FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[mr_mom]

Mount was up 49-7 at half.  Left Kevin Burke in for one drive in the third that led to a touchdown.  That is standard procedure.  Put Taurice Scott in and he went 5-8 for 0 touchdowns, but ran for a couple long ones.  Bradley Mitchell got the last one at 2:54 after a short drive.  Didn't look like running up the score, as mostly running the second half.  Just not the slide down at the two and kick a field goal finale that we got used to.

And, to be honest, is it less embarrassing when a team scores on you or tries not to score on you?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Mount was up 49-7 at half.  Left Kevin Burke in for one drive in the third that led to a touchdown.  That is standard procedure.  Put Taurice Scott in and he went 5-8 for 0 touchdowns, but ran for a couple long ones.  Bradley Mitchell got the last one at 2:54 after a short drive.  Didn't look like running up the score, as mostly running the second half.  Just not the slide down at the two and kick a field goal finale that we got used to.

And, to be honest, is it less embarrassing when a team scores on you or tries not to score on you?

[/b]

I'd rather lose 200-0 than have the other team blatantly not score.  That is contempt, not empathy (or even sympathy).  It's saying "I've already got my worst players in and you still can't stop them, so I guess I'll have to stop them."  It is PITY (which is just the 'happy-face' of contempt IMO).

I don't know the solution - perhaps some third stringers who are drama majors (dance majors, gymnasts?) who could CONVINCINGLY trip over their own feet inside the 5 and fumble the ball thru the endzone for a touchback!   (Probably couldn't happen more than twice a game.)

[Dr. Acula]

Mount finished 2nd in both the men's and women's all-sports standings this year.  ONU won the women's title.  JCU easily won their 7th straight in men's (89-76 over Mount).  That was despite surprisingly finishing dead last in hoops where they're normally good.  Their worst finish otherwise was 5th place in baseball so excellent consistency across the board.

[bluestreak66]

Scoring a metric crapton of points, whether that's 105 or 90 or whatever, is only going to be a bad look for Mount Union for sure.

Unfortunately, this game is so much of a mismatch that it might be harder for them to not score 90 than it will be to score 90

[Raider 68]

Scoring a metric crapton of points, whether that's 105 or 90 or whatever, is only going to be a bad look for Mount Union for sure.

Unfortunately, this game is so much of a mismatch that it might be harder for them to not score 90 than it will be to score 90

It time for Mount to schedule a top five program, like UWW did with UMHB. Why not NC Central or St. John's or a few others.
No longer can the Raiders say that no one will play us. Those days are gone, and a very weak opponent does not help
the program at all.

[Dr. Acula]

Scoring a metric crapton of points, whether that's 105 or 90 or whatever, is only going to be a bad look for Mount Union for sure.

Unfortunately, this game is so much of a mismatch that it might be harder for them to not score 90 than it will be to score 90

It time for Mount to schedule a top five program, like UWW did with UMHB. Why not NC Central or St. John's or a few others.
No longer can the Raiders say that no one will play us. Those days are gone, and a very weak opponent does not help
the program at all.

I'd love to see someone you know is going to be tough every year like Wittenberg or Wabash as the OOC game, but that's probably a pipe dream.  SJU would be awesome just because it'd be fun to make the trip out there and watch a game in that venue. 

[MUC57]

It seems it's that time of year when we debate the old question: "Should a team score all it can or should they back off and stop scoring"?
Let me discuss my perspective on that.

For many years, I worked on the football media guide (remember when it was printed?). I was responsible for stats and records, of course, under the direction of the Sports Information Director. Great job and lots of fun.

After many years of doing the above, I decided to wander away a bit and react to a subject that kept coming up. Is it better to score all you can or, in the name of good sportsmanship, should you back off?

To that end, I phoned 33 D3 coaches around the country. This was a mix of head coaches and assistant coaches. Maybe not exactly scientific but, I think, a reasonable effort.
I asked them if they thought a team should stop scoring, kick field goals, intentionally run out of bounds, take a knee, and the like.
Surprise, or maybe not, 30 coaches said it was a slap in the face. The message they got was that nothing they can do will stop you from scoring TDs, no matter who you have playing. Only 3 coaches thought it a sign of good sportsmanship.

How do you tell your backups not to score? These players represent the future varsity. Let them play. I remember some years back when a senior, playing one of his few times, was running to the end zone. No one was in front of him. He ran out of bounds inside the 10 yard line - as he was instructed to do. Hardly fair to the player.

Of course this discussion assumes certain conditions.
   1. The starters produce a big score by halftime.
   2. The second string starts the second half (what's the point of having the starters run one series?)
   3. If the second string is scoring at will, put in the third string - whatever that is.
   4. If that group still scores, put in the cheerleaders, trainers or whoever else you want. (I would be willing to run a series, if I can be QB!)

