FB: Empire 8

[fisheralum91]

Here are a couple of questions about the Fisher ECAC game.
One- Is Bailey hurt or will he play on Sat?
Two- Since Kramer is going to play Bball for Fisher does he sit this one out and practice with the bball team or does he finish out?

I was looking at the returning players for Fisher for next year, and while id like to say that I am cautiously optimistic, that loss on the O line is going to hurt!!!!
We have some nice position players coming back, but QB will be front and center in order of importance!

[AUPepBand]

any word on the ecacs?

I got a text from the Fisher athletics page that said Fisher is hosting RPI at noon on Saturday. I am still very disapointed with the outcome of this season for Fisher, but at least they can still go off with a win. I am hoping that they take it seriously and play well, but you never know with these bowl games. As a fan I want them to win and get to 9 wins at least.

Anyone have info on what I should expect from RPI?

The Engineers literally blew the Saxons away! If it's a windy day at Growney, you can expect to get bowled over.   

[fisheralum91]

wonder how  they guys are going to be about this one.....
kinda hard to be pumped for a game that you were hoping to avoid...
Best of luck to fisher...end of the Bailey era

[maxpower]

any word on the ecacs?

I got a text from the Fisher athletics page that said Fisher is hosting RPI at noon on Saturday. I am still very disapointed with the outcome of this season for Fisher, but at least they can still go off with a win. I am hoping that they take it seriously and play well, but you never know with these bowl games. As a fan I want them to win and get to 9 wins at least.

Anyone have info on what I should expect from RPI?

The Engineers literally blew the Saxons away! If it's a windy day at Growney, you can expect to get bowled over.   

*usage heart attack*

[AUKaz00]

I know it's early, but you've got the AQ so there's no "looking ahead".... who do the AU posters WANT to see in the first round? Why?

I'll take a crack at this.  I'd love a 5 seed and a trip to Throggs Neck, if I had my druthers.  Even better, send SUNY-Maritime to Merrill, but with two losses that's a pipe dream.  After that, a trip to Cortland would be fun (and short).  The only other matchup I'd like would be a trip to Montclair since I could crash at a friend's house in my old stomping grounds and one of my good childhood buddies went there.

On the other side of the equation, I don't want any part of Rowan right now (or the long trip to Glassboro).  And a 3-6 matchup with Rowan could be a possibility if Cortland loses Cortaca yet still wins the AQ.  I could also see a scenario where the Maritimes playoff and Alfred at the 6 seed gets sent to Del Valley and they're good, so I'd prefer to avoid them in the first round.

I feel like I'm a Make-A-Wish recipient after this weekend's developments.

I do feel bad for Rowan as I think they were playing the best football in the East to close out the season.  I dressed my son in Profs colors in honor of their untimely demise this morning.

[boobyhasgameyo]

Kind of struggling here, I just don't get it.  What seed is Fisher and in what region?  I looked over the bracket for at least 10 minutes and I am having the darndest time trying to find them.  I see Mount Union.  I see North Central.  I see Wesley.  I see St. Thomas.  I'm not arrogant enough to just look at the #1 seeds in each region for Fisher, so don't think it's that...I checked the top 2 in each. 






What gives??

[Yanks 99]

Kind of struggling here, I just don't get it.  What seed is Fisher and in what region?  I looked over the bracket for at least 10 minutes and I am having the darndest time trying to find them.  I see Mount Union.  I see North Central.  I see Wesley.  I see St. Thomas.  I'm not arrogant enough to just look at the #1 seeds in each region for Fisher, so don't think it's that...I checked the top 2 in each. 






What gives??

Dear Booby,

If you're holding this ECAC letter, you already know.  Growney Stadium has been boarded up (for the NCAA's).  The windows, the doors...everything.  Upstate, FA91, and I are at the Comfort Inn.  Room 112. 

I love you. 

Yanks

[Bombers798891]

My post-Cortaca thoughts on Ithaca's season...

1) Starting with the offense, A+ on the season for Rob Zappia. He fought for the starting job, won it, and had a heck of a season. Yes, his INT in the Jug may have been a killer, but for a guy with no help from his running game at all to put up 2,500 yards and 19/8 TD's INTS in his first season is impressive.

Congratulations to Thomas Vossler on a heck of a career. Enjoy your (short-lived) receptions record!

If the Bombers don't fix their running game, they're going to be in major trouble. Even removing sack/punt snap negativity, the team "ran" a mere 757 yards, which is simply awful. Blame the line, blame the runners, blame the injuries, but if not for a loaded WR crew and above-average QB, the offense would have been a disaster

2) Defensively...well, frankly, I think the team plays soft on the road. The team allowed twice as many points on the road as they did at home, and while yes, the competition on the road was much tougher, the Bombers allowed Dwyer and Autera to run for 509 yards in two games, and that's an embarrassing number. The difference in the team at home and on the road was not only noticeable, it went beyond the traditional "Almost everyone plays better at home" issues

3) For the first time in the 20+ years I've been following the Bombers, special teams was a negative. And frankly, this can't be overstated enough.

I don't want to take anything away from Cortland and Autera, but the fact is, the Jug swung on the punt screw-up. To that point, Cortland had 3 points and hadn't shown the ability to finish a drive against the Bombers. That, coupled with the fumble on the kick return, and 14 of Cortland's 20 points are attributable to Ithaca special teams mistakes. I know Jameson took a hit on it, but the momentum had already started to swing in Cortland's favor, and that made it much worse.

