FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

amh63 · September 17, 2013, 10:02:25 PM

Lumbercat...glad you saw the photos. Based on the early writeups of Pratt Renovation that can be still found on the website, the field/track has been set down a bit and the stand seats are set to help in the sight lines ...to get a bowl effect...whatever that means. I would have liked a separate area for the track, etc. but there is no room for it nearby. The lower level of the field house serves in part the sports like field hockey on the lower turf field with lights. Below that, there is another field that has served as the practice field for football. The lower turf field was the former location of the football practice field. Too much info, I realize, but the too small football practice field was the last straw...so to speak that led to the major changes....causing a small number of donors to put up over 16 million up front...before getting the go ahead. The Williams project delayed for years was only given the go ahead when a major portion of the 20 million plus cost was in hand.
Yes, in a way, the "battle" continues and the students benefit. The field house will have medical facitlies, rest rooms for fans and proper dressing rooms for refs and coaches and the list goes on. The upper level will be for video and team meetings and for alum gatherings....big hosted party for the Friends of Athletics...at homecoming...translation....donors. Maybe I will make a donation to get in.

lumbercat · September 17, 2013, 11:08:10 PM

Amh 63- well stated- this is a great facility that goes far beyond the construction on a new Football Field. It is truly a multi purpose facility that will benefit a great majority of the student body and the Amherst Coolege community as a whole. I was shortsighted in viewing if from afar simply as a " Football Stadium"....in reality it is so much more than that.
Jeff's everywhere should be proud of this. I can't wait to see it myself.

nescac1 · September 18, 2013, 07:44:19 AM

The Amherst facility looks gorgeous: it will be the nicest football stadium in NESCAC. Well, for one year at least

. Williams has the luxury of a bit more space to work with, hence the ability to place the track adjacent to rather than around the field, which I do think is an advantage. Williams' facility, based on early plans, looks to be a bit more contemporary in aesthetic, although the historic Peck Grandstand and entry gatehouse will both be preserved, maintaining a sense of continuity and tradition.

Interesting that Amherst brings in two football transfers. The Jeffs seem to average around a transfer per year, and many have had major impacts. Three transfers (among other players) are competing for the wide-open DE positions. That spot is typically crucial to Amherst's defensive success, so I am sure the competition will be interesting. One of the transfers I see was on Wesleyan's roster last season. That makes at least five transfers from Wesleyan, four of them who were starters, and then another lost to an arch rival. The Cards still have plenty of talent on hand but that will really hurt their depth. Wonder if there is any common theme to the exodus or just a confluence of different factors.

Go Continentals! · September 18, 2013, 09:10:55 AM

For the spread on the Hamilton game, the Massey Rating prognosticators show Amherst as a 9.5 point favorite with total points for the game being 52.5. Of course, I'm already looking forward to Saturday and I'm still hoping for an upset!

FourMoreYears · September 18, 2013, 09:57:48 AM

Looks like we have some pretty heavy favorites/underdogs for this weekend.
For the sake of discussion, here's the order in which I think an upset is possible:

RANKED FROM LEAST LIKELY UPSET TO MOST LIKELY UPSET
(It's all relative my friends)

100:1 Tufts over Wesleyan ... Until Jumbos actually win a game it's hard to imagine them beating a potential top-NESCAC dog.
80:1 Hamilton over Amherst ... 2nd-year Hamilton coach can't muster the offense to offset the points Jeffs will put on the board.
25:1 Colby over Williams ... Mules lost much to graduation, but some (AlDavis leading the charge) are pointing to a mediocre Ephs squad.
20:1 Bates over Trinity ... Because the up and coming Bobcats are at home, they just might pull a surprise ... anybody but the Bantams and the odds would be much lower
15:1 Bowdoin over Middlebury ... Polar Bears always battle at Whittier and return 19 starters from last year's train wreck. How will new line and WR core affect Foote?

