Game 7a Crusaders @ Bye ;-)

[VULB#62]

Gotta have a game thread for this week even if we aren't actually playing.   

I promise I will start a Morehead thread once we see how the PFL spills out next weekend - especially Morehead both against USD this weekend and their next game.

[VULB#62]

BTW, Morehead lost to USD today 56-27.

They play Stetson at home this coming weekend.  Half of me wants them to lose, the other half wants Stetson to lose.

[VULB#62]

Some more bye stuff to chew on.

AFTER 7 WEEKS - The status of the PFL "Bottom Seven."

                      PFL          ALL        PFL/PF    PFL/PA           
Valpo              2-2          3-4           99          130
Butler             2-2          3-4          114          94
Marist             2-2          3-4          125         119
Morehead       1-3          2-5            67         166
Stetson          1-3          2-5            90         131
Dayton           1-3          2-5            62          84
Davidson        0-3         2-4            47          94

To be honest, I never thought we'd be including Dayton in this group.

[VULB#62]

On the Game #7 thread we started talking about the prospects going forward. I'm gonna try to to pull that conversation over here.

JD24 is looking for a Morehead win. USC likes a possible Butler win.

Here is our remaining schedule:

bye
Morehead
@ JU
@ Butler
Dayton

If we beat Morehead for #4, who is win #5?

JU has a grind it ground game that we have had trouble stuffing this season. Butler, surprisingly (to me at least) is scoring a boat load of points.  It may sound strange, but maybe it is Dayton. They are perennially strong defensively. This year is no different. Their problem appears to be scoring points, but that may be a result of their schedule and not talent.

[JD24]

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2017-18/17680/seewald-honored-as-pfl-offensive-player-of-the-week/#.WeQF6LpFyM9

Valparaiso University quarterback Jimmy Seewald (Livonia, Mich. / Divine Child) was recognized as the Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week on Sunday for his efforts in Saturday's convincing win over Marist.

Congratulations to Jimmy

[JD24]

On the Game #7 thread we started talking about the prospects going forward. I'm gonna try to to pull that conversation over here. JD24 is looking for a Morehead win. USC likes a possible Butler win. Here is our remaining schedule: bye Morehead @ JU @ Butler Dayton If we beat Morehead for #4, who is win #5? JU has a grind it ground game that we have had trouble stuffing this season. Butler, surprisingly (to me at least) is scoring a boat load of points.  It may sound strange, but maybe it is Dayton. They are perennially strong defensively. This year is no different. Their problem appears to be scoring points, but that may be a result of their schedule and not talent.

Dayton's played all but 2 games without Alex Jeske which accounts for at least some of their offensive issues. Against Campbell they moved the ball but couldn't move it to the end zone. They have a weakness in the kicking game. They do have Jeske who is a dual threat QB, at least one good RB in Yinger and a couple of solid receivers. They beat Drake and held them to 10 points and held Campbell to 17 points. They also held San Diego at bay to some degree. They will be a formidable foe and, at this point, I think the least likely team Valpo will beat.

Butler has been putting up some points, lost to SD and Drake then smacked Morehead State all over MSU's field and then beat Jacksonville in the bowl. They had a poor IMHO OOC season in having to come from behind to beat Taylor but have played well in the PFL.

Jacksonville has been giving up some points. They can eat a team up on the ground but the Crusaders will probably be able to score on them. I'd look at this game as the most likely of the 3 to win but it is in Jacksonville.

As mentioned above, we'll know a bit more by the time these games are at hand although it may not be much this week. Stetson plays MSU which will show us something perhaps. Butler plays Campbell, Jacksonville plays San Diego and Dayton is at Davidson. I expect those games will go exactly the way most people would expect them to and tell us nothing.

[VULB#62]

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2017-18/17680/seewald-honored-as-pfl-offensive-player-of-the-week/#.WeQF6LpFyM9

Valparaiso University quarterback Jimmy Seewald (Livonia, Mich. / Divine Child) was recognized as the Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week on Sunday for his efforts in Saturday's convincing win over Marist.

Congratulations to Jimmy

Yes!

