FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Ironhorse22]

New to the board and to the NESCAC. Excited to learn the conference, and look forward to reading the posts as the season gets underway.

Welcome to the Board Iron. Hopefully, based on your screen name, you are a Yankee fan in addition to being a NESCAC fan.

I am....so hopefully, for the next several weeks, my attention will be occupied with both football and baseball games.

[lumbercat]

Welcome Ironhorse.
Yes, I would echo Nescacmans advice. Focus on the Yankees and focus on NESCAC football to divert your attention from the misery of the Giants and Jets.
Go Yankees.

[Charlie]

Annual rant of why can't Nescac SI folks get rosters digitally uploaded quicker?

Hearing rumbligs out of CT that Trinity is getting the injury bug Three top recruits for this year are injured One at Wr ,DL , LB who is already in foot boot. All now projected to be scout players while on the mend

Wesleyan has reportedly lost two recruits WR & DL fpr season waiting to hear where they are projected on their depth chart.

[Nescacman]

Welcome Ironhorse.
Yes, I would echo Nescacmans advice. Focus on the Yankees and focus on NESCAC football to divert your attention from the misery of the Giants and Jets.
Go Yankees.

Lumber, we're on our way back from Nashville...for a change, we're not miserable fans of Big Blue after game 1! #gogmen

[Scoops]

Trin and Wesleyan are so deep and veteran ladden that I couldn't imagine any freshman making an impact for them. As long as they don't lose any veterans, those teams will open up to W's this Saturday. Happy game week everyone!!!

Annual rant of why can't Nescac SI folks get rosters digitally uploaded quicker?

Hearing rumbligs out of CT that Trinity is getting the injury bug Three top recruits for this year are injured One at Wr ,DL , LB who is already in foot boot. All now projected to be scout players while on the mend

Wesleyan has reportedly lost two recruits WR & DL fpr season waiting to hear where they are projected on their depth chart.

[jumpshot]

EPHS #1 USNWR 20 years in a row.

[nescac1]

Now that (most) rosters are available, a revised shot at pre-season POY rankings:

OPOY: 1. Spencer Fetter, 2. David Estevez, 3. Joel Nicholas, 4. Andre Eden, 5. Alex Maldjian, 6. DeVante Reid, 7. Michael Berlutti, 8. Phil Lutz, 9. Tyler Johnson, 10. Logan Tomlinson

DPOY: 1. Nick Helbig, 2. Ian Devine, 3. Tony Hooks, 4. Tomas Kenary, 5. Tim Swope, 6. Coleston Smith, 7. Brian Casagrande, 8. Noah Glantz, 9. Rocco Giandomenico, 10. Danny Banks

Two LOADED groups featuring nearly all guys who are in their 4th or 5th year out of high school.  Four guys each from Trinity, Williams and Wesleyan on the list, 3 from Tufts, 2 from Midd, and no one else has more than one, which feels about right.  All of the Williams, Wesleyan and Trinity guys on these lists are seniors, and the majority of them are fifth-year seniors, so there could be some real movement in the league ... AFTER this season. 

[amh63]

The Amherst website has it's football review today....video and it's roster list.  In addition it's coaches list has two additional new coaches....now 4 new coaches.  Lots' of new players....wide receivers and defensive backs....quarterbacks too.  Seems Amherst is in the rebuilding phase.  However young talent can surprise.  Lot of the new players from the Wash/Md/Va area.  Looking forward to the season.....maybe make it up to the Hamilton game at Hamilton.  Bright sunny day up at Amherst....via the cameras online.  Caught a man in a suit walking in the "quad" this morning...the new Prez strolling...heading to his office in the "old" library...my time.  Oh yes, Amherst's new Prez is in the same class as my oldest son.  My younger son may have also crossed paths with the new Prez.  New prez's wife is also an Amherst grad...yes, "small world" comment 

[Nescacman]

2022 NESCACMAN Week 0 Power Rankings

It's that time of year in the league where they pay to play! To those of you new to the Board, welcome! To those returning, welcome back! We are looking forward to another exciting season of NESCAC Football. Going into the season, we think there are three teams that will challenge for the league crown this year: Hartford State, Wesleyan and the Purple Cows. We think Tufts is the only other team with a shot, but much will depend on how much they have solidified their defense. The next tier is composed of Amhurst and Middlebury with Colby, UBates, Bowdoin and Hamilton in the bottom tier.

