Quote from: Gregory Sager on November 29, 2021, 06:11:44 PM

Quote from: BigRedScots on November 29, 2021, 05:39:03 PM
The direction NCC is going....if some programs want to keep up, changes are needed.

I'm not sure that Millikin is situated to keep up with NCC on the gridiron. I'm not saying that Dan Gritti bumped his head on Millikin football's ceiling, but he certainly might've felt a warning tingle in his scalp.

Really?!? I think Millikin just totally gave up on Illinois. Hired Dan, (who I like) who had NO connections to anything Illinois. If you remember the great Millikin teams/years...full of central/southern Illinois blue collar kids and had a great Chicago southside pipeline. Not everyone is comfortable with or looking for the Naperville environment (as nice as many of us feel it is).

The Big Blue re-build could happen. Find out who you are and BE who you are.

Quote from: CardinalAlum on November 29, 2021, 01:58:52 PM

Quote from: TrueGreen on November 29, 2021, 01:26:27 PM
News from Decatur:

https://herald-review.com/sports/college/millikin/watch-now-millikin-head-football-coach-dan-gritti-leaving-program-after-six-seasons/article_33c8dc8d-558e-5164-b0af-0c2f5de4c6cd.html

Wow. Didn't see that one coming. 

Do you see any others coming?

News from Decatur:

https://herald-review.com/sports/college/millikin/watch-now-millikin-head-football-coach-dan-gritti-leaving-program-after-six-seasons/article_33c8dc8d-558e-5164-b0af-0c2f5de4c6cd.html

Quote from: cciwman on November 14, 2021, 02:21:36 PM
At Notre Dame, Lou Holtz was famous for making his opponent appear to be the best team in the nation each week.  Norm, on the other hand, complements his opponent briefly before explaining how they're really not that good.  Now it is COVID's fault.  I think Lou at least realized that recruiting and working hard is how you build a program.

Today's Pantagraph:

IWU lost its first three games this season. The Titans won two of the next three before losing three of their final four games to finish with their worst record since 2006.

"We don't want kids to react, we want them to respond. We have to respond to this situation," said Eash. "We're used at Illinois Wesleyan to being loaded every year and challenging for a championship. We're not at that stage right now, and I don't know if that's because of COVID. There's a lot of things that have happened the last two years.

"But we need to respond. The younger players have to understand we didn't do the things necessary to get ourselves in a position to win. Those are things we have to correct. We were playing a lot of young kids which will be a beneficial in the future."

Actually Norm has been a great recruiter and one of the hardest working guys out there. He just has never been able to make the right comments at the right times to the right audiences. Afraid that will never change. Also the messaging to the team doesn't paint a realistic picture of what needs to happen to get back to the top.

And by TOP, I mean NCC. How does he communicate what it will take to get a win vs The TOP.

In a "it doesn't matter to anyone else" game.

Do the "only giving up 3 pts per game in the league at home" Titans dominate the "scoring over 40 points in the last 2 games" Augie Vikings?

Titans giving up 52.2 pts/gm on the road!!! Augie 9th in CCIW Scoring.

Where has the 2nd tier depth gone?

Obviously, I shouldn't have been so nervous about the Titans. Wow. There must be something about that Defense playing in McLean County! (great home schedule this year).

And WHAT a surprise in Augie land! I didn't think they had it in them. Carthage has fallen off the cliff.

This is how huge a NPU victory would be today. I'm one nervous Titan. Again from the "Game Note":

"The Titans have been even more dominant at home, owning a 33-0 record against the Vikings at Tucci Stadium."

More embarrassment from the Titan "Game Notes" for today. Please stop doing this!

GLASS HALF FULL: Despite a 55-7 loss at North Central this past Saturday, the Titan defense held the No. 1 ranked Cardinals to their second-lowest point total of the season. IWU trailed North Central by six points at halftime, which was the second-closest halftime margin the Cardinals have faced this season. Seven points is also the second most points that the Cardinal defense has given up this year.

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 29, 2021, 10:55:45 AM

Quote from: USee on October 29, 2021, 10:43:25 AM
HansenRatings has the following:

Augie @ Carthage -11.6
North Park @ IWU -7.6
Carroll @ WashU -20.6
Wheaton @ Elmhurst +48.6
NCC @ Millikin +58.5

Those seem about right to me. I like those spreads better than what Ken Massey's HAL9000 is spitting out:

Carthage 34, Augustana 27 (CC 66%, AC 34%)
Illinois Wesleyan 31, North Park 24 (IWU 72%, NPU 28%)
Wash U 35, Carroll 20 (WU 84%, CU 16%)
Wheaton 42, Elmhurst 10 (WC 99%, EU 1%)
North Central 45, Millikin 10 (NCC 98%, MU 2%)

I think that Ken's algorithm lands way too light on the scoring margins in the three lopsided contests, and, while I could see Augie keeping Carthage close, I don't see Augie scoring 27 points -- not even against Carthage's leaky defense.

