FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[All NESCAC]

Looks like "Lord Jeffs" is officially out... will "Moose" be in?

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/amherst_college_trustees_vote.html

Another Win for the PC Police and Participation Trophies....all hail the "Purple Moose".

[hamfan88]

Signing Day has arrived:

Boston Herald's List of commits includes a few NESCACs

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/high_school_insider/2016/02/national_letter_of_intent_day_where_the_student

[hamfan88]

And CT:

http://www.gametimect.com/football-recruiting-2016-connecticuts-high-school-college-commitments-a-living-list/

[nescac1]

Glad to see that Williams has secured at least a few recruits, so that the new coach isn't starting with a class of nobody -- can't be easy to recruit with uncertainty like that, so impressive job by the interim coaching staff to secure some recruits.

In addition to the two listed by HAMFAN (and the FB from Mass looks interesting, at least), a few others I've seen that I THINK are headed to Williams (although haven't seen anything formal for some of these):

Jeff MacArthur, OL, Exeter
Jumaane Ford, DB, Andover
Ryan Pruss, TE, from NJ
Jake Mohan, QB, Wellesley H.S.
Frank Scheck, OL, Bennet Academy (IL)
William Gentiello, OL/DL, Bergen Catholic
Luke Apuzzi, WR, Hun School
Steve Bohling, RB, Immaculate High School
Jeremy Subjinski, OL, Farmingdale, NJ

[Nick Tighe, a DB from Bergen Catholic, is headed to Amherst ... that's a really strong program and Tighe looks like another good get for the Jeffs' monster recruiting class]

Of those MacArthur (if he is indeed headed to Williams) looks most promising, and Scheck is at least enormous (6'5, 320). 

No matter what, the new coach at Williams will have a HUGE rebuilding job on his hands.  The offense in particular is an enormous .  The team returns a few talented young TBs, but the QB, WR and TE positions are almost total unknowns headed into next year ... OL is very thin in terms of talent and experience, too.  And WR was by far the strength of last year's team.  The defense has a few nice young players up front returning, and some solid veteran DBs, but the reality is, Williams is facing a total soup-to-nuts rebuilding job and a mass infusion of talent is needed at basically every position.  First and foremost, the Ephs need to find a stud QB, a position that from 1994 through 2010 was in almost every year manned by a star player (or two).  If they get the coaching decision right, there is no reason, though, that it should take more than a few years -- the Ephs have the football tradition, the academic tradition, and the top football facility in the league.  And they can offer immediate playing time to any star recruit.  I just hope that admissions helps the new coaching staff out for a few years to accelerate the process a bit.   Next year, though, could be a very rough one for Eph football. 

[NewtoNescac]

I've tried to be positive about Colby football, although some of you will disagree. But, I have patiently watched the post 1-7 developments. First Michaeles being retained. At that point the benefit of the doubt was given, though not earned. The hope was that he would identify the team's failures, and make corrections. As for the dismal offense, he has stayed the course with his offensive system. In his opinion the System's fine, as is the play calling. It's the execution by the players. His words not mine. Both wrong. The system needs to be tweaked, and someone else needs to call the plays. But, the most troubling thing is the apparent recruiting failure. I read both of the posted articles and did not see a single Colby commit. It is with deep regret that I've  concluded that Colby College does not care about the football program. I wish I had reason to feel otherwise. The AD needs to provide some answers at this point.

[PolarCat]

I don't intend this in a mean way, but since you and your son are so deeply unhappy with the Colby program, should he explore transferring somewhere else?    I'm sure he's a wonderful athlete, and there's another program that would be delighted to have him. 

Reading your comments about your ongoing disappointments is like having a beer with a friend who's stuck in a bad marriage.  Since the current arrangement is causing you so much angst, maybe it's time to move on?

