Quote from: mhoncho123 on October 21, 2024, 11:59:37 AM

Quote from: Charlie on October 20, 2024, 08:50:50 PMTrinity / Middlebury

Middlebury for the last two years have completely out coached Trinity. Middlebury ran a very simple concept Cover two don't allow long pass plays and force Trinity to move the ball and the chains and eventually they become impatient and throw into coverage. This is exactly what happened the last two years. Trinity was able to move the ball on the ground and complete short passes. They became imnpatient in oppostions end and instead of either running the ball or throwing short went for the homerun ball. In another instance they were running effectively and insidee oppoenets end decided on throwing and QB was strip sacked. The Trinity OC just looses it in preasure games I think and makes some serios head scratching calls. A few times they could have put this game out of reach in opponents end but kept Middlebury in the game. I will say Middlebury DL really played well rushing three Dl and an occasional blitzer and Trinity looked uneasy all day. Middlebury defense did an outstanding job and Trinity while having the game in hand just made terrible offensive adjustments instead of staying with what was working.

Charlie,

Very good insight here. And I think you're spot on Charles. Eliminate the big plays and make them snap the ball again. For the 2023 season, the Panthers yielded 3,133 yards of offense, good for 3rd worst in the league. However, they only gave up 15 TDs (fewest in the league). The Wesleyan game this year shifts the average for the Panthers defense, but the idea is still fairly the same. Other members on this board were extremely fixated on the yardage the Panthers defense had given up this year. This is an extremely short sighted approach because yardage doesn't win football games, points do.

I think you also touched on the difference between Trinity's current QB #15 and their former QB #1. Many more higher percentage and shorter passes this year than last, shown by #15s TD-INT ratio. Very few downfield shots and long passes, because that isn't #15's strength. This is also why you see more production out of Trinity's slot receiver #11 than #82. I do agree that the Trinity offense became impatient at times, but I think it had more to do with the Trinity offense just not being good enough to drive down the field on the Panthers. No disrespect to Trinity here, but it doesn't matter who you are, it is extremely hard for an offense to put together a 15-20 play drive without messing up once.

Obviously, I think this was no surprise to anyone who had seen the film and had done a statistical deep dive. It was great to be able to make the trip to Vermont this weekend and catch this game. Unfortunately, I have to meet with some government environmental agency this weekend over an allegation relating to me improperly disposing motor oil in my neighbors yard (completely false) and me conducting a prescribed burn on my neighbors oak tree (mostly false). That's all I can share at the moment.

- Honcho, NESCAC Legend

Honcho is truly an Al Davis clone- may even be related.
Hope Al is on the outside these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QVvpdZzwKY
Midd Vid

I agree with Brady12 on Williams needing to be a bit more aggressive especially in closing out games.  The Ephs seem content to try to grind down the clock in the fourth quarter especially, with a very risk-averse approach.  I realize that McHugh will make some dangerous throws into traffic when turned loose, but he's also made plenty of big completions down the field and if the defense can crowd the line of scrimmage it's very hard to put the game away on the ground, especially considering that the Eph offense seems to be good for one holding penalty, false start, bad snap or other procedure penalty on many of these drives, making three yards and a cloud of dust even more difficult to pull off. 

It's one thing if the Eph defense is a lock to shut down an opposing offense, but the Ephs are very susceptible to a hurry-up passing type attack in the best of situations, and you never want to have the ball in the opposing offense's hands with a chance to tie or win the game with all four downs to use because they are in the two minute drill, the advantage is always with the offense there.  Williams put Midd, Colby and Bates in that position -- Midd came back to tie the game, Bates had a dropped easy reception on a fourth down play to keep what could have been a winning drive alive, and Colby drove the ball all the way down the field before throwing an interception in the end zone. And Bates and Colby were games that Williams had really seemed in control of until very late in the game. 

With two rivalry games plus a game against a still-explosive Tufts offense, I'd love to see the Ephs, while not changing their character entirely as a run-first team, mix it up a bit more on offense the way they were doing effectively earlier in the season before they got gun-shy. 

Quote from: Charlie on October 21, 2024, 01:08:10 PMI don't agree with your stance that Trinity did not throw deep they did and not effectively at all. They drove down to Middlebury's 30 yard line mixing run and quick short pass to negate Middlebury's pass rush.

