FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[rams1102]

JT,

How is Rowan looking this year? Please no names to protect the inocent, just a general statement. The NJAC is definitely the board of pleading the fifth. This includes all the members. The Red Hawks have a tall order this year in it's schedule.

[JT]

Rowan should be very strong on defense again this year. Must replace three in the secondary. Question marks will be on offense.  The Profs receivers need to come of age this year.  Last year I could see the raw talent, but the inexperience cost them.   Hopefully they worked hard in the offseason.

Orihel is gone as the four starter at QB.  Sr. Joe Rankin has been a capable backup at 7-2 when Orihel was hurt.  Rankin's two losses were to DII Southern Virginia in front of 13,000 and Mount Union in the 2005 semi finals.  Rankin is smart, has decent mobility, but he needs to improve arm strength.  Defenders have been known to jam the short routes forcing Rankin to try and beat them deep.  He is well liked by teammates.  I don't know if Rankin has any real competition for the job or not, but it is probably his to lose.

Oline should be improved as they will be the most experience group in the offense.

Rowan is strong at running back, especially if Encarnacion is healthy from his red shirt broken leg in 2006.  He has the power that Rowan was missing in 2006.  The other backs are quick and elusive but not great at breaking tackles.  Rowan best years are when they have both power and speed in the backfield.  They didn't really have an established power back last year.

As long as there isn't a big drop off from replacing graduating players, Rowan should contend for its fourth straight NJAC title.

My feeling is that Cortland, Montclair, and Rowan are the favorites right now with West Conn and Kean as the dark horses.  I will know more after media day in August.  Everyone is usually mum on recruits until then.

[rams1102]

JT,

Thanks for the response. Have a great summer !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PBR...]

good recap JT .... it will help having a qb w/ some experience but i think rowan will really struggle at times this year on offense. i will miss seeing orhiel since i saw him play 3 years in high school and some of his college games. i didnt think dvc would struggle last year like they did on offense since they had so many returning starters but i really underestimated how much they missed knoblauch. having a quality qb really sets the table for the play calling in keeping defenses honest and makes everyone around him so much better. that being said i think rowan will finish strong once they find their identity on offense but will fall a little short behind cortland. just one man's thoughts...

[rams1102]

good recap JT .... it will help having a qb w/ some experience but i think rowan will really struggle at times this year on offense. i will miss seeing orhiel since i saw him play 3 years in high school and some of his college games. i didnt think dvc would struggle last year like they did on offense since they had so many returning starters but i really underestimated how much they missed knoblauch. having a quality qb really sets the table for the play calling in keeping defenses honest and makes everyone around him so much better. that being said i think rowan will finish strong once they find their identity on offense but will fall a little short behind cortland. just one man's thoughts...

Looking at old posts, it appears that Cortland will be re-tooling this year. Keep in mind that they are always tough and well coached. I think it will be a  (4) team race in the NJAC. Kean will surprise some people, even though there is no love lost with them and MSU. Should be a real fun year, especially with MSU getting battle tested in it's first (3) games.

[JT]

good recap JT .... it will help having a qb w/ some experience but i think rowan will really struggle at times this year on offense. i will miss seeing orhiel since i saw him play 3 years in high school and some of his college games. i didnt think dvc would struggle last year like they did on offense since they had so many returning starters but i really underestimated how much they missed knoblauch. having a quality qb really sets the table for the play calling in keeping defenses honest and makes everyone around him so much better. that being said i think rowan will finish strong once they find their identity on offense but will fall a little short behind cortland. just one man's thoughts...

It will come down to how effective the Wr's are.  The spread requires the QB and Wr making the right reads. A good running game will help everything, but our Wr's have to do a better job of spreading out the defense.

[pg04]

Boy I wish Brockport could join the NJAC this year!  I just want to get into the thick of big conference play!  Alas, I will have to wait another year 

[theoriginalupstate]

Boy I wish Brockport could join the NJAC this year!  I just want to get into the thick of big conference play!  Alas, I will have to wait another year 

Think Port keeps SJF as their out of conference game in 08?

[pg04]

Boy I wish Brockport could join the NJAC this year!  I just want to get into the thick of big conference play!  Alas, I will have to wait another year 

Think Port keeps SJF as their out of conference game in 08?

I do...It's a nice close rivalry.   It could be Ithaca, but I think the closeness to Fisher will give them the edge

[Jonny Utah]

Boy I wish Brockport could join the NJAC this year!  I just want to get into the thick of big conference play!  Alas, I will have to wait another year 

Pg, although a reality now, I dont like conferences. 

Brockport might be better off by starting to play some d2 schools and using the nobid to their advantage.  Im not saying there is an advantage, but they have the potential.

Buffalo/Rochester/Western NY is still a huge highschool football pool with loads of talent.  Bport just has to get back on track again.

[Knightstalker]

From todays Jersey Journal.

[JT]

How much is Rutgers success affecting the NJ schools in the NJAC?  Here's a kid set for Rowan but now walking on at Rutgers

I've heard different schools of thought on this.  Some say its bad and others say that long term success of Rutgers actually may help NJAC recruiting ie., as the talent level improves at Rutgers, kids that would be four-year bench jockies will look at DIII.

['gro]

How much is Rutgers success affecting the NJ schools in the NJAC?  Here's a kid set for Rowan but now walking on at Rutgers

I've heard different schools of thought on this.  Some say its bad and others say that long term success of Rutgers actually may help NJAC recruiting ie., as the talent level improves at Rutgers, kids that would be four-year bench jockies will look at DIII.

Off the DIII tangent for a sec. Gro noticed a lot last year of many NJ'ers showing up on the starting rosters of ACC, Big10, SEC teams.  Jersey definetly has the HS talent, if they could keep it in state Rutgers would be a legit powerhouse.

[JT]

How much is Rutgers success affecting the NJ schools in the NJAC?  Here's a kid set for Rowan but now walking on at Rutgers

I've heard different schools of thought on this.  Some say its bad and others say that long term success of Rutgers actually may help NJAC recruiting ie., as the talent level improves at Rutgers, kids that would be four-year bench jockies will look at DIII.

Off the DIII tangent for a sec. Gro noticed a lot last year of many NJ'ers showing up on the starting rosters of ACC, Big10, SEC teams.  Jersey definetly has the HS talent, if they could keep it in state Rutgers would be a legit powerhouse.

Schiano reportedly had a very good recruiting class ranked as high as 28th in the country.  He needs to get into one of the bigger bowls this year in order to keep moving forward.  A loss to Cincinnati kept him out the BCS in 2006.

[PBR...]

this is the first year schiano has landed some nj talent he revived the program using his connections when he coached at THE U and brought a large contingent of florida high school players up here  to help start the turn around. one thing to keep in mind the big east is a mid tier conf. now since the mass defections. may take them a while to regroup and see if some of the remaining teams can make the step up to a major program.