Semifinal Saturday
8
Dec
2007
Dec
2007
So let’s open the floor up for questions and comments on Bethel at Mount Union and Mary Hardin-Baylor at UW-Whitewater.
A lot of people are expecting a third consecutive all-purple Stagg Bowl. Since the first round of the playoffs, close games have not been the norm. Will we see a great finish on Saturday at either location, or both? What do the Crusaders and Royals have to do to pull the upsets? Why will the Warhawks and Purple Raiders dominate?
Give us your specific thoughts on the matchups, the weather or whatever crosses your mind. And feel free if you’re watching or listening to us to kick in your in-game updates here as well. And as always, enjoy!
December 8th, 2007 at 5:17 am
Before the comments start, just a word about the videocasts. Your article says that “Macs need not apply”. This is only partially true. Any Mac users out there who have installed Parallels (a program that allows Mac users to run any operating system and its associated software) should be able to get the videocast on their Macs by activating Parallels and using Microsoft Internet Explorer. Most of the people with Macs that I know use Parallels to run software that is made only for Windows and can do this. I submit this just to clarify if there is any confusion for Mac users.
December 8th, 2007 at 6:20 am
With the tremendous challenge facing Bethel today, I was reminded of a couple favorite quotes. The first is from Friday Night Lights, but could just as easily have been from one of Coach Johnson’s pre-game talks.
“You all have known me for a while, and for a long time now you’ve been hearing me talk about being perfect. Well, I want you to understand something. To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship to your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye, and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could. There wasn’t one more thing that you could have done. Can you live in that moment as best you can with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart! If you can do that, gentlemen, then you’re perfect. I want you to take a moment, and I want you to look each other in the eyes. I want you to put each other in your hearts forever. Boys, my heart is full. My heart is full!”
And one more, from Teddy Roosevelt.
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”
Coach Johnson put it best, “We’re coming home either happy, or ecstatic.” All the best to everybody at both games, and hopefully all four teams walk off the field today healthy. GO ROYALS!
GO ROYALS!
December 8th, 2007 at 8:15 am
saturday and i am not getting ready for a game, hard to get used to. wesley is done, but i am still excited about today’s games. i remember last year flying into milwaukee, driving to whitewater, arriving early and tailgating with some of the other wesley parents. i am envious of the folks who are getting ready or who are already doing that same thing this year, enjoy it because it was fun. i think the game between uww and umhb should be close, if mistake free. last time i checked the weather, there is no snow in the forecast so it looks like it will just be cold and the field frozen. can umhb run the ball on the frozen field since they run the option type plays or will they go between the tackles. uww runs a straight ahead o so they are more suited for the field condition. will umhb be able to pass when needed like they did last week or will they remember the results from game 1 and limit attempts. uww will throw if they need to. in the end i think uww is better and will win, 27 - 14. good luck to both teams, stay healthy, play hard.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:20 am
can someone post the link for the streaming of the games today….thanks
December 8th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Check the main story at http://www.d3football.com.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Thanks, I hadn’t read that intro
December 8th, 2007 at 9:12 am
I think UMHB has the heart to pull out an upset over Whitewater. I think it is going to be the hardest game they have ever played, and they are going to have to play relatively mistake free football, but I can see it with being similar to the 2004 upset of Mount Union in the semifinals.
If they hadn’t played Whitewater a month ago, I don’t know that they would have a chance, but I think that game, while ugly and disappointing, gave them exactly what they needed to beat the WarHawks the second time around.
December 8th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Just wanted to thank Pat and Keith for allowing me to contribute to the site this year with Kickoff, Triple Take and writing a feature. (I was the one who said the Millsaps/Trinity game would be the least interesting Top 20 matchup that week. Boy was I wrong about that.
)
At any rate, the Cru wasn’t very successful with their option last week against Wesley. Must of their big runs were straight ahead or fullback bellies. They were patient and Welch made a few plays in the pass game. If they can hold on to the ball, this week, I think they have a chance.
December 8th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Contrary to popular belief…you CAN watch the NCAA’s live video stream with a Mac. You just need to download the Flip4Mac plugin:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/wmcomponents.mspx
Check out the FAQs on the CSTV.com page and the system requirements for more info.
Go Hawks!
December 8th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Does anyone know if there will be video of the MUC-Bethel game??? How??
Thanks!
December 8th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Ronamuc,
Follow the link to “video” on the front page.
December 8th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Not much for score predictions, but I’ll go for UWW by a moderate margin (10-20 pts) over UMHB and MUC by a moderate-bordering-on-significant margin (20-30) over Bethel. If nothing else, good luck to everyone involved and stay healthy!
Now, time to go bundle up and head out to Whitewater. Let’s go Hawks!
December 8th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Just for the record,
Pat hates Macs. I don’t know why and I wouldn’t take his word for it on most things concerning their use.
I have a Macbook in my hands as we speak. Flip4Mac should work perfectly for video intended for Windows Media.
Pat’s at the stadium in Alliance, Ryan and I are headed over there. Enjoy … and remember your favorite website’s audio feed of today’s games while you have that video up. Hate to undermine the local broadcasters whose audio will be with the NCAASports.com video … ah, who am I kidding?
December 8th, 2007 at 11:05 am
D3Keith,
Do you know if there will be any time delay between your audio and the NCAA video? I would prefer to hear you guys or our local radio announcer with their obvious bias opinions. However, I hate to hear something happen before I see it.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:17 am
vhwon — no idea but check it out. Plus, you could pause us or the video for a second to let one catch up.
I only know what I see when I load the video screen on my machine, guys, that it requires IE and windows.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Thanks Pat!! Good idea. I appreciate it and all that you guys do for Division III football.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:26 am
oh and Pat….I am anti-Mac, too.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:49 am
We are on the air — come say hi.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Actually, want to announce that Division III football national chair Dick Kaiser will be our halftime guest, so you’ll want to stick around for that.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:50 am
It’s cold, crisp and overcast here in Whitewater, WI. In terms of temperature, it’s not too much colder than it was in Dover, DE last week. Perkins Stadium is perched on a hill which creates more of a wind affect than you get at the Wolverines’ place.
The field is frozen, but not slick. Traction looks like it’ll be okay at the start, though that may change as the soft mud underneath gets churned to the surface. I’m sure field preparation is a challenge in this climate at this time of year this deep into the season. The Perkins Stadium crew has done a solid job, at least in the view of this turf management neophyte.
