Does anyone know if there have been any FBS or FCS transfers into any of the LL teams? I feel like there are usually a few in any given offseason which I always find interesting. Curious if anyone is up to speed on this.

A bit of a discussion question for the group, would you all consider this a down year for the LL? Ithaca, RPI and Union all having relative down years and Hobart being bounced in the first round. Curious to hear everyone's thoughts!

Union 27 - St. Lawrence 13: SLU can be a tough place to play after some long travel. The score is closer than the game actually is

RPI 22 - Rochester 9: RPI defensive staff puts together a great game plan for the UR rushing attack and RPI wins ugly.

Mercyhurst 42 - Buffalo St 14: I don't know anything about Mercyhurst but if they are are a new FCS team this could be ugly... or not? I really have no idea but still too much for the Bengals.

Ithaca 21 - Hobart 10: Ithaca continues the domination over the Pumpkins and continue to reign supreme over the Finger Lakes. Ithaca defense forces a few turnovers and the offense rides JLO and J Williams to a gritty victory.

FYI - Ithaca has a much needed bye this week and travels to Milton to take on Curry on 9/28

Nothing quite like week 1 predictions season

Hopkins 27, Ithaca 17 - As much as this pains me I think with a bunch of new starters it is going to take the Bombers a little bit to get going. My guess is they are going to rely on the 1-2 punch of Osborne and Williams to carry the load. I know they have some young speedsters (sophomores I believe) so this will be good experience for them. I expect them to play well on defense but the experience of Hopkins help them pull through on Butterfield (turf = not my Butterfield)

Hobart 28 Alfred 10- I think IC said it perfectly with respect to these two teams

Utica 23 Union 24 - I think Union gets it done on the road. Despite some new starters I think coaching makes the difference here.

Rochester 21 Olivet 18 - truthfully I don't know anything about Olivet but Rochester controls the clock with their running game and plays tough defense to get their season off to a strong start.

La-Crosse 38 RPI 20 - I think RPI hangs tough in the first half but La-Crosse pulls away late behind a big midwestern offensive line. I do think RPI has a chance to put up more points than we think.

Endicott 35 St.Lawrence 14 - I think the long travel for Endicott makes them start slow and allows St. Lawrence to even have a slight lead at halftime. Endicott is a talented team and the experience from last year allows them to pull away in 2H

Brockport 42 Buff St 9 - Tough start for the Buffs but hopefully they show flashes of getting back to being competitive throughout the game

Quote from: IC798891 on September 03, 2024, 02:52:26 PMPredictions

Hopkins 31, Ithaca 14. Bombers hang tough, but inexperience in the back of the D and a new O-line prove too much to overcome

Hobart 23, Alfred 3. I am lower on the Statesmen than most (I think they are a half step below the other three contenders), but Alfred has really backslid as a program.

Utica 17, Union 14 Pioneers haven't been super dominant against LL teams, but I think home field tips the scales

Rochester 24, Olivet 20 Do we get the Daniel Papantonis that can look unstoppable like he did in 2022? Or do the injuries that took much of his 2023 season render him a good, if limited back? It's week 1, let's be optimistic

La-Crosse 35, RPI 13 Don't think RPI has the magical mystery dust up in Wisconson

Endicott 38, St. Lawrence 7 Sorry Saints, but Endicott does not get enough national love for their season last year, so I'm taking it out on you

Brockport 55, Buffalo State 3 I miss plucky Buff State, and wish for a safe return to that status eventually. But Brockport's got to get ready for Susquehanna in Week 2, so I don't expect the Bengals to get much quarter here

Does anyone have any insights into if there have been any D1,FC, or D2 transfers into any of the LL teams? Does anyone know if there is any interesting commits during this recruiting cycle?

From what I can see from the Bombers, it appears the JLO is back for a 5th year and should be the front runner for LL OPOY and a few returning OL and DL. As usual, Bombers will probably need to re-load in the defensive back 7 especially with the graduation of Slewka. However, IC always has a ton of depth at those positions so I feel ok about the defense. Hopefully on offense they can get back to attacking the field vertically in the passing game.

Quote from: IC798891 on December 07, 2023, 03:37:40 PM

Quote from: ICAlum16 on December 07, 2023, 12:12:41 PM

Quote from: IC798891 on December 07, 2023, 11:51:26 AM
Dan Swanstrom named the HC at Cornell

Let the games begin. I would not be surprised if Terp is gone to be his DC by Christmas. Again, I don't fault him for this at all. Excited for the Ithaca coaching search. I should note this is all speculation on my end and don't have any actual sources telling me anything about Ithaca.

