FB: Empire 8

[Yanks 99]

Yanks99,

I agree with the gist of your points about the Sp'field offense, however it isn't intended to be the essentially obsolete 3 yards and a cloud of dust.  Wasn't that just basically - up the middle and grind it out smashmouth?

I know there is more to it.  I am just saying that the whole premise of their offense to is look for long, time consuming drives, with the idea that they have a good chance of scoring every single time.  Clearly there is misdirection involved and if they can hit a home run great...but they will take 3-6 yards a pop and not throw a single pass if they don't have to.  That may not be the exact old school definition, but pretty close.

[Saxon73]

Yanks99,

I agree with the gist of your points about the Sp'field offense, however it isn't intended to be the essentially obsolete 3 yards and a cloud of dust.  Wasn't that just basically - up the middle and grind it out smashmouth?

I know there is more to it.  I am just saying that the whole premise of their offense to is look for long, time consuming drives, with the idea that they have a good chance of scoring every single time.  Clearly there is misdirection involved and if they can hit a home run great...but they will take 3-6 yards a pop and not throw a single pass if they don't have to.  That may not be the exact old school definition, but pretty close.

Yes, I am continually (for years) perplexed by their inability to become more effective by not infusing some real semblence of a passing threat. Not to help them out, but I am sure they must have tried to get a "2nd" QB in their backfield who can pass and be somewhat of a threat to run.  I guess their system doesn't attract someone with these abilities to their school. A passer wants to go to a school that throws the ball more.

[pumkinattack]

For anyone who has known the IC program for a while, where do you think Abe Ceasay ranks in terms of WR's?  That guy was my HS QB, but he obviously was a great WR there.  Is he top 5, top 10?  There was another guy George something I played with on a semi-pro league team who had set a bunch of records in the 80's (I think it was in that decade anyway) who was still athletic into his 40's.  

[Yanks 99]

For anyone who has known the IC program for a while, where do you think Abe Ceasay ranks in terms of WR's?  That guy was my HS QB, but he obviously was a great WR there.  Is he top 5, top 10?  There was another guy George something I played with on a semi-pro league team who had set a bunch of records in the 80's (I think it was in that decade anyway) who was still athletic into his 40's.  

I thought Ceasay was good...but never really thought he lived up to his potential.  He was playing at a level he should have dominated, and he only did so in spurts.  If I had to guess, I would say top 10...but there are a few other WR's I would list ahead of him just in the past few years...Buddenhagen, Esposito, Welch...and these don't include any from the Championship eras.

[dlippiel]

With the athletes that Springfield gets, i'd be willing to bet that they'd be a better team if they scrapped the option and went with a more conventional offense....

I don't think so. That O fosters to those athletes and their strengths. It just takes time and some learning (usually from a season of mistakes) to grow and reach its potential. When it is working well and the QB is able to manipulate the O the triple Opt can be almost unstoppable. Many Sprinfield QB's are very successful, it will just take time. Teams hate....hate playing against it when it is working well. Delong is a hell of a coach.

That is all well and good, but they've never done anything special when they get into the NCAA's.  That is great that they win some games, put up some points and rushing yards but isn't the ultimate goal to win in December?  They're a one trick pony that's been turned into glue on several occasions when a team plays defense.  If they don't diversify they'll never do anything in the NCAA's...

Well said, Upstate. When your offense can only do one thing, no matter how well, you're in trouble. IC used to run the option a lot, but they had a great WR in 1991 who holds the record for most recieving yards in a playoff. The Pride did make it to the third round in 2000, although they gave up 61 to Widener. They lost in the first round in '03, but scored 34 points. In 06, they hung with a great Fisher school. They've yet to make a real deep run, although I am not sure it's the fault of the offense

Good points made here. When it comes down to it they don't do anything substantial in the NCAAs and I guess that is what is is all about. I have just seen that offense give teams fits but I have seen, on just as many occasions that O get shut down and thne Springfield is done. Especially when they have to play from behind. Even looking back at Sharpe you just don't get a better player running the O. How many records did he hold? Yet they fell in hte seond round to SJF a couple years back and then his senior season was mush because his surrounding cast could not help him at all. I agree they should incorperate many other passing sets into their O and diversify. Could you imagine playing Springfiled with a Sharpe having to ALWAYS  watch the run and the pass? They would be nasty. Yet you guys are right, one dimensional = no NCAA long term success.

[Bombers798891]

For anyone who has known the IC program for a while, where do you think Abe Ceasay ranks in terms of WR's?  That guy was my HS QB, but he obviously was a great WR there.  Is he top 5, top 10?  There was another guy George something I played with on a semi-pro league team who had set a bunch of records in the 80's (I think it was in that decade anyway) who was still athletic into his 40's.  

Ceasay was really talented physically, but yeah he kind of underachieved. His munbers were there, but they had a pretty lame running game in the Mid 90's and they threw a lot. I always thought he could have been better than he was. He was probably Top 10 to me, but George Mack was great in the eyes of a lot of Bomber fans (I never saw him play) Nick Ismailoff was the best I've seen. Justin Esposito had probably the best hands and was the best at adjusting to balls in the air. Jeff Welch was high up there as well.

All in all, Ceasay might be in that 5-8 range. It's importan to remember that IC was predominantly a running team untill the 1996 season or so, when they went West Coast. It's why the passing leaders at IC are guys like Wiedman, Young, O'Donovan, Felliceti and Juvan. It's really system based. But WR has never been a position of strength at IC. They've always had TE's like Dargush, Mulkeen, and Weverberg and that's been where they've made more of an impact in the passing game.

A discussion about top 10 IC running backs on the other hand, would be very interesting...

[dewcrew88]

Fisher's TV guy for the Empire8.tv broadcast likes to "lower the boom." 

Anytime anyone's had a nice hit that's the term he uses.

The girl who is the color analyst is pretty good, and so is the PxP guy, but the "lower the boom" line is funny.

[fisheralum91]

not bad coverage she seems to point out the painfully obvious tho

[dewcrew88]

not bad coverage she seems to point out the painfully obvious tho

Yeah. It almost seems like football isn't her main sport...like she's better at basketball instead.

+K fa.

[redswarm81]

Fisher's TV guy for the Empire8.tv broadcast likes to "lower the boom." 

Anytime anyone's had a nice hit that's the term he uses.

The girl who is the color analyst is pretty good, and so is the PxP guy, but the "lower the boom" line is funny.

I noticed her last week, when she was dressed better than she is dressed today.  It's true she doesn't do much more than state the obvious, but she speaks clearly, has a good command of the language, . . . I won't vote her off the island.

But I should probably post this in in-game updates, instead of this forum.

[superman57]

so far I have been very impressed with tim bailey... he is playing very strong football right now

[maxpower]

Fisher's TV guy for the Empire8.tv broadcast likes to "lower the boom." 

That's not bad... the ICB guy keeps saying the QB "fires one off."

[dewcrew88]

Fisher's TV guy for the Empire8.tv broadcast likes to "lower the boom." 

That's not bad... the ICB guy keeps saying the QB "fires one off."

I joke about the Fisher guy, but their broadcast team is doing a good job.

[Yanks 99]

This is actually a pretty good game...

Is it true that 5 defensive starters from Salisbury are missing? 

[theoriginalupstate]

This is actually a pretty good game...

Is it true that 5 defensive starters from Salisbury are missing? 

They were suspended after a brawl....

SJF is playing w/o Melnyk and Gottlieb as well...

"coaches decision"...