University Athletic Association

ADL70 · February 18, 2008, 09:55:23 AM

Another honor for the Spartans:

http://www.case.edu/athletics/varsity/news.htm#s1_page2

Bob Gain played for Kentucky, so I'm unclear why the award is named for him. Why not another old Brown, Warren Lahr, who played for Western Reserve?

DagarmanSpartan · February 19, 2008, 07:21:43 AM

cwru70,

I just noticed that our defensive coach, Tom Kaufman, has bolted for our rival Chicago.

What a shame. We had a good defense this year.

I also noticed that the Cleveland Touchdown Club just named us "the best small college team in Ohio" this season.

That's quite a statement, given that Mt. Union is also here in the state. Not sure I agree with that one, BUT I'LL TAKE IT!!!

ADL70 · February 19, 2008, 08:46:35 AM

Wow, I missed that. He wasn't the DC, but was a full time assistant.

ADL70 · March 06, 2008, 09:37:44 PM

Sixth months till the first game.

Tom Kaufman's departure might be missed most in recruiting.

DagarmanSpartan · March 14, 2008, 03:32:50 PM

How large is our incoming recruiting class, and does it have many immediate impact players?

ADL70 · March 14, 2008, 09:47:07 PM

That question is at least two months premature. I wouldn't expect to hear much until at least May.

A 2008 spring roster has been posted. No real loses, but Nick Sachanda seems to have given up.

Superfoot Wallace · March 15, 2008, 01:21:01 AM

Guess the real question is more quality over quantity with a recruiting class, though there seems to be some newfound athletics push at Case of late. Maybe the best of both worlds.

Did Case's nails linebacker graduate? Would like to think Case would target help for one of the nation's name quarterbacks this offseason, protection or targets, but the loss of such a large linebacker might give the nod toward some defense address.

Not sure freshmen come in as impact players in the front seven as often as they do at the waterbug skill positions, and Brew was a load at 240. Size and strength maturity comes with time, whereas spring in the step, that's more a youthful quality. Am unsure the remaining tenure of the Case defensive backfield and receiver corps, but then again recruiting is with an eye not only for the immediate future. This looking two or three years ahead in recruiting might be even more appropriate considering the quarterback's own late model status.

Anticipating Carnegie Mellon's showdown with Witt this year as the UAA-NCAC agreement is now in full swing, made even more intriguing with different playoff representatives from each conference the past two seasons. CMU lost quite a bit themselves if recall correctly. At least can yammer on about the wing t on point for this one.

signed,
Cretin from Spart

DagarmanSpartan · March 15, 2008, 09:09:56 PM

What?

"Monster Nick" quit?

Dang.

That guy was 6'4" and 295!!!

That's a pretty big OL prospect to lose!

I'll have to check out the Spring roster.

ADL70 · March 16, 2008, 10:37:16 AM

After last year's huge class quantity isn't a problem. I'm not sure there is any need for any frosh to contibute right away except at LB. Brew was a beast, but John Tiemeier's departure from the hybrid OLB/SS position will hurt as well. There are experienced back-ups at LB who even have a few starts. Two players split time at FS one of whom may take Tiemeier's spot. Potentially there is another #15 from Mentor who would be a catch. Then I have a football fantasy about the brother of a just graduated Spartan who has Brew's size and has been only a special teams player in DI for the last two years and it appears still has returning players ahead of him.

There will be a 610# hole in the middle of the OL that was filled by two All-Region players. A 6'2 290# senior may get the nod at center and a 6" 270# JR may take over at G. Four players who have started return to fill the other three spots on the line. Protecting Whalen will of course be job one.

The other positions have starters returning, including a stable of RBs who shared time last year. Several frosh got special team time and with six blow-outs saw mop up duty as well.

Repeating in the UAA has been a challenge since each of the four teams has a championship over the last four years.

wab64 · March 16, 2008, 12:09:00 PM

Has there EVER been a post from someone from the University of Chicago??

With the UAC/NCAC agreement, Wabash will play U Chi for the first time since 1939 (when they were in the Big Ten) and I would wonder if anyone in Chi has ever displayed any enthusiasm.

