Bernie Sander – Nothing But NESCAC

More Than Just the CBB: Colby Football Preview 2019

2018 Record: 3-6

Projected 2019 Record: 3-6

Projected Offensive Starters: (*8 returning)

QB – Matt Hersch ‘22*

RB – Chris George ‘20

WR – Rory Glavin ‘21

WR – Andrew DeFranco ‘20*

WR – Bernie Sander ‘21*

TE – Ethan Smith ‘21*

LT – Chris Shaffrey ‘20*

RT – Travon Bradford ‘20*

LG – Brandon Leibman ‘21*

RG – Evan Domonkos ‘23

C – Ty Mahar ‘22*

Projected Defensive Starters (*9 returning)

DE – Carson Katen ‘21*

DE – Nick Wilcox ‘22*

DT – Patrick Sopko ‘20*

DT – Harrison Vedrani ‘21*

LB – Sean Godin ‘20*

LB – Marcus Bullard ‘21*

LB – Will Terzi ‘22*

S – Gus Forseth ‘20

S – George Eisenhauer ‘22

CB – CJ Hassan ‘20*

CB – Asher Inman ‘21*

Projected Specialists (*2 returning)

K – Walter Thilly ‘21*

P – Moises Celaya ‘22*

Offensive MVP: QB Matt Hersch ‘22

Hersch, now entering his sophomore campaign, will command the offense from the get-go this season after earning himself the starting job early on in his freshman year. Following his promotion Hersch posted impressive numbers all season that we had not seen from a Mules’ quarterback in years. He threw for 288 yards and added 40 more on the ground in a tight win against Hamilton last season and he was able to find the back of the endzone 3 times against Wesleyan, amassing 277 yards in a tough 8-point loss. Hersch’s flashes of great talent and leadership led him to be named NESCAC Co-Rookie of the Year. He ranked second in the league in completion percentage (60.5%) and with an experienced group of receivers returning (DeFranco, Sander and TE Smith) one would have to think that his efficiency and accuracy would go nowhere but up. Hersch is also helped out by the fact that 4 of the 5 guys on his line are returning and should be ready to get going right where they left off last season. The biggest change for Hersch this year will be that he does not have the safety net of Jake Schwern ‘19 to rely on, so he and the Mules will need RB Chris George ‘20 to fill that void. There are lots of reasons to believe that Hersch will continue to develop and show himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league this season, whether it be the 7 other offensive starts he has returning or whether it is the constant presence of Coach Cos in his ear giving him advice, Hersch has it all lined up to make his name known in the NESCAC.

Defensive MVP: LB Marcus Bullard ‘21

All eyes will be on Junior Marcus Bullard when the Colby defense takes the field this season. Bullard’s season was unfortunately cut short due to injury last year, but when he did play he put up the most impressive numbers on the team and some of the most impressive across the conference. Despite not playing in two games Bullard still lead the Mules with 55 tackles last season (30 solo) as well as recording an interception. These stats were good enough to earn him 5th in the NESCAC in tackles per game (7.9). Some of Bullard’s highlights last year include a 12-tackle game against Tufts as well as 9-tackle game against Bowdoin to end last season in which he also recorded his lone interception. I’m sure Marcus has been itching to get on the field and stay healthy so he can show off his dominance all season long. The Mules are lucky to have a deep roster on the defensive side with lots of returning starters who are hungry for more of the success they were finally able to taste under Coach Cosgrove last season. Bullard will be the focal point of this Colby defense and he will look to lead by example on the field.

Biggest Game: October 26th vs. Bates

The CBB games are obviously the biggest games of the year for us up here in Maine so it is pretty safe to say that Colby’s biggest game of the season will be their lone CBB contest at Harold Alfond Stadium. Last season the Mules were able to take their game against the Bobcats by a decisive score of 21-6 in what was a cold, snowy, sloppy affair. Hopefully this year’s contest has some fairer weather so that all CBB fans alike can get a slightly more interesting contest. After defeating Bowdoin to end the season Colby officially captured their first CBB crown in years and Coach Cosgrove proved his immediate impact on the program. Both Bowdoin and Bates will have targets on Colby’s back from the start of the season, so an opportunity to decrown the champs on their home field will not be something that the Bobcats take lightly. We still have 6 weekend of football before this contest, but I’m sure Colby fans and players alike have this date circled on their calendar.

