The conference (like most DIII football leagues) has been incredibly top heavy and consistent over the last nearly 40 years......dating back to 1987 when GAC won their last title only four schools not named SJU, Bethel or UST.  Hamline won in 88, Concordia won in 90, 95 and 04, Carleton won in 92 and Augsburg in 97.

The prospective student athletes being recruited today were not alive the last time the league had balance or parity......and frankly I would be shocked if it ever does again.  The commitment of time, resources and a long-term viable plan will prevent anything to exist in college football at this level that looks like balance or parity.  More likely we might see schools give up on football and conferences combine for football purposes.

Quote from: faunch on January 08, 2025, 11:25:31 PM

Quote from: Boys of Fall on January 08, 2025, 10:03:39 PMFor better or worse, the game of college football is changing.  SJU has not done too bad with Erdmann and Syverson, both transfers.

On a related note of the game changing, does anyone know anything further on the non-NCAA JUCO eligibility rule changing?  Is Mendez going to be back next year?

The strategy of pulling in a high level transfer could come back to bite the Johnnies someday.

Both QBs mentioned were heavily recruited by SJU prior to their going to larger FBS schools and transferred to SJU with sufficient eligibility remaining to allow for complete integration into the culture and program that is SJU Football.  I don't consider either of them to be from outside the family of SJU and both will forever be remembered as "all-time" greats......I believe the same for Feeney who is inbound.

The days of multiple QBs being recruited into the same class and being willing to sit/compete/backup like Seiler, Pletcher, Kemper, Ramler, Linneman, Stanger, Denne, Keating are long gone in all levels of college football.

Quote from: gobigred425 on January 07, 2025, 01:11:43 PM

Quote from: sjujohnnie on January 06, 2025, 11:09:32 AMLooking ahead to the fall, how does anyone see St John's looking? Looks like we have two open dates yet to be filled with non-conference opponents. Obviously the toughest test of the conference slate will be traveling to Arden Hills to face Bethel in the third conference tilt of the season. How different will our squad (& theirs) look? We have a transfer QB from USD that will competing to fill some big shoes. Can we build on this season or do we take a step back?

I think they will only play one non con due to playing full MIAC again next year? Not sure.

Johnnies should be solid again, probably not quite as good as this year. The more research on the USD QB, he might not even play much. Only started a couple high school games and went to USD as a walk on because his father was an all American there. Probably wouldn't beat out Dittbenner. My sources are telling me that a couple more transfers are yet to be announced, potentially another high profile QB...

Ah $hit GoBigRed, no scouting reports......

Quote from: 84SJU on December 26, 2024, 07:26:51 PMWill Jung have to sit out a year before he is eligible to play?

The transfer rules no longer require any sit out period......can play immediately.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on December 21, 2024, 06:23:12 PM

Quote from: faunch on December 21, 2024, 05:13:29 PMAnyone know why the D2 championship is being played today but we gotta wait until after new years to play the D3 championship on a Sunday???

It would be really hard to play a D-III championship game today since we still have to eliminate two teams.

The playoff expansion added a week of games this season and moving forward.  The D2 playoffs have 32 teams, thus being able to get done this week.  FCS has a 24 teams playoff that starts a week later forcing them to break for Christmas and play the championship game the first weekend (now Monday night) of January.

Congratulations to Matt Jung on his rapid ascension during the recruiting process......started the week with a handful of offers from directional schools, followed by the Montana Grizzlies, Washington State, Iowa State and his home state school; the University of Wisconsin......he committed late this afternoon to join the Badgers.  I am going out on a limb that he will play on Sundays in a few years.  He is/was a generational talent at Bethel and in the MIAC!

Congratulations to the finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy as well!

Quote from: DuffMan on December 19, 2024, 12:43:42 PMI bumped into both Hayden Sanders and Jeremy Hood at a wrestling meet last night.  Johnnie defense was well represented!

How many fingers on the attendees?

Quote from: Pat Coleman on December 18, 2024, 11:16:56 AMHow does one measure arrogance in officiating while watching on TV/screen?

Pat,

My comment regarding arrogance in Officiating was made in the context of the games I watched both in person and on TV during this season.  Officials often would huddle for several minutes only to emerge with a call that was controversial, at best, or a blatant misapplication of a rule and act as though the teams/players impacted had no grounds to question them or seek clarification......this occurred in favor of my teams, against my teams and for and against teams I have no rooting interest in.  It's just a problem that I hope can be addressed.

Interesting list of schools that have offered Jung......guessing Wake Forest will offer soon with the Wazzau coach heading there.  Surprised that NDSU hasn't been listed yet given the family ties.

The officiating during last week's playoff games was a continuation of what I saw as very poor during the season...brutal on field mechanics, bizarre rules interpretations and a level of arrogance that scares me as a fan.  I hope the Officiating supervisors in the various conferences take a hard look at expecting better and more from their guys...the teams deserve it.

