FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[polbear73]

Just saw the stats from this past weekend's Bowdoin v Tufts game.  Tufts' offense racked 462 total yds vs 216 for the P'bears.  Somehow though Bowdoin won the time of possession 34:43 to 25:17.  Ddin't see the game but that seems odd.  Not sure how you maintain the ball 9+ minutes more than your opponent and rack up less than half the offense.

Hopefully, Bowdoin will be able to notch their first W of the season this coming weekend against Hamilton.

GoUBears!!

I'm guessing lots of big plays for Tufts, or scores off turnovers. I haven't looked at the recap and box score very closely, but it seems odd to me, as well.

Bowdoin only lost 1 fumble and had 1 pass intercepted.  Tufts' offense was highly efficient with many big plays and scoring quickly.  Bowdoin could move the ball to a very slight degree-they are showing some improvement-mostly on the ground. 

[PBPOP20]

Just saw the stats from this past weekend's Bowdoin v Tufts game.  Tufts' offense racked 462 total yds vs 216 for the P'bears.  Somehow though Bowdoin won the time of possession 34:43 to 25:17.  Ddin't see the game but that seems odd.  Not sure how you maintain the ball 9+ minutes more than your opponent and rack up less than half the offense.

Hopefully, Bowdoin will be able to notch their first W of the season this coming weekend against Hamilton.

GoUBears!!

I'm guessing lots of big plays for Tufts, or scores off turnovers. I haven't looked at the recap and box score very closely, but it seems odd to me, as well.

Bowdoin only lost 1 fumble and had 1 pass intercepted.  Tufts' offense was highly efficient with many big plays and scoring quickly.  Bowdoin could move the ball to a very slight degree-they are showing some improvement-mostly on the ground.

Polar Bears also gave up a number of sacks that resulted in big losses.  Bowdoin actually did move the ball (realtive)  up to the red zone when Tufts would shut them down.

[P'bearfan]

Just saw the stats from this past weekend's Bowdoin v Tufts game.  Tufts' offense racked 462 total yds vs 216 for the P'bears.  Somehow though Bowdoin won the time of possession 34:43 to 25:17.  Ddin't see the game but that seems odd.  Not sure how you maintain the ball 9+ minutes more than your opponent and rack up less than half the offense.

Hopefully, Bowdoin will be able to notch their first W of the season this coming weekend against Hamilton.

GoUBears!!

I'm guessing lots of big plays for Tufts, or scores off turnovers. I haven't looked at the recap and box score very closely, but it seems odd to me, as well.

Bowdoin only lost 1 fumble and had 1 pass intercepted.  Tufts' offense was highly efficient with many big plays and scoring quickly.  Bowdoin could move the ball to a very slight degree-they are showing some improvement-mostly on the ground.

Polar Bears also gave up a number of sacks that resulted in big losses.  Bowdoin actually did move the ball (realtive)  up to the red zone when Tufts would shut them down.

Ahh....now the stats make more sense.  Glad to hear the run game is improving.  Know the coaches are players are working hard; hopefully they'll see it reflected on the scoreboard soon.

[JEFFFAN]

My son thought the Midd's QB was among the best that he faced as a DB and that included Haskins who is the #2 Ohio State QB. He also said he was surprised by the speed of one of the Midd Receivers that he defended well. It was clear the Midds made in game adjustments after a punch in the mouth from the Colby D. Players and coaches executed the adjustments very well and they are clearly deeper and have a great QB. Is there a better passer/QB in the NESCAC?

In our opinion, Picarrillo is comparable to Fawn's Lil Bro at Mid (Completes 71% of his Passes). McDonald is next as a legit dual threat. He is the entire Jumbo O this year. Puzzo is a notch below...good game manager but not as explosive as Pic, FLB and McDonald. No one else in the league is even close to these 4. And it is not by accident that all 4 of these QBs play for teams are among the first division of NESCAC football.

Kudos, Nescacman, on the prediction of the Amherst - Middlebury game.  Didn't happen exactly as you forecasted but doesn't matter - you nailed it.   I predicted that Foy would be the X factor in a positive way for Amherst - unfortunately it was in a negative way.   I would have done exactly what Mills did - bring in your senior captain/leader, if healthy, but Middlebury was ready for him in spades.   Kudos to Middlebury on an emotional win.

Not sure what Mills does this week.  Does he start Ebirth or Foy?

[PBPOP20]

Ahh....now the stats make more sense.  Glad to hear the run game is improving.  Know the coaches are players are working hard; hopefully they'll see it reflected on the scoreboard soon.

Yeah, as I said.. relative to past performance they are improving.  Richam had over 100yds rushing, but young QB Stalcup took a couple of big sacks where he needed to throw the ball away...  not sure if he was trying to do too much to extend the play, or simply inexperience dealing with higher level of competition. 

