FB: Empire 8

[AlfredSaxon8]

Congrats to AU. what a crazy game. 5000 fans. Brockport is getting pretty good at blowing big halftime leads. See last year's Montclair St game, where they blew both 28-0 and 35-14 (1/2 way thru 3rd Q) leads and lost. Today they blow a 28-0 halftime lead.
AU must have balls as big as church bells to not fold in a "hostile" environment.
AU held Bports O in check...under 400 yards total and under 4 yards a carry for Brockport.
Meanwhile AU's offense blew up to the tune off 499 yards and 8 yards a play. And AU was -2 in turnovers.

Pep was not at the game and could not see any crowd shots from the webcast. But Pep's pops and sisters were there and Pops said there was a huge crowd of Alfred fans at the game. Pep would guess there may have been 1500 AU fans, but only guessing, as, once again, the webcast did not show the bleachers. Pep DID, however, hear the roar of the crowd on the last couple of TDs...and, in the absence of the pep band, was told his sisters were singing the fight song!!

Stay tuned!

That's what makes these local games great. Visiting fans can travel well. And add to the atmosphere. In an earlier post I alluded to that by saying a "close opponent" would add to the crowd.

Pep has spoken to several folks who were there and, indeed, it was a hostile environment for the Saxons....but they had tremendous support. Based on this photo, Pep would estimate that of the crowd of 5,000 in attendance at the game, about 1,000 were in the visitor stands:

That Brockport field is definitely a step up from when I remember playing there. Although, to be honest, I think most teams I played against have upgraded their field since '08...

Didnt see the game but looks like this new QB has a set of legs on him. Are we looking at a spread, QB read offense now at AU? Or were these mostly designed runs and scrambling yards?

[boobyhasgameyo]

The point isn't the perception of the schedule, it's the actual schedule. It doesn't matter what the opponent's quality was when the deal was signed, but what the quality was when the game was played.

I think the scheduling was a bit more aggressive than what you giving them credit for.  Unless you think we had the foresight to know Otterbein was a one year wonder?  ...

Not sure what to make of W&J but they haven't won a playoff game since 2008 and while you might try to compare them favorably to Johns Hopkins, they didn't compare favorably on the field last November.

Yeah it's too bad that last year's matchup between W&J and Johns Hopkins doesn't matter towards this year.  You just stated as much.  Unless your argument goes only one way.  I mean last year Otterbein was one of the top 3 teams in the OAC and Cortland had a 9-1 regular season.  It's all about the quality of the games you are playing this year and this year W&J has soundly defeated everyone else outside of Fisher.  Last year they were winning all of their games in nail biters. 

[AUPepBand]

Congrats to AU. what a crazy game. 5000 fans. Brockport is getting pretty good at blowing big halftime leads. See last year's Montclair St game, where they blew both 28-0 and 35-14 (1/2 way thru 3rd Q) leads and lost. Today they blow a 28-0 halftime lead.
AU must have balls as big as church bells to not fold in a "hostile" environment.
AU held Bports O in check...under 400 yards total and under 4 yards a carry for Brockport.
Meanwhile AU's offense blew up to the tune off 499 yards and 8 yards a play. And AU was -2 in turnovers.

Pep was not at the game and could not see any crowd shots from the webcast. But Pep's pops and sisters were there and Pops said there was a huge crowd of Alfred fans at the game. Pep would guess there may have been 1500 AU fans, but only guessing, as, once again, the webcast did not show the bleachers. Pep DID, however, hear the roar of the crowd on the last couple of TDs...and, in the absence of the pep band, was told his sisters were singing the fight song!!

Stay tuned!

That's what makes these local games great. Visiting fans can travel well. And add to the atmosphere. In an earlier post I alluded to that by saying a "close opponent" would add to the crowd.

Pep has spoken to several folks who were there and, indeed, it was a hostile environment for the Saxons....but they had tremendous support. Based on this photo, Pep would estimate that of the crowd of 5,000 in attendance at the game, about 1,000 were in the visitor stands:

That Brockport field is definitely a step up from when I remember playing there. Although, to be honest, I think most teams I played against have upgraded their field since '08...

Didnt see the game but looks like this new QB has a set of legs on him. Are we looking at a spread, QB read offense now at AU? Or were these mostly designed runs and scrambling yards?

