The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

[Turbonium]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

That's an impressive run on Chadron and at home vs Mines. I respect the 1-0 weekly philosophy employed by CSUP. Good way to avoid upsets.

We shall see if they're able to show up in Durango this year. Talent wise they will be as good as ever. I've heard their work ethic has vastly improved over last year, it was not a great offseason last year. The attitude of this group is where it needs to be. That doesn't equal success on the field, but certainly doesn't hurt. Transfers also don't always equal success but Pueblo always seems to find a handful that contribute in good ways, this season looks to be no different. I'll wait until they are on the roster to share but their backfield will be as talented and deep as ever as they also bring back 2 of the top 3 rushers from last season.

Hoping I am able to go check out Chadron's new facility, much needed and deserved.

[ccmoney8]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Chadron plays on turf now. If they're ever going to do anything, this season and the next will tell it. They'll have a junior QB who's the top returning passer in the league (and hopefully doesn't have to split 1st team reps) plus tons of experience at every position group. Getting TE Colt Foster back with 2 years left will be huge for the offense. The defense needs some tuning, but also seems like they've stockpiled defensive players, and only graduated three starters on D, so spring should be interesting. They get Pueblo, Mesa, and both Mines all at home, where they went 5-0 last year in the new digs.

Pueblo is going to continue to be Pueblo, until further notice. I look at the stat sheet and see a lot of production graduating on both sides, but I also see a small core of elite returners who will probably be next years' stars, and plenty of talented skill players who didn't necessarily start every game but will fill roles. Need that OL to gel better this year after graduating two phenomenal RBs.

Colorado Mines is a little more of a question mark, just cause most of the passing game, nearly all the starting linebackers, and both starting cornerbacks were seniors last year. Last time they rebooted at QB, they took a step back. They've got an elite RB and an elite left tackle coming back, plus a couple good pieces on the D-line. Anyway, I counted them out last year, and I was way wrong, so I won't make the same mistake twice. Don't know that they can improve on 10-1, but don't know that they drop, either. Nobody played them close last year until they turned the ball over 11 times in their last three games.

I can't see Dixie returning back to top-four status. Not with the way the program was ransacked after last season. First-year head coaches almost always see a drop-off from the year before, and I counted several players transferring, as announced on Twitter. I see Mike Jones went to WTAMU and another guy to Grand Valley State. They were already graduating some good pieces as is. Now they seem to have stepped up recruiting a little, but still only brought in 20 or so players. I see 6 RMAC losses, easily, with that sort of instability.

Mesa gets a mulligan for last year. It's just the way things had to be after their terrible tragedy early on in the season. They lost 4 of 5 after that, but eventually righted the ship. Also it didn't help Mesa they had a ton to replace, particularly on OL. I don't know if he was hurt, but their starting left tackle week one never started another game. They had several changes on OL through the year. Consequently they gave up 32 sacks and didn't have a RB over 5 ypc. I trust they figure things out this spring, and the QB competition should be interesting but Russ Martin is the man with QBs. Don't think they're ready to win a ship this year, but they should contend again.

The team I think makes a move this year is SD Mines. I thought 2018 would be their year with their triplets being seniors, but their schedule did them no favors and they were a goal line fumble away from beating Chadron and going 6-0 at home. I believe they bring back a ton of starts at OL and so the new QB should get a fair shake plus the running game should continue. Experienced defense where they played some true freshmen last year who should mature with a spring under their belts. They won't challenge for a title, but they could sneak up and bite someone in Rapid City with those annoying car horns and break the plane of .500 in conference for the first time.

[Lobo]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Chadron plays on turf now. If they're ever going to do anything, this season and the next will tell it. They'll have a junior QB who's the top returning passer in the league (and hopefully doesn't have to split 1st team reps) plus tons of experience at every position group. Getting TE Colt Foster back with 2 years left will be huge for the offense. The defense needs some tuning, but also seems like they've stockpiled defensive players, and only graduated three starters on D, so spring should be interesting. They get Pueblo, Mesa, and both Mines all at home, where they went 5-0 last year in the new digs.

