FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[02 Warhawk]

UWW seemed to be doing o.k. after their major change.  Most outstanding programs are going to have HC changes be it 27 years or 7 years.  The name is not changing.  Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, etc.  If the man is not right for the program he will leave.  take Rich Rod. at Mich.  Yet Michigan will be great again.  They must find the right fit.  So if VK is not, which I believe he is, given time will tell.  Another one will take over a great program.  The landscape of outstanding teams does very little changing.  I did not say no changes.  Take UNHB.  Yet they have not won a sausage.  the UWW is a change. So what is your point, if a HC leaves the program is over?   Didn't Woody Hayes leave Ohio state?  How's that working for them since 1968?  Please say what you really want to say.  Every great coach is going to at some point leave the program, St. John.  Is there winning and success over?

Some great points. I think most people don't believe that the team will begin its downward spiral now that LK is gone. Especially after just one season.

I don't see Mount suffering the same fate as Rowan. Whose program was never quite the same following the departure of coach Keeler, who lead them to five Stagg Bowls in seven years. That's probably the best DIII example of a once very strong program that went south following the loss of a great coach. Then again, there might have been other factors (on top of the coaching change) that I'm unaware of that lead to Rowan's shift in power.

[emma17]

I'm not predicting the fall of Mt, nor am I hoping for it.
The recent posts are simply conversation about this year's team and what needs to take place for Mt to regain their customary level of performance. Sometimes honest discussion can be confused w team bashing.
Us UWW fans went through this and a bit more last season. UWW changed a LOT in one off-season, and we all saw the results. No doubt Mt can do the same.

The Mt team that took the field (walking) and played the Stagg did not look like Mt teams of the past.

[skunks_sidekick]

Hello Sports Fans!

After a much needed hiatus, I decided to come back to the boards, and see what I missed. 

Quite the civil conversation between UWW & Mount fans.  Of course, from a Mount fan's perspective WTH can we really say?  There's no getting around a butt whipping when it happens. 

Word from a well-placed source says the Mount coaching staff is more concerned than ever about being able to get the type of lineman needed to keep competing on a Stagg Bowl level in the years to come.  There is just that much more competition (as listed by HSCoach) for those players in Ohio.  With the recent additions of D-II schools in Mount's backyard, it's just a bigger battle to get the right mix/enough of lineman.  Mind you, no one is saying the sky is falling, but it is an on-going concern. 

I fully expect Mount to be back in the playoffs next year, and possibly contending for a national title.  Let's see how the youngsters take this loss to heart, and work like crazed mad men in the off-season. 

On a personal note, Mrs. SS & I recently launched our own marketing/advertising/creative company, and it looks like 2014 will be a busy (and good) year for us here in Ohio.  Happy New Year to all, and especially to my "little internet friends".   

[Raider 68]

Mount union since 1993  has not won the stagg bowl every year.  There are teams that have beaten them.  As a matter of fact they have not reached the stagg bowl every year since 1993.  They have been to the stagg 17 times.  They have been to it 9 times in a row.   They have won 11 of the 17.  they have lost 6 times.  So in 21 years they have 11 stagg victories.  They have been beaten 10 times overall in the season, in the playoffs, or in the stagg to not win the bronze and walnut trophy.  So looking back there were teams in Div.3 that had special seasons to compete and beat Mount. When mount did not go to or win the stagg did everyone think the program was over?  What this is all about?  Is UWW now the more dominant program.  Time will tell.  Go back to their first win in the stagg.  How many thought it would be like this?  Mount will do what it did back in the early 1990's.  They will go back to the drawing board and figure out how to once again to gain the leverage.  Like aging sometimes one does not see all the issues until something happens.  This year showed some very concerning problems.  This is a very strong team coming into next year.  I see 5-7 teams that are capable of winning the Stagg.  So to all the fans or opponents that think Mount is not going to be Mount, our opponents will be disappointed and our fans will be smiling.  The battle has just begun again.  The desire to get the 12th is more then the previous 11.  This program is SPECIAL and what ever it takes, that will be the price that will be Paid.  How do I know that, let previous behavior tell you what future behavior will be.  P.S. I enjoy our friends from UWW being on the board.  Good comments and in site all the time.  loose lips sinks ships, just kidding.

