CSN 2011 Preview: Northeast Conference

[Lehigh Football Nation]

This came out a while ago, but I thought I'd share this preview of the Northeast Conference on College Sporting News:

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?503-2011-FCS-Season-Preview-Northeast-Conference

No repeat for RMU?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

This came out a while ago, but I thought I'd share this preview of the Northeast Conference on College Sporting News:

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?503-2011-FCS-Season-Preview-Northeast-Conference

No repeat for RMU?

Excellent. Thanks a lot LFN.

[danefan]

Thanks for posting.

I see the league shaping up as follows:

1. Albany
2. Bryant
3. CCSU
4. Duquesne
5. RMU
6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
7. Wagner
8. Monmouth
9. Sacred Heart Pioneers

Big turnaround for St. Francis this year. Dare I say even a .500 season?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Thanks for posting.

I see the league shaping up as follows:

1. Albany
2. Bryant
3. CCSU
4. Duquesne
5. RMU
6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
7. Wagner
8. Monmouth
9. Sacred Heart Pioneers

Big turnaround for St. Francis this year. Dare I say even a .500 season?

Real surprised you have Monmouth 8th, behind Wagner and St. Francis. But I share your bullishness about Albany. If they weren't travelling to Arute Field this year I think I would have picked them as champions.

[danefan]

In all honesty 5 through 9 could go in any order this year. The depth isn't there for those squads so one injury could ruin the entire season.

As far as Albany goes, the emergence of Buddy Leathely at QB is the key factor. We were one fumble away from beating CCSU last year with a severely beat up team.

They made some significant offensive strategy adjustments in the Spring to get the three key guys on the field at once (Leathey, Drew Smith and Dillon Romain). Last year Romain and Smith really just rotated. This year they'll play off each other more.

Romain is the guy to watch out for now. You may remember he was the NJ Gatorade Player of the Year in 2008 out of Don Bosco. Went to Prep School (Blair Academy) and ended with an offer to Montana. He chose Albany in a coup of sorts and really had a good freshman year after settling in. After a year of college conditioning I'm expecting a huge season out of him.

[aceinthehole]

Big turnaround for St. Francis this year. Dare I say even a .500 season?

I love St. Francis, but I've learned my lesson with them too many times. They don't win more than 3 games this year.

NEC is going to be a great race.

1) CCSU - If the D returns to form we should be fine.
2) Albany - Found their QB and is ready to win.
3) Bryant - A very good team on both sides of the ball.
4) RMU - Lots of holes to fill, but has got the swagger back.
5) Duquense - Ready to make a run at the title.
6) Monmouth - Has good talent, just not enough of it.
7) Wagner - Needs to keep recruiting playmakers to S.I.
8) SHU - Pioneers have fallen on very hard times.
9) SFPA - I hope they prove me wrong, but until then ...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Real interesting that both Ace and danefan have high expectations of Bryant. I honestly struggled to place them. In the end, I think Duquesne is better positioned than the Bulldogs, but we'll see.

Wagner, too, is a gigantic X-factor. Doscher is a player, plain and simple. I could easily see them putting it all together and making a run, yet I can also see them back floating at .500, too.

About all we agree with is that Sacred Heart will struggle with Dale Fink graduating.

[Dane96]

THIS (pointing up to Danefan's post). If we stay healthy, our O Coordinator unbunches his panties (I think he will) and we see a smidgen of growth from Leathely and Romain (expected)....then this offense could be highly, highly explosive...reminiscent of the final DII teams with Sorvino and Crew.

Romain is simply a little tug boat...smashes into people and deceptive. With Leathely's legs and a solid arm...that's another guy you have to key. And Smith...is just Smith...guy when healthy is a Top Tier FCS player. Teams will not be able to stack the box with these three (plus some solid, not spectacular receivers) in the game at once.

