October 22, 2025 • 31 mins
We break down a gritty win over SUNY Morrisville, how the Raven package jump-starts the run game, and why our defense and special teams closed the door late. After a needed bye, we scout Alfred, preview a tough Empire Eight stretch, and make national picks.
• physical Morrisville matchup and late-game stands
• Raven package role in red-zone and short yardage
• balancing RPO pass game with downhill runs
• turnovers, officiating swings and composure
• defensive improvements and national honors
• special teams field position and kick game growth
• bye week reset, health and fundamentals
• Alfred scouting: mobile QB, RPOs, special teams threats
• Empire Eight strength, postseason stakes and mindset
• national game picks and coaching carousel chatter
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rocky (00:34):
Good evening, everybody.
Welcome to another live editionhere on The Rock Pile.
Tonight, the Rock Pile bringsepisode number eight here on
Inside Utica University Footballwith Coach Faziano.
We'll bring Coach on here injust a little bit.
If you're following on YouTube,make sure you hit the subscribe
button for me.
If you're following on any ofthe social media channels, I
appreciate the follow.
(00:55):
If you're following me oniHeartRadio, I appreciate the
follow as well.
Can't wait to talk to Coachtonight and see what was in plan
during the bye week.
We'll talk SUNY Morrisville,which seems like forever ago,
I'm sure.
And then we'll preview theupcoming game against Alpher.
We'll see how Coach is doing inhis picks.
I picked one bottom a few weeksago.
(01:15):
So we are even at 19 and 15.
So we'll talk a little bitabout that, and we're here
tonight on the podcast.
So let's jump in.
Let's bring on coach.
There you are, Coach.
What's happening?
Coach Faggiano (01:34):
In the office tonight.
We're off the practice field.
So a little later practicetonight.
Rocky (01:40):
I like the like the backdrop.
I like everything in the backthere.
It's all bright and cutcolorful.
We see some of the picturesback there.
It looks cool.
Coach Faggiano (01:49):
This is this is the original physical therapy
lab that you'd be using back inthe day.
Rocky (01:57):
So coach it feels like forever ago.
SUNY Morrisville, but let'stalk a little bit about um that
game before we get into uh weget into Alfred.
It seemed like the Morrisvillegame was a really hassle for you
guys.
Got off to a really good startin the first half.
Second half, Morrisville playedwell, which you had said they
were gonna fight like hell.
A lot of those kids were backfrom a year ago when you guys
(02:19):
played them.
Talk to us about Morrisville.
Coach Faggiano (02:23):
Tough, tough, well-coached football team.
You know, Walter Burks uhcalling their defense, uh was on
our staff here for years.
Uh very good coach.
He kind of stepped in the DCrole, uh, helped out coach
Tendryzek because they they hada DC like leave late in the
summer.
Um just a very big physicalteam, you know, their defensive
line, their front seven, theiroffensive line.
(02:44):
Um you know, so I liked how wewe matched their physicality for
for at least for three quartersbefore we made a few errors and
and you know got got a littletoo interesting for the fans.
But uh I like how our guysplayed, and certainly you know,
credit to Morris for their toughkids.
And that's you know, it'salways it's always been a good
football game with them.
So, you know, good local rival.
Rocky (03:05):
Coach, talk to us.
You used your quarterback.
Quarterback run was big for youin the red zone with uh with
Matt, your junior quarterback.
You had two big drives uh inthe second quarter here.
I think one of them was a13-play, 80-yard drive, the
other one was a little 81-yarddrive that ended with with Matt
running the ball in.
I know you previewed that um athomecoming.
(03:25):
You used all your quarterbacks.
Talk to us about that set, talkto us about those two long
drives that got you started inthe second quarter.
Coach Faggiano (03:33):
Yeah, we call that our Raven package.
The kids really believe in it,you know, kind of started with
Sam Florio back in the day, andyou know, get those tight ends
in there and get the cutequarterback run going.
And uh, you know, was really,you know, again, guys just like
knowing the role, accepting therole.
And you know, we call Matt uhMP, Matt Players.
That's his that's his name ofpractice.
(03:55):
And it was great energy, uhJersey guy, the lefty, and that
was a goal of his is that thatthat he knew he could find a way
to contribute in that way andput on like 15-20 pounds over
the summer so he can come in anddo that.
And I'll go back to theCortland game where we needed a
much needed you know third andone, and he lowered his shoulder
and went right right at youknow Cortland's linebacker to
(04:16):
get the first down, who's areally good football player.
So you know, really tough kid,and and the the old line, they
just they get amped up, youknow, for that package.
And you know, certainly youknow, we've been throwing the
ball pretty well and you know,really wanted to uh not put as
much on the quarterback and runthe ball more effectively, and
we did that.
Now we in the stats we had 186yards rushing, but because we
(04:40):
had some a couple bad snaps uhin uh one one which was a
turnover, and in anotherturnover, we had a lot of
negative yards, which kind oftook away from that.
But the fact that like AzeFrazier had over 100 yards
rushing, uh, that was huge, andthat was something that we
wanted to establish in the game.
You know, they get into a threehigh safety look, which makes
it sometimes hard to pass and umand to be able to run the ball
(05:02):
again.
So I thought it was a prettybig physical team in there.
You know, I was pleased at howour guys, you know, uh played.
And you know, again, we had acouple turnovers and and all of
a sudden they're clawing theirbait.
We had a couple mistakes ondefense and they're clawing
their way back in the game.
And um, but we needed to at theend, you know, the defense came
out and you know the Morrishawas driving to go to win the
(05:23):
game, you know.
And our guys had a NickDeForest had a couple big stack,
big sacks.
Jordan Davis had a tip pass andanother big play, and those
guys came to play.
So, you know, like how ourdefense went out and finished
the game for us when we needed.
Rocky (05:36):
Coach, how much is a run game?
I know we've talked about therun game this year for you guys,
and that's been the theme foryou guys.
You want and try to run thefootball a little bit more
offensively.
You've been getting a lot ofyour yards through the air, but
how much is being able to runthe ball here as the season
goes?
Because you're coming up on atough stretch of conference
opponents here.
I think you get Fisher, you getBrockport, you know, two of the
(05:57):
next against really good teams.
How much is that run game andtaking some pressure off Tyler?
Coach Faggiano (06:03):
I mean, it's I mean any quarterback, you know,
and Tyler's obviously having agreat year.
And it's so funny, too, like inthe RPO world, you know, those
first couple games there, youknow, we're not necessarily
calling passes, you know, youknow, sort of rack up, you know,
the first game there, the 500yards passing.
That wasn't like necessarilythe plan.
He used to a great job in theRPOs and and and taking what the
(06:24):
defense was giving us, youknow.
So I think that's kind of canthrow off your stats, you know.
But certainly we uh wanted tomake sure that we could
establish the run, want to bemore balanced, uh, you know,
doing some things in theperimeter.
You know, now we've got acouple games where we're getting
the ball in the perimeter,whether it's running or
throwing, I think that's reallyimportant too.
Um, you know, and so I thinkthat would that was really big,
(06:46):
you know, for our offense to getthat stuff going and uh you
know, give credit to you know,uh Coach Klaus, Coach and
Elovic, and and offense fordoing the doing doing some great
things that we wanted to do.
Like I said, we were really incontrol of that game for most of
all our three quarters, andthen kind of let the thing, you
know, a couple turnovers there.
And that's that's we got to getaway from those here.
(07:07):
And the guys know we gottaprotect the football.
Uh we had one reception, whichwas great.
Mason Payton had a great pick,and then I really thought that
that um you know Booba had apick, and they you know, one
official says he had the pick,the other one didn't.
Um you know, so that's tough.
And then we I thought we had wehad caused a fumble um on their
punt return.
You know, we punt them theball, and Nate Hernandez, big
(07:30):
hit, fumble, Austin the crewrecovers it, and I don't know,
after a couple huddles, all of asudden we didn't have the ball.
That was kind of odd turn ofevents.
But you know, I think it wasalso a good game for a guy to
learn that you can't complainabout the officials.
The only one that can talk tothose guys is me.
You know, there are a coupletough ones there.
A great fourth down play byMason Payton, uh defensive play
(07:52):
that was called the passinterference.
I gave him another chance therewas was tough, but you know, uh
Empire aid play.
The guys know, you know, theguys know.
Um, you know, like I said, theguys that that was not the same
Morrisville team that we sawplay Cortland on film, right?
We just know that's justsomething about you know, teams
come and they're gonna bring ustheir best game.
