FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[rams1102]

Pick EM's For Week #5 Are Posted On The Pick EM Board

[stonecold84]

Last year was the year for Wesley to win it and I never understood the defensive scheme they played against Mount Union last year.  Wesley was much more athletic than John Carroll last year, and John Carroll played man against Mount Union which gave them trouble.  I still believe that Wesley was a better team than Mount Union in 2014 but I think fear might be the factor and now we'll never know what could have been.

[nccfac]

I dont think you can discount that Wesley is replacing every starting LB from last year as well. There has got to be some kind of learning curve for those guys.

Absolutely.  There are a lot of new faces out there on the field.  Callahan earned a game ball from Kieth McMillan this week.  He definitely earned it!

-Ski

Depends on the discussion.  If it is about the current state of the Wesley defense it does not matter who is on the field, they are not playing very well.  If we are talking about the rest of the year and room for improvement than it does matter that they replaced players who will need some playing time to get better.  Can they get good enough, I hope so because right now if the opponent can throw the ball even a little they are going to be in for a tough game.  Benefit is that most of the NJAC runs the ball.

It was nice to have met you on our campus last Saturday, Wesleydad. ( I teach statistics.)  I agree that the defense of either team was not at the level you see of a team that is making a serious run at the national title. Too much in passing yardage given by both that would not be the case with Whitewater or Mt Union. Still, when you could get some pressure or disguise your coverage, you did give us some fits, you need to improve those areas and you can get to that level.  The other place you need to improve is special teams, especially on kickoffs. These are fixable. Wish you well the rest of the way.

[thewaterboy]

Last year was the year for Wesley to win it and I never understood the defensive scheme they played against Mount Union last year.  Wesley was much more athletic than John Carroll last year, and John Carroll played man against Mount Union which gave them trouble.  I still believe that Wesley was a better team than Mount Union in 2014 but I think fear might be the factor and now we'll never know what could have been.

Arguable for any year that Wesley has gone deep in the playoffs to be "the year." 2010, you have a healthy Ellis Krout and you may have an answer vs. UWW. 2011, Wesley was literally one or two dropped passes from winning that game in Alliance. 2013, one mistake from winning (Punt Return TD, pick-6 etc etc). I dont understand where you say fear would be a factor.

I  think that it is too early to be discounting the Wolverines D in terms of the remainder of the year. If the playoffs started today, of course they would be in trouble, but they dont. Wesley still has the athletes (while no Kapepula) to improve and compete at a high level. Depth on defense will be interesting however. There are even more unfamiliar faces in those ranks.

[CNU85]

CNN is 1-2 but I give them a chance this week vs Rowan. Go get-em Captains.

+1 Righteous!!!

[Teamski]

I  think that it is too early to be discounting the Wolverines D in terms of the remainder of the year. If the playoffs started today, of course they would be in trouble, but they dont. Wesley still has the athletes (while no Kapepula) to improve and compete at a high level. Depth on defense will be interesting however. There are even more unfamiliar faces in those ranks.

And that is the most promising aspect of this whole thing.  Wesley has the fortunate opportunity to take the time to reevaluate its defense schemes and sort it out before its too late.  Yeah, it is going to have to take some soul searching on the part of the players and the coaches, but it is doable.   Again, I am not panicking.   The defense is there.....somewhere.

-Ski

[jknezek]

Catholic leaving the ODAC for associate football membership in the NEWMAC. Anyone else think S Va is about to get asked to be an associate member a lot closer to home than the NJAC? Would probably be a better fit for all concerned. Is anyone here really looking forward to a trip to Buena Vista Va? If you are, prepare to be underwhelmed. Spend your time across the tracks in Lexington at W&L and VMI and just briefly make the trip to BV to watch the game before fleeing...

[D3MAFAN]

Catholic leaving the ODAC for associate football membership in the NEWMAC. Anyone else think S Va is about to get asked to be an associate member a lot closer to home than the NJAC? Would probably be a better fit for all concerned. Is anyone here really looking forward to a trip to Buena Vista Va? If you are, prepare to be underwhelmed. Spend your time across the tracks in Lexington at W&L and VMI and just briefly make the trip to BV to watch the game before fleeing...

I think it would have been easier for Catholic to switch with Southern VA. It allows for old ACFC (CAC) members to reunite.

[jknezek]

Catholic leaving the ODAC for associate football membership in the NEWMAC. Anyone else think S Va is about to get asked to be an associate member a lot closer to home than the NJAC? Would probably be a better fit for all concerned. Is anyone here really looking forward to a trip to Buena Vista Va? If you are, prepare to be underwhelmed. Spend your time across the tracks in Lexington at W&L and VMI and just briefly make the trip to BV to watch the game before fleeing...

I think it would have been easier for Catholic to switch with Southern VA. It allows for old ACFC (CAC) members to reunite.

Catholic is an urban school. While the NEWMAC is going to mean a lot of travel for football, it will keep them up and down the I95 corridor where I'd imagine most of their students come from. I think the NEWMAC makes more sense for them from that perspective than the NJAC. Plus it isn't jammed with state schools. I don't quite understand the switch except as a way to put the players more in front of their family than they were getting with the ODAC.

[Pat Coleman]

Indeed, the NEWMAC is in almost all the places where CUA's student body comes from. (Philly being a notable exception.)

[Teamski]

Catholic leaving the ODAC for associate football membership in the NEWMAC. Anyone else think S Va is about to get asked to be an associate member a lot closer to home than the NJAC? Would probably be a better fit for all concerned. Is anyone here really looking forward to a trip to Buena Vista Va? If you are, prepare to be underwhelmed. Spend your time across the tracks in Lexington at W&L and VMI and just briefly make the trip to BV to watch the game before fleeing...

It also opens the door for CNU to stay closer to home with the the new opening in the ODAC.  Even with Pat's assessment, I don't understand why a school like Catholic would join a league that induces long painful trips is beyond me.  Gallaudet, another DC team, does the same thing with most of its stablemates being up in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont.   The additional costs of such trips that require an overnight stay is considerable and adds a considerable burden to the student athlete.

-Ski

[jknezek]

CNU is public. They can't join the ODAC even as an associate.

[Teamski]

CNU is public. They can't join the ODAC even as an associate.

oh!  I didn't know that the ODAC was strictly a private college conference.

-Ski

[Teamski]

Congrads to Joe Callahan for making the D3 football.com team of the week!    The last comeback I have seen like that from Wesley was at Johns Hopkins in 2013 in the first round of the playoffs.  Callahan threw a 33 yard TD with 13 seconds left on the clock to seal the win 29-24.  So many similarities......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn9xb_LkZXQ

And if you have the time, you can watch the highlight film of the QB that Callihan studied under.  Shane McSweeny was a regular Houdini on the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJ7D9CCfHs

-Ski

[New Tradition]

Some highlights from the game vs. NCC and some post game interviews including one from Callahan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rplMLmB-uFQ