FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[D306]

OK so I was wrong I just saw Spencer Krauss name on the roster.

Good luck to all the teams, with season starting stay healthy

[HOF]

Gotta love a Saturday morning like today...woke up and turned on ESPN and here Corso, Herby and Fowler on College Gameday!  Oh yeah...Lou Holtz....

MIAA news:

Who is scrimmaging who this year?  Is Adrian doing the Ohio Northern deal?  Albion doing the GRCC?  Kzoo in the past scrimmaged Carthage?  Alma the Candians?  Hope has their annual Blue and Orange game?

Give me some dirt??

[formerd3db]

Alma usually scrimmages DII Northwood University from the GLIAC.  Hope continues to be a "traditionalist" by not scrimmaging another college for its final scrimmage as they have their annual Blue and Orange Intrasquad Scrimmage next Sat Aug 30th.  I recall DAWG saying the Adrian will again scrimmage ONU.  Sorry, however, I have not heard about any of the remaining MIAA college scrimages. 

[HOF]

So how is Trine's new field looking?  I'm sure I can see pics on the website, but just wanted to know from some Trine people who might have seen this in person.

When does Albion plan on getting some kind of surface?  It seems like every year, they have a nice field and then a JV game tears it up.

[LetItRain]

The new field at Trine is great.  However, many of the other MIAA teams have expressed disappointment that we replaced our grass with the new surface since our grass field was pretty good, too.  I believe they've broken ground on the new football building that will stand on the East side of the field (where the visitor stands used to be).  When this building is complete the East side of the field will become the "home" side of the field.

Trine scrimmages at Anderson University on Saturday, 8/30.

[D306]

Not sure about Albion getting some kind of Surface or Field Grass
I like the Grass they have, but it does get wet and then torn up by end of season

Albion looked good in scrimmage Saturday.
Defense held up well, and showed some depth and speed.
Return all of the Dline from last year, and added some size and speed to the LB core.

The Oline with several new starters was solid.
Albion has depth at RB and some speed on Offense, return QB whom saw significant time last year as well as some new speed QB's as well. Do not be surprised to see some running out of the QB's.

Injuries hit Albion hard last year, help develop this years young core. I think it pays off this year and next as most of the starters are Juniors this year.

Young Team, so  they will improve as the year goes on.
Been a very hard working, all business Camp.
Albion will finish the MIAA season higher than the preseason ranking.
Good out of conference schedule will prepare the team for League play.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'll be coming to the Sept 6 IWU @ Hope game - who will I see there?  I'll be staying at Drew's Country Campground (4 miles north on US 31) from Thursday evening to Tuesday morning - stop by to say hello and have a cold one on me!

On a U of M note, if you haven't seen the Sam McGuffie videos on utube, do yourself a favor and do so - amazing!  Since they are highlights, I don't know how many fumbles or weak runs may have hit the cutting-room floor, and have no idea the quality of the opposition, but unless the opposing Ds are TOTAL stiffs, this kid is a potential Barry Sanders!

[formerd3db]

Thanks for the updates, all.  Most interesting.

LIR:  On the other hand, there are just as many people in the league who are glad that Trine has added the new synthetic surface.  I, for one, am a supporter of it.  When we played at Trine 2 years ago, your grass field was horrible and a real safety issue.  Same goes for our place at Hope, which has been a major concern ever since it was put in almost 25 years ago.  That stadium was supposed to have synthetic turf, however, mostly financial issues at the time nixed that.  Then despites a couple of renovations to the field, it still is not right - same problem we had at the old stadium when I played "many moons ago".  There has been much talk "behind the scenes" recently about Hope/Holland putting new turf in.  Almost all the area h.s. schools have it - maintainance issues for grass are a big consideration.  We've all had this discussion regarding turf many times and the bottom line is that, everyone has their own opinion/favorite regarding it.  I do not doubt that some schools, like Albion and Hope and Kazoo may continue to have natural grass, yet the other MIAA schools that have put it in have a nice "+" for recruiting in some instances in that regard.

Mr. Ypsi:  I will be at the game - perhaps we can finally meet in person for a few minutes at halftime.  Talk to you later.

[Mr. Ypsi]

formerd3db,

Geez, I give you an invite to my RV, and the best you can offer is a few minutes at halftime - not even pre-game tailgating or post-game celebrating/commiserating?!

However it happens, it would be great to put some faces to the 'names' on the board.  Veteran posters will already know that I'm Chuck Bonney, but a heads-up if any others want a visit (since I don't yet know my campsite number).

[Brits39]

Does anyone have anymore info on How Albion is doing? I will for sure be shocked if they finish as low as they are predicted to!! Other than that what the Opening games for everyone else?

[formerd3db]

formerd3db,

Geez, I give you an invite to my RV, and the best you can offer is a few minutes at halftime - not even pre-game tailgating or post-game celebrating/commiserating?!

However it happens, it would be great to put some faces to the 'names' on the board.  Veteran posters will already know that I'm Chuck Bonney, but a heads-up if any others want a visit (since I don't yet know my campsite number).

Yeah, I know, that's terrible!   You are very kind for the invite.  Yet, my official duties with the team limits my "free time" - I won't be able to arrive to the game until a few minutes before start and then have to leave near right after due to an job related out-of-town commitment.  If it were not for that (and/or if I could get over before that i.e. the day before), I would certainly take you up on your very kind offer.  Not excuses, but rather the truth of the situation for this particular day.  HOPEfully, though, at least we'll get a chance to meet in person and "put faces with names" as you mention.  I've had the pleasure of doing that a some away games with other of our colleagues/posters on here in the past 3-4 years and it is always a great experience.

[OCMan]

Today is a day where OC fans will see what kind of expectations they should have for their defending champion comets. Olivet travels to Defiance today for a scrimmage and then just one short week until the true test with Wittenberg in the opener down in Springfield under the lights. Good luck to all this season and can't wait for the openers! Hopefully the MIAA has better luck out of conference this year as a whole and we start to get some respect....can't afford to "hang" with our non-conference opponents anymore. MIAA needs wins! Once again good luck to all

[79jaybird]

OCMan,  looking at some of the MIAA's non-conference matchups, I definitely think there are many opportunities this year for the MIAA to earn some respect.  Obviously, they have to win most of these games to earn the regard, but just looking at some of the matchups, there are some great games early in the season.

[HOF]

Any good news on the scrimmages?  Updates, updates, updates...game week is here!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

former, you're forgiven!  I know nothing about Hope's stadium - how shall we meet up?

Regarding UM - ouch!  If not for the fumble and blocked punt in the 4th, plus the incredibly stupid Ute penalties, we would have lost by 4+ TDs - yet still might have won if the refs had not suddenly swallowed the whistle on a pass interference with 2 minutes left.

The ONLY bright spots I saw were the kicker (he was accurate last year, but his longest was 42 yards; that 50-yarder would have been good from 60!) and the second-half defense.  The latter is probably key to whether the Wolverines can break .500 - play like the first half, they'll be lucky to win 5 games.

I'm not gonna permanently give up on players' first starts, but neither QB looked acceptable, and none of the RBs impressed - both probably largely due to a (so far) horrid OL.  Since they are all young, I haven't thrown in the towel on the season just yet!

[While I liked our kicker, and the punter was adequate, how I'd love to have Louie Sakoda!  4 for 4 on FGs (and his 53-yarder would have been good from 70! ), and a 60-yard punt under extreme pressure.  The kid has got to be the best kicker AND punter in college today!]