Patriot League Wrapup

[cosmo here]

Holy Cross 26, Georgetown 13 - Crusaders start to find replacements for offensive skill players, Hoyas still have work to do under Kelly

UMass 28, Colgate 7 - Minutemen finally beat Raiders, inexperienced Colgate front 7 run on for 179 yards

Albany 17, Lehigh 16 - Coen era off to disappointing start, with Lembo winning at Coastal Carolina, will Elon have more votes in this week's poll than the Mountain Hawks?

Lehigh Valley paper criticism less than critical:

Express-Times, Nick Fierro: Lehigh, Coen can blame this one on the rain
http://www.pennlive.com/columns/expresstimes/fierro/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1157256308133840.xml&coll=2

highlight: " Coen and all Lehigh fans have to know deep down that this one doesn't count."

Morning Call, Keith Groller: Lehigh defeated, not deflated
http://www.mcall.com/sports/columnists/all-col-grollersep03,0,5093843.column?coll=all-sports-col

highlight: "Lehigh's passionate fan base, which was never shy in expressing its displeasure with preceding coach Pete Lembo, will likely give Coen a pass on this one because of the bad weather."

Lafayette 25, Sacred Heart 14 - Leopards overcome sloppy second quarter with 190 yards on the ground, 141 from Jon Hurt

Express-Times, Corky Blake: Leopards survive and advance
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1157256380133840.xml&coll=2

Morning Call, Don Bostrom: Lafayette rallies past Sacred Heart
http://www.mcall.com/sports/all-lafayette0903,0,7710153.story?coll=all-sports-hed

Monmouth 23, Fordham 9 - Rams struck by Murphy's Law in first quarter in first game under Masella

Bucknell 31, Duquesne 28 (OT) - Bison saved by Terrance Wilson's heroics (15 yard TD run on last play of fourth to force OT), run 56 times for 386 yards, give up 348 through the air

[Andy]

The local media made a big deal about Coen's "national championship" comments--now they're making excuses for him. Groller even stoops to the old "we lost, but we're really the better team." What a shill.

The important point to me--was LU's D-line "manhandled" as some suggested in the game thread?

[Dane96]

Yes....I know I am biased, but as a football guy I can say this without a doubt....THEY WERE MANHANDLED. Then again, we outweighed the boys by 50lbs and the wet turf may have neutralized team speed from the DL's perspective. We literally rammed it down LU's throats on two important 6-7 minute drives.

LU responded a bit in the second half, keeping their ground, but in that wet weather, UA was able to stuff the ball between the tackles.

That being said, UA has always been known as a smash mouth team and this line is no exception. They will get their biggest test against Delaware...to me a huge measuring stick that scares the daylights out of me.

[The Historian]

Albany did control the line of scrimmage in the first half, but it managed to gain just 31 yards in the second half. It might have been adjustments or game situations, but it was different in the second half.

There is no question that Lehigh is undersized on the DL, especially if Royce Morgan does not play this season.

[blukeys]

The local media made a big deal about Coen's "national championship" comments--now they're making excuses for him. Groller even stoops to the old "we lost, but we're really the better team." What a shill.

The important point to me--was LU's D-line "manhandled" as some suggested in the game thread?


Is this any surprise????? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: The media up in the Lehigh Valley are the biggest bunch of homers and Lehigh synchophants one could ever find. According to these clowns, Lehigh never loses the other team just has more points.:nod: :nod:

You can't win with these guys. If you absolutely, positively, no doubt about it, destroy Lehigh in a game they way Sherman destroyed Georgia, then the Valley media will slam you for "running up the score". This they did for years against Tubby Raymond.

It is amazing to me that there are any rational Lehigh fans considering how delusional these writers are. I'm sad to say I know a few Lehigh fans who will be lapping up the latest dose of Purple Kool Aid served up by the Morning Call.

[TheValleyRaider]

I wouldn't say "finally" for UMass, they did beat us in 2004. They looked most effective in the 1st Quarter, but after that certainly seemed beatable. They also ran for most of the game; very conservative gameplans for both teams. The defense still has some work to do, but they'll be solid, and will definately improve as the season goes along.

Tough day overall for the PL. Without a doubt the NEC is improving as a conference, but I'm still surprised to see the games turn out as they did. Lehigh physically beaten by Albany and Fordham crushed by Monmouth :eek: . Could potentially be a tough year for the League, but there's still 10 games left for everyone, and only G'town has a League loss at this point.

[ngineer]

Yes....I know I am biased, but as a football guy I can say this without a doubt....THEY WERE MANHANDLED. Then again, we outweighed the boys by 50lbs and the wet turf may have neutralized team speed from the DL's perspective. We literally rammed it down LU's throats on two important 6-7 minute drives.

LU responded a bit in the second half, keeping their ground, but in that wet weather, UA was able to stuff the ball between the tackles.

That being said, UA has always been known as a smash mouth team and this line is no exception. They will get their biggest test against Delaware...to me a huge measuring stick that scares the daylights out of me.

No question the weight differential and soggy ground effected our line's effectivenes. When you're out-sized, the only offset is quickness and speed, which was taken away with the mud. The footing also limited the run game to a 'straight ahead' approach as opposed to any cutting or juking on the perimeter, since no one could get to the outside. I wouldn't say we were "manhandled'--the stats don't bear that out. Actual rushing totals were almost the same, slight edge to UA. The "net yards" of only 7 was due to the "team minus-110 yards" on the bad snaps. The weather is a great neutralizer--it is an old saw, but that's because there is a lot of truth in it. We will know for real this week, since I think 'Nova has a turf field so regardless of weather, footing won't be the factor it was yesterday.
At the same time, UA has a big strong OL and some good running backs. The two drives you mentioned were critical and well executed. And while both teams bobbled the ball around, UA held on when they had to, and we didn't. Many times you hear, "Neither team deserved to lose" after a close, well-played ball game. In this case, there were so many mistakes on both sides of the ball, that neither team deserved to win, except on the bottom line of who made the least mistakes, and that was UA. Therefore, they should have gotten the 'W'.
Lehigh has plenty of time to come back from this fiasco and make eveyone forget about it by November. The measure of the players and the coaching staff will be to see how well they improve over the next couple weeks.

[DFW HOYA]

Holy Cross 26, Georgetown 13 - Crusaders start to find replacements for offensive skill players, Hoyas still have work to do under Kelly.

There's an understament.

