FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[gordonmann]

Ahem, remember some of the D3sports people actually picked Mount Union to win the Stagg Bowl...and not even in overtime.

[Ric]

Well I respect Keith M. as a writer and his D3 knowledge which is much better than mine but I took issue to his ATN article.  First of all, lets include coaching matchup.  LK & co outcoached the other guys hands down two years in a row. Why they were running sweeps and stretch draws is beyond me.  That was right into Mount's strength.  I also question the playcalling.  How do you have that good of a running back, that good of a receiving corp, that good of a line and you are not better on 3rd down. All year, they have not been good on 3rd down.  You have  the best TE in D3 and you only throw him the ball 20 to 30 yds down field.  I would be getting it to him within 10 yds all day.

Mount's DB's were and are better.  Hell one of them made the play of the game by blocking a punt.  I thought maybe he could have said the lines were more even but after seeing Kleppe I have to wonder how that guy was even a Gagliardi finalist.  He is big yes, and fat.  A difference maker? Not that I saw.  He was not the best defensive player on their team, that goes to the MLB that transfered in... that kid was all over the field.  And if I were picking a Dline with both team's players I'd take Stickley over Kleppe hands down.

Gordon, good talking with you before the game. As I said, I thought ultimately the QB would decide the outcome and he did.  None of us imagined though it would be Micheli for Mount Union.  I thought UWW should have done more play action and short passes and that would have made their guy more successful.

At any rate, you guys saw LK at his best Saturday.  He is just amazing.

[Ric]

Oh and I almost never do this but...

We'll see you in Salem again next year.  I mean, my goodness, Micheli is a soph, Kmic a soph, Garcon a jr, Boehm a jr and he will play a bigger role next year.  They return two linemen plus another two that were starters early in the year before season ending injuries.  Defensively, they will miss both ends, but have a cpl really good young guys.  They return both LB's, and most of the secondary with some really good, young, fast guys wanting playing time.  This team may not be this loaded from one year to the next since the '96 season going into '97.  They are going to be scary good next year.  I am ready already.

[patcummings]

How could you not say that Ric...

Kmac offered be a proposition last night.  5-1 odds I get all of D3, he gets Mount Union.  I declined.

Picking Mount Union might be the smartest idea, but it certainly lacks uniqueness.  Those predictions are for entertainment purposes only...and of course we will be asking you again...but realistically...anyone who picked UWW could have easily picked MUC and felt very comfortable with that.  It should be noted my "official" full playoffs prediction had Mount/UWW with MUC winning and 53 total points...not bad.

I said this in our post game show...The only surprise about Mount Union is that they don't surprise you, and that you can never be surprised by anything they ever do.

I've picked against MUC all but once in my Stagg Bowl predictions, and when I didn't (2005) - I won.  But I don't find that too fun.

I rather just have a good time in Salem and enjoy the game and perhaps, be SURPRISED when someone jumps up and beats MUC.

When I was positive Mount was going to win...12 minutes before the game, Whitewater's assistant coaches came out of the locker room, grabbed their headsets and were practically coaching with no one on the field.  Mount's sideline was empty.  It remained that way until the teams came out...UWW's offense for the first 20 minutes played like the deer in headlights they were in 2005.

[Pat Coleman]

Well I respect Keith M. as a writer and his D3 knowledge which is much better than mine but I took issue to his ATN article.  First of all, lets include coaching matchup. 

I'm sure he would've. I told him he had to have it to me at a certain time early Thursday morning or else it wasn't going to get on the site because of my Salem travel schedule. With a full-time job and two kids (and a short week like this was) sometimes Keith can't do everything he would like to with ATN.

[patcummings]

Oh and I almost never do this but...

We'll see you in Salem again next year.  I mean, my goodness, Micheli is a soph, Kmic a soph, Garcon a jr, Boehm a jr and he will play a bigger role next year.  They return two linemen plus another two that were starters early in the year before season ending injuries.  Defensively, they will miss both ends, but have a cpl really good young guys.  They return both LB's, and most of the secondary with some really good, young, fast guys wanting playing time.  This team may not be this loaded from one year to the next since the '96 season going into '97.  They are going to be scary good next year.  I am ready already.

Time for this talk to begin...

Are you ready for 65-7 wins over Muskingum and Heidelberg?   I mean, MUC will be incredible next year...and yet I doubt I will be too excited to see them play until, maybe, the third week of the playoffs.  

[Shark]

Just got back from Salem (what a great place for the game!) and won't go into great detail as most of you have already echoed my thoughts.

Just want to thank MUC for allowing me to be part of this magical ride. It is truley something I will look back on with wonder. Sometimes, I take it for granted and have to remind myself how hard these players and coaches work (all year round) to achieve these goals. And hats off to the OAC. Steel sharpens steel and this conference is a weekly battle. But for Mount, there are some other national championship contenders here and one day someone else form this confernce will take home the crown

Merry Christmas to all!

[Pat Coleman]

At any rate, you guys saw LK at his best Saturday.  He is just amazing.

Can't argue here. This was a great game plan and got the ball into the hands of Garcon in areas where he could do damage.

[Pat Coleman]

And I guess I didn't see the same thing that you did on Kleppe. I saw a guy that clogged up space and didn't allow Kmic the wide open spaces up the middle like the ones he got against St. John Fisher last week.

I also saw him play more than once, of course.

[Ric]

Kleppe would be better if he dropped 30 lbs.  I thought Borzick made the biggest plays for their defense Saturday, hands down.  I would agree with the "clogging" up space thing but does a Gagliardi winner clog up space?

[Pat Coleman]

Dunno -- if they ever give one to a lineman we'll find out.

Agreed that Borzick made plays, but I wonder if that's because the man in front of him tied up Mount Union linemen.

[reality check]

One other thing,  since you guys are projected to be in the Stagg Bowl again next year, can you at least make sure your opponent wears a color other than purple?  I think I am going color blind.  Three years, six purple teams!! Geesh.

Purple on purple is getting old but I'll take it over Rowan vs. Baldwin Wallace.   

[reality check]

...Finally getting the chance to watch the Stagg Bowl and I'm wondering has Mount Union always done the skull and crossbone helmet stickers?  I can't say I ever really paid attention before.  If they aren't new, is it a possibilty that they are being a little more liberal in handing them out as players like Jorris and Stickley have more than half their helmet covered?  Just wondering since I obviously don't need to sit here and worry about how the game will turn out.

[reality check]

My $.02 on the Garcon incompletion in the first quarter (after having watched it and slo-mo'ed it a couple times on tape):

Correct call.  Garcon did an amazing job extending to grab the ball (which was a laser), brought it to his body and at the same time he brought it to his chest, the UWW DB got a hand in to jar it loose and up near his shoulderpads.  The first foot came down when Garcon was extending for the ball (no possession yet) and the second foot came down the exact moment the DB contacted the football.  The result of those actions to me meant that Garcon did not have possession of the ball when he hit the ground.  While the ground can't cause a fumble, the poke at the ball by the UWW DB which caused the ball to shift was the key in determining that the ball was not secured at any point during the attempted catch.  It was about as close as they can come but that's my interpretation. 

That's just what I think having watched it over and over on the DVR.  I was hoping I'd believe it to be a catch and blown call because who really wants to say anyone from the NCAC gets anything right?!?   

[D O.C.]

Ric...with that core coming back I say it's time to quiet down those pesky West folk and let MT. play the west in the semi-finals next year. What say you?