Would make sense. He was the starting safety for three years, and captain last year. Kid can ball for sure.
Not going to lie, starting to get jacked for Wesleyan football this year. They have a very solid returning squad and with the recruiting depth...they could make a run for sure.

Quote from: NescacNewbie on May 07, 2024, 07:41:05 PMWould make sense. He was the starting safety for three years, and captain last year. Kid can ball for sure.
Not going to lie, starting to get jacked for Wesleyan football this year. They have a very solid returning squad and with the recruiting depth...they could make a run for sure.

Is it that time already? Usually the Wes hype doesn't start until about July. More of the same out of the Cards this year. They just cannot get over the hump. Might be time for a uBates esque rebuild if they want to compete for a title any time soon...

It is a slow news-cycle time of the year so starting early with the Wes push. Never too early to start the Williams hype though....can they contend this year?

Williams is a an enigma every year. Could there championship run be attributed to having a team stacked with 5 years. A arguement could be made for this. They consistently try and just get big bodies up front on both sides of the line and ground and pound the rock without consideration for talent. I suppose these determinations are mainly based on the player having the academics to pass admissions. However they always seem to lack at the skilled position in recruitment. I know I have bashed them in the past for the crazy amount of QB they recruit and then attempt to shift them out of positions when they have too many. I believe the problem with Williams is recruiting and Coaching. I get it they have great RB when healthy but have not had a great RB in awhile. I would say ever since Coach Blu left the offense has been predictable. I will grant you this is because of injuries and personal but ultimately that falls on recruiting and Coaching. I have also heard some rumblings that the football environment and culture has significantly changed on campus. The feeling is that the student body does not have the same spirit towards football as the past. Again if anyone has better insight please share but from conversations have had with past players these are there sentiments. The football team really is there own entity separate from student body or viewed that way.

5/8/24: TOP THREE RETURNING POSITION GROUPS 2024
QBs: Tufts, Wesleyan, Trinity
WRs: Wesleyan, Middlebury, Trinity
RBs: Trinity, Tufts, Williams or Per Lonestar 12: Tufts, Trinity, Williams
TEs: Bates, Williams, Trinity
OL: Middlebury, Trinity, Williams
DL: Middlebury, Wesleyan, Williams
LBs: Wesleyan, Colby, Williams
CBs: Middlebury, Wesleyan, Tufts
Safeties: Amherst, Trinity, Wesleyan
Kicker: Trinity, Williams, Middlebury
Punter:  Hamilton, 

The biggest issue for Williams the past few years has been QB play (and to a lesser but also important extent, WR play).  They've had more than their share of major injuries, and you can point to coaching or schemes or recruiting or whatever else, but in the end, when Williams had an ace QB playing at any point over the last six years, they had a tremendous overall record.  When they didn't, it was mostly pretty ugly.

I think the Ephs' front seven on D will be stellar, loaded with veterans, including a few stars, and deep.  The pass rush in particular should be very tough.  The secondary was riddled with injuries last year and struggled in a major way, but hopefully will benefit from so many returning guys who got a shot as young players.  The Ephs really need to tighten up coverage and make more plays on the ball.  The offensive line will miss Freeman and is thin, but if it stays healthy it's a strong unit.  TB corps should be pretty loaded.  That's all enough, with decent injury luck, to get Williams into the 4-6 win group I think.

But to get to 7 wins or more, the passing game just has to get a lot more efficient than it has been for the past few seasons.  There are a lot of young guys at WR, TE and QB who simply need to step up in a major way.  And really there is no way to predict if that will happen until we see a few games in the fall. 

