Tag: Paul Johnson

Purple (And White) Reign: Will Amherst’s Dominance Continue?

Will the reigning champs feel the losses of some of their stars? Or will they be posing for another picture like this come November? (Courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc; Amherst Athletics).
Will the reigning champs feel the losses of some of their stars? Or will they be posing yyr another picture like this come November? (Courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc; Amherst Athletics).

Projected Record: 3- 5 (kidding Amherst parents, please don’t burn down my house) 6-2

Projected Offensive Starters: (*Five Returning)

 QB: Alex Berluti ’17

RB: Jack Hickey ’19

WR: Devin Boehm ’17*

WR: Nick Widen ’17*

WR: Bo Berluti ‘20

TE: Rob Thoma ’17*

OL: Elijah Zabludoff ’18*

OL: Mitch Arthur ’18*

OL: Austin Park ’17

OL: Kevin Sheehan ’18

OL: Jack Carroll ‘19

 Projected Defensive Starters: (*Six Returning)

 DL: Paul Johnson ’17*

DL: Niyi Odewade ’17*

DL: Isaiah Holloway ’17*

OLB: Andrew Yamin ’19

ILB: John Callahan ’18

ILB: Evan Boynton ’17*

OLB: Parker Chapman ’17*

CB: Nate Tyrell ’19*

FS: Jon Rak ’19

SS: Derek Ward ’17

CB: Stephan Soucy ’17

 Projected Specialists: (*Two Returning)

 K/P: Charlie Wall ’18*, Andrew Ferrero ’19

KR/PR: Devin Boehm ’17*/Myles Gaines ’17

 Offensive MVP: Jack Hickey ’19

Amherst certainly has a claim to the worst break of preseason, with starting quarterback and Player of the Year candidate Reece Foy ’18 suffering a torn ACL. Amherst is certainly loaded enough to remain in contention for the NESCAC crown, but those chances rest heavily on the shoulders of sophomore running back Jack Hickey. The Melrose, Massachusetts native shone as the change-of-pace option to senior Kenny Adrinka, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. With Adrinka gone and Foy sidelined, the Purple and White will likely have to rely on Hickey, with assistance from Nick Kelly (’17), for far more carries, positioning him for a breakout season.

Defensive MVP: Evan Boynton ’17

Like Hickey on offense, Boynton has been elevated to the top of Amherst’s defense by nature of graduated seniors. Amherst boasted a stellar corps of linebackers in 2015, with Tom Kleyn ’16 making First Team, and Boynton himself making Second Team. However, Kleyn and Jack Drew ’16, are off to wherever Amherst Football graduates go (Goldman Sachs, I assume), leaving Boynton as the senior leader of the unit. Additionally, Defensive Player of the Year Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16 graduated from the defensive backs, leaving a gaping hole for Boynton to fill, both for Amherst and possibly for DPOY accolades.

 Biggest Surprise of Camp: LB Andrew Yamin ’19

Defense has long been one of the calling cards of Amherst’s success. Offense as well, and special teams, but defense is certainly one of their three best units. Unfortunately, many of their toughest losses personnel-wise came on the defensive end, making new talent crucial to maintaining their dominance. Enter Andrew Yamin. The sophomore linebacker from Cheshire, Connecticut didn’t play much his freshman year, only garnering six tackles. But in a testament to how crucial an offseason can be in college football, Amherst lost two linebackers in Tom Kleyn and Jack Drew, allowing Yamin to work his way into a starting role. It’s these kind of stories that keep Amherst dominant year after year, they don’t rebuild after stars graduate, they reload.

 Biggest Game: November 5 @ Trinity

 Entering 2016 with a 19 game winning streak, the Artists Formerly known as the Lord Jeffs have to be considered the preseason favorite. However, the injury to Foy and the graduation of stand-outs like Fairfield-Sonn, Kleyn and Adrinka has Amherst looking considerably more fallible than they have in the last few years. And if you had to pick a co-favorite, the Bantams (and their FRESH new helmets) would have to occupy that spot. These two teams have dominated the league for much of the 2000’s, and this game offers Trinity the chance to fire a laser into the Death Star, so to speak.

Best Tweet:

 I know this guy power cleans a lot of weight, but he’s actually best known on campus for his poetry.

 

 Summary:

 I want to preface this, and every other article I write for the rest of the year, by saying that none of this matters. Brangelina is over and love is dead, and pretending that anything else is the case is ultimately a futile endeavor.

All right, back to football. Amherst has been the class of the league for much of the century thus far, but they’ve been particularly unbeatable in the last two seasons. In 2015, they led the league in scoring at 27.6 points per game AND in scoring defense at 9.9 points per game. They have won 19 games in a row, and back-to-back outright league titles.

