Road Teams Rule Week One: Football Stock Report 9/28

After what seemed like an eternity, NESCAC football returned in triumphant glory on Saturday, and a lot of what we anticipated came to fruition, but there were many surprises, as well.

Today we give you the risers and fallers in our estimation, as well as a few game notes from each contest.

Stock Up:

Hamilton Offense

Tufts isn’t the most stout defense in the NESCAC, but you still have to be impressed with how the Continentals moved the ball and the play of QB Chase Rosenberg ’17 and WR Charles Ensley ’17. After starter Brandon Tobin ’18 succumbed to an injury early in the first half, Rosenberg (the starter for the past two seasons) came on and proceeded to go 14-23 (69.9%) for 301 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. Ensley was on the opposite end of 107 of those yards, and displayed some top-notch athleticism with some of his grabs. His teammate, Pat Donahoe ’16, actually tallied even more yards – 174, to lead the NESCAC – so there may yet be some life in this Continental offense. We’ll wait and see whether or not Tobin returns, and how that might shake up the QB situation.

Connecticut Schools

Despite the loss, the Cardinals proved on Saturday that they still belong to the league’s upper echelon. The Cards ran all over Middlebury, and newly-minted QB Gernald Hawkins ’18 flashed potential throwing the ball, though the results were subpar on Saturday. The defense looks like it barely dropped off, and when you can control the clock and move the ball on the ground as effectively as Wesleyan, you always have a chance to win. Panthers players returned from this one bearing rave reviews of the Wesleyan team as a whole.

Meanwhile, the Bantams looked like they were playing a Pop Warner team on Saturday. A 34-0 win on the road, 439 yards of total offense and only 159 yards allowed. Enough said.

Williams QB Austin Lommen ’16

Expectations are great for former D-I players that transfer down to D-III, and that was true for Lommen last year. The BC transfer was about average last year, completing 60.1 percent of his passes and racking up seven touchdowns against nine picks, but it might be time to buy in on the righty. Lommen went 20-30 (66.7%) for 288 yards, two touchdowns and one pick. Lommen managed the offense well, and the Ephs went 6-8 on third downs in the first half, most of them courtesy of throws by Lommen.

Stock Down:

Bates O-line

Yes, the Bobcats were matched up against an elite D-line from Amherst, but still, their performance in the trenches does not bode well for the rest of the season. Bates needs to churn up yards on the ground in order to win (with the occasional shot downfield to Mark Riley ’16). The Bobcats’ backs gathered 199 yards on the ground on Saturday, but 80 of those came on one Shaun Carroll ’16 scamper. Take that out, and the Bobcats rushed for 119 yards on 45 attempts – a 2.6 YPC average.

Colby Backs

Along the same lines as the above, the Mules were unable to consistently move the ball on the ground. QB Christian Sparacio ’18 had the most success of any ball carrier, racking up 30 yards on seven carries. We are still expecting big things from classmates Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17 and Carl Lipani ’17, but it looked like Colby just ran headfirst into a brick wall against Trinity.

Bowdoin

Just to complete the Maine college trifecta, Bowdoin has to go in this spot. The offense was stagnant, and Tyler Grant ’16 didn’t get many opportunities with the Polar Bears trailing for much of their game against Williams. The loss of RB Trey Brown ’16 to injury will prove to be costly, as the Bowdoin coaches were hoping to be able to spell Grant far more this year than last – but alas, it was not to be. It was not a good opener for anyone in the black and white.

Game Notes:

Middlebury 28 at Wesleyan 25

Well, it wasn’t easy, but the Panthers hung on to go 1-0. Matt Milano ’16 wasn’t at his best early on, but was still very, very good. It was interesting that Jared Lebowitz ’18 got just one series. His entry into the game was pre-determined, but we don’t know what went into the decision to not use him for the rest of the game. Regardless, the passing game wasn’t the issue for Middlebury. The running game, however, was not effective. Somehow, the Panthers need to figure out a way to become a multi-dimensional team. They like to use screens to substitute for old-fashioned hand offs, but you still have to be able to give it to your back and let him work once in awhile.

