#SWARM - RELOADED

[young22]

Report by Isaac Robinson - October 11th, 2018

NCAA announces massive conference shakeup, AAC to change dramatically

The NCAA dropped a bombshell yesterday, announcing a massive realignment of every FBS conference. The move will see the Big 12 return to having a conference title game, as Nebraska and Texas A&M are confirmed to be joining the conference. That's all that's official for now, but it's rumored that AAC schools Tulsa and SMU will also be joining. WVU is expected to leave.

We don't know much about what the American will look like, but Louisville will likely be returning, along with FIU and FAU joining, meaning all of the non P5 Florida schools would be playing in this new-look AAC.

The NCAA is expected to release the full realignment plan after this season's BCS title game.

Swarm nab 3 more recruits, get verbal commitment from WR Johnson

Westlake State have received commitments from 3 more players, bringing their 2018 class to 6 players so far.

SS Damion Nelson (#17), G Adam Washington (#45), and WR Allan Nicholson (#277) all signed and will enroll at the school for the spring semester. Nelson is a 6 foot 4, 197 pound, hard hitting run stopper. His instincts aren't very good, he frequently makes the wrong read, but he is solid at getting off blocks, has potential in coverage, and runs a solid 4.59 40. Washington stands at 6'5, 290, and is really built more like a tackle. He's very powerful and a good run blocker, but he needs to work on his footwork.

Allan Nicholson is someone who I don't see becoming a contributor, personally. He's 6'0, 191, runs a 4.61 40 and doesn't have great ball skills.

Westlake State have also recieved a verbal commitment from 4 star wideout (#25) Nic Johnson. He has reportedly been promised a significant role as a true freshman, which is part of why he's picking the Swarm over Florida and West Virginia. Also part of it: He has yet to receive any better offers. Power 5 schools aren't high on the 5'11, 202 pound receiver, who runs a 40 in the high 4.6s, isn't good after the catch, and hasn't played good competition. He's tough as nails, runs good routes, and has sticky hands, but there's a sentiment that he isn't athletic enough for D1 football.

[young22]

Small thing that I absolutely love: We have only the 24th least amount of penalties, with 39, and the 23rd least amount of penalty yards, with 302. Usually see the user team with the least penalties, least yards.

[Careless Whisper]

Nice to see a comfortable win there against UConn, and three recruits commit afterwards! Interested to see how you end up doing realignment after the season.

[moose141]

Looking forward to seeing how you shake up the conferences. I think that's the one big thing that lets everyone have some variety in their files is by making the conferences custom to their liking in their universe. Big game for BJ against UConn, I think that has to be the perfect performance out of him, 20 passes for 250+ and near 100 rush yards as well. I'm expecting more of the same against what looks like it's going to be an overmatched Temple defense.

[young22]

Quote: Originally Posted by Careless Whisper

Nice to see a comfortable win there against UConn, and three recruits commit afterwards! Interested to see how you end up doing realignment after the season.

It was so nice to just have a chill second half where I wasn't sweating it out lmao.

Quote: Originally Posted by moose141

Looking forward to seeing how you shake up the conferences. I think that's the one big thing that lets everyone have some variety in their files is by making the conferences custom to their liking in their universe. Big game for BJ against UConn, I think that has to be the perfect performance out of him, 20 passes for 250+ and near 100 rush yards as well. I'm expecting more of the same against what looks like it's going to be an overmatched Temple defense.

Huge game for BJ, was great to see him get in rhythm and tear up that UConn defense, like you said Temple is overmatched and we should be able to light them up. I've been able to run very effectively the last 2 weeks because our line is actually good at run blocking, plus Thompson is super elusive with a good break tackle rating, so any weak backers get crushed.

So both you guys asked about realignment: It's gonna be really similar to Deuce's new WAC dynasty. I always wanted to get the Big 12 to have a title game, and get all the Texas schools in there, so Nebraska is leaving the Big Ten, WVU to the ACC, Notre Dame replaces Nebraska in the Big Ten, AAC I'll probably split North/South and make it 16 teams, a true mid-major conference. C-USA I'll look to get 14-16 teams as well if I can. To do that I'll probably just make the MAC and Sun Belt 6 team conferences, wish I could just dissolve the Sun Belt tbh.

But yeah, very similar to what he's done, few differences here and there. Going to try to eliminate independent schools so Army/Navy don't become superpowers.

[young22]

Report by Isaac Robinson - October 21st, 2018

Swarm hit .500 thanks to 412 yards, 6 scores from Henderson

Henderson posts first career 300 yard game, turnovers still a concern though -- James Thompson over 100 for third straight game as Owls defense can't handle the run -- Temple QB Will Hill posts 300 total yards with HB Mason scoring 4 times

B.J. Henderson dives between 2 defenders at the goal line for a score

Philadelphia, PA -- B.J. Henderson just keeps improving. The sophomore set new career bests for passing yards and scores, with 302 and 4, respectively, and tacked on 110 more rushing yards and 2 more scores to lead his team to a dramatic 40-37 victory over now 1-6 Temple.

Westlake State did open the scoring, with Henderson improvising to find Josh Roach in the back of the endzone on a broken play, before Will Hill-led Temple scored 17 unanswered thanks to some very efficient offense, with Brett Mason running in a pair of scores. He would finish with 4 on the day, the 3rd time this season the Swarm have allowed a player to do that.

