FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Desertraider]

Wesley played a dI opponent this year and were able to play with them (only losing by 5).
Yes. A weaker FCS team but still with the scholarship and weight program advantages etc

The Idea that if they were good enough to compete at dI than they would be playing dI just isn't true, plenty of guys get overlooked and end up at d3 schools, (see Cecil shorts, Pierre Garçon, London Fletcher) yes, they are the exception, not the rule, but I'm just saying that great d3 guys should have no trouble playing well  in the MAC.

Kevin Burke didn't get any dI offers and I'd be very surprised if he couldn't compete at that level.
He's faster than Johnny manziel and throws a nice ball, I feel like that would translate.

Mount Union had more guys invited to pro camps than Kent did in 2012.

All I'm saying is that level of play is not a perfect indicator of football ability. Well that and that the MAC is a disaster of a conference.

You're not seeing the forest for the trees. Sure. Mount might have had more guys invited to pro camps than Kent, but that's only a couple players. Again...the difference in size, speed, and strength across the board would be overwhelming.

Wesley played a bad D1-FCS school (by your own admission).  Let's not act like they were playing Auburn.

Finally, if you think Kevin Burke is faster than Johnny Manziel, give me your keys. You're drunk. Kevin Burke is a great player, and I say this as no disrespect to him or his opponents. Burke is outrunning John Carroll. Manziel is outrunning the SEC and the Buffalo Bills.

I'm a D3 guy, but let's not get crazy here.

Just to play devils advocate here but do they have to play an Auburn or Bama or some other SEC school? I don't think that many D3 schools have the depth needed to play D1 schools. We see a few exceptions (UMU, UWW, Wesley, and maybe a Linfield or UMHB) where depth is not the problem but on the whole I see it as more depth than size or speed. Regardless if Wesley played a bad FCS school or a great one - they played a D1 school and lost by 5. By my count if you are down by 5 when the gun goes off - you were in that game with a shot to win. I have said it in the past and I will say it again - I would put Mount up against a few D1 schools and not be afraid to take Mount in the game. Schools like Akron, Kent, EMU, maybe BG and a few Sun-Belt schools. Could Mount line up and play smash-Mount football (my creation and I am registering it!)? No. But what we have all seen in DIII is an emphasis on fundamentals and I think that would be key.

[jknezek]

In one game a D3 school has a chance against the worst FBS schools. Over a season of playing even the putrid MAC East Mount gets beaten down and doesn't have the depth.

[Blutarsky]

While they don't "hit" on them all, let's give the D-I coaches credit for recruiting the right guys.  You (as an athlete), typically, are in the right division for the right reasons.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

It will also be interesting to see if any UWW players transfer along with Coach Leipold.

Interesting thought and one that I'm sure a lot of people are tossing around half-jokingly or not.  My guess is that there aren't a lot of players there that would excel in the MAC.  Kumerow?  Sure.  He could ball in the MAC.  Past that, FBS ball is a completely different game, even for the UWWs and UMUs of the world.

As a long-time MAC football watcher, I feel you may be giving the MAC a little too much credit. I've seen some horrible Kent and Akron teams that would probably get blown out by Youngstown State (In fact YSU's conference ranked better than the MAC according to USA today this year, but that's beside the point)

Yes, overall better teams, but I would think players from an elite d3 program (especially skill players) could certainly compete and excel at that level.

If they could "compete and excel" they would. They're playing D1 football for a reason. Those "horrible" teams from Kent State and Akron would blow the doors off division III teams.

That's not meant as a slight to D3 players. The difference in size, speed, and strength is immense. Division I athletes have Division I facilities and resources. Division III players get a bus trip with a stop at Subway.

Wesley played a dI opponent this year and were able to play with them (only losing by 5).
Yes. A weaker FCS team but still with the scholarship and weight program advantages etc

The Idea that if they were good enough to compete at dI than they would be playing dI just isn't true, plenty of guys get overlooked and end up at d3 schools, (see Cecil shorts, Pierre Garçon, London Fletcher) yes, they are the exception, not the rule, but I'm just saying that great d3 guys should have no trouble playing well  in the MAC.

Kevin Burke didn't get any dI offers and I'd be very surprised if he couldn't compete at that level.
He's faster than Johnny manziel and throws a nice ball, I feel like that would translate.

Mount Union had more guys invited to pro camps than Kent did in 2012.

All I'm saying is that level of play is not a perfect indicator of football ability. Well that and that the MAC is a disaster of a conference.

Wesley played a D1 School who is in their second year of existence.

[Desertraider]

While they don't "hit" on them all, let's give the D-I coaches credit for recruiting the right guys.  You (as an athlete), typically, are in the right division for the right reasons.

