The #15/21st ranked Hobart College Statesmen will host the United States Merchant Marine Academy Saturday at Boswell Field. Hobart (4-0, 1-0) and the USMMA (2-1, 1-0) are coming off Liberty League (LL) wins over Union (1-3, 0-1) and Rochester (1-2, 0-1), respectively.
The Statesmen have gone 12-0 since the Mariners and Hobart renewed their series back in 2004. USMMA went 4-0 vs. the Statesmen from between three games in the 1960's and one in 1970. Last season Hobart defeated the Mariners by a score of 30-15, even though the Statesmen were outgained 215 to 244 total yards. Hobart jumped out to 14-0 lead but USMMA would score with 39 seconds left in the second quarter to cut the Statesmen's advantage to 14-7. Hobart increased their lead to 23-7 thanks to a (then) JR DB Todd Collier 41 yard punt return for a TD and a JR PK Sean Kirshe 31 yard FG. Although the Mariners rallied to pull within eight points, the Statesmen would win the game after a Conner Hartigan '16 two yard run for a TD capped a nine play, 75 yard drive with 4:02 left in the contest.
Keys to the Game:
1. All Hands on Deck - The USMMA bring the top rated rushing offense in the nation, which has averaged an outstanding 375.7 YPG, to the "Boz" this Saturday. I have already chronicled some of Hobart's struggles against strong rushing teams, and the triple option requires a lot of patience and discipline to defend. #7 JR QB Robert Moore earned a LL OPOTW award after a stalwart 104 rushing yards and three TD performance last Saturday against Rochester. Moore leads the LL with 149 rushing YPG and is tied for second place in the LL with a handful of other rushers with four TDs. He was a perfect five for five passing for 176 yards and two passing TDs against the Yellow Jackets including an 81 yard strike to #24 SR RB Spencer Blauw and a 53 yard pass to #27 FY WR Luke Jamison. The Mariners have only passed the ball 15 times in three games, but have completed nine of those for a LL leading 232.7 passing efficiency rating. This will force Hobart to respect the long ball, while needing to focus on their gaps and multiple pitchmen that the Mariners triple option offense will utilize. Moore can be rattled however and if played well, the Statesmen could create turnovers like the fumble / scoop and score by Coast Guard (1-3) in the Secretaries Cup game in Week 2 and the game ending interception against SUNY-Maritime (2-1) the Mariners dropped by a score of 20-16. Other players of note include #33 SO FB Wiley Martin, last season's LL ROTY, who's off to another strong start this season, rushing for 260 yards and a LL best six TDs. #14 JR FB Luke Tiefenthaler is a strong blocker at 6'0" 215 lbs. as is #85 SR TE Robert Baker (6'3" 230 lbs.). Baker isn't much of a receiving threat, but when used (twice) he's averaged 17.7 YPC. The experienced USMMA OL is led by #71 SR Parker Johnson (6'2" 272 lbs.) and #70 Ian Stoner (6'1" 266 lbs.).
2. Let's Go Team Air Show - JR WR Brandon Shed ranks second in the nation in receiving TDs (eight) and third in receiving yards (546). Not surprisingly then, JR QB Shane Sweeney is ranked seventh in the nation as a passer and is easily the top passing QB in the LL with an impressive 1,255 yards and 13 TDs compared to only three INTs. The USMMA defense allows just under 200 receiving YPG (197.7) but their opposition's pass completion percentage is on the high side at 63.3%. You can bet OC Jon Drach will look to test this tough Mariners defense, the top ranked rush D in the LL (allowing only 66 YPG and only one rushing TD), through the air. SR WRs Jack Pfohl and Sean Cunningham are off to solid starts catching a combined 31 passes for 341 yards and three TDs. Also off to a good start is the combo of JR TE Zach Withers and SO TE Matt Woods have 175 receiving yards and one score. The USMMA defense is led by #49 SR LB Josh Woodburn (22 total tackles) and #20 SR DB Patrick Keyes (17). Both are All-Conference caliber talents and will need to accounted for by Statesmen blockers.
3. TOP - One of the reasons for success of the triple option is the amount of clock it can burn and how it can wear down a defense. Statesmen fans saw that first hand against Springfield last season and Union used a similar strategy last weekend, keeping the Hobart defense on the field for almost 37 minutes of the contest. While the Statesmen's quick strike offense is fun to watch, the lower amount of running plays can put more pressure on the defense who have to grind it out longer because of it. The Mariners are second in the LL averaging 34:28 of possession. I'd like to see more like a 32-28 ratio Saturday.
Prediction:
On Sunday night I picked Hobart to win by a score of 35-21. After a closer look at the Mariners I think this game will be similar to last year's contest, competitive and lower scoring. I still think the Statesmen will win it, but I'll say it's by a 28-17 margin.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
A Case for The Defense
After listening to a replay of last Sunday's In The HuddLLe podcast, I wondered if I wasn't being a bit of a "downer" or too harsh a critic of the Statesmen defense? That said I wanted to take a closer look.
After four contests the Hobart defense is allowing 20.3 PPG, which is right in the middle of the LL (ranked fourth), pack. Not bad, but not great either. As a Top 25 team (the Statesmen are ranked tied for 15th in the AFCA Coach's Poll and 21st in the D3football.com Top 25), Hobart (4-0, 1-0) should be more formidable in my opinion than the stats show.
To be fair, there are a lot of new or first time starters across the front seven that probably just need time to gather the experience to be a more cohesive unit. Players like SO DE A.J. McFarlane, JR DE Brandon Ball, JR LB Almamy Conde, JR CB Daryl Scales, SO OLB Kai Brandford and FY LB Jedh Downey have done well as relative newcomers to their starting roles. SO DT Sean Moore has also looked good and could earn a starting job soon.
So am I being too critical?
With that in mind, I looked at the NCAA stat book (note there is some noise due to single game NESCAC teams and associated data so you can adjust the below around 2-5 spots). All of the below are out of the 244 teams in D3FB.
Hobart is currently (nationally) ranked:
46th in total defense (YPG)
66th scoring defense (PPG)
121st rushing defense (YPG)
36th in defensive pass efficiency
To put the above into context, #24/25 SLU (4-0, 1-0) is ranked:
3rd total defense
4th scoring defense
20th rushing defense
3rd in defensive pass efficiency
While it's true that SLU has more veteran squad, they also have played slightly easier slate than Hobart so far based on W/L record (Hobart's opponents are 5-10 while SLU's are 3-11).
My main concern are the rushing defense stats, especially given the USMMA (2-1, 1-0) is heading to Geneva averaging 375.7 YPG, which is currently number one in the nation. Those stats were bolstered however by a Rochester (1-2, 0-1) squad that may not win another game this season.
Taking a closer look at the rushing numbers the Statesmen have allowed:
195 yards and four TDs to Brockport (2-2) who has averaged 180.3 YPG (ranked 74th) since with an overall 12 total rush TDs
166 yards and one TD to Endicott (1-3) who has averaged 125.5 YPG (155th) and four TDs
99 yards and to Ithaca (1-2) who has averaged 35.3 YPG (242nd - that's not a typo) and zero rushing TDs on the season
175 yards and two TDs to Union (1-3) who has averaged 169.8 YPG (92nd) and seven TDs overall
One could argue that two of the above rushing TDs really aren't the defense's fault as the punt unit gave Brockport the ball at the one yard line in Week 1 and the offense gave Union the ball at the nine last weekend. Also, if you take the Endicott pick six from Week 2 off the board, Hobart's defensive allowed average drops to ~15 PPG, which is a considerable improvement.
Given the above, while the above rushing stats remain a concern, it appears as though the Statesmen defense is playing much better than I thought, especially considering the number of new starters.
There you have it, I stand corrected. I'll have a USMMA game preview up by Thursday at the latest.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
After four contests the Hobart defense is allowing 20.3 PPG, which is right in the middle of the LL (ranked fourth), pack. Not bad, but not great either. As a Top 25 team (the Statesmen are ranked tied for 15th in the AFCA Coach's Poll and 21st in the D3football.com Top 25), Hobart (4-0, 1-0) should be more formidable in my opinion than the stats show.
