FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Uncle Rico]

Just in case you all are interested, these are the first team all-CCIW players for Wheaton. Just to give you an idea of their strong points:

1st Team Defense
Pete Ittersagen, Sr. DB
Stephen Pagh, Sr. LB
Ben Khenzle, Sr. DL

First Team Offense
Rocky Gingg, Soph. RB
Alex Pokorny, Sr. WR
Jesse Scott. Sr. OL

First Team Specialists
Pete Ittersagen, Sr. RS
Tim Ellingsen, Sr. K

First teamers for the MIAA have not been released yet.  I suspect there might be one or maybe two from Trine.   

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Usee:

Trine is a very stout team.  Having only seen them play once against Adrian I dont have the best overall insight on them.  But in talking to others ive been able to piece together more.  Their defense appears to be farther along than their offense with the ability to put pressure on the passing game as well as to shut the running game down very well.  They held an Adrian team that had been averaging 240 rushing yards or so a game to 122 total yards in their MIAA championship matchup.  The strong D which ranked second in the MIAA was complimented well by an offense that takes opportunity of other teams mistakes having a +12 turnover margin on the season, they averaged over 28 a game on the season but lack consistency at times and have had dry stretches followed by explosions of scoring (see the Kzoo game).  Their main strengths lie in the physical nature of both sides of the ball they are a very good running team with a QB who despite not looking overly athletic will surprise with what he can do, complimented by a passing game that can hurt you if you let it.  Their coaching staff is very young and imaginitive, having come from the highschool ranks as well as Arena football, Coach Land their head coach was formerly the head coach for the Fort Wayne Freedom in IN.  One thing to look out for is their pass rush, Wheaton has struggled with that at times on the season and Trine has 29 sacks on the season through 9 games, their last game not being recorded at this point.  They can rush the passer and make the offense make mistakes which could be a huge factor in the game on saturday.  Tough running game, physical OL and an opportunistic defense that will punch you in the mouth, thats a good expectation for this Saturday from Trine i would expect.

[formerd3db]

I will just add to DAWG's comments that Trine has a good passing attack; their QB has a great release, similar to Dan Marino's style QB/WR combo has a great timing especially on long routes.  TE is good also.  I was impressed with the overall speed and size of Trine when they played Hope.  Overall, I can see it being a potential tight game unless Trine succumbs to the "first time jitters" and Wheaton blows it open early.  Of course, I'm rooting for Trine as our MIAA representative (sorry you Wheaton guys!   )

[Mr. Ypsi]

Now THIS is conference loyalty, given that Hope lost to Trine by 1 and Wheaton by 40!

+k for formerd3db.

[BillBanchez67]

what do all you guys think about the survey question on the side of D3 homepage? How do you guys feel about trine being most likely to be upset this week? i think the guys on the Trine team will see this as a motivation. lets face it everyone thought every week that they were going to lose, and i think those guys in Angola will take this in and use it to their advantage, i feel they will play their buts off just to prove people wrong, to try to get some respect nationally.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

BillBanchez67:

I should hope that the Poll on the front page would be motivation for all the Trine players, being picked the first high seed to get bounced from the tournament isnt exactly a ringing endorsement or validation for a program.  That being said I can understand why people would pick Trine for that dubious honor.  They certainly had a great season, 10-0 no one in the country has a better record, but detractors will point to the weak level of play this year in the MIAA, the overall poor showings by the MIAA in the playoffs and the inexperience of both the players and coaches of Trine in the playoffs/postseason as reasons for picking them to lose out to what is a much more nationally recognizable program (at the DIII level) in Wheaton who has the experience and name recognition.  I personally would like nothing more than to see Trine earn the MIAA their first playoff win in the last however many years and if they show up to play, do what they need to on offense and get after Wheaton on defense they can do it.  No one said it would ever be easy, but nothing worth anything in life ever is.  Best of luck to Trine this saturday, im sure they will be getting plenty of wishes of luck on this board!

[Stinger]

I don't want to get in the mix of all the playoff discussion, but did want to respond to FD3DB's question. I think Coach Zorbo is the right guy for the job, hands down.  A 4 year player at K (we spent one year at K at the same time) and then coached under Tim Rogers.   It's apparent that Coach Zorbo knows the unique challenges that arise at K and recruiting is his number one priority.  The administration at Kalamazoo is very supportive of the program and understands the needs for upgrades. There have been plans drawn for a new fieldhouse and field at the same site. However, the past 2 months have thrown a serious wrinkle into those plans.  We shall see how K moves forward. One thing's for sure, Coach Zorbo is doing a hell of a job.  K could have easily had 3 or 4 more wins this year. 

