FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Inkblot]

Although there are no DIII schools in Florida, there are six NAIA football programs in the state according to the website:

Webber University, Babson Park, FL
Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL
Warner University, Wales, FL
Keiser University, West Palm Beach, FL
Edward Wales College, Jacksonville, FL
Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, FL

What can you tell us about any of these programs, K&J's Dad?

Besides those listed, St. Thomas University is playing their first season of football this year and Florida Memorial University is starting football next year.

As recently as 2010, Edward Waters and Webber International were the only non-D1 football programs in the state. The others have started it since then: Ave Maria in 2011, Warner in 2013, Southeastern in 2014, and Keiser in 2018. Meanwhile in D2, Florida Tech added it in 2013 and West Florida (which barely counts, being as close to New Orleans as to Tallahassee) in 2016. Another D2 school (St. Leo) has conducted a feasibility study.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

It's funny, I remember beating Cap. 73-19 when I played, after I graduated, they started to win games and I was like "Geeze they really turned it around."  Now they are back to losing.  It's totally a team effort between school officials, coaches, students, professors.  I think one of the reasons that Mount has been so successful, is the teamwork displayed by the college.  There is a ton of support from the top down for the football program and for all of athletics.  I don't know the numbers any more, but at one point Mount had some 80% of the student body playing varsity sports.  If that doesn't scream "Sports drive enrollment" i don't know what does. 

On another note, Grove City College ended a 30 game losing streak recently and has now become a minor contender in the PAC.  I think that school could be a road map for other schools in a similar situation.  I'm guessing that the school admin and the coaches got together at some point to discuss the future of the program and developed a plan, put in to place and now it is working. 

Also, I have noticed that for the past several years that Mount has had many players on their roster from Florida.  I thought wow that's smart.  There are no D3 schools in Florida and there is probably a ton of D3 talent there (as evidenced by some of Mount's players) that goes untapped because there are no schools.  That probably also means that the kids that want to play football in college and cannot make the team at Florida, Miami, Florida State etc... have no exposure to D3, and are not being recruited.  Out of curiosity, I went and looked at some of the other schools rosters in the OAC and other successful programs and it seems that many of them have gotten on that train.  Schools like CWRU, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, John Carroll, B-W, Denison all have players from the Southeast.  A lot of the D3 schools are expanding their recruiting areas, and it shows.  Obviously, if you finish a season 0-10, it will be harder to convince a kid to travel far to come to your school, but I think it's worth a shot. Anyone else have thoughts on the diversity of the states that are filling the rosters in D3?

Lastly, I hope Capital does not dissolve the football program and I hope they do not leave the OAC. 

It's funny, I remember beating Cap. 73-19 when I played, after I graduated, they started to win games and I was like "Geeze they really turned it around."  Now they are back to losing.  It's totally a team effort between school officials, coaches, students, professors.  I think one of the reasons that Mount has been so successful, is the teamwork displayed by the college.  There is a ton of support from the top down for the football program and for all of athletics.  I don't know the numbers any more, but at one point Mount had some 80% of the student body playing varsity sports.  If that doesn't scream "Sports drive enrollment" i don't know what does. 

On another note, Grove City College ended a 30 game losing streak recently and has now become a minor contender in the PAC.  I think that school could be a road map for other schools in a similar situation.  I'm guessing that the school admin and the coaches got together at some point to discuss the future of the program and developed a plan, put in to place and now it is working. 

Also, I have noticed that for the past several years that Mount has had many players on their roster from Florida.  I thought wow that's smart.  There are no D3 schools in Florida and there is probably a ton of D3 talent there (as evidenced by some of Mount's players) that goes untapped because there are no schools.  That probably also means that the kids that want to play football in college and cannot make the team at Florida, Miami, Florida State etc... have no exposure to D3, and are not being recruited.  Out of curiosity, I went and looked at some of the other schools rosters in the OAC and other successful programs and it seems that many of them have gotten on that train.  Schools like CWRU, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, John Carroll, B-W, Denison all have players from the Southeast.  A lot of the D3 schools are expanding their recruiting areas, and it shows.  Obviously, if you finish a season 0-10, it will be harder to convince a kid to travel far to come to your school, but I think it's worth a shot. Anyone else have thoughts on the diversity of the states that are filling the rosters in D3?

Lastly, I hope Capital does not dissolve the football program and I hope they do not leave the OAC.

I am a HS Football Coach in Florida (Just North of Tampa) and each year there are 4 Small College Recruiting Fairs held throughout the state.  They start in the Miami Area and work their way north.  That way Colleges can send recruiters down here for 2-3 weeks and have contact with a TON of kids.

Here's a recent Tweet from the OC at BWU:  https://twitter.com/BWYJFootball/status/1184617644378460162?s=20

Although there are no DIII schools in Florida, there are six NAIA football programs in the state according to the website:

Webber University, Babson Park, FL
Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL
Warner University, Wales, FL
Keiser University, West Palm Beach, FL
Edward Wales College, Jacksonville, FL
Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, FL

What can you tell us about any of these programs, K&J's Dad?

Webber University, Babson Park, FL  -  Similar to a D3, recruits anyone with basic Grades/Test Scores
Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL -  Very high opinion of themselves.  New program.  Great Facilities.  Only recruits FCS/D2 type kids.
Warner University, Wales, FL  -  Same as Webber but very religious institution.
Keiser University, West Palm Beach, FL  -  Only recruits Miami Area kids who fall through the cracks.
Edward Wales College, Jacksonville, FL  -  In Jacksonville.  I think they are an HBCU type school
Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, FL  -  Fairly new football program (about 10 years old).  High Academic requirements.
St. Thomas University, Miami Area  -  New this year.  Former Mount Union player as a HC.  Similar to Keiser in recruiting Miami area mainly.

