Fight On, Harrisburg (The College Years)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Seeing my old thread bumped to the front page (thanks, Abe!) put me in the mood to fire up The College Years again. I had to repurchase the game, which wasn't too much of a problem, considering it's been marked down to $4.95.

I've placed the Solecismic Eight in Pennsylvania, and I've renamed it the Commonwealth Eight. I'm taking over the football program at the fictional Harrisburg College, and we're turning back the clock to 2004, which happens automatically at the beginning of the game.

We are far, far from a football powerhouse. A quick look at the preseason rankings finds us at #117 among 125 Division I programs. (The college football universe in The College Years is "frozen" in 2004, with the conference alignments that were in place then. I have no problem with that; I'd prefer the more traditional lineup that I remember from my boyhood in the 1980s.)

I will certainly be trying to make our program much stronger than its current, not-even-mediocre state. But, at the same time, I am committed to establishing Harrisburg's academic standards to the elite level, on a par with Stanford, Duke, and Northwestern. We were dealt a good hand in this regard, as we're currently ranked #25 in Undergraduate Average, in the same territory as the service academies, in-state powerhouse Penn State, and conference rivals Reading and Williamsport. The players I recruit will have to demonstrate potential in the classroom as well as on the football field.

I'll be back in a bit with a quick look at the state of our program as we enter the 2004 preseason. I'm not sure how often I'll update my story; I'll play that by ear. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy having two TCY stories to follow. Please feel free to comment anytime. I enjoy being able to interact with any readers who are out there.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Preseason 2004


Meet the Staff

It looks like I can't make any changes to my staff before the first season begins. That's a shame, because I'm not terribly happy with the team I have on board. (My laptop won't open the help file for TCY, so in some ways I'll be flying blind, and this is an example of this situation.)

The Syndicate Coordinator works with academic issues, handles any investigations into impropriety in our program, and plays a role in our fundraising efforts. Our point man for these issues is named Bubba Dowell, and that makes me smile. I'm picturing an affable good ol' boy who does a lot of winking and grinning. His Excellent rating for Syndicate Investigation confirms this image quite well. I'm planning to run a clean program, so Bubba's inability to raise funds might cost him his job one day.

Our Defensive Coordinator, Randal Eskridge, is very Congenial, and he's good at rehabilitating injured players. That's a good thing, because his Injury Avoidance rating is Lousy. Randal is OK at player development, but he's another coach who could find himself on the way out once I can find a better replacement.

Same goes for Offensive Coordinator Kenneth Punzel. He's Excellent at developing offensive linemen, which I like, but he's not very good at anything else. He runs a Power I formation, which is a pretty good fit for our current roster.

I'm not planning to recruit extensively outside our immediate area, so our Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic scouts will be the most important members of our recruiting staff. Our man in the Great Lakes, Blake Gambone, is Excellent at evaluating linemen and running backs, but his judgement on quarterbacks and linebackers is very unreliable. Quentin Murphy, our Mid-Atlantic scout, is also Excellent at spotting talented linemen, and he's just as good at evaluating defensive backs. If I keep Blake and Quentin on the job, I can see us building our program around dominant line play. I actually like that philosophy quite a bit.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Preseason 2004

The Offense

This group doesn't look too impressive, but they might do just fine in the Keystone Eight. Players with ratings in the 20s might be good enough to do a job, because our opponents don't look much better. It's hard to tell until we actually get on the field.

Players without states listed along with their home towns are from Pennsylvania.

Guards Johnnie Ross (SR/Slatington) and Buddy Everett (JR/Bristol, CT) are the best of the linemen. Luther Cooper (JR/Tyrone) will start at one tackle, with promising youngster J.C. Malone (FR/San Jose, CA) getting the first shot at the other tackle spot. Another first-year with potential, Jerald Lucas (FR/Bentleyville) will be given a chance at center, but it could be a long year for him.

Rondell Price (JR/Scranton) will be the starting quarterback. He's nothing special, but our run-heavy Power I offense doesn't demand much of him. Joel Sweeney (FR/Ypsilanti, MI) is also available.

