FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[DagarmanSpartan]

ADL70,

Is it that we're moving to nine conference games, or that we'll stick to eight and now have two truly "at large" non-conference games?

One thing's for sure.  If we do move to nine conference games, and have only one "intersectional" game per season, then I'd make certain that it is a "destination" game to either a service academy (Merchant Marine or Coast Guard), an elite academic school (like MIT), or perhaps a historical local rival like Oberlin or Kenyon.

As much as I'd like to see our fellow UAA members stay on the schedule, it now appears that the UAA is going to stop sponsoring football competition.

[Bob.Gregg]

Of course, if the PAC mandated a ninth league game, perhaps CMU would drop those games.

The League agreed to this schedule formula when CWRU & CMU returned.
That's not changing unless the PAC adds teams and goes to a Conference Championship game.

[E.115]

So now I'm confused.  Does CMU and CWRU have to play 9 conference games after 2018?  Or can they keep the 8 game format?

I agree I would like to see CWRU have a "destination" game.  Or perhaps renew a local rivalry, such as the "Baird Brother" rivalry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baird_Brothers_Trophy

[ADL70]

I thought I was clear when I wrote "there will not be a ninth conf game anytime soon."
I haven't read anywhere that Chicago has found a conference, so unless and until they do, they should be looking for games. Both OAC & NCAC only have one non-conf game and they tend to be played week one.  BW is the only exception that comes to mind.

Bob, what has changed is that after 2017 CWRU & CMU no longer have UAA commitments.  Since almost every other team has been playing a conference team as a non-conference game, I thought there might be a movement to add a ninth conference game.  Perhaps those teams have found outside opponents for the future already.

[DagarmanSpartan]

OK.

Well, then perhaps Chicago can remain as one of our "intersectional" games and become a sort of north coast regional rivalry.

That would still leave one other spot as either a "destination" or "local rivalry" game.

[ADL70]

Three more self-reported Spartan commits:

Josh Schlicting  OT/DT 6'2 255 Upper St. Clair PA
Isaac Withrow    ILB    6'0  225   Winfield WV
Adam Zybko        TE   6'4 205     West Glenbard IL

17 commits from 11 different states. I expect greater than an equal number to commit over the next four weeks.  Just as the new stadium in 2005 ushered in playoff years, I anticipate that the opening of the Wyant Athletic Center with Belichick Weight Room last fall will also give recruiting a boost.

So should these new unis:

https://www.facebook.com/CWRUFootball/photos/pb.435399356556187.-2207520000.1459917524./964906550272129/?type=3&theater


   

[E.115]

Pat, Case Western Reserve team page on d3football.com hasn't had the "past records" tab populated/linked for the 2015 season.  I only mention this as 2016 schedule is already posted: http://www.d3football.com/teams/Case_Western_Reserve/2016/index

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ADL70, more nice finds.  Doing some searching, Withrow was a 2-year captain and Zybko looks like he reproduced at TE.

Like you stated, it seems like sooner commitments and higher initial numbers than normally at this point.  What have the average freshman classes size been over the past few years? 

Any estimate of an average class freshmen class sizes for upper DIII programs?  40+?

[Pat Coleman]

Pat, Case Western Reserve team page on d3football.com hasn't had the "past records" tab populated/linked for the 2015 season.  I only mention this as 2016 schedule is already posted: http://www.d3football.com/teams/Case_Western_Reserve/2016/index

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ADL70, more nice finds.  Doing some searching, Withrow was a 2-year captain and Zybko looks like he reproduced at TE.

Like you stated, it seems like sooner commitments and higher initial numbers than normally at this point.  What have the average freshman classes size been over the past few years? 

Any estimate of an average class freshmen class sizes for upper DIII programs?  40+?

Yep, there's a few like that. We'll get them.

[ADL70]

Now a kicker:

JT Kolderup Palatine IL (Fremd) a lot of TBs in his highlights, but hs is five yards closer and use an inch higher tee. Strong leg though.

CWRU's classes have ranged from 29 to 45 the last few years.  Most ever was 51 about twelve years ago.

The top programs like Mt Union or UMHB bring in upwards of a hundred.

[mustang]

Quality, not quantity my friend.

[ADL70]

Quality, not quantity my friend.

Absolutely!  No matter how big the class no more than about twenty will have a significant role. 30-40 is about right.

