Sam Han – Nothing But NESCAC

Game of the Week: Midd @ Wesleyan

Middlebury @ Wesleyan Game of the Week Preview

Rejoice NESCAC fans, football is back!

Ladies and gentleman, football is officially here. Right out of the gate, the NESCAC Gods have rewarded our patience with a matchup containing two of the league’s heavyweights, as the Middlebury Panthers travel to Corwin Field to take on the Wesleyan Cardinals. Normally inaugural games aren’t necessarily make or break, but for these two, it might as well be the case. The winner grabs a marquee victory and something to build upon as the season gets rolling, while the loser will be playing catch-up right from the get-go, with games against Amherst and defending champions Trinity still to come. Who’s ready for a shootout?

One Man on a Mission

Wesleyan will bring the air attack this weekend.

Wesleyan runs an RPO style attack on offense, and they do it to perfection; the Cardinals ranked 1^st in the ‘CAC last season in time of possession and first downs, displaying their patience and taking what the defense gave them. The combination of lengthy drives and an up-tempo pace (a fundamental component of the RPO offense) wears down opposing defenses throughout the game.

The Cardinals have serious aspirations to claim their first outright NESCAC Championship, and they have every right to be confident with QB Mark Piccirillo ’19 leading the way. Although he falls on the smaller spectrum in terms of prototypical quarterback height (5’10’’), the man is a magician with the football. Last year’s First Team All-NESCAC selection accounted for more than 3,100 total yards of offense, torching opposing secondaries for 20 TD while adding another 4 on the ground. His absurdly high completion percentage (70.4%) highlights his football IQ, and he knows when to tuck the ball and run, leading the Cardinals in rushing. One smudge on an otherwise brilliant junior campaign was in the turnover department – Piccirillo’s 10 interceptions were tied for worst in the NESCAC and something he must improve on if the Cardinals truly want to have a special season. This is a puzzling stat considering how efficient and prolific the other offensive numbers are, so Cardinal fans will be hoping the senior cuts down on his mistakes.

Another cause for concern for the Wesleyan offense is the departure of last year’s NESCAC Player of The Year, WR Mike Breuler ’18. Piccirillo and Brueler were like Will Grier and David Stills (for anyone who doesn’t know these two from West Virginia, I suggest you look them up and watch how lethal this tandem is): you knew the ball was going in Brueler’s direction nearly every time the offense lined up, yet there was nothing opposing defenses could do to stop it. Finding a replacement for someone who set NESCAC single-season records in receiving yards (1,172) and touchdowns (10) is nearly impossible, but the Cardinals are hoping that some sort of chemistry has been built between the veteran QB and his returning weapons during practice.

New QB, Same Artillery

Frankie Cosolito is one of Midd’s many weapons.

If it wasn’t for a season-ending injury to stud QB Jared Lebowitz ’18, Middlebury just might have won the NESCAC last year. Unfortunately, the senior’s career was cut short just before their de-facto championship matchup vs. Trinity, and now the Panthers must move on without their prized Division 1 transfer manning the helm on offense. The new man in charge is Jack Meservy ’19 who is hoping to show the rest of the league that the Panthers will be just fine at the quarterback position. Thrust into the starting role against a formidable Bantam defense, struggles were expected; however, Meservy bounced back nicely with impressive performances against Hamilton and Tufts.

Meservy will have a multitude of weapons to choose from as Panthers return nearly every single starting offensive player from a year ago. Conrado Banky ’19 ( two-time 1^st Team All-NESCAC selection) leads an impressive wide receiver bunch that is laden with depth. Tight end Frank Cosolito ’19 is the best in the ‘CAC and led the Panthers with six scores last season. What’s more, the Panthers feature an offensive line that rivals any such unit in the league, which is critical so Meservy can have time in the pocket to go through his progressions. Similarly to Wesleyan, Middlebury doesn’t have too much success running the ball; since Piccirillo can keep opposing defenses honest with his legs, however, the Panthers must utilize their committee of running backs in order to stray away from being overly one-dimensional on offense. Look for Coach Ritter to give Drew Jacobs ’19 and Peter Scibilia ’21 a chance to take the load off of Meservy and use the O-line to create more manageable 3^rd down conversions.

Let’s Talk Defense

While the focal point of the matchup centers around the offense units, both teams aren’t too shabby in the defensive department. With 6 starters returning on a defense that allowed 16.1 ppg (good for second in the ‘CAC), Wesleyan will be optimistic in regards to containing the Middlebury air assault. The Cardinals boast a fantastic defensive line headlined by DT Grant Williams ’19, and their linebacking core features Brandon Morris ’19, who led the NESCAC in tackles a season ago. The secondary is a bit suspect, with two brand new starting safeties in addition to replacing Second Team All-NESCAC DB Elias Camacho ’18.

