FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[dc_has_been]

I was going to go shark feeding in Tahiti in a couple of weeks, but then I found out you float or stand in shallow water behind a secure rope while they bring out a few sharks to watch them feed.

Hopefully there will be some good scuba action by the reef when I'm out there.

[dc_has_been]

Preseason poll is out: http://www.heartlandconf.org/Football/football.htm 
Very close between MSJ & Franklin for the top notch going to MSJ.  I was a little surprised by that b/c my opinion is that Franklin will be the team to beat, but MSJ has a great program w/ a tough defense & a running back that will be in the running for HCAC offensive MVP(again).  Other than that I pretty much agree w/ how the rest of the poll plays out. 
For DC the defense is going to be solid w/ a strong defensive backfield & linebacker core, but the dline will be a ? mark b/c of so many graduating seniors lost.  But they still have some playmakers on that side of the ball to get the job done.
For offense I feel like this might be the year that DC puts together a strong attack w/ a lot of experience on that side of the ball.  I really am looking forward to see what Coach Taylor is going to do w/ the offense w/ some dangerous weapons (Dillon, Allen, Curtis, & Vetter). 
I'm starting to get excited here w/ the season coming up quickly.  I can't get enough HCAC football out here on the left coast.  Let the educated smack talk begin!

[JacketsFan]

has-been, I mostly agree with your assessment of DC's defense this year. I think the secondary might even be a little better than last year's. But I gotta tell you, I'm really worried about the front. They lost everyone up front. Andrew Mickey got some action at nose last year but I think he's being moved to end this year. I don't know who they've got on the other end. One underclassman was really looking good as a potential NT but I think he transferred. He was a big guy and I think he had dreams of playing in a higher division. The secondary didn't get blocked last year because the guys upfront kept O-lines tied up all year. I just hope they've got some horses that can cover the front this year. Taylor has been very good at producing those. If he does again this year, I'll feel much more confident.

I don't know if I share your optimism about the offense, though. Vetter was totally off the mark all year last year. If he comes out floundering in game one, it could be an ugly repeat of last year. Dillon is a phenom but if he gets his noggin bumped again he may be done. Gary Allen is a playmaker, so that's a bright spot. Curtis has been there for them a few times but I think he could do better. I still don't know if they have anyone who can reliably kick and punt like they need. Field positioning killed us last year a few times. Still, if an amped up offense can buy a tough secondary time to help  some new D-linemen the time to get their feet wet, they might do something.

I think Franklin is the team to beat this year, too. Doubtless MSJ was picked largely on the strength of their being HCAC champs three years running, as well as the overall strength of their program.

I still say everyone needs to be very careful of RHIT. I think they can be dangerous. They came into a new conference last year and went 6-4.

[wally_wabash]

Color me blown away by the fact that Hanover is ranked below RHIT.  Oh how the mighty have fallen. 

[victorybell_57]

the mighty have fallen. msj used to be a doormat and are now considered one of the region's top teams. same with franklin and the rise of the program under mike leonard. however, i still wouldn't count hanover out in any football game. the head coach runs a good program and there is stability there.

i am very excited to see what franklin can do with this year and schedule. i know the wabash guys will be calling for revenge and the battle with msj each year has been great. the bell game is always a sure fire battle with the history between FC and HC. i am sure coach leonard and the staff will have the troops focused on each opponent. i'll be at the grotto lighting candles before each game.

too early to talk playoffs, long season coming up. i know i am expecting to be in or darn near the cusp of the playoffs once again. we'll talk about that later after some ball is played and things start to sort out.

[Adam Sayer]

We were in Virginia Beach last week and I did a ton of fishin and swimming. The boat fish trip was nice. They took us about 2-3 miles out (water was 60-80 feet deep) and me and the ol lady caught about 50 fish together. Now, they weren't nothing to brag about. Mostly 6-8 inch Croakers, Spots, and Blue's, but there were about 4 baby sand sharks (2-3 pounds) that were caught. I cordially took them, cleaned them and ate them. The trip was only $35 and was lots of fun. We're just talking about San Diego as a possibility. I've never been to Florida so that may be an option as well. I'd love to do some big game fishing which I'm assuming can be done either place. I'd love to learn to surf too, but 245 pounds is a lot to put on a board and I'd rather pass on being a 245 delicassy to a shark.

I'm a little surprised that MSJ is still voted to win the HCAC. With the turnover from the previous year and the rise of Franklin. But I guess since they've won it now 3 straight years, they should be voted first until someone knocks them off. It will help having Mike Lovell Pounding the Rock and Steve Wergers leading the blocking.

Unless you're MUC, seasons are like a pendulum (or if you're a math geek like me, seasons are like the graph of sin). Good years, average years, bad years, average years, good years. Wittenberg is the same way. The late 90's they didn't lose a game to a team not named MUC, not they're just a good team.

[victorybell_57]

if you really look at kehres' record at mount union, it is quite startling. i don't think there will ever be a guy who has achieved a career total as he has with as few losses. wow. sorry about the side topic, but i was on their website and it was a bit mind blowing.

[dc_has_been]

246-20-3 & a .920 win percentage since 1986!   You ain't lying bout that victory.

[70_dc_alum]

i like to think i took part in a couple of those...in the 246 (not in the 20!!!!).

Another couple of records involving MUC I mention at times.  Win #1 in the NCAA longest Winning Streak MUC over Defiance in 1996 and in the same game we set and NCAA record for most points in the shortest amount of time when we were winning 3-0 at the start of the second quarter and 14 seconds off the clock we are down 21pts...yes that is possible

toss sweep fubmle return 20yds for TD
KO Return fumble return 10yds for TD
KO Touchback
1st play INT return for TD

14 seconds off the clock and i realized why they put handles on socks

[victorybell_57]

wow, how does one do that? that is in record time. don't feel bad though, our offense didn't get on the field one time until a minute left in the first quarter. we were down 55-0 at that point. yeah, i thought the same thing.

[dc_has_been]

I still remember my introduction to college football which so happened to be against Mount Union.  I think their starting QB was in street clothes after the 1st quarter.  Plus I received a broken nose on my first carry of my college career.  I think I finished the game w/ 6 carries for -1 yard.  Good times I tell ya.

There also is a coach, Clair Bee, who had won 95% of his games over 20 years as a basketball coach at Long Island University.  Couldn't find his overall record there, but it still is amazing.

[Adam Sayer]

Ol' Larry has nothing on me. I'm undefeated as a college coach

Anyone know what the Wizard of Westwood's W-L record was while at UCLA?

[dc_has_been]

Just at UCLA Wooden was 620-147 including 10 national championships w/ 7 in a row plus an 88 game win streak.

[70_dc_alum]

only other wierd one we had was Ohio Weslyan.

Opening KO
we drive 80yds Int for TD
KO
Drive 60yds INT for TD
KO
Drive 80 yds for TD
we finally KO
D goes 3 and Out
Punt Drive 80 Yds for a TD
halftime time of possesion is something like 28-2 and we missed and extra point wo we are down by 1 and i am so tired i wished i was dead.  we lost 21 to 20.

next year goes down almost the same way except we were up 7 when we threw 2 Pic 6 in a row and go down 14-7.  4 INT for TD in 2 seasons against 1 team...

[SaintsFAN]

Man how long was this summer??  Anybody ready for football??

Temps outside remind me of the fall....

Thomas More will be playing their games off campus this year due to construction of the field.  Good things going on at the Crestview Hills school.   They are making an effort to have the alumni of the program more involved, the stadium plans are coming along and we have a new staff to be excited about. 

I look for the Saints to finish 2nd in the PAC, and turn some heads on 2007.