FB: Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

The pre-season coaches poll is out:

http://athletics.sjfc.edu/news/2014/9/1/FB_0901142246.aspx#

I feel like this is going to be a down year for the E8, Fisher excepted.

Ithaca graduates nearly its entire defense

Salisbury also has several major losses on defense, and, at, least right now, doesn't seem to have that stud RB/QB combo that makes those triple option teams deadly.

Alfred is replacing its long-time head coach and most of its offense.

I think all three of those teams have major question marks. The rest of the conference hasn't really shown it can be a contender.

[ITH radio]

You may be right re E8. We spoke to Coach Welch last week and will be including his interview we did (covering last year, the playoff committee, AFCA, rules and how 2014 is looking for the Bombers) tmw night on ITH.

Fisher appears ready to run the table, but they always have dropped a conf game or two. If they go 10-0 it will be interesting to see if they get a bracket built around them or not.

[D3MAFAN]

The pre-season coaches poll is out:

http://athletics.sjfc.edu/news/2014/9/1/FB_0901142246.aspx#

I feel like this is going to be a down year for the E8, Fisher excepted.

Ithaca graduates nearly its entire defense

Salisbury also has several major losses on defense, and, at, least right now, doesn't seem to have that stud RB/QB combo that makes those triple option teams deadly.

Alfred is replacing its long-time head coach and most of its offense.

I think all three of those teams have major question marks. The rest of the conference hasn't really shown it can be a contender.

I 100% agree. I looking through the previews and conference rankings. Yes, the #2 ranking was well deserved for the E 8, but this year may not fully reflect that. I think next year will be the year that the E 8 is dominate again. Nevertheless from my experience, that speaks volumes to SJF for continuing to reload and adjust a scheme to their current players skillsets.

[Bombers798891]

You may be right re E8. We spoke to Coach Welch last week and will be including his interview we did (covering last year, the playoff committee, AFCA, rules and how 2014 is looking for the Bombers) tmw night on ITH.

Fisher appears ready to run the table, but they always have dropped a conf game or two. If they go 10-0 it will be interesting to see if they get a bracket built around them or not.

Fisher has just not been able to get a handle on triple option teams. Yes, the teams they've lost to were good, but I believe there are some teams that are just not good fits for it.

I think Fisher's going to need a lot of help to get a bracket built around them though. IMO, they're playing a 9-game schedule, what with Alfred State on there, and if the E8 is in fact down, Fisher better hope Otterbein has a great year or there's some chaos at the top. Preferably both.

Don't get me wrong, if Fisher has a shot to go 10-0, I think it would be great for the conference and the region if they got bracket built around them. But there's a decent to good chance they don't play a single ranked team this season, and they'd probably need that to break into the elite of the elite

[fisheralum91]

I certainly hope that Fisher runs the table, but in my opinion the E8 isnt as "down " as you say.
Yes there were losses for key teams, but IMHO i think it is a strong top to bottom conference..
That #2 ranking didnt come out of thin air!

[Bombers798891]

I certainly hope that Fisher runs the table, but in my opinion the E8 isnt as "down " as you say.
Yes there were losses for key teams, but IMHO i think it is a strong top to bottom conference..
That #2 ranking didnt come out of thin air!

Here's why I think I differ. The 2007 E8 was ranked fifth in the Kickoff rankings. That conference was so loaded that Alfred was at one point 7-0 and ranked 11th in the country...and they finished 4th. Ithaca, the third place team, was so good they lost in the first-round of the playoffs by 24 points and gained 114 points in the Top 25 poll between the end of the regular season and the final poll.

I see nothing to indicate there's 3-4 teams of that quality in this year's E8, so I don't see any way the conference lives up to an elite ranking, which for me, is admittedly about the strength at the top, not just quality throughout

[Mr. Ypsi]

They will probably fall a bit (certainly the MIAC will jump them, and perhaps the CCIW, OAC, and NWC), but they should retain at least #6 - which is still pretty elite.

