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Post by rgs318 on Sept 26, 2016 6:37:32 GMT -5
Well, the doomsday folks have had their say. As has been said more than once on CROSSPOSTS, a team is seldom as bad as they look in a loss or as good as they look in a win.
Holy Cross has had one of the toughest schedules in the PL. Lafayette is also 1-3. Their win was over CCSU (1-3) by 14. They lost to Delaware (2-1) by 18, Princeton (1-1) by 4 and Villanova (3-1) by 17. Massey ranks Villanova at #23.
Massey picks Holy Cross (33-24). Bassett has HC as a 7 point favorite.
Clearly the loss of PP was a big one. BF is back and CTG will have a week to work with this week's QB. IMO there are many reasons why this is the PL opponent HC would want to open the league season. They have been out-rushed by their opponents (230 to 781). They rush for an average of under 58 yards per game. They are a passing team and the key may well be HC's secondary. The Pards have outgained their opponents 1055 passing yards to only 653 by opponents. Senior QB Drew Reed has completed 93 of 136 passes but has given up 6 interceptions.
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Post by hchoops on Sept 26, 2016 7:59:39 GMT -5
Lafayette's schedule seems to be more challenging than HC's
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 26, 2016 8:25:53 GMT -5
According to Massey: HC opponents #11, #27, #31 and #109. Laf opponents #23, #49, #66 and #105
HC power rating = 56 Laf power rating = 93
Do you have a link to SoS that can use the games played to date?
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 26, 2016 8:34:11 GMT -5
In the combined ratings: #62 HC = #06, #23, #28, #108 #91 Laf = #18, #29, #60, #111
HC's opponents look to be stronger at this point.
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Lafayette
Sept 26, 2016 15:28:06 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by deep Purple on Sept 26, 2016 15:28:06 GMT -5
According to the Laf game depth chart PP is starting.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Sept 26, 2016 18:57:08 GMT -5
According to the Laf game depth chart PP is starting. Brendan was still #1 on depth chart in early games when he did not play......
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Post by hc811215 on Sept 27, 2016 8:23:25 GMT -5
While there are very few "must win" games for teams and coaches, I think this is one of them. Lose this game and we are off to a 1-4 start, with the toughest part of the schedule left to play. That may be too big a hill to climb. On the other hand, if we win this week and take care of business at home against Bucknell next week, we are back at .500 with a little momentum going into Harvard game and the rest of the PL season. I don't think there has been as important a game for HC football in a long time.
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 27, 2016 9:01:55 GMT -5
While there are very few "must win" games for teams and coaches, I think this is one of them. Lose this game and we are off to a 1-4 start, with the toughest part of the schedule left to play. That may be too big a hill to climb. On the other hand, if we win this week and take care of business at home against Bucknell next week, we are back at .500 with a little momentum going into Harvard game and the rest of the PL season. I don't think there has been as important a game for HC football in a long time. I have to agree on that. Lose this game and a losing season is guaranteed.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Sept 27, 2016 9:40:57 GMT -5
This is ABSOLUTELY a must-win game. Lose on Saturday and the rest of the season turns into looking ahead to next year, speculation about TG and the seniors playing for pride and nothing else. Win and we have a real shot at starting PL play 2-0 with Bucknell coming to town the following week.
I'll be in Easton Saturday.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Sept 27, 2016 10:34:21 GMT -5
While there are very few "must win" games for teams and coaches, I think this is one of them. Lose this game and we are off to a 1-4 start, with the toughest part of the schedule left to play. That may be too big a hill to climb. On the other hand, if we win this week and take care of business at home against Bucknell next week, we are back at .500 with a little momentum going into Harvard game and the rest of the PL season. I don't think there has been as important a game for HC football in a long time. Totally agree. A loss to Lafayette, and the season is pretty much over. We're going to need Peter to win this one, IMO. BTW, saw on AGS that HC is -10.5...guess the folks out west haven't caught wind about our QB situation.
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 27, 2016 10:43:03 GMT -5
All of the sites I check have HC favored (by from 7 to 10 points). I hope they know what they are doing.
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Post by timholycross on Sept 28, 2016 8:30:11 GMT -5
I can't believe with our QB situation we'd be favored against anyone on the road. Even at best.
