Watched the Jumbos-Ephs game yesterday on the Internet. First thoughts, Tufts kids on Jumbocast do an amazing job with the broadcast. They had a pregame and halftime show with a table like Gameday, the broadcasters were prepared and had obviously done tons for preparation with graphics and it was breast cancer awareness day at Tufts so they had a QR code to donate on the screen. It was a very good watch.

The game was pretty much just about Tufts offensive unit figuring it all out and now they look like one of the best units in the league with Weidman under center. Efficient and dangerous, tons of weapons. The defense allowed yards but made some huge takeaway plays late in the game.

Johansen didn't look right...maybe he was favoring something but he wasn't his elusive self except for a few plays. The defensive line did a solid job on Oris, and despite Falls being great, Tufts limited pretty much everyone else.

Tufts has put up 38 and 41 points in their last two games, interested to see how it fares against Colby's solid defense next week.

Also, congrats to HC Jay Civetti on tying the all-time wins record at Tufts with his 60th win. A record that's stood since 1945.

Quote from: nescac1 on October 18, 2025, 06:52:41 PMHas any NESCAC receiver ever had better back-to-back weeks than Zach Falls just did??  10 receptions for 332 yards and 5 TDS plus a two-point conversion, including 84 and 76 yard TDs, from three different passers, when all other receivers combined from an injury-riddled unit accounted for a grand total of 80 yards over those games (so by himself, over 80 percent of all receiving yards).  He is definitely a - gulp - D1-caliber receiver, and only a sophomore.   

Phil Lutz had...checks notes...21 receptions for 353 and 8 TDs in the final two games of the 2022 season for Tufts. That included a six touchdown game against Middlebury, which featured a 63-yard TD, a 44-yard TD and a 70-yard TD.

But yea, Falls is a fantastic player, excited to see him this weekend in Somerville.

Quote from: Charlie on October 07, 2025, 10:56:00 AMHad the luxury of channel checking many games this past weekend. I noticed two glaring takeaways. The NESCAC has to allow a preseason contest. If you look at that the play now versus week one simply amazing. I know this is topic for off season but even to get the young kids coming in some game experience I just think would make week one better football. Again topic for off season.

The second observation I happen to watch some of the Trinity/ Tufts game is it just me or does Trinity football players just look bigger ,stronger and faster then there opponents. The size differential against Tufts was large. I also noticed this in watching the Trinity/Bates game as well. Do these other NESCAC programs have strength and conditioning programs. There seems to be a clear size and speed differential amongst these teams. The only team that appeared to be close in size was Williams College. When I watched the Bates/Colby the players looked completely different in size and stature.

When the president's voted to use their Pool A bid and the 84-man roster limit, they but in a 10-year moratorium on making any more football changes. So, don't expect non-conference or preseason football anytime soon.

I was at the Bowdoin-Tufts game today in Brunswick. Beautiful setting for a football game, Whittier is always a great trip, I've always enjoyed my times there.

The game had a weird feeling to it, Tufts was dominating most statistical categories, had the ball for 15 more minutes than Bowdoin. Felt like was in total control. But something was missing. No real killer instinct offensively, had chances including a muffed punt to put the game away but couldn't take advantage. Defense looked solid, but the secondary wasn't really tested much. I didn't get a sense of what either team was, to be honest.

We shall see next weekend in the Oval against Wes, different test all together.

I feel like Tufts will have plenty on offense to make up for the loss of Cade Moore and Mike Berluti. Getting Jack Elliott back for another year, along with Shapiro and Reece returning. I'd also look to sophomore WR Keller Rogers and Granville Anderson getting more involved as weapons, and Ned Righellis at TE in his second year after transferring in from SMU. Defensively is where I'm curious to see how the Jumbos rebound from losing 7 starters on that side of the ball. They return Jeff Xu, Riley Yaker, Vince Gilchrist and Johnny Ferrelli, but the entire secondary will be different. I know they're excited about Cam Pineda and Amari Watson, and Nate Sousa, Ryan Saccu and Steven Rauso have all played a lot as well. I'm fairly confident that there's enough talent there to still be competitive in the conference.

I'm so glad that the NESCAC teams will be able to compete for a national title, you've got to think it will help recruiting and maybe take some recruits from schools like Hopkins, Carnegie-Mellon and some Centennials along with Patriot and Ivies.

I'm thrilled with the decision, but a small part of me is sad that the tradition of the NESCAC title being the ultimate prize in football is now gone.

Quote from: olddog on March 10, 2025, 07:46:51 PMTuffSit,

Thanks for your take...

What was said during the game to generate that reaction from the U of R players ?

