I am going to keep this post short and sweet this week given we covered this game and the Hobart’s general ups and downs so far in 2009 on last night's edition of “In the HuddLLe” (www.inthehuddlle.com).
A big thanks to St Lawrence RB Connor Hackett, WEOS’ (www.weos.org) Ted Baker and Statesmen SR LT Angelo Catalano for their participation during the show. I hope if you missed the broadcast you’ll download it and take a listen this week. We had some technical difficulties to start off, but bear with us - once Connor Hackett dials in (and gives his thoughts on the upcoming game against Hobart), things pick up considerably.
More importantly, I hope you will go online and support the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org). WWP and Hobart Football related merchandise can be purchased at www.shopgraph-tex.com (all proceeds go to the WWP which assists severely wounded service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan).
I’ve picked up my Statesmen “camo jersey” (available until October 7th). Have you?
That said here are a few things I took away from the Susquehanna game:
• Susquehanna (3-1, 1-0) was more consistent and successful at rushing and defending the run (188 to 102 net yards) than Hobart (1-2, 0-1). Dave Paveletz dragged Statesmen defenders for multiple yards after contact. Paveletz is arguably the best RB in the LL this season (leads the LL in rushing and has averaged 134.9 rushing yards per game). Paveletz is looking at 1300+ rushing yards if his OL continues to block as well as they did Saturday (it also doesn’t hurt Paveletz’s chances that he got the ball on 37 of the 50 running plays the Crusaders called Saturday).
• Hobart lost starting JR RT Sean Kluber with 6:20 remaining in the first quarter following Vella’s four yard touchdown run which capped a nine play 63 yard drive. Kluber’s status is unknown as of this point, but he was carted off the field and did return to the game.
• Hobart committed too many penalties (eight for 57 yards) and dropped too many passes (at least 5-7 by my count) to keep any consistency on offense.
• The Statesmen defense did a great job in the red zone (held Susquehanna to one touchdown), but ran out of gas after being on the field for nearly 20 minutes of the first half. However, the defense should get the credit for the game being 13-10 at the half. The toll on the Statesmen D was most apparent when Hobart missed several tackles in the open field on Crusader WR Mike Ritter’s 56 yard touchdown catch and run mid-way thru the 3rd quarter.
• Down 20-10 Hobart had the ball for only 5:26 in the fourth quarter.
• Vella had a career day passing (245 yards) but also had his fair share of bad throws, was sacked three times by the Crusaders defense, watched his receivers drop several passes where the ball hit them directly in the hands, and threw two costly interceptions (both by Crusader DB Jalon Scott who leads the LL with four interceptions).
Looking ahead – Hobart has a chance to return to .500, both overall and in the LL when the Saint Lawrence Saints (2-2, 1-0) come to Geneva. Kick-off is noon ET. I’ll have more on this match up between the Statesmen and the Saints later this week.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Hobart outgains but can't outscore Susquehanna, 20-10
Hobart (1-2, 0-1) lost it's Liberty League opener against Susquehanna (3-1, 1-0) in Selinsgrove, PA. It was a rainy game and the Statesmen dropped a lot of passes and QB Doug Vella was picked off twice. SU RB and LL leading rusher Dave Paveletz lead the Crusaders with 161 yards on 37 carries and one touchdown.
I have more on this later and please tune in tomorrow night to "In the HuddLLe" (www.inthehuddlle.com) at 7:30 PM ET as WEOS announcer Ted Baker and Hobart LT Angelo Catalano '10 recap the Susquehanna game and the Statesmen's prospects to rebound next week against Saint Lawrence (2-2, 1-0) in Geneva. The Saints won their LL opener, and the Hoffman Cup, 41-22 against the Merchant Marine Academy (2-2, 0-1).
I have more on this later and please tune in tomorrow night to "In the HuddLLe" (www.inthehuddlle.com) at 7:30 PM ET as WEOS announcer Ted Baker and Hobart LT Angelo Catalano '10 recap the Susquehanna game and the Statesmen's prospects to rebound next week against Saint Lawrence (2-2, 1-0) in Geneva. The Saints won their LL opener, and the Hoffman Cup, 41-22 against the Merchant Marine Academy (2-2, 0-1).
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Hobart begins LL title defense in Selinsgrove
The Hobart Statesmen (1-1) will open their Liberty League (LL) title defense against the Susquehanna University Crusaders (2-1). Hobart is 2-0 against Susquehanna since they joined the LL in 2007. This is the Crusaders final season in the LL as they will depart to join the Centennial Conference in 2010. The Statesmen will make the trip down to Selinsgrove, PA for a 2 PM ET kick-off.
If Hobart prevails in Saturday’s contest, Head Coach Mike Cragg will have 100 victories in his coaching career at Hobart. As he goes for his 100th win, Coach Cragg will also be participating in the AFCA’s national campaign “Coach to Cure Muscular Dystrophy” campaign. Hobart and SU fans can donate money to Coach to Cure MD, either through the Web site:
www.CoachToCureMD.org
or by texting “CURE” to 90999 to donate $5 on your next cell phone bill.
Last season Hobart literally ran out to 20-0 lead behind 221 yards rushing and cruised to a 27-14 win. Although that loss dropped the Crusaders to 1-3, SU would finish the season 4-6 and fourth place in the LL with wins over Rochester, Merchant Marine and WPI. The Crusaders also hung very tough in shoot outs nearly defeating St. Lawrence (49-42) and Union (51-45).
This season SU enters the LL opener averaging 30 points per game and allowing 16.7. The Crusaders have a very explosive and balanced attack, averaging 171 yards rushing and 207.7 yards passing a game. SU also has a nose for the end zone going 11 for 11 in end zone scores (eight touchdowns and three field goals). JR PK Bobby Eppleman is also perfect – going four for four on field goals on the season (long of 38).
Leading the SU attack is SR RB Dave Paveletz (79 attempts for 378 yards and four touchdowns) and SO QB Rich Palazzi 48 for 80 passing for 623 yards six touchdowns and only two interceptions. Palazzi’s leading receivers are classmate WR Mike Ritter (13 catches for 199 yards and 1 touchdown) and SR WR J.J. Moran (11 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns).
That said the Crusaders aren’t just about offense – SU has only allowed one passing touchdown this season, and opponents are three for 10 in scoring red zone touchdowns against the Crusader “D”. Also of note is that SU defensive line has sacked opposing QBs nine teams and the secondary has five interceptions.
The Crusader defense is lead by SR LB Erich Majors (17 tackles, 14 solo) but boast seven other defenders with double digit tackles. SR DE Pete Johnsen leads the SU “D” with 7.5 tackles for loss (TFL) including 5.5 sacks.
Keys to the game:
1. Rushing
a. Offense - Last season RBs Andy Marlier (21 carries) and Anthony Hobaica ’09 (15 carries) racked up an impressive 177 yards and two touchdowns against the SU defense. It appears as though Marlier will start this Saturday and it’s crucial that the Hobart OL control the line of scrimmage against the aggressive Crusader defense. Marlier has a track record of success against SU, but so far he hasn’t had much playing time (only 12 carries for 52 yards so far this season). Hopefully Marlier will return to form now that he has returned to the starting RB role – one in which he was very successful at, especially late in 2008 and in the NCAA play-offs.
b. Defense - On the flip side, the Hobart defense needs to be prepared to handle RB Dave Paveletz who currently is the #1 rusher in the LL. To win on Saturday, the Statesmen defense needs to learn from the Lycoming (1-1) playbook as the Warrior defense stifled SU to only 43 yards on 27 carries (1.6 average yards per carry) in a 37-23 victory over the Crusaders last weekend in Selinsgrove.
