FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[tigers1901]

In Cleveland/Berea go with 88.3 FM WBWC (The Sting) for game coverage on Saturday.

It's not Ric or WRMU but you will will get radio game coverage.

[OU#25]

Curious trend nationally as Mount recieved only 35 of a possible 40 first place votes this week.  The lowest % this season I believe.  Is Mount slipping in the eyes of the D3 world?  Thoughts and comments welcome.

[bambord]

Curious trend nationally as Mount recieved only 35 of a possible 40 first place votes this week.  The lowest % this season I believe.  Is Mount slipping in the eyes of the D3 world?  Thoughts and comments welcome.

Polls can be "funny", polls can be fickle.  Maybe the polled believe Mount is less strong, this year, compared to the rest of D3.  Maybe the polled notice the moments when the D is susceptible to the pass.  Maybe the polled notice moments when Jorris is a second late and "way" off target.

Or, maybe the polled grow weary of Mount's "endless" place at, or near, the top of the polls.  If that is the case, Mount would best fight a bias in the polls by winning out.

[rscl70]

Curious trend nationally as Mount recieved only 35 of a possible 40 first place votes this week.  The lowest % this season I believe.  Is Mount slipping in the eyes of the D3 world?  Thoughts and comments welcome.

Could you blame the voters if they were having some doubts about strength of schedule?  Is this Mount Union team really this good, or is the OAC in the dumper?

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Curious trend nationally as Mount recieved only 35 of a possible 40 first place votes this week.  The lowest % this season I believe.  Is Mount slipping in the eyes of the D3 world?  Thoughts and comments welcome.

The first AFCA Poll had 35 votes for MUC.  Then three straight weeks at 36 votes.  Now, back to 35 this week.  I don't know where the trend is there???

Another reason why other posters hate MUC on Post Patterns.  Woe is me, we lost a vote in the Coaches poll this week. 

Just keep putting up those Ws, because the only poll that matters is the last one of the year.

[OU#25]

bambord&rscl70
Good points!

Maybe that could be a topic question on the board this week.  For the non-Mount fans who have seen the Raiders play this season...Is Mount better this year or were they better last year at this same point in the season.

In my humble opinion, Iwould say Mount is much better and deeper this year...regardless of whether the other OAC teams are up or down from last year.


kirasdad:
I'm not complaing about the poll nor asking folks to feel sorry for Mount.  Just curious if something else was going on nationally.  You're correct  however that the only pole that matters is the final one as we saw last year.  Finally, I always disregard the first released poll in any sport because it tends to be based on last year's results or what is anticipated of a program. 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Polls can be "funny", polls can be fickle.  Maybe the polled believe Mount is less strong, this year, compared to the rest of D3.  Maybe the polled notice the moments when the D is susceptible to the pass.  Maybe the polled notice moments when Jorris is a second late and "way" off target.

I haven't seen any games live this year, but when has the D been susceptible to the pass?  Their National Rankings are:
Total D  3   160 ypg
Rushing D  3  22.5 ypg
Pass Effic. D  4  72.8 Opp. Pass Effic.
Scoring D  2  6.2 ppg
TO Margin 1  22 (11 Ints) Take Aways on D & ST,  5 Given Away on O.

Pass Yards Per Game Given Up:
Averette:  167
Otterbein:  240
Muskingum:  24
Heidleberg:  101
Ohio Northern:  106
Wilmington:  189

That is against teams who were outscored an average of 61.5 to 6.2 per game, so the opponents were most likely passing most of the game, trying to play catch up.  Also (as it has been said many times before) the first string D probably doesn't play much beyond the beginning of the 3rd quarter.

I wouldn't say that was a suspect Pass Defense.

[raiderguy]

Or it could be as simple as the coaches thinking that WW is that good. They played a tough game in the Stagg last year and have nearly everyone back. They have been TCB'ing so the votes go to another deserving team. Now with Beaver gone that could change next week and beyond even if they keep winning. Or it could stay the same because they keep winning without Beaver. All that really matters as was mentioned before is the "last poll".

[HScoach]

Overall, I'd say this MUC team is better than last year's because they are more experienced offensively.  Jorris, Kmic and Garcon are all known commodities at this point.  Last year there were still questions regarding how Jorris would handle  playoff pressure.  And at this point of the regular season in 2005, Kmic was still the 3rd string TB behind Robinson and Morring.   In all cases, you have to say this offense is better, more experienced and deeper than 2005.

