DB James Holley-Grisham has added 56 tackles and three INTs as well. SR OLB Obi Nwaigwe (pronounced “Weg-way”) has been an absolute force, racking up 56 total tackles, but more importantly, a LL best 10.5 sacks and 22.5 TFL. SR LB’s Andrew Cox and Shane “the Hitman” Hart have tallied 47 and 38 tackles, respectively.

Keys to the Game:

1. Gone Fishing – The Saints are coming to the Lake Trout Capital of the World, and it’ll be important for Hobart’s defensive line to pressure Zane Fish and lock down Saint Lawrence’s talented receiving corp. The Statesmen haven’t really played many true drop back passing teams this season, and with the Saints averaging nearly 200 YPG passing, Hobart’s secondary will be under fire if the DL can’t get to the QB.

2. Third and long – While the Saints offense is improved, they have had some trouble converting on third down. Saint Lawrence has a somewhat mediocre 35.4% third down conversion rate this season. Hobart leads the LL with a 31.3% rate in holding the opposition on third down.

3. Run to the Record – SR RB Steven Webb will likely break the Hobart rushing / total TD marks early in the game. He’s been nothing but sensational in his career as a Statesmen and it’ll be extra special for him to earn that mark at home, in his final regular season game. If they have an Achilles heel, the Saints rushing defense may be it. Saint Lawrence allows 186.1 YPG to opponents, while Hobart averages 261.8 YPG on offense.

Prediction: 

While the Statesmen have owned the series against the Saints for quite some time winning every contest against Saint Lawrence since 1992, save for the unfortunate 2010 four turnover edition. This year the Saints won’t be easily defeated, but I also don’t see the Statesmen being denied on Senior Day. I’ll take Hobart to more than double up Saint Lawrence’s average points allowed mark (15.88 PPG) and win this one by the score of 37-14.

Thanks for reading (the blog went over 50K hits last night) and go 'Bart!

Hobart Ranked First in NCAA East Region

The NCAA Division III Playoff Committee released the initial regional rankings today, placing Hobart (7-0, 5-0) at the top of the East Region.

Now while definitely an honor, the confusing thing about these rankings are they don't necessarily mean the Statesmen would get a number one seed come playoff time as the DIII playoff brackets are built around four teams vs. regions.

Make sense?  Not really, but we'll discuss all this and more come Sunday night at 7:30 on www.inthehuddlle.com.  Tune in or catch the podcast to hear more on Hobart's playoff chances and potential seeding.

D3football.com has a lot of good information to go along with the rankings.  Check out this link right here.

Hobart Gets Past the Dutchies (on the left hand side), 41-20

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen improved to 7-0 and 5-0 respectively after a hard fought game against rival Union College.  Hobart made plays in all facets of the game - special teams (two blocked punts, the second being returned for a TD), offense (377 yards and 41 points) and defense (only six points allowed until the subs were put in late in the third quarter).

Union (2-5, 2-3) came out fired up, but two JR QB Patrick Conlan TD passes to JR WRs Troy Robinson and John Fasano gave the Statesmen an early 14-0 advantage.  The Dutchmen looked to turn the tide, and after a forced fumble, had some momentum and the ball on the Hobart 33 yard line.  Six plays later SR RB T.J. Franzese caught a JR QB Nick Becker six yard pass for a TD.  Although the point after failed, Union was only down 14-6 with 11:08 to go in the first half.

The Statesmen responded quickly and confidently, scoring twice on a SR RB Steven Webb three yard run and an 18 yard punt block by FY CB Gabriel Smith.  The irony of the latter play was having seen Head Coach Mike Cragg go over to Smith after he blocked a punt against Springfield and saying "Next time, scoop and score".  Smith, a graduate of LaSalle, not far from Union's campus, made the play just like Coach told him in front of his home crowd and family.

The second half was more Statesmen and the record books started being updated.  Webb broke 1,000 yards on the season about halfway through the third quarter.  He scored his 47th rushing and 50th overall TD with 2:33 to go in the third tying the Hobart All-Time marks in both categories.  FY RB Brad Burns added another TD prior to Webb's second, and the Statesmen were up 41-6.

The reserves allowed two Union scores, but Hobart would win easily 41-20.  The victory was the Statesmen's fourth consecutive win over the Dutchmen, a feat that hasn't happened since the 1975 season. Hobart was led by Conlan with 192 passing yards, two TDs and one INT.  Webb tallied 128 yards, his 14th career game over the 100 yard mark, to go with two rushing TDs.  The Statesmen "D" was once again led by SR LB Cory Davis with eight stops.

The only other commentary I'll add regarding this game was that the officiating was awful.  They perpetuated an environment that allowed extra-curricular late and other hits, gave bad spots and otherwise endangered the safety of the players on the field.   The two teams were flagged a total of 19 times for -185 yards, but at least another -100+ yards of penalties (e.g., missed face mask and other late hits) weren't called.

Needless to say this crew should never be allowed to call another NCAA game unless they receive some additional training / admonishment from the Liberty League.  Ultimately a lot of the "chippyness" of this game could have been addressed if the officials simply told the respective team captains that any misbehavior would result in expulsion.  Their allowing the "huffing" and extra-curricular activities, just made the game worse.  In the end it still goes down as a Hobart win, but these aren't the kind of games anyone wants to see.

