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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 20, 2023 7:52:04 GMT -5
From a Classmate: Ahhh, signs of the programs success!! This makes me mad. Just checked online and I was able to find the seat map with a fair amount of availability in the "reserved" section of the HC website. It certainly is less than previous years but I had no issues checking it out.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 20, 2023 7:48:19 GMT -5
Looks like every report from Weather.com to the local morning news has rain on Saturday afternoon. Only good thing appears that the rain will be heaviest in the SE part of Mass and not Worcester.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 20, 2023 5:22:53 GMT -5
I still chuckle seeing the title of this thread. When I first saw this yesterday, I really thought there was a controversy about guys ordering Jersey Mikes on the field during halftime!
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 21:04:22 GMT -5
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 20:31:02 GMT -5
Very difficult to find the words to express my profound sadness with his passing. Certain coaches resonate regarding their presence beyond their athletic endeavors. Buddy was one of them. The New England football community has lost a great leader. May he Rest in Peace. I would like HC to put on a helmet sticker or at least mention his passing. Certainly appreciated competing against his teams and his contributions to New England football and beyond are immeasurable.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 20:19:52 GMT -5
Nice Stone article in the NEFJ with great quotes from Ches, especially about our youthful D. nefootballjournal.com/sluka-dobbs-pick-up-weekly-patriot-league-honors-as-crusaders-prep-for-1st-league-game/It was back to business as usual for Holy Cross last weekend. The No. 6 Crusaders went on the road and beat the defending Ivy League champs Yale with relative ease after a slow start. With the BC heart break behind them, Holy cross demonstrated why they’ve been able to win four straight Patriot League titles. Resolve and an ability to turn the page as quick as anyone. Matt Sluka accounted for six touchdowns in the win and won the league’s Offensive Player of the Week Award. Meanwhile, the top dog on defense Jacob Dobbs took home Defensive Player of the Week honors. Dobbs had an absurd 17 tackles (12 solo) as well as two forced fumbles. “I think last weekend, our guys did a really good job…that’s always a tough place to play,” head coach Bob Chesney said during his weekly press conference o Tuesday. “Our history with them is not in favor of us, our recent history is, but our overall history is not. I think our games just came out and played really hard and executed at an extremely high level. I thought the plan Coach Kennedy and the offensive staff put together was phenomenal and I think the execution was at a very, very high level. “Defensively, again, we keep talking about it, but we’ve just got to start a little faster. I think each week we’ve gotten better. Obviously, our second half play is much better, it’s just the initial part…the sticking and moving, that first round like a boxer in the rung, we’re not ready to throw our overhand right or our uppercut just yet and we’re feeling things out. We’ve just got to attack a little more and I think we’ll be able to do that as we move forward here. Just a young group and it takes a lot to get them going on defense, which is part of the deal, but I love the way they respond in the second half, it’s been just great. We have to start faster and if we can continue to execute at a high level on offense, I like our chances.” Chesney went into further detail about why he believes it’s taken a while in these first few games for the offense and defense to click on all cylinders at the same time. “I think what typically happens, whoever we play, it is going to be their best, right?” he said. “We’re going to get their best. It’s not going to be like, ‘hey, maybe they’re looking past you or something,’ that’s not ever going to happen. You’re going to get their best, period. Every single kid on that field is going to give you their best. Honestly, the real challenge is, when you watch film and a kid makes a mistake here or there or doesn’t look like he’s playing overly inspired football, I tell our guys ‘find his highlights. Find his greatest plays he made in college, but then go back to his high school and find the greatest plays he’s ever made on high school film, because that’s what you’re going to get for 60 minutes. They are going to give you everything they’ve got for 60 minutes’ “So, I think withstanding that initial surge from these teams is what we have to do. There’s a lot of offense, there’s a lot of scheme, there’s a lot of things that happen really early and they’re all changeups. They’re changeups in things they saw on film and they’re in attack mode. We have to withstand some of that on defense and I think that’s just the nature of the beast. On offense, we’re in attack mode and we’ve had success. I don’t think we’re starting slow on offense, but I do think defensively it’s a bit slower than we’d like. It’s just withstanding that initial punch from teams that are veterans in nature. Merrimack, a veteran group. You look at BC, obviously an ACC group with a veteran offensive line and running backs and receiving core. Then, you get to Yale, the whole entire team was back. You have to withstand that as young guys first before you can start to attack. That’s where we’re seeing some of the slower start, just feeling it out and figuring it out