JoePa's College Football Week 6 Picks

**irishmike** · 10-05-2009, 03:24 PM

Best of Luck:thumbs:

**FlyersFan** · 10-05-2009, 04:50 PM

Joepa- GL!...this weekend...

any line out yet on the Stubenville game??...:laughing:

i see a lot of people lining up on MIN this weekend but something seems odd about that line. Also, PUR scares me both ways. I have no idea if they are going to pack it in for the season after a couple of just brutal losses or if they are going to keep playing hard. PUR is really not a bad football team, but they can't get out of their own way. I can't wager on a team coming off 2 last minute losses at home and especially the way they give away the football each week.......but i guess i expected that line to be higher. MIN was a 3 point favorite over Wisconsin and now the same over a 1-4 PUR team???.......i thought that line would come closer to 6 or 6 1/2 range. Seems too easy honestly for MIN.

Also not sure about taking GA on the road. TEN defense is wearing down but a really average IMO LSU D just shut UGA down last week.

Like the ARK play at first glance

GL!...:thumbs:

**Woody12** · 10-05-2009, 06:56 PM

I was leaning pretty hard towards western Michigan this week...What makes you like Toledo? Glad I saw that before I made a play.

Also, Who do you like Kent, oe BGSU? Kind of confused which way you are leaning on it.

**FlyersFan** · 10-05-2009, 08:21 PM

www.rollredroll.com

:beerbang: :beerbang:

didn't know they haven't met in 31 years.......hoping stubhub has a good single for me on about the 40 YL......:laughing:

found a radio link for the game on rollredroll. comes on at 4PM my time so probably give it a listen.....

**joepa66** · 10-06-2009, 07:54 AM

Flyers...check out this Massillon pre-game story about their leaky defense:

Massillon looking to plug the run
Chris Easterling
Updated: Monday, October 5, 2009

If there�s been one cause for concern from the last two games for the Massillon Tiger defense, it�s come when the opponent has run the football. Over the last two games � a win over Garfield and last Saturday�s loss at St. Ignatius � Massillon has surrendered 547 yards rushing. That�s 26 yards more than the Tigers gave up in the first four games of the season combined.

Against Garfield, the Tigers gave up a season-high 313 yards, most of which came on the running of the Rams� Division I-caliber tailback Tyson Gulley, who had 179 yards on 19 carries. Last Saturday, St. Ignatius rushed for 234 yards, with 217 of those coming courtesy of tailback Bobby Grebencs.

�We�ve faced some good running backs and some good offensive lines,� Tiger coach Jason Hall said following Monday night�s Booster Club meeting at Washington High School. �Garfield�s got a real solid team, and obviously, Ignatius speaks for itself. We�ve just got to keep working.�

The run defense figures to once again come under the microscope this week as Massillon prepares for its much-anticipated trip to face undefeated Steubenville on Friday night at Harding Stadium. Big Red has been run-oriented this season, utilizing a number of different players at the running back spots, including Alvin Taylor, Jesse Birden, Shaquille Petteway and JoJo Pierro.

But the biggest rushing threat on a play-by-play basis may be senior quarterback Dwight Macon. Macon, who did miss a pair of games this season, has shown the ability over his two-plus seasons as the starting quarterback for Steubenville to put pressure on the defense by running the ball, including a 1,000-yard rushing season as a sophomore in 2007.

�They have a lot of quality guys and they put them in spots to be successful,� Hall said of Big Red. �And they do have more of a running quarterback scheme out of that. They�ll run QB power, QB iso, QB stretch, counter. They do a lot of things good. They�ll do it out of double tight, out of spread. We just have to keep working and be sure the kids are in a position to be successful.�

Which brings it back to the run defense, which is something the Tiger coaches have focused on quite a bit of late. Hall admitted that a portion of the defense�s individual sessions in practice on Monday was spent working on that very aspect of the game.

�I think we�ve got to keep working on our kids using their hands, getting off the ball, reading their keys and just working on getting better,� Hall said. �As coaches, we�re just continuing to work to make adjustments and try to put our kids in the right positions and do all the things we do. Our kids are working hard to correct any mistakes that they�ve had, and working hard at getting off the ball and making tackles.�

One thing which has been an issue for the Tiger defensive line is getting off blocks. Against St. Ignatius, Massillon struggled against the push of the Wildcats� offensive line, especially early on as Grebencs ran for 122 yards in the first half.

Hall said a key is for his defensive linemen � many of whom are still relatively young and new to the varsity game � is to better utilize their hands while engaged with their blockers.

�As a defensive player, offensive players are trying to get their hands on you, block you, shield you from the ball,� Hall said. �You�ve got to be able to use your hands, redirect that person, get your head to where the ball�s supposed to be and make a good tackle. It�s just part of beating the man over you and doing the right things technique-wise and getting to the ball.

