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Saturday, October 13, 2007

SUNDAY AFTERNOON Monmouth injuries update/My take on the game

Latest on Monmouth injuries (Robinson to be back for CCSU)

Monmouth's young, inexperienced secondary gained more youth and lost more experience Saturday.

The Hawks played without their No. 2 tackler, sophomore free safety Jon Stolarz (neck injury), back up fifth-year senior corner Bryan Bischoff (shoulder), and in the first half also lost redshirt junior Brian Robinson (neck, shoulder) who is also the team's primary kick off returner.

Monmouth coach Kevin Callahan said Sunbday Robinson ""should be fine'' for the next game Oct. 27 at Central Connecticut but it's ""uncertain'' when Stolarz and Bryan Bischoff will return.

Senior corner Marcus Shell (groin surgery) saw his first action of the season in the second half.

Before the game ended the secondary included sophomore Chad Tirpack (Wall), redshirt freshman Ken Amsel, and true freshman Michael Avent.

On the offensive said Callahan said reserve junior wide out Ronnie Lauch, a Wall High School graduate, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing an ACL in practice last week.

Also, the status of back up quarterback Andrew Mandeville (Raritan), who injured a shoulder vs. Delaware, is still ""up in the air'' Callahan said Sunday.





My take:

It was a very poor performance, yes it was. Especially on defense. But we all know that.... right??



But, as I indicated after last week, don't get too high on the win. And now, after this one, don't get too low. MU is NOT that bad.


But anyone who thought this team was going to be an NEC championship team, a list that did not include me, was kidding themselves.

Through the first five games I thought MU was about where it should be, minus the Robert Morris defeat.

I thought they might beat RMU, would beat SHU, but I had this Wagner game ticketed for a win. The other games (Maine, Delaware, Stony Brook) figured to be losses. Though they certainly had a shot to defeat Stony Brook and an opportunity vs. Maine.

As for Saturday's game..Well, this is not last year's defense comprised of many fifth year seniors. And there are, in my opinion, no Joe Sentipals or Mike Castallenos among this set of LBs, at least not yet. Nothing against the current group but, again just my own view, that's the way it is.

This did figure to be a reloading, rebuilding year, certainly on defense, and that's how it's shaped up.

The injuries have hurt, especially in the secondary. Stolarz `was having a very good year. We'll never know whether or if RS freshman corner Joe Arneth (sidelined by academics after winning a job in the fall) would have made a difference.


Burke hasn't played great, but he hasn't played terribly. He was never supposed to be Brian Boland or Dan Sabella. Give him the 2006 defense and he'd have a few more wins.



I thought he made an ill-advised throw on the INT in the end zone. It looked like San Miguel fell down on the earlier INT at mid field. I question that play to begin with. At that time (score was 10-0) I would have liked to have seen them pound away with Sinisi and throw shorter, safer routes, take some time off the clock, and get some points.

When they finally got`within 24-10 the question was then, could the defense stop Wagner? That question was answered in a hurry (Wagner TD). It didn't then, and it didn't all day.





Especially aggravating to fans and I'm sure the coaches, are the weekly spate of false start penalties.

Another problem has been little or no QB pressure by the MU defense. Wagner seemed to pick up all the blitzes. And the line pressure has been generally ineffective. Prior to the game MU was next to last in the NEC with 8 sacks. SFPA had seven. Leader Albany had 15.






As one blogger said, a number of these scholarship players are getting their feet wet this season.

The trip has been a soggy one. It's a rebuilding year. That's the way it is.


This second bye week couldn't come at a better time. It gives the coaching staff time to review its personnel, and for some players to heal.



Remember, on defense, MU in 2008 will return almost the entire defense (older, stronger, and wiser one would presume), on offense all of its skill players except for San Miguel, and some on the O' line.

If you're an MU fan, you're going to have to bite the bullet for now, hope for things to improve over the final weeks, and for the Hawks to maybe make a title run again in 2008. Maybe.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony,

Several comments on your take. True the secondary was decimated yesterday. But Wagner barely threw the ball. Their best throws were on screen passes. There were no rookies on the defensive line and linebacking corp. The LBs were consistently pinched outside, allowing Butler the outside run all game long. These guys just didn’t play well yesterday and made Butler look real good. He had all of 77 yards last year.

