FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[SaintsFAN]

I don't know, but I got a weird feeling that the committee is going to do something unique this year and it involves Thomas More. I know the W&J result doesn't look to well, but they have a comparable (and yes I know that is a bad metric) win against a common opponent with that of  the #2N and IMHO played the #2S team the closest all season it was 28-14 with 5 minutes to go.

I'd love for you to be right -- but with TLU, Centre, and Muhlenberg ahead of them right now -- they need some end-of-season craziness to happen with those three teams to even make the discussion as the 1st team in the South.  They need to be 1st in line, IMO. 

[SaintsFAN]

Nice challenge ahead of Thomas More tomorrow, I guess.  Statistically, CWRU is very good against the run.  A closer look at the numbers reveals 38 yards given up against Geneva and 39 given up against Carnegie Mellon.  However, Bethany ran for over 200 on them and Waynesburg had 168. 

In what is probably Dom Hayden's last home game for Thomas More -- I think HOW they run the ball in the first half will dictate whether or not you're seeing #30 as a decoy or an active participant in the game plan for half #2 -- he's a selfless player.  He wears down the defenses when he gets carries in the first half -- and breaks long ones in the 2nd when teams get tired of tackling a 220 pound fire hydrant with 4.5 speed.  If CWRU turns Hayden into a decoy, then Bobby Leonard and Goose Cohorn will have big days.  I know what Case is going to do, but I'd rather they play coverage so we can see a 30 carry effort from Hayden.

[ADL70]

Highlights of the day were the weather and meeting SaintsFAN.

As far as the game itself, both frosh QBs performed well, alternating starting with about 5 mins left in the 3rd.  D was disappointing, although 13 TMC points were from two pick-sixes and Dishong wasn't dressed.  The O-line was missing some starters as well.

Disappointed to see Hayden still in well into the 4th quarter with the Saints up 32.

[SaintsFAN]

Highlights of the day were the weather and meeting SaintsFAN.

As far as the game itself, both frosh QBs performed well, alternating starting with about 5 mins left in the 3rd.  D was disappointing, although 13 TMC points were from two pick-sixes and Dishong wasn't dressed.  The O-line was missing some starters as well.

Disappointed to see Hayden still in well into the 4th quarter with the Saints up 32.

Nice to meet you as well, ADL70.  I remain impressed with how long you've been a D3 Football Fan and attending the Championship game at the College Hall of Fame up the road from here.

The game was about how I expected it to play out -- there were some players from CWRU who were out and TMC's offense has been playing well the last 5 games and Gebhardt was really accurate with his throws and the WR's made some plays after the catch.  The future at RB showed itself to be in good hands with Tarrant breaking the 82 yard TD run.  And they sent off the Seniors with a good win against a team that will be better in the years to come in PAC action. 

Hayden had a good day with over 175 and 4 TD's on the ground.  This is where we disagree -- he's a 5th year senior (injury redshirt) who's meant alot to the program and playing in probably his last game as a Saint -- at home.  He only carried the ball 4 times and caught a pass in the 4th -- and he didn't play after that.  He also played the 4th Quarter with the 2nd string guys in there.  He watched the last 8+ minutes.  I thought we'd see a little more of him, to be honest. 

I don't think TMC was trying to run it up. 

Maybe I'll run into you next year in Cleveland.  Thanks for sticking around to meet me.

[ADL70]

Didn't mean to imply that TMC was running up the score.  I can certainly see your point.  Knee jerk response on my part.  I did overlook that it was TMC's last game, unless they are an ECAC member.

If Hayden had ripped  off the 82 yarder I might have had to  stick with my gut though.

Wait till next year!

Then we don't meet for at least 2 years.

The 66 the Saints put on the board is the highest score given up by the Spartans since Allegheny scored 69 in 1994.

[SaintsFAN]

No worries -- I thought maybe you were thinking we had one more game left ... which, believe me, we'd love to still be playing the Bridge Bowl as its turned into the Thomas More Bowl the past few years.  The game in 2012 gave Thomas More the chance to run up the score (after MSJ had danced on our mid-field logo when they came onto the field which immediately followed a week in which their players talked trash on Twitter about which D3 Team owned Cincinnati).. so that resulted in a 75-6 thrashing which wasn't even that close.  Thomas More actually had two TD's called back in the 4th Quarter due to penalty or it would've been much, much worse.  Last year, MSJ's prize D1 QB transfer QUIT with a questionable injury in the first half.  Not that it mattered, TMC won 59-13.  The only reason the Saints took their foot off the gas in that one was because of an off-the-field tragedy the Sunday before the game .  Maybe one year they'll get enough D1 transfers into the program in Delhi, who actually go to class and last more than one season and then they'll decide to try the series again -- on a one year basis.  Thats the best we can hope for... this IS the 2nd time they've halted the Bridge Bowl Series.  Both times after realizing they don't have what it takes to compete with Thomas More on the field.  This time, their coaches took a vote (the Head Coach didn't participate, he left it up to the assistants who to a man, didn't think could compete with, much less beat Thomas More and it would affect their recruiting).  The stated NEW goal of the program is compete for HCAC Championships with a bonus game in the playoffs being viewed as just that... a bonus.  Well they're 0-1 with their new, less-than-lofty goal.  They can't beat Franklin, either.  I wonder if the HCAC officials will let the MSJ staff vote them off the schedule as a result, also?  One piece of advice if they are able to vote Franklin off the schedule, give Franklin time to find another opponent and don't lie to them all off season about not dropping the game.  They dropped Thomas More in MAY and luckily nobody likes to play Wesley and Thomas More booked the game as their Opener. 

