FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year.  But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?

Couple of reasons. 

- Money.  Sometimes you just can't talk a kid (or his parents) out of accepting an athletic scholarship even if the D-III institution can offer a competitive financial package. 

- Fundamental lack of understanding of what D-III football is about.  Most people who don't invest even a little bit of time in learning about D-III football have the false impression that it is something like a glorified club team.  We all know how ridiculous that is, but it isn't unreasonable to think that kids who have grown up with their Buckeye blinders on don't think Division III football rates. 

[TailGate]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year.  But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?

Couple of reasons. 

- Money.  Sometimes you just can't talk a kid (or his parents) out of accepting an athletic scholarship even if the D-III institution can offer a competitive financial package. 

- Fundamental lack of understanding of what D-III football is about.  Most people who don't invest even a little bit of time in learning about D-III football have the false impression that it is something like a glorified club team.  We all know how ridiculous that is, but it isn't unreasonable to think that kids who have grown up with their Buckeye blinders on don't think Division III football rates.

Don't kids have to make a commitment to a D2 prior to D3 financial aid packages being available?  Also, if kids  get a better D3 package than what D2 offered, do they then "break" the contract with the D2?   And, I think you really nailed it regarding your 2nd point. 

[wally_wabash]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year.  But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?

Couple of reasons. 

- Money.  Sometimes you just can't talk a kid (or his parents) out of accepting an athletic scholarship even if the D-III institution can offer a competitive financial package. 

- Fundamental lack of understanding of what D-III football is about.  Most people who don't invest even a little bit of time in learning about D-III football have the false impression that it is something like a glorified club team.  We all know how ridiculous that is, but it isn't unreasonable to think that kids who have grown up with their Buckeye blinders on don't think Division III football rates.

Don't kids have to make a commitment to a D2 prior to D3 financial aid packages being available?  Also, if kids  get a better D3 package than what D2 offered, do they then "break" the contract with the D2?   And, I think you really nailed it regarding your 2nd point.

"Signing Day", such as it is, happens in February and is generally a month or so prior to when schools like ours would send aid packages...but that's the first day kids can sign LOIs.  They don't have to sign LOIs that early.  But what you're hitting on is another reason why it's difficult to talk some kids out of an athletic scholarship.  Signing a Letter of Intent is way more glamorous than signing a deposit check. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year.  But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?

Couple of reasons. 

- Money.  Sometimes you just can't talk a kid (or his parents) out of accepting an athletic scholarship even if the D-III institution can offer a competitive financial package. 

- Fundamental lack of understanding of what D-III football is about.  Most people who don't invest even a little bit of time in learning about D-III football have the false impression that it is something like a glorified club team.  We all know how ridiculous that is, but it isn't unreasonable to think that kids who have grown up with their Buckeye blinders on don't think Division III football rates.

Don't kids have to make a commitment to a D2 prior to D3 financial aid packages being available?  Also, if kids  get a better D3 package than what D2 offered, do they then "break" the contract with the D2?   And, I think you really nailed it regarding your 2nd point.

"Signing Day", such as it is, happens in February and is generally a month or so prior to when schools like ours would send aid packages...but that's the first day kids can sign LOIs.  They don't have to sign LOIs that early.  But what you're hitting on is another reason why it's difficult to talk some kids out of an athletic scholarship.  Signing a Letter of Intent is way more glamorous than signing a deposit check.

This is true.  Besides the allure of scholarship dollars, there's a big ego factor; a lot of kids just want to go to the biggest school that recruits them.

[footballfan413]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year.  But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?

Couple of reasons. 

- Money.  Sometimes you just can't talk a kid (or his parents) out of accepting an athletic scholarship even if the D-III institution can offer a competitive financial package. 

- Fundamental lack of understanding of what D-III football is about.  Most people who don't invest even a little bit of time in learning about D-III football have the false impression that it is something like a glorified club team.  We all know how ridiculous that is, but it isn't unreasonable to think that kids who have grown up with their Buckeye blinders on don't think Division III football rates.

