FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[JT]

The refs probably figured if it was good for the Bush it was good for the Beav.

[skunks_sidekick]

Skunk and I got back from the game yesterday afternoon.  This is the first time I have had time or the energy to organize my thoughts and post. 

First off...congrats to WW.  They played at a higher level than the previous two games.  In talking to various Mount fans over the past week, my big concern with WW was that they had a different head coach and O-coordinator (which had to help vs. what they had previously), and they had a mobile, tough as nails QB.  Both factors played big parts in WW's success on Saturday.  WW came out throwing, and that allowed their running game to get going as the game progressed.  Beaver had some great runs, but let's not conveniently forget that he fumbled three times in the game.  His one fumble was just one of those DUH moments for Mount. 

I think the biggest factor in the game was WW's D-line being able to consistently penetrate the line of scrimmage.  Micheli hasn't felt pressure like that in all his time at Mount.  Understand this......WW's d-backs didn't "shut down Garcon", WW's D-line (and linebackers when they blitzed) were the reason why Garcon didn't have a big day.  A lot of times Micheli was looking to escape the pressure, and had no time to look downfield.  And similar to the SJU games in 2000 & 2003, WW tackled AMAZINGLY well.  I think #50 was the best defensive player on the field.  He was everywhere, and didn't miss a tackle. 

WW fans (and not many of you...but more than a few) please don't say "if they would have called the game evenly WW romps all over Mount".  McCullough was gettind doubled almost every play, and the one guy in the double was literally TACKLING him as McCullough would start to get by him.  These officials didn't call holding ALL DAY for either team. 

Garcon is Garcon.  Love him or hate him, he is what he is.  There are times when I question his antics, but I will take his intensity and skill on my team any time.  By the way WW fans....let's not be myopic about all the "lack of class" the Mount players and fans displayed.  Your QB sure didn't mind doing some taunting and celebrating with his little hand gestures etc...when he came off the field after that last score.  It's college players being college players.  No big deal.  As for Vince running on the field....well....that is just not something that any coach should do, no matter how crappy the call.  Trust me, LK will remind him of that over and over and over again in the months to come.  Again....I will take his passion any day, let's just make sure it's directed in coaching the kids.

I think next year in D-III is going to be very interesting.  Can Mount and WW reload?  With all that Wesley is returning can they take the next step?  Time will tell.

Thanks to the Stone Station folks for an amazing tailgate.  It doesn't get any better than that.  I hope I get a chance to be there next year.

[Spence]

wish we could know how it would have turned out if the correct call had been made.

I think I can help with that:

10-7= 3

So it's only a 3 point loss if the TD didn't happen.

With WW needing to run out the clock with a wet ball. Still tons of things that could have happened. Beaver could have scored another touchdown, or they could have gone three and out or fumbled. Jones could have fumbled another exchange or the snap.

Your analysis is overly simplistic.

[Spence]

I think Keith and I both agree -- I know I agree -- that that is a touchdown without the assist. He was definitely moving forward when the assist came.

We'll never know, really. Usually when the ball is snapped and you immediately get knocked backward you don't get it, because by the time you get your momentum back, other guys have shown up. Unless of course, your RB gives you a push to help you regain momentum more quickly.

Tape doesn't tell the tale, IMO, because it doesn't show, and can't show, how fast Jones would have gotten going forward again -- or if he would have gotten going forward again -- after he was knocked backward.

My first look was that he was stopped, then Beaver's push got him going again. I haven't seen a replay, and won't walk a mile to do so. I don't think the replay could tell you much about a situation like that.

I understood why Vince Kehres came unglued. If a player went after a ref like that, I'd say it was totally out of line. But coaches jaw at and yell at officials all game. To me, what he did is the equivalent of a basketball coach getting a technical foul or a baseball coach getting tossed: not good, usually, but not some inexcusably awful thing.

Congrats to Whitewater...wish we could know how it would have turned out if the correct call had been made.

