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Messages - bceagle80

#1
Quote from: desertraider on August 11, 2016, 11:22:09 AM
Quote from: jknezek on August 11, 2016, 08:53:37 AM
Quote from: @d3jason on August 10, 2016, 07:56:17 PM
That's a lot of football helmets. I'd to see that line item on the budget.

Drop in the bucket compared to tuition, room and board. For any college I know of, first years provide the most revenue. Between required room and board and generally the larger class sizes of entry level classes versus higher level classes, first years are great to have around for budget reasons. If they transfer before they are seniors or drop football because they'll never see the field, that's OK. They don't live on campus, or pay as much for meal plans, as they become upperclass students. Transfers help keep the class size averages down, plus you lose the expense of having them tearing up your football equipment.

150 first year football players is all about the dollars, and having to buy more helmets doesn't affect that equation one bit. What UMU, and any other school that plays in these numbers, does with the dollars and how it benefits the student body going forward is key to the value of the school. By any measure of college standings, UMU's regional and national reputation has done nothing but improve throughout its dominant football run, so the benefits are there to those who have or will earn the degree.

That being said, I feel bad for the majority of those kids from a football point of view. If they really wanted to play D3 football, most of them should have gone somewhere else.

I don't feel bad for them at all. They made the choice on their own. Kudos. Most will not see the field in competition - and I think they may know that. Some may think that regardless - it is DIII (the old glorified HS football mentality) and not appreciate the speed or size of an elite DIII team until they suit up. However, I am confident that the 150 chose Mount for more than football. I have had many students in the past that said they chose Mount over BW, Ashland, and OSU for (insert program here - mostly education majors) and played because they loved football and took a shot. They did not last on the team (except for one that I recall) but stayed at Mount. My .02 cents.

The amount of dedication each player has a lot to do with it. Assuming similar athletic prowess, the athlete who works harder and longer tends to be more successful. Examples of this are Mike Frank and Tom Lally.

Speaking about my son, I know his focus and dedication will make dramatic difference for him this year. He has combined his great leg workouts with a new upper body workout. He has made a great improvement in upper body strength and he is faster. I believe he will have significant play time this year. However, he has worked his butt off to get it.
#2
Quote from: Raider 68 on July 09, 2016, 08:50:31 AM
Quote from: Dr. Acula on July 07, 2016, 11:00:18 AM
I definitely agree.  This year is going to be very, very interesting.  Quick thoughts off the top of my head:

The biggest question is QB.  There isn't a guy on campus that's taken a meaningful snap.  Peyakov and Lowry at least have taken varsity snaps, albeit mop up ones.  Poorman is intriguing as an early enrollee.  In reality we know basically nothing about any of them or Klaver or any other QB that may emerge.  The only thing we know is that Mount always has talent at QB so the starter will have won quite a battle to get there.   

They will be deep at WR, but will they have a #1?  They return all of their WR's except Namdar.  And Jared Ruth is also back on the spring roster.

How will they replace Nemeth's size/physicality?  Mitchell and Johnson will carry the load, but I think we all liked having that bigger back come playoff time.

The D is going to be essentially a complete overhaul.  I don't recall a season where they lost so many starters recently.  I think the only guys back who have started are Deerr, Stewart and Vidal.  The biggest issue IMO is replacing the D line production.  Lally, Furda, Alarms played so well last year.  The other thing is that the 2015 squad had so much experience.   

Dr. Acula,

I have been off the boards for awhile. You raise many good points on the Raiders this fall. This year's team will take longer to find the right combinations of key players  as in prior years and the development of talent. My guess is that by game 3 or 4, Luke Poorman will win the nod at QB. He has the talent, but needs time to learn the offense. At the same time the Raiders will need that Nemeth type running back. While the O line has some key guys back, my greater concern is the D line with all the graduated starters. There are certainly a lot of questions this fall. :-\

I agree that there is a lot of work to do but Mount Union always seems to rise to the challenge. I think there are many guys working out at Mount over the Summer with a focus of coming back in bigger, faster and stronger. The O-line will be ready and the D-line will have guys step up. I won't make a prediction on how many points they allow per game but I think a lot of guys will be ready for their chance to play and excel. Go for it, Purple Raiders!! :)
#3
Quote from: section13raiderfan on March 27, 2016, 06:53:00 PM
I would rather waste a saturday on the road to witness a Raider blowout than endure a Sunday watching the Cleveland Clowns. I love when a team is executing at a high level and if that causes blowouts... So be it.

