FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[cruiser]

colby has had the same starting qb since 2009.

[formerbant10]

RUSHING OFFENSE          G    Att   Yds   Avg  TD  Yds/G
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Trinity.............  6    279  1287   4.6  13  214.5
2. Amherst.............  6    273  1203   4.4  11  200.5

RUSHING DEFENSE          G  Rushes  Yards  Avg.  TD  Yds/G
----------------------------------------------------------
1. Trinity.............  6     188    204   1.1   1   34.0
2. Amherst.............  6     210    327   1.6   2   54.5

Which gives 1st??

[Trin9-0]

Amh63,
Not simple-minded at all and very helpful.
Everything you said makes complete sense.
Thanks.

Agreed. Well put Amh63.

Also, Civetti had the "Interim" tag removed and is now officially Head Coach.  I think this will be helpful in getting the program re-established.

That's great to hear! I think Jay will do a great job if given time to build the program.

Which gives 1st??

I suppose part of the reason Trinity and Amherst are 1 and 2 in these categories is because they have not yet played each other. I believe both teams will be able to run the ball but the outcome will be decided on which team can effectively convert passes on 3 down attempts of 5+ yards. Special teams will also be key. Unfortunately, the Jeffs appear to have the upper hand in both of those categories.

Another key to the game will be ball security. Trinity has 7 turnovers on the season, compared to 12 by Amherst. However, the Jeffs have forced twice as many turnovers (20) as Trinity (10). Whoever can keep their hands on the ball will have a major advantage.

[amh63]

Cruiser...I stand corrected...again.  I admit I do not study certain schools in depth wrt to players' background.....like Hamilton which Amherst did not play this year.  I usually look at the offensive line size and defensive players when the Amherst SID's preview comes up. Of the CBB schools, I follow Bowdoin the most due to the fact that several of my classmates had sons there that were athletes and the fact the football coach has had a good relationship with the Amherst coaches.
I see that the Trinity posters are slowly posting and not beating down the Amherst team.  It is ok, I can take it.  Amherst led the game last year at Trinity going into the last quarter and got trampled.  I hope the older Bunker tells his brother to cut it out this year....Evan Bunker had over 200 yds. rushing last year in the game, I believe.  Amherst does have a bigger offensive line this year and as I had previously posted, I believe the defensive line is better this year.....at least it has more depth.  The secondary talent is the same and has more experience this year.  Amherst's QB or QBs are good runners but lack the experience in their passing game.  Amherst's WR's which I believe are as good as any....as a group....in the conference are suffering this year wrt to catches, yardage, etc. due to the QB situation.
The field should be ok for Sat. as it drains well (unlike the field at Williams....which Williams plans to upgrade.....have they done it yet?)  But I am getting ahead of myself.  In the 2009 year at Amherst, Trinity was ahead 9-0 but Amherst came back and went on to an undefeated season.   It will be a nail biter!

[nescac1]

I agree with Amh63 re: the offensive decline.  I figured Colby would have played better, but the offensive decline by Amherst, Williams, and Tufts is unsurprising.  Amherst lost a superstar QB and three solid receivers, Williams lost its first-team all-NESCAC QB, RB, and TE, and has struggled with injuries to some key skill guys (including the starting RB who has basically been out for the season), and Tufts lost its star QB and RB.  Middlebury staying roughly constant is a big surprise considering the loss of McKillop, but of course, no one could have predicted an impact transfer like Foote coming into the program. 

Regarding the Williams football field, yes, it badly needs to be replaced, yes, there continues to be general discussion of doing so, but no, there are still no concrete plans.  My guess is that once the ongoing library construction (to the tune of roughly 100 million) is fully funded, Williams will turn to the only facilities left on campus that require major upgrades: the football complex (most dire), field house (badly needed), and the main athletic complex (in decent shape but could still use improvement).  Williams will be due to announce its next major fundraising drive within the next few years, and given that facility upgrades are a major component of any fund drive, and the athletic facilities are the most obvious candidate for an upgrade anywhere on campus, my hope and expectation is that a comprehensive athletic facility plan, starting first and foremost with a new football field, is being discussed behind the scenes at this moment.  Williams deserves state of the art facilities to match its (in Division III) state of the art athletic program, but right now, Williams lags seriously behind almost every NESCAC school in terms of most athletic facilities.  Given the number of varsity alums with serious cash, I hope that the school remedies this within the next five years. 

