Game day in Salem

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D3football.com here hours before kickoff as usual, which leaves plenty of time to kick off a new blog.

Gordon and Pat Coleman are to my left right now, on the air announcing the all-Americans. If you aren’t listening, you should be … if you’re interested in hearing about four or five different pre-game interviews. I know Brett Elliott’s interview already aired … good stuff. Very humble, honest about his NFL future and bashing the lack of a playoff in D-I. Loving that!

Mount Union’s specialists have just taken the field.

The weather here tends to be cold and windy … Salem is the championship site because they make D3 feel big time and have gathered a great volunteer base to support the game, but we could do without the weather.

The field is a fast track, but probably not the same as the turf at Mount Union. Both teams are used to/OK with cold weather, and UW-W played in the snow last week, so this should be nothing new. There is snow around the field from Thursday night, but the field was taken care of yesterday, and even spray painted green (I believe) to make it look good for TV.

We’ll be posting from time to time today, and we’ve seen you go crazy on the predictions thread … but if you’re not here and your TV is close to your computer, pump up the sound from the webcast. We’re pretty sure the D3 die-hards will enjoy it.

We’ll be glad to hear your thoughts pre-game and during. Should be fun to look back at after the fact. Take it away…

122 thoughts on “Game day in Salem”

  1. If you’ve never been to Salem, or haven’t been in years, we’ll try to paint the picture for you.

    Pat Cummings just called in from the parking lot where he’s tailgating with Bridgewater fans … who somehow piped in our All-Americans and cheered for the people they knew. A few hours before game time, Mount Union fans and Bridgewater fans chatted and reminisced about the Prime Time Stagg Bowl.

    They get a cover band to rock the house in the parking lot, and luckily Ohio and Wisconsin fans probably don’t mind standing out in the cold tossing the football and grilling out.

    Inside the stadium, a few have taken their seats. This place is going to be purple-clad today, but the same shade even (like someone would have Lavender uniforms) so we won’t be able to tell the fan bases apart.

    In any case, we heard official and unofficial predictions of as much as 14 by the likely and unlikelist of sources. Very interesting stuff.

    Gotta get back to work. If you’re with us from anywhere in the country but Salem, Va., thanks for your patronage and ennnnnjoy!

  2. Mount is in the white-on-white with Purple helmets.

    UW-W wearing black jerseys with purple numbers, white pants, purple helmets. Mount has uniforms with the exact same color combo that they’ve worn in a Stagg Bowl before … this could be tough to keep straight, and will likely throw a few people off when they first turn the game on.

    They’re playing Def Leppard ‘Pour Some Sugar on me’ over the PA. I guess they save the 50 Cent for closer to gametime. 🙂

    P.S. if you are at the game or otherwise miss the webcast, I believe it will be archived.

    OK, I’ll stop holding conversations with myself now.

  3. What more can I say except I wish I were there with you. I’m a long time Whitewater resident(please don’t make me tell how long…lol) and alumni and have been waiting for this day for a long, long time. Not so much to be able to say that I saw it happen but moreso for the players and especially coach B and his staff who have worked so hard to get there. Good luck to two outstanding athletic programs and may there be no serious injuries on either side.
    ….Oh and I almost forgot….GO WARHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. A couple of interesting sights:

    Myles Brand.

    A Hardin-Simmons hat.

    Lots of Virginia Tech/Salem HS football stuff.

    A cheesehead.

    Homemade “Beaver Fever” and “We believe in Trav” shirts.

    Nothing significant and breaking (like Mount Union’s offense got the stomach flu last night) that we can report yet. Wait, UW-Whitewater’s SID says the only gametime question mark was Justin Beaver with the flu.

    Really … adding to the story of his great season and/or excuse if he doesn’t play well.

    If you’re watching on TV, take a close look at O-line/D-line play … should be a big indicator of how things will turn out. Also been told one side (can’t say which) may pull out all the stops/trick plays … perhaps a sign of fear that their regular stuff won’t work, perhaps a go-for-the-jugular great coaching strategy.

    FWIW.

  6. More sights.

    Lots of purple.

    Warhawk mascot complete with sweat pants like bottom.

