College of Faith

[VULB#62]

Yep. Read it here. Paul Oren also covered that in his pre-game article. Seems the  NCAA ruled on the non-countable status AFTER Valpo signed the contract

[Dojan123]

How many people were at the game? It was sad watching the game on ESPN 3 with only 4 people in the visitor bleachers. From TV it only looked like 10 people might have been there.

[VU2624]

Yep. Read it here. Paul Oren also covered that in his pre-game article. Seems the  NCAA ruled on the non-countable status AFTER Valpo signed the contract

I wonder if Valpo was unaware of the entire COF situation. Mr. Thomas seems like he has a great deal of Professor Harold Hill in his DNA.

[usc4valpo]

So does this game count on the record or does it not? I have seen mixed responses for this.

[valpotx]

As others have stated, I was surprised to find that the win and the stats do not count from this game.  I kept thinking that it was taking time for them to update the stats, but then checked into it further.  What a waste of a game...

[VULB#62]

Tex, I agree and disagree on the"waste" aspect.

Waste YES:  No stats, no win, no challenge.

Waste NO:  After the miserable performance vs. SHU, VU needed to play against an(y) opponent and show they could execute and demonstrate intensity. 

Will the staff be satisfied?  I think not.  They gave up over 100 yards of passing on just 4 completions.  That's enough for me, if I were the staff, to push the D even harder.  And although I did not watch the stream, I'll bet that the O gave the staff lots to work on too.

[VU2624]

Ted, I agree and disagree on th "waste" aspect.

Waste YES:  No stats, no win, no challenge.

Waste NO:  After the miserable performance vs. SHU, VU needed to play against an(y) opponent and show they could execute and demonstrate intensity. 

Will the staff be satisfied?  I think not.  They gave up over 100 yards of passing on just 4 completions.  That's enough for me, if I were the staff, to push the D even harder.  And although I did not watch the stream, I'll bet that the O gave the staff lots to work on too.

There were enough plays which, if I were coach, I'd focus on with specific units. The OL had some breakdowns in the run game. WRs had some issues blocking on the edge.

[usc4valpo]

For ESPN and Sagarin, Valpo is 1-2. Could Oren be wrong regarding this or are various sites reporting Valpo's record incorrectly.

IMO, to claim a win again an unaccedited school like this would be a disgrace. It is like my daughter winning a dance competition where she is the only competitor in her age group and level. A nice warm fuzzy with no substance.

[covufan]

I understand we needed to replace a game and that there were only one weekend open, unless we wanted to have the game during our PFL season.  Still, we should have done a better job in vetting this team before scheduling.  I think we could have gotten a better scrimmage from about thirty 19-21 year old former HS football players within a 10 mile drive of Valpo. 

[valpo95]

Valpo was mentioned on ESPN college football weekend summary   http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/13705966/ohio-state-shaky-win-alabama-early-loss-stanford-shocking-upset-sets-stage-historic-2015

McGee: Michigan State? Ole Miss? This ain't your granddaddy's top 5
Ryan McGee sizes up the college football landscape, from the shake-up in the SEC West to a lackluster weekend for the ACC to the Big Ten's playoff push. Plus Memphis and, um, Valpo? Wild Week 3.


Extra Point: File this under the "See? Dana Holgorsen was right!" On Saturday, the Valparaiso Crusaders won 86-0, rushing for 333 yards and racking up 10 sacks. But none that will ever appear in any official record book. Why? Because their opponent was the Arkansas-based College of Faith, and while the Warriors might come out to play, the first-year Division II program is on the NCAA's Schools That Aren't Real list. OK, that's not what the list is called. It's officially the "non-countable opponents" list, a roster of schools that are either too small, too new or too fake to be recognized as a legit contest. And, as some intrepid Internet sleuths pointed out, that non-countable opponent has unusable uniforms. One photo that started making the social media rounds shows College of Faith with holes in their britches as big as the holes in their defense. No truth to the rumor that Baylor has scheduled them for 2016.

[VULB#62]

I understand we needed to replace a game and that there were only one weekend open, unless we wanted to have the game during our PFL season.  Still, we should have done a better job in vetting this team before scheduling.  I think we could have gotten a better scrimmage from about thirty 19-21 year old former HS football players within a 10 mile drive of Valpo.

Water over the dam and we've said as much a number of times even before the actual 'scrimmage.'  Lesson learned for the staff and AD.  It won't happen again.  Let's move on.

[VULB#62]

Valpo was mentioned on ESPN college football weekend summary   http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/13705966/ohio-state-shaky-win-alabama-early-loss-stanford-shocking-upset-sets-stage-historic-2015

McGee: Michigan State? Ole Miss? This ain't your granddaddy's top 5
Ryan McGee sizes up the college football landscape, from the shake-up in the SEC West to a lackluster weekend for the ACC to the Big Ten's playoff push. Plus Memphis and, um, Valpo? Wild Week 3.