The bottom line, at least according to 30 of these coaches, is it's their job to stop you. If they can't, you'll put up a big score. It is not the job of your team to stop itself.

So there. Part survey results and part of my own thinking. Do with it what you will.

I have seen Chuck Moore take a knee on a kickoff return. I have seen top receivers make the catch and run out of bounds. I have watched linemen go off their blocks so a running back can be stopped.

Play the game! (OK, maybe if you hit 100 points you do something. Or do you?)   

[MUC57]

First of all, is anyone out there? If not, disregard the following. Otherwise, read on!

Not football but baseball.
Marietta, to no ones surprise, has made the Super Regionals. Baldwin-Wallace, to the surprise of, perhaps, some, has also qualified for the Super Regionals.
This means we're down to the top 16 teams in the country.
Hooray for our two OAC teams. Best of luck to them both as they play on. Great showing for the conference.

(It's not easy rooting for BW but, in this case, I'll make an exception). 

[Dr. Acula]

First of all, is anyone out there? If not, disregard the following. Otherwise, read on!

Not football but baseball.
Marietta, to no ones surprise, has made the Super Regionals. Baldwin-Wallace, to the surprise of, perhaps, some, has also qualified for the Super Regionals.
This means we're down to the top 16 teams in the country.
Hooray for our two OAC teams. Best of luck to them both as they play on. Great showing for the conference.

(It's not easy rooting for BW but, in this case, I'll make an exception). 

Marietta should win their super regional.  BW, if they're underdog, is only so slightly in theirs.  The Jackets have a good chance of making the World Series.  And if it helps you root for them at all their HC is a great guy who has done an excellent job making that program a consistent NCAA tourney program.  If you tell me Mother Theresa could be coaching BW and you'd still puke rooting for the Jackets I'd understand though!    

[MUC57]

Dr Acula

Thanks for the info . That help's rooting for BW!

(Who does Mother Theresa coach for?)   
(Just kidding)

[bluestreak66]

First of all, is anyone out there? If not, disregard the following. Otherwise, read on!

Not football but baseball.
Marietta, to no ones surprise, has made the Super Regionals. Baldwin-Wallace, to the surprise of, perhaps, some, has also qualified for the Super Regionals.
This means we're down to the top 16 teams in the country.
Hooray for our two OAC teams. Best of luck to them both as they play on. Great showing for the conference.

(It's not easy rooting for BW but, in this case, I'll make an exception). 

Marietta should win their super regional.  BW, if they're underdog, is only so slightly in theirs.  The Jackets have a good chance of making the World Series.  And if it helps you root for them at all their HC is a great guy who has done an excellent job making that program a consistent NCAA tourney program.  If you tell me Mother Theresa could be coaching BW and you'd still puke rooting for the Jackets I'd understand though!   

actually.......... 

[D3fanboy]

only 98 days until the Mount opener...which also might be the spread with some of your favorite Alliance bookies

[edward de vere]

(Who does Mother Theresa coach for?) 

https://www.bygonely.com/the-house-of-david-baseball-team/

Kinda.

Sort of.

[purple]

 On Saturday June 10 at 9:00 am, Mount Union stadium will be re-dedicated as Larry Kehres Stadium. The ceremony will take place at the Dom Capers coaching center. It is right by the tennis courts and the Gulling training center. Quite a number of Larry's former teammates and players are expected to attend, including Dom. If your available, come up. The campus is beautiful.

[bleedpurple]

Scoring a metric crapton of points, whether that's 105 or 90 or whatever, is only going to be a bad look for Mount Union for sure.

Unfortunately, this game is so much of a mismatch that it might be harder for them to not score 90 than it will be to score 90

It time for Mount to schedule a top five program, like UWW did with UMHB. Why not NC Central or St. John's or a few others.
No longer can the Raiders say that no one will play us. Those days are gone, and a very weak opponent does not help
the program at all.

Based on everything I know and have seen, if Mount wants a competitive opening game, their first 6 calls should be to (in no particular order):

UW-W
UMHB
St. John's
Muhlenberg
Hardin-Simmon
UW-Oshkosh

Although, they haven't been a playoff team, UW-River Falls would also be a huge step up for the Purple Raiders as a pre-season game. They've gone head to head with St. John's over the years.

If there are other "quarterfinals and up type" teams that might be open to playing one of the powers, I'd love to see people expand this list. I'm sure there are some I'm missing.

If any of these six have openings the next couple of years, I think Mount would have a decent chance to get a game from them.