FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[mariner75]

Cheers...

[Jonny Utah]

Congrats are in order for Williams, the powerhouse of D3 sports which was just awarded its 12th consecutive NACDA/Learfield Sports Directors' Cup earlier this summer--and 14th out of the 15 awarded in NCAA Division III history. Unbelievable! And Williams was joined by other NESCAC brethren in the Top 10, showing that NESCAC dominates wherever we choose. As for proving our prowess in it yet another NCAA sport, we have decided that it's simply not prudent to join the herd of academic flunky factories chasing some hollow title long past Thanksgiving. No thanks. For NESCAC schools all the games that matter are played in our own league. We simply don't need or want anything more.
   

It should be another great season in our storied league. No matters who wins out on the field all the kids in this league are winners because they are winners in the only place that truly matters in this day of 50K annual tuition: the classroom. These kids will graduate with sheepskins that will put then far ahead of all the other Podunk U's in D3, and in the meantime, they'll have a chance to play football on their terms. That's as it should be. Congrats to all NESCAC student athletes

Did someone say academic flunky factory?

"How would the top NESCAC football teams fair vs the top Ivy league JV teams? One pundit assures me that although some NESCAC teams might have a few more highly skilled players than Ivy JV teams, overall, the Ivies have more depth and skill across the board. Anyone know?"

This is a question Pallos asked 3 years ago.  Shows you how clueless the guy is.

[Pat Coleman]

I have no idea how they would fair. I wonder, though, how they would fare.

[Jonny Utah]

I have no idea how they would fair. I wonder, though, how they would fare.

Well since Ivy league JV teams are all freshman that didn't make the varisty, and considering Ithaca Freshman teams can beat Cornell's JV team every other year, I would say 90% of all division 3 varsity teams would beat any IVY league JV team.

[iamhuge]

I have no idea how they would fair. I wonder, though, how they would fare.

Well since Ivy league JV teams are all freshman that didn't make the varisty, and considering Ithaca Freshman teams can beat Cornell's JV team every other year, I would say 90% of all division 3 varsity teams would beat any IVY league JV team.

That may be true.  Overall, the athletes recruited at Ivies are superior to the NESCAC recruits.  They are bigger, faster and stronger.  However, the NESCAC does land many great high school football players who don't meet the Ivy size/speed criteria and one would assume these kids would also be great college players.

[amh63]

Amherst preview for the coming year is posted on the college website.  The interesting news is on the defensive side where Amherst lost four first team conference players.  To replace a first team defensive back, Kevin Heller is being moved to defense where his talents will hopefully blossom..  To replace the conference defensive player of the year at inside linebacker, Amherst is looking to a Springfield College transfer.  The new Amherst player led Springfield in tackles, break ups, etc. as a first year player last year.
It is the start of pre-season where hope is high. 

[frank uible]

Caught again bringin' in them ringers?

[labart96]

Good for that kid - nothing bad about a SC degree, but an Amherst one will open a lot more doors

[Trin9-0]

Trinity season preview is up: http://athletics.trincoll.edu/sports/fball/2010-11/Football_11011

Looks like the defense will once again be very strong. The biggest question is whether Drusbosky can keep his starting QB position or if they'll look to one of the sophomores. Losing Ollie Starnes leaves a big hole at running back but they seem to have plenty of depth at the position.

Even numbered years offer the more favorable schedule for Trin.  They'll have a tune-up in the opener against Colby then face their only true road test in week two at Williams.  

Trinity never seems to play well at Hamilton but I can't imagine they'll come home with a loss. The Bants then host Tufts and then travel to Bowdoin.  

They play both Middlebury and Amherst in "The Coop" where the last time the Bantams lost this years freshman class was in elementary school.

The season finale at Wesleyan should very exciting. A new and improved Wes-squad (that took Trin to double overtime last season in Hartford) will look to make this rivalry a little more competitive.

