Although the Statesmen's season wrapped up a couple of weeks ago, I have been keeping an eye on the DIII football playoffs and marvelling at the advancement of the Saint John Fisher Cardinals (10-2). The Cardinals, who potentially were the "last team into the tournament" as an 8-2 at-large selection and Empire 8 conference runner up, have defeated two conference champions in successive weeks (Johns Hopkins and Delaware Valley) after receiving a ranking / seed that was supposedly "lower" than Hobart's (given the Statesmen's convicing head-to-head victory over SJF on 9/24).
Perhaps this is just a case of a team peaking at the right time but it does make me wonder "what if" the Statesmen ended up in Fisher's bracket vs. being placed (as some would argue as the seventh seed) in a more difficult (containing several top 10 teams) and geographically far-fetched bracket with #7 ranked Wesley (who by the way, rallied down 27-7 in the first half to win 49-34 over Northwest Conference champion Linfield last Saturday in Dover)?
Fisher fans will argue the 36 point loss to Hobart back in September was an aberration and as it stands now, the Cardinals clearly have benefited and have taken advantage of their placement in the tournament (playing two conference champs with really no serious out of conference games) and will likely end the season with a better ranking than the Statesmen (who I am guessing will be "rewarded" with a 20-25 ranking by D3football.com due to playing Wesley close in Round 1) once the season ends in a couple of weeks.
Given the new playoff format, it remains to be seen whether or not Hobart will encounter more odd / bad seedings in the future. That said it seems clear that for now, the Statesmen and the LL won't be getting any preferential treatment anytime soon. At least Hobart is bolstered by a 10 game schedule in 2012 and the addition of new LL member Springfield. It's a long way until September so I can't help but wonder how 2011 could have been different had a few plays / decisions went in a slightly different direction......?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
2011 Season Retrospective
The 2011 Hobart Statesmen football team came into this fall with a lot of offseason baggage but went quietly about their work in getting back on top of the Liberty League and returning to the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2008.
2011 really seemed like a “tale of two seasons” in that the Statesmen completely blew away their competition by an average score of 39-13 in their first five games. Then, in the snow and cold of the WPI game, Hobart’s offense seemed to lose its spark, getting shut out in the second half and scoring no more than 28 points in their last two regular season games. Even the Statesmen’s previously lock-down defense gave up a season high 29 points in their only losing effort to RPI on Senior Day. Although the Statesmen would recover to capture a share of the LL title and the automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA’s (due to a 41-24 win over Union on 10/8) the following week against Rochester, Hobart would lose their star QB Nick Strang to a concussion, their top WR Garth Muratori to a PCL injury and their punter and third WR Yosh Karbonwiczak to an ankle sprain all in the same game. SR LB Reggie Robinson also suffered a concussion, but obviously a milder one, as he was able to play in the playoffs.
Still this Hobart team, and particularily the defense, came back with a chip on their shoulder, ultimately proving they were one of the top teams in the country by taking #7 Wesley College to the brink, before falling 35-28 on the road in the first round of the playoffs. While the Wolverines exploited the Statesmen's one true achilles heel (i.e., struggle to defend the deep ball when a team has more than one receiving threat), Hobart forced multiple turnovers and saw back up JR QB Kelly Olney rise to the occasion passing for over 200 yards against one of the best defenses in Division III.
Although 7-2 is somewhat a disappointing finish given the talent level of this team, it does signify a return to form for a Statesmen program that went to the playoffs six times in eight seasons during the last decade. Hobart graduates several key contributors including SR DB Drake Woodard, Robinson, Muratori and five SR OL including Anthony Coletta, Kelvin Cruz, Jarrid Blades, Kyle Sandy and Brendan Hatlee but several underclassmen saw playing time on both sides of the ball.
One nice change in 2012 is the return of a 10 game regular season schedule. Springfield College joins the LL as an associate member and new OOC games with Utica and Geneva College have been added to Hobart's slate.
Thanks to all who've followed the blog this season (up to 9,755 views and counting since Sept 2009). As always I will be on the look out for new recruits over the offseason and other Statesmen-related news.
Happy Thanksgiving!
2011 really seemed like a “tale of two seasons” in that the Statesmen completely blew away their competition by an average score of 39-13 in their first five games. Then, in the snow and cold of the WPI game, Hobart’s offense seemed to lose its spark, getting shut out in the second half and scoring no more than 28 points in their last two regular season games. Even the Statesmen’s previously lock-down defense gave up a season high 29 points in their only losing effort to RPI on Senior Day. Although the Statesmen would recover to capture a share of the LL title and the automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA’s (due to a 41-24 win over Union on 10/8) the following week against Rochester, Hobart would lose their star QB Nick Strang to a concussion, their top WR Garth Muratori to a PCL injury and their punter and third WR Yosh Karbonwiczak to an ankle sprain all in the same game. SR LB Reggie Robinson also suffered a concussion, but obviously a milder one, as he was able to play in the playoffs.
Still this Hobart team, and particularily the defense, came back with a chip on their shoulder, ultimately proving they were one of the top teams in the country by taking #7 Wesley College to the brink, before falling 35-28 on the road in the first round of the playoffs. While the Wolverines exploited the Statesmen's one true achilles heel (i.e., struggle to defend the deep ball when a team has more than one receiving threat), Hobart forced multiple turnovers and saw back up JR QB Kelly Olney rise to the occasion passing for over 200 yards against one of the best defenses in Division III.
Although 7-2 is somewhat a disappointing finish given the talent level of this team, it does signify a return to form for a Statesmen program that went to the playoffs six times in eight seasons during the last decade. Hobart graduates several key contributors including SR DB Drake Woodard, Robinson, Muratori and five SR OL including Anthony Coletta, Kelvin Cruz, Jarrid Blades, Kyle Sandy and Brendan Hatlee but several underclassmen saw playing time on both sides of the ball.
One nice change in 2012 is the return of a 10 game regular season schedule. Springfield College joins the LL as an associate member and new OOC games with Utica and Geneva College have been added to Hobart's slate.
Thanks to all who've followed the blog this season (up to 9,755 views and counting since Sept 2009). As always I will be on the look out for new recruits over the offseason and other Statesmen-related news.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Undermanned but undeterred, Hobart pushes #7 Wesley to the brink before falling 35-28
The Hobart Statesmen traveled to Dover, Delaware Saturday to take on #7 ranked Wesley College Wolverines in the first round of the NCAA Division III football tournament. Hobart would be short-handed as their starting JR QB Nick Strang was out with a concussion, and SR WR and co-captain Garth Muratori would leave the game with an injury early in the second quarter.
Both team's offenses got off to a slow start, turning the ball over on their initial possessions. After he Hobart offense stalled on it's second drive, Wesley's SR QBk Shane McSweeny drove the Wolverines to the Statesmen eight yard line before finding Jared Morris open for an eight yard touchdown. The Tryon point after was good and Wesley staked itself to an early 7-0 lead.
McSweeny would strike again on the ensuing possession finding FY phenom Steven Koudossou on a 72 yard catch and watched his receiver out run the Statesmen secondary for the Wolverines' second score of the day. The Tryon point after was good and Hobart found themselves down 14-0 with 4:03 to play in the first.
The Statesmen defense would try and turn the tide and tone of the game in the second quarter when JR DL Nick Auriemma picked off McSweeny at the 13 yard line, returning it to the 12. Four plays later JR RB Bobby Dougherty would score from one yard out. JR PK Stephen Bruening's point after was good and Hobart would make it 14-7 with 9:20 to play in the first half.
The Wolverines would respond almost immediately on a second long Koudossou catch and run, this one a 66 yarder to post the Wolverines to a 21-7 lead after the Tryon point after. Hobart would battle back though, once again after the Statesmen defense forced a McSweeny fumble at the Wesley 32. Back up JR QB Kelly Olney would lead the Statesmen to the one yard line until SO RB Steven Webb broke through to pull Hobart back within seven points after the Bruening point after was good.
The Wolverine offense would tack on one more score, this time a 42 yard pass from McSweeny to Matt Barile with 17 seconds to play. The Tryon point after pushed the Wesley lead to 28-14 which stood at the half.
In the second half the Hobart defense continued to keep the Statesmen in the game, holding Wesley to a three and out on their first possession and then blocked a Wolverine punt at the 24 yard line which was recovered by SO OLB Devin Worthington and returned for a touchdown. The Bruening point after was good and Hobart found themselves only down 28-21 with 8:01 to play in the third quarter.
