The Hobart College Statesmen (10-0) will host a familiar foe in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament this Saturday at Boswell Field. The Saint John Fisher College Cardinals (SJFC) will make the short trip from Rochester, NY down the NYS Thruway to Geneva. The Cardinals (9-2) upset the ninth ranked John Carroll University Blue Streaks (9-2) in Cleveland, OH last weekend thanks to causing six turnovers, including four interceptions (INTs), to earn a 25-16 first round upset on a cold and snowy day.
Hobart defeated the Cardinals soundly, 56-20, back in the 2011 season but SJFC won the last time they faced off at the “Boz” spoiling the 2010 Homecoming game I attended in person, 34-14. The Cardinals and Statesmen last met in the NCAA playoffs back in 2007, which was a convincing 24-7 win by Fisher.
Scouting the Cardinals:
This season the Cardinals are scoring 32.7 PPG while allowing 20.4 PPG on defense. Their offense is weighted towards the pass, having gained 2,912 yards this season via the air. SJFC averages 412.6 YPG on offense and have scored exactly 23 rushing and passing TDs each.
Leading the Fisher offense is SR QB Tyler Fenti. A dual threat, he’s gone 204 of 311 (~66% completion rate) for 2,560 yards and 21 passing TDs compared to eight INTs. Fenti has added 370 rushing yards and five TDs on the ground as well. SR RB Cody Miller
is the Cardinals’ feature back and he has gained 1,006 yards on the season, scoring 15 rushing TDs. Fenti’s top targets are SR WR Kevin Francis (54 receptions for 851 yards and 8 TDs) and JR WR Nathan Nigolian (50 catches for 738 yards and seven TDs).
The SJFC defense is led by a talented LB corp, headed by JR LB Sean Preish with a team high 110 tackles including 14 TFL, seven sacks and an INT. SR LB Mike Donitzen has 64 tackles, 11 TFL, three sacks and two INTs. SR DB Mike Guinta has added 57 tackles, three TFL and a team high six INTs.
The Cardinals special teams unit is led by SR PK Brendan Carey. Carey has converted four of eight FGs with a long of 39 yards. JR WR / P Ryan Sweet handles punting duties and has kicked 41 punts for a 38.3 YPP average.
Keys to the game:
1. Time of Possession – In both of Fisher’s losses this season, the Cardinals only held the ball for 25 and 22 minutes, respectively. Effectively the best defense for the SJFC offense is to keep them on the sidelines. Hobart can take a page from the Salisbury (6-4) game where the Gulls racked up an amazing 451 rushing yards en route to a 42-35 win that wasn't as close as that final score appears. A heavy dose of running plays can wear down the Cardinals “D” and avoid TFL and/or sacks and INTs which are their bread and butter. SJFC has racked up 33 sacks on defense this season (three per game on average) and they will bring a great deal of pressure.
2. Win the Second and Fourth Quarters – Going into halftime with momentum will be critical in this game. Fisher has outscored opponents 145-40 in this frame during the season. Likewise, the Cardinals have been strong closers, outscoring their opposition 107-59 in the fourth. If the Statesmen can set the tone of the game in the first and third quarters, and force the Cardinals to play from behind, Hobart has a good chance to win and advance to the Quarterfinals.
3. Play Smart - These programs have arguably two of the best in the East Region for about a decade. Given the profile and proximity of the schools there's a natural local rivalry. Fisher can be chippy at times and were called for several (11 for -111 yards in) penalties in their game against JCU. Hobart has seen this with other opponents and will have to avoid any extra cirricular activity after the whistle. The Cardinals are an experienced team, so they'll pick their spots and take calculated risks. I don't see much rattling them, so Hobart will need to be equally firm in this game.
4. Forget Total Yardage, Focus on the Final Score - It's possible Fisher may out-gain the Statesmen. Their passing offense is very strong and will likely eat up a lot of yardage on Saturday, especially given the size and speed of their WRs. Ithaca and Salisbury had success in limiting the Cardinals running game, forcing Fisher to beat them with the pass. In the game against Ithaca (9-2), that lead to two Cardinal INTs.
5. Red Zone Defense - Points will be at a premium in this contest so any trips to the red zone that don't produce a TD are wins for the defense. Against Ithaca, for example, Fisher went three of five in the red zone (60%) and ended up losing that game by three points (25-22).
Prediction:
The weather for Saturday is a high of 32, mostly cloudy with 0% chance of rain/snow, and light wind 8 mph. This forecast is actually pretty nice for Upstate NY in late November. I don't suspect the conditions to really affect the game that much and look for Hobart to try and establish their running game while taking a few shots downfield when the right matchups present themselves, like they have all season.
The Cardinals defense is aggressive so the Statesmen OL will need to do their best to open up running lanes and give JR QB Patrick Conlan or Kyle Bayly time in the pocket. Conlan should be able to play, but either way, I see Hobart sticking to what got them this far - a strong rushing attack, tough defense and opportunistic special teams.
This will be the toughest opponent the Statesmen will have faced to date, but Fisher has some chinks in their armor. To their credit, they've played a tougher schedule and beaten better teams than Hobart has this season. Still, the IC and SU losses point to their weaknesses and that will help the Statesmen coaching staff with their game plans.
I'll take Hobart to eke out a hard fought 32-21 victory Saturday that won't be decided until the fourth quarter - something that hasn't happened all year.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Hobart Beats Bison, 34-7, & Lots of Other Headlines....
The eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champions, the Gallaudet University Bison at Boswell Field in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament.
The Bison, being the only University in the country that specifically serves deaf and hard of hearing students, had a mountain of press this week including a feature on ESPN. The attention is well deserved, especially given their first ever run to the NCAA tournament.
The Statesmen however have been there and done that and were ready to show it. After a defensive stop, Hobart would score on it's initial offensive possession. A 14 play drive that featured a balanced attack of passes and runs ended with a two yard SR RB Steven Webb TD with 6:26 to go in the first quarter.
After both teams turned the ball over on downs, Gallaudet looked to make something happen with their first possession of the second quarter. JR DE Tyre Coleman had other plans, causing a fumble which was scooped up by SR OLB Devin Worthington and returned 48 yards for the score. Tonight at 7:30 PM ET we'll have Devin on In The HuddLLe (www.inthehuddlle.com). Tune in or catch the interview on our podcast.
Although the point after failed, Hobart enjoyed an early 13-0 advantage. Bison Head Coach Chuck Goldstein decided to try another fourth down conversion, but SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde snuffed out the play. Three Webb runs later and he had his second TD, pushing Statesmen's lead to 20-0 after the FY PK Sean Kirsche kick was good.
You could say everything was going the Statesmen's way, which was true, until a fateful tackle behind the line of scrimmage hobbled JR QB Patrick Conlan. Conlan had to be carried off the field and was unable to put any weight on his injured leg. JR QB Kyle Bayly came in and led the offense to another score, a one yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz TD pass to push Hobart's lead to 27-0 just before halftime. We probably won't know Conlan's status until Saturday's game.
The offensive fireworks would resume on the first play of the third quarter. Webb took the first hand off from scrimmage and streaked 58 yards to the end zone for this third, and 20th rushing, TD. The latter broke a long standing Statesmen record (hopefully someone in Geneva has nominated Webb for the Gagliardi Trophy by now).
