FB: Empire 8

[sjfcards]

Good news on the Fisher front.
Hard to believe that the season starts next weekend!
Any up and comers that you saw at the scrimmage that we need to take a peek at?
Im glad Blake will contribute- any others?

No one really jumped out at me but several guys looked like they could play. I was very interested in the receiving core and the secondary. The receivers were big and fast. Will Blake looked to be the most gifted of the younger guys, but again didn't take the snaps with the first team until later in the night. That may be more about what goes on film, as he did play the majority of the live quarter with the first team. The other receivers that saw action were Will Coon (Sophomore) and another really tall receiver (I didn't catch his name and now his number escapes me).

Fusco took almost all the carries but they did have a back up running back get some time. I don't see him playing if James Chambers is healthy. He didn't dress but didn't have any apparent issues from what I could see (no limp, cast, sling or anything like that). As I mentioned Fusco looked great.

On the defensive side of the ball I focused on the secondary. Alec Mortillaro was very good (very fews throws his way as he had great coverage and he had a pick in the 7 v 7 drills). The other CB was Demarre Nelson  (Sophomore from East Rochester). He looked big and fast. Not overwhelming but not much happened down field. It was mostly underneath where U of R got their yardage. Anthony Lee was playing as the Safety.

The kicking game was what it always is, but at least they didn't botch any snaps. Still missed an extra point. I didn't see a ton of the field goal attempts in before the teams played live (I walked over and watched the soccer practice for a bit).

They looked pretty good, but I can't tell if U of R was just young or Fisher was that good. U of R had a very small team in terms of numbers and I didn't see a lot of big play ability.

What is it with Fisher teams that i have to hold my breath because of special teams.
This seems like a fix that is very doable.

Seriously,
Every year its the same story.....i bite my fingernails on PAT's and punts.....Its aweful!

I have always felt that a really good kicker at this level is a weapon. So many teams have drives stall out with 4th and 4 (or so) from the 25. If you had a guy that could turn those drives into points you could steal 6 points a game and maybe that makes the difference.

[fisheralum91]

Good news on the Fisher front.
Hard to believe that the season starts next weekend!
Any up and comers that you saw at the scrimmage that we need to take a peek at?
Im glad Blake will contribute- any others?

No one really jumped out at me but several guys looked like they could play. I was very interested in the receiving core and the secondary. The receivers were big and fast. Will Blake looked to be the most gifted of the younger guys, but again didn't take the snaps with the first team until later in the night. That may be more about what goes on film, as he did play the majority of the live quarter with the first team. The other receivers that saw action were Will Coon (Sophomore) and another really tall receiver (I didn't catch his name and now his number escapes me).

Fusco took almost all the carries but they did have a back up running back get some time. I don't see him playing if James Chambers is healthy. He didn't dress but didn't have any apparent issues from what I could see (no limp, cast, sling or anything like that). As I mentioned Fusco looked great.

On the defensive side of the ball I focused on the secondary. Alec Mortillaro was very good (very fews throws his way as he had great coverage and he had a pick in the 7 v 7 drills). The other CB was Demarre Nelson  (Sophomore from East Rochester). He looked big and fast. Not overwhelming but not much happened down field. It was mostly underneath where U of R got their yardage. Anthony Lee was playing as the Safety.

The kicking game was what it always is, but at least they didn't botch any snaps. Still missed an extra point. I didn't see a ton of the field goal attempts in before the teams played live (I walked over and watched the soccer practice for a bit).

They looked pretty good, but I can't tell if U of R was just young or Fisher was that good. U of R had a very small team in terms of numbers and I didn't see a lot of big play ability.

What is it with Fisher teams that i have to hold my breath because of special teams.
This seems like a fix that is very doable.

Seriously,
Every year its the same story.....i bite my fingernails on PAT's and punts.....Its aweful!

I have always felt that a really good kicker at this level is a weapon. So many teams have drives stall out with 4th and 4 (or so) from the 25. If you had a guy that could turn those drives into points you could steal 6 points a game and maybe that makes the difference.

