FB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Reeno10]

I just wanted to give an congrats to my boy from LAKE MARY FLORIDA, Lake Mary Ram.....Larry #9 for mac in his pre season All American honors on don hansens web site...like i told him on the phone pre season isnt nothing unless you have a ring!! I GOT 2 DUDE...you havent got one yet......this is you year....but congrats to him and good luck to everyone else in the conference i amexpecting an exciting year

[GeTiTBoI]

Concordia returns 18 starters more imporantly 3 out of 4 D-Lineman and 4 or out 5 O-Lineman..With the other spots outside of Manny Mills that will be filled and won't have a drop off of any sort, BUT Aaron Gillipese could break out and have just as good a year as Manny.  Just a note Greenville was CUW toughest  challenge last year not to take anything away from Lakeland but they lost super studs  in Benton, Zeck, De Loo, and Mauri. You cant just put somebody else  in and expect them to produce like they did.. My predictions 1 CUW 2 Greenville 3 Lakeland 4 BU

[star826]

Those are very impressive numbers for CUW......however just as someone stated lakeland cant just replace their studs, neither can CUW.  Mills was the engine of their running game for so many years, it will be very hard to replace him.  Lakeland has 12 returning starter and a host of player with very valuable playing time, and Im not talking the last 5 minutes in the blowout games.  If anyone remember the LC team that had QB Brent Luebke who was off. back of the year in 2003, WR Jeff Taff who was WR of the year in 2003, Sam Sharinger who was in All American and a gang of 1st ALL CONF. player who graduated the with them.  That team finished 2nd behind CUW, the following year Lakeland won a share of the title.  So I think that is proof that a team doesnt have to rebuild but instead reload with player that have been working very hard to fill those key postions.  The winner of this conf. will have to go undefeated in conf. or I think their there will be another tie. None of the top team will ahve two loses in conf.  The one thing that i think LC has in their favor is that they play CUW, and GC at home.............so I guess only time will tell.

[FatalImpact]

GetitBoi.......Im intrigued with how the season will turn out...though may I enquire how u got BU at number 4......don't get me wrong.....I think BU is improving no4 status not sure....but ya never know.......I'm just interested in this upcoming season

[Gomer Pyle]

  Sept. 2nd Mac gets to see what it`s made out of.
   Augustana, who is picked to defend it`s CCIW
   crown comes to Mac . Will Mac have "home-field-advantage?" That means Mac will have more fans in the stands that`s all.
   Give Mac credit this is the best team they`ve  opened their season with in some time, maybe ever. 
   Make no mistake about this game as Augustana
   is no PATSY!  Read Mac has no chance, period.
   Mac`s "D" will be tested.........you hear me Larry?
   The "O" line which has been a nightmare the last few years for Mac (if they don`t get it together then the nightmare will continue) and "if" coach
  doesn`t have a new,improved,bunch of linemen ready to at least get the play started, like in stopping somebody on the "D" side of the ball, then Mac will at best be a mediocre team, IMO.
   Mac`s offense will have lots of new parts plus a senior QB (Maddog already lite him up) a WR who
  can play and a senior RB who may or may not be
   available. Formidable?  No.  Mediocre?  At best, IMO.
   
 
 
   

   
   

[TBaggins]

something i heard...maybe just hear say...but there is a certain someone that plays at BU that has played at like 1 or 2 other schools and 3 years at BU and is playing illegally this next season....I'm not gonna name names unless someone else can say whether its true...most ppl probably know what I am talking about if its true...I thinks its really crap if someone is doing this ...I also thinks its crap if someone has started a rumor but I think it would be fair to our conference to know the truth

I know he's been around forever, but believe it or not he is eligible due to being redshirted at a previous schools

[grover1728]

To me, everyone talking here is either from CUW, Lakeland, or Mac.  Everyone is making their conference predictions.  My basis for my outlook is that I just finished up my 4 year IBFC career this past season.  Anyways here's how I see the conference.....(in no particular order)

Lakeland and CUW are the perennial powerhouses of the conference in recent years.  Their recruiting and coaching has been at a good constant.  I have noticed that Gabe is good at adapting his playbook to his players, which is good in maximizing the talent of the team.

Aurora - this team is a toss-up every year.  They are always physical, but you just don't know how they are going to fare against the rest of the teams.  Some years they are excellent, like their playoff year, but others they disappoint.

Greenville - vastly improved over my 4 years.  One thing though, is they seem to play to the level of their opponent, which is excellent against CUW and Lakeland.  But for sure, very much improved.

Mac - hard physical players with no discipline.  In recent years, if you just frusterate Mac, they'll beat themselves.  If they want to win the conference like some say, they have to get this under control.