[RetiredMule]

NewtoNescac, I know you're excited to see that I am back from the dead.  In response to some of your questions, I will be making one of my standard overly long posts in the coming days to wrap up a bit of what has been happening with everyone's favorite team, Colby.  I have been talking to people at the school and will update all, especially you NtN, accordingly.  Even though I have been dead in the water posting, I have still been reading (much easier with offseason posting speed). 

That being said, I find it ludicrous that you believe you have been positive about the situation at Colby. Then again you did say "tried" and I guess its the effort that counts. Just re-read your most recent post.  "I've tried to be positive" ... "Both wrong" ... "most troubling is the apparent recruiting failure" ... "I've concluded that Colby College does not care about football".  Maybe, as PolarCat suggests, it is time for you and your son to "divorce" from Colby.  There is no penalty for time transferring schools at this level and your son could have a few years to play at a program where you both feel oh so special and agree with all the play calling. Or better yet, become a coach yourself.  Then you will always agree with the playcalling.

I know we, NESCAC board members, love to dissect and discuss the decisions and play of the coaches and players.  But at a certain point, fans and parents are going to have to realize that they will occasionally disagree with the direction or decisions in a program. The only way you will be at 100% is if you run the program.  Sometimes it is just best to take the road of the religious types and have a little faith.  You have to trust that the coaches have the best interest of your program in mind and want to succeed.  And consider that perhaps, your son/source/buddy may not have all of the answers regarding what is happening with recruiting because they are not on the staff doing the recruitment with the hard numbers in front of them.  The only hard and fast recruits for any NESCAC school at this point are the Early Decision kids, all other kids got in Regular Decision and can choose to come to or away from any school  I guarantee there are still fickle 18 year olds out there being recruited by multiple NESCAC schools who got in to multiple regular decision.  Consider that.

[nescacfollower]

There needs to be a change for Colby football. But I do not  agree that Colby has given up on their situation and let me tell you why: there's still a ton of talent left in their program, although there were no recruits on those lists we have to remember that those recruits all hail from either CT or MA, and from an inside source I have been told that the majority of the Colby recruits this year are from out of New England. So if you look at Colby's situation through that scope, you can be a little optimistic. In addition I have gotten word of two Colby recruits (including a DT and QB)

Jack O'Brien QB Freehold Township, NJ 5'11 185 lbs.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2456210/highlights/296547376/v3

Danya Smith DT Pingree School, MA 6'3 250 lbs.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4656807/highlights/295947378/v3

In terms of recruiting, I personally believe that Colby hasn't given up; these look like two decent commits for the Mules.

[PolarCat]

The O'Brien kid's HUDL film looks great.  He's big and athletic, wonderful touch, and he moves really well in the pocket.  This kid could be the stud, starting QB the Mules so desperately need.

[hamfan88]

I also did some digging for Colby commits. Found two that would not be listed on my previous links.

One from Georgia:

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2209300/highlights/302391437/v3

Another from Louisiana:

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2589086/highlights/289235382/v3

[RetiredMule]

PC - I agree. Give him a year to learn the system and develop during Harrington's senior year and he could really shine after Harrington graduates. His extra mobility could really be used to develop a greater read option game that I know Michaeles would like to see implemented. Who knows? He could even compete this fall for time as a wildcat style QB. The Colby coaches are very good about allowing open competition from appropriate talent.

[NewtoNescac]

NewtoNescac, I know you're excited to see that I am back from the dead.  In response to some of your questions, I will be making one of my standard overly long posts in the coming days to wrap up a bit of what has been happening with everyone's favorite team, Colby.  I have been talking to people at the school and will update all, especially you NtN, accordingly.  Even though I have been dead in the water posting, I have still been reading (much easier with offseason posting speed). 

That being said, I find it ludicrous that you believe you have been positive about the situation at Colby. Then again you did say "tried" and I guess its the effort that counts. Just re-read your most recent post.  "I've tried to be positive" ... "Both wrong" ... "most troubling is the apparent recruiting failure" ... "I've concluded that Colby College does not care about football".  Maybe, as PolarCat suggests, it is time for you and your son to "divorce" from Colby.  There is no penalty for time transferring schools at this level and your son could have a few years to play at a program where you both feel oh so special and agree with all the play calling. Or better yet, become a coach yourself.  Then you will always agree with the playcalling.

