FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[kcreds]

I like spring football practices. Why shouldn't DIII have the same advantages as DI?  The academic reason may be true but what is the difference in practicing with pads and without in correlation with academics? Baseball and basketball have out of season practices in which there are scrimmages, why not football? Spring practices allow coaches to see who is serious about playing, allows plenty of time to implement new offensive and/or defensive schemes, gives players an opportunity to improve and learn the system, and it also allows coaches to see who will step up and be leaders for the team. There is probably several more reasons that I failed to mention. Advantages of spring practices far out weighs the disadvantages. Even high schools have summer practices with scrimmages. My big question is why can't DIII have a spring game like DI? Coach Tressell has made spring games very enjoyable for the players and they are just plain fun. I believe the NCAA by making different rules for different divisions make the DIII players seem substandard. A small step up from high school in which the players and coaches need to be limited for their own good. OOOOOOWUUUUUU!

[wally_wabash]

I don't disagree with what you're saying, kcreds.  D-III isn't substandard.  Not by any stretch.  It's just different. 

Why no pads or scrimmages in the spring?  It seems silly and arbitrary that the NCAA doesn't allow it, but that's the way it is.  That's where the NCAA draws the line and as long as we're living under their roof, we live by their rules.  Remember, not long ago D-III wasn't allowed spring practice at all so it's not as if they haven't eased up a little bit in recent years. 

[bashbrother]

The best argument for unconditional Spring practice is in the overall quality of the football that is played in DIII. 

DIII stands for so much more than sports, I'll admit that.  But, I also say that the statement, "if all the schools have to live by the same rules,  it is fair" is somewhat excepting the quality of DIII Football as it is.  It is a fact that the overall quality of football competition, regardless of Division, will always be a higher caliber with full spring practice.

[kcreds]

I realize DIII schools have to abide by the NCAA rules. I'm just venting my displeasure with their thinking and checking to see if anyone else agrees or has the knowledge of why it is that way. I know my comments won't change anything but it is nice to know that I'm not alone on this issue. I also try to keep an open mind so if there is someone out there that knows why the NCAA does so then I may appreciate their position. OOOOOOWUUUUUU!

[Li'l Giant]

OOOOOOWUUUUUU!

Did you stub your toe or something? 

[lancer98]

Not NCAC but this was Reported by ESPN:

Booker Stanley, who was kicked off the University of Wisconsin football team in February, and cornerback Antonio Freeman, who was suspended indefinitely from the team in January, have inquired about transferring to UW-Whitewater, which reached the Division III national title game last season, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.


Stanley is obviously a talented back, but Whitewater has a stud runner of its own in Justin Beaver. He ran for a Division III record 2,420 yards and 24 touchdowns as a sophomore last season and was a first-team All-American

[kcreds]

The NCAA will probably allow those players to transfer due to academics.

"Lil" Giant, I hope that is one chant you will hear alot in Crawfordsville this year.

OOOOOOWUUUUUU!

[wally_wabash]

Booker Stanley...this is the guy who was arrested and charged with choking out his girlfriend (there are multiple felony charges involved here for which Stanley is due to stand trial) less than 12 hours before he was scheduled to appear in court pertaining charges that he beat the snot of some dude at a block party in Madison last spring (he did a number on that guy...photos are out there).  Sounds like a great addition to D-III. 

I can't see why UW-WW would want this guy given that he has just one year of elgibility left and they're not exactly hurting for running backs.  The risk/reward doesn't seem to be in their favor here. 

[Superfoot Wallace]

Might be that the NCAA has taken into account some of the odd academic calendars with regard to the spring football issue.

Some of the NCAC schools used to operate under a trimester system.  I was a big advocate of this system, but its demise was the borrowing of language teachers from the state university system, at least in Ohio. 

Another issue might have been compromising the opportunity of some footballers to participate in study abroad programs, an experience most probably unique for student athletes in DIII.

In similar fashion, though this issue has subsided in the NCAC since the demise of the two three programs with Case Western, might be the attendance of footballers at other institutions during the spring term.

Finally, while not aware of practices at other institutions, community service is a fairly significant time cost with regards to curriculum at Witt.  Might it be too much to ask a student athlete to fulfill community service obligations along with a full academic commitment in addition to a spring football commitment?

signed,
Bill and Linda

[kcreds]

Very good points MacLeod, so noted.

[oldguy]

I agree with Bashbrother about the quality of play.  It probably would increase marginally. 

However, I still don't think it would mean that much.  The older players often run 7 on 7 throughout the summers anyway.  Any offensive plays you introduce in the spring would have to re-introduced in the fall.  Teams don't really make major improvements until after their first game of the season.  Any experience gained in a spring game would get lost throughout the summer.  It would still be starting fresh in the fall in my opinion.

The only "lack" of quality of play I see in D-3 deals with the bottom feeders of leagues, like Hiram, Heidleberg, etc.  Those teams could practice all summer and it wouldn't matter.  Can you guys really tell me that playoff teams would give us "higher quality" games in November if their were full spring practices and spring games.  Personally I don't think so.

[kcreds]

Oldguy, Why is it that DI does and there was a big push to allow it at the DIII level? If it is not that worth while then why take a risk of injury and have spring practice? New schemes can and have been put in at all levels during spring or summer practices. If the players run them several times and take the playbooks home, then it can only help in my humble opinion. You are old school thinking, pardon the pun, when sports were only played during their season. Times of changed and if you want to be really good at a sport, unless you are a natural, then you need to practice it outside of their season. If you don't play AAU in basketball or on a summer baseball team then you fall behind everyone else. Football is no different.

[bashbrother]

I think its all about total reps and building experience in the younger players.  I agree that teams with less raw materials will never get much better. 

It's a funny thing when people expect a bad O-line to be a great O-line one year later.  Sometimes they end up just being another bad O-line.

My point was meant to communicate that when there is talent,  the freshman and sophomores can get those extra reps, hits and a improve their skills within a real practice environment with coaching.  Playing catch or 7 on 7 during the summer may sharpen the skill players a bit,  but it may not strengthen the TEAM as a whole; blocking schemes, defensive packages etc.

There is a reason those teams led by Seniors tend to win the NCAC.  I am not saying that spring practice will change that in anyway, but by the time they get to be seniors they are better because of the additional football exposure.

[Gray Fox]

Make the playoffs and you get more practices.

[ADL70]

Or a summer trip to another country.  Seems Thiel's rise benefited from a game in Toronto.