If the Bantams can stay healthy (especially on the offensive line) and get improved play from the quarterback position they should make a run at the NESCAC title and have a shot at 8-0.

[nescac1]

The Purple Cow among six mascots featured in College Gameday Commercial:

http://athletics.williams.edu/sports/General_News_Items/091010Purple_Cow_in_ESPN_GameDay_Commercial

Go Ephs! 

[Pallos]

Williams was listed by Forbes fairly recently as the top college in the country and US World News Report lists them as the top liberal arts and Forbes simply has Williams listed as the top undergrad institution in the nation, categories be damned. Outstanding! Amherst is # 3  , just behind Princeton. Many other NESCAC schools are right up there as well.

In terms of academics, all NESCAC schools are powerhouses and dwarf the D3 pack. For NESCAC fans that's something we take no small measure of pride in. And while NESCAC may not be a powerhouse football conference-- it's probably the conference's weakest sport on a national scale, but it's still highly entertaining-- you won't find a more powerful D3 sports conference - - for both men and women sports.

Good luck to all teams this season!

[Pallos]

I have no idea how they would fair. I wonder, though, how they would fare.

LOL, I know how crucial spelling is to a site like this, Pat.  I also know that you won't find many 37 yr old NESCAC grads driving around northern Wisconsin in November for a living     
         

[Pat Coleman]

I have no idea how they would fair. I wonder, though, how they would fare.

LOL, I know how crucial spelling is to a site like this, Pat.  I also know that you won't find many 37 yr old NESCAC grads driving around northern Wisconsin in November for a living     
         

Nope. You think I make a living at this? You severely underestimate the ad revenue from a free site.

I do it for fun. Not the driving, but the D3 stuff. Hopefully it stays fun, because it ain't paying my mortgage.

[frank uible]

Pallos: Bad form to wrap oneself in his wealth, education or  other status when caught with his pants down.

[nescac1]

Nice to see you here Frank; you are missed on Ephblog!

The season is less than two weeks away, so let's talk football!  Any thoughts on break-out players, impact frosh, suprise teams?  I think Williams-Trinity in week two may well decide the title this year, as those seem to be the two strongest teams on paper.  Key for Williams will be how quickly they acclimate to the new coach.  But I think they return something like 18/22 guys who started vs. Amherst (they do need to replace both kickers) and virtually every key back-up, and add a supposedly strong group of frosh led by some potential-impact skill guys.   I think both Trinity and Williams will be at worst 6-2, and I'd be very surprised if they combined for more than 3 losses between them. 

Amherst is in the running as well, but lost a lot of defensive firepower from a team that won a lot of close defensive struggles last year and was fortunate in terms of injuries, breaks, etc., which is usually what it takes to go 8-0 barring a stretch of absolute dominance like Trinity recently had or Williams had in the mid-90's.  Amherst needs to improve its running game if they hope to repeat as conference champs.  Amherst does return a strong passing attack and its defense always reloads, plus the Springfield transfer should help, but I see them falling back just a bit to their typical year of 5-3 or 6-2. 

Meanwhile Williams and Trinity return almost all their key players (although Trinity has to find a RB, and it seems like Trinity unexpectedly lost two underclassment starters on the offensive line?), and hopefully the Ephs will have a bit better luck with injuries than last year -- but even if not, this year's team looks to be a bit deeper.  Ephs hopefully worked hard in the offseason after absolutely agonizing close losses to their two rivals last year, and after being dissed by their coach. 

Wesleyan could surprise: they add the transfer QB from Williams, have a huge coaching upgrade across the board, and lost fewer lettermen than anyone in the league, I believe.  I see them going 5-3 with bigger things ahead.  Midd loses a lot of talent, but McKillop is by far the best offensive player in the conference, and makes them a threat to win any game.  Bowdoin has the biggest shoes to fill with Kell graduating.  I think Hamilton, Bates, Tufts, Bowdoin and Colby will fight it out in the bottom half of the conference, with only Tufts a real threat to break into the top five this year.