FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[mr_mom]

Dont get me wrong, Burke is a great Division III QB, but thats  a stretch to compare him to Manziel. The NFL and the SEC is a whole different ballgame. A lot of things will have to go right for Burke to even get looks.

At least he's sober!  And he can read a play book.

[bleedpurple]

Dont get me wrong, Burke is a great Division III QB, but thats  a stretch to compare him to Manziel. The NFL and the SEC is a whole different ballgame. A lot of things will have to go right for Burke to even get looks.

At least he's sober!  And he can read a play book.

Manziel is in rehab, no? Wow, rough crowd.

But having said that, I do find the comparisons of the two interesting. I do believe there is a gap between them on the field. However, (I will qualify with "pre-rehab" since I made the "rough crowd" comment) the pre-rehab Manziel and Kevin Burke off the field do not seem to be in the same stratosphere. Burke obviously carries none of the baggage and would be "plus" guy to add to any organization's locker room.  But I agree with the Waterboy regarding opportunity. With minimal experience against high level competition and sub-standard size and arm strength (by NFL standards), Kevin will be blessed to get a legitimate shot. I feel situations like this are unfortunate.  I believe if coaches would throw everything out the window and just go with the guys who play the best during training camp, there would be far more D3 success stories.  Even if they did this for their last 10 roster spots it would make a difference. But, unfortunately,  that's fantasyland.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Dont get me wrong, Burke is a great Division III QB, but thats  a stretch to compare him to Manziel. The NFL and the SEC is a whole different ballgame. A lot of things will have to go right for Burke to even get looks.

At least he's sober!  And he can read a play book.

Manziel is in rehab, no? Wow, rough crowd.

But having said that, I do find the comparisons of the two interesting. I do believe there is a gap between them on the field. However, (I will qualify with "pre-rehab" since I made the "rough crowd" comment) the pre-rehab Manziel and Kevin Burke off the field do not seem to be in the same stratosphere. Burke obviously carries none of the baggage and would be "plus" guy to add to any organization's locker room.  But I agree with the Waterboy regarding opportunity. With minimal experience against high level competition and sub-standard size and arm strength (by NFL standards), Kevin will be blessed to get a legitimate shot. I feel situations like this are unfortunate.  I believe if coaches would throw everything out the window and just go with the guys who play the best during training camp, there would be far more D3 success stories.  Even if they did this for their last 10 roster spots it would make a difference. But, unfortunately,  that's fantasyland.

While college football serves as a minor-league for the NFL, thoughts like this make me wish that the NFL would put a few bucks into a real minor-league system, akin the the NBADL. I know that D-League salaries are low and most guys in that situation will never make it big, but at least it provides a place for NBA teams to experiment and try to develop "project" guys in game situations. I have to imagine this would help a handful of D2 and D3 guys get a real look vs being brought in for one rookie minicamp to throw a few passes to the rookie wide receivers.

It wouldn't be financially viable, of course; probably would be dependent on subsidies from the big NFL. I'm also talking in fantasyland.

[reality check]

Well the had the UFL which was basically that, along with NFL Europe and then there's that FXFL that is supposed to be a minor league model.  They just can't keep any of them running.

[bleedpurple]

Well the had the UFL which was basically that, along with NFL Europe and then there's that FXFL that is supposed to be a minor league model.  They just can't keep any of them running.

I wonder how many of the guys in these leagues are D-III?  Given that the typical D-III athlete actually has a career path by the time they graduate, devoting a year or two to a "minor league" team could be a tough choice to make. Not because they don't "want it" badly enough, but because they are delaying their chosen career in exchange for what amounts to a lottery ticket. And after a stellar D-III career and an excellent year in the FXFL, would they really get the benefit of the doubt in an NFL training camp the next year or would the "doubts" linger?

[SaintsFAN]

I don't really consider Coach Scafe legendary by any stretch of the imagination, but I wouldn't get too hung up over his new school president describing him that way. What else were they supposed to put in the press release? "We hired a coach with an above .600 winning percentage who didn't compete with the very best team in the country, like almost everyone else, over the same stretch of time."

THIS. 

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?  Sorry to have brought it up... I bow down to all that is Mount Union.

[badgerwarhawk]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

[jknezek]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

[SaintsFAN]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

Yes he did. 

I just don't get how everyone outside of LL gets crapped on in here because they aren't winning the OAC and going 14-1 every year. 

[jknezek]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

Yes he did. 

I just don't get how everyone outside of LL gets crapped on in here because they aren't winning the OAC and going 14-1 every year.

Lot of UMU fans in here. Just the way it goes. Especially when they have a couple decades of that being all they know.

[SaintsFAN]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

Yes he did. 

I just don't get how everyone outside of LL gets crapped on in here because they aren't winning the OAC and going 14-1 every year.

