FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Desertraider]

Saw that Tre Jones was released by KC. Injured hamstring last week. Too bad for Tre - hope he catches on somewhere.

[wally_wabash]

Pause for the obligatory mention that although the above points are mostly focused on football, conference / divisional shifts usually require thinking of all sports, although football-only moves are certainly not unheard of.

In any case, I do agree that 10 teams is the maximum effective size for a Division III conference - not only in football, but really for all sports; with a 10-team basketball conference allows a full double-round-robin and still keep a selection of early non-league games; having 10 teams is a good size for combination team/individual sports like track, swimming, wrestling that have a conference championship meet.  More than 10 and things start to get clunky - just for football I think 9 is actually even better; the drawback to a 10-team football league is that you only get one OOC game, meaning your league has little chance to distinguish itself or boost SOS numbers, and your program specifically only gets one chance to schedule a nice OOC game instead of two.

However, if there was suddenly a free agent or two on the market, these games of musical chairs usually will work themselves out eventually.  Sure, in the current configuration it seems hard to imagine that the OAC or NCAC would take two additional members, but then maybe a few of those schools would opt out of their current league for a new arrangement if they found it more appealing.  Check out the assorted moves in the East recently; practically half of the East has changed conferences in the last five years.  Salisbury and Frostburg State hopped into the Empire 8 for a hot second and then joined the NJAC; while Buffalo State, Cortland State, Morrisville State, and Brockport State are all NJAC ex-pats that moved to the Empire 8.   Wesley is now in the NJAC, along with Christopher Newport.  Springfield passed through the Empire 8 on their way to the Liberty League.  Norwich fled the bottom of the Empire 8, joined up with a handful of fledgling new programs and poof, here's the ECFC.  The NEFC splintered into two conferences and picked up NJAC refugee Western Connecticut.

If Walsh and/or Malone decided to move down, suppose they quietly approached Marietta and Wilmington decided it was too hard to get any traction in the OAC, appealed to Earlham from the HCAC, Kenyon from the NCAC, grabbed another wild-card that's been struggling (Hiram? Allegheny?) and form a new league?  Does that seem clunky and ridiculous?  Yeah, kind of, but it's not all that different from the ECFC, which slapped together a couple of recently-started programs (Mount Ida, Husson, Becker, Gallaudet, Castleton, Anna Maria) and refugees (OK, I actually think it was just one refugee, Norwich).  Or what's about to happen in the next couple years:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/04/newmac-adds-football

I don't know if all the specific programs listed above would cooperate, but it's not terribly hard to imagine that Walsh/Malone (if they decided dropping to D3 was the right move) could find a couple other bottom-feeders or misfit toys who felt like they were out of place in their current league and try to make a new playground.

The thing with all of the conference alignment shuffling that we've seen so far is, that with just a couple of exceptions, it all makes sense.  The splintering of the old SCAC and creation of the SAA, the splintering of the NEFC, the formation of the NEWMAC, Catholic to the NEWMAC...it all kind of seems logical.  Those that don't make a lot of sense...WashU and Chicago in the SAA was literally done before even started.  Southern Virginia and CNU in the NJAC is weird and we'll see how long that lasts (now that the ODAC could stand to add a team or two).  What doesn't seem logical is Walsh and Malone teaming up with schools that they would be poaching from the OAC/NCAC.  I think the NCAC is a tidy little collection of like-minded institutions that are very happy with their current arrangement.  I imagine the OAC is as well, particularly with the long history that that particular league has.  Marietta and Wilmington might not like getting their brains beat in by Mount Union every fall, but there's more than just football in play here, as you noted.  Marietta in particular has other sports that they are successful on a national level in. 

I almost think the place where Malone/Walsh could fit into is the MIAA, if they were willing to be travel outliers there.  The MIAA has room to absorb a couple of teams if they wanted to...or maybe more accurately felt that they needed to. 

[Dr. Acula]

I think outside of Wilm the OAC is pretty much set in stone.  The other 9 schools have been members forever.  The "baby" of that group is JCU who has been a member for 84 years.  All the rest are 90+ year members.

But if we were speaking completely hypothetically I'd say if we were to swap two out for new members I'd pick Wilm and Musky.  Wilm mainly because they're the newest and Musky just because I think they're the least competitive across the board of the old guard.   

