Cornell football 2022

[marty]

Ken Niumatalolo got fired by Navy after losing to Army 2 years in a row, but at one point had about 7 victories in a row, and a winning overall record at Navy, with all its recruiting disadvantages, against tough opponents.  A great coach and a great man on many levels.  Love to see him in Ithaca.

As for him coming to Ithaca, really! Yes, I know his head coaching record at Navy was 109 and 83, but after going 11-2 in 2019, he's had three losing seasons in a row! And Navy has only won its conference championship three times in the last eight years!  If that's not bad enough, his post-season bowl record is 6 and 5, just barely over .500. Certainly, Cornell expects more from its head football coach.
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But Navy is in Division One and Cornell isn't in contention for a bid to the Poison Ivy Bowl in Lake Placid.  I'm fine with considering anyone who currently has no connection to Cornell football.

[Trotsky]

Ken Niumatalolo got fired by Navy after losing to Army 2 years in a row, but at one point had about 7 victories in a row, and a winning overall record at Navy, with all its recruiting disadvantages, against tough opponents.  A great coach and a great man on many levels.  Love to see him in Ithaca.

As for him coming to Ithaca, really! Yes, I know his head coaching record at Navy was 109 and 83, but after going 11-2 in 2019, he's had three losing seasons in a row! And Navy has only won its conference championship three times in the last eight years!  If that's not bad enough, his post-season bowl record is 6 and 5, just barely over .500. Certainly, Cornell expects more from its head football coach.
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My sarcasm meter just shorted out.

[George64]

Ken Niumatalolo got fired by Navy after losing to Army 2 years in a row, but at one point had about 7 victories in a row, and a winning overall record at Navy, with all its recruiting disadvantages, against tough opponents.  A great coach and a great man on many levels.  Love to see him in Ithaca.

As for him coming to Ithaca, really! Yes, I know his head coaching record at Navy was 109 and 83, but after going 11-2 in 2019, he's had three losing seasons in a row! And Navy has only won its conference championship three times in the last eight years!  If that's not bad enough, his post-season bowl record is 6 and 5, just barely over .500. Certainly, Cornell expects more from its head football coach.
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My sarcasm meter just shorted out.

Did you purchase the extended warranty?

[marty]

Ken Niumatalolo got fired by Navy after losing to Army 2 years in a row, but at one point had about 7 victories in a row, and a winning overall record at Navy, with all its recruiting disadvantages, against tough opponents.  A great coach and a great man on many levels.  Love to see him in Ithaca.

As for him coming to Ithaca, really! Yes, I know his head coaching record at Navy was 109 and 83, but after going 11-2 in 2019, he's had three losing seasons in a row! And Navy has only won its conference championship three times in the last eight years!  If that's not bad enough, his post-season bowl record is 6 and 5, just barely over .500. Certainly, Cornell expects more from its head football coach.
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My sarcasm meter just shorted out.

Did you purchase the extended warranty?

I'm the one in need of a trip to have my check engine light diagnosed.

[Chris '03]

Don't know why there is so much complaining around here after Cornell set a school record this year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNOGbsOjxf/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

[Scersk '97]

Don't know why there is so much complaining around here after Cornell set a school record this year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNOGbsOjxf/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

Honestly, there are a few glimmers of hope when one looks back over the play-by-play of the season. But we need to (1) clean up special teams, (2) reduce stalled drives in our end of the field, and, most importantly, (3) find a secondary. I would also love to reduce some of the mystifying play calling, but I know that won't happen unless Archer leaves.

TOP is great and all, but you need to convert, and your defense needs to stop giving up easy points on long bombs.

[Scersk '97]

Don't know why there is so much complaining around here after Cornell set a school record this year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNOGbsOjxf/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

Honestly, there are a few glimmers of hope when one looks back over the play-by-play of the season. But we need to (1) clean up special teams...

By which I mean, we used to have ("back in my day") the best punter in the league, year in year out. This year? Too many blocks, and not long enough anyway.

I become more and more convinced over time that punters should be second only to quarterbacks in recruiting.

[billhoward]

Don't know why there is so much complaining around here after Cornell set a school record this year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNOGbsOjxf/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

Seen another way: The opposition only needed 24 minutes per game to outscore Cornell 28 points per game to our 22 ppg. They got a lot of long scoring plays whereas we made it most of the way toward the red zone or end zone ... and then could go no further.

