FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[muleshoe]

Great defense, special teams, and less than 100 yards of offense... guess that's the Mules recipe to win this year. Ugly W in Amherst but we'll take it! Looking ahead, I think we could finish 3-6 or 6-3. I have no clue what to expect with this team or league this season.

QB Miles Drake got carted off in 3rd quarter, hopefully it's not too serious. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

[MapleBBQChicken]

Heartbreaker for Middlebury in Hartford, almost three straight years of last minute winners. For those who missed it, Trinity was up 8 trying to ice it with a late field goal, and Midd blocked it and returned it for a TD. The Panthers then missed the two point conversion and subsequently got stopped in the final seconds on Trinity's side of the field.

Lots of missed opportunities again for the Panthers, but a hell of a football game nonetheless. I always thought that 17 point line was way too big. Coach Mandigo knows how to play the Bantams.

The Wesleyan head scratcher is always amusing. Looks like Bowdoin +35 was pretty safe today, and I wonder what I could've gotten on Polar Bears money line.

Sounds like some injuries across the league today which is always horrible news. Wishing everyone a quick and smooth recovery.

[nescac1]

A few thoughts on Bates-Williams:

Has 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.   

I thought Jack Perry threw the ball brilliantly for Bates, notwithstanding the two INTs (one very late in a tough spot) - he consistently put the ball on the money deep downfield and could have easily had more than 288 yards but for a few drops and a few potential deep completions in which on on-target pass drew a pass interference call from a desperate WR, and he had to deal with a lot of pressure from the Eph pass rush. 

The Eph secondary continues to really struggle ever since Gehring went down. Four FYs continue to see a ton of time back there and unsurprisingly they seem to make a lot of mental mistakes.  Under no circumstances should Bates receivers be running behind the secondary late in the game with Bates down two TDs.  They keep perpetrating these interference penalties even when they have guys well-covered because they don't turn around and look at the ball at the last second.  And too often speed receivers are getting two steps behind the deep safeties.  To their credit, though, they came up big on the final drive of the last two games, and they do seem to get a lot of interceptions, leading the league with 8. 

The Ephs are also leading the league in sacks (18), sacks allowed (an incredible 1), forced fumbles and fumbled recovered.  The Eph D gives up huge chunks of yardage seemingly every week but also makes big play after big play to turn the tide of games.  And the Eph offensive line has been easily the most consistent unit all year.  The Eph D-line has struggled a bit with I think three of their rotation linemen out today. 

Other stand-outs for Williams today were Jon Oris, who was awesome all game, and his 92-yard run was an incredible mix of speed, power, and elusiveness, and Zakkai Moore, who was seemingly everywhere on defense and continues along with Luke Mangini to be the heart of the Eph defense.  The Ephs have SUCH a loaded sophomore class.  For Bates,  Gleason, Carver and Vidou all had big plays and burned the Ephs with their speed.  But once Lynskey went down, the running game was dramatically different, hopefully whatever is ailing him is not serious as he is an absolute beast. 

Drew Renzella acquitted himself well in his first meaningful action at QB, played with poise and hit a few really nice passes including an absolute beauty to Manchik, but also missed a few guys which hopefully he will hit if called into action again.  What the Ephs missed is the running dimension that Johansen brings and I hope he can come back for the last few games.  A lot of folks have commented on how many QBs Williams recruits but today they were sure glad for depth at that position, relying on their third-string QB to start and also getting big plays (a TD pass and a receiving TD) from two other high school QBs!

Turning away from Williams-Bates, I'd be REALLY curious to see the last time a NESCAC team lost a game with a stat line like Amherst had (plus 290 yards, plus 14 in first downs, plus 14 minutes in TOP, holding the opponent to under 100 yards total offense, only minus one in TOs).  Going 0-5 on fourth down surely didn't help, and of course the big special teams play.  And I think everyone is waiting with baited breath to hear from NESCACman!  Suddenly Amherst-Wesleyan is an elimination game for the league title chase between two VERY pissed-off teams that probably can't believe they lost this week.  (Wesleyan also had a huge advantage in total yardage, but less surprising to see a loss in that situation with four turnovers). 

[quicksilver]

. . . Turning away from Williams-Bates, I'd be REALLY curious to see the last time a NESCAC team lost a game with a stat line like Amherst had (plus 290 yards, plus 14 in first downs, plus 14 minutes in TOP, holding the opponent to under 100 yards total offense, only minus one in TOs).  Going 0-5 on fourth down surely didn't help, and of course the big special teams play.  And I think everyone is waiting with baited breath to hear from NESCACman!  Suddenly Amherst-Wesleyan is an elimination game for the league title chase between two VERY pissed-off teams that probably can't believe they lost this week.  (Wesleyan also had a huge advantage in total yardage, but less surprising to see a loss in that situation with four turnovers). 

Wesleyan had a significant advantage in total yardage (344 to 243) over Bowdoin but not huge in the grand scheme of things. More striking was that neither team could run the ball at all -- something like 33 versus 23 yards on the ground . . .Having watched Bowdoin, I know all too well that they cannot run the ball (injuries and poor recruiting) but was surprised the a contender like Wes had a similarly anemic ground game . . 

[ItsATuftSituation]

Has 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.

[lumbercat]

Very interesting and unpredictable day in the NESCAC. I have not seen parity and competitiveness at this level in many years in this league. Makes every game interesting and fun.

A few observsations---

     Bates took it to a sleepy Williams squad right from the get go. Williams very sloppy in the first half. Bates built a 23-7 lead and then the unthinkable, Linskey went down with an ankle midway through the second quarter and the whole tenor of the game changed. Deflating loss for Bates and an energizing scenario for Williams. The Ephs rallied in the second half while Bates was trying to regroup with their main weapon sidelined. To make matters worse Lynsey backup RB Jack Morril also went down with a knee. When it rains it pours. But credit to Williams they are a fine, well balanced Football team.


I commented 4 years ago on the Williams recruiting class that included 5 QBs-McHugh, Johansen, Renzella, Carrol, Baker. Renzella.

Renzella, now a junior, got his first chance today only due to injuries of the 2 QBs ahead of him on the Williams depth chart. He performed very well. He would be a starter, right now, in at least 4 NESCAC programs. Scouted him at Williston and knew he had it. Great arm, quick release, outstanding feet and mobility but most of all his eyes are up and he's poised in the pocket. Hope he doesn't die at Williams holding a clipboard when Jahansen and McHugh come back.

----Can someone who saw the Colby Amherst game explain how Colby won that game. The Box Score looks like the Colby Bates stats 3 weeks ago. Are these numbers correct?

Total offense-- Colby: 96  Amherst: 387
First downs-- Colby:  7  Amherst:  21
Plays---  Colby:   45  Amherst:  87


----Another shocker today was the Bowdoin win in Middletown. I got a very interesting text from one of my Bowdoin friends (yes, I do have a few).
He points out the following on the last 4 years of the Bowdoin-Wes series--
--Bowdoin record 2-2
--total points Bowdoin 97 Wes 96
He says Hammer has out coached Dice big time at home and on the road and totally has his number having actually outplayed him with smaller, inferior, losing teams.
I'm just baffled at that result today also.