What made this game so tremendously disappointing to me was that a Georgetown offense built on the option got next to nothing against the PL's worst rush defense in 2005. Georgetown had 23 rushing yards at the half and 83 for the game. Taking out two breakout runs for 15 and 16 yards, GU finished with 21 carries for 52 yards. Last year, losing by 42, Georgetown had 108 yards rushing.

This isn't a coaching issue as much as Georgetown just doesn't get any breaks in recruiting an impact back and that oft-discussed football budget won't bring in any quick fixes, either. :bang:

[colgate13]

Beat Villanova and the loss will soon be forgotten. Colgate's got a week off to get better and then a nice home stand to hopefully get on a roll. We get Monmouth too in 3 weeks. Should be good.

[breezy]

Holy Cross has some very good talent at the running back and receiver positions, and yesterday two quarterbacks stepped up and showed they could play. Except for wide receiver Fanning, they are all underclassmen.

The defense will be improved this year -- not just because the younger starters have more experience but also because there is more depth that will prevent them from wearing down as much as they have in recent years.

DFW -- don't be too disappointed. It's only their first game using the option; it takes time for the players to truly learn a system. Good luck the rest of the season.

[Dane96]

No question the weight differential and soggy ground effected our line's effectivenes. When you're out-sized, the only offset is quickness and speed, which was taken away with the mud. The footing also limited the run game to a 'straight ahead' approach as opposed to any cutting or juking on the perimeter, since no one could get to the outside. I wouldn't say we were "manhandled'--the stats don't bear that out. Actual rushing totals were almost the same, slight edge to UA. The "net yards" of only 7 was due to the "team minus-110 yards" on the bad snaps. The weather is a great neutralizer--it is an old saw, but that's because there is a lot of truth in it. We will know for real this week, since I think 'Nova has a turf field so regardless of weather, footing won't be the factor it was yesterday.
At the same time, UA has a big strong OL and some good running backs. The two drives you mentioned were critical and well executed. And while both teams bobbled the ball around, UA held on when they had to, and we didn't. Many times you hear, "Neither team deserved to lose" after a close, well-played ball game. In this case, there were so many mistakes on both sides of the ball, that neither team deserved to win, except on the bottom line of who made the least mistakes, and that was UA. Therefore, they should have gotten the 'W'.
Lehigh has plenty of time to come back from this fiasco and make eveyone forget about it by November. The measure of the players and the coaching staff will be to see how well they improve over the next couple weeks.


Just to clarify: I am referring not to yards gained, but actual viewing of the trenches, which I have now watched 5 times. As a former coach, when I look at the line of scrimmage, Albany did manhandle the Lehigh line, though as we both state, it had a lot to do with the speed factor being totally taken out of the equation, something that no doubt would have been in the favor of Lehigh.

Remember, there was nary of an oppty to really pressure Bocanegra (who was awful handling the football at the center exchange). Had Albany not have controlled the line, Lehigh would have scooped up about 5 more balls.

Again, yards have nothing to do with the actual physical play. Just watch the tape again and watch the following: first half...Albany absolutely blowing Lehigh off the line. Second half, we see less of this, however we see no penentration by Lehigh.

To me, that is a major victory by UA.

IMHO, of course.

[Tribe4SF]

Patriot outlook looking dim right now. Will the NEC pass this conference?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Just to clarify: I am referring not to yards gained, but actual viewing of the trenches, which I have now watched 5 times. As a former coach, when I look at the line of scrimmage, Albany did manhandle the Lehigh line, though as we both state, it had a lot to do with the speed factor being totally taken out of the equation, something that no doubt would have been in the favor of Lehigh.

Remember, there was nary of an oppty to really pressure Bocanegra (who was awful handling the football at the center exchange). Had Albany not have controlled the line, Lehigh would have scooped up about 5 more balls.

Again, yards have nothing to do with the actual physical play. Just watch the tape again and watch the following: first half...Albany absolutely blowing Lehigh off the line. Second half, we see less of this, however we see no penentration by Lehigh.

To me, that is a major victory by UA.

IMHO, of course.

Having watched the game, I say UA do an extremely good job in the first half against a Lehigh "D" that was on the field most of the first half. Not an excuse -- they did do a good job, especially on the long drive. However, the offense only scored one gift-wrapped TD on the 1 yard line, and once they hit the 20 yard line, the Lehigh "D" stopped them cold.

Albany's second-to-last drive of the game, they could have iced it by getting two first downs. They got one, and then stalled. IMHO, that's not "manhandled". "Manhandled" would mean that Albany just pummelled us at the end of the game, and there was nothing we could do. That wasn't the case.

Albany made fewer mistakes than Lehigh, and that's why they won. Sometimes that's all it comes down to. To say that Albany dominated Lehigh's front seven, IMHO, is not accurate. Were there times when they won the trench battle? Sure. But it was pretty even to me.

[carney2]

Settle down, guys. I take full responsibility for this fiasco. I traveled out of town for one weekend to a I-A game, and - well, you see the results. I've learned my lesson and vow to not leave things in the hands of incompetents again this season. Are ya listening cosmo, P4L, Andy; stay calm, LFN, ngineer; don't panic, 13, Go...gate; don't know what to say, DFW, LB Pop.

Anyway, I'm back and things will get better. I promise.

[ngineer]

Settle down, guys. I take full responsibility for this fiasco. I traveled out of town for one weekend to a I-A game, and - well, you see the results. I've learned my lesson and vow to not leave things in the hands of incompetents again this season. Are ya listening cosmo, P4L, Andy; stay calm, LFN, ngineer; don't panic, 13, Go...gate; don't know what to say, DFW, LB Pop.

Anyway, I'm back and things will get better. I promise.

LMA)!xlolx xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Settle down, guys. I take full responsibility for this fiasco. I traveled out of town for one weekend to a I-A game, and ....

WHAT!?!?!?

:eek:

:flagged:

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Although fighting the I-AA Diary deadline, I still found time to talk a bit more about Lehigh/Albany.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[blukeys]

Although fighting the I-AA Diary deadline, I still found time to talk a bit more about Lehigh/Albany.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com


LFN Your blog is on target. No one should panic after the first game no matter how bitter the loss. Your writings are more objective than the local Lehigh Press who I blasted earlier. Also to your credit is you have a pleasant looking site in Brown and White!!!!:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

I wasn't sure that was possiblexlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx . Best of Luck from here on out!!!

