FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[rams1102]

MSU - 31      Gulls - 24

LET'S  GO  MIGHTY  RED  HAWKS  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ACMob]

"how bout dem red hawks"

[pg04]

That wild and wacky NJAC...

[John McGraw]

Some quick stats from the Buffalo State-Cortland game since they kind of spell out what type of day it was.

TOTAL OFFENSE: BSC 87-383 CRT 53-229
*Cortland defense 18th nationally total defense entering game
RUSHING: BSC 57-162 CRT 36-84
*Cortland top 5 in rush defense nationally (27.7) entering game
*James Perkins, 32-123yds 2TD
*Dustin Bowser (in place of injured Rickert) 18-76yds 0TD
PASSING: BSC 181 CRT 145
*Mikolaichik 30-15-2 Smith 17-9-1
TIME OF POSSESSION: BSC 35:43 CRT 24:17
FUMBLES-LOST: BSC 1-0 CRT 5-2

Buffalo State scores 27 straight points after being down 13-0 in the first half. Cortland gets a late touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Anthony Morat to cut the lead to seven but Buffalo State recovers the onside kick and rams it down Cortland's throat to end the game.

[fifthdown]

Been following Prof football for almost 20 years.  Today's win over Robert Morris (Division 1-AA) in overtime, after being behind by 21,  is in my opinion the greatest victory in the school's history.

I was at the Mount Union field when Rowan won in overtime to "break the streak".  Today's win, to me, was more meaningful.  Been to all the Stagg Bowls Rowan was in.

Today was special.  The team concept that coach A has instilled put it's head of "family" stamped on this win.

The Prof's players never quit, were in better condition, and were able to get the fans into the game in the 3rd and 4th quarter.  So many players on the squad were rotated into the game, BMU got worn out in the 2nd half.

The best part of the day was watching Coach A. come off the field with his children in his arms  and having difficulty shaking hands with all those who wanted to congradulate him.

Coach A and staff and team...........great effort and results.  Best Prof's game I ever witnessed in 20 years.

Rowan football is a class act.   

[dpadavona]

Cortland-Buffalo State game story and pictures are now on my website.   

First off, great job by the Red Hawks sticking it to Salisbury!  We'll see you next week.  Hopefully we will be up to the task!

Not much I can say about the Bengals win over Cortland.  It was just one of those games...kinda makes me think I know how Fisher felt last year against Norwich.  I give Buff State plenty of credit.  They came to play, hit hard, and wanted it more.  Cortland was just a bumble of errors.  The defense has held this team up all season long, and today they couldn't get it done on their own.  The offense was given the ball, and they choked on it.

QB Alex Smith is really struggling.  He hasn't looked in rhythm at all this season, and today he fumbled numerous times.  I'm not certain but I think all 5 fumbles were his.  The key fumble saw him drop straight back to pass with no pressure, and simply lose the ball 10 yards behind him.  It was almost like he decided to hurl it backwards over his head.  Next thing you know Buff State grabs it and runs 30 yards.  Whah?   

We'll see what kind of character Cortland has now.  Montclair comes next week, then Rowan. 

[4merprof]

I agree today, was probably one of the best Rowan/GSC wins in history.  The way those kids fought back and won was truely incredible.  I bleed brown and gold... and I almost left at the half, but I definitely got my monies worth.  Now I know, I have said this in the off-season, and got ridiculed for it... but there is no other Prof qb, in the history of glassboro, that I would rather have run our team than Orihel.. And I will say it again, I would still take him over Elliot tomorrow if given the chance.

The defense today was awesome in the second half... Hendrix called a superb second half, and the condition of the Profs finally wore down the div I-AA team.  Our special teams finally played like they should and the atmosphere was ridiculous.

Our receivers, are definitely D-I guys, our qb D-I, our D-ends, D-I, Sh*t are whole team played today like they deserved scholarships.

Bottom line... I am absolutely so proud how the 2005 Prof team showed fortitude and leadership in a game they could have easily folded in.

I definitely think it's time for D3.com as well as the other medias to  finally give Rowan and its atheltes the credit they deserve.

That was a great win and a another notch in the headboard for one of the best games in Prof history.

I however, actually always played baseball, and when I was growing up, and my father always told me, in tough situations, great pitchers make great pitches, well great teams make great wins.

Congrats PROFS.

You made one alum proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NJAC is yours!

[4merprof]

I would also like to give Dave and his MSU team some props for today.... HUGE win for you guys especially facing all the diversity you guys have over the last two years... CONGRATS...

ALSO, whats up with Cortland losing to Buff State???  That's the same Buff State team that cowarded to playing Rowan on Oct 8th (both have open dates).

