FB: Empire 8

[theoriginalupstate]

SC was held to a season low 220yds rushing in the SJF/SC playoff game....

Considering you were averaging close to 400, yeah i'd call that shutting them down....

[AUPepBand]

I don't agree with this type of arguement...by this standard, 'Wick can say they are 1-1 over the past two seasons against Ithaca and Fisher...which is not a true indication of where the program/team is this year compared to last year...

Your 0-2 on the road this season and your playing at Utica, a team your 2-2 against the past 4 seasons.  I think thats a relative argument.

...but you might as well bring up a game played in 1995 with that arguement...

Fine, I will...it was 1995 at Fisher, the 'Cards were 4-0 at the time and playing Hartwick, who was a relatively bitter rival of SJF at the time.  'Wick has the lead by 1 or 2 with about 40secs. left.  SJF takes the possession at about their own 15 yd line with NO timeouts.  SJF QB Mike Zarillo (Pep may recall that he torched AU that year for 5td's If I recall correctly) calmly, yet frantically leads us down the field with completion after completion until the FG unit comes on and boots the game winner from around 32 yds with 0:00 showing on the clock...what a game.

The rest of that story is that the then 'wick coach teams up with RPI's coach to write a letter to the NCAA launching an investigation into the eligibility status of one of our pre-season All-American offensive lineman, that both 'Wick and RPI had previously heavily recruited from HVCC.  He gets booted from the team and our 7-3 record that year officially goes in the books like this *7-3  (1-9)  Our one sanctioned victory was in the final week against Theil college....oops

Pep does recall that particular season. Alfred's Pre-Season All-American DB Krumie Mabry and the Saxons' promising returning QB Scooter Hendrick somehow dressed in Fisher uniforms that season. Pep was at that game, a 55-37 Fisher win back when Fisher had a small set of bleachers for their fans and visiting fans were left to sit on the grass. That particular game has an *asterisk in AU's records as well, indicating an AU victory by forfeit.

[lineback]

Joseph Addai has 0 points today so far in the E8 fantasy league.  This may result in a loss for me even though Windbag's Winners decided to play a RB that has a bye week.

[dewcrew88]

Joseph Addai has 0 points today so far in the E8 fantasy league.  This may result in a loss for me even though Windbag's Winners decided to play a RB that has a bye week.

I think Addai was injured.

[maninyellowhat]

Pretty sure both he and Harrison were inactive today.  I'm hoping for a sub-par day from Romo since mioh and I are in a heated sidebet.

[theoriginalupstate]

god its dead here today.....

[AUPepBand]

Pep is still recuperating from yesterday's marathon. Perhaps there's room for some more random ramblings.

The game, played in 80+ degree temperatures, lasted 3 1/2 hours with a multitude of "clock adjustments," several cleanups of vomit from the carpet by the "Waterboys" doubling as janitors,  not to mention a couple of zebra conferences, several injuries, and 38 incomplete passes (32 by Boltus, 6 by Keeley). There were 11 TD passes, 2 FGs and, perhaps of interest, not a single rushing TD.

Probably the determining factor was red zone scoring success. AU was 4-for-4 in the red zone while Hartwick was 3-for-6, with the three misses coming after Saxon turnovers. The Saxons dodged those bullets as Hartwick's passing lanes seemed to be too congested for Boltus to pick out receivers while the Saxon defenders were able to tighten their coverage.

Pep has seen a lot of Alfred football games in his lifetime but Saterday's game was like no other. Once again, Pep extends his best to an outstanding Hartwick team.

GO SAXONS!

[SJFF82]

So basically for a program that started about 15 years ago, we've had about 9 solid winning seasons and 3 or 4 terrible ones.  It just seems like we were dogged so bad a few years ago before we started to become really good when in actuality for a new program we were doing well. 

Yeh, it is hard to ignore the ignorant posters who have, over the past few seasons, bashed SJF as only being good for a couple years and only because of the Bills, blah, blah, blah.  Those same people must think that Vosburgh and Scachetti and Mervis, etc. rode in on the Bills bus a few years ago.  The reality is that Vosburgh took over a D3 newbie in '91, and in August after the previous coach stepped down right before the season started.  He had no recruiting class that year and no time to prepare for the season.  They finished 0-9 and scored only twice all year.   I think he finished the season with less than 40 players and most playing both ways.

Those guys that stuck it out with Coach V. in '91, came back for their senior season  in '92 and started it off with a huge upset over a then good Catholic team. It was a  respectable 4-5 season that year with Coach V's first recruiting class.  We were very competitive in several close losses against the likes of B-Port, Canisius and Merchant Marine.

Over that and the next couple years, as the D-Coordinator, Vosburgh led defenses that were nationally ranked during parts of seasons. 

Facilities are obviously a plus for any school and it is utterly ridiculous for those who believe that Fisher somehow 'bought' its team with the Bills.  Vosburgh has spent 17 years  building and re-building this program, and it has had its ups and downs like most, save MUC and IC (who have managed to stay strong throughout).   Does anyone know how many other D3 programs have a professional team that trains at their school?  If so, are those teams Nationally ranked like Fisher.

[Pat Coleman]

Just ask me, and I will tell all ; not sure where any of the info is of actual paper or on-line record, but in all seriousness, ask me and I can probably give you a good idea.