To be fair, there are a lot of new or first time starters across the front seven that probably just need time to gather the experience to be a more cohesive unit. Players like SO DE A.J. McFarlane, JR DE Brandon Ball, JR LB Almamy Conde, JR CB Daryl Scales, SO OLB Kai Brandford and FY LB Jedh Downey have done well as relative newcomers to their starting roles. SO DT Sean Moore has also looked good and could earn a starting job soon.
So am I being too critical?
With that in mind, I looked at the NCAA stat book (note there is some noise due to single game NESCAC teams and associated data so you can adjust the below around 2-5 spots). All of the below are out of the 244 teams in D3FB.
Hobart is currently (nationally) ranked:
46th in total defense (YPG)
66th scoring defense (PPG)
121st rushing defense (YPG)
36th in defensive pass efficiency
To put the above into context, #24/25 SLU (4-0, 1-0) is ranked:
3rd total defense
4th scoring defense
20th rushing defense
3rd in defensive pass efficiency
While it's true that SLU has more veteran squad, they also have played slightly easier slate than Hobart so far based on W/L record (Hobart's opponents are 5-10 while SLU's are 3-11).
My main concern are the rushing defense stats, especially given the USMMA (2-1, 1-0) is heading to Geneva averaging 375.7 YPG, which is currently number one in the nation. Those stats were bolstered however by a Rochester (1-2, 0-1) squad that may not win another game this season.
Taking a closer look at the rushing numbers the Statesmen have allowed:
195 yards and four TDs to Brockport (2-2) who has averaged 180.3 YPG (ranked 74th) since with an overall 12 total rush TDs
166 yards and one TD to Endicott (1-3) who has averaged 125.5 YPG (155th) and four TDs
99 yards and to Ithaca (1-2) who has averaged 35.3 YPG (242nd - that's not a typo) and zero rushing TDs on the season
175 yards and two TDs to Union (1-3) who has averaged 169.8 YPG (92nd) and seven TDs overall
One could argue that two of the above rushing TDs really aren't the defense's fault as the punt unit gave Brockport the ball at the one yard line in Week 1 and the offense gave Union the ball at the nine last weekend. Also, if you take the Endicott pick six from Week 2 off the board, Hobart's defensive allowed average drops to ~15 PPG, which is a considerable improvement.
Given the above, while the above rushing stats remain a concern, it appears as though the Statesmen defense is playing much better than I thought, especially considering the number of new starters.
There you have it, I stand corrected. I'll have a USMMA game preview up by Thursday at the latest.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Monday, September 26, 2016
Brandon Shed Appears on ITH Week 4 Recap and Week 5 Preview
JR WR Brandon Shed had a very happy birthday Saturday, scoring three receiving TDs, including the game winner against rival Union College.
Shed currently ranks second in all D3 in TD receptions (8) and is third overall in receiving yards (546) and ninth in receiving YPG (136.5).
My ITH co-host Frank Rossi and I spoke to him last night on our D3FB podcast. You can hear the interview after our highlight reel and post game analysis here.
I have some more analysis on the upcoming game against the USMMA (2-1, 1-0) later this week. The Mariners had a big 55-7 win over Rochester (1-2, 0-1) Saturday for Homecoming in Kings Point.
Thanks for tuning into the podcast (and reading the blog). Go 'Bart!
Shed currently ranks second in all D3 in TD receptions (8) and is third overall in receiving yards (546) and ninth in receiving YPG (136.5).
My ITH co-host Frank Rossi and I spoke to him last night on our D3FB podcast. You can hear the interview after our highlight reel and post game analysis here.
I have some more analysis on the upcoming game against the USMMA (2-1, 1-0) later this week. The Mariners had a big 55-7 win over Rochester (1-2, 0-1) Saturday for Homecoming in Kings Point.
Thanks for tuning into the podcast (and reading the blog). Go 'Bart!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Sloppy Statesmen Overcome Penalties to Outlast Union, 27-23
Maybe it was the Saturday Night Lights / Ithaca revenge game hangover, but the #18/22 ranked Hobart College Statesmen needed a late comeback and some luck to defeat rival Union College, 27-23, Saturday at Boswell Field.
The Statesmen (4-0, 1-0) were flagged 11 times for -116 yards with four or five unsportsmanlike penalties that included a (very questionable) targeting call against SR OLB Michael Harper. The Hobart DL and basically front seven was once again suspect as Union (1-3, 0-1) gashed the young Statesmen defense to the tune of 170 rushing yards and two scores. SO RB Connor Kinzelmann had both of those Dutchmen TDs, the third went to SR QB Blake Geller who had a workman like eight for 18, 124 yard passing day.
Turnovers also hurt Hobart who gave Union the ball at their own nine yard late in the first quarter. Another turnover and a couple of sacks allowed by the Hobart OL put the Statesmen in a 10-7 halftime hole.
Things looked worse for Hobart after Geller led Union on a five play, 68 yard drive that gave the Dutchmen a 17-7 lead with 11:47 remaining in the 3rd quarter. That drive included a long pass where a wide open Dutchmen receiver benefited from blown coverage by the Hobart secondary.
SR FB Sean Bright (#36!) would pull the Statesmen within four points with a one yard TD. Kicking woes would start then, with SR PK Sean Kirshe missing the first of two PATs. Hobart would take the lead on JR WR Brandon Shed's second TD of the game with 2:01 remaining in the third quarter. Shed, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, had a 50 yard catch to open the scoring back in the first.
Union would regain the lead after a 15 play, 77 yard drive ended in Kinzelmann's second rushing TD, a one yarder with 6:33 to go in the game. The Dutchmen elected to go for two but Geller was intercepted by JR DB Tommy D'Antonio, who returned it 95 yards to clip the Union lead to 23-21!
Shed would score what would be the winning TD on a 23 yard pass from JR QB Shane Sweeney with 2:16 left. The Hobart defense would hold, dodging a bullet on a would be TD that was called out of bounds (replays in the press box confirmed this according to the game announcers).
After one of the sloppiest first halves I have seen in several years, you have to give the Statesmen credit for finding a way to comeback and win this game. The officiating was bad on both sides of the ball, but even though Hobart didn't show what they were really capable of, they still found a way to win.
This was the second year in a row that Shed had a 100+ yard and multiple TD game against the Dutchmen. Sweeney finished with a solid 22 for 35, 246 passing yards and three TD game. D'Antonio and FY LB Jedh Downey led the Statesmen defense with 11 tackles each. With SR OLB Marcus Jemison out, D'Antonio has really stepped up and is the MVP on this team, at least in my opinion.
Hobart will learn a lot from this game tape and will need to improve on all the mistakes they made in this game after a tough nosed United States Merchant Marine (2-1, 1-0) team destroyed Rochester by a 55-7 margin today.
We will discuss this game and others, Sunday night on ITH. More on that soon.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Statesmen (4-0, 1-0) were flagged 11 times for -116 yards with four or five unsportsmanlike penalties that included a (very questionable) targeting call against SR OLB Michael Harper. The Hobart DL and basically front seven was once again suspect as Union (1-3, 0-1) gashed the young Statesmen defense to the tune of 170 rushing yards and two scores. SO RB Connor Kinzelmann had both of those Dutchmen TDs, the third went to SR QB Blake Geller who had a workman like eight for 18, 124 yard passing day.
Turnovers also hurt Hobart who gave Union the ball at their own nine yard late in the first quarter. Another turnover and a couple of sacks allowed by the Hobart OL put the Statesmen in a 10-7 halftime hole.
Things looked worse for Hobart after Geller led Union on a five play, 68 yard drive that gave the Dutchmen a 17-7 lead with 11:47 remaining in the 3rd quarter. That drive included a long pass where a wide open Dutchmen receiver benefited from blown coverage by the Hobart secondary.
SR FB Sean Bright (#36!) would pull the Statesmen within four points with a one yard TD. Kicking woes would start then, with SR PK Sean Kirshe missing the first of two PATs. Hobart would take the lead on JR WR Brandon Shed's second TD of the game with 2:01 remaining in the third quarter. Shed, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, had a 50 yard catch to open the scoring back in the first.
Union would regain the lead after a 15 play, 77 yard drive ended in Kinzelmann's second rushing TD, a one yarder with 6:33 to go in the game. The Dutchmen elected to go for two but Geller was intercepted by JR DB Tommy D'Antonio, who returned it 95 yards to clip the Union lead to 23-21!
