FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[RoyalPurple]

Locker room on the hill was reminiscent of Hiram "losing the key" at halftime the final trip to the cow pasture. BTW-Didn't help Hiram

[RoyalPurple]

Well, here's hoping Whitewater cab squeak past the Waldorf Saladteers

Worried about UWW already? 

Yep,,,,cause I'm hoping for revenge

[rscl70]

Out of curiosity: anyone think that VK would step and try a DII team in the area? I know LK didn't see the sense in it - but as we know VK is different. I was thinking of maybe Notre Dame College or someone like that. NDC's offensive coordinator is Bill Rychel (Mount) and they have Regis Scafe as the LB coach. So there is a connection.

I think the AD does the scheduling.  A game with Walsh would, I think, be a great natural rivalry, but I'm guessing Walsh might think they have too much to lose in such a match-up.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Vince Kehres is young enough that if he had some success of his own at Mount Union it would be silly to assume he'd spend the rest of his career there. When higher levels came calling for LK, he was fairly close to retirement and might have decided it was too late to move. But VK interviewed for other head coaching jobs before landing his current one, so I think it's safe to think he might do so eventually someday.

Many coaches prefer the lifestyle and comparative lack of pressure of D3 over the wealth of 'moving up'.  IWU went more that 50 years with only two basketball coaches.  I don't know if Jack Horenberger had opportunities to move on, but Dennie Bridges had many such offers.  He was uninterested; IWU paid him enough to be quite comfortable, and he much preferred the intimacy of small college ball (for example, personally knowing all the regular fans).  And he knew that, barring scandal or 10-15 consecutive losing seasons (he had zero losing seasons), he had perfect job security.

[Raider 68]

Out of curiosity: anyone think that VK would step and try a DII team in the area? I know LK didn't see the sense in it - but as we know VK is different. I was thinking of maybe Notre Dame College or someone like that. NDC's offensive coordinator is Bill Rychel (Mount) and they have Regis Scafe as the LB coach. So there is a connection.

I think the AD does the scheduling.  A game with Walsh would, I think, be a great natural rivalry, but I'm guessing Walsh might think they have too much to lose in such a match-up.

The subject of scheduling other schools close to Mount Union, Walsh, Malone,  Ashland and others has come up many times. Some time ago I asked the Mount Union officials making the call (including the AD) and the response has always been the same. Those schools do not want to play Mount Union. The reason is simple, they do not want a lose to a D3 school, and they have over the years accepted that they could not be competitive enough against the Raiders. Of course, there are those
who believe that is not true, but the staffs of those schools do not want to take that chance!

[mr_mom]

Results for the first week of the 2014 OAC Pick-Em are [belatedly] posted.

Desertraider and theaprof fought through a crowded leaderboard to take took the top spots with 12 of 14 points.  I sit alone in the basement.   

Spreads for Week # 2 will be posted Monday night.

[Desertraider]

Vince Kehres is young enough that if he had some success of his own at Mount Union it would be silly to assume he'd spend the rest of his career there. When higher levels came calling for LK, he was fairly close to retirement and might have decided it was too late to move. But VK interviewed for other head coaching jobs before landing his current one, so I think it's safe to think he might do so eventually someday.

I had not even thought of VK leaving for a higher division - thanks Pat - now I have that rolling in the back of my head. I was just wondering if he would try to schedule with a DII school. Now, if LK wants to get back in to coaching.......and I am just spit balling here.....GO TO WEST POINT!!!! Seriously - I want to beat Navy and I know LK is just the man.   

[Pat Coleman]

Vince Kehres is young enough that if he had some success of his own at Mount Union it would be silly to assume he'd spend the rest of his career there. When higher levels came calling for LK, he was fairly close to retirement and might have decided it was too late to move. But VK interviewed for other head coaching jobs before landing his current one, so I think it's safe to think he might do so eventually someday.

I had not even thought of VK leaving for a higher division - thanks Pat - now I have that rolling in the back of my head. I was just wondering if he would try to schedule with a DII school. Now, if LK wants to get back in to coaching.......and I am just spit balling here.....GO TO WEST POINT!!!! Seriously - I want to beat Navy and I know LK is just the man.   

Oh. You should have used the word "schedule" then.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Pretty amusing at the two different directions that conversation went.

I, also, had read it as "would VK coach somewhere else?" rather than "would Mount schedule a D2?"

I'm hardly the most qualified to answer, but I imagine, as stated above, that any D2 school just feels there is far more downside than upside in such a matchup.

