The Finale: Dayton

[JD24]

This one will be tough. Not Dayton's best team but they will be coming off a bye. A big achievement for the Crusaders if they can pull it off and win it but it will be a tall task.

This one, I think, is on ESPN3

[vu72]

This one will be tough. Not Dayton's best team but they will be coming off a bye. A big achievement for the Crusaders if they can pull it off and win it but it will be a tall task.

This one, I think, is on ESPN3

Agreed, but so was the Butler game on the road.  Valpo has been very tough at home and hopefully the fans will show.  Could be an historic turn of events.

[VULB#62]

The next variable -- how healthy did we emerge from the Butler win?  Aches and pains have an unusual way of masking themselves in the euphoria of an emotional win -- then reality sets in.  Hope everyone is healthy for Saturday.  I am scheduled to work at Lambeau Field on Saturday, but I have asked for someone to cover my shift so that I can drive down to watch in person.  I hope the weather cooperates and gives us good game conditions that allows lots of fans to show up and cheer the Crusaders to their first winning season in 14 years.

[VULB#62]

When was the last time in recorded memory when you could look with pride at the PFL standings with 1 game left to play in the season?  CLICK ATTACHMENT TO ENLARGE.

..... and to just think.  If only we didn't throw that pick vs. Jacksonville, we'd probably be 5-2 right now.  Water over the dam.   

[JD24]

Too bad Valpo can't move up in the standings. Campbell is done and they beat Valpo so they win a tiebreaker. Drake and Jacksonville play on Saturday so the winner will be 6-2 and the loser will have defeated Valpo as well. However a 5-3 league record would look fantastic. A loss to Dayton puts Valpo behind Dayton but ahead of Stetson and Butler even if they all finish 4-4 because Valpo beat them both.

[valpofb16]

Alright Offense
Senior: Blue
Junior: Green
Sophomore: Purple
Freshman: Red

Quarterback
#9 Jimmy Seewald SO. (10/10)
#14 Chris Duncan RSFR. (0/9)   
#4 Joe Mullen RSSO. (0/1)   
#11 Trey Bilinski FR. (RS)   #13 Ryan Markoff FR. (RS)

Running back
#10 Jarrett Morgan SR. (8/8)   
#44 Kyle Cartales SO. (2/10)   
#32 Cody Boxrucker SO. (0/9)   
#21 Elias Earley RSSO. (0/8)   
#15 Doug Haugh FR. (RS)

Full back/ H Back
#40 Brannen Martin RSFR. (0/9)

Split End
#30 Frank Catrine SR. (10/10)   
#2 Griffin Norberg JR. (0/9)   
#82 Deuce Larose FR. (0/9)   
#85 TJ Weinzimmer FR. (RS)

Wide Out
#3 Parker Fox RSSO. (10/10)   
#12 JD Koehler RSSO. (0/10)   
#19 Trey Stablein FR. (RS)   #86 Kevin Wright FR. (RS)

Slot
#1 Jean Rene JR. (8/8)   
#26 Donny Navarro FR. (2/10)   
#23 Bailey Gessinger SO. (0/10)   
#33 Connor Beer FR. (RS)

Tight End
#84 Mason Sutter JR. (10/10)   
#16 Ryan Clarke SR. (0/10)   
#87 Martin Petruff SO. (0/10)   
#31 Alex Kluck FR. (RS)   #80 Brett Bittner FR. (RS)

Left Tackle
#77 Terrence Roberts RSSO. (8/8)   
#76 Alex Cotton RSSO. (3/8)   
#74 James Zajac RSFR. (0/2)

Left Guard
#67 Eric Rentschler JR. (10/10)   
#66 Sam Vas FR. (0/7)   
#50 John Horan RSSO. (0/0)

Center
#65 Jack Jarnigan RSSO. (9/9)   
#70 Brady Sullivan RSSO. (1/8)   
#69 Alex Helander RSSO. (0/1)   
#51 Nick Antonacci FR. (RS)

Right Guard
#73 Tom Schofield JR. (10/10)   
#72 Solomon Kamara RSFR. (0/7)   
#61 Sean Pierce SO. (RS)(INJ)   #64 Sean Stephens RSFR. (0/0)

Right Tackle
#60 Andrew Lundberg RSSO. (9/9)   
#75 Shannon Taliaferro JR. (1/8)   
#71 Bryce Biggs RSFR. (0/3)   
#79 Thomas Walsh FR. (RS)

[JD24]

Was Sutter hurt at some point yesterday? He was in for the onside kick at the end but the drives prior to that it was Petruf who was the only TE I saw in the game.

[covufan]

When was the last time we beat Dayton?

Should be a close game.  Will everyone be ready for a Dayton team coming off a bye week, and ready to have a winning season?

