FB: Empire 8

[fisheralum91]

I too will come out of hiding after the disaster on Sat.
Luckily I was on a boat all day and only got tweets from Gene B. while he was doing the game....
At one point he even said "oof SJFC down 27-0 at half...then used EGAD at the end of the game...
Knowing how he calls a game and how bad it really was came thru in spades on those tweets.

Its too bad Fisher had to lay such an egg out of the gate....Running the table is nearly impossible, but lets see what improvements are made in 2 weeks.
You never know in this crazy conference.

That said----gut punch

[D3viewer]

Since I don't see the Players of the week on the E8 site..I will attempt my own.

Offense....Co players of the week....The Garcia brothers of Hartwick. Sr QB John Garcia (6-2 210..warwick Valley NY) 24/48 422 yards passing 5 TDs/1 INT
                                                                                                    Soph WR Brad Garcia (6-1 199..warwick valley NY) 12 catches for 255 yards, 4 TDs

Defense   SR DE Julian Serrano..Morrisville...(6-3 248 Bronx NY)  7 tackles..2.5 sacks and 2.5 TFLs

Special Teams  Utica SR K Thomas Woodburn (5-11 174 West Islip NY) 2/2 FGs (20 and 33 yards)

How about a school record 90 yard KO return by Woodburn's teammate, Jerred Beniquez, who had a second return of 20 yards, and a run for a two-point conversion? Woodburn was also 4-for-4 on PATs, accounting for 10 points, while Beniquez finished with 8 points. Beniquez as a WR also had four catches for 31 yards plus two carries for 34 yards.

We could just change Special Teams "Player" of the Week to Special Teams "Unit" of the week...winner Utica College.

[Bombers798891]

So, my E8 thoughts:

The 8-1 record is nice, but adjusting for the quality of competition actually makes it a more "meh" performance.

Hartwick always throws up crazy offensive numbers early in the season. Utica always plays some terrible team in Week 1. Union never wins outside the LL (Sorry, Dlip). The ECFC is still the ECFC.

Still, some quality performances from Cortland and Morrisville St. stand out. Morrisville could be a dark horse for the conference title, and Cortland will, if nothing else, be a whole lot of fun.

I won't get into the Fisher bloodbath, although I'm surprised no one has brought up that the 2011 team similarly suffered an absolute beating OOC and then won a couple playoff games. And as Fisher fans have reminded us roughly 17,000 times, that team had a running back playing quarterback.

Not enough data for me to make a entire ranking, but I'll do a Top three contenders for the conference title right now:

1. Morrisville State: They almost won the NJAC last year, and they just beat what a lot of people made the sexy pick to win the LL.

2. Cortland: Why not? We all know they'll find some way to beat Ithaca in week 10.

3. Ithaca: Being the two-time defending champs has to count for something. If they can put a solid offense behind a traditionally stout defense and their usual strong special teams, they could be a very tough out.

[Bombers798891]

We could just change Special Teams "Player" of the Week to Special Teams "Unit" of the week...winner Utica College.

I'm going to add in an all-purpose category here, and split the award:

Beniquez with the KO TD and 2-pt conversion to go along with the 65-all purpose yards

Josh Oliver, who had 8 catches for 80 yards, 82 yards on 3 punt returns and a 32-yard TD pass

Play of the Week: Mannix, clearly

[AUPepBand]

E8 Defensive Player of the Week?

Must be between these two, who made the D3football.com Team of the Week:

DE Nick Woodman, Sr., Utica
Woodman posted one and a half sacks in a 42-28 win at Misericordia and is tied for the most sacks in the program's relatively short history. He finished with six tackles, four solo.

DT Andy Miller, Jr., Alfred
Miller had a sack and a pair of tackles for loss among his eight tackles and forced two fumbles, recovering one of them himself in Alfred's 39-25 win over Husson.

On Saxon Warriors!

[Bombers798891]

E8 Defensive Player of the Week?

Must be between these two, who made the D3football.com Team of the Week:

I don't think that necessarily has to be the case.

[AUPepBand]

E8 Defensive Player of the Week?

Must be between these two, who made the D3football.com Team of the Week:

I don't think that necessarily has to be the case.

Pep hasn't looked at all the E8 stats....these two had decent games....are there others?

[Bombers798891]

E8 Defensive Player of the Week?

Must be between these two, who made the D3football.com Team of the Week:

I don't think that necessarily has to be the case.

Pep hasn't looked at all the E8 stats....these two had decent games....are there others?

Aside from the one originally posted?

