FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[jknezek]

your defense got stronger, but it seems you are assuming a large disparity between the odac/usasac conference champion and the teams just below...

My defense has never changed. The very first statement that you picked up on was only valid in the context of Guilford as ODAC champion. That was the point I was making. And I know the ODAC and USASC are flat conferences top to bottom. Sadly that doesn't change very much. The champion is still face of the conference. And for the champion to lose to a team who is not champion of another, significantly better, conference is unimpressive. To lose to a non-champion of a conference that I think is not as good as the ODAC? That's very unimpressive.

By the way... +K for having a long (in terms of a message board anyway) disagreement where neither of us is likely to agree with the other that didn't turn ugly or personal. The way it should be...

[tigerfanalso]

Jk

Enjoyed your debate with Narch; bottom line both the ODAC and USASC are not very good this year and have not been good for a long, long time (on a national/regional basis). So at the end of the day the champion of both conferences is going to be shipped away for a first round beating similar to the one RMC took in 2009. Both need to recruit better and improve the OOC schedule but both of those cost $$$$ so doubtful for most schools to pull off. Smell the roses during the regular season; post season is going to be ugly for both conferences.

[jknezek]

Enjoyed your debate with Narch; bottom line both the ODAC and USASC are not very good this year and have not been good for a long, long time (on a national/regional basis). So at the end of the day the champion of both conferences is going to be shipped away for a first round beating similar to the one RMC took in 2009. Both need to recruit better and improve the OOC schedule but both of those cost $$$$ so doubtful for most schools to pull off. Smell the roses during the regular season; post season is going to be ugly for both conferences.

I'm not sure I agree with the bolded comment. These conferences are actually pretty good, what they don't have is a regional/national competitor at the top. But the top, middle and bottom of the conference would compare quite favorably with many conferences, except for the piece at the very top.

As for the italicized point, I'm in agreement. Both will have tough games in the first round that likely won't be winnable. But whoever those teams are, they will have the pride of having won their conference and taken down some good D3 football teams along the way.

[HSCTiger fan]

When was post season ever pretty for ODAC?  Reality is it's tough to get there and tougher once you do. No ones cares about who they might play until after the seedlings are announced. If you gave any ODAC team a chance  to play MU right now in the first round they'd take it. That would mean they are conference champs.

I also don't care about the OOC. Who ranked in the top 25 plays a tough OOC?  I'm sure some do, but most don't.  If they do play a tough OOC they are mostly regional games anyway.

[jknezek]

When was post season ever pretty for ODAC?  Reality is it's tough to get there and tougher once you do. No ones cares about who they might play until after the seedlings are announced. If you gave any ODAC team a chance  to play MU right now in the first round they'd take it. That would mean they are conference champs.

I also don't care about the OOC. Who ranked in the top 25 plays a tough OOC?  I'm sure some do, but most don't.  If they do play a tough OOC they are mostly regional games anyway.

The last pretty post season is getting close to a decade ago. So it has been a long time, but you are absolutely correct in that winning the conference is more than a stepping stone to the playoffs, it is a darned good achievement that should be celebrated regardless what happens the next week.

As for OOC, lots of top 25 play tough OOC schedules. The best example would be Franklin, who has 2 OOC games and played Mount and Butler to very tough games. One of the reasons Franklin does this, I assume, is because outside of Franklin the HCAC is extremely weak. So they use those first games as a measuring stick and it doesn't matter if they win or lose them because they will most likely plow through the conference for an A bid. Linfield, Mary Hardin Baylor, Pac Lutheran all play very difficult OOC schedules just off teh top of my head. There are lots more.

There are good reasons for playing a tough OOC, and there are some good reasons to not do it. All D3 games are regional now provided you play more than 75% of your schedule against D3 opponents. It's fairly difficult to play a non-regional D3 game starting this year.

[hasanova]

Freddie Patek, the diminutive (5'4"/148 lb) one-time shortstop of the Kansas City Royals, was once asked by a reporter how it felt to be the shortest man in MLB to which he replied "Better than being the tallest man in the minors!"

I'm sure whoever wins the ODAC (and it's definitely still up for grabs) will say they are proud and excited to be the champion and in the playoffs regardless of who they draw in the first round.  You have to start somewhere and being confrenece champ can create better recruiting in the following years. 