Wesley would embark on their longest drive of the game, taking over seven minutes and 13 plays before McSweeny connected with tight end Shane McAndrew from 15 yards out to put the Wolverines back up by 14 points, 35-21, with 47 seconds to play in the third quarter. Although the ensuing Statesmen drive stalled, the Hobart special teams made another big play when Wesley's Sean Hopkins mishandled an FY WR Elvin Souffrant punt, which Hobart recovered at the Wolverine 16 yard line. Two plays later Webb scored his second touchdown of the game, and after the Bruening kick was good, the Statesmen were once again back within seven, down 35-28, with eight seconds left in the third.
The fourth quarter would see teams trade possessions with Hobart driving inside the Wesley 10 yard line on two occasions. The first time Hobart failed on a fourth and goal from the five yard line when they could have come away with at least a field goal. The second would be Hobart's final drive of the game which ended when Olney's pass intended for JR WR Junior Woodard was incomplete with 1:43 to play. The Wolverines gained a first down and ran out the clock to escape with a hard fought 35-28 victory.
Olney lead the Statesmen with 211 passing yards. Webb lead all Hobart rushers with 45 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. On defense the Statesmen were lead by SR LB Reggie Robinson with a game high 15 tackles, one and a half taclkes for loss and a forced fumble.
Wesley was lead by McSweeny's 336 passing yards and five touchdowns. The senior quarterback also had a game high 61 yards rushing. Kossoudou lead all receivers with 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolverine defense was lead by linebacker Mike Asiedu with 14 tackles.
With the win Wesley improved to 10-1 on the season and will advance to play Linfield College, who were 30-27 winners over Cal Lutheran in Oregon. With the loss the Statesmen fall to 7-2 on the season.
More on this game and a post-season retrospective later this week. All in all, it was a one of the "gustiest" performances I've ever seen from a Hobart team. Although the loss will sting, the Statesmen should be proud of their effort today.
Both team's offenses got off to a slow start, turning the ball over on their initial possessions. After he Hobart offense stalled on it's second drive, Wesley's SR QBk Shane McSweeny drove the Wolverines to the Statesmen eight yard line before finding Jared Morris open for an eight yard touchdown. The Tryon point after was good and Wesley staked itself to an early 7-0 lead.
McSweeny would strike again on the ensuing possession finding FY phenom Steven Koudossou on a 72 yard catch and watched his receiver out run the Statesmen secondary for the Wolverines' second score of the day. The Tryon point after was good and Hobart found themselves down 14-0 with 4:03 to play in the first.
The Statesmen defense would try and turn the tide and tone of the game in the second quarter when JR DL Nick Auriemma picked off McSweeny at the 13 yard line, returning it to the 12. Four plays later JR RB Bobby Dougherty would score from one yard out. JR PK Stephen Bruening's point after was good and Hobart would make it 14-7 with 9:20 to play in the first half.
The Wolverines would respond almost immediately on a second long Koudossou catch and run, this one a 66 yarder to post the Wolverines to a 21-7 lead after the Tryon point after. Hobart would battle back though, once again after the Statesmen defense forced a McSweeny fumble at the Wesley 32. Back up JR QB Kelly Olney would lead the Statesmen to the one yard line until SO RB Steven Webb broke through to pull Hobart back within seven points after the Bruening point after was good.
The Wolverine offense would tack on one more score, this time a 42 yard pass from McSweeny to Matt Barile with 17 seconds to play. The Tryon point after pushed the Wesley lead to 28-14 which stood at the half.
In the second half the Hobart defense continued to keep the Statesmen in the game, holding Wesley to a three and out on their first possession and then blocked a Wolverine punt at the 24 yard line which was recovered by SO OLB Devin Worthington and returned for a touchdown. The Bruening point after was good and Hobart found themselves only down 28-21 with 8:01 to play in the third quarter.
Wesley would embark on their longest drive of the game, taking over seven minutes and 13 plays before McSweeny connected with tight end Shane McAndrew from 15 yards out to put the Wolverines back up by 14 points, 35-21, with 47 seconds to play in the third quarter. Although the ensuing Statesmen drive stalled, the Hobart special teams made another big play when Wesley's Sean Hopkins mishandled an FY WR Elvin Souffrant punt, which Hobart recovered at the Wolverine 16 yard line. Two plays later Webb scored his second touchdown of the game, and after the Bruening kick was good, the Statesmen were once again back within seven, down 35-28, with eight seconds left in the third.
The fourth quarter would see teams trade possessions with Hobart driving inside the Wesley 10 yard line on two occasions. The first time Hobart failed on a fourth and goal from the five yard line when they could have come away with at least a field goal. The second would be Hobart's final drive of the game which ended when Olney's pass intended for JR WR Junior Woodard was incomplete with 1:43 to play. The Wolverines gained a first down and ran out the clock to escape with a hard fought 35-28 victory.
Olney lead the Statesmen with 211 passing yards. Webb lead all Hobart rushers with 45 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. On defense the Statesmen were lead by SR LB Reggie Robinson with a game high 15 tackles, one and a half taclkes for loss and a forced fumble.
Wesley was lead by McSweeny's 336 passing yards and five touchdowns. The senior quarterback also had a game high 61 yards rushing. Kossoudou lead all receivers with 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolverine defense was lead by linebacker Mike Asiedu with 14 tackles.
With the win Wesley improved to 10-1 on the season and will advance to play Linfield College, who were 30-27 winners over Cal Lutheran in Oregon. With the loss the Statesmen fall to 7-2 on the season.
More on this game and a post-season retrospective later this week. All in all, it was a one of the "gustiest" performances I've ever seen from a Hobart team. Although the loss will sting, the Statesmen should be proud of their effort today.
Strang out for Wesley Game
JR QB Nick Strang's concussion will keep him on the sidelines for today's NCAA first round playoff game. JR QB Kelly Olney will get the start in his absence. Although SR WR and co-captain Garth Muratori has a strained PCL, he is listed as starting. The rest of the team's starters appear to be ready to go.
Kickoff is in 50 minutes and the game can be heard on www.weos.org. Ted Baker is on the call.
More on the game later today.
Kickoff is in 50 minutes and the game can be heard on www.weos.org. Ted Baker is on the call.
More on the game later today.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Wesley NCAA Round 1 Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen (7-1) will travel south to play against the #7 ranked Wesley College Wolverines (9-1) this Saturday for a noon (eastern) kickoff at Scott D. Miller Stadium in Dover, DE. Wesley is coming off another successful campaign earning an at-large NCAA "Pool B" selection (which means they competed either as an independent or in a conference not eligible for an automatic bid, which in Wesley's case it was the former). Wesley is a very formidable team and has 15 NCAA postseason wins over the past six years, which is the third most in Division III (I am pretty sure most fans will be able to guess who's number one and two on that list). Last season Wesley advanced to the national semi finals, falling 27-7 to eventual National Champion University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW).
The Wolverines are lead on offense by SR QB Shane McSweeney. The PA-native has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards this season, completing over 64% (132 of 206) of his passes for 18 TDs compared to only four INTs. McSweeney is also the second leading rusher on the team and has carried for 363 yards and 10 rushing TDs. Wesley's leading rusher is JR RB Askia Jahad. Jahad is a big back (6' 220 lbs) who has carried the ball 101 times for 685 yards and nine rushing TDs.
McSweeney has several targets in the passing game including SR TE Sean McAndrew (28 catches for 326 yards and six receiving TDs) and SO WR Jeremiah Howe (23 receptions for 288 yards). That said, the Wolverines are primarily a rushing team and have gained over 2,000 yards and 31 TDs on the ground this season.
The real strength of Wesley however is their defense which features at least three All-America first team caliber players. The Wolverine "D" has allowed a paltry 740 rushing yards and only three TDs all season. SR LB Jeff Morgan leads Wesley with 70 total tackles including 15.5 TFL and five and a half sacks. SR DE Chris Mayes has tallied 17.5 TFL and five and a half sacks as well. JR DE Devin Hardy has 11.5 TFL and seven and a half sacks. Overall the Wolverine defense has thrown opposing teams for -394 rushing yards on TFL (93 in total). On top of all that, Wesley's defensive players are also ball hawks, having picked off opposing QBs 14 times on the season. SR CB Dakevis Howard leads the team with four INTs, two which he returned for TDs, on the season.
