FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lumbercat]

Does anyone know if teams allowed to carry more than 75 players but only dress 75 at home games or do they have to shed players completely from the squad to adhere to an overall 75 man roster limit?
I alway thought they could carry more than 75 on the practice squad, jayvees etc but not quite sure.

[PistachioX]

Bates has had their 2012 roster published for a couple weeks, I believe - and they are under the 75 man limit, with 21? FY's.  A relatively large recruiting class for them.

I understand the roster limit to be 75; anyone who is cut can still work out with the team, but their are no Jayvee teams.  Travel rosters for away games requiring an overnight are more slim... at 65, I believe.

[PistachioX]

Oooops.   *there*


...and the overnight roster travel limit may actually be 60.  I forget.

[lumbercat]

Thanks for the info Pistacio.

Ive seen the Bates roster and it looks like they had a good recruiting supporting earlier rumors. They are particularly strong on the O line and also have a lot of depth in the slot and RB. Their QB should be among the best in conference. While it looks like it's going to be Foote of Middlebury and then everybody else at the QB postion Bates' Smith is very athletic and can throw. He may surprise.
Though Bates has some holes to fill on defense particularly on the line and at LB they look the like the favorite in the CBB.

Colby is rebuilding with their new coach having turned the page from last years trouble. Don't be surprised to see a freshmen starting at QB. They return some depth on Defense with one of the best in the conference Ryan Velette anchoring the D line. Soph Luke Dunklee is a great athlete who may blossom at RB.

Bowdoin returns their versatile QB Grant White from injury.  RB Zac Donarumma will be key to their offense. They look young on the O and D lines but have some great athletes on the defensive side of the ball. LB's Griffen Cardew and Joey Cleary though not big were both great playmakers in that fine Cohen defense of last year. With Coach Cohen gone they look to continue the great scheme he established in just one year at Bowdoin. With some added depth up front on the D line the Polar Bear athletic LB's and DB's will continue to make plays.

2 standouts in the CBB are offensive tackles--  Sr John Gilboy 6'1" 300 of Colby and Jr. Liam O'Neil 6'4" 305 of Bates. Both are athletes and are in the class of Ryan Moores 6'6" 295 SR of Middlebury who is being actively scouted by a number of NFL teams. Moores is arguably the best offensive lineman in the league.

thats my early scouting report  for the CBB. Anybody have any insights on other NESCAC teams??

[banfan]

I know how Trinity coaches approach this annual scrimmage and they are not big fans.  It is a more to lose than to gain game.

Anyone know how Tufts and Bowdoin look at their scrimmage?  It will impact what I see on Friday.  By the way, is Bowdoin going to hop on the bus at 10:00 PM, stop at HoJo's on the way and pull into Brunswick at 1:00 AM?  Or, God forbid, are they going to stay over night in a notell motel?  Or are they sleeping on Aero beds in the Tufts field house after eating at The Flatbread Company in Davis Square?

[frank uible]

It is suspected that the Wes coaches have approved of the preseason scrimmage against Trin since it is very likely to extend the Wes players. Conversely the scrimmage is a lot less likely to have extended the Trin players. But assuming that the general quality of Wes is on the uptick, the attitudes in this regard may be slowly shifting.

[lumbercat]

Sorry Banfan nothing known on Bowdoin or Tufts intrasquads last week but look forward to your take on the 2 teams following Friday's scrimmage.
Also will be interesting in Middletown on Sat when 3 of the best backs in the conference will be on display- Bunker and Crick along with Drew of Wesleyan who is ready to move into the elite category.
As Frank states Wesleyan is elevating their program but lets see if they can validate a move in that direction after going a few rounds with the Bantams.

[frank uible]

Isn't the Wes-Trin scrimmage scheduled for Hartford?

[lumbercat]

Frank-
Thought it was Middletown this year but hope I didn't post bad info. Banfan knows where he is going--so follow the Subaru SUV.

In the shadow of the Trinity-Weslayan sparring match tomorrow I  still feel bad for Frankie Hauser who lost the Wesleyan job and now will be calling the shots for the Tufts Offense which seems an unexpected outcome for a good guy who gave alot to Wesleyan without the administative support that the "Whale" is enjoying......Good luck to Frank who gave everything he had and did enjoy some successes in Middletown but competing in the Little Three is exceedingly difficult. Heres saying that if Hauser had the support the "Whale" is getting he could have turned the Cards around but I guess it takes change to clean house and move in a different direction and Frankie took the fall. Good luck to him in Medford.

Frank U-Assume you will be a witness at A-W tussle on Saturday---how about giving the board your observations.....while we know your insights will be clad in purple and your written expression trends toward brevity your wisdom and viewpoints are respected....how about giving us the skinny on the Purple Clash?

[quicksilver]

Bowdoin roster has been posted

[nescac1]

I second Lumbercat's request for Frank (or anyone else) to share impressions of the Williams-Amherst scrimmage.  Both teams have a ton of questions to answer heading into the season.  For Williams, the passing game should be improved with a lot more experience at QB, the return of Hartwell and Payton and some young receivers like Beaton and Kiesel ready to contribute, and the move of Lapointe from RB to slot receiver, where he could cause some damage.  I am curious to hear how Scyocurka looks (is he back to full health?  He has as much talent as any RB in the league and his loss really hurt last year, the other Eph running backs are very solid players, but not difference-makers), but more importantly, how the young defensive line fares against the stellar Amherst O-line.  Williams returns some talented players to the defensive back seven -- Chris Cameron is an incredible athlete and should be the new MLB and leader of the D I expect (and a potential NESCAC defensive player of the year if the Eph defense exceeds expectations), Emmanuel Whyte really came on late last year at WLB, and Andre Lafontant may be ready to emerge as a lock-down CB. One rising sophomore to watch is S Tom Cabarle who looked very talented in limited action last year.  I think they will ultimately be at worst OK in those units.  But Williams' D-line, which underperformed last year, loses all four starters and two key reserves, so that is just a huge unknown for the Ephs, and they will be relying on some young or previously untested players. 

