FB: Southern Athletic Association

[Ron Boerger]

Centre College Colonels (6-1, 4-1) received 26 votes, ^11 after defeating Rhodes College Lynx, 41-14. What are the chances that both, Berry and Centre make the playoffs?

Just remember that the D3football poll has exactly zero impact on the granting of Pool C bids.   

[awadelewis]

Centre College Colonels (6-1, 4-1) received 26 votes, ^11 after defeating Rhodes College Lynx, 41-14. What are the chances that both, Berry and Centre make the playoffs?

Just remember that the D3football poll has exactly zero impact on the granting of Pool C bids.

The FAQ over on the main d3fb site has a good summary of how the playoff selection works for Pool B and Pool C:
http://www.d3football.com/interactive/faq/playoffs

Given past history of playoff selection and the history of the SAA in the playoffs,  I'd be pulling for either Southwestern,  Belhaven, or McMurry to pull off an upset on HSU.   Better odds of that happening than winning the MegaMillons but not a bet I'd put any money on.

[roocru]

A tough win for Berry on Saturday. I thought the offense looked a little lost against a very good Millsaps D. Credit to #23 for running hard all day and getting a lot of YAC yards. Berry's D stepped up and made play after play. None more important than having the sense to pick up the ball and run with it after the lateral. I'm not surprised it was a tough game. In the 6 years I've watch Millsaps / Berry games, its always a battle no matter the records coming in. Big game this Saturday to clinch. Birmingham Southern won't be easy. Thankfully it is at home in Valhalla and not in Birmingham.

After seeing Millsaps in action, it is hard to understand how they lost to Austin.  Millsaps' reputation as the best defense in SAA is certainly true.  They limited Berry to 6 points in regulation.  I think Berry's offense has gotten a little predictable with their formations, run vs pass.  Later in the game the best runs were when the offense was in 4 WR looks, it is good to know Berry can run from those formations if needed.

I was very disappointed in the penalties for Berry: 8-112. They have not had those troubles this season.  Before this last game they averaged 5-51. It really was a significant difference.

Maybe the 61-0 loss was the aberration!    Other than the Berry score AC is losing by an average of 12 points and beat "the best defense in the SAA".  Maybe Austin College is not that far from being competitive in the SCAC? 

Don't tell the AC administration!  They will change admission criteria.

Interesting that you should say that Ralph.  I totally agree that the past presidents were no friends of athletics.  I have hesitated to say anything about this before but I really believe a positive change is in the works.  The new president, Phillip O'Day was only on the campus for eight months when a $27 million master plan for improving the athletic facilities was finished and is now about to be publicly announced.  This plan would affect all sports including (1) lighting, new turf and a new track for the football/lacrosse field with additional improvements in the dressing rooms, (2) new tennis court surfaces and improvement, (3) complete renovation of the natatorium and updated dressing areas, (4) turf infield for baseball, (5) turf infield for softball, (6) turf for separate soccer stadium, and (7) turf for football/lacrosse practice fields.  Lacrosse is a sport he is very interested in starting.


President O'Day was a girls soccer coach for Franklin & Marshall from 1997 to 2007. His wife was a collegiate swim coach. He appears to really "get it" as far as the benefits of athletics for a college.  In our conversations he seems truly committed to raising the profile of AC athletics and gets that this would be an overall boon to the college and its enrollment numbers.  Now I fully realize that $27 million is a lofty goal and will not be raised overnight but I am definitely encouraged by the fact that improving athletic facilities appeared to be his first order of business.  I really believe that under his guidance we finally have a true friend at the top.

[Ralph Turner]

roocru, that is a big change.  And, I think that it will boost AC's status in the SCAC to the top 1/3rd with respect to facilities.

[BerryCollegeFan]

A tough win for Berry on Saturday. I thought the offense looked a little lost against a very good Millsaps D. Credit to #23 for running hard all day and getting a lot of YAC yards. Berry's D stepped up and made play after play. None more important than having the sense to pick up the ball and run with it after the lateral. I'm not surprised it was a tough game. In the 6 years I've watch Millsaps / Berry games, its always a battle no matter the records coming in. Big game this Saturday to clinch. Birmingham Southern won't be easy. Thankfully it is at home in Valhalla and not in Birmingham.

After seeing Millsaps in action, it is hard to understand how they lost to Austin.  Millsaps' reputation as the best defense in SAA is certainly true.  They limited Berry to 6 points in regulation.  I think Berry's offense has gotten a little predictable with their formations, run vs pass.  Later in the game the best runs were when the offense was in 4 WR looks, it is good to know Berry can run from those formations if needed.

I was very disappointed in the penalties for Berry: 8-112. They have not had those troubles this season.  Before this last game they averaged 5-51. It really was a significant difference.

Maybe the 61-0 loss was the aberration!    Other than the Berry score AC is losing by an average of 12 points and beat "the best defense in the SAA".  Maybe Austin College is not that far from being competitive in the SCAC? 

It definitely could be, we all know statistics can be good indicators of a teams strengths, but they often miss predicting outcomes on the scoreboards.  I know going into the Austin game the players were not at all expecting the outcome that really happened.  They expected a much tighter game and were surprised.  Sometimes the coaches get the gameplan exactly right and the execution just goes without any issues.  At other times neither is working.  Finding the balance and knowing what to change when things aren't working during the middle of a game is where the strategy of football shines.

oh, and did you mean SAA?

