FB: Southern Athletic Association

[GillCJ1]

I think it's a huge issue with D3 programs in the Southeast where football is king. You go from high school games on Friday nights with the band, cheerleaders/dance team, some times majorettes getting everyone in the groove to Saturdays with nothing but the team on the field and a CD player. It is absolutely embarrassing that Maryville cannot find a student to sing the National Anthem in lieu of playing some overplayed CD.  Lack of effort in my book. Hell, Huntingdon's band played the National Anthem last year and the game was in Maryville!

I've said this to many people over the last few years, but it shouldn't be hard to get 25-30 kids that played in their high school band to play on Saturdays. Make it a work study or give the kids a few financial aid dollars.  I'd be in favor of inviting local high school bands to come play instead of not having one at all.

Just found online that Huntingdon's band is The Marching Scarlet and Grey and gives $11,500 to band members and $11,000 to color guard and majorettes. http://www.huntingdon.edu/academics/academic-programs/programs-of-study/music-and-music-education/the-marching-scarlet-grey/

I will say, UMHB has no problem with things like the National Anthem.  We either have students/former students sing, or the band will play.  Also, once or twice a season we invite a local high school band to come and perform/play.  It definitely livens things up.  I wish there was more of it, because it really makes it feel like a big-time showcase with both bands alternating songs.

Props to Huntingdon!  I know they came to play at UMHB once in the playoffs, but my mind is drawing a blank on if they brought their band with them.  I do know that we once played a team we normally don't at home and they brought their band.  It was one of the few times that's happened, sadly.
Well done.

[GillCJ1]

GillCJ1,

From my understanding when UMHB was attempting to field a marching band in years past, the numbers in the band were very small.

You would know better than me, but my understanding is that marching practice/preparation takes up a lot of time during the week. Since UMHB does not have a band program, per se, few kids seemed willing to commit to the necessary time investment required to have a good halftime show. So, there was an attempt/experiment to have a band that only plays, but does not march - i.e. spirit band. It has been my observation that the numbers in the band have grown each year. The kids playing add to the game atmosphere and they seem to have a lot of fun.

The reality seems to be that if a kid is serious about being in a marching band he/she is going to go to a much larger school with a serious marching band.

I, for one, like seeing the band grow each year - the kids have fun - and the music they play during the game adds to the atmosphere. Prior, like I said, they were few in number and the marching - with so few - just seemed to be lacking. Just my two cents worth - if it's worth that much. 

Yeah, I have some friends (a married couple, actually) who both performed in the band back when they were in school.  I believe he told me they marched at one time, but for whatever reason they decided to stop.  Probably has something to do with the numbers and time commitment, like you said.  Don't get me wrong - I still enjoy AND appreciate what they do.   

[albatross]

Hendrix recently installed a pep band in the student section and it is led by an actual faculty member. No marching involved. They've gone hard after incoming freshmen to cement it in the growing tradition of Hendrix football. They post up in the student section and get the crowd into it, in addition to fight songs, etc. I know that Austin College and Centre have small pep bands off and on though I haven't seen it in Sherman for awhile...

[Hawks88]

Props to Huntingdon!  I know they came to play at UMHB once in the playoffs, but my mind is drawing a blank on if they brought their band with them.  I do know that we once played a team we normally don't at home and they brought their band.  It was one of the few times that's happened, sadly.
Well done.

No the band didn't make that trip. I don't think the cheerleaders even went. Would have been a pretty heavy financial outlay on such short notice plus being Thanksgiving weekend and all. 

[Scots13]

Hawks88--
What other trips does the band take in the USAC?

[Kelly Boggs]

Louisiana College brought its band to Belton in the first round of the 2012 playoffs.

[Hawks88]

Hawks88--
What other trips does the band take in the USAC?

They always go to the nearby rivalry games;BSC and LaGrange, though the last couple of times to LaGrange they didn't let them march at halftime. Not sure why on that. As far as I can remember they always go to Maryville. I think they will also usually make one or two of the longer road games. Last year we went to NC Wesleyan and they were there. A couple of years ago when we went to Methodist they were there.

[albatross]

fwiw Lyon College (NAIA) has bagpipers AND a marching band that they traveled to Hendrix this week. They're also the scots...

I believe HDX set up some overflow bleachers in the end zone for Lyon's band.

[Clark Kent]

Great win for Berry on Saturday over Maryville.  I think we may have a rivalry on our hands.  The weather was awful, but the crowd was good as was the atmosphere.  I think the Maryville kid playing the bagpipe is quite cool.  The two teams seem pretty close to evenly matched, which made for an exciting game.  Maryville will do just fine in it's conference, which had an absolutely horrid weekend.

Berry defense looked really good.  I was concerned about the kicking game, but it also looked good.  Special team errors were costly and need to be addressed. Collins was a stud running the ball.

I watched on MC's livestream and watched again later.  Yes, it is a good win for Berry.  MC has good size, good speed and were physical.  I agree that Berry's defense played physical, shut out MC in the 2nd half, and held MC to 73 yds rushing.  Marmadou was his normal self disrupting things.  Didn't like the D giving up the long pass to the 2 on MC's last drive.  Fortunately the kid fumbled. 

