FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Scots13]

CUA void in 2017 also creates a problem ...

I think all of us who have a good knowledge of DIII are simply dreading this. The coaches and ADs have to be concerned as well. Finding that 10th game has all the hallmarks of a very expensive bear.

On the other hand, at Sewanee this weekend my friend and I got there early, about 10:15 or so as traffic was non-existent. We took a walk around the beautiful campus, for once it wasn't raining, and we were finishing up by peaking into the athletic center. Sewanee Coach Laurendine was passing through the lobby and stopped to chat with us for a few moments. Two guys, one dressed in W&L gear, that were looking at the old history of Sewanee's late 1800s glory days. He wandered up, introduced himself, asked where we were from and why we had come to the game. Chatted a bit about the old history and his previous 2 stints as OC at W&L. Didn't take long, and it was a solid 2.5 hours before the game, but where else but DIII does that happen?

My friend, not a DIII guy but came along for the ride to get a free day from family duty, was blown away when Coach L walked away and I told him he was the opposing team's head coach. He also laughed when I introduced him to W&L's Dean of the College at the alumni tailgate. Coming from UAB, and a large school background, it was completely foreign that people actually know and talk to the top people on campus.

He also thoroughly enjoyed being able to sit field level and watch the game and hear the coaches. Here in AL you can't even do that at h.s. games. Though, like me, he tired quickly of W&L's cowbells. The point of all this? DIII is a truly unique experience, and I feel slightly bad for those that think hanging out with 50,000 drunks in an SEC stadium, watching the game on the big replay screen because you can't see the players, is the best way to enjoy football.

Well said.

[hscathletics]

Top 25 poll is out.  Huntingdon from USASAC at #19.  Guilford (21 points) and W&L (13) from ODAC receiving votes and positioned at #32 and #37T, respectively.

I believe Guilford has to toughen up its OOC to receive anything more than they are getting.  I know this horse has been beat to death in here, but I'm wondering if anyone knows what their future schedules look like?

Hasa has said they have a new opponent coming on board, but they aren't going to scrap their cross town Soup Bowl game with Greensboro unless one of them cries uncle. And as Hasa has repeatedly said, travel money is an issue. So you aren't going to see them take an overnight somewhere. That limits the opponent pool to the USASAC mainly. Making sure you are playing at least one of the best teams in the USASAC can be difficult. It isn't a PAC type conference where the same 2 teams are at the top of the league for decades.

Without a doubt, the HC and AD know the OOC probably cost the Quakers a bid in 2015.  The reality, however, is travel money, proximity and tradition.

GCQ has played GCP in the annual Soup Bowl every season since Greensboro started football in 1997.  Lately, though, it hasn't been much of a rivalry with Guilford having won four in a row and five of the last six, including a cumulative 198-13 thrashing with two shutouts in the past three.  Finally, travel costs can't get much less than 6 miles apart in the same city.

Similar with Methodist ... Guilford's played the Monarchs every season since MU started football in the late 1980's.  With a 2-hour drive from Greensboro to Fayetteville, it's also unlikely to change.

The only opportunity for another opponent appears to be the Averett/SVU/other slot.  I heard we've scheduled DI non-scholarship Davidson home and away in 2017 and 2018.  Not a DIII, but it would be a different test ... again, an easy trip down I-85 to Davidson, north of Charlotte.  Someone also unofficially threw Washington U. of St. Louis in the mix, but I do not know if it's a credible rumor.  CUA void in 2017 also creates a problem ... I'm betting on instate Brevard unless another conference affiliate is found.

Unless the selection criteria has changed, playing Davidson won't help any from that standpoint, though there is still the human element.

[y_jack_lok]

Without a doubt, the HC and AD know the OOC probably cost the Quakers a bid in 2015.  The reality, however, is travel money, proximity and tradition.

GCQ has played GCP in the annual Soup Bowl every season since Greensboro started football in 1997.  Lately, though, it hasn't been much of a rivalry with Guilford having won four in a row and five of the last six, including a cumulative 198-13 thrashing with two shutouts in the past three.  Finally, travel costs can't get much less than 6 miles apart in the same city.

Similar with Methodist ... Guilford's played the Monarchs every season since MU started football in the late 1980's.  With a 2-hour drive from Greensboro to Fayetteville, it's also unlikely to change.

