Colonials Corner

This is the final edition of the Q+A for now, at least as a weekly edition. For the time being, we’re going to take a step back and reorganize and work mostly on the site transition. Obviously, if something newsworthy happens, we’ll post it here.

We’re close to deciding on a new home for Colonials Corner, deciding between two options. Once that is done, we’ll be focusing most of our spare time on building the new site and transferring as much stuff as possible to the new site. The goal is to be done by the end of June so that July can be used as a test month to see what visitors like/hate and to make any adjustments before training camp starts in August.

So, we still want questions and input from fans during this quiet period, but we’ll just be taking longer to answer them. Or we may answer them in the comments section.

On to your questions.

Read the rest of this entry →

Time to answer your questions in the weekly installment of Q+A. Feel free to add more questions in this space over the next 7 days. We’ll answer more next week.

Let’s jump right into it.

Does the penalty for football really mean anything to RMU, since RMU and other Northeast Conference teams award less than the NCAA allowed number of scholarships?
Colonial Bob

Not really. The damage is more to women’s hoops. Lacrosse can probably escape lasting damage as well, considering their roster depth. These scholarship hits and penalties are devastating in two ways: Eliminating resources for a small team, such as basketball; creating a lasting academic issue in that specific program, especially if the school doesn’t have a way to help reform the athletes that are struggling.

With football not even approaching the Football Championship Subdivision maximum number of scholarships, this doesn’t impact the team directly. What it will do is create a bit of a bullseye on the program. They’ll need to make sure they can improve their numbers so as to not warrant any “historical” penalties that could take away things such as practice time and postseason appearances.

It’ll hurt a program like women’s basketball more, especially if the issues continue. They had the lowest APR out of all of the programs at Robert Morris. Again, the initial hit isn’t drastic, but it could create a lasting impact if it’s not handled properly. We’ll see what happens with the next couple of APR reports.

This question, also from CB, was originally answered in the comment section. We’ve posted it here in case you missed it……With regard to the recruits, what is meant by “qualified?” It gives me the impression that the recruits will definitely be eligible for next season. But, I find it hard to believe that eligibliity can definitely be determined prior the student/athletes finishing there last semester of high school. Last year at this time we were expecting that two recruits would be eligible, but it turned out that one was a partial qualifier, and the other was a nonqualifier.

I would be grateful if you could shed some light on these arcane issues of qualifying, and the NCAA Clearinghouse.

The situation with Velton Jones was a bizarre one. The NCAA raised questions about the timing of Jones’ last high school class, or something similar. His SAT/ACT score and GPA were not in question, and those are the usual issues when getting a student qualified through the NCAA Clearinghouse. Russell Johnson’s case was a bit more normal.

For this year, the way I understood Coach Rice, those normal hurdles aren’t going to be an issue. To me, that says that the four incoming freshmen have academic records that satisfy the necessary parties. Could a situation like Jones’ occur again? Sure, but it seems like that was more at the fault of the high school and their records rather than Jones’ failure to do something. Plus, with it happening to RMU once before, they’ll now be more vigilant to make sure that bizarre scenario doesn’t happen again.

As an addendum: The typical qualification process means students have to have a certain SAT/ACT score, certain required classes completed AND passed in high school. attendance records, and a certain GPA. The same requirements we all had to have to get into college are what the college athletes have to fulfill as well. If they’re tabbed as qualifying, it means that they have fulfilled the requirements. Again, something like Jones’ situation, where the timing of a class becomes an issue, could arise again. But for intents and purposes, these guys will be RMU student athletes next fall.

Phil asks….Here’s a possible weekly Q&A question – what would it take to get a more festive atmosphere at the Sewall Center for regular season games? We have a great coach, great players, and a great team that puts an entertaining product on the floor. In addition to the various perks coaches and players get, it would seem a festive atmosphere would go a long way to successful recruitment/retention. They say St. Joe’s in Philadelphia packs in 2,000 into a tiny gym every game and it rocks — RM should get at least 1,500.

Maybe the NEC should better market its teams? Maybe better outreach to the student body and community? Maybe more partnership with Pitt and Duquesne to market D-1 basketball in Pittsburgh?

This is the age old question that we have no answer for, to be perfectly frank. Cheap tickets, entertaining basketball. It starts with the students, though. Maybe the NEC Championship will spark student interest, but in the games prior to the NEC Tournament, the student section was pretty sparsely filled. If the students won’t show up, you can’t expect the surrounding community to fill it in. I can understand a tough sell early in the season. I know I missed a couple early games because they were on Tuesday nights, right in the middle of my work schedule. But Thursday/Saturday games, especially in the heart of NEC play, should draw in even just the 1,000 or so students who live on campus.