Nice post

Where I was sitting across the way from them, so I couldn't quite hear. But it seemed like the crowd (looked like football guys, they were big guys) were just being loud and from what I could tell were somewhat taunting a few UR players. Curry and Gates were catching it the most, but they were interacting back with the crowd. I thought it was good natured ribbing, I saw that during the NESCAC tournament with Alex Lee, and he pointed towards them once and that was it. But the game was emotional, guys hitting shots to save their careers, diving on the floor, fouls everywhere, it was physical. And when you get to a point where it all climaxes at the end like that, the emotional toll just comes out with what happened at the end. The UR guys were excited and showed it, and the Tufts fans just saw their friends hearts ripped out. I think it was all pretty perfectly understandable.

I was at the game on Saturday at Tufts. There's so much dialog about everything, but nothing is going to change. The crowd was fine, the Redlands reaction was close to the line but I still thought it was honestly not the worst thing ever. The 4-5 guys that ran on the floor were out there for half a second, and retreated to the bench. It wasn't enough in my opinion to make that tech call. In the end, Redlands made one more play that Tufts did. That's sports. It's no one's fault, no one's to blame, that's just how it goes sometimes. People are upset understandably because they care so much, but name calling and saying Tufts has a reputation of this or that is unfair. I was there both days, and personally I thought the event was well done, administrators were everywhere and handled issues fine and it was a great experience despite the Jumbos loss.

The lamest argument in D3 men's basketball is UAA vs. NESCAC.

Sorry, it's played out and doesn't mean anything anyways.

Quote from: jumbomumbo on February 23, 2025, 02:43:33 PMRyan Scott's Twitter projection for the NCAA tournament has all of Wesleyan, Trinity, Tufts, and Hamilton hosting an NCAA tournament pod. By far the best conference in D3 this year. No one counter with UAA please - they couldn't compete in last years tournament.

I've watched a fair amount of UAA basketball this season, along with a fair amount of NESCAC basketball, and I'd agree that the NESCAC is having a better season top to bottom. But it doesn't really mean anything.

I do think the ODAC as a league is also very competitive year in and year out and has had teams win the national title recently while the NESCAC hasn't of late. Maybe not quite as deep as the NESCAC but the top 5-6 teams could all play with anyone.

Excited for this weekend, the four best teams all season are still playing and I think that's gonna make for a great two days of hoops in Middletown.

At this point in the season, I think I have seen every team play at least once. I wanted to throw an All-NESCAC team out there. There were 7 on both teams last year, so operating under that assumption.

First Team
Gyimesi, Tufts
Morgan, Hamilton
Regan, Wesleyan
Vetter, Trinity
Johnson, Wesleyan
Lawson, Colby
Morakis, Tufts

Second Team
Pouye, Bates
Okorougo, Trinity
Joseph, Middlebury
Espinosa, Conn.
Poulton, Colby
Singh, Hamilton
Lee, Williams

I'd like to get the leagues top shooting percentage and blocks leader in Bernstein on there, but I do think they'll try to get a Williams player on there. Cuavas will likely be ROY, but miss a team. I think Cormier, Stephens, Reilly, Brennan and Scherer all could make it too, but not sure.

Thoughts? 

Quote from: rdanie03 on February 09, 2025, 02:56:14 PMI think the most likely underclassman all-american in the NESCAC is probably Dylan Reilly. Elite shutdown defender and one of the best catch and shoot guys in league history

Love Reilly, he's very good. I think even could end up being an "All" something player. But to say one of best catch and shoot shooters in league history is maybe a tad premature. As someone around the league for a while, not sure he's to that level quite yet. Maybe one day, and I hope he does. Do love watching him play defense, with him, Watt and Medley, the perimeter defense for Tufts can be elite.

I couldn't watch the Tufts-Conn game in real time but was able to afterwards (thank you Jumbocast), and was pretty blown away that Conn didn't get away from their zone as just a mix-up or maybe just try something different. It was completely ineffective against Tufts, it was obvious that Gyimesi working that spot was going to kill Conn plus the skip inside to Bernstein was unstoppable too. I get having an identity, but you got to be able to adjust, right? I like Sweeney too, good coach, but that was surprising.

So, I have a question...what happened with Wesleyan?

They had a strong (16-9), but not overly dominant team last year, losing in the NESCAC quarters at home to Colby. They had losses to Emmanuel and Farmingdale last year.

Is it just bringing most of everyone back and them making incremental improvements? Langs is fifth in scoring after being lower in the lineup last year. Obviously, Regan, Johnson and Cormier all back and better is a reason, but is there anything else that sticks out? I did notice last year they gave up 72 points per game, this year its 58.3? Their scoring is down a point, so obviously the offensive efficiency is still there? Anything else of note?

It's almost exactly what happened with Trinity last year, 16-9 in 2022-23, then exploded in 2023-24...weird things going on in CT.

Ty Richardson has transferred to UC Davis. Was announced on their Twitter recently. Tough loss for Jumbos.