FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[BergAlum2]

The games in Salem when Mount played had like 3K in attendance.  A lot easier to drive there from Alliance versus Texas.  Having to get plane tickets and hotel room for a far destination is a big ask from a level of football who's each teams fanbases are pretty small, and college enrollment is rarely over a few thousand.  Being late on Sunday night also makes it hard for those who work on Monday.  I imagine most of the attendance was the family/friends of players. 

Even for the big D1 teams, some of those more meaningless bowl games I watched this year had pretty empty stadiums.

That being said most of D3 football is Midwest/NE a site being close to those would benefit fans who want to travel.

[Fido0650]

With all due respect, those of you that refer to yourselves as Purple Raiders "fans" are a disgrace.  You know who you are.

Sucks to lose but to listen to the trash that you spew all year long is tiring.

These kids and coaches bust their ass, and you rarely ever acknowledge that. Easier to just throw insults after insults. Do us all a favor and try really supporting the team.

Signed a die hard purple raider champion!

So you were fine with the 3rd down run in the red zone with no time outs late in the 2nd quarter?
No question in your mind about why they ran that play and give up the possibility of a sure 3 points and have the momentum going into halftime AND get the 2nd half kickoff?
How dare the ESPN announcers even question that play and do it on national tv.
Maybe you should contact ESPN and ask them to reprimand those two announcers for questioning a purple raider play.

[D3fanboy]

Congratulations to the the team, coaches and fans for a great season. There are 238 teams that wish they could have played in the Stagg Bowl. We expect a lot each year, and again made it to the Stagg Bowl. Mt Union players never gave up, they just ran into a better team lat night. I expect them to be successful next your and hopefully make it back to the Stagg Bowl. Most Union has set the standard in D3 football and other teams have stepped up. Even so, Mount made it back.

As CaliRaider said, Fans are supposed to support the team. All of this negative talk about the coaches is ridiculous. Coach Dart has taken teams to 2 Stagg Bowls, not many coaches can say that. His won/loss record is excellent. Let the coaches coach. Leave all of the negativity alone, support the team. Let's hope for another successful season next year.

I'm pretty cool to have Mount never be part of the 238 other D3 football programs to just be happy to be there.  If you call yourself "The Standard" then you should be able to put your big boy pants on and deal with the extremely small amount of criticism that you receive at Mount Union.  A coach making those same calls/decisions last night in major college football would be roasted non-stop in the media and likely be on the hottest seat known to man.  Changes would be made. 

Treating the program as if it was big time football and not "just D3" is one of the major reasons that Mount became Mount and not just one of the dozens of programs that are just happy to try to win a conference title and be a part of the playoffs.  High expectations and great accountability, unfortunately there is only one of those in Alliance these days

[D3fanboy]

"I blame myself a little bit for some of the play calling and not allowing our guys to do what they do best," said Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt, who suffered his first loss in 18 games.

"Obviously were prepared for what they were doing on defense. We didn't execute at the end of the day. A lot of that was on me as the offensive play caller."

after loss to NCC in '21

"Congrats to Alma," Dartt said. "They played a lot better than us today, and obviously give them a lot of credit. I'll take a lot of the blame as the head coach in terms of having the team prepared."

"We got down in the red zone and couldn't finish there. I'll put that on me from a play-calling standpoint. We have to be able to protect the ball and we didn't do that. That's not on the players. That's on me as the head coach and the offensive play caller."

after the Alma embarrassment in '24

"That was bad coaching by me, plain and simple," Dartt said. "We should have took a shot to the end zone. If we didn't have it, throw it out of the back of the end zone and kick the field goal.

"That's on me as the coach and play caller, not on our guys."

last night

I'll give you a guess as to what he said after the gross Otterbein and Muskie games this year as well


The father of LK's grandkids (and the greatest gum chewer this side of the Mississippi) is obviously not going to be fired, but for the love of all things holy hire an Offensive Coordinator

[Fido0650]

"I blame myself a little bit for some of the play calling and not allowing our guys to do what they do best," said Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt, who suffered his first loss in 18 games.

"Obviously were prepared for what they were doing on defense. We didn't execute at the end of the day. A lot of that was on me as the offensive play caller."

after loss to NCC in '21

"Congrats to Alma," Dartt said. "They played a lot better than us today, and obviously give them a lot of credit. I'll take a lot of the blame as the head coach in terms of having the team prepared."

"We got down in the red zone and couldn't finish there. I'll put that on me from a play-calling standpoint. We have to be able to protect the ball and we didn't do that. That's not on the players. That's on me as the head coach and the offensive play caller."

after the Alma embarrassment in '24

"That was bad coaching by me, plain and simple," Dartt said. "We should have took a shot to the end zone. If we didn't have it, throw it out of the back of the end zone and kick the field goal.

"That's on me as the coach and play caller, not on our guys."

last night

I'll give you a guess as to what he said after the gross Otterbein and Muskie games this year as well


The father of LK's grandkids (and the greatest gum chewer this side of the Mississippi) is obviously not going to be fired, but for the love of all things holy hire an Offensive Coordinator

Ken Dorsey is now in the unemployment line and looking for a new job.  He likes to throw the ball.  It's either this or coaching peewee football in his home town.

[Pat Coleman]

Keith picking NCC with a triple monkey stomp.

Late to reading this, but to be fair, 21 points is only one monkey stomp.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Keith picking NCC with a triple monkey stomp.

