The Hobart College Statesmen defeated the Endicott College Gulls, 42-20, Saturday in Beverly, MA. Although the final margin looks convincing, don't be fooled. Endicott (0-2) had Statesmen fans and families worried until the Statesmen (2-0) were able to pull away with about seven minutes remaining in the contest.
Hobart came into this game with SR OLB Marcus Jemison who was held out because of a shoulder injury in the Brockport game. SR OL Justin DiJiulio was also lost due to a knee injury in the first quarter, but fortunately it wasn't anything he can't recover from and get back into the lineup, hopefully soon.
The Statesmen offense and defense looked flat after the six-plus hour road trip and the teams battled to a virtual tie in the first half, the only difference being a missed PAT which gave Hobart a slight 7-6 edge at the half.
The second half saw more back and forth. SO TE Matt Woods scored on a seven yard pass which delighted the Statesmen sideline as well as the recent alumni watching from the back of the end zone. The 14-6 advantage was short lived as SR WR Chris Lipscomb took a 21 yard pass for a TD to pull Endicott within two points of Hobart, 14-12. FY WR Isaiah Hill scored his first career TD on a long 59 yard catch and run which would be followed by JR WR Brandon Shed's 29 yard TD catch to give Hobart it's first "breathing room" of the game, a 28-12 lead with 13:15 remaining.
While JR QB Shane Sweeney's next drive looked like it would ice the game, an ill advised pass ended up being returned 80 yards for a "pick six" by SR OLB Connor McLaughlin. After a successful two point play, the Gulls were back in the game, down 28-20 with 9:04 left in regulation.
Just like Brockport last week, the Statesmen offense found a way to quickly respond and Sweeney found SR WR Sean Cunningham on a 68 yard TD play about 90 seconds later. A JR FB Dylan Quay short TD run would be the last scoring on the day and Hobart would win the game, 42-20.
In the end, the Statesmen out gained the Gulls by 504 to 336 total yards. Most of those came via the air, as Sweeney ended up 22-45 for 364 yards to go with four TDs compared to two INTs. SR RB Brad Burns led the ground game with 79 rushing yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen were led by SO DT AJ McFarlane with 10 stops, 2.5 TFL, two sacks and a forced fumble. McFarlane's been a bright spot on a rush defense that so far hasn't played to the same level as prior Hobart defensive units have in the past. For the second week in a row the Statesmen have allowed an opposing RB to gain over 100 yards.
Hobart returns home and will play under the lights Saturday night against Ithaca College (1-0). I'll have more on that game later this week.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Week 2 - Endicott Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen are shipping up to Boston (well, really the North Shore about 20-25 miles from the city) to take on Coach Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott College Gulls.
Last season Hobart prevailed over Endicott in a hard-hitting, bad weather, 28-17 contest. Then SO QB Shane Sweeney was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and the Statesmen were out-gained by the Gulls to a 259 to 204 yard margin.
This season the Gulls (0-1) had a few key roles to fill after the graduations of players like WR Jamison Craft, who was second on the team in receptions in 2015. Top receiver #3 Jake Pelletier was listed as "did not participate" in last weekend's contest against three time defending MASCAC Champion Framingham State, but it was the Endicott defense that struggled early on. The Rams racked up 479 total yards, mostly from deep pass plays to converted wide receiver Stephen Beahn who had TD receptions of 87, 81 and 36 yards. Framingham RB Jalen Green added 111 rushing yards and a TD.
Offensively the Gulls did show flashes, however, gaining 349 total yards and saw backup #5 SO QB Michael Scherer come in and have a good game, going 13 for 21 for 176 yards and a TD. He added 39 rushing yards and a TD on the ground as well. Scherer and the Gulls had the Rams on their heels late in the game, after a 66 yard kickoff return by Zach DeNike was followed by Scherer's second TD pass to trim Framingham State's lead to only 26-21 with 9:55 remaining,
Needless to say, you know that Coach DeWall's team will fight for the full 60 minutes so Hobart (1-0) will need to be ready for another physical contest against them. That said the Gulls-Rams game does provide some good hints on how to have success against this young Endicott squad.
Keys to the Game:
1. Take the Top Off the Defense: JR WR Brandon Shed led the Statesmen in receiving last Saturday with an impressive 11 catch, 190 yard, two TD performance - one that wasn't far off from Framingham's Beahn who had a six catch, 248 yard and three TD game against the Gulls on the same day. Needless to say, Endicott's young secondary is an area the Hobart offense should test in the game.
2. Back to Basics - In our In The HuddLLe interview with JR QB Shane Sweeney from last Sunday night, Hobart got a different defensive look than they expected and thus had to change their game plan against Brockport (ICYMI the podcast can be found here.). By design or not, the run game was somewhat abandoned because of that, but hopefully SO RB Tynard Barfield and SR RB Brad Burns will get more carries than the six and five attempts they had last Saturday. The Statesmen OL is big and the Endicott defense allowed 4.5 YPR against Framingham as well as a 100+ yard rushing game for Green, the Rams feature back. Hobart will need to account for #90 SR DL Craig Anderson, a co-captain and player who led the Gulls with nine sacks last season. Anderson only had two tackles against Framingham, but he also added two TFL. #53 SO LB William Rivera (last year's NEFC Rookie of the Year) and #21 SR OLB Connor McLaughlin will be ready to try and stop the run. McLaughlin is a good pass rusher as well and he collected a sack and TFL against Framingham in Week 1.
