FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

HoosierQBScout · October 21, 2006, 09:29:05 PM

Just got a complete report on the DePauw-Millsaps tilt...cograts to the Majors---great game plan and execution on both sides of the ball. The posts talking about a bright future at Millsaps are right on...

HunterT · October 21, 2006, 09:47:28 PM

Wow. Congrats Majors, great win. it's gonna come down to the TU/Millsaps game if nothing changes. This is why I love the SCAC. Nobody expected Millsaps to do anything this year in the SCAC. With a new coach, and a team that hadn't done that well in the past few years, it was a rebuilding year. But kudos to the coaches down there... great job getting the guys going and playing some great games.

It would have been interesting if they had pulled out those first few games... the SCAC could have had 2 playoff teams possibly.

The Rhodes game was as expected, 28-10 Rhodes. The defense played well, the offense came through. They played very well throughout the whole game. It was a good game to watch, and I salute the Rhodes Lynx for a great win against a future SCAC opponent. Colorado is much better thatn I expected as a fan, and the Lynx kept them in check the whole game. Great gameplan by the coaches, and very well executed by the players.

I was proven wrong, a good gameplan and talented and smart players are more important that playing the Homecoming game. Colorado will be fun next year in the SCAC. Can't wait.

Ralph Turner · October 21, 2006, 10:14:52 PM

Hunter, I really don't think that a 2-loss Trinity earns a Pool C bid.

Millsaps' only chance is to earn the Pool A bid. A 6-4 South Region record for Millsaps doesn't get a Pool C bid.

HunterT · October 21, 2006, 10:49:33 PM

I agree that Millsaps only chance is to beat TU and win the SCAC, and that if that happens, Trinity will not go to the playoffs with 2 losses.

It comes down the the TU/Millsaps game.

what I meant with my previous comments was that we have, right now, two playoff caliber teams. Not that they will each make the playoffs. sorry for the confusion.

Ralph Turner · October 21, 2006, 11:11:54 PM

Quote from: HunterT on October 21, 2006, 10:49:33 PM
what I meant with my previous comments was that we have, right now, two playoff caliber teams. Not that they will each make the playoffs. sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for the clarification. If that is the calibre of the 2 SCAC teams then the pinnacle of the SCAC is down. Now I am going on the first 3 non-conference games, and we haven't seen what DuBose can do with an off-season porgram. And, how long does DuBose do D3?

Whom will Millsaps keep for their non-conference games next year?

historymajor · October 22, 2006, 08:16:11 AM

Wow,,, the old 'homecoming buzz-saw'... I don't like homecooking from KY that well... just give it to one- time family style without the vinegar! Centre played their butts off, and the refs tried real hard, but TU outlasted both.... That's the WORST ref'ed game I have ever witnessed (and I've seen some dandys).

Amend that previous discussion about being GEEKED-UP at homecoming with being GEEKED-UP and PROPPED UP by referees....

frank_ezelle · October 22, 2006, 11:58:56 AM

With the score still tied 7-7, a DePauw photographer basically said to me, "Millsaps is 5 times better than last year--they are so much better organized." Keep in mind that all he saw of Millsaps last year was their 14-51 loss to DePauw, but it obviously didn't take much time to recognize that Millsaps is a totally different team this season. There is no question in my mind that Coach DuBose is the key to the turnaround.

I don't know Coach DuBose (and I seriously doubt that he knows my name) so all I can tell you is what I see from the sideline when I'm taking photos. If you asked me for a one word description, that word would be "trusting". He seems to have a tremendous amount of trust in his staff and his players and they seem determined to live up to that trust. Just some example:

--He trusted the plan of not worrying about early wins and losses but using non-conference games to prepare for SCAC play. That's gutsy for a first year coach but it seems brilliant now.

--During the game he lets his staff do their job. I'm sure he gives a lot of input during game preparations and here and there throughout the game, but he doesn't wear a headset and he often is away from the assistants when they are calling the plays. You would think a guy with his D1 resume would try to run the entire show but his staff gets a lot of freedom during game time.

