FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[retagent]

So this article  about UWO foundation paying for travel cost confuses me, doesn't the NCAA pay for playoff travel?

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/938543604095684608

Even more confusing since the game is in Oshkosh!   WHO is paying WHOM to travel WHERE?!

Nice attention to grammar.

[UWO Titan 78]

Could be a LOT of underthrown/overthrown passes based on the current forecast of cold and windy.

And since there's now snow in the forecast for Friday night, with temperatures well below freezing, I could use a field report.  What kind of field does Oshkosh have and how does it handle the conditions forecast for the next 66 hours?

The Titans field turf was replaced before the start of the 2016 season. Trust me, they've seen cold temps and snow before. The field will be fine.

[emma17]

The height of the DB is not real relevant if he does not possess the speed or quickness to keep up. I can assume that he has both playing for a program the calibre of UWO, but what Mount has that not many have are three absolute burners at receiver and a Wes Welker type in Friss,  and not many D3 teams can match up.  Can UWO?  Perhaps, I don't know their personnel.
I look forward to the game. The winner will deserve the Stagg.  I hope both teams get a great effort and the better team wins.

How UWO decides to play Mt's passing attack is what intrigues me most. I caught some of the JCU-Mt game and was: a) Impressed with JCU's ability to get pressure and b) Surprised Mt struggled to handle it.
That said, does UWO look to bring pressure on Mt (although there is a new QB that might handle it better), or do they drop into coverage, contain and force Mt to sustain long (many plays) drives?

I don't imagine UWO will necessarily look to "match up" with Mt receivers 1 on 1, unless they just can't stop Mt from exploiting the underneath zones.
I do like Coach C in a chess matchup and I do like UWO's consistent ability to score when they need to score.
 

[HScoach]

This isn't one of the better Mount O-lines.  Still good in terms of the average d3 playoff team, but no where near dominant.  If Mount wins it will be due to the WR's and in spite of the O-line.

[wildcat11]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/

Mentkowski remembers well when he was on the other side of the equation, a “greyshirt” who didn’t participate in team activities as a freshman at Oshkosh after he graduated from Whitnall in 2012. Mentkowski knew he was undersized at that point.

“I brought it up to Brett Kasper and Dylan Hecker, two of my best friends at camp, and they were surprised — they were planning on me being on the team when they found out about (the freshman year plan),” Mentkowski said. “But they knew it would be a good idea. … Instead of me being third string and maybe seeing 10 snaps all year, I could save my eligibility and then play four full years. Now, the greyshirt is a big thing — almost every single freshman does it.”


I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

[bleedpurple]

This isn't one of the better Mount O-lines.  Still good in terms of the average d3 playoff team, but no where near dominant.  If Mount wins it will be due to the WR's and in spite of the O-line.

That should be enough to score some points. UW-W rushed for 185 yards and averaged 8.6 yards per play against the Titans.   UW-W pulled to within 23-20 with 10 1/2 minutes left in the game after consecutive drives of 85, 94, and 92 yards.  Unfortunately, the early season UW-W turnover bug continued, the UW-W defense seemed to wear down through personnel attrition and being on the field so long, and the Titans pulled away.

The biggest issue for Mount IMO is trying to stop the Titans. UW-W just could not get them off the field. Oshkosh held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. UW-W had them in SIXTEEN third down situations and they converted 11 of them.  And it wasn't a case of a bunch of third and ones or twos. Twelve of the Titans' third downs were third and six or greater. Mounts D needs to find a way to win on third down and get off the field.

The Titans are good in the red zone both offensively and defensively (UW-O was ranked second in the WIAC, behind only UW-W, in red zone performance both offensively and defensively).  Mount needs to function well in this compact portion of the field.

Kasper is good, but he will likely throw at least one to your defense. It would be really good if you catch it. We didn't. But he is clutch. Mount won't rattle him. I know you have seen the posts about Hecker. However good that leads you to believe he is, he is probably better.  But with Kasper's experience and dangerous weapons on the outside, it would be a mistake to label these guys as ground and pound. Mentkowski is dangerous and they have others who can play.

I've read posts that suggest UW-O is on the level of UW-W's championship teams. If they are, they will not only win this game, they will win the Stagg Bowl.  If they don't, they are simply not there yet. They have Mount at home. The current UW-W team (much maligned on these boards) have a senior class that has lost one home game in their four years. If the Titans are all that, they win this game. Period.

[WW]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/




I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

Their roster lists eligibility, not their academic class. My guess is that there are fewer than five athletes listed whose academic class matches their athletic class. Whitewater's about the same.

[bleedpurple]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/

Mentkowski remembers well when he was on the other side of the equation, a "greyshirt" who didn't participate in team activities as a freshman at Oshkosh after he graduated from Whitnall in 2012. Mentkowski knew he was undersized at that point.

"I brought it up to Brett Kasper and Dylan Hecker, two of my best friends at camp, and they were surprised — they were planning on me being on the team when they found out about (the freshman year plan)," Mentkowski said. "But they knew it would be a good idea. ... Instead of me being third string and maybe seeing 10 snaps all year, I could save my eligibility and then play four full years. Now, the greyshirt is a big thing — almost every single freshman does it."