Tale of the Tape
Defensively, Hobart actually matches up pretty well with Wesley, statistically speaking:
PPG Allowed - Hobart 14.88 / Wesley 10.8
YPG Allowed - Hobart 259.4 / Wesley 237.5
Rush YPG Allowed - Hobart 109.5 / Wesley 74
Sacks by - Hobart 24 (-161 yards) / Wesley 36 (-240 yards)
Rush TDs allowed - Hobart 5 / Wesley 3
Pass TDs allowed - Hobart 11 / Wesley 7
Red zone - Hobart 8 of 13 (7 TDs) / 10 of 18 (4 TDs)
The numbers show that Wolverines have more offensive firepower than the Statesmen. Wesley has scored 49 offensive TDs compared to Hobart's 38. Other areas they have better offensive numbers include:
PPG - Hobart 34.25 / Wesley 41.8
Rush TDs - Hobart 19 / Wesley 31
Pass TDs - Hobart 16 / Wesley 18
Red Zone - Hobart 26-36 (25 TDs) / Wesley 41-46 (35 TDs)
That said Hobart does have a slight per game advantage in:
Rush YPG - Hobart 210.6 / Wesley 207.8
Total YPG - Hobart 403 / Wesley 394.4
The Statesmen have done a better job than Wesley in time of possession (34:14 vs. 30:26), but that stat is a bit misleading given how quickly the Wolverine offense can score.
Special teams is another area of strength for the Wolverines over Hobart. They have a dependable kicker in JR Dan Tryon who's converted six of 11 FG attempts (one blocked) on the season and has a long of 45 yards. Wesley averages 35.5 yards per punt (compared to Hobart's 29.91). One of the Statesmen's strengths is punt coverage however, as Hobart has only allowed 2.44 yard per return on the season.
Keys to the Game:
1. Pass protection/ passing game success - The Statesmen's most experienced unit is their OL and this group will need to fortify itself against one of the most aggressive pass rushes in all of Division III. The Wolverine sack total (36) speaks for itself. While the status of fifth year SR C Kelvin Cruz is uncertain as of this writing, SR OL Jarrid Blades is a more than capable and experienced replacement. The health of JR QB Nick Strang is of greater concern given his removal from the Rochester game last Saturday due to a concussion. It's highly unlikely Hobart will have much success running against this defensive front so I expect a lot of short pass plays or check downs to the RBs and FBs given the injuries sustained at WR. SR co-captain Garth Muratori will likely be blanketed by Wesley's top cover corner and JR WR Junior Woodard has been banged up since the WPI game. Also, SO WR Yosh Karbonwiczak is out with a torn PCL. This means other (younger) receivers such as FY's WR Elvin Souffrant and/or Troy Robinson will need to step up to make plays for the Statesmen. Given the pass rush capabilities of Wesley, I suspect Hobart will keep their TE's in to block but it should be noted that JR Brent Matazinsky and FY Mike Berkowitz have scored one TD a piece in close range. While I criticized OC Kevin DeWall's reliance on the pass in the loss to RPI, I do think the Statesmen will need to pass for at least 200 yards to stay with the Wolverines. Good news for Hobart fans is that the OL has only allowed eight sacks (for -36 yards, basically one per game) on the year and Strang (when healthy) is fairly mobile, rushing for 289 yards on the season on 71 carries with four TDs.
2. Field position - Aside from having to step up in a receiving role, Souffrant will also fill in on the punting duties Saturday. He did a very good job against Rochester averaging just over 31 yards per punt, fielding several low snaps and pinning the Yellow Jackets behind their 20 yard line on a couple of occasions. Wesley's opponents have punted 62 times in 10 games, so it's likely we'll see six punts by the Statesmen in this one. It's imperative the FY from Randolph, MA has a good day so Hobart avoids giving the Wolverines a short field. It should also be noted that the Statesmen haven't attempted a fake punt all season. I am not advocating it necessarily as it could back fire against a team like Wesley, but given the circumstances....why not go for it?
3. Time of possession - This goes hand and hand with third and fourth down conversions. Hobart went two for 16 against Rochester last Saturday, lowering their overall third down conversion percentage to below 50% for the first time all season. The Wolverine defense is as stingy as they come and have allowed opponents to convert only 32% of the time on third down (48-148). Wesley is even better on fourth down, allowing only 22% (4-18). Assuming Coach Cragg doesn't have the luxury to attempt FGs given JR PK Stephen Bruening's struggles, the offense should expect to fight for every inch and view every possession as four down territory.
4. Hang tough on defense (especially in the second half) - Hobart's defense will have their biggest test of their season and if the offense struggles early on the Statesmen will need SR leaders such as co-captain Drake Woodard and ILB Reggie Robinson to step up under fire. FY DE Tyre Coleman can make a case for an All-America bid given he is second in DIII with 12.5 sacks (not to mention an impressive 17.5 TFL) and the Statesmen will need a few more in this game to have a fighting chance. The Wesley OL has allowed 14 sacks, so it's not like they are impregnable. I expect we'll see SO OLB Devin Worthington pressuring McSweeny on blitzes so the secondary will have to step up in coverage.
5. Keep it close (early) - Wesley has outscored their opposition 216 to 40 in the first half. In the Kean game, the Wolverines jumped to an early 6-0 lead but the Cougars fought back to take a 17-14 halftime advantage due to an early Wesley turnover. To stay in this one, Hobart will need to improve upon their red zone offense and take care of the ball. After scoring on 19 of 22 (86.36%) red zone attempts in their first five games, the Statesmen have gone seven for 14 (50%) in their final three.
Prediction:
I struggled with this one on Sunday's ITH and I still do. It's a "head / heart" thing, if that makes any sense? In my head I think Wesley will wear down the Statesmen given their overall size and speed advantages. The Wolverines just have a lot more athletes than Hobart and should be able to benefit on the Statesmen's injuries to key players and the struggles in the kicking game. While I can see a 28-14 Wesley win as being a sort of "moral victory" for Hobart, it would be a shame for a Statesmen squad with this much talent to end up 7-2. That said if Kean (9-1 and the NJAC Champ) can beat these guys 31-28, I don't see why Hobart can't either?!? In fact the Cougars fell short in almost every offensive and defensive category to the Wolverines but persevered due to committing one less turnover and other intangibles. One achilles heel I did notice is that Wesley is a highly penalized team, averaging 87.4 yards in penalties per game (!). With first downs at a premium, I'll happily take them anyway the Wolverines are willing to serve them up.
Either way it should be a great (defensive) ball game. Hopefully Hobart will be healthy enough on offense and play well on special teams to spell the Statesmen defense sufficiently. In the event Hobart pulled off the upset and Cal Lutheran defeats Linfield Saturday, a "dream scenario" of being able to see the Statesmen play in Los Angeles could unfold for me. No need for any Christmas presents for this fan if that happened!!
Go 'Bart!
The Wolverines are lead on offense by SR QB Shane McSweeney. The PA-native has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards this season, completing over 64% (132 of 206) of his passes for 18 TDs compared to only four INTs. McSweeney is also the second leading rusher on the team and has carried for 363 yards and 10 rushing TDs. Wesley's leading rusher is JR RB Askia Jahad. Jahad is a big back (6' 220 lbs) who has carried the ball 101 times for 685 yards and nine rushing TDs.
McSweeney has several targets in the passing game including SR TE Sean McAndrew (28 catches for 326 yards and six receiving TDs) and SO WR Jeremiah Howe (23 receptions for 288 yards). That said, the Wolverines are primarily a rushing team and have gained over 2,000 yards and 31 TDs on the ground this season.
The real strength of Wesley however is their defense which features at least three All-America first team caliber players. The Wolverine "D" has allowed a paltry 740 rushing yards and only three TDs all season. SR LB Jeff Morgan leads Wesley with 70 total tackles including 15.5 TFL and five and a half sacks. SR DE Chris Mayes has tallied 17.5 TFL and five and a half sacks as well. JR DE Devin Hardy has 11.5 TFL and seven and a half sacks. Overall the Wolverine defense has thrown opposing teams for -394 rushing yards on TFL (93 in total). On top of all that, Wesley's defensive players are also ball hawks, having picked off opposing QBs 14 times on the season. SR CB Dakevis Howard leads the team with four INTs, two which he returned for TDs, on the season.
