FB: Liberty League

[Jonny Utah]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

So far this season:

NCC play selection: 65.6% Run and 34.4% Pass (492 Run Plays / 258 Pass Plays / 750 Total Plays).

NCC yardage output: 53.4% Run and 46.6% Pass (3,407 Run Yards / 2,972 Pass Yards / 6,379 Total Yards)

Average of 8.51 yards / play

I'm not impressed. What was their TOP?

32:08:55

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear says without TOP data placed strategically into your argument you won't get ****ing far here...

[Machiavelli]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

So far this season:

NCC play selection: 65.6% Run and 34.4% Pass (492 Run Plays / 258 Pass Plays / 750 Total Plays).

NCC yardage output: 53.4% Run and 46.6% Pass (3,407 Run Yards / 2,972 Pass Yards / 6,379 Total Yards)

Average of 8.51 yards / play

I'm not impressed. What was their TOP?

32:08:55

Big bullies hanging 80+ on teams and only getting that shmuck looking TOP?

[IC798891]

I'm trying to think of the last team at any level to run some sort of triple option and win a national championship.  It looks like Georgia Southern won it in 2000 running your true flexbone triple option like Salisbury and Springfield run.  But even Ithaca (and looks like Wisconsin LaCrosse in 1992) ran that two back veer look back in the 1980s, it was not your flexbone option.

And by 1991, IC had added a big downfield passing component to their offense. In fact, their top flanked, Nick Ismailoff, averaged 10 catches and 150 yards a game in that playoff run, including 193 yards in the Stagg Bowl.

*If you used current NCAA rules to calculate his season totals, Ismailoff would have had 1,435 yards in 13 games, which would still be a program record. By a lot.

Butterfield was able to adapt, and they probably don't win the 1991 Stagg Bowl without that downfield passing game

[Jonny Utah]

I'm trying to think of the last team at any level to run some sort of triple option and win a national championship.  It looks like Georgia Southern won it in 2000 running your true flexbone triple option like Salisbury and Springfield run.  But even Ithaca (and looks like Wisconsin LaCrosse in 1992) ran that two back veer look back in the 1980s, it was not your flexbone option.

And by 1991, IC had added a big downfield passing component to their offense. In fact, their top flanked, Nick Ismailoff, averaged 10 catches and 150 yards a game in that playoff run, including 193 yards in the Stagg Bowl.

*If you used current NCAA rules to calculate his season totals, Ismailoff would have had 1,435 yards in 13 games, which would still be a program record. By a lot.

Butterfield was able to adapt, and they probably don't win the 1991 Stagg Bowl without that downfield passing game

Yea I think a lot of teams were still running that offense back then.  A few I formation teams but still many running that veer option with passing and sprint out passing.

[Next Man Up]

Any RPI fans visiting beautiful downtown NaPPerville this weekend?

[Bartman]

Copied from another board:

HansenRatings has the following for this weekend:

MHB v Linfield +5
North Central v RPI +36
Mt Union v Muhlenberg +11.5
UWW v Central +6

As a reminder last week he had NCC -19 (they won by 14), Wheaton -1 (lost by 2), Mt Union -13 (won by 10), UWW -31.

Ouch.