Good to hear from you. Glad you still follow. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Around 30-40 is a healthy number of recruits for the "average" Division 3 program.  Of course having some "quality" matters more than sheer quantity, but any less than 30 in a class makes me worry about depth.  Bringing in 40 new faces per year is a nice number because (given the normal attrition at a D3 program) that still generally translates to a total roster size over 100.  I think a roster with 40 incoming freshmen, 30 sophomores, 25 juniors, and 20 seniors is a nice mix to have.  As noted, some programs bring in a whole lot more than that.  Pretty amazing that some schools sustain a roster with up to 100 incoming freshmen and 200+ total players annually.

Probably worth putting out there, for fun, a few general comments here on why I want the roster to have at least 100 guys:

1) Let's assume that my team starts practice with some warmups, skill work, and individual position drills, then conducts the latter half of practice for "team" work.  There might be a little bit of 1st-offense-vs-1st-defense, but the truth is that isn't really helpful for game preparation; it's just good for some competitive juices and fun, but playing against your own 1st-team defense isn't much help preparing for next week's game if your defense is an odd-man front and next week's opponent plays an even front.  So let's assume that we split the offense and defense for that team session.

2) Most programs will want to have more than just the 1st team getting reps.  A common model is alternating plays for the 1st team and 2nd team, allowing everyone on the two deep to get a good number of reps in (and also giving some flexibility to send the 2nd team QB in with the first offense for a few plays, maybe rotate a couple of your promising freshmen in with the 2nd team to see if they need some more run, etc). 

So...if I've got my 1st offense and 2nd offense, that's 22 guys (and of course the 1st and 2nd team defense practicing at the opposite end of the field, so double it, that brings us to 44 guys).  Plus I might want to keep a few "extras" to rotate in - maybe the third QB, a bonus WR or RB if we have any gadget plays or special formations, maybe an extra TE to practice the goal-line package; defense might want to have a few extra DL's for the goal-line package, a few extra DB's to practice nickel and dime looks, etc.  So let's round up and say we have 5 "extras" on top of the first 22 at each end; now we're up to 54 guys.  Of course, I need someone to line up across from them and run the opposition's plays.  Congratulations, incoming freshmen, welcome to the scout team.  I'll need at least 11 warm bodies to make a scout team for each side = 22 more bodies = 76 guys.  Plus, I really need more than just 11 guys to make the scout team, because the poor freshmen aren't going to last if they have to run every single play against the 1's and the 2's, so let's say I need at least 5-6 extra bodies for each scout team, and we're pushing 90.  Account for some specialists (kickers!) and the inevitable handful of walking wounded / medical redshirts, and that's why I'm always hoping to keep the magic number for roster size around 100.

[SaintsFAN]

ADL70, more nice finds.  Doing some searching, Withrow was a 2-year captain and Zybko looks like he reproduced at TE.

So he has a child or multiple childs (re:  children) from HS?  I don't understand the TE distinction though unless this is Case code of some sort?

[E.115]

ADL70, more nice finds.  Doing some searching, Withrow was a 2-year captain and Zybko looks like he reproduced at TE.

So he has a child or multiple childs (re:  children) from HS?  I don't understand the TE distinction though unless this is Case code of some sort?

hmm....perhaps spell check didn't catch that one for me...

[ADL70]

Kolderup kicked a 52 yarder in a game last season (with tee).  Here's a video of him kicking 40, 45, and 50 yarders in practice -- no tee, but perfect hold and no rush.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWcUPtWKDM

Two more commits per twitter:

Jeremy Hill        S      5'9  165    Erie PA Cathedral Prep
Chase Strayer  C/OT  6'2 250     Mentor    2nd team NELakes District 

To XTP's roster size point and addressing a post by from the end of last season, in which he stated that he counted only 76 on the Spartan's roster, I'm not sure where he was looking, but there are 86 listed on the website roster and just shy of 100 reported to camp.  As to his point re depth and injuries, there were several other injury losses an OT who started seven games in 2014 was lost after game one and his replacement was a converted senior DE, and he is the only player lost from the OL, which had a first team all-PAC center and two HM.   In addition a senior CB missed the last five games.  It was his replacement, a sophomore, who had the three picks vs WashU.

While there will be a lot lost from the D, three DB starters return, including a 2nd team PAC CB and HM S, as does one OLB.  In addition, a lot of underclass linemen and LBs rotated in with the starters in a number of games and not just in mop-up time.

Addendum:

Yet another

Brandon Rabah.   RB.  5'9 205.   Cincinnati Moeller

I also saw a hoops commit, the first athletes I can recall from that school with a rich athletic tradition.