The Hobart College Statesmen scored early and often in their best offensive performance of the season Saturday at Frank Bailey Field.
The Union defense clearly rested in a contest that the Statesmen ran up a season high 52 points - the most since Hobart defeated WPI by a score of 61-8 back in September of 2012.
The biggest one-two punch was by classmates SO QB Shane Sweeney and SO WR Brandon Shed who connected on scoring plays of 81, 48 and 41 yards en route to a 52-14 rout of Union (0-8, 0-5).
On what was described by the WEOS as a perfect day for college football, the Statesmen opened the game with the longest scoring play of the season. Hobart would run out to a 31-7 lead before giving up a late passing TD with about two seconds remaining to take a 31-14 lead into the half.
The second half saw more Statesmen TDs as players like SO RB Joe Letizia notched themselves into the record book with six points.
In the end Hobart out-gained Union 581 to 221 total yards, behind an impressive 15 for 20 and 305 yard passing day by Sweeney and 276 rushing yards by the Statesmen OL. SR RB Conner Hartigan led the attack with 95 yards on 12 carries.
The win improved Hobart to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the LL. A big match up which we discuss on Sunday's ITH with SR OL Brendan Casey is coming up against Saint Lawrence (7-1, 6-0) this Saturday at Boswell Field.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Week 9 - Union Game Preview (Boo!)
The Hobart College Statesmen will travel to Schenectady this weekend looking for their first win in almost a month. Long time rival Union College is just looking for a win, period, as the Dutchmen (0-7, 0-4) have had a rough 2015 campaign. Saturday’s Halloween game at Frank Bailey Field marks the 99thmeeting of the two programs, which goes all the way back to the 1896 season. Union has a slight edge in the series overall, with a 50-46-2 record.
The Statesmen (4-3, 2-2) will look to exploit the worst scoring defense (35.9 PPG) in the Liberty League (LL) that’s allowed 33 TDs this season. In spite of Union’s troubles, they have been a competitive team and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Dutchmen have lost their last three games by a combined 14 points. Their offense has put up more yards (2,375) and TDs (21) than Hobart’s (1,874 and 18, respectively) and #12 SO QB Dante Cioffi is one of the top QBs in the LL in spite of only starting a few games. If Cioffi’s struggles, look for #6 FY QB Nick Cascione (700 yards and six TDs) to step in.
Last season the Statesmen defeated the Dutchmen by a score of 30-6 in Geneva behind a couple of Patrick Conlan ‘15 TD passes (to Troy Robinson and Mike Berkowitz ’15) and a (then) JR ILB Jacob Stanley 44 yard FR for a TD. That day Hobart racked up 202 rushing yards compared to Union’s 10. While you’d think the Statesmen would do well to attack the Dutchmen’s rush defense as it ranks last in the LL this season, allowing opponents 210.3 YPG and a league worst 12 TDs, unfortunately Hobart’s rushing offense is also at the bottom of the LL averaging only 94.6 YPG and 2.6 YPC.
Union’s pass defense has also been poor, allowing a LL worst 238.4 YPG and 17 scores, so I would expect Hobart’s offense to attack that unit early and often in this game.
Scouting the Dutchmen
Union’s offense is run by Cioffi who’s passed for 778 yards, nine TDs and eight INTs. #24 JR RB Jermaine Carn has rushed for 351 yards and one TD this season and #5 SO RB Connor Kinzelmann has added 333 yards and four rushing TDs. #1 SR WR Kyle Reynolds has 493 receiving yards and six TDs. #2 SR WR A.J. Baker has 404 yards and three receiving scores. #17 SR WR Joe Vito rounds out the receiving trio with 279 yards and three TDs.
Defensively #3 SR LB Jake LaRovera leads the LL with 10.6 TPG and is second overall with 74 total stops.
The Dutchmen’s special teams unit has been average overall but Union does have the second best punting unit in the league, averaging 33.2 YPP net.
Keys to the Game
Just win.
Prediction:
In spite of both team’s recent struggles you can throw the records out the window when these two school’s line up. The Statesmen haven’t lost to Union for quite some time – the last Dutchmen win over Hobart was back in 2009 (a game I actually attended) – so the pressure is on this Hobart squad not to break that streak in a season that has seen other streaks fall by the wayside. A win for the Dutchmen would save what’s been an otherwise disastrous season and would be about as low point that the Statesmen have experienced since the heartbreaking 35-34 loss to Rochester in 2010 (another game that saw a game winning two point play come up short).
This game will probably see a lot of passing attempts but it could be a more defensive struggle than one may think. I have faith the Statesmen can hold the Dutchmen at bay, but it’ll be close. I’ll pick Hobart to win 27-21.
Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Statesmen Come Full Circle in 21-20 Loss to RPI
I remember listening to then SR RPI QB Mike Hermann and missed FGs sink the Statesmen in 2011. I was in Denver, CO that weekend and sat in shock as Hobart saw a potential undefeated season taken down by an undermanned but determined foe.
The only positive of that 29-28 loss was it became the launch pad for Hobart's next three seasons as it served as a reminder of what could have been, and the Statesmen ended up taking care of business and went on multiple Liberty League title and NCAA playoff runs (well, maybe not in 2013 but the undefeated regular season was legit). That Hobart squad who lost that heartbreaking one point game they should have won against RPI proved themselves against #3 Wesley in a 35-28 battle and in 2012 took off and never looked back.
Until today.
RPI (6-2, 4-1) finally closed the chapter on Hobart's epic run with another one point killer of a game - a 21-20 decision - in Geneva today. The loss drops the Statesmen to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the LL, basically ending any and all chances of a fifth straight NCAA berth barring extreme circumstances. Hobart's home regular season home win streak ended and so was their one of about eight D3FB programs nationally that had advanced to the NCAA tournament streak dating back to 2011.
While an end of the road in some ways, you can look at it as a crossroads also. Looking back to the last decade, the Statesmen had a lot of success between the 2004-08 seasons before encountering some struggles in 2009-10. The question now is, can Hobart rally and finish this year and/or find a way to regroup after hitting a low they haven't experienced since the 09-10 seasons? I think there's enough talent and character to do so, but it'll require some hard work and tough decisions going forward.
