FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[edward de vere]

Lenny Reich is leaving Mount to be athletic director for Alliance schools.  Big loss for Mount Union and all of DIII.

And the college president left after being in the job just about long enough to have a cup of coffee.  No explanation given.

Who's next?  The head of maintenance?

[pradierguy]

Lenny Reich is leaving Mount to be athletic director for Alliance schools.  Big loss for Mount Union and all of DIII.

And the college president left after being in the job just about long enough to have a cup of coffee.  No explanation given.

Who's next?  The head of maintenance?

Just add Lenny to the list of great people the University has driven out due to awful leadership, failed policies, and terrible decision making.

I'm so sad about what's become of the great College of which I am an alumnus.

I'm certain if I was employed there I'd be joining those abandoning ship. Just so sad.

[Pat Coleman]

Obviously Mount Union is a great place to be involved in athletics. I have not asked Lenny specifically about his motives, only wished him well with his career change and everything he's going through. However, the SID role at a D-III school is a grind, with no real down time. Anecdotally, it feels like more SIDs are leaving the business now than they did before the pandemic, and I can absolutely understand the desire for better work-life balance.

[WRMUalum13]

Obviously Mount Union is a great place to be involved in athletics. I have not asked Lenny specifically about his motives, only wished him well with his career change and everything he's going through. However, the SID role at a D-III school is a grind, with no real down time. Anecdotally, it feels like more SIDs are leaving the business now than they did before the pandemic, and I can absolutely understand the desire for better work-life balance.

He was at Mount for 14 years, It's not like it's been a revolving door of SIDs or anything. Leaving a job after 14 years is pretty reasonable for a number of reasons, I don't think it's an automatic negative thing against Mount.

As for the president,  he's retiring not moving to a new school. I'm not sure you could blame any college administrator for wanting to retire after what they've had to deal with in the last few years.

As a fellow alum, I certainly don't agree with all the decisions the school has made, but Lenny and Botzman don't seem like abandon ship type moves to me.

[rscl70]

Obviously Mount Union is a great place to be involved in athletics. I have not asked Lenny specifically about his motives, only wished him well with his career change and everything he's going through. However, the SID role at a D-III school is a grind, with no real down time. Anecdotally, it feels like more SIDs are leaving the business now than they did before the pandemic, and I can absolutely understand the desire for better work-life balance.

He was at Mount for 14 years, It's not like it's been a revolving door of SIDs or anything. Leaving a job after 14 years is pretty reasonable for a number of reasons, I don't think it's an automatic negative thing against Mount.

As for the president,  he's retiring not moving to a new school. I'm not sure you could blame any college administrator for wanting to retire after what they've had to deal with in the last few years.

As a fellow alum, I certainly don't agree with all the decisions the school has made, but Lenny and Botzman don't seem like abandon ship type moves to me.

I wish Lenny well.  He's a great guy, and a fine SID.  I'm not sure High School Athletic Director is any less of a grind, but it may provide other benefits that the University does not.  Botzman puzzles me.  I don't know why he would have taken the job if he was planning to retire in less than two years.  There could be many reasons, and I won't dabble in idle speculation.

As for the University:  perhaps I've been living in a bubble, but it seems to me the Grand Old College is doing pretty well.

[SimpleCoach]

Lenny Reich is leaving Mount to be athletic director for Alliance schools.  Big loss for Mount Union and all of DIII.

And the college president left after being in the job just about long enough to have a cup of coffee.  No explanation given.

Who's next?  The head of maintenance?

Just add Lenny to the list of great people the University has driven out due to awful leadership, failed policies, and terrible decision making.

I'm so sad about what's become of the great College of which I am an alumnus.

I'm certain if I was employed there I'd be joining those abandoning ship. Just so sad.

Can you clarify what you describe as "awful leadership, failed policies, and terrible decision making."?

[markerickson]

Inability to grasp NIL ramifications or outright contempt for the Supreme Court's decision?  Google 1Oklahoma and Barry Switzer.  Gable Steveson of the Gophers had a WWE contract while winning another national championship.  Sandwich a gold medal in there as well.

[hsbsballcoach7]

Obviously Mount Union is a great place to be involved in athletics. I have not asked Lenny specifically about his motives, only wished him well with his career change and everything he's going through. However, the SID role at a D-III school is a grind, with no real down time. Anecdotally, it feels like more SIDs are leaving the business now than they did before the pandemic, and I can absolutely understand the desire for better work-life balance.

He was at Mount for 14 years, It's not like it's been a revolving door of SIDs or anything. Leaving a job after 14 years is pretty reasonable for a number of reasons, I don't think it's an automatic negative thing against Mount.

As for the president,  he's retiring not moving to a new school. I'm not sure you could blame any college administrator for wanting to retire after what they've had to deal with in the last few years.

