FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

UfanBill,
      Good luck to the Dutchmen and congratulations on the preseason poll. Apologies for the bad intelligence on Bellamy's return....I guess it was just wishful on Bartman's part. There is no question that Union is the favorite in the LL race, but lots of time for the Statesmen to mature over the season before pulling into Frank Bailey on 10/30. 
      Keeping healthy will be key for all of the teams, so hopefully the boys took their 2 year off season work outs seriously . The first years and the sophmores are total wild cards for each team, and hopefully we will see some great new talent in the league as they all are like stallions that have been kept out of the college racetrack for two years. Can't wait to watch Hobart play the Alfred Saxon's on Friday night 9/3 in Mayberry and see the racehorses on the field. A great test and barameter for both teams.

[Oline89]

Hot summer day in Geneva yesterday, and guess what....there was football on the field and fans in the stands!  The Statesmen hosted Brockport in a controlled scrimmage.  As is typical, this was basically a chance to hit someone other than your own teammate.  Hobart has some weapons on offense, lots of very fast athletic kids, strong tightends, QB looks confident.  The defense returns 10/11 starters (2-3 were in shorts yesterday). Overall, the BP Oline looks big and skilled, plus there is one WR (#1 I think) with breakout speed.  Anyway, D3 football is back!!!

[Bartman]

Hot summer day in Geneva yesterday, and guess what....there was football on the field and fans in the stands!  The Statesmen hosted Brockport in a controlled scrimmage.  As is typical, this was basically a chance to hit someone other than your own teammate.  Hobart has some weapons on offense, lots of very fast athletic kids, strong tightends, QB looks confident.  The defense returns 10/11 starters (2-3 were in shorts yesterday). Overall, the BP Oline looks big and skilled, plus there is one WR (#1 I think) with breakout speed.  Anyway, D3 football is back!!!

Oline,
     +k for the first scouting report of the season.   

[MUC57]

Good luck to all you Liberty Leaguers on the coming season. Maybe see you in the playoffs? Go LL! 

[Ice Bear]

All across the Liberty League THE BOYS ARE BACK.

Union has published it's 2021 Roster https://unionathletics.com/sports/football/roster/2021...and it's got a ton of unfamiliar names. After all, there are 2 recruiting classes that have joined the Dutchmen since they last played a game on 11/30/2019 in the NCAA playoffs. The 2020 recruits spent last fall practicing with the LL champs and the 2021 newbies are in town now. While it will be exciting to see what the next generation of Dutchmen can do, it's the veterans returning (and those that did not) that really catch my attention.

2020 seniors that have taken advantage of the Covid 5th year opportunity are headlined by QB Will Bellamy (yes Bartman he's back), LB Colin Lama, DT Daniel Gioioso, OT Chris Katchadurian and WR Will Sirmon...Notably absent is All American C Ryan Ehrets along with starters OL Teddy Hood, TE Spenser Crystal, CB Travis Demby, DE Dante Scott, S Mark Zazzaro, CB Brandon Scadlock and K Marcos Rodriguez. Sad that they missed their senior year but they went out champions.   

The Dutchmen also bring back stars RB Ike Irabor and WR Andre Ross Jr. as well as all league performers S Austin St.Pierre and RB Joe Ferreira. What you'll see from the Dutchmen this season will be a team led by experienced stars and supplemented by talented new comers.

As for whether Union will be fan friendly this season? The Dutchmen website is actively promoting the sale of season tickets so let's...
FIRE THE CANNON

Ice Bear says great write up Ufan. Ice is very excited for this upcoming season as his beloved Garnet are projected as being top of the LL. We'll see what happens but we certainly have some talent. Interested to see how the D comes together this season. +k

[Ice Bear]

Good luck to all you Liberty Leaguers on the coming season. Maybe see you in the playoffs? Go LL! 

Ice Bear says thank you...

Ice Bear says +k

[Bartman]

Good luck to all you Liberty Leaguers on the coming season. Maybe see you in the playoffs? Go LL! 

MUC57....thanks for the well wishes....5 years ago a young Purple Raiders team invaded The Boz in the first round of the playoffs(imagine a LL team getting home field in the first round against the mighty Raiders) ...it was tied 21-21 in the third quarter but Mount Union showed their pedigree and pulled away before getting on the bus. I remember making a few posts on the rival board before that game and getting many unfriendly dings from other Raider faithful just for my insights. We are much friendlier here on the LL board....so here's a +k for you MUC57 and stop by anytime before the playoffs

[MUC57]

Good luck to all you Liberty Leaguers on the coming season. Maybe see you in the playoffs? Go LL! 

