FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[polbear73]

In the recent past, only a kicker.  But some on this board claim they're not real football players, so maybe  he doesn't count.  (Even though he won a game on Sunday).

Just this weekend alone, I saw at least 5 kickers make touchdown saving tackles.  And they weren't just "trips".  If that isn't a football player, I don't know what is. 

[PolarCat]

In the recent past, only a kicker.  But some on this board claim they're not real football players, so maybe  he doesn't count.  (Even though he won a game on Sunday).

Just this weekend alone, I saw at least 5 kickers make touchdown saving tackles.  And they weren't just "trips".  If that isn't a football player, I don't know what is.

Add this to the list: http://people.com/sports/female-high-school-football-kicker-delivers-leveling-hit-thats-gone-viral-girls-can-do-anything-says-coach/

[JEFFFAN]

The idea of NESCAC players playing in the NFL is a lot more far-fetched now than it was in the 1970s or 1980s.   Back then, the lack of film and video on players made it possible that a gem or two could slip through the cracks, as evidenced by the Amherst guys who played in the NFL.   The market is far too efficient in this day and age for that to occur other than a complete fluke, likely occurring because a player's athleticism goes through some sort of rapid transformation in college.   In addition, the ability of the Ivies to offer enhanced financial aid due to the rapid endowment growth makes the Ivies marginally more viable.   Finally, the Patriot League didn't offer scholarship money until maybe 20 years ago so any players considering NESCAC versus the Patriot League will now likely go Patriot if they are a higher caliber player.

[polbear73]

Agreed, JEFFFAN.  Plus the fact that, back then, the lines delineating talent levels were more blurred as there were only two divisions of college football:  Small and Major College.  The future NESCAC teams were ranked in the same categories as the much larger New England state schools and Ivies, so without the differentiation, more top level players opted to play in the future NESCAC.

This does not demean the current level of NESCAC play by comparison as today's players are bigger, faster and more athletic as a whole.  There were just more really elite players back then including Jack Maitland of Williams in addition to the three Amherst players previously mentioned.  Very different times.

[polbear73]

Correction: I believe the Ivies were in the major college classification. 

[dman]

as recently as 2004, Williams had a former player in the NFL.....

[amh63]

NBN came out yesterday with its "power ratings"...a shorter version.  These writers provide a fellow student take...younger....view of the Nescac teams, with humor.  The normal brief sports page...singular... of the WSJ is also at times humorous.  There was a writeup today that football watchers  like crazy close games.  That there are more mismatches occurring...football games...than " on-line dating services".  I do not know much about the latter, but my thoughts came to the posts and write ups of the Nescac games......or as some have referred to as the haves and have nots.
The recent Bowdoin vs Hamilton game could be called a crazy close game as well as the Tufts vs Trinity game somewhat.  The rest of the other games I would call missmatches.  Do not know where to put the Midd vs Williams game.  A potential mismatch that had elements of a crazy close game in the first three? Quarters.
As one NBN writer wrote...the conference seems to becoming a QB league...a paraphrase of sorts here.  Welcome to the NFL!

[Bucket]

You mean nobody from NESCAC  is going to play in the NFL?!

Somebody already does...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/11066799/seattle-seahawks-kicker-steven-hauschka-long-road-middlebury-college-super-bowl-xlviii

[westcoastDad]

The read option offense trends towards a QB league.  Why?  It's eaSier to defend the run when there is not a blocking back.  So teams throw more. 

PolarCat.....who in your family is a special teams player or Kicker?  Antennas are up! 

McGonagle our punter/wide out extraordinaire from last year is trying to make the league as a punter. 

Who in their right mind WANTs their kid to play in the NFL?  After taking my son to see Concussion this summer he said, " I have 16 games to go Dad.  I'm done."

I'm sorry Polar Cat....a kicker is NOT a football player.  If he's not blocking, tackling or being hit routinely to help his team move up and down the gridiron.... get the heck outta here. 

Concussion was about FOOTBALL PLAYERS.  not placekickers who randomly make contact with another player.....maybe once a game.

Stop it man!

[westcoastDad]

Saying a kicker is a football player is like saying your son in law is as family as your daughter. 

Nope

[PolarCat]

In your case, it wouldn't surprise me if your son-in-law is also your cousin.

[RetiredMule]

So as the Colby coaching soap opera continues to ramp up, there is new word off the hill. Grab the popcorn.

New word is that they attempted to fire Michaeles last offseason, at the same time they transitioned his wife out of the Women's Hockey HC role. The wife was pregnant at the time. Now the soap opera takes a head when Michaeles and wife threatened to sue for wrongful termination. The wife transitioned to a role in alumni relations and Michaeles was given the 4-4 ultimatum. So it would seem to add that Colby is committed to moving on from the Michaeles era.

I suspect they will be better for it.

I find everything you're posting both fascinating and depressing at the same time. On the game coaching front, I still don't understand why the OC is not calling the plays. Do you? The play calling is awful. Colby started the second half with the ball and needed a score to get back in the game. With the entire halftime break to get you plan together to get down the field and score, Michaeles hands the ball to Hurdle-Price fir s one yard gain, then calls a out pass for a one yard gain. Leaving third and long, and the defense teeing off on a beaten up offensive line. I don't get it.

Lastly how can Michaeles and his wife possibly be retained if they threatened to sue? What a circus.

Welcome to the world of fascinating and depressing. I understand why the OC is not calling plays. Michaeles has been historically controlling about the offensive play calls. He was OC before the 2011 incident and his promotion to HC. There have been periods when he gave up calling responsibilities, but the new OC came in late this year (August), making it unlikely he  could implement much or be trusted by the staff.

I think you speak to another major issue with this team. I have been critical of the offensive line and their ability. They have been dealing with some injuries and a fundamental lack of overall cohesiveness. The fact of the running game is this: the man with the ball in his hands does not lack talent, so look forward to the line. Its another reason we are on a third QB.

And the circus goes round and round. Obviously, I do like most of the coaching staff as people, but it looks to be a systemic issue that needs to be purged and given a fresh start. Sometimes the land has to be made fallow to bring back something good.

[RetiredMule]

Christ Wcd - can't tell if you're trolling or really just ignorant about place kickers and the read option. Placekickers are very much football players. The read option makes stopping the run more difficult and it has nothing to do with the lead blocker or lack their of. Actually the difference of in a straight zone or power run and the read-option version is dependent on line blocking schemes. Also, read-option dominance DOES trend towards a QB forward league with higher importance on the position.

[westcoastDad]

Retired Mule if what u think is true, then why have the great running backs disappeared from the horizon?  You can't name ONE great college back this year. 

Stop it with the trolling crap.  I back it up with facts.  I used to be able to name 5-10 great backs in one season of college football.  Now?  Even the kid from LSU has disappeared.  Explain it?

[NESCAC.Football.Observer]

I can think of a placekicker from Tufts who should have a shot.

I was at the Tufts @ Trinity game.... 

Tufts kicker missed a PAT (2 of 3) and was 0 for 1 (from 34 yards) for FGA's.

Average, at best, kickoffs.... Not as if he's booming them out the back of the endzone.

The scouts would tell him "no shot" at NFL.

He's a decent/good NESCAC kicker.... that's it.