As for D3 players making the pros, i feel there is a prejudice that results in players not being taken seriously. No matter how good they practice the D3 player is always gonna be doubted for not playing D1 ball. Johnny Manzeil didnt even play 4 years and was judged to be better than pros who were backups in the pros. Go figure!

I would have to agree that watching a great team and great players at the D3 level executing at a high level is still entertaining. How many times has Alabama or Michigan blown out a team yet it was still fun to watch. Likewise in the pros, The Steelers in the late '70's were still great no matter who they played. the same goes for the 49er's of the '80's with Montana and Rice.

I also agree that D# players don't always get a fair shake. Theirs is usually a longer road to go. That being said, people like Mike Frank and Tom Lally can make if given a chance. They won't be full of themselves the way Johnny Football has been. For Frank to make it, he will have to play guard but he is just as strong as most, if not all, D1 defensive tackles. That means he can handle them. I heard he was up to about 280 lbs. now. Tom Lally is in the same situation. He is strong, has the right technique and incredible quickness. There's is even talk of looking at having young men playing the 3 technique at a smaller size in the pros (i.e. 6' 2" and 285 lbs). Good example of why sheer size is not totally needed is Ndamakong Suh. He is 300 lbs. but the reason he is so good is his strength and speed. That equates to power. When he is used properly, he is a terror on the field to any offensive lineman. But for Frank and Lally, they need to be given a chance. Most likely they will start in the CFL or Europe if they catch on with any team. Then, they can prove themselves. We shall see. I wish them the best of luck!!
#4
Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on March 16, 2016, 09:21:51 PM
Since it's the first week of spring ball, I took a look at the spring roster. I didn't see many LBers. I thought the sophomore class had lots of them. Does anyone know if it's incorrect or if that many players truly aren't coming back? I remember some very good hs players in that class.

Where did you see the Mount Union spring roster? I have not seen it yet. Is it online?
#5
Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on January 31, 2016, 07:47:26 PM
It's pretty exciting to watch what UMU is doing right now, especially for a D3 school! I don't know who pays attention to Twitter around here, but as a high school coach, I follow my high school players to keep track of them and I search Mount Union sometimes. Mount Unions coaching staff does a great job of positively advertising the football program and academics through social media. There have been many kids visiting Mount Union recently and they seem to love the coaching staff and school. The coaching staff seems to be getting lots of quality players committing and from many different states. I see some young men that can definitely make a difference as sophomores on defense. On offense, they're getting multiple QBs (still), oline and small WRs, but on defense they seem to be getting some players that can make plays.

The coaching staff is certainly working hard right now and definitely using their championship season to their advantage. They just had their banquet and I'm sure the coaches had this planned, but many notable alumni were there including Shorts, Micheli, Kmic, Moore, etc and the players were pretty giddy to have those people around. It seems to be a big recruiting weekend. Also worth mentioning was the team honoring Joe Tait and his final retirement from broadcasting. Thanks Joe for the many great calls! I'm excited for the future of the Purple Raiders under this coaching staff.

Speaking of current players...Louis Berry, eventual starting freshman CB this past season is running indoor track and doing pretty well. I saw he ran a 6.93 60 meter ( I think I read somewhere it was top 10 in D3). August can't get here soon enough!

My son was very pumped to meet Kmic, Shorts and the other guys. He is looking forward to one celebration Monday at Mount Union.

The main focus he has going forward in football is to be 100% ready for the fall and be ready for the team. I know the rest of the returning players are focused on continuing the tradition and bringing back another championship. They know it will take everything they have. It will be another great season next fall. I know there are many looking to step up their game.

#6
Quote from: desertraider on December 31, 2015, 12:35:27 PM
Want to make sure and wish you all a Happy New Year! To Pat and the D3football.com crew: Thanks for another great year on the site and for continuing to do all of this. Many of us still remember what it was like before this site launched. Finding even the simple things was incredibly difficult (try finding a Mount score in 1997 from Miami, Fl.). It is amazing to me that now I can find box scores and live stats not only for Mount games - but Hiram and everyone else as well. So thanks for all you guys do and here's looking forward to another great year!

