FB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Gomer Pyle]

 To take that one step further. With a score of 46-41 (Mac winning) it was more like a free for all. As Catch 22 stated, somebody needs some
   DEFENSE.  Nobody took charge of the game they just played till they ran out of time.
  Con,Ill can only get better,while Mac looks like it will continue it`s down-ward spiral.
    If the Courgars start to "believe", this up coming season can be much improved.  Winning (1) conference game last year doesn`t set the bar very high but Mr Ellwood seems to think this year will be different. 
  The reality of it is the Cougars are what they are.........consistently bad.
   I`m not knocking their program but the facts over the long haul prove me out.

[Fartcus Smellwood]

To take that one step further. With a score of 46-41 (Mac winning) it was more like a free for all. As Catch 22 stated, somebody needs some
   DEFENSE.  Nobody took charge of the game they just played till they ran out of time.
  Con,Ill can only get better,while Mac looks like it will continue it`s down-ward spiral.
    If the Courgars start to "believe", this up coming season can be much improved.  Winning (1) conference game last year doesn`t set the bar very high but Mr Ellwood seems to think this year will be different. 
  The reality of it is the Cougars are what they are.........consistently bad.
   I`m not knocking their program but the facts over the long haul prove me out.

Thats completely understandable that you think the way you do Gomer. The past of CUC should be slapped around. However, winning one conference game last year was in a way, a step for this team. They worked with a brand new coaching staff last year. All said and done, the full staff probably wasn't in until around May. Bringing that up, they did well with the time they were given with recruiting. Now with a year under their belts, a whole off season to keep track their team, and a whole year to recruit, Coach Pries and the rest of the staff will have a better team this year. The 46-41 loss to MAC was a dagger in CUCs hearts...even the fans (I think more than what MAC had in their stands) were devastated. The D-coord for CUC last year was not a "top-notch" D-coord and that was his first stint at anything on defense.
   I really don't want to bash the guy because from what I noticed when I met him, he was an all-around good guy. However, when an offense puts up 41 points, it should be a W for that team. Why I typed all this, I don't know but I guess it was to really prove my point that the Cougars will have a defense this year and an amazing offense. This is my reasoning as to why the Cougars will end the drought of being consistantly bad and now to end the IBFC and start in a new conference, they will excel.

Thanks for the discussion Gomer and Catch.

[Gomer Pyle]

Marcus Ellwood:
    I hope your enthusiasm for the Cougars is rewarded with many "W`s."

   "................close to 65 players will report to football camp on Aug. 10th."
    That`s a partial quote (by HC Kyle Sweeney) taken from the MacMurray Athletic site. 
   In past years their football roster was always close to 100, what
   happened?   Close to a 30% drop...give or take. 
   Anybody got any ideas? 
   The Alumni (football) of the recent past who got Mac into the big time, even if but for a short time,  must be thinking, " that program  has fallen hard and can`t get up."
   The buzzards are circling!
   
                              "
   

[catch22]

Marcus Ellwood, Mac turn the ball over twice inside their own 20, that led to points, that game was a heart breaker for your guys, I remember the look on your faces after the game, but you guys always played Mac tough, but no cigar, good luck this year I will be pulling for you guys this year to be the underdog special, Also the refs throwing 5 consecutive pass interference, I found out that the Administration did not have the checks for the refs at the game, or one of the checks bounced something like that. True story.

Gomer, as far as Mac, that's what happen when you hire a 28 year old coach, who has never been an coordinator at any level, once again POOR ADMINISTRATION! Gomer they only have 50 players not 65 according to my source.

[Gomer Pyle]

 Catch22       ".............. they only have 50 players not 65 according to my source."  Keep in mind the HC at Mac said 65.   
   If your source is correct, then MacMurray is in a world of hurt.
    Keep in mind the "usual" roster count was about 100 or about 17 % of the total student enrollment at Mac.
  Part of a coaches job is --------------recruiting. If these coaches come up with about 50% under previous levels, how long do you think they`ll last?
   Like I said earlier, The buzzards are circling.
   Caveat:  The above is only good if your source is correct. 

[catch22]

Gomer, my source had 15-20 players returning, and 25-30 new players what does that add up to on the high end 50 players.

