Quarterback Mike Lefflbine (left) and the Saints have been selected as the 2015 Liberty League preseason football favorite in a vote conducted by the head coaches.
St. Lawrence University was selected as the 2015 Liberty League football preseason favorite in a vote conducted by the league’s head coaches. After battling it out for the 2014 Liberty League title in November, it comes as no surprise that the Saints and defending champion Hobart College are atop the poll. St. Lawrence (46 points) narrowly edges out the Statesmen (45 points) and both teams received four first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Springfield College tied for third place with 30 points apiece while the University of Rochester and Union College tied for fifth with 25 followed by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, 14) and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (9).
St. Lawrence (8-2 overall, 6-1 Liberty League) will look to build upon its recent success, 15-5 over the last two seasons and 11-3 in the Liberty League, as the Saints welcome back a core group of players to Canton this season (18 starters). The Saints defense has been key to St. Lawrence’s turnaround as they generated 30 turnovers last season including 20 interceptions while producing 24 sacks. All-Liberty League first-team selections senior Leondre Simmon and juniors Chyron Brown-Wallace, Alec Dietsch and James Holley-Grisham all return after combining for 196 tackles and 16 pass break-ups in 2014.
Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Year senior quarterback Mike Lefflbine also returns, after leading the league in passing yards (207.5 yards/game), passing efficiency (142.4) and total offense (225.0 yards/game) last season. Lefflbine will have plenty of targets to choose from with the majority of the receiving corps back for another year including junior tight ends Mitch Gallagher (53 receptions, 704 receiving yards, 8 TDs) and Matt Gardiner (31 receptions, 370 receiving yards, 3 TDs). Simmon was also an offensive threat last season with five touchdowns and 260 receiving yards. The running game will be led by senior running backs Maurice Irby and Jake Gnieser, the two combined for more than 700 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Hobart compiled its third straight undefeated regular season at 10-0 en route to its fourth Liberty League title in four years. The Statesmen are riding a 30 regular season game winning streak dating back to 2011. Last season, Hobart was among league leaders in scoring offense (30.2 points per game), scoring defense (16.6 points per game), total offense (373.6 yards per game) and total defense (265.1 yards per game). Hobart will have to overcome the loss of several key seniors from last season’s team including 2014 Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Year and second-round (61st overall) NFL draft pick offensive lineman Ali Marpet as well as Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year defensive end Tyre Coleman, who holds Hobart records for career tackles (94.5) and sacks (51).
Eleven starters (4 offense, 7 defense) return for the Statesmen to begin the 2015 campaign. All-Liberty League first-team selections senior linebacker Trayvon Toney (93 Tackles, 2.5 TFL) and junior linebacker Marcus Jemison (71 Tackles, 17 TFL) will lead the defense. Senior quarterback Parker Thelander will compete with UAlbany transfer Shane Sweeney for the starting QB spot while senior running back Conner Hartigan (9 rushing touchdowns, 871 rushing yards) headlines the running game.
RPI, one of the top offenses in the league last season (28.2 points/game, 378.5 yards/game) returns the majority of its starters this season after finishing 2014 with a 6-5 overall record (4-3 Liberty League). Offensively, the Engineers will have big shoes to fill with the graduation of their top-two offensive weapons kicker/punter Andrew Franks and running back Reggie Colas. As a kicker last season, Franks made 30 point after attempts and recorded a team-high 78 points. Quarterback Jeff Avery returns after suffering a season-ending injury last season and will compete for the starting job. Other key components to the 2015 offense include senior wide receiver Logan Gaddar (469 receiving yards) and sophomore running back Mike Tivinis (535 rushing yards), who combined for 11 touchdowns. Senior linebacker Anthony Pilla (42 tackles, 9.5 TFL) and senior defensive back Phil Lanieri (28 tackles, 6 interceptions) highlight the Engineers’ defensive returnees.
With the departure of only three seniors,
Rochester returns nearly all of its starters from last year after compiling a 5-4 overall record and 3-4 mark in league play. 2014 Liberty League Rookie of the Year Dan Bronson will lead the offense after taking over starting duties in the fifth game of the 2014 season, he finished the year with 1,093 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. The offense will also have a strong running game with junior running back Myles Allen (625 rushing yards, 5 TDs) at the helm. A trio of seniors and All-Liberty League second-team selections—Matt Mender (DT), Thomas Marone (LB) and R.J. Borgolini (CB) will spearhead the defense that was ranked second in the league in passing defense (148.8 yards/game).
In 2014,
Springfield boasted the Liberty League’s top offense as the team led the league in scoring and total offense, averaging 31.6 points and 403.9 yards per game. Seven offensive starters and nine defensive starters return for the Pride to begin the 2015 season. Offensively, senior fullback Keith Rodman and senior halfback Drew Brown will anchor the running game as they both averaged over 35 yards per game and combined for eight touchdowns last season. On the other side of the ball, senior linebacker Max Nacewicz will pace the defense as he was among league leaders with 104 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss last year.
Union returns two of its top offensive threats in All-Liberty League second-team selections senior wide receiver Kyle Reynolds and senior kicker David Pope as the Dutchmen look to improve upon a 2-8 season (2-5 Liberty League) in 2014. Reynolds led the league in receptions per game (6.2) and receiving yards per game (92.0). He was also a league leader in scoring, averaging 5.3 points per game. Pope was one of the Liberty League’s top kickers, tallying 41 points on 23-of-24 point after attempts and six field goals. Junior Blake Gellar and sophomore Dante Cioffi return for the Dutchmen to compete for the starting quarterback spot as they each played in five games last season. Defensively, Union will have two of its top linebackers back, seniors Jake LaRovera and Thomas Hayes, who combined for 166 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season.
WPI went 4-6 overall last season with a 3-4 mark in the Liberty League as the Engineers have increased their conference win total by a game over the past three seasons. Only 34 upperclassmen are on this year’s team, however five All-Liberty League selections return from that group. Junior Brian Murtagh (LB), senior Sean Murphy (DB) and senior Eric Lacroix (DB) headline the returning starters on defense with a combined 211 tackles, 12 pass break-ups and eight interceptions. Junior quarterback Dan Eckler and junior wide receiver Brandon Eccher will lead the WPI offense. Eccher was one of the league’s top receivers last season, as he averaged 4.6 receptions per game and 52.8 receiving yards per game with four touchdowns. Eckler, one of the league’s top passers last season, threw for 1,626 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Merchant Marine returns 11 starters to begin the 2015 season, highlighted by senior quarterback Matt McDaniels and senior defensive back Patrick Keyes. An All-Liberty League first-team selection, McDaniels was one of the league’s top rushers as he averaged 91.4 yards per game. He was also the team’s top scorer, totaling 66 points on the year and he recorded 13 touchdowns (10 rushing, 3 passing). Keyes was tops in the league in tackles with 84, averaging 8.4 per game. Senior running back Mario Colangelo and senior linebacker Dillon Reaves are also players to watch for the Mariners. Colangelo was second on the team in rushing yards (655) and rushing touchdowns (7) while Reaves was second in tackles with 53.
2015 Liberty League Football Preseason Poll
Place. Team, Points
1. St. Lawrence, 46 (4)
2. Hobart, 45 (4)
3. RPI, 30
3. Springfield, 30
5. Rochester, 25
5. Union, 25
7. WPI, 14
8. Merchant Marine, 9
(First-place votes are in parentheses)