3. Play Smarter - The Statesmen are a clear favorite, but they can't get ahead of themselves or make the same kind of personal foul and other penalties we saw against Brockport. Endicott will be in the game regardless, so Hobart can't afford to beat themselves and help the Gulls by making mental mistakes or letting their emotions overtake their assignment responsibilities like they did against the Golden Eagles.
4. Special Teams / Field Position - The Statesmen kicking game was good last Saturday, averaging 51.5 yards on kickoffs, 41.2 yards in the punt game and SR PK Sean Kirshe was five of six on PATs (the final one was blocked). The problem was in the return and coverage game. Hobart averaged one yard per punt return and had three Brockport punts pin them inside the 20 yard line. In fact, field position for Hobart was terrible from about 3:15 in the second quarter on. Statesmen drives started at the two, 25, one, 12, 25, nine and 12 for the remainder of the game. Coverage mistakes such as JR CB Daryl Scales personal foul call hurt as well. Brockport also averaged about eight more yards than the Statesmen on punt and kickoff returns. A perfect example of this was when the Statesmen misplayed a fourth down pooch punt by QB Brian McKean and the ball was downed at the Hobart two yard line. After that drive stalled, a 35 yard JR P Rio Schmidt punt was returned 19 yards to the Hobart 25, giving Brockport another short field, from which they capitalized with Dan Andrews' second rushing TD of the game to make it 14-14 going into halftime. The Statesmen can (and will) do better than that.
Prediction:
The Statesmen should have match up advantages in a few spots in this game and fortunately won't have to contend with a RB like Andrews on Saturday. Still, Coach DeWall knows the Hobart personnel and will look to attack certain areas of the field. Converted basketball player #88 SR WR Chris Lipscomb (who's 6'3") will tower over the Statesmen DBs (and some LBs), creating match up challenges. I believe I stated the Statesmen will prevail 35-21 on ITH and I'll stand by that, although it wouldn't surprise me if this was a lower scoring game.
Although it seems like Endicott is susceptible to the "long ball" after Week 1, I really do think Hobart needs to balance their offensive attack for Week 2. Getting a run game going will only open things up like it did for Framingham against Endicott and the Rams had 34 rushing attempts (compared to 20 for the Statesmen against Brockport - seven of those attempts coming from Sweeney who was either scrambling or calling his own number based on a read at the line of scrimmage).
Although Brockport didn't blitz much in Week 1, I do think Coach DeWall and his DC Coach Chad Hadley (who spent time as a LB Coach at SLU from 2010-12 and at Ithaca from 2013&14) will attack the Hobart OL more than the Golden Eagles did.
The Statesmen defensive secondary will need to be ready also as last weekend the Gulls attempted 45 passes (similar to Sweeney and the Statesmen). To counter the Gulls passing game, look for the continued success of JR DE Brandon Ball who had an excellent debut in his first start, with two sacks and three TFL.
This game is never an easy one to watch because you want Hobart to win but you can't help cheering for HC Kevin DeWall '00, OL Coach Art Garvey '12 and LB Coach Tom Elder '13. Either way, the long road trip and toughness of Endicott is a great experience builder for this 2016 Statesmen squad. Hopefully it's a competitive (and injury-free) game for all.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Last season Hobart prevailed over Endicott in a hard-hitting, bad weather, 28-17 contest. Then SO QB Shane Sweeney was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and the Statesmen were out-gained by the Gulls to a 259 to 204 yard margin.
This season the Gulls (0-1) had a few key roles to fill after the graduations of players like WR Jamison Craft, who was second on the team in receptions in 2015. Top receiver #3 Jake Pelletier was listed as "did not participate" in last weekend's contest against three time defending MASCAC Champion Framingham State, but it was the Endicott defense that struggled early on. The Rams racked up 479 total yards, mostly from deep pass plays to converted wide receiver Stephen Beahn who had TD receptions of 87, 81 and 36 yards. Framingham RB Jalen Green added 111 rushing yards and a TD.
Offensively the Gulls did show flashes, however, gaining 349 total yards and saw backup #5 SO QB Michael Scherer come in and have a good game, going 13 for 21 for 176 yards and a TD. He added 39 rushing yards and a TD on the ground as well. Scherer and the Gulls had the Rams on their heels late in the game, after a 66 yard kickoff return by Zach DeNike was followed by Scherer's second TD pass to trim Framingham State's lead to only 26-21 with 9:55 remaining,
Needless to say, you know that Coach DeWall's team will fight for the full 60 minutes so Hobart (1-0) will need to be ready for another physical contest against them. That said the Gulls-Rams game does provide some good hints on how to have success against this young Endicott squad.
