FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[amh63]

Ugh!   That should change the dynamics of the conference a bit.
What is your source JEFFFAN?

[nescac1]

Very rough blow for the [blanks] and more importantly for Foy, who is a very fun player to watch (except when he is playing Williams).  Instantly I think that makes Trinity the NESCAC favorite, with Amherst and Wesleyan very close behind, followed by Tufts and Middlebury as dark-horse contenders. 

Amherst does seem to have some true quality depth at that position, and with the best group (by a wide margin) of TBs in the league, was likely to be a run-heavy offense in all events.  Alex Berluti seems likely to earn the starting nod and of course he has a ton of experience, as a senior who saw a lot of game action in his first two years in the program.  Probably about the best possible situation you could ask for in a back-up QB, thought obviously Foy won the job for a reason and was primed for a big junior year.  Highly touted recruit Oliver Eberth might also get a chance and will probably see some playing time, but my guess is that Amherst goes with the tested senior and relies on its its defense, offensive line, running game, and a controlled short passing game with the occasional big / trick playtto keep defenses honest, kind of like Amherst almost always seems to do. Berluti is certainly well-equipped to succeed and has tons of weapons around him, again, especially in the offensive backfield.   

[JEFFFAN]

A fellow classmate of Foy.

Yes, you know EJ will go very conservative and see if they can win it on defense. I don't think the frosh plays. EJ is not a huge fan of frosh seeing the field, believing that unless they are considerably better they do not deserve a nod over teammates who have put in the time.

[IslandTime]

Very tough news for Amherst as I have seen a lot of Foy's game film and he is a fun player to watch and his play making ability is hard to defend.

Did some quick research regarding the possibility of medical red-shirts for Division 3 athletes. I found sites that said that they are available, but with Amherst being a 4 year college, not sure if it is an option? Anyone with more knowledge of NESCAC or Amherst practices know any more on the subject?

Sure would like to see Foy get the chance at another season if it is available to him. Great kid who I am sure is already working hard to get healthy again.

Next man up!

[nescac1]

Medical redshirts are available in D3, but you have to take an entire year (or for football, at least an entire semester) off from school.  So Foy could for example take next spring off, and then graduate in fall of 2018 after playing two more years of football.  This is very, very common among NESCAC athletes who suffer season-ending injuries, especially in football. 

[JEFFFAN]

As with the Ivies, the student-athlete must completely disassociate himself or herself from the school. Zero connection. Cannot remotely be associated with the school. That would give the athlete that extra year of eligibility.

[amh63]

Good thoughts all wrt the QB Foy situation. Some of my own comments on the matter.
IslandTime....Amherst has had a number of star players go the " redshirt" route.  It is up to student- athlete as to come back for a year or a semester...though the latter will be a full football season.  If Foy goes the semester route...assumming his recovery is full....he will have the letter E after his class and join others in a graduation in the Winter.
Agreed in general wrt comments towards a run heavy offensive approach.  The TB situation will be even better with the return of a Florida RB that has the power of the graduated runner that took a lot of carries last season in the red zone area. Of course, the Offensive line has to be rebuilt with three starters graduating including an All-American LT...all 6'5" 298 lbs of him...local boy that transferred from Union College.
Nescac1....QB Berluti is my choice too wrt his past experience.  He has the added benefit of his younger brother at WR.  They did a bunch of long ball catches in HS.  The younger brother did a prep school year.  Amherst does return two WR starters and seasoned big TEs....all available for long and short passes.  However, the Recruiting Coordinator is the QB coach and he will have a tough preseason competition for the starting spot and first backup.
My feeling is the success of Amherst this year will depend on rebuilding the Defense!  The defensive backfield lost a lot.
In an earlier post on Chance Brady of Tufts, the early season leader for offensive POY, I mentioned he was shut down during the Amherst-Tufts match up last season in Medford.  Checked his stats in that game.  He indeed had the most carries but ran for under 40 yds in the game....1.1 yards per carry.  The game was not even close in the Amherst Win.

[Pat Coleman]

Thanks guys......so I cannot spell
Whatever, today, there are signs of video and stats beside the appropriate games.

Will answer my own inquiry.  There seems spotty communications between SIDS.  Example...Amherst has video and live stats markers for all schools except Trinity.   Trinity has no markers yet.  Wesleyan has most schools with video as well as Williams.  Both Wes and Williams have indication that NSN will be the broadcaster of choice. 
Guess you can say...if you wait, they will come or get around to it!

SIDs don't really communicate with each other about their home broadcasts. Again -- almost a month before they play. Most of them have a bunch of fall sports starting up this week and football doesn't start until Sept. 24.

[Vandy74]

Medical redshirts are available in D3, but you have to take an entire year (or for football, at least an entire semester) off from school.  So Foy could for example take next spring off, and then graduate in fall of 2018 after playing two more years of football.  This is very, very common among NESCAC athletes who suffer season-ending injuries, especially in football.

Thanks for the explanation nescac1 and JEFFFAN.  That explains why Middlebury basketball fans had no reason to hope Dylan Sinnickson would return for another season.   

[Pat Coleman]

Medical redshirts are available in D3, but you have to take an entire year (or for football, at least an entire semester) off from school.  So Foy could for example take next spring off, and then graduate in fall of 2018 after playing two more years of football.  This is very, very common among NESCAC athletes who suffer season-ending injuries, especially in football.

This would be a NESCAC rule, though, not a D-III rule. The D-III standard is you have 10 full-time semesters to play your four years.

[nescac1]

Ahhh, interesting Pat.  I should also mention that Tufts and Wesleyan both have an edge over other NESCAC schools because they are the only two that have sizeable graduate programs, and athletes who retain eligibility (due to injury, at least) who attend either for graduate school can play a sport.  It seems like every year a few Wesleyan and/or Tufts football players take advantage of this.  I'm not sure if students who have a year of eligibility left who graduated from some OTHER school can take advantage of this at Wesleyan or Tufts.  So far as I can recall, only Tufts / Wesleyan grads who stay at the school for a fifth year to attend a graduate program have continued to play a sport. 

[amh63]

This year is an unusual one, IMO, on the start of practice and FY arrival at Amherst....and other schools as I posted earlier.  Today is when the Class of 2020 arrive.  It is very very scheduled with the students with dorm rooms on the top floors arriving first.  This is due in part to the ongoing new science center construction that is limiting parking and traffic.  Upperclassmen arrived earlier and Fall sport players arrived yesterday.  It appears that the football freshmen also arrived yesterday.  Via the main quad video cam, I saw a large number of cars being unloaded yesterday.  Deduced that the students arriving were Freshmen student- athletes....all FYs are housed around the Main quad.
I am a long time " sidewalk construction super" and have been following the new dorms construction and now the Science Center....via Amhcams provided by the school.  Even saw several students playing Basketball on the new outdoor courts recently.  If my sons are willing, will take them on in a game of "Horse" at Homecoming .

[Ephpapa20]

Read it and weep (or quietly clap) ... Amherst QB Foy out for year with torn ACL.

Dude that's horrible. Only the lowest of the low would celebrate the injury of any athlete. God speed Foy. Get well soon.

[Ephpapa20]

I just dropped the boy off yesterday. The football team looks really solid. Kudos to Creighton on putting together a solid recruiting class in the absence of a coach. I see coach Raymond and his staff having a solid start to his tenure.

[nescac1]

Thanks for the report, Ephpapa.  Good luck to your son, hope he gets a chance to see the field early in his career!