Looking Forward in Reverse

This will be it for 2013.  Thanks to Sean McGlynn '01 for helping me with this write up.

With the Division III Final Four upon us it seems like as good a time as any to do a recap of the 2013 Hobart College Football season.  It’s been 10 calendar years and 11 seasons since a Liberty League team made it to the Final Four.  RPI did it in 2003 (making an incredible playoff run after losing to the Statesmen in the regular season finale, 43-25) but since then no other team, save for Hobart in 2012 advanced past the second round of the NCAA playoffs.

I believe this is helpful context in evaluating what some saw as a disappointing end the 2013 Hobart campaign.  While it was exciting to see the LL have a very successful (15-6) run in their out-of-conference games, it was apparent late in the season that the LL wasn't as strong as the initial OOC results.  Although second place SLU finished with a solid 7-3, 5-2 season, they never really challenged Hobart in their 37-7 loss in Geneva. Hobart’s usual top rivals RPI and Union also struggled this year, finishing 5-5 and 3-7 overall, respectively.  Even Springfield, picked by the LL Coaches to finish second in the league (D3football.com picked them to finish 9-1 in their preseason Kickoff preview) struggled in the LL, going 3-3 (they never got to play USMMA) while winning all their OOC games against NEFC and ECFC teams.

In fact if there was one thing that was a constant in 2013 was that you could count on the Statesmen to be winning by 21 points (or more) in the fourth quarter of all of their games this regular season, so they never really got tested until late November.  Hobart easily beat Dickinson in Week 1, then had a bye week before taking on Utica.  The final score, 34-21, is a bit deceiving.  Hobart led 21-7 at halftime and 34-13 half way through the fourth quarter.  The Statesmen offense didn't really come into its own until the WPI game.  After scoring 41 points that day, the Hobart “O” never scored less than 35 points the rest of the regular season, cracking 40+ points four times.

Big conference showdowns this season for Hobart also failed to materialize. First it was Springfield losing two straight before playing the Statesmen.  Then it was Saint Lawrence losing to the Pride 21-20 the week before playing Hobart to take some steam out of that potential undefeated LL showdown.  Union was down and that game wasn't competitive.  Then UofR committed five turnovers in a 31-21 loss to WPI the week before what would have been a winner takes all LL Championship game for Hobart and Rochester.

The Statesmen’s (lack of a tough) schedule ultimately became the sore spot after a slow and mistake filled start against Fisher in the second round of the playoffs.  The fact they allegedly “ducked” Wesley in 2011 and reportedly passed on other elite teams offers to play them made a few folks roll their eyes when the 2014 schedule came out.

Still, the old “you can only play who’s on your schedule” is true, and Hobart’s perfect 19-0 regular season and 22-2 overall record these past two years is certainly nothing to look down on.  Some people seem to forget that this year’s SR class started their careers on a 5-4 team before making this amazing run. While the Top 10 ranking they held this year may have been more to do with 2012’s team, the 2013 version certainly played like a top team in 10 games this year.  Unfortunately they didn't on the biggest stage and that loss will likely push Hobart into the 14-15 range (or lower) when the 2014 rankings come out.

What I think most critics “ding” the Statesmen’s schedule on is the lack of really strong OOC games.  While Dickinson vs. Hobart has been a competitive series overall (the Statesmen lead it 12-10-1), it has not been competitive in the last four seasons. Since losing to the Red Devils 26-3 in 2009, Hobart has outscored Dickinson 132-23 in their last four games.  The Red Devils haven’t won more the four games in a season during this same stretch.

Curry and Endicott of the NEFC join the slate in 2014.  Curry did have some strong teams back in 2006-08, but have dropped off to being around a .500 ball club in a conference that has only two NCAA wins (one being the Colonel’s 2008 26-21 Round 1 upset of Ithaca) in its history.

The Gulls have been on the rise winning 8-10 games a season since 2010, but so far haven’t been able to lock up a NCAA bid until this season, but they were shut down and out, 24-0, in Round 1 by Rowan.  That track record, plus the fact that fans have noticed how teams like Fisher have gone out of their way to go up against elite teams like Mount Union in their OOC scheduling, has brought Hobart some boo birds from the national media and other regional fan bases that expect (if not demand) the Statesmen “up their game.”  Of course what these fans forget is that scheduling football games isn't as simple as finding a mutual open date. There are institutional, financial, alumni and other considerations that factor in.

