And so it BEGINS!

[danefan]

Mike Simpson on at 11:45, he's starting his 25th season on the Danes' coaching staff. The biggest differences over that time are the better athletes and better administrative support. Now we can beat out other schools for the top guys. Where the first scholarship guys were all redshirted, now they're so good we only redshirt them if we need to.

 

We play a lot of guys so graduation doesn't hurt as much, everybody's got some playing experience. Last year's defense was our best ever, but it should be just as good this year. We should be more balanced blitzing this year, coming from all over the field.

 

The secondary is more athletic than ever.

 

Because of changing offenses in college football, we'll be playing a 3-5 more often, but still focusing on stopping the run first. We'll also be blitzing more than ever (the guys love to blitz).

 

Chris Simpson is moving to inside linebacker.

 

Trevor Anderson is nursing an ankle injury.

 

GSU will be a big challenge, mostly out of a single-back set.

 

 

I love to hear we'll be playing a 3-5, rather than the old 4-4. That should take care of the weak spots in the mid-range pass defense that we've seen the last few years.

 

Eddie Delaney off the bench is something. I can't question the kids drive, so to me it says we are so deep on the d-line that we have an all-conference player on the bench. I'm sure he'll get just as many snaps as the starters though. That will be key to GSU.

[danefan]

McCarty key for the Danes

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/weiner...-key-for-danes/

 

David McCarty hasn't been able to practice much lately because of a right hamstring injury, but that shouldn't stop him from leading University at Albany to another NEC football title.

 

McCarty was the focal point of the Great Danes' annual media day today. He's used to the hype, although he dislikes it.

 

"I don't care about all the numbers or the accolades," said the Walter Payton Award candidate, who is also the team's all-time leading rusher. "All I care about are the rings."

 

McCarty, who now weighs 217 pounds, compared to just 160 pounds as an incoming freshman from LaSalle Institute in Troy, rambled for 271 yards and four scores in last year's Gridiron Classic. He's run for at least 100 yards a school-record 19 times.

 

He's not the only key player back for UAlbany, which was 9-3 a year ago. The Danes have 45 lettermen, including 14 starters, back. Quarterback Vinny Esposito and wideout Tim Bush (Saratoga Springs) are two other key players returning.

 

"I guess you could say we're loaded, but you're putting a lot of pressure on me," said UAlbany head coach Bob Ford with a big smile on his face.

 

Ford said he's looking for a backup tight end and another cornerback to really solidify his roster. If everybody stays healthy, those two roster spots don't appear to be major weaknesses.

 

Look for McCarty to have another banner season. He was second in the nation last year with 1,852 rushing yards and already owns the team career mark with 3,353 yards.

 

The Danes open on the road at Georgia Southern Sept 5 and at perennial power UMass Sept. 12 before playing their home opener Sept. 19 against another power, Maine.

 

Here is the schedule

 

Sept. 5 - at Georgia Soutnern, 6.

Sept. 12 -- at Massachusetts, 6.

Sept. 19 -- MAINE, 4.

Sept. 26 -- SACRED HEART, 4.

Oct. 3 -- at St. Francis (Pa.), 1.

Oct. 10 -- DUQUESNE, 1.

Oct. 17 -- BRYANT, 1.

Oct. 24 -- at Monmouth, 1.

Oct. 31 -- at Central Connecticut State, 12.

Nov. 7 -- ROBERT MORRIS, 1.

Nov. 21 -- at Wagner, 1.

Home games in CAPS.

[UAalum72]

TV-13 did a story on Paul Layton getting the award from the Giants, CBS-6 interviewd C Kevin Richards about life as a college football player after marriage. Gazette has a story today (you have to pay now).

 

McGuire writes a story on McCarty McCarty knows how to finish

 

Meanwhile the T-U is doing a SEVENTEEN-PART series of high school preseason.

 

Is Media Day worth the food you have to give reporters to get them there?