Keys to the Game:
1. Take the Top Off the Defense: JR WR Brandon Shed led the Statesmen in receiving last Saturday with an impressive 11 catch, 190 yard, two TD performance - one that wasn't far off from Framingham's Beahn who had a six catch, 248 yard and three TD game against the Gulls on the same day. Needless to say, Endicott's young secondary is an area the Hobart offense should test in the game.
2. Back to Basics - In our In The HuddLLe interview with JR QB Shane Sweeney from last Sunday night, Hobart got a different defensive look than they expected and thus had to change their game plan against Brockport (ICYMI the podcast can be found here.). By design or not, the run game was somewhat abandoned because of that, but hopefully SO RB Tynard Barfield and SR RB Brad Burns will get more carries than the six and five attempts they had last Saturday. The Statesmen OL is big and the Endicott defense allowed 4.5 YPR against Framingham as well as a 100+ yard rushing game for Green, the Rams feature back. Hobart will need to account for #90 SR DL Craig Anderson, a co-captain and player who led the Gulls with nine sacks last season. Anderson only had two tackles against Framingham, but he also added two TFL. #53 SO LB William Rivera (last year's NEFC Rookie of the Year) and #21 SR OLB Connor McLaughlin will be ready to try and stop the run. McLaughlin is a good pass rusher as well and he collected a sack and TFL against Framingham in Week 1.
3. Play Smarter - The Statesmen are a clear favorite, but they can't get ahead of themselves or make the same kind of personal foul and other penalties we saw against Brockport. Endicott will be in the game regardless, so Hobart can't afford to beat themselves and help the Gulls by making mental mistakes or letting their emotions overtake their assignment responsibilities like they did against the Golden Eagles.
4. Special Teams / Field Position - The Statesmen kicking game was good last Saturday, averaging 51.5 yards on kickoffs, 41.2 yards in the punt game and SR PK Sean Kirshe was five of six on PATs (the final one was blocked). The problem was in the return and coverage game. Hobart averaged one yard per punt return and had three Brockport punts pin them inside the 20 yard line. In fact, field position for Hobart was terrible from about 3:15 in the second quarter on. Statesmen drives started at the two, 25, one, 12, 25, nine and 12 for the remainder of the game. Coverage mistakes such as JR CB Daryl Scales personal foul call hurt as well. Brockport also averaged about eight more yards than the Statesmen on punt and kickoff returns. A perfect example of this was when the Statesmen misplayed a fourth down pooch punt by QB Brian McKean and the ball was downed at the Hobart two yard line. After that drive stalled, a 35 yard JR P Rio Schmidt punt was returned 19 yards to the Hobart 25, giving Brockport another short field, from which they capitalized with Dan Andrews' second rushing TD of the game to make it 14-14 going into halftime. The Statesmen can (and will) do better than that.
Prediction:
The Statesmen should have match up advantages in a few spots in this game and fortunately won't have to contend with a RB like Andrews on Saturday. Still, Coach DeWall knows the Hobart personnel and will look to attack certain areas of the field. Converted basketball player #88 SR WR Chris Lipscomb (who's 6'3") will tower over the Statesmen DBs (and some LBs), creating match up challenges. I believe I stated the Statesmen will prevail 35-21 on ITH and I'll stand by that, although it wouldn't surprise me if this was a lower scoring game.
Although it seems like Endicott is susceptible to the "long ball" after Week 1, I really do think Hobart needs to balance their offensive attack for Week 2. Getting a run game going will only open things up like it did for Framingham against Endicott and the Rams had 34 rushing attempts (compared to 20 for the Statesmen against Brockport - seven of those attempts coming from Sweeney who was either scrambling or calling his own number based on a read at the line of scrimmage).
Although Brockport didn't blitz much in Week 1, I do think Coach DeWall and his DC Coach Chad Hadley (who spent time as a LB Coach at SLU from 2010-12 and at Ithaca from 2013&14) will attack the Hobart OL more than the Golden Eagles did.
The Statesmen defensive secondary will need to be ready also as last weekend the Gulls attempted 45 passes (similar to Sweeney and the Statesmen). To counter the Gulls passing game, look for the continued success of JR DE Brandon Ball who had an excellent debut in his first start, with two sacks and three TFL.
This game is never an easy one to watch because you want Hobart to win but you can't help cheering for HC Kevin DeWall '00, OL Coach Art Garvey '12 and LB Coach Tom Elder '13. Either way, the long road trip and toughness of Endicott is a great experience builder for this 2016 Statesmen squad. Hopefully it's a competitive (and injury-free) game for all.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Statesmen Outlast Eagles in Shootout, 41-35
The Hobart College Statesmen survived a wild season opener against a tough Brockport team today. The Statesmen offense accumulated 489 total yards but the vast majority (419) came through the air as Hobart's running game struggled and the Statesmen played from behind for most of the contest.
Special teams play was an issue for the Statesmen who didn't seem prepared for a couple of fourth down pooch punts, finding themselves pinned deep in their own territory for most of the game. A punt return to the Hobart 25 set up another Brockport (0-1) score. In fact, the Golden Eagles second and third rushing TDs by SR RB Dan Andrews came from short fields. The latter came after a questionable fake punt call by Coach Cragg from his own one yard line. That failed and Brockport cashed in.