We have both quality and depth at fullback. Bruising Colin Clayton (SO/Saline, MI) and bowling ball Alonzo Bloomer (JR/Exeter) are both powerful blockers and decent receivers, and Clayton can carry the rock, too. Chris Gleason (SO/Prospect Park) could also challenge for playing time. Senior Ronald Preston (Wyncote) will be the primary ballcarrier, with pocket-sized Bennie Wright (JR/Huntington) in reserve.

The Power I uses three men in the backfield: a fullback, halfback, and wingback. I'm not sure how the game will handle this formation. The depth chart calls for a flanker and a split end, and the Power I doesn't use a flanker. I'd like to use Bloomer or Gleason at wingback, but I can't put a fullback in the flanker spot. Nor can I use a fullback at running back unless I change his position. Meh.

Phillip Kerr (SO/Russellton) will be the starting tight end. Thurman Damon (SR/Roxana, IL) and Lester Dodge (FR/Durand, IL) will both get snaps at split end. Dodge has the potential to be a very good player for us, and he is also a fine student.

I might be scrapping the Power I after this season, unless I can bring in a really good RB or two.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Preseason 2004

The Defense and Specialists

We have a veteran defense that looks pretty good, especially on the edges and at safety. We're a bit soft at DT and ILB, but it looks like the rest of the Keystone Eight have just as many issues as we have.

We'll usually line up in a base 4-3 defense, but that's subject to change.

Defensive end Skip Lehr (JR/Altamont, KS) is probably the best player on our team. He's especially solid against the run. Jared Barrett (JR/Ashland) is a solid option at the other DE spot. Corwin Fulcher (JR/Philadelphia) and Donny Bauer (JR/Honesdale) are the tackles. Fulcher can burst through the middle to threaten opposing passers, while Bauer has lots of upside. That's the best that can be said for him.

All three of our starting linebackers are seniors. OLB Leslie Moore (Philadelphia) is a solid, every-down player. OLB Teddy Curl (Quarryville) is small, so he's not a good run defender, but he's a surprisingly good pass rusher. MLB Ken Ferris (Chicago, IL) is better against the pass than the run.

Cornerbacks Sam Duncan (SR/Oil City) and Dustin Lodise (JR/Mauston, WI) are both decent. The third CB, Tracy Dixon (JR/New Bethlehem) could be a liability against a team with a potent passing attack. Junior Braden (SR/Upper Darby) is as good a strong safety as there is in the conference, and his partner, Claude Hoffer (SR/Schaumburg, IL) is effective in both zone and man-to-man coverage schemes. Percy Cleeland (SO/Hegins) is good enough to start for many Keystone Eight teams.

Tommy Houck (SO/New Carlisle, OH) is the kicker, with Darrell Huntley (SO/Warren) handling the punting chores. Huntley is especially good at his job. Dixon is the primary punt returner. Duncan and Hoffer will handle kickoff returns.

[Chas in Cinti]

I'm following along... I like the format (as I usually do with your dynasties)...

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Chas in Cinti

I'm following along... I like the format (as I usually do with your dynasties)...

Thanks, Chas! It's good to have you along for the ride. I especially appreciate your comment about the format, because that's something I always wonder about.


Week 1, 2004

Recruiting


The Harrisburg Way

I think recruiting is probably my favorite part of The College Years. I spend a lot of time planning my recruiting strategy, and I enjoy seeing how successfully I can execute my vision.

Harrisburg is a small program, so I'll be concentrating my recruiting efforts on Pennsylvania and the states that surround it. For one thing, I think it's realistic for a school the size of Harrisburg to have a recruiting footprint that's fairly small. My goal, then, is to establish Harrisburg as an attractive option for in-state talent. We're not ready to go toe-to-toe with powerhouses like Penn State or Pitt. If we can out-recruit the other Keystone Eight schools, and do as well as Temple, Rutgers, and the mid-major schools in Ohio, I'll be pleased with our efforts.

As I've mentioned before, I'm also looking for elite student-athletes. I want Harrisburg to rank among the top academic institutions in Division I football. I also don't want a team full of slackers, hooligans, and divas. Our team's DNA will be built around hard-working, honorable young men, the kind our university can be proud of.

And, it goes without saying that I want us to play winning football. Our first step will be to establish ourselves as a perennial contender for the Keystone Eight championship and the bowl bid that comes with it. Once we're there, we can set our sights on our next goal.