Ironic, too, considering the number of complaints I heard as a student about there being nothing to do at the end of a week on campus. Personally, I’ve long felt that students are more interested in downing copious amounts of alcohol. The proliferation of “Thirsty Thursday” events and parties throughout the weekend seems to support that. Now that there’s a winner on campus, maybe they’ll show up at the games before getting blitzed out of their gourds.

With Cwalinski getting a look by the Steelers, why wasn’t Mario Hines marketed in the same fashion and given a tryout? He has the breakout ability on kick returns and even within just the region, the Steelers wasting draft picks on guys that will only be “kick returners” when Hines possesses the ability to return and play the slot in an effective way as well.

Good question. Cwalinski’s tryout with the Steelers seemed to be heavily influenced by the Robert Morris coaching staff. Players, for the most part, seem to be on their own once they’re done with Robert Morris. It’s up to them to market themselves and push themselves in front of professional teams to get a look.

At least, that’s how it looks. The problem here is the lack of an official “pro day” at Robert Morris, or a joint “pro day” with players from RMU, Duquesne, and Pitt taking part. Other programs push their seniors who want to play in some capacity in front of the scouts. Robert Morris does not. When I talked to Mike Niklos and Mario Hines about their workout in front of the Philadelphia Eagles scout last year, they each indicated that experiencing the rigors of a workout on their home turf was much more favorable than trying to latch on elsewhere (by the way, you can check out video of their comments in a Colonial SportsCenter story I did here).

What a coach does on an individual basis for a player trying to make the leap is often kept quiet. We learned about Cwalinski’s chance simply because his hometown newspaper did a story, the typical “Local Boy Does Good” article found in mom-and-pop newspapers around the country. Maybe other players were given the same help and we just didn’t learn about it. I do know that Hines shopped himself around almost on his own, with the help of his advisor.

But the only way to clear any of it up and to truly showcase your graduating athletes is to establish a full pro day at the university.

We’ve added links to local coverage from today’s press conference in the post about the extension.

One news item to attend to before we get to your questions. Erik Cwalinski has earned a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Wheeling News-Register reports that Cwalinski will join a host of receivers and defensive backs that the Steelers want to take a look at before camp begins. So, the four-year starter at RMU will have the opportunity to at least get some videotape throwing to prospective NFL players and get in front of NFL scouts. We’ll see where it takes him.

Also, assistant head football coach John Banaszak is reportedly doing well as he recovers from his hospitalization. His goal is obviously to try and be back on the football field in the fall.

Finally, you can use this post to submit your questions. We’ll answer them either when we get a nice pile or by this time next week. Whichever comes first.

Now, on to your questions.

Has Coron Williams signed?

He has. According to Mike Rice – and you can see this in the story on this site about his extension – all four of his new recruits for the upcoming season are signed and qualified. All will get a chance to vie for playing time, along with relatively new guys Velton Jones (6’0 point guard out of Philadelphia) and Russell Johnson (6’6 forward out of Chester, PA).

That final class includes 6’8/6’9 C Brad Piehl (New Knoxville, Ohio), 6’7 F Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, PA), 6’3 G Coron Williams (Christchurch, Virginia), and 5’9 PG Karon Abraham (Paterson, NJ).

ESPN/Scout’s Inc has rated the players and it certainly appears to be the strongest class yet. To get an idea of how the ratings translate to success, George Mason, a perennial contender out of the usual one bid but more expensive CAA, pulls in players that average around an 85. Some higher, some lower. As far as individual rankings go, we’ll use Pitt’s recruits from last year. Travon Woodall and Ashton Gibbs were 89s, Dwight Miller a 73.

Robert Morris’ six new recruits are Coron Williams at 74, Velton Jones at 75, Brad Piehl at 79, Karon Abraham at 80, Lijah Thompson at 85, and Russell Johnson at 87. Not too shabby.

Now that the NCAA has adopted Division I “sand” volleyball, will RMU play on the current courts by the suites, or will they be building new facilities? Will they hire a second coach to handle the new program or will Rob Thomas double up on his duties?

Dan Y.

I quipped about this in the initial comment section. Yes, the NCAA approved “sand” volleyball (aka beach volleyball) as an official Division I sport. No, I haven’t heard a word as to whether RMU would be interested in fielding a team. I think you’ll see most of the volleyball powers in the coastal regions try it first, and then the inland states will give it a go. If they were to field a team, the courts by the suites would likely not be used. “Sand” volleyball courts have to fit a specific dimension and I doubt those sand traps fit.

Plus, you’ll need a scoreboard and parking and all that nifty stuff. Considering the sport is likely a “spring sport”, perhaps Rob Thomas would be willing to double up. Certainly a few of his players would do it. But I think we’re quite a ways off in discussing “sand” volleyball as a competitive sport at Bobby Mo.