Shed would score what would be the winning TD on a 23 yard pass from JR QB Shane Sweeney with 2:16 left. The Hobart defense would hold, dodging a bullet on a would be TD that was called out of bounds (replays in the press box confirmed this according to the game announcers).
After one of the sloppiest first halves I have seen in several years, you have to give the Statesmen credit for finding a way to comeback and win this game. The officiating was bad on both sides of the ball, but even though Hobart didn't show what they were really capable of, they still found a way to win.
This was the second year in a row that Shed had a 100+ yard and multiple TD game against the Dutchmen. Sweeney finished with a solid 22 for 35, 246 passing yards and three TD game. D'Antonio and FY LB Jedh Downey led the Statesmen defense with 11 tackles each. With SR OLB Marcus Jemison out, D'Antonio has really stepped up and is the MVP on this team, at least in my opinion.
Hobart will learn a lot from this game tape and will need to improve on all the mistakes they made in this game after a tough nosed United States Merchant Marine (2-1, 1-0) team destroyed Rochester by a 55-7 margin today.
We will discuss this game and others, Sunday night on ITH. More on that soon.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Week 4 - (The 100th) Union Game Preview
The #18/22 ranked Hobart College Statesmen will open it's 2016 LL conference slate against long-time rival, the Union College Dutchmen, this Saturday at Boswell Field. It's the 100th meeting of these two rivals in a series that dates back to 1896! Kickoff is slated for noon (and according to WEOS' Ted Baker, there will be no pregame broadcast so coverage starts promptly at noon instead of the usual 20 minutes prior).
The Dutchmen are coming off a loss to Western New England (3-0) in a game that saw turnovers turn the tide on Union. The Dutchmen led 9-6 at the half, but fell 32-16, after the Golden Bears went on a 19 point run in the third quarter.
Hobart (3-0) continues to chip away at the Dutchmen's all-time series lead of 50-47-2 as the Statesmen have won six games in a row dating back to the 2010 season. Last season Hobart easily defeated Union by a score of 52-14, the highest offensive output for the Statesmen all season.
Then SO QB Shane Sweeney had an impressive 15-20, 305 passing and four TD day. WR Brandon Shed caught five of those passes for 179 yards and three scores. The Statesmen rushed for 276 yards and three TDs also, led by Connor Hartigan '16 with 95.
This year's Dutchman (1-2) squad is much improved defensively, at least against the run, and has a stout rushing attack on offense. The QB situation and passing game is what makes this Union squad somewhat one-dimensional.
Keys to the Game:
1. Sweeney to Shed - It worked for nearly 200 yards last season, so I suspect the Statesmen offense will look to test a Union passing defense that's allowed 221.7 YPG and five TDs in 2016. Union's defensive strength is in it's LB corps with players like SR SS Brian Alebiosu and SO LB Hunter Ordukhanyan who are tied for second in the LL with 32 tackles each. The Dutchmen are tough to run on, allowing only 103.3 YPG (good for fourth in the LL) and only three rushing scores on the year. Not that it matters in this contest, but the Statesmen are dead last in the LL with 103 YPG rushing. Union averages only 85 YPG passing, so you can say both teams lack of offensive balance. The imbalance may not hurt the Statesmen Saturday, but it could spell trouble for Hobart down the line against more complete / playoff ready opponents.
2. Stop the Run - On the flip side, Union has two of the LL's leading rushers in SO RB Connor Kinzelmann (42 carries for 251 yards and two TDs) and SR RB Jermaine Carn (54 carries for 216 yards and three scores). Union has only attempted 49 passes on the season so far (compared to Hobart's LL leading 122), so expect the Dutchmen to come out and test a Statesmen rush defense that's struggled somewhat, placing itself sixth in the LL with an 138.9 YPG allowed average. I'd like to see more inside gap penetration and tackles by the DL as it seems that opposing QBs and RBs haven't dealt with much inside pressure from the Statesmen defense. To its credit, the DL has forced plays to the outside so the DEs, LBs and DBs can make plays but the lack of pass rush is also something that'll need to develop in order for Hobart to have a chance to beat stronger teams down the stretch. The Statesmen are tied for first in the LL with 13 sacks (4.3 PG), but most, if not all of these came after the QB had time to scramble outside the pocket. The dangerous aspect of this outside contain strategy is that if tackles are missed (like some that where in the Brockport and Endicott games), opposing teams can get big gains of yardage outside.
3. Penalties - Hobart has more than two times the number of penalties (15) than Union (six). While I expect a tough, physical game, the long-time rivalry between these two schools can lead to "chippy" play. The Statesmen need to act like their namesake and avoid getting overly emotional or dragged into anything after the whistle. I've seen enough between these two programs to know there's some bad blood there.
Prediction
New HC Jeff Behrman has Union back on track, but Hobart doesn't need to worry too much about beating the Dutchmen this season. I like the Statesmen to cruise in this one by a score of 35-10.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Dutchmen are coming off a loss to Western New England (3-0) in a game that saw turnovers turn the tide on Union. The Dutchmen led 9-6 at the half, but fell 32-16, after the Golden Bears went on a 19 point run in the third quarter.
Hobart (3-0) continues to chip away at the Dutchmen's all-time series lead of 50-47-2 as the Statesmen have won six games in a row dating back to the 2010 season. Last season Hobart easily defeated Union by a score of 52-14, the highest offensive output for the Statesmen all season.
Then SO QB Shane Sweeney had an impressive 15-20, 305 passing and four TD day. WR Brandon Shed caught five of those passes for 179 yards and three scores. The Statesmen rushed for 276 yards and three TDs also, led by Connor Hartigan '16 with 95.
This year's Dutchman (1-2) squad is much improved defensively, at least against the run, and has a stout rushing attack on offense. The QB situation and passing game is what makes this Union squad somewhat one-dimensional.
Keys to the Game:
1. Sweeney to Shed - It worked for nearly 200 yards last season, so I suspect the Statesmen offense will look to test a Union passing defense that's allowed 221.7 YPG and five TDs in 2016. Union's defensive strength is in it's LB corps with players like SR SS Brian Alebiosu and SO LB Hunter Ordukhanyan who are tied for second in the LL with 32 tackles each. The Dutchmen are tough to run on, allowing only 103.3 YPG (good for fourth in the LL) and only three rushing scores on the year. Not that it matters in this contest, but the Statesmen are dead last in the LL with 103 YPG rushing. Union averages only 85 YPG passing, so you can say both teams lack of offensive balance. The imbalance may not hurt the Statesmen Saturday, but it could spell trouble for Hobart down the line against more complete / playoff ready opponents.
2. Stop the Run - On the flip side, Union has two of the LL's leading rushers in SO RB Connor Kinzelmann (42 carries for 251 yards and two TDs) and SR RB Jermaine Carn (54 carries for 216 yards and three scores). Union has only attempted 49 passes on the season so far (compared to Hobart's LL leading 122), so expect the Dutchmen to come out and test a Statesmen rush defense that's struggled somewhat, placing itself sixth in the LL with an 138.9 YPG allowed average. I'd like to see more inside gap penetration and tackles by the DL as it seems that opposing QBs and RBs haven't dealt with much inside pressure from the Statesmen defense. To its credit, the DL has forced plays to the outside so the DEs, LBs and DBs can make plays but the lack of pass rush is also something that'll need to develop in order for Hobart to have a chance to beat stronger teams down the stretch. The Statesmen are tied for first in the LL with 13 sacks (4.3 PG), but most, if not all of these came after the QB had time to scramble outside the pocket. The dangerous aspect of this outside contain strategy is that if tackles are missed (like some that where in the Brockport and Endicott games), opposing teams can get big gains of yardage outside.
3. Penalties - Hobart has more than two times the number of penalties (15) than Union (six). While I expect a tough, physical game, the long-time rivalry between these two schools can lead to "chippy" play. The Statesmen need to act like their namesake and avoid getting overly emotional or dragged into anything after the whistle. I've seen enough between these two programs to know there's some bad blood there.