[banfan]

I must say that every team we have played this year has some key injury the week before we play them.  Foote gets injured on the last play of the Bates game.  The last play?

Anyway, I think we are playing better but our passing game is still only average.  We do seem to get behind defenders for deep balls but our short, high percentage passing is almost non existent and our roll out pass, which we do a lot, is a frickin' difficult pass.

We are not sexy on offense.  We get a lead and we keep it with the run.  How do we play from behind?  I don't know.

I do think that our D is the best in the conference and they will be up for the game.

Amherst has two advantages.  The game is on their grass field and it is a day trip game which, historically, we struggle with.  But that is history.  The two teams schedules are similar although we did not play Bates and have not played Wes.  Not too many stats here but as a kinda prominent Wes grad has said, "statistics are for losers."

I thought last week at Midd was going to be "interesting", it wasn't.  Maybe this week will be.

[formerbant10]

We are not sexy on offense.  We get a lead and we keep it with the run.  How do we play from behind?  I don't know.

The game is on their grass field and it is a day trip game which, historically, we struggle with.  But that is history. 

Sexy doesn't matter.  Getting the lead and controlling the clock is a pretty solid game plan.

Historically?? 

[amh63]

Thanks nescac1 for the update on William's field, etc.  It seems the Amherst football "complex" needs updating too. (UVA has just got the ok to build an indoor football practice field...to the tune of 13 million.)  Hope Williams with its wealthy supporters gets an indoor facility, etc.......to set the standard for the conference.   I know, a nine game season first.  I hope the weather is good for the next several weekends.  Do not want the Williams vs. Amherst game to be another "Mud Bowl" game.  Yes, I am getting ahead of my self again.  Little news out of Amherst since there are still power issues on campus. 
Our conference schools have their priorities correct, IMO.  Your new library will look/be great.  If your main complex...offices, swimming pool, BB courts, needs upgrades, you all will put Amherst in a hole again.  I was impressed with your facilities a number of years ago when I frequent them during the summers (Summer stock) and winter (when my sons were at Amherst)  One of these days, I will relate a story when your football coach (Farley?) tried to recruit my sons for the team or at least to Williams.  Anyway, any funds for Amherst facilities are low on the "totem pole".  Amherst has just announced the go ahead for a new 200 million dollar  Science Center....started out at 150 million! 
Football question for Trinity posters.  Last year, E. Bunker rose to the top after injuries to more senior RBs.  This year he seems to be doing well.  Why had his rushes gone down the last several weeks.  In the Midd. game, there were several other runners being used  more.....at least that is my impression.

[Trin9-0]

With the graduation of Ollie Starnes after the '09 season Trinity held an open competition for the running back position leading up to the 2010 season.  The battle was won in the preseason by then freshman Ben Crick who subsequently suffered a season ending injury. Trinity turned next to classmate Dante Astheimer who also had his season cut short due to injury. Finally it was Bunkers turn and he clearly made the most of his opportunity.

With Crick and Astheimer back healthy this year Bunker has gotten slightly fewer carries, mostly due to an increased role from Crick. Bunker is a tremendous back and maximizes yards on every carry but Crick is more explosive and capable of breaking a big play at any time.

In recent weeks Trinity has tried to get Crick more involved in the offense, especially early in games and it seems to have paid off.

