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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 16:20:16 GMT -5
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Post by drjack on Nov 7, 2023 16:26:40 GMT -5
Sure, will share once I'm back at my desk.
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Post by cruskater31 on Nov 7, 2023 16:28:01 GMT -5
What specifically did Sluka injure? He's well enough to run head first into numerous 300 pounders the last couple weeks but not well enough start. I'm assuming he wasn't able to pass. Army will be prepared for a Sluka ground attack for sure. For this game, even if Sluka is 100%, does it make more sense to go with Joe P? I expect to see both in some shape or form. It gives Army coaches a headache of who to prepare for. Without revealing too much, it has been said on here that it was a muscular upper body injury. I am escatic Jake is back. After all he has been through injury wise, I cannot imagine what he went through mentally missing another game. Another "playoff" game at West Point awaits. Shuttle maps were emailed out today. Can't wait!
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Post by drjack on Nov 7, 2023 16:36:21 GMT -5
nefootballjournal.com/holy-cross-faces-unique-challenge-against-army-on-veterans-day/Saturday’s matchup with Army has a few different storylines attached to it for Bob Chesney’s team. First, the emotion and overall atmosphere that will accompany the game at West Point – it’s quite a scene anyways, now add on Veteran’s Day – will be tough to ignore. Second, you will never hear this program say a game “doesn’t matter,” but in terms of the FCS playoff picture and potentially winning a fifth straight Patriot League title, this game really doesn’t matter. Oh, and there’s still some uncertainty swirling around arguably the best quarterback in the country, Matthew Sluka. Let’s work our way backwards. Sluka had one big rush for a critical third down against Lehigh last week to help ice the game, but it’s been Joe Pesansky’s show the last two weeks. In must-win situations, Pesansky had not only been serviceable, the offense has continued humming in a spot where if the Crusaders lost to either Fordham or Lehigh, all hope was lost for another postseason berth. That’s quite a spot to be in for a quarterback that has sat for the majority of his career. But, Chesney noted Pesansky’s communication when Sluka had been on the field has played a vital role in his ability to pick up right where he left off and keep Holy Cross in the hunt. “To understand how that happens, you have to understand Joe,” Chesney said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday morning. “He’s just a kid that came in here every single day and prepares like he’s the starter. He doesn’t come in here and say ‘hey, I’m not getting the reps I want, I’m not real happy, I’m just going to mail it in for this practice or this season,’ that’s not at all who he is. Maybe some of that has to come with the fact that Matt plays a different style of football, so maybe he’ll miss a play or two and Joe needs to be ready for that and he understands that every week, but you all saw what he just did. “You throw that kid in a high-scoring affair at Fordham where it’s going to be, whoever has the ball last it seems will be the team that wins and he didn’t blink. I think that just talks about his preparation, where he’s at. Also, in-game, when Matt’s out there, Joe’s on that headset and Joe is communicating every word from Coach Kennedy down and adding his own to it to speak Matt’s language. He does an excellent job. It’s not like he just stood on the side and signaled some things in for Matt, he was in deep, direct communication with Coach Kennedy down to Matt. That’s really important to understand. Every mental rep that could have been taken, he took. Every rep in practice he could have executed at a high level, he did. His preparation was there, it’s just the moment he gets his shot, the rest of the world gets to see that.” Whether it’s Sluka or Pesansky against the Black Knights is still a question. But, since Lafayette did the Crusaders a huge favor last weekend by losing to Colgate, the game against Georgetown at Fitton on November 18 will be for at least a share of the league title, if not outright depending on what happens with the Leopards against Fordham and Lehigh. If Chesney wants, he can sit Sluka for another week and have his superstar QB that much healthier for a winner-take-all game in two weeks. “Matt, we’re going to go through this week and see where it lands,” said Chesney when asked about Sluka and Jacob Dobbs, who also missed the Lehigh game. “Jake will be the same. Jake’s in a good place, it’s just, we’ve just got to figure out how much he can do to get a better understanding of how he’ll hold up in that game. Obviously, he’ll play, period, but for us, we’ve got to do a good job of protecting him from him.” While the game may not matter technically speaking, there will be no looking ahead for a Chesney-coached team. Although, he did acknowledged he’s aware there could be