Carson Lassiter had 13 tackles (9 solo), forced a fumble, and broke up three passes for Cortland
Matthew Ali had 9 tackles, (6 solo) two sacks, 3 TFL, and broke up a pass for Hartwick
D.J. Logory had 12 tackles (8 solo) and two sacks for Fisher

[boobyhasgameyo]

So, my E8 thoughts:


I won't get into the Fisher bloodbath, although I'm surprised no one has brought up that the 2011 team similarly suffered an absolute beating OOC and then won a couple playoff games. And as Fisher fans have reminded us roughly 17,000 times, that team had a running back playing quarterback.

Few things: 

1.  Someone did bring it up either on here or the updates
2.  This beating was even worse
3.  The reason it was brought up was to justify gambling on house money that season and how the offense clearly had a ceiling when facing quality opponents when your QB isn't really a good QB.  This week 1 performance can't even use that justification because those guys aren't H backs.  They just plain crapped the bed.  Can they improve?  Sure.  Hope so.  Have no earthly idea if they will though. 

[Bombers798891]

So, my E8 thoughts:


I won't get into the Fisher bloodbath, although I'm surprised no one has brought up that the 2011 team similarly suffered an absolute beating OOC and then won a couple playoff games. And as Fisher fans have reminded us roughly 17,000 times, that team had a running back playing quarterback.

Few things: 

1.  Someone did bring it up either on here or the updates
2.  This beating was even worse
3.  The reason it was brought up was to justify gambling on house money that season and how the offense clearly had a ceiling when facing quality opponents when your QB isn't really a good QB.  This week 1 performance can't even use that justification because those guys aren't H backs.  They just plain crapped the bed.  Can they improve?  Sure.  Hope so.  Have no earthly idea if they will though.

1. Sorry I missed that. There's always something you miss bouncing back and forth between the two threads on/around game day

3. I guess my thought process was: It's not like Fisher's QBs are H-Backs. I mean, yes, they performed worse than the guys in 2011 did, but as you point out, that team also had an offensive ceiling this one (probably) doesn't. This team should improve offensively. Their two RBs were both really good, as are their two WRs. The talent is there, even more so than it may have been in 2011.

[Upstate]

The QB play was definitely off vs TMC but the interior line play was awful vs TMC.

Their DTs had their way, they blew up their read option nearly all game. Then the QB didn't have enough time to make a play, however when he did have time he didn't get it done.

The OTs were pretty solid but there was way too much penetration allowed by the guards/center for the offense to do anything.

Have two weeks to fix it at least, but it may be a season long problem.

[Bombers798891]

I was trying to think how Cortland can keep one-upping their recent absurd endings as a result of disorganization/bad coaching. Here's what I came up with:

1. Up 21-20 with 10 seconds to go, backed up at their own four, Cortland lines up to kneel, but their QB takes one step too far back, and kneels in the end zone for a safety. Now down 22-21, Cortland free kicks to their opponent, whose returner breaks free, but drops the ball a second before crossing the goal line. While the other team celebrates, Cortland picks up the ball, runs it in for a touchdown.

2. Up 24-19, and its opponent facing forth and goal with 20 seconds to go, Cortland gets the stop, but is called for having 12 men on the field. On the next attempt, the coaches wind up sending in an extra player rather than taking one off. Cortland is flagged for having 13 men on the field. The Red Dragons then overcorrect, take three players off, and with only 10 men on the field leave a receiver uncovered. Their opponent throws to the wide open receiver to go up 25-24. With one second left, the opponent chooses to kick the XP. Cortland promptly blocks it and returns it for two, wins 26-25.

Seriously, at this point, Cortland could win (or lose) a game thanks to nearly anything and I'd believe it. Their last 11/12 games have featured some of the most inexplicable endings ever.

[Bombers798891]

Utica got a little (indirect) love in the TT, but I kind of disagree with Ryan on it. I'm not sure ONU beating Utica would really be an impressive win just because they went 7-4 last season in the E8. Most of their wins were over average/poor competition, and while they were stronger than their 6-4 record in 2012, I'm not sure they're at the point where mostly solid teams are seeing them as a good win.

[jdex]

Something for Cortland to overcome at Framingham .......

Quarterback Steven Ferreira WILL NOT play. Suffers concussion vs. Heidelberg. Junior Kyle Schneider, who has been with the program, makes his first start ........ Ouch!

[AUPepBand]

A soggy day in Saxonville  for AU's home opener vs. the RPI Engineers who were running on all cylinders last week in a 37-0 triumph over Norwich.

Across the street, the Husson Eagles have landed in Alfred to provide the competition in Alfred State's Homecoming game in the puddles of Pioneer Stadium.

Two hours until kickoff and no real let-up in sight. Oh wait, chance of precipitation is reduced from 100% right now to just 80% at 1 p.m. and to 55% at 3 p.m., only to jump back up to 95% at 4 p.m.

AU Pep Band hopefully will remain somewhat comfortable with rain ponchos.

On Saxon Warriors!
Let's Go Pioneers!