FB: American Southwest Conference

[Kelly Boggs]

Killeen Daily Herald - "It's Miller time again at UMHB": http://kdhnews.com/sports/college/umhb/it-s-miller-time-again-at-umhb/article_777f564d-c243-590e-8ab8-efd93fcabf94.html

[GillCJ1]

Thanks for the articles, Kelly.  So glad Markeith is here and carrying on that "Miller" legacy.  Different RBs for sure, but both exciting to watch.

It's Family Weekend at UMHB and the Hometown Heroes stuff is going on, too.  I'll probably get to the game earlier than usual so we can take in all the extra stuff.  My son will probably disown me if he doesn't get a chance to crawl through a firetruck like he did last year. 

Go Cru!

[DFWCrufan]

I'm gonna go out on the limb and say it, I think this UMHB team for 2016 is the best the Cru has posted since 2013 certainly. Yeah the MCMurry game was pretty much in hand early, but there is more to this, the control, poise, just plain ol working as one single entity is there. Confidence in all phases of the game, I think the new O coordinator is working the lines well, Blake is solid, the lines are strong, D is an absolute beast and even our Kicking, which was a big worry to me early on seems to have shored up.
So an outstanding 4-0 so far, well earned, well deserved and I look forward to the rest of the 2016 season

[zipmac22]

The Cru had a pretty solid game on all fronts. It's nice seeing improvements each week. I think the bye week might have caused The Cru to start out slow and sluggish, but after the field goal and first touch down they settled down and were working as a single unit. There is still the issue with penalties. Although there were less penalties, there were still penalties that gave McMurry too many chances to get closer to the end zoned. We just need to find a way to not make those mental mistakes. As others have said previously this could very well be the best Cru Football team! If they are able to keep getting better each week and make whatever corrections and adjustments needed they should be right where they need to be to make the playoffs. But, being careful not to look beyond the current game at hand. All in all it was a strong and solid game for The Cru!

[Ralph Turner]

I think that you Cru fans are making too much out of yesterday's game. 

We had no offense. McM lost the entire OL in the offseason.

You beat us 9 TD's to none.

I did not want to be pessimistic before the game, but I obtusely commented that such a score (66-3) would not surprise me.

If we come back and have a 3-6 record, then I am very happy. A 4-5 record will truly excite me!

As for UMHB, the HSU game will tell us how far UMHB goes into the playoffs.

[TruCru]

I think that you Cru fans are making too much out of yesterday's game. 

We had no offense. McM lost the entire OL in the offseason.

You beat us 9 TD's to none.

I did not want to be pessimistic before the game, but I obtusely commented that such a score (66-3) would not surprise me.

If we come back and have a 3-6 record, then I am very happy. A 4-5 record will truly excite me!

As for UMHB, the HSU game will tell us how far UMHB goes into the playoffs.

I feel like the Linfield game was a good measure of the team. No offense to Hardin Simmons but they aren't as good of a representation of UWW or Mount Union as Linfield was.

[DFWCrufan]

Not taking yesterday into account. sorry, but it wasn't a difficult challenge, I know some may not want to hear that, but it is true. Overall, is what I think about this team, from the scrimmage on, this Cru are far smoother then the last two seasons at this point. It seems the O line is more comfortable with Blake at the helm, I think he provides confidence with this line. The schemes are working nicely and just get the job done. I  don't think I'm in the minority here since in the top 25 UMHB now has 7 votes.
Now are they the end all be all? they are a team like any other, things can change, for the better or worse. There are teams that have that gone  undefeated through a season and blow it in the playoffs, other teams that should never had made it past the league play that go deep in the playoffs, things can change, but at this point, in my mind, from scrimmage on, I think this is one of the best teams, at least to me since 2013.
No Cru fan who has followed can't say that in the 2014 season we held our breath on Offense, and in 2015 it was a little better but still not smooth and confident, go back and look at the forum during that time, it will be telling.

[HSUDAD]

I think that you Cru fans are making too much out of yesterday's game. 

We had no offense. McM lost the entire OL in the offseason.

You beat us 9 TD's to none.

I did not want to be pessimistic before the game, but I obtusely commented that such a score (66-3) would not surprise me.

If we come back and have a 3-6 record, then I am very happy. A 4-5 record will truly excite me!

As for UMHB, the HSU game will tell us how far UMHB goes into the playoffs.

Hold your horses there, while I do appreciate the confidence in HSU....I don't think we are the measuring stick for UMHB, they already played that game.   The cowboys are finishing games great but we have yet to play anywhere near a complete game.   It's been anyone of the following combinations in each game so far, slow starts, dumb penalties, turnovers, giving up big plays.    We will have to play a complete game and then some to beat the Cru at their place.    Before that can be done we have to travel to Louisiana and play a very dangerous team, one game at a time.  At this  point I think it's HSU, ETBU and Louisiana same level and then there is the Cru several levels up.   Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of our cowboys they are finding a way to get it done it just hasnt been the prettiest thus far.   We will fight you in every game we just gotta get out of our own way in certain areas.      Hooyah cowboys.   

