FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[twoducks]

The lights at Oxy seemed to work well for the kids on the field but from the stands they are bad, it made it tuff to see.  As far as the Whitter game I would like to reason that maybe Whitter has improved and the overall SCIAC is alittle more balanced this year.  It would seem hard to not say that Whitter showed a better game then the Cal Lu kids did.
Cal Lu played very well aganist PP and came right back and scored after falling behind.  The 2nd series on the first play PP put the ball in the endzone on a nice run.  After that it was all Cal Lu except the final score aganist the 2nd and 3rd teams.  Menlo has had a tuff time of it but has played a couple good schools, I think they will be after Cal Lu because of last years game, I really don't see them hanging with the Kingsmen though., and the D is getting better as the season goes on. Rbaikie, sorry you will not be at the game, I will give you a whatever on Sunday of the Oaks.

[LigerLover]

Kind of a side note, but did Redlands get field turf or are they planning to? I know they finally got an all-weather track and the stadium would host some great night track meets....congrats on that...

[cawcdad]

twoducks, does Cal Lu throw the ball much? Because if they do, they can have a field day with the Menlo D. I realize that San Diego is a pretty decent I-AA team, but I have never seen guys so wide open (on one there was no DB for 15 yards ) as I did for a couple of the USD touchdowns.

[RFB]

Redlands decided against field turf. From what I heard they decided to tear up the field and put down a new grass surface with better infrastructure underneath to support it. Field turf would have been nice but I am glad games at Ted Runner will still be played on grass. Now with the new track they definitely have the best football venue in the SCIAC and top five in the West.

[scandihoovian]

I had a chance to meet the Redlands AD, who is - as many others on this board have mentioned -  a great guy, and he explained that the surface at Ted Runner is only used 12-15 times a year total.  Therefore it made a lot more sense for them to stick with grass.  That's a real luxury, in this day and age, to have a more or less dedicated football stadium.

CAWCDAD-
The Kingsmen do love to put it in the air, although their greatest success against PP was on the ground.  They run a version of the stretch and usually have 4-5 receivers on the field.

[tigersports]

We'll have the OXY-Colorado Col. game Saturday at noon PDT on www.oxybroadcast.com.

[RFB]

Yeah I really want to listen to Oxy roll some creampuff. How about they actually schedule somebody. Linfield, Whitworth, Trinity(TX), Willamette? Somebody who wouldn't have trouble against high school competition.

[Browneagle64]

Sounds  like RFB really feels bitter about not getting a chance to play some football against competition like oxy. Relax, RFB. I bet you and thing that  Oxy will do just fine on saturday and get ready against Redlands. Who cares about the schedule. Let them play football. But, do get ready for next week though!!!

Tigersports--- That's great to hear that you guys will be out in Colorado on a great saturday afternoon. I used to love going to play there. Hope that yous continue to do a fine job broadcasting the games. Will next weeks game be broadcast on the net as well.

[RFB]

The point is I might actually listen to the game if they were playing a good program. I had my four years of fun playing football at Redlands, and three of those years we stomped your Tigers.

[LigerLover]

RFB,

What has Redlands gained by scheduling tough competition? Where is their ranking?

I agree that playing tough teams can help with your ranking by knocking off a good team, but since the winner of the SCIAC gets an automatic bid to the play-offs what do see as the point ? (the experience gained by playing these teams can't be all that valuable)

[RFB]

Playing top football programs is a great measuring stick of how good you are. It creates competition and gets you in some very tough games where you have to use every ounce of your program to win. Plus you are better prepared when the real playoffs do come if you win conference. There is no shellshock factor when you get to the playoffs. It is also a good recruiting tool and it shows your players, fans, and alumni that your program strives to be the best because you play the best.

Playing a cupcake schedule does nothing for you. Your starters play at most a half, they are not put in any real game-time competition. It is better to use your two minute offense during the first game of the season as opposed to five games into the season. It will have no fine tuning because you have not had to use it. The point is is you still get into the playoffs with the autobid but you're better prepared for the playoffs because of who you played.

I gaurantee Redlands experience of playing Whitworth/Trinity will serve them better then Oxy playing CC/L&C. I guess we will see in a few weeks.

[OxyFan21]

RFB,

It didn't seem like Oxy was shellshocked in the playoffs last year.  And, they basically had the same schedule as they do this year.  A tougher schedule may have its benefits, but we also have to remember that schedules are most often made years in advance. 

[xfactor82]

The point is is you still get into the playoffs with the autobid but you're better prepared for the playoffs because of who you played.

I gaurantee Redlands experience of playing Whitworth/Trinity will serve them better then Oxy playing CC/L&C. I guess we will see in a few weeks.

How has that strategy worked for Redlands thusfar?  If memory serves me correct, Redlands still hasn't won a playoff game in spite of their non-conference schedule against "top football programs."  Oxy's non-conference schedule last season might not be considered tough, but when it came to the playoffs they walked away with two big wins.  Apparently they weren't "shellshocked" when it came time to play some extra games at the end of the season.

[scandihoovian]

we also have to remember that schedules are most often made years in advance. 

That's true, OxyFan. But now that Oxy has enjoyed 2-3 consecutive strong seasons I think many of us around the conference are looking for them to step up their strength of schedule.  It does us little good to have our strongest team play all three of their nonconference games against weak opponents.

For the most part I agree with RFB on this issue.  The irony of Oxy's easier schedule is that it played a role in their hosting a first round game against the NWC's second place team.  Redlands, after suffering one or two non-conference losses against a tougher schedule, would get sent to play one of the region's top seeds in McMinnville or Collegeville, in the December elements no less.  The argument could be made that last year's Oxy team didn't play an equivalent game until the third round, especially in light of the fact that Concordia elected to play them indoors.

We all supported Oxy on their run last year, and will again this year if they represent the conference.  But I hope their days of playing all of their non-conference games against the region's weakest teams are drawing to a close.

[RFB]

Big difference in getting a home game and not having to travel to play the #1 seed. Redlands has four playoff appearances in the last fourteen years on the road against the big dogs.

1990  #1 Central 20  Redlands 14
1992  #1 UW-Lacrosse 47 Redlands 26 (Lacrosse was National Champs that year)
2002  #1 St. Johns 31  Redlands  23
2003  #1 Linfield    31  Redlands  23

If the same happened to Oxy last year it would have been one and done at Linfield. I was happy for Oxy last year but it is time for them to play somebody.