The 13 Yard Line

Playoffs 2008!

2008-11-24T14:06:00.001-05:00

Go Colgate! Beat Villanova!

:)

The Engine 13 Cup Comes Home

2007-11-06T07:19:00.001-05:00

As promised, with the defeat of Lehigh we can now post the Engine 13 Cup. Yes!

Requiem for a Blog

2007-01-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

On the odd chance that there is actually anyone out there that still holds out a glimmer of hope for this blog to come back to life, I'm sorry to say it won't happen. I thought that I would just make it official and say goodbye. It's been wonderful and I wish I could do something like this full time, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

In all seriousness, I truly appreciate all of you who've read my stuff and commented on the blog. Blogging about all things Colgate football was a passion of mine that just can't be sustained in my new professional and personal life. If anyone cares, everything in my life is wonderful but my new career is so time consuming that something had to give.

Thanks again, and LET'S GO 'GATE!

Week 6 Picks

2006-10-03T23:31:00.000-04:00

Georgetown over Lehigh
Penn over Bucknell
Colgate over Princeton
Brown over Holy Cross
Duquesne over Fordham

Week 5 Picks

2006-09-26T22:40:00.000-04:00

Colgate over Georgetown
Things would have to be really bad for Colgate to lose two in a row at home, but after last week's performance it's not off the table. Georgetown will need to take it's game up a notch to upset the Raiders but I think the offense has to start clicking at some point for Colgate.

Holy Cross over Fordham
The Rams have had the Crusaders number the past several years, but based on play so far I'd be silly to try and predict that again.

Yale over Lafayette
Got to go with the Ivy Jinx for Lafayette until they prove otherwise. Yale isn't Columbia...

Bucknell over Marist
Even in last year's ugly season, the Bison could be the Red Foxes. Bucknell seems to be a bit improved, so this year shouldn't be any different.

Harvard over Lehigh
It's hard to predict a Lehigh loss at home, and even harder to predict a 1-3 start to the year. Harvard however is just too good to not favour here.

Week 4 Picks

2006-09-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

Georgetown over Columbia
Despite losing to Brown, the Hoyas put up some offense and still have a very good defense. Columbia is Columbia, and while they beat Fordham, I'm going to be hopeful and think the Hoyas can step up to the plate here.

Richmond over Bucknell
Nice win last weekend Bison, but the Spiders are a class above Cornell. If the Bison are able to beat Richmond, then it will be time to reevaluate the consensus of the ball club in Lewisburg.

Colgate over Monmouth
Unfortunately for Monmouth, the secret of the NEC has long since been let out of the bag. No one in Hamilton should be taking this lightly, and winning at Andy Kerr is not an easy thing for an opposing team to do. I think we'll see the Raiders build on last week's win over Dartmouth.

Holy Cross over Marist
Please crusaders, please. If you can't win this one, there might be more work needed in Worcester than I thought.

Princeton over Lafayette
Combine Princeton's win over Lehigh with Lafayette's loss to Penn, add to it a historical inabilty to beat Ivy teams, and it would be silly to pick the Leopards here. Prove me wrong, please.

Week 3 Picks

2006-09-13T08:13:00.000-04:00

Again, I'm dissappointed that I do not have the time to do a full write up, and I'm questioning the worth of this blog if I can't spend the time I need to in order for it to be a quality experience. I'm not pulling the plug just yet, but it is definitely on my mind. The new career and family changes just don't leave much time for this endevour. We'll see if it settles down some or not and then make a decision.

This week's picks:

Harvard over Holy Cross 24-21
Holy Cross kind of stalled after looking strong against Northeastern. I don't think they can beat a quality team like Harvard... yet.

Fordham over Columbia 14-10
Prydatko, Prydatko, Prydatko. The recipe for Fordham success. Columbia shouldn't be able to stop it.

Lafayette over Penn 28-18
Nothing says a team is hitting on all cylinders than a 31-0 shutout of a league opponent. Monkey #1 comes off the Leopards backs this Saturday.

Brown over Georgetown 17-9
Georgetown has a defense worthy of this contest. Without the offense though, this one is too tough for the Hoyas.

Lehigh over Princeton 23-14
Mountain Hawks continue to find their stride in out of conference matchups, getting better for the games that really count.

Colgate over Dartmouth 27-17
Colgate begins to find its footing after a week off to gel. Last year's tough loss still stings.

Cornell over Bucknell 28-14
Cornell is looking to be a top Ivy team this year, and they're not Duquense.

Week 2: Prognosticating the Patriot

2006-09-07T20:41:00.000-04:00

Just the picks this weeks folks. It's getting tough to keep this up with all I've got going on.

Lafayette over Bucknell - It was nice to see the Bison scoring some points, but Lafayette is a better team than Duquesne.

Stony Brook over Georgetown - The Hoyas won last year, but Stony Brook is getting better.

Holy Cross over Northeastern - Why not? Maybe the Crusaders can impress here.

Villanova over Lehigh - The Albany loss doesn't instill much confidence in the Mountain Hawks, but a win here is certainly possible.

Albany over Fordham - An ugly two Patriot League losses in a row to NEC teams gets that scholarship discussion moving!

Colgate's idle.

Colgate vs. UMass Scouting Report

2006-08-31T23:13:00.000-04:00

Folks, this piece is going to be short and lacking in the quality that I like to see myself produce on this blog; but, life gets in the way. As some of you may know, the next few weeks are going to be hectic for me on a personal and professional level, so this 'scouting report' will be largely from the hip, unreferenced and largely unresearched. I'm really relying on memory with this one more than I like. But please, bear with me for September. I promise it will get better.

History

The recent Colgate/UMass games have been all heated, passionate games with plenty of potential outcomes riding on the score, and this one should be no different. It all started with that now famous (or infamous if you're in Amherst reading this) snow bowl game in the 2003 playoffs, which was followed by a great rubber match in 2004 and then a stunning upset last year by the Raiders. You can bet this year will be no different, as there is plenty of 'bad blood' and mutual respect for both programs. UMass has probably always been the favorite in each game, and this one should be no different.

Offense

The big names for UMass are back, and we should be very familiar with them. Running back Steve Baylark deserves plenty of attention and respect and will be a key component to a Minuteman winning strategy. In the times I've seen him play, Baylark strikes me as a solid all around back with no real aspect of his game that stands out amongst the others. He's big but not huge, fast but not a burner, shifty but not Barry Sanders. Bottom line, he will require a solid game by the linebackers with great tackling to contain.

There is a 'new' QB for Colgate to face, having had a hand in letting Liam Coen get his shot under center after picking off Tim Day multiple times in last year's upset. Coen ended up throwing for almost 2,200 yards in 10 games. He will be a harder QB for us to deal with than Day was. Coen's main targets will be Brandon London and J.J. Moore. Our secondary should be able to cover them well, but not if they're being asked to provide run support to the young defensive line and new linebackers. If Bean, Williams and company can concentrate on them first, I like our chances in limiting their impact. "Limit" is the key word though; they will get their completions. We need to hold the big plays and 3rd down conversions to a minimum.

Defense

This UMass defense is big and experienced, and they will be looking to slap Jordan Scott around if they can. Now, I don't think they can after hearing about Scott putting on 15 lbs. of muscle in the off season - but they will do everything in their power to hit Scott hard and often. Basically, he can't do it by himself. For Colgate to be successful on offense, the passing game will need to be working. For the passing game to be working, Saraceno will have to be on. A rusty first game will put this game out of reach for Colgate early.

The defensive line and linebackers are all big boys; Colgate will have to rely on execution, play calling and, frankly, key athleticism from the skill positions in order to move the ball as we'd like. Holding on to the ball won't hurt either! Scott gets stronger as the game goes on, so ultimately I like our chances to run in the late 3rd and 4th quarter. The key issue is - the game still has to be close.

On bright spot for the Raiders is that the area we need to be successful in (passing), in some ways plays into a weak spot (if you can really call it that) for UMass. There is a new corner and free safety to try and exploit with the physical tools and skills of our second, third and fourth recievers. Erik Burke, David Morgan and David Gongora are all possible of having big games here. Also, finding ways to get our 6'5" tight end, Brent Dillingham into some possession situations against their linebackers or strong safety will be key. Dillingham will have 4-5 inches on everyone else out there for UMass defending the pass. Timely 10 yard completions to him could be the difference in the game here.

Special Teams

UMass has a great punter but if I am coaching the Minutemen, I would still look to keep the ball out of Geoff Bean's hands. Kick coverage is something often lacking in early season games, so if Colgate can break a big return or two, that could be huge. I do not know who will be handling the return duties for UMass, but the same is true for Colgate. We better cover well, because I have no doubt the player will be fast and talented.

Bottom Line

Colgate's got its work cut out for itself, just like last year. An upset is certainly possible, but in order to do so we will need to play mistake free ball and play with passion. That stupid opening game jinx is out there alive and well; upseting UMass again would be a wonderful way to try and begin to break it.

Ultimately though, until we see what we have got to work with on defense, this game is UMass's to lose. It's at home, they bring back more experience on both sides of the ball and everyone making predictions has got them penciled in. While being realistic, don't count your Raiders out though. I think they are going to come to play.

2006 Prognosticating the Patriot: Week 1

2006-08-26T22:57:00.000-04:00

The days are getting shorter, the mornings a bit cooler and the students are heading back to school. For the readers of this blog, it surely means just one thing: The weeks, nay, months of salivating for the start of the football season are over. The first round of games are upon us!

This also means it is the third season that I will be doing a weekly preview (and picks) of the league's games. Love them, hate them - I promise it's all in good fun. And now, on with the show!

As has become typical, the opening week of the Patriot League tends to be heavy on the 'low to no equivalency' opponents. (Note to readers, I am trying to ditch the usage of 'mid-major' in my blog with the NEC's move to scholarships.) We've got four of them on tap, along with one league game and one huge Patriot/A-10 matchup. In all likelihood, the largest spotlight will be shining on that lastly mentioned key contest, barring any 'Central Connecticut-like' upsets.

With little to go on but prospectuses, hunches and intitution...

