Mercyhurst vs Bloomsburg

[HuskyNation24]

Try not to stress over teenagers and minors playing football. It's best to whine and cry in private, because there is nothing anyone on here can do about it.

[Bart]

I found this site in 2000 when Bloom was making their playoff run. I was looking for football insights and inside information about the team, but I found none. I must be an addict because I keep coming back, but I learn nothing new.

[Footballfanofall]

We are absolutely hot garbage. These kids are terrible. These coaches are terrible. These recruiters are terrible. Our program is in complete disarray.

Well to say that these kids are terrible is absolutely ridiculous. These are 18, 19, and 20+ year old young men. Alot if them are good students and good athletes. They practice 5 days a week, have football meetings, go to classes, study, do homework, and try to have a social life. NONE OF THESE PLAYERS go into a game expecting to lose, they all want to is win. For anyone who wants to criticize or condemn them is childish. It's easy for "spectators" to sit back and criticize. Alot of players follow these forums and discussions. Feel free to be critical in private. Keep it positive on social media. It is really sad to see adults call kids that are busting there butts, terrible.

[EdinboroFB]

Well to say that these kids are terrible is absolutely ridiculous. These are 18, 19, and 20+ year old young men. Alot if them are good students and good athletes. They practice 5 days a week, have football meetings, go to classes, study, do homework, and try to have a social life. NONE OF THESE PLAYERS go into a game expecting to lose, they all want to is win. For anyone who wants to criticize or condemn them is childish. It's easy for "spectators" to sit back and criticize. Alot of players follow these forums and discussions. Feel free to be critical in private. Keep it positive on social media. It is really sad to see adults call kids that are busting there butts, terrible.

I love the soccer mom response. Its a message board. If a team sucks then people will say it. Maybe you should avoid "social media" for the year...its gonna be a rough one for Bloom...little johnny might even read some of the negative posts...not sure you can handle the thought of that.

[HuskyNation24]

I love the soccer mom response. Its a message board. If a team sucks then people will say it. Maybe you should avoid "social media" for the year...its gonna be a rough one for Bloom...little johnny might even read some of the negative posts...not sure you can handle the thought of that.

Hahahahaha this response is perfect

[iupgroundhog]

I found this site in 2000 when Bloom was making their playoff run. I was looking for football insights and inside information about the team, but I found none. I must be an addict because I keep coming back, but I learn nothing new.

Pretty sure I told you about this site while on the wrestlingreport forum.

[Bart]

Where is the discussion and analysis? Tell me why you think Henicle is a bad recruiter? Is it because he can't recruit players to the boondocks with 9 scholarships? Is it because he targets the wrong players, so out of 30 recruits, only 6 make it to senior year? Is Darragh a bad coach because he doesn't win every game? Is he a bad coach because they come out flat to start the games or is it because they can't commit to an offensive scheme? Tell me something.

[Bart]

Pretty sure I told you about this site while on the wrestlingreport forum.

Thanks a lot.

[Tony33]

We are absolutely hot garbage. These kids are terrible. These coaches are terrible. These recruiters are terrible. Our program is in complete disarray.

Your team isn't garbage, they're just not that good. You let the game get out of hand too early, Mercyhurst Defense will not let you win when they have a lead like that to protect. However, Mercyhurst almost let you back into the game with that awful play calling.

[Tony33]

Where is the discussion and analysis? Tell me why you think Henicle is a bad recruiter? Is it because he can't recruit players to the boondocks with 9 scholarships? Is it because he targets the wrong players, so out of 30 recruits, only 6 make it to senior year? Is Darragh a bad coach because he doesn't win every game? Is he a bad coach because they come out flat to start the games or is it because they can't commit to an offensive scheme? Tell me something.

Well that is the definition of a bad coach. If you are only maintaining 15 percent of your recruiting class, I would look at the coach. Don't have to win every game but be a contender in most of the games. Coming out flat could be the steak dinner they serve before the games (if no steak dinner, then probably the coach again), bad play calling, scheme, and leadership. But if you are only keeping 15% of your recruits, THEN ITS THE COACH.

[HuskyNation24]

Where is the discussion and analysis? Tell me why you think Henicle is a bad recruiter? Is it because he can't recruit players to the boondocks with 9 scholarships? Is it because he targets the wrong players, so out of 30 recruits, only 6 make it to senior year? Is Darragh a bad coach because he doesn't win every game? Is he a bad coach because they come out flat to start the games or is it because they can't commit to an offensive scheme? Tell me something.

I mean, piggy backing off of what Tony said, having so few recruits make it to senior year is pretty pitiful and indicative of poor coaching and poor recruiting. Look at Ethan Price for example. That kid was a beast in HS and was totally misused in the BU offense. So much so that he ended up transferring to WCU. So we lost a DI recruit to a rival program. That's just one example.

