FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

Aaron Kelton some time must have defecated in your momma's antique crystalline punch bowl.

As well as every other "interested" Eph alum's punch bowl. And for the record Frank, legendary Coach Farley agrees with our assessment of the HCOF 100% (and yes he reads the "Board").

One other little HCOF tidbit, Kelton was not fired by Williams. He only left because he was offered the Shorter job. Otherwise, believe it or not, he will still be leading the Ephs. Crazy...

(And it was 3 straight 2-6 seasons...)

[Nescacman]

2016 Week #8 NESCAC Preview

Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm and views that some (particularly Williams fans) may find offensive, rude and off-putting. If you are someone that is easily offended, please move on to other posts. This will be your only warning! Continue at your own risk.

Welcome to Week 8 in the NESCAC..."the league where they pay to play". We were 5-0 in week 7. We need 4 wins this week to break our season record for wins set in 2013. Important match-ups this week as Hartford State plays Wes at historic Andrus Field and Tufts travels to Middlebury. In effect, it's play-off week in the NESCAC. Shout-out to our former correspondent "Al Davis", who we know is with us in spirit and is rooting for his beloved Cards.

Hamilton College at UBates (Lewiston Campus): Congrats to Bates for winning another C-B-B title. Why UBates will win: UBates defense will be the difference here.
UBates 21 Hamilton 10
Weather: Not a factor.

Williams College at Amhurst College: Williams completes their first ever 0-8 campaign on the road. With nothing on the line, will be interesting to see who QBs for the FKA LJ's. Amhurst should be able to run and move the ball on the porous Eph defense. We think the Ephs will have a tough time scoring on a very good Amhurst D. Why Amhurst will win: Amhurst plays very physical football and the 2016 Ephs don't like that.     
Amhurst 31 Williams 7
Weather: Not a factor.

Bowdoin College at Colby College: Who cares? Bowdoin goes for win 1 on the road and Colby tries to save their HC's job. Why Colby will win: We'll go with the fact that Colby's D is slightly better and they turn the ball over a bit less than the Bears. This could end up as a tie. Both teams are not very good
Colby 17 Bowdoin 14
Weather: High in the low 40's, moderately windy.

Tufts University at Middlebury College: Should be a very entertaining, very interesting game. Best passing team in the NESCAC against one of the best running teams. Two very evenly matched teams. We think Middlebury's lack of a running game will hurt them here. Why Tufts will win: We think Tufts will pound the ball with Brady and control the clock. Could come down to a key turnover. Both teams will be rooting for Wesleyan to beat Hartford State. If Wes wins, winner gets a share of the NESCAC title.
Tufts 31 Middlebury 24
Weather: High in the low 40's, moderately windy.

NESCAC Game of the Week

Hartford State College at Wesleyan University: NESCAC game of the year. Hartford State has clinched at least a part of the conference championship. Wes goes for their 2nd NESCAC title in 4 years. Best offense (HS) against the best defense (Wes). Wes offense seems to be getting better each week. HS was fortunate to get out of the Coop with a win last week scoring more on defense than they did on offense. We think this is going to be a close, hard fought "Battle of the Birds". Why Wesleyan will win: Home grass field advantage, more team speed/more weapons, and QB Piccarillo (who we think is the best QB in the league right now). We would not be surprised if Wes won by more. 
Wesleyan 24 Hartford State 21
Weather: Not a factor.

NESCACMAN's Picks
2016 Season: 29-6
2015 Season: 30-10
2014 Season: 30-10
2013 Season: 32-8
Career: 121-34 (.781 winning percentage)

[lumbercat]

Nescacman-
Good reading as always. NESCAC game weeks would not be the same without your posts.

You make several good points but I'll go the other way on the game of the week.

Trinity has the edge on speed at skill positions so I disagree with you there.

However, the deciding factor in this this game will be the Bantam ground attack. The key to the Trinity rushing game is a dominant offensive line. That's the key factor here. Chipouris is a great back but he leads the conference in rushing because he is running behind a dominant O line. Left tackle Simmons has been identified as a pro prospect and maybe the best offensive lineman in recent memory in the NESCAC. It's no secret to anyone around the league that they will run off the left side when they need yards and don't think Devanney cares, they are going to run it down your throat and mix in the aerial game as needed. They haven't been stopped yet.

Wesleyan is small on their D line, Trinity will win in the trenches  and I think this is the where the game will be decided.

The only area I give Wes an edge is the kicking game and that may be important. Wes will hang around at home but the Blue and Old Gold will be too much for them.

Piccorillo is a great QB with very bright future but I'll take Puzzo. Smart, mobile and vastly underrated as a passing QB because he doesn't get to throw much in the Trinity run oriented offense.

[Nescacman]

Nescacman-
Good reading as always. NESCAC game weeks would not be the same without your posts.