Valpo   27
Dayton 24

[valpofb16]

efense

Nose Tackle
#56 Tristan De La Rosa SR. (5/8)   
#93 James Reed SO. (3/5)   
#92 Drew Gedrys FR. (3/10)
#78 Ronald Williams RSFR. (0/0)   #90 Isaac Velasco FR. (RS)   #58 David Mason FR. (RS)


Defensive Tackle
#99 Jakob Trumpower RSSO. (9/10)   
#97 Jeremiah Olojo FR. (0/6)   #62 Nathan Orlandini FR. (0/6)   
#96 Cameron Germain FR. (0/3)   
#94 Humza Razzak RSFR. (0/1)
#42 Jake Iery JR. (INJ)(RS)


Defensive End
#34 Jay Slone RSSR. (9/10)   #54 Jesse Studyvin JR. (INJ)(1/2)   
#91 Jordan Goebel RSFR. (0/10)   
#44 Connor Sperling RSFR. (0/1)   
#95 Murphy Osmond SO. (INJ) (RS)


Outside Linebacker
#18 Mike Wheeler JR. (10/10)   
#33 Gowan Baldwin JR. (0/9)   
#38 Joey Poloskey FR. (0/6)   
#46 Josh Baker FR. (RS)   #89 Cade Bishop FR. (RS)

Inside Linebacker
#24 Drew Snouffer JR. (10/10)   
#6 Logan Pfizenmayer FR. (0/9)   
#39 Jack Buckey SO. (INJ)(RS)

Inside Linebacker
#49 Nick Turner JR. (10/10)   
#47 Matthew Messler RSSO. (0/8)   
#43 John Regan SR. (0/7)


Outside Linebacker
#36 Austin Petrie SO. (7/8)   
#37 Laddie Skarecky FR. (3/10)   
#35 Gavin Twigg FR. (0/10)   
#30 Cole VanSetters FR. (RS)

Cornerback
#5 Jalin Leandre JR. (10/10)   
#14 Cam Kelly FR. (2/10)   
#2 Stacey Jones FR. (RS)

Safety
#4 JJ Nunes RSSR. (9/9)   
#20 Jamari Booker SO. (1/10)   
#45 David Hebda FR. (0/1)
#15 Isaac Lane RSSO. (INJ)

Safety
#28 Joey Diaz-Martinez JR. (10/10)   
#22 Tamone Duncan FR. (0/8)   
#7 Brent Brimmage FR. (0/7)
#19 Bryce Leach FR. (RS)


Cornerback
#17 Brandon Riley SR. (INJ) (1/1) #25 Dilan Scargle FR. (7/9)   
#41 Henry Hebda FR. (0/6)
#31 Corey Shannon FR. (RS)

[VULB#62]

The PFL Fan Board has a separate thread on the Valpo/Dayton game.  One comment was that if Valpo wins, Cecchini should be the unanimous choice for Coach of the Year.  In the same post was speculation that openings on the east coast might mean that he might not be back here next year. I think MLB will do whatever is needed within reason to keep him here.


http://pflfan.proboards.com/thread/3081/dayton-valparaiso-nov-18th

[vu72]

The PFL Fan Board has a separate thread on the Valpo/Dayton game.  One comment was that if Valpo wins, Cecchini should be the unanimous choice for Coach of the Year.  In the same post was speculation that openings on the east coast might mean that he might not be back here next year. I think MLB will do whatever is needed within reason to keep him here.


http://pflfan.proboards.com/thread/3081/dayton-valparaiso-nov-18th

He's not going anywhere!  His wife has a good job in Valpo!

[VULB#62]

I believe this is his contact year.  It will be interesting to see how Valpo handles it.

Under the radar with nothing mentioned <-----------------------------0----------------------------> Big Splash

[bbtds]

The PFL Fan Board has a separate thread on the Valpo/Dayton game.  One comment was that if Valpo wins, Cecchini should be the unanimous choice for Coach of the Year.  In the same post was speculation that openings on the east coast might mean that he might not be back here next year. I think MLB will do whatever is needed within reason to keep him here.


http://pflfan.proboards.com/thread/3081/dayton-valparaiso-nov-18th

He's not going anywhere!  His wife has a good job in Valpo!

I think until his wife rebuilds the VUWT program he won't leave. She has to have a resume' to take back east to another program so they can sell themselves as a package coaching duo. Dave certainly has bought into the Valpo/Butler Helmet rivalry.

[valpotx]

I predict that he leaves after next year, and takes an FBS job in the Midwest, similar to what happened for Jim Harbaugh after San Diego.  If the majority of the team returns, we will be very good.

