FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[D3 Poster]

As Marietta has improved over the past few years, there are two teams they have not been competitive...Mount and Capital. 

They are not quite over the hump, but three straight wins over BW and last year's win at ONU are huge strides and give us hope.  Hopefully, the Pioneers will be able to hang with the 'big time' powers of the OAC for years to come....the Raiders, Polar Bears, Jackets, Streaks and Crusaders.

I do think Kehres appreciates what the new regime has done at Marietta.  We even got a MU grad to be a grad assistant last year!  And by the way,   the Pios did score the most points against the Raiders of all fifteen '06 opponents....yes, searching for shreds of positives against the machine!  Ric was corect about MU shredding the Marietta defense.

I'm not sure a game with SJU is a great idea when the conference schedule is such a killer.  But on the other hand, what a neat experience to travel to Collegeville and make memories with the institution of St John's.  After all, this is DIII and most kids are playing because they love the game and the camaraderie it provides.  As www.johnniefootball.com points out...no NFLers from the Pios!

Beat HSCoach's spread!!  Here's hoping for an OAC undefeated weekend.

[OACFB]

As a former OACer I figured I would join the fun...

[kcreds]

You know what I think is great, all these posts about Marietta. 

You are so right D3 Poster, the blinker is on to turn the corner but until they beat Capital and/or Mount Union they will not get that much consideration to be an upper tiered team. However, IMHO, no matter how bad their D was last year, they were not a lower tiered team. I don't believe they will be this year either.

I really do feel good about the fact that we are posting so much about Marietta recently, I take some credit for that, when I think the game of the week is Witt and Capital. I know Capital owns them but you are talking an upper tiered OAC team playing an upper tiered NCAC team. Witt has history and will be back but is this the year?

[seventiesraider]

One thing I don't think many would argue is that by scheduling St John's on the front of their OAC schedule, Marietta has one of the toughest schedules in D3. What they do with it remains to be seen.

[crusader26]

One thing that remains to be seen is if JimCo. & his staff can keep the program in the top tier of the OAC after losing their best offensive player & best defensive player, with Pentello & K. Hausler (who may be the best to wear the Crusader jersey on each side of the football).  I believe Witt lost just as much as Cap, if not more than Cap coming into this year, so predicting another Cap "W" over Witt shouldnt be that difficult, it will be how many points can Cap's Offense put on the board, b/c their defense will be what holds this team together this year.  Good Luck in '08 Cap...here's to another run at The Machine!!

[reality check]

You can use stats to prove or disprove many points, especially when you choose to reflect on just one game. 

I think picking the ONU game to prove Etta's surge in the OAC  is not the best/most sound logic.  They beat the Polar Bears fair and square and I don't want to take anything away from the Pios but ONU was not playing well during that stretch of the season.  ONU was down offensively, platooning QB's and filling injury holes.  It wasn't the product on the field we grew used to at ONU. 

The defensive statistics Ric cited painted a broader and more effective picture.  Etta's defense needs to make a big improvement in 2007 to be in the top half of the OAC.  They did indeed score more points (by just 1 point) than anyone else against MUC.  But they gave up 45 and schools records, not to mention that the meaningless score to make it 17 came with 3 minutes in change left in the game. 

What I like about Etta's chances is that STJ historically struggles in Week 1.  In the last 6 seasons, they've lost 3 close games, had one blowout and 3 very close wins.  I hope they do us proud and keep it close with a chance to pull off an upset but they've got to execute and be sharp because STJ will be with their coaching staff.

[reality check]

As a former OACer I figured I would join the fun...

Welcome aboard.  Join us all in the OAC Pick 'Ems this season (located off the general football board).

Who's your school? 

[joelmama]

You can use stats to prove or disprove many points, especially when you choose to reflect on just one game. 

I think picking the ONU game to prove Etta's surge in the OAC  is not the best/most sound logic.  They beat the Polar Bears fair and square and I don't want to take anything away from the Pios but ONU was not playing well during that stretch of the season.  ONU was down offensively, platooning QB's and filling injury holes.  It wasn't the product on the field we grew used to at ONU. 

The defensive statistics Ric cited painted a broader and more effective picture.  Etta's defense needs to make a big improvement in 2007 to be in the top half of the OAC.  They did indeed score more points (by just 1 point) than anyone else against MUC.  But they gave up 45 and schools records, not to mention that the meaningless score to make it 17 came with 3 minutes in change left in the game. 

What I like about Etta's chances is that STJ historically struggles in Week 1.  In the last 6 seasons, they've lost 3 close games, had one blowout and 3 very close wins.  I hope they do us proud and keep it close with a chance to pull off an upset but they've got to execute and be sharp because STJ will be with their coaching staff.

Could the St John's slow start tradition be tied to their practice regime?  The lack of hitting in practice may be a disadvantqage early in the year.  (as much as it may be an advantage later in the year)?

[rscl70]

Frankly, I think Marietta is stepping into the lion's den unarmed.  I've seen nothing in the recent past that makes me think they are ready to take on St. John's.

This is one time I hope I'm wrong.  I'd love to see Marietta come home with a win.  It would be great for them and great for the OAC.

