FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[purpled]

Skunks...I'm not serious at all...I apologize if I offended you. But simmer down with a title on the line...no way!!

[purple]

 Gary Smeck will always have a place in the hearts of Purple Raider fans. He was the sophomore quarterback of the miracle 1998 team that beat Rowan for the title. That team was Jason Hall and twenty-five guys named Joe.  He may not have had more talent than the truly great ones, but he won two titles as a starting QB for us. It's good to hear about Gindlesberger and Rocco, two guys who stepped up their senior years and played great for Mount Union. I know for a fact that LK counts the Dayton win as perhaps his most meaningful, right up there with his first victory over Wisconsin LaCross in Madison. Rocco brought us back from being down 28-7 against WWW and damn near pulled it out. HS Coach's top three are all guys who started more than one year and were magnificent but right now, I'd take Scott because of his ability to score every time he runs the ball.

[Small but Slow]

Borchert.  Ballard.  Micheli.  In that order.  After them there's a debate, but not the top 3. 

Still like to replay the '14 Stagg with Nemeth as the full time RB and a more seasoned coaching staff......

I agree with your top three, but still believe Ballard was the best.  I saw a a bunch of Ballard's games his three years as the starter and was never disappointed.  His performance in the mud against the Johnnies in the '93 semi-final was legendary.  Before moving south I got to see Borchert's first year as a starter and was impressed by his ability to operate the offense efficiently, although he didn't have the arm strength of Ballard.  By his second year he became so efficient as a passer, seeming to always find an open receiver and lead his receivers into openings where they could break big plays.  Michelli was a magician and true dual threat, but he really benefitted by having Kmic to hand the ball to and #1 was a decent weapon as a receiver. 
Ballard is also the one who popped the semi-final cherry and got Mount to the Stagg Bowl.  There's something to be said about being first.

I don't know how he rates in terms of talent, but  Scott Gindelsberger (sp?) has always been my favorite.  In 1986,  I saw him quarterback the team to a 42-36 playoff win at Dayton and there wasn't much doubt that Dayton was the superior team (esp in speed and athleticism) by far.  I remember it as a track meet and every time Dayton scored and it looked like Mount would crack, Gindelsberger would engineer another scoring drive.    Mount was getting good then,  but Gindelsberger didn't have anywhere near the talent around him that the later quarterbacks had.  To be fair, the only other quarterback I saw in person was Smeck and it was a miserable (rainy, wet) day in Salem (2000) and I don't remember either quarterback doing much in a 10-7 game.  The offense must've been subdued, because I couldn't remember it was Smeck until I looked it up.   

The '86 playoff game was spectacular!  Scott had a great season and played very well that day.  He did have some pretty good receivers.  Bill Eyer was a D1 caliber wide out, Joe Knoll was a burner on the outside, Vince Boddy was also pretty damned good, and the TE Jeff Erskine was a nice target.  Russ Kring at FB may have been as good as any running back in program history.  Mount was up 42-21 and held off a late UD comeback, highlighted by a game sealing interception on their last possession.  That team may have won the first national championship that year if Augustana hadn't broken Kring's ankle the next week in the quarterfinals at home.  That was also a very talented defensive squad. 

[Alliance72]

Borchert.  Ballard.  Micheli.  In that order.  After them there's a debate, but not the top 3. 

Still like to replay the '14 Stagg with Nemeth as the full time RB and a more seasoned coaching staff......

I agree with your top three, but still believe Ballard was the best.  I saw a a bunch of Ballard's games his three years as the starter and was never disappointed.  His performance in the mud against the Johnnies in the '93 semi-final was legendary.  Before moving south I got to see Borchert's first year as a starter and was impressed by his ability to operate the offense efficiently, although he didn't have the arm strength of Ballard.  By his second year he became so efficient as a passer, seeming to always find an open receiver and lead his receivers into openings where they could break big plays.  Michelli was a magician and true dual threat, but he really benefitted by having Kmic to hand the ball to and #1 was a decent weapon as a receiver. 
Ballard is also the one who popped the semi-final cherry and got Mount to the Stagg Bowl.  There's something to be said about being first.

I don't know how he rates in terms of talent, but  Scott Gindelsberger (sp?) has always been my favorite.  In 1986,  I saw him quarterback the team to a 42-36 playoff win at Dayton and there wasn't much doubt that Dayton was the superior team (esp in speed and athleticism) by far.  I remember it as a track meet and every time Dayton scored and it looked like Mount would crack, Gindelsberger would engineer another scoring drive.    Mount was getting good then,  but Gindelsberger didn't have anywhere near the talent around him that the later quarterbacks had.  To be fair, the only other quarterback I saw in person was Smeck and it was a miserable (rainy, wet) day in Salem (2000) and I don't remember either quarterback doing much in a 10-7 game.  The offense must've been subdued, because I couldn't remember it was Smeck until I looked it up.   

The '86 playoff game was spectacular!  Scott had a great season and played very well that day.  He did have some pretty good receivers.  Bill Eyer was a D1 caliber wide out, Joe Knoll was a burner on the outside, Vince Boddy was also pretty damned good, and the TE Jeff Erskine was a nice target.  Russ Kring at FB may have been as good as any running back in program history.  Mount was up 42-21 and held off a late UD comeback, highlighted by a game sealing interception on their last possession.  That team may have won the first national championship that year if Augustana hadn't broken Kring's ankle the next week in the quarterfinals at home.  That was also a very talented defensive squad.