Don't kids have to make a commitment to a D2 prior to D3 financial aid packages being available?  Also, if kids  get a better D3 package than what D2 offered, do they then "break" the contract with the D2?   And, I think you really nailed it regarding your 2nd point.

"Signing Day", such as it is, happens in February and is generally a month or so prior to when schools like ours would send aid packages...but that's the first day kids can sign LOIs.  They don't have to sign LOIs that early.  But what you're hitting on is another reason why it's difficult to talk some kids out of an athletic scholarship.  Signing a Letter of Intent is way more glamorous than signing a deposit check.

This is true.  Besides the allure of scholarship dollars, there's a big ego factor; a lot of kids just want to go to the biggest school that recruits them.

BINGO!    My son was recruited by a few D-2 schools and had D-1AA, "interest," besides many D-3 schools.  I remember telling him, "do you want to play football for 4 years or do you want to watch boys play for 2 and then, maybe, play for 2?"  He opted for the, "big fish in a little pond," theory. We also told him that he was one injury away from never seeing the field again and that, first and foremost, he needed to choose a school where he wanted to be, academically.  We saw many of his peers choose for the athletics, alone, and then transfer out when they sat the bench, hated the coach, etc. These young athletes need someone to keep it all in perspective.  Considering his career at UWW, it could not have worked out better, and despite my bank account taking quite a hit,  we wouldn't change a thing.   

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

This is true.  Besides the allure of scholarship dollars, there's a big ego factor; a lot of kids just want to go to the biggest school that recruits them.

BINGO!    My son was recruited by a few D-2 schools and had D-1AA, "interest," besides many D-3 schools.  I remember telling him, "do you want to play football for 4 years or do you want to watch boys play for 2 and then, maybe, play for 2?"  He opted for the, "big fish in a little pond," theory. We also told him that he was one injury away from never seeing the field again and that, first and foremost, he needed to choose a school where he wanted to be, academically.  We saw many of his peers choose for the athletics, alone, and then transfer out when they sat the bench, hated the coach, etc. These young athletes need someone to keep it all in perspective.  Considering his career at UWW, it could not have worked out better, and despite my bank account taking quite a hit,  we wouldn't change a thing.   

Great Advice for ANY potential College Athlete!

[ExTartanPlayer]

This is true.  Besides the allure of scholarship dollars, there's a big ego factor; a lot of kids just want to go to the biggest school that recruits them.

BINGO!    My son was recruited by a few D-2 schools and had D-1AA, "interest," besides many D-3 schools.  I remember telling him, "do you want to play football for 4 years or do you want to watch boys play for 2 and then, maybe, play for 2?"  He opted for the, "big fish in a little pond," theory. We also told him that he was one injury away from never seeing the field again and that, first and foremost, he needed to choose a school where he wanted to be, academically.  We saw many of his peers choose for the athletics, alone, and then transfer out when they sat the bench, hated the coach, etc. These young athletes need someone to keep it all in perspective.  Considering his career at UWW, it could not have worked out better, and despite my bank account taking quite a hit,  we wouldn't change a thing.   

See, I totally get why this happens.  In an alternate universe, I might have been that kid who chose for athletics alone (or at least athletics-more-than-academics).  I was also in that borderline category of "drawing interest" (really just getting mail) from some I-AA schools (Ivy/Patriot League schools like Columbia, Penn, and Lehigh) and most of the PSAC (Pennsylvania D2 conference) schools.  I didn't know this at the time, but I would guess this is the case for a large percentage of kids who eventually become Division III starters and all-conference caliber players; most of us at least get a letter from a D-2 or I-AA school at some point.  In my case, that interest never got serious because I was a slow 5'11" offensive lineman, but suppose I'd been 6'2" and one of those I-AA's had a few of their OL recruits decommit late in the recruiting game; they might have made a last-minute "offer" of sorts, and I would have been tempted by the glory of saying that I was going to play Division I football.  Much like your son: now, I wouldn't change a thing.  I got to play college football, got a great education, and feel very well-positioned for the rest of my life.