[usee]

I appreciate the comments on Trine. I look forward to a tough battle.

RE: the front page survey.  If the Trine players need to get motivation from that they are in serious trouble Saturday. I would think being in the playoffs at home against a successful program is all the motivation they will need.

[hope1]

wheaton is going to try and run   vs trine there tailback rocky is a good back he tore hope apart  when they played  them  good luck trine they are going to need all the breaks they can saturday 

[cardinals1226]

Usee:

Trine is a very stout team.  Having only seen them play once against Adrian I dont have the best overall insight on them.  But in talking to others ive been able to piece together more.  Their defense appears to be farther along than their offense with the ability to put pressure on the passing game as well as to shut the running game down very well.  They held an Adrian team that had been averaging 240 rushing yards or so a game to 122 total yards in their MIAA championship matchup.  The strong D which ranked second in the MIAA was complimented well by an offense that takes opportunity of other teams mistakes having a +12 turnover margin on the season, they averaged over 28 a game on the season but lack consistency at times and have had dry stretches followed by explosions of scoring (see the Kzoo game).  Their main strengths lie in the physical nature of both sides of the ball they are a very good running team with a QB who despite not looking overly athletic will surprise with what he can do, complimented by a passing game that can hurt you if you let it.  Their coaching staff is very young and imaginitive, having come from the highschool ranks as well as Arena football, Coach Land their head coach was formerly the head coach for the Fort Wayne Freedom in IN.  One thing to look out for is their pass rush, Wheaton has struggled with that at times on the season and Trine has 29 sacks on the season through 9 games, their last game not being recorded at this point.  They can rush the passer and make the offense make mistakes which could be a huge factor in the game on saturday.  Tough running game, physical OL and an opportunistic defense that will punch you in the mouth, thats a good expectation for this Saturday from Trine i would expect.

I'll help fill in the gaps.  I'm a student at Tri-State (It'll never be Trine to me) so I've seen all but 4-5 games the past 2 years. Tri-State is a very young and talented team. They bring a lot of pressure on d and play a defense similar to the 3-4. The D-line is a strong, fast group that puts a lot of pressure on the run game and the quarterback. At Adrian two weeks ago they essential stopped a very good running team. In the past few weeks that has been the strongest part of the defense behind linebackers Courtney Pearson and Joe Curtis. For the most part, the defense capitalizes on big plays and will take advantage of their opponents' mistakes, something that has hurt the last few Tri-State opponents. The pass defense is pretty good too, but have a tendency every now and then to give up a huge play through the air.

As for the offense, it's a pretty balanced run/pass offense. Eric Watt is a mobile QB who has good speed and can shed tacklers and has a strong arm. The running game is usually split between several players and there isn't really one player getting all the carries. The O-line is a good run blocking team and help create a hole for Langley, Brown, Watt, and Glidden. The biggest weakest to the offense is how young they are. Many of the wide receivers are freshman/sophomores and have a tendency to drop balls, especially in the last few weeks, most notably in the Adrian game. The thing that works to their advantage is their speed. Paul Curtis, Mario Brown, and Lemar Qualls are exceptionally fast and when they get in the open are usually gone. Also, the offense tends to score in bunches. In the Kalamazoo game most notably, scored 22 points in the last 4-5 minutes. The offense can be explosive at times or be very inconsistent like they were again Adrian, Hope, and Kalamazoo.

And as a side note, I think the lack of respect, which is common for a team who is essentially unknown, will only help Tri-State Saturday. I think that will only add to their fire for a win and prove that they are a good team and deserve recognition. I'm excited for Saturday and have a feeling the game will be one of the better ones played throughout D-III this weekend. Go Tri-State Thunder. 

[Diezel1]

I don't think Trine needs motivation for this weekend.  They have been picked as the underdog in numerous occasions because of their lack of experience and/or past lack of success. The poll only adds "fuel to the fire", to prove to the nation that this team is a good solid team. They haven't lost a home game in two years and you can bet that Coach Land and the other coaches will have them fired up and ready to play hard on Saturday and send a message.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

cardinals1226:

I just call it Trine to be nice, when I played them and knew them it was Tri State and will always be to me as well!  Good to see a new name on the board and one that can offer more insight into the goings on at TSU.

