Week 9 - Union Game Preview (Boo!)

The Hobart College Statesmen will travel to Schenectady this weekend looking for their first win in almost a month. Long time rival Union College is just looking for a win, period, as the Dutchmen (0-7, 0-4) have had a rough 2015 campaign. Saturday’s Halloween game at Frank Bailey Field marks the 99^thmeeting of the two programs, which goes all the way back to the 1896 season. Union has a slight edge in the series overall, with a 50-46-2 record.

The Statesmen (4-3, 2-2) will look to exploit the worst scoring defense (35.9 PPG) in the Liberty League (LL) that’s allowed 33 TDs this season. In spite of Union’s troubles, they have been a competitive team and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Dutchmen have lost their last three games by a combined 14 points. Their offense has put up more yards (2,375) and TDs (21) than Hobart’s (1,874 and 18, respectively) and #12 SO QB Dante Cioffi is one of the top QBs in the LL in spite of only starting a few games. If Cioffi’s struggles, look for #6 FY QB Nick Cascione (700 yards and six TDs) to step in.

Last season the Statesmen defeated the Dutchmen by a score of 30-6 in Geneva behind a couple of Patrick Conlan ‘15 TD passes (to Troy Robinson and Mike Berkowitz ’15) and a (then) JR ILB Jacob Stanley 44 yard FR for a TD. That day Hobart racked up 202 rushing yards compared to Union’s 10. While you’d think the Statesmen would do well to attack the Dutchmen’s rush defense as it ranks last in the LL this season, allowing opponents 210.3 YPG and a league worst 12 TDs, unfortunately Hobart’s rushing offense is also at the bottom of the LL averaging only 94.6 YPG and 2.6 YPC.

Union’s pass defense has also been poor, allowing a LL worst 238.4 YPG and 17 scores, so I would expect Hobart’s offense to attack that unit early and often in this game.

Scouting the Dutchmen

Union’s offense is run by Cioffi who’s passed for 778 yards, nine TDs and eight INTs. #24 JR RB Jermaine Carn has rushed for 351 yards and one TD this season and #5 SO RB Connor Kinzelmann has added 333 yards and four rushing TDs. #1 SR WR Kyle Reynolds has 493 receiving yards and six TDs. #2 SR WR A.J. Baker has 404 yards and three receiving scores. #17 SR WR Joe Vito rounds out the receiving trio with 279 yards and three TDs.

Defensively #3 SR LB Jake LaRovera leads the LL with 10.6 TPG and is second overall with 74 total stops.

The Dutchmen’s special teams unit has been average overall but Union does have the second best punting unit in the league, averaging 33.2 YPP net.

Keys to the Game

Just win.

Prediction:

In spite of both team’s recent struggles you can throw the records out the window when these two school’s line up. The Statesmen haven’t lost to Union for quite some time – the last Dutchmen win over Hobart was back in 2009 (a game I actually attended) – so the pressure is on this Hobart squad not to break that streak in a season that has seen other streaks fall by the wayside. A win for the Dutchmen would save what’s been an otherwise disastrous season and would be about as low point that the Statesmen have experienced since the heartbreaking 35-34 loss to Rochester in 2010 (another game that saw a game winning two point play come up short).

This game will probably see a lot of passing attempts but it could be a more defensive struggle than one may think. I have faith the Statesmen can hold the Dutchmen at bay, but it’ll be close. I’ll pick Hobart to win 27-21.

Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!