[Dane96]

1) CCSU - Edge for now-- Arute Field can be a tough place for anyone in the NEC
2) Albany - My worry is getting the D back on track; didnt have our swagger last year
3) Bryant - The Rocky Balboa of the league. Will fight you tooth and nail...may be the deciding factor on who wins the conference
4) Duquense- See Bryant
5) RMU- just a solid team...about a season or 2 away...but that road trip sucks and is good for a few wins on its own
6) Monmouth - too good coaching to fall any further
7) SFPA - Ultimate cocktease
8) Wagner - Again, tough squad...but not enough DEPTH
8) SHU - Wouldn't be surprised to see an o'fer

[aceinthehole]

Real interesting that both Ace and danefan have high expectations of Bryant. I honestly struggled to place them. In the end, I think Duquesne is better positioned than the Bulldogs, but we'll see.

Wagner, too, is a gigantic X-factor. Doscher is a player, plain and simple. I could easily see them putting it all together and making a run, yet I can also see them back floating at .500, too.

About all we agree with is that Sacred Heart will struggle with Dale Fink graduating.

IMO, Bryant is just a solid, solid team. No real superstar (although their RB from Conn. is very, very good). They are very well coached and play smart football.

Wagner and Dorcher are an enigmia. In one breath they could go undefeated and win the NEC, in another he can throw 33 INTs for the season.

The Dukes are good and probably have more "talent" than Bryant, but I'm not totally sold on them yet. Especially on a weekly basis. They can beat ANYONE in the league, but hey haven't been able to put togeather a nice run. I know RMU won last year, but I think the travel from Pitt puts them at a disadvantage compared to the non Western-PA members.

Yep, SHU is in real trouble without Fink.

[M Ruler]

Albany was very young last year and pissed away a chance at an 8-3 record and came in with a 6-5 record....not good by UA standards.

Albany appears to be more mature this season as well as healthy. Smith, Romain, Leathly (dont forget Booker) will be tough to defend. Dane 96 is right and a new offense could make things exciting. It will be something to see if it isint 3 yards and a cloud of dust (which I am a big fan of). I do believe they have a new scheme in place offensivly. The Albany faithful know what I am about to say next and are probably tired of hearing me say it. Thats right O LINE!!!!! Not sold on them yet. They will be back to being a bigger physical line which is commonplace for Albany teams. The last two years they were smallish and athletic. The new JUCO Center from Iowa is a player and an immediate starter. At 290lbs he is probably our biggest Center in history. Thats big for a Center. They moved our 295lbs tackles from last year inside to Guards because we have some elephants that will step in and play in the Tackle positions. Our smallest O lineman will be 6-3 and 290. The rest are 6'4-6'7 and are 295-310. THAT IS BIG PEOPLE! Now, how good are they? More important how tough/mean are they??? Remains to be seen.

If they gel we could be a force to be reckoned with. If they dont we will finish behind Central. CCSU has become our top rival. Not sure if we hate each other yet. The coaches respect each other too much to hate one another. very similar to our battles with Jim Butterfield and the Ithaca Bombers in my day. If CCSU gets one more BS call that costs us a tight game as they have in the last two seasons then the hatred will be there for sure. I believe Duquesne will challenge for 3rd.


Albany
CCSU
Duquesne

or

CCSU
Albany
Duquesne

[danefan]

Albany has a clear advantage in conference scheduling over CCSU and Bryant

Albany has only one trip to Western PA.
Bryant goes twice.
CCSU goes twice.

Those trips are brutal. You're much better off in the years you don't have to do it.

One point though is that for the first time in the DI era, Albany has no real play-up games. Maine, while in the CAA and full stocked, is tough to consider a play-up since we're 2-0 in the last two years. We should defiitely be the underdog, but playing them at home and coming off back-to-back wins doesn't carry the same weight as traveling to Montana, Georgia Southern, SFA or Delaware.

We'll see how much the weak schedule hurts or helps us.