Up 34-0 Head Coach Mike Cragg emptied the benches and although the reserves did allow a one yard BJ Flores TD, they held the Bison out of the end zone as time expired for a 34-7 victory.
Webb led Hobart with 161 rushing yards and three scores. The defense was led by Coleman with a game high 10 tackles and three and a half for a loss.
Flores led all rushers with 176 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half. Three Bison defenders tallied nine stops a piece.
The loss drops Gallaudet to 9-2 and ends what was otherwise a remarkable and historic season. The win improves Hobart to 10-0 overall and the Statesmen will host 9-2 Saint John Fisher College, who upset OAC runner up John Carroll University 25-16, in the Second Round of the NCAAs next Saturday in Geneva. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Bison, being the only University in the country that specifically serves deaf and hard of hearing students, had a mountain of press this week including a feature on ESPN. The attention is well deserved, especially given their first ever run to the NCAA tournament.
The Statesmen however have been there and done that and were ready to show it. After a defensive stop, Hobart would score on it's initial offensive possession. A 14 play drive that featured a balanced attack of passes and runs ended with a two yard SR RB Steven Webb TD with 6:26 to go in the first quarter.
After both teams turned the ball over on downs, Gallaudet looked to make something happen with their first possession of the second quarter. JR DE Tyre Coleman had other plans, causing a fumble which was scooped up by SR OLB Devin Worthington and returned 48 yards for the score. Tonight at 7:30 PM ET we'll have Devin on In The HuddLLe (www.inthehuddlle.com). Tune in or catch the interview on our podcast.
Although the point after failed, Hobart enjoyed an early 13-0 advantage. Bison Head Coach Chuck Goldstein decided to try another fourth down conversion, but SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde snuffed out the play. Three Webb runs later and he had his second TD, pushing Statesmen's lead to 20-0 after the FY PK Sean Kirsche kick was good.
You could say everything was going the Statesmen's way, which was true, until a fateful tackle behind the line of scrimmage hobbled JR QB Patrick Conlan. Conlan had to be carried off the field and was unable to put any weight on his injured leg. JR QB Kyle Bayly came in and led the offense to another score, a one yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz TD pass to push Hobart's lead to 27-0 just before halftime. We probably won't know Conlan's status until Saturday's game.
The offensive fireworks would resume on the first play of the third quarter. Webb took the first hand off from scrimmage and streaked 58 yards to the end zone for this third, and 20th rushing, TD. The latter broke a long standing Statesmen record (hopefully someone in Geneva has nominated Webb for the Gagliardi Trophy by now).
Up 34-0 Head Coach Mike Cragg emptied the benches and although the reserves did allow a one yard BJ Flores TD, they held the Bison out of the end zone as time expired for a 34-7 victory.
Webb led Hobart with 161 rushing yards and three scores. The defense was led by Coleman with a game high 10 tackles and three and a half for a loss.
Flores led all rushers with 176 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half. Three Bison defenders tallied nine stops a piece.
The loss drops Gallaudet to 9-2 and ends what was otherwise a remarkable and historic season. The win improves Hobart to 10-0 overall and the Statesmen will host 9-2 Saint John Fisher College, who upset OAC runner up John Carroll University 25-16, in the Second Round of the NCAAs next Saturday in Geneva. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
NCAA RD 1 Gallaudet Game Preview
It’s playoff time and for the third year in a row, the Hobart College Statesmen have made it into the field of 32 teams vying for the National Championship. Based on Sunday night’s NCAA Selections, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) landed the second seed in the bracket headed by third ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor (10-0, 6-0). UMHB is a rising powerhouse program out of Belton, TX (about an hour away from Austin). In order to punch a ticket to Belton, Hobart needs first to defeat the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champion Gallaudet University Bison.
Gallaudet (GU), out of Washington, DC, is another triple option team but is unique to collegiate sports in that GU is a school for the deaf / hard of hearing. The Bison (9-1, 6-1) came up short in their bid to have an undefeated season after losing 7-6 to ECFC rival SUNY-Maritime (5-5, 5-2). Although GU did defeat the University of Rochester (5-4, 3-3) by a similar margin (three TDs) of victory as the Statesmen, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) is considered a heavy favorite in this game.
Scouting the Bison:
GU averages 366.5 YPG with 316.7 YPG rushing given their triple option offense. The Bison has averages 27.8 PPG. The key players for GU on offense include SO QB Todd Bonheyo who leads the Bison with 387 passing yards, two passing TDs to go with five INTs. Bonheyo has rushed for 583 yards and seven scores. Bonheyo was knocked out of the game in the second to final series against SUNY-Maritime (which was the primary reason the Bison went for two and the win), so it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to suit up vs. the Statesmen or not. If he can’t go, either FY QB Chris Papacek or SO QB Quentin Williams will get the start.
The Bison feature a trio of rushers including SO FB BJ Flores (1051 rushing yards and four TDs), SR RB Ryan Bonheyo (Todd’s older brother who’s rushed for 497 rushing yards and nine TDs and 152 receiving yards with two TD catches) and SO RB Braxton Baker (241 rushing yards and six TDs).
Defensively GU has allowed 260.5 YPG and is tough against the run only allowing 100.5 rush YPG. Their points allowed are a respectable 14.8 PPG. The Bison are led on defense by a pair of JR LB’s including Gregg McConville and Jaris Alleyne. This duo has tallied 85 tackles, three sacks, 11.5 TFL and 84 tackles, three sacks, eight and a half TFL, respectively.
The GU special teams unit is led by SO PK Chase Magsig who’s connected on five of eight FGs, including a long of 38 yards. Magsig has converted 31 of 35 PATs and is also the punter, averaging 33.9 YPP with a long of 66 yards.
Keys to the Game:
- Early and Often – Hobart’s had a couple of weeks of slow starts on offense. Against Saint Lawrence (7-3, 5-2) the Statesmen’s first TD came at 3:23 to go in the first quarter. Against Rochester it took even longer, at 13:52 to go in the second quarter. I’d like to see the Statesmen put the Bison on their heels early in the game as triple option offenses aren't that effective playing from behind.
- Third Down – A key in their loss to SUNY-Maritime last weekend were the Bison’s struggles converting on third down. The Privateer defense only allowed five out of 14 conversions and kept GU under 200 yards rushing. Hobart’s rushing defense is considerably better, and given their familiarity defending against the option, should be able to pin down the Bison.
- Wet and Wild – The forecast for Saturday’s game is a high of 39 degrees and 60% chance of rain. That’s playoff weather, and the Statesmen need to avoid fumbles on offense while looking to create them on defense.
Prediction:
Occasionally first round playoff match ups feature blowouts. In spite of all the national media love shown to GU, and deservedly so, I think the Bison's Cinderella run hits midnight at noon this Saturday. Although Hobart will have its hands full in the second round, I think the Bison is a relatively easy out for the eighth ranked team in the country. I’ll take Hobart to win this game 42-14 and advance to Sweet 16.
Follow me on twitter @ITHuddLLe for score updates on Saturday and tune in Sunday night to www.inthehuddlle.com to hear about this game and the rest of the playoffs, at 7:30 PM ET.
Thanks for reading and go Bart!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
20 Statesmen and Coaches Garner All League Recognition
Yesterday the Liberty League (LL) published their annual Football awards and the eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) were well represented. A link to the release can be found here.
Coach Cragg and his staff won the Coaches' Award and SR RB Steven Webb was an unanimous selection as Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY). JR DE Tyre Coleman won a second Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award as well.
