FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[2minuteO]

yea well that was to disclose my identity during the playing days... did not want to be caught on the forum while playing lol.. thanks kirasdad glad u thought that much of me to check my profile...

alright i am done with this little post battle...

[Toph]

If I can jump in this little "pissing match" as hscoach so accurately put it...

Cap fans (specifically 2minute0 and dabein)-
Stop.  It's not just Mount fans who make jokes about Rocky's age, it's everyone on this forum.  Stop taking it personally, I'm sure Rocky doesn't (he's too busy bothering the nurses at the home about the temperature of his room).  Stop feeling like you need to challenge Mount fans and prove something (what that something is...I'm not quite sure).  Also, since you seem so concerned with the fact that your karma is falling faster than Rocky without his walker...notice that there are plenty of non-Mount fans (even some Capital fans) who don't have -603 karma.  If you add something worthwhile to the discussion, your karma will stop going down...I promise.

On a sad note- the Cleveland area lost a great sportscaster and from all accounts a great man this morning in Casey Coleman.

[2minuteO]

Toph-i am not worried about the Karma thing.. just enjoy having a good time on here... it gives me something to do while monitoring study halls all day...

believe it or not i once had a Karma rating of 10... lol

i cannot promise anything but i plan to take a stab at raising my karma rating lol

[dabein22]

CardinalDad

I don't think anyone is judging Kniss unfairly.  He is a very good QB with a strong accurate arm and very elusive in the pocket.  The point is, two of his "off" days have come against CAP, an OAC opponent.  It is not a coincidence.  Every game and every team is tough in the OAC.  With all due respect to Kniss and NCC, they would be a fourth or fifth place team in the OAC at best.  That is why the comparisons are not justified.  Rocky has put up better numbers against the best competition D-3 has to offer.  You saw first hand what the OAC did to your league and CAP destroyed the best the NCAC had to offer twice.  Mount speaks for itself.  So, when comparing the two players, you also have to consider who they play.

I saw Joel Steele from Anderson College play against CAP his senior year.  He was a 12,000 yard career passer.  CAP, a non-playoff qualifier that season with a freshman QB, beat Anderson 65-7. The score easily could have been much much worse and I believe Anderson went on to be 8-2 or 7-3 that year.  The point is, the numbers players like Garcon, Kmic, and Rocky are putting up in their league have to be looked at differently than guaddy numbers put up in other leagues.  No disrespect, but it is like comparing the Big Ten to Ivy league.  I think the playoff records back me up, especially since almost all OAC losses have come against another OAC team.

As for the comparison between last year's CAP vs. NCC game.  CAP relied much more heavily on their defense last season.  As a result, the play calling was MUCH MUCH more conservative.  Add that to the fact that CAP lacked big play speed to stretch the field last year, you saw a team content to grind out victories rather than step on the gas pedal.  Rocky did not have his best game last year at NCC, but alot of that was situational and game planning.  He still made enough plays to win on the road against a higher seeded opponent in the playoffs.

You saw the REAL CAP offense Saturday.  When they open things up and play TO WIN, they are very very tough to stop.

By the way.......ROCKY IS OLD.......Look how creative and funny I was.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Every game and every team is tough in the OAC.

That is stretching it a bit.  Even Heidleberg?

[JK]

elee,

Well said.  As I have mentioned before, I had the opportunity to be a student assistant for Coach Collins his first year at Cap and to help Matt Collins coach the offensive line.  I love Coach Welsh dearly, but after 1993, Cap's program was in a horrible decline, and when he stepped aside as football coach following my senior season (1996), there were a lot of questions as to where Cap's program was headed.  Even in Collins' first year, when we went 2-8, you could tell that he was the right guy to turn it around.  He always worked his a$$ off, and there were times the staff was in at 6am and didn't leave until midnight.  I don't know how many times I ran to get dinner for Matt and others who were trying to improve recruiting, strength and conditioning programs, and game preparation.  I went to Capital because I thought, based on location, that it had the potential to be a big time program, and now we are.  It is like a dream, just like you say.  I HAVE pinched myself on several occasions, and I have yet to wake up, so I can only assume that this IS reality and not a dream.

On last Saturday's game...