There’s a nice contingent of tailgators in the Perkins parking lot with purple garments a plenty. Looking forward to the game.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Wow ….! The weather station says it is 16 DEGREES in Whitewater….having spent many winters in places like Europe and Korea I’m not a stranger to cold weather…I just can’t imagine playing football in weather that cold (-10 to -12 windchill!!!) I wasn’t too worried when it looked like it would be in the high 20’s low 30’s….now I don’t know
December 8th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
7-0 Mount Union. Raiders threatening again.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
10-0 Mount Union
December 8th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
17-0 Mount Union
December 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
24-0 Mount start of the 2nd Q
December 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
24-0 Mount Union. Ugly early.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
24 - 0, so much for a competitive game here. hopefully the uww - umhb will be a good one.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Like I said earlier in the week, Bethel hasn’t played anyone close to Mount’s caliber.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
27-0 Mount
December 8th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Bethel still playing well defensively, excellent pass coverage in bad situations.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
bethel in a world of hurt. they don’t pass all that well and it’s hard to run against mount. and when you’re down almost 4 touchdowns, doesn’t leave you many options.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
and you’re right, pat, bethel defense is pretty solid. mount just has too many options.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
34-0 Mount. Too many weapons
December 8th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
bethel puts together a nice drive, but an INT ends it.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Did Bethel get the kick off time wrong.
41-zip at the half.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Last mention of this, I promise.
I can see the UWW-UMHB video on my Mac as we speak. Used Flip4Mac. Had already had it downloaded, and opened it first before clicking on the video link (it might try to open in a different program if you don’t try it in that order)
Anyway, 0-0 out there, not looking too eventful so far.
Here, 41-0, all Mount Union. Bethel’s shown flashes, but made mistakes to give Mount Union short fields to work with. They got behind early and really haven’t been able to make a game of it in any way, despite a few nice efforts defensively.
Anyone who’s seen or heard the half, your thoughts?
December 8th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
uww scores. 6-0, extra point blocked.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Mount has scored every time they have had the ball. Kmic started to get rolling but not sure how much we will see him in the second half. Bethel just hoping to score at this point. There fans can officially start drinking heavily know.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
UWW just scored. converted 4th and 10 on a busted play by QB. XP blocked. 6-0
December 8th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
mount’s got too much offense, too much defense for bethel. and just when you think you might stop mount, they bust off a 30-yarder. micheli can kill you on designed runs, broken plays and throwing the ball. he’s deadly accurate, and his ability helps open things for kmic. and just when you think you have something going, the defense makes a play.
said it before and it bears repeating. this is the best mount team ever, i think. if they finish today and can win next week, i think that proves it.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
I think it’s kind of sad when someone posts “Bethel playing well defensively” and they’re down 41-0 at the half (I think it was 27-0 at the time though) Short, fields, bad situations, tough breaks, godd effort. I’m sure it’s all true and it’s all well and good except we get another MUC game that’s over by halftime. With the exception of the Ithaca game, they haven’t trailed by less than 21 points at the break all year.
Do we even need to play next week?
December 8th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
TDD,
But that’s not what you said.
Yeah, Bethel’s looking like Marietta today but most of use knew this woulds be a bad matchup. You can’t play Mount and be one-dimensional. They were good enough to beat some North region team, an inconsistent SJU (which BTW has outscored MUC 31-16 in their past two meetings) and outslog Central in the slush.
They won the region and deserve to be here, but they weren’t the best matchup for MUC out of that group. Plus they’ve got a deer-in-the-headlights look. Those some decent efforts on defense don’t mean much if you can’t make the big stop.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
umhb scores. kick is good. umhb 7-6.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
mary hardin takes the lead 7-6.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
UMHB 7 UWW 6
Outstanding drive by UMHB and they ran the ball right at UWW that drive. The outside wasn’t working early but they ran right between the tackles.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Looks darn chilly at UWW.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Here’s a question. If you put together a team consisting of the best players in
D-3 this year, and threw them against MUC, would they win? Keep it close?
December 8th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
UMHB pinned UWW deep..got a punt for great field position….
UMHB “O” throws a nice pass over the middle to get to the goal line…
short run for the TD…..7-6 UMHB….
December 8th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Love that UWW announcer. Very crisp “Justin Beaver the ballcarrier”. Sounds like a drill sergeant.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Looks like Bethel’s game plan was to stop Kmic but forgot about defending everything else. Michelli doing a great job of directing the offense. He’s definitely a Keheres type quarterback, takes what he’s given and makes no mistakes. Mount ‘D’ looking great as usual. I think Mount got a liitle crossed up whren the seond string quarterback came in. He is a better passer and Mount I think was playing more towards the run to start. I’m sure that there will be an adjustment for the second half.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
UMHB should have just had an interception in the secondary for a turnover…cant make mistakes like that….need to make plays….
December 8th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I see on the webcast of the UMHB vs. UWW game, the UWW network misspelled Mary-Hardin Baylor. That’s sad. There score at the end of the first quarter had ‘Mary Harden’.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
D3Keith,
I like how you said MUC was “clinging” to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter. Gotta be toughh keeping in interesting when things get out of hand early.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
good game here. field is a mess. umhb running straight ahead with success. uww throwing the ball often. no mistakes yet.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Danny Jones running seems to be one of the few things working for the UWW offense so far. UHMB is defending the rest of the team fairly well.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Nice TD throw by Jones. He looks very good.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
UWW scores on a nice pass play. 13-7, UWW.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Fast too.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
13-7 UWW!
December 8th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
repete,
Bethel is looking like any other team that Mount has played this year. No need to single Marrieta out. Just goes to show that Bethel would be mediocre in the OAC.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
umhb looks amazing on punt coverage.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
“Wide to the right and short. Other than that it was perfect.”
I love it.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
“Here’s a question. If you put together a team consisting of the best players in
D-3 this year, and threw them against MUC, would they win? Keep it close?”
Not in an all-star situation, but certainly if you had a team with the best of non-MUC players that could work together, it would do very well.
All of this “is this the best MUC team ever?” sounds a lot like what went on after that 60-something-zip win over Bridgewater a while ago. Back them there was a survey going on on the OAC board and that team was ranked among the best. But there was one week left in the season.