Recruiting Needs for 2004/05

We can award 16 scholarships each year. We have 10 scholarship seniors this season, four on offense and six on defense. So, at the very least, I'm looking to fill these positions with my first recruiting class:

• 2 running backs
• wide receiver
• guard
• inside linebacker
• 2 outside linebackers
• cornerback
• 2 safeties

There are other positions that I would classify as "needs," because we either lack quality or depth there. Defensive tackle, center, quarterback, and wide receiver come to mind first. Of course, I won't overlook a stud who wants to play for us, even if he plays a position where we're fairly strong.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Weeks 1 and 2, 2004

Harrisburg 37, Connecticut 21

After a bye on Week 1, we traveled to UConn for Week 2 and came away with a 37-21 victory. We moved the ball well on the ground, rushing 51 times for 232 yards, and keeping the ball for nearly 35 minutes.

FB Colin Clayton rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns and was named the game's MVP. QB Rondell Price tossed a TD pass to Thurman Damon and gained 30 yards on 8 carries, while RB Ronald Preston added 68 yards on 14 rushes. Guard Johnnie Ross contributed 8 key run blocks.

Price went 13-22 through the air, and Damon caught 4 passes for 73 yards.

The defense was led by DE Skip Lehr, who tormented the Huskies quarterback with 2.5 sacks and another two hurries. Lehr totaled 7 tackles, while OLB Teddy Curl intercepted a pass and recorded five tackles.

Kicker Tommy Houck booted three field goals.

The game's most exciting play was an 89-yard punt return by Tracy Dixon.


Recruiting News

During Week 1, I identified our primary recruiting targets and made my initial contacts. By the end of Week 2, seven players had lined up campus visits.

Most of the players I'm looking at are mid-level talents, ranked somewhere in the middle third of their state's Top 100 players and at a similar level among players at their positions nationally. One exception is Robert Seitz, a RB from Philadelphia who is the top player in the state of Pennsylvania. We're the first school Robert is visiting, but Penn State is expressing interest and could very well turn his head.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Weeks 3 and 4, 2004

We didn't play during Week 3. The next week, we welcomed San Jose State to campus for our home opener.

Harrisburg 41, San Jose State 7

We used the same formula that worked so well in our victory at UConn--a robust ground game and a stout defense, and came away with another victory. We held the Spartans to 39 yards rushing and 198 total yards, while

Harrisburg 41, San Jose State 7

This time, two other running backs took center stage: junior Bennie Wright (16-83 rushing, TD) and senior Oliver Martinson (11-60 rushing, 2 TD). Ronald Preston caught a touchdown pass from Rondell Price, while many of the starters were able to enjoy a light day's work.

The defensive standouts included CB Dustin Lodise (54-yard pick six) and S Percy Cleeland (6 tackles). Tommy Houck made two field goals and all five extra point attempts.


Recruiting News

As Week 4 closes, we have 12 players lined up for campus visits, including at least one player from each of the positions we're targeting. So far, none of the players to whom we've offered a scholarship have signed with any other school.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Week 5, 2004

I'm experimenting with a slightly different, more streamlined reporting style. We'll see if we like it better.


Harrisburg (2-0) at Miami of Ohio (1-2)

We've climbed to #38 in the national rankings, largely because the computers like our two decisive victories. The voters, whether they be coaches or fans, don't think as highly of us.

And your final score: Harrisburg 24, Miami of Ohio 21

Offensive Standouts:
QB Rondell Price (20-28, 191 yards, 9-TD; 9-26 rushing, TD)
FB Colin Clayton (6-10 rushing, 6-33 receiving)

Defensive Standouts:
LB Deron Lowry (11 tackles, 3 sacks)
DE Skip Lehr (9 tackles, 0.5 sacks)
CB Sam Duncan (2-59 interceptions)

I have my assistant coaches managing my game plan, and it appears defensive coordinator Randall Eskridge prefers a 3-4 defense. Lowry (SO/Corry) has, therefore, been starting, and with Ken Ferris out for the season with a broken arm, Deron will have to step up. He certainly did against Miami.

Price, who had his best game as a passer, tossed a game-winning, 29-yard scoring strike to TE Phillip Kerr with 4:44 remaining.

Game Ball: Deron Lowry.
According to coach/scout Blake Gambone, Lowry isn't much of a player. He's passing the eye test, though, which might say more about Blake's ability to judge linebacking talent (Lousy) than Deron's true ability.