--He and the coaching staff seem to have a lot of trust in his players. Burt Pereira came into yesterday's game with 4 catches for 57 yards but with Eric McCarty injured they had confidence to throw to Burt early and often and he finished with 8 catches on the day. The fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown was pulled off by two freshmen--if you prove that you can play in practice the coaches trust you enough to put you on the field and they count on you to come up with big plays.

One last thing about Coach DuBose. I would have expected a stirring speech to the team after the game yesterday, a chance for the head coach to bask in the glory. Instead he asked senior lineman Conell Phillips to address the team and it just gave me the feeling that Coach DuBose isn't out there for any ego boost but he simply takes a tremendous amount of pride in the players and helping them develope. Hopefully he is at a point in his life where the coaching turntable isn't very appealing and he'll stay and build a legacy at Millsaps.

Ralph Turner · October 22, 2006, 02:16:34 PM

Quote from: frank_ezelle on October 22, 2006, 11:58:56 AM
With the score still tied 7-7, a DePauw photographer basically said to me, "Millsaps is 5 times better than last year--they are so much better organized." Keep in mind that all he saw of Millsaps last year was their 14-51 loss to DePauw, but it obviously didn't take much time to recognize that Millsaps is a totally different team this season. There is no question in my mind that Coach DuBose is the key to the turnaround.

I don't know Coach DuBose (and I seriously doubt that he knows my name) so all I can tell you is what I see from the sideline when I'm taking photos. If you asked me for a one word description, that word would be "trusting". He seems to have a tremendous amount of trust in his staff and his players and they seem determined to live up to that trust. Just some example:

--He trusted the plan of not worrying about early wins and losses but using non-conference games to prepare for SCAC play. That's gutsy for a first year coach but it seems brilliant now.

--During the game he lets his staff do their job. I'm sure he gives a lot of input during game preparations and here and there throughout the game, but he doesn't wear a headset and he often is away from the assistants when they are calling the plays. You would think a guy with his D1 resume would try to run the entire show but his staff gets a lot of freedom during game time.

--He and the coaching staff seem to have a lot of trust in his players. Burt Pereira came into yesterday's game with 4 catches for 57 yards but with Eric McCarty injured they had confidence to throw to Burt early and often and he finished with 8 catches on the day. The fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown was pulled off by two freshmen--if you prove that you can play in practice the coaches trust you enough to put you on the field and they count on you to come up with big plays.

One last thing about Coach DuBose. I would have expected a stirring speech to the team after the game yesterday, a chance for the head coach to bask in the glory. Instead he asked senior lineman Conell Phillips to address the team and it just gave me the feeling that Coach DuBose isn't out there for any ego boost but he simply takes a tremendous amount of pride in the players and helping them develope. Hopefully he is at a point in his life where the coaching turntable isn't very appealing and he'll stay and build a legacy at Millsaps.

Excellent Post, Frank +1!

I took the comment about not wearing a headset to be real "D1-ish"! He trusts his assistants coaches to execute the gameplan! Those guys are not going to let him down! They have authority because he gave it to them, which is even more empowering! Your really bust your rear-end when you don't want to let down someone whom you really admire.

It is not about him; it is about the team. The senior leadership among the players take the responsibility very seriously. Who is in the weight room 24/7? The Head Coach cannot be, but the senior leadership can provide the spirit necessary to "be there" mentally, 24/7.

Your post suggests that DuBose is demonstrating real leadership! That is infectious! Players, especially players with the full set of tools that Millsaps can attract, will respond to that.

In D-1 football, we have seen the game overrun with athlete-students, whose primary talents are physical. Millsaps can attract those student-athletes who had previously thought of quitting football and doing the SEC party/fraternity life. The south has hundreds of quality student-athletes who love to play the game, who aren't now! They quit football after high school and go to Tuscaloosa or Oxford or Starkville or Baton Rouge or Gainesville or Auburn and party.

Thanks! Let's watch for that to manifest itself over the next decade.

lynxcat · October 22, 2006, 04:16:28 PM

Since Depauw has two conference losses now, Rhodes controls its own destiny, in addition to Milsaps and Trinity. If Rhodes wins out they would have at least a share of the SCAC title, and would win the head-to-head tie breaker with Trinity and/or Milsaps (lots of assumptions, I know). I guess my point is that the last 3 weeks of SCAC play have the potential to be real exciting, because the top 3 teams in the conference all have a shot at the title, and all still have to play each other.