Coming up later this week I'll preview the Saint Lawrence / Senior Day game.  I have a feeling we'll see the TD mark fall....

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!!

Union Game Preview

In some ways this week feels a little less intense than in prior years. The Union game is always the biggest on Hobart's schedule and the rivalry between these two schools remains as strong as ever. Unfortunately injuries and other issues have hampered the Dutchmen (2-5, 2-2) and Union will likely have its first losing season since 2010.

The Statesmen (6-0, 4-0) have had the Dutchmen's number of late, boasting a three game win streak over their rivals since that same 2010 season. That year a then SO QB Nick Strang '13 came off the bench and broke a Hobart record with 498 yards of total offense, leading the Statesmen to an exciting 41-35 win in 2OT. Last season I got to see Hobart beat Union 42-34 in Geneva. That game started out like a potential rout, but the Dutchmen battled back and actually out scored the Statesmen 27-14 in the second half.

Hobart hasn't beaten Union four straight since the 1970s. Back then the Statesmen ran off 8 consecutive wins from the 1971 to 1979 seasons. After a two year hiatus, the series resumed in 1982 and Union won 16 straight games against Hobart. It took 17 seasons, and Coach Cragg's third as Head Coach, for Hobart to finally beat the Dutchmen, 19-14, and break that streak in 1998.

The last decade and the start of this one saw the Statesmen finally get more competitive and eventually surpass their rivals, winning nine of the last 15 games, including three game winning streaks between 2002-2004 and 2010-2012. Can Hobart win a fourth in a row? The last SR class to go 4-0 vs. the Dutchmen was the Class of 1980.

Keys to the game:

1. Ya Gotta Tackle Thomas (and TJ) - Union's best offensive weapon is JR RB Darnell Thomas, who had a big game vs Hobart last season racking up 141 rushing yards on 16 carries (8.8 YPC) and scoring two TDs. This season Thomas has 453 yards and five rushing TDs. SR RB TJ Franzese is also a good back, gaining 408 yards and five scores. WR Kyle Reynolds (five catches for 85 yards and two TDs) and QB Connor Eck (245 passing yards) also had big numbers against the Statesmen defense, but neither will play Saturday. JR QB Nick Becker is the current Union signal caller. Becker has gone 17 of 39 (43.59%) but for only 47 YPG, no TDs, and two INTs. Needless to say, Union will need good games from both RBs to have a chance at beating the Statesmen.

2. DTR- the Dutchmen's strength is their stout defense, who despite the losing record, leads the LL in rushing defense (106.1 YPG allowed) and are second only to Hobart in total defense (282.3 YPG allowed) and opponent's third down conversions (37.9%). Union's defense is led by SO LB Thomas Hayes with 60 tackles, tied for second in the LL with an 8.6 TPG average. The Dutchmen lead the LL in TOP (34:17), so if Hobart can control the clock, it would eat into the Dutchmen's bread and butter.

3. Pass Protect - The Statesmen OL was a bit off for the early part of last week's RPI game allowing four sacks after not allowing any since the Dickinson game (and that was only one). With SR OL Alex Bush out due to an injury, the OL will need to improve its protection against a tough Union defensive front. Last season JR TE Mike Berkowitz had a breakout game (89 yards and two TDs) against Union last season and is coming off a similar game from last weekend when he caught two TDs against RPI. On the flip side, the Dutchmen OL has struggled, and they are last in the LL in sacks allowed with 27 for -214 yards.

Prediction:

Although Union has struggled this season, they will be up for this game. Hobart has lost in the past to "lesser" Union teams (meaning the Statesmen had a much better record coming into the contest), 2008 (and 2009 for that matter) come to mind. Still, I don't see the Statesmen taking their primary LL rivals lightly, especially with big games coming up with improved Saint Lawrence (5-2, 3-1) and Rochester (5-2, 3-1) teams looming on their schedule.

I'll take Hobart to win in a more defensive, hard-hitting game 31-14 vs. the shoot outs of the past couple of seasons.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Hobart Overcomes Slow Start, Shuts Down RPI 35-13

This past Saturday something unusual happened. Hobart actually trailed in a game for the first time all season. The plucky RPI Engineers (3-4, 0-4) surprised the Statesmen when they first caused a SR RB Steven Webb fumble. RPI QB Jesse Maynard then stunned the secondary with a 48 yard pass to get the ball to the Hobart three yard line. Although it took them four downs to go the remaining three yards, the Engineers scored and were up 6-0.

The Statesmen tied the game when JR QB Patrick Conlan connected with JR TE Mike Berkowitz for a 7 yard TD pass with 1:27 to go in the first quarter. The Statesmen took the lead after FY PK Sean Kirsche PAT was good. From there it was more fits and starts for Hobart, who to be fair were missing some key players such as SR OL Alex Bush and JR FB Dominique Ellis. Conlan, who hadn't been sacked since Week 1, was hit four times by the Engineer defense.

The Statesmen rallied however and after runs of 13 and 43 yards by Webb late in the 2nd quarter, Hobart added a 10 yard Conlan to JR WR Elvin Souffrant score to take a 14-6 lead into the half. I imagine Head Coach Mike Cragg's halftime speech was anything other than a wake up call, and the Statesmen sure did.