I doubt this will be the case

Why don't you think this would be the case? I will lay out why I think it makes sense,

In Swanstrom's only stint as a head coach he picked Terp to be his DC. They now have history at two places and had a tremendous amount of success while working together at Ithaca. College coaching is all about who you know and having your guys. Swanstrom only knows Mike Terp as his defensive coordinator. Terp has continued to prove himself as a coach and is quite literally still in Ithaca, it requires no change of life for Mike and his family and it will absolutely be a step up in pay. He is right in Swanstrom's backyard. How many times have you seen coaches hop between jobs and bring their guys with them, it happens all the time. Reeder followed Swanstrom from Ithaca to Penn. Clearly they know how to work together and know the area and how to recruit kids to the area. I think it only makes sense. At this point and as I think about it, I would be more surprised if Terp doesn't leave than if he does.

Quote from: IC798891 on December 07, 2023, 11:51:26 AM
Dan Swanstrom named the HC at Cornell

Let the games begin. I would not be surprised if Terp is gone to be his DC by Christmas. Again, I don't fault him for this at all. Excited for the Ithaca coaching search. I should note this is all speculation on my end and don't have any actual sources telling me anything about Ithaca.

I think we are on the verge of a coaching search on the South Hill. Dan Swanstrom is going to take the Cornell HC job and with Bob Chesney to JMU, I think coach terp is going to be in demand else where. Nothing confirmed but the writing is on the wall.

I also would not blame him whatsoever if he decided to take a Cornell DC job or JMU DB/LB job. Keep your eyes and ears open over the next few weeks.

I think this day in age everyone should just assume that their coach is going to jump at the next best opportunity especially when you are a young up and coming coach on the D3 level. I think the days of guys like Coach Welch and Vosburgh from SJF and Audino are over. It is unfortunate that we should all get accustom to seeing new faces but it is the state of college football in 2023.

I am now expecting and waiting for the day Coach Terp makes the jump for a DC or HC job in a higher division sometime in the next few years and that is OK. I think if anything, it is a testament to the quality of all the programs in the LL that higher level schools feel comfortable taking a "chance" on a D3 coach.

I would love to see one of my former coaches and current Willams DC, Mark McDonough, get a chance. He is an awesome coach that was a finalist for the IC job back when Swanstrom was hired and is an incredible defensive coach, motivator and recruiter. He is familiar with the area, the schools and the conference and I think is someone that would be in it for the long haul.

I know I have been absent from the boards from the past few weeks so im late but seeing Cortland with a chance at going to the natty just does not sit right with me. They obviously have a great team, especially on offense, and just got a great draw of games but as a life long IC fan, seeing them have their best season in school history makes me unwell.

Lastly, how do you all follow the LL recruiting circus? I usually just see RTs on Twitter so curious if there is a better source of news. Anyway, hope you all are having a good holiday season!

Quote from: IC798891 on November 27, 2023, 09:30:23 AM
Ithaca ran into a buzzsaw. No9t much to say about that game.

But look, if you'd told me before the season that:

Ithaca's leading rusher from last year would only play two games
Ithaca's QB1 would miss the second half of the season
Ithaca's leading returning receiver from 2022 would only catch 11 passes

There is no planet on which I'd assume they won the LL, let alone a road playoff game.

Everything really hinges on who is coming back for IC next year.

Sam Kline, the leading receiver, has another year of eligibility, as does Jalen Leonard Osborne. Jake Williams should have an injury redshirt if he wants. That's some solid skill players to put around a young QB. Especially important as the defense loses its two best players, Slywka and Stola

That was tough to watch. Just like last year against NCC we were completely outmatched upfront on both sides of the ball which is a bit discouraging but I suppose that is the way the cookie crumbles. It is frustrating that it appears the ceiling for any LL or E8 team in the playoffs is the quarterfinals because of the distribution of talent across all the different schools.

Heading into next year they need to let Schumm air it out more, we became a little too one dimensional this year. I would not be surprised to see at least one of JLO or Jake Williams back next year. Especially since JLO also runs track maybe that is enough to entice him to use his fifth year.

Regardless, congrats to IC on a great season they faced a lot of adversity and showed that when the going gets tough, the Bombers get going. Also, congrats to Union on what I believe is their beast season in the last 15 years or so. Excited for the rest of the D3 playoffs and to see how Cortland does!

Quote from: IC798891 on November 21, 2023, 01:37:15 PM

Quote from: ICAlum16 on November 21, 2023, 11:38:48 AM

Quote from: IC798891 on November 21, 2023, 11:25:50 AM
One of my friends described that IC-Wesley games thusly:

"Bombers bow out with dignity against a better team"

It really sums that up well. The Bombers weren't blown out, but they didn't leave a winnable game on the field. They made some nice plays, hung with Wesley, but just didn't have the talent.

Agree there and we had two KORs inside the Wes 20 and left with maybe 3 points. That was our big struggle in those years final Welch years, we struggled to finish in the redzone because of what he wanted to run. We had an elite defense and some underrated playmakers on offense but our scheme offensively was too predictable and better suited for the late 90s and early 2000s. We also even almost had one last chance but the onside kick went right through the hand of one of our LBs.

