FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Desertraider]

Never mind. Got it

https://alumni.mountunion.edu/football

Kick at Noon...brunch at 10.

[Craft_Beermeister]

With W&L predominantly running the triple option on offense it will be interesting to see how long it will take Mount Union's defense to adjust to W&L offense. 

W&L will have an advantage in familiarity or lack of it.  As far as W&L being fimilar with Mount Union style of play, I recently read an article where W&L coach Scott Abell admitted that he watched Mount Union play.  Of coarse all those of ocasions were at Stagg Bowls in Salem.

I suspect the significant advantage Mount Union has in team speed on both sides of the ball make it difficult for W&L to keep up with Mount, but I'm sure W&L will play hard and give their best.  From what I read W&L has a reputation as being a well coached team.

[Desertraider]

Good points on the triple option and speed. Teams that run it, or a variation, typically lack size and thus emphasize speed and misdirection. I love to watch Air Force, Army (this year) and Navy run it. The problem WL may have is that Mount is not lacking in speed. Academy teams can have success running it against Notre Dame, or even Michigan, and some of the "bigs" but doing it against say Miami (speed all over) is different. Yeah - I equated Mount with Miami (lord I loathe Miami).

The key to defending the triple is "stick to your assignment" and Mount D is all about assignment football. It takes discipline. Mount, from time to time, has lacked some of that. However - WL doesn't have much else to defend. No real pass game to speak of so the Safeties will probably be tighter to the line for run support. At the end of the day Mount is going to do what it does defensively - make adjustments. I expect to see a tighter "bunch" on D - outside pressure to take away QB getting the edge, plug the middle with flow side LB taking dive back - backside LB roams from center to sideline. But - Mount has to watch cut backs and missed tackles. Cap was able to get yards on cut backs a few years back and Stepp from Ott had a couple nice runs going right and cutting back to the middle. But a missed tackle in open field by a CB, since they will be mostly one-on-one with the pitch man could net 15-20 real quick.

[SaintsFAN]

Good points on the triple option and speed. Teams that run it, or a variation, typically lack size and thus emphasize speed and misdirection. I love to watch Air Force, Army (this year) and Navy run it. The problem WL may have is that Mount is not lacking in speed. Academy teams can have success running it against Notre Dame, or even Michigan, and some of the "bigs" but doing it against say Miami (speed all over) is different. Yeah - I equated Mount with Miami (lord I loathe Miami).

The key to defending the triple is "stick to your assignment" and Mount D is all about assignment football. It takes discipline. Mount, from time to time, has lacked some of that. However - WL doesn't have much else to defend. No real pass game to speak of so the Safeties will probably be tighter to the line for run support. At the end of the day Mount is going to do what it does defensively - make adjustments. I expect to see a tighter "bunch" on D - outside pressure to take away QB getting the edge, plug the middle with flow side LB taking dive back - backside LB roams from center to sideline. But - Mount has to watch cut backs and missed tackles. Cap was able to get yards on cut backs a few years back and Stepp from Ott had a couple nice runs going right and cutting back to the middle. But a missed tackle in open field by a CB, since they will be mostly one-on-one with the pitch man could net 15-20 real quick.

Miami and their speed has had issues with Georgia Tech.  Speed doesn't beat the option, discipline does.  Mount has plenty of that, too. 

They have been kings of assignment football since LK took the job.

If W&L scores will depend on how quickly Mount Union adjusts to the offense being run against them.  They have to stop the first part of the option, the dive.  Everything evolves off of the success of the dive in the W&L offense.  When I've seen W&L there has been ZERO threat of a passing game.  In a game where they gave up 5 unanswered TD's to start the game, the Generals threw the ball less than 10 times on the day.  None of those passes resulted in a first down. 

[gizzmo13]

weather could play some factor sat as it may rain heavy at times in N.E. ohio..

[jknezek]

There simply isn't a way to talk this into being a good game. In the years since 2004 when UMU has had an opening round home game, the average score has been 49.8 to 8.1. When UMU last played an ODAC team in the first round, they beat RMC 56-0. The only marginally close first round home game was 2013 when the game ended 34-20.

W&L is built to compete and win the ODAC. UMU is built to compete and win the Walnut and Bronze. These are two completely different things. I'm hopeful W&L will score twice and hold UMU under 50 with the halftime score being within 3 possessions.

As Saints said, regardless of how far down W&L gets, they are not going to go pass happy. If you are losing to UMU by 28, and you are an option team, there is no point in all of a sudden trying to be a fun and gun. In fact, I hope they don't. I hope they just keep running and do damage control keeping the clock moving, because they aren't going to make up a 3 or 4 td deficit. You can't be something you're not.

