FB: American Southwest Conference

[Ron Boerger]

Other scores:

ETBU surprised HPU, 20-18
MC all over TLU, 34-5.

[Atomic Ross]

Good luck to the CRU this season, they definately look national title calibre.

As for Sul Ross, it was their best outing against UMHB in ten years, and, like I said, the offensive and defensive lines were the deal breakers this weekend.

I do feel sorry for Sully, because they do have an up-n-coming program, but because of several strong factors they'll never be able to compete year-in-year-out with programs like UMHB or HSU.  The first of those factors is the booster base.  Sul Ross boosters aren't a particularly affluent bunch, nor are they numerous, and it shows in the amenities at SRSU (as anyone who's been to Jackson Field can attest to).  Hopefully, a younger generation used to winning and having deeper pockets will strive to change this in years to come.

Secondly, the school has to appoint people to positions that expect production.  Coach Steve Wright is one of those people.  AD Kay Whitley is most assuredly not.  She only attends the most mandatory of football functions, and almost seems to go out of her way to display her apathy towards football (and men's sports in general).  In the last four years, Sully has gone from a 0-10 program to a 6-4 program, and could very possibly go 9-1 or 8-2 this year.  But I don't know if the AD could possibly care less.  Which is dumb, because football (especially successful football) is a cash-cow.  But you can't argue with someone more concerned with Title IX statutes than winning championships.

Third is raw distance.  It takes a lot to talk a competetive player into going to a school a hundred miles from nowhere, in a town a mile wide with little to do on a saturday night.  If they're any good, some other school has to look better just due to proximity to civilization.


It's all a viscious circle, as a program can't pay the coaches if no one's winning, but no one will win if there aren't quality players, but no good players will come if there's nothing offered, and nothing is offered if no one's winning.

[Josh Bowerman]

Looks like HSU has figured out their offensive problems, but the defense still looks to be pretty awful......

Congrats to Linfield on a great game, and what sounds like a super atmosphere.  Looks like no playoffs for the 'Boys this season, unless by some miracle UMHB lays an egg...

[Rick Akins]

Josh, it is now 52-42 Linfield --game just over.

I have been at both UMHB games to date, and they have been very impressive.  I am actually an HPU grad and supporter so I hope I am at least partially unbiased--my 3 daughters did (one still does) go to UMHB and I live close so I do see UMHB all the time, however.

I know pride goeth before a fall, but honestly both of these games by UMHB could have been 70-7 or something easily.  Lots and lots of 2nd and 3rd groups by UMHB on both sides of the ball almost all of the second halves both weeks. To me, not only the speed has been a key but also much better push and protection by the offensive line and just overall confidence by the offense--the defense always has it.

[tlugrad2000]

Well, stick a fork in 'em, TLU is toast for yet another season.  As long as TLU hires coaches with losing records that have close ties to influential alumni, they will NEVER build a program that will equal the one built by Coach Fred at UMHB.  Today proves that in football, thank God, the "L" stands for LOSER for TLU.  Coach Parker did not have to build a team from scratch like Coach Fred and Coach Marmion did for TLU in 1998 when he left the coaching staff at Cal Lutheran.

[dsc]

Wow!  Am I glad the "pre-conference" games are over...

Bring on the ASC...

Go HSU...you have a lot of "making up" to do!

[etbualum]

Etbu looked a lot better on offense today(except for the turnovers).   Kyle Pope hit two more fgs one of 42 yards and a 17 yarder with 2 seconds left. 

[golden_dome]

Couple of notes from the MC 34-5 win over TLU.

• MC led 28-5 at the half with Adam Shaffer throwing  for 251 yards and Jake Allen catching five passes for 140 yards and three scores.
• Defense allowed 150 yards with six sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Through two games the defense has ten sacks and 26 tackles for loss.
• Starting tailback Joe Barker ran for 91 yards on ten carries. He did not dress out against Millsaps. Joe led the state of Mississippi in touchdowns three years ago with 34.
• All-American punter Jonathan Russell had a great game averaging 48.3 yards on three punts. He had  a 63-yarder, a 45-yarder downed at the seven and a 37-yarder downed at the six.
• Offense had five plays go for more than 30 yards and three for more than 40.

TLU had one good drive in the first half that netted the field goal. The safety came on a bad punt snap that went through the endzone. Overall, TLU struggled to do anything offensively and didn't have the playmakers I remember them having the last few years.  Great game for a very good Choctaws team though. I'm not sure they received any credit for the Millsaps win with all of the hoopla surrounding the game, hopefully a win on the road against an improved McMurry team could set up a huge home game against HSU.

[Ralph Turner]

Well, stick a fork in 'em, TLU is toast for yet another season.  As long as TLU hires coaches with losing records that have close ties to influential alumni, they will NEVER build a program that will equal the one built by Coach Fred at UMHB.  Today proves that in football, thank God, the "L" stands for LOSER for TLU.  Coach Parker did not have to build a team from scratch like Coach Fred and Coach Marmion did for TLU in 1998 when he left the coaching staff at Cal Lutheran.

That is quite a rant.     Coach Parker has more State Championships than Coach Fred and has more years experience as a D-I Head Coach, too.  It seems that the last "winning" football coach at UNT must have been Hayden Fry. 

