HOLY CROSS FANS

[MUHAWKS]

My usual weekly post to the opposing team-

Anything good to report? The pre-season injuries we suffered were all guys out for the year so through the first 3 games we have stayed relatively healthy aside from those thankfully. We got our DE back who missed week 1 in week 2 and he played a lot more this past week so that is good. Other than that just little nagging things, how about ya'll?

This is a really big game in a relative sense. I say relative b/c in reality conference games are really the only legit path to the playoffs for both of us. It is highly doubtful either of us makes the post season as an at large. Maybe we could with 2 losses if we beat whoever the AQ is but not likely and I am thinking the same for you.

The winner of this game gains a ton of momentum, but actually for whoever wins it really "keeps" the momentum and adds to it. I do not think we will be faulted much for our week 1 FBS loss since it was week 1 and FBS and it looks like Merrimack is pretty good so a win for you guys can erase that loss and a win for us gets us to 3-1 with a win against a good playoff caliber team. Whoever loses, although the path to the playoffs remains unchanged really, sort of loses any relevant "national" conversation. So it is big!

Not sure what happened with the Merrimack game, but I will chalk it up to typical letdown/trap. We only beat Fordham by 3 but sort of let them in the game (we were up 10 late in the 3rd and had the ball 1st and goal on the 1 to go up 17 and our QB made a dumb decision and threw a pick). And not for nothing but Fordham is decent. If they had played some CAA or similar instead of Nebraska and another FBS I think folks would be looking at them a lot differently right now, they were capable for sure.

We finally put a somewhat complete game together last week and showed more of what we were in 2019 (when we beat you in the playoffs) and this past Spring. Our offense began to click and it clearly helped our D. I feel as if you guys have a good D. I watched the UCONN game and was impressed with the team speed on D. I would be impressed if you could shut us down but one never knows. Your offense seems capable but I feel the recipe for you guys is good defense, no turnovers and make plays when they are there. I guess what I am saying is I cannot see you guys winning a shootout with us, but if you have a chance would need to be more like your Yale game.

If both teams "show up" should be a good game, I am guessing we will be about 7 point favorites.

I assume HC will travel pretty well with the excitement around the program? This is our first home game and although we are anything but a big time Stadium we play well at home and expect a good crowd. It is supposed to be a perfect early Fall day.

If any HC folks have something to add or thoughts, would look forward to seeing!

[Sader87]

If you want to get a feel for HC, here's our message board: https://crossports.freeforums.net/

[MUHAWKS]

If you want to get a feel for HC, here's our message board: https://crossports.freeforums.net/



thanks dude

[NY Crusader 2010]

thanks dude

Get your popcorn ready before logging on. Feel free to make an account -- visitors always welcome and very much valued on our board!

[crusader11]

Is there a Monmouth board?

[MUHAWKS]

[QUOTE=crusader11;2994298]Is there a Monmouth board?[/QUOTEreally, just

not really just a facebook group that essentially functions as one but not like this or anything.. I tried signin up for HC and it is still pending. Game will be over by time allowed to post!

[BigBlueMU]

If you want to get a feel for HC, here's our message board: https://crossports.freeforums.net/

Impressive board. Wish we had something like that.

[crusader11]

I’m juiced for this game tomorrow. Pretty nervous that our offense is going to stall at times throughout the game — we ran a two QB system last week against Yale with mixed results.

The guy who will receive the majority of the snaps tomorrow, Matt Sluka, might be the best athlete on our team, but is still figuring out the passing game.

Marco Siderman, who figures to get a few series, is the much more polished passer.

I’m expecting a competitive game. Our defense is good enough to keep us in this one heading into the 4th quarter, at the very least.

[MUHAWKS]

Game is sold out FYI- That is not saying tons since we only seat about 5k, BUT our playoff game was not even sold out. I am impressed, adds to the whole day. Lotta energy surrounding this game..

- - - Updated - - -

Game is sold out FYI- That is not saying tons since we only seat about 5k, BUT our playoff game was not even sold out. I am impressed, adds to the whole day. Lotta energy surrounding this game..

[crusader11]

Is 5K in corona times or 5K capacity of the stadium? I’m surprised that’s the capacity for the game tomorrow — a shame for two good FCS teams.

[crusader11]

HC dominating the first quarter.

14-0 after two long TD drives.

