FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[muleshoe]

Colby preview is up. With 19 returning starters there is lots of reason to be optimistic about this coming year. http://www.colby.edu/athletics/2014/09/18/football-team-ready-to-open-season-saturday/

Go Mules!

[Trin9-0]

Not much in this article about Wesleyan that we don't already know.
However, the last line is a bit of a slap in the face to Tufts:
http://www.middletownpress.com/sports/20140917/wesleyan-football-wesleyan-primed-for-big-season

Lumbercat--do you know when the 75 man roster limit went into effect?

I seem to recall this rule going into effect around 2000 or 2001.

Colby has an absolutely BRUTAL schedule to start the year, opening against the top 4 teams in the league last season including Trin and Amherst on the road. They look to have a strong team returning so I'm certainly glad the Bants get them in The Coop.

[nescac1]

I am pretty stunned that Whalen, an experienced NESCAC coach, would make that comment about Tufts.  (a) it is just kind of an a**hole thing to say, especially when you consider that Wesleyan has been a really good team for all of, what, one season?  Not exactly a proud football tradition there.  And pretty classless to mock a team when they are down.   (b) It will provide serious bulletin board material for any future Wesleyan-Tufts game in which Whalen is involved.  Now, maybe this year, Wesleyan just has so much talent it won't matter what Whalen might say.  But after the Cards graduate nearly their entire starting lineup, and with Tufts building a better program, who knows what the future may hold, especially at a school where it is very easy to imagine some backlash if there is a perception that accommodation of football has gone too far (the general Wesleyan culture, after all, is not what you'd normally think of as a jock school). 

On another note, the new Williams venue looks absolutely spectacular.  Love the view from the Riley room, and the locker rooms look pretty sick.  Will be VERY nice to actually have multiple real bathrooms, right under the stands to boot.  No track blocking the view.  Home stands on the better side.  A field for tailgating adjacent to the stadium.   A true stadium feeling starting with the gatehouse feeling a lot more connected to the entryway to the field.  A gorgeous field.  And the whole facility is right in the heart of town.  Overall, a slam dunk.  Can't wait to see it in person! 

[amh63]

The floodgates are opening! Thank you all....for the info.  Happy person.
Agree Nescac1 and Jumpshot wrt to the new venues up in Willytown.  I am the last person to point out a typo....but...I believe you mean "sLick" when referring to the new dressing areas, Nescac1.
The HFC/AD at Wesleyan charts his own course....knows what he is doing.  Last season in the team pix he had the roster above as 76...the extra player refer to a grad student, I deduced.  All steps taken to date had its purpose, imo.  When he arrived in Middletown, he arranged and attended a big fundraising function in NYC for the school...is an example.
I infer in the Bowdoin Orient pieces that the limit of 75 was imposed near 2002....maybe slightly earlier for the "Little Three" school.  Good memory Trinity8-0.
Oh yes, NothingButNescas...thanks for the links.  *K

[frank uible]

nescac1: To this hard-to-please beholder the complex appears to be excellent. In the next few days he will put together a laundry list of negatives - there has to be a bunch.

[nescac1]

Frank, that is high praise indeed coming from you!  I'm glad to see that my $25 dollar donation went far ...

[hamfan88]

nescac1 re: Whalen comments. From the context of the article its pretty clear that Whalen is referring to the daunting travel schedule and not the quality of the Jumbos' football team. In the preceeding paragraph makes reference to the Cards 3 overnight away games during the first half of the schedule.  I think the Tufts reference was regarding the sub-2 hour trip from Middletown to Medford.

[frank uible]

ham: You ought to be Press Secretary for the Commander-in-Chief!

[nescac1]

hamfan88, you may be right, given the context of the entire quote, it's ambiguous.   But ending the quote with "It will be a challenging first half of the season.  It won't be like opening the season with Tufts" sure SOUNDS like a diss on Tufts.  And I guarantee one thing: the Tufts coach will have that quote prominently displayed prior to the Wesleyan game the next time they play (which, I now see, is not actually this season). 

[madzillagd]

My only negative: In 2014 when everybody has a laptop or some type of handheld device, I found it odd that the press box didn't have outlets all over and above the desk area.  Do we really need to force people to crawl under a desk and between people's legs to plug stuff in?

Everything else looked fantastic though.

[mariner75]

I am pretty stunned that Whalen, an experienced NESCAC coach, would make that comment about Tufts.  (a) it is just kind of an a**hole thing to say, especially when you consider that Wesleyan has been a really good team for all of, what, one season?  Not exactly a proud football tradition there.  And pretty classless to mock a team when they are down.   (b) It will provide serious bulletin board material for any future Wesleyan-Tufts game in which Whalen is involved.  Now, maybe this year, Wesleyan just has so much talent it won't matter what Whalen might say.  But after the Cards graduate nearly their entire starting lineup, and with Tufts building a better program, who knows what the future may hold, especially at a school where it is very easy to imagine some backlash if there is a perception that accommodation of football has gone too far (the general Wesleyan culture, after all, is not what you'd normally think of as a jock school). 

