NEC thoughts--Wagner/Albany/Playoffs- with some observations--

[MUHAWKS]

Ok-- so I am gonna say a few things that will no doubt piss some people off- but they are just out of honesty from a guy who has watched every snap of Monmouth football this year. I realize things change and are not perfect but here is what I see:

#1- This is the part where I will get ripped to shreds by Wagner fans and probably other people saying I am being unfair--- BUT, I really feel that Wagner will not represent the NEC as well as Albany would in the playoffs, should they get there..I respect Wagner and understand they got better as the year went on..Actually, let me re-phrase this--- Let me ask the wagner people or anyone else that can tell me what changed about Wagner from week 3 where I saw nothing from them against what turned out to be an average Monmouth team. Monmouth handled Wagner. Wagner could not block us and we moved the ball at will. Monmouth than goes and gets destroyed by Albany and loses to Bryant, St Francis etc.. (more on St Francis in a second)... What the hell happened? Is it the "any given saturday" analogy?? Or is Wagner that much different? I am working with limited info, but from the games I saw, Albany would better be suited to beat a major 1-aa opponent (CAA etc) But I could be wrong.. Wagner still needs to beat Duquesne and if they do, they have no doubt earned it..and I will root like hell for them-- I just cannot fathom how Wagner got good enough to beat Albany 30-0 and just keeps winning. The Wagner team I saw was literally out classed by an average monmouth team.. What changed?

#2. After seeing St Francis today- I am shocked they only have 4 wins.. Here is where I get ripped to shreds again: I think they were the BEST offense I have seen Monmouth play this year and that includes Lehigh and Albany...And this is WITHOUT their first 3 or 4 string RB's!!! They have 1-A transfers and a good O line and are just good.. Monmouth has gotten worse every week on defense but, holy *****, St Francis is good on offense..I just dont get the NEC... wwek to week there are so many differences...

With all that said, I am pulling for Wagner b/c Albany is leaving anyway, so I would rather see the true NEC team go.. and I have nothing against Wagner I just cannot think of how they got that much better than the team I saw in Sept.. Anyone with any thoughts or comments? On anything? Including what an a$$ hole I am?

[Wallace]

Wagner will now square off with Duquesne next Saturday in a game that will decide the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship and the league's Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) automatic bid. Both Wagner and Albany are tied at 6-1 in the league, after the Great Danes defeated the Dukes by a 38-31 score in Pittsburgh earlier this afternoon. If Wagner bests Duquesne, it will earn the conference's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division I Football Championship. For Albany to clinch the bid, it would need to beat Central Connecticut at home and have the Dukes defeat the Seahawks.

[UAalum72]

Wagner associate HC Tom Masella said that because of Sandy the shuttered campus lent a level of focus to the preparation.
“First, I think we’ve been getting better every week. And we were very lucky in the affect the storm had on us. But I also believe all the time we were together this week helped us. Because there were no classes and no place to go, we had no distractions. Everyone was dialed in."

Plus Wagner won the toss and took the wind, which put Albany in a hole in the first quarter. Reminded me of the Albany/Duquesne ECAC game ten years ago, in reverse. And I knew Wag had a good defense (EXCEPT for the MU game). Add in a couple of blown coverages and a bad roughing the punter penalty, and a game can get out of control in a hurry.

Oh, and Wagner didn't lose a single turnover for 6 1/2 games until a 3rd-quarter fumble today.

[downbythebeach]

My opinion

I believe that Albany would definitely stand a better chance and probably 8 times out of 10 is the better team. Wagner seems to eek out games and is at their best at the right time. Duquesne should give them a good test, and I totally give them props for their current win streak.
With all that said, I would like to see Wagner get the bid as they are staying in the NEC and are a small school that could use a boost.


As for SFU. I am excited for next season. We are losing our top QB, RB, and WR but we have good replacements just waiting for a chance. We have a Hawaii transfer who is probably just as good as QB Kelly...Harbridge should be back next year after he rehabs....and we have a couple of capable WRs that are underclassmen. They did look pretty good today, and that was mostly because we had the passing game going. Alexander got injured and has played sparingly the past couple weeks or not at all, and I wish we would have thrown the ball more all year.

Either way the four wins this year is the most by a SFU football team since they joined Division I (1992).

[Lehigh'98]

Congrats to SFA. Perhaps things are looking up there. Is there any chance Albany can eek out an at large bid? I think they could be a giant headache for someone in the playoffs.

[MUHAWKS]

Congrats to SFA. Perhaps things are looking up there. Is there any chance Albany can eek out an at large bid? I think they could be a giant headache for someone in the playoffs.

Interesting point- maybe Albany could get in at large if Wagner and them both win next week..However, I really doubt it.. NEC is getting better bot not sure how a 2 loss albnay team would get in over a CAA bubble team or the like...

Also, let me clarify-- or rather re-state my point about St Francis offense.. it was meant to credit them NOT take a shot at Lehigh or Albany or even Cornell who lit us up... But it was just sucha different style offense, I mean one that at times was not stoppable.. I know we had Lehigh early and Albany put up 55, but I dont know for whatever reason I was just so impressed by them.. I really am lookinf forward to seeing Lehigh in playoffs..it seems they are eeking some games out and def not as good as last yr but that is when they will burst out, step up and knock of a 1-aa major.. I really meant no offense to Wagner fans, but the game I saw, they were just not good.. Not even a glimpse of good. I just dont get it..Its ironic b/c at beginning of year I was arguing with people over NEC champ...people had said Albany or Duquese and no one gave MU a chance... As it turned out, it very well could be Wagner.. Imagine the odds you could have gotten on that??

[danefan]

The Wagner or the first against Albany may have been an anomaly, but if they play like that in the playoffs they'll be fine.

I dont think there is any chance for Albany to get an at-large despite the fact that we'll have better wins than Lehigh who will probably get an at-large.

[UAalum72]

Congrats to SFA. Perhaps things are looking up there. Is there any chance Albany can eek out an at large bid? I think they could be a giant headache for someone in the playoffs.
I guess you mean SFU. No, I don't think an NEC team will get an at-large, even though nobody would have thought on October 1 that Albany's best OOC showing would be the win over Colgate, not the win at Maine or the close loss at Youngstown.

[UNHWildcat18]

I hope wagner loses next week and albany wins. I know wagner played a great game, but I agree that albany wins that game 8/10 times and overall would do better in the playoffs

[dgreco]

Wagner had a great game against FAU too. I think MArty Fine was the only coach to pick Wagner #1 overall

[aceinthehole]

Wagner's defense will keep them in a playoff game (if they make it). Like RMU and Albany in years before, the NEC rep will look very good for a half and then fade away as the game wears on. The NEC champ needs a favorable matchup and a flawless game to come home with a win. There is no margin for error.