You make several good points but I'll go the other way on the game of the week.

Trinity has the edge on speed at skill positions so I disagree with you there.

However, the deciding factor in this this game will be the Bantam ground attack. The key to the Trinity rushing game is a dominant offensive line. That's the key factor here. Chipouris is a great back but he leads the conference in rushing because he is running behind a dominant O line. Left tackle Simmons has been identified as a pro prospect and maybe the best offensive lineman in recent memory in the NESCAC. It's no secret to anyone around the league that they will run off the left side when they need yards and don't think Devanney cares, they are going to run it down your throat and mix in the aerial game as needed. They haven't been stopped yet.

Wesleyan is small on their D line, Trinity will win in the trenches  and I think this is the where the game will be decided.

The only area I give Wes an edge is the kicking game and that may be important. Wes will hang around at home but the Blue and Old Gold will be too much for them.

Piccorillo is a great QB with very bright future but I'll take Puzzo. Smart, mobile and vastly underrated as a passing QB because he doesn't get to throw much in the Trinity run oriented offense.

All very good points...we recruited Puzzo out of NJ so we are well aware of his talents, however, we don't think he has the arm/accuracy that Picarillo has. With that being said, he is dangerous as a runner and can easily turn a would be sack into a first down scramble. As far as Simmons is concerned, he is a nice player but he will be facing off against Jordan Stone, who is a defensive POTY candidate and as an all-NESCAC player, is certainly no slouch. While a bit smaller than Hartford State's O-line,  we will give Wes' front 7 the edge in speed and athletism. In our opinion, the X-factor could be Wes' version of Jabril Peppers, Devon Carillo. We would put Carillo into the conversation for 'Cac offensive player of the year (with Brady, Chippouras, Lebowitz and Piccarillo). He does it all for the Cards and could have played D1 had he not wanted the education. Should be a great game.

[Grabowski]

Lies, damn lies, and statistics...

First downs:  Cards 23, Bants 12
Total yards:  Cards 412, Bants 267

Now for the ones that count (other than 45 and 21):

Turnovers:  Cards 4, Bants 0

Trinity was a considerable notch up from anyone we faced all year.  They certainly put an exclamation point on 8-0.  The worst part was looking at the roster, and hoping to see the number 17 MUCH more than I did...

[PolarCat]

Congratulations to all the seniors who finished their football careers yesterday.  Not just the 'Bants who went 8-0, but the boys who went 0-8 and everything in between.  As we watch a generation raised on Participation Trophies completely melt down because they cannot process the reality their candidate lost the election, I'm grateful for all the student athletes who understand both winning and losing, and how to comport themselves with grace, regardless of the outcome.  The lessons you learned playing ball will serve you well in life, taking you places the snowflakes can't even imagine.

[PolarCat]

On a less cheerful note: It was a depressing second half in Lewiston yesterday, particularly the fourth quarter when the Bobcats coaching staff appeared to throw in the towel.  I don't profess to be a football brain, but I don't understand the life lessons you're trying to impart when you decide to run out the clock and take a knee while trailing.  I felt badly for the Bobcats seniors who persevered through 4 years of lousy recruiting, small rosters, benign neglect from the Administration and AD, and unimaginative play calling. 

Hats off to the Continentals.  They worked hard, played with enthusiasm, and never gave up.

[JEFFFAN]

Kudos to Trinity for an undefeated season.   As the season came to a close they beat everyone in their way and deserve the congratulations on a terrific season.   Seems like to win the NESCAC these days a team has to go undefeated.

On an Amherst note, congrats to the seniors for a phenomenal four year record that only included five losses in five years.   And thanks to the defense for keeping the team competitive this year!

[Lawrence Oliver]

NESCACman... You should've recruited Puzzo a little harder.   He outshines the Wes kid who looked well over matched yesterday.   When Pic was getting blitzed he kept turning his body as if he was wincing. His eyes had to be closed.   Why was your RB fighting with other players and then his fans or family were fighting with those players. I heard the Trinity coaches laughing in the press box as I was right below them.   What an embarrassing situation.   BTW...how do your let up a fake FG and a fake Punt to a team who does it to you every year?  Another time I heard some laughing.   Oh and the kid that scored the defensive touchdown is ecstatic because your HC mf'd him when he called to say he was committing to Trinity because he wanted to be an undefeated champion which he couldn't accomplish as a Card. After speaking with some Trin coaches after the game,  I couldn't be happier my son attended Trinity.   He even graduated with a job with a football alum.  The program is top notch and classy which showed yesterday.