[Pard94]

Look, by no means did Lafayette play their finest game yesterday. That being said I don't think we need to be lumped in with the evidence as to why the "Patriot League is poised for an off year". We won are game by a healthy margin. It may have taken all 4 quarters to do it, but that't why football games have four quarters. 11 points in Las Vegas is a huge spread, indicative of a preceived blow out. Perhaps we let Sacred Heart linger a little too long but that doesn't negate an awsome performance by Jonathan Hurt and our O-line. From what I hear our D-Line was dominant and our Linebacking core played very well.

Do we have some issues that require addressing? Absolutely. We have some young D-backs and Receiviers who played young. We have a QB who historically starts slow. Then again he was playing in a named storm so maybe he gets just a tiny pass. for Saturday. All of this and we still beat our opponent by double digits. I'll take that everytime.

Hey, if Lafayette drops one to Bucknell next week I will be the first to say expecatations are not being met. In the mean I will not shed any tears for an 11 point win. GO PARDS!

[Dane96]

Your comments are pretty much on point. Lafayette won...and that is what good teams do when they are playing bad. Games like that make seasons.

I forsee no problems for Lafayette, and even Lehigh, after their mild hiccups, which ended in victory thankfully for the Pard faithful.

[colgate13]

Patriot outlook looking dim right now. Will the NEC pass this conference?

Very possible when one looks at our bottom teams. If not this year, then soon. I also think for the first time in a while, Colgate/Lehigh/Lafayette are all replacing a good portion of their teams. I'm not saying it will be a down year; teams just need some time to grow. The talent is there.

[carney2]

Such hyperventilating! Time for a reality check.

THE CONTENDERS

COLGATE No surprise that they lost; no surprise (to me) that the margin was 3 scores. I guess the biggest disappointment was that the offense didn't contribute more. Still, the stats do not indicate the kind of mismatch that some people seem to be seeing. The question remains about the defensive front seven: can Dick Biddle use the next 7 weeks to make the necessary repairs and adjustments or is he attempting to make chicken soup out of chicken feathers? I cannot believe that Biddle allowed the cupboard to become completely bare, so I am betting on the former. At this point Colgate is "on schedule" and there is no reason for panic.

LAFAYETTE At times they were as advertised with big ugly bulldozers at work on offense and a quick, smothering, attacking defense. At other times, as I described elsewhere, they were just a bunch of big fat kittens. Lots of work to be done and very little time to make things happen. The 4 game Ivy stretch (Penn, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) will make or break this team. Like Colgate, there is no reason for panic and things appear to be on schedule. Still, I have a nagging concern about the way the Sacred Heart game was played. Lafayette turned it "on," then set things on "idle" for 30 minutes or so, and then turned it "on" again when they had to. It has been my experience that teams that get in the habit of playing this way find that the "on" switch ceases to function at some point.

LEHIGH Lots of people trying to turn frowns upside down over this one: "It rained." "We had some bad snaps from center." "Coen didn't turn Threatt loose." etc., etc. I suspect that this team will be 0-2 after Saturday evening at Nova and, like their arch enemies from Easton, will be looking at a stretch against Ivy opponents (Princeton and Harvard) to get the ship righted before things get ugly. Like the other two contenders, "panic" is not a term that comes to mind here, but, of the 3, Lehigh has the most cause for "concern." At the very least, Lehigh fans become the 1st of the 3 to start thinking that maybe they need to win the PL championship to make the playoffs because a loss like this isn't going to buy them any points with the selection committee.

THE PRETENDERS

FORDHAM A real clunker, and "panic" does come to mind here. It's not the loss so much as the way that they lost. They were dominated. I wish that I had something good to say, but nothing comes to mind. Still, ya gotta believe that this team will be better than last year. (It's almost a "how could they not?!!) Back to reality however: after this debacle the suspicion is that a sleeper/contender they aint.

GEORGETOWN "New coach; same old Georgetown." You can hear the chant already. Probably Kelly gets a pass here, but, on paper, this was a winnable game and a chance to make a statement. At the very least it was a missed opportunity and leads to even more questions.

HOLY CROSS This one surprised the bejusus out of me. Maybe they are not such a one year wonder after all. This was a two touchdown win on the road against a team that many on this board think is on the upswing. Yet another team that will prove itself - or not - against some Ivy foes (Harvard, Brown and Dartmouth), but the rest of the early schedule (Northeastern, Marist and now Fordham) looks quite doable. Perhaps the League sleeper has surfaced?

BUCKNELL Oh ye of little faith, read it and weep. Most of the "knowledgeable" prognosticators saw this as the opening of yet another miserable campaign for the Bison. Overtime, luck, whatever notwithstanding, this was probably the brightest spot of the weekend for the Patriot League. This does not mean that the Bison are a contender or even that they should be given a shot this weekend vs. Lafayette. Still, indications are that the nightmare may have ended and the rest of the League should be on their guard.

[DFW HOYA]

GEORGETOWN "New coach; same old Georgetown." You can hear the chant already. Probably Kelly gets a pass here, but, on paper, this was a winnable game and a chance to make a statement. At the very least it was a missed opportunity and leads to even more questions.

"Even more questions"? It's the same answer that took years off of Bob Benson's career--no depth, especially in the backfield. Hoyas rushed for only 108 yards last year against Holy Cross, this year, 83.

On paper, this was a closer game, but Holy Cross basically won this game in the second quarter by shutting down Georgetown's entire offense--six straight three and out series. That's a by-product of a program that can't afford to recruit for depth. (And you can't win a lot of games going 12 straight games over two years without points in the first quarter, either).

And when Stony Brook comes to town next week with its 24 scholarships, well...

[colgate13]

Regarding Lehigh, I think it's also time that we (PL and the rest of I-AA) start giving the NEC their due. This conference is not the same one of 2000. The 'mid-major' label is woefully inappropriate. This is just another I-AA conference, top to bottom on par with the PL and, by extension, the Ivy, the OVC, the MEAC, etc.

[carney2]

"Even more questions"? It's the same answer that took years off of Bob Benson's career--no depth, especially in the backfield. Hoyas rushed for only 108 yards last year against Holy Cross, this year, 83.

All true. It boils down to 4 words: "Lack of institutional support."

On the other hand, the Hoyas were up against the only other ship in the Patriot League's self inflicted Have Not Navy. (Indications are that Fordham and Bucknell have gotten the message, but results, of course, are not instantaneous.) As I said, a missed opportunity.

[DFW HOYA]

All true. It boils down to 4 words: "Lack of institutional support."

