Quote from: D3fanboy on January 31, 2025, 12:47:15 PM

Quote from: WRMUalum13 on January 31, 2025, 12:06:07 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on January 29, 2025, 12:51:24 PMthere was a little talk/reminiscing about Mount Union night games recently.  with Wheaton putting out their 2025 schedule, including a 1:00 EST kickoff in Alliance, it doesn't seem like we'll be getting any night games for at least another season.  BW at the end of September would be the only other shot

Wheaton, @GC, BW is a real quick get down to business start to the year for the Purple Raiders

the last one I remember that at least ended at night was the 2012 semi final against UMHB, for some reason the ESPN stagger was weird that year and kickoff was 2pm.

I think the Rose Hulman game was at night at both schools (16-17?)

The Terre Haute game certainly was. I feel like the Alliance game was (at a minimum) a dusk kickoff? And I think it was 18 and 19.

Quote from: D3fanboy on January 29, 2025, 12:51:24 PMthere was a little talk/reminiscing about Mount Union night games recently.  with Wheaton putting out their 2025 schedule, including a 1:00 EST kickoff in Alliance, it doesn't seem like we'll be getting any night games for at least another season.  BW at the end of September would be the only other shot

I think the last one, at least in Alliance, was right round 10 years ago. Had at least one every year when I was there. My first home game as a student was the revival of them against JCU in 2004 and it was packed.

Wheaton, @GC, BW is a real quick get down to business start to the year for the Purple Raiders

Quote from: D3fanboy on January 28, 2025, 09:57:26 AM

Quote from: pradierguy on January 28, 2025, 09:18:45 AM

Quote from: D3fanboy on January 28, 2025, 08:24:17 AMcongrats to former Mount LB Matt Rees on being named Head Coach at his alma mater, Dover.  Interesting to note that one of Mount's current assistant coaches was a finalist for the job as well, a really tall assistant

Saw this in the news, awesome to hear for Matt! Will never forget his blocked punt return for TD in the Stagg. One of the more underrated players in that golden era.

he and DeRiggi were quite the pair of LB for 3 years.  DeRiggi was the thumper and Rees could really run. Rees had a big goalline stop in the '05 Stagg on Beaver that led to Kmic's 96 yard TD as well as the blocked punt TD the next year

Matt and I were classmates. An even better person than player. And it's correct that he was so underrated on that golden era team.

Welp.

The moment is too big for Geoff Dartt.

Alma and now this.

Fire Dartt.

Totally mismanaged that series in the red zone. Genius Geoff decided to show up at the worst time.

Quote from: Kira & Jaxon's Dad on January 05, 2025, 11:50:56 AMKeith picking NCC with a triple monkey stomp.

In other news, water is wet.

Quote from: BillyRayJimBob on December 29, 2024, 03:19:37 PM

Quote from: purple on December 29, 2024, 12:56:48 PMGreat Bowl season for Purple Raiders. Vince and Jason win a six overtime game against Pittsburgh and Matt Campbell's guys beat the mighty Hurricanes.

Yes! ... Wish I could have seen the first game, but certainly adored the second.
Really proud of the showing of these "Purple Raider coached" teams.
Watching another right now (Nick Sirianni's Eagles).

Not sure the game announcers could pronounce "Heacock" correctly in the Iowa State Pop Tarts Bowl.  Growing up in nearby Sebring, it was always "HAY-cock" vice the game announcer's "HEE-cock."
Sorry ... Just little things that annoy old curmudgeons like me ... LOL!

I'll join your ranks. Last week I grew tired very quickly of the ESPN crew saying "John" Hopkins and coach Daryl "Early." Lot of preparation and care from the Worldwide Leader in hype.

Quote from: New Tradition on December 23, 2024, 02:19:38 PM

Quote from: NCC2010 on December 23, 2024, 01:04:28 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on December 22, 2024, 02:17:24 PM

Quote from: raiderpa on December 21, 2024, 11:43:37 PMIf Mount Defense plays Jan 5 like they did today, they may need 72 to win...

well, they scored at will on what the D3 "analytics" told me was one of the greatest D3 defenses of the modern era. "rarified air" and "best in a decade" I believe were thrown around.

Play with poise, limit negative plays and turnovers and don't piss down your leg at the start of the game a la Susquehanna and '22 Stagg Bowl will be key.  Can't get into a big hole against NCC.  Make it a physical game, drag them out into deeper waters and see if they can swim.  This Mount squad has a knack for not flinching in big moments. 

There is literally next to zero pressure on the Raiders in Houston. NCC is the greatest superpower ever seen in D3 led by the quarterback who invented college football.  Their five year stretch is something that has never been seen before and definitely was not aided a great deal by a pandemic.  Five straight Stagg Bowls?!?!? I mean come on, that's unheard of.  They will probably keep that up for 10, maybe 11 straight years. "Red is the new Purple"

No question from my perspective that the timing of the pandemic was fortunate for NCC. We were afforded the opportunity of recruiting for 2 "off-seasons" as the reigning national champs and luckily the coaches were able to take advantage and bring in an immense amount of talent. Add in the fact that the current class of 5th year seniors got to be on a campus and in the weight room for an entire year before stepping foot on the field and it allowed Lehnen among others to start as freshman and hit the ground running.

