Playoffs 2013

[voice]

How many OAC pool C teams need to be upset in the first round before everyone realizes the OAC is far over rated?!?! There's Mount and nobody else.

Completely defensible position if you conveniently ignore last week's game. John Carroll took care of business all season, even blowing out the other good team in the league, and played Mount Union well last week. Yeah, today in the snow, didn't get it done but that's what the playoffs are like.

If you looked at the UWW-St. Norbert game today as the only game you look at all season you wouldn't think the WIAC and MWC are so far apart either. It's not like we think the Empire 8 is a crap league, right? Aren't we pretty much in agreement that that's a power conference?

Yes, they took care of business....in the OAC. That's kind of my point. St. Scholastica took care of business as well in their conference, that doesn't mean they are a great team. They just took advantage of playing in a week conference. You would think a Pool C team in the 2nd best rated conference in the country would win at least ONE playoff game in the past two seasons. The last team in the OAC (outside Mount) to win a playoff game I believe was Ohio Northern...6 years ago.

I'm not here to defend the WIAC, I've been saying all season Whitewater isn't nearly the same Whitewater from 2005 to 2011. They over achieved all season long this year, IMO. UWW's offense won't scare anyone this year. They may win one more, but that's about it. As a WIAC fan, I was glad to see a non-Whitewater team from the WIAC make it to the semi finals last year.

That's two years in a row now that a supposedly "good" OAC team was upset at home in the playoffs. Considering UMU only won by 14, maybe that says something about the OAC well?

I just think this is the season that neither Mount or Whitewater will reach the Stagg. Pat, I think I even heard you say the words that the playoffs are a good measuring stick on how godd a conference is.

02 on and off the bandwagon alert!!!!!

UWW doesn't score 50 points vs. the lowly Midwest Conference - They musn't be that good???
02's quote from earlier this evening shows once again that 02 is a "game at a time fan" - on the band wagon - off the band wagon
I'm not here to defend the WIAC, I've been saying all season Whitewater isn't nearly the same Whitewater from 2005 to 2011. They over achieved all season long this year, IMO. UWW's offense won't scare anyone this year. They may win one more, but that's about it.

Just kiddin' 02. I'll let BP finish the thought

[Pat Coleman]

Just a reminder -- the OAC was NOT the No. 2 conference in our most recent rankings, either, 02:

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2013/2013-conference-rankings

[02 Warhawk]

Just a reminder -- the OAC was NOT the No. 2 conference in our most recent rankings, either, 02:

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2013/2013-conference-rankings

Ha! I didn't see the latest rankings. I was going off the Kickoff rankings.

Soooo......this is awkward   

[bleedpurple]

Just a reminder -- the OAC was NOT the No. 2 conference in our most recent rankings, either, 02:

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2013/2013-conference-rankings

Ha! I didn't see the latest rankings. I was going off the Kickoff rankings.

Soooo......this is awkward   

Not nearly as awkward as next week's tailgate after you dissed this year's team

[wesleydad]

I know that JCU lost today and it looks bad.  I saw them last week and they are very good.  granted, I did not expect that snow would derail them, but credit has to go to Fisher.  Sometimes you have to give credit to the team that wins the game and not discredit the team that lost.

[Ralph Turner]

I'm sure glad thatIWU got in as a Pool C. Concordia or St Thomas were obviously inferior to that powerhouse.

Also, wrdad, You might want to consider the MIAC. Look at Non-con record, as well as record vs the "SEC of D-III."

You can be the "SEC of D-III" when:

1)  Your head cheerleader represented your home state in the Miss America pageant.
2)  Your Barbecue is beef and pork, and you fight over which actually tastes better!
3)  You know the names, numbers and crew chiefs of all 13 drivers in the NASCAR Chase.
4)  You can sing "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Rainy Night in Georgia" equally well and you have "Georgia on Your Mind".
5)  The number "3" reminds you of Dale Earnhard Sr more often the points awarded for a Field Goal, either football or hoops.
6)  Hot spicy food is normal for your taste buds.
7)  Your Uncle Charley still has his "Hounds tooth" Hat that he wore attending every Alabama football game.
8)  You know exactly where you are when you hear "Cowbells", "Sooie Pig", "Roll Tide", "War Eagle", "How bout them Dawgs" or the "12th man".
9)  Half of your mascots are "cats" and "dogs".
and finally
10)  Your second person plural pronoun is y'all.

I thought the plural was "all y'all".

(And "all y'all's" -- plural possessive.) 

LOL!  +1!

[02 Warhawk]

Just a reminder -- the OAC was NOT the No. 2 conference in our most recent rankings, either, 02:

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2013/2013-conference-rankings

Ha! I didn't see the latest rankings. I was going off the Kickoff rankings.

Soooo......this is awkward   

Not nearly as awkward as next week's tailgate after you dissed this year's team

LOL. I've talked to at least 10 people today at the game that share my sentiments.

No matter what happens, this team has exceeded everyone's expectations. I'm happy with how this season has turned out.

[HScoach]

JCU proved once again that you must be able to run the ball in the playoffs to combat Mother Nature.    Congrats to SJF on the win.