It should be an interesting game this week with Trinity. Looks like they had a rough time against Centre. Rhodes, however, has always had a tough time in San Antonio, hopefully they can break that habbit this weekend.

Ron Boerger · October 22, 2006, 04:42:17 PM

Rhodes may control its own destiny but having to win @ Trinity and vs. Millsaps means it definitely has the hardest road of the three contenders.

Bill McCabe · October 22, 2006, 09:44:13 PM

This Saturday will answer if Rhodes is a contender. I expect Trinity to keep their home streak alive. At least Rhodes is still alive in late October.

HunterT · October 23, 2006, 07:45:36 AM

I agree that Rhodes has had a great year, and they deserve it by the way they're playing.

This saturday is the test. It's going to be a hard one because, well, it's Trinity in San Antonio. We've all seen what happens down there. It's a tough place to play, and the Lynx have to play a good game all the way around in order to stay in the hunt.

frank_ezelle · October 23, 2006, 08:49:49 AM

I wanted to respond to something Ralph Turner wrote:

"It is not about him; it is about the team. The senior leadership among the players take the responsibility very seriously. Who is in the weight room 24/7? The Head Coach cannot be, but the senior leadership can provide the spirit necessary to "be there" mentally, 24/7."

I graduated from Millsaps in 1973 and there was a stretch of about 25 years before and after that time when the Millsaps football coaching staff was Harper Davis and Tommy Ranager (which is why the current team plays on Harper Davis Field and gets ready in the Tommy Ranager field house). I'm sure many of you old-timers can remember when it was just a couple of guys coaching the school's football team.

I'm not saying that was a better situation than today's larger staffs, but it did mean that the seniors on the team had to take on a leadership role and they had to shoulder more responsibilities than just being players if the team was going to be a success. It was a fantastic learning and growing opportunity for those senior players and that's really the true value of sports, especially sports played at the D3 level. If the guys learn how to lead on the football team, they will learn how to lead in work situations, community, etc.

As I said earlier, I hope Coach DuBose finds Millsaps to be a comfortable place for this time in his life and I hope he'll stay long enough that we'll have to build something to named after him.

evacuee · October 23, 2006, 10:20:01 AM

It was written earlier that Millsaps looks much better organized and then written that DuBose lets his assistants do their jobs. Being a coach right now, I cannot tell you how much sense that makes because I've seen what happens when head coaches play their hand in all parts of the team's mobilization. It means that each unit (off, def, st) has two chiefs. The players don't know which coach should have their attention if there's a conflict, nor can you get the right people or play into the huddle without some sort of problem. You can't even warm up and look organized if every assistant has to constantly hear about what they should be doing from their head coach.

That's great work by Mike and a great performance last week. Let's see what happens before we crown him Coach of the Year. There are other coaches in the conference that have done great work for a whole lot longer.

One thing has me curious. Does anyone know how Juan Joseph is doing in school? His high school's football program is incredibly good but the school is equally bad at getting all their great players into college. We have one of his high school teammates here at Tulane, and he is one guy who's smart that was not ready for college. If he's getting by on his own, good for him!

frank_ezelle · October 23, 2006, 11:19:44 AM

I'm certainly not ready to crown Millsaps as SCAC champions or hand out any post season awards. There are a lot of good coaches in the league but you have to tip your hat to a coach when a team wins 31-7 against a team that beat them by 37 points the previous season. Keep in mind that Millsaps finished last year at 2-7 and 1-5 in the SCAC which makes it remarkable that they even are in the conversation for a SCAC championship this season.

As for Juan Joseph's grades, I don't know and I really don't think that's a subject for this message board. Certainly it is a factor when guys can and can't play due to injuries or grades or misconduct, etc., but I would hate to see anything on this board that could be taken as even hinting at slander against any individual player in the league.

By saying, "If he's getting by on his own, good for him" you are indicating your doubts that anyone from his school can make it academically at Millsaps and there's a good chance that he is just being given his grades to keep him eligible for football. That comes out as both an insult to Juan and an insult to the Millsaps coaches and administration.