On another note, the new Williams venue looks absolutely spectacular.  Love the view from the Riley room, and the locker rooms look pretty sick.  Will be VERY nice to actually have multiple real bathrooms, right under the stands to boot.  No track blocking the view.  Home stands on the better side.  A field for tailgating adjacent to the stadium.   A true stadium feeling starting with the gatehouse feeling a lot more connected to the entryway to the field.  A gorgeous field.  And the whole facility is right in the heart of town.  Overall, a slam dunk.  Can't wait to see it in person!

[mariner75]

Really doesn't surprise me about Whalen's comment....it fits him.

[frank uible]

My experience with Whalen indicates that the statement in question would not ordinarily be made by him.

[lumbercat]

Sorry to you Wesleyan front running apologists but the Whales comments made direct condescending reference to Tufts....he made no reference to home or away games or a tough schedule - stop the excuses- he openly implied that it would be tougher this year for Wesleyan minus the "privilege" of opening with Tufts.....total BS.
I'm not a Tufts guy but I will state here that Civetti will succeed at Tufts- he's got some skill in the passing game and while he puts the rest of his scheme together he will win some games.
Tufts is going to throw the ball 60 times a game this year--Forgotten Jack Doll will be a leading NESCAC QB .......if he wins the starting job......that's how deep the Jumbos are at QB.......Civetti has at least 2 other QBs within a whisker of being the starter but I say Doll starts and if they give him some time to throw he surprises many in the CAC.

[Nescacman]

2014 Week #1 NESCAC Preview and Power Rankings

Welcome to Week 1 in the NESCAC..."the league where they pay to play".  This is the first week of what should be another exciting NESCAC season. For those unfamiliar with my weekly post, we will give our regular weekly preview of the upcoming games including weather forecasts and predictions and our weekly power rankings. Let's get it going...

2013 was a very good year for NESCACMAN and his staff picking NESCAC games going 32-8 for the season. This year should be very interesting with a loaded Wesleyan Football Cardinal squad seemingly loaded for bear (19 of 22 returning starters and able bodied, experienced "back-ups" filling the missing three spots); Trinity having to replace its entire offensive backfield (due to graduation and academic ineptitude) but seemingly very sound everywhere else; an experienced Amherst team with a two headed monster at QB and strong defense, a new era in Middlebury with all everything Mr. Foote leaving town; a Williams squad looking for leadership and someone to get the basketball team they have at WR the ball; Colby and Bates trying to break into the upper echelon of the NESCAC despite losing key players; Bowdoin trying not to become the next Hamilton or Tufts; Hamilton starting anew (again) with a new coach and 25 new freshman on the roster; and finally, everyone's favorite punching bag, Tufts....31 in a row and counting...will they win a game this year? Over the course of the next 8 weeks all of those questions will be answered.

2014 Week #1 NESCAC Power Rankings

1. Wesleyan (Final 2013 rank: #1): Last season was a historic season for the Wesleyan Football Cardinals. Consider these facts: Wesleyan won their first Little 3 championship in the modern era (since NESCAC started), won at least a share of the NESCAC crown for only the second time ever, had 7 wins in a season, for the first time since 1997 and for the first time since 1969 had a chance at an undefeated season. They were ranked #1 in the league for more than half the season and were 1-0 against the other 7-1 teams in the league (Middlebury and Amherst). They were the #1 D3 team in New England in the coach's poll for two of the last three weeks of the season and were ranked as high as #6 in the Lambert Meadowlands D3 Poll for best team in East and as high as #31 nationally. Although they did not finish the season well against Trinity, they still led the NESCAC in total defense and were #3 in total offense. They had some exceptional individual performances including from returning all NESCAC performers like DiMase, Drew, Bussani, Cimino, Powers, and Carillo. Complacency will not be an issue with the return of 19 of 22 starters looking to avenge the loss to Trinity and the best incumbent QB in the league in "uber" efficient Jesse Warren. They only lose one player on D (LB Meyers Beard) but he will be replaced by several players who have started at one time or another for the Cardinals. What can derail Wesleyan? In one word...injuries. If they stay healthy, they SHOULD repeat as Little Three Champs and win their first ever outright NESCAC Football Championship. Should be a very interesting game #1 as Wesleyan will travel to Middlebury to face the Panthers. 