The only basketball coach I can equate this with is Bobby Knight.  I don't think he is a coach to emulate as far as on court/field conduct goes.

Yes, he's the only coach to ever lose his cool, berate an official, etc.

[raiderpa]

If you have followed Mount over the years,  and they are not a display of rah rah and high energy.  They usually enter the field ala/Kehres.  Very focused and  business-like. Kehres actually told me once that emotion can get in the way more than help a team, especially at the beginning of a game.

The story of the game had been posted and IMO perfectly right on...the WW D line and their pressure  on Micheli took us out of our normal passing game.  For the most part, He did not have time to sit and pick an option.
#97 was a beast , and the D game plan was on the money.  The D-coordinator was the MVC...

ps  Kehres did look like he had the flu.

Thanks Raiders, Congrats Warhawks...I am sure a rematch is in the future somewhere down the line....

[Small but Slow]

Congratulations to UWWW for a great win and a great season.  While it is disappointing for us MUC fans to see the team lose a game, they still had another great season.  Coach Kehres and staff will, no doubt, use this loss as a teaching opportunity for the team.  A coach once told his team after a tough loss that there is much more to be learned from a loss than a victory.  I'm sure lessons learned from this game will be passed on to future Purple Raider teams.

[warhawkclownshow]

Skunk and I got back from the game yesterday afternoon.  This is the first time I have had time or the energy to organize my thoughts and post. 

First off...congrats to WW.  They played at a higher level than the previous two games.  In talking to various Mount fans over the past week, my big concern with WW was that they had a different head coach and O-coordinator (which had to help vs. what they had previously), and they had a mobile, tough as nails QB.  Both factors played big parts in WW's success on Saturday.  WW came out throwing, and that allowed their running game to get going as the game progressed.  Beaver had some great runs, but let's not conveniently forget that he fumbled three times in the game.  His one fumble was just one of those DUH moments for Mount. 

I think the biggest factor in the game was WW's D-line being able to consistently penetrate the line of scrimmage.  Micheli hasn't felt pressure like that in all his time at Mount.  Understand this......WW's d-backs didn't "shut down Garcon", WW's D-line (and linebackers when they blitzed) were the reason why Garcon didn't have a big day.  A lot of times Micheli was looking to escape the pressure, and had no time to look downfield.  And similar to the SJU games in 2000 & 2003, WW tackled AMAZINGLY well.  I think #50 was the best defensive player on the field.  He was everywhere, and didn't miss a tackle. 

WW fans (and not many of you...but more than a few) please don't say "if they would have called the game evenly WW romps all over Mount".  McCullough was gettind doubled almost every play, and the one guy in the double was literally TACKLING him as McCullough would start to get by him.  These officials didn't call holding ALL DAY for either team. 

Garcon is Garcon.  Love him or hate him, he is what he is.  There are times when I question his antics, but I will take his intensity and skill on my team any time.  By the way WW fans....let's not be myopic about all the "lack of class" the Mount players and fans displayed.  Your QB sure didn't mind doing some taunting and celebrating with his little hand gestures etc...when he came off the field after that last score.  It's college players being college players.  No big deal.  As for Vince running on the field....well....that is just not something that any coach should do, no matter how crappy the call.  Trust me, LK will remind him of that over and over and over again in the months to come.  Again....I will take his passion any day, let's just make sure it's directed in coaching the kids.

I think next year in D-III is going to be very interesting.  Can Mount and WW reload?  With all that Wesley is returning can they take the next step?  Time will tell.

Thanks to the Stone Station folks for an amazing tailgate.  It doesn't get any better than that.  I hope I get a chance to be there next year.

#50 was awesome but he did miss a lot of tackles, he should have had over 20 for sure.

[Frank Rossi]

I'm cross-posting this from E8 -- where a lot of discussion has focused on Pierre's and Vince's actions instead of the game itself.  I know some topics were hit here too:

Now, believe it or not, I'm going to defend Mt. Union a bit here. 