Duquesne @ Bucknell

Duquense of the MAAC is about as good a low equivalency program as they come. Year in and year out they put a good team out on the field and, with a winning record (7-6) against Patriot League teams this decade, clearly they have no issue 'playing up' - if you could even call it that. Ask Fordham who lost 30-13 last year if Duquense shouldn't be taken seriously. With that history and their 7-3 2005 record vs. Bucknell's 1-10 2005 record squaring off, on the surface this looks to be another great opportunity for the Dukes to knock of a school from a playoff conference.

Digging a little deeper, unfortunately for Bison fans, doesn't produce a much different picture. Eight offensive starters return led by the MAAC Rookie of the Year quarterback Scott Knapp and supplemented by a tailback tandem that almost ran for 1,000 yards. When he wants to throw, Knapp has 10 of his top 12 targets back to choose from. Bucknell will be trying to stop the Dukes with a brand new defensive line and a secondary that gave up serious points and yardage last season. Basically, Dorian Petersen can't do it all by himself here.

For Bucknell to win, pretty much like it will be for them all season, it will come down to their ability to put points on the board; and that responsibility will rest with the quarterback. Maybe Wilson is back, maybe it's Lair that will get the job done. Until someone emerges in this offense though, there is no reason to pick Bucknell in a game like this.

Predicted outcome: Duquense 32 Bucknell 18

Colgate @ Massachuesetts

What history this matchup has developed in such a short time! There is no reason to recall it all here and now, but suffice to say both teams have had this date circled for more reasons than just it was the first game of the year.

UMass comes into this contest much like last season: highly ranked and touted with a scary amount of talent and, unlike last year, with a home field advantage. Some of the same faces are still there too. Baylark, Coen, Ihedigbo... you've seen this routine before. UMass will have an experienced offense, talented defense and a hunger to shove it down Colgate's throats.

Colgate comes into this contest a little better off than last season, with some established stars and without the baggage of an embarrassing loss the week before. However, the task at hand for the Raiders remains the same. It will most likely take some help from timely turnovers and a bit of HooDoo magic for the boys from Hamilton to escape Amherst with a victory. It's certainly not impossible, nor would it be incredibly surprise to see Colgate pull out a victory. It's just not predictable.

Homer stays home on this one. With the questions on the defensive line and the horrible opening game record for the past decade, there should be no smart money on Colgate on Saturday. I predict a game much like 2004; it will be a good game well into the fourth quarter but ultimately, it's the Minutemen in this one.

Predicted outcome: UMass 34 Colgate 21

Monmouth @ Fordham

The Masella Era begins in the Bronx and the Ram faithful couldn't be happier to start this new chapter. The revamped Fordham gridders will face a potentially rebuilding Monmouth team that will have to do without the services of current NFL wideout Miles Austin. Monmouth was a 6-5 program last season that put more points on Lehigh than Fordham could and beat Albany, a team that the Rams lost too.

But that was then, and this is now. I think until proven otherwise, optimism (within reason) reigns on Rose Hill. Behind James Prydatko's running and Marcus Taylor's defensive leadership, Fordham should have more talent and depth there than Monmouth. It will be interesting to see if any of the new scholarship recruits see time and have any impact in this game. For now though, I think Prydatko rushes for over 100 yards fairly easily and carries Fordham to victory.
Predicted outcome: Fordham 28 Monmouth 10

Holy Cross @ Georgetown

The sole league contest pits two teams jockeying for maintain position in the middle of the league. Besides the fact that starting out the league 1-0 is every team's goal, Holy Cross needs to establish itself as more than just a one hit wonder and Georgetown is looking for some new direction under new head coach Kevin Kelly.

This should be an interesting defensive battle, as the Crusaders eight new offensive starters (losing all of their skill positions) will square off against one of the better defensive lines the Patriot League has this year. Going the other way, the Hoyas will take one of last season's worst offenses and put it up against one of last season's worst defenses in Holy Cross... if you can follow that logic!

Basically, I think Georgetown can contain Holy Cross's offense, but I don't know if Georgetown can score any points, even against Holy Cross's defense. At this point, there really isn't much more to say than that. If I could pick a 0-0 tie, I just might do it.

Predicted outcome: Georgetown 10 Holy Cross 7

Lafayette @ Sacred Heart

Lafayette should have no problem with this one. A loss here would be a greater upset than CCSU's defeat of Colgate last year. Sacred Heart's biggest win last year was against Stony Brook. Lafayette's a legitimate playoff contender, and just a break or two away from making the next round. You figure this one out!

Lafayette is on the road and has a new defense to break in. That's it. That's the Sacred Heart angle. Sure it's possible, but why in the world would anyone predict it? Maurer, Hurt and Company run circles over the Pioneers. Marvin Snipes chews the opposing line to pieces. This one should be much like, or worse than even, the Sacred Heart opener last year against Holy Cross; a 56-21 loss.

Predicted outcome: Lafayette 52 Sacred Heart 10

Albany @ Lehigh

Albany is a program on the move, without a doubt. However, they are facing one of the top programs of I-AA and have only one scholarship class under their belts. This game might show just how close the Danes are to breaking through to respectability... on the other hand this game might also be close for a half before a blow out. Your guess is as good as mine.

Sedale Threatt will be searching for some new faces to throw to and Lehigh will be working with a new coach and will be trying to find someone new to establish the running game. This could be an issue of concern as Albany might have some pretty good players on the defensive side of the ball that could give the Mountain Hawks some fits. Linebacker Colin Disch, defensive tackle Michael Dungey, defensive end Andre Coleman and cornerback Ryan Chrobak are all capable of elevating their games to a level that, on any given Saturday, provides the spark to upset a great program trying to get its feet wet.

That said, I don't think Lehigh will miss too many beats here offensively, and frankly, I don't think the Danes have the firepower to keep up with the boys from Bethlehem, even with the installation of a new 3-4 defense. Some fits and starts are predicted, maybe even a half-time score that raises eyebrows, but ultimately, Lehigh will score points and it will likely be more points than Albany

Predicted outcome: Lehigh 35 Albany 21

There you have it; week one. We should have some questions answered on Sunday, but I bet there will be a whole host more to tackle.

Good luck Patriot League teams!

2006 Patriot League Preview: #1 Colgate

2006-08-10T23:53:00.000-04:00

Without any surprises to be sure...

#1 Colgate

Recent History

With five Patriot League titles in the past ten years and more wins over that time frame than any other league program, picking Colgate to win the Patriot League is hardly a risky bet. In what now has almost become a Colgate legend, back in 1996 head coach Dick Biddle took an 0-11 football program and made it into a winner; and has never looked back. Each year Colgate's a contender to win the whole thing, and following a flirtatious run at a national championship in 2003, the bar for success in Hamilton is raised higher ever year.

Off Season Developments

After years of stability, the winds of change finally rolled down Broad Street and shook up some of this Raider staff. The biggest name to go would be former offensive coordinator and associate head coach Mike Foley who spent 22 years at Colgate. Foley leaves for what one would assume would be his one shot at the big time with a gig at UConn coaching the offensive line. His loss would be followed closely by linebacker coach Bob Fraser heading to Rutgers. Fraser's impact on the Patriot League cannot be understated, as three out of the past four Defensive Players of the Year were players under his tutelage. Only time will tell just how much those two with a combined 31 years of coaching at Colgate will be missed.

Not surprisingly, Biddle promoted from within, naming longtime defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham to the associate head coach role and promoting coaching staple Dan Hunt from quarterbacks to offensive coordinator. There was additional shifting around as well, with Pinkham giving up his hold on the secondary for the linebackers and former All-American turned coach Kevin Bolis taking up the offensive line duties after handling the running backs.

For the first time in a while, there is also a facility development at Colgate to mention. In fact, a very large and noticeable facility development to mention, pictured at the right. Colgate's latest scoreboard in Andy Kerr Stadium catapults the Raiders into the 21st century with instant replay, sponsors and even yardage totals. Having walked around the stadium personally, it lends some weight to the far end zone and improves the overall look and feel of the stadium. Even if I wasn't an alum, I'd still say "Well done, Colgate".

Recruiting wise, the Class of 2010 rivals that of 2009 and puts two 'A' classes back to back for the Raiders. This season also saw the first online videos of the incoming recruits in the Patriot League, something that previously was left for the 'big boys' of I-AA like Montana. The videos are a great sneak peak at what could be in store in the years to come.

There is something for everyone in this class if you're a Colgate fan but the biggest stories are probably on both sides of the lines, where these young men could see some time starting this fall. The biggest spotlight probably shines on Kyle Poinsett and Zach Posey, both offensive lineman out of Florida. For the second year in a row, there is a good chance that a freshman could be starting on the offensive line this fall, and my bets would be on one of them. On the defensive line, more freshman may have an immediate impact on this program. Frank Vittorini, Juliues Barlay and Tyler Spencer could all be names to keep tabs on. David Ashton and Greg Hadley shine as linebackers of the future (no doubt pushing last year's touted recruits in this spot), and Wayne Moten could be the fastest defensive back seen in Maroon in a long time. Offensively, Tony Watts figures to find a way to touch the ball somehow, wide reciever Patrick Simonds could sneak his way in as the number 4 option this year, and Tulane transfer Ryan Meyers could have something to say about the quarterback position at Colgate before all is said and done.

2005 Schedule

Following last year's Central Connecticut State debacle, Colgate's opening game jinx cannot be underestimated. It doesn't get easier this year as instead of a supposed 'tune-up' game, the Raiders open with what could be the toughest opponent on their schedule, UMass in Amherst. This early test is followed by a four game homestand book ended by the Ivies. Dartmouth comes to town first, followed by Colgate's second ever NEC game against Monmouth. The league slate starts as Georgetown comes to town and then finally Princeton makes the long trip up Route 12 to end the month spent at Andy Kerr.

Although the homestand ends, the next game on tap is really just a short trip over hill and dale (and Deruyter) to Ithaca and Cornell for the final non-league game of the year. The Raiders head to the Bronx and Fordham before coming home to square off against last year's other co-champion, Lafayette. This key game is then followed by the second preseason key league game at Lehigh. Holy Cross makes that cold trip to Hamilton for Senior Day and then the Raiders try and erase embarrassing memories of 2004 with a road trip to Bucknell.

