FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[i_love_d3_football]

Agreed that ONU dominated the game and deserved the win - just questioning why the o-calling has shifted to a conservative    tone.  Mount always looked pass first.  4 plays from the 4 and closer and no pass.  8 or 9 running plays to open the game.  Just way too conservative for a MUC offense.

The dbs need also to start playing closer D.  I don't like it when a QB that is getting hit can still complete a pass to a wide-open receiver...

Jorris needed to throw that ball up before getting sacked - he needs better field presence.

For what it is worth - I always root the team loudly and will continue to do so.

[Ric]

I_Love_D3_Football, your lack of familiarity with Mount Union football shows.  I can think of three different games in three different years where Mount Union came out running the football and did so for the first dozen plays or so.  Did you stop and think that weather conditions might have played a part?

And I don't recall anyone complaining about this drive...

M 1-10 M18   MOUNT UNION drive start at 08:55 (3rd).
M 1-10 M18   Rick Ciccone rush for 7 yards to the MTU25 (Rick Danison;Rusty Midlam).
M 2-3  M25   Rick Ciccone rush for 8 yards to the MTU33, 1ST DOWN MTU (Aaron Esposito).
M 1-10 M33   Rick Ciccone rush for 6 yards to the MTU39 (Aaron Esposito).
M 2-4  M39   Rick Ciccone rush for 6 yards to the MTU45, 1ST DOWN MTU (Wes Hostetler).
M 1-10 M45   Rick Ciccone rush for 11 yards to the ONU44, 1ST DOWN MTU (Rick Danison; Ron Young).
M 1-10 O44   Rick Ciccone rush for 4 yards to the ONU40 (Matt Allen).
M 2-6  O40   Rick Ciccone rush for no gain to the ONU40 (Aaron Mochon;Jason Trusnik).
M 3-6  O40   Jeff Strauch rush for 4 yards to the ONU36 (Wes Hostetler;DustinAlexander).
M 4-2  O36   Zac Bruney pass complete to Joe Bugara for 5 yards to the ONU31, 1ST DOWN MTU (Ron Young).
M 1-10 O31   Rick Ciccone rush for no gain to the ONU31 (Nick Bailey).
M 2-10 O31   Zac Bruney rush for 6 yards to the ONU25, out-of-bounds (Ryan Robertson).
M 3-4  O25   Rick Ciccone rush for 7 yards to the ONU18, 1ST DOWN MTU (Aaron Esposito).
M 1-10 O18   Rick Ciccone rush for 18 yards to the ONU0, 1ST DOWN MTU, TOUCHDOWN, clock 02:48.
                     Chad Teague kick attempt good.

                                ================================
                                MOUNT UNION 27, OHIO NORTHERN 27
                                ================================

--------------- 13 plays, 82 yards, TOP 06:07 ---------------


Hmm that drive was in last year's MTU-ONU game in the third quarter and began with the score ONU 27, MTU 20 and it was entirely on the ground but for one play.

If you want to second guess someone find another target.  I pretty much think LK knows what he's doing.

[Ric]

JK my guess would be if CAP wins out and they select an 8-2 team for Pool C they'd get high consideration.  If they win out and don't get in then yes you can blame the OTT game no doubt about that.

[reality check]

Ric and JK

If that scenario took place, it would be extremely tough to pick an 8-2 team to get the nod.  CAP would be neck and neck with ONU in that case (just my opinion).  CAP would have a competitive loss to Mount and a loss to a 7-3 OTT team (JCU would have to have beaten OTT in the three way 8-2 scenario you're hypothesizing).  ONU would have losses to CAP and JCU.  I think the biggest thing that would matter there is how the ONU/CAP game played out.  If it were a tight game then ONU's close loss to CAP and loss to JCU loss combined with the win over Mount would look a little better to me than CAP's two losses simply because one of the losses came to a team not in the race (OTT). 

JK

If the Bears take care of business this weekend, you won't have to blame that stupid loss to OTT for anything.  I hope ONU does it's best to make you forget about that loss to OTT and play the "what if" game.   

[i_love_d3_football]

RIC:

Ouch - anyone can go thru their log of all MUC drives and find one to satisfy their point.

I am not second-guessing LK as much as I am second-guessing the person calling the plays THIS year.    I just thought we was too conservative given the past when we might open with a long pass - an opponent never knew what was coming. 

Your example is in the 3rd quarter.  When have we seen MUC OPEN the game with all kinds of rushing and please don't cite a game when we had a mudpool for a field.     I am just saying that is NOT MUC's style to run that much to open the game.  When in the past has MUC shied from the pass except when the wind made the pigskin flutter.   A little rain shouldn't damper one's ability to want to throw the pigskin.  It hasn't in the past.

It is interesting that when LK does get into the O huddle the play calling & execution pick up.