But the Purple and White have more than a few obstacles to overcome if they want to continue their reign of terror. Even if Foy hadn’t gotten hurt, they lose six First or Second Team All-NESCAC performers. In addition to Adrinka, Fairfield-Sonn and Kleyn, they lose receiver Jackson “Professor” McGonagle ’16 (my nickname, not his), offensive lineman Sam Hart ’16 and defensive back Jaymie Spears ’16. These losses, in conjunction with Foy’s injury, make for a distinctly less intimidating Amherst lineup than last season.

Of course, the other side of that coin is that Amherst also returns six First or Second Teamers. Boynton returns to lead the defense as a DPOY candidate, as do senior defensive linemen Niyi Odewade ’17 and Paul Johnson ’17. On the offensive end, receiver Devin Boehm ’17 averaged over 100 all-purpose yards per game last season and seems poised for an incredible all-around season. Furthermore, running back Jack Hickey was stellar in small doses last season and might well be the best back in the league come November.

Amherst has a long way to go to continue their winning streak, but anyone counting them out hasn’t been watching NESCAC football over the last two years. At this point, the rest of the league feels about Amherst the way that Wes Mantooth feels about Ron Burgundy: they cold, dead hate them, but gosh darn it do they respect them.

 

Heavy Lies the Crown: Week 3 Game of the Week (You Know Which Game)

Slot receiver Ryan Rizzo '17 snags a Jared Lebowitz '18 pass with one-hand for a score on Saturday, Oct. 3 vs. Colby.
Slot receiver Ryan Rizzo ’17 snags a Jared Lebowitz ’18 pass with one-hand for a score on Saturday, Oct. 3 vs. Colby. (Photo by Joe MacDonald)

Game Information: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2:00 PM at Pratt Field in Amherst, MA

The Trinity Bantams have been the most impressive team of the young 2015 season. At 2-0, the Bants have outscored their opponents 58-0. The return of 2013 NESCAC Rookie of the Year Sonny Puzzo ’18 to the starting lineup has sparked the Bantams’ offense. Nick Gaynor ’17, a converted wide receiver, is rushing for over 4.0 yards per carry. And the defense has, of course, been phenomenal.

Sorry, but no one cares what happens in Hartford this Saturday.

All eyes will be trained on Amherst, MA, where the preseason No. 1 Middlebury Panthers will take on the defending NESCAC Champion Amherst Lord Jeffs. Amherst is riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to 2013, and in the past couple of years have embarrassed the Panthers. In 2013 the LJs made D3Football.com All-New England QB McCallum Foote ’14 look silly, picking him off FIVE times. Last year Amherst completely shut down Matt Milano ’16 and Co., allowing nary a point.

None of that matters now, though. 2015 is the only thing that counts, and so far this season the Lord Jeffs have looked utterly dominant against a pair of Maine colleges. The play of newly-minted starting QB Reece Foy ’18 has sparked the Amherst offense, making a team that went 8-0 a year ago even more scary.

On the other side, the Panthers shook off the cob webs to sneak away with a win at Wesleyan in Week 1, but they looked every bit the part of NESCAC favorite in trouncing Colby 28-9 a week ago. That victory was not without flaws, as Milano threw two interceptions, but it was the defense that really impressed. The starting defense was impregnable, and Colby managed just a garbage time rushing TD against the freshman defense.

So, what to expect this Saturday? Let’s lay it all out:

Screen shot 2015-10-06 at 2.31.15 PMMiddlebury X-factors: QB Jared Lebowitz ’18 and WR Matt Minno ’16

Let me make this very clear: There is no quarterback controversy in Middlebury. Milano is the starter and the team’s undisputed leader on offense. BUT, that doesn’t mean that Lebowitz can’t contribute. A rushing threat at QB is something that the Panthers haven’t had since the graduation of Donnie McKillop ’11, and he wasn’t really much of a runner himself. Milano is a prototypical pocket passer, and there’s nothing wrong with that, especially since he’s made it clear that he is the league’s best quarterback by playing that way. That being said, Lebowitz’s stock is trending upwards. His athleticism can’t be denied and the Panthers will need to pull out all the stops against a stout Amherst defense. The UNLV-transfer saw one series in Week 1, but got a handful of series behind center in Week 2 due in part to an injury to Milano. This, I think, is the week where we see Lebowitz really make an impact, and some of that will come in two-QB situations. Last week we saw Lebowitz line up out wide as a receiver and almost catch a touchdown pass. Expect to see that formation, or some variation thereof, a few times, as well some speed option – something that Middlebury almost never does.

The other X-factor for Middlebury is senior receiver Matt Minno, who missed Week 2 with a shoulder injury. Ryan Rizzo ’17 might be the most  targeted receiver, and TE Trevor Miletich ’16 has emerged as a red zone threat, but Minno is, without a doubt, the most dangerous receiver on the field in blue and white every week. He combines size, speed, great route running and sure hands to terrorize defenses. Will he be 100 percent healthy on Saturday? If so, even the LJs can’t defend all of the Panthers’ weapons. If not, or if that injury is re-aggravated, Middlebury will be hard-pressed to move the football on Amherst.

