FB: Empire 8

[Upstate]

Man this is just a horrible season...

This team can do nothing well...

That punt at midfield down 25 with 1:00 left was pathetic...

I think it was clear that SJF doesn't have the skill or speed to do much on offense.  They had some nice timing patterns and fade stop type stuff, but teams catch onto that stuff after a while.  Every 3rd play was a simple inside zone which told me they are just trying to keep teams honest and run some clock and hope to surprise them at some point.

Even most of their timing was off in the passing game. The QB seems to be late on almost every throw...

Their offensive line/run game just can't take over games like they used to...

Does a 1-9 season warrant changes in either coaching staff or at the very least offensive and defensive schemes?

[Bengalsrule]

Wow. Utica scores the last 21 pts of the game and beats my beloved BENGALS by 23. I guess that's not as bad as losing on the last play of the game....but it still hurts. At 4-3 overall we still have a chance at a winning season (1-3 in E8), so I'm hoping the boys keep their heads up.

Heck with the #1 scoring and #1 defensive team coming to town next Saturday, I'm sure that the BENGALS wont spend too much time sulking about the Utica loss. If they do then B'Port could be doing some serious damage! My guess that our homecoming crowd may be an effective 12th man at Coyer Field this weekend. I'm sure that a 13th or 14th man would also come in handy.

Heck maybe the Golden Eagles will be looking forward to playing Alfred the following week and look past my BENGALS . I doubt it, especially with a combined 25 plus kids stepping on Coyer Field Saturday from the Western NY area,  who competed with and/or against each other in High school.  Might want to get to this game early, or see if I can get a sideline pass from 1 of the coaches. I'm hoping that this game could be special. My BENGALS deserve it!

Go BENGALS!!

[XREDDRAGON77]

What happened with Alfred? Is RPI that good? The Saxons fall apart? We need a win v Brockport out of them! At least this past weekend was a non league contest.

[AUPepBand]

What happened with Alfred? Is RPI that good? The Saxons fall apart? We need a win v Brockport out of them! At least this past weekend was a non league contest.

RPI is a solid team. You don't beat solid teams with six interceptions and a fumble. Enough said. On Saxon Warriors...o'er every adversity!!

[Bombers798891]

So, uh, are we ready for two Cortacas?

The Red Dragons are almost certainly the 2nd place team in the E8. Ithaca can finish no worse than 3rd in the LL.

We need the following:

Brockport beats Alfred
Ithaca beats Union
RPI beats Union

The first is very likely based on what we've seen. The last two are less likely, but possible

[Upstate]

So, uh, are we ready for two Cortacas?

The Red Dragons are almost certainly the 2nd place team in the E8. Ithaca can finish no worse than 3rd in the LL.

We need the following:

Brockport beats Alfred
Ithaca beats Union
RPI beats Union

The first is very likely based on what we've seen. The last two are less likely, but possible

Cortaca 1- 9,999 people
Cortaca 2- 1,500 fans

[AUPepBand]

So, uh, are we ready for two Cortacas?

The Red Dragons are almost certainly the 2nd place team in the E8. Ithaca can finish no worse than 3rd in the LL.

We need the following:

Brockport beats Alfred
Ithaca beats Union
RPI beats Union

The first is very likely based on what we've seen. The last two are less likely, but possible

Cortaca 1- 9,999 people
Cortaca 2- 1,500 fans 813 fans

[fisheralum91]

I think that Fisher has to do some serious soul searching.  This abysmal season has brought the program back to the early 90's.
Does it mean new coaching?
With all due respect to the current staff- I think its time for a change.
How can anybody explain this disaster of a season?

[Bombers798891]

I mean, I'm sure Fisher will make some changes if the end up 2-8.

But there's a difference between a bad year, and a bad program. At the end of the day, Fisher's been killed by injuries at QB and WR. But they're still competitive. The Hartwick game was tied late. They had the ball deep in Alfred territory down 7 late in the game. Even last week, the last play of the 3rd quarter ended with Ithaca up 14-10 and gaining a yard on 4th and 1.

There's a lot to be said for that

[fisheralum91]

Bombers-
I get what you are saying, but 2-8 ore even 3-7 will be indicative a giant step back.
Ithaca has a new coach new scheme and new players and are well...new and winning.

[Bombers798891]

Look, it's absolutely a step back for Fisher.

But most of our teams are a few injuries and bad luck away from this. The 2015 Bombers were coming off back-to-back conference titles. They were 4-1, and had whipped two good teams in Alfred and Hobart. And in Week 6, they were up 14-0 at home to Brockport.

Know what happened? Everyone and their brother got hurt. The Bombers managed 26 points in the last four and a half games, 12 of them garbage time points against Morrisville. They finished 4-6.

This season for Fisher is sort of like that, it just happened to start right away, when they lost the QB. It turns into a lost year

[fisheralum91]

I love your optimism Bombers.
I will do my best to emulate that!


In the meantime ill be the pessimist that i normally am

[Upstate]

I mean, I'm sure Fisher will make some changes if the end up 2-8.

But there's a difference between a bad year, and a bad program. At the end of the day, Fisher's been killed by injuries at QB and WR. But they're still competitive. The Hartwick game was tied late. They had the ball deep in Alfred territory down 7 late in the game. Even last week, the last play of the 3rd quarter ended with Ithaca up 14-10 and gaining a yard on 4th and 1.

There's a lot to be said for that

Football is a tricky game, lots of bounces can go either way and it only takes one guy to screw up an entire play/series/game.

We knew it was going to be a long season with Fiutko out for the year, he preformed well in action in 2016, however given this team's defensive woes and their inability to block anyone on offense makes me think it really wouldn't matter who's at QB.

Yeah they've had some close games but if you look at how this team has been made up over the last few years it's evident that they've lost ground on recruiting, player development and overall game management.

This season has been a few years in the making, it was just a matter of time before it caught up with them.

They just don't have players with a killer instinct on defense and their offense is soft.

It's looking like a stale and complacent environment on East Ave.

[UfanBill]

I mean, I'm sure Fisher will make some changes if the end up 2-8.

Yeah they've had some close games but if you look at how this team has been made up over the last few years it's evident that they've lost ground on recruiting, player development and overall game management.

This season has been a few years in the making, it was just a matter of time before it caught up with
them.

They just don't have players with a killer instinct on defense and their offense is soft.



What you're discussing is exactly where Union was two years ago. They finished 0-10 made a total coaching change and are 7-1 this year. At this level things can swing quickly.

[fisheralum91]

I mean, I'm sure Fisher will make some changes if the end up 2-8.

Yeah they've had some close games but if you look at how this team has been made up over the last few years it's evident that they've lost ground on recruiting, player development and overall game management.

This season has been a few years in the making, it was just a matter of time before it caught up with
them.

They just don't have players with a killer instinct on defense and their offense is soft.



What you're discussing is exactly where Union was two years ago. They finished 0-10 made a total coaching change and are 7-1 this year. At this level things can swing quickly.

Then maybe there needs to be a house cleaning on East ave?
What has changed?
The coaching staff is the same.
The facilities are the same.
The team up until this year was their usual selves.
What changed?
I agree that there has been a build up and fisher had been playing with fire for a while especially on D.
I think we will see where the rubber meets the road this off season-Do Rooney and Ward have the moxie to make a wholesale change?  Doubtful...VERY doubtful.