FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[HScoach]

a rabble-rousing Linfield fan

I resemble that remark.

Could it be because West of the Rockies we are as smug, priggish, vainglorius as MUC UMU fans are on a national scale?

Do you still schedule some team for a "practice" game? Love to get in on that if I could figure out a way to underwrite it. We found the money to pick up a ninth game at Case Western Reserve next year. One year deal / only if we would travel. Please consider pressuring the AD to find out a way to schedule LINFIELD first thing in the season. That would be just peachy.
Thank-you for your time and space here on the Back Where We Belong board.

Our opener this year and next is Franklin.  A pretty consistent playoff team that won their first round game.  Only to D3 losses this season are to MTU and MHB in 2nd round.
Openers in '10 and '11 was UW-Oshkosh.    You'll get a sense of them soon enough.
Openers in '09 and '08 was St John Fisher. 
That's 6 years of openers against quality teams.  We'd be more than happy to add Linfield to the list.  Call LK.


And playing Case Western definitely qualifies as a pre-season scrimmage.   They play a crap schedule and most years would be very lucky to be above .500 in the OAC. 

[raiderpa]

Would love to see the Raiders pick up Linfield as an opener....any rich alums want to chip in for a flight? I could handle a 10 or 20 bucks donation for the cause..(retired on fixed income)  Looks like a great day for football in the forecast for Saturday..sunny mid 50's...
Did not know Jasper was that close to Uncle Coach....will be a great day for the family...
Someone mentioned that they thought Mount was vulnerable to the pass, I would like to hear the explanation behind that...
(I do hate the way they do not look back for the ball when covering as receiver)

[Desertraider]

Would love to see the Raiders pick up Linfield as an opener....any rich alums want to chip in for a flight? I could handle a 10 or 20 bucks donation for the cause..(retired on fixed income)  Looks like a great day for football in the forecast for Saturday..sunny mid 50's...
Did not know Jasper was that close to Uncle Coach....will be a great day for the family...
Someone mentioned that they thought Mount was vulnerable to the pass, I would like to hear the explanation behind that...
(I do hate the way they do not look back for the ball when covering as receiver)

It was (is) me and one of the reasons you state above (bolded). Mount seems to give up chunks in the passing game whether by completions or as was the case last week - pass interference. I think they got Skilliter and Driskill on consecutive plays. Don't get me wrong the pass D is not weak - but they do seem inconsistent. Teams have been able to throw the ball at times for good yardage but have turned it over, on downs or otherwise. Look at the JCU game - IF JCU had a reciever that could catch the ball that game would have been closer. The recievers were open - and that's my point. I will grant the numbers are skewed a great deal - lets face it when teams are behind they throw more often and Mount has forced everyone to play from behind. But Widener comes in with average of 335 yards passing per game, so they do throw it often. All I am saying is that the pass D needs to be tight this week. I will also grant that though Widener's strength is the pass - the starting QB has also tossed 18 INTs.

And let's not forget - I am really stating that Mounts Pass D is not as tight as their Run D. It is still like comparing steel to titanium. Both are strong - but one is not quite as strong, doesn't mean it is weak.

[PurpleSuit]

Let's hope it wasn't any football players. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x970314145/Mount-Union-students-arrested-after-explosion-on-campus

freshman football players, at least they were as of Tuesday afternoon...

[@d3jason]

Let's hope it wasn't any football players. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x970314145/Mount-Union-students-arrested-after-explosion-on-campus

freshman football players, at least they were as of Tuesday afternoon...

Just sounds like chemistry homework.

[amonachino]

  I would really enjoy if Mount played Linfield the first game of the year..  If they are going to come to Cleveland to (play) CWR I will go out of my way to see them.  I hope we meet at the stagg this yr.  There is much to be cleared up on the field.

[K-Mack]

But Widener comes in with average of 335 yards passing per game, so they do throw it often. All I am saying is that the pass D needs to be tight this week. I will also grant that though Widener's strength is the pass - the starting QB has also tossed 18 INTs.

It's not even just that they throw it often. They throw it unconventionally. Their base last week -- and this might have been special for Salisbury -- seemed to be empty backfield, quads right. They also went empty with trips/twins, single back, bunch trips, bunch diamond and they move and hide their best guy so you can't just stick Scott on him (assuming he's the No. 1 cover corner) and play man.

I would guess Driskill and Nicholls will help a lot on Davis. Those guys seem very active usually anyway, and the 5 DBs is why I love the UMU defense, but I would say this. Widener is going to get their yards. The QB knows what he's doing -- though as you point out, he might turn it over some. I also think Widener can rush off the edge and will make some big plays on defense. But if Mount Union is as consistent on offense over the course of the game as they have been in the three I've watched most of, they'll outscore Widener, IMO.

[joelmama]

I seem to remember something like that exploding outside of the Sigma Nu House at Mt. Union back in the early 90s...

I think the statute of limitations has elapsed so if you had said the exact same comment happening outside that house in the early 80's that would have been me and a couple of friends who will remain nameless.  I was not a sciense student so I didn't use the method these current students did but let's just say we woke up everyone in that house and ran.  I'll bet it was the first and only time I ever broke a 5.0 second 40.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I seem to remember something like that exploding outside of the Sigma Nu House at Mt. Union back in the early 90s...

I think the statute of limitations has elapsed so if you had said the exact same comment happening outside that house in the early 80's that would have been me and a couple of friends who will remain nameless.  I was not a sciense student so I didn't use the method these current students did but let's just say we woke up everyone in that house and ran.  I'll bet it was the first and only time I ever broke a 5.0 second 40.