Another is the absolute lack of a modern offensive system. I know that ground and pound has been BU's mo forever but that has to change. Look at the offenses that Erik Benjamin and Logan Leiby ran in HS. They put up ridiculous numbers in pass happy spread offenses. Then they got to Bloom and had to run our 1950s offense and guess what, they struggle. If they had the coaching staffs of other PSAC schools they could utilize their skill sets better. The jury is still out on Leiby but Benjamin isn't even with the program any more. And he was a AAAA first team all state QB.

On a general consensus however, look at the regression since Darraugh has taken over: (I will credit him with the good first seasons despite he's winning with Hale's team)
2013: 10-2 PSAC Champs
2014: 11-2 PSAC Runner Ups (SR1 Runner Up -- tho, definitely could have won that game at Concord)
2015: 7-4
2016: 6-5
2017: 7-4
2018: 6-5

After 2014 the drop off is immense. And after 4 years, we have given Darraugh the grace of an entire recruiting period. We've had 4 different starting QBs in that time span too. Now, granted, I think some of the blame lays at the feet of the AD and school for not giving more scholarships to football but that's another discussion. I fear that Bloom missed an opportunity to hire a more modern minded head coach after Hale left. We have gone from premier DII program to bottom feeder. It needs to be fixed ASAP.

How's that for analysis, Bart?

[Bart]

How's that for analysis, Bart?

It's better than nothing. You and Tony are merely regurgitating my observation that Bloom only kept 6 out of 30 recruits till senior year. As for Price he had 13 receptions last year for WCU, and isn't on the roster this year. The recruits who don't make it to senior year, don't transfer to play somewhere else. They generally drop out of school or give up on football. I think Bloom goes after some marginal/questionable football players because of the scholarship limits. Look at RB Gooden. He is the best rb at Bloom, but wasn't recruited by any other D2 school. He is out for the year with an injury requiring surgery.

Hale was the difference maker without the money. He was a motivator and sold the program. The current coaches don't have that big personality to energize the team and keep them engaged. Just looking at spring roster to the fall roster, Bloom lost OL Fleish, DL Hein, Felch, and Avery, LB White, DB Nadachowski and Patterson, FB Gooding, and RB Francis-who was 3rd string in spring ball, and 2 incoming recruits didn't show up.

[iupgroundhog]

Aside from football-related things I think Hale was a master at working the financial aid to help his recruiting. He made those single-digit schollies go as far as possible.

[Bart]

Aside from football-related things I think Hale was a master at working the financial aid to help his recruiting. He made those single-digit schollies go as far as possible.

They must have the same number of players that qualify for financial aid as they did under Hale, but maybe he worked it better. Jahri Evans received an academic scholarship. He gave out any money he had to players who performed on the field during the previous season.

[Tony33]

I mean, piggy backing off of what Tony said, having so few recruits make it to senior year is pretty pitiful and indicative of poor coaching and poor recruiting. Look at Ethan Price for example. That kid was a beast in HS and was totally misused in the BU offense. So much so that he ended up transferring to WCU. So we lost a DI recruit to a rival program. That's just one example.

Another is the absolute lack of a modern offensive system. I know that ground and pound has been BU's mo forever but that has to change. Look at the offenses that Erik Benjamin and Logan Leiby ran in HS. They put up ridiculous numbers in pass happy spread offenses. Then they got to Bloom and had to run our 1950s offense and guess what, they struggle. If they had the coaching staffs of other PSAC schools they could utilize their skill sets better. The jury is still out on Leiby but Benjamin isn't even with the program any more. And he was a AAAA first team all state QB.

On a general consensus however, look at the regression since Darraugh has taken over: (I will credit him with the good first seasons despite he's winning with Hale's team)
2013: 10-2 PSAC Champs
2014: 11-2 PSAC Runner Ups (SR1 Runner Up -- tho, definitely could have won that game at Concord)
2015: 7-4
2016: 6-5
2017: 7-4
2018: 6-5

After 2014 the drop off is immense. And after 4 years, we have given Darraugh the grace of an entire recruiting period. We've had 4 different starting QBs in that time span too. Now, granted, I think some of the blame lays at the feet of the AD and school for not giving more scholarships to football but that's another discussion. I fear that Bloom missed an opportunity to hire a more modern minded head coach after Hale left. We have gone from premier DII program to bottom feeder. It needs to be fixed ASAP.

How's that for analysis, Bart?

I think you know that team and seeing them play, I FEEL YOUR PAIN. You do have #4 and that's a big bright spot.