UTC-MERCER Thread

I've had a chance to watch the replay, Ursus, and you are correct. Chatt's #9 made an AMAZING 1 handed-catch of a ball that was too high and too far behind him for any 'human' to catch. Then he pulled it into his body, tucked it, took 2 steps, and got down behind his pads to absorb the hit from Mercer's #16. #16 walloped him right on the ball, the ball flew out, and Mercer's #2 recovered on the Mercer 30 yard line. With the score 38-10 at the time, the Bears certainly had an uphill climb that, as you note, they doubtfully would have been able to scale, but that Catch/Fumble/Recovery ruled an Incomplete Pass was at a critical time if old MO wanted to stick his head into the game. The Bears had just blocked a punt and scored quickly. Then, this was the 1st play after the failed onside kick attempt. If they get that ball and score, perhaps on a deep shot following the turnover, it's 38-17 and MO is wearing Orange (with no T on it). If I'm not mistaken, the Bears were down a similar score in the 3rd quarter 2014 (35-21 when Avant intercepted Huesman), when MO put on his Orange jersey after a Chatt turnover and that game came down to fingertips. This is one time though that I will say - you can't put yourself in THAT MUCH of a hole and then complain about a bad call. The call WAS ANOTHER bad Catch/No Catch call by the SoCon Officials, but not one that can be thought of as a 'game-changer' without a mountain of "If's."

I will add one more thing about the game before I 'close the book' on Mercer @ Chatt for 2016 and I'm only going to post this here. If trolls want to quote me and/or re-post elsewhere, have at it...

I've been reading on various boards in posts from Fans of other SoCon schools (and some from the OVC), and even read in some 'semi-legitimate' media, how Chatt. pulled their starters and played their "walk-on's and scrubs" for the entire 2nd half.

Well, I've reviewed that on replay too. Chatt's defensive starters were in the game until about 3 minutes remained in the game. Prior to this, DE Davis came out for 1 series in the 4th quarter and was replaced by #7 Prather (who is an excellent player and a R-JR) and LB Warren came out for the following series (Davis returned the series that Warren was out) and was replaced by #46 Jenkins (also a R-JR). That's it. When Mercer got the ball for their final drive with 3:03 left in the game, Chatt's 2nd Team Players were on the field...and Mercer had, essentially, their 5th Team RB in the game, who carried the ball on almost 1/2 the plays that drive, including scoring the final TD. On Offense, I think Levin came out a little before the end, Craine was, obviously already out, and Bennifield was in until Bagley picked up the 1st down at the Mercer 25, when Roberson took over and ran the ball 6 straight plays before turning it over on downs for Mercer's final drive and TD. If you would like to confirm via reviewing the video or the play-by-play text, you will see for yourself. That's not to say that Chatt's starters didn't, naturally, lose a bit of their FIRE being up as much as they were. They did. But they WERE in the game until almost the end and it looked like to me that both sides were fighting hard in the 2nd half - just as 2 good, well-coached football teams ought to do...and did. Any other characterization is just inaccurate and disrespectful to Chatt's Starters, their backups, and to Mercer's Players.

You want to say Mercer got their butts whipped - no argument from me or, I'm sure, from them. They did. But if you just want to be a jerk and just make shiite up that didn't happen, I gotta call it out.

On to the Cantamounts!