[sjfcards]

I couldn't make it this weekend, but I will be at Growney for the opener on Saturday.

I won't do it, but I feel like you should get karma zapped for that spelling of saterday.  Finally time to get the fight song ready!!!

What happened to me this offseason?

Unacceptable

[D3MAFAN]

They will probably fall a bit (certainly the MIAC will jump them, and perhaps the CCIW, OAC, and NWC), but they should retain at least #6 - which is still pretty elite.

I never said they'll drop that far...

[fisheralum91]

I guess i still dont see it.
Maybe when we see the season shake out ill see what you are saying, but for now im still of the belief that the E8 is a top notch league

[AUPepBand]

No doubt in Pep's mind that the E8 is a top notch league....but second only to the WIAC?
From top to bottom, the E8 is solid...Hartwick (3-4 in E8) is the only team to beat Ithaca in conference play last year.
Since its founding, the E8 has NEVER had a team in the Stagg Bowl while the MIAC, WIAC, OAC, NWC and ASC all have.
Pep believes it depends on how one weighs the various criteria of what constitutes a strong conference.
Until there's an E8 team in the Stagg Bowl (and Fisher may have the personnel to achieve that this year), the E8 will be third best conference at best.
There's Pep's two cents....now go buy a couple Ford gumballs!

On Saxon Warriors!

[sjfcards]

No doubt in Pep's mind that the E8 is a top notch league....but second only to the WIAC?
From top to bottom, the E8 is solid...Hartwick (3-4 in E8) is the only team to beat Ithaca in conference play last year.
Since its founding, the E8 has NEVER had a team in the Stagg Bowl while the MIAC, WIAC, OAC, NWC and ASC all have.
Pep believes it depends on how one weighs the various criteria of what constitutes a strong conference.
Until there's an E8 team in the Stagg Bowl (and Fisher may have the personnel to achieve that this year), the E8 will be third best conference at best.
There's Pep's two cents....now go buy a couple Ford gumballs!

On Saxon Warriors!

I agree it is really all about how you define a "strong" conference. If it is quality at the top, then the E8 does not measure up to an OAC or an ASC. If you look at it as quality from top to bottom, then the E8 would be put ahead of both of those conferences IMHO. It is the conferences that can balance the depth and the top tier teams nationally that are really something special. It is what the SEC has in bug time college football and what the WIAC has in D3.

For me a strong conference is more about how hard it is to win the league, and that translates to depth and quality from top to bottom. If you put all E8 teams against another conference on the same weekend, would the league have a winning or losing record? After the WIAC I don't see a lot of conferences winning at the lower end, so I am fine with a #2 ranking. Maybe 3 when you think about how good UMU is in the OAC, but I think A Fisher or a Salisbury would finish in 2nd in that league most years.

[fisheralum91]

I am so ready for the season to begin that I have been poking around looking for ANY information regarding Fisher Football and I must say that I am really disappointed with the Rochester D&C.  I saw a few pieces that the local tv stations did and thought that there was great content in them, and yet the D&C does nothing regarding area college football.
Did I miss an article?
Is it too soon?

Hell even the rag here in Utica did a blurb on UC football...
Sheesh

[Bombers798891]

I am so ready for the season to begin that I have been poking around looking for ANY information regarding Fisher Football and I must say that I am really disappointed with the Rochester D&C.  I saw a few pieces that the local tv stations did and thought that there was great content in them, and yet the D&C does nothing regarding area college football.
Did I miss an article?
Is it too soon?

Hell even the rag here in Utica did a blurb on UC football...
Sheesh

Looks like, from the breakdown of their sports staff, that the college guy also covers the Rochester Red Wings, who were apparently in a playoff race until Sunday night, and whose season wrapped up Monday. My guess is that college took a backseat to the baseball (which makes sense, IMO).

[fisheralum91]

Bombers-I get it...But how much time can reporting on the red wings really take?  Box scores...recaps.....real heavy stuff
Lets hope for some good articles to come!