FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[MUC57]

Some of my rather unsophisticated thoughts on the game yesterday and the game to come. You probably won't learn much but it could stimulate some conversation.

Number 1. John's Hopkins is a damn good team. They could beat a lot of playoff teams. Their QB is a hell of a player. Of course, most of the country won't think as much of JHU! After all, Mount always gets an easy bracket. Therefore; no team in their bracket can be any good. I saw a really tough team on the visitors side of Mount Union Stadium.
Number 2. The state of the Raider offense. Where is it? Thank goodness for our defense. Back to the offense. Turnovers, bad decision making and, of course, injuries to key players. Do the words "out of sync" ring a bell? What do you guys think?
Number 3. The Stagg Bowl. Do we have a chance? Certainly! How do the match-ups look? UMHB has a strong defense vs a suspect Mount offense. On the other hand, UMU has a strong defense vs a UMHB offense that has had it's problems (injuries, etc.). Are we looking at a low scoring, defensive battle? A repeat of last year?
I defer to the analysis from our board experts. Thanks for listening to the ramblings of an old alum.
Go Raiders! Beat The Cru! 

[ADL70]

57

As you say you forget things.  Hopkins did beat three playoff teams.

[Craft_Beermeister]

I know just enough about football to be dangerous.

So I have a question:  Why was Mount Union more effective running the ball when Johns Hopkins KNEW Mount would be running (i.e. the wildcat) than when Johns Hopkins had to respect the passing game?

Somebody coach me up.

An extra blocker, and Petro's vision. He is allowed to pick his own hole (or cutbacks) rather than a firm assignment.

To add to the excellent response.... Though there isn't a typical wildcat formation, the way UMU runs it with Petro often results in an empty backfield which as archgemini24 pointed out utilizes Petro's skills to use his vision to pick the best hole.

When a QB hands off to a running back the alignment of the handoff normally is lined up for a particular hole and therefore the lines blocking is predetermined to create that hole.  However with a wildcat QB in an empty backfield  limitations are removed and to a certain extent the offensive linemen can be given the flexibility to execute their blocks based on what the defense is showing by their alignment.  This approach can create multiple holes in the line for the wildcat QB to quickly read and hit.

A defense adjustment against the wildcat is to stack the box and sometimes replace a DB with an extra defensive lineman. However if the wildcat QB  has demonstrated that he can throw the ball with reasonable accuracy and does throw on occasion this makes making such an adjustment risky. Another risk of stacking the line against the wildcat is if the QB sees and hits the hole quickly and gets through the line cleanly the defense is at a disadvantage of not having good angles to pursue the QB and it becomes a foot race. The odds of the QB breaking through the line clean are rare with odds of getting 3, 4, 5 yards per carry much higher, but when it does it becomes a game changer.

[MUC57]

57

As you say you forget things.  Hopkins did beat three playoff teams.

Didn't forget. Reread number 1. 

[Dr. Acula]

Thoughts from yesterday:

All around excellent performance by the defense.  I expected JHU to put together 2-3 long scoring drives and it just didn't materialize.  The defense made the big stops to get off the field and made the huge plays to put points on the board again.  Berry and Williams were their normal disruptive selves, but the guy who I kept noticing was McComb.  He played very well.  The one thing that drove me crazy was those 2-3 passes where JHU just lobbed a ball from one hash to the opposite sideline like a punt.  Their WR's made nice plays, but a ball in the air that long should be defended IMO.  I know, I'm nit picking.   

The story of the day was Fulford and the offense.  And not in a good way.  One of the few positives was that when he pulled it down and ran he looked okay.  He was running pretty well and able to move the chains.  He was not, however, running well enough for them to run the read option more than once or twice.  Passing he was inconsistent again.  The drive late in the first half that ended with the end zone INT I thought he was on track.  He was stepping into his throws, putting good zip on the ball and carving up JHU.  That looked like 7 on 7 until he made that bad decision on the ball to Hill and we were back at square 1. 

