FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[D3fanboy]

Aurora is getting the 37th-most votes from our pollsters, so sounds like there is room for some common ground.

right around UW-Stout, UWW better be on the look out.  Might need a last second goal line stand to maintain their ranking, or does UWW beat Stout by 50? 

[D3fanboy]

rewatching the JCU game,  I think it's time for Dartt to come down from the booth.  The RB situation and lack of any aggression is too much.  Mount is just going through the motions, get down there and lead dude

[Captainred81]

I watched the game a day late, and I already knew the score so that makes it less interesting for sure.  I've always been a fan of high percentage throws, especially out of the backfield.  I kind of feel like Petro must have done/said something that got him on the bench.  He's a SR. and a still a very dynamic player...I do think Parker is playing better right now, but I'm not sure he's that much better to keep Petro off the field completely.  With all that said, I felt like Mount played slow...When I saw that they ran 79 plays, I was amazed.
I was also surprised as well at some of the poor throws from Plunk.  I think if he throws that same ball to Manley against UMHB...that's 6 points going the other way.
I was, however, impressed with the O-Line and the quickness of the throws from Plunk.  It seemed that even if JCU was going to try and jump the pass out of the backfield, they had no time to get there and then matching Parker up 1 on 1 with a backer is almost always a mismatch.  I think my complaint is that I'm used to seeing long bombs for TD's.  Maybe it's strategy for film sake to keep other teams guessing. 
My last thought, is that Plunk is faster than he looks, and while he is a true pocket passer, he can get out run.  Just when other teams think there is no way he's gonna run, that's right he pulls in and keeps it and takes it for 50 yards down the sideline...Trevor Lawrence style.

[archgemini24]

I watched the game a day late, and I already knew the score so that makes it less interesting for sure.  I've always been a fan of high percentage throws, especially out of the backfield.  I kind of feel like Petro must have done/said something that got him on the bench.  He's a SR. and a still a very dynamic player...I do think Parker is playing better right now, but I'm not sure he's that much better to keep Petro off the field completely.  With all that said, I felt like Mount played slow...When I saw that they ran 79 plays, I was amazed.
I was also surprised as well at some of the poor throws from Plunk.  I think if he throws that same ball to Manley against UMHB...that's 6 points going the other way.
I was, however, impressed with the O-Line and the quickness of the throws from Plunk.  It seemed that even if JCU was going to try and jump the pass out of the backfield, they had no time to get there and then matching Parker up 1 on 1 with a backer is almost always a mismatch.  I think my complaint is that I'm used to seeing long bombs for TD's.  Maybe it's strategy for film sake to keep other teams guessing. 
My last thought, is that Plunk is faster than he looks, and while he is a true pocket passer, he can get out run.  Just when other teams think there is no way he's gonna run, that's right he pulls in and keeps it and takes it for 50 yards down the sideline...Trevor Lawrence style.

Yeah, those WR screens and short-outs are begging to be jumped by a more/equally athletic team. I hold my breath everytime I see one called. I understand that the idea is to get the ball to your best athletes and try to let them win one-to-one or two-on-two battles immediately, but getting the play that far feels like flirting with disaster to me.

I think with Mount's change in offensive style/philosophy with the running game (from a hybrid zone-read option to just a zone-block scheme) and transition to a West-coast style offense, Parker has just been a better fit than Petro: he's looks a bit faster and is a bit more of a match-up problem for linebackers, and likely any they will see until the Quarters now that the tough part of their schedule is done. I am hoping they are just trying to save Petro for games where they will have to muck it up a little more. I am thinking of games like Heidelberg 2019 where the weather makes them run the ball 60 times or games where they have a multi-TD lead and really want to bleed the clock. If it means anything, I asked the same question about Petro's usage.