Talk amongst yourselves ...

gridiron · September 18, 2013, 11:13:05 AM

As nice as the Amherst facility is, the position of the track will make Williams' final product more desirable without question.

amh63 · September 18, 2013, 11:21:14 AM

GoContinentals...I would expect a 36-14 victory to beat the spread

. Actually, I do not care...just looking forward to a victory.
Thought about sitting on the home side with family members...being the visitor side has limited sight lines. Afraid that if it rains, my big Amherst umbrella will generate negative reactions from some fans

.
Actually, my daughter, Amherst grad, and my grandchild...next generation Amherst student..are quite loud and will cause trouble. Better to stay on the visitor side.
Nescac1..nice pick up wrt the DL players. I was surprised at the movement of Steve Jellison, the big RB to the defensive side. Also the naming of several freshmen...one as a return man...a skill position in my mind. The HFC , also the back field coach, has a slew of young player in line for backups/ replacements. This has been his tendency for years....building experienced reserves to come in...he was the defensive coordinator before getting the head coaching job.

amh63 · September 18, 2013, 11:36:48 AM

Gridiron...for whom? For the players...it does not matter really. For the visitors, maybe not. The early concepts show a limited visitor stand. The older field had a covered historic section...to be moved it seems to the track area. For Amherst students, the new track is a blessing, etc. For fans like myself, who stand by the sidelines, near tailgate tents, it is about the same.
To me and most Amherst alums/fans, it is an overall improvement. I will concede now that Williams new facility will be finer. Do not really care...anything to avoid another "mud bowl" game where drainage problems made the playing field almost unplayable and dangerous to players.

AlDavis · September 18, 2013, 12:26:01 PM

...Geeezus , Wesleyan is very generous this fiscal year and will be able to have some nice write-offs on next years Tax Return with giving away players to UCLA , Miami , UConn , Delaware and Amherst......oooh that ex #98 Singer is going to be sick how it goes down.

gridiron · September 18, 2013, 01:14:33 PM

Amh---agreed players will not care, but viewing lines for the fans should be very different.

Not a knock on the very nice facility--just a comment on the closeness to the field and ability to see the game.

Jonny Utah · September 18, 2013, 02:17:21 PM

Who is the starting QB for Tufts this weekend?

gridiron · September 18, 2013, 02:48:43 PM

2013 Hamilton roster if finally up. Just leaves a couple of laggards now.

iamhuge · September 18, 2013, 02:57:50 PM

Quote from: Jonny "Utes" Utah on September 18, 2013, 02:17:21 PM
Who is the starting QB for Tufts this weekend?

Doll has been named the starter. He's a really good player. Never got a chance to show it last year:

http://www.tuftsdaily.com/sports/football-jumbos-head-to-wesleyan-to-play-under-the-lights-1.2835921#.Ujn2hdK-1I4

nescac1 · September 18, 2013, 04:31:43 PM

Williams-Colby game preview posted including both starting line-ups. Good to see Dunklee return to health for Colby. A fun player to watch, big-time playmaker.

Bill Griffin is starting for Williams at WR ... the ultimate "where did he come from?" guy. Presumably he is the same guy as BJ Griffin, who had a big game vs Amherst all the way back in 2010, but with eligibility remaining did not play for the next two years. Must be an interesting story. The strength of Williams' roster is in depth at WR as the top six guys (Payton, Griffin, Sime, Brewington, Kiesel, Beaton) all have excellent size, speed, or both, plus the season preview mentioned a 6'5 235 lb frosh added to the mix. There will be opportunities for big plays down the field if the OL can pass protect and the QBs can show better deep accuracy. Two big iffs, of course.

iamhuge · September 18, 2013, 04:36:20 PM

Quote from: amh63 on September 18, 2013, 11:21:14 AM
GoContinentals...I would expect a 36-14 victory to beat the spread . Actually, I do not care...just looking forward to a victory.
Thought about sitting on the home side with family members...being the visitor side has limited sight lines. Afraid that if it rains, my big Amherst umbrella will generate negative reactions from some fans .
Actually, my daughter, Amherst grad, and my grandchild...next generation Amherst student..are quite loud and will cause trouble. Better to stay on the visitor side.
Nescac1..nice pick up wrt the DL players. I was surprised at the movement of Steve Jellison, the big RB to the defensive side. Also the naming of several freshmen...one as a return man...a skill position in my mind. The HFC , also the back field coach, has a slew of young player in line for backups/ replacements. This has been his tendency for years....building experienced reserves to come in...he was the defensive coordinator before getting the head coaching job.

One of Hamilton's starting defensive backs is a great player. He captained the Princeton High School team a couple of years ago.