(08:13):
And uh and that's how weprepare our guys.
Every game is gonna be abattle, it'll be a war, and you
know, uh not to get off ofMorrisville, but like, you know,
get so you know, so excited,like today, full pads, second
padded practice, you know, hadthe great bye week last week,
and everyone got to go home andand and have you know home
cooked meals and spend time withfriends and family.
(08:34):
But we're all on the same page,like we are not ready for
football to be over, right?
You know, we're not ready to behome on Saturday.
And um, but a much neededbreak, and uh, you know, looking
forward to going into Alfred,New York, which is a very
difficult place to play here uhcoming up this week uh for an
overnight trip.
Rocky (08:51):
Coach, you talked about you know, Marshall had the ball
with a chance to to win the gamein the fourth.
And I think we talked a coupletimes that throughout the year
that you guys have beenbattle-tested with this group
where you've played from you'veplayed with the lead, you've
played from behind, and this wasanother game where your defense
is on the field and came uphuge um in the fourth quarter
for you.
But your team's beenbattle-tested, you've been in
(09:12):
all different situations so farthis year.
Coach Faggiano (09:15):
We really have, you know, and then and and some
of the you know our issues areself-inflicted as we figure this
thing out, you know.
And I I started telling theteam this, I didn't tell them in
the beginning, but 90% of ourteam, excuse me, Tyler included,
it's the first year playing.
You know, now you don't startthe season with that.
And now I said, listen, now wehave six games now, now we're
veteran team, right?
We know we know that you knowwe kind of uh you know control
(09:39):
our destiny as most teams dohere in the in the in the second
half of our season.
And um, you know, it's justlike you know, we we hold I
think we held Morrisville wasunder 300 yards offense, maybe.
Rocky (09:49):
Yeah, I think they were like two seven.
You held them only 94 passing,I know that.
Coach Faggiano (09:54):
Yeah, you know, so like that's that's not an
easy thing to do.
You know what I mean?
I think that's something thatyou know our run defense has
improved.
Um you know, we're able to dosome things, you know, try to
get them in passing situations,and even Morrisville, they were
you know, third and long, theywere running the ball a few
times, right?
To try to try to break sometendencies.
So um liked how the defense isplaying, uh, like how our
(10:15):
special teams were playing.
Uh Devin Taylor uh you know gotEmpire Special Teams player of
the week and had a uh a huge50-yard punt.
Uh you know, you know, talkabout you know, very different
than what happened in Hobart.
Right.
We needed a big punt uh to giveour defense good field position
to go out and and and give theman opportunity to win the game
for us, and uh and they wereable to do that.
(10:36):
So um and then uh geez, who'swe had a we had another defense,
we had another player of theweek, too.
That was two weeks ago.
Help me out.
Well, you I know um oh is IT,right?
Because IT had 17 seventackles.
Rocky (10:50):
I was just gonna say he had 17 tackles for you.
Jordan Davis had nine for you,and uh Nick had a couple big
sacks.
Coach Faggiano (10:56):
JD made uh which is really big for us, you know.
That JD that's our fourth D3 uhnational team of the week.
I mean that's you know quite anhonor, you know.
And so I think we have fourguys uh recognizing that way,
and JD's playing at a reallyhigh level, you know, trying to
do things to get him some 101swhen we can.
Uh he's certainly uh drawingattention in there in the
(11:17):
middle.
Rocky (11:18):
So and coach offensively, Bryce cracked the thousand-yard
mark, uh similar to Antonio foryou.
He had 10 catches for 109, sonow you have two receivers that
have cracked that thousand-yardmark, which that's special.
That's tough to do.
Coach Faggiano (11:31):
It is, and and you know, we didn't have Logan
Frederick for the Morrisfulgame.
You know, we didn't talk aboutthat, but you know, he was out
for an injury, he'll be backthis week.
And but you know, the three ofthem, I think, all have five
touchdowns apiece, which makesit hard to defend.
And very happy for Bryce.
And you know, it's it's like wedon't Bryce and I laugh like
(11:51):
because in the past he's hadsome injuries and hasn't been
able to finish a full season,and he doesn't even want to talk
about that, right?
Just wants to keep playingfootball.
He loves playing football.
We're moving him all over theplace.
Teams are gonna try to doublehim.
Um, and uh, you know, he'shaving a great uh you know,
great senior year.
Really glad he came back to toto play his uh senior year.
Rocky (12:10):
Coach, you mentioned you mentioned Devin.
I had on my notes here yourspecial teams, Nico and Devin.
Your kicking game's beenfantastic this year, the two of
them.
Coach Faggiano (12:18):
They're both they're both doing a great great
job, very coachable.
Um, you know, Nico uh makinghis extra points and and then
kicking the ball great thisweek.
And you know, uh, we're justteasing about you know how far
of a field goal we're gonna lethim kick, you know.
So he added this week he addedabout five more yards, I think,
to his his distance.
We're gonna give him a shot,you know, uh as far as kicking
the field goal.
(12:38):
But um, and he's really good atyou know, we the well here's
another tough play in the gameis we we get him on the
Christmas kick.
Then we get called for onsides.
Like, oh come on, right?
That was tough.
We you know, they're theirfront lines back at 14 yards,
and Nico's great at it and justdribbles at 11 yards, scoops it
up, we're good.
And uh unfortunately we werejust a hair off sides, I guess.
(13:00):
So that was like we had somecrazy things happen that game.
So for whatever reason, we playMorrisville, like some crazy
things happened over the years,and uh this game, you know.
Uh I thought we were gonna getthrough it without some crazy
things, but we had a few crazythings happen.
Again, I like our guys'resolve.
You know, they don't let itbother them, they're not,
they're not upset, they justkeep playing, you know, and I
(13:20):
think that's gonna be key hereuh in these last four games.
Rocky (13:25):
And coach, you guys are coming off the bye week, and uh
I was I was looking through thatand I said a lot of coaches
handle bye weeks a lotdifferent.
How did you guys handle the byeweek?
Coach Faggiano (13:34):
So we we uh Monday was a normal day of film
and weights for the varsity.
Tuesday, we just usuallyusually Tuesday's uppers, we
just went uh helmets.
Uh Wednesday we went in uppers,shortened the practices to like
an hour and a half instead oftwo hour practices.
Um, you know, and then becauseeven our young guys were off as
well, you know, could get theirbodies, get healthy.
(13:55):
We we had some guys sit out.
And then Thursday we actuallywent in the morning.
Uh so if guys wanted to go homeThursday afternoon, uh, you
know, in and you know, obviouslycleared it with their
professors, yeah.
But a lot of guys did go homelike Thursday afternoon through
the weekend.
Um, you know, and then you knowit's funny, a bunch of guys,
you know, took some great trips.
(14:15):
A whole bunch of guys went upto Albany and went up to Osable
Valley and spent time with EliDouglas's family.
And there's some great picturesfrom that trip.
About eight of them went upthere.
Um, you know, again, this is areally tight, tight-knit group,
and uh, you know, uh, so that'skind of how you know how we
handled, shortened the practicesup, made sure we got some some
(14:36):
pads in there, and um, you know,really went back, did some
indie, some fundamentals.
Got certainly got a head starton Alfred with some things, but
it wasn't like we spent twosolid weeks getting ready.
We wanted to make sure wehealed up and got back to some
fundamentals.
Rocky (14:50):
And coach, the bye week comes at a really good time for
you guys with Alfred coming up,who we'll talk about here in a
minute.
But I was going through yourschedule, and it you're gonna
finish with you know three toughgames.
You get Fisher that's playingreally well, Brockport's playing
really well, and you got to goto their place.
I think you get Hartwick at athome, but that bye week can't
come at a better time for youguys, right?
With this the season heredownside.
Coach Faggiano (15:10):
No doubt.
No doubt.
Coach Raby is doing a great jobat Fisher.
They you know they beatBrockport in overtime.
Uh they only have one loss onthe season to the University of
Rochester, which is a localrival game out there.
And then you know, HartwickFisher was 21-21 in the third
quarter, you know.
So Coach Rogers is doing agreat job uh at Hartwick.
And um, you know, again, eacheach week and each team uh
(15:33):
brings its own challenges, youknow.
Um, you know, Alfred, we'relooking forward to like we
finally it took a few years,really.
Uh I know I've been here a longtime, but it took a few years
to find the perfect, like wehave a great hotel.
We have this literally thisentire Italian family feeds us
at the VFW, and that's how weroll, right?
We we did the same thing.
