FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

Not only that, but I think Buffalo State has some sort of market on weird and exciting games. You never quite know what's going to happen with them.

Still emotionally drained from the Buffalo State game at Yunevich Stadium last year.....totally crazy finish.

[AUPepBand]

Probably most impressive result in the Empire 8's unbeaten Saterday was Frostburg State's 24-19 win over Geneva. The Bobcats, of late the league's cellar dwellers, knocked off a middle-of-the-PAC squad that had manhandled them last year, 47-3. Great start for first-year Coach DeLane Fitzgerald, a James Madison grad, in matching the team's 2013 win production in the season's first week!

[dlippiel]

Dlip seconds that. A great turnaround in comparison to last years game.

[Dr. Acula]

Also, I am pretty excited (incorrect spelling I know) about the Fisher wide receivers this year.  They look like they are going to be nasty.

How did Collichio look?  I'm glad he left Mount for his sake.  He wouldn't get a ton of snaps and he looked like he was a pretty talented kid.  So tough to dig out of that depth chart hole though.  I hope he has a great season for SJF.

[boobyhasgameyo]

Also, I am pretty excited (incorrect spelling I know) about the Fisher wide receivers this year.  They look like they are going to be nasty.

How did Collichio look?  I'm glad he left Mount for his sake.  He wouldn't get a ton of snaps and he looked like he was a pretty talented kid.  So tough to dig out of that depth chart hole though.  I hope he has a great season for SJF.

I thought he looked very solid in the opener.  I believe he had one of the touchdown grabs.  Nate Nigolian is, in my mind, unquestionably the best WR on the unit and will probably end up as one of the best in the country.  Collichio and Campese were both running nice clean routes and were sure handed.  Admittedly I didn't focus on their run blocking, project for next time  

We will gladly take him off your hands though haha.  It sounds like Mount Union has their own talented group of receivers.  So it looks like a win-win in the end. 

[fisheralum91]

Collichio indeed had a td grab.
Nice to have him and he will compliment the WR corps at Fisher nicely!
I would like to see the O-line step it up a bit tho.
Running game seemed stagnant and I dont like seeing Fenti on his back.
Shore that up and I believe that this team lives up to the hype!

[82 cardinals]

I agree the O-line will have to be a bit sharper on picking up the linbackers

[SJFF82]

Who is this "82" imposter???

[SJFF82]

Ironically, I just logged on and out of curiosity I checked my profile to see my last posts....from last Fall...

I was 'wondering' why Collichio had gone out to Mount Union, etc...

He had just scored game winning TD for MUC in Final Four game I think...

Now, he comes 'home' scores for Fisher???

Welcome back to where you belong Colicchio   

[Upstate]

Collochio had that sweet diving catch for the TD on 4th and 10 from the 31...

Dude has some mitts!!!

He's their primary punt returner and looked like he was going to break a few but got tripped up...

[Bombers798891]

Great weekend for the E8.

I was impressed with Ithaca overall. They had a couple of golden opportunities they missed, but it's worth noting that last year's two best WRs, and projected starters Joel Lynch and Vito Boffoli, did not start, though both played. I know nothing of their status, so read into it what you will. Union's probably better, but they're still 0 for their last 12 OOC, so not exactly a banner performance from IC

Positives:
1. Essentially lacking his top three weapons from last season, Tom Dempsey went 16-for-24, 222 yards, with 3 TD's and just one pick. That's beyond impressive. Ithaca could have a dangerous passing attack if Boffoli and Lynch do return.
2. True Freshman Tristan Brown ran for 74 yards on 12 carries. Mike Welch tends to break in Freshman backs slowly, which probably explains the lack of carries, but that's a good sign.
3. With All-American returner Sam Carney out, Ithaca got a 66-yard punt return and a 45-yard kick return from Josh Oliver. Yeah, Ithaca's return unit is awesome again.
4. Given Union's returning offensive players, and Ithaca's four new starters in the defensive backfield, they did a great job.

Negatives:

1. Just one sack, so not much of a pass rush
2. 2-for-5 in the Red Zone, with a missed 20-yard field goal, pick, and a sack forcing a 40+ missed FG
3. Allowing a guy to run for 168 yards, and getting no TFLs is a lousy showing up front
4. The football helmets look awful. Just awful.

Quick thoughts on the rest of the E8:

1. Fisher's going to be very good. Not allowing five sacks a game would help, but really, they're the class of the E8 and probably the region. Some upsets at the top could mean a #1 seed
2. Utica beat Misericordia 55-0. Misericordia isn't quite the no-show team from 2012, but they're 1-20 with their only win over a 1-9 team. I'm not buying into Utica until they play someone who can challenge them
3. Buff State, as usual, is impossible to figure out, but they gutted/lucked out a win, and lit up Cortland for the third year in a row
4. Team Boltus did Team Boltus stuff. Western was an NJAC bottom-feeder though, so again, let's wait until they play a decent opponent
5. Good win for Frostburg State over a decent Geneva squad.
6. Alfred looked okay, but while they were never really threatened, I'd expect a better performance than 34-17 at home against Husson.
7. Salisbury answered the bell on offense, but not a great day from the defense, especially the secondary.

[02 Warhawk]

Just watched the highlights....that was an insane finish 

I feel bad for the Cotrland's punter though.

[Bombers798891]

Just watched the highlights....that was an insane finish 

I feel bad for the Cotrland's punter though.

I feel for Cortland's players. The coaches showed zero trust in them to execute at the end. And to take a delay of game penalty? Just horrible end of game management.

[D3viewer]

Fisher gets a bye week, whilst Brockport heads into SUNY Bowl 2 at Cortland. Looks like an advantage for SJF. They can heal up, take 2 weeks to gameplan for Brockport's decent offense and improved defense. Brockport meanwhile will be involved in a physically/mentally draining slugfest with C State. The flipside is..if Brockport beats Cortland..they will have won 9 straight games (dating to last season) and would be flying high with confidence and with just enough playmakers
to scare and possibly upset SJF. This is a latent but previously heated rivalry.

[Upstate]

Fisher is 9-0 in the courage bowl...

They shore up the O-Line and it's easily 10-0...

That's my biggest concern right now with them. 5 sacks is way too many and they didn't establish a real run game last week...

Don't want to call people out but Demos needs to play, he has the quicker feet for pass pro and they need to keep Fenti upright all year...