FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[reality check]

Just saw the joke that is Don Hansen's Football Gazette and their pre-season All-American team.  Kmic, Robinson and Jorris all are mentioned.  Stickley who?  Garcon who?

My favorite though is that ONU got two players on the list: Rusty Midlam and Kevin Thomas.  It's gotta be cool to be a pre-season All-American when you have played your four years and graduated.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just saw the joke that is Don Hansen's Football Gazette and their pre-season All-American team.  Kmic, Robinson and Jorris all are mentioned.  Stickley who?  Garcon who?

My favorite though is that ONU got two players on the list: Rusty Midlam and Kevin Thomas.  It's gotta be cool to be a pre-season All-American when you have played your four years and graduated.

OOPS!!

Guess I can save my money on that one!

[raiderpa]

Stickley is a great DE, but Trusnik (sp?) was dominant , darned near impossible to block the last time I saw him play against Mount in 2004.
I think Stickley had more help on the D line  too....but I would take either and be very happy ...

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

ESPNU Programming Alert!!!
Today at 1:30pm they are replaying the Mount Union vs. Whitewater Game.

Set your DVR, TiVo, VCR, Betamax, or whatver you have to record!!

[Ric]

Traveled north up I77 on the WV turnpike today.  First time on that stretch since Dec. 17th following Mount Union's win over Whitewater for its 8th national championship.  Thinking of that put a smile on my face during the long ride.  Found it rather odd tho being on that stretch at 6pm and it was still light outside, LOL.  Anyone else ready for some football?

[HScoach]

Purple:
Relax on the Stickley lovefest.  I'm glad he's back for 2006, but he isn't even the best DE in the OAC, let alone the country.  Trusnik on 1 leg is still better than Stickley.


RC:
Good catch on the Don Hanson thing.  Pretty funny that 2 graduated players made the list. 


Ric:
Yes, I'm more than ready for some football. 

And speaking of which, I'd like to do the 2006 OAC Pick-Em's again.  Any objections?  Besides from those that got buried last year.....

[theaprof]

hscoach--go for it--I thought your spreads last year were absolutely evil--but it made for a lot of fun.

[e_lee]

HScoach,

You got my vote.

[raiderguy]

kirasdad

Or get in touch with the MUC bookstore, they had DVD copies of all the playoff games from last year. It is a fun collection to have in the off season.

If you buy all five you get the season hightlights DVD free.


There is nothing like sitting down with a big bowl of popcorn and seeing Augustana run every play and not be able to figure out why they can' t get "passed" the second round of the playoffs.

I just couldn't resist. Let the smiting begin CCIW. Unless you happen to agree that there should be some passing in football played in this  century. RE the WWRF preview. They are going away from the wishbone and adding a 60-40 mix run/pass this year.

Here is some fun. Go to the Augustana season preview and try to find the word "pass".

[Mr. Ypsi]

I totally agree with you!

But be careful what you wish for - rumor has it that Augie WILL pass more this year.

And, although a CCIW guy, I'm a Titan (once a perennial contender, but fallen on hard times), not a Viking.

[reality check]

Coming off a season where the ball was only launched 33 times, it seems like the odds would be good that Augustana "airs it out" a little more than last year although the trends say something else.

Augustana threw 129 passes in '02, 96 in '03, 61 in '04 and 33 last year.  Could we see 20 pass attempts in the 2006 season? 

They make Muskingum's offense look complex.

[Pat Coleman]

Depends on who the next quarterback is. Roe was the starter for several years and I'm sure Barnes ran the offense with his skills in mind.

Roe was great with the ball and ran well but throwing was not his strength, obviously.

[usee]

Roe was the most pathetic passer i have seen at augie in 25 yrs. that is saying something from a program that has thrown as many passes over that time than Mount threw last year alone. i wouldn't count on augie throwing the ball much more than their history suggests however.

i will note they may have had a little more success against muc this past year if they figured out how to defeat a block and make a tackle in that game.

[matblake]

Augustana will always be what Augustana has been.  The sooner that gets accepted the sooner that we don't have to deal with an option/wing t/single wing debate.   

[HScoach]

I find all of this Augie discussion rather amusing.  The key is finding the players to fit the system, or adjusting the system to fit the players.  If Augie's best QB couldn't throw, then they shouldn't throw (as evidenced by his piss poor passing attempts vs. MUC).  If they had QB that was a decent to average passer, then they'd be idiots to only throw the ball twice a game.  It's being too stubborn to adjust your system to fit the talent that gets you in trouble in the win column. 

Overall, I'd prefer to be as balanced as possible as it gives you flexibility to handle variable weather and field conditions as well as avoiding match-up problems versus a defense that is stacked in one phase of the game.  However, you have to do whatever is best for the players you have.  So if that's running it 99% of the time, then so be it.  You just better be darn good at it to beat the good teams. 

Which is what separates Augie and Muskingum.   Augie has very good players running an offense that's very predictable.  Musky has average talent.