Both teams looked sloppy and the referees would flag Hobart seven times for -75 yards, including an ejection of SR OLB Mike Harper early in the game which was questioned loudly by Coach Cragg and the Statesmen sideline.
The Hobart defense struggled to contain All-American Andrews all game as he set the Brockport career rushing record while gashing the usually stout run Statesmen run defense to the tune of 184 rushing yards on 31 carries to go with a TD hat trick.
On the bright side JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney had an impressive 31 for 45 passing day that featured 75 and 39 yard TD receptions to classmate JR WR Brandon Shed. SR WRs Sean Cunningham and Jack Pfohl also caught TD passes for 20 and seven yards, respectively. The OL did a good job keeping Sweeney up right and didn't allow a sack, even with SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III not playing due to an undisclosed injury.
JR RB Joe Letizia would score the go ahead TD, but it was pretty clear with time running out that the Golden Eagles allowed Hobart to score in order to get the ball back with 1:29 remaining. SR PK Sean Kirshe had a good day kicking the ball but saw his final PAT blocked giving the Eagles some hope. Unfortunately for Brockport, mistakes on the final Hobart scoring drive burned their final timeouts and with a bad decision by QB Brian McKean which set up a fourth down and "forever", the Statesmen hung on to win the game.
Leading Hobart was Sweeney on offense while the defense was led by JR CB Daryl Scales and SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger with a game high 11 tackles. Brockport was led defensively by Julius Mizro with 10 stops.
The Statesmen will take their second and longest road trip of the regular season to take on former OC and Hobart alum Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott Gulls (0-1) next Saturday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Special teams play was an issue for the Statesmen who didn't seem prepared for a couple of fourth down pooch punts, finding themselves pinned deep in their own territory for most of the game. A punt return to the Hobart 25 set up another Brockport (0-1) score. In fact, the Golden Eagles second and third rushing TDs by SR RB Dan Andrews came from short fields. The latter came after a questionable fake punt call by Coach Cragg from his own one yard line. That failed and Brockport cashed in.
Both teams looked sloppy and the referees would flag Hobart seven times for -75 yards, including an ejection of SR OLB Mike Harper early in the game which was questioned loudly by Coach Cragg and the Statesmen sideline.
The Hobart defense struggled to contain All-American Andrews all game as he set the Brockport career rushing record while gashing the usually stout run Statesmen run defense to the tune of 184 rushing yards on 31 carries to go with a TD hat trick.
On the bright side JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney had an impressive 31 for 45 passing day that featured 75 and 39 yard TD receptions to classmate JR WR Brandon Shed. SR WRs Sean Cunningham and Jack Pfohl also caught TD passes for 20 and seven yards, respectively. The OL did a good job keeping Sweeney up right and didn't allow a sack, even with SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III not playing due to an undisclosed injury.
JR RB Joe Letizia would score the go ahead TD, but it was pretty clear with time running out that the Golden Eagles allowed Hobart to score in order to get the ball back with 1:29 remaining. SR PK Sean Kirshe had a good day kicking the ball but saw his final PAT blocked giving the Eagles some hope. Unfortunately for Brockport, mistakes on the final Hobart scoring drive burned their final timeouts and with a bad decision by QB Brian McKean which set up a fourth down and "forever", the Statesmen hung on to win the game.
Leading Hobart was Sweeney on offense while the defense was led by JR CB Daryl Scales and SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger with a game high 11 tackles. Brockport was led defensively by Julius Mizro with 10 stops.
The Statesmen will take their second and longest road trip of the regular season to take on former OC and Hobart alum Kevin DeWall '00's Endicott Gulls (0-1) next Saturday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Week 1 - Brockport Game Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen will face off against SUNY-Brockport this Saturday for the first time in 34 years. The Statesmen had opened up against Centennial Conference foe Dickinson College dating back to the 1992 season (I remember because I was there), but it was time for a change and this is a good one for both squads.
A preview from the HWSAthletics.com website can be found here. I found some of the results of the position battles interesting, but overall wasn't very surprised save for a name here and there.
As for Brockport, the Golden Eagles bring a tough, run-oriented offense that'll crash against Hobart's stalwart defense. It'll be All-American SR RB Dan Andrews vs. All-American SR OLB Marcus Jemison (among other key players) for a good portion of Saturday's action.
The Statesmen come into this season looking to rebound after missing the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2010. Hobart looks to JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney and an high powered offense that returns a great deal of receiving threats. The offensive line has been bolstered by a combination of position changes, underclassmen learning the system and new additions to the program.
What remains to be seen is whether Hobart will encounter struggles with turnovers and other issues that kept the team in check for part of 2015 or whether this year's squad can achieve heights seen in prior seasons?
Keys to the Game:
1. All About Andrews - Brockport's SR RB is the real deal and if Hobart is to win the game they'll have to neutralize the rushing attack of this Rochester native. Last season Andrews won the Empire 8 OPOTY award for his 1,390 yard and 24 TD performance.