Amherst X-factors: The Defensive Line

It all starts with the line, doesn’t it? Even more so when on most plays the defense will be dropping seven and relying on the front four to get pressure. The offensive line may be the lone chink in the Panthers’ armor, which would account for some of the team’s difficulties running the football. Middlebury had a tough time with the Colby D-line last Saturday, and while I believe Ryan Ruiz ’16 to be a star for the Mules, the Panthers should have been better at containing the rest of the Colby’s front four. Pressure on the QB is always the best way to slow down a passing offense, and Amherst is tied for first with eight sacks on the year even though the Jeffs played the triple option Bates Bobcats opening weekend. Either the Middlebury O-line steps up or Paul Johnson ’17 and his linemates will be setting up shop in the Middlebury backfield.

RB Kenny Adinkra '16 never goes down from the first hit. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
RB Kenny Adinkra ’16 never goes down from the first hit. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Prediction: Amherst 14 – Middlebury 13

I’m probably going to get some flack around campus today and tomorrow for this one, and I truly hope I’m wrong. Even though prior to the season we went with Middlebury over Amherst in this one, which accounted for Amherst’s only loss, I’ve officially flip flopped. But barely, as I think a blocked PAT – that’s right – will be the difference. Both teams are elite, and either squad dropping more than two games this season would be a monumental surprise. A turnover either way could also be the deciding factor.

Beyond the X-factors already talked about, there are more questions about this week’s matchup. Can Middlebury run the football? And do they need to? Conventional wisdom says yes, but the Panthers have racked up around 100 yards per game (this is an estimate) in the screen game over the last two weeks. RB Diego Meritus ’19 had a 40-yard TD catch and run against Wesleyan, and WR Ian Riley ’16 caught a jet screen for a 10-yard TD against Colby. You can’t just hang off the Middlebury receivers, because Head Coach Bob Ritter will lean on the short-passing game. And if Amherst holds back it’s D-line to prevent the screen then Milano will have all day to pick the LJs’ secondary apart. The one-on-one battles along the line will be crucial for Amherst. If someone like Sam Caldwell ’16, the team’s leading sack-getter, can just beat his man and pressure Milano, then the Panthers offense will be doomed.

For Amherst, Foy’s dual-threat ability is something new to the offense, much like the wrinkle that Lebowitz provides to Middlebury. Except for that with Amherst, it’s not just in specialty packages, it’s every play. Foy is one of the fastest guys on the field, and the fact that he can also throw it makes him exceptionally dangerous. In the past, Amherst has been completely run-heavy, and even though they’ve run the ball nearly twice as much as they’ve thrown it this season, much of that is attributed to playing with big leads. The LJs’ have the capability to air the ball out and boast a bevy of talented receivers. With this likely to be Amherst’s closest game so far of 2015, Foy will be tested for the first time as a starter.

I’m pushing in my chips with Amherst, but I’d say they’re about a one-point favorite in this game (hence the prediction), so I’m not going to be surprised if Middlebury pulls it out. A turnover here or there will probably change the outcome of the game, and with the Panthers’ throw-first tendencies and Amherst’s loaded D-backfield, the Jeffs’ are a safer bet to win the TO battle.

The NbN team will be on-site this Saturday, as both Adam and I are making plans to see the game in person. Are we a little crazy? Is our love of NESCAC football completely foolish and unheard of? Would we be better served kicking back on the quad with a cold Keystone and watching girls in short shorts throw the Frisbee around on Saturday afternoon?

No. Maybe you’re the crazy one.

Adam here: projected high on Saturday in Middlebury is 56. There will be no short shorts being worn there. Also, I will be wearing a Montreal Expos hat at the game Saturday, and nothing would make Joe’s and my week like somebody coming up to talk shop for a little. 

Underestimate the Champions at Your Own Risk: Amherst Season Preview

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Nick Kelly ’17 is back along with a lot of other friends in the backfield. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Projected Record: 7-1

Projected Offensive Starters (*Five Returning)

QB: Alex Berluti ’17
RB: Nick Kelly ’17*
WR: Jackson McGonagle ’16*
WR: Brian Ragone ’17*
WR: Nick Widen ’17
TE: Rob Thoma ’17
LT: Sam Hart ’16*
LG: Elijah Zabludoff ’18
C: Jim Daniels ’16*
RG: Cole Boehmer ’16
RT: Mitch Arthur ’18

Projected Defensive Starters: (*Eight Returning)

DE: Niyi Odewade ’17*
DT: Paul Johnson ’17*
DE: Sam Caldwell ’16*
OLB: Jack Drew ’16
ILB: Thomas Kleyn ’16*
ILB: Taylor Dean ’16
OLB: Parker Chapman ’17*
CB: Jaymie Spears ’16*
SS: Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16*
FS: Chris Gow ’16*
CB: Stefan Soucy ’17