Hobart would shutdown RPI's offense and rattle off 21 unanswered points to post a 35-6 lead before calling the dogs off. WEOS PBP man Ted Baker provided me with these stats about the Statesmen defense:

Yesterday [Hobart] had a season high seven defensive stops of three and out, or better. Five were three and outs, one was a single play drive ended by a forced fumble and recovery and one two play drive was ended by an INT.

Of the 11 TDs allowed by Hobart this year, seven have come against the backups in the fourth quarter with the Statesmen leading by 21 or more points:

at Dickinson - leading 30-0, TD w/ 2:18 left
Utica - leading 34-13, TD w/ 3:51 left
@USMMA - leading 24-0, TD w/ 3:33 left
WPI - leading 41-0, TD with 11:51 to play
@ Springfield - leading 42-7, TDs with 12:03 and 6:01 left
RPI - leading 35-6, TD w/ 8:36 left

Oh yeah, this one was interesting too - Hobart hasn't lost a FB game in the last 707 days. And while Webb, keeps racking up the yards and TDs (scored his 49th career TD Saturday), other Hobart rushers have carried 161 times for 753 yards (4.7 YPC) and scored eight TDs.

While I know some Hobart fans were probably frustrated by the slow start yesterday, the above shows this is still an elite team. The Statesmen dropped a spot in the D3football.com poll, from six to seven, but that was mostly due to then #7 UW-Whitewater beating #9 UW-Oshkosh. In fact, Hobart (6-0, 4-0) had one more point, for a total of 473, than in Week 7. With Saint Lawrence's 21-20 loss to Springfield, the Statesmen are the only undefeated Liberty League team. While there are some potential tie breakers that could happen, Hobart remains in control of their own destiny, which is really all you can ask for, especially with the playoffs starting in only a few more weeks.

Thanks for reading and more on the upcoming game vs. Union College later this week. Go 'Bart!

RPI / 93 ToD Game Preview

The sixth ranked Hobart College Statesmen will look to make their push to the playoffs with four consecutive Liberty League games to close out the 2013 regular season. The first hurdle in their path is the RPI Engineers who will travel to Geneva this Saturday to take on Hobart (5-0, 3-0) at noon. RPI (3-0, 0-3) has struggled of late, and have had to overcome injuries and inconsistent play at the QB position in the past three weeks. The Statesmen had arguably their best game of the 2012 regular season dominating RPI in a 35-7 win at the East Campus Athletic Village in Troy.

In 2013 RPI is averaging 20.8 PPG on offense and ranks sixth in the LL with 324.3 YPG average. The Engineers have only scored 14 total TDs in six games. Part of this can be attributed to RPI’s struggles on third down. The Engineers rank last in the LL with a 30.6 conversion percentage. After starter SR QB Brendan McGlynn went down with a knee injury in RPI season opener, the Engineers have rotated between the duo of SO QB Jeff Avery and SR QB Jesse Maynard. Avery has slightly better overall numbers going 43 of 91 passing or 94.2 YPG with three TDs compared to two INTs. Maynard has gone 20 for 48 or 53.2 YPG, but has three INTs compared to only two TDs. However given Avery was injured in last weekend’s 37-31 loss to Rochester (4-2, 2-1), it appears as though Maynard will get the start this Saturday for RPI. Maynard is the more mobile QB of the two, but he’s not a very accurate passer. Overall the Engineers have a low passing efficiency, only completing 43.8% of their attempts.

Otherwise RPI's key offensive weapons are SR RB Andrew Armato and SR TE and Co-Captain Joe Cozzolino. Armato ranks eighth in LL with 61.3 YPG to go along with two rushing TDs. Cozzolino is RPI’s main passing threat, catching 19 passes for 274 yards and one TD.

The Engineers strength is on defense where they’ve only allowed a respectible 20 PPG average. Overall the RPI defense is ranked fifth in the LL allowing 336.7 YPG, which is somewhat high, yardage-wise. However, the Engineers rank second in LL with only 124.5 rushing YPG allowed. That mark will surely be tested by a Statesmen OL that’s helped Hobart runners average 286.6 YPG and score 18 rushing TDs in five games. RPI has also been efficient in passing defense, only allowing 55.2% completions by opposing QBs, good for second in the LL. The Engineers seven interceptions also rank them second in the LL in that category. The RPI D has been tough with a 38.3% opponents’ third down conversion mark as well.

The Engineers D is led by SO LB Brandon Cook with 48 tackles (8 TPG), including four and a half for a loss (TFL). SR DL and Co-Captain Ted Abriel has tallied 42 tackles, 10.5 TFL and three sacks. SR DL Arthur Kuyan has four sacks for -21 yards and seven TFL. The RPI secondary features JR DB Connor Young and SO DB Will Ash with eight and five pass break ups a piece. JR DB Philip Lanieri III leads the team with three INTs.

Although the Engineers rank last in the LL in kick and punt return yardage with 15.8 and 5.6 YPR, respectively; they are good in coverage. RPI special teams (and scoring) have been bolstered by the strong leg of JR PK Andrew Franks who has kicked eight of ten FGs (several in the 40-50 yard range) and making 13 of 14 PATs.