TDD — I just thought your remark that Bethel hadn’t played anyone “the caliber of the OAC” was a bit off the mark — and disrespecting Bethel’s opponents. Central, SJU and a WIAC or two would all be fighting for the No. 2 spot in that league most seasons. It’s not like Cap had a long playoff run.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Sorry to UMHB for getting it wrong in a couple of posts.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
mount scores again, kmic short run. 48-0
December 8th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
great game in whitewater
December 8th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
i think if you look at the whole mount package, this is the best combination of offense and defense ever at the school. the stats bear it out so far. they have to win it all, though.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
this game is a lot like last week minus the turnovers by wesley. to good d’s and limited offense. good game.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I think we’ve got the clear No. 1 team this season playing in Alliance and the Nos. 2-3 teams that are far above everyone else playing at Whitewater. Just how much of a gap, I hope to see in person next week.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
UMHB moving the ball well but mistakes starting to hurt. Missed a field goal and just had a pass intercepted in the redzone with 22 seconds left.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
repete, not sure if i agree that umhb is far above wesley based on the game last week. these are 2 good teams and there are several others out there also. mount is clearly the top.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
55-0 MUC after a great pick and run-in by the Mount D…Salem, here we come
December 8th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Bethel with a nice drive. 55-7
December 8th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Cecil Shorts! What a run for the TD!
December 8th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
another good punt from UMHB…need to take advantage and try and pin UWW back….try and set themselves up with a short field…
December 8th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
wow. quincy daniels is fast.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
“Salem here we come” way as well be the official slogan of MUC. The Stagg Bowl people should just save themselves the worry and print up half the program in the preseason.
Secondly, maybe I’m just overly sensitive, but comments like “We’ve got the clear number one team in alliance,” or “mount is clearly the top” seem unnecesary and patronizing, even when not being voiced by MUC fans. Why can’t we just admit that the entire division got embarassed by one school that’s so much better than everyone else this year and the season’s been one long coronation? Their second closest game this year was 35-0! They’ve only trailed for 1 minute 38 seconds all season! They’ve outscored opponents 507-24 IN THE FIRST HALF!
Look, I hate to be the proverbial “Fly in the ointment” here, but I mean come on. This season has basically been over from word one as far as the National Championship goes. Why are we acting like figuring out MUC is the best team is some stunning revelation?
December 8th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
UMHB with terrible play calling with first and goal from the two. Tried to run wide twice and lost yardage. Blew a great scoring oppotunity. Pound it up the gut! Dumb, dumb offensive coordinator on that one.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
And a nice job by the UWW defense.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
could be turning point of game, not scoring there will almost certainly come back to haunt them. umhb could easily be tied or leading this game. i agree about the play calling. 2 yards, straight ahead.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Im impressed with how the UMHB D is handling Justin Beaver so far…
December 8th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
UWW not taking advantage of UMHB miscues. they may regret that later.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
I agree, buddy
December 8th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
this looks like last week, umhb seems to be wearing down the uww d. getting some good yardage up the gut. as some umhb posters have stated, it is not pretty, but it is effective.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
i have to say…good game all around UWW and UMHB…tough hard nosed football…
December 8th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Can UMHB not throw the darn football?
December 8th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Is anyone else having trouble getting the video for the UWW-UMHB game? I get to the CSTV site, but the background goes dark and neither video nor audio plays, or even attempts to play, so far as I can tell.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Nope, the video has been working well all day Nick.
December 8th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
You can also get audio from the UWW website-http://www.uwwsports.com/Sports/football/2007/fb11112007_playoffs.asp
December 8th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
this is a really good football game. both teams slugging it out. strong d’s on both sides. it is early, but i think both teams have a chance next week if they dont turn it over and the d plays this good again.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
sju, i am not having trouble, just cant listen to d3 because they are not timed with the game.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
wow, what a great play by jones. could be the ball game.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
16-7 UWW!
December 8th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Ballgame. UMHB has no one to blame but themselves for this one. Two missed scoring oppotunities and one was ugly. They just needed to pound the middle and got fancy.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I think ive answered my own question…no, UMHB cannot throw the darn football…
December 8th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
MUCnash, I hate to sound like a spoilsport and I am sure someone will flame me for this but UMHB is painful to watch. One of the least imaginative offenses I have seen. It was a close game and their defense played well but man….
December 8th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
lots of excellent defense in WW today. surprised how well UMHB stuffed beaver. will be another interesting matchup next week in the trilogy bowl.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
wesleydad,
I’m betting the No. 4 spot in the final poll might be the most interesting pick. I figured this one would be closer than the last. no matter how focused you are it’s tough to blow out an obviously talented opponent twice in the same season.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
congrats to MUC and UWW. Clearly the two best are headed to Salem … even if it’s getting a bit boring for some of us.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Salem, here we come!
December 8th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Well, not to state the obvious but UWW will have to defend both the pass and the run well next week. I’m not sure they can stop Micheli. He’s on fire right now.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
i agree. this was an excellent football game to watch. it seems to have come down to qb play as many had predicted and jones stepped up. welch seemed to underthrow some open receivers. all in all, a well played game for the conditions. we will be heading to salem for the first time next week. i am really looking forward to the game and the fun that i have been told you have when you attend the stagg. hopefully, next year we will be going to watch wesley play.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Congrats to UWW. UMHB had its chances and made a game of it. 1st and goal at the 3 and didn’t score….that was the game right there for UMHB. again…..congrats to UWW.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Wesleydad, have a safe trip!
December 8th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
early forecast for next saturday: 47-33, cloudy, 10% chance of precip. the snow/rain that was forecast earlier in the day has been pushed to sunday.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I hope everyone that goes has an entertaining and safe trip. I also hope you catch a break on the weather. The two times I went it was brutal. Good luck!!
December 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
The CRU was a lot better team than the UWW today. I think if the field was half way decent then the score would have been a lot different. UMHB for some reason defeated themselves. Trying to get fancy on the 3 yard line. The Cru defense stepped up and showed their greatness, while the Cru offense played like they were scared to do anything different. At least it doesn’t take long to learn our offense. We have about 6 plays which we run to the either side of the field. The Crusader in me wants MUC to beat UWW by 50. I think its getting a little ridicules that the same 2 teams are always in the finals.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Also, I think UMHB demonstrated they deserved to be there today. After watching both games today….UWW has to turn it up a notch (or two or three, etc) to beat MUC.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
This was a great game for both sides. The difference was simply QB play. UWW was much more balanced. UWW defense forced our offensive to make plays through the air, which exposed our weakness. I wasn’t a great fan of our play calling on short yardage and down at the three. This game was more indicative of how I thought the teams would match up when they stayed within themselves. UWW QB was the difference.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Congrats to the Warhawks…two outstanding Defenses on the field today…QB play was the difference - way to go Danny Jones!!
