FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[raiderpa]

IMO Mount does have one major weakness...the punter takes forever to get the kick away...he is, by far, the slowest I have ever seen in getting his kick away.  I am amazed that none have been blocked. I know the Mount punter is the loneliest man in town (apologies may tag repairmen), but down the road this could be a problem.

I don't think JCU stays within 28. If they score, it will be off a Mount mistake, perhaps special teams.  They are not going to drive the ball on this defense.  Hard as it is for the old-timers like me to admit, this is the best defense Mount has ever put on the field.

[Desertraider]

IMO Mount does have one major weakness...the punter takes forever to get the kick away...he is, by far, the slowest I have ever seen in getting his kick away.  I am amazed that none have been blocked. I know the Mount punter is the loneliest man in town (apologies may tag repairmen), but down the road this could be a problem.

I don't think JCU stays within 28. If they score, it will be off a Mount mistake, perhaps special teams.  They are not going to drive the ball on this defense.  Hard as it is for the old-timers like me to admit, this is the best defense Mount has ever put on the field.

I am not an old timer per say - but have been following Mount since 93. I remember D's with Buddy Wolf, BJ Payne, Campbell, Kern, Jason Hall, VK (too many greats to remember off the top of my head - maybe I am an old timer??) - the goal line stand against UWW, the domination in the 6 stagg wins in 7 years.........and yes I have to agree. From top to bottom this is the best Mount D I have ever seen.

[Dr. Acula]

It's so hard to judge historically because back when Monty was DC they seemed less aggressive in their schemes.  More conservative, especially on 1st/2nd downs. They'd concede yards between the 20's then bow up and get a stop.  It was when VK took over as DC that he implemented his style of trying to cause chaos with athletes everywhere blitzing from anywhere.  Everything about VK's D is built on athleticism and speed.  And when you have better athletes that nearly anyone in D3 the result is more dominant play than in the past.  Here's what I would say:

1) Lally is having one of the best seasons I can remember.  He will go down as one of the best D linemen ever at Mount.  With his sack numbers from a DT spot he's in the conversation for best ever IMO.  As a whole that line is not historically great.  Win a title though and that can change.

2) Spencer and Gonell are as good a duo of LBs as Mount has had in ages.  Both 3 year starters who are smart, complete players.

3) Jones is an excellent corner.  I'd say top 10 all-time.  Kocheff is very good, especially against the run.  The others are good, but certainly not great by Mount standards.  I like Hiteshue because he always seems to make big plays.  Love guys like that.

[mr_mom]

Thank you for your patience ... we are having some family medical issues.

The final -- Week 11 -- spreads have been posted for the OAC Pick-Em.  Five games and ten side bets.  In a futile attempt at catching 02 Warhawk!

This will define the regular season champ.  We will then reset everyone to zero and run the Post-Season OAC Pick-Em.

So pick carefully out there!
Mom

[Desertraider]

It's so hard to judge historically because back when Monty was DC they seemed less aggressive in their schemes.  More conservative, especially on 1st/2nd downs. They'd concede yards between the 20's then bow up and get a stop.  It was when VK took over as DC that he implemented his style of trying to cause chaos with athletes everywhere blitzing from anywhere.  Everything about VK's D is built on athleticism and speed.  And when you have better athletes that nearly anyone in D3 the result is more dominant play than in the past.  Here's what I would say:

1) Lally is having one of the best seasons I can remember.  He will go down as one of the best D linemen ever at Mount.  With his sack numbers from a DT spot he's in the conversation for best ever IMO.  As a whole that line is not historically great.  Win a title though and that can change.

2) Spencer and Gonell are as good a duo of LBs as Mount has had in ages.  Both 3 year starters who are smart, complete players.

3) Jones is an excellent corner.  I'd say top 10 all-time.  Kocheff is very good, especially against the run.  The others are good, but certainly not great by Mount standards.  I like Hiteshue because he always seems to make big plays.  Love guys like that.