Here are our rankings for Week "0".

1). Hartford State Bantams (2021 Record: 8-1; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: A-...18 returning starters for a team that was #3 in total offense and #1 in total defense in 2021...They will be somewhere in the top tier group in '22...Tons of experience and solid coaching...Definitely know how to leverage their academic advantage despite their suboptimal location...

1). Wesleyan Cardinals (2021 Record: 6-3; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 8-1): 2021 Grade: B+...Cards return 19 of their 22 starters plus get back a number of skill players from injury including all-league WR Matt Simco...Cards are loaded on offense and return NESCAC DPOTY Nick Helbig...Is 2022 the year of the Cardinal???

3). Williams Purple Cows (2021 Record: 9-0; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 7-2): 2021 Grade: A+...Defending league champs...Need to replace a lot of talent including their QB/leader/NESCAC OPOTY Maimaron...They'll will be in the mix but a lot will depend on the QB play although they did rush for a league league leading 2,070 yards last year in 9 games...Loaded everywhere else...

4). Tufts Jumbo's (2021 Record: 4-5; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 5-4): 2021 Grade: C+...Ended the 2021 season on a 4-game winning streak...If they get better on the defensive side of the ball (9th in the league in total defense last year), could make the move into the top tier in '22...Offense should again be very good (#1 in the 'CAC in total offense in 2021) with excellent with Soph Phenom QB Berluti and All-league WR Phil Lutz...

5). Amhurst Lord Mammoths (2021 Record: 5-4; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 4-5): 2021 Grade: C+....'21 was another disappointing year for the Lord Mammoths primarily due to their #9 ranked offense...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...We see them as a mid-tier team (at best) 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 Maldjian (who's back for 2022) and the disappointing performance of the QB (only 6 TD passes and 10 interceptions) led to a bad year for the Pants...As HCOF Ritter heads into the sunset in '22, destined to spend a year in the mid tier as they try to rebuild after a disappointing 2021 season... 

7). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(2021 Record: 3-6; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 Record: 4-5): 2021 Grade: B-....Loss of QB Costa is a major loss, perhaps the most important player to leave a program outside of Williamstown...Some good vibes headed into '22 will make them our 2022 surprise team in the NESCAC...New Coaching staff, new offensive and defensive systems, replacing the QB, finding a running game, and instilling a winning attitude are the biggest challenges...2022 should be an improvement...they are also our pick to win the C-B-B in '22...

8). Colby Mules (2021 Record: 4-5; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 record: 3-6): 2021 Grade: C...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 (last in the league in total offense)...Team was devoid of playmakers...We are not sold on QB Hersch (only 5 TD passes in 9 games) although if he had some weapons, maybe he could make some plays...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, Maine...Ceiling for them is mid-tier at this point...

9). Bowdoin Polar Bears (2021 Record: 1-8; NESCACMAN Predicted 2022 record: 2-7):  2021 Grade: D+...Typical record in '21 but looked better at times...QB Boel and RB Eden are something to get excited about...Defense continues to be an issue (last in the NESCAC in total defense)...Need a help at WR, O and D line 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 Continentals (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...Will enter '22 season with question marks all over the field including 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)

Coming this Friday....week 1 NESCACMAN picks!

[nescac1]

Williams has its season preview, roster (although the link is a bit messed up), and first weekly football show posted.  Based on the aggregate of those, thoughts on the team:

(1) The senior class is absolutely loaded with talent, nearly as top-heavy as last year's senior group, and a LOT deeper. 
(2) None of the remaining three classes are especially huge, numbers-wise, so depth could really be an issue for the Ephs after this year.  That's kind of unavoidable when you are permitted to bring in 5-10 fewer recruits per year than other top programs in the conference.
(3) As expected, the DL, DB, and TB corps are absolutely loaded.  I think all three will be the strongest respective unit in NESCAC, as all bring the entire two-deep back from very high-performing groups, and also have some key guys healthier. 

