FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Tex]

Good season Majors.  Especially on making it past the first round. 

I hope you make it to the playoffs again next season, but only as a Pool C bid! 

[evacuee]

Hey Pat,

You said something about a miracle being the only thing that would keep Millsaps from winning the region.  I guess miracles only happen at Harper Davis Field.   

Sorry Majors.  I have to say that it's pretty impressive when the underdog old guard knocks off the upcoming new guard.  Don't feel bad.  It may not be what you want but who could have guessed you'd be this good say, three years ago?  I went up to Lycoming in 1997 after Trinity's first playoff win and the old guard wipped us like we had never been whipped and we went back the next year to return the favor.  You'll be back if you can find a quarterback half as good as Joseph, but I'm afraid he got rattled today when there was finally a team going toe to toe with them.  Perhaps a victim of their own success.

I'm glad you've arrived as we're all looking forward to a more competitive SCAC, as it was not this year!

[Ron Boerger]

Congratulations, Majors, you represented the SCAC well and thank you for getting rid of the conference's 0-since-'02 playoff skid. 

[frank_ezelle]

You have to congratulate the team from W&J, holding Millsaps to 20 points both with their defense and the long drives by their offense.  They burned up most of the 2nd quarter with a 17-play TD drive that took over 10 minutes.

For those who will simply look at the score and not the details, this was a closer game than the 35-20 score indicates.  Millsaps missed a FG of just over 40 yards in the 4th quarter that would have put them up 23-21.  W&J then went on a ball control drive that bumped the score up to 28-20, and later they scored on a long run when Millsaps had to stack the line late--somewhat like pulling the goalie in hockey where you try something risky that sometimes works but can also result in a quick score by the other team.

Several people have already alluded to the fact that Millsaps has come a very long way in a very short time.  The 2005 Millsaps team was one of the worse in the SCAC, avoiding the cellar by winning by one point over Rhodes in a battle of SCAC winless teams.  Then DuBose was promoted to head coach in April or May of 2006 so the first year of recruiting was only a partial year.  This Millsaps football program is way ahead of schedule and while winning today was certainly a possibility, winning the national title so soon would have been somewhat of a stretch. 

It has been a remarkable three years and an amazing ride, especially for those seniors who were freshmen back in 2005.  Millsaps will have a lot of holes to fill for the 2009 season, but they have talent waiting in the wings and I'm sure that a season like this year will be a big plus when it comes to recruiting.  It was a great season and it has been a great 3-year run.

[frank_ezelle]

I knew W&J scored late to build on the 21-20 lead, but I didn't remember that both scores came in the last 2 minutes of the game.  Here's the box score and while W&J has a great QB, the man of the game was running back Curt Jones.  He had an ton of yards after first contact.

Box Score:  http://www.millsaps.edu/athletic/football/MCF08-12.HTM

[bbunch]

Congrats to Millsaps on an awesome season. It's always tough for such a special season to end.

W&J had a great game plan and did what they needed to do to win. The long, ball-control drives kept Millsaps' offense off of the field and their inability to score TD's when they were inside the 10 was huge. I think that the Millsaps defense did enough to keep them in the game, but the big runs by the W&J RB was the difference maker.

Keep your heads up Majors, keep that momentum going for next year!!

Good luck to MHB next weekend against W&J.

[pbrooks3]

Wonderful play from the Majors this season.  Nothing to be ashamed of losing to a stellar program like Washington & Jefferson. W & J may have the squad to finally make it all the way this year. Remember when the Majors lost a heart-felt game to the national champ, Wash U on the hardwood. I love it when the SCAC represents itself nicely in post-season, and the Majors were a class act. I wish I'd followed this team more closely during the season. Celebrate players and coaches - you deserve it. Congrats!

[MajorDad]

Definitely nothing to be ashamed of. As I posted earlier, Cinderella seasons are a rare event. Getting to within 3 games of making it happen is truely an accomplishment. I just want to take the opportunity to thank the senior class for some unbelievable memories over the past 3 years. Being a CLEMSON fan, I haven't been this excited about football since 1980.
I was quite impressed with the play of W&J's QB and RB. After seeing what they can do, it is no surprise they are where they are. Good luck on the rest of their Journey.  Well I guess we'll hang the cleats up till next AUG and start fresh.  While Millsaps will have some really big shoes to fill, i have no doubt we have some talent lurking in the underclassmen.  Can we get to the same level, probably not next year, but I do feel with the coaching staff we have, we will remain a competitive team amoung the SCAC.