On the other side of the field, Wesleyan competed until the very last. Hawkins has loads of potential at QB, despite his struggles throwing. He’s a fantastic athlete, and when he took off for one 17-yard dash up the gut my jaw physically dropped. Obviously, he’ll need to work on throwing the ball – sort of important for a quarterback. As for the running game, I was really shocked that Jaylen Berry ’18 was used as the feature back, carrying the ball 21 times to LaDarius Drew’s ’15 six carries and Lou Stevens’ ’17 two – not because I doubt the youngster’s ability, but because he supplanted two former All-NESCAC First Teamers as the go-to guy on Saturday. That being said, I would not be surprised if next week Drew ran the ball 25 times for 150 yards, and the same can be said about Stevens. Furthermore, Devon Carrillo ’16 continues to be a threat with his legs in many ways – out of the Wildcat, multiple back sets and on sweeps. Defensively, I have to give a shout out to DE Jordan Stone ’16. He’s a physical beast and had a great game and it showed on the stat sheet as Stone gathered 2.5 sacks.

Amherst 37 at Bates 14

Amherst WR Nick Widen '17 and the LJs took care of Bates with ease. (Courtesy of Bates Athletics/Phyllis Graber Jensen)
Amherst WR Nick Widen ’17 and the LJs took care of Bates with ease. (Courtesy of Bates Athletics/Phyllis Graber Jensen)

I didn’t watch any game as closely as I did Middlebury-Wesleyan, but nonetheless there was much to be learned from every contest. Reece Foy ’18 got the start for Amherst, and – this is the surprising part – played every snap at QB. Last season Foy and Alex Berluti ’17 opened the season in a time-share until Max Lippe ’15 came back from an injury. That Foy was able to do enough in camp to completely takeover the gig says something in and of itself. Also of note, Kenny Adinkra ’16 got the lion’s share of the carries and was more productive than Nick Kelly ’17. Will that last, or will Kelly return to 2014 form and takeover the feature role as he was expected to do. OR, will the super-talented Jack Hickey ’19 start stealing away more carries?

For Bates, I know that the triple-option is the staple of their offense, but Mark Riley is just incredible. The Bobcats completed 11 passes for 117 yards, and seven of those catches went to Riley for 87 yards. I don’t think that if you put a prime-age Randy Moss on any team in the NESCAC he would take as large of a proportion of the catches as Riley does.

Williams 27 at Bowdoin 7

For the second straight year the Ephs stomped on the Polar Bears. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com)
For the second straight year the Ephs stomped on the Polar Bears. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/CIPhotography.com)

Not much went right for the Polar Bears in Week 1. I don’t know whether to credit Lommen or crucify the Bowdoin secondary for the Ephs’ success through the air. Overall, I’m reserving judgement on the Polar Bears.

For Williams, though, you have to feel good about this start. Maybe they’ve put something together in Williamstown right under our noses. Although, I vaguely remember writing something to the same effect one year ago after Williams’ 36-0 beatdown of Bowdoin in Week 1. Maybe Coach Aaron Kelton just has the Polar Bears’ numbers. Maybe he’s taping opposing coaches’ signals with a cell phone camera, and 15 years from now, when Coach is getting fitted for his fourth NESCAC Championship ring, and the twilight is setting on a decorated career, NESCAC officials will bust down the door and point a finger at him and call him a cheater for doing exactly what every other team in the league was doing…

I’m sorry, I wasn’t planning that. (And there’s definitely no illegal filming going on anywhere in the NESCAC.)

Trinity 34 at Colby 0

With Joe Moreno ’19, sadly, out yet again with a torn ACL, Nick Gaynor ’17 has become the team’s top back. From a fantasy perspective though, this is a tricky situation, as Gaynor, Ethan Suraci ’18 or QB Sonny Puzzo ’18 could be the team’s leading rusher any given week. I particularly don’t think Gaynor will see many goal line touches. Gaynor is a converted wideout, and Suraci is a much bigger body. Max Chipouras ’19 – who had just two touches – got a goal line TD on Saturday instead of Gaynor. No matter who’s behind him, the return of Puzzo under center is going to be huge for Trinity. Henry Foye ’16 did a great job when healthy last year, but I think that Puzzo brings elite talent to the QB position.

Tufts 24 at Hamilton 21

The best game of the day came between two perennial doormats that look to be rising from the ashes. Tufts already took the first step a year ago by going 4-4, but with the Jumbos still 0-infinity in their last infinity chances on the road, the Continentals were feeling really good about their chances. And with newly-transferred QB Tobin at the helm, it appeared that Chapter 1 of the fairytale was under way.

Then Tobin left the game with an ankle injury, and everything fell into the hands of Rosenberg, the beleaguered vet. And boy, did he respond.