Lot of UMU fans in here. Just the way it goes. Especially when they have a couple decades of that being all they know.

I'm just cranky.  Very busy and not getting much sleep.  I'm studying for my Series 3 certification now as well as finishing the basement of my house.  Apparently I'm going to be living in Boston for the next year or at least commuting during the week to Boston and coming back to Cincy on the weekends (which is what I prefer), once I pass the test.

Anyways, carry on peoples.

[reality check]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

Yes he did. 

I just don't get how everyone outside of LL gets crapped on in here because they aren't winning the OAC and going 14-1 every year.

Lot of UMU fans in here. Just the way it goes. Especially when they have a couple decades of that being all they know.

I'm just cranky.  Very busy and not getting much sleep.  I'm studying for my Series 3 certification now as well as finishing the basement of my house.  Apparently I'm going to be living in Boston for the next year or at least commuting during the week to Boston and coming back to Cincy on the weekends (which is what I prefer), once I pass the test.

Anyways, carry on peoples.

Menopause.

[SaintsFAN]

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't have schitty stats against Mount Union?

Lance Leipold 

+1... he's got you there. The fact that is one person in all of D3 over the last 20+ years doesn't make it any less true.

Yes he did. 

I just don't get how everyone outside of LL gets crapped on in here because they aren't winning the OAC and going 14-1 every year.

Lot of UMU fans in here. Just the way it goes. Especially when they have a couple decades of that being all they know.

I'm just cranky.  Very busy and not getting much sleep.  I'm studying for my Series 3 certification now as well as finishing the basement of my house.  Apparently I'm going to be living in Boston for the next year or at least commuting during the week to Boston and coming back to Cincy on the weekends (which is what I prefer), once I pass the test.

Anyways, carry on peoples.

Menopause.

I've got nothing.   Go hump a cactus 

[Craft_Beermeister]

Dont get me wrong, Burke is a great Division III QB, but thats  a stretch to compare him to Manziel. The NFL and the SEC is a whole different ballgame. A lot of things will have to go right for Burke to even get looks.

At least he's sober!  And he can read a play book.

Manziel is in rehab, no? Wow, rough crowd.

But having said that, I do find the comparisons of the two interesting. I do believe there is a gap between them on the field. However, (I will qualify with "pre-rehab" since I made the "rough crowd" comment) the pre-rehab Manziel and Kevin Burke off the field do not seem to be in the same stratosphere. Burke obviously carries none of the baggage and would be "plus" guy to add to any organization's locker room.  But I agree with the Waterboy regarding opportunity. With minimal experience against high level competition and sub-standard size and arm strength (by NFL standards), Kevin will be blessed to get a legitimate shot. I feel situations like this are unfortunate.  I believe if coaches would throw everything out the window and just go with the guys who play the best during training camp, there would be far more D3 success stories.  Even if they did this for their last 10 roster spots it would make a difference. But, unfortunately,  that's fantasyland.

Mark Meyers has the physical tools that Kevin Burke doesn't have.  Meyers is 6'-5" 220 pounds and because of that size and some good stats along with being mentored by Tom Arth Meyers ends up landing at number 9 on Mel Kiper's ranking for QB going into this years draft.  I don't know where Kiper gets is info though I suspect it is from multiple places.  However, I doubt Kiper watched much film on Meyers and ever saw Meyers play in person.

My opinion on Meyers being ready for the NFL is impacted by watching him play this year against Mount Union.  In the playoff game I was surprised to see Meyers on a couple of occasions while scrambling for a few yards he just stop running, stood there, and gave himself up without attempting to slide.  Maybe he was hurt that game or something I don't know, but it was so strange to see how passive he was at the end of those runs.  Meyers is lucky he didn't get popped real well and hurt on those plays.  Kevin Burke  the undersized athlete had a knack for often making defenders and sliding, but Burke did take his fair share of hard hits on several other occasions.  Kevin was gutsy and determined to get extra yards. 

I don't have a problem with a QB sliding, but when they stop running on anticipation of getting hit, stand there, and cower I feel that such a style play doesn't belong in competitive college football and definitely has no place in the NFL.  Maybe Meyers was hurt that day I don't know, but whatever the reason for his passiveness I to this day question his fortitude and desire.

From what I saw in that game I doubt Meyers will have any success in the NFL.  Meyers has the physical size that Kevin Burke doesn't have, but Burke has 10 times more heart and a strong will to win 

When Tom Arth was a QB he played with passion, guts, and immense drive.  Unfortunately, though Arth did a good job in mentoring Meyers while maximizing Mark's skills, Arth wasn't able to correct the passive play of his QB.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/02/john_carroll_quarterback_mark.html

[SaintsFAN]

I think its a LITTLE different in the NFL, Craft.  The QBs are investments and the owners want them to avoid as much contact as necessary. 

Sliding to avoid contact certainly has a place in the NFL.