Here I would disagree. That phrase suggests an institutional decision not to support football, which is not the case. I feel the school supports football, but it is a lack of institutional resources that plays into the budget.

And if Georgetown was to spend at PL levels, where would the money come from? (PL TV rights? :eyebrow: ) On the other hand, no PL school expects its alumni to foot the bill for financial aid each and every year, and that's what could await Georgetown if the PL schools push for full scholarships.

[carney2]

Here I would disagree. That phrase suggests an institutional decision not to support football, which is not the case. I feel the school supports football, but it is a lack of institutional resources that plays into the budget.

And if Georgetown was to spend at PL levels, where would the money come from? (PL TV rights? :eyebrow: ) On the other hand, no PL school expects its alumni to foot the bill for financial aid each and every year, and that's what could await Georgetown if the PL schools push for full scholarships.

You're closer to it than I. Let me rephrase. Instead of

"lack of institutional support"

substitute

"institutional indifference"

because, in the end, it comes down to priorities. At Georgetown everything revolves around the men's basketball program. To one degree or another, all of the other athletic programs are merely "student activities" by comparison.

[ngineer]

Such hyperventilating! Time for a reality check.

THE CONTENDERS

COLGATE No surprise that they lost; no surprise (to me) that the margin was 3 scores. I guess the biggest disappointment was that the offense didn't contribute more. Still, the stats do not indicate the kind of mismatch that some people seem to be seeing. The question remains about the defensive front seven: can Dick Biddle use the next 7 weeks to make the necessary repairs and adjustments or is he attempting to make chicken soup out of chicken feathers? I cannot believe that Biddle allowed the cupboard to become completely bare, so I am betting on the former. At this point Colgate is "on schedule" and there is no reason for panic.

LAFAYETTE At times they were as advertised with big ugly bulldozers at work on offense and a quick, smothering, attacking defense. At other times, as I described elsewhere, they were just a bunch of big fat kittens. Lots of work to be done and very little time to make things happen. The 4 game Ivy stretch (Penn, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) will make or break this team. Like Colgate, there is no reason for panic and things appear to be on schedule. Still, I have a nagging concern about the way the Sacred Heart game was played. Lafayette turned it "on," then set things on "idle" for 30 minutes or so, and then turned it "on" again when they had to. It has been my experience that teams that get in the habit of playing this way find that the "on" switch ceases to function at some point.

LEHIGH Lots of people trying to turn frowns upside down over this one: "It rained." "We had some bad snaps from center." "Coen didn't turn Threatt loose." etc., etc. I suspect that this team will be 0-2 after Saturday evening at Nova and, like their arch enemies from Easton, will be looking at a stretch against Ivy opponents (Princeton and Harvard) to get the ship righted before things get ugly. Like the other two contenders, "panic" is not a term that comes to mind here, but, of the 3, Lehigh has the most cause for "concern." At the very least, Lehigh fans become the 1st of the 3 to start thinking that maybe they need to win the PL championship to make the playoffs because a loss like this isn't going to buy them any points with the selection committee.

THE PRETENDERS

FORDHAM A real clunker, and "panic" does come to mind here. It's not the loss so much as the way that they lost. They were dominated. I wish that I had something good to say, but nothing comes to mind. Still, ya gotta believe that this team will be better than last year. (It's almost a "how could they not?!!) Back to reality however: after this debacle the suspicion is that a sleeper/contender they aint.

GEORGETOWN "New coach; same old Georgetown." You can hear the chant already. Probably Kelly gets a pass here, but, on paper, this was a winnable game and a chance to make a statement. At the very least it was a missed opportunity and leads to even more questions.

HOLY CROSS This one surprised the bejusus out of me. Maybe they are not such a one year wonder after all. This was a two touchdown win on the road against a team that many on this board think is on the upswing. Yet another team that will prove itself - or not - against some Ivy foes (Harvard, Brown and Dartmouth), but the rest of the early schedule (Northeastern, Marist and now Fordham) looks quite doable. Perhaps the League sleeper has surfaced?

BUCKNELL Oh ye of little faith, read it and weep. Most of the "knowledgeable" prognosticators saw this as the opening of yet another miserable campaign for the Bison. Overtime, luck, whatever notwithstanding, this was probably the brightest spot of the weekend for the Patriot League. This does not mean that the Bison are a contender or even that they should be given a shot this weekend vs. Lafayette. Still, indications are that the nightmare may have ended and the rest of the League should be on their guard.

Pretty good observations. However, the Albany loss may not look so bad in November if Albany goes on to knock off a few of their other tough OOC's and runs away with the NEC. It will mean they are for real and everyone is taking the top line of the NEC too lightly anymore. Things have changed mightily in five years. At the same time, I fully agree that the loss does put more 'pressure' on Lehigh to win at least 3 of the remaining OOC's (Villanova, Princeton, Harvard, and Yale) which are all formidable opponents. And winning only 3 of those four without winning the PL outright will certainly have the Mountain Hawks poised on another bubble on November 19.

[Pard4Life]

True the NEC is up and coming and they do deserve more looks nowadays then five years ago. But shouldn't NEC scholarships vs. PL need-aid still be tilted in favor of the PL? Our schools are very reputable academically and have had history of playoff success, not to mention solid coaching staffs and facilities. Then again I could be on dope here and kids are just looknig for a free-ride and play some football, regardless of the program. I hope this forces to PL to go scholarship by 2009.

[ngineer]

True the NEC is up and coming and they do deserve more looks nowadays then five years ago. But shouldn't NEC scholarships vs. PL need-aid still be tilted in favor of the PL? Our schools are very reputable academically and have had history of playoff success, not to mention solid coaching staffs and facilities. Then again I could be on dope here and kids are just looknig for a free-ride and play some football, regardless of the program. I hope this forces to PL to go scholarship by 2009.

I agree--but it's going to be up to the League's presidents, and I'm not so sure the commitment is there for that. It's all in how they perceive such a change in 'philosophy' impacting their institutions from an academic standpoint as well as making them more available to the 'middle class' student. I think the experience at Lehigh with the wrestling team shows that scholarships actually improved the academic profile of the team. Approx. 60% of the wrestlers had 3.0 grades or better last year--and to me, that is the most difficult sport to succeed in and have good grades.