As a fellow alum, I certainly don't agree with all the decisions the school has made, but Lenny and Botzman don't seem like abandon ship type moves to me.

Being a HS AD at a school like Alliance is a nice job with great benefits.  They don't carry a ton of sports each season and don't field many freshmen teams to worry about. I have heard that Mount Union's insurance is not good,  especially compared to school employees in the area. Pretty sure his wife teaches in the district as well. 

I've often wondered if NIL will affect Mount Union's athletes or they'll be receiving any financial offers.

[hsbsballcoach7]

Ongoing recruit list...

Jacob Climer WR Pataskala, OH
Donny Cheffo TE Hubbard,OH
Connor Adelman RB Louisville, OH
Ethan Pytlak LB Naperville,  IL
Tejon Brooks DB Cleveland Central Catholic,  OH
Caleb Foltz WR Arlington,  OH
Cedric Diggs DT Plano East, TX
Drew Garcia RB/WR Commerce,  MI
Brandon Bowden DE Gainesville,  FL
Joey Dilalla K/P West Geauga, OH
Jaqai Neal DB Manvel, TX
Owen Gibbs LB/SS Oregon,  OH
Ryan Farrell DE Medina, OH
Zachary King DB Medina, OH
Kamren Moore DT Haltom City, TX
Greg Rockwell OL West Branch, OH
Michael Franklin RB Sandusky,  OH
Giovanni Kennedy OL St Eds, OH
Michael Lally OL South Range, OH

Jonathan Lima WR/CB Medina Highland,  OH
Andre Hill WR Shelby, OH
Derek Blum WR/OLB Aurora, OH
Aiden Ighnat K/P Hilliard,  OH
Donovan Oliver DL Austintown,  OH
Josiah Scott DB Houston,TX
Carsen Engleka LB Monroeville, PA
Andrew Burgess FS Harrison,  MI
Tyler Germ OL/DL Parma, OH
Seth Rogers OL Whitehouse, OH
Adam Polacko QB/P Oakwood, OH
Kaige Lowe WR/DB Barberton, OH
Brayden Slack WR Charleston,  WV
Donnell Mcdonald Jr OL Charlotte, NC
Josh Noble LB Indianapolis, IN
Trey Smith WR Houston, TX

Jeremiah Gossett WR/DB Peoria, AZ
Adrian Wright WR/S Wylie, TX
Michael Mara WR/DB Peoria, AZ
Jason Ezeokwanna OL Richmond,  TX
Caiden Hurse DL Fort Wayne, IN
Jonah Migliore LB Orlando,  FL
Tyson Riley RB Belmont, NC
Danny Morris DB Bayville, NJ
Zach Mullins LB Mount Vernon, OH
Carmello Cooper DL Jacksonville, FL
Damien Fortson WR/SS Grand Rapids, MI
Kyle Kress SS Avon Lake, OH
Lonnie Craft DE Western Beaver, PA
Chase Copper QB Oviedo, FL
Jeziah Farrar WR St. Xavier, OH
Keenan Cruz LB Lutz, FL
Jonathan Pettey OL Sarasota, FL
Alco Smith DL Linsly, WV
Nick Turner WR Strongsville, OH
Ta'Shaun Skinner DB Owings Mills, MD
Elijah Franklin DL/LB Jacksonville, FL
Jason Miller OT Worthington Kilbourne, OH
Jadarius White LB Thomaston, GA
Jake Phelan DT Newton Square, PA

... excited for some Purple Raider football

[Dr. Acula]

Obviously Mount Union is a great place to be involved in athletics. I have not asked Lenny specifically about his motives, only wished him well with his career change and everything he's going through. However, the SID role at a D-III school is a grind, with no real down time. Anecdotally, it feels like more SIDs are leaving the business now than they did before the pandemic, and I can absolutely understand the desire for better work-life balance.

He was at Mount for 14 years, It's not like it's been a revolving door of SIDs or anything. Leaving a job after 14 years is pretty reasonable for a number of reasons, I don't think it's an automatic negative thing against Mount.

As for the president,  he's retiring not moving to a new school. I'm not sure you could blame any college administrator for wanting to retire after what they've had to deal with in the last few years.

As a fellow alum, I certainly don't agree with all the decisions the school has made, but Lenny and Botzman don't seem like abandon ship type moves to me.

Being a HS AD at a school like Alliance is a nice job with great benefits.  They don't carry a ton of sports each season and don't field many freshmen teams to worry about. I have heard that Mount Union's insurance is not good,  especially compared to school employees in the area. Pretty sure his wife teaches in the district as well. 

I've often wondered if NIL will affect Mount Union's athletes or they'll be receiving any financial offers.

