Friday, November 7, 2008

Monmouth-Sacred Heart

The Hawks take on Sacred Heart on Saturday in a battle for sole possession of second place in the conference. The Pioneers come into the game at 8-1 and 4-1 in the conference, while Monmouth is 5-4 and 4-1 in the NEC.

Sacred Heart has caught the spread fever like most teams in the country, but they are the only NEC team to run a true spread offense. QB Dale Fink will be in the shotgun for the majority of the game and looks to get the ball out of his hands fast and into those of his WR's. RB Evin Jones has almost 1,200 yards on the ground balancing out the Pioneers. Their defense is small, but very opportunistic and tackles well.

This game does mark a contrast in offensive styles, and I think which ever team wins the time of possession battle will come out on top. While SHU runs a spread, they arent a no-huddle, hurry-up offense. That being said, Monmouth can grind it out with David Sinisi and their controlled passing attack. I think Sinisi is in for a big afternoon to bounce back from the Albany game and that the MU defensive backfield should look to play the ball b/c Fink has a penchant for throwing picks,

It is supposed to rain tomorrow, but not be very cold. The rain could have a slight effect on SHU's rhythmic passing game, which helps MU running attack. I think the MU offensive line will impose their will on the smaller SHU front and Sinisi will be in for a big day. The Pioneers will score points, but not as many as the Hawks, and MU will come away with win, 31-23 win.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Monmouth-Albany

The Hawks led 14-0 today against Albany, but ended up falling 35-17 to the Great Danes. This puts MU's chances at representing the NEC in the Gridiron Classic at very slim as Albany has a one game lead with games at Robert Morris and vs. Wagner while the Hawks have to play Sacred Heart, who they are tied with in second place, and Duquesne. This mark's the second straight season that Albany has topped Monmouth, and the Great Danes now have the inside track towards their second straight league title.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Albany

This weekend's game with Albany (1:00 pm, WMCX) is the biggest of the season for the Hawks as they take on Albany, who is undefeated in the NEC just as MU is. The contest will be a hard fough, grind it out style game as both teams will run the football. Conversely, both defense do a good job against the run, so it will be interesting to see who can impose their will on the other team.

I believe that MU's David Sinisi and the offensive line will establish tempo and Brett Burke is the difference. The QB from Wall has been nothing but steady in his time under center (or in Monmouth's case, in the Pistol), and I believe the fifth-year senior, as well as MU's linebackers, will determine the outcome of this one. No prediction, because the Hawks have won 5 straight, with most of them not having one, so we're keeping that trend going. I will be back tomorrow night to check in after the game and sort out the entire NEC picture.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Monmouth's Homecoming win over CCSU

The Hawks defeated Central Connecticut State 30-20 on Homecoming this past Saturday. Monmouth looked especially good in the game as they appeared in control for the majority of the contest. Central took a 6-0 lead early, but MU responded with 27 unanswered points to take control. Walter Payton Award watch list member, awarded to the best player in FCS, David Sinisi had another stellar day with 194 rushign yards and four touchdowns. With those four scores, Sinisi ties former Wagner back Rick Sarille for the all-time conference lead with 300 points.

From my perspective, the Hawks probably could have scored 50 points in the game with how Sinisi was running. TE John Nalbone had a huge first half and then was pretty quiet, but the game was never in doubt after halftime.

With the stretch run coming and Monmouth down to their final three games for the NEC Championship, including this week's HUGE game at Albany, the blog will turn up the coverage and deliver two updates a week before gameday. I'd like to know your thoughts as well as MU makes a push for the league title.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Monmouth-Wagner

The Hawks won their fourth straight game, and third straight to open NEC play, with a 31-17 win over Wagner on Saturday. MU rushed for 195 yards and Brett Burke was an efficient 23-of-28 on the day completing passes. More on this game to come early this week, but I want to pose the question to you out there, is Monmouth hitting the stride? The Hawks have now scored 30 or more points in each of their last four games, all wins.

I look forward to responses, and I will catch up with everyone early this week.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Monmouth-Saint Francis

The Hawks are rolling now after winning their third straight, and second consecutive NEC game to open league play, over Saint Francis 42-15 on Saturday. David Sinisi ran for a school-record 247 yards in the game on 32 carries (7.7 ypc!!) and scored four rushing TD's. The funny thing about Sinisi's performance is that he could have probably gained about another 50 yards easily, but with the game well in hand got some time to rest late in the 4th quarter.

