Game Day: Will we have turkeys?

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The second week of the playoffs is always a different animal … or an odd bird, perhaps.

I just talked to Kevin Niehus, one of our broadcasters at the Johns Hopkins-Thomas More game and he said Johns Hopkins looked pretty good getting off the bus. And that’s what we’re left with here in the second week of the playoffs — the teams that might not look good in that instance have been eliminated.

This is also an odd week because of Thanksgiving. The holiday changes everyone’s travel plans, it keeps students away from the game because they’re at home or otherwise away from campus, and the games just have a different feel. The stadium might be a little more empty. The day might be a little colder. But the games are even more important.

That’s what we’re looking at today.

All aboard.

38 thoughts on “Game Day: Will we have turkeys?”

  2. Wahoo! Its time to tee it up in Alliance! The weather is going to be a perfect 43 and sunny. Mount Union seems relaxed! Imagine that?

    In an hour or so, it will be 45 – 49 and sunny in Wisconsin for UWW when they take the field. I don’t know if “wacky” will be there, but it will be another beautiful day in cheesehead country!

    Out in Oregon, it is supposed to be 40 or so and maybe a slight chance of rain? I can’t get anyone to answer out there, yet? I don’t think the gates even open for another hour? LOL

    Good luck to all! Good sportsmanship should rule the day! Wahoo!

  4. Apparently, Mount Union looked good getting off of the bus too! LOL

    JHU is up 7 – 0 as well. Wesley is ahead 7 – 0, also.

  8. Thanks — I sent a note along but considering this was the third-string broadcast option (we had some tech problems there this morning) they may not have any flexibility left.

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  17. Montclair State has thrown 4 interceptions already today. 10:18 left in 3rd Quarter and MUC up 35-14. Going to be hard to come back if they keep throwing picks.

  18. Pass interference against UWW on 4th & 6 keeps IWU drive alive. Next play Ladd hits Eli for 42 yards and a IWU TD. 14-7 UWW over IWU. Less than 4 minutes until half.

    Couple of critical turnovers hurt each team. One fumble at IWU 1 by UWW after 98 yard drive costs points, one INT by Ladd inside UWW 7 yard line costs IWU.

    Still much closer than most thought… at least for the 1st half.

  20. 46 yard FG by Jeff Schebler with :02 seconds before the half…UWW 17-7

    IWU scored with 3 mins remaining on a 42 yard pass, 1 play after a 4th down fake punt pass called pass inteference on UWW. The pass went about 10 yards, looked more like a throw in in a rugby game into a group of1/2 a dozen players…hit a warhawk defender in the back…very mysterious call.

  23. Well, sorry we had to cut this short again today. Hoping next week we have a new server solution in place.

  24. AC99-

    I am more than ready to eat as much crow as your willing to serve. I don’t know what DVC team I watched yesterday, but it was not one I saw the entire season. I knew they were in trouble when I saw how jacked up Albright was coming out of the locker room, and it appeared that DVC came out unexcited and maybe a little overconfident. The game was totally won in the trenches, as DVC never really got a run game established, not to mention Isgro was not protected too well. On the flipside, Albright’s passing success (due to virtually no pressure brought by DVC) set up the run beautifully, and the play calling seemed perfect at times for the Lions.

    Congratulations and good luck in Alliance this Saturday. Shock the world.

  25. nathanshin-

    I saw the fake punt pass interference call up close. The reason the ball hit the UWW defender in the back is because he had taken out the IWU ‘receiver.’ It was blatant pass interference to me. Only question is whether or not there were ineligible receivers downfield. I have no way of seeing replay and I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary at the time, but people around me were screaming that the ‘receiver’ was #68 or something like that. Apparently the UWW coaches saw the same thing, as Leipold was giving it to the refs well into the 2nd half.

    But anyway, from what I saw I would have thrown the flag if I were a ref. I say it was a good call.

    Also, nice job Ill. Wesleyan. Good strong team in the 1st half, just got outplayed in the 2nd half. If they can keep playing like that for the next few years they can become a force in the CCIW and the North region.

  26. My apologies to everyone who had trouble hearing me on the Broadcast from Bank of Kentucky Field yesterday.. As Pat said, we had some major technical troubles and were just able to get on air at 1157am.

    Thanks to NKY Communications Department and Billy Farro for letting us use their fine equipment. It will be on the agenda for the next executive meeting at TMC to be able to provide streaming audio, which is quite common everywhere else.

    On to the game, Hopkins flat out beat TMC. That’s how I saw it.. They were physical, and a well coached football team with good size and smart players. TMC made great strides this year and now that the schools president is going to further emphasize football at the school, look for them to continue to be on the National Scene.

    Wesley and JHU could be a great game if JHU limits mistakes and finds a way to block Wesleys front 4.

    I talk further about all this on this weeks ATN Podcast with Pat and Keith.

  27. Zero Mischief

    No need to eat crow…what a great game though completely dominated by Albright…I dont know the stats but I dont think DVC had more than 50 yards rushing as they were shut down all day. Albrights “air attack did dominate” the game and they could not be stopped. Once there Air attack proved their dominance there run game also showed up and Del Val had no answer. Del Val’s offense could not muster a single drive as Albrights D stepped up big time. Albright played unbelievable football all game long and I hope they continue to play like this against Goalith.

