This new rule, known by some as the "Jack Cochoran" (sp?) rule, is absurd.  While I believe that it is important to keep the integrity of the game intact, it's just rediculous that a head coach could be suspended for having prepared well for the opponent.  I realize that the intent of the rule was to restore the idea of sportsmanship at the high school level, but the rule doesn't account for the instances where one team is simply better than the other.  However, I think that what Jack Cochoran has done in the past (winning games 90-0) is wrong but you can't punish other coaches for his disregard or lack of respect for his opponents. 

NESCAC connection: Jack Cochoran coached at Trinity for a brief period...

Garnet, since you brought it up why don't we throw it around and see what happens?

If by change, you mean they were doing things that were deemed illegal at that time, then that's cheating.

Quote from: frank uible on May 24, 2006, 09:50:54 PM
chessdoc: Sounds as if you and your son are lurking in the weeds!

They're either lurking, or they're both on it...

The only team that has a shot at Trinity this season is Amherst....possibly Williams due to the home field advantage.  Amherst usually has very good athletes, and I believe that they have a few of the speedy receivers coming back this season.  From what I hear they're lacking in defense, but that's merely rumored.  The only shot Williams has is if their starting QB from last season (Gleeson???) doesn't play....poor performances under pressure (Colby then Trinity 05).  Colby will have success because of their defense (mainly thier size), but their offense is slow and methodical.  Trinity will outrun them all day long.  So here's what I think...

Trinity: 8-0 SURPRISE!

Amherst: 7-1 Athleticism and speed are their strengths.

Colby: 6-2 Average talent, but a lot of heart.

Williams: 6-2 They will lose to Trinity and Amherst

Tufts: 4-4 Great talent on a consistent basis...but no one is home.

Middlebury:  3-5 Not a knock on VT football, but VT football is bad.

Bowdoin: 3-5 Last season was a fluke, and they will be back to their old ways.

Bates: 2-6 Oh boy, watch out for them bobcats!

Hamilton: 1-7 Yikes

Wesleyan: 0-8 Best schemes is the NESCAC, but another goose egg is on its way.

Union*(Not to be confused with MT. UNION): 9-2 Playoff birth, but they will lose in the first round.....their talent is no where close to that of the Mid-West teams.

*Indicates those teams who were kicked out of the NESCAC for illegal recruiting practices (but people from Union will tell you differently).

From what I hear, the Chuks kid is a stud LB, as well as the CA linebacker from Oaks Christian (Matt Allen).  I think the kid from FL is Doval (DL)...not sure though.  Have you ever heard of the kid chessdoc?  Everyone should know that defense wins championships, and if the core of LB's that Trinity has coming in is as good as advertised, then you know there's going to be no stopping them.  LB's play on almost every special team, and if you keep them fresh you won't have any problem stopping the run.  The one big issue that I see with Trin is their OL.  ONLY 2 INCOMING FROSH?!??  That could be an issue in the long run.  Hopefully the "turk" doesn't stop by camp trin this fall.  I'm sure they make up for the lack of OL with their speed and athleticism.  Leo, Quinones, Olenosky, Barnard, Pratt...and the incoming frosh....which includes a WR from CA, and a stud RB from GA.  And that's only the offense...........watch out!   

chessdoc:  no offense; but you put your kids in "losing" situations to make them better?  In some aspects of life that may be logical, but in football, it's like saying that Reggie Bush is going to be a better person in the long run because he's playing on the worst team in America....HA!  

Hear me out before you get upset: In sports and some aspects of business, there are good teams and there are bad teams.  Some times the good teams and good businesses are better because of their personnel (our previous discussion), and some times they are better because they are simply managed better.  Some times the bad teams and bad businesses are worse for the same reasons.  But we're talking about the difference between football programs within academic schools where some administrations care a lot for football and other do not.  I would guarantee that none of the schools in ME, VT, NY care all that much about their football programs.  So you get average equipment, average video technology, and average coaches.  When a school promotes a football program you tend to get better equipment, better video equipment, and better coaches.

SO from what you're saying YOU purposefully sent your son to one of those schools that cares very little about the football program because you have an agenda to make him a better person?  I can promise you that losing IS NOT FUN!!!  But playing for a BAD football program is even worse.  

You think that by joining a good team you're taking the easy way out?  Who's to say that your son would've been taken by Trinity's football program, and even played on it for that matter?

MY opininon is that you shouldn't challenge yourself by joining the losing team (remember poor resources); you should challenge yourself by trying to join the BEST team (would you really want to join a small marketing firm when you could join a fortune 500?) and making the first string because when you have done that you have essentially worked yourself into an elite position.  

Hey, being the MVP on a .500 team is respectable...but being a first stringer on an undefeated or championship team is something that is earned by beating out the best.

Again, I mean no offense, but maybe I just misunderstood your statement, and I would gladly like to hear your reply.

Bullfrog:  I agree with you about needing good talent to be successful....."you can't have a circus without the animals".....

