FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[seventiesraider]

Date for Mt's first playoff game?

OK, but they usually get in the way. 

[MUCheats]

Academic standards for acceptance isn't any different for football, soccer, swimmers, or any other athlete than it would be for Suzie who wants to major in Chemistry and play the flute.

This is debatable.  Or at least not all schools operate like that, anyways.  But that's a discussion that could have us here all night.

Cost per player is also offset by the NCAA. How I understand it, for each player that fills out the eligibility forms at the start of the season that athletic program gets X amount of dollars from the NCAA. That's why most OAC schools shoot for more numbers, especially in football. They get more money, even if the guy quits after camp.

I've never heard of that and it sounds like something that is just begging for abuse.  Where does the NCAA have money like that laying around, especially for DIII schools?  Just curious, but if that's really the case, do you know where I can read more about it?

Enrollment at private schools took a hit last year because of the economy, and it looks like it might get worse this year. It will be important for each school to bring in as many students as they can to make their classes, which won't be easy. Athletes and football player in general will be key in that. Should be a fun year at work!

Again, this is something I'm not understanding.  No school accepts and enrolls 100% of its applicants.  So while football may help some schools advertise themselves, and thus increase applications, it's not usually the difference between enrolling an incoming freshman class of 500 or enrolling a larger of 650.  All of this gets into a greater discussion about enrollment management, but lots of things can affect that.  A school's movement (up or down) in the USNews college rankings can affect that, too.  I just don't think that football or athletic departments, as a whole, have such a singularly important affect on whether or not a school hits or exceeds its enrollment targets.

[OldOtter]

It was something I was told while I was a player. I'll try to find a link for you that explains it better. I may be wrong, but again, it was what I was told

[Pat Coleman]

I've never heard anything like that, for what it's worth.

[reality check]

Date for Mt's first playoff game?

Looking for a date?  Thundermom is available.

[Shark]

On Veterans Day, I want to thank all who are currently serving or who have served our county. JK, Knightstalker as well as many others. I appreciate your service and sacrifice. Thank You!!!

[Toph]

Toph,

What is your take on the JCU program, its coaches and where does it
go from here?

I'm not as close to the program as I used to be (which is why my posts are less frequent), bear that in mind as you read this.  I live on the other side of town now and if you know Cleveland at all, you know that Clevelanders seem to think one needs a passport to go from one side of to the other (even if I am an east sider at heart).  I haven't made it to a single game this year, but always look up the scores and stats on the web.

I am a big fan of Coach Scafe.  When I worked with him for the college radio broadcasts he was always helpful, polite, willing to talk about anything and everything related to the football program, and didn't mind me and the rest of the radio crew hanging around practice, watching film, asking questions, traveling with the team.  He took awhile to warm up to me, but once he did we had some great interviews that aired during the games....one of which a program director enjoyed so much that it led to a job opportunity for me that I ultimately turned down.

It is that relationship and all the help I received from Coach Scafe that makes this situation difficult.  I know he's a good coach, I know he's a good role model for the student-athletes that play for him, but I don't know where the disconnect has come in the last few years.  It's frustrating to watch as an alum, and I can only imagine what the coaching staff is going through.  

I don't know what is or what should be in store for the coaching staff at JCU.  Carroll has one of the finest stadiums in the area, great facilities, a very good sports information department, a beautiful campus, and has the academic chops as a university to bring in the finest student-athletes in the area.  

I can only hope Coach Scafe and his staff can turn it around...the program has to go up.  Seasons like this are not what JCU is used to.  If you would've told me in 2002 that less than 10 years later the Streaks would lose to Wilmington and Muskingum in the same season, I would've tried to sell you Terminal Tower.

Sorry for being a bit long winded.

Oh...and hoops season has started.   

[Raider 68]

Toph,

What is your take on the JCU program, its coaches and where does it
go from here?