Today's game story was basically both squads would score on their opening possessions but gave way to a defensive struggle. The Statesmen actually out gained RPI overall but struggled on key downs and had some questionable play calls on fourth down especially. A lot of dropped passes and bounces just didn't go Hobart's way which kind of has been the main difference this season and the prior three.
In the end it was RPI's making just enough plays (and getting lucky on a few calls - it's amazing how in both football and lacrosse the Statesmen never have and had home field advantage at the Boz in the officiating department) to hang onto the win.
The Statesmen will need to regroup against a win-less Union College squad that squandered a big lead against Rochester today and is likely going to lose their long time HC John Audino after this season.
Halloween will be a tough game between two programs that are not used to the directions they've headed.
More on this one in the next day or so....
The only positive of that 29-28 loss was it became the launch pad for Hobart's next three seasons as it served as a reminder of what could have been, and the Statesmen ended up taking care of business and went on multiple Liberty League title and NCAA playoff runs (well, maybe not in 2013 but the undefeated regular season was legit). That Hobart squad who lost that heartbreaking one point game they should have won against RPI proved themselves against #3 Wesley in a 35-28 battle and in 2012 took off and never looked back.
Until today.
RPI (6-2, 4-1) finally closed the chapter on Hobart's epic run with another one point killer of a game - a 21-20 decision - in Geneva today. The loss drops the Statesmen to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the LL, basically ending any and all chances of a fifth straight NCAA berth barring extreme circumstances. Hobart's home regular season home win streak ended and so was their one of about eight D3FB programs nationally that had advanced to the NCAA tournament streak dating back to 2011.
While an end of the road in some ways, you can look at it as a crossroads also. Looking back to the last decade, the Statesmen had a lot of success between the 2004-08 seasons before encountering some struggles in 2009-10. The question now is, can Hobart rally and finish this year and/or find a way to regroup after hitting a low they haven't experienced since the 09-10 seasons? I think there's enough talent and character to do so, but it'll require some hard work and tough decisions going forward.
Today's game story was basically both squads would score on their opening possessions but gave way to a defensive struggle. The Statesmen actually out gained RPI overall but struggled on key downs and had some questionable play calls on fourth down especially. A lot of dropped passes and bounces just didn't go Hobart's way which kind of has been the main difference this season and the prior three.
In the end it was RPI's making just enough plays (and getting lucky on a few calls - it's amazing how in both football and lacrosse the Statesmen never have and had home field advantage at the Boz in the officiating department) to hang onto the win.
The Statesmen will need to regroup against a win-less Union College squad that squandered a big lead against Rochester today and is likely going to lose their long time HC John Audino after this season.
Halloween will be a tough game between two programs that are not used to the directions they've headed.
More on this one in the next day or so....
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Week 8 - RPI Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen will host old time rival, the RPI Engineers, this Saturday at Boswell Field in what's basically a playoff elimination game for Hobart.
The Engineers (5-2, 3-1) are coming off of a 35-21 win over Rochester (4-2, 2-2) where their OL opened up a lot of running lanes en route to a 239 yards rushing performance.
RPI was the last team to defeat the Statesmen at Boswell Field in a regular season game dating back to Nov. 5, 2011. The series between these two schools dates all the way back to 1910 and is virtually even with Hobart holding a slight 29-28-1 all time edge (Hobart and RPI didn't play each other between the 1920's-60's, and it looks like it wasn't until the 1964 season that the teams really started playing on a regular basis).
Last season the Statesmen had one of their most dominant performances of 2014, scoring 21 points in the third quarter, to defeat the Engineers, 35-3, in Troy, NY.
Scouting the Engineers
RPI's option offense starts with #12 SR QB and Co-Captain Jeff Avery. Avery leads the LL with 1,617 passing yards and 15 TDs. His accuracy numbers are ok at 57.7%, but the most notable stat is he has only thrown one INT in seven games. Big (6'3") and mobile, Avery has carried the ball 49 times for 157 yards this season.
The Engineers have a pair of very solid runners in #21 SR RB Nick Schlatz and #6 SO RB Mike Tivinis. These RBs are ranked eighth and eleventh overall averaging 61.4 and 51.3 YPG, respectively.
Avery's favorite targets in the passing game are #85 SR WR Logan Gaddar and #18 SO RB Johnny Ramsdell. A tall, lanky receiver, Gaddar towers over most DBs at 6'5" and his wingspan is a big reason he leads the LL with seven receiving TDs. Ramsdell is tied for third place with four receiving TDs.
Along with a solid OL, RPI is the second highest scoring offense (30 PPG), second ranked passing offense (231 YPG) and third ranked rushing offense (183.3 YPG). The OL has only allowed seven sacks so far this season as well which is a big reason why Avery (who missed most of 2014 with rib / abdomen injury) is playing at such a high level.
Defensively the Engineers are the number one scoring (16 PPG), rushing (120.6 YPG) and fifth rated passing defense (167 YPG). A ball hawking defense is led by #94 SR LB and Co-Captain Anthony Pilla (33 total tackles and five sacks), #44 JR LB Alexander Greenidge (50 tackles), #31 SR DB Phillip Lanieri III (three INTs) and #24 SR DB Teague Florio (two INTs including one pick six).
#4 SO PK Christian Knapp has taken over the kicking duties since the graduation of current Miami Dolphins PK Andrew Franks (who hit a 30 yarder Sunday against Tennessee). Knapp is perfect on PATs (28) but has struggled with FGs, connecting only two of seven attempts.
Keys to the Game
1. Home Sweet Home - If the Statesmen ever needed home field advantage this game is probably coming at the perfect time after the disappointing collapse against Springfield. Hobart hasn't lost at the "Boz" in the regular season since that 11/5/11 game against RPI. The Statesmen will need to start off quickly against a tough RPI team that will be gunning to take Hobart down. The weather forecast looks pretty good for Saturday (cloudy with a high of 59), but you never know how things may change Upstate....