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 28, 2016 8:55:26 GMT -5
Here is the Lafayette take on the game:
The Match-up: Lafayette and Holy Cross enter the Patriot League opener with identical 1-3 records, both looking to right the proverbial ship after three straight losses. Kick-off on homecoming weekend is set for 3:40 p.m. at Fisher Stadium.
Patriot League Openers: The Leopards and Crusaders play the only conference contest this weekend. Lafayette is 17-13 in Patriot League openers, with play beginning in 1988 as the Colonial League, and 15-11 since 1990 when the league took its current name. The Leopards have won eight of their last 12 league openers (Georgetown in '04, '07, '08, '09, Fordham in '05 and Bucknell in '06, '12 and '13) with the losses coming to Georgetown in '10 and '11 and Fordham in '14 and '15.
Brown's Back: After missing two games with a knee injury, DeSean Brown returned to the lineup vs. Villanova. Brown carried only 12 times for 30 yards in the season opener at Central Connecticut and managed 63 yards on 18 carries vs. Villanova. He was the team's leading rusher in 2015.
Nova Targets: Lafayette QB's Drew Reed and Blake Searfoss spread the ball to 11 different receivers (tying their single game high from 2015). Junior TE Dylan Wadsworth had the best receiving day of his career, making six catches for 97 yards.
At a Loss: Sophomore strike linebacker Jerry Powe turned in one of the best games of his career vs. Villanova. Powe made seven tackles, three of which were for a loss, and broke up a pass. Powe is averaging 7.5 tackles per game, good enough for third on the Lafayette defense.
Thomas' Touches: Freshman WR Yasir Thomas has been contributing early on in his Lafayette career. He opened the season with four catches for 28 yards at Central Connecticut State and is coming off a two-catch effort vs. Villanova when he made his first touchdown grab, a 14-yard pass from Drew Reed. Thomas has also found himself in the spotlight in the return game, returning 14 kicks for an average of 17 yards per kickoff. His season-long return was a 30-yard effort vs. Delaware.
Reed In the Record Books: Drew Reed continues to ascend the career passing charts at Lafayette. His 536 career completions rank him third all-time and his 5,929 passing yards place him fifth. He is the school record holder for single-season completion percentage (72.5% in 2013) and is second in career completion percentage (66%). The Tennessee native was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year runner up and a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award in his freshman season of 2013 when he threw for 1,887 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games. In his first career start, he completed 21-of-22 at Holy Cross for 283 yards and five touchdowns, setting a school single-game record for accuracy while completing his final 20 passes (a Patriot League record). He was the first ever player to win the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week in the same week (doing it twice).
Last Time Out: In the first meeting with Villanova in 96 years, the No. 15 Wildcats topped Lafayette, 31-14. The Leopards gave up two defensive touchdowns, including one of the first possession of the game, and a blocked punt set up another for the Wildcats (3-1).
Punting Plaudits: Senior Ryan Forrester has been the standout special teams performer this season. Forrester is averaging 41.8 yards per punt. He has had five punts of 50+ yards (with a long of 64 at Princeton) and has landed seven of 27 attempts inside the 20-yard line. Against Villanova, he punted seven times for 274 yards (39.1) with three boots inside the 20. At Princeton, he averaged 47 yards per punt and landed one effort inside the 10-yard line. Against Delaware, he punted nine times, averaging 43.3 yards per punt with two punts of 50-plus yards and three punts inside the 20-yard line (including one at the 3-yard line).
More Pressure: The Lafayette defense has been able to apply more pressure up front this season in comparison to last. Lafayette has sacked opponents seven times through four games, but did not reach the seven-sack mark until game seven of 2015.
Limiting Penalties: Lafayette ranks fourth in the nation for fewest penalties per game (3.5) and eighth for fewest penalty yards per game (35.8). In the 2016 opener, Lafayette was whistled for four penalties for 59 yards and no pre-snap penalties. Against Delaware, Lafayette was charged with four penalties for 34 yards, and three for 25 vs. both Princeton and Villanova. The Leopards limited penalties in 2015, ranking 11th in the nation in penalty yards (455) and total penalties (54), 12th in penalty yards per game (41.4) and 14th in the NCAA in penalties per game (4.91).
About Holy Cross:
• Holy Cross begins week five with a 1-3 overall record. The Crusaders won their season opener at Morgan State, 51-24, but dropped the next three, to No. 24 New Hampshire (39-28), No. 25 Albany (45-28) and Dartmouth (35-10).