Season Outlook

Many of Colgate's preseason hopes lie in the offensive skill positions. Of any team in the Patriot League this fall, Colgate enjoys the biggest names returning back, starting with All-American tailback Jordan Scott. Last year the freshman emerged late in a Dartmouth loss and never let go of his starting position, running for a total of 1,364 yards and taking home the Patriot League Rookie of the Year award. If healthy he will be a Jamaal Branch-like workhorse for years to come for the Raiders, and every opposing defense will be gearing up to bring him down.

Scott is complimented by returning fifth-year and first team all-Patriot League quarterback Mike Saraceno. Saraceno was dogged by turnovers throughout the season, but still managed to throw for over 2,000 yards and twelve touchdowns. It probably goes without saying that the number one priority for #11 will be to make smarter decisions under fire.

When Saraceno's game is on, he will be looking to throw to arguably the strongest receiver corps of the league, headlined by Kenny Parker. Parker made the switch from running back to wide receiver in 2005 and ended up second in the Patriot League in touchdowns with seven. Parker's speed and scoring ability are balanced by the solid possession skills and deep ball threat of Erik Burke. Burke made a name for himself with some key catches in league contests such as Lafayette, Lehigh and Holy Cross. The Parker/Burke tandem is bolstered by sophomore David Morgan and by perhaps one of the strongest receiver recruiting classes in memory, with 6'6" Patrick Simonds, previously mentioned Moten (a threat to play both ways), 6'2" Ty Henry and 6'2" David Gongora all having potential to see some time this fall. Finally, one must not forget the presence of 6'5" Brent Dillingham at the tight end spot. Dillingham quietly ended the season fourth on the team in receptions, and his role will surely increase as he matures.

This talented group will operate behind a moderately experienced line, anchored by senior center Jake Sulovski. Sulovski is joined by a pair of sophomores who represent the future of Colgate football, tackle Steve Jonas and guard Richie Rosabella. Jonas earned the honors of being the first lineman to ever start under Dick Biddle and figures to be a fixture at the right tackle spot. Rosabella saw time at numerous spots last season and will likely settle in at right guard this year. The left side of the line will be interesting to watch, as there are a pair of seniors with playing experience looking to earn a starting position, as well as the Florida Freshman will be jockeying to be the next Steve Jonas.

With the sun shining on offense, there is a large shadow cast over the loss of the entire Colgate defensive line and two outstanding linebackers, including the 2005 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Jared Nepa. For any of these title dreams to come true, some currently unproven names will have to carry on the strong defensive tradition that defensive coordinator Pinkham has established. For the line, the one name you can pencil in is Pat Nolan. Nolan saw significant action and had one starting assignment. After Nolan though, it is anyone's guess as to who will step up. Do not be surprised to see some freshman seeing time here as well.

The linebackers do return David Wesley to the starting position, and the remaining two spots appear to be Mike Gallihugh and Eric Tupta. Tupta in particular will have many fans watching as he was tagged early as a blue chip recruit. If these three have any of Fraser's fingerprints on them, it is likely that it won't take long for them to carve out names for themselves away from the large shadow of Nepa, and Lukabu before him.

While untested on the front lines, the defensive backfield will be seasoned and proven and will add much needed support for the newcomers. Two year starter Geoff Bean leads the secondary from his strong safety position and garnered Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors for the league. Bean's classmate and fellow safety Andrew Moore has started every game with Bean and will be helped by standout corner Cody Williams. The sole question to be answered will be in finding Cody's brother, Chris's, replacement. It could be nickel back Sam Breslin or even incoming freshman Moten that ends up winning the battle.

Both kickers return for the Raiders and while it is unlikely they will be called on to win any games for Colgate this fall, fans should feel confident that their team is in good hands.

Predicted Finish

First - by virtue of the least amount of unknowns and the biggest names coming back; specifically Dick Biddle and Jordan Scott. Dick Biddle has proven, time and time again, that he knows how to build teams, get the most from his players and, surprise, win, win, win. He seems to only get better each year, and all signs point to 2006 being no different. Jordan Scott splashed on the scene in the early part of 2005 and by the end of the season placed himself in line to be the next great Colgate running back. Put those two together, with a supporting cast of a capable all-league quarterback, talented receivers and somewhat experienced line, and the sky is the limit for this offense.

That of course has to be balanced by the sheer unknown on the defensive side of the ball. If it was Ed Pinkham that left for UConn and not Mike Foley, I would have picked this season a bit differently. But with his steady and experienced hand at the wheel, again, experience has proven that time and time again, a new defensive group is waiting in the wings to step up.
We just don't know their names yet.

The fairly safe bet in the league this year is that the Colgate offense can score enough points, and control the time of possession enough to overcome the changeover in defensive personnel. Of course it all comes down to execution, disregarding your own press, and perhaps most importantly, staying healthy; sitting behind a computer in August though, the preseason odds are that the Raiders have the best shot of bringing home the title in 2006.

Thanks for reading this year's preview. Be on the lookout for the first "Prognosticating" piece and the UMass scouting report!

Colgate's "Filling Out"

2006-08-07T20:59:00.000-04:00

The Sports Network Poll is out and while Colgate's officially not on in (no Patriot League team is this preseason - Colgate would be ranked 27th), one writer did fill the need to print his ballot in the poll, and Colgate got his 25 spot.

I'm not surprised that Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh are not anywhere on this poll, much like the rest of them. We're splitting the normal "Patriot League vote" and until a clear frontrunner emerges, don't expect to see anyone there soon. Of course, a win over highly ranked UMass would do just that...

Blitzing Bean

2006-08-03T20:46:00.000-04:00

It's obvious that camp is only a few days away. The stories are starting to come in now. Local product and Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Geoff Bean is the feature in a hometown newspaper story.

Bean ready for final journey at Colgate

The subject of blitzing seemed to get Colgate senior Geoff Bean emotional Wednesday night.

"Every chance I get," Oneonta High graduate Bean said when asked if he looks forward to blitzing from his strong safety position for the Division I-AA team.

This was odd because most anyone who’s talked with Bean knows the word "I" rarely comes out of his mouth.

He quickly added, "Every chance we get. The defense feeds off that. We can’t wait to blitz. We’re programmed to do it."

Reading further one finds out that Bean turned down a summer internship with Pepsi in Denver to train in Hamilton. That kind of committment from an established starter gives me goosebumps. I've been high on Bean since I saw him play as a sophomore. It may sound like hyperbole, but I think Bean's going to have a big year.

Dream Come True

2006-08-02T16:08:00.000-04:00

Incoming frosh Zach Lasavage is commuting from Colgate to Carbondale, PA the past couple of weeks to prepare for the 'Dream Game' which pits graduated all-stars from the are county versus all-stars from the city of Scranton. Zach will most likely play a role as a rusher for the county team, but at Colgate it looks like he will be a defensive back for us.

Good luck Zach - and stay healthy!

2006 Patriot League Preview: #2 Lafayette

2006-08-02T15:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back. And while I won't scoop the Patriot League coaches and media anymore with my picks, I do hope you'll enjoy what you read.

#2 Lafayette

Recent History

When the clock struck midnight in Newark, Delaware in 2004 following Lafayette's playoff loss to the defending national champion Blue Hens, a funny thing happened. Apparently nobody told the boys in Easton to read the script. Cinderella didn't return home in 2005 to find the ugly step-sisters still lording over the Patriot League; Head Coach Frank Tavani didn't turn into a dormouse and the championship carriage ride didn't turn into a pumpkin. In fact, the Leopards went straight to video with their Cinderella II sequel and decided that the party was so much fun, why not do it again? So they did - with another Patriot League championship and another playoff appearance.

With back to back co-championships under their belt, suddenly the landscape looks a lot different for the Maroon and White. Three wins out of the past four Lehigh games, championship rings, playoffs, national rankings, solid recruiting class after solid recruiting class... One might think if you were to transport Lafayette fans such as internet favorite 'Andy' right off the street in 2000 and plopped them in the center of Fisher Field this fall, they would probably mistake Easton for Bethlehem, and would be wondering why the Mountain Hawks are in Maroon.

But behold! This really is Lafayette! Of any program in the Patriot League, the 'recent' history of Lafayette College is the most dramatic upswing to recount. In this decade the program has gone from a two win per year schedule to one with bonus games after Thanksgiving. All-Americans are on these squads. Yes, this really is Lafayette, and their beyond arriving. They're staying.

Off Season Developments

Hmmm.... off-season developments.... off-season developments... what could have possibly happened at Lafayette that might be worth talking about? Coaching staff? Nope. This staff is becoming very 'Colgate-like' in their stability and one can't help but notice that when a school is successful. (Note to self: given some of the changes in Hamilton this fall, perhaps next time around the correct phrase would be 'Lafayette-like'. Remember that.)

OH, I KNOW! How about a $23 million dollar renovated football stadium as an off-season development? Would that interest you? Well, all sarcasm aside now, it probably does, and it should. For a school that once talked about a move to Division III, the winds are certainly blowing in another direction. While not going from 'worst-to-first' with this change, Lafayette is certainly making their case known for 'first'. Time will tell if the fans in Easton can support the Leopard program to the extent that that other school west down I-78 does, but if they can't, it won't be because of the facilities. We're talking new seating, field turf, lights, a varsity house, new restrooms and vending. You get the idea. I personally can't wait to see this stadium in soon.

As previously mentioned, Tavani continues to successfully sell a great education and a top I-AA program to recruits. Look no further than the fact that over 75% of recruits that choose to visit Lafayette end up signing on the dotted line. Clearly when the time comes, student-athletes like what they see and hear.

The emphasis in this class was clearly in three areas: lineman, linebackers and defensive backs. Looking at what Lafayette graduated, this area of concern should come as no surprise. Some standouts: Michael Bolton, TE 6'5" 220 lbs. First, that poor, poor child! Go by 'Mike', please! But I have a hunch about names like this. In Johnny Cash fashion, they tend to toughen somebody up. Think of all those NFL types named Leslie, or Stacey, or Kim. I'm not about to mess with them.