Keys to the Game:

1. Get Off to a Fast Start – Hobart has the ability to put up a lot of points, and if they get off to a fast start Saturday it will be extremely difficult for RPI to catch up. Although the Engineers did put up a season high 31 points last weekend, I don’t see them being able to match that against the Hobart defense which is allowing only 12.8 PPG.
2. Mess With Maynard – The Engineers passing game is not very strong and if the Statesmen take away Maynard’s ability to move in or outside the pocket, it’s going to be a long day for RPI. I am thinking we may see SR OLB Devin Worthington break the TFL record in front of the home crowd Saturday.
3. Focus on Fundamentals – This is an opportunity for the Statesmen to not only continue working on their bread and butter (i.e., running the ball and playing great defense), but also further develop. In particular getting some down field looks and improve the passing game.

Prediction:

While RPI has given Hobart fits in the past, these Engineers are in rebuilding mode and aren’t at 100% due to injuries. The Statesmen are coming off a bye week and should be rested and raring to go in front of the home crowd. The Statesmen have won 10 straight home games dating back to the 29-28 upset by the Mike Hermann led RPI on 11/5/11. I think Hobart comes out and piles it on early and wins this one going away. I’ll take the Statesmen in a 42-14 rout over the beat up Engineers.

Before I sign off I’d like to give a special shout out to my classmates and friends from the 1993 Hobart Football team that will be recognized at halftime as a “Team of Distinction” by the College. This was and is a great team and group of guys, so I am sorry I can’t be there in person to reminsce about the "good old days". Former Hobart OL and SAA Board Member David Gibbons ’94 gets a shout out for getting these guys back to campus for what should be a great reunion. Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!

Post-Bye Week Rewind

It's been a bit hectic in these parts, but if you were wondering how the Statesmen are doing in terms of the LL, here's a few superlatives. They remain #6 in th D3football.com national polls and if they should win out and end the season 9-0, there's a good chance we'll see the Statesmen host a home playoff game(s) come November.

Oh yeah, back to the stats:

#1 scoring offense (35.6 PPG)
#1 scoring defense (12.8 PPG)
#1 total offense (412.8 YPG, 25 TDs)
#2 total defense (281.6 YPG, 9 TD)
#2 rushing offense (286.6 YPG 18 TD)
#4 rushing D (150.4 YPG, 6 TD)
#6 pass offense (126.2 YPG)
#1 pass defense (131.2 YPG, 3 TD)
#1 kickoff returns (28.5 YPG)
#6 punt return (7.8 YPG)
#7 INT (3)
#5 punting (29.8)
2-4 FG and 22-25 PAT
#3 sacks by (10)
#2 sacks against (1)
#1 3rd down conv – OPP (32.4%)
#8 TOP (27:29)
#2 TOM (+5)
#1 Red zone D
Webb 766 total rush yards, 10 TDs, 153.2 YPG (#1 all purpose 176 YPG)
Conlan #4 114.8 YPG 40-75-2 6 TDs 574 yards 138.7 pass eff rating
Toney #4 w/ 8.5 tpg, 34 total in 4 games
Davis #19 6.4 tpg, 32 total in 5 games
Toran 4th in INT with 2, #1 in FF

It's clear from the above the team is playing at a high level. Sure the passing game has room for improvement and the Statesmen could do a better job in punting and punt returns. Time of possession remains low, but that's mostly due to Hobart's big play ability. Overall there's not much to critize with the above. Fortunately the better teams in the LL still remain ahead on the Statesmen's schedule. Saint Lawrence (5-1, 3-0) and Rochester (4-2, 2-1), in particular, should tough games.

More on the upcoming RPI game later this week. Go Bart!

Hobart Steamrolls Springfield, 49-21

I am moving into a new house so will be brief this week. Hobart moved up to sixth in the D3football.com poll and rolled over Springfield College (3-3, 0-3) last Saturday. I spoke with SR OL Alex Bush last night on www.inthehuddlle.com and it was a great perspective on the program. It was great meeting the families of current players as well as seeing a few familiar faces in Springfield.

Thanks especially to the Davis and Guarino-Hyde families for including my Dad and I in their tailgate. A few game recap and related links are below:

 www.hwsathletics.com/news/2013/10/12/HFB_1012132657.aspx?path=football

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2013/10/13/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show

 http://www.d3football.com/top25/2013/week6

 http://www.d3football.com/postgame/2013/week6

Springfield Game Preview

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen will travel to Springfield College this Saturday.  Once thought to be a potential number one contender to Hobart’s Liberty League championship defense in 2013, the Pride (3-2, 0-2) have lost two straight games and are effectively out of the LL race only five games into the season.  Union College (1-3, 1-1) held the former #1 rushing offense in Division III to a paltry 85 total yards last Saturday in Springfield.  The Dutchmen held the ball for an amazing 43:02, primarily due to the fact Springfield only converted three first downs.

The above really makes me wonder what kind of game we’ll see this Saturday.  Last season Hobart defeated the Pride 28-7 in Geneva.  Springfield was down 14-0 at the half but scored late in the third quarter to make it 14-7.  The Statesmen would rattle off two more scores in the fourth quarter and take the win.