The Game Ball (something new I'd like to introduce to the blog) goes to the offensive line, who opened up holes so big in the Red Flash defense that I might have been able to run for about 80 yards on Saturday, and only b/c I run about 8.5 40-yard dash. The o-line continued to get the job done, and all the credit in the world goes to Nick LoCastro, Joe Hurley, Andrew Musick, Shawn Wright and Kevin Sterling up front. Also, tight end John Nalbone, who also had a career-high 91 receiving yards, and RB Marion Easley deserve a lot of credit for their job blocking.

That was the best I have personally seen the Hawks look all season, and if it wasnt for a lull in the second quarter, they probably could have scored 60.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Monmouth-Robert Morris

The Hawks came home from Western PA with a 34-26 win over Robert Morris. The offense played very well, rolling up 456 yards of total offense in the win. Not to sound like a coach here, but anytime you get a conference road win, it's a good start, and the Hawks are off to a 1-0 start in the league.

Monmouth is now 2-3 on the season and has scored 30 or more points in each of their last two games, both wins.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Robert Morris Scouting Report/Analysis/Prediction

Robert Morris is 1-2 after beating Morehead State (Phil Simms' alma mater for those Giants fans) and losing to Bucknell and Dayton. The Colonials are coached by the legendary Joe Walton, who like Monmouth’s Kevin Callahan, started the Robert Morris football program from scratch 14 years ago. Walton, the former head man of the New York Jets from 1983-89, has compiled an 87-57-1 in his time in Moon Township. Walton’s teams have won five Northeast Conference championships since the inception of the league in 1996. Walton led the Colonials to back-to-back I-AA Mid-Major National Championships in 1999 and 2000, including going 10-0 in 2000. The 1957 Pittsburgh graduate also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and New York Giants in his time in the National Football League.

Offense: Robert Morris runs a pro-style offense and is a very balanced team, sporting almost an exact 50-50 run-pass ratio. The Colonials rank seventh in the eight-team Northeast Conference in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game. Their seven touchdowns are tied for second to last in the conference along with Albany. They average 381.7 yards of total offense per game, good enough for third in the league. RMU ranks second in the NEC in passing, averaging 262.7 yards through the air per game, but ranks sixth in rushing, averaging 119.0 yards per contest on the ground. The Colonials are led offensively by quarterback Erik Cwalinski, who has completed 48.9% of his passes for 713 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. RMU has a very dangerous duo of wide receivers in Sherrod Evers and James O’Quinn, who have combined for 28 catches for 527 yards and three touchdowns. Their leading rusher is Myles Russ, who has gained 293 yards (6.2 ypc) and a touchdown. RMU’s offense has converted 40% of their third down chances this season, but has only converted 4-of-10 chances in the red zone (two TD’s).

Defense: RMU ranks third in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 20.3 points per game and they have allowed the second fewest touchdowns (eight) in the NEC. The Colonials have been stout against the run, allowing 112.7 ypg and only 2.8 yards per attempt. Robert Morris also ranks third in the league in pass defense, surrendering 182.3 yards through the air per contest. The RMU defense is led by sophomore linebacker Alex DiMichele, who leads the NEC with 40 tackles. Adam Lawrence ranks second on the squad with 26 stops. Junior defensive end Mark Szymanski leads the team, and the NEC, with six tackles for loss and is tied with Lawrence for the team lead with 1.5 sacks. Junior strong safety Michael Landers leads the team with two interceptions and also has 1.5 tackles for loss on the season. The Colonials are limiting the opposition to only 34% third down conversions, but have allowed scores on 67% of their opponents red zone trips, including touchdowns on 67% of those scores.

Special Teams: Garrett Clawson is RMU’s kicker, and so far he has converted 2-of-5 field goals and all seven of his extra points. Chris Kozak is their main return specialist, leading the squad with four punt returns for 37 yards (9.2 avg.) and nine kickoff returns for 182 yards (20.2 avg.). Robert Morris does allow 22.7 yards per kick return and 13.9 yards per punt return on the season thus far.

