FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

Yessir, Ezra Jenifer (33) and counting...

Just as 2021 was the year of the Cow (purple variety, of course), 2022 could be the Year of the Card...a lot will depend on the QB play but with arguably 3 QB's on the roster better than 1/2 the league's #1, we're not worried...the Cards could have 4/5 QB's on the field at the same time which could def open some things up for new QB Coach/Passing Game coordinator Benoit (former WNEU OC)...how do you defend Tomlinson, Simco, Estevez, Elkhoury, et al? High expectations this year...
[/quote]

Yup...Ashton Scott, David Estevez, Logan Tomlinson, Nico Candido can all throw the ball...should be fun!

4/5 QB's on the field at once!?!    Just think of the potential penalty yardage gained by a "roughing the passer" call.....!!!
[/quote]

[LochNescac]

Yessir, Ezra Jenifer (33) and counting...

Just as 2021 was the year of the Cow (purple variety, of course), 2022 could be the Year of the Card...a lot will depend on the QB play but with arguably 3 QB's on the roster better than 1/2 the league's #1, we're not worried...the Cards could have 4/5 QB's on the field at the same time which could def open some things up for new QB Coach/Passing Game coordinator Benoit (former WNEU OC)...how do you defend Tomlinson, Simco, Estevez, Elkhoury, et al? High expectations this year...

It's all gone pear shaped now......damn quote cut & paste pitfalls....

I think I got too excited about the Wesleyan Offensive playbook.....

4/5 QB's on the field at once!?!    Just think of the potential penalty yardage gained by a "roughing the passer" call.....!!   

(pause for possible laughter & applause...thank audience, quietly exit the stage with an appreciative nod)

keep an eye on me Nescacman, I'm trying!

[Scoops]

Heard some interesting news that Ritter might not be the only NESCAC HFC stepping down. Potential changes out of Middletown and Medford. Anybody hear something similar? Have to imagine both would be pretty coveted jobs if the rumors are true?

[Nescacman]

Heard some interesting news that Ritter might not be the only NESCAC HFC stepping down. Potential changes out of Middletown and Medford. Anybody hear something similar? Have to imagine both would be pretty coveted jobs if the rumors are true?

[NescacFam]

Former Bowdoin Assistant Coach Jared Smith is the new safeties coach at Merrimack. Coach Sam Blank (from Choate, St. Lawrence) has been hired in his place. 

[nescac1]

Trivia question for NESCAC fans: when was the last football game that Williams won with a starting QB other than Bobby Maimaron, and who was the starting QB in that game? 

[Nescacman]

Trivia question for NESCAC fans: when was the last football game that Williams won with a starting QB other than Bobby Maimaron, and who was the starting QB in that game?

Great question!!! Was it Aaron Kelton?

Seriously...I think it was Austin Lommen in 2015 against one of the Maine teams....maybe UBates??? Long time...Bischoping started in 2018 against the Lord Mammoths after Bobby got hurt against Wes, but the Ephs lost to the Lord Jeffs that day in a close game...

[Charlie]

Trivia question for NESCAC fans: when was the last football game that Williams won with a starting QB other than Bobby Maimaron, and who was the starting QB in that game?

Was it Aaron Kelton?

I have not heard much about Williams QB for upcoming season. They recruited a QB out of LS but that cant be their answer. His brother plays on team as TE and was recruited as QB and they moved him. Anyone transferring there ?

Also can someone explain why Trinity looks like they have 5 QB on roster and then recruited another when Fetter has if I am correct two years of eligibility ?

[Nescacman]

2022 NESCACMAN "Pre"-Pre-season Power Rankings

Are you ready for some football? With NESCAC training camps finally opening up this week and the start of the season less than 30 days away, it's time to start thinking about the upcoming season. With that in mind, here are our "Pre-Pre-Season" Rankings...

1). Hartford State (2021 Record: 8-1; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: A-...Finished the year with a good win on the road against rival Wesleyan which they could have easily lost...QB Fetter didn't look as invincible as he did earlier in the season...Early 2022 Thoughts: As we had predicted Reid is back but Girard isn't...they lost some key players but HCOF Devanney has reloaded and they had strong depth in '21...They will be somewhere in the top tier group in '22....