Extra Point: File this under the "See? Dana Holgorsen was right!" On Saturday, the Valparaiso Crusaders won 86-0, rushing for 333 yards and racking up 10 sacks. But none that will ever appear in any official record book. Why? Because their opponent was the Arkansas-based College of Faith, and while the Warriors might come out to play, the first-year Division II program is on the NCAA's Schools That Aren't Real list. OK, that's not what the list is called. It's officially the "non-countable opponents" list, a roster of schools that are either too small, too new or too fake to be recognized as a legit contest. And, as some intrepid Internet sleuths pointed out, that non-countable opponent has unusable uniforms. One photo that started making the social media rounds shows College of Faith with holes in their britches as big as the holes in their defense. No truth to the rumor that Baylor has scheduled them for 2016.

Pretty embarrassing  especially coming from a cynical columnist perspective.  There are a bunch of D-II and FCS schools that are in the same boat as us McKendree, Texas Southern, Davidson last year vs. the Charlotte branch, etc.  I guess if we had beaten them 56-0 no one would have paid attention. 

Our score Saturday reminds me, and I might remind all of us, that on October 16, 2010 Valpo was beaten 86-7 by fellow PFL member Jacksonville.  (FYI - In 2009 we lost 49-20.  In 2008 lost 40-24, but in 2007 we won 29-27). Weird 

[VU2624]

Extended article on COF/UOF. Valpo does get a mention or two.

http://nypost.com/2015/11/29/the-shady-college-football-team-that-gets-paid-to-lose-games/

[valporun]

I started to read this article, and either skipped over or skimmed a lot of it. I don't understand how this school still exists, other than to be a "Frauds In Action" program? I mean if its just a way for some kids to get off the streets, and the founder some cash, then it's working, but if it's meant to be a serious collegiate school and program, then it failed from the start. I'm honestly glad the NCAA excluded any games against these frauds to be true exhibitions that schools can pay to play, but don't have to even make mention that those games happened. I hope that Valpo never falls for this fraud scheduling issue again.

[covufan]

I started to read this article, and either skipped over or skimmed a lot of it. I don't understand how this school still exists, other than to be a "Frauds In Action" program? I mean if its just a way for some kids to get off the streets, and the founder some cash, then it's working, but if it's meant to be a serious collegiate school and program, then it failed from the start. I'm honestly glad the NCAA excluded any games against these frauds to be true exhibitions that schools can pay to play, but don't have to even make mention that those games happened. I hope that Valpo never falls for this fraud scheduling issue again.

What gets me is that we scheduled them after Davidson did in  2014.  We should have made the call to Davidson.

[valporun]

When COF was added to the schedule, there might not have been another option. Recall the COF game date was set aside for St. Joe's to come to Valpo, but the GLVC added a team to the conference, which meant they couldn't play us to accommodate their conference scheduling. I do hope the athletic director and Coach Cecchini have remedied this so it doesn't happen again.

[VULB#62]

I believe that the slot in 2016 is taken by Trinity International (NAIA) and MLB addressed the COF issue in his September AD's report.  He explained the whys of the COF scheduling (ValpoRun was right) and explained their annual scheduling commitment going forward:  1 scholarship FCS game, 1 second tier FCS game (NEC, Patriot, Ivy) and one either D-II or NAIA game.

[VU2624]

I believe that the slot in 2016 is taken by Trinity International (NAIA) and MLB addressed the COF issue in his September AD's report.  He explained the whys of the COF scheduling (ValpoRun was right) and explained their annual scheduling commitment going forward:  1 scholarship FCS game, 1 second tier FCS game (NEC, Patriot, Ivy) and one either D-II or NAIA game.

for next year it is Illinois State, Sacred Heart in CT and Trinity Intl. For '17 it is Montana, Duquense and Trinity Intl.

Getting back to COF. It was apparently a case of they were the only available opponent.

The entire COF issue has been around for at least a few years and before Davidson. I read a local article on the "school" and the sports programs about 3 years ago and it was pretty much the same shyster angle.

[bbtds]

What gets me is that we scheduled them after Davidson did in  2014.  We should have made the call to Davidson.

You think we could have Curryed a favor from Davidson. We could have Stated we needed a Golden blessing.

[IndyValpo]

Remember prior to this year COF games counted.

Their schedule this year included 2 scholarship FCS schools.

Also, why do we play 12 games?

[usc4valpo]

In reality this year we played only 10 games as the COF game was labeled as an exhibition.

BTW, what's wrong with 12 games?

[VULB#62]

I think 2014 was a one off. We usually schedule 11. 

[IndyValpo]

I think 2014 was a one off. We usually schedule 11. 

Looking at FCS, most schedule 11 I am guessing because of post season. Still I like the idea of adding a home game as #12 if allowed.

In reality this year we played only 10 games as the COF game was labeled as an exhibition.

BTW, what's wrong with 12 games?

Meant to say why don't we....