Hamilton – Page 32 – Nothing But NESCAC

When the Boss Takes over the Ranks: Power Rankings 10/23

Williams is the "Best of the Rest" right now - can they get over that hump? (Courtesy of Williams Athletics) — Williams is the “Best of the Rest” right now – can they get over that hump? (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Usual rank-man Nick DiBenedetto is on vacation this week (probably sipping mai tais in Cabo San Lucas … just kidding, he just had mid-terms), so I, Joe MacDonald, am taking over. So after today you can stop heckling me for ranks that aren’t even mine, and can start telling me how stupid I am while actually knowing what you’re talking about.

1. Amherst Lord Jeffs (4-0; Last Week: 2)

The LJ’s are the defending champs, 4-0, looking for their 16th straight win, and are better than the 2014 title team. That’s because besides having a great defense and a great rushing attack, Amherst actually has a passing threat this season. The Lord Jeffs have averaged 7.3 yards per pass attempt, third in the NESCAC, all thanks to Reece Foy ’18 (and some talented receivers and great blocking). They’re still a rush first team (953 yards on the ground, 5.3 YPC and 10 TDs, all 1st in the NESCAC), but the aerial threat is a scary new dimension.

2. Trinity Bantams (4-0; Last Week: 1)

Tufts be damned. No team gets through a season without a scare or two. The Bantams defense still looks great, and by the way, the Bants have the No. 2 scoring offense in the league. If anything, I’m a little concerned about the run game. Maybe that’s silly for a team averaging 4.4 yards per carry, but I think there will be a lot of pressure put on Max Chipouras ’19 as he develops into a feature back, and I worry about him wearing down and about how a first-year hangs in there when Trinity meets the big boys in Middlebury, Amherst and Wesleyan.

3. Middlebury Panthers (3-1; Last Week: 3)

Is that a running game I see? Yeah, it was only one game, but we all knew that Diego Meritus ’19 had the physical ability to do what he did to Williams. He’s really good with a head of steam. It’s just hard to get going when you’re taking handoffs standing still in the shotgun next to the QB. He’s also been effective in the screen game, so more of that is in order. But defensively, what’s going on with the rush defense? The Panthers have allowed 301, 100, 190 and 95 yards rushing so far, and that’s not with teams running out the clock against them. This was the 4th-best rush defense in the ‘CAC a year ago. Time to get it together.

4. Wesleyan Cardinals (3-1; Last Week: 4)

Now it gets interesting, but I’m giving Wesleyan the slightest of edges over Tufts. Wesleyan has just been there before. And, even without LaDarius Drew ’15, the run game is scary and multi-faceted. I know they’re young, but it’s a winning culture, and that appears to have carried over. At least, that’s how I choose to look at it, rather than a team that plays down or up to the level of its competition. Can they match Amherst’s level, though? We’ll find out tomorrow.

5. Tufts Jumbos (3-1; Last Week: 6)

Another team with a few questionable close calls, but an equally eye-opening close loss. Formerly a high-flying, pass-happy team with no defense, the Jumbos are actually relying on their D to carry the load. They’ve given up a lot of yards, but only 116.8 per game on the ground (4th-best) and have 12 takeaways (1st) and 14 sacks (T-1st). The defense stalled the Continentals’ offense in the OT period in Week 1 and then forced interception, fumble recover, 4th-and-out on Bates’ final three possessions in Week 2. This week the Jumbos try to prove they are in the top half to stay.

6. Williams Ephs (2-2; Last Week: 5)

Watch out for that cliff … sorry, guys, I couldn’t resist. I know what it feels like to be looking up at something that seems to be further than the moon, but for everyone between 6-10, competing for a NESCAC title is a fantasy right now. So it goes in the NESCAC where “parity” has not been the name of the game. However, the Ephs earn this spot by virtue of their Week 1 trouncing of the Polar Bears. Aside from that, they have a close win over Bates and two uninspiring performances against Trinity and Middlebury. What do they do well? Pass defense, having only allowed 201.3 YPG. Then again, Trinity and Middlebury had big leads and they’ve also played the triple-option Bobcats. Still, they’ve got some playmakers there, and they’ll be needed this week against Tufts.

7. Bates Bobcats (0-4; Last Week: 7)

Playing close games earns the ‘Cats some respect, but they’d really prefer a W. Some head-scratching calls have directly led to a couple L’s – plays that make one look like a genius when they go right. In any case, the’ve got to move the ball better. Thirty pass attempts from Pat Dugan ’16 a week ago seems confusing, until you realize that 20 of those came in the fourth quarter with the Bobcats down big. The fact is that they aren’t tricking teams with the triple-option anymore, and opponents have started to bottle up Mark Riley ’16, the league’s leading receiver a year ago. This could quickly get ugly if the offense doesn’t start rolling.

8. Bowdoin Polar Bears (1-3; Last Week: 10)

The Polar Bears dispatched the Continentals in Week 4 thanks to the emergence of a fresh-faced frosh. (CI Photography)

They have a W, which is better than can be said for the teams below them in the ranks, but I so nearly put them ninth, because I just don’t buy the supernova debut from Noah Nelson ’19. I’m happy for him, but nothing about his game or practice play in the preseason or first three weeks screamed ‘immediate star.’ With a really tough second start against Trinity this week, I expect to see Bowdoin drop a spot next week. But for now, they’re on a winning streak, and so we have them eighth.

9. Colby Mules (0-4; Last Week: 9)

Not much good going on in Maine right now. The defense is playing okay for Colby, and the D-line specifically has shown me some flashes of penetration. But seven interceptions from starting QB Gabe Harrington ’17 just isn’t getting it done. He’s not getting much help, though. Top target Mark Snyder ’18 provides a lot of size and good hands, but he’s not blowing away any DBs. They don’t even have a passing TD yet … hopefully the resurgence of Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17 starts opening up some throwing lanes.

10. Hamilton Continentals (0-10; Last Week: 10)

The Continentals have been competitive, so good times seem to be ahead. However, they’re not right around the corner. There’s far too much confusion at quarterback, and no rushing attack to speak of. After looking very respectable in the first two games, allowing 17 points to Tufts in regulation before surrendering a TD on the overtime drive and just 15 to points to Wesleyan, Trinity and Bowdoin have torn up the Continentals’ defense. There are some youngsters on the Hamilton defense making plays, which is encouraging, but there are still more questions than answers.