Need to get some push along the DL. Not enough QB pressure.   

[NESCAC.Football.Observer]

Not sure what Mills does this week.  Does he start Ebirth or Foy?

[/quote]

As an attendee...  Can I make some comments that hopefully won't offend too many of the snowflakes or snowflake like bodies on this list.

Foy was bad.....  it was obvious he wasn't healthy.    And "bad" is basically a compliment to how he played. 

Short version is the coaches made a bad decision playing a kid who wasn't healthy AND hadn't basically missed ALL of training camp (absent 4 days of practice).... And the truth is... He TORE his left (good leg) hamstring... that's why he hasn't been on the field.  He played 1 quarter vs Hamilton, had a brutally bad slide, and "tweaked" his right (bad knee) hamstring.

That is why he sat last week vs Bowdoin... because he had 2 bad hamstrings.  And basically had no practice.

Then to toss him to the wolves vs Middlebury.  BAD COACHING DECISION ALL AROUND.  (And the only other bad decision, despite Hasani's 74 yard TD, is "why not give Hickey the ball 30 times?", a la when they had Bunker?  This equality of touches, when Hickey is a beast and would help drain the clock AND control things, is crazy (bad) coaching.

Anyway, given how Ebert played once he went in....  They outscored Midd significantly while he was at QB... Well, Foy will have to be 100% healthy to get that job back.

My 2 cents from the cheap seats........

[Nescacman]

We stumbled across this editorial in the Middletown Press, of all places. Despite all of our disagreements on this Board, we think we found something we can all unanimously agree upon:

http://www.middletownpress.com/sports/article/Monday-Musings-Nothing-beats-Wesleyan-Trinity-12262513.php

Enjoy!!!! Week 4 rankings and musings tomorrow...week 5 picks Friday.

[JEFFFAN]

Not sure what Mills does this week.  Does he start Ebirth or Foy?

As an attendee...  Can I make some comments that hopefully won't offend too many of the snowflakes or snowflake like bodies on this list.

Foy was bad.....  it was obvious he wasn't healthy.    And "bad" is basically a compliment to how he played. 

Short version is the coaches made a bad decision playing a kid who wasn't healthy AND hadn't basically missed ALL of training camp (absent 4 days of practice).... And the truth is... He TORE his left (good leg) hamstring... that's why he hasn't been on the field.  He played 1 quarter vs Hamilton, had a brutally bad slide, and "tweaked" his right (bad knee) hamstring.

That is why he sat last week vs Bowdoin... because he had 2 bad hamstrings.  And basically had no practice.

Then to toss him to the wolves vs Middlebury.  BAD COACHING DECISION ALL AROUND.  (And the only other bad decision, despite Hasani's 74 yard TD, is "why not give Hickey the ball 30 times?", a la when they had Bunker?  This equality of touches, when Hickey is a beast and would help drain the clock AND control things, is crazy (bad) coaching.

Anyway, given how Ebert played once he went in....  They outscored Midd significantly while he was at QB... Well, Foy will have to be 100% healthy to get that job back.

My 2 cents from the cheap seats........
[/quote]

Good points all - probably the only area that I would have minor disagreement with you is that it is hard to run, run, and run some more when your team is so far behind.   But I get your point about Hickey.

I also think that EJ likes upperclassmen so much that if he is even close to playing an upperclassman versus a younger player he automatically defaults upperclassman - in this case, Foy.   Bad decision, cost him a chance to win a game that they needed to win.

[westcoastDad]

interesting observations.  not at liberty to respond.  just hope that the reece injury is one that will not dogg or linger him once football is over.  the aches and pains of football..........

Colby will be the last "softball" game.  tufts, Wesleyan, trinity and Williams will all be huge  "antenna up" games  for both the team and the staff.

[lumbercat]

Middlebury the better football team regardless of Foy in or out.

Leibowitz could have put Amherst away earlier if he was willing, the kid is 6'4" 220, to take on 180 lb Amherst DBs instead of going down in the slide. He could have extended several plays if he didn't slide down after making a first down.

Why all the QB depth if Leibowitz runs like Tom Brady. The kid made a couple of first downs and hit the deck. I couldn't beleive it.

[ColbyFootball]

interesting observations.  not at liberty to respond.  just hope that the reece injury is one that will not dogg or linger him once football is over.  the aches and pains of football..........

Colby will be the last "softball" game.  tufts, Wesleyan, trinity and Williams will all be huge  "antenna up" games  for both the team and the staff.

I do not think a single person believes Colby has any shot to win this game. So, if I were Colby here's what I would do.