what it is.” As for the intensity level Dobbs is bringing to the table this season – which showed often against Yale – it’s been ratcheted up to a whole new level. “He has a little bit more on his plate because of those young guys. He’s got a little bit more as far as getting on the same page. He has a little bit more as far as communication. He has a little bit more as far as in-play and to the whistle, getting guys moving in the right direction and it’s misdirection plays…there’s a lot he personally has to do and then there’s a lot he has to communicate prior to the play, during the play and then right after the play,” Chesney explained. “He’s the one with the experience out there, not a lot of those other guys in the box with him. So, to be productive as he is and be wearing as many hats as he is and having to communicate as much as he does lets you know how good of a player he is.” Now that a strange yet productive first three weeks of the season is over, Holy Cross can set its sight on the first goal it has every year: the Patriot League title. The four-time defending champs began league play when Colgate visits Fitton Field on Saturday afternoon. “I think for them (Colgate) ultimately, it all kind of rolls through that quarterback,” added Chesney. “Mike Brescia is a great quarterback. He’s a big, big football player. He is like, Sluka and might be a little bigger. He gets downhill and is physical and he doesn’t back down really, to anybody. So, that’s the one thing that kind of stands out. Their one receiver (Treyvhon Saunders) No. 9 has started to catch fire here a little bit and he’s very good and they find him different, creative ways to get him the ball. They’ll do all the different schematic things that present problems for a defense. They live in all of those. They have a lot of stuff…there’s a lot of stuff they’re doing in there that kind of presents problems each and every week for every team. They’re doing everything. That’s a challenge. “They’ve also been together forever. So, Stan’s the head coach now only for three years, but he’s been there for 17 years and his defensive coordinator’s been there for six, his offensive coordinator’s been there for 10. These are guys that have been together for a long time. Their communication, their resiliency together, their ability to motivate and move the group is pretty evident when you put on that film.”
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 20:16:20 GMT -5
Welcome to our two newest members. I trust they both will balance the many constraints and constituencies and hopefully do right by our beloved Crusader athletics.
On the uniform note, I love the classic purple helmets with purple jerseys and white pants as well as the white jersey and purple pant combo. I have never been a fan of an all one color or "color rush" look. I would not mind one alternate consisting of silver helmets and silver pants or simply bringing back the silver pants as an option. In the 50s I think we had double shoulder stripes a la LSU and Ole Miss. Throwbacks would be welcome in my boom.
Black alternates wouldn't bother me but I also wouldn't be in love with them either. the silver numbers on the last edition looked cool in person and quite sleek but nobody, literally nobody could read them from the press box or top of the stands.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 19:40:50 GMT -5
Good luck and hope you have a good game. Just curious how it works up there. If you go on your ticket site, it looks like half the stadium seats aren’t even available to purchase - and the sale able seats on both sidelines are significant. If you look today, it doesn’t look like even 5,000 seats are sold. Do you get that large of a walk up crowd for these games? OK, just double checked our ticket website to make sure I somewhat knew what I was talking about. The "select your own seat" option works only foe the reserved sections on the sidelines. The seats in the corners, endzone, and ends of the sideline are GA and you can't select a section since I think you just sitting anywhere (reserved is shaded black and GA is white on the seating chart). We do have a fair amount of season ticket holders but we do get some walk ups and late purchasing alums and locals for homecoming, family weekend, and other promoted games. The GA tickets are also distributed to the local schools. I bet the reason some sections appear unavailable is because they are general admission. Good to see you back on the board. Hope you can make it to Fitton!
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 19:34:33 GMT -5
Truly heartbroken for the Dartmouth family. He was a great coach and appeared to be an even better man. Loved when HC played Dartmouth with more regularity. I remember when he was featured in the news for the robot tackling dummies he helped create. Must have been far more catastrophic than we all knew. Praying for the Big Green.
They are moving forward with their game vs Lehigh but I can't imagine what the young men are going through right now. Wonder how the Ivies and others will honor his memory. It might be nice, and I think appropriate, for other schools to offer a prayer/moment of silence before their own games this weekend. I can envision the Ivies wearing a helmet sticker this week.
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Harvard
Sept 19, 2023 19:26:11 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 19:26:11 GMT -5
Should be a competitive game for a while. Murphy is a great coach and will come out with a solid scheme to execute early. Ches talked about opposing game plans and the need for our young D to learn and attack earlier in games.