Like the Union game last Saturday, in 2012 against Hobart the Pride really struggled on third down only converting one of 12 conversions (8%) and was held to 159 yards of total offense (150 of which were from running plays).

Otherwise, Springfield’s cast of characters hasn't changed much from last year.  SO QB Jonathan Marrero leads the Pride offense, rushing for 587 yards and seven TDs.  Although the Pride doesn't call many passes (only 38 total in five games), Marrero has 102 passing yards and two passing scores.  His primary targets are Jason Woods and James Poggio.  Woods has caught six passes for 84 yards and two scores and Poggio has 4 catches for 54 yards and one score.  SR FB Joel Altavesta is another key player on offense, running for 318 yards and one TD.  RB Louis Fenaroli has 237 yards and four scores.

Defensively the Pride is led by SR FS Sam Weiss with 41 tackles and two INTs, one which he returned for a 93 yard TD.  LBs Danny Macalena and Mike Dublin have also tallied 41 stops as well.  Macalena leads the team with 12 TFL for -65 yards and four sacks for -27.  Preseason All-American JR DE Max Nacewicz was injured early in the season and it has impacted Springfield’s ability to rush the QB and stop opposing offenses as well as they did in 2012.

Keys to the Game:

1. Win the LOS – all of the below is pretty self explanatory, almost obvious when it comes to football strategy.  Springfield is a solid triple option program, so if you limit the run, you’ll beat them.  Conversely, Hobart’s best defense is keeping the Pride offense off the field.  Hobart is no slouch in the run game, averaging 278.8 YPG and scoring 12 rushing TDs.  I expect a big game out of the Statesmen’s OL and DL Saturday.
2. Know Your Role (i.e., stay in your gaps) – speaking of the DL, stopping the triple option is all about gap assignments and not over pursuing, thus creating lanes for the opposing QB and/or RBs to option.  Having played a number of triple option teams Hobart is fairly familiar with this approach, but it’s easier said than done. 
3. Watch Out for Weiss - While I do expect Hobart to come out and grind out some runs, they will need to test the Pride secondary to keep them honest.  The challenge with that is not falling for disguised coverage being called by Weiss, who's effectively the "General" for the defense.  Weiss has a good nose for the ball and if JR QB Patrick Conlan isn't careful, Weiss could create some issues for the Statesmen passing game.

Prediction:

What was once billed by D3Football.com as the de facto "title game" for the LL in the preseason has lost its luster due to Springfield's struggles.  Still, the Pride is a tough out and Hobart needs to be focused and not let their guard down.  Springfield really has nothing to lose in the sense they've played themselves out of the conference title picture, but could play the role of spoiler.  I don't think Hobart will be caught unprepared, and I'll take the Statesmen in a convincing 35-7 win.  I just don't think Springfield's defense is up to par this season.

I am looking forward to getting a first hand look at Hobart this Saturday. Follow me @ITHuddLLe for pictures from the game.  I'll post some here early next week.

Go 'Bart!

Hobart Overwhelms WPI, 41-7

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen dominated the WPI Engineers by the score of 41-7 today at Boswell Field.  The Statesmen (4-0, 2-0) out gained WPI (2-3, 1-1) 501 to 270 yards.

Hobart opened the scoring off of two SR RB Steven Webb 38 and 42 TD runs early in the game.  The Statesmen's JR QB Patrick Conlan found JR WR Elvin Souffrant on a five yard pass to push the Hobart lead to 21-0 with only 1:05 to play in the first quarter.  Conlan found find the end zone again by calling his own number, scoring on a three yard TD rush early the in the second quarter.  This score was set up by Hobart's second defensive interception of WPI QB Jacob Grills.  The first was by SR CB Connor Garrett (resulting in Webb's second TD) and the second by JR OLB Nolan Toran.

The real fireworks didn't start though until Conlan and JR WR Troy Robinson executed the longest passing TD in Hobart history connecting on an 89 yard flea flicker to push the Statesmen lead to 34-0.  Dan Suozzi '05 hauled in an 88 yard score from Craig Swanson '04 in a 35-3 beating of Union in 2003 which was the previous record. Pretty much everything went Hobart's way up until then, the only miscue being a FY PK Sean Kirsche pulling the PAT wide left. To be fair, Kirsche had a great game overall, going four of five on averaging 58 yards on kickoff, even handling punts later in the game.

Head Coach Mike Cragg would empty the bench in the second half and JR QB Kyle Bayly took advantage of the opportunity, scoring his first ever Hobart passing TD, finding Robinson for 27 yards and a 41-0 Statesmen lead.

The Engineers would avoid a shutout as SR QB Johnny Antonopoulos's play action pass to Larry McGillicuddy would connect for 70 yards late in the game.  Blaine Bursey's point after was good and WPI was on the board, but down 41-7, which would be the final.

Leading the Statesmen on offense was Conlan in an impressive nine for 15, 208 passing yards and two TD performance.  Webb added 113 yards on 10 carries and two scores.  Robinson was the top target hauling in three catches for 127 yards and two scores.

Defensively the Statesmen were once again led by SR LBs Jacob Price and Cory Davis with five stops a piece.  JR DE Tyre Coleman added three tackles, including a TFL and one sack.  The latter leaves him only a 1/2 sack away from Hobart's all time mark of 33 set by Dave Russell '98.

