FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[Bob.Gregg]

Second year in a row---

W&J led at the half, and the offense did not return after intermission.

A tip of the cap to Jim Hilvert for his halftime adjustments, both sides of the ball.

W&J led 21-17 at the half after nearly emptying the entire cartridge in self-inflicted wounds in the game's first 9 minutes:
muff on punt.
def. pass int.
fumble lost at own five yard line
missed field goal
allowed 80-yard td on pass the covered 3 yards.

Hilvert got his quarterback involved in the run game in the second half, giving Presidents fits.
Hilvert challenged his secondary to cover W&J receivers one-on-one, allowing the front seven to stop the run and pressure the pass.  And they did.

W&J got a first-down on the third play of the half, one in the fourth on an interference penalty and two on the game's final possession.  And they spent the rest of the second half, looking for an answer to what the Saints were doing to them.  They looked like they didn't even know what the question was.

Presidents' defense deserved a much better result than what their offense enabled them to get today in Kentucky.

[Olinemom]

Congrats to Coach Colbert and his staff for the win vs Thiel.  When we were up at St. Vincent's I knew you'all were going to win some this year!!  Way to go!!!

[oldtimer4774]

So what has happened to the Thiel football program??  When coach leipheimer came they rebuilt for a couple years and had a couple really good seasons in 04 and the undefeated year in 05.  Usually programs can build on successes but that has not happened.  Anyone close to the program or anyone else have any thoughts?

[Bob.Gregg]

I still think W&J football is where it needs to be. I find it hilarious that an alumni (I am guessing) is complaining about a program that averages 10 wins a season and is one of the top two programs every year in the conference.

Let me tell you that, 28 years ago, when John Luckhardt arrived, EVERYBODY associated with W&J would have signed on immediately to be "one of the top two programs every year in the conference."  From the perspective of the previous 30 years at College Field, that seemed like heaven.

To me and others that may have been more invested or involved with the program, we see it much different.  It's clearly not as good of a program as it used to be.  I guess it all depends on what your expectations are.

Hard to argue with this point, and to burghboy's credit, it's a point he's been trying to get across for several years.  What John Luckhardt, John Banaszak and Coach Mike did at W&J was exactly burghboy's point--there are different expectations.  "One of the top two" is no longer acceptable, and it certainly is not acceptable to regularly be the "other" team in the top two in the PAC.

That, however, is exactly where W&J finds itself, now for the third year in a row and the fifth time in the last 8 years.

2003 Waynesburg
2004  W&J
2005 Thiel
2006 W&J
2007 W&J
2008 Thomas More
2009 Thomas More
2010 Thomas More (likely)

Perhaps, it's time for those of us that have been around awhile to adjust our expectations.  A wise man I know once told me that it easier to raise your standard of living than it is to adjust to a lower one.  Sadly, I'm afraid that's where we are today.  

[SaintsFAN]

Second year in a row---

W&J led at the half, and the offense did not return after intermission.

A tip of the cap to Jim Hilvert for his halftime adjustments, both sides of the ball.

W&J led 21-17 at the half after nearly emptying the entire cartridge in self-inflicted wounds in the game's first 9 minutes:
muff on punt.
def. pass int.
fumble lost at own five yard line
missed field goal
allowed 80-yard td on pass the covered 3 yards.

Hilvert got his quarterback involved in the run game in the second half, giving Presidents fits.
Hilvert challenged his secondary to cover W&J receivers one-on-one, allowing the front seven to stop the run and pressure the pass.  And they did.

W&J got a first-down on the third play of the half, one in the fourth on an interference penalty and two on the game's final possession.  And they spent the rest of the second half, looking for an answer to what the Saints were doing to them.  They looked like they didn't even know what the question was.

Presidents' defense deserved a much better result than what their offense enabled them to get today in Kentucky.

W&J will win out.  I feel sorry for the teams they still have to play.  I saw the same adjustments, Bob.   Rometo had to get the ball away, but realistically, he didn't have anywhere to go with it. 