2. Pressure the (New) QB - There are a number of contenders for the starting QB role with the Golden Eagles, including a former SUNY-Albany transfer, among other schools. Whomever wins the starting job will see their first collegiate playing time against a Hobart defense that finished sixth overall in total and second in the nation in passing defense.
3. Play Smart - I was reminded by a recent local high school game here in FL that penalties and turnovers are common place in Week 1. For Hobart to win, they'll need to protect the football on offense while also create and capitalize on turnovers on defense. The latter was something the 2015 edition of the Statesmen rarely did well and with one of the most experienced secondaries Hobart's had since the 2007-8 seasons, I hope we see some more picks than we have of late.
Prediction
Brockport is a very tough draw to open the season, but the Statesmen have a few advantages given depth and continuity that the Eagles are still rebuilding on at the QB, DL and LB positions. While I think it'll be a low-scoring, defensive battle to start, Hobart will ultimately outlast Brockport, 24-10, in the season opener.
I hope you'll tune in for highlights and commentary on this and other games at www.inthehuddlle.com at or around 7:30 pm ET this Sunday night, Sept 4th.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
A preview from the HWSAthletics.com website can be found here. I found some of the results of the position battles interesting, but overall wasn't very surprised save for a name here and there.
As for Brockport, the Golden Eagles bring a tough, run-oriented offense that'll crash against Hobart's stalwart defense. It'll be All-American SR RB Dan Andrews vs. All-American SR OLB Marcus Jemison (among other key players) for a good portion of Saturday's action.
The Statesmen come into this season looking to rebound after missing the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2010. Hobart looks to JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney and an high powered offense that returns a great deal of receiving threats. The offensive line has been bolstered by a combination of position changes, underclassmen learning the system and new additions to the program.
What remains to be seen is whether Hobart will encounter struggles with turnovers and other issues that kept the team in check for part of 2015 or whether this year's squad can achieve heights seen in prior seasons?
Keys to the Game:
1. All About Andrews - Brockport's SR RB is the real deal and if Hobart is to win the game they'll have to neutralize the rushing attack of this Rochester native. Last season Andrews won the Empire 8 OPOTY award for his 1,390 yard and 24 TD performance.
2. Pressure the (New) QB - There are a number of contenders for the starting QB role with the Golden Eagles, including a former SUNY-Albany transfer, among other schools. Whomever wins the starting job will see their first collegiate playing time against a Hobart defense that finished sixth overall in total and second in the nation in passing defense.
3. Play Smart - I was reminded by a recent local high school game here in FL that penalties and turnovers are common place in Week 1. For Hobart to win, they'll need to protect the football on offense while also create and capitalize on turnovers on defense. The latter was something the 2015 edition of the Statesmen rarely did well and with one of the most experienced secondaries Hobart's had since the 2007-8 seasons, I hope we see some more picks than we have of late.
Prediction
Brockport is a very tough draw to open the season, but the Statesmen have a few advantages given depth and continuity that the Eagles are still rebuilding on at the QB, DL and LB positions. While I think it'll be a low-scoring, defensive battle to start, Hobart will ultimately outlast Brockport, 24-10, in the season opener.
I hope you'll tune in for highlights and commentary on this and other games at www.inthehuddlle.com at or around 7:30 pm ET this Sunday night, Sept 4th.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Preseason Podcasts From New York to New England and Beyond
Last night Frank Rossi and I published our preseason "In the HuddLLe" preseason special. It featured players from all eight Liberty League teams, including Hobart SR OLB and Co-Captain Marcus Jemison (who comes on at the 66 minute mark), among off and preseason news, game previews and predictions.
I also spoke with Noontime Sports Blog's Matt Noonan about the New England D3FB scene, including a preview of the Endicott vs. Framingham State game. I trust HC Kevin DeWall will have his team ready and could pull off the upset against the defending MASCAC Champs.
A link to both podcasts are below:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2016/08/30/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show
https://noontimesports.com
I'll have my Brockport game preview up tomorrow. Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
I also spoke with Noontime Sports Blog's Matt Noonan about the New England D3FB scene, including a preview of the Endicott vs. Framingham State game. I trust HC Kevin DeWall will have his team ready and could pull off the upset against the defending MASCAC Champs.
A link to both podcasts are below:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2016/08/30/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show
https://noontimesports.com
I'll have my Brockport game preview up tomorrow. Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Friday, August 26, 2016
2016 Preview
The Hobart College Statesmen saw their four year streak of Liberty League Conference Championships and NCAA appearances snapped after a somewhat disappointing 7-3 campaign in 2015.
Injuries and a couple of tough breaks caught up with the Statesmen, but they did finish their season on a three game win streak, beating their opponents by a 113-52 margin, including knocking off the eventual LL champions, #25 Saint Lawrence. It should also be noted that Hobart was a missed two point conversion away from winning their fifth straight LL championship.
That momentum, a strong recruiting class and other positive developments for Hobart bode well for this year.