Quote from: Charlie link=msg=
quote author=Charlie link=msg=2117335 date=1729530490]

Charles,

Please re read my statement. No where did I claim Trinity didn't take downfield shots in the Middlebury game. Please do your due diligence before slandering me on this board.

- Honcho, NESCAC Legend

Has anyone every witnessed a better kicker in the NESCAC than Ephs kicker Ivan Shuran? Certainly the best currently. Dude nailed a 47 yard field goal this week, which would've been good from 50+.

Shuran is a sure thing!  See what I did there.  Based on stats appears to be a couple other good kickers out there as well. Great to have such a weapon, but wish all his kicks were extra points. 

Quote from: mhoncho123 on October 21, 2024, 04:03:47 PM

Quote from: Charlie on October 21, 2024, 01:08:10 PMI don't agree with your stance that Trinity did not throw deep they did and not effectively at all. They drove down to Middlebury's 30 yard line mixing run and quick short pass to negate Middlebury's pass rush.

Quote from: Charlie link=msg=
quote author=Charlie link=msg=2117335 date=1729530490]

Charles,

Please re read my statement. No where did I claim Trinity didn't take downfield shots in the Middlebury game. Please do your due diligence before slandering me on this board.

- Honcho, NESCAC Legend

I was merely stating that Trinity did try and throw long. All I said was I disagree nothing disparaging.

Quote from: lumbercat on October 21, 2024, 01:29:51 PM

Quote from: mhoncho123 on October 21, 2024, 11:59:37 AM

Quote from: Charlie on October 20, 2024, 08:50:50 PMTrinity / Middlebury

Middlebury for the last two years have completely out coached Trinity. Middlebury ran a very simple concept Cover two don't allow long pass plays and force Trinity to move the ball and the chains and eventually they become impatient and throw into coverage. This is exactly what happened the last two years. Trinity was able to move the ball on the ground and complete short passes. They became imnpatient in oppostions end and instead of either running the ball or throwing short went for the homerun ball. In another instance they were running effectively and insidee oppoenets end decided on throwing and QB was strip sacked. The Trinity OC just looses it in preasure games I think and makes some serios head scratching calls. A few times they could have put this game out of reach in opponents end but kept Middlebury in the game. I will say Middlebury DL really played well rushing three Dl and an occasional blitzer and Trinity looked uneasy all day. Middlebury defense did an outstanding job and Trinity while having the game in hand just made terrible offensive adjustments instead of staying with what was working.

Charlie,

Very good insight here. And I think you're spot on Charles. Eliminate the big plays and make them snap the ball again. For the 2023 season, the Panthers yielded 3,133 yards of offense, good for 3rd worst in the league. However, they only gave up 15 TDs (fewest in the league). The Wesleyan game this year shifts the average for the Panthers defense, but the idea is still fairly the same. Other members on this board were extremely fixated on the yardage the Panthers defense had given up this year. This is an extremely short sighted approach because yardage doesn't win football games, points do.

I think you also touched on the difference between Trinity's current QB #15 and their former QB #1. Many more higher percentage and shorter passes this year than last, shown by #15s TD-INT ratio. Very few downfield shots and long passes, because that isn't #15's strength. This is also why you see more production out of Trinity's slot receiver #11 than #82. I do agree that the Trinity offense became impatient at times, but I think it had more to do with the Trinity offense just not being good enough to drive down the field on the Panthers. No disrespect to Trinity here, but it doesn't matter who you are, it is extremely hard for an offense to put together a 15-20 play drive without messing up once.

Obviously, I think this was no surprise to anyone who had seen the film and had done a statistical deep dive. It was great to be able to make the trip to Vermont this weekend and catch this game. Unfortunately, I have to meet with some government environmental agency this weekend over an allegation relating to me improperly disposing motor oil in my neighbors yard (completely false) and me conducting a prescribed burn on my neighbors oak tree (mostly false). That's all I can share at the moment.

- Honcho, NESCAC Legend

Honcho is truly an Al Davis clone- may even be related.
Hope Al is on the outside these days.

From what we understand, Al is "out" Lumber (and we have may have found him)..although he may be wearing an ankle bracelet these days.

Between Charlie and the JV Legend, we haven't been this excited about the Boards since Al and Frank Ubile were last seen in these parts...

Quote from: Ephsfan1 on October 21, 2024, 05:16:09 PMHas anyone every witnessed a better kicker in the NESCAC than Ephs kicker Ivan Shuran? Certainly the best currently. Dude nailed a 47 yard field goal this week, which would've been good from 50+.