a little bit of that given the current standings and landscape set out in front of them. “That is one of the things that…obviously, you could find yourself in a situation like that given (the scenario), but we’re about to go to West Point on Veteran’s Day. I think we’re going to be pretty locked in throughout this week.” The scene should be emotional and arguably one of the best in all of college football this season, at all of the military schools that host home games this weekend. Chesney and the team know this Army team will come out flying and also present a unique challenge with their offense. Luckily, a guy like Sluka has been preparing the defense for this type of test every day in practice for a few years. “They’re not just triple option anymore. They’re not just that,” he added. “The quarterback read game, they have power ride stuff, they have all kinds of different things for this quarterback, a lot like Matt. To me, when we crossover throughout this week…we’ve met in our staff meeting and talked about it, throw it all at the defense as you line up. Whether it’s what Army’s actually going to do or not, we don’t actually fully know…every week they’re going to dress it up differently with formations and motions and shifts and different personnel groups. “The more that we can see defensively just relating to our proper gaps, relating to our proper number as far as receiver and running back is concerned, and then the ability to leverage the ball properly and get off block. That’s what this whole thing is going to come down to. Ultimately, that’s what this is going to be. It’s going to be first down, second down, third down might as well be second down because they’re going to go for it on fourth down…we’ve had a good amount of experience with that already. We’re going to continue with that and then pull up our old clips of some of the plays they run that we’ve already faced against our own offense. That’s just to make sure our guys see themselves doing it, not just Air Force or LSU or whoever doing it, but seeing themselves doing it and finding their deficiencies and then where they’ve been spot on.” Chesney has never been to West Point for a game day as a coach, but is somewhat familiar with what his team can expect to walk into on Saturday. “We played at Navy and I’ve been to two West Point graduations,” he said. “I’ve been to a bunch of Navy games, I’ve never been to West Point though for a game. I think similar to a Navy scenario, you’ll have the full core of cadets there and you’ll have the helicopter bringing their team on and a guy jumping out of a plane. This is an awesome moment for them to be able to get away from the day-to-day of the challenges the academy represents. This is a day for them to just be football players and let it rip as college kids in the stands. The electric atmosphere is one we’re excited for. There’s certainly enough distractions. We’ll be focused. I can just speak to, being there (in big atmospheres) before, being at Boston College, these are games where it’s hard not to get excited for. When you walk into that stadium and you’re the outsider on Veteran’s Day against the United States Army, I kind of don’t expect many calls to go our way. I don’t expect many people to be rooting for us, other than our own fan base. That’s admirable and it’s kind of a fun situation to be in. There’ll be enough prior to the game, there’ll be enough in-between plays, but when that ball’s about to be snapped, I expect us to be locked in and performing at a high level.”
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Nov 7, 2023 16:48:59 GMT -5
Stone is a great reporter and advocate for FCS and HC football, but looks like he didn’t take the time to figure out how the PL auto-bid works.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 17:00:43 GMT -5
Stone is a great reporter and advocate for FCS and HC football, but looks like he didn’t take the time to figure out how the PL auto-bid works. He references needing Laffy to lose. Sounds more like's he's speaking as if the PL will be a one bid league. He's either assuming the PL will be a one bid league or a potential at large bid didn't cross his mind when writing.
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Post by hcpride on Nov 7, 2023 17:10:33 GMT -5
Stone is a great reporter and advocate for FCS and HC football, but looks like he didn’t take the time to figure out how the PL auto-bid works. He references needing Laffy to lose. Sounds more like's he's speaking as if the PL will be a one bid league. He's either assuming the PL will be a one bid league or a potential at large bid didn't cross his mind when writing. "If Chesney wants, he can sit Sluka for another week and have his superstar QB that much healthier for a winner-take-all game in two weeks." Although technically incorrect the notion of sitting the injured/recovering/mostly recovered Sluka and Dobbs is not a crazy one given the stakes.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 17:19:26 GMT -5
"Have to protect Jake from Jake" haha. Many of us played with a couple guys like that.
