FB: Liberty League

[unionpalooza]

Multiple source feedback from Hobart-Cortland scrimmage last week was Cortland's offense is outstanding with every weapon you could possibly need from OL, QB,RB and stellar WRs. Hobart D is very strong with 8 returning starters and should keep the Bart close in tough games. Hobart O is still a work in progress on the Oline , but they competed well, with Cortland having an overall  21-14 scoring advantage while starters were in. Hoping this bodes well for Friday night in Alfred .

Good stuff, Bartman; I think that bodes well for 'Bart.  Word is that the Union scrimmage at Hartwick went as expected - starters dominated but were out very quickly.  The defensive front 7 apparently looking particularly strong, and the offensive scheme will be much less mechanical and more open-ended. 

Any other news out of the scrimmages?  IC or RPI?

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear declares that the Union Garnet will be penalized on Saturday for a first ever occurrence. Ice predicts Coach John Poppe gets caught lining up in the LB position dressed as a player no later than the first quarter. 

[Bartman]

Ice Bear declares that the Union Garnet will be penalized on Saturday for a first ever occurrence. Ice predicts Coach John Poppe gets caught lining up in the LB position dressed as a player no later than the first quarter. 

Bartman is concerned that Ice Bear can't control his bromance feelings for Coach Poppe , although he certainly wishes Poppe's Chargers the wattage they need to strike early and often in his coaching debut

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear says well...Buff State put up a whopping 6 last night against Port...

[Caz Bombers]

Ice Bear says well...Buff State put up a whopping 6 last night against Port...

what happened to them between 2017 and 2018? 7 consecutive seasons at .500 or better including that win over UWW...to 2-39 since the start of the 2018 season. Last night was their 25th consecutive loss.

[IC798891]

Big Week 1 matchup for the LL and IC

Lots of talent back for the Bombers this year. Biggest questions are how they'll manage the two new coordinators.

On the roster standpoint, IC will be very good nearly everywhere. The biggest questions are at pass-catcher, where for the third year in a row, the Bombers have graduated their leading receiver.

Julien Deumaga is the leading WR returning. It will be interesting how IC incorporate Jalen Leonard Osborne and Anthony D'Addetta into the offense, as the two sprinters give IC elite speed. I'm interested in if the Bombers use Leonard-Osborne as a pass catcher even more, while giving Jake Williams more of the carries. I really want to see Jon Crowley, a 6-2, 225 pound tight end, more involved in the offense.

[IC798891]

Ice Bear says well...Buff State put up a whopping 6 last night against Port...

what happened to them between 2017 and 2018? 7 consecutive seasons at .500 or better including that win over UWW...to 2-39 since the start of the 2018 season. Last night was their 25th consecutive loss.

Jerry Boyes retired again.

[IC798891]

I mean, he was at the helm in 2018, but the face remains that no one outside of Boyes has done a thing at BSU

Since he arrived, other coaches have gone 17-91.

I suspect at this point, much like Hartwick, football is there largely to help enrollment. The 2023 roster lists 116 players. For a University that has seen a drastic drop of enrollment, and will likely continue to have to fight that as the demographic challenges continue, the ability to have another thing to encourage that many people to attend the university is a big deal (especially since the student body is majority female)

[unionpalooza]

Big Week 1 matchup for the LL and IC

Lots of talent back for the Bombers this year. Biggest questions are how they'll manage the two new coordinators.

On the roster standpoint, IC will be very good nearly everywhere. The biggest questions are at pass-catcher, where for the third year in a row, the Bombers have graduated their leading receiver.

Julien Deumaga is the leading WR returning. It will be interesting how IC incorporate Jalen Leonard Osborne and Anthony D'Addetta into the offense, as the two sprinters give IC elite speed. I'm interested in if the Bombers use Leonard-Osborne as a pass catcher even more, while giving Jake Williams more of the carries. I really want to see Jon Crowley, a 6-2, 225 pound tight end, more involved in the offense.

Curious - how about on the o-line and secondary?  Seemed like they lost a lot there, but you're obviously way way closer. 

[ICAlum16]

Big Week 1 matchup for the LL and IC

Lots of talent back for the Bombers this year. Biggest questions are how they'll manage the two new coordinators.

On the roster standpoint, IC will be very good nearly everywhere. The biggest questions are at pass-catcher, where for the third year in a row, the Bombers have graduated their leading receiver.

Julien Deumaga is the leading WR returning. It will be interesting how IC incorporate Jalen Leonard Osborne and Anthony D'Addetta into the offense, as the two sprinters give IC elite speed. I'm interested in if the Bombers use Leonard-Osborne as a pass catcher even more, while giving Jake Williams more of the carries. I really want to see Jon Crowley, a 6-2, 225 pound tight end, more involved in the offense.

Curious - how about on the o-line and secondary?  Seemed like they lost a lot there, but you're obviously way way closer.