[Pard4Life]

[/B]

I agree--but it's going to be up to the League's presidents, and I'm not so sure the commitment is there for that. It's all in how they perceive such a change in 'philosophy' impacting their institutions from an academic standpoint as well as making them more available to the 'middle class' student. I think the experience at Lehigh with the wrestling team shows that scholarships actually improved the academic profile of the team. Approx. 60% of the wrestlers had 3.0 grades or better last year--and to me, that is the most difficult sport to succeed in and have good grades.

Improving our athletic academic profile through scholarships is the goal of our new basketball, soccer, and field hockey model. If those are successful, it is going to be hard for Lafayette to oppose the program for football... outside of cost. Anyhow, we already give above 50 equivalencies for football. We were giving 12 for basketball.. and that's what the fuss there was about. Weiss is reasonable.. he might see the evidence.. Chopp likely will, Bucknell.. duh, Lehigh logically should, and Fordham as well. Holy Cross would be the only hold-out, based upon past discussions.. this sounds like treading old tracks anyhow..

[ngineer]

Improving our athletic academic profile through scholarships is the goal of our new basketball, soccer, and field hockey model. If those are successful, it is going to be hard for Lafayette to oppose the program for football... outside of cost. Anyhow, we already give above 50 equivalencies for football. We were giving 12 for basketball.. and that's what the fuss there was about. Weiss is reasonable.. he might see the evidence.. Chopp likely will, Bucknell.. duh, Lehigh logically should, and Fordham as well. Holy Cross would be the only hold-out, based upon past discussions.. this sounds like treading old tracks anyhow..

Considering HC's success of the 1980's while scholarship, I'd think their alums would push for it. Our new prez is somewhat of an unknown in her views on athletics. Having come from MIT some are concerned she may not have them on sufficiently high enough priority in the overall scheme, but that is just speculation. She also is a grad of Stanford, which certainly has shown superior academics and full scholarship athletics can go hand in hand. I expect some kind of 'paper' or article by her in the next month or two that will outline her focus and priorities for the coming years. However, if Colgate and Lafayette are strong proponents, then I think the odds would certainly favor us following suit.

[Pard4Life]

Considering HC's success of the 1980's while scholarship, I'd think their alums would push for it. Our new prez is somewhat of an unknown in her views on athletics. Having come from MIT some are concerned she may not have them on sufficiently high enough priority in the overall scheme, but that is just speculation. She also is a grad of Stanford, which certainly has shown superior academics and full scholarship athletics can go hand in hand. I expect some kind of 'paper' or article by her in the next month or two that will outline her focus and priorities for the coming years. However, if Colgate and Lafayette are strong proponents, then I think the odds would certainly favor us following suit.

Yes, we will see... Weiss is going to be releasing his mission statement sometime soon, and this will definetely include athletics. He came from Johns Hopkins, D3 and like MIT, but he was undergraduate at GWU, and I believe he even played HS football.. but we will see how this fits into his larger scheme..

[bison137]

BUCKNELL Oh ye of little faith, read it and weep. Most of the "knowledgeable" prognosticators saw this as the opening of yet another miserable campaign for the Bison. Overtime, luck, whatever notwithstanding, this was probably the brightest spot of the weekend for the Patriot League. This does not mean that the Bison are a contender or even that they should be given a shot this weekend vs. Lafayette. Still, indications are that the nightmare may have ended and the rest of the League should be on their guard.

"yet another miserable campaign for the Bison"

"the nightmare may have ended"

I think you're getting a bit carried away. Yes, the Bison 2005 season was injury-riddled and far from good, but they have never been a doormat in the PL, even in recent years. Far from it. For example:

1. The Bison finished 3rd in the PL in 2004 and beat Colgate 42-7.

2. In 2003 and 2004, they had winning PL seasons both years and a better PL record than Lafayette for the period. They also had winning overall records both of those years as well. In fact for this recent two-year period (2003-04) the Bison had the third best record in the Patriot League.

3. In the 10-year period from 1995-04, they easily had the third best record in the Patriot League (33-28), even with an 0-7 year (see below).

4. Before last year, when they lost all of their QB's in the first few weeks and fell apart, the only bad PL year the Bison had had in more than a decade was in 2002 when one of the best coaches in PL history (Tom Gadd) tragically was diagnosed with brain cancer and was unable to coach the team. They had no-one who could replace Gadd and stumbled to an 0-7 PL record.

5. Going into last year, the Bison had enough talent and respect from the league to be picked for middle-of-the-pack in the preseason poll.

No, the Bison have not been a PL powerhouse since the 1995-97 years, when they were clearly the league's top team. But, with the exception of last year, they have been pretty good.

[carney2]

This whole PL football scholarship thing is like a piece of paper floating in the sea during a hurricane: up, down, sideways, submerged, wind blown,... Yoiks! Colgate 13, a big proponent of football grants, said a few months ago that he expected it to happen by 2010. Now he says that if it isn't done in two years or less the Raiders should take their ball and leave. Let's have a review here. This is what I think that we "know:"

WHO'S IN; WHO'S OUT

As close to "in" as you can get: Colgate, Lafayette
Probably "in:" Bucknell, Fordham, Lehigh
Probably "out:" Holy Cross
Who Knows: Georgetown

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION?

Not as much as some might think. Remember, four of the schools (Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette and Lehigh) are already offering 50+ equivalencies, and Bucknell will probably join that group sooner rather than later. What you add to the mix are kids who, for ego or whatever reasons, want a football scholarship, and some kids from more well to do families who may not qualify for a full "need based" equivalency. (Even the "wealthy" will admit that FREE is their favorite price.) In addition, the League would have the perception of having moved to a higher level of competition by joining the scholarship ranks. This might prove attractive to some.

On the flip side you need to bear in mind that the League will not be lowering its academic standards. State universities, for example, will still have a larger pool of potential recruits because of this. In addition, a kid focusing on academics may still choose an Ivy equivalency over a PL scholarship because of the name recognition.

In summary I think that we can conclude that neither the pool of recruits nor the athletic abilities of the scholarship students, although somewhat improved, will be light years beyond what we are seeing today.

WHAT IS THE UP SIDE?

Right now the Patriot League has only 5 all sport members (Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh) that play I-AA football. Fordham and Georgetown are football only associates and, having only a limited commitment, cannot be counted on in the long run. The League needs to expand. The most obvious candidates (Richmond, Villanova, (fill in the blank) are playing in scholarship conferences and have shown no interest in moving to an "equivalency" situation. In short, PL football needs the scholarships to move forward and stave off some dire consequences. "Cost" should not be a major factor because the football grants would, for the most part, merely replace the equivalencies for the schools mentioned above.

