@James Madison

[haggyland]

I'm encouraged by where this program is headed.

 

Gattuso and his staff are a perfect fit for the program and new CAA talent is showing its abilities. Yes, the defense needs to start getting more stops, but I have confidence that the defensive front four will be a priority come recruiting time.

 

Looking at the results:

1) I was going to be very surprised if we stayed within 30 of Buffalo. It was UA's first game against an 85 scholarship team (let's not forget how much progress has been made in the last fiver years), and Buffalo hired one hell of a coach by giving D3's University of Wisconsin Whitewater coach a try...he will be moving on in 2-3 years.

2) UA has already proven that there is some distance between them and the bottom of the CAA by easily handling URI at home in the monsoon. Let's not forget that only two years ago URI came to Albany and beat UA.

3) UA hung in against one of the top offenses in FCS causing six turnovers against an offense led by the former starting quarterback (and current senior) at Georgia Tech.

 

I am still waiting for UA to win one of the games the pundits and the "spread" say they are going to lose, but it could happen against Villanova at home in four weeks...I think a nice win streak is coming.

[haggyland]

And looking at the offense (which is averaging 25.7 ppg), we need to both remember and appreciate that it is scary young!

 

In terms of all-purpose yards we have (Player/Class/All-Purpose YPG):

1) Croskey/RFr./99.7

2) Alston/True Fr./58.0

3) Ibitokun-Hanks/True Fr./57.7

4) Gontarek/True So./49.0

5) Roberson/True Fr./45.3

6) Harris/RSo./25.3

7) Manzo-Lewis/True So./21.3

8) Crook/RSo./15.3

9) Merritt/RSr./14.0 (Defense)

10) Neverdon/True So./9.7

11) Cox/RFr./7.3 (Defense)

12) Clark/RJr./6.3 (Defense)

13) Lawrence/RSr./4.7

14) Sussman/True Fr./4.7

15) Crockett/RFr./3.5

16) Cooper/RSr./0.3 (Defense)

 

Upperclassmen on the offensive side of the ball have only contributed 14 yards all season for a team that is averaging 421.0 All-Purpose YPG!....while being led by a sophomore quarterback....those statistics give me crazy trust in the future!

[UAalum72]

I am still waiting for UA to win one of the games the pundits and the "spread" say they are going to lose, but it could happen against Villanova at home in four weeks...I think a nice win streak is coming.

Stony Brook beat New Hampshire 31-6 yesterday. That might change our predictions for (or both) of our last two games this season.

[GreatDanes06]

It's funny...I'm a big Tennessee fan...and the similarities to this program and their program is kinda funny.

[reeder]

I think we have very good skill players. Croskey, Hanks and Roberson will all contend for freshman/ newcomer of the year (not sure what it's called). The oline is also playing well. I think it may take a few more games by Crook will be OK, he just needs to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it's good that he threw the ball away a few times yesterday - he's had a few bad interceptions and almost interceptions because he tried to force the ball into coverage - IMO, his throwing the ball away is a sign of his maturing.

 

We need to recruit defensive lineman. I understand that they had to move one of the DE's to TE after Ketter was injured. We haven't seen Foussennie yet - he's a redshirt freshman defensive lineman and I don't think he's played at all yet, also Dudzinski is a redshirt freshman defensive lineman and I don't know that he's played yet. Coach Gattuso also happy about the two freshman defensive lineman - in the spring he said they would make an impact this season - Grogg and Griffin, but I dont think they've played yet either so I guess they're redshirting.

 

All that said, I feel like we're moving in the right direction - I didn't expect to win yesterday as JMU is just a better team,

[Dane Pound]

 

I am still waiting for UA to win one of the games the pundits and the "spread" say they are going to lose, but it could happen against Villanova at home in four weeks...I think a nice win streak is coming.

Stony Brook beat New Hampshire 31-6 yesterday. That might change our predictions for (or both) of our last two games this season.

 

Sean Goldrich was out for UNH with a high ankle sprain. They'll be a different team when we face them, assuming he's back.

[jimbo]

I forgot to mention how impressed I've been with Alston. He is one tough kid to bring down on KO returns. If he can catch out of the backfield it should be interesting. I'm looking for him to start taking some RB

snaps. I can see now why Andre Martin was moved. Croskey, Hanks and Alston all have shown more than he did in his opportunities.

[Clickclack]

I think we have very good skill players. Croskey, Hanks and Roberson will all contend for freshman/ newcomer of the year (not sure what it's called). The oline is also playing well. I think it may take a few more games by Crook will be OK, he just needs to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it's good that he threw the ball away a few times yesterday - he's had a few bad interceptions and almost interceptions because he tried to force the ball into coverage - IMO, his throwing the ball away is a sign of his maturing.

 

We need to recruit defensive lineman. I understand that they had to move one of the DE's to TE after Ketter was injured. We haven't seen Foussennie yet - he's a redshirt freshman defensive lineman and I don't think he's played at all yet, also Dudzinski is a redshirt freshman defensive lineman and I don't know that he's played yet. Coach Gattuso also happy about the two freshman defensive lineman - in the spring he said they would make an impact this season - Grogg and Griffin, but I dont think they've played yet either so I guess they're redshirting.

 

All that said, I feel like we're moving in the right direction - I didn't expect to win yesterday as JMU is just a better team,

I think it's fair to say that long term... This year and on the future is bright. Right now an insane amount of kids are getting reps. Yeah, at times its gonna look a bit ugly. We are building here and that's OK... Let them get reps in.

[Clickclack]

And looking at the offense (which is averaging 25.7 ppg), we need to both remember and appreciate that it is scary young!

 

In terms of all-purpose yards we have (Player/Class/All-Purpose YPG):

1) Croskey/RFr./99.7

2) Alston/True Fr./58.0

3) Ibitokun-Hanks/True Fr./57.7

4) Gontarek/True So./49.0

5) Roberson/True Fr./45.3

6) Harris/RSo./25.3

7) Manzo-Lewis/True So./21.3

8) Crook/RSo./15.3

9) Merritt/RSr./14.0 (Defense)

10) Neverdon/True So./9.7

11) Cox/RFr./7.3 (Defense)

12) Clark/RJr./6.3 (Defense)

13) Lawrence/RSr./4.7

14) Sussman/True Fr./4.7

15) Crockett/RFr./3.5

16) Cooper/RSr./0.3 (Defense)

 

Upperclassmen on the offensive side of the ball have only contributed 14 yards all season for a team that is averaging 421.0 All-Purpose YPG!....while being led by a sophomore quarterback....those statistics give me crazy trust in the future!

Wow... Thanks for providing this context...

[UA'08]

Lost in all this is JMU is a top 10 team!

[Patch]

NM

Edited September 26, 2015 by Patch

[Michigan_Dane]

JMU is leading SMU 17-7.

[madDOG]

Vad Lee just ran 40 yards for a TD. 24-21 JMU

Edited September 27, 2015 by madDOG

[jimbo]

I feel better about the JMU game.

[DanesRGood]

I caught the end of the game on ESPN3.com. Amazing finish for them and a great win for that program and the conference.