FB: Liberty League

[UfanBill]

Just listening to the D3 Football In the Huddle podcast of MTU/NCU and Will Bellamy is a guest of Frank Rossi and James Baker[ Bellamy just disclosed that he suffered a separated shoulder week #4 vs. Springfield. I had heard rumors and suspected that he had a shoulder or rib injury. That explains why the Union offense became so run happy. Bellamy had a great career at Union. It's a shame he wasn't at his best down the stretch.

I posted this back in 2021. Bellamy was definitely not at 100%:

[IC798891]

Just listening to the D3 Football In the Huddle podcast of MTU/NCU and Will Bellamy is a guest of Frank Rossi and James Baker[ Bellamy just disclosed that he suffered a separated shoulder week #4 vs. Springfield. I had heard rumors and suspected that he had a shoulder or rib injury. That explains why the Union offense became so run happy. Bellamy had a great career at Union. It's a shame he wasn't at his best down the stretch.

I posted this back in 2021. Bellamy was definitely not at 100%:

I thought I read it somewhere. Thanks, Bill!

[Jonny Utah]

One thing Swanstrom did do was get the bombers ready for Cortland.  Ithaca had lost to Cortland seven times in a row in Welch's last seven years and Swanstrom won 3 in a row before that odd game at Cortland in 2021.

This strikes me as a bit unfair to Mike. The Bombers lost a lot of weird games to Cortland in that 7 game losing streak. The botched FG is the one people remember, but there was also:

The 2010 game where IC blew at 17-3 lead in part because a punter dropped to one knee to catch a snap and handed Cortland great field position
The 2012 goal line stand
Babin's catch and Boffoli's fumble in 2013
The 2015 game when Ithaca's top 17 receivers were all hurt

I don't think Mike didn't have them prepared. They lost some fluky games, and they had a few where the talent was simply not there (2011 and 2016 notably).

But his teams were always well prepared.

There are only two games in the Welch Era where I thought IC was not ready to play. The 1999 ECAC game against Union, where they no-showed and got embarrassed, and the 2008 playoff game against Curry when IC was almost certainly thinking about a Round 2 rematch with Cortland.

If Mike had a flaw as a coach, I think it was that his best teams — in terms of raw roster talent — tended to underachieve, especially late in games. And by the end, the talent was just not coming in the door.

But give him a solid yet undermanned team — his 1994 team, the 2001 team that had to go on a playoff run with its backup QB, the 2007 team that actually hung with Mount Union for a half, the 2013, and 2014 E8 champs — that was his bread and butter. It sort of made for a frustrating experience at times, but I always thought he had them ready to play

Just is what it is.  I didn't mean to imply that Welch didn't get the team ready (although I did say it).  Bottom line is they lost 7 in a row and then Swanstrom comes in at rips off three in a row.  I was on the 1994 team and Welch is a great man and coach.  He always got us ready to play.  He is all I knew though (Butterfield was there my freshman year)

[tecmobowler]

Welch's teams also tended to have an annual clunker on the road. 2004 at Brockport comes to mind.

[tecmobowler]

Man, that Brockport game looks pretty flukish looking back. Ithaca had 28 first downs to Brockport's 12. 400+ yards to BPorts 250..... I guess four INT's hurt the cause.

[Ice Bear]

Just listening to the D3 Football In the Huddle podcast of MTU/NCU and Will Bellamy is a guest of Frank Rossi and James Baker[ Bellamy just disclosed that he suffered a separated shoulder week #4 vs. Springfield. I had heard rumors and suspected that he had a shoulder or rib injury. That explains why the Union offense became so run happy. Bellamy had a great career at Union. It's a shame he wasn't at his best down the stretch.

I posted this back in 2021. Bellamy was definitely not at 100%:

I thought I read it somewhere. Thanks, Bill!

There was lots of discussion about this between Union fans as that season progressed. Bellamy went from being a very accurate passer with a strong arm to underthrowing receivers and really struggling to complete basic passes he'd been completing for two years. Plus all of a sudden he was running the ball more than ever. According to everything I heard his shoulder was a mess after Springfield. I gave the young man tons of credit as he fought through it to keep playing and leading his team. With that being said, much of the discussion was around the question if it was best for the team to keep going to Bellamy. As the season progressed the Union O became very one dimensional as a result. Maybe Behrman felt Pacatte wasn't ready as a passer yet and really could only offer the same thing Bellamy was bringing to the table at that point, running the ball and inconsistent passing.

I certainly don't pretend to know the answer here. I know I was frustrated during the season and I believe I openly questioned why we continued to go to Bellamy when it was obvious that not only was it not working, but that something was obviously wrong. Upon reflection I still throw my hands up admittedly not knowing. On one hand I really applaud Berhman's loyalty to Bellamy and on the other I wonder if that loyalty cost the team? Either way I really feel grateful to have had Bellamy behind center for the U.

