The #22/25 Hobart College Statesmen defeated the Montclair State Red Hawks today at Boswell Field on Homecoming and Family Weekend, 16-3. The Halftime-Adjustment Hobart defense intercepted JR QB Ja'Quill Burch three times in the second half and forced a fumble to help the Statesmen to a 4-0 run in OOC play. The loss drops Montclair State to 1-2 on the season.
The See Saw Statesmen had some struggles with some more bad snaps and shaky passing plays to start the game. To their credit, the OL did a great job in the run game, churning out 152 rush yards and didn't allow a QB sack. SR QB Ryan Hofmann finished the game going for 120 yards and SR WR/P John DelliSanti completed a nifty 29-yard pass on a fake punt - which came just after Coach DeWall '00 called a great fake on a 51-yard FG attempt that got called back on a penalty.
Speaking of penalties, the officials threw a lot of flags today, including eight on Montclair for -75 yards. Hobart was the more disciplined side, only getting flagged three times for -15 yards.
Early on the Hobart had to settle on a couple of JR PK Kyle Hackett FGs and took a narrow 6-3 lead into halftime. Hackett (who is now in the Top 10 all-time scorers in Hobart history with 169 points) added a third FG, a 25-yarder, to push the Statesmen's lead to 9-3 with 7:29 to go in the third. Although they threatened throughout the game, neither team could find the end zone until the fourth quarter when SR RB and co-captain Brian Haeffner got his first TD of the season. Haeffner's run capped an eight play, 69-yard drive which included a potential game changing pick six by Montclair. The Red Hawks were called for a defensive penalty, negating the TD and Hobart never looked back. Haeffner finished the day with 90 rushing yards.
The Statesmen defense was once again led by JR OLB Emmett Forde with an 11 tackle, 1.5 TFL and FF game. While the Hobart D didn't get any sacks, they were the MVPs with a six TFL, four turnover day. JR CB Jared Leake had two INTs in the game to go with five solo stops. SR FS Andrew Koonz had the other INT late in the fourth quarter, all but sealing the game for Hobart.
The win sets up a high stakes LL opener between the Statesmen and long-time foe, Union College (3-0). The Dutchmen, like Montclair, will have had an extra week to prepare for the game which is slated for next Saturday in Schenectady.
I'll have more on that one early next week.
Thanks again for reading and go 'Bart!
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Week 4 - Montclair State / Homecoming Game Preview
The #25 Hobart College Statesmen (or #22, depending on which Top 25 poll you follow) will wrap up OOC play this Saturday in one of the more highly anticipated match-ups in the East Region. The Montclair State University Red Hawks, who were picked to compete for the NJAC title this season, come into Geneva looking to keep the momentum of a Week 2 win after getting stunned, 34-21, by Southern Virginia (2-0) in Week 1.
MSU (1-1) had a solid 28-11 win over Salve Regina (1-2) in Week 2 and an extra week to prepare for Hobart. The Statesmen (3-0), who needed a last second FG to put away their NJAC cohort, Rowan (0-3), got basically zero credit for that win last Saturday. Skeptics expected a more one-sided game and so it seems like the Statesmen mostly made the Top 25 based on nine or so losses other teams had between the 10-25 spots in the poll. Still, the pollsters are giving Hobart respect based on the schedule played to date, and deservedly so, especially compared to other East Region and LL schools. That said, a strong win over the Red Hawks, who have never faced off against the Statesmen, could get the doubters on the Hobart bandwagon.
Scouting the Red Hawks
A thorough look at the MSU season to date can be seen here.
My main take-away from that article is that the Red Hawks believed a little too much of their hype going into Week 1 against what's normally a doormat SoVA team. Clearly the loss has woken them up, and while they didn't beat Salve too soundly, it was a win they should have earned and did.
MSU's success really rides on the arm of JR QB Ja'Quill Burch, who was my preseason pick for NJAC OPOTY. Against SoVA however, he was turnover prone, throwing three INTs. The OL held their own giving up a sack and 2 TFL. The Red Hawks OL is an experienced group with four starters back from last season, led by SR OL Stephen Gaffney. Gaffney was named to the Preseason D3football.com All-American third team. A sixth blocker is JR TE Jack Welti, who at 6'5", 235lbs. is a big target, but so far hasn't caught a pass this season.
The Red Hawks defense by comparison sacked the SoVA QB once but had eight TFL. The longest drive the Knights had that day was only 35 yards, not including a 43-yard KO return for a TD. Basically everything that could have gone wrong for MSU in that game did and so their defensive stats are a bit skewed because of it.
Burch would rebound against Salve, passing for 292 yards and three TDs. He was moderately accurate, going 12-22 (54%) with an INT, but the passes he connected on went for big gains against the Seahawk's defense. The OL struggled a bit more in this game, giving up two sacks and 10 TFL, which probably contributed to Burch's accuracy numbers.
Burch has three WRs he's mostly distributed the ball to including SR WR Kason Campbell (7-183, 1 TD), JR WR Karsen Johnson (5-142, 2 TDs) and SR WR Mike Manzo-Lewis (6-118, 1 TD). JR RB Craig Merkle has rushed for 171 yards on 38 carries and a TD. His YPR stats are bolstered due to a 71 run he had for a TD late in the game against Salve. SR RB Ralph McLean has been more of a short yardage specialist, with 16 carries for 42 yards.
The Red Hawks defense is led by SO DB Zack Zaccone who's tallied 19 tackles, two TFL and one INT. SO DB Brennan Ray leads the team with 1.5 sacks and 3.5 TFL (which leads me to believe the Statesmen need to keep a blocker in the backfield to ward off incoming blitzes from the secondary).
MSU runs a variation of the 3-3-5 stack defense which Hobart has struggled with in the past. It will be interesting to see if the Statesmen stick with the pass-centric attack they used against Rowan or if we may see a return to some balance? I'm expecting limited rushing attempts once again as the Red Hawks are tough to run on, allowing only 88.5 YPG, 2.3 YPR and a single rushing TD in two games.
On special teams the Red Hawks have tried two punters with limited success, averaging under 25 YPP with two blocks. This could an opportunity Hobart can exploit Saturday. Their punt return average is negative, so not much to worry about there, but the KO return stats aren't bad - averaging over 21 YPKO. Campell, one of the WRs, has been successful here, returning three kicks for 80 yards with a long of 38. SO PK Anthony Marinelli has averaged 42.5 YPKO and has gone 1-2 on FGs so far this season. His long of 22 initially made me think MSU would be more aggressive play-calling wise inside the opponent's 30 or 20-yard line, but so far they've only attempted one 4th-down conversion this season.
Keys to the Game:
1. Focus on the Fundamentals: Low, bad snaps, turnovers and penalties have to be cut down. While the latter hasn't been an issue so far for the Statesmen, last weekend Hobart almost lost the game because of the former three. Assuming he's back at center, JR OL Alex Lanzana needs to deliver a better ball to SR QB Ryan Hofmann to give him the extra time he needs to see the field and not force passes like he had to last weekend.
2. Don't Get Burned - The Statesmen are still giving up more passing yards than they are gaining, but the good news is, they've only allowed three passing TDs so far this season. Burch will look for deep pass plays against the Hobart secondary, so it'll be incumbent on the Statesmen DL and LBs to create pressure up front. The MSU OL has allowed only three sacks in two games but they have allowed 12 TFLs. Hobart has 10 sacks on the season to date to go with 29 TFL, so they appear to have an edge there. While the Hawks had success with the long ball against Salve, the MSU red zone offense has not been very good overall so far this season. They have only scored twice on five trips inside the red zone, one TD and a 22-yard FG. By comparison, Hobart's defense has allowed four TDs on 12 trips into their red zone this season.
3. Special Teams - The Statesmen have a clear advantage on special teams and could use a play like the one JR FS Cal Sullivan made here in Week 2 (see below). I had an exchange with SLU HC Dan Puckhaber prior to Week 3 and encouraged him to blitz the Mustangs since it helped Hobart in the second half of their game. He smartly replied, "[Two] blocked punts helped too." MSU has given up a couple of punt blocks already. Let's see if the Statesmen can get at least one more on Saturday.
