NCAA Round 2 Playoff / Susquehanna Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen will travel down to Selinsgrove, PA to face their toughest opponent of the season, the Landmark Conference Champion and #6 ranked Susquehanna University River Hawks. Susquehanna (9-1, 6-0) is returning to the playoffs third consecutive year. Their only loss, a 40-38 decision, came at the hands of defending national champions Cortland (10-0, 7-0), back in Week 3.

Hobart (9-1, 6-0) and the River Hawks have two common opponents - Moravian and Keystone. The Statesmen beat the Greyhounds 27-12 and the Giants 52-9 in Weeks 3 and 4, when our offense was just finding its legs. Susquehanna defeated Moravian in Week 10, 49-34, and Keystone in Week 6, 79-6.

Neither of these results tell us much, but at a high level you can say that Hobart has a better defense than the River Hawks and Susquehanna's offense is more explosive than the Statesmen's. Special teams probably lean Hobart given the personnel and national accolades they've received this season. 

Logan Hansen gives the Statesmen a 17.5% chance of winning next Saturday. I imagine most of the D3Football.com panel of experts will pick the River Hawks to beat the Statesmen also. So how does Hobart win this game?

Let's take a look.

Scouting Susquehanna

The River Hawks are a spread offense, 3-4 defensive team. They have averaged 48.5 PPG on offense and allowed 19.2 PPG on defense. They have scored 31 receiving and 32 rushing TDs this season. They have won most of their games in blowouts, but a common theme in the closer ones and the loss to Cortland is they struggled to stop the run and convert on third down.

Hobart is 2-3 all time against Susquehanna, and long-time fans may remember the time when the River Hawks were in the Liberty League (2007-2009), before they left to join the Centennial. These two programs haven't played each other in 15 years, so this is a new and interesting matchup in the 2nd round. 

Offensively Susquehanna is led by SO QB Josh Ehrlich (really a JR, as he transferred in from Marist after one year and didn't lose eligibility). He's an accurate passer, going 163-232 (70.26%) for 2,403 yards and 28 TDs compared to only four INTs. Ehrlich has added 496 rushing yards and eight rush TDs. The Rivers Hawks OL appears to be a solid group, and they've only allowed 14 sacks on the season, just a little over one per game. 

Although they lost their star RB to injury, Susquehanna didn't miss a beat with the addition of FY RB Rahshan La Mons. He's gained 1,145 yards on 145 carries (8 YPR) and 14 rush TDs. SR WR Kyle Howes is Ehrlich's favorite target, catching 56 passes for 965 yards and 14 TDs this season (that's nearly 100 YPG receiving). GR WR Chris Bookter has caught half (28) as many passes and TDs (7) but is lanky (6' 2" 185 lbs.) target that has racked up 502 receiving yards this season.

Defensively the River Hawks are led by SR LB Garrett Carter with 69 total tackles. A big, physical player (6' 2" 240 lbs.), Carter has added a team-high nine TFL and two sacks. GR DL Jake Schultes leads the team with five sacks to go with six TFL and 32 total tackles. 10 different Susquehanna defenders have collected at least one INT on the year. GR LB Drew Robinson and GR OLB Josh Parson lead the team with two, respectively. 

SR PK Christian Colasurdo handles punts, averaging 39.64 YPP, and has gone 3-6 on FGs this season (long of 39). SO PK Dominic Bourgeois averages 61.7 YPKO, with 20 TBs. He's gone 2-2 on FGs with a long of 32 yards.

In the return game La Mons has the most PRs with 11 for a 32.73 YPR average with three returned for TDs. 11 different Susquehanna players have returned KOs, JR WR Hunter Morganroth has the most with eight for 168 yards (21 YPKOR average). 

Keys to the Game:

1. Ground Control to Major Bart - Cortland rushed for 257 yards on 49 carries in their win over the River Hawks earlier this season. SO RB E.J. Taylor will need the Hobart OL to play their best game and give him openings to gash the Susquehanna defense, churn the clock and keep the high-powered River Hawks offense on the sideline. 

2. Get Off the Field on Third (and Fourth) Down - The River Hawks have converted nearly 55% of their third down conversions this season and have gone for it 16 times on fourth down, converting 13 of those tries (81.25%). The defense has to be prepared for four down possessions, especially on the Statesmen side of the field.

3. Play Four Quarters - Both of these teams have lost close games this season they probably should / could have won. Hobart will need to stay focused and hope that the ghosts of two consecutive first round exits start to creep into the Susquehanna sideline later in the game. The Statesmen can win if they play to their strengths - a strong run game and tough defense - but can't afford to make any mistakes. The River Hawks are too good of a team to give easy points to and expect to beat. 

Prediction:

I believe Hobart can win this game, but it'll require an effort that's been above and beyond what they've delivered so far this season. Susquehanna will be a big favorite but has lost at home in the playoffs two years running now. One interesting statistic I noticed is that the River Hawks opponents only attempted one FG all season. It may not be pretty, but if this game ends up a defensive battle, having SR PK Tobias Wefering and JR PK Vicente Lyon could make a big difference down the stretch. 

I'm going to call the upset, 24-21, to take the Statesmen to Minnesota (or if UWL wins, back to Geneva). 

Go 'Bart!

Statesmen Draw Susquehanna in the NCAA Playoffs

The Hobart Statesmen drew the Landmark Conference Champions Susquehanna University today in the NCAA playoff bracket release show. Hobart ended up in the Saint John's bracket, which is a very tough draw as the Johnnies are the overall number one seed in the tournament based on the NPI ratings.

Susquehanna is in the tournament for the third season in a row and are hoping to break their opening round, home playoff losing streak against the Statesmen. Hobart will need to rely on its #1 nationally ranked scoring defense to slow down the River Hawks offense which averages 48.5 PPG. 

I'll have more on this one later this week, but for now, it's see you in Selinsgrove, PA on Saturday, November 30th. 

Statesmen Swat Jackets, 37-7, Completes Best Regular Season Since 2016

The Hobart College Statesmen finished the 2024 regular season with a strong showing on Senior Day, blowing out the University of Rochester, 37-7. Hobart (9-1, 6-0) wins the Liberty League title outright and finishes with their best regular season mark since 2016. 

The Statesmen will wait until Sunday night at 5 PM to see where they will end up in the NCAA playoff bracket. I'm sticking with my Hobart ending up playing Johns Hopkins prediction but will have to look at the NPI numbers once all the games today go final. Rochester (6-4, 2-4) put in an ECAC Bowl bid but may opt out given the number of injuries on their roster. 

In today's game, SO RB E.J. Taylor (pictured above) rushed 22 times for 158 yards and three rushing TDs. He went over 1,000 yards on the season, which is an impressive feat for only a SO.

FY WR Johnny Harding all but cemented his likely LL ROTY award with his seventh receiving TD, opening up the scoring in the game. FY DB Jay Brunson, Jr. ended the scoring with a last-minute pick six. 

SR LBs Anthony Romano and Jamien Bliss led the defense with 14 and 12 tackles, respectively. FY DB Corey Rock added an INT, his fourth on the season. 

Now we wait until Sunday at 5 PM. I'll have more on the bracket and Hobart's first playoff matchup once it's available.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart! 

Week 11 - Rochester / Senior Day / Centennial Cup Game Preview

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Veterans Day. Thank you to all who have served our country and protected our freedom. 

Now let's talk some D3FB.

The Hobart College Statesmen will honor their seniors and fifth-year players (the final time for the latter given the end of the extra COVID year of eligibility) this Saturday at the Boz, with a lot on the line. The Statesmen (8-1, 5-0) have the opportunity to retain the Centennial Cup trophy, win the Liberty League Championship outright and hopefully maintain a first-round bye position for the NCAA playoffs. Hobart stands at #22 in the NPI rankings and could move up to the 20-21 range after this weekend, which would keep them out of the first-round play in games, based on my understanding of how the seeding works. 

After starting 5-0, Rochester has lost three of their last four games, including two in a row. The Yellow Jackets (6-3, 2-3) dropped a 34-13 decision to Union in Week 10. They appear to have lost GR RB Daniel Papantonis for the season after the Saint Lawrence game, which could be a big reason for their recent struggles.

Rochester is Hobart's oldest rival, and the Statesmen have 60-48-7 all-time record against the Yellow Jackets, making Saturday's contest the 116th edition of this rivalry. The Statesmen have won twelve straight against the UofR dating back to the 2011 season. Rochester last beat Hobart, 35-34 in 2OT back in the 2010 season. 

