FB: Empire 8

[sjfcards]

You know upstate I think if you give them time (a year from now) you may see this immature team grow and become more consistent. To me it sounds as if the cardinals have talent but are in the process of finding an identity and waiting for some players to really step up and lead. This takes time but overall I think it will work itself out for this team. I on one hand applaud the SJF schedule this year. Even if the 3 losses fo cost them a tourney shot this season in the long run SJF is a growing power in this region and plying teams like MUC is going to make some very talented HS players in NYS or the east look their way. Just give it a little time.

I could not have said it better. With the young players at the skill positions (outside of WR) they look to be very strong next year, and the year after that. They move the ball on teams, and look great in spurts. They just turn the ball over too much, and make stupid mistakes. Much like a young teams do. If Hartwick wins out, and Fisher is out of the running for the AQ, then they will play in their ECAC bowl game, and come back next year that much bigger and better.

[fishfan]

The problem with Fisher this year is the turnovers from the quarterback, AGAIN yesterday 3  stupid int's, and to run out of bounds with a minute 40 left in the game, is not game smart. Is this coachable, I do not know, he does this almost every game. He is turning close games into losses and games that should be blow-outs into nailbiters. Thankfully the D again stepped up to bail out the O. What was up the Coach Romano, almost every kickoff was returned for a TD. Kick off coverage was horrible. Hey Coach do you know what squib kick is? 2 games left in regular season lets see if the offense, defense and special teams can put it together. Please no rebuilding comments.   

[theoriginalupstate]

You know upstate I think if you give them time (a year from now) you may see this immature team grow and become more consistent. To me it sounds as if the cardinals have talent but are in the process of finding an identity and waiting for some players to really step up and lead. This takes time but overall I think it will work itself out for this team. I on one hand applaud the SJF schedule this year. Even if the 3 losses fo cost them a tourney shot this season in the long run SJF is a growing power in this region and plying teams like MUC is going to make some very talented HS players in NYS or the east look their way. Just give it a little time.

I could not have said it better. With the young players at the skill positions (outside of WR) they look to be very strong next year, and the year after that. They move the ball on teams, and look great in spurts. They just turn the ball over too much, and make stupid mistakes. Much like a young teams do. If Hartwick wins out, and Fisher is out of the running for the AQ, then they will play in their ECAC bowl game, and come back next year that much bigger and better.

I like their WR's coming back next year, Freshman Eli Hayes is a burner and has great size at 6'3", 180.  Sophomore Daniel Witkowski has been coming on of late and had a huge game yesterday, he's pretty physical too at 6'1" 190.  He kind of reminds me of Noah the way he runs after the catch.  Junior Paul Deckard started the season as the 3rd WR and also had great size at 6'0", 200.  He's had some nice plays in the passing game.  Dont forget at the TE spot where they return Reger (6'5", 240) as well. 

Include Biehl and Brown in the mix at the RB spot they'll have a great number of skill guys return on offense, if they knew how to use them of course. 

[fishfan]

Reger is a senior, he's not coming back (holding penalty yesterday brought back a TD). Deckard does't even get into the games any more and Brown, not a very good running back, big in size, small in heart. Biehl has been very good when he plays , but injuries the last two years has limited his playing time. The Spread Offense does not fit this team, the offensive line splits are paper tight, hense the reason Fisher can't run a sweep.
First Quarter yesterday Fisher starts with the spread O, pouring down rain and quite breezy. End of the first quarter Springfield 20 Fisher 7. Second and third quarter more tight ends and two back formations, Fisher scores 28 unanswered points. Fourth quarted Fisher back to the spread, well known the rest. The point is, its the play calling.

[Jonny Utah]

Reger is a senior, he's not coming back (holding penalty yesterday brought back a TD). Deckard does't even get into the games any more and Brown, not a very good running back, big in size, small in heart. Biehl has been very good when he plays , but injuries the last two years has limited his playing time. The Spread Offense does not fit this team, the offensive line splits are paper tight, hense the reason Fisher can't run a sweep.
First Quarter yesterday Fisher starts with the spread O, pouring down rain and quite breezy. End of the first quarter Springfield 20 Fisher 7. Second and third quarter more tight ends and two back formations, Fisher scores 28 unanswered points. Fourth quarted Fisher back to the spread, well known the rest. The point is, its the play calling.

Wow.  Tell us how you really feel fishfan!

[fishfan]

I did.

[sjfcards]

I can't disagree. It seems like Fisher has been trying to force this spread offense when it clearly is not working. I think the QB's strength is his arm and ability to throw on the move. I think they should let him stand in the pocket a little more, and when it breaks down, then roll out and try to find men open in busted coverage. He makes bad decisions when it is a set roll out.

