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Post by longsuffering on Feb 27, 2024 18:53:11 GMT -5
We are traveling to OH, IL and CA this decade. Yes, but we could up the competitive ante by looking at schools like Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Duke -- all academically excellent schools with great overall reputations, but not top tier FBS programs. Colgate played at Stanford a few years ago and Lafayette at Durham last year. A wipeout each time, true. But what the hell. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! It takes two to tango, FBS opponents are calling the shots and Holy Cross is not the show stopper name on the marquee in Chicago, Nashville or Durham, NC that is going to get the Duke, NU or Vandy AD a contract extension. Logically local FCS teams bring more fans and have lower expenses. HC-BC 2023 shows that concept. I'm pleased with Syracuse because they are coming off 6-7/2-6 and we could be competitive depending on how Joe P. and the team respond early in the season to Coach Curran.
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Post by efg72 on Feb 27, 2024 19:14:10 GMT -5
Longserving you might be right, but also you could be surprised
Those games are a 1-1 relationship phone call away from being reality
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Post by midwestsader05 on Feb 27, 2024 19:31:34 GMT -5
Yes, but we could up the competitive ante by looking at schools like Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Duke -- all academically excellent schools with great overall reputations, but not top tier FBS programs. Colgate played at Stanford a few years ago and Lafayette at Durham last year. A wipeout each time, true. But what the hell. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! It takes two to tango, FBS opponents are calling the shots and Holy Cross is not the show stopper name on the marquee in Chicago, Nashville or Durham, NC that is going to get the Duke, NU or Vandy AD a contract extension. Logically local FCS teams bring more fans and have lower expenses. HC-BC 2023 shows that concept. I'm pleased with Syracuse because they are coming off 6-7/2-6 and we could be competitive depending on how Joe P. and the team respond early in the season to Coach Curran. I’m guessing you didn’t track the Syracuse off season roster additions? Starting with their QB? Keeping it to less than 4 TDs will take a solid effort.
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Post by joutsHC77 on Feb 27, 2024 20:30:51 GMT -5
It takes two to tango, FBS opponents are calling the shots and Holy Cross is not the show stopper name on the marquee in Chicago, Nashville or Durham, NC that is going to get the Duke, NU or Vandy AD a contract extension. Logically local FCS teams bring more fans and have lower expenses. HC-BC 2023 shows that concept. I'm pleased with Syracuse because they are coming off 6-7/2-6 and we could be competitive depending on how Joe P. and the team respond early in the season to Coach Curran. I’m guessing you didn’t track the Syracuse off season roster additions? Starting with their QB? Keeping it to less than 4 TDs will take a solid effort. Plus, they hired the Georgia assistant and, as mentioned, brought in many portal transfers. Fans need to temper expectations about playing higher level teams until HC sustains its success and defeats some of these teams.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Feb 27, 2024 20:56:25 GMT -5
Agreed there is way too much anchoring and recency bias on the 4 FBS games since 2021. Yes 2-2 and 4 great competitive games. However, I still don’t think it has sunk in that we are coming off a 3 year period with unprecedented generational talent. 7-8 players with NFL potential/athleticism. Plus UCONN 2021, Buffalo 2022 and BC/Army ‘23 did not have the talent that Cuse will have in ‘24 (especially at the skill positions).
While I don’t think we are going back to the BC, Navy and Cuse mismatches of the 2018/2019 seasons, the roster dispersion in ‘24 will be closer to those games.
FBS games v MAC and other G5 programs where you can collect a 425k check and make things interesting are ideal.
As I’ve stated elsewhere, the Defense on paper has a chance to at least look like a G5 unit getting off the bus in 2025 and 2026 (similar to the offense last 2 seasons) if they keep progressing.
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Post by longsuffering on Feb 27, 2024 22:17:15 GMT -5
It takes two to tango, FBS opponents are calling the shots and Holy Cross is not the show stopper name on the marquee in Chicago, Nashville or Durham, NC that is going to get the Duke, NU or Vandy AD a contract extension. Logically local FCS teams bring more fans and have lower expenses. HC-BC 2023 shows that concept. I'm pleased with Syracuse because they are coming off 6-7/2-6 and we could be competitive depending on how Joe P. and the team respond early in the season to Coach Curran. I’m guessing you didn’t track the Syracuse off season roster additions? Starting with their QB? Keeping it to less than 4 TDs will take a solid effort. Correct guess. I just looked at the record. Opening up with three CAA games should be good solid competition at least.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Feb 28, 2024 6:51:29 GMT -5
The Syracuse roster this season will be the most talented we’ve seen since AJ Dillon’s 2018 BC squad which reached as high as #17 in the polls in early November that year.
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Post by timholycross on Feb 28, 2024 8:46:30 GMT -5
I'd feel a hell of a lot better about keeing SU competitive if it were Game 2 or 3, not Game 5.