Open the game giving Amherst looks they haven't seen in years from Colby, if ever. I'd start by running jet sweep with one of their speed guys like Tyler Farris. I'd run it right and left to keep Amherst hesitating. Then you can fake the jets sweep and hand it to Schwern. I'd then fake jet sweep, fake to Schwern and have the QB run opposite the jet sweep motion, or play fake and throw if the opportunity is there. You can attack the entire field with 1 simple formation and motion, stressing the Amherst D. Off this you can play fake and hit quick slants throwing vertical without putting too much pressure on your banged up O line. Continue throwing some WR screens, but cut down the numbers and get the ball to your speed guys, with your bigger WRs blocking. The opposite of what they've been doing.  And off that you can fake the WR screen and throw long to the WR that would otherwise be blocking downfield (something they have not done once). Preferrably to a big guy that can go up and get it (Snyder).

On the 1st possession of the second half I would empty the backfield, something Amherst has not seen Colby do very often if at all. I doubt they will have practiced against this formation. So they'll have to change their D on the fly. That will force Amherst to pull a guy out of the box. If it's the safety, they're vulnerable to the deep pass. If it's a LB or DL, they vulnerable to the run which the QB can execute, or a slot guy in motion.

The idea of offense is to create conflicts for the D. Colby has not done that in recent memory.

Maybe if Colby thinks a little outside the box they can be competitive. Otherwise, it will be a "softball" game for Amherst. Past experience tells me Colby will do the same stuff that has allowed them to put a whopping 20 points on the board in 4 games. I pray they change their ways. If they do maybe, just maybe, they can go into the 4th quarter with a shot to win. If that's the case, anything can happen.

Go Mules!!!

[westcoastDad]

Middlebury got the W

[nescac1]

Nescac Football Observer, I think you unfairly blame EJ Mills for the Foy QB decision when everyone here knows that Jonathan Michaeles was the one at fault there. #hardtruths

[lumbercat]

interesting observations.  not at liberty to respond.  just hope that the reece injury is one that will not dogg or linger him once football is over.  the aches and pains of football..........

Colby will be the last "softball" game.  tufts, Wesleyan, trinity and Williams will all be huge  "antenna up" games  for both the team and the staff.

I do not think a single person believes Colby has any shot to win this game. So, if I were Colby here's what I would do.

Open the game giving Amherst looks they haven't seen in years from Colby, if ever. I'd start by running jet sweep with one of their speed guys like Tyler Farris. I'd run it right and left to keep Amherst hesitating. Then you can fake the jets sweep and hand it to Schwern. I'd then fake jet sweep, fake to Schwern and have the QB run opposite the jet sweep motion, or play fake and throw if the opportunity is there. You can attack the entire field with 1 simple formation and motion, stressing the Amherst D. Off this you can play fake and hit quick slants throwing vertical without putting too much pressure on your banged up O line. Continue throwing some WR screens, but cut down the numbers and get the ball to your speed guys, with your bigger WRs blocking. The opposite of what they've been doing.  And off that you can fake the WR screen and throw long to the WR that would otherwise be blocking downfield (something they have not done once). Preferrably to a big guy that can go up and get it (Snyder).

On the 1st possession of the second half I would empty the backfield, something Amherst has not seen Colby do very often if at all. I doubt they will have practiced against this formation. So they'll have to change their D on the fly. That will force Amherst to pull a guy out of the box. If it's the safety, they're vulnerable to the deep pass. If it's a LB or DL, they vulnerable to the run which the QB can execute, or a slot guy in motion.

The idea of offense is to create conflicts for the D. Colby has not done that in recent memory.

Maybe if Colby thinks a little outside the box they can be competitive. Otherwise, it will be a "softball" game for Amherst. Past experience tells me Colby will do the same stuff that has allowed them to put a whopping 20 points on the board in 4 games. I pray they change their ways. If they do maybe, just maybe, they can go into the 4th quarter with a shot to win. If that's the case, anything can happen.

Go Mules!!!

CF-

Be careful what you wish for ---you have cast Michaeles decisively into the role of the besieged Martyr.
You've hammered the guy so bad the benevolent Colby administration will probably take his side and extend his contract for 3 more years with a nice raise.

Actually Colby's chances for a decent showing are much better this week though they will again be big underdogs.

At the end of the day I think you are a good guy who wants the best for your son and that is commendable but your'e headed for mental hernia over this thing if don't let it go.

[Canvas Hightops]

Nescac Football Observer, I think you unfairly blame EJ Mills for the Foy QB decision when everyone here knows that Jonathan Michaeles was the one at fault there. #hardtruths

Couldn't agree more, nescac1.  Had Michaeles been coaching in the distant CCIW or WIAC, Amherst may have avoid such a coaching disaster. 
You correctly point out that there is only room for one coach who can do nothing right in one small league. 
Dave Caputi must love the lack of ire that comes with his present job.
Kudos.  +k