I expect the Mount/ONU to be competitive. ONU is much better than recent years. My concern this year is the Raider defense. Just not as strong as recent years, and if they win the conference the offense will have to carry them in the playoffs. I remember how Wartburg just shredded the Mount defense two years ago. The defensive talent and size this year is limited. IMHO

I hear that Rocky Pentello still has a year of eligibility at Capital!  

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 28, 2025, 11:13:08 PM

Quote from: purple on September 28, 2025, 09:11:27 AMBW played with great pride and dominated the line of scrimmage the first half. However, once again,Bw's  secondary was simply no match for the passing offense of the Purples. We have too many fast guys, a sophisticated attack, led by Coach Collins, and super skilled players. Obviously BW got outcoached in the halftime locker rooms. Coach Dartt has blasted three good teams and put together a Championship team. We're Number One.

We aren't #1.  They have beaten 3 good teams, but I'm w Desertraider, Dartt needs a title.  Until that happens or you beat NCC you aren't #1.  To be fair here, that's not about him.  If VK was the HC and hadn't won a title the peanut gallery would be even louder right now.  You've beaten 3 teams that won't see the semis.  That's expected TBH.  They have 2 months to tighten things up because they won't be challenged again in any real sense (sorry Etta). 

Agree, I do not see the Raiders being challenged by the rest of the OAC this season. Use the upcoming games to prepare for the playoffs. Need to win a title and in Canton would be nice.  Did not see the BW game, but I find it a bit strange that the Raider run defense was not there in the first half.

Did not hear for see the game, but based upon other posts and the box score, Grove City was not
as formable as many believed. I applaud them for scheduling an elite opponent, but they recognize
there is much to achieve to be competitive with top programs.

Although B-W won big over Wilmington, the game in two weeks will a good one in Berea.
The Raiders really do not have any other challenges until Marietta, IMHO.
QB Maloney is off to a great start, but he will need a championship
under his belt to be regarded as other Great QB's at Mount. 

Quote from: Dr. Acula on September 09, 2025, 06:16:34 PMGrove City game notes already up?  Now the sports info department is just trolling!

I didn't see any changes to the 2 deep.  GCC has some big boys up front on the OL and the starting FB and RB both checking in at 225 lbs.  Should be a physical game for the D.

The O-line for Wheaton was huge especially their tackles. Big receivers as well.

Raider game on Saturday 1:00 PM or 1:30 PM, there are conflicting starting times?

Quote from: Dr. Acula on August 24, 2025, 10:41:55 AM

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 23, 2025, 02:06:25 PM

Quote from: theaprof on August 23, 2025, 01:36:40 PMI miss Lenny and the info he used to supply.

two weeks away from toe meeting leather and who is actually on the Mount Union team is anybody's guess...it almost seems like more work to be so bad at social media, transparency, engagement, etc than what Mount does these days

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 23, 2025, 02:33:27 PM

Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on August 23, 2025, 02:27:19 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 23, 2025, 02:06:25 PM

Quote from: theaprof on August 23, 2025, 01:36:40 PMI miss Lenny and the info he used to supply.

two weeks away from toe meeting leather and who is actually on the Mount Union team is anybody's guess...it almost seems like more work to be so bad at social media, transparency, engagement, etc than what Mount does these days

THIS... TRULY! When you're a program of this standard, you expect all areas to follow suit.  It's not like we expect them to share practice film, but things I've noticed other D3 programs sharing include:
Returning starters/key players
Key transfers
Highlight some freshmen (UMU Wrestling as already done this)
Countdown to Kickoff
Highlights from last year or practice this year
Stats from last year to note
Connect with the local newspaper

Those are all basic things that high school programs do.... create some excitement or hype!

Speaking of transfer, I had a friend tell me that Carson Dyrlund, a former local HS (Hoover) QB who went D2 (Northwood) is now at Mount. I think he was an athletic QB with a decent arm.

If you asked Dartt/his handlers...The Standard is The Standard.  No need for any excitement, or hype in Alliance.  Despite not winning a title for nearly a decade, all is well in the boring, unimaginative land of Mount football.  I mean he's won 94% of his games!! 

ughh

I can only speak for myself, but every year my interest in the football program fades a little.  If you go back to the LK/VK days I was watching everything I could to try to learn about the next group of studs coming.  I would go to JV games LOL.  One year I was in PA for work and stopped at W&J and watched the scrimmage in a suit (sweating my a$$ off).  Now I watch all the games, but I don't have the passion I used to.  And it's not an aging thing because my passion is still there it has just migrated over to the men's hoops program.  Baseball will always be my first love, but hoops is easily my #2 now.  That bums me out a little.