The Panther D prided themselves on their ability to pressure the quarterback and create turnovers; they led the NESCAC in sacks (31) and forced 16 total turnovers on their way to a league-best three defensive touchdowns. Middlebury features a solid secondary and enough pass-rushing ability to test the Wesleyan offensive line. They will have to replace two All-NESCAC linebackers, so look for Kevin Maxwell ’19 to step up and take charge of the group.

Key Player for Wesleyan:

WR Evan Hull ‘19

The obvious choice for this would be Piccirillo, but the wide receiver position for the Cardinals is of the utmost importance. Losing four of your top five WR’s is an absolute killer, and Hull is the only remaining one. He finished second on the team with 340 receiving yards and needs to become a security blanket for Piccirillo. Most of Hall’s fellow position mates lack meaningful game experience, so he needs to set the tone and have a big game in order to instill confidence in both his teammates and his QB.

Key Player for Middlebury:

QB Jack Meservy ‘19

This time I’m sticking with the obvious choice. Meservy has waited a long time to finally take control of the offense and he’s ready to show the rest of the league what he’s capable of. He’s got a plethora of weapons surrounding him and a great offensive line ready to give him time in the pocket to throw. Banky, Cosolito and company will create separation on opposing defensive backs, but it remains to be seen if Meservy can consistently keep the chains moving in order to outgun the Cardinals. If he can do so, Middlebury will leave Corwin Field with a monumental victory. If not, it will be a long day for the Panther offense.

Everything Else:

I’m expecting a tight contest, so special teams will definitely play a big part in determining the outcome of this game. Middlebury has the edge in the KR/PR department, with the two-headed monster of Banky ’19 and fellow WR Jimmy Martinez ’19 eager to take one to the house. The Panthers don’t kick too many field goals, but one area of concern is K Carter Massengill’s ’20 below-average PAT percentage (82.1%, second-worst in the NESCAC last season). Wesleyan returns Second Team All-NESCAC punter Sam Han ’20, who hopefully won’t need to be used too much if the Cardinals offense is moving up and down the field. Wesleyan is handing the kicking duties to Pat Wolfe ‘21, and he might be feeling the butterflies come kickoff.

Prediction:

Get your bathroom breaks in before the start of this one, because both these teams are going to light up the scoreboard. In what I think will be a fast-paced, aerial assault, every defensive stop matters. Piccirillo can only do so much, and I think there are too many question marks concerning both Wesleyan’s receiver bunch and their secondary. Meservy will make his presence known to the rest of the league, Banky will shine, and the Panthers will head back to Middlebury with a huge victory

Middlebury 34 – 28 Wesleyan

One Strong Leader, One Strong Goal: Wesleyan University Season Preview

2017 record: 6-3

Gotta love this atmosphere, and the Cardinals are going to bring it in Middletown.

NBN 2018 projected record: 7-2

Projected offensive starters (*5 returning):

QB: Mark Piccirillo ‘19*

RB: Sean Penney ‘21

WR: Evan Hull ‘19

WR: Hallvard Lundevall ‘20

TE: Ryan Earle ‘19*

OL: Bryce Jenkins ‘21

C: Joe Wilson ’19*

RG: Jacob Edlebeck ‘21

LT: Ryan Schutta ’20*

RT: Terence Norton ‘19*

Projected defensive starters (*6 returning):

DB: Ben Thaw ‘20*

DB: Eli Blair-May ‘20

S: AJ Lanton ’22

S: Pat Leone

LB: Brandon Morris ‘19*

LB: Will Kearney ‘20

LB: Malcolm Fox ’21

DL: Jude Lindberg ‘19*

DL: Taj Gooden ‘21*

DL: Grant Williams ‘19*

DL Bobby Nevin ‘19*

Projected special teams starters (*2 returning):

K: Pat Wolfe ‘21*

P: Sam Han ‘20*

Offensive MVP:

