Quote from: NCC_alum62 on December 13, 2024, 02:16:41 PM

Quote from: robertgoulet on December 09, 2024, 04:10:43 PMI am having fleeting memories of an NCC playoff game vs a team that ran the option but my mind is gone enough that I can't remember if it even happened, let alone who/when it would have been.

2006 Season, CUW upset the Cardinals Week 1 and then in the first round NCC won 35-6. They ran some triple option.

Let's hope 14 year old Shane Dierking was taking notes.

At 4:40 of the 3rd quarter UWL got the ball, trailing by 20 points. Over the next 8 1/2 minutes UWL scored twice, on drives of 66 and 48 yards, and held the NCC offense to a 3-and-out possession.  So when NCC got the ball again at 11:10 of the 4th quarter I felt pretty nervous. For me the game felt in jeopardy at that point. But within a few plays I felt better as the NCC offense started to pick up chunks of yards again.

I wonder whether ESPN will dictate the uniform choices based on what looks good on the screen. Does Wartburg have orange jerseys?  ESPN might like that.

Quote from: MediaGuy on December 03, 2023, 03:21:50 PM

Quote from: CardinalAlum on December 03, 2023, 12:33:14 PM
Looking forward to a great semifinal next week! Where's the best place to get lunch and a beer before the game in Waverly next Saturday?

The Dirty Dog, Sasquach Jack's and The Other Place are all good and a short walk from campus.  Frederick's or Z's Pizza is also good if you go about 10 blocks down the main drag.
I'd probably steer clear of Joe's Knighthawk if you're a visiting fan...that's where the "crazyiest" Wartburg fans will probably be.

From the street view on Google Maps it appears that Joe's Nighthawk is a bar/grill AND a self-service carwash . Is the car wash safe for NCC fans? 

I'm embarrassed when I read the ungracious comments of some of my fellow NCC fans on Twitter/X.  Keith McMillan now calls us D3's most annoying fanbase.  Wish we they could enjoy the ride without demeaning others.

Both screenshots posted by former NCC DBs, by the way.  Nice to see them applauding Julian Bell's game-changing play. 

Quote from: robertgoulet on December 02, 2023, 02:18:00 PM
NCC up 35-14 at half.

Turning point in mid 1st quarter as UWL was running in for a score that would have put them up 14-7 and the RB was stripped and ball went out of the endzone. Obviously with no replay we won't know if he was in the endzone or not, looked close to me and the other angle I saw video of was inconclusive.

NCC scored on the next play with Sacco going 80yds after breaking a tackle in the backfield.

UWL is explosive and their QB is a problem.

Is this video the other angle to which you're referring?  Here's a single frame, also from a post on X. 

Quote from: cardinal773 on December 02, 2023, 04:14:20 PM

Quote from: cardinaldad on December 02, 2023, 03:00:54 PMThis color guy needs some help!!

Dang.  That was tough to listen to for 2+ hours.  It was good for a couple of laughs though. 
Holy s___ their QB was insanely good.  The O line had a good old time with our guys, too.  Not the cake walk we were hoping for, but a win's a win.

During the post-game wrap up the color guy mentioned that he is still recovering from a stroke suffered in the spring.  So let's give the gentleman some slack.  Hoping he continues to improve over time.

Quote from: USee on October 21, 2023, 03:09:39 PM

Quote from: lmitzel on October 21, 2023, 02:33:29 PM

Quote from: USee on October 21, 2023, 02:25:22 PM
Something I have never seen before early in the Wheaton @ Carroll game. Wheaton, leading 7-0, blocked a punt and recovered it in the Carroll endzone for a TD. Flag on the play and it was ruled that a Wheaton player illegally batted the ball to keep it from going out of bounds through the back of the endzone (allowing his teammate to recover it). The strange part was that Carroll was given a first down instead of Wheaton's ball near the Carroll EZ. Big penalty and seems disproportionate.

Curious: what was the distance on it? I did a quick Google search and it looks like an illegal bat is a 10 yard penalty.

Other possibility is that an illegal bat also carries a loss of down. Not sure if that's why Carroll got the ball back?

It was 4th and 7. Seemed strange that you could block a punt and during the scramble to recover it, a penalty gives the ball back to the punting team. I kind of thought it would be like an illegal block on an interception return. Penalty for the return team but doesn't nullify the turnover.

But in the interception return scenario the penalized team has possession prior to the penalty.  On the punt block play Wheaton committed the penalty prior to gaining possession, so there is no turnover.  (Is that the right way to look at it?)

The other odd thing about Elmhurst's choice of this coming Saturday is that there's only one other athletic event - women's volleyball - scheduled at home on that day.  October 7th features four athletic contests on campus:  men's & women's soccer, football, and women's tennis.  Recent NCC homecomings always seem to offer multiple games/matches to attract alumni.

Elmhurst's September & October home games:
9/2 Adrian
9/23 North Central
10/7 Wheaton
10/21 Millikin

If late September to mid(ish)-October is the prime homecoming window, then 10/21 wouldn't have been a bad choice.  UIUC's homecoming game is on 10/21.

I vaguely recall a NCC @ Elmhurst game about 10-15 years ago when several Elmhurst recruits walked over to talk to NCC coaches after the game.

Quote from: devildog29 on September 11, 2023, 10:29:45 AM

Quote from: markerickson on September 11, 2023, 09:45:45 AM
Does the "get rid of Norm" cycle begin in six days?

I can't see any way where that would ever be anyone's decision other than Norm himself.  I believe this is year 35 or 36 for him.  I'm not sure anyone has a read on what number he has in his head.  My pipedream was always him retiring early enough to still make the job attractive enough for Rob Zvonar to want it. But between Rob's age and what I'm sure is a salary IWU wouldn't be able to match at this point, I figure that ship has sailed.   By all indications Norm remains very healthy (he was always an early A.M. Shirk fitness hound) so I could see him wanting to continue through 40 years.

Or Norm could retire late enough to make the job attractive to Zvonar.  I believe John Thorne was in his mid 50s when took the NCC job in 2002; it's likely he was eligible for an Illinois TRS pension under early retirement rules.  Zvonar will be eligible for early retirement and a TRS pension in 3 years.  The state imposes quite a hit for retiring early, though:  a 6% reduction in pension for each year under age 60 unless the retiree has 35 years of service.

UWP discounts tuition for Illinois and Iowa residents.  The discounted rate isn't as low as the in-state or Minnesota reciprocity rate, but it's attractive. 

Those SAA road trips to/from Trinity look brutal!  Is the 2200 mile round trip between Centre & Trinity typically done by bus?    

Zebrowski earns $250K per year at Kansas.
https://m.kusports.com/news/2021/may/17/ku-footballs-new-assistants-sign-3-year-contracts/