FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[The Mole]

The Mole, are you proposing QBs: Tufts, Wesleyan, (then who?)

Not proposing anything, throwing the data out there and letting folks make their own decision. That is not a ranking

[Bantam4life]

I mean hard to judge P6 here considering he was in with all backups. Give him 3 top WR including WR1 in the league safe to assume his stats with significantly improve. Not to mention heard he has been having a great spring ball.

I will take the names out and share stats, the peanut gallery can decide, I do not disagree Scoops, but I do enjoy the clickbait and responding. Not hard to figure out who is who--objectively, who would you take/want?

Player #1: 16-8 as starter, 6607 yards passing 58 TDs, 10 INTs, 1287 rush yds 11 TDs 62.1%
Player #2: 12-3 as starter, 4025 yards passing 41 TDs, 17 INTs, -18 rush yds 1 TD, 52.1%
Player #3: 6-3 as a starter, 3400 yards passing, 30 TDs, 16 INTs, 105 rush yards 3 TDs, 57.7%
Player #4: 3-6 as starter, 1176 yards passing, 7 TDs, 5 INTs, 320 rush yards 3 TDs, 57.1 %
Player #5: 3-6 as starter, 1272 yards passing, 12 TDs, 8 INTs, 438 rush yards 2 TDs, 48.4%
Player #6: ZERO starts, 168 yards passing, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 28 rush yards 1 TD, 70%

I know I trash Wesleyan a lot, and rightfully so. However, putting Zebrowski (had only played in garbage time) and Kurzum (147ypg, 7/5 TD/INT) above Candido in your position group rankings is absolute lunacy.

[Scoops]

It's not hard to judge at all. You can't call a kid who is a backup with no starts, and bad garbage time stats, a top 3 player at his position. He can be having the greatest spring practice in the history of football, but to call the Trinity QB position a top 3 returning group in the league is just blatantly false.

I mean hard to judge P6 here considering he was in with all backups. Give him 3 top WR including WR1 in the league safe to assume his stats with significantly improve. Not to mention heard he has been having a great spring ball.

[GroundandPound]

I agree Wesleyan QB should be considered top 3 pre-season.  So, I think it would be
Tufts, Wesleyan,  then   I do not know if Boel is returning.  Bowdoin people, any information on this?
I do not know much about Trinity's QB, but Trinity will have a top 2 OL in the conference, with the best returning RB and WR, so it is not much of a stretch to see a very good year ahead for their QB.

[Charlie]

I think this year more than any years past will be some parody in the league. While I think Middlebury will be strong let's not count out Williams. I think McHugh had a decent season as a Freshman and if he develops could be a legitimate threat at that position. Williams seems to try and give him a supporting cast at the WR position. Freshman usually don't have major impacts but at the WR position if a few of these kids show something they could be a tough team to stop through the air.There dilemma is if they can stop teams. I do not see one NESCAC team that returns a strong secondary so this could bode well for Williams.

Middlebury defense will be strong up front but QB position like Trinity will be suspect. I do not see them scoring a great deal at the start but if a QB develops they are definitely a contender.

Wesleyan is the Chameleon of the league always looks great on paper , good athletes but never seem to put together an entire season. I do not know if its Coaching or culture there but always have the could have should have but never won.

Trinity is the enigma in the group great deal of talent on the Offense side of the ball. They will have solid running attack and great WR corp. If the QB becomes a game manager whomever it will be and does not make mistakes they will certainly be in contention. The defense lost a ton of players but great looking young group at the DL and LB spots. Secondary as always will be there problem. In the past they would simply out score opponents but this year depending on play at QB may not have that luxury. Do not know what young players are ready for the prime time so this will definitely be an area to watch there.

Tufts sadly for QB Berlutti just lost to many players and Berlutti unless some WR weapons materializes won't have a great group to throw to. I am more concerned he won't have the time to throw this year with the OL taking a hit as well. Defensively they are ok middle of the pack but they are another team that could have and should have but just can't seem to put it together for an entire season. Here I think Coaching plays a major role and the culture there. I hope this year they are more consistent if they are could be an interesting year in the NESCAC.