That's a starter kit. Can anyone add to this?

[Pard4Life]

"yet another miserable campaign for the Bison"

"the nightmare may have ended"

I think you're getting a bit carried away. Yes, the Bison 2005 season was injury-riddled and far from good, but they have never been a doormat in the PL, even in recent years. Far from it. For example:

1. The Bison finished 3rd in the PL in 2004 and beat Colgate 42-7.

2. In 2003 and 2004, they had winning PL seasons both years and a better PL record than Lafayette for the period. They also had winning overall records both of those years as well. In fact for this recent two-year period (2003-04) the Bison had the third best record in the Patriot League.

3. In the 10-year period from 1995-04, they easily had the third best record in the Patriot League (33-28), even with an 0-7 year (see below).

4. Before last year, when they lost all of their QB's in the first few weeks and fell apart, the only bad PL year the Bison had had in more than a decade was in 2002 when one of the best coaches in PL history (Tom Gadd) tragically was diagnosed with brain cancer and was unable to coach the team. They had no-one who could replace Gadd and stumbled to an 0-7 PL record.

5. Going into last year, the Bison had enough talent and respect from the league to be picked for middle-of-the-pack in the preseason poll.

No, the Bison have not been a PL powerhouse since the 1995-97 years, when they were clearly the league's top team. But, with the exception of last year, they have been pretty good.

You are right, Bucknell has been far from a league doormat and were a few plays away from winning a share of the PL and maybe even taking an at-large bid.

Can't speak for carney, but I can see why he would think Bucknell to be down and out in the PL... Lafayette has routinely beat BU... going back to 2002.. even in 2001, Bucknell only secured the win in the final minute, 17-16 I believe.

[Pard4Life]

This whole PL football scholarship thing is like a piece of paper floating in the sea during a hurricane: up, down, sideways, submerged, wind blown,... Yoiks! Colgate 13, a big proponent of football grants, said a few months ago that he expected it to happen by 2010. Now he says that if it isn't done in two years or less the Raiders should take their ball and leave. Let's have a review here. This is what I think that we "know:"

WHO'S IN; WHO'S OUT

As close to "in" as you can get: Colgate, Lafayette
Probably "in:" Bucknell, Fordham, Lehigh
Probably "out:" Holy Cross
Who Knows: Georgetown

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION?

Not as much as some might think. Remember, four of the schools (Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette and Lehigh) are already offering 50+ equivalencies, and Bucknell will probably join that group sooner rather than later. What you add to the mix are kids who, for ego or whatever reasons, want a football scholarship, and some kids from more well to do families who may not qualify for a full "need based" equivalency. (Even the "wealthy" will admit that FREE is their favorite price.) In addition, the League would have the perception of having moved to a higher level of competition by joining the scholarship ranks. This might prove attractive to some.

On the flip side you need to bear in mind that the League will not be lowering its academic standards. State universities, for example, will still have a larger pool of potential recruits because of this. In addition, a kid focusing on academics may still choose an Ivy equivalency over a PL scholarship because of the name recognition.

In summary I think that we can conclude that neither the pool of recruits nor the athletic abilities of the scholarship students, although somewhat improved, will be light years beyond what we are seeing today.

WHAT IS THE UP SIDE?

Right now the Patriot League has only 5 all sport members (Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh) that play I-AA football. Fordham and Georgetown are football only associates and, having only a limited commitment, cannot be counted on in the long run. The League needs to expand. The most obvious candidates (Richmond, Villanova, (fill in the blank) are playing in scholarship conferences and have shown no interest in moving to an "equivalency" situation. In short, PL football needs the scholarships to move forward and stave off some dire consequences. "Cost" should not be a major factor because the football grants would, for the most part, merely replace the equivalencies for the schools mentioned above.

That's a starter kit. Can anyone add to this?

I think all of that has been covered before, plus much more. However.. good review.. Richmond voted on the PL in 2004 and rejected it by a substantial margin.

[Go...gate]

Settle down, guys. I take full responsibility for this fiasco. I traveled out of town for one weekend to a I-A game, and - well, you see the results. I've learned my lesson and vow to not leave things in the hands of incompetents again this season. Are ya listening cosmo, P4L, Andy; stay calm, LFN, ngineer; don't panic, 13, Go...gate; don't know what to say, DFW, LB Pop.

Anyway, I'm back and things will get better. I promise.

Just don't let it happen again. :)

[carney2]

Can't speak for carney, but I can see why he would think Bucknell to be down and out in the PL...

Apologies to Bison faithful and anyone else who read my few poorly chosen words about Bucknell after Saturday's opening games. Who knows why someone jams a foot in his mouth, but I believe that I was reacting to the oft-stated opinion at this site that Bucknell would once again occupy the PL basement in 2006. This is an opinion, by the way, that I do not share and have stated so more than once. One more time: I don't understand how a team that was considered Lafayette's equal as an "up and comer" only one or, at most, two years ago can now be relegated to the bottom of the heap simply because they lost every available QB in 2005 and were forced to play most of the year with a DB under center.

As some famous American once said, "If yas aint got good English yas shoud keep your opinion to yourselfs." A lesson that I obviously have not learned.

[Pard4Life]

Apologies to Bison faithful and anyone else who read my few poorly chosen words about Bucknell after Saturday's opening games. Who knows why someone jams a foot in his mouth, but I believe that I was reacting to the oft-stated opinion at this site that Bucknell would once again occupy the PL basement in 2006. This is an opinion, by the way, that I do not share and have stated so more than once. One more time: I don't understand how a team that was considered Lafayette's equal as an "up and comer" only one or, at most, two years ago can now be relegated to the bottom of the heap simply because they lost every available QB in 2005 and were forced to play most of the year with a DB under center.

As some famous American once said, "If yas aint got good English yas shoud keep your opinion to yourselfs." A lesson that I obviously have not learned.

If this was last season, perhaps I could chip in my :twocents: . Alas, I cannot recall BU's demise off hand. The QB situation played a large role obviously. They played some really close games but came up short. I know recruiting has played a role as well... BU doesn't seem to piece together balanced classes... as noted by others, they bring in a slew of RBs. And some their recruits just don't seem impressive.

Perhaps Bison137 can comment.. it's good to have regular BU poster here..

