FB: Liberty League

[ITH radio]

We are welcoming Hobart Coach Mike Cragg back to the show to discuss yesterday's win over Wittenberg and preview the upcoming match up vs. St. Thomas.  Tune in tonight at 7:30 PM!

[jknezek]

Congratulations to Hobart. You're making me feel much better about my General's loss. Good luck next week.

[ITH radio]

It was great to talk with Coach Cragg again and thanks to UST SID Gene McGivern for joining us on the show tonight.  Great perspective on the history of the MIAC and UST for us "east" fans.  Also a good preview of the Hobart-UST matchup, including some hijinks at a NBA game, so if you missed it, check the archive at www.inthehuddlle.com

[HScoach]

From my Ohio perspective, I think Hobart has a very good chance this weekend.  UST has been less than impressive as a #1 seed and they're banged up.   Great opportunity for the East Region to earn some credibility for future seeding.

[mattvsmith]

Hobart has a real shot at beating St Thomas next Saturday. St Thomas is a great team and a perennial recent powerhouse, but Hobart has a very special team this year.
I think the only thing that can stop Hobart is themselves. (Sorry for the awkward grammar.)

Proud of my Statesmen.

Made a slight correction for you there Rev.  Good luck this upcoming week Hobart - A lot of us will be cheering you on.

Thanks, booby. I realized after listening to Frank and James's show that St John's is the historic power in MN, and STU has only recently become a strong team.
If their SID is any indication, it seems like they have a quality school and program. I look forward to this game. Can't wait.

[SaintsFAN]

How psyched was The Rev when he woke up this morning (Korea time, Sunday 8 am) and saw that Hobart won decisively 35-10?

Very psyched.

The bummer is that I have no one to share the joy with.

Well, tonight The Rev is going to a Thanksgiving dinner, so I'll say a word of thanks for this victory. I feel like Hobart has really announced to the world that it is a real contender.

Congrats to Hobart on beating Witt -- they are never an easy out in the tourney. 

Also, Rev... I wasn't aware that they had Thanksgiving in South Korea -- judging by the date of this post, the Pilgrims landed two days after Plymouth Rock or was it a year and two days after Plymouth Rock???

[mattvsmith]

How psyched was The Rev when he woke up this morning (Korea time, Sunday 8 am) and saw that Hobart won decisively 35-10?

Very psyched.

The bummer is that I have no one to share the joy with.

Well, tonight The Rev is going to a Thanksgiving dinner, so I'll say a word of thanks for this victory. I feel like Hobart has really announced to the world that it is a real contender.

Congrats to Hobart on beating Witt -- they are never an easy out in the tourney. 

Also, Rev... I wasn't aware that they had Thanksgiving in South Korea -- judging by the date of this post, the Pilgrims landed two days after Plymouth Rock or was it a year and two days after Plymouth Rock???

The Pilgrims brought Thanksgiving here in 1950. 

I should have had it a day before the rest of you but my plans were foiled. Then I arranged to make a dinner three hours away on Sunday but was foiled again. Awful.

Filipina wife couldn't understand why I was crying over a ****ty bowl of rice when I thought I'd be feasting on turkey and stuffing.

[tommiegun]

This is really just going to be a strength against strength game, on both sides of the ball.  Both defenses excel at stopping the run; both offenses excel at running.  On paper it looks like a toss-up game that will come down to turnovers and special teams.  I would say something about how the St. John Fisher looked that way on paper, too, but I don't think that it is a good benchmark because UST was firing on all cylinders and SJF came in pretty banged up.  If anything, this game will be a better test of the relative strengths of the East v. West top teams (UST is coming in very, very banged up and not playing particularly well, but from a "better" region; Hobart is coming in playing good football (I believe) and relatively healthy (correct?).  IF (and a big if) UST is able to win comfortably, I'd say it says much more about regional strength than last year's game did.

[boobyhasgameyo]

This is really just going to be a strength against strength game, on both sides of the ball.  Both defenses excel at stopping the run; both offenses excel at running.  On paper it looks like a toss-up game that will come down to turnovers and special teams.  I would say something about how the St. John Fisher looked that way on paper, too, but I don't think that it is a good benchmark because UST was firing on all cylinders and SJF came in pretty banged up.  If anything, this game will be a better test of the relative strengths of the East v. West top teams (UST is coming in very, very banged up and not playing particularly well, but from a "better" region; Hobart is coming in playing good football (I believe) and relatively healthy (correct?).  IF (and a big if) UST is able to win comfortably, I'd say it says much more about regional strength than last year's game did.