2. Rush Defense - RPI runs the ball about 46 times on average and will pass about 31 times. The Statesmen are the top rated passing defense (89.8 YPG and only four passing TDs in six games) so it stands to reason that Hobart's sixth ranked rushing defense (152.2 YPG) needs to be ready and improve Saturday against a strong Engineers running game.
3. Converting - RPI is second in the LL an average 21 first downs per game, while Hobart is last with only 14. The Statesmen will need to up that average against RPI's top rated defense which allows only 13.7 first downs per game and 28.4% of their opponents third down conversions. Hobart is actually the best defense in the LL, just ahead of RPI, in limiting their opponents to only a 25.6% third down conversion rate. The winner of this game will also need to control the clock. Part of Hobart's wearing down against Springfield was that the defense was on the field for 36+ minutes. RPI leads the LL in TOP with an average of 33:20. The Statesmen will need to convert their possessions and limit RPI's. Hobart has to get it's running game (ranked dead last in the LL with only 96.8 YPG) on track. If they don't, it's going to be tough to overcome RPI.
Prediction
The statistics point to this game being a RPI win. They are playing better football at the moment, but they haven't beaten the Statesmen in four seasons. Hobart is very hard to beat at home - including the playoffs the Statesmen are 27-4 all time since the Boz was renovated back in 2010 (and three of those home losses occurred before the 2012 season so the Statesmen SR class has only lost at the Boz once).
In spite of RPI's offensive prowess, I think this will be a defensive struggle and low scoring game. I also think Hobart will make just enough plays to win it, but by a narrow margin. I'll take the Statesmen 24-21.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Engineers (5-2, 3-1) are coming off of a 35-21 win over Rochester (4-2, 2-2) where their OL opened up a lot of running lanes en route to a 239 yards rushing performance.
RPI was the last team to defeat the Statesmen at Boswell Field in a regular season game dating back to Nov. 5, 2011. The series between these two schools dates all the way back to 1910 and is virtually even with Hobart holding a slight 29-28-1 all time edge (Hobart and RPI didn't play each other between the 1920's-60's, and it looks like it wasn't until the 1964 season that the teams really started playing on a regular basis).
Last season the Statesmen had one of their most dominant performances of 2014, scoring 21 points in the third quarter, to defeat the Engineers, 35-3, in Troy, NY.
Scouting the Engineers
RPI's option offense starts with #12 SR QB and Co-Captain Jeff Avery. Avery leads the LL with 1,617 passing yards and 15 TDs. His accuracy numbers are ok at 57.7%, but the most notable stat is he has only thrown one INT in seven games. Big (6'3") and mobile, Avery has carried the ball 49 times for 157 yards this season.
The Engineers have a pair of very solid runners in #21 SR RB Nick Schlatz and #6 SO RB Mike Tivinis. These RBs are ranked eighth and eleventh overall averaging 61.4 and 51.3 YPG, respectively.
Avery's favorite targets in the passing game are #85 SR WR Logan Gaddar and #18 SO RB Johnny Ramsdell. A tall, lanky receiver, Gaddar towers over most DBs at 6'5" and his wingspan is a big reason he leads the LL with seven receiving TDs. Ramsdell is tied for third place with four receiving TDs.
Along with a solid OL, RPI is the second highest scoring offense (30 PPG), second ranked passing offense (231 YPG) and third ranked rushing offense (183.3 YPG). The OL has only allowed seven sacks so far this season as well which is a big reason why Avery (who missed most of 2014 with rib / abdomen injury) is playing at such a high level.
Defensively the Engineers are the number one scoring (16 PPG), rushing (120.6 YPG) and fifth rated passing defense (167 YPG). A ball hawking defense is led by #94 SR LB and Co-Captain Anthony Pilla (33 total tackles and five sacks), #44 JR LB Alexander Greenidge (50 tackles), #31 SR DB Phillip Lanieri III (three INTs) and #24 SR DB Teague Florio (two INTs including one pick six).
#4 SO PK Christian Knapp has taken over the kicking duties since the graduation of current Miami Dolphins PK Andrew Franks (who hit a 30 yarder Sunday against Tennessee). Knapp is perfect on PATs (28) but has struggled with FGs, connecting only two of seven attempts.
Keys to the Game
1. Home Sweet Home - If the Statesmen ever needed home field advantage this game is probably coming at the perfect time after the disappointing collapse against Springfield. Hobart hasn't lost at the "Boz" in the regular season since that 11/5/11 game against RPI. The Statesmen will need to start off quickly against a tough RPI team that will be gunning to take Hobart down. The weather forecast looks pretty good for Saturday (cloudy with a high of 59), but you never know how things may change Upstate....
2. Rush Defense - RPI runs the ball about 46 times on average and will pass about 31 times. The Statesmen are the top rated passing defense (89.8 YPG and only four passing TDs in six games) so it stands to reason that Hobart's sixth ranked rushing defense (152.2 YPG) needs to be ready and improve Saturday against a strong Engineers running game.
3. Converting - RPI is second in the LL an average 21 first downs per game, while Hobart is last with only 14. The Statesmen will need to up that average against RPI's top rated defense which allows only 13.7 first downs per game and 28.4% of their opponents third down conversions. Hobart is actually the best defense in the LL, just ahead of RPI, in limiting their opponents to only a 25.6% third down conversion rate. The winner of this game will also need to control the clock. Part of Hobart's wearing down against Springfield was that the defense was on the field for 36+ minutes. RPI leads the LL in TOP with an average of 33:20. The Statesmen will need to convert their possessions and limit RPI's. Hobart has to get it's running game (ranked dead last in the LL with only 96.8 YPG) on track. If they don't, it's going to be tough to overcome RPI.
Prediction
The statistics point to this game being a RPI win. They are playing better football at the moment, but they haven't beaten the Statesmen in four seasons. Hobart is very hard to beat at home - including the playoffs the Statesmen are 27-4 all time since the Boz was renovated back in 2010 (and three of those home losses occurred before the 2012 season so the Statesmen SR class has only lost at the Boz once).
