FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank_ezelle]

Went by Millsaps around 1:15 and nothing was happening with football--was told that the team practiced this morning.  I've been looking at the Millsaps roster and here's my quick and certainly incomplete take on the possibilities:

Offense:  Outside of the quarterback position, there is a lot of experienced talent returning.  Shane Bowser is an offensive threat as a runner, receiver, and returner.  Chris Skinner is plenty capable of joining Shane as part of a one-two punch.  There's not a lot of experience behind those two, but Taylor Weaver might surprise people if he gets more carries, and there are some freshmen who seem like they may contribute early.

The receivers look strong with speedster Michael Galatas back for his senior year and sophomore Jason O'Rear looking to really burst on the scene this year.  Those two combined for 16 TDs last season.  Jeff Hampton and Kegan Joplin showed great promise last year and it will be good to get Martin Haaga back after he missed 2009 with an injury.  I'm sure there are others I should list, but as mentioned in the beginning, this is an incomplete preview.

The O-line returns a lot of size and experience.  Oliver Galicki, Adam Williams, Nathan Quick, and Deauntay Payne answer the question of "where's the beef", and I believe that James Tryforos also had a fair number of snaps last year. 

Quarterback is obviously the big question mark.  Last year's backup Sean Murphy and sophomores Konner Joplin and Garrett Pinciotti are the only QBs listed on the roster.  I just might be that the starting quarterback isn't determined until SCAC play starts with Austin in the third week.

I'll do another, and probably shorter post, regarding the Millsaps defense.

[frank_ezelle]

My incomplete preview of the Millsaps defense:

Linebacker Will Hawkins and DB Kevin Peters are back.  That's a huge plus.  They were both high up the list in the Millsaps 2009 defensive stats.  Unfortunately, the remaining names at the top of those defensive lists were all seniors in 2009. 

There will be a lot of new faces on the Millsaps defense this year and I've just noticed that a couple of WR from last year are now listed at DB.  One is Jeff Hampton, a player who was listed in my post about the offense, and the other is speedster Christian Broussard.  It should be interesting to see how the Millsaps defense of 2010 compares with the teams from the last 4 years.  I have a hunch that this year's group will be pretty solid.

The kicking game is a mix of experience and non-experience.  Taylor Russolino was on the SCAC 1st-team in 2008 and lost that spot to Garrett Biel in 2009.  I'm sure Taylor would like to reclaim that top spot in 2010 and that should be a good battle to watch throughout the seson.  Punter Will Lawrimore graduated last year and that leaves Stephen Gates as the only punter on the roster.  I've been told that he's quite good, but he was injuried much of last year so we'll just have to wait and see how he does when the season starts. 

I'm sure there are others who could give a better preview, but at least this is something.  With games against MS College, LaGrange, Austin, and Trinity in the first month of the season, Millsaps will need to play well right from the start.  Going 2-2 in September wouldn't be a bad thing--as long as the two wins were against Austin and Trinity!

[Tex]

I'm biased having been an old line coach and lineman in my playing days. trinity will dominate the lines this year. Even Frank could gain 1000 yards behind this TU group.  Just kidding. I've met Frank.  He'd not gain more than 899.  

[Tex]

And, on personal note, vie lost 65 lbs since last season.  I'm petitioning for an extra year of eligibility.

[Tex]

And, finally for tonight, and quite obviously, I've found a new favorite anejo tequila this weekend.  Republic is the name.  Delusions of grandeur is the game.   

Seriously, I've only watched one TU practice and liked what I saw.  Emotion and intensity are higher than the two previous years I've seen.  It bodes well, the effort.  It's no longer "we are Trinity, we alw ays win.". It's more like "we are Trinity and we are going to take back what is ours.". Just determination from all.     I'm told from my son this started following last season, into Spring training, into summer and now into 2adays. Most Intensity he's seen and felt.

I don't know any secrets like others are hinting at.  I'm not in any inside circle.  Just a Dad that loves my kid and his teammates and the sanctity of the game.  Having a TU president show up at the parents welcome lunch was the first in 11 years. If I understand, he was at Colorado D-1 and is a sports fan.  Thank God if that's true.  I loved what he had to say that day.  He gets it from what I heard.  My son is a Jr and I don't expect any improvements to EM Stevens field before he leaves, but it'd be nice if something happened in 12 months or less.  I guess with the economy crapping out, endowments aren't generating much. 

