FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

Reported in the Columbus Dispatch this morning (Tuesday):  

"Actually, disaster struck the Cardinals.  They lost quarterback Austin Schlosser (high ankle sprain), left tackle Kenny Collmar (knee and foot), left guard Arnold Spikes (foot sprain), receiver Dan Gendron (broken collarbone), and center Sam Watson (knee) on successive possessions in the first half.  Only Watson is expected to return this season."

However, the Otter two-deep on the Preview Notes lists Collmar at tackle, and Watson as center.

I smell a "Willis Reed" scenario coming to Alliance........Schlosser comes out of the locker room, unexpectedly, to lead an emotional Otter team on the field to face the Raiders.  

I doubt that Coach Loth was totally honest with the Dispatch  

All I got from this was the shock that came with reading that it was in the Dispatch.  Must not have been a slow day for OSU and the CBJ to actually allow lowly DIII news into the Disgrace.

[Raider 68]

Reported in the Columbus Dispatch this morning (Tuesday): 

"Actually, disaster struck the Cardinals.  They lost quarterback Austin Schlosser (high ankle sprain), left tackle Kenny Collmar (knee and foot), left guard Arnold Spikes (foot sprain), receiver Dan Gendron (broken collarbone), and center Sam Watson (knee) on successive possessions in the first half.  Only Watson is expected to return this season."

However, the Otter two-deep on the Preview Notes lists Collmar at tackle, and Watson as center.

I smell a "Willis Reed" scenario coming to Alliance........Schlosser comes out of the locker room, unexpectedly, to lead an emotional Otter team on the field to face the Raiders. 

I doubt that Coach Loth was totally honest with the Dispatch 

All I got from this was the shock that came with reading that it was in the Dispatch.  Must not have been a slow day for OSU and the CBJ to actually allow lowly DIII news into the Disgrace.

Dr. Acula,

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is another paper that give lip service to D3 with all those colleges in the area. For the best program in D3 and only 60 miles
away, Mount does get some press but not that much. The PD wastes all
their print on the Browns!

[HScoach]

Looks like the Otters are in trouble.  What stuns me is with all the talk about the offense being beat up the healthy defense gave up 25 points and almost 30 first downs.  Yikes.

My feeling is whoever wins the Cap/ONU game and wins out has the best chance to get into the playoffs.

I agree on both accounts.  The Cap/ONU winner has the best chance at a Pool C.  North Central's loss last week to Ill Wesleyan doesn't help though.  We need NCC to win the CCIW with their only loss to ONU.  Now ONU's win over NCC doesn't pull as much weight.

Otters give up 450 yards against Marietta?  Etta?   That isn't a good sign with a trip to MUC looming. 

[HScoach]

Raider68,

By definition, any print spent on the Browns is a waste.

[OldOtter]

In '05 the committee selected an 8-2 Cap team to go to the playoffs over an 8-2 Northern team WHO also knocked off Mount. Might I remind you that the two losses for Cap that season were to Mount and a HUGE upset to the then bottom of the pack Otterbein Cardinals (what a day in Westerville).  Cap also held the head to head advantage against Northern. Just throwin that out there! 8-2 and a fluke loss doesn't mean you're automatically out of the discussion

[TooForRaider]

What loss would be a fluke?

[OldOtter]

What loss would be a fluke?

By fluke loss, I was referring to Cap losing to OC in '05 and OC losing to Marietta this season. My point was that everyone is saying OC is out off the playoff picture when the same type of thing happend to Capital in '05

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I just think that if ONU finishes 8-2, they would be the most attractive Pool C bid from the OAC.

Reason 1:  Early season losses to Highly Ranked (at the time) Teams (close loss to OTT)
Reason 2:  Victory over NCC (highly ranked at the time)
Reason 3:  Finish season strong

Kind of like USC in the past losing an early season game and then rolling through the rest of the season is more attractive for a BCS Bowl Bid.

[HScoach]

For what's it's worth, I really HOPE that Otterbein doesn't make the playoffs if they're not healthy.  As an MUC fan first, then OAC fan second, I want the OAC's Pool C team to be as strong as possible.    Much of the nation assumes the OAC is really just Mount and a bunch of average teams, so if the 2nd OAC team enters the playoffs severely injured, it makes it very likely that they'll get drilled in the opening round.  Which does not look good for the conference.   Ala Capital a few years ago when they went to Whitewater without a QB.  A healthy Capital was a legit threat, but not the actual team they took to Wisconsin that year.

Of the teams I've seen to date, I think Capital is the most dangerous team come playoff time because of their playmaking ability at QB and good defense.  Northern is a tough team, but lacks playmakers on offense to win a shoot out if necessary.  Northern would overwhelm a lesser conference team physically, but I question their ability to win if they had to score in the 30's.