4. Win on 3rd-Down: The Red Hawks are making and allowing 3rd-down conversions 38% of the time so far this season. The Statesmen on the other hand have only converted at a 27% vs. 40% rate. The Hobart offense needs to do a better job extending drives. While the Hobart D has held up their end of the bargain - holding opponents to only 16 PPG, including an impressive run in the final 13 minutes of the Rowan game where the Statesmen held the Profs 25 yards on 15 plays - the Statesmen defense has been on the field for an average of 35+ minutes per game which isn't a sustainable model, in my opinion.
Prediction:
This should be the biggest crowd of the season given the Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities. I hope to hear and see a packed Boz (and maybe a game video that has real-time and tracked audio that matches the visual...?), which should give the Statesmen an extra boost. I think this will be a tough fight, but I think some of the intangibles from the defense and special teams, with a better executed offensive game-plan, can win the day for Hobart.
I'll take the Statesmen to win and go to 4-0 by a score of 27-14.
Keep an eye out for In the D3FB Huddle's Week 3 recap show coming out later today.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
MSU (1-1) had a solid 28-11 win over Salve Regina (1-2) in Week 2 and an extra week to prepare for Hobart. The Statesmen (3-0), who needed a last second FG to put away their NJAC cohort, Rowan (0-3), got basically zero credit for that win last Saturday. Skeptics expected a more one-sided game and so it seems like the Statesmen mostly made the Top 25 based on nine or so losses other teams had between the 10-25 spots in the poll. Still, the pollsters are giving Hobart respect based on the schedule played to date, and deservedly so, especially compared to other East Region and LL schools. That said, a strong win over the Red Hawks, who have never faced off against the Statesmen, could get the doubters on the Hobart bandwagon.
Scouting the Red Hawks
A thorough look at the MSU season to date can be seen here.
My main take-away from that article is that the Red Hawks believed a little too much of their hype going into Week 1 against what's normally a doormat SoVA team. Clearly the loss has woken them up, and while they didn't beat Salve too soundly, it was a win they should have earned and did.
MSU's success really rides on the arm of JR QB Ja'Quill Burch, who was my preseason pick for NJAC OPOTY. Against SoVA however, he was turnover prone, throwing three INTs. The OL held their own giving up a sack and 2 TFL. The Red Hawks OL is an experienced group with four starters back from last season, led by SR OL Stephen Gaffney. Gaffney was named to the Preseason D3football.com All-American third team. A sixth blocker is JR TE Jack Welti, who at 6'5", 235lbs. is a big target, but so far hasn't caught a pass this season.
The Red Hawks defense by comparison sacked the SoVA QB once but had eight TFL. The longest drive the Knights had that day was only 35 yards, not including a 43-yard KO return for a TD. Basically everything that could have gone wrong for MSU in that game did and so their defensive stats are a bit skewed because of it.
Burch would rebound against Salve, passing for 292 yards and three TDs. He was moderately accurate, going 12-22 (54%) with an INT, but the passes he connected on went for big gains against the Seahawk's defense. The OL struggled a bit more in this game, giving up two sacks and 10 TFL, which probably contributed to Burch's accuracy numbers.
Burch has three WRs he's mostly distributed the ball to including SR WR Kason Campbell (7-183, 1 TD), JR WR Karsen Johnson (5-142, 2 TDs) and SR WR Mike Manzo-Lewis (6-118, 1 TD). JR RB Craig Merkle has rushed for 171 yards on 38 carries and a TD. His YPR stats are bolstered due to a 71 run he had for a TD late in the game against Salve. SR RB Ralph McLean has been more of a short yardage specialist, with 16 carries for 42 yards.
The Red Hawks defense is led by SO DB Zack Zaccone who's tallied 19 tackles, two TFL and one INT. SO DB Brennan Ray leads the team with 1.5 sacks and 3.5 TFL (which leads me to believe the Statesmen need to keep a blocker in the backfield to ward off incoming blitzes from the secondary).
MSU runs a variation of the 3-3-5 stack defense which Hobart has struggled with in the past. It will be interesting to see if the Statesmen stick with the pass-centric attack they used against Rowan or if we may see a return to some balance? I'm expecting limited rushing attempts once again as the Red Hawks are tough to run on, allowing only 88.5 YPG, 2.3 YPR and a single rushing TD in two games.
On special teams the Red Hawks have tried two punters with limited success, averaging under 25 YPP with two blocks. This could an opportunity Hobart can exploit Saturday. Their punt return average is negative, so not much to worry about there, but the KO return stats aren't bad - averaging over 21 YPKO. Campell, one of the WRs, has been successful here, returning three kicks for 80 yards with a long of 38. SO PK Anthony Marinelli has averaged 42.5 YPKO and has gone 1-2 on FGs so far this season. His long of 22 initially made me think MSU would be more aggressive play-calling wise inside the opponent's 30 or 20-yard line, but so far they've only attempted one 4th-down conversion this season.
Jon McGriff P'15 will be leading the charge from the stands Saturday
Keys to the Game:
1. Focus on the Fundamentals: Low, bad snaps, turnovers and penalties have to be cut down. While the latter hasn't been an issue so far for the Statesmen, last weekend Hobart almost lost the game because of the former three. Assuming he's back at center, JR OL Alex Lanzana needs to deliver a better ball to SR QB Ryan Hofmann to give him the extra time he needs to see the field and not force passes like he had to last weekend.
2. Don't Get Burned - The Statesmen are still giving up more passing yards than they are gaining, but the good news is, they've only allowed three passing TDs so far this season. Burch will look for deep pass plays against the Hobart secondary, so it'll be incumbent on the Statesmen DL and LBs to create pressure up front. The MSU OL has allowed only three sacks in two games but they have allowed 12 TFLs. Hobart has 10 sacks on the season to date to go with 29 TFL, so they appear to have an edge there. While the Hawks had success with the long ball against Salve, the MSU red zone offense has not been very good overall so far this season. They have only scored twice on five trips inside the red zone, one TD and a 22-yard FG. By comparison, Hobart's defense has allowed four TDs on 12 trips into their red zone this season.
3. Special Teams - The Statesmen have a clear advantage on special teams and could use a play like the one JR FS Cal Sullivan made here in Week 2 (see below). I had an exchange with SLU HC Dan Puckhaber prior to Week 3 and encouraged him to blitz the Mustangs since it helped Hobart in the second half of their game. He smartly replied, "[Two] blocked punts helped too." MSU has given up a couple of punt blocks already. Let's see if the Statesmen can get at least one more on Saturday.
4. Win on 3rd-Down: The Red Hawks are making and allowing 3rd-down conversions 38% of the time so far this season. The Statesmen on the other hand have only converted at a 27% vs. 40% rate. The Hobart offense needs to do a better job extending drives. While the Hobart D has held up their end of the bargain - holding opponents to only 16 PPG, including an impressive run in the final 13 minutes of the Rowan game where the Statesmen held the Profs 25 yards on 15 plays - the Statesmen defense has been on the field for an average of 35+ minutes per game which isn't a sustainable model, in my opinion.
Prediction:
This should be the biggest crowd of the season given the Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities. I hope to hear and see a packed Boz (and maybe a game video that has real-time and tracked audio that matches the visual...?), which should give the Statesmen an extra boost. I think this will be a tough fight, but I think some of the intangibles from the defense and special teams, with a better executed offensive game-plan, can win the day for Hobart.
I'll take the Statesmen to win and go to 4-0 by a score of 27-14.
Keep an eye out for In the D3FB Huddle's Week 3 recap show coming out later today.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Hobart Comes Back to Beat Rowan, 20-17
The Hobart College Statesmen fans may need a cardiologist on call again after a sluggish offensive performance dug them into a 17-3 hole against the Rowan University Profs Saturday at Boswell Field. The defense dug in however and SR QB Ryan Hofmann would tie a school record with 59 pass attempts to help Hobart (3-0) comeback and beat Rowan (0-3).
