Some thoughts following Georgetown's 69-0 win over Catholic Saturday.
1. Stating The Obvious: Well, this is why Division I teams do not schedule Division III teams. The disparity in size and speed will eventually take its toll and such was the case in this game. From the first crack of the line in the blocked punt through nine straight possessions where the Catholic defense was a size too small and a step too slow, you see outcomes like this.
Georgetown's situation was not unique. Morehead State walloped Kentucky Christian 73-34, Delaware State beat Lincoln 58-12, UA-Pine Bluff overwhelmed Langston 53-15 and Florida A&M defeated Fort Valley State 57-20.
Unless you're Mount Union or Mary Hardin-Baylor, it is difficult if not prohibitive for Division III schools to recruit to the talent and the depth of even lower tier I-AA teams like a Georgetown or a Morehead State, not strictly on scholarship status (since neither GU nor MSU offers scholarships) but on training, conditioning and strength of schedule. A Division III club can have a great player or two each year, much as Georgetown did during the Scotty Glacken years, but depth will always be an issue.
What each school gained out of this game isn't altogether clear. Catholic will use it as an opportunity to play above its usual schedule (the NEWMAC is one of the weakest D-III leagues overall) and save some money on travel costs. Georgetown gets a win heading into the first bye week but not much else. The cynic will suggest that if Georgetown finishes 9-2 or 8-3, a win over a Division III opponent may cost them an NCAA at-large playoff bid; the realist would suggest the Patriot League has no business proferring an at-large candidate this year. If the Hoyas play .500 football the rest of the season, they've got their second winning season since 1999, which is as tepid a reason as any to play a game like this.
Meanwhile, the original opponent for this week, Howard, lost to Hampton, 41-20, before a smaller than expected crowd of 19,425 at the Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field. The 0-3 Bison aren't looking back asking "what if" with the Hoyas, having signed a new four year deal with Hampton, which for now is the "real" HU as far as that rivalry goes. Georgetown doesn't share future schedules but it's not likely we'll see Howard soon.
And then there's the question--is the Steven Dean trophy series back on? Named for the late Georgetown alumnus (1972) who served as sports information director at Catholic in the 1970's, it's not cited in any Georgetown wrap-up but mentioned in pre-game and post-game releases from the CUA sports relations team. Either way, the trophy still sits near Rob Sgarlata's office, where it has held residence at McDonough Gym for the last 26 years.
2. Grading The Hoyas: What can you say? Excepting a couple of missed kicks, everyone did largely as expected, which is to say, executed on what they should.
The offense was strong but not running it up, taking advantage of speed on the receivers and a lack of defensive sets that locked down pass plays. Gunther Johnson was solid if not overwhelming at quarterback, while Joe Brunell (8 for 9) continues to get better every week. By November, these names could well be reversed in the depth chart. Offensive line? Not challenged as they will be the rest of the season, but they held Catholic without a sack and allowed the Hoyas on offense to do as they saw fit.
The defense played to its expectations. The Hoyas had advantages across the line in every position, which it should. It held Catholic to a net 72 yards on 2 of 15 on third down conversions. The Cardinals had one first down after halftime.
Maybe to some, the 69 points was a surprise. To the defense, the 0 was not.
3. Goals For The Bye Week: First, watch the game film, then put it away for good. Catholic has no relevance to any other opponent for the rest of the year. Players, coaches, and fans would do well not to use it in any relevant comparison to Columbia, Cornell, or the PL schedule.
Three goals: rest, recharge, and refocus. Columbia (Sep. 28 at Baker Field/Wien Stadium) returns 16 starters and as Hero Sports' pre-season review put it, "The Ivy League is going to be insanely competitive this year. There's no reason the Lions shouldn't be looked at as one of those teams battling at the top. Hitting eight wins again should be the goal for this team, with the ultimate goal of winning even more."
4. Time Flies? There were some comments on the Internet suggesting that with a 2:25 time of play, the third and fourth quarters may have been shortened. It didn't happen.
NCAA rules allow a shortened game upon the consent of both head coaches, but the box score clearly shows a full 15 minutes in the two quarters of the second half. NCAA rules do not allow a running clock, and no such clock appeared to be in use.
5. Around The League: Another rough week for the PL, which is now 4-16 out of conference (2-15 excepting Georgetown.
No easy answers why, since the PL teams have not only lost to teams they expected to (Navy, Temple), but a fair number of losses to teams they should beat (Monmouth, Central Connecticut, and twice to Sacred Heart). Some point to three fewer scholarships, others to the PL's redshirt policy, or that the league isn't competing in recruiting. I'll go with an easier answer: of the 20 games to date, 12 have been on the road, where PL teams are 1-11.
Next week, three of the four PL games are on the road. Your guess is as good as mine.
