FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[Bigernernwj69]

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I think you will see that Thiel is a respectable program now and will not return to the cellar dwellers of the PAC. They have alot of first time starters including a qb. Be patient and let things playout this year. They also had to revamp their staff after many coaches left for new jobs at higher levels or head coaching positions elsewhere.


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Well they may not be the bottom of the barrel but the sure will need the young kids to step up or they can have a Notre Dame like season of disappointments. As for the coaches who all left for higher up jobs and Head coaching jobs where did they all go? I mean It is not like Thiel has connections like Mount Union where coaches are jumping Levels at will

[oldtimer4774]

The offensive coordinator left to be the head coach at Albright and the defensive coordinator left to be a coach at Maine

[gottaloveit]

Also their D-line coach is now at Rutgers

[Bigernernwj69]

So what are some predictions this weekend? I am going to the W&J game; I think Sirianni with a week of film will be able to dismantle the Geneva defense. Bob Swallow will have 190 yards passing two TD's, Ryan Church with one of those catches for a TD and the Rat will have the other. This will allow the W&J young Offensive line be able to get in a rhythm, to open the holes up for who ever is running the rock. Expect to see the ball ran right at the Geneva Defense behind future All-Americans guard Houy and center Bucar. As for the defense i am looking for the boys to fly around to the ball, possibility with some different blitz packages. The key component will be the linemen like Jeff Ernst and Mitch Tenney keeping those big ugly's off the backers and for the young core of backers to make some big time plays. I do not see passing being much of a threat for W&J, because i think Geneva will try to run the ball right at the smaller W&J defense. Speed will play a huge part in favor of the presidents.......You heard it hear first. This will be the only true test for the presidents this year until Thiel and Waynesburg.

[PittTBCW]

I think your right big. W&J coaches where up at Thiel last weekend and got to see both teams play first hand. I know they where scouting Geneva because that is thier next foe but I am sure they had close eyes on Thiel as well. I think the Presidents will be ready to play this week and get the salty taste out of their mouths from the Mount scrimmage. I think this will be a better game then most are thinking, but W&J will win 31-14.

Other Predictions:

Alfred at Thiel - 1 p.m.

Tomcats rebound at home and the o-line / running game shows improvement while the defense tightens up. Thiel 24 - 10

Bethany at Hiram – 1 p.m.

Bethany opens the season with a bang on offense and the defense shuts down Hiram. Bison 35 - 7

Waynesburg at Wooster – 1 p.m.

Waynesburg raises some eyebrows with this win lead by their rushing attack and defense. Yellow Jackets 28 - 13

Grove City at Carnegie Mellon – 1:30 p.m.

Grove City's offense opens up but the Tartans rushing attack is too much for the Wolverines. CMU 31 - 7

Westminster at Saint Vincent* – 1:30 p.m.

Westminster returns to glory??? Maybe after they start 2-0 as they beat SV who is getting better each week.  Westmini 34 - 14.

Thomas More - open

Good Luck to all PAC teams this week!!!

Go Tomcats!!!

[SaintsFAN]

So is the W&J/Geneva game going to be a test or a dismantling? 

I think W&J is going to win this through the air...Geneva has some confidence after stuffing Thiel last weekend...with or without new lineman.  They also will have to stop the run while keeping an eye on the short, controlled passing game of QB Bondi.   I think a final score of 27-10. 

Also, unfortunately, Penn State big over Notre Dame...in Clausen's debut.

[OldPhart]

E8 pick 'em has Thiel as a 9 point dog to Alfred.  My hopes are that it is a low scoring affair.  While I would love to see the O comes alive I am picking Thiel's D and special teams to pull out a nail-biter 9-7. 

PAC folks likely remember Julio Fuentes' injury from last season's Tomcat/Saxon matchup.   Here is an update that I "borrowed" from the E8 board so you wouldn't have to track down AUPepBand's post on your own:

Just read a piece on Julio Fuentes in the Olean Times Herald's Football Preview. He says the support he has received has impacted his daily life.

Quoting the article here:

Fuentes says he never wonders, 'Why me," and on the rare days he feels a bit down, "I pray, though probably not as much as I should."

Still he admits, "I feel better every day and can see the improvement... hopefully, eventually, I'll come all the way back."

Meanwhile, Fuentes, who's always been chided for being vertically challenged, hastn't lost his sense of humor.

"I played football at 5-2," he said. "But since they took out a vertebrae, I think I'm only 5-1 1/2."

As for the future, Fuentes has a plan.

"We've put in for a van to help get me around," he said. "Then, I want to go back to school (at Alfred). I'm not going to go this fall, it's too soon.

"But I would like to return in the spring. I wouldn't be able to live on my own, I'd need an aide, but that would be available to me."