FORECAST 2024 (best case to worse case)
Trinity (9-0 to 6-3)
Middlebury (9-0 to 5-4)
Tufts (8-1 to 5-4)
Wesleyan (8-1 to 5-4)
Williams (7-2 to 4-5)
Bowdoin (6-3 to 3-6)
Amherst (6-3 to 3-6)
Colby (6-3 to 2-7)
Hamilton (5-4 to 2-7)
Bates (4-5 to 0-9)

My standings:
Trinity
Tufts
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Colby
Bates

Quote from: NescacNewbie on May 08, 2024, 05:36:48 PMMy standings:
Trinity
Tufts
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Colby
Bates

At what point do we accept that bates colby bowdoin and Hamilton will never be able to compete for a championship. One will will always pull off a fluke win against tufts (the Civetti special)but they just don't have the talent to compete week in and week out

Quote from: NESCACFball24/7 on May 09, 2024, 11:18:30 AM

Quote from: NescacNewbie on May 08, 2024, 05:36:48 PMMy standings:
Trinity
Tufts
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Colby
Bates

At what point do we accept that bates colby bowdoin and Hamilton will never be able to compete for a championship. One will will always pull off a fluke win against tufts (the Civetti special)but they just don't have the talent to compete week in and week out

Does that really matter as long as they educate their students?  There are other sports besides football.

Those schools are definitely location challenged. I think of the 4, Colby should be the first to rise with the combination of the world-class facilities, administrative commitment to Athletics and a supportive campus. With their AD, he will hire a new HC that will blow everyone's mind.
Bowdoin is on a roll, but Coach Hammer will be bailing soon if he can get a winning record. The support by his administration waffles as the wind changes direction.
Bates will be on the uptick this season. Very impressed with his younger talent. Long term potential will be tough to sustain. Lewiston/Auburn is not a fun/nice place.
Hamilton is the wildcard. Coaching moves and increased support should yield results. And...they beat Tufts even with a stud RB. 😂

Gray Fox, I hear you, all the schools do a great job developing young men and delivering degrees. But why do we keep score if it doesn't matter? Winning is fun and losing sucks.

Quote from: Gray Fox on May 09, 2024, 05:00:17 PM

Quote from: NESCACFball24/7 on May 09, 2024, 11:18:30 AM

Quote from: NescacNewbie on May 08, 2024, 05:36:48 PMMy standings:
Trinity
Tufts
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Colby
Bates

At what point do we accept that bates colby bowdoin and Hamilton will never be able to compete for a championship. One will will always pull off a fluke win against tufts (the Civetti special)but they just don't have the talent to compete week in and week out

Does that really matter as long as they educate their students?  There are other sports besides football.

Gray Fox-

This is a football board and it reflects a passion for NESCAC Football. The coaches, athletes and others heard here expend a great amount of energy and passion on the their chosen sport. Accept it or not but athletics and Football are a significant part of the educational experience at the NESCAC schools.
The idea is to embrace all experiences where you strive for excellence in every facet of the endeavor as a key part of the overall educational experience- and that includes Football.
What kind of job would the NESCAC schools do if they designate any sport, activity or  department as being unimportant in educating their students- that defies the whole concept on which these schools stand.

Quote from: lumbercat on May 09, 2024, 09:17:03 PM

Quote from: Gray Fox on May 09, 2024, 05:00:17 PM

Quote from: NESCACFball24/7 on May 09, 2024, 11:18:30 AM

Quote from: NescacNewbie on May 08, 2024, 05:36:48 PMMy standings:
Trinity
Tufts
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Hamilton
Colby
Bates

At what point do we accept that bates colby bowdoin and Hamilton will never be able to compete for a championship. One will will always pull off a fluke win against tufts (the Civetti special)but they just don't have the talent to compete week in and week out

Does that really matter as long as they educate their students?  There are other sports besides football.

Gray Fox-

This is a football board and it reflects a passion for NESCAC Football. The coaches, athletes and others heard here expend a great amount of energy and passion on the their chosen sport. Accept it or not but athletics and Football are a significant part of the educational experience at the NESCAC schools.
The idea is to embrace all experiences where you strive for excellence in every facet of the endeavor as a key part of the overall educational experience- and that includes Football.
What kind of job would the NESCAC schools do if they designate any sport, activity or  department as being unimportant in educating their students- that defies the whole concept on which these schools stand.

I guess you put me in my place.

THERE WILL BE A RECKONING AMHERST FOOTBALL WILL GO 8-1. With a 50-0 loss to Trinity of course