The rest of the questions are football related. So let’s get it on.
do any of the QB’s have anything that seperates them from the others? who does what well?

Each is a bit unique, but each has their drawbacks. There’s no true stud on this roster – there usually never is at this level – but there’s no clear answer. It all depends on what you value. Camdin Crouse has more experience and mobility, and he’s probably a bit more accurate than the others. But he doesn’t have a cannon and he’s the shortest, although we caution again that he’s not Doug Flutie tiny either.

Aaron Smetanka has a stronger arm and “looks” more like a prototypical pro-style QB. But he’s shown flashes of inconsistency and accuracy problems, especially on that deep ball. Shorter throws, he’s right up there with Crouse as far as accuracy. But even though he can wing it, it doesn’t always go where he wants it to.

If there’s a standout among them, it’s Crouse or Smetanka, depending on what you prefer. If you like veteran leadership, mobility, and a medium-range passing game, you’ll look to Crouse. If you want some youth, a guy that stands tall in the pocket, and a cannon-arm, you’ll look to Smetanka.

Now that teams like VMI and Bucknell are on the schedule, might we see bigger name schools in the future? Maybe a school like Youngstown State from the that midwestern conference formerly known as the Gateway Conference or maybe even an Ivy team?

That’s the likely goal. Ivies are notoriously tough to schedule because they take the first two weeks of the season off. But additional Patriot League schools like Bucknell (Lafayette, Lehigh, etc) would be quality gets. Youngstown State might be a bit of a reach but could be a solid goal to strive for down the road. Remember, though, with Bryant joining the NEC, the Colonials will have room for just 3 non-conference games. They like the relationship and rivalry with Dayton, so expect that to continue for the forseeable future.

I’d imagine that the spots taken up by VMI and Bucknell will be filled in the future with teams of a similar pedigree, though. Gone are the days of playing Rowan in a home-and-home series.

Jeff Link and Steve Yoak were both outstanding running backs in high school. Jeff scored two touchdowns in the Spring game. Do you expect more running plays from the fullback position this year?

Absolutely. Someone once called Myles Russ and Raphael Johnson “thunder and lightning”, but really, the lightning is Russ and the thunder is Link. Joe Walton loves to use his tight ends and he loves to use his fullbacks. There was a bit of down period once Vince Magnone graduated, but with Link established now, expect a good 10 plays per game to be run for the fullback, more if the Colonials are near the goalline often.

1.RMU just had its All-Sports Banquet, who are your MVPs and Rookie of the Year for Football, Men’s & Women’s Basketball?

MVP in football goes to Alex DiMichele. The guy came in to a strong position with a lot of history to it, and then turned the linebacker corps upside down. He’s only going to be a junior, he has a great lineage, and he’s a perfect football player. He’s fierce and intense on the field, technically efficient, and a stand-up guy off the field. I pulled him off the field after the 41-7 loss on senior day last year and he not only was ready to go back on the field and avenge the loss, but he was a fantastic interview as well.

MVP in women’s hoops goes to Kendra Williams. The stats may push the award to others, but Williams kept the team in some semblance of order with so many injuries ravaging the squad. Sade Logan had more off nights than she’s probably had in her career because of her shoulder, Monica Jones missed the last half of the year, Angela Pace missed almost the entire year, and Monet Johnson was often double-teamed because of Logan’s injuries. But Williams stuck with it, and her absence may be as prominent next year as the loss of Psyche Butler and Chinata Nesbit was this year.

MVP in men’s hoops is a tie between Jeremy Chappell and Bateko Francisco. Chappell had such an incredible season and career that you have to recognize him, but Francisco’s nightly defense was a major contribution to the team’s success. As Mike Rice explained to me today, replacing those two on defense next year is his biggest challenge. The points will come in some fashion or another, but those two guys took out the top two scorers on any given team. That’s a huge advantage for you as a coach, knowing that you’ll have those two guys locking down on defense on every single play for 40 minutes. I expect both to play professionally. Chappell might play here in the States – he might be a strong candidate for the D-League next year – while Francisco could tear it up in Europe.

What is your Top 5 RMU Football plays of all time?
Wow. We’re already running long on this post, but we’ll give it a quick run through. This is just from footage I’ve seen in the past or seen on my own.

5. The Stand – 2006 goalline stand against Wagner to preserve a 14-10 win. We played it like crazy on Colonial SportsCenter, broke it down with Bill Romango, and it’s still amazing. The will, the determination, and the individual efforts all make it incredible.

4. Mario Hines’ game winning catch in 2OT against CCSU. Just for the sheer excitement of the moment. CCSU was nationally ranked, it was a packed house, the entire game was very bizarre, and I believe the Colonials ran the same route one play earlier with the receivers in different positions.