Hey Saxon 8! Pep wasn't there. Pep was blessed to be in a wedding at Wayland, receiving updates from Kaz00 through the ugly first half. That had a lot to do with Pep's decision NOT to drive to Brockport, but to drive home and watch the second half on the webcast. Kaz00 and Pep switched roles, as Kaz00 was discouraged and said he wasn't going to watch anymore...and, of course, Pep updated him with each score...and the win!!

Tyler Johnson, indeed, has good speed and is also elusive. Pep wasn't there and hasn't spoken extensively with anyone in the know, but from what Pep saw on the webcast, it looked almost like Johnson was running the Wildcat...except he can also throw! His 74-yard TD run was a simple faked hand-off, then he went around right end and straight down the sideline! (Photographer Leo Nealon was there and has sent Pep a photo of Johnson on that TD run). His other runs he faked hand-offs and then looked for a lane.

He finished 11-for-17 passing with 1 int and 1 TD. In the final drive of the 4th quarter, he converted a 3rd-and-9 from the AU 21 with a 13-yard pass to Phillips. He hit another 9-yard pass to Phillips, then hit the back-up TE Isiah Young for 18 yards to the Brockport 39. After a Brockport TO, Johnson hit Young again for 20 yards to the Brockport 19. Next play....you guessed it...Johnson to Young for 13 yards to the Brockport 6. Brockport called another TO with 29 seconds left. Johnson then kept it, lining it up for the game-winning field goal....with AU letting the clock run down to 1 second...and the 22-yard kick was WIDE RIGHT!!

RE: the new fieldturf....Brockport's grass turf was nice, but it had an exaggerated crown!

On Saxon Warriors!!

[AUPepBand]

I watched the first half of the AU-Brockport game and gave up at half.  I just read the final score about 5 minutes ago and couldn't believe it!!  WOW!!  I'm planning on traveling to the Hartwick game at home.  Hope to see you there Pep.

Hey Sarge! I was blessed to (be in a wedding and) miss the first half but saw most of the second half (excepting the Bain INT, when Pep lost internet connection for some unknown reason). Pep will be looking through the record books to see if that was AU's biggest comeback win...

On Saxon Warriors!

[Pat Coleman]

The point isn't the perception of the schedule, it's the actual schedule. It doesn't matter what the opponent's quality was when the deal was signed, but what the quality was when the game was played.

I think the scheduling was a bit more aggressive than what you giving them credit for.  Unless you think we had the foresight to know Otterbein was a one year wonder?  ...

Not sure what to make of W&J but they haven't won a playoff game since 2008 and while you might try to compare them favorably to Johns Hopkins, they didn't compare favorably on the field last November.

Yeah it's too bad that last year's matchup between W&J and Johns Hopkins doesn't matter towards this year.  You just stated as much.  Unless your argument goes only one way.  I mean last year Otterbein was one of the top 3 teams in the OAC and Cortland had a 9-1 regular season.  It's all about the quality of the games you are playing this year and this year W&J has soundly defeated everyone else outside of Fisher.  Last year they were winning all of their games in nail biters.

You'd have to admit there's a lot of ground W&J would have to make up, though.

Remember what we're actually discussing: what positive adjective to use to describe the non-conference schedule. I agree it is a good schedule, but I just don't think as highly of it as you might.

[Saxon73]

Congrats to AU. what a crazy game. 5000 fans. Brockport is getting pretty good at blowing big halftime leads. See last year's Montclair St game, where they blew both 28-0 and 35-14 (1/2 way thru 3rd Q) leads and lost. Today they blow a 28-0 halftime lead.
AU must have balls as big as church bells to not fold in a "hostile" environment.
AU held Bports O in check...under 400 yards total and under 4 yards a carry for Brockport.
Meanwhile AU's offense blew up to the tune off 499 yards and 8 yards a play. And AU was -2 in turnovers.

AUsome,  AUnbelievable 

[Saxon73]

I watched the first half of the AU-Brockport game and gave up at half.  I just read the final score about 5 minutes ago and couldn't believe it!!  WOW!!  I'm planning on traveling to the Hartwick game at home.  Hope to see you there Pep.

Hey Sarge! I was blessed to (be in a wedding and) miss the first half but saw most of the second half (excepting the Bain INT, when Pep lost internet connection for some unknown reason). Pep will be looking through the record books to see if that was AU's biggest comeback win...