[crusader11]

21-0. Wow.

[crusader11]

Monmouth looks overmatched today.

The HC LB unit, which is the best in the PL with Dobbs and Anderson leading the way, is really blowing up a lot of what Monmouth is trying to do in the run and intermediate pass game.

[MUHAWKS]

Would love to say it’s our injuries. Farri didn’t start not close to 100% and Greene our wr now out on top of the 4 other starters we have out but so far it’s just being outplayed and our coached. Big time.

[crusader11]

It’s now 28-0.

This offense is humming like Dom Randolph is back at QB.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Wow! This is the shocking score of the day!

[MTfan4life]

Merrimack throttled Holy Cross. How in the world did that happen???

[UNHWildcat18]

Merrimack throttled Holy Cross. How in the world did that happen???

They utterly fell flat after beating UCONN. Also Merrimack I think will win the NEC.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Holy Cross vs Harvard next week should be awesome!

[aceinthehole]

Merrimack throttled Holy Cross. How in the world did that happen???

Maybe Monmouth and the Big south is overrated, and Merrimack and the NEC doesn’t get the respect they deserve.

[Sitting Bull]

Wow! This is the shocking score of the day!

how about Pitt 77, UNH 7

and they’re still playing

[UNHWildcat18]

how about Pitt 77, UNH 7

and they’re still playing

The announcers are so annoying, keep talking about how kooombaya coach mac is with all the pitt coaches and how they didn't want to run up the score, whipple calling bombs to their all american WR even when they were up 42-7. Having 4 starting defenders out hurt but we still would have gotten blown out.

[crusader11]

You’re never as good as you think you are when you win and never as bad when you lose, but this was some throttling of Monmouth today. Very impressive by HC.

Harvard next weekend should be a goodie.

[crusader11]

Monmouth quit after HC executed on the fake punt when it was 4th and 10 on their side of the field.

[Sader87]

Monmouth quit after HC executed on the fake punt when it was 4th and 10 on their side of the field.

Play call of the game....tip of the hat to Chesney for being so ballsy there

[MUHAWKS]

Just got home from the debacle. I have some thoughts. First- HC is very good and congrats on the Win. Well coached and played, all facets.

There will now be the folks that try and possibly downplay the win in terms of national attention/overall saying " The Big South sucks and MU was overrated". The latter may be a little true. But this was a total ass whooping. There is NO WAY we are that bad, although we were today (b/c HC made it that way).. I guess only time will about MU, b/c today's team would not win a single game left on the schedule.

Here is the crazy stuff though- MU beat Fordham (beat them more than the score said) and then Fordham turns around and puts a pretty solid thumping on a CAA school who has not played that bad. MU demolished Charleston Southern and did so with backups playing a lot of the 2nd half, then Charleston Southern just took FBS East Carolina to the wire, losing by 3. EC almost beat South Carolina. The "math" does not add up at all. So I have two theories.

One- HC is/was just a terrible matchup for us- perfect storm sort of like Kennesaw was for 3 years before we figured them out. Maybe HC was the team to "figure us out" b/c on the FCS level nothing like this has happened to MU for the last 2.5 seasons including when we WENT TO Montana and hung with them. The problem with this theory is I was at the game and we got manhandled upfront. We had zero push or pass rush and our O line got freaking destroyed. Sam Houston's incredible D line did not do half the damage HC did. So is HC perhaps VERY good? They may be, but 45-15 over us compared to getting blown out against a decent Merrimack team and a 3 pt win against a good Yale team just does not add up.

It leaves us MU fans wondering "Holy crap we may suck" while also thinking, "wow HC is good" .. Not sure what others think, but not sure we can judge anything overall based on today b/c look at the examples above? I was ultra ultra impressed by HC, I mean NO TEAM for 3 years has come close to doing to us what HC did today. I guess HC will get the chance to let us all see b/c if they beat Harvard I think they may get an at large if they lose to Fordham and if they win out from here they will be ranked in the top 10-12 and possible be in the talk for a seed.