3. Levcik to Wannamaker for 94 yards in 1998. Saw footage of this game a while back, and while not much sticks out, the completion does. Interesting to note – Levcik, while likely the best QB in RMU history, appears in the record book just once for longest pass completion. The top ten for longest pass is dominated by Drew Geyer.

2. Mike Niklos’ near decapitation of Corey Bundy against Sacred Heart in 2007. Capped a huge day for Niklos, a wild 41-31 win for RMU, and it might’ve been the hardest hit we’ve seen live at a football game.

1. (tie) Tim Hall’s 95 and 91 yard touchdown runs in 1994. Brilliant running. He doesn’t even look tired after either of them. If Hall had played four years, he would’ve put every rushing record at RMU completely out of reach.

There was an All-Decade Team announced a while back (Marty will have that information) as voted on by former players and fans…who would make your All Time Robert Morris Football Team?

That’s rough. I haven’t seen enough players in history to make a determination. So what I’ll do is open this to readers and then make some adjustments from that.

Time to open the doors again and see where we go with some questions from the readers.

Things are quiet. We realize that. There’s one more scholarship to be assigned to basketball, and the only commitment is from Coron Williams. But the Virginia guard hasn’t made a move yet and still has quite a bit of time to sign a letter of intent.

Meanwhile, Karon Abraham – one of RMU’s early signings – played in the Jordan Brand Classic in New York earlier this month. Abraham was one of several high profile NY/NJ players to participate and acquitted himself well with 15 points.

Also, looks like we have another quarterback coming to Robert Morris. That will make it six potential QBs on the roster. Elizabethtown QB Kyle McNeil will join the Colonials toting a cannon for an arm, although that cannon tends to be a little wild (16tds to 10 ints).

The way we see it, the only QB on the roster that can play another position is Jeff Sinclair. We realize what’s been said about Sinclair getting the opportunity to start at QB from the get-go, but we’ve always been skeptical about the possibility of that occuring. We remain skeptics.

What do you think? We hereby open the gates for questions, whether it’s about the football situation or any other sport. We’ll answer them later in the week.

Before we get to the football, a quick note:
The Pittsburgh Steelers put together an annual series of basketball games featuring some of their players versus a host of others. One of their games will be this Thursday at 8pm against a group of people from Robert Morris. No idea if that includes RMU players, faculty, staff, coaches, or just random people. The game will be at the Sewall Center, with tickets priced at $7. Want tickets? Call 412-403-5583. Probably will be available at the door.

Now, onto spring football and your questions.

First off, the spring game will be Wednesday at Joe Walton Stadium from 4-6pm. If weather really throws a wrench into things, it will be Thursday.

With only a handful of starters departing, spring ball at Robert Morris University is relatively quiet. It’s about teaching, improving on the skills already fostered the year before, and making sure that the 2008 season is used as a launching pad for 2009.

One of those open is the quarterback position. Well, in theory it’s open. But it certainly is on the minds of the commenters:

Any word from coaches on who is the front runner on the qb position?
The answer is Camdin Crouse. The senior is the starter. He’s been told that it is his job to lose, and in the spring session, he’s taken the majority of the snaps. It’s spring though, and we’ll see what happens when the full complement of players are available in the summer heat. Frankly, I’d be shocked to see anyone but Crouse start the opener in Lexington, Virginia against Virginia Military Institute.

For those who want to know, Desmond Brentley appears to be the backup, followed by Aaron Smetanka and Kevin Quinn. Appears to be pure seniority right now, as there doesn’t appear to be much difference between Smetanka and Brentley in practice, at least from a distance. Quinn, by the way, isn’t in full practice mode. He’s wearing the pads, going through snaps, but he’s not throwing full time. One would expect him to be ready by training camp. We’ll see how that order shakes up when Jeff Sinclair is added to the mix.

Moving on…
curious to hear your feelings on myles russ … he really broke through last year, and how important is it for him to continue to progress, especially with a new starting qb for romo in 2009? i realize it’s a lot to put on his shoulders, but how key is he for the offense next year?

rob

Russ will be the lynchpin of this offense, at least when it comes to piling up yards and points. That’s just football 101 – you have to have an effective running game, even with a star passing game, just to keep the other team’s defense on the field. Russ is likely a potential preseason all-NEC pick, and might even be a darkhorse for the Walter Payton Award in all of FCS. Crouse will be effective, especially with Sherrod Evers, James O’Quinn, Shadrae King, TJ Green, and Anthony Coleman as targets.

But what will really make the offense roll will be the big hosses up front. Russ can’t do much without some holes, and Crouse can’t find seams in the defense and hit his receivers if he’s running for his life (although he’s easily the most mobile QB that Joe Walton has had running his offense in years).

