FB: Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

Any ideas on why gaulludet goes for two when down by one in OT? Really bad kicker?

He was three-for-three in the game...sometimes you see underdogs do that though. If they think they have a better shot of gaining two yards than say, scoring a TD and getting a stop, they just take their chances

[maxpower]

Did you see the game Yanks?

[sjfcards]

Any ideas on why gaulludet goes for two when down by one in OT? Really bad kicker?

He was three-for-three in the game...sometimes you see underdogs do that though. If they think they have a better shot of gaining two yards than say, scoring a TD and getting a stop, they just take their chances

I think some of decision making depends on if you are home or away as well. I don't know which Gaulludet was, but if you are home I think you play for overtime, and if you are on the road you go for the win. Especially if you are an underdog on the road. I am a big fan of extending the game as long as possible, but I can understand the decision if that was the case.

[Yanks 99]

Did you see the game Yanks?

No...I caught the "live stats" on the Morrisville site during the second half.

[Bengalsrule]

I saw Cortland struggled a little with Buff State today. Buff State was actually up at the half, but Cortland was able to wear them down. Hopefully Fisher is watching.

Buff State was up with less than 5 mins left in the 3rd quarter....outgained Cortland 296-250 ..... held Cortland to 81 yards on the ground (100 less than their 181 per game rushing average in 2010).

In have no doubt that the Fisher staff caught every min of that game.

Go BENGALS!!!!!

[AUSaxons]

Here's my look around the E8 after week one (I hope to make this a weekly thing):

-At THIS stage, and it is early and nothing is even close to settled....I have a hard time putting Ithaca ahead of Utica in my mind after today's action. Having actually seen Ithaca today at Butterfield, I came away unimpressed. Brockport is not a good team and they gave Ithaca all they could handle. Ithaca's D was good, but they have a battle going on at QB and their running game looked less then stellar. By contrast, Utica blew out defending LL Champ St Lawrence, embarrassing their defense for the first three quarters. Utica beat a much better team by a lot more, I think they look better right now. Wouldn't be surprised if Salisbury makes it ugly in week 2. 

-Morrisville gave Hartwick all they could handle. This does not bode well for the Hawks, as Morrisville is historically even worse then Brockport. Wick only being able to put up 14 makes me think they will once again be bottom tier in the E8.

-Salisbury manhandled Newport News, 42-3. Good win for Salisbury, who goes into their first E8 matchup against Ithaca. They stuffed any offense Newport News had, and it is hard for me to imagine Ithaca faring well against this defense.

-Was very glad to see Frostburg was able to pull out an emotional 34-21 win against Geneva. That football family must be hurting after the loss of their teammate, and it's good on that level to see them get it. It's good also on the level of I don't see them winning another game this year, besides possibly Hartwick. Their upcoming schedule is nothing short of brutal (@ Springfield, vs. Utica, vs. Randolph-Macon, @ Wesley, @ SJF, vs. Alfred), and i have a hard time predicting they'll be anything other then 1-6 after this stretch (though stranger things have happened). With that group, this team will take some beatings in all likelyhood, but atleast they got this one for their teammate and for the seniors. I wish them the best of luck!

Looking to next week, the premire matchup will be Ithaca vs. Salisbury, the first true "clash of giants" in the E8. Alfred matches up w/ RPI,  and Fisher will take on a Buff State team that showed a lot today. Frostburg will travel to a very good Springfield team, and Utica takes on a Union team that had a bad loss today.

I'll say:

Salisbury over Ithaca
Alfred over RPI
Fisher over Buff State
Springfield over Frostburg
Utica over Union

[drt]

Utica looked good on both sides of the ball today.  Benkwitt is very accurate with the short game and they run a pretty sophisticated O.  He has 4 or 5 receiver options, and I like the two tight end/two wideout sets.  All of their receivers can catch the ball and run with it, including the TE's.
All three backs ran the ball effectively and all three have very different styles, which should cause some headaches for opposing defenses.
Their D looked good for three quarters, pulled their NG, lost an ILB to injury, put in some 2nd team guys, and SLU put up points in the 4th, including a 90 (!)-yd drive and 7 off a blocked punt. 
Washington for SLU is a tough back who runs very hard.  He put up some numbers today and I'm sure he will continue to do just that.
For a Utica fan, it was a fun game to watch. It will take a couple more games to put it into perspective.

