Normally I would be annoyed having to attend a fall wedding, but yesterday was a blessing to miss half of that debacle.  The last I saw was Mount going up 14-13, but at that point I had seen enough to assume that at best they would eek out a close win against a team that isn't great.  Instead a senior threw for almost half of his career passing yards yesterday against Mount.  Threw 5 picks.  And still won.  A third week of almost non-existent offense in the first half.  I've lost count of how many weeks it is of coming out flat in general.  It's a broken record. 

After Wheaton I thought I was overreacting thinking those didn't look like top 10 teams and definitely not top 5 teams IMO.  After last week I didn't think Mount was a top 15 team.  Now I agree with whoever said they'll be ranked this week, but probably only because it's Mount. They aren't good.  They can certainly improve as the season goes on, but what would give us any confidence in that happening?  I'm still holding out hope that the OC and DC will figure some stuff out and make adjustments, but they need to happen quickly because they aren't even a playoff team right now and that's a fantasy right now because this won't be the last OAC loss the way they've been playing.  And this isn't the glory days of past where the OAC had ONU or JCU teams that were legit NCAA quarterfinal/semifinal caliber teams.  The OAC is not strong at the top right now. 

About the only positives I saw yesterday were that it seems like they have possible future stud freshmen at RB and WR.

And purple may be correct that there's "no chance, none, zero" of a coaching change.  That's the AD's call (with LK's input, I'm sure).  But if that is not even a possibility then you're becoming just an extension of the admissions department now measuring success by roster size and not a serious program with championship expectations.  You can't constantly talk about the standard and then actively erode it in front of everyone's eyes and not expect questions to be asked.   

I don't know if I am concerned about any one opponent outside of maybe BW right now, but I am very concerned that someone in that group of Berg/Etta/ONU could trip them up.  And since Berg is this week I suppose that makes them the most worrisome of that trio since I hope things start clicking more each week as the season progresses.

A couple thoughts from yesterday now that I got a chance to watch it this morning.

The thing that popped into my head last week and again this week is the absence of difference makers.  I didn't make a ton of it after Wheaton because that's a really good team on the road in game 1.  A lot of factors that could skew what your roster legitimately is.  But this week my takeaway is that Maloney (and maybe Ashby) are about it when it comes to difference makers right now.  I'm not sure who on defense it could be.  And when Maloney doesn't play well yesterday is how it's gonna look right now. 

I think the defense as a unit played pretty well both games, but by no means dominant to the eye.  And to be clear when I say difference makers I'm not expecting to have All-World guys Kaleb Brown or Rossy or Lally or Driskill all over the field every single year.  I'm thinking guys like Duke Hill, Danny Robinson, Isaiah Scott, Matt Fetchko, etc.  Just really, really good D3 defenders.  And I agree with the statement that the defense does not look as fast this year. 

Offensively I'm not sure what to make of things.  At Wheaton they looked abysmal in the first half, then looked good in the second half against a really good defense.  Then yesterday 5 turnovers against a decent team and looking disjointed basically the entire game until the end.  Just seems like a lot of stuff to work out.  I noticed in the box score that Caldwell did not play yesterday.  I'm not down on Minner and Bokman, but anyone local to the area probably shares my annoyance when I see a stud RB from their backyard looking like he's gonna be a star at BW in Boston Mulinix from West Branch.  142 yds and 3 scores on 11 carries in their opener.  Oh, and he's 5'8" 195 lbs so he is very comfortable running between the tackles too.  And yes, it already crept into my head the agony it would be if not only Mount somehow lost to BW, but lost with the sons of two M club HOF'ers playing key roles on their offense.  Luckily that's their 9th game so hopefully we'll be humming along by then.

Quote from: MUC 2008 on September 05, 2026, 03:59:56 PM

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 05, 2026, 03:54:23 PMReally?!  FFS.

I am surprised you're surprised.

Fair.  I was definitely not surprised they lost.  I was surprised they couldn't execute a PAT I guess.  After watching the rest of the game that's on me though! 

Really?!  FFS.

Not what I was expecting to say in the 2nd quarter, but Mount really needs a score here.  Get at least a little momentum and give the defense a rest.

I don't hate this quote from Maloney regarding having new WRs this year.  Built some chemistry heading into the fall.

"Something different we did is about 20 other guys and I stayed here over the summer," Maloney said. "We were working out together and throwing together. We were just constantly with each other. I think that definitely helps excel our play on the field."

Quote from: cuyahogacuse on September 04, 2026, 12:53:02 AM

Quote from: USee on September 02, 2026, 12:18:34 PM-WR Brayden Harris: He is from Northfield OH and was teammates with backup QB Charley Levak (who is younger bro to S Ricky Levak). He only played in 7 games last year (injury?) but caught balls for 230 yds and 7 TD's. Tall, athletic WR who makes a lot of contested catches. Looks like a great get for the Raiders

Those are 13-game numbers. Levak and Harris came out of a Wing-T offense that ran the ball 85-90% of the time and came within a missed FG of playing for a state championship. That said, the young man is a legitimate receiving threat. Catches pretty much anything near him. Good to hear he's making the transition from high school to high level D3 do well.

