FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I read this board faithfully (but typically do most of my posting on the basketball side).  I couldn't resist the chance to make a predicition (and a shot to be the one to push this board to 100 pages):

Hope(7 first place)
Olivet(1 first place)
Albion
Tri State
Alma
Adrian
Wisconsin Lutheran
Kalamazoo

[EDIT]  Looks like I was the lucky one - 100 pages and counting 

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

formerd3db:

The target enrollment should be there, I know they are bringing in a freshman class of over 500 this year and football is bringing in another 85+ more than likely, we will find that out for sure when they post their rosters after media day.  The size of the college was a big problem and Adrian had been suffering declining enrollment for several years, I think realistically at times in second semesters the enrollment probably dipped to right around 900 or below which is not a viable number to sustain a college.  The new administration has done a great job at least in their first two years of improving retention which is key, you can bring in 400 but if you lose 150 its not that big of a class after 4 years.  I think the perfect size for Adrian is around 1400-1500 as that would result in all the dorms being full as well as the other housing options which is not something that has occured for years.

The picks so far all seem to be fairly consistent with Hope at number one and Olivet at number 2.  Albion, Alma and Adrian in all but one round out the top 5.  It will be interesting to see how the vote shakes out tommorow.  In the past the Number 1 pick has been a kiss of death it was last year and I know it has been quite sometime since there was a wire to wire(for lack of a better term) Number 1 pick. 

Flying Dutch Fan:

Congrats on pushing the board to the 100 page mark, I think all of us are a bit jealous as it is an honor I know I wouldve like to have myself. 

It is good to see all the chatter on this board and I hope it continues to grow stronger once we get into the season!!

[formerd3db]

Flying Dutch Fan:

Congratulations on being the one to get us to the "Centennial page mark".  Although you are a basketball guy, I forgive you (especially since you are a Hope man at that  ).  Thanks for helping us out as well as your predictions.  BTW, like you reading this board, I read the bb board as well.  However, I think most of us try to stay away from posting there - you guys are vicious over there!

DAWG:

The target enrollment at Adrian has indeed been already reached this year (I was informed of that by an Adrian official previously).  I was not aware of the second semester attrition problem they had faced that you discuss - that is surprising to me.  However, I do not think that they will have a problem retaining students now that they have reached at least the 1400-1500 mark.


Totally tangetial topic but...as much as I love college football and having had the opportunity to play it for four years, am I glad I don't have to do those "two-a-days" in pre-season camp anymore.  This heat/humidity brings back a lot of memories in that regard - not all of them pleasant!

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

formerd3db:

I agree the two a days wont be a thing that I miss.  I enjoyed them as a player, but man they are rough as  a coach at least as a player you are afforded a little down time.  I never understood how much the coaches worked until I tried my hand at it.

The official results from the media day poll came out and are as follows (this is a combo of both media and coaches poll)

1. Hope (19)
2. Adrian (1)
3. Olivet
4. Albion
5. Alma
6. Tri State
7. Kalamazoo
8. Wisconsin Lutheran

I spoke with a person who was at the event and the coaches poll was more similar to the guesses by the posters on this board with Hope at number 1 followed by Albion then Olivet, Adrian, Alma, Tri State, Kzoo and WLC.  So now its official and we dont need to guess anymore but we can now nitpick the selections if we wish.

[HOF]

I guess the poll doesn't surprise me that much.  Adrian at number two is somewhat a surprise, but if you look closely at the points, between second and fifth, not much room.  85 to 59...if you know what I mean.

I do have a question for you Adrian fans.  I read the Adrian preview on their website and it just dawned on me...I didn't see any mention of All-American DJ Howard and a good looking player in Matt Spangler???  Any insight?  These are the disappoinments in DIII.  I remember watching Howard two years ago...wow! 

I haven't read many other previews, so fill me in of any surprises.

One day closer to the start of the season.

I saw on the front page that Tri-State opens on Aug. 30.  I might have to get in the car and go watch that one...got that football fever. 

NFL starts Sunday with the Hall of Fame game.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

HOF:

DJ Howard tore several ligaments in his knee in the opening game of the season.  He was out for the entire season and has found some success in other endeavors where he is turning himself a nice profit from what I understand.  As such he is no longer enrolled at Adrian as far as I know and is doing his own thing.  Once he was injured and out for the year I believe he felt a little left out from the team and felt he was an afterthought.  He was truly a dynamic player and a game breaker to say the least his presence on special teams was sorely missed the entire season and he will be a difficult player to replace. 

Matt Spangler was also a great player and one who had some issues as well.  He was not with the college or the program and was going through steps to return to the team as well as to college.  Last I knew he was not going to be re enrolling at Adrian and is actually out in Arizona.  He had been trying his hand in some Mixed Martial Arts competitions as well which is something he appeared to have success in as well as I have seen some pictures from his first bout that he won and he was laying down a pretty heavy fist.

You cant go wrong with the opening NFL game always fun watching some of the no names get a chance to shine on national TV.  I will always remember the Hall of Fame game with a touch of sadness though as it was the last game that Chris Spielman played when he was with the Cleveland Browns.  The football fever is spreading I cant wait to get around the league and see some of the teams play this year rather than just seeing whoever Adrian was playing!

