Ohio Athletic Conference

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Don't mind RoyalPurple, he's only been posting since Oct. and only has 7 posts.

[ron doney]

Reading the lead article on St Thomas's website you'll find that they proudly boast they are going to stop the run.

First of all good luck with that, and someone tell Jr Collins they want the Number 1 passing efficiency offense to have to pass.

Don't believe it.....ask the Gaglairdi trophy winner.

[RoyalPurple]

 Didn't mean to come off as egotistical, I simply found humor in a game plan which forces your opponent into what they do best. Mount has no All-American caliber running back, just a bunch of pretty good backs. They do however have a receiver with 5 td catches in one game. Clearly you guys missed what I thought was amusing. If it works then your the ones who will be laughing

[runyr]

Roanoke doesn't have a lot to offer. You are, however, driving right past Lexington VA on I-81. If you have some interest in Civil War history, the Lee Chapel museum on Washington & Lee's campus is a nice spot to take a driving break. Even better, however, is next door at VMI (and literally next door. The campuses are adjacent and both are easily walkable). The Marshal Museum is a very interesting collection of militaria and is the only place where you can see a Nobel Peace Prize (for the Marshal Plan) in a case right next to an Oscar (for Patton). Both campuses are gorgous in different ways, not far off the interstate, and well worth a couple hours to wander around. I also think both are free, though I'm not sure the hours of operation.

Also local to Lexington is Virginia's Natural Bridge. Interesting to go see, but unless you're really into unique rock formations for some reason I think I'd skip that one. If it's a nice driving day, Skyline Drive parallels a good portion of I-81. Generally people agree that the best parts of Skyline Drive are in NC, not VA, on a nice clear day it is still a very pretty drive and a good break from just speeding down I-81.

The Southern Inn, downtown Lexington, is also a good stop for food if you decide to visit the two adjacent campuses.

Thanks for the tip. I will stop in Lexington tomorrow for sure.

[ron doney]

Caught the piece on the Tommies O-line
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2012/st-thomas-aims-to-be-known-for-offensive-line
Just curious but when did Mount get a title stripped: "The next challenge St. Thomas (14-0, 8-0 MIAC) faces is Mount Union (14-0, 9-0 OAC), a perennial power that has won nine national titles while playing in 15 of the past 19 Stagg Bowls."

Write-up reminds me of the old Rowan teams - a bunch of D1 and D2 transfers. Hope it works out the same way for them as it did Rowan. Roll Raiders!

I was hoping it would work out for them the same way it did for St. John's. The last MIAC team UMU faced.

In a similar fashion I was suprised by this quote in the D3football.com story on UMU's O-Line:
"He has simplified everything and it has helped in making the line play more consistent," Kehres said. "I think we are playing a lot more consistent up front this year and we don't make a lot of mistakes. We have been beaten on plays but it hasn't happened often. And when we do make mistakes, we have found a way to correct them quickly."

Isn't that a little backwards?  Wouldn't you hope that your senior led o-line would be more sophisticated than the last year?  Is this a compliment for the players or the coaches?  Wasn't there turnover in the junior staff - maybe this is a product of that, as the last guy's scheme was unreasonably complex?

Regardless of what the articles say or do not say, both squads are playing at the top of there game. UMU is physical, big amd dominate. If the cliche wearing a team down is true, we might see it on Friday - maybe from both sides as both squads are athletic. Looking forward to watching the line of scrimmage all day. 

[raiderfan1983]

I'm not trying to speak for Coach Kehres here, but what I interpreted from that quote is that by simplifying the scheme, it allows the O-line to play with more confidence which reduces mistakes and allows for easier corrections.  I think that this is a compliment to the coaches.  I actually like the idea of simplifying the scheme... IMO, when a player is confident in what he is doing, he plays faster while everything else slows down for him mentally.  I think this may be what has happened with the O-line this year.  A scheme doesn't have to be overly complex in order for it to work, and as long as it works, it doesn't matter if it is more or less complex than the year before regardless of the experience of the players.

[jaypeter]

In some ways its a product of doing one of the things that Kehres does best...adjusting the game plan for the players he has instead of recruiting players for a specific gameplan.  While some of the latter does happen, Kehres often simply recruits the best players he can get and then builds a plan around what is there. 

This year, he took some of his best linemen and moved them from the D-Line to the O-Line.  When you have a handful of guys playing a new position, then the coaches need to simplify things and make it easier to learn the basics before throwing in the twists and surprises. 

I hear a compliment to both the coaches (for putting the system in place that allows the players to succeed) and to the players (some of whom had to learn an entirely new position and have done so while making few mistakes and being able to learn from them correct them quickly.  As much as anything with LK, he'll be OK with a mistake now and then as long as you fix it and don't continue making the same mistake.  I think he saw some folks over the last couple of seasons who were unable to really fix the mistakes they were making quickly enough.

[02 Warhawk]

Reading the lead article on St Thomas's website you'll find that they proudly boast they are going to stop the run.

First of all good luck with that, and someone tell Jr Collins they want the Number 1 passing efficiency offense to have to pass.

Don't believe it.....ask the Gaglairdi trophy winner.

Mount's running game should be the least of UST's worries

[HScoach]

Exactly.   Which is why I'm happy to see tomorrow's weather forecast.   Thankfully not a  repeat of 1993, 2002 or 2007.

[emma17]

LK did have a cheat sheet saturday you just didn't see it

I meant to plus k you yesterday- very funny.

[emma17]

Here's the problem with the "by committee" approach:  It doesn't work as well as the "all-time great" approach.

