East Region Fan Poll

[@d3jason]

Wesley will have to be ready every week. Montclair, Kean and Rowan have all beat them over the last ten years.

I'm not really sure what losing to Montclair in 2007, or to a Kean team that in 2011 was in the Top 10 and is now coming off consecutive 2-8 seasons is supposed to tell us about Wesley in the NJAC going forward. I doubt there's some NJAC related issue Wesley has. They've lost some close games to some good teams over the years. That seems to be more of a common thread than any sort of conference affiliation

For sure, those three losses all came down to the final possession with Wesley moving the ball into opponents territory. (and add in the Del Val loss too where the Aggies scored on 4th and one with less than 30 seconds left.)

I think over time the roster limit of 125 overall and 100 at the start of the season could have an impact. Maybe not so much in the conference as I feel they'll always be competitive but when you get in the later rounds when you face teams that are able to bring in 175+ each year and allow the cream to rise to the top. They are definitely going to have  to recruit more selectively and retain those guys. Which is tough for anyone on the small college level.

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

[jknezek]

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

I'm going with 40% Keeler leaving, 50% easing off the transfers (which was part of Keeler leaving, so you could just cram 90% in there), and 10% the roster limits.

[bman]

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

I'm going with 40% Keeler leaving, 50% easing off the transfers (which was part of Keeler leaving, so you could just cram 90% in there), and 10% the roster limits.

+K   Spot on...

Keeler lived by the drop down...He did it at Rowan (Bunting started it), he lived by it at Delaware, and I'm sure we'll see Sam Houston State in the FCS championship game soon with all of that Texas dropdown talent dangling at his fingertips...

[AUPepBand]

Pep - you're killing me!!!! Thanks for the morning guffaw!!!

Pep happens to have just settled into a Motel 6 in Wytheville for the night after swinging down I-81, passing by D3 Title Town...left "Mayberry" at around 4 p.m. and arrived in Wytheville about 2 a.m. 550 miles in 10 hours.

Pep will go with Pep Jr. at Carowinds, just south of Charlotte, riding rollercoasters. Then Friday it's off to Raleigh for a Morrisville State Journalism Program Weekend Gathering in honor of program founder, the "Sultan of Saddle Shoes," Jerry Leone. Pep is looking forward to seeing a couple of journalism profs he thoroughly enjoyed back in 1974-76 when Mooville was a junior college....and to think the Mustangs this year will appear at Yunevich Stadium as an affiliate member of the Empire 8. Who'd have thunk? Football had been big at Morrisville in the Fifties(?) but was not part of the program in the 70s. Pep, as sports editor of the weekly CHIMES actually proposed the college revive its football program...and a few decades later, they did. Pep had the pleasure of meeting Head Coach Curt FitzPatrick (Fisher '04) while touring the old but newly renovated STUAC on the Mooville campus....but Pep rambles.

Let's just say Pep has proof that there's a Virginia!

On Saxon Warriors!

[wally_wabash]

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

I would say not so much.  I believe they have a 100-player limit in the WIAC and at least one team out there seems to handle it pretty well.  A roster limit doesn't necessarily equate to a limited roster, and I think 100 players is more than enough to have national success. 

[HSCTiger74]

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

I would say not so much.  I believe they have a 100-player limit in the WIAC and at least one team out there seems to handle it pretty well.  A roster limit doesn't necessarily equate to a limited roster, and I think 100 players is more than enough to have national success.

   While I understand that it can help with depth and in developing players' experience for following seasons, isn't it likely that anyone below #100 on the roster is probably not going to play very much (if at all) anyway? Assuming an even distribution through the positions, you're talking about fifth teamers by the time you get to that level.

[AUPepBand]

I was wondering if anyone thinks the roster limit has hurt the NJAC as far as deep playoff runs. I seem to remember it coming in around 15 years ago for budgetary reasons. Does anyone think that played a role in Rowan's drop from elite to very good status or was it Keeler leaving and less reliance on elite transfers. Probably both.

I would say not so much.  I believe they have a 100-player limit in the WIAC and at least one team out there seems to handle it pretty well.  A roster limit doesn't necessarily equate to a limited roster, and I think 100 players is more than enough to have national success.

   While I understand that it can help with depth and in developing players' experience for following seasons, isn't it likely that anyone below #100 on the roster is probably not going to play very much (if at all) anyway? Assuming an even distribution through the positions, you're talking about fifth teamers by the time you get to that level.

Some institutions, Pep believes, capitalize on a young man's desire to continue playing football in college by recruiting such individuals despite the likelihood of said individuals perhaps lacking the ability to play at the college level. It serves the purpose of boosting enrollment and, once the individuals have built camaraderie with peers during their first year experience, they are apt to stick around and complete their studies despite falling from the roster. 

On Saxon Warriors!

[gordonmann]

I've also heard that really large rosters are good for the college's finances. All those students are likely paying something to enroll in the school, even if they never see the field or quit the team after their freshman year.

[rams1102]

Is anything being done with the East Region Fan Poll this year? Just curious.

[D3MAFAN]

Is anything being done with the East Region Fan Poll this year? Just curious.

I'm curious as well. If someone has some fancy spreadsheet that allows it, I would be willing to give it a try.

[AUPepBand]

Is anything being done with the East Region Fan Poll this year? Just curious.

I'm curious as well. If someone has some fancy spreadsheet that allows it, I would be willing to give it a try.

Just texted AUKaz00 this morning. He says he'd be happy to run the ERFP again this year...just has to find the time to get back to the boards. With 90 new recruits and who knows how many returning players arriving on the east side of Mayberry this week, perhaps Kaz will join us here very soon...if he's not too busy at work or on a Str8 Eight card game promotional tour or something. Pep sure is hoping Kaz00 comes back on board with a finely-tuned instrument....he was a little flat last season. 

Stay tuned!

[AUKaz00]

Is anything being done with the East Region Fan Poll this year? Just curious.

I'm curious as well. If someone has some fancy spreadsheet that allows it, I would be willing to give it a try.

Just texted AUKaz00 this morning. He says he'd be happy to run the ERFP again this year...just has to find the time to get back to the boards. With 90 new recruits and who knows how many returning players arriving on the east side of Mayberry this week, perhaps Kaz will join us here very soon...if he's not too busy at work or on a Str8 Eight card game promotional tour or something. Pep sure is hoping Kaz00 comes back on board with a finely-tuned instrument....he was a little flat last season. 

Stay tuned!

It's footbaw time in Mayberry!  My youngest has been singing the fight song daily, so it's time to shine up my kazoo.  I'll DM everyone who voted last year to see if we can get the band back together, then reach out here if we need a new drummer.

[AUKaz00]

Okay, I only have 3 pollsters for the ERFP this year.  So, if you're interested in providing your top 10 each Monday, let me know.  Currently we have an E8, LL and one of the New England conferences (can't remember which one at the moment) represented.

[rams1102]

Okay, I only have 3 pollsters for the ERFP this year.  So, if you're interested in providing your top 10 each Monday, let me know.  Currently we have an E8, LL and one of the New England conferences (can't remember which one at the moment) represented.

Just sent you a PM. I'm in.

[CNU85]

I'm new to the East Region. If you guys need another guy to provide input, I will give it a shot. Caveat - my ignorance may skew the results!

Just let me know!