FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[Lyco80]

I am as mystified as anyone posting here about the demise of Lycoming's football program, particularly in such a short time.  However, I will be on campus later this week and as I serve on the Alumni Board I will ask some pointed questions.  Losing football games is understandable, losing your perspective is not, to wit, the rumor regarding the visitors' locker room color among other things.  Stand by.

As for counting Lycoming out for the long run, I should like to point out that no Major League Baseball team ever came back from a 3-0 deficit until the Red Sox did it last year - and I am a Yankee fan.   

In the meantime, Go Warriors.  Simba - we will be at registration in Burchfield Lounge on Saturday morning. 

All the best.

[LVCALUM]

I don't necessarily think that Lyco has taken a step back, but perhaps a lot of other teams have stepped it up.  I played at Lyco my freshman year (2000) before transferring to LVC.  That was the year of the 50-49 loss at Widener and the 16-14 loss to Susquehanna.  A lot of times the offensive and defensive lines were so much superior to their counterparts at other schools that we could run pretty much at will while almost completely shutting down the other team's rushing attack.  I was mostly involved with the Scout offense as a freshman.  When we ran 7 on 7 against the defense, I was throwing against 2 All-Conference Safeties and a corner that played in the Aztec Bowl.

When I transferred, I noticed right away that Lyco simply had bigger, faster, and stronger players across the board compared to the players at LVC.  I think this was true of a lot of other teams compared to Lyco-  With maybe 2 or 3 exceptions, no one who started for LVC when I got there would have started at Lyco.  My senior year we did not play Lyco ( I think we missed one MAC team every year because we always played a non-conference game).  But by that time, other teams seemed to be able to match up physically to Lyco. 

I'm not sure how much sense this makes, but I am pretty confused myself by this sudden slide by Lyco. 

Best of luck this weekend LVC.

[patron2]

There are too many factors going against Lyco now.. It just isnt the same as 10 yrs ago...

The Philly suburbs have the cash to pay for a private university education.. Lyco is 3+ hours from there..

Albright & Del Val have both stepped up the wins... Keeping more local kids home..

Widener has always been Widener (usually have a good team), so now even more Philly kids are staying home..

Now Lyco has 2nd rate facilities in the conference.  They are now the school trying to "keep up with the Jones'..."

I keep reading all these posts about money and financial aid, etc.  Scranton and Williamsport arent exactly the most affluent areas in PA.  D3 football is a rich kid or a poor kid with grades game.

If I were Girardi, I would start beating up Pittsburgh to pull kids away from W&J.

Nice ride for Lyco, it's over.

[4man]

Don Hansen's predictions for this week:

DVC , King's & Moravian all have Bye's this week.

FDU 27

[4man]

Oops!  sorry about that, hit post instead of tab.

DVC, King's & Moravian all have bye's this week

FDU         27            Leb Val  13
Susq       27            Juniata  21
Widener  35           Albright  28
Wilkes     35           Lyco       14

I agree with these predictions although I think the Widener / Albright game might be higher in scoring.

[Lyco80]

Things may be different than they were ten years ago for Lycoming but I wish to note that they won the MAC and reached the quarter finals of the NCAA in 2003 before losing to Bridgewater.  In fact, it is just as likely they would have triumphed in that game had it not been for the tragic, and untimely, death of Ricky Lanetti.  Therefore reasons of financial aid, local and regional prosperity, second-rate facilities, and students wishing to stay closer to home, a.k.a. - Philly are a canard and are inadequate explanations for the poor showing the last two years.  Also, I think Pittsburgh is as long a drive as Philly for recruits.  Additionally, higher education research indicates that the average college student will not travel more than 500 miles to attend school, a distance that encompasses most, if not all of NJ and certainly Philly.  It may be over for Lycoming or not, but the reasons cited in a previous posting are not sufficiently credible especially given the fall-off in performance that has been so abrupt and recent.  There must be other factors not immediately apparent.

All the best.

[patron2]

If money, location, and facilities are not the reason for Lycoming's demise... Could it be that the coaching staff there cant coach their way out of a paper bag?

Shoot, if Lyco is so talented because they were in the playoffs a couple years ago, surely the roster is loaded... Must be the coaches..

[Chum Slam]

Widener 44 Albright 36

[Billman56]

Chum Slam...I dont see a larger scoring affair. I think both "D's" keeping it down.  Maybe a 24-21 game???

[Chum Slam]

Maybe its just me but defenzive battles in the MAC are usually 7 - 0 or 45 - 54 haha. Im going with the latter.

[Bruins26]

I've been a part of the MAC conference for 9 years now as both a player and coach. I've seen the trends over the years and guarantee Lycoming will not stay down for long. As for team like Juniata and Susquehanna, I remember a time when the Crusaders were the most physical team in the conference. They ran the wing t with Matt W. and Rashown D. They had a 62-61 shutout with Juniata in 1998. One the greatest MAC games ever. Juniata had there fair share of studs featuring all americans Chad Zaring and Matt Eisenburg. They went something like 18 years straight with at least one all conference DB. Mark D. lead all divisions with 15 picks back in the late 80's. Go Eagles

[WUDLINE]

This weeks predictions
Leb Val 24 - Fdu 21
Susq 27 - Juniata 24
Wilkes 35 - Lyco 28
Wu 35 - Albright 24

As for a preview of the WU/ Albright game that will be coming soon.

[Chum Slam]

Matt Eisenberg was one of the best receivers to ever come out of the MAC. I say 4th maybe 5th best ever.

[Warren Thompson]

Weather Alert ...

NWS has just issued a flood watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday for the central portions of Pennsylvania. 2-3 inches of rain are predicted, with some areas receiving up to 5 inches.

Looks as if a number of MAC games will be affected.

[Billman56]

Warren...."And the hits just keep on coming"