FB Frustration

[Classof72/74]

Don't those miscues against CCSU and Stony Brook look huge now

[Ruler]

I was thinking that very thought when the final score came across the TV screen Sat afternoon. They could be at worst 4-4 or at best 5-3 woth 0 losses in the NEC.

 

SBU is just awful and CCSU is really not any better then Albany.

 

That being said WE NEED TO BEAT RMC!!!! Last year same thing played out and we actually got mauled by a average RMC team. This year they can't look past them. RMC I believe is better then their record. They put 37 on SBU. If we beat them I really like our chances to win out. 6-5 would be a dream.

 

Now, no matter what happens I believe we will be loaded for bear in 2006! Brett Hall appears to be coming around. AND WELCOME TO THE PARTY OMAR JOHNSON....I knew this kid would be great if given the chance. Moving Coach Rossomundo back to coach O-Line is the difference. Next season we lose 1 lineman and the rest are back!!!! Next season we lose 2-3 kid total from a D that should be awesome!!!

 

It all starts Sat with a win over RMC!.....Gotta have it.

[UA66]

I wasn't aware that Rossomundo had been moved back to O-line coach. Who is now the offensive coordinator?

 

I too did a quick look back at those losses to CCSU and SBU. That's not a healthy thing to do. It does bad things to your stomach. So, looking ahead, the view is much brighter.

[UAalum72]

I wasn't aware that Rossomundo had been moved back to O-line coach.  Who is now the offensive coordinator?

10125[/snapback]

From what I heard on the radio, I think he's still the OC, he just took over the line duties as well.

[reeder]

My take on the football team:

 

First, let me say that as I live 1000 miles from UA, I have not seen any games this year.

 

I think that Ford looked at the lack of passing and decided to revamp the offense. Maybe he thought that with having a new quarterback and a new set of tailbacks would help that transition. Maybe that's why Kenny Williams was the starting tailback (as opposed to Omar Johnson or Marcus Allen) - because he fits the mold of a running back in a spread offense.

 

All of this said, if Allen and Omar Johnson are as good as their press clippings - and based on their performance the last couple of weeks maybe they are, why change the offensive strategy? Let them run the ball. IMO, the quarterback doesn't need to pass for a lot of yardage - they need to make smart passes and not make big mistakes. Roeder won a conference championship and he wasn't a great passer - he just didn't make the silly mistakes.

 

Also, if you do want to change the offense, the games against scholarship teams make it very difficult. UA would have probably lost vs. Hofstra, UMAss and Maine anyway, but not only did they lose, they lost trying to implement a new offense against vastly superior teams. In other words, I don't think they got anything out of those games. It would have been much different if they took their existing offense with the new players and said let's expand what we already know so that we are ready for the conference games.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but perhaps Ford changed his philosophy and is letting the backs run the ball and moving Rossomondo back to o-line coordinator is going to get the line focused on blocking for the running backs before the season is a total loss.

 

If you want to have a spread offense, then hire an o-coordinator that is an expert in running that offense. No knock on Rossomando, but I don't know that he was in a situation where he could be successful. According to a Ford quote in the online Gazette, he is again the O line coordinator.

 

Rossomondo has been great at taking the offensive line and making holes for the backs for years. Yes, I think that perhaps his schemes were a bit complexed but they worked overall. The guy that is / was the O line coordinator was previously a tight ends coach. While I'm no expert on coaching, it is probably not an easy transition from tight ends coach to an o line coach with schemes as complexed as UA's. I don't think that guy had a chance to be successful either.

 

Bottom line, I think that Ford needs to go back to running the ball hard - smash mouth football. That's what UA has done for years and they have done it well. Work on Hall and Bocanegra so they don't make silly plays to hurt the team. Rossamondo can re-focus the o line and get them to create holes for these very good backs.

 

Lastly, I hope that McElroy looks at the scheduling. I would hate to see Ford's legacy ruined because of this silly scheduling. I would much rather see this team fly out to play a Pioneer League team (they could even take a bus - it's 640 miles from Albany to Dayton - a much shorter trip than the Albany to Maine to Baltimore and back disaster that the basketball team went through last year).

[Ruler]

Excellent Post Reeder and I agree on all points. If they want to play Maine, Hofstra, and UMASS then upgrade to full scholarshuip football and do it correctly(which is what I am assuming the plan is).

 

Fordie himself told me that he won't let his reputation or his win/loss record be hurt by this scheduling in the long haul. If they do not upgrade (I would discontinue following the program) and continue to schedule this way, he will retire. Fact!