I'm not as close to the program as I used to be (which is why my posts are less frequent), bear that in mind as you read this.  I live on the other side of town now and if you know Cleveland at all, you know that Clevelanders seem to think one needs a passport to go from one side of to the other (even if I am an east sider at heart).  I haven't made it to a single game this year, but always look up the scores and stats on the web.

I am a big fan of Coach Scafe.  When I worked with him for the college radio broadcasts he was always helpful, polite, willing to talk about anything and everything related to the football program, and didn't mind me and the rest of the radio crew hanging around practice, watching film, asking questions, traveling with the team.  He took awhile to warm up to me, but once he did we had some great interviews that aired during the games....one of which a program director enjoyed so much that it led to a job opportunity for me that I ultimately turned down.

It is that relationship and all the help I received from Coach Scafe that makes this situation difficult.  I know he's a good coach, I know he's a good role model for the student-athletes that play for him, but I don't know where the disconnect has come in the last few years.  It's frustrating to watch as an alum, and I can only imagine what the coaching staff is going through. 

I don't know what is or what should be in store for the coaching staff at JCU.  Carroll has one of the finest stadiums in the area, great facilities, a very good sports information department, a beautiful campus, and has the academic chops as a university to bring in the finest student-athletes in the area. 

I can only hope Coach Scafe and his staff can turn it around...the program has to go up.  Seasons like this are not what JCU is used to.  If you would've told me in 2002 that less than 10 years later the Streaks would lose to Wilmington and Muskingum in the same season, I would've tried to sell you Terminal Tower.

Sorry for being a bit long winded.

Oh...and hoops season has started.   

I was a West sider (Westlake 1982-1995) and we found that you needed permission to venture to the East side of Cleveland. We preferred Columbus and Indy more.

The question for JCU, are they going to stay with the current or make a change for the future? I heard from a relaible source on Tuesday that they will going in a different direction with the football program, but we will see if that happens. Even with a win at Otterbein (not likely) JCU's record again will below expectations.

[seventiesraider]

Great article to cheerup a dull Marietta week. LK for UNLV? NOT

[HScoach]

The state of the JCU is sad.  I've always been impressed by everything associated with John Carroll.  The campus in my opinion is the best in the OAC and the stadium is upper crust too.  I expected the Jesuit connection to all the private Cleveland high schools should give them a recruiting advantage over the other northern Ohio colleges, but since Arth graduated it hasn't seemed to matter.

I only get to see JCU live against Mount, which often is a fair assesment, but they seem to have lost their identity and focus as a football team.  Against MUC this season, you had no idea of what their game plan was.  Both offensively and defensively the calls and schemes appeared to be a random grab-bag of plays and personnel.  Almost like they didn't expect anything to work and was just throwing darts at the playbook trying to get lucky. 

I don't know anything about the inner workings of the JCU football program or what is wrong or what the fix should be, other than saying what they're doing now isn't working.   Whether that be a problem in the coaching staff or at the administration level.


And on the subject of good programs that have fallen on hard times, what in the world has happened to Baldwin Wallace?  They make JCU look good.  It's been a long, long time since BW was a really good program, but they have no business being as bad as they are.  To be in the same category as Muskingum and Marietta is embarassing.  The amount of HS talent in northern Ohio that BW can recruit from alone should keep them at .500 and well ahead of Berg, Wilma, Musky and Etta.  They only reason they've even been remotely relevant in the last decade plus is a D1 QB that came back to Ohio and individually carried them.  Outside of Dan Larlham, BW has become Muskingum.  YUCK!
 

[Raider 68]

The state of the JCU is sad.  I've always been impressed by everything associated with John Carroll.  The campus in my opinion is the best in the OAC and the stadium is upper crust too.  I expected the Jesuit connection to all the private Cleveland high schools should give them a recruiting advantage over the other northern Ohio colleges, but since Arth graduated it hasn't seemed to matter.

