FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Inside info released from the MIAA media day.  I only got the top two picks for MIAA finish, but the league coaches and media seem to agree with me.  Hope picked to finish first, Adrian picked to finish second.

[OCMan]

Heard it was an interesting day today at the MIAA media day. As I hear it once again Hope was picked to win it again followed by Adrian, Olivet, Trine, Alma, Albion and Kzoo. Interesting picks from the media on the outcome this year. Not too long before camps start. Olivet expecting a big turnout this year of 150+ kids. Excited to see how things turn out this year.

[hope1]

yes only a couple of more weeks to pratice starts  but that means fall is around the coner

[NW Hope Fan]

Hope Letter winners:
14 seniors- all letter winners
32 Juniors- 7 letter winners
48 Sophs- 4 letter winners

Anyone know about Hope's 75 freshmen, and if many of them will get a chance? Sure seems like a relatively young team. I hope Dean's recruits pan out quickly!

[ACRULZ]

ADAWG:

You may know this...is there any truth to the rumor that Adrian will have over 200 players this season???  I have to imagine that with their facilities it is easy to recruit to Adrian.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

ACRULZ:

I dont know if the number will be over 200, but from what I hear its gonna be right around 200 if not there.  Its good to have a solid recruiting class, but Ive said it before and will say it again, once any school gets numbers so high there becomes an issue in managing that many players and keeping everyone involved.  On Adrians behalf I do believe they are playing a 14 game JV schedule so that as many people as possible can play, that also includes about 6 split squad JV games which is a unique twist.  Its always been my take that a program is good at about 130-150 players tops.  But saying that it looks like Adrian has a good plan to support that many, I am curious about how they will give them all locker facilities etc, but then again we can all remember that there will be some that quit in these coming weeks.

[Pat Coleman]

Two JV teams, wow...

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Pat,

Yeah its a wild and great idea in a way.  If you are going to have the numbers you have to get the kids the opportunities to play or else your retention will really drop off.  I think that it will help out development and getting kids involved and interested over the entire course of the season.

[SaintsFAN]

or be as good as Mount Union year in and year out....to keep the kids interested (having only one JV team)

[HOF]

Ahhh football is in the air...good to be back.  Been watching all off season, but failed to post.  Gotta start sometime....

MIAA football....so Adrian and Hope huh?  I'd say maybe this could be the year of the Dogs.  What scares me about that is their opener.  In years past we trashed Adrian about their schedule.  Adrian must watch the board...Capital for their opener???  Ouch....who scheduled that???  Just joking...  Don't they scrimmage Ohio Northern as well?  If so I'm sure they'll find out how good they can be.

Hope....I don't know...I had a chance to talk with Coach Krepps about a month ago.  I got the same old song and dance...we'll be lucky to win five games speech...you know....he'll have them boys ready and will run the ball to win many games.

I think Craig Rundle and the Albion Brits will give everyone all that they want.  Don't count them out.

I think Olivet loses the close games this year.

Tri State has reached their peak....5-5 is about all they can do.

Jim Cole will have something up his sleeve....he'll be searching for a ring in week 10.

Kzoo....they'll be the Homecoming game for the MIAA...you know the team that seems to appear on the schedule as everyone's HC...fun for the kids...bad luck for the program.

All in all it should shape up to be fun!!!!

I think I just saw a shark swim...ohh wait that is Dan Phelps...he'd be a 1st Team All MIAA swimmer....haaa

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

HOF:

Adrian really upped the ante by adding Capital.  There was a time when Adrian was a very aggressive non conference scheduler.  Back in the day of my freshman year (2000) we had BW, Carthage and Thomas More on the non con schedule.  Then come around my Junior year that turned into Carthage, Franklin and Heidlberg.  I would add Defiance, but we play them every year so they feel like a conference team.  It is nice to see the stepped up level of competition, time will tell if it results in losses or wins, but either way I think it will strengthen the team for the upcoming season.  Adrian does scrimmage ONU, that fall son the 30th this year I believe, a saturday down at their place.  Adrian has always scrimmaged tough, going against ONU for at least the last 8-10 years.

I agree on Albion, I think they will be able to pull a good season off and for lack of a better word suprise some people.  Alma is always in the thick of it and I doubt it will be different this year.

I would say I think Trine has some more upside than you give them credit for, having been part of a losing program I can attest to the steps that get taken from 2-8 to 8-2 and from what I know and have seen it appears that Trine is doing what they need to do.

Olivet can be a roller coaster, I'm sure most of us still remember back when they were picked to win the MIAA and then lost all their league games.  Im not saying that is going to happen, I doubt it will but they always seem to be one surprise or another.

As for Kzoo, its a shame to see what that program has become.  As recently as 2003 they were still a competitive program in the MIAA, lead by strong defense and also a very inventive offense that played to their strengths.  They knew they couldnt snap it up head to head with the rest of the MIAA but they were smart, well coached and always went hard something that kept them in their games and allowed them to be the spoiler as well.  Lately that seems to be lacking at Kzoo and its a shame, the program is in dire straits without some sort of backing and encouragement from the administration, look around the MIAA, no program that competes for the title exists separate from the admin, if a school wants to compete athletics and administration need to be working towards a common goal, something that doesnt appear to be happening at K.

[sac]

I think I just saw a shark swim...ohh wait that is Dan Phelps...he'd be a 1st Team All MIAA swimmer....haaa

Michael Phelps can blow this Dan fella out of the water.


Phelps recorded a world record 4:03.84 in 400m IM , Phil Heyboer of Hope won and set the MIAA record this year in 4:03.55...... the 400 YARD IM, meaning Phil's time for 400m translates to about  4:26.35.........or Phelps' time translates to the 400yd at around 3:42.96

.......or about 3/4ths the length of the pool, either one. 

[HOF]

I think I know a Dan Phelps...haaa....

I guess welcome back...huh SAC...haa...you always keep us informed with correct info...lol.

[DEACONBLUE]

Hey Guys...Happy Almost Autumn.  Here's my feeble attempt at a pre-season MIAA prediction:

Defense dominant teams:  Adrian, Olivet, and TU (team which improves offense most will rise)
Offense dominant teams:  Alma. Albion, and Hope (team which improves defense most will rise)

RANK:
1) ADRIAN- Look for a re-adjusted dawg offense to finally compliment their high caliber defense.  The team to beat.
2) ALMA- Well tuned scoring machine.  Does need an improved defense to battle for crown
3) ALBION- My sleeper pick- balanced.  Last year a transition...can't keep down good coaching and tradition..
4) HOPE- Perennial power takes a breather with the loss of some motivational seniors
5) TU- New move to a pass dominant spread-offense needs a year to jell.
6) OLIVET- Defense cannot score enough points to make up for a thinning offense.
7) KZOO- Hornets need to find a way to maximize the minimum...depth. 

I could be wrong

[D306]

It does not look like Spencer Kruass will be playing Football this year for Albion. Not sure if it is health or his choice.

Albion does have a returning QB in Fusse who started several games last year. Albion also has a transfer QB whom is returning to Michigan from an out of state college.

Couple of weeks until the first game in MIAA should be a competitive season. I do not see any team as a clear favorite all have questions or graduated quite a few key players.