Spencer Brown, LB 6'1" 215 lbs. looks to have some nice athleticism to his credit. Keith Heaney 6'3" 220 lbs. looks to be a beast of a linebacker; DeAndre' Morrow could be a speedster tailback to look out for at 5'10" and 180 lbs; Andrew Poulson has some nice size to build on as a defensive lineman and looks to be a good athlete by virtue of his wrestling skills; finally, keep an eye on Allan Whitesell DL 6'6" 220 lbs. He was a hot commodity around the league in recruiting time.

2006 Schedule

The Pards make up for their seven home games in 2005 with only five (scheduled!) contests to speak of in the new Fisher Field this fall. The real head scratcher is their opener, an away game at Sacred Heart. One has to think this trip to a 'mid-major' is connected in some fashion to the stadium construction and perhaps it was a buffer put in by the administration to account for the completion time. But, with Lafayette also opening against Marist away last year, maybe this isn't the case entirely.

The Pards then waste no time with the Patriot League schedule as they travel to Bucknell before the inaugural game in the new stadium against in-state foe Pennsylvania. Penn is the start of a four game Ivy League stretch that follows with an away game at Princeton, a home contest against Yale, and a trip to Cambridge and Harvard to end it. This is do or die time for Lafayette's at-large playoff hopes, as historically the Ivy teams have given the Leopards some of their toughest matchups in the past. Going three out of four here would be a big monkey off the program's back.

Climbing down the Ivory Tower a flight, the rest of the Patriot League schedule continues. It's Holy Cross up first and then a certainly circled date in a trip up to Hamilton to try and address the other program monkey: a win against Colgate. The season chugs on to an away game at Fordham, before some end of the year home cooking against Georgetown and arch-rival Lehigh. This will be a big one, like it is every year, but even more so. Lafayette has not one three in a row against Lehigh since the early days of the Patriot: 1989-1991.

Season Outlook

If last year's season was a test to see if the Leopards were a flash in the pan, this year's test will be to see if this is a 'reload' or a 'rebuild' type program. It would be tough to argue against the fact that the outstanding defense of Lafayette in 2005 carried this team to the finish line.

Unfortunately, some important players from that unit are gone. The linebacking unit of Maurice Bennett, Blake Costanzo and Dion Witherspoon are gone. Starting corners Larry Johnson and Tye Murphy are gone. These are not names you easily replace.

But, it's not all bad news for the fans. The defensive line will be good; real good. Marvin Snipes will be the leader of this line, and perhaps the entire defense. Pair him up with Dan Liseno, Kyle Sprenkle and Keith Bloom, and you've got a base to build on. The linebackers will be lead by an experienced senior, Justin Stovall and sophomore Andy Romans might emerge as a top linebacker in the Patriot League one day. And while the corners are gone, the safeties are not. Led by Torian Johnson, three safeties have started a combined 52 games so far. Of all the spots to really be nervous about as a Leopard fan, it's the corners. Adrian Lawson will most likely team up with Marvin Clecidor to try and keep opposing receivers in check. This will not be an easy task as the Patriot League has some serious receivers that require attention. It will most likely be up to Snipes and the defensive line to cause pressure and hurry quarterbacks to give the corners some help.

It is on offense where Lafayette really has the potential to shine. Led by two year starter Brad Maurer at quarterback, the Pards are in excellent hands. Maurer's an superb passer who is also been known to run the ball effectively. The only knock on Maurer has been his health, and unfortunately an experienced back up like Pat Davis is not waiting in the wings this year. Getting some backup quarterback experience has to be on the minds of this staff, and if the situations allow, look for Michael DiPaola to get some snaps if games are not in question.

Jonathan Hurt also returns in the backfield and opponents take heed: he may have underachieved a bit last year, but he has ever bit of a chance to lead this league in rushing, especially behind this offensive line led by Mike Saint Germain. Germain is a horse with some All-American accolades under his belt. He's got some help by another senior Ryan Nase, and all indications are that Jesse Padilla, Joe Moore and Leo Plenski will be carrying on the tradition of excellence established under offensive line coach Bob Heffner.

Maurer also gets some help from the receiver corps with the return of Archie Fischer and Joe Ort for fifth years. Fischer and Ort are reliable possession receivers that have played with Maurer for 3 years now. That familiarity can make up for a lot when a quarterback gets in trouble or needs someone to come through in a clutch. The two fifth-years are complimented by a dose of speed in sophomore Shaun Adair. Adair was picked early to have an impact on this program, and he didn't disappoint when given the chance last year. Look for his role to increase, and his name to be announced a lot.

When it's time to kick, the Pards will also enjoy some experience here as well. Both starters are back; senior Rick Ziska will handle the kicking duties and junior David Yankovich will take care of the punts. Neither led the league but they are both very reliable. Previously mentioned Adair will also be asked to fill some big shoes on returns, as Larry Johnson graduated after breaking some records in his time in Easton.

Predicted Finish

Second. And it's only by a hair. Just one linebacker returning, or maybe if Hurt had a better year in 2005 or if there was a corner returning, I think I would have penciled them in at #1. But when I think about how the defense carried this team to a championship, and how the other #1 up for consideration is Colgate, well... it's tough to pick them to win it all when a trip up to Hamilton in late October is in order. Please don't mistake this for homerism; with the streak and the success Colgate has had at home, I'd do the same even if the tables were turned around.

Lafayette will be successful on offense, there should be no doubt about it. Solid offensive line and veteran skill players virtually assure that. While they won't win shootouts, they will put points on the board and control the ball. This formula worked in 2005, so the 2006 season should be all about the following three questions:

1. How good are the upcoming linebackers?

2. Can the cornerbacks prove adequate?

3. Can the Leopard defensive line dominate opponents enough to lower or negate the importance of the first two questions?

Nothing will be turning into a pumpkin in 2006 as Lafayette should clearly win some ball games. If any of those three questions are answered positively, then Lafayette has as good a chance as anyone to win this league. If two of those three questions are answered positively, then Lafayette's heading to the playoffs. If three... well, Leopard fans can daydream from there!

Next Installment of Preview

2006-07-21T16:00:00.000-04:00

Just so people aren't wondering, the next installment of the Patriot League Preview will be up the first week in August. Yours truly will be away from a computer for the next 10 days... Woo-hoo!

Scoreboard Pictures

2006-07-19T18:23:00.000-04:00

A week late, but as promised here are some pictures I snapped of the new scoreboard when in Hamilton last weekend. I must say that I didn't find the scoreboard to be overpowering in any way. If anything, it surprised me with how much it elevated the overall look of Andy Kerr.

Standing on the visiting side, and looking at the Dunlap stands with this scoreboard in view, and you get the feeling like you're in a pretty serious football stadium. Now, we just need to take care of that visiting side...

Anyway, the pics. Enjoy!

The scoreboard in all its glory. Looks like Colgate Raider fans should be using Alliance Bank wherever possible. They are the big time advertisers on this scoreboard.

In rebuttal to some message board banter, here's the look from behind the scoreboard. The trees hide it very well, and it hardly takes away from any view of the valley.

This is from the top of the stairs leading to the Dunlap stands, right above the visitors half-time locker room.

Here are the Dunlap stands and the new scoreboard framed together. I think it anchors down that endzone pretty well and gives Andy Kerr some new 'heft' and clout!

This is from the visitors sideline. A wonderful view for opposing teams to watch replays of another Colgate touchdown!

And, in the interest of some equal opportunity, here is the new scoreboard for Van Doren field, home of the soccer teams. No video, but a nice upgrade nonetheless.

2006 Patriot League Preview: #3 Lehigh

2006-07-18T15:48:00.000-04:00

#3 Lehigh

Recent History

With an established tradition that bespeaks of excellence, Lehigh University boasts one of the finest programs in all of I-AA. Through multiple faces on the field and multiple coaching staffs on the sidelines, the Mountain Hawks have earned the respect of the Patriot League and beyond. More often than not, when a team faces off against the Brown and White, they end up going home with a loss in hand.

To give the reader a sense of just how good Lehigh has been, fans in Bethlehem haven't seen at least eight wins in a season since 1997's 4-7 year. Year in and year out, Lehigh enjoys national rankings, league title contention and, as coaches soon find out, the pressure and expectations that go along with that success. The bar is set high for the Mountain Hawks, and most years, they come through.

Off Season Developments

In the third and final coaching change of the League, this off season Lehigh reached back to an earlier era of dominance by naming the former offensive coordinator under Kevin Higgins, Andy Coen as its 28th head coach. Coen, who was Penn's offensive coordinator when the head coaching call came, replaces now Elon head coach Pete Lembo.

Lembo, despite boasting a 44-14 record while directing the Mountain Hawks, was never really completely embraced by the Brown and White faithful. Dogged by comparisons to Higgins, his predecessor, and hurt by losing three out of the past four games to archrival Lafayette, Lembo looks to have decided to try his hand at a new situation.

With Coen at the helm, some new coordinators are in place. The good news is that these coordinators aren't really new to Coen. Offensive Coordinator Trey Brown followed Coen from Penn, having coached the wide receivers. The defense has been turned over to a familiar name in the Patriot League, David Kotulski. Kotulski was most recently at Holy Cross, but also spent significant time at Bucknell in the 1990's, as well as was their interim head coach for a season.

In a somewhat unusual situation, a large number of the coaches under Lembo have remained in Bethlehem. At last count five of Lembo's coaches will still be on the sidelines this fall for the Mountain Hawks. This is a bit of a double edged sword here; one could say that the lack of turnover will be good for the program. One could also say that if the fans weren't happy with Lembo, how happy will they be with essentially half of his staff still in place?

For recruiting in a short season, it sure looks like Coen knew what he wanted to do. Having worked at Lehigh before, it's pretty apparent that 'Air Lehigh' will not be going away anytime soon when one counts six wide receivers and a tight end in a class. There is a heavy focus on the skill positions as well as on linebackers, where six players as well were snagged. With almost half the class coming in as either a linebacker or a wide receiver, the remaining spots are sprinkled across the positions.