• Holy Cross was 6-5 overall and 3-3 in Patriot League play last season, finishing in fourth place in the conference standings.
• Lafayette leads the all-time series 16-14 with Holy Cross taking the last two meetings. The series is one of the more recent ones in terms of the first meeting. They first squared off in 1986, playing every season since.
• The Crusaders return 10 starters on offense and six on defense while welcoming back 47 letterwinners. The team was picked third in the Patriot League preseason poll behind Colgate and Lehigh.
• The quarterback situation is up in the air, as four-year starter Peter Pujals was knocked from the Dartmouth game with an ankle injury. If he plays, he is a dual threat. Pujals has completed 111 passes (third in the nation) with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. On the ground, he is the team's second-leading rusher, carrying 31 times for 112 yards and a score. His backup is sophomore Geoff Wade who played in relief of Pujals and Blaise Bell, who was also injured in the Dartmouth game.
• Junior Diquan Walker leads the team in rushing, scurrying for 235 yards on 47 carries with two touchdowns.
• Senior Jake Wieczorek and sophomore Richie DeNicola lead the team and rank ninth in the nation in receptions with nearly identical marks. Wieczorek has 31 catches for 314 yards and a touchdown while DeNicola has 31 grabs for 309 yards and three scores. Wieczorek also sees time as a punt and kick returner. Senior Brendan Flaherty was an All-League selection in 2015 and has 12 catches for 120 yards this season.
• Defensively, junior LB Nick McBeath leads the team and is second in the Patriot League with 40 tackles. He started the first six games of 2015 before injury forced him to miss the rest of the season.
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Post by purplehaze on Sept 28, 2016 8:56:51 GMT -5
what is our qb situation anyway, 3 days away from this game ? peter and blaise both out ?
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Post by rickii on Sept 28, 2016 9:32:36 GMT -5
what is our qb situation anyway, 3 days away from this game ? peter and blaise both out ? • The quarterback situation is up in the air, as four-year starter Peter Pujals was knocked from the Dartmouth game with an ankle injury. If he plays, he is a dual threat. Pujals has completed 111 passes (third in the nation) with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. On the ground, he is the team's second-leading rusher, carrying 31 times for 112 yards and a score. His backup is sophomore Geoff Wade who played in relief of Pujals and Blaise Bell, who was also injured in the Dartmouth game.
Lemme see....Pujals is/has been 80% of the Offense for 3 and a half seasons and given the comments here, he's AT BEST out of the boot and able walk and pass but unable to scramble and run....generously call him 50% health wise.
Bell is also apparently hobbled and Wade is who knows practice rep wise prior to this week. Oh and BTW, who's the 4th-string QB
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Post by timholycross on Sept 28, 2016 10:15:52 GMT -5
Bell was injured to begin with, wasn't he? I don't remember him at all in the UAlbany game after he impressed vs UNH.
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Lafayette
Sept 29, 2016 7:17:43 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by bikeman on Sept 29, 2016 7:17:43 GMT -5
Does this team have any heart at all or are they gutless? This game will tell.
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Post by timholycross on Sept 29, 2016 13:50:24 GMT -5
I haven't complained about them mailing it in....(yet!). I just don't think they're very good at most things that you need to be good at to have a good team. What they were good at they may have lost permanently with PP out.
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Post by Tom on Sept 29, 2016 14:26:49 GMT -5
I still have bad memories of Drew Reed lighting HC up in Fitton three years ago. HC did a MUCH better job of controlling him last year, but still enough to make me nervous - especially minus our own QB
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 30, 2016 5:37:41 GMT -5
There is no doubt that Drew Reed is a talented QB and he has some good receivers. Here is the article about the Lafayette game against Villanova.
Lafayette couldn't overcome two Villanova defensive touchdowns and a special teams breakdown and dropped a hard-fought game to the No. 23 (FCS Hero Poll) Wildcats of the Colonial Athletic Association. The Leopards (1-3) surrendered a 25-yard fumble return touchdown by Tanoh Kpassagnon on the game's very first play and trailed 17-0 with 7:48 left in the second quarter.
