My prediction! and other items of interest (we hope)
I see MU going 8-3 or 7-4 this season and, as I said in Friday's Press, going down to the final weekend with a shot at the NEC title. They could lose as many as two league games and still have a chance in what should be a competitive league race. It depends on who beats who thus perhaps coming down to tie-breakers to gain the Gridiron Classic Bowl berth. There have been co-champions in the NEC the last three years (Monmouth involved in 2003 and 2004)
Biggest issues, to me, are how the wide receivers respond, and development of a respectable running game. And Brian Boland HAS to cut down on the INTs. I believe the defense will be good enough.
Secret weapons
Soph WR Ron Lauch (Wall) looked good in preseason. Lehigh transfer WR Bilal Morris has the most speed of anyone on the team. ""Small guys are the toughest to cover'' former Monmouth All-NEC def back Aaron Edwards from Jackson told me. Morris is listed at 5-6 and about two pounds. Kidding. Kidding. He's all of 150 and he is QUICK. A game-breaker type.
Also
Brian Boland On Monmouth's being picked fourth in the NEC (by the coaches): ""I guess it's kind of like a slap in the face or whatever.'' MU was picked fifth in the NEC by Street and Smith's.
As for his take on Fordham, ""They have guys on defense that can play, are pretty talented. We're definitely looking at this game as a challenge.''
You again!!
Just because the Hawks and Rams have never played, doesn't mean that the two coaching staffs are not familiar with each other. MU head coach Kevin Callahan coached Fordham skipper Tom Masella while Masella was a student-athlete at Wagner. Masella then spent two seasons working under Callahan, while Callahan was the Seahawk Defensive Coordinator and Masella was the Secondary Coach at Wagner. And the two coached against each other the last to two years, splitting two games, while Masella was the boss at Central Conn. State.
""So there is some familiarity there,'' said Callahan. ""So how they will utilize the players they have at Fordham, how they will fit those players into their schemes is a bit of an unknown for us.
""They've seen all of our players play here at Monmouth. To me that's an advantage for them heading into Week One.''
Traveling men
On the travel team to Fordham are freshmen linebacker Joe Cella (Jackson) and frosh RB Ryan Skorupka. WR Steve Dowens (Middletown South), who I saw make a nice stretching catch r in Wednesday's practice, is also Fordham bound.
Among those not on the travel list provided me are WR Shane Sharpley (bone bruise), punter Sean Dennis (suspended for two games) and, senior RB Walter Carter. That's a bit of a surprise since Carter is the returning No. 4 rusher though, from what I witnessed, I felt Skorupka and soph Dave Sinisi were better in preseason.
Junior Pat Codd (Holmdel), looking to make his first collegiate, is "on the bus."
Frosh wide out Brian Callahan from Don Bosco isn't traveling but I believe he has a bright future.
On the MAAC : For the latest please go to the Press web site...www.app.com. Me? I have to look for a parking space in West Long Branch that won't cause an outrage.
E-mail tonygsports@aol.com
Biggest issues, to me, are how the wide receivers respond, and development of a respectable running game. And Brian Boland HAS to cut down on the INTs. I believe the defense will be good enough.
Secret weapons
Soph WR Ron Lauch (Wall) looked good in preseason. Lehigh transfer WR Bilal Morris has the most speed of anyone on the team. ""Small guys are the toughest to cover'' former Monmouth All-NEC def back Aaron Edwards from Jackson told me. Morris is listed at 5-6 and about two pounds. Kidding. Kidding. He's all of 150 and he is QUICK. A game-breaker type.
Also
Brian Boland On Monmouth's being picked fourth in the NEC (by the coaches): ""I guess it's kind of like a slap in the face or whatever.'' MU was picked fifth in the NEC by Street and Smith's.
As for his take on Fordham, ""They have guys on defense that can play, are pretty talented. We're definitely looking at this game as a challenge.''
You again!!
Just because the Hawks and Rams have never played, doesn't mean that the two coaching staffs are not familiar with each other. MU head coach Kevin Callahan coached Fordham skipper Tom Masella while Masella was a student-athlete at Wagner. Masella then spent two seasons working under Callahan, while Callahan was the Seahawk Defensive Coordinator and Masella was the Secondary Coach at Wagner. And the two coached against each other the last to two years, splitting two games, while Masella was the boss at Central Conn. State.
""So there is some familiarity there,'' said Callahan. ""So how they will utilize the players they have at Fordham, how they will fit those players into their schemes is a bit of an unknown for us.
""They've seen all of our players play here at Monmouth. To me that's an advantage for them heading into Week One.''
Traveling men
On the travel team to Fordham are freshmen linebacker Joe Cella (Jackson) and frosh RB Ryan Skorupka. WR Steve Dowens (Middletown South), who I saw make a nice stretching catch r in Wednesday's practice, is also Fordham bound.
Among those not on the travel list provided me are WR Shane Sharpley (bone bruise), punter Sean Dennis (suspended for two games) and, senior RB Walter Carter. That's a bit of a surprise since Carter is the returning No. 4 rusher though, from what I witnessed, I felt Skorupka and soph Dave Sinisi were better in preseason.
Junior Pat Codd (Holmdel), looking to make his first collegiate, is "on the bus."
Frosh wide out Brian Callahan from Don Bosco isn't traveling but I believe he has a bright future.
On the MAAC : For the latest please go to the Press web site...www.app.com. Me? I have to look for a parking space in West Long Branch that won't cause an outrage.
E-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 10:08 PM
3 Comments:
Tony,
Like your closing comment about having to look for a parking space in WLB. That crank trying to block MU's new filed house must be a pleasure o live next to. Imagine wanting to put up a fence if you lived next door to him!
Yes, my studies of the area show that ""rush hour"traffic at 9 p.m. in the dead of winter in West Long Branch is a real killer.
Oops! On the original blog please note Pat Codd had one reception last season for five yards. Hopefully he'll have a few more this season as he duels for time behind No. 1 tight end John Nalbone. The positon has always been important in the MU offense, espcially near the goal line.
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