[Old IC Voice]

With all due respect to Utica, I think people might be overrating SLU a bit. One of the worst IC teams in recent memory manhandled them in last year's season opener despite having several starters suspended for the game. They went 5-6, but still won the Liberty League in what was a real down year for the conference. No team in that league did better than 6-4 in 2010, and SLU was actually outscored 247-161 on the year.

By all means, Utica's starting on the right foot. But ranking them ahead of an Ithaca team that thumped them 30-6 in 2010 and returns the core of that year's defense? That might be a rush to judgment.

[bomber3]

Despite their best efforts at giving the game away, the Bombers managed to beat Brockport 19-14 today, in a brutally hot afternoon at Butterfield.

The quarterback job is apparently still not settled, as Neumann and Hendel began alternating drives. Neumann was pretty bad, going 16-of-30 for 194 yards, one score and three picks, one of which was not his fault, but one that was returned for a touchdown. He looked jittery, to say the least.

The score sheet doesn't really show it, but I was impressed by Sal Sulla. He doesn't go down easily on the first hit, and in the second half, really started to get into a groove.

The Bombers' offensive line is bigger, but not necessarily better. They did not open consistent holes, although the pass protection was okay.

The wide receivers were a mixed bag. A dropped pass cost them seven points, but there were some nice catches. Dan Ruffrage spent a decent amount of time on the sidelines in the second half. Looked like cramps/dehydration, but Bomber3 would know better. It was 90+ in Ithaca, so it's not surprising.

The special teams were a disaster. Andrew Rogowski was out, and the Bombers missed two extra points and a 24-yard field goal.

The defense is as good as advertised. A blown tackle thanks to two Bombers colliding led to an 81-yard touchdown pass, but other then that, Brockport simply did not move the ball at all: the Golden Eagles other 65 plays netted total 191 yards. Brockport's offense threw pretty much exclusively into the flat, as IC's two corners did a great job shutting down downfield routes. The Bombers accomplished this despite missing arguably their two best linebackers, Will Carter and Ryan Clarke.  I don't know what happened to Clarke, but Carter was apparently a game time call and was moving well on the sidelines.

Overall, some good spots, but the QB play looks pretty bad right now, and I think there's a lot of inexperience on the offense, save for Ruffrage. I hope some of this is just early season jitters, but I think the defense is going to need to carry the Bombers this year

Here are my observations:

• Obviously, the QB position needs to be settled and the play needs to improve from this position.  It won't be a close game next week if they play like that.  Ingrao played well and he can have a big year if the QBs are able to deliver the ball.  His one-handed catch at midfield in the first half was outstanding.  Overall, with the exception of the tipped pass & interception I thought the receivers played well.  Not much production out of their TEs, Crandall and Higgins will be sorely missed this year.  One of their backup receivers (Jordan maybe?) gruesomely broke his arm/wrist and, unfortunately, is most likely out for the season.
• I agree with your assessment of Sulla, he played very well and I assume he will only get better as the year progresses.  He didn't have a huge game numbers-wise but overall he had a nice game.
• With the exception of the 81-yard toughdown, the defense was impressive.  Brockport couldn't move the ball all game and IC's defense easily could have pitched a shut-out.  They will need a repeat performance next week to have a shot at Salisbury.
• I would clarify the special teams comment - kicking (field goals and extra points) were a disaster.  Punting and returns were solid - the punter played well yesterday and I hear he kicked well against St. Lawrence in the scrimmage.  Ardoin had a nice return to midfield and the punt return game was solid except for 2 ill-advised fair catches where there was room to run (but I suppose its better to fair catch than a fumble).  Rogowski needed emergenc surgery this week, which is why he was unavailable.  I do not believe it is football related so hopefully everything is OK and he is able to return soon - he will be needed.

Overall, it could have gone better but there were some bright spots.  The QB situation needs to be resolved soon - hopefully play improves from that position whoever takes the majority of snaps.  A couple of other things to note:

• Why did the Bombers go for 1 when up 5 in the 4th quarter when they already missed one XP and a short field goal?  Even if they were 10-10 for XPs I would go for 2 at this point.  I was worried that decision was going to cost them the game - luckily, it didn't.
• The heat was oppressive and I wasn't even playing.  There was no shade for the players and it was 95 degrees on the sideline (with metal benches no less).  No fans or cooling devices, no shade, no anything for the players - anything to get them out of the sun.  Players had to walk about 30 yards to the training tent if they wanted any shade.  As I drove up to the circles on campus there were 3 huge tents sitting unused.  Why these weren't utilized and why the heat wasn't raised as an issue by the training staff boggles me.