I envy you - your memory's much better than mine.   I lived in Fairborn at the time and sat as a lonely Mount fan on the Dayton side.  I remember for most of the game a small (compared to the Dayton crowd) but very vocal Mount crowd in one corner of the opposite side kept erupting while the Dayton side was completely quiet (except for me).  i suppose the Dayton crowd got into the game during the comeback - I just don't remember.  I think the Dayton crowd was comparable to the Washington people that rode out to the First Battle of Manassas to have a picnic and watch an easy Union victory.

[raiderpa]

A momentum changer at that Dayton game, I was there too, was an interception, pick six right before halftime.
Name escapes me,(age related, maybe Greg Flasco?), but it was a great play and put the Raiders in the mind set to win...

I agree it was one of the greatest Mount wins in history.  Dayton was rated #1 in the country and half the team was on track scholarships...Harris at DB made a great  play at the end, too, again foggy on the memory
I remember the euphoria, for me, was equal to the first Stagg win...

[mr_mom]

The king for this week and our current leader is PurplePanda.  She and bluestreak66 kicked ass on the bonus questions -- and yes, BillyRayJimBob, this SICK SOB picked MUC by 28!

But she -- my daughter -- sent it to me via IM while I was in Ohio visiting my Aunt in hospice.  So y'all didn't see her picks.  I will fully understand if anyone yells "Shenanigans!"

So, this last week, no hidden picks.  All in the open.

The spreads for the Stagg Bowl are out.  Remember that they need to be in before Friday's kickoff.

[Small but Slow]

Yes! I believe it was Flasco with the pick six.  I couldn't remember.  He was an outstanding athlete, one of several on that team who could've played up a level or two.  It was back and forth, favoring UD up to that point.  Were you at the Auggie game the next week at home? 

[raiderpa]

Drove a conversion van through a driving snowstorm to get to Augustana, to first playoff game.
Snow plowed off the field, cold, and Augustana cannot run on Mount.  Throws two TD passes to win.
I think they probably threw two passes in a game twice that season....They never (hardly) threw the ball.
21-14 final, I think...we could have broken their string that day...

[bluestreak66]

The king for this week and our current leader is PurplePanda.  She and bluestreak66 kicked ass on the bonus questions -- and yes, BillyRayJimBob, this SICK SOB picked MUC by 28!

But she -- my daughter -- sent it to me via IM while I was in Ohio visiting my Aunt in hospice.  So y'all didn't see her picks.  I will fully understand if anyone yells "Shenanigans!"

So, this last week, no hidden picks.  All in the open.

The spreads for the Stagg Bowl are out.  Remember that they need to be in before Friday's kickoff.

This is too intense!!!

I feel bad trying to beat your daughter so badly! Not too bad, just a little!

[Small but Slow]

Drove a conversion van through a driving snowstorm to get to Augustana, to first playoff game.
Snow plowed off the field, cold, and Augustana cannot run on Mount.  Throws two TD passes to win.
I think they probably threw two passes in a game twice that season....They never (hardly) threw the ball.
21-14 final, I think...we could have broken their string that day...

That was my freshman year and was home for Thanksgiving and didn't make the trip.  That group of seniors laid the ground work for establishing the program as a power.  The class after them was probably more talented and should have beaten Auggie, but there was a drop off in talent the next couple of years.  The class after mine (Dean Paul and Mike Garn, most notably) got the ball rolling again and the program hasn't looked back since. 

[Alliance72]

Drove a conversion van through a driving snowstorm to get to Augustana, to first playoff game.
Snow plowed off the field, cold, and Augustana cannot run on Mount.  Throws two TD passes to win.
I think they probably threw two passes in a game twice that season....They never (hardly) threw the ball.
21-14 final, I think...we could have broken their string that day...

Was Augustana the first playoff game?  According to the archive on the Mount website, they beat Denison at home the week before the 21-14 Augustana loss, but I can't tell if it was a playoff game or the last regular season game.

[jamtod]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

[Desertraider]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

Minor correction but we (y'all) don't have a game. "They" (the team) does. Our focus or lack thereof will in no way influence the outcome on Friday night. Now if "they" are going down memory lane then "we" and "they" have a problem. And BTW - I don't think anyone thinks Mount is just going to stomp the Tommies. I do think MOunt will win however.

[jamtod]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

Minor correction but we (y'all) don't have a game. "They" (the team) does. Our focus or lack thereof will in no way influence the outcome on Friday night. Now if "they" are going down memory lane then "we" and "they" have a problem. And BTW - I don't think anyone thinks Mount is just going to stomp the Tommies. I do think MOunt will win however.

Touché

[Toph]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

10-20 point game, I think.  I know UST is big up front (seriously, some MONSTER guys listed on the roster), but so was Whitewater.  I only hope that there's an opportunity for Mount to fake a kneel down and put one over the top.

Of course, I'm a small, vindictive man who holds grudges.