FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

I've said numerous times, Coach Murray is the closest thing to a high school coach on the college level that I've ever seen.  He seems to know his players like he's been working with them since they were in kindergarten.  He is concerned with them as people, not just as football players.  My wife and I can't thank him enough for the help he gave to both of our sons.  Congratulations AU and finish strong!

Figured Tad, Kaz and Pep might get a kick out of this...

I've been talking with Pecoraro while he's down in Arizona for the Border Patrol.  He's stationed in Tuscon.  Guess he went out for a drink one night and ran into AU alum's Chris Fee (who played at St. Lawrence then GA'd at AU) and Chris Sarge.  Guess they are both teaching down there and coaching a high school or middle school football team...  Crazy small world but now AU has a strong Southwestern presence...

Pep knew that Fee and Sarge were in Arizona. Saw Chris Sarge's pops at St. Lawrence and he filled in Pep on Sarge's move, since Sarge was earlier in the Charlotte, NC area near Pep Jr. Didn't know Pecoraro was in Arizona as well. Small world...everyone needs an I Love Alfred, NY bumper sticker!

[AlfredSaxon8]

I've said numerous times, Coach Murray is the closest thing to a high school coach on the college level that I've ever seen.  He seems to know his players like he's been working with them since they were in kindergarten.  He is concerned with them as people, not just as football players.  My wife and I can't thank him enough for the help he gave to both of our sons.  Congratulations AU and finish strong!

Figured Tad, Kaz and Pep might get a kick out of this...

I've been talking with Pecoraro while he's down in Arizona for the Border Patrol.  He's stationed in Tuscon.  Guess he went out for a drink one night and ran into AU alum's Chris Fee (who played at St. Lawrence then GA'd at AU) and Chris Sarge.  Guess they are both teaching down there and coaching a high school or middle school football team...  Crazy small world but now AU has a strong Southwestern presence...

Pep knew that Fee and Sarge were in Arizona. Saw Chris Sarge's pops at St. Lawrence and he filled in Pep on Sarge's move, since Sarge was earlier in the Charlotte, NC area near Pep Jr. Didn't know Pecoraro was in Arizona as well. Small world...everyone needs an I Love Alfred, NY bumper sticker!

"Where the Sun only comes out once a week"

[AUPepBand]

I've said numerous times, Coach Murray is the closest thing to a high school coach on the college level that I've ever seen.  He seems to know his players like he's been working with them since they were in kindergarten.  He is concerned with them as people, not just as football players.  My wife and I can't thank him enough for the help he gave to both of our sons.  Congratulations AU and finish strong!

Figured Tad, Kaz and Pep might get a kick out of this...

I've been talking with Pecoraro while he's down in Arizona for the Border Patrol.  He's stationed in Tuscon.  Guess he went out for a drink one night and ran into AU alum's Chris Fee (who played at St. Lawrence then GA'd at AU) and Chris Sarge.  Guess they are both teaching down there and coaching a high school or middle school football team...  Crazy small world but now AU has a strong Southwestern presence...

Pep knew that Fee and Sarge were in Arizona. Saw Chris Sarge's pops at St. Lawrence and he filled in Pep on Sarge's move, since Sarge was earlier in the Charlotte, NC area near Pep Jr. Didn't know Pecoraro was in Arizona as well. Small world...everyone needs an I Love Alfred, NY bumper sticker!

"Where the Sun only comes out once a week"

[theoriginalupstate]

So what do you think the deal is with it? Obviously its not a single reason, but, from the Fisher faithful, is there an idea as to why AU has been so successful against SJF?  

I lean toward superior coaching... But that's just my take.  I know it falls a lot on execution during the game but a lot of execution is proper preparation...

I wouldn't say "superior" coaching, it's a bit strong and almost demeaning towards Coach Vos... 

Before Secky became the QB, Coach Murry had only won 1 game (the Keely "reject" game) vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

Coach Murry has always been a great coach but he has a QB that is something special...

So I would say it's combination of Coaching and Secky...

He owns SJF...

He's the only QB to have an undefeated record vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

The Saxons had a great game plan and had a QB that executed it to near perfection...