Prediction
New HC Jeff Behrman has Union back on track, but Hobart doesn't need to worry too much about beating the Dutchmen this season. I like the Statesmen to cruise in this one by a score of 35-10.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Monday, September 19, 2016
Statesmen Beat Bombers, 23-3
The 25th ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted Ithaca College last Saturday night under the lights of Boswell Field. A large crowd turned out at the "Boz" and after allowing a FG on the Bombers initial drive, the Hobart (3-0) defense shut out Ithaca (1-1) for the remainder of the game.
The Statesmen outgained the Bombers by a 324 to 177 yard margin. JR QB Shane Sweeney found classmate JR WR Brandon Shed twice for TDs early in the game and finished with a solid 225 passing yard performance.
SR PK Sean Kirshe had some struggles in the wind and rain which picked up in the second half, but did add a 29 yard FG in the second quarter to help give Hobart a 16-3 halftime lead. JR RB Joe Letizia closed out the scoring with an eight yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. The young Statesmen defense was led by FY LB Jedh Downey with eight tackles.
A more detailed recap of the game can be found here. I'll post some pictures (like the one below) taken from the game by my friends Jen and Sean McGlynn '00 soon.
The win helped Hobart move up three spots in the D3football.com Top 25 poll to #22. A link to the poll can be found here.
We discussed this game and the seven others that LL teams participated in on last night's In The Huddle.com podcast. Highlights from the Ithaca game can be heard in the opening minutes of the show.
I'll have more thoughts on this game later in the week and preview the Union (1-2) game by Thursday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The Statesmen outgained the Bombers by a 324 to 177 yard margin. JR QB Shane Sweeney found classmate JR WR Brandon Shed twice for TDs early in the game and finished with a solid 225 passing yard performance.
SR PK Sean Kirshe had some struggles in the wind and rain which picked up in the second half, but did add a 29 yard FG in the second quarter to help give Hobart a 16-3 halftime lead. JR RB Joe Letizia closed out the scoring with an eight yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. The young Statesmen defense was led by FY LB Jedh Downey with eight tackles.
A more detailed recap of the game can be found here. I'll post some pictures (like the one below) taken from the game by my friends Jen and Sean McGlynn '00 soon.
The win helped Hobart move up three spots in the D3football.com Top 25 poll to #22. A link to the poll can be found here.
We discussed this game and the seven others that LL teams participated in on last night's In The Huddle.com podcast. Highlights from the Ithaca game can be heard in the opening minutes of the show.
I'll have more thoughts on this game later in the week and preview the Union (1-2) game by Thursday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Week 3 - Ithaca / Homecoming Game Preview
Hobart College Statesmen will host Ithaca College under the lights of Boswell Field Saturday night. It's the Statesmen's home opener and also Homecoming / Family weekend. I was hoping to attend the game in person, but sometimes life gets in the way of fun college football weekends. This match-up is not an easy Homecoming game draw for Hobart either, considering the Statesmen lost to the Bombers, 24-6, last season at Ithaca. It should also be noted that the Liberty League is 2-3 so far against the Empire 8. RPI, Union and Springfield have lost to E8 teams, but Saint Lawrence (2-0) defeated Morrisville State (0-1) by a score of 28-0 in Week 1.
On Monday the Statesmen cracked the D3Football.com Top 25 once again after another 40+ point offensive performance. A link to the poll can be found here. While I'm happy for the Statesmen, I feel like this recognition is a bit premature. I'm guessing it certainly has been noticed in Canton where the Saints have scored 80 unanswered points over the last two games.
More on that later, in the meantime, back to the game at hand!
While Ithaca (1-0) has a commanding 25-4 lead in the overall series against Hobart, since the 2000 season the Statesmen-Bombers games have become a true rivalry and the teams are tied at 3-3. Hobart last defeated Ithaca in the 2014 NCAA playoffs, a game that was second on my "Best Games of the Last 20 Years" ranking I posted over the summer. You can read that post here.
There's not a lot of tape of the 2016 Ithaca team as they beat Union College in Week 1 but were idle last weekend. Some may say this extra week of preparation will help the Bombers, but we'll have to see how things pan out on Saturday. The highlights from the Bombers 14-9 win over Union College (1-1) can be seen here. The Bombers return seven starters on both sides of the ball (offense and defense), so they have a good amount of experience. Whether or not they'll resemble the team that started 4-1 last season or the team that went 0-5 down the stretch, remains to be seen.
What's noticeable about the statistics from the Week 1 / Union game is how the Ithaca offense really struggled against a Dutchmen defense that ranked last in pretty much every category in 2015. Really the only TD the Bombers scored offensively came after Ithaca started a drive from their 47 yard line after pinning Union deep. A 40 yard pass from #12 SR QB Wolf Shafer to #7 JR WR J.R. Zazzara gave Ithaca a first down at the Dutchmen one yard line but it took the Bombers three downs (including a five yard penalty) to get into the end zone. The Ithaca defense also really had to dig in to save the day against Union who had their chances to win the game on more than one occasion late in the second half. Give the new Dutchmen coaching staff credit though, this year's Union team seems much better than last year, at least on defense.
#55 JR LB Kenny Bradley led the Bombers "D" against Union with 13 tackles. Classmate #40 JR LB Dan Loizos wasn't far behind adding 11 stops of his own. #48 SO LB Pat Minogue earned a D3Football.com Player of the Week award for his nine tackle, including three TFL and one sack game vs. Union. He also forced the fumble that was returned for the game-winning TD to open the fourth quarter, not to mention he ended the game with an interception (and he kicked nine punts for an average of 33.33 yards, so yeah, he's a pretty good athlete).
Keys to the Game:
1. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing?: Shafer (son of former Syracuse HC Scott Shafer) will look to improve upon last season's 13 for 24, 163 yard passing and one TD performance against Hobart. Shafer also struggled against Union, going 10 for 23 for 124 yards, a TD and two INTs. He was only sacked once by the Dutchmen, but really it's about pressure and that's something I wonder whether or not the current inexperienced Hobart DL and LB corps can generate on a regular basis? The 4-4 scheme is set to have the ILBs and OLBs make the majority of the tackles but so far that hasn't been the case for the Statesmen and blitzes don't seem to be part of DC Kory David's strategy, at least for now. While JR LB Almamy Conde does lead the team with 17 (as he should), the next few tacklers are edge and secondary guys which means the Statesmen are allowing too many post-LOS rushing yards. Credit SO DL AJ MacFarlane on his award winning Week 2 performance. Hobart needs some interior lineman to step up so that not so many plays end up going outside to the edge (or past it). I will also give props to FY LB Jedh Downey - to come in and be able to start as a FY at Hobart (whose track record of great LBs is amazing) is impressive. Period. His 12 tackles so far show he's up to the task and could end up being in the running for LL ROTY.
2. Stop the Run: Continuing on that theme, the Hobart preview written by the SID would lead you to believe that the Statesmen offense is one of the best in the country, and to be fair, the yardage and point totals are impressive. What I'm focused on however is the Hobart rush defense, which led the LL in 2015 with only 116.3 YPG allowed has started this season allowing over 180 YPG. Yes, it's still early and opening up against Dan Andrews obviously skews the data, but it's something worth keeping an eye on (for now). The Statesmen did allow over 100+ yards rushing to the Endicott RB too. In the Union game, the Bombers offense proved to one dimensional against a (much) tough(er) Dutchmen run defense, so if the Statesmen can do better, it will help Hobart tremendously. Besides if the Dutchmen can hold Ithaca to 55 rushing yards.....I know, I know - just saying.
3. If It Ain't Broke: While I'd love to see SR RB Brad Burns and SO RB Ty Barfield get 10+ carries each, you have to expect JR QB Shane Sweeney to stretch the field on Saturday night. I could see a match up advantage to Hobart in using these RBs as receivers or leverage JR TE Zach Withers and SO TE Matt Woods in short to intermediate routes after guys like JR WR Brandon Shed or SR WR Jack Pfohl take the secondary deep. The strength of the Ithaca defense are their LBs, so look for these kind of match up and for some occasional big plays like SR WR Sean Cunningham and the rest of the corps had in Week 2.
Prediction:
I was a little wary in last Sunday's In The HuddLLe podcast, predicting a close 24-21 game where Hobart prevailed. After getting a closer look, I do think the Statesmen should win by more, but that'll depend on a better, faster start than the Statesmen had last weekend.