That doesn't mean I think this game is worthless, at least not from W&L's point of view. It will be a great learning experience for the guys and coaches. I don't think we've played one of the true elites in DIII since Bridgewater made the Stagg in 2001. Most of the guys on the team would have been in preschool or elementary school.

Much like the overtime loss to JHU motivated this team this year, I hope that getting a peak at UMU will motivate the guys for next year. We haven't ever won back to back ODAC titles.

[McMinnville Cable Board]

Sorry missed the Stagg Bowl part. My Bad. So, according to your post....UWW doesn't have to travel everywhere for playoffs. Wow. And they lost 3 games....in the same year??? What - no that is understandable since the WIAC is the toughest conference that god ever created and includes not only UWW but god him/her self on the schedule.

No - the post had some good stuff. No offense to Linfield but the "61 consecutive winning season" thing reminds me of BW and the ol' streak of mediocrity. I mean it is a great streak...but when do you crack through?

Linfield has actually cracked through more than most elite programs, seven national championship appearances, and four national titles in their time as an NAIA and NCAA school since The Streak began in 1956. It's been an amazing run, with five different head coaches, and only three seasons when the national record was in jeopardy. No offense taken, but wanted to provide some background. I'm not a Linfield grad, just someone with experience researching the program.

[Sherburne]

Good points on the triple option and speed. Teams that run it, or a variation, typically lack size and thus emphasize speed and misdirection. I love to watch Air Force, Army (this year) and Navy run it. The problem WL may have is that Mount is not lacking in speed. Academy teams can have success running it against Notre Dame, or even Michigan, and some of the "bigs" but doing it against say Miami (speed all over) is different. Yeah - I equated Mount with Miami (lord I loathe Miami).

The key to defending the triple is "stick to your assignment" and Mount D is all about assignment football. It takes discipline. Mount, from time to time, has lacked some of that. However - WL doesn't have much else to defend. No real pass game to speak of so the Safeties will probably be tighter to the line for run support. At the end of the day Mount is going to do what it does defensively - make adjustments. I expect to see a tighter "bunch" on D - outside pressure to take away QB getting the edge, plug the middle with flow side LB taking dive back - backside LB roams from center to sideline. But - Mount has to watch cut backs and missed tackles. Cap was able to get yards on cut backs a few years back and Stepp from Ott had a couple nice runs going right and cutting back to the middle. But a missed tackle in open field by a CB, since they will be mostly one-on-one with the pitch man could net 15-20 real quick.

'des',

Now, that is the desertraider we know! Well done - throw in a couple 'green board' illustrations for visual enhancement?

Sherb

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Sorry missed the Stagg Bowl part. My Bad. So, according to your post....UWW doesn't have to travel everywhere for playoffs. Wow. And they lost 3 games....in the same year??? What - no that is understandable since the WIAC is the toughest conference that god ever created and includes not only UWW but god him/her self on the schedule.

No - the post had some good stuff. No offense to Linfield but the "61 consecutive winning season" thing reminds me of BW and the ol' streak of mediocrity. I mean it is a great streak...but when do you crack through?

Linfield has actually cracked through more than most elite programs, seven national championship appearances, and four national titles in their time as an NAIA and NCAA school since The Streak began in 1956. It's been an amazing run, with five different head coaches, and only three seasons when the national record was in jeopardy. No offense taken, but wanted to provide some background. I'm not a Linfield grad, just someone with experience researching the program.

Did you just reply to a post from November 3, 2016???

[MUC57]

Jknezek

Good post earlier this morning. You're one of the "good guys" on these boards. You are a breath of fresh air compared to the retards from St. Thomas.
I definitely think Mount will win. But as I said in an earlier post,  most of us didn't pick our school because of the football team. Mount won 10 games total for the 4 years I was there.
So what's the point of all this? Let's enjoy 2 great schools playing a "game" on Saturday. Mount Union may have a great team, but W&L brings class and academic excellence to Alliance. From now on, I will have the greatest respect for W&L. I wish them the best for the future.
Jknezek, have a great trip to Florida. Hope I get to meet you someday. Better hurray, at 81, I'm in OT.
Go Raiders!

[reality check]

Sorry missed the Stagg Bowl part. My Bad. So, according to your post....UWW doesn't have to travel everywhere for playoffs. Wow. And they lost 3 games....in the same year??? What - no that is understandable since the WIAC is the toughest conference that god ever created and includes not only UWW but god him/her self on the schedule.

