Since some have asked about restaurants in Waverly, the best is the Brandenburg in downtown Waverly (two blocks east of the theater on the north side of Bremer Avenue).  They feature some of the finest German food you'll find anywhere in the country, and the prices are very reasonable.

I traveled from the East Coast for Wartburg's Homecoming, and it was a great weekend.  The Wartburg-Coe game was very entertaining (at least for a Wartburg fan), and the big, enthusiastic crowd made it worth the long trip.

Suckow's three touchdowns were definitely crowd-pleasers, and I saw lots of t-shirts with his name emblazoned.  It's obvious the Wartburg student body has embraced him with an extra bit of enthusiasm.

I also toured "The "W", and it will set a new and high standard for the IIAC -- and perhaps most of D3.  Someone told me the "Hall of Champions" is over 300 feet long, and that's only one impressive feature...incredible attention to detail.

I also heard that applications for admission are way up over a year ago, and this past September they enrolled their largest freshman class ever (550).  They report that the new building is already proving to be a huge asset in recruiting.

1.  Central
2.  Dubuque and Wartburg
4.  Coe
5.  Luther
6.  Loras and BV
8.  Cornell
9.  Simpson

Not my wish, but my guess.  I'll be rootin' for the Knights, but the inexperienced quarterback gives me the willies.

Rusher:  Schuring - Central
Passing:  Jackson - Dubuque
Receiving:  McIntosh - Dubuque
Tackling:  Pierce - BV

Most interesting to watch :  Neil Suckow - Wartburg 

Most underestimated team (thus far, except by Wartburg):  Dubuque

Sorry, WalstonHoover, I didn't intend to suggest anything about the genius quotient of any student-athlete; we all know some of the most accomplished students are also athletes.  Rather, I was trying to debunk what I see as a myth -- that a college in the IIAC has a competitive advantage due to lower admission standards.

Actually, IowaConferenceFan, my assertions about admission competitiveness were probably a bit over-stated; a few colleges are clearly able to be more selective than others.  My point, however, is that all "reach" into the bottom half to select some of their students -- and that's how you bring in the top player who can throw a ball, so-to-speak.

As for Barron's characterization of Wartburg, that's either incorrect or they are making judgements based on incorrect criteria. (I was in admission work for thirty years, so I know something about this.)  The College Board data is absolutely clear (www.collegeboard.com):  Students in the top 10% in HS rank:  Wartburg 36%, Cornell 31%, Coe 30%, Luther 30%, Simpson 27%, Central 25%.  Top quarter numbers are in similar order (Coe tops at 67%).  Luther and Cornell generally have the highest average test scores (ACT 25), but the others are close behind (what do you like, test scores or GPA/class rank?).  These IIAC colleges have "bottom half" populations in the 10-14% range (Cornell is 15%), with Coe being the one exception (4%).  Luther and Wartburg have 600 to a thousand more students than, for example, Cornell or Coe, which also is a consideration in "admission competitiveness".

Another variable is minority student efforts.  Wartburg is more aggressive on this front than the others listed above:  8% African-American and Hispanic versus 5% at Coe, 3% at Cornell, 4% at Luther and Simpson.  Dubuque wins the prize in this category -- 24%.

I'm always a bit amused when I hear reports of a team with a losing record speak about tougher admission standards.  The folks at Grinnell can talk (their "average student" is at the 90%ile), but the Iowa Conference colleges are pretty much in the same boat -- all "moderately selective".  Now, there are some differences in the sense that some have a greater number/percentage of really outstanding students (and that includes the perenniel favorites), but ALL have sufficient flexibility in their standards to recruit a capable athlete who doesn't quite fit in the middle of the pack academically.

Frankly, I can't think of any Iowa Conference college that I would discourage a student from attending because of my perceptions of insufficient academic quality.  That doesn't mean they are all equal in all fields of study, but these are solid institutions -- all of them.

Somebody mentioned Waldorf a few posts ago -- and that little college has some incredible alumni!  And, the last few years the U. of Dubuque has raised more money than any other college in the conference...by several million.  Penn is making some really good progress, too, and Iowa Wesleyan has a fine president and is doing some great things.

Back to the main point:  NO Iowa Conference college is at a significant disadvantage over any of the others because of admission standards.
And you can bank on it...it's public information.

Simpson, like all the Iowa Conference colleges, should be able to recruit and produce a reliably competitive team.  When coaches are hired there is always a belief he or she can coach and effectively recruit.  Aye, there's the rub -- not many can do both well.  Despite what seems to be the high stakes, some coaches either don't know how to recruit or don't work at it.  I've seen both kinds, but mostly it's because they don't devote sufficient time to it -- and it's HARD work. 

The challenge is compounded when one is trying to rebuild a program.  Then there are the colleges like Mount Union where the students call you first...but, I bet if the truth were known they work their butts off in recruiting.

Charisma helps a lot.  I watched Hayden Fry work his magic on a young man once, and it was a wonder to behold.  The record suggests he was a fine coach, but he could also charm the skin off a snake.   

This is my first post, although when I've had time I've read the postings in this ongoing conversation (for years!).  What finally stirs me to write is the interesting decision by Neil Suckow and the responses of some to this decision.

While this decision by Mr. Suckow understandably stirs the various loyalties of the fans (or "partisanship" -- I live in D.C.), one must remember that the philosophy of Division III demands respect for student decisions about where, when and how they participate in intercollegiate athletics.  I suspect this decision was far more difficult than any of us realize, and there's probably no way to make it or carry it out in a manner that will appease onlookers who feel, in some sense, betrayed.

In the end, it's Mr. Suckow's education -- and all that education entails in a small college environment.  The values behind that assertion are what lead me to be a proponent of Division III athletics.

As for the football, it will be very interesting to see whether, and the extent to which, Mr. Suckow has a positive impact in a former rival's success on the field.