Good luck in Salem!!
December 8th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I’m just curious if the same two teams have ever met THREE consecutive times for a title in any sport. I’m hard pressed to think of any if so. Speaking of Salem, isn’t 4 a later start than normal? I seem to recall most of the title games kicking off around noon or 1. Any reason/logic behind the later start?
To Pat and Keith - Nice job on the play calling from Alliance today. From having done play-by-play and color for MUC when I was there (88-92), it was fun to listen and remember those times. I will definitely have to remember the “wide right and short but otherwise perfect” line. That was good.
Congrats again on an outstanding D3 season (with one game to go).
December 8th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Repete, the score in that 2003 game at Alliance was 66-0. I know. I was there. That post brought back painful memories of not feeling warm till the bus hit the PA line after the game. As we all know, that MUC was not the best of all time due to their loss to St. John’s in the Stagg Bowl the following week. However, this team may be the real deal. Good luck to MUC & UWW next week and hope to see everyone at Stone Station! Be sure to stop by for food and I’ll play tunes plus have CD’s and cassettes for sale. See you in Salem!
December 8th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Well, to paraphrase Prince, “Purple Raiders, Purple Raiders”.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Wow, I’m still warming up right now, it was cold today at Whitewater. I’ll post more later on tonight, but here is what I want to post right now.
I said it would be a lot closer this game than the previous one. Check!
I said that Whitewater would need Schebler back today because it might come down to a field goal. Check!
I said it would be Mount Union and Whitewater again in the Stagg Bowl. Check!
December 8th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Your awesome BiasD3FootballFan…and a prophet!!
December 8th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I have to congratulate UMHB and UWW on a great football game. This was a very evenly matched game between two excellent teams, with great defenses. UMHB was impressive. Their fans were right. They came out ready to play and are a much better team than they showed the first time they came to Whitewater. Whitewater had a stronger passing game and a mobile QB. UMHB made some unusual play calls on first and goal at the 3. But UWW also rose to the occasion.
Although anything could happen next Saturday, all evidence at this point seems to indicate we have a three tier Division III at the moment.
Tier one: Mount Union
Tier two: UWW, UMHB
Tier three: Everyone else.
Hope all the kids who played this weekend savor the experience. I hope all the fans who traveled to the games, drive home safely.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Wow…you guess Mount Union UW-W in the stagg bowl. Real tough call there
December 8th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
A great game from both teams today in Whitewater! Both teams played a turnover free game (not counting the interception with 22 sec left in the half). Both teams were well prepared and the only difference was the ability from UWW to make the CRU think about the deep pass. Both defenses were outstanding today and I think the game next week will be a good one. I am so excited to see the Warhawks take on the Machine that is MUC. See you in Salem!
December 8th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
sad thing is he probably spent hours analyzing everything to get to that.
December 8th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Still waiting for Mille to tell us which “second half” it was, when Mount would be trailing.
December 8th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Hawks goin to salem! But you never know 3rd time is the charm. Most people pick MUC to win big. But you dont count us out until the game is over. I was almost hoping that we would play MUC because we want to be the ones to beat Mount Union.
December 8th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I think he was talking about 3 years ago when Ohio Northern beat Mount.
December 8th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Yeah…
I was surprised to see that MUC actually trailed for 1 minute 38 seconds this year. Frankly, that surprised me. I was sure they hadn’t trailed at all.
December 8th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
For travel plans Raider fans,
What is the hotel that most stay at? I can’t think of the name and want to look for travel plans. Thanks!
December 8th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Mucfan49
I believe it’s the Wyndham in Roanoke
December 8th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
# tim Says:
December 8th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
MUCnash, I hate to sound like a spoilsport and I am sure someone will flame me for this but UMHB is painful to watch. One of the least imaginative offenses I have seen. It was a close game and their defense played well but man….
As a Cru football fan, I say you are correct. Every week I watch them play and think “wow that’s ugly” but most of the time they’re on top at the end. They had their shots today, but UWW came up big. Great job by the Warhawks. good luck next week in Salem.
December 8th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Iceman:
Glad you enjoyed the broadcast.
Division II narrowly missed having a three-peat championship game this year. Grand Valley State has defeated Northwest Missouri for the title the past two years. This year they’ll meet again, except it’ll be in the national semifinals.
The artist formerly knowns as Division I-AA had a three-peat championship match-up from 1991-1993 when Youngstown State and Marshall played each other for the title. The Penguins won in 1991 and 1993 with Marshall taking the other.
December 8th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
yes, the official mount hotel is the wyndham.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I was correct!! QB play was the difference today for the cru. Jones played a good game for UWW. To my surprise the Off/coordinator for UMHB made some dumb play calling. Why get fancy when the middle is working, c’mon 1st and 3 and we didn’t score. WOW that was a big turning point. We had our chances and did not capitalize when we should have or the cru would have won today.
We stopped Beaver which to UMHB’s credit because nobody else has stopped their running game like what we seen today. Great job DEF/COORD not so good OFF/COORD.
Great job this year cru, we are proud of you. We will truly miss our seniors but they gave it their all today, and that is all anyone can ask for.
As for the Stagg Bowl, I am pulling for UWW because they are a class act and a damn good football team. The mount are all of those things as well, but since UMHB plays UWW I have to pull for the hawks. I hope my fellow cru buddies don’t get mad but I’m not a hater or a homer.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
DallasCru says:
“The CRU was a lot better team than the UWW today.”
No Dallas they weren’t. I know you are disappointed, but that statement is nothing short of ridiculous.
December 8th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Congrats to all the teams that won today! It hurt to see the QB problems and lack luster offense of our boys. I wish that Coach Fred would get out there and find a 6′2″ QB for the next season who can throw the ball and do it well. The run game is there but we really need to be able to mix it up to play with UWW and MUC. Loyalty only goes so far in the game of football, sometimes you just need to get out there and find an unknown talent and bring them into the mix. I know that there are better recruits out there somewhere and we need to find them, look a little deeper into the large group of freshmen that come into this program every year. You never know exactly what they are made of unless you give them the chance, who knows there might be some guy who was a TE or WR that can throw the ball and do it well, never hurts to look. Sorry for the QB bashing, I just hated to see them not capitalize on the 3 yd line today and also the badly thrown passes, they did make a difference in the game. Congrats to all for just getting this far, maybe next year we can make it to Salem! Guys enjoy the trip to Salem and until next year for me, Good Luck!