I don't know anything about Levak, but we had back to back HS option QB's turn out okay throwing the ball in the 90's...

Quote from: USee on September 02, 2026, 12:18:34 PMA few key freshman recruits for Mt Union appear to be set to get significant playing time and could make an impact for the Raiders this season:

-RB Bo Bokman: played at a 6A school in MN and got to state semis. He ran for 720 yds and 11 TD's and had receptions for another 460 yds and 5 TD's. Bo is an explosive and versatile RB who lined up in the slot, caught a lot of balls and had 2 Punt Return TD's this past year. He also played in the Minnesota state all star game

-WR Brayden Harris: He is from Northfield OH and was teammates with backup QB Charley Levak (who is younger bro to S Ricky Levak). He only played in 7 games last year (injury?) but caught balls for 230 yds and 7 TD's. Tall, athletic WR who makes a lot of contested catches. Looks like a great get for the Raiders

-OL Cole Cook: Cook is set to start at RG for the Raiders which is saying something for a school that wins on the backs of talent in the trenches. Dartt obviously played and coached OL so his specific area of expterise suggests he thinks highly of this kid who went to one of the larger schools in Houston (The Woodlands), was 1st team all district and his team was 12-1 last year.

-TE Justice Taylor: 6-6 230 lbs from Dayton's Trotwood-Madison. He was teammates with presumed starting Soph DE Keymaurie Henderson. Justice is athletic and long. He had originally committed to Alabama A&M (had other offers like Central Mich) before ending up in Alliance. Looks like a matchup nightmare in Maloney's arsenal

If these guys are indicative of the talent coming to Raider country, the rumors of the Raider's demise may be a bit premature.

That first 2 deep of the season is always interesting.  Cook is indeed starting at RG.  His backup is also a FR in Brayden Piersall.  Harris is starting at WR.  Bokman and Taylor are both backups.  Fellow FR Charley Levak is the backup QB.

Defensively Liebler is listed as backup CB to SO Andrew Holmes.  SO Keymaurie Henderson is the starting edge.  It looks like he played in 1 game last year (I did not recognize the name).  Jackson Harris is listed as backup DT behind Ganelli, but I don't read much into that since those guys will be rotating I'm sure.

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 26, 2026, 01:50:02 PM

Quote from: Kira & Jaxon's Dad on August 26, 2026, 01:16:52 PMMU Football Preview

https://athletics.mountunion.edu/news/2026/8/26/2026-mount-union-football-preview.aspx

a freshman RB getting recognition in the season preview?  either we have no RB depth, or Bo Bokman is a stud.  I'll go with the latter (huge Minner fan here)

That was the thing that caught my attention also.  They have to be pretty sure on a first-year being a contributor to name them in the preview.

Quote from: JCUStreaks70 on August 25, 2026, 05:04:38 PMEh, why not, I'm in... However, is it a problem that I'll never rank BW, regardless of their record?

Problem?  This feels like a plus.

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 21, 2026, 12:54:58 PMthere is some WR running around wearing #2 with dreads that has been pictured in summer drills with Maloney and the boys and running with the first team in the practices.  Have AI figure out who that dude is

Could it be Jaeson Anderson?  He was #22 last year and he switched from DB to WR this year according to today's version of the roster. 

Speaking of the WR room, I did a quick check and all three of the backup WR listed on the 2 deep from the last game are on the current roster.  Ashby, Caldwell, Preston Smith.

Defensively I was disappointed to not see Solis on the roster.  I thought he looked promising on the DL as a freshman.

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 19, 2026, 04:54:25 PMDL Jackson Harris listed back on the ever-changing Mount Union roster....the DL is going to have some depth

That's a nice surprise.  I also saw OT Fred Fervier is back as a grad student also.  I think he started every game last season at LT.

On the transfer WR front I noticed Brayden Miller is a Jr with no jersey number.  He's a 6'1", 189 lb transfer from Stetson.

Interesting kid coming to Alliance for football and track.  Cannan McCarthy - RB/DB from Cocoa, FL.  5'10", 175 lbs.  Ran a 10.69 100m so he can fly.  That time woulda finished 2nd at the state meet in D1 in Ohio.  Or another way, his HS times woulda finished 4th place at the OAC outdoor meet in the 100m and 200m.  So worst case scenario Coach Lucas landed himself a nice sprinter.

 

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 17, 2026, 09:59:53 AMstarting to look like Mount is going to do the whole wait to release the roster until right before the opener thing again huh?

An annual tradition. 

And unless I missed it I also haven't seen the OAC preseason poll released yet.