[aceinthehole]

If they gel we could be a force to be reckoned with. If they dont we will finish behind Central. CCSU has become our top rival. Not sure if we hate each other yet. The coaches respect each other too much to hate one another. very similar to our battles with Jim Butterfield and the Ithaca Bombers in my day. If CCSU gets one more BS call that costs us a tight game as they have in the last two seasons then the hatred will be there for sure. I believe Duquesne will challenge for 3rd.

I agree. The rivalry between the 2 teams is fantastic. You are right, Coach Mac has too much respect for Ford for this ever to be a "bitter" battle, but the fans on both sides know this game, can make or break a NEC championship.

[aceinthehole]

Albany has a clear advantage in conference scheduling over CCSU and Bryant

Albany has only one trip to Western PA.
Bryant goes twice.
CCSU goes twice.

Those trips are brutal. You're much better off in the years you don't have to do it.

One point though is that for the first time in the DI era, Albany has no real play-up games. Maine, while in the CAA and full stocked, is tough to consider a play-up since we're 2-0 in the last two years. We should defiitely be the underdog, but playing them at home and coming off back-to-back wins doesn't carry the same weight as traveling to Montana, Georgia Southern, SFA or Delaware.

We'll see how much the weak schedule hurts or helps us.

Great points. I do know that the past 2 years, CCSU has gone out to Western PA a day 'early' (leave Thursday, instead of Friday) to be better rested and prepared. It's an extra night stay and costs more, but the Coach feels its well worth it.

And CCSU's non-conf is pretty brutal, so I don't know if that helps or hurts. After opening at home vs a perennial D-II playoff team in Southern Conn, we travel down to open JMU's new stadium. Then we have a game at UMass sandwiched between a home game vs SHU and a long trip to Duquesne. Also, CCSU's NEC is much tougher in the back end - we play at Duq, vs. UA, at SFPA, vs. RMU, and at Bryant in our final 5 games.

[danefan]

And yes PFL fans, I did say that playing a Patriot, Ivy and CAA opponent is a weak schedule, especially for us.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Heck you guys are getting me jacked up to catch some NEC games. I try and catch em' whenever I can and watched a few games over the last couple of years. Saw CCSU play Lehigh and both looked pretty good. Anybody know if any of these games are gonna be available via internet? I don't have E3 here.

[Dane96]

Yeah...they should be. Most of the games are streamed live. Would love a return trip to Montana!!!

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Yeah...they should be. Most of the games are streamed live. Would love a return trip to Montana!!!

Would be really sweet to see you guys again and see the legendary Bob Ford out there doing his thing.

[blackbeard]

Hope all you are wrong about SHU. Replacing Fink is a huge hurdle but we have 14 returning starters including 4 offensive linemen. Expect a much improved defense under new DC, kids love playing for him and expect it to show on the field.

[Twentysix]

1. Albany -- Wanna be an NDSU homegame next season??? Please!!!
2. Bryant -- Need to play this school aswell
3. CCSU -- Played em
4. Duquesne -- Another home opener perhaps?
5. RMU -- Played em
6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash -- Get to play em this year I hope its more interesting that the NEC teams up to bat so far.
7. Wagner -- Played em
8. Monmouth -- Another home opener?
9. Sacred Heart Pioneers -- Another home opener?

3 down 1 in the chamber and 5 to go.

[danefan]

1. Albany -- Wanna be an NDSU homegame next season??? Please!!!
2. Bryant -- Need to play this school aswell
3. CCSU -- Played em
4. Duquesne -- Another home opener perhaps?
5. RMU -- Played em
6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash -- Get to play em this year I hope its more interesting that the NEC teams up to bat so far.
7. Wagner -- Played em
8. Monmouth -- Another home opener?
9. Sacred Heart Pioneers -- Another home opener?

3 down 1 in the chamber and 5 to go.

I don't know. I thought the NDSU-RMU playoff game was prett interesting last year.