FB: Empire 8

[Touch The Rock]

TTR,
What was missing from that analysis was the fact that IC has no running game.
Our d line will wear out your undersized O line and with any luck get a ton of pressure.
I understand your optimism, but there are other factors in play that just dont work in your favor.

The running game worries me.  But, the pass protection has been pretty solid so far. 

Air Zappia!

[Touch The Rock]

On the a "A Matter of Inches" article on the homepage it lists the top attendance figures in D3 over the past 37 years.  Ithaca/Cortland has 10 of the top 28 attendance figures of all time.  Kinda cool...

Yeah, but that's what happens when you disregard things like fan/player safety in the interest of a football game.

I'm all for big crowds, but some of those games at Butterfield were downright unsafe. Kids are jammed up against barricades (which they can easily break through) and crowded into walkways. The old Cortland Stadium was a disaster for that too.

Thankfully, they've gotten better in recent years, as Cortland's stadium has gotten naturally bigger, and they've tried to keep the games at Butterfield down to about 10,000, as opposed to the 12,000 they had in the late 90's/early 00's. But attendance had been a real problem in the past

I was at the game last year, and we got pressed up real hard against the bars, had to jump them and stand on that rocky slope.... my friend had bruises on her legs. Not a good sign.

The fact that half/most/all of the students there are drunk makes the problem worse. But for a long time, getting 12,000+ in the stadium mattered more

Being from Cortland, and having a wife that went to Ithaca, there is a lot of things about Cortaca that are great. Like entertainment. Last year on the Friday night before the game I walked the dog a total of 3 blocks and I saw, 2 fistfights, 3 topless girls, someone stuck in a dumpster, and someone who drove a car into a house.
But I can really do without the drunk kids passing out/throwing up in my front yard, the REDICULOUS crowds at the bars, and the absurd number of arrests for some stupid thing or another (last game in cortland topped the 500 arrest mark).  I still go every year, and usually have a few drinks before I go, but when I get tired of the problems that come with boozing, there is something wrong.

There is no question that the drinking is out of control.  The crowds are great but it isn't a football crowd. For many of the students it is the first and only game they go to. The are plastered while they are there, passing out or puking in the johns and most don't remember the game.  I'd rather attend the game with 5000 football fans as opposed to 8000 drunks.  Unfortunately it has become much less about football and more about who can drink the most and who can design the crudest tshirt.  Lost in all of it is the fact that there is usually a pretty good football game.

There is nothing like playing in front of that many people.  At this level, as we saw from that column, D3 players rarely get the chance to play in front of huge crowds.  So, teh atmosphere is incredible.  The best time was in 2008 when CState was 9-0 and we were 8-1.  The crowd went absolutely nuts when the teams took the field.  It was awesome. 

With that said, I hated, absolutely hated the kids that would come up to me and ask me for tickets that hadn't been to one game and couldn't even come close to telling me how we were doing that season.  I didn't expect them to be able to recite scores and stats, but at least know if we're 8-1 or 6-3.  People would just say to us.."Hey by the way, I've got a few friends coming up, you mind getting me like 5 tickets? "  Those were always the kids that always came out just at Cortaca time.   

I"ve never spent a Cortaca in the parking lot, but I look forward to gaining that perspective this year. 

[fisheralum91]

TTR,
I havent seen your air attack, but i doubt that it is as potent as UC.
It seems that the Fisher defense is a bend dont break d.
It doesnt make sense to get in a shootout with Fisher.
I would assume that you would like to have long drawn out series.

[Touch The Rock]

TTR,
I havent seen your air attack, but i doubt that it is as potent as UC.
It seems that the Fisher defense is a bend dont break d.
It doesnt make sense to get in a shootout with Fisher.
I would assume that you would like to have long drawn out series.

You're right, I wouldn't want to get in a shootout with Fisher.  But, that's where our defense comes in.  I've already said I don't think Fisher is going to put up 35.  I know that they've been right around there or over the last 4 years, but I also believe that this is ICs best D in the past few years.  They've taken away, for the most part, that 8-10 yard out cushion and the passing D has been pretty solid.  Conti and White are very experienced and playing wit ha ton of confidence.  Fisher's big o-line is a concern though in the running game.  We'll have to see how IC handles that tomorrow. 

[Touch The Rock]

TTR,
I havent seen your air attack, but i doubt that it is as potent as UC.
It seems that the Fisher defense is a bend dont break d.
It doesnt make sense to get in a shootout with Fisher.
I would assume that you would like to have long drawn out series.

Maybe, Maybe not.  I haven't seen UC yet.  But, it seems to me that Fisher's pass D has been pretty suspect this year, right?  I'm going by the national rankings (SJF is 205th in pass D), but again haven't seen them either. 

[fisheralum91]

TTR,
Well stated-The UC qb lit us up pretty good.
Should be a great game!
Cant wait!

[Touch The Rock]

TTR,
Well stated-The UC qb lit us up pretty good.
Should be a great game!
Cant wait!