Yep. The historical view is always a tough one. I was looking at Mount records in the program and saw Jason Hall's numbers. Outrageous. Over 500 career tackles, 174 in a season. Likely 2 that will never be broken simply because the guys in the last 8-10 years are only playing 2 quarters on average per game. I also agree the mentality has changed and is focused on being more aggressive. I like VKs defenses over Monty's - take more chances and definitely cause more chaos. 

[Dr. Acula]

Just looking at the stats this morning.  Not to look too far ahead, but with Stoyle at Berg and Johnson/Freed at ONU there are some exciting young QB's coming up in the OAC.  Mount and JCU will both be replacing their QB again next year.  And Mount will be replacing basically their entire D.  Could be interesting.

[Desertraider]

Just looking at the stats this morning.  Not to look too far ahead, but with Stoyle at Berg and Johnson/Freed at ONU there are some exciting young QB's coming up in the OAC.  Mount and JCU will both be replacing their QB again next year.  And Mount will be replacing basically their entire D.  Could be interesting.

Interesting indeed. Have not seen much of Mounts QB's so don't know who has an edge. The back-ups on D have done pretty well considering the amount of time they have played against some first team O's. Still replacing Lally, Alarms, Furda, Jones, Spencer, Gonell, Hietschue, Kocheff, Rodriguez - tough.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

Not that it matters for me, but no presale tickets?  No online tickets?  What is this, 1965?

I also found this very odd.  The only thing that I can think of is that since this is only necessary every other year or once per year, at most, they did not want to go through the expense and trouble of online tickets for the game.  As for not setting up will call, again, it really just moves the line from the ticket booth to the will call table (that is what happened when Heidelberg came to town undefeated 2 years ago).  However, to not have presale available makes no sense to me.  Send Mount an allotment and have some for sale in the RecPlex or at the bookstore for the JCU fans that want to take the time to come to campus and buy them.  This reduces your ticket line.  I do not understand the thinking. 

[Onward on, John Carroll]

Not sure I agree that JCU is definitely out with a loss. They probably are, but I wouldn't say it's a done deal. That being said, can you imagine what would happen to pool C if JCU wins? Mount would get a spot no questions, as would UWW, MHB, Wesley, and St. Johns. If both JCU and DePauw win, this could be the lease suspenseful pool C ever!

I wish you were right but you are not.  Be sure that the Streaks are out with a loss.  If JCU loses, we will be a two loss team as will ONU.  I cannot fathom a scenario where they would either (1) take 3 OAC teams including 2 two loss teams or (2) take a 2 loss JCU over a 2 loss ONU when ONU lost the head to head. Unlike last year, we are not in the same stratosphere as Mount, so beating them is, and was at the start of the season, an unlikely option.  As a result, assuming a loss to Mount, we cost ourselves the playoffs when we lost to ONU.  Our only hope from that day forward was for ONU to get upset again and pick up a third loss.  Didn't happen.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

Not sure I agree that JCU is definitely out with a loss. They probably are, but I wouldn't say it's a done deal. That being said, can you imagine what would happen to pool C if JCU wins? Mount would get a spot no questions, as would UWW, MHB, Wesley, and St. Johns. If both JCU and DePauw win, this could be the lease suspenseful pool C ever!

John Carroll is out with a loss.  There's really no way around that.

Agreed.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

Any guesses on the Mount/JCU spread? I am going with 22.5

If you are trying to guess the score . . . I would say 42 or so.

If you were trying to get even money on both sides of the spot and tempt people away from betting Mount Union . . . I would think you need to set it at Mount Union -37.5 or all of the smart money would go to Mount.

Just my thought . . . . sure hope I am wrong.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

Just looking at the stats this morning.  Not to look too far ahead, but with Stoyle at Berg and Johnson/Freed at ONU there are some exciting young QB's coming up in the OAC.  Mount and JCU will both be replacing their QB again next year.  And Mount will be replacing basically their entire D.  Could be interesting.

