Is The Talent Gap in D3 Football Too Much Between Programs?

Started by 02 Warhawk, December 11, 2012, 05:37:21 PM

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02 Warhawk

I wanted to avoid creating a new thread for this, but I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this....so here it is.

After watching a few Mount Union games this season it got me thinking of the level of talent Mount brings in, compared to other football programs. The difference is staggering. So staggering that I don't think it's matched in any other level of football...which is bad news for many D3 football teams.

D3 Talent Gap

Kira & Jaxon's Dad

One way they get players from FL is they come to the Small College Recruiting Fairs held in the state in February (after the D1 National Signing day).

Mount Union, Heidelberg, Marietta, Ohio Northern, Franklin, Averett and UW-Plateville were at the Tampa one last year.

I think there are 3 or 4 of those Recruiting Fairs across FL in about a weeks time.
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02 Warhawk

Those all the D3 schools there? I'm surprised no teams from the south step up shop there.

AO

It would certainly be fun to see Mount be allowed to move up a division or two in football only and have the sorts of competitive games they had against Mary Hardin-Baylor more often. 

smedindy

It's only bad news if you don't believe in the D3 ethos. Mt. Union still has a long way to go to match Kenyon's swimming dominance. (Now being pushed by Denison...)

They're D3. They stay. Period. Paragraph. Why do we keep having this discussion?

Ron Boerger

Given the number of consecutive national championships under the Raiders' belts ...

ooops, never mind.   :o

02 Warhawk

Quote from: smedindy on December 11, 2012, 06:37:14 PM
It's only bad news if you don't believe in the D3 ethos. Mt. Union still has a long way to go to match Kenyon's swimming dominance. (Now being pushed by Denison...)

They're D3. They stay. Period. Paragraph. Why do we keep having this discussion?

Agreed. They aren't going anywhere...nor should they. I was hoping this topic would create a discussion other than Mount moving out of D3

Mr. Ypsi

In fairness to AO, he was not suggesting they could (or should) move up (and clearly recognized that the NCAA will not allow a single sport to do so).  I would agree with him that it would be fun to see what UMU could do against a steady diet of d2 or d1AA competition.  (Or for that matter, even just one game between them and Akron for area bragging rights!)

I realize there are some who keep beating that poor, dead horse, but AO was clearly not one of them, if the post is read the way I took it.

wally_wabash

I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Mount Union would get their hats handed to them by Akron or any similarly moribund FBS team.  Mount Union will have some players that could probably play at Akron.  Akron will have 100 players that could play at Mount Union.  Not to disrespect the Raiders in any way, but it's just a different ballgame in Division I. 
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Ralph Turner

Quote from: 02 Warhawk on December 11, 2012, 05:37:21 PM
I wanted to avoid creating a new thread for this, but I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this....so here it is.

After watching a few Mount Union games this season it got me thinking of the level of talent Mount brings in, compared to other football programs. The difference is staggering. So staggering that I don't think it's matched in any other level of football...which is bad news for many D3 football teams.

D3 Talent Gap
No, not really. You have roughly 240 schools whose quality of talent reflects a Gaussian distribution, just like D1 FBS, D1 FCS and D-2.

Kira & Jaxon's Dad

Quote from: 02 Warhawk on December 11, 2012, 06:34:53 PM
Those all the D3 schools there? I'm surprised no teams from the south step up shop there.
. Those are the ones I can remember.  There were some D2 and NAIA schools there also.  I'll keep better notes this spring.  Last year was my first year going and was trying to get some of my seniors to play ball in college.
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02 Warhawk

#11
Quote from: Ralph Turner on December 11, 2012, 07:45:20 PM
Quote from: 02 Warhawk on December 11, 2012, 05:37:21 PM
I wanted to avoid creating a new thread for this, but I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this....so here it is.

After watching a few Mount Union games this season it got me thinking of the level of talent Mount brings in, compared to other football programs. The difference is staggering. So staggering that I don't think it's matched in any other level of football...which is bad news for many D3 football teams.

D3 Talent Gap
No, not really. You have roughly 240 schools whose quality of talent reflects a Gaussian distribution, just like D1 FBS, D1 FCS and D-2.

Yea, but isn't D3 at least twice the size of any other division? Making the disparity that much greater. Realistically 200+ schools might never be Stagg Bowl contender.

Ralph Turner

Quote from: 02 Warhawk on December 11, 2012, 08:04:42 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on December 11, 2012, 07:45:20 PM
Quote from: 02 Warhawk on December 11, 2012, 05:37:21 PM
I wanted to avoid creating a new thread for this, but I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this....so here it is.

After watching a few Mount Union games this season it got me thinking of the level of talent Mount brings in, compared to other football programs. The difference is staggering. So staggering that I don't think it's matched in any other level of football...which is bad news for many D3 football teams.

D3 Talent Gap
No, not really. You have roughly 240 schools whose quality of talent reflects a Gaussian distribution, just like D1 FBS, D1 FCS and D-2.

Yea, but isn't D3 at least twice the size of any other division? Making the disparity that much greater. Realistically 200+ schools might never be Stagg Bowl contender.
Over the last decade 230 schools have not been Stagg contenders!   ;)

However, we D3 fans remember that the focus on D3 athletics is regional/conference in nature. The playoffs are "gravy".

02 Warhawk

#13
Plus the All Americans in D1 all are at the same talent level. Where as in DIII,  I always think there are a few players each year that are light years ahead of their peers. Those players usually play for the same small grouping of schools.

You just don't see that gap in D1 typically like you do down here.

Desertraider

Quote from: wally_wabash on December 11, 2012, 07:32:11 PM
I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Mount Union would get their hats handed to them by Akron or any similarly moribund FBS team.  Mount Union will have some players that could probably play at Akron.  Akron will have 100 players that could play at Mount Union.  Not to disrespect the Raiders in any way, but it's just a different ballgame in Division I.

They would also hand them their coats and bags after getting the crap kicked out of them. I went to Akron for grad school, I have seen Akron play - I feel extremely confident in saying that an Akron v. Mount game would result in more fans jumping on the "Mount should move up" bandwagon. As odd as it may sound - Mount won't play Akron because it would be a step down from the OAC.
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