Henderson evaded pressure, then found Roach for a score

After Temple kicked a field goal, the Swarm were down 17 to 7 with 2:26 to go in the 1st half. The drive got off to an awful start, with Henderson being sacked (1 of 3 times he went down in the first half), setting up a 3rd and 10. This was really the game's defining moment. If the Swarm don't convert here, a red-hot Temple offense gets the ball back with 2 minutes and 3 timeouts, up 17-7. But true freshman Robert Coley showed off his speed, getting a step on Temple corner John Phillips, and Henderson dropped in a good ball that Coley was able to stretch out and catch for a gain of 44 yards. 5 plays and 26 yards later, B.J. Henderson would find Eric Monroe for a TD from 4 yards out to cut Temple's lead to 3 points.

Coley catches the deep ball

The Swarm got the ball to start the 3rd quarter, and B.J. Henderson promptly threw a pick to Phillips near midfield that was returned to his own 10. Defense held up though, and forced Temple into a field goal.

On the next drive, Henderson bounced back, as on a 3rd and short the Swarm went play action. Coley was running a go route, and strong safety Joey Lewis was way outmatched for speed. So Coley decided to hit the brakes, and Lewis couldn't stay with him as Coley made an easy grab for 49 yards. Henderson would run it in on the next play to make it 21-20, Swarm. Westlake State forced a punt, but then one again, Henderson was intercepted, this time by MLB Daniel Sullivan. This one was more on Eric Monroe in my opinion, as the freshman didn't box out Sullivan at all, allowing him to just step in front for the easy INT. Temple scored and went for 2 to try and make it a 7 point game, but would fail. 26-21, Owls.

Not a great read, but Monroe could have gotten to this one

Henderson got back on track, as after some good running from himself and James Thompson, he would find Josh Roach for a 21 yard score, the sophomore's 4th in the last 2 games, tying him for the team lead. It was Westlake's turn to try and fail a 2-point conversion, and it was 27-26, Swarm.

Will Hill went OFF this drive. The senior ran it 4 times for 44 yards, and completed a 14 yard pass to Lawrence Henry to set up Brett Mason's 4th and final TD on the day. This time, the 2-point conversion was good, and Temple led by a touchdown.

Hill gained 30 yards on this play

Not to be outdone, B.J. Henderson ran for 10 yards, then after a 4 yard pickup from Thompson, Jon Smith took a slant route 30 yards, before Josh Roach caught a ball for 18, and 2 plays later, Henderson found the end zone from 15 yards out, diving between 2 defenders at the goal line to score. 34-34... or it should have been. Joe Romero missed a PAT, and Temple still led. 34-33, Temple.

They would extend their lead, as they kicked a 32 yard field goal on a drive that ate up a ton of clock and forced the Swarm to use two timeouts, leaving Westlake State with just 1, down 4 with 2:12 left. The drive started well, with Thompson running for 8 to convert on 3rd down, and Henderson coming up clutch after a holding call forced a 3rd and 14, hitting Jon Smith for 12 yards to set up a 9 yard rush from Thompson on 4th and 2. 1st down at the Temple 45, 29 seconds to go.

On the very next play, Temple once again were beat deep, as Phillips, maybe still thinking about that interception, flipped his hips way too late to keep up with Kevin Sykes, who caught the wide open deep ball for a score. This time, Romero made the PAT, and the Swarm led by 3.

Great job by Sykes to reel this one in

Temple put up a good fight, with a screen play to Mason going for 38 yards to get them close to field goal range. Another screen went for negative yardage, and with 5 seconds to go, Temple tried to force OT from 56. The kick was long enough, but it was pushed far to the right, and Westlake State were victorious for the 3rd week in a row.

Dion Barkley had nothing put praise for his young QB after the game:

Quote: Originally Posted by Dion Barkley

B.J. is improving every week. I think, and I've told him this from the time he was 15, that he can play NFL football. I really do believe that. Every week, he gets better, more confident, less mistakes. Still a risk-taker, throws some bad picks, but come on. 302 yards, 110 rushing, 6 scores altogether? This guy is the best QB in the conference, and he's gonna show everyone.

Despite the win, there is some bad news: starting corner DeAndre Mosley and WR Jon Smith both left the game with injuries: Mosley pulling up on a sprint in the 3rd, and Smith after catching that 12 yard pass near the end. Mosley is expected to miss just a week with a slight quad strain, but Smith seemed to be in serious pain, and didn't look like could even move his left arm.

Reports are that he suffered a shoulder tear which would likely end his season. The 5'10, 202 pound senior had been garnering some NFL attention following his 1310 yard, 12 TD junior campaign. He has just 520 yards and 3 scores through 8 games in 2018, but has shown enough that he's on some draft boards as a fringe 7th-rounder. He is among the nation's best route runners, and has shown an ability to make highlight-reel grabs. With this injury though, and his less than spectacular production (more due to not having elite QB play), who knows what'll happen.

Westlake State will travel to sunny Florida to play the still winless USF Bulls. Watch out - they may be winless, but they boast the nations #13 passing offense and have lost 5 games by 5 or less points, including a game where they lost by just 3 to then top-ranked Georgia.

Brett Mason had 4 rushing scores on the day


Henderson finds Eric Monroe for a score

[young22]

[young22]

Report by Isaac Robinson - October 24th, 2018

Jon Smith seemingly indicates the end of his college career

Westlake, OH -- Senior WR Jon Smith seemingly indicated that he will not play another college snap following his shoulder tear suffered last week at Temple. The senior is receiving substantial interest from NFL teams, who see him as a potentially solid receiver with his athleticism, ball skills and route running.

It makes sense for Smith to call it quits for the year, as he will miss at minimum the rest of the regular season. This does leave the Swarm in a bit of a pickle, as Smith leads the team in catches (36) and yards (520). He was frequently B.J. Henderson's safety blanket, as his catch radius turned bad throws into completions at times. Robert Coley will likely take Smith's spot on the outside.

Smith's tweet from this afternoon can be found below.