FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[ExTartanPlayer]

Dlip and PBR...why are you such pu$$ies?  Wahhhhhhhh Widener scored 90 points. Ra ra let's route for Lebanon Valley.

Bombers and I posted about this on one of the other boards - you can't just look at the number on the scoreboard, but instead you should look at how the points came about.  I have a more detailed writeup elsewhere (I think in the ERFP thread), but the only thing that seemed really egregious was that the starting QB threw his sixth touchdown pass of the game in the middle of the third quarter with Widener ahead 56-0; at that point, you probably don't need the starter in the game at all, much less throwing the ball.

However, from that point forward, pretty much everything was defensible.  Widener's backup running backs came in and ran the ball down the field for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.  Wilkes fumbled the ensuing kickoff and it was returned for a TD.  Can't really blame Widener for that one.  For the rest of the game, the backups were in and Widener called virtually all running plays (they did call one pass play on a third down, but I don't have a huge issue with letting your backup QB throw that pass in a realistic game situation - what if he has to do that later this year with a game on the line?).

Of course it's upsetting to see 90 points on the board, but when the last 28 points came from a combination of Wilkes' special-teams mishaps and Widener's backup running backs moving the ball downfield, I'm not sure what Widener was supposed to do other than start taking knees early in the fourth.  Would you guys be happier if the Wilkes defense had just been able to stop the Widener backups and it ended 62-0, even with the first 62 points scored in the same fashion, because that way the big ugly "90" wouldn't have been on the scoreboard?

One other thing that's worth adding: this wasn't Widener rolling up the score on a hapless NEFC team with no talent.  Wilkes beat Widener last year.  I might be more upset if they rolled up 90 against a really, really awful team that had no chance of coming back once they were down by a few scores, but I can forgive keeping your foot on the gas for a little bit with a 35-0 halftime lead (see that linked article - last year they nearly lost a game that they'd led 31-0 at halftime).  Once it gets to 56-0, yeah, perhaps you should let up, but what you guys are missing is that THEY DID let up.  As I said, they couldn't have done much other than taking knees every play in the fourth quarter, or punting on first down, or something ridiculous like that.  And, if you're Wilkes, isn't that just as insulting?  To have the opponent just quit playing offense because they're beating you so badly?

[lewdogg11]

They should've just put in Lucas...

[PBR...]

They should've just put in Lucas...

ahhh....beat it...stay over on the LL board. I have no problem with the score. As long as your not passing the ball (which they did), kept the starting qb in until midway through the 3rd qtr, adn tell the qb to use as much of the game clock as possible between snaps and run off guard and tackle plays(which they didn't). I don't need to hear the coach whine and feed me b.s. about not telling the 5th string tail back to not lie down. If he is 5th string tail back (if there is such a string/player) if your concerned about playing time for him have him play the JV game the next day to get some work in....but don't feed me no jive about being tough and not lying down, yadda yadda yadda....If they had done nothing but running plays off guard/tackle and used as much of the clock as they could and wilkes couldn't stop them then so be it. But they didn't that is my problem with it, I don't have a problem with the score only how they got to the final score.

btw sent you message....

[ExTartanPlayer]

As long as your not passing the ball (which they did)

They threw ONE pass after the lead went to 62-0.

kept the starting qb in until midway through the 3rd qtr,

The lead was "only" 35-0 at halftime.  I don't see anything wrong with sending the starters back out for a few series in the second half; again, they nearly lost a game the year before that they'd led 31-0 at halftime.  I'm fine with scoring an insurance TD or two after the half.  I will say - and have already said several times - that the only thing I found particularly "unsportsmanlike" was the last TD pass thrown by the starting QB with the score already 56-0.  At that point, you probably oughta have your foot off the gas.  Everything after that, though, seemed perfectly acceptable to me.

If they had done nothing but running plays off guard/tackle and used as much of the clock as they could and wilkes couldn't stop them then so be it.

This IS darned close to what they did.  They threw one pass in the fourth quarter.  Every rushing attempt in the fourth quarter was a backup RB.  Wilkes GAVE them a touchdown by fumbling a kickoff away on their own eight-yard line: was the kid who recovered that fumble supposed to stop and think "Gee, we're already ahead, I probably shouldn't run this in" (which wouldn't really have helped anyway, Widener gets the ball on the 8-yard line and probably scores in two plays).

[gordonmann]

Me and ... Mrs. Jones ...

One of the Widener receivers produced my favorite post of all time.  There was a topic in the Multi-Region section titled, "Who is the best receiver in D3?"  After a bunch of people posted stats and testimonials to their favorites, either Jim Jones or Michael Coleman (I think it was the latter) logged in and posted simply.

