FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[runyr]

Oh, and the latest rumor I heard on Perci Garner from Dover is that he's turned down MUC and Capital to go to Ball State.

Ole Perci is getting lots of mention on here based on "rumors".
The kid is probably getting quite a kick out of it too.
You dont think he supplies the rumors himself, do you? Anybody check Ball States website to see if hes reported as a recruit? If it is  published there then I will have to believe it....but until then....well.

I don't see him listed yet.
http://www.ballstatesports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14200&SPID=7633&SPSID=67659

[reality check]

I hope Perci Garner has better things to do than to consistently check what is being said about him in the OAC Post Patterns forum.

Has the D3 athlete (or the potential D3 athlete) reached a point that he creates buzz or hype for himself?!?  Can anyone say "D3 athlete" and "hype" and still keep a straight face?!?

[HScoach]

All we have at the D3 level is RUMORS.  Nothing is official until the kid shows up for summer camp.  Applying and being accepted for admission is the first clue.  Paying the $ and registering for class is next.  But even those are no guarantee until the kid actually shows up for training camp.  And even then, some quit before the first week is over once they find out there are 20 kids at their position. 

On the Garner rumor, I've heard he's leaning towards Ball State to play baseball.  Not football.  And probably doing so as a walk-on, not scholarship.

Whether he goes to MUC or Capital, I could really care less other than I root for one team and not the other.  Both schools will be fine with or without him.  If anyone is hanging the hopes of their school on an incoming freshmen, that school is in trouble.  There have been way too many "can't miss HS studs" that ended their 1st season at MUC as a 3rd string player on the FRESHMAN team for me to get too wrapped up in any one HS kid.  My interest in him is similar to that of Drew Kuhn.  He's a local kid that I've followed his HS career and would like to see how it translates to playing time in the OAC.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

His college is listed as "Undecided" on the Big 33 Roster:

http://www.big33.org/DOCS/rptOHRosterWORD.rtf

[skunks_sidekick]

Translate "undecided" as "hoping like all heck I get a last second offer".   

[runyr]

More Perci Garner news, all the time:

Hey, wondering about Perci beats wondering what Paris is doing today in jail.  We have two and a half months 'til football.

GO Cavs!

[runyr]

No respect for the land of my birth:

Ichiro prefers punching himself in face to Cleveland.  Ouch!
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6916044#

[HScoach]

I have to agree with Ichiro on this one.

[cufan]

Looking at the schedules for this year several things come to mind...
1. BW plays all the top teams on the road
2. JCU has MU on senior day.
3. Cap plays all the tough teams at home and has several weeks to get the new kids ready before the JC game.
4.  ONU plays the top teams at home except for Cap.

I know BW returns many starters but does the schedule affect anyone's preseason rankings?

[JK]

cufan,

I wouldn't think so.  Our Crusaders went on the road to all the "top" teams last year and beat all but Mount.  Outside of Mount Union, I don't really think there are many places in the OAC where there is a distinct "home field advantage."  Not saying a small home field advantage doesn't exist, but the bottom line is that it is D3 and it is the OAC. 

What I mean is that despite the quality of play, there aren't a lot of "casual fans" who just show up to D3 games, especially in Columbus and Cleveland.  The home crowds aren't generally large enough to create a severe distraction for the visitors like at Ohio State or in the NFL.  Additionally, when I say "it is the OAC" I mean that the travel isn't significant enough to put a strain on the visitors either.  Nearly every trip is less than 4 hours.  Being on a bus for 6 hours or on a plane period, even if it the day before the game, puts a strain on the body and mind, but none of the trips in our league are like that.

So, no, I don't think the schedule has a real impact on OAC standings like it does on some other conferences or in other divisions of NCAA football.  I think the last few years have proven, at least in the OAC, that talent is going to overcome any minute advantage that a home team may have.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

cufan,

I wouldn't think so.  Our Crusaders went on the road to all the "top" teams last year and beat all but Mount.  Outside of Mount Union, I don't really think there are many places in the OAC where there is a distinct "home field advantage."  Not saying a small home field advantage doesn't exist, but the bottom line is that it is D3 and it is the OAC. 

