FB: Liberty League

[ITH radio]

Seems fair to me. Pressure's on HOB to finally get back to the level they had in 2014. This roster is strong but there's no Tyre Coleman's or Ali Marpet's on it, even if the QB and WR combos are superior.

SLU is a big X factor due to how many guys they graduated. Coach Puck is a great recruiter so there's likely a full cupboard of talent ready to step up. While I still think RPI could be higher, Union's new schedule may help them to a better overall record. Engineers have some tough OOC games like Buff St, Alfred and WNE on the schedule, not to mention the annual Transit Trophy game vs. WPI (who has some big shoes to fill at QB & WR, but bring back a lot of guys including LL ROTY Sean McAllen).

[ITH radio]

Hard to believe this is what transpired in late 2015. Remember hearing about it but had no idea it was this bad:

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19760676/university-rochester-football-player-kidnapped-tortured-40-hours

[Ron Boerger]

How sad and pathetic - and shocking.

[Bombers798891]

Pre Summer Rankings:

1. Hobart
2. Ithaca
3. SLU
4. Union
5. RPI
6. Rochester

Boy, I don't know if I can put Ithaca at 2. Look, I'm fully on Team Swanstrom, and I think they're going to get really good, really fast. But this is a team that is probably going to play a lot of freshmen on offense, including at QB (I'm just making an educated guess based on his comments about the type of offense he wants to run and the Bombers' existing roster, which was built around a different offense).

Lot to ask.

[ITH radio]

I agree with you Bombers. Maybe if Shafer had one more year...

[Bombers798891]

In some ways, it's probably for the best he's gone. I liked Shafer; he worked real hard, and he improved a lot. But he also ran Mike Welch's offense, which is not Dan Swanstrom's. I don't think it's a matter of skill as much as it is fit. The Bombers might be better off just being able to bring in a freshman and have him get the 1st team reps right away

[ITH radio]

Fair enough. Who do you think is the likely successor at QB? My guess is Swanstrom will run a more open, pass focused offense like he did at JHU.

[Bombers798891]

Fair enough. Who do you think is the likely successor at QB? My guess is Swanstrom will run a more open, pass focused offense like he did at JHU.

If Welch were coming back, Adam Fron would be my guess. Welch has had success with first-time senior starters (Rob Zappia comes to mind...and that was going to be the plan with Grastorf and Dempsey had injuries not happened).

But I think you're right that Swanstrom's going to totally retool the offense, and I'd just assume he and Mike looked for different things from QBs. So I'd think it has to be a freshman—though playing a guessing game on a specific person is not something I can do. (Again, I think Fron is a capable QB, but he might be Welch's capable QB.)

To me, the more interesting question is what will happen with the rest of the offense. Welch liked to use fullbacks in his offense, for example (Yule and Hellmkamp combined for 33 catches). But that also left him thin at WR. After Zazzara and Gladney, your next two WRs who are returning are Bauer (16 catches, 143 yards) and Capozzi (4 catches, 39 yards). So you wonder, if he goes 4/5 WR, will you see freshmen there?

The line is another interesting question. Just as an example, they started three sophomores, a junior, and a senior against Cortland. Continuity with line play can be a big positive. But the line had troubles at times last year (40 sacks on 297 dropbacks*). So again, you just don't know what Swanstrom's thinking.

*Yes, I know sacks are not just on OL.

It's just going to be unpredictable until we see them against Alfred

[dlippiel]

Pre Summer Rankings:

1. Hobart
2. Ithaca
3. SLU
4. Union
5. RPI
6. Rochester

Interesting 6 (dlip can't wait until there is 8 again!)

RPI certainly does have a tough OOC and dlip doesn't know exactly what to expect from from SLU and IC.

dlip thinks Union will improve, but the improvement will continue to be gradual (especially with losses on the O-line) and hopefully his beloved Dutchmen gain some momentum with their non world beater OOC schedule (which dlip loves at this point, BTW). Looking forward to another great season of LL football. dlip will think about his 6 and post them soon. He has to do a little more research before posting.

[Bombers798891]

Sometimes, I think it'd be cool to merge the LL and E8 boards, given all the crossover between the two conferences

[Bartman]

Sometimes, I think it'd be cool to merge the LL and E8 boards, given all the crossover between the two conferences

Agree with this...the more common scheduling the better, IMO....Ithaca has a great schedule this year with 9 games with LL/E8 ending with the Cortaca Jug....good luck with the new coach and your first LL season...however, looking to break the Butterfield curse this year......having played against a Butterfield coached team, they were always well prepared and played to the end of the whistle( I know..... I was double teamed and think I ended up in Cortland at the end of the play)...total respect....but , would like to have a Cragg coached team leave the same impression on the Bombers this year

[Bartman]

Latest rankings of NFL Olines quoted:

"Ali Marpet is a star in the making after finishing as the 13th-highest-graded guard in the league in his sophomore campaign, and his transition to center could pay dividends."

Good luck Ali...stay healthy and 2 more years to a serious payday and hopefully a Giants signing...the BIG BLUE need him

[ITH radio]

Doubt the Bucs let him walk if he keeps producing the way he has been, but selfishly I'd like to see him stay in Tampa bc it's close by and easy to get to see him play in person. What will be interesting is what happens in the next couple of years as the Glazer's will have to spend big bucks to keep the core of Winston (who'll probably earn a Carr-type of deal), Evans, Alexander, etc. intact. Plus guys like Pamphile are in contract years, so Licht is probably closely looking at the cap and how to fit everyone under it.

Interesting stuff on IC. I'm looking forward to speaking with Coach Swanstrom sometime next month, although like most coaches, I'm guessing he'll keep his cards close to chest.

[Bartman]

Doubt the Bucs let him walk if he keeps producing the way he has been, but selfishly I'd like to see him stay in Tampa bc it's close by and easy to get to see him play in person. What will be interesting is what happens in the next couple of years as the Glazer's will have to spend big bucks to keep the core of Winston (who'll probably earn a Carr-type of deal), Evans, Alexander, etc. intact. Plus guys like Pamphile are in contract years, so Licht is probably closely looking at the cap and how to fit everyone under it.

Interesting stuff on IC. I'm looking forward to speaking with Coach Swanstrom sometime next month, although like most coaches, I'm guessing he'll keep his cards close to chest.

Selfishly ....Mara's boys need Ali....the NY press would love him....nice Jewish boy, son of rock singer and fashion exec that doesn't carry a gun in his sweats or blows his fingers off with fireworks...and possible former Whitfoot poster to D3 boards(who remembers that accusation following the Wittenberg playoff game)

[dlippiel]

Top teams from LL and E8 that do not make the NCAA tourney will face off in the annual NYS Bowl game. The home site will alternate between the LL school and E8 school each year. The first Bowl will be hosted by the LL participant. Dlip thinks this is a ****ing GREAT idea and thinks it may prove to be a start of the conferences getting closer together.

http://www.empire8.com/news/2017/6/27/football-empire-8-liberty-league-announce-nys-bowl-game.aspx