FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

Subs in for some time and it's gotten sloppy.  TLU's JV gets a TD on Trinity's JV, 41-14 with 5:40 to play.

[@d3jason]

Quite a turnaround from last year.

[Ron Boerger]

43-14 after a Kyle Trella  punt pinned down TLU and a big sack.

Last year's score: TLU 42, Trinity 14. 

[jekelish]

So ETBU is up 37-3 over AC early in the third quarter. My question is:

Is ETBU that good, or is AC just playing that poorly? Losing all four starters from the defensive backfield is apparently a bigger deal than I had previously thought it might be.

[evacuee]

Any word on the Millsaps quarterback?  It looks like they had to go with the next guy this afternoon.

[yaya67]

So ETBU is up 37-3 over AC early in the third quarter. My question is:

Is ETBU that good, or is AC just playing that poorly? Losing all four starters from the defensive backfield is apparently a bigger deal than I had previously thought it might be.

Final was 54-17 From what I read new life of AC came from new blood at end of game. ETBU is good and has key players that raise level of the game. They play as a "winning" unit that goes into battle to WIN. They are hungry and imo that is what you are seeing.
AC on the other hand has problems. You have a team divided by two sets of recruiting coaches. Upper classman and lower classman with two distinct different mentalities. All you have to do is follow the upperclassman on twitter and fb to hear their thoughts. They would rather be in their own beds, hate to travel and talking about old coaches. They have lost the game before they take the field. Heads are not wrapped around Dawson mentality though I am confident that Dawson staff has no idea. Actions speak louder than words and great coaches will see through facade.
On a lighter note, it was nice to see McMurry defeat UTSA. I don't buy into all the David and Gollieth hype. Just believe that on any given day, it is the team with the best 11 players on the field that will carry home a victory. Kudos for McMurry men that went into the battle hungry and played to WIN

[Navidad]

At mid-season last year, I posted some stats that seemed to show a direct correlation between simply the number of seniors on a team (not senior starters, just total seniors) and SCAC win-loss records. I had noticed this to be a fairly useful stat for predicting the success of high school teams, and had wondered how effective it might be at this level. I'm a little late with an update for the SCAC, since the season has already begun, but I thought I'd provide this stat here and thereby predict the outcome of the conference. Several teams in the middle of the pack have the same or almost the same number of seniors, so that gums up things a bit, but overall the results are quite different than pre-season polls I've seen. We shall see ...

1. Centre (19 seniors)
2. Trinity (17 seniors)
3. Sewanee (13 seniors)
4. Austin -- tie (12 seniors)
4. Birmingham-Southern -- tie (12 seniors)
6. Rhodes -- (9 seniors)
7. Millsaps -- (8 seniors)

[Gray Fox]

At mid-season last year, I posted some stats that seemed to show a direct correlation between simply the number of seniors on a team (not senior starters, just total seniors) and SCAC win-loss records. I had noticed this to be a fairly useful stat for predicting the success of high school teams, and had wondered how effective it might be at this level. I'm a little late with an update for the SCAC, since the season has already begun, but I thought I'd provide this stat here and thereby predict the outcome of the conference. Several teams in the middle of the pack have the same or almost the same number of seniors, so that gums up things a bit, but overall the results are quite different than pre-season polls I've seen. We shall see ...

1. Centre (19 seniors)
2. Trinity (17 seniors)
3. Sewanee (13 seniors)
4. Austin -- tie (12 seniors)
4. Birmingham-Southern -- tie (12 seniors)
6. Rhodes -- (9 seniors)
7. Millsaps -- (8 seniors)

I like this method.  It usually represents squad size and physical/mental maturity.  These are important factors in winning over a season.  This may work for some leagues better than others.

[Ron Boerger]

Just a few observations on Trinity having had the chance to see them in person last week, and with the realization that you shouldn't generalize too much based on a single observation:

• really liked what I saw from the defensive unit.  Lots of team pursuit, good open-field tackling and fighting through blocks.  Good penetration, too (14 TFL, 7 sacks).  The first unit probably allowed around 100 yards this week before liberal substitutions started going on late in the third quarter.
• Nyk McKissick was extremely accurate on his passes, starting 9-9 on his way to a 15 of 18, 231 yard, 3 TD performance (with an INT)..  Really nice to see a strong presence in the pocket and he eluded pressure most of the time without disrupting the play.
• Running game was a little slow getting started and didn't have much success up the middle, but runs to the outside were successful - 168 yards total.    Seemed like there might be some good yardage to be had by Nyk keeping the ball more on the option read, but you also want to keep your QB healthy.
  