2. Pick off Palazzi – Hobart will face the leading passer (by average yards per game and second in overall passing efficiency) in the LL. Last season the Statesmen handled the SU passing attack of Derek Pope ’09 limiting SU to only 107 yards. This year is a different story. Hobart will be challenged downfield by Palazzi but the Statesmen pass defense is only allowing 125 yards per game. Hobart has only one interception on the season so far, but the majority of the Statesmen’s defensive backfield that finished 2008 ranked fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense will be on the field Saturday. SO DB Drake Woodard (who finished 14th in the nation in interceptions as a rookie) will be looking for his first interception of the season – assuming the Crusaders challenge his side of the field.
3. Limit mistakes/maximize opportunities – SU is +2 on the season in turnovers and has always cashed in on trips to their opponent’s red zone – scoring eight touchdowns to date. Hobart will need to improve their red zone defense (opponents scoring 86% of the time, 71% of which are touchdowns), while concurrently avoid turning the ball over.
Although my “In the HuddLLe” broadcast partners picked Susquehanna to win on Saturday, I am going with Hobart to take the win late in the fourth quarter, 24-21.
Both Hobart and SU game notes are up and can be accessed at:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/documents/2009/9/24/Susquehanna.pdf
and
http://www.gosusqu.com/sports/men/fball/2009-10/game-previews/hobart/Hobart_insert.pdf?dec=
As always, you can hear the game at www.weos.org and live stats are available on both the Hobart and Susquehanna football websites.
Don’t forget to listen in to www.inthehuddlle.com on Sunday night at 7:30 PM.
Thanks and Go ‘Bart!
If Hobart prevails in Saturday’s contest, Head Coach Mike Cragg will have 100 victories in his coaching career at Hobart. As he goes for his 100th win, Coach Cragg will also be participating in the AFCA’s national campaign “Coach to Cure Muscular Dystrophy” campaign. Hobart and SU fans can donate money to Coach to Cure MD, either through the Web site:
www.CoachToCureMD.org
or by texting “CURE” to 90999 to donate $5 on your next cell phone bill.
Last season Hobart literally ran out to 20-0 lead behind 221 yards rushing and cruised to a 27-14 win. Although that loss dropped the Crusaders to 1-3, SU would finish the season 4-6 and fourth place in the LL with wins over Rochester, Merchant Marine and WPI. The Crusaders also hung very tough in shoot outs nearly defeating St. Lawrence (49-42) and Union (51-45).
This season SU enters the LL opener averaging 30 points per game and allowing 16.7. The Crusaders have a very explosive and balanced attack, averaging 171 yards rushing and 207.7 yards passing a game. SU also has a nose for the end zone going 11 for 11 in end zone scores (eight touchdowns and three field goals). JR PK Bobby Eppleman is also perfect – going four for four on field goals on the season (long of 38).
Leading the SU attack is SR RB Dave Paveletz (79 attempts for 378 yards and four touchdowns) and SO QB Rich Palazzi 48 for 80 passing for 623 yards six touchdowns and only two interceptions. Palazzi’s leading receivers are classmate WR Mike Ritter (13 catches for 199 yards and 1 touchdown) and SR WR J.J. Moran (11 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns).
That said the Crusaders aren’t just about offense – SU has only allowed one passing touchdown this season, and opponents are three for 10 in scoring red zone touchdowns against the Crusader “D”. Also of note is that SU defensive line has sacked opposing QBs nine teams and the secondary has five interceptions.
The Crusader defense is lead by SR LB Erich Majors (17 tackles, 14 solo) but boast seven other defenders with double digit tackles. SR DE Pete Johnsen leads the SU “D” with 7.5 tackles for loss (TFL) including 5.5 sacks.
Keys to the game:
1. Rushing
a. Offense - Last season RBs Andy Marlier (21 carries) and Anthony Hobaica ’09 (15 carries) racked up an impressive 177 yards and two touchdowns against the SU defense. It appears as though Marlier will start this Saturday and it’s crucial that the Hobart OL control the line of scrimmage against the aggressive Crusader defense. Marlier has a track record of success against SU, but so far he hasn’t had much playing time (only 12 carries for 52 yards so far this season). Hopefully Marlier will return to form now that he has returned to the starting RB role – one in which he was very successful at, especially late in 2008 and in the NCAA play-offs.
b. Defense - On the flip side, the Hobart defense needs to be prepared to handle RB Dave Paveletz who currently is the #1 rusher in the LL. To win on Saturday, the Statesmen defense needs to learn from the Lycoming (1-1) playbook as the Warrior defense stifled SU to only 43 yards on 27 carries (1.6 average yards per carry) in a 37-23 victory over the Crusaders last weekend in Selinsgrove.
2. Pick off Palazzi – Hobart will face the leading passer (by average yards per game and second in overall passing efficiency) in the LL. Last season the Statesmen handled the SU passing attack of Derek Pope ’09 limiting SU to only 107 yards. This year is a different story. Hobart will be challenged downfield by Palazzi but the Statesmen pass defense is only allowing 125 yards per game. Hobart has only one interception on the season so far, but the majority of the Statesmen’s defensive backfield that finished 2008 ranked fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense will be on the field Saturday. SO DB Drake Woodard (who finished 14th in the nation in interceptions as a rookie) will be looking for his first interception of the season – assuming the Crusaders challenge his side of the field.
3. Limit mistakes/maximize opportunities – SU is +2 on the season in turnovers and has always cashed in on trips to their opponent’s red zone – scoring eight touchdowns to date. Hobart will need to improve their red zone defense (opponents scoring 86% of the time, 71% of which are touchdowns), while concurrently avoid turning the ball over.
Although my “In the HuddLLe” broadcast partners picked Susquehanna to win on Saturday, I am going with Hobart to take the win late in the fourth quarter, 24-21.
Both Hobart and SU game notes are up and can be accessed at:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/documents/2009/9/24/Susquehanna.pdf
and
http://www.gosusqu.com/sports/men/fball/2009-10/game-previews/hobart/Hobart_insert.pdf?dec=
As always, you can hear the game at www.weos.org and live stats are available on both the Hobart and Susquehanna football websites.
Don’t forget to listen in to www.inthehuddlle.com on Sunday night at 7:30 PM.
Thanks and Go ‘Bart!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Go Camo and Support the WWP!
The Statesmen football team will wear camouflage jerseys emblazoned with Hobart football and Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) logos when they take on the Saint Lawrence Saints at Boswell Field next Saturday, October 3rd. Kick-off is scheduled for noon ET.
Customizable Hobart football jerseys - along with WWP/Hobart t-shirts, hats and other merchadise - designed by shopgraph-tex (www.shopgraph-tex.com) are available for purchase until Oct. 7. You can order the jersey online or purchase one on game day if you are near Geneva.
Support this great cause and Hobart Football!
Also, please log onto www.inthehuddlle.com on Blogtalk radio to hear more about the WWP, the Susquehanna game and more LL action this Sunday night at 7:30 PM ET. Guests include WEOS play-by-play man Ted Baker and Hobart OT Angelo Catalano '10!
Customizable Hobart football jerseys - along with WWP/Hobart t-shirts, hats and other merchadise - designed by shopgraph-tex (www.shopgraph-tex.com) are available for purchase until Oct. 7. You can order the jersey online or purchase one on game day if you are near Geneva.
Support this great cause and Hobart Football!
Also, please log onto www.inthehuddlle.com on Blogtalk radio to hear more about the WWP, the Susquehanna game and more LL action this Sunday night at 7:30 PM ET. Guests include WEOS play-by-play man Ted Baker and Hobart OT Angelo Catalano '10!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Hobart takes Tartans in home opener, 24-16
There really is no place like home.
Hobart (1-1) won their eighth consecutive home opener, 24-16, at Boswell Field last Saturday against the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans (2-1). Although the Statesmen offense was inconsistent at times, Hobart racked up 327 yards and never trailed. The win is the Statesmen’s third consecutive victory against the Tartans (Hobart is 3-0 all-time against CMU), but once again Hobart needed a fourth quarter touchdown to beat them.
