I'm Ok with the agreement with E8. On the other hand,no disrespect, but no way Hilbert is a LL team. I've been hoping that RIT would rekindle their football program, maybe Tom Coughlin could give them a couple of years to get started.

Quote from: Bartman on June 20, 2024, 10:51:52 PMI'm Ok with the agreement with E8. On the other hand,no disrespect, but no way Hilbert is a LL team. I've been hoping that RIT would rekindle their football program, maybe Tom Coughlin could give them a couple of years to get started.

I don't understand adding Hilbert at all.  We don't need another team for an AQ, so everyone has basically replaced an OOC game with a perennial 1-9 kind of team.  There's no reason to think Hilbert is going to invest the resources to be competitive - starting a football program was 100% about filling as many beds as possible in the face of the coming enrollment cliff.  As a school, they have even less in common with the core LL schools than Buff St. (which I also never understand, but at least that was for the purpose of keeping our AQ).  96% acceptance rate, 50% graduation rate, 800 students.  I'm not trying to be elitist here - the college ecosystem needs all kinds of schools, and they each serve an important purpose - but it just has nothing at all in common with the other LL schools.  Don't get it at all.

The fact that it was announced along with the scheduling agreement makes me think that was part of a package deal - E8 would agree only if the LL took Hilbert off its hands to even the number of schools and the strength of the conferences.  If so, that's a terrible deal for the LL.  Anyone know the real deal here?

Quote from: IC798891 on June 20, 2024, 01:51:08 PM

Quote from: Caz Bombers on June 20, 2024, 11:32:56 AMThis sucks! Thanks, I hate it!

https://twitter.com/LLAthletics/status/1803806594662096991?t=UAr47ZlVP3yKTijcyWVY1Q&s=19

Agreed completely. In fairness, the agreement impacts Ithaca less than everyone else, since the Bombers play Cortland regardless. But I hate schedules that are the same year after year with little variety. And I like seeing teams from other areas of the country

So this means one of the LL teams (and E8 teams) will either have a cross game in week 11 against each other or have their other OCC game during that week?  Not a huge deal I guess to work out. 

I've said for 20+ years on here that Ithaca has never seemed to have any difficulty filling non league games.  I have heard that some schools have though for whatever reason.  I'm guessing that sediment is the reason that the LL and E8 is doing this.  I also don't know if there are some schools with limited budgets that don't want to go to Maryland or VA or even Massachusetts every year for a non league game (even though I like that too). 

In the end not a huge deal but this could also impact OCC ranking for the playoffs as well. 

Quote from: Jonny Utah on June 23, 2024, 03:54:03 PMI've said for 20+ years on here that Ithaca has never seemed to have any difficulty filling non league games. 

I suspect that Ithaca's more recent past as an independent has a lot to do with it, as they not only established rivalries that wound up being non-conference (Cortland, Alfred) but just got the powers that be comfortable with the idea of scheduling teams in certain recruiting areas like New England — the Bombers played Springfield every year for like, three decades — and PA

Quote from: IC798891 on June 24, 2024, 09:29:41 AM

Quote from: Jonny Utah on June 23, 2024, 03:54:03 PMI've said for 20+ years on here that Ithaca has never seemed to have any difficulty filling non league games. 

I suspect that Ithaca's more recent past as an independent has a lot to do with it, as they not only established rivalries that wound up being non-conference (Cortland, Alfred) but just got the powers that be comfortable with the idea of scheduling teams in certain recruiting areas like New England — the Bombers played Springfield every year for like, three decades — and PA

Right, I also think d2 school seem less likely these days to schedule d3 opponents, at least in the northeast. 

Following up on this from Unionpalozza...

"Union lost four guys to transfer at the end of 2022 - freshman WR Nick Dunneman went to be an impact WR at Georgetown, two starting DBs went to D2/FCS places (neither saw the field much at all), and a backup WR went to a D2 school and finished the year with 7 catches.  Dunneman was a real loss (and a smart move for him), but I think the others were more about school/team fit, such that their transfer was probably best for everyone. This year, Union is a net winner in the transfer stakes, losing no one and gaining an impact player on offense.  (Jimaar Edwards and Dionis Polanco both transferred out, but they are both graduating and looking for a place to play for another year while getting another degree; Union has no graduate programs.)"

The Union Garnet Chargers under new HC Jon Drach will have 4 players coming back for their 5th year. RB Michael Fiore, LB Cole DeSilva, Safety Nate Sullivan and DL Ethan VanderBrink. All four are all Liberty League selections...VanderBrink and DeSilva are key for the defense since the Garnet lost most of their front seven to graduation. Without graduate programs at Union these young men had to rework their academic schedules including delaying some classes until the fall trimester in order to stay enrolled and eligible under Covid rules. That's loyalty to their teammates and the program.