Personally I think the schedule wouldn't be as much of an issue if Dickinson hadn't dropped off like they have. Endicott is a good team and will provide a tough test.  The problem is a win over the Gulls doesn't really do much for Hobart and a loss would set off alarms (with fans anyway).  Union saw this first hand when they lost to Salve a couple of years ago, and this season, when they lost to WNEC.  What is also an issue (and should probably get more “coverage” than the OOC scheduling complaints), is that the other LL teams need to improve too.  SLU had a good year, but still lost two games they probably could / should have won.  RPI, Union, Springfield and UofR performed below expectations.  USMMA started off hot, but the government shutdown took the wind out of their sails and the Mariners were never the same after the forced three game hiatus. Given next year’s lineup and the state of the LL, the Statesmen will have a very good shot at another 10-0 regular season next fall.

Speaking of next fall, here’s a quick positional look at 2014 based on who could be coming back.  We’ll start with the offense first:

QB:  The Statesmen should have all five signal callers back in camp for another season with Patrick Conlan and Kyle Bayly leading the way.  Conlan finished the season with decent numbers going 102 of 191 (53.4% completion rate) for 1,440 yards with 16 passing TDs compared to seven interceptions (two of which came in the NCAA game vs. SJFC). Although 1,440 yards is the lowest in total passing yardage for a Hobart starting QB in over a decade, keep in mind that this year’s team ran the ball 471 out of 684 plays (or 69% of time).  I was hoping Conlan would get more confident over the season, and he definitely had his moments.  He showed he has the arm strength, but his decision making during the Fisher game was not what you’d expect for a player with 10 starts under his belt. To be fair a 30 mph wind will make the ball go places you don’t intend (like to opposing defenders). Conlan's completion percentage would also have been several points higher if his receivers didn't have so many drops, especially earlier in the season.  While time will tell, I do see passing attempts and yardage increasing in 2014 given the graduation of Steven Webb.  Webb had 1,443 of Hobart’s 2,620 total rushing yards (55%) and he scored a record 20 of the Statesmen’s 31 rushing TDs (64.5%).  Also, the Statesmen return of pretty much the entire receiving corps. Speaking of the WRs…

WR:  This position will need to step up in 2014 but the Statesmen are lucky that a literal 1-2-3 of Troy Robinson (team high 366 receiving yards, four TDs), John Fasano (358 receiving yards and two TDs) and Elvin Souffrant (347 receiving yards and four TDs) should all be back. Beyond the top three, I think we could see a more from Cooper Merrill and Sean Cunningham.  Also I wouldn't be surprised to see a few others get a chance as Hobart could benefit from a 6’2” – 6’3” target, and there are some rising SOs on the roster that fit that mold.

RB:  Connor Hartigan will be coming back from injury for the second time in his Hobart career.  He could be an excellent starter, but whether he can make it through an entire season without getting sidelined due to injury remains to be seen.  He has excellent speed and averaged 5.8 YPC.  His 89 yard run against Springfield was the longest run from scrimmage for any Statesman in 2013.  Also returning is Brad Burns who played in 10 games this season, gaining 230 yards and scoring two TDs. Burns is a stocky ball carrier who's probably always good for 3-4 yards a carry, but break away speed wasn't something we got to see in 2013. If that's the case we could see Justin Burke and/or Sean Bright getting more time depending on how this position develops over 2014.

FB:  This position is pretty much all set with Dominique Ellis and Christopher Holoman back.  I could see Ellis getting 10+ carries a game next year given his experience and the fact that most of the other RBs are still learning the college game.  In 2013 Ellis ran for 309 yards on 50 carries (6.2 YPC average), scoring four TDs.

OL:  Hobart will lose three starters, but bring back Ali Marpet and DeAndre' Smith.   Fortunately the Statesmen have several rising SO and JR players who gained valuable time this season and should be ready to compete for starting roles.

TE:  All of this season’s TEs should be back.  Mike Berkowitz was less of a passing target than I thought he'd be in 2013 only hauling in 10 catches this season.  Still, six of those catches were for TDs which led the team. All the Hobart TEs have tantalizing size and speed but I can see this position remaining one that stays in primarily for blocking purposes, especially if Coach DeWall decides he wants to spread the field and “air it out” to the Hobart WRs more in 2014.