Lots to think about for the coming week but luckily, the Bombers are sitting at 1-0.

[Bombers798891]

Despite their best efforts at giving the game away, the Bombers managed to beat Brockport 19-14 today, in a brutally hot afternoon at Butterfield.

The quarterback job is apparently still not settled, as Neumann and Hendel began alternating drives. Neumann was pretty bad, going 16-of-30 for 194 yards, one score and three picks, one of which was not his fault, but one that was returned for a touchdown. He looked jittery, to say the least.

The score sheet doesn't really show it, but I was impressed by Sal Sulla. He doesn't go down easily on the first hit, and in the second half, really started to get into a groove.

The Bombers' offensive line is bigger, but not necessarily better. They did not open consistent holes, although the pass protection was okay.

The wide receivers were a mixed bag. A dropped pass cost them seven points, but there were some nice catches. Dan Ruffrage spent a decent amount of time on the sidelines in the second half. Looked like cramps/dehydration, but Bomber3 would know better. It was 90+ in Ithaca, so it's not surprising.

The special teams were a disaster. Andrew Rogowski was out, and the Bombers missed two extra points and a 24-yard field goal.

The defense is as good as advertised. A blown tackle thanks to two Bombers colliding led to an 81-yard touchdown pass, but other then that, Brockport simply did not move the ball at all: the Golden Eagles other 65 plays netted total 191 yards. Brockport's offense threw pretty much exclusively into the flat, as IC's two corners did a great job shutting down downfield routes. The Bombers accomplished this despite missing arguably their two best linebackers, Will Carter and Ryan Clarke.  I don't know what happened to Clarke, but Carter was apparently a game time call and was moving well on the sidelines.

Overall, some good spots, but the QB play looks pretty bad right now, and I think there's a lot of inexperience on the offense, save for Ruffrage. I hope some of this is just early season jitters, but I think the defense is going to need to carry the Bombers this year

Here are my observations:

• Obviously, the QB position needs to be settled and the play needs to improve from this position.  It won't be a close game next week if they play like that.  Ingrao played well and he can have a big year if the QBs are able to deliver the ball.  His one-handed catch at midfield in the first half was outstanding.  Overall, with the exception of the tipped pass & interception I thought the receivers played well.  Not much production out of their TEs, Crandall and Higgins will be sorely missed this year.  One of their backup receivers (Jordan maybe?) gruesomely broke his arm/wrist and, unfortunately, is most likely out for the season.
• I agree with your assessment of Sulla, he played very well and I assume he will only get better as the year progresses.  He didn't have a huge game numbers-wise but overall he had a nice game.
• With the exception of the 81-yard toughdown, the defense was impressive.  Brockport couldn't move the ball all game and IC's defense easily could have pitched a shut-out.  They will need a repeat performance next week to have a shot at Salisbury.
• I would clarify the special teams comment - kicking (field goals and extra points) were a disaster.  Punting and returns were solid - the punter played well yesterday and I hear he kicked well against St. Lawrence in the scrimmage.  Ardoin had a nice return to midfield and the punt return game was solid except for 2 ill-advised fair catches where there was room to run (but I suppose its better to fair catch than a fumble).  Rogowski needed emergenc surgery this week, which is why he was unavailable.  I do not believe it is football related so hopefully everything is OK and he is able to return soon - he will be needed.

Overall, it could have gone better but there were some bright spots.  The QB situation needs to be resolved soon - hopefully play improves from that position whoever takes the majority of snaps.  A couple of other things to note:

• Why did the Bombers go for 1 when up 5 in the 4th quarter when they already missed one XP and a short field goal?  Even if they were 10-10 for XPs I would go for 2 at this point.  I was worried that decision was going to cost them the game - luckily, it didn't.
• The heat was oppressive and I wasn't even playing.  There was no shade for the players and it was 95 degrees on the sideline (with metal benches no less).  No fans or cooling devices, no shade, no anything for the players - anything to get them out of the sun.  Players had to walk about 30 yards to the training tent if they wanted any shade.  As I drove up to the circles on campus there were 3 huge tents sitting unused.  Why these weren't utilized and why the heat wasn't raised as an issue by the training staff boggles me.