[wickfan]

Phelan is a senior.....3 seniors on the offensive line. 2 senior DBs, one senior LB.  Defensively, I believe everyone else is back.....

Losing Phelan and Boltus will obviously hurt....need to get bigger and better in both lines to compete with the elite of the conference.

There are some very good skill guys coming up....had a good recruiting class, hopefully another successful year will help recruit areas of need.

[Bombers798891]

I can't disagree. It seems like Fisher has been trying to force this spread offense when it clearly is not working. I think the QB's strength is his arm and ability to throw on the move. I think they should let him stand in the pocket a little more, and when it breaks down, then roll out and try to find men open in busted coverage. He makes bad decisions when it is a set roll out.

I don't get it though, you say he his strength is the ability to throw on the move. But then, you say they should have him stand in the pocket?

If he's making bad decisions, isn't it on him to make better ones? I mean, once again, Fisher puts up 35+ ponts...for the 4th time in five games. Yes, he's had some turnover issues, but are they poor decisions or a poor design?

I confess, I've only seen them one time this season...when they scored 37 points...but it looked to me like they had the talent. He doesn't seem as accurrate as I remember Suchnya (sp?) being, but is an offense scoring 30 points a game not working, or do the players simply lack the focus?

I remember Josh Felliceti had a junior seaon for IC where he threw a lot of picks to LB's. He simply wasn't looking guys off and getting the height on his throws. A lot of people were frustrated, but it wasn't so much the scheme as it was Josh making poor reads. He rebounded the next season, improved his completion percentage by 7 points, and his threw 10 more TD's and 2 fewer picks. Sometimes, guys just have tough years for whatever reasons.

Even Juvan this season, has clearly taken a huge step back--thrown the same number of INT's in 134 fewer attempts--but a few of them (Like yesterday's) are the results of poor decisions or recievers running bad routes.

I don't know, I suppose you guys would know better than me, but I'd find it tough to quibble with a scheme that produced 38 points.

[fishfan]

It's a spread O with Pro Set parts. It's time for the Fisher brain trust to decide what type of O it wants to become. The O line has improved all season, the QB has not, he continues to turn the ball over. Hamel should of been given a chance this year but was not. Baily throws a great ball on broken plays, but waits to long in the pocket for receivers to get wide open. This is my opinion, I just do not think he has a grasp of the playbook, I think it would help if Parks paired it back somewhat. This is a team built to run the ball, control the clock. It does not pocess the speed at running back to run the spread O, How is Michigan doing?

[theoriginalupstate]

Bombers798891, my biggest beef with the offense is that it changed.  Seriously why change an offense that got you to the NCAA Semi's to this mess they call the spread?  There is no good reason why it was changed.  Its not like they have inferrior lineman and need to try to gain an advantage, in my opinion (not that anyone cares) this spread is actually hurts these lineman.  That was their big advantage over people, they got their big offensive lineman on the move and making big holes with their inside/outside zone plays and then the RB's were able to find the hole or cutback.  Those plays set up an extremely effective offense with bootlegs and play action passes.  

If it wasnt broke why try to fix it?

It sure as heck didnt help them vs MUC, it actually played right into the strength of MUC's 4-2-5 defense.  

[fishfan]

In any sport, the best defense is a good offense.

[JQV]

Seriously why change an offense that got you to the NCAA Semi's to this mess they call the spread?

Just to play devil's advocate Upstate, maybe they thought the national semis was as far as the old offense would take them.  Sometimes, you gotta give a coaching staff credit for trying something new.  I am not sure if this is one of those times but perhaps they decided they couldn't beat the Mount Unions of the world by running right at them so they needed to try something new.

[theoriginalupstate]

Seriously why change an offense that got you to the NCAA Semi's to this mess they call the spread?

Just to play devil's advocate Upstate, maybe they thought the national semis was as far as the old offense would take them.  Sometimes, you gotta give a coaching staff credit for trying something new.  I am not sure if this is one of those times but perhaps they decided they couldn't beat the Mount Unions of the world by running right at them so they needed to try something new.

We all saw how that turned out in week 1 though. 

[SJFF82]

Let me piss some people from other regions off...Who the hell is Trine and why are they the 25th team in the Country?   I understand that many voters are probably still regionalized when it comes to breaking down their votes and may look at a 7-0 team as something to be reckoned with.....BUT they have 3 wins against teams that are a combined 3-20 by a total score of 88-75 (two wins by 1pt each against 0-7 and 1-7 teams).  Are there not other teams in the country maybe not undefeated but with much stronger resumes?  And no I dont mean SJF....before all the -k comes flyin.