[unionpalooza]

Just listening to the D3 Football In the Huddle podcast of MTU/NCU and Will Bellamy is a guest of Frank Rossi and James Baker[ Bellamy just disclosed that he suffered a separated shoulder week #4 vs. Springfield. I had heard rumors and suspected that he had a shoulder or rib injury. That explains why the Union offense became so run happy. Bellamy had a great career at Union. It's a shame he wasn't at his best down the stretch.

I posted this back in 2021. Bellamy was definitely not at 100%:

I thought I read it somewhere. Thanks, Bill!

There was lots of discussion about this between Union fans as that season progressed. Bellamy went from being a very accurate passer with a strong arm to underthrowing receivers and really struggling to complete basic passes he'd been completing for two years. Plus all of a sudden he was running the ball more than ever. According to everything I heard his shoulder was a mess after Springfield. I gave the young man tons of credit as he fought through it to keep playing and leading his team. With that being said, much of the discussion was around the question if it was best for the team to keep going to Bellamy. As the season progressed the Union O became very one dimensional as a result. Maybe Behrman felt Pacatte wasn't ready as a passer yet and really could only offer the same thing Bellamy was bringing to the table at that point, running the ball and inconsistent passing.

I certainly don't pretend to know the answer here. I know I was frustrated during the season and I believe I openly questioned why we continued to go to Bellamy when it was obvious that not only was it not working, but that something was obviously wrong. Upon reflection I still throw my hands up admittedly not knowing. On one hand I really applaud Berhman's loyalty to Bellamy and on the other I wonder if that loyalty cost the team? Either way I really feel grateful to have had Bellamy behind center for the U.

Yeah, this is why I said I don't really think we'll ever know the whole story.  I don't know how bad the injury was, nor how much that was a part of his struggles, nor how much the coaching staff did/didn't know about it.  All I know is that was a very talented team that limped to the end of the season because they couldn't throw the ball and were completely one-dimensional, and Behrman should have at least explored what he had in Pacatte.  I don't give out points for coach loyalty - they are 100 guys on a squad, and you owe it to all of them to put the team in the best position to win, even if that means benching a fifth-year guy.

The lack of next man up thinking also killed us the next year, when Pacatte went down and it turned out Behrman was completely wrong about who his second-best quarterback was, and a second-half meltdown v. Utica turned into a full late season meltdown.  That again seems to have been a function of giving the QB2 slot to a fifth-year senior rather than a much better freshman.  In football, as in much of life, sentimentality kills.

[IC798891]

Man, that Brockport game looks pretty flukish looking back. Ithaca had 28 first downs to Brockport's 12. 400+ yards to BPorts 250..... I guess four INT's hurt the cause.

Mike always said that was his best team ever. And while the Fisher loss is what people remember the Brockport game is the one that really hurt. They were better than Brockport, and led 20-7 at the half.

What tended to bug people about Welch's teams was that it always seemed like there was someone he couldn't beat. Buff State beat them five times in a row, and both Fisher and Cortland beat him 7 times. And pretty much all of those losses cost them a playoff spot. For people who grew up with Butterfield, the idea of some team just owning IC bothered then.

[IC798891]

Yeah, this is why I said I don't really think we'll ever know the whole story.  I don't know how bad the injury was, nor how much that was a part of his struggles, nor how much the coaching staff did/didn't know about it.  All I know is that was a very talented team that limped to the end of the season because they couldn't throw the ball and were completely one-dimensional, and Behrman should have at least explored what he had in Pacatte.  I don't give out points for coach loyalty - they are 100 guys on a squad, and you owe it to all of them to put the team in the best position to win, even if that means benching a fifth-year guy.

The lack of next man up thinking also killed us the next year, when Pacatte went down and it turned out Behrman was completely wrong about who his second-best quarterback was, and a second-half meltdown v. Utica turned into a full late season meltdown.  That again seems to have been a function of giving the QB2 slot to a fifth-year senior rather than a much better freshman.  In football, as in much of life, sentimentality kills.

Brockport is evidence of this right now.

Senior Todd Simonds threw 5 TDS last year, and 0 in two games this year.

Brockport made the switch to a first-year player, who has already thrown 12 in six games. It's completely flipped the script of their season. I would want no part of them at all, and I think they're going to beat Cortland this week and make a run in the playoffs.

[Ice Bear]

Just listening to the D3 Football In the Huddle podcast of MTU/NCU and Will Bellamy is a guest of Frank Rossi and James Baker[ Bellamy just disclosed that he suffered a separated shoulder week #4 vs. Springfield. I had heard rumors and suspected that he had a shoulder or rib injury. That explains why the Union offense became so run happy. Bellamy had a great career at Union. It's a shame he wasn't at his best down the stretch.

I posted this back in 2021. Bellamy was definitely not at 100%:

I thought I read it somewhere. Thanks, Bill!

