FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Congrats W&L!  Great performance!

[hasanova]

If one can be impressed with a loss, this game was it.  W&L football represented the ODAC and its school well today.  Kudos.

[jknezek]

It was a good performance from W&L. To win they needed to be perfect and unfortunately the offense gave UMU a short field with a fumble, special teams gave them a short field with a difficult punt into the wind, and the defense gave up a single long play. That was all 3 scores. On offense W&L just couldn't get it done on 4th down going 1 for 6.

Still, a heck of an effort for a huge underdog.

[MUC57]

Jknezek and all W&L fans

What a great game (easy for me to say)! I'm 81 years old and have watched football most of those years. However; I still don't know the fine points of the game. In spite of that, I thought W&L looked damn good. I watch the game with binoculars but still had trouble seeing who had the ball. I really hate the triple option.

W&L obviously has a good program going. Players will graduate but, as Mount Union says, "next man up"! Time for the backups to step up.
Good luck in the off season. I bet next year I won't say "W&L who?". I 'll just look to see what playoff bracket you're in.
Malama Pono! (Take care, in Hawaiian)

[Birddawg79]

Every game is an experience and memory maker and oh boy what an experience the Generals had in Alliance. Just when we thought the rain would let up it rained even harder and got colder. Hats off to MU. Great football athletes and program.

Before I dive into the game I have to say how hospitable and helpful the folks from MU were. From the MU employees, the Baseball team who manned the gates and sold t-shirts and the fans (for the most part) everyone made us feel welcomed and were nice. Muc, we didn't get to meet but I did look in the lobby as I wandered by the buffet but our crowd decided that outside in the rain was where we were to set-up camp.

The Game. If I was to pick a POG for MU it would be the punter Adam Snyder. Despite the rain soaked ball, wind and cold he was able to flip the field on us at least 3 different times and pin us deep. W&L triple option offense was a demon at times for MU but just when we started seeing the red zone they tightened down the reins and smothered us. Fastest defense we've seen all year and the pursuit to the ball was incredible. W&L defense played awesome given that we gave MU a short field on 2 different mistakes and they got points off both. Those 2 scores combined with a long 60 yard td pass accounted for the 21 MU points.

Although the Generals came up short on the scoreboard we achieved several moral victories and showed that we are not scared and came to play. Here are some numbers that the Generals achieved:
Held MU to a season low 21 points.
W&L offense offense TOP 37:19, MU 22:41
Generals had 18 first downs, MU had 10.
Generals had 269 yards of total offense, MU had  276

All in all the Generals represented the ODAC with pride and honor. Tough 1st round draw but sometimes the road is not always easy so all you can do is put one foot in front of the other and do your best.

Best wishes to MU and their team. Thanks again for the opportunity to come and face a premier program.

And to all ODAC members, we will see you on the mat, on the courts and on the fields. Hope all have a great Thanksgiving and save travels.
 

[jknezek]

Great report. Thanks Birddawg. Glad to hear it was a good trip.

[desertraider]

Sorry for the late Kudos - but the OAC board has been blowing up on the QB issue.

Kudos to W&L. Your guys played a great game and showed no signs of quit. I wanted to ask about the guy (#84?) that was carted off and his status? Couldn't tell when they drove him by the Mount side what the injury was but wanted to see if he was ok. Again great game and good luck going forward.

[mr_mom]

I'm with desertraider ...

And appreciate Birddawg79's report.  The weather did stunt what would have happened in a "clean" game for both teams, but I believe it had little effect on W&L's game.  Great game plan.  Fortunate for MUC that they have game speed and knew when to delay their response.  But it is obvious that the talent and coaching (!) is there,

Hope to see you again next year!
Mom

[jknezek]

Happy Thanksgiving guys. Another entertaining year in the ODC with almost half the league in the hunt in the last game. Next year we get Ferrum. Should make for a better round robin schedule.  Here's to next year!

[Birddawg79]

. I wanted to ask about the guy (#84?) that was carted off and his status? Couldn't tell when they drove him by the Mount side what the injury was but wanted to see if he was ok.

Thanks for asking. #84 was taken to the hospital during the game to get his leg x-rayed. No break but really bad sprain and deep bone bruise on his lower leg.

[Birddawg79]

Sad to see this kid heading in the wrong direction:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2017/11/fulford-fails-appear-court-date

Outstanding athlete who is not getting good advice.

[jknezek]

Sad to see this kid heading in the wrong direction:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2017/11/fulford-fails-appear-court-date

Outstanding athlete who is not getting good advice.

Either that or he is dumb as a post. Not sure how UMU is going to continue letting this kid represent their school. If I was an alum I would be screaming.

[MUC57]

Jknezek

I am an alum and I am screaming. I want my team to win, of course, but some things are just more important than football. Think I'll go play in traffic.

[jknezek]

Just for fun, and because I put the work in to build a spreadsheet last year and I don't want to just waste it  , I calculated Commissioner's Cup Standings after the fall season. These do come with a warning that I might have made an error in how I calculate ties, but it should be pretty close:

Men: Why the different point totals? Because while all these teams play soccer, not all play football and RMC is the odd one out on Cross Country.

W&L 28/30 93.33%,
 Lynchburg 21/23 91.3%,
 Roanoke 19/23 82.6%,
 RMC 14.5/19 76.31%,
 Bridgewater 18.5/30 61.66%,
 H-SC 16.5/30 55%,
 Va Wes 10/23 43.47%,
 Shenandoah 12/30 40%,
 Guilford 10.5/30 35%,
 EMU 7.5/23 32.6%,
 Randolph 6.5/23 28.26%,
 E&H 8/30 26.66%,

Women: yeesh there are a lot of these and points vary based on who runs CC, plays soccer, field hockey and volleyball
W&L 40.5/45 90%,
 Lynchburg 38/45 84.44%,
 Bridgewater 33/45 73.33%,
 RMC 23/33 69.69%,
 Roanoke 30.5/45 67.77%,
 Va Wes 30.5/45 67.77%,
 EMU 21.5/45 47.77%,
 Shenandoah 20.5/45 45.55%,
 Guilford 15/37 40.54%,
 E&H 13.5/37 36.48%,
 Randolph 8/37 21.62%,
 Hollins 6/37 16.21%,
 Sweet Briar 3/25 12%,

Combined Standings exclude the 3 single sex schools:
W&L                   75   68.5   91.333%
Lynchburg   68   59   86.764%
Roanoke           68   49.5   72.794%
RMC                   52   37.5   72.115%
Bridgewater   75   51.5   68.666%
Va Wes           68   40.5   59.558%
Shenandoah   75   32.5   43.333%
EMU                   68   29   42.647%
Guilford           67   25.5   38.059%
E&H                   67   21.5   32.089%
Randolph           60   14.5   24.166%

[jknezek]

Congrats to Josh Breece, Chris Osier, Max Garrett, D'Eric Bell, and Vic Smith on D3football.com First Team All South Region Team. The first 3 from W&L, the last two from Guilford. More on the 2nd and 3rd team but too hard to switch back and forth on my cell.  Breece is the only FY on the First Team for the South.