2005 Schedule

The 2006 schedule continues what's been a fairly formulaic (and good) list of opponents. The slate opens with an NEC team, then an A-10 team, there are several Ivy opponents and then the league schedule. It doesn't get any more clear cut than that.

This year's home opener is newly 'scholarshiped' NEC foe Albany who will be looking to make a statement as they press their case for dropping the 'mid-major' label. The Mountain Hawks will then look to notch an important A-10 win against regional rival Villanova down in Philly. They then take on two of the most storied programs of all time, Harvard and Yale; Havard in the cozy confines of Goodman Stadium and Yale on the road.

The 'Harvard-Yale-Princeton' triumvirate is broken up by the start of league play against Georgetown down in D.C. before Lehigh completes the trifecta on the road.

With more than half the season under their belts, Coen and company's attention then shifts squarely to the main task at hand: the Patriot League Championship. Bucknell makes the first trip to Bethlehem, with a revenge game against Holy Cross breaking up Colgate and Fordham's trip to the Lehigh Valley. The season ends, as it always does, against the Lafayette Leopards. This one is the 142nd and it will be the first in the newly renovated Fisher Field.

Season Outlook

While some important names return this fall, some equally important ones have graduated. The undisputed heart of this offense will be junior quarterback Sedale Threatt. Threatt possesses a Randall Cunningham type athletic ability that showed from the start after he took over for injured Mark Borda. While not truly a running quarterback, he will be a one man threat to score at any time and will require plenty of attention from opposing defenses. The real key in this writer's opinion will be how strong his supporting cast is.

While not afraid to run the ball, for as long as I can remember Lehigh has been known for its passing attack. Having graduated a small army of senior receivers, the main focus now shifts to senior wide receiver Lee Thomas. Thomas averaged about 41 yards per game and scored three times for the Mountain Hawks in 2005 and is the only established receiver Threatt will be able to turn to. After him, it's wide open. It may turn out as it often has n the past that there are horses in the stable ready to run this fall. Their ability to provide Threatt with some targets will be a key aspect of this season's potential.

When deciding not to tuck it and run himself, on rushing plays Threatt will hand off to two familiar faces in seniors Greg Fay and Marques Thompson. While neither were the feature back last season, both have proven to be adequate when their number is called. There are a few players in line that are waiting for a chance to prove themselves in the Lehigh backfield, in particular a pair of transfers:Matt McGowan (Richmond) and Josh Pastore (Kent State) are both potential names that we might know by the end of the season.

Threatt's line is a mixed bag, as while returning some good experience in a trio of seniors (Jim Petruccelli, John Reese and Jason Russell), he also loses two all-league lineman that must be replaced. Apparently sophomore Kevin Bayani will most likely step into a starting role, and at 6'4" and 300 lbs., Lehigh fans should be happy to see a big boy like that impress the coaches.

The vaunted Lehigh defense will be, for the fourth time in four years, operating under a new defensive coordinator. Returning six starters on defense will certainly help Kotulski maintain the tradition of excellence for the Mountain Hawks, but there will certainly be some questions that need answering. In addition, the move to a 3-4 defense will be an interesting one to watch.

Leading this defensive unit will be fifth year senior Royce Morgan, an all-league performer on the line. The line will probably be Lehigh's strongest defensive element as Morgan is joined by experienced seniors Paul Fabre and Eric Rakus.

The news isn't so good on the linebackers, as Lehigh's two top tacklers are lost to graduation. There is some movement from line to linebacker with the new 3-4, so senior Matt Mohler will likely be the anchor of this corps. On the inside, Micah Greene seems to be the solid choice to start. After that though, it appears to be anyone's guess.

Much like the linebackers, the defensive backfield will an unknown quantity this year. Gone are the services of two all-league defensive backs this year. With the cornerback tandem of Brannan Thomas and Julian Ahye in place to defend the pass, the safety positions are where the Mountain Hawks need to get up to speed. The good news is that the likely starters, senior Julian Austin and junior Ernie Moore, saw significant action last season.

A familiar name on punt duties, sophomore Jason Leo will now be asked to add placekicking to his resume this fall. Leo, a solid punter, nailed a 45 yarder against Georgetown last season. I think Lehigh's in safe hands here.

Predicted Finish

3rd. With a program like Lehigh's, it is wise to never consider them out of the battle for first place and the coveted autobid of the Patriot League. The only thing holding back their ranking is the lack of proven offensive targets for Threatt and the unknown head coaching ability of Andy Coen. Compare that with what the teams remaining to be ranked are bringing back in players and coaches, and the slight nod goes elsewhere. That said, this could certainly be a championship season for the Mountain Hawks.

This season will be one that tests the strength of the Lehigh program. Villanova, while down, is still a formidable opponent. Of all the Ivy teams to schedule, Harvard, Yale and Princeton are probably the toughest trio. Albany will sell its soul to the devil for a win. Finally, with Colgate and Lafayette flexing their muscles and the other three Patriot teams eagerly looking for a chance to knock off a big dog with a new coach, there will be no rest for the weary here. Week in and week out, Lehigh is going to have to perform at its best in order to bring home the crown.

They can do it, but it will only happen if some unknown players on offense and defense emerge to compliment Threatt and Morgan, respectively. Place your bets folks!

2006 Patriot League Preview: #4 Fordham

2006-07-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in this release. Yours truly experienced some 'technical difficulties' and is now in the market for a new Mac! As promised, here's the next installment, in an almost déjà vu fashion...

#4 Fordham

Recent History

Most Fordham fans would probably like to forget 'recent' history and prefer to remember the Fordham of 'not so long ago', as the two year reign of Ed Foley came to an abrupt end last season after an uninspired 2-9 campaign followed a 5-6 debut. Foley took the program over after current Richmond Spider coach Dave Clawson brought the Rams to the upper echelon of Division I-AA and a first round playoff win in 2002. After the 2005 season, those days of 2002 seem like a long, long ways away.

These past two years have probably been very difficult for the Fordham Faithful. The successes under Clawson brought one of college football's most historic programs back to the top so to speak after a long period of making the difficult transition from a discontinued program, to Division III and then finally to the highest level of playoff football in the land, I-AA. With the transition to a new staff this winter, Ram spirits are once again running high for a return to their place among the pantheon of college football.

Off Season Developments

Out with Foley, in with Masella; Tom Masella that is. Masella is a long time coaching veteran whose most recent spot was as head coach of Central Connecticut State of the NEC. That's right, he's the coach of CCSU who made headlines last September with one of the biggest upsets in recent I-AA history when his Blue Devils took down Colgate in Hamilton on a last second field goal. His resume also includes defensive coordinator credits at multiple playoff schools such as UMass and Boston University (yes youngsters, they once had I-AA football) as well as a head coaching stint at BU that was undermined by the elimination of the program. Ladies and gentleman of the Patriot League, take notice. Fordham's got themselves a gem here.

Masella has surrounded himself with a familiar staff as well, as pretty much the entire CCSU staff has moved over to Rose Hill. The staff is headlined by former Colgate coach and standout player Ed Argast as Offensive Coordinator. Argast held this position under Masella at CCSU as well. His defensive coordinator counterpart is Frank Forcucci, who has also been with Masella at both CCSU and UMass. So basically, if in two years CCSU can become a team that can beat Colgate with a 'mid-major' football budget, it should be exciting to watch what he can do with the resources and the name of Fordham University.

In almost as equally important news for the upcoming season, Masella was given probably the biggest gift he could ask for: three impact seniors were granted 5th year's of eligibility. League standouts James Prydatko at running back, Marcus Taylor at linebacker and Jay Edwards on the defensive line will all get a chance to end their college careers on a higher note.

Masella's first recruiting class includes: sure to be sentimental favorite Tommy Martin at defensive back, who claims 4.5 40 yard speed; potential quarterback of the future John Skelton; Skelton will have some talented beef on the line to work behind too, as Tom Porto, Amen Igbinosun and Robby Reis all weigh in over three bills and stand north of 6'2" and all have considerable post season accolades to their credit. They are also joined on the line by one of the better names in I-AA recruting this year, Frank "Get Me Brett Weir I Said" Rizzo.The linebacking duo of James Crockett and Asil Mulbah looks to have a lot of potential as well.

2006 Schedule

The schedule this fall is clearly one built to hopefully get this new team some confidence back. Gone from the schedule are any A-10 teams or Ivy teams not named Columbia. Consequently, anything less than a winning season will probably not go over well in the Bronx.

Fordham starts the year with some familiar faces for the coaching staff: Monmouth at home and Albany up the Thruway are both teams from the NEC conference that Masella and company just left. This game is then followed by cross-city Ivy rival Columbia and then a week off to prepare for the first Patriot League contest of the year, Holy Cross in Worcester.

This is followed by a solid homestand consisting of Duquesne, Marist for Homecoming and Colgate for Family Weekend. The remaining league slate closes out with a home and away alternation: Bucknell on the road, Lafayette at home, Lehigh on the road, Georgetown at home. That middle is a tough lump to swallow.

With the NEC awarding scholarships now, perhaps some of the 'mid-major' stigma will go away; but for now, with four out of five out of conference games coming up against so called mid-majors and the other one coming against perennial Ivy doormat Columbia, Fordham will not get any points for strength of schedule.

Season Outlook

Despite a 2-9 record last year, there should be plenty to be optimistic about for the Rams, starting with the offense. James Prydatko proved himself as one of the best running backs in the Patriot League last year and he gets another chance to do it again this fall. Under Masella, I expect the number 23 to be called often; there is no doubt in my mind we should see another 1,000+ yard season for the hard nosed kid from Mt. Sinai.

Derric Daniels returns at the quarterback helm to redeem a 2005 season that can only be described as disappointing. After setting records as sophomore, his junior year production plummeted completing only six touchdowns compared to 2004's 23. If Daniels can rebound, just keep this thought in the back of your mind: he's
got a fifth year of eligibility if he wants it.