Special New Years shout out to all the Mounties and OAC'ers (even the BW ones). Have fun and safe travels for all. See you next year....
[/quote
Quote from: desertraider on December 31, 2015, 12:35:27 PM
Want to make sure and wish you all a Happy New Year! To Pat and the D3football.com crew: Thanks for another great year on the site and for continuing to do all of this. Many of us still remember what it was like before this site launched. Finding even the simple things was incredibly difficult (try finding a Mount score in 1997 from Miami, Fl.). It is amazing to me that now I can find box scores and live stats not only for Mount games - but Hiram and everyone else as well. So thanks for all you guys do and here's looking forward to another great year!

Special New Years shout out to all the Mounties and OAC'ers (even the BW ones). Have fun and safe travels for all. See you next year....

I second the nomination of great work by Pat Coleman and all the other people he works with. Please know the work is very much appreciated.

Happy New Year to all the D3boarders!!

FYI: As a father of a current Mount Union football player, I can say he has rededicated himself to working hard in the offseason: lifting, techniques, making sure he knows what do on each assignment and so on. He will not let anything get in the way of being successful on the football field next year and helping his team repeat with another championship. I know he will do whatever he can to help lead his team. Next year should be very interesting!!
#7
Quote from: Kira & Jaxon's Dad on December 20, 2015, 12:23:33 PM
MTU Returners from the Stagg Bowl Two Deep (Class this season):

1st Team Offense:
LT  56  Brooks Jenkins  Jr
C   52  Mitch Doraty  Jr
LT  75  Matt Fitchet  So
WR  8 Jordan Hargrove Jr
WR  15 Tim Kennedy Jr

2nd Team Offense:
LT  71 Nick Padrick  Jr
LG  57 Tyler Rentz  Fr
C  53  Cody Shaffer Fr
LT  51  Cole Parrish  So
WR 83 Octavion Wilson So
WR  9 Colin Gilbert So
WR  15 Braeden Friss So
WR/TE 17 Lane Herrington Jr
QB  Nick Peyakov Jr
RB  Bradley Mitchell Jr

Biggest Hole to fill is at QB.  There are enough Lineman returning and Skills guys.  You have Mitchell JR at RB and also Dwane Aaron JR and Jamal Johnson SO returning.  It will also be interesting to see which WR comes in to stretch the field.

1st Team Defense:
DE  44 Durum Alarms So
NT  99  Mike Vidal  So
SPUR 10 Zach Deerr Jr

2nd Team Defense:
DE  94  Berry Grant So
NT  93  Lane Breyer So
DT  32  Elijah Berry So
LEO  47  Mike Jackson Jr
MLB  42  Charley Dear Jr
SS  20  Austin White  Fr
WS  2  Brian Groves  So
CB  7  Darrell Sullins  Jr
CB  21  Louis Berry   Fr

Lots of guys graduating from the 1st Team Defense who have been mainstays.  I'm looking forward to see who steps up as the leaders of the 2016 group.

Happy Holidays to all!

Duram Alarms is a senior and is graduating.
#8
Merry Christmas to all d3boarders!!

Congratulations to to all the Purple Raiders receiving recognition for their contributions to the team!! All well deserved.

A special thank you to all seniors who have worked with my son to help him be all can be on the football field. Your support will be remembered long after your exploits on the field are a distant memory.

The senior leadership on the team was great this year. It really makes difference and I know the team next year will be back to the playoffs and the championship due in no small part to the seniors who step up next year!!

My best to all for the Holiday season!!
#9
Quote from: jamtoTommie on December 16, 2015, 01:20:00 PM
Quote from: Small but Slow on December 16, 2015, 12:54:17 PM
Beat Denison at home 35-3 in the first round then travelled to Augustana.

Don't take any reference to the past from me as looking beyond St. Thomas.  jamtoTommie, are you going to the game?  Met a few St. Thomas folks in '12.  Seemed like a bunch of nice folks.

Sadly, no. I've got 3 young kids and have to travel to Iowa for family Christmas. Someday I'll make my way to a Stagg bowl.