From 92-95 for example, our record was 21-16 (other than the *in '95)
We had very solid teams in 93, 94 and 95.  Some big wins were against a ranked RPI team in '93; and a very good Catholic team in '95.  We could never get over the hump against some good B-port teams and very good Buff St teams.  In '94, we lost at B-port after leading by two scores with less than 5 min to go...and the ball (a lot like the '04 Del Val play-off game), and in '95 at 6-0 and ranked 4 in the East, we give up a kick-off return to B-port with 2 min to go at home and lose.

Catholic was 6-2-1* in 1995. They weren't unbeatable that year.

[superman57]

ok...so it could be a very interesting end of the season... Fan of D3 as big of a springfield fan as you are, I won't expect you to be level headed but...Fisher has stoped a better springfield team at home before...I have a feeling that the one game last year is the exception to the rule instead of the rule...and exceptions are only made once...

[superman57]

ok not sure if anyone noticed this... Fisher is ranked the highest of all teams with one loss to a DIII team...

Ok so...this is a big game for Hartwick this weekend...to me Wick needs to prove that they can win away from the cage...if they lose well they prove that they are the pieces of s#it that I thought they were originally...if they romp then I might start to think to give them a little respect... Just kidding...

[AUPepBand]

While AU humbled Springfield, that's not to say the 2007 Pride team is weaker than last year by any means. This is a solid Pride team that just happened to come up against an AU squad that on that particular day had the ideal game plan that was executed to perfection. Add to that, AU got all the breaks, which was personally intoxicating for Pep.

But I say all that to agree with Super57 that it will be a very interesting end of the season, indeed.

[sjfcclimbing]

Kramer really needed that game, his play hasnt lived up to expectations and that game (hopefully) is just the thing needed to give him a boost for the stretch run.

It was nice to see him connect on those deep passes to Smith, before then his timing seemed to be off and was over/under throwing recievers....

Have to disagree with that statement, conditionally. Kramer has played very well during day games (70.7%, 13 TD to 3 Int & 14.5 yd/rec) and not so well during night games(52.6%, 3 TD to 2 Int & 12.3 yd/rec) . Not trying to offend Wick or UR defense but he did not see open receivers and threw poorly to those he did see. The defenses did not seem to be pressuring him into mistakes. I am chalking it up him having real problems with the lights at night games. He is going to dominate the rest of the way (no night games). Now if I could only be as confident that the defense is here to stay. We are going to need them at their best for both SC and AU.

I think the long ball was helped by B'port's preoccupation with Harmon and throwing on run situations. Harmon was blanketed all day. Might have been the article on him in the Rochester paper earlier in the week that helped him attract the defense's attention.

[SJFF82]

Just ask me, and I will tell all ; not sure where any of the info is of actual paper or on-line record, but in all seriousness, ask me and I can probably give you a good idea.

From 92-95 for example, our record was 21-16 (other than the *in '95)
We had very solid teams in 93, 94 and 95.  Some big wins were against a ranked RPI team in '93; and a very good Catholic team in '95.  We could never get over the hump against some good B-port teams and very good Buff St teams.  In '94, we lost at B-port after leading by two scores with less than 5 min to go...and the ball (a lot like the '04 Del Val play-off game), and in '95 at 6-0 and ranked 4 in the East, we give up a kick-off return to B-port with 2 min to go at home and lose.

Catholic was 6-2-1* in 1995. They weren't unbeatable that year.

I knew I would get a response from you on my "Catholic" post

[Yanks 99]

Pep is still recuperating from yesterday's marathon. Perhaps there's room for some more random ramblings.

The game, played in 80+ degree temperatures, lasted 3 1/2 hours with a multitude of "clock adjustments," several cleanups of vomit from the carpet by the "Waterboys" doubling as janitors,  not to mention a couple of zebra conferences, several injuries, and 38 incomplete passes (32 by Boltus, 6 by Keeley). There were 11 TD passes, 2 FGs and, perhaps of interest, not a single rushing TD.

Probably the determining factor was red zone scoring success. AU was 4-for-4 in the red zone while Hartwick was 3-for-6, with the three misses coming after Saxon turnovers. The Saxons dodged those bullets as Hartwick's passing lanes seemed to be too congested for Boltus to pick out receivers while the Saxon defenders were able to tighten their coverage.

Pep has seen a lot of Alfred football games in his lifetime but Saterday's game was like no other. Once again, Pep extends his best to an outstanding Hartwick team.

GO SAXONS!

Pep...no doubt the 3 missed opportunities inside the redzone hurt.  Several drops, a missed field goal, etc.  There were, however, several great plays made by the DB's getting a hand in at the last second.  The Saxon's D stepped up big when they had to...especially stopping the the 2 QB sneak's from the 1 yard line.

Crazy game for sure.  I still cannot believe it was mid-80's all day on Saturday.  The last time 'Wick was there it was about 30 degrees outside with freezing rain.  You guys have a great team.  I hope other teams aren't overlooking Alfred.  You would think that would be tough to do considering they are ranked #1 in New York.  They are solid literally everywhere.  Hell...even the kicker booted all but 2 (with one being a pooch kick) of his kickoffs into the endzone.  Good luck the rest of the way...my hat is off to you guys.