Ian Margerum and Joe Setticase depart, and those are holes that will need to be filled. Junior Carlos Andrade, a two year starter, has moved to left tackle. Sophomore Brad Rodgers, who started late last year once Setticase went down and Margerum moved to LT, will start at left guard. Sam Miller will continue to start at center. Corey Konycki will move from right guard to right tackle to replace Andrade and allow for Logan Miles to start at RG.

That’s a young, but potentially very good line, with an average size of 6’2, 290. If they can be a cohesive unit, this could be a very explosive offense, with Myles Russ getting a lot of attention. And Russ deserves it. The guy is a gamebreaker, a tireless worker in practice, and he has a lot of charisma. Colonials Corner saw it from the beginning when we found his YouTube videos.

While there’s little question about the defense (even with Michael Landers, Mark Syzmanski, and Alex DiMichele not practicing and a makeshift defensive line, they looked sharp on Monday), how long that defense is on the field is a major question. No one doubted the defense’s effectiveness last year, but they often ran out of gas, especially against high-powered running games.

If the Colonials can combat that with a more efficient, effective, and longer-lasting offense behind Russ and the offensive line, then an average team will become a team that could win the NEC.

Can you tell us why it is so difficult to get the spring practice and spring game information? There are parents, family and fans that would really like to know this information a little in advance. Why is the game on a weekday? Most schools have their on the weekend. Also has the 2009 schedule been completed yet? Thanks!

It’s been difficult because the team itself hasn’t had any information. A month or so ago, I was told that the spring game would be the Wednesday or Thursday before Easter. Inclement weather canceled a few practices and pushed that game back a week. That probably has a lot to do with the lack of notice about the timing of the spring game (Which, again, is Wednesday from 4-6pm).

As far as a weekday game rather than a Saturday game, most of those other schools have exclusive use of their fields. The football team, does not. The lacrosse teams have home games on Saturdays at Joe Walton Stadium, including a double-header this past Saturday. Also, I believe the NCAA has a limit on when spring practice can occur. The combination of schedule conflicts and NCAA rules just makes it a headache.

It’s unfortunate, and the lack of lights at Joe Walton Stadium makes it even more difficult.

As for the schedule, yes, it’s done:
9/5 – at Virginia Military Institute
9/12 – at Bucknell
9/19 – host Dayton
9/26 – host Bryant
10/3 – at Duquesne (NEC)
10/10 – at Central Connecticut State (NEC)
10/17 – host St. Francis PA (NEC)
10/24 – BYE WEEK
10/31 – host Sacred Heart
11/7 – at Albany (NEC)
11/14 – host Wagner (NEC)
11/21 – at Monmouth (NEC)

If you have additional questions about spring ball or anything else, we’ll be happy to answer them. Sadly, Colonials Corner will not be at the spring game due to our own schedule conflict, so we comisserate with those who want to attend but cannot. We’ll do our best to provide some sort of coverage.

Also, basketball signing period starts in two days and will last for a month. We’ll see how quick the Colonials get their last commitment.

Until then…

Lots of schedule snafus and other issues the past week have caused us to miss most of spring ball. However, due to the inclement weather that’s popped in from time to time, spring ball will continue past Easter weekend, and Colonials Corner is tentatively scheduled to attend one of the final practices, if not the actual game itself.

Right now, it appears the game will be Wednesday. I don’t know what time, although I would assume it’s a good bet for it to be during the usual 3-6pm practice window.

A few quick other pieces to pass along before we move into the Q+A.
- Bemidji State, Robert Morris’ opponent in the CHA D-I hockey championship, turned their run into one that would make Cinderella blush. The Beavers were the lowest seeded team to ever make it to the Frozen Four, eventually falling to Miami, OH.

- The WNBA Draft passed yesterday with Sade Logan remaining unselected. Her shoulder injury really put a damper on her chances. Last year’s phenomenal performance had her tabbed as a potential first round pick, but Logan had shoulder surgery and then was inconsistent once she did return. Latest draft mocks had her in the 2nd or 3rd round, but alas, that was not the case. If she doesn’t latch on as a free agent, she’ll make a ton of money in Europe. They love their shooters.

- The coaching carousel is pretty quiet. Only a few major gigs and a few really tiny gigs are open, and the dominos haven’t fallen too hard. As of now, Mike Rice is not a known candidate for any job and may not have even been contacted for any job. Xavier is really the only job we see as a potential fit for someone like Rice, but they appear set with either promoting from within with Chris Mack or getting current South Carolina and former Western Kentucky head coach Darrin Horn to be their guy. Rice would not be a likely candidate for South Carolina. So, as we’ve speculated all along, it looks like Mike Rice will be running the Colonials for the third year in a row.