Next week the Statesmen will travel to Springfield, MA to take on the reeling Pride (3-2, 0-2) of Springfield College.  Once thought to be potential contenders to Hobart's LL crown, the Pride have lost back to back LL games and were otherwise man handled by previously win less Union College (1-3, 1-1).  Hobart will do well not to look past to Springfield however.  I am looking forward to seeing the Statesmen in person next weekend.  Fans, friends of the program, let's meet up for a tailgate!

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

WPI Game Preview

It’s October!

Thanks to all the readers who made the month of September the best one yet with over 4,200 visits to the site. At this rate we’ll crack 50K before the end of the month!

The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen (3-0, 1-0) host the WPI Engineers, in a rare home game, Saturday in Geneva at noon. The Statesmen will once again don their camouflage / Wounded Warrior uniforms (see below) in honor of America’s troops. Funds raised from the game will go to assist “Honor Flight”, a charity organization that provides travel services for veterans to Washington, DC.

Last season Hobart had their way with WPI in a 61-8 blowout that saw the Statesmen rack up 542 total yards and hold the ball for 39:46 in the contest. Hobart tallied 27 compared to WPI’s six first downs and the Engineers only gained 78 total yards in the game.

This year WPI is coming into this contest with a better overall team and record (2-2, 1-0) than 2012. Last Saturday they had a resounding 27-14 win over LL and “industry” rival RPI in the annual “Transit Trophy” game. WPI has had a “Jekyll and Hyde” type of season of sorts, with dominant victories over Curry (0-3, 0-1) and RPI (3-1, 0-1) while playing quite the opposite in a 31-14 loss to Norwich (1-2) in Week 3. The Engineers could easily be 3-1, but lost a 15-14 heart breaker to cross town rival Worcester State (3-1, 1-1) in the final seconds of that game, in Week 2 (and perhaps the hangover lasted until after Week 3?).

WPI ranks just behind Hobart in scoring offense (25.8 compared to 29.3 PPG) and boasts one of the best running backs in the conference, if not the country, in JR Zach Grasis who’s averaging 131.2 YPG, scoring seven touchdowns (TDs) in four games.  Grasis ranks 10th in the nation in total rush yards (525) and is tied for sixth in rushing TDs (6). It appears after last week that JR QB Jacob Grills has earned the starting job over SR QB Johnny Antonopoulos, and he looked good, going 17 of 30 for 184 yards and one TD against RPI. Grills’ top target is SR WR Ehab Hamdan who leads the LL with 89 receiving YPG and six TDs. The six receiving TDs also ranks Hamdan as second in the nation according to the NCAA DIII stat sheet.

Defensively WPI has struggled a bit, allowing 22 PPG and allowing a LL-worst 400.5 YPG and 12 TDs. The Engineers have been particularly susceptible against strong passing teams, allowing 221.2 YPG and eight receiving TDs to their opponents. SO DB Eric Lacroix leads the Engineers with 34 total tackles (8.5 TPG), two interceptions and one sack. Lacroix earned LL honors as Co-DPOY after tallying eight stops against RPI, including five solo tackles, one for a loss and a 33 yard interception return. JR LB Jake Brown has 25 tackles and one sack.

On special teams WPI has a solid kicker in FY Blaine Bursey. He’s two for two on FGs this season and has converted 11 of 14 PATs. SO PK Vincent Tavernelli leads the LL in punting, averaging 42.5 YPP with a long of 74 yards.

Keys to the Game: 

1. Zack Attack (or really, Attack Zach) – Stuffing WPI’s run game is the key to beating WPI. In the Engineers’ two wins, Grasis has run for 342 yards and six scores. In the two losses, he ran for 183 and just one TD. Against Norwich WPI really struggled on third down, only converting two of 13 attempts. If the Statesmen can force the Engineers to be one dimensional, they can pin them back and rush Grills, potentially forcing…

2. Turnovers – WPI is -1 on the season in turnover margin, and their struggles with possession have played a role in their losses this season. The Engineers have thrown a league high six interceptions, so if the Statesmen bottle up Grasis, players like JR OLB Nolan Toran or SR FS Jolyon Davis could collect a pick (or two) Saturday

3. Rush for 300(+) – Norwich ran for 374 yards on the WPI defense and I expect Hobart will be shooting to eclipse the 300 rushing yard mark as well. While the Statesmen may test the Engineer pass defense, I don’t see it happening until after a steady dose of SR RB Steven Webb and SO RB Connor Hartigan

Prediction: 

The Statesmen are very tough to beat at the “Boz”, and this game will be no exception. I think WPI’s issues on defense and ball control on offense should make for another home win for Hobart. I’ll take the Statesmen to win going away, 30-10.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Hobart Grinds Out Tough Win Against Merchant Marine, 24-8

The seventh ranked Hobart Statesmen improved to 3-0 Saturday and are the Liberty League's final undefeated squad after a very competitive Week 4.