• Special teams once again a strength with Kyle Trella doing his usual fine job (45.7 yds/punt, 4 inside 20).   Cover guys did a good job with net punting average only a couple yards less.
• 4-for-4 in the red zone, 7-for-7 in two games.   
• Lost the turnover battle, 3-1, though one of the fumbles came late in the game from a reserve.   That was one of Coach Mohr's concerns before the season (SCAC Media Days interview) and looks like still a work in progress. 

All in all, a good start to the season, considerably better than last year, and one which gives me hope that the team can do better than the fourth predicted by SCAC coaches in the preseason.  The next two games (@Rhodes, @Millsaps) will tell us whether that indeed can be the case.

[roocru]

Halftime score from Sherman! Austin JV  6. ETBU JV 13.  In Sherman for some alumni business and get to watch a good game. JV games are  great for these schools, kids and parents.  I would guess the crowd at about 350 people. Obviously most are happy family  getting to watch their sons, grandsons, etc  play their first college football games. Way to go AC and ETBU!!

I have to leave in about an hour to drive home so will be unable to post a final score.

[yaya67]

Halftime score from Sherman! Austin JV  6. ETBU JV 13.  In Sherman for some alumni business and get to watch a good game. JV games are  great for these schools, kids and parents.  I would guess the crowd at about 350 people. Obviously most are happy family  getting to watch their sons, grandsons, etc  play their first college football games. Way to go AC and ETBU!!

I have to leave in about an hour to drive home so will be unable to post a final score.

Final Score AC 20 ETBU 19 AC Defense Held ETBU all night(most ETBU points were Field Goals) and caused numerous turnovers, giving offense ability and opportunity to score in final minutes. Defense secured win and sacked QB to stop hail mary play in final seconds. Exciting game! Austin college finished the game with a Winning Passion that any program would have been proud of.

[Ron Boerger]

Lordy this board is quiet since our friends from DPU left. 

Last week's players of the week:
- Defensive:  Andrew Shannon, Birmingham-Southern College
- Offensive:  Jimmy Stainback, Birmingham-Southern College
- Special Teams:  Kyle Trella, Trinity University

We kick off SCAC conference play this week as Trinity (2-0) makes what could be the last trip in a long time to Memphis to face Rhodes (0-1).    I expect Trinity to win the battle of felines based on results to date, but strange things can happen to the Tigers when they visit Tennessee.   Other games:

• Birmingham Southern (2-0) @ Ave Maria (0-1):  First home game in history for 750-student Ave Maria of the NAIA, which was respectable (for a first-ever game) in opener at Faulkner (aka the school with the 61-YO kicker).  Local paper expects a crowd of 2000.
• Southwestern Assemblies of God (1-1) @ Austin (0-2):  Good chance for the 'Roos to get off the schneid.  NAIA's SAGU squeaked by Howard Payne at home last week.
• Sewanee (1-1) @ Puget Sound (0-1):  Longest trip in recent history for Sewanee football?  Loggers gained lots of yards though the air in loss to Occidental but turned ball over five times.
• Millsaps (1-1) @ Louisiana Col (1-0):  One way to measure where SCAC and ASC are relative to each other. LC defeated NAIA Belhaven in opener.
• Wash. & Lee (2-0) @ Centre (1-0):  W&L had their way with Sewanee last week, Colonels will present a more formidable challenge.

[Ron Boerger]

Jason Bowen gives us a great ATR focusing on the situation facing Trinity and Austin next year - primarily via interview with TU coach Steve Mohr.   It covers some of the scenarios talked about on the boards over the off-season ... going it on their own, the possibility of joining the ASC, ASC teams possibly joining the SCAC, aligning with the UAA, and more - well worth your time.   Well worth the wait - thank you, Jason!!

[@d3jason]

Jason Bowen gives us a great ATR focusing on the situation facing Trinity and Austin next year - primarily via interview with TU coach Steve Mohr.   It covers some of the scenarios talked about on the boards over the off-season ... going it on their own, the possibility of joining the ASC, ASC teams possibly joining the SCAC, aligning with the UAA, and more - well worth your time.   Well worth the wait - thank you, Jason!!

Thanks you forreading, I appreciated the candor of coach Mohr and the rest of the SCAC coaches. They were all class acts and pleasure to talk to.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity up 10-0 on Rhodes late in 1st.  Trinity 123 yards, Rhodes 10 so far. 

Austin has just tied SAGU, 7-7, early in second. 

Edit:  Desmond King goes 65 yards to make it 17-0 with 3 minutes left in the first.