FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lancer]

Agreed Bantsfan, it makes for a tough battle after the loss to Middlebury. BTW, Amherst does not give rings out unless it is an outright championship.  They received watches for their co-championship last year. 

[amh63]

Trinity has its preview of the upcoming game posted.  The game will be carried on CPTV again.  Same broadcaster as was at the upset in Middletown.  Good trend.  The lowly NFL Redskins traveled to the scary Cowboys and won in OT.  Much like when Amherst battled the scary Cardinals and won.  Good trend.  Sky is getting brighter for Sat.
More comments on recruiting  and even some on the football game before real football heavies make projections.

[amh63]

As promised, here again to relay some "recruiting" stories recalled to point out paths taken by players to "CAC" schools that avoid any coaches abilities or shifting academic standards.
Before, I proceed, I must point out some wonders of modern tech....without blaming anyone or anything. 
My older IPad has an unknown app it seems.  Whenever I post too long a post or silly "crap", it freezes....I lose the post.  This is my second attempt today.
Had a late classmate that played for The Darp.  He recruited his brother in law to come to Amherst.  The QB candidate from Iowa had received offers from both Iowa, and Iowa State.  The father was a MD and the Kehoe family in those times had to "Pay to Play"....using a NESCACMAN expression.  In 1969 at a game, I watched in Medford, QB Kehoe still recovering from an leg iinjury, helped crush Tufts via passes to the young Jean Fugett.  Boston papers trying to find reasons for the upset of their no. 1 team, went crazy over the fact that QB Kehoe turned down scholarships to "Pay to Play" at Amherst.  QB Kehoe went on to become a MD, with a practice in CT.  More important he sent his son Nick Kehoe '07 to Amherst to play QB.  Family ties in the recruiting process.

Looking over the Trinity Roster, I see the NJ town of Glen Rock.  There was a football player a year ahead of me that became a teacher and football coach at Glen Rock HS.  Over this long and distinguish career, he sent many players to play for "CAC" schools and get a fine education; many a talent to Amherst even.  He retired not to long ago and was highly honored as a coach. Special schools in the recruiting process.

Last story on recruiting....what I refer here as an "out of the blue" phone call to the HFC.  It also deals with an "undersize QB"....another nescacman term.
Amherst QB Marsh Moseley '05 came to Amherst from the deep South, from New Orleans.  His brother played for CB for Columbia and Princeton wanted his talents in the defensive backfield.  Marsh wanted to play QB in college.  He came from a high power private school in NO, La.  He backed up Eli Manning in HS.  Because of his family friendships with the Manning family, Archie Manning gave Coach Mills a call.  Coach Mills stated that he could compete for the QB position, if admitted.  QB Moseley started in his soph year leading his team to a last second OT win over Tufts and better yet...torched Williams in Amherst's Homecoming win over a visiting undefeated team.  He beat Williams again his senior year.  He broke his ankle in the lost to Trinity.  The replacement QB....Nick Kehoe!

Several last comments here. 
Henry Foye, the soph QB who is projected to start for Trinity is from Madison CT, Daniel Hand...another feeder school to the CAC.  Is he somehow related to a fine Amherst QB Paul Foye...also with an "e"...from New London CT.  Paul Foye was a recorded setting QB...Class of '86, I think.  Part of an undefeated Amherst Team in the 1984.

Lancer....thanks for info wrt to the younger Spears.  If I do not catch you by the Football tent, drop by my class tent.

[amh63]

