FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[HScoach]

I expect Hallett to improve the Berg, but they're so much worse than the rest of the league, I'd be shocked with more than 2 wins in 2007.  If he gets them to .500 anytime in the next 3 years, he's the Coach of the Year.

[D3 Poster]

Marietta has won three in a row over the Jackets

[Small but Slow]

Unless there has been a great deal of change in the past 10 years, there is no reason any OAC school can't become a top tier D3 program.  It takes a major commitment from the administration to compete at that level.  Unfortunately, not all schools are willing to do this.  Otterbein had the greatest challenge since females outnumbered male enrollment 3-1, which could be a tremendous recruiting tool.  The biggest obstacle is the eight ton gorilla standing at the top of the conference leaving everyone else to feel they are playing for second place and an at-large playoff bid.  There is no great secret of Mount's success, but LK and the boys do their thing better than anyone else in the OAC or D3 has for the longest period of time.  Until another OAC school brings in a coach with winning work ethic who is in it for the long haul, not just building his resume for the next step up the ladder, the rest of the conference will continue to trail the Raiders. 

[JK]

Until another OAC school brings in a coach with winning work ethic who is in it for the long haul, not just building his resume for the next step up the ladder, the rest of the conference will continue to trail the Raiders. 

Huh?  That comment is completely asinine and totally wrong.

I think, with a few exceptions, that the coaches in the OAC are all trying to be at their school for the long haul.  I don't think Jim Collins has designs to leave Cap anytime soon, and he certainly has a winning attitude.  Packard was at BW for 40 years and won multiple championships there, Heacock was at Musky for 20 and was very competitive in the late 80's early 90's.  I think Kaz would still be at ONU if not for his little "situation," but look who they brought in.  I think Dean Paul has a winning attitude, and I don't think he's going anywhere unless, maybe...and it is a big maybe, Kehres finally retires.  Joe Loth is back at his alma mater, Otterbein, so I don't see him leaving unless he has to.  He pretty much followed Wally Hood there, who was formerly the coach at ONU before he was forced out and then he went and coached in HS at Massilon Jackson until he retired.  He came out of retirement to coach at Otterbein, and spent several years building them back to competitive before retiring again.  Hell, Dick West was HC at Heidi forever until he retired a few years ago, after which they began thier current slide.

The only school in the conference that seems to fit your comment is Marietta, who has lost a bright young HC a few years ago to his alma mater in Wisc.  There was some talk this year about the current HC leaving as well.

What you probably don't realize is that a lot of these HC's in the OAC have already been at multiple places in multiple NCAA levels.  Most GA'ed at a D-I school, then went off to another school to be a QB or RB or DB coach or maybe off to HS to be an assistant.  Then they took other jobs up the ladder, maybe becoming OC or DC or a HS HC.  Then they came to D3.  They all have contacts and mentors all over the place, but I don't think many of them see a HC gig in D3 as a "stepping stone."  They are here because they have been other places and they want to be here.  I'm pretty sure the D1 schools or the NFL is culling the ranks of D3 for coaches to move up.

[Small but Slow]

JK - I'll give you the stepping stone point.  I know guys who have used D3 or NAIA gigs to get D1 QB coaching jobs to move up, but none in the OAC.  My point is that it takes a large group of individuals from the president to the maintenance staff buying into the coach over time to build a top level program.  I'm not accusing any OAC coach of being a short timer.  Mount has had a couple presidents during LK's tenure who have been supportive of him and his program.  Cap. could get a new president who does not support athletics and that person could derail all of Collins' efforts.  The athletic program at Mount has had the support of the president's office for quite a while now, which has made getting to the top and staying there possible.

[JK]

smalls,

That is a point I completely concur with.  While some of the historically successsful programs, like MUC, etc. have firmly established tradition and a culture of success where a new administrator must "fit in" to it, those programs are few and far between in D3. 

Sure, schools like Ohio St. can reasonably expect a new president to come in and continue at "status quo" despite the president's background.  I mean, seriously, does anyone think Gordon Gee knew a football from a canteloupe before he got to Ohio St?  He was a highly academic guy whose focus was clearly on raising the level of OSU's academic programs.  But any cuts he made to athletic budgets would have met with great disdain, particularly from board members, alumni, and boosters, some of whose sense of self worth is tied directly to the success or failure of an Ohio State sports team.  The more academic nature of most D3 colleges can, and sometimes does, change the athletic landscape of a school when new administrator step in.

For those schools looking to move forward, success wise, it does take a huge commitment from the school to get there.  A lot of old timers point to the early 80's when then MUC coach Ken Wable went to the new president of MUC and convinced him that Mount could maintain it's high academic standards AND have successful sports programs as well.  From there on it is history.