Hofmann would overcome three turnovers - two INTs and a fumble on a strip sack, the first sack the OL had allowed all season - to pass for 380 yards and two TDs. His best pass of the day was one of his last - a 31-yard gain to SR WR Ray Conley to put Hobart in position to win the game. JR PK Kyle Hackett converted 34 and 38-yard FGs, the latter being the game winner.
SR OLB David McCarthy had a game high 13 tackles and two TFL. SR DE Collin Hudgins added 11 stops to go with three and half TFL. A bad snap on a punt cost Hobart a number of rushing yards in the stat book, and they ended up -1 on the day, after pretty much abandoning the run early in the game. The Statesmen finished with only 13 rushing attempts. Rowan by contrast rushed for 204 yards, but had a very costly fumble - forced by JR CB Jared Leake - when the game was tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter.
Another key stat that can't be overlooked is how Rowan didn't help themselves, getting flagged eight times for -145 yards. The Statesmen were more composed, only losing 45 yards because of five penalties. Hobart did struggle to convert however with only two of 13 successful third down conversions, and going 0-3 on fourth down. Rowan didn't fare much better though, going 6-17 and 0-1, respectively.
While it wasn't pretty, you have to give Hobart credit for fighting back and winning against a tough opponent. It doesn't get any easier with Montclair State (1-1) up next, and who had an extra week to prepare for next Saturday's game.
The Red Hawks will be met with some spirited opposition, however, as long-time Hobart super fan Jon McGriff P15 will be in attendance for the Homecoming game.
Hofmann would overcome three turnovers - two INTs and a fumble on a strip sack, the first sack the OL had allowed all season - to pass for 380 yards and two TDs. His best pass of the day was one of his last - a 31-yard gain to SR WR Ray Conley to put Hobart in position to win the game. JR PK Kyle Hackett converted 34 and 38-yard FGs, the latter being the game winner.
SR OLB David McCarthy had a game high 13 tackles and two TFL. SR DE Collin Hudgins added 11 stops to go with three and half TFL. A bad snap on a punt cost Hobart a number of rushing yards in the stat book, and they ended up -1 on the day, after pretty much abandoning the run early in the game. The Statesmen finished with only 13 rushing attempts. Rowan by contrast rushed for 204 yards, but had a very costly fumble - forced by JR CB Jared Leake - when the game was tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter.
Another key stat that can't be overlooked is how Rowan didn't help themselves, getting flagged eight times for -145 yards. The Statesmen were more composed, only losing 45 yards because of five penalties. Hobart did struggle to convert however with only two of 13 successful third down conversions, and going 0-3 on fourth down. Rowan didn't fare much better though, going 6-17 and 0-1, respectively.
While it wasn't pretty, you have to give Hobart credit for fighting back and winning against a tough opponent. It doesn't get any easier with Montclair State (1-1) up next, and who had an extra week to prepare for next Saturday's game.
The Red Hawks will be met with some spirited opposition, however, as long-time Hobart super fan Jon McGriff P15 will be in attendance for the Homecoming game.
GIVE ME A "H"!!!!!!
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Week 3 - Rowan Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen will take on the Rowan University Profs for the first time since meeting them in the NCAA playoffs back in 2004 and 2006. The Statesmen lost both of those contests, but this is the first time the Profs will face the Statesmen at Boswell Field.
Last weekend Rowan (0-2) gave #11 Linfield (OR) from the Northwest Conference (NWC) a good game, tying the score at 14-14 after the Profs capped an 80-yard drive with a thirty-yard JR RB Messiah Divine run with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter. Rowan actually out-gained Linfield (1-0) in total yardage, especially in rushing (214-51 yards), but ended up -2 in TOM and were flagged six times for -81 yards. These errors helped the Wildcats to 21 unanswered points to close out the game with a final score of 35-14.
Scouting the Profs
I have to give it to Rowan, their online roster done MNF-style is pretty cool. It's nice to see D3FB teams go that extra mile for their teams and change things up from the status quo. That said I am going to take the same "change it up" approach in welcoming Juan Sanchez, a Rowan alum (Class of 2008) and football fan, the chance to tell you about his team.
I'll add my two cents after, as I have spoken with HC Jay Accorsi over the past couple of years for ITH and D3football.com related stories. Ironically, one of my first ever blog posts was to RowanFootball.com (I am not sure if it's still active, I don't believe it is) back in 2006, to provide an overview of the Statesmen leading into their NCAA playoff game. Here I am 13 years, 14 seasons returning the favor:
ROWAN OFFENSE
In the preseason coaches’ poll, the Profs were projected to finish fifth in the NJAC. Currently the Profs are 0-2 after tough games against Widener (1-1) and Linfield (1-0). The last time Rowan started 0-2 was 1988.
Rowan runs a spread Run/Pass offense typically from the shot gun. Although 0-2, Rowan has outgained their opponents in offensive yardage (745 vs 704). Rowan has been able to generate 745 (314 rushing yards and 431 passing yards).
After a tight QB battle in the spring and summer, the Profs appear to have found their QB leader in Mike Husni (Toms River, NJ / Toms River N. / Marist University). A dual-threat QB, Husni has thrown for 431 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 149 yards and another score in the Profs initial games. Husni had a hard time finding running space against Widener (13 att, 14 yards, 1 TD) but his running improved against Linfield (22 att, 86 yards).
The Brown & Gold return two all-conference offensive performers in receiver/returner Elijah Rehm (Clayton, NJ / Clayton / East Stroudsburg University) and offensive lineman Scott Dunscomb (Hamilton, NJ / Hamilton W.).
In 2018, Rehm led the NJAC in all-purpose yards and was a dangerous return specialist with four returns for touchdowns (two punts, two kickoffs). He also led the Profs in receiving with 508 yards and three touchdowns. Thus far in 2019, opponents have done a good job focusing on Rehm, but this has allowed Rowan’s other receiver weapons to shine. Captain and wide-out, Nick Grosso (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.), is leading the NJAC with 208 receiving yards on only 7 receptions.
In 2019, the Profs had to replace 2 graduated running backs in John Mannion and Anthony Diorio. Junior Messiah Devine (Belle Mead, NJ / Montgomery) assumes the role as Rowan's starting tailback and currently he has gained 173 yards and averaging 3.8 per carry. Divine has been Rowan’s workhorse with 22+ carries in each contest.
The offensive line returns a lot of experienced players including senior Pat McGowan (Middletown, NJ / Middletown N.) and all-conference sophomore guard Scott Dunscomb. Stalwarts include Jeff DeJean (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ / Egg Harbor Twp.), Matt Melamed (Toms River, NJ / Toms River N.), Mike Klein (Howell, NJ / Howell), and Jake Stillings (Audubon, NJ / Camden Catholic). The Profs have two freshmen starting on the line including red shirt freshmen Pryce Bouchard (Gloversville, NY / Gloversville) at center and Tyler Kelly (Monroeville, NJ / Delsea Reg./Kutstown University).
ROWAN DEFENSE
The Profs return one all-conference defensive player in senior defensive end David Gajderowicz (Medford, NJ / Shawnee). Gajderowicz and LB Anothly LaRosa (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.) were voted defensive captains by their teammates.
Over the years, the Brown and Gold have fielded very stout defenses; however, last season the Profs had the least proficient defense in the NJAC in terms of total yards allowed and pass defense. The Profs also allowed 20 passing touchdowns, most in the conference. The rush defense was slightly better, ranking fifth in the NJAC in rushing touchdowns allowed.
The Profs run a 4-3 defense. Rowan’s strength is the defensive line with several returning stars. The Profs graduated 4 seniors at linebacker. So far, the bright spot at linebacker has been Mike Mascioli (Hammonton, NJ / St. Joseph) who has been a hard-nosed defender with 16 total tackles.
Rowan’s defense has been challenged and has allowed 36.50 points per game. They have allowed several big passing plays, however they are only allowing 2.3 rushing yards per carry. Along side Gajderowicz, Antoine Alicia (Philadelphia, PA / Glassboro) and Eddie Hamilton (Chesapeake, VA / Western Branch) make up the starting defensive line, with junior Sunny Tapp (Hammonton, NJ / St. Joseph / Robert Morris University) completing the group.
