FB: Region 3 fan poll

[jknezek]

It's safe to say that Trinity won't be getting any love from me in next weeks pole

It's not just Trinity. Thomas More and H-SC will not be looked on favorably and even Wesley is going to get a more jaundiced eye if they don't pick things up in the second half. This was always going to be a shakeout week, and it is proving to be just that. 

[Ralph Turner]

I think that LaCollege is actually playing like a Top 5 South Region team. 

I am not sure how good JHU is.  They are beginning to make the case to host the first 2 rounds of the tourney.

B-SC may be Top 5, but I think that LaCollege and SRSU are definitely Top 5 calibre.

#2 at #5 on the road (after a longer trip than 90% of D-III will make in their four-year career),  the game looks representative.

[@d3jason]

Agreed. I'd put La Coll at #3. I need more of a sample with Sul Ross than one game. I'm assuming JHU is solid, well-coached and disciplined but may not have the speed or size to hang with a top three team for four quarters. I am anxious to see BSC in a couple weeks in Dover.

[Ralph Turner]

Week #4 South Region Fan Poll

1)    UMHB  (5)	50	1,1,1,1,1
2)    Wesley	45	2,2,2,2,2
3)    B-SC	38	3,3,3,3,5
4)    LaCollege	33	3,4,4,5,6
5)    JHU	31	4,4,4,6,6
.	.	.	.
6)    Huntingdon	21	5,6,7,7,9
7)    SRSU	20	5,5,6,8,x
8)    Waynesburg	12	7,8,8,9,x
9)    HSC	10	8,8,9,9,x
10T) Gettysburg	6	7,10,10,x,x
10T) Millsaps	6	7,9,x,x,x
.	.	.	.
RV)  W&J	3	8,x,x,x,x
RV)  CMU	1	10,x,x,x,x
RV)  Muhlenberg	1	10,x,x,x,x
RV)  W&L	1	10,x,x,x,x

[Ralph Turner]

Only 6 teams on every ballot!

(I am not calling anyone out but, what does it take for SRSU to make every ballot?)

I trust the voter who does not have a PresAC team on his ballot, but the rest of the ballot is creditable.

I don't think that the PresAC has shaken out its best team yet.

[Ron Boerger]

(I am not calling anyone out but, what does it take for SRSU to make every ballot?)

I'd imagine more than one D3 result given that that victory came in Alpine against a Trinity team which was blown out 42-7 in one half in SA by UMHB.

[PA_wesleyfan]

 I have changed some of the ways I used to vote when I first started on this poll. I would give more credit to teams for being undefeated than one loss teams until I got to see teams from different conferences play. Most of those teams have been playoff teams over the last few years. But that being said I don't know any team other than Wesley that has played a more diverse  schedule over the last 15 years. I think I have 10 of the 11 teams in the poll on my ballot on my ballot this week.  I weighed as many as 6 teams for the 10th spot in the poll this week. 

[Toby Taff]

If SRSU makes a good showing this week, they'll make my ballot, but there are too many teams with more games against d3 opponents and better overall records to get there this week. I think that the class of the division are represented and after about 6 teams its a crap shoot until more of the season has been played and teams have head to head match ups to clear the air. Obviously, Sully doesn't have to win this week to get some ballot love from me, but they do have to show that they can compete with a team with a good defense and that their defense can hold the offense.

[roocru]

I am not sold on Sul Ross yet either even though I placed them 8th in my picks.  A little history shows my concern.

Sul Ross has played Western New Mexico for four straight years,

In 2009 they lost to WNM by 15 (33-48) and finished 2-8 with only wins to HPU and TLU (before coaching change).  They lost to UMHB 16-48.

In 2010 they lost to WNM by 3 (32-35) and finished 1-8 with only win to HPU.  They lost to UMHB 12-76.

In 2011 they lost to WNM by 7 (28-35) and finished 2-8 with only wins to Bacone and HPU.  They lost to UMHB 13-77.

In 2012 they lost to WNM by 10 (44-54) and then beat Trinity 62-35.  This Trinity/Sul Ross game was close the whole first half.  Against Trinity, the Cru scored on all six of their drives in the first half and had they not started the second half with substitutes the score would have been much worse.  The first half drives were 67, 72, 15, 75, 30 and 59 yards.

I need to see some proof that that they are much better than their past record shows and that the win against Trinity was not just success against a so far awful Trinity defense.  If they play UMHB closer than past records show, I will be happy to move them higher.