My take on Robert Morris and my prediction:

The Colonials run a lot of NFL-type formations on offense, which is a direct of influence of Walton's extensive time in the league. On defense, RMU is solid and possess a solid D-line and linebacking corps. Their QB Cwalinski is big and not mobile in the sense that he will break big runs, but he is mobile within the pocket and always is looking downfield. RB Russ is a game-breaker, but hasn't had a game where he firmly establishes himself as the game's best runner.

The Hawks and Colonials have had some epic contests, most notably MU's 29-27 win in Moon Township on a last second tipped pass in the end zone three years ago. The Colonials represent the "old guard" of the NEC, even though the league is still fairly young. They have won the conference five times and along with the Hawks and Albany represent the NEC's traditional powers.

I believe weather will be an issue as rain is expected in the Pittsburgh area on Saturday. If that is the case, I believe that it falls in MU's favor because they possess the superior running game and run defense, while Robert Morris would prefer ideal conditions for their passing game. I do think David Sinisi will run for 100 yards again and that Burke will manage the offense well. I would look for TE John Nalbone to have a big afternoon as well. Defensively, I think MU will get after Cwalinksi, even though the QB will put up numbers if the weather allows. After all is said and done, I think the game will be very competitive and come down to special teams and the kicking game, where the Hawks hold the advantage with Fred Weingart. The Hawks control the tempo of the game and I think they outlast Robert Morris in a defensive contest, prevailing 20-17 in another close call with the Colonials.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Monmouth-Bryant

The Hawks defeated Bryant 30-17 on Saturday afternoon in Rhode Island. MU received a huge day from running back David Sinisi, who ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns. QB Brett Burke also had a great afternoon, completing 13-of-15 passes for 150 yards and a score. Special recognition goes out to WR Steve Dowens, who caught two passes for 75 yards.

This was the first week I did a prediction and did not correctly predict the exact score difference ( I said MU would win 27-16), but I will take the win. Monmouth played well in the game and got a solid win over a good football team in Bryant. I will have my complete scouting report for Robert Morris later in the week.

Meanwhile, enjoy the weekend of football (go Giants) and catch you all soon.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Bryant Scouting Report/Analysis/Prediction

Bryant is 2-1 after losing to NEC member CCSU 42-35 and beating Division II opponents Southern Connecticut and Merrimack. Marty Fine is in his fifth season at the helm of Bryant, sporting a 29-15 record in his time in Smithfield. Fine, who has led the Bulldogs to at least seven wins in each of the last three seasons, has two Northeast-10 Conference championships and two NCAA playoff appearances to his credit in his four seasons as head coach. The Western New Mexico graduate is leading Bryant into Division I, and eventually the Northeast Conference in 2012, during this transitional period.

Offense: Bryant’s offense is predicated on a power running game; in an age where the spread offense and multiple receiver sets rule, the Bulldogs prefer lining up with a fullback or two-tight end set. They run the ball 64% of the time, and their head coach and playcaller, Marty Fine, is a former offensive lineman who would love to control the line of scrimmage. Bryant averages 31.3 points per game and averages 11 more minutes in time of possession than the opposition. Their primary ball carrier is Jerell Smith, a Howard transfer, who has 444 yards on 75 carries (5.9 ypc) this season to go along with three touchdowns. Smith is averaging 148 yards per game on the ground for a team that averages 192 rushing yards per contest. Jay Graber is the Bulldogs’ quarterback, and he has completed 55.4% of his passes for 497 yards (165.7 ypg) with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Ross Giffune has proven to be Graber’s favorite target with eight catches for 77 yards, but Vinton Smith is their big-play threat with seven grabs for 121 yards (17.3 ypc).

Defense: The Bulldogs give up an average of 28.3 points and 401 yards of total offense per game to their opponents so far this season. While they give up 143.7 yards rushing per game, BU gives up 257.3 yards passing per game so far this year, but does hold opponents to under 50% completions. Bryant’s defense has proven opportunistic this season, forcing 16 turnovers for a +10 margin. Bryce Martins leads the team with 24 tackles while Paul Polomski has 22 tackles to go along with two picks. Defensive back Samad Wagstaff leads the squad with five interceptions and also has two pass break-ups. Don Smith is a versatile defender, stuffing the stat sheet with a team-high 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, as well as five quarterback hurries, one pass break-up, one fumble forced and recovered and one blocked kick. The Bulldogs defense only allows opponents to convert 38% of their third down chances as well.

