FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[edward de vere]

You also got to see Callahan play one last time in person.

UWW's O-line may be better than Wesley's - but will WWW's quarterback be as elusive as Wesley's?  To my eyes, Mount got plenty of pressure but Callahan kept escaping.

[edward de vere]

In fact, Wesley's first score came shortly after a huge run-around and throw by Callahan on third down, IIRC.

[gordonmann]

Playing 3 more games against the upper echelon (playoff teams - note I didn't say elite,  )

[MasterJedi]

You also got to see Callahan play one last time in person.

UWW's O-line may be better than Wesley's - but will WWW's quarterback be as elusive as Wesley's?  To my eyes, Mount got plenty of pressure but Callahan kept escaping.

Last two years UWW has protected the QB well enough where he hasn't needed to run like crazy. Wesley's lines have always been non-elite and probably the reason why Callahan has had to scramble as much as he did.

[02 Warhawk]

Dlip has all the respect in the world for Mount and U dubba dub. They are model programs with incredible talent and coaching through and through. With that said Dlip would like to thank the committee for putting these two purple powers in the same bracket. Dlip is so desperately seeking some parity/diversity at the top of D3 that he is estatic that there will at least be one different team in the final. Dlip is pushing for Linfield all the way!

I've been amused by the expressions of outrage or gratitude that UMU and UWW will meet before the Stagg - UWW was only (deservedly) the #3 seed in the Oshkosh quadrant, seeded behind undefeated Oshkosh and undefeated Wheaton.  What I find more potentially damning of the committee is that this never before happened in the previouRs decade.  While I haven't fine-combed the brackets to be sure, I suspect that EVERY other playoff team during that decade has sometimes been in the UMU side of the bracket and sometimes in the UWW side.  IF there has been any premeditation by the committee, it would seem that it has been to keep them separated, while no other teams have received that sort of consideration.

So you're saying the committee should have stepped in before this year to prevent the (unquestionably) two best teams from meeting in the stagg bowl? I don't think anyone would question that the best two teams have played for the championship over the past decade plus. Isn't that the idea?

Teams should prevent UMU and UWW from playing in the stagg.....not the committee. This year is an exception because it wasn't clear if UWW was a top tier team with the UWO loss. So I had no problem where they landed in the bracket.

[emma17]

12 hours of driving and 5.5 hours in Alliance.  What did I find out?  You can not turn the ball over against Mount.  They take advantage of every opportunity they are given.  This Wesley team despite it's defensive deficiencies is a pretty good team.  This time they did not quit and made the game in doubt with 2 chances to make it a 1 score game with 6 mins left in the 4th.  The offense was able to score more points in the game than the rest of the OAC did combined despite the 4 turnovers and 3 drives that ended inside the 20.  The last 6 mins of the second quarter was the game.  Down 28-14, Wesley had the ball and if they put a drive together and score before the half and then score on the first drive of the second half and the game is tied at 28.  At that point who knows what happens. Instead they give up 3 scores and are down by 35.  Nice adjustments by the defense to shut Mount out in the second half until Nemeth's run late in the 4th quarter to seal the game.  What I did not find out is how good Mount is.  The offensive numbers were what I expected with the play makers they have.  Nemeth is very good and Namdar is tough to cover.  That being said I am not sure how they will do against a stronger defensive line.  Wesley did not get much pressure but was able to make enough plays to make the game close in the second half.  The other concern I would have is will the d line be able to get pressure on the UWW QB.  The Wesley O line is average at best.  The UWW line is likely to be much better.  If they do not get pressure I think Mount could have trouble.  I expect UWW to try and run the ball and control the clock.  This was not the best Mount team I have seen and it was also not the best defense that I have seen them have.  I would also be concerned about Scott at QB.  He makes some really nice throws and then others are not very good.

Skunksidekick, as always good to see you.  Thanks again for the hospitality.  Enjoy the game next week, I will be watching it on the computer.

Thanks for all the concerns about my well being.  My son last played in 08 and I have been traveling all over since then to watch Wesley play.  Sometimes the results of the game suck and the ride home is longer, but I enjoy going and watching one of the top 8 teams in the country week in and week out.  Not many others get to do that.

Great report Wesleydad.  Keep on keeping on with the road trips for D3. 