First, what great weather.  How often can you sit in the stands at the end of November in shirt sleeves or a light sweatshirt?

Congrats to NCC on a great season.  Nice turnout of their fans, especially considering the distance of the drive from the greater Chicagoland area.  It's always good to see support like that for our D3 teams, particularly on the road.

I think Kniss is a very good D3 QB.  He showed pretty good mobility and escapability, made good reads, and had the arm strength to make the throws asked of him in the system they play.  He took them up and down the field a couple of times and had the opportunity to make the game closer than it was, but Capital's D rose to the occasion.  I wondered why the corners were playing off about 10 yards, I would assume that it had something to do with something the coaches saw in films, but I am not the D-cood, and the game plan worked, so I had no complaints about it, even though several fans around me openly and loudly were questioning it.

Cap's offense looked really good.  Collins play calling is great, and I love the system.  There were mismatches all over the field all day, and Cap exploited them.  Rocky saw them and made the adjustments when he needed to.  It really adds another dimension when Cap is running as well as they have been in the playoffs.  Charlie Smith is playing really well, and I think he is the key for this weekend against Mount.  Cap's speed was too much, and there was no way a LB could cover Dylan Kelly.

On this weekend against MUC...

A couple of thoughts.  Sure, Cap is going to have to play really well, win the TO battle, etc, etc, etc.  All that old "coachspeak" is applicable, but here are a few things for MUC fans to chew on:
1) Derrick Alexander is back.  He had a big day against NCC.  He didn't play in the first MUC game.  His speed really opens up the vertical routes, and if he is covered, downfield, it opens up the underneath routes.
2) The emergence of Dylan Kelly.  He has had two really big playoff games and has emerged as a legitimate third option if Alexander and Niedzwiecki are covered.  At 6-5 he is too tall for DBs to cover and too fast for LBs to cover.  He might end up like Lewis Howes in last year's playoff game.
3) Charlie Smith.  Mulkey was the primary runner in the regular season game with MUC.  There is nothing wrong with Mulkey, but Smith has passed him.  I think the rushing game might not be as easy to stop as MUC fans seem to think it will be this time around.

I think this will be a great game.  Coach Collins is ready to go.  I shook his hand after the game and he asked me if I was going to be in Alliance.  I told him I would try, and he replied "you'd better be there."  The tone in his voice gave me the chills, like he was telling me that if I wanted to be around for Cap's biggest win ever, that I had better make the trip, like he knew something I didn't.  You guys who have been around him know what I am talking about; he had that little grin on his face and that glint in his eye that he gets when he knows something you don't.

So, Coach is excited, I'm excited, and I'm sure the team will be ready to play.  Best of luck to both teams this weekend, and GO CRUSADERS!

[2minuteO]

yea i consider myself lucky.. i was able to attend Capital after their first winning season in a long time... the upper classmen had learned from those seniors how to prepare for an OAC schedule.. My hat is off to those seniors who established new tradition... the program was lucky to have a few of those seniors to stick around for the next couple of years... Their playoff was a 7-3 season with wins of JC and BW...I was fortunate enough to make the playoffs... that is why i am so glad to see Capital in back to back appearances.... thanks again to the 2001 crusaders

[cufan]

JK......well said!!

One other point regarding the game this weekend, the defense has played MUCH MUCH better since Kyle Hausler has been back.  They had many one armed defenders for the first game.  Cap seems to be healthy at the right time.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I like all this Capital Optimism!  Will make the Raider Victory that much more sweet! 

[JK]

cufan,

yes, I was going to make that point as well in my first post, but because of length, I forgot to.

So, also on this weekend's game:
4) Cap's D will be much improved from the first meeting.  There is a lot of talk from MUC fans regarding Cap's inability to stop the run in the first game, and "stopping" Kmic may be relative, but I think the D will be able to slow the run a bit more this weekend for two reasons.  The first is the return of K. Hausler.  He is obviously a big time cover guy, but he is also great in run support and a sure tackler in the open field with the speed to chase guys down.  Runs that were 30 yards in the regular season game may be 15 with him back.  The other factor is Andriacco.  He has really stepped up, particularly against NCC.  I don't even really know how much, or even if he played at all in the first MUC game.  His presence gives the Capital LB's a playmaker and the Defense a better shot this weekend, I think.