On Saxon Warriors!

Pep, can you get the stat's from the miracle at Geneva, Hobart game - Fall 1971 ?  Not quite as many points but comeback made in a lot less time.

[AUPepBand]

I watched the first half of the AU-Brockport game and gave up at half.  I just read the final score about 5 minutes ago and couldn't believe it!!  WOW!!  I'm planning on traveling to the Hartwick game at home.  Hope to see you there Pep.

Hey Sarge! I was blessed to (be in a wedding and) miss the first half but saw most of the second half (excepting the Bain INT, when Pep lost internet connection for some unknown reason). Pep will be looking through the record books to see if that was AU's biggest comeback win...

On Saxon Warriors!

Pep, can you get the stat's from the miracle at Geneva, Hobart game - Fall 1971 ?  Not quite as many points but comeback made in a lot less time.

Off the top of Pep's head, in the "Miracle at Geneva" in 1971, AU was down 21-7 and in a 4th and plenty from their own 24 yard line with 6 minutes and change to go....Bob Young, out of punt formation, tossed a pass to his unchecked WR brother Charley, who went 76 yards for a TD to pull AU to within 21-14. AU stopped Hobart then proceeded to drive probably 60+ yards for the tying score. At that time, it was like "kissing your sister" as there was no OT, but (the legendary) Alex said, "We're gonna score again." The winning TD came in the last minute. Pep was there.

Pep checked records and, aside from the Miracle at Geneva, the best Saxon comeback win he can see was against the University of Rochester back in 2006 when AU came from down 34-19 to tie the game and go on to win in OT, 40-34. So saterday night's comeback win arguably was the biggest comeback win in AU's storied 118-year football history.

Stay tuned!

[fisheralum91]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

[jknezek]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

Cross purposes here. Nobody is knocking SJF's attempt to schedule good teams, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. You aren't going to get extra credit for beating teams you SHOULD beat, and at this point, regardless of history, the 3 OOC games SJF played were against teams that they SHOULD beat. They did beat them, they did what was needed, but there isn't much EXTRA glory and respect to be earned that way.

It isn't the scheduler's fault the opponents weren't as good as hoped, it is just a bit of bad luck that happens sometimes when you are relying on other teams to help you.

In other words, it might have looked like aggressive scheduling, but it turned out to be a bit more mediocre. You would hope reality would trump perception when it comes to voting.

[sjfcards]

The point isn't the perception of the schedule, it's the actual schedule. It doesn't matter what the opponent's quality was when the deal was signed, but what the quality was when the game was played.

As I stated in a previous post, I am not too upset about the drop in ranking. I am more curious than anything else, but if W&J and C-State win out and both win their conference, and Otterbein only loses one more game to Mount Union, does that give Fisher's non-conference schedule enough of a kick to have them jump a team like Wabash in the coming weeks?

Also, if voters take a wait and see approach, why do we have rankings at all before, say, week 6, so we can know what teams are really like?

[D3MAFAN]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

IMHO, winning against a solid opponent (mediorce) is better than blowing out a team (bottom of the barrell) that you should have blown out. I think SJF took more of risk and if we were using the risk-reward principle, SJF should be ranked higher.

[Pat Coleman]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

None. My point has never once been about SJF's intent in creating a schedule.

[Pat Coleman]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

Cross purposes here. Nobody is knocking SJF's attempt to schedule good teams, but sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Thank you. At least somebody is reading what I'm actually talking about.

[Upstate]

Pat while I understand that due to the results of this years games the Fisher OOC schedule is good not great,
the decision to schedule these teams was made last year under the assumption that they would have similar levels of success.
IE top three in conference, 9-1 record, and Conf Champ.
What other criteria would you have them check?

Cross purposes here. Nobody is knocking SJF's attempt to schedule good teams, but sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Thank you. At least somebody is reading what I'm actually talking about.

Yeah this has happened to Fisher before, they scheduled a series with a team coming off back to back playoff appearances in Kings. Kings then went in the tank and turned out to be dog meat during their entire series (and still are)...

Fisher gets an A for effort in scheduling but so far it didn't turn out the way many people had hoped. Still plenty of time in the year for those teams to make a turnaround though...