December 8th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
DallasCru,
We have all seen games in which one team dominates the statistics, but loses the football game. In those cases, the losing team is still not a “better team” than the winner because the only true objective of each team is to win.
However, for the record, “The Cru” did not dominate the statistics in this game. They were very, very close. The truth of the matter is that UWW held the edge in first downs and total yardage. In addition, “The Cru” put the ball on the ground twice and threw an interception. UWW did not fumble or throw an interception. The UMHB “vaunted” rushing game generated all of 105 yards in 50 carries. I only mention this because the casual reader could look at your comments and assume UMHB actually outplayed UWW. They did not.
I’m not sure what would have inspired your comment saying:
“The CRU was a lot better team than the UWW today.”
They did block an extra point. Perhaps you regard that highly in your evaluations.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
bleedpurple,
Ok, we get it. Yes, UWW won the game today. Give the cru some credit, and stop being such a homer.
You failed to mention Beaver was held to 60 yards. Who was the last team to accomplish that? Oh! UMHB held Beaver to 77 yards the first game.
UMHB’s off/coord made some dumb play calling as well. The difference in the game was what I predicted, qb play.
I will be rooting for the hawks next week against MUC. The hawks have a huge task ahead. I would hate for them to lose three straight Staggs. Maybe they can get it done though, I hope so. The last team to beat them in the playoffs(AT THE MOUNT) was, that’s right, UMHB.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Cru Crushed,
If you read my earlier post, I gave the Cru ALL KINDS of credit. For example I said,
“I have to congratulate UMHB and UWW on a great football game. This was a very evenly matched game between two excellent teams, with great defenses. UMHB was impressive. Their fans were right. They came out ready to play and are a much better team than they showed the first time they came to Whitewater.”
I’m not really sure how much more credit you would like for the Cru.
My most recent posts were reacting to a specific quote from DallasCru describing the Cru as “a lot better” than UWW today. Maybe you could explain through a Crusader fan’s eyes how that conclusion could have been reached for today’s game. Comparing my first post with DallasCru’s, it seems like he may be the one you want to be accusing of being a homer.
I will repeat my first quote. This was a very evenly matched game between two excellent teams. Apparently DallasCru didn’t see it that way. Who do you agree with?
I appreciate your support of the Hawks next weekend. I have all the respect in the world for the UMHB program and would root for them next weekend as well if today’s game had gone the other way.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
I wanted MUC to win today. Most people are probably reading this thinking I’m crazy but someone is going to beat MUC eventually. And I want the Warhawks to be that team. It will be a tough game for the hawks for sure. But you don’t count us out until the game is over. We played Lacrosse this year and we were down 14 and came back and scored 3 times to win. So MUC fans don’t think your gonna have yourselves an easy victory. Because your not.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:12 am
UMHB Got beaten today, and I’m ok with that. We didn’t play well enough to beat a better team. That’s ok. What is infuriating is the fact that we have the worst play calling in the world. We can get away with it in the ASC because it’s a joke, but it’s not gonna cut it at the Nat’l level.
I believe we saw the proverbial passing of the baton today from Jarvis Thrasher to Quincy Daniels, who in my mind is a better back anyway.
Credit is due to UWW. They did what they needed to do to win. They passed efficiently, and ran when they had to.
Two great things happened today:
1. Josh Welch is no longer our QB.
2. We’re not going to get annihilated next week.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:14 am
though i’d share to the d3 world that before the Mayweather vs. Hatton fight, the commentators mentioned Wabash/DePauw as one of the great rivalries in sports. Thought it was neat for d3 to get a little worldwide exposure.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:26 am
I’m sure this will ruffle some feathers, but, I had the feeling that the UWW offense did only what they had to do to win today-and risked nothing more.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:41 am
purplehawks…
talk all the trash you want….it didnt work the last two years…and it sure wont help this coming Saturday…No one expects an easy game against UWW…If they do, they are a fool…The last two Staggs have been very competitive games and the Warhawks have shown both times that they have an outstanding program…
December 9th, 2007 at 1:42 am
gordon ,that yougstown state team was coached by ohio states jim tressell who finds himself in his third title game since his debut at ohio state.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:45 am
IS anyone Surprised with the championship game? I mean seriously wasn’t this what was planned since the championship game ended last year?
Should we just play the regular season for Conf. Champs and then just let these two play in Salem. Congratulations though it takes a lot to maintain this level of excellence.
December 9th, 2007 at 2:48 am
It’s truly amazing how the UMHB “fans” on here point fingers at their QB (forgetting he led you to your only Stagg Bowl appearance), offensive coordinator (for his play selection), and your HC (for not recruiting a 6′2″ QB who can throw the ball). It seems your opponents never win the game, you always lose it or you give it away with turnovers. Time to step up and finally admit Whitewater is the better team. With 3 wins the last 2 seasons and no losses against you, it’s rather obvious. Stop making excuses…your whining doesn’t get better with age.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Ok already,
Mount Union beat Fisher 52-10, they beat Bethel 62-14, and these are suppose to be national finals. Mount Union has done the same thing all season. Now we can say their quarterback is great, they have a fantastic receiver, or the running back should be in the pros. But, from my perspective, they have totally outsized the competition. Thus it is more like New England Patriots playing LSU this year. The vast difference in size plus quality is unbeatable. Anyone want to wager a bet that Mount Union will not be the winner next week. Why bother to show up.
Isn’t it time for Mount Union to play D2 or better. Please don’t say how you are just a small school and don’t match up with D2 teams. Maybe you would lose more than one game in a season. Gee whiz! You really don’t match up with the D3 schools, that seems obvious
How many more years of history have to be created to determine you guys are playing three weight divisions down from where you should be.
Would love to hear why anyone thinks they are placed correctly from a competitive standpoint.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:10 am
i would turn that argument to say the other D3 schools haven’t been able to match up with mount, and that should be incentive enough to keep them working to get to that level.
when UCLA was winning all those national titles in a row, were you arguing to make them play NBA teams?
December 9th, 2007 at 9:20 am
wjbtms: If you don’t like losing to MUC, then get better.
Or convince Kehres to retire…………..