In spite of RPI's offensive prowess, I think this will be a defensive struggle and low scoring game. I also think Hobart will make just enough plays to win it, but by a narrow margin. I'll take the Statesmen 24-21.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Monday, October 19, 2015
This Week's ITH Covers RPI vs. HOB, ECAC's
We discussed last weekend's USMMA upset of Springfield and interviewed SR RB and Co-Captain Nick Schlatz of RPI (5-1, 3-1) last night on "In the HuddLLe." The Engineers are really playing well and will be a very tough out for the Statesmen (4-2, 2-1) this weekend at Boswell Field.
We also covered the somewhat controversial ECAC decision to centralize post season "bowl" games at Central CT State University. It's possible Hobart could place a bid in for one of those contests, pending costs and other considerations.
ECAC President & CEO Kevin McGuiness answered our questions and we discussed how this move may (or may not) work well for D3FB on the show.
A link to the podcast can be found here.
I'll post a preview of this weekend's big RPI vs. Hobart match up later this week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
We also covered the somewhat controversial ECAC decision to centralize post season "bowl" games at Central CT State University. It's possible Hobart could place a bid in for one of those contests, pending costs and other considerations.
ECAC President & CEO Kevin McGuiness answered our questions and we discussed how this move may (or may not) work well for D3FB on the show.
A link to the podcast can be found here.
I'll post a preview of this weekend's big RPI vs. Hobart match up later this week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
This Week's ITH and All-Time TOTW Players
With a much needed bye week coming up, the Liberty League only has two games going this weekend. We covered the aftermath of last weekend's games and implications on "In The HuddLLe", as well as looked ahead to the final weeks of the regular season.
A link to the podcast can be found here.
Otherwise, D3football.com released a first ever all time "Team of The Week" list that was interesting to see from a Hobart perspective. A link to the list can be found here.
Hobart players who were cited included:
DB James Alexander, 2007-11
P Dominick Ancona, 2006-09
DL Ryan Aruck, 2006-05
TE Mike Berkowitz, 2012-09
LB Tim Booth, 2000-02
LB Tony Clemente, 2003-09
DE Tyre Coleman, 2011-11, 2012-03, 2012-09
RB Bobby Dougherty, 2012-03
DL Rob Gould, 2000-02
DL Brad Griffith, 2002-02
CB Kevin Hearon, 2011-11
LB Evan Hoffman, 2006-07
RB Jack Holleran, 2004-08
LB Marcus Jemison, 2014-08
DT Troy Johnson, 2014-10
DL Kwame Lovell, 2007-05
K Kevin Olson, 2005-04
DL Andy Purdie, 2006-07
DL Chris Purtell, 2004-03, 2004-07, 2004-10
LB Jeff Sanders, 2008-03
WR Dan Suozzi, 2003-07
LB Trayon Toney, 2013-06
LB Nolan Toran, 2013-03
RB Steven Webb, 2013-01
WR Junior Woodard, 2010-06
LB Devin Worthington, 2010-03, 2010-08, 2011-06, 2012-08, 2013-04 (only player to be named in four separate seasons)
OL Alex Bell, Jeff Bruckman, Nino Giambrone, Matt Kehoe, Matt Montroy, Ryan Hallings, 2003-11
OL Phill Perkins, Nino Giambrone, Mike Condon, Brian Ohman, Mike DePersis, 2005-06
OL Sean Kluber, Art Garvey, Kelvin Cruz, Kyle Sandy, Brendan Hatlee, 2010-06
OL Anthony Coletta, Art Garvey, Kelvin Cruz, Kyle Sandy, Brendan Hatlee, 2011-04
Overall it's a great retrospective on a lot of the great players the Statesmen have fielded since the 1999 season.
I'll have a RPI-Hobart game preview up early next week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
A link to the podcast can be found here.
Otherwise, D3football.com released a first ever all time "Team of The Week" list that was interesting to see from a Hobart perspective. A link to the list can be found here.
Hobart players who were cited included:
DB James Alexander, 2007-11
P Dominick Ancona, 2006-09
DL Ryan Aruck, 2006-05
TE Mike Berkowitz, 2012-09
LB Tim Booth, 2000-02
LB Tony Clemente, 2003-09
DE Tyre Coleman, 2011-11, 2012-03, 2012-09
RB Bobby Dougherty, 2012-03
DL Rob Gould, 2000-02
DL Brad Griffith, 2002-02
CB Kevin Hearon, 2011-11
LB Evan Hoffman, 2006-07
RB Jack Holleran, 2004-08
LB Marcus Jemison, 2014-08
DT Troy Johnson, 2014-10
DL Kwame Lovell, 2007-05
K Kevin Olson, 2005-04
DL Andy Purdie, 2006-07
DL Chris Purtell, 2004-03, 2004-07, 2004-10
LB Jeff Sanders, 2008-03
WR Dan Suozzi, 2003-07
LB Trayon Toney, 2013-06
LB Nolan Toran, 2013-03
RB Steven Webb, 2013-01
WR Junior Woodard, 2010-06
LB Devin Worthington, 2010-03, 2010-08, 2011-06, 2012-08, 2013-04 (only player to be named in four separate seasons)
OL Alex Bell, Jeff Bruckman, Nino Giambrone, Matt Kehoe, Matt Montroy, Ryan Hallings, 2003-11
OL Phill Perkins, Nino Giambrone, Mike Condon, Brian Ohman, Mike DePersis, 2005-06
OL Sean Kluber, Art Garvey, Kelvin Cruz, Kyle Sandy, Brendan Hatlee, 2010-06
OL Anthony Coletta, Art Garvey, Kelvin Cruz, Kyle Sandy, Brendan Hatlee, 2011-04
Overall it's a great retrospective on a lot of the great players the Statesmen have fielded since the 1999 season.
