FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

With Trin, Wes, Williams, and Amherst all tied at 4-1 the standings show a clear top 4. Meanwhile the computer sees it as more of a three horse race and has the Mammoths rated below two teams with losing records (Midd and Tufts):

29 - Trinity, 24.8
51 - Wesleyan, 15.5
64 - Williams, 11.2
95 - Middlebury, 4.9
122 - Tufts, 0.9
129 - Amherst, -0.6
151 - Colby, -7.2
172 - Bates, -11.5
198 - Bowdoin, -16.9
200 - Hamilton, -17.9

I have to say I'm surprised by the continued low rating for Amherst, especially since they've beaten both the Jumbos and Panthers! I will say they only led Bowdoin by 6 heading into the fourth quarter before pulling away late. In fact, nearly half of their total yards came on their final three possessions (not including kneel downs) but still I don't see how the computer could have them that far below the Ephs, Cards, and Bants.

Middlebury heads to The Coop for Trinity Homecoming on Saturday in what looks to be the NESCAC Game of the Week. Can the Bants finally get a win against the Panthers? Trin has lost to Midd in consecutive seasons with less than a minute on the clock. In the last two decades only twice has a team beaten Trinity three years in a row: Amherst 2013-2015 and Williams 2018-2021 (which includes the 2020 COVID no season). Should be a great atmosphere in Hartford!

https://www.ctinsider.com/gametimect/football/article/donte-kelly-football-maloney-choate-wesleyan-20151264.php

I follow CT high school football pretty closely and this is a great get by Wes. He'll be a star.

I would take credit but, unfortunately for anyone not cheering for the Red & Black, this was an easy one to see coming. Dante Kelly is so good and only a freshman!

Agree on the Lord Mammoths, which is why we have them ranked 4th.

We'd be surprised if MID joins that 3x group in the Coop this year. Not sure they have enough on defense to stop O'Brien & Co.

Young Donte is the run away NESCAC rookie of the year through 5 games and is in the mix for NESCAC OPOTY, as a FY. He's been impressive and fun to watch. Hopefully, he is saving his best for the last 3 games!

Meanwhile, his predecessor, #6 Chase Wilson (last year's NESACAC OPOTY), is lighting it up at UNH. Chase is following in the footsteps of another Wes great at UNH, Logan Tomlinson.

NM

[Trin9-0]

In the last two decades only twice has a team beaten Trinity three years in a row: Amherst 2013-2015 and Williams 2018-2021 (which includes the 2020 COVID no season).

It dawned on me that in both instances two of the three straight wins over Trinity were purple home games. If Middlebury knocks off the Bants on Saturday, not only will it be three straight wins over Trin, they will have won consecutive games in The Coop.

The last time a team won three straight over Trinity including back-to-back road games in Hartford was Williams from 1999-2001!

Season 2, Episode 5  is available now featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney

I love it when Nescacman slips and calls it "Trinity College". 

[Nescacman]

In the last two decades only twice has a team beaten Trinity three years in a row: Amherst 2013-2015 and Williams 2018-2021 (which includes the 2020 COVID no season).

It dawned on me that in both instances two of the three straight wins over Trinity were purple home games. If Middlebury knocks off the Bants on Saturday, not only will it be three straight wins over Trin, they will have won consecutive games in The Coop.

The last time a team won three straight over Trinity including back-to-back road games in Hartford was Williams from 1999-2001!

Season 2, Episode 5  is available now featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney

I love it when Nescacman slips and calls it "Trinity College". 

Haha....if you listen to the pod (which you should), it's always Trinity...High School.

Look forward to seeing you on Andrus on November 8th...hopefully it's for all the marbles, just like last year.

[nescac1]

Donte Kelly is definitely the next in the long line of Wesleyan receiving greats (going back to Matt Perceval and Breuler before the more recent run).  The only thing to be scared of for a Wesleyan fan is if he's SO good as a FY that D1 schools come sniffing around offering scholarships and NIL $$ (which is basically a concern now for any exceptional NESCAC underclass performer who has D1 speed and size). 

[Trin9-0]

Donte Kelly is definitely the next in the long line of Wesleyan receiving greats (going back to Matt Perceval and Breuler before the more recent run).  The only thing to be scared of for a Wesleyan fan is if he's SO good as a FY that D1 schools come sniffing around offering scholarships and NIL $$ (which is basically a concern now for any exceptional NESCAC underclass performer who has D1 speed and size). 

This is a great point. Kelly doesn't necessarily have D1 size at 5'11", 175 lbs. but he's certainly a good enough athlete and having come from Choate he's played with plenty of higher level guys. Something to keep an eye on for sure.


Nescacman, I'll be in The Coop for the Bants' game against Amherst for sure and hoping to make it to Andrus for the 124th Trinity-Wesleyan game. If it's for the NESCAC title I'll surely find a way and will definitely swing by your tailgate if I'm there.