The only opportunity for another opponent appears to be the Averett/SVU/other slot.  I heard we've scheduled DI non-scholarship Davidson home and away in 2017 and 2018.  Not a DIII, but it would be a different test ... again, an easy trip down I-85 to Davidson, north of Charlotte.  Someone also unofficially threw Washington U. of St. Louis in the mix, but I do not know if it's a credible rumor.  CUA void in 2017 also creates a problem ... I'm betting on instate Brevard unless another conference affiliate is found.

Here is Wash U StL's schedule this season: http://bearsports.wustl.edu/sports/fball/2016-17/schedule. I have no way of knowing how much, if at all, playing a team like Wash U would help GC's OOC SoS, but I doubt it would be worth the expense of GC traveling to Saint Louis. Wash U could afford the trip to Greensboro, though.

Wash U is affiliated with the SAA this season ( and maybe next) but in a year (or two) I think that affiliation switches to the CCIW.

[jknezek]

W&L has posted the game notes from this weekend's interesting match up with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Full notes here:

http://generalssports.com/sports/fball/2016-17/releases/Claremont_Notes

Cliff Notes:

This is W&L's first ever game against a team from California and the first game against a team from west of the Mississippi since a game with Wash U in 1988.

CMS is currently just receiving more votes than W&L in the D3football poll. W&L has dropped after each of the first two weeks.

The game winning pass against Sewanee was starting QB Charlie Nelson's first TD pass since the 10/18/14 game against RMC. So despite going undefeated last year, the starting QB didn't throw a TD pass.

So far this season W&L has used 11 ball carriers. With 6 carrying 10 times or more over the first 2 weeks of the season. Six players have found the end zone on the ground, and no one has more than one TD carry after 2 games.

[hasanova]

Congratulations to Guilford's two Team of the Week recipients this year:

1.  Junior DE Gibson Ziah for his defensive performance versus Greensboro on 3-Sept.
2.  Junior RB De"Eric Bell for his offensive performance versus Methodist on 10-Sept.

Kudos also to Team of the Week winner Junior DT Patrick Vidal of Catholic for his stellar performance versus Rochester on 10-Sept.

[Birddawg79]

This is my 1st post. Been lurking in the background reading for the past year trying to gather info. since my son chose to play D3. Looking forward to a great season of football.

Go Generals!

[jknezek]

This is my 1st post. Been lurking in the background reading for the past year trying to gather info. since my son chose to play D3. Looking forward to a great season of football.

Go Generals!

Holy Cow. Another W&L poster. I am happy to see you! Here's hoping the boys have a good year. I went to Sewanee last weekend. Feeling a bit skeptical but hoping now that they get a pair of home games in a row they can get the ship moving in the right direction.

[hasanova]

This is my 1st post. Been lurking in the background reading for the past year trying to gather info. since my son chose to play D3. Looking forward to a great season of football.

Go Generals!

Welcome aboard!  Always good to see more ODAC posters.  Make a point to say hello if you visit Guilford in October.

[Birddawg79]

Thanks guys. We will definitely be at Guilford.

[hasanova]

Thanks guys. We will definitely be at Guilford.

Not sure of your hometown, but come early and walk around campus ... it's beautiful.

[jknezek]

Thanks guys. We will definitely be at Guilford.

Not sure of your hometown, but come early and walk around campus ... it's beautiful.

That is one thing you can say about most of the ODAC schools. Really nice places to spend a few years.

[tigerFanAlso2]

Jk

Good luck to your boys this weekend. a real opportunity for a quality ooc win for the odac which does not happen often enough.

I fully expect RMC and GC to be 3-0 after Saturday's play. We'll see what happens with the remainder of the odac. HSC has many injuries/dings to overcome so we'll see if the young guys are able to contribute and help to secure a victory in Salem. don't want to even think about 0-3 in ooc play, been awhile since that result is a possibility.   