I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

I think some context needs to remain in this conversation for those that are newer to D-III athletics. There is nothing underhanded at all about this. Due to budgetary constraints (and until fairly recently, conference rule) the WIAC rosters are often significantly smaller than many other schools in the higher levels of D-III. Therefore, there are good athletes that won't be on the roster.  If a student-athlete is not on the roster, they are not allowed to participate in any of the functions of the football program.  They are essentially given a recommended workout program that they must implement on their own. They don't workout with the team, they don't watch practice, and they don't attend meetings.  There is nothing that binds them to the program when they are not on the roster.  Grey shirting is an informal term used to describe the above process.  A kid can say "I was grey shirted".  What it means for all practical purposes is, "I am not on the team." I'm sure in many of those cases, the coach encourages the kid to follow the workout, get bigger and faster, and you are welcome to try out again the next year.

[HScoach]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/




I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

Their roster lists eligibility, not their academic class. My guess is that there are fewer than five athletes listed whose academic class matches their athletic class. Whitewater's about the same.

Now that is what I can a serious personnel advantage.

[bleedpurple]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/




I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

Their roster lists eligibility, not their academic class. My guess is that there are fewer than five athletes listed whose academic class matches their athletic class. Whitewater's about the same.

Now that is what I can a serious personnel advantage.

Can't speak to UW0 but the number of players that match academic and athletic classes at UWW is significantly higher than five. That is an unbelievably low number.

[wildcat11]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/




I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

Their roster lists eligibility, not their academic class. My guess is that there are fewer than five athletes listed whose academic class matches their athletic class. Whitewater's about the same.

Now that is what I can a serious personnel advantage.

Agreed.

[WRMUalum13]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/sports/2017/11/28/whitnall-alumnus-sam-mentkowski-finish-uwoshkoshs-best-receiver-all-time-he-finish-national-title-to/901277001/




I would love to see Oshkosh's roster academic/eligibility year breakdown of their playoff roster.....

Their roster lists eligibility, not their academic class. My guess is that there are fewer than five athletes listed whose academic class matches their athletic class. Whitewater's about the same.

The player bios list the year they graduated High school and a lot of the seniors says 2013: Attended UWO oshkosh
2014, played in x games etc. ,
2015 palyed in x games ...
2016 played in x games ...

So that's one way to see who  grey shirted.

Grey shirting is also probably a lot more common at schools like in the WIAC because it's more financially feasible for players to stay an year compared to private schools. For example Oshkosh's in-state tuition for one year is only $7,587 compared to $28,800 for Mount Union. If I were a college athlete I'd probably be okay with racking up an extra $8,000 in student debt to have a better chance of playing football my senior year, but an extra $29,000?? yeah that might outweigh my love of the game lol.

[WRMUalum13]

This isn't one of the better Mount O-lines.  Still good in terms of the average d3 playoff team, but no where near dominant.  If Mount wins it will be due to the WR's and in spite of the O-line.

That should be enough to score some points. UW-W rushed for 185 yards and averaged 8.6 yards per play against the Titans.   UW-W pulled to within 23-20 with 10 1/2 minutes left in the game after consecutive drives of 85, 94, and 92 yards.  Unfortunately, the early season UW-W turnover bug continued, the UW-W defense seemed to wear down through personnel attrition and being on the field so long, and the Titans pulled away.

The biggest issue for Mount IMO is trying to stop the Titans. UW-W just could not get them off the field. Oshkosh held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. UW-W had them in SIXTEEN third down situations and they converted 11 of them.  And it wasn't a case of a bunch of third and ones or twos. Twelve of the Titans' third downs were third and six or greater. Mounts D needs to find a way to win on third down and get off the field.

The Titans are good in the red zone both offensively and defensively (UW-O was ranked second in the WIAC, behind only UW-W, in red zone performance both offensively and defensively).  Mount needs to function well in this compact portion of the field.

Kasper is good, but he will likely throw at least one to your defense. It would be really good if you catch it. We didn't. But he is clutch. Mount won't rattle him. I know you have seen the posts about Hecker. However good that leads you to believe he is, he is probably better.  But with Kasper's experience and dangerous weapons on the outside, it would be a mistake to label these guys as ground and pound. Mentkowski is dangerous and they have others who can play.

I've read posts that suggest UW-O is on the level of UW-W's championship teams. If they are, they will not only win this game, they will win the Stagg Bowl.  If they don't, they are simply not there yet. They have Mount at home. The current UW-W team (much maligned on these boards) have a senior class that has lost one home game in their four years. If the Titans are all that, they win this game. Period.

One significant difference I've noticed compared to the great UWW teams is pass rush. UWO ranks 7th in the WIAC in sacks this year. UWW always had a great pass rush, I still have nightmares of Kevin Burke running for his life in 2013 and 2014 stagg bowls.

[Pat Coleman]

For your calculations, WRMUalum13: You only need to enroll in one extra semester to participate in a fall sport.

[WRMUalum13]

For your calculations, WRMUalum13: You only need to enroll in one extra semester to participate in a fall sport.

Thanks Pat, good point, okay $4,000 vs $14,500

however if you include room and board, realistically an extra semester at each school would be closer to $8,000 and $28,000 respectively