"Me"

And he wasn't too far off.  Coleman was 1st team All-American and Jim Jones was 2nd.

[PBR...]

Me and ... Mrs. Jones ...

One of the Widener receivers produced my favorite post of all time.  There was a topic in the Multi-Region section titled, "Who is the best receiver in D3?"  After a bunch of people posted stats and testimonials to their favorites, either Jim Jones or Michael Coleman (I think it was the latter) logged in and posted simply.

"Me"

And he wasn't too far off.  Coleman was 1st team All-American and Jim Jones was 2nd.

Neither... go with billy "white shoes" johnson...

[AUKaz00]

I will say - and have already said several times - that the only thing I found particularly "unsportsmanlike" was the last TD pass thrown by the starting QB with the score already 56-0.  At that point, you probably oughta have your foot off the gas.  Everything after that, though, seemed perfectly acceptable to me.

What do we know about this play?  As was mentioned elsewhere, it's conceivable that this was a shovel pass or a screen or a botched handoff which led to a passing TD. 

Is it better for a team step out of the 1 and take three knees before attempting a FG or is that a slap in the face of the other team as well?  And those backups likely want to score just as much as the starters; who knows if they'll ever get the chance to score again?

[Jonny Utah]

If the JV players had to play in the JV game, why are they even dressed for the regular game?

Usually the refs try to help out as well after the game is well out of reach.  They can Call a holding or defensive holding to keep the other team on the field.  I'm suprised that didn't happen.

I'm also suprised Wilkes didn't play 8 men in the box and stop a 5th string offense (if it really was a 5th string offense or just a running back).  Most defenses down by big points late in the game know the other team isn't throwing it. 

Still bad kharma winning by 90.

[lewdogg11]

Johnny Utah - freshly initiated into the pu$$y squad.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Is it better for a team step out of the 1 and take three knees before attempting a FG or is that a slap in the face of the other team as well?  And those backups likely want to score just as much as the starters; who knows if they'll ever get the chance to score again?

Agreed.  I was never on the losing side of a double monkey stomp, but I'd imagine that if I was there, I'd feel even WORSE that the other team had stopped playing the game as normal.

I also second your point as far as letting the backups play; I'm not about to tell my backup RB's and OL's that they don't get to play football because the score is getting out of hand.  Sure, as the others have said, I'd make them run straight dives and off-tackle plays, but I'd at least let them play instead of making them take a knee on first down.  The second and third-string OL guys really need those game reps.  What if injuries hit the OL in a week or two and one of those guys has to go into a game that matters?  I want to know that he's been tested a little.  As a coach, I'm not going to pass up the chance to let my backup OL's and RB's get 15 live game reps.  Plus, I might be looking at that game film later in the offseason to figure out who deserves a crack at next year's starting lineup.

My attitude was always that if the starters are pulled and they're running the ball, fine (I don't really care about the play clock, though, as long as they aren't going no-huddle or something silly).  Which is why I'm puzzled that so many folks here are up in arms, because that is exactly what Widener did with the exception of ONE pass play.  Honestly, if they'd pulled the starting QB one series earlier, I wouldn't be able to find a single thing to complain about on that losing side.

[dlippiel]

Dlip and PBR...why are you such pu$$ies?  Wahhhhhhhh Widener scored 90 points. Ra ra let's route for Lebanon Valley. I hope Widener kicks the sh!t out of them too. I have no doubt Widener could have done things a little differently, but if a team can't stop another team or its backups' backups, too f'ing bad. Stop being Sally's.

Ya dog dlip hears ya, but he still just doesn't like it. Even us pu$%&#@ can have opinions, especially when we wear our high****ingheals  .

Ra ra let's go Lebanon Valley

[lewdogg11]

Dlip and PBR...why are you such pu$$ies?  Wahhhhhhhh Widener scored 90 points. Ra ra let's route for Lebanon Valley. I hope Widener kicks the sh!t out of them too. I have no doubt Widener could have done things a little differently, but if a team can't stop another team or its backups' backups, too f'ing bad. Stop being Sally's.

Ya dog dlip hears ya, but he still just doesn't like it. Even us pu$%&#@ can have opinions, especially when we wear our high****ingheals  .

Ra ra let's go Lebanon Valley

Do you even know where Lebanon Valley is?  Why would you jump on a bandwagon?  Just because a team might be good and scored 90 points?  I'm hoping Widener is dope.  They represented the East VERY well 10-12 years ago.  And they have sick uniforms.

[pg04]

Isn't Lebanon Valley somehere near Isreal?

[lewdogg11]

Isn't Lebanon Valley somehere near Isreal?

Bingo!!!

[PBR...]

Isn't Lebanon Valley somehere near Isreal?

LOL...well played +1