FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Mr. Ypsi]

Monmouth ... speed, discipline, passing, defense.

Hope ... no QB protection, couldn't hold blocks, had glimpses of good football but not enough together, looked like a young team.

I'm sure Coach Stuursma learned a lot this afternoon.

I fear the number 1 thing he learned is that this will be a l-o-o-o-n-g season!  I expected Monmouth to win; I did NOT expect 44-3.

[waxx]

Adrian took care of business against a solid Pacific team in Oregon. They are going to need to get the run game going, 1.8 yards per rush, yikes.

[boobyhasgameyo]

Nobody here really addressed Cards questions prior to the game against Fisher, though most of that has since been answered.  Some questions about Olivet remain however and posters on these boards are probably best to answer it. 

Was their 9-1 season last year perceived as a legitimate uptick or perhaps more of an anomaly?  Did they graduate or otherwise lose star players after the conclusion of last season?  Just trying to get an understanding for what their expectations were heading into the season.  Mainly if this is supposed to be a down season according to the prognosticators and what happened yesterday was to be expected. 

[sac]

Olivet has been trending up the last few years.  6-4, 6-4 to last years 9-1.  That follows a 5 year stretch where they went 2-48.

They had a very potent offense last year that averaged 45.4 pts per game.  The MIAA was not a great defensive league and their non-conference opponents went 11-29 overall.  Olivet's playing a  tougher non-conf schedule this year beginning with Fisher.

I can't speak for personnel though their season preview mentions 70 players back this year.  They were picked tied for 2nd in the MIAA but really 2 through 5 and maybe even 6 or 7  is a crap shoot with very little difference between teams.

Bottom line really is that the MIAA just isn't anything more than an average D3 football league in its best years and struggles outside its league for the most part.  Last year was an exception going 20-8, but against a mostly soft schedule.

[formerd3db]

boobyhg and cards:

Unfortunately, we have had only a few (actually a couple) of Olivet posters here over the years.  Sorry no one answered cards initial post, although I suspect it was because none of us really know that much about this years team.  However, I will take a "stab" at it (perhaps OC_SID will add, clarify and/or correct any of this if/when he gets a chance or desires to).  I did not consider Olivet's season last year as an anomaly.  I truly thought they would be Albion and win the MIAA title, however, they ended up having their "bad day" of the season (like almost every team has for one game of the year) for that game.  Granted, they have a lot of young players, however, I also thought they would have had a better performance against SJF, although the latter certainly is no slouch team as you guys well know.  Although Olivet historically has been one of the worst team in MIAA history (similar to like Northwestern or Kansas State used to be), they are no longer a dormat of our league.  The current coaching staff is solid appears committed (as does the school and its football alumni) to fielding a competitive team in the league.  Even though they had a couple of bad years in before 2010 and again 2012, as I mentioned, they are no longer the expected doormat.  Looking over their roster this year, again a lot of young players, but large number of returning players (sophs).  I am expecting them to be in the hunt for the title again this year, however, just as with Hope's young team, time will tell, although I imagine the next 2-3 games will be the real indication.  Sorry the above is probably not much help, rather just my own speculation and opinion.

[formerd3db]

Agree with sac's assessment also.  The MIAA is simply not what it used to be.  I also suspect that with Davenport now going to NCAA Div. II and the GLIAC next year (they play their first official season now as NAIA), that will further significantly effect recruiting for Hope and some of the other MIAA schools.

My thoughts about yesterday's Hope game are pretty much the same as DBQ.  No blocking on either side of the line, young players, smaller size players overall, etc.  However, that was only the first game for Stuursma and staff and the team and disappointing for them as it was for our fans.  I agree with the others as well that it will take quite some time to improve, although I would be happy if it happens sooner!   We all know that regardless of the NCAA level, true instant improvement usually doesn't occur.

[boobyhasgameyo]

Thank you for the thoughtful responses!  It was nice to see a new opponent from an outside region.  Best of luck to the MIAA going forward 

[waxx]

If you missed it on the front page, two MIAA players made Team of the Week. LB Jakob Frederick from Kalamazoo and K Cameron Cook from Adrian.

[wabco]

d3db

I was with an athlete who was recruited by Hope football/baseball but went to another school due to financial aid award.  He said (I do not know if this is true and is the reason for my question) that if you are Christian Reformed or Reformed you get 1/2 tuition credit (as these religious denominations support and/ore affiliated with Hope.  This credit does not apply if - for instance you are Catholic.  First, is this accurate or just blowing off at the Whitecaps Playoff Game while drinking beer?  If so, doesn't that give Hope a leg up in recruiting athletes (as well as others) from these denomination?  And - if so - in light of K College recruiting/finance troubles with NCAA ... if they find a larger amount of these religious athletes verses general population ... does that have/create NCAA iussues as well.

An unrelated comment.  You have several times opined on the burden successful D II institutions in the State of Michigan have placed upon Hope football recruiting. I attended the Wabash verses Albion game this past week and Albion had a large team (and good sized/talented) ... basically all from Michigan.  How are they able to do this if somehow Hope is challenged?

This is not intended to be in any way anti Hope.  Just got curious as to both items this past week after both the football game and running into an athlete recruited by Hope and who chose another school based upon financial situation.

[sac]

An unrelated comment.  You have several times opined on the burden successful D II institutions in the State of Michigan have placed upon Hope football recruiting. I attended the Wabash verses Albion game this past week and Albion had a large team (and good sized/talented) ... basically all from Michigan.  How are they able to do this if somehow Hope is challenged?

Even the Albion teams of today are a far cry from their late 80's and early 90's counterparts.  Everyone in the MIAA has felt the affects of the rise of Michigan D2 football.  Numbers aren't necessarily affected its the overall talent level.


Hope's biggest problem lately is a tuition discount rate which has remained steady vs the most of the rest of the league which have been discounting tuition at much higher rates in recent years.

d3db

I was with an athlete who was recruited by Hope football/baseball but went to another school due to financial aid award.  He said (I do not know if this is true and is the reason for my question) that if you are Christian Reformed or Reformed you get 1/2 tuition credit (as these religious denominations support and/ore affiliated with Hope.  This credit does not apply if - for instance you are Catholic.  First, is this accurate or just blowing off at the Whitecaps Playoff Game while drinking beer?  If so, doesn't that give Hope a leg up in recruiting athletes (as well as others) from these denomination?  And - if so - in light of K College recruiting/finance troubles with NCAA ... if they find a larger amount of these religious athletes verses general population ... does that have/create NCAA iussues as well.

I have never heard of this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist in the financial aide formula somehow.  However its highly unlikely an RCA school is discounting CRC applicants.

Hope = RCA
Calvin = CRC

[formerd3db]

wabco:

I have not intentionally avoided replying to your inquiry post.  However, while sac has partially answered some of your questions, I am delaying my reply as I am checking on a couple of aspects for you.  I know the answers for the most part, although I want to check on a couple of additional aspects before relating this to you because I obviously want to make sure I am relaying the actual specifics of the information.

[sac]

8 turnovers is pretty specific.

[formerd3db]

sac, yes it is, although (and I'm sure you know this) I was not talking about today's game!

[sac]

Hope's Fr. QB threw 5 picks Saturday and his QB rating went up over last week.

[DBQ1965]

Congratulation to the Hope College offensive line for making the D3 Team of the Week.

http://www.d3football.com/awards/tow/2016/week3