2018 Football Non-Game Thread

[talksalot]

conference St. Francis (IL) and Taylor are in.

That's the "Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Conference" They have two divisions:  "Midwest League" and "Mideast League"

Midwest League division:

Olivet Nazarene - Not Released
St. Francis - Ill - Not on the schedule
St. Xavier - Not on the schedule (Illinois State is)
St. Ambrose - Not Released
Robert Morris - Not Released
Trinity International - Not Released

Mideast League

St. Francis - Ind - Not on the schedule
Concordia - Ann Arbor - Not Released
Marian - not released
Siena Heights - not released
Taylor - not released
Missouri Baptist - Not Released
Lindenwood-Belleville - we are not on it

looking at the 2017 schedules; almost every team played exclusively within the association; every team in their division; plus enough cross-over games to fill out an 11-game schedule.  St. Xavier and TIU were unique with a D1 scheduled game...

[VULB#62]

I checked St. Francis IN... we're not on the Cougar's schedule, either.

but Morehead State has released...

Lots of work digging through the schedules - Thanks. 

Superficially (with little analysis going into it) looking at released PFL OOC schedules, it appears the toughest to the easiest schedules could be:

Morehead :  EKU and Austin Peay (both tough OVC teams)
Dayton: Southeast Missouri, Duqesne and Robert Morris (PA) (all winnable but no cream puffs)
Marist: Columbia,  Bryant and Georgetown (All challenges; G'Town and Marist are about even year in and year out)
Butler: YSU and Princeton (Plus Taylor - NAIA)
Valpo: YSU and Duquesne (assuming an NAIA or D-II third OOC game)
USD: UC Davis and Harvard (USD crushed Davis last year; Harvard no push over)
JU: Mercer (plus 2 small schools)
Stetson:  Prebyterian (weak SoCon school giving up scholarship FB plus two small schools - could be 3-0 heading into PFL play)

Still TBD:
Drake:  @ Montana and then???
Davidson: 

[JD24]

conference St. Francis (IL) and Taylor are in.

That's the "Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Conference" They have two divisions:  "Midwest League" and "Mideast League" Midwest League division: Olivet Nazarene - Not Released St. Francis - Ill - Not on the schedule St. Xavier - Not on the schedule (Illinois State is) St. Ambrose - Not Released Robert Morris - Not Released Trinity International - Not Released Mideast League St. Francis - Ind - Not on the schedule Concordia - Ann Arbor - Not Released Marian - not released Siena Heights - not released Taylor - not released Missouri Baptist - Not Released Lindenwood-Belleville - we are not on it looking at the 2017 schedules; almost every team played exclusively within the association; every team in their division; plus enough cross-over games to fill out an 11-game schedule.  St. Xavier and TIU were unique with a D1 scheduled game...

Butler played Taylor last season and is playing them again this season. Missouri Baptist has played Valpo in the past. That's why I thought the league could be a choice for an OOC opponent for Valpo.

[JD24]

Stetson:  Prebyterian (weak SoCon school giving up scholarship FB plus two small schools - could be 3-0 heading into PFL play)

Last year Stetson went all in on the OOC games and scheduled Sacred Heart (2nd of a H&H), Dartmouth and Brown(2nd of a H&H). They were beaten up pretty good by both Sacred Heart and Dartmouth but beat Brown for the 2nd year in a row. I think last year was thought of as a stepping stone season (similar to the way Valpo fans view the upcoming season) and things didn't go their way.

This year they've backed off a lot although Presbyterian may still be formidable. There's no way of knowing what shape PU's roster is in however last year they beat Campbell and St. Francis PA out of the NEC

[talksalot]

I see THEIR games with Taylor were setup as a Home-N-Home... this year THEY go to Turner Stadium in Upland...

Turner Stadium has a seating capacity of 4,400 with ample room for overflow crowds. A press box is situated above the west stands and contains areas for members of the media, officials, coaches, radio stations and guests.

http://athletics.taylor.edu/f/facilities_turner_stadium.php

[VULB#62]

The Taylor facilities are first rate for a smaller school.  In adition to Turner Stadium which is very nice, they have an indoor field house, outdoor all weatehr track, nice BB and softball fields.

[JD24]

I see THEIR games with Taylor were setup as a Home-N-Home... this year THEY go to Turner Stadium in Upland... Turner Stadium has a seating capacity of 4,400 with ample room for overflow crowds. A press box is situated above the west stands and contains areas for members of the media, officials, coaches, radio stations and guests. http://athletics.taylor.edu/f/facilities_turner_stadium.php

Is the reason for the all CAPS because you don't want to type the name of the school or is there some other reason I'm completely missing?

[JD24]

Not sure if Drake's OOC opponents are mentioned somewhere in this maze of spectacular information and research but they have William Jewel, Montana and Missouri S&T the first three weekends. 9-22 seems like a logical date to play Valpo and would be the same weekend as last year's game.

[talksalot]

Is the reason for the all CAPS because you don't want to type the name of the school

what school?  you mean that wide-spot in the road just west of Meridian St ?  THAT team who only gets a PA announcement at Football or Basketball if they are LOSING?  THAT team?  That Team that scoffed at the suggestion of a basketball game?  THAT team that delivered the Hoosier Helmet to us at their own field?

gee... I hadn't noticed.

[JD24]

Drake vs. Valpo is 10-27 based on the Drake schedule released.

[VULB#62]

That means we get a bye before opening our PFL season with Homecoming vs. Davidson.       It also gives us an extra week to recover from YSU.   

[JD24]

That means we get a bye before opening our PFL season with Homecoming vs. Davidson.       It also gives us an extra week to recover from YSU.   