Special Teams: Leading rusher Jerell Smith is also the team’s kickoff return leader with 12 returns for 214 yards (17.8 ypr). Ryan Buckley has also returned a pair of kickoffs for 58 yards for the Bulldogs. Bryant has struggled in the punt return game, as two Bulldogs have combined on five returns for 20 yards. Chris Bird is 4-for-7 kicking, but just 1-of-3 from beyond 40 yards. Brian Donnelly is BU’s punter, and has averaged 35.5 ypp, but has gotten two kicks blocked already this season.

My take on Bryant and my prediction:

The Bulldogs believe in old school, power football and will try to establish the line of scrimmage against MU. Monmouth has been effective against the run this season and their 135.7 rushing yards per game allowed, which is third in the NEC, is slightly misleading. I believe that the Hawks should be able to contain the Bryant running game for the most part, and will force the Bulldogs into some third-and-longs, which they are not built to convert.

The game will be close, but I believe Dave Sinisi, Brett Burke and the Monmouth offense will get things going early and score some points. I think Monmouth plays from ahead in this game, forcing Bryant to abandon their power running game and making them more one-dimensional than they want to be. I think that Sinisi has a big day, around 150 yards rushing and at least one touchdown, and Burke is his normal efficient self. I also like what I’ve seen out of the Monmouth special teams recently, and a few big kick returns set Monmouth up with a short field. The Hawks convert their red-zone chances with TD’s and MU will come away with a 27-16 win.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Week 3 Wrap-up

As some people have pointed out to me, I didn't make a prediction this past weekend. The reason for that was selfish, I thought my predictions were bad luck and I was trying to shake it up a little; that plan backfired.

Coastal Carolina is a talented team with athletes at every position and I would be shocked if they didn't win the Big South this year. As for the Hawks, it was a rough day, but there were some positives to take away. Nick Romeo had a good day receiving and Jose Gumbs lowered the boom on a few Chanticleers from his safety spot.

This week, MU travels to take on future NEC member Bryant in Rhode Island, their second trip to the Ocean State this year. I will have a full preview and PREDICTION up by Thursday/Friday.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Week 2 Wrap-up

For the second straight week, my predicted score differential was spot on, but again I picked the wrong team. Maine defeated Monmouth 21-17 on a deflected touchdown pass on a 4th and 21 late in the fourth quarter. While the Hawks did an excellent job on tailback Jhamal Fluellen, defensive end Javon Belcher had a big game for Maine.

MU running back David Sinisi did become the program's all-time leading rusher in the game, eclipsing Chris Reed's previous record. This week, Monmouth takes on Coastal Carolina, who lost to Penn State (66-10) and Colgate (23-19) this season.

I will have my complete scouting report for the Chanticleers (which is, according the CCU media guide, a rooster who rules the barn with cunning and wit) up on Friday along with my prediction.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Maine Scouting Report/Analysis/Prediction

The Black Bears went 4-7 last season and lost to Iowa 46-3 last week. Jack Cosgrove is entering his 16th season as the head coach of Maine and sports an 80-91 record at the helm of the Black Bears. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Maine in 1978 and after stints as the head coach of Stoughton High School in Massachusetts and an offensive assistant at Boston College, he returned to Orono in 1987. He was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2001 and is tied with Harold Westerman for the most coaching wins all-time at Maine.

Offensive Scouting Report: Maine began their season on the road at Iowa of the BIG TEN on Saturday, losing 46-3. In the game, the Black Bears gained 220 yards of total offense, including 137 on the ground. Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association running back Jhamal Fluellen gained 104 yards on 21 carries in the contest. Last year, Fluellen gained 1,052 yards and five touchdowns and is the focal point of the Maine offense. Derek Session also gained 21 yards on four carries for UM. The Black Bears struggled throwing the football as quarterback Adam Farkes was 9-22 passing against the Hawkeyes with a pair on interceptions. He threw for 83 yards, 40 of which belong to receiver Michael Brusko. Last season, the Black Bears ranked 11th in the 12-team CAA in scoring offense, averaging 16.9 points per game, but the Black Bears did rank fourth in the CAA in rushing, averaging a shade under 179 yards per game on the ground.