I wouldn't over think this. Matt and Jake will play if some combo of:
1) They are cleared by the medical staff and not at risk of a much more severe injury by playing. 2) They are capable physically to help the team win. It's one thing to be cleared but need to be recovered enough where you don't become a liability compared to your back-up.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Nov 7, 2023 17:20:29 GMT -5
He references needing Laffy to lose. Sounds more like's he's speaking as if the PL will be a one bid league. He's either assuming the PL will be a one bid league or a potential at large bid didn't cross his mind when writing. "If Chesney wants, he can sit Sluka for another week and have his superstar QB that much healthier for a winner-take-all game in two weeks." Although technically incorrect the notion of sitting the injured/recovering/mostly recovered Sluka and Dobbs is not a crazy one given the stakes. You’ve mentioned this a bunch but I need you to explain further. In one scenario (win our last two and we are in), we control our own destiny. In the other scenario (needing help from Fordham or Lehigh), we don’t control our own destiny. In sports, you always want to be able to control your own destiny. I simply can’t wrap my head around the logic of holding back Sluka or Dobbs if they’re healthy enough to play this weekend, with the hope that Lafayette drops a game.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 17:26:38 GMT -5
See my post above SOV. Looks like we crossed streams trying to explain it to folks. The only place I differ with some here is I don't think we are a virtual lock for an at large bid at 8-3. I think it's a coin flip when I really do the math team by team. So we don't fully control our own destiny even by winning out IMO. Odds still favor a Laffy loss as our best shot by far at the post season.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Nov 7, 2023 17:30:30 GMT -5
The mantra "Go undefeated this week" tells you that Coach Chesney will do whatever is most likely to generate a win over Army.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Nov 7, 2023 17:45:34 GMT -5
See my post above SOV. Looks like we crossed streams trying to explain it to folks. The only place I differ with some here is I don't think we are a virtual lock for an at large bid at 8-3. I think it's a coin flip when I really do the math team by team. So we don't fully control our own destiny even by winning out IMO. Odds still favor a Laffy loss as our best shot by far at the post season. Makes sense and I follow you. I just ask myself the question: what gives us the best chance to make the playoffs regardless of what Lafayette does? And I get the same answer every time.
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Post by efg72 on Nov 7, 2023 17:47:33 GMT -5
See my post above SOV. Looks like we crossed streams trying to explain it to folks. The only place I differ with some here is I don't think we are a virtual lock for an at large bid at 8-3. I think it's a coin flip when I really do the math team by team. So we don't fully control our own destiny even by winning out IMO. Odds still favor a Laffy loss as our best shot by far at the post season. It won't be a coin flip imho At 8-3 we are not getting an at large bid - yes I want to be wrong but we are a much different team since mid September. The unit on the field right now continues to impress and plays hard, but not the same. Naturally, we should play to win every game, but if there are no significant upsets over the next two weeks, winning the PL Auto Bid is our path to the playoffs, and that means Fordham and Lehigh become our favorite teams on the scoreboard after Holy Cross. Assume the following to be accurate, at least for today. 10 Auto qualifiers ASUN-WAC (UAC) Austin Peay/Central Arkansas Big Sky Montana Big South-OVC UT Martin CAA Delaware MVFC SDSU NEC Duquesne Patriot Laffy/Holy Cross Pioneer Davidson SoCon Furman Southland Nichols 14 at large- a number of these will be 7-4 at the end of the season 1. Montana St 2. Idaho 3. Sacramento State 4. Albany 5. Villanova/Elon/Richmond 6. South Dakota 7. UNI 8. North Dakota 9. North Dakota State 10. Youngstown St 11 Southern Illinois 12 Chattanooga/Mercer/Western Carolina 13 Central Arkansas 14 UIW Bubble teams need to win out to stay on the list, but they are likely to miss the tournament. UC Davis Elon/Richmond/Villanova Chattanooga/Mercer/Western Carolina Long Shots but still alive for an at-large Holy Cross Fordham Gardner Webb/Tennessee St Tarleton Alcorn
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Post by hcpride on Nov 7, 2023 17:58:07 GMT -5
"Have to protect Jake from Jake" haha. Many of us played with a couple guys like that. I wouldn't over think this. Matt and Jake will play if some combo of: 1) They are cleared by the medical staff and not at risk of a much more severe injury by playing. 2) They are capable physically to help the team win. It's one thing to be cleared but need to be recovered enough where you don't become a liability compared to your back-up. "Play" is a relative word. After all, Matt Sluka played against Fordham and Lehigh. Perhaps, with an eye on our final game, Matt will "play" about as much as he did v Fordham and Lehigh. Not only is it unlikely we will beat Army at West Point on Veteran's day, IMHO it is unlikely we will get an at-large bid even if we do beat Army.