The Treaty of Westphalia (and NESCAC Football): Weekend Preview 10/24

DB Cameron Rondeau '19 and the Polar Bears are flying high after a 30-20 win a week ago. (CIPhotography.com/Bowdoin Athletics) — DB Cameron Rondeau ’19 and the Polar Bears are flying high after a 30-20 win a week ago. (CIPhotography.com/Bowdoin Athletics)

On October 24 in 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed, ending the 30 Years’ War. More importantly, the treaty established the principle known as Westphalian Sovereignty, which means that all countries are equal in international law and all countries have sovereignty over all affairs within their own borders. It is widely regarded as crucial in developing the system of nation-states in Europe for the rest of the millennium.

That has nothing to do with NESCAC football, but I include it in the article to remind you that nothing done on Saturday during a NESCAC football game will be remembered in 377 years like the Treaty of Westphalia. In 377 years people will look at football the same way we look at Renaissance Fairs. Not that the games don’t matter – of course they do. Enjoy them, imbibe in them, and tell all your friends at the game to read Nothing but NESCAC. Enough with the rambling, onto the actual analysis.

Four to Watch

Wide Receiver Charles Ensley ’17 (Hamilton): I was able to see Ensley close up last Saturday against Bowdoin. Obviously, I came away impressed as he had eight catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. Honestly he could have had even more yards than that, but the Hamilton QBs missed him on a couple of throws down the field. Ensley regularly got behind Bowdoin’s defensive secondary. Ensley seems to be a favorite of Cole Freeman ’18, who came on to replace Chase Rosenberg ’17, at the end of the second quarter: all of his catches came after Freeman entered the game.
Cornerback Tim Preston ’19 (Tufts): Despite not playing in the opening game, Preston (whom I incorrectly called a linebacker last week) is tied for the league lead in interceptions with four. Every week his statistics and play-making has become better and better. Last week was his official coming out party with two interceptions which he returned for 55 total yards. An even 6’0″, he is taller than most NESCAC cornerbacks, and this picture shows perfectly how he uses that height to his advantage. Preston will get plenty of action against the pass-happy Ephs.
Linebacker Philippe Archambault ’19 (Bowdoin): Another freshman defensive player making a big impact after a slow start is Archambault. He entered the starting lineup against Tufts in Week 3, and in the two games since he has 19 tackles. More impressive is that he has three sacks in two games. Archambault plays middle linebacker, and both of his sacks against Hamilton came on delayed stunts where he came free. Trinity’s offensive line gives the French-Canadian another new challenge to take on.
Quarterback Patrick Dugan ’16 (Bates): Dugan had a game to forget against Williams two weeks ago going 1-14, but he bounced back against Wesleyan throwing for 204 yards on 14-30 passing. I would still like Bates to be more unpredictable in throwing the ball on early downs, but allowing Dugan to throw the ball 30 times is still encouraging. He is never going to be a high completion percentage type, and the offense is never going to revolve around him throwing the ball. Still, getting the ball downfield in order to gain big chunks is a must.

Game Previews

Colby (0-4) at Hamilton (0-4): 12:00 PM, Clinton, NY

Live Stats Video

A winless team will get on the board. Assuming Freeman starts at QB, the Continentals will have their third different starting QB this season, and the running game for Hamilton has not gotten going. Against the experienced defensive line led by Ryan Ruiz ’16, that won’t change very much. I was expecting more from the Continentals last week frankly, but they were dominated for three of the four quarters by the Polar Bears.

The statistics for Colby last week against Amherst are truly shocking. The Mules outgained the Jeffs 400-307 and also had the advantage in first downs 23-15. Most unbelievable, Colby held the ball for 36:48. Even though they never seriously threatened Amherst, for the second straight week they showed that they are capable of playing quality football. Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17 has cemented himself as one of the best running backs in the league. The long drive to Hamilton scares me, but I’m going with the Mules

Prediction: Colby over Hamilton 13-10

Bowdoin (1-3) at Trinity (4-0): 1:00 PM, Hartford, CT

Live Stats Video

The Bantams looked oh so mortal last week, in large part because of their own mistakes. They had five turnovers and a crazy 13 penalties for 144 yards. They also somehow went 2-12 on third down even though they had 523 yards of total offense. Those are all fixable things, and the Bantams didn’t come into the game doing any of those things particularly poorly. Linebacker Liam Kenneally ’18 is quickly taking up the mantle of Bantam linebackers, finishing with 11 tackles last week. Even though the defense gave up 323 yards, they still held Alex Snyder ’17 to 11-30 throwing the ball. Through four games, opposing QBs have a completion percentage of 41.7 percent (53-127) and are averaging 138.5 YPG through the air.

Quarterback Noah Nelson ’19 had as fine a debut as one could have hoped for, but the sequel will have trouble matching that success. Nelson did a great job finding the open receiver and trusting his guys to make plays in one-on-one match-ups. The windows in the defense will be smaller and the jump balls might not be completed, and he won’t have as much time in the pocket as he did last week. Of course, Nelson can play loose as a daisy: nobody is expecting him to beat Trinity in the Coop in his second college start. Tim Drakeley ’17 will be back healthy next week, and the Polar Bears will reevaluate their QB situation then. Nelson could win the job permanently if he plays well, but he won’t necessarily lose it if he has a sub-par performance.

As for the game Saturday, Trinity plays better at home than they do on the road, the Bantams need to get everything working right before they begin their tough three-game final stretch. Still, remember that Bowdoin led Trinity 10-3 entering the 4th quarter last year…

Prediction: Trinity over Bowdoin 28-14

Middlebury (3-1) at Bates (0-4): 1:00 PM

Can Matt Minno '16 (88) keep up his current hot streak? (Photo by Joe MacDonald) — Can Matt Minno ’16 (88) keep up his current hot streak? (Photo by Joe MacDonald)

Live Stats Video

Bates has now lost three games in a row by single digits. That sucks, plain and simple. The defense has been decent at not giving up points, but they still allowed 447 yards last week and are giving up an average of 424.5 per game. Even though some players like Brandon Williams ’17 and Sam Francis ’17 have quickly become important pieces of the puzzle, there is still enough inexperience that the defense has difficulty getting stops.