Quote from: Boys of Fall on December 06, 2024, 11:16:38 AM

Quote from: DustySJU on December 06, 2024, 10:52:47 AM

Quote from: DuffMan on December 05, 2024, 10:32:41 AM

Quote from: DustySJU on December 05, 2024, 10:05:25 AMDuffman missed Saturday's game...

Duffman will be absent for the foreseeable future due to wrestling commitments.
 

Duffman;  Back in the day I once ran to Abbott NW Hospital in the middle of night with 2 year old Maran, the Earth Mother met me there at 5:00am so I could race to Terminal 2 to catch Johnnie charter to McMinnville. 

5 daughters each playing 12 years of ice hockey was never enough to keep me from Johnnie Football Playoffs.

Bring 'ya ass!

Developing.....

My son once got a wedding invite and his first reaction was to shake his head and say, "Don't people check the Johnnie football schedule before scheduling these things?"

Two fun true stories; back when I coached with John at SJU one of our backup QBs waited until Monday films to ask John about whether he should skip the game Saturday to attend his sister's wedding......not missing a beat John replied "tell your sister you will come to her second wedding"

In late August this year the online fan group for an FCS team that I follow provided an email template for Fall Weddings listed below:

NO WEDDINGS

Let's get this out of the way, Congratulations.  You're getting married.

Now, please do not schedule your wedding on any of the dates below (2024 Montana Football Schedule).  There are 352 other days to choose from.

Quote from: DuffMan on December 05, 2024, 01:54:58 PMI could tell you more, but I'd have to kill you. 

$hit Duff, no damn scouting reports.

Faunch,

Both you and SJU13 bring up a great point regarding our Johnnies not always meeting expectations for blowing out or controlling/dominating during some of our wins over the years...the days of coaching for/with John have definitely given me a interesting perspective.  While we never feared or felt another team was going to/could beat us we also knew that any/all teams playing us could make their season/careers by doing so.  The success we have had with John and Gary should never be taken for granted...winning at this level is incredibly hard and a hell of an achievement.

Quote from: faunch on December 03, 2024, 10:16:39 AM

Quote from: SJUTEX60 on December 02, 2024, 08:31:52 PMI don't think you should make much of total raw NCAA stats like Hobart-like anything, you need a modifier| Strength of opponent schedule

Case in point-St Norbert #3 defense in the country
Lost to Stevens Point 24-3 | Held Stevens Point to 257 yds
Gustavus held UWSP to 203 yds
Gustavus is ranked #97 in defense
Gustavus played much tougher competition than St Norbert throughout-
Another perhaps more relevant comparison
Hobart "held" RPI to 357 yds
UW Lax held RPI to 252
UW Lax is ranked #106 in total defense
Those are the facts
Susquehanna has no doubt a very good offense, for sure and we will find out vs SJU how good

BTW SJU ranked #29 with opponents such as Wartburg|UWL|Bethel X2

I understand...I don't really take a lot of stock in national stats. I just hope SJU doesn't get it into their head that Susquehanna isn't a strong team. We have a history of playing down to opponents.

Faunch,

Your comment about playing down to opponents had me do a quick history search......over the last ten seasons SJU is 103-16.........one non playoff season 8-2 in 2023.  Of those losses; 8 were regular season and 8 in the playoffs.
2023- WW and GAC
2022- Bethel and Wart
2021- LINFIELD
2020- No season
2019- Cord and WW
2018- UMHB
2017- UST and NCC
2016- UST and Osh Kosh
2015- UST and UST
2014- Cord and Wart

In that history I can see two games; GAC in 23 and Cord in 19 that would support "playing down"......everyone else was playoff caliber or better.  From 17-today only one loss (WW in 23) by more 4 points.  I believe this group will get up to play whoever shows up in Collegeville moving forward over the next month.

Never been a huge fan of putting too much stock in post season awards, but the AFCA All-American team was announced earlier today and Aaron Syverson not being named to the first team QB slot is a little ridiculous...the first team QB is Boyes from Cortland who won the title last season.

Syverson 3,916 yards 46TDs 4INTs 76% completion
Boyes    2,585 yards 25TDs 1INTs 68% completion

Maybe they will get a chance to play against each other in a few weeks......

Quote from: faunch on December 01, 2024, 12:10:05 PMI watched the game on the EPSN+ feed. The play by play guy sounded like that does the Gustavus games. His sidekick, Emmett Keenan (SJU alum) was on the call as well.
Did they bring them in because the Bear didn't want to sacrifice their ad dollars?
Just curious...I thought they did a good job.

Based on what I heard yesterday in the press box, ESPN requested hosts provide broadcast teams (could not be the existing radio broadcast crew)......that rule is based on ESPN's ownership of the broadcast rights to the championship (and having no control over the radio ads).