Overall, 20 players were recognized, earning 21 All LL team spots. Here they are:
First Team Offense:
RB Steven Webb
RB Dominique Ellis
OL Michael Green
OL Ali Marpet
First Team Defense:
DL Tyre Coleman
DL Mark Guarino-Hyde
LB Trayvon Toney
LB Devin Worthington
DB Fajri Jackson
First Team Specialists:
RS Troy Robinson
Second Team Offense:
WR Troy Robinson
OL DeAndre Smith
OL Alex Bush
Second Team Defense:
DL Troy Johnson
DB Jolyon Davis
Second Team Specialists:
K Sean Kirsche
Honorable Mention Offense:
TE Mike Berkowitz
QB Patrick Conlan
OL Trevor Schutte
Honorable Mention Defense:
LB Nolan Toran
Honorable Mention Specialists:
P Yosh Karbowniczak
Congratulations to all these great Statesmen!
Tomorrow I'll publish my NCAA Game Preview. Go 'Bart!
Coach Cragg and his staff won the Coaches' Award and SR RB Steven Webb was an unanimous selection as Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY). JR DE Tyre Coleman won a second Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award as well.
Overall, 20 players were recognized, earning 21 All LL team spots. Here they are:
First Team Offense:
RB Steven Webb
RB Dominique Ellis
OL Michael Green
OL Ali Marpet
First Team Defense:
DL Tyre Coleman
DL Mark Guarino-Hyde
LB Trayvon Toney
LB Devin Worthington
DB Fajri Jackson
First Team Specialists:
RS Troy Robinson
Second Team Offense:
WR Troy Robinson
OL DeAndre Smith
OL Alex Bush
Second Team Defense:
DL Troy Johnson
DB Jolyon Davis
Second Team Specialists:
K Sean Kirsche
Honorable Mention Offense:
TE Mike Berkowitz
QB Patrick Conlan
OL Trevor Schutte
Honorable Mention Defense:
LB Nolan Toran
Honorable Mention Specialists:
P Yosh Karbowniczak
Congratulations to all these great Statesmen!
Tomorrow I'll publish my NCAA Game Preview. Go 'Bart!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Hobart Out-Gained, But Still Win Big, 42-21
The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen finished their second consecutive unbeaten regular season with a hard fought 42-21 victory over their oldest rivals, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets Saturday at Fauver Stadium. It was the 106th meeting between the two programs, Hobart now owning a 51-48-7 overall lead in the series. Apparently the Statesmen and Jackets got a shout out on ESPN's College Game Day this morning given the age of this series.
The Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) needed a big second half and an opportunistic defense to put away a pesky Rochester (5-4, 3-3) team. The Yellow Jackets racked up 504 yards on 95 plays compared to Hobart's 376 on 47.
After a scoreless first quarter that featured punts and field position, the Statesmen finally got on the board thanks to JR FB Dominique Ellis scoring from 11 yards out with 13:52 to go in the second quarter.
Rochester would respond on the next drive, when SR QB Dean Kennedy slipped past several would be Hobart tacklers from six yards out to tie it up 7-7 with 8:26 to go in the half.
JR QB Patrick Conlan would air it out twice finding classmates JR WR Elvin Souffrant and John Fasano for 45 and 16 yards, respectively. Conlan would finish the drive with a 17 yard TD pass to JR TE Mike Berkowitz to give the Statesmen the 14-7 lead with 5:33 remaining in the second quarter. Although Kennedy got the Yellow Jackets into the Hobart two yard line, SR FS Jolyon Davis intercepted a last ditch effort as time expired so Hobart could hang on to a 14-7 lead at the half.
Rochester came out stinging in the third quarter however, taking a play from the Statesmen special teams book. SO OLB Chris Merenich blocked a SR WR Yosh Karbowniczak punt which was recovered by Yellow Jacket FY ILB David Wolff. The block gave Kennedy and the Rochester offense the ball at the Hobart 33 yard line. Three plays later Kennedy would find SR WR Thomas Hayes open for a 29 yard TD and tied the game 14-14 with 11:32 to go in the third quarter.
The Statesmen would blow the doors off on three big plays including a 43 yard TD run by Ellis, a pick six by Davis and a 64 yard Fasano TD catch and run to push the Hobart lead to 35-14 going into the fourth quarter. The lead expanded to 42-14 after a 48 yard SR RB Steven Webb TD run.
Although the Jackets would score another TD, a play in which SR LB Tony Ortega came in as a RB/TE, the Statesmen would win the game by a final score of 42-21.
Hobart was led by Conlan with 185 passing yards and two TDs. The combo of Ellis and Webb rushed for a combined 160 yards and three scores. Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO LB Trayvon Toney with a game high 14 tackles.
Rochester was led by Kennedy with a game high 325 passing yards and two scores (but three interceptions, SR CB Connor Garrett collected the third). The Yellow Jacket defense was led by Ortega and SR LB Zach Cicero, with nine stops a piece.
The win improves Hobart to 9-0, their second consecutive undefeated regular season. The Statesmen have now run the LL table in back to back seasons as well. Hobart will await word this Sunday night at 6pm ET when the Division III Football Championship Bracket is released by the NCAA.
We are interviewing the Committee Chair Duey Naatz on www.inthehuddlle.com at 7:55 PM ET.
Thanks for reading and go Bart!
The Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) needed a big second half and an opportunistic defense to put away a pesky Rochester (5-4, 3-3) team. The Yellow Jackets racked up 504 yards on 95 plays compared to Hobart's 376 on 47.
After a scoreless first quarter that featured punts and field position, the Statesmen finally got on the board thanks to JR FB Dominique Ellis scoring from 11 yards out with 13:52 to go in the second quarter.
Rochester would respond on the next drive, when SR QB Dean Kennedy slipped past several would be Hobart tacklers from six yards out to tie it up 7-7 with 8:26 to go in the half.
JR QB Patrick Conlan would air it out twice finding classmates JR WR Elvin Souffrant and John Fasano for 45 and 16 yards, respectively. Conlan would finish the drive with a 17 yard TD pass to JR TE Mike Berkowitz to give the Statesmen the 14-7 lead with 5:33 remaining in the second quarter. Although Kennedy got the Yellow Jackets into the Hobart two yard line, SR FS Jolyon Davis intercepted a last ditch effort as time expired so Hobart could hang on to a 14-7 lead at the half.
Rochester came out stinging in the third quarter however, taking a play from the Statesmen special teams book. SO OLB Chris Merenich blocked a SR WR Yosh Karbowniczak punt which was recovered by Yellow Jacket FY ILB David Wolff. The block gave Kennedy and the Rochester offense the ball at the Hobart 33 yard line. Three plays later Kennedy would find SR WR Thomas Hayes open for a 29 yard TD and tied the game 14-14 with 11:32 to go in the third quarter.
The Statesmen would blow the doors off on three big plays including a 43 yard TD run by Ellis, a pick six by Davis and a 64 yard Fasano TD catch and run to push the Hobart lead to 35-14 going into the fourth quarter. The lead expanded to 42-14 after a 48 yard SR RB Steven Webb TD run.
Although the Jackets would score another TD, a play in which SR LB Tony Ortega came in as a RB/TE, the Statesmen would win the game by a final score of 42-21.
