FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

Kira & Jaxon's Dad · July 21, 2025, 07:43:41 PM

Former North Central HC Jeff Thorne is battling cancer:

https://www.footballscoop.com/2025/07/21/jeff-thorne-payton-thorne-auburn-michigan-state-north-central-western-michigan-national-championship-division-iii

Raider 68 · July 23, 2025, 01:31:55 PM

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.

Pat Coleman · July 23, 2025, 01:41:29 PM

Agreed, but everyone has lost players -- and I think this year more so than the previous couple of years since we are basically out of COVID seasons of bonus eligibility.

As a voter, do you trust that North Central and Mount Union will reload at the QB position? History has shown both of those schools can do it.

D3fanboy · July 23, 2025, 02:18:23 PM

I 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

Dr. Acula · July 23, 2025, 02:52:59 PM

I would have guessed NCC was #1 based purely on how much Mount graduated. If Mount was bringing back Echeverry, Moore, etc. that'd be different, but both teams have big holes to fill so I'd give the nod to the champs at this point.

I did like to see that Mount opens with a pair of top 25 games OOC. Trial by fire out of the gate with that then BW.

Raider 68 · July 24, 2025, 08:21:49 AM

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?

D3fanboy · July 24, 2025, 09:24:58 AM

Quote from: Raider 68 on July 24, 2025, 08:21:49 AM
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?

Noah B played fine. but through no fault of his own and injury, he didn't really face too tough of a schedule. Outside of the school that fled the OAC due to Mount football, it was pretty much....ew. Could Noah B had a playoff run where he played fantastic football? 100%, but unfortunately we never got to see it. Noah was a top notch running QB, and I think that he'll have a great season at Adrian if he's healed up. But his passing game was a little too up and down, in my opinion.

I'm excited to get back to the normal 4 year player, traditional college football environment that makes D3 different from every other level of football. The kids that are upperclassmen now have been given a pretty raw deal and hopefully that leads to a focused, competitive, successful camp for the Raiders

Pat Coleman · July 24, 2025, 10:39:56 AM

It will definitely be more four-year oriented, but plenty of guys are going to transfer in and out, and transfer up.

D3fanboy · July 24, 2025, 11:14:12 AM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on July 24, 2025, 10:39:56 AMIt will definitely be more four-year oriented, but plenty of guys are going to transfer in and out, and transfer up.

breaking news

Pat Coleman · July 24, 2025, 12:19:25 PM

Sorry if you see that as obvious, but it is at least somewhat in contrast to what you said about going back to the old norm. There's way more movement now.

D3fanboy · July 24, 2025, 12:30:18 PM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on July 24, 2025, 12:19:25 PMSorry if you see that as obvious, but it is at least somewhat in contrast to what you said about going back to the old norm. There's way more movement now.

do you think that D3FB success in the past couple of years was more b/c of transfers or b/c of 5th and 6th year COVID guys?

Pat Coleman · July 24, 2025, 01:15:20 PM

I'm talking about 2025 and beyond -- I think there will be more transferring laterally across Division III than there was pre-COVID and that also we will more consistently lose top talent when guys transfer to scholarship programs.

Kira & Jaxon's Dad · July 24, 2025, 02:27:59 PM

The D1 roster limit of 105 players is going to push talented players "down" levels and I can foresee more players going D3 to prove themselves and then entering the transfer portal and moving "up" divisions.

D3fanboy · July 24, 2025, 02:41:04 PM

tranfsers, either laterally or up and down never seemed to be the main reason of D3FB team success. Kids staying in school for 5-6 years seemed to make a larger impact

Kira & Jaxon's Dad · July 24, 2025, 02:55:55 PM

Quote from: D3fanboy on July 24, 2025, 02:41:04 PMtranfsers, either laterally or up and down never seemed to be the main reason of D3FB team success. Kids staying in school for 5-6 years seemed to make a larger impact

True. But there will be no more "Walk-ons" and 135 man rosters at the D1 level. So more talented players will be playing at lower levels. Which will trickle down to D3.