Matt Milano ’16 is going to put up big numbers this week, I can bet that, but how efficient will he be doing it? He was 20-41 against Williams, but he also was below 50 percent against Williams last year. He then used the Bates game as a springboard to his eye-popping second half. The Panthers can still grab a share of the NESCAC title. As long as their run defense, the second-worst in the league giving up an average of 171.5 YPG, isn’t completely exposed, they will pull this one out.

Prediction: Middlebury over Bates 24-13

Tufts (3-1) at Williams (2-2): 2:00 PM, Williamstown, MA

Live Stats Video

These two have had three common opponents: both beat Bowdoin handily, squeaked by Bates, and lost to Trinity. Tufts obviously played the Bantams closer (Williams lost 24-0 compared to the 34-27 overtime loss for Tufts). Playing the comparative opponent’s game can be tricky, so I’m going to mostly disregard it. The Ephs defense completely ran out of a gas in the second half against Middlebury, allowing 27 straight points to finish the game after Williams went up 14-9 in the third quarter. Things get a little easier against Tufts. Not that much, though, with Chance Brady ’17, the leading rusher in the NESCAC, transforming the Jumbos into a more ground-heavy attack.

The Jumbos defense’s greatest weakness is against the pass; Williams loves to throw the ball, so advantage Ephs there. Austin Lommen ’16 just has to stop throwing bad interceptions; he has six, the second the most in the league. The Ephs defense doesn’t scare you with any player in particular, as impact players have missed time with injury. They are still a good defense though, so long as you don’t put them on the same scale as a Amherst or Trinity. This is the hardest game to predict this week. One potential difference-maker for Tufts is if they can break a long return since the Ephs have allowed two crucial returns for touchdowns. When in doubt, go with the home team.

Prediction: Williams over Tufts 22-19

NbN Last Week: 4-1
NbN on the Season: 17-3

Mid-Year Report: 5 Biggest Surprises So Far

Quarterback Noah Nelson '19 came out of nowhere to win NESCAC POTW Honors. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics) — Quarterback Noah Nelson ’19 came out of nowhere to win NESCAC POTW Honors. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

The NESCAC football season has brought us all of the drama and excitement that we could have asked. And while the standings are largely where we thought they’d be at season’s beginning, and many of last year’s standouts have built upon their impressive resumes, nevertheless there have been a myriad of surprises, as well.

Like the ending of the Departed – wait, maybe that’s a bad example. Like the big reveal of Darth Vader’s true identity in The Empire Strikes Back – do anyone of the younguns playing in the NESCAC today even know what I’m talking about – some things we just never see coming. And with that in mind, below are the five biggest surprises of the 2015 NESCAC football season, in order from “Oh no, someone ate the last Oreo” to “My car is gone, my girlfriend broke up with me and my house burnt down – I just saw it on Facebook”.

5. There Are Freshmen All over the Leaderboards

And that doesn’t even count last week’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week, Bowdoin QB Noah Nelson ’19, who isn’t eligible for the leaderboards despite a 328-yard, four-touchdown performance in Week 4. Amherst (Jack Hickey ’19) and Middlebury (Diego Meritus ’19) both have ball carriers in the top-10 in rushing yards per game, and Tufts’ Dom Borelli ’19 has shown some flashes of talent. On the receiving end, Middlebury’s Conrado Banky ’19 has turned a couple big plays into 64.8 YPG receiving, good for ninth in the NESCAC. On the defensive end, LB Phillippe Archambault ’19 (Bowdoin), LBs Ryan Neville ’19 (Colby) and Sam Friedman ’19 (Colby), DL Tyler Hudson ’19 (Hamilton) and DB Colby Jones ’19 (Hamilton), LBs Dagon Picon-Roura ’19 (Trinity) and Shane Libby ’19 (Trinity), and DB Alexander LaPiana ’19 (Tufts) are all making immediate impacts for their new squads. Every year some first-years make their mark right away, but it’s always impressive to see, and the number of contributors this year has been particularly large

4. The Tufts Jumbos Are 3-1, with a 34-27 OT Loss vs. Trinity

Sure, we predicted a 4-4 season for Tufts and they’ve won the games we expected them to. They also scraped by Hamilton and Bates by a total of four points. So we shouldn’t really be surprised by where Tufts stands right now. But then again, they did almost beat a 3-0 Trinity team that had yet to allow a point on defense. Maybe, just maybe, this team is getting better. And better yet, they’re starting to believe that they belong. For a team that hadn’t won a football game since Sept. 15, 2010 before last season, they seem to have arrived and become relevant at last.

3. The Wesleyan Rushing Attack

The Cardinals’ returned All-NESCAC running back Lou Stevens ’17 and brought back the formerly-injured LaDarius Drew ’15 to the backfield for this season. I would have bet my entire bank account (that probably sounds more impressive than it is) that at least one of those two would be running roughshod over the NESCAC already.

And yet, in Week 1 Jaylen Berry ’18 led the Cards’ attack with 122 rushing yards on 21 carries (5.8 YPC) and Drew and Stevens combined for just eight carries. On the season, Berry, quarterback Gernald Hawkins ’18 and slot receiver/Wildcat QB Devon Carrillo ’16 have all rushed for more yards than Stevens and Drew, and Drew has only played in two games this season, meaning that he is not recovered from his injury in 2014. Stevens finally got it going a week ago, running for 117 yards on just 12 carries including a 40-yard rumble, but it’s fairly obvious that we’re not going to see a workhorse emerge in the Cardinals’ backfield this season, with Head Coach Dan DiCenzo electing to spread out the carries.

2. The Maine Schools are a Combined 1-11

We had all three projected for either two or three wins, so the CBB was expected to be weak this season – but not this weak. If not for an offensive explosion from a newcomer at QB, Bowdoin could easily be 0-4 and the CBB would be 0-12. Something needs to change, because this kind of disparity is not good for the Maine schools or the league as a whole. Of those 11 losses, only three have really been close. Hopefully things turn around down the stretch, but that remains to be seen.

1. Passing Is up in the ‘CAC – and by a lot.

Last year, only two teams finished the season with over 200 YPG through the air – Middlebury (265.0) and Tufts (234.5). This season, through four games, EIGHT teams have at least 200 YPG passing, led by the Panthers (314.0) and capped with the Wesleyan Cardinals (200.8). From where is this difference coming? We thought, with the graduation of some top passers in Jesse Warren ’15 and Jack Doll ’15, that passing might be down this season. But on the contrary, passing is way up. The top-five passing defenses from a year ago are the same, and Trinity, Middlebury, Amherst, Williams and Wesleyan are performing similarly to a year ago. But Hamilton, Bates and Tufts, in particular, are relinquishing too many yards through the air. Even though Bates only threw for 110 yards against Tufts in Week 2, the Jumbos are allowing 290.0 YPG through the air. But it’s not just the lackluster performance of the Jumbos defense against the pass, but the arrival of some impressive QBs. Sonny Puzzo ’18 and Reece Foy ’18 are the league’s No. 2 and No. 3 passes to-date.

