The link to the Hobart recap on the game can be seen here. While I credit the team to fighting through adversity and avoiding a shutout thanks to SR TE Matt Woods TD; in terms of losses, yes, this is right up there as one of the worst in recent memory.
While the 47-7 loss to St. Thomas in the 2012 national quarterfinals was lopsided, you'd really have to go back to 1988-90 to find a Statesmen defense that gave up over 50 points in a game. Needless to say I think the SUNY-Morrisville Mustangs will be a more feasible match-up, but certainly no push-over, for the Statesmen.
Last season the Mustangs finished 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Empire 8 with a team that reportedly struggled with a great deal of injuries. A lot of those players are healed and back this season, and so they welcomed as many as 15 returning starters - eight on offense and seven on defense - coming in to 2018. Let's take a look at them and this week's home opener:
Scouting the Mustangs
The Statesmen and Mustangs will meet for the very first time, which is kind of surprising given the schools are only 84 miles apart from one another. SUNY-Morrisville opened their 2018 season with a 34-13 win over Norwich University (0-1) from the NEWMAC in Vermont. SR QB Brandon Gwinner had a big day, passing for 316 yards and four TDs. Gwinner spread the ball around, hitting four different receivers multiple times led by big SR TE Petrit Boga for 91 yards and a TD. At 6' 2" 240 lbs #5 is easy to see but he got behind the Cadets defense on a 58-yard pass and score late in the game. SR WR Raffaele Bradshaw, JR WR Jermaine Cooper and FY WR Toure Hall, Jr. combined for 190 yards and three TDs.
Helping balance the offensive attack was bulky SR RB Nick Edmond who at 5' 10" 243 lbs is a load to bring down. He carried the ball 22 times for 113 rushing yards while being spelled by classmate SR RB Darrell West who added 45 yards on 11 carries. Leading the way for these runners will likely be JR FB Jeffrey Carozza (who tips the scales at 280 lbs!).
These offensive specialists are protected by an experienced line that features SR OL Marcus Thompson (6'3" 290), JR OL Zach Hutchinson (6'1" 305), JR OL Tyler Elmore (6'1" 365) and SR OL Niko Cejic (6'2" 255). This group won the LOS overall, but they did give up two sacks last Saturday and saw the Cadets manage six TFL for -21 yards and a forced fumble.
Defensively the Mustangs were led by JR LB Taylor Avanzato with seven total tackles. Overall Morrisville's defense held Norwich to 215 total yards, particularly due to only allowing two of 12 on third down conversions in the game. Although he only had three tackles in Saturday's game, SO SS Jose Garcia is considered one of the Mustangs' best overall athletes. JR S Mike Bodnar had six tackles against Norwich from the weak side. SO CB Deondrade Wells is considered Morrisville's top cover corner, but he will be at a size disadvantage (5'9" 163) compared to some of Hobart's taller WRs. JR DL Jermaine Rankine and SR DL Jordan Robinson bring experience to the interior of the defense, but they are on the smaller side at only 230 and 247 lbs, respectively.
One area where the Mustangs are a bit weak is in the kicking game. FY PK Zan Stewart was only 2-5 with a long of 36 on FGs Saturday, but he went 4-4 on PATs. He averaged 57.1 yards PKO, but did land one out of bounds. Morrisville didn't attempt a punt in the game.
Keys to the Game:
1. Sustain Drives - Nobody on the Statesmen OL had a good game last Saturday, even returning All-LL SR OL John Deveney was beaten regularly throughout the game by the #5 Golden Eagles rushers. If Hobart is to once again to be without leading rusher SO RB Dakota Harvey and receiver JR WR John DelliSanti, then the Statesmen will need to find other ways to move the chains. Norwich had similar struggles on offense against Morrisville in Week 1, losing the TOP battle by a 34-26 margin because of it.
2. Make Gwinner a Loser - The Hobart defense had zero sacks and, even more telling, zero QB hits last weekend. While SO OLB Emmett Forde and SO DE Zach Rudolph did have one TFL each, the Statesmen will need to apply a lot more pressure to defend their home turf Saturday.
3. Play All Four Downs - If it comes down to the kicking game, the Statesmen have a big advantage. It wouldn't surprise me given Morrisville's FG kicking issues we could see the Mustangs go for it more often on fourth down, so the Hobart defense needs to be ready.
4. Stay Confident - It seems like all the wind went out of the Hobart sideline after the first play, 77-yard Brockport TD last weekend. This young team, which is going through a lot of personnel changes as the coaching staff works with the roster, needs to keep it's heads' up. SUNY-Morrisville will be very excited to get a shot at Hobart and a win over the Statesmen would be a big feather in their cap as they get ready for E8 play. Last season they barely lost to Union, so the Mustangs will be confident they can win on Saturday. While I know Hobart fans were a bit stunned by last weekend's result, the Mustangs aren't on Brockport's level. With a large home crowd, filled with alums from multiple decades in attendance, there should be a lot of positive vibes for the Statesmen to latch onto and run with Saturday.
Prediction:
I think this game will be more of an offensive shootout than a defensive struggle given the experience Morrisville has at OL, WR and RB. Their SR TE will present some match-up problems also, but I do think the Statesmen can come out on top, and will, by the score of 34-28.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
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