FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[D306]

Alot of changes and nice promotions for DIII coachs.
Nice to see some recognition for the coaching talent.

Off Topic ____  Did anyone else see Albion with the 3 pointer to win on ESPN Top 10 highlights?

All the press DIII can get the better.

Now how about DIII scores at least on the scroll under the screen during football season.

Maybe we can have Albion on Sportscenter scroll if they beat D1AAA Butler in the first game of the Football season. I think last years loss was on scroll of scores.

MIAA scheduled recruit just accepted a IVY league opportunity, good for him great student and quality player. I will leave the name off his brother is in the MIAA football family.

[blb]

Is Livedoti going to give up the head football coaching duties now that he is AD (I know press release said he would remain HFC)?

There are rumblings in this area that Holt HS's Mike Smith may be replacing him in the coaching position.

Hard to believe Olivet would pass up Bob Kubiak to bring in a HS coach, hower successful, over him as head guy.

[formerd3db]

blb:

I haven't heard any "inside" info as to the changes going on at Olivet (although I could find out as I know a couple of people who would know - I just haven't had the time to actually do that; or rather I just haven't taken the time .  My own thoughts on this are:

1) I can't imagine that if Lividotti were to step down as HC, that they wouldn't offer it to Kubiak unless he doesn't want it.  Kubiack would be the logical choice since he is an alum and has the experience from his having been a head coach at the hs level for several years.

2) If Kubiack didn't want it, then what about Sparks?  He has been there for a few years now and even though he is a Hope alum, he seems to be well liked by the Olivet players and has the intensity needed. 

3) As far as the Holt Hight School HC, as several of us previously mentioned, the Lansing State Journal did not have any info as to exactly what position was being discussed for him at Olivet, nor did the coach offer any info regarding that - he said it was to "be determined" as I recall.  Yet, I can't imagine that a very successful hs. head coach as he is (and at a younger age) would give up that position to go to a small college unless, he gets a substantial pay raise via the salary (which is not likely at Olivet based on past history) or he is just ready for a change and wants to go to the college level.

Yet, as you mentioned, however, the official info released by the college relates Lividotti will continue in both positions).  It will be interesting to see what happens.

On other topics:  I see where Wabash is putting in field turf for their football and soccer stadiums as well as all practice fields (cost was mentioned on the other board as being around $800,000).  Although we've discussed that topic here of recent, I still wonder when Hope and Albion are going to "cave in" and do the same.  Many schools are going to this for all sports.  Anyone heard any "new" info regarding this?  Of course, as prior noted, the Hope situation involves the City of Holland.

[formerd3db]

D306:

Re: the Albion-Butler matchup.  While Butler has been quite poor as a DIAA non-scholarship team in recent years as we all know, with the new staff, they just might be "creeping up" back to when they were more of a challenge in the early '90's.  It might be more difficult for Albion to beat them this year due to that and after last year's loss, although one never knows .  I sense that perhaps the Pioneer DIAA schools might continue to improve to the caliber of San Diego when Harbaugh was there, especially with coaches like Creghton formerly of Wabash who is now at Drake.  On a tangent thought, it is kind of neat to see that a couple of the DIAA Pioneer football schools have their DI bb counterparts among the top ranked teams in the country - Butler and Drake.  Good publicity I guess in a sense. 

[D306]

I think it will continue that D1AAA schools will have wins in BB and occasionally wins in FB VS. the D1 schools.

In BB 1-2 Players make a team if you have some kind of talent with them.
In FB the "spread" and the reduction in scholarships, along with D1AAA teams getting a little more press helps them draw talent.

Butler is almost always a very good BB team, though correct me if I'm wrong, are they not D1 in BB. I thouight they have scholarships for BB. ( too lazy to look this up right now)

As far as Albion pulling the upset and beating Butler. I am not sure they will, Butler look pretty good last year and has renewed / improved their efforts regarding FB.

Albion was very young last year I hope the "early" playing time for the underclassmen last year plays off this year. There was some speed and athletic talent on the team. Experience and some changes to a few positions, I think precludes this years better showing.  Lost quality OL starters to graduation, ( though experince for young players started due to injuries last year) lost a game changing WR to graduation. Alot of starters or players whom had significant time are returning. Make more plays on 3rd down and get off the field, get a flow on offense sustain drives even if these do not result in points is critical. Defense was on the field way to much last year. I really thought that fact was "owned" on both sides of the ball. I trust experience ( last year) for the young LB core will make a difference this year. I would look at moving some "size" into the LB group, help fill the gap on running plays. I liked what I saw at the end of the season from the DL line most if not all return.
Good RB's coming back as the 2 leading RB's return. QB play should improve as both QB's who saw time were underclassmen, and I would think will return. Lost a very good punter and the TE as well to graduation. Both have been weapons in the Albion attack for all of Rundles coaching tenure, I am sure he will develop a good replacement for both.

Well thats my mid winter man I miss football already ramblings.

Go catch a MIAA BBall game if you can, league is very competitive and entertaining this year.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Confirmation to the rumor of Adrian adding UW Whitewater.  There is talk of adding them as recently as 2009, but from what I hear for sure in 2010.

