FB: Liberty League

[JacketsPride]

D3 Football article

Good article on U of R.  Whatever happens the next 6 weeks the Yellowjackets are heading in the right direction after years of struggling.  As the toughest academic school in the LL they hope to contend with JHU, CMU and the NEASCAC's for the high academic student-athletes.

No final word on the QB starter for Saturday vs. RPI.  Rose would be preferable but Wise definitely has potential.

[UfanBill]

 Here's my Week #5 picks...I'm 22-3

Union 31 - St. Lawrence 13...I look for the Garnet to rally around their coach and play their best game of the year.

RPI 27 - Rochester 24...The Engineers blew a big opportunity last week. A lesson and it won't happen here.

Mercyhurst 38 - Buffalo St 17...the Lakers have scored against tougher, it's homecoming and they'll do more Saturday. 

Ithaca 24 - Hobart 21...the Bombers have been prepping for their LL opener. No muffed punts.

[ICAlum16]

Union 27 - St. Lawrence 13: SLU can be a tough place to play after some long travel. The score is closer than the game actually is

RPI 22 - Rochester 9: RPI defensive staff puts together a great game plan for the UR rushing attack and RPI wins ugly.

Mercyhurst 42 - Buffalo St 14: I don't know anything about Mercyhurst but if they are are a new FCS team this could be ugly... or not? I really have no idea but still too much for the Bengals.

Ithaca 21 - Hobart 10: Ithaca continues the domination over the Pumpkins and continue to reign supreme over the Finger Lakes. Ithaca defense forces a few turnovers and the offense rides JLO and J Williams to a gritty victory.

[Bartman]

Hoping Coach Drach's medical issues are under control. He did a great job while he coached at Hobart, I know he has high hopes for the Garnet Chargers. Bless Coach Drach and the Union Football faithful.

[unionpalooza]

UFanBill, I'm not sure who trusted you with the details of what a coach may have privately told his players, but don't be surprised if they don't make that mistake again.

[Jonny Utah]

-Endicott is a solid team but clearly is just another team in the LL.  Good for them for scheduling hard games and bringing their program to the next level, but I think things will be coming to a crashing halt this weekend.

Disagree here. It's certainly possible they lose to Hardin-Simmons, but I think they're a legit team — Cortland had a lot more trouble with them last year than they did against a whole lot of "better" teams

Ithaca has maybe the best player in the league with Leonard-Osbourn but he isn't being used the way he needs to be imo.

Agreed completely. 23 carries in two losses blew my mind. I know he's a smaller back, and they're getting Jake Williams carries too. But they need to get him the ball more

-RPI is always solid.  That coaching staff seems to get it done in every aspect of the game.

I've been down on RPI's staff a bit since they handed Ithaca the game last year, and frankly, blew a winnable one this year. They've struggled to execute in crunch time, which is kind of the opposite of the "RPI Magic" we'd come to expect.

1. I didn't want to imply that they aren't a "legit" team.  Just that they are a few bounces away from being 2-2 and probably 2-3 this weekend.  Every LL team would probably be in the same boat.  And last year is last year.  I don't think Cortland is as good, and I don't think the LL is as good in terms of getting to that top tier of national teams.  We can see how it plays out but I just don't see any East team doing what they did last year, Cortland included. 

2. Yea, Ithaca needs to spice of the offense.  In my keyboard hero position, I think Ithaca needs some more 20 or 21 personnel groupings.  Have J L-O and Williams in the game at the same time and run some more RPOs with Williams as the 1 back and Jalen running bubbles or flats.  They have to do something to mix it up more.

3.  About RPI's coaches I was just saying they have built a consistent program there in every aspect of the program.  Sounds like a few head scratching decisions by the HC in recent games from what is being said here but I still think they are top notch overall.

4.  I think Rochester has a magic team this year with the right amount of senior leadership to shock some people.  I bet they go 2-2 vs the Big 4 in the LL.

[Jonny Utah]

Also in the 1st Half vs Curry, Ithaca played three different quarterbacks.  A few plays they had two of them in at the same time.  I didn't follow close enough to figure out how or why they were doing what they did but it did peak my interest.....

[UfanBill]

UFanBill, I'm not sure who trusted you with the details of what a coach may have privately told his players, but don't be surprised if they don't make that mistake again.

