FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Desertraider]

Right, I forgot you are comparing UWO today to past UWW champion Stagg teams.

I don't know. There's elements to a team. No UWW team ever went ahead of Mt by 4 scores midway through the 3rd quarter. So is UWO's offense better than any UWW champion team?
I don't recall UWW having much success at all on kick returns. I surely don't recall UWW having much success on deep balls.
2017 UWO is certainly superior to any of the UWW championship teams in kick returns and explosiveness. Heck, did any UWW team ever average 6.2 yards per carry in a championship game? UWO did yesterday (and for some reason threw more than they ran).
So I guess it comes down to defense, and of course, coaching.
2017 UWO defense is not good enough to win a championship without a great offense. UWW had great defenses, except for 2014.

Championship coaching: I have to believe the UWO coaching staff, more than anybody, wishes they could have a do over.

There was a big difference though when compared to the UWW teams - UWW never looked comfortable. They always looked, no matter the score, like it was tied and in OT. Actually, they played like it was tied and OT. UWO looked relaxed aafter half, and more so at 35-10. The coaches seemed to take a breath and the players seemed comfortable. I wonder how many tweeted Mom at half time - "get the hotel closest to the Stadium and you and Dad need to take Weds through Friday off". That would be fun - call the Salem hotels and see if they got any cancellation calls Saturday around 5.

[MiacMan]

UWO is there because they have been there. Yesterday was a lesson, nothing more. UMHB got the lesson and so did UWO: never stop. The game is never over - until it hits 00:00. Knock Mount for throwing deep (61 yards) week before up 56-24 or whatever - but its playoffs. The game isn't over - until the final whistle blows because each one of these teams is really good. Some are great but all are really good. They don't have to win it to be "there". Unless its Tommies - they have to win it twice before I will say they are "there".

And if the Tommies ever do win it twice, I am sure they and all of there fans will be on pins and needles just waiting for Desertraider to finally crown them as "There"

You are correct. They will demand a coronation at midfield with me presenting the crown. 

Hey, I love it! If I knew how to do that karma thing I give you big +k!

[Desertraider]

UWO is there because they have been there. Yesterday was a lesson, nothing more. UMHB got the lesson and so did UWO: never stop. The game is never over - until it hits 00:00. Knock Mount for throwing deep (61 yards) week before up 56-24 or whatever - but its playoffs. The game isn't over - until the final whistle blows because each one of these teams is really good. Some are great but all are really good. They don't have to win it to be "there". Unless its Tommies - they have to win it twice before I will say they are "there".

And if the Tommies ever do win it twice, I am sure they and all of there fans will be on pins and needles just waiting for Desertraider to finally crown them as "There"

You are correct. They will demand a coronation at midfield with me presenting the crown. 

Hey, I love it! If I knew how to do that karma thing I give you big +k!

So long as I don't have to place it on Glen's head. Maybe the QB or MVP for the game.

[raiderpa]

UWO coach made a funny (he thought) in the post game presser: "well at least Mount had to 'coach and they didn't win 70-0." sic
Ironically, I wondered if the UWO coach was coaching when Mount was staging a monumental comeback? 
. 
I don't know what the heck happened after the Titans went up 35-10, but I know a few tv's  in Ohio clicked off.  At that moment UWO seemed to try auto-pilot and  the rest is what it turned out to be.  The greatest comeback in Mount Union football history. I never thought we could score that much on UWO, and I never thought we would give up the big plays that UWO had.  I think four td's over 40 yards.  Never happened to Mt. before, ever. Just a weird game.  I have watched the replay and still can't believe the change of momentum.
Mount Union has always had great success with halftime adjustments, and we fans always wait to see the results.  Coach Kehres said they changed some personnel positioning and schemes to attack in the second half.  Apparently that made a difference, because I felt that UWO was every bit as talented and strong as the Raiders.

[UWO Titan 78]

Congrats to the Purple Raiders.