Offensive MVP: Running Back Nick Kelly ’17

Kelly had a great sophomore season, and we covered much of that already in our Player of the Year Preview, and so I wanted to talk about another skill player for Amherst who will also be a huge part of the offense. The wide receiving group is deep and is led by senior captain Jackson McGonagle ’16. The senior, who also is a great punter, was the primary deep threat for Amherst a year ago and will receive even more targets this year. Yet, a lot of his total yards came on one long touchdown against Bowdoin. He had twelve of his eighteen catches in the first three games of the season and saw his production take a major hit after that. Much of that can be traced to the change at quarterback to Max Lippe ’15, who sometimes threw to Gene Garay ’15 even if the entire defense was covering him. McGonagle has a good connection with whomever ends up as the QB this season, and that should help him have a banner senior year.

Defensive MVP: Cornerback Jaymie Spears ’16

We already talked about Spears, and not to give anything away but we will have more about him and the rest of the Amherst secondary later this week. Instead, focus on the man in the middle, inside linebacker Thomas Kleyn ’16. Last year Kleyn was the third leading tackler for Amherst, and he benefited from playing aside the departed Ned Deane ’15 in the middle of the defense. Kleyn got stronger and stronger as the year went along, with 37 of his 60 tackles coming in the final four games of the year. At 5’11” and 208 pounds (though that weight is from last year, and he has most likely gained a few pounds of muscle in the offseason), he can be described as that most desirable of linebacker traits: rugged. With the big defensive line taking up blockers in front of him, Kleyn has to be aggressive and fill gaps on run defense all season as his linebacking fellows get up to speed.

Biggest Surprise of Camp So Far: Guard Elijah Zabludoff ’18

Right off the bat, Zabludoff’s high school, John Bosco Prep in California (not to be confused with Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey) should catch your eye. In his senior season, John Bosco Prep went 16-0 and won the California state title. Zabludoff was a multi-year starter there, and even wrote about his senior year for the LA Times. Now in his sophomore year  at Amherst he has seized control of the right guard position with a great camp so far. At 300 pounds, he has a size advantage over almost every NESCAC defensive lineman. He isn’t some stiff either, and he will be an important part of making sure that the Jeffs can run the ball inside.

Biggest Game: Home vs. Trinity, November 7, 1:00 PM

Amherst has beaten Trinity in back-to-back years by one point, and the difference both years has been a missed extra point. Not that you can boil down the two games to simply that, but the kicking game has been a big advantage for Amherst. The Bantams will put in a little extra for this game given the recent history. The Jeffs have other huge games, but this will be their final big test of the season, and if they come in undefeated, a win would mean that they would most likely go perfect in back-to-back seasons. The game last season was dominated by the defenses. The Jeffs managed only 156 yards and nine first downs. The one touchdown for Amherst came courtesy of a short field after a Chris Tamasi ’15 forced fumble and recovery. Kelly was stonewalled all day and averaged 2.4 yards per carry. The Bantams were playing with their backup QB and could do nothing through the air. The game this year will in all likelihood follow a similarly lo- scoring script.

Best Tweet: Amherst never misses a chance to remind you that they have won a lot recently (rightfully so).

Summary:

I’m going to start with the negative stuff and get all of that out of the way early. First, the Jeffs had an amazing run last year, but didn’t they get just a little bit lucky? In the very first game of the year at home against Bates, the Lord Jeffs allowed a touchdown with 1:16 left to make the score 7-6. The Bobcats, sensing this was their best opportunity to win and also maybe not trusting their freshman kicker in a big situation, went for two and the win. Amherst knocked down the pass attempt, and Kelly sealed the win with a long run after the Jeffs recovered the onside kick. And that’s the game you don’t even remember that was close!

Then there was the rainstorm against Middlebury, Phillip Nwosu ’15 making a 41-yard field goal to tie the game against Wesleyan, and the Trinity missed field goal from 24 yards away that would have won the game in the final seconds. The Jeffs had to go 5-0 in single digit games to win the title. No team can flirt with a loss so many times and not eventually lose one. There is definitely skill involved in winning close games, but if you play a lot of close games and win them all, luck has to be a factor.

If the Jeffs play that many close games again, they will not go 8-0. I would bet my firstborn on it.

Then you have to look at the personnel losses. The starting quarterback, leading wide receiver (who had twice as many catches as anyone else), three longtime offensive line starters, an All-League kicker, and the two leading tacklers are all gone. That is a lot. Amherst has traditionally been able to withstand those types of losses, and they do have possible replacements or ways to replace them somehow. Yet, those players are still very much question marks.