[sac]

I keep reading the words "lack of respect" for Trine and I'm wondering where this is coming from.

Is it just simply the few random quotes from internet posters?

Because it surely can't be from receiving a #2 seed from a conference that hasn't won a playoff game since 1994, can it?

[Uncle Rico]

I keep reading the words "lack of respect" for Trine and I'm wondering where this is coming from.

Is it just simply the few random quotes from internet posters?

Because it surely can't be from receiving a #2 seed from a conference that hasn't won a playoff game since 1994, can it?

As a Trine fan, here is what I have seen....How about a number of postings in the CCIW forum proclaiming big wins, and an easy road, for Wheaton.  The ESPN bracket coverage mentioned something for just about every team except Trine.  People picking Trine as the most likely upset of the top 8 seeds.  D3football.com placing Franklin ahead of Trine even though Trine beat them, and Trine also beat their common opponents by a larger margin than Franklin did.  Early on, the predictions of finishing middle of the conference in spite of the fact that Trine was returning about 19 of 21 starters (when they finished 6-4).  Maybe in some minds Trine has not done anything yet to deserve respect, but the lack of respect has not gone unnoticed either. 

I am hoping for a great game on Saturday.  Wheaton is a super team.  Trine wins, maybe some more people will believe.  Wheaton wins, Trine will have represented themselves well regardless.   

[cardinals1226]

I don't think Trine needs motivation for this weekend.  They have been picked as the underdog in numerous occasions because of their lack of experience and/or past lack of success. The poll only adds "fuel to the fire", to prove to the nation that this team is a good solid team. They haven't lost a home game in two years and you can bet that Coach Land and the other coaches will have them fired up and ready to play hard on Saturday and send a message.

There is no doubt about that. The home games here for the last 2 years have been so of the loudest and most entertaining games I've been to, including watching my high school making a few state runs. I've enjoyed watching the intensity of this team and I think a home game against a tough team like Wheaton is the perfect opportunity to get over the hump both as a team and the MIAA. Good luck to both.

cardinals1226:

I just call it Trine to be nice, when I played them and knew them it was Tri State and will always be to me as well!  Good to see a new name on the board and one that can offer more insight into the goings on at TSU.

Absolutely. I've been hiding in the shadows reading the posts the entire season and finally decided to join. I wasn't a big fan of how the name change occurred and for the reasons it did, the reason for my disinterest to call the school Trine. 

I keep reading the words "lack of respect" for Trine and I'm wondering where this is coming from.

Is it just simply the few random quotes from internet posters?

Because it surely can't be from receiving a #2 seed from a conference that hasn't won a playoff game since 1994, can it?

It has nothing to do with the number 2 seed. Honestly, I don't think they would have gotten a 1-3 if it wasn't for Wabash's loss last weekend. Let me start at the beginning by say that 3 years ago the team had a 20 game loosing streak while led to the firing of the previous coach and the hiring of Matt Lamb and his staff. In his first year he turned the team into a 2 game winner then a 6, and finally this year 10 and O. The team has turned things around faster than anyone's expectations, but very little has been said of that.

Going back to this year, the team played a ranked Franklin team, ranked 18 at the time and beat them. While Franklin lost only 2 spots in the poll, Tri-State received no recognition. It wasn't until the team was 6-0 and had a chance at a playoff birth before the team crack the top 25, but where somehow still below Franklin even though they beat them. It had to come down to them actually winning the conference and getting a high bidding, mostly with the help of Wabash, to even get their name said, which was only a fraction of a second until the convo switched back to how amazing Mount Union is and how they are going to run the table. I listened to the post analysis of the pairings and very little was said about them when every team got a few minutes. When the coach of Wheaton was asked if he knew anything about Tri-State, and he said no, that was the last time Tri-State was mentioned the rest of hour and half show. Going back a bit, but they beat Franklin at home where they have been 10-0 the last 2 years and a current win streak of 12 games. Even with all that success they are still below Franklin in the polls. Plus, as mentioned by Uncle Rio, nearly every starter returned from last year and were still picked to be below Adrian and Alma in the conference pre-season standings. The poll about which top seed will lose in the first round was only the cherry on top of the cake.

I don't think it's wrong to say that they are the underdog or that you have to earn respect before you get it, but there has been a lot of hear no evil, see no evil going on when Tri-State is mentioned. They should be just as scary as any other top team. They are 10-0 and the ability to have a home game for some time if they keep winning and that has been when they play the best football.