FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Raiderplaybyplay]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

Really hoping the "big announcement" is VK becoming the next coach at YSU... We got our hopes up with the Pelini rumors, but I'd much rather see VK take the reigns at the ice castle. Gosh it'd be nice just to have another coach who's a winner.

Also... is anyone else getting a Florida State vibe from UWW, the whole undefeated for so many games but really having some unconvincing wins this year makes me even more curious about how this year's Stagg Bowl will turn out.

[MasterJedi]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

Really hoping the "big announcement" is VK becoming the next coach at YSU... We got our hopes up with the Pelini rumors, but I'd much rather see VK take the reigns at the ice castle. Gosh it'd be nice just to have another coach who's a winner.

Also... is anyone else getting a Florida State vibe from UWW, the whole undefeated for so many games but really having some unconvincing wins this year makes me even more curious about how this year's Stagg Bowl will turn out.

No, because just like last year there were three hard fought wins against conference foes (UWO, UWP and UWSP), one large comeback in the playoffs after being down 17 (Linfield) and one very close, unconvincing win that was also a comeback (UMHB) and then the last game where the #1 offense was supposed to roll over UWW. So what I'm trying to say all this was said of last years UWW team and we know how that turned out. Don't see a blowout in this years Stagg Bowl though, by either team.

[MasterJedi]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

I think D3 nation would literally die of shock if that were the big announcement. Would love it though! Would be a great hire, but it's not happening.

[BoBo]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

BREAKING NEWS: Mount dropping their program, story at 11!!

[Raiderplaybyplay]

My loyalty shows in my screen name.

After TG with my son's family we stopped in Alliance for the game. Left at half time because it was cold, the game was over, despite our request we were on the UMU side, and we had dinner plans in Cincinnati.

Based on today's results it will be another UWW-UMU Stagg Bowl.

UMU (and UWW) have proven they can dominate like no other two teams in college football. Have UMU and the Wisconsin schools ever considered moving up to DII where they might truly be tested? I recognize that the other sports might not be competitive, and that could be a reason for not moving up, but I'd be interested in others perspective.

Jeff in Tennessee

Jeff,

Long story short - Let's not go down that road again.  Always seems to rear it's ugly head during championship week.

Haven't been on here so don't know the history. Thought it was a reasonable question.   

Sorry, it's been discussed so many times on this board for UMU and the WIAC board for UWW that it gets old for some of us really old timers. Mr. Mom is right, it takes a lot of cash that just isn't available to these schools. In Whitewater's case, it would take an act of the state of Wisconsin legislature since by state law, the WIAC schools, when they merged with the the University of Wisconsin it was written into the law that they remain non-scholarship in nature. If they could somehow get the money to move up (which is never going to happen in the current economy), the enire WIAC would have to move. The other schools have no desire to move up to DII. Or allow one member school to do so.  A couple years ago a new Chancellor at Stevens Point made a comment that she had a plan to move SP to D2, but was forced out of the job a short time later. It just isn't going to happen. I'm sure Mount has their own specific reasons too, but I don't know enough to comment.

Not to prolong the dII discussion, but I take a special pride in the fact in Mount being in D3... to be honest it's the only true display of amateurs in college athletics. It's pretty special that when you win a D3 title you're showcasing the best team in all of non-scholarship football... (just ignore the other weird non-scholarship Di conferences for this point).

It's a really cool type of championship to win in my opinion. DII just seems like some weird arbitrary middle ground, and I'm not sure the value in winning a DII championship would have as much glamour in my opinion. I don't want Mount to move to DII, I'd rather have the best pure student athletes, then semi-pros.

Also, it actually seems like the best move for UWW would be to FCS rather than D2, they're a big enough institution for it, and probably wouldn't have to expand their stadium much.

[raiderpa]

VK to YSU ?....If so, then does Eric Reaburn return to Mount Union? 

[BoBo]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

Quite true.  Traditional power St. John's may be reviving.  Linfield gave UWW all they could handle today, and their quarterback is only a sophomore.  I don't know what UMU and JCU lose to graduation, but if JCU is losing less, UMU may not even win the OAC next year.  And Wartburg also gave UWW all they could handle; again, have no idea how much they are losing (but probably NOT four of their coaches!)  And after seven unsuccessful trips to the semis in recent years, Wesley HAS to break thru sometime (don't they??!)  And don't forget UMHB, who was 'upset' (if it was an upset) by Linfield by just three points.

On the other hand, we have also anticipated the long-awaited demise of UMU/UWW match-ups pretty much every year.

JCU loses pretty much all the skill positions on offense (Myers, Michals, Greenwood, etc.). Mount is in the cycle where they lose the QB. And from the D3 piece on LL leaving UWW "Lance Leipold announced the hiring of six assistant coaches, four of them from his UW-Whitewater coaching staff to his staff at the University of Buffalo.". Article says that LL is taking his OC, DC, OL and WR coaches. That is gutting the staff.

Just reload baby!! Nothing to worry about!!

But, there is a game next Fri to think about first.

WW will land on their feet, and others will still have to catch them.

