FB: American Southwest Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Linfield's win against PLU may have played a part as well.

[Ralph Turner]

Linfield's win against PLU may have played a part as well.

Thanks for the insight, because Linfield's tally did not change (531 votes). North Central did pick up 7 votes and Wesley got 14 more votes to strengthen their hold on 6th.

[McM Blue Devil]

Oh, but here's one more thing as well. I don't mean to harp on this, but this is what I see.

It seems as though McM is trying to just run in the face of all other ASC teams, as if their move to the next level means they are better, so they are going to do anything on their way out the door. Running up  scores or not giving handshakes at the end of games seems to be the norm, and I don't think that is what the people at that institution want. I wouldn't want that. As an alum, I would write a letter. UMHB has, as I can remember, never had their #1 RB in the game running when up big. There were times with Quincy Daniels that he took maybe two balls in the 2nd half and then never played again due to the score. To me, that is respecting the game and your opponent.

As an alum, want do you want me to say in my letter? 

[umhb2001]

Oh, but here's one more thing as well. I don't mean to harp on this, but this is what I see.

It seems as though McM is trying to just run in the face of all other ASC teams, as if their move to the next level means they are better, so they are going to do anything on their way out the door. Running up  scores or not giving handshakes at the end of games seems to be the norm, and I don't think that is what the people at that institution want. I wouldn't want that. As an alum, I would write a letter. UMHB has, as I can remember, never had their #1 RB in the game running when up big. There were times with Quincy Daniels that he took maybe two balls in the 2nd half and then never played again due to the score. To me, that is respecting the game and your opponent.

As an alum, want do you want me to say in my letter?

I can't tell you how you feel about your school. Not looking for an argument here, just posting my feelings.

[crufootball]

Obviously I know that McMurry and HSU are rivals but can anybody tell me what kind of emotions are there? Mainly I am wondering does McM hate HSU to the point that they will run up the score if given the chance on Saturday? Would be hard to blame them to take 20 + years of aggresion out on HSU.

[mcmfan]

Either team will run up the score if it can.  If McM ran up the score against TLU to send a message to the D3 playoff committee, I'll bet HSU did the same thing to send a message to McM.  And if the football game isn't enough, the McM-HSU junior varsity are playing on Monday and the two volleyball teams (currently tied for first place in the conference) on Wednesday.  McM will try to break the jinx, and HSU will play to maintain it.  I wouldn't call it hatred between the two schools, but intense competition and rivalry.  There will be no empty seats on Saturday (and probably none at the volleyball game, either).
Isn't this what football is supposed to be all about?

[McM Blue Devil]

Oh, but here's one more thing as well. I don't mean to harp on this, but this is what I see.

It seems as though McM is trying to just run in the face of all other ASC teams, as if their move to the next level means they are better, so they are going to do anything on their way out the door. Running up  scores or not giving handshakes at the end of games seems to be the norm, and I don't think that is what the people at that institution want. I wouldn't want that. As an alum, I would write a letter. UMHB has, as I can remember, never had their #1 RB in the game running when up big. There were times with Quincy Daniels that he took maybe two balls in the 2nd half and then never played again due to the score. To me, that is respecting the game and your opponent.

As an alum, want do you want me to say in my letter?

I can't tell you how you feel about your school. Not looking for an argument here, just posting my feelings.

My point is this.  McM doesn't think they are better than anybody else or trying to rub anything in the faces of other ASC schools because they are going D2.  The decision to move to D2 was not a snub at others, rather it was  a decision based on what is best for McMurry. The "running up of scores" I think (as previously mentioned on the Board) is an attempt to get the attention of the Committee if and (a BIG) if a playoff spot is at stake.  I don't think it is a lack of respect for other opponents or "not respecting the game.".  I clearly remember a time in 2005 when UMHB beat McM 72-0 and I don't recall this board going ballistic about that.

The not shaking hands incident at UMHB was unfortunate and I don't condone it.  However it came at the end of an emotional game.  No excuses, but it happened within a context.  As an alum there are many other things that might concern me about my school, running up the score or not shaking an opponents hands at the end of one game is not on that list.

Please know, I am not trying to argue with you, just state my point.

[ExTartanPlayer]

I clearly remember a time in 2005 when UMHB beat McM 72-0 and I don't recall this board going ballistic about that.

Running up the score cannot be judged solely by the actual numbers on the board, but rather the manner in which the score was unfolded.

I took the liberty of looking up the boxscore from that 2005 game.  The UMHB starting offense completed a touchdown pass on the first play of the second half (to make the score 45-0) and left the game.  The backup quarterback played the entire 3rd and 4th quarter.  UMHB had 12 different players run the ball in the game; the fourth quarter was an endless rotation of UMHB's third and fourth-string RB's carrying the ball.  The only thing that one could argue was unwarranted was allowing the backup QB to throw a few passes in the third quarter, but I'm on record as saying that it's fine to let your backups run the offense for a few series; after all, they might need the practice if they are called on later in the season.

