FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

Wes Mantooth · September 13, 2006, 03:52:12 PM

Oldtimer for the reasons you say small and quick is the reason why w&j will Run on Thiel. I recall two years ago when a great Thiel Defense that was small and quick gave up 250 yards on the ground to the Presidents. Last year Siranni decided to throw 52 times even though he was having sucess on the ground. Siranni knows he has a good o line and hase three talented backs that can run so he has decided to pound it and if you think that they cannot throw it you are misunderstood as Swallow is a very talented qb who is completing 60% of his passes when they do throw. i beleive Swallow is a better qb then Blankenship. Should be a good game in a few weeks in gville. I agree that TMC is a good bet to be in the race for a PAC title.

oldtimer4774 · September 13, 2006, 04:13:21 PM

Their defense is much improved over 2 years ago.........should be interesting.

Wes Mantooth · September 13, 2006, 05:10:48 PM

i dont know how improved without George Kum Ji who is probably the best defensive player in Thiel history maybe greatest player in team history. Def should be interesting.

the_burghboy · September 13, 2006, 08:01:39 PM

Quote from: erniesfreestyle on September 13, 2006, 09:58:42 AM
W&J still remains the best team in the PAC despite not winning the conference a year ago. They have 8 returning starters on defense and their entire offensive line coming back. Look for the presidents to do a little more running this year with Sirriani putting his experienced offensive linemen to use and taking advantage of defensive cordinator John kleins dominating defense.

You mean the 'John Kleins dominating defense' that gave up over 300 yards rushing and over 400 yards in total offense in week one?

Give them credit for the win at Allegheny, and was much improved from Salisbury, but it's no surprise that the Gators haven't had winning record since 2003. It's also no surprise that W&J has only one conference title since this program transitioned.

I'm all for being a homer, but let's also be objective.

Wes Mantooth · September 13, 2006, 08:47:15 PM

Allegheny will have a winning record this year and i def wouldnt call W&J defense dominating as Allegheny moved the ball on them most of the game as well the chronicled debacle against Salisbury. Also of note the new PAC is not the same one where Thiel and Waynesburgh should not have even fielded a team. Its no excuse for W&J not to win the conference but to expect them to dominate like years past is not feasable especially with their new acadmic requirements that are higher than previous years. I also remeber a couple years of disappointment under the previous regime at W&J 98 and 2002. On that note i dont think W&J will not have an easy path to a confernce title but we shall see in the coming weeks.

the_burghboy · September 14, 2006, 12:37:01 AM

Quote from: Wes Mantooth on September 13, 2006, 08:47:15 PM
Allegheny will have a winning record this year and i def wouldnt call W&J defense dominating as Allegheny moved the ball on them most of the game as well the chronicled debacle against Salisbury. Also of note the new PAC is not the same one where Thiel and Waynesburgh should not have even fielded a team. Its no excuse for W&J not to win the conference but to expect them to dominate like years past is not feasable especially with their new acadmic requirements that are higher than previous years. I also remeber a couple years of disappointment under the previous regime at W&J 98 and 2002. On that note i dont think W&J will not have an easy path to a confernce title but we shall see in the coming weeks.

Do the academic requirements include being able to spell Waynesburg?

Seriously though, several counterpoints:

* The 'new PAC' is a weak argument, and one consistently used by the coach since he took over. Thiel I buy, because they made a commitment to the program that wasn't there in previous years. As for the other programs in the conference, I feel it's a product of W&J's decline more than Waynesburg improving. A decline from a national program, but still a decline.

* I'm curious what these new 'academic standards' are now at W&J that can't have them winning the PAC on a regular basis. The enrollment is as high as it ever was, and the standards when it comes to average GPA and SAT scores are still competitive, but not as high as they were ten years ago. Their national standing in the most recent U.S News and World Report continues to drop year after year. The most current ranking is at 104, barely making the list. As an alumni, I'm not real thrilled with that, so it baffles me that these drops have occured yet there is something keeping the football program due to academic standards. After all, they have to be accepted as students first.