I would agree with that, this is a pretty good test.  Hobart already took out a North team pretty comfortably last round.  Though I would say even if Hobart were to lose comfortably - if Widener were to come up with a victory over Mount Union I think that would speak to regional strength more.  Of course that's unlikely to happen   

[Frank Rossi]

This is really just going to be a strength against strength game, on both sides of the ball.  Both defenses excel at stopping the run; both offenses excel at running.  On paper it looks like a toss-up game that will come down to turnovers and special teams.  I would say something about how the St. John Fisher looked that way on paper, too, but I don't think that it is a good benchmark because UST was firing on all cylinders and SJF came in pretty banged up.  If anything, this game will be a better test of the relative strengths of the East v. West top teams (UST is coming in very, very banged up and not playing particularly well, but from a "better" region; Hobart is coming in playing good football (I believe) and relatively healthy (correct?).  IF (and a big if) UST is able to win comfortably, I'd say it says much more about regional strength than last year's game did.

As stated on "In the HuddLLe" Sunday night by Hobart Head Coach Mike Cragg himself, Hobart is also coming in very banged up right now.  Both teams have to play with the cards they've got in hand now.

[pumkinattack]

I can't possibly express my pride and admiration at the work this Hobart team has done in 2012.  12-0 and a shot at more while getting the opportunity to fly to Minneapolis and play a top five team (for a second year in a row, what terrific experience for the underclassmen, which is almost the entire defense).  All the players and the staff have made myself and many, many other Bart alums excited about D3 football in December and the remaining possibilities. 

This is going to be a very interesting game.  I felt that Hobart was slighted last year having won by a comparable margin vs. UST as SJF and winning the league, but catching a top 4 team in round one.  Hobart's got their share of injuries for late in the season.  I traded emails with another alum on this topic, but depth is obviously a question for this team, that hasn't played 13 games in a season ever (I think).  I'd say we were more beat up playing Wesley last year (QB, #3 WR, punter all out, top to ILB's didn't practice all week only getting cleared Thursday to play) than we are right now, but it's unclear if our starting QB will be able to play.  Our backup is a senior that started the Wesley playoff game last year and actually throws a better deep ball than our starter (Strang), but Strang's a little more athletic, which fit our system better (ironically Cortland St's QB was a FR at Hobart along with these two before transferring).  We're missing a couple of backup DE's and a couple of rotation guys on the OL and our 3rd string RB, but I'd say we're in decent shape for this time of year. 

Other than stats, I don't know that much about UST, but I do have the feeling that we're going to have to win or lose with our skill guys.  I was watching the Witt game thinking the entire time that Webb can get the edge and they need to get him the ball along with Jr Woodard, Souffrant, Cronze, Robinson quick passes and let the speed guys make plays in the open field.  As it turned out, the defense just completely shut them down to the extent that the offense could patiently do it's thing.  I suspect if we ran that game plan and don't execute on pass plays agains UST we'll be looking at a game like the 2006 Rowan game.  We have a couple of elite skill guys, but they often make mistake (fumbles), but at this point in the season I think you have to give you best athletes the rock and live and die by what they do.  Dougherty isn't going to be able to patiently wait for his blocks (one of his best skills) against this defense.  On defense, it's going to be all about the secondary.  I'm not worried about Coleman, Worthington, et al doing their thing, but  the LB's are going to have to play sound coverage and the DB's are going to have to stay with their guys.  Coaches decision to sit an excellent starting DT last week (Soph Troy Johnson), but I almost wonder if it won't be a blessing in disguise as it both gave Johnson rest and great experience to a FR and JR backups against a playoff team. 

Looking forward to the game.  No matter the outcome, it's been an awesome season.  A large majority outside of the northeast thinks Hobart or any East team can't play like the rest of the country, so you're playing with house money now. 

[tommiegun]

UST was missing 8 starters in round one.  I believe they will be missing 7 for this game.

[Frank Rossi]

UST was missing 8 starters in round one.  I believe they will be missing 7 for this game.

Depth wins championships.  I'm sure the better team will come out on top Saturday.

[tommiegun]

Agreed, I just wanted to give context to what I meant by pretty banged up.  No excuses if UST loses, I've just been incredibly surprised at how well they've been able to do without 1/3 of their starters.

[dlippiel]

dlip is getting really pumped up for this weekend. This is a great opportunity for Hobart and the East Region to represent itself well. However, to dlip, there would be no shame in a loss to UST. dlip has a ton of respect for the UST program as a whole.