FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[PolarCat]

Any other Amherst or Bates followers struggling to get the video stream?

Pretty infuriating, isn't it?  I mean it's not like this is the first time NSN ever tried to broadcast a game.

With the Varsity Blues scandal behind us, it's time to investigate why / how NSN keeps this contract.  My high school AV club did a better job.

[NBC93]

Last year's Bates v. Amherst tilt was 0-0 at half. Pretty flukey considering Amherst outplayed and outgained the Bobcats but suffered crippling turnovers on drives.
This year Bates leads 13-6. No flukes. Costa looks good running and throwing.
Very surprised how much Amherst is chucking the ball downfield and not running much, let alone producing much from it. Defense for the Mammoths is definitely missing the senior leadership and experience that was lost.
Offensive line not opening holes.
Bates has improved by leaps and bounds, Mammoths have taken a step back. Hopefully these young guns get their legs under them quickly and begin to improve.

[DC 53]

Dude, Hamilton didn't lose Joe Schmidt. (Unless he missed the bus to Brunswick) He's a senior.

Our sources in Clinton tell us he is injured and will not play for awhile...we wish him well.

Schmidt averaged 26 yds per catch today. You need better sources.

[fulbakdad]

Tufts stops Trinity inside their own 10 yard line to end the game and pull off the upset.  14-8!

[ColbyFootball]

Tufts v. Trinity. Great finish.

[nescac1]

Wow, Tufts.  I was wayyyyy off on that one.  Seems like the new Jumbo QB is for real.  At least I called OJ Armstrong as a break-out player. 

Looks like Midd will pull it out.  I don't get all the Eph injuries on offense for a second straight year.  In addition to as mentioned missing a WR, TE and C, and the projected RT lost for the year, they seem to be down their top two TBs today.  Playing a converted DL at WR and a converted QB at TB.  The D has been Herculean to keep them in it because the offense is devoid of playmakers right now other than Stola.  Hope some of those dudes get healthy soon!

[NBC93]

Amherst figured it out in the 2nd half.
Takeaways:
Defense looks solid. Not as aggressive but tight.
Eberth is a surprisingly effective runner.
O'Regan solid at WR. One of the best in the league.
Mallette did great at WR. Has size and decent hands. Solid 3rd down option.
Straight ahead run game missing the Jack Hickey pounding but both RBs looked like they will be a good 1-2 punch in space and with power.

[amh63]

JEFFFAN/PolarCat...agree.  Followed game on stats until NSN got their act together.
NBC93...agree with your comments, in general.  It took a half for Amherst to adjust to the improved Bates team, IMO. 
With the exception of Bowdoin...in their shiny new facility....all the home teams "held serve".  Watched the ending of both the Tufts and Midd wins. This maybe a stress filled season for me.
Amherst's Eberth is a fine runner.  Worried when he was taken out after a hit late in the first half.
Amherst had QB Eberth run more in the 2nd half in order to make Amherst's passing game more effective.  Like the rebuilt Jeffs' defense.  Amherst's lines were just bigger than Bates, IMO.

[PolarCat]

Good news and bad news for the Bobcats.  They finally have some receivers who can get separation.  But their secondary needs a LOT of work.  O'Regan is good, but don't count on him being open as much the rest of the year as he was today.

Costa had his moments, but that second pick he threw was painful.  Thank God NSN doesn't have replays.

And the kicking game was horrific on both sides of the ball.  The CAC has had some pretty good kickers over the years.  Hauschka had a great NFL career, Willie Holmquist played in a Bowl game for Duke after graduating from Tufts, and Sachse is lighting it up on that ghastly blue turf in D1 this season.  Not sure what to make of today's results?

[Bucket]

Hauschka had a great NFL career

Had?

Still on-going and far from done. Stephen just signed a lucrative contract extension; his Bills take on the Giants tomorrow in the Meadowlands.

[NBC93]

Polarcat,
Regarding Amherst's kicking woes, the two missed chipped shots and the xp off the post were after rough snaps from a FY Long Snapper that is coming in as a last minute replacement. That caused the snap-hold-kick dynamic to look a little clunky to say the least. Kennelly had to hesitate at least twice which messed up the rhythm. That should improve.

[lumbercat]

A loss is a loss but a lot of improvement in the Bates Bobcats today. Despite the size difference the most physical team on the field today was Bates.
Maybe Amherst was just not prepared or looking ahead to next week but they got hit often and hard.  Looks like Coach Halls teams are going to be physical and emotional. It's going to take another recruiting cycle to develop some depth but they are headed in the right direction. In the interim they are going to challenge teams and take some chances here and there.

Amherst and Mills are the class of the league but they will say they got challenged big time today.

It was 13-13 early in the fourth when fumbles by Bates on 2 consecutive possessions gift wrapped the game for the Purple- Bates moving the ball on both of those drives.

No excuses, Amherst, the better team capitalized on Bates mistakes in the fourth quarter as great teams will do and that decided things.

Costa is a playmaker- if they can keep him healthy they will be in any game.

More people in the Bates stands than the LJ home side.....I know they were playing Bates but why does mighty Amherst perennially draw such paltry crowds......

[lumbercat]

Polarcat,
Regarding Amherst's kicking woes, the two missed chipped shots and the xp off the post were after rough snaps from a FY Long Snapper that is coming in as a last minute replacement. That caused the snap-hold-kick dynamic to look a little clunky to say the least. Kennelly had to hesitate at least twice which messed up the rhythm. That should improve.

I saw it differently old friend- those snaps they were not perfect but ok. The timing was off on one of those kicks because they had some difficulty getting the right personnel on the field as the play clock was running.
The other miss was a hold issue.
The ball was coming off the kids leg low.
The block by Bates had nothing to do with the long snapper.
However, you are student of the kicking game so we will discuss further over one of you deluxe cocktails at a future tailgate.

[NBC93]

Lumber,
I can only speak on what I saw on the small screen. I saw a punt blocked but didn't realize Bates got a hand on a FG attempt. New LS, new holder, new kicker. It should improve.

As far as the attendance, maybe some alum can speak more on this, but I think more than half of the team is from outside of NE which may affect it somewhat but I believe the student body does not seem very interested in the football team to say the least.

My son thinks he may have met you at the game. He had nothing but good things to say about Bates as competitors. They definitely came to play and I wouldn't be surprised if they shake up some teams' win-loss records.

[lumbercat]

NBC93

Thanks for your reply- but let me clarify something- when I posted my response on the Amherst kicking woes I was thinking I was responding to my old pal Polarcat who is a kicking aficionado. Didn't mean to confuse you. My comments would be the same but that post was directed to the czar of the gourmet tailgate at Bates.....the inimitable POLARCAT.

Bates blocked a punt a got a hand on 2 other kicks- haven't seen that, ever,  in the EJ Mills era and certainly not in prior regime.

Thanks again for your response NBC93- I spoke to many today but not sure which one may have been your son.