No offense to Mac players, but this is going to be the worst year in school history, 50 players, starting a ton of freshman, and maybe to 3 or 4 sophmores, no o-line or d-line, and two coaches.  Good luck fellas, because your are going to need it.

[Gomer Pyle]

catch22:
    They only have (2) coaches?  What happened to the others?
    Their web site shows a couple of new hires by the HC. X-Players at Mac.
     
  2 coaches.
  50 players.
  And a Micky Mouse, make that plywood press box. 
  The Buzzards are circling.

[catch22]

Sorry about that Gomer 3 coaches and 50 players, the former mac player is not doing it, thats why they advertised assistant coaching positions several weeks ago. But who accept 1500 dollars for the year and no room and board to coach, do not get me I know when you start something new, you have to work your way up, but that is the administration fault at Mac, their "intern" coaches left after their first checks because of misleading information, not being paid the amount they should have been receiving and things like that, not just football coaches, but other sport coaches who left. BAD SITUATION!

[Gomer Pyle]

catch 22:
                               The Buzzards are really circling!!   
   

[Fartcus Smellwood]

Marcus Ellwood, Mac turn the ball over twice inside their own 20, that led to points, that game was a heart breaker for your guys, I remember the look on your faces after the game, but you guys always played Mac tough, but no cigar, good luck this year I will be pulling for you guys this year to be the underdog special, Also the refs throwing 5 consecutive pass interference, I found out that the Administration did not have the checks for the refs at the game, or one of the checks bounced something like that. True story.

Gomer, as far as Mac, that's what happen when you hire a 28 year old coach, who has never been an coordinator at any level, once again POOR ADMINISTRATION! Gomer they only have 50 players not 65 according to my source.

Man do I remember that game and those horrible horrible calls by the ref. I think there was one point where CUC scored a touchdown off a pass to take the lead by two td's and a ref called it back for a block in the back by another WR. It is clearly shown (this TD is on their highlight film because it is amazing) that there was no block in the back by the WR it was called on. How in the world does a school not have checks ready for the refs or have a check bounce??? C'mon now. And if that was the case, shouldn't the refs have been calling the game CUCs way and not MACs...hahah

[old 40]

Catch 22;

I think you are right. I spoke with a conference head coach last week and the Mac head coach was hoping for a final count of about 60 but was confirming he had 52 definite. IMO when the numbers are that low it will be a long year, not to mention trying to survive the opener versus Augie at Rock Island, Ouch. It's a shame that Mac has fallen on bad times. Hopefully the new young coach can get things turned around. It may take a while. I also heard they have raised their entrance requirements. This coupled with the lack odf mony, as seen by the number of total coaches, down from past staffs, it really will be a long year. I hope they can be competitive in some games. I hope they will do well in the SLIAC.

[Cougswillwin]

Fartcus...

Yeah, CUC's way, not Mac's...

See ya on Saturday big boy.

[catch22]

No offense to anyone, but Mac has been raising the academic standards for a long time and if you go to a school in Jacksonville, will it be IC or Mac, easy choice right, now imagine, if Mac is increasing its academic standards do you think a kid from Illinois would come to Mac, when you have IC down the road, Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan, Monmouth in the two hour radius, I think not. Before the increase their standards how about updating the dorms,the campus,then knock down blackstock which has not been open in about 7 or 8 years becausing of cancer causing agents.

[drucker]

Catch22 who is your source? I am just curious is all.

And we all know mac is going to have a tough year, its no secret that the college is in some serious trouble and needs all the help it can get. Maybe the alumni could donate more money, because hopefully this new president doesnt screw over the college.

[Fartcus Smellwood]

No offense to anyone, but Mac has been raising the academic standards for a long time and if you go to a school in Jacksonville, will it be IC or Mac, easy choice right, now imagine, if Mac is increasing its academic standards do you think a kid from Illinois would come to Mac, when you have IC down the road, Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan, Monmouth in the two hour radius, I think not. Before the increase their standards how about updating the dorms,the campus,then knock down blackstock which has not been open in about 7 or 8 years becausing of cancer causing agents.

ummm, thats just horrible (if true).

Cougswillwin....man, I told you to stop calling me Fartcus man...my name is Marcus...I am proud of the name my mother gave me. Anyways....yes, see you Saturday at your huge Gay Bash!!! (I hope you told your friends that I am straight, remember I am only doing this because we are friends)