FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

I voted for Ricca as well, despite being a BC fan he's the only player on that list that would "scare" me if I were playing against him.   His talent alone could upset any team in the ODAC.

All I know is when Ricca hikes the ball, he's going to chill in the pocket.  He has "rushed" the ball 87 times for 110 yards (1.3 yards per rush) and 3 TDs in his career.  Now I understand a handful of those "rushes" are sacks, but look what BC QBs have done over the past four years:

2003 & '04: Wakefield, 168 rushes for 553 yards (3.3 a carry) - 9 TDs
2002: Jenkins, 101 rushes for 277 yards (2.7 a carry) - 11 TDs
2001: Lutz, 155 rushes for 956 yards (6.2 a carry) - 16 TDs

And since Ricca likey-the-pockey ... if you get defensive pressure on him, then his ability or value lowers (a la last year vs BC, being sacked 4 times for -23 yards and throwing two INTs).

When Ricca has 32 pass attempts a game over the past two years (510 attempts in 16 games), then I expect a QB to rack up the kind of yards he has.

Again, to put it in perspective, Lutz averaged 19 passes a game in '01, Jenkins threw 21 times a game in '02, and Wakefield averaged 24 attempts the last two seasons.

Show me another player in the ODAC (like Marcus Washington) who has scored a touchdown four different ways (like he did rushing, passing, receiving, and returning).  All about versatility when talking "best"!!!

[kreit]

Ricca will break the Odac record for career passing yards and career td passes...despite barely playing as a freshman and missing 4 games as a junior...also, he sits out the 4th (sometimes 3rd) quarter of games vs so many weak teams...he is by far the best qb in the Odac and I voted for him as the best player in the league (he was last year before his injury and was close to Jermaine and Conrad as a sophomore).

[dubvee75]

Kid--we get it!!  You think Washington is the best player.  Jeez, I gotta give you props for your wisdom though.   

[BCGrad2001]

Okay, time again to venture out into the flow of the forum...  (we'll see how long it lasts)

The vast majority of the time when I'm choosing winners for the pick'em I simply go with my first instincts and in a couple minutes I'm done.   Sometimes, like my first picks for this season, I'll have another thought or two and change my mind.  Now, I picked Washington first of all because it was my first instinct, and that's how I do it.  Now I'm reading all this commentary, and I've got to stay with my pick.  Kid's point about scoring several different ways is huge.  Ricca has to rely solely on his arm, and I bet if Marcus had as many rush attempts per game as Ricca attempts passes, I dare say the statistics would FAR outweigh any other choice given in that list.  

[miz]

Ricca will break the Odac record for career passing yards and career td passes...despite barely playing as a freshman and missing 4 games as a junior...

You're probably right.  And I'm probably right that he'll throw at least two more costly picks again against BC and finish his career without a championship.  And with HSC traditional cupcake schedule he'll be lucky to get the pool C and 9-1.  And that's supposing HSC will beat Hopkins, which I kind of doubt too. 

also, he sits out the 4th (sometimes 3rd) quarter of games vs so many weak teams...

No kidding, try playing somebody good for a change.  And I don't think he is "by far" the best anything.  I'll bet that kid from Emory or either of our guys could (to Kid's point) complete 60% of screen passes agains Sewanee and Gettysburg and teams like that.  LOL, Marty ball rules!!!! (kidding.... )

Miz

[norton]

Kid - a whopping 32.8 rushing yards per game? Marcus is the best return man in the league and the most versatile player in the league, but the not the best player in the league.
Outsider - 40%? Not even 10%...and Conrad didn't catch one last year.

[bcsportswriter]

Colton Ward?  He has at least recieving, rushing and return probably.  i doubt passing.  But he is a pretty versatile player and i remember watching him last yera up here.  I thought he was a pretty dangerous player.  Ricca threw alot of short balls, but his deep balls were pretty.  I remember sitting up in the press box during the game last year, saying that he throws the deep ball as well, if not better than anyone i had seen in person.  That said, Marcus CAN be the best in the ODAC....if he stays healthy

[Bmore BC]

