FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

frank uible · August 26, 2012, 04:48:19 PM

In modern academia don't all students who have shown for class and are breathing at the end of the semester receive at least a B?

banfan · August 27, 2012, 06:26:06 AM

Yes of course you're right Frank.

frank uible · August 27, 2012, 08:50:38 AM

Just a blind pig rooting around.

amh63 · August 27, 2012, 09:24:22 AM

Talking about "blind pigs".....was looking for sports data and it is going to be a little slow, IMO, coming from Amherst for awhile. The SID at Amherst has left and replaced by the assistant. There is an opening for a new assistant......meanwhile the football players are arriving today. The former SID had posted a number of stories on the website before his departure. I expect follow up stories to be delayed. I hope I am wrong. Found the staff change on the "twitter" page at Amherst. I do not participate in the twitter world.....slow mind and fingers.

frank uible · August 27, 2012, 09:35:40 AM

Does the timing of the departure indicate scandal? As one might expect, your correspondent is always in favor of Amherst scandal.

amh63 · August 27, 2012, 10:09:23 AM

Anything is possible.....but do not except an "October Surprise" at Amherst. Will start some board chatter by stating now that I expect Amherst to have the best offensive line in the conference, baring injuries. The entire offensive line returns except for the RT, a fine 3-year starter. However, the RT was replaced at times by a younger bigger player from Georgetown Prep, here in MD. The returning LT and center both were selected 1st team last year. This experienced line, with the help of a new TE should allow the new QB and the bigger RBs to fit in. I think that Amherst and Trinity will have the best OF lines this year. Amherst returns more defensive starters than Trinity, especially the linemen and linebackers.
Banfan....hope your son gets to start....but he will have a hard time against Amherst.
How about that to start the discussions!

nescac1 · August 27, 2012, 10:36:48 AM

Williams should also have a very strong offensive line ... return four players who started part or all of last year, three of whom are seniors (Christiani who was all-NESCAC last year, Loughran, Tian, plus Alan Felix, who will be an all-NESCAC guy eventually and moves to center, plus has a few strong rising sophomores to compete for the final spot). But no doubt they are a notch behind Amherst and Trinity (which also returns two all-NESCAC linemen). Middlebury will also be very strong here.

So, here is a shot at the best projected units in NESCAC:

OL: 1. Amherst, 2. Trinity, 3. Williams
QB: 1. Middlebury (by a wide margin), 2. Williams, 3. Bates
RB: 1. Trinity (by a wide margin), 2. Williams (edges out Wesleyan due to depth), 3. Wesleyan
WR/TE: 1. Williams (Hartwell is a game-changing player, and Payton should be a bigger presence), 2. Middlebury, 3. Trinity
DL: Hard to say given huge losses at this spot around conference, I'll give Amherst the tentative 1, but Ferber is an ENORMOUS loss, just changed the entire game plan for offenses) 2 ?? 3?? Even though they have an entirely new defensive line, Trinity always has so much talent to restock at this position, I can't imagine they won't still be at worst a top-three defensive line.
LB: 1. Amherst, 2. Trinity, 3. Williams
DB: 1. Trinity, 2. Tufts, 3. Amherst

Trinity, Williams, and Middlebury seem to have the most offensive firepower returning (Trinity best rushing attack, Middlebury best passing attack, Williams should be very balanced), Amherst and Trinity the strongest defenses.

Lots of great offensive linemen and running backs returning in NESCAC plus many of the top front-seven players graduated = I expect running games to absolutely pummel defenses this year, especially early in the season.

Trin9-0 · August 27, 2012, 12:30:59 PM

amh63, your comment regarding twitter got me thinking about which programs are using social media to connect with alumni and more importantly recruits. As we all know social media is has exploded over the past decade and young people are increasingly looking for ways to connect online.

I did a quick search to see what other NESCAC programs have set up accounts on the two social media giants. In case anyone else is curious, here are the results.