I agree 100%. On the case of Wesley and their FCS opponent - let's not disparage Wesley for playing an FCS school because it wasn't "Auburn". For me the question is to the FCS school: Why are you a D1 program playing a DIII school? Sure maybe they are in their 2nd year of existence - but why are you scheduling DIII? If the talent level and speed and size and depth are all so different then you are not preparing to play 'in your league'. The old argument on here was that "some schools need to move up a division" (the Otternbein guy that has stopped coming around making the case that Mount should move up) - maybe this FCS school needs to step-down.

[thewaterboy]

While they don't "hit" on them all, let's give the D-I coaches credit for recruiting the right guys.  You (as an athlete), typically, are in the right division for the right reasons.

I agree 100%. On the case of Wesley and their FCS opponent - let's not disparage Wesley for playing an FCS school because it wasn't "Auburn". For me the question is to the FCS school: Why are you a D1 program playing a DIII school? Sure maybe they are in their 2nd year of existence - but why are you scheduling DIII? If the talent level and speed and size and depth are all so different then you are not preparing to play 'in your league'. The old argument on here was that "some schools need to move up a division" (the Otternbein guy that has stopped coming around making the case that Mount should move up) - maybe this FCS school needs to step-down.

On the contrary,  Charlotte is set to move up to FBS next year and play in Conference USA.

[raiderpa]

I do not believe that there are more than a special few athletes at Mount Union, WWW, and the top DIII programs who could start at a mid level D1 school.  The size/speed ratio in a D1 athlete is what sets them apart. 
We root for our kids and they are special to us, but sometimes we are looking thru tinted glasses.

Kevin Burke is quick, fast, and smart, but undersized.  He did not even receive a Mid American scholarship. I do not know if he was offered, but ended up at MTU. (thankfully)

The difference that I have seen in the superior D3 programs is overall team speed.  Mount kills the league with team speed at all key positions, other schools have a couple burners, Mount has six or more on the field,  but then teams catch up to them as they advance in the playoffs.

Mike Hallett was a star at Mt, and D3 all-american, but left Kent, i assume because he couldn't play there.  There have been others transferring back to D3 stardom  that could not get on D1 gridirons.   

Are there exceptions?  Yes, they have been mentioned..Landon, Pierre, Cecil....but look at the number of them relative to the number of D3 players...

[SaintsFAN]

Mike Hallett was a star at Mt, and D3 all-american, but left Kent, i assume because he couldn't play there.  There have been others transferring back to D3 stardom  that could not get on D1 gridirons.   

Knowing Coach Hallett personally, I know this isn't the case.  I don't remember specifics of why he transferred but it definitely wasn't because he couldn't play there.

[SaintsFAN]

Interesting back story. Jarryn Avery was indeed a D3football.com All-American in 1999.
http://www.d3football.com/awards/all-americans/1999

Do you HAVE TO keep referencing this All American Page from 1999, Pat???   

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Interesting back story. Jarryn Avery was indeed a D3football.com All-American in 1999.
http://www.d3football.com/awards/all-americans/1999

Do you HAVE TO keep referencing this All American Page from 1999, Pat???   

[SaintsFAN]

Yeah, THAT.  BTW -- that is our LT on the ground the background.  He likes to say his guy never hit me - ever.. But I just show him that picture.  97 got there before his guy did because our RT stepped OUT against a 6 man front on a three step pass and this picture was snapped just after that moment of confusion for our young RT (he was a sophomore in his first season as the starter)

Here comes HScoach and Realitycheck.

[Pat Coleman]

Interesting back story. Jarryn Avery was indeed a D3football.com All-American in 1999.
http://www.d3football.com/awards/all-americans/1999

Do you HAVE TO keep referencing this All American Page from 1999, Pat???   

Sorry!

[raiderpa]

Congratulations to five OAC football players named to the Academic All American squad:

Ed Runke         K      Mount Union       3.95  Business Mgmt
Hank Spencer   LB    Mount Union       3.89  Computer Science
Kevin Burke      QB   Mount Union       3.37  Business Admin
Dan O Brien      LB   Baldwin Wallace   3.8   Neuroscience/Biology
Brody Zangaro  DB   John Carroll        3.79  Education

A great compliment for the players, their teams and the OAC

[wrdad]

Since John Carroll and Mount Union are from the same conference, will the refs be from the OAC or from another conference? I hope there not the same refs from the last meeting

[HScoach]

Since John Carroll and Mount Union are from the same conference, will the refs be from the OAC or from another conference? I hope there not the same refs from the last meeting

I sure hope not.  The officiating in conference has been horrible all season.