ESCC PREDICTIONS
- Thread starter CCLB sucks
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I think Naz and JCA are the co-favorites. ND (no Naz or JC as Dean points out), Carmel and Marist are in the next tier. If Carmel (no Naz or Marist) can find a way to beat JCA in Week 3, I like their chances. They may catch JCA a big banged up after Provi and WN, but they have not had much success in Joliet.
Some conference questions/observations:
How will Naz O-line develop?
JCA will not be deep. Will they be able to avoid key injuries and survive a very difficult schedule?
Is this the year Marian (of the Heights) and their strong Jr. class make some noise in the conference?
ND has a good Sr. class. Can they make a run at the conference title?
Carmel has some impressive top-end talent. If they get solid QB play, they could be very good.
Is Viator a darkhorse? Can they spring some upsets?
Some conference questions/observations:
How will Naz O-line develop?
JCA will not be deep. Will they be able to avoid key injuries and survive a very difficult schedule?
Is this the year Marian (of the Heights) and their strong Jr. class make some noise in the conference?
ND has a good Sr. class. Can they make a run at the conference title?
Carmel has some impressive top-end talent. If they get solid QB play, they could be very good.
Is Viator a darkhorse? Can they spring some upsets?
I picked Marist as an upset - figured they have a solid QB back and could be a sleeper
Granted in all reality, Naz is the team to beat then JC/Marist/ND all have legit shot
Granted in all reality, Naz is the team to beat then JC/Marist/ND all have legit shot
Naz has to be the favorite, they have some holes for sure and big depth issues but with what they have coming back and the way they ran through 2014 anyone that doesn't make them the favorite is crazy. With that said I think JCA actually wins conference this year, I love what they have coming back and think their line play will be 2014 Naz-esque. Marist will be very underrated. ND won't be that great but very well may win conference due to schedule. Benet will continue to be average. Viator will continue their upswing although last year may be ceiling for a few years. Carmel is a huge dark horse as well. Not sold on either Marian although Woodstock will be more competitive. Pats will stink.
I agree Marist will be underrated and fly under the radar in this conference. I don't think they win it, but I think they most definitely come close. A lot coming back on offense. Last season they didn't really look like the high flying throwing team we are used to seeing at Marist but this year they should be back to normal. Brendan Skalitzki will have big three targets back in Keffer, Glasscott, and Dunican. But NAZ, and JCA may just be to big and athletic for the Red hawks.
I think Viator if they can find a QB will make some noise in this conference this year. Don't mean to sound repetitive like everyone else, but the amount of talent at Naz is still gonna have them and JCA for being the elite team in the conference. Marian Central will be down this year. We saw last year about how tough the conference will be for MCC with a team that went 5-4, which i thought should have gone 6-3 if they played like they should have against viator, and with this years team being expected to have a down year despite who is the Head coach it looks like it will be rough. With the lack of an offensive and defensive line presence as a whole and all of the animosity and tension around the program I see a 3-6 team with this new head coach. I see them beating Crystal lake south, Marian Catholic, and St pats, but I can easily see them losing to South as well, and if that happens all hell will break loose in Mchenry county and Bulaga will speak his mind.
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How many Skalitzki's are there? Seems like there's been at least one on Marist's varsity for the past 10 years.
Marian was 5 4 last year and will be 5 4 again. Some strength at the linebacker and running back positions. Playing a 3 5 3 defense and they will keep the ball on the ground on offense. How well they adapt to the new coach and what does Budmayr bring the table at qb are huge question marks. Change can be good, be patient Hurricane fans.
In a 3 front it doesn't matter how good your linebackers are if you don't have a defensive line. And if you do keep up with other teams in the conference and look at the message boards frequently about other teams besides Marian, I want to know what games you see them winning. Also I understand the strength is at the skill positions, but they are replacing every linebacker from last year.
Gav
Gavin Deneen will anchor the middle of the d line he is getting some D! looks he has a high motor and has the size . Welch and Miceli will be counted on at LB. Was not a fan of the linebacking corp last year. Running backs are above average as well. Transfer in from Sterling Newman Catholic will help on D . Wins
CL South McHenry Marian Catholic St. Pats Notre Dame. St. Viator on Homecoming could be a helluva game with Stanger as their O coordinator and Spoden as Line coach whom do not have much Hurricane love I am sure they will be out to trounce the Canes..
I know Gav is a great player. I have seen him first hand but the problem is there is nobody else after Gav.
I agree the shelf is not as stocked as in the past but they will be competitive. I could see anywhere from a 3-6 to a 5-4 season. Believe me I get where your coming from.
I just wasn't a huge fan of the linebacker group. They were decent no doubt. I just prefer them with more of an edge. Welch is a wrestler who has decent size he had some success at state I hope he brings that aggressiveness to the football field.
I do. Mentioned in an above post that I liked their chances. This could be their best team in a number of years, plus they have a nice conference schedule (no Naz or Marist). As stated above, if they can beat JCA in week 3, they have an excellent chance to at least share a conference title.
CoM 'success will depend on how well their Offense does. While they have a good set of skilled players on offense, they return only 1 starter on O line. CoM has never won at Memorial Stadium and the last time they beat in JCA was in 2010 at home so if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on JCA to win that game as well as conference and make another run at state. While Naz. has some very good skilled players, losing that O line will be tough to replace. That group of boys were flat out nasty. Reminded me a lot of the O line from CoM's state championship team of 03'. They were big, nasty and just dominated their opponents. They like the Naz. line all went on to play in college.
i'll say 1-2 but 0-3 is realistic. Week 1 is the unknown. Good or bad Waukesha West starts next week so they'll at least have film on them for this year.
Epic,
Wondering if you made it out for the Blue and White game last night. I looked for you but didn't see you, wanted to catch you up on the oldest. Will look for you at games this season.
Wondering if you made it out for the Blue and White game last night. I looked for you but didn't see you, wanted to catch you up on the oldest. Will look for you at games this season.