Scouting the Yellow Jackets

Despite their more recent struggles, this has been a successful season for the UofR. Six wins is a mark they haven't met going all the way back to the 2007 season and seven wins is something that hasn't happened since 2006.

Rochester is a run first offense, calling runs about 58% of their total plays this season. With Papadonis out, JR RB Jake Adelman has picked up the slack, rushing for 231 yards and three TDs. SR QB Ryan Rose has passed for almost 1100 yards, but last week he was benched after throwing two INTs. FY QB Creighton Wise came in and played better, going 9-20 for 140 yards and two passing TDs. I am guessing he may get the start Saturday.

The top receiving targets for Rose and Wise have varied. Rochester has five WRs with at least one TD catch. SR WR Trey Johnson leads the team with 45 catches for 385 yards. He has three receiving TDs on the year. JR WR Aidan Papadonis leads the team with four TD catches and is not far behind Johnson's totals with 32 catches for 341 yards. SO WR Samuel Nuamah (pictured above) is a big target, standing 6' 4" and 220 lbs. He has caught two TD passes over the past two weeks, so clearly, he's becoming a bigger part of the Rochester game plan. 

JR LB Luke Herter leads a solid Yellow Jackets defense that has held opponents to just under 17 PPG this season. He leads the team with 72 total tackles. The Hobart OL will need to keep an eye on GR LB Joe DeBonis. He leads Rochester with five sacks and 9.5 TFL. JR DB Jordy Tawa has been a ball hawk this year, collecting seven INTs and 11 PBUs.

On special teams the Yellow Jackets utilize two different players. SR PK Alex Wing handles punting duties, averaging over 38 YPP. SR PK Jordan Laudani is 0-3 on FG attempts, so I don't expect us to see any tried Saturday. Laudani is better at KOs, averaging over 52 YPKO, on those.

Leading WR Trey Johnson has been the primary return man on punts and KORs. According to the Yellow Jackets stat sheet, he returned a KO 95 yards for a TD against the University of New England back in Week 4.

Keys to the Game:

1. Stretch the Field: Last Saturday, Union passed for 325 yards and three passing TDs against this Rochester defense. JR QB Patch Flanagan is not as accurate a passer as SR QB Johnny Columbi, so this could be a good opportunity for the Statesmen offense to try to mix things up a bit before the playoffs.

2. But Pound the Rock and Play Hobart Defense: In their losses to Ithaca and Buffalo State, the Yellow Jackets struggled to stop the Bombers and Bengals rushing attack. Ithaca's was especially productive, racking up nearly 300 yards on the ground to go with two rushing TDs. The Statesmen defense just needs to keep doing what it does and could have a field day if Wise gets the start. The Yellow Jackets have struggled with turnovers this season and there should be some more with the pressure Hobart brings. 

3. Just Win: Capping off the regular season at 9-1 and with a playoff berth hasn't happened since 2016. This is a great opportunity to send off the seniors and fifth years with a memorable win and build momentum towards the playoffs. While we won't know Hobart's fate until Sunday night, we can rest assured a 9-1 record should enable the Statesmen to earn a valuable first-round bye.

Prediction:

I think Hobart wins big, 35-7 and keeps the Centennial Cup home for yet another year.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Projecting Hobart's Playoff Possibilities

The Hobart College Statesmen booked their latest trip to the NCAA Playoffs by clinching the Liberty League Championship in Week 9 with a win over RPI, 27-21 (and a little help from Buffalo State). Sitting at 8-1, 5-0, Hobart can win the title outright with a win over Rochester (7-2, 4-2) in Week 11. This would help the Statesmen guarantee themselves a shot at a first-round playoff bye. A loss would all but guarantee Hobart dropping into the first-round pool of play in games at 8-2.

Staying positive, and assuming a Hobart Week 11 victory, we will then have to wait and see what the Statesmen's draw to the NCAA tournament will be based on the new NCAA Power Index (NPI) system and bracketing process. Currently in the 23rd spot in the latest NPI rankings, Hobart is basically sitting in what one could interpret as a sixth seed position. Think of it this way - 1-8 are the one and two seeds, 9-12 are the three seeds, 13-16 are the four seeds, 17-20 are the five seeds, and 21-24 are the six seeds. The 26-40 ranked NPI teams are the 7 and 8 seeds who will play in Round 1. It should be noted that there are five teams / conferences (ECFC, HCAC, SCIAC, UMAC and USAC) that are below the Top 40, so the "cut off" line is effectively at 35 for teams with Pool C / at-large hopes. As long as Hobart stays in the Top 24, they get a bye week. That said, their current and likely final position is one that almost guarantees a road playoff game, so we will have to plan accordingly come Selection Sunday. 

Cortland's title run last season was from a similar (maybe 5th seed) standing, so just saying...

Looking up the rankings, there are at least five teams ahead of the Statesmen that could potentially lose and help Hobart move up a spot or more, especially with the boost of beating a 7-win Rochester squad. #22 UMHB has to play conference rival and undefeated Hardin-Simmons (8-0, 4-0) this Saturday. The last game was a blowout win for the Cowboys, so you could expect UMHB to drop to 4-2 in D3 games, which would be good for the Statesmen to move up to at least #22.

Up next is undefeated #19 Lake Forest (8-0, 7-0) of the Midwest Conference who has a championship game against Monmouth (7-1, 7-0) this Saturday. A win by Monmouth wouldn't necessarily knock LFC out of the playoffs, but a loss by #35 Monmouth would likely send them to the Lakefront Bowl (the annual postseason bowl game between the runners up of the MWC and NACC).

#16 Marietta plays #9 Mount Union in a battle of 8-0 teams this weekend also. A win by Marietta would be a big one, while a win for the Purple Raiders could move them into the Top 8 "protected teams". Under this new system, the Top 8 is guaranteed home games and not having to play any of the other Top 8 teams until the national quarterfinals.

#10 DePauw is another undefeated team, and will play conference rivals Wabash (7-1, 6-0) in Week 11 for the "Monon Bell" trophy and NCAC title/Pool A bid. A win by DePauw and losses by other teams could move them into the Top 8, but a loss wouldn't knock them out of the playoffs. A Wabash win would lift them up considerably from their current #37 position which is just outside the playoff "bubble" at the moment. 

Sitting in the #5 spot is undefeated Whitworth (8-0, 5-0) of the Northwest Conference. Despite their record and standing, many think they will lose to perennial NWC powerhouse Linfield (7-1, 5-0). The Wildcats only loss this season is to UW-Oshkosh (6-1, 4-1 in D3 play), who has a chance to win the WIAC, considered by most to the best conference in the nation. Linfield currently sits at #30 but would likely rise up into the Top 24 with a win in Week 11 against Whitworth. The loss would drop the Pirates out of the Top 8, but not out of the playoff picture, but would likely end up above the Statesmen still. 

That said I am betting on Hobart ending up in the 20-21 range and playing in Round 2 on the road, perhaps against a team like Springfield or maybe Johns Hopkins. The Statesmen's geographic location could send them into the Midwest, but I have a feeling with Salisbury and Cortland in the Top 8 there's a good chance Hobart ends up in their bracket. However, we could see a situation like 2012 where the Statesmen were sent into more of a Midwest bracket and with teams like NCC and Mount Union in the Top 8, Hobart could end up there with a shot at playing the Purple Raiders in the Sweet 16, potentially.

At the end of the day, this is all conjecture on my part. The good news is the Statesmen will have this weekend and Week 12 to rest up and get ready for Rochester and the postseason. It's been a while, so I am looking forward to seeing Hobart's name called on Selection Sunday for the first time in eight years. Wherever we end up, we will have a chance. 

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Statesmen Win First Conference Championship Since 2016, Outlast RPI, 27-21

It's been a long time since I've been able to write the Hobart College Football team are the Liberty League Conference Champions and are going to the National Playoffs.

It feels pretty good to do so.

The Statesmen (8-1, 5-0) had some help from Buffalo State and gritty performances from all three phases of the game. SR PK Tobias Wefering set the all-time FG record (32) with a 43-yarder with 9:37 to go in the second quarter. 

SR QB Johnny Columbi had a strong game, going 17-28 for 258 yards passing and three TDs with only one INT. Although Hobart did give up a 27-6 third quarter lead, they managed to make some great plays in the fourth quarter to hang on and win.