Lots to think about for the coming week but luckily, the Bombers are sitting at 1-0.

Dead right on the kick question. It made no sense whatsoever for Welch to kick that third XP. Just a bad coaching decision, plain and simple. The second point you brought up blows my mind. I hope there's a reason why those tents weren't used.

How's your brother feeling? Was his absence just a heat thing?

[Yanks 99]

Here's my look around the E8 after week one (I hope to make this a weekly thing):

-Morrisville gave Hartwick all they could handle. This does not bode well for the Hawks, as Morrisville is historically even worse then Brockport. Wick only being able to put up 14 makes me think they will once again be bottom tier in the E8.

As a Wick fan, I am pleased more about the 11 points given up, as opposed to the 14 they scored.  I think they will get things together offensively, they usually do.  I'll take the win for sure...and if we are going off of historics, you do know that Morrisville beat Brockport last year, right?

[Bombers798891]

With all due respect to Utica, I think people might be overrating SLU a bit. One of the worst IC teams in recent memory manhandled them in last year's season opener despite having several starters suspended for the game. They went 5-6, but still won the Liberty League in what was a real down year for the conference. No team in that league did better than 6-4 in 2010, and SLU was actually outscored 247-161 on the year.

By all means, Utica's starting on the right foot. But ranking them ahead of an Ithaca team that thumped them 30-6 in 2010 and returns the core of that year's defense? That might be a rush to judgment.

Your point about St. Lawrence's struggles last season is valid, but if that's your argument, how can you feel good about the Bombers trailing at home in the 4th quarter against a Brockport team that went 2-8 least season, was outscored by 106 points, and allowed 35.3 PPG on defense?

Clearly, St. Lawrence is not very good, but they are--as far as we can tell--no worse than Brockport. And yet, Utica took a 34-8 into the half, on the road.

I'm obligated to take IC in that game, but only because I have always believed teams have to prove they can win a game against a certain opponent before I'll pick them to. Also, IC's got a much better defense than St. Lawrence, and presumably, when Clarke and Carter return, they will get better.

I'm a natural cynic, but IC's offense has major problems. They simply can't, at this point, survive a shootout.

The margin of error for that defense in non-existent. They made one bad play in that entire game, and it nearly sunk them. Twice, they gave the ball to the offense inside the Brockport 40 following picks, and watched the drives net 0 points.

More troubling is that the offense was not only leaving points on the field, but putting them on the board for Brockport. I'd be more confident in the Bombers if the offense were just struggling to score and not actively setting up the other team's offense. The interception returned for the touchdown was bad enough, but the pick in the 4th quarter really indicated the problem.

There are less than six minutes to go in the game, IC up 19-14, second and 10, ball on the Brockport 28. To this point, Brockport had shown no ability to string together multiple first downs. If the Bombers had taken two knees and punted into the end zone with 4:00 to go, I would have put the game into the win column. Instead, IC gives Brockport the one thing that could keep them in the game, a pick--which bounced off the receiver's hands--and a short field. The one thing the Bombers' offense couldn't do, they did.

Even on the game winning drive, on which Neumann stepped up and completed passes on 3rd-and-18 and 4th-and-7, Ithaca had to recover a fumble to keep the drive alive

[fisheralum91]

Hey all!
Here is looking forward to the season....I didnt like having Fisher with a week 1 bye, but am ready to go!  Buff St. has been a tough opener lately...Not the right team to have you work the kinks out with..Hence them keeping it close to Cortland.  I am hoping that the new offense gells, and the "newer, faster" D works.

See many of you in a few weeks in Roch--20 year reunion...Dear god its been 20 years!

[bomber3]

Despite their best efforts at giving the game away, the Bombers managed to beat Brockport 19-14 today, in a brutally hot afternoon at Butterfield.

The quarterback job is apparently still not settled, as Neumann and Hendel began alternating drives. Neumann was pretty bad, going 16-of-30 for 194 yards, one score and three picks, one of which was not his fault, but one that was returned for a touchdown. He looked jittery, to say the least.

The score sheet doesn't really show it, but I was impressed by Sal Sulla. He doesn't go down easily on the first hit, and in the second half, really started to get into a groove.

The Bombers' offensive line is bigger, but not necessarily better. They did not open consistent holes, although the pass protection was okay.