Rumor at JCU is that they will hand the ball to Anthony Moeglin (brother of the current BW QB) who will be a redshirt freshmen next year.  He worked with the team this season after rehabbing a shoulder injury last fall and surgery in March. Apparently he injured himself during football season last fall but put the surgery off so he could play basketball.  You only get one chance to play high school athletics so I will not criticize him but I sure wish he would have been able to come to camp at full strength and ready to play.  I am not sure how much he was able to give to football this fall.

Again, just rumors, but he has a better arm than his brother and VK wanted him at Mount (his high school is just up the road from Alliance).  I don't think he is the type of kids that will get us over the hump alone but I am thinking that he can keep us in the 8-2/9-1 range with the right cast around him.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

It's so hard to judge historically because back when Monty was DC they seemed less aggressive in their schemes.  More conservative, especially on 1st/2nd downs. They'd concede yards between the 20's then bow up and get a stop.  It was when VK took over as DC that he implemented his style of trying to cause chaos with athletes everywhere blitzing from anywhere.  Everything about VK's D is built on athleticism and speed.  And when you have better athletes that nearly anyone in D3 the result is more dominant play than in the past.  Here's what I would say:

1) Lally is having one of the best seasons I can remember.  He will go down as one of the best D linemen ever at Mount.  With his sack numbers from a DT spot he's in the conversation for best ever IMO.  As a whole that line is not historically great.  Win a title though and that can change.

2) Spencer and Gonell are as good a duo of LBs as Mount has had in ages.  Both 3 year starters who are smart, complete players.

3) Jones is an excellent corner.  I'd say top 10 all-time.  Kocheff is very good, especially against the run.  The others are good, but certainly not great by Mount standards.  I like Hiteshue because he always seems to make big plays.  Love guys like that.

Spencer actually started 6 games as a Freshman (JCU, CNU, JHU, WID, UMHB and UST). 

[Sir Battlescars]

IMO Mount does have one major weakness...the punter takes forever to get the kick away...he is, by far, the slowest I have ever seen in getting his kick away.  I am amazed that none have been blocked. I know the Mount punter is the loneliest man in town (apologies may tag repairmen), but down the road this could be a problem.

I don't think JCU stays within 28. If they score, it will be off a Mount mistake, perhaps special teams.  They are not going to drive the ball on this defense.  Hard as it is for the old-timers like me to admit, this is the best defense Mount has ever put on the field.

I am not an old timer per say - but have been following Mount since 93. I remember D's with Buddy Wolf, BJ Payne, Campbell, Kern, Jason Hall, VK (too many greats to remember off the top of my head - maybe I am an old timer??) - the goal line stand against UWW, the domination in the 6 stagg wins in 7 years.........and yes I have to agree. From top to bottom this is the best Mount D I have ever seen.

Was BJ Payne the guy who painted his face like a clown before the games back in the 90's?

[Raider 68]

Just looking at the stats this morning.  Not to look too far ahead, but with Stoyle at Berg and Johnson/Freed at ONU there are some exciting young QB's coming up in the OAC.  Mount and JCU will both be replacing their QB again next year.  And Mount will be replacing basically their entire D.  Could be interesting.

Interesting indeed. Have not seen much of Mounts QB's so don't know who has an edge. The back-ups on D have done pretty well considering the amount of time they have played against some first team O's. Still replacing Lally, Alarms, Furda, Jones, Spencer, Gonell, Hietschue, Kocheff, Rodriguez - tough.

Good points, but one major difference is the Raiders have that second season to develop the new starters for 2016.
That is something the other OAC schools do not have. In 2012, Mount had very few returning starters, yet won their 11 th title.
Regarding the successor to Taurice Scott, that player may not be on campus yet, but no doubt the coaches have some candidates to go after.