FB: Empire 8

[D O.C.]

Relaxing out in Orange, California, listening to This American Life on NPR and some girl comes on talking about a past Ithaca - Cortland State game and the aftermath in the streets afterward.

Football season must be approaching.
No injuries!

[boobyhasgameyo]

Go Fisher! 

[fisheralum91]

+k for the random thought!!!

[AUPepBand]

Just what happens when the Bills Training Camp seemingly overlaps the arrival of the St. John Fisher College football team, assuming the Cardinals arrive this week?

Saxons arrive today in Mayberry.

Not sure when the Pioneers arrive, likely also today, beginning a new era of football at Alfred State under the direction of Jarod Dodson. Watch out for these guys...here's some background on the new man in charge on Mayberry's other hill:

Jarod Dodson was named the head football coach at Alfred State in April 2015. He becomes the third coach in program history.

Dodson has been in coaching ranks since 1998 and has held positions in all levels of NCAA football. He most recently has served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Prior to coaching at SD School of Mines, Dodson was at Old Dominion University where he was the assistant defensive coordinator in 2011 and the secondary coach in 2010. In 2009, he served as the special teams co-coordinator and defensive backs coach under Turner Gill at the University of Buffalo.

From 2004-2008, Dodson held various positions at his alma mater the University of South Dakota. He started at South Dakota as the secondary coach, moved to the offensive side of the ball during the 2005-06 season and served as the offensive passing game coordinator, held the position of special teams coordinator in 2005 and 2006 and then became the defensive coordinator in 2008.

While coaching offense at South Dakota he helped the team to the #1 ranking in NCAA DII in total offense and scoring offense and then after moving back to the defensive side he coordinated the #1 defense in the Great West Conference. Dodson was a finalist in both 2007 and 2008 for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Dodson coached at Michigan Tech University from 2000-2003 and started his coaching career at the University of South Dakota where he served as a graduate assistant between 1998 and 2000.

During his playing career, Dodson was a standout cornerback at South Dakota. He graduated with a  bachelor's degree in recreation (1999) and his master's degree in health and physical education in 2000.

Winning each day will be the primary focus and battle cry for Dodson and Alfred State. "Pioneer Football will always set our sights on being our best each day! Win2Day is our motto! We will focus on our #1 goal to always reach our full potential; it starts by excelling in the classroom, then service in the community, and finally, by playing together on Saturdays in the Fall!"

"When you watch the Pioneers, you will witness the most exciting brand of physical football ever played. Our team will reflect the toughness and work ethic of our very proud region here in Western New York. We are "Blue Collar" football!"

Dodson and his wife Shannon, are the proud parents of four daughters, Mariah, LaRae, JaeLynn, and Kendyl.

On Saxon Warriors!

[AUPepBand]

Pep would be curious as to the thoughts of fellow E8 posters regarding the prospect of Alfred State ever competing in the Empire 8 for football?
Given the open door policy for state schools and the admission of Morrisville State (like Alfred a juco grown up) this season, what's to stop Alfred State?

Please discuss.

[jknezek]

Pep would be curious as to the thoughts of fellow E8 posters regarding the prospect of Alfred State ever competing in the Empire 8 for football?
Given the open door policy for state schools and the admission of Morrisville State (like Alfred a juco grown up) this season, what's to stop Alfred State?

Please discuss.

Other than it is slightly easier to work with even numbers than odd when scheduling, I wouldn't think there is a problem. And that's only so you don't have the relative unfairness of rolling off-weeks. The whole conference can have the same bye with even numbers. Obviously the more conf games you have the more your SOS reverts to .500, which could hurt those Pool C aspirations. But I'd imagine that would be a pretty small consideration. Having only one non-conf sure reduces time spent filling the schedule. As more conferences get larger, it is harder and harder to fill those second, and for some conferences, third OOC game. So it sure seems like getting to 10 teams, with one non-conf, is the way to go.

[sjfcards]

If any of the Fisher guys has an idea of practice schedules this week for Fisher I would appreciate it. I will be in Rochester on Wednesday for work and have a few hours to kill before and between meetings. Any help is appreciated.

[Bombers798891]

Pep would be curious as to the thoughts of fellow E8 posters regarding the prospect of Alfred State ever competing in the Empire 8 for football?
Given the open door policy for state schools and the admission of Morrisville State (like Alfred a juco grown up) this season, what's to stop Alfred State?

Please discuss.

I'm meh on it. I used to think IC's coaches used this as a crutch, but at some point, I think SUNY kids paying ~$20,000 a year while kids at most of the private schools are paying between $45,000-$55,000 just becomes too big of an imbalance to overcome when you're directly competing, especially when you have a large roster like you do in football.

I once asked IC's wrestling coach if it was hard to compete with Brockport or Cortland for kids, and he said that honestly, there's always a handful of great athletes who not only can afford to go to an expensive private school, but who want to.

[Upstate]

If any of the Fisher guys has an idea of practice schedules this week for Fisher I would appreciate it. I will be in Rochester on Wednesday for work and have a few hours to kill before and between meetings. Any help is appreciated.

Bills camp is still ongoing at Fisher. Not sure you can get to the practice fields.

[AUPepBand]

Pep sat in on a Saxon practice this afternoon. Seems like the Saxons are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before! 

Go A-U!!

[AUPepBand]

Saxons will be sporting new helmets this season. Here's what they'll look like:




On Saxon Warriors!

[sjfcards]

Any E8 teams have a scrimmage this weekend?

[ITH radio]

I think this weekend is usually intrasquad (O vs D) scrimmages. Hobart will once again scrimmage Buff State on Aug 29.

On an unrelated note, I guess Kickoff will help form my opinion but am I alone in thinking IC may struggle a bit more this season? I'm predicting like a 5-5 or 6-4 given their graduations. Thoughts?

[Bombers798891]

On an unrelated note, I guess Kickoff will help form my opinion but am I alone in thinking IC may struggle a bit more this season? I'm predicting like a 5-5 or 6-4 given their graduations. Thoughts?

Depends. Question marks are all over the place on offense, but...the team has gone 16-7 the last two regular seasons despite averaging just 23 PPG. They don't need to score a lot to win, so I think if they can get into the mid 20s, consistently they can survive. It's probably going to feature a ton of close games, and I could see 4-6, or 7-3, depending on how they break.

[Jonny Utah]

On an unrelated note, I guess Kickoff will help form my opinion but am I alone in thinking IC may struggle a bit more this season? I'm predicting like a 5-5 or 6-4 given their graduations. Thoughts?

Depends. Question marks are all over the place on offense, but...the team has gone 16-7 the last two regular seasons despite averaging just 23 PPG. They don't need to score a lot to win, so I think if they can get into the mid 20s, consistently they can survive. It's probably going to feature a ton of close games, and I could see 4-6, or 7-3, depending on how they break.

To add to that bombers, it seems that IC has gone through a few offensive coordinators, with Welch seeming to have his hands in the offense at all times.  Welch has always been a defensive coach, but IC has run much of the same stuff since 1995.  I think the offense might need a kick in the behind, but maybe they just don't have the personnel to do it?