The secondary is led by Malachi Winters (Hammonton, NJ / Hammonton) and Kam Kennedy (Palmyra, NJ / Palmyra). The profs have been torched by long passing plays early in the season likely due to inexperience in the group. JUCO transfer Manny Pelzer (Pleasantville, NJ / North Cobb (GA)) has been a tremendous addition to the team and is a hard hitter from the safety position.
ROWAN SPECIAL TEAMS
True freshman Jake Hurler (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) won the kicking duties for the Profs while returning kicker Alex Boyko (East Brunswick, NJ / East Brunswick) is listed as the backup. Sophomore Tom Brennan (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.) takes over as the new punter.
Rehm and speedster Mike Reed (Newark, NJ / Malcolm X Shabazz) have handled return duties in 2019. Rehm earner All American return specialist honors in 2018 but teams have done a decent job kicking away from him in 2019.
Keys to the Game:
1. Shore Up the Secondary - The Statesmen have surrendered 635 passing yards so far this season, which is more than double what the offense has produced. To the defense's credit, part of that is due to the fact opponents haven't had much success rushing the football. Hobart's D has only allowed 2 YPR and 83 RYPG and two TDs over Weeks 1 and 2. The red zone defense has been especially solid (only four scores in 10 trips), but if there's room for improvement, it's between the 20's. The Statesmen have allowed a 41.4% third-down conversion rate, so they have been staying on the field a bit longer than I'd like - the TOP margin is 35-25 in favor of the opposition. The defense has also allowed first downs via the pass 66.67% of the attempts (30-45).
2. Keep Up the Good Work, OL - The Hobart OL was a concern going into the season but so far this unit has done a great job. They've allowed zero sacks to date, but will be hard pressed to keep that streak alive given guys like SR DE David Gajderowicz who's one of the best pass rushers Hobart will face all season. He has been kept in check somewhat, but is second on the Profs defense with 14 total tackles. He has two TFL and one sack also. The Statesmen OL has opened holes in the running game as well, helping the team average 124.5 RYPG. I still think Hobart would benefit working more RPO or iso run plays leveraging a lead blocker. The Statesmen have a couple of pretty big guys who could fill that role if given the chance.
3. Bring the Blitz - We didn't see any blitzing last weekend until the second half. Hobart's defense has already racked up 10 sacks and 20 TFL (!!!) when they get let loose (last season the Statesmen had 18 and 53, respectively, over nine games by comparison). Obviously some of these stats come from the pass rush of the base defense - credit the DL/OLBs there - but the Rowan OL has only allowed two sacks so far this season, so the Statesmen may need to dial up the pressure to rattle Husni just like Linfield did last weekend. The Wildcats pressure game plan managed to force Husni to throw three INTs, which Hobart would do well to imitate Saturday.
4. Hold (Home) Court - The Class of 2020 has won 14 of 17 home games at Boswell Field since they matriculated. This home field advantage shouldn't be discounted, especially with a team having to travel about 275 miles up for the game.
Last weekend Rowan (0-2) gave #11 Linfield (OR) from the Northwest Conference (NWC) a good game, tying the score at 14-14 after the Profs capped an 80-yard drive with a thirty-yard JR RB Messiah Divine run with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter. Rowan actually out-gained Linfield (1-0) in total yardage, especially in rushing (214-51 yards), but ended up -2 in TOM and were flagged six times for -81 yards. These errors helped the Wildcats to 21 unanswered points to close out the game with a final score of 35-14.
Scouting the Profs
I have to give it to Rowan, their online roster done MNF-style is pretty cool. It's nice to see D3FB teams go that extra mile for their teams and change things up from the status quo. That said I am going to take the same "change it up" approach in welcoming Juan Sanchez, a Rowan alum (Class of 2008) and football fan, the chance to tell you about his team.
I'll add my two cents after, as I have spoken with HC Jay Accorsi over the past couple of years for ITH and D3football.com related stories. Ironically, one of my first ever blog posts was to RowanFootball.com (I am not sure if it's still active, I don't believe it is) back in 2006, to provide an overview of the Statesmen leading into their NCAA playoff game. Here I am 13 years, 14 seasons returning the favor:
ROWAN OFFENSE
In the preseason coaches’ poll, the Profs were projected to finish fifth in the NJAC. Currently the Profs are 0-2 after tough games against Widener (1-1) and Linfield (1-0). The last time Rowan started 0-2 was 1988.
Rowan runs a spread Run/Pass offense typically from the shot gun. Although 0-2, Rowan has outgained their opponents in offensive yardage (745 vs 704). Rowan has been able to generate 745 (314 rushing yards and 431 passing yards).
After a tight QB battle in the spring and summer, the Profs appear to have found their QB leader in Mike Husni (Toms River, NJ / Toms River N. / Marist University). A dual-threat QB, Husni has thrown for 431 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 149 yards and another score in the Profs initial games. Husni had a hard time finding running space against Widener (13 att, 14 yards, 1 TD) but his running improved against Linfield (22 att, 86 yards).
The Brown & Gold return two all-conference offensive performers in receiver/returner Elijah Rehm (Clayton, NJ / Clayton / East Stroudsburg University) and offensive lineman Scott Dunscomb (Hamilton, NJ / Hamilton W.).
In 2018, Rehm led the NJAC in all-purpose yards and was a dangerous return specialist with four returns for touchdowns (two punts, two kickoffs). He also led the Profs in receiving with 508 yards and three touchdowns. Thus far in 2019, opponents have done a good job focusing on Rehm, but this has allowed Rowan’s other receiver weapons to shine. Captain and wide-out, Nick Grosso (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.), is leading the NJAC with 208 receiving yards on only 7 receptions.
In 2019, the Profs had to replace 2 graduated running backs in John Mannion and Anthony Diorio. Junior Messiah Devine (Belle Mead, NJ / Montgomery) assumes the role as Rowan's starting tailback and currently he has gained 173 yards and averaging 3.8 per carry. Divine has been Rowan’s workhorse with 22+ carries in each contest.
The offensive line returns a lot of experienced players including senior Pat McGowan (Middletown, NJ / Middletown N.) and all-conference sophomore guard Scott Dunscomb. Stalwarts include Jeff DeJean (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ / Egg Harbor Twp.), Matt Melamed (Toms River, NJ / Toms River N.), Mike Klein (Howell, NJ / Howell), and Jake Stillings (Audubon, NJ / Camden Catholic). The Profs have two freshmen starting on the line including red shirt freshmen Pryce Bouchard (Gloversville, NY / Gloversville) at center and Tyler Kelly (Monroeville, NJ / Delsea Reg./Kutstown University).
ROWAN DEFENSE
The Profs return one all-conference defensive player in senior defensive end David Gajderowicz (Medford, NJ / Shawnee). Gajderowicz and LB Anothly LaRosa (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.) were voted defensive captains by their teammates.
Over the years, the Brown and Gold have fielded very stout defenses; however, last season the Profs had the least proficient defense in the NJAC in terms of total yards allowed and pass defense. The Profs also allowed 20 passing touchdowns, most in the conference. The rush defense was slightly better, ranking fifth in the NJAC in rushing touchdowns allowed.
The Profs run a 4-3 defense. Rowan’s strength is the defensive line with several returning stars. The Profs graduated 4 seniors at linebacker. So far, the bright spot at linebacker has been Mike Mascioli (Hammonton, NJ / St. Joseph) who has been a hard-nosed defender with 16 total tackles.
Rowan’s defense has been challenged and has allowed 36.50 points per game. They have allowed several big passing plays, however they are only allowing 2.3 rushing yards per carry. Along side Gajderowicz, Antoine Alicia (Philadelphia, PA / Glassboro) and Eddie Hamilton (Chesapeake, VA / Western Branch) make up the starting defensive line, with junior Sunny Tapp (Hammonton, NJ / St. Joseph / Robert Morris University) completing the group.