I'll have a RPI-Hobart game preview up early next week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Springfield Stuns Statesmen, 35-13
It was the tale of two halves as the once 22nd ranked Hobart College Statesmen saw a 13-0 halftime lead crash and burn in a 35-13 loss to the Springfield College Pride. The win was #201 for HC Mike Delong and it was mostly due to halftime adjustments and long drives that wore down the Hobart defense.
The Pride (3-2, 2-1) racked up 367 rushing yards and held onto the football for 36 minutes. The Statesmen offense, who had SO QB Shane Sweeney back from injury to start the game, never really looked ready. The offense struggled to move the ball (24 yards on 20 carries) in the run game to an average Pride DL. The pass game was effective at first, but too many dropped passes ultimately caught up to the Statesmen.
The Hobart defense did a bad job playing assignment football which is critical against triple option offenses. While some may blame the absence of SR LB Jake Stanley (ACL) and JR DT Jake Russell (MCL) as a reason for the Statesmen's defensive struggles, ultimately the inexperienced Hobart DE unit and lack of assignment play disallowed the LBs to scrape and outside run support misplaying their gaps really did in the defense.
Making things worse was the offense could only muster two JR PK Sean Kirshe FGs. The other and only Hobart TD of the game was on a 72 yard fumble recovery and return by SO DB Tommy D'Antonio. I'm going to need some time to figure out the last time the offense was shut out from scoring a TD save for losing to Dickinson 26-3 during the 2009 season.
The tide started to turn on the Statesmen starting in the second half after Sweeney was intercepted by Springfield SR DB Anthony West. The Pride would score to cut the lead to 13-7 then take the lead after they stopped the Hobart offense then went on a long drive that ate up nearly 10 minutes. A fumble recovery in the Statesmen end zone would bounce their way and the Pride suddenly had a 14-13 lead.
Springfield never looked back and, I hate to say it, Hobart basically quit in the fourth quarter to give away a 35-13 loss, breaking a 24 game LL win streak and cement the Statesmen's worse regular season defeat since the 2010 season.
While Hobart's season isn't over, it's the first time in five they don't control their own destiny in the LL title race. I guess to be fair, defending National Champions UWW lost today, but Springfield (a team that lost to a NEFC squad, 34-14) is no UW-Oshkosh.
While it's hard to say whether or not Hobart is on its way to a season like 2010 that saw multiple conference losses exacerbated by multiple off the field issues remains to be seen. Actions like throwing helmets, penalties and other non-Statesmen like behavior before and during the game points to a team that desperately needs to regroup and re-establish what made them a great program.
The long bus ride home and ensuing bye week gives them plenty of time to decide what kind of team they will be against four squads that now probably feel more confident than ever they can and will defeat the once bulletproof Hobart.
The Pride (3-2, 2-1) racked up 367 rushing yards and held onto the football for 36 minutes. The Statesmen offense, who had SO QB Shane Sweeney back from injury to start the game, never really looked ready. The offense struggled to move the ball (24 yards on 20 carries) in the run game to an average Pride DL. The pass game was effective at first, but too many dropped passes ultimately caught up to the Statesmen.
The Hobart defense did a bad job playing assignment football which is critical against triple option offenses. While some may blame the absence of SR LB Jake Stanley (ACL) and JR DT Jake Russell (MCL) as a reason for the Statesmen's defensive struggles, ultimately the inexperienced Hobart DE unit and lack of assignment play disallowed the LBs to scrape and outside run support misplaying their gaps really did in the defense.
Making things worse was the offense could only muster two JR PK Sean Kirshe FGs. The other and only Hobart TD of the game was on a 72 yard fumble recovery and return by SO DB Tommy D'Antonio. I'm going to need some time to figure out the last time the offense was shut out from scoring a TD save for losing to Dickinson 26-3 during the 2009 season.
The tide started to turn on the Statesmen starting in the second half after Sweeney was intercepted by Springfield SR DB Anthony West. The Pride would score to cut the lead to 13-7 then take the lead after they stopped the Hobart offense then went on a long drive that ate up nearly 10 minutes. A fumble recovery in the Statesmen end zone would bounce their way and the Pride suddenly had a 14-13 lead.
Springfield never looked back and, I hate to say it, Hobart basically quit in the fourth quarter to give away a 35-13 loss, breaking a 24 game LL win streak and cement the Statesmen's worse regular season defeat since the 2010 season.
While Hobart's season isn't over, it's the first time in five they don't control their own destiny in the LL title race. I guess to be fair, defending National Champions UWW lost today, but Springfield (a team that lost to a NEFC squad, 34-14) is no UW-Oshkosh.
While it's hard to say whether or not Hobart is on its way to a season like 2010 that saw multiple conference losses exacerbated by multiple off the field issues remains to be seen. Actions like throwing helmets, penalties and other non-Statesmen like behavior before and during the game points to a team that desperately needs to regroup and re-establish what made them a great program.
The long bus ride home and ensuing bye week gives them plenty of time to decide what kind of team they will be against four squads that now probably feel more confident than ever they can and will defeat the once bulletproof Hobart.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Week 6 - Springfield Game Preview
It's been a hectic week of work and kids' birthdays so this preview is up later than usual. Even ITH was delayed a couple of days but you can hear the interview with SR RB and Co-Captain Conner Hartigan (and SC HC Mike Delong) here. While biased, the Delong interview is one of the best from a D3FB coach we've had on the show in some time. The NEWMAC / LL situation is very relevant to Hobart fans. If the LL doesn't figure something out soon, it'll be bad news for the Statesmen in 2017 (why the LL hasn't made an announcement already is kind of disconcerting).
Springfield (3-2, 1-1) hasn't quite had the success they'd hoped for during their LL run. Last season Hobart (4-1, 2-0) played one of it's best games of 2014, defeating the Pride by a convincing 37-7 margin in Geneva. This season the Statesmen return to Stagg Field (which was the last road game I saw in person, along with my Dad, which made the trip that much more memorable. Since it's #TBT you may remember my posting this post game recap).
