FB: Empire 8

[JQV]

The Chairman is glad to see we are already previewing 2007 in the E8.  I am pretty swamped this morning but will try to be back later this afternoon with an IC update.  It would probably be best to get Tecmo into this discussion.

[AUPepBand]

Pep wonders whether there will be a genuine battle for the QB spot in Bomberland. Not knowing Coach Welch personally, Pep asks whether Welch is one who remains loyal to his starter in adversity or does he give the new kid on the block a shot?

[Sir Spiedie]

How important is home field advantage in the E8 or LL. Is there one place that everyone hates to play not so much because of the team but it is just a real hostile environment? Also, out of curiosity, who has the longest bus ride in the E8, LL, by game? I've got to believe St. lawrence must be a contender for this honor.

[JQV]

Pep wonders whether there will be a genuine battle for the QB spot in Bomberland. Not knowing Coach Welch personally, Pep asks whether Welch is one who remains loyal to his starter in adversity or does he give the new kid on the block a shot?

I think Juvan is the starter coming into camp.  At the very worst, it is his job to lose.  Welch is not Bobby Bowden loyal to starters but will give Juvan a shot to keep the job.  Despite our complaints (many coming from the Chairman) he really wasn't bad, he just wasn't really good either.  As examples of past Welch QB decisions:

2002: Gave the job of replacing Brian Young to sophomore Ryan Steenberg out of camp.  Steenberg was terrible (sorry B27) in the first two or three games before Welch relented and gave Josh Felicetti a shot.  To Steenberg's credit, he stuck with the team and turned into a good linebacker.

1999: Welch gave the starting job to sophomore rookie Brian Young out of camp.  Young was a good athlete but struggled with the deep ball in his first season.  Welch gave D-1 transfer Billy Feldmaier two shots at winning the job (including a second half comeback againts 'Port) before sticking with Young the rest of the way.

How important is home field advantage in the E8 or LL. Is there one place that everyone hates to play not so much because of the team but it is just a real hostile environment? Also, out of curiosity, who has the longest bus ride in the E8, LL, by game? I've got to believe St. lawrence must be a contender for this honor.

Not surprisingly, I am going to put Butterfield here as the best homefield advantage in either league.  The Bombers record at home speaks for itself.

The longest bus ride in either league has to be to Norwich.

[realistic]

How important is home field advantage in the E8 or LL. Is there one place that everyone hates to play not so much because of the team but it is just a real hostile environment? Also, out of curiosity, who has the longest bus ride in the E8, LL, by game? I've got to believe St. lawrence must be a contender for this honor.

Not surprisingly, I am going to put Butterfield here as the best homefield advantage in either league.  The Bombers record at home speaks for itself.

The longest bus ride in either league has to be to Norwich.

Butterfield has a good homefield advantage...but I gotta go with Springfield.  You have to put up big numbers to beat Springfield on that carpet.  But fan/atmosphere/etc I gotta go with Butterfield too...

[superman57]

Springfield's offense is catered to their field...Butterfield is just an intimidating place to play

[Sir Spiedie]

Springfield has artificial turf? Tell me it's not like cement.

[superman57]

it's exatcly like cement it's just a piece of carpet thrown down which is why they have been so succsesful with the option run

[realistic]

Springfield has artificial turf? Tell me it's not like cement.

it's brutal.  Rock hard old style turf.  They fly on it when they have the personel.

We talk about the game a lot but the IC/Springfield game in '99 was like 45-42 or something.

[fan of d3]

Yeah...just like cement

I wouldn't go so far as to say the field is why their offense is successful.  I'd say its the people that run it...they would be just as successful on artifical grass

[Sir Spiedie]

pep, Norwich to Alfred, that's got to be a long ride.

[superman57]

Fan of D3 I said the field is the reason they run that offense...you play to your strengths...with the SC field your strength is to make it a track meet...look at fisher when they had the cement field...robbie ran for over 2000 yards and Meyers lit up uofr for something like 385 just insane game

[Jonny Utah]

RE: turf

Springfiled got new turf twice since 1995 I believe.  Pre-1995 SC had some of the hardest turn in the country.  (Northeastern University Turf was the worst Ive ever seen ever)

But nothing compares to Alfreds old turf that felt like you were running on a boarded platform covered with a layer of sponge and then some rug.  That was wierd.

[chris7sarge]

Fan of D3 I said the field is the reason they run that offense...you play to your strengths...with the SC field your strength is to make it a track meet...look at fisher when they had the cement field...robbie ran for over 2000 yards and Meyers lit up uofr for something like 385 just insane game

I'm not sure where you're going with this track meet thing.  Their offense is more of a grind it out type of offense.  They line up in 3 basic formations and run right at you.  I think you are making it sound like they are the Rams with Faulk, Warner and company.  The only track meet, when home turf would matter, is when the defense screws up their assignments.  For the most part they take 3-5 at a time and wait till you either screw up or roll over.

[superman57]

they want to run the ball...and they like to get big plays...aka Chris Sharpe...so as we have seen their o is not as good on grass (see ithaca 06)