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Long overdue, but important.
1. Will Shepherd close out its tenure in the Mountain East Conference with one more championship? The Rams won the inaugural MEC championship; and four-out-of-five altogether.
No. Shepherd didn't get off to a good start as they lost to NDC in the opening week, lost to Fairmont State further into the season, and bookended the season with a season-ending loss at home to UVA-Wise to close out a disappointing season. This marked the first time since the 2009 season when the Rams lost 3-or-more games in the regular season.
2. Can Notre Dame College finally make its first post-season birth as a member of the MEC? They are a top-tier team who is coming off of two seasons (8-3, 9-2) where the playoffs were within reach.
Yes they can; and Yes they did! The Falcons simply found ways to win each game as they went undefeated in the regular season, earned the number 1 seed in SR1, and reached the semi-finals where they finally lost on the road at Valdosta State.
3. Will WV State begin to pick off the conference's top tier teams as they become one themselves? Sporting one of the conference's best offenses, the Yellow Jackets closed out their final 2017 seven-game stretch with a 5-2 record.
No. But for the second consecutive season the Yellow Jackets finished with a winning record at 6-5. And for the second year in a row they finished their final seven-game stretch with a 5-2 record.
4. Will the Golden Eagles' offense step up to compliment their defense which has quietly become one of the toughest in the conference? Four of the University of Charleston's six losses were by 5 points or less.
5. How will Shepherd's defense rebound in 2018? The Rams' offense continued to dominate in 2017, maintaining its rank but still ascending the charts by statistical measurements; while the defense statistically dropped in many key categories.
6. Can Urbana find consistency in 2018? The Blue Knights' seemed to be either hot or cold in 2017. Their record break down goes like this: 0-2, 3-0, 0-4, 2-0.
The Blue Knights split the first two games, then went on a three game winning streak, followed by a four game losing streak and a final win to close out the season. UU was undefeated during night games (4-0), 5-1 in night games over the past two seasons.
7. Will the Hilltoppers finish the season 2-9? Since 2014's 6-5 mark, West Liberty has finished each of the following seasons with one less win and correspondingly, one more loss. (2015 - 5-6 / 2016 - 4-7 / 2017 - 3-8)
West Liberty arrested their descent with a 3-8 record for the second year in a row. Their wins came against UVA-Wise, WV State and WV Wesleyan
8. How strong will Wheeling Jesuit look during their first season of competitive football as they prepare for their first season of MEC play?
9. What will the conference landscape look like prior the start of next season? Shepherd and UVA-Wise are out. Wheeling Jesuit and Frostburg State are in. Does anyone else leave, does anyone else join?
10. Who will win the D2Football.com Message Board's MEC Pick 'Em for 2018? Games begin Thursday evening, so hurry up and submit your picks here.
**** Going Forward ****
D2Football.com is seeking coverage for the Mountain East Conference beginning with the 2019 season. In addition to numerous additional duties I've incurred at work as well as with other organizations/activities I'm a part of, I know a good bit of my focus will be away from the MEC as I follow Shepherd's pursuits in the PSAC. While I tried to cover each team without any bias, I am an alum of Shepherd and naturally a Ram fan.
I am grateful for the opportunity to cover the Mountain East Conference as I gained a more intimate knowledge of each program within the conference than I would have staying in my Shepherd bubble and focusing on their one opponent for the week. I was excited for Notre Dame College to break into the post-season and turn heads like they did in the semi-final game against Valdosta State. I will always keep my eye on the MEC from wherever my pursuits take me.
It's a labor of love that can send you down statistical rabbit holes at 2 am as you're trying to come up with something to write about for any given matchup. I like to think on occasion I sounded like I knew what I was talking about although if it worked out chances were I just lucked into it. But definitely a worthwhile endeavor.
If you are interested in covering the MEC for the site, feel free to get in touch with Brandon or myself to express your interest; and feel free to ask any questions you may have--I'll help as best as I can.
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