Donnie McKillop – Nothing But NESCAC

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:

Middlebury 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.

The Holy Trinity: Top Three NESCAC Football Teams from 2005-2015

The author, young Peter in uniform. (Courtesy of Peter Lindholm)

NESCAC football season has always been a very special time for me. As a kid I spent many wonderful Saturday afternoons sprinting around Alumni Field in Middlebury, playing touch football with older kids on the hill overlooking the end zones, and then hiding in the bushes from those same older kids when they wanted to use my head as the football. My friend Kenton and I would spend the entire game in those bushes sometimes, having layered, intense debates over issues like “Do football players wear pads, or are their shoulders just really big?” My dad, my constant (if not vigilant) guardian at these games, was and is still always encamped at the foot of the press box, entertaining whoever stopped to say hello. And once in a while he would glance around and ask his friend, “Hey, have you seen Pete?”

As I began to grow up, for lack of a better term, the games themselves became interesting. It was Donnie McKillop’s laser of an arm that first enthralled me, and I was lucky enough to move right from his illustrious career to McCallum Foote’s even more historic (though I will always argue less entertaining) run. I got to witness some great Panther football and, I came to realize, some great football from the other NESCAC teams as well while I grew as a sports fan. So, as I looked everywhere I could for an article to write to kick off my 2015-2016 Nothing but NESCAC season, I thought it would be fun to do a top-three NESCAC Football Teams of my life as a developed sports fan, which I will count as roughly 2005 to 2015.

A wise man once said, “Without rules, society would fall into chaos.” It seems to me that society could get used to some of that, but no one would call me a wise man, so there we go. Anyway, here are the ground rules for the top three:

Only one representative for each team. This rule is basically in place to make sure that I don’t pick all of Donnie McKillop’s seasons at Middlebury, but it makes sense to me to have a little diversity here. NESCAC football has not been a diverse place over the last 10 years; the same four teams win all the time. And as a globally-conscious citizen, I consider it my duty to do my part to bring diversity to NESCAC as a whole. One love, y’all.
A team doesn’t have to win the league to get picked. Now I’m not a man prone to hyperbole, but the NESCAC football system for deciding a champion is literally the worst thing in the history of America other than Donald Trump and orange juice without pulp. It doesn’t feel right to me to follow such a tragically inept system, and watching crime shows has taught me to follow my gut.
No Amherst teams allowed.

And now here’s the list. As always, if you have any complaints with the rankings feel free to send an angry yet eloquent e-mail to Joe or Adam (NothingbutNESCAC@gmail.com). Also, because I’m currently in a class on TV culture and we just talked about Friday Night Lights in class, I will be ranking the teams based on the three best characters on the show. In descending order, the list will go from Matt Saracen, the allegorical representation for Jesus (think about it for a bit) himself, to Coach Eric Taylor to Big Tim Riggins, the hunkiest fullback in TV history.

3. Matt Saracen: Amherst 2011 (8-0, Average Scoring Margin: +17.25)

Did all the Amherst people angrily storm off after rule number three? Did they throw their glasses of aged scotch on the ground and go for a calming walk in their petunia gardens? Good, because this team was filthy. They were a fantastic defensive team, giving up only 12.0 points per game. Defensive end Kevin Ferber ’12 led the league in tackles for loss with 15, and set a program record for sacks with 11. They were also dangerous on the other side of the ball, with running back Eric Bunker ’12 taking home Offensive POY honors. Their closest game was a 35-28 win over Trinity in which the Jeffs held a 35-7 lead at one point. A deadly team on both sides of the ball, the 2011 Lord Jeffs lose out on higher honors only due to the dominance of the first two teams, and because of that part in season two where Matt won’t help Landry get Reyes in trouble for beating up their friend because he’s worried about what the team will think (don’t worry if that made no sense to you). Not a good look for Matt, and not a good look for the Lord Jeffs either.

Eric Bunker '12 led the offense of a great Amherst team. (Courtesy of the Amherst Student) — Eric Bunker ’12 led the offense of a great Amherst team. (Courtesy of the Amherst Student)

2. Coach Taylor: Williams 2006 (8-0, Average Scoring Margin: 25.25)

Williams’ College quarterback Pat Lucey ’08 put on his leather jacket, lit up a Marlboro and left the diner. A pretty redheaded waitress looked longingly at him as he left: he hadn’t paid his check, but she was certainly not going to hassle him. He had watched those conniving SOB’s over at Trinity turn the NESCAC football scene into their goddamn practice field for three years now, and he was damn sick of it. The whole league was, and they looked to him as a savior. Trouble was, he fancied himself a drifter. He didn’t like staying in one place long enough to be held responsible for things, that was why he’d left Beth alone in Bozeman all those years ago. But he sure was in deep now, and in Week 2, the Bantams would be coming to town for a good ol’ fashioned shootout. He would be ready, because he had to be.

