FB: Empire 8

[D3viewer]

Week 9 slate. 2PM is the new 1PM.



2PM Alfred 4-3 (3-2) @ Hartwick 2-5 (0-4)      The offenses are comparable, but the Ghost of Boltus lives on to curse their defense to another loss.

The offense of Alfred and Hartwick may seem comparable looking at the game scores v Brockport.  However, the score total against the three common opponents in the Empire 8 (Buffalo State, Cortland and Brockport) gives the Saxons a considerable 89-17 edge. 

I make my statistical comparisons/evaluations based on the whole season, not just against certain teams. Statistics usually work better with a larger sample size.
So , Alfred is 5th in the E8 in scoring at 27.9 PPG, Hartwick is 6th at 22.3 PPG. Hartwick is 5th in total yards @ 342 yards per game, Alfred is 6th @ 331 yards per game. They look pretty even to me. I tend to look at yards per game more than points, so that's just me. Obviously you have a different way of looking at it. Good for you.

[pumkinattack]

Choosing to weight total yards vs ppg is a qualitative debTe.

Thinking 3 observations < 8 observations is not science.  Quoteth LewDogg

[Saxon73]

Week 9 slate. 2PM is the new 1PM.



2PM Alfred 4-3 (3-2) @ Hartwick 2-5 (0-4)      The offenses are comparable, but the Ghost of Boltus lives on to curse their defense to another loss.

The offense of Alfred and Hartwick may seem comparable looking at the game scores v Brockport.  However, the score total against the three common opponents in the Empire 8 (Buffalo State, Cortland and Brockport) gives the Saxons a considerable 89-17 edge. 

I make my statistical comparisons/evaluations based on the whole season, not just against certain teams. Statistics usually work better with a larger sample size.
So , Alfred is 5th in the E8 in scoring at 27.9 PPG, Hartwick is 6th at 22.3 PPG. Hartwick is 5th in total yards @ 342 yards per game, Alfred is 6th @ 331 yards per game. They look pretty even to me. I tend to look at yards per game more than points, so that's just me. Obviously you have a different way of looking at it. Good for you.

Yes, statistics usually work better with a larger sample size.  However, the samples must be congruent to be valid.

The 3 non- E8 games for Hartwick  includes Wilkes (407 yd/gm), Alfred St (522 yd/gm) and King's (460 yd/gm).  The Saxons played Theil (476yd/gm) and Ithaca (259 yd/gm).  It should be obvious that this data cannot be included to advocate for one team or the other.  To put it another way: one can compare (apples to apples (head on head)) or (apples and oranges to apples and oranges (common opponents.) One cannot compare (apples and oranges to apples and bananas (whole season.)) 

Common opponents gives the Saxons a 306 -227 yd/gm edge for comparison. Hopefully this is clear. It's nice to have some mental exercise while in retirement.  God Bless my Alfred engineering degree and years of industrial exposure to statistical quality control.

[Upstate]

So you have the ball on your own one foot line...

Let's line your RB up 7 yards behind the ball and run it behind an offensive line that has proven they can't get any movement up front...

Another brilliant offensive decision today...

I don't know what's worse, that or the jet sweep throw just after Fisher picked off Cortland deep in their own territory...

Punting on 4th and 3 from the opponents 40...

Just enough with this...

[fisheralum91]

As I am sitting here basking in the afterglow of a Red Sox WS championship, I can say that it is easing the pain of another excruciatingly painful Fisher football season.
I heard coach Vos say be patient and trust the system, I understand that there were catastrophic injuries that derailed the season, I get all that.
What I dont get is any way Fisher gets out of this hole.
I am not a sky is falling Fisher fan that rants and raves when the team doesnt win the E8.......Well maybe i do a little......But folks ---the sky fell.
Fisher is at rock bottom.
What fixes this program?

[Bombers798891]

So you have the ball on your own one foot line...

Let's line your RB up 7 yards behind the ball and run it behind an offensive line that has proven they can't get any movement up front...

Just enough with this...

Hot take: When you have a terrible offense, you have a terrible offense, and there really aren't good or bad plays, at least in the way we tend to think about them.

I mean, by all means, be frustrated that Fisher's offense is god-awful. But, one thing I learned over several years of watching IC's offense flounder is that getting upset about the micro stuff leads me into a no-win situation. Fisher completed just 10-of-26 passes yesterday, and outside of the one to Galer, gained 48 yards on the other 9 completions. They couldn't run a QB draw effectively. At some point, you're just physically outmatched, and having the ball at the one foot line is probably going to end badly no matter what you do.