All in due time, ladies and gents!!

[Raiderplaybyplay]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

I think D3 nation would literally die of shock if that were the big announcement. Would love it though! Would be a great hire, but it's not happening.

He'd be such a good fit for my penguins too. Supposedly YSU reached out to LK about the job, so it's not completely beyond the realm of possiblity.

[Craft_Beermeister]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

Really hoping the "big announcement" is VK becoming the next coach at YSU... We got our hopes up with the Pelini rumors, but I'd much rather see VK take the reigns at the ice castle. Gosh it'd be nice just to have another coach who's a winner.

Also... is anyone else getting a Florida State vibe from UWW, the whole undefeated for so many games but really having some unconvincing wins this year makes me even more curious about how this year's Stagg Bowl will turn out.

just wait

[BoBo]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

I think D3 nation would literally die of shock if that were the big announcement. Would love it though! Would be a great hire, but it's not happening.

He'd be such a good fit for my penguins too. Supposedly YSU reached out to LK about the job, so it's not completely beyond the realm of possiblity.

If the big news you guys are speculating on is true, how many current Mount assistants would go with him to YSU; in other words, how bad would LK gut the Mount coaching staff, ala LL?

Aren't you guys worried who your new AD would be and would they still support the pigskin team at current levels, and not be a volleyball, baseball kind of guy/gal?

[Raiderplaybyplay]

This could possibly be the last Mt./UWW matchup for a while.

UWW is going to find next year a difficult one. Replacing 4 coaches - gotta hurt. Unless the "big announcement" is that LK is moving to UWW and VK will stay at Mount. Now that could be interesting.

I think D3 nation would literally die of shock if that were the big announcement. Would love it though! Would be a great hire, but it's not happening.

He'd be such a good fit for my penguins too. Supposedly YSU reached out to LK about the job, so it's not completely beyond the realm of possiblity.

If the big news you guys are speculating on is true, how many current Mount assistants would go with him to YSU; in other words, how bad would LK gut the Mount coaching staff, ala LL?

Aren't you guys worried who your new AD would be and would they still support the pigskin team at current levels, and not be a volleyball, baseball kind of guy/gal?

Don't quite understand your AD concerns, There's no reason LK wouldn't continue to be the AD at Mount.

As for assistant's I don't think it's worth worrying about now, since there's no evidence it'll actually happen

[Raiderplaybyplay]

My BAD! I understand now. No , we were speculating that VK could go to YSU. LK told YSU he's not interested. I just meant the fact that since YSU reached out to LK, the idea of Vince going there isn't just crazy talk

[Raiderplaybyplay]

I haven't heard anyone mention this, but I believe Mount just set a new All division Single season scoring record today, per this wikipedia list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_500_point_seasons_in_college_football

Can anyone verify if that's correct?

[Desertraider]

I haven't heard anyone mention this, but I believe Mount just set a new All division Single season scoring record today, per this wikipedia list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_500_point_seasons_in_college_football

Can anyone verify if that's correct?

If it is on the internet it has to be true - if its on wikipedia then it is law

[BoBo]

Looks to me like JCU should be rated no lower than 4th in the nation in the final poll and maybe as high as three...

Whitewater is every bit as strong up front as Mt.  The skill positions seem very good, but I doubt they have the depth at wr that Mt has. Their DB's and pass rush will be the key to their beating Mt. If Burke is not under heavy pressure, lights out.  That is how JCU stayed in the game.  As soon as it became clear that Wesley wasn't going to get to him, the game was over. 

I would like to know if WWW rotates a lot of D linemen and who their best cover db is...#44 looked like a typical WWW beast at that position.

WW had been rotating about 7 guys in the front 4 all season, but lost Kevon Clunis, one of the starting ends to season ending injury a couple games ago. The d-line is just like the d-lines of the past - non-stop motors; if they can get pressure only rushing 4 we'll be OK, like usual. We've had good success against you over the years with the line play and I know they are confident they can continue that trend. However, you'll see that DC Borland has been blitzing with more regularity lately, I think mainly because he have faced many more mobile quarterbacks this year than I can remember. Their defense of the read-option has been inconsistant most of these playoffs, and like you saw today, Sam Riddle did a number on them in the second half on designed QB runs. Matt Seitz (#44) is a FR LB.  Comes from a very good HS program in WI - Arrowhead H.S. - you described him perfectly.  The LB to watch, though is #47 JR Justin Dischler  - he's the Warhawks leader in tackles.  Brady Grayvold (he of the INT TD against Burke last year) has 7 this year. Wartburg really picked on him last week, but he bounced back nicely today. He's usually a good cover guy and did a nice job today with Linfield's top guy Poppin. But, I think Marcus McLin (#3) is the better cover corner. However, he didn't play last week and went down today with an ankle injury and never returned. Dylan Morang (#21), INT and fumble recovery in last years Stagg is a nice backup with lots of experience and really good on special teams and #4 Vince Mason has also played a lot all season. Ryan Givens #6, who has seen action at RB and corner, also was injuried today. We won't hear about their status probably until game time.