But I digress - MSJ is the ONLY team Thomas More would willingly run up the score on.  But they earned that.  Much respect from Crestview Hills to the CWRU team.  There wasn't any chippiness or cheap shots when they found themselves down big.  As I said, I like Greg Debeljak.  I think he runs a classy program. 

[Ralph Turner]

Getting caught up on my reading...

the advantage to the PresAC for adding TMC was they were the 7th school and got the PresAC its AQ bid, back in the day.

[SaintsFAN]

Waynesburg over W&J???  Absolutely bananas.  I don't see how they scored 31 points on W&J. 

Definitely no home game for W&J in the tournament.  They just made their road to Salem a little bit harder.  They'll be a tough out for sure, though. 

[Bob.Gregg]

Definitely no home game for W&J in the tournament.....

Not so fast, SaintsFAN.  With the economics of D3, the Islanders may make it very possible for W&J to still host.
TLU will almost certainly go to UMHB.
Chapman will almost certainly go to Linfield....
With that, W&J is definitely in the host-capable group.

...They just made their road to Salem a little bit harder.

Not sure of the real difference between "Road Closed 1,000 feet" and "Road Closed 500 feet"....lol

[ADL70]

All PAC

http://pacathletics.org/news/2014/11/17/FB_1117141239.aspx

[WashJeff68]

Quiet here.

Presidents managed to beat Witt without much from Ruffing, who I understand has an injury. But they still had Coughlin and the defense which accounted for 9 turnovers.

We will be leaving Tennessee tomorrow on our way eventually to Cleveland for Thanksgiving. MAY stop in Alliance on Saturday for a few hours on our way home. I don't think W&J's win over Witt was a big upset, but a win Saturday over the Mount would certainly qualify as one.

Looking to next year, TM's Hayden is gone, the heart of Waynesburg's team graduates, and most of W&J's key players will be back. Not sure about other conference teams.

[D3MAFAN]

Congrats to the Presidents of W&J, I had you guys favored in my pick'em and you guys didn't disappoint, you guys made plays all game. Nevertheless, with the close games and minor upsets this past weekend, it makes me wonder what Thomas More would have done in the playoffs and if W&J can actually play Mount Union close or pull even an upset. Although it was the first game of the season, Thomas More has played an awesome Wesley team the closest out of all Div III opponents and then got handled by W&J. Playing the comparative score card/analogy, Wesley has been playing at a level they were at (especially offensively) when they played Mount Union last year within the last 3 quarters. I think W&J can keep it close, but Mount does change gears in the playoffs.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Another congrats-to-the-Prez here.  I was out of town (and away from computer) to watch my HS in the state playoffs, so I didn't post anything here, but I'm glad they won.  Mount is no doubt a heavy favorite but W & J is not likely to be intimidated, having played the Raiders tough in the playoffs last season and scrimmaged them (right? As far as I know, Mount and the Prez still scrimmage before the season).  Sirianni being a Mount alum, I'm sure he relishes this matchup a few rounds into the playoffs.

Re: Thomas More, I do think they would have been capable of winning a game or two depending on the playoff matchup; this is usually true of the 5-10 best Pool C teams not selected, really.  But I like the AQ system the way it is, and am a firm believer that any team who did not win their conference title knows that they've left it up to the Fates when they could have won it & earned their way in for sure.

Will discuss next year in detail when the time comes, WashJeff68.  I'll be only to glad to do so in a few weeks!

[SaintsFAN]

Dom Hayden named as one of 10 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy.  Joins Zach Autenreib as the only two finalists in Thomas More's short, but successful history. 

Looking at the list of Volunteer Activities he's participated in versus the other 9 Finalists, he's going to be tough to beat.  Dude went to Costa Rica.  Check it out on the Front Page ( you know, www.d3football.com)

[ADL70]

Wouldn't be as quiet 68, if more teams had followers who posted.

Hope you'll stick around  and  contribute more.