University Athletic Association

[DagarmanSpartan]

Lopsided win to start the season, but CMU is really struggling with its new offense.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Lopsided win to start the season, but CMU is really struggling with its new offense.

That'll happen when you start a freshman QB with a brand new offense and few upperclassmen overall. I actually thought the offense showed a few encouraging signs, althoigh we have to be able to run it a little better.  CWRU is the better side, of course, but I saw some nice things on the CMU side (I had fairly low expectations for this season).

I think CWRU has to be pleased with Beecher and the offense.

[ADL70]

Spartans exceeded my expectations.

Beecher threw very well. Result of being unquestioned #1.  No worries about backup for Sicre, Bianco was exceptional (ok was against tired D...but largely w 2s on OL).

D adjusted after first series and dominated.  CMU's QB missed several open men.

[E.115]

Extremely impressed with yesterday's 30-0 victory by CWRU.  The offense was fun to watch and the defense showed a very solid "bend but not break" type of play.  Case has some athletes on both sides of the ball. 

Dare I say -- it's time to return to the former glory of 2007-2009?  Stay hungry Case. 

[ADL70]

I'd be happy with 2010.

With two top 30 teams on the schedule, this is by far a tougher schedule than during those glory years.

What impressed me most about the D was the three straight three-and-outs to start the second half, after CMU had a 63 yard drive at the end of the first half.

Over half of CMU's yards came on the first and last possessions of the first half.

On O didn't expect throwing nearly 40 times.  Big props to the O line which didn't give up a sack despite three first-time starters.

[BearFan]

Tough start for the Bears against a good Ohio Northern team.  Went up 17-0 early in 2nd quarter and then ONU scored 31 straight.  A couple long pass plays (1 was a short pass that turned into a long touchdown) started things rolling then they turned it over to their big running back and controlled thing on the ground after that.  Impressive showing by the new WashU quarterback - looked very solid and composed.  Defense struggled to stop the run in the second half.  Don't know that it would have made a difference, but they apparently lost their starting free safety (captain) for the year to injury in the last preseason scrimmage.  Tough one this week in Memphis against Rhodes.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Thanks for dropping by, BearFan.  I know WashU lost some studs from that defense, but I'm still surprised they couldn't hold a 17-point lead (I don't mean this as an insult, more of a "Wow, their defense was really fantastic last year, I didn't think anyone could run up 31 unanswered on them").  Good news that their QB played well - they will need a bit more from the offense this year than they got last year.

[mustang]

For Case I was impressed with Beecher's arm and accuracy, who knew based on past years? Oline impressive as well. Good bunch of receivers to throw to. Offensive negatives were Sicre injury, looked to me like he took a helmet to his knee, and what I perceive as predictable play calling. Spread formation with no running back = QB draw every time. Case defense was very good, as it has been for many seasons now. Would expect the team to go into the meat of the PAC schedule with some confidence if they build on this game.

CMU freshman QB will be a good one I think, just needs more game reps. They have at least 1 very good receiver.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Neat CMU story in Around the Region this week.

http://d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/greatlakes/2014/the-littlest-tartan

Good luck to WashU and Chicago this week.  Would love to see Chicago build on the momentum from a nice season last year, but they've got a tough schedule ahead...I didn't notice they were playing Bethel until just now; I know that WashU opened with Mount and UWW a couple of times, but besides those games, that's as tough an OOC game as any UAA team has played in recent memory.

[ADL70]

And they go to Trinity as well, which Kickoff had a #38, before they lost to Howard Payne.

Their Trinity, Bethel, and WUStL stretch rivals CWRU's W&J, WUStL, TMC stretch as among the toughest three game stretch in D3 this season.

CWRU's are all on the road though.

[jknezek]

And they go to Trinity as well, which Kickoff had a #38, before they lost to Howard Payne.

Their Trinity, Bethel, and WUStL stretch rivals CWRU's W&J, WUStL, TMC stretch as the toughest three game stretch in D3 this season.

CWRU's are all on the road though.

Toughest stretch in D3? I think not. That belongs to UW-LaCrosse. St. Thomas, UMHB, UWW. If you include non-D3 games you have to look at Louisiana College. Huntingdon (home), Alcorn St (away), TLU (home), Bacone (away), Wesley (away), UMHB (away). 

[ExTartanPlayer]

And they go to Trinity as well, which Kickoff had a #38, before they lost to Howard Payne.

Their Trinity, Bethel, and WUStL stretch rivals CWRU's W&J, WUStL, TMC stretch as the toughest three game stretch in D3 this season.

CWRU's are all on the road though.

OK, let's get a couple of things straight.

1. Trinity is not that good and that #38 Kickoff ranking is, with all respect to the gurus that compile Kickoff, an extremely generous one. For some reason, the Tigers are living on a reputation as a national power that's about six years past its expiration date.  Trinity was 5-5 last year, last had a really good season in 2011 (which ended with a first-round playoff loss at home vs. McMurry, who was bounced in the next round), and has not won a playoff game since 2002.  Part of that is bad luck from being located in Texas and playing UMHB in the first round a couple times, yes, but they have long since ceased to be relevant on the national scene.  Trinity is no more of a nationally relevant program than WashU or Case at this point, and as much as I love our UAA schools, neither of them is going to make someone say "Sheesh, what a brutal three-game stretch that is!"

2. I think that "toughest three game stretch in D3" was a bit of hyperbole.  Those are two relatively-tough three-game stretches for the UAA schools, but...

Trinity: 5-5 last year, lost to Howard Payne in Week 1
Bethel: 12-1 last year, quarterfinals
WashU: 8-3, first-round playoff loss

(the presence of Trinity here really disqualifies this as a "really tough" three game stretch - plenty of teams play two really good teams back to back)

vs.

W & J: 8-3, first-round playoff loss
WashU: 8-3, first-round playoff loss
TMC: 9-1, didn't make playoffs

Nice, but...

vs.

UST: 8-2 in a top-three conference with the losses by a combined 9 points
UMHB: 13-1, lost to UWW by one point
UWW: 15-0, Stagg Bowl champions

[ADL70]

Yes but those teams (Save LC vs Alcorn) are all playing opponents of similar caliber.

I meant to say among.  As I have now edited.

[ADL70]

What's happened to WUStL's D? 

I know there were significant graduation losses and Bednar hasn't played due to injury, but they've given up 77 points in the first two games.

DC Jim Ryan's commentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJgzF16tCO8

[ExTartanPlayer]

What's happened to WUStL's D? 

I know there were significant graduation losses and Bednar hasn't played due to injury, but they've given up 77 points in the first two games.

Kinda wondering the same.  There were graduation losses, but I thought they did still return 5 or 6 starters, it's not like everyone left.