As previously mentioned, I think CSC will be solid next year. But like Mines and CSUP, Chadron lost some valuable players to graduation, both on offense and defense. On offense, the Eagles will have to replace 3 O-Lineman, 2 of them All-RMAC First Team players, LT Travis Romsa and C Jake Geil. CSC will also have to replace RG Adam Fuselier, and RB Kevin Coy, a solid ball-carrier and RMAC Honorable Mention. On defense, the Eagles have to replace 3 of the teams most consistent defenders, ILB Keenan Johnson, DE Kyle Temple and DB Zecharie James. Those 3 guys consistently finished at the top, or near the top, in tackles each game they played. As I recall, ILB Johnson and DE Temple played an excellent game against CSUP, finishing 1 and 2 in total tackles. I don't think CSC has an advantage over either The Mines or CSUP in terms of graduation losses. The Eagles lost some key players too.

[ccmoney8]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

As previously mentioned, I think CSC will be solid next year. But like Mines and CSUP, Chadron lost some valuable players to graduation, both on offense and defense. On offense, the Eagles will have to replace 3 O-Lineman, 2 of them All-RMAC First Team players, LT Travis Romsa and C Jake Geil. CSC will also have to replace RG Adam Fuselier, and RB Kevin Coy, a solid ball-carrier and RMAC Honorable Mention. On defense, the Eagles have to replace 3 of the teams most consistent defenders, ILB Keenan Johnson, DE Kyle Temple and DB Zecharie James. Those 3 guys consistently finished at the top, or near the top, in tackles each game they played. As I recall, ILB Johnson and DE Temple played an excellent game against CSUP, finishing 1 and 2 in total tackles. I don't think CSC has an advantage over either The Mines or CSUP in terms of graduation losses. The Eagles lost some key players too.

Interesting take.

Might have to look for some measurables on this.

[Lobo]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Chadron plays on turf now. If they're ever going to do anything, this season and the next will tell it. They'll have a junior QB who's the top returning passer in the league (and hopefully doesn't have to split 1st team reps) plus tons of experience at every position group. Getting TE Colt Foster back with 2 years left will be huge for the offense. The defense needs some tuning, but also seems like they've stockpiled defensive players, and only graduated three starters on D, so spring should be interesting. They get Pueblo, Mesa, and both Mines all at home, where they went 5-0 last year in the new digs.

Another factor to consider. It is true that Chadron went 5-0 at home last season. But the teams they played had a combined record of 17 wins and 37 losses. Only Dixie State, 7 wins and 4 losses, had a winning record. As for the rest, Black Hills had 3 wins, Fort Lewis 1 win, Western State 2 wins, and Highlands 4 wins. Needless to say, the Eagles schedule at home in 2019 will be a bit more challenging.

[ccmoney8]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Another factor to consider. It is true that Chadron went 5-0 at home last season. But the teams they played had a combined record of 17 wins and 37 losses. Only Dixie State, 7 wins and 4 losses, had a winning record. As for the rest, Black Hills had 3 wins, Fort Lewis 1 win, Western State 2 wins, and Highlands 4 wins. Needless to say, the Eagles schedule at home in 2019 will be a bit more challenging.

Spending a lot of time thinking about Chadron lately? :laugh:

[Lobo]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Spending a lot of time thinking about Chadron lately? :laugh:

After beating Chadron 10 games in a row? Not really ... :wink:

[Turbonium]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Spending a lot of time thinking about Chadron lately? :laugh:

Who?

[sportsvine]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

They've cleaned up most of the discipline issues both on and off the field it seems. However they were 4-7 and were outscored 143-41 against the top 3 teams in the conference. They are nowhere near top 3 in the conference right now. I am a big fan of their new staff and know the struggles they have as far as player numbers at times, poor facilities, and lack of financial support. They are doing good things with what they have to work with but really, top 3 with discipline? Have you been making recent trips to Colorado?