On offense Union will have fellow 1000 yard rusher Jonathan Anderson to team with Fiore. Patch Flanagan has the inside track to being the next QB and a slew of young WR's with experience are headed by Robbie Tolbert. The O-Line will once again be a strength with All American LT Matt McCorkle joined by 3 other 2023 starters. Flanagan has shown that he can move the ball through the air and the ground game should be second to none so it could be another strong year.   

Union's schedule helps them, I feel like. They have a tough OOC, but they don't get to a tough conference game until 7 weeks and a bye. The OOC will be what it is, but they should be 2-0 in LL play regardless. If Flanagan can come along enough to prevent teams from keying on their excellent running game, they will be tough. (I mean, they're going to be tough regardless, but they'll be tougher)

As reported by unionpalozza three weeks ago Union DL Dionis Polanco has transferred to the University of Rochester to play his 5th year. Polanco's career at Union has been a good one even though he played behind some stalwarts. In 26 total games over 3 years he's had  37 tackles with 1.5 sacks mostly at noseguard. Ironically Union could have used him this season but he graduated and moved on. It will be interesting to see him play when the Yellowjackets visit Schenectady on November 9th. Good luck to Dionis. 

I found nothing so far on Jimaar Edwards.

Quote from: UfanBill on July 03, 2024, 09:31:29 PMAs reported by unionpalozza three weeks ago Union DL Dionis Polanco has transferred to the University of Rochester to play his 5th year. Polanco's career at Union has been a good one even though he played behind some stalwarts. In 26 total games over 3 years he's had  37 tackles with 1.5 sacks mostly at noseguard. Ironically Union could have used him this season but he graduated and moved on. It will be interesting to see him play when the Yellowjackets visit Schenectady on November 9th. Good luck to Dionis. 

I found nothing so far on Jimaar Edwards.

Jimaar will be playing and getting a graduate degree at D2 Lock Haven.

Dionis will be missed. A great, selfless player.  Switched from O to D line when Jimaar was gone for a year, then played behind him when he came back, providing key depth. Would have been a multiyear starter on o line, or at most other schools at nose.   

Don't know where you're all located in the state, but stay safe in this weather and don't be a hero. You can take that trip to the store tomorrow, and work aint that important.

Wow, just saw that Muhlenberg DC Kory David is moving to take the DC job at Eastern.  Huge get for them, and seems like they are serious about building a program.  Total head scratcher, though.  Seems to me that he would have been a strong HC candidate for a D3 program in the northeast.

In other news, what do folks know about what Ithaca, Hobart, and RPI are bringing back this fall? As I think a few of us have mentioned here, Union will bring back both its thousand-yard rushers, 3/5 starting OL, most of its WRs, but will start a new QB; on defense, only 2 of last year's starting front seven will return, as will the entire secondary.  Kicker returns but someone new will punt.

Quote from: IC798891 on July 10, 2024, 01:55:01 PMDon't know where you're all located in the state, but stay safe in this weather and don't be a hero. You can take that trip to the store tomorrow, and work aint that important.

More tornado warnings in Geneva today

Hobart returns 5 starters on Offense and 5 starters on Defense. The good news is that the LB core have all been starters, with 3 of 4 of the top tacklers from 2023. The bad news is we lost our defensive Line starters and only have one DB returning.The coaching staff has always done a good job retooling , but we will need 4-5 games to get things right. The offense also has 5 starters returning , including 4 of 5 on the OL and the QB. We lost 2 of our best RBs but EJ Taylor proved to be a stud last year as a Freshman and I think we have depth coming in on the recruit side. We were devastated by two portal transfers on the WR side, but hopefully we can find some diamonds in the rough. Colombi is a mobil QB and he may need to add more run/option plays to the offense. Our kicker /punter is excellent and returns. Hobart's goal is always to win the LL Title, but the coaches will be earning their salaries this season to fill the gaps to reach this goal. Ithaca and Union will be home games this year.

I did not realize Hobart lost essentially all their skill player production. I knew about RB1 and RB2 graduating obviously (It had to happen one of these decades). Did not realize that the pass catchers were also losing so much.

But! There are worse places to be in than returning nearly your entire offensive line and your QB. A strong line levels up RBs. And Colombi has been in the system for a few years. QBs can take leaps late in careers. Tyler Johnson of Alfred went supernova as a senior and hung like 500 yards and 6 TDs on Mount Union in the playoffs. Maybe Colombi gets comfortable behind that line and E.J Taylor is the next excellent Hobart RB and they can surprise people.

I think they might not be at the level we have seen them in the past few years — few teams who graduate that much talent can be — but still good enough to be the sort of "feisty team you don't want to play on the road"

I'm guessing Hobart has a massive offensive identity change this year.  Not sure how to describe it, but they almost hampered themselves trying to get the ball to their two RBs the past few years.  I get it that you have to get the ball to your playmakers but when both playmakers play RB you limit a lot of other things.