East Region Playoff Discussion

[mel]

Upstate and Union I am with you on Curry being the NEFC's best.

I will tell you that the rest of the league is franticly trying to keep past.

Realize these are mostly state run schools and are sort of sleeping giants.
The coaching is way up.

Fitchberg, Westfield and WState all have new fields in the last few years.

Bridgewater has an undergrad enrollment of 7,800.  Very well coached and every bit as physical as Curry.  I saw BWater live this year.

Fitchberg has an outstanding offensive coach with their head guy (Worked with Leach from TT at some point)
When they are in 4 wides they are very hard to stop... just alot of athletes on the field and the running back (S.Conn transfer) is top tier at the same level of the Galliard kid (AIC late 90's)
The QB Miller is tall (6'6) and on the money.


Frammingham had its first non loosing season since 1986... the spread has done wonders for them.  Not to mention they are doing a bit of coaching as well.

Take a look at the Curry v Fitchberg boxscore from early on. 

All good talk.

[Reno Hightower]

Do you think the IC players just bought into the "weak" NEFC talk?

yes...and so did we

RT is starting to think maybe we ought not to penalize Dem Spicy Boyz because there's some weak teams in the NEFC. Does that mean they can't be good? It's not like the LL was blowing it up this year....look at other leagues or other sports. Sure MUC is a beast...but can't someone else in the OAC make any noise??

DSB = Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West

Maybe they get the cream of New England's crop of D3 talent?.....whereas U.NY has 4,5 or 6 teams jockeying for the same pool of guys? Who knows....RT thinks now though that Curry belongs in the same league as the top tier of E8 or LL teams. If you compare the LL and the NEFC, you'll see that the LL has some weak teams (SLU, KP)...AND a supposed top LL team (RPI) lost to a weak LL team (KP)...Curry seems to be taking care of their conf business week in and week out each year. Got to give them credit....RPI has made it out of Rd.1 only once in their NCAA visits whereas DSB is in Rd.2 now 2 years straight. That "weak" conference doesn't seem to hurt them the last couple of years from what RT can see.....

Valid point. I know in a conversation I had with Unions Coach Audino after they lost to Rowan in 05' he said he felt like Rowan had so much playoff experience, coaches and players, that in a tight game they never blinked and he said he felt like Unions coaches/players blinked in that game and when they did, they paid for it because Rowan would capitalize. My point is that the playoffs are not too big a stage for Curry because they are there every single year. They have played great teams, probably better teams than the 1 they played yesterday, so the coaches and players wont be intimidate because they have been there and done that. I guess my point is that postseason experience means something, though it cant be measured, and Curry has a ton of it!

[Jonny Utah]

Upstate and Union I am with you on Curry being the NEFC's best.

I will tell you that the rest of the league is franticly trying to keep past.

Realize these are mostly state run schools and are sort of sleeping giants.
The coaching is way up.

Fitchberg, Westfield and WState all have new fields in the last few years.

Bridgewater has an undergrad enrollment of 7,800.  Very well coached and every bit as physical as Curry.  I saw BWater live this year.

Fitchberg has an outstanding offensive coach with their head guy (Worked with Leach from TT at some point)
When they are in 4 wides they are very hard to stop... just alot of athletes on the field and the running back (S.Conn transfer) is top tier at the same level of the Galliard kid (AIC late 90's)
The QB Miller is tall (6'6) and on the money.


Frammingham had its first non loosing season since 1986... the spread has done wonders for them.  Not to mention they are doing a bit of coaching as well.

Take a look at the Curry v Fitchberg boxscore from early on. 

All good talk.

I didn't get a chance to see Marlon Thornton play this year.  I heard he was a stud.  He is listed as a senior but does he have another year of eligibility?

[Reno Hightower]

*288 total yards is Cortlands lowest offensive output of the season v Plymouth today as well.

Let's be reasonable.  The field was snow and ice, and neither team could exhibit speed.  It was a mess.  The score was 31-6 midway through the 4th quarter.  It just wasn't that close.  I give Curry respect, but Plymouth was no more talented than a mid tier NJAC team. 

Keep in mind Plymouth convincingly lost to Mount Ida, and Mount Ida got crushed by NJAC last place Morrisville.  The NEFC is getting better, but it's mainly Curry leading the way.

Plymouth had to play in the snow and ice too. The issue wasnt talent in the game. The issue was that what Plymouth does, plays right into the hands of what Cortland does best. As was noted here several times during the week: you cannot line up against Cortland, do nothing but run the ball, and beat them. Maybe Mount Union can, but there arent many teams that can do that against Cortland. You have to drop back and pass the ball. Thats not Plymouth's game. It appears to be Currys. I mean everyone is hyping up Curry hear now, lets keep in mind that Plymouth got the AQ over Curry.....ran the ball all over them and completely shut down their run game.
And as I just posted, Plymouth had no playoff experience on their roster. Heck when the seniors were frosh/sophs they STUNK! Id beware of that program, its seen heights before, and is in a situation now where they can form a great 1-2 punch with Curry in that League and in the playoffs.....

