FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[USee]

And to be clear, I'm not offended. I'm embarrassed for you, and more for this website, for the lack of professionalism.

Lighten up Francis.....We all need to laugh more and complain less. Thanks for the laugh Frank!

[buddy34]

on malone's former coach:

https://www.cantonrep.com/sports/20190303/sunday-special-ex-malone-coach-fred-thomas-finds-new-home-at-mount-union

[MUC57]

And to be clear, I'm not offended. I'm embarrassed for you, and more for this website, for the lack of professionalism.

Lighten up Francis.....We all need to laugh more and complain less. Thanks for the laugh Frank!

A big +K for your comment. With all the crap going on in the world, laughter helps us make it through.
     

[bluestreak66]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

[wally_wabash]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

It's a double-edged sword.  If RHIT feels they are good enough to win the Heartland (which is probably accurate), these games are going to force them into a heavy mismatch in the first round (maybe right back to Mount Union).  Is the goal to make the playoffs or to win playoff games? 

[MUC57]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

It's a double-edged sword.  If RHIT feels they are good enough to win the Heartland (which is probably accurate), these games are going to force them into a heavy mismatch in the first round (maybe right back to Mount Union).  Is the goal to make the playoffs or to win playoff games?

Wally

Help me out here. I don't have your grasp of these things. Make playoffs or win playoffs? Doesn't compute. Thanks.

[wally_wabash]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

It's a double-edged sword.  If RHIT feels they are good enough to win the Heartland (which is probably accurate), these games are going to force them into a heavy mismatch in the first round (maybe right back to Mount Union).  Is the goal to make the playoffs or to win playoff games?

Wally

Help me out here. I don't have your grasp of these things. Make playoffs or win playoffs? Doesn't compute. Thanks.

Basically what I'm assuming is that Mount Union and St. John's are so far out of RHIT's weight class that those games are not reasonably winnable for them.  So, while the experience I'm sure is great (although the returns on that are negligible as I've drilled out previously), they're sabotaging any real chance they have at drawing a first round game against a team that they can actually compete with.  8-2 is going to get them off to Wisconsin, Chicagoland, or Alliance for Week 12 and on the wrong end of a name-your-score beatemdown. 

So I guess to the question I'm asking- are those games against Mount Union and St. John's necessary experiences to win the HCAC?  If so, then great.  Making the tournament is better than not making the tournament.  But if the goal is to advance, the mission is sabotaged before it even gets started when you schedule two certain Ls in your non-league schedule. 

[Oline89]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

It's a double-edged sword.  If RHIT feels they are good enough to win the Heartland (which is probably accurate), these games are going to force them into a heavy mismatch in the first round (maybe right back to Mount Union).  Is the goal to make the playoffs or to win playoff games?

Wally

Help me out here. I don't have your grasp of these things. Make playoffs or win playoffs? Doesn't compute. Thanks.

Basically what I'm assuming is that Mount Union and St. John's are so far out of RHIT's weight class that those games are not reasonably winnable for them.  So, while the experience I'm sure is great (although the returns on that are negligible as I've drilled out previously), they're sabotaging any real chance they have at drawing a first round game against a team that they can actually compete with.  8-2 is going to get them off to Wisconsin, Chicagoland, or Alliance for Week 12 and on the wrong end of a name-your-score beatemdown. 

So I guess to the question I'm asking- are those games against Mount Union and St. John's necessary experiences to win the HCAC?  If so, then great.  Making the tournament is better than not making the tournament.  But if the goal is to advance, the mission is sabotaged before it even gets started when you schedule two certain Ls in your non-league schedule.

How about this take, the only teams that they will not get in the first round are St John's and MU (assuming the committee tries not to schedule re-matches).  First round game could only get easier after those two.....

[MUC57]

Wally

Thanks. You cleared it up. A little bit, anyway! 

[wally_wabash]

Did anyone happen to see Rose-Hulman's schedule for next year?
They open with Mount, and close with the Johnnies! 
It's good to see a playoff contender from a smaller conference go out and challenge themselves! Obviously, in the Heartland, you either win your conference or don't go to the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to at least get some reps against the best of the best. Can't hurt come playoff time! (Should they be there, obviously)

It's a double-edged sword.  If RHIT feels they are good enough to win the Heartland (which is probably accurate), these games are going to force them into a heavy mismatch in the first round (maybe right back to Mount Union).  Is the goal to make the playoffs or to win playoff games?

Wally

Help me out here. I don't have your grasp of these things. Make playoffs or win playoffs? Doesn't compute. Thanks.

Basically what I'm assuming is that Mount Union and St. John's are so far out of RHIT's weight class that those games are not reasonably winnable for them.  So, while the experience I'm sure is great (although the returns on that are negligible as I've drilled out previously), they're sabotaging any real chance they have at drawing a first round game against a team that they can actually compete with.  8-2 is going to get them off to Wisconsin, Chicagoland, or Alliance for Week 12 and on the wrong end of a name-your-score beatemdown. 