Defensive Scouting Report: Maine’s defense surrendered 457 yards of total offense to Iowa last Saturday, including 212 passing yards and 245 yards on the ground. Preseason CAA Defensive Player of the Year Jovan Belcher, a senior defensive end, led the UM defense with nine tackles, including one for loss. Sophomore linebacker Levi Erwin was second on the team with seven stops. The Black Bears picked off one pass and broke up three others against the Hawkeyes. The Maine defense returns eight starters to last year’s unit which ranked seventh in the CAA in scoring defense, giving up 24.5 points per game. The Black Bears ranked fourth in pass defense in the league (191.1 ypg), fifth in rushing defense (146.0 ypg) and fourth in overall defense. When the UM defense allowed the opposition to reach the red zone, they scored, as they gave up scores on 95.7 % of their chances, including 17 touchdowns.

Special Teams Scouting Report: Maine’s kickoff return team averaged 14.8 yards per return against Iowa, as they brought back five kickoffs for 74 yards. Trevor Coston led the Black Bears with four returns for 52 yards. Brian Harvey hit his only field goal against Iowa, connecting on a 40-yarder. Kash Kiefer is Maine’s punter, hitting seven punts for 279 yards.

My take on Maine and my prediction:

For the second straight week, Monmouth takes on a team from the Colonial Athletic Association. Last season the Hawks and Maine squared off to begin the 2007 campaign, with Monmouth falling to the Black Bears 21-14 in Orono.

Traditionally, Maine is a very strong defensive team that relies on that unit for field position for the offense. The Black Bears are no different this year as they tout Preseason CAA Defensive Player of the Year Javon Belcher at defensive end. They can also run the ball with reigning All-CAA running back Jhamal Fluellen, who last week cracked the century mark. Weather has the potential to affect tomorrow’s game as Hurrican Hanna makes her way up the coast. In bad weather games, the advantage normally goes to the team that can run the ball and stop the run, and to that point both teams can do both of those things well.

If Dave Sinisi can offset what Fluellen produces in the run game, that will be a huge point for the Hawks. Monmouth has the advantage throwing the football, but depending on the severity of the weather, that may not be an issue. At last check, it was supposed to be in the upper 70’s temp. wise with rain and wind expected to be around 15-25 mph. That weather, combined with two teams that can run the ball and do stop the run means we could be looking at a low-scoring affair.
Whoever scores early will have the advantage in this contest. Last week, my score differential of three was correct, and this week, it will also be a close game. I think Monmouth carries their momentum from last week’s strong second half performance into this week’s game, Sinisi has another 100-yard game and the defense contains Fluellen to the tune of a 17-13 Monmouth win.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Week 1 Wrap-up

Monmouth fell to Rhode Island 27-24 on Saturday in a very competitive game that saw MU fall behind 17-3 at the half but battle all the way back to cut it to three with 1:19 left before an illegal procedure penalty negated John Nalbone’s recovered onside kick.

The Hawks were balanced offensively, gaining 180 yards through the air and 140 on the ground, 138 of which came from Dave Sinisi. The MU defense held Rhode Island to 93 yards rushing, but the Rams passed for 257 yards in their new spread offense under new head coach Darren Rizzi.

Monmouth played very well after halftime, outscoring URI 21-10. Quarterback Brett Burke bounced back from a rough first half to throw a pair of touchdowns after halftime and 10 different receivers (!!!) caught passes. The Hawks played a very good game, and along with Albany, who fell 28-16 at UMASS, did the NEC proud on the opening weekend.

This week, MU hosts Maine, who lost at Iowa 46-3 this past Saturday. I will preview the match-up later this week, and this is the first of two consecutive home games that the Hawks will play against schools that opened up with Football Bowl Subdivision schools (next week they play Coastal Carolina, who lost 66-10 at Penn State).

Saturday, August 30, 2008

MU-Rhode Island

My score prediction difference of three was correct, but my team was not as the Hawks fell 27-24 to Rhode Island today. I will have my complete analysis of the game up on Tuesday, but I'd like to hear from those fans who were in attendance as to how it was in person.