Now that I'm on the other side of my college career and have a little more maturity (and a lot more exposure to the various levels of college ball), I find conversations with parents of high school kids pretty amusing.  Their kid got a letter from FCS School X and they sent a highlight tape to D2 School Y, so it's just a matter of time until the scholarship offers start rolling in...or not.  No, your son who started a couple games for the varsity team as a junior is not a lock to get a scholarship, and even if he does, that doesn't mean he's going to play at that D2 school.  Wally has already made this point a few posts back, but the folks who have this "he should go to the biggest school that offers the most money" attitude are typically those who've never been exposed to the Division III game (or college football in general).  My parents didn't really have that anyway, but I was fortunate to have parents that asked the same pointed questions like you mentioned: if you got hurt and never played football again, would you still want to be at this college?  Does this college offer the type of education that will satisfy you?  Will you have good options for the future after attending college here?

[footballfan413]

This is true.  Besides the allure of scholarship dollars, there's a big ego factor; a lot of kids just want to go to the biggest school that recruits them.

BINGO!    My son was recruited by a few D-2 schools and had D-1AA, "interest," besides many D-3 schools.  I remember telling him, "do you want to play football for 4 years or do you want to watch boys play for 2 and then, maybe, play for 2?"  He opted for the, "big fish in a little pond," theory. We also told him that he was one injury away from never seeing the field again and that, first and foremost, he needed to choose a school where he wanted to be, academically.  We saw many of his peers choose for the athletics, alone, and then transfer out when they sat the bench, hated the coach, etc. These young athletes need someone to keep it all in perspective.  Considering his career at UWW, it could not have worked out better, and despite my bank account taking quite a hit,  we wouldn't change a thing.   

See, I totally get why this happens.  In an alternate universe, I might have been that kid who chose for athletics alone (or at least athletics-more-than-academics).  I was also in that borderline category of "drawing interest" (really just getting mail) from some I-AA schools (Ivy/Patriot League schools like Columbia, Penn, and Lehigh) and most of the PSAC (Pennsylvania D2 conference) schools.  I didn't know this at the time, but I would guess this is the case for a large percentage of kids who eventually become Division III starters and all-conference caliber players; most of us at least get a letter from a D-2 or I-AA school at some point.  In my case, that interest never got serious because I was a slow 5'11" offensive lineman, but suppose I'd been 6'2" and one of those I-AA's had a few of their OL recruits decommit late in the recruiting game; they might have made a last-minute "offer" of sorts, and I would have been tempted by the glory of saying that I was going to play Division I football.  Much like your son: now, I wouldn't change a thing.  I got to play college football, got a great education, and feel very well-positioned for the rest of my life.

Now that I'm on the other side of my college career and have a little more maturity (and a lot more exposure to the various levels of college ball), I find conversations with parents of high school kids pretty amusing.  Their kid got a letter from FCS School X and they sent a highlight tape to D2 School Y, so it's just a matter of time until the scholarship offers start rolling in...or not.  No, your son who started a couple games for the varsity team as a junior is not a lock to get a scholarship, and even if he does, that doesn't mean he's going to play at that D2 school.  Wally has already made this point a few posts back, but the folks who have this "he should go to the biggest school that offers the most money" attitude are typically those who've never been exposed to the Division III game (or college football in general).  My parents didn't really have that anyway, but I was fortunate to have parents that asked the same pointed questions like you mentioned: if you got hurt and never played football again, would you still want to be at this college?  Does this college offer the type of education that will satisfy you?  Will you have good options for the future after attending college here?