Now for the defense:

DT:  Troy Johnson and Tucker Gumkowski had really nice years and if they improve will truly be dominant in the middle in 2014.  While it’s probably safe to pencil these guys in as starters, there could be some tough competition in camp for playing time on the DL.  Jake Russell rotated in a bit this season and I’d like to see Zackary Robak see the field given his size (300 lbs).

DE:  By far the Statesmen’s best and deepest position on the field with Tyre Coleman and Mark Guarino-Hyde. With about six other returning players all also in consideration and competing for playing time, Hobart has backups here that could probably start on most every other LL team and perhaps a good chunk of the East Region.

OLB:  The graduation of Devin Worthington is a big loss, but Nolan Toran has quietly become a star in his own right and could really have a breakthrough season in 2014. Jacob Stanley or Matt McGriff will compete for a starting nod and Marcus Jemison could start at Rover/SS or DB.  While Hobart will lose some depth here, if the top three or four players are healthy, the Statesmen will be in great shape.  You can also pretty much guarantee the coaching staff can recruit quality FY at these positions, so I am not very concerned about this squad.

ILB:  Also a source of strength, and has been on an annual basis for quite some time.  Trayvon Toney is a star waiting to happen and Jacob Price brings a lot of experience and leadership to the table. Zach Thornton and Mark Marino will compete for time as well.  Given the size and strength of this and the DL, teams will continue to struggle to run in the middle of the field given the front four and these ILBs. Depth is a slight concern here, but you could move a 215-225 lbs DE over potentially and/or back fill with incoming FY players.

DB:  Fajri Jackson earned D3football East Region and LL first team honors but was also readily picked on by opposing QBs with bigger receivers (see UofR and Fisher). Gabriel Smith (also a D3FB 1st team All Region and LL player on ST) returns and could compete for Connor Garrett’s former job.  It will be interesting to see if Jemison, who backed up Jackson in 2012, starts in one of those slots. At FS, you can pencil in Michael Harper who backed up Jolyon Davis all season and made some good plays, including an interception in the first round of the playoffs against Gallaudet.  Harper has good size and attended a top HS program (Bergen Catholic in NJ) and should be ready. Austin Gallegos is the only other returning FS so depth here could be a concern and will probably be addressed via roster moves and/or incoming FY recruits.

Finally, here’s a quick look at special teams:

Hobart brought in two kickers in 2013 and it was Sean Kirsche who emerged as the starter, eventually earning first team LL awards.  The Statesmen will have to find another punter with the graduation of Yosh Karbowniczak.  Elvin Souffrant punted in the 2012 season with good results.  Kirsche attempted four punts this season with mixed results (26.75 net average).

Overall forecast for 2014 is looking good:

I see an experienced offense coming back, but replacing Hobart’s best RB (arguably ever) will be tough. The Statesmen will need to be more of a passing team and Ellis, Hartigan and a few others will need to help keep Hobart’s offense more balanced than it was in 2013. QB and WR play will have to improve and pass blocking by a restocked OL will be at premium.  The defense should be as solid as the past few years with the middle of the field being stronger than the edge.  That said I don’t think we've ever had two DE’s like Coleman and Guarino-Hyde which is a major advantage.  ILBs and DT’s will be very strong and Toran will be strong as well.  The question marks are who fills in the other OLB and secondary openings due to graduation of guys like Worthington and Garrett?

Recruiting wise I expect Hobart to look to add depth at ILB, OLB and FS/DB while looking for the next Webb and Worthington type of players. While I doubt the Statesmen would recruit a punter, I suspect either current or incoming players will be looked at to bolster this important field position and ST role. I’ll see what I can dig up during the off-season on incoming recruits and post it to the site over the spring and into the summer months.

Thanks for reading the blog this year, Happy Holidays, New Year and go ‘Bart!

Endicott and Curry added to 2014 Slate

The Hobart Statesmen have completed their 2014 schedule and it is as follows:

9/6 Dickinson
9/13 @ Endicott
9/20 @ Curry
9/27 USMMA
10/4 @ WPI
10/11 Springfield
Bye week
10/25 @ RPI
11/1 Union
11/8 @ SLU
11/15 UofR

Neither Dickinson nor Curry have been that competitive of late, but have strong traditions.  Endicott is interesting opponent in that they have won 8-10 games the past several seasons.  In 2013 they came up short against eventual NEFC Champion Framingham State who almost beat Ithaca at home in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.