The secondary is led by Malachi Winters (Hammonton, NJ / Hammonton) and Kam Kennedy (Palmyra, NJ / Palmyra). The profs have been torched by long passing plays early in the season likely due to inexperience in the group. JUCO transfer Manny Pelzer (Pleasantville, NJ / North Cobb (GA)) has been a tremendous addition to the team and is a hard hitter from the safety position.
ROWAN SPECIAL TEAMS
True freshman Jake Hurler (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) won the kicking duties for the Profs while returning kicker Alex Boyko (East Brunswick, NJ / East Brunswick) is listed as the backup. Sophomore Tom Brennan (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.) takes over as the new punter.
Rehm and speedster Mike Reed (Newark, NJ / Malcolm X Shabazz) have handled return duties in 2019. Rehm earner All American return specialist honors in 2018 but teams have done a decent job kicking away from him in 2019.
Keys to the Game:
1. Shore Up the Secondary - The Statesmen have surrendered 635 passing yards so far this season, which is more than double what the offense has produced. To the defense's credit, part of that is due to the fact opponents haven't had much success rushing the football. Hobart's D has only allowed 2 YPR and 83 RYPG and two TDs over Weeks 1 and 2. The red zone defense has been especially solid (only four scores in 10 trips), but if there's room for improvement, it's between the 20's. The Statesmen have allowed a 41.4% third-down conversion rate, so they have been staying on the field a bit longer than I'd like - the TOP margin is 35-25 in favor of the opposition. The defense has also allowed first downs via the pass 66.67% of the attempts (30-45).
2. Keep Up the Good Work, OL - The Hobart OL was a concern going into the season but so far this unit has done a great job. They've allowed zero sacks to date, but will be hard pressed to keep that streak alive given guys like SR DE David Gajderowicz who's one of the best pass rushers Hobart will face all season. He has been kept in check somewhat, but is second on the Profs defense with 14 total tackles. He has two TFL and one sack also. The Statesmen OL has opened holes in the running game as well, helping the team average 124.5 RYPG. I still think Hobart would benefit working more RPO or iso run plays leveraging a lead blocker. The Statesmen have a couple of pretty big guys who could fill that role if given the chance.
3. Bring the Blitz - We didn't see any blitzing last weekend until the second half. Hobart's defense has already racked up 10 sacks and 20 TFL (!!!) when they get let loose (last season the Statesmen had 18 and 53, respectively, over nine games by comparison). Obviously some of these stats come from the pass rush of the base defense - credit the DL/OLBs there - but the Rowan OL has only allowed two sacks so far this season, so the Statesmen may need to dial up the pressure to rattle Husni just like Linfield did last weekend. The Wildcats pressure game plan managed to force Husni to throw three INTs, which Hobart would do well to imitate Saturday.
4. Hold (Home) Court - The Class of 2020 has won 14 of 17 home games at Boswell Field since they matriculated. This home field advantage shouldn't be discounted, especially with a team having to travel about 275 miles up for the game.
Prediction:
I think we'll see another close game that goes into the fourth quarter. Rowan has struggled this season, but they've played a tough schedule and are a strong team Hobart can't take lightly. In the end I think the Statesmen will make enough plays to improve to 3-0 on the season, let's say by a 31-20 margin.
Thanks to Juan for his input into this week's preview. Best of luck to both teams this weekend. Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Statesmen Sidestep Trap Game, Beat Morrisville, 38-24
The Hobart College Statemen will likely end up in the D3football.com Top 25 today (they didn’t and actually dropped, losing votes. More on that soon) after managing to go 2-0 to open the season (and #19 RPI dropping a close 6-3 game to an improved WPI squad who is probably the favorite to win the NEWMAC now). The second win ended up being much harder to come by against SUNY-Morrisville (1-1) than it was last season, and even harder than it was last week against Brockport (1-1).
The game got off to an auspicious start as the underdog Mustangs easily drove 75 yards to score and take an early 7-0 lead. The defense looked shaky, but Hobart would respond, settling for a FG by JR PK Kyle Hackett which set the Statesmen record for most consecutive made with 20 straight. Unfortunately he would slip and miss on a later attempt so that 20 stands as the current record.
Hobart took it's first lead of the game when SR QB Ryan Hofmann found JR WR Mike Giacobbe from 28 yards out. Giacobbe made a spectacular one handed catch for the score and is becoming Hobart's most reliable receiver (which is saying a lot with the talent this unit has overall).
Morrisville would score on another 75-yard drive to take back the lead and Hobart once again responded. For the second week in a row, SR TE AJ Perlino hit pay-dirt on a short pass to push the Statesmen's advantage to 17-14. Unfortunately the next play saw Mustangs SO WR Toure Hall scorch the Statesmen's secondary on a go route where he simply blew everyone on the field away with his impressive speed.
Hobart trailed once again, this time by a score of 21-17, which would stand at the half.
I don't know what HC Kevin DeWall '00 and staff said to the team at halftime, but it worked. The Statesmen coaching staff made some solid adjustments, namely on defense which would hold the Mustangs offense to only 3 points the remainder of the day.
Perlino would score again on Hobart's opening possession to get the Statesmen the lead which they held for most of the third quarter. The Mustangs tied the game with 12:17, but then everything changed.
With the game still in doubt, Hobart's SO WR Shahkyle Matthews got the call and he responded running a 75-yard reverse to stun the Mustangs and put Hobart ahead, 31-24. It was an outstanding call at the perfect time by Coach DeWall and with a short field on the ensuing possession, FY RB Rayshawn Boswell put the game away with a 16 yard rushing TD.
Hobart was led on offense by Hofmann who went 11-23 for 140 yards and three passing TDs. Matthews' outstanding run aside, SR RB and Co-Captain Brian Haeffner paced the ground game with a gritty 16 rushes for 71 yard day.
Defensively the Statesmen were led by SR LB Josh Walker with 11 tackles in relief for injured FY LB CJ Calero. We hope CJ will be OK and also hope to learn of his status soon. JR OLB Emmett Forde continued his DPOY campaign with eight tackles, including three TFL and a sack. JR DE Zach Rudolph and SR OLB David McCarthy each added a sack to go with two and nine tackles, respectively.
The Statesmen will return home to take on Rowan University (0-2) next Saturday in the first of two match-ups against NJAC teams. I'll have more on that game later this week.
In the meantime, thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
The game got off to an auspicious start as the underdog Mustangs easily drove 75 yards to score and take an early 7-0 lead. The defense looked shaky, but Hobart would respond, settling for a FG by JR PK Kyle Hackett which set the Statesmen record for most consecutive made with 20 straight. Unfortunately he would slip and miss on a later attempt so that 20 stands as the current record.
Hobart took it's first lead of the game when SR QB Ryan Hofmann found JR WR Mike Giacobbe from 28 yards out. Giacobbe made a spectacular one handed catch for the score and is becoming Hobart's most reliable receiver (which is saying a lot with the talent this unit has overall).
Morrisville would score on another 75-yard drive to take back the lead and Hobart once again responded. For the second week in a row, SR TE AJ Perlino hit pay-dirt on a short pass to push the Statesmen's advantage to 17-14. Unfortunately the next play saw Mustangs SO WR Toure Hall scorch the Statesmen's secondary on a go route where he simply blew everyone on the field away with his impressive speed.
Hobart trailed once again, this time by a score of 21-17, which would stand at the half.
Statesmen DL had a rough day against the Mustangs' 300+ lbs. OL, but ultimately won the day
I don't know what HC Kevin DeWall '00 and staff said to the team at halftime, but it worked. The Statesmen coaching staff made some solid adjustments, namely on defense which would hold the Mustangs offense to only 3 points the remainder of the day.
Perlino would score again on Hobart's opening possession to get the Statesmen the lead which they held for most of the third quarter. The Mustangs tied the game with 12:17, but then everything changed.