[The #802]

This is a great point. Kelly doesn't necessarily have D1 size at 5'11", 175 lbs. but he's certainly a good enough athlete and having come from Choate he's played with plenty of higher level guys. Something to keep an eye on for sure.


Nescacman, I'll be in The Coop for the Bants' game against Amherst for sure and hoping to make it to Andrus for the 124th Trinity-Wesleyan game. If it's for the NESCAC title I'll surely find a way and will definitely swing by your tailgate if I'm there.

Kelly isn't close to 5'11". Saw him play in person at Bates. At best, he's 5'8". I'd guess he is also much lighter than 175lbs. He can fly though - the speed is unquestionable.

[lumbercat]

Not to split hairs on Kelly's size but I saw him at Bates also. You may be right on the height but I saw a big lower body and legs. I'd bet he's all of 175 if not more.
I think he could still draw interest from a higher level program.

[nescac1]

As a NY Giants fan, whose two best healthy skill guys are 5'8 Wan'Dale Robinson and 5'9 Cam Skattebo, and for whom David Meggett and Tiki Barber starred at 5'7 and 5'10 respectively, I'm certainly of the opinion that height is far less important for a TB/WR than speed, shiftiness and explosion, all of which Kelly clearly has.

Back in NESCAC, short clearly hasn't hurt Nolan O'Brien, who has dominated the league for two years now, or recently Eph tailbacks Fischetti and Oris.  O'Brien is another dude who surely would have played at a higher level if he was two inches taller, and I think could have made an impact at the scholarship level despite his stature. 

[Trin9-0]

As a vertically challenged NESCAC football alumnus myself, you can count me firmly in the "if you're good enough, you're big enough" Camp. My only point was that, for better or worse, D1 schools often err towards bigger/taller athletes. 

I don't think too many NESCAC coaches, outside of DiCenzo, would be sad to see Kelly test the portal marketplace.

[muleshoe]

As a vertically challenged NESCAC football alumnus myself, you can count me firmly in the "if you're good enough, you're big enough" Camp. My only point was that, for better or worse, D1 schools often err towards bigger/taller athletes. 

I don't think too many NESCAC coaches, outside of DiCenzo, would be sad to see Kelly test the portal marketplace.

Is NM pulling together a Cardinal Collective to keep him in Middletown?

[Charlie]

Having watched a great deal of NESCAC games this year it is a plesant surprise with Amherst turning the program around. Now I am not saying they are going to be NESCAC champs again but defintely one of their best years in decades. This goes back to many of the past posts regarding teams trending backwards. How did Amherst with an acceptance rate of close to 10 % appear to have turned their program around albeit it took awhile. However the Bowdoin ,  Hamilton and soon to be Tufts seem to be trending backwards. At what point do these Coaches and schools decide after never having won the league to recruit differently or is it Coaching. These programs have shown no signs of turning the corner despite all being in the same academic levels. Just curious if the NESCAC schools will change or are we stuck with clear division of talent. Why can one change and the others keep going backward.

[muleshoe]

Having watched a great deal of NESCAC games this year it is a plesant surprise with Amherst turning the program around. Now I am not saying they are going to be NESCAC champs again but defintely one of their best years in decades. This goes back to many of the past posts regarding teams trending backwards. How did Amherst with an acceptance rate of close to 10 % appear to have turned their program around albeit it took awhile. However the Bowdoin ,  Hamilton and soon to be Tufts seem to be trending backwards. At what point do these Coaches and schools decide after never having won the league to recruit differently or is it Coaching. These programs have shown no signs of turning the corner despite all being in the same academic levels. Just curious if the NESCAC schools will change or are we stuck with clear division of talent. Why can one change and the others keep going backward.

Decades? Amherst only lost 11 games from 2009-2018...

Coach Mills has been at this for a really long time, achieving lots of success outside of the last 4 years or so. I think this turnaround also speaks to the power of having the right guy behind center.

[lumbercat]

Couldn't agree more Muleshoe this Amherst QB is dominant and they are also recruiting like the old Amherst program after some turmoil at the school that turned the administration and admissions sour for a few years.
As long as Mills is around every other NESCAC HCOF will be in line to be second best.

[JEFFFAN]

As a grad ... I can state fairly clearly that in the later years of the runaway last administration the football team did not get the same level of admissions support it had previously.  The former president took the school over the edge ideologically, something that the new president - an Amherst graduate - is slowly moving the school away from.  And with that, word has it, better, more consistent, more historically supportive admissions for the largest sport in the school.  As several posters on here have stated, EJ Mills is no stranger to winning via effective recruiting, preparation and game-day decision making. The best coach in Amherst history and one of the best in NESCAC history ... when people let him do his job!

[lumbercat]

Jeff Fan.......
Whoa Nellie my friend. Mills is a great coach but maybe you're too young to know the name of Jim Ostendarp.