[evacuee]

I fully admit that this inquiry comes from my insecurities having to do with the 2008 Millsaps team challenging some of Trinity's best teams as the best in SCAC history, but there seems to be a massive inconsistency:

Congratulations to Juan Joseph for becoming the SCAC's all time passing leader yesterday, which he set during a post-season game with just over 9000 yards.   I couldn't find the all-time conference leaders on the SCAC website.  However...

I looked on Trinity's website and found that there are two SCAC quarterbacks prior to him that passed for over 10,000 yards in their careers- Michael Burton and Roy Hampton both of Trinity.  Can someone explain to me why Joseph gets the record?

 

[Ron Boerger]

If memory serves, the NCAA changed the rules after those two stalwarts graduated - only regular season games counted in career stats before then, and both Hampton and Burton played plenty of playoff games.   I think. 

The SCAC record books can be accessed via the button of the same name on the scacsports.com site. 

[exmajor]

I thought some more about yesterday's game and it just seemed to me that W&J's experience was the main factor in the win. 

There is no question this was a special season for the Majors and this program has come so far in such a short period of time!  My heart goes out to the seniors who were a big part in the turnaround.  This was the last game for most of these guys and I know personally how tough it is to hang the cleats up for the last time.  The program and we alumni thank you for making it special to watch you guys.

As for the game, it just appeared to me that Millsaps still needs more playoff experience.  W&J played like they have been there (which they have) and they played to win.  Millsaps played tight and not to lose.  I don't think W&J had better atheletes, but better experience.  I think this will be another great learning experience for the Majors and another stepping stone to the next level.  Let's hope we can keep the coaching staff in tact!

Congrats again guys and I look forward to next year.

[The Forgotten Man]

Congrats on a very successful season Millsaps. My son (LaGrange) was absolutely stunned when he heard you had lost yesterday. He was quite impressed with not only your athleticism, but also (and especially) your class.

Good luck next season.

[D3_DPUFan]

Congratulations to Coach DuBose, staff and the Majors, especially a superb senior class. You were a very talented, tough group this year. Good luck next season, except when you make that trip to western Indiana. 

[Ron Boerger]

As for the game, it just appeared to me that Millsaps still needs more playoff experience.  W&J played like they have been there (which they have) and they played to win.  Millsaps played tight and not to lose.  I don't think W&J had better atheletes, but better experience.  I think this will be another great learning experience for the Majors and another stepping stone to the next level.  Let's hope we can keep the coaching staff in tact!

Ex-,

I think you hit it exactly on the head.

When I traveled to Jackson in 2007 for the Trinity tilt, the Majors did not seem to play with the wild abandon that characterized the rest of the 2007 season ... playing not to win, but to not lose.  In 2008, they played Trinity like they knew they were going to win and there was nothing Trinity could do to stop them.  It was a breathtaking display and a huge difference year-over-year. 

I didn't get to watch the whole game yesterday but when I did the offense didn't seem to fire on all cylinders.  Much of that was W&J, but some of it seemed to be playoff nerves, especially as the game wore on.   

Again, congratulations to your senior class and especially Juan Joseph on the conclusion to their very fine careers.

[evacuee]

I disagree.  I think Millsaps started out pretty hot and playing the way they have all year.  The difference with W&J was that they were as fast as the Majors- and they were bigger, especially at the skill positions.  The smaller guys are going to wear down and lose their edge first, and the Majors did in the third quarter.  When things weren't going their way, I think Juan got a little frustrated and began to hesitate. 

What has always made them so hard to stop was that Juan would always hit his receivers on the dead run after releasing the ball in the blink of an eye, but when the defenders can run with them, all those short passes aren't as effective and the QB holds the ball a little too long.
 
You mention the 2007 TU game and although they had it all but won, Juan threw two bad interceptions that kept the Tigers in it.  That was another team that could run with their receivers.  I don't think he choked necessarily, but I think that not having his way was pretty tough for him when it had been so easy all year.

Again, I favor a simpler diagnosis.  W&J was as fast and bigger.