We were talking about it today,leadership council.
(15:55):
We went to Susquehanna, wedidn't go to some fancy
restaurant, we found the VFW.
Rocky (15:59):
Love it.
Coach Faggiano (16:00):
We got it, we got them to cater it, and like
that's what that's what youcould guys do.
And uh, so we got this family'sall fired up.
They're they're excited.
Alfred State's in theconference now because they're
gonna once a year.
We have an overnight trip toAlfred now, but um, you know, uh
there's you know somechallenges to that.
And all the guys were talkingabout the WJ trip, you know,
overnight trip and you know howwe went and played and didn't
(16:21):
really pay attention to what WJdid the year before or what they
were ranked or that they wontheir conference.
We just went out and had funplaying together, and you know,
they definitely want to get backto doing that here on this
overnight trip.
Rocky (16:33):
And Coach Alford had coming off a win too.
They beat Hobart and uh theybeat St.
Lawrence and Hartwick, and thenthey were close, real close.
That was a good game againstFisher, I think 21-7.
Uh real good game.
So they're sitting at 500, butthey're playing some pretty good
ball.
Coach Faggiano (16:47):
No doubt.
They the Fisher game, they gotstopped.
Alfred was stopped on the oneand the eight, right?
So they had chances, no doubt.
And then they're driving to tiethe game and had a turnover,
and then Fisher scored late, butit was a 14-7 game in the
fourth quarter, you know.
So really good game up atFisher.
So I mean, Alfred very goodhistory.
Um, Coach Ranko's been there along time.
(17:09):
Um, tough kids, they playtough, um, always play tough at
their place.
And uh you know, we'll see.
Yeah, I'm sure they're gonnahave some different stuff for
us.
Every team we've played comesout and they're doing they're
doing something different, youknow.
So we just gotta we've done agood job of riding the waves of
that.
Like, hey, they're runningthese coverages on these downs.
Guess what?
(17:29):
Against us, it's all theopposite.
Yeah, you know, it's like wehaven't seen any man-free or
cover two, and all of a suddenthey're running man-free and
cover two.
It's it's so our guys have uhkind of welcome that, you know,
and our coaches, like all we dois put them in the toughest
situations of practice that wecan um uh to prepare them for uh
those big E8 games.
Rocky (17:50):
Yeah, coach, and they're uh they're sophomore running
backs.
Um he's averaging about 15carries a game, but it looks
like they're pretty they'repretty 50-50.
It looks like they're prettysplit.
They're they're averaging alittle over 100 yards um on the
ground, and um they're averagingjust about 400 yards of
offense.
So they look like they're about50-50.
Coach Faggiano (18:08):
Quarterback's tough, tough player, makes
plays, uh, scrambling.
You know we got to make sure wekeep him in the pocket best we
can, makes plays with his feet,running back, you know, runs
their run game very well.
Uh, they do a nice job with theRPOs, you know, and and hitting
those.
So um, again, well-coachedfootball team.
They've had a lot of bigspecial teams plays this year on
their special teams units.
(18:29):
So, you know, we definitely gotto be uh be on high alert.
Rocky (18:32):
Yeah, the quarterback too, senior quarterback, uh, has
played pretty well this year,completing over about 60, just
over 60% of his ball, spreadsthe ball around a little bit.
They're young, seems likethey're young in the skilled
positions.
Coach Faggiano (18:45):
There are two two of their wideouts are, well,
I'm sorry, one's a freshman,one's a sophomore.
Both very good players, 84 and89.
Uh, they have a really goodplayer in the slot that they
like they like to give jetsweeps to and you know, get him
the ball.
And so uh I think they do areally good job of utilizing
their talent, you know,offensively.
Rocky (19:03):
Coach, I know you said you you know you were just
saying that uh you don't wantSaturdays to end my season.
We got we got done the othernight.
We had our little banquettonight, and now I'm sitting to
myself, I gotta get back to likea normal routine now, like
work, come home.
I gotta go watch my daughterplay now, which is which is
okay.
Right.
But it's it's it's it's funnyto sit sit here and say that you
guys are coming right down tothe end here with the regular
(19:25):
season.
That's how fast it goes.
Coach Faggiano (19:28):
Goes fast, and and that's why football is
special, right?
You got you got 10 regularseason opportunities, and
everyone's fighting for extrafootball, whatever that looks
like, right?
NCAA tournament, ECAC bowlgame.
What's nice to see there's moreand more bowl games that are
growing in Division III.
Uh there's the New EnglandBowls, there's a Max Centennial
(19:48):
challenge, I think I have thatright.
Um, more and more popping up,which is good because you watch
Division I and it seems like youreally got to mess up to not
get a bowl game in Division I,right?
Like half the teams get to go,you know.
Rocky (20:00):
Yep.
Coach Faggiano (20:00):
So um, and that's what that's what we're
doing.
Is that we're just fighting toto you know have a winning
season, fighting to get to thatpostseason, um, you know, and uh
and the tough Empire Eight.
So it's gonna definitely gonnabe you know one of those things
where it'll come right down tothe wire to the last game uh to
see who who goes where, who doeswhat, you know.
Rocky (20:20):
I feel like the Empire Eight's a lot like uh the SEC in
a big ten.
I mean, I think this year it'smore like the SEC because the
SEC's just beating each otherup.
Like every game in the SEC thisyear is like number five
against seven, ten againsteleven.
And you're gonna have an SECteam that could have two, three
losses that's probably betterthan some of these other teams
that only have one loss.
I feel like that's how yourconference is.
Coach Faggiano (20:43):
I think I think a couple weeks ago, D3 ranked
the conferences, and I thinkthey had us up there, I forget
where we were, maybe six orseventh, but like our our
winning percentage in thepostseason of the conference is
very, very high.
Very, very high.
Uh, and uh again, the biggestthing is is survive, surviving
the conference.
You know what I mean?
If you can win the EmpireEight, you're a really good
(21:03):
team.
If you're a nine and one teamand can get to postseason or
eight and two and get topostseason, or even seven and
three, you know.
I mean, you don't you don'twant to play an a seven and
three Empire 8 team in a bowlgame.
You know, you got your handsfull.
So um just a credit to ourconference and D3 football in
New York.
Rocky (21:18):
Yeah, I think you got I think the Empire Eight was like
seventh.
And then I think I put acomment up there I said it
should be top five, and therewas a bunch of people that
followed D3 that said theyagree.
And I I'm with you, coach.
There's always a team in theEmpire 8's, a tough outcome
postseason.
There's been a lot of successstories with uh with your
conference in postseason, a lotof big wins, including you guys.
Coach Faggiano (21:40):
No doubt.
And then for whatever reason,for a while there, there was
this negative connotation to theeast.
And you know, obviouslyCortland helped that go away.
And you know, even you know,even Brockport when they had the
German aerial kid atquarterback there, and they were
in the tournament a few yearsin a row.
So um, you know, our teams haveuh have fared well, no doubt
about it.
And they've gone on andcompeted with the the big, the
(22:01):
big the big dogs, right?
The Mount Unions and NorthCentrals of the world.
Rocky (22:05):
So, Coach, you and I are are dead even now at 19 and 15.
I picked one up on you.
I think it was a Syracuse game,but you gave me that one
because you picked Syracuse.
I went against Syracuse.
Uh by the way, I'm gettinghammered on Twitter on my Fran
Brown stuff here because they'reall saying Fran Brown's a Penn
State candidate, he's a FloridaState.
I'm like, Fran Brown's got toget this team under control and
(22:28):
try to get him to a bowl game.
Coach Faggiano (22:30):
Yeah.
No doubt.
Like, listen, there I thinkhe's a really good coach and
he's got great staff.
I got to meet a few of thoseguys, and you know, uh he's got
to find ways to win somefootball games, you know.
Rocky (22:41):
I agree.
All right, there's some goodgames this week, coach.
Uh Ole Miss is the first one Igot up here.
Number eight Ole Miss atOklahoma.
They're both six and one.
Oklahoma is minus four and ahalf.
Oklahoma's defense has playedlights out.
Um, Ole Miss, I thought, shouldhave beat Georgia uh last week,
which was a great game towatch.
Great game.
Great game back and forth.
(23:02):
Ole Miss scored on the firstfive possessions.
When do you see that against aGeorgia Kirby smart defense?
Coach Faggiano (23:08):
That was a wild game.
And then right at the end ofthe game, a couple three and
outs, and Georgia scored.
Rocky (23:13):
It was like that was the difference.