For awhile now the theme has been three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust in the NESCAC, but that appears to be changing.

They Are Who We Thought They Were (Pretty Much): Stock Report 10/19

Trinity QB Sonny Puzzo and the Bantams barely escaped from Medford with a win. Robert LeBel/Trinity Athletics) — Trinity QB Sonny Puzzo ’18 and the Bantams barely escaped from Medford with a win. (Robert LeBel/Trinity Athletics)

We’re halfway through the season, and for the most part the league leaders are who we thought they were. Yet, there have been a few surprises this season that are keeping things interesting.

After last year’s 4-4 finish, and a 3-0 start this season, it was clear that Tufts had escaped the dungeons of the NESCAC that they had been trapped in for the past four years. This week they took on the Bantams, one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the league, and pushed them to the limit, eventually losing 34-27 in overtime. Up north, Bowdoin captured their first win of the season, beating the still winless Continentals 30-20, while Amherst took care of business as usual, granting Colby their fourth loss, 31-13. Bates’ struggles continued this week with a 24-16 loss to Wesleyan in a game where they led 9-7 late in the first second quarter, and Middlebury erupted in the second half for 27 straight unanswered points.

The biggest story of the day was Tufts threatening the NESCAC hierarchy. The Big Four that have dominated the lower six teams for the past few seasons may have to make room for a developing Tufts team that nearly knocked off one of the league’s top programs. Besides the Tufts/Trinity game, there were few surprises this week as far as results went, and a few players whose stock went up in our portfolio.

Stock Up

Quarterback Noah Nelson ’19 (Bowdoin)

After throwing for 134 yards and a touchdown last week against Tufts when starting QB Tim Drakeley ’17 went down with a concussion, Noah Nelson was named the starter for the Hamilton game two days later. On Saturday’s homecoming game against the Continentals, the first-year was 28-43 for 328 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions – a stat line that granted him co-NESCAC Player of the Week laurels. While one game cannot be the end all be all for quarterbacks in this league, Nelson had complete control of this offense that had been struggling to find some consistence this year. Following this game, it’s more than likely that he will get the start again next week, this time against one of the league’s best in the Trinity Bantams.

Tufts Jumbos

As alluded to earlier, the Jumbos came into this week against Trinity sitting pretty at 3-0, but their legitimacy was questioned given that their three wins came against Hamilton, Bates, and Bowdoin who are a combined 1-11. While Tufts was able to push the game into overtime, they did end up losing on a touchdown pass from Puzzo to Bryan Vieira ’18. Although they couldn’t knock off the undefeated, the way in which Tufts was able to respond after being down 21-13 in the 3rd quarter shows the fight that this team has. They are done finishing at the bottom of the league, and this week showed us that they are close to bridging the long-standing gap that has divided the NESCAC elite from the lower half of the league.

Quarterback Sonny Puzzo ’18 (Trinity)

We’ll stick with the theme of the quarterback for our third pick for stock up this week – Sonny Puzzo, who proved once again that he is the league’s best dual threat QB. He broke the 0-0 tie with a 57-yard rushing touchdown, while going 22-39 with four passing touchdowns and another rushing touchdown, leading his team passed a tenacious Jumbo squad. While ball security has been a problem for Puzzo the last two weeks, throwing two interceptions in both games, his ability to run in the open field along with his strong arm gives him a significant advantage against opposing defenses.

Stock Down

Bates’ Confidence

After going 4-4 last season, it’s almost unimaginable that the Bobcats would be in this bad of a position after four weeks of football. Though they tied with the Jumbos in the standings a year ago, Bates has found none of the magic in close games that Tufts has conjured up. Besides the Amherst game, in which Amherst was the heavy favorite, Bates has lost its other three games by a combined 11 points. The story was similar this week when, after leading Wesleyan 9-7 with a little over three minutes left in the first half, they let up 17 unanswered points, making their comeback too little too late down in Middletown. While some could point fingers and say the play of their QB Pat Dugan ’16 has not helped the team in the passing attack, turnovers have been a problem for the whole crew, and the offensive line has also struggled, giving up 11 sacks in four games.

Hamilton Quarterback Situation

Chase Rosenberg ’17 started the season with an electric 301 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 24-21 loss against Tufts, but since then has been on the steady decline. His low point came this Saturday against a Bowdoin defense that had been unable to stop anyone thus far this season. In his first two drives Rosenberg threw an interception, and was taken out of the game and replaced by Cole Freeman ’18, ending the day 2 -10 for two yards. Hamilton, who has played in close games as of late, now finds themselves in the midst of a renewed QB controversy, one that originally involved Rosenberg and the now-injured Brandon Tobin ’18. It’s been a gut-wrenching start to the season for Head Coach Dave Murray, who still is looking for his first win as the general of the Continentals team.

Trinity’s Defense

Going into Week 4, the Bantams had the No. 1-ranked defense, allowing zero offensive points over the course of three games. That all changed when they marched into Medford and found themselves in a 27-27 tie at the end of the fourth quarter. After Saturday, they still stop the defensive charts, allowing a stingy 7.8 points per game, but something was clearly out of sync against Tufts, especially in the fourth quarter where they gave up 14 straight points. While their stock lowered a little in our book, their defense is clearly still the best in the league, and it would be rash to look too much into this one game. The real test comes in Weeks 6-8, when Trinity runs the gauntlet at Middlebury, at Amherst and home against Wesleyan.

Bantams Cling to the Top: Power Rankings 10/14

Between the marching band and the bursting fall foliage, there were plenty of distractions at the Williams-Bates game. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Amherst got the most impressive win of the season on Saturday over Middlebury, but that doesn’t change the top of the rankings. Things played out generally as expected, especially down the bottom half of this list. Therefore there isn’t a lot of movement this week.