On any team at any level, the offense starts with O Line. It's kinda like baseball and pitching.  O Line did fairly well 1st half, but not good the 2nd half.  Pad levels got higher and higher and MC's DL ate their lunch.  Collins had 93 yds 1st half and 19 in 2nd half.  He took some shots.  What changed?  The O Line.  Is it conditioning, fundamentals or mentality?  A good OL needs a few nasty mentalities. 

Collins played very well and receivers Ceresi, Kinsey, and Winston made phenomenal catches.  They make the QB look good.  Dale missed open receivers with throws high and throws in the dirt.  He was picked twice.  Better protection might improve his nervous feet but some were just bad throws.. 
 
But all in all, a good win on the road against a good opponent.  Lots of positives and some negatives.  It's said the most improvement occurs between weeks 1 and 2.  The Vikes have a  good coaching staff so I'm confident they'll get better and better. 

[BerryCollegeFan]

Dale was picked twice?  I don't remember that and I don't see it in the stats either...  He did have two TD passes.

http://www.berryvikings.com/sports/fball/2017-18/boxscores/20170902_6c5l.xml

Also didn't play about 6 minutes of the 3rd and the 4th qtr due to the hard hit from the targeting penalty.

[hasanova]

I'm not sure if the bagpiper is a student or not, but we had a guy in our class that received a hefty amount of financial aid due to his piping skills. He could lay it down.
We used to have Knoxville Pipes and Drums perform before the Homecoming game and it was a sight to see. Precision does not do it justice.
I haven't been to, or online streamed, commencement in a couple years, but they have performed there are well.

MC used to have a marching band back in the day that would wear kilts.  Now we have a pep band with a bass guitar . For all the emphasis the College places on the arts and a multi-million dollar concert venue (Clayton Center for the Arts), you'd think they'd have the interest/capabilities to have an actual marching band. If you want to see a small college band that does it right, look at Huntingdon. Don't need a big band...maybe 20 people.

Hasanova and I were admiring Huntingdon's band this weekend. Between the pre-game march, the halftime show, and the music throughout the game, they do an excellent job and it is huge. BSC has a small band that also does well. I'm surprised that both still also pipe in cheap music during the game. Let the band have it! It's why they are there.

Carnegie Mellon also has bagpipes. When my sister went, mid to late 90s, I used to enjoy listening to them. A very neat novelty but I'm not sure I'd want to be hearing them on a regular basis.

I agree.  The Huntingdon band does a fine job ... adds a lot to the game experience.  I wish Guilford had a band, but they don't.

[albatross]

Hendrix won 2/3 player of the week awards from the conference in their 56-28 win over Lyon.

First-year starting QB Miles Thompson won SAA of Offensive Player of the Week:
-29 for 37 (78.4%)
-6 TDs
-385 passing yards
-QBR 208.5

Senior Ben Luedtke won SAA Special Teams Player of the Week:
-164 total KR yards (41.0 average)
-One KR for TD (95 yards)

[Clark Kent]

Dale was picked twice?  I don't remember that and I don't see it in the stats either...  He did have two TD passes.

http://www.berryvikings.com/sports/fball/2017-18/boxscores/20170902_6c5l.xml

Also didn't play about 6 minutes of the 3rd and the 4th qtr due to the hard hit from the targeting penalty.

Sorry I misspoke.  Read the stats wrong.  You are correct, no int's for Dale. 

Yes I saw Dale go out, but don't remember it being a targeting penalty.  My recollection is the targeting penalty with ejection was a hit on Adcock, while Dale was out.  I think Dale was hurt when he ran the ball.  Would have to replay the livestream. 

Excited about seeing the Vikes live and in person Saturday night.  If you're in north Georgia, Rome and Valhalla are the place to be this Saturday evening.  Hook'em Vikes!!

[Ron Boerger]

Today's games involving SAA teams:

Anderson (Ind.) at Centre
Huntingdon at Birmingham Southern
LaGrange at Berry
Millsaps at Texas Wesleyan
Pomona-Pitzer at Rhodes
Sewanee at Washington and Lee
Texas Lutheran at Hendrix
Wayland Baptist at Austin

Trinity has an open week.

[albatross]

Today's games involving SAA teams:

Anderson (Ind.) at Centre
Huntingdon at Birmingham Southern
LaGrange at Berry
Millsaps at Texas Wesleyan
Pomona-Pitzer at Rhodes
Sewanee at Washington and Lee
Texas Lutheran at Hendrix
Wayland Baptist at Austin

Trinity has an open week.

yesterday's results only serve to confuse, in my opinion. Still too early to carve make predictions on the conference race, but I would say it is a three-horse race (minimum) between Berry-Centre-Hendrix, with potential for Rhodes (and maybe trinity/bsc?) to join the fray. This conference always has a "wide-open" feel but it seems like that is even more true in 2017...