The Hobart defense gave up three TDs in the game after not allowing any since Week 5, but I think this was more to it being Week 9 and just running out of steam. In the end players like JR OLB Mike McGhee, SR OLB Jamien Bliss and others made big plays down the stretch. 

The Statesmen get a bye for Week 10, and I'll have some thoughts regarding the next round of NPI rankings early next week. Enjoy this one. It's been a long time since we celebrated a conference championship. 

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 9 - RPI Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen's march to their first Liberty League championship in eight years will head to Troy, NY to take on the RPI Engineers (3-4, 1-2). RPI had a bye week in Week 8 so they will have had extra time to prepare for this big game. 

The Statesmen (7-1, 4-0) have a narrow 33-32-1 all-time series lead over the Engineers, making this Saturday's 3 PM kickoff the 67th game in this rivalry that dates back to 1910. Last season Hobart came back from being down 14-10 at the half and 21-10 in the third quarter, to beat RPI, 31-21.

Scouting the Engineers

While looking at their seasons to date and relative trajectories, one could assume Hobart is a big favorite to win this weekend. A closer look shows that the Statesmen haven't beaten RPI in Troy in their last three visits, and the last win was 10 years ago, during the historic 2014 season. Hobart is 15-19 all-time on the road vs. the Engineers, so they can't take this team lightly. RPI has played a tough schedule, including games against two nationally ranked teams, so they are accustomed to big games.

Leading the Engineers offense is an experienced but mistake prone SR QB in Jake Kazanowsky. He has passed for a LL-leading 1,307 yards but also a LL-worst, eight INTs. At their core, RPI is a run-first offense, and features three RBs - SO RB Kayden White, SR RB Dameon Ming, and SR RB Cristian Buckley - that have over 30+ carries on the season who've average 3.1-5.8 YPR. This triumvirate has gained a total of 532 rushing yards together and scored nine of RPI's 13 rushing TDs.

The Engineers most dangerous offensive weapon however is JR WR Hayden Faraday. Having seen him in person in Week 1, Faraday is able to stretch defenses with his route running and quickness. He has collected 37 passes for 467 yards and two TDs. SR WR Sean Kelly is more of a possession receiver and leads the team with 43 catches for 414 yards and one TD.

Defensively RPI ranks just behind Hobart in rushing defense, allowing only 106.1 rush YPG and only five rushing TDs on the season. SR LB Anthony D'Agostino leads the Engineers with 54 total tackles. On the DL, RPI is led by SR DL Nate Sicard (pictured above) with six TFL and two sacks.

On special teams, the Engineers mostly rely on JR PK Aleksandar Maric, who handles FGs (5-8, long of 31) and KOs (57.8 YPKO average). Punting duties have primarily been handled by JR PK Anderson Burke. He's averaged nearly 38 YPP with a long of 52. In the return game, Kelly and JR DB Cassius Johnson have taken the most reps, with respectable (6.8 YPPR and 28.82 YPKOR) results.

Keys to the Game:

 1. Establish (and stop) the Run: In RPI's four losses this season, they gave up 182, 88, 147, and 171 rushing yards, while being held to 55, 85, 43 and 22. Making the game one dimensional will help Hobart, who has the best pass defense in the LL, force the Engineers to be one dimensional. 

2. Turnovers - See above. Hobart can take the Engineers out of this game early on if they can pressure Kazanowsky and force him into making more mistakes. RPI's OL has allowed the most sacks in the LL this season (19), so the Statesmen's pass rush should do well. To their credit, RPI leads the LL in passing YPG with 213.7, but they've thrown more INTs than passing TDs so far this season.

3. Big Play Faraday - The Statesmen defense will need to keep an eye on WR/SB Hayden Faraday. He goes into motion a lot and has gotten large gains because of his speed. He leads the LL in receiving YPG with 66.7, which isn't a lot, but his 12.62 YPR average shows you that he is basically good for a first down every time he catches the football and with a long of 64 yards, can beat you deep if you're not ready.

Prediction:

Hobart has one of the best defenses in the nation, and that will be on display again at the ECAV Saturday. I think the Statesmen can pitch another shutout potentially, but RPI hasn't been shutout since Week 1 and is averaging 22.57 PPG on offense. I think the Engineers may be able to get a TD at home, but not more than one. I'll take the Statesmen to win, 27-6 (which is basically our average points scored and allowed per game after 8 weeks of play). 

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Statesmen Shutout Union for First Time Since '75, 27-0

Ok, so I almost jinxed it. 

I was asked by a former Hobart parent over text the last time the Statesmen shutout the Dutchmen / Garnet Chargers and I looked it up. You had to go back 49 years, to 1975, when Hobart shutout Union, 21-0. I passed that information along to the broadcast booth with about 3:30 remaining. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have. 

Fortunately for me, FY DB Simon Skyler bailed me out with an INT of Union JR QB Patch Flanagan from the Statesmen nine-yard line with just over two minutes left. Speaking of FY DBs, it's great to see another Hobart player in #36 making big plays out there. Drew Walsh '23 had a nice career in 36 for Hobart, and now that jersey has been passed on to FY DB Ryan Van Tassell who also had an INT (his third of the season) in Saturday's 27-0 win.

With the win Hobart improves to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Liberty League. You can read up on this game from the HWSAthletics.com website here. 

I'll have more on the upcoming RPI game later this week. The Engineers (3-4, 1-2) were idle in Week 8, so they've had an extra week to prepare for this big conference matchup.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 8 - Union Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen will have a second homecoming of sorts, in more ways than one, this Saturday against long-time Liberty League rival, Union College. The Union (f/k/a the Dutchmen and now the) "Garnet Chargers" are heading to Geneva with a familiar face at the helm, former Hobart QB coach and OC, Jon Drach. 

Coach Drach's first year has been a rough one, with Union coming into the game (the 107th meeting of the series, which the Dutchmen lead 54-50-2) with a 2-4, 1-1 overall record. Last season, Hobart (6-1, 3-0) was soundly beaten by the Dutch Chargers, 27-10. 

This year has these teams on two different trajectories, but Hobart can't afford to take this game for granted. Nothing would make the Union's season than to take down the Statesmen. 

Scouting the Garnet Chargers

In spite of their struggles in the win-loss column, Union is a balanced team on offense. They average nearly identical rushing and passing YPG numbers - 162.8 and 157.5 - but have scored most of their points via the pass - 11 pass TDs vs. 5 rush TDs.

They are led by JR QB Patch Flanagan (one of the best names in the nation), who I got to see play in person back in Week 1. In that game he struggled with pass efficiency but showed off his speed. He's an extremely quick runner who can move outside of the pocket. Flanagan has gone 83-180 passing for 936 yards and 11 TDs. He's added 397 rushing yards (leading the team) with three rush TDs.

Those numbers have eaten into the production of what made the Dutchmen a playoff team last year, namely the one-two punch of SR RBs Michael Fiore and Jonathan Anderson. These playmakers are averaging less than 60 YPG rushing and only have one rushing TD between the two of them this season.

Flanagan's favorite target has been SR WR Robbie Tolbert who leads Union with 18 catches for 195 yards and four receiving TDs. Not far behind him is JR WR Gil Rivera who's caught 14 passes for 191 yards and one TD.

Defensively the Dutch Chargers are led by SR LB Cole DaSilva with 63 total tackles, including six TFL. The Hobart OL will need to keep SR DL Ethan VanderBrink in check. He leads Union with an impressive 10.5 TFL and 6.5 sack total.

On special teams, the Dutchmen have used several players. SO PK Hayden Hall handles punting duties, averaging a net 39.71 YPP. FY PK Francisco Pileggi has the most FG attempts, going 4-6 on the season with a long of 37 yards. JR PK Ryan Mulderig handles KOs, averaging 55.4 YPKO. In the return game, Union has only fielded one punt, for zero yards, which is odd. SO WR Mike DiNardo has fielded the most KOs (16), averaging 20.31 YPKOR.

Keys to the Game:

1. Win the LOS - last season I remember seeing a Union OL pick up and slam one of Hobart's undersized DL on a 56-yard TD pass play at the end of the third quarter. It was pretty embarrassing and honestly, the Dutchmen dominated the LOS of that game all day. This season, the Statesmen defense is stronger, currently ranked third in the nation in scoring defense. This time the slamming may go the other direction. Offensively Hobart should pound the ball on the ground and look for deep pass plays when they can. The Dutchmen allow 156 YPG rushing and a 4.2 YPR average, giving up 10 rushing TDs over the past six games. I saw Utica's larger OL, not unlike Hobart's, control the LOS in Week 1. The Statesmen need to follow that same script Saturday. 