Tale of the Tape
Defensively, Hobart actually matches up pretty well with Wesley, statistically speaking:
PPG Allowed - Hobart 14.88 / Wesley 10.8
YPG Allowed - Hobart 259.4 / Wesley 237.5
Rush YPG Allowed - Hobart 109.5 / Wesley 74
Sacks by - Hobart 24 (-161 yards) / Wesley 36 (-240 yards)
Rush TDs allowed - Hobart 5 / Wesley 3
Pass TDs allowed - Hobart 11 / Wesley 7
Red zone - Hobart 8 of 13 (7 TDs) / 10 of 18 (4 TDs)
The numbers show that Wolverines have more offensive firepower than the Statesmen. Wesley has scored 49 offensive TDs compared to Hobart's 38. Other areas they have better offensive numbers include:
PPG - Hobart 34.25 / Wesley 41.8
Rush TDs - Hobart 19 / Wesley 31
Pass TDs - Hobart 16 / Wesley 18
Red Zone - Hobart 26-36 (25 TDs) / Wesley 41-46 (35 TDs)
That said Hobart does have a slight per game advantage in:
Rush YPG - Hobart 210.6 / Wesley 207.8
Total YPG - Hobart 403 / Wesley 394.4
The Statesmen have done a better job than Wesley in time of possession (34:14 vs. 30:26), but that stat is a bit misleading given how quickly the Wolverine offense can score.
Special teams is another area of strength for the Wolverines over Hobart. They have a dependable kicker in JR Dan Tryon who's converted six of 11 FG attempts (one blocked) on the season and has a long of 45 yards. Wesley averages 35.5 yards per punt (compared to Hobart's 29.91). One of the Statesmen's strengths is punt coverage however, as Hobart has only allowed 2.44 yard per return on the season.
Keys to the Game:
1. Pass protection/ passing game success - The Statesmen's most experienced unit is their OL and this group will need to fortify itself against one of the most aggressive pass rushes in all of Division III. The Wolverine sack total (36) speaks for itself. While the status of fifth year SR C Kelvin Cruz is uncertain as of this writing, SR OL Jarrid Blades is a more than capable and experienced replacement. The health of JR QB Nick Strang is of greater concern given his removal from the Rochester game last Saturday due to a concussion. It's highly unlikely Hobart will have much success running against this defensive front so I expect a lot of short pass plays or check downs to the RBs and FBs given the injuries sustained at WR. SR co-captain Garth Muratori will likely be blanketed by Wesley's top cover corner and JR WR Junior Woodard has been banged up since the WPI game. Also, SO WR Yosh Karbonwiczak is out with a torn PCL. This means other (younger) receivers such as FY's WR Elvin Souffrant and/or Troy Robinson will need to step up to make plays for the Statesmen. Given the pass rush capabilities of Wesley, I suspect Hobart will keep their TE's in to block but it should be noted that JR Brent Matazinsky and FY Mike Berkowitz have scored one TD a piece in close range. While I criticized OC Kevin DeWall's reliance on the pass in the loss to RPI, I do think the Statesmen will need to pass for at least 200 yards to stay with the Wolverines. Good news for Hobart fans is that the OL has only allowed eight sacks (for -36 yards, basically one per game) on the year and Strang (when healthy) is fairly mobile, rushing for 289 yards on the season on 71 carries with four TDs.
2. Field position - Aside from having to step up in a receiving role, Souffrant will also fill in on the punting duties Saturday. He did a very good job against Rochester averaging just over 31 yards per punt, fielding several low snaps and pinning the Yellow Jackets behind their 20 yard line on a couple of occasions. Wesley's opponents have punted 62 times in 10 games, so it's likely we'll see six punts by the Statesmen in this one. It's imperative the FY from Randolph, MA has a good day so Hobart avoids giving the Wolverines a short field. It should also be noted that the Statesmen haven't attempted a fake punt all season. I am not advocating it necessarily as it could back fire against a team like Wesley, but given the circumstances....why not go for it?
3. Time of possession - This goes hand and hand with third and fourth down conversions. Hobart went two for 16 against Rochester last Saturday, lowering their overall third down conversion percentage to below 50% for the first time all season. The Wolverine defense is as stingy as they come and have allowed opponents to convert only 32% of the time on third down (48-148). Wesley is even better on fourth down, allowing only 22% (4-18). Assuming Coach Cragg doesn't have the luxury to attempt FGs given JR PK Stephen Bruening's struggles, the offense should expect to fight for every inch and view every possession as four down territory.
4. Hang tough on defense (especially in the second half) - Hobart's defense will have their biggest test of their season and if the offense struggles early on the Statesmen will need SR leaders such as co-captain Drake Woodard and ILB Reggie Robinson to step up under fire. FY DE Tyre Coleman can make a case for an All-America bid given he is second in DIII with 12.5 sacks (not to mention an impressive 17.5 TFL) and the Statesmen will need a few more in this game to have a fighting chance. The Wesley OL has allowed 14 sacks, so it's not like they are impregnable. I expect we'll see SO OLB Devin Worthington pressuring McSweeny on blitzes so the secondary will have to step up in coverage.
5. Keep it close (early) - Wesley has outscored their opposition 216 to 40 in the first half. In the Kean game, the Wolverines jumped to an early 6-0 lead but the Cougars fought back to take a 17-14 halftime advantage due to an early Wesley turnover. To stay in this one, Hobart will need to improve upon their red zone offense and take care of the ball. After scoring on 19 of 22 (86.36%) red zone attempts in their first five games, the Statesmen have gone seven for 14 (50%) in their final three.
Prediction:
I struggled with this one on Sunday's ITH and I still do. It's a "head / heart" thing, if that makes any sense? In my head I think Wesley will wear down the Statesmen given their overall size and speed advantages. The Wolverines just have a lot more athletes than Hobart and should be able to benefit on the Statesmen's injuries to key players and the struggles in the kicking game. While I can see a 28-14 Wesley win as being a sort of "moral victory" for Hobart, it would be a shame for a Statesmen squad with this much talent to end up 7-2. That said if Kean (9-1 and the NJAC Champ) can beat these guys 31-28, I don't see why Hobart can't either?!? In fact the Cougars fell short in almost every offensive and defensive category to the Wolverines but persevered due to committing one less turnover and other intangibles. One achilles heel I did notice is that Wesley is a highly penalized team, averaging 87.4 yards in penalties per game (!). With first downs at a premium, I'll happily take them anyway the Wolverines are willing to serve them up.
Either way it should be a great (defensive) ball game. Hopefully Hobart will be healthy enough on offense and play well on special teams to spell the Statesmen defense sufficiently. In the event Hobart pulled off the upset and Cal Lutheran defeats Linfield Saturday, a "dream scenario" of being able to see the Statesmen play in Los Angeles could unfold for me. No need for any Christmas presents for this fan if that happened!!
Go 'Bart!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Hobart defies NCAA, claims they won't play Wesley
The 2011 Liberty League co-Champion Hobart Statesmen (7-1) filed a petition with the NCAA today that stated they refused to play the Wesley Wolverines (9-1) on grounds that "according to D3football.com we received the worst draw of the entire tournament."
St. John Fisher fans applauded this move, confirming the Cardinals received a better seeding than the Statesmen (who happened to win their head-to-head match up by five TDs on 9/24/11, but who's counting?) and felt it was just desserts for those "ducking pumpkins".
In an interview with "In The HuddLLe" on Sunday night, NCAA Chairperson Joy Solomen was interpreted to have said that "we thought it was ironic Hobart turned down a game with Wesley back in February so we decided to send the Statesmen to Dover to prove a point that it was Hobart's fault Widener cancelled on them in January". Another NCAA spokesperson indicated on the condition of anonymity that "the irony clause is specifically cited in section 12, sub-section 11, part 22.3 of the NCAA handbook, i.e., if you don't play a team in the regular season you WILL have to play them in the first round of the playoffs"
At the time (in February of this year) Hobart Athletics Director Mike Hanna indicated that the Statesmen were merely looking for an "eastern region opponent". Although Wesley is based in Delaware (as are many Fortune 500 corporate and legal entities), they are technically a "South Region" team and a program that struggles to schedule opponents on an annual basis due to their lack of conference. While indignant Wolverine fans chided Hobart for being put under NCAA sanctions and only playing eight regular season games, they were equally relieved (as was nearby Penn State) that the NCAA's jurisdiction apparently doesn't apply to criminal activity when it comes to championship caliber football programs (http://www.whetstone.wesley.edu/2010/12/02/four-football-players-arrested-for-dorm-burglaries/).