I can speak from experience at Capital.  The president when I was there, Josiah Blackmore, had no interest in Athletics.  He rarely attended even home games, even when the women's BB teams were winning national championships.  The Capital Center, which now has been built, was in the works before Blackmore arrived in Bexley.  During his tenure, the plan was shelved, and though fundraising efforts continued, it wasn't until after he left that the new facility was built.  Some teams succeeded in spite of him, notably the women's basketball team, but for the most part, Capital was average to poor in most sports in the OAC.  Enter Ted Fredrickson, who was a huge supporter of athletics.  Though Jim Collins deserves much credit for turing around the football team, if you look at his career at Cap, he had some pretty poor seasons early, while Blackmore was still the President.  When Fredrickson arrived and became committed to facilities upgrades, all of Capital's sports improved dramatically, culminating with this fall when the Football team finished third in the nation, the volleyball team made the NCAA's, the womens soccer made the NCAA's, and the mens soccer finished second in the OAC.

I don't know what a new president will do for Cap, but as an alum, I can only hope the current success continues.

[Small but Slow]

JK - The alumni fuel the D1 programs and would run off a president who opposed them.  I know a guy who played at Monmouth (IL).  Their football program was a shamble when Dr. Giese became president of the college.  He saw the value of quality athletic programs and football became a priority for the college and within two years they were competitive.  I used to hear of the battles between Coach Wable, the pure academics, and administration at Mount.  I hope Cap. continues to progress along with every other OAC school.  It would be great to see a time when the last place team can take the top teams to the limit any given Saturday, while the top teams can go toe to toe with any team in the nation.

Unfortunately, most presidents don't share Giese's or Fedrickson's love of sport.  I don't have the data in front of me, but I would not be surprised if a change in administration accompanied the collapse of several state D3 dynasties.  The difference between D1 and D3 coaches is that D3 guys really love their school, students, and communities, therefore will battle the adversity and concede to mediocre play because they know how much good they are really doing for their stuent-athletes. 

I am not aware of any OAC coach, past or present, who is looking to pull a Saban or Petrino.  I have knowledge of a good low level D1 assistant who went to a D3 school at the behest of a new president to make a splash in football.  He brought in some studs, the team made the playoffs a couple times, became known as a power and the coach bolted to become QB coach with a D1 program.  I have nothing but respect for these men. 

[Small but Slow]

er . . . I mean I respect the coaches who stay put for the benefit of their kids and the institution. 

[purple]

 Reality...if Hallett wins six games at the Berg we should call the Pope's office in Rome and ask a Cardinal be dipatched to investigate a probable miracle

[HScoach]

Reality...if Hallett wins six games at the Berg we should call the Pope's office in Rome and ask a Cardinal be dipatched to investigate a probable miracle

Very true.

[Small but Slow]

Would that even be a possibility in the OAC for the 'Berg?  A D1 coach can take the JC route and turnaround a moribund program in a year or two.  Rebuilding at D3 is a long term process.  I wish him the best, though.

[section13raiderfan]

Reality...if Hallett wins six games at the Berg we should call the Pope's office in Rome and ask a Cardinal be dipatched to investigate a probable miracle

Heidelberg isnt a Catholic school is it?  The Pope wont care...he will refer the call to The National Inquirer.  And the headline will say Halletts a test tube clone of Knute Rockne.  I say if Hallett can win four games then he deserves a raise and contract extension. You know it wont be against the top teams in the OAC, but any four games will do. Five wins and even I will vote for him as coach of the year...even if LK wins the tenth!

[runyr]

Ditto on Hallett wins and the Berg.  I tried searching for their upcoming schedule, but nobody has 2007 schedules up yet.  Heidi opened at Oberlin in 2006, but no indication it was a home and away agreement with Yeomen.  Maybe they want us to watch the SuperBowl before they post D3 fall schedules. 

[reality check]

I don't know if anyone remembered or cared to even watch the Texas vs. The Nation game last night but Jason Trusnik showed up and played a pretty good game.  He was credited with 6 tackles, 1 TFL and 1/2 a sack.  There were some times he appeared outmatched physically by some of those big OT's but he was double-teamed often.  He made a very impressive open field tackle on kickoff coverage in the first half.  On a play in the third quarter he was being held on a sweep to the left side and he created seperation so that the officials had to make a call and the flag for holding was called.  It would have been an even bigger play had another player from the Nation team not spouted off and gotten a personal foul after the play.  Trusnik managed to be the only player to have his name ripped off his jersey sometime late in the first half.  The camera crew isolated him one time in the second half for about ten seconds presumably to talk about him (?) but the announcers were too busy talking about something else to pick up on it.  I would have liked to have known what was supposed to have been talked about. 

I would venture to say he had the best night of the D-III representatives.  Occidental QB Andy Collins easily had the worst night.  He was sacked on his first snap of the night, had two fumbles and an INT and gave up the go-ahead score on one of his turnovers.

All that said, the highlight of the game was the sideline interview of Buddy Ryan, who was coaching the Nation team.  He managed to say when asked how he thought the game was going, "What we need is a f&#@ing first down."

[Sir Spiedie]

Is it my imagination, or is there just not a lot of movement between divisions  in the coaching department?  At least less than you might have expected. In other words, if you wanted ultimately to become a DI coach, or even a coordinator, I'm not sure DIII or even IAA or II is the best route. It seems alot of DI coaches start as graduate assistants in DI programs, then become position coaches, and then attach themselves to a rising star in DI that might get them a job as a coordinator. Any insight here?