[odacsuperfan]

This weeks game could determine the ODAC Champion. Guilford & HSC control their own destiny.  If Guilford beats HSC then they will win the ODAC barring a collapse against Catholic and E&H.  If HSC beats Guilford they will have to beat W&L and RMC in their remaining games to win the ODAC. RMC can win if HSC beats Guilford and RMC beats Shenandoah, Bridgewater, and HSC and Guilford loses to Catholic or E&H.  Guilford is definitely in the Drivers seat. But don't count out HSC or RMC. At one time I thought HSC was the best team overall but after the loss to Shenandoah you can see that's not the case. I've seen 2 of HSC games this year and I saw the same thing both games. Better Defense than usual. Coach Favret is impatient and tries to throw deep way too often. Even though Nance has a strong arm they don't really have a speedy deep threat. Walker is a great tough nosed WR but he's not a run by you guy or a jump ball go get it guy.  Favret calls a lot of long passes to Walker even when he's double covered .  HSC has a really good Line and could run the ball more and try a short to mid passing game.  Even Nance can run well. I'm told Favret calls all the plays and he's laid eggs both games I've watched. I think ODAC teams know this now from Favret and play to stop the long ball and double team Walker.
Guilford has proven they are the best all around. Coach Rusiewicz has really done a great job with this team. They too have some questionable play calling at times but overall they are solid. The losses early should be no reflection on this teams talent.  Pawlowski is solid and gets the ball to his playmakers. The Defense is solid too but is sometimes lackadaisical. Guilford plays like they have something to prove. The RB Schow is one of the best in the Conference and is the key to their passing game . Gooch , Smith and Stevenson are great Defenders. Coach Rusiewicz and his staff have done a super job this season. I'm sure the Guilford staff is using the 68-24 loss last year at HSC  as motivation to beat the Tigers. With an  HSC win it then becomes a 2 team race. Don't see Guilford losing another game. I also give Guilford the upper hand because I'm not sure HSC can go to RMC the final game of the year and win. Good Luck Quakers & Tigers ! Should be a fun day this Saturday at Armfield Athletic Center in Greensboro , NC !   

[hasanova]

I, for one, am NOT prepared to say "I don't see Guilford losing another game."  It could happen, but let's rein it in a little.  The ODAC is, and I repeat d3football.com, too ODACy!  GC hasn't beaten HSC since 1999, so one game at a time.  I'm sure Coaches Rusiewicz at GC and Favret at HSC will have their teams motivated and ready to play.  Should be a great game!

[HSCTiger fan]

When was post season ever pretty for ODAC?  Reality is it's tough to get there and tougher once you do. No ones cares about who they might play until after the seedlings are announced. If you gave any ODAC team a chance  to play MU right now in the first round they'd take it. That would mean they are conference champs.

I also don't care about the OOC. Who ranked in the top 25 plays a tough OOC?  I'm sure some do, but most don't.  If they do play a tough OOC they are mostly regional games anyway.

The last pretty post season is getting close to a decade ago. So it has been a long time, but you are absolutely correct in that winning the conference is more than a stepping stone to the playoffs, it is a darned good achievement that should be celebrated regardless what happens the next week.

As for OOC, lots of top 25 play tough OOC schedules. The best example would be Franklin, who has 2 OOC games and played Mount and Butler to very tough games. One of the reasons Franklin does this, I assume, is because outside of Franklin the HCAC is extremely weak. So they use those first games as a measuring stick and it doesn't matter if they win or lose them because they will most likely plow through the conference for an A bid. Linfield, Mary Hardin Baylor, Pac Lutheran all play very difficult OOC schedules just off teh top of my head. There are lots more.

There are good reasons for playing a tough OOC, and there are some good reasons to not do it. All D3 games are regional now provided you play more than 75% of your schedule against D3 opponents. It's fairly difficult to play a non-regional D3 game starting this year.

It only matters if you win. If Franklin wins their conference losing those games, will most likely prevent them from getting a home playoff game. Additionally having lost those 2 games would most likely mean that the only way they get into the tournament is to win their conference.  They will not play in the tournament at 7-3 unless they win the HCAC.  A 2nd place HCAC team at 9-1 may have an at large shot. I see nothing that helps Franklin other than the measuring stick - that is if you if you are in to moral victories.

[narch]

Favret calls a lot of long passes to Walker even when he's double covered.

i imagine that the hsc coaching staff would encourage a former sec qb to read the coverage presented by the defense, though, right

[jknezek]

It only matters if you win. If Franklin wins their conference losing those games, will most likely prevent them from getting a home playoff game. Additionally having lost those 2 games would most likely mean that the only way they get into the tournament is to win their conference.  They will not play in the tournament at 7-3 unless they win the HCAC.  A 2nd place HCAC team at 9-1 may have an at large shot. I see nothing that helps Franklin other than the measuring stick - that is if you if you are in to moral victories.