Trinity (3-0; Last Week: 1)

Still yet to let up a point on defense, the Bantams steam rolled past the Hamilton Continentals for a 29-4 win. Trinity has dominated all season, making easy work of their opponents so far. Safety Paul McCarthy ’16 had yet another pick to make it four for the season, a year after seeing the field for only short spurts. I’m not expecting much to change this week, even against undefeated Tufts.

Amherst (3-0; Last Week: 3)

Why not put Amherst first, given that they haven’t lost in forever, it seems? Well, last year doesn’t matter, and I think Trinity has been the most impressive team. Amherst proved they belong at 1b) in the polls as they put a beating on Middlebury. The Amherst defense held Middlebury to 21 net rushing yards and sacked Matt Milano ’16 five times for a total loss of 40 yards. Amherst should stroll to 4-0 as they take on Colby on Saturday. This team could very well end being better than last year’s edition.

Middlebury (2-1): (Last Week: 2)

It was just a matter of time before this team got knocked down given their issues. A lackluster rushing game plagued them vs. Amherst, just as it has all season. The difference was that the Jeffs closed down the passing game the further the game went along. One indication of how bad the Panthers have been running the ball is that they have only four first downs from running the ball, compared to 41 first downs through the air. An intriguing game against Williams looms, a matchup that went to overtime last year.

Wesleyan (2-1; Last Week: 4)

Wesleyan kept its fans on their feet (and caused them to grow some gray hairs) as they pulled off a 24-21 win over Colby. Gernald Hawkins ’18 drove down the field from the Wesleyan 34-yard line with four minutes to play, eventually connecting with Devon Carrillo ’16 for a game winning 35-yard touchdown pass. That the running defense all of a sudden was porous raised plenty of eyebrows. The young Cardinals are still figuring out how to put that talent to good use. Wesleyan takes on Bates next week, which could be close given that the average margin of victory in the Cardinals’ three games so far is just 3.3 points.

Williams (2-1; Last Week: 5)

After an excruciating loss to Trinity in Week 2, the Ephs were able to put up enough points to beat Bates 16-14. They weren’t to get much going on the ground, but Austin Lommen ’16 threw for 309 yards, albeit with two interceptions. The Ephs ran the ball 26 times in order to milk up the clock, but were largely ineffective. More balance will be needed to keep the aggressive Middlebury defense at bay.

Tufts (3-0; Last Week 6)

Yes they are undefeated, but the combined records for the teams they have beaten is 0-9 (Bowdoin, Bates and Hamilton). They looked much stronger against Bowdoin, but they still barely escaped from the Bobcats and Continentals. This week will test how close the Jumbos are to competing on both sides of the line of scrimmage against an elite team. From here on out, the Jumbos will have a tough schedule as they face Trinity, Williams, Amherst, Colby and Middlebury. The Jumbos have a lot to prove.

Bates (0-3; Last Week: 7)

Bates picked up 232 rushing yards of a total 298 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry in a heartbreaking loss to Williams. For the first time, the rushing attack gained some traction with quarterback Patrick Dugan ’16 leading the way with 74 yards. With six fumbles (two lost) on the day, the Bobcats have shown they can run, they just need to hang on to the damn football. It isn’t often that Bates loses the time of possession battle by 8:56 like they did against Williams. The schedule doesn’t get easier as the Bobcats go on the road at Wesleyan in Week 4.

Hamilton (0-3; Last week: 8)

It is hard for a team to move up in the power rankings when they face off against Trinity, but the Continentals do deserve credit for scoring on the Bantams, even if it wasn’t on offense. Look for this to be Hamilton’s final week in the eight spot. They take on Bowdoin this week and are looking for their first win in over three years. This is a team that is going to come out very hungry, sensing a beatable and beaten-down Bowdoin squad.

Colby (0-3; Last Week: 9)

The Mules finally showed some fight Saturday against Wesleyan as they lost on a late fourth quarter touchdown. The continued struggles of quarterback Gabe Harrington ’17 are becoming harder and harder to ignore. In all three games he has averaged less than 4.0 yards per attempt and has zero passing touchdowns with five interceptions. Even with the running game having success against Wesleyan, he went 15-34. The hard stretch to open the season concludes against Amherst.

Bowdoin (0-3; Last Week: 10)

The Polar Bears trailed the whole game, and ended up losing 43-24 against Tufts. Their inability to run the ball and stop the run hurt them again. The old adage that football games are won at the line of scrimmage is true in the NESCAC. Coach JB Wells is still looking for his first win, and as the weeks go by, the possibility that it won’t come until 2016 is becoming more and more distinct.

Monday Musings Part Two: Everyone Else

Things are good in Medford these days. The Jumbos are 3-0. (Photos Courtesy of Alonso Nichols/Tufts University)

AL: Alright, enough about that Amherst-Middlebury game as there was plenty of other football played. The one score that caught my eye was Wesleyan sneaking by Colby 24-21. For the second straight week the Cardinals needed a late touchdown to take the lead, and both weeks it was Devon Carrillo ’16 who was responsible for it.

JM: So a couple of thoughts from me about this result. One, I think Colby played pissed off, especially Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17. Two, either Wesleyan isn’t as good as we thought, or, and sorry to keep dragging it back to Middlebury, the Panthers aren’t as good as we thought. The Cards have now played close game’s with teams we thought would be elite and teams we thought would be mediocre. I think it’s mostly a situation of a young team in Wesleyan with a lot of talent going through growing pains, and they’ll get better as the season goes on. My one other observation, and you just brought this up, Devon Carrillo is a beast. In Weeks 1 and 2 it was rushing the ball. This week he finally caught some passes. One way or another he’s going to hurt you. Like this:

"End this already." Me: "Ok" https://t.co/9cWD4nB9ah

— Devon Carrillo™ (@TAZZ_Devil8) October 12, 2015

AL: Get this: Wesleyan came in allowing just 13.0 YPG on the ground, and Hurdle-Price went for 19 yards on his first carry on his way to 202 for the day. This is an encouraging effort for Colby. Obviously they are 0-3 against Trinity, Middlebury and Wesleyan, but they did look competitive. That and then you have to look at the standings and see your CBB mates Bowdoin and Bates sitting there at 0-3 too.

JM: And it was another tough one for your Bowdoin Polar Bears, losing a whopping 43-24. What’s going on, Al?

AL: Ugghh, the defense has simply not shown up, especially in the first half of the past two games. The Jumbos had 27 points in the first half, and Chance Brady ’17 was able to do basically whatever he wanted. I thought it was going to be different under new coach JB Wells, but these things take time. Real story is Tufts moving to 3-0 I think.