* Nobody is denying past 'disappointments' with the program, but I worry that the expectations this program once created is now buried under excuses. If the program needs to rebuild, that's understandable. If people are posting that they are returning linemen that had their hats handed to them by Salisbury and will have a 'dominating defense' and other barbs, then that's a bit out of the box for me.

denfd · September 14, 2006, 08:51:24 AM

W&J has gone from 1,100 students to 1550 students in a very short time. Although their academic standards seem to be as high, other colleges are also improving and faster, while W&J transitions into a bigger school. This will probably be good for football in the long run: more boys. I'm also worried about their falling national academic rankings. I hope they have a short term strategy to maintain their very good reputation,

Wes Mantooth · September 14, 2006, 01:17:34 PM

Burghboy excuses would go away with winning and W&J needs to buck up and scrap out some wins this year. As with with academic standards i can remember numerous students when i entered college including myself ashamed to say, that had below a 1000 on their SAT and yet were admitted to the school. After my sopohmore year if an athlete did not have over a 1000 they did not even bother recruiting them. These students now probably end up at Thiel or Waynesburg(typos happen on my previous spelling

). Now as for the droppings in standards amongst other colleges that is disappointing. Lets hope that W&J pulls it out this year and stop the disappointments all around.

Wes Mantooth · September 14, 2006, 06:31:33 PM

Lets get ready for the weekend with some predictions.

Thomas More 24 @ GCC-0

TMC Defense brings it on the new turf at Grove City shutting down and out the Wing T. Carlisle has 18 tackles and a fumble recovery. Thomas More has the look of a team thats creeping up on Thiel and W&J.

Westminster- 10 @ CMU-28

Westminster has taken over as the worst team in the conference as they do not have much in terms of talent. CMU runs the Wing T all over the Titan D for 300 yards.

Bethany - 14 @ OWU-16

Bethany comes down after a win against probably the worst team in D3 in Hiram. OWU scraps this one out.

Albion- 17 @ Thiel -10

Thiel is struggling on O as the QB play has not been good. Once again they play a quality opponent and come away empty handed as Blankenship throws two more picks which are the difference in this struggle.

Shenandoah- 7 @ Waynesburg - 28

The Yellow Jackets finally get on track after losing to two very good teams. Daniels and Abels come up strong with 250 total rushing yards. Cobb also throws one.

Toss up in the game of the week as Thiel Albion could be a good one but ill be biased and pick W&J.

W&J - 38 @ Hanover- 24

This will be a shootout through and through. Hanover relies on passing pretty much every play and the Presidents D has not shown much on D. Look for 350 plus from the Hanover QB. W&J is coming with the run from everyone wr to rb to qb's even. Looks a lot like Urban Meyer spread option ran at Utah and BG which is where the coaching staff got the new offense three years ago. The run game is the difference as the Presidents ran for close to 500 yards on Hanover last year. Mendel chips in with 200 yards and two td's.

Good Luck to All

Go W&J

the_burghboy · September 14, 2006, 06:47:13 PM

Quote from: Wes Mantooth on September 14, 2006, 01:17:34 PM
As with with academic standards i can remember numerous students when i entered college including myself ashamed to say, that had below a 1000 on their SAT and yet were admitted to the school. After my sopohmore year if an athlete did not have over a 1000 they did not even bother recruiting them. These students now probably end up at Thiel or Waynesburg.... as for the droppings in standards amongst other colleges that is disappointing. Lets hope that W&J pulls it out this year and stop the disappointments all around.

Wes-I appreciate your opinion. I would have to think that if the average SAT score has dropped in total enrollment over the past fifteen years, yet the football program increased their standards, that there would be more than SAT scores as reasons for why they were not recruited. I do agree that they don't recruit the same players they used to, but not sure if it's for academic reasons as much as the 'style' of player. They don't have the ties they used to in the WPIAL, but not sure if the player they got ten years ago now has more options or if they are not as attractive to this staff.

I do agree that they stop the disappointments. I always enjoyed the Hanover matchup through the years and wish it was a home game. I also hope I shut my complaining pie hole up for about two months!

Cleveland Cartel · September 14, 2006, 10:02:49 PM

Mantooth,

Not a bad prediction for the games this weekend.

After starting off week 1 with a record of 3-2 i am goign to try to get back on track this week, but their are some real tough games out there this week in the PAC....

TMore vs GCC: Start of PAC play opens up wtih TMORE putting a hurting on GCC on their new home TURF two weeks in a row... Carslisle will put up solid numbers and Tmore's QB will look more comfortable every week in the pocket.

Tmore wins easily...
35-7

Westminster and Jeff hand continue to struggle with a young team, but give these guys a year or two and they will be tough with added talent here and there. Unfortenatly CMU is a tough team and proved at the end of last year that the sky is the limit with this Independent team by challenging Thiel to three fun filled overtime periods.

