FB: Liberty League

[Ice Bear]

Thanks Bartman for sending congrats Union's way. The team did fight hard and showed some gusto in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball. They really struggled in the middle quarters today though and were really out of sync at times. If I am being honest, I believe Maritime deserved to win this football game. However the Garnet did what they had to and pulled it out. Congrats to Coach Drach on his first W at Union College.

It is going to take this new coaching staff and team time to find their identity moving forward. I am going to expect Coach Drach to build this identity by getting the best out of the players he currently has and calling the type of game that best fits the strengths of the team. He is going to need time to do this, lots of time. I think, speaking for myself, I've been spoiled by the likes of Coach Behrman and Coach Poppe who had some significant success from the start. I do see some potential on this team, but as someone I respect very much pointed out to me this evening it is going to take lots of patience, and he is right on. A new QB, a new coach, new faces on the line, etc.

I see Union winning tops 3/4 games this season and that's ok. right now I think they will hopefully battle Rochester for the 4th spot of the top four in the league. Congrats to Hobart on a very impressive game today and I do agree with Bartman, even if RMC isn't as good as advertised they are still a very good football team and the Pumpkins gave them everything they could handle and more. IC, RPI, and Hobart will battle for the LL title.

Ithaca best 0-2 team in the country?

[JacketsPride]

Jackets up 28-0 at half.  The Papantonis brothers on offense put up good numbers. D solid as usual.

[UfanBill]

Another interesting week in the Liberty League. When was the last time St. Lawrence, Rochester and Buffalo St. all won and Ithaca and Hobart lost? Throw in close wins for RPI and Union and this was a weekend to wonder.

I of course attended the Union vs SUNY-Maritime game and it was a puzzler. Union started strong. Completely went to sleep for 2 quarters and then woke up in time to salvage the win. There are plenty of questions about this Garnet squad. Is Patch Flanigan the best option at QB? Can the WR's get open? Can the O-Line block anybody? and the most puzzling of all, can Michael Fiore and Jonathan Anderson get enough sustained carries to get any rhythm? Flanigan hit WR Robbie Tolbert for a first drive TD but missed nearly every other throw. The O-Line was a conundrum as they didn't open many holes and didn't really keep the D out of their backfield. Maritime had 4 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. Yikes.  ... The major question mark for me involves the new coaching staff using the RBs to alternate plays and bring in the next play call. Fiore and Anderson are in and out every play. IMO it's not conducive to sustaining a consistent running attack. Something that Union desperately needs to be successful.   

Union found itself down by 4, playing like sh*t and looking like it was heading to 0-2 when things suddenly got better. The Defense which was having trouble getting off the field made a couple stops. Union regained some favorable field position and finally let the running game go to work. Fiore and Anderson each picked up key 1st downs. Flanigan ran for a couple and hit a pass or two and Union scored late to pull it out. It was never pretty. Credit to Maritime for playing very well. They were very close to pulling the upset. Union has a lot of work to do to come close to stopping the Springfield option attack next week. Still 1-1 is better than 0-2.     

[JacketsPride]

Defense led the way over in a 28-0 win over Alfred State.  First shutout in recent memory.  However, after a great first half the offense looked stagnant in the 2nd.  This will not work vs. the top 4 in LL. Not exactly sure went wrong after watching the game.  Will need to look at the stats.  First thought is not enough looks for Tre Johnson or the Papantonis boys. 

[Bartman]

Defense led the way over in a 28-0 win over Alfred State.  First shutout in recent memory.  However, after a great first half the offense looked stagnant in the 2nd.  This will not work vs. the top 4 in LL. Not exactly sure went wrong after watching the game.  Will need to look at the stats.  First thought is not enough looks for Tre Johnson or the Papantonis boys.

JP,
    The Yellow Jackets are now the only undefeated team in the LL, ENJOY it.