JM: I’m with you, Al. Could Tufts be the real deal? They barely snuck by Hamilton and Bates, but in a way that’s a good thing. The Jumbos actually believe they can win. And that’s the kind of attitude they’re going to need when they go to play Trinity this weekend. This will either be Tufts’ announcement to the league that they’re a contender, or it will affirm our fears that there are really only four teams competing every year for the title.

AL: I’m going to say the Jumbos are still a year away, but Saturday will tell us, obviously. Bowdoin was playing without Tyler Grant ’17, and the Polar Bears picked off Alex Snyder ’17 twice, so you can’t say it was all roses for Tufts. Elsewhere, on Friday I said that I was high on the Ephs because of Austin Lommen ’16, and they leaned on him heavily throwing the ball 47 times in the Ephs’ win. Still, Bates had a lot of chances to win this game, but they haven’t been able to win the close games.

QB Austin Lommen '16 carried the Ephs' offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics) — QB Austin Lommen ’16 carried the Ephs’ offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

JM: No, and I think part of that is that their offense is one-dimensional. It just doesn’t work in football these days. The athletes on the other side of the ball are too good and too smart. There’s so much film that you aren’t really surprising opposing defenses with that option game.

AL: Patrick Dugan ’16 was 1-14 throwing the ball! Williams has a good secondary, but that is BAD. Bates has always leaned on the run, but they usually are able to get more of a passing game going. Finally, the game we haven’t talked about is Trinity vs. Hamilton. What did you think of that one?

JM: Really just confirmed what we already knew. Trinity’s defense is going to shut down bad teams. While Hamilton had a great showing in Week 1, and nearly upset Wesleyan in Week 2, I think that they’re closer to the offense we’ve seen the last two weeks than the one we saw in Week 1. More than anything, Trinity just has a chip on its shoulder after losing three straight to end 2014. If running back Max Chipouras ’19 is for real, then this team becomes terrifying to face.

AL: This score would have been more lopsided if Colby Jones ’19 (another impact freshman who also returned a blocked extra point for two points) hadn’t intercepted two Sonny Puzzo ’17 throws inside of the Hamilton 20-yard line. I’m a little more optimistic about the Hamilton offense just because I respect the Trinity defense so much. With that being said, Puzzo is coming back to earth.I have my worries about when Triniy has to face a top-four defense.

Jeff Devanney's defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That's 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel) — Jeff Devanney’s defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That’s 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

JM: I still feel good about Puzzo. He didn’t run much last week, so I don’t know what that’s about. But we saw in person with Foy against Middlebury how the threat of a quarterback taking off and running is a huge weapon. And Puzzo still put up good yardage against Hamilton. Trinity’s calling card is always going to be defense as long as Jeff Devanney is the coach, and that’s how they’re going to win.

AL: I mean the Trinity defense still hasn’t been scored on. Glancing at the standings, clear demarcation with six teams either 3-0 or 2-1 and then four 0-3 teams. With the exception of Wesleyan, I feel like I have a good handle on teams at this point.

JM: Agreed, and things are starting to separate, as you mentioned. Okay, Adam, any last takes on Week 3 in the NESCAC?

AL: Just want to reiterate how much I enjoyed watching the game at Amherst. And that we went 5-0 on picks this week. Definitely want to mention that.

JM: I feel pretty confident in saying that no one else has watched as much NESCAC football as we have this season, Adam. It’s paying off with the picks.

More than the Main Course: Weekend Preview 10/9

The Bantams hope to keep their sparkling record and scoreless streak alive. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

Amherst and Middlebury is the main attraction this weekend, and Joe broke that down in detail yesterday, but the other four games still offer plenty to chew on. Trinity and Wesleyan are heavy home favorites against Hamilton and Colby respectively, but those games are still important measuring sticks. Bowdoin has beaten Tufts five straight times, and it would certainly behoove the Polar Bears to extend that streak to six in order to get their first win of the year. Bates and Williams meet in Western Massachusetts as both teams are in need of a win.

Four to Watch

1. Defensive End Zach Thomas ’18 (Tufts):

Last year Thomas saw the field mostly as a kicker filling in for the injured Willie Holmquist ’16, and he has played great through two games at DE after playing there sparingly in 2014. He had 2.5 sacks against Bates, two of which came on third down to end Bates’ drives. Bowdoin allowed six sacks last week (admittedly Amherst is a different animal than most), and Thomas will get plenty of chances to rush the QB if Tufts gets up early. Along with Shane Thomas ’17 (no relation), the sophomore is part of a young group who are emerging for Tufts as difference makers, something that the Jumbos have lacked for a long time.

Shane Thomas '17 (56) is emerging as a force, leading the Jumbos in tackles. (Courtesy of Josh Kuckens/Bates College) — LB Shane Thomas ’17 (56) is emerging as a force and nice complement to DE Zach, leading the Jumbos in tackles. (Courtesy of Josh Kuckens/Bates College)

2. Wide Receiver Colin Brown ’16 (Williams):

Brown and fellow wide out Darrias Sime ’16 probably spent much of the week drooling at the tape of Jack Cooleen ’16 ripping up the Bates secondary. Brown is 6’5″, but he was shut down last week against Trinity. A year ago he had by far his best game of the season against Bates hauling in eight catches for 96 yards. The young Bates secondary has to figure some way of forcing Brown and Sime to be physical, not just when the ball is in the air but also at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, that lies outside of how Bates usually plays, meaning that Brown should get a lot of clean breaks off of the line. Once he gets moving, he is much more difficult to stop.

3. Running Back Nick Gaynor ’17 (Trinity):

Hats off to Gaynor who has transitioned to running back almost as smoothly as one could hope. Given the long history of Trinity backs, nobody expected the Bantams to have to turn to a wide receiver. He has answered the call averaging 4.5 yards per carry so far. He still retains some of his receiver instincts to cut outside and only try to run through arm tackles, but that is also playing to his strengths as a shifty runner. The one concern for Gaynor is his three fumbles so far. Those are the only turnovers that Trinity has had all year. Freshman Max Chipouras ’19 could take carries away from Gaynor as the year goes along, but for now Gaynor is the signature back for the Bantams.