Have a great Jersey Shore Labor Day weekend everyone and I will catch up with you on Tuesday.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Rhode Island Scouting Report/Analysis/Prediction

Rhode Island went 3-8 in 2007 and let go head coach Tim Stowers last season. Enter Darren Rizzi, former Rutgers assistant, who takes over in his first season as the head coach of the Rams. This is Rizzi’s, a 1992 graduate of Rhode Island, second career head coaching job after leading New Haven from 1999-2001. He was the youngest head coach in the NCAA (28) at the time of his hire at New Haven and he is now the youngest head coach (38) in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Offensive Scouting Report: The Rams finished last season ranked ninth in scoring offense in the CAA, averaging 20.7 ppg. They placed eighth in the 12-team league in total offense (347.9 ypg), finishing last in passing (118.) ypg), but did finish third in rushing (229.9 ypg) in the league. URI also finished 11th in third down conversion percentage (35.3 %) and finished last in red zone offense, scoring 72.2 % of the time (26-36, 20 TD’s). Senior running back Joe Casey led the Rams in rushing with 782 yards in eight games last season (97.8 ypg), but missed the final three games of the year. Rhode Island does return five of their six leading rushers from a season ago. Quarterback Derek Cassidy returns after finishing fourth on the team in rushing (252 yards, five TD’s). He completed 49.7 % of his passes (76-153) for 1,025 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Rhode Island returns their top eight pass catchers from a year ago, led by wide receiver Shawn Leonard (34 catches for 440 yards). Former Monmouth offensive coordinator Mark Fabish is also now quarterbacks coach for URI.

Defensive Scouting Report: The Rhode Island defense finished 11th in their conference in scoring defense (32.7 ppg), allowing 48 touchdowns in 11 games, and total defense, giving up 408.5 yards per game. They placed 10th in pass defense (234.8 ypg) and seventh in rush defense (173.6 ypg), while forcing 23 turnovers last year. The Rams did stiffen when the opposition entered their 20-yard line last season, ranking fifth in red zone defense, allowing scores on 76.5 % of drives (39-51), but they did surrender 33 touchdowns in those chances. Gone is leading tackler LT Brantley and his 76 stops and team-high two forced fumbles, but the Rams return second-leading tackler Matt Hansen and his team-leading 44 solo tackles. URI’s defense did log 28 pass break-ups and 11 interceptions last year, but only sacked opposing quarterbacks 13 times, which placed them 11th in the CAA.

Special Teams Scouting Report: URI’s special teams unit ranked near the bottom of the CAA in most statistical categories in 2007. The Rams ranked ninth in yards per kick return (19.6 avg.) and placed 10th in punting, averaging 29.5 net yards per attempt. Rhode Island ranked last in the league in punt returns (3.8 yards per return) and they converted 9-of-14 field goal opportunities. They did recover 2-of-4 on-side kicks last season to lead the conference. The Rams graduated all-conference punter Bryan Giannecchini, and two unproven underclassmen, Pedro Belinchon and Louis Feinstein, will compete for time at both the kicker and punter positions.

My take on Rhode Island and my prediction:

While Monmouth plays a level up against the Colonial Athletic Association’s Rams, the Hawks are no strangers to defeating teams from quality conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision. MU defeated Fordham 23-9, Colgate 17-12 and Morgan State 26-9 back in 2006 and also defeated Georgetown in both 2003 and 2004. Last season, the Hawks only lost to Maine by a touchdown and also played against Delaware, who played for the FCS Championship last year. This season, the Hawks return 19 of 22 starters this season, including multiple all-conference selections from last year.

Last year, Rhode Island ran the ball exceptionally well, but had a difficult time throwing the football. Monmouth’s defensive strength appears to lie in a very talented defensive backfield and deep linebacker and defensive line corps. The Rams will have the chance to move the football against the Hawks, but look for MU to bend but not break against URI and force field goal chances. The game could be decided by how efficient the MU offense is, because if Rhode Island can run the ball and control the clock, it falls into their favor. If Dave Sinisi has a big day running the football and the MU offensive line controls the line of scrimmage, the Hawks will be able to control the game’s tempo.