With the game still in doubt, Hobart's SO WR Shahkyle Matthews got the call and he responded running a 75-yard reverse to stun the Mustangs and put Hobart ahead, 31-24. It was an outstanding call at the perfect time by Coach DeWall and with a short field on the ensuing possession, FY RB Rayshawn Boswell put the game away with a 16 yard rushing TD.
Hobart was led on offense by Hofmann who went 11-23 for 140 yards and three passing TDs. Matthews' outstanding run aside, SR RB and Co-Captain Brian Haeffner paced the ground game with a gritty 16 rushes for 71 yard day.
Defensively the Statesmen were led by SR LB Josh Walker with 11 tackles in relief for injured FY LB CJ Calero. We hope CJ will be OK and also hope to learn of his status soon. JR OLB Emmett Forde continued his DPOY campaign with eight tackles, including three TFL and a sack. JR DE Zach Rudolph and SR OLB David McCarthy each added a sack to go with two and nine tackles, respectively.
The Statesmen will return home to take on Rowan University (0-2) next Saturday in the first of two match-ups against NJAC teams. I'll have more on that game later this week.
In the meantime, thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Never Forget
On this 18th anniversary of the attacks of 9-11, I wanted to recognize former Hobart College football player and alumnus Andy Glokin '93 as well as fellow grads Scott Rohner '01 and Michael Simon '83, P '11 who lost their lives that unfortunate day.
I'd also like to recognize the Toyen family, who lost their daughter and sister Amy in the attacks. She was the younger sister of my Avon High School classmate, Heather.
Never Forget.
I'd also like to recognize the Toyen family, who lost their daughter and sister Amy in the attacks. She was the younger sister of my Avon High School classmate, Heather.
Never Forget.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Week 2 - Morrisville State Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen will take their first road trip of the season to face the (nearby) SUNY-Morrisville Mustangs. This is the second game of their series, with Hobart's impressive 62-24 win in Geneva being the first. That game was also Kevin DeWall '00's first victory as HC of the Statesmen. Hobart got the win partially due to (then) JR QB Ryan Hofmann going 14-of-20 for a career-high 239 passing yards and six TDs. He'd break that career record with 328 yards against Shenandoah the following week. Hofmann also broke a game record for quarterback rating, finishing the day against Morrisville with a 269.4 QBR, 0.3 better than Shane Sweeney 18's mark which he set at a game against Union in 2015.
The Mustangs would go on to finish 2018 with a 6-5 overall record, including a respectable 4-3 mark in the E8, losing a 56-48 shootout to Grove City in an ECAC bowl game. They returned six offensive and four defensive starters from that team, according to D3football.com, for the 2019 campaign.
Last weekend the Mustangs (1-0) upset what was supposed to be an impressive Bridgewater State (MA) team last Saturday by a score of 39-7. The Bears (0-1) were held to 268 total yards, including only 68 on the ground for a paltry 2.1 YPR average. Bridgewater State committed three turnovers as well, which helped the Morrisville offense capitalize on field position.
Scouting the 'Stangs
This season the Mustangs have some new faces in their offensive backfield as JR QB Bill Flatow along with SR RB Kinsey Williams and SO RB Michael Cirasuolo. Flatow had a solid game against Bridgewater, completing 15-of-25 passes for 190 yards and two TDs. Flatow added eight carries for 28 yards and one rush TD as well. Williams and Cirasuolo split 19 and 10 carries for 73 and 70 rushing yards, respectively. Each tallied a rushing TD as well. Cirasuolo, who's the bigger (5'10" 195 lbs.), stockier back of the duo, broke one run for 34 yards in the game.
Flatow's main target in last weekend's game was short but speedy SO WR Toure Hall who had six catches for 48 yards and two TDs. Hall also carried the ball four times for 16 yards. Hall does double-duty as a punt and kickoff returner also.
Morrisville has a BIG OL that helps give them an advantage in the trenches. Last week's lineup included JR RT Rudy Pablo (6'4" 284), JR RG Zach Hutchinson (6'2" 310), SO C Brian Mapp (6' 285), JR LG Tyler Elmor (6'2" 365!) and SO LT Chris Pawlowski (6'7" 300). JR TE Kyle Tuohy is used mostly as a blocker, but he did make three catches for 44 yards against the Bears.
Defensively the Mustangs run a 4-3-4 scheme that featured a host of tacklers last Saturday. Their current leader in the stat book is SO LB Ernesto Mitchell who tallied eight stops, one sack and one TFL. SR CB Sage Thomas and JR CB Deondrade Wells each had INTs last Saturday and SO LB Philemon Benjamin led the defense with two sacks and two TFLs.
On special teams Morrisville has a strong punter and KO men in FY PK Hunter Regels and SO PK Max Falkner. Regels averaged 36.2 YPP and Falker had a 51.6 yard KO average. Flatow actually booted one also, likely a quick kick, for 32 yards so the Hobart secondary will need to keep an eye out for that trick play.
Keys to the Game:
1. Win the LOS - The Hobart DL and LBs will be at a size disadvantage, so they will need to leverage their gaps and look for openings to crack the big Morrisville OL. On the flip side, the Hobart OL needs to protect SR QB Ryan Hofmann since it looks like the Mustang defense blitzed / supplied a lot of pressure en route to five sacks and eight TFL for -51 yards last Saturday.
2. Attack on Defense - Flatow is only making his second career start and is inexperienced. If the Statesmen OLB and DEs can get in his face, they could see some of the same results they got against SR QB Jason Hellwig last weekend. Hobart JR OLB Emmett Forde and FY ILB CJ Calero both got recognized by the LL for their outstanding play last weekend, and should factor in a big way, once again, Saturday. One of the keys to Morrisville's success against BSU was how they were so balanced offensively. If the Statesmen can make them one-dimensional, it'll be an easier win for Hobart.
3. Establish the Run - The Mustangs appear to have a stout rush defense and Hobart didn't exactly run the ball well last weekend. FY RB Rayshawn Boswell earned a conference honor roll mention for his role in the return game, but otherwise the Statesmen RBs averaged less than two YPC against Brockport. Hopefully those stats will go up this weekend.
Prediction:
While I think this year's Mustang squad is the underdog in this game, I don't see Hobart dropping 62 points on them again. The Statesmen need to avoid this as a potential "trap game", given the high of defeating Brockport and having two NJAC teams coming up in the next two weeks.
I trust Coach DeWall '00 and staff will have Hobart dialed in and ready, so I'll take Hobart to win this one 35-17.
Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!
The Mustangs would go on to finish 2018 with a 6-5 overall record, including a respectable 4-3 mark in the E8, losing a 56-48 shootout to Grove City in an ECAC bowl game. They returned six offensive and four defensive starters from that team, according to D3football.com, for the 2019 campaign.
Last weekend the Mustangs (1-0) upset what was supposed to be an impressive Bridgewater State (MA) team last Saturday by a score of 39-7. The Bears (0-1) were held to 268 total yards, including only 68 on the ground for a paltry 2.1 YPR average. Bridgewater State committed three turnovers as well, which helped the Morrisville offense capitalize on field position.
Scouting the 'Stangs
This season the Mustangs have some new faces in their offensive backfield as JR QB Bill Flatow along with SR RB Kinsey Williams and SO RB Michael Cirasuolo. Flatow had a solid game against Bridgewater, completing 15-of-25 passes for 190 yards and two TDs. Flatow added eight carries for 28 yards and one rush TD as well. Williams and Cirasuolo split 19 and 10 carries for 73 and 70 rushing yards, respectively. Each tallied a rushing TD as well. Cirasuolo, who's the bigger (5'10" 195 lbs.), stockier back of the duo, broke one run for 34 yards in the game.
Flatow's main target in last weekend's game was short but speedy SO WR Toure Hall who had six catches for 48 yards and two TDs. Hall also carried the ball four times for 16 yards. Hall does double-duty as a punt and kickoff returner also.
Morrisville has a BIG OL that helps give them an advantage in the trenches. Last week's lineup included JR RT Rudy Pablo (6'4" 284), JR RG Zach Hutchinson (6'2" 310), SO C Brian Mapp (6' 285), JR LG Tyler Elmor (6'2" 365!) and SO LT Chris Pawlowski (6'7" 300). JR TE Kyle Tuohy is used mostly as a blocker, but he did make three catches for 44 yards against the Bears.
