FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Spurrier]

Utica, who the polar bears beat to open the season, defeated #19 Ithaca today...could the polar bears crack the top 25 this week with two quality wins? 

[Dr. Acula]

Yikes.  Mount's first play in the 3rd Scott torches the Cap D for a 74 yd TD run.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Utica, who the polar bears beat to open the season, defeated #19 Ithaca today...could the polar bears crack the top 25 this week with two quality wins?

Since ONU had zero points last week, and a number of people (Pat Coleman included) thought JCU was not nearly as good as last year and probably overrated, I doubt ONU will crack the top 25 - but they will certainly garner some votes.  If they can keep it respectable against Mount next week, the loss (assuming they lose at all ) might propel them into the top 25, since they would then look a good bet to finish 8-2 (and some voters are influenced by expected future events).

[purpled]

Capital is so fricking boring...terrible...and you score on us you pay a price, 34 straight points and counting...love it!!

[Dr. Acula]

Surprised to see the triple option giving the Mount so many problems tonight. It's not a hard one to defend - have to stick to your assignment(s). Can't be selfish facing that type of O - want to see the adjustments made at half time.

I'd say 4 straight 3 and outs for 12 total yds in the 3rd reflects the proper halftime adjustments.  They dialed it in that qtr big time.

[Dr. Acula]

Capital is so fricking boring...terrible...and you score on us you pay a price, 34 straight points and counting...love it!!

They're inept defensively.  Mount is averaging over 10 yds every time they snap the ball.

[Desertraider]

Surprised to see the triple option giving the Mount so many problems tonight. It's not a hard one to defend - have to stick to your assignment(s). Can't be selfish facing that type of O - want to see the adjustments made at half time.

I'd say 4 straight 3 and outs for 12 total yds in the 3rd reflects the proper halftime adjustments.  They dialed it in that qtr big time.

Yep. I count 6 second half possessions and 37 total yards for CAP. Not bad adjustments.

[Dr. Acula]

Other than their running game the Raiders sounded a little flat in the first half.  Maybe it was the combo of a night game and the rain or something. 

[Desertraider]

I listened to the game and it sounded like Taurice was off on the deep ball to Namdar. I agree the rain may have had something to do with it but they have not connected deep the past few games. On the positive side the other Raider WRs are getting catches and yards. The first 2 games it was all Namdar - glad to see the diversity as it will pay dividends down the road.

[ohiofan1954]

I said this last night in the fourth quarter, I'll say it again. Watching what happened to Capital after they scored their touchdown reminds me of a Gene Wilder quote from Blazzing Saddles. "don't do that, you'll just make him mad".

[ohiofan1954]

with the 0AC at least being perceived as being down this year do you think the league will get 2 teams in the playoffs? Doubt it will have a home game if they do.

[Toph]

with the 0AC at least being perceived as being down this year do you think the league will get 2 teams in the playoffs? Doubt it will have a home game if they do.

Don't know who that second team would be right now.  ONU just beat JCU, but has a very bad loss to BW this year.  JCU clearly isn't it.  Everyone but Mount is going likely have at least two losses.  I think perception might be reality.

[Toph]

Interesting comment coming from a John Carroll fan, for it was a John Carroll alum who was the head coach of Heidelberg's football team during their most troubled times.

You say "most troubled times" and Toph says it was a proud moment in OAC espionage.

Don't mean to drudge this up (but I had a busy week and didn't see it until now), but let's not act like it was sunshine and roses before Cochran arrived.  In 10 seasons before Cochran's arrival the team won 31 total games...15 of which came in 1993 (8) and 1994 (7).  Comparing Cochran's tenure to his predecessors' is like comparing the Hindenburg to the Titanic.

[Dr. Acula]

with the 0AC at least being perceived as being down this year do you think the league will get 2 teams in the playoffs? Doubt it will have a home game if they do.

Don't know who that second team would be right now.  ONU just beat JCU, but has a very bad loss to BW this year.  JCU clearly isn't it.  Everyone but Mount is going likely have at least two losses.  I think perception might be reality.

Agreed.  This definitely doesn't feel like a 2 bid season right now.  Short of ONU or JCU upsetting Mount I don't see how it happens this season.  Either of those teams at 8-2 is likely going to be slotted behind several teams in the North pool C line.  And frankly, if we're talking about the overall rep of the OAC nationally I don't think we want a 2nd team this year.  It would most likely just feed into the theory that the OAC is Mount and that's it.

Sort of off topic, but if you're Arth do you consider making a change to a younger QB now?  I think it's clear this far into the season that Schaefer isn't going to carry them to the playoffs.  In that case do you start seasoning a QB for 2016?  I'm definitely not saying throw in the towel and play a bunch of kids.  They're still too good for that scenario.  But I would think they have another option at QB that wouldn't be a huge drop off and would allow them to gain some positives for 2016 while still playing to win now.

[Dr. Acula]

Thoughts from listening to the Raiders last night...

As desertraider mentioned the D needed to make some halftime adjustments.  That 2nd qtr was kind of a lackluster one by their standards as Cap ran the ball on them and chewed up some turf and some clock.  They even scored a TD.  I know, I agree...it's completely unacceptable.     After the half the D clamped down and suffocated the Crusaders in the 2nd half for the most part.  It sounded like VK went with a 5 man line (at least part of the time) to combat the option.  Unfortunately, putting a lot of stock into how you defend Cap probably isn't very wise unless you're going to see more triple option teams which I doubt they are.

It sounded like Nemeth continued his trend of just punishing defenders when he has the ball.  The radio guys were talking about how he just drives his legs through tacklers and seems to gain another 5 yards every time after contact.  We've seen this before as Nemeth has always run hard, but it seems like he's amped it up even more this season.  They're going to need that down the road.

Scott showed why he's the most dangerous runner Mount has ever had taking snaps when he ripped off that 74 yard TD run.  He might need to continue to shake the rust off when it comes to throwing the ball, but man is he dangerous with that ball in his hands if he gets to the 2nd level.  What a luxury to have a QB who can change the game with his legs.  And to his credit on pass plays Scott continues to stay true to the pass until he is forced to run.  He's not falling in love with pulling it down and running the moment he feels pressure.  To me that and his protecting the ball are his biggest accomplishments with the mental part of playing QB.  He's doing a great job at both so far.

I can't help but chuckle at the radio guys.  Sam Bourquin seems to find himself chuckling on air at some move Mitchell made a handful of times every single week.  Last night he said the moves he made to turn a loss into a 2 yard gain were worth the price of admission for that play alone.  The thing I've noticed about Mitchell is that he seems to be ripping off 20+ yard runs at a very high rate this season.  Each year he's bulked up a little more and it sure seems like as he gets a little bigger he's running harder.  Those 10 yard runs are now 20 yard runs because he can run through an arm tackle from a DB.  Kudos to him for working hard in the weight room.

On the passing side I'm not sure how great the conditions were to throw the ball (and Cap gives you no basis for comparison there).  I heard a couple balls get dropped and/or slip out of Scott's hand on the throw so I'm assuming it wasn't a great night to air it out.  Hargrove made a couple plays downfield which was nice to see.  They need someone to take some heat off Namdar outside.