I believe Monmouth will be able to control the line and the defense will fly around the football and be fired up to make plays. I see Sinisi having a typical Sinisi day, around 100 yards, and Brett Burke will be his typical efficient self. The game will come down to a few big plays that will swing momentum, and I like the Hawks to be the beneficiaries of those big plays, and pull the upset against the Rams. MU will score a defensive/special teams touchdown and at least one offensive touchdown, in addition to a few Fred Weingart field goals, and win the game 20-17.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Week 1: Rhode Island

Good morning Monmouth fans, the greatest time of the year is officially upon us, football season is less than a week away!! The Hawks open up the 2008 season against the Colonial Athletic Association's Rhode Island Rams on Saturday, August 30 at 1:00 p.m. in Kingston, R.I. I will have a full game preview up on Friday detailing all aspects of the contest and a complete Rhode Island scouting report as well, so stay tuned.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

NEC Preseason Coaches Poll/Monmouth Selected Second

The Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll was released this morning, and Monmouth was selected second while defending conference champion Albany was picked as the preseason favorite. Both squads each landed six players on the All-NEC Preseason Team as well. The Great Danes do bring back a lot of experience including running back David McCarty, who ran for 1,500+ yards last season and two of the men who paved the way for him on the offensive linemen, Raphael Nguti and Kevin Richards.

The Hawks feature six players on the preseason team, with all of them also making all-league teams a season ago. Running back Dave Sinisi, tight end John Nalbone and offensive linemen Nick LoCastro and Shawn Wright made the squad from the offense, while defensive lineman Kevin Walsh and defensive back Ayo Falae made the team from the D.

Monmouth took two of the available eight first place votes and the Great Danes had five. Preseason third place Central Connecticut State had the lone remaining vote. The rest of the league’s predicted order, according to the head coaches, is Wagner, Duquesne, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis.

Albany, MU and CCSU appear to be the three strongest teams, but Wagner and Robert Morris should also not be counted out in the mix for the NEC crown. Newcomer Duquesne, who participated in the now-defunct Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for football a season ago, will have to replace wide receiver Bruce Hocker, but the man throwing him the ball last season, Kevin Rombach, returns as the All-NEC preseason signal caller.

MU returns 19 starters this season and begins the year at Rhode Island on August 30 at 1:00 p.m.

Monmouth University preseason release (from www.GoMUHawks.com)
http://www.gomuhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14300&ATCLID=1553271

Northeast Conference website release:
http://www.northeastconference.org/News/fball/2008/8/12/FB-Preseasonallconf-08.asp?path=fball

Monday, August 11, 2008

Monday, Aug. 11 practice notes

I figured we could squeak in a few quick practice updates before tomorrow's NEC Preseason Coaches Poll post.

Some quick notes from Monday's AM practice session:

Fifth-year senior cornerback and co-captain Ayo Falae broke up a pair of passes this morning and picked off a pass. For my money, Falae is the best cornerback in the league. He is a tremendous shutdown corner who will also come up from his position and lay the wood to a ball carrier.

Fellow fifth-year senior wide receiver Steve Dowens, from Middletown South, had a diving catch off a pass from fellow fifth-year quarterback Brett Burke, from Wall, in the morning session. Dowens is a tough wide receiver who is not afraid to go over the middle and is also a valuable blocker on the outside. Burke continues to put the ball where it needs to be for his playmakers to make something happen throughout early camp.

Fifth-year senior tight end John Nalbone snared a one-handed touchdown catch in the AM during drills. Nalbone has great size (6-4, 260) and athleticism and should have a big season in 2008 following three All-NEC seasons, including a First Team nod last year.

Junior defensive back Kenny Amsel blocked two field goals in the morning. Amsel is in the mix in a very talented and deep MU defensive backfield after playing in nine games last season.

In the PM session, freshman wide receiver Darvin Henderson made the catch of the afternoon when he laid out and hauled in a deep ball from fellow newcomer Kyle Frazier. This was my first look at Henderson, who appears to have some talent and speed, while Frazier has looked good throughout camp.

That's all for now, I will be back on Tuesday with all the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll insight and analysis.

Hello Monmouth Fans

Dear Monmouth University Football Fans,

Welcome to your online home for everything that is the Blue and White for the 2008 season. Here all MU fans have a forum in which to discuss the Hawks, and I will be giving my insight before and after each game. We will kick things off tomorrow when the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll is unveiled and we find out where the league's head coaches think the Hawks will land in 2008. Thanks for checking out the Monmouth Football blog, Go Hawks!