East Region Playoff Discussion

[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.

[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?

[Senor RedTackle]

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.....

[Jonny Utah]

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.....

+K tomorow RT

[clandfan]

I can't help but think that the IC discussion sounds an awful lot like Cortland's last week.

[mel]

Fella's first off.. If Ithaca's players could not see that Curry beat the E8 Champ last year in Hartwick they made a serious mistake.  I do not see how that could happen.

Curry College is just as physical as any E8 team week in and week out.
That is now fact as they have handed the E8 losses the last two years.

My close friend said that Curry was faster than IC in many key positions.
He was at the game.

In the 18 team NEFC there are a few bottom feeders but I can assure you that the  top 8 teams can play.

Just refer to the Bridgwater v Rowan boxscore people.

The entire east is near parallel in my eyes.  If the  NEFC's administrations got their stuff in order they would be no different than the NJAC or E8.
Actually the NEFC should now break up and stay two totally different leagues for the playoff spots. 

Curry has its self together.
Started with Steve Nelson (are any of the E8, LL or NJAC teams coached by a legendary NFL player, not)...Skip Bandini has carried the torch very well.
They are well coached in all areas.  I mean Mosi Tatupu has had their special teams cranked up for years.

They do very well recruiting in Boston, which arguablly has a better DIII talent base than IC and the rest of the E8 can take a 15 minute drive to.

We are not talking about DIII football programs from Texas and NY but Mass and NY.  There really is not that much difference in pure talent between the types of players from either states. 

*235 total yards is Ithaca's lowest offensive output of the season.
*235 total yards was Rowans second lowest offensive output of the season behind the 225 it had in its loss to Kean.
*288 total yards is Cortlands lowest offensive output of the season v Plymouth today as well.

Smell the coffee... stop laying it on thick on the NEFC..

[HHawks]

Fella's first off.. If Ithaca's players could not see that Curry beat the E8 Champ last year in Hartwick they made a serious mistake.  I do not see how that could happen.

Curry College is just as physical as any E8 team week in and week out.
That is now fact as they have handed the E8 losses the last two years.

My close friend said that Curry was faster than IC in many key positions.
He was at the game.

In the 18 team NEFC there are a few bottom feeders but I can assure you that the  top 8 teams can play.

Just refer to the Bridgwater v Rowan boxscore people.

The entire east is near parrell in my eyes.  If the  NEFC's administrations got their stuff in order they would be no different than the NJAC or E8.
Actually the NEFC should now break up and stay two totally different leagues for the playoff spots. 

Curry has its self together.
Started with Steve Nelson (are any of the E8, LL or NJAC teams coached by a legendary NFL player, not)...Skip Bandini has carried the torch very well.
They are well coached in all areas.  I mean Mosi Tatupu has had their special teams cranked up for years.

They do very well recruiting in Boston, which arguablly has a better DIII talent base than IC.

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

This reminds me of last year so much. Curry definitely had the fastest secondary Hartwick faced all year, and forced boltus to make perfect throws which was hard when he was getting hit every play. Congrats to Curry, they can play. Cortland better be really careful.

[dlippiel]

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.....

Very well said RT. Thanks for the response

[DanPadavona]

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??

+K RT.  I completely agree, and I think Curry-Cortland is going to be a great game.  Curry has a big recruiting base, and success speaks.  Keep making the NCAA playoffs, and actually win games when you get there, and you'll get more and more athletes interested to play for you.  Their best days are certainly ahead for them.

[DanPadavona]

*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.

[mel]

Dan.. thanks for the point.  I did not realize the field was unplayable.
But thanks to field turf there was no mud. 
I have always thought in muddy games the big team that goes straight just has a hug advantage. At least that was taken out of the equation.

At the very least the East has their eyes opened on the NEFC..
is that agreed upon?

[union89]

Dan.. thanks for the point.  I did not realize the field was unplayable.
But thanks to field turf there was no mud. 
I have always thought in muddy games the big team that goes straight just has a hug advantage. At least that was taken out of the equation.

At the very least the East has their eyes opened on the NEFC..
is that agreed upon?

We have our eyes opened to Curry, yes.  Curry has proven in consecutive years that they belong....the entire NEFC......not so sure.

[Jonny Utah]

Dan.. thanks for the point.  I did not realize the field was unplayable.
But thanks to field turf there was no mud. 
I have always thought in muddy games the big team that goes straight just has a hug advantage. At least that was taken out of the equation.

At the very least the East has their eyes opened on the NEFC..
is that agreed upon?

We have our eyes opened to Curry, yes.  Curry has proven in consecutive years that the belong....the entire NEFC......not so sure.

And Curry is different than the rest of the NEFC.  Bandini and those guys recruit the hell out of eastern MA.  More than 10000% of every other NEFC school.  They run coaching clinics, camps, send coaches to schools, make phone calls etc.  They have a legitimate program that has support and coaches who know how to go that extra mile.

[DanPadavona]

Absolutely Mel, all eyes are open.  This is 2 years in a row for Curry over an E8 team, and I view the E8 and MAC as the two best eastern conferences.

Yes, the field turf was treacherous.  Take a look at the punting stats from yesterday.  Every other punt by each team was a disaster, because the punters could not get their balance.  In the second half the sun came out and helped out the field a bit, and you started to see players get their traction.

I understand the grass field at Butterfield was even worse.  If the game is archived, it will be fun taking a look at.  

I view Curry as the team to worry most about in the NEFC.  As you point out, they have a big recruiting base in Boston.  No different than Rowan, Del Valley and Widener have outside of Philly.  If Bandini can convince more kids to come over to his program, they will dominate the NEFC and be in the playoffs almost every year, probably as a strong force.

[theoriginalupstate]

DSB has as many NCAA wins as those CEC..

Just throwing that out there...

I like DSB, they were feisty last year even down by 31 to SJF.  They're a decent team and if you let them get off to a good start you are in for a fight...