Now, about the Q+A. We’re opening it up to any topics at all involving Robert Morris – from individual players, sports, programs to how the university fits the NCAA landscape to whatever else you think of.

We’re going to postpone answering anything until Monday night/Tuesday morning. That will allow everyone to get a question in, and it will allow those of you with football questions to prep me for what I need to look for on Monday. I can then come back to you with the freshest information possible.

So, ask away. Enjoy the holiday weekend, and we’ll get geared up on Monday.

Colonials Corner has received a record number of page views in the past week, including an astronomical amount (for us). The site averages about 150-180 unique visitors per day. From Tuesday through Thursday, the site averaged over 400. It’s likely a combination of the Nwigwe and the Colonials win last night. Thank you for reading.

So, let’s get to your questions. We actually begin with football!

When does spring ball start? When is the spring ball game? How do you feel about spring ball? Will the quarterback be picked by the time spring ball is over? Who do you think is in the running ?

Camdin Crouse is your starter in spring ball and has been told that the job is his to lose. Certainly they will give all of the quarterbacks on the roster the chance to unseat him and they’ll give freshman Jeff Sinclair a chance to unseat him in training camp, but I’d be surprised if the Colonials don’t go into their first game with Crouse at quarterback. He’s a senior, he’s shown the ability to have success in his limited time on the field, and he’s respected in the huddle. That said, there’s not a quarterback on the roster that doesn’t have some limitations. It’s just going to be a matter of which one utilizes the massive amount of weapons available to him.

If Crouse is not the QB, I’d say Sinclair is a good bet simply because of the talk being centered around him in the media. Nearly every report out there that talks about his commitment has a quote from him saying he’s been told he’ll be given a shot from day one. My rankings right now – Crouse, Sinclair, Smetanka, Brentley, and Quinn. That can change drastically once we see how healthy Quinn is.

Spring practice starts March 23rd, I believe. It will wrap up the week of Easter, so look for the spring game to be on Thursday April 9th. That’s subject to change.

1. Who would you put on a list of possible replacements when the day comes when Coach Walton steps down?

1. Based off of the recent extension for Coach Walton, I’d say that the day he steps away is a long way off. He looked especially reinvigorated last year. When he does step down, whenver that it is, I’d be surprised to see Robert Morris look outside of the program. John Banaszak is a former head coach – he ran Washington & Jefferson for a while – and he’d obviously continue a nice run of having a head coach with NFL credentials at the program. If you want someone a little bit younger, then you look to the two guys running the defense. Scott Farison and Scott Benzel will be head coaches at some point in their futures if they want it.

If Robert Morris doesn’t stay in house with one of those three guys, I’d be very surprised.

2. What athletic program at Robert Morris is considered to be the most successful? (successful to me = grad rate plus success on the field)

2. That’s an excellent question. For the specific data on Academic Progress Rates, I link you to this PDF file. That should be the latest set of data. Considering the years of that data, I’d say the nod would have to go to Craig Coleman’s softball team. They had a very strong run at the top of the NEC, played the US Women’s Team, and received national recognition for their academic progress rate. It’ll be interesting to see how the influence of Mike Rice impacts the next couple of APRs. We’ll see those results in the coming years.

What is the probability that RMU will switch conferences in lets say four or five years. They have certainly dominated over the last two years with a NEC record of 31-5as of 3/3/09. I understand we might lose Mike Rice after this season but I still believe RMU is making giant leaps in becoming a larger national competitor.

The probability is very low, more for budgetary reasons and the likelihood of conference shuffling. The Great West (horrible name, considering it will include Houston Baptist, NJIT, and Chicago State plus some western schools) begins play next year and likely will not earn full NCAA recognition with autobids to tournament sports until close to 2020. With Bryant joining the Northeast Conference in 2012, it’s hard to forsee that conference shuffling many members. What would trigger a major reshuffling, though, would be if the Big East restructures to fit appease the football schools. That could cause a major trickle down effect on other schools and conference.

Robert Morris has had an inordinate amount of success the past few years in basketball. Remember, it’s been 17 years since the Colonials appeared in the NCAA Tournament. They’re only now introducing scholarships in football, lacrosse is finding its feet in the NEC, and the other programs aren’t large enough to move to something like the CAA or A-10. It would take a Gonzaga like run at the top of the NEC for the school to even begin thinking about piggybacking off of the basketball program’s success into another conference.

Lets assume that Coach Rice gets the offer he can’t refuse and decides to move on. Who would you put on a list as possible replacements?