2. Home Sweet Home - The Statesmen have won six in a row at home vs. Union. Hobart is 0-4 in their last four tries in Schenectady, so there is something to home field advantage in this series.  A win Saturday would make the Statesmen's home record this season 4-0.

3. Stay Levelheaded - This game is always a chippy one, so Hobart needs to play hard, but smart, and not get drawn into personal foul or other penalties. The Statesmen are averaging almost -50 YPG in penalties, but so is Union. Needless to say, Hobart can't give the Dutchmen extended drives or points due to bone-headed penalties.

Prediction:

The Statesmen haven't allowed a TD since the second quarter of Week 5 against Ithaca. While I do think the Union offense is strong enough to put up some points here, I do believe that this year, Hobart is the much stronger overall team. I'll think the Statesmen will run the ball on offense and force Flanagan into some tough situations that'll lead to turnovers on defense. I'll take Hobart to win it, 31-10.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart! 

Statesmen Win Fifth Straight, Smothering the Saints, 39-3

The Hobart College Statesmen won their fifth straight game, and 13th in a row, against Liberty League conference foes, Saint Lawrence, 39-3. It was another dominating performance by the Statesmen defense who have not allowed a TD since the second quarter of Week 5, against Ithaca. 

Hobart (6-1, 3-0) welcomed back starting SR QB Johnny Columbi from injury and he had a big game, going 14-22 passing (63.6%) for 226 yards and two passing TDs. JR WR Ahmad Crowell and FY WR Johnny Harding caught the TD passes. 

SR PK Tobias Wefering added 14 points, going 2-3 on PATs and a perfect 4-4 on FGs (a new Hobart record for FGM in a single game), including a long of 41 yards. SO RB EJ Taylor rushed 17 times for 79 yards and a TD. 

The Hobart defense stifled the Saints (2-4, 1-2), holding Saint Lawrence to only 33 rushing yards on 24 attempts (1.4 YPR average). The Statesmen also picked off Saints QBs twice with SR DB Chris Ntumba and FY DB Corey Rock with one INT each. 

Leading the Hobart defense was SR OLB Jamien Bliss with seven tackles, including a TFL and a sack. FY LB Ian Harder ended the scoring, scooping up a fumble in the Saints red zone with 6:30 remaining in the game. 

Up next for the Statesmen is a return home to the Boz to take on LL rival, Union College. I'll have more on that game early next week.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 7 - Saint Lawrence Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen will look to extend their current winning streak to five games with a win Saturday up at Saint Lawrence University. The Saints (2-3, 1-1) are coming off a tough, 34-10, road loss at RPI from Week 6.

Hobart (5-1, 2-0) has dominated this series of late, winning the last 12 in a row and 30 out of the last 31 matchups, dating back to the 1992 season. Due to this long run, the Statesmen lead the all-time series, over Saint Lawrence, 56-26-2, making Saturday the 85th game in this series that dates all the way back to 1901.

Scouting the Saints

Saint Lawrence is passing team, having thrown the ball 56.7% of their offensive play calls. They average over 200 YPG passing, compared to only 42.8 YPG rushing. Defensively the Saints struggle to stop the run, allowing opponents to 173.2 YPG rushing and 11 of the 17 TDs they've surrendered this year have been on the ground. 

Leading the Saint Lawrence offense is SR QB Daniel Lawther. Hobart fans may remember him when he had to come into the 2021 game at the Boz after Tyler Grochot was basically knocked out by OLB Emmett Forde '22. This season Lawther has gone 75-116 passing for 719 yards and four TDs with three INTs.

His main target has been SR TE Oskar Baldwin (pictured above). Baldwin has hauled in 26 catches for 338 yards and four TDs. SR RB Will Lederman is often deployed like Rayshawn Boswell '23 was, in the wildcat, for goal-to-go situations. While he's only rushed 66 times for 233 yards (under 47 YPG), he's managed to score all five of the Saints rushing TDs this season. 

Defensively Saint Lawrence is led by a pair of strong linebackers in SO LB Savino Moreli and JR LB Ryan Suroff. They have tallied a total of 38 and 36 tackles, respectively. Suroff leads the team with 7 TFL and Moreli is second with 4.5 TFL. 

JR PK Clayton Fogler has been a perfect 5-5 on FGs this season with a long of 38, which was the OT game winner over Union in Week 5. He is also a nearly perfect, 9-10 on PATs. Fogler also handles KOs, where he averages 54.3 YPKO. Punting duties were mostly handled by JR WR Jack O'Brien, but it appears like FY PK Sam Arbaugh took over during the RPI game and has averaged 35 YPP net average with two dropped inside the opponents 20-yard line.

The Saints return game has been relatively modest, averaging only four yards on punts and approximately 16 yards on KORs.

Keys to the Game:

1. RTB (Run the Ball):  There's no denying this matchup plays to Hobart's strengths. The Statesmen average 145 YPG rushing and should be able to surpass that amount against the Saint Lawrence defense. 

2. Turnovers: The Saints have struggled to protect the football, currently having a -7 TOM. I would expect the Hobart defense to force at least one or two more turnovers Saturday, helping the Statesmen offense build a (hopefully) insurmountable lead.

3. Bring it On Home: This will be the last long road trip of the 2024, at least in the regular season. The Statesmen would like to return to the Boz on a five-game win streak when they host long-time conference rivals (and struggling) Union College (1-4, 0-1) in Week 8.

Prediction:

I think a heavy run game, some defensive plays and a solid performance all-around will help Hobart to a 35-7-win Saturday. 

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Statesmen Take Sole Possession of First Place in 31-3 Win Over Buff State

It was great football Saturday for the Hobart College Statesmen who improved to 5-1 overall and took sole possession of first place in the Liberty League conference standings (2-0). The Statesmen have also won four in a row for the first time since the end of 2022 regular season. 

With four games left to play, Hobart controls it's post-season and NCAA playoff destiny. The Statesmen still have to grind through the meat of their conference regular season, but they are playing well and dominating the competition, especially on defense.

JR OLB Mike McGhee got a 67-yard pick six to start yesterday's game against Buffalo State (2-3, 0-1) on a positive note. SO QB Tru Styles was solid in his first start, racking up 189 total yards, including three passing TDs. SO EJ Taylor had another strong day rushing the football, carrying 17 times for 95 yards. 

FY WR and likely LLROTY candidate Johnny Harding had a big game also, catching seven passes for 83 yards and two TDs. The defense was led by SR LB Anthony Romano with nine total tackles and 1.5 TFL. This was the second game this season that the Statesmen defense has not allowed a TD. 

You can read more about the game from the HWSAthletics.com recap here. 

Up next for Hobart is a trip up north to play Saint Lawrence. The Saints (2-3, 1-1) lost to RPI (3-3, 1-1) yesterday, 34-10. I was able to catch most of that game since it started at noon. I'll have more on the Saints game early next week.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 6 - Buffalo State Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen will hit the road this weekend for the first of two trips away from the friendly confines of the Boz. This week Hobart (4-1, 1-0) will look to improve their Liberty League record to 2-0 with a win over the Buffalo State Bengals. Buff State (2-2. 0-0) has already matched last season's win total going into their LL schedule.

The Statesmen are 7-3 all-time against the Bengals dating back to the 1984 season. Hobart has won the last five contests (the first taking place in 1993, a game I attended in person), including the last four in a row where Buff State has been an affiliate member of the LL. 

Last season Hobart dispatched the Bengals by a score of 45-21 (the same score they won by in 2021, ironically). Needless to say, while I get Buff State has improved, I still expect a Statesmen win by at least a few scores.

Scouting the Bengals

Some of the Buff State stats were negatively affected by them taking on and losing by 55 points to Mercyhurst, an FCS D1 level program, last weekend. Still, here are some of the highlights from their team so far this season.

While their mascot is a jungle cat, the Bengals have utilized a veritable stable of RBs this season. Buff State has had four different ball carriers with at least 17-20+ rushing attempts and three RBs with over 100 yards rushing this season. Leading the way is SR RB Ale Wilson (I'm pretty sure that's pronounced like Ah-lay) with a team high 42 carries for 243 yards. Pictured above is SR RB Cody Phillips who has 35 carries for 86 yards and one rush TD. Phillips has also caught two passes for 27 yards and one TD. 