[PrideFan1]

Does anyone have a link to photos of the Merrill Field after the renovations? Just curious to see how it came out...

[AUKaz00]

Finally caught up on all the posts and don't have anything substantial to add.  I agree with most of the AU-Fisher meme over the past few pages.  Pep told the band after the opening kickoff that we'd need to be quick on firstdowns since Alfred was starting in the no huddle.  That spoke to Alfred's game plan of going right at Fisher which they did all game long.  We saw the Saxon's upper end of their performance spectrum on saterday where they played up to their potential for a full 60 minutes.  Certainly facing a team as talented as Fisher helped they maintain that focus, but that was the best all-around effort by Alfred I've seen since probably the 2006 game vs. Ithaca (which sent Pep and I into delirium by avoiding the Deca-Stomp and giving us false hope that Alfred would beat Fisher in week 11 and head off to the playoffs).

And with all that said, I still have zero confidence against Ithaca on the 6th.  I guess going 1-14 against a team can do that.  Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised like I was this weekend, but I still see the season ending 7-3 as the Saxons sleepwalk into a good and motivated Utica in week 11.

[AUKaz00]

Does anyone have a link to photos of the Merrill Field after the renovations? Just curious to see how it came out...

I know there was a story with a bunch of pictures that came out back in August or September, but this is all I can find now.

[AlfredSaxon8]

So what do you think the deal is with it? Obviously its not a single reason, but, from the Fisher faithful, is there an idea as to why AU has been so successful against SJF?  

I lean toward superior coaching... But that's just my take.  I know it falls a lot on execution during the game but a lot of execution is proper preparation...

I wouldn't say "superior" coaching, it's a bit strong and almost demeaning towards Coach Vos... 

Before Secky became the QB, Coach Murry had only won 1 game (the Keely "reject" game) vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

Coach Murry has always been a great coach but he has a QB that is something special...

So I would say it's combination of Coaching and Secky...

He owns SJF...

He's the only QB to have an undefeated record vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

The Saxons had a great game plan and had a QB that executed it to near perfection...

Definitely not a shot at Voss.. I guess "superior" was the wrong way to put it... I guess to me, it just seems like there's a lot of pregame hype surrounding AU and Fisher because Fisher looked SO good in the preceeding games... Which makes me believe it could be due to lack of preparation/gameplan on the part of Fisher... That's all.  I mean, if you looked at the previous games/scores, you would think AU would've gotten beat by Fisher this past weekend...

[AUPepBand]

Does anyone have a link to photos of the Merrill Field after the renovations? Just curious to see how it came out...

Pep has put in a request, as nothing seems readily available online at present. It may take awhile...AU was fortunate when Adam Brockway was playing as his father posted photos online from EVERY Saxon game and was thorough in documenting the event...including all the fans!

Pep will likely have some photos coming his way from Homecoming and/or Saterday's game as the photo guy from Rochester who's contracted to shoot AU sporting events was in attendance.

Stay tuned!

On Saxon Warriors!

[AUPepBand]

So what do you think the deal is with it? Obviously its not a single reason, but, from the Fisher faithful, is there an idea as to why AU has been so successful against SJF?  

I lean toward superior coaching... But that's just my take.  I know it falls a lot on execution during the game but a lot of execution is proper preparation...

I wouldn't say "superior" coaching, it's a bit strong and almost demeaning towards Coach Vos... 

Before Secky became the QB, Coach Murry had only won 1 game (the Keely "reject" game) vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

Coach Murry has always been a great coach but he has a QB that is something special...

So I would say it's combination of Coaching and Secky...

He owns SJF...

He's the only QB to have an undefeated record vs SJF since the E8 was formed...

The Saxons had a great game plan and had a QB that executed it to near perfection...

Another heretofore unspoken factor that Pep believes contributed greatly to Saterday's result is the emergence of frosh Austin Dwyer to the status of starting tailback. Dwyer has been a real spark to the offense with his ability to make something out of nothing, often bouncing out of a pile and breaking a run to the outside. He has good speed and is tough for his size. His high school wrestling experience makes him a hard man to bring down.

Pep knows that Fisher faced Hobart's Steven Webb and is wondering how Dwyer's 162 yards on 27 carries compares to Webb.