Rosenberg matched a career-high with his 301 passing yards, the program’s fifth-highest single-game mark. His 21.5 yards per completion and 13.1 yards per attempt were Hamilton records. He threw three TD passes, all in the span of 12 plays in the second half. His receivers, namely Donahoe and Ensley, made some spectacular plays, but let’s give all the credit in the world to Rosenberg for his stellar performance.

Alas, the Hamilton offense could not punch it in with the first possession of overtime. K Zach Altneu ’18 boomed his field goal attempt through the uprights, but Tufts Head Coach Jay Civetti was able to call a timeout just in time, forcing Altneu to kick again, and this time he pushed it wide left.

The Jumbos were conservative on their possession, moving the ball to the six-yard line before Snyder took a five-yard loss to position the football right in the middle of the field. K Willie Holmquist ’17 came up clutch for the Jumbos, who celebrated their first road victory since Oct. 3, 2009.

Aside from Rosenberg, CB Jimmy Giattino ’17 was a beast defensively for Hamilton and DL Tyler Hudson ’19 had an impressive debut. Last year’s tackle-leader John Phelan ’16 saw limited action, rotating with Mickey Keating ’17 at linebacker. We believe Head Coach Dave Murray is trying to protect Phelan who was banged up considerably during camp, but only time will tell if this timeshare continues. And lastly, Tobin’s ankle injury appears to be minor, which keeps the QB conversation in Clinton very intriguing. However, after a performance like that, how Rosenberg could not get the keys to the car for at least one more week is a mystery to me.

And in case you missed it, every road team won! Can you believe it? I don’t know how long it’s been since that happened in the NESCAC. Maybe between the 47 assignments I have this week and the job search I’ll try to procure that information.

It’s good to be back.

Continentals Hoping to Take the ‘CAC by Surprise: Hamilton Season Preview

LaShawn Ware '18 will be counted on, despite his youth, to be a workhorse for the Continentals. (Courtesy of Darryn Slover and Bates Athletics)
LaShawn Ware ’18 will be counted on, despite his youth, to be a workhorse for the Continentals. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Editors’ Note: While 99 percent of the work done in these previews is credited directly to the author, the projected records are a decision made together by the editors, Adam and Joe. So if you don’t like it, blame us.

Projected Record: 0-8

Projected Starters

Offense

QB: Brandon Tobin ’18
RB: LaShawn Ware ’17
FB: Jason Nastovski ’18
WR: Patrick Donahoe ’16
WR: Charles Ensley ’17
TE: Jordan Jenkins ’17
LT: Robert McClure ’17
LG: Dylan Berardelli ’16
C: Nicholas Gustaitis’16
RG: Jeffrey Jenkins ’16
RT: Matthew Snider ’17

Defense

DE: Brent Lobien ’17
DT: Paul Green ’17 / Nick Sobczyk ’17*
DE: Tyler Hudson ’19
DL/LB: Mickey Keating ’17
LB: John Phelan ’16
LB: Cade Larabee ’16
LB: Matthew Glebus ’17
CB: Conor Powers ’17
CB: Jimmy Giattino ’17 / James Taylor ’17** (currently recovering from a hamstring injury, but will not be out long)
SS: Alex Mitko ’16
FS: Colby Powers ’19

*Green and Sobczyk figure to split time at defensive tackle
**Giattino will start while Taylor recovers from a hamstring injury, but the latter figures to takeover the starting role once healthy

Offensive MVP: RB LaShawn Ware

Ideally, QB Brandon Tobin ’18, Hamilton’s recent acquisition and the potential saving grace for the Continental offense, would be the pick. With the right man, Hamilton just might have enough leadership and tactical smarts to create a new offensive dynamic that churns out a better outcome. Realistically, LaShawn Ware will probably be the team’s MVP. He dominated the field last season and will no doubt lead Hamilton’s ground game yet again. The junior tops the team with 299 yards rushing and an average of 42.7 yards per game. Consequently, he boasts some impressive NESCAC rankings: Ware ranked second in the conference for rushes and 10th for yards per game. With his history on the squad, the RB has the experience and skill to launch the Hamilton offense into a more successful season than in past years.

Defensive MVP: LB John Phelan.

The senior finished seventh in the NESCAC with 68 tackles and 8.5 tackles per game and second for fumble recoveries. One never would have guessed that the Chicago-native was recruited by former head coach Steve Stetson as a quarterback. Phelan has led Hamilton’s defense since he became a starter in his sophomore year and, with his impressive resume and grueling dedication, will no doubt continue to (literally) crush the opposition.