On a side note... just read admission to the BU game Saturday is free due to community day activities! I guess that is why they moved it from 1pm to 7pm. Still a poor move though as Tavani has noted. Sadly I will be watching on TV... much too late of a drive.. :mad:

[LBPop]

I've been catching up with this thread and this is my first chance to put in my :twocents: as my cable company (the lovely and talented Comcast) can't get to the house to repair my service until the next leap year. So, I have to do it from work and rip off my generous employer.:D

I am a big DFW fan, but he knows that while I lament the lack of cash available to the Hoya football program, I assign only a small percentage of their poor performance to that issue. I was at the game on Saturday and here are my impressions:

Holy Cross has some quality skill players and a big line. They were forced to convert several third & longs and the QBs (starter and #2) completed a bunch of balls with hands in their face or shoulder pads in their gut. And their receivers held on. It's a long season, but given this weekend's results, I would be surprised if they don't ruin a few other Saturdays for other PL teams this year.
Holy Cross tried to run. I believe that they believed that they could run over the Hoyas. Didn't happen. Credit to the Crusaders for succeeding with "Plan B" and credit to the Hoyas for being much tougher than expected.
Georgetown scored only twice, but they earned each one and while I become almost physically ill when I see the QB in shotgun formation, this offense looked capable of moving the ball. Put the statistics in a can...I watched them play, I know a little ball, this is not the Georgetown of the past few years.
The Hoyas made a bunch of silly mistakes and blew some phenomenal opportunities. They have talent, but they simply made more mistakes and fewer plays than Holy Cross. But borrowing an excellent observation on the Hoyatalk Board, these guys showed a much higher "football IQ" than in recent years.
Sure, this sounds like a lot of "woulda', coulda', shoulda'." I am the first to say. "Shut up and win." The Hoyas lost and Holy Cross won. They both got what they deserved.I will conclude with an observation about Saturday's Hoyas vs. the past three editions. When Georgetown lost in '03, '04 and '05, we parents and friends would gather at the gate, see our sons and their teammates as they strolled off the field and visit for a while consoling them. The 2006 Hoyas were led immediately out the gate, up the hill and into the locker room. No Mommies and Daddies, no pats on their little heads--just get your butts off the field, into your workplace and fix what's broken. I liked Coach Benson--heck, I supported my son playing for him, but there is a different feeling on the Hilltop this year. Coach Kelly is the real deal and I'm glad my kid is playing for him.

[bison137]

If this was last season, perhaps I could chip in my :twocents: . Alas, I cannot recall BU's demise off hand. The QB situation played a large role obviously. They played some really close games but came up short. I know recruiting has played a role as well... BU doesn't seem to piece together balanced classes... as noted by others, they bring in a slew of RBs. And some their recruits just don't seem impressive.

Perhaps Bison137 can comment.. it's good to have regular BU poster here..

On a side note... just read admission to the BU game Saturday is free due to community day activities! I guess that is why they moved it from 1pm to 7pm. Still a poor move though as Tavani has noted. Sadly I will be watching on TV... much too late of a drive.. :mad:



Just my opinion, but I think this year's Bison recruiting class is very good - four frosh started in Week 1 and I wouldn't be surprised to see two more start fairly soon. It could have been better but Duquesne stole our best OL prospect shortly before pre-season and he started for them in Week 1.

As for the numbers, I just took a look at the depth chart as of Week 1. Of the 36 incoming freshmen (including Lair who technically is a soph because he was enrolled for second semester last year):

QB - 3
RB - 6
FB - 1
OL - 6
TE - 1
WR - 3

DL - 6
LB - 4
DB - 6

(note: this includes recruited OL who switched to Duquesne in August)

Given that we start three RB's ( 2 SB's and 1 FB) in the option, I don't think seven out of 36 recruits at that position is too far out of line. More importantly, of the 19 recruits who I would consider high quality based on their performance so far, their high school credentials, and a few discussions with people, this is how the positional breakdown looks:

QB - 2
RB - 2
FB -1
OL - 3
WR - 1

DL - 5
LB - 2
CB - 2
S - 1

Although I'd like to see another player or two on the OL, it looks fairly balanced to me.

One question - I'm confused about the comment about the change in game time. When did you learn about the 7 PM time? I know it has been listed as a 7 PM game on our site since at least the spring. For the last few years, all Bucknell home games in September and early October have had 7 PM starts (except for one Homecoming) since they tend to draw better crowds, so it shouldn't have been a big surprise.

[cosmo here]

Royce Morgan is now on the Lehigh roster, but isn't in the two-deep. Any info/updates from the Mountain Hawk faithful?

[Andy]

137, eight players in this year's recruiting class announcement were designated as RBs--which made eighteen in three years. Seems like a lot. What happened to NY state indoor 55 meter champ, Corin Erby? Will we see him this week?

I had read about Forcellini. He'd made a big splash with his combine-best performance last summer, some super numbers.

I have a lot of respect for Destefano's ability and we saw Kaufman's speed last year. You guys will surely have some big plays, we have to assure there are lots of plays in between, with lots of chances for turnovers. On offense we need long time consuming drives. You guys jammed the box last year and we responded with 350 passing yards. I'm not sure we're capable of matching that figure at this point. We'll see.... You guys are very young, however.

[ngineer]

Royce Morgan is now on the Lehigh roster, but isn't in the two-deep. Any info/updates from the Mountain Hawk faithful?

I hadn't heard that as of yet. Where did you see that? If so, then it appears he's caught up academically and has been reinstated. However, he wasn't allowed to practice with the team the past four weeks, so I'm sure he's not ready, either physically or mentally, to play this weekend. Especially, with a new defense being installed this year, he'll likely need a few practices to acclimate to the new schemes. At the same time, as a DT, it would seem there isn't a whole heck of a lot to know other that beating the guy's butt across from you, look into the backfield and attack. So it's probably more a factor of getting 'football tough' from hitting before we see him. Whether that can be done in this week's practice to see time at Villanova remains to be seen. But I'd certainly look to see him by Princeton.

[DFW HOYA]

I don't disagree with LBPop's points above--after all, he's seeing these games first hand and I'm watching it from a computer monitor 1200 miles to the west.

My previous point, which may not have been articulated all that well, revolves around the concept that the difference between winning and losing teams is often at the margins, and that the right players at the right positions can really elevate a team. In this area, TCU is a good example of this--they don't have Top 20 talent per se, but they have the right pieces in place to be a Top 20 team.

