reeder

Brothers Hunter and Zach Verdi from Cheshire Academy- 300 pound OL and 245 LB/DL committed

http://www.hudl.com/v/12Tmsx

http://www.hudl.com/v/12U31j

Ryan Solt committed - supposedly had offers from Syracuse, Maryland and Army. His dad is a former first round NFL draft pick.

Watch this kid block - http://www.hudl.com/video/3/4846046/5819675b4ba8772eb45e8dc3

http://citizensvoice.com/sports/coughlin-s-solt-wants-to-feel-at-home-when-picking-his-school-1.2088246

http://citizensvoice.com/sports/coughlin-s-solt-picks-albany-1.2124071

Saw that the first 900 students get in free. I thought all students got in free?

Also said that Hanks has an ACL and rehab is 6-9 months

I think we need linebackers and OLine depth. I think transfers for both areas as I don't know how good the returning players are. I think Julian Cox and Eli Mencer can do the job at OLB but I'm. Ot sure who's behind them. I don't know that Thompson is the answer at MLB. On the OLine - I know everyone said they were experienced but I'm not sure how good they really were - seemed like Sussman was always running for his life.

A transfer running back would be good as well - can't have Hanks running the ball 30 times a game.

Lastly, I'm not convinced we have the right OC. Maybe getting Brunson more reps will make everyone look better.

Thanks - good to know that there's a process. It looks like it's not always followed. Was trying to learn more about this system and ran across this article from last year (from 2015)

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20151122190309255508704

New Hampshire selection doesn't add up

By CRAIG HALEY

STATS FCS Senior Editor

(STATS) - For any team that receives one of the last at-large bids in the FCS at-playoff field, there's usually a couple left on the outside feeling they have better resumes.

In New Hampshire's case Sunday, there were more than a couple, according to the NCAA's adopted Simple Ratings System.

The SRS is similar to the popular RPI rating of teams used in college basketball, a ranking system used to gauge team quality, including strength-of-measure and a win-loss differential.

Despite being designed as a tool to aid in the playoff selection (http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/simple-ratings-system), the Division I committee hasn't quite embraced the SRS since its inception in 2013, and the recurring theme has reflected poorly with New Hampshire.

Two years ago, UNH had the lowest SRS number among at-large selections at 29, and five teams with higher rankings were left out of the field. Last year, the Wildcats earned the No. 1 seed despite having the sixth-best SRS ranking.

Fortunately for veteran coach Sean McDonnell and the Wildcats, they validated themselves by advancing to the FCS national semifinals in both seasons.

But it got harder Sunday to justify the SRS or UNH's inclusion in the 24-team field for the 12th straight year - the national high. The Wildcats (7-4), who won their final four regular-season games, had an SRS ranking of 40.

There were numerous eligible playoff hopefuls ahead of UNH in the SRS which did not receive at-large bids: Western Carolina (7-4), at 25; UT Martin (7-4), 27; Towson (7-4), 29; Youngstown State (6-5), 30; Villanova (6-5), 31; Northern Arizona (7-4), 33; North Dakota (7-4), 36; Bethune-Cookman (9-2), 37; and Prairie View A&M (8-2), 39.

Towson and North Dakota were named on the FCS selection show as the final teams left out of the field. Both, like New Hampshire, beat seven Division I opponents.

Western Carolina, UT Martin, Youngstown State, Villanova and Northern Arizona each had one fewer Division I win than New Hampshire, but the committee selected 6-5 Western Illinois, which had an SRS number of 20, for an at-large bid.

Bethune-Cookman and Prairie View A&M - eligible for at-large selections despite their conferences sending champions to the inaugural Celebration Bowl instead of the playoffs - both beat eight Division I teams.

With the numbers not adding up for New Hampshire again, the Wildcats hope to change opinions with another strong showing in the playoffs.