I'm not sure on the statute of limitations, so I am being careful with my verbiage. 

[HScoach]

But Widener comes in with average of 335 yards passing per game, so they do throw it often. All I am saying is that the pass D needs to be tight this week. I will also grant that though Widener's strength is the pass - the starting QB has also tossed 18 INTs.

It's not even just that they throw it often. They throw it unconventionally. Their base last week -- and this might have been special for Salisbury -- seemed to be empty backfield, quads right. They also went empty with trips/twins, single back, bunch trips, bunch diamond and they move and hide their best guy so you can't just stick Scott on him (assuming he's the No. 1 cover corner) and play man.

I would guess Driskill and Nicholls will help a lot on Davis. Those guys seem very active usually anyway, and the 5 DBs is why I love the UMU defense, but I would say this. Widener is going to get their yards. The QB knows what he's doing -- though as you point out, he might turn it over some. I also think Widener can rush off the edge and will make some big plays on defense. But if Mount Union is as consistent on offense over the course of the game as they have been in the three I've watched most of, they'll outscore Widener, IMO.

Yes, Widener will get a bunch of yards and will score some points, but will their defense stop Mount?  Ever?  Unless Mount is sloppy with the ball or penalties, Mount should score in the mid 40's or higher.  Can Widener keep pace against this defense for 4 quarters?  I doubt it.  No doubt they'll have some success, probably a TON more than we're used to seeing, as I expect them to be a lot like John Carroll only with much better receivers.  On the arm of a former D1 QB, JCU should have scored in the upper 20's or low 30's if their receivers could catch a cold.   I expect Widener to do the same.

In my less than humble opinion, the Mount defense is built exactly to defend the Widener style of offense.  They have great speed in the secondary and go 6 or more deep with little difference in talent.  The teams that worry me are the UWW and MHB style teams that can run the ball behind a strong O-line straight at a very under-sized front 4.   Those teams are going to be stuff to stop.

[HScoach]

Great news everyone!  This week's officiating crew is from our friends in the NCAC.

Mom:  The spread just got 10 points closer.

[bman]

But Widener comes in with average of 335 yards passing per game, so they do throw it often. All I am saying is that the pass D needs to be tight this week. I will also grant that though Widener's strength is the pass - the starting QB has also tossed 18 INTs.

It's not even just that they throw it often. They throw it unconventionally. Their base last week -- and this might have been special for Salisbury -- seemed to be empty backfield, quads right. They also went empty with trips/twins, single back, bunch trips, bunch diamond and they move and hide their best guy so you can't just stick Scott on him (assuming he's the No. 1 cover corner) and play man.

I would guess Driskill and Nicholls will help a lot on Davis. Those guys seem very active usually anyway, and the 5 DBs is why I love the UMU defense, but I would say this. Widener is going to get their yards. The QB knows what he's doing -- though as you point out, he might turn it over some. I also think Widener can rush off the edge and will make some big plays on defense. But if Mount Union is as consistent on offense over the course of the game as they have been in the three I've watched most of, they'll outscore Widener, IMO.

Yes, Widener will get a bunch of yards and will score some points, but will their defense stop Mount?  Ever?  Unless Mount is sloppy with the ball or penalties, Mount should score in the mid 40's or higher.  Can Widener keep pace against this defense for 4 quarters?  I doubt it.  No doubt they'll have some success, probably a TON more than we're used to seeing, as I expect them to be a lot like John Carroll only with much better receivers.  On the arm of a former D1 QB, JCU should have scored in the upper 20's or low 30's if their receivers could catch a cold.   I expect Widener to do the same.

In my less than humble opinion, the Mount defense is built exactly to defend the Widener style of offense.  They have great speed in the secondary and go 6 or more deep with little difference in talent.  The teams that worry me are the UWW and MHB style teams that can run the ball behind a strong O-line straight at a very under-sized front 4.   Those teams are going to be stuff to stop.

Coach
K-Macks assesment aside, I don't think you have seen anyone come on here from the East and say anything differently than what you state below.   I mentioned earlier in the week, that this is a HUGE step up in class for the Widener team.  The only team that may have remotely the amount of speed as UMU (at least on O) is Del Val, and their D had some fairly obvious gaps this year.  I think we in the MAC have been realistic about how the game will go this weekend, and I personally posted my assesment earlier in the week.  IMO it's a huge win just to keep the game reasonable, and in my mind this game is a great yardstick for the (newer) coaching staff, to determine what needs to be done to get to the UMU tier.  If a miracle happens, then so be it, but (speaking for myself) it would be a win, and a plus for the east to not be blown out...

[skunks_sidekick]

Great news everyone!  This week's officiating crew is from our friends in the NCAC.

Mom:  The spread just got 10 points closer.

Oh joy!  The gift that keeps on giving year in and year out.  The bitter, puny NCAC officials who relish the opportunity to stick it to the OAC, and especially to Mount.  Eh......Mount always gets them at least once during the play-offs. 

Get ready for the holding flags to fly when Mount is on offense, and the interference flags to fly when Mount is on D.   

[theaprof]

Is there a Friday night at Rey's this week?

[PurpleSuit]

Great news everyone!  This week's officiating crew is from our friends in the NCAC.

Mom:  The spread just got 10 points closer.

Oh joy!  The gift that keeps on giving year in and year out.  The bitter, puny NCAC officials who relish the opportunity to stick it to the OAC, and especially to Mount.  Eh......Mount always gets them at least once during the play-offs. 

Get ready for the holding flags to fly when Mount is on offense, and the interference flags to fly when Mount is on D.   

So you're saying it's a typical postseason game for Mount?