This was a very uncharacteristic game for them from start to finish -- and walking the sidelines, I could easily sense there was something unusual in terms of the mood on their benches during the game.  I can only remember three times when the Mt. Union team was pumped (their crowd was vocal all night, so there were no concerns there from my perspective).  Their first drive of the first quarter (ended at the 2 on downs), the UWW first drive of the second half (ended with a fumble that should've been a touchback had the ball not squirted out) and with three minutes to go down by 3.  The remainder of the game, you'd find only two or three players trying to cheerlead for their squad -- and it wasn't dominoing at all.

The mood I just described actually would've fit the opponents of MUC better in the playoffs -- somber for most after being routed and trying to gain some semblence of momentum before the final gun.  I can't really explain why the mood was so muted on that sideline for most of the game (even with 6 minutes to go, down by 3).  My one thought is that the team was actually a little tired in a atrophic way -- and when somebody put up a proper fight this season, the team had the wrong cleats on to catch back up to them, both in terms of attitude and drive.

Yet, even with this sideline anomaly, as I'd call it, Mt. Union had legitimate chances to come back in the game and maybe pass UWW on the scoreboard -- and UWW stepped it up every time.  This was an extremely well-played game by both teams.  Both teams deserve credit for their play Saturday, because down 17-0, MUC didn't cave -- and up only 17-14 just minutes later, UWW didn't cave either.

Vince Kehres' two forays to midfield, one in each half, were improper -- no doubt.  Pierre Garcon's actions during the punt (falling down) were actually laughable (the ref he appealed to was literally laughing and shaking his head as Garcon literally had a finger laid on him and fell down -- I was laughing myself).  His other actions I'd term as characteristic of a receiver in the NFL (and thus, I doubt the game hurts him much in the Draft).  However, don't let these actions allow us to "Corey Jackson" this game -- Jackson did it in a 42-point rout giving us all a little more room to focus on the his actions. 

This was a great football game first, with a couple antics mixed in throughout.  Let's try to keep it that way for history's sake.

[Frank Rossi]

By the way -- Congrats to the OAC for becoming only the fifth conference with 1,000 or more pages of posts on PP. 

[Toph]

Come on, all of you who are smiting me...that's funny.  That's gold.  I'll be here all week.

PS.  Lighten up, you won the game.

[2minuteO]

Congrats to WW.... U guys deserved to win

As for a statement I read about Mount having a lack of class...

First off I dont want to make an excuse for them but THE MACHINE rarely loses so they are really not sure how to act.... and should be allowed to do what they want to lol

Having played against Garcon in some close games.... One could say Garcon is all about Garcon...  He is out there for Garcon and no one else... when the game got close he started to unravel and the same was witnessed this past weekend

[Toph]

Also, is it time to start talking about Whitewater moving up a division?  If Mount Union needs to move up a division, the team that beat them needs to do the same, right?   

[Mr. Ypsi]

Also, is it time to start talking about Whitewater moving up a division?  If Mount Union needs to move up a division, the team that beat them needs to do the same, right?   

Some cranks have been saying for years that the entire WIAC should move to d2; it's as tired a 'debate' as MUC football moving up.

[PimpInTheChat]

I'm not sure if Kheres was sick or not, but I was about to throw up myself with the play calling.

I guess with that performance we can put to rest the best Raider Team ever talk. Now they will have to settle for the debate of best Raider Team to not win a title.

With a Browns win, a Steelers Loss and MUC 97' Retaining the Title of the Best of the Best....all and all.... it was a good weekend.

Congrats to WWW on a great game. They deserved to win.

[Small but Slow]

Yes, Mount Union is not accustomed to losing, and yes, a few people did come a bit unraveled when faced with adversity, but if these people are as good as we think they are they will rebound.  "Adversity builds character," is a statement commonly used.  After failing to win championships in '03 & '04 Coach Kehres said they had their best off season workouts because the kids were more hungry.  The road to Salem is a long and challenging path with a lot of obstacles in its way.  Let's see who makes it back next year.  I like their chances of returning in the near future.