2017 Spring Football Preview

[usc4valpo]

Excellent analysis here - thanks for the updates! Year 4 is a critical year for this football program.

[VU2624]

according to valpohuddle.com Ryan Clarke is now a TE. Dalton Stokes is now a WR.

[vu72]

according to valpohuddle.com Ryan Clarke is now a TE. Dalton Stokes is now a WR.

Fascinating.  Clarke is obviously athletic and BIG.  He might just be fantastic playing TE.  It appears that others have continued to progress in the QB spot otherwise the coaches wouldn't leave Jimmy out there by himself without sufficient backup.

[VULB#62]

Not that I happened to mention it a month and a half ago........   

This out of left field but what the heck.......

The way the QB situation is unfolding, if Jimmy Seewald does get the nod as starter because of Ryan's inconsistent performance at QB, being a senior, backup QB would not be the greatest position for Ryan.  And further, if that were to be the case,  the development of the young QBs behind them would suffer as well.

Ryan's a good football player who needs to see the field a lot more than a backup QB would.  At 6'5" - 225, Ryan is a good sized, athletic football player.  He's demonstrated some toughness on special teams as our long snapper as a freshman.  His three years as a QB also has given him a very good understanding of the coverages we have faced in opponents' secondaries -- and the reads and how to run routes to beat them.  I don't know anything about his speed.  But I have to believe he has good eye-hand coordination in order to play at QB.      Do ya see where I am headed? I think he'd make a very good true TE (not H-Back) who could flex outside or align inside.  I'd also believe that given the choice of playing backup vs. seeing the field more by becoming part of the TE rotation, he'd select the latter to finish his VU football career.  Regardless, I believe he will be the long snapper again too, as I think Jonathan Coyle was a RS-JR. and might take his degree and not return.

[VU2624]

according to valpohuddle.com Ryan Clarke is now a TE. Dalton Stokes is now a WR.

Fascinating.  Clarke is obviously athletic and BIG.  He might just be fantastic playing TE.  It appears that others have continued to progress in the QB spot otherwise the coaches wouldn't leave Jimmy out there by himself without sufficient backup.

Questions for our insider: The same writeup does not include Joe Mullen as one of the QBs. Is that an oversight or has he left the team/school?

I also wonder about the WRs. All but 1 who played regularly will graduate. Stokes joins a big crew and Valpo is bringing in, to this point, 5 or 6 WRs as recruits and we're not done. Have some expected returners not returned or will their be a large crew of unhappy players running routes for the scout team?

[VULB#62]

The www.ValpoHuddle.com  blog started by Valpofb16 is returning a "Can't find the server" error message.  Apparently it is offline.

[IndyValpo]

The www.ValpoHuddle.com  blog started by Valpofb16 is returning a "Can't find the server" error message.  Apparently it is offline.

I noticed this too. His twitter went radio silent on Feb 4.  Too bad he had good information that is next to impossible to find.

[VU2624]

The www.ValpoHuddle.com  blog started by Valpofb16 is returning a "Can't find the server" error message.  Apparently it is offline.

I noticed this too. His twitter went radio silent on Feb 4.  Too bad he had good information that is next to impossible to find.

Twitter @valpo_huddle has gone silent since right at that time as well. Hopefully it returns and it is not the case of maybe "too much" info was being put out there.

[bbtds]

The www.ValpoHuddle.com  blog started by Valpofb16 is returning a "Can't find the server" error message.  Apparently it is offline.

I noticed this too. His twitter went radio silent on Feb 4.  Too bad he had good information that is next to impossible to find.

Twitter @valpo_huddle has gone silent since right at that time as well. Hopefully it returns and it is not the case of maybe "too much" info was being put out there.

Sometimes we might forget how precious this info is to other PFL teams/opponents when scouting Valpo. It could very well be that too much info was being put out on the internet.

[VU2624]

2017 schedule:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/16193/valpo-releases-2017-football-schedule/#.WL8kSX9LV0x

One point in the article which is wrong is with Trinity Intl. Valpo beat them last year.

[hailcrusaders]

While the Montana game will inevitably be a blowout, the Grizzlies are relatively down this next year (barring any big signings or transfers) so I don't think that game will be quite as ugly as initially imagined. Maybe more along the lines of recent games against Western Ill or Illinois State. I doubt we set any margin-of-defeat record.

[vu72]

While the Montana game will inevitably be a blowout, the Grizzlies are relatively down this next year (barring any big signings or transfers) so I don't think that game will be quite as ugly as initially imagined. Maybe more along the lines of recent games against Western Ill or Illinois State. I doubt we set any margin-of-defeat record.

It may be closer than you think. They opened against St. Francis (PA) last year and won by 10.  We should be fair amount better so we may give them a game.

[VU2624]

While the Montana game will inevitably be a blowout, the Grizzlies are relatively down this next year (barring any big signings or transfers) so I don't think that game will be quite as ugly as initially imagined. Maybe more along the lines of recent games against Western Ill or Illinois State. I doubt we set any margin-of-defeat record.

It may be closer than you think. They opened against St. Francis (PA) last year and won by 10.  We should be fair amount better so we may give them a game.