So I guess to the question I'm asking- are those games against Mount Union and St. John's necessary experiences to win the HCAC?  If so, then great.  Making the tournament is better than not making the tournament.  But if the goal is to advance, the mission is sabotaged before it even gets started when you schedule two certain Ls in your non-league schedule.

How about this take, the only teams that they will not get in the first round are St John's and MU (assuming the committee tries not to schedule re-matches).  First round game could only get easier after those two.....

The committee avoids rematches among conference opponents (except where unavoidable...sorry, ASC), but not necessarily any rematch from the regular season.  They *might* be far enough away from Mount Union to avoid a first round game in Alliance (thought it was weird that it was Denison and not Hanover that played in Alliance last year).  But that's not going to get an 8-2 HCAC team away from playing somebody in the upper crust of the division in round 1.  If not Mount Union, it would be a WIAC champ or the CCIW champ.  Best case scenario might be an IIAC champ.  I don't think any of those games provide a reasonable path to the second round. 

Edit: I want to clarify this as to avoid the appearance that I'm speaking for the committee.  The championship manual does not have any language prohibiting rematches.  It does say very specifically that conference opponents can be paired together in order to maintain geographic proximity.  That specific language obviously is there to preempt (albeit unsuccessfully) consternation when island teams from the same conference get asked to play in the first round.  There is no language directing the committee to avoid any other rematches.  Anecdotally from years and years of committee chair interviews and feedback, we know rematches aren't ever a desirable thing.  But they can and do happen and certainly RHIT vs. UMU in week 1 and then again in week 12 wouldn't be altogether crazy or violate any kind of pairing mandate/guideline. 

[hsbsballcoach7]

Anyone at spring practice who can shed some light on rumored coaching moves by the Purple Raiders?  Newbies and changes in assignments?  The Canton paper had a list of Malone players and where they were headed, none to Mount Union.  I don't know if Malone could offer Mount more than one or two that could help anyway.  The paper also said that Malone head coach is headed to Mount.  Don't know if he is officially on the payroll or will volunteer.  He really is a fine guy.

I've heard that Kappas is back to coaching defense and Dartt is OC again. I like the idea of that. I feel like Dartt really started calling plays well in 2017 with using the talent and missing things up. I did like Kappas better on defense with his aggressive style.

[buddy34]

So I guess to the question I'm asking- are those games against Mount Union and St. John's necessary experiences to win the HCAC?  If so, then great.  Making the tournament is better than not making the tournament.  But if the goal is to advance, the mission is sabotaged before it even gets started when you schedule two certain Ls in your non-league schedule.

--------------

worked out pretty well for whitewater and oshkosh, and even for mount before it became the perennial contender, to schedule elite teams. the longer-range view is that scheduling tough teams helps you understand where you need to get to have a chance against them down the road, not in a couple of months.

[Pat Coleman]

I would definitely say they are not needed for Rose-Hulman to win the HCAC in 2019. There's an argument to be made that it is helpful for 2020 and beyond, but there's definitely mixed reviews on that.

[Dr. Acula]

Anyone at spring practice who can shed some light on rumored coaching moves by the Purple Raiders?  Newbies and changes in assignments?  The Canton paper had a list of Malone players and where they were headed, none to Mount Union.  I don't know if Malone could offer Mount more than one or two that could help anyway.  The paper also said that Malone head coach is headed to Mount.  Don't know if he is officially on the payroll or will volunteer.  He really is a fine guy.

I've heard that Kappas is back to coaching defense and Dartt is OC again. I like the idea of that. I feel like Dartt really started calling plays well in 2017 with using the talent and missing things up. I did like Kappas better on defense with his aggressive style.

Kappas did a fine job as OC, but I think the Dartt as OC/Kappas as DC alignment maximizes their talents.  I thought Kappas was a great DC.  Loved the way they attacked.  To paraphrase Paul Dolan, I'm just going to enjoy it while we're lucky enough to have those two on the staff.  I'm sure they're destined for bigger stages eventually.

[raiderpa]

I agree that Kappas  did a good job as OC, but he is a super Defensive guy and I always liked the way he ran that side of the ball.  Dartt is a really fine Offensive mind and I think they will be a little more opened up with him at the controls. Should be exciting.  Also, I hope it signals that Dartt is winning his battle.  He is a good man.  Having LK with the QB's is the best any QB could ask for, he is the best at coaching this position.
Thomas will supposedly be with the O-line and the grapevine (not confirmed) is that 4 Malone players transferred to Mount.

I think the coaching alignment, assuming true, bodes very well for the upcoming season.