Scouting the Pride
Springfield lost SR QB Tim O'Brien early in the season but #2 SO QB Jake Eglintine (pronounced like Egg-lynn-teen) has stepped in and performed well. Eglintine leads the LL in total rushing yards, racking up 388 on 53 carries (a 7.3 YPC average) and scoring three rushing TDs. Eglintine had his first passing TD in a close 20-17 win over Union (0-5) last Saturday in Springfield.
#6 SR FB Keith Rodman is a key player in the Pride triple option attack, gaining 336 yards and one score. These two runners are a big reason why Springfield currently leads the LL with 298.8 YPG and 11 rushing TDs.
On defense 5th year #49 SR LB Max Nacewicz leads the Pride with a LL 2nd best 49 total tackles, including four sacks. While he gets a lot of hype, Nacewicz hasn't had big games against the Statesmen.
Keys to the Game
1. The Defensive End - Hobart doesn't have a ton of experience at DE this season and this position is key to defending the triple option. The end needs to play their gap and/or force the opposing QB to make the decision on whether to keep or hand off the ball. Hobart has the 3rd best rushing defense in the LL, holding their opponents to 109.2 YPG.
2. Scrambled Eggs - Eglintine is the least sacked QB in the LL, thanks to the SC OL and the fact the triple option offense offers very limited opportunities to defenses to tally those kind of plays. The Statesmen need to stack the box, keep their assignments and not over pursue. SR DE Zach Thornton and JR OLB Marcus Jemison (assuming he plays) lead Hobart with four TFLs each. Hobart will need the DE and OLB corps to have productive days.
3. WPI 2.0 - Hobart's offense looked like a completely new unit last Saturday in racking up nearly 400 yards and 40 points against WPI at Homecoming. A similar start and balanced attack will allow the opportunities for big plays down field to SO WR Brandon Shed (two catches for 132 yards and a TD) and others Saturday.
Prediction
I could see this game going two ways. On ITH I went the conservative route and picked Hobart to win, 35-21. After looking over some stats (SC is the 7th and 6th ranked scoring offense and defense in the LL), I could see Hobart winning this one by a wider margin. I'll modify my pick to a 35-7 Statesmen win.
Thanks for ready and go 'Bart!
Springfield (3-2, 1-1) hasn't quite had the success they'd hoped for during their LL run. Last season Hobart (4-1, 2-0) played one of it's best games of 2014, defeating the Pride by a convincing 37-7 margin in Geneva. This season the Statesmen return to Stagg Field (which was the last road game I saw in person, along with my Dad, which made the trip that much more memorable. Since it's #TBT you may remember my posting this post game recap).
Scouting the Pride
Springfield lost SR QB Tim O'Brien early in the season but #2 SO QB Jake Eglintine (pronounced like Egg-lynn-teen) has stepped in and performed well. Eglintine leads the LL in total rushing yards, racking up 388 on 53 carries (a 7.3 YPC average) and scoring three rushing TDs. Eglintine had his first passing TD in a close 20-17 win over Union (0-5) last Saturday in Springfield.
#6 SR FB Keith Rodman is a key player in the Pride triple option attack, gaining 336 yards and one score. These two runners are a big reason why Springfield currently leads the LL with 298.8 YPG and 11 rushing TDs.
On defense 5th year #49 SR LB Max Nacewicz leads the Pride with a LL 2nd best 49 total tackles, including four sacks. While he gets a lot of hype, Nacewicz hasn't had big games against the Statesmen.
Keys to the Game
1. The Defensive End - Hobart doesn't have a ton of experience at DE this season and this position is key to defending the triple option. The end needs to play their gap and/or force the opposing QB to make the decision on whether to keep or hand off the ball. Hobart has the 3rd best rushing defense in the LL, holding their opponents to 109.2 YPG.
2. Scrambled Eggs - Eglintine is the least sacked QB in the LL, thanks to the SC OL and the fact the triple option offense offers very limited opportunities to defenses to tally those kind of plays. The Statesmen need to stack the box, keep their assignments and not over pursue. SR DE Zach Thornton and JR OLB Marcus Jemison (assuming he plays) lead Hobart with four TFLs each. Hobart will need the DE and OLB corps to have productive days.
3. WPI 2.0 - Hobart's offense looked like a completely new unit last Saturday in racking up nearly 400 yards and 40 points against WPI at Homecoming. A similar start and balanced attack will allow the opportunities for big plays down field to SO WR Brandon Shed (two catches for 132 yards and a TD) and others Saturday.
Prediction
I could see this game going two ways. On ITH I went the conservative route and picked Hobart to win, 35-21. After looking over some stats (SC is the 7th and 6th ranked scoring offense and defense in the LL), I could see Hobart winning this one by a wider margin. I'll modify my pick to a 35-7 Statesmen win.
Thanks for ready and go 'Bart!
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Statesmen Offense Awakens En Route to 37-7 Rout of WPI for Homecoming Weekend
The 25th ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted the WPI Engineers in LL action Saturday at Boswell Field on Family and Homecoming Weekend.
The Statesmen took their opening drive and like a #TBT, transformed into the 2014 edition, marching 74 yards in 12 plays with SO QB Tom Sydeski connecting on a six yard TD pass to JR WR Sean Cunningham put Hobart up 7-0 half way through the 1st quarter.
SR RB and Co-Captain Conner Hartigan would score from two yards out on the ensuing drive that was set by JR DB Todd Collier, who forced a WPI fumble at the Engineers' 33 yard line.
JR RB Bradley Burns and JR PK Sean Kirshe would add a rushing TD and 25 yard FG, respectively and Hobart took a commanding 24-0 lead into the half.
The Statesmen out gained the Engineers 240 yards to 45 in the first half and 13 first downs to one.
The second half was more Hobart as FY RB Tynard Barfield scored on a five yard TD run and SO WR Brandon Shed caught a halfback option pass from Hartigan for a 74 yard TD!
Although WPI's SR RB Zach Grasis would score, the Statesmen won the game 37-7. The Hobart defense bottled up the WPI air attack, limiting the Engineers to only 101 passing yards. The Statesmen also held WPI to only two of 12 third down conversions. JR OLB Michael Harper had a 40 INT return to cap a solid defensive performance (holding WPI to 250 total yards).