Everyone must have been watching the World Series.  No posting yet.  It's Thursday posters!  Time for "glove and feet" lightweight posters like me to defer..  Better do my last post here before I lose my sat feed from the 24 year high of Solar Flares....affects orbits, radio freq, etc.
Looking over the line ups of both Trinity and Amherst, I believe the defensive front seven has the advantage over the fine Bantams.  Defensive backs.....advantage to Amherst. 
Offensive line seems to me to be even...size wise and experience. Quickness, etc are relative factors.
Turning to the "skill" players, again it is a toss- up.  The older Ragone WR hurt Amherst last year and the younger Ragone was dinged in the WES game. Both teams have good RBs that were stopped last week.  Amherst appear to have more injuries in that area...both teams need to establish the running game...to set up the passing game...to control the tempo and time of possession.  I think both coaches want to keep the score down....avoid a shoot out.  I give the QB advantage to Amherst due to experience and decision making. 
Now to the special teams...kicking game, etc.  Both sides have fine kickers.  Still, Amherst has its all conf.kicker back.  Punters on both teams must avoid shanks and obtain field position kicks.  In a bias pick, I feel the crazies that go downfield on kicks and make stops goes to the LJs.  Amherst have better crazies .
Amherst is now familiar with playing on a rug field.  Last time in Hartford, Amherst took and held the lead into the last quarter.  Trinity's depth and home field mystic prevailed.  I have noticed in recent games...especially in the Tufts game...that Coach Mills has been putting in reserve players on the defensive front seven.  If it becomes a defensive battle, my bet is on Amherst.  I do not know the Trinity's coach...is he an Offensive man or a defensive man...history in big games....truly.
I feel that Amhert has a chance for a win in the Coop.  It should be a cold day...hopefully a dry one.
I still worry about the OL player that left the game last week, the backup RBs, etc....
I will let the coaches do the worrying.  I will try to catch the game online in Annapolis.  Be looking at boats...sailboats, not " stink pots".  Hope the flares do not mess with my iPad!

[Go Continentals!]

Prediction:  Hamilton wins if Pastorella gets the start!

Go Continentals!

[middhoops]

Any other week and I'd join you in rooting for that outcome.
Hamilton may be playing the hottest team in the CAC on Saturday, however.
Next week, I'm with you.  (+k for enthusiasm)

[FightingCards]

The "WM" will be out in full force this Saturday in the potential snowy purple mountains to witness the 1st Fighting Cardinal victory in W'Town since 1984.  However, we'd like to keep the game close so Williams Alumni think that HCOF Kelton has an improving team.  We certainly don't want a situation similar to when Williams got blown out vs Hartford State this year in the new $100 million stadium (A Hartford newspaper printed the following day that HCOF Kelton stated "I'm glad they called the dogs off!")......all that said, many strange things can happen in Williamstown.  The WM is excited and ready and we hope to see some of you there...although other than Frank, I think the Williams fan base is pretty much done. 

[amh63]

Amherst preview of the upcoming Battle in Hartford is posted.  Has pics of Tufts game and video highlights.  A discussion of the games...past and upcoming..is available in a podcast.  Enjoy!

[banfan]

Ned Deane (with an E) and Lyle Baker will play against each other for the last time tomorrow. By the way, I was Ned's soccer coach when he was in the 4th grade. Coach Mills can thank me for his excellent footwork.

I expect Trinity to respond to its loss to Midd with an impassioned game. One defensive breakdown that I expect to be corrected. For some reason, Trinity d backs let the Midd receivers get behind them. It happened through out the whole game. I can only conclude that they, Trin, did not think that the QB had a strong enough arm, stupid in the first quarter, really @#$%*& in the second half. Their QB is good and they knew that. The Midd receivers are very good and they knew that. Also, they could not have been coming up for run support because Midd could not run against us.

I have no easy correction for the O. My hope is that the O wakes up, comes together, develops, emerges and plays its best game of the year. We eat the clock well but finishing drives has been very difficult. There is depth and experience and certainly a desire to start a new winning streak so I expect all of the above to happen and Trin to win 21-20 as Amherst misses an extra point with 30 seconds to go.

Your turn amh63.

[nescac1]

On a lighter note, Williams is included in this (parody) Clickhole list of the best college fight songs:

http://www.clickhole.com/article/all-time-best-college-fight-songs-1307

It would be nice for the Ephs to go out on a high note and stun Wesleyan and/or Amherst in these last two games; although it is admittedly unlikely it's not impossible if they get a few (seemingly overdue) breaks -- of course, you make your own luck and Williams just can't keep shooting itself in the foot over and over and over in every close game.  I can't remember the last time that Williams beat a team of roughly equal, or better, talent.  Now would be a nice time to start OVERachieving.  If the Ephs can protect Lommen (something that has been an issue all year, much as it was all last year) he's shown he can hit the Ephs' many talented targets for big plays downfield.  But among many other problems this season, Williams has had an unbelievable number of drives that have moved the ball quite well for 30-50 yards (Lommen has actually been one of the most statistically productive QBs in NESCAC) but have bogged down in key situations via penalties, turnovers, missed FGs, or getting stopped on 3rd or 4th and short.  They won't get as many opportunities vs. either Wesleyan or Amherst as they have in recent weeks, so they need to FINISH the long drives they do manage to put together.   