Now let's contrast that to McMurry's recent 60-16 victory over Texas Lutheran, in which McMurry's starting QB threw a touchdown pass with a 30-point lead and less than six minutes on the clock.  The backup QB Warren entered the game and threw another touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining.  That is far less sportsmanlike than UMHB's 72-0 victory as recapped above.

I do understand the desire for "style points" as McMurry may be on the table scrounging for that last Pool C berth; however, if you're going to bring up a previous blowout as some kind of evidence that other teams run the score up too, get your facts straight.

[mcmfan]

So you're saying that UMHB bringing in backup quarterbacks who get touchdowns is okay because they need the practice, but letting McMurry's backup get one is running up the score?

[ExTartanPlayer]

So you're saying that UMHB bringing in backup quarterbacks who get touchdowns is okay because they need the practice, but letting McMurry's backup get one is running up the score?

You're mischaracterizing my argument.

UMHB's backup quarterback threw his final pass with nearly 14 minutes to play.  From there on, it was a parade of running plays by backup RB's.  At that point, with nearly the entire fourth quarter to play, UMHB was pretty clearly trying to run out the clock, not run up the score.

That seems quite a bit different than having your backup QB throw a touchdown pass from the 3-yard line with 32 seconds remaining, doesn't it?  Especially when you left the starter in long enough to throw one five minutes before that with a thirty-point lead?  If the "game experience for the backup" argument is what you're going with, why not bring him in for the previous series (with a 46-16 lead and <10 minutes to play)? 

If you honestly don't see the difference between UMHB backups scoring in the third quarter and McMurry's backup QB throwing a touchdown pass from the three-yard line with less than a minute remaining, I don't know how else to get that point across to you.

[BTW60]

Why are people complaining about running the score up.  If certain teams don't like it, then don't sign up for football.    As a player I wanted to score as many points as possible.  As a coach, we keep our starters in until at least 1 drive in the 4th because we are preparing for the playoffs.  We learned our lesson last year when we would bench our starters at the end of the 3rd quarter.  We got into a battle and overtime in the playoffs and our starters were worn out.  This is football.  If you can't stop people from scoring then your coaches need to figure something out or do some better recruiting.  As far as the HSU Cowboys and the McMurry mens football team rivalry, you have to at least win 1 to make it a rivalry.  Should be interesting this year. 

[Ralph Turner]

Why are people complaining about running the score up.  If certain teams don't like it, then don't sign up for football.    As a player I wanted to score as many points as possible.  As a coach, we keep our starters in until at least 1 drive in the 4th because we are preparing for the playoffs.  We learned our lesson last year when we would bench our starters at the end of the 3rd quarter.  We got into a battle and overtime in the playoffs and our starters were worn out.  This is football.  If you can't stop people from scoring then your coaches need to figure something out or do some better recruiting.  As far as the HSU Cowboys and the McMurry mens football team rivalry, you have to at least win 1 to make it a rivalry.  Should be interesting this year. 

Most pertinent comment yet! 

[Toby Taff]

I was at that McM Umhb game and there was no running up the score, there was no defense being played by McM. It seamed like every bony handed the ball took it to the house, but I also don't think McM was trying to run up the score. I think they were just playing their game. I think I would be more offended By the thought that the coaches were trying to get style points.

[Bill McCabe]

As many beatings as McMurry has taken the past few years, I don't have a problem with the number of points they are scoring this year.

[umhb2001]

I clearly remember a time in 2005 when UMHB beat McM 72-0 and I don't recall this board going ballistic about that.

Running up the score cannot be judged solely by the actual numbers on the board, but rather the manner in which the score was unfolded.

I took the liberty of looking up the boxscore from that 2005 game.  The UMHB starting offense completed a touchdown pass on the first play of the second half (to make the score 45-0) and left the game.  The backup quarterback played the entire 3rd and 4th quarter.  UMHB had 12 different players run the ball in the game; the fourth quarter was an endless rotation of UMHB's third and fourth-string RB's carrying the ball.  The only thing that one could argue was unwarranted was allowing the backup QB to throw a few passes in the third quarter, but I'm on record as saying that it's fine to let your backups run the offense for a few series; after all, they might need the practice if they are called on later in the season.

Now let's contrast that to McMurry's recent 60-16 victory over Texas Lutheran, in which McMurry's starting QB threw a touchdown pass with a 30-point lead and less than six minutes on the clock.  The backup QB Warren entered the game and threw another touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining.  That is far less sportsmanlike than UMHB's 72-0 victory as recapped above.

I do understand the desire for "style points" as McMurry may be on the table scrounging for that last Pool C berth; however, if you're going to bring up a previous blowout as some kind of evidence that other teams run the score up too, get your facts straight.

This is exactly what I was saying! Thank you. +1