Everyone is talking about Ricca throwing for all these yards (two thirds on screens) and how he is the best in the ODAC. then there is the reciever from Catholic, who is good, but when you don't win its hard to say your the best. Marcus is by far the most versatile in the ODAC and might be the most athletic. but the person, but ther person I voted for doesnt get the credit he deserves in Adrian Herndon. He doesn't play a position where he can put up gaudly numbers, but what he does is make game changing plays in the big games. That is what I believe makes a good player great and a great player be in a league of there own. That is the one thing he has over all of these guys on the list is that he makes and has made game changing plays in big games. Whether its making a big hit, or getting tired of Ricca throwing screen passes so he decides he wants to catch one and score or just never being out of position. Defense wins Championships.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Kid - a whopping 32.8 rushing yards per game? Marcus is the best return man in the league and the most versatile player in the league, but the not the best player in the league. [...]

Consider his 32.8 rushing yards a game came from 55 rush attempts last season ... and, as mentioned earlier, BC has had a three- or four-headed rushing crew the last three seasons.

[[[ from an earlier post: Jamie Langley (1210 rushing yards), Robbie Matthews (1096), Winston Young (1023), Eric Spence (788), and Linwood Johnson (426) ]]]

CW Clemmons was able to have his impressive 109.8 rushing average last year because he ran it 193 times (19.3 times a game).  Washington carried the ball six times a game.

[miz]

Bmore BC- I agree with most of your post.  I also think Herndon is a difference-maker and his performance against HSC last year was special.  He is certainly among the most talented players in the league and he plays very hard every down.  But does the best player in the league commit a 15-yard late hit out-of-bounds in the last minuite of a playoff game when the opposing team is driving to tie the score?  I think not.  That type of play (and our defense's performance overall in that game) must be corrected if the Eagles are to make another deep playoff run this year.  

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Kid--we get it!!  You think Washington is the best player. [...]

I'm just trying to get across that it's not just about the numbers someone puts up.  Washington's aren't all that "wow" ... just trying to put them into perspective, that's all.

Like "Bmore BC" brings up, Herndon probably has the least impressive stats of all the guys listed above ... but honestly, he probably has the best chance of playing at the next level out of any of them.

QBs, if in the right system and with a good supporting cast (and yes, with skill), will more often than not put up impressive numbers.  I'll give it to Ricca, he has the most dangerous arm in the ODAC.  But I would put four of the players listed above before him on a "best player" list.

I guess most of us have different ways of defining "best."

[Outsider14]

in 2003, ricca completed 206 passes. singh had 98 catches. 47.5%. 2002 singh had 86 catches, not sure how many completios ricca had, but it can't be much more than 206. granted, not all of those completions were screens, (and yes ricca does throw a nice deep ball), but i don't think i'd be out of line saying almost half of singh's receptions were screens or throws that traveled less than 5 yards downfield.
when marcus touches the ball, he has a chance to score every time. when the ball is thrown to bublavi, he will make the catch. last year's injury to ricca showed that much of his production is due to the offense (backup did a good job steering the ship in ricca's absence). ricca is a good ODAC QB/player (i compare him to robbie jenkins from BC in 2002). but i stand by washington at #1 followed closely by bublavi. ricca would be a solid 3rd w/ woods and herndon fighting for 4 on my list. bmore makes a great point in that herndon is always there for the play when a big play is needed. gotta throw awkard out there as well though. i'm surprised he's not on the list. he's another iggle that can score whenever he touches the ball...
again, just my opinion. good luck to all this weekend. it's time for fun once again

[miz]

OK everybody, here's the bottom line on JD Ricca for all you HSC fans that want to throw his great stats around:

He has played a total of two games against very good football teams in his career at HSC.  Those games were 2003 against Bridgewater and 2004 against Bridgewater.  His team lost both games.  He has played against no other team that was even remotely close to being playoff caliber.

In those two games, Ricca has compiled the following statistics:

52 - 94 (55%) for 563 yards with one TD and five INT's

Now, why is he "the best" player in the ODAC?

[Hug]

"hug scrathes head, wonders if miz should have said that,  ultimately doesn't really care"

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Now, why is he "the best" player in the ODAC?

You're just not getting it miz!!!

He has completed 61.4% of his passes!
He has racked up 4787 career passing yards!
He has 47 passing touchdowns compared to only 14 interceptions!!!

Ugg, he's simply "da bomb"!!!

(slight hint of sarcasm)  

I better be good ... I know momma Ricca reads these boards