[jknezek]

Slow day, so I figured I'd review this old post from a few weeks ago. New comments in bold

WEEK 1
W&L is a 2 TD dog. I've got hope and I went with them in the pick'em for loyalty, but it would be a good sized upset.  Nailed it
Catholic should be able to beat McDaniel at home. Call Catholic a 7 point favorite nailed it
RMC should be able to beat Dickinson on the road. Call RMC a 4 point favorite right result, completely wrong magnitude
E&H shouldn't be stressed by Ferrum on the road. Call E&H a 10 point favorite uggh. not good. was good until E&H got on the bus after the 3rd quarter
Bridgewater and Gettysburg is interesting. I'll take the Bullets at home but neither has been very good recently. 4 points Not a good call at all
HSC should handle Averett without too much trouble on the road. 10 point favorite Yeesh. Not even going to go here
Shenandoah should handle Gallaudet easily even on the road. 10 point favorite  Right result, wrong magnitude
Guilford should run roughshod over Greensboro at home. 17 point favorite. I don't think I'd ever call someone not named UMU or UWW a 70 point favorite, but 17 clearly wasn't enough

The interesting thing here is how much Centennial/ODAC tie up we are seeing. The CC only plays one OOC per year, to have 4 games landing with the ODAC is a good thing. I predicted us to go 2-2, we went 3-1. I only got one of the spreads even close though

WEEK 2
Catholic at Rochester. Don't know. Don't know much about Rochester. Suspect they will take Catholic at home. Long ride wrong again
TMC at Bridgewater.  If Bridgewater is within 24 points this will be a good result. almost dead on
CNU at HSC. Toss up. CNU is swimming with bigger fish these days. HSC might not be what they were. These games have a history of being competitive H-SC is definitely underperforming my pre-season expectations
W&L at Sewanee. W&L should be a 17 point favorite, even on the road. I can't wait to be there right result, nowhere near the spread
Brevard at E&H. No idea. I'm assuming E&H can win by 10. Brevard has been putrid for quite a while. almost dead on
Averett at RMC. RMC giving 14 if the Yellow Jackets are who I think they are. RMC is making up for my H-SC spreads by making me all wrong in the other direction
Ferrum at Shenandoah. Hornetss giving 5. A little more than home field right answer, wrong spread
Methodist at Guilford. Quakers giving 14. Methodist may be a bit better than they were, Guilford not what they were last year, but I don't see the Quakers letting Methodist hang around. not bad thanks to the 4th quarter

A more typical OOC week though the CNU/HSC game is usually entertaining. TMC at Bridgewater won't be. At all. Introduction to Brevard. A team I suspect will keep showing up in ODAC OOC contests going forward.

Week 3
Ferrum at HSC at a random field. HSC giving 17 I would shift this down to H-SC giving 7
Bridgewater at Apprentice. Bridgewater giving 10 I would shift this up to Bwater giving 17
Methodist at RMC. RMC giving 12 I would shift this up to RMC giving 20
NC Wes at Shenandoah. Toss up leave this alone
Catholic at Coast Guard. CG giving 7. Yeah. Would shift this to Catholic giving 10
E&H at M'Ville. E&H giving 3 Probably change this to M'ville giving 3
CMS at W&L. W&L giving 7. Longest trip in DIII regular season? shift this to a toss-up despite the CMS travel. W&L just hasn't been impressive
Guilford at Averett . Guilford giving 14 shift this up. Guilford giving 21

NC Wes at Shenandoah, Catholic at CG, E&H at M'ville and CMS at W&L could all be good games. CMS at W&L is fascinating as it is not a match up I would have thought we'd ever see and both teams seem to be on upward trajectories.

[jknezek]

Might as well revisit this one as well. Same rules. New comments in bold
Well, I'm not going to lie. That was a dismal opening weekend for the ODAC.  Week 2 was better

Fan bases with reasons to be optimistic:
RMC looked good. Personally I think Dickinson is pretty bad, but RMC looked good making them look really bad. Two weeks in a row. Hard not to compare with H-SC's Averett result. Home/away doesn't matter that much
Bridgewater went to Gettysburg and won. Not an outcome I'd expect from a team that can't contend in the ODAC. Hung for a while with TMC, but in the end it wasn't real close. Still, one outcome is very good, and the other is about what I expected to better than I expected. Bwater is definitely looking up this year
Guilford looked very good. Sadly Greensboro is really bad, so it doesn't tell us much other than Guilford is reloading, not rebuilding.7 of 8 quarters have been really, really strong. I'd be very encouraged as a Quaker fan that despite the graduations, this is still a team built to compete
Shenandoah looked good. Gallaudet is really, really bad. Ferrum isn't real good either despite the E&H result. NCWC is better competition. Still hard to gauge how they will do against ODAC teams.
Catholic. Yeah, still don't know how good Rochester is, but that was a long bus ride and a very solid win.