[E8]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

[Jonny Utah]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

[E8]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

What you don't know could fill a book, so let's just leave it at that.

[union89]

Wow this has been the year of the battling posters in PP.........

[Jonny Utah]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

What you don't know could fill a book, so let's just leave it at that.

Very productive response.  Those two punts didnt lose the game for Ithaca.  And if you dont know that, whatever.

I mean, tell me the dam play they would have ran to get the first down on 4th there?  Tell me that you know Coach Welch wasn't treating it as a two down situation.  Are you a coach? 

[E8]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

What you don't know could fill a book, so let's just leave it at that.

However in fairness to your point and to Welch's decision... Ithaca was ranked 223 in the country in 4th down coversions.

[E8]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

What you don't know could fill a book, so let's just leave it at that.

Very productive response.  Those two punts didnt lose the game for Ithaca.  And if you dont know that, whatever.

I mean, tell me the dam play they would have ran to get the first down on 4th there?  Tell me that you know Coach Welch wasn't treating it as a two down situation.  Are you a coach? 

Nope, not a coach. 

[Jonny Utah]

If you decide on 3rd down that you're going to go for it, that really opens the playbook. You can run, make a high percentage short pass, throw a screen, etc. I just think this situation is a fitting microcosm of what Ithaca has become under Mike Welch in tight games.

We don't have Jeff Feagles, our punter isn't pinning them inside their 5 yd line, Mike.

That was poor coaching by Welch.  I thought I saw it all last year when, in a close PLAYOFF game, Hobart decides to fake a punt at the their OWN 10 yard line.   That's right, their OWN 10 yard line.    I think Welch's decisions take the cake today, however.   Show a little confidence in your offense and confidence in your ability to be prepared for situational football.   Coaches need to be prepared with high percentage plays in those situations.  If you're going to make a slick play sheet laminated with bold font and colors, make it something of VALUE and not something of show just because it looks good when you see coaches with it on television.   Those play sheets should be highlighted with plays that you can go to when you have KEY 3rd down situations based upon down and distance.   Situational football makes and breaks coaches.   Kicking the ball twice at the 30 yard line when the game hung in the balance showed me that they coaches were not prepared.

E8,

if Ithaca had a "highlighted" play that would work on any specific 3rd or 4th down, they probably would have won this game 40-17 with the other "highlighted" plays that would have worked in other situations right?

Wrong.   They were not prepared to attack those situations where they chose to punt.     Coming into yesterday's game, Ithaca was #13 in the country in 3rd down conversion success.   In actual #'s, Ithaca converted more 3rd down attempts than MUC this year.    That to me shows that Coach Welch was played by the situation instead of playing the situation himself.   Coaches make mistakes, and Coach Welch made them.  He's human.

First off, Im not wrong.  Id only be wrong if we went into a time machine 100 times and went back to see what would have happened if Ithaca converted on those 4th downs.  Or if you want to tell me that you knew Welch was treating it as a two down situation instead of a one down one.

Im just saying they had one of their closest games of the year and one of their worst offensive games.  What worked in the other 10 games during the regular season was not working against Curry.  So those 3rd down conversion numbers dont really mean anything when you werent moving the ball against them in the first place.

Off course we can say he wrong now because the punt didnt go inside the 10.  Monday morning etc....

What you don't know could fill a book, so let's just leave it at that.

Very productive response.  Those two punts didnt lose the game for Ithaca.  And if you dont know that, whatever.

I mean, tell me the dam play they would have ran to get the first down on 4th there?  Tell me that you know Coach Welch wasn't treating it as a two down situation.  Are you a coach? 

Nope, not a coach. 

Arent you an SJF alum?  I mean, how would you know anything about the inner workings of IC's playcalling and what they had or didnt' have?  4th down numbers also don't mean too much when you are tying for one or two random plays at different distances at different parts of the field.

[dlippiel]

I feel like coming in here and defending Utah. Taking some shots E8 and not needed. Maybe you can join my new plan and just try to play nice even when you disagree with other posters. Be coo 8)

[E8]

I feel like coming in here and defending Utah. Taking some shots E8 and not needed. Maybe you can join my new plan and just try to play nice even when you disagree with other posters. Be coo 8)

Fair, fair.  Just trying to make a point, but sometimes you can't tell how the point is trying to be delivered through posts... thanks for the vine. 

[Pat Coleman]

Smell the coffee... stop laying it on thick on the NEFC..
That goes for you as well Pat Coleman.

Now Curry should go out and actually SCHEDULE someone in the regular season. Don't leave us guessing in November as to whether you're actually good or not.