Defensively the Mustangs run a 4-3-4 scheme that featured a host of tacklers last Saturday. Their current leader in the stat book is SO LB Ernesto Mitchell who tallied eight stops, one sack and one TFL. SR CB Sage Thomas and JR CB Deondrade Wells each had INTs last Saturday and SO LB Philemon Benjamin led the defense with two sacks and two TFLs.
On special teams Morrisville has a strong punter and KO men in FY PK Hunter Regels and SO PK Max Falkner. Regels averaged 36.2 YPP and Falker had a 51.6 yard KO average. Flatow actually booted one also, likely a quick kick, for 32 yards so the Hobart secondary will need to keep an eye out for that trick play.
Keys to the Game:
1. Win the LOS - The Hobart DL and LBs will be at a size disadvantage, so they will need to leverage their gaps and look for openings to crack the big Morrisville OL. On the flip side, the Hobart OL needs to protect SR QB Ryan Hofmann since it looks like the Mustang defense blitzed / supplied a lot of pressure en route to five sacks and eight TFL for -51 yards last Saturday.
2. Attack on Defense - Flatow is only making his second career start and is inexperienced. If the Statesmen OLB and DEs can get in his face, they could see some of the same results they got against SR QB Jason Hellwig last weekend. Hobart JR OLB Emmett Forde and FY ILB CJ Calero both got recognized by the LL for their outstanding play last weekend, and should factor in a big way, once again, Saturday. One of the keys to Morrisville's success against BSU was how they were so balanced offensively. If the Statesmen can make them one-dimensional, it'll be an easier win for Hobart.
3. Establish the Run - The Mustangs appear to have a stout rush defense and Hobart didn't exactly run the ball well last weekend. FY RB Rayshawn Boswell earned a conference honor roll mention for his role in the return game, but otherwise the Statesmen RBs averaged less than two YPC against Brockport. Hopefully those stats will go up this weekend.
Prediction:
While I think this year's Mustang squad is the underdog in this game, I don't see Hobart dropping 62 points on them again. The Statesmen need to avoid this as a potential "trap game", given the high of defeating Brockport and having two NJAC teams coming up in the next two weeks.
I trust Coach DeWall '00 and staff will have Hobart dialed in and ready, so I'll take Hobart to win this one 35-17.
Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Hobart Picks Off #13 Golden Eagles, 33-7
The Hobart College Statesmen (1-0) came into the 2019 looking to avenge a down year in 2018 which included an embarrassing 48-point defeat to the eventual Empire 8 champions Brockport. The Statesmen got their revenge Saturday in Geneva, mostly due to an outstanding defensive performance that intercepted the Golden Eagles five times, including four in the first half.
Hobart capitalized on short fields to hide the fact that they were out-gained in total yards, TOP and other key statistical measures. To the Statesmen's credit, along with the turnovers they held Brockport (0-1) to one-of-five in red zone opportunities and sacked SR QB Jason Hellwig seven times until he was pulled from the game.
While this is an upset to savor, the fact Hobart couldn't run the ball, averaging only 1.7 YPC remains a concern. SR QB Ryan Hofmann had a good game overall, passing for four TDs, but was inaccurate and rushed his progressions at times, finishing 12-25 for 147 yards and two INTs. 58 of the 147 yards was on one play - a beautiful bomb to SR WR Jake Catalioto who hauled in two TDs on the day.
The Statesmen opened the scoring with FY TE Mike Zaccone catching a short pass in the left end zone for his first collegiate TD. Brockport evened things up a few minutes later on a scramble and seven yard pass from Hellwig to JR RB Jala Coad. After that it was all Hobart as the defense dug in and wreaked havoc on the Brockport offense for the remainder of the day.
SO LB Bryan Aguilar led the team with nine tackles to go with a sack and TFL. JR OLB Emmett Forde however was probably the MVP of the game with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 TFL. Forde also had two of the five Hobart interceptions, running the second back 71 yards to the Brockport 20 yard-line.
While the Statesmen are sure to savor this one for a bit, it's back to work as the rest of the top teams in the LL also had big days. RPI dropped 52 points, racking up 502 yards and Ithaca put up 66 as their new starting SR QB Joe Germiniero went 27-37 for 303 yards and six TDs. Even Union tallied 533 total yards in a 42-7 win.
Obviously Hobart's win is the most impressive of these, but there was enough evidence on the game tape that the Statesmen have room to improve in a highly competitive LL. I think it also proves the Brockport doubters that there was no way they'd be as strong without seven All-Region and several All-American players.
End of the day, it was one where it was great to be a Statesman. I'll have more on this one and preview Week 2's match-up against SUNY-Morrisville early next week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Hobart capitalized on short fields to hide the fact that they were out-gained in total yards, TOP and other key statistical measures. To the Statesmen's credit, along with the turnovers they held Brockport (0-1) to one-of-five in red zone opportunities and sacked SR QB Jason Hellwig seven times until he was pulled from the game.
There was lots to celebrate for Statesmen fans and family today
While this is an upset to savor, the fact Hobart couldn't run the ball, averaging only 1.7 YPC remains a concern. SR QB Ryan Hofmann had a good game overall, passing for four TDs, but was inaccurate and rushed his progressions at times, finishing 12-25 for 147 yards and two INTs. 58 of the 147 yards was on one play - a beautiful bomb to SR WR Jake Catalioto who hauled in two TDs on the day.
The Statesmen opened the scoring with FY TE Mike Zaccone catching a short pass in the left end zone for his first collegiate TD. Brockport evened things up a few minutes later on a scramble and seven yard pass from Hellwig to JR RB Jala Coad. After that it was all Hobart as the defense dug in and wreaked havoc on the Brockport offense for the remainder of the day.
SO LB Bryan Aguilar led the team with nine tackles to go with a sack and TFL. JR OLB Emmett Forde however was probably the MVP of the game with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 TFL. Forde also had two of the five Hobart interceptions, running the second back 71 yards to the Brockport 20 yard-line.
JR OLB Collin Urie with 1 of the 5 Hobart INTs on the day - this one went for 6
While the Statesmen are sure to savor this one for a bit, it's back to work as the rest of the top teams in the LL also had big days. RPI dropped 52 points, racking up 502 yards and Ithaca put up 66 as their new starting SR QB Joe Germiniero went 27-37 for 303 yards and six TDs. Even Union tallied 533 total yards in a 42-7 win.
Obviously Hobart's win is the most impressive of these, but there was enough evidence on the game tape that the Statesmen have room to improve in a highly competitive LL. I think it also proves the Brockport doubters that there was no way they'd be as strong without seven All-Region and several All-American players.
End of the day, it was one where it was great to be a Statesman. I'll have more on this one and preview Week 2's match-up against SUNY-Morrisville early next week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Week 1 - Brockport Game Preview
The (new look) Hobart College Statesmen look to make a statement Saturday when they host #13 Brockport. The Golden Eagles beat and otherwise embarrassed Hobart in last season's opener by a lopsided 56-7 margin.
That was last year, as they say, and Hobart returns a more experienced and improved team in 2019.
Still, Brockport poses a tremendous challenge given their size, speed and defensive scheme which the Statesmen have struggled against in recent years. Hobart is 1-2 in their current series with the Golden Eagles and 4-7 overall, dating back to their original meeting in 1949.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
After a 24-2 run over the past two seasons, Brockport has seen a number of it's All-American and All-Regional players move on via graduation. One of the surprising moves this off-season was the transfer of SR QB Joe Germiniero to Ithaca, meaning SR QB Jason Hellwig is now the man in charge of the Golden Eagles offense.
