FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Small but Slow]

Beat Denison at home 35-3 in the first round then travelled to Augustana.

Don't take any reference to the past from me as looking beyond St. Thomas.  jamtoTommie, are you going to the game?  Met a few St. Thomas folks in '12.  Seemed like a bunch of nice folks.

[Desertraider]

My big concern is the running game - because no one seems to be talking about the passing game. The RB from UST is the biggest back Mount has faced and to stop the run I worry they may not be as prepped for play action. Just my take. The other thing that concerns me is the UST D - no one (even the Tommies) seems to be talking about them. I can't assume the Mount O is going to roll because I thought they would in 2003 (SJU), 2013 (UWW). The Tommie D has faced some good teams and held them in check. Friday is near----

[Desertraider]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

10-20 point game, I think.  I know UST is big up front (seriously, some MONSTER guys listed on the roster), but so was Whitewater.  I only hope that there's an opportunity for Mount to fake a kneel down and put one over the top.

Of course, I'm a small, vindictive man who holds grudges.

Had to applaud that one. +K

[purpled]

Toph, I'm right there with ya!!

ROLL RAIDERS ROLL!!!

[jamtod]

Beat Denison at home 35-3 in the first round then travelled to Augustana.

Don't take any reference to the past from me as looking beyond St. Thomas.  jamtoTommie, are you going to the game?  Met a few St. Thomas folks in '12.  Seemed like a bunch of nice folks.

Sadly, no. I've got 3 young kids and have to travel to Iowa for family Christmas. Someday I'll make my way to a Stagg bowl.

Obviously Jordan Roberts and the running game gets a lot of attention, but when that has been taken away John Gould has been able to pass enough to make up for it.  Not against a D as good as Mount Union though. Wabash D was tough and Gould was able to do enough to counter a slow running game and some hurting RBs, but most of those points came off of special teams.

The D has been able to slow down a couple of tough backs, Sura twice and Zurek from Wabash.  We'll see what they can do against Nemeth.  I'll try to watch some more of the MU-UWW game tonight to get a feel for Mount's style.

[skunks_sidekick]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

10-20 point game, I think.  I know UST is big up front (seriously, some MONSTER guys listed on the roster), but so was Whitewater.  I only hope that there's an opportunity for Mount to fake a kneel down and put one over the top.

Of course, I'm a small, vindictive man who holds grudges.

Toph...that's why we are simpatico my JCU friend!

[jamtod]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

10-20 point game, I think.  I know UST is big up front (seriously, some MONSTER guys listed on the roster), but so was Whitewater.  I only hope that there's an opportunity for Mount to fake a kneel down and put one over the top.

Of course, I'm a small, vindictive man who holds grudges.

While I'm generally a Caruso apologist and can explain away much of what he does strategically/psychologically, I can't say I can understand or defend that strange sequence of events to end that game in 2012.  I've seen enough of Caruso in person and listened to just about any interview I can find to say that I love him as a coach and I think he's a good man, despite what his detractors say.

[Small but Slow]

My big concern is the running game - because no one seems to be talking about the passing game. The RB from UST is the biggest back Mount has faced and to stop the run I worry they may not be as prepped for play action. Just my take. The other thing that concerns me is the UST D - no one (even the Tommies) seems to be talking about them. I can't assume the Mount O is going to roll because I thought they would in 2003 (SJU), 2013 (UWW). The Tommie D has faced some good teams and held them in check. Friday is near----

If Mount's front six (or seven) can dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did against UWWW the rest can play pass first, which will help negate the play action.  I didn't see much of the St. Thomas/Linfield game so I don't really have a grasp on what the Tommies do defensively, but what I did see was impressive. 
I too thought the '03 Stagg Bowl was in the bag.  I spoke with Coach Kehres the next summer and he said the staff was determined to never allow a team to lose focus that way again.  The players were overconfident and believed nobody could ever knock them down.  SJU and the Elliott kid proved otherwise.

[Desertraider]

My big concern is the running game - because no one seems to be talking about the passing game. The RB from UST is the biggest back Mount has faced and to stop the run I worry they may not be as prepped for play action. Just my take. The other thing that concerns me is the UST D - no one (even the Tommies) seems to be talking about them. I can't assume the Mount O is going to roll because I thought they would in 2003 (SJU), 2013 (UWW). The Tommie D has faced some good teams and held them in check. Friday is near----

If Mount's front six (or seven) can dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did against UWWW the rest can play pass first, which will help negate the play action.  I didn't see much of the St. Thomas/Linfield game so I don't really have a grasp on what the Tommies do defensively, but what I did see was impressive. 
I too thought the '03 Stagg Bowl was in the bag.  I spoke with Coach Kehres the next summer and he said the staff was determined to never allow a team to lose focus that way again.  The players were overconfident and believed nobody could ever knock them down.  SJU and the Elliott kid proved otherwise.

I think Mount's overconfidence in the '03 Stagg was caused by the blowout in the '03 semis (what was it 66-way less than that?). I always worry a bit when Mount dominates a Semifinal game that way.