There was lots of discussion about this between Union fans as that season progressed. Bellamy went from being a very accurate passer with a strong arm to underthrowing receivers and really struggling to complete basic passes he'd been completing for two years. Plus all of a sudden he was running the ball more than ever. According to everything I heard his shoulder was a mess after Springfield. I gave the young man tons of credit as he fought through it to keep playing and leading his team. With that being said, much of the discussion was around the question if it was best for the team to keep going to Bellamy. As the season progressed the Union O became very one dimensional as a result. Maybe Behrman felt Pacatte wasn't ready as a passer yet and really could only offer the same thing Bellamy was bringing to the table at that point, running the ball and inconsistent passing.

I certainly don't pretend to know the answer here. I know I was frustrated during the season and I believe I openly questioned why we continued to go to Bellamy when it was obvious that not only was it not working, but that something was obviously wrong. Upon reflection I still throw my hands up admittedly not knowing. On one hand I really applaud Berhman's loyalty to Bellamy and on the other I wonder if that loyalty cost the team? Either way I really feel grateful to have had Bellamy behind center for the U.

Yeah, this is why I said I don't really think we'll ever know the whole story.  I don't know how bad the injury was, nor how much that was a part of his struggles, nor how much the coaching staff did/didn't know about it.  All I know is that was a very talented team that limped to the end of the season because they couldn't throw the ball and were completely one-dimensional, and Behrman should have at least explored what he had in Pacatte.  I don't give out points for coach loyalty - they are 100 guys on a squad, and you owe it to all of them to put the team in the best position to win, even if that means benching a fifth-year guy.

The lack of next man up thinking also killed us the next year, when Pacatte went down and it turned out Behrman was completely wrong about who his second-best quarterback was, and a second-half meltdown v. Utica turned into a full late season meltdown.  That again seems to have been a function of giving the QB2 slot to a fifth-year senior rather than a much better freshman.  In football, as in much of life, sentimentality kills.

Very well said Palooza. +k

[Ice Bear]

Yeah, this is why I said I don't really think we'll ever know the whole story.  I don't know how bad the injury was, nor how much that was a part of his struggles, nor how much the coaching staff did/didn't know about it.  All I know is that was a very talented team that limped to the end of the season because they couldn't throw the ball and were completely one-dimensional, and Behrman should have at least explored what he had in Pacatte.  I don't give out points for coach loyalty - they are 100 guys on a squad, and you owe it to all of them to put the team in the best position to win, even if that means benching a fifth-year guy.

The lack of next man up thinking also killed us the next year, when Pacatte went down and it turned out Behrman was completely wrong about who his second-best quarterback was, and a second-half meltdown v. Utica turned into a full late season meltdown.  That again seems to have been a function of giving the QB2 slot to a fifth-year senior rather than a much better freshman.  In football, as in much of life, sentimentality kills.

Brockport is evidence of this right now.

Senior Todd Simonds threw 5 TDS last year, and 0 in two games this year.

Brockport made the switch to a first-year player, who has already thrown 12 in six games. It's completely flipped the script of their season. I would want no part of them at all, and I think they're going to beat Cortland this week and make a run in the playoffs.

Great post IC +k

[unionpalooza]

Anyone know if I recall correctly that the first (not actually ranked) regional rankings come out Wed.?

[IC798891]

Yes, they do!

[Machiavelli]

Nice to see RPI get at least 1 vote in the poll, though I think they probably deserve a few more than that. 7-1 with an OT loss to the #15 team isn't too shabby, but traditionally RPI doesn't tend to get a lot of poll love until the final week of the season. Hopefully they'll take care of business and we'll see it again this year. Should see the SOS improve over the next 2 games. I think 8-1 RPI vs. 8-1 Union will be a great battle for the LL so hopefully the squad can knock off Hobart in style and set up the matchup we all want to see.

[Jersey42]

The first (alphabetical) regional rankings will be released on Wednesday.  The LL should have two and hopefully three teams in the rankings. My understanding is there will be eight ranked teams in region 2 (as opposed to 7).  The first four teams are easy.  There are then six one loss teams (and six two loss teams) competing for the remaining four slots. Union and Cortland should be included. I think RPI, Brockport and Muhlenberg will compete for the last two spots. All have a similar SOS and all have lost to one of the top 4. My guess is Brockport will be the one that does not make it.  I included the two loss teams even though there is no chance of them being in this week's rankings. If there are several upsets over the next two weeks, one of them could still be in the hunt.

After this weekend's games things will change. The Cortland-Brockport loser probably drops out.  RPI needs to beat Hobart to remain in the hunt.  The following week will then change things again with RPI-Union, Ithaca-Cortland and Carnegie Melon-CWRU.


Rank is for SOS across all D3 teams.  Let me know if I missed something.
--- click on the chart to make it larger