This current Bomber team has a lot of similarities to that 2013 team.

The 2013/14 teams were really good examples of the limits of Welch's teams at that point. He just wasn't able to get anything out of the offense. Due to scheme and (sorry Alum) a very limited offensive line.

Mike always kind of adapted things based on his OC. Those last years, they just ran an outdated offensive style, which was made worse because Mike was inherently conservative

None taken, as I have gotten older I have come to terms with the fact that I was maybe an above average player but I am proud that I was able to be a starter and contributor for a program like Ithaca. I will say I do think our best OL was in 2013. You can only run power out of so many different formations before defense knows it's coming.

I know for a fact that QBs were chastised in QB meetings by Welch if they decided to push the ball vertically downfield instead of going to the check down receiver.

I could write a book about my time there and all that went in durin the last year's of Welch.

Quote from: IC798891 on November 21, 2023, 11:25:50 AM
One of my friends described that IC-Wesley games thusly:

"Bombers bow out with dignity against a better team"

It really sums that up well. The Bombers weren't blown out, but they didn't leave a winnable game on the field. They made some nice plays, hung with Wesley, but just didn't have the talent.

Agree there and we had two KORs inside the Wes 20 and left with maybe 3 points. That was our big struggle in those years final Welch years, we struggled to finish in the redzone because of what he wanted to run. We had an elite defense and some underrated playmakers on offense but our scheme offensively was too predictable and better suited for the late 90s and early 2000s. We also even almost had one last chance but the onside kick went right through the hand of one of our LBs.

This current Bomber team has a lot of similarities to that 2013 team.

Has anyone watched RM play at all? What is their MO? They seem to be expolsive on offense and similar to Cortland in many regards. Despite the long travel, I love how this team is battled tested on long road trips. Coach Terp has done a great job getting the boys ready to play on the road. I am sure it is going to be a tough match up and obviously Union has a tough game against Hopkins but, I think there is a realistic chance that the LL road dawgs can come out on top. Excited for a fresh opponent.

As far as some quick analysis from last Saturday, I think it was clear that once Ithaca got on the board twice early it was over. They moved to a more conservative game plan offensively and defensively they were ready to attack the run. I am sure the coaches let them know that after letting up 220+ on the ground to Cortland that would not be acceptable.

Schumm has a powerful arm and is going to be a great downfield passer throughout his career. I want to see IC take shots down the field to #9 Julian Deumaga. I think he is an incredibly talented, big bodied and sure handed receiver that over the last two seasons I have been clamoring for more touches. We are going to need to fight fire with fire this week.

I would also like to say that being able to play on Thanksgiving week is a very special week for the teams. I was fortunate enough to be on the 2013 Ithaca playoff roster when we went and lost a hard fought game to Wesley (23-15, I believe was the final). It is such a fun week to be with your coaches and teammates. You don't have school, you just get to focus on getting great practices, film and lifting in and then soak in the time with your teammates. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that some of the best memories I have are living in a hotel for a week because the IC dorms were closed and just the funny moments that come with that type of togetherness. Regardless of what happens, this is what playing D3 ball is all about. I hope this entire week, every practice, every film, their team Thanksgiving meal, and all the off the field time together is cherished. There is truly nothing like this and makes it all worth it. Go Bombers!

Picks picks picks... one last time it has been a great season everyone!

SLU 31 Buff St 37 - points galore, bengals finish the season on a high

Hobart 34 Rochester 21 - I think this game will be closer than this score indicates. Much like UR against IC, I can see a very close first half with Rochester leading for portions of it. I think as the game goes on the depth and talent of Hobart pulls through. A good season for both teams, Hobart rolls into the ECAC and Rochester rolls into the off season ready to upset one of the top four next season

RPI 29 Union 27 - Those shoes always delivers. The last few years have been excellent games and maybe none crazier than the 2021 version of the game. I know there are questions about the RPI QB situation but there is just something inside of me that thinks in this game RPI is going to find a way to win. I think there defense will come up with a big turnover in the first half that halts a Union scoring drive and another one late that gives them a chance to win the game. This game is going to say a lot about what the next few years of Union football looks like.

Finally the grand daddy of them all...

IC 23 Cortalnd 14 - Another year another IC victory. I think IC will come ready with a defensive game plan much like laster and make Boyes beat them with his legs instead of his arm. Offensively, I think they are going to run run run the ball and keep the Cortland offense off the field. Jalen Leonard Osborne has been playing like an All American this year and I think that continues with a monster game from him. This is going to be IC being tougher and more physical than Cortland. There will be big plays made by the Red Dragons no doubt but it will be IC to bend but not break, weather the storm and force turnovers. The Bombers cap off a 9-1 season, home playoff game, and the party on the South Hill Saturday night will be epic. See everyone at Moonies!!!!