2. Trinity (2013 #4): 2013 was another strong year for Coach Devanney and the Bantams going 6-2. They certainly saved their best for last as they extended their home win streak against their in-state rival Wesleyan to 51 games. Trinity led the NESCAC in scoring offense, was third in scoring defense, was second in total offense and tied for first in turnover differential. The defense should be excellent. The big question is how do you replace your entire offensive backfield. All-time NESCAC rushing leader Evan Bunker has graduated (is it just me or was he the Major Ogilvie of the NESCAC?), as did his partner in crime, Ben Crick. Exceptional frosh QB Sonny Puzzo is gone, at least for 2014, as he sorts out his academic issues. That leaves Henry Foye as the starting QB, who it seems to me is the starter by default. Look for much heralded frosh Jersey native Spencer Auk amp to work his way into the QB mix. He is a proven winner, although we're not sure he will be able to see over the Bantams O-line. Bottom line is Trinity will challenge for the league title and it could come down to a battle of the unbeatens the last game of the year in Middletown. What could upend Trinity this year? Poor play at the QB position and no one adequately steps up at RB.

3. Amherst (2013 #2): Amherst tied for the league title last year going 7-1. 2013 was a very good year for Amherst, in particular on defense, leading the NESCAC in points allowed. The defense will again be excellent with 8 returning starters. The big question mark, like so many other NESCAC teams is at QB. We expect Senior Max Lippe to get most of the starts with sophomore Alex Berlutti again seeing plenty of playing time. The other question mark is in the defensive secondary with the loss of Landrus Lewis and Max Dietz to graduation. Coach Mills will try to pound teams with his running game, dominate time of possession, and rely on his defense for field possession and turnovers. What could hold Amherst back this year? Neither QB steps up and is consistent enough to seize the job.

4. Middlebury (2013 #3): The Panthers ended 2013 with their second consecutive 7-1 season and a share of the NESCAC title. They unfortunately did not play Wesleyan in 2013. MR. NESCAC Commissioner, can we please go to a 9 game schedule in 2014 so that every team play everyone and we have a true league champion (it could easily be done by eliminating the silly inter-league scrimmage and starting the season a week earlier or going one week later if they want to preserve the pre-season schedule)? Hats off to Mac Foote on a great career. The big question in Vermont is how do they replace him in 2014 after leading Middlebury's #1 ranked offense to a tied for a NESCAC lead 31 TD's (with Wesleyan) of which 26 were accounted for by him? We hear that Junior Matt Milano has won the dubious distinction of following Foote and his predecessor Don McKillop. There will be lots of pressure on Milano in Middlebury's pass first spread offense. Keep in mind that this is a team that led the NESCAC in total offense in 2013 while finishing second to last in rushing offense. We expect more balance this year, but they will still rely heavily on the pass with a bevy of skilled receivers on the roster. The defense should be improved after a middle of the pack 2013 campaign with 8 returning starters. What can hold Middlebury back? The obvious answer is the QB position. No one is going to replace Foote, but if they get adequate play from Milano and are able to run the ball a bit, they could challenge for the league title.

5. Williams (2013 #8): A last place finish in the Little 3 and a very un-Williams-like 2-6 record is what 2013 will be known for in Williamstown. Placing the blame for the 2013 debacle on anyone other than the coaching staff is, in our opinion, unfounded. This team has a lot of talent and we believe they they have the potential for a bounce back year, although the QB situation is still a major concern (do we note a trend here?). WR, RB and the Defensive Line are major strengths for the Ephmen. Alex Scyocurka will be the workhorse at RB and James Howe is a force at DE. What can go wrong in Williamstown? They were last in the NESCAC in turnover differential at an incredible minus 15 in 2013 including an incredible 17 interceptions. They will need to improve that to reverse their downward slide and turn things around in 2014. As far as NESCAC Coaches under pressure, we believe that former Columbia Defensive Coordinator HCOF Kelton is one of two coaches on the hot seat, especially after the school spent nearly $250 million on a new football stadium at Williams. 8th place teams don't usually deserve fancy new stadiums.

6. Colby (2013 tie #5): Colby could have easily been 5-3 in 2013 with loses to Wesleyan, Amherst and Middlebury. Bowdoin would have none of that and made Colby 4-4 in 2013. With second team All-NESCAC QB Justin Ciero transferring; the big question is who fills his shoes. They have a lot of skill at WR but will rely more on Sophomore RB Carl Lipan. The defense has 9 returning starters from a 2013 that was third in the NESCAC in total defense and 1st in rushing defense. The schedule is brutally hard for the Mules, opening the season on the road in the Coop and then playing Middlebury, Wesleyan and Amherst on successive weeks. We will know very early what this team is made of. What can go wrong for Colby? The new QB does not adequately step up and they don't do a better job of protecting the ball in 2014 than they did in 2013.