This is kind of what I was thinking as well.  Good pay, great benefits, great retirement.  This isn't like being the AD at Jackson or the like where you have teams in every sport at every level and they all better win.  Not saying Alliance doesn't want to win, but I think the expectations are more realistic.  And they're already in pretty good shape.  Plus with the relationship between Mount and ACS I would imagine Lenny has a good understanding of the situation and people he will be working with. 

Lenny did an excellent job as SID and as an alumnus who tries to follow all the sports I can't thank him enough.  He's made that easier and more enjoyable every year.  We've been spoiled.

[joelmama]

... I think there is a much bigger advantage when the school's administration backs athletics in a big way, the right coach and staff is in place, and there is a history of winning. Four or five of the WIAC schools, to one degree or another, have all of these factors.

I don't think the same can be said for other state schools.

Exactly. This is why those particular WIAC schools succeed heavily in Division III and other state schools with the same tuition advantages do not.

It is not just the tuition.

very true.  of all the cheap tuitions, the WIAC schools are the ones that actually try to win.  I think we're doing chicken vs egg here.  Is the WIAC full of competitive teams because of the cheap tuition, public school admittance and absolute lack of in-state recruiting completion or has the competitive nature of the conference led to more and more quality teams?

The answer..yes 

[D3fanboy]

Ongoing recruit list...

Jacob Climer WR Pataskala, OH
Donny Cheffo TE Hubbard,OH
Connor Adelman RB Louisville, OH
Ethan Pytlak LB Naperville,  IL
Tejon Brooks DB Cleveland Central Catholic,  OH
Caleb Foltz WR Arlington,  OH
Cedric Diggs DT Plano East, TX
Drew Garcia RB/WR Commerce,  MI
Brandon Bowden DE Gainesville,  FL
Joey Dilalla K/P West Geauga, OH
Jaqai Neal DB Manvel, TX
Owen Gibbs LB/SS Oregon,  OH
Ryan Farrell DE Medina, OH
Zachary King DB Medina, OH
Kamren Moore DT Haltom City, TX
Greg Rockwell OL West Branch, OH
Michael Franklin RB Sandusky,  OH
Giovanni Kennedy OL St Eds, OH
Michael Lally OL South Range, OH

Jonathan Lima WR/CB Medina Highland,  OH
Andre Hill WR Shelby, OH
Derek Blum WR/OLB Aurora, OH
Aiden Ighnat K/P Hilliard,  OH
Donovan Oliver DL Austintown,  OH
Josiah Scott DB Houston,TX
Carsen Engleka LB Monroeville, PA
Andrew Burgess FS Harrison,  MI
Tyler Germ OL/DL Parma, OH
Seth Rogers OL Whitehouse, OH
Adam Polacko QB/P Oakwood, OH
Kaige Lowe WR/DB Barberton, OH
Brayden Slack WR Charleston,  WV
Donnell Mcdonald Jr OL Charlotte, NC
Josh Noble LB Indianapolis, IN
Trey Smith WR Houston, TX

Jeremiah Gossett WR/DB Peoria, AZ
Adrian Wright WR/S Wylie, TX
Michael Mara WR/DB Peoria, AZ
Jason Ezeokwanna OL Richmond,  TX
Caiden Hurse DL Fort Wayne, IN
Jonah Migliore LB Orlando,  FL
Tyson Riley RB Belmont, NC
Danny Morris DB Bayville, NJ
Zach Mullins LB Mount Vernon, OH
Carmello Cooper DL Jacksonville, FL
Damien Fortson WR/SS Grand Rapids, MI
Kyle Kress SS Avon Lake, OH
Lonnie Craft DE Western Beaver, PA
Chase Copper QB Oviedo, FL
Jeziah Farrar WR St. Xavier, OH
Keenan Cruz LB Lutz, FL
Jonathan Pettey OL Sarasota, FL
Alco Smith DL Linsly, WV
Nick Turner WR Strongsville, OH
Ta'Shaun Skinner DB Owings Mills, MD
Elijah Franklin DL/LB Jacksonville, FL
Jason Miller OT Worthington Kilbourne, OH
Jadarius White LB Thomaston, GA
Jake Phelan DT Newton Square, PA

... excited for some Purple Raider football

seems like more TX kids in one class than in the history of the program combined

[D3fanboy]

the new d3football podcast about SOS and scheduling really uses the OAC as an example a few times.  Hmmm....I wonder why

For the record, I hope Mount schedules a real opponent in 2024-25.  Defiance is a joke game

[Pat Coleman]

Why:

The OAC is a 10-team conference and has its teams' SOS flatten out near .500 because of it. A new metric would want to solve for that. The OAC is a good test case for anything you'd want to test out because of it, as a strong conference with a full 10 teams.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Mount Union picking up a "commitment" from a Linebacker from Wisconsin:

https://twitter.com/CalebRinard/status/1520862424429117443?s=20&t=PD8_o-0AtcAnXG1X7-qCuw