Now, on to the question marks / new players.

QB: the team (based on interviews in the weekly show) sound very confident that Jack Dickinson is the guy.  Obviously, huge shoes to fill but his O-line sounded confident in him, a big guy, good athlete, and good arm.  Sounds like Luke Bobo is in the mix as well.

OL: the offensive line loses two four-year elite starters, but I expect will still be a powerful run-blocking unit, even if slightly less talented overall.  My guess at the starting five is Freeman, Utecht, Galleri, Forth, and Tartaglia, who average around 295 pounds.  Throw in big TE Bedard, who's basically a sixth offensive lineman, and that is a big, physical, experienced unit.  Those dudes will pummel people up front -- but how will they deal with quick pass rushers, especially now that there isn't a guy with Maimaron's escapability and long experience under pressure at QB? 

LB: huge losses on this unit but loads of young talent ready to step in.  Coleston Smith is a beast.  James Hemmer came up big as an injury fill in last year in a hybrid S / LB role. Two younger guys to watch are sophomore Ethan Scott and the big frosh from Texas, Leslie Williams, who the team seems high on.  Maybe a unit where other young guys get a shot as well. 

WR: a big question mark after Degasperis, who should be the go-to guy.  Will Loffredo is a huge target and maybe can be a factor in the red zone.  Three sophomore receivers with talent, Cam Lee, Jack Ledden, and Charles Willmott, all should get opportunities.  I think Lee in particular can be a dangerous downfield target as a speed receiver.  Biggest question mark on the team along with QB.   

Players with all league potential this year I'd say include the following: TBs Nicholas and Fischetti; OL Freeman and Utech; WR Degasperis; TE Bedard; DL Vilfort and Devine, and dark horse Cameron Smith; LB Coleston Smith; DBs Giandomenico and Cotton (the other two starting DBs could even be in the mix too); and K Shuran. 

[muleshoe]

Noontime published a great NESCAC preview yesterday (https://noontimesports.com/2022/09/14/noontimes-nescac-football-preview-can-williams-defend-its-2021-crown/)

Can't wait to watch the Mules this year. Feeling optimistic with a good core of returning starters on both sides of the ball.

Always a good battle when the Ephs make the trip up north. 1pm Saturday can't come fast enough!

[amh63]

Surprised myself...being back again/here.....been watching soccer.  Anyway....Amherst has it's football team with group and individual pics online.  Amherst has added two new coaches...no info cited yet...except in group pix.  Several interesting observations..for me.  First...lots of new players from the D.C/Md/Va. area.  Second...two FYs' and one Soph from same family and school....expect parents to be up for the Amherst games/season.

[Nescacman]

Noontime published a great NESCAC preview yesterday (https://noontimesports.com/2022/09/14/noontimes-nescac-football-preview-can-williams-defend-its-2021-crown/)

Can't wait to watch the Mules this year. Feeling optimistic with a good core of returning starters on both sides of the ball.

Always a good battle when the Ephs make the trip up north. 1pm Saturday can't come fast enough!

With all due respect, we think Noontime is complete hack. He/She does a nice job of getting most of his thoughts from this Board. I have much more respect for our fellow Boarders than Noontime who hasn't had an original thought or insight since Bowdoin last won a NESCAC football crown.

[nescac1]

Tufts preview and roster posted.  Jumbos have basically everyone back on offense.  They are going to be very very tough to stop.  I don't see a single offensive weakness, elite and very experienced everywhere, loads of speed at the skill positions and a big, veteran group up front.  Defense is a different story.  They lost some very good players from a unit that struggled.  But if they can merely be average on D, and the athletic talent on hand makes that possible, the offense is so explosive that they can beat anyone. 

[lumbercat]

Yikes-
Tufts roster 100
Wesleyan roster 101