A normally expletive free Coach Cragg commented that although he would play any team, any where, he was surprised at the seeding, especially in lieu of the SJF-JHU match up and basically stated "I don't know what the #$%^ the Committee was thinking."
In all seriousness, I'll have a preview of the game later this week.
Go 'Bart!
St. John Fisher fans applauded this move, confirming the Cardinals received a better seeding than the Statesmen (who happened to win their head-to-head match up by five TDs on 9/24/11, but who's counting?) and felt it was just desserts for those "ducking pumpkins".
In an interview with "In The HuddLLe" on Sunday night, NCAA Chairperson Joy Solomen was interpreted to have said that "we thought it was ironic Hobart turned down a game with Wesley back in February so we decided to send the Statesmen to Dover to prove a point that it was Hobart's fault Widener cancelled on them in January". Another NCAA spokesperson indicated on the condition of anonymity that "the irony clause is specifically cited in section 12, sub-section 11, part 22.3 of the NCAA handbook, i.e., if you don't play a team in the regular season you WILL have to play them in the first round of the playoffs"
At the time (in February of this year) Hobart Athletics Director Mike Hanna indicated that the Statesmen were merely looking for an "eastern region opponent". Although Wesley is based in Delaware (as are many Fortune 500 corporate and legal entities), they are technically a "South Region" team and a program that struggles to schedule opponents on an annual basis due to their lack of conference. While indignant Wolverine fans chided Hobart for being put under NCAA sanctions and only playing eight regular season games, they were equally relieved (as was nearby Penn State) that the NCAA's jurisdiction apparently doesn't apply to criminal activity when it comes to championship caliber football programs (http://www.whetstone.wesley.edu/2010/12/02/four-football-players-arrested-for-dorm-burglaries/).
A normally expletive free Coach Cragg commented that although he would play any team, any where, he was surprised at the seeding, especially in lieu of the SJF-JHU match up and basically stated "I don't know what the #$%^ the Committee was thinking."
In all seriousness, I'll have a preview of the game later this week.
Go 'Bart!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Coach Cragg on In The HuddLLe 11/13 show reported Strang concussion in Rochester game
My co-host Frank Rossi and I had the pleasure of congratulating Hobart Head Coach Mike Cragg on winning the LL and getting back to the NCAA playoffs. During the conversation we learned that JR QB Nick Strang was not benched but rather received a concussion after a late hit on his last interception.
Hopefully Nick will be good to go this Saturday at Wesley as Hobart will need to fire on all cylinders against the tough Wolverine defense.
More on that later this week. You can access the Coach Cragg interview on iTunes or directly from the archive at www.inthehuddlle.com.
Hopefully Nick will be good to go this Saturday at Wesley as Hobart will need to fire on all cylinders against the tough Wolverine defense.
More on that later this week. You can access the Coach Cragg interview on iTunes or directly from the archive at www.inthehuddlle.com.
Hobart to play Wesley in the first round of the NCAA's
The Hobart Statesmen (7-1) will travel to face the#7 ranked Wesley Wolverines (9-1) in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. This selection is really from right field as the Statesmen appear to have been placed in the UMHB bracket which is typically a "southern" field.
The only positive I can take away from this draw is that if Hobart and Cal Lutheran were to win, Hobart would have to travel to Los Angeles - only 25 minutes from my home - to play a second round game.
That said Wesley has gone to the national semifinals multiple seasons in a row and so a victory for Hobart is a tall order.
The only positive I can take away from this draw is that if Hobart and Cal Lutheran were to win, Hobart would have to travel to Los Angeles - only 25 minutes from my home - to play a second round game.
That said Wesley has gone to the national semifinals multiple seasons in a row and so a victory for Hobart is a tall order.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
NCAA prediction time
Here's my best guess at tomorrow's NCAA bracket ("east region" only):
1. Mount Union - OAC Champ
2. Delaware Valley - MAC Champ
3. Kean (given H2H win over Wesley) - NJAC Champ
4. Salisbury - E8 champ
5. WNEC - NEFC Champ (not as strong a conference as the LL but 10 wins is more than 7)
6. Hobart - LL Champ
7. Norwich - ECFC Champ
8. Sacrificial lamb (say Albion)
So it's off to New Jersey for Statesmen fans on Saturday in Round 1. That's my story and I am sticking to it.
1. Mount Union - OAC Champ
2. Delaware Valley - MAC Champ
3. Kean (given H2H win over Wesley) - NJAC Champ
4. Salisbury - E8 champ
5. WNEC - NEFC Champ (not as strong a conference as the LL but 10 wins is more than 7)
6. Hobart - LL Champ
7. Norwich - ECFC Champ
8. Sacrificial lamb (say Albion)
So it's off to New Jersey for Statesmen fans on Saturday in Round 1. That's my story and I am sticking to it.
Hobart rides their defense to a 24-10 win at Rochester, going to the NCAAs
The Hobart Statesmen traveled westward to face off against their oldest rival, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets, at Fauver Stadium with a lot on the line for both teams. The game featured the two best defenses in the league and the Jackets' defense would strike first, causing a Steven Webb fumble on only the second play from scrimmage. Rochester would convert a fourth and 1 from the Hobart four yard line and complete the drive when SR QB Braezen Subick handed off to SR RB Clarence Onyiriuka for a three yard touchdown. The Alex Antonucci point after was good and the hosts enjoyed an early 7-0 lead.
Hobart would respond and drive to the Rochester 15 yard line but rather than attempt a field goal went for it fourth and seven. The Nick Strang pass was deflected but Rochester couldn't capitalize as the Statesmen defense held the Jackets to a three and out. Hobart would go for it on fourth down on their ensuing drive and was able to convert on a Webb four yard rush. Webb would cap the drive with a one yard burst and the Stephen Bruening point after was good and it was tied up 7-7 with 13:21 to play in the first half.
Rochester forced a Hobart punt but SO WR Yosh Karbowniczak booted the ball to Yellow Jacket 8 yd line. The Statesmen D held again and Strang would find FY WR Elvin Souffrant (who had a heck of a game punting seven times, three inside the 20, in relief of Karbowniczak) on a 33 yard TD strike, his first collegiate TD, to push the Hobart lead to 14-7 with 7:24 to play in the second quarter.
SR CB and Co-Captain Drake Woodard would intercept SO QB Dean Kennedy to give the Statesmen a potential red zone opportunity with 3:43 to play in the half, but Strang would be picked off himself thwarting the Statesmen's chance to take a two touchdown lead.
The Yellow Jackets would drive down the field and catch a break on a fourth and four when the officials caught Hobart with 12 men on the field. Alex Antonucci's 42 yard attempt was blocked but yet another Statesmen penalty gave Antonucci a second chance from 37 yards. The kick was good and Rochester pulled within 4 which would hold as a 14-10 Hobart lead at the half.
The start of the second half saw both teams exchange turnovers but the Statesmen would ultimately catch a break when running back Byron Saggese fumbled out of the end zone to give Hobart a safety and a 16-10 lead.
JR QB Kelly Olney would spell a struggling Strang [who I discovered on an 11/13 interview with Coach Cragg he was pulled due to a concussion] but neither offense could get much traction in the second half. In the final stanza the defenses continued to dominate the game and the teams traded field position but once again it would be the Hobart defense that made the play of the game. SO CB Kevin Hearon picked off Subick and returned it 36 yards for a TD that all but sealed the victory for Hobart. After successfully killing the clock to hold off the Jackets, the Statesmen claimed their seventh LL title (shared with Union) and a NCAA Pool A bid after closing out a hard fought 24-10 win.
Hobart was lead by SR LB Reggie Robinson with a game high 12 and a half total tackles and one forced fumble. Woodard added six tackles to his two INTs and Coleman had a game high three sacks.
Offensively Hobart was lead by Strang with 155 passing yards, one TD and two INTs.
Rochester was lead by Subick with 116 passing yards and two INTs. Onyiriuka lead all rushers with 64 yards and one TD. Defensively the Jackets were lead by Zach Cicero with eight total tackles.
Both teams traded four turnovers in a mostly poorly played second half. Hobart managed over 200 yards of offense in the first, but gained just over 60 in the second.
With the win Hobart improved to 7-1, 5-1 in the LL. Rochester drops to 4-5, 3-3. The Statesmen's first round NCAA opponent will be announced tomorrow night at 6 PM ET on NCAA.com.