Mark Piccirillo ‘19

If you study the most successful college quarterbacks from the past decade, who do you have on your list? I have Tim Tebow, Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, and Lamar Jackson just to name a few. What do all these quarterbacks have in common? They’re all incredible athletes who ran option plays in college. After Eagles coach Doug Pederson introduced the world to the run-pass option (RPO) last season, RPO has established itself as common lingo. Mark Piccirillo, Wesleyan quarterback, has been running one of the most successful offenses in the NESCAC for the past three seasons. Even though he doesn’t amaze spectators with size, he makes up for it will intelligent reads. The offense is run fast, which is predicated on great conditioning and understanding what the defense is giving you. Piccirillo led the league in both yards per game and touchdowns; however, he threw ten interceptions. With a touchdown to interception ratio of two to one, Piccirillo slipped behind the likes of Sonny Puzzo (Trinity) and Jared Lebowitz (Middlebury) in that statistical category. As his offensive counterparts become more comfortable with Piccirillo, the turnovers will likely be cut down. Piccirillo’s meager 8.0 yards per attempt shows that the offense is comfortable taking what the defense gives them. Exploiting linebacker on slot receiver matchups underneath and in the flat is a major reason for all of Piccirillo’s passing yards a season ago. Piccirillo noted the following about his mental state entering his final season at Wesleyan: “I’d say personally to prepare for this season I’ll be watching a lot of film on opponents early into game weeks to really get enough mental reps on what I have to do and go into practices with the mindset that every day is game day. Also just really get a lot of reps with my receivers every day to have the chemistry to make plays on Saturdays. And the number one thing is playing with high confidence every place. This year I see our team going out on game days with a lot of energy flying around and being positive. I love what I see from the younger guys on the team that’ll have a big impact on bettering the team.”

Piccirillo is a front runner for NESCAC POY in 2018

Piccirillo’s mental state is what you want in a quarterback and leader. So much of sports is failing, moving on, and responding in a positive way. Piccirillo’s interceptions last year is a source of losing confidence. As a leader, nevertheless, he seems to have taken charge of the offense. One of the most important pieces of Wesleyan’s offense graduated last year. Wide receiver Mike Breuler invigorated fans with his flying catches in traffic and overall dependability. Breuler had a phenomenal junior campaign, leading the team in catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns, and earning first team all NESCAC honors. The wideout ended his senior year by earning NESCAC offensive player of the year, breaking Wesleyan and NESCAC single season records in yards and catches, and finished second in the country in yards per reception and third in total yards per game. It’s clear that losing Piccirillo’s top target from the past few years will hurt Wesleyan’s offense. The question for Coach DiCenzo and the coaches is who is going to fill Breuler’s void. There won’t be one guy who can possess the chemistry that Breuler and Piccirillo shared. It’s going to take multiple players to fill Breuler’s shoes. Joe Scancarella is a sophomore receiver to watch this year. He doesn’t have the size that Breuler has, but he great hands. He made an impact as a freshman with one touchdown. He’s quick, and is a matchup nightmare for bigger, slower linebackers.

Defensive MVP:

Brandon Morris ‘19

Wesleyan is returning some core pieces on defense. Senior linebacker Brandon Morris led the NESCAC in tackles per game. Defensive linemen Taj Gooden and Jude Lindberg return as well to an interior presence, which will wreak havoc for opponent offensive linemen. Besides Wesleyan’s loss of Breuler, play on the road has to be another point of concern. A perfect record at home coupled with a sub five hundred record on the road is something the Cards will desperately look to correct. Whether it’s mental or physical, the Cards will travel to play Tufts and Williams on the road, both hostile environments. Wesleyan dominated the time of possession, leading the league. As John Madden would say, without the ball, it’s hard for the team to score points. Wesleyan has to continue to emphasize winning the time of possession this season if they want to succeed. I think that Mark Piccirillo will be the ultimate difference maker for the Cards. He will bring them over the top to bring them a NESCAC championship.

Biggest game: 9/15 vs Middlebury:

The first game of the season is Wesleyan’s biggest. Middlebury beat them last year, so a 1-0 record to start the season is a necessity to win a NESCAC crown. Wesleyan isn’t such a young team anymore with Morris and Piccirillo leading the team. Wesleyan can prove to the league with an opening day win that they’ll here for the long haul.

Best tweet: https://twitter.com/GKessFilms/status/1035619516498288640

A fly messing with Picc! Wow.

Everything else:

Who else is looking forward to seeing this glorious field next Saturday?

As the dog days of training camp come to an end, and the strange combination of jubilation for another year of a college social life and fear of problem sets, exams, and papers churns in our stomachs, we have to remember what we’ve waited for since February: football. NESCAC football fans have waited even longer, however, too see their alma mater on the gridiron. There are many question marks that come to my mind as both a writer and a fan when considering how teams will perform this season: will there be two poles like last year with Trinity, Middlebury, and Amherst at the top, while Colby and Bowdoin rounded out the bottom? Will young teams like Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts dethrone Trin at the top? Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts all showed promise last season, but only one team is returning a four year playmaking starter at the quarterback position. Only one team was second in the entire conference, behind Middlebury, in total offense; only one of those teams had a 65% touchdown efficiency in the red zone, ranking second in the league behind Trinity. The team that I keep referring to, and will make the leap from a successful 6-3 2017 season to an outstanding 8-1 2018 (one more win than Colby and Cam gave these boys) is the Wesleyan Cardinals.