The Hobart offense was led by Hartigan with a combined 162 total yards and two scores. Sydeski had his best game so far, going 11 of 18 for 113 yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen defense was led by Collier and FY LB Aaron Louis with six tackles each. A special shout out to SR DL Elliot Adler who tallied a TFL on a 3rd and 8 from the Hobart 32 yard line and helped keep WPI from a late score.
The win improves the Statesmen to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the LL. With Rochester (3-1, 1-1) losing 20-0 today, it looks like the LL will come down to RPI (4-1, 2-0) and SLU (4-1, 2-0).
Thanks for reading and hope everyone enjoyed a great Homecoming Weekend. Go 'Bart!
The Statesmen took their opening drive and like a #TBT, transformed into the 2014 edition, marching 74 yards in 12 plays with SO QB Tom Sydeski connecting on a six yard TD pass to JR WR Sean Cunningham put Hobart up 7-0 half way through the 1st quarter.
SR RB and Co-Captain Conner Hartigan would score from two yards out on the ensuing drive that was set by JR DB Todd Collier, who forced a WPI fumble at the Engineers' 33 yard line.
JR RB Bradley Burns and JR PK Sean Kirshe would add a rushing TD and 25 yard FG, respectively and Hobart took a commanding 24-0 lead into the half.
The Statesmen out gained the Engineers 240 yards to 45 in the first half and 13 first downs to one.
The second half was more Hobart as FY RB Tynard Barfield scored on a five yard TD run and SO WR Brandon Shed caught a halfback option pass from Hartigan for a 74 yard TD!
Although WPI's SR RB Zach Grasis would score, the Statesmen won the game 37-7. The Hobart defense bottled up the WPI air attack, limiting the Engineers to only 101 passing yards. The Statesmen also held WPI to only two of 12 third down conversions. JR OLB Michael Harper had a 40 INT return to cap a solid defensive performance (holding WPI to 250 total yards).
The Hobart offense was led by Hartigan with a combined 162 total yards and two scores. Sydeski had his best game so far, going 11 of 18 for 113 yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen defense was led by Collier and FY LB Aaron Louis with six tackles each. A special shout out to SR DL Elliot Adler who tallied a TFL on a 3rd and 8 from the Hobart 32 yard line and helped keep WPI from a late score.
The win improves the Statesmen to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the LL. With Rochester (3-1, 1-1) losing 20-0 today, it looks like the LL will come down to RPI (4-1, 2-0) and SLU (4-1, 2-0).
Thanks for reading and hope everyone enjoyed a great Homecoming Weekend. Go 'Bart!
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Week 5 (& Homecoming) - WPI Game Preview
The WPI Engineers will make the trek up the Mass Pike and down I-90 tomorrow for a key Liberty League showdown against the #25th ranked Hobart College Statesmen on Saturday in Geneva, NY.
WPI (3-1, 0-1) is coming off a tough 28-21 loss to industry and LL rival RPI (3-1, 1-0). The NY Engineers jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead but the MA ones made a comeback that ultimately came up short.
Last season Hobart beat WPI in Worcester, 28-14, in a game not unlike last weekend's RPI-WPI showdown. The Statesmen took a 21-0 lead into the half and had a 28-0 advantage until about the nine minute mark of the fourth quarter when WPI scored the first of two late TDs to make the final look a little more competitive.
This season is a new year of course and both programs aren't exactly in the same boat as 2014. Hobart (3-1, 1-0) and WPI actually come into the contest with identical overall records, but the Statesmen have had a tougher schedule. The Engineers offense is off to a great start but last year's #3 ranked defense seems to have dropped off, especially from a yards allowed perspective.
Scouting WPI
The Engineers are led by #9 JR QB Dan Eckler who leads the LL in total offense (305 YPG), passing (66 of 99 for 1,077 yards, 7 TDs to 3 INTs) and efficiency (175.3 rating). Eckler's favorite target has a similar last name. #89 JR WR Brandon Eccher leads the LL in receiving yards (426) with a long of 96, scoring three receiving TDs. The #2 ranked WR in the LL (Bryant of SLU) is 204 yards BEHIND Eccher.
Far from being one dimensional, the WPI running game is paced by #3 SR RB Zach Grasis who missed most of last season due to injury. At 6' 215 lbs, Grasis is a physical runner who's carried the ball for 315 yards (good for 4th best in the LL) and scored three rushing TDs.
For all of that the Engineers best player is probably #35 JR LB Brian Murtagh. He leads the LL in total tackles with 41, including 29 solo and two INTs. #94 SO DL Dereck Pacheco leads the LL with six sacks. In the secondary, #37 SR DB Eric Lacroix has 31 stops and an INT. #20 SR DB Sean Murphy doubles as a return man and has had some rather epic pick sixes in his WPI career.
#2 JR PK Blaine Bursey has gone five of six on FGs while notching 11 PATs which is good for 2nd in the LL for overall scoring. Bursey recently earned recognition from the Fred Mitchell Award watch list which is a first for a WPI kicker. He's one of 21 players across all of CFB cited for consideration. A link to the article on this story can be seen here.
Keys to the Game
1. The Pass - WPI is the top ranked passing unit in the LL right now averaging 269.3 YPG while Hobart boasts the best pass defense only allowing 101.3 YPG. The forecast looks cool and cloudy but dry in Geneva this weekend for homecoming so the Statesmen can't count on the weather to slow down the Engineers. That's good news for the Hobart offense too as they need to improve their stats as the worst (or close to) LL offense, statistically speaking, in yards (244.5 YPG), rushing (95 YPG), and passing (149.5 YPG). WPI is nearly the worst passing defense in the LL, allowing 244 YPG via the air. Their rushing defense is above average, however, allowing 136 YPG.
