FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[PBR...]

expectations were high for this team from me even factoring in the losses in coaching and key players.....its difficult for me to put  my finger on what is holding this team back....play calling? costly turnovers? leadership? coaching? probably a little bit of everything mixed in....although i do have to remind myself they have only lost 2 games this year with one taking the league leader into OT, so maybe i should remind myself to not get entirely greedy and remember where this program was a couple of years ago...

[Dynasty07]

in reference to the dvc su game: upsets happen everyday in every sport. its just this time it was dvc's turn to fall, they are still a great time. and there is still a shot at a 2 loss team making the nc2a's, long one shot, but a shot none the less. i wouldnt be too critical on them just yet, im sure they will rebound.

[theoriginalupstate]

in reference to the dvc su game: upsets happen everyday in every sport. its just this time it was dvc's turn to fall, they are still a great time. and there is still a shot at a 2 loss team making the nc2a's, long one shot, but a shot none the less. i wouldnt be too critical on them just yet, im sure they will rebound.

Im sorry but I dont see a team that has a loss to a 1 win team this late in the season being invited into the dance with 2 losses overall....

Regardless DVC isnt even ranked in their Region, Wilkes is the only MAC team to be ranked btw.....

[MOJO]

Pat and Tag's,
Pursuant to your removing my post I feel I was dealt an injustice.  I do know that several years ago Mt. Union got a lineman that was one of the top recruits for Ohio State.  Because of his College Board scores he could not be admitted.  His mother was an employee at Mt. Union, and ended up playin his collegiate career there.  This is fact, NOT SPECULATION!  It has been general info over the past years that they do get a number of D1 and D2 kids that end up transferring there for a myriad of reasons.  Look at their record, unless they got JC coaching part time there, it's not by accident that they consistently field national championship contenders.  Better athletes better teams.  Not a hard concept to grasp.  If you want to disagree, we can agree to disagree.

[Pat Coleman]

You insinuated that it was a regular occurrence.

Larry Kinnard was admitted to Ohio State but was ineligible under Prop 48 because of a 2.495 GPA. That's not the saem as what you're spewing.

No, it's not speculation, it's just plain inaccurate, and it's something that I'm personally tired of reading around here.

If by "a number of D1 and D2 kids" you're referring to a number like two or three, then yes, you'd be accurate. But they don't usually have more than a couple kids per class. Certainly fewer than other schools.

I do not know if Larry Kinnard's mom worked at Mount Union -- it's very possible. Kinnard went to Alliance HS and he returned home because his father was seriously ill.

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2000/08/20/OSU+recruit+heads+to+Mt.+Union

His father has since passed away.

Hey -- if you want to spew misinformed crap, you're going to have to start going over to NJO.com or some of those other, unmoderated message boards. This is the last time I'm addressing it here. Next time the post will be deleted and so will your username.

[FearTheRam]

Back before the season started I cautioned you DVC guys that this wasn't a given. To answer Hangs questions: yes, I was around last year, and I know that two things are true. Two steller athletes made up for deficiencies by the O-line. The RB was able to make yardage out of nothing as was the QB. And losing a QB and running back of that quality is hard to replace. While you returned 22 starters(or whatever)you lost your two best skill position guys(and yes DC and DM are great receivers--but they can't throw to themselves). And losing the center-and AA was a great blow. This is the guy who calls out the blocking at the line of scrimmage, so even if you could replace his physical skills, you certainly aren't replacing his recognition of defenses.

My point is that this is not the same team because you lost way more than people wanted to acknowledge. They are not an underachieving team(that would mean a few more losses)in my mind they are exactly where they would have been last season without Knobloch and Cookie. Factor in that you had some guys who came to camp not 100% healthy or in shape and you've already lost your edge in close games.

Now, I know everyone wants to point the finger the coaches' way, and yes they do shoulder some responsibility, but the point is they don't play the game, the kids do. It's not up to them to light the proverbial fire, that comes within a player. As others have stated, this is a good team, and they have had a good season, just not the third undefeated season some were predicting in the pre-season.

[john merrick]

Pat,
I was curious if there have ever been any female football players (kickers) in the MAC?

[MOJO]

Pat,
I do not remember the specific name of the player but I read the report via a newspaper article several years ago .  No, I cannot nor do I want to exert the effort in finding the article I am referring to, my time is to valuable to do that!  However as I recall, the issue was a below 700 board score on the SAT.  If I was wrong I apologize, and stand corrected.  Regardless if it's a low GPA or a low SAT, both are Academic issues and somewhat similar.  The point is this guy was a top D1 lineman recruit that played at Mt. Union.  Ur gettin 2 or 3 legitamate D1 and/or D2 kids per team, that's a big advantage over many D3 schools.  I am not saying or implying that this approach is bad,illegal, inappropriate, etc., it's not.  Look, our disagreement might be totally how we individually percieve if this is an advantage or not and/or this is a significant number.  I think it is.  The point I want to make and if you must kick me out for saying this, Aufweidersehn mein freund, is Better Athletes produce Better Teams.  Mt. Union consistently places better athletes on the field!

[geiger]

So if Widener runs the table does anyone thin they have a legitimate shot of getting into the post season??

[bill]

John
I only go back to 1993, but I've never seen a female kicker in the MAC - I think 

[Warren Thompson]

John
I only go back to 1993, but I've never seen a female kicker in the MAC - I think 

I go back "only" to 1967 ... and I don't ever recall a woman kicker in the MAC, though I do, in fact, remember any number of other things about the conference, both real and imagined. (The latter are infinitely more interesting.)

[theoriginalupstate]

So if Widener runs the table does anyone thin they have a legitimate shot of getting into the post season??

No two loss team from the MAC is getting in unless they win the AQ....

[bill]

I stand corrected. A little birdie told me that Juniata has had a female kicker on the roster as recently as last year!.....

[Pat Coleman]

Pat,
However as I recall, the issue was a below 700 board score on the SAT.  If I was wrong I apologize, and stand corrected. 

You recall wrong. Please stop arguing the point with specifics that you cannot remember and don't want to exert the effort to find.

[gordonmann]

Upstate:

I thought the same thing last year when Wilkes got in.  And one of Wilkes' loses came to 5-5 William Paterson.  Widener has to win out first and needs several other teams to lose, but stranger things have happened. 

Del Val has little to no chance in my opinion.  Unless Susquehanna runs the table, that loss at home will really hurt the Aggies quality of win index, which the NCAA uses to select at-large teams.

King's has virtually no shot at an at-large bid, but has the best chance of these three teams to make the playoffs.  If the Monarchs win out, they get the AQ.  If they lose one more game, they'll have three loses and basically be out of the running.

Speaking of the Aggies, I think FearTheRam is right on.  Having lost what they did on offense, an ECAC appearance is nothing to feel bad about.  It's not the same as the last two years, but there's still a chance to continue to build on the success begun back in 2003.