University Athletic Association

[ADL70]

Remember those return yards don't count for total offense.  Turnovers not exactly solved except that the D got a pick-six and a fumble return for a td, and 2 other ints and a fumble recovery.  O still lost 2 fumbles and Whelan had 1 int to match his 1 TD pass.  At one point in the game there were turnovers on three consecutive plays (2 by W&L).

[BDTartan]

Wow.  I know the return yds don't fall under total "offense", but they do fall under "total yards"

[Pat Coleman]

All returns do not fall under total offense. Kickoff returns do not count in all-purpose yards.

Just wearing my stat hat for a second there.

[BDTartan]

I guess I was wrong.  I always thought that returns were figured into "total yards".

[Superfoot Wallace]

Millsaps has a former DI coach and he is known for Defense, it has taken close to a year and a half for the defense to get it figured out, the first three games unfortunately fell in that timetable.  I do not think the scores would be the same with the current Millsaps team.  Dubose also stated he wanted to use non-conference as a preseason of sorts to get ready for conference play, so not sure Millsaps had their best foot forward early on?  Should be an interesting matchup this weekend if CMU likes to run alot.

To stop the wing t theyll have to do more than stop the run.  Might look like the wing t is always running, but there is more method to the madness than apparent.  Erdelyi was Dan Marinos coach after all, and I heard he could throw the ball.  Elway was a wing t quarterback once as well.

[BDTartan]

Yes, excellent points MacLeod, +1.

I've stated before that I don't know much about Millsaps, but I think if the Tartans stay focused and calm and do what they've done all year they can get the job done.  Ball control and defense is their modus operandi.

[ADL70]

To my knowledge there isn't an official category "total yards."

Pat...is there a reason KO returns don't count for all-purpose?  I never noticed that.  Did you maybe mean fumble returns?  CWRU's stats list KORs under all-purpose, but omit fumble returns from both that category and "all returns."

[exmajor]

I posted this on the SCAC board, thought you guys might be interested:

Now, from my quick research there are no direct links between Millsaps and CMU as far as common opponents go, but there are some common teams amongst the two schools when you dig a little.

CMU beat Colorado College 50-26
Colorado College lost to Huntingdon 21-14; Millsaps lost to Huntingdon 35-34
Colorado College lost to Rhodes 28-10; Millsaps beat Rhodes 14-6

CMU beat Chicago 27-0
Chicago lost to Depauw 31-6; Millsaps beat Depauw 31-7
Chicago lost to Wash U. 26-7

CMU beat Wash U 10-7 in 1OT
Wash U lost to Rhodes 6-3 in 1OT; Millsaps beat Rhodes 14-6
Wash U beat La Grange 31-21 (could go real deep here)

All this to say . . . well, not much, just some banter before the game and doing Kevin Bacon proud  . 

[frank_ezelle]

It should be an interesting contrast of styles with Millsaps and CM.  Millsaps has a quarterback who has broken a pile of records this year at the helm of a pass happy offense.  CM runs a system that is difficult to prepare for in a week that includes time taken off for travel.

One thing that should be a plus for Millsaps is Coach DuBose's background as a defensive coach specializing in rushing defense.  From the Millsaps website is this quote:  "DuBose once again returned to Alabama as defensive line coach from 1990-96 under head coach, Gene Stallings. With DuBose's defensive scheme, the Tide ranked eighth or better in rushing defense four times, including the nation's best in 1992. During the Tide's 1992 National Championship season, DuBose helped tutor a defense that allowed just five rushing touchdowns on the season, while holding opponents to 55.0 yards/game."

That doesn't mean that it will be easy to defense the CM attack and it doesn't mean that the players can pick up a new system in a few days, but I think the defense will be as prepared as one could possibly expect over such a short time period.  I think I read that this is CM's first playoff action in 16 years and I know it is the first playoff game for Millsaps since 1975 so it is an outstanding accomplishment by the coaches and players on both teams. 

[BDTartan]

Yes I agree frank.  A very nice accomplishment for both teams.

Now, to the point.  You make a true statement as I remember that Tide team and they were one of my all-time favorite teams.  I especially loved the kick returner, but I'm lost for a name.  Anyways, back on track.  Your assesment may all depend on what which game film CMU decides to trade with Millsaps.  I don't know the rules on that, but I am assuming it could be either Bethany or Thiel.  Now, neither one really bodes well for Millsaps as the Bethany game was out of hand early and there would be alot of players on that film that probably wouldn't dress dues to the 52 rule.  The Thiel game would be a bit better, but not much.  You would get to see the starters, but offensively Erdelyi didn't run that much of his wing-T.  What he did was feed his fullback Sivek the ball 40 times to the tune of 172 yards and a TD.  Most of the time it was the same play over and over.  To be honest with you, the offense did just enough and the defense kept Thiel out of the endzone until 5:00 to go.

Secondly, a pass-happy spread offense is much easier to defend for CMU than a spread O that mixes the run well.  CMU has two great corners and an All-American safety.  They haven't been hurt much by the spread this year.  They've played six teams that run it and Colorado College was the only team to put more than 7 points on the board.

[exmajor]

BD,

I assure you that Millsaps can run the ball, the question will be the health of thier all-conference running back Tyson Roy, he has been banged up as of late.  They have been filling in with a third stringer in Metzger, but he has proven himself well, I believe he has over 70 yards last week vs. Trinity.  I do not know the status of the second string tailback?  The Majors also have an offensive line that averages somewhere around 280-285 lbs. and has only given up four sacks all season (do not know if Trinity had any sacks this week).  If they need to pound the ball, the potential is there.  This game really should make for an exciting game of two different styles of offense!

[WRCTChuck]

Frank, If I'm not mistaken Eric Curry, John Copeland, and George Teague won't be in uniform this week
BD- That punt returner was David Palmer. The Original Slash.

In all seriousness I expect a well played hard fought game. To me the key matchup will be CMU's coverage teams against Jackson. Matt Adams is one of the better directional punters I have seen at this level and the Tartans generally don't give up big plays in the return game. Should be interesting to see how they deal with someone who is so explosive.

Mike Dubose has coached D-1
The CMU Three (Lackner, Bodnar, Erd) have a ton of experience (more than 20 yrs together)
so I don't think either team will have to much of a coaching advantage.

Both offenses will be difficult to prepare for in a week

The things that will decide this game turnovers, and field position. If either team is afforded extra possesions via the turnover they most likely will win.  Field position dictates play-calling, particularlly for CMU so the kicking game (i.e the "short field" ) will be critical.

That being said can't wait. Listen live on www.wrct.org

[Pat Coleman]

Have fun with all the NCAA paperwork for streaming playoff games online.

[BDTartan]

Haha, does the NCAA NOT have a deathgrip on anything its involved in?

I expect a great game as well.  I know the guys at CMU are fired up for it.  As long as they stay calm and focused like I said, then they have the opportunity to get the job done.

[BDTartan]

By the way, this Tartan team has the opportunity to do what no Carnegie team has done before:win more than 10 games in a season.