dO WE HAVE ANY READ HOW GOOD WE ARE IN FOOTBALL?

[Ruler]

Two disasterous outings and does anyone have a read on where we are? How will we stack up against NEC competition. I think its clear how we are doing against A-10 teams. Teams in the NEC are starting to think we are easy targets. Is this 2004 all over again? Just looking for opinions.

[UAalum72]

The defense looks pretty good as NEC teams won't match A-10 speed or line play.

 

Offense is hard to tell. Bocanegra certainly looks like a better passer than we've had in 3 years. At least we only had two penalties against UMass. The line hasn't opened many holes for the running game yet.

 

Gotta get some long-snapping work in.

[UA66]

It's really hard to tell since the two A-10 teams had so much talent. However, I have more confidence in our defense performing well in conference than the offense. I think the defensive line and linebackers have done fairly well. The 6 or 7 holding penalties against UMass happened because our guys were beating their offensive line and their linemen just reached out and grabbed as our guys ran by. Despite the lop-sided score. none of their backs killed us. However, I did think that the UMass receivers handled our d-backs pretty easily and the score could have been worse if UMass had passed more.

 

Offensively, there has been little to feel good about, other than the opening drive against Hofstra. Our offensive line has been badly outplayed by some very quick opponents. Will that change against the weaker defenses - weaker compared to A-10 - of NEC teams? Bocanegra is legit. Given time to pass, he'll be very good. Running backs? Can't tell yet. Kicking game? My 89 year old mother is available.

 

One other note: the offense seems to me to be very predictable. Some of the uniqueness in sets and play calling that has characterized Bob Ford teams since Day 1 is missing. In my opinion, running a spread offense that everyone else runs these days isn't going to get it done because defenses see it all the time, and good teams like Hofstra and UMass know how to defend it. It works if you have the horses to match up. We don't at this point of the season. UAlabny has pulled off big upsets in the past, e.g. UMaine, Central Florida, by being unique.

[UAalum72]

When Albany beat Maine and Central Florida (wow, before today's players were born) we were running a wishbone - nothing unpredictable about that, just execute it.

[UA66]

There weren't many teams running a wishbone at that time which is one reason why it was successful. When it became commonplace, we did not fair as well.

[UA66]

Hope I didn't put a damper on the discussion in this thread. Despite our troubles stepping up with the A-10, I am optimistic that the Danes will have a very successful NEC season. This team does have some exciting players and they are very young. I noticed that a lot of red-shirt freshmen played in the first two games. This team will get better and better as the season progresses and certainly have the horses to beat any NEC team.