1). Wesleyan (2021 Record: 6-3; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: B+...9 points from an 8-1 season in '21....should have beaten Lord Jeffrey and probably should have beaten "big bad" Hartford State...Early 2022 Thoughts: Cards return 19 of their 22 starters plus many others who saw substantial playing time in '21 due to injury...get back a number of skill players from injury including all-league WR Matt Simco and all-league kicker Mason Von Jess...throw in some youngsters who impressed in JV action and a strong '22 recruiting class and you have the makings of a team that will contend in '22...

3). Purple Cows (2021 Record: 9-0; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 7-2): 2021 Grade: A+...Best team in the league in '21...#1 in scoring O and scoring D in '21...Early 2022 Thoughts: Will need to replace a lot of talent including their QB/leader/NESCAC OPOTY Maimoran...will be interesting to see how they adapt to being the hunted instead of the hunter in 2022... They'll will be in the mix but a lot will depend on the QB play...loaded elsewhere...

4). Tufts (2021 Record: 4-5; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 6-3): 2021 Grade: C+...Ended the 2021 season on a 4-game winning streak but still a sub .500 season for the Jumbos...turned the '21 season around despite having to go with their first-year 3rd string QB for much of the year and fielding a bad defense...Early 2022 Thoughts: QB controversy in Medford?...Too bad they can't trade one of those guys for a stud defensive player!!!...if they get better on the defensive side of the ball, could make the move into the top tier in '22...

5). Amhurst (2021 Record: 5-4; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 5-4): 2021 Grade: C+....'21 was another disappointing year for the Lord Mammoths...Early 2022 Thoughts: QB continues to be a question mark for the Lord Jeffs headed into this season...need to show more on offense and replace key performers on defense...without EJ as HCOF last year, they might have gone 2-7...hopefully, the administration gets better aligned with the alumni and supports EJ's effort to field competitive teams in th future much more challenging for them to recruit talent with a resurgent Williams squad back in the mix...we see them as a mid-tier team again this year...

6). Middlebury (2021 Record: 3-6; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 4-5): 2021 Grade: D-...2021 was a very disappointing year after winning the league in 2019...loss of the offensive rookie of the year RB and the disappointing performance of the QB led to a bad year for the Pants...exact opposite of the Ephs....Mid was coming off a 9-0 season with a bunch of 5th year seniors and laid an egg...Early 2022 Thoughts: They are always a stud QB away from turning it around although he will need some weapons...As HCOF Ritter heads into the sunset in '22, he will need to rebuild the defense to get back in the mix...is the defensive play of the Pants going to determine if DC Mandingo gets the HCOF job???...destined to spend a year in the mid tier as they try to rebuild after the '19 dream season... 

7). University of Bates (Lewiston Campus)(2021 Recrd: 3-6; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 3-6): 2021 Grade: B-....Loss of QB Costa will be big shoes to fill although nice fill-in by job the UBates QB of the future in game 9 last year...team had to deal with a ton of adversity in '21 including a coaching change right before the season, smallest roster of any team in the league, and smallest recruiting class in the league....somehow still won as many game as Middlebury last year....Early 2022 Thoughts: Some good vibes headed into '22 will make them our 2022 surprise team in the NESCAC...New, young, competent HCOF who has surrounded himself with an excellent staff, a bunch of returning starters, and new excitement around this historical bad program...Still, a bunch of questions headed into the season: new offensive and defensive systems, replacing the QB (we are not convinced that they have found their answer), and instilling a winning attitude among the many questions...2022 will be an improvement, however, expect them to go in reverse in '23 before heading permanently north in the standings in '24...we still believe they will have enough to win the C-B-B in '22...

8). Colby (2021 Record: 4-5; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 record: 2-7): 2021 Grade: C...Congratulations on winning the C-B-B crown in '21...up and down last year...at times the defense looked like they knew what they were doing (the DC is now the DC at Wes), the offense did not...team was devoid of playmakers...Early 2022 Thoughts: We are not sold on QB Hersch although if he had some weapons, maybe he could make some plays...he is not the kind of player to carry the team on his shoulders....team definitely has the support of the Administration and Admissions, but can they become Hartford State North playing in Waterville, Maineceiling for them is mid-tier in 2022...