ADL70 · March 16, 2008, 01:17:07 PM

There have been very few. There are some regular posters in hoops, but rarely in FB.

wab64 · March 16, 2008, 03:27:59 PM

Quote from: cwru70 on March 16, 2008, 01:17:07 PM
There have been very few. There are some regular posters in hoops, but rarely in FB.

Thanks. I'll just get used to the CWR news. I'm glad Wabash doesn't have to lead off the season with the Spartans. Last year in the second round was close enough-your QB was something. If he wasn't running for his life most of the time, it's hard to envision the result. Haa-Woo

Superfoot Wallace · March 16, 2008, 03:33:29 PM

Quote from: cwru70 on March 16, 2008, 10:37:16 AM
I'm not sure there is any need for any frosh to contibute right away except at LB. Brew was a beast, but John Tiemeier's departure from the hybrid OLB/SS position will hurt as well. There are experienced back-ups at LB who even have a few starts. Two players split time at FS one of whom may take Tiemeier's spot. Potentially there is another #15 from Mentor who would be a catch. Then I have a football fantasy about the brother of a just graduated Spartan who has Brew's size and has been only a special teams player in DI for the last two years and it appears still has returning players ahead of him.

This sounds like the makings for a little playbook evolution. Not sure where the hybrid safety linebacker lines up, but sounds like there might've been some ornate cover 3 over the top. Would a pair of free types allow more four or two.

Brew's size kinda of led me to believe, without having seen any film or games, that he was more the bruiser and little less athletic. Were Case to get on a run with stellar middle linebackers over successive generations, sounds like the makings are in place. Suspect the hybrid was there to account for different fronts and add some mobility to a heavy hitting as opposed to swarming front seven.

An athletic MLB the likes of the dream transfer could really tilt flank for an athletic conference steeped in academic prestige. Would be interesting were the new MLB to meet or at least accomodate the same standard set by Brew and add a little flexibility in the hips to get back breaking chairs and posts in cover four or running the maze in two. The caveat would seem to need to be some academic pedigree for this recruit himself. Afterall, have to keep up appearances.

FYI, as an old school fifty front guy, cover four is the other word for integrated man over.

Then those fancy pantsed Wannstedt-Johnson guys had to go and first foot the "Killer B" 4-3 and precede that whole Canadian as rolled coverage man under confusion.

Eh, at least Trev Alberts got a great pro career out of it.

signed,
7 Diamond

ADL70 · March 16, 2008, 09:31:36 PM

The CWRU D is a version of the 3-3 stack. Similar to WVU, Air Force, Tulsa... Two backs can lineup like LBs or play like safeties.

Brew had size but he was mobile as well. It wasn't unusual to see him 15 yds downfield in pass coverage.

Film at 11, err here:
http://tv.case.edu/actions/tv2/tv?filter=sports browse for fb games.

Too bad the NCAC-UAA schedule doesn't include a return of the Bill Edwards trophy game.

Superfoot Wallace · March 17, 2008, 12:22:40 AM

Thanks for the link 70. Just watched the first half of the OWU-CWRU game.

As my now traditional wing t addendum, OWU managed to slip an uncovered tackle or two past the refs.

Few observations: 74 and 71 appear to be athletic tackles. Suprisingly athletic at that. Good feet, good push and on the first half scoring drive an apparent ability to pull. See that 62 has dropped a few pounds from his 2007 roster weight to his spring listed roster weight. Just five pounds, but am wondering if there might be a movement in the offseason conditioning program toward athleticism.

Used to watch old highlight films of Nick Buoniconti, and the thing stressed was how he stood and ran with his toes pointed inward, a quality I noticed on the whole of the Case O-line save 62. He appears to be a load, though might like to see some agilities work, squaring them toes in to go with the good hip rolling ability.

Those two all region players are going to be direly missed, but you play to your strengths and am liking the athleticism of the returners.

Nice to see Angelo Mirando get a start at quarterback, an important start during a important season, as a senior. Often difficult for a former weekly starter to become overshadowed by an up and coming underclassmen. The fact Mirando kept himself and his head in the season might be the biggest testament as to what is being done coaching and otherwise in the Case program.

After having watched Brew am more of the opinion turning his hips is a greater attribute than his striking. More Urlacher and less Naill Diggs. Will be hard to replace.

signed,
Flacco to Gannon