FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[CNU85]

To paraphrase what CNU coach Kelchner said on the post game show about playing a tough schedule...

These kids are not on scholarship, they are paying their way to college and playing football. He (the coach) owes it to them to expose them to the best football D3 has to offer. Anything less an he feels he is letting the kids down.

Just another perspective. I'm sure if Mt Union called CNU, they would jump at the chance. But then again, I don't think Mt Union calls anybody, I think you have to call them....what are the odds that Kelchner has called? I would think 100% that he's called more than once.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

I may be alone on this one, but I'd rather lose by 66 points to Mount Union in the semifinals of the playoffs, than do so in the opening game of the season.

If a program is good, and deserves a trip to the playoffs, then you'll eventually play the best of the best.  I can just see it doing more harm than good to load up a schedule, when all that should matter is winning your conference and making it to the playoffs.

But let's be honest.  Coaches and fans will put the necessary spin on why they schedule the way they do.  Certainly CNU's coach will say how important it is to the kids to play the best of the best.  And I'm sure there are legit reasons why coaches (like Coach Bowden) want to play a game or two against easy opponents to work out the kinks before conference play begins.

Which way "prepares" your team more for conference titles and playoff games?  You tell me...

Since 2001, Christopher Newport has had a tougher non-conference schedule, with an 8-8 record in those games.  That has helped them win four conference titles and two playoff games.

Bridgewater, on the other hand, has had an easier non-conference schedule, with a 19-4 record.  That has prepared them to win five conference titles and nine playoff games.

Both ways seem to work just fine.

[pg04]

I may be alone on this one, but I'd rather lose by 66 points to Mount Union in the semifinals of the playoffs, than do so in the opening game of the season.

If a program is good, and deserves a trip to the playoffs, then you'll eventually play the best of the best.  I can just see it doing more harm than good to load up a schedule, when all that should matter is winning your conference and making it to the playoffs.

But let's be honest.  Coaches and fans will put the necessary spin on why they schedule the way they do.  Certainly CNU's coach will say how important it is to the kids to play the best of the best.  And I'm sure there are legit reasons why coaches (like Coach Bowden) want to play a game or two against easy opponents to work out the kinks before conference play begins.

Which way "prepares" your team more for conference titles and playoff games?  You tell me...

Since 2001, Christopher Newport has had a tougher non-conference schedule, with an 8-8 record in those games.  That has helped them win four conference titles and two playoff games.

Bridgewater, on the other hand, has had an easier non-conference schedule, with a 19-4 record.  That has prepared them to win five conference titles and nine playoff games.

Both ways seem to work just fine.

I can see a huge plus in building up your schedule if the Out of Conference foes are all in-region.  If you can win the OOC games, but falter in a game during the conference, you have a better chance of getting into the playoffs.

Overall, I think scheduling supposed cupcakes isn't always the best way to go, just ask Michigan.  Teams have a tendency to go to sleep on so called easier opponents.  This isn't a good way to prepare a team is it?

[CNU85]

I think this is one issue in which there is no such thing as a "right answer". There are many points of view.

As a CNU fan I get to witness it both ways. In football, we play the best possible. In basketball, we play an easier schedule to get into rhythm....they both work...my preference is to play a tougher schedule.....but I don't coach or schedule, so I'll just watch what is put out there.

[fmfdoc]

[...] Has any other school in the ODAC made the decision to install field turf in the near future anyone know? One school Im surprised has not done it yet is Bridgewater. Any news on that?

There's no way we will go to field turf.  We have a Division I-A surface with the bermuda grass.  Our grounds people had it in excellent shape for this weekend's game.

Having a synthetic surface sounds all fancy and great, but you can have something just as good, and for a lot less.  Virginia Tech and Purdue University seem to think so.

The new synthetic surfaces are not like the old "Astro-turf" where you bounced and got rug burn. They are nice if you have multiple teams palying on the same field or if space is limited and you have to practice on your playing field.  They are hot as the dickens though and tough on players on the early season daytime games.
However, there is nothing prettier or nicer to play on than a well kept, well drained and maintained real turfgrass playing surface.

[fmfdoc]

To paraphrase what CNU coach Kelchner said on the post game show about playing a tough schedule...

These kids are not on scholarship, they are paying their way to college and playing football. He (the coach) owes it to them to expose them to the best football D3 has to offer. Anything less an he feels he is letting the kids down.