9). Bowdoin (2021 Record: 1-8; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 record: 2-7):  2021 Grade: D+; Typical record but looked better at times in 2021...QB Boel and RB Eden are something to build on...Issue is O and D lines...Early 2022 Thoughts: Need a ton of help at WR, line on both sides of the ball need to improve and definitely need defense to get better to move out of the bottom tier...Tough to get better when everyone else is getting better too...
10). Hamilton (2021 Record: 2-7; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 0-9): 2021 Grade: D-; In for a tough season this year...ended '21 season losing 6 straight games...Early 2022 Thoughts: Will enter the '22 season with questions at QB...for what it's worth, we weren't impressed with either of the guys that played last year...haven't had a great running back in years....need playmakers, need to get much better upfront on both sides of the ball (last in sacks both by AND for the CONTS in '21) and improve on D....too many areas to fix...they will be a bottom tier team again in 2022...

NESCACMAN's Picks (winners):
2021 Season: 33-12
2020 Season: 0-0
2019 Season: 33-12
2018 Season: 36-9
2017 Season: 35-10
2016 Season: 32-8
2015 Season: 30-10
2014 Season: 30-10
2013 Season: 32-8
Career: 261-79 (.768 winning percentage)

[Pat Coleman]

Also can someone explain why Trinity looks like they have 5 QB on roster and then recruited another when Fetter has if I am correct two years of eligibility ?

Hardly unusual for a program to have a lot of quarterbacks. I'd say the majority even of quarterbacks recruited in Division III get moved to other positions.

[AmherstStudent05]

1). Wesleyan (2021 Record: 6-3; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: B+...9 points from an 8-1 season in '21...

Wouldn't Wesleyan have needed 11 additional points to beat both Amherst and Trin last season? (9 just gets you two ties, no?) Anyway, interesting to note that using your math Wes was also just 7 points away from going 3-6 last year. In many ways that's how competitive the NESCAC was last year.

Thanks for posting the pre-pre season preview! This is my official sign that football season is finally back at last. Go Jeffs and Go Giants!

[nescac1]

(1) Nescacman got the trivia question right, Williams has not won a game with anyone OTHER than Bobby Maimaron at QB since they beat Bates on October 10, 2015, led by Austin Lommen.  An incredible stat and certainly it is something psychologically to overcome - as talented as Maimaron was, his value was far greater than his raw production - it was clear from his first snap as a frosh that (for good reason) his teammates felt like they were always going to be able to pull games out when he had the ball in his hands late in a close game.  That sort of confidence will have to be earned (hopefully, there is no guarantee!) over time by the next guy. 

(2) Charlie - Williams will not be relying (almost surely) upon a recruit at QB as their primary starter.  They do have three guys who were starting QBs in H.S. in the frosh class, but at least two of them seem likely to be moved to other positions.  The Kent recruit (Jack Wallace) who was Gatorade POY in Connecticut before going the prep recruit does, however, seem intriguing as a dual-threat type.  Jack Dickinson was a highly regarded recruit and I think is most likely to win the job, he has a big arm and is a good athlete and I like that he contributed on specials last year.  He at least got some snaps in garbage time and looks the part but obviously hasn't played a meaningful snap at QB, so who knows.  Senior Nick Owens and Soph Luke Bobo are, according to reporting from the Spring, also in the mix.  Bobo is more of a dual-threat type so I could see the Ephs going with a platoon to start the year with either Owens or Dickinson as the main passing QB and either Bobo or Wallace coming in to give a different look as a running QB.  Whoever wins the job can ease into it since Williams has by far the best group of TBs in the league to lean on early in the season, and the OL returns 4/5 starters from the Amherst game (since Rooney was injured and out for that game) plus two other guys who were injury fill-ins during parts of last season.  I expect especially to start the year the Ephs are gonna rely on a loaded defense and try to pound teams into submission, which of course was their M.O. last season, rather than make any of their QBs have to go out and win games through the air.  Stola and Burke are huge losses in the passing game, beyond the QB uncertainty. 

