Patriot League Preseason Poll + Players

[Bogus Megapardus]

FYI - The Patriot League preseason poll (http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080310aab.html) just came out:

1. Colgate (6 first-place votes) 46
2. Lafayette (2) 36
3. Lehigh (3) 35
4. Holy Cross (1) 34
5. Bucknell 17
6. Georgetown 12

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Greg Sullivan, Sr., QB, Colgate

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Mude Ohimor, Sr., DE, Holy Cross

Second place essentially is a three-way tie. Put them in any order you like. No surprises here - but where would full-scholarship Fordham fall?

[Franks Tanks]

Fordham would be 4 or 5 IMO. They will be worse than last year without Skelton, and few if any of their scholarship players will be on the field at this point.

[Sader87]

FYI - The Patriot League preseason poll (http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080310aab.html) just came out:

1. Colgate (6 first-place votes) 46
2. Lafayette (2) 36
3. Lehigh (3) 35
4. Holy Cross (1) 34
5. Bucknell 17
6. Georgetown 12

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Greg Sullivan, Sr., QB, Colgate

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Mude Ohimor, Sr., DE, Holy Cross

Second place essentially is a tie. Put them in any order you like. No surprises here - but where would full-scholarship Fordham fall?

Interesting, so Fordham is now basically a "non-member" member of the PL?

[TexasTerror]

The Patriot League preseason poll (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?70448-It-s-Time-that-Lafayette-Lehigh-Had-a-Trophy-To-Call-Its-Own&p=1536499&viewfull=1#post1536499) was referenced within another thread, but wanted to give it its own post...

1. Colgate (6 first-place votes) 46
2. Lafayette (2) 36
3. Lehigh (3) 35
4. Holy Cross (1) 34
5. Bucknell 17
6. Georgetown 12

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Greg Sullivan, Sr., QB, Colgate
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Mude Ohimor, Sr., DE, Holy Cross

http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080310aab.html

[colorless raider]

I think I would pick Lehigh #1

[TheValleyRaider]

Tight race predicted, which isn't surprising. I'm not 100% convinced we're headed for a great season, but I can see why we'd be the favorites

Nice to see Sullivan pick up the preseason honor xthumbsupx

[RichH2]

tsk, tsk. Let the Raiders have the target on their back. LUas recent history has shown is only good enuf for 3 or 4th place and will not win any close games. Everyone should just chalk up a close win vs us. Really, we'll have 10 or 11 all PL players but be lucky to over .500 at the end of the year. Yup, yup and then I am predicting the midterm elections.

[Pard4Life]

Lafayette is #2? I don't think so... I'd pick Lehigh, but it remains to be seen if they can build upon last year's momentum or remain lost in the woods.

Colgate is going to have a sick team... 10-1 or 9-2, at least.

Poll is on target otherwise.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I'll roll with it. I'd have Colgate as #1 based on consistency alone. Let the 'Pards have #2 while Lehigh can lie in the weeds at 3.

[Umpire]

Posts regarding the Patriot League poll from the rivalry game thread have been moved to this thread.

[LUHawker]

Lafayette is #2? I don't think so... I'd pick Lehigh, but it remains to be seen if they can build upon last year's momentum or remain lost in the woods.

Colgate is going to have a sick team... 10-1 or 9-2, at least.

Poll is on target otherwise.

Colgate may win the PL, but it won't be 10-1 or 9-2. They could have two losses coming out of September (Syracuse and Furman) before tussling with basically even competition in the PL. I think 8-3 is best case scenario, although I could also easily see 7-4 or even 6-5. Doubtful that anyone runs away with the PL this year.

[DFW HOYA]

I think 8-3 is best case scenario, although I could also easily see 7-4 or even 6-5. Doubtful that anyone runs away with the PL this year.

Remember, there are only five games in the conference standings since the Fordham games don't count. Since the rest of the league expects to sweep Bucknell and Georgetown, a 3-2 PL record might be enough for a split title. If they don't sweep, things could get real interesting.

[ngineer]

Yes, I forgot about the lack of Fordham in the poll impact and more importantly how that may impact the final standings. Very possible for a multi-team tie for first. I go with the poll. Colgate, with their stellar QB and RB has to have the edge. Although questions have been raised about their D, an inexperienced D is not as big a problem as an inexperienced O. As long as you have good athletes who can run and hit, defense should not be the problem. With their schedule, I don't see Colgate topping 8-3. Lehigh, Lafayette, Holy Cross are peas in a pod at this point. Based upon returning starters, I'd give us the slightest of edges, but by the time the League play begins it will mean little.

[carney2]

Remember, there are only five games in the conference standings since the Fordham games don't count. Since the rest of the league expects to sweep Bucknell and Georgetown, a 3-2 PL record might be enough for a split title. If they don't sweep, things could get real interesting.

Some folks are beginning to hedge their bets on Bucknell.

[bison137]

Remember, there are only five games in the conference standings since the Fordham games don't count. Since the rest of the league expects to sweep Bucknell and Georgetown, a 3-2 PL record might be enough for a split title. If they don't sweep, things could get real interesting.


