FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Major_Fan]

This should be a fun season in the SCAC!

Anyone know when the preseason voting by the SCAC coaches will be released?

Usually not until late, late August right before the season starts.  It's normally the main thing I lack in the media guide that I get at the last minute.  The sooner the better I say.

My predictions (first place votes in parenthesis):
1. Millsaps (6)
2. DePauw (2)
3. Trinity (1)
4. Austin
5. Centre
6. Rhodes
7. Colorado College
8. Sewanee
9. Birmingham-Southern (still a provisional member)

[Ralph Turner]

http://www.millsaps.edu/athletic/football/schedule.shtml

This program has come a long way since the 8 years I have been out of it.  To have a JV schedule posted to the website is not something I thought I would ever see.  This should be a fun season in the SCAC!

You have answered one of my questions about Southeast Houston Prep.

I saw their write-up in Dave Campbell's Texas Football.  I will not be surprised if they beat your JV by 30 points. 

They are trying to build a prep program in a part of the country that has not had one.

[Tex]

Wes I bet this kid had a helluva O-line.  Those are nice numbers. 

You know, I was shocked to see this kid's stats and I tell you why.  Decatur Central really isn't that big of a football powerhouse in this state.  A 5A school (which I believe is smallish by metro Indy standards) way out on the southwest side of Indianapolis by the airport.  You'd have to think that he would have a great offensive line to do that, but it's entirely possible that he didn't.

DC had a couple of pretty nice runs at the start of the decade, but they're more or less a .500 team over the past 5 or 6 years.  They're just not on a level with the Carmel's, Pike's, Bloomington South's, and and Franklin Central's of Indiana 5A football.  Pretty remarkable that the kid can go for almost 10 ypc against the cream of the proverbial crop in this state.  Sure, they had the requisite cupcakes on the schedule, but they still played a tough schedule against good football teams.

Wes, I've seen my son's HS o-line coach consistently taken a bunch of undersized linemen and turn them into a unit that could neutralize bigger opponents and use precision and finesse to open holes.  Year in and year out, there'd always be questions about the o-line, could they do it...  every year, they put together 6 or 7 kids that could play together, smart enough to know what to do and skilled enough athletes to execute the plan.  (D-3 type kids IMHO)  My son's team ran a lot of a modified  winged-T.

So, even a "have-not" team with the right coaching and discipline opens up those holes.  It takes a hard nosed, tough as nails kid as RB to make the most of those holes and rack up the yards.  But that kid only gets 1000 yards.  To get 2000, it takes a RB with skill and speed to take advantage of those holes.  To get to 2000, no RB can do it without an O-line that plays together as a unit.  And, to do it against skilled opponents. 

(Granted I'm a former HS o-line coach.  I'm sorta biased)

[D3_DPUFan]

The sooner the better I say.

agree!

[TigerDad]

So nice that the TU lacrosse team (and ultimate Frisbee teams) will be playing on Field Turf this fall.  It would be a shame to waste such a surface on the football squad.  Grass is so much more comfortable and low-maintenance.  Hey, maybe the football team can practice on the Field Turf once in a while if it's not being used by anyone else ... 

            ... whatever.

[DPU3619]

To get 2000, it takes a RB with skill and speed to take advantage of those holes.  To get to 2000, no RB can do it without an O-line that plays together as a unit.  And, to do it against skilled opponents.

(Granted I'm a former HS o-line coach.  I'm sorta biased)

You're biased, you say?  I couldn't tell.     I think we're splitting hairs, anyway.  There isn't a D3 caliber back in the country that can run for 2000 yards on the best high schools in their state without a good front 5.  The kids that CAN do that are awfully highly coveted by the big schools. 

But, I still say it's a mighty fine accomplishment against some good football teams.

[Ron Boerger]

So nice that the TU lacrosse team (and ultimate Frisbee teams) will be playing on Field Turf this fall.  It would be a shame to waste such a surface on the football squad.  Grass is so much more comfortable and low-maintenance.  Hey, maybe the football team can practice on the Field Turf once in a while if it's not being used by anyone else ... 

