FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

I feel that every year I get older I enjoy championships of any kind more often (OAC or others) because you never know when the run will come to an end. Hopefully we learn from the mistakes, get healthy and improve from here. Go Raiders!

This has been my thinking the last few years and probably for the same reason (age).  I don't get nearly as worked up during playoff games as I used to.  That being said, yesterday was hard to watch.  After seeing the game plan early I figured they'd grind out something like a 28-7 win.  That was definitely not the case and BW certainly doesn't deserve all (or even most of) the credit for that result.  Happy for the 10-0 season, but not confident in anything beyond the 1st round right now.

[WRMUalum13]

  WRMU......who was it that beat us at home in the playoffs with a Hail Mary? I think they broke one of our winning streaks. I remember Shorty Jones went in because our AA Safety got hurt. It was a bomb in the middle of the end zone. Who was that? Not Rowan.
Yesterday confirmed my suspicion about BW football....they are cursed by God.

I am very proud to see the Raiders go 10-0. Wow. Very few players get to play on an undefeated OAC Champion. Great job Purple Raiders.
Congratulations to Coach Dartt, very few head coaches accomplish undefeated seasons. 10-0. Wow.

{We 'alumni' get to brag our asses off to our OAC brethren around the courthouse for another year.}

I think it was UMHB

It was UMHB and I relived it yeaterday. The UMHB game I was in Kuwait at Camp Wolverine and I was on live stats - this is before livestream was a thing kids. I kept hitting refresh and getting nothing....and then OOF. I saw the score update and could not believe it. Yesterday - same thing, minus Kuwait and Camp Wolverine. I was sitting in my car in the driveway and decided to check the score to see the final (I knew BW took the lead but wanted to see it go final and move on). I swear to god - 22 seconds in live stat time lasts a week and a half.

BTW the great ending games would not be complete w/out Osh Kosh a few years back. Great second half. I would still like to rewatch that game and the UMHB lateral game if anyone knows where to find it. I have seen highlights but not the full game.

Absolutely, I was mostly thinking of single plays that ended games specifically but the 2017 semis where the best comeback I've ever seen from a team I was rooting for. down 25 points in the  mid 3rd quarter if I remember correctly

[WRMUalum13]

I feel that every year I get older I enjoy championships of any kind more often (OAC or others) because you never know when the run will come to an end. Hopefully we learn from the mistakes, get healthy and improve from here. Go Raiders!

This has been my thinking the last few years and probably for the same reason (age).  I don't get nearly as worked up during playoff games as I used to.  That being said, yesterday was hard to watch.  After seeing the game plan early I figured they'd grind out something like a 28-7 win.  That was definitely not the case and BW certainly doesn't deserve all (or even most of) the credit for that result.  Happy for the 10-0 season, but not confident in anything beyond the 1st round right now.

I get more invested depending on where the Stagg Bowl is. I have family in Maryland so I was hoping to make the Stagg Bowl a pre-Christmas reason to visit them. I was also hoping to see a huge attendance for a Mount appearance in Canton...

[mr_mom]

Video of the "Berea Miracle" was number three in SportCenter's Top 10 this morning.

[D3fanboy]

NCC and UMHB on the other side of the bracket...good time for the son-in-law to make a Stagg Bowl run

[Desertraider]

Hmm Salisbury. Sounds like a good add to the Mount brunch menu. Their steaks are quite tasty.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Mount got the most advantageous draw they could've gotten.

[Desertraider]

I can't think of a better draw for Mount. Having said that however, if Mount does not make it to the semis then it is time for changes in Alliance. Sorry but the team seems to be on a slide.

Oh and sorry....but I really enjoy seeing the BW sidelines as the  Mount TD is processed. Granted it's BW so it takes a while for them to process it...but I love it just the same. Only thing better would  have been JCU.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount got the most advantageous draw they could've gotten.