FWIW, I went to a game between two middling D2 teams last year and thought it basically looked like a D3 game with slightly bigger linemen. I'm sure Mount, UWW, and the rest of D3's 5-6 best schools would compete quite well with the bottom half of D2, and maybe even higher up the food chain than that.

[bceagle80]

Out of curiosity: anyone think that VK would step and try a DII team in the area? I know LK didn't see the sense in it - but as we know VK is different. I was thinking of maybe Notre Dame College or someone like that. NDC's offensive coordinator is Bill Rychel (Mount) and they have Regis Scafe as the LB coach. So there is a connection.

I think the AD does the scheduling.  A game with Walsh would, I think, be a great natural rivalry, but I'm guessing Walsh might think they have too much to lose in such a match-up.

My son was recruited by Walsh as well as Mount Union. He would enjoy working hard to beat them. I agree also that D2 schools have to much to lose playing D3. That being said the Junior Varsity played Ashland University (D2 school) this past Sunday and lost.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount has been playing Ashland at the JV level for quite some time now.  That's always a great test for them as Ashland is a good D2 program.  Mount also regularly played Malone JV in their pre-DII, NAIA days.  Those games were never much of a test.  I don't recall Walsh on the schedule at any level.

I don't think a D2 opponent will happen at the varsity level for the exact reason mentioned...no upside for the D2 school.  It'd be one thing if Walsh or Malone was lining up Hiram or someone else that they know they'll beat.  But there's way too much risk playing someone like Mount for them.  You're competing for the same recruits.  You can't risk losing to them and giving them that grenade to lob at you during recruiting.

As for the other thing?  I never assume nor expect anyone to work one place for life.  It's unreasonable.  LK's situation just unfolded perfectly for him to stay.  VK is pretty young by coaching standards.  I wouldn't blame him if he moved up eventually.  I'll tell you this much...after watching Toledo/Mizzou Campbell should have already sent him a "I know the answer, but I still have to ask..." text about being Toledo's DC. 

[Purple Badger]

Out of curiosity: anyone think that VK would step and try a DII team in the area? I know LK didn't see the sense in it - but as we know VK is different. I was thinking of maybe Notre Dame College or someone like that. NDC's offensive coordinator is Bill Rychel (Mount) and they have Regis Scafe as the LB coach. So there is a connection.

I think the AD does the scheduling.  A game with Walsh would, I think, be a great natural rivalry, but I'm guessing Walsh might think they have too much to lose in such a match-up.

My son was recruited by Walsh as well as Mount Union. He would enjoy working hard to beat them. I agree also that D2 schools have to much to lose playing D3. That being said the Junior Varsity played Ashland University (D2 school) this past Sunday and lost.

I think you meant to say that our JV team beat Ashland.  (43-20).  The Ashland team was bigger but the first team JV held them scoreless and scored on them without much difficulty.

[reality check]

When I worked for the University of New Haven in the mid-2000's, I felt that the top half OAC programs would be able to hang with UNH and about half the teams they played nationally.  It felt very much like D-III in many ways.  UNH beat a St. Joseph's team in Indiana that I thought would struggle to compete versus the mid-to-bottom of the pack in the OAC. 

We played Tiffin when I was a freshman and beat them as I recall.   I remember my first play and I remember Burger King after the game but I don't really remember the score; priorities.

[Gregory Sager]

Vince Kehres is young enough that if he had some success of his own at Mount Union it would be silly to assume he'd spend the rest of his career there. When higher levels came calling for LK, he was fairly close to retirement and might have decided it was too late to move. But VK interviewed for other head coaching jobs before landing his current one, so I think it's safe to think he might do so eventually someday.

Many coaches prefer the lifestyle and comparative lack of pressure of D3 over the wealth of 'moving up'.  IWU went more that 50 years with only two basketball coaches.  I don't know if Jack Horenberger had opportunities to move on, but Dennie Bridges had many such offers.  He was uninterested; IWU paid him enough to be quite comfortable, and he much preferred the intimacy of small college ball (for example, personally knowing all the regular fans).  And he knew that, barring scandal or 10-15 consecutive losing seasons (he had zero losing seasons), he had perfect job security.

Bridges had four losing seasons, Chuck. In fact, I think that you were an IWU student during two of them, 1967-68 and 1968-69.

[mr_mom]

Week #2 OAC Pick-Em spreads have been posted.

Slim pickins this week, so please no posts of my love affair with Wesley or the WIAC.  [It's just a Summer thing, I swear! ]

Enjoy!
Mom