Also, I criticized the pass D.   Even you can't like the fact the we have seen QBs gettin hit STILL complete passes to open receivers.   On the play I am thinking about the QB didn't have a lot of time but the receivers were still open.

Please don't question my familiarity of MUC football - that would be like me questioning your press credentials.  I am just asking some questions that is on other people's minds also.   I am a fan who is out yelling & supporting my team - and I felt like this whole team was flat.

[onyxrook]

I think my thoughts on the 9-1 situation probably ties into an 8-2 situation pretty well, with the 8-2 situation being much worse.  We all know that one of the 9-1 teams will get to go but for the other two, it seems to me that they will both go or neither will go.  I think if there are enough 9-1s out there, both will get denied simply because it's impossible to pick one of the two teams over the other.  With a four way tie for second, there is no way the NCAA could pick one team over the other three.  If any conference ever gets three in, it should be the OAC, but I just can't see it happening.  Given that, it wouldn't surprise me if the only one in the dance is the declared champion.  8-2 doesn't even get consideration.

[OU#25]

Congratulations Polar Bears on your win Saturday.  You guys dominated the game from the outset (that turnover on the kickoff was huge!) and pretty much played error free ball the rest of the way.  It felt like Mount was looking for the homerun which really never came. MUC attempting 3 passes in the first half still has me scratching my head.

As a Mount fan, I'm proud of the program and look forward to another week of football.  Past losses have ended the season for Mount... but that's not the case this year.  Mount also has been relatively injury-free during the past decade of dominance and must learn to pull together and play without their best weapons at times during the season.  I'm excited about the coming weeks and don't mind if Mount has to go on the road...where there streak is still in tact. 

Good-luck to both teams the rest of the way.  A playoff re-match between ONU and MUC would be very interesting and exciting...and something that the purple team and there fans might actually make some noise about. 

[jdean]

MUC, please don't lose any more games so I don't have to read all these 2nd guessers questions and comments. None of them claim to be questioning LK but the reality is they are because he's the head coach.
I guess 110 regular season wins in a row isn't enough to convince some fans that the coaching staff knows what they're doing.  MUC is no longer invincible and ONU was just that much better on that day. Save your criticisms for Bush or the Browns.

[i_love_d3_football]

good golly - a person can't even question his fb team anymore?

just because we can't beat up Marietta all season doesn't mean I can't have questions...

we all have someone to 'second-guess'.  Mine isn't Bush as I didn't vote for him.

some of those 110 games came against overmatched teams.  Anyone could coach those games - sure maybe the score wouldn't be 70-0.

At least one person appreciated my questions! 

[ohiofootball]

I still have not come down!

RC- That picture is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen on the internet. Thanks

I think we know how the secret ballot would go. I think the OAC should step up and realize the NCAA will not give ONU an at large, due to the rediculous penalty. I am also very happy to not hear 1 poster say ONU won because their cheaters. MUC fans are very gracious.

That 70's raider- Please understand how big the win was and accept apology for the fans. I don't know what I would have done.

[seventiesraider]

I was kidding about the arrogant Northern fans. You guys gotta realize how long we've have that to ourselves. Enjoy it. 8)

[reality check]

onyx

It's semantics but no one said anything about a four way tie.  That's not possible at this point as OTT would have to join the mix and for them to do that, they'd have to beat JCU and JCU would have to beat CAP which would then push CAP out of the picture. 

I would guess if the three finish at 9-1, at least two teams are in.  My thinking follows the same logic as ohiofootball though.  I think the coaches would vote in ONU to avoid a committee omission and MUC is definitely in as an at large.  If all three teams did make it, I would bet ONU gets shipped to another region all JCU 2002.  They wouldn't ship JCU out again and MUC could still be the #1 seed in the east as an at large.  I don't know how good a possibility that is, but I think the potential is there.

[Toph]

i_love_d3football-
No, you can't question your football team when they win 110 straight regular season games.  I think that the coaching staff has a pretty good idea of what it takes to win. 

All-
There was an article today in the Plain Dealer about the OAC situation (and a few sentences defending BW's 3-4 record, but what do you expect?), I think it may be available online for those of you who don't get the PD.  I'll be searching for it.

EDIT:  Here's the link. http://www.cleveland.com/ohiocollegesports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/113014633655200.xml&coll=2

[onyxrook]

thanks for the story link... here's a version that is a little less irritating. Just click cancel when the print dialog comes up.http://www.cleveland.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/sports/113014633655200.xml&coll=2

[pios]

In the grand scheme of the weekends happenings, this probably isn't as exciting to most, but I am still going to post it.  With 6 seconds to go in the game, the clock running and no timeouts, on a fourth and goal from the half yard line, Vrable completed a bootleg to the TE to put Etta up 18-17.  Vrable had a school-record setting 58 pass attempts, completeing 33 of them, in the game and Musky again had the normal 3 pass attempts with one being intercepted.  Junior WR Nic North also set the school record with 14 catches in one game.