MUC57....thanks for the well wishes....5 years ago a young Purple Raiders team invaded The Boz in the first round of the playoffs(imagine a LL team getting home field in the first round against the mighty Raiders) ...it was tied 21-21 in the third quarter but Mount Union showed their pedigree and pulled away before getting on the bus. I remember making a few posts on the rival board before that game and getting many unfriendly dings from other Raider faithful just for my insights. We are much friendlier here on the LL board....so here's a +k for you MUC57 and stop by anytime before the playoffs

Bartman

Thanks for the kind words and apologies for some of our posters. You see in my signature that I close with, "Go Everybody". Of course, as a Mount Union grad, I bleed purple. The Raiders are my team. However; I love Dlll football. I enjoy seeing all our teams play well. Let's battle it out on the field and may the best teams survive. I really mean Go Everybody!

By the way, I always read your posts. They make for good reading and are often very informative.   

[UfanBill]

Union scrimmaged Hartwick today and all went as expected for the Dutchmen. QB Will Bellamy played 2 series and got them into the endzone after stalling out on the first drive. Ike Irabor had 2 carries for 14 yards and that was it for him. WR Andre Ross Jr. did not dress in what hopefully is a precautionary decision. Union played it's entire roster as you would expect with a lot of the young guys looking great. New names to watch for are #5 WR Robbie Tolbert and #34 RB Michael Fiore who both looked potentially special. Plenty of quality depth from the O and D line, LBs and secondary but it's the WR group and RBs that look most impressive. Want a score 35-0 ... with the Union 2nd team Defense stopping Hartwick's starters in a goal line stand...On a down note, 2019 2nd team LL All Star RB Joe Ferreira is injured and out for the season. Griff Wallner, Conor McVey and the aforementioned Fiore look to be very capable in his stead.   

A quick word about Hartwick...Good O-line and skill position players as usual. Without a published roster I can't identify but #4 at QB(a lefty) and #14 at RB were outstanding. They'll score but can they stop anybody? Typical for the Hawks.       

[ITH radio]

LL preview is up:

https://libertyleagueathletics.com/news/2021/8/27/2021-liberty-league-football-season-preview.aspx

[goState]

Nice preview but I think Buff State are the Bengals not Tigers.

[AUPepBand]

Nice preview but I think Buff State are the Bengals not Tigers.

Good catch....Pep knew something wasn't right. But then, dem cats are only associate members. Seems like just yesterday that Buffalo State's Bengals went out to Perkins Stadium and knocked off the three-time defending national champion Warhawks, 7-6. Pep remembers all the poster applause for Boyes just having the nerve to go schedule Whitewater. Of course, Pep suggested that the team would not only play UW-Whitewater, but BEAT them on their own field just a week before facing Alfred in their Empire 8 Conference debut, where the Saxons would bring them back to earth.

Sept. 15, 2012: Buffalo State 7, UW-Whitewater 6 on a last second Buffalo State TD pass. (Pep watched online in the library....)

Sept. 22, 2012: Alfred 41, Buffalo State 17 as Chuck Beckwith came off the bench and ran for 3 TDs and 177 yards on 8 carries in the second half after the Bengals were ahead 10-7 at halftime.

Pep misses the trips to Buffalo State. Before that, there was games with Canisius, and farther back yet, Alfred and University of Buffalo were rivals.

On Saxon Warriors!

[UfanBill]

If you haven't seen it yet the boys at D3football.com have come up with predictions for the upcoming season...https://www.d3football.com/notables/2021/08/20-questions Nice job Pat and crew. 

[Oline89]

Wednesday of game week, and still no LL predictions?  I will give it a go.

Sep. 3   Hobart        Alfred     So tough to predict this one, Hobart D will be outstanding, but the O is a complete mystery.  QB? Oline?  Going with a defensive battle and special teams to Hobart   , 20-14 Hobart   
Sep. 4   St. Lawrence        Endicott   I like Endicott this year, 35-21     
   Bridgewater State        Ithaca   Bombers come off firing off the line at home, 42-14 
   Morrisville State        Union  Union offense remains dominant, despite some early season rust, 42-21        
   Montclair State        RPI     Tough travelling north for the NJAC team, but no fans in the stands should help.  Going with MSU, 28-14   
   St. John Fisher        Buffalo State   Don't know anything about either team, maybe it's Buf St year?  Bengals win 21-14     
   Case Western Reserve        Rochester     Ugly early, CWRU wins 35-7   

[Caz Bombers]

Wednesday of game week, and still no LL predictions?  I will give it a go.

Sep. 3   Hobart        Alfred     So tough to predict this one, Hobart D will be outstanding, but the O is a complete mystery.  QB? Oline?  Going with a defensive battle and special teams to Hobart   , 20-14 Hobart   
Sep. 4   St. Lawrence        Endicott   I like Endicott this year, 35-21     
   Bridgewater State        Ithaca   Bombers come off firing off the line at home, 42-14 
   Morrisville State        Union  Union offense remains dominant, despite some early season rust, 42-21        
   Montclair State        RPI     Tough travelling north for the NJAC team, but no fans in the stands should help.  Going with MSU, 28-14   
   St. John Fisher        Buffalo State   Don't know anything about either team, maybe it's Buf St year?  Bengals win 21-14     
   Case Western Reserve        Rochester     Ugly early, CWRU wins 35-7

Fredo, Endo, Bombs, U, Monty, Fish, Case