FB: Empire 8

[rams1102]

Can't wait until d3 football conversation picks back up again.  I know it is either this or dead air right now...but I am sick of all things Penn State. 

Anybody have any info on Hartwick's 3rd string db's this year?  Looking good?

How 'bout people list their top 5 for the east this year....our own preseason poll...say from mid atlantic up thru new england including those conferences.
Here are mine in no order yet as I haven't had time to think that through yet...

1. Wesley
2. SJF
3. DVC
4. Kean
5. Johns Hopkins
Honorable Mention: Hobart, Widener

Here are my Top 5 and Honorable Mention :

1. Wesley
2. Salisbury
3. Del Val
4. Fisher
5. Hobart
Honorable Mention : Montclair and Widner

Good picks...I probably should of put salisbury in the poll....I put kean in just because I like the direction that program is heading and they are my kind of sleeper pick

Kean will take a graduation hit, but the biggest is their QB. He was a difference maker. I have Montclair #1 and Kean #2 for the NJAC. Garrett is doing a great job with Kean and he should, he played his football at Montclair. 

[AUKaz00]

Those rankings correlate too closely with last year's playoffs.  I think the top 3 are a class above the next 10 or 15 schools that will sort out due to fortune.  Here's my Top 5 with no research at the end of July:

1. Wesley
2. Delaware Valley
3. Salisbury
4. Buffalo State
5. Montclair

Honorable Mention: Widener, Springfield

[PBR...]

Those rankings correlate too closely with last year's playoffs.  I think the top 3 are a class above the next 10 or 15 schools that will sort out due to fortune.  Here's my Top 5 with no research at the end of July:

1. Wesley
2. Delaware Valley
3. Salisbury
4. Buffalo State
5. Montclair

Honorable Mention: Widener, Springfield

I like it...Buffy State? Interesting call....What would be the over/under on passes thrown in the salisbury/springfield game?

[AUKaz00]

What would be the over/under on passes thrown in the salisbury/springfield game?

Last year they combined to go 13-20, but with the Pride's move to the LL that will be the one and only matchup it seems.

[dlippiel]

Goodness dlip loves him some d3 football talk in July! In order gonna throw my top 5 out

1. Wesley
2. Salisbury
3. SJF
4. Del Val
5. Hobart

*These are subject to change before the season starts but for right now this is what dlip has. Great conversation for July boys!

[fisherfanatic99]

Those rankings correlate too closely with last year's playoffs.  I think the top 3 are a class above the next 10 or 15 schools that will sort out due to fortune.  Here's my Top 5 with no research at the end of July:

1. Wesley
2. Delaware Valley
3. Salisbury
4. Buffalo State
5. Montclair

Honorable Mention: Widener, Springfield

Buff State was the team I was thinking who could beat Fisher this year.  They are getting better and better as years go on.  I see them beating some teams in the Empire 8, but won't be as consistent as they need to be to make this list.  I see them going 6-4 or 7-3.  They are definitely a sleeper pick.  I wouldn't rest on Fisher though.  They have a lot back, with a lot of players who played and got their feet wet in the playoff atmosphere. With a new Offensive Coordinator, it will be interesting how the offense looks this year.  I think the defense will perform well.  Saying that, I have a feeling they will be there in the end of the regular season and talked about for NCAA's.

[dlippiel]

There is no question dlip will have his eyes on Buffalo State. Not only because of their improvement on the field and coaching, but the schedule is top ****ing notch! This team seems focused on becoming competitive and dlip wishes them luck.

[PBR...]

Those rankings correlate too closely with last year's playoffs.  I think the top 3 are a class above the next 10 or 15 schools that will sort out due to fortune.  Here's my Top 5 with no research at the end of July:

1. Wesley
2. Delaware Valley
3. Salisbury
4. Buffalo State
5. Montclair

Honorable Mention: Widener, Springfield

Buff State was the team I was thinking who could beat Fisher this year.  They are getting better and better as years go on.  I see them beating some teams in the Empire 8, but won't be as consistent as they need to be to make this list.  I see them going 6-4 or 7-3.  They are definitely a sleeper pick.  I wouldn't rest on Fisher though.  They have a lot back, with a lot of players who played and got their feet wet in the playoff atmosphere. With a new Offensive Coordinator, it will be interesting how the offense looks this year.  I think the defense will perform well.  Saying that, I have a feeling they will be there in the end of the regular season and talked about for NCAA's.