I am also the lone pollster picking Washington and Lee.  Each week I run a spreadsheet averaging rankings of the top computer indices.  W&L's  average was the sixth highest of the teams I have on my list.  If they lose, they will be crossed off right away

[Toby Taff]

Good idea for a spread sheet, roocru. I keep one of results by point differential noting in or out of region and opponent's ranking nationally and in region if there is one. factoring in the computer indices might be helpful.

[Bob.Gregg]

Week #4 South Region Fan Poll

8)    Waynesboro

12

7,8,8,9,x

Waynesboro, or Waynesburg?

[jknezek]

Week #4 South Region Fan Poll

8)    Waynesboro

12

7,8,8,9,x

Waynesboro, or Waynesburg?

Funny. I voted for Waynesburg this week, but due to a typo I had a "Waynesboro" on my watch list last week. I have a suspicion that I get my votes in fairly early, especially week 3, so Ralph may have copied and pasted my original typo.

As for SRSU, I clearly have them on my ballot. But they are still 1-2, with the 1 win looking less impressive this week than last. I think there is a case for having them in the top 10, but it certainly isn't ironclad by any definition. As for the PAC, this is not the PAC of the naughts right now. W&J and TMC don't look dominant by any stretch, and Waynesburg isn't exactly a household name. So they have a little uphill work to do.

Its kind of like the ODAC has been. Early to mid in the naughts Bridgewater was a gimme. Since then, we've had some rotation and no dominance. Right now I don't have an ODAC team on my ballot because while H-SC and W&L have 1 decent win a piece (CNU and Centre) I have questions about both those opponents. But they both have a loss as well. W&L's loss was a bad one, albeit on the road in the first game of the season, H-SC's not as bad but it was at home just recently which I tend to look closely at. Fortunately the ODAC teams, including R-MC, Bridgewater and E&H will get a shot to prove it on the field and I'm pretty certain that one team will re-emerge to take votes in the bottom half of the top 10 for me as the season goes on.

As for teams going undefeated versus weak opponents or taking a loss here and there against a tougher schedule, I agree with PA. Just being undefeated through 4,5 or 6 games isn't a guarantee you'll get a vote from me. You're on my watchlist, and you might be getting a low vote here and there, but it's not enough versus teams that play harder schedules and maybe take a road loss or a loss to a top 3 team in the South or a different region. That being said, the 9/10 picks can always be a little odd because, especially earlier in the season because there are a lot of candidates. So I am the CMU vote this week, though the game against Wabash should settle that. I was a Trinity 10 last week since I wanted to see if they really had dropped off as much as the SRSU game portrayed before dropping them completely.

I guess my 9/10 votes tend to be a bit speculative.

[Ralph Turner]

Week #4 South Region Fan Poll

8)    Waynesboro

12

7,8,8,9,x

Waynesboro, or Waynesburg?

During my brainburp, I auto-corrected it from Wayne's World, the first thing that came to my mind!  Close but no cigar!  Thanks for correcting me.

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks guys for the comments.

I think that we may have three of the Top 5 in the ASC, if SRSU can hang within 21 points of UMHB.

There will be an extra large component to the mental aspect of the UMHB game for SRSU.

SRSU has always had talented individuals, but I think that the program always struggles with the mental aspect of the game. We have all seen in it our businesses/jobs, athletic teams, recreational sports, and even in life.  You can have very talented individuals who come together. The beautiful thing that coaches try to teach is how to turn these talented individuals into winning teams. 

For me, a lot of times, the real coach of the year is the guy who won 3-4 more games than the year before. Getting that change into the minds of players is the beauty of an outstanding coaching job.  We may see that at SRSU this year, if the players do not get down on themselves unnecessarily, and berating themselves uncostructively early in the season.  Strvie to do better and do nopt destroy yourself in that striving!

[ExTartanPlayer]

For me, a lot of times, the real coach of the year is the guy who won 3-4 more games than the year before. Getting that change into the minds of players is the beauty of an outstanding coaching job.

Agreed - partially.

I'd almost liken it to the difference in voting for an "MVP" and a "Most Improved Player" in the NBA.  A coach that takes a 2-8 team and turns them into a 6-4 team has done a fantastic job, no doubt, and it can be argued that they did something more impressive than the coach of a perennial powerhouse churning out another 9-1 team in a program that's always done so.  On the other hand, I believe that coaches of truly outstanding teams SHOULD be rewarded, even if they only "met" expectations that were exceedingly high beforehand.

Not disagreeing - just presenting an alternative viewpoint.  Both coaches in the aforementioned example should be commended.  It's hard to say which is more deserving of a "Coach of the Year" award.