Well... but that's the thing about Franklin. They have lost 3 HCAC games since 2005, including 5 seasons with no conference losses. So they are pretty much assured the A bid these days and they don't get tested during the season (last year 14 points was their closest conference win, the year before 12 points, most games by much, much more) and stand a shot at getting a home playoff game. If they run the table this year in the HCAC, I'd be surprised if they don't get a home game. They didn't last year, but they were buried by Mount and Butler. This year they played both close.

Tough games tell you what you need to work on, where you need to improve. It is much harder to find that out in blowout victories. For Franklin, it makes a world of sense to play those tough games. For other teams it may not.

[jknezek]

Favret calls a lot of long passes to Walker even when he's double covered.

i imagine that the hsc coaching staff would encourage a former sec qb to read the coverage presented by the defense, though, right

In all fairness, Nance does a very good job almost any way you measure his passing. He completes 62% of his passes, has the most attempts, the most passing yards, and the most yards per game in the conference. He does have the most interceptions, but almost half came against CNU in one monstrously bad game. While I don't think he is on track to repeat as offensive player of the year, he is having a pretty good year and it is awfully picky to be unhappy with his play (CNU game aside). HSC asks a lot of the qb and he has delivered.

[HSCTiger fan]

Favret calls a lot of long passes to Walker even when he's double covered.

i imagine that the hsc coaching staff would encourage a former sec qb to read the coverage presented by the defense, though, right

Why do you have this thing going with our QB?  You've admittedly never seen him play. Yet when any opportunity arises to poke fun or point out some meaningless BS you do.

You should have something positive to say, for the fist time in 8 years Methodist has a chance at a winning record. That's something the 25 returning freshmen and the 75 freshmen that don't return should remember for a long time.

[HSCTiger fan]

This weeks game could determine the ODAC Champion. Guilford & HSC control their own destiny.  If Guilford beats HSC then they will win the ODAC barring a collapse against Catholic and E&H.  If HSC beats Guilford they will have to beat W&L and RMC in their remaining games to win the ODAC. RMC can win if HSC beats Guilford and RMC beats Shenandoah, Bridgewater, and HSC and Guilford loses to Catholic or E&H.  Guilford is definitely in the Drivers seat. But don't count out HSC or RMC. At one time I thought HSC was the best team overall but after the loss to Shenandoah you can see that's not the case. I've seen 2 of HSC games this year and I saw the same thing both games. Better Defense than usual. Coach Favret is impatient and tries to throw deep way too often. Even though Nance has a strong arm they don't really have a speedy deep threat. Walker is a great tough nosed WR but he's not a run by you guy or a jump ball go get it guy.  Favret calls a lot of long passes to Walker even when he's double covered .  HSC has a really good Line and could run the ball more and try a short to mid passing game.  Even Nance can run well. I'm told Favret calls all the plays and he's laid eggs both games I've watched. I think ODAC teams know this now from Favret and play to stop the long ball and double team Walker.
Guilford has proven they are the best all around. Coach Rusiewicz has really done a great job with this team. They too have some questionable play calling at times but overall they are solid. The losses early should be no reflection on this teams talent.  Pawlowski is solid and gets the ball to his playmakers. The Defense is solid too but is sometimes lackadaisical. Guilford plays like they have something to prove. The RB Schow is one of the best in the Conference and is the key to their passing game . Gooch , Smith and Stevenson are great Defenders. Coach Rusiewicz and his staff have done a super job this season. I'm sure the Guilford staff is using the 68-24 loss last year at HSC  as motivation to beat the Tigers. With an  HSC win it then becomes a 2 team race. Don't see Guilford losing another game. I also give Guilford the upper hand because I'm not sure HSC can go to RMC the final game of the year and win. Good Luck Quakers & Tigers ! Should be a fun day this Saturday at Armfield Athletic Center in Greensboro , NC !

I don't know which games you watched but HSC scored 35 points and had 480 yards offense against SU. If you said kicking game was an issue I could agree. 3 missed extra points and a blocked punt hurt more the other day than any play call.

Further review - HSC has 281 passing attempts with 14 TDs and 282 rushing attempts and 19 TDs. If you remove the CNU game HSC has thrown the ball 218 times with 14 TDs and ran it 266 with 18 TDs. I'd say that's mixing it up. 

[tigerfanalso]

Narch

I never played QB, never coached a QB, but I would think all QB's are coached to read the defense regardless if they transfered from a SEC school or not. Give the kid a break. He's doing the best he can and I'm certain your opinion of his performance does not keep him up at night. Good luck to MU on Saturday.