Biggest Game: Hamilton’s home opener vs. Tufts (Sept. 26)

Last year the Continentals dropped their season opener—a game they anticipated winning—against the Jumbos, who until then held a sorry 31-game streak of losses.

“We can’t forget Tufts … We need to think about it every day,” Murray admitted.

The coaches and players alike certainly can’t ignore the ultimate result of their cockiness and mental mistakes that day. To be fair, Hamilton statistically out-played Tufts: the defense surrendered just 12 first downs and 236 total yards, while the offense gained 416 yards. But the Continentals struggled with their return game and were penalized 12 times for 117 yards, mistakes that could easily have been avoided with better ball safety and communication. In pre-season camp, Hamilton has deliberately focused on returns with the Tufts debacle in mind. Murray believes the Continentals are a different team this year, and hopefully they can prove their growth in the upcoming rematch.

QB Colin Pastorella '16 has an uphill battle if he is going to earn reps over incumbent Chase Rosenberg '17 and transfer Brandon Tobin '18.
QB Colin Pastorella ’16 (14) has an uphill battle if he is going to earn reps over incumbent Chase Rosenberg ’17 and transfer Brandon Tobin ’18.

Summary: Hamilton hasn’t won a game in nearly three years, when they just barely outscored Bowdoin. Ever since, the team has consistently trailed behind other NESCAC schools in rankings: Last year alone, Hamilton placed ninth in scoring, points per game, total offense, and yards per game, among other categories. Though the Continental defense was only sub-par in conference standings, it is clear that the offense sunk far below standards.

Yet, the looming threat of being cut from the squad sparked motivation and progress away from the seemingly accepted pattern of defeat. Between returning players and recruits, approximately 90 players filled the Hamilton roster at the end of last year, far above the 75-player limit. What more: No one, with the exception of recruited freshman, was safe. Though handfuls of upperclassmen left the team prior to camp, several players are still at risk for the chopping board before the season begins in two weeks.

The season’s hot button topic, however, is unquestionably the quarterback battle between Colin Pastorella ’16, Chase Rosenberg ’17 and Brandon Tobin ’18. Though Rosenberg has been the designated QB1 since the second week of his freshman year, two inconsistent seasons with a 0-16 record raises a few eyebrows. Pastorella was thrown into the game various times last season in attempts to save the Hamilton offense, but it seems that the current forerunner for the coveted spot is D-II Pace transfer Tobin. Tobin started three games at quarterback for Pace and before that was the Section I-AA Offensive MVP for New York. Coach Murray emphasized that creative skills in actual game settings—rather than seniority or loyalty based upon Hamilton experience—determined who starts against Tufts, but nothing is permanently set in stone.

“The bottom line is we’re looking for … someone who will do more than just not make bad plays,” Murray explained.

Aside from the QB controversy, much of Hamilton’s lineup remains steady under the captainship of Dylan Berardelli ’16 and Pat Donahoe ’16 on offense and Cade Larabee ’16 and Alex Mitko ’16 on defense. Offensively, the team believes that a new QB will create a different—more successful—dynamic with familiar team members. The offensive line lost All-NESCAC tackle Nick Noonan ’15, but the returning players—Berardelli, Jeff Jenkins ’16, Rob McClure ’17 and Matt Snider ’17 will continue to hold the line alongside Nicholas Gustaitis ’16 as center. Nick Caso ’16, Charles Ensley ’17 and Donahoe return at wide receiver, and Ware, the Continentals’ leading rusher and remaining running back from last year’s squad should be better than ever. Jason “Bane” Nostovski ’18, nicknamed for his intimidating figure and prowess, will take the majority of the snaps at fullback.

No player can truly replace all-NESCAC recipient Michael de Percin ’15, but Hamilton’s defense has much potential for a strong season. Phelan leads the pack of linebackers with by Matt Glebus ’17 and Larabee. Jimmy Giattino ’17 will take up CB while James Taylor ’17 recovers from an injury. The Continentals have showcased some of their best talent on the defensive end of the ball, and it’s doubtful this season will be an exception.

Already, Hamilton has shown improvement. In their scrimmage against D-I Cornell on Sept. 12, the Continentals defeated their opponents 7-0 (Cornell scored a touchdown, but the points were revoked due to excessive celebration). With any luck, the momentum built from this success will remain going into conference competition.

