East Region Fan Poll

[Frank Rossi]

I suspect that he's po'd because two 2-loss NJAC teams, including the one he supports, were left out of the brackets and SJF got in.

PG is a Brockport alum so that wasn't an issue.

Rams is the upset person in question, Gordon.

[SJFF82]

Whatever else one may say about it, this is certainly the most intriguing bracket I can ever recall.  All sorts of matchups (and potential matchups) that have probably never occurred before.  Potentially, at least, the airlines are in for a windfall!

It is also the chance for the East Region to 'put up or shut up'.  Rather than all together to 'eat' each other, then by 'eaten' by the guys in Alliance, the East Region teams are all over the bracket.  Time to show the 'haters' what you have (or haven't) got.

true

[dlippiel]

dlip really wants to see the East Region teams do well. He feels they can, he feels they should, he ****ing hopes they do! Good luck to all the East Region teams in the bracket!

[AUKaz00]

Anyway, subjectivity is now possible based on her discussion concerning the Fisher vs. Endicott scenario... it was an enlightening interview and worth the listen.

I haven't had the chance to listen to the interview, but I wonder if the committee considered 8-2 Alfred's run last year when picking between 2-loss teams (presuming Fisher was the 6th pool A).  It couldn't have hurt.  And, as Pat pointed out, I love the delicious irony of the Hobart-Wesley game.

Here's to hoping the East Region has as much success in non-UMU crossover games as they did last year!

[wesleydad]

AUKaz, i also found the piece of information about Hobart turning down the game with Wesley and then getting them in the playoffs interesting.  Waiting to hear about Hobart from anyone who saw them play this year.

[pumkinattack]

I don't know what happened and they've been tight lipped on decisions like that, probably because they've been subject to a lot of scrutiny over the past few years (I couldn't get anything out of anyone when I was up there last June). 

I've watched almost all of their games via webcast hooked to tv, but not in person, yet.  I'm actually 75% there on making the drive from GA for the game.  Here's the best to my ability unbiased evaluation:

QB - Strang:  New this year (started one game in relief of injured starter and played well).  Started out pretty well, but the last few games have been really tough.  He tends to underthrow a couple that could/should/do get picked every game, but is big and very athletic.  Can run out of the pocket and has demonstrated a pretty good head on when to run. 

OL:  Veteran and talented.  Particularly on pass blocking.  They've run 10-12 guys out there for 2-3 years, so they know each other and are experienced.  Center Cruz is pretty banged up. 

O Skill:  Great receivers and RB's and deep.  Top WR is a tall guy who gets many jump balls and #2 (Woodard) is super fast.  Top two RB's are very good, fast, small but strong (stocky).  Two very talented athletic FB's, though they've been used less the past few weeks.  TE's are mostly for blocking. 

O Playcalling:  Wayyyy too much passing.  Strang threw 21 times before the 1st half ended.  O Coordinator fell in love with the spread O and throwing since having a juco transfer who was super athletics in 2007 (Strom).  Definitely doesn't pound the rock enough given there are 6 guys who could be starters and carry 20-25 times each and a deep, veteran O Line.

Defense:  Quietly one of the better ones Hobart has had in a long time.  Strengths are front four, ILB's, one OLB (Devin Worthington) and Drake Woodard.  Not huge at tackle, but really solid, big guys at DE (one a converted Tackle, the other a FR with 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for a loss).  Weaknesses (relative to strength at least) are other OLB, 2nd CB and FS.  All three are young and have limited experience.  Size is a little light on OLB/CB. 

Special Teams:  Awful.  Kicking/Punting game horrendous.  We couldn't even get a FG off from the 10 against RPI (neither of the misses were blocks in that game, but I call a 37 yarder 50/50 at best at this level) and that got totally exposed. 

Overall, the biggest problems they had the last three weeks after really killing it the first 5 games are mental.  Guys screwing up handoffs, fumbling the ball of their legs, penalties - both volume and timeliness, etc.  The team that was on the road 4 of the first 5 games and won by a min of 17 points didn't make many mistakes.  The last three weeks I think our +/- was negative. 

As good as Wesley is, if they put it all together I think they can win, but I don't think it's as much of a lock as, say, Albion/Whitewater.  I sure hope that if I make that trip up they leave it all on the field.  Would love to hear more about Wesley. 

[PA_wesleyfan]

Pumkinattack

Did you try flying into Philly or Wilmington Del? They are both closer to Dover.

Wesley did attempt to play Hobart. They decided to play less games and I will leave it at that. Hobart is not the only eastern team  from NY to say no to Wesley.