[cufan]

Etta smack ... who would of thought.  Fantastic!  I can't believe BW doesn't get represented.

My predictions for 07

1.  MUC-won it all last year rebuilding, now everyone is back, at least they finally come to Columbus
2.  Cap-Defense will be better and the offense will be more rounded
3.  BW--defense, defense and more defense
4.  ONU--Meadows left and Meadows right
5.  JCU--better then Etta
6.  Etta-going in the right direction
7.  Otters--who knows
8.  Fish--great stadium, great complex now just get the players
9.  Wilmington--If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all
10. Berg--get a win for heavens sake

[kcreds]

RC: I used that win because it was the most impressive, no matter the variables you threw in. They still won 6 and came very close to winning 8, not bad for a horrible, horrible defense. Stats don't win or lose games, we all could list hundreds of examples in sports when the wrong team won. Ric put a lot of time and effort on making his point that Marietta's defense stinks by using stats. He also wanted to make a point that St. John's and the MIAC have a great football tradition, no duh. I have admitted that Marietta is not an upper tiered team, yet. I have also stated that the key to this game will be defense and special teams. If Marietta doesn't have both going for them, then they probably will get blown out. If I don't stay optimistic on this board in relating to Marietta, who will? Then again, there are several people in the pickems stating STJ will not cover. Please don't get me wrong, Ric's comments and others only get me more excited about going to the game. Keep up the comments on Marietta Football, good or bad, I'm lovin it!

joelmama: I hope that STJ is at a disadvantage by their practice regime but I'm not hanging my hat on it. I'll let you know after I see how they hit and tackle tomorrow.

[TC]

Could the St John's slow start tradition be tied to their practice regime?  The lack of hitting in practice may be a disadvantqage early in the year.  (as much as it may be an advantage later in the year)?

This has certainly been brought up before, as has the opposite school of thought--these are kids who have been tackling their entire life and going a few months without tackling won't make them forget how to do it.  When they finally do get a chance to blow someone up they're more than ready to do so.  (Not saying I agree or disagree, I think there are individual players that are helped and hurt by the "No hitting in practice" practice.)

Two things that I think may also contribute to their relative early seasons struggles:  The SJU offense typically tends to be more of a finesse/timing/skill offense and it takes time to get new players on the same page.  By the end of the year the offense has had a chance to evolve--look at all the traps and hybrid-Blake-Elliott-offense that SJU ran against MUC at the 2003 Stagg.  To be kind, that's not what the offense looked like at the start of the season.

Also, the Johnnies have a huge roster but no JV or Freshman team.  While a lot of the newcomers are obvious talents that step right in and play (and others wouldn't be expected to see the field if they had 10 years of eligibility), there's a huge middle class of players that are shuffled through the starting lineup in the first couple games while the coaches figure out what they have.  Take Alex Kofoed, for example.  He's opening his 4th full year as Johnnies starter tomorrow--and on the verge of breaking every school passing record--but in the 2004 opener, a 30-28 loss to UW-Eau Claire, Kofoed was the 4th QB to come in the game.  He threw for 3 4th quarter TDs--and he never would have had the chance had one of the first 3 QBs had even been decent.

[reality check]

Etta smack ... who would of thought.  Fantastic!  I can't believe BW doesn't get represented.

My predictions for 07

4.  ONU--Meadows left and Meadows right

I think ONU's offense will be head and shoulders above last year's.  By all accounts, Meadows is back and in the best condition of his life physically.  They've got a freshmen RB that I'm told could push RJ for playing time (a scary thought).  Pankratz will be comfortable knowing he's "the guy" and he has all his receivers back from last season plus a couple of immediate impact type freshmen.  ONU should be back to the balanced attack of the late 90's/early 00's.  Enjoy the show.

And I hope for your sake that CAP is good enough with Alexander (and whomever else is left) to come close to second place in the OAC this season.  I have tremendous respect for Jim Collins and what CAP has done but 2007 will be a huge test for the Crusaders.

[Genius Gone Bad]

I think there is a lot of rebuilding going on in the OAC.  I think BW is a major sleeper. I could see them finishing 2nd in the OAC.  As for Cap life after Rocky "AARP" Pentello is going to be rough. If Cap's running game doesn't improve in a big way this team could be in for a .500 season.  CAP's Defense has to carry the team.  Who would have thought Capital would ever have a good defense boy has times changed. ONU, I'm on the fence with them. The Polar Bear in me thinks they'll be great, but it'll be hard to fill the defensive hole left by Trusnik, and lets not forget Meadows had major knee surgery.  If RC is right about the freshman ONU could be really good, but I'm just not sure. As for MUC, they are the team you love to hate because they are always loaded and I think they'll have no problem winning the OAC and National Championship (it deeply pained me to say that).

[joelmama]

Also, the Johnnies have a huge roster but no JV or Freshman team.  [/quote]

Why not?  That I think is a very big part of the MUC strength and also tradition.  Even in the early eighties when MUC had winning records but never won the OAC we had 120+ person rosters.  The JV games made it worthwhile for the m60 players who got time and a number of really good players got discovered in these games.