[Oline89]

Good luck figuring out the LL, or D3 in general.  I am certainly not the seasoned vet on these boards, have been a fan for about 8 years now.  However, I have been either a player, parent and fan for at least 50 years.  Here's a few of my takes. 
*Travel does matter at this level.  The players are not used to 3+ hour bus rides, they aren't used to staying in hotels, etc. 
* Special teams are absolutely unpredictable.  My guess is the coaches just don't have the resources to recruit punters, kickers, return specilaists, long snappers. I have seen Hobart win and lose more games based on somtheing we would all consider routine.  Long snap over punter's head, missed "chip shot" field goals, teams going for it from the 20 because they don't trust their kicker, blown punt reception....
* A premier level QB is absolute gold, and just as rare.  We have seen perhaps 2 or 3 in the past 8 years, and those teams dominated.

All this being said the LL is unpredicatbly predictable and provides some the most enjoyable sports weekends I have had. These are all true student athletes, no NIL, no pay to play, limited (although worsening) annual transfers. 

For the year, the top 5 (we have to now include Rachacha) will be continue to be unpredicatable. One more week of OC play, then the meat grinder begins...

[Bartman]

Oline89, well said. With all of the transfer velocity/ NIL influences on D1, it is pleasure to see these D3 athletes just compete for the love of the game, as imperfect as it is at times.

[unionpalooza]

Thanks Bartman for sending congrats Union's way. The team did fight hard and showed some gusto in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball. They really struggled in the middle quarters today though and were really out of sync at times. If I am being honest, I believe Maritime deserved to win this football game. However the Garnet did what they had to and pulled it out. Congrats to Coach Drach on his first W at Union College.

It is going to take this new coaching staff and team time to find their identity moving forward. I am going to expect Coach Drach to build this identity by getting the best out of the players he currently has and calling the type of game that best fits the strengths of the team. He is going to need time to do this, lots of time. I think, speaking for myself, I've been spoiled by the likes of Coach Behrman and Coach Poppe who had some significant success from the start. I do see some potential on this team, but as someone I respect very much pointed out to me this evening it is going to take lots of patience, and he is right on. A new QB, a new coach, new faces on the line, etc.

I see Union winning tops 3/4 games this season and that's ok. right now I think they will hopefully battle Rochester for the 4th spot of the top four in the league. Congrats to Hobart on a very impressive game today and I do agree with Bartman, even if RMC isn't as good as advertised they are still a very good football team and the Pumpkins gave them everything they could handle and more. IC, RPI, and Hobart will battle for the LL title.

Ithaca best 0-2 team in the country?

I very much agree with Ice Bear that we should adjust our expectations for Union - this is probably a 4-6ish team, although I see some upside there if the freshman and sophomores starting in a number of places can come along and Patch can find some consistency throwing the ball.

Yesterday was about as as weird a Union game as I've seen.  Defense played incredibly hard, limiting Maritime to 250 yards but also struggling to get off the field on third down.  (Maritime was 7 of 16.). But they were missing their best player (CB Matt Mitchell), and their best LB (Cole DaSilva) for the first half.  I think the defense is going to fine down the stretch, particularly as the younger guys master the scheme.

Offense was perplexing.  The right side of the offensive line is a problem, and the entire line struggled in pass pro, but Union actually ran the ball incredibly well - Fiore and Anderson together averaged seven yards a carry on 22 rushes, with almost all of that success coming on runs to the middle and left side.  Simply put, Union threw the ball way too much, especially on early downs that left them with a long string of third and longs in the second and third quarters.  (Union finished the day 1 for 10 on third down; they didn't convert a third down all day until the final drive, the first time they had seen third and less-than-five yards all day.). I know this staff wants to air it out, and some day they will have the personnel to do so, but that day is not today; stubbornly sticking with a game plan that was clearly not working nearly cost the team the game.  Fortunately, they seem to have wised up on the last drive and did what it took to win; a 13 play, 80-yard TD drive where we simply pounded the left side and middle of the line. Whatever success Union is going to have this year, that's going to be the recipe.

[Jonny Utah]

I don't know the extent of Schumm's injury for Ithaca, but this isn't the offense of last year that's for sure.  One think I liked about last years offense is that they knew how to get their playmakers the ball.  That is football 101.  Now they just seemed to run basic stuff over and over.  Schumm has a great arm and can run, but I'm not sure he needs to run the ball 10+ times again like most RPO quarterbacks do.  Endicott had a good defense, and pressured the QB all game.  This could be a reload year with a young Oline and some young WRs but I still think they can do more variety on offense than they showed the first two weeks. 

