FB: Conference of New England

[D3 Fan]

I'm curious RANDOM TASK if you have any idea how hard it is to recruit players at the D3 level, especially in New England?  Everyone is recruiting the same player whether they are D2 or D3.  Nichols has had a strong program over the past few years.  Carven (coach) helped put them there.  To say that he hasn't done a good job recruiting is a very ignorant thing to say as well as blaming him for the wheels coming off.  Whenever you loose key players you team will suffer. Loosing Carven (QB) last year really hurt them.  Nichols did have a number of injuries in a year following a number of talented players graduating.  Carven works hard and has a good program.  A few years down doesn't take a way from the success that he has had.

Carven (QB) is coming back and are you really SERIOUS in your comparison of Nichols football and the Pat's??? Come on.... Give us a break!

[waggle09]

I saw the game that carven got hurt in against Bridgewater....they brought in a frosh who did allright. There is a lot of parody in both leagues and a couple of key injuries here and there can have a be impact. That's why the teams that have recruited well such as Curry year in and year out because of Nelson in the past  and the other schools that have full time head coaches that are constantly talking to High school prospects and have the facilities such as Endicott hold an edge.. Although in this day and age the state schools should compete because of the costs of the private schools. Will see, I think in will be an interesting season in both leagues with some new faces....

[Gr8Day2BaBear]

it's been a while, but i just read back 3 pages and here's some insight.....carven was the league leader in all purpose yards for two years and him missing definitely makes a difference, and as ridiculous as the patriots comparison is i can beat it....how long was tom brady out for???(oh yah, he wasn't).

i also read the all-american comment....anyone see that mike sirignano from bsc is a pre-season all-american so it could be about to happen for the NEFC

one final comment......i talked to kids from coast guard academy and from what i hear they're not too promising.....but we'll see

[Jonny Utah]

I was not aware they lost so much, that really stinks for the kids that played there last year. Going O'fer is never fun, but the team has been trending downward the last few years and has had a tough time compeating with the upper echelon teams in the NEFC, but I hope your right and with the core coming back they rip it up. I never want to see a team do bad. However Belecheck won't get a pass from fans if Brady, Dillon, Bruschi, and Seymor all get hurt and the Pats loose all thier games. I know its the NFL and you can sign guys off the street and it is a strech of an analogy, but I think if a team goes O'fer its more the Coach's fault than the kids and if the "wheel's fall off" there is an issue. Bill Carven needs to turn his program around, I mean They were playing for the tittle a few years ago.

Ahh....I think Belichek would get a pass if Brady, Dillon Bruschi and Seymour all got hurt.  Even though I think they could get a better backup than Cassell (although Belichek was right on Brady).

[Random Task]

To all giving me trash for using the Pats as a comparison to NC, you all should learn how to read, I admit in my post that it was a bit of a strech. Also for those of you who are hopping on me I though I was preaty classy in my posts regarding the Bison, and I genuinly hope they do well. With the exception of 2000 NC has had average teams at best. And even if Carven (QB) had great stats and led the league in yards the team only went 10-10 for 03 and 04. If they had some solid guys on the O-line or at RB than the loss of one guy would have been so detramental as it was. Nichols is a mediocre team and I have allready devoted to much time to them. If they win some games this year you all can say how stupid I am, and if they don't break 500 (as is thier trend) I won't say I told you so. Also the Coach gets the credit when a team wins so then he deserves the blame when they don't, and anyone who doesn't understand that fact, doesn't understand sports.
1999: (6-3, 3-3 NEFC Boyd)
2000: (7-3, 4-2 NEFC Boyd)
2001: (6-4, 5-0 NEFC Boyd)
2002: (5-4, 3-2 NEFC Boyd)
2003: (6-4, 4-2 NEFC Boyd)
2004: (4-6, 3-3 NEFC Boyd)

[waggle09]

the bottom line is anyone who plays his relative is going to get  static. thats why it's good his brother went to Umass.

[NCAAFootball67]

First off, I think that you have no point, you showed those records over the past couple of seasons and proved to us a team that was always in the running for a divisional championship, those games against curry could have gone either way, look at the scores, in 2003 Zammnit pulls of a unbelievable 78 yard scramble with :56 seconds to go to beat the bison @ nichols.  So you have no point that Coach carven doesnt run a legit program the man's been offered coordinator jobs at several 1AA schools.  Its tough to recruit D3 expecially at a school with a guy to girl ratio of about 3/1......Its bad, nichols is a team that will consistantly give u a game, and this year was what happens when u get the wrong end of the stick apparently, but i think carven will pull it together.......