Tom Cabarle, since returning from injury, has played really well in the defensive backfield.  But the defensive line has not been nearly as productive as anticipated this season.  Williams has been gashed by the run of late, not a good sign vs. two great running attacks ahead.  The DL absolutely has to be stouter at the point of attack.  And James Howe, after a monster sophomore year, has been generally quiet this season.  Not sure if there is some issue with his play, or just opposing offenses are able to overwhelmingly concentrate on him in lieu of other pass rushers up front, but it's a strange sort of regression, at least statistically, from a guy expected to compete for NESCAC DPOY (it would also be nice to see some pass rush generated schematically, something that doesn't happen much as Williams generally plays the same four man front without much in the way of stunts or blitzing).  Alas, it's not been atypical over the past few years -- guys who have showed a lot of promise early in their careers seem to have stagnated, development-wise.  Compare that to the elite programs where guys (as you expect to happen in football, where players tend to develop later) emerge as stars in their junior and senior years.  Something just isn't clicking in terms of aggregate player development at Williams ... because the incoming talent, while nowhere close to what it was in the Farley years, is overall good enough to be an above .500 team most years.

One thing is for sure -- Williams has nothing to lose these next two weeks, and needs to play like it ... no holds barred, try to surprise the opposing teams, play loose and fast, mix things up from what they've shown in weeks 1-6.  It's time to pull out all the stops because toe-to-toe, the battle up front favors Wesleyan and Amherst.   

[mariner75]

Good story on Zach Trause and the Tufts Seniors posted on the Jumbos site.  To have that many seniors stick it out and help turn that program around is great to see:

http://www.gotuftsjumbos.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/trause_seniors

[amh63]

Nescac1....nice post to set up the other little three teams for Williams. . Cannot speak for the Cardinals, but I hope that your EPHS do not achieve your goal...overachieve..nah!  More next week.  One game at a time.
Banfan...what can I say that I have not said.  Is this a pass the Couch shell thing...from that iconic lost boys on a island tale?  Did see an article about a monster house for sale in Andover in the WSJ..  Wife read it.  First thought of you...just kidding around "Futbol" coach.  Do have some background info for you.  First, congrat to your son's fine play last week.  If he plays the right side vice moving from side to side like Amherst's all conf. DE, he maybe facing a tough dude at RT...also a big LT.  Amherst's RT is a three year starter and a captain and a local MD kid.  According to his father, Penn State recruited his son.  On his son's second visit up, his son was turned off by an assistant coach and left the meeting. According to a story on the Amherst football website, another local kid finally convinced him to come to Amherst.  The LT for Amherst is an Amherst local kid.  Believe his father works At the College. Anyway, the LT is even bigger than the RT.  He is a transfer after his FY from Union College.  This year he is listed taller and heavier and has Amherst HS posted.  He has worked hard to get his starting role. 
I do want to say that you are a very clever writer...positive view.  Yes Amherst's fine kicker from MD missed his last kick..an extra point in the Tufts game.

[mariner75]

Tufts - Colby preview:

http://www.gotuftsjumbos.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/colby_preview

[banfan]

amh63

By the way, Foye is a JR and his dad played QB at Trinity.

Any thoughts on how Amherst will attack Trin?

Any ideas how they will deal with our running game?

Who is under more pressure tomorrow?

Any other Amherst fans out there have opinions about how the game will unfold?

I would be happy to tell you more about Trinity but the coaches will yell at me. I have no inside info, just an ole player and coach with my observations. Anybody else?

[banfan]

Folks, just want to let you know that the undefeated MIT Engineers are playing at Endicott under the lights at 5:30 so some of you can catch the CAC and then a night cap.