As for the receivers, they all look like big-body, possession receivers instead of burners, save Ruby. Not necessarily bad for what the offense seems to be, but definitely lacking on the talent to stretch a defense vertically. It might hurt the team's ability to open underneath routes, though. Ruth and Hill, then Hill and Ruby,  damn near demanded double-teams apiece. Ruby doesn't have a 2nd (yet).

[Dr. Acula]

Some belated thoughts from Saturday:

While I was surprised to see Parker getting the bulk of the touches it feels less surprising if Dartt went into the game with his game plan leaning towards using his RB as a pass catcher a lot against JCU.  Parker is just better suited to that role IMO.  He clearly causes some issues when he catches the ball in space.

I thought Plunk was pretty sharp, but also made a few bad reads/throws.  I don't see that as a concern at this point in the season.  Hopefully it's just a steady progression all season as he gets more game reps.  I would like to see him connect on a few more deep balls, but the arm talent is clearly there.  Right now the WR's are all averaging 10-12 yds per rec.  That's atypical for Mount obviously, but perhaps a conscious choice by Dartt to focus more on the shorter passes.

Defensively I have to admit the lapses against Fugh on a couple big plays is a recurring concern.  But aside from those couple of plays I thought the D played very well.  Lilja especially seemed to be making a lot of plays from DL.  Duke Hill also made his presence known at DT.  The one thing that is odd to me after being around OAC football this long is just the feeling of not being scared of the JCU offense.  Once Mount went up 28-7 I felt like barring turnovers JCU couldn't score 21 more points driving the field.  And that was early 3rd so definitely a strange feeling in a JCU game.  I think against most teams JCU is balanced enough and talented enough to score points.  But against a good defense they just couldn't really run the ball at all and the QB isn't a guy who is going to light up a quality D.  JCU is going to be in for a battle with BW.  I think those teams are pretty evenly matched.

As for the D3 poll, I think #4 is right.  I can't recall who said it, but I agree with whoever said it's NCC #1 and then the group.  That'd be my thinking as well.  I think NCC is clearly #1 right now and the others are lumped together in some order with Wheaton below them due to the loss, but right with them in terms of how good they are.  Mount hasn't really done anything so far to compel people to vote for them at #2 IMO.     

[SaintsFAN]

As for the D3 poll, I think #4 is right.  I can't recall who said it, but I agree with whoever said it's NCC #1 and then the group.  That'd be my thinking as well.  I think NCC is clearly #1 right now and the others are lumped together in some order with Wheaton below them due to the loss, but right with them in terms of how good they are.  Mount hasn't really done anything so far to compel people to vote for them at #2 IMO.   

Exactly, Doc. 

That QB at NCC is progressing nicely and look at those weapons on offense. 

As someone said below, NCC has the best win of the young season.   

I'm watching closely Mount's development and I'm very curious how this new offense will fare in the tournament. 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

As for the D3 poll, I think #4 is right.  I can't recall who said it, but I agree with whoever said it's NCC #1 and then the group.  That'd be my thinking as well.  I think NCC is clearly #1 right now and the others are lumped together in some order with Wheaton below them due to the loss, but right with them in terms of how good they are.  Mount hasn't really done anything so far to compel people to vote for them at #2 IMO.   

Exactly, Doc. 

That QB at NCC is progressing nicely and look at those weapons on offense. 

As someone said below, NCC has the best win of the young season.   

I'm watching closely Mount's development and I'm very curious how this new offense will fare in the tournament.

I've not watched much of NCC, but I think the difference maker in 2019 was their QB.  Wasn't he an "upper" level Transer?

NCC's current QB, I think, is a Freshman.  Is he as good as the former?

Just food for thought.   I'm again glad that D3 has a true playoff so this can be determined on the field.

[Pat Coleman]

As for the D3 poll, I think #4 is right.  I can't recall who said it, but I agree with whoever said it's NCC #1 and then the group.  That'd be my thinking as well.  I think NCC is clearly #1 right now and the others are lumped together in some order with Wheaton below them due to the loss, but right with them in terms of how good they are.  Mount hasn't really done anything so far to compel people to vote for them at #2 IMO.   