Join us on www.inthehuddlle.com tomorrow when we speak to Coach Cragg and the NCAA tournament chair. We're on the air at 7:30 PM ET.
Hobart would respond and drive to the Rochester 15 yard line but rather than attempt a field goal went for it fourth and seven. The Nick Strang pass was deflected but Rochester couldn't capitalize as the Statesmen defense held the Jackets to a three and out. Hobart would go for it on fourth down on their ensuing drive and was able to convert on a Webb four yard rush. Webb would cap the drive with a one yard burst and the Stephen Bruening point after was good and it was tied up 7-7 with 13:21 to play in the first half.
Rochester forced a Hobart punt but SO WR Yosh Karbowniczak booted the ball to Yellow Jacket 8 yd line. The Statesmen D held again and Strang would find FY WR Elvin Souffrant (who had a heck of a game punting seven times, three inside the 20, in relief of Karbowniczak) on a 33 yard TD strike, his first collegiate TD, to push the Hobart lead to 14-7 with 7:24 to play in the second quarter.
SR CB and Co-Captain Drake Woodard would intercept SO QB Dean Kennedy to give the Statesmen a potential red zone opportunity with 3:43 to play in the half, but Strang would be picked off himself thwarting the Statesmen's chance to take a two touchdown lead.
The Yellow Jackets would drive down the field and catch a break on a fourth and four when the officials caught Hobart with 12 men on the field. Alex Antonucci's 42 yard attempt was blocked but yet another Statesmen penalty gave Antonucci a second chance from 37 yards. The kick was good and Rochester pulled within 4 which would hold as a 14-10 Hobart lead at the half.
The start of the second half saw both teams exchange turnovers but the Statesmen would ultimately catch a break when running back Byron Saggese fumbled out of the end zone to give Hobart a safety and a 16-10 lead.
JR QB Kelly Olney would spell a struggling Strang [who I discovered on an 11/13 interview with Coach Cragg he was pulled due to a concussion] but neither offense could get much traction in the second half. In the final stanza the defenses continued to dominate the game and the teams traded field position but once again it would be the Hobart defense that made the play of the game. SO CB Kevin Hearon picked off Subick and returned it 36 yards for a TD that all but sealed the victory for Hobart. After successfully killing the clock to hold off the Jackets, the Statesmen claimed their seventh LL title (shared with Union) and a NCAA Pool A bid after closing out a hard fought 24-10 win.
Hobart was lead by SR LB Reggie Robinson with a game high 12 and a half total tackles and one forced fumble. Woodard added six tackles to his two INTs and Coleman had a game high three sacks.
Offensively Hobart was lead by Strang with 155 passing yards, one TD and two INTs.
Rochester was lead by Subick with 116 passing yards and two INTs. Onyiriuka lead all rushers with 64 yards and one TD. Defensively the Jackets were lead by Zach Cicero with eight total tackles.
Both teams traded four turnovers in a mostly poorly played second half. Hobart managed over 200 yards of offense in the first, but gained just over 60 in the second.
With the win Hobart improved to 7-1, 5-1 in the LL. Rochester drops to 4-5, 3-3. The Statesmen's first round NCAA opponent will be announced tomorrow night at 6 PM ET on NCAA.com.
Join us on www.inthehuddlle.com tomorrow when we speak to Coach Cragg and the NCAA tournament chair. We're on the air at 7:30 PM ET.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Hobart ranked 7th in the latest (and final pre-selection) NCAA rankings
Hobart dropped from second to seventh in the NCAA's eastern regional playoff rankings. The list as it stands now is:
1 Delaware Valley 9-0 (can clinch the MAC title with a win vs. #5 Widener Saturday)
2 Salisbury 8-1 (already clinched the Empire 8 title)
3 Montclair State 8-1 (can clinch the NJAC title with a win over #4 Kean Saturday)
4 Kean 8-1 (see above)
5 Widener 8-1 (see above)
6 Western New England 9-1 (can clinch NEFC title with a win over Framingham State Saturday)
7 Hobart 6-1 (can clinch LL title with a win over Rochester Saturday)
8 Endicott 9-1 (has to hope for a Pool C bid)
9 St. John Fisher 7-2 ( has to win final game and hope for a Pool C bid)
10 SUNY-Maritime 7-2 (has to hope for an ECAC bid)
Norwich of the ECFC has clinched an automatic bid but is not ranked. Mount Union is ranked #1 in the north region but it's highly doubtful a 10-0 Del Val team would merit a #1 seed so I expect to see the #2 (in the country) Raiders to be at the top of this bracket come Sunday for yet another season.
1 Delaware Valley 9-0 (can clinch the MAC title with a win vs. #5 Widener Saturday)
2 Salisbury 8-1 (already clinched the Empire 8 title)
3 Montclair State 8-1 (can clinch the NJAC title with a win over #4 Kean Saturday)
4 Kean 8-1 (see above)
5 Widener 8-1 (see above)
6 Western New England 9-1 (can clinch NEFC title with a win over Framingham State Saturday)
7 Hobart 6-1 (can clinch LL title with a win over Rochester Saturday)
8 Endicott 9-1 (has to hope for a Pool C bid)
9 St. John Fisher 7-2 ( has to win final game and hope for a Pool C bid)
10 SUNY-Maritime 7-2 (has to hope for an ECAC bid)
Norwich of the ECFC has clinched an automatic bid but is not ranked. Mount Union is ranked #1 in the north region but it's highly doubtful a 10-0 Del Val team would merit a #1 seed so I expect to see the #2 (in the country) Raiders to be at the top of this bracket come Sunday for yet another season.
Hobart files for ECAC North Bracket
Now while I hope Hobart takes care of business Saturday at Rochester, in the event they fall short (they won't but, you know, just in the "worse case scenario"), the Statesmen would be eligible to play in one of the three (or four) ECAC "North Bowl Games" on the weekend of November 19th.
The current teams that have filed for a selection are as follows:
Team / Record
*Endicott 9-1 (could be considered for a NCAA Pool C bid but unlikely given SOS and other factors)
*Hobart 6-1 (goes to NCAA on LL Pool A bid if they beat Rochester Satuday)
Worcester State 8-2
Bridgewater State 7-2
Cortland State 7-2
St. John Fisher 7-2
Salve Regina 7-3
Alfred 6-3
Springfield 6-3
Mass-Maritime 5-4
Mount Ida 5-4
Utica 5-4
Curry 5-5
RPI 4-4
Of course I hope to be writing about the Hobart win at Rochester come Saturday and awaiting the seeding selection for the Statesmen in the NCAA tournament Sunday night (my guess is they get seeded fifth and travel to NJ play the winner of this weekend's Kean - Montclair game in the first round), but wanted you to know there is still post-season potential regardless of the NCAA.
Counting down to Saturday. Go 'Bart!
The current teams that have filed for a selection are as follows:
Team / Record
*Endicott 9-1 (could be considered for a NCAA Pool C bid but unlikely given SOS and other factors)
*Hobart 6-1 (goes to NCAA on LL Pool A bid if they beat Rochester Satuday)
Worcester State 8-2
Bridgewater State 7-2
Cortland State 7-2
St. John Fisher 7-2
Salve Regina 7-3
Alfred 6-3
Springfield 6-3
Mass-Maritime 5-4
Mount Ida 5-4
Utica 5-4
Curry 5-5
RPI 4-4
Of course I hope to be writing about the Hobart win at Rochester come Saturday and awaiting the seeding selection for the Statesmen in the NCAA tournament Sunday night (my guess is they get seeded fifth and travel to NJ play the winner of this weekend's Kean - Montclair game in the first round), but wanted you to know there is still post-season potential regardless of the NCAA.
Counting down to Saturday. Go 'Bart!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Centennial Cup / Rochester Game Preview (aka LL title game, take 2)
The Hobart Statesmen (6-1, 4-1) will look to salvage clinching a share of the Liberty League championship and the accompanying NCAA tournament bid this Saturday when they face their oldest rival, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets (4-4, 3-2). This game will be the 104th meeting of the two squads, and Hobart will look to regain the Centennial Cup which Rochester took home after defeating the Statesmen 36-35 in 2OT last season in Geneva. The all-time series is deadlocked at 48-48-7 and dates all the back to the 1892 season. For the Yellow Jackets this game will be on Senior Day and a win would give Rochester their first winning season since 2007.
