FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Raiders Fan]

Additional info on possibility of Robert Heller transfering to Mount Union.  I found this info Greene County Messenger in Waynsburg, PA.


Robert Heller believes he will play college football again.
If that indeed happens, it most certainly won't be for Waynesburg University.

Heller and the Yellow Jackets have all but parted ways, and both sides appear ready to move on. All that remains is where and when, as in where Heller will transfer and how soon it will happen.
In a career that covered 12 games, Heller rushed for 2,280 yards and 26 touchdowns. The Ringgold High School graduate averaged 5.63 yards per carry.
As a freshman, Heller set Waynesburg records for rushing yards in a season (2,176), touchdowns (26), attempts (386) and rushing yards in a game (312) in an 8-3 season. He was selected first-team all-PAC, ECAC Rookie of the Year and named to the second team all-region by D3football.com.
Heller's 197.8 rushing yards per game led Division III.
Following his freshman season, Heller looked into transferring from Waynesburg to Pitt, Maryland or Mount Union. With a move to Pitt or Maryland, both D-I schools, Heller would have been forced to sit out a season.
Heller would have been eligible to play immediately with a transfer to perennial power Mount Union, which is D-III, but all three options proved fruitless and Heller remained at Waynesburg. Heller did not take part in spring drills, but had to enroll in summer classes to remain eligible for his sophomore season.
It is for this reason, his desire to transfer, that Heller believes a rift developed between him and Waynesburg head coach Rick Shepas.
"I didn't play spring ball and I'll put the blame on myself for that, it was a mistake," Heller said. "I don't know if he (Shepas) was holding a grudge against me for wanting to transfer, but he came to me and told me his plan was for me to split time with another back. I didn't want to have to share carries.
"He (Shepas) said we needed to spread the ball around and that people would be keying on me. Going into the Washington & Jefferson game last season, I'm pretty sure they were keying on me and it didn't matter."
Against W&J, Heller carried the ball 30 times for 289 yards and two touchdowns, but Waynesburg still lost, 22-21.
Once the 2008 season began, Heller injured his ankle on the second play of a loss to Wooster, but played the entire game and finished with a career-low 104 yards. His last carry against Wooster will likely be his last carry as a Yellow Jacket.
"I have a high ankle sprain," Heller said Wednesday. "I had it X-rayed and it's the same thing that happened when I was at prep school. The ligaments are so tender I still can't run full speed. It's not 100 percent.
"I can't play football on one foot."
Heller admitted Wednesday he is trying to acquire a medical red-shirt, and claims he has been checked by a doctor. He also claimed Waynesburg University athletics director Rudy Marisa signed off on the paperwork, which has to be sent to the PAC and will be reviewed by the conference before a final decision is made.
Heller also admitted he still plans to transfer from Waynesburg, and that he is still considering Mount Union.
Shepas is adamant that certain protocol needs to be followed in these situations. Shepas said Heller has not been seen by the team doctors and hasn't received treatment in the training room. He also said that Heller's injury was originally nothing more than a twisted ankle.
"He has never told me personally that he wants to transfer," Shepas said Thursday morning. "He has told our trainer that. He has told Rudy Marisa that. He didn't tell me that back in December the first time and he didn't tell me that after the opening game Sept. 6.
"The bridge is already burned. It's over. It's been over from our standpoint for weeks. Robert Heller hasn't been with the Waynesburg University football team since Sept. 6. He was given measures to adhere to if he wanted to stay with the football team and he chose otherwise. This isn't even a story. It's old news.
"You can't get a medical red-shirt for a twisted ankle, and No. 2, you can't get a medical red-shirt unless you go through Waynesburg University's team doctor."
Heller maintains he is still taking classes at Waynesburg, and wants to continue to do so next semester before deciding whether or not he will transfer.
"I really can't say anything bad about how they have treated me," Heller said. "Hopefully we can come to terms with this and be civil with each other and get things straightened out."
Shepas, meanwhile, stressed he has already put the matter behind him and just wants to focus on his players and moving ahead.
"Nobody is happy about this thing," Shepas said. "But I think everybody did a great job on Robert Heller's behalf. The faculty did a great job, and the university as a whole did a great job. He has never worked through our athletic trainers or our physicians. And because of the time elapsed, it is no longer an option for him to return to the program."

[HScoach]

If you had to vote for POY today, which MUC player would be most worthy of the vote? Micheli has proven that he is human...he has ONE int for the season....and Kmic HAS fumbled this year......but how can you say one playing is better than the other? Kmic is gonna lap THE BEAV in a week or two. That is a factor. Micheli may rewrite the stats book for QB rating for a season. and possibly lead his team back to the Stagg Bowl again. Or, is Cecil Shorts gonna ultimately decide these guys fate himself? What a ponderous perdicament! Maybe Pat can give us some insight as to who else might be in consideration. I would be surprised if one of these players are not finalists.

RUN NATE RUN     RUN OVER THAT BEAVER!

My guess would be Micheli because I think he has a better shot at winning the Galiardi due to his Academic All-American grades.  Not saying Kmic isn't a good student, but pulling a 3.89 in a double major of mathmatics and physics puts Greg in the elite category both on the field and in the classrooom.

Kmic's reward for a great career will be the D3 rushing record

[HScoach]

On the Heller thing, I'd be more than shocked to see him in Alliance next year.  LK turns away a lot more transfers than he takes.  And he sure doesn't need a kid with grade and attitude issues to win. 