This is another situation where I’d be surprised if they don’t stay in house. Certainly, additional candidates will be considered, but I’d have to believe that the University will question Rice on his successor whenever he does decide to leave. Like I’ve said before, I don’t think Mike Rice leaves for at least another year. When he does, I would not be surprised for him to nominate Andrew Toole – currently associate head coach. I then envision Rice and Toole sort of dividing the staff between them, so that RMU has some sort of continuity on its staff during the transition and Rice has some sort of familiarity with his staff in his new gig.

If it’s not someone on the current staff, then look for someone within the Phil Martelli/Rice coaching tree.

Again, I don’t see him leaving for at least another year.

Can we repeat?

Simply put, yes. It will be incredibly difficult, considering the last school to repeat in the NEC was Rider in 1993-1994. Yes, you lose perhaps the best player in Robert Morris history in Jeremy Chappell, not to mention the best defender in the league in Bateko Francisco and two post players in Iffy Ehirim and the transferring of Will Royal.

However, you return three additional starters, including your top three forwards in Rob Robinson, Dallas Green, and Josiah Whitehead. You keep your starting point guard. And the guys who likely step into the starting lineup – Mezie Nwigwe, Gary Wallace – are very familiar with the system.

There are two major questions that will determine how this team does next year. The first is how much of an impact the new players have. The second is how the Colonials do without close to 20 points a night from one source (Chappell).

Really, the two go hand-in-hand. Without knowing the team’s exact plans, you have to figure Brad Piehl and Lijah Thompson are going to get minutes. They’re on some of the top high school teams in their states, so expect them to be treated similar to Gary Wallace was last year. Russell Johnson, after a year off, is the true question mark. I can see him starting and I can see him playing a limited role off of the bench. You have to figure Coron Williams (if his verbal sticks) and Karon Abraham will take time to learn the system since they’re smaller guards. Velton Jones will play after practicing all year long with the team.

That’s a deep and balanced team. You lose three important guys, but you have so many potential replacements available as freshmen. They’ll be inexperienced but there is certainly talent there.

What will really be interesting is how the coaching staff handles playing time. For what it’s worth, we see a starting lineup of Robinson, Green, Nwigwe, Wallace, and Langhurst with Wallace and Langhurst sharing time at the point to try and free the other up for some additional shots. Whitehead, Piehl, and Thompson all rotate in as forwards. Johnson backs up Nwigwe, Foster backs up Wallace, Jones backs up Langhurst. That’s an 11 man rotation. Williams and Abraham may even redshirt.

They may not be as explosive next year, but they may be even deeper. If this team is going to repeat, it will likely be on the shoulders of its defense.

I want to use this opportunity and this forum to try and answer as many questions as possible about the events of the past 24 hours, as well as questions about a gigantic game that’s going to occur Wednesday at 8:30 on ESPN2.

This is the article in the Times.

This is the preview for the actual game.

A couple of things to address before the floor is opened:
- I’m very disappointed in the quality of comments from fans of both teams in this section. I believe firmly in not censoring comments (other than your run of the mill spam), so I’ve allowed everyone to say their piece. Both sides have gone over the top, the personal attacks to all sides – including some levied at me – are unwarranted and ridiculous. The fact that people immediately have to judge instead of digesting the entire story is very disappointing. The comments following the release of the statement are particularly disappointing.

- Several have questioned the relationship between this site and the Times. This has long been a news and analysis site about Robert Morris sports. The site was started because I felt that there was not enough consistent coverage in the local media regarding Robert Morris sports. It is not, nor has it ever been, a “fan” blog. We first utilized our credentials as a student journalist and then progressed from there. Clearly, after this and several other statements in the comments in the past week or so, we need to reiterate our mission statement for this site.

- To that end, I have changed the commenting policy. I had asked a while back that everyone start using names, and the rash of anonymous comments in the past weeks has obliterated that request. Abuse leads to stricter rules. My apologies to the frequent anonymous commenters that have been perfectly reasonable in their comments, but this is the only solution right now with Blogger’s software. Those with issues can feel free to email me with the address at the top right corner of the page.

I’ll answer any additional questions you may have. I realize that there may be some issues with asking questions now via comments but the email address is available. The best suggestion is to click “OpenID” and choose one of those options (most likely AIM). Come up with a better solution and I’m willing to hear it.

So, here we are the on the morning of the NEC Quarterfinal, and all we want to talk about is one topic.

I thought there would be at least something on the awards. Not necessarily in the coronation of Jeremy Chappell as the king of the NEC, but maybe something on Bateko Francisco getting the defensive player of the year nod.

Nope.