From what I know from following the program and looking at the roster they return starters at Center and LT and the other three spots will be filled with guys that have started multiple games over the course of their careers. It will still take time to gel as a unit but I wouldn't expect a steep drop off, obviously a big test in week 1 with JHU AA DL Luke Schuermann. For the rest of the offense they need to continue to get Deumaga involved. He is a great vertical big play threat as evident by his top 10 catch in Cortaca last year. The offense needs to be a steady dose of Williams and Hines at RB and Osborne playing an all purpose role.

Defensively as I understand in the secondary they have starters returning at the safety position and one of the corner back positions with plenty of experience rotational guys stepping up. I think LB is where the most questions marks are on that defense as they replace last year's LL DPOY and another four year starter at the position (Miles Haynes). Traditionally Ithaca is extremely deep at LB but the lack of experience will be evident early on against good competition.

Week 1 will be the Bombers toughest test of the season and will show us what the 2023 version of IC is all about.

[unionpalooza]

Big Week 1 matchup for the LL and IC

Lots of talent back for the Bombers this year. Biggest questions are how they'll manage the two new coordinators.

On the roster standpoint, IC will be very good nearly everywhere. The biggest questions are at pass-catcher, where for the third year in a row, the Bombers have graduated their leading receiver.

Julien Deumaga is the leading WR returning. It will be interesting how IC incorporate Jalen Leonard Osborne and Anthony D'Addetta into the offense, as the two sprinters give IC elite speed. I'm interested in if the Bombers use Leonard-Osborne as a pass catcher even more, while giving Jake Williams more of the carries. I really want to see Jon Crowley, a 6-2, 225 pound tight end, more involved in the offense.

Curious - how about on the o-line and secondary?  Seemed like they lost a lot there, but you're obviously way way closer.

From what I know from following the program and looking at the roster they return starters at Center and LT and the other three spots will be filled with guys that have started multiple games over the course of their careers. It will still take time to gel as a unit but I wouldn't expect a steep drop off, obviously a big test in week 1 with JHU AA DL Luke Schuermann. For the rest of the offense they need to continue to get Deumaga involved. He is a great vertical big play threat as evident by his top 10 catch in Cortaca last year. The offense needs to be a steady dose of Williams and Hines at RB and Osborne playing an all purpose role.

Defensively as I understand in the secondary they have starters returning at the safety position and one of the corner back positions with plenty of experience rotational guys stepping up. I think LB is where the most questions marks are on that defense as they replace last year's LL DPOY and another four year starter at the position (Miles Haynes). Traditionally Ithaca is extremely deep at LB but the lack of experience will be evident early on against good competition.

Week 1 will be the Bombers toughest test of the season and will show us what the 2023 version of IC is all about.

Good stuff; thanks man.

[Bartman]

Watching real football , how wonderful. Alfred hosted Hobart last night and they represented the Saxon Warriors well in a game that Hobart showed their talent and their early season flaws in a 31-9 victory for Hobart . Hobart walked on the field with an experienced defense having 8 starters returning. The offense had 4 new OL starters a QB that never started, a new TE , a pair of excellent/healthy Senior backs  , some nice WRs returning and a a kicker/punter that is 6'6" and may be the best in the LL.The Hobart Offensive line is a work in progress but gave Rayshawn Boswell and Tim Denham enough holes to gain a combined 172 yards . This group improved throughout the game, but they will need to improve more to prepare for a revenge win against Morrisville,  and certainly to have a  chance against Ithaca in game 4. Last year Hobart had a high number of offsides and procedure calls, the good news is, this group did not.  Colombi at QB was well poised for a first time started, but there were some miscues in the passing game that was either bad routes or passer execution, that must be cleaned up to take pressure off the run game.
     The Defense was challenged by a feisty Alfred squad that featured some beefy men on the OL that protected the QB fairly well and allowed them to gain over 200 yards in the air, but the D shut down the run game holding them to 57 yards and stiffened when it was critical. The refs gave no wiggle room on personal fouls , so the aggressive defense/refs kept Alfred in the game, some were legitimate calls others were questionable. In any case, this must not persist in future games(Hobart 10 penalties for 120 yards).
     Coach DeWall will have many teaching moments when going over the film before the Mustangs game at the Boz on 9/9. But after last year's loss there should be no need to motivate all of the starters that witnessed/participated in the loss to Morrisville in 2022. GO BART.
 

[unionpalooza]

As expected, not a competitive game out at Hilbert - Union takes a 51-0 lead after a first half in which the backups saw plenty of action.

Watching IC-JHU on the other screen, and after a good start Ithaca seems to have faded, down 21-10 at the half.  They've run the ball well, but Wingfield is just 6-14 for 68 yards, and Ithaca's secondary has gotten pretty lit up.  Defense will need to tighten up, and Wingfield play better, if they're going to pull this one. 

[Caz Bombers]

Not sure why anyone thought Ithaca would beat a good team especially on the road, we can only beat East teams not actual football teams lol

[Bartman]

A talented Ithaca squad competed well against a better coached Hopkins team, IMO. Ithaca certainly has the best horses in the LL , but Hopkins certainly proved they belong on the next level. Kudos to IC for the boldness to schedule a team that lets them know where they measure up nationally. Now let's see how they will stack up against a good East team as Endicott defeated SLU 31-0 today.