FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[PrayingColonel]

Wow! Didn't expect that Centre would get a home game. Very excited for the team, the school and the Alumni. It's been a long time.Congrats to Trinity as well.

[tigerguy]

What exactly are the rules regarding the number of players allowed to suit up for games? I know that there is a strict 52 man roster but I have also heard that each team is allowed a certain amount of "substitute backups" for specialists? I know this applies in soccer as well.

[Pat Coleman]

http://www.d3football.com/interactive/faq/playoffs#10

[evacuee]

Predictions for post season honors:

Offensive Player of the Year:  Shawn Morris, BSC.  With shorter games all over the country due to the NCAA's new clock stoppage rule, there are far fewer 1000 yard rushers, 1000 yard receivers, or 2000 yard passers.  Touchdowns are way down as well.  Not for Morris.  What an incredible performance this year.

Defensive Player of the Year:  Ben Robinson, TU.  It has to be someone from this unit, which performed at a level beyond belief this year, particularly late in the season.  With 11.5 tackles for loss, he's absolutely a difference maker.

Special Teams Player of the Year:  Jordan Gay, Centre.  TU's punter was pretty good too, but by doing the place kicking and punting, he helped his team tremendously, not to mention was among the league leaders in both categories.

Coach Of the Year:   Steve Mohr, TU.  I know he's won this award many times, but he has never earned it as much as he did this year by bringing this team back to championship level only one year removed from a completely disastrous season with pretty much the same personnel. 

In the playoffs, it seems like Centre is the team with the momentum.  TU is going to need better passing if they want to keep McMurry from scoring.  They have to do a better job of holding the ball, while Centre just needs to keep up what they've been doing.  The Tigers still, however, are the champs because of defense, which is their reason to believe this week. 

[Ron Boerger]

Excellent post, '98.   

The only place I could see the voting going differently is CoTY.   Coach Mohr has done an incredible job at Trinity - nobody expected them to be any more than another .500 team - and is a worthy candidate and recipient.   Coach Laurendine at Sewanee engineered a big turnaround on the mountain, and, depending on when the voting actually takes place and the results on Saturday, Coach Frye at Centre might also pick up some votes.  The Colonels have a very winnable game in the first round. 

Coach Mohr gets my vote, but it's hard to say how the conference coaches vote in their last year as a community. 

[McM Blue Devil]

I would agree with the vote for Coach Mohr.  10-0 and conference champs should get the nod.

Ron, because you follow D3 football so closely and especially Trinity, how do you see Saturday's McM-TU game turning out?  As an McM alum and new TU staff member, I think it will be a real good game.  I was just interested in your perspective.

[Ron Boerger]

Don't follow it as much these days, but McM is an offensive juggernaut, Blue Devil, and the TU secondary is going to have to be at its absolute best and win the turnover battle on Saturday.   Also playing into things is the injury to Mullin.  The backup QB is capable but Mullin is a huge talent for D3.  As a soph two years ago he threw for close to 500 yards against Trinity....

Offensively, I hope we will open up the playbook a bit on Saturday.  We have allowed the defense to win games (with several game ending INTs or turnovers on downs in close situations) but against someone like the War Hawks are going to need to put some points on the board and try to keep the ball out of their hands.   There were a lot of three-and-outs against Centre; if I remember there was only one non-scoring drive where there was a first down.  Four turnovers last week at Austin?  Simply cannot do those kinds of things against McMurry and hope to win.   

Playing in SA is always good for Trinity, and McM doesn't play much on grass as including them 6 of 9 ASC teams have turf.   

[McM Blue Devil]

Ron, that is a great analysis.  Trinity will have to open things up, I agree.   I also think they need to control the clock as well though with their running game.  I talked to some Trinity players today.  They are well aware of the challenge in front of them.  I think it is going to be  great game and I am looking forward to it. 

[Ralph Turner]

Ron, that is a great analysis.  Trinity will have to open things up, I agree.   I also think they need to control the clock as well though with their running game.  I talked to some Trinity players today.  They are well aware of the challenge in front of them.  I think it is going to be  great game and I am looking forward to it.

Any thoughts that you can share with an old friend, offline?   

Thanks.

[evacuee]

I really don't think that TU needs to open up any more than they have.  Against Centre, Austin, and even Millsaps, Trinity went for the throat a few times late in the game with the lead, but the players haven't made the plays.  Then the clock stops and everyone is wishing they had just handed off.  In each of those games, the opponent has been driving for a potential win on their last possession.

A few receivers have done some good things this year, but haven't always come through.  With the lack of production in the clutch, I think it's a testament to how good the defense is.  It's not a case of bad opponents, as Centre, BSC, and Huntingdon have all met the same fate with rip-roaring offenses.

Bottom line- Trinity needs to make plays on offense in the second half and continue their defensive performance.  They can win but so can McMurry.   

   

[Ron Boerger]

In between innumerable articles about UTSA, the Express-News so kindly had an story today on McM and Hal Mumme.   Maybe tomorrow they will actually have something about the home team in the matchup.

[Ron Boerger]

Jason Bowen returns with a story on the TU defense:  Don't call it the Black Flag.  Thanks, Jason!

(nothing from the E-N today)

[McM Blue Devil]

Jason Bowen returns with a story on the TU defense:  Don't call it the Black Flag.  Thanks, Jason!

(nothing from the E-N today)

Great article.  I have a funny feeling this game might come down to what the author suggested. 

[PrayingColonel]

Osterman to Melillo and Osterman to Osterman. Centre up 14-0 with 4 min to go in 1st Q.

[Ralph Turner]

This has the makings of a monkey-stomp.  Centre 20-0  1Q 2:40 left