FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[BergAlum2]

Subscribed to the 19.99$ a month Flo Sports, just to see technical difficulties for the Marietta game,  Flo always proving its worth

[D3fanboy]

A 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.

Good work. I have a feeling these young men and the transfers we have coming in can supplement (if not outright contribute) to the upcoming season.

To that end, Coach Kappas was interviewed on 91.1:

https://youtu.be/U41MEnJ0Z2g?is=Wswa2w_sHNdrRTo3

Is it just me, or is a lot being made of the defense being so inexperienced this year? I 100% understand a lot has been lost (not even factoring in Kaleb Brown's departure), however last year a starting WR had to be moved to the secondary and was first on the depth chart despite not playing the position since HS - to me, that seems like the defense was even more inexperienced last year. But hey, if I were an expert I wouldn't be posting on message boards as if I were.

losing Kaleb Brown is going to be tough for any program, very few D3 programs ever even have a player of his caliber.  But is experience the end-all-be-all?  The defense needs a talent/depth infusion.  I trust in Kappas to bring back the Raider defense to where it belongs.  Not having your top 4 CB's as fresh/soph is certainly a good start

Not only that, but Liebler isn't even starting, if the depth chart is to be believed.

Based on last year's depth chart that was unchanging like the tides of the ocean, I'm taking it with an ocean's worth of salt grains.

good.  nobody from a team that lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs should be guaranteed their position for the top dynasty college football has ever seen.  If Liebler is the type of rust belt, salt of the earth kid from Tigertown...he'll be starting by week 3 or 4.  Earn it!

Mount football could use a bit of that grit and jam, LFG!

I'm not sure that I would blame the defense for last year's playoff exit..... Holding John Carroll to 10 points in overtime is quite good. They didn't get tons of sacks or turnovers, but they weren't the reason for that loss.

Not at all. But having competition all over the field is much needed in Alliance

[cuyahogacuse]

-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.

[The Third Division]

Subscribed to the 19.99$ a month Flo Sports, just to see technical difficulties for the Marietta game,  Flo always proving its worth

"100 percent uptime" my a**

[Dr. Acula]

-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...

[USee]

-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.

Not according to Brayden: https://x.com/BraydenHar13

[#1OacFan]

Strong start to the season for the OAC last night. Hiring the longtime Marietta assistant coach already looks smart — they knocked off PAC contender Westminster. Now let's see if they can keep it up and make the playoffs.

[Dr. Acula]

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."

[D3fanboy]

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."

sounds like a hungry team with actual leadership, despite their class.  Much prefer the summer workouts and team building than "NFL looks" and "business inquiries"

[D3fanboy]

Etta and Wilma get the OAC off to a 2-0 start...pretty big swing as both of those could have been seen as losses coming into the year

[Captainred81]

I usually agree with the Hansen ratings, but giving Wheaton a 6.5 point edge?   Seems high to me.  I know its the math, but 6.5...  Doesn't 38 years of opening week wins mean anything? 

IN truth, I am nervous.  A lot of these young guys traveling 8 hours for their first game.  Wheaton will be trying to play fast and tough right from the start.  Mount will need to get some quick stops and control the clock.  I expect offensively Wheaton to come out with high percentage passing, quick outs, bubble screens, TE over the middle.  I'd love to see a nickel package and with some zone blitzing. 

For Mount, I'd like to some read pass option, and big plays.  Throw the ball down the field. 

[D3 Poster]

Good start for the two OAC teams playing yesterday.  Wins two years in a row over those same opponents.  Etta surprised me more than Wilma's win over Wooster.  Westmin has some good athletes at wr and qb.  Etta had several of the same coaches in the same roles that may have given them a slight edge.  Onto some good matchups on Saturday.

[D3fanboy]

a lot of D3FB games kickoffs getting bumped due to excessive heat with 85 degree temps....I will tell you to get off of my lawn, but what is going on?  the horror of D3FB playoff games in sub freezing temps must be getting college presidents' really nervous

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

a lot of D3FB games kickoffs getting bumped due to excessive heat with 85 degree temps....I will tell you to get off of my lawn, but what is going on?  the horror of D3FB playoff games in sub freezing temps must be getting college presidents' really nervous

We play HS Games in FL with temps hotter than that for the first two months of the season.

[WRMUalum13]

I usually agree with the Hansen ratings, but giving Wheaton a 6.5 point edge?   Seems high to me.  I know its the math, but 6.5...  Doesn't 38 years of opening week wins mean anything? 

IN truth, I am nervous.  A lot of these young guys traveling 8 hours for their first game.  Wheaton will be trying to play fast and tough right from the start.  Mount will need to get some quick stops and control the clock.  I expect offensively Wheaton to come out with high percentage passing, quick outs, bubble screens, TE over the middle.  I'd love to see a nickel package and with some zone blitzing. 

For Mount, I'd like to some read pass option, and big plays.  Throw the ball down the field. 

How the hell is Logan supposed to put "we've won nearly 40 years of season openers" into his model LOL.

I do feel like a lot of Mount fans kinda just wrote off the game against Wheaton as "letting off the gas" and then just ignored what Wheaton did the rest of the year.

This is a team that made a deep playoff run losing only to NCC and UWR after UMU and they played UWR

FWIW Massey ratings has us favored by 5.

Personally I'm thinking 42-28 UMU.