Bartman is very happy that the Engineers have represented the LL so well. They have done it with very good defense and timely offense. On paper, the game tomorrow against North Central is a blow out, as  Hansen, Massey and I'm sure the D3football.com experts will predict.
      NOT SO FAST, Bartman is putting his 41-5 record picking every LL game this year on the line ......for whatever reason these RPI fifth year seniors have survived every challenge this season and I'm sure they will not be intimidated by the previous scores  and ranking of this incredible ,best in the land, reigning champion Cardinals.The key to the game will be the NC offense and whether they can reach the lofty scoring levels they have achieved in so many games this year. It will be interesting to see how NC choses to start the first couple of series.  I think if the Cardinals have a high mix of the run , they will find out that the RPI front seven are equal to the best they have faced this year...whether that will be good enough for an upset, only the game will tell. However, the Cardinal passing game is what makes this balanced offense work. The RPI secondary is very smart and the coaching staff is fairly sophisticated(in the world of D3)and I think they will show some looks that might be challenging for NC.  I don't think RPI can consistently stop the Cardinals , but a couple of interceptions could make a difference( to have any chance RPI needs a +4 in turnovers to win). The Engineer offense is steady but Marinopoulus will need the game of his life to stay in it tomorrow, and he seems to rise when called upon.
        So does RPI even have a chance? If you simply look at the size of the teams they are comparable. If you look at experience , the RPI team's fifth year seniors have as much as any Eastern team can have. Obviously, the Cardinals have the ultimate experience and confidence in being the reigning Champs. As far as strength, skills and execution, the Cardinals must have the edge otherwise they wouldn't be where they are. To win, the Engineers will need to be perfect and have a +4 in turnovers . In that case I would be predicting a 24-21 victory for the Engineers and an earth shattering upset. While Bartman's heart is with the the Engineers and all they've been through with Covid restrictions at RPI, my head tells me the best the RPI defense will do is hold the Cardinals to 6 scores, which leads me to a 38-17 prediction. I hope I'm wrong and the +4 turnover prediction comes to pass. I know one thing, that this LL team will give it their best effort. GO ENGINEERS!

[UfanBill]

Any RPI fans visiting beautiful downtown NaPPerville this weekend?

As mentioned in the "D3 In The Huddle" podcast at the 34:35 mark...https://www.facebook.com/D3Huddle/videos/440842084285467 ... RPI is running at least one fan bus to Napperville...plus I'd expect a good contingent of parents, alumni and former players.

[unionpalooza]

Best of luck to the Engineers today.  On paper this is a blowout but there is a little bit of magic to this RPI team.  I just don't see them scoring enough to take a run at the upset but I would not be surprised if they make the NCC offense look human. 

Usually in these games you seethe real difference in caliber on the o and d lines, where the Midwest superprograms reallydisyinguish themselves.  And NCC's has been offense.  But on paper, they don't look big at all; anyone have a sense of their secret?  Just supremely physically and well coached?

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear wishing RPI tons of ****ing luck today. Ice hoping for the Engineers best today and he knows that's what they'll put forth, regardless of the outcome. Ice Bear is very high on this Engineer team, not just based on their record, but based on their character and all the adversity they have overcome. Ice could not be more ****ing proud of this team from top to bottom. Ice says, in all honesty once again, this is one die hard Union fan this Engineer program has won over. Go ****ing get'um RPI! You've done the LL proud!

[Machiavelli]

How is RPI's d-line supposed to do anything with that many fat f'ing sweaty hairy gross bellies hanging out of the red O-line jerseys? Disgusting. Think about the kids that might be watching. They are going to have nightmares and be scarred for life. North Central O-Lineman...get your acts together!

[Machiavelli]

 North Central's coach throws a hissy fit and then the refs take over and hand a bull sh1t penalty on 4th and f'ing 50, give a first down, and NCC takes a 28-6 lead. I'm disgusted. F'ing refs always trying to be important. I'm done. What a joke.

[Machiavelli]

In a true football take, Greenfield is a beast. Pretty much has been unstoppable. Outside of that, NCC is very good, but I expected more. I don't think RPI is overmatched anywhere else on the field, other than stopping 1 guy and some zebra shirts.

[Bartman]

Many penalties on both teams, not all well called. Last one was after the interception and  was bad call against RPI, which gave NCC one more TD. Realistically, without RPI getting turnovers and Marinopolous having a perfect game, this was expected. NCC is very good , but RPI is not intimidated physically. Too big a scoring gap to make up in the second half, but hopefully RPI can win the second half.

[Machiavelli]

And whoever dinged my karma, I got 2 big middle finger freedom rockets you can shove right up your ass. Sorry for telling it like it is.