Mount Union's record in the Stagg is one thing with Ballard, Borchert, Micheli (and, we hope, Burke) at quarterback and quite another with a committee at quarterback.

Mount Union's record in the Stagg is one thing with Moore, Pugh, Kmic at running back and quite another with a committee at running back.

Whitewater's record is one thing with Coppage at running back and quite another without Coppage at running back.

(See also:  2003 and a player by the name of Blake Elliott.  Played for some school in Minnesota, I think.)

But when Mount had QB by committee (i.e Bruney and Burghardt) - they also had RB by committee at the same time. That resulted in a Stagg loss in 2003 and missing it in 2004. In recent years the QB by committee has been forced due to injury during the playoffs - Seaman, Piloto, Shorts. The Staggs that they lost the last few years saw them without a Dominant RB, and without a Dominant QB (guys that could take over the game). What they did have was Cecil Shorts - but he was the best QB, WR, and RB on the team and could only play one position at a time. I think with what Burke brings to the table and the WR corps he has - a RB by committee is ok. Skilliter and Simon are a nice 1 - 2 and who knows, maybe TJ cures the butterfingers. On the UWW note - they had Beaver before Coppage. So it was not a committee. They had the best RB in the country not named Nate Kmic.

Them's fighten words!!
Points of clarification:
-Unless edward's referring to the 2012 season regarding UWW's record without Coppage- I believe UWW was undefeated when Coppage was on the team and unable to play.  That includes victories over an excellent Willamette and MHB team. 
-I do agree that running back by committee didn't work in the 2008 Stagg vs Mt.  IMO (and I am all alone on this one) I think it was a mistake to let Coppage have as many carries as he did, Anderson should have been given the ball until he puked.
-Mt lost in 2007 w Kmick and Micheli
-I know Mt was QB by committee during the prior two regular seasons, do you feel that was LK's desire for the two Staggs had Seamens not been injured?   Or was his plan to find the hot hand and stick with him (as opposed to switching series for instance)?

[DoubleO]

Caught the piece on the Tommies O-line
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2012/st-thomas-aims-to-be-known-for-offensive-line
Just curious but when did Mount get a title stripped: "The next challenge St. Thomas (14-0, 8-0 MIAC) faces is Mount Union (14-0, 9-0 OAC), a perennial power that has won nine national titles while playing in 15 of the past 19 Stagg Bowls."

Write-up reminds me of the old Rowan teams - a bunch of D1 and D2 transfers. Hope it works out the same way for them as it did Rowan. Roll Raiders!

I was hoping it would work out for them the same way it did for St. John's. The last MIAC team UMU faced.

In a similar fashion I was suprised by this quote in the D3football.com story on UMU's O-Line:
"He has simplified everything and it has helped in making the line play more consistent," Kehres said. "I think we are playing a lot more consistent up front this year and we don't make a lot of mistakes. We have been beaten on plays but it hasn't happened often. And when we do make mistakes, we have found a way to correct them quickly."

Isn't that a little backwards?  Wouldn't you hope that your senior led o-line would be more sophisticated than the last year?  Is this a compliment for the players or the coaches?  Wasn't there turnover in the junior staff - maybe this is a product of that, as the last guy's scheme was unreasonably complex?

Regardless of what the articles say or do not say, both squads are playing at the top of there game. UMU is physical, big amd dominate. If the cliche wearing a team down is true, we might see it on Friday - maybe from both sides as both squads are athletic. Looking forward to watching the line of scrimmage all day.

SJU is not the last MIAC team UMU has faced. They ended Bethel's season a couple of years ago after Bethel had ended UST's the previous week.

[Wideout]

Mt. Had QB health problems going into last 3 Stag games.
This year is the best health wise as a team we have been in.
If not this year then maybe everyone is getting better.

[hazzben]

SJU is not the last MIAC team UMU has faced. They ended Bethel's season a couple of years ago after Bethel had ended UST's the previous week.

Why do you have to bring that up   

[ron doney]

Caught the piece on the Tommies O-line
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2012/st-thomas-aims-to-be-known-for-offensive-line
Just curious but when did Mount get a title stripped: "The next challenge St. Thomas (14-0, 8-0 MIAC) faces is Mount Union (14-0, 9-0 OAC), a perennial power that has won nine national titles while playing in 15 of the past 19 Stagg Bowls."

Write-up reminds me of the old Rowan teams - a bunch of D1 and D2 transfers. Hope it works out the same way for them as it did Rowan. Roll Raiders!

True, was thinking just about the Stagg bowls.

I was hoping it would work out for them the same way it did for St. John's. The last MIAC team UMU faced.

In a similar fashion I was suprised by this quote in the D3football.com story on UMU's O-Line:
"He has simplified everything and it has helped in making the line play more consistent," Kehres said. "I think we are playing a lot more consistent up front this year and we don't make a lot of mistakes. We have been beaten on plays but it hasn't happened often. And when we do make mistakes, we have found a way to correct them quickly."

Isn't that a little backwards?  Wouldn't you hope that your senior led o-line would be more sophisticated than the last year?  Is this a compliment for the players or the coaches?  Wasn't there turnover in the junior staff - maybe this is a product of that, as the last guy's scheme was unreasonably complex?

Regardless of what the articles say or do not say, both squads are playing at the top of there game. UMU is physical, big amd dominate. If the cliche wearing a team down is true, we might see it on Friday - maybe from both sides as both squads are athletic. Looking forward to watching the line of scrimmage all day.

SJU is not the last MIAC team UMU has faced. They ended Bethel's season a couple of years ago after Bethel had ended UST's the previous week.