2. Third Down - WPI has excelled on third down this season, converting 43.4% of their tries, ranking 2nd in the LL in that category. Hobart on the other hand is the toughest defense to convert against, leading the LL with a stingy 19% conversion rate. Unfortunately the Statesmen lost SR LB Jacob Stanley to a career ending ACL injury and the status of JR OLB Marcus Jemison is week to week with a sore shoulder so the Hobart defense may have some new faces in key LB positions Saturday. On offense if SO QB Shane Sweeney is still injured you can probably expect SO QB Tom Sydeski to get the start and hopefully improve from his five of 19 passing day against the USMMA (1-2, 0-1).
3. The Little Things - the statistics have this as a fairly even match up between the #4 overall scoring (26.5 PPG) / # 3 total offense (386 YPG) of WPI vs. the # 3 scoring (15.8 PPG) and #1 total defense (200.5 YPG). What the stats belie is #25 has played a tougher schedule and defensively is much stronger than the Engineers. If the Hobart offense can finally kick into gear, this game should be decided early on and give the home crowd a lot to cheer about. If turnovers, penalties and field position go against the Statesmen, this game will have a different feel altogether.
Prediction
While I've liked seeing the improvement in WPI from earlier this season, the wins over MIT (1-3), Worcester State (0-4) and Norwich (0-3) don't look that good now in the rear view mirror. I initially thought this may be a 28-21 close one but I'm going to agree with my ITH co-host that Hobart should win this one fairly convincingly, 35-14.
Hoping all you alums, fans and family enjoy what I'm sure will be a great Homecoming Weekend up in Geneva. While I wish I could be there in person, I will be tuning into WEOS at 12:40 PM and will be there in spirit.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
WPI (3-1, 0-1) is coming off a tough 28-21 loss to industry and LL rival RPI (3-1, 1-0). The NY Engineers jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead but the MA ones made a comeback that ultimately came up short.
Last season Hobart beat WPI in Worcester, 28-14, in a game not unlike last weekend's RPI-WPI showdown. The Statesmen took a 21-0 lead into the half and had a 28-0 advantage until about the nine minute mark of the fourth quarter when WPI scored the first of two late TDs to make the final look a little more competitive.
This season is a new year of course and both programs aren't exactly in the same boat as 2014. Hobart (3-1, 1-0) and WPI actually come into the contest with identical overall records, but the Statesmen have had a tougher schedule. The Engineers offense is off to a great start but last year's #3 ranked defense seems to have dropped off, especially from a yards allowed perspective.
Scouting WPI
The Engineers are led by #9 JR QB Dan Eckler who leads the LL in total offense (305 YPG), passing (66 of 99 for 1,077 yards, 7 TDs to 3 INTs) and efficiency (175.3 rating). Eckler's favorite target has a similar last name. #89 JR WR Brandon Eccher leads the LL in receiving yards (426) with a long of 96, scoring three receiving TDs. The #2 ranked WR in the LL (Bryant of SLU) is 204 yards BEHIND Eccher.
Far from being one dimensional, the WPI running game is paced by #3 SR RB Zach Grasis who missed most of last season due to injury. At 6' 215 lbs, Grasis is a physical runner who's carried the ball for 315 yards (good for 4th best in the LL) and scored three rushing TDs.
For all of that the Engineers best player is probably #35 JR LB Brian Murtagh. He leads the LL in total tackles with 41, including 29 solo and two INTs. #94 SO DL Dereck Pacheco leads the LL with six sacks. In the secondary, #37 SR DB Eric Lacroix has 31 stops and an INT. #20 SR DB Sean Murphy doubles as a return man and has had some rather epic pick sixes in his WPI career.
#2 JR PK Blaine Bursey has gone five of six on FGs while notching 11 PATs which is good for 2nd in the LL for overall scoring. Bursey recently earned recognition from the Fred Mitchell Award watch list which is a first for a WPI kicker. He's one of 21 players across all of CFB cited for consideration. A link to the article on this story can be seen here.
Keys to the Game
1. The Pass - WPI is the top ranked passing unit in the LL right now averaging 269.3 YPG while Hobart boasts the best pass defense only allowing 101.3 YPG. The forecast looks cool and cloudy but dry in Geneva this weekend for homecoming so the Statesmen can't count on the weather to slow down the Engineers. That's good news for the Hobart offense too as they need to improve their stats as the worst (or close to) LL offense, statistically speaking, in yards (244.5 YPG), rushing (95 YPG), and passing (149.5 YPG). WPI is nearly the worst passing defense in the LL, allowing 244 YPG via the air. Their rushing defense is above average, however, allowing 136 YPG.
2. Third Down - WPI has excelled on third down this season, converting 43.4% of their tries, ranking 2nd in the LL in that category. Hobart on the other hand is the toughest defense to convert against, leading the LL with a stingy 19% conversion rate. Unfortunately the Statesmen lost SR LB Jacob Stanley to a career ending ACL injury and the status of JR OLB Marcus Jemison is week to week with a sore shoulder so the Hobart defense may have some new faces in key LB positions Saturday. On offense if SO QB Shane Sweeney is still injured you can probably expect SO QB Tom Sydeski to get the start and hopefully improve from his five of 19 passing day against the USMMA (1-2, 0-1).
3. The Little Things - the statistics have this as a fairly even match up between the #4 overall scoring (26.5 PPG) / # 3 total offense (386 YPG) of WPI vs. the # 3 scoring (15.8 PPG) and #1 total defense (200.5 YPG). What the stats belie is #25 has played a tougher schedule and defensively is much stronger than the Engineers. If the Hobart offense can finally kick into gear, this game should be decided early on and give the home crowd a lot to cheer about. If turnovers, penalties and field position go against the Statesmen, this game will have a different feel altogether.
Prediction
While I've liked seeing the improvement in WPI from earlier this season, the wins over MIT (1-3), Worcester State (0-4) and Norwich (0-3) don't look that good now in the rear view mirror. I initially thought this may be a 28-21 close one but I'm going to agree with my ITH co-host that Hobart should win this one fairly convincingly, 35-14.
Hoping all you alums, fans and family enjoy what I'm sure will be a great Homecoming Weekend up in Geneva. While I wish I could be there in person, I will be tuning into WEOS at 12:40 PM and will be there in spirit.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
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