Harvard beat a St. Thomas team on the rise but one that lost to SD 24-0 and is 98 on Massey. Harvard is 36th and, fwiw, Yale dropped to 56, one ahead of Laffy. Looking forward to showing the Raiders the 'Gate first.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 18:39:10 GMT -5
Never got to see Tom play in person but loved hearing Big Red call games with Bob. Happy to hear he is doing well at Fenwick-an old rival of my own high school Alma mater.
Gosh would I love to hear Bob calling football again with Gordie or Big Red by his side. Imagine Fouracre when Dobbs throws a big hit or Sluka turns a broken play into a 50 yard rushing TD? He is probably smiling down on this football team!
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 18:25:52 GMT -5
Supposed to be in the 60s and cloudy - no rain predicted until Sunday. (hopefully) That forecast is beginning to trend downward. just saw that on weather.com The local 6 o'clock news still had the afternoon as cloudy with rain moving in at night.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 12:17:11 GMT -5
This early in the season, I think you leave the starters out there. In some ways, the team is still finding its rhythm, and the coaches may be looking to try a thing or two. If it were our next-to-last game or so, and we had our post-season pretty much sewed up, I'd be more inclined to agree with getting the subs involved. If Yale had started to put its clean pants players on the field, and we continued with our starters, I would question our reasoning. The Patriots trailed the Falcons in SB-51 by 25 with 2:10 left in the third period, and trailed by 16 with 9:45 to go in Q4. We were up by 18 with 7:45 remaining in the game. A pick-six with a two-point conversion, and a recovered onside kick could have really swung things. How did people feel about Derek Ng's touchdown pass to close out Q3 against Colgate that put us up 35-10? Or about Sluka's 40-yard TD pass to Spencer Gilliam to put us up 50-0 with three minutes to play in Q3 against Bucknell last year? I have no problem with how the staff managed the personnel on the field last Saturday. Roll the wagons. 1935 HC-Bates
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 12:12:43 GMT -5
View AttachmentLooking around online for some old Colgate-HC stuff to send friends this week, I came across this ticket from 1935. Just curious, does anyone remember Fitton being called "Holy Cross Stadium?" Any idea when we stopped using that name? Cool find! I love when posters like yourself or Mark post historical photos. The ever reliable Wikipedia lists the game as being played at Fitton Field (which could be a default placeholder). Colgate went 7-3 that year including a 3-0 loss to the Crusaders. The '35 Crusader squad went undefeated including a 79-0 drubbing of Bates. They beat BC 20-6. The team only finished as high as 14 in the AP poll, which perhaps was a result of playing a few non-majors. Judging by the score of the Bates game, the Crusaders knew how they needed to improve in the polls. Wonder what posters on here would say/do if we drubbed Bucknell by a score of 79-0 (just kidding, I don't think Ches would do that and I don't think anyone on our schedule is that bad).
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 12:07:46 GMT -5
Go back a couple of decades-- we lost to Harvard by giving up three touchdowns in the last couple of minutes- I think the number is correct I agree this is a coach decision- even though I would like to see some additional players get time. We do, however, rotate a significant group on both sides of the ball so players do get minutes. Against Harvard, Fordham...dare I say...Army West Point, I would probably leave the starters in a bit longer to prevent what you described against the Johnnies. Also depends on the opponents timeouts, etc. If a team is down 14 and is out of timeouts, the coach's decision will be different than 14 and the opponents have all 3 timeouts.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 11:56:31 GMT -5
Many might think this question doesn't deserve a thread and, if so, it will die quickly. I'm not smart enough to create a Crossports poll. But, if so, it would ask "should the first team offense have taken the field deep in Yale territory up 31-17 with 4:50 to play?" I'm assuming you are referring to when Yale fumbled and we recovered at the Yale five? It was 42-17 with 5:53 remaining. In your scenario, of course you keep the starters out when it's still a two-score game. I didn't have an issue with how Chesney elected to handle it. Maybe his decision would have been different if we were at our own 25 rather than Yale's five. Like it or not, Sluka and Coker amassing these gaudy stats helps us. It gets people talking about Holy Cross football. We have a team that is in the national conversation and a player who, at this point in the season, might be the front runner for the Walter Payton. This stuff matters. I give Sarah Kirkpatrick, the marketing, and social media team huge props. HC football is out there in the media and on social media. People from other FCS conferences are talking about us and our players. Our videos are crisp and professionally edited. The Florida State fans were talking about us. The more our stars contribute, the better (although as in any sport, depth/bench production is awesome!). SoV got me thinking about what a wonderful job our media team has done this season. Of course, I always thank Jen T and Kevin Shea and give them props for keeping us front and center in the Worcester media.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 19, 2023 11:48:17 GMT -5
This is not the response you are probably looking for--it depends! I think under 5 minutes left to play in a game, I am ready for backups to come in if we have a 3 score game. I believe our second string could score on some team's starters. We have much more depth than say Bucknell, 'Gate, and Lehigh. If the other team has pulled starters, I am most definitely ok with pulling ours. I would not want to see one of our playmakers hurt in garbage time of a game.