Best Hair: DB Zacariah Cody ‘23

Cody may only be a freshman but he has the stare of a man who has seen things and a golden mane fit to rule all the light can touch. The freshman defensive back from Port Clyde, ME is on the lighter side at 149lbs, especially considering the flow, mutton chops and stache combo must account for a few pounds. Whatever he lacks in weight he clearly makes up for in confidence and intimidation…I mean, you don’t want anyone with mutton chops trying to tackle you.

Everything Else:

Looking at the number of returning starters that Mules have on offense, defense and special teams, it is safe to say that their experience will be one of their greatest assets this season. Although Hersch is still young, he was able to get nearly a full season under his belt last year and will have the vast majority of his offensive starters for last year returning with him. WR Andrew DeFranco ‘20 is the senior leader for this receiving core, leading the team in receiving touchdowns (2) and coming in second in receptions (19). Another important member of the offense that can’t be looked over is TE Ethan Smith ‘21. Smith had a breakout campaign in his sophomore year, quickly becoming Hersch’s favorite target. He had 8 more receptions than anyone else on the team (27) and far-and-away led the team with 274 receiving yards.

Coach Cosgrove had a successful first season, so we’ll see if he can keep the Mules trending upward in year two

With the departure of RB Jake Schwern ‘19, who accounted for the majority of Colby’s receiving and rushing yards last season, the Mules will need a new go-to guy in the red zone and Smith could be that guy. On the topic of running backs, RB Chris George ‘21 will have the torch passed down to him this year as he is expected to hold the majority of the carries for Colby. George has appeared in the majority of the Mules’ contests since his freshman year, but being in the shadow of Schwern saw his playing time limited. Now he has the opportunity to be a focal point of this offense so it will be very interesting to see how he plays into Coach Cosgrove’s new offensive scheme.

Defense is much of the same story as offense when it comes to returning starters. 9 of the 11 guys lining up on defense for the Mules started last year as well, which should give them the advantage of having developed over at least a full season together already. The Mules D allowed 254 points against last season, putting them at 6th in the NESCAC. It was clear last year that their defense had more than enough to handle teams like Bowdoin and Bates but weren’t quite up to the task against schools like Wesleyan and Amherst. A consistent defense is key for the Mules if they want to beat a school that is not from Maine and start to put Colby football back on the map. With the man, the myth, the legend, Jack Cosgrove at the helm and roster chock full of talent and experience, the Mules should look to compete for a spot in the middle of the conference and defend their CBB title this fall.

College Football is Back: Weekend Preview 9/15

If I told you that Urban Meyer has the second highest winning percentage of any active college football coach that has coached 10+ years, who would you think has the highest? Probably Nick Saban, right? Actually, the answer is Jeff Devanney of Trinity College. When most people think of college football powerhouses they think of Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson. I think of Trinity, Amherst, and Middlebury. The real college football is finally back and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year with more teams in contention than usual. The NESCAC has been very stratified in recent years, but we anticipate that there will start a bit more parity this season as the weaker teams are beginning to make some changes, and the top teams have lost some of their stars. It’s year two of the ninth game, so now teams should be adjusting to the shorter preseason since they’ve had a chance to experiment once already. Let’s see how the matchups look for Week 1 of the new season:

Williams @ Bowdoin, Brunswick, ME

Bobby Maimaron will look to pick up right where he left off last season (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Two years ago, these teams both finished 0-8, leaving a sour taste in their mouths as they looked to get back on track the following season. Williams was able to do more than just get back on track, as they surprised everyone with a 6-3 finish. Unfortunately, Bowdoin was unable to right the ship as they struggled even more, finishing 0-9. The Ephs feature a pair of star sophomores in QB Bobby Maimaron ’21 and WR Frank Stola ’21 who broke into the NESCAC scene with huge freshman seasons. They’ll be asked to carry a strong offense with very high expectations after such a successful 2017 campaign. The big question for the Polar Bears will be who is going to start at quarterback since they return both QB’s from last year’s team and welcome Lafayette transfer Austin McCrum. Aside from that there doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of change for a team that really needs it. Even with the addition at quarterback, I don’t see this being the week that things start to turn around in Brunswick.