(Not so proud) Alumni Soapbox Rant:
I'm very disappointed that HWS and its Communications department (which does the athletics coverage, not the HWS Athletics dept themselves) has made such a bad deal with Sidearm Sports (who's based in Syracuse). I would love to watch the game live online, but the (lack of production) quality and intermittent coverage of what SS provides isn't worth the subscription fee they charge. Why is it that other (including rival LL) schools who also use SS for live stats, web hosting, etc still manage to provide free video feeds of superior quality than what HWS makes you pay almost $100 / year?
While HWS has graded as an "A" institution is so many categories, the poor athletic and social media coverage provided to far away friends, fans and family gets a solid "F". No live tweets from games (a student could easily do this job, especially for a school that has added a "Media" major) or other platforms such as Periscope is just.... perplexing.
At least Ithaca will live stream the game (our homecoming) - for free.
Sorry to vent but I imagine more than a few of you were shaking your heads in agreement while reading the rant above. Feel free to comment below (or not).
In the meantime, be on the lookout for this guy:
If you see (and hear) this guy (a lot) on Saturday night, it's a very, very good thing.
Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!
On Monday the Statesmen cracked the D3Football.com Top 25 once again after another 40+ point offensive performance. A link to the poll can be found here. While I'm happy for the Statesmen, I feel like this recognition is a bit premature. I'm guessing it certainly has been noticed in Canton where the Saints have scored 80 unanswered points over the last two games.
More on that later, in the meantime, back to the game at hand!
While Ithaca (1-0) has a commanding 25-4 lead in the overall series against Hobart, since the 2000 season the Statesmen-Bombers games have become a true rivalry and the teams are tied at 3-3. Hobart last defeated Ithaca in the 2014 NCAA playoffs, a game that was second on my "Best Games of the Last 20 Years" ranking I posted over the summer. You can read that post here.
There's not a lot of tape of the 2016 Ithaca team as they beat Union College in Week 1 but were idle last weekend. Some may say this extra week of preparation will help the Bombers, but we'll have to see how things pan out on Saturday. The highlights from the Bombers 14-9 win over Union College (1-1) can be seen here. The Bombers return seven starters on both sides of the ball (offense and defense), so they have a good amount of experience. Whether or not they'll resemble the team that started 4-1 last season or the team that went 0-5 down the stretch, remains to be seen.
What's noticeable about the statistics from the Week 1 / Union game is how the Ithaca offense really struggled against a Dutchmen defense that ranked last in pretty much every category in 2015. Really the only TD the Bombers scored offensively came after Ithaca started a drive from their 47 yard line after pinning Union deep. A 40 yard pass from #12 SR QB Wolf Shafer to #7 JR WR J.R. Zazzara gave Ithaca a first down at the Dutchmen one yard line but it took the Bombers three downs (including a five yard penalty) to get into the end zone. The Ithaca defense also really had to dig in to save the day against Union who had their chances to win the game on more than one occasion late in the second half. Give the new Dutchmen coaching staff credit though, this year's Union team seems much better than last year, at least on defense.
#55 JR LB Kenny Bradley led the Bombers "D" against Union with 13 tackles. Classmate #40 JR LB Dan Loizos wasn't far behind adding 11 stops of his own. #48 SO LB Pat Minogue earned a D3Football.com Player of the Week award for his nine tackle, including three TFL and one sack game vs. Union. He also forced the fumble that was returned for the game-winning TD to open the fourth quarter, not to mention he ended the game with an interception (and he kicked nine punts for an average of 33.33 yards, so yeah, he's a pretty good athlete).
Keys to the Game:
1. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing?: Shafer (son of former Syracuse HC Scott Shafer) will look to improve upon last season's 13 for 24, 163 yard passing and one TD performance against Hobart. Shafer also struggled against Union, going 10 for 23 for 124 yards, a TD and two INTs. He was only sacked once by the Dutchmen, but really it's about pressure and that's something I wonder whether or not the current inexperienced Hobart DL and LB corps can generate on a regular basis? The 4-4 scheme is set to have the ILBs and OLBs make the majority of the tackles but so far that hasn't been the case for the Statesmen and blitzes don't seem to be part of DC Kory David's strategy, at least for now. While JR LB Almamy Conde does lead the team with 17 (as he should), the next few tacklers are edge and secondary guys which means the Statesmen are allowing too many post-LOS rushing yards. Credit SO DL AJ MacFarlane on his award winning Week 2 performance. Hobart needs some interior lineman to step up so that not so many plays end up going outside to the edge (or past it). I will also give props to FY LB Jedh Downey - to come in and be able to start as a FY at Hobart (whose track record of great LBs is amazing) is impressive. Period. His 12 tackles so far show he's up to the task and could end up being in the running for LL ROTY.
2. Stop the Run: Continuing on that theme, the Hobart preview written by the SID would lead you to believe that the Statesmen offense is one of the best in the country, and to be fair, the yardage and point totals are impressive. What I'm focused on however is the Hobart rush defense, which led the LL in 2015 with only 116.3 YPG allowed has started this season allowing over 180 YPG. Yes, it's still early and opening up against Dan Andrews obviously skews the data, but it's something worth keeping an eye on (for now). The Statesmen did allow over 100+ yards rushing to the Endicott RB too. In the Union game, the Bombers offense proved to one dimensional against a (much) tough(er) Dutchmen run defense, so if the Statesmen can do better, it will help Hobart tremendously. Besides if the Dutchmen can hold Ithaca to 55 rushing yards.....I know, I know - just saying.
3. If It Ain't Broke: While I'd love to see SR RB Brad Burns and SO RB Ty Barfield get 10+ carries each, you have to expect JR QB Shane Sweeney to stretch the field on Saturday night. I could see a match up advantage to Hobart in using these RBs as receivers or leverage JR TE Zach Withers and SO TE Matt Woods in short to intermediate routes after guys like JR WR Brandon Shed or SR WR Jack Pfohl take the secondary deep. The strength of the Ithaca defense are their LBs, so look for these kind of match up and for some occasional big plays like SR WR Sean Cunningham and the rest of the corps had in Week 2.
SO RB Tynard Barfield Breaks A Tackle
I was a little wary in last Sunday's In The HuddLLe podcast, predicting a close 24-21 game where Hobart prevailed. After getting a closer look, I do think the Statesmen should win by more, but that'll depend on a better, faster start than the Statesmen had last weekend.
(Not so proud) Alumni Soapbox Rant:
I'm very disappointed that HWS and its Communications department (which does the athletics coverage, not the HWS Athletics dept themselves) has made such a bad deal with Sidearm Sports (who's based in Syracuse). I would love to watch the game live online, but the (lack of production) quality and intermittent coverage of what SS provides isn't worth the subscription fee they charge. Why is it that other (including rival LL) schools who also use SS for live stats, web hosting, etc still manage to provide free video feeds of superior quality than what HWS makes you pay almost $100 / year?
While HWS has graded as an "A" institution is so many categories, the poor athletic and social media coverage provided to far away friends, fans and family gets a solid "F". No live tweets from games (a student could easily do this job, especially for a school that has added a "Media" major) or other platforms such as Periscope is just.... perplexing.
At least Ithaca will live stream the game (our homecoming) - for free.
Sorry to vent but I imagine more than a few of you were shaking your heads in agreement while reading the rant above. Feel free to comment below (or not).
In the meantime, be on the lookout for this guy:
If you see (and hear) this guy (a lot) on Saturday night, it's a very, very good thing.
Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Slow Start Leads to Strong Finish for Hobart
The Hobart College Statesmen defeated the Endicott College Gulls, 42-20, Saturday in Beverly, MA. Although the final margin looks convincing, don't be fooled. Endicott (0-2) had Statesmen fans and families worried until the Statesmen (2-0) were able to pull away with about seven minutes remaining in the contest.
Hobart came into this game with SR OLB Marcus Jemison who was held out because of a shoulder injury in the Brockport game. SR OL Justin DiJiulio was also lost due to a knee injury in the first quarter, but fortunately it wasn't anything he can't recover from and get back into the lineup, hopefully soon.
The Statesmen offense and defense looked flat after the six-plus hour road trip and the teams battled to a virtual tie in the first half, the only difference being a missed PAT which gave Hobart a slight 7-6 edge at the half.