One thing is for sure, MA area and New England alumni will see a lot of the Statesmen in 2014.

Hobart Flattened by Fisher, 27-6

The eighth ranked Hobart Statesmen hosted a familiar foe Saturday when they took on the Saint John Fisher College Cardinals in a second round NCAA playoff game.  Although Hobart was the home team and higher seed, the Cardinals were far from an underdog.  The Statesmen got off to an auspicious start when JR FB Dominique Ellis fumbled the ball on the opening series of the game.

The turnover set up Fisher near midfield but a personal foul penalty on JR OL Ali Marpet improved the Cardinals field position.  With only 36 yards to go, Fisher quickly found the end zone and a three yard Cody Miller touchdown got the visitors on the board 7-0 just over five minutes into the game.

Hobart would add fuel to the fire after a nine yard SR / P Yosh Karbowniczak punt was fielded by Fisher at the Statesmen 15 yard line.  Hobart would dodge the bullet however as the defense made a stand and forced a 33 yard Brendan Carey field goal.  The kick was wide left and the Statesmen would try and capitalize on the second chance.  JR QB Patrick Conlan led the team down the field, eventually driving to the Fisher 18 yard line.  The Cardinals defense stiffened and Hobart was unable to convert on fourth and eight, although Conlan could have gained the first down if he held onto the ball, he opted for a shovel pass to Karbowniczak but he wasn't able to collect the pass and the Statesmen turned the ball over on downs.

Fisher’s more sure handed receivers would take charge, but it really was a holding penalty on SR CB Connor Garrett that kept the Cardinals in business on the ensuing drive.  SR QB Tyler Fenti would take advantage of the call and find SR WR Kevin Francis for 37 yards to get into the Hobart red zone.  Two plays later, Fenti connected with JR WR Nathan Nigolian for 17 yards and a second Fisher TD.  The Carey point after was good and with 7:31 to go in the first half, the Cardinals had a 14-0 lead.

The Statesmen attempted a few trick plays with SO WR Connor Merrill at quarterback but to no avail. At the half Fisher continued their 14-0 advantage and would receive the kickoff in the second half.  The Cardinals Brandon Fuentes would take the kick 51 yards setting up Fisher with yet another short field. Although the Hobart defense held, Carey came away with a 27 yard field goal and the Cardinals lead was up to 17-0 only three and a half minutes into the third quarter.

Hobart would attempt to rally but once again made a mistake when Conlan was intercepted by FS Mike Guinta.  On the very next play Fenti would effectively ice the game on a 32 yard TD pass to Francis.

Although Hobart would avoid the shutout due to a four yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz receiving touchdown, the Statesmen were otherwise too little, too late Saturday and fell by a score of 27-6.  Fenti led the Cardinals with 244 passing yards and two touchdowns.  Defensively Fisher dominated the Statesmen, holding Hobart to 241 total yards and six of 14 on third down.  The Cardinals’ Ryan Seymour led the Fisher defense with nine tackles.  The Statesmen defense was led by SR LB Cory Davis with a game high 10 stops.  On offense Hobart was led by Conlan with 120 passing and 27 rushing yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The loss drops Hobart to 10-1 on the season and broke a 12 game home field winning streak by the Statesmen at Boswell Field.  The win improves Fisher to 10-2 overall and advanced them into the National Quarterfinals for the second time in three years.  The Cardinals, the final remaining East Region team in the tournament, will face off against third ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor next Saturday in Belton, Texas.

We'll discuss yesterday's game tonight at 7:30 PM on "In The HuddLLe" www.inthehuddlle.com.  I'll also write up a season retrospective later this week.

NCAA Rd 2 / SJFC Game Preview

The Hobart College Statesmen (10-0) will host a familiar foe in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament this Saturday at Boswell Field. The Saint John Fisher College Cardinals (SJFC) will make the short trip from Rochester, NY down the NYS Thruway to Geneva. The Cardinals (9-2) upset the ninth ranked John Carroll University Blue Streaks (9-2) in Cleveland, OH last weekend thanks to causing six turnovers, including four interceptions (INTs), to earn a 25-16 first round upset on a cold and snowy day.

Hobart defeated the Cardinals soundly, 56-20, back in the 2011 season but SJFC won the last time they faced off at the “Boz” spoiling the 2010 Homecoming game I attended in person, 34-14. The Cardinals and Statesmen last met in the NCAA playoffs back in 2007, which was a convincing 24-7 win by Fisher.