[John McGraw]

Dan,

The sad thing is, which play when Smith heaved it away? All five fumbles thankfully aren't his. One of them came on a special teams play I believe and another was a combination of errors between him and Zak Carter on a pass attempt that was ruled a lateral because Carter was even with Smith. Smith passed it over Carter's head and thankfully the ball went out of bounds though it appeared BSC would have picked it up and scored had it not went out since Carter just stood there.

Another fumble on a botched option deep in Cortland territory where Smith pitched it too soon to Bowser who was still trailing and it got past him back to the five yard line to bring up 2nd and 23. I think the play you're referring to in your post was when Smith just threw the ball behind himself and BSC recovered and set up a two-play TD drive. I think Smith would have recovered it if not for the 'olay block from the Cortland running back (who shall remain nameless). Not that the recovery would have helped Cortland.

I agree with everything Dan said though meager offensive performances from Brockport, TCNJ and Kean against other opponents plus today's ineptitude show doesn't give me lots of confidence heading into the Montclair game next week, especially seeing that the Hawks knocked off Salisbury on the road. I think maybe the offense missed Matt Rickert a little too much today. Would he have been the difference? Not really, though I think Cortland would have stayed away from the option more like it did in the first three weeks.

Dragons need to do some serious thinking before next weekend at home. If they play like they did today against Montclair and even Rowan, they'll be out of the conference race faster than Bill Struzzi can rush down the field and score a 90 yard touchdown on an interception return.

Go Bombers!

[dpadavona]

John,

Rickert is a good back, but they didn't miss him.  Bowser ran well, and Giuliano was like a truck speeding downhill.  The problem was the horrible option pitches and the passing game.  Unfortunately both of which ultimately fall back on Smith.  I feel for the kid, and I don't want to dog him.  He has the potential to be really good but right now he is hurting the team with his mistakes.

Also problematic was Cortland's inability to stop the pass when the pass rush wasn't breaking the quarterback in half.  Against Brockport, TCNJ, and Kean, the pass rush destroyed the quarterback before the pass could be thrown.  This week Buff State kept them at bay, and the secondary let the play get behind them.

It's only one game.  They should learn from it, and hopefully play with a little more emotion against Montclair.

DP

[John McGraw]

True, the pass rush in the first three games was very good. Pass rush in the first half before the 82yd drive was decent - Rich Coyne ended with three sacks. Strangely, Adam Haas had six tackles, no sacks no tackles for a loss after two great weeks in a row. The option was running away from him making it harder for him to get to the quarterback. The option killed Cortland as they were hitting Mikolaichik after the pitch, but no one picked up Perkins.

Pass coverage was a problem and it seems strange to say that even though Steward had two picks and brought one back for a TD. Coverage went south in the second half when the defense was making Mikolaichik look like his former teammate JJ Tutwiler running the option and spreading the ball in the air around the field.

In regards to the option, correct me if I'm wrong, but Cortland barely ran it in the first three weeks. Smith was looking to run the ball more this week. Last year he was a very good runner, this year, early problems with the option giving me flashbacks to Cortaca 2000 when Ithaca fumbled an option in the shadow of their own goal line nearly allowing Cortland to win.

[njlincolnlion]

I had to come over to this board and congratulate rams and the Montclair State Red Hawks on their victory over Salisbury today.  The Sea Gulls special teams laid a few eggs, but that dosen't take away from from the the hard fought victory the Red Hawks earned.  It just goes to show that statistics don't win games.....Coaching and players do.  Good luck to Montclair in the NJAC for the rest of the season.

[dragonflyer]

John & Dan-

Hopefully, the offense will watch the film from this past week and it'll light a fire under their behinds.

However, there is one thing to mention about the offense troubles:
The offense lost three big experienced skill position players from last year's team in davis, romano, and heaton = 900 rush yds, 67 Rec. for 762 yds, and 16 total TD's

This year, the only returning WR who got considerable playing time last year is Morat. Carter & Lascari are converted QB's, Cadet & Greene are converted DB's

As the season continues, the offense should improve as it has in seasons past.

[dpadavona]

Dragonflyer -

You bring up a good point about the wide receivers and tight ends.  Were you at the game yesterday?  One thing I noticed was there were a few occasions when the receivers were wide open over the middle, and never noticed.  The same problem cropped up last season. 

We'll see.  I remain optimistic, and I still think they should win at home against Montclair.

[dpadavona]

NJLincolnLion -

You have a lot of class, and you always make a positive contribution to the boards.  Good luck the rest of the season.  I'd like to see a Salisbury game someday, since I really like to watch a great running team.  They sound like they are as good as anyone in the backfield.