The second half saw more back and forth. SO TE Matt Woods scored on a seven yard pass which delighted the Statesmen sideline as well as the recent alumni watching from the back of the end zone. The 14-6 advantage was short lived as SR WR Chris Lipscomb took a 21 yard pass for a TD to pull Endicott within two points of Hobart, 14-12. FY WR Isaiah Hill scored his first career TD on a long 59 yard catch and run which would be followed by JR WR Brandon Shed's 29 yard TD catch to give Hobart it's first "breathing room" of the game, a 28-12 lead with 13:15 remaining.
While JR QB Shane Sweeney's next drive looked like it would ice the game, an ill advised pass ended up being returned 80 yards for a "pick six" by SR OLB Connor McLaughlin. After a successful two point play, the Gulls were back in the game, down 28-20 with 9:04 left in regulation.
Just like Brockport last week, the Statesmen offense found a way to quickly respond and Sweeney found SR WR Sean Cunningham on a 68 yard TD play about 90 seconds later. A JR FB Dylan Quay short TD run would be the last scoring on the day and Hobart would win the game, 42-20.
In the end, the Statesmen out gained the Gulls by 504 to 336 total yards. Most of those came via the air, as Sweeney ended up 22-45 for 364 yards to go with four TDs compared to two INTs. SR RB Brad Burns led the ground game with 79 rushing yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO DT AJ McFarlane with 10 stops, 2.5 TFL, two sacks and a forced fumble. McFarlane's been a bright spot on a rush defense that so far hasn't played to the same level as prior Hobart defensive units have in the past. For the second week in a row the Statesmen have allowed an opposing RB to gain over 100 yards.
Hobart returns home and will play under the lights Saturday night against Ithaca College (1-0). I'll have more on that game later this week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Hobart came into this game with SR OLB Marcus Jemison who was held out because of a shoulder injury in the Brockport game. SR OL Justin DiJiulio was also lost due to a knee injury in the first quarter, but fortunately it wasn't anything he can't recover from and get back into the lineup, hopefully soon.
The Statesmen offense and defense looked flat after the six-plus hour road trip and the teams battled to a virtual tie in the first half, the only difference being a missed PAT which gave Hobart a slight 7-6 edge at the half.
The second half saw more back and forth. SO TE Matt Woods scored on a seven yard pass which delighted the Statesmen sideline as well as the recent alumni watching from the back of the end zone. The 14-6 advantage was short lived as SR WR Chris Lipscomb took a 21 yard pass for a TD to pull Endicott within two points of Hobart, 14-12. FY WR Isaiah Hill scored his first career TD on a long 59 yard catch and run which would be followed by JR WR Brandon Shed's 29 yard TD catch to give Hobart it's first "breathing room" of the game, a 28-12 lead with 13:15 remaining.
While JR QB Shane Sweeney's next drive looked like it would ice the game, an ill advised pass ended up being returned 80 yards for a "pick six" by SR OLB Connor McLaughlin. After a successful two point play, the Gulls were back in the game, down 28-20 with 9:04 left in regulation.
Just like Brockport last week, the Statesmen offense found a way to quickly respond and Sweeney found SR WR Sean Cunningham on a 68 yard TD play about 90 seconds later. A JR FB Dylan Quay short TD run would be the last scoring on the day and Hobart would win the game, 42-20.
In the end, the Statesmen out gained the Gulls by 504 to 336 total yards. Most of those came via the air, as Sweeney ended up 22-45 for 364 yards to go with four TDs compared to two INTs. SR RB Brad Burns led the ground game with 79 rushing yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO DT AJ McFarlane with 10 stops, 2.5 TFL, two sacks and a forced fumble. McFarlane's been a bright spot on a rush defense that so far hasn't played to the same level as prior Hobart defensive units have in the past. For the second week in a row the Statesmen have allowed an opposing RB to gain over 100 yards.
Hobart returns home and will play under the lights Saturday night against Ithaca College (1-0). I'll have more on that game later this week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Week 2 - Endicott Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen are shipping up to Boston (well, really the North Shore about 20-25 miles from the city) to take on Coach Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott College Gulls.
Last season Hobart prevailed over Endicott in a hard-hitting, bad weather, 28-17 contest. Then SO QB Shane Sweeney was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and the Statesmen were out-gained by the Gulls to a 259 to 204 yard margin.
This season the Gulls (0-1) had a few key roles to fill after the graduations of players like WR Jamison Craft, who was second on the team in receptions in 2015. Top receiver #3 Jake Pelletier was listed as "did not participate" in last weekend's contest against three time defending MASCAC Champion Framingham State, but it was the Endicott defense that struggled early on. The Rams racked up 479 total yards, mostly from deep pass plays to converted wide receiver Stephen Beahn who had TD receptions of 87, 81 and 36 yards. Framingham RB Jalen Green added 111 rushing yards and a TD.
Offensively the Gulls did show flashes, however, gaining 349 total yards and saw backup #5 SO QB Michael Scherer come in and have a good game, going 13 for 21 for 176 yards and a TD. He added 39 rushing yards and a TD on the ground as well. Scherer and the Gulls had the Rams on their heels late in the game, after a 66 yard kickoff return by Zach DeNike was followed by Scherer's second TD pass to trim Framingham State's lead to only 26-21 with 9:55 remaining,
Needless to say, you know that Coach DeWall's team will fight for the full 60 minutes so Hobart (1-0) will need to be ready for another physical contest against them. That said the Gulls-Rams game does provide some good hints on how to have success against this young Endicott squad.
Keys to the Game:
1. Take the Top Off the Defense: JR WR Brandon Shed led the Statesmen in receiving last Saturday with an impressive 11 catch, 190 yard, two TD performance - one that wasn't far off from Framingham's Beahn who had a six catch, 248 yard and three TD game against the Gulls on the same day. Needless to say, Endicott's young secondary is an area the Hobart offense should test in the game.
2. Back to Basics - In our In The HuddLLe interview with JR QB Shane Sweeney from last Sunday night, Hobart got a different defensive look than they expected and thus had to change their game plan against Brockport (ICYMI the podcast can be found here.). By design or not, the run game was somewhat abandoned because of that, but hopefully SO RB Tynard Barfield and SR RB Brad Burns will get more carries than the six and five attempts they had last Saturday. The Statesmen OL is big and the Endicott defense allowed 4.5 YPR against Framingham as well as a 100+ yard rushing game for Green, the Rams feature back. Hobart will need to account for #90 SR DL Craig Anderson, a co-captain and player who led the Gulls with nine sacks last season. Anderson only had two tackles against Framingham, but he also added two TFL. #53 SO LB William Rivera (last year's NEFC Rookie of the Year) and #21 SR OLB Connor McLaughlin will be ready to try and stop the run. McLaughlin is a good pass rusher as well and he collected a sack and TFL against Framingham in Week 1.
3. Play Smarter - The Statesmen are a clear favorite, but they can't get ahead of themselves or make the same kind of personal foul and other penalties we saw against Brockport. Endicott will be in the game regardless, so Hobart can't afford to beat themselves and help the Gulls by making mental mistakes or letting their emotions overtake their assignment responsibilities like they did against the Golden Eagles.
4. Special Teams / Field Position - The Statesmen kicking game was good last Saturday, averaging 51.5 yards on kickoffs, 41.2 yards in the punt game and SR PK Sean Kirshe was five of six on PATs (the final one was blocked). The problem was in the return and coverage game. Hobart averaged one yard per punt return and had three Brockport punts pin them inside the 20 yard line. In fact, field position for Hobart was terrible from about 3:15 in the second quarter on. Statesmen drives started at the two, 25, one, 12, 25, nine and 12 for the remainder of the game. Coverage mistakes such as JR CB Daryl Scales personal foul call hurt as well. Brockport also averaged about eight more yards than the Statesmen on punt and kickoff returns. A perfect example of this was when the Statesmen misplayed a fourth down pooch punt by QB Brian McKean and the ball was downed at the Hobart two yard line. After that drive stalled, a 35 yard JR P Rio Schmidt punt was returned 19 yards to the Hobart 25, giving Brockport another short field, from which they capitalized with Dan Andrews' second rushing TD of the game to make it 14-14 going into halftime. The Statesmen can (and will) do better than that.