December 9th, 2007 at 9:24 am
wjbtms,
“placed correctly” = Mount enrollment of 2,200
December 9th, 2007 at 9:35 am
wjbtms
I really don’t have the time to spend researching the size of MUC players versus other teams? Maybe somebody else does. They are not supermen - they are normal kids but trained very well. One my start looking at the enrollment at MUC (under 2500) versus some of the other top-ranked schools and say MUC is at a disadvantage. Good point HScoach!
December 9th, 2007 at 9:35 am
wjbtms: HS is right & so is Buddy…..you want it, you have to earn it! MUC players don’t get athletic scholarships….what kind of talent could they attract if Mount offered athletic scholarships, and then played “bigger” schools on TV every week?!?!
Mount IS placed correctly from a competitive standpoint….they have just wanted it more than everyone else since the early 1990’s. It’s obvious in their preparation and execution.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:09 am
nathanshin: I believe the first thing i said was that we got beaten by a better team. I was very impressed with UWW. THEY ARE A BETTER TEAM. Maybe all caps will make this more clear. I pay to go to school here. I should be able to criticize the faculty/staff whenever I want. I am blaming this loss on the play calling. Yes. Do I think we could have won this game. No. If we’d had a professional Offensive coordinator, the team still has to play the plays they call in. It’s a matter of execution. I don’t think certain aspects of our team are good enough to compete with the U dub dubs and the Mounts of our division yet. So, please give ME some credit for not being a homer. I’m not. I watch any game. I’ll support any team (minus Hardin-Simmons). And i like to think I’m an intelligent Fan. Oh and in case you didn’t catch it earlier, Whitewater is a better team.
Hope that satisfies you…
December 9th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Size of MTU and UWW (forgive me for any mistakes as it is Sunday Morning and I may not be fully awake yet):
Position MTU UWW
LT 6′3″ 300 6′0″ 264
LG 6′2″ 298 6′7″ 313
C 6′3″ 290 5′11″ 256
RG 6′1″ 284 5′11″ 286
RT 6′3″ 297 6′4″ 270
Ave. 6′2″ 294 6′2″ 278
UWW’s LG propatly thows the average off.
Position MTU UWW
DE 6′1″ 207 6′1″ 268
DT 5′11″ 265 6′4″ 284
DT 6′2″ 260 6′4″ 300
DE 6′2″ 246 6′0″ 215
Average 6′1″ 245 6′2″ 267
LB 6′2″ 234 6′5″ 240
LB 5′10″ 205 6′3″ 230
LB/SS 6′1″ 198 6′1″ 241
Average 6′0″ 222 6′3″ 237
MTU plays a 4-2-5 so they don’t have a thrid LB. Kostelnik is the biggest of the three safeties for MTU.
Not a huge difference for either team. MTU has bigger O linemen. UWW has bigger D Linemen and LBs.
MTU is really not built like they used to be. I think the year MTU lost to SJU in the Stagg bowl their O Linemen averaged as big (or bigger) than Ohio State’s O linemen that year. Since then, they have been focused on speed and strength vs. overall size in the trenches.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Come on CRU fans…give it a break! Let’s not beat up OUR team…they gave it their best effort…that all “I” think we can ask of then. UWW was clearly the best team yesterday. 1st and goal on the 3…and we couldn’t punch it in! The football “gods” favored UWW…what else can be said? I think the CRU coach stated it correctly in the local paper this morning….”we were given a great opportunity and didn’t get it done! That being said I applaud our young men for their effort this year….they are in the top four teams in the nation…way to go CRU!
December 9th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Gordon:
Wow… how quickly I could forget those YSU/Marshall games. And I forget who mentioned it, but yes, those Penguins were coached by Jim Tressel. He’s still the only coach to win national titles on two levels. Pretty impressive.
Thanks for reminding me about those great match-ups!
December 9th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Jim Wacker won 4 National Titles: 2 at NAIA-2 Texas Lutheran (1974-75), and 2 at D-II Southwest Texas State, now Texas State - San Marcos, (1981-82).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Wacker
December 9th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
“Isn’t it time for Mount Union to play D2 or better.”
Geez, this AGAIN? Is this the most repetitive, misguided argument in d3football.com history. Is posting this part of a newbie hazing gig?
And, while I think MUC will win in Salem, it wasn’t that long ago that MUC won 66-0 in the semis, and then …
December 9th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Climbing the Mount is all about recruiting and coaching. Kids that could play DI but wouldn’t start look at Mount as a great alternative. They will play, potentially get some hardware, andsome lifetime memories.
They are coached by a legend and are adored and respected by all the student body, the city of Alliance, etc.
To compete with Mount, develop that same tradition, that same atmosphere, etc. Plus, the football program generates a great alumni base that then donates future dollars to not only athletics but academics aswelland you have a recipe for a long term tradition and potential dynasty.
This is not hype, it is a way of life in Alliance. Could they compete at a D2 or DIA, probably, but not in all sports.
It is not impossible to attain. It just takes time and inexhaustive effort. Look at Whitewater. They were average, played Mount, saw what it took,worked hard, and now are headed to their third Stagg Bowl in a row.
Coincidence? Maybe but maybe not!
Go Raiders!
December 9th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
By the way. My hat’s off to the Bethel players, coaches, and fans. What a class act!
They werecheering for their heroes all game no matter the score. There was no sour grapes, no heads hung low, and, at the conclusion of a whoopin, the team gathered in front of their fans to appreciate a standing ovation!
Yesterday, they were clearly overmatched but they played with class and dignity. You want the makings of a good to great program, look no further than Bethel. They play the game the right way and demonstrate high moral character.
Best of luck to all in the Bethel program. This won’t be your last trip to the national semi-finals. A Stagg appearance is not in your too distant future.
December 9th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Repete:
The last two years in the semis UWW blew out Wesley while MUC fought it out with SJF and and Rowan. Both times MUC won the game because their starters had been playing every quarter all year long. I think you have a great point. While MUC has had an amazing season, I ask the MUC fans two questions: Have your starters had to keep going for four quarters all season? What happens when they have to play a physical game and the score is close in the second half?
This UWW team has fought hard all season and have never had the opportunity to let down their guard. LK is a great coach and I’m sure he will have his team ready, but IF this one comes down to the wire I think it’s advantage: UWW.
An Aside:
MUC should by no means play in Div. II. They are a powerhouse and a great program that belongs in this division.