Hobart was led by Conlan with 185 passing yards and two TDs. The combo of Ellis and Webb rushed for a combined 160 yards and three scores. Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO LB Trayvon Toney with a game high 14 tackles.
Rochester was led by Kennedy with a game high 325 passing yards and two scores (but three interceptions, SR CB Connor Garrett collected the third). The Yellow Jacket defense was led by Ortega and SR LB Zach Cicero, with nine stops a piece.
The win improves Hobart to 9-0, their second consecutive undefeated regular season. The Statesmen have now run the LL table in back to back seasons as well. Hobart will await word this Sunday night at 6pm ET when the Division III Football Championship Bracket is released by the NCAA.
We are interviewing the Committee Chair Duey Naatz on www.inthehuddlle.com at 7:55 PM ET.
Thanks for reading and go Bart!
UofR / Centennial Cup Game Preview
The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen locked up their third consecutive Liberty League (LL) championship last Saturday at Boswell Field. The Statesmen’s (8-0, 6-0) goal this weekend is to finish their second consecutive undefeated regular season (and only the third unbeaten regular season in last the 57 years).
Standing in Hobart’s way are their oldest rivals, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets.
Rochester (5-3, 3-2) was tripped up last weekend in a 31-21 loss to WPI (3-6, 2-3) so instead of this game being for the LL title, it’s really for pride and the Centennial Cup trophy. For the Statesmen, however, this game is more than about a trophy.
Last season the Statesmen beat Rochester in Geneva on Senior Day, 43-24, to clinch their first 10-0 regular season in team history. Although Hobart limited the Yellow Jackets to only 45 rushing yards, then JR QB Dean Kennedy passed for 220 yards and three TDs to keep Rochester (it was only 29-24 Hobart with 9:33 in the fourth quarter) in the game.
This year the Yellow Jackets bring a high octane offense and hard hitting defense to the table. Now SR QB Dean Kennedy leads the LL with 1,596 passing yards (good for basically 200 YPG) and has tossed 11 passing TDs. Kennedy is a mobile QB and is fifth in the LL with around 71 rushing YPG and five rushing TDs. This combination makes Kennedy number one in total offense with 270.2 YPG average.
Kennedy’s top targets are SR WR Thomas Hayes who leads the LL with six RPG. Hayes has caught 42 passes for 435 yards and four scores on the season. SO WR Derek Wager is another receiving threat with 29 receptions for 477 yards and five scores. RBs Myles Austin and Nick Perpignan have gained 409 and 213 rushing yards, including seven and three rushing TDs, respectively.
Rochester’s defense boasts arguably three of the best LB’s in the entire LL. SR LB Tony Ortega leads the LL with a 10.4 TPG average and leads the LL with 83 total tackles. SR LB Zach Cicero and SO LB Thomas Marone have 53 tackles a piece. JR DE J. Barrett has 50 tackles and seven sacks on the season.
SR PK Mark Torosian is a decent kicker, connecting on 16 of 20 PATs but only converting two of five FG’s. FY Mason Parmalee has a 35.2 YPP average with a long of 56 yards.
Keys to the Game:
1. Key on Kennedy – Kennedy’s passing and rushing stats clearly show he’s the key to the Rochester offense. Last week Kennedy put up a lot of yards (over 300 yards of total offense and two TDs) but he was also responsible for four turnovers (two INTs and two fumbles). Look for the Hobart defense (currently second in the LL with a +7 TOM) to try and strip the ball if and when Kennedy drops back or takes off running.
2. Run on Rochester - In spite of the excellent LB corp, the UofR defense allows a nearly LL worst 193.2 rushing YPG and 17 rushing TDs. The Jackets are last in the LL in opponent third down conversions with a 41.4% rate (53 of 128). I expect to see a lot of running plays given Rochester defends the pass well, good for second in the LL with only 135.5 YPG allowed and third in defensive pass efficiency with a 105.9 rating (51.5% opponent completions for 1084 yards and eight TDs compared to six INTs).
3. The Need for Seed – A 9-0 season will pretty much guarantee Hobart at least a number two seed and potentially two home games in the NCAA playoffs. The importance of home field can’t be understated given the Statesmen haven’t lost at the “Boz” in two years. While a loss wouldn’t knock Hobart out of the NCAA bracket (they’re in regardless thanks to the “Pool A”, i.e., automatic qualifier via winning the LL), but an 8-1 record could mean the difference between hosting first (and potentially other) round games and having to be a road team for the playoffs.
Prediction:
Rochester has certainly improved from prior seasons, but their weaknesses were exposed last week. They have lost to other strong running teams (like 9-0 Gallaudet who gained nearly 300 yards on the Jackets) and can be susceptible to turnovers. Given the above, I’ll take the Statesmen in a hard fought 37-20 win.
I hope that the game will be in hand by the third quarter and the team stays healthy throughout. I also hope you will join me Sunday night at 7:30 PM when Frank Rossi and I interview UW-Stout AD and NCAA D3 Football Tournament Chair, Duey Naatz, on the process and outcome of the 2013 NCAA D3 Football Championship Bracket.
The selection will be made public around 6 PM ET. We’ll be live on www.inthehuddlle.com 90 minutes later to discuss the bracket with Coach Cragg among other guests.
Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!
Rochester (5-3, 3-2) was tripped up last weekend in a 31-21 loss to WPI (3-6, 2-3) so instead of this game being for the LL title, it’s really for pride and the Centennial Cup trophy. For the Statesmen, however, this game is more than about a trophy.
Last season the Statesmen beat Rochester in Geneva on Senior Day, 43-24, to clinch their first 10-0 regular season in team history. Although Hobart limited the Yellow Jackets to only 45 rushing yards, then JR QB Dean Kennedy passed for 220 yards and three TDs to keep Rochester (it was only 29-24 Hobart with 9:33 in the fourth quarter) in the game.
This year the Yellow Jackets bring a high octane offense and hard hitting defense to the table. Now SR QB Dean Kennedy leads the LL with 1,596 passing yards (good for basically 200 YPG) and has tossed 11 passing TDs. Kennedy is a mobile QB and is fifth in the LL with around 71 rushing YPG and five rushing TDs. This combination makes Kennedy number one in total offense with 270.2 YPG average.
Kennedy’s top targets are SR WR Thomas Hayes who leads the LL with six RPG. Hayes has caught 42 passes for 435 yards and four scores on the season. SO WR Derek Wager is another receiving threat with 29 receptions for 477 yards and five scores. RBs Myles Austin and Nick Perpignan have gained 409 and 213 rushing yards, including seven and three rushing TDs, respectively.
Rochester’s defense boasts arguably three of the best LB’s in the entire LL. SR LB Tony Ortega leads the LL with a 10.4 TPG average and leads the LL with 83 total tackles. SR LB Zach Cicero and SO LB Thomas Marone have 53 tackles a piece. JR DE J. Barrett has 50 tackles and seven sacks on the season.
SR PK Mark Torosian is a decent kicker, connecting on 16 of 20 PATs but only converting two of five FG’s. FY Mason Parmalee has a 35.2 YPP average with a long of 56 yards.
Keys to the Game:
1. Key on Kennedy – Kennedy’s passing and rushing stats clearly show he’s the key to the Rochester offense. Last week Kennedy put up a lot of yards (over 300 yards of total offense and two TDs) but he was also responsible for four turnovers (two INTs and two fumbles). Look for the Hobart defense (currently second in the LL with a +7 TOM) to try and strip the ball if and when Kennedy drops back or takes off running.