[Bombers798891]

The way the E8's traditional powers keep picking each other off never ceases to amaze me. Ithaca can't beat Fisher, which is now struggling to beat Alfred, which has struggled with Ithaca since forever it seems. It's been a crazy few seasons, that's for sure.

The E8 race is now moderately interesting. I'm skeptical of IC's chances to run the gauntlet, what with the running game now officially in the rearview mirror--even removing those dastardly TEAM rushing yards the Bombers had 43 yards on 24 carries this week. But they've played well at home this season, and tend to play Alfred well. I would suspect however, that Fisher will beat Springfield anyway. The Pride couldn't stop Zappia, which doesn't bode well for stopping Bailey...

As for AU/SJF Alfred strikes me as the kind of team that doesn't let Fisher rip off 14-17 straight points early and get comfortable. This game against Fisher, they answered with a score on the first drive after every Fisher score, and last season, they never let Fisher score twice uninterrupted. I don't know why they can do that against Fisher and not IC, but they never seem to let the games against the Cardinals get away from them. Even 2008, they were the ones who got the big lead.

[AlfredSaxon8]

The way the E8's traditional powers keep picking each other off never ceases to amaze me. Ithaca can't beat Fisher, which is now struggling to beat Alfred, which has struggled with Ithaca since forever it seems. It's been a crazy few seasons, that's for sure.

The E8 race is now moderately interesting. I'm skeptical of IC's chances to run the gauntlet, what with the running game now officially in the rearview mirror--even removing those dastardly TEAM rushing yards the Bombers had 43 yards on 24 carries this week. But they've played well at home this season, and tend to play Alfred well. I would suspect however, that Fisher will beat Springfield anyway. The Pride couldn't stop Zappia, which doesn't bode well for stopping Bailey...

As for AU/SJF Alfred strikes me as the kind of team that doesn't let Fisher rip off 14-17 straight points early and get comfortable. This game against Fisher, they answered with a score on the first drive after every Fisher score, and last season, they never let Fisher score twice uninterrupted. I don't know why they can do that against Fisher and not IC, but they never seem to let the games against the Cardinals get away from them. Even 2008, they were the ones who got the big lead.

Pep, when was the last time (probably never) AU beat Fisher and Ithaca in the same season?

[AUKaz00]

As PC pointed out SUNY Maritime will not have any effect on any other team from the East making the NCAAs...

From a Pool A standpoint, you're right.  But the ramifications of SUNY-Maritime and Norwich having such gaudy records could affect an East team on the bubble.

In Pool B, Salisbury is likely to lose to Wesley leaving only 4 potential teams with less then 2 losses.  If Maritime wins, then Norwich falls to the bottom of the 2 loss teams for Pool C consideration.  If Norwich wins then Pool B is probably Wesley, Case Western and Norwich leaving a one-loss Maritime in Pool C.  

If losses trump SoS then Maritime would be on the board from the East ahead of any two-loss teams.  So, an Alfred, Cortland, Ithaca or Lycoming would have no shot at being in the conversation for perhaps the last spot.  Additionally, the ECFC winner will take a spot away from the next best Pool B candidate who will also be a two-loss Pool C candidate lowering the odds of a two-loss East team getting the last spot.

[AUKaz00]

Pep, when was the last time (probably never) AU beat Fisher and Ithaca in the same season?

I don't think Fisher was playing football the time before 2006 when Alfred beat Ithaca...

[AUPepBand]

Pep, when was the last time (probably never) AU beat Fisher and Ithaca in the same season?

I don't think Fisher was playing football the time before 2006 when Alfred beat Ithaca...

The last time AU beat Ithaca, before 2006, was 1995 when then 0-2 AU upset Ithaca 13-12 at Merrill Field. AU received a forfeit win over St. John Fisher the same year (although Fisher won 52-35 on the field). The Saxons also beat Ithaca in 1993, 30-20, but they didn't play Fisher that year.

Just for the record, the Saxons under Coach Alex Yunevich took five straight from the Bombers from 1951-1956; then two straight in 1981-1982 with Sam Sanders at the helm.

On Saxon Warriors!