[Dr. Acula]

Not knowing the full inside story at the school, your points make sense and, actually, in general, are applicable to many schools. I agree that when you have a the "academics" i.e. a president and administrators who simply don't like football or athletics in general, that is destructive to a school.  We've seen that at many places.  As far as the coach, while I realize you are being truthful about your opinion and "calling it like it is" as you see it, you could be a little nicer..."a glorified water boy at OSU? Diplomatic discussion can still have the desired effect.

You're right.  That wasn't cool.  I apologize and have edited my original post.  My post was written in frustration with the state of the program and the decisions that have been made the last few years.

I just read it originally and thought "Oh, he must have been a GA or video coordinator or something at OSU".  I just took it to mean he wasn't anything as high up as a position coach.

The problem to my untrained eye is that the few times I've watched Cap the last year or two it seems like their talent level is sinking.  And I don't mean overall as much as mean the ceiling, the top players, are not as good year over year.  For years they haven't had enough horses to compete with the top of the OAC, but they always had a few dudes.  And those dudes were good enough and they had enough of them to compete with most of the conference.  Outside of Stanford at WR last year, I haven't seen those types of kids in the games I've watched recently. 

Last year they didn't have a RB rush for over 100 yds FOR THE SEASON.  99 yds in 10 games was their top RB.  That's crazy.  They had eight 1st team All-OAC players on their final Pentello team (2006).  Since 2012 they have had a grand total of two 1st team All-OAC selections.  And one of those two was Wibbeler last year when they did the completely ridiculous act of awarding 3 QB's 1st team All-OAC (but don't get me started on how the hell half of the conference QB's are either 1st or 2nd team All-OAC!)

[Dr. Acula]

Noticed in the game notes that freshman Harry Bowker is listed as a starting S this week.  That's impressive.  Not a common feat for a freshman.

[edward de vere]

Here's his stats sheet.  Looks like he's older than your typical college freshman.

https://www.fold3.com/page/632922122-harry-bowker/facts

[Jameswys]

Here's his stats sheet.  Looks like he's older than your typical college freshman.

https://www.fold3.com/page/632922122-harry-bowker/facts

I think most teams typically prefer players who are alive and born before 1900 but whatever works I guess.

[formerd3db]

Here's his stats sheet.  Looks like he's older than your typical college freshman.

https://www.fold3.com/page/632922122-harry-bowker/facts

I think most teams typically prefer players who are alive and born before 1900 but whatever works I guess.

Hilarious!  Great levity, you two. +k for both of you!

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Noticed in the game notes that freshman Harry Bowker is listed as a starting S this week.  That's impressive.  Not a common feat for a freshman.

Bowker comes from Bartram Trail HS.  A perennial playoff team in FL.  I met their HC, Darrell Sutherland, at a Clinic and he runs a great program.  Very open and helpful to me when I was first hired.

Not surprised that one of his players has earned the starting Nod as a Freshman.

[formerd3db]

Not knowing the full inside story at the school, your points make sense and, actually, in general, are applicable to many schools. I agree that when you have a the "academics" i.e. a president and administrators who simply don't like football or athletics in general, that is destructive to a school.  We've seen that at many places.  As far as the coach, while I realize you are being truthful about your opinion and "calling it like it is" as you see it, you could be a little nicer..."a glorified water boy at OSU? Diplomatic discussion can still have the desired effect.

You're right.  That wasn't cool.  I apologize and have edited my original post.  My post was written in frustration with the state of the program and the decisions that have been made the last few years.

That's okay. We all get a little frustrated here once in a while and sometimes make a statement or two that we wish we had worded otherwise. +k for your revising your post!

[formerd3db]

Inkblot and K&J's Dad:

Thanks for the additional information about the NAIA football programs in Florida. 

[gizzmo13]

rocky pentello will be starting for capital tomorrow. he still had a game of eligibility left..

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Mount Union vs Notre Dame - October 11, 1919

https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20191014/monday-after-mount-union-played-notre-dame-century-ago

[Captainred81]

A) Great article about the Mount Union - Notre Dame game...
B) I misspoke in an earlier post saying the MASCAC doesn't participate in the playoffs.  I meant the NESCAC.

Lastly, thanks for the info about the NAIA, D2 and the college recruiting in Florida.  It makes sense for D3 to go there and recruit. 

On a side note, I noticed that Ernie Burkes again listed with starting receiver core for this week and Robbie Kirchner is back at pint returner. 

Good Luck to all this week

[formerd3db]

Mount Union vs Notre Dame - October 11, 1919

https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20191014/monday-after-mount-union-played-notre-dame-century-ago

Don't feel bad, you guys.  Alma College played Notre Dame 4 straight years from 1913-1916 and got hammered by a combined score of 144-0 (in addition to Notre Dame, they also played Michigan State during those 4 years and beat MSU in 1917.) Notre Dame's coach was Jesse Harper, who had played for A.A. Stagg at Chicago and then coached Alma's teams in 1906 and 1907 before moving on to Wabash and helping to put the Little Giants "on the map."  He invited his old school to come down for those 4 years (Knute Rockne was an assistant coach at his alma mater in 1913).  At Alma in their football history, those teams are known as "The Suicide Squads!" and the initial team at Alma that started it all was known as "A Death Wish For Alma Mater" and responsible for the "Suicide Schedules." 

Just another piece of college football history with regard to our DIII schools!  Thanks for sharing the Mount Union game story against Notre Dame. 

[edward de vere]

Speaking of big-time schools:

Jesus God.

I'm watching the Ohio State game tonight and true freshman offensive lineman Dawand Jones is bigger than . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montana.

Not Montana the quarterback.

Montana the state.

Seriously.  He is bigger than the state of Montana.