What can I say, that was a tough loss. I give credit to the Raiders, more than I put blame on the Titans. I'm so incredibly proud to be a Titan. Let's remember where UWW was when they started their run, compared to where Oshkosh was. Whitewater and LAX are the Michigan and Ohio State of the the WIAC. They have dominated the conference for a long time. UWW took that to another level. Oshkosh has come from the bottom of the conference to compete with the best teams in the nation. For anybody to say they aren't there is disrespectful. They lost the Stagg Bowl to UMHB by three points. These is a team that has won 28 in a row, I believe. Oshkosh lost to Mount (a team that has been in the semi-finals 23 years in a row) by three points. Yes, they gave up a lead of 25 points. So did the Falcons in the Super Bowl. I get it, the Titans haven't won a National Title. But they can and have played with the elite. Will we ever win the Stagg? I don't know. But I know we are in the conversation now.

As for the game. The first half went about as well as Titan fans could have hoped. The second half, not as well. I questioned the coaching staff for giving the Purple Raiders the wind in the third quarter. It looked like a good move when we scored the first 14 points of the second half. In hindsight that may have hurt, because it forced Mount to pick up their pace, and I think that sense of urgency started to dictate the pace of the game. Yes, it felt like Mount dominated the 3rd quarter. They only outscored us 20-14 in the quarter, but they stole momentum. We didn't finish drives. We lost the turnover battle. We allowed Mount to do what they wanted to on offense. With all those things being said, we had the ball and the lead with the wind in the 4th quarter. Even as a sports pessimist, I was optimistic and confident in this offense against the Purple Raiders. That right there, says a lot about how far we've come as a program. We didn't get it done. Not because we weren't good enough, but because Mount made more plays. They made a ton of 3rd and 4th down conversions. They forced key turnovers. Not because we were bad; they were just better. They pushed the pile and got that extra yard. They completed the pass when they needed to. Fulford was excellent with or against the wind.

This loss hurt. Probably more than the Stagg. I can only imagine what those boys are feeling in the locker room. Nobody expected us to be there last year. This year came with expectations. I hope the future seasons continue to come with expectations too! I just hope these players and coaches can look back on this in a few days (or weeks or months) and see all they accomplished. The WIAC (it was the WSUC when I played) has long been on the D3 radar. These players and coaches have now elevated this program to the national level. Oshkosh was a baseball school when I got there. Now we're a football school. Hail Titans!

[MUC57]

UWO Titan 78

I would not want to see Mount play Oshkosh any time soon. I'm too old for games like that. Do the words "cardiac arrest" ring a bell? I graduated in '57 so am very old.
UWO played a great game. They certainly deserved their high national ranking. Each year, before the season even starts, I know some of the teams that will be in that "elite upper group". Next year, I'll have to add UWO to that list.
Here's a little historical, or hysterical, perspective.
Mount played it's 1st football game in 1893. Won their 1st OAC title in 1985 with their 1st 10-0 season. Went 1-1 in the playoff. Skipping ahead, won their first National Championship in 1993. Point being, sometimes it takes some time to get the "big one"!
Seems like not only did you have a good team, but you have a good program. You'll be back, strong as ever. I sure hope we don't meet any time soon!
Congrats on a great season.

[Gregory Sager]

Oshkosh was a baseball school when I got there. Now we're a football school. Hail Titans!

UW-Oshkosh used to be a soccer school, too, with four Final Fours in the space of a decade and a half. But that's a sad story for another time and another posting venue.

[merlecanlas]

to take the next step, UWO needs to grayshirt equally on each side of the ball.  Then they'd really have something.  At least Pete Cerroni won't "have to coach" when he's in Salem this week.

[raiderpa]

Oskhosh was good enough to win the Stagg.  Two plays stood out to me.  Third down in the fourth and number 25, a great football player, drops a third down pass that would have been a first down.  He made a miracle play on 4th down late.  His contributions throughout the game take away any blame on his part.

