D1A Quarterfinal Weekend: Stream Links and Preview Notes
D1A Quarterfinal Weekend: Stream Links and Preview Notes
Suddenly we’re down to four games.
After about 216 D1A games, we’re at the national quarterfinals. Including the Challenger Cup, D1A teams have 10 more games left.
Arizona at Cal
It seems like half the tries Cal scores are breaks up the right side of the field that end up with the ball being passed back inside to finish it off.
That’s a gross generalization, but at the same time it seems like half the tries Arizona scores is when a powerful back finds that perfect line up the middle.
We’re using this to point out that the teams play differently, and contrast can be good. Cal is as polished as we’ve seen them in a while. And while their offense was shut down against Navy in Annapolis, that was the only time. They can score wide, and in fact prefer to. They have the best halfback combination in the country. They have forwards who cover the ground.
Arizona’s defense has been good to outstanding, and they might have the best set piece they’ve had in years. Contrasts.
Central Washington at Saint Mary’s
As we said in the video above, CWU did lose 33-13 to Saint Mary’s, but this is a different Wildcats team. Their skill level is outstanding. They can beat you up in tight and they can score in the open field. Oscar Treacy has been a game-breaker for them on the wing, but it’s the hard graft among the forwards—Campbell Robb leading the way—that makes it happen.
Saint Mary’s continues to have games where they seem to let teams back into the game. Repeatedly the Gaels have had to unleash a clutch play some time in the second half, and the thing it, teams like that are very dangerous in the playoffs. Even if they play below their standard, they know they can recapture the magic.
Army at Life
The Running Eagles have been dominant over most teams, but when it comes down to playing teams that play very good defense and are at the higher levels of D1A, it’s a bit of a different story.
Against Mount St. Mary’s, Queens, Navy, Saint Mary’s, and Lindenwood, they were 4-1 in those games, and the largest margin in any of those games was four points (28-24 over Lindenwood).
They are not complacent.
Against West Point, Life has to be favored in this match, but Army knows how to fight through tough games, and if they make it an arm wrestle, they can make things difficult.
Lindenwood at Navy
These two played to a very close playoff semifinal a couple of years ago and Lindenwood were on the short side of that. This actually looks like it might be a similar game—physical, tight, and perhaps low-scoring.
“Lindenwood are a very busy physical team who have the ability to take you on up front or send it wide with their skillful ball players and dangerous back three,” said Navy DOR Gaivn Hickie. “We will need to be at our best in all facets of our game with a particular emphasis on our defensive connections.”
The difference might be the heavily partisan Navy crowd, which should energize the Midshipmen.
But Lindenwood Head Coach Josh Macy’s comments after last week’s game against Arkansas State would address this upcoming game, too.
"In any situation you have to deal with the parameters given to you,” Macy said. “Our boys embraced the physicality, adjusted their tactics, and were deserved winners. I'm excited for another week of training as we continued the odyssey."
So, really, both teams will want to play wide and open, but they will have to earn it.
