FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[desertcat1]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  Safe travels .

[CMR]

Final thought:  I've often been tough on my Jackets, but I give the 2015 team and coaches a lot of credit for finishing strong.  Playing your fourth QB and a very, very young team, Pedro probably did his best coaching job.  This team could have folded, but they show a lot of character and win the last three.  The future is bright for these Jackets, and I couldn't be more proud of Coach Arruza and the 2015 team.

[tigerFanAlso2]

CMR

Unfortunately, I have to agree with your observation. Finishing strong in 2015 (with a young team) sets up 2016 for the Jackets. Now, if the Jackets get off to another slow start in 2016, that is totally different conversation.
I have no idea what the expectations might be for HSC in 2016, but hopefully it will include a victory 2nd Saturday in November. I just can't handle current trend !!!! 

[hasanova]

Congratulations to Guilford QB Matt Pawlowski on being named South Region Offensive POY.  I watched him play about 30 times ... he's good ... well deserved!

[tigerFanAlso2]

Hasa

Agreed, he is quite the QB. I enjoyed watching him but to be very honest, I'm glad he is done !!!! All good things must come to an end and he did not leave until he helped end HSC domination of GC. 

[jknezek]

Congratulations to Guilford QB Matt Pawlowski on being named South Region Offensive POY.  I watched him play about 30 times ... he's good ... well deserved!

Very much agreed. He, and one or two others, were the face of that amazing turn around at Guilford. Something to be very much proud of to come in to a program that was so far down and to drag it back up. Congratulations and well deserved!

[hasanova]

Hasa

Agreed, he is quite the QB. I enjoyed watching him but to be very honest, I'm glad he is done !!!! All good things must come to an end and he did not leave until he helped end HSC domination of GC.

I understand ... that's the problem with college vs the pros ... 4 seasons and it's over!  lol I know Matt and the other Guilford players (and coaches) worked hard to transform the program from 0-10 in 2010 to ever-improving 2-8, 5-5, 6-4, 8-2 and 9-1 seasons.  Number 15 started all 40 games and finished his career 28-12.  Well done!

[hasanova]

Congratulations to Guilford QB Matt Pawlowski on being named South Region Offensive POY.  I watched him play about 30 times ... he's good ... well deserved!

Very much agreed. He, and one or two others, were the face of that amazing turn around at Guilford. Something to be very much proud of to come in to a program that was so far down and to drag it back up. Congratulations and well deserved!

Thanks.  I just saw the update on the d3football.com home page ... Matt is one of the four semifinalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, so he'll make the trip to Salem for the Awards Ceremony next week.  Nice!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hasa, any thoughts on how well Guilford can keep it going with Pawlowski's graduation?  Some schools have built enough of a foundation that they keep rolling after a super QB (or super class) graduates (e.g., Franklin), but others sink right back to mediocrity (e.g., Trine and Monmouth).  At least a little regression is probably inevitable, but how firm do you think the foundation at Guilford is?

[hasanova]

Hasa, any thoughts on how well Guilford can keep it going with Pawlowski's graduation?  Some schools have built enough of a foundation that they keep rolling after a super QB (or super class) graduates (e.g., Franklin), but others sink right back to mediocrity (e.g., Trine and Monmouth).  At least a little regression is probably inevitable, but how firm do you think the foundation at Guilford is?

Some other Guilford fans and I have had the same conversation ... with varying opinions.  Obviously, a great QB is one of the key foundation blocks for a successful program and Guilford will lose Pawlowski (a rare 40 game starter)... and the #2 QB Ferrick, who are both seniors.  The current #3 QB, Miles, is a sophomore and may have 30 snaps in a live game.  It will be interesting to see who emerges next August. 

Even with the loss of Smith and a few other WRs, I think the Receivers are in pretty good shape.  Also look for Sophomore RB/KR De'Eric Bell to be an even bigger part of the offense in 2016/17.

At Kicker, we will lose Tyler Hunt, so I don't know what to expect.  In addition to being steady on FGs and PATs, I think it's fair to say he helped win more than a few games with great booming punts that helped the Quakers win the field position battles.  I personally witnessed 76- and 81-yarders that turned games in our favor.

Winning makes recruiting easier and I have to say Coach Rusiewicz and his staff seem to be a great recruiters and motivators.  I expect there will be a high number of Juniors and Seniors on the field again next year and a steady stream of quality recruits.

Can Guilford repeat a 9-1 season?  Probably not, but I anticipate a winning 2016 season ... I believe the foundation is that strong.

[tigerFanAlso2]

News flash: Mount Union wins D3 Nationship Championship.

Happy Holidays to All !!!!

[jknezek]

News flash: Mount Union wins D3 Nationship Championship.

Happy Holidays to All !!!!

Yep. They are a brutally good program. Simply put, though, it's not my problem. So long as W&L is competitive in the ODAC that makes me happy. W&L isn't going to be a national competitor. So a team like UMU is interesting to watch, and the Stagg Bowl has it's charm, but I might as well be watching FCS or another division. It's not the same game.

Happy Holidays indeed, and welcome to the football doldrums!

[tigerFanAlso2]

It is a different division, a damn good division, but it defies all odds. How can one school be that good for soooooo long.
Does not happen at any other division, so why does/how can it happen at UMU. Are the coaches that much better ? Is the weight program that much better, etc It would seem to me that a coach could use the depth of the UMU program to their recruiting benefit if packaged and sold properly, but what the heck to I know ?

[jknezek]

It is a different division, a damn good division, but it defies all odds. How can one school be that good for soooooo long.
Does not happen at any other division, so why does/how can it happen at UMU. Are the coaches that much better ? Is the weight program that much better, etc It would seem to me that a coach could use the depth of the UMU program to their recruiting benefit if packaged and sold properly, but what the heck to I know ?

Actually in DIII it's more the norm than the outlier. UMU and UWW aren't even the best dynasties in DIII. Not even close. Look at Kenyon in men's and women's swimming. Wartburg/Augsburg in wrestling. Those streaks are ridiculous.

Then you get to the lesser dynasties, like UMU/UWW football or NCC in men's CC. Messiah in men's and women's soccer. If ever there was a game where luck dictates a lack of dynasties it's soccer, but not in DIII. Women's tennis has Emory and Williams. There are more.

It's just how DIII works. I have theories, but they generally lead back to two things. Transformative coach and admin support. The first gets the ball rolling, the second keeps it happening. The first is stupidly hard to find and, even given the second, harder to hold on to.

The only really unusual thing about football is the schools that succeed. In most sports, the highest academic schools in DIII are legitimate threats more years than not. This is because the schools attract athletes that could play at higher levels, but choose the academics in DIII. In football you get those kids, but there simply aren't enough to stack a team.

So in football the high academic schools are more bit players than the norm throughout the division.

[tigerFanAlso2]

Jk

I get the dynasties in other sports such as wrestling, swimming, maybe even soccer, because of the numbers. You need lots of really good football players to become a dynasty and you need them each and every year; need the resources to recruit/develop/train, each and every year. One bad recruiting class can end/change the dynasty. The fact UMU has been able to do all of the above for so long is just hard to believe. Why are all of these really good players willing to invest 4 years to play one or two, when they could go elsewhere and play three or four. The answer cannot be "to have a chance to play for/win a national championship.