Up 17-16 after the Tartans failed to convert an extra point following RB Justin Pratt’s second touchdown of the day (Pratt lead CMU with 60 yards rushing on 16 carries), the Statesmen offense drove 51 yards to the CMU three yard line in six plays. The drive was capped by a Doug Vella to Paul Overdorf touchdown with 7:36 to play in the game. Hobart’s defense was able to stand firm and the offense ran out the clock - much like the 2008 game.
My “keys to the game” last week were:
1. Revive the offense with a dose of PASSING –
Doug Vella went 16 for 26 passing for 216 yards and two touchdowns – the first being a 51 yard flea flicker to WR Tyler Vincent to allow the Statesmen to take a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
2. Avoid turnovers and control the time of possession (TOP)
Although the Statesmen committed two turnovers and lost the overall TOP battle (32:20-27:40); the Hobart defense caused three Tartan turnovers and the Statesmen offense really controlled the clock in the second half (17:59 to 12:01).
The defense gets my “game ball” having risen to the occasion after giving up 298 yards rushing to Dickinson by holding the CMU offense to 129 yards rushing on 46 carries (well below the 218.5 yards/game average the Tartans brought into the game). The Statesmen’s success against the run took Tartan QB Phil Pantalone out of his comfort zone and forced him to pass 13 for 21 for 166 yards - a career high - and one interception. Team captain and LB Ryan Robinson lead the Statesmen with nine tackles including one for a loss. The Hobart “D” really attacked the ball and ended up having eight players with at least five tackles in the game.
3. Convert red zone visits into points
Hobart was two for two inside the red zone this week. That said the Statesmen really had their greatest successes, i.e., scoring the first and second touchdowns of the game, via the big play – the Vincent 51 yard TD reception as well as an exciting 85 yard kick-off return for a touchdown by RB Andy Marlier (who also lead the Statesmen with 10 carries for 31 yards) with 1:39 to play in the first quarter. WEOS play-by-play man Ted Baker (no relation) indicated it was Hobart’s first kick-off return for a touchdown since the 2000 season (confirmed after the fact by SID Ken DeBolt the last return occurred on Sept. 30, 2000, when Dyshaun Washington ’04 ran back the opening kickoff against St. Lawrence for a school record 97 yards).
In my opinion the kick-off return was the spark Hobart needed and I believe a real game changer having come immediately after CMU’s first scoring drive – a 13 play, 63 yard march that took 6:19 and ended with a Justin Pratt touchdown. Although CMU would almost come back to tie it in the fourth quarter, Hobart really dictated the tempo of the game after that 85 yard touchdown return.
The Statesmen will head back to Pennsylvania to begin their defense of the Liberty League crown this Saturday against Susquehanna University (2-1). Kick-off is slated for 2 PM ET. The Crusaders lost a 37-23 decision this past weekend against the defending Middle Atlantic Conference champion, Lycoming Warriors (1-1), in Selinsgrove.
Last season Hobart beat Lycoming 33-15 and Susquehanna 27-14, respectively, in Geneva. I’ll post a Crusader-Statesmen preview later this week.
As always, please tune into the LL’s weekly recap online at www.inthehuddle.com. Thanks and go ‘Bart!
Hobart (1-1) won their eighth consecutive home opener, 24-16, at Boswell Field last Saturday against the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans (2-1). Although the Statesmen offense was inconsistent at times, Hobart racked up 327 yards and never trailed. The win is the Statesmen’s third consecutive victory against the Tartans (Hobart is 3-0 all-time against CMU), but once again Hobart needed a fourth quarter touchdown to beat them.
Up 17-16 after the Tartans failed to convert an extra point following RB Justin Pratt’s second touchdown of the day (Pratt lead CMU with 60 yards rushing on 16 carries), the Statesmen offense drove 51 yards to the CMU three yard line in six plays. The drive was capped by a Doug Vella to Paul Overdorf touchdown with 7:36 to play in the game. Hobart’s defense was able to stand firm and the offense ran out the clock - much like the 2008 game.
My “keys to the game” last week were:
1. Revive the offense with a dose of PASSING –
Doug Vella went 16 for 26 passing for 216 yards and two touchdowns – the first being a 51 yard flea flicker to WR Tyler Vincent to allow the Statesmen to take a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
2. Avoid turnovers and control the time of possession (TOP)
Although the Statesmen committed two turnovers and lost the overall TOP battle (32:20-27:40); the Hobart defense caused three Tartan turnovers and the Statesmen offense really controlled the clock in the second half (17:59 to 12:01).
The defense gets my “game ball” having risen to the occasion after giving up 298 yards rushing to Dickinson by holding the CMU offense to 129 yards rushing on 46 carries (well below the 218.5 yards/game average the Tartans brought into the game). The Statesmen’s success against the run took Tartan QB Phil Pantalone out of his comfort zone and forced him to pass 13 for 21 for 166 yards - a career high - and one interception. Team captain and LB Ryan Robinson lead the Statesmen with nine tackles including one for a loss. The Hobart “D” really attacked the ball and ended up having eight players with at least five tackles in the game.
3. Convert red zone visits into points
Hobart was two for two inside the red zone this week. That said the Statesmen really had their greatest successes, i.e., scoring the first and second touchdowns of the game, via the big play – the Vincent 51 yard TD reception as well as an exciting 85 yard kick-off return for a touchdown by RB Andy Marlier (who also lead the Statesmen with 10 carries for 31 yards) with 1:39 to play in the first quarter. WEOS play-by-play man Ted Baker (no relation) indicated it was Hobart’s first kick-off return for a touchdown since the 2000 season (confirmed after the fact by SID Ken DeBolt the last return occurred on Sept. 30, 2000, when Dyshaun Washington ’04 ran back the opening kickoff against St. Lawrence for a school record 97 yards).
In my opinion the kick-off return was the spark Hobart needed and I believe a real game changer having come immediately after CMU’s first scoring drive – a 13 play, 63 yard march that took 6:19 and ended with a Justin Pratt touchdown. Although CMU would almost come back to tie it in the fourth quarter, Hobart really dictated the tempo of the game after that 85 yard touchdown return.
The Statesmen will head back to Pennsylvania to begin their defense of the Liberty League crown this Saturday against Susquehanna University (2-1). Kick-off is slated for 2 PM ET. The Crusaders lost a 37-23 decision this past weekend against the defending Middle Atlantic Conference champion, Lycoming Warriors (1-1), in Selinsgrove.
Last season Hobart beat Lycoming 33-15 and Susquehanna 27-14, respectively, in Geneva. I’ll post a Crusader-Statesmen preview later this week.
As always, please tune into the LL’s weekly recap online at www.inthehuddle.com. Thanks and go ‘Bart!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Game day
Hobart's going to start Doug Vella at QB again, but Pat Julian's dropped off the two deep depth chart. SO RB Kyle Tritten will get the start. The Statesmen are 10-4 in home openers in the Coach Cragg era.
Kick-off is slated for 12:06 PM. Tune into Ted Baker and WEOS coverage via www.weos.org. Local (NYS) fans can see the game on Time Warner Cable.
Kick-off is slated for 12:06 PM. Tune into Ted Baker and WEOS coverage via www.weos.org. Local (NYS) fans can see the game on Time Warner Cable.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Carnegie Mellon Preview
The Hobart Statesmen football team started a new quarterback and suffered a tough loss to Dickinson College. The following weekend, the Statesmen welcomed an undefeated Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Tartan team to Boswell Field.
Sound familiar?
It should to Hobart (and CMU) fans. In 2007 Andy Strom ’08 took a loss in his first start as QB in Carlisle but rallied the team the following week to defeat the then #22 Tartans 27-26 in Geneva.
