FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[skunks_sidekick]

Ric.....of COURSE....you are RIGHT!  We handled them fairly easily in 01, but I like you remember that 99 game much better. 

I will take either version as a repeat this coming Saturday. 

[reality check]

mtfan

Thanks for the comments.  It is looking right now like I might be doing the color commentary again in Doylestown, PA for Delaware Valley/Hobart.  I had a good time working with Gordon this week and it would be easy for me to only have to familiarize myself with one new team in Hobart.  If MUC comes out of the North and Del Val makes it through the East, I will be doing anything I can to be in Doylestown for that game as well.

Hurfmuc

It has never been brought up but I would love to hook up and do a broadcast with Ric (depending of course on whether or not he could stand dealing with me on the other end of the headset  )  Of course, the biggest challenge for me is that I am about 500 miles from the nearest OAC institution these days.  Who knows though about next season...

[Desertraider]

Congrats to MUC and goodluck with Augustana. Nothing against MSJ but they just seemed out of their league. Also congrats to Capital. Now take care of Wabash and let's have an all-OAC final.

Question: how much of a shot does Augustana have with such a onesided offense?

[Pat Coleman]

How much of a shot did they have in 1999? Or when they won those titles in the '80s?

[augievike93]

How much of a shot did they have in 1999? Or when they won those titles in the '80s?

Or any of the 15 appearances in the playoffs.  It must work pretty good to get us that far that often, huh Pat?

[Augie6]

augievike93,

The pass play to Brad Price you referred to was actually against MUC in 85 and went for a 50+ yard TD.  Eric Welgat had most of the receiving yards in 86, when we played at Mount.

[vikes35]

On to next week. I will be VERY interested to see what the Raiders do on defense for Augie. We have played that 4-2-5 defense almost exclusively all year to great accomplishment. Obviously, I do not think we can play that against Augs. I am thinking 5-3-3 might be more fitting. Maybe 6-5, no D-backs!

I would seriously think twice about putting 5 down lineman agaisnt the offense. The problem with that is that our line is very good at immobilizing DLineman and it would probably make it harder to make the plays. It seems to me that it would take more guys out of the play then help make the play. Because we don't use WR very often I would run a 4-5-2 defense with the DB's no more than 8 yards off the line. That way you leave guys that are up in an aggresive stance to attack the play. This is just my thoughts, but it seems silly to put so many guys down on the line when our OL is very good at sticking to their blocking asssignments.

[usee]

augie isn't trying to fool anybody with what they run. you pretty much know what they are going to do. they just line up and dare you to stop it. their oline is in a 4pt stance and they just come off the ball and run downhill. the best defenses i have seen against it are usually a 4-4 type of look w lbs reading their keys and aggressively attacking the LOS. just to give you an idea, augies tight end was voted all conference as an offensive lineman this year. their qb is a great runner and very elusive. that's usually what makes this offense the hardest to stop because it gives them a 4th runningback (fb, hb, wb and qb) to contend with. don't kid yourselves though, any completions he has are more luck than skill. v wheaton this year he threw his first pass on the first play of the 4th quarter and there were 2 wheaton defenders much closer to wherever he was throwing it than any augie reciever. last year v wheaton roe threw 2 passes, both to wide open recievers that would have been touchdowns, and both made it about halfway to the reciever who was 20 yds away at most. (he did run for 342 yds in that game though).

I hate the wing t, but they are darn good at it. its fun for us cciw guys to see someone else have to defend it.

[augiedogie]

Usee:

In the past I would agree that Roe's passes were more luck than skill, but seeing him throw the ball on Saturday was the complete opposite. He was 6-7 with the 6 passes looking good. He hit the wide receiver and tight ends in stride, and he had a 28 yard pass to the back of the endzone over the defender right into the hands of the receiver. Which "passing" game will show up this weekend? Hopefully the one from last Saturday, but then again MUC defense is better than what they faced on Saturday. It should be a great game, and hopefully Augie can get over their losing streak against MUC like they were finally able to do to Wheaton this year.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I've driven to Chicago twice.  I'm thinking it took me approx. 8 hrs.  South Bend is about 5-1/2 hrs from Alliance if that helps.  If you'll be here Friday night let me know there will be a little get together in town.

Depends on Traffic and how fast you drive. I grew up in DeKalb, IL (about 60 miles W of Chicago) and used to drive back and forth from IL to Alliance for holidays. I could make it in 7 hours if I was really pushing it. But I also has a lot of speeding tickets in my late teens/early twenties.

[theaprof]

Did I read it right in the Tale of the Tape on Ric's site that Augie has only attempted 31 passes all year??  Talk about a one dimensional offense.  I know they have had success, but 31 passes?  All year?

Maybe we ought to play 5-5-1 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I would seriously think twice about putting 5 down lineman agaisnt the offense. The problem with that is that our line is very good at immobilizing DLineman and it would probably make it harder to make the plays.

I would have to say the Mount D Lineman may be the best that Augie has seen this year. But, Mounts D has thrived this year on it's speed, so we may have to do what St Johns did to us in the Stagg Bowl 2003 and use our quickness against the girth of the Augie O-Line and TE.

It should be an excellent game to watch. Good Luck to both teams!

[vikes35]

kirasdad,

I agree that this is the best team in most facets, if not all, that the Vikings have played all year. If you guys have thrived on speed though I would certainly only keep 4 on the DL and have more guys in aggressive stances ready to pursue the ball. The OL for Augie is very good at stopping the first layer of the D, that is why it is important to have a good second layer to contain them. I really think 5 down lineman can do nothing but hurt the defense's pursuit.

[HScoach]

As an old O and D line coach, I think the key on the line of scrimmage will be "movement".  If MUC tries to play their D-line straight up, then Augie will run at will.  Regardless of how many extra bodies they bring in.   MUC will have to stunt, and stunt a lot to stop Augie's running game.  While stunting might open a lane for a bigger play, it's also the only way to get penetration and force a negative play. 

A true power running game is only looking for 4 yards per carry (3 at the minimum) and that will be rather easy against an undersized defense playing "straight up".  The '99 and '01 games are evidence that the only way to stop Augie is to create negative plays to take them out of 2nd and 6, and 3rd and 2 situations.  The Wing-T thrives on those.    I'd rather give up a couple 10 to 15 yard runs due to guessing wrong on the stunting/blitzing than sit back and have them drive the field 4 yards at a time.

IMHO, the key to this game is the consistency of the MUC offense, which starts with who is calling the plays and Jorris.  If MUC starts slow and is inconsistent as they have been at numerous times this year, it could get ugly.  For the sake of comparison, if MUC goes 3 and out twice to start the game like they did vs Mt St Joe, Augie could very well run out the entire 1st quarter clock on 2 long drives and be up 14-0.  MUC has to start this game firing on all cylinders to be successful. 

Hopefully LK takes back the reigns from Campbell and Candle.  This isn't the week to let the young guys get some experience calling the O.

[Toph]

hscoach-
Excellent points as usual. 

Congrats to both Purples on advancing.