I will be honest, this MU team is clearly not even close to as good as The Spring nor as good as the 2019 team but still we were thinking at the very least a Big South title and win at least 1 playoff game. Our injuries are pretty bad, when you lose 4 starters 1-2 weeks before the season it is gonna change the team. Add to it Farri did not start b/c of injury although played and did not look hurt and now Greene our WR is now hurt, so this could all just blow up bad. Or maybe these kids get pissed and the staff makes some changes and we somehow piece it together. I do not know and let me be clear- I am NOT blaming injuries on today, not even close, we were dominated on the field and outcoached. I guess I am wondering Is HC that good, are we that average or maybe both? The HC team I saw today could play with a lot of teams just based on their D and coaching, yet that is what people thought of US based on the Sam Houston game and now look? This is so damn confusing!! I will repeat- We beat Fordham and Fordham takes it to Stony Brook. We smashed Charleston Southern and they were 1 play away from beating an FBS team who was 1 play away from beating South Carolina. So hard to figure out. For now I am going with- HC is very very good. We are not as bad as we showed today, but clearly not a very good team right now but will chalk it up to perfect storm, flat as can be and a team came in and was prepared and just out played us it happens?

[Katfan]

Monmouth is done

[MUHAWKS]

Monmouth is done


I generally find Sam Houston fans to be normal, non ***** talking types, so I will take this at face value and assume you truly mean it and that is fine but may I ask why? done from what, being competitive, winning the Big South? aRe you basing this on today's game? Or cumulative? Injuries? Or gut feeling? No beef, just really wondering why you think this, Sam Houston guys were all over MU after the close call. And Now after getting smoked by a very good team we are done? I mean unfortunately you may be right but I am wondering why you think so Kat

[Katfan]

I generally find Sam Houston fans to be normal, non ***** talking types, so I will take this at face value and assume you truly mean it and that is fine but may I ask why? done from what, being competitive, winning the Big South? aRe you basing this on today's game? Or cumulative? Injuries? Or gut feeling? No beef, just really wondering why you think this, Sam Houston guys were all over MU after the close call. And Now after getting smoked by a very good team we are done? I mean unfortunately you may be right but I am wondering why you think so Kat
I think the injuries have done you in! HC may be a good team but this was not a good loss for you.

[MUHAWKS]

I think the injuries have done you in! HC may be a good team but this was not a good loss for you.


haha "not a good loss", is there ever one? nah, I get it this was a disaster and one that will test the will and desire of these guys b/c we all know how quick stuff can go downhill. Football is a very psychological and momentum driven game and we will need some serious fortitude to turn it around. You see it happen- a team that quasi dominates this type of comp, as soon as that blueprint goes up, a lot of the times it tends to fall apart and every team they play wants revenge. I am not shutting the door on them yet b/c today was just one big zero, so I have no choice to chalk it up to perfect storm type stuff. At this point, the goal next week is just beat Gardner Webb. Win a game. Cannot be too concerned with how we look. Princeton the week after will tell the tale. That is a team similar to HC where if you do not match up or adjust it could be like 52-10. And what is the point of somehow winning the Big South if you know you cannot compete with the top teams in the post season anyway. Season is on the brink for sure. In terms of injuries, yes it sucks. We are down 3 starters on D and our starting RT and now we have 2 WR's hurt, one being Greene (starter and good) and the other being a JMU transfer who was showing potential as the 4th-5th WR. Farri our RB is not 100% and there are other guys banged up but playing- It is not good but that does not equate to what I saw today. When I tell you this was the most flat, one sided game I have seen us play I am not lying. I mean just awful. So you may be right, I hope you are not, and you solidified my feeling of Sammy fans by being engaged and real. We shall see!

[Katfan]

haha "not a good loss", is there ever one? nah, I get it this was a disaster and one that will test the will and desire of these guys b/c we all know how quick stuff can go downhill. Football is a very psychological and momentum driven game and we will need some serious fortitude to turn it around. You see it happen- a team that quasi dominates this type of comp, as soon as that blueprint goes up, a lot of the times it tends to fall apart and every team they play wants revenge. I am not shutting the door on them yet b/c today was just one big zero, so I have no choice to chalk it up to perfect storm type stuff. At this point, the goal next week is just beat Gardner Webb. Win a game. Cannot be too concerned with how we look. Princeton the week after will tell the tale. That is a team similar to HC where if you do not match up or adjust it could be like 52-10. And what is the point of somehow winning the Big South if you know you cannot compete with the top teams in the post season anyway. Season is on the brink for sure. In terms of injuries, yes it sucks. We are down 3 starters on D and our starting RT and now we have 2 WR's hurt, one being Greene (starter and good) and the other being a JMU transfer who was showing potential as the 4th-5th WR. Farri our RB is not 100% and there are other guys banged up but playing- It is not good but that does not equate to what I saw today. When I tell you this was the most flat, one sided game I have seen us play I am not lying. I mean just awful. So you may be right, I hope you are not, and you solidified my feeling of Sammy fans by being engaged and real. We shall see!
Depends on what your goals are! At the start of the season I had you guys as a team that could make a deep run! 2 weeks ago I was about to write you off. Then you had a good game last week. I thought you would win and confirm this week. But you did not! That type of play will not survive in the playoffs. I’m not trying to put you down but I’ve seen too many Sam teams that were good but not great to patronize you. Something is missing from your team. But I t think if you can surround Musket with talent you have a bright future!