So let’s address the one Q that didn’t focus on Mike Rice’s future first.

i’d like to hear aj’s predictions for how the tournament is going to play out, from all the quarterfinal games through to the championship. get out your crystal ball, aj

I’ve got a pretty straightforward bracket. Robert Morris defeats St. Francis NY, Mount St. Mary’s defeats Wagner, Sacred Heart beats Central Connecticut State, and in a small upset, Quinnipiac beats Long Island. That sets up the Mount versus Sacred Heart and Robert Morris versus Quinnipiac. The Bobcats play it close, but they can’t beat Robert Morris. Sacred Heart plays it close, but the environment at the Mount will be too much to handle.

That’s followed up by a 4 point Robert Morris win in the championship game that has people across the nation tuning in and does wonders for the Northeast Conference and both programs. I do think your Colonials should win the title, although I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone else pulls it off. There’s just the right type of emotion around the team, and there’s certainly a different feel to this whole process than there was last year.

And while the NEC is usually insane this time of year, I think they’ll finally have a 1 v 2 in the championship game for just the second time since 2000.

The only other topic: This article by Colin Dunlap in the Post-Gazette.

I expected there to be some discussion about Colin’s article, but I wasn’t expecting this much of a furor over it. Mike Rice’s future with Robert Morris is the elephant in the room. It’s a story that should be addressed, and it’s certainly a fair topic. But this is not when or how I would have addressed it.

When Rice was announced as head coach and his resume was passed around, I came up with my own scenario for how long he’d stay at Robert Morris. There’s no question that any coach hired by RMU is currently using it as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

I figured that Rice would need 3-4 years. I think any less than that, and you have questions of, “How much was his coaching and how much was the talent that he had available?” I think that goes for all coaches in any sport. The first year is the feeling out process, the second year is the molding of the team in the coach’s image, the third year is the peak – the championship, the awards, etc- and the fourth year, if it happens, is proving that you can repeat that success. In college basketball, that fourth year means you usually have almost no one left over from the previous guy in your shoes. To have success at that stage indicates you truly are your own man.

It’s a solid article. However, I would have approached it from a different angle and at a different time. Now is not the time, not because of any fear of creating distractions, but because in the yearly chronicle of a basketball team, this particular chapter is out of place. The chronology doesn’t flow well – discussions and decisions on the futures of individuals on successful teams should come after that season has played out (naturally, bad teams are at risk of firings, and in the pros, roster moves, at any point in the year).

This is a topic and an article that should appear shortly after the NCAA Tournament. Which brings up the second reason why I disagree with the timing…

What if they lose?

It’s certainly a possibility in the wacky NEC. I don’t think another NIT appearance dooms Mike Rice’s coaching career. Far from it. But it raises some questions. Two very talented teams, almost 50 wins in two years, but no title? Certainly a question that gets raised in the interview process, and certainly a question that gets asked of potential references as well.

So, if it’s me, I wait. Maybe a week or so after the almost inevitable 20-point loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, you call up Tony Lee and AJ Jackson. You call Rice’s previous bosses like Phil Martelli or Mike Deane, or guys that know him from the Hoop Group. Maybe even an old Fordham teammate or two. You get their perspective on his future, how his style translates to major college hoops basketball. Rice himself likely isn’t going to comment, and even if it’s the middle of April, he’s not going to say more than he said in Dunlap’s article (only instead of using the tournament as an excuse, it’ll be recruiting, or summer workouts, or an irresistible urge to paint the house).

That’s how I approach it. Personally, I think Mike Rice is here for another year, maybe two, no matter what happens in the next two weeks. I think that he wants to cement his coaching credentials, and to do that, he needs an NCAA Tournament appearance and a strong season without three of the best players in NEC history handed to him. If this team wins the NEC this year and wins 20 games next year, Rice will be beating back potential suitors with a large stick.

Oh, and on a personal note, I was obviously at this press conference for the Times. I thought at the time and still believe now that the most interesting storyline was not Rice’s future. It was how this team rebounded from the punches to the gut they received last March and two weeks ago. My initial lead to the BCT story had to do with Rob Robinson’s comment last week that “No one dreams of the NIT”, a comment and phrase that has become the team’s mantra this week, but I kept going back to Rice’s comments on March’s attitude.

That’s my take. Take it, leave it, whatever. This is the beauty of having multiple media outlets cover the same team. You get a variety of perspectives and a variety of views.

Now that we’ve spent entirely too much time on this, thank heavens that there’s a basketball game later tonight.

Gee, what could we possibly talk about this week?

- Robert Morris, your 2008-2009 NEC Regular Season Champions
- Jeremy Chappell, player of the year. Mike Rice, coach of the year. Bateko Francisco, defensive player of the year. Chappell, first team all-NEC. Rob Robinson, second team all-NEC.
- NEC Tournament Preview from the RMU perspective.
- Plenty of stuff in the PG today, too, including this piece on Rice’s potential future and Gene Collier’s opinion piece.

Have at it.