Recruiting News

Hello: Nobody has signed with us yet.

Goodbye: ILB Vince Beyer turned down our offer to attend conference rival Allentown. He's wanted to play for them since he was a kid, so I didn't think we'd land him anyway.

Even with Beyer signing elsewhere, there are still 13 players who have visited us and haven't made their choices yet. Nine of those players haven't scheduled a visit with any other schools.

It looks like Robert Seitz will be choosing between us and Penn State. Another player who's ranked #1 in the state at his position, ILB Lee Kurtz, appears to have narrowed his choices to Harrisburg and Lancaster.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Week 6, 2004

Harrisburg (3-0, 0-0) at Allentown (1-2, 0-0)

We open our Keystone Eight schedule with a trip to Allentown. They are fresh off a 62-0 smackdown at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

And your final score: Harrisburg 31, Allentown 7

Offensive Standouts:
QB Rondell Price (18-30 passing, 188 yards, TD; 11-40 rushing, TD)
RB Ronald Preston (13-85 rushing, TD; 3-11 receiving)
G Johnnie Ross (4 key run blocks)

Defensive Standouts:
ILB Doug Stevens (9 tackles)
DE Skip Lehr (6 tackles, sack)
OLB Teddy Curl (2-40 interceptions, 1 tackle)

I wasn't terribly impressed with Rondell Price at the beginning of the season. I figured if he avoided mistakes and didn't cost us games, I'd be pretty happy with him. I'm delighted to say that I underestimated him. Rondell leads the conference in quarterback rating, and he has 4 TD passes and only one interception.

Another unsung hero stepped up to lead our defensive effort. Stevens (JR/New Bremen, OH) played a big role in holding Allentown to 50 yards rushing on 23 attempts. Through four games, we're limiting our opponents to 2.4 yards per carry.

Game Ball: Rondell Price
This one's for you, RP. You're leading this team the way a senior QB should.


Recruiting News

Hello: We've landed our first three recruits of the season!
ILB Lee Kurtz (Sharon, PA/Sharon HS)
OLB Jeremy Sheppard (York, PA/Central York HS)
S Brent Cooper (Verndale, MN/Verndale HS)

I mentioned Kurtz last week. It's always fun to win a recruiting battle with a conference rival. It's even better when he's the best player in Pennsylvania at his position. I'm a bit surprised by that ranking, since he's "only" #686 nationally, and #33 among ILBs, but we'll sure as heck take him. Lee has a 3.37 GPA and a 1220 SAT.

Sheppard was a fairly easy get, since he listed Harrisburg as his favorite team. He's the #10 OLB in Pennsylvania. Jeremy is a very good student, however (3.64 GPA, 1300 SAT), and he has a Good attitude.

Cooper came out of nowhere. At first, I didn't think it was worth the effort to recruit him. He's from a thousand miles away. He's a Top 100 recruit nationally; he's the #2 player in Minnesota, and he's the top-rated safety in the country. His name showed up in black on my recruiting page, which indicates the lowest possible level of interest. Next thing I knew, he was on his way to campus...and now, he's ours.

Oh, did I mention he's an aspiring lawyer with a 3.83 GPA and a 1400 SAT score? Brent is exactly the kind of player I want to see in Harrisburg colors.

Goodbye: None of our offered players signed with another school this week. I'm starting to look at backup plans for some of our positions of need. I'm getting a bit nervous because some of our top targets are taking a while to make their decisions.

Eleven players who are visiting our campus have not picked a school yet. Robert Seitz has decided to visit Wisconsin, too.

[Chas in Cinti]

Sweet... would love to see the projections on the recruits as they sign (i.e. 47+ or 72-- or whatever)...

The gimmick offenses always work in the Sol8 early in the dynasty as I recall... But as you get better players you'll want to switch to a more traditional to open up the offense...

-Chas

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Week 7, 2004

Erie (3-1, 1-0) at #43 Harrisburg (4-0, 1-0)

The Keystone Eight teams with the best records face off at Harrisburg today. We're 19-point favorites, but I have a feeling this game will be closer than that. I think most neutrals would take Erie and the points here.