Scouting the Cardinals:

This season the Cardinals are scoring 32.7 PPG while allowing 20.4 PPG on defense. Their offense is weighted towards the pass, having gained 2,912 yards this season via the air. SJFC averages 412.6 YPG on offense and have scored exactly 23 rushing and passing TDs each.

Leading the Fisher offense is SR QB Tyler Fenti. A dual threat, he’s gone 204 of 311 (~66% completion rate) for 2,560 yards and 21 passing TDs compared to eight INTs. Fenti has added 370 rushing yards and five TDs on the ground as well. SR RB Cody Miller is the Cardinals’ feature back and he has gained 1,006 yards on the season, scoring 15 rushing TDs.  Fenti’s top targets are SR WR Kevin Francis (54 receptions for 851 yards and 8 TDs) and JR WR Nathan Nigolian (50 catches for 738 yards and seven TDs).

The SJFC defense is led by a talented LB corp, headed by JR LB Sean Preish with a team high 110 tackles including 14 TFL, seven sacks and an INT. SR LB Mike Donitzen has 64 tackles, 11 TFL, three sacks and two INTs. SR DB Mike Guinta has added 57 tackles, three TFL and a team high six INTs.

The Cardinals special teams unit is led by SR PK Brendan Carey. Carey has converted four of eight FGs with a long of 39 yards. JR WR / P Ryan Sweet handles punting duties and has kicked 41 punts for a 38.3 YPP average.

Keys to the game:

1. Time of Possession – In both of Fisher’s losses this season, the Cardinals only held the ball for 25 and 22 minutes, respectively. Effectively the best defense for the SJFC offense is to keep them on the sidelines. Hobart can take a page from the Salisbury (6-4) game where the Gulls racked up an amazing 451 rushing yards en route to a 42-35 win that wasn't as close as that final score appears. A heavy dose of running plays can wear down the Cardinals “D” and avoid TFL and/or sacks and INTs which are their bread and butter. SJFC has racked up 33 sacks on defense this season (three per game on average) and they will bring a great deal of pressure.

2. Win the Second and Fourth Quarters – Going into halftime with momentum will be critical in this game. Fisher has outscored opponents 145-40 in this frame during the season.  Likewise, the Cardinals have been strong closers, outscoring their opposition 107-59 in the fourth.  If the Statesmen can set the tone of the game in the first and third quarters, and force the Cardinals to play from behind, Hobart has a good chance to win and advance to the Quarterfinals.
 
3. Play Smart - These programs have arguably two of the best in the East Region for about a decade. Given the profile and proximity of the schools there's a natural local rivalry. Fisher can be chippy at times and were called for several (11 for -111 yards in) penalties in their game against JCU. Hobart has seen this with other opponents and will have to avoid any extra cirricular activity after the whistle. The Cardinals are an experienced team, so they'll pick their spots and take calculated risks. I don't see much rattling them, so Hobart will need to be equally firm in this game.

4. Forget Total Yardage, Focus on the Final Score - It's possible Fisher may out-gain the Statesmen. Their passing offense is very strong and will likely eat up a lot of yardage on Saturday, especially given the size and speed of their WRs. Ithaca and Salisbury had success in limiting the Cardinals running game, forcing Fisher to beat them with the pass. In the game against Ithaca (9-2), that lead to two Cardinal INTs.

5. Red Zone Defense - Points will be at a premium in this contest so any trips to the red zone that don't produce a TD are wins for the defense.  Against Ithaca, for example, Fisher went three of five in the red zone (60%) and ended up losing that game by three points (25-22).

Prediction:

The weather for Saturday is a high of 32, mostly cloudy with 0% chance of rain/snow, and light wind 8 mph. This forecast is actually pretty nice for Upstate NY in late November. I don't suspect the conditions to really affect the game that much and look for Hobart to try and establish their running game while taking a few shots downfield when the right matchups present themselves, like they have all season.

The Cardinals defense is aggressive so the Statesmen OL will need to do their best to open up running lanes and give JR QB Patrick Conlan or Kyle Bayly time in the pocket. Conlan should be able to play, but either way, I see Hobart sticking to what got them this far - a strong rushing attack, tough defense and opportunistic special teams.