Couldnt have said it better.

On the flip side of that coin- when you are on pins and needles on every special teams play- other teams hone in on that!

[sjfcards]

To be fair to the kicker that missed the extra point in the scrimmage there was an lineman that had a mental lapse and had to run onto the field for the try after the team had already lined up. He ran out and got in his stance in plenty of time, but that could have thrown the kicker off. The kick went off the upright so a few inches to the left and I wouldn't have brought it up, but I understand your point. Fisher always seems to struggle in that department.

P.S. Welcome to week #1 everyone! +K to all for another season

[fisheralum91]

+k


WEEK ONE!

[Bombers798891]

What is it with Fisher teams that i have to hold my breath because of special teams. This seems like a fix that is very doable. Seriously,  Every year its the same story.....i bite my fingernails on PAT's and punts.....Its aweful!

Guys, good kickers are really hard to find at the college level. One year, Michigan State went 5-for-16 on field goal attempts. There's a reason guys like Morten Andersen and Jason Hanson kicked into their 40s. Shayne Graham is 38, and he kicked for eight different NFL teams from 2009-2015.

Division III teams should recognize this and unless practice reveals that you've got Andrew Franks on your roster, stop trying to kick 30-yard field goals on 4th and 3. It's utterly ridiculous to see teams missing these short field goals when the offense sits on the sidelines

[fisheralum91]

I cant tell you in both HS and at Fisher - how many times the fb coaches would try to poach our goalies to be Kickers/Punters.....

[AUPepBand]

I cant tell you in both HS and at Fisher - how many times the fb coaches would try to poach our goalies to be Kickers/Punters.....

Pep's cousin has a son who starred on the local high school soccer team that went to the NYS Final Four. Solid player. Really expected him to get recruited by at least some Division 3 schools. Turns out he's been recruited to kick for the football team at D2 Wingate University in Wingate, NC. Puzzled because Pep looked on the roster but didn't see his name. Will check with his mom on his status.

On another note, AU Pep Band had Band Camp this evening and Pep was excited to see some new players in the band, including a trombone, a couple trumpets, a clarinet, etc. Stay tuned!

On Saxon Warriors!

[fisheralum91]

I cant tell you in both HS and at Fisher - how many times the fb coaches would try to poach our goalies to be Kickers/Punters.....

Pep's cousin has a son who starred on the local high school soccer team that went to the NYS Final Four. Solid player. Really expected him to get recruited by at least some Division 3 schools. Turns out he's been recruited to kick for the football team at D2 Wingate University in Wingate, NC. Puzzled because Pep looked on the roster but didn't see his name. Will check with his mom on his status.

On another note, AU Pep Band had Band Camp this evening and Pep was excited to see some new players in the band, including a trombone, a couple trumpets, a clarinet, etc. Stay tuned!

On Saxon Warriors!

I had a very interesting chat over a beer with an old HS football coach here in town.
He tried to have me kick for his team back in the day ( even had me kicking and punting )but i continued to play soccer in HS and then at Fisher.
He told me flat out that if I had played he would have had no problem getting me recruited....To where I dont know- but he and I had a nice chuckle about it!

[sjfcards]

What is it with Fisher teams that i have to hold my breath because of special teams. This seems like a fix that is very doable. Seriously,  Every year its the same story.....i bite my fingernails on PAT's and punts.....Its aweful!

Guys, good kickers are really hard to find at the college level. One year, Michigan State went 5-for-16 on field goal attempts. There's a reason guys like Morten Andersen and Jason Hanson kicked into their 40s. Shayne Graham is 38, and he kicked for eight different NFL teams from 2009-2015.

Division III teams should recognize this and unless practice reveals that you've got Andrew Franks on your roster, stop trying to kick 30-yard field goals on 4th and 3. It's utterly ridiculous to see teams missing these short field goals when the offense sits on the sidelines

Fair enough, but I don't expect a Morten Andersen in a Fisher uniform. I feel like there has to be someone on campus that can consistently hit extra points.