Daniels does enjoy the return of his leading receiver, Mike Melvin. While far from the production of some of the receivers under Clawson, Melvin and Sylvester Clarke do offer Daniels two competent targets to keep opposing defenses honest and not keying totally on Prydatko.

These skill players will test their might behind a line that supposedly returns three starters, Ricky Bencivenni, Mike Breznicky and Justin Sarabeaz. I say supposedly, because Breznicky is not appearing on the current roster despite mention in the spring prospectus. Something is amiss here.

Like Prydatko on offense, Marcus Taylor on defense will be the anchor on which this team will need to rest on. Taylor is a very talented linebacker that in the game I saw first hand played with plenty of heart and never quit despite being down 23 points with little time left to play in a what was at that point a winless season. I can only imagine what success he might have if put into a different situation.

In even better news, Taylor will be joined by returning starters Josh Jenrette, Louis Woodland and Ryan Kleve. Woodland filled in for Kleve after he went down with an injury, so there is plenty of depth coming back for this crew - although Woodland is absent from the roster on line as well...

The defensive line gets a huge boost by the return of All-Patriot League second teamer Jay Edwards. Edwards could really have a breakout year this fall. Linemate Eduardo Boza is back as well to give this line even more experience.

The defensive backfield though, will be rebuilding as free safety Carl Garritano is the lone returnee for the Rams. Of those fighting for playing time, cornerback Bruce Lee (another great name for I-AA) looks to be the surest bet as he saw plenty of time last season.

Special teams for the Rams will enjoy the return of probably the best placekicker in the league, Micah Clukey. Clukey was perfect on point after attempts and banged home almost 64% of his field goals. His foot could be the difference between a season that is and a season that almost was. The punting duties will be up the air as another league standout, Anthony DiFino, has graduated.

Predicted Finish

Fourth. Fordham is rebuilding without a doubt, but boy do they ever have some things going for them. If this doesn't sound like a recipe for a turn around, I don't know what is:

A solid and proven head coach taking over with a staff he's been with before

One of the hardest working running backs in the league (who also ran for more than 1,000 yards)

Probably the preseason best linebacker in the league (maybe one of the better ones in the country)

A quarterback who showed promise before and may just need a kick in the pants

Returning starters on both lines and sprinkled elsewhere

A clutch placekicker

Finally, a bit of a padded schedule to get the team and the staff on the same page before the bulk of the league games start

Frankly, Fordham is the dark horse team of the Patriot League this year. Their situation is not nearly as dire as you might think a team coming off two wins would be. I think this season comes down to how quickly Masella can take control of the program and get the results he's looking for. Based on his quick turn around of CCSU, he could do that sooner rather than later.

Fordham's got experience, talent, a favorable schedule and a new attitude. While it remains to be seen just how high they can go this year, don't be surprised if they win a big game or two. A bounce here or there and this team could be right in the thick of the title hunt come November; however until they can beat any of the next three teams to be ranked, they're still on the outside looking in. For now.

Andy Remains a Duck

2006-07-06T09:40:00.000-04:00

Looks like Andy McDonald will be the newest person in the Development office crosshairs, as he just signed a three year deal with Anaheim worth (hold your breath hockey fans) $9.9 million. Called "one of their top offensive players", McDonald continues to make Colgate proud. So, take note all of you Colgate hockey recruits: you can make it big in the NHL by coming to Colgate. The bonus deal is you also get a great education. The double bonus is now, it can also be for free!

2006 Patriot League Preview: #5 Georgetown

2006-06-27T13:31:00.000-04:00

A couple of days late, but here is the next installment....

#5 Georgetown

Recent History

The venture into the Patriot League as an associate football member has not been a great success so far for the Georgetown Hoyas as they have yet to see a winning record since joining, either overall or within the league. While they did manage to finish fifth in the League last year by virtue of wins over Bucknell and Fordham, against the top four teams in the League Georgetown was outscored by an average of 35-9. In many ways, the gap that was there in 2001 still exists today.

To be fair, it should be noted though that in reality Georgetown is fighting an uphill battle to be competitive. While they did join the Patriot League several years ago, their football budget apparently didn't get that memo and hasn't left the MAAC conference from which it came. In simplistic terms, it appears Georgetown is spending 10-15% of what the rest of the league is spending on their football programs. More than any other league member, the Hoyas have to rely on their brand name status and attractive location to lure players to their school and hope for some diamonds in the rough to compliment the players that they do spend their money on.

Off-Season Developments

Despite the funding inequities, apparently the sub-par on the field performance was too much for new Athletic Director Bernard Muir as long time coach Bob Benson was let go (technically resigned, but come on now), even after signing a five year contract extension in 2004. With Muir apparently willing to buy out 4 years of a contract that probably cost close to if not more than the amount spent on the entire program, maybe the wind is starting to change directions in D.C.

Another sign of possible change on the horizon was the hiring of Kevin Kelly as the new head coach. Kelly comes from Navy, as well as having spent significant time at Marshall. He's also had stints at Dartmouth, Tulane, Bowdoin and Syracuse among other stops. This will be his first time at the reigns of a program and it looks like his specialty is on the defensive side of the ball.

Kelly kept one member of the prior staff in place, with former Hoya and long time coach Rob Sgarlata taking the role of Assistant Head Coach. However the remaining staff is all new, hailing from institutions like Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia and Syracuse. While the change might be welcome and positive, these players have seen plenty of new faces in and out of their program over the past few years. That is generally never good.

The Multi-Sport Facility (MSF) has got a field on it now, with the remaining work holding out on the funds needed to complete it. This is a great step in the right direction for the Hoyas.

Available information on Georgetown's recruits is fairly thin. Two fairly solid names that I've heard of are: James Cherundolo, a 6'4" 265 lbs. offensive lineman from outside Syracuse. There was I-A interest in him at some point, but I have no idea how it ultimately played out. Dave Chillura, a defensive back from Delbarton in N.J. also rises to the top. He appears to have chosen the Hoyas over the Ivy League (good choice Dave!). Finally, Joey Tavarez is a linebacker out of Mater Dei in California. Based on what I can scrounge online, he might be one to remember for the future.

2006 Schedule

New coach Kelly has no time to waste this season as he welcomes league foe Holy Cross to the MSF for the first time to kickoff the season. After being embarrassed by the Crusaders last year, I will venture that the Hoyas will be plenty pumped to make a statement against a potentially rebuilding Sader squad. They follow up this contest by welcoming newly declared I-AA independent and scholarship squad Stony Brook to town. I'm sure plenty of eyes will be watching to see if the scholarships have an immediate impact against a team that Stony Brook lost to last year.

The Hoyas then hit the road for the final three Saturdays in September, heading north to Brown and Columbia before picking up another league contest against Colgate and the start of a key group of Patriot League games. After that trip to Hamilton, Lehigh comes to town followed by Bucknell. Colgate and Lehigh back to back will not be easy.

Georgetown gets a bit of a 'breather' with an away game at Charleston Southern of the Big South and then by welcoming Marist for Senior Day in D.C. They then close out the season and the rest of the league games on the road against Lafayette and Fordham.

This schedule is very doable for Georgetown. Six wins and, dare I even say it, seven wins are definitely in play. Based on last year alone, Stony Brook, Columbia, Bucknell, Charleston Southern, Marist and Fordham are all potential 'W's' for the Hoyas, at least in the preseason.

Season Outlook

There was plenty of potential last fall that just didn't pan out, and this year has some of that same feeling: A somewhat favorable schedule, thirteen starters returning, and their best league finish ever last year. Throw in a new coach and it could be just what the Hoyas need to break above .500 both in the league and for the season. If I was a Georgetown fan, I'd be pretty excited for this fall as things could go pretty right this time around. To break through that .500 barrier, Georgetown will have to maintain the respectable defense that Benson developed and (this is a bit deja vu), find an offense.

On the defensive side, the name you will hear most often will be senior Alex Buzbee. Buzbee was the other defensive line anchor to Mr. Everthing Ononibaku, who was lost to graduation. Buzbee will need the help of classmates Roosevelt Donat, Julius Griauzde and Shaun Johnson to hold down on the line and probably Nicholas Umar as well. This line will be fairly formidable in league play. In addtion to senior Chris Paulus, there will likely be some new young faces at the linebacker position who will be asked to get up to speed quite quickly if there is to be any success on the Hilltop. The two players with the inside track for the task at hand will likely be Mike Greene, a junior, and Robert Helt, a sophomore. The youth at the linebacker position will be assisted by a more veteran secondary led by Derek Franks. Franks will be starting in the defensive backfield for the third straight season.

For the offense, the good news is there is actually some solid experience coming back on the line, with 6'7" co-captain Liam Grubb leading the way. Grubb has 2 starting years under his belt and will be joined by others with experience like Robert Browning, Andrew Rehwinkel and Dan Osterhout. The real question will be: who can produce behind this line?

There is some experience coming back in running back Emir Davis and quarterback Nick Cangelosi. Davis rushed for a little over 200 yards last season and scored a touchdown. Cangelosi rushed for a little over 300 yards in his quarterback position and threw for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Given last year's production, the jury is definitely out on whether this pair can provide the offensive spark needed for the Hoyas to overcome that hump. If the Hoyas do decide to air it out more this year, Cangelosi will enjoy 4 of his top 5 receivers from last year returning; but honestly, having run the option who knows what talent might be there? If I were to place any bets, it looks like junior Kyle Van Fleet might be the deep option for the Hoyas that opposing teams will have to keep in mind. Sophomore Brent Tomlinson might also make some noise at the reciever position.

Predicted Finish

Fifth. This prediction is partially a nod to Georgetown's potential, and partially an honest assessment of the bottom of the Patriot League. Georgetown, often the cellar dweller, did finish fifth last year. And they return a heck of a defensive line with a fairly good defense that looks worse that it was because of an anemic offense. The offensive line is stable so in my humble opinion this season really rests on the ability of the offensive skill players. Hoya fans will have to hope that new offensive coordinator Jim Miceli will be the right guy for the job. Miceli has an interesting background in starting and turning programs around; maybe Georgetown will be the latest he can add to his list of accomplishments.