Last season Hobart defeated CMU 21-16 in Pittsburg in a sloppy game that featured five interceptions by QBs Rich Doyle ’09 (three) and Phil Pantalone (two). The Statesmen and Tartans traded touchdowns in the first and second halves until Hobart won the field position battle and returned a punt to the CMU 34 with approximately seven minutes in the game. On the next play, Doyle found WR Zach Schultz ’10 open and Hobart had a quick touchdown to put them up 21-14. The Statesmen defense held for the remainder of the game – lead by record-setting performances by LBs Justin Hager ’09 (21 tackles) and Jeff Sanders ’09 (20 tackles) – with the offense taking an intentional safety with three seconds on the clock to preserve the victory.
Last weekend CMU (2-0) outlasted Grove City (0-2) by a score of 45-40. The Tartans had previously beaten Ohio Wesleyan (0-1) in Week 1 by a score of 19-7. Against the Wolverines of GCC, the Tartans ran their Wing-T to the tune of 73 plays from scrimmage - paced by 64 carries that amassed 317 rushing yards. Two CMU RBs eclipsed the 100 yard mark on the day: JR Justin Pratt (26 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns) and SO Chris Garcia (21 carries for 107 yards and 1 touchdown as well as one 35 yard touchdown reception). The Wing-T was so effective that SR QB Phil Pantalone only attempted nine passes (he completed four for 83 yards and two touchdowns). Given the large number of running plays it’s not surprising that CMU also dominated the time of possession by a wide (36:02 – 23:58) margin.
Although the CMU defense did allow 500 total yards against Grove City, they did so mostly after the Tartan offense had run out to a 31-7 lead with 12:30 to play in the third quarter.
Going into Week 3 against Hobart, here’s what I know about the 2009 Tartans:
Their offense is averaging:
• 32 points per game
• 218.5 rushing yards per game
• 64 passing yards per game (based on 18 attempts in two games)
• 100% scoring success rate (including four touchdowns and 1 FG) in the red zone
The defense is averaging:
• Allowing 23.5 PPG
• 0 rushing touchdowns
• +5 in turnovers
• Great special teams coverage – only allowing .6 yard/punt return average
For Hobart (0-1) to get back on track in 2009, the Statesmen will need to have history repeat itself against the Tartans. Here are my keys to a Hobart victory on Saturday:
1. Revive the offense with a dose of PASSING – CMU has allowed an average of 247 yards passing on the season. The CMU defense is relatively tough against the run (158 yards allowed average – no rushing TDs scored) and given the struggles in the running game against Dickinson, Hobart should look to capitalize on the size (6’ 4” and 240 lbs) and experience of SR TE David Degan. Last season all of Hobart’s touchdowns where delivered by Doyle via airmail – two to TE Matt Duliba ’09 who Degan backed up during the 2008 season. So far in 2009 CMU has allowed seven passing TDs to their opponents. Bottom line is if Hobart doesn’t improve on their 65 yard passing performance from last week, the Statesmen will be 0-2
2. Avoid turnovers and control the time of possession (TOP) – Hobart failed on both parts last weekend and it cost them. The Tartans have been opportunistic on defense and have enjoyed a +5 turnover margin only two games into the season. It cannot be understated the importance of Julian’s fumble in the first quarter of the Dickinson game. It ultimately led to a 14 point swing and set a precedent from which Hobart never really recovered. Although the Statesmen OL continued to open holes against the Red Devils; as the game wore on Vella became antsy and started pressing – rushing throws and generally looking to run rather than sit back in the pocket and let plays develop. When it came to TOP, although the Statesmen took nearly 10 minutes off the clock in the opening quarter, the Red Devils dominated TOP by more than six minutes for the remainder of the contest. By late in the third quarter, the Hobart defense appeared fatigued after taking a continuous pounding from the Dickinson rushing attack. What scares me most about this game is this Tartan team is equipped to do more of the same to the Statesmen if the Hobart offense continues to struggle in the red zone. Speaking of that, perhaps the most basic, but essential key to beating CMU is:
3. Convert red zone visits into points – Sounds self-explanatory but the Statesmen had a fumble, personal foul(s) and sacks kill their scoring opportunities against the Red Devils. Hobart simply cannot afford to waste any chances to come away with points against a CMU team averaging 32 PPG on offense.
I am anxiously awaiting Saturday’s game and hope the Statesmen can and will rebound after last weekend’s disappointing loss. Kick-off is at noon ET and accessible online at www.weos.org. I’ll be joining the guys from “In the Huddle” (www.inthehuddle.com) on “Blogtalk” radio again on Sunday night at 7:30 PM ET to recap the Tartan-Statesmen game as well as other Liberty League (and other national D3) games. Hope you’ll tune in and say “Go ‘Bart!”
Sound familiar?
It should to Hobart (and CMU) fans. In 2007 Andy Strom ’08 took a loss in his first start as QB in Carlisle but rallied the team the following week to defeat the then #22 Tartans 27-26 in Geneva.
Last season Hobart defeated CMU 21-16 in Pittsburg in a sloppy game that featured five interceptions by QBs Rich Doyle ’09 (three) and Phil Pantalone (two). The Statesmen and Tartans traded touchdowns in the first and second halves until Hobart won the field position battle and returned a punt to the CMU 34 with approximately seven minutes in the game. On the next play, Doyle found WR Zach Schultz ’10 open and Hobart had a quick touchdown to put them up 21-14. The Statesmen defense held for the remainder of the game – lead by record-setting performances by LBs Justin Hager ’09 (21 tackles) and Jeff Sanders ’09 (20 tackles) – with the offense taking an intentional safety with three seconds on the clock to preserve the victory.
Last weekend CMU (2-0) outlasted Grove City (0-2) by a score of 45-40. The Tartans had previously beaten Ohio Wesleyan (0-1) in Week 1 by a score of 19-7. Against the Wolverines of GCC, the Tartans ran their Wing-T to the tune of 73 plays from scrimmage - paced by 64 carries that amassed 317 rushing yards. Two CMU RBs eclipsed the 100 yard mark on the day: JR Justin Pratt (26 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns) and SO Chris Garcia (21 carries for 107 yards and 1 touchdown as well as one 35 yard touchdown reception). The Wing-T was so effective that SR QB Phil Pantalone only attempted nine passes (he completed four for 83 yards and two touchdowns). Given the large number of running plays it’s not surprising that CMU also dominated the time of possession by a wide (36:02 – 23:58) margin.
Although the CMU defense did allow 500 total yards against Grove City, they did so mostly after the Tartan offense had run out to a 31-7 lead with 12:30 to play in the third quarter.
Going into Week 3 against Hobart, here’s what I know about the 2009 Tartans:
Their offense is averaging:
• 32 points per game
• 218.5 rushing yards per game
• 64 passing yards per game (based on 18 attempts in two games)
• 100% scoring success rate (including four touchdowns and 1 FG) in the red zone
The defense is averaging:
• Allowing 23.5 PPG
• 0 rushing touchdowns
• +5 in turnovers
• Great special teams coverage – only allowing .6 yard/punt return average
For Hobart (0-1) to get back on track in 2009, the Statesmen will need to have history repeat itself against the Tartans. Here are my keys to a Hobart victory on Saturday:
1. Revive the offense with a dose of PASSING – CMU has allowed an average of 247 yards passing on the season. The CMU defense is relatively tough against the run (158 yards allowed average – no rushing TDs scored) and given the struggles in the running game against Dickinson, Hobart should look to capitalize on the size (6’ 4” and 240 lbs) and experience of SR TE David Degan. Last season all of Hobart’s touchdowns where delivered by Doyle via airmail – two to TE Matt Duliba ’09 who Degan backed up during the 2008 season. So far in 2009 CMU has allowed seven passing TDs to their opponents. Bottom line is if Hobart doesn’t improve on their 65 yard passing performance from last week, the Statesmen will be 0-2
2. Avoid turnovers and control the time of possession (TOP) – Hobart failed on both parts last weekend and it cost them. The Tartans have been opportunistic on defense and have enjoyed a +5 turnover margin only two games into the season. It cannot be understated the importance of Julian’s fumble in the first quarter of the Dickinson game. It ultimately led to a 14 point swing and set a precedent from which Hobart never really recovered. Although the Statesmen OL continued to open holes against the Red Devils; as the game wore on Vella became antsy and started pressing – rushing throws and generally looking to run rather than sit back in the pocket and let plays develop. When it came to TOP, although the Statesmen took nearly 10 minutes off the clock in the opening quarter, the Red Devils dominated TOP by more than six minutes for the remainder of the contest. By late in the third quarter, the Hobart defense appeared fatigued after taking a continuous pounding from the Dickinson rushing attack. What scares me most about this game is this Tartan team is equipped to do more of the same to the Statesmen if the Hobart offense continues to struggle in the red zone. Speaking of that, perhaps the most basic, but essential key to beating CMU is:
3. Convert red zone visits into points – Sounds self-explanatory but the Statesmen had a fumble, personal foul(s) and sacks kill their scoring opportunities against the Red Devils. Hobart simply cannot afford to waste any chances to come away with points against a CMU team averaging 32 PPG on offense.