It may seem a bit crazy but I think all still photos show him in a mechanically sound posture whether throwing on the run or in the pocket releasing a ball.  That is not the basis for any great optomism just yet, but it is nice to observe.

[VULB#62]

On the Game #7 thread we started talking about the prospects going forward. I'm gonna try to to pull that conversation over here. JD24 is looking for a Morehead win. USC likes a possible Butler win. Here is our remaining schedule: bye Morehead @ JU @ Butler Dayton If we beat Morehead for #4, who is win #5? JU has a grind it ground game that we have had trouble stuffing this season. Butler, surprisingly (to me at least) is scoring a boat load of points.  It may sound strange, but maybe it is Dayton. They are perennially strong defensively. This year is no different. Their problem appears to be scoring points, but that may be a result of their schedule and not talent.

Dayton's played all but 2 games without Alex Jeske which accounts for at least some of their offensive issues. Against Campbell they moved the ball but couldn't move it to the end zone. They have a weakness in the kicking game. They do have Jeske who is a dual threat QB, at least one good RB in Yinger and a couple of solid receivers. They beat Drake and held them to 10 points and held Campbell to 17 points. They also held San Diego at bay to some degree. They will be a formidable foe and, at this point, I think the least likely team Valpo will beat.

Butler has been putting up some points, lost to SD and Drake then smacked Morehead State all over MSU's field and then beat Jacksonville in the bowl. They had a poor IMHO OOC season in having to come from behind to beat Taylor but have played well in the PFL.

Jacksonville has been giving up some points. They can eat a team up on the ground but the Crusaders will probably be able to score on them. I'd look at this game as the most likely of the 3 to win but it is in Jacksonville.

As mentioned above, we'll know a bit more by the time these games are at hand although it may not be much this week. Stetson plays MSU which will show us something perhaps. Butler plays Campbell, Jacksonville plays San Diego and Dayton is at Davidson. I expect those games will go exactly the way most people would expect them to and tell us nothing.

Quite a crap shoot, isn't it?  Myself, I think a 5th win this year will be a question of pure luck.

[valpotx]

Valpo 45
Bye 0

[VULB#62]

Our defense is a work in progress.

Valpo 45
Bye 13

[covufan]

To be honest, I never thought we'd be including Dayton in this group.

I could see them in the bottom seven, if there were a four way tie for 3rd place.  It would have been difficult to believe that Dayton would be 2-5 to start the season. 

[Chicago1]

Lets not pretend any more Valparaiso does not have a good football team all-that counts are the wins.

[VULB#62]

Welcome to the board, chicago1.

We are getting better each year. Games mostly are closer and we are winning games we did not win pre-Cecchini.

Let's look at the PFL's teams #1 sports.

Valpo - MBB
Butler - MBB
Dayton - MBB and FB has had a decades long history of excelence at DIII before the PFL.
Drake - FB
Campbell - Obviously it is FB. When did you hear about MBB?
USD - Gotta be FB. Again, when have you heard about another lead sport?
Davidson - MBB. By a long shot.
Stetson - who knows
Jacksonville - who knows
Marist - Probably MBB

At least 4 schools in the league are intent on doing well in FB. Football at Valpo will always be #2.  That is OK. Given that reality and Valpo's commitment to excellence, the FB excellence we should expect should be to always be competitive, seldom be embarrassed (everyone gets their butt kicked at times), and occasionally get into the chamionship conversation

We are finally getting close to that objective.

[JD24]

Jacksonville and Stetson would be baseball. Jacob DeGrom and Corey Kluber both attended Stetson. Daniel Murphy attended Jacksonville. They do have Artis Gilmore in their basketball history.

Marist I would say basketball although their football team had 3 in the NFL but was reduced to 2 as kicker Jason Myers was let go by the Jaguars.

[VULB#62]

Would it be sort of accurate to say that no schools are football factories, but a couple might want to be (at least at the FCS level)?

[usc4valpo]

San Diego is great in baseball - Kris Bryant is an alum.

[bbtds]

Lets not pretend any more Valparaiso does not have a good football team all-that counts are the wins.

So all those previous years we were just pretending that Valpo didn't have a good football team. If I had known I would have stopped pretending long ago.