With regards to facilities Trinity installed turf fields for football/men's lacrosse and field hockey/women's lacrosse back in 2002. The first Trinity on campus hockey arena was completed in 2006 and this past year finished construction new tennis courts. The next area of need is upgrades to the baseball/softball fields but eventually the entire Athletic Center should be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. It's an eyesore on campus and a terrible use of space.  Unfortunately I don't think the funding for that project will be available for many years due to more pressing needs on campus.

[banfan]

Did I misspell it?  Historically.  The coach has mentioned it a few times and this year's Tufts game is the latest example. 

[amh63]

Trin8-0.....Thanks for the info wrt RB's.  Evan Bunker was the Rookie of the Year in his breakout year.
Finally, the SID preview of the upcoming game is posted on the Amherst website.  IMO, The SID gives a "fair and balance" preview.....history of meetings, wins and losses of recent years, his brief summary of both teams last games and the possible starting lineups.  Oh yes, Trinity's Bunker threw the winning TD pass last year in the 4th quarter. 
It is interesting to learn that Trinity's two other runners brings different talents to the table....so to speak.  Amherst in the Tufts game used two soph. RB's a great deal.  Amherst's Silvia is the more explosive back....much like Crick.  The other back Jellison (hope I am spelling the names correctly) from NH is the big back that just plowed for 75 yards in 15 carries last week...in the rain and mud.  He carried Tufts' players with him at times, being 6'3" and 235 lbs.
It is not that I am not focusing on this week's game.....its that I don't like my behavior when I get to thinking about critical close games.  I even walk away from watching such games.  I even know a "trival" fact about the great Trinity coach Miller that has the field named for him.  He was an all-american QB in the wing-T formation out of U. of Del. where, I believe the formation was developed.  He coached as an assistant at Amherst before going to Trinity.  At least that was what I was told...whenever Amherst headed to Trinity.

[JustAFan]

A bit off topic, but a wonderful, bittersweet article on a former Williams football player.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1191803/index.htm

http://athletics.williams.edu/sports/fball/2011-12/releases/20111102ip7t7d

[quicksilver]

great article but a serious tear jerker . .

[frank uible]

To whom does Williams point more proudly Mike Reily or Elia Kazan?

[nescac1]

Ummm, hopefully Reily.  Although at some point with someone like Kazan, I think it is OK to applaud his artistic accomplishments while recognizing mistakes he make in other arenas.  Wonderful Reily piece, nice to have a loyal alum like Tim Layden, who has written several great Williams stories over the years. 

Amh63, just following up on the facilities, the basketball arena and swimming pool at Williams are indeed still top-rate (as are the squash courts).  But many parts of the main gym complex, including the locker rooms, weight room, crew and wrestling facilities, etc., could use some serious upgrades.  And certainly, the football field and the field house are in dire need of improvements, both are simply inadequate to meet the college's athletic needs. 

Hamilton is certainly not Wesleyan in terms of run offense, but nice to see Williams' run defense finally play to its potential, holding Hamilton to an incredible -30 yards rushing last week.  They will need to bring a similar effort against Wesleyan's far superior running attack.  Curzi, Canina, Cameron, and Schultz have been really stout at the point of attack in recent weeks, and two younger players, Higginbotham and Whyte, have made some big plays when given opportunities.  With two great running teams (both with very athletic QB's who are capable of big plays with their feet, something that really hurt Williams earlier in the year), the front seven will have to be both dynamic and disciplined in their lanes. 

Wohlwender didn't play last week, hopefully he can be healthy for the stretch run, as he is the Ephs' best bad-weather and short-yardage back.  Williams has neither a dominant passing nor a dominant rushing attack but are solid in both phases, balance and being unpredictable is key for the Ephs' success the rest of the way.  I'd like to see Lapoint get a few more touches no matter what. 

After a few weeks when the kicking game was looking great, the Ephs missed three FG's (two chip shots) last week, the only reason Hamilton was even close to being in the game.  Kicking in the snow is not easy, so that likely contributed, but still, Williams will need big special teams performances to win the Little Three.  The punter Greg Payton has been playing very well for the most part.