FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[bashbrother]

Who is this player?



Three clues:

1.  resume
2.  Did not go to Penn
3.  Was a nationally ranked HS wrestler

[ScotLass]

Just when I thought Li'l Giant was a shoe in for special effects and bashbrother was only focusing on best screen play.........

[jscwittfan]

I know it's not NCAC related, but always interesting to see ESPN take some shots at D3 schools.

From this morning's Tuesday Morning Quarterback by Gregg Easterbrook:



Obscure College Score of the Week No. 2: Mount Union 62, Heidelberg 3. Located in Alliance, Ohio, Mount Union -- the defending D-III champion -- is the scourge of small college football, a program dedicated to running up the score. In Division III, some schools emphasize sports and some don't: Mount Union strongly emphasizes football, then schedules schools that do not emphasize football to ensure blowout win after blowout win. So far this season, Mount Union has won by finals of 75-7, 58-14, 62-0 and 62-3. On Saturday versus hapless Heidelberg, Mount Union kept its starting quarterback on the field until the margin was 49-3, although the Purple Raiders did attempt a field goal on first-and-goal in the fourth quarter rather than run for the likely touchdown. Once Mount Union reaches the D-III playoffs, it faces other schools that likewise emphasize football and its scores fall back into the normal range. Maybe it would be enjoyable to play for a team that always won by runaway margins, but where is the sportsmanship in a regular-season schedule of opponents with little or no chance of winning? Mount Union also has six home games versus four road dates, a sure sign of a manipulated schedule.



Of course, I guarantee that if any D1 school did the same thing, you wouldn't hear complaints about it.  Thoughts?

[nike]

Let's see, Ohio State plays Youngstown State, Kent and Akron this year. And the spin is that it puts money in these schools' pockets. Oh, ok.
Was that CP?
Saturday's weather for Wooster:
Sunny, mid 80's, no chance of rain. Bring on the wing-t. 
In looking at Wooster's schedule, this is one of the few games that the Scots, at least on paper, can win. After Hiram, tough schedule.

[Li'l Giant]

I bet that article put the OAC board on tilt. And rightfully so. How much can you blame Mount Union for the schedule when they get ONE damn non-con game a year? This a conference game. It's not their fault. And there are lopsided conference games in I-A conferences, too. I'm sure this idiot didn't get his panties in a twist when in 2005 Texas beat conference opponents Kansas (66-14), Baylor (62-0) and Colorado (70-3) by a total of 198-17. Gimme a break.

[gobash83]

In fairness, Easterbrook has been complaining about blowouts at the D I level for years and unbalanced schedules at the D I level since they added the 12th game.  

Personally, I think it is a bit of an unfair shot at Mount Union because, unlike the D I schools that have more flexibility in scheduling, the size of the OAC really limits Mount's chances to attract non-conference games.  (Wow, did I just defend Mount Union?)

Of course, until there is a playoff in the D I "Bowl Division" (or whatever it is called), there is no incentive to schedule tough teams.  The fans will come to a home game no matter who is playing.  A single loss can dash their hopes for a mythical national championship. No AD with a brain would give up a safe, home win...would they?

[Li'l Giant]

In fairness, Easterbrook has been complaining about blowouts at the D I level for years and unbalanced schedules at the D I level since they added the 12th game. 

Personally, I think it is a bit of an unfair shot at Mount Union because, unlike the D I schools that have more flexibility in scheduling, the size of the OAC really limits Mount's chances to attract non-conference games.  (Wow, did I just defend Mount Union?)

Of course, until there is a playoff in the D I "Bowl Division" (or whatever it is called), there is no incentive to schedule tough teams.  The fans will come to a home game no matter who is playing.  A single loss can dash their hopes for a mythical national championship. No AD with a brain would give up a safe, home win...would they?

I understand. But he's making an argument that something is wrong with MUC's schedule without understanding how little control they really have over it. Just like Texas and Oklahoma have to play Baylor. They can't help how bad Baylor is. They just have to go out and destroy them. Every year.

I can understand complaining about blowout wins in non-con games. But you can't really blame a school for blowouts in conference play at any level. So, either he doesn't realize that MUC has only 1 non-con game a year and is writing with imperfect information. Or, he thinks there is something MUC can do about their conference opponents and is just plain dumb.

[ScotLass]

Am sure ONU, BW, Cap, and JCU are thrilled to be lumped into the schools that don't emphasize football during the regular schedule, yet somehow happen to be ranked in the top 25. What an ignorant characterization of MUC, the OAC, and D3 football. Even a girl wouldn't write something that blatantly stupid.

[nike]

Am starting to see bagpipes coming down the hill. Leading the soon to be victorius Scotts. What a great dream. It could happen.
200+ yds passing and 300+ yds rushing. Am I dreaming?

[wally_wabash]

Easterbrook picks on Mount Union at least once every season for some hideously lopsided score that they have.  I don't read much Easterbrook because his columns take four and a half days to read, but I'd not be surprised if he also picked on Mount Union for putting up 104 points or whatever it was in the first half against Averett in week 1.  The guy is clearly ignorant of the D-III landscape and his opinions on anything D-III should be promptly discarded. 

All this guy knows is that Mount Union blew out Heidelberg.  Does he also know that Heidelberg is on Mount's schedule every single year?  And does he know that Heidelberg has won exactly one game in the last four years (roughly)?  Not likely.  Mount Union blowing somebody out is low hanging fruit for some guy who's looking for a cheap laugh in an internet column. 

[wabco]

MUC and Div III ... response to Esterbrook:   rub some dirt on it and walk it off

Nike:  the English are coming ... run bagpipes run.

Wabash:  Go 'Bash ... beat 'Gheny and then Witt.

And last but not least ... Go You Hiram Puppies.

[uknowme22]

How do the Wabash faithful feel about the trip to Meadville this week?  It's always been a tough place to play. 

[smedindy]

I have sent a very polite, respectful email to Mr. Easterbrook. I think he has very valid points about blowouts and scheduling in the D-1 landscape. Perhaps he just didn't do enough due diligence here.

Oh, and Wally - Easterbrook is perfect bathroom break material! Just print it out when you need to take your constitutional.

[Schwami]

unkowme22, I love the trip to Gheny.  Of course, for me, it's only a 90 minute drive, and always my best chance to see Wabash  

Weather forecast for Western PA on Saturday - low 80's, no rain.  The exception is Crawford County (Meadville):  temperature in the 40's and rain.

[wally_wabash]

Allegheny is a tough place to play.  In 2005 (Wabash's last playoff team), the game in Meadville was anything but easy.  Wabash rolled into that game at 7-0 while Allegheny was just 1-6.  Typical Gator stingy defense kept the Gators in the game and AC actually had the ball down six points late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game.  Wabash escaped, but that game just emphasized the point that AC is never to be taken lightly, especially on their home turf. 

This year it appears that AC has some trouble scoring points (just 20 against Hiram and just 14 against Denison).  The eye opening win they have was aided by five second half CMU turnovers.  I'd have to think that the Wabash defense can keep Allegheny's offense limited...if the offense can avoid giving AC the short field, I think you have to like Wabash.  I'm expecting a pretty safe game plan from the LGs and what will probably be a pretty low scoring game.