For Amherst, of course, the defense and offensive line will be stellar, but the big questions are who will emerge as the starting QB, the new kicker, and the potential play-making threats at TB (probably Silva) and WR (who knows).   Very curious in particular to hear who looks like he has seized the starting QB position.   

As for Wesleyan, I do think that with the administrative and admissions support, the Cardinals will be strong going forward.  But they will always face a disadvantage in terms of recruiting vs. Williams and Amherst if the playing field is level.  First of all, the school has a political and social climate / reputation that is not exactly attractive to your typical football player, even your typical NESCAC football player.  More importantly, it kind of sucks being the third banana in the Little Three rivalry, particularly when Williams-Amherst play the biggest little game in America, which has attracted all sorts of national attention.  No one at Amherst or Williams really gets excited about playing Wesleyan, it's all about playing each other (in fact at Williams, I'd say it goes 1. Amherst 2. Trinity 3. Wesleyan/Midd in terms of importance).  Just hard to sell players on that if they are guaranteed to play in a hugely significant (for this level) game every year if they attend Williams or Amherst. 

If Wesleyan can turn the Trinity match-up into a true football rivalry, that will help.  But so long as they have financial support to put together an all-star coaching staff and the admissions support (including bringing in multiple D-1 transfer this year) to bring in players that aren't being recruited by Amherst/Williams, as the school has finally decided to do in recent years, the Cardinals can be competitive with anyone in NESCAC.  Hauser, though, really had an impossible task, as it seems he did not receive that type of support. 

[amh63]

Several random points as I await my first live football game.  Was planning to go to the Hamilton vs Amherst game as I did several years ago in Clinton....alas it's at Amherst.   Guess I must now plan to attend the Cornell vs Yale game in Ithaca.  How can Cornell have such an early game be their Homecoming game?  With promise of fireworks, etc. and the only true marching band in the Ivy League....and the desire of my wife to see our daughter and grandchild, etc.....no D3 football.  Oh yes, Hamilton scares me.  With a defensive minded coach, Hamilton can be dangerous and can surprise people, like Bates did last season.
Going around the "CAC" sites, Bates, Trinity, Bowdoin and now Amherst have refreshed their websites.  I had read/heard that Williams would come out with a new website after a period of studies.  Maybe they will when they announce their football info and facility upgrade.
Did see on their site last year, some video of the football scrimmage with Amherst at Amherst.....Williamstown had water problems last year.  Maybe Williams will video the scrimmage again and post it!  If I recall, Amherst leading QB got hurt last year and had to start the season with another senior QB.  In the end, it worked out for Amherst.
Amherst is under a health notice presently that limits outside night activity (dusk to dawn) due to bug bites and fear of EEE.  So is the UMASS student body.  This may impact sports practice going forward.  Watch out all sports fan.....get yourself protected.  Warning is posted on the Amherst website, along with details.
I am scheduled for the Amherst battle with the Cardinals in Middletown.  Maybe the game will be close this year....I usually chat with fellow Amherst watchers and look for free food at the Wes. tailgaters or watch the soccer games.  The football games normally are dull and predictable.  There was one a number of years ago when Wes beat Amherst when Amherst's coach made a bad decision....he later admitted his error.....it was a game when Amherst allowed the Cardinals to stay with them in the second half after dominating the game and line play in the first half.....too many errors in the second half.
Maybe....I will go up for the Trinity game?  Parking can be tough in Hartford.  Am I anxious for "CAC" football?  You bet.

[82slice]

I can give a little parent's peek into tsome of the questions on offense at Amherst.  It appears that the 6'6" sophomore, Max Lippe is now the front runner at QB.  The bigger surprise is that it looks like the number 2 spot right now is being held down by the newly arriving 21 year old freshman.  Sounds like they may also run a little triple option with one of their other QB's.  At RB, the new freshman is getting a lot of looks with the 1's.  Don't know if he's starting, but he will get a lot of time along with Silva.

[nescac1]

Thanks for the info, 82slice.  The frosh is 21?  Wow, that is certainly a big edge, especially at a cerebral position like QB.  And 6'6 QB in NESCAC should be interesting to watch.  Since he plays basketball as well, he must be very athletic.  Sounds like Amherst has some good young talent at QB and RB.  I imagine Petropoulos will be moved to DB or WR if he has been bypassed by two younger guys. 

[amh63]

Interesting QB news at Amherst!  Surprising and maybe not.  Lippe  also made the basketball team last year and I had a chance to talk with him a little when the team was down in the D.C. area.  The CA. boy is bright, fast and athletic, etc.(as are all Amherst QB's) and has the height to see the defensive field.  The triple option threat could be the QB from MD who may have been an option QB in high school.  The FY player was highly regarded and comes from a talented "football" family...his "older?" brother is the talented ILB for Amherst and leads the squad in tackles....He led Springfield College in tackles his freshman year before transferring to Amherst.  Amherst's coach commented that the upcoming scrimmage will be one of the selection times for QB.  Still expect Amherst to have two "starting" QBs for the season.  Last year, partly due to injuries, both new QBs were seniors and each started 4 games.  Thanks 82 Slice!
Lippe's CA HS school is not well know...but he also comes from an athletic family.  His older sister was a starting BB player for Wes. last year, a senior guard.