The best place to start is at the quarterback spot, a position that has been unsettled for the past four seasons. Lippe was the starter essentially for three years, but he never completely won over the coaching staff and they were constantly tinkering with who played. The Jeffs once again have a quarterback battle going on. Coach EJ Mills was unwilling to commit to either Reece Foy ’18 or Alex Berluti ’17 when I talked to him last week. That might have changed after the scrimmage this weekend, but we won’t know until the opening kickoff who is going to be playing most of the time. What makes the decision so hard for Mills is that Foy and Berluti are very similar players. Both are short, can run, and have strong yet inaccurate arms. Foy is a slightly better runner, and Berluti is a little taller and better at standing in the pocket, but Mills is not choosing between a clash of styles. That similarity means he will likely play both guys and wait for one of them to grab the job in the first week or two of the season.

So I’ve spent a lot of time bashing the Jeffs, but there is a lot to love about this team. The defense is going to be special, and it is probably more talented than it was last year. The strength is the secondary where Spears, Chris Gow ’16, and Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16 are all potential All-NESCAC talents this year. Up front Paul Johnson ’17 is a legitimate 300-pounder, something rarely seen on the defensive line in the NESCAC. The Jeffs also still have a lot of depth in the front seven meaning they can keep all of their defensive starters fresh.

At several spots where talented players graduated there won’t be much of a drop off. Charlie Wall ’18 replaces Nwosu, and even if he can’t quite fill Nwosu’s shoes, he should be a more than competent kicker. Linebackers Jack Drew ’16 and Parker Chapman ’17 both have to take on slightly bigger roles this year, but they produced a lot already last year and make that position as strong as ever. Sam Hart ’16 and Jim Daniels ’16 will ensure that the offensive line continues to create holes and give time for the quarterback. That running attack will be a good one. Besides Kelly, Amherst can rely on Kenny Adinkra ’16 and Raheem Jackson ’17 to carry the ball. All three of those backs have slightly different skill sets that the offense will be able to use.

The talent is still there for Amherst, but the margin for error is thin. The Jeffs first big test is that third game against Middlebury, and they will have to have figured out their quarterback situation by then. If one of Foy and Berluti emerges as an above-average starter, then a repeat 8-0 season is more than feasible. However, I don’t see that happening in time and think the Jeffs fall just short against the Panthers.

 

Breakout Players of 2015

No matter what level and in what sport, every year there are players who come seemingly out of nowhere to become superstars. Last year’s breakout studs included Middlebury QB Matt Milano ’16, Trinity RB Chudi Iregbulem ’15, Wesleyan RB Lou Stevens ’17, Bates WR Mark Riley ’16, Trinity DL Lyle Baker ’16 and Bates LB Mark Upton ’17 – and those were just the All-NESCAC First Teamers. Dozens of other players emerged to become integral cogs in their respective machines. Today we clue you in to a few players who could become studs in 2015. These choices are based off of talking to coaches, word of mouth, combing through statistics and the classic eyeball test. An added wrinkle: we’ve added our level of confidence in each player’s ability to take a big step forward this season.

Amherst DT Paul Johnson ’17

DT Paul Johnson (Courtesy of @AmherstCollFB)
DT Paul Johnson (Courtesy of @AmherstCollFB)

Confidence: High

Johnson was no slouch in 2014, playing in all eight games and recording 26 tackles and four sacks en route to All-NESCAC Second Team Honors. However, with some major pieces having graduated from the front seven, including defensive lineman Max Lehrman ’15, Johnson’s presence will be felt more than ever. The 300-pounder will anchor Amherst’s defensive line at nose guard.

Amherst DE Sam Caldwell ’16

DE Sam Caldwell (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
DE Sam Caldwell (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Confidence: Medium-High

Back-to-back with the Amherst d-linemen. As mentioned, Lehrman is out and Caldwell is in. Caldwell probably would have started last season but was slowed down by an injury. Expect the superior athlete to wreak havoc on opposing QBs. Caldwell is strong and if he gets free can run like a gazelle (for a defensive lineman). This unit will be scary once again.

 

 

Middlebury WR Ryan Rizzo ’17

WR Ryan Rizzo (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)
WR Ryan Rizzo (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Confidence: High

You might point to Rizzo’s 29 catches last season, second on the Panthers, and say that by definition 2015 won’t be a breakout. But if you dive in closer, you’ll also see that former teammate Grant Luna ’17 – sidelined by concussions – was next on the Panthers with 27 catches. Why is this important? Because both guys played the same position last season, and Rizzo did nearly all of his damage – 27 of those catches – in the season’s last four games. If he’s healthy – and he did deal with a lower body injury during the spring and summer – he could, hypothetically, double his catches this season. Matt Minno ’16 is likely to draw some double teams outside, meaning the lightning-quick Rizzo will have room to work from the slot.
Also, check out the kid’s new track and buy it on iTunes. He catches passes, hits baseballs and spits fire rhymes.