Prediction:
The Statesmen should have match up advantages in a few spots in this game and fortunately won't have to contend with a RB like Andrews on Saturday. Still, Coach DeWall knows the Hobart personnel and will look to attack certain areas of the field. Converted basketball player #88 SR WR Chris Lipscomb (who's 6'3") will tower over the Statesmen DBs (and some LBs), creating match up challenges. I believe I stated the Statesmen will prevail 35-21 on ITH and I'll stand by that, although it wouldn't surprise me if this was a lower scoring game.
Although it seems like Endicott is susceptible to the "long ball" after Week 1, I really do think Hobart needs to balance their offensive attack for Week 2. Getting a run game going will only open things up like it did for Framingham against Endicott and the Rams had 34 rushing attempts (compared to 20 for the Statesmen against Brockport - seven of those attempts coming from Sweeney who was either scrambling or calling his own number based on a read at the line of scrimmage).
Although Brockport didn't blitz much in Week 1, I do think Coach DeWall and his DC Coach Chad Hadley (who spent time as a LB Coach at SLU from 2010-12 and at Ithaca from 2013&14) will attack the Hobart OL more than the Golden Eagles did.
The Statesmen defensive secondary will need to be ready also as last weekend the Gulls attempted 45 passes (similar to Sweeney and the Statesmen). To counter the Gulls passing game, look for the continued success of JR DE Brandon Ball who had an excellent debut in his first start, with two sacks and three TFL.
This game is never an easy one to watch because you want Hobart to win but you can't help cheering for HC Kevin DeWall '00, OL Coach Art Garvey '12 and LB Coach Tom Elder '13. Either way, the long road trip and toughness of Endicott is a great experience builder for this 2016 Statesmen squad. Hopefully it's a competitive (and injury-free) game for all.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Last season Hobart prevailed over Endicott in a hard-hitting, bad weather, 28-17 contest. Then SO QB Shane Sweeney was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and the Statesmen were out-gained by the Gulls to a 259 to 204 yard margin.
This season the Gulls (0-1) had a few key roles to fill after the graduations of players like WR Jamison Craft, who was second on the team in receptions in 2015. Top receiver #3 Jake Pelletier was listed as "did not participate" in last weekend's contest against three time defending MASCAC Champion Framingham State, but it was the Endicott defense that struggled early on. The Rams racked up 479 total yards, mostly from deep pass plays to converted wide receiver Stephen Beahn who had TD receptions of 87, 81 and 36 yards. Framingham RB Jalen Green added 111 rushing yards and a TD.
Offensively the Gulls did show flashes, however, gaining 349 total yards and saw backup #5 SO QB Michael Scherer come in and have a good game, going 13 for 21 for 176 yards and a TD. He added 39 rushing yards and a TD on the ground as well. Scherer and the Gulls had the Rams on their heels late in the game, after a 66 yard kickoff return by Zach DeNike was followed by Scherer's second TD pass to trim Framingham State's lead to only 26-21 with 9:55 remaining,
Needless to say, you know that Coach DeWall's team will fight for the full 60 minutes so Hobart (1-0) will need to be ready for another physical contest against them. That said the Gulls-Rams game does provide some good hints on how to have success against this young Endicott squad.
Keys to the Game:
1. Take the Top Off the Defense: JR WR Brandon Shed led the Statesmen in receiving last Saturday with an impressive 11 catch, 190 yard, two TD performance - one that wasn't far off from Framingham's Beahn who had a six catch, 248 yard and three TD game against the Gulls on the same day. Needless to say, Endicott's young secondary is an area the Hobart offense should test in the game.
2. Back to Basics - In our In The HuddLLe interview with JR QB Shane Sweeney from last Sunday night, Hobart got a different defensive look than they expected and thus had to change their game plan against Brockport (ICYMI the podcast can be found here.). By design or not, the run game was somewhat abandoned because of that, but hopefully SO RB Tynard Barfield and SR RB Brad Burns will get more carries than the six and five attempts they had last Saturday. The Statesmen OL is big and the Endicott defense allowed 4.5 YPR against Framingham as well as a 100+ yard rushing game for Green, the Rams feature back. Hobart will need to account for #90 SR DL Craig Anderson, a co-captain and player who led the Gulls with nine sacks last season. Anderson only had two tackles against Framingham, but he also added two TFL. #53 SO LB William Rivera (last year's NEFC Rookie of the Year) and #21 SR OLB Connor McLaughlin will be ready to try and stop the run. McLaughlin is a good pass rusher as well and he collected a sack and TFL against Framingham in Week 1.
3. Play Smarter - The Statesmen are a clear favorite, but they can't get ahead of themselves or make the same kind of personal foul and other penalties we saw against Brockport. Endicott will be in the game regardless, so Hobart can't afford to beat themselves and help the Gulls by making mental mistakes or letting their emotions overtake their assignment responsibilities like they did against the Golden Eagles.
4. Special Teams / Field Position - The Statesmen kicking game was good last Saturday, averaging 51.5 yards on kickoffs, 41.2 yards in the punt game and SR PK Sean Kirshe was five of six on PATs (the final one was blocked). The problem was in the return and coverage game. Hobart averaged one yard per punt return and had three Brockport punts pin them inside the 20 yard line. In fact, field position for Hobart was terrible from about 3:15 in the second quarter on. Statesmen drives started at the two, 25, one, 12, 25, nine and 12 for the remainder of the game. Coverage mistakes such as JR CB Daryl Scales personal foul call hurt as well. Brockport also averaged about eight more yards than the Statesmen on punt and kickoff returns. A perfect example of this was when the Statesmen misplayed a fourth down pooch punt by QB Brian McKean and the ball was downed at the Hobart two yard line. After that drive stalled, a 35 yard JR P Rio Schmidt punt was returned 19 yards to the Hobart 25, giving Brockport another short field, from which they capitalized with Dan Andrews' second rushing TD of the game to make it 14-14 going into halftime. The Statesmen can (and will) do better than that.
Prediction:
The Statesmen should have match up advantages in a few spots in this game and fortunately won't have to contend with a RB like Andrews on Saturday. Still, Coach DeWall knows the Hobart personnel and will look to attack certain areas of the field. Converted basketball player #88 SR WR Chris Lipscomb (who's 6'3") will tower over the Statesmen DBs (and some LBs), creating match up challenges. I believe I stated the Statesmen will prevail 35-21 on ITH and I'll stand by that, although it wouldn't surprise me if this was a lower scoring game.
Although it seems like Endicott is susceptible to the "long ball" after Week 1, I really do think Hobart needs to balance their offensive attack for Week 2. Getting a run game going will only open things up like it did for Framingham against Endicott and the Rams had 34 rushing attempts (compared to 20 for the Statesmen against Brockport - seven of those attempts coming from Sweeney who was either scrambling or calling his own number based on a read at the line of scrimmage).
Although Brockport didn't blitz much in Week 1, I do think Coach DeWall and his DC Coach Chad Hadley (who spent time as a LB Coach at SLU from 2010-12 and at Ithaca from 2013&14) will attack the Hobart OL more than the Golden Eagles did.
The Statesmen defensive secondary will need to be ready also as last weekend the Gulls attempted 45 passes (similar to Sweeney and the Statesmen). To counter the Gulls passing game, look for the continued success of JR DE Brandon Ball who had an excellent debut in his first start, with two sacks and three TFL.
This game is never an easy one to watch because you want Hobart to win but you can't help cheering for HC Kevin DeWall '00, OL Coach Art Garvey '12 and LB Coach Tom Elder '13. Either way, the long road trip and toughness of Endicott is a great experience builder for this 2016 Statesmen squad. Hopefully it's a competitive (and injury-free) game for all.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Statesmen Outlast Eagles in Shootout, 41-35
The Hobart College Statesmen survived a wild season opener against a tough Brockport team today. The Statesmen offense accumulated 489 total yards but the vast majority (419) came through the air as Hobart's running game struggled and the Statesmen played from behind for most of the contest.
Special teams play was an issue for the Statesmen who didn't seem prepared for a couple of fourth down pooch punts, finding themselves pinned deep in their own territory for most of the game. A punt return to the Hobart 25 set up another Brockport (0-1) score. In fact, the Golden Eagles second and third rushing TDs by SR RB Dan Andrews came from short fields. The latter came after a questionable fake punt call by Coach Cragg from his own one yard line. That failed and Brockport cashed in.