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Post by Chu Chu on Nov 7, 2023 18:00:53 GMT -5
I know it's not part of the official process, but I have to believe if we beat Army and then beat Georgetown to close out the season, that we will get a bid, even if we are tied for the league lead. The selection committee wants the best teams, and a signature win over an FBS team like Army on Veterans Day will be hard for them to overlook. I am experiencing subdued excitement.
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Post by drjack on Nov 7, 2023 18:02:30 GMT -5
UIW would have a worse resume than us should we both win out.
I wouldn't put too much stock into where people are listed right now. We will be firmly in the conversation at 8-3 and (in my estimation) a good shot at being one of the last four in. Most people now expect us to lose to Army where it was being routed as one of the most likely FBS upsets going into the season. A win, and then a win against GT will do a lot to right some of the wrongs of this season in voters eyes (but definitely not all).
The absolute worst case scenario for me is essentially giving up this week to be locked and loaded for Georgetown, and then the Pards win out and it's all for naught.
I'm absolutely fine debating if we're a playoff team at 8-3 or not, but we need to be doing absolutely everything in our power to win this week first and foremost.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 18:03:51 GMT -5
"Have to protect Jake from Jake" haha. Many of us played with a couple guys like that. I wouldn't over think this. Matt and Jake will play if some combo of: 1) They are cleared by the medical staff and not at risk of a much more severe injury by playing. 2) They are capable physically to help the team win. It's one thing to be cleared but need to be recovered enough where you don't become a liability compared to your back-up. "Play" is a relative word. After all, Matt Sluka played against Fordham and Lehigh. Perhaps, with an eye on our final game, Matt will "play" about as much as he did v Fordham and Lehigh. Not only is it unlikely we will beat Army at West Point on Veteran's day, IMHO it is unlikely we will get an at-large bid even if we do beat Army. By play I mean start and get comparable reps to pre injury.
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Post by hcpride on Nov 7, 2023 18:04:34 GMT -5
"If Chesney wants, he can sit Sluka for another week and have his superstar QB that much healthier for a winner-take-all game in two weeks." Although technically incorrect the notion of sitting the injured/recovering/mostly recovered Sluka and Dobbs is not a crazy one given the stakes. You’ve mentioned this a bunch but I need you to explain further. In one scenario (win our last two and we are in), we control our own destiny.In the other scenario (needing help from Fordham or Lehigh), we don’t control our own destiny. In sports, you always want to be able to control your own destiny. I simply can’t wrap my head around the logic of holding back Sluka or Dobbs if they’re healthy enough to play this weekend, with the hope that Lafayette drops a game. I don't think we are in if we win our last two...and don't think were beating Army in any case (we can agree to disagree). Starting with that thought, for arguments sake, can you see the logic in doing everything you can to beat Georgetown? (Of course, we know Chesney has his own analysis and he has unlimited discretion in terms of "playing" certain players for a certain number of snaps, etc etc for reasons he may or may not care to share.).
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Post by alum on Nov 7, 2023 18:05:40 GMT -5
1. This is a must win game because we don’t know what Lafayette will do. 2. I can’t imagine BC telling his guys that the Army game doesn’t matter, i.e., Saders can’t get in at 8-3. How would that be motivating. 3. Look at the Southern Conf strength of schedule. Why would any of them (other than Furman which will get the AQ) be a lock ahead of HC. I’m not saying we are a lock, but I think at 8-3 we deserve to be in ahead of Chattanooga and Mercer. EDIT: It wouldn’t hurt if Central Arkansas lost their last two.
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Post by drjack on Nov 7, 2023 18:12:01 GMT -5
Do everything to win against Georgetown, fully agree unless that means punting away the Army game.
I am not confident at all with Fordham beating Lafayette, I think an angry Pards team handles business relatively comfortably.
I think the message should be something along the lines of "we don't control our destiny. We need to play at our absolute peak these next two games to force the committee to not overlook us."
