FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Superfoot Wallace]

Think theres more transition between divisions than your giving credit.  Tressel at OSU came from I-AA Youngstown State and Coach Kelly from Division 2 Grand Valley State moved up to the first division as well.

Sure there are more that I am not recalling at the moment, but those are two pretty high profile guys.  Think a lot of coaches get caught in the stagnation of being a top flight assistant, but then again there are those guys that love to coach football but loathe either the responsibility or the onus that goes with being the head man.

If its not about the money, and its about developing relationships and love of the sport, cant think of a better place than D3.  Sure there are some big school programs that have that quaintness and competition, but more often than not either competitiveness is sacrificed for integrity at that level or vice versa.

As perspective, think Mike Holmgren was a losing head high school coach before being snapped up into the Bill Walsh family tree.

signed,
Gerry Sandusky

[Sir Spiedie]

Two good examples you offer. I guess what puzzles me a little bit is that alot of D1 schools appear to be unwilling to move a coach up from a lower division. I think part of it might be the AD would have to be willing to stick his neck out. Look at how many times Dennis Erickson has moved around. The pros do it, too. They recycle the same guys over and over again. I guess that would be great if you were a coach.

[reality check]

I know the numbers are not exactly 1:1 but I think for all those Dennis Erickson's I'd venture to say you can also find a Tressel or Kelly type guy.  I think for coaches that really want to climb the ranks from Division III to the top, there are opportunities.  You're not going to go from D-III head coach to D-I head coach without a stop or two in between but if you're a good D-III head coach, there are opportunities if that's truly what you want to do.  Former Del Valley coach GA Mangus comes to mind without much thought.  He built that Del Valley program up and took the O-Coordinator job at Middle Tennessee State last season. 

A quick look at former Rowan coach KC Keeler's staff reveals D-III roots not only from Keeler but also his O-Coordinator, D-Line Coach, Running Backs Coach, Tight Ends Coach and a Defensive Asst.  They all have D-III coaching experience prior to joining Delaware's staff.

Tressel has plenty of small school representation on his staff as well:

WR Coach Darrell Hazell played at Musky and coached at Oberlin.  Tressel's running back coach and brother, Dick Tressel was the head coach of a D-III school for 23 years in the MIAC at Hamline.  Tim Heacock, the Defensive Coordinator coached Muskingum in the 70's.  There are also at least two coaches on the Buckeye staff with high school coaching roots.

So, I'd venture to say you can find small school guys at just about every level if you look into it.  Are you going to see guys going from Otterbein straight to head man in the Horseshoe?!?  No.  But you can definitely find the little guys in the big pool that is Divsion I.

[cufan]

I just had a chance to watch Capitals highlight film that is good stuff.  It is a shame Kyle Hausler couldn't stay healthy this year because he may have been the recognized as the best safety to have ever played in the OAC.  The hit he made on Kmic when it was 4th and 1, WOW.

I think next year the defense will still be very good.  Losing the Haulsers will hurt but the front seven has many returnees and Starks will be the best DB is the league next year.  Offensively it will be a different style.  I think it will look more like Northwestern where the QB has more run option.  I am sure there or plenty of WR's to complement Alexander, but they do need a young RB to step up.  It will be interesting to see the preseason polls.

[reality check]

Starks is a very good DB but the best DB in the OAC in 2007?!?  It;s certainly not a guarantee.  Matt Kostelnik is back right?  Last I remember, he's no slouch.  Steve Gunter should be back at full strength from his ankle injury for the Bears and when healthy was very gifted.  Melargano (sp?) from JCU is a stud too. 

Starks is a great cornerback but the new faces alongside him in the Crusader backfield will be what everyone worries about.  If the holes are filled it looks good for Capital but if Starks is head and shoulders above the rest of his defensive backfield, then opposing offenses will just be certain to go away from his sie of the field and pick on the Hausler-less secondary.

[Craiginator]

I just watched the Capital highlight video too. That thing took FOREVER to load. Almost as long as it took for rocky pentello to graduate. Anyway I noticed that you guys played the Purple Raiders twice, but I did't see the score at the end of the film.  What happened there?

[HScoach]

I'm with RC on this one.  There's a very good and deep group of DB's to choose from.  It's not like 2002 where Chris Kern was the best DB by a large margin.  However, the 2007 class of DB's might be one of the best collections of talent across the OAC in a long time. 

The QB position will be an interesting one as well but for the opposite reason with all the young guns around the league.  If my memory serves me right,  MUC, Capital, ONU and Marietta will all be starting new QB's.  JCU and Wilma both return young guys from '06.  I can't remember what BW, Berg or Musky had at QB in '06.   Is Otterbein the only team to return a starting QB in Stelzer?

[reality check]

hscoach

I too thought the QB slot was a big question mark in the OAC next year but with the exception of Capital and Marietta, most teams have QB's coming back with some decent experience.  OTT has Stelzer returning as you said and I guess he is the best returning QB by default.  Mickey Mental should be back for BW as he's listed as a junior.  He battled through injuries last season as I recall.  Petruziello is back as a junior at JCU.  Andre Nash should be back as a junior for Musky.  Prorok returns for the Berg but who knows if things get shaken up with the arrival of Hallett.  Blackburn is back for Wilma. 

ONU and MUC have similar situations with QB's who did see plenty of action as backups last year in Micheli and Pankratz.  Pankratz isn't wearing a ring though.

The QB position is foggy for 2007.  Assman (I am going to love that name) has big shoes to fill.  This is definitely the least proven QB class the OAC has seen in some time. 

[kcreds]

Hmmmmmm, very good DB's and new starting QB's, are we going to see offenses focusing more on the run and winning with D?

[HScoach]

Ah, I completely forgot Mickey Mental's name.

'07 should be interesting simply because of the QB names.  Obviously Assman takes the cake, but Mickey Mental just doesn't sound right either.  Not sure if it's because it makes me think Mickey Mouse, or what. 

[Small but Slow]

All I can say about those two guys is the kids were probably cruel growing up.  There's a urologist nearby named Dr. Richard Hurtz.  I would have considered changing my name before opening my practice if it was me.

[JK]

I wonder if he goes by Richard or Dick?

[reality check]

I wonder if he goes by Richard or Dick?

I don't get it...

[seventiesraider]

When I was at Mount Union we used to be able to buy "diet pills" so we could  pull all nighters before tests from an Alliance quack named A. Wild, M.D. And he really was.

[runyr]

FYI - 2006 College Football Blogger Awards. Some of these are great sites:
http://www.rockytoptalk.com/special/college_football_blogger_awards