Prediction: Williams 31, Bowdoin 14

Middlebury @ Wesleyan, Middletown, CT

As far as Week 1 matchups go, this is as big as it gets. Our game of the week features perennial title contenders Middlebury and Wesleyan as they’ll go to battle again this year right out of the gates. Wesleyan returns star quarterback Mark Piccirillo ’19 who led the league in passing last year in just about every category, but they lose their top receiving threat in Mike Breuler ’18 (who led the league in receiving in just about every category) as well as 4 of their top 5 receivers. It’ll be interesting to see how Piccirillo fares, as he has to make relationships with an entirely new group of receivers. On the other hand, Middlebury lost their star quarterback Jared Lebowitz ’18, but return the entirety of their very strong receiving corps, headlined by Conrado Banky ’19, Jimmy Martinez ’19, and Frank Cosolito ’20. They’ll have to make it easy on first-time starter Jack Meservy ’19, who was able to put up some impressive numbers last season playing behind Lebowitz. It’ll be tough to start against a defense as strong as Wesleyan, but I think Meservy is up for the challenge. The Panthers’ strong team rapport tips the balance because I think it’ll take the Cardinals a week or two to find their identity this season.

Prediction: Middlebury 31, Wesleyan 28

Tufts @ Hamilton, Clinton, NY

These teams each feature very talented – albeit inconsistent – quarterbacks who are in position to have big seasons. Both teams have the capability to compete with anyone, but haven’t been able to string together consecutive strong performances. Maybe it’s because I just wrote the team preview for the Continentals, but I really like their defense. Tyler Hudson ’19 is one of the best defensive players in the league, and he leads a unit that now has a few years of experience together. This is their year to prove that they belong, and it starts against a quarterback in Ryan McDonald ’19 who is notoriously turnover-prone. Losing to the same team twice in a row isn’t fun – especially when it’s in overtime. Hamilton isn’t going to let that happen again. I’m ready to hop on their bandwagon.

Prediction: Hamilton 28, Tufts 24

Amherst @ Bates, Lewiston, ME

We’ll have to wait and see if Brendan Costa is ready to make the transition from a run-first to a pass-first offense (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Bates is experiencing more change than any team from 2017 to 2018 as they hired a new coach who put in a new offense. This is very promising for a team that underachieved last season, has an up and coming quarterback in Brendan Costa ’21, and a wide receiver who has a chance to make an immediate impact in Derek Marino ’22. Unfortunately, they start the 2018 campaign against one of the league’s best. Amherst has won 3 of the last 5 NESCAC championships and look like the favorites again this season. Andrew Yamin ’19 could very well be the defensive player of the year and he leads the league’s top defense against a team who will be playing their first game with a new offensive scheme. The Mammoths also return their top offensive threats in tailback Jack Hickey ’19 and wide receiver James O’Regan ’20 who will help walk game manager Ollie Eberth ’20 through the full 60 minutes. The Bobcats have potential and their massive system changes will be beneficial in the long run, but they won’t be ready this early to take on an opponent as strong as Amherst.

Prediction: Amherst 33, Bates 13

Trinity @ Colby, Waterville, ME

We don’t know who will be under center for Trinity tomorrow (probably Jordan Vazzano ’21), but it doesn’t really matter. Whoever it is, they’ll be able to either hand it to Max Chipouras ’19 who will probably find his way into the end zone or throw it to Koby Schofer ’20 or Jonathan Girard ’21 who will likely find their way into the end zone, too. Colby made the right move in getting Jack Cosgrove to be their next head coach, but it’s almost not fair that his first game is against Trinity. The Mules have nowhere near the amount of talent as the Bantams, but it’ll be important to see that they’re making strides in the right direction for when they face a more formidable opponent. I’d like to see Bernie Sander ’21 catch a few passes, as he’s one of the most promising receivers on the Colby roster. Plus I’m going to love referring to him as “The Senator.” This one is going to be a blowout, but at least there will be nowhere to go but up.

Prediction: Trinity 45, Colby 7

The start of a new era: Colby College Season Preview

Colby College Football Preview

The Mules may have a tough road ahead of them, but their program will be on the rise in the coming seasons.