[wesleydad]

pumkinattack, here is what you can expect from wesley.  offensivly they are led by a 3 year qb who is as elusive as they get.  he is usually accruate with passes and gets a number of called runs a game.  they do running back by committee and also wide receiver by committee.  the o line has started to dominate opponents lately and that may be attributed to the fact that they had to play 3 non-d3 teams this year.  they will likely be faster than any team that hobart has seen and also likely bigger.  on defense the d line is big, quick and mean.  the linebackers are a very solid group that will cover plenty of ground.  the secondary has been a concern but has shown great improvment since the beginning of the year.  again they will likely be bigger and faster than anyone hobart has played this year.  special teams will be an issue for hobart if they are that bad, wesley's speed will make for a long day.  wesley has been in the semi finals 4 of the last 6 years and made the quaters the other 2.  they know what needs to be done and if hobart plays like they have the last couple of weeks this game could get ugly.  wesley will not give up many points which means hobart will have to be mistake free to have any chance.  looking at their schedule they only played one team that may be close to wesley and that was fisher who lost to salisbury by 20 who wesley beat by 10.  what should worry hobart is the fact that wesley only gave up 14 to salisbury, a team that was averaging close to 50 a game before that.  if you make the trip you might not like the result, but you will see what it takes to make it to the next level of d3.  i have been accused of being arrogant in my assessment of wesley, but i saw 6 teams in the playoffs this year live, and wesley is clearly the best one.  if you make the trip, be safe.  when you decide, let me know and i will seek you out, but it will be easy to find me, i will be wearing the #13 jersey or sweatshirt.

[bleedpurple]

AUKaz, i also found the piece of information about Hobart turning down the game with Wesley and then getting them in the playoffs interesting.  Waiting to hear about Hobart from anyone who saw them play this year.

Nothing against any of the Hobart  fans, but I will be rooting for Wesley in this one. One thing UW-W and Wesley have in common is the unwillingness of schools to play them. I know a school has a right to say yes and no to games, but I also have a right to express an opinion about it.  I always find it puzzling at best when a school has a chance to play a higher level of competition and turns it down. I think it's great the NCAA National Selection Committee brought Hobart to Wesley.  If Hobart turned down the Wesley game to have a better chance to make the playoffs, I guess they got their reward.  We'll see how competitive they are now that they are there.

I was bummed when Albion beat Adrian because I was hoping Adrian would be coming to UW-W in the first round.  They scheduled a home and home against UW-W for 2010 and 2011, but backed out of the second year. 

[Frank Rossi]

AUKaz, i also found the piece of information about Hobart turning down the game with Wesley and then getting them in the playoffs interesting.  Waiting to hear about Hobart from anyone who saw them play this year.

Nothing against any of the Hobart  fans, but I will be rooting for Wesley in this one. One thing UW-W and Wesley have in common is the unwillingness of schools to play them. I know a school has a right to say yes and no to games, but I also have a right to express an opinion about it.  I always find it puzzling at best when a school has a chance to play a higher level of competition and turns it down. I think it's great the NCAA National Selection Committee brought Hobart to Wesley.  If Hobart turned down the Wesley game to have a better chance to make the playoffs, I guess they got their reward.  We'll see how competitive they are now that they are there.

I was bummed when Albion beat Adrian because I was hoping Adrian would be coming to UW-W in the first round.  They scheduled a home and home against UW-W for 2010 and 2011, but backed out of the second year.

A couple insights, as I reviewed the situation today after last night's discussion with Pat.  First, remember, Wesley was an out-of-region opponent if Hobart played them.  It would have been a quasi-nullity for playoff purposes.  Also, Hobart's mantra all season was "Pool A or Bust."  They knew that 7-1 with an OOC loss was a huge risk.

Hobart did have other irons in the fire.  There was a Norwich game that ended up having Norwich back out, according to my sources.  It may have been because Norwich thought another game was falling through that didn't actually happen.  They also looked at teams like Catholic and Galludet, but the preference was for an East Region team overall.  It wasn't a flat-out Wesley rejection as much as it was a notion of finding a team that made it worth the money and risk combined.  Hobart already has a ten-game schedule next year, so there would've been no reciprocal -- that makes it tougher for securing a team.

Wesley was not Hobart's only pursuit/option.  They did pass up the opportunity, but it was not strictly to duck a better team -- it was a cost/benefit analysis from what I've been told -- one that led to the decision against the game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

AUKaz, i also found the piece of information about Hobart turning down the game with Wesley and then getting them in the playoffs interesting.  Waiting to hear about Hobart from anyone who saw them play this year.

Nothing against any of the Hobart  fans, but I will be rooting for Wesley in this one. One thing UW-W and Wesley have in common is the unwillingness of schools to play them. I know a school has a right to say yes and no to games, but I also have a right to express an opinion about it.  I always find it puzzling at best when a school has a chance to play a higher level of competition and turns it down. I think it's great the NCAA National Selection Committee brought Hobart to Wesley.  If Hobart turned down the Wesley game to have a better chance to make the playoffs, I guess they got their reward.  We'll see how competitive they are now that they are there.