CMU wins....
42-13

Bethany vs OWU...
Bethany and TJ Parker looking solid as usual. That kid has been a player since he came into the PAC as a freshmen maybe if on a better team he would be appreciated much more from voters for awards. OWU is not as strong as they once were with Jason Kapone at runningback and going to the playoffs year after year like they once did in the 90's. This will be a close contest but OWU will take this one as their Oline will open up holes to run all over Bethany. Parker does have a couple of TD catchs and over 100 yards receiving agaisnt the slower Battling Bishops from Delaware, Ohio.

Final Score

OWU 24- Bethany 21

Waynesburg vs Shenodoah...

Shepas gets his first victory of the year as abels runs for 185 on the day and a pair of scores....
Waynesburg 42-7

WJ vs Hanover....

WJ gets it rolling on the ground early in the contest and continues to pound on Hanover all game with over 300 yards rushing. Mendel does the usual 150 plus and a score or two. The passing game is not the same for WJ but they do make progress with this game and also throw for a couple of TD's.

WJ wins.... 45-14

Thiel vs Albion..
Toughest game this week...
SOme serious pool B points on the line and Thiel will pull out a nail biter at home. Like i said last week. Alfred should not lose at home. And this week its the same as thiel defends its home turf on their home opener. Minton gets the job done on the ground and so does hess wtih solid touches here and there. Blankenship will calm down in the 2nd half and will throw for some good yardage. Albion is not as dominant on the run game with their all time leader rusher in school history graduated from last year, but still a strong team and Thiel pulls out a nail biter in the last 4 minutes. The darkside closes the door in the end.

Thiel takes victory at home...

17-13

PittTBCW · September 15, 2006, 03:44:56 PM

Prediction Time:

Saturday, September 16

Thomas More at Grove City* - 1:30 p.m.

TMC is ready for conference action as they roll past GCC.

TMC 31 GCC 7

Westminster at Carnegie Mellon - noon

CMU continues to play good football and runs through Westminster.

CMU 42 Westmin 14

Bethany at Ohio Wesleyan - 1 p.m.

Bethany looked good last week but they fall short against better competition on the road.

OWU 31 Bethany 21

Albion at Thiel - 1:30 p.m.

After two tough road games the Tomcats fight back in their home opener, but its not pretty.

Thiel 14 Albion 10

Shenandoah at Waynesburg - 1:30 p.m.

Waynesburg shows thier true colors this week and finally gel to get their first win of the season on the new turf at Wiley Stadium.

W'Burg 28 Shen. 14

Washington & Jefferson at Hanover - 1:30 p.m.

W&J improves this week just like last week and its the running game that does the trick for Sirianni and his crew.

W&J 27 Hanover 7

Best of luck this week to all the PAC teams.

Go Tomcats!!!!

Wes Mantooth · September 16, 2006, 04:05:40 PM

35-0 W&J over Hanover. First time they have been shut out in 22 years. W&J from the sounds of it threw all over Hanover so evidently the pres have the passing game going again.

Cleveland Cartel · September 16, 2006, 04:32:36 PM

24-20 albion over Thiel

and 21-20 TMore over GCC

Close games surprised at the Tmore score in being so close, but I am also shocked with the Albion victory over Thiel at Stober field. I felt Thiel would have to fight this one out to the end and I guess Albion had enough in the tank to pull out a solid victory on the road. Anyone who was at games today any posts would be appreciated....

OldPhart · September 16, 2006, 08:29:31 PM

Quote from: Cleveland Cartel on September 16, 2006, 04:32:36 PM
24-20 albion over Thiel

and 21-20 TMore over GCC

Close games surprised at the Tmore score in being so close, but I am also shocked with the Albion victory over Thiel at Stober field. I felt Thiel would have to fight this one out to the end and I guess Albion had enough in the tank to pull out a solid victory on the road. Anyone who was at games today any posts would be appreciated....

Thiel's special teams mistakes 1) TC onside kick touched before going 10 yards 2) gave up an Albion 4th down fake punt conversion deep in Albion territory allowing Albion to stay alive

3) Darious Thompson supposedly touched

(not really a muff) a deep punt and allowed Albion to recover it setting up an easy Albion TD.

Take any one of those miscues away and I think Thiel would have come out the winner. Got to give Albion credit - they didn't make as many mistakes.

BTW - there was a fund raiser at today's game to help with medical expenses not covered by insurance for the Alfred U TB Julio Fuentes who was injured at last weeks game the crowd came through for over $350 and the Thiel president chipped in to bring it up to an even $1000. Check out the significant injuries board if you are interested. AUPepBand has additional info there.