�A good defensive player gets to the ball. Sometimes, using your hands is the way you have to do it. A good defensive player, in general, has good hands. They can use their hands, grab that person, redirect them and get to the ball.�

Another aspect which may also have caused some of the issues has been the absence of senior nose guard Joe Studer. Studer underwent knee surgery on the Tuesday before the Garfield game, and hasn�t returned to the lineup yet.

Hall said it was �50-50� as of Monday as to whether or not Studer, a two-year starter, would play against Big Red on Friday. But he said his absence shouldn�t be used as an excuse for the Tiger defense.

�Obviously, Joey Studer being a two-year starter and him being out right now effects you up front with your rotation,� Hall said. �That�s part of the game. We have six or seven defensive linemen who rotate in. You�ve got Jeff Myers and (Tim) Dimitroff are working in there at the nose spot now. We�ve just got to keep working on depth and keep doing that. That�s part of a good team, working on your depth for when somebody goes down.�

**joepa66** · 10-06-2009, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by Woody12

I was leaning pretty hard towards western Michigan this week...What makes you like Toledo? Glad I saw that before I made a play. Also, Who do you like Kent, oe BGSU? Kind of confused which way you are leaning on it.

Woody....WMU was awful against NIU last week. The Huskies are a pretty good team but the Broncos were supposed to be a real contender in the MAC West. WMU is -7 in TO margin this year and gave away 4 possessions last week, 3 of them Tim Hiller INTs. UT meanwhile, sans the Ohio State game is averaging 541 yards of total offense on the season. Western has their big rivalry game next week at home against Central Michigan and that certainly has to be in the back of their minds. UT broke a 3-game losing streak to Ball State on the road last week and has NIU on deck at home along with Temple (that's three in a row at home before they travel to CMU). It's homecoming at the Glass Bowl and as a team, Toledo ranks fourth in passing offense (340.8) and ninth in total offense (474.4). Seems to me the Rockets have some momentum!

Western Michigan is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Western Michigan is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Western Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Western Michigan's last 5 games on the road
Western Michigan is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Toledo
Western Michigan is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Toledo
Western Michigan is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toledo
Western Michigan is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Toledo
TOLEDO
Toledo is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toledo's last 5 games
Toledo is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toledo's last 7 games at home
Toledo is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Western Michigan
Toledo is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing Western Michigan
Toledo is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Western Michigan
Toledo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Western Michigan

I'm siding with BGSU....they have owned Kent! Kent will start a true frosh stud at QB and it's desperately needed. But the penalties and mistakes they have made during the season have just killed them. Kent gave up 552 yards to MAC East door mat Miami,OH and benefitted from 5 TOs or they would have lost that game. And, despite out-gaining Baylor last week, they had 2 TOs, a blocked fg attempt, and 11 penalties. On the season KSU is penalized 72 yards per game, have scored on just 6/12=50% of their red zone opportunities while allowing the opposition to score on 18/21 red zone trips = 86%! Homecoming in Kent or not, I think they put up a good fight vs. Bowling Green but their D will not hold up! BGSU Tyler Sheehan has passed for 1455 yards on 153/247=63.5% with just 3 INTs. And once the Falcons get the ball forget about getting it back they hold a 34 min to 26 min edge over their opponents. Even Baylor's 3rd string QB passed for 244 yards against them on 20/27 without an INT.

BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Bowling Green's last 5 games on the road
Bowling Green is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Kent State
Bowling Green is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kent State
KENT STATE
Kent State is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games
Kent State is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games at home
Kent State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Bowling Green
Kent State is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Bowling Green
Kent State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Bowling Green
Kent State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Bowling Green

**Woody12** · 10-06-2009, 10:22 AM

Thanks--I thought WMU was supposed to win their division--Thats why I was curious what happened to them?

**joepa66** · 10-06-2009, 10:43 AM

Woody....Actually you must be thinking about Central Michigan! They are by far the class of the MAC or have been so for the last several years. Look out for Northern Illinois, I think they stake their claim as the MAC's top team this year!

**bigbag12** · 10-06-2009, 01:52 PM

GL Joe. Love the Geo Bet. It becomes a bet system wise when Tenn goes favored. (5 pt difference in the line vs system)

MAC seems down this year Joe, no clear cut favorite.

**joepa66** · 10-06-2009, 02:08 PM

Originally posted by bigbag12

MAC seems down this year Joe, no clear cut favorite.

I had moved Northern Illinois up in the my predictions for the year to give them a little more love, but it appears I didn't give them enough. Mark it down, they'll be the West Champs and oHIo will probably win the East! What a change that is from CMU and Miami, OH every year......