The Bengals are a run first team (121 rushing attempts vs. 45 passing) and have had two different QBs play so far this season. SO QB Amir Cameron had five passing TDs vs. Hilbert in Week 3 but has thrown 2 INTs since. JR QB Noah Kimble has passed for 221 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs.

SR WR Tariq Nelson has been their favorite target, catching 14 passes for 156 yards and 2 TDs. Big SR TE Julian Maloney (6' 4", 240 lbs.) has a TD reception and could create matchup problems near the goal line and running game.

JR LB Sincere Green leads the defensive side of the ball with a team high 37 tackles, 9.5 TFL and three sacks.

SR PK Nick Sciandra handles the kicking duties. He averages almost 39 net yards as a punter, 51.4 yards on KOs, and has gone 1-2 on FGs, but to his credit, the one he made was from 53 yards.

SR WR Darion Jones has been their primary return man, averaging 12.67 yards on PRs and 19.27 yards on KORs.

Keys to the Game:

1. Play With Style(s): Given the uncertainty surrounding the injury suffered by SR QB Johnny Columbi in the Ithaca game, I am assuming SO QB Tru Styles will get the start on Saturday. This is kind of the perfect situation to get him more reps and work with the offense. 

2. Stay Consistent: While the Hobart passing attack still needs work, the running game, defense and special teams have been great. Hopefully this game will allow those units to continue fine tuning their already solid status, while allowing the passing game a chance to work some of its kinks out. The Bengals have been allowing over 300 yards of total offense and at least three TDs per game.

3. Win and Move On: While the Statesmen can't overlook Buff State, they are definitely the stronger team. This is just one of those "business trips" where Hobart can fine tune things and look to give second and third string players valuable game experience. 

Prediction:

Given how well the Hobart defense is playing, this could be a shutout. I still think this Bengals team is a little better than last season. but will struggle to score until later in the game. I'll take the Statesmen to win 42-7 with a good mix of passing, rushing and maybe even a defensive TD in this one.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Special Teams, Defense Saves the Day for Statesmen, 16-7, Over Ithaca

Finally!!!

A large homecoming crowd of 2,378 fans, friends and alums saw Hobart get their sixth ever win against the Ithaca Bombers, breaking a six-game losing streak that dated back to 2016. The Statesmen (4-1, 1-0) had a tough start, with their first offensive possession from the shadow of their own goal line. JR PK Vicente Lyon would flip the field with an 86-yard punt. Hobart had the good luck for a change, and it never left them.

The defense would ultimately carry the day, holding the Bombers (1-3, 0-1) to 6-15 on third down and 0-4 on fourth down. The Hobart offense struggled in the passing game, and SR QB Johnny Columbi was injured near the end of the first half forcing backup SO QB Tru Styles into action. 

Styles had a big 49-yard pass to JR WR Ahmad Crowell and kept the Statesmen offense moving, but you have to credit Ithaca. The Bombers defense held Hobart to 1-10 on third down, so Lyon ended up being the MVP of the day, averaging 65 YPP. 

SO RB E.J. Taylor rushed 18 times for 99 yards (5.5 YPR) and scored Hobart's only TD of the game. SR PK Tobias Wefering went 3-3 on FGs and 1-1 on PATs to provide 10 points in the Statesmen's big win. 

With Rochester (5-0, 1-0) defeating RPI (2-3, 0-1) today, the Statesmen are tied for first place in the Liberty League standings with the Yellow Jackets, pending the Union-Saint Lawrence game. Next week Hobart will hit the road to take on Buffalo State (2-2, 0-0).

It will be interesting to see if Styles will need to start that game pending the outcome of Columbi's injury. 

That's all for now. It feels great to have that big win, arguably the biggest regular season victory in HC Kevin DeWall's career.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 5 - Ithaca Game Preview

While some teams schedule an easy win for their homecoming game, the Hobart College Statesmen will host defending Liberty League champions, Ithaca College, this Saturday. This is the biggest game of the season, as Hobart (3-1) has struggled to solve the Bombers (1-2) for several years now.

The Statesmen have lost six in a row against Ithaca and have a 5-31 all-time mark against their Finger Lakes and LL rivals. Hobart's last win in this series, ironically enough, was also a homecoming game back in 2016. The Statesmen dominated the Bombers that day to the tune of 23-3.

This season Ithaca comes into this game with a losing record, having dropped their first two games against (then) nationally ranked Johns Hopkins and Endicott (who just beat RPI also, 28-20). This makes Saturday's game a playoff elimination game for the Bombers. Hobart will need to dig deep to figure out a way to defeat an Ithaca team that always seems to benefit from good luck against the Statesmen.

We saw that "luck" in action last year, when a bad punt snap gave the Bombers a 14-7 lead in the second quarter they never relinquished. We saw it in 2021 when the Statesmen's top defensive player was ejected in a game that ended up being decided by a TD.

It's not Halloween yet, but Hobart needs to exorcise some Ithaca demons this Saturday to take the next step.

Scouting the Bombers

Ithaca graduated off a good number of seniors and fifth years in the offseason, but there are still several familiar names on the Bombers roster this year. Leading the offense is SR RB Jalen Leonard-Osborne. The Ardsley, NY native always seems to have big games against the Statesmen defense. So far this season he's rushed for 197 yards on 39 carries, adding three catches for 88 yards. He has scored two rushing TDs and is averaging over 30 YPKO in the return game for Ithaca.

Alongside JLO is SR RB Jake Williams. He has rushed 38 times for 139 yards and one rush TD. At QB, the Bombers seem to be running a system where both SO QBs Colin Schumm and Matthew Parker take turns leading the offense. Schumm is 40-70 passing for 475 yards with three pass TDs but also four INTs. Parker, who came in to play for Schumm when he was injured in the Endicott game, has gone 11-20 passing for 138 yards and two INTs. These turnover struggles are a big reason why IC is coming into this game with a losing record.

One thing you notice looking at the stat sheet is Ithaca likes to spread the ball around in the passing game. They have six receivers with at least five catches in the first three games of the season. Leading the way is SO WR Nicholas Lang with a team high 12 receptions for 105 yards and one TD. Not far behind are SO WR Nicholas Matos and SR WR Ben Marinaccio who both have eight catches a piece for a combined 262 yards and one TD.

Defensively Ithaca is led by SR DB Jake Connolly with 24 total tackles and four TFL. On the DL keep an eye on #91 SR DL Owen O'Neill who has a team high 4.5 TFL. SR LB Darren Brunner and JR LB Ryan Burns are solid tacklers also, with 22 and 21 tackles each. 

On special teams Brunner also happens to be the punter, averaging almost 39 YPP. FGs, KOs and PATs are handled by SR PK Derek Baldin. He's 2-2 on the year for FGs with a long of 45 yards (against Hopkins). He averages about 62 YPKO and has six touchbacks on the year, so I don't expect many return chances for Hobart Saturday.

Keys to the Game:

1. Home(coming) Cooking - Hobart's home record under HC Kevin DeWall '00 is 26-3 if my math is correct, but two of those home losses were to Ithaca. Given the Bombers tough start, albeit against a stronger schedule, this is a great opportunity for the Statesmen to finally break the Ithaca winning streak. This season the Bombers didn't get their annual advantage of an extra week of prep for Hobart given their game against Curry College last weekend and their bye in Week 3. Hopefully this will level the playing field some that will allow the Statesmen to give what should be a large, homecoming crowd a lot to cheer about.

2. Turnovers - Last year, Hobart was undone by two fumbles and special teams' miscues that the Bombers were able to capitalize on. This season it looks like Ithaca is a team that struggles protecting the football, having thrown six INTs and fumbling away the ball twice in their 1-2 start. With the Statesmen's swarming defense, Ithaca should have some trouble moving the ball and with enough pressure could end up providing Hobart with a game changing take away (or two) if things go well.

3. Weather the Storm - Every year it always seems like the Statesmen make a big mistake in the game vs. Ithaca that triggers the old "here we go again". Even if Hobart has some bad luck, they need to stay focused and not revert to the past where the Statesmen have lost composure and/or given up big plays down the stretch. Ithaca will come into this game hungry and expecting to win. The Statesmen will need to take a few punches early and deliver a few of their own to let the Bombers know this year will be different.