7. Bates (2013 tie #5): They finished the 2013 season 4-4 and at times played very well, relying on their back-up QB for much of the season. Patrick Dugan is back to run the offense and may be asked to throw the ball a bit more than the 127 passes they attempted in 2013 (versus 482 rushing attempts). They lost their top two RBs to graduation and will obviously need to replace the 239 carries that Curit and Doherty had. The defense has 9 returning starters and should be better than they were in 2013 with a lot of experience and talent on that side of the ball. What could go wrong? No one steps up at RB, which would be a disaster for this run first team.

8. Bowdoin (2013 #7): We will see if this 3-5 team progresses in 2014. In order to do so, they will need to get a better performance from their QB. Until they upgrade that position (since Caputi is a senior and is the coaches son, that is not going to happen until the 2015 season) their offense will languish, especially given the loss of their top RB, Zach Donnarumma. With a lot of moves on the OL and the loss of Clarence Johnson on the DL, we think this team is going to struggle to win more than a few games.

9. Tufts (2013 #11): 31 in a row and counting. They completed their third straight season 0-8 season in 2013. They finished the season last in the NESCAC in scoring offense and scoring defense. They have theoretically had three good recruiting classes. For Coach Civetti's sake, they better be good and start to put some wins on the board in 2014 or something tells me he will be looking for another job along with HCOF Kelton. Tufts has 20 returning starters including QB Jack Doll. We expect Tufts to be better this year. I am not sure better results in more wins, however.

10. Hamilton (2013 #10): 2013 was an 0-8 season they would like to forget. They were second to last in the NESCAC in scoring offense and scoring defense. They will have to replace their best offensive player, all league performer RB Stanell in 2014. Not sure 2014 will be their year with lots of new players, a new coach and a new offensive scheme. The only good news is that either them or Tufts will have at least one win this year since they play each other in week one (can't wait for that one...a 0-0 tie is a distinct possibility).

Week #1 NESCAC Preview

As we head into the first week of the 2014 season, there are a few interesting games on the schedule this week. We will get to see if Williams is improved opening at home versus Bowdoin, one of the coaches in the Tufts/Hamilton game will get their first NESCAC win ever and we will see if Trinity can continue their streak in the Coop. The GOTW has Wesleyan visiting Middlebury College. This game has many interesting subplots including the Cardinals starting the season in an unfamiliar role as being the hunted. It is also the start of a new era at QB for the Panthers.

Bates College at Amherst College: Tough opener on the road for the Bobcats. Keys to victory for Bates: Run the ball effectively and avoid turning it over. Keys to victory for Amherst: Control the clock and win the turnover battle

Amherst 28 Bates 7
Weather: Not a factor.

Hamilton College at Tufts University: Worst game on the NESCAC schedule this week. Who gets their first win as Coach? Will Tufts end the losing streak at 31 or will it go to 32? Will anyone show up? Seriously, we like Tufts experience on both sides of the ball and the fact that this is Civetti's fourth year. Keys to victory for Hamilton: Run the ball effectively and don't turn the ball over. Keys to victory for Tufts: Don't get nervous when you have the lead late.

Tufts 21 Hamilton 7
Weather: Not a factor.

Colby College at Trinity College: The first game of the post Ciero era for Colby. With Ciero, we would have given Colby a punchers chance, without him, no chance. Keys to victory for Colby: Force Foye to turn the ball over. Keys to victory for Trinity: Run the ball effectively and limit the number of times that QB Foye has to pass.

Trinity 35 Colby 14
Weather: Not a factor.

Bowdoin College at Williams College: First game ever on new Weston Field. This game will be decided by whomevers QB plays better. Williams has far better talent than Bowdoin, but their coaching ineptitude will make this game closer than it should be. Keys to victory for Bowdoin: Don't turn the ball over, consistent play from their QB and force Williams to pass and turn the ball over. Keys to victory for Williams: Kelton is fired before the game starts, they establish the running game, better play from their QB (whomever that might be) and they don't turn the ball over like they did in 2013.

Williams 28 Bowdoin 14
Weather: Not a factor.


NESCAC Game of the Week

Wesleyan University at Middlebury College: Battle of two teams that tied for the NESCAC title in 2013. Wesleyan returns everyone so we pretty much know what they will do. Pound the ball; control the clock and force turnovers on D. If Jesse Warren continues to develop as he did in 2013, Wesleyan should come away with a win. Keys to Wesleyan victory: win turnover differential, control the ball and the clock and avoid stupid penalties. Keys to Middlebury victory: Avoid giving up the big play and do not leave the game in the hands of the first year QB.

Wesleyan 17 Middlebury 10
Weather: Not a factor.

NESCAC Man's Picks
Last week: N/A
2013 Season (through eight weeks): 32-8

This week's picks are dedicated to our fellow board member, Al Davis. We miss you Al.