I am anxiously awaiting Saturday’s game and hope the Statesmen can and will rebound after last weekend’s disappointing loss. Kick-off is at noon ET and accessible online at www.weos.org. I’ll be joining the guys from “In the Huddle” (www.inthehuddle.com) on “Blogtalk” radio again on Sunday night at 7:30 PM ET to recap the Tartan-Statesmen game as well as other Liberty League (and other national D3) games. Hope you’ll tune in and say “Go ‘Bart!”
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Red Devils stick a fork in the #15 Statesmen, 26-3
Carlisle, PA – The #15 Hobart Statesmen (0-1) stumbled out of the gate and lost their 2009 season opener against Centennial Conference rival Dickinson College, 26-3. The Red Devils’ (2-0) offense amassed 383 total yards – including an impressive 298 on the ground - against the Statesmen who were held to their lowest offensive scoring output since being on the losing end of a 26-3 decision to Union College in 1993.
Hobart entered the game with a lot of questions on offense and unfortunately the Statesmen left Carlisle with no answers. Although the Hobart OL did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage early on (Hobart racked up 113 of their 195 rushing yards in the first half), the starting tandem of SO RBs Kyle Tritten (10 carries for 53 yards) and Pat Julian (six carries for 15 yards and one fumble which ruined Hobart’s best scoring chance in the 1st quarter) were mostly ineffective against the Dickinson defense. JR RB Andrew Marlier (two carries for 21 yards) did actually appear in the second half and word is he apparently dropped to third in the depth chart during training camp. This is a big disappointment considering how strong he was running the ball late in 2008 (especially given his 24 carries for 96 yards and 1 touchdown performance against Lycoming in the NCAAs).
SO QB Doug Vella got the start but clearly missed having SR WR Zach Schultz (out for the season with an injury) in the game. Vella rarely looked to test the Dickinson secondary like past Statesmen signal callers, going 11 for 22 for only 65 yards. Although Vella is certainly more mobile than his predecessor, Hobart clearly needs him to develop into a pocket passer like Rich Doyle ’09 to be successful. In fact WEOS announcer Ted Baker opined that Vella appeared to have “happy feet” scrambling out of the shotgun formation and did not even attempt to look downfield on most plays. That said neither team had a good passing day – Hobart and Dickinson were held to 80 and 85 yards, respectively; nor were star receivers Tyler Vincent for Hobart (eight catches for 45 yards) and WR Pat O’Connor (two catches for only 17 yards) for Dickinson a factor. Going forward Hobart simply cannot rely on their QB to be their leading rusher. In the event neither Tritten nor Julian improves, I’d advocate converting Vella to RB and hand over the QB duties to JR transfer Preston Earl (who also appeared in the game briefly going three for five passing for 15 yards). To say it was concerning that the Statesmen had virtually had no passing game given Dickinson’s weakness vs. the pass (having allowed 291 passing yards against Grove City last week) is an understatement.
Dickinson JR RB Greg Lord (117 yards and one TD) had his second 100 yard rushing day against the Statesmen (he gained 106 yards in last season’s game), especially in the second half, when the Red Devils controlled the clock by a 17:26 to 12:34 advantage. With their offense faltering, the Statesmen defense eventually wore down after holding Dickinson to seven points and 67 yards rushing in the first half. Behind Lord, the Devils tired out the Hobart D behind the legs of FB Tim Wells (53 yards on 10 carries), RB Tim Smith (59 yards on 10 carries) and QB Ian Mitchell (66 yards on 12 carries including two rushing touchdowns).
Mitchell’s first rushing touchdown on the day capped off on a 12 play 88 yard drive after the Julian fumble to make it 7-0 with 4:37 to play in the first half. The Statesmen defense almost kept Dickinson out of the end zone but finally acquiesced on a fourth and goal. Although they had two extra points blocked, Dickinson was three for three scoring inside the Hobart red zone (compared to Hobart’s one for three).
Although Hobart responded with a 25 yard chip shot field goal for JR PK Conor Callahan to trail 7-3 at the half, Lord (39 yard run) and Mitchell (19 yard run and a three yard pass) found the end zone three more times before the day was done. Hobart never truly threatened again other than a Callahan 39 yard FG attempt at 12:04 in the 4th quarter that went wide left.
Needless to say, this performance was quite a diversion from the Hobart teams Statesmen fans have become accustomed to seeing this decade. Hobart lost key battles in the turnover and time of possession front. The Statesmen had two 15 yard personal foul penalties set them back during two otherwise good drives early in the first quarter. Hobart also failed to come up with any big plays on offense or defense which has been a hallmark of Cragg and DeWall-coached teams. In fact WEOS’ Baker indicated that the defense was generally pushed around in the second-half by a comparatively smaller Dickinson OL. I don’t want to say that the Statesmen quit, but it was evident the team was clearly deflated by the fourth quarter.
Given Union’s big 24-21 upset of #8 Ithaca College today, it would appear that Hobart, the defending Liberty League (LL) champions, are literally (being one of two in the eight team LL with no wins at this stage in the season) and figuratively looking up at the Dutchmen and the rest of the LL.
Next week doesn’t get any easier with an unbeaten (2-0) Carnegie Mellon Tartan team (winners this weekend by a 45-40 shoot out over Grove City who were losers to Dickinson by a score of 52-47 the week prior) coming to Geneva to avenge a 21-16 loss to Hobart in Pittsburgh from last season.
Although today was a bad start on all counts, Hobart’s season is far from over. The Statesmen will need to take the lessons learned from today’s outing and look to improve prior to the CMU game and, more importantly, when the Statesmen’s LL slate begins. It was only 2007 when the Statesmen started the season 1-2 prior to rattling off seven consecutive victories en route to a share of the LL title and another NCAA berth. So let’s not lose hope yet Statesmen fans! There’s a lot of football to be played.
Please tune into Sunday’s “In the Huddle” broadcast to hear more analysis on the Hobart game as well as other games around the LL. Broadcast is on at 7:30 PM ET and accessible online via www.inthehuddle.com
Thanks for reading and Go ‘Bart!
Hobart entered the game with a lot of questions on offense and unfortunately the Statesmen left Carlisle with no answers. Although the Hobart OL did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage early on (Hobart racked up 113 of their 195 rushing yards in the first half), the starting tandem of SO RBs Kyle Tritten (10 carries for 53 yards) and Pat Julian (six carries for 15 yards and one fumble which ruined Hobart’s best scoring chance in the 1st quarter) were mostly ineffective against the Dickinson defense. JR RB Andrew Marlier (two carries for 21 yards) did actually appear in the second half and word is he apparently dropped to third in the depth chart during training camp. This is a big disappointment considering how strong he was running the ball late in 2008 (especially given his 24 carries for 96 yards and 1 touchdown performance against Lycoming in the NCAAs).