Prediction:

While some may think it's crazy to pick against a team that has an 86% winning percentage against the other; for some reason, kind of like 2016, this feels like the year Hobart will finally beat the Bombers. They've been close in four of the last six contests but found ways to come up short. This year Statesmen offense is coming into their own at the right time and the defense has proven they are a Top 25 caliber unit. I think this will be a lower scoring game, with Hobart able to hang on for a close 23-20 victory that may very well come down to the final play. 

Hoping for the best this homecoming weekend and wishing I was there in person for this one, but I'll have to catch it online per usual. 

Thanks everyone for reading and go 'Bart!

Career Day for Columbi Leads Statesmen, 52-9, Over Keystone

The Hobart College Statesmen played a near perfect game this Saturday, clicking in every aspect with great plays on offense, defense and special teams. The Statesmen (3-1) were a little sloppy, committing 12 penalties for -100 yards, but did pretty much everything else right in PA.

SR QB Johnny Columbi had a career best 15-21 passing (71.4%), 268 yards, 4 passing and 1 rushing TDs. The Hobart defense held Keystone (1-3) to 3 FGs and was paced by FY DB Corey Rock with 2 INTs including a 17-yard pick six.

SR PK Tobias Wefering added a 41-yard FG and went a perfect 5-5 on PATs. 

It was an impressive performance for the Statesmen as they head into Liberty League play next weekend against Ithaca (1-2). I'll have an in-depth preview for that one early next week. 

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 4 - Keystone Game Preview

I'm doing my best Ken DeBolt impression and waiting until the last minute to get my game notes / analysis out. Just kidding, like Ken has it every week during the fall, winter and spring sports seasons, this work week for me has been hell so I am late getting around to this game preview. 

The Keystone College Giants have been a program that's going through the usual growing pains after first starting their football program in 2021. They switched from the ECFC to the Landmark Conference back in 2023 and finished 2-8, 1-5 that season. This year the Giants are off to a 1-2 overall start, and are coming off a tough, 42-40, loss to Saint John Fisher (1-1) last weekend. 

Hobart (2-1) is 3-0 all time against the Keystone, having won all three matchups by an average score of 55-10. I expect this year's game to be fairly lopsided again as the Statesmen's offense seems to be figuring things out. Liberty League play starts up in Week 5 and this is a good final tune up for Hobart going into that critical game against Ithaca. 

Scouting the Giants

Keystone likes to throw the football and pictured above is their number one target, SR WR Jayson Nami. He's collected 13 catches for 268 yards and four TDs this season. The Giants average nearly 250 YPG passing. Running the offense is SR QB Donald Leach III. Through three games this season he's passed for 756 yards, eight TDs and five INTs. 

Their leading rusher is a dual threat as SR RB Mujaheed Muhammad has a team high 62 carries for 428 yards and five rushing TDs. Muhammad has also caught six passes for 85 yards and two receiving TDs. 

Defensively Keystone is led by SR LB Keith Johnson with 21 total tackles, including 1.5 TFL. On special teams the Giants have JR PK Jeremiah Ortiz who handles KO, P and FG/PAT duties. He averages 49.3 YPKO, 32.5 YPP and has gone 1-2 on FGs with a long of 39 yards. He's 12-13 on PATs also.

Return game wise Keystone has averaged 11 YPPR and 21.5 YPKOR.

Keys to the Game:

1. Fast Start - Hobart has yet to score in the first quarter of a game this season. I would love to see the Statesmen take their first drive on offense to the house and set the tone early. 

2. Pressure = Turnovers - Although the Giants are a senior-laden team, they have struggled to protect the football. The Keystone OL has not allowed any sacks so far on the season, but Leach III has been picked off at least once in each game so far this season. Keeping the pressure on the Giants can force some turnovers that will help set up the offense with good field position.

3. Test the Secondary - as good as the Giants are at passing the ball, their pass defense has been suspect, and something the Statesmen can exploit. Keystone is giving up almost 280 YPG passing, so look for SR QB Johnny Columbi to find open Statesmen down the field in this one. 

Prediction:

While I don't think Hobart will crack 50 points in this one, I do feel like the Statesmen should win comfortably. I could see this being a 35-14 game if the offense can come out and get off to a fast start. I could see the defense really give Keystone a long day, but the Giants may still score some points given their experience (and the likelihood of Hobart subbing in some second and third string guys in the second half).

That's it for now. Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Big Plays Give Statesmen, 27-12, Win on Coach Cragg Day

The Hobart College Statesmen overcame an anemic first half with an offensive outburst keyed by big plays on special teams, defense and offense to beat visiting Moravian University, 27-12, today in Geneva. Former HC Mike Cragg was recognized before and after the game, which fortunately turned to a celebration after Hobart (2-1) trailed 6-0 at the half. 

The Statesmen struggled to move the ball on offense for most of the first half, but SR QB Johnny Columbi would find FY WR Johnny Harding for his first receiving TD to open the second half to give Hobart a 7-6 lead. Although Moravian (1-2) would respond and retake the lead, Columbi found JR WR Ahmad Crowell for 77-and-25-yard TD passes in the fourth quarter to put this game away. SO RB E.J. Taylor added 101 rushing yards and a TD on the day as well. 

In a game where yards were initially hard to come by (neither team had a run over 10 yards in the game), the Statesmen offense awoke to gain 233 yards in the second half. Other stars of the game included FY DB Xavier Aviles, who recovered a muffed punt return at the Moravian 33-yard line, setting up Hobart's first TD. SR LB Vincent Giordano punched out the ball and the fumble was recovered by JR DL Dante Randle at a key part in the fourth quarter. 

Up next for Hobart will be a trip to Keystone College (PA) in the final week of OOC play. I'll have more on that one early next week. 

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 3 - Moravian Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen head back to the Boz for another new opponent, the Moravian Greyhounds of the Landmark Conference (formerly of the Centennial). Moravian (1-1) is coming off an impressive 18-13 win over a good Utica (1-1) team. The Greyhounds were down 13-0 at the half but rallied in the fourth quarter to get the win. 

Scouting the Greyhounds

Moravian is led on offense by SR QB Jared Jenkins. He is an accurate passer with a strong arm but doesn't seem like much of a rushing threat. Over the past two weeks, he's gone 42-63 for 488 yards, 3 TDs and an INT.

Jenkins' favorite target appears to be GR WR Jordan Bingham. The Indianapolis native leads the Greyhounds with 15 catches for 132 yards. Californian SR WR Diego Del Castillo has a team high 172 receiving yards on 9 catches and 2 receiving TDs. 

Shown above is GR RB Joey Richmond, a big (5' 10" and 220 lbs.) back who caught and ran in the game winning TD pass against Utica. He's rushed for 46 yards on 11 carries. He shares carries with JR RB Isiah Rico (21 carries for 59 yards) and backup FY QB Declan McCarthy, who's rushed for 48 yards on 7 carries (he's attempted two passes with one completion also). 

The Greyhound's defense is led by SR DB Chad Newhard with 16 total tackles and a TFL. JR LB Clay Basile is second with 14 tackles and 2 TFL. The Hobart OL will have their hands full with FY LB/DE Malachi McNeil-Harrison. He stands 6' 5" and has three sacks, three TFLs and an INT on the season already.

It appears that Moravian is a bit inexperienced on special teams. FY PK Ryan Child missed two PATs last Saturday and has yet to attempt an FG this season. Opponents have also racked up a decent amount of kickoff return yards (Muhlenberg had a 100-yard KOR for a TD in Week 1) against the Greyhounds, but not much in the punt return department.

Keys to the Game:

1. Stick to the Script: The Hobart defense will need to keep an eye on the Moravian deep threats, and if the offense can build on the passing game, leveraging their TEs, they can keep this Greyhound defense on their heels. On offense the Statesmen can lean on the run game to kill the clock and shorten the game.

2. Explosive Plays: Moravian has shown themselves to be weak on special teams and prone to giving up explosive plays on defense. Hobart should look to take a few shots early in this one and work field position to their advantage, assuming the defense keeps the Greyhounds stuck in a lot of 3 and outs.

3. Win One for the Gipper: Coach Cragg will be honored as part of this game and so I expect some alumni and former Statesmen players to be there to cheer him and the team on. 