The Yellow Jackets have had an up and down, injury-riddled season, but have won three of their last four games, including nearly defeating Alfred (6-3) on the last play of the game after being down 21-0 in the first half. The status of SR QB Braezen Subick (ranked third in the LL in passing efficiency and having thrown for 1298 yards, 10 TDs compared to seven INT) and SR RB Clarence Onyiriuka (fourth in the conference averaging 80.2 rush YPG and six rushing TDs) is still uncertain, but Rochester has found some strong contributors in their absence. SO QB Dean Kennedy has stepped in and played well against Alfred and Saint Lawrence (2-6, 1-4) passing for 371 yards and rushing for 102 yards with two passing TDs and three INTs. SR RB Chris Lebano and SR FB Joe Cicero have tallied 191 yards and two TDs in relief of Onyiriuka. Rochester’s top receiving threats are SO WR Garrett Kesel (330 yards and one TD), JR WR Thomas Hayes (482 yards and three TDs) and SR TE Thomas Norman (327 yards and two TDs but likely unavailable due to injury).
Defensively the Yellow Jackets are lead by SO OLB Tony Ortega who leads the LL in tackles per game (11.6 per game average). SO OLB Zach Cicero is fifth with 8.2 tackles per game. SR DE Chris Bickford has six sacks. Overall Rochester is the third ranked scoring defense (25.2 PPG allowed) and second in the LL against the run (118.8 YPG allowed).
On special teams the Jackets have one of the best kickers in the conference with JR Alex Antonucci going a perfect seven for seven (long of 42 yards) on FGs.
Keys to the game:
1. Better balance – Although Hobart will likely run into some challenges rushing the ball against the Yellow Jacket defense, I really felt like Coach DeWall’s over reliance on the pass (15 passes vs. five runs in the fourth quarter) cost the Statesmen the RPI game. Rochester has a strong outside rush, so look for Hobart to test the interior with dives and/or bubble screens to open up their offense. Last season both teams had nearly identical total yardage (328 for UofR compared to 322 for Hobart) and it was 2:1 passing to running which this game has the potential to be as well.
2. Third down and red zone conversions – Hobart led the LL in third down conversions, red zone offense and defense for most of the season (and still do save for red zone offense after Saturday) but only converted six of 13 third downs, went three of six in the red zone on offense and allowed TDs on all three of RPI’s red zone chances on Saturday. Rochester is the second ranked red zone offense, converting 85.7% of their chances (24 of 28) scoring 17 TDs and seven FGs. They also happen to be the second rated red zone defense, allowing 20 scores on 26 tries, including 15 TDs and stopping four of the nine FG attempts tried (which obviously was another huge factor in Hobart not being able to beat RPI).
3. Special teams / fourth down – The kicking game (two “blocked” kicks, neither of which had an upward trajectory) really cost the Statesmen last Saturday and so it may be incumbent on the offense to complete drives or go for it on fourth down. Hobart is seven for 15 (42.7%) on the season, including going one of three vs. RPI last Saturday.
Prediction:
Last Saturday’s result notwithstanding this team has better overall talent than many, if not all, of Hobart’s NCAA playoff teams from the last decade. That said I expect the team to rebound and clinch the NCAA bid (and guessing a fifth seed in the bracket, more on that later), but in a higher scoring affair in spite of the defensive strengths of both teams, Saturday in Rochester 33-30.
The Yellow Jackets have had an up and down, injury-riddled season, but have won three of their last four games, including nearly defeating Alfred (6-3) on the last play of the game after being down 21-0 in the first half. The status of SR QB Braezen Subick (ranked third in the LL in passing efficiency and having thrown for 1298 yards, 10 TDs compared to seven INT) and SR RB Clarence Onyiriuka (fourth in the conference averaging 80.2 rush YPG and six rushing TDs) is still uncertain, but Rochester has found some strong contributors in their absence. SO QB Dean Kennedy has stepped in and played well against Alfred and Saint Lawrence (2-6, 1-4) passing for 371 yards and rushing for 102 yards with two passing TDs and three INTs. SR RB Chris Lebano and SR FB Joe Cicero have tallied 191 yards and two TDs in relief of Onyiriuka. Rochester’s top receiving threats are SO WR Garrett Kesel (330 yards and one TD), JR WR Thomas Hayes (482 yards and three TDs) and SR TE Thomas Norman (327 yards and two TDs but likely unavailable due to injury).
Defensively the Yellow Jackets are lead by SO OLB Tony Ortega who leads the LL in tackles per game (11.6 per game average). SO OLB Zach Cicero is fifth with 8.2 tackles per game. SR DE Chris Bickford has six sacks. Overall Rochester is the third ranked scoring defense (25.2 PPG allowed) and second in the LL against the run (118.8 YPG allowed).
On special teams the Jackets have one of the best kickers in the conference with JR Alex Antonucci going a perfect seven for seven (long of 42 yards) on FGs.
Keys to the game:
1. Better balance – Although Hobart will likely run into some challenges rushing the ball against the Yellow Jacket defense, I really felt like Coach DeWall’s over reliance on the pass (15 passes vs. five runs in the fourth quarter) cost the Statesmen the RPI game. Rochester has a strong outside rush, so look for Hobart to test the interior with dives and/or bubble screens to open up their offense. Last season both teams had nearly identical total yardage (328 for UofR compared to 322 for Hobart) and it was 2:1 passing to running which this game has the potential to be as well.
2. Third down and red zone conversions – Hobart led the LL in third down conversions, red zone offense and defense for most of the season (and still do save for red zone offense after Saturday) but only converted six of 13 third downs, went three of six in the red zone on offense and allowed TDs on all three of RPI’s red zone chances on Saturday. Rochester is the second ranked red zone offense, converting 85.7% of their chances (24 of 28) scoring 17 TDs and seven FGs. They also happen to be the second rated red zone defense, allowing 20 scores on 26 tries, including 15 TDs and stopping four of the nine FG attempts tried (which obviously was another huge factor in Hobart not being able to beat RPI).
3. Special teams / fourth down – The kicking game (two “blocked” kicks, neither of which had an upward trajectory) really cost the Statesmen last Saturday and so it may be incumbent on the offense to complete drives or go for it on fourth down. Hobart is seven for 15 (42.7%) on the season, including going one of three vs. RPI last Saturday.
Prediction:
Last Saturday’s result notwithstanding this team has better overall talent than many, if not all, of Hobart’s NCAA playoff teams from the last decade. That said I expect the team to rebound and clinch the NCAA bid (and guessing a fifth seed in the bracket, more on that later), but in a higher scoring affair in spite of the defensive strengths of both teams, Saturday in Rochester 33-30.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Hobart blows 21 point lead, come up short on Senior Day to RPI, 29-28
The #24 Hobart Statesmen hosted the RPI Engineers on Senior Day at Boswell Field. Early on it looked like the Statesmen would be on their way to their first Liberty League championship since 2008 when JR RB Bobby Dougherty gave Hobart an early lead. He found the end zone from one yard out, capping a 13 play, 79 yard drive with 6:09 to play in the first quarter.
The Statesmen extended their lead to 21-0 behind two touchdown passes from JR QB Nick Strang to JR TE Brent Matazinsky for 19 yards and SR WR Garth Muratori from six yards. The Muratori touchdown was the 17th in his career - tying him for fifth all time for receiving touchdowns at Hobart.
Although the Statesmen were up 21 points, JR QB Mike Hermann and the RPI Engineers managed to connect on a 46 yard touchdown pass to WR Steven Burpoe to pull within 14 with 6:59 to play in the half after the Andrew Franks point after was good.
Hobart would strike back as well after SO RB Steven Webb broke a 25 yard run for a touchdown to post the Statesmen to a 28-7 advantage. Hermann would waste little time, finding Mike Blais open for a 62 yard touchdown and driving RPI to connect on a 21 yard field goal to bring the Engineers within 11 points as RPI would trail 28-17 at the half.
The second half would prove to be all RPI as the Statesmen racked up first downs and yardage but were otherwise shut out on offense. Hermann would be the catalyst behind a one yard pass to Matt Wood and rush to score from 10 yards out in the fourth quarter to push the Engineers to a 29-28 advantage.
Although Hobart would threaten to take the lead, the RPI defense stood firm, blocking a short Stephen Bruening field goal and forcing the Statesmen to turn it over on downs before taking the victory formation and clinching a hard fought 29-28 upset victory.
