FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

And let's not be too cocky and forget 2000. 

Or 2003 (Rhodes 23, Trinity 20, OT); or 1996 (Millsaps 13, Trinity 10), or 1995 (Centre 17, Trinity 7). 

Trinity has won/tied 13 straight SCAC championships but had help along the way to do so.  This year is going to be a real challenge if the new OL can't come together early.  ETBU is going to be a markedly tougher opener than seasons past. 

[legend]

Great to see the Saints arrive at Millsaps today.  Hopefully, Reggie will be in Jackson soon because I would really hate for him to become the next Tom Benson. I have not made it by campus yet, but I hear they have made some nice improvements.

[Bill McCabe]

Winning 13 straight conference titles is an incredible feat and probably did take some luck or help.  However, Trinity is a quality program and I will pick them to win their conference until someone else can replace them.  I think the ETBU game should be very interesting.

[chkeki]

Agree that there is some luck in winning 13 conf titles.  However, most were outright titles, not co-champion titles.  Pretty impressive.

[TigerDad]

I'm guessing that Trinity is like Texas (small) high school football ... every year, some good players graduate and everyone thinks, "Man, I don't know about next year ... those younger guys will really have to step up."  And, every year, they do.

One thing's for sure ... it doesn't help your team to schedule weak opponents in the pre-conference season.  To be the best, you've gotta play against some tough teams, take your lumps, and learn the lessons in gametime.  I'm very impressed that TU will face three tough games in early September.  By the time DPU comes to San Antonio, we should know what this year's Black Flag and Big O can do.  The O needs to control the clock better and also put up more points in the early season this year ... the D will take care of their business.

This year's TU Tigers may not be undefeated at the end, but I'm predicting that they will do very well again in 2006.  I'll be there to see for myself.

[Bill McCabe]

chkeki,  Trinity is the real deal.  13 straight is very impressive.

[evacuee]

The Tigers can control the clock all they want.  What they need is some scoring power.  It seems like they've had big, athletic receivers since the Stagg Bowl year, but the only one that ever was consistent was Kelner and he wasn't big.  When you talk about Brailsford, Hicks, Byars- all those guys have great size and look(ed) really good when they have the ball in their hands, but none of them seem to be an every game threat to score.  They're all good for one to three huge plays per every two or three game. 

It doesn't help things when the QB isn't a threat to use the whole field.  I almost never see Jacob throwing or even looking into the middle of the field.  Everything is deep outside, scramble, or shovel.  I don't know if it was the line's doing or if defenses were able to commit more guys to run defense due to the reduced passing game, but they had a really down year running the football and especially in a short field.

I remember some serious ball control in the first half of the Huntingdon game that resulted in two field goals.  Had they gotten touchdowns in that first half, it may not have been such a tough game because they seemed to be playing well.  I also remember them getting into the red zone 4 times in the second half against UMHB and not one score!  All else being the same, they really need to start scoring touchdowns again.  Hopefully, Mr. Cannon learned a lot last year and they'll be able to do more.  Hopefully, Chris Baer works out well.  Hopefully, a receiver steps up.  Defense and special teams need to keep up the good work. 

I'm fearing that a full circle has developed.  If anyone remembers the first playoff year(1994), the Tigers didn't allow many points but struggled to score against everyone but Principia.  10-0 yes, but not a threat in the playoffs.  W&J made short work of them.  It was great for an upstart, but Trinity needs some playoff wins. 

Mmmmm.  I'm worried about ETBU, not so much about the SCAC. 

[consultant]

Legend and others,

I was home this past week and spent Friday at Millsaps to get an up-close look at the Saints' camp.  The Saints brass are "very pleased" with the arrangement.  The campus was beautiful, and the athletic facilities were in top shape.  Over 140 media credentials have been issued.  Now that Reggie Bush has signed, Jackson and Millsaps will be a media circus. 

Over 5,000 fans battled the heat and humidity over the weekend to watch the Saints practice at Millsaps.  Admission is free, although parking on campus costs $5.

[wilburt]

Check out link to some interesting history on college football in the state of Tennessee.

http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=F026

[Kracken]

Over the weekend, I heard from a reliable source that Coach Walker is doing an "excellent" job in preparation for this upcoming season. These are great words of encouragement, especially given the circumstances as of late at DPU. Go Tigers!

[etg]

(El Tea Gray---re: Jake at 6-1 vs. Blake at 6-3)


TU2698,
You are correct regarding Jake not using all of the field; IMHO at 6-1 he just does not see downfield as well as Blake at 6-3.  This may be as simple as "the physics of the issue"?  The practices on schedule for later this month should be somehow structured to "flesh this problem out".

                                                               

[HoosierQBScout]

Consultant...
Good for Millsaps...looks great for the school (and the conference) every time ESPN does a hit from there...and the facilities and campus do look good.

[Ron Boerger]

I would have posted this in the SCAC soccer board except for the fact that the soccer admin saw fit to delete the boards I'd created there.  The FB team should be able to take advantage of the new weight room, tho... 

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/athletics/06soccer-wtroom.htm

SAN ANTONIO – Trinity University Director of Athletics Bob King has announced improvements to the school's soccer field and weight room.

The soccer field, dedicated in 1990, will be extended by eight yards, making it 120 yards long. The width will be expanded to 76 yards, from 66. The dimensions will meet all NCAA specifications. New 70-foot lighting poles will be installed, bringing the field to television broadcast quality standards. Plans are under way to build a press box structure on the south end of the field.

The field is home to the Tiger men's and women's soccer teams. Trinity's men captured the NCAA Division III national championship in 2003. The Tiger women advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2000 and 2002.

The 3,400-square-foot Stumberg Fitness Center, located on the first floor of the Bell Athletic Center, will undergo a 100 percent replacement of current equipment. There will be an increase of power lifting equipment and six "combo racks" will be installed. A combination of exercises and weight training will now be available on a single apparatus. Fixed-weight barbells will be added, supplementing the use of removable dumbbells.

Ironic that they are adding a press box to the soccer field before fixing the one at EM Stevens ... but I fully expect an announcement regarding improvements to the football facilities after the end of the season.

[Ralph Turner]

...
Ironic that they are adding a press box to the soccer field before fixing the one at EM Stevens ... but I fully expect an announcement regarding improvements to the football facilities after the end of the season.

Doesn't seem ironic to me.  Trinity Soccer teams are better than their American football teams!  8)

[evacuee]

I guess it's important to have tv broadcast quality lighting on a freaking d3 soccer field! 

Maybe the the lights are due for being changed out, but that sounds like an enormous cost.  However, if there are more improvements to come, good for Trinity for not skimping on the cost. 

I sure hope that this wasn't it for that announcement last year about improvements to the athletic facilities.  Bonzo, if you say it isn't, I'm sure you're probably right, but a lot of guys that were my teammates are convinced that the administration doesn't care about the football program.  I never believed such accusations, but this makes it more plausible.