Prediction:

We know Hobart has only scored 17 points in the first two weeks of the season, and that may not be enough to get by this Moravian team. I think at home on a nice fall Saturday, Hobart will get things going offensively and may even get a special teams or defensive TD. I'll take the Statesmen in another close one, 20-14.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Hobarts Loses OT Heartbreaker in Virginia, 14-7

The Hobart College Statesmen took #8/9 ranked Randolph-Macon to the wire, dropping a game they had a chance to win in the final seconds. The Statesmen (1-1) defense looked like a Top 10 unit, stuffing the Yellow Jackets (2-0) all day. Hobart held the Yellow Jackets to 206 total yards but came up short on a game winning field goal from 33 yards out.

The Statesmen defense kept RMC in check, forcing them to punt 11 times in the game (4-15 on third down). Still, the D1 transfer QB Dante Casciola had a good game, finding Landon Farriss in the back corner of the end zone on a fourth down in overtime from 17-yards out for the game winning TD.

There was some controversy with the finish, something Frank and I will discuss on the next In the D3FB Huddle show, as SR QB Johnny Columbi appeared to have gained a first down in the OT possession for Hobart, but a fumble was ruled, then reversed by the officials. They called the game when it may not have been over.

Either way, it was a fantastic effort for Hobart who showed a lot of grit in this tough loss to a great program. With other teams in the Liberty League struggling and Ithaca starting 0-2, things are looking up for the Statesmen. Still, Moravian beat a strong Utica team yesterday, 18-13, so Hobart needs to focus on Week 3 and not look ahead to league play.

I'll have more on that game soon.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Never Forget

On this 23rd anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, 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.

HWS did a nice piece on their website commemorating and remembering this tragic event back in 2021.

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.

Week 2 - Randolph-Macon Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen will make one of their longest road trips in sometime, travelling over 425 miles and seven-plus hours to take on the #9 Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets. This will be the first ever meeting between these two schools.

RMC (1-0) is the defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship and coming off a national semifinal run and 13-1 mark in the 2023 season. The Yellow Jackets have been one of the best programs in the nation in recent years. They have a 56-8 overall record (.875) going back to the 2018 season.

Scouting RMC

This season the Yellow Jackets had to reload at several key positions but seem to have done so quite well. The Jackets used their opportunistic defense to blow past Dickinson (0-1) last Saturday by a 47-21 margin. Their new starter, SR QB Dante Casciola, was efficient in his debut, going 12-17 passing for 162 yards. He scored on a rushing TD and a three-headed backfield of SR RB Kwesi Clarke, JR WR Jason Moore (who also had 94 receiving yards) and JR RB Cameron Chatmon rushed for a combined 168 yards and 4 TDs on 31 carries.

Defensively the Jackets were led by JR LB Neftali Reyes with 10 total tackles. The RMC forced four turnovers (2 INTs and 2 FRs) to help rally their team after falling behind 14-7 going into the third quarter.

The Jackets have three specialists including SR PK Kyle Ihle (2-2 FG, 5-6 PATs), SO K/P Jordan Etz who averaged 45 yards punting and JR KO Tyler Graham, who had a busy day on KOs, with 9 averaging 48.2 YPKO. There wasn't much from a PR or KOR game against Dickinson to write much there. That said Hobart is always strong in ST coverage, so I don't view this as an important aspect of this game. 

Keys to the Game:

1. First Down Offense: Hobart (1-0) was terrible on first down in last Friday's game. Needless to say, on the road at a nationally ranked opponent, they have to do better and not always have 2nd and 10's.

2. Protect the Football: Dickinson was winning the game last week until turnovers did them in. RMC is clearly opportunistic, and SR CB Coleton Payne's pick six was the beginning of the end for the Red Devils. 

3. Nothing to Lose: In the grand scheme of things, while a win would be amazing, a loss here won't wreck the Statesmen's season nor really impact their playoff chances given the new NPI system. Win or lose, Hobart controls its destiny in what really feels like a wide-open Liberty League. I saw Union and RPI in person last weekend and watched most of the Johns Hopkins-Ithaca game. The Bombers still seem like the team to beat, but either way, a 9-1 (or 8-2 via a tiebreaker) Liberty League champion seems very likely. 

Prediction:

While I'd love to predict a Hobart upset that would shock the nation, I just don't think this young, inexperienced team is ready to pull that off. I'd rather see them execute better and gear up for what the real biggest game of the season is, Week 5 at home vs. Ithaca. RMC isn't a huge team, but they are skilled, well-coached and quick. I just hope we see a better offensive effort from the Statesmen from an execution standpoint, otherwise this could be a long game. The defense can keep us in it, but they will need some special teams and offensive plays to avoid being worn down.

Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart! 

Statesmen Survive Season Opener Scare by the Saxons, 10-7

The Hobart College Statesmen had the home crowd on the edge of their seats last Friday night, having to overcome offensive struggles, missed scoring opportunities, and enduring a couple of weather delays in order to beat Alfred University, 10-7.

Along with my recap below, you can check the HWSAthletics release and the Finger Lakes Times recap here also. 

JR LB Mike McGhee would save the day with a game winning interception and the home team would escape with a win. Hobart (1-0) went 1-8 on first down passing plays and really struggled to move the ball against a tough Saxons (0-1) defense. The Statesmen would eventually rack up 328 total yards, but scoring chances were few and far between. Hobart went 2-11 on third down and were flagged nine times for -76 yards, which didn't help.

On a more positive note, SO RB E.J. Taylor had an excellent debut as a starter, gaining a career high 159 rushing yards on a game high 19 attempts. He broke a 72-yard run at the start of the 4th quarter which finally got the Statesmen on the scoreboard thanks to a SR PK Tobias Wefering 26-yard FG to make it, 7-3 Alfred, with 11:04 remaining in the game. 

The Statesmen defense would hold Alfred on the ensuing possession, but the Saxons would return the favor, sacking SR QB Johnny Columbi for a 10-yard loss to the Statesmen 43- yard line. SR DB Chris Ntumba would recover the ball on the muffed punt return by Alfred, setting the offense back up at the Saxons 26-yard line.

Columbi would eventually call his own number and rush for the go-ahead TD with 1:52 remaining. You know the rest.

A couple of FY players had big contributions in the win as FY WR Johnny Harding would lead the team with four catches for 35 yards. FY WR Luke Hansen hauled in two passes for 40 yards as well.

SO DL Billy Brosko (a transfer from Drexel), helped the Hobart defense with seven tackles and two TFL. SR LB Jamien Bliss led the defense with eight stops and a TFL.

Up next for Hobart will be nationally ranked and defending ODAC Champions, Randolph-Macon College, who had a big 47-21 over Dickinson on Saturday. 

More on that one in the coming days. Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!

Week 1 - Alfred Game / Season and Home Opener Preview

The 130th season of Hobart College Football is set to get underway on Friday night, September 6th with a 7 PM kickoff against the Alfred University Saxons. This will be the 81st installment of this series that dates all the way back to 1902. Hobart has a 42-35-4 overall lead and has won the last 13-straight against their nearby Empire 8 foes.

The Saxons are coming off of a 4-6 season in 2023 and Alfred hasn't been an over-.500 team dating all the way back to 2018, when they went 7-4 overall. Last season Hobart jumped out to a commanding 24-0 lead before cruising to a 31-9 win over the Saxons. 

Scouting the Saxons

I don't believe the Empire 8 released a preseason poll like the Liberty League has, but they did produce a preview / overview for fans to read. 

Here are some of the highlights from the Alfred capsule:

• 70 players, including 16 starters return. 
• Senior linebacker and co-captain Joe Copp returns. He led the Empire 8 with 122 tackles (58 solo, 64 assisted) and was third nationally with 12.2 tackles per game to go along with 9.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Copp has 357 tackles in his collegiate career. 
• Four all-conference selections return in addition to Copp, including first team defensive lineman Danny Quinones, third team defensive back Adam Mietz and two-time All-E8 selection, running back Max Freeman IV and wide receiver Dion Anderson, on the offensive side. 
• Fellow upperclassmen Gavin Bartholomew, Carter Fronk, Tommy Welch, Roque Santiago, Luke Atlas, and TJ Marsh LB will look to play a greater role in 2024.

You can read more about the Empire 8 in their preview here. Alfred also published their own preview, which you can review here. 

So far, the Statesmen have scrimmaged both Brockport and Cortland, basically the top two teams in that conference. The results of those scrimmages, depending on how you look at them, can be somewhat concerning. The Hobart offense didn't score much, and one of the E8 coaches I texted with was complimentary of the defense, but basically said the offense needs more speed and a WR who can win 1:1, which isn't encouraging. 

That said I expect a defensive, lower scoring game on Friday night. 