Saturday won't be the first time he's started for Brockport however, as he did that back in 2017 against Saint Lawrence (more on that later). Hellwig (who we interviewed as part of our In the D3FB Huddle preseason show) will have a strong supporting cast, as seven starters return from last season on offense. The key one of those is SR RB Justin Morrison, who missed most of 2018 due to injury. Morrison rushed for 176 yards and two TDs the last time he played in Geneva, and will likely be a core aspect of the Brockport offense. Leading the way for Hellwig and Morrison will be SR OL Luke Lodino, who's also a captain of the team. Joining him will be returning starting tackle, JR OL Shawn Pridell.
The question mark for this season is how will DC Mike Fox replace several defensive stars, including having eight new starters in 2019? This unit will be led by SR OLB Alex West, who earned second team All-American preseason recognition by D3football.com. Joining him is JR OLB Lawrence Jenkins, who earned Empire 8 all-conference honors after ranking third in TFL and sacks last season. Jenkins is a versatile player, who's able to drop back in coverage and defended ten passes a year ago.
Also back in the secondary is SO DB Ben Marshall, who started in games when Jake O’Connell '19 was down with an injury. Other defensive players like SO DL Jordan Harris, Tafari Nedrick and Hakeem Yaya are expected to have more opportunities to step in and contribute this season as well.
Keys to the Game:
1. Learn from St. Lawrence - Hellwig's first career start showed some tendencies we could see this Saturday, namely more of an emphasis on running the football. Brockport ran the ball on 43 plays, compared to only 21 pass attempts, in that game. To Hellwig's credit he completed 14 of those 20 (70%) and a TD. He rushed for 115 yards, a TD and even caught a TD pass as well. Based on that history, I expect a somewhat similar game plan, leveraging the Golden Eagles' large OL, Saturday. Hellwig will distribute the ball on short to intermediate pass plays and at 6'4" he can easily see the field. As a baseball pitcher in the off-season, he's got strong enough arm to deliver the ball to Brockport's very fast and sure-handed players like SR WR Daquan Hubbard and SR WR Joseph Ortiz who have combined for 3,724 receiving yards and 33 TDs in their impressive careers.
2. Defense - Brockport has averaged 511 YPG against Hobart dating back to 2016. That's a ridiculous number and one the Statesmen need to change. While the Golden Eagles are likely to eat up some yards and clock, the Hobart defense can make a statement in keeping this game close from start. Hellwig is used to playing with a substantial lead. If the Statesmen DL can provide pressure and the LB/DB corps can come up with a turnover or two, Hobart stands a good chance.
3. Test the Corners - The one area the Statesmen have a clear advantage over Brockport is their WRs against a younger, less experienced CB unit. If SR QB Ryan Hofmann and/or SO QB David Krewson (who I do expect will play some) can get enough time in the pocket to find them, Hobart could make some significant gains, especially if running the football against the 3-3 stack defense remains difficult.
4. Don't Beat Yourselves - Week 1 football is often full of penalties due to mental and other mistakes given limited practice. Last season there were 13 penalties called in the game, and even though they didn't make much of a difference in the outcome, they are more costly in closer games (which we're all hoping for Saturday). INTs hurt Hobart last season also, as they saw one of their two INTs go for a 60-yard pick six.
Prediction:
Pretty much every outlet is predicting a Brockport win. Hansen Ratings predicts the Golden Eagles will win the game 33-24 and that the Statesmen only have a 27% chance of upsetting Brockport. I suspect D3football.com will make a similar prediction in their weekly Friday "Quick Hits" article.
Hobart should be an underdog in this game, but I think the team won't be blown out like they were last season. My head says the Hobart OL will need some time to gel and the offense may only score about 14 points, coming up short somewhere in the 28-14 range. My heart though says I'll take the Statesmen to upset the Golden Eagles on a late JR PK Kyle Hackett FG, 24-21.
Go 'Bart!
That was last year, as they say, and Hobart returns a more experienced and improved team in 2019.
Still, Brockport poses a tremendous challenge given their size, speed and defensive scheme which the Statesmen have struggled against in recent years. Hobart is 1-2 in their current series with the Golden Eagles and 4-7 overall, dating back to their original meeting in 1949.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
After a 24-2 run over the past two seasons, Brockport has seen a number of it's All-American and All-Regional players move on via graduation. One of the surprising moves this off-season was the transfer of SR QB Joe Germiniero to Ithaca, meaning SR QB Jason Hellwig is now the man in charge of the Golden Eagles offense.
Saturday won't be the first time he's started for Brockport however, as he did that back in 2017 against Saint Lawrence (more on that later). Hellwig (who we interviewed as part of our In the D3FB Huddle preseason show) will have a strong supporting cast, as seven starters return from last season on offense. The key one of those is SR RB Justin Morrison, who missed most of 2018 due to injury. Morrison rushed for 176 yards and two TDs the last time he played in Geneva, and will likely be a core aspect of the Brockport offense. Leading the way for Hellwig and Morrison will be SR OL Luke Lodino, who's also a captain of the team. Joining him will be returning starting tackle, JR OL Shawn Pridell.
The question mark for this season is how will DC Mike Fox replace several defensive stars, including having eight new starters in 2019? This unit will be led by SR OLB Alex West, who earned second team All-American preseason recognition by D3football.com. Joining him is JR OLB Lawrence Jenkins, who earned Empire 8 all-conference honors after ranking third in TFL and sacks last season. Jenkins is a versatile player, who's able to drop back in coverage and defended ten passes a year ago.
Also back in the secondary is SO DB Ben Marshall, who started in games when Jake O’Connell '19 was down with an injury. Other defensive players like SO DL Jordan Harris, Tafari Nedrick and Hakeem Yaya are expected to have more opportunities to step in and contribute this season as well.
Keys to the Game:
1. Learn from St. Lawrence - Hellwig's first career start showed some tendencies we could see this Saturday, namely more of an emphasis on running the football. Brockport ran the ball on 43 plays, compared to only 21 pass attempts, in that game. To Hellwig's credit he completed 14 of those 20 (70%) and a TD. He rushed for 115 yards, a TD and even caught a TD pass as well. Based on that history, I expect a somewhat similar game plan, leveraging the Golden Eagles' large OL, Saturday. Hellwig will distribute the ball on short to intermediate pass plays and at 6'4" he can easily see the field. As a baseball pitcher in the off-season, he's got strong enough arm to deliver the ball to Brockport's very fast and sure-handed players like SR WR Daquan Hubbard and SR WR Joseph Ortiz who have combined for 3,724 receiving yards and 33 TDs in their impressive careers.
2. Defense - Brockport has averaged 511 YPG against Hobart dating back to 2016. That's a ridiculous number and one the Statesmen need to change. While the Golden Eagles are likely to eat up some yards and clock, the Hobart defense can make a statement in keeping this game close from start. Hellwig is used to playing with a substantial lead. If the Statesmen DL can provide pressure and the LB/DB corps can come up with a turnover or two, Hobart stands a good chance.
3. Test the Corners - The one area the Statesmen have a clear advantage over Brockport is their WRs against a younger, less experienced CB unit. If SR QB Ryan Hofmann and/or SO QB David Krewson (who I do expect will play some) can get enough time in the pocket to find them, Hobart could make some significant gains, especially if running the football against the 3-3 stack defense remains difficult.
4. Don't Beat Yourselves - Week 1 football is often full of penalties due to mental and other mistakes given limited practice. Last season there were 13 penalties called in the game, and even though they didn't make much of a difference in the outcome, they are more costly in closer games (which we're all hoping for Saturday). INTs hurt Hobart last season also, as they saw one of their two INTs go for a 60-yard pick six.
Prediction:
Pretty much every outlet is predicting a Brockport win. Hansen Ratings predicts the Golden Eagles will win the game 33-24 and that the Statesmen only have a 27% chance of upsetting Brockport. I suspect D3football.com will make a similar prediction in their weekly Friday "Quick Hits" article.
Hobart should be an underdog in this game, but I think the team won't be blown out like they were last season. My head says the Hobart OL will need some time to gel and the offense may only score about 14 points, coming up short somewhere in the 28-14 range. My heart though says I'll take the Statesmen to upset the Golden Eagles on a late JR PK Kyle Hackett FG, 24-21.
Go 'Bart!
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