St Francis (PA) had a pretty good team last year. They beat Sacred Heart by three scores who beat Valpo by 4 scores and some looked at that game as somewhat promising over what we'd seen previously. St. Francis also beat Duquense and won the NEC including a playoff game.  This team losing to a down Montana squad by 10 isn't surprising.

Valpo isn't in the same league at this point even if they are better next year than they were this past year.

[VULB#62]

Montana and Montana State do not rebuild, they reload. Last year was an abberation in the midst of a coaching changeover. Expect something like a 45-7 score. But the trip to Missoula, however, is not to be missed.  2 hours east is Yellowstone; 2 hours north is Glacier National Park. Missoula is a "Boulder without the pretention."  There is a reason they call Montana "the last best place."

[VU2624]

Montana and Montana State do not rebuild, they reload. Last year was an abberation in the midst of a coaching changeover. Expect something like a 45-7 score. But the trip to Missoula, however, is not to be missed.  2 hours east is Yellowstone; 2 hours north is Glacier National Park. Missoula is a "Boulder without the pretention."  There is a reason they call Montana "the last best place."

I hope they give the team a chance to look around. Typically the trips are right in and right out.

For next season, a think a goal should be to get a bit closer to the likes of the Dukes in terms of OOC comp. Sacred Heart beat up on Valpo and Marist and was 1-5 in the NEC. Duquense beat SH pretty handily last year as well and was tied for the best record with St. Francis in the NEC. Sacred Heart could have been negatively affected by a false rape accusation against two players of whom I'm not sure who they were. Bottom line is that Valpo could very well be playing a better...perhaps much better....team out of the NEC.

[valpotx]

Montana and Montana State do not rebuild, they reload. Last year was an abberation in the midst of a coaching changeover. Expect something like a 45-7 score. But the trip to Missoula, however, is not to be missed.  2 hours east is Yellowstone; 2 hours north is Glacier National Park. Missoula is a "Boulder without the pretention."  There is a reason they call Montana "the last best place."

We have gone up to Montana just about every year since the early 80s (older family members have been doing so since the 50s).  My family has a summer home in Polson, which is on Flathead Lake.  Our game at Montana is around the time that we usually go, so I might be at this game.  I have always wanted to see a Montana football game, since we fly over their football stadium every time that we fly into Missoula.  A beautiful state, especially the Western side of Montana.  The only negative is that more and more Californians continue to buy land around Flathead.  Dang Californians...

[bbtds]

The only negative is that more and more Californians continue to buy land around Flathead.  Dang Californians...

"Vut ist wrong wit Californians?"

[VULB#62]

Spring ball starts tomorrow.  Here is the preview.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/16260/experience-breeds-excitement-as-valpo-football-prepares-to-begin-spring-season/#.WNqhORiZMo9

[VU2624]

Spring ball starts tomorrow.  Here is the preview. http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/16260/experience-breeds-excitement-as-valpo-football-prepares-to-begin-spring-season/#.WNqhORiZMo9

This is probably more of a "me" thing than anything else but I just find it weird that a QB who played about 40% of the snaps including starting half the games is not even mentioned.

[covufan]

Spring ball starts tomorrow.  Here is the preview.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/16260/experience-breeds-excitement-as-valpo-football-prepares-to-begin-spring-season/#.WNqhORiZMo9

It would seem that having 85 players participating in off-season drills/weight-lifting would be very encouraging.  Are there seniors not expected back and freshman spring enrollment included in the 85?

[VU2624]

It would seem that having 85 players participating in off-season drills/weight-lifting would be very encouraging.  Are there seniors not expected back and freshman spring enrollment included in the 85?

I would think so. The seniors not expected back are not participants and spring enrollees are usually pretty limited if any at all. I think they had 15 seniors who won't be back so 85 sounds about right if everyone else eligible returned.

[covufan]

It would seem that having 85 players participating in off-season drills/weight-lifting would be very encouraging.  Are there seniors not expected back and freshman spring enrollment included in the 85?

I would think so. The seniors not expected back are not participants and spring enrollees are usually pretty limited if any at all. I think they had 15 seniors who won't be back so 85 sounds about right if everyone else eligible returned.

I would have expected 60-65 participants, assuming normal attrition.  This bodes very well for the team!  Especially if we get 35-40 newcomers in the summer!

[VULB#62]

Spring ball starts tomorrow.  Here is the preview. http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/16260/experience-breeds-excitement-as-valpo-football-prepares-to-begin-spring-season/#.WNqhORiZMo9

This is probably more of a "me" thing than anything else but I just find it weird that a QB who played about 40% of the snaps including starting half the games is not even mentioned.

TEs (as well as OL and DL) also omitted from the preview.  Could account for the why on your observation due to rumored position change?

[VULB#62]

Junior punter Alex Ng mentions that both Ryan Clarke and Griffin Norberg were sharing long snaps this spring.  Hmmmmmm.

[tweet]849047315260297220[/tweet]

[vu72]

Funny how Mr. Eg may be the one sharing duties.  That kid from Florida has some impressive numbers coming in!