Chances are that talent isn't going to be very well meshed early in the season.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Feb 28, 2024 9:49:52 GMT -5
The Syracuse roster this season will be the most talented we’ve seen since AJ Dillon’s 2018 BC squad which reached as high as #17 in the polls in early November that year. Both FBS opponents in 2019 (Navy and 'Cuse) got ranked at some point during those seasons but were unranked when we played them. Syracuse was led by this Italian QB named Tommy Devito that year. I think they briefly got into the Top 25 before losing a bunch of ACC games in a row down the stretch. Navy came into that season not highly touted and were implementing a slightly changed offense, which they burned us with. 2019 was probably Navy's best defense in 25 years. They went from milquetoast preseason expectations to a Liberty Bowl win over Kansas State and I think a national ranking.
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Post by midwestsader05 on Feb 28, 2024 11:31:23 GMT -5
I'd feel a hell of a lot better about keeing SU competitive if it were Game 2 or 3, not Game 5. Chances are that talent isn't going to be very well meshed early in the season. I guess you cold say the same for us with lots of new personnel, new O and D installs, plus new staff-player in game communications, etc. 2024 Schedule is just brutal where you have your 9 toughest games in first 9 consecutive weeks, a bye week and then your 3 lesser opponents on paper to close the season. Toughest schedule I’ve seen since not sure when. Would have to look.
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Post by longsuffering on Feb 28, 2024 11:37:51 GMT -5
The saying "no one is irreplaceable" was coined before Matt Sluka finished his HC career. It is going to be fascinating to watch the 2024 Crusaders.
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Post by hartattack on Mar 4, 2024 13:56:54 GMT -5
Not sure if the game time was confirmed elsewhere but Harvard officially announced their schedule today. We get a high noon kickoff on the banks of the Charles on Saturday, October 19.
IMO the 12pm kickoff is preferable to a night game. Harvard hosts UNH under the lights on Friday, Oct. 5. Interesting opener with the Stetson Hatters at the Stadium.
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Post by rgs318 on Mar 4, 2024 14:02:16 GMT -5
I'd feel a hell of a lot better about keeing SU competitive if it were Game 2 or 3, not Game 5. Chances are that talent isn't going to be very well meshed early in the season. That was the case in the HC win over bowl winner Buffalo. This year, however, HC may also need some time to adjust to new plays and coaches as well as to some new key personnel.
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Post by Ignutz on Mar 4, 2024 17:05:29 GMT -5
The saying "no one is irreplaceable" was coined before Matt Sluka finished his HC career. It is going to be fascinating to watch the 2024 Crusaders. While I would have loved to see Sluka stick around long enough to pick up three or four grad degrees, and thus be our first ever ten-year player, I am heartened by the way the team performed with Joe P. under center (or in the -gun) during Matt's absence. How many of us would have put money on a Crusader win in the Bronx with MS on the sideline? Likewise, would anyone have predicted our run through the schedule in 2022 with J. Dobbs on the shelf? We'll be fine. In hoc signo VINCES!
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Post by longsuffering on Mar 4, 2024 18:16:01 GMT -5
The saying "no one is irreplaceable" was coined before Matt Sluka finished his HC career. It is going to be fascinating to watch the 2024 Crusaders. While I would have loved to see Sluka stick around long enough to pick up three or four grad degrees, and thus be our first ever ten-year player, I am heartened by the way the team performed with Joe P. under center (or in the -gun) during Matt's absence. How many of us would have put money on a Crusader win in the Bronx with MS on the sideline? Likewise, would anyone have predicted our run through the schedule in 2022 with J. Dobbs on the shelf? We'll be fine. In hoc signo VINCES! Good point. Total yards can be replaced or exceeded.
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Post by nhteamer on Mar 12, 2024 8:55:25 GMT -5
That we are playing Bryant and CCSU ANY YEAR and not playing Dartmouth is so stupid.
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Post by mm67 on Mar 12, 2024 9:44:52 GMT -5
We should play Dartmouth annually. Unfortunately, the Big Green has different fish to fry. Don't know the reasons. At one time we were almost evenly matched in the series (70+ games?). We were good opponents. .Can the HC AD with the support of Coach Dan pick up the phone? I realize times change and some youngsters under age 75 will claim I'm stuck in the past. History does not die. History lives 0n in each of us. Dartmouth was part of HC's history & vice versa. HC-Dartmouth should be resurrected.
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Post by nhteamer on Mar 12, 2024 9:58:41 GMT -5
Dartmouth also plays all sorts of stupid non conference games.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
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Post by rgs318 on Mar 12, 2024 10:02:22 GMT -5
When under FHCTG we had the coutroversy over HC "dancing on the D" at midfield after a win, I heard the first rumblings about cancelling our series. I also read posts by a number of fans of the Big Green who said they loved the rivalry and wanted very much to see HC on future Dartmouth schedules. Like that I believe the HC-Dartmouth rivalry is a natural match-up. I would love to see them on future HC schedules, but I will go with the AD and our coaches in that regard.
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Post by longsuffering on Mar 12, 2024 10:21:14 GMT -5
If I can find my ruler I'll verify whether West Point is south or north of New Haven.🙂 I agree, we are rich in nearby opponents. But GU is a high quality iconic institution so I hope your football road rises to meet us...and ours doesn't drop to meet yours.
How soon before you schedule Stonehill In FB if it hasn't already been done?
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