A BIG penalty on # 5, when he head-butted (half-heartedly I might add) and got the 15 yard penalty that killed another possession.  I thought the penalty was there (Im a Mount fan), but was really a cheapie to make at that time. 

The other cheapie was the procedure call against our #7 that made it 1st and 6 instead of 1st and goal at the one.  He was leaning forward and ref threw the flag.  This was as unnecessary as the call on #5 and was the same guy who threw flag, I think. Nor saying the penalties were not there, but I have never seen as many procedure calls in a Mount game. 

[emma17]

to take the next step, UWO needs to grayshirt equally on each side of the ball.  Then they'd really have something.  At least Pete Cerroni won't "have to coach" when he's in Salem this week.

I think it's more of timing being out of sync. Perhaps the greyshirt defenders were on last year's team while this year they were on O. The problem with getting true greyshirt synchronicity is they'd have to greyshirt an entire incoming class.

[merlecanlas]

to take the next step, UWO needs to grayshirt equally on each side of the ball.  Then they'd really have something.  At least Pete Cerroni won't "have to coach" when he's in Salem this week.

I think it's more of timing being out of sync. Perhaps the greyshirt defenders were on last year's team while this year they were on O. The problem with getting true greyshirt synchronicity is they'd have to greyshirt an entire incoming class.

Exactly,  I have no doubts that Coach Celloni can bring it all together for UWO

[emma17]

Oskhosh was good enough to win the Stagg.  Two plays stood out to me.  Third down in the fourth and number 25, a great football player, drops a third down pass that would have been a first down.  He made a miracle play on 4th down late.  His contributions throughout the game take away any blame on his part.

A BIG penalty on # 5, when he head-butted (half-heartedly I might add) and got the 15 yard penalty that killed another possession.  I thought the penalty was there (Im a Mount fan), but was really a cheapie to make at that time. 

The other cheapie was the procedure call against our #7 that made it 1st and 6 instead of 1st and goal at the one.  He was leaning forward and ref threw the flag.  This was as unnecessary as the call on #5 and was the same guy who threw flag, I think. Nor saying the penalties were not there, but I have never seen as many procedure calls in a Mount game.

Couldn't agree more raiderpa. The 3rd down drop by Todarello (#25) created the three and out after Mt had scored to bring it to 35-17. If UWO answers with a score there, or on the next series, which was killed by the 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, imo the game likely would have been over. Of course, without Todarello, UWO isn't UWO.
That motion call on Mt's #7 was about as ultra particular as I've ever seen.



 

[emma17]

to take the next step, UWO needs to grayshirt equally on each side of the ball.  Then they'd really have something.  At least Pete Cerroni won't "have to coach" when he's in Salem this week.

I think it's more of timing being out of sync. Perhaps the greyshirt defenders were on last year's team while this year they were on O. The problem with getting true greyshirt synchronicity is they'd have to greyshirt an entire incoming class.

Exactly,  I have no doubts that Coach Celloni can bring it all together for UWO

My guess is Pete Celloni won't even be given the chance next year, and I'm glad for it.

[merlecanlas]

to take the next step, UWO needs to grayshirt equally on each side of the ball.  Then they'd really have something.  At least Pete Cerroni won't "have to coach" when he's in Salem this week.

I think it's more of timing being out of sync. Perhaps the greyshirt defenders were on last year's team while this year they were on O. The problem with getting true greyshirt synchronicity is they'd have to greyshirt an entire incoming class.

Exactly,  I have no doubts that Coach Celloni can bring it all together for UWO

My guess is Pete Celloni won't even be given the chance next year, and I'm glad for it.

BREAKING NEWS!!! 

is there a big time high school in WI that needs either a big time offense or big time defense, but not both?

[Carin@TheLiquorStore]

Sorry in advance if this is a stupid question but I've seen a ton of posts about UWO grey-shirting players this past week, and I can't tell if people are truly up-in-arms about it or if they're just being sarcastic/trolls... If it's the former, I confess to not quite quite understanding why it's such a big deal.

...clearly I'm new here.