Exactly, Doc. 

That QB at NCC is progressing nicely and look at those weapons on offense. 

As someone said below, NCC has the best win of the young season.   

I'm watching closely Mount's development and I'm very curious how this new offense will fare in the tournament.

I've not watched much of NCC, but I think the difference maker in 2019 was their QB.  Wasn't he an "upper" level Transer?

NCC's current QB, I think, is a Freshman.  Is he as good as the former?

Just food for thought.   I'm again glad that D3 has a true playoff so this can be determined on the field.

Broc Rutter spent a redshirt year (I believe) at Indiana State (definitely). Did not play.

[Dr. Acula]

As for the D3 poll, I think #4 is right.  I can't recall who said it, but I agree with whoever said it's NCC #1 and then the group.  That'd be my thinking as well.  I think NCC is clearly #1 right now and the others are lumped together in some order with Wheaton below them due to the loss, but right with them in terms of how good they are.  Mount hasn't really done anything so far to compel people to vote for them at #2 IMO.   

Exactly, Doc. 

That QB at NCC is progressing nicely and look at those weapons on offense. 

As someone said below, NCC has the best win of the young season.   

I'm watching closely Mount's development and I'm very curious how this new offense will fare in the tournament.

I've not watched much of NCC, but I think the difference maker in 2019 was their QB.  Wasn't he an "upper" level Transer?

NCC's current QB, I think, is a Freshman.  Is he as good as the former?

Just food for thought.   I'm again glad that D3 has a true playoff so this can be determined on the field.

They are starting a frosh QB so that is something to watch for sure.  The kid was also an All-Region OF on their baseball team so that leads me to believe there is a high level of athleticism there (not because baseball requires supreme athleticism, more because it's difficult to walk onto campus and immediately be starting QB and an excellent college baseball player at the same time without being naturally gifted). 

The thing that stood out to me was their defense so far.  They shut down Aurora and Wheaton.  I think each only scored 7 points?  We knew NCC was going to be stacked at the RB/WR spots because they had elite AA level players returning at both, but I personally had no clue how their D or QB would be.  The defense caught my eye so far.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Where can I find a reply of the Mount Union vs JCU game?  I can't find it on Boxcast.

[Pat Coleman]

Where can I find a reply of the Mount Union vs JCU game?  I can't find it on Boxcast.

https://boxcast.tv/view/football-vs-university-of-mount-union-959177

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Where can I find a reply of the Mount Union vs JCU game?  I can't find it on Boxcast.

https://boxcast.tv/view/football-vs-university-of-mount-union-959177

Muchas Gracias!

[Dr. Acula]

I was just nosing around schedules.  I know we (I?) like to make fun of BW's touting of their (former) consecutive winning seasons streak, but I noticed that Berg has now gone a decade straight without a losing season.  As someone who saw firsthand some awful Berg teams that is quite an accomplishment of changing the culture in Tiffin.  At one point in the early 00's Berg had a stretch where they went 4-66 with 4 0-10 seasons in 7 years. 

[D3fanboy]

I was just nosing around schedules.  I know we (I?) like to make fun of BW's touting of their (former) consecutive winning seasons streak, but I noticed that Berg has now gone a decade straight without a losing season.  As someone who saw firsthand some awful Berg teams that is quite an accomplishment of changing the culture in Tiffin.  At one point in the early 00's Berg had a stretch where they went 4-66 with 4 0-10 seasons in 7 years.

It truly is incredible what Hallett created and getting the on-campus stadium was a gamechanger.  Maybe Wilmington should look into hiring a Mount alum to restart that SWOH trainwreck

[Dr. Acula]

Looks like Cap will now be known as the Comets after scrapping the Crusaders name.  Don't know that we even have any Cap posters regularly around these days, but I saw it on the local news so I figured I'd share.