This will be the toughest opponent the Statesmen will have faced to date, but Fisher has some chinks in their armor. To their credit, they've played a tougher schedule and beaten better teams than Hobart has this season. Still, the IC and SU losses point to their weaknesses and that will help the Statesmen coaching staff with their game plans.

I'll take Hobart to eke out a hard fought 32-21 victory Saturday that won't be decided until the fourth quarter - something that hasn't happened all year.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

Hobart Beats Bison, 34-7, & Lots of Other Headlines....

The eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champions, the Gallaudet University Bison at Boswell Field in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament.

The Bison, being the only University in the country that specifically serves deaf and hard of hearing students, had a mountain of press this week including a feature on ESPN.  The attention is well deserved, especially given their first ever run to the NCAA tournament.

The Statesmen however have been there and done that and were ready to show it.  After a defensive stop, Hobart would score on it's initial offensive possession.  A 14 play drive that featured a balanced attack of passes and runs ended with a two yard SR RB Steven Webb TD with 6:26 to go in the first quarter.

After both teams turned the ball over on downs, Gallaudet looked to make something happen with their first possession of the second quarter.  JR DE Tyre Coleman had other plans, causing a fumble which was scooped up by SR OLB Devin Worthington and returned 48 yards for the score.  Tonight at 7:30 PM ET we'll have Devin on In The HuddLLe (www.inthehuddlle.com).  Tune in or catch the interview on our podcast.

Although the point after failed, Hobart enjoyed an early 13-0 advantage.  Bison Head Coach Chuck Goldstein decided to try another fourth down conversion, but SO DE Mark Guarino-Hyde snuffed out the play.  Three Webb runs later and he had his second TD, pushing Statesmen's lead to 20-0 after the FY PK Sean Kirsche kick was good.

You could say everything was going the Statesmen's way, which was true, until a fateful tackle behind the line of scrimmage hobbled JR QB Patrick Conlan.  Conlan had to be carried off the field and was unable to put any weight on his injured leg.  JR QB Kyle Bayly came in and led the offense to another score, a one yard JR TE Mike Berkowitz TD pass to push Hobart's lead to 27-0 just before halftime.  We probably won't know Conlan's status until Saturday's game.

The offensive fireworks would resume on the first play of the third quarter.  Webb took the first hand off from scrimmage and streaked 58 yards to the end zone for this third, and 20th rushing, TD.  The latter broke a long standing Statesmen record (hopefully someone in Geneva has nominated Webb for the Gagliardi Trophy by now).

Up 34-0 Head Coach Mike Cragg emptied the benches and although the reserves did allow a one yard BJ Flores TD, they held the Bison out of the end zone as time expired for a 34-7 victory.

Webb led Hobart with 161 rushing yards and three scores.  The defense was led by Coleman with a game high 10 tackles and three and a half for a loss.

Flores led all rushers with 176 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half.  Three Bison defenders tallied nine stops a piece.

The loss drops Gallaudet to 9-2 and ends what was otherwise a remarkable and historic season.  The win improves Hobart to 10-0 overall and the Statesmen will host 9-2 Saint John Fisher College, who upset OAC runner up John Carroll University 25-16, in the Second Round of the NCAAs next Saturday in Geneva.  Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!

NCAA RD 1 Gallaudet Game Preview

It’s playoff time and for the third year in a row, the Hobart College Statesmen have made it into the field of 32 teams vying for the National Championship.  Based on Sunday night’s NCAA Selections, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) landed the second seed in the bracket headed by third ranked University of Mary-Hardin Baylor (10-0, 6-0).  UMHB is a rising powerhouse program out of Belton, TX (about an hour away from Austin).  In order to punch a ticket to Belton, Hobart needs first to defeat the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Champion Gallaudet University Bison. 

Gallaudet (GU), out of Washington, DC, is another triple option team but is unique to collegiate sports in that GU is a school for the deaf / hard of hearing.  The Bison (9-1, 6-1) came up short in their bid to have an undefeated season after losing 7-6 to ECFC rival SUNY-Maritime (5-5, 5-2).  Although GU did defeat the University of Rochester (5-4, 3-3) by a similar margin (three TDs) of victory as the Statesmen, Hobart (9-0, 7-0) is considered a heavy favorite in this game. 