[ACRULZ]

My question is why is everyone so surprised with the Adrian ranking?  The only game that they had no chance of winning in the fourth quarter was the season ending debacle at Alma.  Adrian has beat Albion five years in a row, loss 13-10 to Olivet, and even including the post halftime implosion at Hope they still had a chance to win it in the fourth.  Red headed step child I guess...

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

ACRULZ:

I agree with you on those games, Adrian's season could have ended up much differently in the win loss column than it did.  I think the surprise however stems from the losses of key players at many positions for Adrian.  It is important to note that most pre season rankings usually take those into account and when you consider that Adrian losts its starting QB in Andy Denryther, TE in Brian McKenna, TB in TJ Williams , RG in Gabe Garcia, C in Carlos Lozano, WR in Chester Evans, WR in DJ Howard, ILB in Taz Wallace, ILB in AJ Marry, DE in Joel Howland, DE in Matt Spangler, DT in Mike Campbell and FS in Mark Westenberg it is not that strange to see why people are surprised.  Not to mention the installation of a new offense with new personell etc.  Adrian does have some very good players returning like Brandon Mohney, Aaron Kieltyka, Desmond Upshaw, Kyle Dunaj, John Ahearn(Potential all league OL) and some very good young players who have yet to prove themselves, thats what the season is for.  I think that Adrian could be again a 5-5 team, but also with the right breaks and no injuries has the potential to be successful as well.  Only time will tell if the ranking is accurate or not and I cant wait to see how it shakes out. 

[WLCALUM83]

+k all around for reaching 100 pages!

[ACRULZ]

DAWG:


I'm going to have to disagree with you.  With all of those players Adrian has lost...they finished 5-5.  So maybe it was more coaching than anything else.  And maybe it is a good thing with the staff turnover.  Especially on the offensive side of the ball.  People always talk about yardage to gauge an offense.  Well from what I saw last season, yardage wasn't a problem...it was scoring.  AC's offense could not score.  I'm excited about the new OC and the rest of the "revamped" staff.  I think Adrian will win at least 7 games.  I just hope they can find some players for the O-Line and a QB...The O-Line was HORRIBLE last season.  Denryter started off rocky then warmed up but he was still only average.  But then again if would have had a good O-Line maybe he would have been more effective.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

ACRULZ:

I would disagree with the contention that coaching was the problem with scoring on the offensive side of the ball.  Many people want to point the finger that way and I have heard many point that finger at the former OC, people quickly forget that his offenses broke almost every single offensive record in both 2003 and in 2005, one down year is not indicative of poor coaching.  The thing that really hurt the offense last year was the loss of DJ Howard who the entire scheme was built around using and exploiting defenses with him.  When he went down, there was a need to change the way many things were done.

[Superfoot Wallace]

Utes guys is worse than that A-Rod feller and Bonds.  One is chasing Hank and the other is flogging 499.  !001 pages egads!

Will be some nice NCAC-MIAA bids this season what with the Tigahs of Springtucky Ohio gettin' it on wit the Scots and the Comets.

Have some personal ideas about the Comets on year two of the transition from the winged T to what some would call the spread and I prefer to call the one back, but what of Alma with the loss of Brehm. 

Outside of the Marietta-Saint John's tilt, these MIAA-NCAC shindigs are unusual barometers for the midwest of Division 3.

Read some of the Alma stuff posted, and should appreciate more, but what of Olivet?  Any word to be had?  What's to be expected.  Are these the conference frontrunners?

signed,
WRXti

[HOF]

Thanks ADAWG for the info!

From what I hear from my friends around the league, the AC coaches have to win a certain amount of games this year, or else.  Might be rumors, but I just heard that last night from some friends who have close ties in the MIAA.  That my friends is a shame.  Some of these presidents don't understand.  Take aways the 70 plus kids these coaches recruit and bam....they lose some serious cash.  Not to mention all of the MIAA coaches mold these kids into young men that become great leaders in the business, education, medical world.  Shame on that President if this is true.  I've been around the MIAA and there hasn't been many coaches fired.

ACRULZ:  Great to have excitement about the new staff and new scheme, but remember, time will tell.  I agree, after going back and looking at everything, Adrian had a chance to win it last year.  But so did Olivet, Alma, etc.  The old saying....five big plays will decide a game seem to be true in every football game.  I wish Adrian all the best.  For the players sake, they will be fine, but five coaches leaving and five new ones will take some time to get use to.  I imagine some of those players played for the same coach for their whole career.  Kinda like that new girlfriend you get after dating the other girl for a while.  You see what you can get away with and what you can't.  If you know what I mean. 

I see Hope running the table simply because they have a great D and can run the ball every down if they want.  If you can run the ball, you'll be a good team in the MIAA and DIII or any division for that level.  You must keep your D off the field and control the clock.

I think we'll see a great race this year and I think I just put two and two together...TSU is playing Manchester on a Thursday night?

[Uncle Rico]

Yes, Tri-State is playing on a Thursday.  Going to take a vacation day for that one!  My son is going to school on Tueday and he can't wait to get started.

[blb]

I am not an Adrian insider but know some MIAA football people very well. My speculations are based on what I've been told.

The new Adrian president reminds me a lot of Don Lubbers, the former GVSU president for whom their football stadium is named. He used athletics to help make a name for the school (and himself).

The bar has been raised on US-23. With the investments in facillities, staff, etc., there better come a return. He has already "promoted" Mensing. If Lyall doesn't win, I don't think he'll get a pass for long just because of his years of service or because he's a good guy.