Georgetown has traditionally lacked true impact players at RB and WR, with Luke McArdle having been an anomaly in this example. This is where building up equivalencies could make a big difference in bringing the Hoya offense up to par with a defense that can already compete with any other PL team. But with what they have right now, scoring from 10-13 points a game is not enough to contend week in and week out.

Being cash poor certainly does not excuse the mistakes of last week's game, and this will be a much better team going forward. Giving Kevin Kelly better financial tools to be successful, however, would do wonders for the W/L record and elevate Georgetown from the PL's most ignored team to a legitimate league contender. And if Georgetown ever had the financial resources in football that Colgate or Lehigh had, watch out.

[cosmo here]

I hadn't heard that as of yet. Where did you see that?

he's on the roster in Lehigh's game notes this week, where he wasn't listed last week.

[bison137]

137, eight players in this year's recruiting class announcement were designated as RBs--which made eighteen in three years. Seems like a lot. What happened to NY state indoor 55 meter champ, Corin Erby? Will we see him this week?

I had read about Forcellini. He'd made a big splash with his combine-best performance last summer, some super numbers.

I have a lot of respect for Destefano's ability and we saw Kaufman's speed last year. You guys will surely have some big plays, we have to assure there are lots of plays in between, with lots of chances for turnovers. On offense we need long time consuming drives. You guys jammed the box last year and we responded with 350 passing yards. I'm not sure we're capable of matching that figure at this point. We'll see.... You guys are very young, however.


1. There were 8 RB's on last year's list but one (Jason Davis) is really a kick returner and CB. He may start at CB this week.

2. Of the eighteen RB's over the three year period, I would guess that five or six weren't heavily recruited and received little or no football-related aid.

3. Erby is a junior but is not one of the top 6 RB's.

4. Kaufman is good but he has already lost his starting job to frosh Rashod Bumpers, who carried 9 times for 126 yds last week and also caught one pass for 33 yards.

5. DeStefano is very good but he is already being pressed for time by Forcellini, who had 10 carries for 71 yards last week. This position is a very deep one for us - Kadero Watson, who led the team's RB's in yardage last year as a frosh, has also lost his starting job, in this case to a RB who sat out last year.


Regarding this week's game, from a Bison perspective, I think there are two keys that will determine if we make it a close game:

1. Can our young, small DL hold its own against your huge OL and not force our LB's, who are very good, to exclusively play the run, which will then lead to big passing yards?

2. Will Andrew Lair be able to start and play effectively at QB? He gives us much more of a passing threat.

[ngineer]

he's on the roster in Lehigh's game notes this week, where he wasn't listed last week.

Gotcha--I went back and compared with the Albany 'notes' and also saw that under 'familiar faces' that they mentioned Fay and Morgan whereas last week it was just about Fay. It will take a little time for Royce to get back to 'football shape' , though I'm sure he's been working out on his own, he wasn't allowed to practice with the team for the past four weeks. Depending on how 'deep' we are on the DL would depnd on whether he sees any action at Villanova. I would tend to doubt it. I haven't heard anything about this, so this may be all speculation. However, his return, even on the sideline for now, will surely be a psychological boost and help to some of the inexperienced guys currently manning the walls.

[Pard4Life]

Bison - the start time for this week was listed as 1pm since it was first posted.. until the summer, when it was changed. It was also listed as 1pm on the PL site and some other places I believe.

[LUHawker]

Gotcha--I went back and compared with the Albany 'notes' and also saw that under 'familiar faces' that they mentioned Fay and Morgan whereas last week it was just about Fay. It will take a little time for Royce to get back to 'football shape' , though I'm sure he's been working out on his own, he wasn't allowed to practice with the team for the past four weeks. Depending on how 'deep' we are on the DL would depnd on whether he sees any action at Villanova. I would tend to doubt it. I haven't heard anything about this, so this may be all speculation. However, his return, even on the sideline for now, will surely be a psychological boost and help to some of the inexperienced guys currently manning the walls.

Royce is a fifth year senior, I believe. While he may have a little rust, I think his natural ability and experience will translate into some game time for him against Villanova.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Gotcha--I went back and compared with the Albany 'notes' and also saw that under 'familiar faces' that they mentioned Fay and Morgan whereas last week it was just about Fay. It will take a little time for Royce to get back to 'football shape' , though I'm sure he's been working out on his own, he wasn't allowed to practice with the team for the past four weeks. Depending on how 'deep' we are on the DL would depnd on whether he sees any action at Villanova. I would tend to doubt it. I haven't heard anything about this, so this may be all speculation. However, his return, even on the sideline for now, will surely be a psychological boost and help to some of the inexperienced guys currently manning the walls.

Thomas last weekend was "out", yet he still played against Albany. I wonder if we'll see the same type of thing with Morgan? Start Brian Jackson the first series, and... then trot out Royce?

It would be an interesting story since it was in 2004 when Royce got hurt against Villanova (with a chop block, if memory serves me right). Would be nice to see him get some redemption with some plays, if not a whole game, versus the Wildcats. The Wildcats are the reason he's with us now.

[bison137]

Bison - the start time for this week was listed as 1pm since it was first posted.. until the summer, when it was changed. It was also listed as 1pm on the PL site and some other places I believe.

I really didn't look at our schedule closely until the latter part of June. At that time, our site showed it as a 7 PM start but it's impossible to track the chronology as far as when the 7 PM time was posted. The earliest reference to 2006 game times that I can find is our July 6th press release, which has the start time as 7 PM. I do know that someone told me at the end of May that we were opening with three home night games. When did your site and/or the PL site first show the 7 PM start?

There may have been some miscommunication somewhere along the line because I'm pretty sure we intended it to be a night game all along. All of our home games in September and early October have been night games the past three or four years.

Good luck this weekend. I'm hoping for a close game.

[Pard4Life]

I really didn't look at our schedule closely until the latter part of June. At that time, our site showed it as a 7 PM start but it's impossible to track the chronology as far as when the 7 PM time was posted. The earliest reference to 2006 game times that I can find is our July 6th press release, which has the start time as 7 PM. I do know that someone told me at the end of May that we were opening with three home night games. When did your site and/or the PL site first show the 7 PM start?

There may have been some miscommunication somewhere along the line because I'm pretty sure we intended it to be a night game all along. All of our home games in September and early October have been night games the past three or four years.

Good luck this weekend. I'm hoping for a close game.

I do remember that conflict.. Bucknell had it at 7pm and we had it at 1pm. And then we changed it to 7pm on our site during the summer. Regardless, it should be a good game... another close one.