Sorry if I overstepped.I deleted what I previously posted but in my defense the information was shared on another page with 240 members specifically to ease concerns in the Union football family not just the team. I disclosed nothing that wasn't already out there.

[Bartman]

Congrats to Rochester in leading the LL in the most important stat TOP, which, no doubt is the main reason for the Yellowjackets turnaround.:
Time of Possession
Index   Team      TIME   AVG/G
1   Rochester   129:18   32:19
2   RPI      125:29   31:22
3   Hobart      119:28   29:52
4   Ithaca      89:33   29:51
5   Union      106:11   26:32
6   St. Lawrence   79:24   26:28
7   Buffalo State   70:20   23:26

[Jonny Utah]

Congrats to Rochester in leading the LL in the most important stat TOP, which, no doubt is the main reason for the Yellowjackets turnaround.:
Time of Possession
Index    Team        TIME    AVG/G
1    Rochester    129:18    32:19
2    RPI        125:29    31:22
3    Hobart        119:28    29:52
4    Ithaca        89:33    29:51
5    Union        106:11    26:32
6    St. Lawrence    79:24    26:28
7    Buffalo State    70:20    23:26

Ithaca needs to pick that up.  IC set a school record for first downs in a game but only beat Curry 30:02 to 29:58 in TOP.  And is that the closest TOP score in LL history?

Also saw a score from Kansas JUCO football where Hutchinson JC beat Ellsworth JC 99-0 but lost in TOP 37:03 to 22:57.

[Bartman]

Congrats to Rochester in leading the LL in the most important stat TOP, which, no doubt is the main reason for the Yellowjackets turnaround.:
Time of Possession
Index    Team        TIME    AVG/G
1    Rochester    129:18    32:19
2    RPI        125:29    31:22
3    Hobart        119:28    29:52
4    Ithaca        89:33    29:51
5    Union        106:11    26:32
6    St. Lawrence    79:24    26:28
7    Buffalo State    70:20    23:26

Ithaca needs to pick that up.  IC set a school record for first downs in a game but only beat Curry 30:02 to 29:58 in TOP.  And is that the closest TOP score in LL history?

Also saw a score from Kansas JUCO football where Hutchinson JC beat Ellsworth JC 99-0 but lost in TOP 37:03 to 22:57.

I'm thinking the average yards per play from scrimmage for Hutchinson was about 15 yards, that really cuts the TOP down. TOP theory/science is imperfect when the talent/skill gap is wide.

[unionpalooza]

UFanBill, I'm not sure who trusted you with the details of what a coach may have privately told his players, but don't be surprised if they don't make that mistake again.

Sorry if I overstepped.I deleted what I previously posted but in my defense the information was shared on another page with 240 members specifically to ease concerns in the Union football family not just the team. I disclosed nothing that wasn't already out there.

.

Yeah I know where you saw it, but that's not a public page, that's for the Union football family.  To be given access is a privilege you should honor. 

[Ice Bear]

Busy week. No scores just picks. Here we go:

Union beats SLU, but I think this is going to be a very close game.

RPI will defeat Rochester. They've ironed out the kinks from some questionable decisions last week.

Mercy... defeats Buff State for all the reasons everyone has already given.

Hobart will beat Ithaca. Close game but not as close as I want to believe. I think Pumpkins blow their seeds on Saturday.

OOC Pick: Endicott gets absolutely taken to the woodshed in Abilene.

[Ice Bear]

UFanBill, I'm not sure who trusted you with the details of what a coach may have privately told his players, but don't be surprised if they don't make that mistake again.

Sorry if I overstepped.I deleted what I previously posted but in my defense the information was shared on another page with 240 members specifically to ease concerns in the Union football family not just the team. I disclosed nothing that wasn't already out there.

.

Yeah I know where you saw it, but that's not a public page, that's for the Union football family.  To be given access is a privilege you should honor. 

Oh settle the **** down.

[Caz Bombers]

You do not lightly besmirch the sacred rituals of one of the greatest college football programs in the greater Schenectady area and simply waltz back into the good social graces of Biff and Muffy.

UFanBill is hereby banished from all wine and cheese gatherings of high Garnet Charger society forevermore!