December 9th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I don’t think the MTU starters have played many “Full” games the last decade. They did have some close games in the playoffs the last couple of years, but this year is out of the norm for them. I think they will be OK if it is a close game.
I am expecting a lot more from UWW this year than the past two. Amazing they my Alma Mater is playing my sister’s Alma Mater three years in a row for the Championship.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
I would have to agree that I really don’t think Mount’s starters have played a significant amount of minutes less this year than last. It was evident in 2005 that having Kmic with fresh legs made a huge difference in the playoffs, and it appears that LK has made sure he has had fresh legs each of the past two years. 15 games start to take a toll on a body, so I think the fact that Mount’s starters haven’t had to go full strength for 14 straight weeks is a positive.
I am also pretty sure, that with over 200 players fighting for playing time in the Mount system, what they go through at practice every day has them is good enough shape to play as long as they need to.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Raiderdude & wjbtms - I’ve officially ended my questioning how Mount Union would do against mid to top-tier D2 programs after hearing Ralph Turner’s thoughts regarding the subject and I’ve absolutely ended the questioning about how they would do against D1-AA teams (refuse to call it Football Championship Subdivision) after a conversation with K.C. Keeler a couple of weeks ago.
He is the current head coach at Delaware and helped build Rowan into an Eastern power a little while ago. I asked him how he thought a team like Mount Union would do against his team (maybe a bit unfair now that Delaware is playing App “We beat Michigan” State in the championship game). He gave me a look like “are you actually serious”? He said, “my quarterback might get drafted in the 2nd - 4th round……my halfback is being called a poor man’s Brian Westbrook…..the NFL is looking at my tight end, one of my offensive lineman and two of my defensive players”. He said that there might be up to a half dozen players on a top tier D3 program that could fill out the middle to bottom of his roster, but it would be highly doubtful that anybody would crack the starting lineup. K.C. is kind of cocky and would be the first one to tell you that but this is coming from somebody who has coached and recruited at both levels. He made a point about how and why anybody would pass up the chance to start/play at a good quality (athletics and academics) D1-AA program……..while saving mom and dad $200,000 and coming out of school loan free. I know that I would have done it had I been good enough…..I wasn’t!!
Best of luck to Mount and Whitewater next week!!
December 9th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Dukefinadv,
Thank you. I’ve been trying to voice this argument for the past two years. I’m a Mount alum with close ties to the University of Montana, which is one of the top D-IAA (or whatever) programs in the country. The level of play isn’t even in the same stratosphere. As much as I’m not much of a KC Keeler fan, he is absolutely correct on this topic. Mount is an excellent D-III program. End of story. Could they compete at D-II…maybe. Would they be an upper tier D-II…not a chance. There is a reason players get scholarships……they are bigger, faster, stronger. As you move up through the different divisions, the major differences become how many scholarships you have. Because in the end it all comes down to the depth factor. When Ohio State plays a Youngstown State, the over riding factor is how OSU will eventually wear down YSU. (90 scholarships to 63 is a huge difference). This is typically the case 90% of the time when teams play outside their division.
December 9th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Two points:
1) Jim Trassel’s father was a very successful college coach at DIII Baldwin-Wallace for many years.
2) What happens when a non scholarship Div IAA program plays a top Div IAA program? Usually it is not much of a game.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Duke, thanks for the KC Keeler info. His coaching at a top-flight Rowan program gives great credibility to those remarks.
If one looks at the MUC dynasty using Principles of Organizational Theory, one can only be amazed that these are (1) the key to the success, (2) something that his players can inculcate as they get real world jobs and (3) something to be copied by almost every other coach in D-III.
I think that we are in for a great Stagg Bowl!
December 9th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
I think its a very good point to make about how (fair/unfair) it has been for Mt. Union to be this dominate for so long. I can’t remember a team at any level being this dominate. There is rumors about App. State moving up to D1A from D1AA. So why doesn’t Mt. Union move up? How competitive is it for your team if you walk into the championship almost every year?
There has to be an obvious recruiting difference b/t Mt. Union and other schools. They probably have one of the best coaches (all divisions) but you have to have talent and they are loaded. Just a quick look at their roster shows they have players from NY, TX, FL, WV, PA, MI, SC, IL, NJ, VA, NC. That seems like a very broad area for recruiting for a D3 team.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Duke:
Very, very interesting insight from Keeler. Thanks for posing those questions and sharing his answers. Incidentally I flew back from Chicago today on a flight that was very full, partly because of the Delaware Hen boosters coming back from the win over Southern Illinois. I wanted to say I followed Keeler at D3 before he was their hero, but didn’t see a graceful way to enter the conversation.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
RunFerrum, if we were talking about MIT’s or CalTech’s physics department or UChicago’s economics department, we would just say that their reputation has attracted the talent, and they are using it to the best advantage of the school and the students.
Because this is football, and these student-athletes are learning from one of the finest coaches in D-III, we should not be judging this any different from physics or economics. (That is why I use the Organizational Theory example.)
How does Coach Kehres inspire and develop men? We use those terms and critical assessments very liberally with respect to lesser coaches than he. Why not learn from him directly, if you are a student-athlete who can see that as part of the education that you wish to get?
We have lots of D-3 grads who are quite successful in professional sports now, e.g., GM of the SuperSonics, head of the NFL. Coach Kehres, Coach Gagliardi and hundreds of others in the coaching profession are the reason that many student-athletes believe that they succeeded.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
mucnash…
I wasn’t trash talking, all I was saying that it will be a tough game for us to win. But
you aren’t one of those cocky MUC fans. Some fans just are “Fools”.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Dang….playing in DIVll has nothing to do with size…just as playing in DIVlll has nothing to do with the size of the school. Now I want to see all the complaining and hollering about Whitewater..Whitewater… Whitewater playing AGAIN….like you all do when Mount Union plays…get over it people…… it just so happens that those two are the BEST of the REST…..Good luck to both WW and Mount for a season well played and a job well done…. For those who keep complaining about Mount going to DIVll..perhpaps you should read the facts and see how the divisions are made in NCAA sports…. And why never any comments about WW going to DIVll At least the DIV have a PlayOff system…..perhaps we should do what the Big Dogs do…get serious!