[fisheralum91]

Is it too much to ask to have a punter that can do an even mediocre job?

I dont need 55 yard bombs, just give me hang time to get coverage down field.

[Bombers798891]

Is it too much to ask to have a punter that can do an even mediocre job?

I dont need 55 yard bombs, just give me hang time to get coverage down field.

Fisher's opponents PR by season

2015. 11 for 65 yards
2014: 9 for 88 yards
2013: 21 for 230 yards (In 13 games)
2012: 7 for 14 yards
2011: 16 for 91 yards (in 13 games)
2010: 6 for 63 yards
2009: 15 returns for 27 yards

I mean, maybe you're joking around, but other than 2013, what's the problem? I know you Fisher guys have, what was it, "Higher aspirations than losing to Cortland and going to an ECAC game every year"—nice burn, BTW—but you seem to have developed this really odd tendency to make your problems out to be way worse than they are (other examples would include Naton "struggling" last season while throwing nearly three times as many TDs as picks, the "Should we replace our coaching staff? Maybe the devil we know is worse than the devil we don't" comment from last year, and the infamous Tyler Fenti benching question)

You guys are good. Your kicking game is meh, but a bunch of teams' are. You're a traditional favorite in the conference nearly every year, and you've made some nice playoff runs at a time when football in the East is at a really obvious down point. Seriously, you're good

[Upstate]

It's not coverage that's a huge issue with Fisher's punting it's the net yards that kills them.

2015- 32
2014- 28
2013- 30
2012- 29
2011- 33
2010- 28
2009- 28

There were a lot of times where they just should have gone for it instead of trotting out a LB or DB to try and punt a football.

[dlippiel]

It's not coverage that's a huge issue with Fisher's punting it's the net yards that kills them.

2015- 32
2014- 28
2013- 30
2012- 29
2011- 33
2010- 28
2009- 28

There were a lot of times where they just should have gone for it instead of trotting out a LB or DB to try and punt a football.

[fisheralum91]

Is it too much to ask to have a punter that can do an even mediocre job?

I dont need 55 yard bombs, just give me hang time to get coverage down field.

Fisher's opponents PR by season

2015. 11 for 65 yards
2014: 9 for 88 yards
2013: 21 for 230 yards (In 13 games)
2012: 7 for 14 yards
2011: 16 for 91 yards (in 13 games)
2010: 6 for 63 yards
2009: 15 returns for 27 yards

I mean, maybe you're joking around, but other than 2013, what's the problem? I know you Fisher guys have, what was it, "Higher aspirations than losing to Cortland and going to an ECAC game every year"—nice burn, BTW—but you seem to have developed this really odd tendency to make your problems out to be way worse than they are (other examples would include Naton "struggling" last season while throwing nearly three times as many TDs as picks, the "Should we replace our coaching staff? Maybe the devil we know is worse than the devil we don't" comment from last year, and the infamous Tyler Fenti benching question)

You guys are good. Your kicking game is meh, but a bunch of teams' are. You're a traditional favorite in the conference nearly every year, and you've made some nice playoff runs at a time when football in the East is at a really obvious down point. Seriously, you're good

There was a little tongue in cheek in my post, but there are some legitimate concerns when it comes to the kicking game....And Im speaking historically not just last year.

[Bombers798891]

It's not coverage that's a huge issue with Fisher's punting it's the net yards that kills them.

2015- 32
2014- 28
2013- 30
2012- 29
2011- 33
2010- 28
2009- 28

There were a lot of times where they just should have gone for it instead of trotting out a LB or DB to try and punt a football.

Of course, you're right, and I think that's another thing I've mentioned in the past. Sure, 4th-and-15 from your own 12, punt it away. 4th and 3 from midfield? Just go for it.

D-III teams are way too conservative, given how lousy (in general) their kicking games are.