I do subscribe to the theory that we do need to beat certain opponents by 4 or more scores. Incarnate Word got a higher seed than us, #7, upset #2 Sac State and probably should have pulled the upset at NDSU. The Southland is not the Sky, Valley, or CAA, but is stronger historically than the PL. They didn't get the #7 seed by beating Lafayette by 3. I expect a score of 56-13 vs. Colgate this weekend and would expect the Bucknell game to be similar.
But, Ches gets paid the big bucks to make these calls. It's all about balancing injuries, seedings, game considerations, etc.
PS...When I saw the thread title, I was wondering if HC had a new gameday sandwich sponsor. I have seen the Jersey Mike's advertisements at Fitton!
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 20:53:53 GMT -5
When the time comes, I hope an HC "guy" like Chris Smith is ready to take the helm with the same energy and charisma to prove this is not a "flash in the pan!" But let's not rush that
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 19:41:40 GMT -5
I'll break the ice! (So probably want to pick the opposite!)
Columbia 21, Gtown 17 Fordham 45, Stonehill 24 Dartmouth 20, Lehigh 7 UPenn 21, Bucknell 14 Lafayette 27, Monmouth 21 HOLY CROSS 56, Colgate 13
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 18:49:14 GMT -5
In other news, old friend Western Carolina is back in the top 25 after knocking off Samford and Eastern Kentucky.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 18:45:48 GMT -5
I know we had a police escort to BC and I can see what looks to be a Worcester cruiser and two bikes leading the team down to New Haven. Is this a new thing for the team? I wonder if the bikes are also local or if they are CT staties? I would think it would be tough to get an escort all the way to Lewisburg! Ches should get a couple of state troopers to be his personal security. Love the look going out for the handshake, especially for out of state games!
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 17:47:18 GMT -5
What intrigues me is a possible fracture of FBS into 2 divisions. The ACC, Big 12, Big 10, and SEC in one division and everybody else in another. The American and MWC are positioned well but Sun Belt and MAC seem a bit precarious. Perhaps the top teams in FCS join with the Sun Belt and MAC in an in-between level.
Rather than the Academies dropping down, perhaps some of their opponents exist at a new level. There could be a cap on NIL or something like that in the second tier division. Say it's Division 1-A, 1-AA, and then FCS. This would keep the Academies and the MAC schools in the mix.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 16:50:16 GMT -5
Jake Dobbs has 51 TOT this year. If he keeps up this pace, he should close in on McGovern single season record of 187. High mark but plausible.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 13:00:06 GMT -5
Back to Yale on Saturday, I was disappointed that the band nor the cheerleaders made the short trip to New Haven - this demonstrates that our athletic dept did not encourage their participation which is too bad - or if they were willing but it was a budget reason, that’s even worse I know the "HC Spirit" social media account showed videos of the dance team, cheerleaders and band practicing for homecoming. My guess is there was never a plan for any of them to attend the game. IIRC, they usually don't travel with the team except for major games, FBS games, etc. Did we have anyone out at the playoff game at Monmouth/Villanova? I am assuming a bus to Monmouth would be cheaper than a flight to SDSU.
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Post by cruskater31 on Sept 18, 2023 12:44:23 GMT -5
I can get behind Sac State leapfrogging us for beating Stanford. Hope we jump up in November after beating Army.
That being said, HC beat a 30 something ranked team in Yale by a heap. Bill and Mary beat a 60 something ranked team in Charleston Southern by a TD. Come on! If Sac State is 4, we should be 5, with W&M at 6. Perhaps there is still truth to a bias against the PL and the Ivy and in favor of the CAA.
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