Yeah, I'm not sure they could have hand picked a better draw given the geographic restraints.  Doesn't Salisbury run the option?  I may be misremembering on that.  But if they do that usually doesn't go well against Mount defenses because of the team speed.  And this version's strength is the LB's too.

Assuming they win, Susquehanna will be a solid round 2 opponent.  Any time you beat a 9-1 JHU team to win the conference you have my attention.

[WRMUalum13]

Mount got the most advantageous draw they could've gotten.

Yeah, I'm not sure they could have hand picked a better draw given the geographic restraints.  Doesn't Salisbury run the option?  I may be misremembering on that.  But if they do that usually doesn't go well against Mount defenses because of the team speed.  And this version's strength is the LB's too.

Assuming they win, Susquehanna will be a solid round 2 opponent.  Any time you beat a 9-1 JHU team to win the conference you have my attention.

Agreed. JHU has fielded some very good teams that have come to Alliance. Also yes Salisbury is (or at least was in 2012)  a triple option team.

[Dr. Acula]

I don't know if this is a stud JHU team but the Jays have been a handful w a stud QB in the past.  You go 10-0 and beat 9-1 JHU I'm going in assuming you're legit.

[Pat Coleman]

Salisbury is (or at least was in 2012)  a triple option team.

Still the case 10 years later.

[D3fanboy]

Mount got the most advantageous draw they could've gotten.

Yeah, I'm not sure they could have hand picked a better draw given the geographic restraints.  Doesn't Salisbury run the option?  I may be misremembering on that.  But if they do that usually doesn't go well against Mount defenses because of the team speed.  And this version's strength is the LB's too.

Assuming they win, Susquehanna will be a solid round 2 opponent.  Any time you beat a 9-1 JHU team to win the conference you have my attention.

Mount should be able to just throw DL/LB bodies at the option and keep it in check.  Duke Hill can be a disrupter of the option dive with his quickness and then hopefully the Mount team speed can really rally to the ball.  Too bad ol' Keith Wakefield isn't on the staff anymore

[Captainred81]

A)  I try not to get ahead of myself when spitting out my opinions.  If I had my druthers Mount would win every game, every year by 100.  Fact is EVERYONE comes to play against Mount.  They bring their best.  Whether they have a shot at winning or not.
B)  BW is/was an underperforming team this year.  Alma was better than expected so that wasn't terrible.  They only lost to JCU by 4 and by 2 to Mount.  They are well coached, they have good athletes, and they always hit hard.  Ain't no shame in playing a close game with them
C)  We finished 10-0 for the 31st time (or something), we captured a #1 seed in the tourney, and probably home field as long as we win. 

All that being said:

D)  I'm not sure what they're watching on film, and how they assemble their game plans.  28 rushing attempts at 5.3 ypc.  Several carries over 10 yards and at at least 3 over 20.  I love to pass the ball, but bring in the hogs, bring in the 3 TE and run the football.  Make them fill the box and stop you.  If you want to slow it down and keep your D off the field...run the football.  If not, take the one on one opps and throw it down the field, put some balls over the middle at 15-20 yards deep.  All of the RB screens, delays, WR screens and 'in' routes at 1-2 yards deep...they're too easy to shut down.  Granted they work once in a while, just not when it's the only thing you do. 
E)  The defense has played lights out, it's tough when your Offense goes 3 and out a couple times in a row or throws a pick.  But... Every time the opponents line up trips and and run to the opposite side, Mounts D shifts to the trips and leaves the weak side with 3 defenders against 4 blockers.    I noticed a lot of this in the JCU game and again several times in the BW.  Mount is strong and super fast on D but they need an answer for that. 

[mr_mom]

For those who don't follow the Pick-Em competitions, CONGRATULATIONS to D3FTBALLFAN and rscl70 for winning the 2022 Regular Season OAC Pickem.

Everyone resets to zero for the post-season Pick-Em, so even if you didn't participate in the regular season contest, feel free to join in.