Late to reading this, but to be fair, 21 points is only one monkey stomp.

You are correct sir.

[BergAlum2]

Reminder to cancel your ESPN plus subscriptions if you are like me and only subbed to watch the playoffs 

[New Tradition]

Keith picking NCC with a triple monkey stomp.

Late to reading this, but to be fair, 21 points is only one monkey stomp.

I've never gotten a clear explanation of monkey stomp math.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Keith picking NCC with a triple monkey stomp.

Late to reading this, but to be fair, 21 points is only one monkey stomp.

I've never gotten a clear explanation of monkey stomp math.

A monkey stomp is a 21 point victory.  A double is 42, triple is 63.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

"Mount Union OC Junior Collins..."



https://x.com/tdpublishing/status/1876082428931911957?s=46

[D3fanboy]

"Mount Union OC Junior Collins..."



https://x.com/tdpublishing/status/1876082428931911957?s=46

he was the last OC listed on the Mount Union football website for that month or two prior to earning the chance of a lifetime with the Colts. 

[WRMUalum13]

Congratulations to the the team, coaches and fans for a great season. There are 238 teams that wish they could have played in the Stagg Bowl. We expect a lot each year, and again made it to the Stagg Bowl. Mt Union players never gave up, they just ran into a better team lat night. I expect them to be successful next your and hopefully make it back to the Stagg Bowl. Most Union has set the standard in D3 football and other teams have stepped up. Even so, Mount made it back.

As CaliRaider said, Fans are supposed to support the team. All of this negative talk about the coaches is ridiculous. Coach Dart has taken teams to 2 Stagg Bowls, not many coaches can say that. His won/loss record is excellent. Let the coaches coach. Leave all of the negativity alone, support the team. Let's hope for another successful season next year.

I'm pretty cool to have Mount never be part of the 238 other D3 football programs to just be happy to be there.  If you call yourself "The Standard" then you should be able to put your big boy pants on and deal with the extremely small amount of criticism that you receive at Mount Union.  A coach making those same calls/decisions last night in major college football would be roasted non-stop in the media and likely be on the hottest seat known to man.  Changes would be made. 

Treating the program as if it was big time football and not "just D3" is one of the major reasons that Mount became Mount and not just one of the dozens of programs that are just happy to try to win a conference title and be a part of the playoffs.  High expectations and great accountability, unfortunately there is only one of those in Alliance these days

Look I get it, we don't want to be overly negative and we are incredibly spoiled, but I don't think anyone on Mount Union's coaching staff or roster would call this a "Great" season. They know what the standard is and they want to WIN a championship each year.

I'm incredibly grateful for a deep playoff run and I savor my trips to Alliance in November and December, but the standard is the standard.

Now, to give credit where credit is due, this Mount offensive line was one of the best I've seen in a long time, Ty Echeverry was the best running back we've had probably since Kmic and I'm hopeful to see Rossy Moore at the next level. Also TJ did a great job stepping up late in the season.

Also Dartt did fend of some of my criticism by getting these team to Houston, I was very much prepared for a 2nd round loss this year, but he proved me wrong and had his team ready. Still at a loss for the decision making in the Stagg Bowl but I don't think coaching was the reason we lost, I just don't think we were quite at a national championship level on either side of the ball.

I think the biggest vulnerability was in the secondary, after seeing guys get torched by JHU I'm surprised NCC didn't throw more. I saw a couple of really good plays by defensive backs but we just didn't quite have any AA quality DBs like some of the title teams of the past that you really need to slow down NCC.  The few times we were able to pressure Luke Lehnen he'd find a WR seemingly with no purple shirts within 5 yards of them.

[D3fanboy]

worrying about negativity vs positivity from fans should be saved for youth sports or programs that are a step above intramurals.  everyone involved is an adult who made a decision to be where they are and have free will to leave. 

even if we agree that the '24 season was some sort of fantastic coaching job with an underdog squad (they weren't-more talent than any team in the country not named NCC), I would find it incredibly difficult to believe that anybody thinks that having the current Head Coach also being the Offensive Coordinator is working to the "standard" that is promoted.  VK was the HC and DC when he first took the big job, it wasn't working so he gave up the DC job and Mount took the next step.  Even the great LK gave up OC duties at some point and it led to more success.  It's been five years and the proof is in the pudding.  Let Dartt and his electric personality focus on being the HC and please, please, please get an OC in Alliance by spring ball. 

[D3fanboy]

listening to the post Stagg D3 podcast; other than the game, one of the talking points was "why would you ever fire someone with a 93.3% win percentage!?! Dartt has a 56-4 record!!"

Lets take a look at those 60 games

4 loses

- NCC in '21 (Semis) '22 (Stagg) and '24 (Stagg)
- Alma '23 (2nd rd)

56 wins
- JCU = 6
- Marietta = 5
- BW = 4
- Heidy, Muskie, Cap, Wilma, Ott, ONU = 26
- Westminster = 1
- W&L = 1
- JHU = 2
- Muhlenberg = 1
- Salisbury = 2
- Utica = 1
- Del Val = 1
- Wartburg = 1
- Alfred St = 1
- CMU = 1
- Ferrum = 1
- Defiance = 2

I get the % looks great, but where are the signature victories?

JHU? mighty Wartburg? something named Muhlenberg?

I'm not saying that a monkey could win 93% of their games at Mount, but....