4. Defensive Lineman Tyler Hudson ’19 (Hamilton):

The Continental defense has looked much better in 2015, and Hudson has been a stud for them already as a freshman. He was everywhere against Tufts with 4.5 TFLs, and he proved that it wasn’t a fluke against Wesleyan with a sack and pass batted down. His 5.5 TFL are the most in the league. Hudson is from Whitesboro, New York which is a 15-minute drive away from Hamilton. Coach Dave Murray is a longtime coach and recruiter in Central New York, and Hudson is exactly the type of football player that Murray is trying to convince to stay close to home. Already……….

Game Previews

Bowdoin (0-2) at Tufts (2-0): Medford, Massachusetts, 1:00 PM

These two met last year with the same records, and the result was Bowdoin’s first win of the year. The Jumbos have found a way to take that magic oil that helped them win all four home games on the road the first two weeks, eeking out an overtime win and a one-point win. They are still not a great football team, but they are coming close to good and that’s enough to beat the lower half of the league. Chance Brady ’17 might not play because of a concussion, but Dom Borelli ’19 has looked good as the backup running back so far.

Bowdoin has looked pretty listless in their first two games. QB Tim Drakeley ’17 has thrown the ball well, but the Polar Bears have been forced to get away from running the ball with Tyler Grant ’17 because they have fallen behind so quickly. The defense, especially that secondary, has to play better as a unit. Until Bowdoin wins a game, you have to pick against them.

Prediction: Tufts over Bowdoin 19-13

Hamilton (0-2) at Trinity (2-0): Hartford, Connecticut. 1:00 PM

The easy opening schedule for Trinity continues, though the Bantams beat Hamilton by just 12 points last year. That game was at Hamilton, and the Bantams don’t have to worry about a long bus ride this year. Sonny Puzzo ’18 is playing great, attacking the defense downfield and not making any mistakes.

Hamilton is going to struggle unless Trinity suddenly catches the turnover bug. They don’t have the athletes to match up with Trinity in the open field, and they can’t sell out against the run like they did against Wesleyan. Charles Ensley ’17 and Pat Donahoe ’16 are underrated receivers, but even they will have trouble against the Trinity secondary. The scoreless streak ends, but the Bantams still cruise.

Prediction: Trinity over Hamilton 28-6

Bates (0-2) at Williams (1-1): Williamstown, Massachusetts. 1:00 PM

QB Austin Lommen '16 and the Ephs could find no room to operate against the Bantams last weekend. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel) — QB Austin Lommen ’16 and the Ephs could find no room to operate against the Bantams last weekend. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

On the surface this is the same Williams team we saw last year: an easy win over Bowdoin before a shutout loss to Trinity. However, I think the Ephs have more going for them this year. Much of that rests on the shoulders of Austin Lommen ’16, and despite subpar statistics from him last week, I think he bounces back against Bates. Mark Pomella ’16 is there as a change of pace quarterback, but the Ephs will win or lose because of Lommen. The running game has not improved much, and the Ephs can be made one-dimensional. That might not be a terrible thing against Bates.

Williams’ biggest worry is that their young defense wilts against the triple option, though the Bobcats haven’t been very successful moving the ball so far this year. Shaun Carroll’s ’16 statistics are inflated by one 80-yard run, and the Bobcats have not sustained enough drives. After their tough loss last week, this game is a test of the Bobcats leadership and resilience. Bottom line for me is I see the Williams offense capitalizing at points a week after Trinity gave them chances to make plays and the Ephs failed every time.

Prediction: Williams 27 – Bates 20

Colby (0-2) at Wesleyan (1-1): Middletown, Connecticut. 1:00 PM

Colby has struggled to run the ball and is going up against a Wesleyan team that suffocates teams when they run. Gabe Harrington ’17 might throw the ball 30 times in this game, and he needs receivers like Ryder Arsenault ’17 to get open much more consistently than they have. Last week against Middlebury the only success that Colby had in the passing game was a few go-up-and-get-’ems from young wideout Mark Snyder ’18.

If Wesleyan’s talent is going to coalesce into a very good football team, this is the week for them to do it. A big victory would give the team a huge boost in confidence. Justin Sanchez ’17 has been relatively quiet, and tomorrow would be a great time for him to intercept Harrington once or twice. The front seven has already proven that it is up to snuff with Shayne Kaminski ’18 and Jordan Stone ’17 helping to lead the way. The Mules don’t have the horses (bad pun intended) to hang for four quarters.

Prediction: Wesleyan 30 – Colby 10

Total Dominance near the Top: Power Rankings 10/7

NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week Safety Spencer Donahue '17 celebrates the Bantams' continued dominance. (Courtesy of Greg Sullivan) — NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week Safety Spencer Donahue ’17 celebrates the Bantams’ continued dominance. (Courtesy of Greg Sullivan)

1. Trinity (2-0; Last week: 1)

Another shutout for the Bantams as they rolled over Williams scoring 24 points. Trinity is likely to dominate the NESCAC for the rest of the season, with their only potential scares to be against Middlebury, Amherst, and Wesleyan. They will be back in “The Coop” Saturday to take on Hamilton, which should be a cake walk for them. We will see if they can keep the Continentals’ offense scoreless and become the first NESCAC team to not allow a point through three games.

2. Middlebury (2-0; Last week: 3)

The Panthers shook off their nerve-wracking opener at Wesleyan and put up 28 points on Colby fairly easily. Middlebury’s weakness still falls on their running game as they only accumulated 52 rushing yards last week. Each team picked up a safety in this game, and Colby scored their lone touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game to scrap nine points on the board. Middlebury has a lot of work to do as they take on Amherst this week. Quarterback Matt Milano ’16 will need to be on his A-game if they want to stay undefeated.

3. Amherst (2-0; Last week: 2)

Bowdoin fans, avert your eyes…

This was a tune-up game for the Lord Jeffreys as Bowdoin posed no real threat. Amherst has continued to put points on the board, and I think that is exactly what they will do to Middlebury this week. Amherst will likely run the ball all over Middlebury, proving they belong in the Middlebury’s spot.

4. Wesleyan (1-1; Last week: 4)

The Cardinals were on the other side of a close game this week as they scored the winning TD to beat Hamilton on a 19-yard run with just over three minutes left in the game. Wesleyan should get another victory this Saturday as they take on a struggling Colby team.

5. Williams (1-1; Last week: 5)

The Ephs were outmatched against the Bantams last weekend. Williams had little to be disappointed about in this game. They take on Bates this week which is a team not to take lightly, and that can always pose some issues because of its unique offense.