In WW II, Germany's time of possession was way longer than the Allies', certainly on the Western Front, 4 years to 1. But we had the fast break offense.

[Al DeFlorio]

Don't know why there is so much complaining around here after Cornell set a school record this year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNOGbsOjxf/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=

Seen another way: The opposition only needed 24 minutes per game to outscore Cornell 28 points per game to our 22 ppg. They got a lot of long scoring plays whereas we made it most of the way toward the red zone or end zone ... and then could go no further.

In WW II, Germany's time of possession was way longer than the Allies', certainly on the Western Front, 4 years to 1. But we had the fast break offense.

Against a team beaten to shit by the Russians.

[rss77]

Agree with the comments on Special Teams.  As for the secondary there are a couple of comments to add-Despite criticism of Archer et al I have some praise for Jared Backus who has been the Defensive Coordinator the past few years.  I think he gets maximum production out of the talent Cornell has on defense. That said however as they say it comes down to Jimmies and the Joes and not the X and Os. On pass plays Backus had the defense blitzing constantly because the front four by itself could not generate pass pressure.  Even with the blitzing Cornell many times could not get pressure on the opposing team qb.  Blitzing is a gamble as it leaves your secondary in one on one matchups with opposing team receivers.  Coupled with overall lack of team speed in the secondary that is why Cornell was burned on long pass plays throughout the season.

[Scersk '97]

Agree with the comments on Special Teams.  As for the secondary there are a couple of comments to add-Despite criticism of Archer et al I have some praise for Jared Backus who has been the Defensive Coordinator the past few years.  I think he gets maximum production out of the talent Cornell has on defense. That said however as they say it comes down to Jimmies and the Joes and not the X and Os. On pass plays Backus had the defense blitzing constantly because the front four by itself could not generate pass pressure.  Even with the blitzing Cornell many times could not get pressure on the opposing team qb.  Blitzing is a gamble as it leaves your secondary in one on one matchups with opposing team receivers.  Coupled with overall lack of team speed in the secondary that is why Cornell was burned on long pass plays throughout the season.

Guess my analysis was a bit off then, since it sounds like our corners are being hung out to dry and doing a reasonable job!

Just like on offense, everything starts at the line. For my part, I'd love to see us build a cold-weather, grind-it-out type of team. Bring back fullbacks and double tight ends! On D, a great front four helps stop the run, and pressure on the QB heals a lot of ills.

Guess it all comes down to what type of defensive player we can recruit and how you build a defense around that type. We have always seemed to be able to recruit good offensive linemen; time to put some emphasis on the D.

[CAS]

Lehigh today named Yale's OC as their new head football coach.

[billhoward]

Lehigh today named Yale's OC as their new head football coach.

And now Cornell fans wait with bated breath to see if Kevin Cahill (Springfield '01 '04) could have become the Ivy's (read: Cornell's) next Al Bagnoli. Bagnoli went 86-19 as Union HC in the 1980s, was snapped up by Penn in 1991-92, went 148-90 and 9 Ivy titles through 2014. In hindsight, with Cornell HC openings after the 1989 and 1990 seasons, we had the chances at the time when Bagnoli could have come available.

https://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-spt-lehigh-hires-new-football-coach-20221219-6eyb2bvbjrhcbihblntaeppfba-story.html

[Ken711]

Lehigh today named Yale's OC as their new head football coach.

And now Cornell fans wait with bated breath to see if Kevin Cahill (Springfield '01 '04) could have become the Ivy's (read: Cornell's) next Al Bagnoli. Bagnoli went 86-19 as Union HC in the 1980s, was snapped up by Penn in 1991-92, went 148-90 and 9 Ivy titles through 2014. In hindsight, with Cornell HC openings after the 1989 and 1990 seasons, we had the chances at the time when Bagnoli could have come available.

https://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-spt-lehigh-hires-new-football-coach-20221219-6eyb2bvbjrhcbihblntaeppfba-story.html

Cornell's next HC, if a change is made after next season, should look at current U. of Pennsylvania's OC and former Ithaca College HC Dan Swanstrom as the new Cornell HC.

[George64]

Nice piece about Jameson Wang this morning on Spectrum News 1.  Unusual, in that Rochester media rarely mention Cornell athletics.