Here's an initial look at the:
Hobart Offense
JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney overcame injuries last year to lead the LL in passing YPG (221) and efficiency (148.3). He set a Hobart record for six TDs against Rochester in the 2015 season finale. Returning to action is SO QB Adam Wallerstein, who came out of Lakeland (NJ) with a lot of potential (and a cannon of an arm). He'll push Sweeney for playing time and would be a very capable back up otherwise.
The QBs continued success at Hobart will be highly dependent on the OL which seemed to take a step backward, statistically speaking anyway, last season. The Statesmen OL finished sixth in the LL with only 115.2 rushing YPG and 13 rushing TDs. In the passing game they allowed 20 sacks (or two per game on average and a total of -143 yards) which was fifth in the LL, well off prior seasons' protection stats. While this is a point of emphasis going into preseason camp, there's a lot to be optimistic about this fall's OL unit.
SR OL and Co-Captain Nick Testani, one of the anchors of Statesmen "Big Dogs," is effectively the leader of the OL as C. Testani was the only Statesmen offensive player to earn 1st Team All-LL honors, which he'll look to repeat this season (and hopefully have some teammates join him).
Classmate SR OL Justin DiJiulio can play C as well, but he held down RT late in 2015 and may remain in the that spot or move inside to guard for 2016. SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III will likely move inside to LG this year which will help Hobart open gaps on the interior. O'Connell earned 2nd Team All-LL honors for his efforts at LT last season.
Competition for LT and RG will be interesting to watch in camp. I could see Coach Drach moving DiJiulio inside or promote rising JR OL Alex Helm, JR OL Stephen Van Hoesen and/or SO OL Jack Koch into the starting line up depending on the preseason. SO OL John Deveney is also a potential starter at LT given his size, skill and performance in spring ball. Another new player to keep an eye on is Erie Community College transfer JR OL Sean Plunkett. Sean has followed the footsteps of his father Patrick ('81) and Uncle Daniel ('85) in playing football at Hobart. Either way, you can expect to see a solid rotation up front which is good news for the offense.
Hobart will need SO RB Tynard Barfield to step into the feature I-back role with the graduation of Conner Hartigan '16. Barfield showed his explosive quickness several times in 2015. He rushed for 181 yards and four TDs while adding 88 receiving yards and a TD. SR RB Bradley Burns will likely split time with Barfield while steamrolling would be tacklers. Burns rushed for 217 yards and three TDs last season, one which was named by GEICO as the College Football Play of the Year!
There will be a competition to fill the starting FB role held last season by Christopher Holoman '16. Look for Coach Drach to open things up by having more three receiver sets and the FB or HB come in on certain offensive plays or series. Right now the leading candidates for that job include JR FB Dylan Quay and SR FB Sean Bright (a personal favorite given he has my old number, 36).
What Statesmen fans should be really excited about is that Hobart brings back one of the strongest WR corps in the East Region, if not the nation, with players like JR WR Brandon Shed, SR WR Sean Cunningham, and SR WR Jack Pfohl. Shed tied for the most receiving TDs (8) in the LL and led the Statesmen with 700 yards. Pfohl contributed 507 receiving yards and three TDs. Cunningham, a star on the Hobart NEC Championship lacrosse team, had 204 receiving yards and a TD. Cunningham also added 159 yards as a PR and even scored a special teams TD for the Statesmen in 2015. There are also several incoming FY players that are very fast, dynamic and could compete for playing time as they learn the offense.
Adding to the headaches opposing DCs will have is Hobart's athletic TE corps. JR TE Zach Withers came on strong in 2015 and was rewarded with a 2nd Team All-LL award for his efforts. Withers hauled in 10 passes for 137 yards and four TDs. New to the position will be SO TE Matt Woods who converted from QB. He's a big target at 6'6"and should fill out from his current 217 lbs frame.
Overall the offensive unit looks poised to have a very big year if the team stays healthy.
Now let's switch sides and take a look at the:
Hobart Defense
The Statesmen return most of their defensive corps from 2015. Hobart dominated most of the LL defensive stats behind the strong play of this unit. The Statesmen were first in total (245.8 YPG), rushing (116.3) and passing (129.5) defense. They were a close second in scoring defense, allowing 17.7 PPG.
The biggest shoes to fill will be at ILB as both Trayvon Toney and Jacob Stanley '16 have graduated. Still, Hobart has several strong young LBs that will look to play bigger roles in 2016. JR LB Almamy Conde showed a good deal of promise as a second year player and reportedly had a strong spring.
SR OLB and Co-Captain Marcus Jemison is back after an award winning JR campaign and he was once again named a preseason All-American. Opposite Jemison will likely be SR OLB Michael Harper. Other players like JR LB Will Hoffer and SO LB Kai Brandford will also compete for time.
The good news for the LB corps is that the majority of the DL returns intact. Tucker Gumkowski's '16 production at DT will need to be replaced, but key players like SR DT Jake Russell, SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger are all back. Adding to the depth of this unit includes SO DE A.J. McFarlane, SO DE Albert Smith, SO DT Sean Moore and JR DT Zackary Robak.
