FB: Empire 8

[Upstate]

Vos has always been generally conservative and has won a ton of games that way over the past 10 years. Seriously the last fake punt that I can remember was with Ferhenbach in 03.

I just applauded them for going for it on a 4th and 10 situation on their opponents 40yd line vs Ott. I'd would like to see more of that, especially with some inconsistent punting.

SU went 4/4 on 4th down yesterday while Fisher went 2/9 on 3rd down. That is the most damning stat from yesterday. SU kept the ball from Fisher and Fisher kept giving it right back to them for some reason.

Football is a game of hindsight though. He's been successful on a regional level and has made a couple runs being conservative. I don't think he's going to change.

[Bombers798891]

Re: SJF

Here's a question - in looking at the teams presently ranked ahead of SJF, do any of you see: JCU, Linfield, MHB, UWW, Mt. Union, or Wesley taking a knee to end regulation??

Follow up -- you have the offensive player of the year in Fenti, with monster WRs who were having their way with Salisbury the whole game and all other teams the whole season - do you not at least give them a shot at the end zone regardless of how improbable the outcome is?? 

Perhaps I'm alone in feeling this way I don't know - but I do know, I'd like to support a team that is headed and staffed with a group that has a burning desire to win on every play for 60 or more minutes - and that just doesn't appear to be the case at SJF right now.

I think the conservative play-calling was worse on the previous drive. Fisher had a 2nd and goal from the 4 with about 6:15 to go, up four. Finish that drive with a TD and the game's over. If you run it on 2nd and 3rd down, you can bleed another minute and a half. Then tell one of you WR's to make a play on 4th. Even turning it over on downs, Salisbury still needs a TD and they're probably inside their own five, instead of the 35 (where the ensuing Salisbury drive started) and there's maybe 4:45 to go. That's a major challenge for an option team

I've always believed teams are way too conservative inside their own 10. Fisher should have tried to punch it in there, IMO.

[Bengalsrule]

3-1 and tied for 2nd in the conference at 2-1.  Who would have thunk it??  And I'm talking about the Buffalo State Bengals to boot!!!

I have never been to Butterfield Stadium before but methinks that there may be some Bengals fans in attendance when our boys take on the undefeated Ithaca Bombers. Approaching this weeks game, many Bengal faithful are reminded of last years heartbreaking finish at homecoming when Ithacas  Bufoli scored a 30 yarder with 22 seconds left to put the Bombers back in front. As Dr Smith used to say "The pain, oh the pain" ( veterans of the b&w "Lost in Space" show know what I'm talking about)!

Coach Boyes appears to have our boys really focused. Last year we were 2-2 at this point after losing 2 in a row. I like this view a lot better. Saturday will show us what our boys are truly made of. I'm feeling real good about this team.  Dare I say "3 in a row" ??

[middlerelief]

JFYI in light of the loss of SJF to Salisubry -- a very solid Around the Nation column regarding the Elite Programs (UWW, MU, MHB and Wesley) and how far the drop off is to the next level -- the next level being Linfield, North Central, Bethel and Fisher.

[D3MAFAN]

Wow, got off the plane and saw that Salisbury had taken down St. John Fisher again, what a shame really, I was expecting SJF to take that leap this year. I watch the replay of the game and didn't see the same team from earlier in the season. I too thought they were to conservative, I would have thrown the ball on Salisbury corners and tried to find one-on-one matchups the whole game and would have went to the well on that type of play every time. Now the defense really have to tackle better, I saw many missed tackles that "Ultra Elite" teams make. All in all, with the way Wesley is playing, I think they may have taken the next step, which really helps Salisbury out and makes their loss to Wesley less bad (lack of the better word). Salisbury was the more aggressive indeed and missed some plays in the game that could have went more in their favor earlier.

Nevertheless, still a good amount of games in the Empire 8 conference. I think it is going to be very interesting on how the Empire 8 shapes out. Now do we hope for Ithaca to go undefeated and hopefully obtain a #2 seed? Ithaca has continued to shut down teams that were doing good during previous weeks before the game then to have their streaks end at the hand of the Bombers. Will be an interesting upcoming week for both Buff State and Ithaca with each teams still having to face both SJF and Salisbury in the future.

[middlerelief]

So ...... the Bills actually went for the win and didn't take a knee to go into OT--- what the what???!!

Hope that the coaching staff on East Ave was watching that.

[sjfcards]

Vos has always been generally conservative and has won a ton of games that way over the past 10 years. Seriously the last fake punt that I can remember was with Ferhenbach in 03.

I just applauded them for going for it on a 4th and 10 situation on their opponents 40yd line vs Ott. I'd would like to see more of that, especially with some inconsistent punting.

SU went 4/4 on 4th down yesterday while Fisher went 2/9 on 3rd down. That is the most damning stat from yesterday. SU kept the ball from Fisher and Fisher kept giving it right back to them for some reason.

Football is a game of hindsight though. He's been successful on a regional level and has made a couple runs being conservative. I don't think he's going to change.

It is the same issue Fisher has always had against option teams. They just don't get off the field on 3rd or 4th down. It can be tackling, assignments, etc. but it is always the same problem. I believe the stat I read yesterday was a 19 minute advantage in time of possession for SU. How can you win that way?

What frustrates me to no end is not the play calling on offense, or the missed opportunities. It is the fact that the issue with 3rd/4th down defense and time of possession have been the problem against option teams since 2006 and no one seems to adjust.