[crusader26]

cufan,

yes, I was going to make that point as well in my first post, but because of length, I forgot to.

So, also on this weekend's game:
4) Cap's D will be much improved from the first meeting.  There is a lot of talk from MUC fans regarding Cap's inability to stop the run in the first game, and "stopping" Kmic may be relative, but I think the D will be able to slow the run a bit more this weekend for two reasons.  The first is the return of K. Hausler.  He is obviously a big time cover guy, but he is also great in run support and a sure tackler in the open field with the speed to chase guys down.  Runs that were 30 yards in the regular season game may be 15 with him back.  The other factor is Andriacco.  He has really stepped up, particularly against NCC.  I don't even really know how much, or even if he played at all in the first MUC game.  His presence gives the Capital LB's a playmaker and the Defense a better shot this weekend, I think.

JK: You make a great point about Andriacco!!  What has improved the most on Cap's "D" is their LB Corps has stepped up tremendously!!  He must make a presence this weekend, or it will be a long day.  If we have to rely on K Hausler to stop the run, we are in trouble...play action to Garcon will hurt us!!  Two interesting facts I came across today:

1.) Nate Kmic rushed for 186 yards on 38 carries, and Cap almost pulled out the "W", but lose a close one 34-31 in last years Playoff Loss.
2.) RJ Meadows rushed for 188 yards on 29 carries, and Cap pulls out the "W" 17-10 at ONU.

I think if Cap stops the "Big Play" ability of MUC, they will have a chance to keep it close & hopefull have a chance to pull out the win in the end.  These are the best 2 RB's in the OAC, they will get their carries & their yards!!  Cap must stop the big play, AND they must not turn the ball over & force MUC into some turnovers.  Wow, are there a lot of "if's" in this post

[blind_side]

I like all this Capital Optimism!  Will make the Raider Victory that much more sweet! 

I love Kirasdad's arrogance! It will make beating Mount soo much better

[blind_side]

Is the offer still on the table to have Dabein come up to the box with the Mt. Union radio crew?? I think he could spice things up a bit.

[reality check]

HSCoach

Re: All OAC

I think it honstly comes down to the RB position this season and how unimpressive the other candidates are compared to most seasons.  In most years, there is a solid RB on one of the basement teams like a Kenneth Sasu from Etta, Trevor Cooper from MUSK or Josh Braden from OTT to take a first team slot.  This year though we had lackluster second tier RB's.  I am not trying to take anything away from those kids, I'm just saying they don't match up with their counterparts from years past.  

Kmic was a no-brainer.  And I would say as a senior and the all-time rushing leader at BW, Hedges was a near lock.  That final slot was tricky.

Our candidates were:

Matt Divis from JCU who in 10 games ran for 724 yards on 153 carries (4.7 per) and 3 TD's for 72.4 yards per game.

Jeremy Mulkey from CAP who in 11 games has run for 627 yards on 142 carries (4.4 per) and 10 TD's for 57 yards per game.

and

RJ Meadows from ONU who in 6 games ran for 724 yards on 110 carries (6.6 per) and 8 TD's for 120.7 yards per game.

Mulkey could have been the other slot but he's the #2 back on his team now.  RJ accounted for nearly the same YPG as Kmic as the only two OAC backs at 100+ per game.  He finishes tied for third in OAC rushing yardage with a guy who played 4 more games (Divis) and frankly who's name I had never even remembered hearing this season.

I think RJ kind of had all-OAC fall into his lap this season.  If any other back besides Kmic stepped up, it would have been another story.  But RJ got the nod because of what he did when healthy and what he meant to that Polar Bear offense.  

My $.02

[usee]

elee,

I wondered why the corners were playing off about 10 yards, I would assume that it had something to do with something the coaches saw in films, but I am not the D-cood, and the game plan worked, so I had no complaints about it, even though several fans around me openly and loudly were questioning it.

Cap did that last year in Naperville and I think its the right way to play NCC. Many of their routes are pigtail routes and option routes. Cap's dbs were really fast last year and as long as you keep everything in front of you and break on the ball you put the pressure on the qb and the recievers to execute all the way down the field without giving up the big play. I liked the way they defended them last year and I assume that's what they did again.