On a side note, mike carven his kid brother is a phenominal qb, just watch games, i think ull be impressed, all games ive seen hes been the best player on the field, but just keep an eye out for that and see for yourself....



whats the word worcester/fitchburg/westfield's are they typically strong this year too, cause they all lost a lot................word on the street is MIT, WNEC, and the 2 maritime schools were turning it around also, just looking for opinions

[63Center]

Regarding the Nichols situation.  It looks like a lot of people are commenting on the poor performance last season being mainly due to a number of injuries and in particular an injury to the QB.  I know that Nichols had a lot of injuries last season and that does hurt a team.  I was just curious if there were any injuries on the defense.  Everyone was talking about B. Meuse a few weeks ago and he carried the Nichols defense.  Was this due to injuries on the defense or was their defense just so poor that they relied on Meuse to make all of the tackles?  I suspect that Nichols will rebound some this year.  I don't look for them to win the division (Curry will do that again), but I expect they will finish above 500.

[d3fan06]

63 Center,

Why do you say Curry is going to win the Division? With Endicott returning so many players, WNEC on the rise and UMD always lurking around the top of the Boyd - why the Colonels?

Just curious....

[63Center]

d3fan06, 

My rationale for picking Curry is based on a winning tradition.  I realize that they have a new coach, but until someone knocks them off I have to go with them.  I don't disgaree that Endicott and UMD will be right there fighting for the divisional championship.  Endicott lost a lot in leadership with the lost of the Seniors last year that built the program over the first 4 years.    Although they have a lot coming back they did lose some key players to graduation.  UMD has a lot to prove this year after a somewhat disappointing year last year.  I think it will be an interesting year and I may be all wet with my pick of Curry.

[63Center]

I see that Endicott has scheduled two JV games this year.  A program that just started 5 years ago and they already are scheduling JV games; that is amazing.  This should help keep some of the younger players around who get disillusuions thinking they should be starting their first year.  It also should help make EC a strong contender for NEFC champs.

[D3 Fan]

When EC applied to the NEFC they were asked what there budget was going to be... Teams like Coast Guard, Plymouth, and Mt. Ida were denied because there budgets were too high.  It seems to me that the league is no longer concerned with keeping within certain budgetary limits as the private schools continue to spend more and more.  That's why there have been some rumblings about the state schools breaking away from the league. 

Soon enough the state schools will not be able to compete in the NEFC.  I know people have argued that the state schools are cheaper which allows them to compete for recruits but the privates can counter with grants and less stringent academic requirements.  (Not including MIT and CC in the lower academic category)  The fact that EC has a JV team, a seemingly unlimited budget and a full time coaching staff should have them in contention every year regardless of how long they have had a program. Just my opinion!

[63Center]

EC does not have an unlimited budget for football or for any sport.  The teams raise money for a number of the things they need.  For example, EC football players did some fund raisers last year to help pay for new jerseys.  They also did fund raisers and paid a portion of their trip to Canada.  Secondly, they have pretty high academic standards as well.  They only accept around 800 students out of approximately 5000 that apply.  Yes they do have a full time head coach and a couple of full time assistants, but that appears to be the way that most schools are going now.  I agree that it presents an unfair advantage when the private schools such as EC have bigger football budgets than state schools.  However, as you said some kids won't be able to afford EC and will go to a state school instead.  I am sure that the facilities are not as nice at the State Schools as they are at the private schools either.  Certainly the state schools could form their own league, but then the NEFC might lose their automatic bid to the D3 tournament.  I would guess that over the next dew years, the NEFC will need to make some serious decisions regarding what to do.  Right now they are the biggest conference in D3.  Maybe they should realign with one division being the state schools and the other private schools.   Each division must play every team in their division and 2 cross-over games.  That would provide a fairer schedule.

[Jonny Utah]

When EC applied to the NEFC they were asked what there budget was going to be... Teams like Coast Guard, Plymouth, and Mt. Ida were denied because there budgets were too high.  It seems to me that the league is no longer concerned with keeping within certain budgetary limits as the private schools continue to spend more and more.  That's why there have been some rumblings about the state schools breaking away from the league. 

Ah....Where did you get this information?

*I will motify this message and add that the infomation stated above by d3fan is not true.

[InTheMix]

D3Fan...you think that the fact that EC has money and a full-time staff means that they should be a contender every year?? so you're telling me that the fact that it's in only it's 4th varsity season means nothing? as long as a school has money and coaches they will win, is that what you're telling me?

all athletes at Endicott must attend manditory fund-raisers throughout the year.  for example, the LAX team does an auction every year,  and some of the teams work a couple of the patriots games every year.  any school in the NEFC and the US can do this stuff to EARN money for their teams.  all is takes is a little organization.

as far as the academic standards, EC has some of the highest standards for academics within the NEFC. Yes, they may give academic aid for payment, but the $4,000 max benefit doesn't really make a dent in the $30,000 + payment for a year