FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[DPU3619]

I understand that theory Ron, but I just don't think the Pool C issue is a particularly feasible scenario. 

Not only does the SCAC have to have at least 2 teams with 1 or 0 losses at season's end (which rarely happens, if ever - it hasn't as long as I've been around), but it has to occur in a year with so many other 1 loss teams that a SCAC school, with what would theoretically be a pretty decent OWP and OOWP, would be omitted.  Sure, it could happen this year.  But, I'm not losing any sleep over it. 

I also think that if you aren't ready for the playoffs after 9 games, you aren't going to be ready after 10.  I don't think that losing the week of playing Colorado College is going to keep you from beating a North Central or a CWRU in the first round of the playoffs.

[Tex]

I still think it's crap. 

[Gray Fox]

The SCIAC has only played nine games as long as I remember.

If you want more, win the championship and get to the Stagg.

[frank_ezelle]

Millsaps defensive line coach Davern Williams has been hired by Jacksonville State University.  He is the fourth assistant coach to depart from last year's staff.  Millsaps is becoming a breeding ground for success when it comes to coaches moving up the ranks.  From what I've gathered in the past through direct conversations and various articles, these assistant coaches see working under Coach DuBose as a great opportunity to learn and to prepare for bigger and better things.  That certainly seems to be the case.  Here's the link to the Millsaps story on Davern Williams:

http://gomajors.com/news/2009/7/16/FB_0716090322.aspx 

[D3_DPUFan]

Millsaps defensive line coach Davern Williams has been hired by Jacksonville State University.  He is the fourth assistant coach to depart from last year's staff.  Millsaps is becoming a breeding ground for success when it comes to coaches moving up the ranks.  From what I've gathered in the past through direct conversations and various articles, these assistant coaches see working under Coach DuBose as a great opportunity to learn and to prepare for bigger and better things.  That certainly seems to be the case.  Here's the link to the Millsaps story on Davern Williams:

http://gomajors.com/news/2009/7/16/FB_0716090322.aspx 

Wow...that a lot of turnover for a staff in one off season and this latest move comes pretty late. It is a testament to the successful program that Coach DuBose has built, but how do you thing the shake up will impact the team, if at all? And do you think DuBose is at Millsaps for the long haul?

[frank_ezelle]

I think if Coach DuBose was using Millsaps as a stepping stone then there's a good chance that he would have been part of this year's turnover.  This is simply my gut feeling, but it seems like Coach DuBose really enjoys Millsaps and part of that is the opportunity to mentor the assistant coaches.  With the 4 who have departed since last year, look at the step up they have made in the coaching ranks:

--Marcus Woodson, former DB coach, moves up to the DB coach at D1 Charleston Southern University.

--David Johnson, former wide receivers coach, returns to St. Augustine High School in New Orleans as the head coach, a school where he spent one year as the passing coordinator in 2005.

--Aaron Pelch, former assistant head coach and special teams coach, is now with the Oakland Raiders in the NFL as their assistant special teams coach.

--Davern Williams, former defensive line coach, takes the same position at Division 1-AA Jacksonville State University.

That has been the pattern for Millsaps coaches.  Spend some time at Millsaps and then move up the coaching ladder. Part of that is a reflection of hiring good people to begin with, but it also reflects the growth of these coaches while at Millsaps.  If there is a young defensive line coach out there looking for great experience and a fast track up the coaching profession, spending a year or two under Coach DuBose might be a very good career move.

[DGPugh]

Coach Williams coached at Huntingdon 2 yrs (after leaving the NFL), while there worked with the D coordinator for Huntingdon Hicks (who was former LB coach at Jax, played at Auburn 1 yr -red shirt- and 4 at Troy)... Auburn-Troy-Jax -West Al - Huntingdon coaches all know each other well, and move around a bit

I am sure working with Dubose helps....but in this case...Dalvern is an alabama kid( montgomery)with the connections already inplace, i spoke with him before he went to milsaps...uh...and yall might b off a bit in your analysis in this specific instance

I am not saying that working with Dubose is not the greatist thing since sliced bread... but you got me laughing on this one

[frank_ezelle]

DG, you must have been distracted when your eyes got to the part about "part of that is a reflection of hiring good people to begin with".  

I presume that everyone hired by Millsaps comes in with good credentials and something to add to the program--why would Millsaps or any school hire someone who didn't fit that category?  In this specific instance, my analysis is that a coach came to Millsaps, was part of a very successful year, and then moved on to the same coaching slot at a 1-AA program.  That upward mobility movement seems to be a familiar pattern with Millsaps assistant coaches. It seems like more than just a coincidence.  

Since you know Coach Williams, maybe you can ask him if he felt like the year at Millsaps was a good experience and you can report back to us.  That would be a post that readers here would find interesting.

[D3_DPUFan]

On the occassion of my 500th post, I thought it appropriate to salute those who created d3football.com. Your passion and persistence have produced a great place for conversation, information and celebration of true student-athletes playing an incredible game. Thank you for creating and maintaining a site that brings enjoyment to a whole lot of people.  