What's strange is that it appears that most of the PFL is taking their bye that particular week although Davidson is playing Dayton on 9-22.

[JD24]

Duquense schedule released and the Duke will host Valpo on Sept 8th.

That leaves Sept 1, 22 and 29 (Homecoming) up in the air to fill two opponents (one league) and, likely, beat 'em up game. Unless Valpo schedules a bye for Homecoming, the opponent will be Davidson. The only currently unscheduled PFL team for 9-29 is Davidson (based on every other PFL team's schedule) and Davidson already has a PFL opponent scheduled for 9-22. So unless Valpo is going to play Davidson week 1, that game has to be 9-29. Both 9-1 and 9-22 could be either a bye or cream puff.

[VULB#62]

Do ya think we might open a week later than usual (September 8 @ Duquesne), play @ YSU on the 15th and then play a D-II/NAIA school on the 22nd and go right into the PFL season?  That setup would mean no byes.

[JD24]

Do ya think we might open a week later than usual (September 8 @ Duquesne), play @ TSU on the 15th and then play a D-II NAIA school on the 22nd and go right into the PFL season?  That setup would mean no byes.

It could happen, I guess. Particularly if the D-II/NAIA school wasn't available on the 1st weekend and they are available on the 22nd. Not much different, in a sense, from a few years ago when Valpo finished with a bye. The team still gets no in season break.

The season is actually beginning the weekend before (Last weekend in Aug) with a number of games. So, if the bye week is week 1, it will seem like an eternity for the team to play it's first game.

[valpofb16]

Out of conference next year Duquesne Youngstown truman state

[JD24]

Truman State is in the GLVC. Conference champion as recently as 2016. Same conference as William Jewell who Valpo has played in recent years. Loss in 13. W in 14. Same conference as St. Joseph's which closed last year. St. Joseph's and Valpo had a long history vs each other with the Puma's winning the last 8 games.

This game, unless Truman has fallen apart, is unlikely to be a walkover as the last two beatdown games vs. Trinity Intl. have been.

[VULB#62]

Truman State is in the GLVC. Conference champion as recently as 2016. Same conference as William Jewell who Valpo has played in recent years. Loss in 13. W in 14. Same conference as St. Joseph's which closed last year. St. Joseph's and Valpo had a long history vs each other with the Puma's winning the last 8 games.

This game, unless Truman has fallen apart, is unlikely to be a walkover as the last two beatdown games vs. Trinity Intl. have been.

Definitely agree on the upgrade in competition. That's a good move.  However, they have not been a consistent D-II juggernaut. Since 2015 they have had one winning season (2016: 8-3, Conference Champ) bookended by, I believe, 5-6 seasons. Since our William Jewel days, I'd say we have raised our bar a bit, so we should do ok - but not 30+ point margins like the past two with TIU. . 

[valpofb16]

Unrelated but Martin Petruf sophomore tight end will not be returning

[JD24]

Unrelated but Martin Petruf sophomore tight end will not be returning

Kluck probably ahead of him anyway. A little shaky on the depth here if there's an injury.

[vu72]

Unrelated but Martin Petruf sophomore tight end will not be returning

Kluck probably ahead of him anyway. A little shaky on the depth here if there's an injury.

I presume that analyzing your spot on the depth chart is always part of a players mindset and particularly where the cost of a Valpo education is involved.  As for depth, I suspect some players might be converted to play tight end. With no idea as to specific ability, there is a freshman coming in at 6'4" 210# and listed as an offensive linemen.  Hmm, might just be a really good blocking Tight end!

[JD24]

Unrelated but Martin Petruf sophomore tight end will not be returning

Kluck probably ahead of him anyway. A little shaky on the depth here if there's an injury.

I presume that analyzing your spot on the depth chart is always part of a players mindset and particularly where the cost of a Valpo education is involved.  As for depth, I suspect some players might be converted to play tight end. With no idea as to specific ability, there is a freshman coming in at 6'4" 210# and listed as an offensive linemen.  Hmm, might just be a really good blocking Tight end!

We had a discussion about his TE potential since 210 seemed a bit light for an OL. He's a bit light for an inline TE as well. A defensive coach sees a TE at that size lining up and it becomes a spot to attack. There may be other, better, immediate options in terms of converting a player's position if necessary and I'd bet the coaches have been aware of the player not coming back for a while now.

[valpofb16]

Know coaches are high on Kluck, Petruf lost spot to Clarke throughout season, we used two tight ends in 2016 (Petruf, Sutter), last year used a lot of Sutter and Clarke and a bit of Petruf, look for Kluck and Sutter to really maintain most reps with Bittner or fb Martin taking spot reps

[sliman]

Truman State will be far from a walk over based on their history.  For 100 years they played in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which almost annually had a team in contention for the DII championship, most notably Northwest Missouri State.  In 2013-14 they switched to the GLVC, mostly due to geographic/travel considerations they say, but also because they were consistently near the bottom of the MIAA in football.  They've never had less than a .500 record in the GLVC and were co-champs as recently as 2016.  Playing on the road against a team closer to our level than Youngstown, this will be another good test along with Duquesne to see how much we're progressing.

[JD24]

Know coaches are high on Kluck, Petruf lost spot to Clarke throughout season, we used two tight ends in 2016 (Petruf, Sutter), last year used a lot of Sutter and Clarke and a bit of Petruf, look for Kluck and Sutter to really maintain most reps with Bittner or fb Martin taking spot reps

Brett Fox was around in 2016 and played a little bit. He was a viable backup as he had played a fair amount in 2014. I know he was injured in either 15 or 16 (maybe both). Petruf didn't look like a viable inline guy for the two TE sets inline or to be the blocking TE with Sutter out as a move TE.