And when he goes back as a first-semester sophomore, Fuentes will have a different major.

"I was in business," he said of his freshman year, "But after this experience, I'd like to change it to counseling.

"I think I have something to share and give back to people."

[AUPepBand]

Pep will be in attendance at tomorrow's Thiel-Alfred game and invites any d3football posters to say hello. Pep is the "old guy" in the band probably carrying a bass drum. It's understood Thiel hires a DJ to play music during the game. Pep is hoping the DJ will allow the band to get a few tunes in, but time will tell.

Pep looks at Thiel as a good test for the Saxons and has a great deal of respect for the Thiel program. Ain't the same as when AU was flirting with the PAC years back. Pep expects a hard-hitting game much like last year. And the concern and generosity shown by the Thiel faithful to our beloved Julio Fuentes will not soon be forgotten.

On Saxon Warriors!

[SaintsFAN]

Great attitude by that Mr. Fuentes...

I had a great friend of mine, Adam Collinsworth, paralyze himself two days prior to the 1998 season...while we were at a party.  He was a starter as a freshman at LB and this happened prior to his sophomore year.  Great guy...never have I seen him since then without a smile on his face.  That was a tough night though...real tough.  His mom eventually passed away from cancer a few months later...

Julio sounds like he has Adam's zest for life....."Collie" also finished up his studies at Thomas More and graduated...  Now, Adam is currently JV defensive coordinator at Amelia HS (near Cincinnati) and varsity LB's coach. 

[Bigernernwj69]

I love stories like these two, it makes you realize what you have going on. If you think your having a bad day, you look at these two stories and realize if they can make it through the day with a smile then why the hell can't you.
Great stories guys. Did the weekend go pretty much the way everyone thought? What about this weekend?

[SaintsFAN]

you are right, big ern....


just when I think I'm having a bad day...it raises me up.

This weekend....there will be a Bridge Alert for the loser of the game between the schools from South Bend and Ann Arbor....police will need to monitor this closely.

I can't wait to see what Thomas More puts on the field this Saturday when Grove City comes to visit.  The PAC release says this will be Grove City's longest roadtrip of the year (and only one over 75 miles). 

I also want to see how much fight Hanover puts up against W&J this weekend...0-3 start for their retiring coach looks likely.

Will Thiel take out their aggressions on Albion at Spankle-Sprandle? 

[erniesfreestyle]

W&J players of the week

Offense:
Bobby Swallow - smartest, most athletic quarterback to ever play at w&j, ever. 16-25, 255 yards and 4 touchdowns. Bobby only threw 5 interceptions last year, he rarely makes a mistake, knows when to take a sack and when to throw it away.

Runner up: Kevin Mathews - over 100 yards rushing, nearly another 100 receiving. when did this kid get so fast.

Defense:
Dave Gitlitz - 12 tackles, 3 for a loss and one sack. Dave was all over the field this weekend vs Geneva

Runner up: Todd Kennan - Todd came up huge at the end of the first half with an interception in the endzone. However he did fumble his second int. thats embarrassing enough nothing more needs to be said.

Special Teams:
ZEBRASKY SUCKS.

[South Willy]

Look forward to flying up to Bethany for the opening home game this weekend, BC didn't have strong competition the first week but it was positive to see their running game go for 200+yds. New QB Joyner was rusty in the first half but made the throws in the 4th quarter.Defense played solid with Wineburg PAC defensive player of the week.

St. Vincent at home this week. The PAC lower half appears much more competitive this season with West & GC playing well. Will Tomcats recover and challenge for PAC?

[PittTBCW]

I don't know if Swallows is the best to ever where the Red and Black....Dawson was pretty dang good. But I think Swallows is definatly a great qb.

I hope that Thiel will rebound this week. I am sure that Coach Leip and his staff is dissappointed and that he is taking full blame for the stuggle. Saying that I think the team and staff will work hard at fixing the mistakes and preparing and will be better this week. About competing for the PAC title I think they have this week and one more week before they get back into PAC action and aslong as they get things rolling in those two weeks they will be a factor in the PAC race even with a loss to Geneva.

[OldPhart]

I hope that Thiel will rebound this week. I am sure that Coach Leip and his staff is dissappointed and that he is taking full blame for the stuggle. Saying that I think the team and staff will work hard at fixing the mistakes and preparing and will be better this week. About competing for the PAC title I think they have this week and one more week before they get back into PAC action and aslong as they get things rolling in those two weeks they will be a factor in the PAC race even with a loss to Geneva.

Albion is the last non-conference for Thiel before opening PAC play with Thomas More at home.  The Geneva loss doesn't apply for crowning a PAC champion since they have not fully converted to D3.