FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[mariner75]

MudBowl stats......... Jumbos made it interesting with a couple of completions to threaten as time ran out.... Gennaro Leo taking direct snaps the majority of plays...and the MUD!


  Box Score (Final)
           Trinity (Conn.) vs Tufts (Oct 15, 2005 at Somerville, MA)

Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score
-----------------    -- -- -- --   -----
Trinity (Conn.).....  7  0  0  0  -  7       Record: (4-0,4-0)
Tufts...............      0  0  0  0  -  0       Record: (2-2,2-2)



Scoring Summary:
1st 05:28 TRI - Chris Olenoski 20 yd pass from Bill Schweitzer (Kevin Swiniarski kick), 10-47 4:06, TRI 7 - TUF 0



                                                TRI      TUF
FIRST DOWNS...................       10        9
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............    37-88    38-31
PASSING YDS (NET).............      130      131
Passes Att-Comp-Int...........     30-12-2  24-10-4
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....67-218   62-162
Fumble Returns-Yards..........      0-0      0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............        3-24     3-18
Kickoff Returns-Yards.........        0-0     2-10
Interception Returns-Yards....    4-3     2-10
Punts (Number-Avg)............      8-35.8   8-33.9
Fumbles-Lost..................          3-0      2-1
Penalties-Yards...............         4-30     4-25
Possession Time...............       30:50    29:10
Third-Down Conversions........  4 of 18  4 of 16
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 2 of 4   2 of 3
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 1-3      0-0
Sacks By: Number-Yards........    3-28      2-4

[Trin9-0]

Wow, it's amazing how similar those statistics are. The numbers that jump out to me and likely were the difference in the game:

Trin with a +5 in the turnover margin.
Tufts never entered the red-zone


Weather is the great equalizer. Trinity likely would have put up more points on a dry field. The Bants averaged 35ppg that year while Tufts allowed 19ppg.

[mariner75]

That was a great Trin team (the best?).  Tufts defense was excellent, as it has been throughout the Walsh era as DC....but the offense was pretty vanilla.  Seems the Jumbos has some better skill players on offense this year.  Hopefully it'll make for a good game on Saturday.

[frank uible]

I have seen live each of the Trinity teams from 2001 play one game plus parts of other games on tape. Based on this exposure, it is my current belief that this year's Trinity team has the most talented offensive line, quarterback and front seven over all of those prior ones and that consequently it ought to be the best of all, but of course five games are yet to be played this year, the playing of which will be more determinative of the issue than my temporary opinion.

[Col. Partridge]

A busy day here at the salt mine, so I have to get the picks out of the way early.  Home team in CAPS:

Favorite   Spread   Underdog BOWDOIN     3        Hamilton Amherst      15        COLBY WESLEYAN  1.5         Bates Trinity        12        TUFTS Williams       6         MIDDLEBURY

I'm being a little conservative this week. 

I think Bowdoin should take care of Hamilton in a low-scoring affair.

Amherst will be able to run on Colby.

Wesleyan is probably more than 1.5 points better than Bates, but knowing the Cards this will come down to a last second field goal or some such nonsense.

Tufts is 3-0, but as the experts have pointed out, the Jumbos tend to fold like a tent as the season wears on.  Plus, I have not known Frank U. as someone who hands out praise easily so I take it this Trinity team is the real deal.

Not sure which Williams team shows up this week.  With history as my guide, I am going to say the Ephs care of Middlebury on the road (alternative views from Midd posters welcome).

[fells]

I have a preview of the Middlebury/Williams game up on the blog at www.vermontradioguy.blogspot.com. When writing out notes for the games I do, I just do them like a script and then post them for Middlebury parents and whomever wants a look at the game.

[frank uible]

Williams should be a 4 point dog to Middlebury.

[Trin9-0]

I have seen live each of the Trinity teams from 2001 play one game plus parts of other games on tape. Based on this exposure, it is my current belief that this year's Trinity team has the most talented offensive line, quarterback and front seven over all of those prior ones and that consequently it ought to be the best of all, but of course five games are yet to be played this year, the playing of which will be more determinative of the issue than my temporary opinion.

I've seen an average of five Trinity games per year since '04 (in addition to playing in eight games a year from '00-'03). While I agree that the '07 Bants are very talented I don't believe they deserve to be compared to the '03, '04 or '05 Trin squads until/unless they go undefeated.

This Trin team is much different from the '03-'05 teams. While those teams each averaged over 250ypg rushing the ball, this years squad is averaging barely over 100ypg on the ground.

They clearly make up for it by throwing the ball for over 300ypg as opposed to the other Trin teams who averaged just under 159ypg through the air.

I prefer 'smashmouth' to the 'air it out' style for two reasons: it allows you to protect the ball and control the clock.

'03:+16 T.O. margin, held the ball average of 12 minutes longer than its opponents
'04:+8 T.O. margin, held the ball average of 2 minutes longer than its opponents
'05:+12 T.O. margin, held the ball average of 6 minutes longer than its opponents

'07:0 T.O. margin, holds the ball an average of 8 minutes less than its opponents


There are still 5 games left for the '07 Bants to prove they belong with the other great undefeated Trinity teams of the past 5 years. Their offense can certainly score and their defense has been good enough to limit points off of turnovers (as well as causing their own).

I am clearly biased so I won't say which team I think is the best (cough, '03, cough). However, I think if this years Bants can run the table they will surely have an argument as one of the best Trin teams of all-time.

[Trin9-0]

Favorite   Spread   Underdog BOWDOIN     3        Hamilton Amherst      15        COLBY WESLEYAN  1.5         Bates Trinity        12        TUFTS Williams       6         MIDDLEBURY

I'll take Bowdoin, Amherst, Wesleyan and Trinity to cover and I'll go with 3-0 Middlebury to pull the "upset" over 1-2 Williams.

Mariner, you goin to the Bants-Jumbos game?

[mariner75]

Won't be in Medford this weekend but I'm sure I'll catch at least some of the game on Jumbocast.  You're right about the 03 Trin team though....Jumbos went 5-3 that year and their 23-3 loss to Trinity was their worse defeat of the year......the game wasn't close. 

[JustAFan]

Tufts top 2 runners are injured and unlikely to play much if at all tomorrow acc. to the Tufts Daily. That will really hurt the Jumbo's offense.

[Col. Partridge]

Watching end of Trininty Tufts game on Jumbocast--and Trin is about to lose?  What happened?  I guess this isn't the best Trin team of recent history.

Wesleyan beat Bates in convincing fashion and Hamilton finally won.  I tried to get on Fells' radio station to listen to the Middlebury-Williams game, but the link didn't work (it also didn't work for the Wes game--not sure if it is my computer).

[mariner75]

CONGRATULATIONS JUMBOS!!!  It's a final...Tufts 16-Trinity 10. 

[Col. Partridge]

Looks like Williams beat Midd.  After four weeks there is only one undefeated team in the entire NESCAC and that team is...Tufts.   Weird season.

[Ephmen1991]

Fells,

Was that you calling the game on the D3cast feed?  If so you did a great job.

Congrats to the Jumbos - next week in Williamstown should be good.