[Desertraider]

Of course a new super-conference comprised of Mount, UWW, UST, Linfield, UMHB, Wesley and UW-Osh Kosh would allow for a collective cheer from many since at most 2 would make the playoffs, thereby bringing parity to DIII. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

I almost think the place where Malone/Walsh could fit into is the MIAA, if they were willing to be travel outliers there.  The MIAA has room to absorb a couple of teams if they wanted to...or maybe more accurately felt that they needed to.

Yeah, I thought about this possibility but goofed and forgot to include it.  As we've discussed elsewhere, seven-team conferences might struggle to hold on to Pool A access moving forward, so the MIAA could stand to add a team or two.

[joelmama]

I think outside of Wilm the OAC is pretty much set in stone.  The other 9 schools have been members forever.  The "baby" of that group is JCU who has been a member for 84 years.  All the rest are 90+ year members.

   

JCU 84 years?  Really in 1982 when I was at MUC, JCU wasn't in our conference.  I think it is more like 30 years.   I know I am old but I am not that old.

[ADL70]

I think outside of Wilm the OAC is pretty much set in stone.  The other 9 schools have been members forever.  The "baby" of that group is JCU who has been a member for 84 years.  All the rest are 90+ year members.

   

JCU 84 years?  Really in 1982 when I was at MUC, JCU wasn't in our conference.  I think it is more like 30 years.   I know I am old but I am not that old.

I think maybe he meant since'84. They were in PAC from 1957-83 -- they were in OAC before that going back at least to the thirties, but not 84 consecutive years.  BTW in 1927 OAC had 23 members according to its website (but it doesn't list them).

[pradierguy]

Saw that Tre Jones was released by KC. Injured hamstring last week. Too bad for Tre - hope he catches on somewhere.

I heard he had impressed KC throughout his stay there. Really unfortunate timing for the injury. Hope he can rehab and catch on to a practice squad.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Referring to a lot of new names starting at MTU this year:

Last year, MTU had 6 named to the Pre-Season All American List (Namdar, Franks, Lally, Spencer, Kochefff, and Jones). 

This year, just one named (Center-Mitch Doraty).

It's going to be an interesting season!

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Also, we have a Long time Poster on the boards becoming a Purple Raider Dad this fall.

I won't reveal his identity, I'll let him do that if he wishes. (No it's not me, my offspring are still in HS and MS).

[Dr. Acula]

I think outside of Wilm the OAC is pretty much set in stone.  The other 9 schools have been members forever.  The "baby" of that group is JCU who has been a member for 84 years.  All the rest are 90+ year members.

   

JCU 84 years?  Really in 1982 when I was at MUC, JCU wasn't in our conference.  I think it is more like 30 years.   I know I am old but I am not that old.

I think maybe he meant since'84. They were in PAC from 1957-83 -- they were in OAC before that going back at least to the thirties, but not 84 consecutive years.  BTW in 1927 OAC had 23 members according to its website (but it doesn't list them).

No, joelmama was correct.  I screwed that up.  I just grabbed each school's join date which JCU originally joined in 1932. 

[mr_mom]

GOD I missed this list!!!

K&JD, quit being such a tease!

HSCoach, are you sure you don't want to take this back from me???  Please? 

Although it is Aug-2, I need to start grabbing stats for my OAC Pick-Em spreads.  Please feel free to post all your RUMINT ... I don't care if true or not ... just don't make me look like an ass!

Luv you all ... gonna be a great 2016!
Mom

[HScoach]

Mom,  I'm not available to do so.   Sorry. 

And besides, LK isn't calling the shots anymore so I no longer have a direct line to how many FGs they kick at the end to hit the spread.   

[D O.C.]

Of course a new super-conference comprised of Mount, UWW, UST, Linfield, UMHB, Wesley and UW-Osh Kosh would allow for a collective cheer from many since at most 2 would make the playoffs, thereby bringing parity to DIII.

And it would be done in a heartbeat if honest money could be made from it to suit the presidents.

[Desertraider]

Of course a new super-conference comprised of Mount, UWW, UST, Linfield, UMHB, Wesley and UW-Osh Kosh would allow for a collective cheer from many since at most 2 would make the playoffs, thereby bringing parity to DIII.

And it would be done in a heartbeat if honest money could be made from it to suit the presidents.

Not sure I agree. I mean...who defines "honest"? Let's face it - Presidents, most anyway, want to make money. Honest or otherwise - so long as its legal and doesn't taint their legacy.