[Bartman]

I don't know the extent of Schumm's injury for Ithaca, but this isn't the offense of last year that's for sure.  One think I liked about last years offense is that they knew how to get their playmakers the ball.  That is football 101.  Now they just seemed to run basic stuff over and over.  Schumm has a great arm and can run, but I'm not sure he needs to run the ball 10+ times again like most RPO quarterbacks do.  Endicott had a good defense, and pressured the QB all game.  This could be a reload year with a young Oline and some young WRs but I still think they can do more variety on offense than they showed the first two weeks. 

It is starting to look like this is a reload year for the entire Liberty League, hence the opportunity for Rochester.I still think Ithaca has the edge, but having watched parts of many of the early games, there is a possibility for significant chaos this season.

[JacketsPride]

Rochester has Salve Regina at Home this Saturday.  Last year, the Jackets won in RI on a last second TD to Tre Johnson 17-10.  The Seahawks finished 9-2 last year with their only other loss at Springfield 31-21.  This year they are 1-1 after losing at Western New England last week.  Their 1st Team All League QB Jake Stack did not play in the loss.  We will see if he returns this week.  Either way it should be good test for the Yellow Jackets.

Not sure what to make of the rest of the Liberty.  Although things are going well the boys know that conference games are looming. 

My poll this week.  I think this will be easier next week.

Ithaca
RPI
Hobart
Rochester
Union
SLU
Buff St     

[Bartman]

Bartman's LL Reshuffle after Week 2

1. Ithaca....0-2,Defense looks very good, Offense needs A.J.
2. Hobart....1-1, Defense high quality, Offense improved slightly last week outgaining R-M
   RPI.......1-1, Could be well balanced but need to see more this week against WPI
4. RachaCha..2-0, about to go 3-0 this weekend against Salve Regina
   Union.....1-1, Chargers really struggled against SUNY Marine, Springfield gonna feast
6. SLU ......1-1, Nice win against Cadets, but crushed by Gulls, tough WNE match up
7. Buff ST.  1-1, Crushed Dilbert, DO NOT look past the Bengals this year


   

[Ice Bear]

Ithaca
Pumpkins
RPI
Cha
Union
Buffalo State
SLU

[AUPepBand]

Bartman's LL Reshuffle after Week 2

1. Ithaca....0-2,Defense looks very good, Offense needs A.J.
2. Hobart....1-1, Defense high quality, Offense improved slightly last week outgaining R-M
   RPI.......1-1, Could be well balanced but need to see more this week against WPI
4. RachaCha..2-0, about to go 3-0 this weekend against Salve Regina
   Union.....1-1, Chargers really struggled against SUNY Marine, Springfield gonna feast
6. SLU ......1-1, Nice win against Cadets, but crushed by Gulls, tough WNE match up
7. Buff ST.  1-1, Crushed Dilbert, DO NOT look past the Bisons this year
   

BengalsRule may take offense to his Buffalo State Bengals being called Bisons, but while on the topic of Bisons, a fun fact...the University of Buffalo teams were originally called Bisons and had very little success against the Alfred Saxons before Alex Yunevich arriving. Bisons and Saxons were the Hilberts and Maine Maritimes a century ago...at the bottom of the heap. In 1927, the "Scoreless Wonders" of Alfred University and the Bisons bumbled to a 0-0 tie. To negate confusion with Buffalo's pro baseball team, UB later switched up to "Bulls" and became bullish, turning the football program around and becoming a nemesis to Yunie's boys, twice denying the Saxons an undefeated skein.

Dang...Pep's age is beginning to show...recalling football games nearly a century ago!

[Bartman]

You caught me Pep, I will honor the old Bisons by not correcting my post to Bengals for a day or so. I'm thinking of doing the same for the Dutchmen . Did you know that the new Hobart Coach Davis in 1971 changed the name of Hobart football to the Hobart Hawks for a brief period until the anti Vietnam sentiment from campus faculty and students snuffed the idea. Coach Davis used to mumble about how could someone called a Statesmen play smash mouth football that the Coach Davis teams were known for .....I'm sure he was just jealous of the Saxon Warriors.