FB: Liberty League

[D3pc]

Any rumors on a seventh LL Football member? I know we are good until 2018 for auto bid...which realistically LL needs for post season play. Can't wait for some big games this year. Ithaca under the lights in GTown and Larries in Larrytown...... maybe for the title...also hope Union returns to competitiveness of old . Congrats to SLU for making the top 25 in College Football pre-season projection....let's see how the Saints stand up as the team everyone is gunning for....Hobart's dominant run is now officially over . Time for a new run....

Congrats to Statesman alum Jeremy Foley on his retirement as AD of Florida today.....an incredibly successful career ...must be tough giving up 1.2MM per year

I have a bad feeling about a 7th member. On footballscoop, SLU is looking for game to fill empty weeks so they don't have two byes in 2018. I'm sure about certain rules (i.e. if a member joins can you drop the game or not), but it doesn't seem like a good sign.

I'm still not worried about a 7th member, and I think the LL would get a pool B bid every year anyway.  If they don't get a pool B, they probably won't believe it.

As for SLU's missing game, that probably has to do with 3 LL schools leaving.  They should be able to schedule some E8 or MAC teams.

True. My simple math has let me down. All of this conference shuffling in college football at all levels is a joke. I just hope, selfishly, the LL can figure out a solution that works to get back to 8 teams.

[dlippiel]

New turf down on Frank Bailey! Can't wait for the season!

[Bartman]

Any predictions for the season?....The Larries ranked #19 in one National magazine should be early favorites....but they lose some top talent(Leffelbine and Leondre Simmon were once in a generation players) although many starters back ...Hobart loses a few more than SLU but looking forward to a wide open passing game with some great receivers and Sweeney at QB looking for a big breakout season..Barfield out of the backfield will also be electric...defense has enough strong starters back but will miss 2 of the best linebackers ever in Toney and Stanley(only played 4 games last year). Hobart also has a strong First Year group coming in...looking forward to a competitive LL Season...sort of like Brexit the Remainers are looking good in early voting but those Leavers could surprise

[D3pc]

Any predictions for the season?....The Larries ranked #19 in one National magazine should be early favorites....but they lose some top talent(Leffelbine and Leondre Simmon were once in a generation players) although many starters back ...Hobart loses a few more than SLU but looking forward to a wide open passing game with some great receivers and Sweeney at QB looking for a big breakout season..Barfield out of the backfield will also be electric...defense has enough strong starters back but will miss 2 of the best linebackers ever in Toney and Stanley(only played 4 games last year). Hobart also has a strong First Year group coming in...looking forward to a competitive LL Season...sort of like Brexit the Remainers are looking good in early voting but those Leavers could surprise

I feel much of the same. SLU does technically return 19 of 21 starters, but when those two lost are your QB (Lefflebine) and CB (Simmon) that hurts. Even still, the defense should be very good especially up the middle with Brown-Wallace leading the way. Also, the expected QB is an extremely athletic player.

Those two LBs up the middle for Hobart were ANIMALS. Could cover the entire field. If I had to pick right now, I would say SLU returns a little bit more talent, however if Sweeney can continue to improve and stay healthy they can eat anybody. As shown in the 6 TD performance in the last game, he has the ability to be the best offensive player in the league.

Hard for me to say too much about RPI, but based on seniors lost they will have to replace a handful of starts including Co-Offensive POY in Jeff Avery at QB.

[ITH radio]

Early prediction is I see Hobart as improved enough on the OL to take back LL crown but they'll need to survive Brockport and Ithaca in Wks 1 & 3 before we really know what this team is all about. Statesmen have reloaded at LB for years so I'm not worried about the graduation of Toney and DL should be better as well. Secondary may be best group Hobart has had in about 10-15 years.

RPI graduated a lot (Gaddar, Linieri III, Teague, Schlatz, etc) and hard to replace Avery's 15 TD to 1 INT type of production. Isernia has built a strong program in Troy however, so it wouldn't surprise me if RPI is in the mix like last year (they were technically co-champs of the LL). The 9/24 game vs. Saints will set the table for the LL.

SLU does return the most but Simmon was a once in generation player for them - just like Marpet and Coleman were for Hobart. He scored TDs on offense AND defense. Coach Ray was a great defensive coach too so it'll be interesting to see if D plays to same level as they did last season. Getting Vallone back was big for Saints, so it should be BAU in Canton.

That said statistically SLU was interesting last year, especially if you consider that:

Ranked 5th in Total O and D (YPG)
Last in rushing (under 81 YPG) and 7th in rush D
Last in 3rd down conversions (31.4%)

So how'd they win 8 games?

Generated 23 interceptions (Simmon had 6 including one pick six)
36 sacks (best in LL)
James Holley Grisham (LL STPOY) helped give Saints great field position averaging over 21 yards on kickoff returns and over 16 on punt returns (ranked 2nd and 1st in LL, respectively)

Guessing Coach Puck will look to replicate the 244 YPG of passing given lack of running game (whether real or game planned), but Saints will need to develop a new deep threat. Ferraro did a great job as a SO catching 6 TDs but will his production drop w/o teams having to account for Leondre?