[boobyhasgameyo]

I think I'll start defending this point soon since I'm noticing a contingent start to imply that the snow is the main reason for John Carroll's loss.  I think Fisher handled the elements more favorably and therefore it gave them an additional advantage, but the advantage in my mind was slight and not significant. 

Prior to the snow it was not as if John Carroll's wide receivers were blazing by our defense with great speed.  There was no separation.  I don't know how some people argue that the snow was slowing down or diminishing the abilities of one team as if the other team wasn't playing on the exact same field at the exact same time.  Our passing game was not hindered by the elements.  It was hindered by John Carroll's effective pressure.  But we started pounding the ball and wearing them down in the second half and even in the snow and wind Fenti started making throws in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

What I'm saying is the throws were there to be made.  The snow wasn't so bad that you couldn't pass the ball.  Our QB was not limited in anyway by the elements, the only limits came from a strong defensive unit.  I mean look at the 20 yard bullet pass he had on 3rd and 14 in the crucial moments of the 4th quarter.  It's such a cop out to say it was the weather that forced Myers into such a terrible day.  Couldn't have been Fisher disguising blitzes, coverage schemes, etc. that forced him into those poor decisions?  It wasn't as if the ball was getting caught up in the air.  Plus Fisher's defense has forced 12 turnovers in the last two games.  Twelve. 

Just some food for thought.   

[pumkinattack]

There was another fisher poster who stated JCU had an obvious speed advantage but the conditions mitigated that and fishers size took over.  You guys need to discuss internally on this one I think.

[Upstate]

lol just two differing opinions I guess...

I think it mostly had an effect on the JCU defense, they were not big at any position. Early on they were flying around and making tackles but Fisher spread them out, I mean they had two WRs one each side right next to the numbers, they then ran up the middle on their inside zones. The weather also turned and killed the JCU defensive speed advantage.

They tried to be aggressive early on D and a DB went for the tip/pick on the long TD but jumped too soon and the ball went over his head. After that they didn't bring too much pressure and dropped 8 for most of the game. They sent the occasional overload blitz to once side but other than that they let the QB make them beat them by forcing it into coverage. Fisher did a great job of getting their hands on passes and coming away with the INTs...

[boobyhasgameyo]

There was another fisher poster who stated JCU had an obvious speed advantage but the conditions mitigated that and fishers size took over.  You guys need to discuss internally on this one I think.

There is nothing to discuss.  The other poster was Upstate and he was referring to their defensive speed.  I'm talking about their highly touted offense.  The offense is what people are referring to when they say you can't be one dimensional offensively in the elements.  They never displayed superior speed at any point on offense, including before the snow.  Pierre Garçon and Cecil Shorts they were not. 

On defense they started out on fire and they were swarming like crazy.  This must be what Upstate is alluding to.  They were definitely quicker on defense.  We also made adjustments with lining up two wide receivers on each side, spreading them out.  It was a great offensive adjustment.  So again like I said...Fisher handled the weather better, so it provided somewhat of an extra advantage.  It was slight.  It was not THE defining advantage and to argue otherwise is in my mind a disservice to a fantastic all around effort. 

[wesleydad]

Checking out the bracket update and it lists the Wesley/Ithaca game in Dover.  that would be great, but would also be interested in the reason for the change.  Is ithaca's field in bad shape, I think they have grass? 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

And now until we hear more, we can really let the conspiracy theories run wild... In theory Johns Hopkins was the 2 seed and yet the team they lost to apparently was seeded higher than Ithaca who also hosted in the first round. It's one thing for the NCAA to "adjust" out west to keep flights down, but the east coast doesn't really have a problem of schools not being close.

[skunks_sidekick]

How many OAC pool C teams need to be upset in the first round before everyone realizes the OAC is far over rated?!?! There's Mount and nobody else.

Completely defensible position if you conveniently ignore last week's game. John Carroll took care of business all season, even blowing out the other good team in the league, and played Mount Union well last week. Yeah, today in the snow, didn't get it done but that's what the playoffs are like.

If you looked at the UWW-St. Norbert game today as the only game you look at all season you wouldn't think the WIAC and MWC are so far apart either. It's not like we think the Empire 8 is a crap league, right? Aren't we pretty much in agreement that that's a power conference?

Yes, they took care of business....in the OAC. That's kind of my point. St. Scholastica took care of business as well in their conference, that doesn't mean they are a great team. They just took advantage of playing in a week conference. You would think a Pool C team in the 2nd best rated conference in the country would win at least ONE playoff game in the past two seasons. The last team in the OAC (outside Mount) to win a playoff game I believe was Ohio Northern...6 years ago.

I'm not here to defend the WIAC, I've been saying all season Whitewater isn't nearly the same Whitewater from 2005 to 2011. They over achieved all season long this year, IMO. UWW's offense won't scare anyone this year. They may win one more, but that's about it. As a WIAC fan, I was glad to see a non-Whitewater team from the WIAC make it to the semi finals last year.

That's two years in a row now that a supposedly "good" OAC team was upset at home in the playoffs. Considering UMU only won by 14, maybe that says something about the OAC well?

I just think this is the season that neither Mount or Whitewater will reach the Stagg. Pat, I think I even heard you say the words that the playoffs are a good measuring stick on how godd a conference is.

KLAXON HORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  02 WarHawk is definitely in the DEEP END!  HA HA!  It's all good dude!