[formerd3db]

D306:
Thanks for your thoughts and info.  Very informative and interesting.  Also, yes Butler, Drake, etc. all have DI classification and offer athletic scholarships for those in their other sports.  Their football teams i.e. the Pioneer League are non-scholarship DIAA (or rather Football Championship Subclassification now) - named Pioneer League as that league was the first to go the route of non-scholarship "upper level' football, but with DI in other sports.  Actually (and for those who already know this please forgive me, but thought I'd just mention it), this was eventually the result of the so-called "Dayton Rule" that the NCAA mandated i.e. you can't have DIII football and DI in other sports (with the exceptions of the lacrosse and hockey programs that were "grandfathered" in i.e. Johns Hopkins, Colorado College, etc.).

DAWG:
Hope you are doing well.  What's new with you - are you still in Michigan or still considering a move to FL?

[sac]

  Anyone heard any "new" info regarding this?  Of course, as prior noted, the Hope situation involves the City of Holland.

Right after they figure out what to do with the Civic Center.......should be around 2015.

[HOF]

Thanks ADAWG...wow...that is great for Adrian.  They go from cupcakes to being the cupcake...so to speak...no pun intended.  Whitewater in possibly one year, Capital this year.  Is the president saying let's play these guys or is the coaching staff finally figuring out the automatic berth is still there in the end?

From an outsider looking in I'd say all the other sports at Adrian are feeling the heat due to the first year hockey program being a national power.  I mean they bring in a new program, new coach, 25 new first year players and dominate DIII hockey and win the league in the first year.  From what I hear the new president down in Adrian will be saying to the other programs..."look how easy it is."

Any thoughts?

I think the bar if it wasn't already, is now raised.

[formerd3db]

Hope and Calvin (and Albion) already have that i.e. hockey in place and ready to go, if the administrations chose to go to varsity status.  Heck, Hope and Calvin play at VanAndel each year and get anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 people at the games (although this is either before or after the Griffin's game, but heck so what ).  Hope gets up to 1,000 spectators at some of it's games.  Hope has secured the automatic bid to the national championships to be held at Rochester, MN March 13-15 (last year they were at St. Louis, MO and prior to that at Phoenix, AZ).  Yet, I don't see the other MIAA schools even considering adding hockey at this point.

Lacrosse, on the other hand might have a chance at being there first.  Rumor has it that the MIAA has formed a committee to look into it, since Adrian and Tri-State have gone varsity.  Hope and Calvin have women's teams; Albion, Alma are the other schools that have club lacrosse.  Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens.

[bulldogalum]

I'd be really interested to see how Hope, Calvin and Albion match up with Adrian in hockey.  I really have no idea, but I suspect Adrian would do alright--they lead D3 in pretty much all offensive categories.  It would be nice to see the MIAA add hockey and lacrosse. 

I'd be careful about the whole "look how easy it is" mentality, though.  I don't know a ton about DIII hockey, but I know that the conference we play in is not viewed as a strong one.  On top of that, I'd imagine there are far fewer schools that play hockey than play basketball, or football, or baseball at the DIII level.  Thus, recruiting isn't quite as competitive, and it's easier to make a big splash quickly.  This is not to dilute anything the Bulldog hockey team has done this year, I'm amazed by their level of success, but it's just meant to underscore that there may be factors present in other sports that make immediate improvement and competitiveness on a national scale difficult.

[Mr. Ypsi]

bulldogalum,

These numbers are rather dated, but as of 2005(?), d3 men's teams:
  basketball  394
  baseball     359
  football      231
  lacrosse     130
  ice hockey   68

[HOF]

bulldogalum...I was meaning the "look how easy it is" comment for the other coaches at Adrian to start winning.  I could see the President saying to coach Lyall..."come on we won a league title in eight months, you can't win a league title in ten years??"  or to the men's and women's basketball coaches..."come on beat Hope and Calvin, it is easy, just recruit better players."

You see....

I have some experience in hockey and was able to watch Adrian play.  They would work over the other MIAA schools.  In talking with several NHL scouts at a Junior tournament a couple of weeks ago.  One said, "what Adrian has done down there is amazing.  They have two potential NHL draft picks on that team and a handful of other great players, DI kids."  So I think it is unfair to judge the other MIAA teams against Adrian.  The level of hockey is a tad higher and if you don't think so get down to Adrian this weekend and watch...I think the playoffs start down in Adrian.

[bulldogalum]

HOF:

My mistake.  I did get a chance to watch a few minutes on Saturday during halftime of the basketball game.  At that point, it was early in the second period and we were up 7-0, I think it wound up being 20-2.  I really hope they're able to make it into the NCAA tournament (my understanding is that their league's automatic bid doesn't kick in until next year) to see what they're really made of.  My impression is that they may make it, but barely, and would face some of the best competition out there immediately.

Anyhow, I think it plausible that Docking would go to the other coaches and suggest that they could easily follow hockey's lead by recruiting.  I still think it's a bit more complicated than that, as I hinted at in my last post. 

[HOF]

I'm with you bulldogalum.

So anymore talk about coaching changes?

Albion:  Who did they hire?
Adrian:  Anyone get fired?
Alma:  I heard Liester shaved his head?
Hope:  What is new?
Kalamazoo:  How is Zorbo doing?
Olivet:  Dom doing alright as the AD?  Any news on a car accident I heard Dom was in?  Not starting rumors, but heard he got dinged up in an accident?
Tri-State:  I get worried about the Thunder..nobody has anything to report.

Any assistants leave, get jobs, etc.

How is recruiting??  Heard Alma is getting a DII transfer.  Just what the league needs...another Josh Brehm.