Sucks, but, it happens. Best of luck next year

[Jonny Utah]

So you have the ball on your own one foot line...

Let's line your RB up 7 yards behind the ball and run it behind an offensive line that has proven they can't get any movement up front...

Just enough with this...

Hot take: When you have a terrible offense, you have a terrible offense, and there really aren't good or bad plays, at least in the way we tend to think about them.

I mean, by all means, be frustrated that Fisher's offense is god-awful. But, one thing I learned over several years of watching IC's offense flounder is that getting upset about the micro stuff leads me into a no-win situation. Fisher completed just 10-of-26 passes yesterday, and outside of the one to Galer, gained 48 yards on the other 9 completions. They couldn't run a QB draw effectively. At some point, you're just physically outmatched, and having the ball at the one foot line is probably going to end badly no matter what you do.

Sucks, but, it happens. Best of luck next year

I would say in d3 it could be several factors:

1.  The head coach has lost his touch and the team, and that effects recruiting and that can be the biggest program crusher.
2.  The OC or DC simply aren't doing a good job and aren't good coaches.
3.  Administration/Admissions/Financial Aid has changed for the worse, and kids aren't getting the aid or even into the school like they were 10 years ago.
4.  Just a 1-3 year blip that many programs go through and you just have to weather the storm.

[fisheralum91]

I am not close to the college anymore so I have no clue if the situation is the Administration- in years past Drs Keough and Bain were supporters of the program and athletics in general.
Is coach Vos still relevant to current players and recruits?  NO idea
OC and DC?  I scratch my head.
Blip- God i hope so.

[Bombers798891]

I would say in d3 it could be several factors:

1.  The head coach has lost his touch and the team, and that effects recruiting and that can be the biggest program crusher.
2.  The OC or DC simply aren't doing a good job and aren't good coaches.
3.  Administration/Admissions/Financial Aid has changed for the worse, and kids aren't getting the aid or even into the school like they were 10 years ago.
4.  Just a 1-3 year blip that many programs go through and you just have to weather the storm.

Right, but my point is, aside from #2, none of those things can be mitigated by calling a different play from the one-foot line.  If you don't have the players, you don't have the players. To quote Sports Night:

Gordon: Oh, by the way. For what it's worth, I'm right with you on this Rostenkowski thing.
Casey: Thank you.
Gordon: That was a terrible call.
Casey: Lost the game.
Gordon: I don't know how you make that call.
Casey: Yeah.
Gordon: Any idiot knows you hand it to Jermaine, you send him up the middle.
Casey: Yeah... well, you're not going to go up the middle against an 8-man front, but still.
Gordon: But still, you try a play action fake, you toss to the tight end off the flat.
Casey: The problem with that is, without establishing your running game first no one's gonna bite down on the play fake.
Gordon: Oh, but still...
Casey: Still.
Gordon: A post pattern, a slant...
Casey: He'd be going up against a defensive back who was second team all american as a true freshman. (shakes head).

Fisher can't run the ball or pass the ball, they were going up against a superior team, in what I'm guessing was lousy weather. It's entirely possible a better playcall existed, but man, that situation is pretty ripe for a safety no matter what.

Frankly, I thought Fisher played well. Cortland can score, and Fisher's D held them to 13 points

[Jonny Utah]

I would say in d3 it could be several factors:

1.  The head coach has lost his touch and the team, and that effects recruiting and that can be the biggest program crusher.
2.  The OC or DC simply aren't doing a good job and aren't good coaches.
3.  Administration/Admissions/Financial Aid has changed for the worse, and kids aren't getting the aid or even into the school like they were 10 years ago.
4.  Just a 1-3 year blip that many programs go through and you just have to weather the storm.

Right, but my point is, aside from #2, none of those things can be mitigated by calling a different play from the one-foot line.  If you don't have the players, you don't have the players. To quote Sports Night:

Gordon: Oh, by the way. For what it's worth, I'm right with you on this Rostenkowski thing.
Casey: Thank you.
Gordon: That was a terrible call.
Casey: Lost the game.
Gordon: I don't know how you make that call.
Casey: Yeah.
Gordon: Any idiot knows you hand it to Jermaine, you send him up the middle.
Casey: Yeah... well, you're not going to go up the middle against an 8-man front, but still.
Gordon: But still, you try a play action fake, you toss to the tight end off the flat.
Casey: The problem with that is, without establishing your running game first no one's gonna bite down on the play fake.
Gordon: Oh, but still...
Casey: Still.
Gordon: A post pattern, a slant...
Casey: He'd be going up against a defensive back who was second team all american as a true freshman. (shakes head).