    Mount Union mascot who looks like a distant cousin of the Pirates mascot.

    Whitewater band members enjoying the experience.

    And more purple.

  9. Who won All American First team running backs? Personal interest here and I’m in the sticks with no TV.

    Thanks

  10. When will the All-American team be posted?
    Interesting tandem for the TV broadcast…gary bender and bill curry

  11. Not a problem.

    First team — Beaver (UWW), Arcidiacono (Union)
    Second team — Porta (Bethel), Washington (Bridgewater)
    Third team — Schuring (Central), Thibodeau (Maine Maritime)
    Honorable Mention — Blakowski (Hobart), Kimmel (Anderson)

    Very healthy crowd here today. Great to have both bands and fans who are jumped, even it’s partly out of desire to get on ESPN 2. 🙂

  12. NNA SID:

    Probably late tonight, early tomorrow.

    If you have a question on a particular position, let me know and I’ll do what I can.

  14. Gordon
    Just trying to get anyone from the ACFC (so I can do my other job as ACFC SID)
    I know my guys weren’t eligible…but to do my conference work.

  15. Jorris’ INT ends Mount Union’s first drive in the waiting arms of Vic Wipperfurth.

    Whitewater comes out throwing with a couple passes to Stanley. Mount Union’s secondary is a little banged-up with Ryan Fehl hurt from last weekend’s Rowan game.

    Beaver finishes the drive. Man, them are some big dudes on that Whitewater line. Chaulk is back for the PAT, which is good.

    WHITEWATER 7 MOUNT UNION 0 — 9:44 FIRST

  16. Sure.

    Second team defense: Byran Robinson (Wesley), Culbert (Frostburg)

    Honorable Mention: K – Lantcott (Brockport)

  19. If you refresh the stream, it may become a little more “real time” but not sure if it’ll synch up perfectly.

    That’s an unfortunate by-product of most forms of radio, including regular (i.e. non-internet).

    Garcon on a long bomb. Just uses his jets to blow by the secondary on a post pattern.

    WHITEWATER 7 MOUNT UNION 7 — 6:34 IN FIRST QUARTER

  21. Field is getting chewed up. Salem facility people out to replace as many divets as possible during the quarter break.

    Pat Coleman reports from the sideline and we’ll keep an eye on footing.

  22. So much purple… I wonder if there’s anything to that. I’m just thinking about ALL the teams that have been in Salem the last few years… MUC, UWW, Linfield… all purple. How about basketball? UWSP, Williams… do you have to wear purple to be great?!

  23. Noteworthy first quarter stats:

    Mount Union: Eight carries for minus-two yards. Whitewater 9-47.

    Total Offense: MUC 16-89 UWW 21-103

    Time of Possession: MUC 8:14 UWW 6:46

  25. First look (literally) at Instant replay was fun.

    Garcon catches the ball in the endzone on the far side and nearly gets foot in (only needs 1 for college). Official rule out of bounds.

    First view on the video screen solicits points from MUC fans including the Purple Raider offense pointing at the screen. Officials take a look…and then UWW fans and coaches point at screen waving, signaling no catch.

    They were right…so were the officials but that was fun anyway. 🙂

  27. Great catch by Garcon! His 2nd TD reception. MUC 14-7. Looking like a really good game.

    Beaver has been more effective than I had thought.

  28. And our second look at replay comes a couple plays later.

    Same situation, different result. TD Garcon, his second of the game.

    WHITEWATER 7 MOUNT UNION 14 4:13 IN 2ND Q

  29. All American LBs:

    First: Gibbons (MUC), Ubbelhode (St. Thomas), Widuch (UWW)
    Second: Lang (St. John Fisher), Orton (Linfield), Radtke (North Central)
    Third: Matson (Augsburg), Follweiler (Wilkes), McCall (Muhlenberg)
    HM: Brady (Alfred), Pynenberg (Wabash) Van de Loo (Lakeland — Go Muskies)

  31. No wind to speak of, but field conditions aren’t good enough for Whitewater to try a FG.

    So UWW goes for it and Kostelnick called for pass interference. UWW pushing for the tie with under two minutes left in the first half.

