FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[DanPadavona]

Nice to meet you too Theaprof.  I just sent you a PM.

You must have met Mike (Pitcher).  Yes, he's a real good guy, and his son will be a good QB for us next season.  I was surprised at how many parents made it down for the game.

Kmic is the best back I've seen in D3.  Just fantastic.  Good luck the rest of the way.  I'll join you over on the North region boards later today with some thoughts on the game.

[DanPadavona]

Thank you Cortland for a great run.  You made us all very proud, and you represented Eastern Region well.  More importantly, you put Cortland back on the map as a legitimate national power which teams are going to need to deal with for years to come.

I expect next season will be a challenge losing so many seniors, particularly on the offensive line and at QB/RB.  But our recruiting classes the last 2 seasons have been very strong, and I expect our playoff run will help us quite a bit to bring in players this winter. 

Mount Union is truly awesome.  Along with UWW and UMHB, they are simply head and shoulders above the rest of the nation.  But we proved we could take them into the second half, and that the best of Eastern Region in any given year is not far off their pace.  Good luck in Alliance, and then Salem.

[clandfan]

Congrats to Cortland on a great season!  Seniors we will truly miss you and have some big, big shoes to fill.

Congrats to Mount Union who proved why they are the best.  Cortland is not there yet but I think can see that they are not that far off.

Key to the game....time of possession.  Cortland just could not get the ball.  I think we only had 3 or 4 possessions the entire second half and most were 3 and out.

Kmic was a workhorse and congrats to whatever honors come his way.

I have a couple of sour grapes to end the season with and this takes nothing away for MUC kicking our butt.
1.  For as sloppy a game (weather wise)...the officials flags were frozen in their pockets.   One holding penalty the whole game....Sorry but there were blatant holds right in front of their faces.

2.  Our second possession...Coach Mac was much too conservative for the moment.  We scored first, we had a defensive stop limiting MUC to a FG.  We move into MUC territory to about the 35 and we have 4th and less than a yd into the wind.  Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but the moment said go for it and we punted...Live for the moment  It immediately killed our mojo.

[JT]

I really thought that Cortland would be able to run the ball.  That was the killer.  Only 7 first downs to Mount's 31.  Holding Mount to 41 with 42 minutes of possession was a great feat by the Cortland D. 

[HScoach]

Our second possession...Coach Mac was much too conservative for the moment.  We scored first, we had a defensive stop limiting MUC to a FG.  We move into MUC territory to about the 35 and we have 4th and less than a yd into the wind.  Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but the moment said go for it and we punted...Live for the moment  It immediately killed our mojo.

I agree completely.  With a big, strong offensive line deep in Mount territory you have to be able to get 6 inches.  If you're going to beat Mount, you better take advantage of our opportunities.  I think Cortland got too conservative in that instance and it hurt them.

[JT]

Yeah how many times on avg does a team get to the Mount 35 during a game.  Definite gotta go for it.

[cstate19]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

[Toph]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

I've got to disagree here.  You're at the MUC 41, tied at 7.  You've got to fall forward for a first down, I'm not even sure it was six inches.  You know one thing:  Mount is going to score, and score plenty.  It was pretty clear from the first drive that Cortland was going to have a tough time shutting down Kmic (hardly the first team to have that problem).  Even with the weather, you've got to think Kmic is going to have at least 3 touchdowns.  If you can pick up a first down and manage to score on consecutive drives, who knows what happens?  The offense was moving the ball, let them keep moving it.  Against a team like Mount confidence early is HUGE (if you were there, you probably noticed how happy the Cortland players were to be heading into the locker room down 6 at half). 

Having seen plenty of Mount games I would give this advice as well:  Get as many 1st half points as possible.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen games go in close at the half, only to have MUC pull away in the 3rd and 4th.  There is no one better at second half adjustments than Larry Kehres....and Kmic is going to wear you down eventually.

Cortland played very well and they have a lot to be proud of.  Do they win the game if they go for that 4th down conversion?  Probably not, but what's the net gain?  20 plus yards?     