SO QB Doug Vella got the start but clearly missed having SR WR Zach Schultz (out for the season with an injury) in the game. Vella rarely looked to test the Dickinson secondary like past Statesmen signal callers, going 11 for 22 for only 65 yards. Although Vella is certainly more mobile than his predecessor, Hobart clearly needs him to develop into a pocket passer like Rich Doyle ’09 to be successful. In fact WEOS announcer Ted Baker opined that Vella appeared to have “happy feet” scrambling out of the shotgun formation and did not even attempt to look downfield on most plays. That said neither team had a good passing day – Hobart and Dickinson were held to 80 and 85 yards, respectively; nor were star receivers Tyler Vincent for Hobart (eight catches for 45 yards) and WR Pat O’Connor (two catches for only 17 yards) for Dickinson a factor. Going forward Hobart simply cannot rely on their QB to be their leading rusher. In the event neither Tritten nor Julian improves, I’d advocate converting Vella to RB and hand over the QB duties to JR transfer Preston Earl (who also appeared in the game briefly going three for five passing for 15 yards). To say it was concerning that the Statesmen had virtually had no passing game given Dickinson’s weakness vs. the pass (having allowed 291 passing yards against Grove City last week) is an understatement.
Dickinson JR RB Greg Lord (117 yards and one TD) had his second 100 yard rushing day against the Statesmen (he gained 106 yards in last season’s game), especially in the second half, when the Red Devils controlled the clock by a 17:26 to 12:34 advantage. With their offense faltering, the Statesmen defense eventually wore down after holding Dickinson to seven points and 67 yards rushing in the first half. Behind Lord, the Devils tired out the Hobart D behind the legs of FB Tim Wells (53 yards on 10 carries), RB Tim Smith (59 yards on 10 carries) and QB Ian Mitchell (66 yards on 12 carries including two rushing touchdowns).
Mitchell’s first rushing touchdown on the day capped off on a 12 play 88 yard drive after the Julian fumble to make it 7-0 with 4:37 to play in the first half. The Statesmen defense almost kept Dickinson out of the end zone but finally acquiesced on a fourth and goal. Although they had two extra points blocked, Dickinson was three for three scoring inside the Hobart red zone (compared to Hobart’s one for three).
Although Hobart responded with a 25 yard chip shot field goal for JR PK Conor Callahan to trail 7-3 at the half, Lord (39 yard run) and Mitchell (19 yard run and a three yard pass) found the end zone three more times before the day was done. Hobart never truly threatened again other than a Callahan 39 yard FG attempt at 12:04 in the 4th quarter that went wide left.
Needless to say, this performance was quite a diversion from the Hobart teams Statesmen fans have become accustomed to seeing this decade. Hobart lost key battles in the turnover and time of possession front. The Statesmen had two 15 yard personal foul penalties set them back during two otherwise good drives early in the first quarter. Hobart also failed to come up with any big plays on offense or defense which has been a hallmark of Cragg and DeWall-coached teams. In fact WEOS’ Baker indicated that the defense was generally pushed around in the second-half by a comparatively smaller Dickinson OL. I don’t want to say that the Statesmen quit, but it was evident the team was clearly deflated by the fourth quarter.
Given Union’s big 24-21 upset of #8 Ithaca College today, it would appear that Hobart, the defending Liberty League (LL) champions, are literally (being one of two in the eight team LL with no wins at this stage in the season) and figuratively looking up at the Dutchmen and the rest of the LL.
Next week doesn’t get any easier with an unbeaten (2-0) Carnegie Mellon Tartan team (winners this weekend by a 45-40 shoot out over Grove City who were losers to Dickinson by a score of 52-47 the week prior) coming to Geneva to avenge a 21-16 loss to Hobart in Pittsburgh from last season.
Although today was a bad start on all counts, Hobart’s season is far from over. The Statesmen will need to take the lessons learned from today’s outing and look to improve prior to the CMU game and, more importantly, when the Statesmen’s LL slate begins. It was only 2007 when the Statesmen started the season 1-2 prior to rattling off seven consecutive victories en route to a share of the LL title and another NCAA berth. So let’s not lose hope yet Statesmen fans! There’s a lot of football to be played.
Please tune into Sunday’s “In the Huddle” broadcast to hear more analysis on the Hobart game as well as other games around the LL. Broadcast is on at 7:30 PM ET and accessible online via www.inthehuddle.com
Thanks for reading and Go ‘Bart!
Dickinson 26 - Hobart 3 Final
I'll write up a recap later today, but the bottom line was Hobart's offense could not come up with points to keep up with Dickinson (2-0). Being held to three points on offense hasn't occurred for the Hobart (0-1) since back in 1992 and 1993 (both against Union College).
A lot of questions at QB, WR and RB for this year's Statesmen squad based on this lackluster performance.
A lot of questions at QB, WR and RB for this year's Statesmen squad based on this lackluster performance.
Dickinson 7 - Hobart 3 at the half
2 personal foul penalties and a fumble inside Dickinson territory haven't helped the Statesmen. In general the offense has racked up 10 (unofficial) first downs and about 170 total yards but has otherwise struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell scored on a fourth and goal finishing a 89 yard drive in the 2nd quarter.
Conor Callahan kicked a 25 yard FG to end the half. Hobart gets the ball back to start the second half.
Dickinson QB Ian Mitchell scored on a fourth and goal finishing a 89 yard drive in the 2nd quarter.
Conor Callahan kicked a 25 yard FG to end the half. Hobart gets the ball back to start the second half.
Dickinson Game Notes Up
A couple of points of interest -
No Marlier? - apparently our leading rusher from last season is either injured or lost the starting job to SO RB Pat Julian, a former spread QB at Sauquoit Valley who's battled injuries as a converted slot receiver so far in his Hobart career, who will get the start at RB today against Dickinson.
Schultz out as well - SR WR Zach Schultz is also not on the game day roster, but this is not as big an issue given the depth at WR given SO WR Garth Muratori and SO WR Andy Schettine's play from last season.
Vella at QB - It appears that SO Doug Vella gets the starting nod at QB today with JR transfer Preston Earl the #2 QB.
Here are the game notes:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/documents/2009/9/11/2009-0912%20Dickinson%20Game%20Notes.pdf
Kick-off is in less than 1 hour! Go BART!
No Marlier? - apparently our leading rusher from last season is either injured or lost the starting job to SO RB Pat Julian, a former spread QB at Sauquoit Valley who's battled injuries as a converted slot receiver so far in his Hobart career, who will get the start at RB today against Dickinson.
Schultz out as well - SR WR Zach Schultz is also not on the game day roster, but this is not as big an issue given the depth at WR given SO WR Garth Muratori and SO WR Andy Schettine's play from last season.
Vella at QB - It appears that SO Doug Vella gets the starting nod at QB today with JR transfer Preston Earl the #2 QB.
Here are the game notes:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/documents/2009/9/11/2009-0912%20Dickinson%20Game%20Notes.pdf
Kick-off is in less than 1 hour! Go BART!
9/11/ 01 - Remembering Andy
Although Andrew Golkin '93 was a senior when I was first-year on the 'Bart football squad - we were both in the defensive secondary and definitely cracked pads and helmets a few times that fall.
I didn't know Andy well, but I was certainly sad when I learned of his (as well as Scott Rohner '01 and Michael Simons '83) passing in WTC on Sept 11.
The link below is the obit posted in the HWS alumni/ae magazine. The pic of Andy is the exact same from the '92 fall football program.
http://web.hws.edu/alumni/keepintouch/pssurvey/fall01_memorium.asp
RIP and God Bless
I didn't know Andy well, but I was certainly sad when I learned of his (as well as Scott Rohner '01 and Michael Simons '83) passing in WTC on Sept 11.