Biggest Surprise of Camp: Inevitable team cuts certainly scared players into mental and physical shape. Pre-season tests show that the players are stronger, faster, and generally fitter than last season.

“We actually look like a football team now,” Murray said.

The coaches and captains agree that competition has made everyone better, both on the field and in the locker room. “Practices are more intentional and more focused,” Captain Berardelli added. Players have expressed stronger commitment to the program, creating positive atmosphere among teammates. Should growth continue, it can and will ultimately benefit the culture of football at Hamilton and improve the team’s reputation from recent seasons.

 

Best Tweet of the Offseason: OL Coach Matt Wright

Hamilton Team Preview – There’s a New Chief of Staff at Hamilton

2013 Record: 0-8

Number of Returning Starters: 14 (7 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists)

Offensive Overview:

New head coach Dave Murray inherits a Hamilton offense that showed very few positives in 2013. The Continentals were second-t0-last in the NESCAC in points per game and yards per game, eighth in passing yards per game and seventh in rushing yards per game. Unfortunately, Hamilton’s top two offensive threats from last year are gone. Running back James Stannell was lost to graduation, and receiver Joe Jensen ’15 has decided to focus on his track and baseball careers. The area with the most experience will be the Hamilton offensive line, where as many as 10 players have played in the past and are battling for starting jobs. New coordinator Rich Puccio, a former player of Murray’s and a colleague for 10 years, will have his work cut out from him as he transitions the offense to a multiple-I system.

Defensive Overview:

Hamilton has work to do on defense as well, as the Continentals allowed the most yards per play of any team in the NESCAC in 2013, and even though the offense was second in the league in time of possession, opponents still scored 34.0 points per game. Murray will be more hands-on with the defensive unit and will be aided by his assistant at his last coaching stop, Josh Miller. Defensive tackle Michael De Percin ’15 is the cornerstone of the defense, and Zach Klein ’15 is back to aid his classmate at defensive end. Safety Alex Mitko ’16 and middle linebacker John Phelan ’16 are the defense’s biggest playmakers, but big plays were a rarity for the Hamilton defense last season. The Continentals had just four interceptions and six sacks in 2013, though they managed seven fumble recoveries, tied with Wesleyan for the second-most in the NESCAC. A few more lucky breaks resulting in turnovers and better pressure on the opposing QB could make all the difference for this defense.

Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics
Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics

Three Big Questions

1. Is QB Chase Rosenberg ’17 ready?

Rosenberg started most of 2013 over his elder, Colin Pastorella ’16, though he never showed a consistent level of high quality play. In six games where he had more than 12 pass attempts, Rosenberg threw two interceptions in each. His best stretch came during the middle of the season when he managed completion percentages of better than 62 percent in three straight contests. Rosenberg also used his legs quite a bit in 2013, even running for 90 yards in the season finale, but he will likely be held more in the pocket in 2014, given Murray’s offensive scheme. Rosenberg will have to fight off Pastorella and two athletic freshmen in order to maintain his job.

2. Who steps in at running back?

Expect the Continentals’ pass/run ratio to lean a bit more towards the latter in 2014, meaning that someone will have to pick up where Stannell left off. Rico Gonzalez ’16 is the top returning back, having rushed 65 times last season, third to Stannell and Rosenberg. Lashawn Russell-Ware ’17 brings speed and quickness to the backfield, but injury limited him to one game in 2013. The dark horse for the Continentals is converted-safety Jeffrey Hopsicker ’16. The high school quarterback had 23 tackles at safety for Hamilton last season, but Murray believes a move back to the offensive side of the ball will be good for the junior, and the Hamilton offense.

3. Can Murray revamp the defense?

There’s not a ton of starting experience on the defensive side of the ball. In addition to those listed above, cornerback Jimmy Giattino ’17 saw lots of time in 2013 and led the team in pass breakups. Others saw the field in every game, but there are still holes to fill. It’s going to take an attitude change in order for this defense to be effective.

Team MVP: Chase Rosenberg. It better be if Hamilton hopes to turn the corner this year. A big improvement from the quarterback position, and in particular better ball security, will make all the difference for the Continentals. The prediction here is that Rosenberg makes strides in his second season.

Best Tweet of the offseason: This one goes to QB/DJ/producer Chase Rosenberg.

Hopefully Coach Murray can get the Continentals moving in the right direction starting this season.