**fade to black, voiceover comes in **

“In theaters this summer, Jake Gyllenhaal stars in …“THE GUNSLINGER”.

Williams quickly established themselves as the new top dawgs in the ‘CAC, dispatching the Bantams 41-16 on their way to an undefeated season. Led by Offensive POY Patrick Lucey at quarterback, the Ephs outscored their opponents by an average of 25 points per game, and swept their way through the playoffs to earn a legitimate trophy … oh wait.

Pat Lucey '08 could throw it anytime, anywhere. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics) — Pat Lucey ’08 could throw it anytime, anywhere. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Tim Riggins: Trinity 2005 (8-0, Average Margin of Victory: 28.25)

The final and most dominant team of Trinity’s three-peat from 2003-2005, the Bantams in 2005 remind of my childhood friend Charlie. Let me explain. Charlie was the only one of my friends who had a Gamecube AND Madden, so naturally I basically camped outside of his house. I, being a naïve young man, failed to notice that whenever we played, Charlie would be playing with a team that had every Pro Bowl player on it. The final score would be something like 86-6, and he would act all apologetic and nice about it. “Oh I got lucky,” “Oh the wind was on my side, good thing I won the coin toss.” The Bantams outscored their opponents in 2005 by and average score of about 35-5, and if you leave out the game against Amherst in which they gave up 20 points, Trinity only gave up 16 points ALL YEAR. They had five defensive players on the First Team, including Defensive POY Michael Blair ’06, and had games with scores like 47-0 (Bates) 58-0 (Hamilton) and 63-7 (Wesleyan). So congratulations to the Bantams, and screw you Charlie, we’re playing again this summer and I’m gonna kick your ass.

So there we have it. It’s been a great stretch of football in NESCAC, but again not very diverse, with Middlebury, Amherst, Trinity and Williams either winning or finishing second every year. However, last year Wesleyan was the runner-up in the league, and one has to expect that NESCAC football is soon due for an explosion of talent throughout the league, as we have seen in basketball in the last couple of years. One thing is for sure though. Whether that happens or not, you’ll find me watching the Panthers take on those teams on Saturdays at Alumni field. Maybe not in the bushes though. I’m one of the big kids now.

10 Statistics That Might Surprise You

The Crowd storms the field after Tufts' first win of the season (courtesy of Tufts University) — The Crowd storms the field after Tufts’ first win of the season (courtesy of Tufts University)

Editors Note: This article was co-written by Joe MacDonald and Adam Lamont

Between our statistics page and the wealth of information over at the NESCAC site, a football aficionado can spend hours pouring over statistics if he/she were to feel so inclined. However, most of us don’t have that kind of time to do that type of thing. Fortunately for you, we make it our job to do just that. So here are 10 statistics that don’t jump out but nevertheless tell us a lot about how the conference has been shaking out, and frankly are just plain interesting.

1. Wesleyan Defensive 3rd Down Percentage: 23 percent

This is the lowest mark in the NESCAC by a good deal and is an insanely low percentage in general. The lowest NFL percentage is the Indianapolis Colts at 31.1 percent, and Wesleyan is sixth nationwide in Divison-III for defensive third down percentage. Even in Amherst’s victory over the Cardinals, the Jeffs only converted 3-14 third downs. Primarily responsible for this is the Cardinals all-star secondary which is the best in the NESCAC. Windows simply don’t exist downfield on clear passing downs. Another statistic for how good the Wesleyan secondary is: they are allowing 4.6 yards per passing attempt, the only team allowing fewer than five yards.

2. Williams Tackles For Loss Per Game: 4.33

Coming into the season the expectation was that the William defensive line was its strongest unit, capable of keeping the Ephs in games. After all it was a unit that had 19 sacks in 2013 and returned their three top sack performers this year. But the line has not repeated its production from last year. James Howe ’16 has enjoyed steady play but has not had a single sack after his breakout campaign last year. That has not necessarily been because of offenses focusing on him since nobody else has seen an uptick in production this year. A big reason for Williams’ disappointing season is their inability to make big plays on the defensive front.