[roocru]

A tough win for Berry on Saturday. I thought the offense looked a little lost against a very good Millsaps D. Credit to #23 for running hard all day and getting a lot of YAC yards. Berry's D stepped up and made play after play. None more important than having the sense to pick up the ball and run with it after the lateral. I'm not surprised it was a tough game. In the 6 years I've watch Millsaps / Berry games, its always a battle no matter the records coming in. Big game this Saturday to clinch. Birmingham Southern won't be easy. Thankfully it is at home in Valhalla and not in Birmingham.

After seeing Millsaps in action, it is hard to understand how they lost to Austin.  Millsaps' reputation as the best defense in SAA is certainly true.  They limited Berry to 6 points in regulation.  I think Berry's offense has gotten a little predictable with their formations, run vs pass.  Later in the game the best runs were when the offense was in 4 WR looks, it is good to know Berry can run from those formations if needed.

I was very disappointed in the penalties for Berry: 8-112. They have not had those troubles this season.  Before this last game they averaged 5-51. It really was a significant difference.

Maybe the 61-0 loss was the aberration!    Other than the Berry score AC is losing by an average of 12 points and beat "the best defense in the SAA".  Maybe Austin College is not that far from being competitive in the SAA? 

It definitely could be, we all know statistics can be good indicators of a teams strengths, but they often miss predicting outcomes on the scoreboards.  I know going into the Austin game the players were not at all expecting the outcome that really happened.  They expected a much tighter game and were surprised.  Sometimes the coaches get the gameplan exactly right and the execution just goes without any issues.  At other times neither is working.  Finding the balance and knowing what to change when things aren't working during the middle of a game is where the strategy of football shines.

oh, and did you mean SAA?

+k for catching my typo.  Change has been made.

[BerryCollegeFan]

Thanks

[HookEmVikes]

A tough win for Berry on Saturday. I thought the offense looked a little lost against a very good Millsaps D. Credit to #23 for running hard all day and getting a lot of YAC yards. Berry's D stepped up and made play after play. None more important than having the sense to pick up the ball and run with it after the lateral. I'm not surprised it was a tough game. In the 6 years I've watch Millsaps / Berry games, its always a battle no matter the records coming in. Big game this Saturday to clinch. Birmingham Southern won't be easy. Thankfully it is at home in Valhalla and not in Birmingham.

After seeing Millsaps in action, it is hard to understand how they lost to Austin.  Millsaps' reputation as the best defense in SAA is certainly true.  They limited Berry to 6 points in regulation.  I think Berry's offense has gotten a little predictable with their formations, run vs pass.  Later in the game the best runs were when the offense was in 4 WR looks, it is good to know Berry can run from those formations if needed.

I was very disappointed in the penalties for Berry: 8-112. They have not had those troubles this season.  Before this last game they averaged 5-51. It really was a significant difference.

Maybe the 61-0 loss was the aberration!    Other than the Berry score AC is losing by an average of 12 points and beat "the best defense in the SAA".  Maybe Austin College is not that far from being competitive in the SCAC? 

Millsaps D bracketed #12 almost all day with a corner and safety. No one has been able to do that in years past because Berry has always had another WR and a Slot that had to be accounted for.  Berry has some good young WR, they just need to use them more. It seemed earlier in the year, they were spreading the ball around more. Maybe your assessment of the O and predictability of formations is correct. Going to the 4 WR sets opens the middle of the field up because LBs have to play outside the box and respect the slot receivers which gave #23 room to run once he got to the 2nd level. The penalties were an issue as well. Hopefully they can correct that before this Saturday.

[BerryCollegeFan]

In previous games, I have noticed the later WR options open just as much as past years, but they aren't getting to them because #1 and #2 are open too.  Millsaps not only kept #1 WR bracketed, but they covered the check downs as well.

[MUC57]

Berry College fans

You get very few posters on this board so I'll just say Good Luck tomorrow. Go Vikings!

[BerryCollegeFan]

Berry wins again.  BSC played a good game early keeping Berry out of the endzone until a blocked kick gave Berry good momentum and a short field. 

Clinched at least a share of the SAA title and the Pool A bid!

Congratulations to the coaches and players, 3peat!

[Cedricb313]

Centre (7-1,5-1) downs Millsaps (4-4,2-4); 49-13. Congratulations Centre WR #21 Jaylen Hibbs on setting school record of 221 yds receiving. Centre and Berry two of the best teams in the South. #SAA

[albatross]

Checking in here from Washington, DC. Apologize for being so absent on the boards this fall -- been an incredibly busy work season.

As for my friends down at Hendrix, I am really proud of them for fighting in each and every game despite the hand they have been dealt. What started as a season with 10-0 expectations has clearly not come to pass. Losing your best players on both sides of the ball for the season is devastating, especially with only 5 or 6 seniors on the team. Lot of growing and bonding taking place -- kind of like my first year when we started the program! ha.

They will keep scrapping and I hope that Berry will represent the league well in the playoffs. I am ever the SAA optimist...

[MUC57]

Berry fans

A big congrats on winning the SAA title and getting the AQ into the playoffs. You seem to be making a habit of this. You must have had some fun last year and decided to do it again. I wish you the best in the playoffs. Go Vikings!

[HookEmVikes]

Congrats to the Berry Vikings on a 3rd consecutive SAA conference championship. I'm not sure anyone could have predicted 3 titles in the first 6 years of existence. A testament to all of the coaches and players past and present.