 

Wesleyan Swiss Army Knife Devon Carrillo ’17

 

Devon Carrillo (Courtesy of Devon Carrillo's Twitter @TAZZ_Devil8)
Devon Carrillo (Courtesy of Devon Carrillo’s Twitter @TAZZ_Devil8)

Confidence: Low

This confidence rating is not based on a lack of talent, but rather the fact that Carrillo probably didn’t know where he was going to play when he came into camp last week – and he still may not know. In 2013 Carrillo was a dangerous return man (15 kicks for a 25.7 average and eight punts for 7.1 yards per return) and the team’s second-leading tackler with 35. Last year Carrillo found himself mainly running Wildcat QB and returning a few kicks (though there weren’t many returns to be had for last year’s Cardinals). I don’t know what to expect out of Carrillo, and Coach Dan DiCenzo has been very coy about his plans for the junior, but I think he will make a big impact, especially with so many holes to fill for the Cardinals. My best guess is that Carrillo becomes a versatile outside backer while still potentially running a few Wildcat plays.

Colby WR Mbasa Mayikana ’18

WR Mbasa Mayikana (Couresty of Sarah Crosby/Bates College Athletics)
WR Mbasa Mayikana (Couresty of Sarah Crosby/Bates College Athletics)

Confidence: Medium

Mayikana is another wideout that was good last season – 20 receptions for 193 yards – but there’s potential this season for so much more. Two big-time targets graduated in Luke Duncklee ’15 and Nick Joseph ’15, so Mayikana likely becomes the No. 2 to Ryder Arsenault ’17. Mayikana is also a track star, and he has the ability to stretch defenses, despite lacking great height (roughly 6’0″ or 6’1″).

Hamilton QB Brandon Tobin ’18

QB Brandon Tobin (Courtesy of Pace University Athletics)
QB Brandon Tobin (Courtesy of Pace University Athletics)

Confidence: Low-Medium

All too often fans and media (whoops) get too excited about higher-level transfers coming in and saving the program. However, in this case there is an opportunity for the local (he’s from New York so that counts) boy to make good. Tobin arrives from D-II Pace University, where he was solid but unspectacular as a rookie in six games. (Read about his decision here.) However, while incumbent QB Chase Rosenberg ’17 gets some leeway for having to learn two offenses in two seasons, his overall performance has not been very impressive. Quarterbacks are always saddled with the weight of a team’s wins and losses, and the Continentals have done nothing but lose the past two seasons. It’s possible that Head Coach Dave Murray will try rolling the dice with Tobin if he does well enough in camp.

Bowdoin QB Tim Drakeley ’17

QB Tim Drakeley (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
QB Tim Drakeley (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

Confidence: High

Confidence is high that Drakeley takes on an expanded role – we know, barring injury, that he will be starting. How good can he be is a wide open question. Don’t expect the junior to start flinging it around like the QBs for Middlebury and Tufts, but he throws a good ball and moves well enough in the pocket. It’s a new offense for Bowdoin this season, but they’ll still rely heavily on the run, so Drakeley just needs to be efficient for this offense to work.

 

20 Stats from 2014 That You Need to Know

MIDDLEBURY, VT (October 17, 2009) - Aerial images of the campus of Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. (Photo © Brett Simison)
An aerial view of the Middlebury field. (Photo © Brett Simison)

The time has come, football season is finally upon us. FBS college teams begin games tonight, meaning we will get football non-stop for months now. While teams throughout the NESCAC have turned the page on the 2014 season, we want to take one last look at last year and tell you what stats will be crucial to know heading into the 2015 campaign.

17. No better place to start than the defending champs. The steel-curtain defense of the Amherst Lord Jeffs accrued a league leading 17 interceptions last season. Going into this year, three out of the four defensive backs will be returning as seniors – Jaymie Spears ’16, who led the league with six picks last year, Chris Gow ’16 and Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16. Look for this trio to continue to wreak havoc for opposing NESCAC quarterbacks this year.

2,004. While the DBs of Amherst held him to only 67 yards when they played each other last October, Middlebury quarterback Matt Milano ’16 was the only QB in the conference to throw for over 2000 yards in the 2014 season, amassing 2,004 yards through the air. The next closest was Wesleyan’s Jesse Warren ’15 with 1513.

1. On the other side of the spectrum, the Bowdoin offense had a lowly one passing touchdown in 2014. That touchdown went to fullback Jack Donovan ’15, meaning the Polar Bear wide receivers had zero receiving touchdowns all season. With the entrance of JB Wells as the new head coach of the Polar Bears, along with the change in personnel at the quarterback position with Tim Drakeley ’17, look for a drastic improvement from last year’s lowest-ranked offense.

74.6. The number of tackles per game for Tufts. While the Jumbos had the most tackles per game in the NESCAC, they also were the last-ranked team in terms of passing yards allowed (225.1 per game).