As I gaze into my crystal football, here's how I see 2006 playing out: Big win to start the season over Holy Cross, who finds out that life after Silva is pretty tough. The Hoyas go 2-0 with a win over Stony Brook before falling to Brown. Columbia could be tougher than anticipated, but it's still Columbia. I'll be optimistic and say they can go 3-1 here before coming back down to reality against Colgate and Lehigh. Evened up at 3-3, I think Georgetown wins at least 2 out of their next three against Bucknell, Chuck South and Marist before dropping the final two games against Lafayette and Fordham.

When it is all said and done the Hoyas sit at 5-6 and in fifth place, but like I said earlier, it's not so far fetched to imagine that they could also achieve even more. I would almost go so far as to say Georgetown is the Patriot League sleeper team this year, but that honor goes to a team yet to be analyzed...

Welcome to the Family

2006-06-21T19:50:00.000-04:00

Looks like the men's soccer team has landed a recruit with a bit of a Colgate pedigree: Alex Weekes. Weekes is a 5'11" 160 pound Strousburg, PA native who chose Colgate over Lehigh. Welcome aboard Alex! You won't regret your decision.

Softball's New Slinger

2006-06-15T08:48:00.000-04:00

Amanda Eccleston appears to be one serious pitching recruit for Coach Sax. The Sacramento area senior appears in this newspaper piece about her three time Player of the Year award.

The highlights: she's a pitcher with a 20-1 record, 147 strikeouts in 146 1/3 innings pitched and she's got a 0.77 ERA. She's also a potent hitter, leading her team with a .389 batting average, 35 hits, 28 RBI's and a .455 on-base percentage.

She seems to be a tad nervous about the cross-country move to college. Don't worry Amanda, I'm sure you'll love Colgate! Good luck in college!

2006 Patriot League Preview: #6 Holy Cross

2006-06-14T12:02:00.000-04:00

Next on the list for your reading pleasure:

#6 Holy Cross

Recent History

In a similar theme as Bucknell's preview, what a difference a year makes for the College of the Holy Cross. Last year's 6-5 record marked head coach Tom Gilmore's first winning season (his second overall), Holy Cross's first winning season since 2000's 7-4 effort and just their second winning record since the end of the glory years in 1992. Plain and simple, that is good news for the Crusaders. Throw in a win against at the time nationally ranked conference mate Lehigh and it's great news! The boys from Worcester might be heading in a new direction with this program.

Given the lack of consistent winning over the past 15 years, there will be a lot riding on this season. Another winning record and it might be safe to say that Holy Cross has turned a corner under Gilmore. Back to a losing record and maybe not a lot has changed. Only time will tell.

Off-Season Developments

For the third season in a row, the Holy Cross players will have some new coaches to get used to, starting close to the top. Both coordinators are gone for the Crusaders as former offensive coordinator Bob Griffin retired and former defensive coordinator David Kotulski has gone on to coach for his third Patriot League school, this time as the defensive coordinator at Lehigh.

Gilmore must be happy with the crew that he had last year though, because both positions have been filled with internal promotions. Chris Pincince takes over the reigns as offensive coordinator from his wide receivers coach position and Richard Rodgers gets the promotion to defensive coordinator from secondary coach. Finally, three new coaches round out the ranks taking over the duties for tight ends, running backs and defensive ends. The consistency within the program helps at the coordinator positions, but Holy Cross fans might want to take note of all of the turnover that seems to be happening each year. Lack of stability here could be a problem down the road.

Gilmore added 31 new players to the 2006 roster, apparently focusing on gaining some defensive depth, particularly at linebacker and in the secondary. In addition to the usual Catholic school flavor to the recruits, Holy Cross appears to have made some solid gains in Ohio Valley/Mid-West area by evidence of 11 players coming from Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. Some highlights: Mike Argillander, an all-state quarterback from Michigan who looks to be 6'3" and 225 lbs. and threw for 4,800 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career; Anthony Campbell, an All-Ohio linebacker; Aaron Jones, a beefy 6'4" 305 lbs. lineman with honors out of Ohio; and Randy Wright, a do-everything linebacker who did a post-graduate year at Hotchkiss.

If some of those boys from Ohio and Michigan pan out, this could be a very respectable class for Holy Cross - full of some 'grunt-type' talent.

2006 Schedule

Holy Cross's schedule this year is a fairly balanced one that has a nice New England flavor to its out of conference section- certainly good news for traveling fans and for home attendance. The Crusaders kick off Patriot League play right away down in D.C. against the Hoyas of Georgetown. This game could have large implications down the stretch in determining which of the 'second-tier' teams in the Patriot rise to the top. A win here is fairly important to the Saders.

Next weekend sees Fitton Field spring to life with some neighbors down in Boston, Northeastern of the A-10, making the guest appearance. This could be a winnable Patriot/A-10 contest for Holy Cross. Then, keeping the out of conference matchups in state, a trip to Cambridge and the Crimson of Harvard is in order. This is perhaps a more difficult Patriot/Ivy contest for the Crusaders. The bus will then be packed for one more road trip down to Marist for a night game and hopefully the continued Patriot League dominance over this MAAC program.

A short homestand ensues the follow weekend against league foe Fordham and then defending Ivy League champ Brown. One more Ivy team is left on the schedule with next week's trip to Dartmouth.

At this point the remaining bulk of the Patriot League schedule comes into play, as Holy Cross tries to knock off Lafayette in Easton having lost four straight to the Leopards. Then, the Crusaders will welcome a Lehigh club looking to get back on top after last season's upset loss in Bethlehem. This game is followed by senior day at Fitton when the Bucknell Bison roll into town.

Much to dismay of the Holy Cross faithful, the season ends most likely on a cold, blustery mid-November day in central New York where the boys in purple will try to break a five game losing streak to Colgate.

Season Outlook

By now I'm sure some Holy Cross fans are looking for an explanation of why I'm picking the Crusaders to finish in the same position as last year, sixth, when such important strides were made last season. Well, it comes down to two important factors that cannot be overlooked when trying to assess preseason potential:

1 - there was a huge vacuum created with the graduation of last year's seniors on offense
2 - the returning defense that Holy Cross does enjoy ranked dead last in more than one category, particularly in total defense

On offense, the vacuum that exists is two-fold. First, in sheer numbers eight of eleven starters graduate. There will be plenty of new faces trying to score points for the Crusaders. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, in raw talent alone Holy Cross will have to try to find a way to put up points without the benefit of Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Steve Silva. Silva, who averaged 91 yards per game rushing, scored 15 touchdowns, caught a little over five passes a game and averaged over 213 all purpose yards per game was the legs that Holy Cross won games on. You just don't recover from that easily.

In addition to the loss of Silva, three year starting quarterback John O'Neil, who threw for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, and his three top targets, wide receivers Bob Turkovich, Sean Gruber and tight end Luke Dugan, are all gone as well. In fact, Holy Cross only returns to the roster three rushing touchdowns at the hands of rising sophomores Terrance Gass and Mike Kielt and one receiving touchdown by a receiver, credited to Thomas Harrison. Those three players, along with Frank Herlihy at fullback and probably Brian McSharry at quarterback, are the talent that Crusader fans have to rest their hopes on.

While the offensive line does fair a bit better being able to be built around a pair of returning guards in Andrew Schoepfer and Eric Gendron and a returning left tackle Hall McMillan, there are some serious questions in Worcester about offensive production next season. Without some unknown talent there waiting to step up, it could be a long season for first year coordinator Pincince. Maybe he has better answers, but I just don't know who is going to score some points for the Saders.

On the other side of the ball, the opposite is true: eight starters return for Holy Cross, with the three losses occurring at each level of play. New coordinator Rodgers will be looking for a new defensive end, linebacker and cornerback to take the field on Saturdays this fall. Generally, this is good news for a program as last year when I wrote this preview the key questions for the Crusaders were on defense. Unfortunately though, the answers to those questions weren't so great. As a team, Holy Cross was horrible defending the rush, giving up over 200 yards on the ground per game. They were middle of the pack on passing defense, giving up almost 200 yards per game. Put them both together, and the Crusaders gave up just about a hundred more yards per game as league co-champs Colgate and Lafayette did. Without the offensive production of Silva and O'Neil last year, Holy Cross could have easily joined Fordham and Bucknell at the bottom of the league standings.

So for this campaign, if there is to be any success for the team it will be up to linebackers Dan Adams and Chris Nielsen, along with defensive end John Markus Pinard and cornerback Casey Gough to completely change the tone for the defense. This core of players has multiple years of experience and will have played together for many games. It is up to them to establish a defense that I'm sure Gilmore, a defensive guy at heart, is dying to get for himself. As mentioned earlier though, the constant change in defensive leadership doesn't help the situation.

The news is split on special teams, as the previously mentioned Silva was one of the biggest return threats in I-AA. His loss will be noticed. Maybe Casey Gough can pick up where Silva left off. The odds are not in favor though as not many people can. The good news is: all the kickers are back.

Predicted Finish

Sixth. Last year's fourth place finish was quite a surprise, but then again, the bottom of the Patriot League was nothing to write home about last season. In particular, last year's late season loss to Fordham was telling, as Silva and two other important starters were out of the game with injuries. Take away O'Neil at quarterback, and that game might not be a four point contest. Unfortunately for Holy Cross, the 2006 season basically repeats the Fordham game scenario. I don't know if the offensive replacements will be able to duplicate the efforts of those graduating seniors.

The opening Georgetown game will be important (for both squads, but more on Georgetown in a future week), as a win puts off for four weeks the next Patriot League contest against against a Fordham squad that struggled last year. If Holy cross has a win to open the season, followed by back to back losses to Northeastern and Harvard, and then a hopeful 'gimmie' against Marist - they stand at 2-2 and 1-0 in the league facing Fordham.

If they can pull that out they have two more games before they run the gauntlet of Lafayette, Lehigh and Colgate - with Bucknell thrown in the middle for fun. If they can get to Lafayette at 2-0 in the league, then my prediction of sixth will be wrong. Wrong or right, for Holy Cross to have any shot at these last four games there will be a need for at least several games of experience for this new offense.