[Sader87]

Just got home from the debacle. I have some thoughts. First- HC is very good and congrats on the Win. Well coached and played, all facets.

There will now be the folks that try and possibly downplay the win in terms of national attention/overall saying " The Big South sucks and MU was overrated". The latter may be a little true. But this was a total ass whooping. There is NO WAY we are that bad, although we were today (b/c HC made it that way).. I guess only time will about MU, b/c today's team would not win a single game left on the schedule.

Here is the crazy stuff though- MU beat Fordham (beat them more than the score said) and then Fordham turns around and puts a pretty solid thumping on a CAA school who has not played that bad. MU demolished Charleston Southern and did so with backups playing a lot of the 2nd half, then Charleston Southern just took FBS East Carolina to the wire, losing by 3. EC almost beat South Carolina. The "math" does not add up at all. So I have two theories.

One- HC is/was just a terrible matchup for us- perfect storm sort of like Kennesaw was for 3 years before we figured them out. Maybe HC was the team to "figure us out" b/c on the FCS level nothing like this has happened to MU for the last 2.5 seasons including when we WENT TO Montana and hung with them. The problem with this theory is I was at the game and we got manhandled upfront. We had zero push or pass rush and our O line got freaking destroyed. Sam Houston's incredible D line did not do half the damage HC did. So is HC perhaps VERY good? They may be, but 45-15 over us compared to getting blown out against a decent Merrimack team and a 3 pt win against a good Yale team just does not add up.

It leaves us MU fans wondering "Holy crap we may suck" while also thinking, "wow HC is good" .. Not sure what others think, but not sure we can judge anything overall based on today b/c look at the examples above? I was ultra ultra impressed by HC, I mean NO TEAM for 3 years has come close to doing to us what HC did today. I guess HC will get the chance to let us all see b/c if they beat Harvard I think they may get an at large if they lose to Fordham and if they win out from here they will be ranked in the top 10-12 and possible be in the talk for a seed.

I will be honest, this MU team is clearly not even close to as good as The Spring nor as good as the 2019 team but still we were thinking at the very least a Big South title and win at least 1 playoff game. Our injuries are pretty bad, when you lose 4 starters 1-2 weeks before the season it is gonna change the team. Add to it Farri did not start b/c of injury although played and did not look hurt and now Greene our WR is now hurt, so this could all just blow up bad. Or maybe these kids get pissed and the staff makes some changes and we somehow piece it together. I do not know and let me be clear- I am NOT blaming injuries on today, not even close, we were dominated on the field and outcoached. I guess I am wondering Is HC that good, are we that average or maybe both? The HC team I saw today could play with a lot of teams just based on their D and coaching, yet that is what people thought of US based on the Sam Houston game and now look? This is so damn confusing!! I will repeat- We beat Fordham and Fordham takes it to Stony Brook. We smashed Charleston Southern and they were 1 play away from beating an FBS team who was 1 play away from beating South Carolina. So hard to figure out. For now I am going with- HC is very very good. We are not as bad as we showed today, but clearly not a very good team right now but will chalk it up to perfect storm, flat as can be and a team came in and was prepared and just out played us it happens?

Short answer, any given Saturday.

Holy Cross this season is clearly evident of this: all 3 wins on the road at UConn, Yale and Monmouth, only loss so far at home vs Merrimack.

Another short answer, the vast majority of FCS teams at about the #10 to #50 or so level are about even most Saturdays given the vagaries of the game.