[cstate19]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

I've got to disagree here.  You're at the MUC 41, tied at 7.  You've got to fall forward for a first down, I'm not even sure it was six inches.  You know one thing:  Mount is going to score, and score plenty.  It was pretty clear from the first drive that Cortland was going to have a tough time shutting down Kmic (hardly the first team to have that problem).  Even with the weather, you've got to think Kmic is going to have at least 3 touchdowns.  If you can pick up a first down and manage to score on consecutive drives, who knows what happens?  The offense was moving the ball, let them keep moving it.  Against a team like Mount confidence early is HUGE (if you were there, you probably noticed how happy the Cortland players were to be heading into the locker room down 6 at half). 

Having seen plenty of Mount games I would give this advice as well:  Get as many 1st half points as possible.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen games go in close at the half, only to have MUC pull away in the 3rd and 4th.  There is no one better at second half adjustments than Larry Kehres....and Kmic is going to wear you down eventually.

Cortland played very well and they have a lot to be proud of.  Do they win the game if they go for that 4th down conversion?  Probably not, but what's the net gain?  20 plus yards?      

Isn't that big when you make a goaline stand on the next possesion?

[rscl70]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

The decision to punt and try to pin Mount deep was "technically" correct, but IMHO the wrong decision.  At that point in the game Mount's defense was on its heels and Cortland still had the momentum on offense.  Punting did exactly what Cortland did not need; it put Mount's offense on the field.  The Red Dragons should have gone for it.

[HScoach]

I have a question for the CSU guys that made the trip to Alliance.  Did the Cortland defense get conservative yesterday on their blitzes, or was that a normal game plan defensively? 

I read a lot leading up to the game about how the Cortland defense will blitz and stack the box to eliminate the run game.   Coach MacNeil metioned it numerous times in the mid-week press teleconference that their M.O. on defense was to attack the line of scrimmage and make a team one dimensional.

However they didn't blitz Mount very often.  They looped the DT/DE numerous times in obvious passing situtations and sent an LB a couple times, but I was expecting a really aggresive game plan in an effort to stop Kmic and to pressure Micheli.  Especially with the less than ideal weather and field conditions.

I guess I'm wondering if I had the wrong read on Cortland going into the game or whether they changed their game plan defensively?

THANKS.

[Toph]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

I've got to disagree here.  You're at the MUC 41, tied at 7.  You've got to fall forward for a first down, I'm not even sure it was six inches.  You know one thing:  Mount is going to score, and score plenty.  It was pretty clear from the first drive that Cortland was going to have a tough time shutting down Kmic (hardly the first team to have that problem).  Even with the weather, you've got to think Kmic is going to have at least 3 touchdowns.  If you can pick up a first down and manage to score on consecutive drives, who knows what happens?  The offense was moving the ball, let them keep moving it.  Against a team like Mount confidence early is HUGE (if you were there, you probably noticed how happy the Cortland players were to be heading into the locker room down 6 at half). 

Having seen plenty of Mount games I would give this advice as well:  Get as many 1st half points as possible.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen games go in close at the half, only to have MUC pull away in the 3rd and 4th.  There is no one better at second half adjustments than Larry Kehres....and Kmic is going to wear you down eventually.

Cortland played very well and they have a lot to be proud of.  Do they win the game if they go for that 4th down conversion?  Probably not, but what's the net gain?  20 plus yards?      

Isn't that big when you make a goaline stand on the next possesion?

No.  By saying that, you're essentially saying that the cause of the goal line stand was Mount's starting field position.  It's not as if starting 20 some odd yards back kept Mount Union out of the end zone.  Cortland tightening up near the goal line was the cause, starting field position had nothing to do with that.  Mount didn't run out of gas on that drive.  Whether they started at the 17 (or wherever) or the 41, it was the D that kept Mount out.

If your argument is that if Mount Union starts at the 41 they score a touchdown by field position on the drive I need you to explain your logic.