However, I can't totally agree with your comment that "it's not scheme its all talent" in the case of the Bantams, and Coach Priory's offensive schemes.  

From what I hear his offense was very difficult to learn, but once learned, the players that were put into those situations could execute (not because they were always better) but rather because they were "coached" and "taught" how to do it.  For all intensive purposes, one could argue that this past season's Bantam OFFENSE was the "worst" talented offense that they've had in a few years.  Why?  They had 2 first team all nescac players on offense (one OL and one RB), and only 3 second team players (one qb/wr/rb one OL and one wr).  Amherst had 4 first team all nescac players, and williams had 3.  But neither team beat Trinity.  Although I would agree that your statement about talent is usually correct, I can't find any evidence that would prove it correct in this past season's outcome.  

The Bantams won games this past season with their worst offense in years...but still managed to rush for 1749 yards and throw for 1511, while averaging 34 points per game.  How can Trinity's offense be SO good, but only have 2 first team players?  The only thing that I can figure is the bants were simply coached better, motivated better, and challenged more than any other team they played.

Now I will say that the Bants had one of the better (not the best...class of 03'!) defenses in the past years, and if you said that defense wins championships I would totally agree.

Nescacfan05: Trinity led Williams 31-0 at half last season, and I'm sure that coach Priory called the dogs off well before that.  Trin v. Colby; Should be interesting to see who wins that one.  

chessdoc:  I think the kid is going to be a junior.  Undersized, but probably the best athlete is the NESCAC...right behind your son of course!

Chris Rorke is the new offensive coordinator up at Trinity...he came from a program where HIS offense averaged over 30 points per game.  There's no way he'll abandon HIS offense just because something different had been run there before him.  I'm sure Lehigh didn't run the same offense before Rorke got there.  I think it'd be crazy for him to try to teach/coach an offense that he doesn't know like the back of his hand.

The one thing that I will say against that...Coach Devany WILL have some say in what plays are run and so forth, because after all, his name is going to be in the paper for the win or the loss (not an assistant coach).  That will most likely involve the amount of times Rorke throws the ball....because of course Devany, being a defensive guy, will want to keep his dogs off the field for as long as possible (running the ball and taking time off the clock like coach Priory did).  Which has probably been a huge reason for their great defensive success...And the fact that they have the most handsome coach in the NESCAC on their side of the football.

I see that the Bants have a new DC as well....you think Devany isn't going to have some input there as well?

I agree with the statement that: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  But the Bantams offense will surely change....but with the qb from Texas, does it even matter what they run?

Huddle Call: snap the ball, you block someone and he'll make everyone on defense look stoopid....on one, ready hit!

Cruiser:  It was a comment made by one of Colby coaches...I would guess the word got around because of its absurdity!

I agree that the Williams game will be the "game to watch", week 2.  But after last seasons debaucle is there any reason to believe this?

"...the Trinity/Colby game will be like USC versus Texas for the Rose Bowl..."
-a quote from Colby coach

I think the game is being played in Hartford this year...does Colby have the personnel to knock off the Bantams?  Are Colby's schemes superior to Trinity's?  Will the Trinity offense have the same dominating presence with the new system?  What are the White Mules' strengths and weaknesses?  What are the Bantams strengths and weaknesses?  Is there any legitimacy in the above statements?  (Does anyone care about this game, or is the Trinity/Williams game the one to watch?)

Hey Trin fans, lets stir it up again.  Any comments?

chessdoc:  A little side note on Trinity's Women's Soccer program...a lot of drama over the years from what I hear....c'mon the head coach is a guy, and not that a male coach can't do a great job coaching a women's soccer team, but let's be honest, does anyone really think that a male coach (any male for that matter) can deal with a female athlete who is going through "female issues" whatever "those issues" may be?  I know that I'm going to get bashed for saying that because there have obviously been some very successful male coaches throughout the history of female sports, but seriously...it takes one hell of a man to deal with a team of ovulating women!!! (I can't even deal with the women in my life half the time....does any one AGREE?)  But seriously, your daughter should go to Trinity for the great education she'll receive, the unmatched social experience that will prepare her social skills for job interviews, for the fact that she may feel more comfortable there than any other NESCAC school, and because you don't want her to end up in a budget music video shaking her breasts and doing cartwheels with a group of losers.  But she should absolutely NOT go there just because she wants to play soccer.  Hope this helps.

Let's get back to a topic that was brought up earlier:  The 2006 Recruiting Class

I heard that Trinity got a few good player this year:
TE CT
QB OH??
OL CT
DE CA
RB GA
LB MD
RB NJ
DL FL
WR MA
FS VA
WR CA
OL MA
RB CT
LB CA
LB MD 

A few other NESCAFE schools got some good ones:

Hamilton:
QB Transfer from AZ (JUCO)

Amherst:
OL AZ

Anyone else hear who got who? 

A reporter from the Trinity Tripod just released this article.....

edit: shorter link

I'm sure this will stir the pot!