The only things I can think of to justify this move are:

(1) As Pat inferred, TU is serious about starting a lacrosse team but did not want the FB team to suffer from two teams sharing the field (do the seasons even overlap?).    Cost to turf the intramural field is probably much less than the football field where drainage and other concerns come into play. 
(2) A donor came by and said "I'll give you $XXX,XXX to replace the intramural fields with turf" and the school happily accepted.
(3) They are using the less-demanding installation on the intramural field as a learning experience towards the FB field whenever the stadium upgrade project comes about. 

The $200M campaign which, among other things, will fund the stadium improvements, sat at just over 80% as of May - $165M.  Apparently the stadium upgrades are low priority and/or a named donor to fund the improvements has not been found. 

[Pat Coleman]

They don't overlap (lax is a spring sport). But men's lacrosse fields and football fields are actually not very compatible in terms of dimensions, from what I have observed.

[Tex]

To get 2000, it takes a RB with skill and speed to take advantage of those holes.  To get to 2000, no RB can do it without an O-line that plays together as a unit.  And, to do it against skilled opponents.

(Granted I'm a former HS o-line coach.  I'm sorta biased)

You're biased, you say?  I couldn't tell.     I think we're splitting hairs, anyway.  There isn't a D3 caliber back in the country that can run for 2000 yards on the best high schools in their state without a good front 5.  The kids that CAN do that are awfully highly coveted by the big schools. 

But, I still say it's a mighty fine accomplishment against some good football teams.

agreed.  I look forward to seeing him play one day.

[TigerDad]

Ron & Pat;

Thanks for your insight ... all good points and quite logical.  It's still irritating to see TU slow-roll any improvements to their less-than-spectacular football field.  I will probably miss any improvements as I don't expect to be attending regularly after the next couple seasons.  Obviously.

I, for one, would just like to see a couple hundred dollars spent on a decent sound system ... it's terrible sound quality, too loud in the stands (and on the home sidelines) and I've heard visitors say they can't hear it at all.  Seriously, how difficult could it be to solve that problem.

Whatever ... just over ONE MONTH to kickoff vs. McMurry!  Yes, I AM READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL.

Tex ... see you on August 15th.  Be sure to look me up ...

[Tex]

TigerDad, I'm hard to miss.  6'4", 300 lbs and white hair.  I'm planning the road schedule regardless of whether or not my son even makes the travel squad.  That's how hard core I am right about now. 

[TigerDad]

TigerDad, I'm hard to miss.  6'4", 300 lbs and white hair.  I'm planning the road schedule regardless of whether or not my son even makes the travel squad.  That's how hard core I am right about now. 

I think I can remember that.     

Even if your son does travel with the team for road games, most Trinity first-years do play the JV schedule (mine did), so don't forget to account for a few Monday nights in S.A., Seguin, or Belton. 

[Tex]

TigerDad, I'm hard to miss.  6'4", 300 lbs and white hair.  I'm planning the road schedule regardless of whether or not my son even makes the travel squad.  That's how hard core I am right about now. 

I think I can remember that.     

Even if your son does travel with the team for road games, most Trinity first-years do play the JV schedule (mine did), so don't forget to account for a few Monday nights in S.A., Seguin, or Belton. 

Good to know.  I thought it was one or the other.  Thanks.

[Ron Boerger]

TigerDad, I'm hard to miss.  6'4", 300 lbs and white hair.  I'm planning the road schedule regardless of whether or not my son even makes the travel squad.  That's how hard core I am right about now. 

Heck, Tex, I'll have to look you up at a game.  I'm 6'6" and about the same (except the white hair, not yet anyway).

My wife and I are moving back to Austin at the end of August and it is going to be nice to be able to watch some TU games in the cozy confines of EM Stevens again.

[frank_ezelle]

Moving back to Austin?  Does that mean you will be able to keep us updated on all of the Austin College sports? 

(Sorry, I couldn't resist)