University Athletic Association

[formerTartan]

CMU literally stays on I-79 like you said with Bethany, Grove City, and even D1-AA Robert Morris.

[BDTartan]

Well.....I attended the scrimmage between CMU and Waynesburg at Gesling today.  It lasted about two and a half hours.  On the drive home I had time to analyze it all and I came away with some very encouraging thoughts and also some questions.

First off, I loved the offense.  It looked like they never even went home for summer vacation.  And the recruiting class that was brought in has some pretty talented RBs.  I saw promise for the future when the seniors in Gimson, Sivek, and Whitman graduate.

My only true question is what the defense is going to do.  The DL and the OLB's and the one safety looked comfortable, but CMU had to account for 2 ILB's and 3 DB's graduating last year and 2 DL leaving the team, so those positions need some work and time.  Although I will admit they ran mostly basic coverage, the bulk of the secondary looked slow on pass coverage.  And the one thing I have always hated about CMU's 3-4 is that they almost always give WR's at least a 6 yd cushion which doesn't allow the DL and blitzing LB's to make a play on the QB.  Too many times I have seen teams quick hit after quick hit against CMU.  It happened quite alot last year, but that defense found a way to shut people down before they reached the end zone.  Will this relatively young D find a way to gel and play well enough to let the O carry the load??  I don't know.  But I did see some aggressive Fr. on the defensive side of the ball as well.  I even thought a couple of them may have played their way into some consideration for some PT.

All in all it was a good day.  No major injuries, no major flaws or breakdowns and CMU even scored more TD's than Waynesburg.  I wasn't keeping track, but if I had to say.......CMU scored about 10-12 TD's and Waynesburg scored about 7-9 TD's

That's about it for now.  I won't see any action again until week 2 at home against GCC.

[ADL70]

Thanks for the report.  Rochester will be a tough opener.  They'll need to get ready fast!  They'll probably have to beat either Rochester or Hobart and maybe both to return to the playoffs.

Hey just saw Chicago got a vote in the poll above.

UAA coaches' poll can be linked from front page.  WashU and CWRU tied for second.

[WRCTChuck]

Unfortunately BDTartan, WRCT won't be making the trip to Rochester on the 1st. I too am looking forward to the home opener against GCC. 07' should be a fun year.

[BDTartan]

cwru70- I'm not jumping to conclusions from that scrimmage, because that's all it was, a scrimmage.  The 1st teams didn't play a whole lot and did I forget to mention that Gimson didn't even play at all??  Yeah, Lackner kept anyone with even the slightest injury out of the scrimmage.  I'm guessing Gimson was a just a bit banged up because he was on the sidelines running around and helping out the team.  Although you are correct in the fact that they need to improve in order to ensure themselves victory over two tough opponents, I don't think they should worry about rushing it along.  If they just take the time to correct the mistakes they are making they will be perfectly fine.  What's Rochester and Hobart's D's look like??  Cuz' as I said, CMU's O looked like it was firing on all cylinders.  Even the Fr. looked like they had been there before.

WRCTChuck- Does this mean that those of us who can't attend that game won't be able to find a way to listen to it??  Or will Rochester possibly webcast it?

[Superfoot Wallace]

Ohio Wesleyan is on CMU's sched in week one in 2008 and 2009.  UR plays CWRU in week two, so that may be the only game with CMU and UR at least until 2010.  The NCAC-UAA agreement adds Wittenberg to CMU's schedule. 

as I said, CMU's O looked like it was firing on all cylinders.  Even the Fr. looked like they had been there before.

That's what I like to hear.  Just like when Jimmy Harbaugh collated the I and the Wing-T, really the only time Marvin Harrison has been utilized in a two wide receiver set, two of my favorite teams will be getting it on.

Feel like Witt is getting things on the upswing defensively again and all the Winged T guys should still be looking to avenge Delaware' big intra-division loss from years gone by.

Want nothing more than to see Witt's best against Erdelyi's best.  Being a wing T guy this one really draws my interest.  While the Tiger's have been evolving offensively the bread and butter of what makes Wittenberg football Wittenberg football, defense, is what myself and I believe most the alum would like to see tilt the field in the Tiger's favor.

signed,
Salesmen Wear Plaid

[BDTartan]

I don't believe Witt is on the schedule until next year at the earliest.  I will say this, for all of the O CMU will graduate this year, they will be returning a wealth of experience on D in 08' so maybe it will be a defensive battle like CMU vs. WUStL last year if Witt is on the schedule in 08'.

[Superfoot Wallace]

BD, Not sure when CMU is on the schedule for Witt.  Was assuming from the chronology of Case70's post, Witt would be on the schedule about the same time the freshmen mentioned in your post should be seasoned and veterans.

My posts are often ramblings with little transparency as to the seminal logics, motivations and underpinnings.  Was actually in the back of my mind wondering how our frosh did in camp this year, wanting to backhand compliment or goad our defense and keep myself from wondering if Kubiak in Houston will use Walli Lundy in a manner similar to Coach Erdelyi's Canadian Motion schemes.