HC can be very good as was evidenced today but they aren't good enough yet to not lay an egg at home on game-day as they did against Merrimack (taking nothing away from Merrimack, whose QB was the best we've faced this year imo).

Makes the play at the FCS-level interesting if nothing else.

[caribbeanhen]

Stony Brook is not a good football team

[POD Knows]

I don't think I have gotten a HC game correct all year, I am going to start picking them again so they start losing again.

[Blue Waves Crest]

Still recoiling from that asskicking. Hats off to Holy Cross for ending Monmouth’s 10 game PL win streak, giving us our second home loss since the new Kessler opened in 2017, and avenging that playoff loss from 2019.

I thought the game turned on this sequence: Holy Cross was already up 14-0 after a fast start. Ok, that happens sometimes, we’ve had slow starts before and rattled off 35 unanswered points. Monmouth is driving at the end of the 1Q/start of the 2Q and gets down to the HC 31. Monmouth has four drops on what would’ve been big chunk receptions and turns it over on downs. They may not have been drops in the box score, but they’re plays Greene Moore Kearney and Tredway make regularly. Not sure if they weren’t ready to play, if a couple early stops by HC had them hearing footsteps, I don’t know. I guess you have to give HC the benefit of the doubt because they’d imposed their will up to that point in the game anyway. So that’s when I knew we were in trouble.

Next play - Holy Cross throws a 71 yard bomb and it’s a three score game. My take on Holy Cross when they lost to Merrimack was not “HC stinks they lost to a transitioning D2 team!”, it was “wow Merrimack might be good they beat Holy Cross!”. Merrimack is going to be a really good NEC program in all sports. Teams that take them lightly are going to get beat, and I think they might become the team to beat in a couple years in that league.

But I don’t say that to excuse Monmouth’s effort yesterday. It was piss poor. It’s likely that Holy Cross is a couple touchdowns better than Monmouth, but losing by 30 is one team feeling sorry for itself and the other team building a playoff resume. We did it to Kennesaw, it’s what you gotta do. But that’s what has me concerned- the inconsistency from this team has me thinking this could be a 6 or 7 win season. Because they’re so inconsistent it’s hard to tell if that’s just what HC did to them? Who knows, I could go back and forth all day. Suffice to say Holy Cross knocked the daylights out of us and we’re the canvass looking for our mouthpiece


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[caribbeanhen]

Still recoiling from that asskicking. Hats off to Holy Cross for ending Monmouth’s 10 game PL win streak, giving us our second home loss since the new Kessler opened in 2017, and avenging that playoff loss from 2019.

I thought the game turned on this sequence: Holy Cross was already up 14-0 after a fast start. Ok, that happens sometimes, we’ve had slow starts before and rattled off 35 unanswered points. Monmouth is driving at the end of the 1Q/start of the 2Q and gets down to the HC 31. Monmouth has four drops on what would’ve been big chunk receptions and turns it over on downs. They may not have been drops in the box score, but they’re plays Greene Moore Kearney and Tredway make regularly. Not sure if they weren’t ready to play, if a couple early stops by HC had them hearing footsteps, I don’t know. I guess you have to give HC the benefit of the doubt because they’d imposed their will up to that point in the game anyway. So that’s when I knew we were in trouble.

Next play - Holy Cross throws a 71 yard bomb and it’s a three score game. My take on Holy Cross when they lost to Merrimack was not “HC stinks they lost to a transitioning D2 team!”, it was “wow Merrimack might be good they beat Holy Cross!”. Merrimack is going to be a really good NEC program in all sports. Teams that take them lightly are going to get beat, and I think they might become the team to beat in a couple years in that league.

But I don’t say that to excuse Monmouth’s effort yesterday. It was piss poor. It’s likely that Holy Cross is a couple touchdowns better than Monmouth, but losing by 30 is one team feeling sorry for itself and the other team building a playoff resume. We did it to Kennesaw, it’s what you gotta do. But that’s what has me concerned- the inconsistency from this team has me thinking this could be a 6 or 7 win season. Because they’re so inconsistent it’s hard to tell if that’s just what HC did to them? Who knows, I could go back and forth all day. Suffice to say Holy Cross knocked the daylights out of us and we’re the canvass looking for our mouthpiece


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Holy Cross hit Yale with the bomb as well witnessed by 346 people at the Yale bowl