Of course, the first place that you look for contributions to the football program is your influential alumni.  For talented high school players, you can start by getting good players out of quality programs like Marshall and Converse Judson High Schools.

Of course, losing your starting QB to injury in the first game is also bad coaching.  I just don't know what TLU will do.

[D O.C.]

Some friends and I think HSU was hurt by running 2 quarterbacks much like UMHB was in the Stagg Bowl. Hurt probably meaning 0-2 against Division III teams that count for playoffs. The coaching staff has a pretty good idea now, though.
Carrillo getting hurt was a big factor in the final score. Having to watch both backs was a hard job.
I thought the HSU offense was interesting with all the motion inside.  I had to leave my beloved sideline for awhile to get a good view as to who was going where.

The season can still salvaged by beating the Crusaders.
Hope everyone heals well.

[CruAlum39]

I would like to start off giving a thank you to those that wished the Caney Creek Panthers luck this week.  You helped us pull off a 28-0 win.  We drove it on offense and the defense played well.  We are now 2-1 on the season.

Next I would like to say congrats to the Saders for a win over the good ol' "Bar SR Bar".  One of our coaches is a football alum of SR back when they were conference champs, so it's nice to get a few shots in.   

Don't know much about the game but it sounds like the offense played well, and the defense did a great job of keeping the Lobos in front of them and hurting them with the blitz package. 

I was a little surprised at the trackmeet that occurred in Oregon.  I wish the Cowboys could have pulled out a win for the ASC.  I know they will still be a forced to be reckoned with this year though.  I'm sure the coaching staff will allow the Cowboys to improve over the course of the season.  I just hope they don't improve too much when the play UMHB!   

It also seems that Mississippi College is playing a little defense this year.  Maybe they are the cinderella story of the season???  It will be interesting to see how their year turns out.

Well it's getting late and I have to get up early tomorrow so that we can gameplan to get us another win next Friday. 

[Kelly Boggs]

D.O.C.,

Giving up 600 yards of offense in back-to-back games indicates to me the Cowboys are having a down year on defense. I know both teams they have played are good, but HSU has played good teams in the past and not been torched like they have this year. While the offense played better against Linfield, I can assure you the Cowboys will not score 42 points against the Purple CRUsh D.

I think come October 6 (UMHB vs. HSU) we will all have some perspective on where the CRU is and after Oct 27 (UMHB vs. WW) we will really have a good idea. Just like the 2004 and 2005 Linfiled teams were very special, I think this year's  UMHB team is on the road to being very special. The defense is fast and fierce as usual. However, the offense has more fire power than I have ever seen. Thrasher and QD are both powerful and fast, in Q's case phenomenally fast. Few in DIII can stay with him. 6'7" wide-out Patrick Oliver gives the CRU a passing threat that will force teams to play honest - especially in the red zone. If they stack 8 and 9 in the box, Welch to Oliver will make them pay.

I know that anything can happen in a rivalry game, and that it is unwise to count your chickens before they hatch, but with all due respect to HSU, I don't see them beating the CRU this year. I know that UMHB must take one game at a time, but if they don't get enamored with their own press clippings and play to their potential, this is going to be a banner year for the CRU.

I hope Linfiled makes the playoffs and the Cats make a trip to Texas to face off with the CRU. Now that would be great.

[used2b]

etbualum.
       It was a good win for the players, however, it is sad b/c etbu has no real game breakers on Offense in the first time in forever. I think they had a Rec. play well, and the kids have a alot of heart, but the D better load up for assaults coming from SRSU, HSU,MC,UMHB and maybe LC. All have offenses that have proven to be formidable. With most of these throwing the ball, the D will get tired, b/c they will be forced into being on the field forever. Sad to say, but I think the game in Marshall was for two teams who  will have a hard time reaching .500.

[Ron Boerger]

Latest top 25 is out.  UMHB moves up to #2, HSU falls only one spot to #20. 

[Ron Boerger]

ASC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
(Games of September 15)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ben McLaughlin, QB, So., Louisiana College
Louisiana College sophomore quarterback Ben McLaughlin (Dierks, AR / DHS) led the Wildcats to their second-highest offensive output in program history - 627 yards - with 336 yards passing and three touchdowns in a 38-15 conference-opening home win over McMurry. He was 25 of 40 passing, with his TD tosses all being LC's first three scores - scoring drives of 75, 91 and 82 yards.


DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Victor Flores, CB, Fr., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist freshman cornerback Victor Flores (Mission, TX / Veterans Memorial HS) picked off two passes and recorded five tackles in the Tigers' 20-18 conference-opening win over Howard Payne - also their first win of 2007. Flores' first interception cut short an HPU drive in ETBU territory in the first quarter and his second was in the third quarter, giving the Tigers the ball in HPU territory. Flores also had a pass break-up.


SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Quincy Daniels, KR, So., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore Quincy Daniels (Belton, TX / BHS) took the opening kickoff back 88 yards for a touchdown in the nationally-ranked Cru's 55-14 conference-opening win over Sul Ross State in a battle of two of the ASC's three remaining undefeated teams. Daniels, who becomes the league?s first two-time weekly award winner this season (top offensive player last week), also ran for 74 yards and a TD from the running back position.