Someone tell the defensive coaching staff it is time for a new approach.

[wesleydad]

Wow, got off the plane and saw that Salisbury had taken down St. John Fisher again, what a shame really, I was expecting SJF to take that leap this year. I watch the replay of the game and didn't see the same team from earlier in the season. I too thought they were to conservative, I would have thrown the ball on Salisbury corners and tried to find one-on-one matchups the whole game and would have went to the well on that type of play every time. Now the defense really have to tackle better, I saw many missed tackles that "Ultra Elite" teams make. All in all, with the way Wesley is playing, I think they may have taken the next step, which really helps Salisbury out and makes their loss to Wesley less bad (lack of the better word). Salisbury was the more aggressive indeed and missed some plays in the game that could have went more in their favor earlier.

Nevertheless, still a good amount of games in the Empire 8 conference. I think it is going to be very interesting on how the Empire 8 shapes out. Now do we hope for Ithaca to go undefeated and hopefully obtain a #2 seed? Ithaca has continued to shut down teams that were doing good during previous weeks before the game then to have their streaks end at the hand of the Bombers. Will be an interesting upcoming week for both Buff State and Ithaca with each teams still having to face both SJF and Salisbury in the future.

DM3, well said.  I was thinking the same thing.  Ryan Tipps also said it well.  There is a big gap between the top of the top and the rest.  Although scores and games at different times only tell so much, the fact that Wesley held Salisbury to 3 points throw out the safety and Fisher, the 7th ranked team, gives up 37 in OT shows how far the rest are from the top.  Wesley failed to attempt 2 field goals from inside the 20 so if not stopped they could have put up almost 60 on Salisbury.  Could they repeat that performance, who knows, but I am sure that Salisbury does not score in the 30's and Wesley still scores in the 40's.  I am still stunned that Fisher lost this game.  I think we may be down to 4 or 5 teams that can win it all, UWW, Mount, UMHB, Wesley, and maybe Linfield.  Not sure if that is good or bad.

[middlerelief]

It is the same issue Fisher has always had against option teams. They just don't get off the field on 3rd or 4th down. It can be tackling, assignments, etc. but it is always the same problem. I believe the stat I read yesterday was a 19 minute advantage in time of possession for SU. How can you win that way?

What frustrates me to no end is not the play calling on offense, or the missed opportunities. It is the fact that the issue with 3rd/4th down defense and time of possession have been the problem against option teams since 2006 and no one seems to adjust.

Someone tell the defensive coaching staff it is time for a new approach.

I agree with your sentiment regarding the defense.

Play calling on Offense lacked any recognition of flow of game in terms of what plays were working and what weren't -- and bad bad play calling to close out the 4th qtr -- no way around it -- the coaching staff laid an enormously large egg on this one.

[Upstate]

It is the same issue Fisher has always had against option teams. They just don't get off the field on 3rd or 4th down. It can be tackling, assignments, etc. but it is always the same problem. I believe the stat I read yesterday was a 19 minute advantage in time of possession for SU. How can you win that way?

What frustrates me to no end is not the play calling on offense, or the missed opportunities. It is the fact that the issue with 3rd/4th down defense and time of possession have been the problem against option teams since 2006 and no one seems to adjust.

Someone tell the defensive coaching staff it is time for a new approach.

I agree with your sentiment regarding the defense.

Play calling on Offense lacked any recognition of flow of game in terms of what plays were working and what weren't -- and bad bad play calling to close out the 4th qtr -- no way around it -- the coaching staff laid an enormously large egg on this one.

That's usually the case vs Salisbury...

They own Fisher, no way around it...

[boobyhasgameyo]

Fisher falls to #15 in the rankings - which seems reasonable.  I don't disagree with that at all, but it is funny that if let's say one play went differently (we converted a touchdown on 3rd in goal instead of a field goal) would be the difference between us being ranked in the top 10 versus on the end of the top 15.  Them's the breaks though, as they say. 

Still not worried about Fisher this season.  They have the talent and can really go far this season.  If they live up to that talent then they should run the table the rest of the season and make the playoffs.  If they squander their chances and have another F up game, then they deserve whatever comes their way.  Either way - all is fair. 

[middlerelief]

boobs - even if sjf had won, it would have been possible for them to drop due to weak the wins have been and how strong the performance of the teams behind them season to date has been. jcu jumped over sjf two weeks ago, at least wartburg, and maybe hopkins would have lept over them as well - the quality of the wins is very debatable and was a topic on one of the around the nation columns - sjf lets up 37 pts to this year's version of salisbury when wesley held them to 3 - not a good showing for the program at all, and it wouldn't have been a good showing had they held them to say 31 and won either.   

[boobyhasgameyo]

Agreed, that's why I deliberately said top 10 instead of #7    I doubt they would have dropped more than a spot or two at most had they won.  JCU barely beat Ohio Northern for instance and they held firm.  I don't care what Wesley did to Salisbury.  I doubt the talent gap between Salisbury and Ohio Northern is significant.  But Fisher didn't win so it doesn't matter.   

[fisheralum91]

on to Cincinnati

[AUKaz00]

There goes all of that talk of Fisher getting a number 1 seed.
Aweful

The good news is that next year the East will "get" a bracket built around them once Wesley joins our region.