While I remain interested and a season ticket holder, my enthusiasm and expectations have diminished. I closely follow the Buckeyes as I always have, but more so than 10 years ago. No interest in the Browns. Mount does not have an inspirational HC and I am being kind. Wonder how the recruiting is really going in the last several years. My guess is that those players are motivated to come to Mount for the reputation not really the leadership. So many little things we are used to from prior years are not there any longer.

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 19, 2025, 10:34:59 AM

Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on August 18, 2025, 07:32:39 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 18, 2025, 01:50:54 PMMount's running a really tight-lipped camp...pretty much zero social media stuff coming out.  Miss you Lenny

I was just coming here to say this. It's just odd, especially this day and age where you want your brand out there for recruiting and hyping up your fan base for the season!

I think expecting a program ran by Dartt to have any personality or creativity or fun is asking an awful lot.  I'm sure that the Mount Union brass would say that they are focused on only football, building grit, toughness, other lip service coach speak, etc

Can't agree more!

In these times of financial stress for the small schools, I wonder where Otterbein and Capital stand? Other schools like Hiram, Wittenberg and even BW are really struggling. So as a talented athlete in Central Ohio, do they look elsewhere? Maybe the Pentello family has some future
players coming up??

Quote from: D3fanboy on August 12, 2025, 09:43:55 AMHappy Report Day for the Raiders and most of the OAC

We're getting close to kickoff....finally

Going to be a hot camp this August. We'll see how they look in a week or so?

Quote from: D3fanboy on July 23, 2025, 02:18:23 PMI think the expectation in Alliance would be for an improvement at the QB position.  DeShields played with grit and jam, but he was slightly more than serviceable for then end of the season/postseason.  Now if NCC gets an improvement at the QB position, the rest of the division may be in trouble

I also believe there will be an improvement at QB. DeShields played well in the closing games, but Beaudrie was not at a normal QB level, IMHO. Maloney offers more for 2025, but filling other holes will be a challenge. For the first time in a while, the Raiders will open with a very good opponent followed by a good Grove City team. We will know soon if they merit a #2 ranking?

I am a little surprised by the D3 Preseason Poll with both "1 and 2"
NC loses several players, and the Raiders will have many new starters including a QB.

Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on July 19, 2025, 09:19:25 PM

Quote from: Raider 68 on July 18, 2025, 07:44:01 AMIt cost $65.19 for season tickets for 6 home games including the processing fee.

Did you order you season tickets? I'm having a difficult time with available seats showing up.

I did order online. Did you receive an email with 5-digit code? If not, call the ticket office and they can send the email link.
Sometimes the link is hard to find your reserved seats from the prior year.

It cost $65.19 for season tickets for 6 home games including the processing fee.

Quote from: hsbsballcoach7 on July 14, 2025, 03:49:29 PMLast year was a successful season and the team was in a better position to win the Stagg Bowl than I anticipated after going through the regular season last year. The run of stomping JCU in November, then beating Carnegie Melon, Salisbury and Johns Hopkins was impressive to me because they had to win each of those games in a different fashion. There were some poor decisions from coaches and players in the Stagg Bowl that cost them the chance, but NCC was a better team on paper.

As for the 2025 version of the Purple Raiders, I think it will certainly be an exciting one.
Things I'm fairly positive about: Maloney will start at QB and be a similar style of player to Kevin Burke (not saying he'll have that same career). The Oline will be solid like last year and provide good holes to run and time to pass. WRs won't be a huge question, just a matter of who becomes #1,#2, etc. Dline returns experience and will provide a solid foundation. Kicking game was solid for most of the season last year!

Questions in my mind:
There won't be an Echeverry this year, so RB will probably be by committee until someone proves they can handle a majority of the carries. Marks, Williams, Minner come to mind depending on other transfers as well and if they decide to play offense or defense. There are many talented RBs on the roster who were very good HS players,  but need to see who steps up. The defensive backfield will be the toughest to predict and get up to speed.
Levak played major time at one safety spot in the playoffs. Thrasivoulou played at Trine, but is smaller, but this group will need help or a general defensive scheme overhaul may need to be looked at. Many LBs have been in the program, but none with starting experience.

Altogether, there are holes to fill and experience to gather quickly with Wheaton, Grove City and BW to start three season. They may be relying on the offense, but hopefully guys will fill those inexperienced quickly.

Go Purple Raiders..... and go everybody!!! (In memory of MUC)

Thanks hsbsballcoach7 for your analysis!