[DGPugh]

frank

i would suspect the yr at milsaps did nothing but help coach williams (he is a really good guy)... i am suggesting nothing different...

i (like many in this state) have had little respect for dubose-- in the past...however...he really impressed me this past yr

i thought yall were one of D-3's best teams despite the 2nd round exit from the playoffs.
the turn around in Milsaps football fortune has no doubt much to do with his coaching ability, he won an SEC championship at the tuscaloosa school for the learning impaired...he is no doubt a phenominal coach

also...thanks for the ding in karma (someone??  )... i love how diff opinions cost such on this board (i am actually laughing  pretty hard...which is good as the ~10 inch incision over my rt hip has gotten me down...i needed a good laugh)

if dubose stays with yall (and i hope he will  for a lot of reasons) he will-i believe- convert yall into one of the most powerful programs in D-3...even with out Juan Joseph
i have enjoyed watching him apparently grow (like we all do) and flourish, even though i have been one of many detrators...but this pastyr made me rethank my opinion (not that it matters)

i am enjoying watching him do well (oddly), shoot...he is a covington county boy (Opp, Al), and that ain't a bad place

keep the faith

[frank_ezelle]

With the loss of the 4 assistant coaches, Juan, and a slew of talented seniors, Coach DuBose will certainly get a chance to prove his coaching prowess this season.  While I still look for a highly successful season, my gut feeling is that the success will come in a little more conventional way than the pass happy attack of the last 3 years.

And I agree that too many people get trigger happy on the negative karma points.  Here's a +1 to get you back where you were.

[Pat Coleman]

On the occassion of my 500th post, I thought it appropriate to salute those who created d3football.com. Your passion and persistence have produced a great place for conversation, information and celebration of true student-athletes playing an incredible game. Thank you for creating and maintaining a site that brings enjoyment to a whole lot of people.  

Thank you, sir, appreciate it.

[Tex]

Millsaps defensive line coach Davern Williams has been hired by Jacksonville State University.  He is the fourth assistant coach to depart from last year's staff.  Millsaps is becoming a breeding ground for success when it comes to coaches moving up the ranks.  From what I've gathered in the past through direct conversations and various articles, these assistant coaches see working under Coach DuBose as a great opportunity to learn and to prepare for bigger and better things.  That certainly seems to be the case.  Here's the link to the Millsaps story on Davern Williams:

http://gomajors.com/news/2009/7/16/FB_0716090322.aspx 

Hard to argue with that rationale as the proof is in the pudding.  Coaches are coming in and moving onwards and hopefully upwards.

A case could also be made that Dubose is a huge a-hole and working under him is miserable.  Just citing there are always two sides to everything. 

My money is on that Dubose is a good coach and has enough of a pedigree and current success his assistants are getting good resume material. 

[Tex]

With the loss of the 4 assistant coaches, Juan, and a slew of talented seniors, Coach DuBose will certainly get a chance to prove his coaching prowess this season.  While I still look for a highly successful season, my gut feeling is that the success will come in a little more conventional way than the pass happy attack of the last 3 years.

And I agree that too many people get trigger happy on the negative karma points.  Here's a +1 to get you back where you were.

+1.  We'll find out a lot about Dubose this season.  I agree with someone earlier, if he was using Milsaps as a stepping stone, he'd have been nuts to not take off with Juan. 

[frank_ezelle]

Since it's mid-summer without a lot to talk about, and while we are on the subject of DuBose and his assistants, here's a story about something from a couple of years ago that gives some insight on Millsaps coaching:

I believe this was the 2007 season but it may have been the 2006 season when I usually took photos from an elevated ramp going up to the seats on the home side.  There was a mom standing next to me, not a football player parent, but just someone visiting her child and taking in the ball game. 

This mom asked me which coach was the head coach.  Since all the coaches were wearing the same color pants and shirts, I pointed and said that's Coach DuBose over there.  Maybe she said something like, "the coach talking to #49", but whatever she said it was obvious that she was looking at the wrong coach.  This happened about 3 times and I was starting to doubt my ability to point.  Finally I said, "No, those are all assistant coaches.  Coach DuBose is the one standing about 20 yards away near midfield."

What had thrown the lady off was that Coach DuBose wasn't the guy making all the play-by-play decision with the assistant coaches huddle around waiting to be called on.  He was letting his coaches actually coach.  That's not to say that DuBose becomes a spectator on Saturdays.  He is involved during the game, but after the conversation with that mom I started to notice just how much responsibility DuBose allows his assistants to have in a game.  With his D1 credentials and former SEC Coach of the Year honor, one might think he would try and take over and run the show on every play but he's the exact opposite.

Along those same lines, when the JV team plays, DuBose turns everything over to the assistants.  He'll show up in workout clothes after the game has started and he'll watch from down near one of the end zones, occasionally yelling something to a player but not getting in the way of his assistants.   If you didn't know anything about the Millsaps coaching staff, you would think that guy near the end zone is just a bit of an overbearing football dad, not the head coach at the school.

Here's my bottom line on Coach DuBose.  I'm fairly certain that he can't walk on water.  On the negative side, I thought he was wrong to throw away the win in 2007 against MC, and it was poor clock management that led to the Trinity even having a chance to pulll off the "Miracle in Mississippi", and I think Millsaps got too conservative on offense in the 2nd half of the W&J playoff game. 

On the plus side, there are very few coaches who could have inherited the 2005 Millsaps football team and turned it into a 2006 SCAC Championship team.  It's a fact that after 30 years of not being in the NCAA Playoffs, Millsaps has been 2 of the last 3 years and only the 2007 "College play of the year" prevented it from being 3 for 3.  The number of players participating are far higher than at any time in the past and Millsaps is playing a JV schedule for the first time ever.  And maybe most important of all, while growing the program and building this success, there is a tremendous sense of family about the team.  I understand if everyone thinks that just starry eyed BS from a Millsaps supporter, but my glasses aren't as rose-colored as some think regarding Millsaps sports.

Well anyway, that's my Sunday morning take and now my batch of family reunion photos have been processed by the noise reduction software and the British Open and Tour de France are cranking up, so I'll follow those two events while editing photos.  BTW, according to the countdown clock on the Millsaps webpage, it's only 48 days, 10 hours, and 16 minutes until the opening kickoff for the Majors.