[wesleydad]

12 hours of driving and 5.5 hours in Alliance.  What did I find out?  You can not turn the ball over against Mount.  They take advantage of every opportunity they are given.  This Wesley team despite it's defensive deficiencies is a pretty good team.  This time they did not quit and made the game in doubt with 2 chances to make it a 1 score game with 6 mins left in the 4th.  The offense was able to score more points in the game than the rest of the OAC did combined despite the 4 turnovers and 3 drives that ended inside the 20.  The last 6 mins of the second quarter was the game.  Down 28-14, Wesley had the ball and if they put a drive together and score before the half and then score on the first drive of the second half and the game is tied at 28.  At that point who knows what happens. Instead they give up 3 scores and are down by 35.  Nice adjustments by the defense to shut Mount out in the second half until Nemeth's run late in the 4th quarter to seal the game.  What I did not find out is how good Mount is.  The offensive numbers were what I expected with the play makers they have.  Nemeth is very good and Namdar is tough to cover.  That being said I am not sure how they will do against a stronger defensive line.  Wesley did not get much pressure but was able to make enough plays to make the game close in the second half.  The other concern I would have is will the d line be able to get pressure on the UWW QB.  The Wesley O line is average at best.  The UWW line is likely to be much better.  If they do not get pressure I think Mount could have trouble.  I expect UWW to try and run the ball and control the clock.  This was not the best Mount team I have seen and it was also not the best defense that I have seen them have.  I would also be concerned about Scott at QB.  He makes some really nice throws and then others are not very good.

Skunksidekick, as always good to see you.  Thanks again for the hospitality.  Enjoy the game next week, I will be watching it on the computer.

Thanks for all the concerns about my well being.  My son last played in 08 and I have been traveling all over since then to watch Wesley play.  Sometimes the results of the game suck and the ride home is longer, but I enjoy going and watching one of the top 8 teams in the country week in and week out.  Not many others get to do that.

Great report Wesleydad.  Keep on keeping on with the road trips for D3.

Thanks Emma.  One thing I forgot to talk about was the turnovers.  They suck, but 3 of them were a direct result of Wesley not quitting and trying to make plays.  Callahan's int came on a shovel pass that he tried to make as he was scrambling and being pressured.  Probably works against most teams, but Mount players do their job and the player was there, if not it is completed.  The Baynard fumble was stripped as he went through the hole and was cutting for more yards.  The George fumble cam right after the bad punt and bad int and he was just trying to get more yards.  The effort was commendable today for the entire team.  The fact that the defense, much maligned all year, pitched a shut out in the second half until the Nemeth run late in the game speaks volumes about their guts.  I was not sure if I was going to make the trip, but in the end I am glad I did because, after last year's embarrassing effort, I got to see the guts from Wesley that I am used to seeing.  Plenty of pieces to replace so the coaches have plenty to figure out in the off season.  I can't believe that the season is pretty much over already, I guess the old adage that time flies when you are having fun is true.

[D O.C.]

I would pay $12.99 on Stretch internet to see a Wesley-Mary Hardin Baylor exhibition game next Saturday. That would be as exciting as it gets.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Was traveling this weekend and away from my computer, so here's a belated kudos to Wesley for battling in the second half and making it a game...I was checking the live stats of all 4 games on Saturday, saw Mount had jumped up 21-0 and thought "Ah, crap" , then saw Wesley score twice and thought "Cool, maybe they'll make it a game" , then saw Mount blow it out to 49-14 by halftime and thought "Maybe not" , but by far the most surprising and most happy update was checking in and seeing that Wesley closed to 49-35.  Even though Wesley could not complete the rally, I was delighted to see that the Wolverines exorcised some of the demons from last year's ugly down-by-70 memory.  Congratulations to the Wesley guys on showing up and battling. I know that nobody really likes a moral victory, but I think it's worthy of congratulations in this case.

[thewaterboy]

I would pay $12.99 on Stretch internet to see a Wesley-Mary Hardin Baylor exhibition game next Saturday. That would be as exciting as it gets.

Never will happen but it would be cool to see how the quarterfinal losers match up, rather than do guesswork. Next week could have the two semifinal games in addition to two consolation games (Wesley v. MHB, Oshkosh v. Wabash). Then next week have the championship game, with the two semifinal losers squaring off the day before.

Game seemed closer than the final score for sure! Especially during the second half! Heck of a fight! Great season Wolverines! A very fun year. Got to see Wesley play in 4 different states (Ohio, Maryland, Delaware and Illinois), and visit 5 different stadiums doing it (Mount Union, Frostburg St., NCC, Wesley and Johns Hopkins). Have to say Naperville is a great city!

Callahan finishes the year with 55 TDs (129 total I believe), and over 5,000 yards (12,500 total). Big shoes to fill, but they generally are when Wesley graduates a QB. I would think Dan Kesack is the frontrunner for the job next season, but Nick Falkenberg and Ben Campbell will be in the mix as well.

[Desertraider]

Dlip has all the respect in the world for Mount and U dubba dub. They are model programs with incredible talent and coaching through and through. With that said Dlip would like to thank the committee for putting these two purple powers in the same bracket. Dlip is so desperately seeking some parity/diversity at the top of D3 that he is estatic that there will at least be one different team in the final. Dlip is pushing for Linfield all the way!

