FB: American Southwest Conference

[OLDCHOCTAWCOACH]

My son and I traveled to Belton today expecting a whuppin but wanting to see the team play. I was encourage by a couple of things.  First, about 150 fans in the stands on the visitor side, quite an improvement a few years ago when we had less than fifty for any away games.
Second, the team didn't get down when we misplayed the opening kickoff and MHB recovered.  The defense got a turnover (one of many in the 1st half) and the offense drove down and got a field goal.  McM led after the 1st qtr by 3 to nothing and kept it close until the last couple of minutes of the first half.

The defense played great in the first half, getting multiple turnovers to stop drives.  The heat and the size and depth of MHB wore them down late in the 2nd qtr. The offense struggled until late when the MHB reserves came in.  I think our QB did a good job in throwing the ball first and not scrambling out of the pocket and trying to make a play.  I don't know the exact turnover count, but we turned the ball over too many times to win against a powerfull MHB team.

I was a little peeved about how agressive MHB was late in the 3rd qtr with the game in hand and still throwing the ball on first down even with the 2nd team QB in the game.  I don't mind teams throwing the ball on 3rd down and long to make first downs but it appeared they were trying to insure (or improve) their #2 national ranking.  We have a playoff in D3, MHB can prove their ranking by running the table and finishing the year unbeaten, they don't need to run up the score.

Gray and his coaches had the team prepared and ready to play, then just got outmanned by a much deeper MHB team.  Hopefully, some of the current McM players and parents are lurkers on the website and will convince most of the players to stay with the program and finish out their 4 years. 

Proudmcmdad,

I understand your frustration.  I remember in 2003 when we (MC) were down by about 50 points and they were still going for it on 4th down and throwing the ball.  I said it then and I'll say it again, that is the most classless group of coaches in the ASC and it is an embarassment to all the other coaches out there that try to exemplify good sportsmanship to their players and their fans.  What does running up the score prove to anybody?  What does it teach the players?  Just remember....what comes around goes around.  If you don't believe me, ask Todd Dodge.  He was a big fan of running up the score on people when he was at Southlake.  Now he's seeing what it's like on the other side of the tracks.  Nonetheless proudmcmdad and anybody else that might be reading this, the purpose of D-III football is to give kids that love the game a chance to play football for a few more years.  Very few kids go on to the next level from D-III, but they do get a top-notch education and they hopefully learn a little bit more about sportsmanship, teamwork, adversity and perserverance.  If you get all of that out of the McMurry experience, that is priceless.  The kids at McMurry are learning a lot more than the kids at UMHB.  Keep your heads up if you're down and remember, you're still playing the greatest game in the world.  Enjoy it, even if you don't win, you're playing and you're learning a lot more than you would if you ran the score up on people every week. 

[texgrad69]

Read Pat Coleman's post.  I believe he's about as neutral as it gets.  And all along I thought football was a game of aggression.  What did you want, UMHB to punt on 1st down?       

[imad3fanatic]

OldChoctawCoach

I can tell you are still in pain over the 67-7 loss by MC to UMHB in 2003, but you need to get the facts straight. UMHB scored 53 points in the first half and ran a MC fumble in for a score on the second play of the second half. UMHB had 405 yards of total offense in the first half and only 120 in the second half. It appears that the "classless" coaching staff at UMHB called off the dogs in the second half.

You do not know the UMHB coaching staff well enough to make that kind of judgement on their character. Basing your assesment on the outcome of a football game says more about your character than it does about the UMHB coaches.

[Bill McCabe]

Oldchoctawcoach,

It is not the job of the opposing coaches to keep the score down.  Every player that steps on the field has the right and expectation to play their best.  I saw that 2003 game and every player on the UMHB team played.  Why should the 2nd team and 3rd team players be penalized because their team is ahead in the score.  It is the other teams job to tackle and block.  You never know when a starter is going to get hurt and you need to have players prepared to play.  You don't get the same experience in practice as you do in a game. 

[Bill McCabe]

Wish I could have seen the HSU-MC game.  That could be the game of the year in the ASC.  Congratulations to HSU on a big win.

[PA_wesleyfan]

I started a RUNNING Up the Score port in general posts if anyone is interested

[Toby Taff]

one more thing about the running up the score issue.  I'll assume that McM didn't want the Cru to let up, because they kept running out the first string.  They didn't surrender.  They played 12 people other than the starters.  MHB played 42, most of which will be looking at McM's starters again in the near future. 

[drinkxs.com]

i was at the mhb-mcm game on saturday. mcm continued to play most of their starters for the entire game. the two touchdowns they scored were against an almost complete fresh-soph defense. mcm continued to play to score points. what are our guys supposed to do, let them score points while we are on defense, and not allow our 3-5 strings not to play hard because it is not "politically correct"

anyone who was at the game knows that the scoring outcome could have been much worse if mhb would have just left their 2nd string in

in addition, i have no problem with mcm leaving their starters in trying to score points, that is what they are supposed to do, play hard, and not give up.  it is a great life learning lesson.