Hermann lead the Engineers with 306 of RPI's 342 yards including three passing and one rushing touchdowns. Hermann's favorite target was Burpoe who hauled in five receptions for 71 yards and a score. Defensively the Engineers were lead by Ted Abriel with 10 total tackles.
Hobart outgained RPI by 131 yards and had twice as many first downs (30 to their 15) as the Engineers, but came up short when it mattered most. The Statesmen were lead by Strang with 271 yards passing and two touchdowns. Senior linebacker Reggie Robinson had a game high 11 total tackles and two tackles for a loss.
With the win RPI improves to .500 with a 4-4 overall record and 3-2 in the league. Hobart drops to 6-1, 4-1 in the league and will need to defeat Rochester next weekend on the road to clinch the league championship and accompanying NCAA automatic bid.
The Statesmen extended their lead to 21-0 behind two touchdown passes from JR QB Nick Strang to JR TE Brent Matazinsky for 19 yards and SR WR Garth Muratori from six yards. The Muratori touchdown was the 17th in his career - tying him for fifth all time for receiving touchdowns at Hobart.
Although the Statesmen were up 21 points, JR QB Mike Hermann and the RPI Engineers managed to connect on a 46 yard touchdown pass to WR Steven Burpoe to pull within 14 with 6:59 to play in the half after the Andrew Franks point after was good.
Hobart would strike back as well after SO RB Steven Webb broke a 25 yard run for a touchdown to post the Statesmen to a 28-7 advantage. Hermann would waste little time, finding Mike Blais open for a 62 yard touchdown and driving RPI to connect on a 21 yard field goal to bring the Engineers within 11 points as RPI would trail 28-17 at the half.
The second half would prove to be all RPI as the Statesmen racked up first downs and yardage but were otherwise shut out on offense. Hermann would be the catalyst behind a one yard pass to Matt Wood and rush to score from 10 yards out in the fourth quarter to push the Engineers to a 29-28 advantage.
Although Hobart would threaten to take the lead, the RPI defense stood firm, blocking a short Stephen Bruening field goal and forcing the Statesmen to turn it over on downs before taking the victory formation and clinching a hard fought 29-28 upset victory.
Hermann lead the Engineers with 306 of RPI's 342 yards including three passing and one rushing touchdowns. Hermann's favorite target was Burpoe who hauled in five receptions for 71 yards and a score. Defensively the Engineers were lead by Ted Abriel with 10 total tackles.
Hobart outgained RPI by 131 yards and had twice as many first downs (30 to their 15) as the Engineers, but came up short when it mattered most. The Statesmen were lead by Strang with 271 yards passing and two touchdowns. Senior linebacker Reggie Robinson had a game high 11 total tackles and two tackles for a loss.
With the win RPI improves to .500 with a 4-4 overall record and 3-2 in the league. Hobart drops to 6-1, 4-1 in the league and will need to defeat Rochester next weekend on the road to clinch the league championship and accompanying NCAA automatic bid.
#24 Hobart sees 21 point lead disappear against RPI to lose first game, 29-28
Hobart (6-1, 4-1) dropped their first game of the season to RPI (4-4, 3-2). Hard to figure this one out. Perhaps RPI caught the Statesmen looking ahead? The good news is Hobart can still win the Liberty League with a victory at Rochester next Saturday (or pending the outcome of today's Union-MMA game).
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Can Hobart go 8-0 (and does it really matter)?
You won’t get an answer from Coach Cragg or the rest of coaching staff on this one. Their focus is, and should be, on beating the RPI Engineers this Saturday. However, after an impressive 6-0 run and only two games left, this is a question on the minds of many Statesmen alumni, fans and others who follow Division III football.
Since I was a little curious, I did some research. What I found out was that Hobart Football has only been 8-0 once in their 118 year history. You have to go all the way back to 1954 to find the only team that accomplished this feat, winning eight straight games and finishing a perfect 8-0. Overall there have been only five undefeated Hobart teams – 1891 (the inaugural and very short 2-0 season), 1896 (9-0-3), 1915 (5-0-1) and 1957 (6-0) being the others – all-time, so the 2011 squad has a rare opportunity to join a very exclusive fraternity if they finish 8-0.
Although eight wins in a row hasn't happened in 57 years, the last time the Statesmen won seven in a row wasn’t that long ago. It was 2006 in fact when a seven game Hobart win streak was broken by rival Union College, 31-14. You have to go back just two years earlier to the last time Hobart won seven in a row to go undefeated in the Liberty League (LL) en route to a 9-2 overall finish, tying the program record for wins in a season (the team also had 9 overall wins in 2005 and 2008), advancing to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
Given the current NCAA football tournament format, not to mention a handful of programs that have dominated Division III football (and should move up to DII or FCS) for the past 10-15 years, it’s likely that this run will eventually come to an end at some point (perhaps in a place called Alliance, but I digress).
Regardless of the historic implications cited above, the Statesmen actually don’t even need to go undefeated to win the league and go to the NCAA playoffs (i.e., a 7-1 record would effectively clinch the NCAA automatic bid based on LL tiebreaker rules). That said, it begs the question should ending the year 8-0 even be a priority for Hobart? Why not rest some starters, get healthy, etc before finding out who the first round NCAA opponent will be?
I can't speak for the Coaches or the team but I hope they shoot for 8-0. The company it would place this team in, not to mention making good on the end of the 2010 season, (when Hobart lost to RPI on a last second FG and to Rochester in 2OT when a two point conversion pass fell incomplete) and going into the playoffs on an eight game win streak (and receiving potentially as high as a number two or three seed in their bracket) should be motivation enough to accomplish the same in my opinion.
Can they do it? Time will tell. The final march to perfection (and history) starts this Saturday, November 5.
More on the RPI game later this week. Go 'Bart!
Since I was a little curious, I did some research. What I found out was that Hobart Football has only been 8-0 once in their 118 year history. You have to go all the way back to 1954 to find the only team that accomplished this feat, winning eight straight games and finishing a perfect 8-0. Overall there have been only five undefeated Hobart teams – 1891 (the inaugural and very short 2-0 season), 1896 (9-0-3), 1915 (5-0-1) and 1957 (6-0) being the others – all-time, so the 2011 squad has a rare opportunity to join a very exclusive fraternity if they finish 8-0.
Although eight wins in a row hasn't happened in 57 years, the last time the Statesmen won seven in a row wasn’t that long ago. It was 2006 in fact when a seven game Hobart win streak was broken by rival Union College, 31-14. You have to go back just two years earlier to the last time Hobart won seven in a row to go undefeated in the Liberty League (LL) en route to a 9-2 overall finish, tying the program record for wins in a season (the team also had 9 overall wins in 2005 and 2008), advancing to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
Given the current NCAA football tournament format, not to mention a handful of programs that have dominated Division III football (and should move up to DII or FCS) for the past 10-15 years, it’s likely that this run will eventually come to an end at some point (perhaps in a place called Alliance, but I digress).
Regardless of the historic implications cited above, the Statesmen actually don’t even need to go undefeated to win the league and go to the NCAA playoffs (i.e., a 7-1 record would effectively clinch the NCAA automatic bid based on LL tiebreaker rules). That said, it begs the question should ending the year 8-0 even be a priority for Hobart? Why not rest some starters, get healthy, etc before finding out who the first round NCAA opponent will be?
I can't speak for the Coaches or the team but I hope they shoot for 8-0. The company it would place this team in, not to mention making good on the end of the 2010 season, (when Hobart lost to RPI on a last second FG and to Rochester in 2OT when a two point conversion pass fell incomplete) and going into the playoffs on an eight game win streak (and receiving potentially as high as a number two or three seed in their bracket) should be motivation enough to accomplish the same in my opinion.
Can they do it? Time will tell. The final march to perfection (and history) starts this Saturday, November 5.
More on the RPI game later this week. Go 'Bart!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
#24 Hobart ranked #2 in the NCAA initial regional rankings
The #24 Hobart Statesmen could be the #2 seed in the D3 football tournament in a "East (until a #1 seed is named) Bracket". Of course this just an initial ranking and could change pending how teams fare in the next two weeks.
Check back tomorrow for a discussion regarding Hobart's potential of going undefeated for only the second time in program history...
That's it for now. Go 'Bart!
Check back tomorrow for a discussion regarding Hobart's potential of going undefeated for only the second time in program history...
That's it for now. Go 'Bart!
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