So this is a good game.
Uh I really like Oklahoma'sdefense.
Venables is they've been reallygood all year, but man, old
miss.
Kiffin's just called.
I think he's the best offensiveguy in the game.
I love watching him call plays.
Coach Faggiano (23:30):
I think I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go Ole Miss
that they respond after losingto Georgia.
Rocky (23:34):
Yeah, I'm I'm with you.
I I I like them a lot.
I think it's gonna be a teamthat, again, out of the SCC,
maybe a two-loss team,three-loss team that we're gonna
be talking.
Do they belong in over aone-loss Big Ten or you know,
another conference?
So this is another good one,too.
South Florida's been reallygood.
Their head coach, um, AlGollish, is getting he's another
one that's a hot name for thesebig jobs and in Memphis, too.
(23:58):
Um, they're at six and one.
Memphis is getting four and ahalf at home to South Florida.
Coach Faggiano (24:05):
I'm going South Florida.
I've listened to that coach afew times, podcasts, and he's
doing some great things.
Rocky (24:11):
He was really professional.
I liked I listened to him lastweek when they were asking him
about his name being mentionedfor these jobs.
I really like how he handled uhthe interview.
I mean, you know, he he wasbasically living in the moment.
He said he's got a great jobright now, and you know, let him
enjoy.
He hasn't even thought aboutbut just the way he handled
himself, I thought was was wasdifferent than some of the other
(24:33):
coaches.
All right, here's another bigone.
Number 15, Missouri at 6-1 atVandy, who Vandy's coming off
the big win last week over umLSU.
Diego Pavier, the quarterback'sbeen fantastic.
Um, he's another Clark Lee.
Coach Faggiano (24:52):
I'm going Vandy here.
Rocky (24:53):
Are you going to Vandy?
I'm gonna go Vandy.
Oh, this is a tough one becauseI really like I really like the
quarterback.
I just think they goteverything going.
But I think people are sleepingon Mizzou.
You know what?
I'm gonna go opposite on you.
I'm gonna go with Missouribecause I I like Drinkowitz.
I like the coach for Missouri.
I think he's another one that'sgonna be an interesting
candidate, I think, for theFlorida job.
Coach Faggiano (25:15):
Well, they lost the they lost a real close game
to Alabama, right?
Rocky (25:18):
Yes.
Really good game.
Really good game.
So here's another SEC one.
And I think this one, I thinkBrian Kelly's on the hot seat if
they find a way to lose thisgame.
So you got Texas AM at 7-0 atLSU.
LSU's plus two and a half.
I'm gonna give you mine firstbecause I'm gonna go with LSU.
I think Texas A.
M., they haven't played anybodyyet in the SEC.
(25:41):
They're coming up on theirtough games now here over the
next three to four weeks.
I think LSU finds a way to getthis thing done at home.
I think it's a night game.
Um, so no matter what theirrecord is, um, I think Brian
Kelly, I think they find a waythis week.
Coach Faggiano (25:55):
Yeah, that's a tough place to play down there.
I'm gonna go LSU too.
Rocky (25:58):
All right.
I thought I was gonna pickanother one up on you there, but
we'll we'll ride with that.
Michigan looked good last week,coach.
Um, it seems like they got uh alittle bit of the downfield
passing game.
They uh Wink Martindale, theyplayed really good defensively
last week.
Uh Michigan at Michigan State.
Michigan State just hasn'tfound a way to get things going.
(26:18):
Michigan's a two-touchdownfavorite at Michigan State.
I'm assuming we're gonna gowith the same teams on this.
You like Michigan?
Coach Faggiano (26:25):
Yeah, I like Michigan.
Rocky (26:29):
I'm with you.
I like, I think they're I thinkthat could be an ugly one here.
All right, I always got to putSyracuse on here for
predictions.
Um, Syracuse will be at GeorgiaTech.
You know, this is another one.
I really like Georgia Tech.
I really like Brent Pry, thecoach, who's done, I think, a
hell of a job as his his almamater.
He's going to be mentioned fora lot of these jobs too that are
(26:50):
coming open.
They're a 17 and a half pointfavorite.
This is at Georgia Tech.
Any chance Syracuse goes downand pulls it upset?
Coach Faggiano (26:58):
I think this might be the first time I've
gone against Syracuse, I think.
So I think I think on this one,Georgia Tech's a very good
football team.
I think on the road's tough.
Um, I think Syracuse will Ithink Syracuse will will give
him give them hell, but I thinkend of the day, Georgia Tech may
have too much for him.
Rocky (27:14):
Coach, who do you think's gonna get this this Penn State
and Florida job?
Those those are two a lot ofbig jobs.
Coach Faggiano (27:20):
I like the last person.
Listen, I'm sure last pastweekend on the bye, like
everyone's spending timethinking about those things.
Um, I'm watching Empire 8 filmand spent some time in the woods
with my dad doing some hunting,right?
So, like uh, you know, I whoknows?
I really don't.
Like, you wonder if Coach Rulewith all his connections, you
kind of wonder.
(27:40):
Yeah, you know what I mean?
And now he's very close to theAD there.
I think everyone knows that.
Like, that's a possibility.
You know, um, I think he had ahard time answering.
I heard his one interview.
He had a hard time.
Rocky (27:49):
Yeah, he had a tough time.
He had a tough time, you know.
He did.
Coach Faggiano (27:52):
So that kind of makes you wonder.
You know, it kind of makes youwonder.
But um, yeah, I'm not who it'scrazy.
Rocky (27:57):
I like Matt Rule.
The only the only thing I wouldsay is, you know, James
Franklin got knocked for hehadn't he didn't win the big
game.
I think he was like one andsomething against top five teams
and you know, Nebraska sinceMatt Rule's been there.
His record against big bigteams hasn't been the greatest
either.
But Penn State alum might be alittle bit more patient with him
since he played there, playedfor Joe Paterno.
I think he's probably the easyhire.
(28:19):
Um, but we'll see.
I think it's gonna getinteresting.
Coach Faggiano (28:21):
A lot of big jobs open for the first time,
really, since you never knowwhat they're looking for.
You know what I mean?
That's the thing you don'tknow.
Are they looking for an alum?
Are they looking for adefensive guy?
Are they looking for arecruiter?
Are they looking for that thatquarterback coach that's gonna
you know bring you thattop-notch quarterback?
Like you just don't know behindthe scenes like what they're
what they're looking for as faras a school.
(28:43):
I think that's the hard part,you know.
And um, you know, just a lot ofrespect for the coaches that
you know, Penn State and whatPenn State went through as a
Penn State fan myself, and um,you know, uh, so just a lot of
respect for those guys, youknow, getting Penn State back to
where they are now.
You know, I was a verydifficult thing that that they
went through, and uh, you know,glad to, you know, it's just
(29:04):
crazy.
It's so different than uh thanDivision III and what we're
doing, you know.
Rocky (29:10):
It's just so hard to believe that all these big jobs
are open here, and you're stillyou're we're not even halfway
through the the college footballseason, or we're just about
halfway, I guess you can say it.
And uh there's gonna be morejobs coming open, and the
buyouts for these coaches arethey're paying James Franklin 50
million dollars.
50 million dollars to stayhome.
Exactly.
Coach Faggiano (29:31):
But and like is he gonna is he gonna just take
some time at home or is he gonnago take another job?
Like, you don't know.
Yeah, when in his interviewthat I uh when he was on with
Coach Saban and that them on uhwas it game day?
I forget what it was.
Rocky (29:42):
Yep.
Coach Faggiano (29:42):
He's like, just they're gonna go win a national
championship somewhere else.
Okay, all right.
Rocky (29:46):
I think the best fit for him is Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech, I think, is thebest fit for him.
So, but we'll see.
Listen, coach, good luck toyou.
And uh we'll do it again.
Coach Faggiano (29:58):
Congrats on your guys' season.
Rocky (30:00):
Yeah, we had a good year.
Good year for the kids.
Coach Faggiano (30:02):
Yeah.
Rocky (30:05):
The future looks good.
Coach Faggiano (30:06):
We'll hope to see you in a couple games.
All right.
Rocky (30:08):
Sounds good, Coach.
Thank you.
Coach Faggiano (30:10):
Appreciate everyone for listening.
Through the moose.
Rocky (30:12):
You got it.
So I want to thank Coach for uhfor jumping on.
We got a little got off to alittle bit of a late start.
No problem.
Coach was just coming off thefield.
That's my fault.
I should have probably pushedhim back just a little bit.
