Around the Nation board

[K-Mack]

Mr Yipsi you don't have to look real hard. The computer rankings require an OOC "score" for the conference based on performance. If he set that score to 0, since they play no OOC schedule, they would be at the back of the rankings. Those rankings must set the score to 100 as a default, therefore they have a perfect conference OOC, making them the best conference in the country. They then further benefit from the faulty math inherent in each game being a zero sum for the conference, one win, one loss. So in every season, the conference has to be .500 overall. If you add those two together, the faulty logic gives you top teams.

It's a perfect example of what a computer science professor would call GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. The computer can measure the data provided, and in respect to the NESCAC, part of the assumptions backing the data is flawed, so you get Garbage Out.

Just ignore those rankings. They have no meaning in comparison to the rest of the rankings.

There's that W&L edumacation. All my feeble R-MC mind could understand was GIGO.

I voted for your boys this week!

[K-Mack]

HSCoach you mentioned the MUC schedule being back end loaded -- 6 weeks in, MUC appears to be fully loaded!  Haven't seen any of the games just stats and scores, it is amazing.

The next 3 weeks appear to be the challengers (basing that on record only, haven't watched any OAC games this year) -- What can we expect from Otterbein, BW and Heidelberg, competitive with a shot to win or more of the same?

I certainly don't have HS Coach's expertise on UMU or the OAC, but I would say Ott and Bald Wally have zero chance of winning (and only slim chances of breaking Mount's shutout streak ), but the Heidi game could get interesting.  What an amazing turnaround for Heidi once they hired a Mount grad as their HC!

I'd take the bet that all four of Mount Union's remaining opponents score, as will any opponent in the second round of the playoffs and beyond.

[jknezek]

There's that W&L edumacation. All my feeble R-MC mind could understand was GIGO.

I voted for your boys this week!

I think it is finally possible that W&L has expunged their opening loss. That being said, I'm not sure they really qualify as a top 25 team. I have them near the bottom of the top 10 in my South Region poll. The more teams I watch, the more I see the shortcomings of being as one dimensional as W&L unless you have really great athletes (Salisbury). There is a reason the option isn't a dominant offensive scheme anymore.

That being said, it works well in the ODAC because W&L has recently been getting the athletes to compete at that level. The ODAC is so insanely pass happy that other teams are at a loss how to defend it and one week just isn't enough practice time if the athletes are comparable. W&L, on the other hand, gets game experience almost every week (Sewanee being the exception) against pass happy teams, so their defense isn't anywhere near as handcuffed against a system that isn't run much in practice.

I am enjoying the last couple years. W&L lost two games by 8 points or less, on the road, to playoff teams last year. This year they dropped the opener, but no one else has really come close. I think the hardest game after the opener was against Sewanee, and that's because both teams used the same playbook and it came down to athletes and execution, an area W&L still has a significant advantage. But there is a lot of season to go and, at this point, when you have a team running for 400-500 yards most games, it's just hard to beat them.

[bleedpurple]

I have a question for you national guys.  What teams within the Top 10 or Top 15 run the spread offense? 

[K-Mack]

I have a question for you national guys.  What teams within the Top 10 or Top 15 run the spread offense?

Off top ... Linfield is single-back, several WR. Hobart. Those are the ones that run spread in the traditional sense.

UMU lines up in spread but doesn't get stuck in a mold of always running same "system." Plays to personnel strengths. I would call them multiple. Wesley is sort of the same. I'd call it multiple, but they'll go four wide at times. They use h-backs, shotgun read option runs with the QBs. Whatever it takes.

UMHB is multiple option. UWW goes single back and I-backs but not spread. Salisbury is triple option. North Central lists itself as spread but can go run-heavy (several backs share carries). IWU is straight I, I believe.

Here's a good resource, last year's playoff bracket capsules:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2011/bracket-uww

Why do you ask?

[gordonmann]

Widener runs spread and a fairly open formation, IIRC.