Also back is the entire defensive secondary (which finished 2015 ranked 2nd in the entire nation in pass defense), led by SR FS and Co-Captain Matt Cragg. SR CB Todd Collier and JR CB Tommy D'Antonio return as does JR DB Gabriel Smith and JR DB Daryl Scales. Offensive teams will be hard pressed to complete many passes against this veteran unit and hopefully last season's interception total (8) will be higher in 2016.
Last, but not least, we have:
Special Teams
SR PK Sean Kirshe returns for his final year and he'll compete once again with JR PK Will McCool for kickoff, PAT and FG duties. Kirshe went five for seven with a long of 37 yards in FGs last season, while adding 26 extra points (out of 30 attempts).
JR PK Rio Schmidt stepped in to take over punting duties in 2015 and finished 3rd in the LL with a 35.9 net punting average.
I have to add the kicking unit is probably the most geographically diverse one in quite some time. Kirshe was originally from FL, now resides in KY and Schmidt is from TX. McCool is sort of the "Average Joe" in this group since he's "only" from PA.
Prognosis:
Overall this Statesmen squad will be a favorite to recapture the LL title (they were picked first in the LL Coach's Poll yesterday) and accompanying NCAA berth. The Saint Lawrence Saints return the majority of their key players so another collision course between these rivals has been set and will happen in early November.
Otherwise, Hobart has a challenging OOC schedule, including a long road trip to the Boston area to test the team in September. The Saturday night home opener against Ithaca will also a great way to open the "Boz" on Homecoming and Family Weekend.
What's also interesting is that 2016 will have a different feel given a new season opener / opponent in Brockport (the Statesmen and the Golden Eagles' last game was in 1982) and LL rival games have flip flopped from prior seasons, e.g., the Union and RPI games which have typically been in late October for several years will now happen at the end of September and early October like they were in the mid-00's.
Needless to say expectations will be high in Geneva and elsewhere regarding this squad. Here's hoping the Hobart College Football team has a great (and healthy) 2016 run!
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Injuries and a couple of tough breaks caught up with the Statesmen, but they did finish their season on a three game win streak, beating their opponents by a 113-52 margin, including knocking off the eventual LL champions, #25 Saint Lawrence. It should also be noted that Hobart was a missed two point conversion away from winning their fifth straight LL championship.
That momentum, a strong recruiting class and other positive developments for Hobart bode well for this year.
Here's an initial look at the:
Hobart Offense
JR QB and Co-Captain Shane Sweeney overcame injuries last year to lead the LL in passing YPG (221) and efficiency (148.3). He set a Hobart record for six TDs against Rochester in the 2015 season finale. Returning to action is SO QB Adam Wallerstein, who came out of Lakeland (NJ) with a lot of potential (and a cannon of an arm). He'll push Sweeney for playing time and would be a very capable back up otherwise.
The QBs continued success at Hobart will be highly dependent on the OL which seemed to take a step backward, statistically speaking anyway, last season. The Statesmen OL finished sixth in the LL with only 115.2 rushing YPG and 13 rushing TDs. In the passing game they allowed 20 sacks (or two per game on average and a total of -143 yards) which was fifth in the LL, well off prior seasons' protection stats. While this is a point of emphasis going into preseason camp, there's a lot to be optimistic about this fall's OL unit.
SR OL and Co-Captain Nick Testani, one of the anchors of Statesmen "Big Dogs," is effectively the leader of the OL as C. Testani was the only Statesmen offensive player to earn 1st Team All-LL honors, which he'll look to repeat this season (and hopefully have some teammates join him).
Classmate SR OL Justin DiJiulio can play C as well, but he held down RT late in 2015 and may remain in the that spot or move inside to guard for 2016. SR OL and Co-Captain Patrick O'Connell III will likely move inside to LG this year which will help Hobart open gaps on the interior. O'Connell earned 2nd Team All-LL honors for his efforts at LT last season.
Competition for LT and RG will be interesting to watch in camp. I could see Coach Drach moving DiJiulio inside or promote rising JR OL Alex Helm, JR OL Stephen Van Hoesen and/or SO OL Jack Koch into the starting line up depending on the preseason. SO OL John Deveney is also a potential starter at LT given his size, skill and performance in spring ball. Another new player to keep an eye on is Erie Community College transfer JR OL Sean Plunkett. Sean has followed the footsteps of his father Patrick ('81) and Uncle Daniel ('85) in playing football at Hobart. Either way, you can expect to see a solid rotation up front which is good news for the offense.
Hobart will need SO RB Tynard Barfield to step into the feature I-back role with the graduation of Conner Hartigan '16. Barfield showed his explosive quickness several times in 2015. He rushed for 181 yards and four TDs while adding 88 receiving yards and a TD. SR RB Bradley Burns will likely split time with Barfield while steamrolling would be tacklers. Burns rushed for 217 yards and three TDs last season, one which was named by GEICO as the College Football Play of the Year!
There will be a competition to fill the starting FB role held last season by Christopher Holoman '16. Look for Coach Drach to open things up by having more three receiver sets and the FB or HB come in on certain offensive plays or series. Right now the leading candidates for that job include JR FB Dylan Quay and SR FB Sean Bright (a personal favorite given he has my old number, 36).
