Allentown (NJ)       previews home GENERAL Nickname: Redbirds Colors: Black/Red Coach: Jay Graber League: West Jersey - Capitol (moving from West Jersey - Patriot) Playoff Division: South Group 3 Playoff Division Rank: #10 RETURNERS Returning Offensive Starters: 7 Returning Defensive Starters: 9 2017 JV Record: 6-1 Starting Quarterback Returning: yes Top Running Back Returning: yes Top Receiver Returning: no Top OL Returning: yes Top Defender Returning: yes TOP PLAYERS Dan Merkel 6'1" 185 Sophomore QB 4.6 Harrison Hill 6'3" 290 Senior OL/DL 5.2 Jha'Quel Brown 6'1" 205 Senior LB/RB 4.6 STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES Team Strengths: Lines, QB Team Weaknesses: Secondary RATINGS 2017 Final Power Rating: 3.9 2017 National Rank: #5977 2017 State Rank: #155 Personnel (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: +8.5 2018 Starting Power Rating: -3.1 2018 National Rank: #4147 2018 State Rank: #108 Dynasty Rating (Average 2003-2017 Rating): 5 Dynasty National Rank: #7849 2018 Rating vs. Dynasty Rating Comparison: worse by 8.1 Dynasty Record: 68-87 (33-29 in league) HISTORICAL 2017 Overall Record: 6-4 2017 League Record/Finish: 4-0 (1st) 2017 Points For Average: 28.9 2017 Points Against Average: 22.8 2017 Differential: +6.1 2017 Wins: #5938 Nottingham (Hamilton) (34-7), #7704 Steinert (Hamilton) (35-21), #9516 Northern Burlington (Columbus) (34-14), #9834 Hopewell Valley Central (Pennington) (55-31), #10998 Pemberton (48-8), #13902 Princeton (29-0) 2017 Losses: #572 St. Joseph (Hammonton) (58-26), #1314 Shawnee (Medford) (35-22), #3988 Brick Township (Brick) (28-0), #4320 Trenton Central (Trenton) (26-6) 2017 Opponents W-L: 55-50 Recent Section Championships: 2016 (Central IV) Recent League Championships: 2017 (West Jersey - Patriot), 2016 (West Jersey - Patriot), 2013 (tied for 1st; West Jersey - Valley), 2012 (West Jersey - Valley), 2010 (tied for 1st; West Jersey - Colonial) Winning Streak Entering 2018 Season: none SCHEDULE 2018 Schedule: 9/7 Notre Dame (Lawrenceville), 9/14 at Hightstown, 9/21 Steinert (Hamilton), 9/28 Lenape (Medford), 10/5 at Trenton Central (Trenton), 10/12 Burlington Township (Burlington), 10/19 at West Windsor-Plainsboro North/West Windsor-Plainsboro South (Plainsboro), 10/27 at Nottingham (Hamilton) Highest-Rated 2018 Regular Season Opponents: Lenape (Medford) (24.5), Burlington Township (Burlington) (0.6), Nottingham (Hamilton) (-4.2) Lowest-Rated 2018 Regular Season Opponents: Notre Dame (Lawrenceville) (-22.9), Steinert (Hamilton) (-17.3), Hightstown (-17.2) 2017 Regular Season Schedule Strength: 3.3 (6.5 overall) 2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength: -6.2 2018 vs. 2017 Schedule Strength Comparison: -9.5 2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength State Rank: #102 2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength National Rank: #4006 2018 Projected Regular Season Record: 5-3 2018 Projected League Finish: 1st 2018 Undefeated Regular Season Probability: less than 1%