Injury Report
G Buddy Everett has a severe hamstring pull that will cause him to miss the remainder of the season. Senior walk-on J.C. Taylor (Manchester) will start in his place. This is potentially a big loss, as Everett has played very well this year.

And your final score: Harrisburg 31, Erie 7

I write those previews before I press "Simulate Entire Week," so I can honestly say I'm very happy to be proven wrong. I thought our defense, with so many seniors, might be strong, and they have been. We limited Erie to 67 yards rushing on 24 carries. We're ranked 15th nationally in run defense.

Offensive Standouts:
FB Colin Clayton (9-55 rushing;, 7-73 receiving)
QB Rondell Price (14-23 passing, 132 yards, INT; 13-81 rushing, TD)
RB Bennie Wright (7-40 rushing, TD)
RB Oliver Martinson (5-22 rushing, TD)
G Johnnie Ross (7 key run blocks)
C Jerald Lucas (5 key run blocks)

Defensive Standouts:
DE Skip Lehr (7 tackles, 1.5 sacks)
OLB Teddy Curl (5 tackles, 1 sack, 1-0 interception)
S Junior Braden (6 tackles, 1-0 interception)

Game Ball: Colin Clayton
As tempting as it was to give the ball to Lehr, I couldn't overlook Clayton's contributions to the offense. He didn't put the ball in the end zone himself, but he picked up a lot of the tough yards along the way.

Props to Johnnie Ross and Jerald Lucas for owning the middle of the trenches.


Recruiting News

Hello!
RB Don Duran (Jacksonville, IL/Jacksonville HS)
DE Shannon Flannery (Tower City, PA/Williams Valley HS)
S Corwin Marvin (Piqua, OH/Piqua HS)

Robert Seitz has gotten a lot of hype this recruiting season, but I offered Duran a scholarship at the very same time and, unlike the more highly touted Seitz, Duran has made his choice. A quick little scatback, he's the #4 RB in Illinois, and #83 nationally. His 3.83 GPA and 1380 SAT make him an even more attractive recruit.

Flannery is an undersized (6'0", 207) defensive end who has rooted for Harrisburg all his life. His attitude is Terrific, however, and he works just as hard in the classroom (3.74 GPA, 1320 SAT). ShanFlan is the #4 DE in Pennsylvania, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's one of those players who turns out to be betterthan the "experts" thought he'd be.

Another player with a Terrific attitude, Marvin is the #3 safety in Ohio and is ranked #84 nationally. He ought to combine with Brent Cooper to give us a fine pair of safeties in the years to come. An aspiring teacher, Corwin has a 3.84 GPA and an especially shiny 1410 SAT score.

Goodbye: We missed out on Cornell Ellard, a really good LB I never really thought we'd land. He's off to UCLA, which doesn't surprise me.

We have nine open schollies now, and 16 players with offers outstanding. All of them are visiting campus.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Chas in Cinti

Sweet... would love to see the projections on the recruits as they sign (i.e. 47+ or 72-- or whatever)...

The gimmick offenses always work in the Sol8 early in the dynasty as I recall... But as you get better players you'll want to switch to a more traditional to open up the offense...

-Chas

Thanks for the advice about the offensive set, Chas. I stuck with the Power I this year, because that's my coordinator's preferred offense. I might look for a new OC next year, one who runs a more traditional offense. That's my personal preference, too.

Once I complete my recruiting class, I'll write a post with lots of information about them in one place, including their projections.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Week 8, 2004

#38 Harrisburg (5-0, 2-0) at Lancaster (1-4, 1-1)

We're big favorites on the road this week, against a Lancaster team who lost a 49-39 shootout at Williamsport last week.

Injury Report
WB Rondell Price is a bit banged up, with a strained triceps muscle. He's the senior quarterback of an undefeated team, and he's going to play.
C Jerald Lucas has the same injury, only worse. Lamont Lyons (SO/Onalaska, WI) will start in Lucas's place.

And your final score: Harrisburg 26, Lancaster 7

Another win in what's becoming our trademark style: rugged defense, outstanding game management from our quarterback, and a stalwart performance from our O-line. Lancaster gained 54 yards on 21 carries, and we intercepted four passes. Meanwhile, we spread the offensive love around, with six backs running the ball between 6-12 times and seven receivers catching at least one pass.