2017 Record: 1-8

Projected Record: 2-7

Starting Offensive Players: (*5 Returning Players):

QB: Jack O’Brien ‘20*

RB: Jake Schwern ‘19*

WR: Bernie Sander ‘21

WR: Andrew DeFranco ‘20*

TE: Ethan Smith ‘21

OT: Shane Normandeau ‘19*

OT: Trevon Bradford ‘20

G: Brandon Leibman ‘21

G: Brandon Troisi ‘19*

C: Rashawn Grant ‘21

Starting Defensive Players: (*5 Returning Players):

DB: Pat Yale ‘19*

DB: Asher Inman ‘20

S: Will Caffey ‘19*

S: Don Vivian ‘19*

LB: Marcus Bullard ‘21

LB: Sean Godin ‘20

LB: Will Turzi ‘22

DE: AJ Carrigan ‘19*

DT: Harrison Verdani ‘21

DT: Patrick Sopko ‘20*

DE: Hans Gabriel ‘20

Projected Special Teams Starters (0 Returning):

K: Walter Thilly ‘21

P: Moises Celaya ‘22

Offensive MVP:

RB Jake Schwern ‘19

Jack Schwern was the heart and soul of a lackluster offense for the Mules last season. The running back will return for his senior year after leading the Mules in rushing, receptions, all-purpose yards, and touchdowns. He also returned nine kicks for 183 yards. Schwern does a little bit of everything for the Mules who needed help on almost everything last season. In Colby’s final game of the season last year, their sole win versus Bowdoin, Schwern rushed for 262 yards as well as tied school records for most touchdowns scored in a game and most points scored in a game. In order for the Mules to turn their luck around this year and have a shot at a CBB championship, they will need Schwern to perform well against mid and top tier team as well as bottom tier teams such as Bowdoin.

Defensive MVP:

S Will Caffey ‘19

Will Caffey will lead a fairly experienced defense for the mules, who return 5 starters. Caffey played in all 9 games for the Mules last season and lead the team in pass breakups with 9 and recorded 2 interceptions. The Mules (along with Bowdoin and Bates) allowed over 30 points per game last season while scoring less than 14. Colby allowed the 2nd most rushing yards per game as well as the 3rd most passing yards. The stats don’t lie, Colby’s defense was really, really bad last year and they’re going to need some new leadership to turn it around. Someone like Caffey who has the experience and the talent to right the ship may be just what they need.

Best Tweet: https://twitter.com/CoachJBrooks/status/1034069989786042373

This tweet comes to us from the Mules’ defensive line coach Jason Brooks. Gotta love that enthusiasm.

Everything Else:

Schwern will need to lead an underperforming offensive group, but, hey, everybody loves an underdog.

The biggest X-factor for the Mules this season is their new head coach, Jack Cosgrove. Cosgrove is the winningest coach in the history of the University of Maine, where he had coached for 23 years. This hiring shows that Colby is starting to get more and more serious about their athletics. In the past, especially in football, the Mules have not fared as well as the likes of Tufts or Amherst in NESCAC athletics. with many new coaches, fields and athletic centers coming to Waterville, the Mules are looking to up their game. The Mules have a healthy mix of returning starters and fresh faces on their roster. Jack O’Brien will return as quarterback, last season he put up 130 yards per game and threw for 8 touchdowns as well as 8 interceptions. When it comes to catching O’Brien’s passes, there’s plenty of competition. The Mules list 4 tight ends as well as 10 wide receivers on the roster. Andrew DeFranco should be the WR1 for the blue and gray this year. Last season DeFranco ended with the third most receptions on the team as well as being the go-to punt and kick returner. WR2 looks to be Bernie Sander, who saw limited action as a Freshman last year but the Mules are very excited about him. Jake Schwern will be trying to show the league that he is an elite running back after breaking several school records last season. Defensively the Mules are deep at linebacker, including Sebastien Phileman, Marcus Bullard, Sean Godin and freshman Will Turzi. The offensive line has now had another year to mature and with that hopefully they will be able to help O’Brien have a little more time in the pocket. Colby has an up-and-coming program which they have entrusted to Coach Cosgrove. Don’t be surprised if the former Black Bear is able to pull off a few upsets and possibly steal a CBB ‘ship.