  34. Yet more replay. Sheesh.

    Ruling stands. No TD as Schmitt did not have full possession.

    OBVIOUS PUN ALERT…

    UWW tries to “Chaulk” 3 points on a FG but comes up way short.

  35. Wow! I certainly thought that was close to a reception. I thought that he had possession just long enough to take a step.

    FG attempt was short!

  36. No possession, no question. Refs doing a great job.

    My first half observation: Whitewater isn’t getting outplayed – they’re getting outcoached.

    Scrap the sprint out with Jacobs and the stretch with Beaver. Inside zone, play action all game. Anyone else notcie how Whitewater gets past the 50 with Beaver and then throws 5 times in a row? Yeah, O-coordinator (Z) needs to fix a few things.

  37. First half statistics:

    First half stories:

    Tres bien: Garcon can fly and Whitewater knows it. Corners trying to play off him at the end of the half. As Pat Coleman mentioned, you can’t teach speed so UWW will have to find another way to stop them. Coach Collins of Capital (halftime gues) says Warhawks corner should give him a little more cushion.

    Leave it to Beaver?: Beaver’s been relatively effective running the ball, but not enough to sustain a drive. Mount’s a little banged up in the secondary so maybe it’s on the shoulders of Stanley, Leszcynski and Schmitt to get the offense going.

    MIAA 3 Haters 0: We’ve had three plays reviewed and all three looked like good calls “upon further review.” Kudos to the MIAA officials who are handling today’s game.

  39. Ralph:

    K-Mack thought he caught it, too. So you’re in good company.

    Stats of note:

    1st Downs: MUC 8 UWW 11
    Rush (att-yards): MUC 16-34 UWW 17-46
    Pass: MUC 142 UWW 99
    Passing full: Jorris 10-16-1, Jacobs, 10-21-0
    Total offense: MUC 32-176 UWW 38-145
    Turnovers: MUC 1 UWW 0
    3rd Down: MUC 2 of 6 UWW 1 of 7
    Time of Possession: MUC: 15:04 UWW 14:56

    Standouts:

    Mount Union: Kmic 12-35, Garcon 3-76
    UWW: Beaver 15-47, 1 TD; Stanley 5-58

    NCAA President and RPI Alum Myles Brand will join Pat Coleman on air in 3rd Quarter.

  42. Question: I’m a former UWW player and i’m in Kuwait right now and the game keeps on cutting out what can i do? where else can i go besides broadcastmonsters.com?

  44. Wow…holy moly. Glad to have you aboard.

    Well, it could be what’s called “buffering.” That happens when your computer is trying to do too much at the same time. If you’re running a couple programs and listening to the broadcast at the same time, that could be it. Sometimes closing other applications will help.

    Beyond that, you could try broadcasts from Mount Union or Whitewater which we are prohibited from posting per our broadcast agreement with the NCAA. The Whitewater fansite may have it.

    Hopefully that helps.

  45. Nate Kmic bursts for 96 yards, a TD and a new Stagg Bowl record. Zimmerman’s extra point is good and UWW needs to answer.

    Uncle Mo is on the Alliance side.

    WHITEWATER 7 MOUNT UNION 21 — 3RD 835

  46. How silly the annoucer is to basically say ” good call going for it on 4th down from the 3 YARD LINE”!! Are you crazy?! maybe from the 1. ha said they may not get down there again to score….thought they had a great offense? two things happened….1) MUC got pumped up for holding on 4th down….(nice 96yd run). 2) UW’s kicker sees there is NO faith….hope they don’t have to count on him late in the game……..UH OH…interception MUC….it’s over and it’s 3:20 pm. YEAH RAIDERS!!!!!

  47. Kehres calling the plays now.

    K-Mack suspected that might be a factor. UWW needs a stop or this could start to get icky.

  50. MUC dominating. Impressive!!!! Whitewater folding under the pressure. Nevermind about giving it away, right now it’s the MUC show.

    I can’t wait for comments after the game about the UWW play calling.

    Not over at 28-7, but it’s a steep hill to climb. Hope Beaver gets 6 more yads, though.

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