Hobart struggled against a tough USMMA defense and was otherwise shut out in the first quarter, save for a FY PK Sean Kirsche 31 yard FG.  SO RB Connor Hartigan would finally get the Statesmen into the end zone about half way through the second quarter to post the visitors to a 10-0 lead. The Merchant Marine (3-1) would threaten to score right before the half, advancing to the Hobart three yard line, but questionable clock management by the Mariners coaching staff forced them to rush a 23 yard Daniel Kennedy FG.  The kick, which WEOS FM's Ted Baker aptly called a "Chinese Fire-drill", ended up being wide right.  With the miss the 10-0 Statesmen lead stood at the half.

JR QB Patrick Conlan would find SR WR Yosh Karbowniczak from 37 yards out only 52 seconds into the third quarter to push Hobart's lead to 17-0. Apparently Conlan has some speed too, as he faked a hand off to SR RB Steven Webb, and ran untouched for 53 yards to score another Hobart TD. Although the Statesmen reserves would fail to preserve the shut out, Hobart hung on to win by a score of 24-8.

Conlan led the Statesmen offense with 129 passing and 49 rushing yards and two scores.  SO LB Trayvon Toney led the Hobart defense with 12 tackles.  SR OLB Devin Worthington had a big game, collecting 11 stops, including 3.5 TFL and two sacks.  Worthington is closing in on both the career TFL and sack marks, the latter in close range for JR DE Tyre Coleman with only one and a half to go, but the All-American only had three tackles in Saturday's contest.

The Hobart defense bottled up what used to be the nation's leading rusher, holding SO QB Matthew McDaniels to only 65 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Webb ended up with 93 rushing yards, breaking a string of five games with over 100.  Overall the Mariners held Hobart to 207 total rush yards, more than a 100 yards off their season average.  The Statesmen controlled the game from start to finish, so there's really not much to complain about.  24 points is a bit low, but these aren't the Mariners of 2012.  I could see this MMA squad doing some damage in what now appears to be a wide open LL below Hobart.

The Statesmen will host WPI (2-2) next Saturday at the "Boz".  Hobart will don their camouflage uniforms in honor of our veterans, specifically, the Honor Flight organization.

Tune into "In The HuddLLe" Sunday night at 7:30 PM ET at www.inthehuddlle.com for highlights to this, and the weekend's top games.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

USMMA Game Preview

My apologies for posting so late in the week. Contrary to popular belief, I do have a day job and that got in the way of getting this out sooner. Without further ado, the Hobart Statesmen (2-0) are back up to #7 in the D3football.com Top 25 poll and will open conference play this Saturday in Kings Point. They face off against the United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners (USMMA) at 2 PM.

The Academy (3-0) is off to its best start since the 1997 season and boasts one of the best offensive players in the country. SO QB Matt McDaniels leads the nation in total rushing yards with 538 and is third in the nation with 189.3 YPG. SR OLB Matthrew Morse leads the Mariners defense with 25 tackles. While the USMMA offense gets a lot of press, the defense is no pushover. The Mariners are allowing only 18 PPG and 285.7 YPG in total defense. By comparison Hobart has allowed 14 PPG and 276 YPG in total defense.

To be fair, teams like Coast Guard, SUNY-Maritime and Susquehanna aren't at the same level of Hobart, who with SR RB Steven Webb, boasts a 178.5 YPG rushing average, good for sixth in the nation. Webb is also, as WEOS' Ted Baker likes to call him, a "touchdown maker", averaging 15 PPG (fifth in the nation). Webb is also sixth in the nation in all purpose yards with 218 YPG.

Ultimately I view this game as a "something's got to give" scenario as each teams' total rushing offense is around three times what they allow in rushing defense. The MMA have struggled with strong passing teams in the past, so it'll be interesting to see whether or not JR QB Patrick Conlan will get more of an opportunity to pass the ball more?

Keys to the Game:
1. Win the LOS - when two strong running offensive and defensive teams play, it's all about the trenches. Hobart has a definite size advantage over the Mariners given the latter have strict weight and body fat percentage requirements per the Academy.

1b. Improve third down conversions - The Statesmen offense has put up a lot of yards and points, but their 3rd down work needs improvement. Hobart is next to last in the LL with only seven 3rd down conversions (out of 22 attempts, a 31.8% conversion percentage). With a tough rush defense like the Mariners, the Statesmen offense needs to move the chains and keep McDaniels off the field.

2. Stay in your gaps - The Statesmen defense struggled last season against the MMA's triple option, often overpuising and missing their gap assignments in the first half. Players like SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde, SO DT Tucker Gumkowski and JR DT Troy Johnson are all a year older and wiser having played four option teams in the 2012 season.

3. Air it out (and be ready on defense for MMA to do the same) - The Mariners allow 177 YPG through the air and could be suspectible to Hobart's passing game if Conlan performs better. SO DB Sklyer Stone is tied for second in the LL with five passes defended, but a shoulder injury has had him sidelined for the last couple of weeks and his status for the Hobart game is uncertain. The Statesmen defense has to be ready for the long ball themselves, as McDaniels does have a good arm. The Mariners don't pass much (only 20 attempts in three games), but those plays have averaged 18.5 YPP, and have accounted for two of USMMA's 10 TDs on the season. SR RB/WR Connor Kennedy has 123 yards and one receiving TD, including a long of 71 yards, so Hobart can't sleep on the long ball.