    I know Mount Union is pretty dominate based upon their track record…but this year what are there strenghts and weaknesses?

    On a related note, Albright’s back-up quarterback suffered a compound fracture of his leg at the end of the second half. His name is Subers and I tell you this kids story is great. Unfortuntatyely, he is stuck behind Kelly the MAC 2 time MVP and does not get any playing time in 4 years. Both Subers and Kelly are seniors. Kelly gets injured against LVC in the last week of the season and Subers comes in and throws 5 TD’s and over 300 to lead the Lions into the playoffs. Subers again steps up in playoff week 1 contributing in the Albright win against Alfred. At DVC this weekend, on a scramble, he breaks his leg and gets wheeled off the field in the ambulance. The entire Albright football team was on the field as Subers left for the hospital…a sign of respect that words really cannot describe. The respect I have for this kid is imeasurable. 4 years as a back up and he sticks it out on the Division III leval and when his number was called in the most important game of the year, he showed up big time. A very sad end to his career but truly an inspiration to all players both starters and backup’s. I wish this kid a speedy recovery.

  28. The holiday kept me away from the game Saturday, and technical difficulties kept me off the Linfield audio feed until late in the 3rd quarter. I tried the UMHB feed for a while, but couldn’t stand the color guy starting every sentence with “We”. Last I checked, the guys in the booth don’t suit up and play. I know this is common, but I’m a Bill King guy. The upshot is that the score went from 14-3 to 33-14 while I was away. From the recaps, it sounds like Linfield’s defense shut down the run enough to force UMHB to throw, whereupon bad things started happening (though good for Linfield), and Boehme & crew got rolling after a slow start.

    I am curious to hear if the DIII staffers have any better feel for the ‘Kitties after this performance.

  29. Catdomer,

    What self respecting Linfield’er refers to the WILDCATS as “kitties”? 🙂

    Go ‘Cats!

  30. It was de rigeur when I was a student, about a hundred years ago. Win , and they’re the ‘Kitties. Lose, and they’re just the plain ol’ Wildcats… 🙂 Bad habits die hard.

  31. Well, we might have learned a few things in round 2?

    1) Seems that UWW was more than capable against IWU, regardless of what “wacky” suggested;

    2) Mount Union might get an Albright team that is down to their #3 QB, after Albright played their best game of the year and MUC put up 62 more;

    3) Are Wesley and Linfield that good? Or was the ASC a little weaker this year? After all, the ASC went down 43 – 9 & 53 – 21 (a combined 96 to 30) in round 2;

    4) How good has St. Thomas become late in the year? 34 – 7 over Coe, even though Coe was without their senior QB, that was an impressive win;

    5) Also, it seems like “CaptainCru” may have underestimated the NWC champions? Just saying. (you too Sarge)

    Now we have the quarterfinals (when the top contenders will separate themselves from the “best of the rest” in D III football. Mount Union faces an undermanned Albright team and Mount Union should put up 50 again; Wittenberg will have to bring their best game to keep it respectable against D-2 UWW; Wesley seems prepared to end Johns Hopkins year, but this could be a trap game for Wesley? They will need to stay on task and not be thinking ahead to Alliance; Finally, the best matchup in round three will probably be in the West with St. Thomas traveling to Linfield. Winner gets a trip to Wisconsin. Wahoo!

    Thanks again to Pat, Keith & company for working so hard to provide this fun and informative website, for our amusement, excitement, comments and predictions. 🙂

  33. That seems like an easy answer “Ralph”, it has to be sideline and halftime adjustments. Coaching and communication amongst the coaches and players to come up with adjustments that work. 🙂 It appeared to be very effective in both cases?

  34. Eagle23: Yeah,….Linfield played a great game in the second half….and, I agree with you, the coaches obviously made excellent adjustments at the half. Linfield should do well in the remaining games. I’ve missed just a “handful” of UMHB games since their second season….and I’ve never seen them “self-destruct” like that…I’m not sure they could have scored on “Bugtussle High SchooL” that second half. Gives special meaning to the term “snakebit”. Oh well, there’s always next year….they’ll be back….:)

    Catdomer87: I agree with you on the “color guy”….he “screwed” up the players names the whole game….he called Quincy Daniels,…. Quincy Jones the whole game. Also, there were times when I was convinced that he was calling a different game than I was watching…….

  35. …And David took the stone from his bag and slung it at Goalith knocking the giant Down. Albright 20, Mount Union 17.

  37. I am attending the Mount/Albright game this Saturday. AC99 I have not seen Albright play this year, is their defense that good to hold Mount to 17 points? Bold prediction!! I am hoping for a good game this far into the playoffs to get them ready for Wesley.

  38. 83Raider

    Albrights Defense played very well against Del Val. If I had 1 knock on them it woudl be the short sided field pass coverage. Albright does not man up with numbers…they put their best corner on the wide side of the field. Leb Val picked on the short side and was succesful. However, this team is playing with a renewed strength. They completely dominated del val last week and if they can keep that going, my optimistic prediction should hold. I woudl love to attend this game as well as I have not seen Mount Union Play. If Albright can simply (hard to do) forget they are playing “Mount Union” and just take it as another game, this one shoudl be interesting.

    What do you see as Mount Union’s strength and please do not say the “whole team”?

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