I only get to see JCU live against Mount, which often is a fair assesment, but they seem to have lost their identity and focus as a football team.  Against MUC this season, you had no idea of what their game plan was.  Both offensively and defensively the calls and schemes appeared to be a random grab-bag of plays and personnel.  Almost like they didn't expect anything to work and was just throwing darts at the playbook trying to get lucky. 

I don't know anything about the inner workings of the JCU football program or what is wrong or what the fix should be, other than saying what they're doing now isn't working.   Whether that be a problem in the coaching staff or at the administration level.


And on the subject of good programs that have fallen on hard times, what in the world has happened to Baldwin Wallace?  They make JCU look good.  It's been a long, long time since BW was a really good program, but they have no business being as bad as they are.  To be in the same category as Muskingum and Marietta is embarassing.  The amount of HS talent in northern Ohio that BW can recruit from alone should keep them at .500 and well ahead of Berg, Wilma, Musky and Etta.  They only reason they've even been remotely relevant in the last decade plus is a D1 QB that came back to Ohio and individually carried them.  Outside of Dan Larlham, BW has become Muskingum.  YUCK!
 

HScoach,

Could not agree with you more about both JCU and B-W. while I have closer ties to B-W, it is ashame that both school's football programs are in a state of decline. I know the B-W alums are not happy about it and now is the time to have some former Raiders at both schools.

JCU has a great basketball program and other sports are compeititive in the OAC. The way the Mount/JCU game went from a JCU coaching perspective, borders on insanity.  I hope what I am hearing is correct about a coaching change for the sake of JCU.

I do not buy what some are saying that both programs are having
problems recruiting due to other schools in Northeast Ohio. Make
the changes, restore a more strategic winning philosophy and the talented
players will come to both those schools. Also, for the administrators, take
a strong look at the Mount model, then the desire for change comes
much easier which includes recruiting from more than one state.

[seventiesraider]

Even more so that looking at Mount, I think Heidelberg has lead the way in re-evaluating the entire athletic program and laying out goals in the same time frame they brought in Mike Hallet. They have seen conference success in several sports besides football. Every system eventually gets set in it's ways and needs to be examined, and given new life and vision.

BW still managed to hang on thru last year as a defensive team, but the loss of the D-C was the last straw.

[reality check]

Has anyone ever considered that BW and JCU might benefit from new GOOD coaches and not just new FORMER RAIDERS as coaches.  If there's a Mount Union alum that is deserving of the spot, interested in the spot and a great fit for the program than yes, hire them.  If there's a coach with all those same dynamics that didn't go to MUC, hire them as well!!!  BW and JCU don't need a former MUC guy anymore than they just need something to change in their programs.  I'm not hating on giving a Mount guy the reigns, I just think I've read way too much that it needs to be a MUC guy.  It just needs to be a guy, any guy, that can change the ways things are going and bring back these programs to respectability.

[TooForRaider]

Even more so that looking at Mount, I think Heidelberg has lead the way in re-evaluating the entire athletic program and laying out goals in the same time frame they brought in Mike Hallet. They have seen conference success in several sports besides football. Every system eventually gets set in it's ways and needs to be examined, and given new life and vision.

BW still managed to hang on thru last year as a defensive team, but the loss of the D-C was the last straw.

Agreed. It will be very easy to see BW's take on the program after this week. If they stay with Snell then winning is not a priority AT ALL.

With JCU it is anyone's guess. I still can't differentiate between Regis and Dave Wannstedt.

[jaypeter]

Great article to cheerup a dull Marietta week. LK for UNLV? NOT

This may have been my favorite part, taken from the comments below the article:

"I've seen Kehres name mentioned several times mostly by one poster. The guy is a legend in Division III. The thing that I worry about is does he know how to recruit or does he know anybody that knows how to recruit. There are no scholorships in Div. III and therefore no recruitment."

No scholarships = no recruitment?  Damn, in some ways he has an even harder time recruiting since he not only has to sell the idea that the player might not get on the field, but may also have to pay $20K+ to ride the pine.