IMO, difficult to get 5 CAA teams in the playoffs. The issue is that we had a better resume than UNH including beating them head to head so we could have been the 4th team. The problem IMO is we didn't have anyone on the committee to tell the story and I'm sure the UNH AD wasn't going to make that case on our behalf. I guess had we been 8-3 then it might not have mattered.

Anyway, time to focus on next season.

Don't think Dione Alston played the last two games - did he?

This is how I see it - but I don't follow the other conferences that closely so I don't know all the bubble teams...

If UNH defeats Maine and we win, then I don't think we don't have much of a chance - I think that results in 4 CAA teams (JMU, Richmond, Villanova, UNH) with Maine being a bubble team. Don't think we'd get in ahead of a 6-2 in conference UNH team even though we won or against a 5-3 in conference Maine team that beat us.

If Maine defeats UNH and we win, then I think we have a possibility to be the fifth CAA team in (who knows if there will even be 5). You'd make the argument that although UNH would then have a 5-3 conference record, vs our 4-4 conference record, we won the head to head and we won a fbs game and won another game against a playoff team (St. Francis).

fwiw, this bracketology guy sees a possibility

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs-football/bracketology

Not sure I understand this one. I don't know anything about scheduling strategies but you'd think we'd want to schedule P5 or AAC games because the guarantees are larger. Maybe you make an exception if the game will be in a prime prime recruiting area but Mount Pleasant Michigan isn't a recruiting area. Assuming the Central Michigan guarantee is roughly the same as Buffalo, the expenses would be much higher because they'd need a charter flight as opposed to taking a bus. Don't know what a charter costs but that's money that could be used for scholarships, amenities...

I understand Pitt and ODU - recruiting area and relationships hip with Gattuso and Benson, also understand Buffalo as the team can bus there.

I only think of this because there was Rhode Island article recently where the AD said his strategy was to schedule a P5 team every year because th guarantee was so important to their bottom line.

Some thoughts on the game.

1. Good idea to move the students to the visitors bleachers - really good turnout.

2. Happy not only for Sussman but the receivers also. The receivers seem to be pretty talented but I'm sure it must be difficult for them when there are so few pass completions. Some may not have liked Roberson's celebration but there have been so few passes completed, I'm sure there was a lot of excitement.

3. Nick Dillon and Abner Logan are really good.

4. Julian Cox didn't play much (if at all) late in the game - Mencer did a good job but hope Cox didn't get injured.

5. Abner Logan left the game with a wrist / hand injury and went back in so I hope he's not injured.

6. Any updates on Sakowski?

7. I didn't know much about Brian Dolce before the season but he's having a good season.

Nice segment - on Foussenie Traore

http://wnyt.com/news/ualbany-football-weekly-foussenie-traore/4266275/?cat=13084

There's a Twitter post by him that says the roster will be updated before the first game. He wasn't mentioned (nor did anyone ask about him) at the meet and greet today.

 

Any other reports from the meet and greet?

A few thoughts

1. Lot of depth at linebacker. You have Cox and Morrison who started last year, Nicastro and Ngachie back from injury, and tthe Maryland transfer. Not sure if Mencer will play LB - roster says RB but the roster's frequently inaccurate. I guess the Wyoming transfer from the spring is no longer here.

2. Secondary should be better, certainly a lot of depth. Coach has mentioned a few times that the JC transfer CB looked good in the spring and he was looking for more athletic players in the secondary. Coach also mentioned that freshman Marucci was a really top recruit that had higher offers. Will be interesting to see how that all plays out with both starters returning

3. Still think DL is a concern but if the secondary and linebackers are better, maybe it's less of a concern. Maybe the Eastern Michigan transfer and the freshman from NJ can help out.

4. OL - I think the starters are the same as last year. Don't know much about this group but I'd guess they'll be solid as they've been around a while

5.WR's - should be really good, Roberson and Harris are back. Two of the freshman are really highly regarded and Alston was moved there. Seems like a lot of good players - hope they all stay. Not clear that we have a QB that can get them the ball.