Fan bases with reasons to be skeptical:
Catholic. McDaniel is really, really bad and it took OT, at home, to beat them
W&L. Too many mistakes for a team expected to be very good. Losing to a top 15 team on the road... not a big deal. Making so many killer mistakes? It's a problem. A win is a win. Nice to rally. But against Sewanee I expected to see more.

Fan bases with reasons to be pessimistic:
E&H. Holy cow how do you let Ferrum come back from that hole in the 4th quarter? Not what I would expect to see from an ODAC contender. I don't think Brevard is very good. Ferrum did not do well against Shenandoah. Not changing my mind based on these games
H-SC. It's possible Averett is better than they have been in years. But when you get clobbered, 27 first downs to 16, 33% 3rd down efficiency, 93 yards rushing, and only 21 minutes of possession, something isn't right. Injuries are also an issue, and CNU looked formidable Sunday. It's possible H-SC is looking at an 0-2 start for the first time in a decade.Change the last sentence to 0-3, though I don't think so. Week 2 performance was better, against a better team, than Week 1, but this isn't boding well for the ODAC schedule. Injuries are mounting from what I can see.

Conference wide problems. The teams ODAC teams beat went 13-36 last season. The only team an ODAC team beat with a winning record was Gettysburg who went 7-3. Thanks Bridgewater! Sadly the teams that beat ODAC teams only went 15-16 last season, and 11 of those wins belong to JHU. So we beat one team that had a winning record, and lost to one team with a winning record. Everyone else we beat or lost to was not good, at all, last season. I understand last season isn't this season, but that's not good any way you slice it.Week 2 doesn't really improve matters. ODAC goes 6-2 overall, but loses to the two best teams faced, TMC and CNU. We played two teams with winning records in '15, Rochester and TMC, and went 1-1. Otherwise we beat teams that went a combined 13-47 counting Brevard's 0-11.

This week will be interesting, as some of last week's winners face some stronger challenger.
Catholic at Rochester. I don't know much about Rochester, but they are traditionally middle of the LL. That should be better than an ODAC bottom feeder and, despite the win, I just can't think of Catholic as anything but a lamb to the conference slaughter.
TMC at Bridgewater. TMC is formidable. Not sure what happened the second half against Franklin, but Bridgewater is going to need to be on their game to compete.
CNU at HSC. See above. CNU looked good against Kean. H-SC looked bad against Averett. If something doesn't flip flop here, this could get ugly. Usually though, these teams play close games, even if it takes an All-American qb to throw 1000 picks to make it happen.
W&L at Sewanee. W&L should get back to winning ways though Sewanee usually plays W&L hard. I just don't think Sewanee has the horses to stop W&L's offense, unless the Generals stop themselves.
Brevard at E&H. No idea. Did E&H forget the game has 4 quarters? Sure looked like it.
Averett at RMC. Suddenly a really interesting game. Is Averett any good? How good is RMC?
Ferrum at Shenandoah. Can Shenandoah count quarters better than E&H? It wouldn't have mattered against Gallaudet but it might against Ferrum
Methodist at Guilford. Guilford continues their annual pre-season tour of patsies. Methodist scraped past Apprentice. Not exactly a resume booster.

[Scots13]

jk, I'll be at the MC/E&H game tomorrow, so I'll try to give you some in-game updates.

E&H blew the Ferrum game and you're right, Brevard isn't good at all--no matter how the SID tries to spin the match-up.
A 3 point spread is probably a good call, either way. MC lost by 1 to Berry (who they should have beaten by a couple of scores until their focus left the stadium) and shut out a not so good Hanover team. I'm not 100% sold on my Scots this year. The O-line needs to mature before I can breathe easy. That being said they looked like they made strides between Week 1 and Week 2. Hopefully that trend continues. The secondary isn't as weak as I thought, but we haven't played the heavy pass teams yet. Nick Myers can fling the ball and we have some young receivers that will go get it. Not used to seeing a pass first, run second team, but if it puts points on the board, so be it. I hope the sophomores and freshmen getting time now can stay in school because there is some serious talent there.