Prediction: Hobart holds a 9-0 series record vs. the Mariners since the two teams joined the LL. Last season the Statesmen struggled with the USMMA and the triple option out of the gate and went into the half only up 14-6. Hobart regrouped in the second half and put the Mariners away, 42-21. The USMMA looks improved this season but I am not sure they will be the team that knocks off a top ranked Hobart squad. I'll pick the Statesmen to play the role of spoiler at the Mariners' Homecoming by the score of 35-21.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Coach Cragg Talks Utica and USMMA on ITH

Head Coach Mike Cragg appeared on the D3Football / Liberty League podcast show "In The HuddLLe" show tonight.  A playback can be found here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2013/09/22/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show

We also previewed this Saturday's LL opener against the 3-0 United States Merchant Marine Academy, including an interview with Head Coach Mike Toop.

Hobart Overcomes Utica, 34-21

The eighth ranked Hobart Football team had to wait until Week 3 for their home opener and they made the most of it, defeating Utica College, 34-21, in a tough, wet and often controversial game. The Statesmen overcame 121 yards of penalties, two interceptions by JR QB Patrick Conlan and a gritty Utica (2-1) club under the lights at Boswell Field.

The game got off to a rough start for Hobart (2-0) as their offense struggled to get their rhythm early in the game. The Pioneers converted two fourth down plays en route to a 7-0 lead when SR RB Jake Larson scored from five yards out with 4:16 to go in the first quarter. The special teams unit would block a Utica punt allowing Conlan to find JR TE Mike Berkowitz from eight yards out; capping a two play, 10 second drive. The Statesmen would take advantage of another short field, this time off JR OLB Nolan Toran's second caused turnover (he intercepted Butkiewicz in the first quarter but Hobart wasn't able to cash in), to take a 14-7 lead after a two yard SR RB Steven Webb TD. Hobart would stun the visitors on the ensuing offensive possession when SO RB Connor Hartigan took the ball 89 yards, dodging his way to the end zone for the score. Although Hobart only gained six first downs in the first half, they took a 21-7 advantage into the locker room.

The Statesmen would try to pull away in the second half after a 56 yard Webb run pushed Hobart's lead to 28-7 with 9:37 to go in the third. Utica would come back however, driving 74 yards in 10 plays, capping the possession with another Larson TD. The SO PK Thomas Woodburn kick failed leaving the score 28-13. The Pioneers would threaten again but a big defensive stand by Hobart thwarted another Pioneers score at the end of the quarter.

Conlan found JR WR Elvin Souffrant for an 18 TD pass to push the Statesmen's lead to 34-13 with 8:10 to go in the game. Although Utica would score another TD, a nine yard Connor Butkiewicz to Jamie Murphy reception, it came at 4:13 to go. Hobart would recover the ensuing onside kick and run out the clock, taking a knee at the Pioneers one yard line as time expired, winning the game, 34-21.

Leading the Statesmen once again was Webb with 150 of Hobart's 329 rushing yards and two TDs. Larson led Utica with 111 yards and two scores as well. SR LB Joe Giametta led the Pioneer defense with 11 tackles and Hobart's SR LB Cory Davis led the Statesmen "D" with a game high 14 stops.

With the win Hobart improves to 2-0 on the season and with two top 10 teams losing today may move up in tomorrow's D3football.com Top 25 poll*.  The Statesmen open Liberty League play against a 3-0 USMMA squad who won 7-6 over SUNY-Maritime in a defensive struggle.  The 3-0 start is the Mariners best since the 1997 season.

 A few additional thoughts:
- The officiating in this game was questionable with a total of 194 yards in flags, Hobart getting called 14 times for -121 yards.  Those penalties helped Utica to the tune of a 35 to 25 minute advantage in time of possession.  Seven of Utica's first downs came via penalty which distorts the 29 to 15 advantage they had over Hobart.  Both teams only punted five times each all evening
- The Statesmen running game, special teams and defense came up big when they had to make plays
- The Statesmen pass defense struggled to the tune of 235 yards, but only gave up one passing TD
- Conlan had a tough night throwing for only 69 yards
- The Statesmen defense was a bit too aggressive at times, which allowed Utica to take advantage of their over pursuit. To be fair, it was the home opener, on Homecoming and Parent's Weekend, under the lights, which may have added to the "hype".  I don't think there won't be too many other games this season when Hobart only picks up one sack
- Hobart needs to get better in the pass game to avoid being a one dimensional offense. Although it was a rainy / wet night, 69 yards against what's likely a mid-level / non-playoff Empire 8 team isn't good enough. The good news is it's only Conlan's second ever college start. He and the Statesmen receivers will improve over time
- Credit to Head Coach Mike Cragg to eschew the final TD and taking a knee

* I am not worried if the Statesmen move up or stay in the same spot, but would be sort of surprised if they drop.  I could see some pollsters wanting to see Hobart win by 20+, but the game kind of turned out how I thought it based on my prediction (which was 35-17 in case you missed it in the preview blog post).

While I do have some concerns coming out of this game, the Statesmen persevered  which is the most important thing.  Overall it was a tougher weekend for the LL in which the league ended up 4-4 after an 11-2 start. This game film will provide Hobart with a lot of learning opportunities and help them be ready against a tough Merchant Marine squad next Saturday.  More on that game later next week.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!