FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[HScoach]

I'd like to make the case for Gary Smeck as the equal of The Great Number 7. Gary is the only Mount QB who won a title as a sophomore,was an incredible 40-1 as a starting QB at Mount and won two National Championships. Gary wasn't perhaps the most talented QB we ever had ,but also did not have,especially his sophomore year,as good a supporting cast. The miracle 1998 team was led by the incomparable linebacker Jason Hall.

No offense intended as Smeck was a cool customer and played great under pressure, but Bolchert was special.  Period.   Not even close. 

And how soon you forget that Burke was a sophomore last year.   And though technically not the starter, Micheli won the Stagg MVP as a sophomore.



In my less than humble opinion, the best Mount QB's since 1992 goes something like this.  I didn't see enough pre-1992 so I'm leaving those guys out.   Also leaving out Burke because 1 season isn't even to determine where he fits.

1.  Bill Borchert - There wasn't a throw that he couldn't make perfectly.   Best deep ball of any D3 QB I've ever seen.   People forget how athletic he was and how well he could run, if needed.   Would have been even better in today's read option/spread system.  Played in pure passing offense.   Running game was only an avenue to keep defense honest and to kill clock in 2nd half.

2.  Jim Ballard - very close 2nd to Borchert.  Had the "stones" to carry Mount to their first title with a team built solely around him.  Absolute stud with the swagger to go with it!  Same offensive approach as with Borchert.   Entire offense was on Ballard's arm.

Top two are easy.  Now gets hard to differentiate.

3.  Greg Micheli - not the biggest arm, but smart and accurate.   Very cool under pressure and good decision maker.  Had advantage of handing off to Kmic.

4.  Gary Smeck - same attributes as Micheli except without the foot speed to make plays with his legs.  Had advantage handing off to Chuck Moore as well as all the things the good Dr mentioned.

5.  Rob Adamson - often overshadowed by Dan Pugh and Chuck Moore, but was capable of carrying the team even throwing to a limited group of receivers.  Also

6.  Kurt Rocco - great and surprising senior year.   Mount wins a title in '09 if the RB's hang onto the darn ball.  Would have won it in '10 too if Rocco was the QB.

7.  Mike Jorris - big arm.  Played surprisingly well in '05 Stagg

8.  Zac Bruney/Jesse Burghardt - good athletes / average QB's at best.

9.  Neal Seaman - great athlete in HS , but blownout knee took away his legs leaving him with only average decision making and below average arm.   Likely would have been above Jorris if healthy.

[Raider 68]

HScoach,

Great Mount QB analysis. At this point K. Burke could be in the top three once he is done! +k

Hope the O Line has a good game against ONU!

[Dr. Acula]

I like that HScoach ranked Bruney & Burghardt together.  They were interchangeable that one year they rotated so how can you not?  The hard part for them was that they were probably the two best RBs on that team too. 

[bambord]

Borchert was the best of the Mount QBs.   Scary good.   Unbelievable deep ball.

My aging memory seems to recall occasions when Bill Borchert would overthrow a deep ball by a stride, call the same play on the next down for a seventy yard touchdown.

pt

[mr_mom]

Your weekly reminder to get your OAC Picks in.

Don't let FCGrizz run away with this!   

[Desertraider]

HS Coach - great analysis and I agree with it all...except I have Jorris ahead of Rocco. Jorris had a cannon but made some throws that I still scratch my head on. The pic in the Stagg where he placed the ball perfectly between 2 wide open Mount WRs - 1 deep and 1 short - right to the UWW DB. I still say he forgot which uni's Mount was wearing for that game. However, Rocco never impressed me. He seemed slow too make decisions and never struck me as a 'come back guy'. If he was on at the start he was good, but if he made mistakes early his head never got all the way back in it. I know Burke is not on the list but on my list he is (#7) already ahead of Rocco, Bruney/Burghardt and Seaman.

As for seeing The Great #7 - I saw him play against Hiram (of course he looked great - the equipment manager threw for 250 and 4 td's) but I saw the 1996 Stagg on DVD. Not at all passing weather - wind gusts, wet, nasty - and he put on a clinic.

Greatest Mount comeback - UMHB last season. Goosebumps.
Greatest Mount game - 1999 JCU. I did not see it (was living in Miami) but read Dick Ross' write-up and have always felt I was there.

Roll Raiders!

[mr_mom]

What is that chirping noise coming over Mark & Ric's microphone?

[HScoach]

What is that chirping noise coming over Mark & Ric's microphone?

Don't know.   Gonna mess with it half

[rscl70]

What is that chirping noise coming over Mark & Ric's microphone?

Annoying as heck.

[HScoach]

Northern is terrible.   Slowest defense I've seen in a long time.

[Dr. Acula]

Dean Paul needs this first half to mercifully end so he can regroup his guys.  This is not good.

[HScoach]

Connection reset.  Hopefully chirping is gone

[mr_mom]

Connection reset.  Hopefully chirping is gone

Thanks, Coach.

Was starting to long for the good-old days of handbells!   

[Dr. Acula]

Well, that was an interesting half.  Expected to handle ONU pretty easily.  Did not expect to be up 44-0 at half with the Bears showing no signs of even being able to remotely stop the Raiders from scoring.  15-16 for 268 and 4 scores?  In a half??  And with HScoach saying this defense is slow I'm fearful what happens when Taurice Scott relieves Burke.

[mr_mom]

Connection reset.  Hopefully chirping is gone

Nope.  We'll live with it ... you have your gnats and we have this.