The link below is the obit posted in the HWS alumni/ae magazine. The pic of Andy is the exact same from the '92 fall football program.
http://web.hws.edu/alumni/keepintouch/pssurvey/fall01_memorium.asp
RIP and God Bless
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Season Opener - Hobart vs. Dickinson
The #15 Hobart Statesmen will open up their 116th football season against the Dickinson College Red Devils. This is the 18th consecutive season the Statesmen will face the Red Devils in their season opener. Hobart is 8-9-1 all-time against Dickinson but has won the last three of four against their Centennial Conference rivals from Carlisle, PA. Last season Hobart defeated Dickinson 28-21 in Geneva. The Statesmen lead 14-0 at the half but had to rally down 14-21 to win the game in the final four minutes.
Dickinson returns virtually their entire offense (10 starters) from what was one of the most prolific units in 2008 (ranked 28th in DIII in total offense) and returns four players who were either first- or second-team All Conference including SR WR Pat O'Connor and SR OL Anthony Abbate on the first team and SR QB Ian Mitchell and JR RB Greg Lord on the second team. The Red Devils return only four defensive starters (SR S Mike Maxwell and SR DB Matt DeStefano along with JR LBs Kevin Wood and Cole Glennon) from a team that held Hobart to 97 rushing yards last season.
Dickinson (1-0) opened their 2009 season with a non-conference 52-47 victory over the Grove City College Wolverines (PA). The Red Devils needed every bit of the 504 yards they gained on offense to defeat the determined Wolverines (0-1). Dickinson was lead by an impressive performance by QB Ian Mitchell who accounted for 437 yards (21 for 27 passing for 288 yards with two interceptions/149 yards rushing on 14 carries) and four touchdowns. Grove City were no slouches on offense either, racking up 449 yards behind the arm (32 for 41 passing for 291 yards, one interception and three touchdowns) and legs (22 carries for 109 yards and one touchdown) of QB Andrew DiDonato. In the end, it was two big plays by Mitchell – a 39 yard pass to JR TE Austen Steele to make it 45-41 with 6:08 to play in the game, followed by a 45 yard touchdown run with 2:05 remaining to seal the victory for Dickinson.
Keys to the game:
1. Improve tackling at the point of attack – Last season the Red Devils’ multiple option offense racked up 229 rushing yards on 51 attempts (a 4.5 yards per carry average) against the Statesmen defense. RB Greg Lord was the leading rusher that day with 106 yards (5.6 average yards per carry) and two touchdowns. Although Lord was the leading rusher last season, look for him to split carries with JR RB Tim Smith this season. I also expect the Red Devils to test Hobart’s interior defense given the graduation of Sanders, Aruck and Hager. Although the Statesmen’s losses due to graduation on the interior defense may be perceived as this season’s potential Achilles heel; Hobart fans will likely recall that Dickinson’s bread and butter in the 2008 game were off-tackle plays that exploited the Statesmen’s early season tendency to over-pursue (as well as their somewhat undersized DEs and OLBs). Although both Dickinson LT Abbate and SO RT Andrew Hubley are not exceptionally big (both are 6’ 3” and 240 LBs), they are quick and able blockers. Red Devil SR FB Tim Wells (210 lbs) is also a key component to attacking opposing defenses to spring Mitchell, Lord and/or Smith for long runs.
2. Capitalize on turnovers – Although Mitchell is an offensive force, he is also prone to throw interceptions. In fact he had two last Saturday against Grove City and was also picked twice (once by Boyington and once by Woodard) during last season's Hobart-Dickinson game. Look for the Statesmen D to keep the pressure on Mitchell and trust their experienced secondary to lock up the Dickinson receivers in man coverage. Although there is a risk given Pat O’Connor’s talent, I believe Hobart has enough depth and speed in the secondary to limit him somewhat.
3. Control the clock – In the 2008 game, Hobart rode the time of possession battle (18:51-11:09) to a 14-0 lead in the first half before Dickinson took over in the second half (19:26 to 10:34). This year look for JR RB Andrew Marlier to improve on last season’s 52.1 yards per game average and play a bigger role in handling the bulk of the carries (moving the chains and the clock) against the Dickinson defense.
4. Go to the air - The Red Devils gave up 158 yards rushing to the Wolverines last Saturday, but more importantly showed they were susceptible to the pass allowing 291 yards. Given the Statesmen’s deep receiving corp of Tyler Vincent, Zach Schultz and Matt Duliba (who accounted for 197 of Hobart’s 234 passing yards and two receiving TDs against Dickinson last season), look for Hobart to ease their new QB with its pro-set, west-coast offense style of short yardage completions to move the chains.
Prediction:
I believe Hobart’s defense will be the deciding factor in this game. Mitchell et al will get their yards, but ultimately the final score will depend on how effective the Statesmen are at coming up with key stops (and/or turnovers). That said although Hobart needs to avoid a getting into a shoot-out with this Dickinson squad, I’ll predict this will likely be a high scoring game with Hobart hanging on to win 31-28 in Carlisle.
For more info on the Statesmen, please check out the official Hobart Football season preview here:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/news/2009/9/7/HFB_0907093346.aspx
Go Bart!
Dickinson returns virtually their entire offense (10 starters) from what was one of the most prolific units in 2008 (ranked 28th in DIII in total offense) and returns four players who were either first- or second-team All Conference including SR WR Pat O'Connor and SR OL Anthony Abbate on the first team and SR QB Ian Mitchell and JR RB Greg Lord on the second team. The Red Devils return only four defensive starters (SR S Mike Maxwell and SR DB Matt DeStefano along with JR LBs Kevin Wood and Cole Glennon) from a team that held Hobart to 97 rushing yards last season.
Dickinson (1-0) opened their 2009 season with a non-conference 52-47 victory over the Grove City College Wolverines (PA). The Red Devils needed every bit of the 504 yards they gained on offense to defeat the determined Wolverines (0-1). Dickinson was lead by an impressive performance by QB Ian Mitchell who accounted for 437 yards (21 for 27 passing for 288 yards with two interceptions/149 yards rushing on 14 carries) and four touchdowns. Grove City were no slouches on offense either, racking up 449 yards behind the arm (32 for 41 passing for 291 yards, one interception and three touchdowns) and legs (22 carries for 109 yards and one touchdown) of QB Andrew DiDonato. In the end, it was two big plays by Mitchell – a 39 yard pass to JR TE Austen Steele to make it 45-41 with 6:08 to play in the game, followed by a 45 yard touchdown run with 2:05 remaining to seal the victory for Dickinson.
Keys to the game:
1. Improve tackling at the point of attack – Last season the Red Devils’ multiple option offense racked up 229 rushing yards on 51 attempts (a 4.5 yards per carry average) against the Statesmen defense. RB Greg Lord was the leading rusher that day with 106 yards (5.6 average yards per carry) and two touchdowns. Although Lord was the leading rusher last season, look for him to split carries with JR RB Tim Smith this season. I also expect the Red Devils to test Hobart’s interior defense given the graduation of Sanders, Aruck and Hager. Although the Statesmen’s losses due to graduation on the interior defense may be perceived as this season’s potential Achilles heel; Hobart fans will likely recall that Dickinson’s bread and butter in the 2008 game were off-tackle plays that exploited the Statesmen’s early season tendency to over-pursue (as well as their somewhat undersized DEs and OLBs). Although both Dickinson LT Abbate and SO RT Andrew Hubley are not exceptionally big (both are 6’ 3” and 240 LBs), they are quick and able blockers. Red Devil SR FB Tim Wells (210 lbs) is also a key component to attacking opposing defenses to spring Mitchell, Lord and/or Smith for long runs.
2. Capitalize on turnovers – Although Mitchell is an offensive force, he is also prone to throw interceptions. In fact he had two last Saturday against Grove City and was also picked twice (once by Boyington and once by Woodard) during last season's Hobart-Dickinson game. Look for the Statesmen D to keep the pressure on Mitchell and trust their experienced secondary to lock up the Dickinson receivers in man coverage. Although there is a risk given Pat O’Connor’s talent, I believe Hobart has enough depth and speed in the secondary to limit him somewhat.