You are so right about these young athletes and parents not being realistic about how they can compete at the college level.  Just because you were the MVP of your high school team does not mean that transcends to college, no matter what level.  We were told a great story by a friend of ours who played basketball at Elmhurst College in Illinois back in the early 80's.  A very talented player who was, eventually, inducted into the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame several years ago.  He walked into the coaches office one day, during practice, and said, "Coach, you have me playing Point Guard and I was a Shooting Guard in HS.  I averaged 22 points a game!"  The coach told him to look out at the team in the gym and said, "Tom, everyone out there averaged 22 points a game in HS!" 
   I had a niece who was a talented HS volleyball player, state champ, etc., and was, all about, her multiple, D-1 scholarship choices!  After an exhaustive search that took her and my brother all over the country, she chose the University of Cincinnati  Bearcats.  She was miserable from the beginning, resented that they had mandatory weight lifting and then blew up her ankle in October and my brother brought her home at Christmas. She transferred to NDSU, an hour from home, and decided that her playing days were over. 
   We were lucky that UWW was a great place to be for teaching/education, which he wanted, and the coaching staff made it quite clear that they believed he had a very bright future in the football program, as well.  He found the perfect fit and it sounds like you did, too, but it goes the other way for so many aspiring college athletes, unfortunately. 

[emma17]

For years the "Mount advantage" was the combination of the following:
1.  an All-Time GREAT coach that wanted to stay in little ole Alliance for his entire career
2.  an athletic supportive administration
3.  located in NE Ohio where a ton of good high school programs produced a bunch of talented, but slightly undersized players
4.  only a small handful of D1-AA and D2 schools in Ohio to recruit against for above noted HS players

What makes the future uncertain is that #1 and #4 no longer exist.  2015 and 2016 will tell the tale of the Mount future.   2014 is still a very good roster lead by a stud QB.   But beyond that the new coaching staff has to prove they can still develop players, especially the QB, as well as recruit at a national level.

What you say makes sense.  Sure hope VK will make his own mark - certainly got off to a great start this year. But with Mount's reputation, why would they lose kids to Ohio D2's?  Prestige of playing on a less-than-exciting D2? or ?
[/quote

I think most of us are anxious to see if this holds.
Mt's reputation is forged in LK.
Is VK capable of matching?

[Raider 68]

From emma17

" I think most of us are anxious to see if this holds.
  Mt's reputation is forged in LK.
  Is VK capable of matching? "


IMHO, it would be difficult for any coach to match LK's record. If Coach V. Kehres can bring home a few titles in his tenure that
would be a great accomplishment!

[PurpleSuit]

When newbies join the boards, or when particularly stubborn people resurface, you have to go over it again. Unless you just shrug and leave them to their delusions. It's really hard to change most people's minds with logic when they truly BELIEVE something.

Tailgate and PurpleSuit could benefit from some useful advice from their fellow Mount friends jknezek, Dr. Acula, HScoach...among others.

Now I'm completely offended.   I might not be able to do anything about my hilljack family, but I do a much better job of screening my friends! 

"Thud"  [sound of microphone hitting the floor]

Hey buddy,

Aren't you so tough,  I'm sorry I dont drop to my knees for you like the rest of D3boards.  We can both agree to not be "friends" I think I can get over it.  We should both be fine.

I've heard from good sources that Mount is getting new turf, and the old turf is heading to Perry High School, can anyone confirm?

[Dr. Acula]

Wake is back at Perry so it would make sense I suppose.  Does Perry still have grass I take it?  Hopefully it happens and they can get some use out of it.

[PurpleSuit]

Wake is back at Perry so it would make sense I suppose.  Does Perry still have grass I take it?  Hopefully it happens and they can get some use out of it.

Scott Campbell is the new Perry AD as well, it all made too much sense for it to be false.  Hopefully a Mount insider, I think there is only one, can confirm.  Could throw a wrench in the summer camp/workout circuit though

[Dr. Acula]

That turf is only 3 years old.  What is the life of turf fields these days?  10 years?  Less?  I'd guess it's fairly long because I don't see many high schools replacing their field frequently, but I have no idea.

[TailGate]

More Mount commits..

Zach Voss        FB/MLB  5-9, 200         Pulaski, TN
John Jefferson  OL   6-0,  265              Ambler, PA
Joey Hoffner     WR/SS  6-0,  190        Manor, PA
Collin Gilbert   QB/CB  5-10,  170        Columbiana, OH
Lane Breyer     DT/NG/OLB   6-1, 222  Kettering, OH