[JD24]

Dave's a marketable commodity right now. He's got some cred as an OC and now HC. He could move to an OC position at a FBS school and perhaps be in a better position...whether financially or just in a postion to move up from....than he is at Valpo. There also should be some HC spots available. I don't think marketing themselves as a coaching duo would be in either's best interest. He also has to move when the opportunity is there not in any attempt to time it just so.

[vu72]

I predict that he leaves after next year, and takes an FBS job in the Midwest, similar to what happened for Jim Harbaugh after San Diego.  If the majority of the team returns, we will be very good.

Only one small difference betwen Coach C and Harbaugh at San Diego. Before leaving for Stanford, San Diego was a combined 22-2 his final two years and 27-2 his final 29 games. They  won the PFL both of his final two years. With a win on Saturday, Coach C will be 11-18 in his last 29.  At this point  Coach C would be looking at another FCS team, probably in need of a rebuilder.  I would expect that after a title he might be pursued by a FBS school but hopefully he and his wife will be happy at Valpo.  Have no idea how well he is compensated.  A raise is certainly called for at this point.

[VULB#62]

I predict that he leaves after next year, and takes an FBS job in the Midwest, similar to what happened for Jim Harbaugh after San Diego.  If the majority of the team returns, we will be very good.

Only one small difference betwen Coach C and Harbaugh at San Diego. Before leaving for Stanford, San Diego was a combined 22-2 his final two years and 27-2 his final 29 games. They  won the PFL both of his final two years. With a win on Saturday, Coach C will be 11-18 in his last 29.  At this point  Coach C would be looking at another FCS team, probably in need of a rebuilder.  I would expect that after a title he might be pursued by a FBS school but hopefully he and his wife will be happy at Valpo.  Have no idea how well he is compensated.  A raise is certainly called for at this point.

I don't see any opportunity for Dave at the FBS HC level at this point in his career.  FBS OC?  Absolutely.  He has demonstrated that capacity on at least 4 different occasions (Lehigh, Harvard, The Citadel, Valpo).  But any scholarship FCS program, unless they were a conference bottom feeder,  would wait until he tilts his overall W-L record above .500 to offer him a HC job. And I think Dave woulkd not just jump at the first opportunity offered.  He is  a thoughtful guy and is long on planning.  Any offer would have to be one that puts him in a good position with some guarrantees before he makes a move.  I don't see that happening just yet.  If we win the PFL next year, however, all bets are off.

[JD24]

Other than the aforementioned Harbaugh, who I think was in a completely different situation in terms of name recognition, school placement and expected future than a guy such as Dave Cecchini or any other current PFL HC, when was the last time a PFL HC moved to an FBS or even higher FCS program as HC?

Dave has already done the "step back to move forward" thing in moving from a bit higher FCS plane as an OC to the lowest plane as HC. The right opportunity could be there for a program who has done their research and wants to grab a young coach on the way up rather than wait until there is significant competition from other programs. It's all about opportunity. He's also been in non scholarship land for quite a while (I think Lehigh was NS when he was there) and maybe he enjoys it but, then again, maybe he'd like an opportunity for more cream of the crop style football.....relatively speaking of course.

[VULB#62]

There was another PFL-to-scholarship-FCS jump that I vaguely recall. I believe the long time, successful HC at Drake went to Montana State a number of years back.  Again, a lengthy period of winning before the move upward. Rob Ash coached MSU  from 2007 to 2015 and had a overall winning record there. Before being hired at MSU he was Drake's HC for 18 years.

[valpotx]

Harbaugh was also at a school that was used to winning, whereas Coach C completely turned around a losing culture.  I could see him getting a shot at an FCS HC job, or a low level FBS, if he has another successful season next year.

[vu72]

Could be a real mess on Saturday.  Glad we are not playing on grass.  Forecast calls for high of 53 but 100% chance of rain and 20+ wind.  I was thinking snow but looks to be too warm.

[VULB#62]

Well, I found someone to take my shift at Lambeau so I'm making the trek.  I will pack lots of foul weather gear.  The downside is that the weather will keep away a bunch of people who normally would have shown up on a decent day.  That's too bad for our boys.  It would have been great to have 2-3 thousand there for support.

[talksalot]

The students head home for Thanksgiving break on Friday.

[VULB#62]

The students head home for Thanksgiving break on Friday.

That will also have a bearing on 2 key Volleyball matches and our first 2 Savannah Invitational home games.

[VUOR63]

Scrolling through the thread, I see a lot of comments about the job Coach C has done.  Rightfully so--he's turned this ship around!  However, as we head into Thanksgiving week, I am particularly grateful for the upperclassmen on this team who have had to endure many, many losses on the way to the opportunity to have a 6 win season.  They have been instrumental in the turnaround.  Thanks, guys--I sincerely hope you guys beat Dayton!