Offensive Standouts:
QB Rondell Price (13-20 passing, 116 yards, TD; 8-25 rushing)
FB Alonzo Bloomer (8-48 rushing, TD; 3-17 receiving)
RB Oliver Martinson (6-26 rushing, TD)
FB Colin Clayton (6-29 rushing; 2-12 receiving, TD)
G Johnnie Ross (7 key run blocks)

Defensive Standouts:
DE Skip Lehr (8 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack)
OLB Teddy Curl (5 tackles, 2-15 INT)
S Sam Duncan (2 tackles, 1-0 INT)
CB Dustin Lodise (7 tackles, 1-0 INT)

Game Balls: Johnnie Ross and Skip Lehr
Only seven linemen in the nation have thrown more key run blocks than Boss Ross. Don't you think it's about time he got a game ball for his trophy shelf?

I'm going to give one to Skip, too. Among K8 players, only Scranton's Rickey Ross has more TFLs and sacks than our man, and he's been a huge contributor to our nationally-ranked defense.


Recruiting News

Hello!
DT Jared Collins (Bloomsburg, PA/Central Columbia HS)
G Irving Logan (Philadelphia, PA/Samuel Fels HS)
RB Robert Seitz (Philadelphia, PA/Samuel Fels HS)
ILB Juan Shockley (Boiling Springs, PA/Boiling Springs HS)
CB Warren Tatum (Annville, PA/Cleona HS)

Goodbye: None of our targets signed anywhere else.

What. A. Week.

Let's start with Tatum. We need cornerbacks badly, and hopefully he will turn out to be a good fit for us. He's #6 at his position in Pennsylvania, and among the in-state CBs we looked at, he is clearly the best qualified in terms of attitude (Excellent) and intelligence (3.71 GPA, 1560!! SAT). When I visited him, I didn't think was nearly as good as my assistant did. I hope I'm the one who is wrong.

Shockley is a local kid who went to high school 15 miles from our campus. He's the #3 ILB in Pennsylvania, but if I can't bring in another outside 'backer, I might shift Juan there. His 3.38 GPA and 1270 test score are just fine, and his Excellent attitude is better than that.

Now it really starts getting good.

A couple weeks ago, I noticed Collins hadn't made any campus visits, while other equally talented recruits had four or five schools on their lists. I decided to give him a call and start the process. Now he's on his way to Harrisburg. He's an All-State selection, the #8 player in Pennsylvania, and the #13 DT in his class. And he comes complete with a Terrific attitude, a 3.67 average, and a 1250 on his SAT.

You already know Mr. Seitz. I'd almost resigned myself to losing him, because he added a fifth school--Boston College--to his visit list. There was no way he was going to pick little Harrisburg over a host of power conference schools. Well, that's exactly what he did. The #6 running back in the country, the #4 player in Pennsylvania, and an All-State selection, Robert should become our feature back from Day One.

As highly regarded as Seitz is, he might not be the best player in his high school class.

I knew I needed to recruit a guard. Seitz's classmate at Samuel Fels High, Logan, happens to play that position, and play it very well. Again, I didn't think he'd give us the time of day, but I decided to recruit him along with Seitz. Rivals.com picked Irving as the #2 player in the state; oddly enough, the #1 player is also a guard whose academic profile isn't close to what we want. Logan, with a 3.87 GPA and a 1360 on his SAT, most certainly is.

To sum it up, we just landed three of the top 10 players in Pennsylvania. If they come anywhere close to living up to their hype, they will be stars in the Keystone Eight.

We now have 11 players in our recruiting class, with five open scholarships remaining. All of our top recruiting priorities have been met, with the exception of a WR, and we have several options available there. As long as one of the open schollies goes to a wideout, the others can sort themselves out as they will.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

More Week 8 News

In my excitement over my epic week of recruiting, I forgot to mention that my players received academic progress reports. J.C. Taylor, the junior walk-on who is now starting at guard, has a horrendous report; he's failing Algebra, and has no grade better than a D+. He's getting some extra attention from our staff now.

On the other end of the scale is Leslie Moore, the best student among our regular players. The senior linebacker, a Social Work major, has no grade lower than a B+, while taking challenging courses such as Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, and Statistics. I'm not sure why an aspiring social worker needs to take engineering courses, but that is part of TCY's charm.