34. The Middlebury Panthers, who were among the league’s best offensively, hired a new offensive coordinator in Dave Caputi for 2015. After graduating from Middlebury himself in 1981, 34 years later he finds himself back as a member of Panther football.

33:38. Wesleyan’s lengthy time of possession per game last year, made possible by their second-ranked 18 first downs per game. They will again look to hold the rock for long periods with their talented running back duo of LaDarius Drew ’15 and Lou Stevens ’17.

16. The number of consecutive losses for Hamilton. Although it’s not quite as impressive as Tufts’ 31 straight which ended last year, second year head coach Dave Murray will rest much easier if that 16 doesn’t turn into 24 after this season.

61. Touches for Trinity RB/QB Spencer Aukamp ’18 last season. Expect that number to rise, but it’s unclear whether that will be via the run or passing game. Aukamp is a weapon and will see a lot of snaps for the Bantams, but they most likely won’t take place under center this season.

71.5. Receiving yards per game for Bates’ Mark Riley ’16, who led the league in this category as well as total receiving yards with 572. The Bobcats are also in the midst of a change at the quarterback position, so it’ll be interesting to see how the loss of Matt Cannone ’15 affects Riley’s 2015 numbers.

2. Straight years Williams has been below .500, an occurrence that had not happened for 15+ years.

533. Total yards for Colby RB Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17, who broke out his sophomore year as the Mules’ premiere back. Keeping an eye on Colby, it will be interesting to see how the ground load will be split for Hurdle-Price and fellow classmate Carl Lipani who, although he had fewer carries (37 compared to 131), averaged more yards per touch (4.9) than Hurdle-Price (4.1). Lipani is healthy again after missing the second half of the season.

23. Fourth down attempts were not rare for Middlebury, and they led the league converting 12 of their 23 tries. The next closest team was Bates with 12 attempts. Keep in mind the change at O-coordinator for the Panthers this season, and consider whether that might have an impact on their fourth down strategy.

226. Bowdoin running back Tyler Grant ’17 had his work cut out for him last year, carrying the ball 226 times, the most of any back in the league. In addition to having his number called early and often, he produced, leading the league in both yards (893) and yards per game (111.6). Don’t expect Bowdoin to lean quite so heavily on him this year.

54. That’s how many points  top-ranked Wesleyan kicker Ike Fuchs ’17 had in 2014, who was good for 10 out of 13 field goals on the year. With the amount of time the Cardinal’s offense had possession of the football, coming away with points at the end was a big part of their game last season.

4. Number of sacks for Amherst’s 300-pound defensive tackle Paul Johnson ’17. With the graduation of defenders Chris Tamasi ’15 and Max Lehrman ’15, who had five and 4.5 sacks last year, respectively, the pass rushing load will depend even more on Johnson this season.

60.  The  number of solo tackles for Tufts’ sophomore defensive back Mike Stearns ’17, which put him at the top of the conference in that category. It is incredibly rare for a defensive back to led the league in tackles, and Stearns might shift from corner to safety this year.

3653. The top-ranked average amount of fans in attendance for Amherst. The real question is do championships help bring the fans, or do the fans help bring the championships? Either way, the Lord Jeffs will go into the 2015 season looking to capture their third consecutive conference championship.

299. Hamilton’s LaShawn Ware ’18, who, despite starting in only one game last season, led the Continentals in rushing yards with 299.

50%. Colby’s red-zone touchdown percentage, which was the worst in the NESCAC. Not only could the Mules not get the ball in the end-zone, but also they failed to kick any field goals from inside the 20 as well.

298. Days since the last NESCAC football game was played, only 24 more to go.

Revenge of the Nerds

It escaped our notice for a little bit, but the NESCAC announced the Fall All-Academic team a few weeks back meaning it is time for us to put our own little spin on it. Just as we did back in the spring for baseball, we are going to make two hypothetical teams. One team is made up solely of players who made the All-Academic team and also happen to be pretty good at football as well. The other team is filled with players who, while they are surely great people and students in their own right, did not make the All-Academic team but still are very good at football.

What is the point you ask? Well it is fun first of all. More importantly, it reminds us that NESCAC athletes are really students and not athletes masquerading as students. The guys who dominate on Saturday also often dominate the classroom and library every day of the week.

Reminder that freshmen are not eligible for the All-Academic team.

Offense

All-Academic Everyone Else
POS Player School POS Player School
QB Jack Doll ’15 Tufts QB Matt Milano ’16 Middlebury
RB Tyler Grant ’17 Bowdoin RB Chudi Iregbulem ’15 Trinity
FB Jack Donovan ’15 Bowdoin FB Michael Budness ’15 Trinity
WR Grant Luna ’17 Middlebury WR Mark Riley ’16 Bates
WR Brendan Rankowitz ’15 Middlebury WR Gene Garay ’15 Amherst
WR Steven Kiesel ’15 Williams WR Matthew Minno ’16 Middlebury
OL Scott Mergner ’15 Amherst OL Pat Dimase ’15 Wesleyan
OL Lyle Seebeck ’15 Bates OL Dan Finta ’15 Middlebury
OL Connor Clancy ’15 Colby OL Joe Magardino ’15 Trinity
OL Blake Shapskinsky ’15 Middlebury OL Nick Noonan ’15 Hamilton
OL Sam Hart ’16 Amherst OL Alan Felix ’15 Williams

Three quick observations before moving onto the defense.