In the Lycoming loss, the Bombers were killed when Rogowski's final punt netted a mere 23 yards. Yes, punting is always dodgy on the D3 level, but with a mere two minutes to go, to give Lycoming the ball at midfield was a killer.

So where does the team go from here? In theory, the defense should be good next year, with most of the key players returning, including both corners, four linebackers, a safety and a pair of good lineman (presumably) back.

Offense is a different story. Thank God Ruffrage is back, but Vossler, Higgins and Crandall all need to be replaced, as does Zappia--although that one should be simple. As for the offensive line, the returning starters include Hemingway, Peck and Joyce, none of whom weigh more than 240 pounds. I'm not sure that the Bombers have  size in the pipeline either. A pair of freshman weigh 280 and 285, but no other returning lineman are above 250. Fisher, by comparison, has eight such linemen, with three freshman who weigh over 300. Now, I know there's more to the position than sheer size, but the Bombers have to be concerned.

I don't know what they have at RB, but Ardoin doesn't look like a game-changer/feature back to me. A nice complimentary back, ok sure. But is he going to be a guy you want getting 20-25 carries a game? A friend of mine suggested putting Will Carter at RB, which sounds insane, but his logic was, the Bombers are loaded at LB anyway--they always are--and if you stick Carter there, at least you've got someone with speed and athleticism back there, which the Bombers need, since running off tackle is useless with their lack of size up front. Not my idea, and I don't know if it is even feasible, but 200 carries for 700 yards from your RB's last season, how much worse can it get?

Finding a competent long-snapper would also be a plus...

[sjfcards]

Kind of struggling here, I just don't get it.  What seed is Fisher and in what region?  I looked over the bracket for at least 10 minutes and I am having the darndest time trying to find them.  I see Mount Union.  I see North Central.  I see Wesley.  I see St. Thomas.  I'm not arrogant enough to just look at the #1 seeds in each region for Fisher, so don't think it's that...I checked the top 2 in each. 






What gives??

Dear Booby,

If you're holding this ECAC letter, you already know.  Growney Stadium has been boarded up (for the NCAA's).  The windows, the doors...everything.  Upstate, FA91, and I are at the Comfort Inn.  Room 112. 

I love you. 

Yanks

That is hilarious! +K

[boobyhasgameyo]

Kind of struggling here, I just don't get it.  What seed is Fisher and in what region?  I looked over the bracket for at least 10 minutes and I am having the darndest time trying to find them.  I see Mount Union.  I see North Central.  I see Wesley.  I see St. Thomas.  I'm not arrogant enough to just look at the #1 seeds in each region for Fisher, so don't think it's that...I checked the top 2 in each. 






What gives??

Dear Booby,

If you're holding this ECAC letter, you already know.  Growney Stadium has been boarded up (for the NCAA's).  The windows, the doors...everything.  Upstate, FA91, and I are at the Comfort Inn.  Room 112. 

I love you. 

Yanks

Ha, that was good.  I'm always for a solid Old School reference.    +k 

[BoSox0322]

Kind of struggling here, I just don't get it.  What seed is Fisher and in what region?  I looked over the bracket for at least 10 minutes and I am having the darndest time trying to find them.  I see Mount Union.  I see North Central.  I see Wesley.  I see St. Thomas.  I'm not arrogant enough to just look at the #1 seeds in each region for Fisher, so don't think it's that...I checked the top 2 in each. 






What gives??

Dear Booby,

If you're holding this ECAC letter, you already know.  Growney Stadium has been boarded up (for the NCAA's).  The windows, the doors...everything.  Upstate, FA91, and I are at the Comfort Inn.  Room 112. 

I love you. 

Yanks

awesome

[fisheralum91]

*walking away from the computer*

um yanks....you wont see me in THAT room!



Seriously tho--any word on Bailey or Kramer for Sat?

[saxontad]

A question.  If Maritime got an at large bid is that because the ECFC doesn't get an automatic bid for its champ?  And if that is the case, is the reason that the NCAA doesn't think that conference is worthy of an AQ? 

Awkward syntax and...


on Saxon Warriors!!

[AUKaz00]

A question.  If Maritime got an at large bid is that because the ECFC doesn't get an automatic bid for its champ?  And if that is the case, is the reason that the NCAA doesn't think that conference is worthy of an AQ? 

Awkward syntax and...


on Saxon Warriors!!

Tad,
  There's a waiting period before a conference gains or loses their AQ (which is also why Alfred made the playoffs with only 6 teams in the E8).  Next year the ECFC will have an AQ.  The Privateers just got to the show a year early!

[saxontad]

A question.  If Maritime got an at large bid is that because the ECFC doesn't get an automatic bid for its champ?  And if that is the case, is the reason that the NCAA doesn't think that conference is worthy of an AQ? 

Awkward syntax and...


on Saxon Warriors!!

Tad,
  There's a waiting period before a conference gains or loses their AQ (which is also why Alfred made the playoffs with only 6 teams in the E8).  Next year the ECFC will have an AQ.  The Privateers just got to the show a year early!

Thanks.  Is it Saterday yet?


On Saxon Warriors!!