What I mean is that despite the quality of play, there aren't a lot of "casual fans" who just show up to D3 games, especially in Columbus and Cleveland.  The home crowds aren't generally large enough to create a severe distraction for the visitors like at Ohio State or in the NFL.  Additionally, when I say "it is the OAC" I mean that the travel isn't significant enough to put a strain on the visitors either.  Nearly every trip is less than 4 hours.  Being on a bus for 6 hours or on a plane period, even if it the day before the game, puts a strain on the body and mind, but none of the trips in our league are like that.

So, no, I don't think the schedule has a real impact on OAC standings like it does on some other conferences or in other divisions of NCAA football.  I think the last few years have proven, at least in the OAC, that talent is going to overcome any minute advantage that a home team may have.

Nice post JK, +K 4U.

[reality check]

Home field advantage doesn't have the same kind of impact in the OAC as it does in the Horseshoe but I know most teams would still rather play at home and the stats do support the idea of home field advantage somewhat.

I just looked up some numbers from the past three seasons.

BW is 17-13 overall.  They've gone 10-5 at home and 7-8 on the road.
Capital has gone 28-8 overall.  The Crusaders are 15-2 at home and 13-6 on the road.
JCU is 18-12 overall.  They've gone 12-3 at home and 6-9 on the road.
OTT is 15-15 overall.  They've gone 9-6 at home and 6-9 on the road.
Marietta is 17-13 overall.  They're 7-8 at home and 10-5 on the road.
Wilma is 8-22.  They've gone 4-11 at home and on the road.
Musky is 5-25 with 4 of its wins coming at home.
ONU has gone 22-8.  The Bears are 11-4 at home and 11-4 on the road.

MUC and the Berg are not really helpful since they're nearly perfect for opposite reasons.

But BW, CAP, JCU, OTT and MUSKY all have better records at home than on the road.  

[cufan]

I don't think the atmosphere makes much of a difference but I do think players may play with more confidence and the adrenaline may flow a little faster for home games.  Plus I think home games generate more excitement with the students.  Bottom line, given the choice most teams would prefer to play at home so there must be some advantage.

[reality check]

Someone caused a stir a year or two ago on the NCAC page saying that there was no such thing as home-field advantage.  It certainly is not as impactful as big schools and whatnot but the numbers don't lie.  Good teams tend to have better records at home.  Bad teams have slightly less pathetic records at home (ie. better) too.  There are always exceptions to the rule. 

Even in the OAC, there's something to be said for sleeping in your own bed, playing in front of a home crowd and in many cases suiting up in the same locker room you suit up for practice in. 

And I would bet, if you ask a BW player, they believe they have the advantage at home simply because they play and practice on that green concrete day in and day out while most other teams in the OAC only see it once every other year.

[reality check]

(YES IT'S SLOW AT WORK)
I took a look at the top ten from d3football.com's final 2006 poll over the last three seasons (excluding MUC and CAP since they've already been looked at)...

2. Whitewater: 35-5 overall     20-2 at home     15-3 away
4. St. John Fisher: 30-7 overall     16-3 at home     14-4 away
5. St. John's: 29-6 overall     14-3 at home     15-3 away
6. LaCrosse: 21-10 overall     9-3 at home     12-7 away
7. Wesley: 33-5 overall     21-0 at home     12-5 away
8. UMHB: 32-7 overall     15-3 at home     17-4 away
9. Whitworth: 23-6 overall     13-3 at home     10-3 away
10. Springfield: 22-10 overall     15-4 at home     7-6 away

In the top ten, only St. John's has a better record on the road.  Wesley hasn't lost a game at home in 3 seasons+!  In most cases the numbers aren't ridiculously lopsided, but the fact remains records improve at home.