All I ask for is an accepting sports attitude from the administration, professors dedicated to giving my son the best education west of the Mississippi River, a coaching staff that cares deeply for developing young people into men of character and fans that turn out to support San Antonio's finest. The W's will follow.   

I'm proud to be a D3 dad. 

[frank_ezelle]

Tex:

--I'm not sure if I could run for 899 yards on an empty football field.

--Congratulations on the 65 pounds lost.  I was at 225 this morning and I'll be at 175 at some point in the months to come--6 months, 9 months, or 12 months, it really doesn't matter as long as the progress is steady and the results long lasting.

--What you said about the higher emotions, intensity, and determination at Trinity rings true.  It's what I would expect from a program with Trinity's history of success.  Being a D3 student/athlete requires a lot of time management and priority setting--splitting time between studies, sports, social, etc.  There's always a way to give more to one area, and when a entire team gets more focused, then rapid improvement is very possible.

Like everyone else, Trinity has questions to answer.  How well they and Centre, DePauw, and Millsaps answer those questions won't be known for a while.  How much injuries will play into the SCAC race this year is something none of us can know.  Right now all we know is the schedule and that greatly favors Centre.

Not only does Centre have the home games with DePauw, Millsaps and Trinity, but they also have a bye week prior to the Millsaps game (while Millsaps is playing at Rhodes).  Centre's home game with Trinity comes after Trinity has just been on a tough road trip to Huntindon and it will be Trinity's 5th road game in 6 weeks.  Centre is going to be tough to beat this year, but I'm sure there are 3 or more teams who think they are up to the task.  I'm ready for September 4 to get here so we can start comparing realities instead of predictions.

[Tex]

Frank you don't five yourself enough credit!   Hahahaha

[Pat Coleman]

I lost 60 pounds about three years ago and I can tell you I feel great. I have so much more energy and I feel so much better about myself as a result.

[frank_ezelle]

Pat and Tex:

I always look at the weight of common things and think about how much easier life would be if I took that sort of weight off my body.  For example, a 12-pack of soft drinks is about 9 pounds.  You have each taken off weight equivalent to over 6 or 7 12-packs.  A 5-gallon water container is about 44 pounds and we know what a pain it is to carry one of those around--you two have lost that plus about a case of drinks. 

I was 165 pounds for about 15 years after college, playing soccer, tennis, basketball, running in road races, etc.  Some pounds jumped on when my playing time was whittled away by coaching.  Then coaching gave way to mostly being a spectator and more pounds settled in.  Then that gave way to the photography and the hundreds of hours spent sitting at a computer editing photos each year.  Suddenly I found myself in the mid-230's and still going up.  The need to get my weight/health under control is a significant part of my decision to cut back on the photography.   

Anyway, congratulations to both of you for the weight loss accomplishment.  I plan on being in that 60 pounds lost club sometime before the end of this school year.  I know that's going to make a huge difference in how I feel day-to-day, and if it also makes me look better, that's just an added bonus.

[Hawks88]

I lost 60 pounds about three years ago and I can tell you I feel great. I have so much more energy and I feel so much better about myself as a result.

I did this about nine years ago so I know what you are saying. I did it too quickly though(60 lbs over 6-7months) and wasn't fully committed to permanently changing how I ate and eventually gained it all back. Really need to give it another try. Like Tex, I think I have a year of eligibility left.

Do we need to start a new thread on this?

[Tex]

Yep, losing it easier than keeping it off.  Check back with me in a year.

I sure am looking forward to this season.  New season brings renewed hopes and expectations.

[Ron Boerger]

Anyone know if Trinity will have a scrimmage this weekend?  Last year TU scrimmaged Howard Payne, don't see anything on either the school or PAWS website about one this year. 

[Navidad]

Ron, a July 1 FAQ sent as an attachment to a letter to parents from Coach Mohr says there's supposed to be a scrimmage with Texas Lutheran at Trinity beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 28. But that's the last I've heard of it, and I can't find any mention of it on the Texas Lutheran website.

Anyone know if Trinity will have a scrimmage this weekend?  Last year TU scrimmaged Howard Payne, don't see anything on either the school or PAWS website about one this year. 

[D3_DPUFan]

DePauw University Tigers will have their annual scrimmage with Franklin College this Saturday at Blackstock Stadium...

[historymajor]

I've been told that any public announcements of scrimmages might be perceived as a "game",,, all I know is that TU and TLU will hold a controlled scrim in SAT on Sat.  AM I think.

Pat, or Ralph, do either of you know the rules about announcing/publicizing a scrim?