Gallagher is a great TE (and occasional wildcat QB), but I think it'll come down to if Richardson is as good as he looked in the Mount game (but again, his TDs were to Simmon). The defense and ST will keep them in games, but it'll depend on whether or not a one dimensional O can generate enough points with a first time starting QB running the show.

Saints also need to play better on the road. They were 3-3 last season (well, say 3-2 bc no one beat Mount). Fortunately as luck would have it, they host Hobart in Week 10.

There were a lot of "upsets" in 2015 so it'll be interesting to see if teams like WPI, SC, USMMA, etc. create a little havoc like they did last season. I do think the WPI Eckler/Ecchler combo will be trouble for a lot of teams and the Engineers could crack the Top 3 if their D holds.

Needless to say, I can't wait for the season to start. Were about 60 days out at this point but who's counting?!

[D3pc]

Obviously anything could happen, but tough to argue against SLU/Hobart being 1-2 this year. RPI always seems to field a very solid team but they do seem to have lost a little bit more than the others.

Which makes the (hypothetical) 3rd spot up for grabs. It was nice to see WPI have a strong season in 2015 and could absolutely create some explosive plays with those two.

This is also the last season of the Liberty League as we know it before major changes. I am interested to see if WPI, SC, and USMMA play with something to prove, or just try to survive and move on to a more winnable conference.

Regarding SLU's offensive situation, i think the running game takes a leap forward due to the speed in the backfield and size from the TEs. Gardiner was arguably the second best TE in the league behind Gallagher. I foresee lots of play-action where the QB actually has the choice to keep the ball and run (Lefflebine rarely did so as it was pre-determined and couldn't afford to get injured), and many mid-range passes to the TEs (also to help with QB confidence).

Hobart's defense really does return a lot of speed. And although losing Stanley for most of the year wasn't a good thing, it did give experience to others. Collier and Jemison will provide tremendous speed and athleticism for the Statesmen. Really can't wait for that game i find it hard to imagine it won't be for the league title. I believe it will come down to whether or not the Saints secondary can slow down Hobart's passing attack, and if the Hobart O-Line can slow the pass rush led by Brown-Wallace.

[Eagle322]

Union football twitter (@UnionCollegeFB) released the 2016 uniforms and all I can say is WOW! The Dutchmen are going to be looking sharp this season between the new uniforms and the new turf out on Frank Bailey Field. Let's see if the old saying "Look good, feel good, play good," rings true!

[ITH radio]

They have a classic look for sure.

50 days until SLU, WPI and SC start the 2016 season, 51 for the rest of the LL save for USMMA and UofR who don't play until 9/10.

[UfanBill]

UNION FOOTBALL...New season, New coach, New field turf, New uniforms, New schemes, New focus...now let's return to the OLD winning ways! Go U!

[D3pc]

http://www.d3football.com/top25/2016/preseason

Hobart, SLU, and RPI all receiving votes but none cracked the pre season top 25. Hobart 'ranked' 28th, SLU 'ranked' 34th, and RPI 'ranked' 42nd.

Pretty much as expected and I honestly am not too upset about not having a team in the top 25. No undefeated records, no playoff wins from last year.

As history shows, the 11 and up spots are really up for grabs, and I really do expect at least one team from the LL to finish in the top 20. Whether it is SLU or Hobart or someone else i do not know. I think RPI gets hurt early with the game against a good Alfred team.

[ITH radio]

thought the rankings were pretty fair. 41 pts for Hobart shows voters see the potential but need to see wins (and a healthy Sweeney) to move them up.

SLU prob got dinged for Simmon and Lefflbine graduations and RPI is unknown post Avery. Still they lost a lot to graduation in 14 and had a great 15 but that was also bc of Avery coming back.

Should be interesting season to say the least.

[dlippiel]

UNION FOOTBALL...New season, New coach, New field turf, New uniforms, New schemes, New focus...now let's return to the OLD winning ways! Go U!

Right with you Bill! New helmets as well (all white, including the face mask with the same U on the side). Coaching staff is incredibly impressive in it's own right and I have heard that the players are excited about 2016. Dlip is super ****ing excited to say the least.

[Bartman]

http://www.d3football.com/top25/2016/preseason

Hobart, SLU, and RPI all receiving votes but none cracked the pre season top 25. Hobart 'ranked' 28th, SLU 'ranked' 34th, and RPI 'ranked' 42nd.

Pretty much as expected and I honestly am not too upset about not having a team in the top 25. No undefeated records, no playoff wins from last year.

As history shows, the 11 and up spots are really up for grabs, and I really do expect at least one team from the LL to finish in the top 20. Whether it is SLU or Hobart or someone else i do not know. I think RPI gets hurt early with the game against a good Alfred team.

I think it will come down to the Saints and Statesman game for the championship, but neither of these teams will steam roll thru the LL and are vulnerable to upsets ...especially any team that has sharp new uniforms like the Dutchmen.... what, no wooden shoes?

[Eagle322]

RPI OC Daryle Weiss has accepted a new position as the head coach of Caldwell University's new Sprint Football program. Looks like they'll be launching in '17. Should be interesting to watch the colorful OL coach teaching 160 pounders to play guard & tackle!

[ITH radio]

I read that too. Happy for him but leaves Coach I in a tough spot with camp starting in about 2 weeks. Will be curious to see what develops.