Do you like the point totals for the IWU/NP game? I think they are pretty spot on.

Totally agree with your Augie comment! AND I don't think Millikin will hold NCC to the "second lowest point total this season", so they will score at least 56!!!

Any Thoughts about this w-end?

Carroll @ WashU
NP @ IWU
Augie @ Carthage
Wheaton @ Elmhurst
NCC @ Milikin

NP @ IWU & Augie @ Carthage are the only competitive games. Home teams have the advantage? The Augie offense (9th in scoring in league games) and Carthage (10 in def scoring in league play) is a match up to watch!!!

NP win would be crushing for the Titans. I don't like the fact that the viking offense seems to be heating up vs the IWU defense. Another match up to watch.

Quote from: mr_b on October 24, 2021, 11:26:30 AM

Quote from: blue_jays on October 24, 2021, 11:11:29 AM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on October 24, 2021, 09:47:19 AM

Titanic setback by No. 1 iceberg collision surge
"Orchestra played beautifully throughout the evening"

I LOLed

"Titans Finish Second at North Central Invite"

Both of these are great!

I am all for "silver Linings & glasses half full", BUT whoever wrote the online article is certainly from participation trophy generation!

I know that the HC doesn't write these recaps, but this is not the culture that a competitive, proud alum wants the school to project.   

I was going to try and sit quietly, take our beating and move on. I opted to not respond to the post game article. and then I read the iwusports.com postgame recap, and with the sub headline I couldn't take it any longer!

Football Setback by No.1 Cardinals Second Half Surge
"Titans held NCC to second-lowest point total of the season"

THIS is the mindset that makes me furious. We are celebrating and highlighting the fact that we only gave up 55 points to NCC. Shameful.

Quote from: USee on October 22, 2021, 09:33:04 AM
HansenRatings has the following for this weekend:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KNIFuxVLu4y0s-1ggD-WASCC4RXUEao-qkWqOYfiEOM/edit#gid=1727317062

IWU @ NCC -51.2
Elmhurst @ NPU -7.4
WashU @ Millikin +19.2
Carthage @ Wheaton -31.2
Carroll @ Augie -3.5

I think these are again pretty accurate. Wash U still would get a little more love from me (at least 3 TD spread), but picking Augie and NP at home is solid. I am hoping (maybe beyond hope) that the Titans don't lose by more than 7 TDs! (But I'm sure that NCC is looking to get that number)

Quote from: D3FLETCH on October 20, 2021, 07:37:52 AM

IWU has not consistently recruited against NCC since DeGeorge was HC for Cardinals. I am sure a few kids over the years have chosen the Titans over the Cardinals but most current NCC recruits would not even consider talking to a D3 school. IWU is closer to Elmhurst and North Park than it is to competing with North Central. I think IWU should consider joining the NCAC. They would consistently finish top 2-3 and have a good chance to compete for a conference championship.

[/quote]

Well this is just plainly absurd on many fronts.

I would love to know your insight into the recruiting world. When Thorne took over, he spent years trying to win the recruiting battles over Augie & IWU and NCC now has a clear advantage in winning those continual battles. AND if you think NCC recruits aren't talking to D3 schools, who are they talking to, ND?

Although they haven't threatened NCC in head to head games (which is MY total complaint), IWU have been Co-Champions in 2 out the last 3 seasons. That hardly puts them closer to Elmhurst/NP than NCC.

Do you even know who is in the NCAC?

Stay in your lane.

Quote from: USee on October 19, 2021, 01:40:27 PM
Given the current recruiting battlegrounds, NCC will look to absolute humiliate the Titans this weekend. They went head to head on a number of current players and this game is a message to current and future Cardinals. 

On the flip side, Coach Eash would love nothing better than to somehow keep this game close so he can use that as fodder over the winter.

You hit it right on the head & THAT is my biggest problem with the current situation in Bloomington! The Titans are prepping all week "to somehow keep it close". AND the HC would love nothing better!!

This is the sad state of affairs that just grinds me. After all these years (since the 2009 OT victory) we can't come up with ANYTHING to flip the trend and we are going to be happy if we don't get embarrassed?!?

Come on Man.