The rest of the league will not sweep Bucknell.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Some folks are beginning to hedge their bets on Bucknell.

I am hereby on record as predicting a better-than-expected Bucknell football performance. The Bison are not the league's best (Army and Navy included) all-sports franchise for nothing. I suggest being afraid. Very afraid.

[ngineer]

'bout time the Bison have a 'chip' on their shoulder....xsmiley_wix

[heath]

Lehigh will miss Coach Sanders on D, which was their strength at the end of the season. Look for the Lehigh-Lafayette game to determine the CHAMP in the PL this year. Winner goes...........................

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Bucknell will be better. How much better will be determined by how well they do in those games in September versus Cornell and Dartmouth. There's no question they're pointed squarely in the right direction under coach Susan, but they will also endure growing pains for sure.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I assume everyone here considers Fordham to have a horse in this race regardless of how the PL rules read at the moment. I understand that this thread is about the "official" Center Valley poll but I propose that references on AGS to PL competition and standings in other threads include the Rams (without an *asterisk*).

[LUHawker]

Bucknell will be better. How much better will be determined by how well they do in those games in September versus Cornell and Dartmouth. There's no question they're pointed squarely in the right direction under coach Susan, but they will also endure growing pains for sure.

Other than having a new coach, why exactly, is everyone so bullish on Bucknell right now?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Other than having a new coach, why exactly, is everyone so bullish on Bucknell right now?

I think it has largely to do with the abandonment of an offensive system that produced more injuries than offense.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I think it has largely to do with the abandonment of an offensive system that produced more injuries than offense.

I think Susan will play to the strengths of the athletes on the field as well. I expect the Bison to take a lot of risks. Many plays will fall flat but there will be some spectacular results as well.

[DFW HOYA]

I think Susan will play to the strengths of the athletes on the field as well. I expect the Bison to take a lot of risks. Many plays will fall flat but there will be some spectacular results as well.

Any thoughts about Kevin Kelly's new Hofstra offense, or is Frank Tavani already making post-game dinner reservations that night?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Any thoughts about Kevin Kelly's new Hofstra offense, or is Frank Tavani already making post-game dinner reservations that night?

Please, please, please let this be true....

xnodx

xlolx

[DFW HOYA]

Please, please, please let this be true....


I'll say this, given that Georgetown has earned no reputation offensively in the last four years: if Tavani is planning for the same old "third and ten, quarterback keeper" that OC Jim Miceli ran, he's in for a surprise. Lafayette will have only one week of game film of whatever new OC Dave Patenaude is able to create out of the soup that Georgetown has run under the last four years. Georgetown surprising Lafayette? Not as unlikely as the Morning Call or Express-Times would have you believe, since they often portray the Hoyas as the equivalent of the Moravian JV. Coach Kelly really needs two PL wins this year and this could be one of them.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Any thoughts about Kevin Kelly's new Hofstra offense, or is Frank Tavani already making post-game dinner reservations that night?

I'm not sure what made Patenaude an attractive addition to Kelly's staff. He certainly had success at New Haven and has experience coaching at Holy Cross, Fordham and Columbia which could have been the factor that got him the job. He was subject to some criticism at Hofstra for his play calling but I don't really know the details. Certainly there will be lots of new offensive wrinkles and Tavani will have only the film from the Davidson game to work with. I imagine Patenaude will keep a few thinks close to the vest for his PL opener, however. Patenaude's tenure, of course, will last only as long as Kelly's.

May we assume the Hoyas have pinned a target securely on the backs of a transitioning, early-season Leopard squad?

[ngineer]

Opening games are the the best time pull the upset. Some teams, despite having the heavy 'paper edge' just come out flat that first game due to a myriad reasons; but new personnel, injuries from camp, new coaches, can cause early disruption. Add to that a perceived 'gimme' win and trouble can brew. I remember a few years back (2004) when a fairly young and unhearlded Stony Brook team scared the crap out of Lehigh in our home opener. Final score was 25-2, but it was still anybody's ball game heading into the fourth quarter.

I'm doing some reading up on Drake, and after their 8-3 season last year, and with a lot of returning players, I'm definitely concerned about our trip to Des Moines. They certainly appear to be much improved from the team we beat two year ago. What also concerns me is people 'looking ahead' to the home opener with Villanova.

[Franks Tanks]

I'll say this, given that Georgetown has earned no reputation offensively in the last four years: if Tavani is planning for the same old "third and ten, quarterback keeper" that OC Jim Miceli ran, he's in for a surprise. Lafayette will have only one week of game film of whatever new OC Dave Patenaude is able to create out of the soup that Georgetown has run under the last four years. Georgetown surprising Lafayette? Not as unlikely as the Morning Call or Express-Times would have you believe, since they often portray the Hoyas as the equivalent of the Moravian JV. Coach Kelly really needs two PL wins this year and this could be one of them.

You still dont have a QB or an ofensive line. You can call any plays you want, but it appears Georgetown still doesnt have enough players.

[RichH2]

true GU's best hope at qb transferred out. BU will a usual be a pain i the a** to play. Sue should make O more competitive and less injury prone. Give him a few classes and they will be very good. Dont think this yr will be enuf to turn them around.