[Ralph Turner]

Good podcast.  I also like the way that you have your voices some from different speakers, e.g. Pat from my left speaker and Keith from the right.

Kinda reminds me of the Beatles Abbey Road "Here comes the Sun King".   

...
Quando para mucho mi amore de felice corazon
Mundo paparazzi mi amore cicce verdi parasol
Cuesto abregado tanta mucho que cara te carousel.

[K-Mack]

Good podcast.  I also like the way that you have your voices some from different speakers, e.g. Pat from my left speaker and Keith from the right.

Kinda reminds me of the Beatles Abbey Road "Here comes the Sun King".   

...
Quando para mucho mi amore de felice corazon
Mundo paparazzi mi amore cicce verdi parasol
Cuesto abregado tanta mucho que cara te carousel.

Thanks.

And I'm guessing it's stereo/mono mixing that we don't do? I actually record with a real high-quality USB mic, but the quality of the broadband probably affects the quality of our sound as well.

It's all about the content baby!

[umhb2001]

I have a question for you national guys.  What teams within the Top 10 or Top 15 run the spread offense?

Off top ... Linfield is single-back, several WR. Hobart. Those are the ones that run spread in the traditional sense.

UMU lines up in spread but doesn't get stuck in a mold of always running same "system." Plays to personnel strengths. I would call them multiple. Wesley is sort of the same. I'd call it multiple, but they'll go four wide at times. They use h-backs, shotgun read option runs with the QBs. Whatever it takes.

UMHB is multiple option. UWW goes single back and I-backs but not spread. Salisbury is triple option. North Central lists itself as spread but can go run-heavy (several backs share carries). IWU is straight I, I believe.

Here's a good resource, last year's playoff bracket capsules:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2011/bracket-uww

Why do you ask?

With UMHB's offense the way it is this year, I would have to disagree that they are still a multiple option team. I would agree with you 3-4 years ago and beyond, but they have really worked toward getting Bailey to throw the ball more, and accurately, and the senior signal caller has passed with flying colors this year. I think internally they are calling it the pistol, but they are way more active in the passing game than ever, and it shows; they have had a balanced attack this year and it is paying off.

[Pat Coleman]

I keep mentioning that in the podcast.

[K-Mack]

That description came right off of UMHB's website, but if you watch them play I'll take your word for it. WE keep mentioning that they have passed better this year than most in recent memory, so we are aware of that. No intent to mislead there, was just answering the guy's question.

[jknezek]

Nice job with the ATN. Finally got around to reading it. I'm a numbers guy, so that was a fun column to read. Plus I saw the plug for W&L's Luke Heinsohn.

[Ralph Turner]

Nice job with the ATN. Finally got around to reading it. I'm a numbers guy, so that was a fun column to read. Plus I saw the plug for W&L's Luke Heinsohn.

Great ATN.  It makes for some great Saturday morning pre-game reading.  Here is the link for all of you board lurkers who seldom get to the front page...   

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2012/a-whole-lot-of-special

[K-Mack]

That description came right off of UMHB's website, but if you watch them play I'll take your word for it. WE keep mentioning that they have passed better this year than most in recent memory, so we are aware of that. No intent to mislead there, was just answering the guy's question.

Watched a bunch of that game today. UMHB definitely runs option mixed in with all the other stuff still. In case that wasn't clear.

[K-Mack]

Nice job with the ATN. Finally got around to reading it. I'm a numbers guy, so that was a fun column to read. Plus I saw the plug for W&L's Luke Heinsohn.

Great ATN.  It makes for some great Saturday morning pre-game reading.  Here is the link for all of you board lurkers who seldom get to the front page...   

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2012/a-whole-lot-of-special

There are those? I'm like the opposite, I always forget about the boards, the foundation, in this day of twitter and instagram and all that.

Thanks for the kudos from you both. I enjoy the numbers breakdown columns too.