FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Small but Slow]

Suspect pass defense?  Has this guy checked the stats and considered the quality QB's and passing games Mount has held to modest games this year?  Let 'em air it out!

[HScoach]

JK:  Great post from a Capital guy!  I'm banking on MUC being able to throw the ball to win Title #9.  I don't see anyway they can run the ball 80+% of the time on Whitewater and be successful.  Whitewater's too big and physical at the line of scrimmage to dominate the way they did against Capital and SJ Fisher.

The "X factor" in all of this debate is LK.  No doubt that Kehres won titles in 1993 and 1998 when his teams were clearly outclassed physically by the opponent.  Could also throw 1996 and 2005 into the mix of being the underdog and they still won.  So there is no doubt Kehres has the ability to win with less than the best physical size and speed.

One of the things I have loved about Kehres' offenses over years is their flexibility in offensive styles with the same personnel.  Any team can change from a power running game by bringing in a fullback and a TE, or can go to 5 WR's and shotgun by taking out the RB's and TE.  But there aren't many teams with the flexibility in the players abilities to switch between completely different offensive styles from one play to the next with the same 11 guys in the huddle.    Kmic's pass catching abilities at TB remind me very much of C Moore, Dan Pugh, Ryan Gorius, Marc Lantos, Jim Gresko, Dave Hassey, etc, etc, etc which just makes the offense that much more difficult to scheme against.   And the MUC receivers are always great blockers that allows the rushing game to remain dominant even thought MUC stays in a 3 WR set.

In my opinion, a great defense is all about creating mis-matches and understanding the offenses tendancies (including personnel, down & distance as well as offensive formational tendancies).  Mis-matches are either caused by superior defensive physical talent one-on-one, or defensive alignment and schemes to create the mis-match at specific points of attack.  And the easiest defensive read is when the offense changes personnel, second being situational down & distance and third being formation.  However Mount's diversity in offensive schemes from play-to-play with the same personnel eliminates the easiest read for the defense, and there ability to run the same play out of multiple formations eliminates the 3rd defensive read.  When MUC enters the huddle and the defensive coordinator reads the offensive personnel, the D coaches have ZERO idea what the play might be based on their easiest read.  IMHO, that's a big advantage to the offense in the chess game between the opposing coordinators.

Just another of the many factors why LK is a great coach.

[Tags]

Suspect pass defense?  Has this guy checked the stats and considered the quality QB's and passing games Mount has held to modest games this year?  Let 'em air it out!

Throwing downfield on MUC is nearly impossible - you guys are way to quick up front for teams to drop back.

Unless UWW is going to use screens & throw quick outs, good luck throwing.

[runyr]

Is it Saturday yet?  This should be one for the ages.  Two great teams and two great coaches, one of them with his last chance for a win.
Wisconsin beef vs Ohio beef = A lot of beef!

[skunks_sidekick]

Ok...being serious here for a minute.  Last year I thought that Jacobs was a mediocre QB at best, that didn't do well under pressure.  I looked at his stats from last year's Stagg and he was something like 22-47, with his touchdowns coming in the late third/fourth quarters.  Now I realize that he is a senior this year, and senior's learn and get better from the previous year, but can he perform at the level WW needs to win the game? 

Since we have abandoned the pass, we don't have to worry about that with Jorris.   

[Tags]

RC - most of the WW fans think the game is going to be a hard-fought down to the wire affair.  However, there is one guy who claims Mount is on the way out, and with their "suspect secondary", WW will put one on Mount 35-10.  

Now THAT'S the kind of myopic, silly predictions we LOVE to see!  

A) If they don't run Beaver a ton they'll be beat early.
B) Good luck having enough pocket protection to even be able to take shots down the field to test MUC's secondary.

[section13raiderfan]

Suspect pass defense?  Has this guy checked the stats and considered the quality QB's and passing games Mount has held to modest games this year?  Let 'em air it out!

Throwing downfield on MUC is nearly impossible - you guys are way to quick up front for teams to drop back.

Unless UWW is going to use screens & throw quick outs, good luck throwing.

One thing UWW did last time effectivly was pass to the FB for first down yardage. Might be a good idea to watch for it again. It kept drives alive last year.

I dunno about purple field turf in Salem stadium....but how bout Salem painting that water tower in whatever teams colors that wins the Stagg Bowl? You wouldnt need to paint it a different color every year. MUC will see to that!

[JK]

JK:  Great post from a Capital guy! 

hscoach,

Amazing that there are others outside of Alliance who actually understand a little football, huh?!?!?!   

[Ajwassup]

Updated weather from Dick Goddard, i mean weather.com for salem on saturday:

high of 65   low of 44
rain 10% chance
mostly sunny

should we bring out the shorts for saturday???

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Updated weather from Dick Goddard, i mean weather.com for salem on saturday:

high of 65   low of 44
rain 10% chance
mostly sunny

should we bring out the shorts for saturday???

I expect to see some Bare-chested Post Pattern Fans painted up in Purple/Black/White...

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

From the UWW Player Blog located at:

http://blogs.uww.edu/other/football/

Day Two: Mitch Moore
11:30am - I came up to SAC and watched about 45 minutes of film on Mt. Union. They are very athletic as a team. Smaller than last year, but their front seven has some speed and gets off blocks very well. Just to reiterate what I have been saying all week...it is going to be a great game!! They have an explosive running back in Nate Kimic and have really been pounding teams with their offensive line, but I can assure you that they haven't faced a defense like ours. Gagliardi finalist (our Gags winner) Ryan Kleppe, A.J., and Robb are nothing like Mt. Union has seen.

[Small but Slow]

No doubt UWW is a great team.  Only great teams make it to Salem.  These two teams should match up very well on paper and on the field.  The difference in this game for Mount is usually that they do exactly what the opposition has seen them do on film all year and do it better than their opponent has ever seen.  Don't expect LK to break form.

[Toph]

kirasdad-
After years of fans saying it here, it was only natural that a player would finally fall victim to the "Mount Union hasn't seen a _________ like ours before."  I'll be there Saturday (a JCU fan rooting for Mount...strange, I know) to see Title IX.

[wildcat11]

From the UWW Player Blog located at:

http://blogs.uww.edu/other/football/

Day Two: Mitch Moore
11:30am - ...... but I can assure you that they haven't faced a defense like ours. Gagliardi finalist (our Gags winner) Ryan Kleppe, A.J., and Robb are nothing like Mt. Union has seen.

Kirasdad,

Didn't MUC faced these very same guys last year?  That didn't seem to bother the Raiders very much when Kmic busted off that 90 yard romp.

[amonachino]

Is Mary Hardin Baylor defense better than Mount's?  loss 3-7 Is MUC better on O?
Is St. John's defense better than Mount's?                 loss 14-17  should have won the game.   Is MUC better on O?
Is  UW-LaCross defense better than Mount"s?           loss 21-24 Is MUC better on O?
WW avg. 16 pts. on off.v these 3 teams.  gave up 12.66 pts. per game.
I  see a close game, turn overs a key as always, drop passes, and playing under pressure.
If Mount does not need to pass, it is over, if Mount needs to pass and they do it as well as last year, it is over,  Once again the only factor that can beat Mount is Mount.  
I think Mount has played teams as good as WW  already this year.  I do not feel that WW has played a team as good as Mount.  But, that is why they play the game. good luck to both deserving teams.