Stephen Hauschka??

The Message Board,

As I expressed concern about in the previous week, in what has become a trend this year, #82 for Trinity put together another disappointing performance (5 rec, 46 yards). #82's 2023 season was one of the better in recent 'CAC history. But in no way do I believe his name deserves to in the conversation of greatest 'CAC receivers of all time like Driscoll, Lutz, Breulur, Jamin, etc. #82 now sits at 341 yards and 3 TDs through 6 games. Hard to imagine members of this board heralded him as "the greatest NESCAC receiver of all time". Honestly, a pretty bizarre claim. At best I give #82 a Ladd McConkey comparison and a Christian Dremel on the low end. Very obvious one season wonder.

- Honcho, NESCAC Legend

The quality of the officials in the NESCAC is somewhat better this year. The glaring exceptions were the blatant missed calls in the Wesleyan Bowdoin game.  The video shows that Poy's return of the fumble was called a incomplete pass when the throw in question was clearly a lateral.  The SEC has the best refs in the country and the number 1 squad missed the interference call in the Texas Georgia game. Thank goodness the call was reversed.  Unfortunately, the NFL refs who had the experience to make calls have retired and the idiots in strips are so reliant on replays and calls from NFL headquarters, they can't make a call 5 feet in front of their faces.  The NESCAC refs on Saturday don't have replay or common sense, and the blew the fumble call by a mile.  These refs need to be better trained.  All the players in the NESCAC deserve to have their games called fairly and professionally.  That clearly did not happen on Saturday.

Quote from: VoodooDoc on October 21, 2024, 10:19:58 PMThe quality of the officials in the NESCAC is somewhat better this year. The glaring exceptions were the blatant missed calls in the Wesleyan Bowdoin game.  The video shows that Poy's return of the fumble was called a incomplete pass when the throw in question was clearly a lateral.  The SEC has the best refs in the country and the number 1 squad missed the interference call in the Texas Georgia game. Thank goodness the call was reversed.  Unfortunately, the NFL refs who had the experience to make calls have retired and the idiots in strips are so reliant on replays and calls from NFL headquarters, they can't make a call 5 feet in front of their faces.  The NESCAC refs on Saturday don't have replay or common sense, and the blew the fumble call by a mile.  These refs need to be better trained.  All the players in the NESCAC deserve to have their games called fairly and professionally.  That clearly did not happen on Saturday.

We were at the game in Brunswick on Saturday. Voodoo, you mentioned "missed calls" in your Post using the plural form of the word "call", yet you only mentioned one "call" that you thought the officials missed. What were the other "calls"?

As far as the "call" in question, we were standing right on the line where the play happened and it looked like a forward pass to us. Yes, we root for the Cards, but we call it like it is. Similar play when Wes played at Hamilton this year. The refs called that a backward pass (plus the Wes defender was down by contact) and that ended up being the deciding TD for the Cards. Now that was a bad call.

We give the Polars credit for playing hard. Their defense gave the Wes offense all they could handle including 8 sacks. But blaming the loss on the officials is just plain wrong. The officiating on Saturday in Brunswick was actually pretty good considering it's Maine which is renowned for home cooking. We have definitely seen worse this year. Sounds a bit like sour grapes to us. Maybe if the Polars were better on 3rd down (3 for 12) or 4th down (0 for 2) and could pass the ball better (9 for 25 with a pick), we wouldn't be having this conversation. 

Rookie of the year predictions? I know it's typically an offensive award but Bowdoin FY Saftey Ferris Collins' 3 picks (one pick six) and 8 pbus through 6 games is impressive.

Quote from: muleshoe on October 21, 2024, 08:11:49 PM

Quote from: Ephsfan1 on October 21, 2024, 05:16:09 PMHas anyone every witnessed a better kicker in the NESCAC than Ephs kicker Ivan Shuran? Certainly the best currently. Dude nailed a 47 yard field goal this week, which would've been good from 50+.

Stephen Hauschka??

Survey says? Yes

Quote from: kyoungsuperfan1 on October 21, 2024, 11:25:13 PMRookie of the year predictions? I know it's typically an offensive award but Bowdoin FY Saftey Ferris Collins' 3 picks (one pick six) and 8 pbus through 6 games is impressive.

Ferris Collins is a stud. I believe starter was hurt week 1 or 2 and he got in.  Wally Pipp