[DFWCrufan]

Cowboydad for sure the guys are not taking HSU lightly, year to year they are a tough game and I would say respected in the ASC, I would also say a pool candidate one way or the other as is ETBU and lets not turn our notice from Louisiana, a bit on the recovery side, but looking stronger as the season moves on. So we have four strong contenders in my opinion still in this hunt.
If anyone noticed, the conference went from ranked 8th to 5th, " Mary Hardin-Baylor made the statement win of the non-conference season, dominating the second half en route to a 39-point win over Linfield. East Texas Baptist and Hardin-Simmons are also undefeated and ranked in the Top 25. Too many non-D-III opponents keep this conference from being ranked higher" (D3 Footall.com) and the comment being too many non DIII games to help for a stronger ranking. Next year with the ASC basically being full with TLU and Southwestern joining, we could see the ASC jump up a rank as well...this is now a very very tough and competitive conference.

[crufootball]

Got a lot of football left to go but had to pass on this stat

Points given up by the Cru defense 45
Points scored by the Cru defense and special teams 42

Some much more potent offenses still to come but I still think this defense can play even better.

[Ralph Turner]

Cowboydad for sure the guys are not taking HSU lightly, year to year they are a tough game and I would say respected in the ASC, I would also say a pool candidate one way or the other as is ETBU and lets not turn our notice from Louisiana, a bit on the recovery side, but looking stronger as the season moves on. So we have four strong contenders in my opinion still in this hunt.
If anyone noticed, the conference went from ranked 8th to 5th, " Mary Hardin-Baylor made the statement win of the non-conference season, dominating the second half en route to a 39-point win over Linfield. East Texas Baptist and Hardin-Simmons are also undefeated and ranked in the Top 25. Too many non-D-III opponents keep this conference from being ranked higher" (D3 Footall.com) and the comment being too many non DIII games to help for a stronger ranking. Next year with the ASC basically being full with TLU and Southwestern joining, we could see the ASC jump up a rank as well...this is now a very very tough and competitive conference.

The only way that I think that we can jump as a conference is thru a very strong out of conference showing.

We (the 10 "ASC" teams) will have 10 non-conference games in the 2017. We have to play a stronger non-conference schedule. Playing SAGU, Texas College, Wayland Baptist and maybe even UT-Permian Basin will not help us.  We must beat AC, Millsaps and Trinity.

Getting the other 7 opponents (D-3 of course) and beating them is how we will raise our ranking.

[GillCJ1]

Got a lot of football left to go but had to pass on this stat

Points given up by the Cru defense 45
Points scored by the Cru defense and special teams 42

Some much more potent offenses still to come but I still think this defense can play even better.

JV squad has been playing well, too.  My notifications were going bonkers last night with all the points they were putting up (both on O and D).  It's funny how the end score was close to the game from Saturday (66-3, 67-6).

Away game this week against Howard Payne.  Could be ugly.  Anyone making the trip to Brownwood?  I'll be walking the beach in Galveston instead. 

[crufootball]

Cowboydad for sure the guys are not taking HSU lightly, year to year they are a tough game and I would say respected in the ASC, I would also say a pool candidate one way or the other as is ETBU and lets not turn our notice from Louisiana, a bit on the recovery side, but looking stronger as the season moves on. So we have four strong contenders in my opinion still in this hunt.
If anyone noticed, the conference went from ranked 8th to 5th, " Mary Hardin-Baylor made the statement win of the non-conference season, dominating the second half en route to a 39-point win over Linfield. East Texas Baptist and Hardin-Simmons are also undefeated and ranked in the Top 25. Too many non-D-III opponents keep this conference from being ranked higher" (D3 Footall.com) and the comment being too many non DIII games to help for a stronger ranking. Next year with the ASC basically being full with TLU and Southwestern joining, we could see the ASC jump up a rank as well...this is now a very very tough and competitive conference.

The only way that I think that we can jump as a conference is thru a very strong out of conference showing.

We (the 10 "ASC" teams) will have 10 non-conference games in the 2017. We have to play a stronger non-conference schedule. Playing SAGU, Texas College, Wayland Baptist and maybe even UT-Permian Basin will not help us.  We must beat AC, Millsaps and Trinity.

Getting the other 7 opponents (D-3 of course) and beating them is how we will raise our ranking.

Am I correct that with Trinity and Austin College going "back" to the SAA they too will only need 1 non conference game?

Any chance for a ASC/SAA or ASC/USAC challenge (I know I am stretching it)?

Or even better question, do the decision makers at the schools of the ASC really care to try hard to find that 10th D3 game when they can find a much cheaper alternative in SAGU, Texas College, Wayland Baptist, etc.

[DFWCrufan]

Yes that was my hope as well, Since 2017 UMHB still has Linfield on their schedule, that the rest would pull a stronger Non Conference game, since there is only one open. Maybe look at like a Hendrix or a Franklin or something along those lines. Hopeful

[Hooyah Cowboys]

Easy there, HSUDAD. I think you may be a little spoiled from last year's dominating wins. You may be forgetting the years when we started 0-2 not too long ago  and were hoping to just pull off a winning season! While I agree that we haven't been playing perfect, 4-0 is a huge accomplishment and I think any HSU team that can find a way to win games like we've been able to this year is a contender to beat anybody. I have confidence in this coaching staff to fix the issues we've been having and turn them into a "well oiled machine." It's gonna be a fun finish to see who pulls this thing out, still a lot of football to be played. Go Cowboys!

Hooyah Cowboys!!! HSU Class of '05