Both teams looked sloppy and the referees would flag Hobart seven times for -75 yards, including an ejection of SR OLB Mike Harper early in the game which was questioned loudly by Coach Cragg and the Statesmen sideline.
The Hobart defense struggled to contain All-American Andrews all game as he set the Brockport career rushing record while gashing the usually stout run Statesmen run defense to the tune of 184 rushing yards on 31 carries to go with a TD hat trick.
On the bright side JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney had an impressive 31 for 45 passing day that featured 75 and 39 yard TD receptions to classmate JR WR Brandon Shed. SR WRs Sean Cunningham and Jack Pfohl also caught TD passes for 20 and seven yards, respectively. The OL did a good job keeping Sweeney up right and didn't allow a sack, even with SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III not playing due to an undisclosed injury.
JR RB Joe Letizia would score the go ahead TD, but it was pretty clear with time running out that the Golden Eagles allowed Hobart to score in order to get the ball back with 1:29 remaining. SR PK Sean Kirshe had a good day kicking the ball but saw his final PAT blocked giving the Eagles some hope. Unfortunately for Brockport, mistakes on the final Hobart scoring drive burned their final timeouts and with a bad decision by QB Brian McKean which set up a fourth down and "forever", the Statesmen hung on to win the game.
Leading Hobart was Sweeney on offense while the defense was led by JR CB Daryl Scales and SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger with a game high 11 tackles. Brockport was led defensively by Julius Mizro with 10 stops.
The Statesmen will take their second and longest road trip of the regular season to take on former OC and Hobart alum Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott Gulls (0-1) next Saturday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Special teams play was an issue for the Statesmen who didn't seem prepared for a couple of fourth down pooch punts, finding themselves pinned deep in their own territory for most of the game. A punt return to the Hobart 25 set up another Brockport (0-1) score. In fact, the Golden Eagles second and third rushing TDs by SR RB Dan Andrews came from short fields. The latter came after a questionable fake punt call by Coach Cragg from his own one yard line. That failed and Brockport cashed in.
Both teams looked sloppy and the referees would flag Hobart seven times for -75 yards, including an ejection of SR OLB Mike Harper early in the game which was questioned loudly by Coach Cragg and the Statesmen sideline.
The Hobart defense struggled to contain All-American Andrews all game as he set the Brockport career rushing record while gashing the usually stout run Statesmen run defense to the tune of 184 rushing yards on 31 carries to go with a TD hat trick.
On the bright side JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney had an impressive 31 for 45 passing day that featured 75 and 39 yard TD receptions to classmate JR WR Brandon Shed. SR WRs Sean Cunningham and Jack Pfohl also caught TD passes for 20 and seven yards, respectively. The OL did a good job keeping Sweeney up right and didn't allow a sack, even with SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III not playing due to an undisclosed injury.
JR RB Joe Letizia would score the go ahead TD, but it was pretty clear with time running out that the Golden Eagles allowed Hobart to score in order to get the ball back with 1:29 remaining. SR PK Sean Kirshe had a good day kicking the ball but saw his final PAT blocked giving the Eagles some hope. Unfortunately for Brockport, mistakes on the final Hobart scoring drive burned their final timeouts and with a bad decision by QB Brian McKean which set up a fourth down and "forever", the Statesmen hung on to win the game.
Leading Hobart was Sweeney on offense while the defense was led by JR CB Daryl Scales and SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger with a game high 11 tackles. Brockport was led defensively by Julius Mizro with 10 stops.
The Statesmen will take their second and longest road trip of the regular season to take on former OC and Hobart alum Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott Gulls (0-1) next Saturday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Week 1 - Brockport Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen will face off against SUNY-Brockport this Saturday for the first time in 34 years. The Statesmen had opened up against Centennial Conference foe Dickinson College dating back to the 1992 season (I remember because I was there), but it was time for a change and this is a good one for both squads.
A preview from the HWSAthletics.com website can be found here. I found some of the results of the position battles interesting, but overall wasn't very surprised save for a name here and there.
As for Brockport, the Golden Eagles bring a tough, run-oriented offense that'll crash against Hobart's stalwart defense. It'll be All-American SR RB Dan Andrews vs. All-American SR OLB Marcus Jemison (among other key players) for a good portion of Saturday's action.
The Statesmen come into this season looking to rebound after missing the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2010. Hobart looks to JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney and an high powered offense that returns a great deal of receiving threats. The offensive line has been bolstered by a combination of position changes, underclassmen learning the system and new additions to the program.
What remains to be seen is whether Hobart will encounter struggles with turnovers and other issues that kept the team in check for part of 2015 or whether this year's squad can achieve heights seen in prior seasons?
Keys to the Game:
1. All About Andrews - Brockport's SR RB is the real deal and if Hobart is to win the game they'll have to neutralize the rushing attack of this Rochester native. Last season Andrews won the Empire 8 OPOTY award for his 1,390 yard and 24 TD performance.
2. Pressure the (New) QB - There are a number of contenders for the starting QB role with the Golden Eagles, including a former SUNY-Albany transfer, among other schools. Whomever wins the starting job will see their first collegiate playing time against a Hobart defense that finished sixth overall in total and second in the nation in passing defense.
3. Play Smart - I was reminded by a recent local high school game here in FL that penalties and turnovers are common place in Week 1. For Hobart to win, they'll need to protect the football on offense while also create and capitalize on turnovers on defense. The latter was something the 2015 edition of the Statesmen rarely did well and with one of the most experienced secondaries Hobart's had since the 2007-8 seasons, I hope we see some more picks than we have of late.
Prediction
Brockport is a very tough draw to open the season, but the Statesmen have a few advantages given depth and continuity that the Eagles are still rebuilding on at the QB, DL and LB positions. While I think it'll be a low-scoring, defensive battle to start, Hobart will ultimately outlast Brockport, 24-10, in the season opener.
I hope you'll tune in for highlights and commentary on this and other games at www.inthehuddlle.com at or around 7:30 pm ET this Sunday night, Sept 4th.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
A preview from the HWSAthletics.com website can be found here. I found some of the results of the position battles interesting, but overall wasn't very surprised save for a name here and there.
As for Brockport, the Golden Eagles bring a tough, run-oriented offense that'll crash against Hobart's stalwart defense. It'll be All-American SR RB Dan Andrews vs. All-American SR OLB Marcus Jemison (among other key players) for a good portion of Saturday's action.
The Statesmen come into this season looking to rebound after missing the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2010. Hobart looks to JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney and an high powered offense that returns a great deal of receiving threats. The offensive line has been bolstered by a combination of position changes, underclassmen learning the system and new additions to the program.
What remains to be seen is whether Hobart will encounter struggles with turnovers and other issues that kept the team in check for part of 2015 or whether this year's squad can achieve heights seen in prior seasons?
Keys to the Game:
1. All About Andrews - Brockport's SR RB is the real deal and if Hobart is to win the game they'll have to neutralize the rushing attack of this Rochester native. Last season Andrews won the Empire 8 OPOTY award for his 1,390 yard and 24 TD performance.
2. Pressure the (New) QB - There are a number of contenders for the starting QB role with the Golden Eagles, including a former SUNY-Albany transfer, among other schools. Whomever wins the starting job will see their first collegiate playing time against a Hobart defense that finished sixth overall in total and second in the nation in passing defense.
3. Play Smart - I was reminded by a recent local high school game here in FL that penalties and turnovers are common place in Week 1. For Hobart to win, they'll need to protect the football on offense while also create and capitalize on turnovers on defense. The latter was something the 2015 edition of the Statesmen rarely did well and with one of the most experienced secondaries Hobart's had since the 2007-8 seasons, I hope we see some more picks than we have of late.
Prediction
Brockport is a very tough draw to open the season, but the Statesmen have a few advantages given depth and continuity that the Eagles are still rebuilding on at the QB, DL and LB positions. While I think it'll be a low-scoring, defensive battle to start, Hobart will ultimately outlast Brockport, 24-10, in the season opener.
I hope you'll tune in for highlights and commentary on this and other games at www.inthehuddlle.com at or around 7:30 pm ET this Sunday night, Sept 4th.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
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