Amherst - facebook.com/amherstfootball, no twitter
Bates - neither
Bowdoin - no facebook page, twitter: @PBearFootball
Colby - neither
Hamilton - neither
Middlebury - neither
Trinity - facebook.com/trinfootball, twitter: @TrinFootball
Tufts - facebook.com/jumbosfootball, twitter: @jumbosfootball
Wesleyan - no facebook page, twitter: @Wes_Football
Williams - neither

It's important to note that most, if not all NESCAC schools do have both facebook and twitter accounts for their athletic departments (ephsports, wescores, bantamsports, etc.)

Yikes, I can't wait for actual football games to start so we'll have something more interesting to discuss, ha!

Also, nescac1 I think your rankings analysis is pretty much spot on.

banfan · August 27, 2012, 01:21:05 PM

Quote from: amh63 on August 27, 2012, 10:09:23 AM
Anything is possible.....but do not except an "October Surprise" at Amherst. Will start some board chatter by stating now that I expect Amherst to have the best offensive line in the conference, baring injuries. The entire offensive line returns except for the RT, a fine 3-year starter. However, the RT was replaced at times by a younger bigger player from Georgetown Prep, here in MD. The returning LT and center both were selected 1st team last year. This experienced line, with the help of a new TE should allow the new QB and the bigger RBs to fit in. I think that Amherst and Trinity will have the best OF lines this year. Amherst returns more defensive starters than Trinity, especially the linemen and linebackers.
Banfan....hope your son gets to start....but he will have a hard time against Amherst.
How about that to start the discussions!

The only game he did not play significant minutes was at Amherst and you saw what happened there. lol

His roommate this year is a transfer from Sacred Heart. He is 6'4" about 260 lbs. but I doubt he has a chance for any playing time. lol

It will be fine up front for Trinity and the D overall is arguably better than last year. Sorry but that combined with an offense which has everything except a great QB and I look forward greatly to the season. NO lol.

As I said earlier I will keep my powder dry until I see action on the field.

amh63 · August 27, 2012, 01:34:02 PM

Trinity8-0....Thanks for the info. Now the question will be how the coaches can/will control their players on the social networks! Just kidding here....I think? Anyway, the season will start in less than a month.
nescac1....fine work as usual. However, you avoided providing analysis on the special teams, a critical area, even in D3. Amherst will suffer this season in this area the most, even though they have in L. Lewis, a 2nd. team conf. returner. The skill level lost in this part of the team is greater than losing an all-american lineman, IMO.

frank uible · August 28, 2012, 05:20:55 AM

Typically special team plays comprise about 15% of the whole game in number. Of course, one can assign any weight to them, which one desires, and coaches often say that the special team plays of a game are in the aggregate equivalent in importance to all of the offensive plays or alternatively all of the defensive plays.

banfan · August 28, 2012, 07:11:09 AM

Quote from: frank uible on August 28, 2012, 05:20:55 AM
Typically special team plays comprise about 15% of the whole game in number. Of course, one can assign any weight to them, which one desires, and coaches often say that the special team plays of a game are in the aggregate equivalent in importance to all of the offensive plays or alternatively all of the defensive plays.

So Frank, you are saying that the assigned or real value of special teams is purely in the eye of the beholder? What does "importance mean"? Just curious if you know how many turnovers during a season come from special teams play.

amh63 · August 28, 2012, 08:58:55 AM

I include the kicking game as a part of the special teams. Amherst graduated the best kicker in the "CAC", imo.....field goals, x points and punter.
On D3football.com, there is an surprising article about a college being punished....by the NCAA....for too much texting/social medial contacts with recruits!

frank uible · August 28, 2012, 09:22:09 AM

Importance means what the coach wants his players to perceive that it means. To my recollection have never seen a break down of turnovers or takeaways attributable to special teams play on a broad basis from which reasonable generalizations might be made.

madzillagd · August 28, 2012, 11:31:56 AM

amh63 - Interesting you joke about the football-social network connection. This week I saw that USC put out their roster and on it they included the twitter handles for players that had twitter accounts right next to their high schools, position, etc. They do a lot of media training with their players so they feel comfortable enough to actually promote the player's personal accounts.

I use twitter a lot (@madzillagd) so I personally love the idea. I'm in Sacramento and the Kings have been last on the court but first in social media the past several years. They don't require players to tweet but they do end up having about 80% of the team and coaches on twitter, so you get some great interaction and insight. Definitely adds a great element for fans to be more involved in what's going on.