2. Run on Rochester - In spite of the excellent LB corp, the UofR defense allows a nearly LL worst 193.2 rushing YPG and 17 rushing TDs. The Jackets are last in the LL in opponent third down conversions with a 41.4% rate (53 of 128). I expect to see a lot of running plays given Rochester defends the pass well, good for second in the LL with only 135.5 YPG allowed and third in defensive pass efficiency with a 105.9 rating (51.5% opponent completions for 1084 yards and eight TDs compared to six INTs).
3. The Need for Seed – A 9-0 season will pretty much guarantee Hobart at least a number two seed and potentially two home games in the NCAA playoffs. The importance of home field can’t be understated given the Statesmen haven’t lost at the “Boz” in two years. While a loss wouldn’t knock Hobart out of the NCAA bracket (they’re in regardless thanks to the “Pool A”, i.e., automatic qualifier via winning the LL), but an 8-1 record could mean the difference between hosting first (and potentially other) round games and having to be a road team for the playoffs.
Prediction:
Rochester has certainly improved from prior seasons, but their weaknesses were exposed last week. They have lost to other strong running teams (like 9-0 Gallaudet who gained nearly 300 yards on the Jackets) and can be susceptible to turnovers. Given the above, I’ll take the Statesmen in a hard fought 37-20 win.
I hope that the game will be in hand by the third quarter and the team stays healthy throughout. I also hope you will join me Sunday night at 7:30 PM when Frank Rossi and I interview UW-Stout AD and NCAA D3 Football Tournament Chair, Duey Naatz, on the process and outcome of the 2013 NCAA D3 Football Championship Bracket.
The selection will be made public around 6 PM ET. We’ll be live on www.inthehuddlle.com 90 minutes later to discuss the bracket with Coach Cragg among other guests.
Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Davis Appears on Last Sunday's ITH
SR FS and Co-Captain Joylon Davis was interviewed on last Sunday night's "In The HuddLLe" Division III Football and Liberty League (LL) talk show.
A link to the podcast is below:
www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2013/11/11/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show
We'll have a preview of the Centennial Cup / UofR game later this week.
Go 'Bart!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Hobart Sacks Saints, 37-7, and Gets Help from WPI to Win Another LL Crown
The Saint Lawrence University Saints looked to keep their turnaround 2013 season going with a victory over the seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen Saturday at Boswell Field in Geneva, New York.
The Statesmen defense made an early statement when SR OLB Devin Worthington stripped SR QB Zane Fish and SR OLB Taylor Delperuto recovered at the Saint 9 yard line just over a minute into the contest.
Although given a short field, the Hobart drive stalled and FY PK Sean Kirsche was called in to kick a 24 yard field goal, which was good. The kick gave the Statesmen a 3-0 lead with 12:40 to go in the first quarter.
Another Saint Lawrence fumble, this one forced by FY DB Gabriel Smith and recovered by classmate FY DB Matt Cragg, gave Hobart a short field again. Five plays later, SR RB Steven Webb scored from 17 yards out and rewrote the Statesmen record books (more on that in a minute).
The Kirsche point after pushed Hobart's lead to 10-0 with 3:23 to go in the first. Although the Statesmen offense would continue to sputter, the Hobart special teams unit blocked a Saint Lawrence punt and SR CB Connor Garrett ran it back for a touchdown. JR QB Patrick Conlan would overcome an 0-8-1 start to connect on three passes, the final being a TD to JR WR Elvin Souffrant (who otherwise had a case of drops most of the game).
The Kirsche point after was good and Hobart had a commanding 24-0 lead with 7:16 to go in the first half. Although Fish would break the shutout on a pass to RB/TE Mitch Gallagher for 6 yards with 38 seconds remaining in the first half, the Statesmen would add two more TDs (another by Webb and a JR WR Troy Robinson score) in the second and win going away, 37-7.
Hobart was led by Conlan with 140 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Webb would add 90 yards on 18 carries and score two touchdowns, the first being his 48th career rushing and 52nd career total touchdowns to go with raising his career point total to 312, all three marks being Hobart records (previously held by HOFer Rich Kowalski '76).
Saint Lawrence, which was held to only 29 rush yards, was led by Fish with 96 passing yards. Defensively the Saints were led by FY LB Alex Dietsch with eight tackles. Hobart was led by SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde with a game high nine stops.
With the win Hobart improves to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League. Given a 31-21 loss by Rochester to WPI, the Statesmen claimed their third consecutive Liberty League title and the accompanying NCAA automatic qualifier. The loss dropped the Saints to 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the league.
The Statesmen will travel to Rochester next Saturday to play for the Centennial Cup (and more importantly a likely / potential number two seed in the NCAA brackets due out on November 17).
The Statesmen defense made an early statement when SR OLB Devin Worthington stripped SR QB Zane Fish and SR OLB Taylor Delperuto recovered at the Saint 9 yard line just over a minute into the contest.
Although given a short field, the Hobart drive stalled and FY PK Sean Kirsche was called in to kick a 24 yard field goal, which was good. The kick gave the Statesmen a 3-0 lead with 12:40 to go in the first quarter.
Another Saint Lawrence fumble, this one forced by FY DB Gabriel Smith and recovered by classmate FY DB Matt Cragg, gave Hobart a short field again. Five plays later, SR RB Steven Webb scored from 17 yards out and rewrote the Statesmen record books (more on that in a minute).
The Kirsche point after pushed Hobart's lead to 10-0 with 3:23 to go in the first. Although the Statesmen offense would continue to sputter, the Hobart special teams unit blocked a Saint Lawrence punt and SR CB Connor Garrett ran it back for a touchdown. JR QB Patrick Conlan would overcome an 0-8-1 start to connect on three passes, the final being a TD to JR WR Elvin Souffrant (who otherwise had a case of drops most of the game).
The Kirsche point after was good and Hobart had a commanding 24-0 lead with 7:16 to go in the first half. Although Fish would break the shutout on a pass to RB/TE Mitch Gallagher for 6 yards with 38 seconds remaining in the first half, the Statesmen would add two more TDs (another by Webb and a JR WR Troy Robinson score) in the second and win going away, 37-7.
Hobart was led by Conlan with 140 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Webb would add 90 yards on 18 carries and score two touchdowns, the first being his 48th career rushing and 52nd career total touchdowns to go with raising his career point total to 312, all three marks being Hobart records (previously held by HOFer Rich Kowalski '76).
Saint Lawrence, which was held to only 29 rush yards, was led by Fish with 96 passing yards. Defensively the Saints were led by FY LB Alex Dietsch with eight tackles. Hobart was led by SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde with a game high nine stops.
With the win Hobart improves to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League. Given a 31-21 loss by Rochester to WPI, the Statesmen claimed their third consecutive Liberty League title and the accompanying NCAA automatic qualifier. The loss dropped the Saints to 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the league.
The Statesmen will travel to Rochester next Saturday to play for the Centennial Cup (and more importantly a likely / potential number two seed in the NCAA brackets due out on November 17).
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Saint Lawrence / Senior Day Game Preview
The Saint Lawrence University Saints will come marching into Geneva Saturday to take on the seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen on Senior Day. The Saints have made an incredible turnaround from last season’s 0-10 record with a 6-2 overall and 4-1 mark in the Liberty League (LL) in 2013. Saint Lawrence’s improvement has made this game a “LL Championship, Part One” and should be a physical one based on the Saints line play and pass rush.