Scouting the Bison:

GU averages 366.5 YPG with 316.7 YPG rushing given their triple option offense.  The Bison has averages 27.8 PPG.  The key players for GU on offense include SO QB Todd Bonheyo who leads the Bison with 387 passing yards, two passing TDs to go with five INTs.  Bonheyo has rushed for 583 yards and seven scores.  Bonheyo was knocked out of the game in the second to final series against SUNY-Maritime (which was the primary reason the Bison went for two and the win), so it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to suit up vs. the Statesmen or not.  If he can’t go, either FY QB Chris Papacek or SO QB Quentin Williams will get the start.

The Bison feature a trio of rushers including SO FB BJ Flores (1051 rushing yards and four TDs), SR RB Ryan Bonheyo (Todd’s older brother who’s rushed for 497 rushing yards and nine TDs and 152 receiving yards with two TD catches) and SO RB Braxton Baker (241 rushing yards and six TDs).

Defensively GU has allowed 260.5 YPG and is tough against the run only allowing 100.5 rush YPG.  Their points allowed are a respectable 14.8 PPG.  The Bison are led on defense by a pair of JR LB’s including Gregg McConville and Jaris Alleyne.  This duo has tallied 85 tackles, three sacks, 11.5 TFL and 84 tackles, three sacks, eight and a half TFL, respectively.

The GU special teams unit is led by SO PK Chase Magsig who’s connected on five of eight FGs, including a long of 38 yards.  Magsig has converted 31 of 35 PATs and is also the punter, averaging 33.9 YPP with a long of 66 yards.

Keys to the Game:

1. Early and Often – Hobart’s had a couple of weeks of slow starts on offense.  Against Saint Lawrence (7-3, 5-2) the Statesmen’s first TD came at 3:23 to go in the first quarter.  Against Rochester it took even longer, at 13:52 to go in the second quarter. I’d like to see the Statesmen put the Bison on their heels early in the game as triple option offenses aren't that effective playing from behind.
2. Third Down – A key in their loss to SUNY-Maritime last weekend were the Bison’s struggles converting on third down.  The Privateer defense only allowed five out of 14 conversions and kept GU under 200 yards rushing.  Hobart’s rushing defense is considerably better, and given their familiarity defending against the option, should be able to pin down the Bison.
3. Wet and Wild – The forecast for Saturday’s game is a high of 39 degrees and 60% chance of rain.  That’s playoff weather, and the Statesmen need to avoid fumbles on offense while looking to create them on defense.

Prediction:

Occasionally first round playoff match ups feature blowouts.  In spite of all the national media love shown to GU, and deservedly so, I think the Bison's Cinderella run hits midnight at noon this Saturday.  Although Hobart will have its hands full in the second round, I think the Bison is a relatively easy out for the eighth ranked team in the country.  I’ll take Hobart to win this game 42-14 and advance to Sweet 16. 

Follow me on twitter @ITHuddLLe for score updates on Saturday and tune in Sunday night to www.inthehuddlle.com to hear about this game and the rest of the playoffs, at 7:30 PM ET.

Thanks for reading and go Bart!

20 Statesmen and Coaches Garner All League Recognition

Yesterday the Liberty League (LL) published their annual Football awards and the eighth ranked Hobart College Statesmen (9-0, 7-0) were well represented.  A link to the release can be found here.

Coach Cragg and his staff won the Coaches' Award and SR RB Steven Webb was an unanimous selection as Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY).  JR DE Tyre Coleman won a second Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award as well.

Overall, 20 players were recognized, earning 21 All LL team spots.  Here they are:

First Team Offense:
RB Steven Webb
RB Dominique Ellis
OL Michael Green
OL Ali Marpet

First Team Defense:
DL Tyre Coleman
DL Mark Guarino-Hyde
LB Trayvon Toney
LB Devin Worthington
DB Fajri Jackson

First Team Specialists:
RS Troy Robinson

Second Team Offense:
WR Troy Robinson
OL DeAndre Smith
OL Alex Bush

Second Team Defense:
DL Troy Johnson
DB Jolyon Davis

Second Team Specialists:
K Sean Kirsche

Honorable Mention Offense: 
TE Mike Berkowitz 
QB Patrick Conlan
OL Trevor Schutte 

Honorable Mention Defense: 
LB Nolan Toran 

Honorable Mention Specialists: 
P Yosh Karbowniczak

Congratulations to all these great Statesmen!

Tomorrow I'll publish my NCAA Game Preview.  Go 'Bart!