December 10th, 2007 at 1:29 am
Runferrum
Most of Mt. Unions starters are from OH and Western PA. Only in the last couple years have they gotten players from FL. Kirk Herbstreet has set up an annual HS football weekend between the best Ohio HS teams against nationally ranked HS teams throughout the country. The Ohio teams consistently win. It is not hard to see why they win. Ohio is a huge football state. Google Nate Kmic. He came from a town near Toledo of 3000 people and wasn’t even recruited by Toledo or Bowling Green which are in his backyard. Also, everyone at Mount Union makes the team and that represents 10% of the student body. That is alot of players trying to crack the Salem playoff traveling team year in and year out. Where else does that happen? LK knows how to identify talent and bring out the best in his players. What I have never been able to figure out is why you would go to Mt. Union, when you might have a better chance of starting for another OAC school.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:35 am
I’m looking for a great game this Saturday between UWW-MUC. I am pulling for the Hawks since they beat the CRU.
The average enrollment in the WIAC is like 9,000. UWW has over 8800 students. I was very surprised at that large number. Shouldn’t they be playing like D2 or 1AA ball? UMHB has 2300 students. The mount (I know they are great anyway) has 2200. I guess enrollment numbers mean nothing. Just wondering since it gives them a lot more kids to choose from.
I hope ESPN has better annoucers this year. The last two broadcasts have been a joke. I say Pat, Keith, and Ralf should do the game.
I want UWW to win but if I were to bet on the game I would pick this score. I hope I’m wrong.
MUC 41 UWW 28
December 10th, 2007 at 2:37 am
Sorry ralf, I meant Ralph.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Ohioftball says “What I have never been able to figure out is why you would go to Mt. Union, when you might have a better chance of starting for another OAC school.” You might ask that of Garcon..who transfered from Norwich I believe….he simply wanted to be on a National Championship team…. I ask you this, why would anyone want to be on a Marietta team when they could be wearing a Championship ring?
December 10th, 2007 at 11:06 am
I don’t think Mount should move up in divisions but I would like to see them play a mid level D2 team just to see what they could do. Playing the tougher competition isn’t going to hurt their program. Even if they did loose the game it won’t hurt the program or keep them out of the playoffs.
As for the athletes that Mount gets into it’s program. None of these guys are passing on scholarships to other schools to play at Mount like it seems some have suggested, that is ridiculous! Mount does get those guys who are on the bubble of getting a ride somewhere. There are a lot players out there that get passed over for various reasons such as size and speed or maturity, and even injury. Mount is right there to swoop these guys up. I played at Mount in the 80’s and we had a couple of guys on our team that had rides to D1 schools but got knee injuries their senior year in HS and lost there rides because of that. More recently Chuck Moore, who I’m sure you have heard of was a D1 prospect but in his last game of his senior year in HS sustained a serious knee injury and wound up at Mount. The D1, D1-AA,and D2 won’t take chances with kids like that because scholarships are limited and coaches jos are always on the line. I see Pierre Garcon may get an invite from an NFL team to try out. Like I said it’s these types of players that Mount capitalizes on when the bigger schools run out of scholarships.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
my pal mainjack tells me mount opponents have a glimmer of hope for the future - 15 of the 22 starters this year are seniors.
December 10th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
TDD,
Did you play with Scott Wolfe at MUC? I grew up next door to him and he was at Ohio State for a year or two and transferred to MUC. Was the QB when Mount first started making the playoffs and played mighty Augustana.
December 10th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
BuckeyeRaider,
yea I played with him for a year. Had a strong arm. He played with the Raiders during the strike year.
December 10th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
TDD,
I know a number of the boys who got DI offers from “lesser” schools, including my son who plays for MUC, that would end up in the bottom of their conferences never winning anything. They decided that they wanted a chance to win titles and not lose the majority of their games. Plus, they would also had to deal with reduced playing time at the larger schools, as you say the bubble players. Winning is more important than sitting on the bench losing at a larger school.
December 10th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
MUCDad,
I’m surprised to hear that there are number of kids who would give up a scholarship to go to school for free than pay $25,000 a year tuition. Not to many kids or their parents are in a position to go to a school that costs that much. I know that winning is important but if you pass on a free education to play football, does that make any sense. If you don’t feel you have the talent to get to the next level at least take the free ride your ability has given you. Bottom line is you save $100,000 + and get an education which is what you are going to Mount for in the first place. Nobody has ever come out of the Mount program and made it in the pros. Some have had tryouts but haven’t done anything more than that.
December 10th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
TDD — I believe MUCdad is right, however.
December 10th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Pat,
Like I said I’m surprised to here it. Kudos to those kids who do it. I know that they will have memories of the championships for the rest of their lives but I can’t say leaving school $100,000 in debt is the way I would go. Then there is no guarantee that you will play at Mount either. Just because you give up a D1 offer doesn’t mean you are going to see a lot of playing time at Mount. If it would happen that way then you just through a free education out the window.
December 10th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
TDD, keep in mind many of those kids, though they do notget scholarships, do get grants and such that seriously reduce the amount they(or their parents) pay to go to school. By the way MUC is more than 25k a year these days. Of course there is no guarantee that you will get to play but ifyou sit the bench winning national titles still beats beats sitting the bench on a losing DI team.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
MUCDad,
I know that there are grants and aid to help reduce the cost, but even if it reduces it by half that is still a lot to pay when you could have went for free.
Mount has 150 to 200 players on the team. Only so many get to dress for a game. That means that the rest are in the stands watching the game like everyone else. I know it feels great to win a championship but if your one of those players on the bench and watching the game from the stands it takes away some of that feeling that the players that are on the sideline have when the game is over. Yea you are part of it but not like if you were playing. Thats why I say if you have a free education and there are no guarantees you are going to play take the scholarship, you will be further ahead.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Just a guess, but if you are sitting on the bench at MUC, i doubt that you turned down a D-I offer.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Just telling u about some of the kids I know and what they have said to me. Certainly many do not get that offer.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
I have no idea how the MUC program operates, but I do know that it works! Speaking for UW-Whitewater, I do know that they will recruit kids who are likely to get scholarships elsewhere. They tell the kids that if they get an offer at a school they are interested in they should go for it. However, if they don’t get an offer they like, please keep UWW in mind. I know this has paid off in terms of getting athletes other D3 schools didn’t even “waste” their time talking to. They don’t ever get most of these kids, but they feel it is worth the time to get a gem or two. Also, this pays off in terms of transfers. Every year there are athletes who are disappointed in their freshman year experience. If they have a an impressive recruiting experience at UWW to remember, UWW could be back in the picture at that point.