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 7, 2023 18:13:43 GMT -5
I think some here could use a shot of optimism that Coach Chesney exudes. I'm with ChuChu (or maybe he's with me?), that we win out and we have a more than decent shot - no, not 100% - of getting an at-large. While I'd like us to win out and have Laffy lose one more in order to get the PL title and autobid outright, I think us winning out has to make us a strong candidate:
1- Two FBS games - lost to P5 team by 3 (and could have won); beat second FBS team (Army) 2- Co-Champ of PL with Laffy 3- Past performance vs. last year's national champs 4- Perhaps one of the best, if not best QB in FCS (Sluka) - Walter Peyton Award finalist 5- Perhaps one of best, if not best defensive player in FCS (Dobbs) - All-American and Campbell Trophy finalist 6. FCS losses by 3 to PL co-champion; 10 point loss (ouch!) to probable IL champion
But. lose to Army, and we don't get in even with a GU win UNLESS Laffy loses a game. If we lose to Army but beat GU and Laffy wins out, they are co-champs with us but they get the head-to-head tiebreaker and no way we get at large.
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Post by efg72 on Nov 7, 2023 18:14:16 GMT -5
I know it's not part of the official process, but I have to believe if we beat Army and then beat Georgetown to close out the season, that we will get a bid, even if we are tied for the league lead. The selection committee wants the best teams, and a signature win over an FBS team like Army on Veterans Day will be hard for them to overlook. I am experiencing subdued excitement. Love your input, but way too many strong sky and valley teams this year for that to happen. I am not saying it isn't deserved, but just not the reality of this process. The PL might be great in some ways it is a killer for so many other reasonsand the negatives are significantly problematic imho Yes I believe the committee will overload the seeds and the at large selections with the Valley and Sky teams We still can win the PL and we need help If anybody told the posters on this board 7-4 was possible a few signed up If the same question was asked and the injuries to certain players and the number of first year players would be on D, most would have said 5-6 What we are experiencing is an incredible effort by coaches and players, a true winning culture, and should make all of us proud
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Post by midwestsader05 on Nov 7, 2023 18:15:29 GMT -5
"Have to protect Jake from Jake" haha. Many of us played with a couple guys like that. I wouldn't over think this. Matt and Jake will play if some combo of: 1) They are cleared by the medical staff and not at risk of a much more severe injury by playing. 2) They are capable physically to help the team win. It's one thing to be cleared but need to be recovered enough where you don't become a liability compared to your back-up. Please refer to this. If they are cleared and physically able, they will go. If they don’t it won’t be b/c we are “saving” them for G’Town. You play to win every game and we know it will take everything we have and the best effort of each guy who steps on the field to win on Saturday.
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Post by lou on Nov 7, 2023 18:15:36 GMT -5
I Expect Chesney to assume two things this week: 1. Lafayette will win the next two games 2. HC will get an at large bid with two more wins
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Nov 7, 2023 18:40:16 GMT -5
See my post above SOV. Looks like we crossed streams trying to explain it to folks. The only place I differ with some here is I don't think we are a virtual lock for an at large bid at 8-3. I think it's a coin flip when I really do the math team by team. So we don't fully control our own destiny even by winning out IMO. Odds still favor a Laffy loss as our best shot by far at the post season. 14 at large- a number of these will be 7-4 at the end of the season 1. Montana St 2. Idaho 3. Sacramento State 4. Albany 5. Villanova/Elon/Richmond 6. South Dakota 7. UNI 8. North Dakota 9. North Dakota State 10. Youngstown St 11 Southern Illinois 12 Chattanooga/Mercer/Western Carolina 13 Central Arkansas 14 UIW I'm more optimistic than you. Sure, we might not get in at 8-3, but I put our chances at better than 80%. It seems like you have every Big Sky, Valley, and SoCon team that reaches the 7-4 mark in as an at-large. If history tells us anything, that won't be the case. I don't think it's as cut and dry as you make it here. Last year, two 7-4 SoCon teams were left out (Mercer and Chattanooga). Last year, 7-4 Youngstown State out of the Valley was left out. You can all but take away one of Central Arkansas' win at the end of the year (Texas College), so it's almost assuredly win the UAC or bust for them. UIW, on the surface, looks like an at-large candidate, but if you look closer, it's smoke and mirrors. One win against North American University. Another win by forfeit over Northwestern State. The Southland is also very bad this year. Holy Cross, with a win over Army, has a much, much better resume than UIW.
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