I was bummed when Albion beat Adrian because I was hoping Adrian would be coming to UW-W in the first round.  They scheduled a home and home against UW-W for 2010 and 2011, but backed out of the second year.

Although you took it easy on Adrian (only 35-0), recognize that there is a difference between 'playing up' and 'suicide'.   I have no first-hand (or even second-hand) knowledge, but suspect that the Bulldogs realized you were SO far out of their league that they really had nothing to learn.  Most of the time teams need to grow by steps; games against, say, Wabash or IWU might be beneficial - games against UWW or UMU might just be 'soul-crushing'.

[PA_wesleyfan]

Frank
I have to disagree about the money issue. Wesley would play at Hobart in a heart beat and pay their own way. I would even risk saying that Wesley would agree  to a one year agreement. I don't think you can fully understand what wesley goes through year after year trying to schedule games!!! I fully believe that Hobart would weigh a loss against Wesley as harmful .But as we have seen the last few years teams are getting rewarded more for playing tougher competition  and losing rather than playing less games. I have reread my emails on this subject and I stand by my remarks on the subject..

But that all doesn't matter now.. The game Saturday does. It will be nice football day in Dover as projected highs in the mid 50s ..  absolutely no promises on a slight breeze to gale!!!

[rams1102]

Frank
I have to disagree about the money issue. Wesley would play at Hobart in a heart beat and pay their own way. I would even risk saying that Wesley would agree  to a one year agreement. I don't think you can fully understand what wesley goes through year after year trying to schedule games!!! I fully believe that Hobart would weigh a loss against Wesley as harmful .But as we have seen the last few years teams are getting rewarded more for playing tougher competition  and losing rather than playing less games. I have reread my emails on this subject and I stand by my remarks on the subject..

But that all doesn't matter now.. The game Saturday does. It will be nice football day in Dover as projected highs in the mid 50s ..  absolutely no promises on a slight breeze to gale!!!

Montclair and Rowan had the same problem in years past. Many times with only (8) games because opponents did not want to play us. With (10)teams in the conference it got better. Now we lost (1). With the MAC deal we will still need another game. Let's get a Montclair / Wesley home and home signed. Better yet, lets get the kids in camp over 100 and bring Wesley into the NJAC for Football. Talk about improving the East.

[PA_wesleyfan]

rams you just like the food in Dover

[Jonny Utah]

AUKaz, i also found the piece of information about Hobart turning down the game with Wesley and then getting them in the playoffs interesting.  Waiting to hear about Hobart from anyone who saw them play this year.

Nothing against any of the Hobart  fans, but I will be rooting for Wesley in this one. One thing UW-W and Wesley have in common is the unwillingness of schools to play them. I know a school has a right to say yes and no to games, but I also have a right to express an opinion about it.  I always find it puzzling at best when a school has a chance to play a higher level of competition and turns it down. I think it's great the NCAA National Selection Committee brought Hobart to Wesley.  If Hobart turned down the Wesley game to have a better chance to make the playoffs, I guess they got their reward.  We'll see how competitive they are now that they are there.

I was bummed when Albion beat Adrian because I was hoping Adrian would be coming to UW-W in the first round.  They scheduled a home and home against UW-W for 2010 and 2011, but backed out of the second year.

A couple insights, as I reviewed the situation today after last night's discussion with Pat.  First, remember, Wesley was an out-of-region opponent if Hobart played them.  It would have been a quasi-nullity for playoff purposes.  Also, Hobart's mantra all season was "Pool A or Bust."  They knew that 7-1 with an OOC loss was a huge risk.

Hobart did have other irons in the fire.  There was a Norwich game that ended up having Norwich back out, according to my sources.  It may have been because Norwich thought another game was falling through that didn't actually happen.  They also looked at teams like Catholic and Galludet, but the preference was for an East Region team overall.  It wasn't a flat-out Wesley rejection as much as it was a notion of finding a team that made it worth the money and risk combined.  Hobart already has a ten-game schedule next year, so there would've been no reciprocal -- that makes it tougher for securing a team.

Wesley was not Hobart's only pursuit/option.  They did pass up the opportunity, but it was not strictly to duck a better team -- it was a cost/benefit analysis from what I've been told -- one that led to the decision against the game.

Frank you have to know now that this line of reasoning can never be used again.  I stopped using it 10 years ago when it appeared that every year the NCAA didn't follow their own "rules" regarding playoff selection.  We knew 10 years ago that they use "guidelines" and not rules.  The only thing set in stone with the NCAA d3 playoffs is that pool A teams are going to get spots.  Nothing else has ever been guarenteed.