Just checked it was 66-0, so yes way less than that.

[USTBench]

My big concern is the running game - because no one seems to be talking about the passing game. The RB from UST is the biggest back Mount has faced and to stop the run I worry they may not be as prepped for play action. Just my take. The other thing that concerns me is the UST D - no one (even the Tommies) seems to be talking about them. I can't assume the Mount O is going to roll because I thought they would in 2003 (SJU), 2013 (UWW). The Tommie D has faced some good teams and held them in check. Friday is near----

If Mount's front six (or seven) can dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did against UWWW the rest can play pass first, which will help negate the play action.  I didn't see much of the St. Thomas/Linfield game so I don't really have a grasp on what the Tommies do defensively, but what I did see was impressive. 
I too thought the '03 Stagg Bowl was in the bag.  I spoke with Coach Kehres the next summer and he said the staff was determined to never allow a team to lose focus that way again.  The players were overconfident and believed nobody could ever knock them down.  SJU and the Elliott kid proved otherwise.

UST is primarily a 3-4. Their OLBs play really close to the LOS as almost stand-up DEs as a means of disguising their D. Sometimes they stunt, sometimes they cover the flat, sometimes they set the edge, sometimes rush hard from the edge. They blitz from whacky angles, and pride themselves on getting as many QB hits as they can. I don't know how many times they hit Knecht or Riddle from Linfield last week, but it was probably in the double digits.

Ryan Winter (MIAC D POY) is very disruptive up front and they have, IMO,  two of the best CBs they've ever had in Jordan Young and Mozus Ikuenobe, which has allowed them (in the last few weeks anyway) to play w/ 9 men in the box quite frequently. Jesse Addo also possesses a lot of speed off the edge and has 8.5 sacks this year. He's been incredible. Additional big names, Tim McClanahan will be in on almost every tackle from the LB spot, and Anthony King Foreman is a talented pass rusher in that he has 7.5 sacks and 13 TFLs this year (dad is former Viking Chuck Foreman, so, there's that for what it's worth).

Obviously I think they'll have to change their formula up this week. If there's any knock on their D is they do start slow sometimes, and their aggression has cost them in terms of penalty yards at times. Also, when you're that aggressive and trust your DBs enough to live on an island, they are susceptible to the occasional big play, though they seem to have lived with that. Might not be the case on Friday, but I certainly don't anticipate Coach Kuchinski to stray too far from what has gotten them to Salem.

[Small but Slow]

Yes, that was against a Bridgewater team that had given them all they could handle in the Stagg a couple years prior.  Invincibility is usually a false sense of security and it really hurts when you learn your not invincible.
I don't think Mount has faced a back as big this year.  The UWWW RB wasn't small by any means and he couldn't find much space to work, aside from the long run on the second series.

[OldAuggie]

My big concern is the running game - because no one seems to be talking about the passing game. The RB from UST is the biggest back Mount has faced and to stop the run I worry they may not be as prepped for play action. Just my take. The other thing that concerns me is the UST D - no one (even the Tommies) seems to be talking about them. I can't assume the Mount O is going to roll because I thought they would in 2003 (SJU), 2013 (UWW). The Tommie D has faced some good teams and held them in check. Friday is near----

If Mount's front six (or seven) can dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did against UWWW the rest can play pass first, which will help negate the play action.  I didn't see much of the St. Thomas/Linfield game so I don't really have a grasp on what the Tommies do defensively, but what I did see was impressive. 
I too thought the '03 Stagg Bowl was in the bag.  I spoke with Coach Kehres the next summer and he said the staff was determined to never allow a team to lose focus that way again.  The players were overconfident and believed nobody could ever knock them down.  SJU and the Elliott kid proved otherwise.

I think Mount's overconfidence in the '03 Stagg was caused by the blowout in the '03 semis (what was it 66-way less than that?). I always worry a bit when Mount dominates a Semifinal game that way.

Just checked it was 66-0, so yes way less than that.

I watched the entire game in 2003. You had a huge size advantage and obviously Mount Union has talent on both sides of the ball. I thought Gagliardi out coached you guys a bit. That fake punt? Brilliant. 

[JCUStreaks70]

Long time reader, first time poster... haha, sorry had to use that line... I think Mount will win by 17 on Friday. I'm thinking 34-17 final score. I'm most excited to watch the St. Thomas offense versus the Mount defense, because in my opinion, those are the two best squads on their respective teams. I think St. Thomas will have a pretty good day, offensively, but Mount will find a way to limit their points.

[HScoach]

Hey Mount fans. Time to stop glorying in the past. Y'all got a game on Friday.  I suppose you all just assume you are going to stomp us.

10-20 point game, I think.  I know UST is big up front (seriously, some MONSTER guys listed on the roster), but so was Whitewater.  I only hope that there's an opportunity for Mount to fake a kneel down and put one over the top.

Of course, I'm a small, vindictive man who holds grudges.

And Toph is also a JCU guy, not Mount.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

SmallbutSlow has posted on here more this week than he has in the past 5 years.  LOL