[mr_mom]

Article on coach B.J. Payne and his "prep version of the Purple Raiders" in the Wooster Daily Record this morning:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4437205

[ace]

LK has an open mind. Until you give him a reason to close it. I give this kid about 7 minutes with LK. That is only because he would get the benefit of the doubt. I think he would be informed he has a possible great career ahead of him. But not at Mt. Union. We have all seen a lot of talent sit because of a lot of attitude at Mount.

[raiderpa]

Mount Union does need Heller, and I doubt if he ends up in Alliance.  I hope he does not.  The whole situation is best left alone and I hope he goes somewhere's else....from my impressions (gained while watching Shepas  at Massillon), Shepas is not a guy that is easy to get along with and appears quite surly most all the time.... I would be interested to hear the story from the Waynesburg faithful rather than from either Heller or Shepas...

[SaintsFAN]

No one will really know until August 2009.

Even if LK takes him with the baggage, as hscoach mentions... MUC will have to hope he stays eligible.  Motivation ON the field is not a problem..

[Desertraider]

Mount Union and Mount Union football have arrived. They have not one but two Mount Union T-Shirts at Steve and Barry's.


Which Steve and Barry's? The one by me (North Olmsted) is closing and never had any Mount shirts.

Akron - Chapel Hill And they are all 5.98. I thought the guy was humoring me when he said we have more Mount Union shirts down the aisle, but they did.

Thank you seventiesraider! I am now the proud new owner of 2 MUC t-shirts! Ah postpatterns - bringing people together through the love of D3 football!

[SaintsFAN]

Mount Union does need Heller, and I doubt if he ends up in Alliance.  I hope he does not.  The whole situation is best left alone and I hope he goes somewhere's else....from my impressions (gained while watching Shepas  at Massillon), Shepas is not a guy that is easy to get along with and appears quite surly most all the time.... I would be interested to hear the story from the Waynesburg faithful rather than from either Heller or Shepas...

Raiderpa,

They aren't saying much on the PAC thread... though, there's not much of a Waynesburg presence there either.

[Desertraider]

On the Heller issue: I would like to hear it from an unbiased perspective as well. The piece in the link made him sound awfully "ME" oriented. I think that is the exact opposite of Mount Union. I am sure he is talented (his stats scream that he is) but it has been said many times before on this board that Mount has more talent on the JV squad than most teams have on Varsity. It could be that he is very talented for where he is/was, but not talented enough to get more than a supporting role at Mount. From the tone of the link he does not seem interested in a supporting role - so who knows. This is by no means a knock on Heller just a reality that he may not have enough to step into a Chuck Moore, Dan Pugh, Nate Kmic, and so on, role.

Now if Mr. Heller would like to start immediately and be a GOD on the field - Dude head down the road to my Mighty Hiram Terriers! Trevor could use the help now (which is not possible) but Hiram can use the help anytime!

[Desertraider]

Mount Union does need Heller, and I doubt if he ends up in Alliance.  I hope he does not.  The whole situation is best left alone and I hope he goes somewhere's else....from my impressions (gained while watching Shepas  at Massillon), Shepas is not a guy that is easy to get along with and appears quite surly most all the time.... I would be interested to hear the story from the Waynesburg faithful rather than from either Heller or Shepas...

Raiderpa,

They aren't saying much on the PAC thread... though, there's not much of a Waynesburg presence there either.

The only thing I found is that he is not listed on the 2008 roster. NOt much and I am sure it has been mentioned already - but enough said.

[reality check]

After reading the article, the first question I have is whether or not the transfer eligibility point was accurate.  I admit I know how things impact Division III but not so much a transfer up.  He could go from Waynesburg to just about any other D-III school and play next year.  I know the OAC has a one-year rule for transfer within the conference (ie. Colin O'Reilly from ONU to CAP).  And I know the rule to go from one DI school to another but can't you go from a DIII to a DI without sitting out?  I admit I have no idea how that works because honestly, how often does it come up?

[Knightstalker]

After reading the article, the first question I have is whether or not the transfer eligibility point was accurate.  I admit I know how things impact Division III but not so much a transfer up.  He could go from Waynesburg to just about any other D-III school and play next year.  I know the OAC has a one-year rule for transfer within the conference (ie. Colin O'Reilly from ONU to CAP).  And I know the rule to go from one DI school to another but can't you go from a DIII to a DI without sitting out?  I admit I have no idea how that works because honestly, how often does it come up?

You have to sit 1 year to move up from D-III to a higher level.  This is done to keep D-I programs from stashing potential players on D-III rosters.  At least that was the reasoning when the NCAA implemented this policy years ago.

[OldOtter]

looking forward to heading back to Westerville this weekend to watch the Cards try and keep this thing going against Wilmington. I've been to two games so far this season (ONU, BW) and have really been impressed by the offenses ability to both run and pass the ball effectively. Defense has really played well too. It'd be great to see the Cards slip into the playoffs for the first time in school history. I know it's still early and they need to take it one game at a time, but being a past player, I'd love nothing more to see them move on to week 11.

Go Cards!

[HScoach]

Old Otter:  Welcome aboard!  Always nice when we get newbies.  As a MUC guy, I'm pulling for Otterbein to be 8-0 when Mount comes a calling in November.