The only area that this team is weaker than last year is at defensive tackle.  But that's becuase Wolfe and Wells were absolute studs, not because Parr and McCollough aren't very good players.  The secondary and LB's are on the same level as last year.  They don't have a great CB like Watson, but as a group they're more balanced.  And DeRiggi at ILB has played very, very well in replacing Gibbons.

[reality check]

I think a lot of MUCers are overlooking or forgetting how good the 2005 team looked to start the season.  Wasn't it last year that other OAC'ers like myself were thinking and asking if this might be one of the best untouted defenses and unexpectedly effective offenses of the dynasty?!?  The loss to ONU came as a huge surprise to everyone (even us Polar Bear fans).  I thought Mount was a dynamo last year.  They were beating teams almost as badly as they are beating teams this year.  So as far as Mount goes, I don't see much of a difference. 

And why is the OAC all of the sudden down this year?  CAP barely beats ONU and looks sloppy against JCU in 2006.  They barely beat ONU last year and actually lost to OTT.  BW seems to be up.  OTT seems to be down.  Musky and Wilma seem to be up a little.  JCU and Etta seem to be down.  Seems to me that this year is at worst the same as last year across the board but seems it might even be slightly more competitive. 

This MUC team sure seems as good as just about any they've fielded and they're more potent than 2005 but all I'm saying is don't forget how good they were playing the first half of last season as well.  The ONU loss made some less-committed people hop off the purple bandwagon or at the very least question how big and bad the machine really was.  Others looked at it as a wake-up call but I know I remember discussion last year prior to Oct. 22, 2005 that the 2005 edition of the Raiders might surprisingly be one of the best in the run in what could have been a "down year".

It must stink to be put into a position to ask which version of a number one nationally ranked team is better from year to year.  Woe is me indeed.

[purpled]

For me, the polls mean nothing at the D3 level because of the playoff system. As was the case last year with Mount losing, dropping in the polls and what do ya know... National Champs. You can be ranked 15th during the year, make the playoffs and be number one. I like that much better than DI.

[bushman]

I thought that last year was a re grouping year for Mt.  The machine needed a tune up and an oil change.  The oil change was Kmic and Jorris got his fine tuning for the play offs.  The ONU game was a flat tire.  We changed that and the rest was history.   This year the machine seems to be humming along.   Coach k might have a super charger for the playoff run.   Who will that be ?  My guess is Garcon. He seems to play best when the competition is better.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Last year a big deal was made because LK gave up some of the play calling on O to Campbell and Bruney.  But, in the Championship game, it appeared he took over again.

Any word on who is calling the offensive plays this year?

[raiderguy]

Just for S & G's using one of my favorite phrases.

"Numbers never lie and only liars use numbers"   

I put together some of those numbers for fun. And I ain't LION.

Total offense 06 vs 05 YTD per the NCAA. Take them were ever you want.

Ya can't make this up.

Team ranking in '06     Number     Number in 05     Ranking in 05
1. Mount Union            556.8pg          593.7                #1
2. Alma                         483.5              514.5               #7
3. Guilford                     469.0               NR
4. Kenyon? (sorry)        464.8               NR
5. Mississippi Col           453.2              NR
6. Hardin-Simmons        448.8              479.5              #14
7. Luther                        447.3               NR
8. Allegheny                   442.0               NR
9. St John Fisher            437.1              512.8               #8
10. St Olaf                      434.9              514.7               #6
14 Capital                       419.8              NR
23. Linfield                      401.2             453.2               #4
25. Whitewater               398.8             540.0               #3

Is the offense off or the defense better?

More useless fun facts to follow.

I have way too much time on my hands.

I have the stuff printed out so if your school isn't here and you want to know where they stack up just shoot  a post and I'll put it up in lights.

[raiderpa]

I think Mount Union is better this year, even tho' I thought the D would be suspect.  I have been amazed at the speed and team play of the defense.  Last year we knew the Defense would get it done, and losing all the 2005 talent gave many pause going into the season.

I keep wondering if the defense is really this good, or do they seem that way because I didn't expect them to be the force that they have been.
The DT's aren't the big names that they replaced, but Parr is quick as a cat and McCullogh has been every bit the perfect fit.
Who knew much about Kostelnik before a great Stagg Bowl?
I have been getting more pleasure watching the defense than the offense, they just seem like there are 15 guys out there...

WWW is a great team, but no team can lose a player like Beaver and not be weaker...but who knows, maybe there is a "Kmic" in their future...