6 QB and RB - i dont think any of us are clear that there will be good QB play. not even sure what to say here except it was an area of weakness last year and any improvement would make a big difference. For RB, not sure who backs up Ibitukan-Hanks but it'll be a lot different than last year where there were 2 guys splitting carries. If there's any sort of passing game that can keep the defense honest, Ibitukan-Hanks might have a very good year.

3 of the first 4 games are winnable. Here's hoping we get off to a good start.

I think our performance is amazing given how little is provided in Alumni / fundraising support. It's not reasonable for us to expect the State and students to pay for everything. The good news is that administration is actively focused on improving this - I recall an interview with President Jones where he talked about the importance of athletic fundraising and using those dollars.

Using a 5% annual return on investment, Stony Brook will generate about $10 million dollars more than we will annually. That gets you scoreboards, permanent stands, better baseball facilities...

SUNY Endowments

Buffalo - $625 million

Stony Brook - $250 million

Binghamton - $116 million

UAlbany - $56 million

To be clear, this is outside the budget process but if there were more endowment funds available, the budget dollars could go to other projects.

Stony Brook's budget is higher than half the MAC (FBS). How can there be such a disparity in school support between Albany and Stony Brook? $10M difference

Stony Brook gets much better alumni financial support and has a bigger endowment.

So I was checking out the sports channels and saw that uverse sports has an ongoing special where they are following Siena basketball. I think they're only on the second episode but it's pretty interesting - not so much because it's Siena but because it's mid major basketball. Follows them on their road trips, players and coaches lives... the episode that I saw covered trip to Duke and Wisconsin.

Posted in wrong forum - would you move. Thanks

A few thoughts

1. Coach Sweeeney didn't present the offensive linemen. Not sure if that means anything but all of the other position coaches presented. From the video, i couldn't tell if he was there.

2. Gattuso said there was no update on Gontarek yet. Also that Alston is playing WR.

3. Hope the DT from St. Joseph's regional can help right away. We've not had that kind of size in a long time - maybe ever.

The same stuff was said about Ngachie and his videos showed great speed too. Does he even play anymore? I think I've heard his name called once all year. I'll believe this Mencer kid when I see it.

Someone posted that Ngachie is injured.

Just watched the game - noticed Gontarek in uniform on the sideline. Those of you that get to the games may have known that he was dressing out but I didn't. I'm glad he's still engaged with the team - even if he's not playing

This is the time to make some changes. Would be ideal time to get Sussman or Harding two weeks to get first team reps and let them lead the team for,the rest of the season.

Also a great time for the kids to heal so they can finish strong.

Andre Martin wasn't on the 2 deep (he was backup fullback earlier in season). Noticed he's not on the game notes roster anymore. Might just be an oversight...

Hard to believe that Crook won the starting job. I know that Sussman and Brunson are freshman but Shanley transferred, the other guy transferred to Hobart (forget his name) and Ryan Smith doesn't come back... Was Crook that good in the spring and now he's regressing or did the other players think that he was going to be the starter and they all decided to leave.

It's times like these that I wish we had a beat reporter that asked the hard questions - what's up with the defensive line recruiting, what's the thought behind continuing to play Crook, why do we have our biggest offensive line playing guard instead of tackle (not sure this is an issue but I don't know of any other teams that do this so i'm curious) , why do the qb's all seem to have a hard time with the progressions?

I can understand why we're not moving the ball on offense. I think any team can figure out that you put 8 men in the box (or stop the run between the tackles - we rarely run outside the tackles) and force Crook to throw the ball. You then play press coverage with your corner backs to take away the bubble screens and Crook can't make the other passes (consistently). We won't get better until we can make the defense defend the pass.

I recall an interview with Benson during halftime of a basketball game last year. Mentioned two phases - I forget the details of phase 1 but I think it wS basic improvements like scoreboard, I do remember phase 2 was gutting SEFCU and doing a major renovation.