We did see Sirrianni giving it to his team after the game in the endzone.  They'll be fired up next week again.  That defense is pretty good.

[Bob.Gregg]

SaintsFan, W&J MAY win out, though that remains to be seen.  Sometimes, when expectations are dashed, when goals are put out of reach, when failure appears, it sticks around a while.  We'll see the character now on this team.  The coaches have a huge challenge in front of them--not one of adjusting to what the opponent is doing on the field, but what the friendlies are doing in the lockerroom.  The Presidents coaching staff now has the responsibility to deal with the shaping the character of young men's lives, not just coaching their X's & O's on the football field.  More than one coach over the years has lost a team when their season goals were dashed early.

W&J is 1-2, and that record lies right at the feet of an ineffective offense, one that appeared to quit early in the DelVal game and one that had no answer to the Thomas More question after halftime.  And, when things lie a the feet of the W&J offense, they are churning in the stomach of the head coach.  Mike is an offensive expert, but has not been able to devise a response to the Thomas More defensive halftime adjustments at least two years in a row.

W&J may win out.  You may feel bad for their upcoming opponents.  But I look at it this way:  W&J dominated the PAC for years with an occasional challenge when a perfect storm arose (Grove City with the future NFL'er at RB).  I see the other teams in the PAC generally getting better and the Presidents coming back to the PAC(K)--forgive the pun.

There will be a huge character evaluation taking place in Washington, PA over the next seven weeks.  Let's see what these young men, coaches included, are made of.  Let's see what kind of doctors, lawyers, business leaders, heck--Commissioners, Mayors and coaches these guys are going to become.

[Bob.Gregg]

For the record, Second Half Possesions:

W&J:
6 plays, punt
3 & out
3 & out
3 & out
3 & out
4 & out (int. pen. on 1st play)
8, ball over on downs.

TMC:
3 & out
3 & out
7 plays, field goal (down 21-20)
8 plays, touchdown (up 26-21)
4 plays, field goal (up 29-21)
3 & out

[PAC Fball fan]

Just read of the tragic losss of Thiel Frosh Louis Giuntini, deepest condolences to his family and friends. 

[Olinemom]

Just read of the tragic losss of Thiel Frosh Louis Giuntini, deepest condolences to his family and friends. 

So sorry to hear about the loss of Louis Giuntini.  I'll keep his family in my thoughts and prayers.  I have such great memories of my time at Thiel with their fans.

[PAC Fball fan]

Interesting matchups this weekend in the PAC.

Bethany coming off of a big win last week against the Yellow Jaclets travels to Westminster where The Towering Titans look for their first conference win.

W and J at home against the up and coming Bearcats, undefeated in the conference this year.  NOONE should overlook St. Vincents.  Although Cameron Field seems a tough place to try to secure the W.

Yellow Jackets in a nonconference tie up against the Golden Tornados in what might be the most tightly contested game of the weekend.

Thomas More seeking to notch another PAC win on their way to spoil Homecoming at Grove City and climb one more step to the Conference Auto-Bid.  Looking forward to watching the trenches on this one to see how the TMC sack pack (#3 Volker and #72 Owens .... First and Third in the Conference in SACKS), fair against the Grove City O Line anchored by All Conference LT Polesnak.  Keeping the QB with a Clean Uni will be a key for Grove City today.  

[bleedpurple]

HELP WANTED:

Looking for Pollsters for a "soon to be unveiled" D3 TOP 25 FAN POLL.

Publishing site: www.uwwfootball.blogspot.com

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Commit to submit a ballot ranking the D3 Teams 1-25 by stated deadline. I'm thinking that will be midnight on Mondays.
2. Research the teams and try to be as unbiased as possible in ranking them.
3. Think through your own philosophy as to how much to weigh previous ranking, won/loss record, your sense as to who would win head to head, national performances in recent years, quality wins, and whatever reasonable criteria you care to choose.   
4. Submit a ballot EVERY WEEK by the deadline. Missing a deadline will be cause to forfeit your spot. Create and submit your ballot BEFORE viewing the D3football.com poll. You can look at previous weeks polls to get you started if you are having a hard time filling out the last few slots.

