FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[HScoach]

i luv d3:

When LK begins to lose with the consistency in which he has won over the last 20 years, then and only then will I get on the internet and question his coaching.

I'll be perfectly honest.  I was PISSED walking out of the stadium Saturday.  More so than the 2004 hailmary vs MHB.  Reason being?  Because I thought Mount played poorly and let a game get away that they could have won.   But guess what?  Over the last 10+ years you can count on 1 hand the number of times MUC has lost a game they could have won.  Just for the sake of arguement, let me count them:

Games they lost but could have won:

1.  2005 vs ONU - too many turnovers and missed opportunities, but still within a TD and the ball at the end.

2.  2004 vs MHB - failed to get a 1st down in the 4th and still needed a hailmary to lose.

3.  1999 vs Rowan - same as ONU, too many turnovers and missed opportunities, played with a QB severly sick and it still took OT to make them lose.

4.  1994 vs. Albion - freshmen QB almost led them to a road playoff win vs the soon-to-be Nat Champ but 2 missed extra points doomed them.

5.  1992 vs LaCrosse - Ballard and Co should ahve won the 1st title in '92, but 5 turnovers, 20 degree weather, 30+ winds and a darn good LAX team stopped them in Semi's by 4 points.


Games they should have lost and did:

1.  2003 vs SJU in Stagg -  SJU had the best player on the field for once instead of MUC

2.  1995 vs LaCrosse - better team won, hands down.


Games they could have lost but didn't:
1.  2005 vs Capital -  4th qtr explosion erase 17-14 deficit

2.  2004 vs ONU - ditto

3.  2002 vs BW - Adamson hurt and MUC wins anyway at BW 28-21

4.  2001 vs JCU - 4th down pass to Irgang sets up winning TD in last minute to win 33-30

5.  2001 vs Bridgewater - Moore runs for 273 yds and huge first down to run out the clock versus a Bwater team MUC couldn't stop.  If MUC has to punt it back to Bwater, they lose.

6.  2000 vs SJU in Stagg - last second FG wins it 10-7

7.  1999 vs Augustana - couldn't stop Augie's running game, MUC has ball for only 12 minutes but wins 42-33 on the back of special teams and big plays

8.  1999 vs JCU - 3 OT classic that MUC had won, then lost, then won again.

9.  1998 vs ONU - 42-37 win

10.  1998 vs JSU - 21-14 win which was tied midway thru 4th

11.  1998 vs BW - losing in the 4th before Hall INT swings the tide in 30-21 win

12.  1998 vs Albion - wins 21-19 when Albion misses chip shot FG to win it as time expires

13.  1998 vs Wittenberg - wins 21-19 nailbiter against Witt's best team

14. 1998 vs Trinity - jumps out to 21-2 lead, loses lead 22-21 then wins it in the 4th 34-29.

15.  1998 vs Rowan in Stagg - losing 24-16 at end of 3rd before pulling another magic comeback vs KC Keeler .

16.  1997 vs Allegheny - MUC needs last minute INT to perserve 34-30 win.


Is this enough or do you want me to keep going?

My point is that since LK has taken over the reigns, MUC has won a ton more games that they might have lost, then games they lost that they might have won.

I've been on the sidelines for enough football games to know that winning is a lot tougher than Kehres makes it look.  And until he proves otherwise, he's a heck of a lot smarter than anyone posting here!

[HScoach]

And one more thing.  To blame the MUC loss this week due to brain cramps on LK's part is rathering demeaning to the fact that ONU played a perfect game.  How about giving credit where credit is due?

[Mr. Ypsi]

hscoach,

GREAT POST (applaud!)

rc,

Your analysis of the logjam left out BW's upset of MUC Saturday!

Or NOT!  Doesn't it violate the 'cruel and unusual punishment' provision of the Constitution to make ANYONE play Mount THIS weekend!  

[seventiesraider]

 After reviewing some stats on the BW website, I feel that any BW coach with the word Offensive in his title may be guilty of taking money under false pretenses

[reality check]

hscoach

Great post.  I am just curious though (b/c as much as I hate to admit it, I think you got a good head on your shoulders   ) why you didn't put ONU in is four games in 1999 or 2000 on your "could have lost but didn't" list.  I am guessing it is because of the final score because I recall you saying in years past that those were the times ONU had more talent than the Raiders on the field but were simply outcoached.

Otternut

To recap because even I got a headache after putting my last post together to address your questions:

My prediction is a 3-way tie at the top with ONU, JCU and MUC.  We could have as many as three teams in second at 8-2 though with one team sitting alone in fifth.  There is no way more than three teams finish tied for first or second however unless there is some mammoth upsets in the final three weeks.