Lafayette then came roaring back, fashioning well-executed and creative drives of 78 and 68, ending in a pair of Drew Reed TD passes to freshman wide receiver Yasir Thomas and senior Tim Vangelas, to get within 17-14 before the Wildcats (3-1) made some big plays (see below) to put the game away. Reed finished completing 19 of 27 passes for 229 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
The loss improved Villanova to 29-4 all-time against Patriot League teams since the league formed in 1985, and marked Lafayette's seventh straight loss to CAA opposition dating back to a 2012 win at William & Mary. The win was the Wildcats' first against Lafayette in the five-game series but the teams had not met since 1920.
Turning points: With Lafayette within a field goal at 17-14 and just over five minutes to go in the third quarter, the Leopards were forced to punt. The Wildcats, who had been all too close to Leopard punter Ryan Forrester all night, broke through this time as Julian Williams blocked the punt and T.J. White recovered at the Leopard 25. Five plays later Aaron Forbes took the ball in from 3 yards out and a 24-14 lead. Then, on the next Leopard possession, Villanova linebacker Jeff Steeb saw Reed throw the ball right to him and he ran it back 45 yards for a score and the second Wildcat defensive touchdown of the game. It added up to 2 Villanova TDs in 1 minute and 15 seconds, 75 seconds that sank Lafayette's upset bid.
Top performer: Lafayette junior tight end Dylan Wadsworth caught six passes for 97 yards, making some circus catches to do so. But even he dropped a key third-quarter pass right before the blocked punt. It was the kind of night where the Leopards would take two steps forward and then take a step back.
What it means: Lafayette hung with a Top-25 FCS team for quite some time, but eventually Villanova's sheer level of talent and big-play potential (they are related) won out as the Wildcats made big plays that Lafayette could not answer. (Sound familiar?) The Leopards' continued inability to run the football (70 total yards, less than 2 yards a carry on the night) poses major problems as well.(That is also too familiar.) But there's a lot of positives to build on heading into the Patriot League opener at Fisher Stadium next week against Holy Cross (1-3), whose senior quarterback, Peter Pujals, was on crutches on the sideline during the Crusaders' loss to Dartmouth Saturday. That is mentioned in almost every Lafayette article about this week's game. It almost sounds as if - and some posts echo this tone - that when the ball is snapped it will fall on the ground because there will be no one at QB to take it and execute a play.
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Post by carney2 on Sept 30, 2016 8:18:50 GMT -5
You can't look at last year's Lafayette @ Holy Cross game and draw any meaningful conclusions. In that game Lafayette had a drastically under performing Drew Reed and a bunch of spare parts, as many in the 2-3-4 deep were injured. This year's Lafayette team is heads and shoulders above that, but has been seriously over-scheduled up to this point in the season. Some observations about the Leopards going into the Holy Cross game:
PLUSES:
- QB Reed has regained some of the form he flashed as a freshman in 2013. Don't know if he's all the way back, but the improvement over the past two years is dramatic. - WR Mrazik and TE Wadsworth are serious receiving threats. - The defense is not all-world, but may be good enough to be the best in the Patriot League. - The sophomore place kicker is very good.
MINUSES:
- The offensive line is big and immobile. Not terribly effective so far. - The running game has, so far, been one of the worst in the country. Is it the OL, the backs themselves, or the offensive scheme that makes every running play very sloooooow to get started? - Turnovers r us. Too many fumbles and interceptions. - Kick return game has shown nothing so far.
Opinion from the loyal opposition: If my bookie weren't in prison I'd be leaping on Lafayette and giving that ridiculous 10 1/2 points, especially with Pujals in some sort of distress.
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Post by CHC8485 on Sept 30, 2016 8:25:41 GMT -5
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Fr. K
Junior
Will not this be a bold undertaking? Nevertheless, I will try it. -Benedict J. Fenwick
Posts: 39
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Post by Fr. K on Oct 1, 2016 8:43:50 GMT -5
Bring rain gear for the game today. It's a grey day, weatherwise, here in the Lehigh Valley.
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Post by timholycross on Oct 1, 2016 11:03:06 GMT -5
The depth chart lists Pujals as the starter and Wade as the backup. Pujals mentioned prominently in the game notes.
One thing if he's dressed and then a no-go. A joke if he's on the sidelines with crutches and/or a walking boot.
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Lafayette
Oct 1, 2016 11:14:51 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by joe on Oct 1, 2016 11:14:51 GMT -5
Notre Dame 7 Syracuse 6
So we're soon to be playing against a team that scores points against Notre Dame.
Ok. Got it.
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