But uh thanks for everybodytuning in tonight.
Again, if you followed me onYouTube, make sure you hit the
subscribe button for me.
And um if you're listening onany of the social media
(30:36):
platforms, I appreciate youtuning in uh tonight.
So thanks to Coach for tuningin.
As I say on the rock pile, therock pile is where dreams become
reality.
Have a good evening, everybody.
Good evening, everybody.
Welcome to another live editionhere on The Rock Pile.
Tonight, the Rock Pile bringsepisode number eight here on
Inside Utica University Footballwith Coach Faziano.
We'll bring Coach on here injust a little bit.
If you're following on YouTube,make sure you hit the subscribe
button for me.
If you're following on any ofthe social media channels, I
appreciate the follow.
(00:55):
If you're following me oniHeartRadio, I appreciate the
follow as well.
Can't wait to talk to Coachtonight and see what was in plan
during the bye week.
We'll talk SUNY Morrisville,which seems like forever ago,
I'm sure.
And then we'll preview theupcoming game against Alpher.
We'll see how Coach is doing inhis picks.
I picked one bottom a few weeksago.
(01:15):
So we are even at 19 and 15.
So we'll talk a little bitabout that, and we're here
tonight on the podcast.
So let's jump in.
Let's bring on coach.
There you are, Coach.
What's happening?
Coach Faggiano (01:34):
In the office tonight.
We're off the practice field.
So a little later practicetonight.
Rocky (01:40):
I like the like the backdrop.
I like everything in the backthere.
It's all bright and cutcolorful.
We see some of the picturesback there.
It looks cool.
Coach Faggiano (01:49):
This is this is the original physical therapy
lab that you'd be using back inthe day.
Rocky (01:57):
So coach it feels like forever ago.
SUNY Morrisville, but let'stalk a little bit about um that
game before we get into uh weget into Alfred.
It seemed like the Morrisvillegame was a really hassle for you
guys.
Got off to a really good startin the first half.
Second half, Morrisville playedwell, which you had said they
were gonna fight like hell.
A lot of those kids were backfrom a year ago when you guys
(02:19):
played them.
Talk to us about Morrisville.
Coach Faggiano (02:23):
Tough, tough, well-coached football team.
You know, Walter Burks uhcalling their defense, uh was on
our staff here for years.
Uh very good coach.
He kind of stepped in the DCrole, uh, helped out coach
Tendryzek because they they hada DC like leave late in the
summer.
Um just a very big physicalteam, you know, their defensive
line, their front seven, theiroffensive line.
(02:44):
Um you know, so I liked how wewe matched their physicality for
for at least for three quartersbefore we made a few errors and
and you know got got a littletoo interesting for the fans.
But uh I like how our guysplayed, and certainly you know,
credit to Morris for their toughkids.
And that's you know, it'salways it's always been a good
football game with them.
So, you know, good local rival.
Rocky (03:05):
Coach, talk to us.
You used your quarterback.
Quarterback run was big for youin the red zone with uh with
Matt, your junior quarterback.
You had two big drives uh inthe second quarter here.
I think one of them was a13-play, 80-yard drive, the
other one was a little 81-yarddrive that ended with with Matt
running the ball in.
I know you previewed that um athomecoming.
(03:25):
You used all your quarterbacks.
Talk to us about that set, talkto us about those two long
drives that got you started inthe second quarter.
Coach Faggiano (03:33):
Yeah, we call that our Raven package.
The kids really believe in it,you know, kind of started with
Sam Florio back in the day, andyou know, get those tight ends
in there and get the cutequarterback run going.
And uh, you know, was really,you know, again, guys just like
knowing the role, accepting therole.
And you know, we call Matt uhMP, Matt Players.
That's his that's his name ofpractice.
(03:55):
And it was great energy, uhJersey guy, the lefty, and that
was a goal of his is that thatthat he knew he could find a way
to contribute in that way andput on like 15-20 pounds over
the summer so he can come in anddo that.
And I'll go back to theCortland game where we needed a
much needed you know third andone, and he lowered his shoulder
and went right right at youknow Cortland's linebacker to
(04:16):
get the first down, who's areally good football player.
So you know, really tough kid,and and the the old line, they
just they get amped up, youknow, for that package.
And you know, certainly youknow, we've been throwing the
ball pretty well and you know,really wanted to uh not put as
much on the quarterback and runthe ball more effectively, and
we did that.
Now we in the stats we had 186yards rushing, but because we
(04:40):
had some a couple bad snaps uhin uh one one which was a
turnover, and in anotherturnover, we had a lot of
negative yards, which kind oftook away from that.
But the fact that like AzeFrazier had over 100 yards
rushing, uh, that was huge, andthat was something that we
wanted to establish in the game.
You know, they get into a threehigh safety look, which makes
it sometimes hard to pass and umand to be able to run the ball
(05:02):
again.
So I thought it was a prettybig physical team in there.
You know, I was pleased at howour guys, you know, uh played.
And you know, again, we had acouple turnovers and and all of
a sudden they're clawing theirbait.
We had a couple mistakes ondefense and they're clawing
their way back in the game.
And um, but we needed to at theend, you know, the defense came
out and you know the Morrishawas driving to go to win the
(05:23):
game, you know.
And our guys had a NickDeForest had a couple big stack,
big sacks.
Jordan Davis had a tip pass andanother big play, and those
guys came to play.
So, you know, like how ourdefense went out and finished
the game for us when we needed.
Rocky (05:36):
Coach, how much is a run game?
I know we've talked about therun game this year for you guys,
and that's been the theme foryou guys.
You want and try to run thefootball a little bit more
offensively.
You've been getting a lot ofyour yards through the air, but
how much is being able to runthe ball here as the season
goes?
Because you're coming up on atough stretch of conference
opponents here.
I think you get Fisher, you getBrockport, you know, two of the
(05:57):
next against really good teams.
How much is that run game andtaking some pressure off Tyler?
Coach Faggiano (06:03):
I mean, it's I mean any quarterback, you know,
and Tyler's obviously having agreat year.
And it's so funny, too, like inthe RPO world, you know, those
first couple games there, youknow, we're not necessarily
calling passes, you know, youknow, sort of rack up, you know,
the first game there, the 500yards passing.
That wasn't like necessarilythe plan.
He used to a great job in theRPOs and and and taking what the
(06:24):
defense was giving us, youknow.
So I think that's kind of canthrow off your stats, you know.
But certainly we uh wanted tomake sure that we could
establish the run, want to bemore balanced, uh, you know,
doing some things in theperimeter.
You know, now we've got acouple games where we're getting
the ball in the perimeter,whether it's running or
throwing, I think that's reallyimportant too.
Um, you know, and so I thinkthat would that was really big,
(06:46):
you know, for our offense to getthat stuff going and uh you
know, give credit to you know,uh Coach Klaus, Coach and
Elovic, and and offense fordoing the doing doing some great
things that we wanted to do.
Like I said, we were really incontrol of that game for most of
all our three quarters, andthen kind of let the thing, you
know, a couple turnovers there.
And that's that's we got to getaway from those here.
(07:07):
And the guys know we gottaprotect the football.
Uh we had one reception, whichwas great.
Mason Payton had a great pick,and then I really thought that
that um you know Booba had apick, and they you know, one
official says he had the pick,the other one didn't.
Um you know, so that's tough.
And then we I thought we had wehad caused a fumble um on their
punt return.
You know, we punt them theball, and Nate Hernandez, big
(07:30):
hit, fumble, Austin the crewrecovers it, and I don't know,
after a couple huddles, all of asudden we didn't have the ball.
That was kind of odd turn ofevents.
But you know, I think it wasalso a good game for a guy to
learn that you can't complainabout the officials.
The only one that can talk tothose guys is me.
You know, there are a coupletough ones there.
A great fourth down play byMason Payton, uh defensive play
(07:52):
that was called the passinterference.
I gave him another chance therewas was tough, but you know, uh
Empire aid play.
The guys know, you know, theguys know.
Um, you know, like I said, theguys that that was not the same
Morrisville team that we sawplay Cortland on film, right?
We just know that's justsomething about you know, teams
come and they're gonna bring ustheir best game.
(08:13):
And uh and that's how weprepare our guys.
Every game is gonna be abattle, it'll be a war, and you
know, uh not to get off ofMorrisville, but like, you know,
get so you know, so excited,like today, full pads, second
padded practice, you know, hadthe great bye week last week,
and everyone got to go home andand and have you know home
cooked meals and spend time withfriends and family.