(3) Nescacman, I agree with your top 4 but I think your bottom 6 are a bit out of whack.  To me, Bowdoin seemed very much on the rise.  While I like the Bates coaching hires, without Costa and with a fairly depleted roster after some light recruiting years,  I think that team is going to have a tough year, and the transition will take some time.  And Colby should be good this year, there is a good amount of talent there now. 

I'll say:

5. Colby - most of the key guys back, I think they may pull off a surprise or two.  Honestly, there is no one I really love for this spot, but I'll go with Colby. 

6. Amherst - they played well vs. Williams to make that game competitive, but the Ephs were ravaged by key injuries and I think played nervous with the undefeated season on the line and playing as a heavy favorite in a rivalry game.  The Amherst QB situation is still uncertain; they lose most of their top receivers; as well as the TB who carried a heavy load last year (without a clear heir apparent in place), and many of their top defensive players, including Kelly and three very high-level DBs, all of whom will be hard to replace.  The Trinity game was UGLY in week 8.  Still, they have more overall talent and experience than the teams behind them and have, as always, an elite LB unit to carry the defense.  I like their young DL guys but they do lose three solid guys from the six they rotated up front. 

7. Bowdoin - Eden is just so so good, and the offense looked a lot better after the QB change.  The defense is still a work in progress (the crazy aggressive system might pay some dividends though with some more experience) but they will score a lot of points this year.   

8. Middlebury - I don't love the returners on this team.  Yes, they are always a stud QB away from relevance, but the two guys who I assume will be competing for the job had their chances last year and neither seem to be THAT guy.  The two incoming recruits don't seem like big-time players, at least not right away.  There is just no one like McKillop or Foote or remotely close to that level at the position, again, unless there is some big time transfer we've not hear about.  Overall, Midd just doesn't have, other than Wood, the type of skill guys on the roster who have carried them to success in the past (who is the TB??  Midd does not return a runner with more than 74 yards from last season!) and Stewart and Pistorius are huge pieces lost from a D that was just so-so. 

9. Hamilton

10. Bates  ... these two teams could flip but I think when they play that will decide who finishes in the basement.  Neither seems to return very much talent, on paper. 

[Nescacman]

1). Wesleyan (2021 Record: 6-3; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: B+...9 points from an 8-1 season in '21...

Wouldn't Wesleyan have needed 11 additional points to beat both Amherst and Trin last season? (9 just gets you two ties, no?) Anyway, interesting to note that using your math Wes was also just 7 points away from going 3-6 last year. In many ways that's how competitive the NESCAC was last year.

Thanks for posting the pre-pre season preview! This is my official sign that football season is finally back at last. Go Jeffs and Go Giants!

Hey, we're all/mostly liberal arts majors here, right?!? 

Can relate to the G-Men comment...not so much the Lord Mammoths, although we think they are both .500 teams, at best...

[Former CAC Coach]

Trivia question for NESCAC fans: when was the last football game that Williams won with a starting QB other than Bobby Maimaron, and who was the starting QB in that game?

Great question!!! Was it Aaron Kelton?

Seriously...I think it was Austin Lommen in 2015 against one of the Maine teams....maybe UBates??? Long time...Bischoping started in 2018 against the Lord Mammoths after Bobby got hurt against Wes, but the Ephs lost to the Lord Jeffs that day in a close game...

We all assume that your "close game" comment was tongue-in-cheek Nescacman, as the final score was 45-14 for the Mammoths

[VoodooDoc]

Bowdoin has a number of O line and D line players incoming this year.  Coach Hammer was just able to add his brother Blair Hammer to the coaching staff.  Blair Hammer was an All American defensive lineman at Wabash, and has considerable coaching experience at both the college and high school levels.  He also has considerable experience with Coach Hammer's defensive schemes, and will be able to help both the new DL line recruits and the existing defensive linemen with both their technique and their roles within the various defensive schemes.  They played together one year at Wabash when Coach Hammer was a senior and Blair Hammer was a freshman, and had 20 quarterback sacks between them.