No - the post had some good stuff. No offense to Linfield but the "61 consecutive winning season" thing reminds me of BW and the ol' streak of mediocrity. I mean it is a great streak...but when do you crack through?

Linfield has actually cracked through more than most elite programs, seven national championship appearances, and four national titles in their time as an NAIA and NCAA school since The Streak began in 1956. It's been an amazing run, with five different head coaches, and only three seasons when the national record was in jeopardy. No offense taken, but wanted to provide some background. I'm not a Linfield grad, just someone with experience researching the program.

Did you just reply to a post from November 3, 2016???

Don't expect a response until early December of 2018.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I found some highlights of W&L on their Football Website.  I was expecting to see an option attack similar to Georgia Tech/Army/Navy etc.

Was surprised to see them more in the Pistol formation.  QB in short shotgun, RB behind QB, Slot either in motion, bubble motion or backpedaling at the snap to get into pitch relationship.

They also had a nice RPO where the QB was carrying out the Option to the Left, the CB left the WR to force outside contain, and the QB threw to the WR for a TD.  I went back to see how the OL blocked and they basically stepped away from play side, leaving the play side E unblocked as the option man.

Good Stuff!

[jknezek]

Jknezek

Good post earlier this morning. You're one of the "good guys" on these boards. You are a breath of fresh air compared to the retards from St. Thomas.

It comes and goes. But for the most part, the ODAC posters are pretty congenial with each other. Mainly because just about anyone can win the conference any given year. So you might be riding high one year, but there is no sense being a jerk about it because odds are the next year someone is going to put a cleat on your teams' faces.

I definitely think Mount will win. But as I said in an earlier post,  most of us didn't pick our school because of the football team. Mount won 10 games total for the 4 years I was there.
So what's the point of all this? Let's enjoy 2 great schools playing a "game" on Saturday. Mount Union may have a great team, but W&L brings class and academic excellence to Alliance. From now on, I will have the greatest respect for W&L. I wish them the best for the future.

I'm hoping for the best. I'll probably sneak peeks at the online stats as I'm driving, or get my wife to read them out to me. Maybe only through the first half though. Or possible only the first quarter. W&L's men's soccer team is playing in the Sweet 16 at the same time. I might have a much greater interest in that game. And as I've said, I've got nothing but respect for what UMU has done and continues to do. It's kind of ridiculous when you think about it, but I'd rather a small school like UMU win the DIII title than a WIAC NJAC or St. Thomas type. It's a silly way to think, but I'd rather have a school that looks like mine, than one that doesn't.

Jknezek, have a great trip to Florida. Hope I get to meet you someday. Better hurray, at 81, I'm in OT.
Go Raiders!

I wouldn't mind at all, but you'll have to excuse me if I hope the next time W&L makes the playoffs they don't get sent to Alliance!

[miac952]

Sorry missed the Stagg Bowl part. My Bad. So, according to your post....UWW doesn't have to travel everywhere for playoffs. Wow. And they lost 3 games....in the same year??? What - no that is understandable since the WIAC is the toughest conference that god ever created and includes not only UWW but god him/her self on the schedule.

No - the post had some good stuff. No offense to Linfield but the "61 consecutive winning season" thing reminds me of BW and the ol' streak of mediocrity. I mean it is a great streak...but when do you crack through?

Linfield has actually cracked through more than most elite programs, seven national championship appearances, and four national titles in their time as an NAIA and NCAA school since The Streak began in 1956. It's been an amazing run, with five different head coaches, and only three seasons when the national record was in jeopardy. No offense taken, but wanted to provide some background. I'm not a Linfield grad, just someone with experience researching the program.

Replying to a 2016 post aside. Within NCAA DIII circles, do now defunct NAIA Division II titles or championship appearances really count towards an NCAA D3 legacy? The tourneys were filled 4 -8 teams. Many schools turned down bids due to apathy for the tournament or financial constraints. The home team got to host the championship.

The 04 NCAA D3 title was a significant accomplishment on its own.

[miac952]

Jknezek

Good post earlier this morning. You're one of the "good guys" on these boards. You are a breath of fresh air compared to the xxx from St. Thomas.

Woof! I might suggest deleting that one. Go ahead and have fun with Tommie fans all you want. I'll assume much of this banter is in good fun, and most all would enjoy a beer together. But, this is really not the best use of language. I know there are a few parents on here who have kids with disabilities, that will take language like that very hard. It's an ugly word that was thrown out the door many years back.