I think the East could be very strong this year. Several teams have a ton of starters back like DVC and SJF that have playoff experience. I was actually happy with DVC last year as many thought they choked in the playoffs but in reality they had very few starters back and almost no one picked them to win the mac or make the playoffs. Wesley will again be strong. DVC will have an interesting fight with Rowan right out of the chute. So we will find out how good Rowan is quickly. Would like to see Union or RPI get back in the fight with Hobart. Not sure about Ithaca this year in what they have returning. Also can Alfred continue its upward trend?

[dlippiel]

Union may surprise some PBR. There are some solid pieces of the Dutchmen puzzle that are returning. Now there are also some pieces that dlip is not exactly sure how they will play out. Dlip thinks you will see the Dutch give Bart all they can handle.

[fisheralum91]

Maybe Im a Fisher homer and I make no bones about it.....but Buff State ahead of Fisher?
Of all teams I thought that Fisher would rebound best after graduation..
I have high hopes for this years team....Hell, I would have begged, begged for an elite 8 bid.....
This team could do the same! imho

[fisherfanatic99]

Maybe Im a Fisher homer and I make no bones about it.....but Buff State ahead of Fisher?
Of all teams I thought that Fisher would rebound best after graduation..
I have high hopes for this years team....Hell, I would have begged, begged for an elite 8 bid.....
This team could do the same! imho

I am with you fisheralum.  I have high high hopes for the fisher squad this year.  I just looked at their schedule and said I don't think anybody could beat them but who could maybe surprise them (It's hard to predict 10-0, and almost impossible to do in the E8).  That's why I said Buff St could be a loss.  I do think they beat Salisbury, Alfred, Utica, Hartwick, Frostburg, and Ithaca.  Maybe their first week game might be the toughest?

[rams1102]

Salisbury is coming back loaded. Don't overlook them.

+K to PBR for getting some D3 Football discussons started.

[PBR...]

Salisbury is coming back loaded. Don't overlook them.

+K to PBR for getting some D3 Football discussons started.

Can you guys or others fill PBR in on what Ithaca and Alfred have returning and what they are projecting for the upcoming season? Ithaca has seemed to fallen down a notch the last few seasons any chance they are back on the upswing? Can Alfred keep the uptick going? How does Utica look this year?

[Bombers798891]

Maybe Im a Fisher homer and I make no bones about it.....but Buff State ahead of Fisher?
Of all teams I thought that Fisher would rebound best after graduation..
I have high hopes for this years team....Hell, I would have begged, begged for an elite 8 bid.....
This team could do the same! imho

I am with you fisheralum.  I have high high hopes for the fisher squad this year.  I just looked at their schedule and said I don't think anybody could beat them but who could maybe surprise them (It's hard to predict 10-0, and almost impossible to do in the E8).  That's why I said Buff St could be a loss.  I do think they beat Salisbury, Alfred, Utica, Hartwick, Frostburg, and Ithaca.  Maybe their first week game might be the toughest?

I feel like if you were an Ithaca fan, we'd be calling you "arrogant" .

Fisher's going to be good, but Thomas More is going to be good too, and I wouldn't sleep on Washington & Jefferson either. Prior to last season, all they did was win 9 to 11 games *every* season. They're bringing back a decent amount of offensive talent, and that game's on the road. Salisbury's not too shabby either, and they beat SJF pretty handily last year. I think it's highly unlikely they win all three of those games.

I think Fisher finishes 2nd in the E8 behind Salisbury, and loses one of those two OOC games. 8-2, and high on the list for a Pool C

[AUKaz00]

Maybe Im a Fisher homer and I make no bones about it.....but Buff State ahead of Fisher?
Of all teams I thought that Fisher would rebound best after graduation..
I have high hopes for this years team....Hell, I would have begged, begged for an elite 8 bid.....
This team could do the same! imho

I am with you fisheralum.  I have high high hopes for the fisher squad this year.  I just looked at their schedule and said I don't think anybody could beat them but who could maybe surprise them (It's hard to predict 10-0, and almost impossible to do in the E8).  That's why I said Buff St could be a loss.  I do think they beat Salisbury, Alfred, Utica, Hartwick, Frostburg, and Ithaca.  Maybe their first week game might be the toughest?

This may be true, but how often do all the East teams make it back to the playoffs?  A top 5 that mirrors last year's final is lazy and risk-averse.  Surprises will happen, so why not make some picks that go against the grain?  Every year the Fisher faithful tell us about the size and athleticism of their recruits and quality of facilities only to more often than not spend weeks 4 through 11 complaining about coaching.  One good year and suddenly we should forget the interminable kvetching since Blaise left for Utica?  Here's to Buff State remaining competitive with U-Dub and running the table in the E8!