Keys to the Game:

1. Win the LOS - The strength of the Hobart offense this year should be an experienced and big OL. Establishing a strong running game and moving the sticks on first and second down will be important. I expect the Saxons to stack the box and effectively dare the Statesmen to throw the ball, so some play-action and/or RPO calls could be helpful. 

2. Look for 88 - If the WRs still need time to develop, the return of SR TE Luke Hescock from injury could be a much-needed outlet for the Hobart passing attack. Standing 6' 5" and 230 lbs., Hescock is a big target that Alfred will struggle to match up well against. 

3. Do Your Thing on Defense - Since renewing this rivalry back in 2021, the Statesmen defense has only allowed 3, 6 and 9 points in the last three games against the Saxons. This stingy approach should help carry the Hobart offense as they form their identity and game plan. 

Prediction:

I think Hobart will see SR PK Tobias Wefering kick a few FGs, the defense will have some big plays and SO RB E.J. Taylor should find the end zone at least once, so I'll take the Statesmen to win this one, 23-10.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

The Hobart College Football 2024 Season Preview

The 130^th season of Hobart College Football is almost here!

The Statesmen are coming off an 8-3 overall 2023 campaign that had its share of ups and downs. With a number of Liberty League teams graduating a lot of key talent, an expanded 40-team NCAA playoff field and a favorable home “Boz” schedule, many Hobart fans are hopeful this is the year the Statesmen finally return to the top of the league and back into the playoffs.

The Statesmen have 38 lettermen returning along with a big (48 player) incoming recruiting class. I expect we will see a lot of familiar faces in key roles, with a few newcomers making contributions this 2024 season.

Let’s take a look at Team 130 starting off with what was the strength of the 2023 team, the:

DEFENSE

Hobart will have to replace around half of the defensive starters from last season after the graduations of DE Connor Gunn, DT Caleb Pulver, CB Abdoulaye Diallo, and SS Joe McCoy. JR CB Mekhi Rodgers opted to transfer out, moving closer to his hometown of Philadelphia and enrolling at Saint Francis University which is a NEC Division I program. We wish him the best. While not technically a transfer, Gunn decided to use his final year of eligibility as a GR player at Johns Hopkins. The defending Centennial Conference champions come into 2024 as the 8^th ranked team in the D3football.com preseason Top 25. Also opting out of his final year of eligibility was DE Alex Karpawich. He was a big contributor to the defense last year and will be missed.

Coming back will be a core group of outstanding players including SR LB Anthony Romano, SR LB Jamien Bliss, JR LB Mike McGhee, SR LB Cashon Young, SR LB Vincent Giordano and JR FS Alex Smith. The hard-hitting LB group accounted for 262 total tackles, 24 TFL, 7.5 sacks, and four INTs. Smith added 34 tackles as well as a TFL and INT in 2023.

Filling in for the Statesmen DL will likely be JR DE Dante Randle, who rotated in a good deal last year, as well as JR DL Nick Provenzano to take over at NT/DT. Three other DEs will be competing for the third and final DL starting role, so we’ll have to wait and see how preseason camp shakes out. One name to keep an eye out for is FY DL Bill Brosko.

In the secondary we should see SR DB Chris Ntumba take one of the starting CB roles. SO DB Zeshan Dixon is expected to compete for the other starting CB role with some incoming FY players. At safety, SR DB Zac Ambielli rotated in at FS last season, so he should be ready to replace McCoy as the starter here.

OFFENSE

The returning offensive starters include SR QB Johnny Colombi, SR OL Ethan Kowalski, JR OL Ashton Mejias, JR OL Ben Goodell, and JR OL Quinn Broggy. Coming back after missing 2023 due to injury is former starting SR TE Luke Hescock.

While the explosiveness and versatility of Rayshawn Boswell and Tim Denham, Jr. will be missed, Hobart is looking for “the next man” up to fill in their large shoes. SO RB E.J. Taylor (named the offensive rookie of the year by the team) was productive in a backup role last season, rushing for 333 yards and three TDs. He made three catches for 25 yards and one TD also. There could be a few others who get looks at the RB spot over the course of the season.

The RBs will benefit from an experienced OL that’s bringing back four starters. While it’s possible you could see some movement of the lineup with the graduation of former center Matt Seigel ‘24, I would expect these four players be the foundation of the team this season. Right now, it’s possible JR OL Quinn Broggy could take the center job, meaning there would be a competition for the fifth and final tackle spot on the OL.

Adding to the experience on the OL, is a strong TE corps that’s complimented not only by Hescock’s return but also strong and experienced players like JR TE Lukas Ruby, SR TE Kevin Christ and SR TE Ryan Hinman.

Going into preseason camp, the WR position is wide open. SR WR Rane Daramola opted to transfer out, so it will be SO WR Marcus Crowell and JR WR Ahmad Crowell returning with the most experience. Also in the mix will be SR WR Christian Donnelly, GR WR Benjamin Farrell, and JR WR Anthony Ruscetta looking to contribute. We could also see two to three incoming FY players step in quickly also. Overall, the WR group should be deeper and more competitive after these Statesmen get some more game experience.

I believe improving upon last season’s 1800-yard passing/receiving yards performance will be critical to Hobart’s success in 2024. Last year, the Statesmen ended up being ranked fifth in the LL (only Buffalo State and Saint Lawrence had lower yardage totals), and the Hobart’s 11 receiving TDs was sixth (second to last) in the league.

The Statesmen’s experience on the OL and a younger, and hopefully healthier RB group could pay dividends as Hobart has not broken the 2,000 yards rushing mark since the 2021 season.  

SPECIAL TEAMS

SR PK Tobias Wefering returns after a successful 2023 season where he led the LL in FG percentage (11-14 or 78.6%) and finished in second place with a 40.8 YPP net average, leading the LL with eight punts over 50 yards.

JR PK Vicente Lyons is back after missing the prior season. He was Hobart’s starting punter in 2022, averaging 37.53 YPP with a long of 73 yards and dropping 12 punts inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. 

I suspect we'll see a number of newer Statesmen audition take over the KO and PR duties now that Boswell and Denham, Jr. have graduated. GR WR Benjamin Farrell did have a team-high seven PRs and SO RB E.J. Taylor was second on the team with seven KORs in 2023. 

SCHEDULE

The Statesmen look to maintain their home field advantage at the “Boz” with a couple of critical league contests, as well as welcoming a new opponent to Geneva in 2024. Since HC Kevin DeWall ’00 took over the program, the Statesmen have had an impressive 21-2 record at home.

This year the Statesmen will open up under the lights at home against long-time Empire 8 and local rival, Alfred University on Friday night, September 6^th. Week 2 features a big matchup against the defending ODAC champions and national semifinalists, Randolph Macon. It will be one the longest road trips (425+ miles) the Statesmen have made in recent memory. Week 3 has Moravian University coming to Geneva for the first time ever, followed by another trip to Keystone College (PA) in Week 4.

Week 5 is the LL opener against Ithaca. The Bombers are enjoying a six-game winning streak over Hobart that dates back to 2017. A win against Ithaca in this game at home would go a long way for the confidence of the players and put Hobart in a great position to make it to the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Week 6 is a short road trip to Buffalo State followed by a Week 7 trip up to Canton, NY to take on Saint Lawrence. In Week 8 the Statesmen will welcome former QB Coach and OC Jon Drach, who’s the newly minted HC at Union. This is another big game, as it’s Hobart’s second oldest rivalry (this will be the 103^rd game in the series), with five of the last seven games have been decided by a TD or less. The Statesmen’s last home loss to the Dutchmen, now the “Garnet Chargers,” goes back all the way to 2008.

Week 9 presents another tough challenge as Hobart will travel to Troy, NY to take on the RPI Engineers in what could be a potential LL Championship game scenario. Week 10 will be a late bye week to help Hobart gear up for their Week 11, regular season finale and Senior Day against Rochester.

With a combination of focus, determination, and a little bit of health and luck, this Statesmen football squad has a great opportunity to return Hobart back into the national conversation and playoff picture. It will require stronger overall play from the offense, which has been hampered by inexperience and injuries in prior seasons, and the defense maintaining their aggressive, turnover-causing style with some great special teams play mixed in.

 I feel very confident that this could be a special season for the Statesmen, but as the old adage goes, they will just have to do their best to go 1-0 every week and see how it stacks up by November. It would be really nice to knock off some old rivals along the way. We will see.

 Thanks for reading and go ‘Bart!