Last season Hobart struggled to dispatch the Saints until pulling away in the second half thanks to a nearly perfect passing day from QB Nick Strang ’13 (who went 15 of 18 for 233 yards, including three passing TDs and one INT). The Statesmen ultimately won the game 34-14, but it was 7-7 at the half.
This season the difference for the Saints has been their offensive and defensive line play. Saint Lawrence has sacked opposing QB’s 24 times for -154 yards while only allowing one sack for -5 on the season. Another huge improvement by SLU has been in turnover margin. In 2012 they finished seventh in the LL with a -7 mark. This year they lead the LL with an impressive +17. The Saints ball hawk defense has picked off opposing QBs 14 times and their tough LB and DL have caused 13 fumbles!
JR QB Mike Lefflbine has had a great season for Saint Lawrence, throwing for 1,062 yards and nine TDs until he was hobbled by an injury in the Springfield game. If he’s unable to go, SR QB Zane Fish is the likely starter. Fish has thrown for 391 yards, and is coming off a career best four TD pass game against WPI where he led the Saints to a 32-18 victory.
The small (5’5”) but speedy SO RB Maurice Irby leads the Saint Lawrence rushing attack. Irby has 548 yards on 139 carries this season (68.5 YPG) and has scored five rushing TDs. FY RB Mitch Gallagher is the thunder (6’2” 225) to Irby’s lightning. Gallagher doesn't carry the ball much (only three rushes for eight yards), but he’s a strong blocker and has good hands, especially near the goal line (10 catches for 62 yards and three TDs).
The Saints are really a passing team however, and they’ll test the Statesmen secondary with their four receiver sets. SR WR Mike Tateosian leads the Saints with 573 receiving yards and seven TDs. Tateosian’s 71.6 YPG average leads the LL and he’s second in the LL with 5.4 receptions per game. His seven receiving TDs are also a league best. Other Saint Lawrence receiving threats include JR WR Colby Johnson (374 yards, two TDs), big (6’3” 220) JR TE Maxwell Johnson (212 yards, two TDs) and SR WR Evan Shifley (122 yards and one score).
Saint Lawrence’s defense is led by FY LB Alec Dietsch with 68 total tackles and three INTs. FY DB James Holley-Grisham has added 56 tackles and three INTs as well. SR OLB Obi Nwaigwe (pronounced “Weg-way”) has been an absolute force, racking up 56 total tackles, but more importantly, a LL best 10.5 sacks and 22.5 TFL. SR LB’s Andrew Cox and Shane “the Hitman” Hart have tallied 47 and 38 tackles, respectively.
Keys to the Game:
1. Gone Fishing – The Saints are coming to the Lake Trout Capital of the World, and it’ll be important for Hobart’s defensive line to pressure Zane Fish and lock down Saint Lawrence’s talented receiving corp. The Statesmen haven’t really played many true drop back passing teams this season, and with the Saints averaging nearly 200 YPG passing, Hobart’s secondary will be under fire if the DL can’t get to the QB.
2. Third and long – While the Saints offense is improved, they have had some trouble converting on third down. Saint Lawrence has a somewhat mediocre 35.4% third down conversion rate this season. Hobart leads the LL with a 31.3% rate in holding the opposition on third down.
3. Run to the Record – SR RB Steven Webb will likely break the Hobart rushing / total TD marks early in the game. He’s been nothing but sensational in his career as a Statesmen and it’ll be extra special for him to earn that mark at home, in his final regular season game. If they have an Achilles heel, the Saints rushing defense may be it. Saint Lawrence allows 186.1 YPG to opponents, while Hobart averages 261.8 YPG on offense.
Prediction:
While the Statesmen have owned the series against the Saints for quite some time winning every contest against Saint Lawrence since 1992, save for the unfortunate 2010 four turnover edition. This year the Saints won’t be easily defeated, but I also don’t see the Statesmen being denied on Senior Day. I’ll take Hobart to more than double up Saint Lawrence’s average points allowed mark (15.88 PPG) and win this one by the score of 37-14.
Thanks for reading (the blog went over 50K hits last night) and go 'Bart!
Last season Hobart struggled to dispatch the Saints until pulling away in the second half thanks to a nearly perfect passing day from QB Nick Strang ’13 (who went 15 of 18 for 233 yards, including three passing TDs and one INT). The Statesmen ultimately won the game 34-14, but it was 7-7 at the half.
This season the difference for the Saints has been their offensive and defensive line play. Saint Lawrence has sacked opposing QB’s 24 times for -154 yards while only allowing one sack for -5 on the season. Another huge improvement by SLU has been in turnover margin. In 2012 they finished seventh in the LL with a -7 mark. This year they lead the LL with an impressive +17. The Saints ball hawk defense has picked off opposing QBs 14 times and their tough LB and DL have caused 13 fumbles!
JR QB Mike Lefflbine has had a great season for Saint Lawrence, throwing for 1,062 yards and nine TDs until he was hobbled by an injury in the Springfield game. If he’s unable to go, SR QB Zane Fish is the likely starter. Fish has thrown for 391 yards, and is coming off a career best four TD pass game against WPI where he led the Saints to a 32-18 victory.
The small (5’5”) but speedy SO RB Maurice Irby leads the Saint Lawrence rushing attack. Irby has 548 yards on 139 carries this season (68.5 YPG) and has scored five rushing TDs. FY RB Mitch Gallagher is the thunder (6’2” 225) to Irby’s lightning. Gallagher doesn't carry the ball much (only three rushes for eight yards), but he’s a strong blocker and has good hands, especially near the goal line (10 catches for 62 yards and three TDs).
The Saints are really a passing team however, and they’ll test the Statesmen secondary with their four receiver sets. SR WR Mike Tateosian leads the Saints with 573 receiving yards and seven TDs. Tateosian’s 71.6 YPG average leads the LL and he’s second in the LL with 5.4 receptions per game. His seven receiving TDs are also a league best. Other Saint Lawrence receiving threats include JR WR Colby Johnson (374 yards, two TDs), big (6’3” 220) JR TE Maxwell Johnson (212 yards, two TDs) and SR WR Evan Shifley (122 yards and one score).
Saint Lawrence’s defense is led by FY LB Alec Dietsch with 68 total tackles and three INTs. FY DB James Holley-Grisham has added 56 tackles and three INTs as well. SR OLB Obi Nwaigwe (pronounced “Weg-way”) has been an absolute force, racking up 56 total tackles, but more importantly, a LL best 10.5 sacks and 22.5 TFL. SR LB’s Andrew Cox and Shane “the Hitman” Hart have tallied 47 and 38 tackles, respectively.
Keys to the Game:
1. Gone Fishing – The Saints are coming to the Lake Trout Capital of the World, and it’ll be important for Hobart’s defensive line to pressure Zane Fish and lock down Saint Lawrence’s talented receiving corp. The Statesmen haven’t really played many true drop back passing teams this season, and with the Saints averaging nearly 200 YPG passing, Hobart’s secondary will be under fire if the DL can’t get to the QB.
2. Third and long – While the Saints offense is improved, they have had some trouble converting on third down. Saint Lawrence has a somewhat mediocre 35.4% third down conversion rate this season. Hobart leads the LL with a 31.3% rate in holding the opposition on third down.