amonachino,

Very good points raised! As I stated in recent posts, it is the program over the long haul, not one game,that determines overall success. Everyone knows the record, the stats, the number of Walnut & Bronze trophies  for Mount Union. From now until August, the program will address those areas that need resolved, the returning players will now have an even greater focus than the normal Mount expectation. We could also see some defensive coaching help to work with Coach V.Kehres. The entire Kehres braintrust is already working on it. For 2014, the team will be even stronger. It is beyond that I see the need for some changes. As HScoach pointed out, recruiting for the bigger linemen is really competitive, but Mount will get those players with a more aggressive recruiting
approach than we have seen in the past.

[formerd3db]

Good discussion all and great points.  I have to agree with you guys regarding the lineman topic/concern at Mount i.e. the competition now with the expanded list of DII schools in Ohio.  I've been saying that for a few years now regarding the situation up here with our MIAA and the DII schools in our Midwest region.  However, some people don't believe me on that!  Anyway, it will be interesting to see how Mount responds on that concern as you all have discussed.  I'm sure they will do fine.   

[Dr. Acula]

How about some positive news...LK has his ship chugging along again leading the All-Sports standings after the fall season and eyeing a three-peat for the men.  Personally, I'm most excited about hoops.  Fuline has that men's program on the rise (9-2, 4-0 currently) and still only has 2 seniors playing this year.  From what I've heard from people at the HS level he's a heck of a recruiter. 

[sigma one]

I am usually over on the NCAC board, but it's the "lost season," and time to catch up on what little is happening.  The conversation about UMU and Ohio talent got me to thinking.  I recalled that there was a two-deep lineup for the Stagg Bowl.  I checked to find the following: on its two-deep of 45 players, UMU listed 22 from outside Ohio--almost half.  The other states represented on the two deep were Florida (not a surprise because of the Mount connections there in recent years), New York, Indiana, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Michigan, Georgia, Virginia, California, and New Jersey.
     On the one hand, one could speculate that because of UMU's continuing excellence and reputation players from other states would be eager to join the team.   On the other, there is the conversation about it becoming harder to recruit (particularly linemen) in Ohio.  Six of the 8 defensive linemen were from other states, as were 4 of the 10 offensive linemen.  I'm not sure historically what Mount's roster has looked like, but my impression is that, with some notable exceptions, during their impressive long run the Purple Raiders have relied on Ohio talent. 
     I also checked the UWW two deep and found that of 46 players, 15 were from outside Wisconsin.  Of these, 14 were from Illinois--no big surprise given the fact that these students are given in-state tuition by UWW.  The other player was from Michigan.  Again, no surprise on the roster as a whole because of the lack of DII and DIII programs in Wisconsin. 
    As a footnote, UMU listed 22 freshmen and sophomores on its two deep--11 from outside Ohio; UWW listed 24 freshmen and sophomores.
     I really don't know what to make of the UMU roster distribution.  But I suppose some of you Mount supporters will have something to say on the topic.  I will add that I'm sure UMU is happy with increased geographic distribution in its student body.
     

[02 Warhawk]

     I also checked the UWW two deep and found that of 46 players, 15 were from outside Wisconsin.  Of these, 14 were from Illinois--no big surprise given the fact that these students are given in-state tuition by UWW.  The other player was from Michigan.  Again, no surprise on the roster as a whole because of the lack of DII and DIII programs in Wisconsin.

Not true statements. IL is the only neighboring state that UWW doesn't offer reciprocity to, and in fact Wisconsin offers 18 total D3 football programs (spanning over four conferences). Maybe you meant lack of DI and DII programs?

[Dr. Acula]

Here's a link to the interview if you missed it:

http://stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=2801&c=10661&f=1718331

Unfortunately the connection with his cell phone was choppy for the first 1:25 but its fine after that. Total length 13:00.

sigma, here is a link to Ric interviewing VK on WHBC.  Ric asks him about the shift in roster demographics around the 6:20 mark.