Fisher can't run the ball or pass the ball, they were going up against a superior team, in what I'm guessing was lousy weather. It's entirely possible a better playcall existed, but man, that situation is pretty ripe for a safety no matter what.

Frankly, I thought Fisher played well. Cortland can score, and Fisher's D held them to 13 points

I'm actually sorry, I wanted to respond to fisheralum91, thought you were responding to him and didn't look.

[Jonny Utah]

I didn't see the SJF/Cortland safety, but the Packers had a bad one vs. the Rams yesterday too.  I like the old I formation with two tights, but that might bring in too many defenders, so I'm guessing that is why teams like the one back there.  If you notice in the Rams/Packers game, the Rams were forced to play even on even vs the Packers oline, and the GB guard simply blew it.

[D3viewer]

Players of the Week. Cortland nabs 2 spots in anticipation of their showdown with Brockport this week.

Offensive Player – Johnnie Akins, RB,Cortland (Senior, Roosevelt, N.Y.) #3 5-9 200
Akins ran for 208 yards on 37 carries (5.6 yds./carry) in Cortland's 22-3 win over visiting St. John Fisher on Saturday. He hit the 200-yard rushing mark for the second time in his career in the win.

Defensive Player – Sadeeq Nathaniel, CB, Morrisville State (Sophomore, Bronx, N.Y.) #24, 6-0 175
Nathanel collected a total of three tackles in Saturday's 38-14 win over Buffalo State in Empire 8 play, but added a pair of interceptions and two pass breakups to his tallies. In the first quarter, the sophomore stepped in front of the Bengal pass to collect the interception, leading to a Mustang score. On the ensuing Buffalo State possession, he collected his second interception of the quarter and contest, returning the ball 52 yards for the defensive score.

Special Teams Player -  Cole Burgess, WR/KR, Cortland (Freshman, Greenwich, N.Y.) #15,  6-0 175
Burgess returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to start the second half to give Cortland a 12-0 lead in the Red Dragons' 22-3 win over visiting St. John Fisher. The kickoff return TD is his second of the season, and the 97 yards is tied for the fifth longest kick return in school history. Burgess finished with three kick returns for 147 yards (49.0 per return) and also caught a 36-yard pass that started a Cortland scoring drive in the third quarter.

[D3viewer]

On a positive note for Fisher , they burst through the stratosphere and rushed not only for positive yards, but 95 of them.  And 64 of them by a guy named Malachi. Maybe got his Halloween weekend ability from the cornfield. "They had games...and records"

[XREDDRAGON77]

Spent a long time in dormancy this season! Hoping the Dragons can close it out this season and knock Port off their perch. If not....back to the cave until next season.

[D3viewer]

Week 10.

12PM Utica 4-4 (2-3) @ Buff St 1-7 (1-4)  Bengals try to salvage something from a very rough season. However, I expect Utica, whom played Brockport pretty close last week, to come out on top.

1PM Hartwick 2-6 (0-5) @ Morrisville 5-3 (3-2) Morrisville is a pretty balanced team, Hartwick is not. Mustangs gallop away from the Hawks, in danger of going winless in conf. They would probably fit in better in the ECFC or NEWMAC conf. Don't know if they'll ever be able to seriously compete in the E8 again. This thought has nothing to do with their other sports, just football and what goes through their coaches minds after these types of seasons.

1PM SJF 1-6 (1-4) @ Alfred 5-3 (4-2)  Premier game in years past. Fisher limping towards the finish line, AU having a decent season. Fisher pass happy, AU likes to run, Expect Alfred to slay the Cardinals at home, and wait to possibly own the tiebreaker for 2nd place in the conf if Bport beats Cortland. That early season win was a nice nest egg for the Saxons.

2PM  Cortland 7-1 (5-1) @ #3 Brockport 8-0 (5-0)     Championship game Pt 2. Cortland is probably the team that scares Brockport the most, because of their talent level and past history. So it is apt that this will decide the Championship (for now).  Cortland is 17th in the nation in T.O. and Brockport is 8th. The difference is that Brockport is #1 in total defense, Cortland is decent on D, but not to that level. So, I expect Brockport to win, but Brockport's run D being the strength of their D, doesn't affect  Cortland too much being more a passing team., (and Brockport has given up some big pass plays occasionally) C St's offense is built to exploit a lesser pass defense ( being a proficient passing team).  Wouldn't be surprised if the game's a barnburner. or even if Cortland won. But I wouldn't bet money on that possibility.