I've been amused by the expressions of outrage or gratitude that UMU and UWW will meet before the Stagg - UWW was only (deservedly) the #3 seed in the Oshkosh quadrant, seeded behind undefeated Oshkosh and undefeated Wheaton.  What I find more potentially damning of the committee is that this never before happened in the previouRs decade.  While I haven't fine-combed the brackets to be sure, I suspect that EVERY other playoff team during that decade has sometimes been in the UMU side of the bracket and sometimes in the UWW side.  IF there has been any premeditation by the committee, it would seem that it has been to keep them separated, while no other teams have received that sort of consideration.

So you're saying the committee should have stepped in before this year to prevent the (unquestionably) two best teams from meeting in the stagg bowl? I don't think anyone would question that the best two teams have played for the championship over the past decade plus. Isn't that the idea?

Teams should prevent UMU and UWW from playing in the stagg.....not the committee. This year is an exception because it wasn't clear if UWW was a top tier team with the UWO loss. So I had no problem where they landed in the bracket.

[Desertraider]

Dlip has all the respect in the world for Mount and U dubba dub. They are model programs with incredible talent and coaching through and through. With that said Dlip would like to thank the committee for putting these two purple powers in the same bracket. Dlip is so desperately seeking some parity/diversity at the top of D3 that he is estatic that there will at least be one different team in the final. Dlip is pushing for Linfield all the way!

I've been amused by the expressions of outrage or gratitude that UMU and UWW will meet before the Stagg - UWW was only (deservedly) the #3 seed in the Oshkosh quadrant, seeded behind undefeated Oshkosh and undefeated Wheaton.  What I find more potentially damning of the committee is that this never before happened in the previouRs decade.  While I haven't fine-combed the brackets to be sure, I suspect that EVERY other playoff team during that decade has sometimes been in the UMU side of the bracket and sometimes in the UWW side.  IF there has been any premeditation by the committee, it would seem that it has been to keep them separated, while no other teams have received that sort of consideration.

So you're saying the committee should have stepped in before this year to prevent the (unquestionably) two best teams from meeting in the stagg bowl? I don't think anyone would question that the best two teams have played for the championship over the past decade plus. Isn't that the idea?

Teams should prevent UMU and UWW from playing in the stagg.....not the committee. This year is an exception because it wasn't clear if UWW was a top tier team with the UWO loss. So I had no problem where they landed in the bracket.

I agree 100%. IMHO Mount and UWW are the 2 bst and have been for a very long time. As big of a Mount guy as I am - this is the match-up I didn't want to see. I just think that UWW is in Mounts head the way Mount used to be in UWW's. We will see Saturday - Roll Raiders~Roll!

[MasterJedi]

Dlip has all the respect in the world for Mount and U dubba dub. They are model programs with incredible talent and coaching through and through. With that said Dlip would like to thank the committee for putting these two purple powers in the same bracket. Dlip is so desperately seeking some parity/diversity at the top of D3 that he is estatic that there will at least be one different team in the final. Dlip is pushing for Linfield all the way!

I've been amused by the expressions of outrage or gratitude that UMU and UWW will meet before the Stagg - UWW was only (deservedly) the #3 seed in the Oshkosh quadrant, seeded behind undefeated Oshkosh and undefeated Wheaton.  What I find more potentially damning of the committee is that this never before happened in the previouRs decade.  While I haven't fine-combed the brackets to be sure, I suspect that EVERY other playoff team during that decade has sometimes been in the UMU side of the bracket and sometimes in the UWW side.  IF there has been any premeditation by the committee, it would seem that it has been to keep them separated, while no other teams have received that sort of consideration.

So you're saying the committee should have stepped in before this year to prevent the (unquestionably) two best teams from meeting in the stagg bowl? I don't think anyone would question that the best two teams have played for the championship over the past decade plus. Isn't that the idea?

Teams should prevent UMU and UWW from playing in the stagg.....not the committee. This year is an exception because it wasn't clear if UWW was a top tier team with the UWO loss. So I had no problem where they landed in the bracket.

I agree 100%. IMHO Mount and UWW are the 2 bst and have been for a very long time. As big of a Mount guy as I am - this is the match-up I didn't want to see. I just think that UWW is in Mounts head the way Mount used to be in UWW's. We will see Saturday - Roll Raiders~Roll!

I'm curious how Scott will do against a UWW defense. It appears fans have been saying he has been inconsistent all year and this will be by far the best defense he has seen. Dude can score points and run though so it's not as if UMU is going to lose, hope they do though and it would be a nice benefit to be in their heads. 

[Teamski]

Congratulations to Joe Callahan of Wesley in making the 2015 D3football.com East All-Region Offensive Player of the Year.  Way to go Joe!!!   

-Ski

[pg04]

Adding another post of congrats, Kudos to Callahan for being one of the four finalists now for the Gagliardi Trophy, the most important award in D3 football.

Because he is one of the 4 finalists, he will be on hand in Salem for the award presentation next Wednesday.

More info here: http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/12/callahan-pawlowski-simmet-sura-gagliardi-final-four

I think Callahan has a very good shot at getting the award. Good luck to him!