1. One would expect quarterbacks, a position so often associated with intelligence in the media, to be all over the All-Academic team. However, Jack Doll ’15 is the only QB who saw any significant playing time make it. Fortunately for the hypothetical coach of the All-Academic team, Doll is a good one who is more than capable of leading the offense.

2. The All-Academic team includes five players who were also All-NESCAC. Three of those five are on the offensive line with Blake Shapshinsky ’15 and Connor Clancy ’15 on the second team and Scott Mergner ’15 the lone representative from the first team. In fact, the offensive line is the strongest unit considering Sam Hart ’16 started at left tackle for Amherst while Lyle Seebeck ’15 started multiple years for Bates.

3. So yes, the talent level on the All-Academic team is a notch below the Everyone Else team, but it is only a notch really. In our opinion, Tyler Grant ’17 was snubbed first team All-NESCAC honors, and the receiving trio sets up nicely with Doll’s skill set of short crossing routes.

 Defense

                             All-Academic                                                   Everyone Else

POS Player School POS Player School
DE Nik Powers ’15 Wesleyan DE Jimmy Brao ’15 Tufts
DE Max Lehrman ’15 Amherst DE Gil Araujo ’16 Middlebury
DT Paul Johnson ’17 Amherst DT Lyle Baker ’16 Trinity
DT CT Harris ’15 Colby DT Michael De Percin ’15 Hamilton
OLB Alex Daversa-Russo ’16 Wesleyan OLB Tom Szymanski ’15 Trinity
OLB Chris Tamasi ’15 Amherst OLB Mark Upton ’17 Bates
MLB Tim Patricia ’16 Middlebury MLB Ned Deane ’15 Amherst
CB Tom Cabarle ’15 Williams CB Jake Bussani ’14 Wesleyan
CB Dan Pierce ’16 Middlebury CB Jaymie Spears ’16 Amherst
SS Matt Benedict ’15 Middlebury SS Donnie Cimino ’15 Wesleyan
FS Mike Mancini ’15 Trinity FS Jason Buco ’15

Three thoughts on the defense

1. The difference between these two teams is miniscule. 10 of the 11 All-Academic team were also All-NESCAC, including five on the first team All-NESCAC. Dan Pierce ’16, the only player who didn’t make All-NESCAC,  still enjoyed an incredible year and had a strong argument for making it.

2. Safety was the deepest position for the All-Academic team while corner was the weakest. So we cheated a little bit and decided that we are simply going to have four safeties in the secondary. While the all safety secondary might give up a little in the passing game, try running outside against it, I dare you.

3. The defensive line for the All-Academic team is slightly stronger. Nik Powers ’15 and Max Lehrman ’15 were first team while CT Harris ’15 and Paul Johnson ’17 were second team. Harris also made first team last season and Johnson might have been first team if not for NESCAC coaches preferring to honor seniors on the first team.

 Special Teams

                         All-Academic                                                        All-NESCAC

POS Player School POS Player School
KR Chris Gow ’16 Amherst KR Zack Trause ’15 Tufts
P David Kurey ’15 Bates P Kyle Pulek ’16 Trinity
K Joe Mallock ’15 Williams K Phillip Nwosu ’15 Amherst

Looking down the rosters of both teams, the All-Academic team certainly would give the Everyone Else team a run for their money on most days. If we were setting the line for the game, it would settle in around -6 in favor of the Everyone Else team. The key to the game would likely be how Matt Milano ’16 was able to throw against the secondary made up completely of safeties. One would guess that the All-Academic team would be able to get good pressure on Milano because of their strength on the defensive line and the presence of Chris Tamasi ’15 coming off of the edge.

Another note of importance is that Amherst, the NESCAC champions, also tied for the most players on the All-Academic team with their rivals Williams. Both placed 20 football players on the team.

Finally, what we wrote back in the spring still holds.

“One last note is that many of the athletes who did not make the All-Academic team still work incredibly hard in the classroom. Keep in mind that the difficulty of achieving the requisite 3.35 GPA fluctuates between departments, majors and professors. This isn’t to disparage anyone who did make the All-Academic team because a 3.35 isn’t easy no matter what classes you take. I want to make clear that I’m not putting down The Everyone Else roster for their performance in the classroom. A lot of factors besides a student’s intelligence and work ethic go into what a final GPA looks like. With that being said, a huge congratulations to all of the students for their great work both on the field and in the classroom.”