6. Tufts (2-0; Last week: 7)

Tufts will move up a spot as they are the worst of the best – the only undefeated team that has zero shot of winning a NESCAC title this year. Tufts won a thriller against Bates in Maine last Saturday. Tufts kicker Wille Holmquist ’17 saved the day again with a 34-yard field goal that gave the Jumbos a 17-14 lead in what was eventually a one-point victory. Tufts will take on Bowdoin this week.

7. Bates (0-2; Last week: 6)

Another week, another loss - this one a heartbreaker - for slotback Shaun Carroll '16 and the Bobcats. (Courtesy of Josh Kuckens and Bates College) — Another week, another loss – this one a heartbreaker – for slotback Shaun Carroll ’16 and the Bobcats. (Courtesy of Josh Kuckens and Bates College Athletics)

The Bobcats lost a tough one to Tufts so naturally they swapped rankings. Bates will try to get it’s first win of 2015 this week at Williams. The Ephs have actually been solid against the run (104.5 YPG allowed), which could mean a 0-3 start is in the cards for the Bobcats.

8. Hamilton (0-2; Last week: 8)

Hamilton has put together a competitive team that has scrapped in their first two games – a five-point loss to Wesleyan really raised some eyebrows – but they are still plagued by a losing streak that dates back to Oct. 13, 2012. Sadly, Hamilton will more than likely make it three calendar years without a win as they take on Trinity this weekend. At least they’ve climbed out of the cellar of the power rankings, probably for good.

9. Colby (0-2; Last week: 9)

The Mules suffered their second loss of the season, and but for a lucky break on a poorly-snapped punt and a garbage time rushing TD against third-stringers, Colby would still be scoreless. We will see if they can use the momentum from their last touch in the Middlebury game to pose a threat to Wesleyan on Saturday.

10. Bowdoin (0-2; Last week: 10)

Tim Drakeley ’17 was unable to carry the Polar Bears past Amherst, or really to even compete. Bowdoin was simply overpowered by Amherst who outgained the Bears’ total offense by 369 yards. Within 12 minutes of the opening kick the score was 24-0 Amherst. That’s back-to-back blowouts that have not gone Bowdoin’s way. Bowdoin will play Tufts on Saturday for a chance to move up the ranks.

Puzzo Drives the Bants to No. 1: Power Rankings 10/2

QB Sonny Puzzo '18 (#13) and the Bantams were far too much for Colby to handle last Saturday. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel) — QB Sonny Puzzo ’18 (#13) and the Bantams were far too much for Colby to handle last Saturday. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

1. Trinity (1-0; Last week: 3)

As Trinity blew past Colby in the season’s opener in Maine, it became apparent that the loss of running back Joe Moreno ’19 to an ACL tear may not plague the Bantams as much as previously thought. While QB Sonny Puzzo ’18 piled up 278 passing yards, the Bantams also accumulated 161 rushing yards, which gives credit to their depth at running back. Trinity’s defense emerged as a menace shutting out Colby and limiting them to a total of 159 yards while making three sacks and three interceptions. The hype is up – the Bantams are the real deal.

2. Amherst (1-0; Last week: 2)

Amherst had a strong first week accumulating, the most points in the NESCAC. The defense had a hiccup allowing Bates to rush for two touchdowns, one which came on Bates’ first play, an 80-yard run by slotback Shaun Carrol ’16. Their offense looked very balanced, splitting their 556 net yards between rushing and passing. Reece Foy ’18 has a lot of receiving options, and they will continue to mix it up with an array of running backs.

3. Middlebury (1-0; Last week: 1)

The Panthers had a nail-biter last week. Wesleyan could have easily stolen the number three spot in these ranks with a win, but Middlebury got the job done like we all expected. Quarterback Matt Milano ’16 threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Middlebury was on their heels all game and averaged a half yard on 22 carries. The Panthers were lucky to come away with a win last week.

4. Wesleyan (0-1; Last week: 4)

Despite losing in Week 1, the Cardinals showed some real promise taking a good Middlebury team to the finish. Despite Gernald Hawkins ’18 throwing two interceptions, he showed flashes of excellence, and if he is able to tune up his passing game, this team could go the distance and win a NESCAC championship. The Wesleyan defense completely shut down the Middlebury running game, but the Cardinals walked away from last week’s game very disappointed.

5. Williams (1-0; Last week: 8)

A good Williams team moves up to the fifth spot this week after a convincing win over Bowdoin. They were able to control the game rushing for 150 yards and holding the ball for 38 of 60 minutes. However, the Ephs manhandled Bowdoin last year in the season-opener, too, and went on to finish 2-6. Williams will be put to the test Saturday as they travel to Hartford to take on the Bantams.

6. Bates (0-1; Last week: 7)

Bates lost to a great team in Amherst, and despite allowing 37 points, they were able to put up 316 total yards on offense and two touchdowns. Still, besides Carroll’s 80-yard touchdown run, he picked up an average of 2.25 yards per carry. Bates will take on Tufts this week, who escaped an overtime win against Hamilton.

7. Tufts (1-0; Last week: 5)

Tufts mixed up the pass and run game to edge out the Continentals by three points in overtime. Chance Brady ’18 racked up 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns, so look for him to help lead the Jumbos to more wins this season.

8. Hamilton (0-1); Last week: 10)

Hamilton put up a great fight against Tufts and showed great passion. Despite being down 21-0 at the half and losing their starting QB to an ankle injury, they were able to force the game into overtime. I am not sure Hamilton will break the losing streak this season, but you must give credit where credit is due, and the Continentals don’t deserve the 10 spot this week.

9. Colby (0-1; Last week: 6)

Colby did not look good in Week 1 – the only team unable to get on the scoreboard. Part of the equation, too, is that Colby ran into an inspired Trinity team on Saturday. The Mules’ Gabe Harrington ’17 was unable to get it done behind center, and wide receiver Ryder Arsenault ’17 needs to make more of an impact at wide receiver.

10. Bowdoin (0-1; Last week: 9)

Last in the ‘CAC is a tough pill to swallow, but it is no surprise as Bowdoin is in a rebuilding season. On the upside, Tim Drakeley ’17 did pass for 248 yards, so there is some hope with his arm if he can sharpen his completion percentage (53.8 percent).

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)

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.