Damn, now am running through all kinds of offensive paradigms like the fact Elway was a wing t quarterback, Kubiak was his understudy and assistant coach, their shotgun in Denver was more wing T than most realize, the fact the Oilers were the original one back run n shoot under Moon and that Canadian motion is more a rosetta stone to run n shoot than winged T........    aaargh!!!

Can we get the season started already?

...thinking the wham trap as part of the multiple west coast actually translates the Canadian Motion scheme to I formation.

Anyway, yeah, was just portending the future (foreshadowing a day?) before this season's kickoff.

Think the English Department from Witt just called and wants me to return my degree after that gigantic run on sentence, lexicon confusion and insecurity about literary devices.   

signed,
the other Brother Daryll

[BDTartan]

Haha....sounds like you know your motion offenses.  I'm more of a defensive minded guy myself.  I could hash out Tampa 2 and the 4-3 Cover 1 with you all day, but you kind of lost me there.  Its all right though, I'm sure that by the time my brother graduates in 09' I will have a much better grasp of Erdelyi's Wing-T.

I'm pretty sure Witt is on the schedule in 08', but I am going to dig out a program from last year and find out.

[ADL70]

www.northcoast.org/pdffiles/schedules/ncacuaa08.pdf

You can add Rochester to CWRU for week two and Hobart to CMU week three.

Tom Brew is a "player to watch" in USAT's D3 forecast.  Thanx K-Mack!

[martin]

The coaches picked CMU to win the UAA.  Based on recent experience, that means CMU should finish last.  I think that has been the recent track record of the pre-season UAA poll.

[ADL70]

I think that's a sample of one.  Chicago had a lot of injuries last season.  Hopefully that wont be the case for any team this year.

OK, Martin I know you cast your vote for Chicago, but who's the closet Chicago fan?

[Superfoot Wallace]

www.northcoast.org/pdffiles/schedules/ncacuaa08.pdf

You can add Rochester to CWRU for week two and Hobart to CMU week three.

Tom Brew is a "player to watch" in USAT's D3 forecast.  Thanx K-Mack!

Wow, what kind of masochist put together the 2008 UAA pairings against the NCAC.

WASUSTL appears to be flavor of the week for the perennial NCAC heavy hitters.  Witt, Wabash, OWU and Wooster are the draws for WASUSTL in 2008.

Only note this because while CMU gets Witt, Allegheny and OWU, they also draw Hiram and Kenyon. 

Chicago has fun with Wabash, but other than that its Oberlin, Denison and Kenyon.

Then there's CWRU, former NCAC member and coincidentally founding member drawing Kenyon, Oberlin, Denison and Hiram.  While OWU and Wooster bolster the schedule, looks like a little nepotism in the scheduling agreement.

In my esteem, the order I listed those UAA setups is order of difficulty.  Case should be ashamed.  While am hearing rumblings in the OWU pantheon that a match with them might be a dangerous endeavor, the schedule for WASUSTL in 2008 looks so lopsided held next to Case's schedule I keep questioning whether I am developing dyslexia or astigmatism or some form of cognitive short circuit.  WOW!

That Hobart pickup for CMU bolsters the nonconference schedule to par with WASUSTL in my opinion if not even eclipsing in difficulty somewhat.

CMU being a most recent playoff team, this type of scheduling is to be expected.  Play up in the regular season to win in the playoffs, but until there is a UAA AQ such a schedule makes even getting a bid a difficult task.

Case might have a nice little formula that season for a playoff bid themselves, with a schedule chronology that lends itself to mojo.

Not to leave Chicago out of the conversation, but it would seem highly advisable that CMU rides their mojo from last season into this and then the next if they are looking to stave off a full on Case usurpation.

signed,
Detroit and Buffalo

[ADL70]

MacLeod

Inconsistencies are rampant throughout that schedule as you point out.  Note too that Earlham seems to have opted out.  I would have liked to see Allegheny rather than Hiram on the CWRU schedule, but the add of Rochester evens that out.  CWRU has had that four-pack of Oberlin, Denison, Kenyon, and Wooster on its sched for a long time.  Adding Allegheny would have made a reunion of the charter members, and made it look like an early nineties schedule.

BTW the 2009 sched just flips the home team.

[BDTartan]

Less than a week away now.....Does anybody have a clue as to how I can listen to the CMU@Rochester game?  WRCT is not making the trip apparently....

I hear what martin is saying, but I can't see CMU finishing last.  That would be two years in a row that CMU surprises alot of folks if that happens.  I don't think people expect the same from last year and maybe even some think it was a fluke, but I don't think they'll be that bad.  Looking at the schedule I'm going to make a prediction of 8-2, only because not everything goes according to plan.  If CMU plays their best they are capable of duplicating last year's undefeated season.  8-2 would be a good year, but making the playoffs with that record might be tricky.  Its up to the players to decide where they go.  I hope they let it all hang out on the field and let the chips fall as they may.

From what cwru70 has been saying it sounds like the "Academic Bowl" is going to get heated over the next couple years.  Both programs seem to be getting more talent.  By the way cwru70, I never did purchase the Kickoff.  Anything interesting in there about CMU??

Good luck this weekend to the Tartans and the rest of the UAA!