FB: Empire 8

[FisherFaithful03]

Several reasons:

Administration not supporting the needs of the program.

Can't recruit like they used to, they seem hell bent on recruiting out of state kids while any D3 talent from WNY goes elsewhere.

Coaching staff out of touch with newer offensive & defensive trends that are prevalent in college football.

Newer conference competition with easier academic requirements for admission.

With the lack of talent they want to run basic offenses & defenses and are just getting out played, out muscled and out classed in terms of the level of player on the field.

[XREDDRAGON77]

Have the admission standards increased? Ages ago when we played in the NJAC, the TCNJ guys used to complain that admission standards crushed their program from when they were known as Trenton State. Name change and image change I suppose. It's painful to see your team struggle! I'll ride this Cortland wave and enjoy it while it lasts!

[IC798891]

Can't recruit like they used to, they seem hell bent on recruiting out of state kids while any D3 talent from WNY goes elsewhere.

I don't see this reflected in their roster at all.

But I would think a small, private college like Fisher would have to eventually move beyond just NYS. About 12% of Fisher's male, undergraduate student body plays on the football team. With the demographic challenges this region is facing, if you want your team to support enrollment initiatives, you simply can't rely on the state

[XREDDRAGON77]

Things got exciting for a minute....and the board died again! Hopefully at some point things will get a little more contested and exciting! Looks like Cortland /Brockport will be the defacto league championship game!...minus any catastrophic events this weekend. Hump day's in the books. Almost game day!

[MRMIKESMITH]

Things got exciting for a minute....and the board died again! Hopefully at some point things will get a little more contested and exciting! Looks like Cortland /Brockport will be the defacto league championship game!...minus any catastrophic events this weekend. Hump day's in the books. Almost game day!

I love the word De Facto! Didn't start using the word as much until some years ago when Keith would say it on the podcast.

[FisherFaithful03]

I really hope Fisher gets their QB situation and passing game sorted out next year.

Its just a painful experience watching the team try to throw the ball.

Nolan is a nice RB and their run game seems diverse running from different formations with motions but they are a one dimensional team and it is killing them.

[FisherFaithful03]

I really hope Fisher gets their QB situation and passing game sorted out next year.

Its just a painful experience watching the team try to throw the ball.

Nolan is a nice RB and their run game seems diverse running from different formations with motions but they are a one dimensional team and it is killing them.

Of course...

As soon as I posed this the QB goes 5/5 on the ensuing two drives and throws two TD passes...

[XREDDRAGON77]

Not sure what's going on at Hartwick! Was like 42-0 after a few plays into the 2nd! Might have been 42-0 in the first! 52-0 at the half. Looks like we finally have a big game in the E8. Brockport's been putting up points and they don't give much away. Very interested in seeing the game notes this week! Pool A or bust!

[Bucabear73]

Pool A or busto is right - that blown two-TD lead in the 4th Quarter to Susquehanna at home is biting the Red Dragons in the ass for a potential Pool C Birth.  So much for that DV win.

Let's see if Coach Fitzpatrick has learned anything from the past two Cortaca matchups where he was thoroughly outcoached by Coach Toerper and uses those lessons to beat a quality Brockport team this Saturday. Yes the Dragons won Cortaca in 2021, but let's be honest - that was a fluke. IC was better that day.

Home Game for the E8 title. I don't want to hear excuses from the Dragons. Losing this game is not an option.

[XREDDRAGON77]

Not sure what to make of Saturday's matchup. Coach Fitzpatrick has had success against BPort going back to his Morrisville days. That Susquehanna loss most definitely stings all these weeks later! Never know when a crap loss can come back to haunt you. I saw the end of the Port /Sus game and that score was quite bizarre! The following week Cortland blew what turned into a shootout. Brockport swapped QBs after that loss and it has paid off. Cortland hasn't given up those types of yards since...although those final scores v Susquehanna were special teams meltdowns.

[IC798891]

Cortland is a good team, but they seem to struggle to handle adversity. A bit like the 2019 IC team. They don't seem to have a plan when they get punched.

My colleague at Brockport says the Golden Eagles are very confident. The QB switch has unlocked the offense and the D is tough as always. The playoffs start this week for the E8

[XREDDRAGON77]

I can't argue with that statement! They scored gobs of points all season and then fell apart offensively against IC and Springfield. By the time they played RPI, the Dragons looked like a shell of their former selves. Cortland was misfiring all over the field, but then again, all those defenses were solid and one could easily be responsible for the other. Last year IC was flat out better in that game! The Randolph Macon game in round 1 was a pure letdown. Offense failed in the second half. It's one thing to be slowed down but we flat out stopped!

It's not the offense that has me wondering this year! They look better than before and the past 2 years they looked sharp, minus what I said above! It's the defense! That Sus QB slashed us up and it was brutal! Gonna be a long week waiting for this one!

[Bucabear73]

"Cortland is a good team, but they seem to struggle to handle adversity"

Exactly my point!

Would love to know what the Coaching Staff's game plan is this week to get "Team 118" mentally ready.

Hopfully they didn't watch that Giants / Jets game yesterday  What an abomination that was.

[fisheralum91]

Several reasons:

Administration not supporting the needs of the program.

Can't recruit like they used to, they seem hell bent on recruiting out of state kids while any D3 talent from WNY goes elsewhere.

Coaching staff out of touch with newer offensive & defensive trends that are prevalent in college football.

Newer conference competition with easier academic requirements for admission.

With the lack of talent they want to run basic offenses & defenses and are just getting out played, out muscled and out classed in terms of the level of player on the field.

Im not sure about academic requirements-I think it is more about packaging.  Its also about coaching.
Sure- I rambled on here about admin support back in the old days- how Doc Bain and Doc K backed the program- but with the other programs thriving - is it really a lack of support?  I think the first look is at the Football program itself.  It has failed to evolve and allowed other conference foes to surpass them in a short time.  You cant tell me that Blaise is going after a "different" player at UU.  Simply put Fisher does not recruit well in their own back yard or even the thruway.

[The Third Division]

I feel like brockport is missing from the regional rankings.