**FlyersFan** · 10-06-2009, 03:11 PM

dude- why aren't you doing the stubenville game...:dunno: :dunno:

my uncle is a proud east liverpool potter alumn...:thumbs:...maybe they will take down the big red this year....:hide:

**joepa66** · 10-06-2009, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by FlyersFan

dude- why aren't you doing the stubenville game...:dunno: :dunno:

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.....BUT THIS IS THE FIRST WEEKEND THAT I HAVEN'T HAD TO KEEP STATS OR ANYTHING AND I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT ALONG WITH SOME DICARLOS PIZZA AND A COLD IC LIGHT......:beerbang:

my uncle is a proud east liverpool potter alumn...:thumbs:...maybe they will take down the big red this year....:hide:

OMG....YOU MEAN SOMEBODY ACTUALLY CLAIMS OR DID GRADUATE FROM EL....LMAO! ACTUALLY, THE BIG RED MACHINE ALREADY GOT 'EM AND THE POTTERS ARE 2-4....SEE BELOW!

Welcome to Potter Sports On-Line

STEUBENVILLE BIG RED -- SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
By Frank "Digger" Dawson, Team Historian

BIG RED : 33
POTTERS: 22

�We�ll play anyone, anywhere, anytime� has always been the theme of the Steubenville Big Red football team, dating back to the days of their legendary coach, �Punk� Carledge, and carried on by their present day mentor, Reno Saccoccia. And why not?

Coming to Patterson Field with 62 straight regular season wins, the Red and Black have put together an extremely successful program, ready to take on all comers, but for 24 minutes on this Friday night, they nearly regretted coming up the river for one of their rare appearances away from Harding Stadium, eventually prevailing 39-22.

Playing without their third-year starting quarterback, Dwight Macon, the Steubbers drew first blood when Shaq Petteway roamed 28 yards at the 4:20 mark in the first quarter, and when Anthony Pierro split the uprights to make it 7-0, it looked like the visitors were on their way.

Not so fast! Enter D�jon �Duna� Bradley, who on a fourth-and-one, �let�s go for it,� from midfield, not only got the first down, but 57 yards later found himself in the end zone, and when John Baker�s kicked the PAT it was 7-7 with 1:53 on the clock � still the first quarter.

A nice kickoff by Jason Vantilburg was for naught, however, as Trey Wiggins brought it back to the ELHS 41 and five plays later Alvin Taylor took it to the house from the 17. Oops! 14-7 in favor of the Big Red, and still 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

The Blue and White opened the second quarter with a nice eight-play drive, that bogged down on the Big Red 35-yard line, where the visitors took over, putting on an eight-play series of their own, but when big Bob Mackall broke up a Jordon Meyer pass, it was time for the Willie Leavell show. After a five-yard penalty on the first play, the alert Leavell, picked up a loose ball and promptly turned on the after burners, going 59 yards to the final stripe. Baker made the extra point and it was tied at 14. With 4:29 remaining in the first half.

Unfortunately, the teams would not go to the locket room tied, as Coach Reno and his crew went up 20-14 on a 39-yard pitch from Meyer to �Mr. Everything,� Anthony Pierro, who missed the extra point.

The only score in the third quarter came at 5:30 when Meyer went in from the twenty for Steubenville, but once again, the onversion failed and it was 26-14. The TD was set up by a nice punt return by senior Caleb Westlake.

Willie Leavell was able to muster one more TD on his way to a 114-yard rushing performance, going in from the eleven with 3:34 remaining in the game, but by then Steubenville had already added to their total on six-yard toss from Meyer to Blake Carroll, with Pierro converting.

Marky Thompkins hit Carl Baker on a two point conversion following Leavell�s second TD, and Big Red added one more touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Marcus Prather to Darnell Turner, as time ran out, to make the final 39-22.

Coach�s Comments:

�I was pleased with what I saw,� said an exhausted Coach Mark Asher following the game. �It was one of those games where we hit them in the mouth and they hit us back.� He said. �I�m proud of our players; they came out and competed.�

�The way we fought is a good sign of our starting to become a good football team,� Asher concluded, � No one hung their heads. If we keep playing like that, the wins will come.�

Digger�s Dugout:

* Anthony Pierro, Steubenville�s place kicker and receiver, is the son of the team�s defensive coordinator.
* It was nice to see the Potter marching band parade from the Diamond down to the stadium, an old tradition, probably not seen since the building of the new high school on the hill.
* It�s always a pleasure to see former Midland High School and Steubenville University basketball coach, Hank Kuzma, along with his wife Kay, at the game. The couple seldom misses an athletic event in the Upper Ohio Valley and beyond.
* Credit Tyler Austin with a fumble recovery and Kyle Weyand with a pair of pass interceptions. Bob Mackall has developed into some kind of a defensive player, hobbled during the week with a strained knee.
* Big Fred Lowe also suffered a knee injury in the second quarter, and did not return. He was busy at halftime, however, trying to charge up his fellow linemen.

**Q-Unit** · 10-06-2009, 06:14 PM

GL bud, get rolling this week

**akatdrake** · 10-06-2009, 11:57 PM

GL this week COACH :)