FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Blast from the past

https://www.footballscoop.com/2026/10/13/kc-keeler-sent-blunt-midnight-text-with-homework-objectives-to-his-coordinators-following-disappointing-loss

[IC798891]

I have stood by the team field entrance a few times at a game. 1st was in 05 - listening to Nate and Greg talking on the way out at half - set the tone, no mistakes - the oline talking about no penalties and finish strong, the D saying D stuff (pressure, time to hit, no let down). Same thing with Lally and Nemeth, and Taurice on their run. They were amped up coming out of the locker room.

I stood there yesterday. kappas comes out with a coach, no talking. Kickers and holders...nothing. Doors open here come the Raiders..and nothing. Slow walk, guys laughing, one guy looks over fence and calls out "what up niglo (sp?). What you doin later?". 2 guys talking about a frat party after game "you heading over?". The only guy that said anything football-ish (not really football ish even) was #4. Last one out and I was stepping off the walk and said "finish strong" and he replied "yes Sir". No one seemed ready, convinced, confident, or determined. It was odd. Made me think more of how the opponents normally come out after the first half - defeated and ready to go home. 

I posted this on another sport thread, but I think it's relevant here too.

As I've spoken to D3 athletes in particular -- including national champions, before anyone comes at me with "These are the ones who never win!" in response to what I'm about to write -- one of the things I've noticed more and more is how they're drawn to D3 because they're looking for an environment that treats them more like a full person, and not just a successful athlete. They don't want their identity so deeply tied to the scoreboard, timer, etc.

Do I think these athletes all want to win? Absolutely. Do I believe that they're working hard to do that? 100%.

I don't think it's about an intentional decrease of the importance of sports. I do think that these student-athletes are simply raising the importance of other things in their lives, and if that means that those things share a headspace with athletics ones, they're okay with that.

Just one man's observations

[JT2]

Blast from the past

https://www.footballscoop.com/2026/10/13/kc-keeler-sent-blunt-midnight-text-with-homework-objectives-to-his-coordinators-following-disappointing-loss

Took Rowan 5 times to the title game. Won two DI-AA (I know FCS, I prefer D1-AA) national titles with two different teams. The man is a HOF college coach. He's 278–123–1 for a .693 winning percentage.

He was 88–21–1 (.804) DIII at Rowan.

At 67, I wouldn't count him out at Temple. He knows how to build programs, and Temple brings him back home.

[IC798891]

Both Delaware and Sam Houston State were pretty successful not too long before Keeler got there. Temple is a wildly different animal

[D3fanboy]

I have stood by the team field entrance a few times at a game. 1st was in 05 - listening to Nate and Greg talking on the way out at half - set the tone, no mistakes - the oline talking about no penalties and finish strong, the D saying D stuff (pressure, time to hit, no let down). Same thing with Lally and Nemeth, and Taurice on their run. They were amped up coming out of the locker room.

I stood there yesterday. kappas comes out with a coach, no talking. Kickers and holders...nothing. Doors open here come the Raiders..and nothing. Slow walk, guys laughing, one guy looks over fence and calls out "what up niglo (sp?). What you doin later?". 2 guys talking about a frat party after game "you heading over?". The only guy that said anything football-ish (not really football ish even) was #4. Last one out and I was stepping off the walk and said "finish strong" and he replied "yes Sir". No one seemed ready, convinced, confident, or determined. It was odd. Made me think more of how the opponents normally come out after the first half - defeated and ready to go home. 

I posted this on another sport thread, but I think it's relevant here too.

As I've spoken to D3 athletes in particular -- including national champions, before anyone comes at me with "These are the ones who never win!" in response to what I'm about to write -- one of the things I've noticed more and more is how they're drawn to D3 because they're looking for an environment that treats them more like a full person, and not just a successful athlete. They don't want their identity so deeply tied to the scoreboard, timer, etc.

Do I think these athletes all want to win? Absolutely. Do I believe that they're working hard to do that? 100%.

I don't think it's about an intentional decrease of the importance of sports. I do think that these student-athletes are simply raising the importance of other things in their lives, and if that means that those things share a headspace with athletics ones, they're okay with that.

Just one man's observations

I think that your observations are spot on at the vast, vast majority of D3 schools and sports.  I absolutely love that the "student-athlete" experience is still alive at D3.  It's really what college sports should be.

That being said.  I highly doubt many, if any, of the football players that signed up to play at the greatest college football dynasty have that mentality.  At least I hope not.  Purple Raider football is "Faith, Family, Football" but the scoreboard really, really matters.  Right or wrong, that's the case.