[sigma one]

Thanks.  I stand corrected on the tuition.  I'd heard that there is that tuition advantage; wrong, obviously.  But I did mean DII and DIII, though I should have been more detailed.  There are differences between paying in-state tuition at any of the WIAC schools and the DIII private schools in Wisconsin.  And there are also differences in the quality of student-athletes the state v. private attract (even with some of the academic scholarships and other kinds of assistance many privates can offer).  I will stand corrected again if I am mistaken about the quality of those football players who are attracted to the state universities because of the quality of play on the field rather than to Beloit, Wisconsin Lutheran, Carthage, Concordia, Lakeland, Ripon--I am missing a couple, working here from memory.
     By the way, I did not mean to denigrate UWW or other WIAC schools.  All of them play by DIII rules.  I can see why players from Illinois, particularly those from the northern part of the state, including suburban Chicago's excellent football programs, would want to join a winning tradition at UWW--which is just across the border.
     Dr. Acula:  thanks for the link.

[Dr. Acula]

I'm not sure historically what Mount's roster has looked like, but my impression is that, with some notable exceptions, during their impressive long run the Purple Raiders have relied on Ohio talent.

I can't speak to way back when before "the machine" started, but I can speak to back when I was in school (late 90's/early 00's).  The vast majority of the team was Ohio kids.  There were also a lot of western PA kids which given Mount's location were probably as "local" as half the Ohio kids.  Other than that they always had a few kids from NY, IN and MI but that was about it.  It was very Ohio driven.  The evolution of the FL pipeline makes sense as there's tons of talent and zero D3 schools.  If I remember correctly it was VK himself who spearheaded that move when he and Jason Candle et al would head to FL years ago and make their rounds every offseason.   

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Mt Union had a webcast of their women's basketball game today.

https://twitter.com/purpleraiders/status/422086485089984513

Maybe there is hope for football in the future?

[footballfan413]

Thanks.  I stand corrected on the tuition.  I'd heard that there is that tuition advantage; wrong, obviously.  But I did mean DII and DIII, though I should have been more detailed.  There are differences between paying in-state tuition at any of the WIAC schools and the DIII private schools in Wisconsin.  And there are also differences in the quality of student-athletes the state v. private attract (even with some of the academic scholarships and other kinds of assistance many privates can offer).  I will stand corrected again if I am mistaken about the quality of those football players who are attracted to the state universities because of the quality of play on the field rather than to Beloit, Wisconsin Lutheran, Carthage, Concordia, Lakeland, Ripon--I am missing a couple, working here from memory.
    By the way, I did not mean to denigrate UWW or other WIAC schools.  All of them play by DIII rules.  I can see why players from Illinois, particularly those from the northern part of the state, including suburban Chicago's excellent football programs, would want to join a winning tradition at UWW--which is just across the border.
     Dr. Acula:  thanks for the link.

Paid every dime of out-of-state tuition for 5 years when my son decided to play for the Warhawks back in 2003 and all the players still do. That year, he was one of only 6 players from Illinois and none from what was considered, "Chicago's excellent football programs."  You are right, the number of Il. boys on the roster and those from more quality programs have, gradually, swelled because of our national success over the last 8 years and having a few players come back to the state to coach HS at some good programs here in the Chicago suburbs.   "Winning breeds winning," and no program knows that better than UMU. 

[Raider 68]

While I understand it will be sometime in February before any recruiting is announced, attracting some key linemen
will draw much interest.  The Raiders will also need to be looking for the next top notch QB to have in the fold with K. Burke
a senior and  T. Scott a junior back-up.

[Dr. Acula]

I mentioned this on the hoops board, but thought I'd do it here as well because it was so good to see...Mount had 2,354 in the house for the basketball game against Etta this week.  That's a HUGE crowd for them.  Heck, that's more than some of the home playoff games this year.  I'm a fan of every Mount team so I love seeing the excitement.