The wide receivers were a mixed bag. A dropped pass cost them seven points, but there were some nice catches. Dan Ruffrage spent a decent amount of time on the sidelines in the second half. Looked like cramps/dehydration, but Bomber3 would know better. It was 90+ in Ithaca, so it's not surprising.

The special teams were a disaster. Andrew Rogowski was out, and the Bombers missed two extra points and a 24-yard field goal.

The defense is as good as advertised. A blown tackle thanks to two Bombers colliding led to an 81-yard touchdown pass, but other then that, Brockport simply did not move the ball at all: the Golden Eagles other 65 plays netted total 191 yards. Brockport's offense threw pretty much exclusively into the flat, as IC's two corners did a great job shutting down downfield routes. The Bombers accomplished this despite missing arguably their two best linebackers, Will Carter and Ryan Clarke.  I don't know what happened to Clarke, but Carter was apparently a game time call and was moving well on the sidelines.

Overall, some good spots, but the QB play looks pretty bad right now, and I think there's a lot of inexperience on the offense, save for Ruffrage. I hope some of this is just early season jitters, but I think the defense is going to need to carry the Bombers this year

Here are my observations:

• Obviously, the QB position needs to be settled and the play needs to improve from this position.  It won't be a close game next week if they play like that.  Ingrao played well and he can have a big year if the QBs are able to deliver the ball.  His one-handed catch at midfield in the first half was outstanding.  Overall, with the exception of the tipped pass & interception I thought the receivers played well.  Not much production out of their TEs, Crandall and Higgins will be sorely missed this year.  One of their backup receivers (Jordan maybe?) gruesomely broke his arm/wrist and, unfortunately, is most likely out for the season.
• I agree with your assessment of Sulla, he played very well and I assume he will only get better as the year progresses.  He didn't have a huge game numbers-wise but overall he had a nice game.
• With the exception of the 81-yard toughdown, the defense was impressive.  Brockport couldn't move the ball all game and IC's defense easily could have pitched a shut-out.  They will need a repeat performance next week to have a shot at Salisbury.
• I would clarify the special teams comment - kicking (field goals and extra points) were a disaster.  Punting and returns were solid - the punter played well yesterday and I hear he kicked well against St. Lawrence in the scrimmage.  Ardoin had a nice return to midfield and the punt return game was solid except for 2 ill-advised fair catches where there was room to run (but I suppose its better to fair catch than a fumble).  Rogowski needed emergenc surgery this week, which is why he was unavailable.  I do not believe it is football related so hopefully everything is OK and he is able to return soon - he will be needed.

Overall, it could have gone better but there were some bright spots.  The QB situation needs to be resolved soon - hopefully play improves from that position whoever takes the majority of snaps.  A couple of other things to note:

• Why did the Bombers go for 1 when up 5 in the 4th quarter when they already missed one XP and a short field goal?  Even if they were 10-10 for XPs I would go for 2 at this point.  I was worried that decision was going to cost them the game - luckily, it didn't.
• The heat was oppressive and I wasn't even playing.  There was no shade for the players and it was 95 degrees on the sideline (with metal benches no less).  No fans or cooling devices, no shade, no anything for the players - anything to get them out of the sun.  Players had to walk about 30 yards to the training tent if they wanted any shade.  As I drove up to the circles on campus there were 3 huge tents sitting unused.  Why these weren't utilized and why the heat wasn't raised as an issue by the training staff boggles me.

Lots to think about for the coming week but luckily, the Bombers are sitting at 1-0.

Dead right on the kick question. It made no sense whatsoever for Welch to kick that third XP. Just a bad coaching decision, plain and simple. The second point you brought up blows my mind. I hope there's a reason why those tents weren't used.

How's your brother feeling? Was his absence just a heat thing?

Correct - there were a few people having issues with the heat and he was told towards the end of the third he wouldn't go back in until the 4th quarter.  Smart move by the coaching staff.  Everyone should be good to go Saturday except the WR who broke his arm and Rogowski, who is probably doubtful in my opinion.

So onto Salisbury, I have heard all about their option offense but not too much about their defense.  Anyone have any insight?

[pg04]

I suppose Brockport should just pack it in the rest if the season since they are the worst team ever after losing by 5 on the road in oppressive heat that apparently was only allowed to effect one side of the field.