FB: Liberty League

[jmcozenlaw]

Keith's preseason poll / D3 preview is out. Can pick up Street & Smith at most supermarkets. Maybe online too but don't know.

A few observations/comments:

Agree with Del Val as top ranked ER team. A lot of the usual suspects based on 2019 season. Union in at 14 could be a little high given losses to graduation on D, but they deserve to be in preseason Top 25 for sure. Muhlenberg QB Hnatkowsky gets 1st team nod but my preseason Gagliardi favorite is definitely  Kamienski of NCC.

Stunned by the Aggies at #7 and the top ER team (if so, WTH happened to the ER this year???). They lose their starting QB, top 2 RB's, only 2 TE's (including an All-American), their top 2 WR's, starting H-back and 3 out 5 starting offensive linemen. They lose their 4 year starter at PK and their stud punter. On defense, they lose their all-region nose tackle and 3 out of their 4 starting LB's.

I don't know what they know that I don't....................but I really do need to know. Stud recruting class? Stud transfers? Joey G. has one more year and is coming down to bucolic Doylestown? (it's a joke people, just kidding, life is too crazy today, smile, laugh, have a beer, belch........whatever......besides, I know that he is out of eligibility )

Although with him at QB, I might buy a Top 3-5 ER preseason ranking given how much DelVal lost. Hell, I don't even think they win the MAC. It's Stevenson's given what they return.

[ITH radio]

I think it was based on 2019 outcomes vs knowing who's back. To your point, with all those losses to graduation they aren't really the top team on paper. I'm guessing it could be Salisbury, but don't know who they return other than their QB and few others.

Even Union could be questionable with the losses at OLB and DE. Their offense will be one of the best in the ER tho.

Call me biased but I think Hobart has a shot to be a Top 25 team when it's said and done. Returning a ton of talent.

[Oline89]

I am 2 weeks away from getting really excited about the season.  However, Hobart does return a ton of talent on defense, the whole OL, and special teams will remain dominant.  As long as things continue to settle down over the next 2 weeks.......

[ITH radio]

Who takes over at QB is question #1. Good news is the Statesmen have two talented, young RBs (assuming they come back) that should make the new signal callers job a lot easier. My initial thought is Pelletier is probably the guy - his HS film showed a strong arm and good technique. Krewson just seemed to struggle when he did get the rare chances to play.

Robles had a strong HS career down here in Orlando and played with and against a lot of upper divisional talent. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.

Seems like UofR is pulling in a strong class. Give them a couple more seasons and they should be back in the mix.

[jmcozenlaw]

I am 2 weeks away from getting really excited about the season.  However, Hobart does return a ton of talent on defense, the whole OL, and special teams will remain dominant.  As long as things continue to settle down over the next 2 weeks.......

Given what Hobart has coming back vs. DelVal, I'd put Hobart, Union, Brockport, Salisbury and Wesley above DelVal at this point. Possibly even Ithaca.

[Jonny Utah]

Random thought.  It would seem a face shield for helmets would cut exposure risks by a whole hell of a lot. I'm sure the NCAA is ahead of the curve on this but I haven't heard much talk about it when many football camps open up in a few weeks.  Also wondering if the NFL is doing the same?  I know the mask isn't going to be fool proof, but think of a sport like basketball where everyone is breathing literally right on each other.  Almost seems like football is safer than basketball right?  Baseball probably the safest, then football (hockey), then basketball?

[Oline89]

Random thought.  It would seem a face shield for helmets would cut exposure risks by a whole hell of a lot. I'm sure the NCAA is ahead of the curve on this but I haven't heard much talk about it when many football camps open up in a few weeks.  Also wondering if the NFL is doing the same?  I know the mask isn't going to be fool proof, but think of a sport like basketball where everyone is breathing literally right on each other.  Almost seems like football is safer than basketball right?  Baseball probably the safest, then football (hockey), then basketball?

The face shield will be of limited value, maybe stopping some of the droplets from getting into someone's eyes?  The only thing that prevents virus transmission is an N95 mask, and there is no way anyone could play a sport with one of those.  The answer is testing all players to prove no active virus, then daily screenings of temperature, symptoms, etc.  Of course, once you have a cohort of "virus free" players, then the trick is going to be to keep them away from potential carriers.  All this is probably overkill anyway.  Here in PA (which is far more affected than upstate NY), 98% of those who tested positive are over 25 yrs old. 

[ITH radio]

RTd this article yesterday. The cost was higher than I thought, but obviously a D3 team would be a smaller roster than a Power 5 / Pac 12 one:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/01/pac-12-football-in-the-fall-play-ball-says-a-leading-epidemiologist-but-theres-a-caveat/

[Jonny Utah]

RTd this article yesterday. The cost was higher than I thought, but obviously a D3 team would be a smaller roster than a Power 5 / Pac 12 one:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/01/pac-12-football-in-the-fall-play-ball-says-a-leading-epidemiologist-but-theres-a-caveat/

Yea and there is a chance that the tests could get cheaper as time goes on as well. 

[ITH radio]

I agree. I was honestly surprised to see them at the price points listed based on some info I watched from a USC doctor who's been commentating on the virus thru CBS and FB.

[Oline89]

I agree. I was honestly surprised to see them at the price points listed based on some info I watched from a USC doctor who's been commentating on the virus thru CBS and FB.

But from a cost/benefit analysis....is it worth the cost?  The chance of catching the virus in the general public is small, the chance of catching it on a closed campus, with healthy 18-22 yr olds that have already been tested is miniscule.  From a PR/CYA perspective, I get it.  Test as frequently as the epidemiologist says.  From a practical/realist perspective, test once, screen regularly, and if someone becomes symptomatic, re-test the team.

[ITH radio]

Yeah I think that would make more financial (and common) sense at the D3 level.

[Oline89]

I think it was based on 2019 outcomes vs knowing who's back. To your point, with all those losses to graduation they aren't really the top team on paper. I'm guessing it could be Salisbury, but don't know who they return other than their QB and few others.

Even Union could be questionable with the losses at OLB and DE. Their offense will be one of the best in the ER tho.

Call me biased but I think Hobart has a shot to be a Top 25 team when it's said and done. Returning a ton of talent.

Anyone else find it curious that the preseason 1,2 teams are from the same conference?  Unless they meet in the national championship, and the team that lost regular season then wins the championship, isn't it impossible that they end up 1-2?   

[ITH radio]

You mean the CCIW, e.g., NCC and Wheaton, right?

Yeah, I think the fact the Thunder must be bringing back a pretty strong team (and let's be honest, they shouldn't have lost to SJU in that playoff game tbh). While I do think UWW was probably a likely #2 pick given they were the NC runners up, KM must have felt the Warhawks lost enough to graduation to drop them a spot.

SJU being so high post-JE was interesting too. Not sure who they have up there in Collegeville, but wouldn't be surprised if it's another strong QB.

[Pat Coleman]

The two teams which meet in the title game aren't necessarily the two best in the country.