[reality check]

cufan

I expect it to be a good game in Ada.  I do not think CAP can hold ONU to just 17 points though.  You wanna predict a shootout, I can deal with that but barring weather, this game figures to have some points thrown up by both teams.

Early prediction: ONU 41 CAP 31

[Toph]

I think it's going to be tough for Cap to win in Ada.  Every person I've ever talked to comes away from that place saying one thing:  "That place is so loud, you can barely hear anything."  You know the fans are going to be amped.

[onyxrook]

reality check... you're right about 99 and 2000 but come the end of the game, they weren't games that mount could have lost and didn't.  in 98, we lost that game...... i could see the fear in the eyes of the defense as we took control of the game.  our offense and defense were hitting on all cylinders and the super chargers were on too.  we knew that the next seven points were ours.  a flub on special teams lost it along with the fact that, as a team, we didn't start playing earlier.  the four 99 and 2000 games simply weren't in the same league.  we all knew we could win those four games but the fire never caught and mount pulled away in each one.  if i recall correctly, each of those games was lost in the third quarter.

[FreeBeer]

Long time reader, first time poster

Yes, Mount lost a regular season game, but the world isn't going to end in our lifetimes.  We played badly, and ONU played a nearly perfect game.  We had 4 (or 5,counting the kickoff) turnovers.  ONU had NONE!  Yet we still had a chance to tie the game in the end.  Nuff said.  Congrats to ONU, they deserved to win.
But enough with the lovefest for LK.  Anyone who buys a ticket or pays tuition has the right to question anything that goes on.  To belittle posters just because they ask questions about coaching decisions isn't right.  LK is a legend.  But everyone makes mistakes.  He isn't GOD.

[ohiofootball]

Toph- Finally a statement that didn't say a bad word about ONU.

jdean- Its good to see your spirit still up, but I'd rather see ONU get JCU back.

Onyxrook- If there is one thing I know its that turnovers and missed opportunitys cost us both playoff games to use hscoach's words. After all, it was our last game in '00.

It snowed today in southern Ohio. The first I remember this early since 1993 on Halloween.

Good luck to the Crusaders. I hope it will be a great game.

99 straight conference wins? Coincidence?

[pbear11]

there's only two reasons ONU beat MT. on saturday. and they're the same two reasons we haven't won the last 7 years or so. Mt's off. and def. lines obviously were not dominating as in past years and ONU played mistake free football with no turnovers to Mt's 4. ONU's always had just as good as if not better, some years, in the skill positions but just was missing somthing up front. but ONU has an offensive line that's been playing together since they were freshman or soph's. there's a lot of seniors playing on this team with guys like rusty, and hos, lee, porter, gasser, KT, devin, walton, mochon, trusnik, bockey, danison,  Q, and others who have put a lot of sweat into that program. and it finally paid off. that must have been some night at the beagle when they got back. i almost had to skip my buddies wedding to head over there. now i hope the boys don't forget about Cap coming into town this week. gotta keep that momentum going because the mouths from bexley will definitely be looking to bring the Bears back down. it's a great day to be in Ader

[HScoach]

Reality Check:  you hit it exactly.  I was trying to stick to games that obviously were close enough that MUC could have lost.  If I were going to add all the games that the opponent had equaul or better talent then the you can add the ONU teams with Robertson and Frazer as well as every Rowan team they've played.  And if you want to add the teams that scared me the most, add in the other 3 years of Arth at JCU.

Free Beer:  You're right that LK is not perfect.  No man is.  But to question his football knowledge like he's some first year rec-league coach is insane.  Maybe I'm a little tired of it after hearing it in the stands for the last 15 years everytime MUC isn't beating someone by 30 at halftime. 

[onyxrook]

Onyxrook- If there is one thing I know its that turnovers and missed opportunitys cost us both playoff games to use hscoach's words. After all, it was our last game in '00.

that would officially describe every game we ever lost
my point was that when it came down to it, by the end of the games, they weren't games that mount could have lost and didn't.  that's not to say that during the first half it didn't look like that, nor maybe even in the third quarter, but by the end of the game, they weren't games that mount could have lost.
i think hscoach is right in his assessment.  i wish it wasn't true but there is no reason to blow our own horns over it

[HScoach]

For the ONU faithful:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/10/23/weekend.rewind/1.html

[Naked Nott Run]

Was curious how you guys view the Liberty League... Do we have any respect from other conferences or what???