[danefan]

TV-13 did a story on Paul Layton getting the award from the Giants, CBS-6 interviewd C Kevin Richards about life as a college football player after marriage. Gazette has a story today (you have to pay now).

 

McGuire writes a story on McCarty McCarty knows how to finish

 

Meanwhile the T-U is doing a SEVENTEEN-PART series of high school preseason.

 

Is Media Day worth the food you have to give reporters to get them there?

 

 

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

[UAalum72]

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

He says on his blog that Monday and Tuesday have been his scheduled days off the last two weeks.

[Clickclack]

Last year Mark went WEEKS without reporting at least one...possibly two commitments to our basketball program. When I (perhaps someone else) pressed him on it, his excuse was that he was at the track.

 

If that doesn't = failure as a beat writer, I don't know what does.

 

The sad thing is that his/TU's relationship with our Athletic Dept. could be so much more. We have excellent teams, and a good overall Athletic Dept. he could have a never ending amount of stuff to write about. When he isn't a pompous a$$ he actually writes some really good stuff. I'm not sure how we got to this point but his relationship with UA has been badly broken for a while now....and it's a shame because everyone loses.

[Dane96]

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

He says on his blog that Monday and Tuesday have been his scheduled days off the last two weeks.

 

I have been scheduled for a vacation for a year; I will probably have 34 days next year because though I am schedule for days/time off...I cant take it because work beckons.

 

POINT: Tired of his excuses. You have a job...do it.

[haggyland]

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

He says on his blog that Monday and Tuesday have been his scheduled days off the last two weeks.

 

I have been scheduled for a vacation for a year; I will probably have 34 days next year because though I am schedule for days/time off...I cant take it because work beckons.

 

POINT: Tired of his excuses. You have a job...do it.

 

How do you think the T-U would approach the idea of freelance writing to satisfy our needs?

[Clickclack]

I'm not calling for anyone head...these are tough economic times and we all need to put food on the table but perhaps the TU should consider giving the beat to someone else.

[Dane96]

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

He says on his blog that Monday and Tuesday have been his scheduled days off the last two weeks.

 

I have been scheduled for a vacation for a year; I will probably have 34 days next year because though I am schedule for days/time off...I cant take it because work beckons.

 

POINT: Tired of his excuses. You have a job...do it.

 

How do you think the T-U would approach the idea of freelance writing to satisfy our needs?

 

I actually, unlike Mark, work 80+ hour weeks...so highly unlikely.

[haggyland]

I actually, unlike Mark, work 80+ hour weeks...so highly unlikely.

 

I wasn't suggesting you specifically (the travel alone would kill you.)

But there has to be some sort of grouping of literate collegiate sports fans that could write pieces for the TU for a minimal fee.

 

Would the T-U view this as accepting defeat, or would the newspaper unions become upset, or would we get the argument that there isn't a viable enough audience (a classic Catch-22).

[UAalum72]

Papers often buy or republish articles from other sources. But the T-U hasn't even bothered to edit/reprint the UA press releases.

 

Viable audience? Isn't football attendance higher than it ever was for the Patroons?

[MRSGDG]

Aug 19, 2009

Danes picked to win NEC championship

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/08...51084265464.txt

[statefan]

Meanwhile the T-U is doing a SEVENTEEN-PART series of high school preseason.

 

I heartily applaud the Times Union and James Allen for increasing their attention to Section 2 football. It is something that I've complained about for many years. It does not come at UAlbany's expense.

 

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I would estimate that roughly 15,000 - 20,000 attend high school football games in person each week for nine weeks, which is far greater than the combined attendance for college football within the same geographic area.

[bob87]

Question of the day - did Singleas even go to media day?

He says on his blog that Monday and Tuesday have been his scheduled days off the last two weeks.

 

And Wednesday to Sunday have been his unscheduled days off ?

 

Seriously , does anyone even miss him. McGuire's writeup on Johnson the other day was much better written than Mark S's stuff.