PURPOSE OF POLL

This poll is to promote meaningful and fun discussion on d3boards.com.  It is simply something that will be fun to contrast with D3football.com's poll. D3football.com's poll is the one legitimate poll we have in D3 football in my opinion.  This poll is not even intended to become #2. I just think it would be an interesting point of comparison and discussion. 

HOW TO APPLY

Send me a private message. In your message indicate:
1. you are applying to be a pollster.
2. What team/conference you follow.
3. Whether you can submit a poll as early as this Thursday. (That is not mandatory, if everyone can we may do one this week).

WHO WILL BE CHOSEN?

The first 25 respondents will be our initial group of pollsters.  This group will remain the D3 FOOTBALL FAN POLL TOP 25 pollsters unless they resign their position or miss a deadline.  Pollsters, I will never post your names on the boards.  If you choose to, that is fine. If you are beyond the first 25 responses, your name will be placed on a "waiting list".  If there are fewer than 25 respondents by midnight on Wednesday, we will go with what we have and continue to have "open" slots to be filled.

Remember FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! 

[PAC Fball fan]

No chatter at all for the PAC Board lately?

2 night games   Including the first ever night game at Westminster as the Tomcats and Titans look for their first conference win.

W & J playing under the Stars in Beaver Falls where the Golden Tornado's always play tough.

Thomas More should feel fewer effects of Bus Lag as they travel to the other western most outpost of the PAC in Bethany.

Saint Vincents who has played very tough this year awaiting a Grove City team fresh off of a night game win (is it the D3 equivalent of an NFL "short week"?).

Frostburg State Rolling in to Waynesburg in non-con action.

Well lets get the PAC Board moving!!!

I'll throw some predictions,, perhaps others will join, or you can even tell me how wrong I was next week as we Monday Morning QB.  I am thinking UPSET WEEKEND.

WM 34 Thiel 17

Geneva 38 W & J 31

Beth 31 Tom More 24

St V 21 GC 17

Wayne 45 Frostburg 7

[Bob.Gregg]

There's no chatter because it's all over but the chatter...Thomas More beat W&J in week 3 and that's all she wrote....

So much for your "upset weekend"...

Thomas More 48, Bethany 14 (you had Bison)
St. Vincent 42, Grove City 17 (called the Bearcat win--tossup game)
Waynesburg 41, Frostburg State 7 (called the Yellowjacket win--not an upset)
Westminster 35, Thiel 0 (called the Titans victory--not an upset)
Wash. & Jeff. 22, Geneva 16 (you had the Golden Tornadoes)

[labart96]

We at "In the HuddLLe" (www.inthehuddLLe.com) are very excited to announce a very special guest coming onto the show this Sunday at 7:30 PM ET!!!

We will be welcoming Dr. Tony Strickland of the David Geffenn School of Medicine at UCLA and the Sports Concussion Institute (http://www.concussiontreatment.com/). 

Dr Strickland has recently appearred on both ESPN's Outside the Lines and the NFL Network to discuss concussions and the work SCI has done in the diagnosis and treatment of the same.

Dr. Strickland has requested we encourage fans, players and otherwise interested parties to please dial into the show to ask their questions.  That said we would like to solicit you to call in and drive the dialogue with Dr. Strickland given the prominence of this topic in the national headlines.   Our switchboard line is 646-200-0576.

Again the date of his appearance will be tonight Sunday, Oct 24 at 7:30 PM ET. 

Thanks in advance your assistance in making this special opportunity to get a refreshing and informed perspective on this nationally relevant topic!

[Schwami]

Disturbing news in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette touching upon the Waynesburg and Bethany football teams  

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10298/1097968-100.stm

Edit:  An earlier version of the report stated that "Witnesses have told police the fight broke out between players from Waynesburg and members of the Bethany College football team."