3. Control the clock – In the 2008 game, Hobart rode the time of possession battle (18:51-11:09) to a 14-0 lead in the first half before Dickinson took over in the second half (19:26 to 10:34). This year look for JR RB Andrew Marlier to improve on last season’s 52.1 yards per game average and play a bigger role in handling the bulk of the carries (moving the chains and the clock) against the Dickinson defense.
4. Go to the air - The Red Devils gave up 158 yards rushing to the Wolverines last Saturday, but more importantly showed they were susceptible to the pass allowing 291 yards. Given the Statesmen’s deep receiving corp of Tyler Vincent, Zach Schultz and Matt Duliba (who accounted for 197 of Hobart’s 234 passing yards and two receiving TDs against Dickinson last season), look for Hobart to ease their new QB with its pro-set, west-coast offense style of short yardage completions to move the chains.
Prediction:
I believe Hobart’s defense will be the deciding factor in this game. Mitchell et al will get their yards, but ultimately the final score will depend on how effective the Statesmen are at coming up with key stops (and/or turnovers). That said although Hobart needs to avoid a getting into a shoot-out with this Dickinson squad, I’ll predict this will likely be a high scoring game with Hobart hanging on to win 31-28 in Carlisle.
For more info on the Statesmen, please check out the official Hobart Football season preview here:
http://www.hwsathletics.com/news/2009/9/7/HFB_0907093346.aspx
Go Bart!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Week 1 Recap - Around the Liberty League
Week 1 of the 2009 season is officially in the books. Although Hobart doesn't kick off their season until this Saturday, half of the Liberty League (LL) began their '09 campaigns last Saturday. Here's a brief recap of how the LL fared (3-1) in out-of-conference action:
Susquehanna's RB Dave Paveletz ran for nearly 200 yards (30 carries for 185 yards) scoring three TDs - two rushing and one receiving - in a 24-0 shutout of Moravian College. Paveletz was recognized as an "Offensive Performer of the Week" by the LL for last Saturday's effort.
Speaking of rushing - the Merchant Marine Academy (MMA) racked up 263 yards and had three different RBs (Alex Coviello 11 rush for 109 yards for 1 TD; Karl Heimbrock 16 rush for 80 yards and 2 TDs; and Adam Leines 13 rush for 66 yards and 1 TD) score in a 38-14 victory over Gallaudet (who btw were held to 0 yards passing - that's not a typo - ZERO). Although the Bison couldn't pass the ball (literally) they did rush for nearly the same amount of yards (250) as the Mariners. Coviello earned a LL "Rookie of Week" award for his Week 1 performance.
WPI opened 2009 under the lights and took to air - passing for nearly 300 yards on Salve Regina to win 34-20. WPI QB Mike Swanton went 23 for 37 with 288 yards and 1 TD. Swanton also was the Engineers' leading rusher on the day, tallying 73 yards on 15 carries and 1 TD. Swanton shared the "Performer of the Week" honors with SU's Paveletz for his efforts against Salve last Saturday.
The Saints of Saint Lawrence were the only losers in Week 1 falling 45-0 to #10 Ithaca College. IC dominated in all aspects of the game - 22 first downs to 2; 433 yards to 80, etc. IC QB Brian Grastorf was an impressive 21 for 32 throwing for 288 yards and three TDs. The Bombers D also forced five Larry turnovers (three in the first quarter) which helped IC jump to a 24-0 first quarter lead.
Week 2 in the LL features some additional out-of-conference match-ups including:
Sep. 11 @ 7:00 PM ET:
Worcester Polytech vs. Worcester State
Sep. 12 @ 12:00 PM ET:
Case Western Reserve vs. Rochester
Hobart vs. Dickinson
@ 1:00 PM ET
Susquehanna vs. Juniata
Endicott vs. RPI
Ithaca vs. Union
@ 1:30 PM ET
St. Lawrence vs. Norwich
@ 2:30 PM ET
Coast Guard vs. Merchant Marine
Stay tuned for the Hobart-Dickinson game preview!
Susquehanna's RB Dave Paveletz ran for nearly 200 yards (30 carries for 185 yards) scoring three TDs - two rushing and one receiving - in a 24-0 shutout of Moravian College. Paveletz was recognized as an "Offensive Performer of the Week" by the LL for last Saturday's effort.
Speaking of rushing - the Merchant Marine Academy (MMA) racked up 263 yards and had three different RBs (Alex Coviello 11 rush for 109 yards for 1 TD; Karl Heimbrock 16 rush for 80 yards and 2 TDs; and Adam Leines 13 rush for 66 yards and 1 TD) score in a 38-14 victory over Gallaudet (who btw were held to 0 yards passing - that's not a typo - ZERO). Although the Bison couldn't pass the ball (literally) they did rush for nearly the same amount of yards (250) as the Mariners. Coviello earned a LL "Rookie of Week" award for his Week 1 performance.
WPI opened 2009 under the lights and took to air - passing for nearly 300 yards on Salve Regina to win 34-20. WPI QB Mike Swanton went 23 for 37 with 288 yards and 1 TD. Swanton also was the Engineers' leading rusher on the day, tallying 73 yards on 15 carries and 1 TD. Swanton shared the "Performer of the Week" honors with SU's Paveletz for his efforts against Salve last Saturday.
The Saints of Saint Lawrence were the only losers in Week 1 falling 45-0 to #10 Ithaca College. IC dominated in all aspects of the game - 22 first downs to 2; 433 yards to 80, etc. IC QB Brian Grastorf was an impressive 21 for 32 throwing for 288 yards and three TDs. The Bombers D also forced five Larry turnovers (three in the first quarter) which helped IC jump to a 24-0 first quarter lead.
Week 2 in the LL features some additional out-of-conference match-ups including:
Sep. 11 @ 7:00 PM ET:
Worcester Polytech vs. Worcester State
Sep. 12 @ 12:00 PM ET:
Case Western Reserve vs. Rochester
Hobart vs. Dickinson
@ 1:00 PM ET
Susquehanna vs. Juniata
Endicott vs. RPI
Ithaca vs. Union
@ 1:30 PM ET
St. Lawrence vs. Norwich
@ 2:30 PM ET
Coast Guard vs. Merchant Marine
Stay tuned for the Hobart-Dickinson game preview!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
In The Huddle Season 2!!!!
Tune in Thursday night (Sept. 3rd) at 7:30pm ET for the second season premiere of the only talk show dedicated to Liberty League college football:
"In the HuddLLe" - This week's show is in a special weekday slot so that we can get Liberty League fans ready for the opening kickoffs this Saturday with analysis and interviews for all eight teams in the League. So join Frank Rossi (voice of the Union Dutchmen on WABY) and Eric Ren (former RPI All American OL) as they review the 2008 season and look forward to the games to be played in 2009 for two hours.
During the show, Frank and Eric will be joined by D3football.com's Pat Coleman to discuss 2009 predictions -- and we will take your phone calls for any questions you may have. Finally, this season, "In the HuddLLe" will have a better web presence with blogs, news and other league-specific information at http://www.inthehuddlle.com/ (will go live soon -- currently redirects to the BlogTalkRadio.com page). So join us in 2009 on Sunday nights, but first join us this Thursday for the season premiere at InTheHuddLLe.com!
"In the HuddLLe" - This week's show is in a special weekday slot so that we can get Liberty League fans ready for the opening kickoffs this Saturday with analysis and interviews for all eight teams in the League. So join Frank Rossi (voice of the Union Dutchmen on WABY) and Eric Ren (former RPI All American OL) as they review the 2008 season and look forward to the games to be played in 2009 for two hours.
During the show, Frank and Eric will be joined by D3football.com's Pat Coleman to discuss 2009 predictions -- and we will take your phone calls for any questions you may have. Finally, this season, "In the HuddLLe" will have a better web presence with blogs, news and other league-specific information at http://www.inthehuddlle.com/ (will go live soon -- currently redirects to the BlogTalkRadio.com page). So join us in 2009 on Sunday nights, but first join us this Thursday for the season premiere at InTheHuddLLe.com!
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