(08:34):
But we're all on the same page,like we are not ready for
football to be over, right?
You know, we're not ready to behome on Saturday.
And um, but a much neededbreak, and uh, you know, looking
forward to going into Alfred,New York, which is a very
difficult place to play here uhcoming up this week uh for an
overnight trip.
Rocky (08:51):
Coach, you talked about you know, Marshall had the ball
with a chance to to win the gamein the fourth.
And I think we talked a coupletimes that throughout the year
that you guys have beenbattle-tested with this group
where you've played from you'veplayed with the lead, you've
played from behind, and this wasanother game where your defense
is on the field and came uphuge um in the fourth quarter
for you.
But your team's beenbattle-tested, you've been in
(09:12):
all different situations so farthis year.
Coach Faggiano (09:15):
We really have, you know, and then and and some
of the you know our issues areself-inflicted as we figure this
thing out, you know.
And I I started telling theteam this, I didn't tell them in
the beginning, but 90% of ourteam, excuse me, Tyler included,
it's the first year playing.
You know, now you don't startthe season with that.
And now I said, listen, now wehave six games now, now we're
veteran team, right?
We know we know that you knowwe kind of uh you know control
(09:39):
our destiny as most teams dohere in the in the in the second
half of our season.
And um, you know, it's justlike you know, we we hold I
think we held Morrisville wasunder 300 yards offense, maybe.
Rocky (09:49):
Yeah, I think they were like two seven.
You held them only 94 passing,I know that.
Coach Faggiano (09:54):
Yeah, you know, so like that's that's not an
easy thing to do.
You know what I mean?
I think that's something thatyou know our run defense has
improved.
Um you know, we're able to dosome things, you know, try to
get them in passing situations,and even Morrisville, they were
you know, third and long, theywere running the ball a few
times, right?
To try to try to break sometendencies.
So um liked how the defense isplaying, uh, like how our
(10:15):
special teams were playing.
Uh Devin Taylor uh you know gotEmpire Special Teams player of
the week and had a uh a huge50-yard punt.
Uh you know, you know, talkabout you know, very different
than what happened in Hobart.
Right.
We needed a big punt uh to giveour defense good field position
to go out and and and give theman opportunity to win the game
for us, and uh and they wereable to do that.
(10:36):
So um and then uh geez, who'swe had a we had another defense,
we had another player of theweek, too.
That was two weeks ago.
Help me out.
Well, you I know um oh is IT,right?
Because IT had 17 seventackles.
Rocky (10:50):
I was just gonna say he had 17 tackles for you.
Jordan Davis had nine for you,and uh Nick had a couple big
sacks.
Coach Faggiano (10:56):
JD made uh which is really big for us, you know.
That JD that's our fourth D3 uhnational team of the week.
I mean that's you know quite anhonor, you know.
And so I think we have fourguys uh recognizing that way,
and JD's playing at a reallyhigh level, you know, trying to
do things to get him some 101swhen we can.
Uh he's certainly uh drawingattention in there in the
(11:17):
middle.
Rocky (11:18):
So and coach offensively, Bryce cracked the thousand-yard
mark, uh similar to Antonio foryou.
He had 10 catches for 109, sonow you have two receivers that
have cracked that thousand-yardmark, which that's special.
That's tough to do.
Coach Faggiano (11:31):
It is, and and you know, we didn't have Logan
Frederick for the Morrisfulgame.
You know, we didn't talk aboutthat, but you know, he was out
for an injury, he'll be backthis week.
And but you know, the three ofthem, I think, all have five
touchdowns apiece, which makesit hard to defend.
And very happy for Bryce.
And you know, it's it's like wedon't Bryce and I laugh like
(11:51):
because in the past he's hadsome injuries and hasn't been
able to finish a full season,and he doesn't even want to talk
about that, right?
Just wants to keep playingfootball.
He loves playing football.
We're moving him all over theplace.
Teams are gonna try to doublehim.
Um, and uh, you know, he'shaving a great uh you know,
great senior year.
Really glad he came back to toto play his uh senior year.
Rocky (12:10):
Coach, you mentioned you mentioned Devin.
I had on my notes here yourspecial teams, Nico and Devin.
Your kicking game's beenfantastic this year, the two of
them.
Coach Faggiano (12:18):
They're both they're both doing a great great
job, very coachable.
Um, you know, Nico uh makinghis extra points and and then
kicking the ball great thisweek.
And you know, uh, we're justteasing about you know how far
of a field goal we're gonna lethim kick, you know.
So he added this week he addedabout five more yards, I think,
to his his distance.
We're gonna give him a shot,you know, uh as far as kicking
the field goal.
(12:38):
But um, and he's really good atyou know, we the well here's
another tough play in the gameis we we get him on the
Christmas kick.
Then we get called for onsides.
Like, oh come on, right?
That was tough.
We you know, they're theirfront lines back at 14 yards,
and Nico's great at it and justdribbles at 11 yards, scoops it
up, we're good.
And uh unfortunately we werejust a hair off sides, I guess.
(13:00):
So that was like we had somecrazy things happen that game.
So for whatever reason, we playMorrisville, like some crazy
things happened over the years,and uh this game, you know.
Uh I thought we were gonna getthrough it without some crazy
things, but we had a few crazythings happen.
Again, I like our guys'resolve.
You know, they don't let itbother them, they're not,
they're not upset, they justkeep playing, you know, and I
(13:20):
think that's gonna be key hereuh in these last four games.
Rocky (13:25):
And coach, you guys are coming off the bye week, and uh
I was I was looking through thatand I said a lot of coaches
handle bye weeks a lotdifferent.
How did you guys handle the byeweek?
Coach Faggiano (13:34):
So we we uh Monday was a normal day of film
and weights for the varsity.
Tuesday, we just usuallyusually Tuesday's uppers, we
just went uh helmets.
Uh Wednesday we went in uppers,shortened the practices to like
an hour and a half instead oftwo hour practices.
Um, you know, and then becauseeven our young guys were off as
well, you know, could get theirbodies, get healthy.
(13:55):
We we had some guys sit out.
And then Thursday we actuallywent in the morning.
Uh so if guys wanted to go homeThursday afternoon, uh, you
know, in and you know, obviouslycleared it with their
professors, yeah.
But a lot of guys did go homelike Thursday afternoon through
the weekend.
Um, you know, and then you knowit's funny, a bunch of guys,
you know, took some great trips.
(14:15):
A whole bunch of guys went upto Albany and went up to Osable
Valley and spent time with EliDouglas's family.
And there's some great picturesfrom that trip.
About eight of them went upthere.
Um, you know, again, this is areally tight, tight-knit group,
and uh, you know, uh, so that'skind of how you know how we
handled, shortened the practicesup, made sure we got some some
(14:36):
pads in there, and um, you know,really went back, did some
indie, some fundamentals.
Got certainly got a head starton Alfred with some things, but
it wasn't like we spent twosolid weeks getting ready.
We wanted to make sure wehealed up and got back to some
fundamentals.
Rocky (14:50):
And coach, the bye week comes at a really good time for
you guys with Alfred coming up,who we'll talk about here in a
minute.
But I was going through yourschedule, and it you're gonna
finish with you know three toughgames.
You get Fisher that's playingreally well, Brockport's playing
really well, and you got to goto their place.
I think you get Hartwick at athome, but that bye week can't
come at a better time for youguys, right?
With this the season heredownside.
Coach Faggiano (15:10):
No doubt.
No doubt.
Coach Raby is doing a great jobat Fisher.
They you know they beatBrockport in overtime.
Uh they only have one loss onthe season to the University of
Rochester, which is a localrival game out there.
And then you know, HartwickFisher was 21-21 in the third
quarter, you know.
So Coach Rogers is doing agreat job uh at Hartwick.
And um, you know, again, eacheach week and each team uh
(15:33):
brings its own challenges, youknow.
Um, you know, Alfred, we'relooking forward to like we
finally it took a few years,really.
Uh I know I've been here a longtime, but it took a few years
to find the perfect, like wehave a great hotel.
We have this literally thisentire Italian family feeds us
at the VFW, and that's how weroll, right?
We we did the same thing.
We were talking about it today,leadership council.
(15:55):
We went to Susquehanna, wedidn't go to some fancy
restaurant, we found the VFW.
Rocky (15:59):
Love it.
Coach Faggiano (16:00):
We got it, we got them to cater it, and like
that's what that's what youcould guys do.
And uh, so we got this family'sall fired up.
They're they're excited.