WR Lester Dodge, a Physics major with all B's or better, and DT Corwin Fulcher, a Marketing student with one B and four As and A-s, are also doing fine work in the classroom.

All of our players seem to be taking legitimate college courses, which is what I'd expect at a school that's in the top tier of Division I programs academically. Meanwhile, at Erie--the Keystone Eight school with the worst academic reputation--one player is enrolled in Modeling, Smile Therapy, and Telemarketing. He's in Modeling class with the team's starting center, who also takes Tabloid Journalism and Decibel Production.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Week 9, 2004

#34 Harrisburg (6-0, 3-0) at Scranton (4-2, 3-0)

This battle of Keystone Eight unbeatens might decide the conference championship. Scranton is fresh from a 61-10 walloping of Williamsport. They've also routed York, 68-17. Their offense is led by RB Winifred Carson, who's rushed for 882 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games. Can our defense keep Carson and Co. under wraps? We'll see...

Injury Report
FB Colin Clayton has broken ribs, and will miss up to 8 weeks. That might end his Harrisburg career. Alonzo Bloomer, who scored his first TD of the season last week, will start in his place.

And your final score: Scranton 31, Harrisburg 21

We did as good a job of containing Carson as anyone has all year. He carried 20 times for 89 yards, and he only scored one touchdown. Our offense worked well, too, allowing us to outgain Scranton by a comfortable margin.

Football is a game of field position, however, and they did a much better job of making us start deep in our own end. Our average possession began on our 22 yard line; theirs began on their 44. Their punter put three kicks out of bounds inside the 20.

We really missed Colin Clayton's blocking today, too.

Offensive Standouts:
RB Bennie Wright (11-77 rushing, TD)
QB Rondell Price (11-25 passing, 173 yards, 2 INT; 13-38 rushing, TD)
WR Thurman Damon (6-119 receiving)
FB Alonzo Bloomer (7-40 rushing, TD; 3-24 receiving)

Defensive Standouts:
ILB Doug Stevens (11 tackles)
DE Skip Lehr (9 tackles)
FS Claude Hoffer (8 tackles)


Recruiting News

Hello!
QB Ted Guthrie (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin HS)
WR Orlando MacCracken (Philadelphia, PA/Stephen Girard HS)
C John Schwartz (Nanty Glo, PA/Blacklick Valley HS)
G Archie Nelson (Baldwin, MO/South HS)
CB Toby Andersen (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS)

Guthrie is a mobile quarterback whom I started recruiting fairly late in the season. He was named to the All-State team, and he's the #2 QB in Pennsylvania. His 3.60 GPA and 1390 test score impressed us, too. He went to high school eight miles from campus, and he'd slipped through the cracks somewhat before we spotted him.

MacCracken was the first WR I recruited, but when he didn't seem to show much interest, I turned to other targets...only to have Mac come aboard at the last minute. He's ranked #52 among Pennsylvania recruits, and #6 among the state's WR prospects. I wasn't as impressed with him as my assistant was, but again, I hope I'm wrong. He's a perfect 4.0 student with a 1410 SAT score.

The #2 center in the state of Pennsylvania, Schwartz was another player I'd recruited from the start of the season. The assistant who evaluated him, Blake Gambone, is Excellent at evaluating O-linemen, but I think John is even better than Blake does. An aspiring engineer, Schwartz is a 3.87 student with a 1450 SAT.

Graham comes to us from Missouri, where he was the #4 player at his position in the state and an All-State pick. He is a particularly forceful run blocker, a coachable player with a Good attitude, and a star in the classroom with a 3.79 average and a 1530 on his SAT.

The final member of our recruiting class is Andersen, who is also coming from farthest away: 2322 miles, to be exact. He caught my eye with his Excellent attitude, and I was surprised he wasn't being recruited actively--he had no offers before we approached him three weeks ago. Toby is an All-State selection, #2 at his position in Washington, and #48 nationally.

I'll write a new post with extended coverage of our recruiting class next.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Oh, snap!

I lost about half my Harrisburg season, due to my own carelessness. I was too absorbed in the story to bother saving the game (I should know better). And, between playing the game and talking with my son about it (fun times with the kiddo) I let my laptop battery run all the way down and shut off.

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

I'm trying this again, and you can follow it on my new thread.