CUC (formerly CURF) -  hasn't had the pleasure of a consistant coaching staff in 5 years.  They do however play hard for the whole game.  In the past couple of years, the small roster is what hurt them as they have played with many teams through 2 1/2 quarters.  New coach this year though.

Benedictine - inconsistant staffing.  I don't know too much about Bene, but that they do have some athletes on their squad.

Eureka - This coaching staff is unbelievable.......in how bad they are.  d3 football isn't about publicity or pro contracts.  It's about the love and passion of playing the game.  Instead of just majoring at a state school, D3 athletes endure HUGE student loans, just to play 4 more years.  By not coming out for the second half against CUW (from what I hear), those coaches just robbed seniors from both teams the opportunity to play out their final game of their lives!  What a great game this is, and these coaches just took the last 30 minutes.  I bet Ronald Reagan wouldn't have quit!  Disgrace!

Sorry about the rant, overall, I see Lakeland and CUW atop the conference.  All the other teams are in a mix, and just depending on how they play and are coached.  I expect this season to be much more even in the standings.

[Gomer Pyle]

grover1728:
     All thought out comments are always welcome. 

[touchdownjesus]

In repsonse to Eureka College - Grover1728 - you are misinformed.  First, EC coaching staff and players wanted to play; their associate AD (also head athletic trainer) made the call to forfeit the game.  He did so for two reasons.  One - he had witnessed a person struck by lightning and did not want to re-live the experience.  The storm that day had plenty of lightning and the radar showed that the cell was not leaving anytime soon.  In fact as the EC bus left the CUW campus that day at 4 PM it was still storming and already too dark to complete the game.  Two - EC entered the game with 32 healthy players.  The HC suspended one player for throwing his helment, which I witnessed and support the HC's decision.  The AD/HT had deemed two more players unfit to play.  That is 29 EC players -  playing on a rain-drench field, in the dark, and the outcome of the game is already decided.  I feel for the CUW players that did not get to play that day, but as a parent I certainly understand the AD/HT's decision to error on the side of caution.  Also, EC did play the next week.  They went to the University of Chicago with 28 players dressed.  Many played both ways that day - esspecially along the O-line-D-Line.  Chicago won 55-7, but there was no quit in the EC players or the staff.  EC actually installed the wing-t due to the shortage of available players.  So I would not question EC's staff or players until you have walk in their shoes.

Best of luck to all the IBFC teams in the last two years of the conference.

[grover1728]

Sorry about the rant tdj.  I most definately was misinformed.  My apologizes to EC and their staff. 

[touchdownjesus]

Thanks Grover -

Here are my predictions for 2006

CUW
Lakeland
Aurora
Greenville
MacMurray
Benedictine
CURF
Eureka

I do believe there willl be plenty of upsets.  The top two are not as far ahead of the pack as last year.  Greenville, Mac, and Ben. will all be stronger than last year.  EC and CURF will also be better, but both are a couple of good recruiting classes away from be consistantly competitive in any conference.  With 4 teams with 2nd HC's and CURF with a HC in his first things should be interesting.  I do think EC will improve greatly, their coach is basically in his first year in 05, July hire last summer.  According to their website the facilites are improving. 

On a different note heard the IBFC is using 7 officials this year.  Helps passing teams, there is a lot of contact between middle routes and defenders in the confr.  I think it will hurt teams like Ben. due to how active their MLB is.  Cooper has always coached those guys to be tough on middle routes, expect more flags and more coaches acting out of character.

[FalconsFootball]

In college defenders are allowed to hit a receiver down field as long as the ball is not in the air. 

[Big_Uns]

Maddog,

How did Ryan end up doing in his first start at QB? I tried checking on the Blue Devils' website but I couldn't read it since it's in German.

[maddog8]

Bug Uns, whats up Ryan had a great game only to go in defeat, they had 5 starters out in that game. he  had 187 yrds rushing on 20 carriers and one TD, and was 22-30 for 266 and 1 TD no picks, but again way to many starters out going against a team who has won 29 straight. He starts again tomorrow. Having a blast out there. I mean its business first but hes seeing the world first hand and getting paid for it.Good Luck to all this coming season and "MUSKIES RULE"

[Gomer Pyle]

 Concordia Cougars:  In the last seven years from 1999 thru 2005 they have won (5) games over-all and only (3) conference games.
  They have a new Offensive coordinator as well as a new Defensive
   coordinator.  Will the "new" philosphies translate into wins?
  They pretty much got blown out last year with their "best" effort being
   against  Benedictine losing by(7) points in OT.
   Those  are the facts.
  One thing about the Cougars they show up and play.  Will that program ever get better?  It seems , by their past record, the jury is still out.
   As programs are rated on wins and losses over time it seems to me
   the Cougars are in for another tough season.
   As i said ,"they show up and play" every game but IMO, they will go
   1-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
   Who will they beat?  Benedictine of course.