3. Run to the Record – SR RB Steven Webb will likely break the Hobart rushing / total TD marks early in the game. He’s been nothing but sensational in his career as a Statesmen and it’ll be extra special for him to earn that mark at home, in his final regular season game. If they have an Achilles heel, the Saints rushing defense may be it. Saint Lawrence allows 186.1 YPG to opponents, while Hobart averages 261.8 YPG on offense.
Prediction:
While the Statesmen have owned the series against the Saints for quite some time winning every contest against Saint Lawrence since 1992, save for the unfortunate 2010 four turnover edition. This year the Saints won’t be easily defeated, but I also don’t see the Statesmen being denied on Senior Day. I’ll take Hobart to more than double up Saint Lawrence’s average points allowed mark (15.88 PPG) and win this one by the score of 37-14.
Thanks for reading (the blog went over 50K hits last night) and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Hobart Ranked First in NCAA East Region
The NCAA Division III Playoff Committee released the initial regional rankings today, placing Hobart (7-0, 5-0) at the top of the East Region.
Now while definitely an honor, the confusing thing about these rankings are they don't necessarily mean the Statesmen would get a number one seed come playoff time as the DIII playoff brackets are built around four teams vs. regions.
Make sense? Not really, but we'll discuss all this and more come Sunday night at 7:30 on www.inthehuddlle.com. Tune in or catch the podcast to hear more on Hobart's playoff chances and potential seeding.
D3football.com has a lot of good information to go along with the rankings. Check out this link right here.
Now while definitely an honor, the confusing thing about these rankings are they don't necessarily mean the Statesmen would get a number one seed come playoff time as the DIII playoff brackets are built around four teams vs. regions.
Make sense? Not really, but we'll discuss all this and more come Sunday night at 7:30 on www.inthehuddlle.com. Tune in or catch the podcast to hear more on Hobart's playoff chances and potential seeding.
D3football.com has a lot of good information to go along with the rankings. Check out this link right here.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Hobart Gets Past the Dutchies (on the left hand side), 41-20
The seventh ranked Hobart College Statesmen improved to 7-0 and 5-0 respectively after a hard fought game against rival Union College. Hobart made plays in all facets of the game - special teams (two blocked punts, the second being returned for a TD), offense (377 yards and 41 points) and defense (only six points allowed until the subs were put in late in the third quarter).
Union (2-5, 2-3) came out fired up, but two JR QB Patrick Conlan TD passes to JR WRs Troy Robinson and John Fasano gave the Statesmen an early 14-0 advantage. The Dutchmen looked to turn the tide, and after a forced fumble, had some momentum and the ball on the Hobart 33 yard line. Six plays later SR RB T.J. Franzese caught a JR QB Nick Becker six yard pass for a TD. Although the point after failed, Union was only down 14-6 with 11:08 to go in the first half.
The Statesmen responded quickly and confidently, scoring twice on a SR RB Steven Webb three yard run and an 18 yard punt block by FY CB Gabriel Smith. The irony of the latter play was having seen Head Coach Mike Cragg go over to Smith after he blocked a punt against Springfield and saying "Next time, scoop and score". Smith, a graduate of LaSalle, not far from Union's campus, made the play just like Coach told him in front of his home crowd and family.
The second half was more Statesmen and the record books started being updated. Webb broke 1,000 yards on the season about halfway through the third quarter. He scored his 47th rushing and 50th overall TD with 2:33 to go in the third tying the Hobart All-Time marks in both categories. FY RB Brad Burns added another TD prior to Webb's second, and the Statesmen were up 41-6.
The reserves allowed two Union scores, but Hobart would win easily 41-20. The victory was the Statesmen's fourth consecutive win over the Dutchmen, a feat that hasn't happened since the 1975 season. Hobart was led by Conlan with 192 passing yards, two TDs and one INT. Webb tallied 128 yards, his 14th career game over the 100 yard mark, to go with two rushing TDs. The Statesmen "D" was once again led by SR LB Cory Davis with eight stops.
The only other commentary I'll add regarding this game was that the officiating was awful. They perpetuated an environment that allowed extra-curricular late and other hits, gave bad spots and otherwise endangered the safety of the players on the field. The two teams were flagged a total of 19 times for -185 yards, but at least another -100+ yards of penalties (e.g., missed face mask and other late hits) weren't called.
Needless to say this crew should never be allowed to call another NCAA game unless they receive some additional training / admonishment from the Liberty League. Ultimately a lot of the "chippyness" of this game could have been addressed if the officials simply told the respective team captains that any misbehavior would result in expulsion. Their allowing the "huffing" and extra-curricular activities, just made the game worse. In the end it still goes down as a Hobart win, but these aren't the kind of games anyone wants to see.
Coming up later this week I'll preview the Saint Lawrence / Senior Day game. I have a feeling we'll see the TD mark fall....
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!!
Union (2-5, 2-3) came out fired up, but two JR QB Patrick Conlan TD passes to JR WRs Troy Robinson and John Fasano gave the Statesmen an early 14-0 advantage. The Dutchmen looked to turn the tide, and after a forced fumble, had some momentum and the ball on the Hobart 33 yard line. Six plays later SR RB T.J. Franzese caught a JR QB Nick Becker six yard pass for a TD. Although the point after failed, Union was only down 14-6 with 11:08 to go in the first half.
The Statesmen responded quickly and confidently, scoring twice on a SR RB Steven Webb three yard run and an 18 yard punt block by FY CB Gabriel Smith. The irony of the latter play was having seen Head Coach Mike Cragg go over to Smith after he blocked a punt against Springfield and saying "Next time, scoop and score". Smith, a graduate of LaSalle, not far from Union's campus, made the play just like Coach told him in front of his home crowd and family.
The second half was more Statesmen and the record books started being updated. Webb broke 1,000 yards on the season about halfway through the third quarter. He scored his 47th rushing and 50th overall TD with 2:33 to go in the third tying the Hobart All-Time marks in both categories. FY RB Brad Burns added another TD prior to Webb's second, and the Statesmen were up 41-6.
The reserves allowed two Union scores, but Hobart would win easily 41-20. The victory was the Statesmen's fourth consecutive win over the Dutchmen, a feat that hasn't happened since the 1975 season. Hobart was led by Conlan with 192 passing yards, two TDs and one INT. Webb tallied 128 yards, his 14th career game over the 100 yard mark, to go with two rushing TDs. The Statesmen "D" was once again led by SR LB Cory Davis with eight stops.
The only other commentary I'll add regarding this game was that the officiating was awful. They perpetuated an environment that allowed extra-curricular late and other hits, gave bad spots and otherwise endangered the safety of the players on the field. The two teams were flagged a total of 19 times for -185 yards, but at least another -100+ yards of penalties (e.g., missed face mask and other late hits) weren't called.
Needless to say this crew should never be allowed to call another NCAA game unless they receive some additional training / admonishment from the Liberty League. Ultimately a lot of the "chippyness" of this game could have been addressed if the officials simply told the respective team captains that any misbehavior would result in expulsion. Their allowing the "huffing" and extra-curricular activities, just made the game worse. In the end it still goes down as a Hobart win, but these aren't the kind of games anyone wants to see.
Coming up later this week I'll preview the Saint Lawrence / Senior Day game. I have a feeling we'll see the TD mark fall....
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!!