What Statesmen fans should be really excited about is that Hobart brings back one of the strongest WR corps in the East Region, if not the nation, with players like JR WR Brandon Shed, SR WR Sean Cunningham, and SR WR Jack Pfohl. Shed tied for the most receiving TDs (8) in the LL and led the Statesmen with 700 yards. Pfohl contributed 507 receiving yards and three TDs. Cunningham, a star on the Hobart NEC Championship lacrosse team, had 204 receiving yards and a TD. Cunningham also added 159 yards as a PR and even scored a special teams TD for the Statesmen in 2015. There are also several incoming FY players that are very fast, dynamic and could compete for playing time as they learn the offense.
Adding to the headaches opposing DCs will have is Hobart's athletic TE corps. JR TE Zach Withers came on strong in 2015 and was rewarded with a 2nd Team All-LL award for his efforts. Withers hauled in 10 passes for 137 yards and four TDs. New to the position will be SO TE Matt Woods who converted from QB. He's a big target at 6'6"and should fill out from his current 217 lbs frame.
Overall the offensive unit looks poised to have a very big year if the team stays healthy.
Now let's switch sides and take a look at the:
Hobart Defense
The Statesmen return most of their defensive corps from 2015. Hobart dominated most of the LL defensive stats behind the strong play of this unit. The Statesmen were first in total (245.8 YPG), rushing (116.3) and passing (129.5) defense. They were a close second in scoring defense, allowing 17.7 PPG.
The biggest shoes to fill will be at ILB as both Trayvon Toney and Jacob Stanley '16 have graduated. Still, Hobart has several strong young LBs that will look to play bigger roles in 2016. JR LB Almamy Conde showed a good deal of promise as a second year player and reportedly had a strong spring.
SR OLB and Co-Captain Marcus Jemison is back after an award winning JR campaign and he was once again named a preseason All-American. Opposite Jemison will likely be SR OLB Michael Harper. Other players like JR LB Will Hoffer and SO LB Kai Brandford will also compete for time.
The good news for the LB corps is that the majority of the DL returns intact. Tucker Gumkowski's '16 production at DT will need to be replaced, but key players like SR DT Jake Russell, SR DE and Co-Captain James Hedger are all back. Adding to the depth of this unit includes SO DE A.J. McFarlane, SO DE Albert Smith, SO DT Sean Moore and JR DT Zackary Robak.
Also back is the entire defensive secondary (which finished 2015 ranked 2nd in the entire nation in pass defense), led by SR FS and Co-Captain Matt Cragg. SR CB Todd Collier and JR CB Tommy D'Antonio return as does JR DB Gabriel Smith and JR DB Daryl Scales. Offensive teams will be hard pressed to complete many passes against this veteran unit and hopefully last season's interception total (8) will be higher in 2016.
Last, but not least, we have:
Special Teams
SR PK Sean Kirshe returns for his final year and he'll compete once again with JR PK Will McCool for kickoff, PAT and FG duties. Kirshe went five for seven with a long of 37 yards in FGs last season, while adding 26 extra points (out of 30 attempts).
JR PK Rio Schmidt stepped in to take over punting duties in 2015 and finished 3rd in the LL with a 35.9 net punting average.
I have to add the kicking unit is probably the most geographically diverse one in quite some time. Kirshe was originally from FL, now resides in KY and Schmidt is from TX. McCool is sort of the "Average Joe" in this group since he's "only" from PA.
Prognosis:
Overall this Statesmen squad will be a favorite to recapture the LL title (they were picked first in the LL Coach's Poll yesterday) and accompanying NCAA berth. The Saint Lawrence Saints return the majority of their key players so another collision course between these rivals has been set and will happen in early November.
Otherwise, Hobart has a challenging OOC schedule, including a long road trip to the Boston area to test the team in September. The Saturday night home opener against Ithaca will also a great way to open the "Boz" on Homecoming and Family Weekend.
What's also interesting is that 2016 will have a different feel given a new season opener / opponent in Brockport (the Statesmen and the Golden Eagles' last game was in 1982) and LL rival games have flip flopped from prior seasons, e.g., the Union and RPI games which have typically been in late October for several years will now happen at the end of September and early October like they were in the mid-00's.
Needless to say expectations will be high in Geneva and elsewhere regarding this squad. Here's hoping the Hobart College Football team has a great (and healthy) 2016 run!
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
Monday, August 22, 2016
Preseason Camp is Underway!
The Hobart College Statesmen arrived into training camp and preparing for the 2016 season. OL Coach Green "leaked" these new but throwback helmets that the team will sport for this season over the last weekend. I had the pleasure of speaking with Coach Cragg and the LL coaches as part of D3football.com's preseason "Kickoff" college football annual preview which is coming out tomorrow, August 23rd.
I'll have a more in depth preview of the Statesmen in the next few days, and make sure to keep an eye out or subscribe to the "In the HuddLLe" podcast which goes live on Wednesday, August 31.
In the meantime, thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
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