I know we, NESCAC board members, love to dissect and discuss the decisions and play of the coaches and players.  But at a certain point, fans and parents are going to have to realize that they will occasionally disagree with the direction or decisions in a program. The only way you will be at 100% is if you run the program.  Sometimes it is just best to take the road of the religious types and have a little faith.  You have to trust that the coaches have the best interest of your program in mind and want to succeed.  And consider that perhaps, your son/source/buddy may not have all of the answers regarding what is happening with recruiting because they are not on the staff doing the recruitment with the hard numbers in front of them.  The only hard and fast recruits for any NESCAC school at this point are the Early Decision kids, all other kids got in Regular Decision and can choose to come to or away from any school  I guarantee there are still fickle 18 year olds out there being recruited by multiple NESCAC schools who got in to multiple regular decision.  Consider that.

This has nothing to do with my son. So please leave him out of it. What prompted this was the posts of commits from MA and CT. I didn't see a single Colby commit. I saw a few Bowdoin and Bates kids, but none for Colby.

As for the offense, take a look at the lack of production the past two years. I have. I have not been the biggest supporter of Harrington, but I've come of the opinion that it's not the player, it's the coaching. He has not been placed in the best position to succeed. Just my opinion. The very simple answer is to prove me wrong. I'd be very happy to admit my mistake, and congratulate Michaeles. But for you to imply it's some sort of personal thing with me defies the facts. I've supported the coaches and program in more ways than you know. I love the Cooby football program. I guess that's why the disappointment runs so deep.

[NewtoNescac]

I don't intend this in a mean way, but since you and your son are so deeply unhappy with the Colby program, should he explore transferring somewhere else?    I'm sure he's a wonderful athlete, and there's another program that would be delighted to have him. 

Reading your comments about your ongoing disappointments is like having a beer with a friend who's stuck in a bad marriage.  Since the current arrangement is causing you so much angst, maybe it's time to move on?

Just the opposite, I love the program. Just very disappointing to read those articles and not see a single Colby commit. And none of my postings have anything to do with my son. So please leave him out of it. He's all in for Colby. Again, from a football perspective it's been frustrating. I'm sure you can understand. As for the bad marriage complaining analogy, a good friend would sit there over a beer and sympathy with the guy that desperately wants that bad marriage to work. I desperately want Colby football to succeed.

[NewtoNescac]

There needs to be a change for Colby football. But I do not  agree that Colby has given up on their situation and let me tell you why: there's still a ton of talent left in their program, although there were no recruits on those lists we have to remember that those recruits all hail from either CT or MA, and from an inside source I have been told that the majority of the Colby recruits this year are from out of New England. So if you look at Colby's situation through that scope, you can be a little optimistic. In addition I have gotten word of two Colby recruits (including a DT and QB)

Jack O'Brien QB Freehold Township, NJ 5'11 185 lbs.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2456210/highlights/296547376/v3

Danya Smith DT Pingree School, MA 6'3 250 lbs.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4656807/highlights/295947378/v3

In terms of recruiting, I personally believe that Colby hasn't given up; these look like two decent commits for the Mules.

I really hope you're right. Part of the problem is that unlike other schools, Colby has not provided any information at all. So, I appreciate the substantive information you posted.

[NewtoNescac]

RetiredMule, I am glad you're back. Really. I don't have anything against you. No reason to. I'm sorry it doesn't sound like you feel the same about me. I think if we ever met and spoke you'd realize I just have a passion for Colby football. I share your passion. But it gets distorted and misinterpreted on these Boards. The nature of the medium. So, I'll just be signing off, and not posting anything further. Just not worth it when comments spill my over to my son who has nothing to do with my frustrated postings. But, I don't have any bad feelings towards you.