Our obnoxious social media fanbase aside, everyone who was been through the program since the Thorne era started in 2003 has the utmost respect for Mount Union and all that they have accomplished. When I got there in 2006, the goal was to not only win a national championship, but to reach the level that Mount had taken D3 football too.  Thorne frequently talked about Mount/Larry Kehres and what it would take to get the program to that level.  It has taken 20 years to build up the program to what it is and the accomplishments still pale in comparison to 13 national titles and 23 appearances in the Stagg that Mount has. Even at our current pace it would still be another 20 years before we are sniffing those accomplishments.

Next year will be a huge year for the program to either keep the success going and continue to build towards those goals or take a step back following the most talent the program will ever lose in one offseason.

Looking forward to watching the 2 best teams in D3 this season down in Houston on January 5th, I think it will be a great gamem as the other 4 matchups between Mount and NCC have been. 

Very well said!  A slight correction--Thorne took over in 2002.  During the 2002 season, in spite of the fact that we managed a 6-4 record (our first winning record in many years), we still took a 65-0 drubbing from Augustana on family night under the lights.  After the season, Coach Thorne presented us with laminated cards to keep in our wallet that said "What have you done today to beat Augie?" 

During the 2003 season, we still lost to Augie, although not as badly.  Still, Coach Thorne encouraged us to set our sights higher.  Our laminated card that year said "What have you done to catch Mount Union and St. John's?" 

Point of the story is--we know that you guys are the standard and have been for a very long time. We still have a lot of work to do to "catch" you.

I kept those cards in my wallet long after I graduated (until my wallet got snatched...ugh).  There are lots of Augies, St. Johns, and Mount Unions in all phases of life that need catching and I always like the reminder. 

New, I'm sure you have thought of this - no one in the program can help you get new copies? I know it's not the same but that's such a cool duo of mementos - you deserve to have such inspiration in your wallet.

Quote from: Dr. Acula on December 23, 2024, 04:47:19 PM

Quote from: bluestreak66 on December 23, 2024, 10:46:59 AMAs an outside observer, I must admit that it is amusing many Mount faithful spent the better part of the season lamenting the fall of the empire and complaining about the weakest Mount team in decades, only for said team to make it back to the Stagg! Luckily for Mount you caught us on an off day lol 

Unrelated, a very Merry Christmas to all OAC posters, or as my wife likes to call you my "random D3 internet friends" lol. May Santa bring presents and cheer to everyone in the OAC, except BW, who I hope gets stolen away by Krampus in the dead of night   

I was definitely one of those bemoaning the lack of dominating wins every week.  The players and coaches deserve all the credit in the world for making it to the Stagg Bowl.  If you would have asked me midway through the regular season if that was likely I would have said no.  But the 2024 Raiders have been a little like Rocky Balboa...not as always pretty, but they keep answering the bell when it matters.  Their stars are doing everything in their power to will this team to a title and it's been awesome to watch.

Same. They have shut me the H E double hockey sticks up, and I'm happy to be wrong.

62-14 winner over Bethel in the semis my senior year, 2007.

That next week's game didn't go so well for Mount, either.

Quote from: Kira & Jaxon's Dad on December 15, 2024, 08:58:28 AM

Quote from: WRMUalum13 on December 14, 2024, 08:53:42 PM

Quote from: purple blood on December 14, 2024, 05:34:59 PMI think Mount can possibly make it to the stag bowl with TJ but can't beat NC with him. I think you need a qb that can run it also. I don't think you beat NC with a straight up pocket passer. Now that's way down the road just Sayn.  And is Noah 100% or still banged up. I wonder if he was 100% if he'd be starting or Dart just doesn't wanna mess with anything. 

I can't explain why Dartt brought him in for one series, and then never used him again in the game even when the offense seemed to be struggling, seemed like such a strange strategy

I thing there were multiple reasons:

Get Noah in the game to see how his knee reacts in Game Situation.
Make Hopkins and North Central have to prepare for two different Offensive Styles.
Keep Noah in the loop. If he is 100% recovered, it's hard to say he lost his starting job to injury.  I think both QBs are capable and Mount is going to need both of them if they want to win Championship #14.

I'll further add that TJ may have had an equipment issue that he needed resolved during two plays, and these were additional benefits. I wasn't at the game so I am not speaking with any actual knowledge, rather just speculation.

Quote from: mucgrad06 on December 14, 2024, 02:08:57 PMThat looked like a catch and TD to me, looked like he bobbled but grabed it and had 2 feet in

Same here.

Quote from: mucgrad06 on December 14, 2024, 12:15:42 PMAlready have more first downs in the opening drive as they had total last game.

And more points and turnovers.