[aldl]

We all know from the past that UMHB-McM game was going to be a blow out! McM doesn't have the physical abilities to match up with UMHB! They have the talent to play with anyone in the conference, but lacks a little heart. Coach Gray will give them that drive and motivation with years to come. It takes time. The scoreboard is their for a reason. Backups that doesn't play as much wants to showcase their skills as well. I know last year's HSU team backups looked to score everytime their on offense, and the defensive wants to shut down an opponent. That's what an offensive is taught to do. If I was an offensive coach and I'm up big with my backups, then I'm going to call the same plays to get them game experience for next year and to have them prepared just in case a starter gets hurt. If there's a such thing as runnning up the score, then I think it would be leaving the starters in for almost the entire game while the score is out of reach. Kind of what OU did to Tulsa, and it came back to bite them in the colorado game. But don't BLAME the Coaches for getting their backups game experience.

[aldl]

On another note, Congrats to HSU for holding on and pulling out the victory against a very tough team in a hostile environment. They're still a little shaky on defense, but they're getting better. They will have to step it up for this week UMHB! The corner for HSU #22 has made the most progress out the db'z in my opinion. He's made a couple big plays in the past couple of weeks. The breakup at the end of the game against LC and the int he took for 35yds to set up a touchdown that HSU went up by 14 (i think) The offense for HSU is for real, but in order to beat UMHB they will have to step it up on defense this year and SPECIAL TEAMS. Last year the first game was about special teams because HSU stopped the offense but a big kickoff return by UMHB, a blocked field goal, a muffed punt returned to the 3 yard line all by UMHB. UMHB has just found ways to beat HSU in the past couple years thank to great coaching schemes for UMHB. This should be a great weak for the ASC. I just hope this game is competitive(i beleive it will). I think HSU can put points on UMHB, but containing them is going to be a prob. But that's why we play the game. Well hope all teams in ASC have a great preparation week.

[golden_dome]

Thanks for your report, Chris.

Josh, with Feaster settled in now at QB, I think the offense is just as good as the last few years. Although they did struggle with the running game on both sides of the ball, but I think MC will do that to a lot of people. Hardin Simmons entered the game averaging 5.1 per rush and 186 per game, but MC held them to 68 total and 2.1 per carry.

I have been watching football in the ASC for eight years now at MC. The Choctaws are very good this year and I could certainly see them as a potential Top 25 team. After UMHB, I would like their chances against anyone else in the south region and we will see what they can do against the Cru in a couple weeks. They just could not bury HSU last night when the Cowboys kept getting out of tough situations, but I credit that to who we were playing.

I have seen 4-5 of the last 7-8 Hardin-Simmons teams, and this one matches the others offensively. Good quarterback, Quentin Jones at tailback, solid receivers and solid up front. If their defense can figure out a way to get a few stops, they could still do something this year.

But I am not sure how they match up against UMHB. On paper, MC probably matches up better against th Cru just because we have been great against the run this year and HSU really struggled stopping us on the ground. We averaged over five yards per carry last night, but again, I think we are pretty tough to stop offensively.

Looking forward to how HSU matches up against UMHB because there is very little difference between MC and the Cowboys this year. If they can give Feaster time to throw the ball, they will put some points on the board, but they have to get more stops on defense.

[Kelly Boggs]

The wait is almost over... this time next week we will  have a very good idea of just where UMHB and HSU stand... and what the potential is for for the remainder of the season.

Let's go Purple CRUsh!

[Rick Akins]

I was at the UMHB/MCM game yesterday. I watched all 60 minutes. You people who talk about running up the score were either not at the game or, to put it politely, are CLUELESS.

As I have said many times, I am a HPU fan and grad, but my children went and go to UMHB and I live close and see most of their games.

UMHB played the second and third string part of the third and all of the fourth quarter.  It was 3-0 MCM at the end of the first, people.

The UMHB coaching staff are not the ones who played their first team the entire game, it was MCM.  Also, MCM went for two after 2 meaningless late touchdowns, tried an onside kick while down I believe 58-11 and called a time out with under a minute left  to see if his first string could score again against third teamers. I am sure the MCM coach did what he thought he needed to do for his team, but come on people.

I have seen running up the score and that was not it!!  I frankly thought Coach Fredenburg showed considerable restraint against what I thought were ridiculous  tactics from his opponent.  Take your whipping and go home. What about the MCM reserves--don't they deserve playing time too?

I certainly was not going to say any of this, but the ludicrous statements posted here about "running up the score" could not be left alone.

[Kelly Boggs]

Rich A,

Well said, +karma for you.

Any relation to Marty?

[proudmcmdad]

Akins, you can sure pick winners on the ASC pickems game, but I guess I am a little old school like oldchoctaw.  I have been around the game (watching game film with the coach living next door, playing, and watching games) my entire 50+ years. I assure you I am not clueless.  I hope Gray is coaching McM in 10 years so he will still be remembering this past weeks outcome because at some point MHB will get theirs.  With a 40 point lead, you don't throw the ball downfield trying to score quickly.  You pass on 2nd and third and long to keep possession, you try to run the ball down their throat and eat up the clock.  If you score while doing that that is fine.  You have already won the game and you don't need to embarass your opponent.  So when the other team pull's their starters you are supposed to pull yours also when you are obviously a better and deeper team, so that your second and third team can run up the score to 80 or 90 points.  What are you trying to prove.  Sportsmanship is part of the game also, learning how to win without being a braggart and learning how to lose when you get beat.

I knew I would get a response with what I wrote.  I still believe what I wrote and I hope most coaches teach how to be good winners on and off the field.  I think that is one of the most important part of the game.