Holy Cross fans lucked out a bit with the senior class that graduated last year, as without them they would have probably still been 'rebuilding' in a losing season under Gilmore. Next year's juniors are his first class and it still remains to be seen if the talent he has recruited is up to the task of continuing to restore the glory that once was. It is this writer's opinion that another winning season would be a huge step in that direction, because in the preseason, the tea leaves don't look so hot that they can repeat the success of 2005.

2006 Patriot League Preview: #7 Bucknell

2006-06-09T15:26:00.000-04:00

First on the chopping block for 2006 is:

#7 Bucknell

Recent History

What a difference a year makes. The beginning of 2005 felt like the Bison might be on the verge of challenging for the Patriot League title and maybe even making their first trip to the NCAAs. However instead of looking for ways to scratch their way to the very top in 2006, Bucknell now finds itself trying to turn around what ended up being a horrific 1-10 campaign.

Decimated by injuries and limited by their depth at quarterback in an spread option offense that relies heavily on that position, last season was one that couldn't end quick enough.

The 2006 season is head coach Tim Landis' fourth and because of the poor season his overall record at the helm of the Bison has sunk to 14-20. Before 2005 there were plenty of games that showed glimmers of potential for Bucknell teams with some close losses to quality programs. But to illustrate just how far down the Bison fell last year, they averaged only 14 points per game and gave up 32. I believe you could only categorize four games as being close last season, and from my personal experience in one of them against Colgate, the outcome wasn't really in doubt for long.

So while in last year's preseason Bucknell appeared to be just one step away from being able to make a championship run, this year they have to be seen as the doormat. How long they will stay there is up for debate. Landis is a good coach who may just have run into some bad luck but we may be witnessing the beginning of a long slide in Lewisburg.

Off Season Developments

The biggest change for Bucknell is the departure of Tim Camp as offensive coordinator. Ashley Ingram comes from Rhode Island, another option school, to hopefully bring some pointmaking ability back to Lewisburg. He does have experience winning some games though, having spent his playing days winning three national championships at the Division II level at North Alabama. That background helps immensely in this writer's opinion. Rounding out the staff changes is Pat Kingman coaching the defensive line (Jim Reid's tenure at Bucknell was a short one) and Steve Vashel tutoring the safeties.

The Class of 2010 brings in 33 eager young bucks to don the Orange and Blue, and if for some crazy reason the coaching staff was actually reading this blog, they appear to have reacted to my comment last year about the number of local players on their incoming roster. This year sees a significant drop in the number of Pennsylvania recruits coming in and appears much more national in nature. Players from Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and North Carolina join kids from expected states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. It will be interesting to see how some of these players pan out in the future to see if old 13 was on to something or not with my hunch!

Some standouts for me include: Andrew Bottone, a highly decorated offensive lineman out of New Jersey; Rashod Bumpers, a running back who put up some pretty impressive numbers down in Alabama; Brigham Farrand, a solid defensive back also from New Jersey; and quarterback transfer from Navy Andrew Lair of Louisiana, whose father and brother played for LSU.

2006 Schedule

Bucknell continues to have a fairly respectable schedule that mimics last year's in many ways but does give the Bison one advantage that may come in handy: they start off with three game homestand. By game three, I do believe we'll have a good idea of what to expect in Lewisburg.

The homestand starts with perennial Patriot League non-conference opponent Duquesne. The Dukes are no mid-major pushover and probably even deserve to be the favorite in this one. Then comes along two time defending Patriot League champs Lafayette to town. The Pards have plenty of talent but will be doing some adjusting of their own, so if there was ever a time for Bucknell to play them, it could be now. They end the homestand with the Big Red of Cornell, who should be able to contend for the Ivy title this year. Folks, this stretch will not be easy, but it helps that it is in Lewisburg.

It doesn't get any easier when Bucknell hits the road either, as they take a trip down south to visit the Spiders of Richmond. Ouch. They then head on over to a surprising away game at Marist - the sole win of their season last year. Maybe then the Bison will be able to take a breather. They will need it to once they get home as they will welcome an always tough Penn squad to town for Homecoming.

At this point it is time to get the rest of the league schedule done and Bucknell starts against the team where it probably all started to go wrong last year: Georgetown. Depending on how the Bison have fared, an unwelcome trip to Lehigh follows. The Bison haven't beat Lehigh since 1997, and for the past four years the games haven't been close.

Fordham comes to Lewisburg for Parents' Weekend before it's off to Holy Cross and then back to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to host the Raiders of Colgate. Depending on how the season has gone up until now, these games could be very important to the outcome of the league, or they could be footnotes to another long season.

Season Outlook

Well, the one good thing about a season like 2005 is a lot of players get a lot of playing time. First and foremost, for any Bison success to occur on the gridiron this fall, they must find themselves a quarterback. Running the spread option like they do, without a quarterback to lead the offense it will be dead in the water. The job is still in many ways up for grabs. Bucknell's QB troubles began when Terrance "That's Right,Not Daris" Wilson went down in the opener. Consequently, we never got a chance to see just what this Wilson was capable of. So while he's still in the mix, you can also add newcomer Andrew Lair to the recipe. Lair is a transfer from Navy (remember - they run this offense too) and supposedly has impressed during spring camp. Rounding out the QB competition is Ryan Ahern and Ben Bouffard, but one has to imagine this is a two horse race between Wilson and Lair. If either are any good, Bucknell just might be in business again.

The main threat after whatever quarterback emerges will be returning fullback Josh DeStefano. DeStefano was third on the team in rushing last year with 297 yards. Apparently a former linebacker named Kevin Mullen is challenging DeStefano for playing time at the fullback position, but I have to believe this position is DeStefano's to lose. The slotback positions will be held by a pair of support players last year, Kadero Watson and Peter Kaufman. Watson was a freshman last year and ended up gaining 299 yards for the season. He could be the biggest unknown of this group so watch for him.

For a team that runs the option like Bucknell does, wide receivers are often just glorified down field blockers, and the Bison are no exception. Case in point: Bucknell does return its leading receiver in Daniel Zvara, however he led the team with 15 catches and 292 yards for the entire season! That's 2-3 games for some of the Patriot League's best! Needless to say, the Bison will not be winning any games in the air next year.

On a bright note though, a good portion of the offensive line does return for the Bison, along with backups who have seen time. The trio of Chad Glasser, Stefan Niemczyk and Jonathan Grainger will have to take the lead in turning the offensive production around. Joel Hoffer, who also started a few games last year, is back as well. Michael Anthony looks to be the final piece to the puzzle. This line does have potential so all is not lost here.

On the other side of the ball, the orange and blue faithful can also say goodbye to one of the league's better defensive lines. Four very influential seniors are lost to graduation and they will not be easy to replace. Junior Ryan Walsh looks to be the only player with significant playing time last year. After that, it's a laundry list of who might emerge where: Brandon Friday (who saw some time last year), Stephen Edwards, Kurt Schneider, Craig Kostelic and Michael Hardman could all end up seeing time on the field this fall. If some of those players can keep the defensive line play at the level of the past two years, again, Bucknell could be in business.

The linebacking corps does boast a pretty good player in Dorian Petersen to lead this defense in 2006. Petersen is an athletic talent that could take a step up to the next level in the Patriot League and become a force. He's fast, with good hands and good instincts, evidenced by virtue of ranking second on the team in tackles, grabbing three interceptions and having a very good day
against eventual league champ Colgate. It will be up to his support staff of Matt Palermo and probably Julius Hopson to help him raise his game.

In somewhat good news, both corners due return for another season, but one can't overlook that 32 points per game that the Bison gave up. As an example, this secondary gave up 240 yards in the air to Marist - and 358 to Lafayette! They return a safety was well in Stephen Collage, but I'm not too high on this group of returnees in general. I think teams might be able to put up points in large chunks against this secondary, especially with an inexperienced defensive line being asked to provide the rush.

Special teams seems to be pretty solid on the kicking side of things, but Bucknell will surely have its hands full trying to find someone to replace Mr. Everything Dante Ross at the return position. While Ross went on to eventually be the signal caller for the Bison, he first made his name in the league as a huge return threat. It will be up to two players who've seen time, Zvara and Nolan Applegate, to provide the spark that will surely be needed in this dimension of the game.

Predicted Finish

Seventh. While you might say there is no where to go but up for Bucknell, their hopes for any upward movement fully reside in finding a quarterback and establishing another good defensive line. I'm sure the off season work and spring ball have been intense for this group of players; many of whom will remember their freshman or sophomore years when they were a team with much more swagger than they had in 2006. The question is, is that enough? Did Bucknell really just get into a nosedive with injuries and bad luck or are there bigger issues at play?

As mentioned earlier, I don't think the schedule helps much. While the Bison open at home, Duquesne is always hungry to knock off a Patriot League opponent, and they've done it several times in the past. There will be a lot of pressure on whomever is taking those snaps to get Bucknell that first win. Without it, I don't believe there is much of a chance for them to knock of Lafayette next week and Cornell the week after. It really has to get to the middle of the schedule before one starts to think Bucknell has a good chance to win games, but they are also interspersed with potential blowouts from teams like Lehigh. I said it last year, but it will really take a good start to get this team headed in the right direction. They didn't get it last year, and it was all downhill from there. If Duquesne was on schedule last season instead of Marist, it could have been an Ed Sweeney-esque 0-11 year.

Ultimately, I think Bucknell will get on track next year - eventually. However I think it will be too little, too late. At best, I think fans in Lewisburg better prepare themselves for a true 'rebuilding' season. A season to get a quarterback some quality time; a season to find some defensive stars and a season to restore the confidence that may have been lost in 2005. Some wins here and there are not far fetched. At worst though, fans can prepare to have a lot of room to stretch out on those stadium stands.

Now, of course I could be wrong about the fate of the Bison as my #7 last year, Georgetown, didn't finish last when it was all said and done. But, they did finish tied for 6th. 2006 won't be easy, Bucknell. It won't be easy.

#6 coming sometime next week!