FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[HScoach]

And, oh, by the way, the holes Mount's offensive line created in the second half were absolutely ridiculous.

Abso-freaking-lutely.  The line play the last 2 weeks has been as better than I can ever remember.   They made the UWW and UST defenses look like middling OAC teams.  Well done.

[section13raiderfan]

Wow! Just read a Minnesota Newspaper account of the game and the replies to the article are full of venom. Some are attacking the university for its lack of focus on academics, some are attacking Carouso. The one I love the most is one fan wondering is VK was wearing makeup. . OMG!

[Jonny Utah]

Great job MUC on another National Championship.

Kudos also to the OC who made some great adjustments and calls in that 2nd half.  I like how they balanced out the formations and ran that zone play with 2 backs.  UST had no answer for it.

[bleedpurple]

Damn. Mount is so good. So is whiskey. Cheers. Congratulations.

But the difference is, Mount is still good when you wake up in the morning!

Congratulations to the Purple Raiders. A very talented team that played their best football at the end of the year. Following LK is a really difficult challenge for anyone. I would imagine it would be made all the more difficult by the fact that LK remains in the picture (I'm sure there are plusses and minuses to that, but just in terms of pressure...) and the fact that Vince is LK's son. There are a lot of dynamics there that could have gone haywire.  Coach VK deserves a lot of credit and I hope he truly enjoys it beyond just feeling relief.

[miac952]

Wow! Just read a Minnesota Newspaper account of the game and the replies to the article are full of venom. Some are attacking the university for its lack of focus on academics, some are attacking Carouso. The one I love the most is one fan wondering is VK was wearing makeup. . OMG!

Much like ESPN commenters it's the bottom of the Internet. Always have found it interesting how some are so negative towards D3. A few I am sure are some jaded Johnnies, but it's mostly people mad at the world.

[joelmama]

And, oh, by the way, the holes Mount's offensive line created in the second half were absolutely ridiculous.

Abso-freaking-lutely.  The line play the last 2 weeks has been as better than I can ever remember.   They made the UWW and UST defenses look like middling OAC teams.  Well done.

I think we get so used to dismantling the mid OAC teams that we assume they are not that good.  I think Mount actually hurts the OAC's ratings because of this.  Since there is so little OOC play and it is the first week only you cannot get a true gauge.  I think the end result is that the middle of the pack and up in the OAC is really pretty good.  Still cannot make any excuses for Wilma, an the two M schools though.

[raiderpa]

Years ago LK, against St Johns, I think, appeared to realize that speed on the line of scrimmage meant more than bulk.  Not that Mount is small, but they are large, not huge, and quick.  It has made the difference.  ST Thomas was huge and good.  Mount was fast and good, which as the game went on made a difference.

Without the fluke fumble, the game is not close and I really believe they could have scored again on the final drive.  I wondered if VK was going to kneel on it or keep running.  He chose classy, like his father.

I still contend that Tommie running back was banged up, but still was great.  Holding him to under 50 or so in second half was big.
I could not have chosen between Nemeth and Scott for MVP, but probably Scott with the decision making and performance he had.
I will admit I was going crazy on the pass interference calls...not that they were wrong, but they kept scoring drives alive.  T. Jones was ticky tack, and Kocheff just lost sight and ran into the guy. 
Why didn't we react better to onside, Clark even started to drop back as the ball was kicked and he was one gap from kicker?  No matter, I have my coffee and will go watch the replay now...

[hazzben]

I still contend that Tommie running back was banged up, but still was great.  Holding him to under 50 or so in second half was big.

Roberts has been playing hurt all post-season. He's got a bumm right shoulder, which limits his ability to lower the boom and finish off runs. Tough kid as he's been gutting it out through the pain since something like the Augsburg game??

Hats off to Mount. Speed kills.

Lally (sp??) was incredible. Best I've seen since Kleppe. Kleppe was a bit more powerful and dominant against the run, but man can Lally bring pressure against the pass. That's one great D3 lineman!

[mr_mom]

Made the mistake of reading comments on the Sportscenter post announcing tonight's victory. This was the gem of the group...

"Dynasties at this level are not impressive or newsworthy. If this is such a football hotbed and attracts such good players, why didn't any of them make D1 or even D2 schools? Heck even FCS? My alma mater Slippery Rock would destroy them. I always thought this was ridiculous to celebrate."

Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

I'm sorry ... I should have let this stupidity die but couldn't help myself.   

Pugh Ratings predicts Mount beating Slippery Rock 36-29. 
Massey has Mount winning 41-27.

Not that it matters ... just sayin'

[pg04]

I don't know why so many people must deride everything they are unfamiliar with. The run of Mount Union is one of the most impressive things in collegiate sports history. Many of them just need to do more research, but of course people don't do research anymore before spouting off. In this day and age, it's talking points and just believing whatever you are told.

[wally_wabash]

Made the mistake of reading comments on the Sportscenter post announcing tonight's victory. This was the gem of the group...

"Dynasties at this level are not impressive or newsworthy. If this is such a football hotbed and attracts such good players, why didn't any of them make D1 or even D2 schools? Heck even FCS? My alma mater Slippery Rock would destroy them. I always thought this was ridiculous to celebrate."

Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

This guy clearly didn't watch either the ESPN3 streamed semifinal or last night's ESPNU televised game featuring St. Thomas.  If he had, he would know that Jordan Roberts did in fact attend an FCS school because ESPN just couldn't stop themselves from banging that drum every single time Roberts touched the ball...and plenty of times when he didn't. 

Shame with all of the great players in the game last night with their own great stories, that the Roberts-used-to-play-FCS-ball story sucked up all of the broadcast oxygen.  Didn't hear one word about Hank Spencer's Elite 90 Award (or any of the other jillion off-field excellence awards he's collected).  Not one word about David Simmet being a Gagliardi finalist.  Heck, they couldn't even squeeze in a word about Anthony King-Foreman's familial ties to the NFL, which seems like it would be in ESPN's wheelhouse.   I know it's not necessarily ESPN's obligation to shill for D3 and the awesome student-athletes we have, but they didn't even try last night which was disappointing. 

[formerd3db]

I'd like to give a shout out of kudos to Pat, Keith, Frank and all for an excellent audio coverage of the Stagg Bowl.  I enjoyed it and you guys were light years better than the ESPN commentators.  I had both audios going on (low enough to hear both comfortably) while watching the game.  The only minor aspect, which was not your fault and out of your control was that your broadcast was one play behind the actual TV action and I realize that is due to the broadcast system delay.  However, that did not detract from your great coverage and commentary. 

Thanks for all that you guys do for the Stagg Bowl in making it available to those of us who can't be there in person every year and, of course, all you do all season for us and DIII football.

[pg04]

I've long desired that ESPN just hire Pat, Keith, et al for the Stagg Bowl but obviously that doesn't seem like it's going to happen. Unfortunately, we're never going to get announcers that are as knowledgeable about D3 as the staff of D3football.com is.

[formerd3db]

+k Wally.  You beat me by just a few seconds in posting on this subject.  You said it exactly right.  ESPN missed a great opportunity.  While they may not necessarily have an obligation to "shill" for DIII, I think they do since if they are going to broadcast the game (which all of us are thankful they do for the DIII and DII and FCS championship games), they should do it right.  Again, just another great reason why we are thankful we have Pat and his crew.

[formerd3db]

+k to you also pg04.