Alfred State's in theconference now because they're
gonna once a year.
We have an overnight trip toAlfred now, but um, you know, uh
there's you know somechallenges to that.
And all the guys were talkingabout the WJ trip, you know,
overnight trip and you know howwe went and played and didn't
(16:21):
really pay attention to what WJdid the year before or what they
were ranked or that they wontheir conference.
We just went out and had funplaying together, and you know,
they definitely want to get backto doing that here on this
overnight trip.
Rocky (16:33):
And Coach Alford had coming off a win too.
They beat Hobart and uh theybeat St.
Lawrence and Hartwick, and thenthey were close, real close.
That was a good game againstFisher, I think 21-7.
Uh real good game.
So they're sitting at 500, butthey're playing some pretty good
ball.
Coach Faggiano (16:47):
No doubt.
They the Fisher game, they gotstopped.
Alfred was stopped on the oneand the eight, right?
So they had chances, no doubt.
And then they're driving to tiethe game and had a turnover,
and then Fisher scored late, butit was a 14-7 game in the
fourth quarter, you know.
So really good game up atFisher.
So I mean, Alfred very goodhistory.
Um, Coach Ranko's been there along time.
(17:09):
Um, tough kids, they playtough, um, always play tough at
their place.
And uh you know, we'll see.
Yeah, I'm sure they're gonnahave some different stuff for
us.
Every team we've played comesout and they're doing they're
doing something different, youknow.
So we just gotta we've done agood job of riding the waves of
that.
Like, hey, they're runningthese coverages on these downs.
Guess what?
(17:29):
Against us, it's all theopposite.
Yeah, you know, it's like wehaven't seen any man-free or
cover two, and all of a suddenthey're running man-free and
cover two.
It's it's so our guys have uhkind of welcome that, you know,
and our coaches, like all we dois put them in the toughest
situations of practice that wecan um uh to prepare them for uh
those big E8 games.
Rocky (17:50):
Yeah, coach, and they're uh they're sophomore running
backs.
Um he's averaging about 15carries a game, but it looks
like they're pretty they'repretty 50-50.
It looks like they're prettysplit.
They're they're averaging alittle over 100 yards um on the
ground, and um they're averagingjust about 400 yards of
offense.
So they look like they're about50-50.
Coach Faggiano (18:08):
Quarterback's tough, tough player, makes
plays, uh, scrambling.
You know we got to make sure wekeep him in the pocket best we
can, makes plays with his feet,running back, you know, runs
their run game very well.
Uh, they do a nice job with theRPOs, you know, and and hitting
those.
So um, again, well-coachedfootball team.
They've had a lot of bigspecial teams plays this year on
their special teams units.
(18:29):
So, you know, we definitely gotto be uh be on high alert.
Rocky (18:32):
Yeah, the quarterback too, senior quarterback, uh, has
played pretty well this year,completing over about 60, just
over 60% of his ball, spreadsthe ball around a little bit.
They're young, seems likethey're young in the skilled
positions.
Coach Faggiano (18:45):
There are two two of their wideouts are, well,
I'm sorry, one's a freshman,one's a sophomore.
Both very good players, 84 and89.
Uh, they have a really goodplayer in the slot that they
like they like to give jetsweeps to and you know, get him
the ball.
And so uh I think they do areally good job of utilizing
their talent, you know,offensively.
Rocky (19:03):
Coach, I know you said you you know you were just
saying that uh you don't wantSaturdays to end my season.
We got we got done the othernight.
We had our little banquettonight, and now I'm sitting to
myself, I gotta get back to likea normal routine now, like
work, come home.
I gotta go watch my daughterplay now, which is which is
okay.
Right.
But it's it's it's it's funnyto sit sit here and say that you
guys are coming right down tothe end here with the regular
(19:25):
season.
That's how fast it goes.
Coach Faggiano (19:28):
Goes fast, and and that's why football is
special, right?
You got you got 10 regularseason opportunities, and
everyone's fighting for extrafootball, whatever that looks
like, right?
NCAA tournament, ECAC bowlgame.
What's nice to see there's moreand more bowl games that are
growing in Division III.
Uh there's the New EnglandBowls, there's a Max Centennial
(19:48):
challenge, I think I have thatright.
Um, more and more popping up,which is good because you watch
Division I and it seems like youreally got to mess up to not
get a bowl game in Division I,right?
Like half the teams get to go,you know.
Rocky (20:00):
Yep.
Coach Faggiano (20:00):
So um, and that's what that's what we're
doing.
Is that we're just fighting toto you know have a winning
season, fighting to get to thatpostseason, um, you know, and uh
and the tough Empire Eight.
So it's gonna definitely gonnabe you know one of those things
where it'll come right down tothe wire to the last game uh to
see who who goes where, who doeswhat, you know.
Rocky (20:20):
I feel like the Empire Eight's a lot like uh the SEC in
a big ten.
I mean, I think this year it'smore like the SEC because the
SEC's just beating each otherup.
Like every game in the SEC thisyear is like number five
against seven, ten againsteleven.
And you're gonna have an SECteam that could have two, three
losses that's probably betterthan some of these other teams
that only have one loss.
I feel like that's how yourconference is.
Coach Faggiano (20:43):
I think I think a couple weeks ago, D3 ranked
the conferences, and I thinkthey had us up there, I forget
where we were, maybe six orseventh, but like our our
winning percentage in thepostseason of the conference is
very, very high.
Very, very high.
Uh, and uh again, the biggestthing is is survive, surviving
the conference.
You know what I mean?
If you can win the EmpireEight, you're a really good
(21:03):
team.
If you're a nine and one teamand can get to postseason or
eight and two and get topostseason, or even seven and
three, you know.
I mean, you don't you don'twant to play an a seven and
three Empire 8 team in a bowlgame.
You know, you got your handsfull.
So um just a credit to ourconference and D3 football in
New York.
Rocky (21:18):
Yeah, I think you got I think the Empire Eight was like
seventh.
And then I think I put acomment up there I said it
should be top five, and therewas a bunch of people that
followed D3 that said theyagree.
And I I'm with you, coach.
There's always a team in theEmpire 8's, a tough outcome
postseason.
There's been a lot of successstories with uh with your
conference in postseason, a lotof big wins, including you guys.
Coach Faggiano (21:40):
No doubt.
And then for whatever reason,for a while there, there was
this negative connotation to theeast.
And you know, obviouslyCortland helped that go away.
And you know, even you know,even Brockport when they had the
German aerial kid atquarterback there, and they were
in the tournament a few yearsin a row.
So um, you know, our teams haveuh have fared well, no doubt
about it.
And they've gone on andcompeted with the the big, the
(22:01):
big the big dogs, right?
The Mount Unions and NorthCentrals of the world.
Rocky (22:05):
So, Coach, you and I are are dead even now at 19 and 15.
I picked one up on you.
I think it was a Syracuse game,but you gave me that one
because you picked Syracuse.
I went against Syracuse.
Uh by the way, I'm gettinghammered on Twitter on my Fran
Brown stuff here because they'reall saying Fran Brown's a Penn
State candidate, he's a FloridaState.
I'm like, Fran Brown's got toget this team under control and
(22:28):
try to get him to a bowl game.
Coach Faggiano (22:30):
Yeah.
No doubt.
Like, listen, there I thinkhe's a really good coach and
he's got great staff.
I got to meet a few of thoseguys, and you know, uh he's got
to find ways to win somefootball games, you know.
Rocky (22:41):
I agree.
All right, there's some goodgames this week, coach.
Uh Ole Miss is the first one Igot up here.
Number eight Ole Miss atOklahoma.
They're both six and one.
Oklahoma is minus four and ahalf.
Oklahoma's defense has playedlights out.
Um, Ole Miss, I thought, shouldhave beat Georgia uh last week,
which was a great game towatch.
Great game.
Great game back and forth.
(23:02):
Ole Miss scored on the firstfive possessions.
When do you see that against aGeorgia Kirby smart defense?
Coach Faggiano (23:08):
That was a wild game.
And then right at the end ofthe game, a couple three and
outs, and Georgia scored.
Rocky (23:13):
It was like that was the difference.
So this is a good game.
Uh I really like Oklahoma'sdefense.
Venables is they've been reallygood all year, but man, old
miss.
Kiffin's just called.
I think he's the best offensiveguy in the game.
I love watching him call plays.
Coach Faggiano (23:30):
I think I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go Ole Miss
that they respond after losingto Georgia.
Rocky (23:34):
Yeah, I'm I'm with you.
