Hobart All-Decade Team

D3football.com recently released their "All-Decade Team" and one Hobart player, Alex Bell '05, made the list (on the third team).

While Hobart's been playing football for about 117 seasons, it really wasn't until the 2000's they got on the national radar.

Anyway, given it's the off season, the above made me wonder who were the best Statesmen over the same time period (2000-10).

Below is my take on the "Hobart All-Decade Team":

QB - Shawn Mizro '07 - #1 all time in pass attempts (826), completions (455), yards (6097), TDs (61) and total offense (6135 yards) and TOPG (175.3 YPG). Tied for 3rd in completion % (55.1), 2nd in pass efficiency (134.9) and YPG (174.2) Set several records in 2004, including passing TDs (30), for best all-time season. While Andrew Strom '08 broke several of Mizro's records, he only played in the 2007 season.

RB - Ty Godinho '05 - #1 all rushing attempts (840), 2nd all time rushing leader (3807 yards), TDs (38), scoring (234) and APY (4466).

While I could have easily gone with Keith Brandon '01 here given he is #1 in scoring, TDs, etc.; he only played one season in this decade (Hobart's first ever NCAA appearance). That year he lead 'Bart with 884 rushing yards and 9 TDs, and had 141 yards in the second NCAA round game vs. Widener, but felt Godinho deserved the overall nod given "more work" from 2000-10.

WR - Dan Suozzi '05 - #1 all time with 2843 receiving yards, receptions (181), recepts per game (4.79), all purpose (4614), kick returns (44) and receiving TDs (26). #2 all in punt returns (77), yardage (804) and kick return yds (943).

TE - Tough call given the Statesmen rarely use TEs other than as blockers. Nico Karagosian would be the "all time" winner, but he graduated in 97. That said, I will give the nod to Jeremy Archer '03 who is the only Hobart TE to be named all first team UCAA/LL in the past decade.

OL - Will give Alex Bell '05 the nod, but guys like Brian Monaco '10 (first team all LL in 09 and first team ESPN academic All-American twice) and Adam Tumilowicz '03 (three year first team all UCAA selections from 00-02) deserve mention as well.

LB (tie) Justin Hager '09 and Jeff Sanders '09 - #1 and #2 all time in total tackles with 288 and 285, respectively. Hager tied his own the all game record for tackles in 2008 with 20 vs. Mount Union and finished that year with 134 total tackles which is #1 all time. Sanders is #1 all time in assisted tackles (175). Honorable mention goes to Nolan Robinson '07 (#2 all time in solo tackles).

DL - Have to go with Ryan Aruck '09 based on his overall size (6' 2", 300 lbs) and the fact he's fifth all time with 268 total tackles and second in assists with 170.

DB - Tough call here, but I will go with Drake Woodard '12, first team all LL 08-10. Dyshwan Washington '05 and James Alexander '08 are also very good candidates given their stats (#1 and 2 all time in pass break ups, Alexander was first team all LL in 06-07), but Woodard was top 10 in the nation in interceptions in 2008 and has reliably been Hobart's best cover man in quite some time.

PK (tie) Dom Ancona '08 and Eric Ampuja '05 - Ampuja was a first team all UCAA/LL in 01, 02 and 04, and Ancona was first team all LL K in 07 and P in 06-7. Ancona had a better FG overall completion % (71.4 vs. 50%) and also doubled as punter and is #1 all time in avg yds per punt with 40.24. Ampuja is #1 all time in FG (19) and PAT (123) made. Ancona was the LL ST POY in 2007.

In spite of the recent NCAA sanctions, the 2000s were a great decade for Hobart Football. Looking forward another decade filled with LL titles, NCAA berths and hopefully, maybe a National Championship!

Dubious start for Hobart in 2011

The Statesmen Football and Lacrosse teams are facing numerous sanctions due to self-reported infractions of NCAA rules. Below is an article that covers off on the issue at hand as well as the formal report made by the NCAA:

http://centralny.ynn.com/content/sports/529223/hobart-penalized-for-ncaa-violations/

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/47262e00455277ea9c22bec8c7999200/20110106+Hobart+D1+Pub+Report.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=47262e00455277ea9c22bec8c7999200

The football team remains playoff eligible but will have all wins vacated from the 2006 and 2007 seasons, which is a shame.