3. Hamilton First Downs Allowed Per Game: 15.16

Given the Continentals record of 0-6, it would seem likely that the defense allows a lot of first downs per game, but their defense actually ranks second behind Trinity (13.83) in the category. Maybe they just let up a lot of big plays? That has something to do with it but not a lot as Hamilton is still only fifth in opponents’ yard per game. The reason for it is that the Hamilton defense doesn’t see many plays. Opponents only run 63 plays against them a game, the lowest mark in the NESCAC.

4. Number of Consecutive Years that Middlebury Has Had the NESCAC’s Leading Passer: 6

And Matt Milano ’16 appears ready to make it seven years in a row. Mac Foote ’14 led the league for three years in row after Donnie McKillop ’11 started the streak in 2008. Jesse Warren ’15 is only 64 yards behind Milano and Austin Lommen ’16 is also only 92 yards back. Still those two have to face very tough defenses in their remaining games while Milano has to face Hamilton and Tufts, two defenses that he should be able to exploit. The most likely possibility that keeps Milano from winning the passing crown is if the Panthers get up big early in both games and they run the ball the entire second half.

5. NESCAC Rank of Middlebury’s Top Receiver: Ninth

Last year Middlebury boasted three of the top four receivers in terms of yards, but this year has not seen any one player dominate. Grant Luna ’17 was the number one target the first couple of weeks, but injuries have kept him out the last two games. In his absence Matt Minno ’16, the team’s leading wideout last year, has risen to the occasion with Luna out and supplied five touchdowns in two weeks. Brendan Rankowitz ’15 has been a consistent threat having multiple catches in every game. Those three rank ninth through eleventh in receiving yards. Following them, running back Drew Jacobs ’18 is the safety valve tied for the lead in receptions for Middlebury, and Ryan Rizzo ’17 has come on strong in the past two weeks with 14 catches in place of Luna. Oh, by the way, with the exception of Rankowitz, all of these guys are back next year.

6. Solo Tackles for Mike Stearns ’17 (Tufts): 56

The next closest total in the NESCAC is 41 by Dan Pierce ’16 (Middlebury). What makes it so amazing it is that Stearns plays corner. The Tufts coaches trust his instincts and give Stearns free reign to come up quickly on run plays in order to seal off the edge. Stearns’ ability to avoid blockers and make a sure-handed tackle also helps the Jumbos to send extra pressure up the middle because they know they won’t be burned on the edges. Two things to keep in mind however: firstly, Tufts faces the most plays per team and secondly, Stearns’ solo tackles are likely inflated a little by scorekeepers because they are able to clearly distinguish his plays.

7. Carries for Bowdoin’s Tyler Grant ’17: 162

That’s 134 more carries than the next man on the depth chart, Garrett Thomas ’17, and Grant has accounted for 70 percent of the Polar Bears’ carries in 2014. Grant has 53 more carries than Chudi Iregbulem ’15, who is second in the NESCAC. His six touchdowns are tied for second in the league. And Grant has already surpassed last year’s carry total by 65. Time to give credit where credit is due to this Bowdoin workhorse.

8. Colby’s Field Goal Percentage: 25 percent

Granted, kicker Louw Scheepers ’15 has only attempted four field goals, but he’s still only knocked one through. Funny enough, his make, from 46 yards, was longer than any of his misses (42, 40, 31). Scheepers has been solid on his extra points though, making 11-12. Scheepers miss in OT from 42 last week was the only real significant miss he’s had, but still he could be called on over the final two weeks to make a big kick or two. What’s surprising is that Scheepers was 7-11 on field goals last season, so he’s better than he’s put forward so far.

9. All-Purpose Yards for Tufts’ Zack Trause ’15: 871

Trause leads the league in all-purpose yards, and it’s not particularly close. The utility man averages 145.2 yards per game, while Iregbulem clocks in at second with 122.4. Trause is the league’s leading punt returner and is second in kick return yards (but first in average with 36.4 yards per kick return) in addition to his efforts on the offensive side of the ball.

10. Tufts’ Total Attendance: 10,993

We can’t put too much stock into the recorded attendances for NESCAC football games, because there’s no gates and spectators often come and go. But just have faith in the numbers for a moment. That Tufts has put 3,000 more proverbial butts in the seats than any other team in the NESCAC goes to show how the football culture is shifting in Medford. It also helps if you win.