[amh63]

My closing post for the Amherst football team!  Kudos to the team and the senior class....closed out the season on a positive note.  Weather was fine and warmer than expected....especially on the sunny side...the home stands.  Why is this noted?  Well, for many generations, the visitor stands was on the sunny side. When the new football facilities were built, Amherst got smart and made the switch . Why do I mentioned this during a game that I only saw less than half of the game.  Started to watch the game and saw Williams  score first! Went to meet some classmates..one who flies in from the UK each year for the game.  While chatting with them, Amherst scores a TD and goes ahead.  Went back to watch again an Amherst starts to mess up again and the half ends 7-3.  Mentioned it to a wife of a classmate.  She strongly suggested that I not watch the game.  Spent a lot of time chatting with football parents,  MBB alums of the 2013 National Title team, etc.  Amherst scores three TDs in the third quarter to go ahead 28-3.  Went back into the stands among the football parents who now start seeing more insertion of the new players.  Caught sight of several Williams fans sitting on the sunny side. One I recognized...he always attends the game with an Amherst friend and they always sits on the sunny side.  Went down to say hello and shake his hand.  Sitting next to him, is the legendary former Williams HFC Farley...think Farley-Lamb Field up in Willytown.  Shook his hand too. A former Williams football player also comes over to chat with Farley.  I'm thinking, is this the reason the  visitor stands seem a little thin?  The Williams fans are coming over to sit on the warm side.  Turns out, the Williams alum was sitting on the Amherst side because his son maybe a future football player for Amherst!
A somewhat unique and enjoyable weekend with family and old friends and some new ones too.

[NESCAC.Football.Observer]

I attended the Williams and Amherst game.....

Being honest.... it was a horribly played football game.

Williams is just a bad team.... Kelton really left them with no athletes..... the kids seem to be trying, but they just aren't very good football players or athletes in comparison to the rest of the NESCAC.

But Amherst is even in a worse situation.  Hard to picture it, but they've fallen greatly from the team that went undefeated in 2014 and 2015.

Senior class seems to have underperformed, especially from a leadership standpoint, and the Junior class seems to be a miss from a recruiting standpoint given more sophs are starting/playing than Juniors.

But until the LJs can solve their OL and DB deficiencies, they will remain mediocre.

I mean... they rushed for what... 37 yards... vs Williams.... that's a mediocre team..

But yesterday's game was brutally boring.... I felt badly for all attendees.....

[NESCAC.Football.Observer]

On an Amherst note, congrats to the seniors for a phenomenal four year record that only included five losses in four (my edit) years.   And thanks to the defense for keeping the team competitive this year!

No offense..... But the LJ seniors ended up with anything but a "phenomenal" record.   They ended up 7-1 as frosh (when none played), 8-0 as Sophs (when one or two played), 8-0 as Juniors, and finished as Seniors at  4-4.

That totals 27-5.

"Phenomenal"?   I think not.

Amherst graduating classes of 2015 and 2016 both ended with 4 year records of 29-3.....

You all can decide what adjectives you want to describe 29-3.

[westcoastDad]

Agreed N.F.O.

But first....congratulations to the Trinity squad!  Going 8-0 is a great feat indeed. 

Also a big congrats to Tufts!  Going 7-1.....next will be a favorite to win it all.

As for Amherst, lots of improvement will be needed.  Hopefully, at QB we will have Foy back healthy.  A dual threat QB is needed if OL is having issues.  We need speed at skill positions.  I don't think we had one punt return for more than 10 yards all season. Special teams counts especially in this league.  Our secondary did struggle all season.  As did our running game.  We won't all 4 games against teams with non-winning records I think. 
But, other than losing Foy before the season began....and another defensive player (ACL) the team played healthy.  The coaches played their guys.  Lots of kids got game experience in a down year. 

Next year!!  Will try it again! 

[westcoastDad]

Amherst 18' players are 20-4.   29-3 is safe!

[JEFFFAN]

On an Amherst note, congrats to the seniors for a phenomenal four year record that only included five losses in four (my edit) years.   And thanks to the defense for keeping the team competitive this year!

No offense..... But the LJ seniors ended up with anything but a "phenomenal" record.   They ended up 7-1 as frosh (when none played), 8-0 as Sophs (when one or two played), 8-0 as Juniors, and finished as Seniors at  4-4.

That totals 27-5.

"Phenomenal"?   I think not.

Amherst graduating classes of 2015 and 2016 both ended with 4 year records of 29-3.....

You all can decide what adjectives you want to describe 29-3.

In looking at the stats, it seems that the defense played just fine but that it was the historically weak offense that doomed this season.  The defense was third in NESCAC in points per game; second in yard yielded per game; second in sacks; and comparatively high in most of the other statistical areas.   All of this with three defensive backs taking over for three-season starters who graduated.   Offensively, however, the team finished fifth in the conference for points scored, a good nine points below the fourth place scoring team.   For Amherst to return to the top of the NESCAC, the defense needs to just keep what it is doing while a healthy Foy and more experienced offensive line ups the ante offensively.