Obviously Jordan Roberts and the running game gets a lot of attention, but when that has been taken away John Gould has been able to pass enough to make up for it.  Not against a D as good as Mount Union though. Wabash D was tough and Gould was able to do enough to counter a slow running game and some hurting RBs, but most of those points came off of special teams.

The D has been able to slow down a couple of tough backs, Sura twice and Zurek from Wabash.  We'll see what they can do against Nemeth.  I'll try to watch some more of the MU-UWW game tonight to get a feel for Mount's style.

It is very easy to believe the UST has a great running game. The massive size of some of the linemen is literally imposing and I played division one football. Couple that with a big running back who is very successful because of his own talent as well as his o-line.

Based on the comments from this board, it seems if there is a weakness at UST, it might be in the defensive secondary. I think it will be a great game but the difference in the game will be the defense of Mount Union. The key playmakers on offense will be the qb (Scott), rb (Nemeth) and wr (Namdar). Defensively, there is no weakness unless a lot of people get hurt. It will be quite a show to watch Friday! The UST offense vs. The Mount Union defense will be the key to the game and, as they say, defense wins championships! Prediction: MU 35, UST 21.
#10
Quote from: MasterJedi on December 11, 2015, 02:41:08 PM
Prediction from a UWW guy is:

UWW 35
UMU 31

Could easily see it flipped. And like I posted in the WIAC board had a dream last night that UMU was up 7-0 at half after having outgained UWW 250-140 in yards.  :o

I believe the force to be strong with this one (Purple Raiders),
Master Jedi!! However, I agree with your score prediction on the flip side: 35-31, Mount Union.

I think Mount Union needs to score early and often like against they did against Wesley. Key difference maker prediction: Taurice Scott, due to his incredible agility and mobility. On defense, Hank Spencer & Company (the LBs). Last year your team had fantastic LBs. Now Mount has them.  The quickness needed for pass coverage as well as stopping the run.
#11
Quote from: desertraider on November 27, 2015, 08:07:58 AM
Quote from: D O.C. on November 26, 2015, 11:45:18 PM
I've been negligent...

WHAT A DEFENSE!

I know. Mount's D has been awesome this year  ;D

Mount has had focused, hard and crisp practices this week. They are ready and the defense took it personally regarding the number of points scored on them last Saturday. Albright will have its hands full as the defense takes it up another notch.
#12
Quote from: Toph on November 26, 2015, 05:49:34 AM
Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to anyone on the road.

Just wishing a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe & enjoyable weekend. Go Raiders!!
#13
Quote from: raiderpa on November 01, 2015, 08:27:26 PM
I don't know why teams in the OAC continue to try to run wide on Mount.  The disparity in speed makes it nearly impossible to get the corners on Mount.  They are so so fast.  IMO you have to run right at Mount,  maybe try using wide line splits, quick dives and traps to attempt to get to the linebackers.  When a team runs a sweep or counter trap,  the quickness and speed results in three or four Raiders there waiting.  The most successful passes are quick slants and three step throws that at least give the receivers and quarterbacks the opportunity for success before the defense reacts.  This is what WWW has done with success over the years.  Certainly they have the talent, too, but their straight ahead quickness and power has worked.

I think the reason they don't run up the gut, like you correctly surmised is probably what they should do, is that many of the teams can't handle the quickness combined with power the defensive line has. Obviously, they have run into big and powerful offensive linemen against Wisconsin-Whitewater. I think the key is adjusting the methods against them only slightly and use their size against them. Easy to say, hard to do.
#14
Quote

Heard the JV's played a tough prep team today and came away with a good win.

Score was Mount Union 20, Jireh Prep 7.
#15
Quote from: desertraider on October 08, 2015, 02:53:06 PM
Quote from: pradierguy on October 07, 2015, 11:33:37 PM
Don't know any details, but Mount Union lost a member of the student body today. Classes are cancelled tomorrow. Thoughts and prayers to all impacted by this tragic loss.

All I will say is the information is out there, though I won't post it. Condolences to the family, friends, and the Mount Union community-
Raider Pride-

This tragic event is impacting the whole Mount Union community. My son knows the victim's sibling and close friends. It is very hard for my son. I could hear it in his voice when we spoke last night. Please pray for the student who died, the student's family and friends.