Coming into the season, I didn't think Otterbein would have the defense to remain in 2nd place and I figured Capital would reclaim the spot and the Pool C that goes along with it.  As long as Capital can get by ONU this weekend, it might end up playing out that way.  The one team that I completely missed in the OAC season preview was Baldwin Wallace.  I had them 4th and ahead of ONU, but boy does that look stupid now.

[HScoach]

What loss would be a fluke?

Any loss by the Raiders

[jam40jeff]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is another paper that give lip service to D3 with all those colleges in the area. For the best program in D3 and only 60 miles away, Mount does get some press but not that much. The PD wastes all their print on the Browns!

I really dislike the PD, but I think there is no comparison in their lack of coverage of anything D3 to the Columbus Dispatch.

[SaintsFAN]

For what's it's worth, I really HOPE that Otterbein doesn't make the playoffs if they're not healthy.  As an MUC fan first, then OAC fan second, I want the OAC's Pool C team to be as strong as possible.    Much of the nation assumes the OAC is really just Mount and a bunch of average teams, so if the 2nd OAC team enters the playoffs severely injured, it makes it very likely that they'll get drilled in the opening round.  Which does not look good for the conference.   Ala Capital a few years ago when they went to Whitewater without a QB.  A healthy Capital was a legit threat, but not the actual team they took to Wisconsin that year.

Of the teams I've seen to date, I think Capital is the most dangerous team come playoff time because of their playmaking ability at QB and good defense.  Northern is a tough team, but lacks playmakers on offense to win a shoot out if necessary.  Northern would overwhelm a lesser conference team physically, but I question their ability to win if they had to score in the 30's.

Coming into the season, I didn't think Otterbein would have the defense to remain in 2nd place and I figured Capital would reclaim the spot and the Pool C that goes along with it.  As long as Capital can get by ONU this weekend, it might end up playing out that way.  The one team that I completely missed in the OAC season preview was Baldwin Wallace.  I had them 4th and ahead of ONU, but boy does that look stupid now.

Not so sure I agree with the playmakers at Northern, HScoach... and you know I love ya.  I think Simmons has really developed into a duel threat at QB for the P Bears and combine that with a strong running game + a little screen game with Justin Linzy (who is tiny, but can fly) and I think they can score enough in the playoffs to win against a team with a good offense.  I think the defense is so good, that it makes the offense better than what we see on the stats page.  I think between the running/smart passing of Simmons (who's obviously matured both as a QB and physically) and the threat of the pass ----- they'd be just fine in the Tournament.  I don't think they'd have to win a shootout, unless they went up against UW-WW or MUC --- UW-WW would wear out the PBear defense and there's not many teams Kehres can't figure out if they play twice in a season.

Now, that said... they still have two really big games to go.  That 'Etta result last week should help DP make sure his kids are focused the next two weeks.  

[reality check]

The PD wastes all their print on the Browns!

That's one step below Division III.

[reality check]

What loss would be a fluke?

By fluke loss, I was referring to Cap losing to OC in '05 and OC losing to Marietta this season. My point was that everyone is saying OC is out off the playoff picture when the same type of thing happend to Capital in '05

I appreciate filibustering for your team but CAP in 2005 lost to an OTT team that finished 7-3.  The game took place in week two and the final was 17-14 at OTT.  This year's OTT team lost to a Marietta team that will finish 4-6 at best but possibly 3-7.

That CAP team outscored opponents in the regular season 34.6 to 11.5 despite two OAC losses.  This year's OTT team is outscoring opponents 32.4 to 22.5.  

The same type of thing didn't happen to CAP in 2005.  

[MUCheats]

Reported in the Columbus Dispatch this morning (Tuesday): 

"Actually, disaster struck the Cardinals.  They lost quarterback Austin Schlosser (high ankle sprain), left tackle Kenny Collmar (knee and foot), left guard Arnold Spikes (foot sprain), receiver Dan Gendron (broken collarbone), and center Sam Watson (knee) on successive possessions in the first half.  Only Watson is expected to return this season."

However, the Otter two-deep on the Preview Notes lists Collmar at tackle, and Watson as center.

I smell a "Willis Reed" scenario coming to Alliance........Schlosser comes out of the locker room, unexpectedly, to lead an emotional Otter team on the field to face the Raiders. 

I doubt that Coach Loth was totally honest with the Dispatch 

All I got from this was the shock that came with reading that it was in the Dispatch.  Must not have been a slow day for OSU and the CBJ to actually allow lowly DIII news into the Disgrace.

Dr. Acula,

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is another paper that give lip service to D3 with all those colleges in the area. For the best program in D3 and only 60 miles
away, Mount does get some press but not that much. The PD wastes all
their print on the Browns!

Technically speaking, Mount Union isn't a part of the Plain Dealer's coverage/delivery area.