Offensively, the miscues killed them early and often. Starting with a first and 13 or first and 15 negates the running attack, especially when the opponent didn’t any problems scoring early at all. MU’s QB telegraphs every pass he makes. Both INTs were balls that shouldn’t have been thrown. He goes with his first choice in the route and doesn’t look elsewhere, forcing many throws into coverage, not making secondary reads or progressions. And the WR routes themselves has to change. On 3rd and 7, the route itself has to be for at least 7 yards. Throwing for two yards and hoping the receiver makes up the difference isn’t cutting the mustard. And as I stated earlier get rid of the shovel pass option.

In my opinion, the only game that should’ve been a loss so far was the Delaware game. Looking at the Maine game, the one has to hurt, as Maine is very beatable this year. The MU had an early lead vs RMU and looked like was going to be a route when everything just fell apart. And the Stony Brook game was there for the taking.

8:41 AM, October 14, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think a much healthier secondary would have helped them out but they still would have lost thats the way of the world. You could falae was hurt he barely wanted contact. After Robinson went down they were dropping like flies. What is going on at MU with these injuries? Shell seeing his first action wasnt he already hurt when he got in he looked terrible (meaning he was not healthy to play yet) As said before this is a rebuilding. Howcome MU cant bring in players from states as teams like Wagner, RMU, CCSU,??

11:11 AM, October 14, 2007  
Blogger Tony Graham said...

MU is not a national program. Still it does have players from Calif., Colo., Md, Pa., NH...How many states you want??...But will always do the bulk of its work in NJ.

11:22 AM, October 14, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Colo and NH are not a factor on the field Md has merely one factor and the bulk of NJ should not come from the shore conference. With the exception of MD shouldnt they bring more then one player out of those areas

11:39 AM, October 14, 2007  
Blogger Tony Graham said...

To latest poster on states..not sure where you're going with all this but did my own little survey just now from media guide roster.

Give or take one or two errors on my part I counted 80 players from NJ where MU has always recruited most heavily..and 27 from the Shore Conference.

27 is not a majority, I don't think...


You want MU to recruit more from other states?..Well then perhaps you should ante up more to the B lue-White Fund, that's all I can tell you.

(I'm not really being serious there but, like everyone else, they do have a budget).



Overall they've done rather well staying mostly in NJ where there is lots of talent ..

Joe Sentipal, Miles Austin, Brian Boland, etc. were from what state???

4:14 PM, October 14, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony,

Something else not being noted by you concerning MU’s play. MU is one of the programs leading the NEC football towards loftier goals. If that’s the case then their on the field performance has to improve. How MU plays this year and next will also go a long way towards helping recruit the right kind of athlete.

They may also have to improve their recruiting efforts as well. The player that was fine when playing in a limited scholarship division won’t be the case when playing in a 50-63 full D-1AA (FCS) scholarship level.

5:44 PM, October 14, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony-

One of the issues with playing against CAA and full-scholly teams is now Coach Cal and Co. will continually be expected to play with/recruit against those types of teams while having only 25 scholarships, bad facilities and what I am sure is an embarrasing budget.

6:44 PM, October 14, 2007  
Blogger Tony Graham said...

Your comment - How MU plays this year and next will also go a long way towards helping recruit the right kind of athlete.

Me: While I generally agree, almost every program has down or rebuilding years.

You knew this could be one going in to '07 right??


Your comment - They may also have to improve their recruiting efforts as well. The player that was fine when playing in a limited scholarship division won’t be the case when playing in a 50-63 full D-1AA (FCS) scholarship level.


Me: correct. MU is currently attempting to recruit the same caliber athlete - and in some cases the same athletes - as Delaware, Villanova, and so forth.

The problem is - the facilties. Look at Del. and then at MU and it's not a fair fight..at this time anyway...

Basically - now, MU attempts to recruit the same kid that is going to Del., and then works "'down' from there.

7:12 PM, October 14, 2007  
Blogger Tony Graham said...

By the way..it's 30 scholarships.

Anyway - MU is still in the NEC and will be for some time I imagine, not the CAA.

And beginning in 2008, winning the NEC will be the ticket to the FCS playoffs. And all teams in the` NEC have the 30 limit.

I - personally - don't expect many MU wins over CAA schools and the like. Not realistic.



It's like hoops beating an A-10 or higher level team.


Last year was a golden year for NEC football, MU's wins, Albany beating Del., etc.

It's nice, it's possible. But don't ""expect" it to happen too often unless the NEC goes to 63 scholarships - which - by the way - I think will happen in five years or less.

Just my opinion.

MU's goal is still to win the NEC. Not the FCS championship at this time.

7:20 PM, October 14, 2007  

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