Definitely.  Here's a thought...it's a 4 o'clock game, right?  How much does that factor in?  I'm trying to remember, but I don't think while I was there we ever had a game any later than 2 o'clock.  Granted, it might help IC travel better, but it kind of throws off routine.  Everyone is use to getting up at a certain time, breakfast at a certain time, something small before the game, game, then in the parking lot/on the bus by 4-430ish.  Now, that's all pushed back.  I know that Coach Welch will have a itenary laid out for his players, but Fisher has at least been playing afternoon/night games since they got the new stadium.  Hopefully, it won't have much of an effect, but it's something to think about. 


As a disclaimer....I am in no way setting up any kind of excuse for a possible poor outcome tomorrow.  Just a thought. 

[fisheralum91]

I think that Fisher is just glad that they have a home game!

[Bombers798891]

TTR,
I havent seen your air attack, but i doubt that it is as potent as UC.
It seems that the Fisher defense is a bend dont break d.
It doesnt make sense to get in a shootout with Fisher.
I would assume that you would like to have long drawn out series.

I don't think it's been as potent. Zappia has some accuracy issues to be sure. A 60% completion percentage is good, but it's not going to sustain the long drives needed if you say "screw it, we're passing 45 times a game." That being said, considering that Higgins, Vossler and Ruffrage have played in only 10 of a possible 15 games, Zappia's done a good job. But it's not like 2005 with Felliceti, who completed 70% of his passes that season. The passing game is good, but it's not the substitute for the running game.

I do think the run game will be better, simply because I believe Ardoin is better than Ruggerio and making him the exclusive back will help. This isn't going to be like Donovan beating out Baez and Davis in 2004, but it's an improvement.

Defensively, I think the Bombers new style will help. Usually, IC is a "let it come to us defense." Fisher's way too good for that to work. Look at some numbers from this year to last year (This year's numbers projected, since we're through five games and the math is easy)

Sacks
2009: 12 for 57 yards (~6.0 AVG)
2010: 28 for 210 yards (7.5 AVG)

TFL
2009: 72 for 143 yards (~2.0 AVG)
2010: 96 for 300 yards (~3.0 AVG)

Passes broken up
2009: 35
2010: 52

The defense is getting in the backfield more often, and when they do, the losses are bigger. The secondary is being more aggressive and getting to more balls--interception numbers are basically identical.

I'm not saying this new strategy will work against Fisher. But considering what the Bombers had been doing hadn't worked, this is a welcome change. We know Fisher's not going to shoot themselves in the foot like the Wick did, so the Bombers will need to take it from them. They always say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well, we've broken that cycle.

I still think Fisher's the obvious favorite. Too big on the lines, at home, too many recent blowouts to get past. But progress can be (and needs to be) made this season.

But next year, with a lot of graduating players for Fisher, IC bringing back a lot of talent, the game being at IC. That may be their shot...fingers crossed.

[labart96]

Really?  When I checked Fisher's roster for the Hobart game it looked like they were stacked with Juniors.

Obviously Bailey is a huge loss - not sure who is his understudy - but otherwise Borum and a lot of guys are back next season....

[fisheralum91]

TGP
Thank you- Losing Bailey will be big, But there are a ton of returning starters.
Maybe im missing something

[maxpower]

I don't think Ithaca will beat Fisher, but I would say they have at least the same chance that UC did.

So, while I understand why it might be annoying for you Fisher guys to have all the Bomber posters (except the new guys) lamenting the foregone conclusion of a loss, it's equally annoying for you guys to act like you just heard someone say that marshmallows cure cancer when one of us dares suggest we might give you a game.

Ithaca's major problem the last few years has been consistency. But hey, maybe that means this will be an "up" week .

TTR, I don't buy any of your arguments as to why Ithaca will win. Here's the only way Ithaca will win:

1) Don't turn it over.
2) In fact, make fewer mistakes in general than SJF does.
3) DO not miss out on opportunities for big plays.
4) L-U-C-K.

It's very possible. But on paper, it's easy to see why SJF is the favorite.

[fisheralum91]

max-anything is possible.
Should be a good game- Crowd looks to be big!
great afternoon to catch a game!

[Bombers798891]

TGP
Thank you- Losing Bailey will be big, But there are a ton of returning starters.
Maybe im missing something

I feel like someone posted they had roster losses. Maybe I'm seeing things.

But don't they have a lot of lineman graduating? Maybe they're not starters. You guys would know more than me about the o-line, but I counted nine o-lineman as seniors, one as a junior and four as sophomores. That struck me as a lot, but again, maybe they aren't starters and you've got a load of freshman. I just remember thinking the line losses were heavy (Aren't those three massive DT's graduating too?)

Again, it's tougher to tell starters on the lines, so if I'm wrong, let me know. The skill positions are looking loaded (with the exception of QB it seems)

[fisheralum91]

Good questions.
Im not sure about the lines.
Good call.