I I I like them a lot.
I think it's gonna be a teamthat, again, out of the SCC,
maybe a two-loss team,three-loss team that we're gonna
be talking.
Do they belong in over aone-loss Big Ten or you know,
another conference?
So this is another good one,too.
South Florida's been reallygood.
Their head coach, um, AlGollish, is getting he's another
one that's a hot name for thesebig jobs and in Memphis, too.
(23:58):
Um, they're at six and one.
Memphis is getting four and ahalf at home to South Florida.
Coach Faggiano (24:05):
I'm going South Florida.
I've listened to that coach afew times, podcasts, and he's
doing some great things.
Rocky (24:11):
He was really professional.
I liked I listened to him lastweek when they were asking him
about his name being mentionedfor these jobs.
I really like how he handled uhthe interview.
I mean, you know, he he wasbasically living in the moment.
He said he's got a great jobright now, and you know, let him
enjoy.
He hasn't even thought aboutbut just the way he handled
himself, I thought was was wasdifferent than some of the other
(24:33):
coaches.
All right, here's another bigone.
Number 15, Missouri at 6-1 atVandy, who Vandy's coming off
the big win last week over umLSU.
Diego Pavier, the quarterback'sbeen fantastic.
Um, he's another Clark Lee.
Coach Faggiano (24:52):
I'm going Vandy here.
Rocky (24:53):
Are you going to Vandy?
I'm gonna go Vandy.
Oh, this is a tough one becauseI really like I really like the
quarterback.
I just think they goteverything going.
But I think people are sleepingon Mizzou.
You know what?
I'm gonna go opposite on you.
I'm gonna go with Missouribecause I I like Drinkowitz.
I like the coach for Missouri.
I think he's another one that'sgonna be an interesting
candidate, I think, for theFlorida job.
Coach Faggiano (25:15):
Well, they lost the they lost a real close game
to Alabama, right?
Rocky (25:18):
Yes.
Really good game.
Really good game.
So here's another SEC one.
And I think this one, I thinkBrian Kelly's on the hot seat if
they find a way to lose thisgame.
So you got Texas AM at 7-0 atLSU.
LSU's plus two and a half.
I'm gonna give you mine firstbecause I'm gonna go with LSU.
I think Texas A.
M., they haven't played anybodyyet in the SEC.
(25:41):
They're coming up on theirtough games now here over the
next three to four weeks.
I think LSU finds a way to getthis thing done at home.
I think it's a night game.
Um, so no matter what theirrecord is, um, I think Brian
Kelly, I think they find a waythis week.
Coach Faggiano (25:55):
Yeah, that's a tough place to play down there.
I'm gonna go LSU too.
Rocky (25:58):
All right.
I thought I was gonna pickanother one up on you there, but
we'll we'll ride with that.
Michigan looked good last week,coach.
Um, it seems like they got uh alittle bit of the downfield
passing game.
They uh Wink Martindale, theyplayed really good defensively
last week.
Uh Michigan at Michigan State.
Michigan State just hasn'tfound a way to get things going.
(26:18):
Michigan's a two-touchdownfavorite at Michigan State.
I'm assuming we're gonna gowith the same teams on this.
You like Michigan?
Coach Faggiano (26:25):
Yeah, I like Michigan.
Rocky (26:29):
I'm with you.
I like, I think they're I thinkthat could be an ugly one here.
All right, I always got to putSyracuse on here for
predictions.
Um, Syracuse will be at GeorgiaTech.
You know, this is another one.
I really like Georgia Tech.
I really like Brent Pry, thecoach, who's done, I think, a
hell of a job as his his almamater.
He's going to be mentioned fora lot of these jobs too that are
(26:50):
coming open.
They're a 17 and a half pointfavorite.
This is at Georgia Tech.
Any chance Syracuse goes downand pulls it upset?
Coach Faggiano (26:58):
I think this might be the first time I've
gone against Syracuse, I think.
So I think I think on this one,Georgia Tech's a very good
football team.
I think on the road's tough.
Um, I think Syracuse will Ithink Syracuse will will give
him give them hell, but I thinkend of the day, Georgia Tech may
have too much for him.
Rocky (27:14):
Coach, who do you think's gonna get this this Penn State
and Florida job?
Those those are two a lot ofbig jobs.
Coach Faggiano (27:20):
I like the last person.
Listen, I'm sure last pastweekend on the bye, like
everyone's spending timethinking about those things.
Um, I'm watching Empire 8 filmand spent some time in the woods
with my dad doing some hunting,right?
So, like uh, you know, I whoknows?
I really don't.
Like, you wonder if Coach Rulewith all his connections, you
kind of wonder.
(27:40):
Yeah, you know what I mean?
And now he's very close to theAD there.
I think everyone knows that.
Like, that's a possibility.
You know, um, I think he had ahard time answering.
I heard his one interview.
He had a hard time.
Rocky (27:49):
Yeah, he had a tough time.
He had a tough time, you know.
He did.
Coach Faggiano (27:52):
So that kind of makes you wonder.
You know, it kind of makes youwonder.
But um, yeah, I'm not who it'scrazy.
Rocky (27:57):
I like Matt Rule.
The only the only thing I wouldsay is, you know, James
Franklin got knocked for hehadn't he didn't win the big
game.
I think he was like one andsomething against top five teams
and you know, Nebraska sinceMatt Rule's been there.
His record against big bigteams hasn't been the greatest
either.
But Penn State alum might be alittle bit more patient with him
since he played there, playedfor Joe Paterno.
I think he's probably the easyhire.
(28:19):
Um, but we'll see.
I think it's gonna getinteresting.
Coach Faggiano (28:21):
A lot of big jobs open for the first time,
really, since you never knowwhat they're looking for.
You know what I mean?
That's the thing you don'tknow.
Are they looking for an alum?
Are they looking for adefensive guy?
Are they looking for arecruiter?
Are they looking for that thatquarterback coach that's gonna
you know bring you thattop-notch quarterback?
Like you just don't know behindthe scenes like what they're
what they're looking for as faras a school.
(28:43):
I think that's the hard part,you know.
And um, you know, just a lot ofrespect for the coaches that
you know, Penn State and whatPenn State went through as a
Penn State fan myself, and um,you know, uh, so just a lot of
respect for those guys, youknow, getting Penn State back to
where they are now.
You know, I was a verydifficult thing that that they
went through, and uh, you know,glad to, you know, it's just
(29:04):
crazy.
It's so different than uh thanDivision III and what we're
doing, you know.
Rocky (29:10):
It's just so hard to believe that all these big jobs
are open here, and you're stillyou're we're not even halfway
through the the college footballseason, or we're just about
halfway, I guess you can say it.
And uh there's gonna be morejobs coming open, and the
buyouts for these coaches arethey're paying James Franklin 50
million dollars.
50 million dollars to stayhome.
Exactly.
Coach Faggiano (29:31):
But and like is he gonna is he gonna just take
some time at home or is he gonnago take another job?
Like, you don't know.
Yeah, when in his interviewthat I uh when he was on with
Coach Saban and that them on uhwas it game day?
I forget what it was.
Rocky (29:42):
Yep.
Coach Faggiano (29:42):
He's like, just they're gonna go win a national
championship somewhere else.
Okay, all right.
Rocky (29:46):
I think the best fit for him is Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech, I think, is thebest fit for him.
So, but we'll see.
Listen, coach, good luck toyou.
And uh we'll do it again.
Coach Faggiano (29:58):
Congrats on your guys' season.
Rocky (30:00):
Yeah, we had a good year.
Good year for the kids.
Coach Faggiano (30:02):
Yeah.
Rocky (30:05):
The future looks good.
Coach Faggiano (30:06):
We'll hope to see you in a couple games.
All right.
Rocky (30:08):
Sounds good, Coach.
Thank you.
Coach Faggiano (30:10):
Appreciate everyone for listening.
Through the moose.
Rocky (30:12):
You got it.
So I want to thank Coach for uhfor jumping on.
We got a little got off to alittle bit of a late start.
No problem.
Coach was just coming off thefield.
That's my fault.
I should have probably pushedhim back just a little bit.
But uh thanks for everybodytuning in tonight.
Again, if you followed me onYouTube, make sure you hit the
subscribe button for me.
And um if you're listening onany of the social media
(30:36):
platforms, I appreciate youtuning in uh tonight.
So thanks to Coach for tuningin.
As I say on the rock pile, therock pile is where dreams become
reality.
Have a good evening, everybody.
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