Just another perspective. I'm sure if Mt Union called CNU, they would jump at the chance. But then again, I don't think Mt Union calls anybody, I think you have to call them....what are the odds that Kelchner has called? I would think 100% that he's called more than once.

This might be a stupid question (because I am new to DIII and don't know) and perhaps it belongs on the General Discussion board, will the NCAA allow a DIII school play a DI-championship (the artist formerly know as D I AA) team? If so, could a team like Mt Union play a team like App State or would ASU (or the other teams) be afraid that a Mt Union could do to them what they did to Michigian?
Could some of the teams like BC play say WCU, Elon, Gardner-Webb and hang with them? ....and I am not even going to bring up Duke playing them... although the Blue Devils may be looking for a few small HS to try to beat next year to get in the W column.

Congrats to all the ODAC winners this w/e. YellowJacket and Yellow Jacket Lawyer - nice start! I am sure the "hive" is alive in Ashland is buzzing!

[Pat Coleman]

The NCAA has no jurisdiction regarding scheduling of regular-season games. Any NCAA member can play any four-year varsity program.

[TheEHC52]

fmfdoc,

As recently as 2003 EHC was playing Davidson regularly. I remember distinctly because the first game I got in my freshman year was against them.  So to back up what Pat said, it can (and does) happen.  The only caveat I would throw out there is that at the time Davidson was non-scholarship in football (they made up for it with track scholarships and recruited heavily from that team).  We quit playing them in 2004 when they became a scholarship football program.

[hasanova]

Congratulations to Guilford QB Josh Vogelbach and to E&H LB Kevin Worley for being named the ODAC Offensive and Defensive POW's, respectively.  Both these guys had great games! 

[kickerdad]

I may be alone on this one, but I'd rather lose by 66 points to Mount Union in the semifinals of the playoffs, than do so in the opening game of the season.

If a program is good, and deserves a trip to the playoffs, then you'll eventually play the best of the best.  I can just see it doing more harm than good to load up a schedule, when all that should matter is winning your conference and making it to the playoffs.

But let's be honest.  Coaches and fans will put the necessary spin on why they schedule the way they do.  Certainly CNU's coach will say how important it is to the kids to play the best of the best.  And I'm sure there are legit reasons why coaches (like Coach Bowden) want to play a game or two against easy opponents to work out the kinks before conference play begins.

Which way "prepares" your team more for conference titles and playoff games?  You tell me...

Since 2001, Christopher Newport has had a tougher non-conference schedule, with an 8-8 record in those games.  That has helped them win four conference titles and two playoff games.

Bridgewater, on the other hand, has had an easier non-conference schedule, with a 19-4 record.  That has prepared them to win five conference titles and nine playoff games.

Both ways seem to work just fine.

Matt,

I agree with you and I also see the Averett coach's side of it as well. Last year he told the team if you want to be number one, you have to play the best and see what it like. Well we all know what happened last year (Averett lost to Mount Union in the first game 64-7. They played Wesley the next week and made a ball game out if for 31/2 quarters. At that point they had played the number 1 and number 4 ranked team in DIII (at that time). Everyone thought Dunlevy had lost his mind and the team would never bounce back with Guilford and their 500+ yard QB coming to town. Well, things turned 180 degrees and they won a share of the USA Sout conference. They actually had CNU on the ropes at half time but came out and played too conservative. This year they played Mount again and lost BIG time. However the Mount Union team I saw Saturday is stronger, faster and smarter than last year and there isn't anyone going to stop them but themselves. Right now their 22 starters could go up against some D1 schools and do just fine.

To your point, if I was a coach and lets get that point out of the way right now (I am not). I would rather schedule a soft OOC school and let the team get used to playing someone other than themselves, rather than play the National Champions and get creamed and then have to spend the next few days getting my team re-dedicated and focused. However for some schools and coaches like Dunlevy/Averett it worked last year and we will find out in two weeks if it is going to work again this year.

Not disputing your point, just throwing out another side of the field.

One final thing, I like your web site it looks great (I am not sucking up either) but can you tell me what happened to a guy named Kelly Sims from Lakeland High School that was playing two years ago for Bridgewater. He and my son played together and I haven't seen him on the roster or around town for that mater.

[theaprof]

Just posting to help you get off of the devils number

[theaprof]

I said--be healed.

[theaprof]

Where's a good televangelist when you need one?

[theaprof]

Maybe we can bring back Falwell!!

[theaprof]

Or Tammy Faye?