Friday, November 1, 2013
Union Game Preview
In some ways this week feels a little less intense than in prior years. The Union game is always the biggest on Hobart's schedule and the rivalry between these two schools remains as strong as ever. Unfortunately injuries and other issues have hampered the Dutchmen (2-5, 2-2) and Union will likely have its first losing season since 2010.
The Statesmen (6-0, 4-0) have had the Dutchmen's number of late, boasting a three game win streak over their rivals since that same 2010 season. That year a then SO QB Nick Strang '13 came off the bench and broke a Hobart record with 498 yards of total offense, leading the Statesmen to an exciting 41-35 win in 2OT. Last season I got to see Hobart beat Union 42-34 in Geneva. That game started out like a potential rout, but the Dutchmen battled back and actually out scored the Statesmen 27-14 in the second half.
Hobart hasn't beaten Union four straight since the 1970s. Back then the Statesmen ran off 8 consecutive wins from the 1971 to 1979 seasons. After a two year hiatus, the series resumed in 1982 and Union won 16 straight games against Hobart. It took 17 seasons, and Coach Cragg's third as Head Coach, for Hobart to finally beat the Dutchmen, 19-14, and break that streak in 1998.
The last decade and the start of this one saw the Statesmen finally get more competitive and eventually surpass their rivals, winning nine of the last 15 games, including three game winning streaks between 2002-2004 and 2010-2012. Can Hobart win a fourth in a row? The last SR class to go 4-0 vs. the Dutchmen was the Class of 1980.
Keys to the game:
1. Ya Gotta Tackle Thomas (and TJ) - Union's best offensive weapon is JR RB Darnell Thomas, who had a big game vs Hobart last season racking up 141 rushing yards on 16 carries (8.8 YPC) and scoring two TDs. This season Thomas has 453 yards and five rushing TDs. SR RB TJ Franzese is also a good back, gaining 408 yards and five scores. WR Kyle Reynolds (five catches for 85 yards and two TDs) and QB Connor Eck (245 passing yards) also had big numbers against the Statesmen defense, but neither will play Saturday. JR QB Nick Becker is the current Union signal caller. Becker has gone 17 of 39 (43.59%) but for only 47 YPG, no TDs, and two INTs. Needless to say, Union will need good games from both RBs to have a chance at beating the Statesmen.
2. DTR- the Dutchmen's strength is their stout defense, who despite the losing record, leads the LL in rushing defense (106.1 YPG allowed) and are second only to Hobart in total defense (282.3 YPG allowed) and opponent's third down conversions (37.9%). Union's defense is led by SO LB Thomas Hayes with 60 tackles, tied for second in the LL with an 8.6 TPG average. The Dutchmen lead the LL in TOP (34:17), so if Hobart can control the clock, it would eat into the Dutchmen's bread and butter.
3. Pass Protect - The Statesmen OL was a bit off for the early part of last week's RPI game allowing four sacks after not allowing any since the Dickinson game (and that was only one). With SR OL Alex Bush out due to an injury, the OL will need to improve its protection against a tough Union defensive front. Last season JR TE Mike Berkowitz had a breakout game (89 yards and two TDs) against Union last season and is coming off a similar game from last weekend when he caught two TDs against RPI. On the flip side, the Dutchmen OL has struggled, and they are last in the LL in sacks allowed with 27 for -214 yards.
Prediction:
Although Union has struggled this season, they will be up for this game. Hobart has lost in the past to "lesser" Union teams (meaning the Statesmen had a much better record coming into the contest), 2008 (and 2009 for that matter) come to mind. Still, I don't see the Statesmen taking their primary LL rivals lightly, especially with big games coming up with improved Saint Lawrence (5-2, 3-1) and Rochester (5-2, 3-1) teams looming on their schedule.
I'll take Hobart to win in a more defensive, hard-hitting game 31-14 vs. the shoot outs of the past couple of seasons.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Statesmen (6-0, 4-0) have had the Dutchmen's number of late, boasting a three game win streak over their rivals since that same 2010 season. That year a then SO QB Nick Strang '13 came off the bench and broke a Hobart record with 498 yards of total offense, leading the Statesmen to an exciting 41-35 win in 2OT. Last season I got to see Hobart beat Union 42-34 in Geneva. That game started out like a potential rout, but the Dutchmen battled back and actually out scored the Statesmen 27-14 in the second half.
Hobart hasn't beaten Union four straight since the 1970s. Back then the Statesmen ran off 8 consecutive wins from the 1971 to 1979 seasons. After a two year hiatus, the series resumed in 1982 and Union won 16 straight games against Hobart. It took 17 seasons, and Coach Cragg's third as Head Coach, for Hobart to finally beat the Dutchmen, 19-14, and break that streak in 1998.
The last decade and the start of this one saw the Statesmen finally get more competitive and eventually surpass their rivals, winning nine of the last 15 games, including three game winning streaks between 2002-2004 and 2010-2012. Can Hobart win a fourth in a row? The last SR class to go 4-0 vs. the Dutchmen was the Class of 1980.
Keys to the game:
1. Ya Gotta Tackle Thomas (and TJ) - Union's best offensive weapon is JR RB Darnell Thomas, who had a big game vs Hobart last season racking up 141 rushing yards on 16 carries (8.8 YPC) and scoring two TDs. This season Thomas has 453 yards and five rushing TDs. SR RB TJ Franzese is also a good back, gaining 408 yards and five scores. WR Kyle Reynolds (five catches for 85 yards and two TDs) and QB Connor Eck (245 passing yards) also had big numbers against the Statesmen defense, but neither will play Saturday. JR QB Nick Becker is the current Union signal caller. Becker has gone 17 of 39 (43.59%) but for only 47 YPG, no TDs, and two INTs. Needless to say, Union will need good games from both RBs to have a chance at beating the Statesmen.
2. DTR- the Dutchmen's strength is their stout defense, who despite the losing record, leads the LL in rushing defense (106.1 YPG allowed) and are second only to Hobart in total defense (282.3 YPG allowed) and opponent's third down conversions (37.9%). Union's defense is led by SO LB Thomas Hayes with 60 tackles, tied for second in the LL with an 8.6 TPG average. The Dutchmen lead the LL in TOP (34:17), so if Hobart can control the clock, it would eat into the Dutchmen's bread and butter.
3. Pass Protect - The Statesmen OL was a bit off for the early part of last week's RPI game allowing four sacks after not allowing any since the Dickinson game (and that was only one). With SR OL Alex Bush out due to an injury, the OL will need to improve its protection against a tough Union defensive front. Last season JR TE Mike Berkowitz had a breakout game (89 yards and two TDs) against Union last season and is coming off a similar game from last weekend when he caught two TDs against RPI. On the flip side, the Dutchmen OL has struggled, and they are last in the LL in sacks allowed with 27 for -214 yards.
Prediction:
Although Union has struggled this season, they will be up for this game. Hobart has lost in the past to "lesser" Union teams (meaning the Statesmen had a much better record coming into the contest), 2008 (and 2009 for that matter) come to mind. Still, I don't see the Statesmen taking their primary LL rivals lightly, especially with big games coming up with improved Saint Lawrence (5-2, 3-1) and Rochester (5-2, 3-1) teams looming on their schedule.
I'll take Hobart to win in a more defensive, hard-hitting game 31-14 vs. the shoot outs of the past couple of seasons.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)