The point is the odds are in your favor to pick up the first down.  You have less than a foot to go.  Falling forward would've picked it up.  Again...you need touchdowns to beat Mount Union, and with the offense driving, the coaching staff took the keys out of the ignition.

[XDragon59]

Look guys, normally I agree with the theory of "if you cant get 6 inches then you dont deserve to win the game".  I bashed Welch two weeks ago for punting twice on the 30 but I think this is a different story.  The game is tied at 7.  You have a long way to go as far as game clock goes.  I also suscribe to the "a defensive stop on 4th and short fires up the team" theory.  If you get stopeed and Mt Union goes down and scores you could be facing a snowstorm early.  You have confidence in your D and true upsets happen when you stay in the game as long as possible.  The fact of the matter was we were close at half and that decision played no part in us getting dominated in the 2nd half.  We lost to a better team today, but that decision to punt did not hurt us. 

I couldn't agree more.  You have to have confidence in your D at that point early in the game.

[clandfan]

I have a question for the CSU guys that made the trip to Alliance.  Did the Cortland defense get conservative yesterday on their blitzes, or was that a normal game plan defensively? 

I read a lot leading up to the game about how the Cortland defense will blitz and stack the box to eliminate the run game.   Coach MacNeil metioned it numerous times in the mid-week press teleconference that their M.O. on defense was to attack the line of scrimmage and make a team one dimensional.

However they didn't blitz Mount very often.  They looped the DT/DE numerous times in obvious passing situtations and sent an LB a couple times, but I was expecting a really aggresive game plan in an effort to stop Kmic and to pressure Micheli.  Especially with the less than ideal weather and field conditions.

I guess I'm wondering if I had the wrong read on Cortland going into the game or whether they changed their game plan defensively?

THANKS.

Coach...in my opinion Cortland played quite conservatively on the defense.  I don't want to second guess coach mac or take anything away from cortland's season but it seemed to me that cortland was trying not to get beat by the "big play" as opposed to trying to sock MUC in the mouth.   Now your line protected Micheli well but I thought we would try to throw the kitchen sink at him and it didn't materialize.  I also didn't like the play of our corners...much too soft especially on third down.  Micheli had a field day with 10 yd sideline passes.  Again...seems like they were afraid to get beat deep and were just picked apart underneath.  So...ya...I think we were conservative.

[Small but Slow]

I have a question for the CSU guys that made the trip to Alliance.  Did the Cortland defense get conservative yesterday on their blitzes, or was that a normal game plan defensively? 

I read a lot leading up to the game about how the Cortland defense will blitz and stack the box to eliminate the run game.   Coach MacNeil metioned it numerous times in the mid-week press teleconference that their M.O. on defense was to attack the line of scrimmage and make a team one dimensional.

However they didn't blitz Mount very often.  They looped the DT/DE numerous times in obvious passing situtations and sent an LB a couple times, but I was expecting a really aggresive game plan in an effort to stop Kmic and to pressure Micheli.  Especially with the less than ideal weather and field conditions.

I guess I'm wondering if I had the wrong read on Cortland going into the game or whether they changed their game plan defensively?

THANKS.

Coach...in my opinion Cortland played quite conservatively on the defense.  I don't want to second guess coach mac or take anything away from cortland's season but it seemed to me that cortland was trying not to get beat by the "big play" as opposed to trying to sock MUC in the mouth.   Now your line protected Micheli well but I thought we would try to throw the kitchen sink at him and it didn't materialize.  I also didn't like the play of our corners...much too soft especially on third down.  Micheli had a field day with 10 yd sideline passes.  Again...seems like they were afraid to get beat deep and were just picked apart underneath.  So...ya...I think we were conservative.

clandfan - Against Mt. Union's offense it's a matter of picking your poison.  Sending LB's and pressing with the DB's opens up more running lanes for WR's and Kmic.  In all honesty, the Cortland "D" did it's job.  The offense needed to hold the ball longer and finish some more drives.