Not having Ruth again continues to be an issue and honestly where I miss him is on punt returns.  Hill has taken multiple punts to the house, but I almost have a heart attack every time he fields one because he likes to let it bounce and then grab it with the defenders on him.  There have been a few instances where it takes a bad bounce and doesn't get fielded and costs them 10-15 yds.  I wonder if that's why we saw Cox yesterday.  Just go fair catch it.  Ruth gives you both.  Sure hands to fair catch it and ability to break a return.

Definitely not pretty, but now they've got a shot at a ring and that's all you can ask.

[Desertraider]

It's been a few weeks of unraider like football. Ruth is needed or I dont see mount pulling this one out. Aside from opening things up for Hill and being that seam target....he runs the screen. That screen has not been seen last couple weeks. But running it consistently forces the DBs up in coverage and opens the field. When the field opens up Fulford can get away with some of his bad throws.

[mr_mom]

Some decent prognosticators out there playing the OAC Playoff Pick-Em.  NCF aced the UWW-UMHB spread for ten points, helping to her overall score of 18.  As for the JHU-UMU game,  desertcat1, gobash83 and mr_mom were the closest, garnering eight points.

Little change at the top of the overall standings as desertcat1 continues to lead a tight bunch.  But with 25 points up for grabs this week, it's still anyone's game.

The final spread and ten side-bets will come out Monday night. 

[edward de vere]

When a QB hands off to a running back the alignment of the handoff normally is lined up for a particular hole and therefore the lines blocking is predetermined to create that hole.  However with a wildcat QB in an empty backfield  limitations are removed and to a certain extent the offensive linemen can be given the flexibility to execute their blocks based on what the defense is showing by their alignment.  This approach can create multiple holes in the line for the wildcat QB to quickly read and hit.

Aha.  Excellent.

[Craft_Beermeister]

On Twitter today Iowa State AD Matt Campbell's contract was extended through 2024 and they have provided Matt with $1M in additional compensation for his assistant coaches.  Official press release will issued later today.

[Craft_Beermeister]

Mount Union defense was impressive this year.

Jeff Zupanic posted on Twitter  yesterday
Mount Union played 9 home games this season and scored 11 defensive touchdowns in those games. The @purpleraiders defense scored points in 8 of the 9 games with the playoff win over Centre being the lone exception.

Mount Union allowed just 12 TDs in those 9 home games.

The @purpleraiders defense outscored five opponents at Mount Union Stadium this season.


Mount Union defense is going to need to be at the top of their game this Friday. All teams are beat up this time of year, but Mount Union's defense from a health prespective is in much better shape than Mount Union's offense which is even more reason for the need for Mount Union D to step up to be key for UMU chances in Stagg Bowl.

[D O.C.]

I keep trying to explain to desertcat1 the best Wildcat backs aren't looking for a hole - they see that through The Force - they're looking at the linebackers.

NO INJURIES!

[SaintsFAN]

Mount Union defense was impressive this year.

Jeff Zupanic posted on Twitter  yesterday
Mount Union played 9 home games this season and scored 11 defensive touchdowns in those games. The @purpleraiders defense scored points in 8 of the 9 games with the playoff win over Centre being the lone exception.

Mount Union allowed just 12 TDs in those 9 home games.

The @purpleraiders defense outscored five opponents at Mount Union Stadium this season.


Mount Union defense is going to need to be at the top of their game this Friday. All teams are beat up this time of year, but Mount Union's defense from a health prespective is in much better shape than Mount Union's offense which is even more reason for the need for Mount Union D to step up to be key for UMU chances in Stagg Bowl.

Playing defense starts one play earlier this week with defending the kick.  How do you kick away from 2 PR's ??

[Craft_Beermeister]

WOW!  Real Football Central is predicting Mount Union to win the Stagg Bowl.  I would have thought with their injuries they would have been underdogs.

http://realfootballcentral.blogspot.com/2018/12/rfc-predictions-week-of-december-15.html

[Desertraider]

If you punt to the other side of those thick white lines on the side of the field...I dont care who is returning they ain't getting far.

[SaintsFAN]

If you punt to the other side of those thick white lines on the side of the field...I dont care who is returning they ain't getting far.

I agree completely... even if you lose 10 yards by making sure you kick it out of bounds, it makes UMHB earn the points.