I think more light will be shed as we get to the end Spring practices

[The Mole]

I agree Wesleyan QB should be considered top 3 pre-season.  So, I think it would be
Tufts, Wesleyan,  then   I do not know if Boel is returning.  Bowdoin people, any information on this?
I do not know much about Trinity's QB, but Trinity will have a top 2 OL in the conference, with the best returning RB and WR, so it is not much of a stretch to see a very good year ahead for their QB.

There is one guy that is being overlooked.

[Scoops]

Did Reece transfer to Trinity from Tufts? If not, then Trinity doesn't have the best back in the league. That kid was an absolute monster. I'm surprised people still tried to tackle him up high by the end of the season.

To Charlie's point, Trin returns the best WR in the league, but the best WR unit in the league is Middlebury. I honestly don't think I could name a Bantam receiver other than Clapp.

I agree Wesleyan QB should be considered top 3 pre-season.  So, I think it would be
Tufts, Wesleyan,  then   I do not know if Boel is returning.  Bowdoin people, any information on this?
I do not know much about Trinity's QB, but Trinity will have a top 2 OL in the conference, with the best returning RB and WR, so it is not much of a stretch to see a very good year ahead for their QB.

[nescac1]

It remains to be seen if Fischetti is finally 100 percent, but when healthy I'd easily take him over any back in the league.  And the Ephs have now developed excellent depth at TB, led by Jon Oris.  Trinity and Tufts backs great, but they also benefited from dramatically better passing attacks so they had a lot more space to operate. 

[Charlie]

Trinity has Clapp , Roache , Laughlin O'Brien  if he did not get hurt would have made strog canidate for rookie of the year. Not to mention to freshman from last years roster who contributed and are big play receivers.

I think this year Offenses will find there idenity and figure out passing or running teams. the real question marks will be who can develop a defense that can stop teams.

[Scoops]

The argument can be made for Fischetti, but the injuries are what they are. Similar to the Middlebury kid, if he can't stay healthy, he isn't a factor for the conversation. Reece and Dinapoli are the clear #1&2 backs in the league. And I think there's a pretty big talent gap between the two when you see them on the field.

Ironically, Trinity and Tufts had the #1 and #2 player at all the offensive skill positions this year. Fetter/Berlutti, Richardson/Clapp, Reece/Dinapoli. But I think if you turn on the tape it's obvious that Fetter, Reece, and Richardson were the better players at their respective positions.

It remains to be seen if Fischetti is finally 100 percent, but when healthy I'd easily take him over any back in the league.  And the Ephs have now developed excellent depth at TB, led by Jon Oris.  Trinity and Tufts backs great, but they also benefited from dramatically better passing attacks so they had a lot more space to operate. 

[LochNescac]

Great to see the board back up & runnin'

Love the Pre-Spring banter...looking forward to more. 

Keep those position group ratings coming, they're fun to discuss...(just tough to figure past a #1 or #2 on the depth chart!?!?)  Then all bets are off!

Wishing all the teams a healthy, injury free spring season.

[Charlie]

Amazing to see as this Spring Season moves along how happy Coaches are going to be next year and thereafter about players opting to take a semester abroad. They never really had to deal with this in the past and if this Spring season develops and blossoms how the  NESCAC Coaches position on this will be going forward.

[GroundandPound]

https://nescac.com/calendar.aspx?path=football&start=9/14/2024&end=11/9/2024
An early NESCAC game of the week prediction:
Week 1: Wesleyan/Middlebury
Week 2: Tufts/Wesleyan
Week 3: Williams/Trinity
Week 4: Trinity/Tufts
Week 5: Williams/Middlebury
Week 6: Trinity/Middlebury
Week 7: Wesleyan/Amherst
Week 8: Williams/Wesleyan
Week 9: Wesleyan/Trinity; Middlebury/Tufts

[lumbercat]

So we should assume Amherst, Hamilton, Bates, Bowdoin and Colby won't be playing in a big game even if it's against one of your designated favorites.

[The Mole]

Amherst is on there, but in fairness, when is the last time any of the others was in contention?

So we should assume Amherst, Hamilton, Bates, Bowdoin and Colby won't be playing in a big game even if it's against one of your designated favorites.