Just let it go man, stop being a woman and move on from whatever hurt I caused you in the past. These are simple facts being provided to you and if anyone else presented the same information to you your response would be greatly different.

Whuh?????


Anyway, I agree with CSCPride's take. It seems that Highlands has always had talent every year, and they've always had discipline issues. If they were to clean up the discipline, the talent would have more on an impact. Also, luring talent to that program is not limited to the football team. Their basketball team has scored 100 points several times this past basketball season. Have to have some pretty damn good players to do that.

[CSCPRIDE]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

I'm may have misspoke...they are talented but also usually undisciplined. Instead of them being a top three team as I said before I feel they could be the team that screws stuff up a lot of years for other teams. I could see them upsetting teams and knocking top teams off their perch. They are scary some years for sure.

[Turbonium]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Whuh?????


Anyway, I agree with CSCPride's take. It seems that Highlands has always had talent every year, and they've always had discipline issues. If they were to clean up the discipline, the talent would have more on an impact. Also, luring talent to that program is not limited to the football team. Their basketball team has scored 100 points several times this past basketball season. Have to have some pretty damn good players to do that.

You can agree with his take, statistics do not though. If he changes it, like he did above, to them having some talent sometimes then sure I agree. They are not near a top 3 team in the conference though. The discipline issues are years old now, they've cleaned house with the new staff and are trying to do things the right way. Depth is a huge issue due to this, but they were 5th best in penalties this year and 7th in turnover margin. Not great, but not undisciplined.

As for my other comment, anything said by me seems to hurt CSC's feelings. Even a simple disagreement with Highlands being a top 3 team...which they clearly are not. A record of 4-7 and outscored 143-41 by Mesa, Mines, and Pueblo. The trenches is where they need to greatly improve to compete with any of the decent RMAC teams. They have talent at the skill positions at times...but that doesn't win many games.

[CSCPRIDE]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

You can agree with his take, statistics do not though. If he changes it, like he did above, to them having some talent sometimes then sure I agree. They are not near a top 3 team in the conference though. The discipline issues are years old now, they've cleaned house with the new staff and are trying to do things the right way. Depth is a huge issue due to this, but they were 5th best in penalties this year and 7th in turnover margin. Not great, but not undisciplined.

As for my other comment, anything said by me seems to hurt CSC's feelings. Even a simple disagreement with Highlands being a top 3 team...which they clearly are not. A record of 4-7 and outscored 143-41 by Mesa, Mines, and Pueblo. The trenches is where they need to greatly improve to compete with any of the decent RMAC teams. They have talent at the skill positions at times...but that doesn't win many games.

Let it go Mr. Blowhardium...

[Turbonium]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Let it go Mr. Blowhardium...

Talk about grasping. As I said, you already changed your original statement so that says about all that needs to be said. See you in Chadron for 11 straight.

[CSCPRIDE]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

Talk about grasping. As I said, you already changed your original statement so that says about all that needs to be said. See you in Chadron for 11 straight.

Can't wait blowhardium!

[TexasDigger]

Re: The five maybes and six wildcards of the RMAC

[QUOTE=Lobo;2353690]I think 2019 will be no different that 2018. There will be only 2 bona fide RMAC contenders, Mines and CSUP. Chadron and Mesa will both be solid, but neither will seriously contend for the conference title. The rest, well, they'll fight to stay out of the bottom half.

Mines lost the best WR in recent conference history to graduation and a DI transfer QB who led the country is several offense categories. The Nerds also lost a couple key players on defense. Like CSUP, the Nerds have quality backups and excellent recruits from the last couple classes. The Nerds play the Pack in Pueblo and Azusa Pacific in Cali; not easy.


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